of Sin That as he is thus made partaker of the death of thy Son so he may be partaker of his resurrection So that finally with the residue of thy holy Congregation he may be inheritour of thine everlasting Kingdome through Jesus Christ our Lord. An exhortation to the Parents Godfathers or sureties For as much as these children have promised by you to forsake the Divell and all his works to believe in God and to serve him you must remember that it is your parts and duties to see that these infants be taught so soone as they shall be able to learne what a solemn vow promise and profession they have made by you And that they may know these things the better you shall call upon them to heare Sermons and chiefly you shall provide that they may learne the Creed the Lords Prayer and the Ten Commandements in the English tongue and all other things which a Christian ought to know and believe to his soules health and that these children may be vertuously brought up to lead a godly and Christian life remembring alwayes that Baptisme doth represent unto us our profession which is to follow the example of our Saviour Christ and to be made like unto him that as he died and rose againe for us so should we which are baptized die from sin and rise againe unto righteousnes continually mortifying all our evill and corrupt affections and dayly proceeding in all vertue and Godlynes of living THe Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the love of God and the Fellowship of the Holy Ghost be with us all everrmore Amen Now in case of necessity as when the childe is in danger of death the lawful Minister may briefly call upon God for his Grace and the childe being named by some one that is present may only cast Water upon the Childe and use the Form of words in Baptisme saying N. I Baptize thee in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Amen And let no man doubt but the Childe so Baptized is lawfully and sufficiently Baptized and ought not to be Baptized again THE COMMUNION The Exhortation before it DEarely Beloved in the Lord ye that mind to come to the holy Communion of the body and blood of our Saviour Christ must consider what St. Paul writeth to the Corinthians how he exhorteth all persons diligently to trie and examine themselves before they presume to eate of that bread and drink of that Cup. For as the benefit is great if with a true penitent heart and lively Faith we receive that holy Sacrament for then we spiritually eate the flesh of Christ and drinke his blood then we dwell in Christ and Christ in us we be one with Christ and Christ with us So is the danger great if we receive the same unworthily for then we be guilty of the body and blood of Christ our Saviour we eate and drinke our own judgement not considering the Lords body We kindle Gods wrath against us We provoke him to plague us with divers diseases and sundry kinds of death Therefore if any of you be a blasphemer of God and hinderer or slaunderer of his word an adulterer or be in malice or envy or in any other greivous crime bewaile your sins and come not to this holy Table least the divell enter into you as he entred into Judas and fill you full of all iniquities and bring you to destruction both of body and soule Judge therefore your selves bretheren that ye be not judged of the Lord. Repent you truely of your sins past have a lively and stedfast Faith in Christ our Saviour Amend your lives and be in perfect charity with all men So shall ye be meete partakers of those holy mysteries And above all things yee must give most humble and hearty thanks to God the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost for the redemption of the world by the death and passion of our Saviour Christ both God and man who did humble himselfe even to the death upon the Crosse for us miserable sinners which lay in darkness and shadow of death that he might make us the children of God and exalt us unto everlasting life And to the end we should alwayes remember the exceeding great love of our Master and only Saviour Jesus Christ thus dying for us and the innumerable benefits which by his pretious blood shedding he hath obtained to us He hath instituted and ordained holy Mysteries as pledges of his love and continuall remembrance of his death to our great and endlesse comfort To him therefore with the Father and the Holy Ghost let us give as we are bounden continuall thanks submitting our selves wholy to his holy will and pleasure and studying to serve him in true holynes and righteousnes all the dayes of our life You that thus do truely and earnestly repent you of your sinnes and be in love and charity with your neighbours and intend to lead a new life following the Commandements of God and walking from henceforth in his holy wayes you may draw neere and take this holy Sacrament to your comfort according to these comfortable words of our Saviour to all that truely turne unto him Come unto me all yee that are weary Mat. 11. 28. and heavie laden and I will refresh you So God loved the world that he John 3. 16. gave his only begotten Son to the end that all that believe in him should not perish but have everlasting life Or that of St. Paul This is a faithfull 1 Tim. 2. 5. saying and worthy of all men to be received that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners Or that of St. John If any man sinne we have an 1 John 2. 1 2. advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes In confidence of whose mercy let us make an humble and penitent confession of our sinns before Almighty God asking pardon for them and his efficacious blessing upon this his own ordinance meekly kneeling upon our knees Let us Pray ALmighty God Father of our Lord Jesus Christ maker of all things judge of all men wee acknowledge and bewaile our manifold sinnes and wickednes which we from time to time most grievously have committed by thought word and deed against thy Divine Majesty provoking most justly thy wrath and indignation against us But we do earnestly repent and are heartily sorry for these our misdoings the remembrance of them is grievous unto us the burthen of them is intolerable Have mercy upon us most mercifull Father for thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ's sake forgive us all that is past and grant that we may ever hereafter serve and please thee in newnes of life to the honor and glory of thy name And O Lord we do not presume to come to this thy table trusting in our own righteousnes but in thy manifold and great mercies We be not worthy so much as to gather up
