A Petition for Peace. To the most Reverend Archbiſhop and Biſhops, and the Reverend their Aſsiſtants commiſsioned by His Majeſty to treat about the Alteration of the Book of Common-Prayer. The humble and earneſt Petition of others in the ſame Commiſsion. Moſt Reverend Fathers, and Reverend Brethren,

THe ſpecial Providence of God, and His Majeſties tender regard of the Peace and Conſciences of His Subjects, and his deſire of their concord in the things of God, hath put into our hands this opportunity of ſpeaking to you as humble Petitioners, as well as Commiſſioners, on the behalf of theſe yet troubled and unhealed Churches, and of many thouſand ſouls that are dear to Chriſt; on whoſe behalf, wee are preſſed in ſpirit in the ſenſe of our duty, moſt earneſtly to beſeech you, as you tender the peace and proſperity of theſe Churches, the comfort of His Majeſty in the union of his Subjects, and the peace of your ſouls in the great day of your accounts, that laying by all former and preſent exaſperating and alienating differences, you will not now deny us your conſent and aſſiſtance to thoſe means that ſhall bee proved honeſt and cheap, and needful to thoſe great, deſirable ends, for which wee all profeſs to have our offices, and our lives.

The things which wee humbly beg of you are theſe.

1. That you will grant what wee have here propoſed and craved of you in our Preface; Even your charitable interpretation, acceptance of, and conſent unto the alterations and additions to the Liturgy now tendered unto you, that being inſerted, as wee have expreſſed, it [may bee left to the Miniſters choice to uſe one or other at his diſcretion] upon His Majeſties approbation, according to his gracious declaration concerning Eccleſiaſtical Affairs. And that (ſeeing wee cannot obtain the form of Epiſcopal Government, deſcribed by the late Reverend Primate of Ireland, and approved by many Epiſcopal Divines) wee may at leaſt enjoy thoſe benefits of Reformation in Diſcipline, and that freedome from Subſcription, Oaths and Ceremonies, which are granted in the ſaid Declaration, by the means of your charitable Mediation and Requeſt.

2. Seeing ſome hundreds of able, holy, faithful Miniſters are of late caſt out, and not onely very many of their Families in great diſtreſs, but (which is of far greater moment) abundance of Congregations in England, Ireland and Wales, are overſpread with lamentable ignorance, and are deſtitute of able, faithful Teachers: And ſeeing too many that are inſufficient, negligent, or ſcandalous, are over the Flocks (not meaning this as an accuſation of any that are not guilty, nor a diſhonourable Reflection on any party, much leſs on the whole Church) wee take this opportunity earneſtly to beſeech you, that you will contribute your indeavours to the Removal of thoſe that are the ſhame and burdens of the Churches; and to the Reſtauration of ſuch as may bee an honour and bleſſing to them. And to that end, that it bee not imputed to them as their unpardonable Crime, that they were born in an Age and Country which required Ordination by Parochial Paſtors, without Dioceſans: And that Re-ordination (whether abſolute or hypothetical) bee not made neceſſary to the future exerciſe of their Miniſtry. But that an Univerſal Confirmation may bee granted of thoſe ordained as aforeſaid, they being ſtill reſponſible for any perſonal inſufficiency or crime. Were theſe two granted (The Confirmation of the Grants in His Majeſties Declaration, with the liberty of the Reformed Liturgy offered you, and the reſtoring of able, faithful Miniſters to a capacity to bee ſerviceable in the Church of God, without forcing them againſt their conſciences to bee Re-ordained) how great would bee the benefits to this unworthy Nation? How glad would you make the peoples hearts? how thankful ſhould wee bee (for the cauſe of Chriſt, and the ſouls of men) to thoſe that grant them, and procure them; being conſcious that wee ſeek not great things for our ſelves, or for our Brethren; that wee are ambitious of no greater wealth or honour, than our daily bread, with ſuch freedome and advantage for the labours of our Miniſtry, as may moſt conduce to the ſucceſs, the increaſe of holineſs and peace; wee ſhall take the boldneſs to ſecond theſe Requeſts, with many of our reaſons, which wee think ſhould prevail for your conſent, chuſing rather to incur whatſoever cenſures or offence may by any bee taken againſt our neceſſary freedome of expreſſion, than to bee ſilent at ſuch a time as this, when thouſands of the ſervants of the Lord, that are either deprived of their faithful Teachers, or in fears of loſing them, together with the freedome of their conſciences in Gods worſhip, do cry day and night to Heaven for help, and would cry alſo in your ears with more importunate Requeſts, if they had but the opportunity as now wee have.

And 1. Wee beſeech you bear with us while wee remember you, that you are Paſtors of the flock of Chriſt, who are bound to feed them, and to preach in ſeaſon, and out of ſeaſon, and to bee laborious in the Word and Doctrine; but are not bound to hinder all others from this bleſſed work, that dare not uſe a Croſs or Surplice, or worſhip God in a form which they judge diſorderly, defective, or corrupt, when they have better to offer him (Mal. 1. 13, 14.) Is it not for matter and phraſe at leaſt as agreeable to the holy Scriptures? If ſo, wee beſeech you ſuffer us to uſe it, who ſeek nothing by it, but to worſhip God as neer as wee can, according to his will, who is jealous in the matters of his worſhip. If indeed yours have more of ſtrength, and ours of weakneſs, yet let not Fathers caſt the children from the Houſe of God, becauſe they are ſick or weak, and need the more compaſſion; let not our Phyſicians reſolve their Patients ſhall all bee famiſhed, or caſt off, whoſe temperature and appetites cannot agree to feed on the ſame diſh, with the ſame preparation and ſauce. Hee that thrice charged Peter as hee loved him, to feed his Lambs and Sheep, did never think of charging him to deny them food or turn them out of his fold, or forbid all others to feed them, unleſs they could digeſt ſuch forms and ceremonies, and ſuperſcriptions as ours.

2. May wee preſume to minde you, that the Lord of the Harveſt hath commanded us to pray that more Labourers may bee ſent into the Harveſt. (For ſtill proportionably the Harveſt is great, and the Labourers are few) Mat. 9. 37. And that the Lord hath not furniſhed them with his gifts in vain, nor lighted theſe Candles to put under a Buſhel, but to bee ſet on a Candleſtick, that they may give light to all that are in the houſe, Mat. 5. 15: And that there are few Nations under the Heavens of God, as far as wee can learn, that have more able, holy, faithful, laborious and truly peaceable Preachers of the Goſpel (proprotionably) than thoſe are that are now caſt out in England, and are like in England, Scotland, and Ireland, to bee caſt out, if the old Conformity bee urged. This witneſs is true, which in Judgement wee bear, and muſt record againſt all the reproaches of uncharitableneſs, which the Juſtifier of the Righteous at his day will effectually confute. Wee therefore beſeech you, that when thouſands of ſouls are ready to famiſh for want of the bread of Life, and thouſands more are grieved for the Ejection of their faithful Guides, the Labourers may not bee kept our, upon the account of ſuch Forms or Ceremonies, or Re-ordination; at leaſt till you have enow as fit as they to ſupply their places, and then wee ſhall never petition you for them more.

3. And wee beſeech you conſider when you ſhould promote the joy and thankfulneſs of His Majeſties Subjects for his happy Reſtauration, whether it bee equal and ſeaſonable to bring upon ſo many of them ſo great calamities as the change of able, faithful Miniſters, for ſuch as they cannot comfortably commit the conduct of their ſouls to, and the depriving them of the Liberty of the Publick Worſhip; calamities far greater than the meer loſs of all their worldly ſubſtance can amount to: In a day of Common Joy to bring this cauſeleſly on ſo many of His Majeſties Subjects, and to force them to lye down in heart-breaking-ſorrows, as being almoſt as far undone, as Man can doe it; this is not a due requital of the Lord for ſo great deliverances: Eſpecially conſidering, that if it were never ſo certain, that it is the ſin of the Miniſters that dare not bee Re-ordained, or conform; its hard that ſo many thouſand innocent people ſhould ſuffer even in their ſouls for the faults of others.

4. And if wee thought it would not bee miſ-interpreted, wee would here remember you, how great and conſiderable a part of the three Nations they are, that muſt either incur theſe ſufferings, or condole them that undergo them; and how great a grief it will be to His Majeſty, to ſee his grieved ſubjects; and how great a joy it will bee to him, to have their hearty thanks and prayers, and ſee them live in proſperity, peace and comfort under his moſt happy Government.

5. And wee may plead the nature of their cauſe, to move you to compaſſionate your poor afflicted Brethren in their ſufferings. It is, in your own account, but for refuſing Conformity to things indifferent, or at the moſt, of no neceſſity to ſalvation. It is in their account for the ſake of Chriſt, becauſe they dare not conſent to that which they judge to be an uſurpation of his Kingly power, and an accuſation of his Laws as inſufficient, and becauſe they dare not bee guilty of addition to, or diminution of his Worſhip, or of worſhipping him after any other Law, than that by which they muſt bee judged, or ſuch as is meerly ſubordinate to that. Suppoſe they bee miſtaken in thinking the things to bee ſo diſpleaſing to God; yet it is commendable in them to bee fearful of diſpleaſing him, and careful to obey him; a diſpoſition neceſſary to all that will bee ſaved, and therefore to bee loved and cheriſhed in them by the Paſtors of the Church; who ſhould bee very tender of putting them to ſuffering, or caſting them out of the Church, becauſe they dare not do that which they judge to bee ſo great a ſin againſt the Lord, deſerving damnation to themſelves. Should not the love of Chriſt command us to bee tender of thoſe that are ſo tender of his honour, and to take heed what wee do to men for taking heed of ſin, and being afraid to offend the Lord; and ſhould not the ſpecial love of Chriſtians, and the common love of men, command us, to bee loath to drive men by penalties, upon that which they judge doth tend to their everlaſting damnation, and which indeed doth tend to it, becauſe they judge it ſo to do; For hee that will do that which hee thinks to bee ſo great a ſin as is before deſcribed, to pleaſe men, or to eſcape their puniſhment, no doubt deſerveth the wrath of God, and ſhould wee not bee loath to drive men upon ſin and condemnation: though wee were ſure that their own infirmity is the occaſion. If it bee ſaid, that by this Rule nothing ſhall bee commanded, if men will but ſcruple it. Wee anſwer, Things in themſelves neceſſary, or commanded by God, muſt bee commanded by man, becauſe ſcruples make them not unneceſſary, and make not void the Laws of God, and it will bee a ſin even to the ſcrupulous to diſobey: But things diſpenſible, and of themſelves unneceſſary, ſhould not bee rigorouſly urged upon him, to whom they would bee a ſin, and cauſe of condemnation. It is in caſe of things indifferent in your own judgement, that wee now ſpeak. If it bee ſaid, that it is humour, pride, or ſingularity, or peeviſhneſs, or faction, and not true tenderneſs of conſcience that cauſeth the doubts, or non-conformity of theſe men. Wee anſwer, ſuch crimes muſt bee faſtened onely on the Individuals, that are firſt proved guilty of them; and not upon multitudes unnamed and unknown and without pro •• ; and you know it is the prerogative of God to ſearch the heart, and that hee hath ſaid, Judge not that yee be not judged, for with what judgement yee judge, yee ſhall bee judged, and with what meaſure yee mete, it ſhall bee meaſured to you again. Mat. 7. 1, 2. And who art thou that judgeſt another mans ſervant, to his own Maſter, hee ſtandeth or falleth; yea, hee ſhall bee holden up, for God is able to make him ſtand. Rom. 14. 4. And who can pretend to bee better acquainted with their hearts, than they are themſelves! For what man knoweth the things of a man, ſave the ſpirit of a man, which is in him; 1 Cor. 2. 11. And they are ready to appeal to the dreadful God, the ſearcher of hearts, and the hater of Hypocriſie, that if it were not for fear of ſinning againſt him, and wounding their conſciences, and hazarding, and hindering their ſalvation, they would readily obey you in all theſe things; That it is their fear of ſin and damnation that is their Impediment, they are ready to give you all the aſſurance, that man can give by the ſolemneſt profeſſions, or by oath if juſtly called to it.

And one would think that a little Charity might ſuffice to enable you to beleeve them, when their non-compliance brings them under ſuffering, and their compliance, is the viſible way to favour; ſafety, and proſperity in the world. And if men that thus appeal to God concerning the intention of their own hearts, cannot bee beleeved, even when the State of their worldly intereſt bears witneſs to their profeſſions, but another ſhall ſtep into the Throne of the heart-ſearching God, and ſay [It is not as they ſay, or ſwear, It is not conſcience, but obſtinacy or ſingularity] all humane converſe upon theſe terms will bee overthrown: And what remedy have they, but patiently to wait, till God that they have Appealed to, ſhall decide the doubt, and ſhew who were the Aſſertours of truth or falſhood.

6 And wee crave leave to repreſent to you the great diſproportion, in neceſſity and worth, between the things in queſtion, and the ſalvation of ſo many, as may bee obtained by the free and faithful exerciſe of the Miniſtery, of thoſe that now are, and that are yet like to bee laid aſide; Do you think the Lord that died for ſouls, and hath ſent us to learn what that meaneth [I will have mercy and not ſacrifice, Mat. 9. 13.] is better pleaſed with Re-ordination, Subſcription and Ceremonies, than with the ſaving of ſouls, by the means of his own appointment: If it bee ſaid that Publick order and peace and concord do promote the ſalvation of many, and therefore are to bee preferred before the ſalvation of fewer. Wee anſwer, Concord in holy obedience to God doth indeed promote the ſalvation of all that entertain it; but Concord in Ceremonies, or Re-ordination, or Oaths of obedience to Dioceſans, or in your queſtioned particular forms of Prayer, do neither in their nature, or by vertue of any promiſe of God, ſo much conduce to mens ſalvation; as the preaching of the Goſpel doth, by able faithful and laborious Miniſters. And how comes it to paſs that unity, concord and order muſt bee placed in thoſe things, which are no way neceſſary thereto! Will there not bee order and concord in Holy obedience and acceptable worſhiping of God, on the terms which wee now propoſe and crave, without the foreſaid matter of offence? Wee here ſhew you that wee are no Enemies to order, and our long importunity for the means of concord, doth ſhew that wee are not enemies to concord.

If it bee ſaid, that other men that will conform to the things in queſtion may convert and ſave ſouls better than thoſe that are factious and diſobedient: Wee firſt humbly crave that reproach may not bee added to affliction, and that none may bee called factious that are not proved ſuch; and that Laws impoſing things indifferent in your judgement, and ſinfull in theirs, may not bee made the rule to judge of faction: But that men who live inoffenſively under civill Government, and in matters of Faith and Worſhip, ſubſcribe to all contained in the holy Scriptures; and indeavour to promote Univerſal Peace and Cha •… y on theſe termes, may not bee made offenders by the making of Laws and Canons, that muſt force them to bee ſuch: Conſequently Daniel was an offender that would not forbear praying openly by the ſpace of thirty daies. But antecedently to that Law, hee was confeſſed juſt, by them that ſaid [Wee ſhall not finde any occaſion againſt this Daniel, except wee finde it againſt him concerning the Law of his God] Dan 6. 5, 7, 10. The Law which hee muſt break was made to make him a breaker of that Law; take away that law and take away his fault. Wee accuſe none of the like intentions, but wee muſt ſay, that it is eaſie to make any man an offender, by making laws which his conſcience will not allow him to obſerve, and its as eaſie to make that ſame man ceaſe to ſeem diſobedient, obſtinate, or factious, without any change at all in him, by taking down ſuch needleſs Laws. Wee may again remember you what Chriſt a ſecond time doth preſs, Mat. 12. 7. [But if yee had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not ſacrifice, yee would not have condemned the guiltleſs.]

And next, to the reſt of the objection, wee anſwer; That ſad experience tells the world, that if the Miniſters that wee are pleading for, bee laid aſide, there are not competent men enough to ſupplie their Rooms, and equally to promote the ſalvation of the flocks: This is acknowldged by them who ſtill give it as the reaſon why Miniſters are not to bee truſted with the expreſſing of their deſires in their own words, nor ſo much as to chuſe which Chapter to read, as well as which Text to preach on, to their Auditours, becauſe wee ſhall have Miniſters ſo weak, as to bee unfit for ſuch a truſt: And men that are not wiſe enough for ſo eaſie a part of their duty, as to chuſe fit portions of Scripture to read, are unlikely to afford an equal aſſiſtance to the ſalvation of the people inſtead of the labours of ſuch as wee are ſpeaking for.

7 And it muſt bee remembred that in our Ordination, wee muſt profeſs that [wee are perſwaded that the Holy Scriptures contain ſufficiently all Doctrine, required of neceſſity for eternal ſalvation, &c.] and that wee will teach or maintain nothing as required of neceſſity to eternal ſalvation, but that which wee are perſwaded may bee concluded and proved by the ſame] and that one of the articles of the Church containeth the ſame doctrine of the ſcriptures ſufficiency: and to theſe wee are called to ſubſcribe; And the perſons that wee now ſpeak for, are ready to ſubſcribe to all contained in the Holy Scriptures, and willing to bee oblieged by the Laws of men to practiſe it: And hee that hath all things neceſſary to ſalvation is received of God, and ſhould therefore bee received by the Church, if the Apoſtles argument bee good, Rom. 14. 1. 3. [For God hath received him] ſeeing then you do profeſs that none of your Impoſitions that cannot bee concluded from the ſcripture, are neceſſary to ſalvation, let them not conſequentially bee made neceſſary to it, and more neceſſary than that which is ordinarily neceſſary.

If you ſay, that ſo many men ſhall bee forbidden to preach, unleſs they dare Subſcribe and uſe theſe things; you will tempt them to infer, that Preaching being ordinarily neceſſary to ſalvation, Rom. 10. 14. And theſe things called indifferent being made neceſſary to preaching and preferred before it, therefore they are made neceſſary to ſalvation, and preferred before that which God hath made neceſſary;

If it bee ſaid, that this will as much follow the making of any other indifferent thing to bee neceſſary to preaching, and ſo the Church ſhall make no orders; Wee anſwer.

1. That ſmaller things muſt not bee impoſed by unproportionable penalties.

2. That though the Church may prefer a ſober, peaceable Preacher before one that is Schiſmatical and unpeaceable (which is not at all to exclude Preaching) yet the Church may not make any thing neceſſary to Preaching it ſelf; that is of it ſelf unneceſſary, and not antecedently neceſſary, at leaſt by accident.

8. And if our Religion be laid upon your particular Liturgy, wee ſhall teach the Papiſts further to inſult, by asking us, where was our Religion two hundred years ago? The Common-Prayer-Book as differing from the Maſs-Book, being not ſo old, and that which might then bee the matter of a change, is not ſo unchangeable it ſelf, but that thoſe Alterations may bee accepted for ends ſo deſirable as are now before us.

9. And wee humbly crave that wee may not in this bee more rigorouſly dealt with, than the Paſtors and People of the Antient Churches were: If wee may not have the Liberty of the Primitive times, when for ought can bee proved, no Liturgical Forms were impoſed upon any Church, yet at leaſt let us have the liberty of the following Ages, when under the ſame Prince there were diverſity of Liturgies, and particular Paſtors, had the power of making and altering them for their particular Churches.

10. And if you ſhould reject (which God forbid) the moderate propoſals which now and formerly wee have made, wee humbly crave leave to offer it to your conſideration, what Judgement all the Proteſtant Churches are likely to paſs on your proceedings, and how your cauſe and ours will ſtand repreſented to them, and to all ſucceeding Ages. Though wee earneſtly deſire the tolleration of thoſe that are tollerable, and the peaceable Liberties of all that agree on the Catholick terms of Primitive Simplicity, in Doctrine, Worſhip and Diſcipline, yet have wee our ſelves ſo far drawn neer you, as that the world will ſay, you reject thoſe that are for Epiſcopacy it ſelf, and ſet Forms of Liturgy, and are not ſo much as charged by you at all, as diſagreeing in any point of Faith, if you ſhall reject us. If after our ſubmiſſion to His Majeſties Declaration, and after our own Propoſals of the Primitive Epiſcopacy, and of ſuch a Liturgy as here wee tender, wee may not bee permitted to exerciſe our Miniſtery, or enjoy the Publick Worſhip of God, the Pens of thoſe learned, moderate Biſhops will bear witneſs againſt you, that were once employed as the chief Defenders of that cauſe (wee mean ſuch as Reverend Biſhop Hall, and Uſher) who have publiſhed to the world, that much leſs than this might have ſerved to our fraternal Unity and Peace. If you would not grant this Liberty, and Communion to others, with whom Chriſt will hold Communion in grace and glory; yet it will appear more ſtrange to the world, that you ſhould caſt out the Epiſcopal alſo, that dare not go beyond the Rule of Holy Scripture, and the Example of Primitive Simplicity.

And wee doubt not but you know, how new and ſtrange a thing it is that you require in the point of Re-ordination: When a Canon amongſt thoſe called the Apoſtles depoſeth thoſe that Re-ordain, and that are re-ordained; And when it is a thing that both Papiſts and Proteſtants condemn, when not onely the former Biſhops of England, that were more moderate were againſt it, but even the moſt ſervent adverſaries of the Presbyterian way; ſuch as Biſhop Bancroft himſelf, how ſtrange muſt it needs ſeem to the Reformed Churches to the whole Chriſtian world, and to future Generations, that ſo many able, faithful Miniſters ſhould bee laid by as broken Veſſels, becauſe they dare not bee re-ordained? and that ſo many have been put upon ſo new and ſo generally diſ-reliſhed a thing?

11. And wee crave leave to remember you, that the Holy Ghoſt hath commanded you to over-ſee the flock, not by conſtraint, but willingly, not as being Lords over Gods Heritage, but as Enſamples to the Flock: And that it is not onely more comfortable to your ſelves to bee loved as the Fathers, than to be eſteemed the Afflicters of the Church, but that it is needful to the ends of your Miniſtry for the people • When you are loved, your Doctrine will more eaſily bee received: But when men think that their ſouls or liberties are endangered by you, its eaſie to judge how much they are like to profit by you.

12. And you know if wee are not in point of Ceremonies or Forms in every thing of your mind; it is no more ſtrange to have variety of intellectual Apprehenſions in the ſame Kingdome and Church, than variety of temperatures and degrees of age and ſtrength. If His Majeſty ſhould expel all thoſe from his Dominions, that are not ſo wiſe, as ſolidly to judge, whether the Liturgy as before, or as thus reformed, bee the beſt, yea whether this bee intollerable in compariſon of yours, and whether God bee pleaſed or diſpleaſed with your Ceremonies, it would bee too great a diminution of his ſubjects, and if you ſhould turn all ſuch out of the Kingdome of Chriſt, it would bee liker a diſſipating, than a gathering, and a deſtroying, than an edifying of his Church: And you have not your power to deſtruction, but to edification, 2 Cor. 10. 8. & 13. 10. you muſt do all things for the peoples edifying, 2 Cor. 12. 19. Epheſ. 4. 12.

13. And how Chriſt will take it of you, to caſt out from the Miniſtry or Communion of the Church, or to grieve and puniſh all thoſe that dare not conform to you in theſe matters; for fear of diſpleaſing the Law-giver of the Church, wee beſeech you judge (when your ſouls are moſt ſeriouſly thinking of the day of your Accounts) by ſuch paſſages of Holy Scripture as may fully acquaint you with his mind. Hee is himſelf a merciful High-Prieſt, a gracious Saviour, a tender Governour. Hee deſpiſeth not the day of ſmall things, Zech. 4. 10. Hee feedeth his flock like a Shepherd, hee gathereth his Lambs with his Arm, and carrieth them in his boſome, and gently leadeth thoſe that are with young, Iſa. 40. 11. A bruiſed reed will hee not break, and the ſmoaking flax will hee not quench, Iſa. 42. 3. Matth. 12. 20. God doth inſtruct the Plow-man to diſcretion, and teacheth him not to threſh the Fetches with a Threſhing-inſtrument, nor to turn the Cart-wheel upon the Cummin, but the Fetches are beaten out with a ſtaff, and the Cummin with a rod, Iſa. 28. 26, 27. Gods Servants are his Jewels, Mal. 3. 17. Hee will ſpare them as a man ſpareth his Son that ſerves him, and hee that toucheth them, toucheth the apple of his eye, Zech. 2. 8. Remember the neer relation they ſtand in to God in Chriſt, that they are the children of God, co-heirs with Chriſt, Rom. 8. 17. The members of his body, his fleſh and bone, which hee cannot hate, who ever hate them, Epheſ. 5. 29, 30. Remember how dear they coſt him, and to what honour hee will advance them; and that theſe ſame perſons that love him in ſincerity, muſt be where hee is, to behold his glory, Joh. 12. 26. & 17. 24. and ſhall be like the Angels of God, Luk. 20. 36. and ſhall judge the world, 1 Cor. 6. 2, 3. and that Chriſt will come to bee glorified and admired in them, 2 Theſ. 1. 10. and they ſhall ſhine forth as the Sun in the Kingdome of their Father, Mat. 13. 43. Remember with what tender uſage hee treated his weak imperfect members upon earth, and when hee was aſcending to prepare a place for them, that they might bee with him where hee is, how affectionately hee beſpeaketh them, Joh. 20. 17. Go to my Brethren, and ſay unto them, I aſcend up to my Father, and your Father, and to my God, and your God. And leſt you ſhould ſay, that hee will not own thoſe little ones, that (whether for Truths ſake, or for their infirmities) do bear diſgraceful titles in the world; Remember that at the day of udgement hee will ſay, Inaſmuch as you did it not, or did it, to one of the leaſt of theſe my Brethren, you did it not, or did it unto mee, Mat. 25. 40. 45. If his Elect cry to him day and night, though hee bear long, hee will avenge them, and that ſpeedily, Luke 18. 7, 8. Bear with us while wee add this terrible paſſage, which wee once before made mention of, Mat. 18. 5, 6. [Who ſo ſhall receive one ſuch little childe in my name, receiveth mee; but whoſe ſhall offend one of theſe little ones that beleeve in mee, it were better for him that a Milſtone were hanged about his neck, and that hee were drowned in the depth of the Sea.] Undoubtedly if you conſider duly by ſuch paſſages, how Chriſt will take it to have his ſervants not onely notviſited, not-relieved, but to bee afflicted, not onely in body, but in ſoul, with that great affliction to be caſt out of the Miniſtry, or Church, for an unavoidable diſſent in things indifferent, you will never joyn with thoſe that ſhall ſtretch forth a hand againſt them for ſuch a cauſe as this. If yet the old pretence be made, that they ſuffer as Schiſmaticks, and diſobedient; wee muſt ſay again, if any ſhall make men diſobedient by impoſing things unneceſſary, which they know are by learned, pious, peaceable men, eſteemed ſins againſt the Lord, and then ſhall thus heavily afflict them for the diſobedience which they may eaſily cure by the forbearance of thoſe impoſitions; let not our ſouls come into their ſecret, nor our honour be united to their Aſſembly: If they ſhall ſmite or caſt out a ſuppoſed Schiſmatick, and Chriſt ſhall finde an able, holy, peaceable Miniſter, or other Chriſtian, wounded, or mourning, out of doors, let us not be found among the Actors, nor ſtand among them in the day of their accounts, when tribulation ſhall be recompenced to the Troublers of beleevers, 2 Theſ. 1. 6.

