the Lords Supper Art 8. They shall advertise the people at the least fifteene dayes before the Lords Supper to the end they may be prepared for it Art 9. Besides the former examination which is made of the doctrine before they communicate unto the holy Supper every one ought againe to be catechised once a yeare at the least according to the commoditie of the Ministers and Parishioners CHAP. XI Of the Fast Article I THe publike fast shall be celebrated in the Church what time the Colloque or Synode shall thinke it meete as a day of rest in which there shall be Sermons in the forenoone and afternoone with prayers the reading of the word of God and singing of Psalmes all most meete for the occasions and causes of the Fast and all by the authoritie of the Magistrate Of Thankesgiving Art 2. The solemne thankesgiving must be celebrated in like manner as the Fast all the exercises being fitted to the occasions and causes of it CHAP. XII Of Marriage Article I. THe promises of Marriages shall be made in the presence of the Parents friends Governours or Masters or Mistresses of the parties and with consent of them and in the presence of the Minister or of one Elder or Deacon who shall receive the promises pure and simple with invocation of the name of God otherwise they shall not be received And as for those that are at their owne libertie the presence of the Minister or one of the Elders or Deacons is also necessary for the policie Art 2. The children and those which are under Government cannot make any promise of Marriage without the consent of their Fathers and Mothers or of their Tutors or of their Gardians in whose power they are Art 3. If the Fathers and Mothers are so unreasonable that they will not accord to so holy a thing the Consistory shall give them such advice as shall be expedient to the which if the Fathers and Mothers will not agree they shall have recourse to the Magistrate Art 4. Even those which have beene married owe this honour to their parents not to marry themselves without the advice of their parents for want whereof they shall be censured Art 5. Those which shall be betrothed shall promise with their parents that they shal be married within three moneths after their promises are made or within six moneths in case they be in a voyage And if they will not obey they shall be pursued by the Ecclesiasticall Censures Art 6. No stranger shall be betrothed unlesse he have leave of the Right Worshipfull the Governours or their Leiftenants Art 7. In marriages the degrees of consanguinitie and affinitie shall be diligently observed according to the law of God Art 8. The publication of Matrimony shall be declared three Sundayes one after another immediately in the Church where the parties dwells or if they marry in some other Parish they shall bring good testimony from the Minister that shall have published them otherwise they cannot be married Art 9. To avoyde the abuse and prophanation of the day of Rest and the manifest contempt of the Word of God which is made in the marriage-dayes it is thought good that marriage be no more celebrated upon Sunday but on the weeke dayes onely when there is a Sermon Art 10. If any will oppose himselfe against the publication of Matrimony they must addresse themselves to the Minister first or to two of the Elders which shall signifie it to the next Consistory to come and give the reasons of his opposition Of which the Consistory shall judge And if there be any appeale it shall be referred to the Colloque Art 11. Those which have companied together before they are married shall not be married before they have made confession of their fault and if the fault be openly knowne they shall doe it before all the Church And if it be lesse knowne the Consistory shall give order for it Art 12. The promises of Widdowes that would remarry themselves shall not be received but six moneths after the death of their deceased husband that both for the honestie and well seemlinesse and to meet with many inconveniences As for the men they shall be exhorted to stay a certain time also without constraining them thereunto CHAP. XIII Of the Visitation of the sicke Article I. THose which have sicke folke shall advertise those which have charge in the Church in commodious time to this end that they may be visited and comforted Art 2. Those which are sicke shall be advertised to make their will in good time and whilst they are in their good sense which shall be done in the presence of the Minister or Elder or some other able men and worthy of faith which shall seale the said Testament to this end they may be approved CHAP. XIV Of Buriall Article I. THe dead bodies shall not be brought nor made enter into the Churches but into the Church-yard ordained for the faithfull Art 2. The kinsfolke friends and neighbours of the dead and as many as the kinsfolkes will pray even the Ministers if they be at leisure as members of the Church and brethren not in regard of their charge no more than the Elders and Deacons and shall goe to conduct the dead corps for the comelinesse of the buriall At the which there shall be neither Sermon nor prayer nor ringing of Bells neither any kinde of other ceremony Art 3. The dead shall not be buried without advertising of the Minister before Art 4. The dead corps of those which are excommunicated shall not be buried among the faithfull