also faithfully for their part by you that be their sureties profess the faith of Christ and promise that they will forsake the Divel and all his works and constantly believe Gods holy word and obediently keep his commandements Minister Doest thou in the name of this Childe promise to forsake the Devil and all his works the vain pomp and glory of the world with all covetous desires of the same the carnal desires of the flesh so that thou wilt not follow nor be led by them Answer I will forsake them all Minister Doest thou in the name of this Childe profess this Faith to Believe in God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord and that he was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary that he suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried descended into Hell and also did rise again the third day that he ascended into Heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty and from thence shall come again at the end of the world to judge the quick and the dead And doest thou in the name of this childe believe in the Holy Ghost the holy Catholick Church the communion of the Saints the Remission of sins the Resurrection of the flesh and everlasting life after death Answer All this I stedfastly believe Minister Wilt thou be Baptised And do you dedesire in the name of this Infant that he may be Baptized in this faith Answer That is my desire Now dearly beloved forasmuch as all men be conceived and born in sin and that our Saviour Christ saith none can enter into the Kingdome of God except he be regenerate and born anew I beseech you to call upon God the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ that of his bounteous mercy he will grant to these children that thing which by nature they cannot have that they may be baptized with water and the Holy Ghost and received into Christs holy Church and be made lively members of the same that our Lord Jesus Christ would vouchsafe to receive them to lay his hands upon them to bless them and release them of their sins to give them the Kingdome of Heaven and everlasting life Let us Pray ALmighty and everlasting God which of thy great mercy didst save Noah and his family in the Ark from perishing by water and also didst safely lead the children of Israel thy people through the red Sea figuring thereby thy holy baptisme and by the baptisme of thy welbeloved Son Jesus Christ didst sanctifie the flood Jordan and all other waters to the mystical washing away of sin we beseech thee for thine infinite mercies that thou wilt mercifully look upon these children sanctifie them and wash them with the Holy Ghost that they being delivered from thy wrath may be received into the Ark of Christs Church and being stedfast in faith joyful through hope and rooted in Charity may so pass the waves of this troublesome world that finally they may come to the land of Everlasting life there to reign with thee world without end And O Lord who art the aid of all that need the helper of all that flee to thee for succour the life of them that believe and the resurrection of the dead we call upon thee for these Infants that they coming to thy holy baptisme may receive remission of their sins by spiritual regeneration Receive them O Lord as thou hast promised by thy welbeloved Son saying ask and you shall have seek and you shall finde knock and it shall be opened unto you So give now unto us that ask let us that seek find open the gate unto us that knock that these Infants may enjoy the everlasting benediction of thy Heavenly washing and may come to thy Eternal Kingdome And O Heavenly Father we give thee humble thanks that thou hast vouchsafed to call us to the knowledge of thy grace and faith in thee Increase this knowledge and confirm this faith in us evermore Give thy Holy Spirit to these Infants that they may be born again and be made heirs of everlasting Salvation and as the way to attain it grant that the old Adam in these children may be so buried that the new man may be raised up in them and that all things belonging to the Spirit may live and grow in them That they may have power and strength to have victory and to triumph against the Devil the world and the flesh And grant that whosoever is here dedicated to thee by our office and ministrie may also be endowed with heavenly vertues and everlastingly rewarded through thy mercy And seeing we hear thy most dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins did shed out of his most precious side both water and blood and gave commandment to his Disciples that they should go and teach all Nations and baptize them in the Name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost regard we beseech thee the supplication of thy congregation and grant that these thy servants which shall be baptized in this water may receive the fulness of thy grace and ever remain in the number of thy faithful and elect children