14. Wee beſeech you alſo to conſider, that men have not their underſtandings at their own command, much leſs can they be commanded by others, if they were never ſo willing to beleeve all that is impoſed on them to bee lawful, they cannot therefore beleeve it, becauſe they would, the intellect being not free. And to diſſemble, and ſay, and ſwear, and do, the things which they beleeve not, is ſuch an aggravated hypocriſie (being in the matters of God, and joyned with perfidiouſneſs) as wee may ſuppoſe cannot render them acceptable to any, that have not renounced Religion and Humanity, much leſs ſhould they bee conſtrained to it. And when it is known that mens judgements are againſt the things impoſed, and that penalties are no means adapted to the informing and changing of the judgement; but to force men to do the things they know, wee conceive they ſhould not bee uſed, and ſo uſed in the caſe of things indifferent, where they are not neceſſary to the common good, and where the ſufferers, have never had ſufficient means to change their judgements.

If it be ſaid, that it is their own ſault, that their judgements are not changed, and that the means have been ſufficient.

Wee anſwer, That it is their fault, is the point in queſtion, which the Sword can eaſilier take for granted, than the Tongue or Pen can prove: But if it be ſo, it is their fault, as it is that they are the Sons of Adam, partakers of the common corruption of humane nature; and as it is their fault that they are not all of the higheſt form in the School of Chriſt, above the common ignorance and frailties of beleevers, and that they are not all the moſt judicious Divines of the moſt ſubtile wits, and had not the ſame education and ſociety to advance your opinions, and repreſent things to their underſtandings, juſt as they are repreſented unto yours. And if men muſt be caſt out of the Church, or Miniſtry, becauſe they are not wiſer than ſuch learned men, as the Paſtors of the moſt of the Reformed Churches, and as Hilderſham, Bar • e, Parker, Ames Dod, Ball, Nichols, and many ſuch others as have here taken this conformity to be a ſin, how few, alas, how very few will there be left!

And if it be ſaid, that men do willingly keep out the light. We muſt ſay, that few men are obſtinate againſt the opinions that tend to their eaſe and advancement in the world, and to ſave them from being vi • ified as Schiſmaticks, and undone; and when men profeſs before the Lord, that they do impartially ſtudy and pray for knowledge, and would gladly know the will of God at the deareſt rate; wee muſt again ſay, that thoſe men muſt prove that they know the diſſentors hearts, better than they are known to themſelves, that expect to be beleeved by charitable Chriſtians, when they charge them with wilful ignorance, or obſtinate reſiſting of the truth.

15. And wee crave leave to ask whether you do not your ſelves in ſome things miſtake, or may not do ſo for ought you know? and whether your underſtandings are not ſtill imperfect, and all men differ not in ſome opinions or other? And if you may miſtake in any thing, may it not be in as great things as theſe? can it be expected, that wee ſhould all be paſt erring about the ſmalleſt Ceremonies and Circumſtances of worſhip? And then ſhould not the conſciouſneſs of your own infirmity, provoke you rather to compaſſionate humane frailty, than to caſt out your Brethren, for as ſmall failings as your own?

16. And wee further offer to your conſideration, whether this be doing as you would be done by, would you be caſt out for every fault that is as bad as this? and doth this ſhew that you love your neighbours as your ſelves? Put your ſelves in their caſe, and ſuppoſe that you had ſtudied, conferred and prayed, and done your beſt to know whether God would have you to be Re-ordained, to uſe theſe Forms or Ceremonies, or Subſcriptions, or not? and having done all, you think that God would be diſpleaſed if you ſhould uſe them, would you then be uſed your ſelves, as your diſſenting Brethren are now uſed, or are like to bee; love them as your ſelves, and wee will crave no further favour for them.

17. But nothing more affecteth us, than to think of the Lamentable diviſions, that have been cauſed and are ſtill like to bee, whileſt things unneceſſary are ſo impoſed: And on the contrary, how bleſſed an unity and peace wee might injoy if theſe occaſions of diviſion were removed, and wee might but have leave to ſerve God as his Apoſtles did. As in Doctrinals, ten thouſand will ſooner agree in an Explicite belief of the Creed, than an hundred in an Explicite belief of all that Ockam or Scotus have determined; So in the matters of Government and worſhip; It is eaſier to agree upon few things, than upon many, upon great and certain and neceſſary things, than upon ſmall uncertain and unneceſſary things, and upon things that God himſelf hath revealed or appointed, than upon things that proceed from no ſurer an Original, than the wit or will of man. The ſtrict prohibition of adding to or diminiſhing from the things commanded by the Law-giver of the Church, Deut. 12. 3 • . doth put ſuch a fear in the minds of multitudes of the loyal ſubjects of Chriſt, leſt by ſuch additions or diminutions in the matters of his worſhip, they ſhould provoke him to diſpleaſure, as will bee a certain perpetual hindrance to any common unity or Concord, in ſuch humane impoſitions, of which many of the ſervants of the jealous God will have a continual jealouſie.

With grieved hearts wee now renew the lamentable diviſions, occaſioned already by theſe Impoſitions, ever ſince the Reformation in the daies of King Edward 6th. and the grievous fruits of thoſe Diviſions! How they deſtroyed Charity (the character of Chriſts Diſciples) and exaſperated mens minds againſt each other: How they corrupted mens prayers and other exerciſes of devotions, and made them pray and preach againſt one another: How their tongues were emboldned to the cenſuring of each other, one party calling the other, Factious, Schiſmatical, Singular, and Diſobedient; and the other calling them Antichriſtian, Proud, Tirannical, Superſtitious, Perſecutors and Formaliſts: And ſuch language ſtill increaſing the uncharitableneſs and diviſions; till the increaſe of impoſing rigour on the one ſide, and of impatience under Sufferings on the other ſide, was too great a preparation to thoſe greater calamities which are yet bitter to the remembrance of all whoſe intereſts or paſſions have not Conquered their humanity. And the continuance of ſo much of the cauſes and effects, doth infallibly prove, that if the ſame impoſitions bee ſetled upon us, the ſame Heart-diviſions will bee ſtill continued: Brethren will diſdain the name and love of Brethren to each other; which yet Chriſt himſelf by condiſcending and reproving love, vouchſafeth to them all. Inſtead of loving one another with a pure heart, fervently, there will bee, if not hating, yet grudging at one another, cenſuring and deſpiſing one another; Which effects will ſtill increaſe their cauſe, and make one ſide think, that they are neceſſitated to bee more rigorous in their Coercions, and the other think that they are allowed to bee more cenſorious againſt thoſe by whom they ſuffer.

And how many thouſands on both ſides by ſuch a ſtream of temptations, will undoubtedly bee carried on in a courſe of Sin from day to day, and by heart ſin, and tongue ſin, by Pulpit ſins, or ſins in other parts of Worſhip, will diſhonour God and provoke him to indignation againſt them and the Land, wee may not without aſtoniſhment and grief of heart foreſee or foretell.

And its eaſie to foreſee how the innocent will bee numbred with the faulty, and thoſe that do but feel their ſufferings; and the ſufferings of the Church on theſe occaſions, and do but groan and ſigh to God, and pray for ſuccour and deliverance, will bee thought to bee guilty of diſcontent and faction, and bringing the Government of the Church, and conſequently of the Kingdome into hatred or diſlike, and ſo their ſufferings will be increaſed: And hee that is commanded by the Laws of humanity to be compaſſionately ſenſible of the Calamities of others, ſhall bee thought an offender for being ſenſible of his own. Its eaſie to fore-ſee, how thoſe expreſſions in mens Sermons, or Prayers, or familiar Conference, which ſeem to any miſ-underſtanding, or ſuſpicious, or maſicious hearers, to intimate any ſenſe of ſufferings, will be carried to the ears of Rulers, and repreſented as a crime? And nature having planted in all men an unwillingneſs to ſuffer, and denied to all men a love of calamity, and neceſſitated men to feel when they are hurt, and made the tongue and countenance the Index of our ſenſe; theſe Effects will be unavoidable, while ſuch Impoſitions are continued, and while a fear of ſinning will not ſuffer men to ſwallow and digeſt them, and what wrong ſuch diviſions about Religion will be to the Kingdome; and to His Majeſty, wee ſhall not mention, becauſe our Governours themſelves may better underſtand it.

On the other ſide, what univerſal eaſe, and peace, and joy would be the fruits of that happy unity and concord, which the reaſonable forbearances which wee humbly petition for, would certainly produce; how comfortable would our Miniſterial labours bee, when wee had no ſuch temptations, burdens, or diſquietments? When wee lay not under the Reproofs of Conſcience, nor the ſuſpicions, or diſpleaſure of our Superiours, but might ſerve the Lord without diſtraction, and bee among his ſervants without ſuch fears, (Phil. 1. 14. 1 Cor. 16. 10.) How much would the hands of the Builders be ſtrengthened for the work of God, when they ſpeak the ſame things, and there are no diviſions among them, but they are perfectly joyned together in the ſame minde and judgement, 1 Cor. 1. 10. when they are like-minded, having the ſame love, being of one accord, of one minde, doing nothing through ſtrife or vain glory, which will never be while the one calls the other factious and ſchiſmatical, and the other calleth him ſuperſtitious and tyrannical; but when Chriſt hath taught us in lowlineſs of minde to eſteem others better than our ſelves, and not to look every man on his own things (his own gifts, and virtues, and worth, and intereſt) but every man alſo on the things of others; and till the ſame mind bee in us, that was in Chriſt Jeſus, that humbled himſelf, and took upon him the form of a ſervant, and made himſelf of no Reputation, Phil. 1. 2, to 9. How much ſhould wee honour the Body, the Spirit, the Hope, the Lord, the Faith, the Baptiſm, the God and Father of all Beleevers, which are one, if wee were one among our ſelves, which will never be, till with lowlineſs, and meekneſs, and long-ſuffering, wee forbear one another in love, inſtead of hating, reviling and perſecuting one another; and till wee endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit (though given in various degrees) rather than an unity in unneceſſary things) in the bond of peace, Epheſ. 4. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. and till the well-joynted and compacted body do edifie it ſelf in love, by a due contribution of mutual ſupply, and grow in Chriſt the proper head, inſtead of contending with it ſelf, and diſ-joynting and tearing it ſelf into peeces, becauſe of our different meaſure of underſtanding, and our unavoidable differences about ſome ſmall unneceſſary things, verſ. 13, 14, 15, 16. How beautiful would our holy Aſſemblies be, and how delightful the worſhip of God there celebrated, if wee had all laid by, the unchriſtian ſpirit of hatred, envy, emulation, murmuring, wrath, variance, ſtrife, hereſies, ſeditions, and all uncharitableneſs, and with one minde, and one mouth did glorifie God (Gal. 5. 19, 20, 21. Rom. 15. 16.) which will never be done, till thoſe that are ſtrong do bear the infirmities of the weak, and pleaſe not themſelves, but every one of us pleaſe his neighbour, for his good to edification, inſtead of vilifying him, or undoing him; and till inſtead of caſting each others out of the Church or Miniſtry, on the account of things indifferent, wee received one another, as Chriſt received us to the glory of God, Rom. 15. 1, 2, 6, 7. and till wee are thus like-minded one towards another; according to Chriſt Jeſus, verſ. 5. inſtead of being ſelfiſhly minded as men, or maliciouſly as enemies (1 Cor. 3. 3. 1 Cor. 14. 20. Col. 3. 8. Titus 3. 3.) If the very Babes were fed with the ſincere Milk of the Word, and all malice, and guile, and hypocriſie, and envies, and evil-ſpeaking were laid aſide, it would prove the beſt way to their growth, and a ſurer way to your preſent and eternal peace, than caſting them out becauſe they cannot bear your burdens, or digeſt ſome unneceſſary things, 1 Pet. 2. 1, 2, 3. How good and how happy a thing would it bee for Brethren to dwell together in unity? (Pſal. 133. 1.) And as thoſe that by one ſpirit are baptized into one body, and know they have need of one another, to contribute honour to the parts that lack it; yea to beſtow more abundant honour upon thoſe members which wee think to be leſs honourable, and more abundant comlineſs, on the uncomely parts, as knowing thoſe members are neceſſary that ſeem to be more feeble. If indeed wee would have no Schiſm in the body, the natural way is, for the members to have the ſame care one for another, as ſuffering all with one that ſuffereth, and rejoycing all with one that's honoured, 1 Cor. 12. 12, 13, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26. Take their ſufferings as your own, and you will not be haſty to bring them unto ſuffering. It muſt be the Primitive Simplicity of Faith, Worſhip, and Diſcipline, that muſt reſtore the Primitive Charity, Unity, and Peace, and make the multitude of Beleevers to bee of one heart, and of one ſoul, and to converſe with gladneſs and ſingleneſs of heart, as having all things common, Act. 4. 32. & 2. 46. No ſuch things as our controverted Impoſitions, were then made neceſſary to the unity and concord of the members of the Church.

18. And wee humbly offer to your conſideration, which way will moſt gratifie Satan in his cauſe and ſervants, and which will moſt promote the work and intereſt of Jeſus Chriſt. The ungodly that have an inbred enmity to holineſs, and to the holy ſeed, will bee glad to ſee ſo many of them ſuffer, and glad under the ſhelter of your diſpleaſure and afflictings, to finde opportunity to reproach them, and add affliction to affliction. The common adverſaries of our Religion, and of the King and Kingdome will rejoyce to ſee us weakned by our Diviſions, and employed in afflicting or cenſuring one another, and to ſee ſo many able Miniſters laid aſide, that might do much diſpleaſure to Satan, by the weakening of his Kingdome, and by promoting the Goſpel and Kingdome of the Lord. And whether this will tend to the edification of the Saints, and the pleaſing of Chriſt, wee have inquired before.

19. And if what you ſtand for, bee indeed of God, this courſe of unmerciful impoſition, is the greateſt wrong to it, that you can eaſily bee drawn to, unawars; while ſomany truly fearing God, are caſt out or trodden down, and tempted to think ill of that which themſelves and the Church thus ſuffer by, and when ſo many of the worſt befriend this way becauſe it gratifieth them, it tendeth to make your Cauſe judged of, according to the quality of its friends and adverſaries. And how great a hand this very thing hath had already in the diſlike of that is befallen Dioceſans, Ceremonies, and the Liturgie, is a thing too generally known to need proof.

20. Laſtly wee repeat what formerly wee have ſaid, that the Holy Ghoſt hath already ſo plainly decided the point in controverſie, in the inſtance of meats and daies, Rom 14. 15. that it ſeemeth ſtrange to us that yet it ſhould remain a Controverſie. A weak Brother that maketh an unneceſſary difference of meats and daies, is not to bee caſt out, but ſo to bee received and not to bee troubled with ſuch doubtful diſputations: Deſpiſing and judging the ſervants of the Lord, whom hee receiveth and can make to ſtand, and that upon ſuch ſmall occaſion is unbeſeeming true Beleevers, verſ. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. All ſhould bee here left to the full perſwaſion of their own minde, verſ. 5. Both parties here acknowledgeth the ſoveraignty of Chriſt, and in obſerving, or not obſerving ſuch things, they do it all to him, verſ. 6, 7, 8, 9. his judgement ſhould affright us from deſpiſing or judging one another, verſ. 10, 11, 12. inſtead of judging others wee ſhould judge it our duty, that none of us put a ſtumbling block, or occaſion to fall in his Brothers way; verſ. 13. If wee grieve thoſe that eſteem that unclean which we do not, wee walk not charitably; deſtroy not the work of God, nor him for whom Chriſt died, by your indifferent things; verſ. 14, 15, 20. It is evil to him that judgeth it to be evil. verſ. 14, 20. Do you beleeve theſe things to bee indifferent, have this belief to your ſelf before God, and condemn not your ſelves in that which you allow, verſ. 22. your Brother is damned if hee practiſe doubtingly, for whatſoever is not of Faith is ſin. verſ. 23. and you drive him upon damnation! Wee may well conclude then, that it is good, even your ſelves to avoid ſuch things unneceſſary, by which your Brother ſtumbleth, is offended, or made weak. verſ. 21. Much more to forbear the forcing them upon him, which thoſe that the Apoſtle reproveth did not attempt. It is the Kingdome of God that wee muſt all promote; and that Kingdome conſiſteth not in meat or drink, but in righteouſneſs, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghoſt. And hee that in theſe things ſerveth Chriſt, is acceptable to God, and ſhould bee approved of men verſ. 17, 18. Let us therefore follow after the things, which make for peace, and things wherewith one may Edifie another. verſe 19.

If you ſay, Rulers impoſition maketh indifferent things ceaſe to be indifferent? Wee anſwer,

1. They are not indifferent, in the judgement of diſſenters, though they bee ſo in yours.

2. Paul was a Ruler of the Church himſelf, and yet would deny his own Liberty, rather than offend the weak, ſo far was hee from taking away the liberty of others: 1 Cor. 8. 13. And it is to the Church of Rome and Corinth, and ſo to the Paſtours as well as the reſt, that Paul thus writeth: Wee beſeech you therefore plead not Law againſt us, when our requeſt is that you will joyn with us in Petitioning, to his Majeſty, and the Parliament, that there may bee no ſuch Law.

The Apoſtles and Elders Act. 15. 28. declare unto the Churches, that it ſeemed good to the Holy Ghoſt, and them, to lay upon them, no greater burden, than neceſſary things; impoſing them becauſe antecedently neceſſary (for that is given as the reaſon, of their ſelection, and impoſition) and not only making unneceſſary things, neceſſary, by impoſition, for then the Impoſition had been unneceſſary, though it was not a ſimple, unchangeable neceſſity, yet it was a neceſſity by accident, pro tempore & loco; antecedent to the impoſition of that aſſembly. Seeing then ſuch things commend us not to God; and if you uſe them, at leaſt, you are not the better. Sin not againſt Chriſt, by ſinning againſt your brethren, 1 Cor. 8. 8, 9, 11, 12. much more take heed of forcing them to ſin.

Wee have preſumed to bee thus plain and large, in ſhewing you ſome of our Reaſons, for your conſent, to the neceſſary abatement, of things unneceſſary to the Conſciences of your Brethren.

In the concluſion, wee beſeech you to compare with theſe the Reaſons, that can move you to deny us theſe requeſts. If you will needs uſe ſuch things your ſelves, will it gain you ſo much to force them upon others, as will anſwer all the foreſaid Inconveniences? Will it coſt you as dear to grant this Liberty, or abate theſe things, as the Impoſition will coſt your Brethren and you? O how eaſily, how ſafely, how cheaply, yea, with what commodity and delight, may you now make this Nation happy, in granting your Brethren theſe requeſts?

If you ſay that others will bee ſtill unſatisfied, and you ſhall never know when you have done: Wee anſwer,

1. The cauſe of the Non-conformiſts hath been long ago ſtated, at the troubles at Frank-ford, and having continued ſtill the ſame, you have no reaſon to ſuſpect them of any conſiderable change.

2. Grant us but the freedome that Chriſt and his Apoſtles left unto the Churches; uſe neceſſary things, as neceſſary, and unneceſſary, as unneceſſary, and charitably bear with the infirmities of the weak, and tolerate the tolerable, while they live peaceably, and then you will know when you have done. And for the intolerable, wee beg not your Toleration: Wee intercede for thoſe that have Chriſt for their Interceſſor in the Higheſt: Wee know when all's done, there will bee Hereſies. 1 Cor. 11. 19. There will bee ſelf-lovers, covetous, bouſters, proud, blaſphemers, diſobedient to Parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce breakers, falſe accuſers, incontinent, fierce, deſpiſers of thoſe that are good, traytors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleaſures more than of God, having a form of godlineſs, while they deny the power. 2 Tim. 3. 2, 3, 4. There will bee filthy dreamers, that defile the Fleſh, deſpiſe Dominion, ſpeak evil of dignities. Jud. 8. And many will follow their pernicious ways, by reaſon of whom the way of truth will be evil ſpoken of. 2 Pet. 2. 2. It is not theſe for whom wee are Petitioners: But for thoſe that are faithful to God and the King, that fear offending, that agree with you in all things neceſſary to Salvation; and the common union of Beleevers, and that you are like to ſee at Chriſts right hand, who will finally juſtifie them, and take them to his glory. If you ſuppoſe us in all this to have Pleaded our own cauſe; Wee hope wee are not ſuch as are intolerable in the Miniſtry or communion of the Church: if you ſuppoſe us to Plead the cauſe of others, wee hope you will accept our deſires as impartial, when it is ſuppoſed the perſons differ from us as well as from you. Wee have now faithfully, and not unneceſſarily, or unreaſonably, ſpread before you the Caſe of thouſands of the upright of the Land: Wee have propoſed honeſt and ſafe remedies for our preſent diſtractions, and the preventing of the feared increaſe. Wee humbly beg your Favourable Interpretation of our plain and earneſt language, which the urgency of the Cauſe commands, and your conſent to theſe our neceſſary requeſts: which if you grant us, you will engage us to thankfulneſs to God and you, and to imploy our faculties and intereſts with Alacrity to aſſiſt you for the common peace. But if you reject our ſuit (which God forbid) Wee ſhall commit all to him that judgeth Righteouſly, and wait in hope for the bleſſed day of Univerſal Judgement, when the Lord of Hoſts their ſtrong redeemer ſhall throughly plead his peoples cauſe, and execute Judgement for them, and bring them forth into the light, and they ſhall behold his Righteouſneſs. In the mean time, wee will bear the indignation of the Lord, becauſe wee have ſinned againſt him. Come Lord Jeſus! Come quickly;

Amen.

THE REFORMATION OF THE LITURGY. Preſented to the Right Reverend Biſhops, by the Divines appointed by His Majeſties Commiſsion to treat with them about the Alteration of it. Right Reverend,

HAVING already given you our judgement of ſeveral things in the Book of Common-Prayer, and our deſires for the altering of ſome parts of it, leaving the reſt unaltered; wee here tender you ſome of the ſaid Alterations, which in our former Paper wee ſhewed to bee needful, and ſome Additional Forms in Scripture Phraſe (as neer as wee well could) ſuited to the nature of the ſeveral parts of Worſhip. The Texts are cited in the Margin, to juſtifie partly the Matter, and partly the Phraſe. If any be miſ-applied (which wee hope will not bee found) wee ſhall be willing upon Information, to retract ſuch miſ-application. If ſome of the Prayers here offered ſeem of too great a length, the ſubſtance of them being allowed, wee ſhall upon conference and mutual conſideration, endeavour to contract them. And whereas His Majeſties Commiſsion doth impower and authorize us: To take into our Conſideration the ſeveral Directions, Rules and Forms of Prayer, and things contained in the Book of Common-Prayer; And further addeth, When wee ſhall have drawn our Conſultations to any Reſolution and Determination, which wee ſhall agree upon as needful or expedient to bee done for the altering, diminiſhing, or enlarging the Book of Common-Prayer, or any part thereof, &c. Wee have here accordingly added ſome Rules or Directions as requiſite to give light to the whole, ſhewing when and how thoſe ſeveral Prayers ſhall bee uſed. But if any of thoſe Rules or Directions upon debate ſhall bee judged by the Commiſsioners unneceſſary, or over long, wee ſhall bee very ready to ſubmit either to the Alteration, or Omiſsion of them. And ſince wee for our parts do ſo freely profeſs not to inſiſt on any thing now or formerly propoſed, which ſhall bee manifeſted to bee unmeet; ſo wee humbly crave, and hope for your conſent to all the reſt; And that theſe Alterations and Additions now offered, may finde your favourable interpretation and acceptance, and may by our joynt conſent bee preſented to His Majeſty, to the end they may obtain his gracious Approbation; And the ſeveral particulars thereof may bee inſerted into the ſeveral reſpective places of the Liturgy, to which they do belong, and left to the Miniſters choice to uſe the one or the other, according to His Majecties gracious Declaration concerning ECCLESIASTICAL AFFAIRS.

THE Ordinary Publick-Worſhip ON THE LORDS-DAY.

The Congregation being reverently compoſed, let the Miniſter firſt crave Gods aſſiſtance and acceptance of the Worſhip, to bee performed in theſe or the like words,

ETERNAL, Incomprehenſible, and Inviſible GOD, 1 Tim. 1. 17. Pſal. 147. 5. Mat. 19. 17. 1 Tim. 6. 16. Dan. 7. 10. Iſa. 57. 15. Pſal. 149. 4. Heb. 10. 19, 20. Iſa. 55. 6. Pſa. 95. 6. 1, 2. & 99. 5. & 51. 1, 17. & 89. 7. Jer. 32. 40. Heb. 12. 28. 1 Theſ. 5. 23. Levit. 10. 3. Zech. 12. 10. Rom. 8. 26. Jam. 5. 16. & 1. 6. Iſa. 26. 8. Matth. 15. 18. Joh. 4. 23, 24. 1 Theſ. 2. 13. Act. 16. 14. Mark 4. 12. Phil. 1. 29. Prov. 1. 24, 25. Eccleſ. 5. 1. Joh. 6. 45. Heb. 4. 12, 13. 2 Cor. 10. 4, 6. infinite in Power, Wiſdome and Goodneſs, dwelling in the Light which no man can approach, where thouſand thouſands miniſter unto Thée, and ten thouſand times ten thouſand ſtand before Thee, yet dwelling with the humble and contrite, and taking pleaſure in thy People: Thou haſt conſecrated for us •… a new and living way, that with boldneſs wée may enter into the holieſt, by the blood of Jeſus, and haſt bid us ſéek Thée, while thou mayeſt be found; Wée come to Thée at thy call, and worſhip at thy Footſtool. Behold us in thy tender Mercies. Deſpiſe us not, though unworthy. Thou art greatly to be feared in the Aſſembly of the Saints, and to be had in Reverence of all that are about thée. Put thy fear into our hearts, that with Reverence wée may ſerve Thée; ſanctifie us, that thou mayeſt be ſanctified of us, when wée draw nigh Thée. Give us the Spirit of Grace and Supplication, to help our infirmities, that our prayers may be faithful, fervent, and effectual. Let the deſire of our ſouls bée to Thée; Let us draw néer Thée with our hearts, and not only with our lips, and worſhip Thée, who art a Spirit, in Spirit and Truth. Let thy Word be ſpoken and heard by us as the Word of God; Give us attentive, hearing Ears, and opened, beleeving, underſtanding hearts, that wee may no more refuſe thy calls, nor diſregardthy merciful, cut-ſtretched-hand, nor ſleight thy Counſels and Reproofs; but be more ready to hear, than to give the ſacrifice of Fools. Put thy Laws into our hearts, and write them in our Pſal. 69. 30. Pſal. 106. 46. Pſal. 9. 14. Pſal. 105. 3. Pſal. 51. 15. Pſal. 19. 14. Heb. 13. 21. minds, and let us bee all taught of God. Let thy Word bee unto us quick and powerful; a diſcerner of the thoughts and intents of the hearts; mighty to pull down ſtrong-holds, caſting down imaginations and reaſonings, and every high thing that advanceth it ſelf againſt the knowledge of God; and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Chriſt; Let us magnifie Thée with thankſgiving, and triumph in thy Praiſe. Let us rejoyce in thy Salvation, and glory in thy holy Name. Open thou our lips, O Lord, and let our mouths ſhew forth thy praiſe. And let the words of our mouths, and the meditation of our hearts, bee acceptable in thy ſight, through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord and onely Saviour.

Amen.

Or thus, when Brevity is neceſſary.

