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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	people_n	read_v	scripture_n	3,073	5	5.7739	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A36061	A directory for the publique worship of God, throughout the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland together with an ordinance of Parliament for the taking away of the Book of common-prayer, ... die Jovis, 13. Martii, 1644 / ordered by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, that this ordinance and directory bee forthwith printed and published.	England and Wales. Parliament. Ordinance of Parliament for the taking away of the Book of common prayer.; Westminster Assembly (1643-1652)	1644 (1644)	Wing D1545; ESTC R210506	26,872	96

A DIRECTORY FOR The Publique VVorship of GOD Throughout the Three KINGDOMS OF England Scotland and Ireland Together with an Ordinance of Parliament for the taking away of the Book of COMMON-PRAYER AND For establishing and observing of this present DIRECTORY throughout the Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales Die Jovis 13. Martii 1644. ORdered by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament That this Ordinance and Directory bee forthwith Printed and Published Joh Brown Cleric Parliamentorum H Elsynge Cler. Parl. D. Com. LONDON Printed for Evan Tyler Alexander Fifield Ralph Smith and John Field And are to be sold at the Sign of the Bible in Cornhill neer the ROYALL-EXCHANGE 1644. Die Veneris 3. Januarii 1644. An Ordinance of Parliament for the taking away of the Book of Common-Prayer and for the establishing and putting in execution of the Directory for the publique Worship of God THe Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament taking into serious consideration the manifold Inconveniences that have arisen by the Book of Common-Prayer in this Kingdom and resolving according to their Covenant to reform Religion according to the Word of God and the Example of the best Reformed Churches have Consulted with the Reverend Pious and Learned Divines called together to that purpose And do judge it necessary that the said Book of Common-Prayer be abolished the Directory for the Publique Worship of God herein after mentioned be established and observed in all the Churches within this Kingdom Be it therefore Ordained by the Lords and Commons Assembled in Parliament That the Statute of the second and third years of King Edward the sixth Intituled The Penalty for not using Vniformity of Service and Administration of Sacraments c. And the Statute of the fifth and sixt yeares of the same King Intituled Vniformity of Prayer and Administration of Sacraments shall be used in the Church And so much of the Statute of the first year of Queen Elizabeth Intituled There shall be Vniformity of Prayer and Administration of Sacraments as concernes the said Book of Common-Prayer and the Vniformity of Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments And so much of the Statute of the fifth year of the same Queen Intituled By whose Order the Bible and Book of Common-Prayer shall be Translated into the Welch Tongue as concerns the Book of Common-Prayer And so much of the Statute of the eighth year of the same Queen Intituled All Acts made by any person since Primo Eliz. for the Consecrating Investing c. of any Archbishop or Bishop shall be good as concerns the said Book Be and stand from henceforth Repealed void and of none effect to all intents constructions and purposes whatsoever And that the said book of Common-Prayer shall not remain or be from henceforth used in any Church Chappell or place of Publique Worship within the Kingdom of England or Dominion of Wales And that the Directory for Publique Worship herein set forth shall be henceforth used pursued and observed according to the true intent and meaning of this Ordinance in all Exercises of the Publique Worship of God in every Congregation Church Chappell and place of Publique Worship within this Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales Which Directory for the Publique Worship of God with the Preface thereof followeth And it is further Ordained by the Authority aforesaid That there shall be provided at the charge of every Parish or Chappelry in this Realm of England and Dominion of Wales a fair Register Book of Velim to be kept by the Minister and other Officers of the Church And that the Names of all Children Baptized and of their Parents and of the time of their Birth and Baptizing shall be written and set down by the Minister therein And also the Names of all persons Married there and the time of their Marriage And also the Names of all persons Buried in that Parish and the time of their Death and Buriall And that the said Book shall be shewed by such as keep the same to all persons reasonably desiring to search for the Birth Baptizing Marriage or Buriall of any person therein Registred and to take a Copy or procure a Certificate thereof A DIRECTORY FOR The Publique Worship OF GOD In the three KINGDOMES THE PREFACE IN the beginning of the blessed Reformation our wise and pious Ancestors took care to set forth an Order for Redresse of many things which they then by the VVord discovered to be Vain Erroneous Superstitious and Idolatrous in the Publique VVorship of God This occasioned many Godly and Learned men to rejoyce much in the Book of Common-Prayer at that time set forth Because the Masse and the rest of the Latine-Service being removed the Publique VVorship was celebrated in our own Tongue many of the common People also received benefit by hearing the Scriptures read in their own Language which formerly were