without ordinance of the Magistrate CHAPTER XV Of Ecclesiasticall Censures Article I. ALL those which are of the Church shall be subject to the censures as well those which have charge in the Church as those which have no charge Art 2. The suspention from the holy Supper of the Lord shal be published only in matter of heresie schisme or other notable fault of which the Consistorie shall judge Art 3. Those which shall not receive the advertisements and reprehensions of faults made by the Word of God and which continue hardened without hope of being brought into the right way after many exhortations if they cannot be brought againe they shall be excommunicated whereunto shall be proceeded by three Sundayes according to the order as followeth Art 4. The first Sunday every one shall be exhorted to pray for the sinner without naming or declaring the sinne or the sinner Art 5. The second Sunday the sinner shall be named and not the sinne the third Sunday the sinner shall be named and the sinne declared and he excommunicated which shall so continue as long as he remaineth rebellious Art 6. Those which are excommunicated are rejected of the Church that they ought not to be admitted either to publick prayers or unto the preaching of the Word Art 7. If any having publick charge in the Church shall commit any fault which in a private person meriteth publick
suspention from the Lords Supper they shall be suspended from their charge and if they commit any fault the which in a private person meriteth excommunication they shall be deposed Art 8. And likewise those which have committed any such fault by the which they are made uncapable of exercising their charge to the edification of the Church shall be deposed Art 9. If the sinner commeth to repentance desiring of the Consistory to be received to the peace of the Church diligent information must be had of his conversation and shall advise the people thereof the Sunday before he be received and make confession to have peace of the Church Art 10. The second Sunday he shall present himselfe before the Pulpit and shall confesse his fault asking pardon of God and of the Church by his owne mouth in ratifying onely that which the Minister shall have said of his repentance CHAP. XVI Of the Ecclesiasticall Assemblies for the guiding and governing of the Church Article I. IN all Ecclesiasticall Assemblies the Ministers shall be Moderators to gather the voyces to impose silence and to give sentence according to the pluralitie and to give the Censures to the which they shall be subject as well as others Art 2. All Censures shall be done in meeknesse of spirit and doctrine Art 3. All Assemblies shall be begun and ended by prayers and thankesgiving and it shall be done by him that is then Moderator Art 4. All those which there shall be assistant shall speake by order without interrupting one of the other Art 5. None shall depart from the Assembly without leave Art 6. All Ecclesiasticall matters there shall be intreated of and decided by the Word of God without taking upon them any civill Jurisdiction Art 7. If there come any matter of importance which cannot be decided in the lesser Assemblies they shall be sent to the greater And likewise if any man doe feele himselfe grieved with the judgement of the lesser he may appeale to the greater And there shall be nothing in the greater handled which hath not been handled before in the lesser unlesse it be in a matter which is remitted Art 8. For all the things that are memorable in all the Assemblies there shall be a Register made which shall be done by a Scribe appointed in every one of the Assemblies Art 9. The Ecclesiasticall Assemblies shall not be daysmen in causes and matters civill yet the particular members of it as private persons may but yet very rarely when it is for making an end of debate and the same of great consequence Art 10. He which hath been deprived of the Communion or suspended from his Charge by an assembly shall be reestablished by the same These Assemblies are either simple or compound simple as the Consistories CHAP. XVII Of the Consistories Article I. THe Consistory is the assembly of the Ministers and Elders of every Church for the Government of it and to watch over the manners and doctrine and to correct the vices and encourage the well-doers where the Deacons together with the proposants may be assistant to the Ministers to the end to fashion them in the discipline and guiding of the Church Art 2. The Consistories are to be assembled every Sunday or other dayes and houres ordained according to the commoditie of the Consistories to consult of the affaires of the Church Art 3. None shall be called to the Consistory without the advice of the Minister and of two Elders in case of necessitie at the least and every Elder or he that giveth sommance shall call them of his quarter as shall be ordained Art 4. The Elders shall not report the secret faults not having observed the order commanded by Jesus Christ Matth. 