O Eternal, Almighty, and moſt gracious God, Heaven is Iſa. 66. 1. Pſa. 111. 9. Luke 2. 13. Pſa. 103. 20. Heb. 1. 6. Pſa. 149. 1. Lev. 10. 3. Gen 18 27. 2 Tim. 2. 5. Dan. 9. 18. Hoſ. 14. 2. Rom. 8. 26. Heb. 12. 28. 〈◊〉 Theſ. 2. 10. Luke 19. 48. Iſa. 1. 19. 2 Cor. 2. 16. James 5 16. Pſal. 63. 5. 1 Cor. 7. 35. Pſal. 84. 10. & 73. 28. thy Throne, and Earth is thy Footſtool, holy and reverend is thy Name; Thou art praiſed by the heavenly Hoſts, and in the Congregation of thy Saints on Earth, and wilt bee ſanctified in all that come nigh unto Thee. Wée are ſinful and unworthy duſt, but being invited by Thée, are bold, through our bleſſed Mediator, to preſent our ſelves and our ſupplications before Thée. Receive us graciouſly, help us by thy Spirit; let thy Fear bee upon us: let thy Word come unto us in power, and bée received in love, with attentive, reverent, and obedient minds. Make it to us the ſavour of life unto life. Cauſe us to be fervent in Prayer, and joyful in thy Praiſes, and to ſerve Thée this day without diſtraction, that wee may finde, that a day in thy Courts, is better than a thouſand, and that it is good for us to draw néer to God; through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord and Saviour.

Amen.

Next, let one of the Creeds bee read by the Miniſter, ſaying,

In the Profeſſion of this holy Chriſtian Faith wee are here aſſembled.

I beleeve in God the Father, &c. I beleeve in one God, &c.

And ſometimes Athanaſius Creed.

The Ten Commandements. God ſpake theſe Words, and ſaid, &c.

For the right informing and affecting the People, and moveing them to a penitent beleeving confeſſion, ſome of theſe ſentences may bee read.

GOd created man in his Image. Gen. 1. 27.

By one man, ſin entred into the World, and death by ſin: and ſo death paſſed upon all men, for that all have ſinned. Rom. 5. 12.

For all have ſinned and come ſhort of the glory of God. Rom. 3. 23.

God ſo loved the world, that hee gave his only begotten Son, that Joh. 3. 16. whoſoever beleeveth in him, ſhould not periſh, but have everlaſting life.

Hee that beleeveth on him ſhall not bee condemned, but hee that beleeveth 18 not, is condemned already, becauſe hee hath not beleeved in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and 19 men loved darkneſs rather than light, becauſe their deeds were evil.

For every one that doth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, 20. leſt his deeds ſhould bee reproved.

Chriſt hath redeemed us from the curſe of the Law, beeing made a Gal. 3. 13. curſe for us.

Except a man be born of water and of the ſpirit, hee cannot enter into Joh. 3. 5. the Kingdome of God.

That which is born of the Fleſh is Fl • ſh and that which is born of the 6. ſpirit is ſpirit.

Verily I ſay unto you, except yee bee converted, and become as little Mat. 18. 3. Children, yee ſhall not enter into the Kingdome of Heaven.

Say unto them, As I live ſaith the Lord God, I have no pleaſure Eze. 33. 11. in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; Turn yee, turn yee from your evil waies; for why will yee dye oh houſe of Iſrael.

I ſay unto you there is joy in the preſence of the Angels of God, over Luk. 15. 10 a ſinner that repenteth.

I will ariſe and go to my Father, and ſay unto him, Father, I 18, 19. have ſinned againſt Heaven and before thee, and am no more worthy to bee called thy Son.

The Confeſſion of Sin, and Prayer for Pardon and Sanctification.

O Moſt Holy, Righteous, and Gracious God, who hateſt Pſal. 5. 5. Rom. 6. 23. Epheſ. 1. 6. 12. John 4. 42. Rom. 3. 25. Epheſ. 1. 5. Luk. 24. 47. Act. 5. 37. Prov. 28. 13. Rev. 3. 17. Pſal. 51. 5. Epheſ. 2. 3. Iſa. 48. 8. Iſa. 53. 6. Pſal. 100. 3. 1 Corinth. 6. 20. 2 Cor. 8. 5. 1 Cor. 10. 31. & 7. 32. 1 Theſ. 4. 1. 1 Joh. 3. 22. Rom. 2. 23. 1 Chron. 21. 7. Phil. 2. 21. Luke 18. 14. Rom. 15. 1. Pſal. 47. 7. Rom. 7. 12. Dan. 9. 9. 10. Tit. 1. 7, 10. Rom 8. 5. & 13. 14. & 4 20. Pſal. 78. 7. 22. Iſa. 51. 7, 8. Luke 12. 4, 5. Pſal. 100. 5. 1 Joh. 4. 16. Pſal. 16. 5. Mat. 22. 37. Pſal. 37. 4. 1. John 2. 15 2 Tim. 5. 7. Joh. 6. 27. Luke 10. 21, 22. Mat. 25. 26. Rom. 12. 11. Eph. 6. 11, 13, 14. Mark 8. 38. 2 Tim. 1. 8. Epheſ. 5. 16 Rom. 12. 11 9. Act. 11. 23. 2 Pet. 1. 10. Luke 1. 71. Heb. 12. 28. Pſal. 111. 9. 2 Tim. 2. 1. 9. Phil. 3. 3. Pſal. 29. 2. Rev. 1. 10. Rom. • 3. 37. Tit. 3. 1. all the workers of iniquity, and haſt appointed death to bée the wages of ſin, but yet for the glory of thy mercy haſt ſent thy Son to be the Saviour of the world, and haſt promiſed forgiveneſs of ſin through his blood, to all that beléeve in him, and by true Repentance turn unto Thée, and that whoſoever confeſſeth and forſaketh his ſin, ſhall have mercy; Wée confeſs that wée are vile and miſerable ſinners, being conceived in ſin; by nature children of wrath, and tranſgreſſors from the womb. All wée like ſhéep have gone aſtray, and turned every one to his own way. Thou madeſt us, and not wée our ſelves. Thou boughteſt us with a price, and wée are not our own; and therefore wée ſhould have wholly given up our ſelves unto Thée, and have glorified Thée with our ſouls and bodies, as being Thine. What ever wée did ſhould have been done to thy glory, and to pleaſe Thée, in the obeying of Thy Will. But wee have diſpleaſed and diſhonoured Thée, and turned from Thée, exalting, ſéeking and pleaſing our ſelves. Thou art the King of all the world, and Thy Laws are holy, iuſt and good. But wée have denied Thée our due ſubjection and obedience, being unruly and ſelf-willed, minding the things of the fleſh, and making proviſion for its luſts; Wée have ſtaggered at Thy Word through unbeléef, and have not fully placed our truſt and hope in Thée. Wée have rather feared man that is duſt, and can but kill the body, than Thée; that canſt deſtroy both ſoul and body in Hell. Thou art infinitely good, and love it ſelf, yet have wée not fully taken Thée for our portion, nor loved Thée with all our heart, and ſoul, and might, nor mads Thée our full deſire and delight. But wée have inordinately loved our ſelves, and the world, and the things of the world, and lived by ſenſe when wée ſhould have lived by Faith, and cared and laboured for the food that periſheth; when wée ſhould have laboured for the one thing néedful, and that which indureth to everlaſting life, wée have béen ſlothful ſervants, yéelding to temptations, aſhamed of our duty, loſing our precious time; when wee ſhould have béen fervent in ſpirit, ſerving the Lord, cleaving to Thée with full reſolution, redéeming the time, and with diligence making ſure our Calling and Election. Wée have not with Epheſ. 6. Mat. 29. 39. & 7. 12. 1 Cor. 10. 24. Epheſ. 4. 2. 32. Mat. 5. 44. Heb. 12. 14. Gal. 6. 10. Pſal. 19. 12, 13. Rom. 2. 4. Pſal. 51. 4. Rom. 2. 15. Pſal. 78. 32, 37, 4 • . Luke 12. 35, 36, 4 • . Rom. 5. 6, 8, 10. Luke 14. 17. & 8, 1. Act. 13. 26. Rev. 22. 17. 1 Joh. 5. 11, 12. Matth. 22. 5. Heb. 2. 3. Pſal. 119. 60. John 12. 48. Heb. 12. 25. Act. 7. 51. 2 Tim. 3. 8. Luk. 15. 18. Numb. 16. 38. Rom. 1. 18. Epheſ. 5. 6. Dan. 9. 7, 8. Pſal. 51. 1. Pſal. 41. 1. & 143. 2. Pſal. 51. 9, 11. Lev. 26. 25. Rev. 1. 5. Joh. 1. 29. Epheſ. 1. 6. Mat. 12. 18. Gal. 3. 13. Iſa. 53. 5. Pſa. 85. 4. & 67. 1. Act 11. 18. Ezek. 20. 43. Pſa. 51. 17. Ezek. 36. 26. Gal. 4. 6. 2 Co • . 6. 16. Jer. 13. 13. Ezek. 11. 20. Pſal. 119. 18. Epheſ. 3. 18. Mat. 13. 11. Eph. 1. 18. Rom. 2. 18. 2 Tim. 2. 26. Pſal 119. 104. Rom. 5. 5. & 8. 35, 39. Jer. 32. 40. Mat. 6. 33. Col. 3. 1. Matth. 6. 20, 21. Phil. 3. 20. Coloſſ. 3. 5. due holineſs and reverence drawn neer Thée, and uſed thy holy Name, thy Worſhip, and thy Day: Wée have diſhonoured and diſobeyed our Superiours, and neglected our Inferiours. Wée have béen guilty of not loving our Neighbours as our ſelves, and not doing to others, as wée would they ſhould do to us, but have ſought our own againſt their welfare, not forbearing, and forgiving, not loving our enemies, as wee ought, nor following peace, nor ſtudying to do good to all according to our power. Wee have ſinned ſecretly and openly, in thought, word and déed, ignorantly and preſumptuouſly, in paſſion, and upon deliberation, againſt thy Precepts, Promiſes, and Threats; againſt thy mercies and thy judgements, under thy patience, and in thy ſight, againſt our conſciences, our purpoſes, and our covenants; when wée were haſting to death and judgement, for which, through all our lives wée ſhould have prepared; Thou haſt commended thy wonderful love towards us in giving thy Son to dye for ſinners, to reconcile us to Thée while wée were enemies; and all things being made ready, thou haſt ſent thy Meſſengers to invite us to come in, preaching to us the glad tidings of ſalvation, and fréely offering us pardon and life in Jeſus Chriſt, but wee have made light of it, and neglected this great Salvation, and made excuſes or too long delaies; undervaluing our Redeemer, his blood and merits, his offered grace, and endleſs glory, rejecting his holy Doctrine and Example, reſiſting his Spirit, Miniſters, and Wrod. Wee have ſinned, O Lord, againſt Thée, and againſt our own ſouls, and are not worthy to be called thy children: Wée have deſerved everlaſting wrath; to us belongeth confuſion, but mercy and forgiveneſs unto Thée. Have mercy upon us, O God, according to the multitude of thy Mercies. Heal our ſouls that have ſinned againſt Thée, and enter not into judgement with thy ſervants. Hide thy face from our ſins, and blot out all our iniquities. Caſt us not away from thy preſence, and avenge not upon us the quarrel of thy Covenant. Waſh us in the blood of the Lamb of God, who taketh away the ſins of the world. Accept us in thy Beloved Son, who was made a curſe for us, and was wounded for our tranſgreſſions, that wée might bee healed by his ſtripes. Turn us, O God of our ſalvation, and cauſe thy face to ſhine upon us. Give us Repentance unto life; cauſe us to loathe our ſelves for all the evils that wée have committed. Give us that broken contrite Gal. 6. 14. Rom. 1. 17. Heb. 11. 1. 1 Cor. 4. 1 Pet. 3. 11. Luke 13. 14. 1 Cor. 9. 24. 1 Pet. 4. 2. Col. 1. 10. 2 Cor 5. 9. John 6. 38. Pſal. 40. 8. Pſal. 1. 2. Tit. 2. 12. 1 Pet. 1. 14, 15. 1 Pet. 1. 2 • . Epheſ. 4. 2, 32. James 3. 17. Pſal. 15. 4. Epheſ. 5. 15. Phil. 1. 10. Titus 2. 14. Mat. 5. 44. Rom. 12. 19. Luke 21. 19. Mark 8. 34. Heb. 11. 26. Rom. 8. 17. Rev. 2. 10, 11. Spirit, which thou wilt not deſpiſe. Create in us a clean heart, O God, and renew a right ſpirit within us. Take out of us the old and ſtrong heart, and give us a new and tender heart. Give us the Spirit of thy Son, and bee our God, and let us bée thy People. Enlighten our underſtandings to know the wonderful things of thy Law, the dimenſions of thy love in Chriſt, the myſteries of thy Kingdome, and the riches of the glory of thy Inheritance in the Saints, and that wee may approve the things that are excellent, and may eſcape the ſnares of the Devil, and may hate every falſe way. Shed abroad thy love in our hearts by thy holy Spirit, and cauſe us ſo to love Thee, that nothing may ſeparate us from thy love. Put thy fear into our hearts, that wee may never depart from Thee. Cauſe us to ſeek firſt thy Kingdome, and its Righteouſneſs, and (as thoſe that are riſen with Chriſt) to ſeek the things that are above, and to lay up a treaſure in Heaven; and let our hearts and converſations bee there; mortifie our earthly inclinations and deſires. Crucifie the world to us, and us unto the world by the Croſs of Chriſt. Cauſe us to live by Faith, and look at the things that are unſeen; and uſe the world, as not over-uſing it, ſeeing the faſhion of it paſſeth away; ſtriving to enter in at the ſtrait gate, and running ſo as to obtain; let us no longer live the reſt of our time to the luſts of men, but to the will of God, ſtudying in all things to pleaſe Thee, and to bee accepted of Thee; let us not ſeek our own wills, but the will of him that called us; yea let us delight to do thy will, O God, let our delight bee in thy Law, and let us meditate therein day and night; cauſe us to deny ungodlineſs, and worldly luſts, and to live ſoverly, and righteouſly, and godly in this preſent world, as obedient children, not faſhioning our ſelves to the former luſts of our ignorance; but as hee that hath called us is holy, let us be holy in all manner of converſation. Cauſe us to love one another with a pure heart, fervently, forbearing and forgiving one another, if any have a quarrel againſt other, even as Chriſt forgave us. Give us the wiſdome which is firſt pure, and then peaceable. In our eyes let a vile perſon bee contemned, but let us honour them that fear the Lord. Cauſe us to walk circumſpectly without offence, and to bee zealous of good Works, to love our enemies, and not to give place to wrath; and in patience to poſſeſs our ſouls. Help us to deny our ſelves, and take up our Croſs, and follow Chriſt; eſteeming his reproach to bee greater riches than the treaſures of the world, that having ſuffered with him, wee may alſo bee glorified with him. Though wee muſt bee tempted, help us to overcome, and bee faithful unto the death, and then let us receive that Crown of Life, through the merits and interceſſion of Chriſt Jeſus our Lord and onely Saviour, in whoſe comprehenſive words wee ſumm up our Requeſts, ſaying as hee hath taught us, Our Father which art in Heaven, hallowed bee thy Name. Thy Kingdome come, &c.

Or thus when Brevity is neceſſary.

O Moſt great, moſt iuſt and gracious God, thou art of Hab. 1. 13. Jud. 15. Luk. 13. 3. Mar. 16 16. Pſa. 51. 5. Eph. 2. 3▪ Rom. 3. 23. Ez • . 20. 37. Mat. 28 19. Ecc. 12. 1. Deut. 11. 1. Col. 1. 10. 1 Cor. 10. 31. Gen. 5 22. 2 Cor. 5. 7. Phi. 3. 20. Rom. 12. 11. Deut. 6. 5. Eph. 2. 3. Rom. 8. 7. Exod. 20. 4, 7, 8, 11, 12, &c. 2 Per. 2. 9. Rom. 13. 8. 9. Mat. 7. 12. Mat. 6. 33. 1 Tim. 6. 8. Luk. 10. 41, 42. Rom. 5 8. Luk. 24. 47. Rom. 3. 25. Mat 22. 4, 5. Heb. 2. 3. Act. 7. 51. P 〈◊〉 . 1. 23. Jam. 47. 1 P • t. 5. 9. Pſa. 51. 4. Pſa. 19. 12, 13 Iſa. 59. 12. Pſa. 103 10. & 50. 11. Mar. 9. 44 Pſa. 52. 8 Eph. 1. 12, 13. Pſa. 71. 5. & 78. 7. & 119. 81. &. 51. 1. 2 Cor. 5. 18, 19. 1 Joh. 1. 7. Gal. 4: 6. 1 Theſ. 5. 23. Rom. 5. 5. Deut. 30. 6 Pſa. 31. 16 Mat. 1. 21. 1 Theſ. 1. 10. T • t. 2. 14. purer eyes than eo behold iniquity, thou condemneſt the ungodly, impenitent, and unbeleevers; but haſt promiſed mercy through Jeſus Chriſt to all that repent and beleeve in him. Wee confeſs that wee were conceived in ſin, and are by nature Children of wrath. And have all ſinned and come ſhort of the glory of God. In our Baptiſme thou tookeſt us into the bond of the holy Covenant, but wee remembered not our Creator, in the daies of our youth, with the fear, and love, and obedience which wee owed thee: not pleaſing, and glorifying thee in all things, nor walking with thee, by faith in an Heavenly converſation, nor ſerving thee fervently with all our might: but fulfilled the deſires of the fleſh, and of the Carnal minde. Wee have neglected and abuſed thy Holy Worſhip, thy Holy Name, and thy Holy Day. Wee have diſhonoured our ſuperiours, and neglected our inferiours: Wee have dealt unjuſtly, and uncharitably, with our Neighbours, not loveing them as our ſelves, nor doing to others as wee would they ſhould do to us, wee have not ſought firſt Thy Kingdome, and Righteouſneſs, and been contented with our dayly bread, but have been careful ond troubled about many things, neglecting the one thing neceſſary. Thou haſt revealed thy wonderful love to us in Chriſt, and offered us pardon and ſalvation in him: but wee made light of it and neglected ſo great ſalvation, and reſiſted thy Spirit, Word, and Miniſters, and turned not at thy reproof. Wee have run into temptations; and the ſin which wee ſhould have hated, wee have committed in thy ſight, both ſecretly and openly, ignorantly and careleſly, raſhly, and preſumptuouſly, againſt thy precepes, thy promiſes, and threats, thy mercies and thy judgements; our tranſgreſſions are multiplied before Thee, and our ſins teſtifie againſt us; if Thou deal with us as wee deſerve, Thou wilt caſt us away from thy preſence into Hell, where the worm never dieth, and the fire is not quenched. But in thy mercy, thy Son, and thy Promiſes is our hope. Have mercy upon us moſt merciful Father. Bee reconciled to us, and let the blood of Jeſus Chriſt cleanſe us from all our ſins. Take us for thy children, and give us the Spirit of thy Son. Sanctifie us wholly, ſhed abroad thy love in our hearts, and cauſe us to love Thee with all our hearts. O make thy face Col. 1. 10. 1 Pet. 2. 9. Epheſ. 5. 16. 2 Pet. 1. 10. Mat. 6. 11. 1 Tim. 6. 4. Heb. 13. 5. Mat. 6. 25. &c. 2 Pet. 3. 1 • . Mat. 26. 41. James 4. 8. Gal. 5. 17. 1 John 5. 4, 5. Revel. 2. 17, &c. 2 Pet. 2. 19, Luke 1. 17. Pſal. 73. 24. to ſhine upon thy ſervants; ſave us from our ſins, and from the wrath to come; make us a peculiar people to Thee, zealous of good works, that wee may pleaſe Thee, and ſhew forth thy praiſe. Help us to redeem the time, and give all diligence to make our Calling and Election ſure. Give us things neceſſary for thy ſervice, and keep us from ſinful diſcontent and cares. And ſeeing all theſe things muſt bee diſſolved, let us conſider what manner of perſons wee ought to be, in all holy converſation and godlineſs. Help us to watch againſt temptations, and reſiſt and overcome the Fleſh, the Devil, and the World; and being delivered out of the hand of all our enemies; let us ſerve Thee without fear in holineſs and righteouſneſs before Thee all the daies of our life. Guide us by thy Counſel, and after receive us into thy glory, through Jeſus Chriſt our onely Saviour.

Amen.

[Here uſe the Lords Prayer as before.]

For the ſtrengthening of Faith, and raiſing the Penitent, ſome of theſe ſentences of the Goſpel, may bee here read.

Hear what the Lord ſaith to the abſolution and comfort of Penitent Beleevers.

THe Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away 2 Chron. 30. 9. his face from you, if yee return unto hine.

If any man ſin, wee have an advocate with the Father, Jeſus Chriſt 1 John 2. 2. the righteous, and hee is the propitiation for our ſins, and not for ours only, but alſo for the ſins of the whole World.

Bee it known unto you men, and Brethren, that through this man is Acts 13. 38, 39. preached to you the forgiveneſs of ſins, and by him, all that beleeve are juſtified, from all things, from which they could not bee juſtified by the Law of Moſes.

Where ſin abounded, grace did much more abound, That as ſin Rom. 5. 20. 21. reigned unto death, even ſo might grace reign through Righteouſneſs, unto Eternal life through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord.

If wee walk in the light as hee is in the Light, w •• have fellowſhip 1 Joh. 1. 7. 8, 9. one with another, And the blood of Jeſus Chriſt his ſon, cleanſeth us from all ſin. If wee ſay, that wee have no ſin; wee deceive our ſelves, and the truth is not in us. If wee confeſs our ſin, hee is faithful and juſt to forgive us our ſin, and to cleanſe us from all unrighteouſneſs. Mat. 11. 28, 29, 30.

Come unto mee all yee that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you reſt. Take my yoak upon you and learn of mee for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye ſhall finde reſt unto your ſouls For my yoak is eaſie, and my barden is light.

Whoſoever will let him take of the Water of life freely. Rev. 22. 17.

All that the Father hath given mee, ſhall come to mee, and him that cometh to mee, I will in no wiſe caſt out. Joh. 6. 27.

I will bee mercifull to their unrighteouſneſs, and their ſins, and Iniquities I will remember no more. Heb. 8. 12.

Hear alſo what you muſt Bee, and Do for the time to come, if you would bee Saved

NOw if any man have not the Spirit of Chriſt, hee is none of his. Rom. 8. 9.

If any man bee in Christ, hee is a new Creature, old things are paſſed away, behold all things are become new? 2 Cor. 5. 17

There is no Condemnation to them that are in Chriſt Jeſus, who walk Rom. 8. 1. not after the fleſh, but after the ſpirit. For they that are after the fleſh, do minde the things of the fleſh, but they that are after the ſpirit, the things 5. of the ſpirit.

For to bee carnally minded is death, but to bee ſpiritually minded is 6. life and peace.

For the Carnal minde is enmity againſt God, for it is not ſubject to the Law of God, neither indeed can bee. 〈◊〉

So then they that are in the fleſh cannot pleaſe God. 8.

For if yee live after the Fleſh yee ſhall die, but if through the ſpirit 13. yee mortifie the deeds of the body, you ſhall live.

Now the works of the fleſh are manifeſt, which are theſe, Adultery, Gal. 5. 1 • . Fornication, Uncleanneſs, Laſciviouſneſs, Idolatry, Witchcraft, Hatred, Variance, Emulations, Wrath, Strife, Seditions, Hereſies, Envyings, Murders, Drunkenneſs, Revellings, and ſuch like, of the 20. which I tell you before, as I have told you in time paſt, that they which 21. do ſuch things, ſhall not inherit the Kingdome of God.

But the fruit of the ſpirit is love, joy, peace, long ſuffering, gentleneſs, goodneſs, faith, meekneſs, temperance, against ſuch there 22. is no Law. And they that are Chriſts, have crucyfied the fleſh with the 23. 24. Rom. 13. 13. affections, and luſts.

Let us walk honeſtly as in the day, not in rioting and drunkenneſs; not in chambering and wanionneſs, not in ſtrife and envying. But put yee on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and make no proviſion for the fleſh to fulfil the 14. luſts thereof.

Love not the World, neither the things that are in the world, if any 1 Joh. 2. 15. man love the world, the love of the father is not in him. For all that is 16. in the world, the luſt of the fleſh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

Enter yee in at the ſtrait gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way Mat. 7. 13. that leadeth to deſtruction, and many there bee that go in thereat. Becauſe 14. ſtrait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and few there bee that finde it.

For the grace of God that bringeth ſalvation, hath appeared unto all Tit. 2. 11. men, teaching us, that denying ungodlineſs and worldly luſts, wee ſhould live ſoberly, and righteouſly, and godly in this preſent world, looking 12. for the bleſſed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt. Who gave himſelf for us, that hee might redeeme 13. us from all Iniquity, and purifie to himſelf a peculiar people 14. zealous of good works.

Bleſſed is the man that walketh not in the Counſel of the ungodly, nor Pſa. 1. 1. ſtandeth in the way of Sinners, nor ſitteth in the ſeat of the Scornful. But his delight is in the Law of the Lord, and in his law hee doth meditate 2. day and night.

The ungodly ſhall not ſtand in the Judgement, nor ſinners in the congregation 5. of the righteous.

Wherefore wee, receiving a Kingdome which cannot bee moved, Heb. 〈◊〉 . 28. 29. let us have grace, whereby wee may ſerve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear, for our God is a conſuming Fire.

Seeing then that theſe things ſhall bee diſſolved, what manner of perſons 2 Pet. 3. • 1. 12. ought yee to bee, in all holy converſation and godlineſs, looking for and haſting to the Comming of the day of God.

Therefore my beloved Brethren, bee yee ſtedfaſt, unmovable, alwaies 2 Cor. 15. 58. abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as yee know, that your labour is not in vain in the Lord

Then may bee ſaid the 95. or the 100. Pſalm, or the 84.

And next the Pſalms in order for the day; And next ſhall be read Luk. 4. 16, 17. 18. a Chapter of the Old Teſtament, ſuch as the Miniſter findeth moſt ſeaſonable; or with the liberty expreſſed in the Admonition before the ſecond book of Homilies.

After which may be ſung a Pſalm, or the Te Deum ſaid, then ſhall Act. 13 27. & 15. 24. bee read a Chapter of the New Teſtament, and then the Prayer for the King and Magiſtrates. And after that the 67. or 98. or ſome other Pſalm, may bee ſung or ſaid, or the Benedictus, or Magnificat. And the ſame order to bee obſerved at the Evening Worſhip, if time allow it.