unto them as a Book that is sealed Howbeit long and sad Experience hath made it manifest That the Leiturgie used in the Church of England notwithstanding all the pains and Religious intentions of the Compilers of it hath proved an offence not only to many of the Godly at home but also to the Reformed Churches abroad For not to speak of urging the Reading of all the Prayers which very greatly increased the burden of it the many unprofitable and burdensome Ceremonies contained in it have occasioned much mischief as well by disquieting the Consciences of many godly Ministers and people who could not yield unto them as by depriving them of the Ordinances of God which they might not enjoy without conforming or Subscribing to those Ceremonies Sundry good Christians have been by means thereof kept from the Lords Table and divers able and faithfull Ministers debarred from the exercise of their Ministery to the endangering of many Thousand Souls in a time of such scarcity of faithfull Pastors and spoiled of their livelyhood to the undoing of them and their Families Prelates and their Faction have laboured to raise the Estimation of it to such an height as if there were no other VVorship or way of VVorship of God amongst us but onely the Service-Book to the great hinderance of the Preaching of the VVord and in some places especially of late to the justling of it out as unnecessary or at best as far inferior to the Reading of Common-Prayer which was made no better then an Idol by many Ignorant and Superstitious People vvho pleasing themselves in their presence at that Service and their Lip-labour in bearing a part in it have thereby hardened themselves in their ignorance and carelesnesse of saving knowledge and true piety In the mean time Papists boasted that the Book was a compliance with them in a great part of their Service and so were not a little confirmed in their Superstition and Idolatry expecting rather our return to them than endeavouring the Reformation of themselves In which expectation they were of late very much incouraged when upon the pretended warrantablenesse

of imposing of the former Ceremonies new ones were dayly obtruded upon the Church Adde hereunto which was not foreseen but since hath come to passe that the Leiturgie hath been a great means as on the one hand to make and increase an idle and unedifying Ministery which contented it self with set Forms made to their hands by others without putting forth themselves to exercise the gift of Prayer with which our Lord Jesus Christ pleaseth to furnish all his Servants whom he calls to that office So on the other side it hath been and ever would be if continued a matter of endlesse strife and contention in the Church and a snare both to many godly and faithfull Ministers who have been persecuted and silenced upon that occasion and to others of hopefull parts many of which have been and more still would be diverted from all thoughts of the Ministery to other studies especially in these latter times wherein God vouchsafeth to his people more and better means for the discovery of Error and Superstition and for attaining of knowledge in the mysteries of godliness and gifts in Preaching and Prayer Upon these and many the like weighty considerations in reference to the whole Book in generall and because of divers particulars contained in it not from any love to Novelty or intention to disparage our first Reformers of whom we are perswaded that were they now alive they would joyn with us in this work and whom we acknowledge as Excellent Instruments raised by God to begin the purging and building of his House and desire they may be had of us and Posterity in everlasting Remembrance with thankfulnesse and honour but that we may in some measure answer the gracious Providence of God which at this time calleth upon us for further Reformation and may satisfy our own Consciences and answer the expectation of other Reformed Churches and the desires of many of the godly among our selves and withall give some publique Testimony of our endeavors for Uniformity in Divine Worship which we have promised in our Solemn League and Covenant VVe have after earnest and frequent calling upon the Name of God and after much Consultation not with flesh and blood but with his holy VVord resolved to lay aside the former Leiturgie with the many Rites and Ceremonies formerly used in the VVorship of God And have agreed upon this following Directory for all the parts of Publique VVorship at ordinary and extraordinary times VVherein our care hath been to hold forth such things as are of Divine Institution in every Ordinance and other things we have endeavoured to set forth according to the Rules of Christian Prudence agreeable to the generall Rules of the VVord of God Our meaning therein being onely that the generall heads the sense and scope of the Prayers and other parts of Publique VVorship being known to all there may be a consent of all the Churches in those things that contain the substance of the Service and VVorship of God And the Ministers may be hereby directed in their Administrations to keep like soundnesse in Doctrine and Prayer and may if need be have some help and furniture And yet so as they become not hereby slothfull and negligent in stirring up the gifts of Christ in them But that each one by meditation by taking heed to himself and the Flock of God committed to him and by wise observing the wayes of Divine Providence may be carefull to furnish his heart and tongue with further or other materials of Prayer and Exhortation as shall be needfull upon all occasions A DIRECTORY FOR Publique Prayer Reading the Holy Scriptures Singing of