18. Reprehending in secret the faults that are secret Art 5. The Minister or Elders shall not name to the Consistorie those whose faults they shall bring to the Consistorie without the advice of the said Consistorie Art 6. The censures of the Consistorie shall be given before every Communion in the most commodious day wherein the School-Masters also shall be censured Art 7. The Consistorie shall choose those which ought to goe to the Colloques Art 8. The correction of faults and offences appertaineth to the Consistories excommunication excepted Art 9. In Ecclesiasticall Assemblies the Consistories shall make inquisition of the faults which shall come before them and shall adjure the parties in the name of God to speake the truth CHAP. XVIII Of the composed Assemblies which are the Colloques and the Synods Article I. AT the beginning of the Assembly there shall be called the Minister and the Elders which ought to be assistants there Art 2. The persons who are named to be assistants shall not misse to be present there upon paine to be censured at the next assembly unto the which they shall be called Art 3. The Articles of the former assemblies shall be read before they enter the affaires to the end to know if they have been executed And at the end of every assembly the Elders shall take a copie of that which hath been determined there to the end that all may walk after the same rule Art 4. In every Assembly there shall be a Scribe to write that which shall be resolved of by the Company Art 5. At the end of every assembly they shall give a brotherly censure of the Consistories in generall of the Ministers and Elders which shall be assistant there and principally of that which hath been done in the assembly during the action Art 6. The excommunication shall be onely concluded in these assemblies Art 7. The Masters the Justices shall be prayed to cease the exercise of Courts ordinary and extraordinarie in the dayes of the Colloques and Synods to this end that they which ought to be there assistant may not be hindred CHAP. XIX Of the Colloques Article I. THe Colloque in the Assembly of the Ministers and Ancients deputed of every Church in every one of the Governments of those Iles for the government and entertainment of the Discipline Art 2. The Colloques shall be assembled foure times in the yeare ten dayes before every Communion In which day there shall be the proposition of the Word of God following the forme which is before established in the Chapter of Ministers Art 3. The Ministers of Alderney and Sparke shall meet once a yeare at the least at the Colloque at Gernsey and they shall choose the most fit time to come in Art 4. The Colloque shall choose those which ought to goe to the Synode and shall give them Letters testimoniall of their sending CHAP. XX Of the Synods Article I. THe Synode is the Assemblie of Ministers and Elders deputed by the Colloques of these Iles. Art 2. The Synode shall be assembled from two yeares to two yeares in Gersey and Garnsey by course unlesse necessitie doe constraine to assemble it sooner In which case those of the I le where the Synode is to be holden may
hasten it by the advice of both the Colloques Art 3. In every Synode there shall be chosen a Minister to governe the action and a Scribe to register the actions Art 4. The Minister of the place where the assembly is made shall make a prayer in the beginning of the first sitting Art 5. The Colloques shall mutually advertise one another of the generall things they have to propose to the Synode in commodious time to this end that every one may have time to think of it more ripely And they shall give some advertisement thereof before the Colloque which goeth next before the Synode so farre as they may And as for things of smaller importance they shall be communicated of in the day of the first sitting These Articles touching the Discipline are so set downe that so much and so farre as they are grounded upon the Word of God they are immoveable And as for the points that are meerely Ecclesiasticall that is to say framed and set downe for the commoditie of the Church according to the circumstance of persons time and place they may be changed by the same authoritie they have been instituted Here followeth the manner of Installing the Officers of the Church The Promise in generall YOu promise before God his elect Angels and his Church that you will serve him faithfully in this Office taking heed to your selfe to this end that in this vocation of God you may walke worthily so as it becommeth a good servant of God without abusing it to serve your owne affections or to be pleasing unto men but that you use it with a good consciente carrying all that you doe in this office to the glory of God and to the edification of the Church principally of that over which you are set giving in all things good example unto all namely in keeping and taking good heed to the pollicy as well Ecclesiasticall as Civill procuring the good and honour of the Kingdome of England and of the I le taking paines that the people may live in good order peace and union one with another and in subjection and obedience to the Government of his Majestie the right Worshipfull the Governours his Lieftenant the Bailiefe and the Justices not consenting to any thing which is repugnant to the Lawes Civill Pollicy of the Countrey and Kingdome and the Ecclesiasticall Censures All which you shall doe so farre as your office doth require that is to say without being prejudiciall to the libertie of a good conscience Furthermore You shall not abandon or leave off your Charge for any discontentment or tediousnesse or any thing whatsoever unlesse it be by the consent of the Consistory or other to whom it