NExt after the Pſalm the Miniſter ſhall (in the Pulpit) firſt Neh. 8. 4. 6. & 9. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. 10 38. Act. 12. 12. 1 Tim. 4. 5. Act. 1. 14. & 16. 13 16. 1 Tim. 2. 8. 1 Cor. 14, 15, 16. Luk. 4. 16, 18. Neh. 8. 8. Act. 20. 7, 9. 2 Tim. 4. 1, 2. Act. 4. 20. 2 Cor. 4. 13. Joh. • 6. 29. 1 Cor. 2. 7. 13. Mat. 7. 29. T •… 2. 15. Mar. 21. 45. Mar. 12. 12, 13, 17. Eph. 6. 19, 20. Jude 22. 23. Act. 18. 25. 2 Tim. 2. 24. 25. 1 Tim. 5. 17. Act. 2 • 36. Pſa. 2. Rev. 11. 15. 1 Tim. 2. 1, 2, 3. 2 Theſ. 3. 1, 2. & 2. • 1 Theſ. 2. 16. Rev. 18. 19. Mat. 6. 9. &c & 9. 37, 38. 1 Tim. 2. 2. Eph. 6. 19. 1 Theſ. 5. 25. Joh. 17. 20. 1 Sam. 12. 2 • 2 Cor. 4. 5. Phi. 1. 15. 16. Jam 3. 1. 15, 16, 17. Luk. 9. 55. Cor. 14. 26. 2 Cor. 10. • . Pſa. 92. 1. Rev. 1. 10 reverently, prudently, and ſervently pray, according to the State and neceſſities of the Church, and thoſe eſpecially that are preſent, and according to the ſubject that hee is to preach on. And after prayer, hee ſhall preach upon ſome Text of holy Scripture ſuiting his matter to the neceſſities of the Hearers, and the manner of delivery to their quality and benefit. Alwaies ſpeaking from faith and holy experience in himſelf, with plainneſs, and perſpicuity, with reverence and gravity, with convincing evidence, and authority, with prudence, caution, faithfulneſs, and impartiality, with tender love and melting compaſſion, with ſervent zeal, and perſwading importunity, and with frequency and unwearied Patience, waiting on God for the ſucceſs. After Sermon hee ſhall pray for a bleſſing on the word of Inſtruction and Exhortation, which was delivered; And in his Prayers (before or after Sermon) ordinarily hee ſhall pray for the Converſion of Heathens, Jews, and other Infidels; the ſubverſion of Idolatry, Infidelity, Mahometaniſme, Hereſie, Papal Tiranny and Superſtition, Schiſme and Prophaneneſs, and for the free progreſs of the Goſpel, and the increaſe of Faith and godlineſs, the honouring of Gods name, the enlargement of the Kingdome of Chriſt, and the obedience of his Saints through the Nations of the Earth. And in ſpecial for theſe Nations, for the Kings Majeſtie, and the reſt of the Royal Family, for the Lords of his Majeſties Counſel, the Judges and other Magiſtrates of the Land, for the Paſtors of the Church, and all Congregations committed to their Care, and Government. Alwaies taking heed that no mixtures Act. 20. 7. Col. 3. 16, 17. Pſal. 118. 1 Cor. 4. 1, 2. 1 Tim. 3. 5. & 3. 15. 2 Tim. 2. 2, 15. Act. 20. 7, 9. of imp •• dent, diſorderly expreſſions, of private diſcontent and paſſion, of unreverent, diſobedient, ſeditious, or factious Intimations, tending to corrupt, and not to edifie the peoples minds, do turn either Prayer or Preaching into ſin. And ordinarily in Church Communion, eſpecially on the Lords Day (which is purpoſely ſeparated for the joyful Commemoration of the Bleſſed Work of mans Redemption) a conſiderable proportion of the Publick Worſhip muſt conſiſt of Thankſgiving and Praiſes to God, eſpecially for Jeſus Chriſt, and his Benefits; ſtill leaving it to the Miniſters diſcretion to abbreviate ſome parts of Worſhip, when hee ſeeth it needful to bee longer, or ſome other.

The Sermon and Prayer being ended, let the Miniſter diſmiſs the Congregation with a Benediction, in theſe or the like words.

Bleſſed are they that hear the Word of God, and keep it. Luke 11. 28. Levit. 6. 24, 25, 26.

The Lord bleſs you, and keep you; the Lord make his face to ſhine on you, and bee gracious unto you; The Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you Peace.

The Grace of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and the love of God the 2 Cor. 13. 14. Father, and the Communion of the Holy Ghoſt, bee with you all. Amen.

Except there bee a Communion in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper to bee celebrated, or any further Worſhip to be performed, and then the Miniſter may delay the Benediction till the End.

And becauſe when there is leiſure, the Prayers of the Church ſhould bee as full as the Rule and our Neceſſities require; let the following General Prayer bee uſed, when the Miniſters findeth it convenient inſtead of the Letany and Collects.

Here are alſo adjoyned a Thankſgiving for Chriſt and his benefits, and a Hymn to bee uſed at the diſcretion of the Miniſter either after Sermon, or at the Communion, or on other daies.

A Prayer for the King, the Royal Family, and Magiſtrates.

ALmighty God, by whom Kings reign, and Princes decree P • or. 8. 15. Dan. 4. 32. Heb. 2. 9. Pſal. 65. 11. & 90. 14. & 65. 4. & 60. 5. & 80. 13. & 59. 1. & 61. 6. Iſa. 45. 1 • . Mat. 〈◊〉 . 3. Iſa. 59. 8. & 11. 2. 1 K • n. 1. 3, 7, 9. Joſh. 1. 8. Z • oh. 12. 8. 2 Sam. 14. 17. Pſal. 15. 4. & 101. 6. Pro. 25. 5. 1 Tim. 2. 2. 2 Tim. 〈◊〉 . 7, 8. Rev. 21. 5. Zec • 8. 13. Iſa. 60. 15. Jam. 3. 17. 2 Sam. 23. 3. Joh. 7. 27. 2 Chron. 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 . Amos 5. 24. Rom. 13. 1, 2, 3. Rev. 11. 15. Pſal. 68. 18. Jer. 31. 23. Matth. 6. 13. Juſtice, who ruleſt in all the Kingdomes of men, and giveſt them to whomſoever thou wilt, who by thy ſpecial Providente haſt ſet over us thy Servant Charls our King: Crown him with thy Bleſſings, and ſatisfie him with thy Goodneſs. Save him by thy right hand, and defend him againſt ſuch as riſe up againſt him; prolong his life in Peace and Righteouſneſs, grant him the Spirit of Wiſdome and Counſel, the Spirit of Holineſs, and the fear of the Lord, that he may know how to go in and out before this great People over whom thou haſt fet him. Let not thy Law depart out of his mind, or mouth, but let him meditate in it day and night. Make him as an Angel of God to diſcera between good and evil, that in his eyes a vile perſon may be contemned, due hee may honour them that fear the Lord; that his eyes may bee upon the faithful of the Land, that they may dwell with him, and they that are perfect in the way ſerve him; Remove the Wicked from before him, that his Throne may bee eſtabliſhed in Righteouſneſs, and grant that under him wee may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all Godlineſs and Honeſty. And when hee hath finiſhed his courſe on Earth, let him inherit a Crown of Righteouſneſs, and reign with Chriſt for ever. Bleſs the Queen Mother, the Illuſtrious Prince James Duke of York, and the reſt of the Royal Family, endue them with thy Holy Spirit, inrich them with thy heavenly Grace, and make them bleſſings in their Generation. Endue the Lords of His Majeſties Counſel, and all the Nobility, the Judges, and all the Magiſtrates of the Land with Wiſdome from above, that they may rule as in thy fear, and iudge Righteous Judgement, and may take heed what they do, as iudging not for man, but for the Lord, that Juſtice may run down as Water and Righteouſneſs, as a mighty ſtream; Let all His Maieſties Subiects duly ſubmit to him and obey him, not only for wrath, 〈◊〉 for conſcience ſake; Let all his Kingd • mes bee the Kingd • mes of the Lord, and of his Son Chriſt, that God may dwell amongſt us, and if it may bee ſaid of them, The Lord bleſs thee, O Habitation of Juſtice, and Mountain of Holineſs. For Thine O Father, with the Son and Holy Ghoſt, is the Kingdome, and Power, and Glory for ever.

Amen.

The General Prayer.

OMoſt Holy▪ Bleſſed and Glorious Trinity, Father, Son, Mat. 28. 19. John 5. 7. 1 Co. 8. 4. 6. 1 Tim. 1. 17. Mal. 1. 10. He • . 1. 2, 3, 5, 8. 1 Pet. 2. 8. Pſal. 22. 28. 1 Cor. 12. 4, 5, 6. 〈◊〉 . 10 • . 19. L • k. 11. 2. and Holy Ghoſt, Three Perſons, and One God, our Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier, our Lord • our Governour and Father, hear us, and have mercy upon 〈◊〉 , miſerable ſinners.

O Lord our Saviour God and man 〈◊〉 who having aſſum •… Act. 7. 59. Heb. 2. 14. 9. 1 Cor. 15. 4. 1 Tim. 3. 6. John 1. 29. Epheſ. 1. 20, 22. Rom. 8. 30. 33, 34. Eph. 5. 1 Theſ. 4. 16, 17. 2 Pet. 1. 10. 2 Tim. 1. 5. Rom. 5. 1, 2, 10. 2 Cor. 6. 18. Gal. 4. 6. our nature by thy ſufferings, and death, and burial, waſt made 〈◊〉 Ranſome to take away the ſins of the World; who being raiſes from the dead, aſcended and glorified, art made Head over all things to the Church, which thou gathereſt, juſtifieſt, ſanctifieſt, ruleſt, and preſerveſt, and which at thy coming Thou wilt raiſe and judge to endleſs Glory. Wee beſeech Thee to hear us, miſerable ſinners, make ſure to us our Calling and Election, our unfeigned Faith and Repentance, that being juſtified, and made the Sons of God, wee may have Peace with him, as our Reconciled God and Father.

Let thy holy Spirit ſanctifie us, and dwell in us, and cauſe us 1 Pet. 1. 2. Rom. 8. 11. Mat. 8. 34, 35. 2 Cor. 8. 5. 1 Cor. 6. 19, 20. Rev. 4. 11. Joh: 1 • . 28. Mat. 5. 16. Pſal. 22. 23, 27, 28. 2 Tim. 3. 2. Mat. 7. 22. Gal. 5. 26. Gal. 2. 19. Pſ. 2. & 47. 7. Rev. 11. 15. 2 Tim. 2. 26. Act. 26. 18. Rom. 11. 25. Mat. 9. 38. & 24. 14. 2 Theſ. 3. 1, 2. Rev. 〈◊〉 . 3, 19. & 3. 10. Luke 18. 7. Rev. • 8. & 19. to deny our ſelves, and to give up our ſelves entirely to Thee, as being not our own, but Thine.

As the World was created for thy Glory, let thy Name bee glorified throughout the World; Let Self-love, and Pride, and Uain-glory bee deſtroyed, cauſe us to love Thee, fear Thee, and truſt in Thee with all our hearts, and to live to Thee:

Let all the Earth ſubject themſelves to Thee their King. Let the Kingdomes of the World become the Kingdomes of the Lord, and of his Chriſt. Let the Atheiſts, Idolaters, Mahometans, Jews, and other Infidels, and ungodly People bee converted. Send forth meet Labourers into the Harveſt, and let the Goſpel bee preached throughout all the World. Preſerve and bleſs them in thy Work. Suſtain in patience, and ſeaſonably deliver the Churches that are oppreſſed by Idolaters, Infidels, Mahometans, or other enemies, or by the Roman Papal 〈◊〉 .

Unite all Chriſtians in Jeſus Chriſt, the true and onely univerſal Eph. 4. 3, 5, 13, 15, 16. Tites 3. 10. 2 Cor. 2. 17. 1 • o. 1. 10. Rom. 14. 1. & 15. 1. 3 John 9. Rom. 1. 31. Luk. 9. 55. Pſal. 77. 10. Phil. 〈◊〉 . 3. Pſa. 14. Eph. 2. 3. 12. 2 Tim. 3. 2, 3, 4. 1 Cor. 6. 9. 2 • e. 2. 10. Rom. 8. 24. Pſa. 40. 8. & 1. 2. Iſa. 8. 20. Pſa. 119. 97. 27. Head, in the true Chriſtian and Catholick Faith and Love, caſt out Hereſies and Corruptions, heal diviſions, let the ſtrong receive the weak, and bear their Infirmities, Reſtrain the ſpirit of Pride and Cruelty, and let nothing bee done in ſtrife, or vain-glory.

Keep us from Atheiſm, Idolatry, and Rebellion againſt Thee, from Infidelity, Ungodlineſs and Senſuality from Security, Preſumption and Deſpair. Let us delight to pleaſe Thee, and let thy Word bee the Rule of our Faith and Lives; let us love it, and underſtand i • , and meditate in it day and night.

Let us not corrupt or neglect thy Worſhip; nor take thy Holy Mat. 15. 9. Exod. 20. 4, 7, 8. Mark 7. 21, 22. Jam. 5. 12. Eccl. 5. 1, 6. Ezek. 22. 26. Neh. 13. 17. Rev. 1. 10. Name in vain, keep us from Blaſphemy, Perjury, prophane Swearing, Lying, contempt of thy Ordinances, and from falſe, unworthy, and unreverent thoughts and ſpeeches of God, or holy things, and from the neglect and prophanation of thy Holy Day.

Put it into the hearts of the Kings and Rulers of the World, Pro. 21. 1. Pſa. 2. 10, 11, 12. Iſa. 49. 23. 2 Chro. 19. 6. Rom. 1. 11. 1 Tim. 6. 9. Mat. 21. 44. John 11. 48. Pſa. 〈◊〉 . 2, 3, 4. to ſubmit to Chriſt, and rule for him as Nurſing-Fathers to his Church, and ſave them from the temptations that would drown them in ſenſuality, or would break them upon Chriſt, as a Rock of offence, by engaging them againſt his holy Doctrine, Waies, and Servants.

Have mercy on thy Servant Charls our King, protect his 1 Tim. 〈◊〉 . 2. Pſal. 5 • . 1. 2 Chron. 1. 10. & 29. 3. & 15. 12, 13. Rom. 13. 3, 4. 1 Pet. 2. 14. 1 Tim. 2. 2. Perſon, illuminate and ſanctifie him by thy Spirit, that above all things hee may ſeek thine honour, the encreaſe of Faith, and holy Obedience to thy Laws; and may govern us, as thy Miniſter, appointed by Thee for the terrour of evil doers, and the praiſe of them that do well, that under him wee may live a quiet and peaceable life in all Godlineſs and Honeſty.

Have mercy upon all the Royal Family, upon the Lords Pſal. 72. 1. P • ov. 8. 16. Exod. 18. 21. Job 29. Iſa. 1. 17. 23. Pſal. 15. 4. of the Counſel, and all the Nobility, the Judges, and other Magiſtrates of theſe Lands. Let them fear Thee, and hee Enſamples of Piety and Temperance, haters of Injuſtice, Covetouſneſs, and Pride, and Defenders of the Innocent: in their eyes let a vile perſon bee contemned, but let them honour them that fear the Lord.

Let every ſoul bee ſubject to the Higher Powers, and not Rom. 13. 1, 2, 5. 1 Tim. 2. 2. 1 Pet. 2. 13. reſiſt; Let them obey the King, and all in Authority, not only for wrath, but for conſcience ſake.

Give all the Churches able, holy, faithful Paſtors, that may 2 Cor. 3. 6. Jer. 3. 15. 2 Tim. 4. 2. Eph. 4. 11. 13. Jam. 3. 17. Ezek. 34. 1 Pet. 5. 1 2, 3, 4. Mat. 20. 25, 26. 27. ſoundly and diligently preach thy Word, and guide the Flocks in waies of Holineſs and Peace, over-ſeeing and ruling them not by conſtraint, but willingly, not for filthy lucre, but of a ready minde: not as being Lords over thy Heritage, but the Servants of all, and Enſamples to the Flock, that when the chief Paſtor ſhall appear, they may receive the Crown of Glory.

Let the people know thoſe that are over them in the Lord, Heb. 13. 17. 7. 1 Theſ. 5. 12, 13. 1 Tim. 5. 17. and labour among them, preaching to them the Word of God; let them highly eſteem them in love for their works ſake, account them worthy of double honour, and obey them in the Lord.

Let Parents bring up their Children, in Holy Nurture, that Eph. 6. 4. Eccl. 12. 1. Exo. 20. 12. Ep • . 6. 1 2. & 5. 25. 22. 1 Pet. 3 7. 1. Col. 4. 1. & 3. 22, 23, 24. they may remember their Creatour in the daies of their youth, and let Children, love, honour and obey them. Let husbands love their Wives and guide them in knowledge, and holineſs; and let Wives love and obey their Husbands. Let Maſters rule their ſervants in thy fear, and ſervants obey their Maſters in the Lord.

Kéep us from Murders and violence, and injurious paſſionate 1 Joh. 3. 15. Luk. 3 14. 2 Cor. 7. 2. Pro. 29. 22. Mat. 5 22. Mat. 5. 27, 38. • or. 6 9. Rom. 13. 13. Eph. 5. 3, 4. 12. words and actions.

Kéep us from Fornication and all uncleanneſs, from Chambering and wantonneſs, from Luſtful thoughts, and filthy Communication, and all unchaſte behaviour.

Kéep us from ſtealing or wronging our Neighbour in his Eph. 4. 28. 1 Theſ. 4. 〈◊〉 . Pſa. 82. 2. Pro. 19. 5. & 10. 18 Pſa. 15. 3. Mat. 7. •• 2. propriety, from perverting Juſtice, from falſe witneſſing and deceit, from ſlandering, backbiting, uncharitable cenſuring, or other wrong to the reputation of our Neighbours.

Kéep us from coveting any thing that is. our Neighbours, Exo. 20. 17 Mat. 22 39. Mat. 7. 12. Let us love our Neighbours as our ſelves, and do to others as wee would they ſhould do to us.

Cauſe us to love Chriſt in his members with a pure and fervent Mat. 25. 40. 1 Pet. 1. 22. Mat. 5. 4 • . Gal. 6. 10 Luk. 11. 3. 1 Tim. 6. 8. Deut 28. 3, 4. Pſa. 112. & 128. Deut. 11 14. Phi 2. 27. Rom. 13. 13, 14. & 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 Mar. 8. 36. love, and to love our Enemies, and do good to all, as wée are able; but eſpecially to the houſhold of Faith.

Give us our neceſſary ſuſtentation and proviſion for thy ſervice, and contentedneſs therewith; Bleſs our labours, and the fruits of the earth in their ſeaſon, and give us ſuch temperate weather as tendeth hereunto; Deliver us and all thy ſervants from ſuch ſickneſs, wants, and other diſtreſſes, as may unſeaſonably take us off thy ſervice. Kéep us from gluttony, and drunkenneſs, ſlothfulneſs, unlawful gain, and from making proviſion for the fleſh, to ſatisfie its luſts.

When wée ſui, reſtore us by true Repentance and Faith in 1 Joh. 2. 1, 2. Gal. 6. 1 Jam. 5. 19, 20. Eze. 6. 9. Eph. 1. 6 •… Heb. 7 25. Mat, 6. 12 14, 15 & 5. 44. Luk. 23. 34. Chriſt: Let us loath our ſelves for our tranſgreſſions; Forgive them all and accept us in thy well beloved Son; ſave us from the curſe and puniſhment which they deſerve, and teach us heartily to forgive others, Convert our enemies, peri • culors and ſlanderers and forgive them.

Cauſe us to watch againſt temptations, to reſiſt and overcome Mat. 26. 41. Jam. 4. 〈◊〉 7. 1 〈◊〉 . 2. 13. & 5. 4 the Fleſh, the Devil and the World, and by no Allurements of pleaſure, profit or honour, to bee drawn from thée, to ſin, let us Rom 8. 13. Gal. 5. 17. 1 〈◊◊〉 16. • 7. 2 〈◊〉 . 2. 18. Rom 8. 17. 1 Pet. 5. 8 Pſa. 140. 1, 2, 3, 1 Tim. 4 • 8. 〈◊〉 Tim. 〈◊〉 . 17. M • t. 〈◊〉 . 13. Rom. 1 • . 36. patiently ſuffer with Chriſt that wée may reign with him.

Deliver us and all thy people from the enmity and rage of Satan and all his wicked Inſtruments; and preſerve us to thy Heavenly Kingdome.

For thou only art the Univerſal King: All power is thine in Heaven and Earth: of Thee, and through Thee, and to Thee are all things, and the glory ſhall bée Thine for ever,

Amen.

Concerning the Pſalms for Publick uſe.

Wee deſire that inſtead of the imperfect verſion of the Pſalms in Meeter now in uſe, Mr. William Bartons Verſion, and that peruſed and approved by the Church of Scotland there in uſe (being the beſt that we have ſeen) may bee received and corrected by ſome skilful men, and both allowed (for grateful variety) to bee Printed together on ſeveral Columnes or Pages, and publickly uſed; At leaſt until a better than either of them ſhall bee made.

A Thankſgiving for Chriſt, and his gracious Benefits.

MOſt Glorious God, accept, through thy beloved Son, though Pſa 〈◊〉 . 〈◊◊〉 1. 6. Pſal. 116. 17. Co • 9. 15. • ſa. 109 22. 2 Cor 1. 3. • ſ 86. 15. Exo. 34 6, 7. Iſa. 43. 7 Rev. 4. 11. Gen. 1. 27. Pſa 8 〈◊〉 6 D •… . 31. • 6. 〈◊◊〉 . 5. 〈◊◊〉 . • ſa 〈◊〉 . 10. 〈◊◊〉 14 G •… . 4. • 4 Ioh. 3 16. H • b 2. 16. Ioh. 1. 14 〈◊〉 . 3. 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 3. 16. 1 Pet. 1. 12. Heb. 2. 〈◊〉 . Mat 〈◊〉 2 Co • . 〈◊◊◊◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 . M •• . 〈…〉 1. 〈…〉 2. 23. 〈◊〉 • 2. 2. 〈1 line〉 H •… . 6. 〈…〉 15. 3. Rom. 〈◊〉 5. from the hands of ſinners, of thankſgiving, which thy unſpeakable love and mercies, as well as thy Command do binde us to offer up unto Thée. Thou art the Father of mercies, and the God of all conſolation, full of compaſſion, Gracious, long ſuffering, Plenteous in goodneſs and truth, keeping mercy for thouſands, forgiving Iniquitie, Tranſgreſſion and Sin. For thy glory thou didſt create us after thine Image; Thou madeſt us a little lower than the Angels, and Crownedſt us with glory and honour, giving us Dominion over the works of thy hands, and putting all theſe things under our feet. And when wee forſ •• k thée, and broke thy Covenant, and rebelled againſt Thée, and corrupted our ſelves, and turned our glory into ſhame; thou didſt not leave us in the hands of Death, nor caſt us out into utter Deſperation; But thou didſt ſo love the ſinful World, as to give thy Son to bee our Saviour. Hée took nor upon him the nature of Angels, but of man, The word was made fleſh and dwelt among us. This is the unſearchable Myſtery of love which the Angels deſire to pryints, Hee was tempted that hee might ſuccour them that are tempted, and conquered the Tempter, that had conquered Heb. 2. 14. Gal. 3. 13. Mat. 11. 28. Rev. 22. 14. Eph. 1. 22. Pſa. 2. 8 Phil. 2. 9. Mat 28 19. Ioh. 5. 22. Heb. 8 6. 2 Pet. 1. 4. 1 Ioh. 5. 11. 2. Pet 1. • 9. Pſa. 119. 130. Eph. 2 20 2 Cor. 5. 19. 20. Act. 26 17, 18 Tit 3. 3, 4, 5 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 2 25. Eph 4. 18. Joh. 12. 40 1 Tim. 4. 〈◊〉 Pſa. 81 11, 12 Joh 5. 4. Luk. 19. • 7. 1 Pet. 3. 20. Rom. 10. 21 Heb. 12. 25. Ezek. 33. 11. Pro. 1. 22, 23. Ioh. 6 44. Act. 16. 14. 1 Ioh. 4 19. Rom. 10. 20. Amos 5. 12. Rom. 5. 1. Act. • 1. 18. Rom. 8. 14, 15, 16. 17. Eph. 5. 30. Gal. 46. Eph. 2. 19. 1 Pet. 1. 3, 4, 5, 6 Rom 8 28. Eph. 3. 12. Heb. 4. 16. Pſa. 50. 15. 1 Tim. 2. 8. M • t 21. 13. Pſ • . 89. 7. & 28. 6. & 31. 22. Pſa. 86 〈◊〉 . us▪ Hee became poor that was Lord of all; to make us rich. Hée did not ſin, but fulfilled all righteouſneſs, to ſave us from our unrighteouſneſs. Hée made himſelf of no reputation, but was reviled, ſcorned, and ſpit upon, enduring the Croſs, and deſpiſing the ſhame, to cover our ſhame, and to bring us unto glory, thou laidſt upon him the Iniquity of us all. Hée was bruiſed and wounded for our Tranſgreſſious, that wée might bée healed by his ſtripes. Hée gave himſelf a Ranſome for us, and died for our ſins. And roſe again for our juſtification. Wée thank thée for his death that ſaveth us from death, and that hée bore the curſe, to redeem us from the curſe, and for his life which opened us the way to life. Thou haſt given him to bée head over all things to the Church, and haſt given the Heathen to bée his Inheritance, and given him a name above every name, and given all power, and judgement unto him. Wée thank thée for the New and better Covenant, for thy great and precious promiſes; That thou haſt given us eternal life in Chriſt. That wée have the clear and ſure Revelation of thy will in the Holy Scriptures. That thou foundedſt thy Church upon Apoſtles and Prophets, Jeſus Chriſt himſelf being the head Corner ſtone. And haſt committed to thy Miniſters the word of Reconciliation, that as Embaſſadours ſpeaking in the ſtead of Chriſt they might beſeech us to bee reconciled unto thee. Wée thank thée that by them thou haſt opened our eyes, and turned us from darkneſs unto Light, and from the power of Satan unto God. Wée were ſometimes fooliſh, diſobedient, deceived, ſerving divers luſts and pleaſures, taken captive by Satan at his will; but thy mercy ſaved us by the waſhing of Regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghoſt. Thou mighteſt juſtly have left us to the blindneſs of our mindes, and to the hardneſs of our hearts, to ſeared conſciences, to bee paſt feeling, to our own hearts luſts, to walk in our own Counſels, and to work uncleanneſs with greedineſs, when we ſo oft refuſed to come to Chriſt, that wee might have life, and would not have him to reign over us. But thy patience waited on us in our ſin; And all the day long didſt thou ſtretch forth thy hand to a diſobedient and gain-ſaying People. When wee turned from thee, thou calledſt after us, to turn and live. Thou dreweſt us to thy Son, and openedſt our hearts to attend unto thy calls: Thou lovedſt us firſt, and was found of them that ſought thee not. Thou haſt pardoned our great and manifold tranſgreſſions, and iuſtified us by Faith in Chriſt, and given us Repentance unto life: Thou haſt adopted us to bee thy ſons, and joynt heirs with Chriſt; and made us his members, and given us his ſpirit: Wee are no more ſtrangers but fellow Citizens with the Saints, and of thy houſhold; Bleſſed bee the God and Father of our Lord Jeſus-Chriſt, who of his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the reſurrection of Jeſus Chriſt from the dead, to an Inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, that fadeth not away, reſerved in Heaven for us. Thou keepeſt us by thy mighty power through Faith unto ſalvation, ready at laſt to bee revealed, though (when they are needful) wee muſt for a ſeaſon bee in heavyneſs under tribulations; thou haſt promiſed, that all things ſhall work together for our good; in all our ſtraits thou granteſt us acceſs to the Throne of grace, bidding us call upon thee, in the time of trouble, and promiſing to deliver us, that wee may glorifie thee, every where wee have leave to lift up unto thée holy hands, Eſpecially in the houſe of Prayer, and the Aſſembly of the Saints. Thou haſt heard the voice of our ſupplications when wee have cried unto thee; great is thy mercy towards us, O Lord. Thou haſt delivered our ſouls from the loweſt Hell; Thou haſt ſent forth from Heaven thy mercy and truth; and ſaved us from the reproach of him that would ſwallow us up: Thou art our Hiding place; In the ſecrets of thy preſence thou preſerveſt us from trouble, from the pride of men, and from the ſtrife of Tongues. Thou Pſal. 57. 3 & 31. 20. & 32. 7. & 31. 33. & 103 10. & 30. 5. Hab. 3. 2. Pſal. 32. 6. Pſal. 25. 10. Pſal 5. 7. Pſal. 107. 1. Pſal 105. 3. Pſal. 89. 15. 16 doeſt compaſs us about with Songs of deliverance. O love the Lord all yee his Saints! for the Lord preſerveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. Hee dealeth not with us after our ſins, his Anger is but for a moment, but in his favour is life. In his wrath hee remembereth mercy; All thy paths O Lord are mercy and truth to ſuch as keep thy Covenant. Wee come into thy houſe in the multitude of thy mercies, O give thanks unto the Lord for hee is good, for his mercy Endureth for ever. Glory yee in his Holy Name, let the hearts of them rejoyce that ſeek him. Bleſſed are the People that know the joyful ſound: They ſhall walk O Lord in the Light of thy Countenance. Pſal. 84 4. Pſal. 90 14. Pſal. 73. 24. Iohn 17. 24. Rev. 22. 4. In thy name ſhall they rejoyce all the day, and in thy righteouſneſs and favour ſhall they bee axalted; Bleſſed are they that dwell in thy houſe, they will be ſtill prayſing thee. O ſatisfie us early with thy mercy, that wee may rejoyce and bee glad in thee all our daies. Guide us by thy Counſel, and afterwards receive us unto thy glory; where with all the bleſſed hoſt of Heaven, wee may behold, admire, and perfectly and joyfully praiſe thee. Our moſt glorious Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier, for ever and for ever.