through Jesus Christ our Lord and onely Saviour Amen N. I Baptize thee in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost Amen We receive this child into the Congregation of Christs Flock * If they that bring the Children do defire it the Minister may add viz. and do signe him with the signe of the Crosse that so hereafter he may not be ashamed to confesse the faith of Christ crucified and manfully to fight under his banner against Sin the world and the Devill and to continue Christs faithfull Souldier and servant unto his lives end Amen Seeing now deerly beloved Brethren that these children have received the Sacrament of Regeneration and thus visibly grafted into the body of Christs Congregation Let us give thanks unto God for these benefits and with one accord make our prayers unto Almighty God that they may lead the rest of their life according to this beginning OUr Father which art in heaven hallowed be thy name Thy Kingdome come Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as wee forgive them that trespasse against us And lead us not into temptation but deilver us from evill For thine is the kingdome the power and the glory for ever Amen Wee yield thee hearty thanks most mercifull Father that it hath pleased thee to make this infant partaker of this Sacrament of Regeneration and thus to receive him for thy child by adoption and to incorporate him into thy holy congregation And humbly we beseech thee to grant that he being dead unto Sin and living unto righteousness and being buried with Christ in his death may crucifie the old man and utterly abolish the whole body
the crumbs under thy table But thou art the same Lord whose property is alwayes to have mercy We beseech thee therefore gratious Lord who of thy great mercy hath promised forgivenes of sinns to all them which with hearty repentance and true faith turne unto thee have mercy upon us pardon and deliver us from all our sinns confirme and strengthen us in all goodness and bring us to everlasting life And O Lord unto whom all hearts be open all desires known and from whom no secrets are hid cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy holy spirit that we may perfectly love thee and worthily magnify thy holy name And seeing it is meete right and our bounden duty that we should at all times and in all places lift up our hearts even lift them up unto the Lord in giving thanks unto our Lord God holy Almighty and Everlasting Father for all thy mercyes and blessings So do we now more specially prayse thee for thy Son and our Saviours incarnation who by the operation of the holy Ghost was made very man of the substance of the Virgin Mary his Mother and that without spot of sin to make us cleane from all sin But chiefly we are bound to prayse thee for the glorious resurrection of thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord for he is the very Paschall Lambe which was offered for us and hath taken away the sins of the world who by his death hath destroyed death and by his rising to life againe hath restored to us everlasting life Who also after his most glorious resurrection manifestly appeared to all his Apostles and in their sight ascended up into heaven to prepare a place for us that where he is thither might we also ascend and reigne with him in glory And we do also praise thee for that according to his most true promise unto them the holy Ghost came down from heaven with a sudden great sound as it had been a mighty wind in the likeness of fiery tongues lighting upon the Apostles to teach them and to leade them into all truth giving them both the gifts of divers languages and also boldness with servent zeale constantly to preach the Gospell unto all nations whereby we are and have been brought out of darkness and errour into the cleere light and true knowledge of thee and thy Son which art one God one Lord not one only person but three persons in one substance by whom we have been taught that what we believe of the glory of the Father the same we believe of the Son and of the Holy Ghost without any difference or inequality For these inestimable benefits we do with Angells and Arch Angells and with all the company of heaven laud and magnify thy glorious name evermore praysing thee and saying Holy Holy Holy Lord God of hoasts heaven and earth are full of thy glory Glory be to thee O Lord most High And O Heavenly Father who of thy tender mercy didst give thy only Son Jesus Christ to suffer death upon the Cross for our redemption who made there by his one oblation of himself once offered a full perfect and sufficient sacrifice oblation and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world and did institute and in his holy Gospel command us to continue a perpetual memory of that his precious death untill his coming again hear us O most merciful Father we beseech thee and grant that we receiving these thy creatures of bread and wine according to thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christs holy institution in remembrance of his death and passion may be partakers of his most blessed body and blood that we may so spiritually eat the flesh of thy dear Son Jesus Christ and drink his blood that our sinful bodies may be made clean by his body and our souls washed through his most precious blood and that we may evermore dwell in him and he in us and hereafter dwell with him in his Kingdome of glory even for Jesus Christ his sake our only Lord and Saviour Amen After this Prayer the Minister taking the Bread into his hand may stand up and say these words following Our Lord Jesus in the same night that he was betrayed took bread and when he had given thanks he brake it and gave it to his Disciples saying Take Eat this is my Body