Psalmes Preaching of the Word Administration of the Sacraments and other parts of the Publique Worship of God Ordinary Extraordinary Of the Assembling of the Congregation and their Behaviour in the Publique Worship of God WHen the Congregation is to meete for Publique Worship the people having before prepared their hearts thereunto ought all to come and joyne therein not absenting themselves from the Publique Ordinances through negligence or upon pretence of Private meetings Let all enter the Assembly not irreverently but in a grave and seemly manner taking their seates or places without Adoration or Bowing themselves towards one place or other The Congregation being assembled the Minister after solemne calling on them to the worshiping of the great name of God is to begin with Prayer In all Reverence and Humility acknowledging the incomprehensible Greatnesse and Majesty of the Lord in whose presence they doe then in a speciall manner appeare and their own vilenesse and unworthinesse to approach so neare him with their utter inability of themselves to so great a Work And humbly beseeching him for Pardon Assistance and Acceptance in the whole Service then to bee performed and for a Blessing on that particular portion of his Word then to bee read and all in the Name and Mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Publique Worship being begun the people are wholly to attend upon it forbearing to Reade any thing except what the Minister is then reading or citing and abstaining much more from all private whisperings conferences salutations or doing reverence to any persons present or comming in as also from all gazing sleeping and other undecent behaviour which may disturbe the Minister or people or hinder themselves or others in the service of God If any through necessity be hindred from being present at the beginning they ought not when they come into the Congregation to betake themselves to their private Devotions but reverently to compose themselves to joyne with the Assembly in that Ordinance of God which is then in hand Of Publique Reading of the holy Scriptures REading of the Word in the Congregation being part of the publique Worship of God wherin we acknowledge our dependence upon him and subjection to him and one Means sanctified by him for the edifying of his People is to bee performed by the Pastors and Teachers Howbeit such as intend the Ministery may occasionally both reade the Word and exercise their gift in Preaching in the Congregation if allowed by the Presbytery thereunto All the Canonicall Books of the Old and New Testament but none of those which are commonly called Apocrypha shall be publiquely read in the vulgar Tongue out of the best allowed Translation distinctly that all may heare and understand How large a portion shall be read at once is left to the wisdome of the Minister But it is convenient that ordinarily one Chapter of each Testament bee read at every meeting and sometimes more where the Chapters be short or the coherence of matter requireth it It is requisite that all the Canonical books bee read over in order that the people may be better acquainted with the whole Body of the Scriptures And ordinarily where the Reading in either Testament endeth on one Lords day it is to begin the next Wee commend also the more frequent reading of such Scriptures as hee that readeth shall

thinke best for edification of his Hearers as the Book of Psalmes and such like When the Minister who readeth shall judge it necessary to expound any part of what is read let it not bee done untill the whole Chapter or Psalme bee ended and regard is alwayes to be had unto the time that neither Preaching or other Ordinance bee straitned or rendred tedious Which Rule is to be observed in all other publique performances Beside Publique Reading of the Holy Scriptures every person that can reade is to be exhorted to reade the Scriptures privately and all others that cannot reade if not disabled by age or otherwise are likewise to bee exhorted to learne to reade and to have a Bible Of Publike Prayer before the Sermon AFter Reading of the Word and singing of the Psalme the Minister who is to Preach is to endeavour to get his own and his Hearers hearts to be rightly affected with their Sinnes that they may all mourn in sense thereof before the Lord and hunger and thirst after the grace of God in Iesus Christ by proceeding to a more full Confession of Sinne with shame and holy confusion of face and to Call upon the Lord to this effect To acknowledge our great sinfulnesse First by reason of Originall sin which beside the guilt that makes us liable to everlasting Damnation is the seed of all other sinnes hath depraved and poysoned all the faculties and powers of Soule and Body doth defile our best actions and were it not restrained or our hearts renewed by Grace would breake forth into innumerable transgressions and greatest rebellions against the Lord that ever were committed by the vilest of the sons of Men. And next by reason of Actuall sins our own sins the sins of Magistrates of Ministers and of the whole Nation unto which wee are many wayes accessory Which sins of ours receive many fearefull aggravations wee having broken all the Commandements of the holy just and good Law of God doing that which is forbidden and leaving undone what is enjoyned and that not onely out of Ignorance and Infirmity but also more presumptuously against the light of our Minds checks of our Consciences and motions of his own Holy Spirit to the contrary so that we have no cloak for our sins Yea not onely despising the riches of Gods goodnesse forbearance and long-suffering but standing out against