Amen.

The Hymn.

The Firſt Part.

BLeſs the Lord O my Soul! And all that is within mee bleſs his Holy Name, Bleſs the Lord O my ſoul, and forget not all Pſal. 103 1, 2. his benefits: who forgiveth all thine Iniquities, and healeth 3, 4. 12. all thy diſeaſes! who redeemed thy life from deſtruction, and crowneth thee with loving kindeneſs and tender mercies. As far as the Eaſt is from the Weſt, ſo far hath hee removed our tranſgreſſions from us; Behold what love the Father hath beſtowed 1 Joh 3. 1. on us, that wee ſhould bee called the Sons of God; becauſe thy loving kindeneſs is better than life, my Lips ſhall praiſe thee. Pſal. 63. 3, 4. Pſal. 7 • . 25. Thus will I bleſs thee while I live, I will lift up my Hands in thy name. My Soul ſhall bee ſatisfied as with marrow and fatneſs, 26, 27. and my mouth ſhall praiſe thee with joyful lips. Whom have I in Heaven but thee, and there is none on Earth that I 23. deſire beſides thee. My Fleſh and my heart faileth, but God is the ſtrength of my heart, and my Portion for ever. For, lo, Pſal. 94. 19 all that are far from thee ſhall periſh, but it is good for mee to draw near to God. I am continually with thee. Thou haſt holden Pſal. 73, 24. mee by my right hand, in the multitude of my thoughts within mee, thy comforts delight my Soul. Thou ſhalt guide me with thy Counſel, and afterward receive mee to glory.

The Second Part.

HOw excellent is thy loving kindeneſs O God, therefore do the Sons of Men put their truſt under the ſhadow of thy Pſal. 36. 7, 8. 9. wings. They ſhall bee abundantly ſatisfied with the fatneſs of thy houſe, and thou ſhalt make them drink of the Rivers of thy pleaſures, for with thee is the Fountain of life. In thy ſight we ſhall ſee Light; therefore my Heart is glad, and my Glory rejoyceth. My Fleſh alſo ſhall reſt in hope. Thou wilt ſhew mee Pſal. 16 9. 11. the path of life. In thy preſence is fulneſs of joy, and at thy Pſa. 23. 6, right hand are pleaſures for ever more. Surely Goodneſs and mercy ſhall follow mee all the daies of my life. And I ſhall Pſal. 36. 10. dwell in the houſe of the Lord for ever. O continue thy loving Pſa. 20. 12. kindeneſs to them that know thee, and thy righteouſneſs to the upright in heart. To the end that my glory may ſing praiſe unto thee, and not bée ſilent, O Lord my God, I will give thanks to thée for ever.

The Third Part.

GLory to God in the Higheſt: On Earth Peace; Good will towards men! Praiſe yée the Lord, ſing to the Lord a new Luk. 2. 14. Song; His praiſe is in the Congregation of Saints. For the Lord taketh pleaſure in his people, he will beautify the meek with ſalvation. Pſal 149. 1, 4, 5, 6. Let the Saints be joyful in glory. Let the high praiſes of God bée in their mouths. All thy works praiſe thée O Lord, and thy Pſa 145. 10. 11 12, 13. Saints ſhall bleſs thée. They ſhall ſpeak of the glory of thy Kingdome, and talk of thy Power; To make known to the ſons of men thy mighty Acts, and the glorious Majeſtie of thy Kingdome. Thy Kingdome is an everlaſting Kingdome, and thy Rev 4 8. 11. Dominions is through all Generations. The Elders and Saints about thy Throne, reſt not night nor day, ſaying Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. Thou art worthy O Lord, to receive Glory, and Honour, and & 15. 3, 4. Power, for thou haſt created all things, and for thy pleaſure they are and were created. They ſing unto thée the Song of & 5 11. Moſes, and of the Lamb, ſaying Great and marvellous are thy works. Lord God Almighty, Juſt and true are thy waies thou King of Saints. Who ſhall not fear thée, O Lord, and glorifie 13. thy Name! for thou only art Holy: For all Nations ſhall come 9. and Worſhip before thee, for thy judgements are made manifeſt. 10. Worthy is the Lamb that was ſlain, to receive Power, and Riches, and Wiſdome, and Strength, and Honour, and Glory. For thou haſt redeemed us to God by thy blood, and made us Kings and Prieſts to God.

The Fourth Part.

O That men would praiſe the Lord for his goodneſs, and for Pſa. 107. 8. 21 2 • . his wonderful works to the Children of men! Let them Sacrifice the Sacrifices of Thankſgiving, and declare his works with rejoycing. Sing unto the Lord, bleſs his Name, ſhew Pſal. 96. 2. forth his Salvation from day to day. Worſhip the Lord in the Beauty of Holineſs, fear before him all the Earth. Let the Pſal. 29. 2. Heavens rejoyce, and the Earth bee glad before the Lord; For Pſal. 96. 9, 11. hee cometh, For hee cometh to judge the Earth. With Righteouſneſs ſhall hée judge the World, and the People with Equity. 13. Bleſs the Lord yée his Angels that excel in ſtrength, that do his Commandements, hearkening to the voice of his Word. Bleſs Pſal. 103. 20. yée the Lord all yée his Hoſts, yee Miniſters of his that do his pleaſure; Bleſs the Lord all his Works in all places of his Dominions. 22. Bleſs the Lord, O my ſoul, my mouth ſhall ſpeak the Praiſes of the Lord, And let all Fleſh bleſs his holy Name for Pſal. 145. 21. Pſal. 150. 6. ever and ever. Let every thing that hath breath praiſe the Lord. Praiſe yee the Lord.

The Order of Celebrating the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Chriſt.

This or the like Explication of the Nature, Uſe, and Benefits of this Sacrament, may bee uſed at the diſcretion of the Minister, when hee ſeeth it needful to the Inſtruction of the Communicants.

The Exhortation.

Then ſhall the Miniſter uſe this or the like Prayer.

Here let the Bread he brought to the Miniſter, and received by him and ſet upon the Table, and then the Wine in like manner (or if they be ſet there before) however let him bleſs them, praying in theſe or the like words.

Then (or immediately before this Prayer) let the Miniſter read the words of the Inſtitution, ſaying;

HEar what the Apoſtle Paul ſaith, 1 Cor. 11. [For I have received 1 Cor. 11. 23. of the Lord, that which alſo I deliver unto you; that the Lord Jeſus the ſame night, in which hee was betrayed, took Bread, and when 24. hee had given thanks, hee brake it, and ſaid, Take, Eat, This is my Body which is broken for you: This do in remembrance of mee: After 25. the ſame manner alſo, hee took the Cup, when hee had ſupped, ſaying, This Cup is the New Teſtament in my Blood, This do yee, as oft as 26. yee drink it in remembrance of mee; For as often as yee eat this Bread, and drink this Cup, yee do ſhew the Lords death till hee come.]

Then let the Miniſter ſay.

THis Bread and Wine, being ſet apart, and conſecrated to this Holy uſe by Gods appointment, are not now Common Bread and Wine, but Sacramentally the Body and Blood of Chriſt.

Then let him thus Pray.

Then let the Miniſter take the Bread, and break it in the ſight of the People, ſaying.

THe Body of Chriſt was broken for us, and offered once for all Mat. 26. 26. Heb. 10. 10. John 1. 29. to ſanctifie us; Behold the ſacrificed Lamb of God, that taketh away the ſins of the World.

In like manner let him take the Cup, and pour out the Wine in the ſight of the Congregation, ſaying;

WEE were redeemed with the precious Blood of Chriſt, as of a Lamb without blemiſh, and without ſpot.

Then let him thus Pray.

Then let the Miniſter deliver the Bread thus Conſecrated and broken to the Communicants, firſt taking and eating it himſelf as one of them, when hee hath ſaid;

TAke yée, Eat yée, This is the Body of Chriſt which is broken 1 Cor. 11. 24. for you, Do this in remembrance of him.

In like manner hee ſhall deliver them the Cup, firſt drinking of it himſelf, when hee hath ſaid,

THis Cup is the New Teſtament in Chriſts Blood, or Chriſts Mat. 26. 27, 28. 1 Cor. 〈◊◊〉 . Blood of the New Teſtament which is ſhed for you for the remiſſion of ſins, Drink yee all of it in remembrance of him.

Let it be left to the Miniſters choice, whether hee will conſecrate the Bread and Wine together, and break the Bread, and pour out the Wine immediately; or whether hee will conſecrate and pour out the Wine, when the Communicants have eaten the Bread. If hee do the latter, hee muſt uſe the fore-going Prayers and Expreſſions twice accordingly, and let it bee left to his diſcretion, whether hee will uſe any words at the breaking of the Bread, and pouring out the Wine, or not; And if the Miniſter chuſe to pray but once, at the Conſecration, Commemoration, and Delivery; Let him pray as followeth, or to this ſenſe.

ALmighty God, thou art the Creator, and the Lord of all. Thou art the Soveraign Majeſty whom wee have offended. Thou art our merciful Father, who haſt given us thy Son to reconcile us to thy ſelf; who hath ratified the New Teſtament and Covenant of Grace with his moſt precious blood, and hath inſtituted this Holy Sacrament to bée Celebrated in memorial of him, till his coming. Sanctifie theſe thy Creatures of bread and wine, which according to thy will, wée ſet apart to this holy uſe, that they may bée Sacramentally, the Body and Blood of thy Son Jeſus Chriſt. And through his ſacrifice and interceſſion give us the pardon of all our ſins and bée reconciled to us, and nouriſh us by the body and blood of Chriſt to Everlaſting life. And to that end give us thy quickning ſpirit to ſhewChriſt to our beléeving ſouls, that is here repreſented to our ſenſes. Let him ſoften our hearts and humble us for our ſins, and cauſe us to féed on Chriſt by Faith; Let him ſhed abroad thy love upon our hearts, and draw them on in love to thée, and fill us with Holy Joy and thankfulneſs, and fervent love to one another, let him comfort us by witneſſing that wée are thy Children, and confirm us for New obedience, and bée the Earneſt of our Inheritance, and ſeal us up to life Everlaſting, through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord and Saviour, Amen.

Let it bee left to the Miniſters diſcretion, whether to deliver the Bread and Wine to the People (at the Table) onely in General, each one taking it, and applying it to themſelves; or to deliver it in General to ſo many as are in each particular form; or to put it into every perſons hand: As alſo at what ſeaſon to take the Contribution for the Poor. And let none of the people be forced to ſit, ſtand, or kneel in the Act of Receiving, whoſe Judgement is againſt it.

The Participation being ended, let the Miniſter pray thus, or to this ſenſe.

Next add this, or ſome ſuch Exhortation, if there bee time.

DEar Brethren, wee have been here feaſted with the Son of God at his Table, upon his Fleſh and Blood, in preparation for the Feaſt of Endleſs Glory. You have ſeen here repreſented, what ſin deſerveth, what Chriſt ſuffered, what wonderful Love the God of infinite Goodneſs hath expreſſed to us. You have had Communion with the Saints, you have renewed your Covenant of Faith, and thankful Obedience unto Chriſt; You have received his renewed Covenant of Pardon, Grace and Glory unto you. O carry hence the lively ſenſe of theſe great and excellent things upon your hearts: You came not onely to receive the mercy of an hour onely, but that which may ſpring up to Endleſs Joy: You came not onely to do the duty of an hour, but to promiſe that which you muſt perform, while you live on Earth. Remember daily, eſpecially when temptations to unbeleef, and ſinful heavineſs aſſault you, what pledges of Love you here received; Remember daily, eſpecially when the Fleſh, the Devil, or the World, would draw your hearts again from God, and temptations to ſin are laid before you; what bonds God, and your own conſent have laid upon you. If you are Penitent Beleevers, you are now forgiven, and waſhed in the Blood of Chriſt. O go your way, and ſin no more. No more through wilfulneſs, and ſtrive againſt you ſins of weakneſſe. Wallow no more in the mire, and return not to your vomit. Let the exceeding Love of Chriſt conſtrain you, having ſuch Promiſes, to cleanſe your ſelves from all Filthineſs of Fleſh and Spirit, perfecting Holineſs in the fear of God: And as a Choſen Generation, a Royal Prieſthood, an Holy Nation, a Peculiar People, to bee Zealous of good works, and ſhew forth the Praiſes of him that hath called you.

Next ſing ſome part of the Hymn in meeter, or ſome other ſit Pſalm of Praiſe (as the 23. 116. or 103. or 100, &c.) And conclude with this or the like Bleſſing.

THE Celebration of the Sacrament of Baptiſm.

LEt no Miniſter, that is therein unſatisfied, be forced againſt his Judgement, to baptize the Childe of open Atheiſts, Idolaters, or Infidels, or that are unbaptized themſelves, or of ſuch as do not competently underſtand the Eſſentials of Chriſtianity (what it is to be a Chriſtian) and the Eſſentials of Baptiſm, nor of ſuch as never ſince they were baptized did perſonally own their Baptiſmal Covenant, by a credible Profeſſion of Faith and Obedience, received and approved by ſome Paſtor of the Church, as before Confirmation is required, and in His Majeſties Declaration. Nor yet the Childe of Parents juſtly excommunicate, or that live in any notorious, ſcandalous ſin, or have lately committed ſuch a ſin (as if the Childe be gotten in Adultery or Fornication) and being juſtly convict of it, refuſeth penitently to confeſs it, and promiſe Reformation. But if either of the Parents bee duly qualified, and preſent the Childe to bee baptized (or another for them in caſe they cannot bee preſent) the Childe is to bee received unto Baptiſm.

And if both the natural Parents are Infidels, Excommunicate, or otherwiſe unqualified, yet if any become the Pro-parents and owners of the Childe, and undertake to educate it in the Faith of Chriſt, and Fear of God, and ſo preſent it to bee baptized; let it bee done by a Miniſter, whoſe judgement doth approve it, but let no Miniſter be forced to it againſt his judgement. Let the Parents or owners come to the Miniſter at ſome convenient time the week before, and acquaint him when they intend to offer their Childe to Baptiſm, and give an account of their fore-ſaid capacity, and receive his further Miniſterial Aſſiſtance for the fuller underſtanding of the uſe and benefits of the Sacrament, and their own duty; The Font is to bee placed to the greateſt conveniency of the Miniſter and People. The Childe, or Children being there preſented, the Miniſter may begin with this or the like ſpeech directed to the Parent, or Parents (that preſenteth it.)

THat you may perform this ſervice to God with underſtanding, you muſt know, that God having made man in his own Image, to love, and ſerve him, our firſt Parents wilfully corrupted themſelves by ſin, and became the Children of Death, and the Captives of Satan, who had overcome them by his temptation; And as by one man ſin entred into the World, and death by ſin, ſo death paſſed upon all, for that all have ſinned, and come ſhort of the Glory of God. Wee are conceived in ſin, and are by nature children of wrath. For who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean. By the offence of one, Judgement came upon all men to condemnation. But the infinite Wiſdome and Love of the Father hath ſent his Son to bee the Saviour of the World. The Word was made Fleſh, and dwelt on Earth, and overcame the Devil and the World; Fulfilled all Righteouſneſs, and ſuffered for our ſins upon the Croſs, and roſe again, and reigneth in Glory, and will come again, and judge the World in Righteouſneſs; In him God hath made and offered to the World a Covenant of Grace, and in it the Pardon of ſin to all true Penitent Beleevers; and power to bee the Sons of God, and Heirs of Heaven; This Covenant is extended to the ſeed alſo of the Faithful, to give them the benefits ſuitable to their age, the Parents dedicating them unto God, and entring them into the Covenant, and ſo God in Chriſt will bee their God, and number them with his People.

This Covenant is to be ſolemnly entred into by Baptiſm (which is a holy Sacrament inſtituted by Chriſt, in which a perſon profeſſing the Chriſtian Faith (or the Infant of ſuch) is baptized in water into the Name of the Father, the Son, and Holy Ghoſt, in ſignification and ſolemnization of the holy Covenant, in which as a Penitent Beleever (or the ſeed of ſuch) hee giveth up himſelf, (or is by the Parent given up) to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, from henceforth (or from the time of natural capacity) to beleeve in, love, and fear this Bleſſed Trinity, againſt the Fleſh, the Devil, and the World; and this eſpecially on the account of Redemption, and is ſolemnly entred a Viſible Member of Chriſt, and his Church; a Childe of God, and an Heir of Heaven] How great now is the Mercy, and how great the Duty that is before you? Is it a ſmall Mercy for this Childe to bee accepted into the Covenant of God, and waſhed from its Original ſin, in the Blood of Chriſt, which is ſignified and ſealed by this Sacramental waſhing in water, to be accepted as a Member of Chriſt, and of his Church, where hee vouchſafeth his Protection and Proviſion, and the Means and Spirit of Grace, and the renewed pardon of ſin upon Repentance, and for you to ſee this happineſs of your Childe! The duty on your part, is, firſt to ſee that you are ſtedfaſt in the Faith and Covenant of Chriſt, that you periſh not your ſelf, and that your Childe is indeed the Childe of a Beleever; And then you are beleevingly and thankfully to dedicate your Childe to God, and to enter it into the Covenant in which you ſtand. And you muſt know, that your Faith, and Conſent, and Dedication will ſuffice for your Children no longer than till they come to age themſelves, and then they muſt own their Baptiſmal Covenant, and perſonally renew it, and conſent, and give up themſelves to God, or elſe they will not bee owned by Chriſt. You muſt therefore acquaint them with the Doctrine of the Goſpel, as they grow up, and with the Covenant now made, and bring them up in the fear of the Lord. And when they are actually penitent Beleevers, they muſt preſent themſelves to the Paſtors of the Church to bee approved, and received into the Communion of the Adult Beleevers.

If the Perſons bee before well inſtructed in the nature of Baptiſm, and Time require Brevity; the Miniſter may omit the firſt part of this ſpeech, and begin at the deſcription of Baptiſm, or after it. If there bee need of ſatisfying the People of the duty of Baptizing Infants, the Miniſter may here do it; otherwiſe let the Queſtions here immediately follow.

The Miniſter ſhall here ſay to the Parent, and the Parent anſwer as followeth.

IT being the Faithful, and their ſeed, to whom the Promiſes are made; And no man will ſincerely dedicate his Childe to that God that hee beleeveth not in himſelf; I therefore require you to make Profeſſion of your own Faith.

Queſt. Do you beleeve in God the Father Almighty, &c?

Anſw. All this I do unfeignedly beleeve.

Queſt. Do you repent of your ſins, and renounce the Fleſh, the Devil, and the World, and conſent to the Covenant of Grace, giving up your ſelf to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, as your Creator, and Reconciled Father, your Redeemer, and your Sanctifier?

Anſ. I do.

[Or thus rather, if the Parent bee fit to utter his own Faith.]

Queſt. Do you remain ſtedfaſt in the Covenant, which you made in Baptiſm your ſelf?

Anſ. Repenting of my ſins, I do renounce the Fleſh, the Devil, and the World, and I give up my ſelf to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, my Creator, and Reconciled Father, my Redeemer, and my Sanctifier.]

Queſt. Do you preſent and dedicate this Childe unto God, to bee baptized into this Faith, and ſolemnly ingaged in this Covenant unto God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, againſt the Fleſh, the Devil, and the World?

Anſ. It is my deſire (or) I do preſent and dedicate him for this end.

Queſt. Do you here ſolemnly promiſe, that if God continue it with you, till it bee capable of Inſtructions, you will faithfully indeavour to acquaint this Childe with the Covenant in which hee was here by you ingaged and to inſtruct and exhort him to perform this Covenant, as ever hee looks for the bleſſings of it, or to eſcape the curſes and wrath of God: that is, That hee renounce the Fleſh, the World, and the Devil, and live not after them; And that hee beleeve in this One God, in Three Perſons, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, his Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier; That hee reſign himſelf to him as his abſolute Owner, and obey h • m as his Supream Governour, and love him as his moſt gracious Father, hoping to injoy him as his Felicity in Endleſs Glory.

Anſ. I will faithfully indeavour it.

Queſt. Will you to this end faithfully endeavour to cauſe him to learn the Articles of the Chriſtian Faith, the Lords Prayer, and the ten Commandements, and to read, or hear the holy Scriptures, and to attend on the Publick Preaching of Gods Word? Will you endeavour by your own Teaching, and Example, and Reſtraint, to keep him from wickedneſs, and train him up in a holy life?

Anſw. I will faithfully endeavour it by the help of God.

Then let the Miniſter pray thus, or to this ſenſe.

O Moſt merciful Father, by the firſt Adam, ſin entred into Rom. 5. 12. Eph. 2. 3. Joh. 3. 16. Gen. 3. 15. Joh. 4. 42. Heb. 9. 26. Rev. 1. 15. Rom. 5. 10. Tit. 3. 5. Rom 16. 20. Heb 8. 6. Mat 28. 19, 20. Gen. 17. 10, 11. Ezek. 20 37. Rom. 6. 3, 4. Tit. 3. 5. 1 Cor. 12. 12. Gen. 17. Rom. 9. 8. Act. 239. Mat. 23. 37. Deut. 39. 10 11, 12. Mat. 19. 13, 14. 1 Cor. 12. 12, 13. Rev. 1. 5. Eph 5. 26. Joh. 11. 52. Heb. 2. 13. Eph. 2. 19. & 3. 15. Zech. 9. 11, 15. 16. 1 Pet 5. 7. 2 Tim. 4. 18. the world, and death by ſin, and wée are all by nature Children of Wrath; But thou haſt given thy only Son to bée the ſéed of the Woman, the Saviour of the World, the Captain of our Salvation, to put away ſin by the ſacrifice of himſelf, and to waſh us in his blood, and reconcile us unto thée, and to renew us by the Holy Ghoſt, and to bruiſe Satan under our féet: In him thou haſt eſtabliſhed the Covenant of grace, and haſt appointed this Holy Sacrament of Baptiſm for our ſolemn Entrance into the Bonds of the Covenants, and ſtating us in the bleſſings of it, which thou extendeſt to the faithful and their ſéed. Wée dedicate and offer this Childe to thée, to bée received into thy Covenant and Church. Wée beſéech thée to accept him as a member of thy Son, and waſh him in his blood from the guilt of Sin, as the Fleſh is waſhed by this water. Bée reconciled to him, and take him for thy Childe, renew him to the Image of thy Son, make him a fellow Citizen with the Saints, and one of thy Houſhold. Protect him and provide for him as thy own, and finally preſerve him to thy Heavenly Kingdome, through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord and Saviour. Amen.

Then the Miniſter ſhall ask of the Parent the name of the Childe to bee Baptized, and naming him, ſhall either dip him under the water, or elſe pour water upon his face, if hee cannot be ſafely or conveniently dipt, and ſhall uſe theſe words without Alteration.

I Baptiſe thée in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoſt.

And hee ſhall thus Declare.

THis Childe is now received by Chriſts appointment into his Church, and ſolemnly entred into the holy Covenant, and engaged if he • lives to the uſe of Reaſon, to riſe with Chriſt to newneſs of life, as being buried with him by Baptiſm, and to bear his Croſs, and confeſs Chriſt crucified, and faithfully to fight under his Banner againſt the Fleſh, the Devil, and the World, and to continue his Faithful Souldier and Servant to the death, that hee may receive the Crown of Life.

Then hee ſhall give Thanks and Pray.

Then uſe this Exhortation, or the like, to the Parents.

YOu that have devoted this Childe to God, and ingaged it in Covenant to him, muſt bee thankful for ſo great a mercy to the Childe, and muſt be faithful in performing what you have promiſed on your parts, in inſtructing and educating this Childe in the Faith and Fear of God, that hee may own and perform the Covenant now made, and receive all the Bleſſings which God hath promiſed. Hear what God hath made your duty, Epheſ. 6. 4. Fathers provoke not your Children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Prov. 22. 6. Train up a childe in the way hee ſhould go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. Prov. 19. 15. The Rod and Reproof give Wiſdome, but a Childe left to himſelf bringeth his Mother to ſhame. Deut. 6. 5, 6, 7. Thou ſhalt love thy Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy ſoul, and with all thy might, and theſe words which I command thee this day, ſhall bee in thy heart, and thou ſhalt reach them diligently unto thy Children, and thou ſhalt talk of them when thou ſitteſt in the houſe, and when thou walkeſt by the way, and when thou lyeſt down, and when thou riſeſt up. Joſhuah ſaith, Joſh. 24. 15. As for mee and my houſe, wee will ſerve the Lord. And Paul ſaith of Timothy, 2 Tim. 3. 15. From a Childe thou haſt known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wiſe unto Salvation, through Faith which is in Chriſt Jeſus.

Then ſay to the People thus, or to this ſenſe.