which is given for you do this in remembrance of me And taking the Cup into his hand may say Likewise after Supper he took the Cup and when he had given thanks he gave it to them saying Drink ye all of this for this is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins Do this as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me After the Minister hath received the Communion himself he may say thus in delivering the Bread and Cup to the several Communicants The Body of our Lord Jesus Christ which was given for thee preserve thy Body and Soul into everlasting life And take and eat this in remembrance that Christ died for thee and feed on him in thine heart by faith with thanksgiving The blood of our Lord Jesus Christ which was shed for thee preserve thy Body and Soul into everlasting life and drink this in remembrance that Christs blood was shed for thee and be thankful After the Communion is done this Hymn at the discretion of the Minister may be said which hath been of great Antiquity in the Church GLory be to God on high and in earth Peace good will towards men We praise thee we bless thee we worship thee we glorifie thee we give thanks unto thee for thy great glory O Lord God Heavenly King God the Father Almighty O Lord the only begotten Son Jesu O Christ Lord God Lamb of God Son of the Father that takest away the sins of the world have mercy upon us thou that takest away the sins of the world receive our Prayers thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father have mercy upon us for thou only art holy thou only art the Lord thou only O Christ with the Holy Ghost art most High in the glory of God the Father Let us Pray OUr Father which art in heaven hallowed be thy name Thy Kingdome come Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven Give us this day our daily bread And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespasse against us And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evill for thine is the kingdome the power and the Glory for ever Amen O Lord and Heavenly Father we thy humble servants entirely desire thy Fatherly goodness mercifully to accept this our Sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving most humbly beseeching thee to grant that by the merits of thy Son Jesus Christ and through faith in his blood we and all thy whole Church may obtain remission of our sins and all other benefits of his passion And here we offer and
present unto thee O Lord our selves our souls and bodies to be a reasonable holy and lively sacrifice unto thee humbly beseeching thee that all we which be partakers of this Holy Communion may be fulfilled with thy grace and Heavenly benediction And although we be unworthy through our manifold sins to offer unto thee any sacrifice yet we beseech thee to accept this our bounden duty and service not weighing our merits but pardoning our offences And seeing O Lord thou hast now vouchsafed by our duly receiving these holy mysteries to seed us with the spiritual food of the most precious body and blood of thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ and doest assure us thereby of thy favour and goodness towards us and that we be very members incorporate in thy mystical body which is the blessed company of all faithful people and be also heirs through hope of thy everlasting Kingdome by the merits of the most precious death and passion of thy dear Son We most humbly beseech thee O merciful Father so to assist us with thy grace that we may continue in that holy fellowship and do all such good works as thou hast prepared for us to walk in And do thou so dispose the wayes of thy â—ervants towards the attainment of everlasting salvation that among all the changes and chances of this mortal life they may ever be defended by thy most gracious and ready help And we beseech thee to direct sanctifie and govern both our hearts and bodies in the wayes of thy laws and in the works of thy Commandements that through thy most mighty protection both here and ever we may be preserved in body and soul And grant that the words which we have heard this day with our outward ears may through thy grace be so grafted inwardly in our hearts that they may bring forth in us the fruit of good living to the honour and praise of thy name And now O Lord who art the fountain of all wisdome which knowest our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking and who hast promised to hear the petitions of them that ask in thy Sons name we beseech thee mercifully to incline thine ears to us that have made now our Prayers and supplications unto thee and grant that those things which we have faithfully asked according to thy will may effectually be obtained to the relief of our necessitie and to the setting forth of thy glory through Jesus Christ our Lord by whom and with whom in the unitie of the Holy Ghost all honour and glory be unto thee O Father Almighty world without end Amen The Peace of God which passeth all understanding keep your hearts and mindes in the knowledge and love of God and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord and the blessing of God Almighty the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost be amongst you and remain with you alwayes Amen THE VISITATION of the SICK An Exhortation after this Form or the like DEarly beloved know this that Almighty God is the Lord of life and death and over all things to them pertaining as youth strength health age weakness and sickness wherefore whatsoever your sickness is know you certainly that it is Gods visitation And for what cause soever this sickness is sent unto you whether it be to try your patience for the example of others and that your faith may be found in the day of the