many invitations and offers of grace in the Gospel not endeavouring as wee ought to receive Christ into our hearts by Faith or to walke worthy of him in our lives To bewaile our blindnesse of minde hardnesse of heart unbelief impenitency security lukewarmnesse barrennesse our not endeavouring after mortification and newnesse of life nor after the exercise of godlinesse in the power thereof and that the best of us have not so stedfastly walked with God kept our garments so unspotted nor been so zealous of his glory and the good of others as wee ought And to mourn over such other sins as the Congregation is particularly guilty of notwithstanding the manifold and great Mercies of our God the Love of Christ the Light of the Gospel and Reformation of Religion our own purposes promises vows solemn Covenant and other speciall obligations to the contrary To acknowledge and confesse that as wee are convinced of our guilt so out of a deep sense thereof wee judge our selves unworthy of the smallest benefits most worthy of Gods fiercest wrath and of all the Curses of the Law and heaviest Judgements inflicted upon the most rebellious Sinners and that hee might most justly take his Kingdome and Gospel from us plague us with all sorts of spirituall and temporall judgements in this life and after cast us into utter Darknesse in the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone where is weeping and gnashing of teeth for evermore Notwithstanding all which To draw neare to the Throne of Grace encouraging our selves with hope of a gracious Answer of our Prayers in the riches and all-sufficiency of that onely one oblation the satisfaction and intercession of the Lord Jesus Christ at the right hand of his Father and our Father and in confidence of the exceeding great and precious promises of mercy and grace in the new Covenant through the same Mediator thereof to deprecate the heavy wrath and curse of God which wee are not able to avoid or beare and humbly and earnestly to supplicate for mercy in the free and full remission of all our sins and that onely for the bitter sufferings and pretious merits of that our onely Saviour Jesus Christ That the Lord would vouchsafe to shed abroad his love in our hearts by the Holy Ghost seale unto us by the same Spirit of Adoption the full assurance of our Pardon and Reconciliation comfort all that mourn in Zion speak peace to the wounded and troubled spirit and bind up the broken hearted And as for secure and presumptuous sinners that he would open their eyes convince their Consciences and turn them from darknesse unto light and from the power of Satan unto God that they also may receive forgivenesse of sin and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in Christ Jesus With remission of sins through the blood of Christ To pray for sanctification by his Spirit the Mortification of sinne dwelling in and many times tyrannizing over us the quickening of our dead spirits with the life of God in Christ grace to fit and inable us for all duties of conversation and callings towards God and Men strength against temptations the sanctified use of blessings and crosses and perseverance in Faith and obedience unto the end To pray for the Propagation of the Gospell and Kingdome of Christ to all Nations for the conversion of the Jewes the fulnesse of the Gentiles the fall of Antichrist and the hastening of the second comming of our Lord For the deliverance of the distressed Churches abroad from the tyranny of the Antichristian faction and from the cruell oppressions and blasphemies of the Turke For the blessing of God upon all the Reformed Churches especially upon the Churches and Kingdomes of England Scotland and Ireland now more strictly and religiously united in the solemne Nationall League and Covenant and for our Plantations in the remote parts of the World more particularly for that Church and Kingdome whereof we are Members that therein God would establish Peace and Truth the purity of all his Ordinances and the power of Godlinesse prevent and remove heresie schisme prophanenesse superstition security and unfruitfulnesse under the meanes of Grace heale all our rents and divisions and preserve us from breach of our solemne Covenant To pray for all in Authority especially for the Kings Majesty that God would make him rich in blessings both in his Person and Government establish his Throne in Religion and Righteousnesse save him from evill Counsell and make him a blessed and glorious Instrument for the conservation and propagation of the Gospell for the encouragement and protection of

them that doe well the terrour of all that doe evill and the great good of the whole Church and of all his Kingdomes for the conversion of the Queen the religious education of the Prince and the rest of the Royall seed For the comforting of the afflicted Queen of Bohemia sister to our Soveraign and for the restitution and establishment of the illustrious Prince Charles Elector Palatine of the Rhene to all his Dominions and Dignities For a blessing upon the High Court of Parliament when sitting in any of these Kingdomes respectively the Nobility the subordinate Iudges and Magistrates the Gentry and all the Commonalty For all Pastors and Teachers that God would fill them with his Spirit make them exemplarily holy sober just peaceable and gratious in their lives sound faithfull and powerfull in their Ministery and follow all their labours with abundance of successe and blessing and give unto all his people Pastors according to his owne heart For the Vniversities and all Schooles and Religious seminaries of Church and Common-wealth that they may flourish more and more