YOu have heard Beloved, how great a dignity we were advanced to in our Baptiſm, to how great duty wee are all ingaged. O ſearch and try, whether you have kept or broken the Convenant which you made, and have lived according to the dignity of your Calling. And if any of you bee Atheiſts, Unbeleevers, or Ungodly, and love not God above all, and neglect Chriſt and his Salvation, and are yet unſanctified, and live after the Fleſh, the Devil, and the World, which you here renounced; As you love your ſouls, bewail your perfidious Convenant-breaking with God. Truſt not the water of Baptiſm alone; if you are not born again of the Spirit alſo, you cannot enter into the Kingdome of God, Joh. 3. 5, 6. Baptiſm will not ſave you, if you have not the anſwer of a good conſcience unto God, 1 Pet. 3. 21. If any man have not the Spirit of Chriſt, the ſame is none of his, Rom. 8. 9. Much leſs thoſe wretches that hate Sanctification, and deſpiſe and ſcorn a holy life, when they were by Baptiſm engaged to the Holy Ghoſt the Sanctifier; Can you think to bee ſaved by the Covenant, which you keep not? O no! your perfidiouſneſs aggravateth your ſin and miſery, Eccleſ. 5. 4, 5. When thou voweſt a vow to God, defer not to pay it, for hee hath no pleaſure in Fools: Pay that which thou haſt vowed; better it is that thou ſhouldeſt not vow, than that thou ſhouldeſt vow and not pay. O bleſs the Lord, that it is a Covenant of ſuch Grace which is tendred to you, that yet upon true Repentance and Coverſion, even your Covenant-breaking ſhall bee forgiven; And therefore penitently caſt down your ſelves before the Lord, and beleevingly caſt your ſelves on Chriſt, and yeeld to the teachings, and ſanctifying operations of the Holy Ghoſt, yet know the day of your Viſitation, and forſake the Fleſh, the Devil, and the World, and turn to God with all your hearts, and give up your ſelves intirely to your Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier, and hee will have mercy upon you, and will abundantly pardon you. But if you ſtill live after the Fleſh, you ſhall dye: And if you continue to neglect this great Salvation, there remaineth no more Sacrifice for ſin, but a certain fearful looking for of Judgement, and Fire, which ſhall devour the Adverſaries.

Let no Children bee privately baptized, nor any Miniſter forced to baptize them any where, beſides in the Publick Aſſembly, unleſs upon ſome ſpecial weighty cauſe, if there be occaſion for baptizing the Adult, let the Miniſter accordingly ſute his expreſſions.

Of Catechizing, and the Approbation of thoſe that are to bee admitted to the Lords Supper.

SEEing none can bee ſaved at years of diſcretion, that do not actually beleeve, and perſonally give up themſelves in Covenant to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt; Therefore as Parents muſt do their parts, ſo Miniſters muſt catechize the Ignorant; and Diligently labour to cauſe them both to learn the Form of wholſome words (even the Lords Prayer, and the ten Commandements, and ſome brief, yet full and ſound Catechiſm) and to underſtand the meaning of them, and to engage their hearts into the love of God, and a holy Obedience to his Laws.

To this end let the Miniſter either every Lords Day, before the Evening Prayers, or at ſome convenient hour, or on ſome other day of the week, as oft as hee can, examine publickly ſuch as are not admitted to the Lords Supper, and take an account of their learning, and underſtanding the Creed, the ten Commandements, the Lords Prayer, and the Catechiſm. And let him by queſtioning and explication, help them to underſtand them; And let ſuch of the ſeveral Families of the Pariſh come in their turns, when they are called by the Miniſter to bee thus Catechized. Alſo let the Miniſter either go to their houſes, or rather appoint the perſons aforeſaid in their courſes at a certain hour and place (in the Church or any other fit place) to come to him for perſonal Inſtructions, where hee may confer with thoſe that are unmeet to bee catechized Publickly, or unwilling to ſubmit to it, and there with humble, prudent, ſerious Inſtruction and Exhortation, let him indeavour to acquaint them with the ſubſtance of Chriſtian-Faith and Duty, and to help them to make ſure their Calling and Election, and to prepare for Death and Judgement, and exhort them to love, and to good works, and warn them leſt they bee hardened through the deceltfulneſs of ſin. But let him not in publick or private meddle with Impertinencies, or ſpend the time about ſmaller matters, or ſingular Opinions, nor ſift people to know things unfit, or unneceſſary to bee diſcloſed, nor meddle with matters that do not concern him, as a Miniſter, to inquire after; But help them to learn, and underſtand, and practiſe the Chriſtian Religion expreſſed in the Catechiſm.

The Catechiſm, See the Rubrick for Catechiſm, and Confirmation in the Common-Prayer, and alſo His Majeſties Declaration concerning Eccleſiaſtical Aſſa •• s.

LEt none be admitted by the Miniſter to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, till they have at years of diſcretion underſtood the meaning of their Baptiſmal Covenant, and with their own mouths, and their own conſent openly before the Church, ratified and confirmed, and alſo promiſed, that by the Grace of God they will evermore endeavour themſelves faithfully to obſerve, and keep ſuch things as by their own mouth and confeſſion they have aſſented to; And ſo being inſtructed in the Chriſtian Religion, do openly make a credible Profeſſion of their own Faith, and promiſe to bee obedientt o the Will of God.

A Profeſſion is credible, when it is made underſtandingly, ſeriouſly, voluntarily, deliberately, and not nullified by contradiction in Word or Deed And that Profeſſion is incredible, that is made ignorantly, ludicrouſly, forcedly, raſhly, or that is nullified by verbal or practical contradiction. And it muſt bee practice firſt, that muſt make words credible, when the perſon by perfidiouſneſs hath forfeited his Credit. It is not private perſons onely, but the Paſtors of the Church that muſt approve of this Profeſſion. Therefore before any are admitted to the Lords Supper, they ſhall give a good account of their Knowledge, Faith and Chriſtian Converſation, conformable thereunto unto the Paſtors of their reſpective Congregations, or elſe ſhall produce a certificate, that they have been approved or admitted to the Lords Supper in another Congregation, of which they were members, and that by an allowed Miniſter, upon ſuch approved Profeſſion as aforeſaid.

If the perſon bee able and willing, let him before the Congregation give the foreſaid account at large of his Knowledge, Faith and Obedience; But if through backwardneſs or diſability for publick ſpeech, hee ſhall refuſe it, let him make the ſame Profeſſion privately to the Miniſter, and own it in the Aſſembly, when the Miniſter ſhall declare it, and ask him whether hee owns it; But unleſs it bee in caſe of ſome extraordinary natural Imperfection, and diſability of utterance, let him at leaſt openly recite the Creed, and profeſs his conſent to the Covenant with God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt.

Let the Miniſter of every Pariſh keep a double Regiſter; one of the Names of all that are there baptized, another of the Names of all that are approved upon their foreſaid credible Profeſſion, and ſo admitted into the number of Communicants, or that have a certificate of ſuch Approbation, regularly, elſewhere performed.

And if Confirmation bee continued, let His Majeſties Declaration bee obſerved, requiring [That Confirmation bee rightly and ſolemnly performed by the Information, and with the conſent of the Miniſter of the place.]

Let no Miniſter bee inforced to admit any himſelf to the Lords Supper, who hath been clancularly and irregularly approved.

Thoſe that after this Approbation, prove ſcandalous offenders, ſhall not by the Miniſter be ſuffered to partake of the Lords Table, until they have openly declared themſelves to have truly repented, and amended their former naughty lives.

Of the Celebration of Matrimony.

BEfore the Solemnizing of Marriage between any Perſons, their purpoſe of marriage ſhall bee publiſhed by the Miniſter, three ſeveral Lords daies in the Congregation, at the place or places of their moſt uſual abode reſpectively. And of this Publication, the Miniſter who is to joyn them in marriage, ſhall have ſufficient Teſtimony before hee proceed to Solemnize the Marriage; The Parents conſent being firſt ſufficiently made known.

At the Celebration the Miniſter ſhall either by a Sermon; or other Exhortation, open to them the Inſtitution, Ends, and Uſe of Marriage, with the conjugal Duties which they are faithfully to perform to each other. And then ſhall demand of them whether it bee their deſire and purpoſe to bee joyned together in the Bond of the Marriage-Covenant, and if they anſwer affirmatively, hee ſhall ſay to them.

I require and charge you as you will anſwer at the dreadful day of Judgement (when the ſecrets of all hearts ſhall bee diſcloſed) that if either of you do know any Impediment by Precon • ract or otherwiſe, why you may not law • ully bee joyned together in marriage, you diſcover it and proceed not.

If no Impediment bee diſcovered by them or others, hee ſhall Proceed to Pray.

MOſt merciful Father, who haſt ordained Marriage for mutual •• n 2. 18. & 〈◊〉 . 28. Mal 2. 15. 1 Cor. 7. 14. 9. Heb. 13. 4. Luk. 1. 6. help, and for the increaſe of mankinde▪ with a legitimate Iſſue, and of the Church with a Holy ſéed, and for prevention of uncleanneſs: Bleſs thy own Ordinance to theſe perſons, that entring this ſtate of Marriage in thy fear, they may there Ephe. 5. 22 &c. Mal 〈◊〉 . 15, 16. P • al. 127. 3. Mat. 19. 13, 14. D • ut. 29. 11, 12 • zek. 16. 8. Pro. 20. 7. Eph. 6. 4. 1 Pet. 3. 1, 7. 1 Tim. 3. 11. & 5. 13, 14. 1 Co • . 7. 5, 29. Gen. 2. 18. P • o. 5. 18. Heb. 10. 26 1 Cor. 7. 29. Luk. 12. 40. 1 Pet. 3. 7. Rev. 19. 7. Joh. 17. 24. •• tirely devote themſelves unto thée, and bée faithful in all con •… gal Affections, and duties unto each other [and if thou bleſs them with Children] let them bee devoted unto thée, and accepted as thine own, and bleſſed with thy grace, and educated in thy fear. Subdue thoſe corruptioins If they bee young, it may • ee ſaid, Bleſs them with • hildren, and l • t them b •• de •… ed, &c. that would make their lives unholy or uncomfortable, and deliver them from temptations to impiety, worldlyneſs, unquietneſs, diſcontent or diſaffection to each other, or to any Unfaithfulneſs to thée or to each other; make them meet helps to each other in thy fear, and in the lawful management of the affairs of this World. Let them not hinder, but provoke one another to love, and good to works, and foreſéeing the day of their ſeparation by death, let them ſpend their daies in a Holy Preparation; and live here together as the Heirs of life, that muſt re • oyce at the great marriage day of the Lamb, and live for ever with Chriſt and all the Holy Angels and Saints in the preſence of thy glory. Amen.

The Woman if ſh • e b • e under Parents or Governours, being by one of them, or ſome deputed by them given to b • e married, the Man with his Right hand ſhall take the Woman by the Right hand, and ſhall ſay.

I. A. do take thée B. to bée my Married Wife, and do promiſe and Covenant in the preſence of God, and before this Congregation, to bée a loving and faithful Husband to thée, till God ſhall ſeparate us by death.

Then the Woman ſhall take the Man by the Right hand, with her Right hand, and ſay.

I. B. do take thée A. to bée my Married Husband, and I do promiſe and Covenant in the preſence of God, and before this Congregation to bée a loving, obedient, and faithful Wife unto thée, till God ſhall ſeparate us by death,

Then let the Miniſter ſay.

Theſe two perſons A. and B. being lawfully married according to Gods Ordinance, I do pronounce them, Husband and Wife. And thoſe, whom God hath conjoyned, let no man put aſunder.

Next hee may read the duty of Husbands and Wives out of E • heſ. 5. 2. Coll. 4. 2. 1 Pet. 3. and Pſalm. 128. or ſome other Pertinent Pſalm may bee ſaid or ſung; And let the Miniſter exhort them to their ſeveral duties, and then Pray.

Then let him Conclude with a Benediction.

GOd Almighty, the Creator, Redéemer, and Sanctifier, bleſs you in your Souls and Bodies, Family and Affairs, and preſerve you to his Heavenly Kingdome. Amen.

The Viſitation of the Sick, and their Communion.

THe Viſitation of the Sick being a private duty, and no part of the Pub • ick Liturgy of the Church, and the caſe of the Sick being ſo exceeding various, as to ſoul and body, and it being requiſite that Miniſters bee able to ſui • their Exhortations and Prayers to the Condition of the Sick, let the words of ſuch Exhortations and Prayers bee left to their Prudence.

So urgent is the neceſſity of the Sick, and ſo ſeaſonable and advantagious the opportunity, that Miniſters may not negligently over-paſs them, but in love and tenderneſs inſtruct them according to their ſeveral Conditions; Endeavouring the Converſion of the ungodly, the ſtrengthening of the weak, and comforting ſuch as need Conſolation, directing them how to improve their afflictions, and helping them to bee ſenſible of the evil of ſin, the negligences and miſcarriages of their lives, the vanity of the World, their neceſſity of a Saviour, the ſufficiency of Chriſt, the Certainty and Excellency of the Everlaſting Glory; Exhorting them to repentance and to faith in Chriſt, and to ſet their affections on the things above; And (if they are penitent beleevers) comfortably to hope for the Kingdome which God hath promiſed to them that love him, committing their ſouls to their Redeemer, and quietly reſting in the will, and love, and promiſes of God; Reſolving if God ſhall recover them to health, to redeem the time, and live the reſt of their lives unto his glory. And being willing, if it bee their appointed time, to depart and bee with Chriſt; and they muſt bee exhorted to forgive ſuch as have wronged them, and to bee reconciled to thoſe with whom they have been at variance, and to make a pious, juſt, and charitable diſpoſal of their Worldly Eſtates.

The Order for Solemnizing the Burial of the Dead.

IT is agreeable to nature and Religion, that the Burial of Chriſtians bee ſolemnly and decently performed, as to the caſes; Whether the Corps ſhall bee carried firſt into the Church, that is to bee buried in the Churchyard? And whether it ſhall bee buried before the Sermon, Reading, or Prayer, or after, or in the midſt of the reading, or whether any Prayer ſhall bee made at the grave, for the living, Let no Chriſtians uncharitably judge one another about theſe things, let no people keep up groundleſs uſages, that being ſuſpicio • s, grieve their Miniſter and offend their Brethren. Let no Miniſter that ſcrupleth the ſatisfying of peoples ungrounded deſires in ſuch things, bee forced to do it againſt his Conſcience, and let Miniſters that do uſe any of theſe Cuſtomes or Ceremonies, have liberty, when they ſuſpect that the people deſire them upon ſome Error, to profeſs againſt that Error, and teach the people better.

Whether the Miniſter come with the Company that brings the Corps from the houſe: or whether hee meet them, or receive them at the burial place, is to bee left to his own diſcretion. But while hee is with them, let him gravely diſcourſe of mans Mortality, and the uſeful truths and duties thence to bee inferred: And either at the Grave, or in the Reading place, or Pulpit, by way of Sermon, according to his diſcretion. Let him (at leaſt if it bee deſired) inſtruct and exhort the people concerning death, and the life to come, and their neceſſary preparation. Seeing the ſpectacle of Mortality, and the ſeaſon of mourning, do tend to prepare men for a ſober conſiderate entertainment of ſuch Inſtructions, and hee may read ſuch Scriptures as may minde them of Death, Reſurrection, and Eternal life, as 1 Cor. 15. or from verſ. 10. to the end, And Job 1. 21. & 19. 25, 26, 27. John 11. 25, 26. & 5. 28, 29. And his Prayer ſhall bee ſuited to the occaſion.

When ever the Rain, Snow, or Coldneſs of the ſeaſon, make it unhealthful to the Miniſter or People to ſtand out of doors, at leaſt then, let the Reading, Exhortation, and Prayers, bee uſed within the Church.

Of Extraordinary Daies of Humiliation, and Thanksgiving, and Anniverſary Feſtivals.

WHen great afflictions lye upon the Church, or any ſpecial part or members of it, or when any great ſins have been Committed among them, it is meet that in publick, by faſting and prayer, wee humble our ſelves before the Lord, for the averting of his diſpleaſure; and on ſuch occaſions it is the Paſtors duty to confeſs his own, and the peoples ſins, with Penitence, and tenderneſs of heart, and by his Doctrine and Exhortation, to Endeavour effectually to bring the People to the ſight and ſenſe of their ſin, and the deſerts of it, and to a firm Reſolution of better obedience for the time to come, being importunate with God in Prayer for pardon and renewed grace.

Upon the receipt of great and extraordinary mercies, the Church (having opportunity) is to Aſſemble for publick Thankſgiving unto God, and the Miniſter to ſtirre up the people to a lively ſenſe of the greatneſs of thoſe mercies, and joyfully to Celebrate the praiſes of God, the Author of them. And it is not unmeet in theſe daies to expreſs our joy in Feaſting and outward ſignes of Mirth, provided they bee uſed moderately, ſpiritually, and inoffenſively, and not to gratifie ourſenſual deſires, and that wee releeve the poor in their neceſſities (which alſo on daies of Humiliation and other ſeaſons. wee muſt not forget.) The occaſions of ſuch daies of Humiliation and Thankſgiving being ſo various, as cannot bee well ſuited by any ſtanding forms, the Miniſter is to apply himſelf to the reſpective duties, ſuitable to the particular occaſions.

Though it bee not unlawful or unmeet to keep Anniverſary Commemoration by Feſtivals, of ſome great and notable mercies, to the Church or State, the memory whereof ſhould bee tranſmitted to poſterity; nor to give any perſons their due honour who have been the Inſtruments thereof; yet becauſe the Feſtivals of the Churches Inſtitution now obſerved, are much abuſed, and many ſober Godly perſons, Miniſters, and others, are unſatisfied of the Lawfulneſs of the Celebrating them as Holy daies, let the abuſe bee reſtrained, and let not the Religious obſervation of thoſe daies by publick Worſhip, bee forced upon any that are thus unſatisfied, provided they forbear all offenſive behaviour thereupon.

Of Prayer and Thankſgiving, for Particular Members of the Church

BEſides the Petitions that are put up for all in ſuch diſtreſſes, in the General Prayer, it is meet that Perſons in dangerous ſickneſs, or other great affliction of Body or minde; and Women that are neer the time of Childe-bearing, when they deſire it, ſhall bee particularly recommended to God in the Publick Prayers of the Church. Becauſe all the members conſtitute one body, and muſt have the ſame care one for another, as ſuffering all with one that ſuffereth, and rejoycing all with one that is honoured. And the effectual ſervent prayer of the righteous, eſpecially of the whole Congregation, availeth much with God. But becauſe diſeaſes, diſtreſſes, and greif of minde, are ſo various that no forms that are Particular can ſuit them all; And becauſe every Miniſter ſhould bee able to ſuit his Prayers to ſuch various Neceſſities of the people: Wee deſire, that it may bee left to his diſcretion to pray for ſuch according to their ſeveral Caſes, before or after Sermon. But wee deſire that except in caſe of ſudden neceſſity, they may ſend in their Bills of Requeſt to him, the night before, that hee may conſider of their caſes, and may publiſh only ſuch, & in ſuch Expreſſions, as in prudence hee ſhall judge meet for the Ears of the Aſſembly.

In the more ordinary Caſes of perſons in ſickneſs, danger, and diſtreſs, and that are delivered from them, theſe following Prayers may bee uſed, or ſuch like.

Amen.

A Thanksgiving, for the Deliverance of Women, in Childe-bearing.

WEE return thée thanks, Moſt Gracious God, That thou Pſa. 34. 3. 4. Rev. 1. 18. 1 Sam. 2. 6. Pſa. 113. 9. & 117 3. & 42. 4. & 100. 4. & 145. 9. 20, 14. 19. Deut. 28. 8. Pſa. 133. 3. haſt heard our Prayers for this thy hand-maid; and haſt béen her helpin the time of her neceſſity, and delivered her from her fears and ſorrows death and life are in thy power, thou killeſt and thou makeſt alive, thou bringeſt down to the grave, and thou bringeſt up; Thou makeſt the Barren to keep houſe, to bée a ioyful Mother of Children. Wée thank thée, that thou haſt given thy ſervant, to ſee the fruit of her Womb, and that thou haſt brought her again to thy Holy aſſembly, to go with the multitude to thy houſe, and worſhip thee with the voyce of ioy and praiſe, that ſhée may enter into thy gates with thankſgiving, and into thy Court with praiſe, and wée may all bée thankful to thée on her behalf, and ſpeak good of thy Name; Thou art good O Lord to all, and thy tender mercies are over all thy works, thou preſerveit them that love thée; thou raiſeſt up them that are vowed down; thou fulfilleſt the deſire of them that fear thée, thou alſo doſt hear Iſa. 44. 3. Deut. 8. 11. 14. Pſal. 116. Iſa. 33. 20. Mal. 2. 15. 1 Cor. 7. 14. Eph. 6. 4. Deut 6. 6. Prov. 3. 33. Joſh. 24. 15. Zech. 14. 20, 21 Pſa. 91. 4. 1 Joh. 2. 15. Phil. 3. 1. 18. 1 Cor. 7. 31, 29, 30. Pſa. 23. 3, 4, 6. Jude 24, their cry, and ſave them, command thy bleſſing yet upon thy ſervant and her off-ſpring; Let her not forget thée and thy mercies, but let her devote the life which thou haſt given her to thy ſervice, and educate her off-ſpring as a Holy ſéed, in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and as thou haſt ſaid, that thy ſcurſe is in the houſe of the wicked, but thou bleſſeſt the habitation of the juſt; let her, and her houſe ſerve thée, and let holineſs to the Lord bée written upon all wherewith thou bleſſeſt her; Let her make thée her refuge and habitation; Give her the ornament of a méek and quiet ſpirit, which in thy ſight is of great price, let her not love the world, nor minde Earthly things, but uſe the world as not abuſing of it; Seeing the time is ſhort, and the faſhion of this world paſſeth away; Reſtore her Soul, and lead her in the paths of righteouſneſs; though ſhée muſt walk through the valley of the ſhaddow of death, let her fear no evil; Let thy goodneſs and mercy follow her all the daies of her life, and let her dwell for ever in thy Glorious preſence; Through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord and Saviour. Amen.

Of Paſtoral Diſcipline, Publick Confeſſion, Abſolution, and Excluſion from the Holy Communion of the Church.

THe Recital of the Curſes are ſaid in the Book of Common Prayer, to bee inſtead of the godly diſcipline of the primitive Church, till it can bee reſtored again, which is much to bee wiſhed, which is the putting of notorious ſinners to open Penitence; His Majeſties Declaration concerning Eccleſiaſtical affairs, determineth that all publick diligence bee uſed for the inſtruction, and reformation of Scandalous offenders, whom the Miniſter ſhall not ſuffer to partake of the Lords Table, until they have openly declared themſelves to have truly repented and amended their former naughty lives, provided there bee place for due appeals to Superiour Powers.

And the law of Chriſt commandeth, if thy Brother treſpaſs againſt thee, go and tell him his faults between him and thee alone, if hee ſhall hear thee, thou haſt gained thy Brother, but if hee will not hear thee, then take to thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witneſſes; every word may bee Eſtabliſhed, and if hee ſhall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the Church, but if hee ſhall neglect to hear the Church; let him bee unto thee as a Heathen man, or as a publican. Mat. 18. 15, 16, 17. And it is the office of the Paſtors of the ſeveral Congregations, not only to teach the people in General, and guide them in the Celebration of the publick Worſhip, but alſo to over-ſee them, and watch over each member of their flock particularly, to preſerve them from Errours, Hereſies, Diviſions, and other ſins, defending the truth, confuting gain-ſayers, and ſeducers, inſtructing the Ignorant, exciting the Negligent, incourageing the Deſpondent, comforting the Afflicted, confirming the weak, rebuking and admoniſhing the diſorderly and ſcandalous, and directing all according to their needs in the matters of their Salvation, and the people in ſuch needs ſhould have ordinary recourſe to them, as the officers of Chriſt, for guidance, and reſolution of their doubts, and for aſſiſtance in making their ſalvation ſure; and in proving, maintaining, or reſtoring the peace of their conſciences, and ſpiritual comfort.

If therefore any member of the Church bee a ſcandalous ſinner, and the Crime bee either notorious or fully proved, let the Paſtor admoniſh him, and ſet before him the particular command of God which hee tranſgreſſeth, the ſupream Authority of God which hee deſpiſeth, the promiſes and mercies, which hee treadeth under foot, and the curſe and dreadful condemnation, which hee draweth upon himſelf, let this bee done with great compaſſion and tender love to the offenders ſoul, and with gravity, reverent, and ſerious importunity, as beſeemeth men imployed on the behalf of God, for the ſaving of a ſoul, and yet with judgement, and cautelous prudence, not taking that for ſin which is no ſin, nor that for a groſs and ſcandalous ſin, which is but an ordinary humane frailty, not dealing as unreverently with a Superiour as with an inferiour, nor making that publick, which ſhould bee concealed, nor reproving before others, when it ſhould bee done more ſecretly, nor ſpeaking unſeaſonably, to thoſe who through drink or paſſion are incapable of the benefit, nor yet offending by baſhfulneſs or the fear of man, or lukewarmneſs, negligence, or ſlighting over great offences, on the other extream.

Prudence alſo requireth them to bee cautelous of over-medling, where the Magiſtrates honour, or concernment, or the Churches unity, or peace, or the reputation of others, or the intereſt of their Miniſtry requireth them to forbear.

Theſe Cautions obſerved, If the ſcandalous offenders continue impe • itent, or unreformed, after due admonitions and patience, let the Paſtor in the Congregation when hee is preſent rebuke him before all, that the Church may ſufficiently diſown the Crime, and others may ſee the odiouſneſs & danger of the ſin. But let this alſo bee with the love, and ſeriouſneſs, and prudence, before mentioned.

If the offender in obſtinacy will not bee there, the Paſtor may open the crime before the Congregation; And preſent or abſent (in caſe hee remain impenitent) if the caſe will bear ſo long delay, it is convenient, that the Paſtor publickly pray for his conviction, and repentance, that hee may bee Saved.

And this hee may do one, or two, or three, or more daies, as the nature of the caſe, and prudence ſhall direct him.

If during theſe means for his Recovery (after the proof of the Crime) there bee a Communion of the Church in the Lords Supper, Let the Paſtor require him to forbear and not ſuffer him to partake of the Lords Table.

If yet the offender remain impenitent, let the Paſtor openly declare him •• meet for the Communion of the Church, and require him to abſtain from it, and require the Church to avoid Communion with him. And let him binde him by the denounciations of the threatings of God, againſt the impenitent.

But before this is done, let no neceſſary conſultation, with other Paſtors, or concurrence, of the Church bee neglected, And after let there bee place for due appeals, and let Miniſters conſent to give account when they are accuſed of Mal-adminiſtration.

But if after private Admonition (while the offence is ſuch, as requireth not publick confeſſion) the Sinner bee penitent, let the Miniſter privately apply to his Conſolation the promiſes of the Goſpel, with ſuch cautelous prudence as is moſt ſuitable to his condition.

And if hee repent not till after publick admonition, or that the ſcandall bee ſo great and notorious, as that a publick confeſſion is neceſſary, let him at a ſeaſonable time appointed by the Paſtor, with remorſe of conſcience, and true contrition, confels his ſin before the Congregation, and heartily lament it, and clear the honour of his Chriſtian profeſſion, which hee had ſtayned, and crave the prayers of the Church to God for pardon, and reconciliation through Chriſt, and alſo crave the Miniſterial Abſolution and reſtauration, to the Communion of the Church, and profeſs his reſolution to do ſo no more; but to live in new obedience to God, deſiring alſo their prayers for Corroborating and preſerving grace.

It is only a credible profeſſion of repentance, that is to bee accepted by the Church.

The foregoing Cautious muſt bee carefully obſerved in ſuch confeſſions, that they bee not made to the injuring of the Magiſtrate, or of the Church, or of the reputation of others, or of the Life, Eſtate, or Liberty of the offender, or to any other ſhame than is neceſſary to the manifeſting of his repentance, and the clearing of his Profeſſion, and the Righting of any that hee hath wronged, and the honour, and preſervation of the Church.