Lord laudable glorious and honourable to the encrease of glory and endless felicitie or else it be sent unto you to correct and amend in you whatsoever doth offend the eyes of your heavenly Father know you certainly that if you truly repent you of your sins and bear your sickness patiently trusting in Gods mercy for his dear Son Jesus Christ his sake and render unto him humble thanks for his fatherly visitation submitting your self wholly unto his will it shall turn to your profit and help you forwards in the right way that leadeth unto everlasting life If the person visited be very sick then the Minister may end his exhortation in this place or else proceed as followeth Take therefore in good worth the chastisement of the Lord For whom the Lord loveth he chastiseth yea as St. Paul saith he scourgeth every son which he receiveth If ye endure chastisement he offereth himself unto you as unto his own children What son is he that the Father chastiseth not If ye be not under Correction whereof all true children are partakers then are ye bastards and not children Therefore seeing that when our carnal Fathers do correct us we reverently obey them shall we not much rather be obedient to our spiritual Father and so live And they for a few dayes do chastise us after their own pleasure but he doth chastise us for our profit to the intent that he may make us partakers of his holiness These words good brother are Gods words and written in holy Scripture for our comfort and instruction that we should patiently and with thanksgiving bear our heavenly Fathers correction whensoever by any manner of adversitie it shall please his gracious goodness to visit us And there should be no greater comfort to Christian persons then to be made like unto Christ by suffering patiently adversities troubles and sicknesses For he himself went not up to joy but first he suffered pain he entred not into his glory before he was crucified so truly our way to eternal joy is to suffer here with Christ and our door to enter into eternal life is gladly to die with Christ that we may rise again from death and dwell with him in everlasting life Now therefore taking your sickness which is thus profitable for you patiently I exhort you in the name of God to remember the profession which you made unto God in your Baptisme And for asmuch as after this life there is an account to be given unto the righteous Judge of whom all must be judged without respect of persons I require you to examine your self and your state both toward God and man so that accusing and condemning your self for your own faults you may finde mercy at our heavenly Fathers hand for Christs sake and not be accused and condemned in that fearful judgement Therefore I shall first shortly rehearse the articles of our faith that you may know whether you do believe as a Christian man should or no. Here the Minister may rehearse the Articles of the faith saying thus Dost thou believe in God the Father Almighty c. And so forth as it is in Baptisme And the Minister may do well to ask him whether he be in charity with all the world exhorting him to forgive from the bottome of his heart all persons that have offended him and if he have offended other to ask them forgiveness and where he hath done injury or wrong to any man that he make amends to the uttermost of his power And if he have not afore disposed of his goods that he then make
may receive the crown of righteousnesse laid up by the Lord the righteous Judge who liveth and reigneth one God with the Father and the holy Ghost world without end Amen Whereby it is evident if there were any negligence in the Bishop in preaching or other labours in the work of the Ministry the constitution was not defective in the exhortations of him and prayers for him accordingly nay it rather laies more upon him then it doth upon the Presbyâ—ers To conclude let the Reader take a view of the thirty sixt Article of religion of the Church of England and let him judge if they had not very good cause to approve as they there do this book of ordination and to declare that all such as have been or shall be ordered accordingly to be rightly and lawfully ordered and whether it had not been much better upon the disputes concerning it to have had some moderate accommodation then a totall suppression of it The Lord give us moderate spirits and a right understanding in all things ARTICLES AGREED UPON By the ARCH-BISHOPS and BISHOPS of both Provinces and the whole CLERGIE In the Convocation holden at LONDON in the yeer 1562. For the avoiding of diversities of opinions and for the establishing of Consent touching true RELIGION THE TABLE 1 OF faith in the Trinity 2 Of Christ the Son of God 3 Of his going down into hell 4 Of his Resurrection 5 Of the Holy Ghost 6 Of the sufficiency of the Scripture 7 Of the old Testament 8 Of the three Creeds 9 Of the Original sin 10 Of free-will 11 Of Iustification 12 Of good works 13 Of works before justification 14 Of works of supererogation 15 Of Christ alone without sin 16 Of sin after Baptism 17 Of Predestination and Election 18 Of obtaining salvation by Christ 19 Of the Church 20 Of the authority of the Church 21 Of the authority of the general councels 22 Of Purgatory 23 Of ministring in the congregation 24 Of speaking in the congregation 25 Of the Sacraments 26 Of the unworthiness of the Ministers 27 Of Baptisme 28 Of the Lords Supper 29 Of the wicked which eat not the body of Christ 30 Of both kindes 31 Of Christs one oblation 32 Of the marriage of Priests 33 Of excommunicate persons 34 Of Traditions of the Church 35 Of Homilies 36 Of consecration of Ministers 37 Of civil Magistrates 38 Of Christian mens goods 39 Of a Christian mans oath 40 Of the Ratification