appertaineth At which Consistory you shall attend if there be no hinderance the Sunday after the Catechisme to handle the Ecclesiasticall affaires And you shall take heed of not disclosing any thing that hath been handled to the parties or any other persons unlesse it be that they ought to know it in paine of being rejected from the Company Remembring alwayes that you must render an account of the charge which hath been committed unto you to the end that you may heare his most amiable voice It is well done good servant enter into the joy of thy Lord Finally that which toucheth you most neerly in regard of the particular charge you are called unto Promises Common to Ministers of the Word of God and to the Elders YOu doe promise that you will feed and governe the flocke of Christ which is committed unto you which is his house according to the pollicy that our Lord Jesus Christ hath established in his Church in having a care not by constraint but willingly and with a ready courage not for gaine or unseemely honour but onely having regard to the glory of God and to the salvation of the people Not raigning over the Church but in humilitie and feare following the Word of God You promise also to have an eye and watch upon the flocke to admonish and comfort in particular according as neede requires Also to reprehend the private faults and to bring to the Consistorie the publick faults to the end the scandalls of the Church may be hindred You shall attend the Colloques and Synodes at all times when you shall be deputed thereunto revealing nothing of that which hath been handled to the parties or any of the persons unlesse they ought to know it upon paine to be rejected from the company You promise to take carefull heed of the accompts of the Deacons at the Communion day or at least at the Communion dayes of September and Easter and that after the second Sermon of the Sabbath in which day ordinarily there is no Consistorie kept or else the Sunday following according to the opportunitie of the Church A Promise particular to the Minister of the Word YOu promise that you will deliver the most holy Word and Sacraments of God in all faithfulnesse purenesse and reverence that you will take paines in teaching the people which are capable in convincing those which contradict in casting downe the proud in erecting and lifting up the humble in bringing againe those that are strayed out of the way in cutting rightly the word of truth as a good workman which needeth not be ashamed and as a good and wise Steward of the House of the Lord distributing the spirituall meate as well to every one apart according to his abilitie as in common to all the family You shall doe this in all diligence being earnest in time and out of time And for this cause you promise to follow with all care and diligence all meanes and helpes of studie things proper to execute honour your said Ministery which notwithstanding shall be done in all simplicitie and easinesse as well in words as in sentences to this end that the rudest and most unlearned and the Church may be edified by it Above all you shall imploy your selfe in studying the holy Scriptures to this end that being well instructed touching the Kingdome of Heaven you may be like a good Father of a Family who is able to draw out of his treasure both old and new things A Promise particular to the Elders YOu promise to be assistant unto the Ministers of the Word for the Government of the Church over the which you are appointed and shall take heed to the Ministery of the Word First that the Church be not unprovided and that being established it may be reverenced and therefore you shall have an eye to them as well for the holy doctrine as for their holinesse of life and afterwards upon the rest of the Church especially upon those which are committed more neerly to your charge And therefore if there shall come any discord between any of your quarter you shall endeavour to accord them by good and brotherly advisement and if they will not obey you shall summon them to come to the Consistorie to have some convenient remedy thereof
which you shall doe principally in the Visitation before the Communion Also you shall goe at every Communion throughout all the Families of your quarter as well to your neighbours as those that are of your own houshold to know whether they live in the feare of God whether they frequent preaching if they doe pray in their houses their particular prayers evening and morning before and after meate Furthermore You doe promise to visit the sicke of your quarter and when there shall be need you shall call with you the Ministers of the Word to comfort them finally you shall procure that all things in the assemblies may be done in good order and seemlinesse A Promise particular to Deacons YOu promise to receive dispence and keepe faithfully and without deceipt or acceptation of persons the goods which are given to the poore you shall gather the almes of the poore given by the people at the going out of the Church after the Sermons and especially on the Sabbath day And if that necessitie so require because of some extraordinary need you shall goe by the houses of those which are willing to gather some come or other almes according to the good will or discretion of well disposed people And to wipe away all evill suspition you shall count out of hand the almes