When hee hath made a credible profeſſion of repentance, It is the Paſtors duty, Miniſterially to declare him pardoned by Chriſt, but in conditional terms [If his repentance be ſincere] And to abſolve him from the cenſureof non Communion with the Church, if he was under ſuch a cenſure before his penitence, and to declare him meet for their Communion, and to encourage him to come, and require the Church to entertain him into their Communion with gladneſs, and not upbraid him with his fall, but rejoyce in his recovery, and endeavour his confirmation and preſervation for the time to come: And it is his duty accordingly to admit him to Communion, and theirs to have loving Communion with him: All which the penitent perſon, muſt beleevingly, lovingly, & joyfully receive. But if any, by Notorious perfidiouſneſs, or frequent Covenant breaking have forfeited the Credit of their words, or have long continued in the ſin which they do confeſs, ſo that their forſaking it hath no proof; The Church then muſt have teſtimony of the Actual Reformation of ſuch as theſe, before they may take their Profeſſions and promiſes as credible; Yet here the difference of perſons and offences is ſo great; that this is to bee much left to the Prudence of Paſtors, that are preſent, and acquainted with the perſons, & Circumſtances of the Caſe. In the tranſacting of all this, theſe following Forms, to bee varied as the variety of Caſes do require, may bee made uſe of.

A Form of Publick Admonition to the Impenitent.

A. B. you are convict of groſs and ſcandalous ſin, you have The ſin may be named and aggravated when it is Convenient. been admoniſhed and intreated, to repent. The promiſes of mercies to the Penitent; and the threatnings of God againſt the Impenitent, have not been concealed from you; wee have waited in hope for your repentance, as having Compaſſion on your ſoul; and deſiring your Salvation; But wee muſt ſay with grief, you have hitherto diſappointed us; Wee are certain from the Word of God, that you muſt bee penitent, if ever you will bee pardoned, and that except you repent, you ſhall everlaſtingly periſh. Luke. 13. 3, 5. Act. 5. 31. Luke 12. 47. To acquaint you publickly with this, and yet here to offer you mercy from the Lord, is the next duty laid upon us for your recovery. O! blame us not, if knowing the terrours of the Lord, wee thus perſwade you, and are loath to leave you in the power of Satan, and loath to ſee you caſt out into perdition, and that your blood ſhould bee required at our hands, as not having diſcharged our duty to prevent it.

Bee it known unto you therefore, that it is the God of Heaven and Earth, the great, the jealous, and the terrible God, whoſe Lawes you have broken, and whoſe Authority you diſpiſe; you refuſe his government, who is coming with ten thouſands of his Saints, to execute judgement upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly of their ungodly Deeds, and ſpeeches, who hath told us that [evil ſhall not dwell with him] The Fooliſh ſhall not ſtand in his ſight; Hee hateth all workers of Iniquity (Jude 14, 15. Pſalm. 5. 4, 5.) The ungodly ſhall not ſtand in judgement, nor ſinners in the Congregation of the Righteous (Pſalm. 1. 5, 6.) God hath not made his Lawes in vain. Though the wicked contemn God, and ſay in their hearts, hee will not require it. (Pſalm. 10. 13.) Yet their damnation ſlumbereth not, they are reſerved to the day of judgement, to bee punniſhed (2 Pet. 2. 3, 9.) And hee ſeeth that their day is coming; (Pſalm. 37. 13.) If men cut off the lives of thoſe that break their laws, will God bee out-faced by the pride, and ſtubborneſs of ſinners? Hee will not; you ſhall know hee will not; Hee threatneth not in jeſt. Who hath hardened himſelf againſt him and hath proſpered (Job. 9. 4.) Are you not as chaffe and ſtubble, and is not our God a conſuming Fire (Pſalm. 1. 4. Iſa. 5. 24. Heb. 12. 19.) If Briers and Thorns bee ſet againſt him in Battel, will hee not go through them, and burn them up together (Iſa. 27. 4.) Can your heart endure, or your hands bee ſtrong in the day when God ſhall deal with you? It is the Lord that hath ſpoken it, and hee will do it. Ezek. 22. 14. What will you do, when you muſt bear wich the pains of Hell from God, that now, can ſcarce endure to bee thus openly & plainly warned of it; If wee to pleaſe you ſhould bee ſilent and betray you, do you think the God of Heaven, will fear, or flatter you, or bee unjuſt to pleaſe a worm. Do you provoke the Lord to Jealouſie, are you ſtronger than hee. (1 Cor. 10. 22.) O man! for your ſouls ſake, let not Satan abuſe your underſtanding, and ſin befool you, muſt you not die? And doth not Judgement follow, when all ſecrets ſhall bee opened, and God will no more intreat you to confeſs. (Heb. 9. 7. Matth. 10. 26.) Behold the Judge ſtandeth at the door; (Jam. 5. 9.) will ſin goe then with you for as light a matter as it doth now? Will you then deny it, or will you ſtand to all the reaſonings, or excuſes, by which you would now extenuate or cover it? Will you defend it as your friend? and bee angry with Miniſters and Reprovers, as your Enemies. Or will you not mourn at laſt (with weeping and gnaſhing of teeth) And ſay; How have I hated Instruction, and my heart deſpiſed Reproof? And have not obeyed the voyce of my Teachers, nor inclined mine Ear to them that Instructed mee. (Pro. 5. 11, 12, 13. Mat. 13. 4 • . 50.) O that you were wiſe, that you underſtood this, and that you would conſider your latter End. (Deut. 32. 29.) beleeve Gods wrath before you feel it: bee convinced by the word and ſervants of the Lord, before you are confounded by the dreadfulneſs of his Majeſty; yet there is hope, but ſhortly there will be none, if you now neglect it; yet if you conſeſs and forſake your ſins, you ſhall have mercy, but if you cover them, you ſhall not proſper. (Prov. 28. 13.) And if being oft reproved, you harden your Neck: you ſhall ſuddenly bee deſtroyed, and that without remedy. (Pro. 29. 1.) Bee not deceived, God is not mocked: whatſoever you ſow, that ſhall you alſo reap. (Gal. 6. 7.) O man! you know not what it is to deal with an offended, and revenging God. Nor what it is to hear. Chriſt ſay, depart from mee yee workers of Iniquity; I never knew you, depart from mee yee wicked into everlaſting fire (Matth. 7. 23. and 25. 41.) You know not what it is to bee ſhut out of Heaven, and concluded under utter deſperation, and in Hell to look back upon this obſtinate Impenitence; and rejecting of the mercy that would have ſaved you; And there to have Conſcience telling you for ever, what it is that you have done; Did you not know what this is, could you think a Penitent confeſſing, and forſaking your ſin, to be a condition too hard for the preventing of ſuch a Doleful ſtate? O No! you know not what a caſe you are caſting your immortal ſoul into. The Lord give you repentance. that you may never know it by experience. To prevent this, is our buſineſs with you: Wee delight not to diſpleaſe or ſhame you. But God hath told us, [that if any do err from the truth, and one convert him, let him know, that hee which converteth the ſinner from the errour of his way, ſhall ſave a ſoul from death, and ſhall hide a multitude of ſins. Jam. 5. 20.] I do therefore by the Command, and in the name of Jeſus Chriſt, require, and beſeech you, that you do without any more delay, confeſs your ſins and heartily bewail them; and beg pardon of them, and reſolve and promiſe by the help of God to do ſo no more, And bleſs God that you have an advocate with the Father Jeſus Chriſt the Righteous, whoſe blood will cleanſe you from your ſins; if you penitently confeſs them (1 John 1. 7, 9. and 2. 1, 2.) and that mercy may bee yet had on ſo eaſie terms. If you had any ſenſe of your ſin and miſery, or any ſenſe of the diſhonour done to God, or of the wrong that you have done to others, and of the uſefulneſs of your Penitent confeſſion, and amendment, to the reparation of all theſe, you would caſt your ſelf in the duſt in ſhame and grief before the Lord, and before the Church: To day therefore, if you will hear his voyce, harden not your heart, leaſt God forſake you, and give you over unto your own hearts luſt, to walk in your own counſels, and reſolve in his wrath, you ſhall never enter into his reſt; (Pſalm. 95. 8. 12. and 81. 11. 12.) And then God and this Congregation will bee Witneſſes that you were warned, and your blood will bee upon your own head. But if in Penitent confeſſion, you fly to Chriſt, and loath your ſelf for your iniquities, and heartily forſake them, I have Authority to promiſe you free Forgiveneſs, and that your Iniquitie ſhall not bee your Ruine (Luke 24. 4. 7. Ezek. 18. 30, 31, 32.)

A Form of Confeſſion, to bee made beeore the Congregation

I do confeſs before God, and this Congregation, that I have Joſ. 7. 19. Pro. 28. 13. Pſal. 32. 5. Exo. 10. 16. Gal. 1. 13. 2 Chro. 15. 2. Gen. 4. 16. Pſa. 51. 11. Mat. 27. 5. Luk. 15. 21. Mat. 22. 8. Pſal. 38 18. 4 & 40. 12. Luk. 13. 13. 1 Tim. 1. 1. Heb. 9. 26. Luk. 19. 10. Rom. 5. 10. Jam. 5. 16. Pſa. 51. 2 1. 9. Heb. 8. 12. 〈◊〉 . 51. 11, 27. & 9. & 103. 10. Pſal. 51. 10, 12. 2 Cor. 2, 7, 10. John 8. 11. Mat. 13 37. Pſal. 73. 1, 15 Eccle. 8. 12. 2 Chron. 20. 20. Jam. 1. 13, 14. Pſal. 5. 5. 1 Joh. 3. 4. Gal. 6. 1. greatly Sinned, Here the ſin muſt bee Named and aggravated, when by the Paſtor it is judged requiſite. I have offended, and diſhonoured God, wronged the Church, and the Souls of others, I have deſerved to bée forſaken of the Lord, and caſt out of his preſence and the communion of Saints, into deſperation, and remedileſs miſery in Hell, I am no more worthy to bée called thy Son, or to have a name or place among thy Servants: I do here declare mine Iniquitys, and am ſorry for my ſins; They are gone over my head as a heavy burden, they are too heavy for mée, they take hold upon mée, I am aſhamed, as unworthy to look up towards heaven, but my hope is in the blood & grace of Chriſt, who made his life a Sacrifice for ſin, and came to ſéek and ſave that which was loſt; whoſe grace aboundeth, where ſin hath abounded. The Lord bée merciful to mée a ſinner: I humbly beg of the Congregation, that they will earneſtly pray, that God will waſh mée throughly from mine Iniquity, and cleanſe mée from my ſin, that hée will forgive them, and blot them out, and hide his Face from them, and remember them no more, that hée will not caſt mée away from his preſence, nor forſake mée as I have forſaken him, nor deal with mée according to my deſerts: But that hée will create in mée a Clean heart, and renew a right ſpirit in mée, and grant mée the joy of his Salvation; and I beg pardon of the Church, and all that I have wronged: and reſolve by the grace of God to do ſo no more; but to walk more watchfully as before the Lord, and I deſire all that are ungodly, that they think never the worſe of the Laws, or waies, or ſervants of the Lord, for my miſdoings; For if I had béen ruled by God, and by his ſervants, I had never done, as I have done? There is nothing 1 Cor. 10. 11. 12. 2 Sam. 11. 2. Gen. 3. 6. Mat. 26. 41 75. Heb. 12. 28. 1 Cor. 9. 25, 26, 27. 2 Chron. 25. 16. Eph. 3. 16. John 5. 14. in Religion that befriendeth ſin, there is nothing ſo contrary to it, as God and his Holy Laws, which I ſhould have obeyed. Rather let all take warning by mée, and avoid temptations, and live not careleſly, and hearken not to the Inclinatious, or Reaſonings of the Fleſh, nor truſt not their weak and ſinful hearts, but live in godly fear, and watchfulneſs, and kéep under the Fleſh, and kéep cloſe to God, and hearken to the faithful Counſel of his ſervants, and Intreat your Prayers to God, that I may bée ſtrengthened by his grace, that I may ſin thus no more, leaſt worſe befal mée.

A Form of Prayer for a Sinner Impenitent, after Publick Admonition.

MOſt Gracious God, According to thy Command wée 2 Cor. 5. 11. have warned this ſinner, and told him of thy threatenings, and foretold him of thy certain terrible Judgements, Mat. 3. 7. that hée might ſly from the wrath to come, but, alas, wée perceive not that hée repenteth, or reſenteth, but Prov. • 9. 1. hardeneth his heart againſt reproof, as if hée were able to contend with thée, and overcome thy power; O let us prevail with thée 1 Cor. 10. 22. for grace, that wée may prevail with him for Penitent confeſſion Luke 23. 24. and reformation, O Pitty a miſerable ſinner! miſerable, as that hée laieth not to heart his miſery, nor Pittieth himſelf. O ſave Act. 8. 22. 23. him from the Gall of Bitterneſs, and from the Bonds of his Iniquity? give him •… tance unto life; that hee may recover Act. 11. 18. himſelf out of the ſnare of the Devil, who is taken Captive by him at his Will. Give him not up to a blinde minde, to a ſeared conſcience, 2 Tim. 2. 25, 26. a heart that is paſt feeling, nor to walk in his own counſels, and after his own luſts; Let him no longer deſpiſe the riches Joh. 12. 40. of thy Goodneſs, and forbearance and long-ſuffering, nor with a hardened impenitent heart, treaſure up wrath, againſt the day • Tim. 4. 2. of wrath and revelation of thy righteous Judgement, who wiſt render to every man according to his Déeds, even to them that are Eph. 4. 19. Pſal. 81. 12. Rom. 2. 4, & 5, 6. contentious and obey not the truth, but obey unrighteouſneſs, indignation, and wrath, Tribulation and anguiſh, upon every ſoul of man that doeth evil. Let him bée ſure that the judgement 8, 9. 2, 3. of God is according to truth, againſt them that commit ſuch things, and let him not think in his impenitency to eſcape thy judgement; O ſuffer him not, when hée heareth the threatnings of thy Word, to Deut. 29. 19. bleſs himſelf in his heart, and ſay, I ſhall have peace, though I walk in the Imaginations of my heart, and add ſin to ſin, leſt thy 20 21. Mark 9. 44. Anger and Jealouſie ſmoke againſt him, and thou wilt not ſpare him, but blot out his name from under Heaven, and all thy curſes lye upon him, and thou ſeparate him to Evil, even to the worm Math. 1. 21. Deut 9. 17. that dyeth not, and to the fire that is not quenched. O ſave him from his ſins, from his Impenitency, and the Pride and ſtubborn. neſs of his heart; O ſave him from the Everlaſting Flames, 2 Cor. 6. 2. and from thy wrath, which hée is the more in danger off; becauſe hée féeleth not, and feareth not his danger; Let him know how hard it Luk. 19. 41. 42. Prov. 28. 14. Act. 9 5. Iſa. 45. 9. is for him to kick againſt the Pricks, and how woful to ſtrive againſt his maker, lay him at thy footſtool in ſackcloath, and aſhes, in tears, and lamentation, crying out, Woe unto mée that I have ſinned, and humbling his ſoul in true contrition, and loathing himſelf, and begging thy pardoning and healing grace, and begging the Joel. 2 1. 2. 3 Lam. 5. 16. Prayers and Communion of thy Church, and reſolving to ſin wilfully no more, but to live before thée in uprightneſs, and obedience Pſal. 51. Jam. 5. 20. Luk. 32. 10 all his daies; O let us prevail with thée for the Converſion of this Impenitent ſinner, and ſo for the ſaving of his ſoul from death, and the hiding, and pardoning of his ſins; that hée that Gal 6. 1. is loſt may bée found, and hée that is dead may bée alive, and the Angels of Heaven, and wée thy unworthy ſervants here on Earth Luke 15. 27. may rejoyce at his repenting, let us ſée him reſtored by thy grace, Ezek. 33. 14, 16 that wée may joyfully receive him into our Communion, and thou mayeſt receive him at laſt into thy Heavenly Kingdome, and Satan 2 Tim. 2. 26. may bée diſappointed of his Prey; for thy mercy ſake, through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord and only Saviour,

Amen.

A Form of Rejection from the Communion, of the Church

IEſus Chriſt, the King and Law giver of the Church hath commanded Luke 19. 37. Mic. 4. 2. that [If a Brother treſpaſs againſt us, wee go and tell him his fault between him and us alone, and if hee will not hear us, wee Mat. 18. 15, 16. ſhall then take with us, one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three Witneſſes, every word may bee Establiſhed; And if hee ſhall 1 Cor. 5. 11. neglect to hear them, that hee tell it to the Church, and if hee neglect to Tit 3. 10. hear the Church, that hee bee to us a Heathen Man, and a Publican. Matth. 18. 15, 16, 17.] And that wee keep not company; if any that 2 Theſ. 3. 6, is called a Brother, bee a Fornicator, or Covaious, or an Idolater, or a Raylor, or a Drunkard, or an Extortioner, with ſuch a one, no not 14, 15. to eat. 1 Cor 5. 11. And that wee withdraw our ſelves from every Brother, that walketh diſorderly, and note him, and have no company 2 Sam. 12. 14. with him, that hee may bee aſhamed: 2 Theſſ. 3. 6. 14. According Act. 8. 24. to theſe Laws of Chriſt, wee have admoniſhed this offending Brother, who hath greatly ſinned againſt God; and grieved and injured 2 Tim. 2. 25 the Church, wee have earneſtly prayed, and patiently waited for his repentance, but wee have not prevailed. But after all, 26. hee continueth impenitent, and will not be perſwaded to confeſs and forſake his ſin: Wee do therefore according to theſe Laws of Chriſt 1 Cor. 5. 13. Declare him unmeet, for the Communion of the Church, and reject him Matth. 18. 18. from it; Requiring him to forbear it, and requiring you to avoid him, and wee leave him bound to the Judgement of the Lord, unleſs his true Repentance ſhall prevent it.

A Form of Abſolution, and Reception of the Penitent.

THough you have greatly ſinned againſt the Lord, and againſt 2 Sam. 12. 13. his Church, and your own Soul, yet ſeeing you humble your ſelf before him, and Penitently fly to Chriſt 2 Ch 10. 33. for mercy, reſolving to do ſo no more: hear now the 12, 13. glad tidings of Salvation, which I am commanded to declare unto Rom. 10. 15. you? 1 John 2. 1, 2. If any man Sin, wee have an advocate with the Father, Jeſus Chriſt the Righteous; And hee is the Propitiation for our 1 Joh. 2. 1. 2. ſins. 1 John 1. 9. If wee confeſs our ſins, hee is faithful, to forgive us our 1. John 1. • . Iſa. 55. 6, 7. ſin, and to cleanſe us from all unrighteouſneſs. Iſa. 55, 6, 7. Seek the Lord while hee may bee found, Call upon him while hee is near: Let the Wicked forſake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and hee will have mercy upon him, and Pro. 28 13. to our God, for hee will abundantly pardon. Prov. 28. 13. Hee that covereth his ſin ſhall not proſper, but whoſo confeſſeth and forſaketh them Gal. 6. 1. ſhall have mercy. Gal. 6. 1. Brethren, if a man bee overtaken in a Mat. 18. • 8. fault, reſtore ſuch a one in the ſpirit of meckneſs, conſidering thy ſelf leaſt thou alſo bee tempted. According to this word of Grace This muſt bee omitted if the perſon was not firſt Rejected. do Luke 15. 2 Cor. 2. 7. 10. Act. 13. 38. looſe the bonds here laid upon you, and receive you again into the Communion of the Church] requiring them to receive you, and not upbraid you with Act. 8. 8. Luke 15. 25. 27. your ſin, but rejoyce in your recovery. And I do declare to you the pardon of all your ſins Mat. 26. 41 Pſal 85. 8. in the Blood of Chriſt, if your Repentance bee ſincere. And I exhort & charge you, that you beleevingly and thankfully accept this Great, unſpeakable mercy, and that you watch more carefully for the time 1 Cor. 9. 25, 26, 27. Pſal. 141. 〈◊〉 . 2 Pet. 2. 22. to come, and avoid temptations, and ſubdue the Fleſh, and accept reproofes, and ſee that you return not to your vomit, or to wallow again in the mire, when you are waſhed, but obey the ſpirit and keep cloſe to God in the means of your preſervation.

A Form of Thanksgiving, and Prayer, for the Reſtored Penitent.

OMoſt merciful Father, Wée thank thée, that thou Rom 3. 25. haſt brought us under ſo gracious a Covenant, as not only to pardon the ſuis of our unregenerate ſtate, but 1 John. 1. 9. & 2. 1. 2. alſo upon our Penitent confeſſion, and return, to cleanſe us, from all our unrighteouſneſs, and pardon our falls by Pſal. 23. & 103. 3. the blood of Chriſt, and to reſtore our ſouls, and lead us again in the Paths of Righteouſneſs, and command thy Servants to receive us. Wée thank thée that thou haſt thus reſtored this thy Mal 9. 3. Servant, giving him repentance and remiſſian of ſin Leave out this if hee was not Rejected. and returning him to the Communion, of thy Church! Rom. 5. 1, 2, 3, Wée beſéech thée comfort him, with the beleeving Apprehenſions of thy forgiveneſs and reconciliation Pſa. 51. 12. through Jeſus Chriſt. Reſtore unto him the joy 1 Pet. 5. 10. of thy ſalvation, and uphold him by thy frée ſpirit, ſtablish, ſtrengththen, ſettle him, that with full purpoſe of heart, he may cleave unto Act. 11. 23. thée, and now thou haſt ſpoken peace to him, hée may not return again to Folly, as hée nameth the Name of Chriſt, let him depart Pſa. 85. 8. from Iniquity, and never more diſhonour Thée, thy Church or 2 Tim, 2. truth, nor his holy profeſſion, but ſave him from Temptation, Let him watch and ſtand faſt, and ſin no more, leaſt Worſe befal 19 him. Let him not receive this grace in vain, nor turn it into Wantonneſs, nor continue in ſin, that grace may abound. But Rom. 2. 23. let this old man bée crucified with Chriſt, and the Body of ſin be deſtroyed; that henceforth hée may no more ſerve ſin, remembring Mar. 6. 13. what fruit hée had in thoſe things, whereof hée is now aſhamed, 2 Cor. 16. 13. and that the Eud and waies of ſin is death, and let us all take warning by the falls of others, and bee not high minded but John 5. 14. fear; And let him that thinketh hée ſtandeth, take héed leaſt hée 2 Cor. 6. 1. fall. Let us watch and pray that wee enter not into Temptation remembring that the fleſh is weak; And our Adverſary the Devil, Jude 4. walketh about ſéeking whom hée may devour. And let none of us hate our Brother in our hearts, but in any wiſe rebuke our neighbour, and not ſuffer ſin upon him, and confirm us unto the end, that wée may bée blameleſs, in the Day of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, to whom with thée, O Father! and thy Holy Spirit, bée Kingdome, and Power, and Glory for ever.

Amen.

APPENDIX A Larger Letany, or General Prayer, to bee uſed at Diſcretion.

O Moſt Holy, Bleſſed, and Glorious Trinity, Father Mat. 28. 19. 1 John 5. 7. 1 Cor. 8. 4. 6. 1 Tin 1. 17. Pſ. 139. 7, 8, 9. & 14. 7. 4 Iſa. 40. 17. Nehe. 9. • . Rev. 4. 8. & 15. 〈◊〉 Eze. 18. 4. Pſa. • 7. 7. & 119. 68. & 147. 9 Mal. 2. 10. Deut. 32. 6. Luke 11, 2. 〈◊〉 Son, and Holy Ghoſt, thrée perſons, and one God, Infinite in Power, Wiſdome, and Goodneſs, our Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier; our Owner, Governour, and Father; hear our Prayers, and have mercy upon us, Miſerable ſinners.

O Lord our Saviour, whoſe Jucarnation, Nativity, Subjection, Faſting, Temptation, Poverty, Reproaches, Agony, Act. 7. 59, 60. Heb. 2. 11. Phi. 2. 7, 8, 9. Luk. 2. 51. Mat. 41, 2. 2 Cor. 8. 9. Mat 12 24. Luk. 22. 44. Mat. 27. 26, 28. 30. Mark 14. 50. & 15. 34. 1 Cor. 15 3, 4 Ioh. 1. 29. Heb. 1. 3. & 2. 9. & 3. 1. & 4. 14. Act. 3 22. 23. Heb. 7. 25. Ioh. 12. 32. Mat. 28. 19, 10. 1 Cor. 12. Eph. 4 & 5. 26. 17. Ioh. 17 4. 1 The. 4. 14, 15, 16 Ioh. 5. 22. Act. 17 31 Ioh. 6. 37. 2 Pet. 1. 10 1 Tim 1. 5. Act. 5. 31 Ioh. 1. 12. Rom. 5. 10 2 Cor. 6. 18. Pſa. 78. 37. Mar. 8. 34. 1 Cor. 8. 5. 1 Cor. 6. 19. 20, and Bloody ſweat, Scourging, Deſertion, Crucifying, Death, and Burial, were all undergone to take away the ſins of the World? Who being riſen, aſcended, and glorified, art the great Prieſt, and Prophet, and King of thy Univerſal Church, for which thou makeſt Interceſſion, which thou doeſt gather, teach, and guide by thy Spirit, Word, and Miniſters, which thou doſt juſtifie and wilt glorifie with thyſelf, who wilt come again, and raiſe the Dead, and judge the world in righteouſneſs; Wée beſéech thée hear us Miſerable ſinners: Caſt us not out that come unto thée: Make ſure to us our Calling, and Election, our unfeigned faith and repentance, that being juſtified, and made the Sons of God, wee may have peace with him as our Reconciled God and Father.

Let our hearts bee right with thee our God, and ſtedfaſt in thy Covenant, cauſe us to deny our ſelves, and give up our ſelves entirely unto thee, our Creatour, Redeemer, and Sanctifier, as being not our own but thine.

Let thy Holy ſpirit dwell in us, and ſanctifie us throughout, Rom. 8. 9. 1 Theſ. 5. 23. 1 Cor. 5 17. 1 Pet. 1. 16. Rom. 8. 15. Zech. 12. 10. Eph. 1. 13, 14. 1 Ioh. 3 24. that wee may bee new creatures, and holy as thou art Holy, let it bee in us the ſpirit of Adoption, and ſupplication, and the ſeal and earneſt of our Glorious Inheritance, and let us know that wee are thine, and thou abideſt in us by the ſpirit which thou haſt given us.

As thy name O Lord is Holy, and thy glory covereth the Luk. 1. 49. Hab. 3. Luk. 1. 46. Pſa 66. 17 & 145. 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12. &c. 21. Heavens, ſo let the Earth bee filled with thy praiſes: Let our ſouls ever Magnifie thee, O Lord, and our Tongues extoll thée. Let us ſpeak of the glorious honor of thy Majeſty, of thy Greatneſs, thy Power, thy glorious Kingdome, thy Wiſdome, Holineſs, Truth and Righteouſneſs, thy Goodneſs, thy Mercy, and thy wonderous Works? Let all Fleſh, bleſs thy Holy Name.

Let the deſire of our Souls bee to thy Name: Cauſe us to Iſa. 26. 8. Deut. 11. 22. & 10 12, 20, 21. Pſa. 4. 5. & 37. 4. & 16. 5. & 63. 5, 1 Cor. 10. 31. 2 Tim. 3. 2. 4. Phi. 2. 3. 21. Rom. 2. 23, 24 Mat. 5. 16. love thee with all our hearts, to fear thee, truſt in thee, and to delight in thee, and bee ſatisfied in thee as our Portion, and what ever wee do, to do it to thy glory.