ARTICLES OF RELIGION I. Of Faith in the holy Trinity THere is but one living and true God everlasting without body parts or passions of infinit power wisdom and goodness the maker and preserver of all things both visible and invisible And in unity of this Godhead there be three persons of one substance power and eternity the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost II. Of the Word or Son of God which was made very man THe Son which is the Word of the Father begotten from everlasting of the Father the very and eternal God of one substance with the Father took mans nature in the womb of the blessed Virgin of her substance so that two whole and perfect natures that is to say the Godhead and manhâ—â—d were joyned together in one person neveâ— to be divided whereof is one Christ very God and very man who truly suffered was crucified dead and buried to reconcile his Father to us and to be a sacrifice not only for original guilt but also for actual sins of men III. Of the going down of Christ into Hell AS Christ died for us and was buried so also is it to be believed that he went down into Hell IV. Of the Resurâ—â—ction of Christ. CHrist did truly rise again from death and took again his body with flesh bones and all things appertaining to the perfection of mans nature wherewith he ascended into Heaven and there sitteth untill he return to judge all men at the last day V. Of the Holy Ghost THe Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son is of one substance Majesty and Glory with the Father and the Son very and eternal God VI. Of the sufficientcy of the holy Scriptures for salvation HOly Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation so that whatsoever is not read therein nor may be proved thereby is not to be required of any man that it should be believed as an Article of the faith or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation In the name of the holy Scripture we do understand those Canonical Books of the Old and New Testament of whose authority was never any doubt in the Church Of the names and numbers of the Canonical BOOKS GEnesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomium Joshue Judges Ruth The 1. Book of Samuel The 2. Book of Samuel The 1. Book of Kings The 2. Book of Kings The 1. Book of Chronicles The 2. Book of Chronicles The 1. Book of Esdras The 2. Book of Esdras The Book of Hester The Book of Job The Psalms The Proverbs Ecclesiastes or Preacher Cantica or songs of Solo. 4. Prophets the greater 12. Prophets the less And the other Books as Hierome saith the Church doth read for example of life and instruction of manners but yet doth it not apply them to establish any doctrine such are these following The 3. Book of Esdras The 4. Book of Esdras The Book of Tobias The Book of Judeth The rest of the Book of Hester The Book of Wisdome Jesus the son of Sirach Baruch the Prophet The song of the three Children The Story of Susanna Of Bell and the Dragon The prayer of Manasses The 1. book of Maccabees The 2. book of Maccahees All the books of the New Testament as they are commonly received we do receive and account them Canonical VI. Of the Old Testament THe old Testament is not contrary to the new for both in the old and new Testament everlasting life is offered to mankinde by Christ who is the only Mediator between God and man being both God and man Wherefore they are not to be heard which feign that the old fathers did look only for transitory promises Although the law given from God by Moses as touching Ceremonies and Rites do not binde Christian men nor the civil precepts thereof ought of necessity to be received in any Common wealth yet notwithstanding no Christian man whatsoever is free from the obedience of the commandments which are called moral VIII Of the three Creeds THe three Creeds Nice Creed Athanasius Creed and that which is commonly called the Apostles Creed ought thorowly to be received and believed for they may be proved by most certain warrants of holy Scripture IX Of original birth or sin ORiginal sin standeth not in the following of Adam as the Pelagians do vainly talk but it is the fault and corruption of the nature of every man that naturally is ingendred of the off-spring of Adam whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness and is of his own nature
shall have delivered up the Kingdome to God even the Father 24 when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power For he must reign till he hath put all enemies 25 under his feet The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death For he 26 hath put all things under his feet but 27 when he saith all things are put under him it is manifest that he is excepted which did put all things under him And when all things shall be subdued unto him then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all 28 things under him that God may be all in all Else what shall they do which 29 are baptized for the dead if the dead rise not at all Why are they then baptized for the dead And why stand 30 we in jeopardy every houre I protest 31 by your rejoycing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord I die dayly If after the manner of men I have fought with 32 beasts at Ephesus what advantageth it me if the dead rise not Let us eat and drink for to morrow we die Be not deceived evil communications 33 corrupt good manners Awake to righteousness and sin not for some 34 have not tbe knowledge of God I speak this to your shame But some man will say how are the dead raised up And 35 with what body do they come Thou fool 36 that which thou sowest is not quickned except it die And that which thou sowest thou sowest not that body which 37 shall be but bare grain it may chance of