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
thing against the same so besides the same ought it not to enforce any thing to be believed for necessity of salvation XXI Of the authority of general Councels GEneral Councels may not be gathered together without the commandment and will of princes And when they be gathered together forasmuch as they be an assembly of men whereof all be not governed with the spirit and word of God they may erre and sometime have erred even in things pertaining unto God wherefore things ordained by them as necessary to salvation have neither strength nor authority unless it may be declared that they be taken out of holy Scripture XXII Of Purgatory THe Romish doctrine concerning Purgatory Pardons worshipping and adoration as well of Jmages as of Reliques and also invocation of Saints is a fond thing vainly invented and grounded upon no warranty of Scripture but rather repugnant to the word of God XXIII Of ministring in the congregation It is not lawfull for any man to take upon him the office of publike preaching or ministring the Sacraments in the Congregation before he be lawfully called and sent to execute the same And those we ought to judge lawfully called and sent which be chosen and called to this work by men who have publike authority given unto them in the Congregation to call and send Ministers into the Lords vineyard XXIV Of speaking in the Congregation in such a tongue as the people understandeth IT is a thing plainly repugnant to the word of God and the custome of the Primitive Church to have publique prayer in the Church or to minister the Sacraments in a tongue not understanded of the people XXV Of the Sacraments SAcraments ordained of Christ be not onely badges or tokens of Christian mens profession but rather they be certain sure witnesses and effectuall signes of grace and Gods good will towards us by the which he doth work invisibly in us and doth not only quicken but also strengthen and confirm our faith in him There are two Sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gospel that is to say Baptisme and the supper of the Lord. Those five commonly called Sacraments that is to say Confirmation Penance Orders Matrimony and extream Unction are not to be counted for Sacraments of the Gospel being such as have grown partly of the corrupt following of the Apostles partly are states of life allowed in the Scriptures but yet have not like nature of Sacraments with Baptisme and the Lords Supper for that they have not any visible signe or ceremony ordained of God The Sacraments were not oâ—dained of Christ to be gazed upon or to be carried about but that we should duely use them And in such onely as worthily receive the same they have a wholsome effect or operation but they that receive them unworthily purchase to themselves damnation as S. Paul saith XXVI Of the unworthinesse of the Ministers which hinder not the effect of the Sacraments ALthough in the visible Church the evil be ever mingled with the good and sometime the evil have chief authority in the ministration of the word and Sacraments yet forasmuch as they do not the same in their own name but in Christs and do minister by his commission and authority we may use their ministery both in hearing the word of God and in the receiving of the Sacraments Neither is the effect of Christs ordinance taken away by their wickednesse nor the grace of Gods gifts diminished from such as by faith and rightly do receive the Sacraments ministred unto them which be effectuall because of Christs institution and promise although they be ministred by evill men Neverthelesse it appertaineth to the discipline of the Church that enquiry be made of evil Ministers and that they be accused by those that have knowledge of their offences and finally being found guilty by just judgement be deposed XXVII Of Baptisme BAptisme is not onely a signe of profession and mark of difference whereby Christian men are discerned from others that be not Christned but it is also a signe of Regeneration or new birth whereby as by an instrument they that receive Baptisme rightly are grafted into the Church the promises of the forgivenesse of sin and of our adoption to be the sons of God by the holy Ghost are visibly signed and sealed faith is confirmed and grace increased by vertue of prayer unto God The Baptisme of young children is in any wise to be retained in the Church as most agreeable with the institution of Christ XXVIII Of the Lords Supper THe Supper of the Lord is not onely a signe of the love that Christians ought to have among themselves one to another but rather it is a Sacrament of our redemption by Christs death Insomuch that to such as rightly worthily and with faith receive the same the bread which we break is a partaking of the body of Christ and likewise the Cup of blessing is a partaking of thâ— blood of Christ Transubstantiation or the change of the substance of Bread and wine in the Supper of the Lord cannot be proved by holy writ but it is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture overthroweth the nature of a Sacrament and hath given occasion to many superstitions The body of Christ is given taken and eaten in the Supper onely after an heavenly and spirituall manner And the mean whereby the body of Christ is received and eaten in the Supper is Faith The Sacrament of the Lords Supper was not by Christs ordinance reserved carried about lifted up or worshipped XXIX Of the wicked which eat not the body of