received which shall be set down in writing in the presence of the Ministers and one or two of the Elders And for this cause you shall have a Booke wherein to Register as well the things that are received as those that are laid out You doe promise that you will not give any almes without communicating it unto the Ministers and the Elders that you distribute the almes first of all unto those that are of the houshold of faith and if there be any overplus you may let it run down unto strangers from the Church You do promise to visit the poore sicke and to cause them to be tended and looked unto and to inquire of the necessitie of other poore principally of your quarter and to the end that they may be nourished by the almes of the Church without letting them wander and range about the streets or other Parishes And you shall procure that those which are meet to be put to occupation that they may be imployed of the which you shall advertise the Constables or those which have the charge of Justice to the end that they may not be suffered to beg A Prayer Common for all the Officers of the Church OH Lord God Father of light from whom commeth every good and perfect gift we doe pray thee most humbly in the name and favour of Jesus Christ thy onely Sonne our Saviour who being ascended into heaven in glory doth not cease to inlarge towards as thy gratious liberalitie of Officers for the work of the Ministery and building of thy mysticall bodie wee most humbly pray thee that seeing it hath pleased thee to call this our brother to the service of the Church that thou wouldest so fashion and fit him to so holy a charge that he may quit himselfe in all diligence imploying himselfe faithfully and with a fervent zeale to all that which belongeth unto his charge Give him prudency to governe himselfe well in it and force to execute all things that appertaine to him in regard of his office Above all things fill him with the spirit of thy feare to the end that he may be preserved from all scandall confusion and the allurements of this present world of the snares and ambushments of Sathan giving him patience and constancy that he may acquit faithfully his dutie as much as humane frailtie may suffer Blesse thou his labour to the end that nothing hinder the holy worke which is in his hands Shew also this grace to every one of us to acknowledge him as set and ordained of thy hand in this most holy vocation that we may be led by him without withstanding the order thou hast established in thy Charge And that by this means remaining in thy obedience thou mayst be glorified in us and thy Church may receive continuall growth to the good and salvation of thy children Proper to the Minister of the Word And in regard of his particular Charge we most humbly pray thee that this our brother which thou hast called to the Ministery of thy holy Word to the which even the holy Angells are insufficient thou wouldest enlarge him with the true keowledge of the wonderfull secrets thereof and with a singular wisdome by the which he may know how to dispence and apply to every one according to the circumstance of time of places and principally of persons that he may have his mouth opened to declare in all libertie and boldnesse truly spirituall the mystery of the Gospell As also all that which is meete for him to declare And also to administer the holy Sacraments in all puritie and reverence Give to every one of us this grace that we may receive as well the one as the other in all humilitie and trembling of heart not as comming from men but as the truth is comming from thee the living God thereby to be quickned eternally to Proper to the Elders be an Elder and watchman graunt thou that he being given for helpe to the Ministers of the Word in the government and as the eares of the body of the Church he may apply himselfe with such diligence to know the estate as well of the faith as of the manners of the flocke principally of those over the which he hath more particular charge that by this meanes he may as well admonish reprehend comfort and encourage every one according as there is need as also to certifie the Ministers of the Word of it that the Ministers by help thereof may with more profit addresse their doctrine to the Church of God Give also this grace to every one of us that we may obey and reverence him as well in private admonitions as the rest of the guiding of the Church as a father whom God hath set to watch over our soules to this end he may doe it with cheerfulnesse and not with griefe to Proper to Deacons be a Deacon that thou wouldest graunt him thy Spirit first of simplicitie to distribute the treasure of the church without acceptation of persons and then the spirit of discretion to discern of the estate of every one of the poore and especially of those which are of his quarter Finally and above all the spirit of compassion to execute his dutie towards the poore principally towards the sicke and weake in all joy and readninesse to the end they be not put to further sorrow Touch also the hearts entrayles of every one of us that following thy liberalitie towards us we may willingly and frankly distribute of our goods to sustain the necessitie of the afflicted as members of the same bodie and entertaining the communion which ought to be between the faithfull we may shew by effect that we are true members