Kéep us from Inordinate ſelf love, from Pride, and vain Glory, and ſelf ſéeking, and from diſhonouring thée, thy Word, or ſervice in the World.

Let the world acknowledge thee, the Univerſal King. Give Pſa. 47. 2. 7. & 2. 8. 12. Rev. 11. 15. 1 Tim. 2. 1. 4. Joh. 11. 52. 12. 32. Phil. 2. 10. 11. thy Son the Heathen for his Inheritance, and the utmoſt parts of the Earth for his Poſſeſſion: Let the Kingdomes of the world become his Kingdomes: Convert the Atheiſtical, Idolatrous, Infidel, Mahomitan, and ungodly Nations of thè Earth, that every knée may bow to Chriſt, and every tongue confeſs him, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords; To the Glory of God the Father.

Let the Word of thy Kingdome and Salvation be preached Matth. • 4. 14. 2 Theſ. 3. 1. Dan. 12. 3. Iſa. 49. 6. Matth. 9. 38. Eph. 6. 19. 2 Theſ. 3. 2. 1 Theſ. 2. 16. to all the World, let it have frée courſe and be glorified; and by the Power of thy Spirit, convert many unto Chriſt, and let him be thy Salvation to the Ends of the Earth. Send forth more Labourers into the Harveſt, which is great, and fit them for ſo great a work; and deliver them from unreaſonable and wicked men, that (to fill up their ſins) forbid them to ſpeak to the People, that they might be ſaved.

Deliver the Churches that are oppreſſed by Idolaters, Mahomitans, Luk. 18. 7. Matth. 10. 16. Luke 21. 19. 1 Pet. 2. 15. & 3. 14 17. & 4. 15 16, 19. Micah 7. 7. Mat. 5. 11, 12. or other Infidels and Enemies. Give all thy Servants, Prudence, Patience and Innocency, that ſuffering as Chriſtians, and not as Evil-Doers, they may not be aſhamed, but may glorifie thée, and wait for thy Salvation, committing the kéeping of their ſouls unto thée, in hope of a Reward in Heaven.

Deliver the Church from the Roman Papal Uſurpations Pſa. 119. 1 • 4. Mat 15. 9 1. R v. 12. & 19. 3. John 9. 10. Luk. 22. 25. 6. 2 Pet. 2. Jude 2 Tim. 3. 9. Epheſ 4. 15, 16. & 3. 5. Rom. 14 1. & 15. 1. Jer. 32. 39. 1 Cor. 1. 10. Phil. 2. 3. John 13. 35. and Corruptions, diſpel the deceits of Hereſies, and falſe Worſhip, by the light of thy prevailing Truth; Unite all Chriſtians in Chriſt Jeſus, the true and onely Univerſal Head: that by the true Chriſtian Catholick Faith and Love, they may grow up in him, and may kéep the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace; the ſtrong receiving and bearing the Infirmities of the weak; Heal the diviſions that are among Beléevers; Let nothing be done through ſtrife or vain-glory, but in lowlineſs of mind; let each eſtéem other better than himſelf, and let all men know that wée are Chriſts Diſciples, by our fervent love to one another.

Let us be heartily and entirely thy Subjects, beléeving that Epheſ. 5. 2, 4. Rom. 3. 26. Heb. 11. 6. Epheſ. 2. 2, 3. 2 Theſ. 2. 1 • . Rom. 8. 13. Pſa. 19. 13. Rom. 8. 24. thou art juſt, and the Rewarder of them that diligently ſéek thée, kéep us from Atheiſm, Idolatry, and Diſobedience, from Infidelity, Ungodlineſs, and Senſuality, from Security, Preſumption and Deſpair.

Let us ſtudy to pleaſe thée in all things: Let thy Law bée Col. 1. 10. Heb. 8. 10. Pſal. 40. 8. Iſa. 8. 20. Act. 28. 32. 2 Tim. 3. 15. 2 Theſ. 2. 10. Joh. 5. 39. Lu. 24, 25. Pſ. 1. 2 written in our hearts, and let us delight to do thy Will; Let our Faith and Lives be ruled by thy Word, which is able to make us wiſe unto Salvation; let us love it, ſearch it, and underſtand it, and meditate in it day and night.

Let us not pleaſe our ſelves or other men againſt thee, nor Rom. 15. 1, 2. Gal. 1. 10. 1 Cor. 3. 19. 2 Cor. 1 12. Rom. 8. 13. Joh. 2. 8. 〈◊〉 19. 11, 12, 13. Rom. 2. 16. Micah 4. 1. Matth. 1. 〈◊〉 . 6, 9, 12. Deut. 3 • . be led by the wiſdome or deſires of the World and Fleſh, nor regard lying vanities, nor through careleſneſs, raſhneſs, or preſumption, offend thée.

As all Nations muſt be judged by thée; let them be ruled by thy Laws, and not make them void by mens traditions, nor worſhip thée in vain, teaching for Doctrine the Commandments of men. But what ever thou commandeſt, let them take héed to do it! Let them add nothing thereto, nor take ought therefrom.

Let us not take thy holy Name in vain, but uſe it in truth Exod. 20. 7. Pſal. 89. 7. Ier. 4. 2. Mat. 15. 19. Iames 5. 12. Rev. 22. 15, Ier. 5. 12 Act. 5. 3. & 8. 20. Mal. 1. 6, 7 12. & 2. 2, 7, 8, 9. and reverence. Kéep us from all Blaſphemy, Perjury, Prophane ſwearing, from lying before the God of Truth, and from contempt and forgetfulneſs of thy preſence, from falſe, unworthy, unreverent thoughts or ſpéeches of God, and holy things, and from neglecting, or abuſing thy holy Word and Worſhip.

Help us to kéep holy thy Day, in remembrance of the bleſſed Rev. 1. 10. Act. 20. 7. 1 Cor. 16. 2. Iſa. 58. 13. Heb. 10. 25. 1 Cor. 14. Act. 3. 42. 46. Pſa. 98, &c. 149. 1. Ioſh. 24 15. Exod. 20. 10. work of our Redemption, and reverently to attend thée in Publick Worſhip; and obediently to receive thy Word, and fervently to call upon thy Name; and to delight our ſelves in Thankſgiving, and joyful Praiſes to thy Holineſs in the Communion of thy Saints; and let us carefully ſée that our houſholds, and all within our gates do ſerve thée, and not abuſe thy holy Day.

Have mercy on the Kings and Rulers of the Earth, that 1 Tim. 2. 2. Pſa. 2. Ier. 5. 5, 6. Luk. 18. 24, 25. 1 Cor. 〈◊〉 . 26. Luk. 21. 12. Ioh. 7. 48. Ezra 4. 12, &c. Rom. 13. 2, 4. Iſa. 49. 23. 2 Chron. 19. 6. they may eſcape the Temptations of Worldly Greatneſs, Honours, and Proſperity, which would captivate them to the fleſh, and draw their hearts from thée, thy Laws and Waies, and would engage them againſt thée, and thy Servants; And as they are thy Miniſters, and Magiſtracy is thine Ordinance, ſanctifie and diſpoſe them to be Nurſing Fathers to thy Church, to own thy Intereſt, and Rule for thée.

Eſpecially have mercy on thy Servant Charls our King, illuminate Lam. 4. 20. 1 King. 3. 19. 1 • . and ſanctifie him by thy holy Spirit, that above all things hée may ſéek thy Glory, the increaſe of Faith and Obedience Pſa. 51. 10. 1 Sam. 10. 9. 2 Kings 18. 3, 4. 6. Rom. 13. 4, 5. 1 Tim. 2. 2. to thy Laws, and may rule us as being thy Miniſter for good, not to be a terrour to good Works, but to Evil; that under him wée may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlineſs and honeſty.

Have mercy upon all the Royal Family, the Lords of the Pſal. 72. 1. Prov. 8. 16. Exod. 18. 17. Job 29. Iſa. 1. 17. 23. Luke 1. 51, 52, 53. Counſel, and all the Nobility, the Judges and Magiſtrates of theſe Lands. Cauſe them to fear thee, and to be Eminent in Sobriety, Righteouſneſs and Godlineſs, to protect the Innocent, and be a terrour to the Wicked, hating Injuſtice, Covetouſneſs and Pride.

Let every ſoul be ſubject to the Higher Powers, and not reſiſt. Rom. 13. 1. 6. 1 Pet. 2. 13. 1 Tim. 2. 2. Let them obey the King, and all that are in Authority under him, not onely for wrath, but for conſcience ſake, as knowing, that they rule by thée, and for thée.

Give all the Churches able, holy, faithful Paſtors, and cauſe 1 Cor. 3. 6. 1 Tim. 5. 17. 2 Tim. 2. 15. Ier. 3. 15. 2 Tim. 4. 2. & 2. 22. and 1. 13. Heb. 13. 17. 1 Pet. 5. 1, 2, 3, 4. them laboriouſly to preach, and rightly to divide the Word of truth, to féed thy People with Knowledge, and lead them in the way of Faith and Love, of Holineſs and Peace, and to watch for their ſouls as thoſe that muſt give account; over-ſeeing and ruling them, not by conſtraint, but willingly, not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind, not as being Lords over thy Heritage, but as the Servants of all, and Enſamples to the Flock: That when the chief Paſtor ſhall appear, they may receive a Crown of Glory.

Let the Congregations know thoſe that have the ruling of 1 Theſ. 5. 12, 13. Heb. 13. 17. 1 Tim. 5. 17. them, and are over them in the Lord, that labour among them, preaching to them the Word of God. Let them ſubmiſſively, and obediently hear and eſteem them very highly in love for their works ſake, and account them worthy of double honour.

Let Parents bring up their Children in the Nurture and Epheſ. 6. 4. Admonition of the Lord, diligently teaching them thy Word, talking of it when they are in their houſe, and when they walk Deut. 6. 6, 7. by the way, when they lye down, and when they riſe up, that Eccleſ. 12. 1. they may know their Creator. Redeemer, and Sanctifier in the daies of their youth: And cauſe Children to hear, love, Epheſ. 6. 1, 2, 3. honour, and obey their Parents, that they may have the bleſſing of thine eſpecial Promiſe unto ſuch.

Let Husbands love their Wives, and prudently guide them Epheſ. 5. 25. 22. in knowledge and holineſs; And let Wives love, honour, and 1 Pet. 3. 1. 7. Gen. 2. 22. Eph. 6. 9. 5. obey their Husbands, as méet helpers to them.

Let Maſters rule their Servants in Holineſs, and mercy, remembring they have a Maſter in Heaven, and let Servants reverently, ſingly, and willingly bée obedient, and do ſervice to their Maſters. as to the Lord; from him expecting their reward.

Kéep us from Murder, Uiolence and all injury to our neighbours 1 Joh. 3. 15. Luk. 3. 14. 2 Cor. 7 2. Mat. 5. 23, 39. Rom. 12. 17. Eph. 4. 2. Rom. 12. 19. life, or health, from malice, curſing, reviling, and unadviſed Anger: Let us not reſiſt evil with evil, but forbear one another, and not give place to wrath.

Kéep us from Adultery, Fornication and all uncleanneſs, Mat. 5. 27, 28. 1 Cor. 6. 9. Rom. 13. 13. 1 Th. 5. 22. Eph. 5. 3. & 4. 29. 1 Pet. 3. 2, 3. Job 31. 1. and the occaſions and appearances thereof. Let us take care as becometh ſaints, that they bée not immodeſtly named among us; and that no Corrupt Communication, procéed out of our Mouths, Kéep us from Chambering and wantonneſs, from luſtfull thoughts, and all immodeſt attire, behaviour, looks, and actions.

Kéep us from Theft, and Oppreſſion, and any way wronging Eph. 4. 28. Pſa. 61. 10. & 73 8. 1 Theſ. 4. 6. Pro. 19. 5. & 12. 17. & 10. 10. Mat. 7. • , 1. Pſa. 15. 3. & 82. 2. Lev. 19. 17. Prov. 23 our Nieghbour in his Propriety and Eſtate.

Kéep us from Falſe witneſs-bearing, lying, and deceiving from ſlandering, backbiting, unjuſt, uncharitable cenſuring or reproaching, from all perverting of juſtice, and wronging the reputation of our Neighbour, and from all conſent or deſire of ſuch wrongs,

Kéep us from Envy, and from coveting any thing that is our Gal. 5. 21. 26. Exo. 20. 17. Phi. 2. 21. Mat. 22 39. & 7. 12. Neighbours, to his wrong, and from ſéeking our own, or drawing to our ſelves, to the Injury of his welfare; but let us love our Neighbours, as our ſelves, and do to others as wée would they ſhould do to us.

Teach us to love Chriſt and his holy Image in his Members, Mat. 15. 40. 1 Pet. 1. 22. Mat. 5. 44, 45. 〈◊〉 46. Gal. 6. 10. with a dear and ſpecial love, and to love our Enemies, and pray for them that hate and perſecute us, and to do good to all as wée are able, but Eſpecially to them of the Houſhold of faith.

Cauſe us with patience to ſubmit to all the Diſpoſals of thy Pſal 39. 9. Mat. 26. 30. Act. 21. 14. Jam. 5. 7, 8, 11. 2 King 20. 10. Mal. 3. 13, 14. Will, and wait thy End, and to love the demonſtrations of thy Holineſs, and iuſtice though grievous to the Fleſh, and kéep us from Impatient Murmurings, and diſcontent, and Arrogant reaſoning againſt thy Will.

Give us our daily bread, our neceſſary ſuſtentation, and proviſion Luk. • 1. 13. Deut. 28. 45. Rom. 13. 14. Luk. 12. 20. Ephe. 5. 16. Joh. 9. 4. for thy ſervice, and let us uſe it for thée, and not to ſatisfie the fleſh; Let us depend on thée, and truſt thée for it in the lawful uſe of means; And bleſs thou our labours, and give us the fruits of the Earth in ſeaſon, and ſuch temperate weather as tendeth thereunto.

Deliver us and all thy Servants from ſuch wants, diſtreſſes, Deut. 28. 6, 8. &c. Phi. 2. 27. Pſa. 102. 24. Luk. 12. 20. Eph. 5. 16. Joh. 9. 4. griefes, and ſickneſſes, as will unſeaſonably take us off thy ſervice, and from untimely death: And teach us to value and redéem our time, and work while it is day.

Kéep us from Gluttony, Drunkenneſs, and all intemperance; Rom. 13. 13. 1 Cor. 9. 25. and 1. Iam. 5. 6, 13. Eph. 4. 28. 〈◊〉 . 21. 17. and 13. 4 1 Tim. 6. 8 9. Pſa. 51. 1. 1 Joh. 1. 2 P •… . 8. 12. Dan. 9. 6. 16. Jer 14. 7 Pſa. 3 • . 16. Pſa. 51. 11, 11. 19. Rom. 18. 1. from ſloth and idleneſs, from inordinate deſires of pleaſures, or abundance; but having food, and Rayment let us bée therewith contented.

Of thy abundant mercy, through the ſacrifice and merits of thy Son according to thy promiſe, forgive us all our ſins, and ſave us from thy deſerved wrath, and condemnation. Remember not O Lord our offences, nor the offences of our fore-Fathers, but though our Iniquities teſtifie againſt us; ſpare us and ſave us for thy mercy ſake▪ O Let not our ſin deprive us of thy ſpirit, or of acceſs unto thée, or Communion with thée, or of thy favour or comfort, or the light of thy Countenance, or of everlaſting life.

Cauſe us to forgive from our hearts, the Injuries done againſt us, Mat. 6. 12. 14. 15. Rom. 12. 19. Luk. 6. 28, 29. Luk. 34. Act. 7. 60. as wée expect to bée forgiven by thée the greateſt debt. Kéep us from all revengfull deſires and attempts. And do thou convert and pardon our Enemies, ſlanderers, oppreſſors, perſecutors and others that have done us wrong.

Keep us from running upon Temptations, ſuffer not the Mat • 6. 41. Jam. 4. 7. P • o. 4. 23. Job 31. 1. Mat. 12. 36. Heb. 2. 10. 2 Tim. • . 3. 1 Joh. 2. 13. and 5. 4. Rom. 8. 13. 2 Tim. 2. 8. tempter by ſubtilty or importunity to corrupt our judgements, Wills, Affections, or Converſations. Cauſe us to maintain a diligent and conſtant watch over our thoughts and hearts our ſenſes and Appetites, our words and actions, and as faithful Souldiers by the conduct, and ſtrength of the Captain of our Salvation with the whole Armour of God, to reſiſt and overcome the world, the Devil, and the Fleſh unto the End.

Save us from the Temptations of Proſperity, and adverſity, Pro. 30 8, 9. 1 John 2. 15, 16. Rom. 8. 17 Mat. 13. 21. 22. Mat. 8. 24. Rom. 8. 18. let us not bée drawn from thée to ſin by the pleaſures, profits or honours, of the world, ſtrengthen us for ſufferings, let us not forſake thee or fall in time of tryal, help us to deny our ſelves, and take up our Croſs and follow Chriſt, Accounting the ſufferings of this preſent time, unworthy to bée compared with the glory to bée revealed.

Deliver us from the Enmity and Rage of Satan, and his Mat 6. 13. Rom. 16. 20. Pſa. 140. 1, 2, 3. and 3 • . 8. and 17. 2, 12. 2 Tim. 4. 18. Inſtruments and give not up thy Servants, their Souls or Bodies; their Peace or Liberties, Eſtates or Names to their Malicious Wills: but ſave us and preſerve us to thy Heavenly Kingdome.

Wée ask all this of thée, O Lord! for thou art the Univerſal 1 Tim. 1. 17. Pſ. 145. 17. Act. 17. 31. Pſal. 72. 4. 13. Jude 14, 15. 2 Theſ. 1. 10. Pſa. 62. • 1. and 147. 5. Job. 9. 4. Rom. 11. 36. King, Holy and juſt, to whom it belongeth in righteouſneſs to judge the World, and ſave thy people; All power is thine to execute wrath upon thine Enemies, and to deliver and Glorifie thy Flock; and none is able to reſiſt thée: Of Thée and through Thée, and to Thée, are all things, and the Glory ſhall bée Thine, For Ever.

Amen.

The Churches Praiſe, For our Redemption, to bee uſed at Diſcretion.

OUr Souls do magnifie thée O Lord! Our ſpirits rejoyce Luke 1. 46. Pſa. 136. 23. Rom. 5. 12. Pſa. 78. 10. Rom. 3. 23. and 5. 18. Luke 1. 68. 69. 70. Iſa. 7 14. Luke 1. 35. Mat. 1. 21. Luke 2. 12. in God our Saviour, who remembred us in our Low, and loſt Eſtates, for his mercy endureth for ever. By one man ſin entred into the World, and death by ſin: Wée kept not the Covenant of God, and refuſed to walk in his Law: For all have Sinned and come ſhort of the Glory of God, and Judgement came upon all men to Condemnation. But Bleſſed bée the Lord God of Iſrael, that hath viſited and redéemed his people, and hath raiſed up a mighty Salvation for us in the Houſe of his ſervant David: As hée ſpake by the Mouth of his Holy Prophets: which have béen ſince the World began: A Uirgin hath conceived and brought forth: The Holy Ghoſt did come upon her; the power of the Higheſt did over-ſhadow her, therefore the Holy one that is born of her, is called; the Son of God: 〈1 line〉 His name is called Jeſus, for hée ſaveth his people from their ſins: Col. 1. 15, To us is born a Saviour, which is Chriſt the Lord. Hée is the Image of the Inviſible God: The firſt born of every Creature, 16. 17. for by him All things are created that are in Heaven and in Earth, 2 Cor. 1, 24. viſible and inviſible; whether Thrones or Dominions, or Principalities or Powers; All things were Created by him and for him, and hée is before all things, and by him all things do conſiſt. Hée is the Power of God, and the Wiſdome of God: The true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world; The Word was made Fleſh, and dwelt among us, and men beheld his Glory, Joh. 1. 9. 14, as the Glory of the onely begotten of the Father, full of Grace Col. 1. 19. and Truth: For it pleaſed the Father that in him ſhould all fulneſs dwell. When the fulneſs of time was come, God ſent his Gal. 4. 4. Son made of a Woman, made under the Law, to redéem them that are under the Law. This is the beloved Son, in whom the Mat. 17. 5. Father is well pleaſed. For ſuch a high Prieſt became us, who is Holy, Harmleſs, Undefiled, ſeparate from ſinners, hée did Heb 7. 26. no ſin, neither was there any guile found in his mouth, when hée 1 Pet. 2. 22, 23, was reviled, hée reviled not again, leaving us an Enſample; Who his own ſelf bare our ſins in his own body on the Trée. For 24. God layed on him the Iniquity of us all, and by his ſtripes wée are Iſa. 53. 5, 6. healed. When wée were without ſtrength, in due time Chriſt died for the ungodly, the juſt for the unjuſt, In this was manifeſt the Love of God towards us, that God ſent his only begotten Son into the World, that wée might live by him. Foraſmuch as the Children were Partakers of Fleſh and Blood, hée Rom. 5. 6 1 Pet. 3. 18. 1 John 4. 4. Heb. 2. 14, 15. Col 2. 15. 1 Cor. 15. 4. Act. 2. 24 2 Tim. 1. 10. himſelf likewiſe took part with them, that hée might deſtroy through death, him that had the Power of death, that is the Devil, and might deliver them, who through fear of Death, were all their life time ſubject to Bondage. Having ſpoiled Principalities and Powers, hée made ſhew of them openly triumphing over them in his Croſs. Hée was Buried and roſe again the third day according to the Scriptures. For God raiſed him having looſed the pains of death, becauſe it was not poſſible that hée ſhould bée holden of it, hée hath aboliſhed death, and brought life and Immortality to light by the Goſpel. O Death! where is thy Sting; O Grave! where is thy Uictory. 1 Cor. 15. 55. Mat. 28. 18.

All Power is given him in Heaven and Earth; when hée aſſcended up on high, hée led Captivity Captive, and gave gifts Epheſ. 4. 8. 11. 12, 13. to men: And hee gave ſome Apoſtles, and ſome Prophets, and ſome Evangeliſts, and ſome Paſtors, and ſome Teachers, for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the Miniſtry, for the Edifying of the Body of Chriſt, till wee all come in the unity of the Faith of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man; hee is ſet at Gods right hand in the Celeſtials, far above all Principalities, and Powers, and Might, Epheſ. 1. 20, 21 22, 23. and Dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this World, but in that to come: God hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to bee head over all things, to the Church which is his Body, the fulneſs of him that filleth all in all.

Without Controverſie great is the Myſtery of Godlineſs; 1 Tim. 3. 16. God manifeſted in the Fleſh, juſtified in the Spirit, ſeen of Angels, preached to the Gentiles, beleeved on in the World, received up into glory. This is the Record, that God hath 1 John. 5. 10. given us Eternal life, and this Life is in his Son; Hee that hath the Son hath life, and hee that hath not the Son hath John. 1. 10. 11. 11, 12, not life. Hee was in the World, and the World was made by him, and the world knew him not; Hee came to his own and his own received him not; This is the Condemnation that light is come into the world, and men loved darkneſs Rom. 8. 1. rather than light, becauſe their Deeds are Evil. But as many as receive him, to them gives hee Power to become Heb. 8. 12. the Sons of God, even to them that beleeve in his Name; There is therefore now no Condemnation to them which are in Chriſt Jeſus, who walk not after the fleſh but after the ſpirit. He forgiveth our Iniquities, and will remember our ſins no more; Pſa. 103. 3. who ſhall lay any thing to Charge of Gods elect? It is God that Juſtifieth, who is hee that Condemneth? It is Chriſt that Rom. 8 33, 34. died; Yea, rather that is riſen again, who is even at the right hand of God; who alſo maketh interceſſion for us. Who Tit. 2. 13, 14. gave himſelf for us, that hee might redéem us from all Iniquity; & purifie to himſelf a peculiar people zealous of good works. Rom. 8. 9. If any man have not the ſpirit of Chriſt, the ſame is none of his. Hee that nameth the name of Chriſt muſt depart from Iniquity. If wee regard Iniquity in our hearts, God will 2 Tim. 2. 19. Pſalm. 66. 18 not hear our Prayers. But wee are waſhed, wee are ſanctified, 1 Cor. 6. 11. wee are juſtified in the name of the Lord Jeſus and by the ſpirit of our God. Not by works of Righteouſneſs which wee have done, but according to his mercy hee ſaved us by the waſhing of Regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghoſt. Titus 3. 5. And being juſtified by faith, wee have peace with God through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; by whom alſo wee have Acceſs by Rom. 5. 1, 2, 5. Faith into this Grace wherein wee ſtand, and rejoyce in hope of the Glory of God; And hope maketh not aſhamed, becauſe 10. the love of God is ſhed abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Ghoſt which is given to us. For if when wee were Enemies Rom. 8. 32. wee were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being Reconciled, wee ſhall bee ſaved by his life? Hee John 14. 2, 3. that ſpared not his own Son, but gave him up for us All, John 17. 24. how ſhall hee not with him alſo freely give us all things? hee that is gone to prepare a place for us, will come again and Iohn 14. 19. receive us to himſelf, that where hee is, there wee may bee alſo. It is his will that they that, the Father hath given him bee with him where hee is, that they may behold the Glory Colloſ. 3. 3, 4. that is given him, Becauſe hee liveth wee ſhall live alſo; For wee are dead, and our life is hid with Chriſt in God: 2 Theſ. 1. 10. When Chriſt who is our life, ſhall appear, then ſhall wee alſo appear with him in Glory; when hee ſhall come to bee glorified Mal. 3. 18. in his Saints, and to bee admired in all them that do beleeve. Then ſhall men diſcern between the Righteous and Matth. 13. 43. the Wicked, between thoſe that ſerve God, and thoſe that Rev. 21. 7. Matth. 25. 21. Rev. 3. 12. ſerve him not. Then ſhall the Righteous ſhine forth as the Sun in the Kingdome of their Father, Hee that overcometh ſhall inherit all things. Hee ſhall enter into the Joy of his 21. Lord: Hee ſhall bee a Pillar in the Temple of God; and ſhall go out no more. Chriſt will grant him to fit with him Zeph. 8. 17. in his Throne, even as hee overcame, and is ſet down with his Father in his Throne, hee will rejoyce ever as with joy, Rev. 21. 2. hee will teſt in his love: Even in the Holy City, the new Jeruſalem, prepared as a Bride adorned for her 〈◊〉 , 3. where the Tabernacle of God will bee with men, and hee will dwell with them, and they ſhall bee his people, and God 4. 23. himſelf ſhall bee with them, their God, and ſhall wipe away all tears from their Eyes, and there ſhall bee no more death, Rev. 22. 3. nor ſorrow, nor crying, nor pain, for the former things are paſſed away. And the City needeth not the Sun, or the 4. Moon to ſhine in it, for the Glory of God doth lighten it, and the Lamb is the Light thereof. The Throne of God and of 1 Tim. 6. 15. the Lamb ſhall bee in it, and his Servants ſhall ſerve him, Rom. 11. 36. and ſhall ſee his face, who is the Bleſſed and only Potentate the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords; Of him, Through him, and To him are all things: To him bee Glory for ever.

Amen. FINIS.