wheat or of some other grain But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased 38 him and to every seed his own body All flesh is not the same flesh but there is one 39 kinde of flesh of men another flesh of beasts another of fishes and another of birds There are also celestial bodies and 40 hodies terrestial but the glory of the celestial is one the glory of the terrestrial is another There is one glory of the sun 41 and another glory of the moon and another glory of the stars for one star differeth from another star in glory So also is the resurrection of the dead it 42 is sown in corruption it is raised in incorruption It is sown in dishonour 43 it is raised in glory it is sown in weakness it is raised in power It is 44 sown a natural body it is raised a spiritual body There is a natural body and there is a spiritual body And so 45 it is written The first man Adam was made a living soul the last Adam was made a quickning spirit Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual 46 but that which is natural and afterward that which is spiritual The first man is of the earth earthly the second 47 man is the Lord from heaven heavenly As is the earthly such are they that are 48 earthly and as is the heavenly such are they also that are heavenly And 49 as we have born the image of the earthly we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Now this I say brethren 50 that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdome of God neither doth corruption inherit incorruption Behold I shew you a mystery we shall not all 51 sleep but we shall all be changed In a moment in the twinkling of an eye 52 at the last trump for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall he changed For this corruptible must put on incorruption 53 and this mortal must put on immortality So when this corruptible 54 shall have put on incorruption and this mortal shall have put on immortality then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written Death is swallowed up in victory O Death where is thy 55 sting O grave where is thy victory The sting of death is sin and tbe strength 56 of sin is the law But thanks be to God 57 which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Therefore my beloved brethren be ye stedfast immovable alwayes abounding in the work 58 of the Lord for asmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. Welbeloved seeing we all know that with God do live the spirits of them that dâ—part hence in the Lord and that the souls of them that be elected after they be delivered from the burthen of the flesh be in joy and felicitie let us labour hereafter so to live in his fear that when he shall be pleased to accomplish the number of his elect and to hasten his kingdome or shall deliver us out of the miseries of this sinful world we may by his gracious goodness with all those departed in the true faith of his holy name have our perfect consummation bliss both in body soul in his eternal and everlasting glory And seeing we have heard that our Lord Jesus Christ is the resurrection and the life in whom whosoever believeth shall live though he die and whosoever liveth and believeth in him shall not die eternally who also hath taught us by his holy Apostle Paul not to be sorry as men without hope for them that sleep in him let us endeavour so to be here raised from the death of sin to the life of righteousness that when we shall depart this life we may rest in him as our hope is this our brother doth and at the general resurrection at the last day we may be sound acceptable in his sight and receive that blessing which his welbeloved Son shall then pronounce to all that love and fear him saying Come ye blessed children of my Father receive the Kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world Which God of his mercy grant us all The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with us all now and evermore Amen Prayers for the Fifth of November These Prayers following framed or approved by the reverend Bishops of that age do demonstrate how causelesly that conjunction of Prelacy and Popery hath been of late years continued to their reproach Prayers and Thanksgivings for the happy deliverance of his Majesty the Queen Prince and States of the Parliament from the most traiterous and bloody intended Massacre by Gunpowder November 5. 1605. I. ALmighty God who hast in all ages shewed thy power and mercy in the miraculous and gracious deliverances of thy Church and in the protection of righteous and religious Kings and States professing thy Holy and Eternal truth against the wicked conspiracies and malicious practises of all the enemies thereof we yield unto thee from the very ground of our hearts all possible praise and thanks for the wonderful and mighty deliverance of our gracious Soveraign King James the Queen the Prince and all the
the entrance into each the people were asked if any of them knew any impediment or notable crime in any of them now presented for the which they ought not to be admitted and were desired in the name of God to come forth and declare it and if any were objected the person accused was not to be ordained until such time as he had fully cleared himself of it The place where it was to be done was in the face of the Church or congregation on the Lords day or some other day of publick meeting the manner of the Ordination as followeth First for the Deacons THey were first commended unto God by the prayer of the whole congregation then some fitting portions out of holy Scripture were read before them containing their duties viz. 1 Tim. 3. from the 8. ver to the end of the Chapter Acts 6. from the 2. to the 8. After this the office of a Deacon was declared unto them