of the Church Laying on of hands I lay upon him the hands in the name of the Consistory by which imposition of hands you are advertised that you are set apart from the affaires of this world whether they be your own or any others in so much as they may hinder the charge you are called unto to be dedicated consecrated to the holy service of God Moreover that in doing your dutie faithfully roundly and in all simplicitie as before God you shall be assured of the assistance of the hand of God helpfull unto you in all your necessitie And therefore that you be not discouraged for the afflictions that may come upon you in executing your charge rather that you may sustain constantly and in all patience contempt shame and reproach of men given in this world both which things being signified by this ceremony God by his mercy and faithfulnesse accomplish and perfect in you in the name of his Sonne Jesus Christ our Saviour A generall Admonition to the people for all the Officers of the Church ANd as for you Brethren and Sisters know that the dutie of the Church towards the Brother present is to receive him willingly as sent of God bearing him honour and reverence in regard of his Charge the which he executeth towards you Take heed that you murmur not against him or against his Ministery in any sort whatsoever for the Lord will not leave unpunished the contempt of his servants and much lesse the murmuring and rash rebellion against their persons As the horrible examples that may be seene in the Scriptures doe plainly testifie It is also required of you that you pray unto God for him to this end that he may execute the office God hath called him unto in all wisdome and faithfulnesse referring all to Gods glory and the edification of his Church whereof he hath charge Speciall for the Minister of the Word Which you shall doe so much more carefully for him in regard that his charge is of so great importance as well for the glory of God as for the salvation of us all as you have partly understood by the dutie which hath been already recited To the end that speech may be given him and a mouth opened in all boldnesse to make known the secret of the Gospell and to speak frankly as it behoveth him to speak Secondly it is meet you know that the office of the Church towards the Ministers is to entertaine them honestly according to their power and abilitie for it is good reason that seing they sow spirituall things they should reap the corporall things And that the Oxe that treadeth out the graine should not want feeding as St Paul teacheth Therefore also you shall have this our Brother for recommended as touching his entertainment FINIS
Mr. HOLLIS HIS SPEECH TO The Lords in Parliament concerning PEACE WITH A motion for some course to be taken for repairing of trade that so poore tradesmen may be preserved to hold out during these troublesome Times Whereunto is added a Relation of a Vision of Blood in the Skie that appeared about Redding on Tuesday night last LONDON Printed for T. Wright 1643. Mr. Hollis HIS Speech to the Lords upon the delivery of a Message from the House of Commons My Lords I Am commanded by the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the Commons House to present your Lordships with a Petition now delivered into their House by divers poor Tradesmen in and about the Citie of London contaning in the same the great want and necessitie they and their families are fallen into through the decay of treading The means and causes that have produced this decay and the remedies to prevant further miserie and revive trading My Lords it is a common observation and the experience of former Ages hath made it manifest that when the sword of warre is unsheathed famine that followes the greatest destruction of all Common-wealths and Kingdomes witnesse the miserable calamities and troubles that have of late years befallen upon Italy and Germany If wee call to minde ancient Histories mentioning the fatall destruction of the Easterne Empires wee shall finde that the first step to their desolation hath been domestick dissention and home-bred mutinies upon which hath followed Nationall warres and the effects of all hath been famine and pestilence which hath given a full period to the utter confusion of those Kingdoms If wee pry and search into the ancient Histories of Italy and Rome we shall find the only destruction both of that Kingdom and Citie hath happened only by these occasions the pride and ambition of the Popes and Bishops of that See usurping authority to themselves over the Churches in the East produced the wars between the East Vandals and the Romans beeween the East and West Gothes and the Italians which was the utter desolation of the City of Rome First by Allarick Captain of the West Gothes Secondly by Adolph their Captain Thirdly by Athila King of the Hunns Fourthly by Genserick King of the Vandalls Fifthly Odasar a German Sixthly Theodericke an East Goth. And lastly Totela Baldivel These Princes by the sword and fire executed the iust iudgements of God upon proud and wicked Rome the originall whereof was occasioned by the impurity and uncleanes of the Clergy and what terrible Famines and grievous pestilencies followed these warres is likewise too manifest by History whereas in the beginning whome Rome first began to lift up her head against Gods true Religion and his