in Learning and piety For the particular City or Congregation that God would powre out a blessing upon the Ministery of the Word Sacraments and Discipline upon the Civill Government and all the severall Families and persons therein For mercy to the afflicted under any inward or outward distresse For seasonable weather and fruitfull seasons as the time may require For averting the Judgements that wee either feele or feare or are liable unto as famine pestilence the sword and such like And with confidence of his mercy to his whole Church and the acceptance of our persons through the merits and mediation of our great High Priest the Lord Jesus To professe that it is the desire of our soules to have fellowship with God in the reverent and conscionable use of his holy Ordinances and to that purpose to pray earnestly for his grace and effectuall assistance to the sanctification of his holy Sabbath the Lords day in all the duties thereof publike and private both to our selves and to all other Congregations of his people according to the riches and excellency of the Gospel this day celebrated and enjoyed And because wee have been unprofitable hearers in times past and now cannot of our selves receive as we should the deep things of God the mysteries of Jesus Christ which require a spirituall discerning To pray that the Lord who teacheth to profit would graciously please to poure out the Spirit of Grace together with the outward means thereof causing us to attain such a measure of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord and in him of the things which belong to our peace that wee may account all things but as drosse in comparison of him And that wee tasting the first fruits of the glory that is to be revealed may long for a more full and perfect communion with him that where he is we may be also and enjoy the fulnesse of those joyes and pleasures which are at his right hand for evermore More particularly that God would in speciall manner furnish his Servant now called to dispense the bread of life unto his houshold with wisdome fidelity zeale and utterance that hee may divide the Word of God aright to every one his portion in evidence and demonstration of the Spirit and power and that the Lord would circumcise the eares and hearts of the Hearers to heare love and receive with meeknesse the ingrafted Word which is able to save their soules make them as good ground to receive in the good seed of the Word and strengthen them against the temptations of Satan the cares of the World the hardnesse of their owne hearts and whatsoever else may hinder their profitable and saving hearing that so Christ may be so formed in them and live in them that all their thoughts may bee brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ and their hearts established in every good word and work for ever We judge this to be a convenient Order in the ordinary Publique Prayers yet so as the Minister may deferre as in prudence he shall think meet some part of these Petitions till after his Sermon or offer up to God some of the Thanksgivings hereafter appointed in his Prayer before his Sermon Of the Preaching of the Word PReaching of the Word being the power of God unto Salvation and one of the greatest and most excellent Works belonging to the Ministry of the Gospell should bee so performed that the Workman need not been ashamed but may save himself and those that heare him It is presupposed according to the Rules for Ordination that the Minister of Christ is in some good measure gifted for so weighty a service by his skill in the Originall Languages and in such Arts and Sciences as are handmaids unto Divinity by his knowledge in the whole Body of Theology but most of all in the holy Scriptures having his senses and heart exercised in them above the common sort of Beleevers and by the illumination of Gods Spirit and other gifts of edification which together with reading and studying of the Word hee ought still to seek by Prayer and an humble heart resolving to admit and receive any truth not yet attained when ever God shall make it known unto him All which hee is to make use of and improve in his private preparations before hee deliver in publike what he hath provided Ordinarily the subject of his Sermon is to be some Text of Scripture holding forth some principle or head of Religion or suitable to some speciall occasion emergent or hee may goe on in some Chapter Psalme or Booke of the holy Scripture as hee shall see fit Let the Introduction to his Text be brief and perspicuous drawn from the Text it self or context or some parallel place or generall sentence of Scripture If the Text be long as in Histories and Parables it sometimes must be let him give a briefe summe of it if short a Paraphrase thereof if need be In both looking diligently to the scope of the Text and pointing at the chief heads and grounds of Doctrine which he is to raise from it In Analysing and dividing his Text hee is to regard more the order of matter then of words and neither to burden the memory of the hearers in the beginning with too many members of Division nor to trouble their minds with obscure termes of Art In raising Doctrines from the Text his care ought to bee First that the matter be the truth of God Secondly that it be a truth contained in or grounded on that Text that the hearers may discern how God techeth it from thence Thirdly that he chiefly insist upon those Doctrines which are principally intended and make most for the edification of the hearers The Doctrine is to be expressed in plaine termes or if any thing in it need explication is to bee opened and the consequence also from the Text cleared