many serious questions asked them some in matter of belief as whether they did believe they had an inward call by the motion of the Holy Ghost to take upon them that office and ministration and that their outward was according to the will of Christ that they did believe all the Canonical books of holy Scripture Some in matter of practice as whether they would frame their own lives and the lives of their families as examples unto others and would reverently obey their Governours and superiours hearkning to their admonitions c. To these there were solemn engagements for them accordingly in the presence of the congregation The manner of Ordaining was thus The Deacons being upon their knees the Bishop laid his hands severally upon the head of each of them saying Take thou Authority to execute the office of a Deacon in the Church of God committed unto thee In the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost Amen Then was delivered to each of them the New Testament saying Take thou authority to read the Gospel in the Church of God and to preach the same if thou be thereto ordinarily commanded And as an initiation of them one of them by appointment did read a portion out of the Gospel that day The oath of Supremacy administred unto each and the seasonable and sitting prayers both before imposition of hands and after and that they were that day to receive the Communion may be found in the book it self of which is here intended only a summary thus much for the inferiour office of the Deacon upon the experience and trial of whom in it for the space of a year except for reasonable causes it should be thought otherwise and being found faithful and diligent they might be admitted unto the higher ministries in the Church viz. unto the order of Priesthood or Presbyters which followeth The ordination of Presbyters NOw secondly for the manner of ordering of those admitted into the Ministry of Priesthood or Presbyters it was thus after the Sermon or exhortation wherein their office and duty was to be shewen unto them they were solemnly presented by a principal person for that end the consent and approbatition of the people was asked in these words following Good people these be they whom we purpose God willing to receive this day unto the holy office of Priesthood and after due examination we finde not to the contrary but that they be lawfully called to their function and ministrie and that they be persons meet for the same but yet if there be any of you which knoweth any impediment or notable crime of any of them for the which he ought not to be received into this holy ministrie now in the name of God declare the same c. And if any were objected the person was not to be ordained till he had cleared himself of it Those that were to be ordained were first commended as before unto God by the prayers of the whole congregation of which this was one viz. That God who is the giver of all good things and by his holy spirit had appointed diverse orders of Ministers in his Church would be pleased mercifully to behold these his servants now called to that office that he would replenish them so with the truth of doctrine and innocency of life that both by word and good example they might faithfully serve him in this office to the glory of his name and profit of his Church or congregation c. After Prayer some select portions out of holy Scripture containing their duties were read before them viz. Acts 20. 17. to the 36. From Mileto Paul sent messengers to Ephesus and called the Elders of the Church c. or 2 Tim. 3. 1. to the 8. If a man desire the office of a Bishop he desires a worthy work a Bishop must be blameless c. Mat. 28. 18 19 20. containing the Apostles commission from our Saviour or John 10. 11. to 17. chap. 20. 19. to 24. And then an Ancient Hymn said or sung as may be seen more at large in the book of Ordination These things premised then followed the Ordination it self first a grave solid exhortation and admonition directed to the persons to be ordained with divers serious questions and solemn engagements taken of them and I conceive 't is more profitable to have things of this nature punctually set down without any variation whereby all come to be a like obliged and each may have an often serious review of what was charged upon him and engaged by him then to have them left to the ordainers sudden transient expressions which cannot be well called to minde by either and for the same causes a set form of Prayer at these solemnities is the most prudent The Exhortation given by the Bishop to the persons ordained YOu have heard brethren as well in your private examination as in the exhortation and in the holy lessons taken out of the Gospel and of the writings of the Apostles of what dignity and of how great importance this office is whereunto ye be called And now we exhort you in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ to have in remembrance into how high a dignity and to how chargeable an office ye be called that is to say the messengers the watchmen the pastours and the stewards of the Lord to teach to premonish to feed and provide for the Lords family to seek for Christs sheep that be dispersed abroad and for his children which be in the middest of this naughty world to be saved through Christ for ever Have alwayes therefore printed in your remembrance how great a treasure is committed to your charge for they be the sheep of Christ which he bought with his death and for whom he shed his blood The Church and congregation whom you must serve is his spouse and his body And if it shall chance the same Church or any member thereof to take any hurt or hinderance by reason of your negligence ye know the greatness of the fault and also