anointed Servants Kings and Emperours she had been dashed and suppressed all those bloudy and long warres procured by the Bishops thereof in all parts of the Christian world had bin prevented and avoyded My Lords I have spoken this onely to remember your Lordships of the miseries and calamities that have hapned unto those Nations that have entertained amongst themselves dissension about the diversity of worship of God in Religion which alwaies hath proved the root and principall means of future destruction that now in time while opportunity doth serve such occasions of difference as do threaten the the same desolations to the state wherein we live and whereof we be a part may by the wisdome of this high Court of Parliment be prevented and avoyded My Lords if Dearth and Famine be in a Nation there can be nothing expected but confusion as well of the rich as of the poore It is the Common Proverb necessity hath no law There is no delaying of present necessity It is not to be thought that Millions of men women and childrdn will starve and perish so long as there is Corn in the Land of Goshen or in the custody of Ioseph It is therefore the desire my Lords of the Commons that as they have compassionately considered among themselves this necessiated Petition of distressed Trades-men and have limited a day certaine for answering the same so your Lordships would be pleased to take the same Petition into your consideration with them that the petitioners may at the time appointed receive from both Houses of Parliament such answer from their demands as may give them full satisfaction My Lords under favour I am to speake a word or two of the means that have occasioned the decay in trading and the remedies to prevent the same for future time and againe renew Trading the meanes they conceive is principally want of due execution of Justice upon those persons that have bin the causers and Authors thereof and then the remedies due execution of Justice without any further protraction of time and the Enacting of such wholsome and good lawes for the restriction of vice and maintaining of vertue both in goverment of the Church and State as shall be congruent to the word of God and the peace and prosperity of his Sacred Majesty and all his Kingdoms as shall be thought meet by the wisdome and policie of this great high Court of Parliament which I further humbly leave to the grave consideration of this Honourable House A Relation of a Vision of Blood in the Skie which appeared at Redding on Tuesday night last UPon Tuesday night last there appeared a skie red as bloud about Redding halfe a mile long or more which was seen so cleare and visible about six of the clock at night that not onely many people thereabouts did run to see it but it being apparent so farre that it might be seen to London there were thousands that went to London-Bridge and many other places where they could attaine the prospect to see it insomuch that there was a great crowd upon the Bridge some went into the fields others to the tops of houses to behold this wonderfull vision which was in this manner viz. In length half a mile or more as it was judged sharp at the North end and broad at the South end for the length of it was North and South red as bloud and very clear almost in colour like the Moon when she is in an Eclipse which though it seemed cleere yet caused rather a darknesse then a light the length continued much alike but it grew somtimes broader and sometimes again it was narrower there was neither Sun Moone nor any Star visible in the skie which was very black and dark onely this bloudy vision which appeared in this manner What can we otherwise judge of then to be a token of Gods displeasure against the cruell Cavaliers thereabouts who kill murder and slaw the people of God whose bloud cries to heaven in the ears of God for vengeance against them FINIS handle the Ecclesiasticall affaires And those which shall be chosen to goe to the Colloques and Synods with the Ministers shall not faile to come thither at the day assigned CHAP. VII Of Deacons Article I. THe Deacons shall be ordained
in the Church to gather the almes of the people and to distribute them according to the necessitie of the poore by the advice of the Consistory Art 2. They shall gather together the almes after the Sermon and shall procure and keepe faithfully the goods of the poore And if necessitie so require they shall goe from house to house of those that are willing to gather that which it shall please them to give Art 3. They shall distribute nothing without the advice of the Consistory if there be not urgent necessitie Art 4. The almes shall be distributed principally to those which are of the houshold of faith and if there be any overplus it may serve to helpe the strangers Art 5. To meet with all suspition the Deacons shall keepe the Booke as well of the receits as also of the distribution of the almes the which they shall count in presence of the Minister and of one of the Elders Art 6. The Deacons shall render their accompts every Communion day after the latter Sermon in the presence of the Ministers the Ancients and the people if there be any that will assist them And therefore they shall be exhorted to be present there Art 7. They shall endeavour that the poore shall be nourished without going about a begging And they shall make suite to the Governours that the youth fit for labour may be set to occupations And shall advertise the Masters the Justices to the end they may give order that none goe from house to house to beg Art 8. They shall visite the poore sicke and impotent and the prisoners to comfort and assist them in their necessitie Art 9. They shall be assistant to the Consistory with the Ministers and Ancients and there shall propose the necessitie of the poore and tell their advice but in the choice of other Deacons they shall have definitive voice Art 10. There shall be two Deacons in every Parish or else the Elders shall have this charge of gathering and distributing the almes of the people The Ecclesiasticall Liturgie wherein is contained the Preaching of the Word the Administration of the Sacraments Marriage the visitation of the Sicke wherein also is spoken of Buriall CHAP. VIII Of the Preaching of the Word Article I. THe people shall assemble themselves twice every Sunday within the Church to heare the Gospell preached and shall be assistant to the publike prayers And also they shall assemble themselves once or twice every weeke upon the dayes which shall be commodious for the Parishes And every house-holder shall cause to be present his family Art 2. The people being assembled before the Sermon one shall reade a Chapter out of the Canonicall Scripture onely and not out of the Apocrypha Bookes and that it be done by one that hath charge in the Church or of one of good conversation at the least Art 3. During the time of prayers every one shall kneele having the head bare Item during the time of singing of Psalmes and the administration of the Sacraments and whiles the Minister shall read his Text every one shall be uncovered and be attentive to that which is said and done of him Art 4. At the publike Catechismes which the Minister shall make on the Sunday after dinner he shall chuse a Text out of the Word of God which is agreeable unto the section he is to treate of and shall reade in the beginning of the said Text and shall have it for a foundation of the doctrine which shall be spoken of in the said section Art 5. The doores of the Church shall be shut after the Sermon and publike prayers to wipe away all superstition And the sears shall be set in good order that every one may commodiously understand the voice of the Minister preaching Art 6. The Churches which are dedicated to the speciall service of God shall not be imployed to any prophane uses And the Magistrate shall be desired that he would not hold there any civill jurisdiction CHAP. IX Of Baptisme Article I. THe holy Baptisme shall be administred in the Church after the preaching of the Word of God before the blessing Art 2. The Fathers of the children if they be not upon a voyage shall with the witnesses stand neere to the child to present it to God and make promise for the instruction of it as they are bound there to doe Art 3. None shall be received to present a childe at the Baptisme unlesse he have received the Lords Supper or else if he be not fit to receive it and that he make promise to doe it at the next Communion whereof if he be a stranger he shall bring testimony Art 4. He which would present a childe to be Baptised shall advertise the Minister in good time Art 5. The Minister shall not receive the names of Heathen of Idolls names attributed to God in the Scripture neither the names of Office as Angels Baptist Apostle Art 6. Every Parish shall register all their Baptismes of the Fathers Mothers and Witnesses of children and of the day wherein they were baptized and likewise of the Marriages and of the dayes all which shall be carefully kept CHAP. X. Of the Lords Supper Article I. THe holy Supper of our Lord Jesus Christ shall be celebrated foure times in the yeare at Easter or the first Sunday of Aprill the first Sunday of July the first Sunday of October and the first Sunday of Januarie And this shall be done after the Sermon the which shall be made expresly of this matter or at the least shall be touched at the latter end of the Sermon Art 2. They shall follow this order The Table shall be set in some commodious place by the Pulpit where they shall communicate in order being set which is most conformable to the first institution or standing as it is the custome of some Churches the men first and the women after and none shall goe away till after the thankesgiving and blessing of the people Art 3. Those which would communicate at the holy Supper shall be catechised first of all by the Minister to render a reason of their faith They ought to know the Lords Prayer the Articles of their faith and the ten Commandements at the least the substance of them and renounce the Pope the Masse and all Idolatry and Superstition Art 4. None shall be received to the holy Supper which is not of age and discretion and which hath not good testimony of his life and conversation and which doth not promise to subject himselfe to the discipline Art 5. If there be any which is accused in justice to have committed some crime he shall be exhorted to abstaine from the Communion till such time as he shall be justified Art 6. There shall not be received to the Lords Supper any of other Parishes without good testimony from his Pastor or of two of the Elders where there is no Minister Art 7. Those that will not be reconciled shall be deprived of