Christ in the use of the Lords Supper THe wicked and such as be void of a lively faith although they do carnally and visibly presse with their teeth as S. Augustine saith the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ yet in no wise are they partakers of Christ but rather to their condemnation do eat and drink the signe or Sacrament of so great a thing XXX Of both kindes THe Cup of the Lord is not to be denied to the Lay-people For both the parts of the Lords Sacrament by Christs ordinance and commandment ought to be ministred to all Christian men alike XXXI Of the one oblation of Christ finished upon the Crosse THe offering of Christ once made is that perfect redemption propitiation and satisfaction for all the sins of the whole world both originall and actuall and there is none other satisfaction for sin but that alone Wherefore the sacrifices of Masses in the which it was commonly said that the Priest did offer Christ for the quick and the dead to have remission of pain or guilt were blasphemous fables and dangerous deceits XXXII Of the marriage of Priests BIshops Priests and Deacons are not commanded by Gods law either to vow the estate of single life or to abstain from marriage Therefore it is lawfull also for them as for all other Christian men to marry at their own discretion as they shall judge
of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost Question What is the inward and spirituall Grace Answer A death unto sinne and a new birth unto righteousnesse For being by nature borne in sinne and the children of wrath we are hereby * i. e. Sacramentally made the children of grace Question What is required of persons to be baptized Answer Repentance whereby they forsake sinne and faith whereby they stedfastly believe the promises of God made to them in the Sacrament Question Why then are infants baptized when by reason of their tender age they cannot performe them Answer Yes they do perform them by their sureties who promise and vow them both in their names which when they come to age themselves are bound to perform Question Why was the Sacrament of the Lords Supper ordained Answer For the continual remembrance of the sacrifice of the death of Christ and the benefits which we receive thereby Question What is the outward part or signe of the Lords Supper Answer Bread and wine which the Lord hath commanded to be received Question What is the inward part or thing signified Answer The body and blood of Christ which are verily and indeed taken and received of the faithful in the Lords Supper Question What are the benefits whereof we are partakers thereby Answer The strengthning and refreshing of our souls by the body and blood of Christ as our bodies are by the bread and wine Question What is required of them which come to the Lords Supper Answer To examine themselves whether they repent them truly of their former sins stedfastly purposing to lead a new life have a lively faith in Gods mercy through Christ with a thankful remembrance of his death and be in charity with all men CONFIRMATION of Children upon their repeating this Catechisme was an Ancient and laudable custome who thereby took upon themselves the profession and performance of that which had been promised in their names at Baptisme which Calvin and other Divines of the Reformed Churches in his time did much lament the disuse of and wished it were restored the substance of which was as followeth The Prayer for the Children before CONFIRMATION ALmighty and everliving God who hast vouchsafed to admit these thy servants to the Sacrament of regeneration by water and the holy Ghost and given them the seal of forgiveness of sins and who have now in their own persons professed what had been before promised in their names strengthen them we beseech thee with thy Holy Ghost the comforter and dayly increase in them the manifold gifts of grace the spirit of wisdome and understanding the spirit of counsel and ghostly strength the spirit of knowledge and true godliness and fulfil them with the spirit of thy holy fear Amen After this Prayer the Bishop laying his hand on each Childe sayeth DEfend O Lord this Childe with thy Heavenly grace that he may continue thine for ever and dayly increase in thy holy spirit more and more until he come unto thy everlasting Kingdome Amen The Prayer after Confirmation ALmighty and everliving God which maketh us both to will and to do those things that be good and acceptable unto thy majesty we make our humble supplications unto thee for these children upon whom after the example of the holy Apostles we have laid our hands to certifie them by this signe of thy favour and gracious goodness towards them let thy fatherly hand we beseech thee ever be over them let thy holy spirit ever be with them and so lead them in the knowledge and obedience of thy word that in the end they may obtain everlasting life through our Lord Jesus Christ who with thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth one God world without end Amen The Blessing to the Children THe blessing of God Almighty the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost be upon you and remain with you for ever Amen Vpon a day of FASTING or HVMILIATION This taken out of that which was called the Commination against Sinners may be useful upon a private day of Fasting or Humiliation the exhortation being as followeth WE read in the book of Deuteronomy and other places of Scripture of divers curses solemnly pronounced against notorious and impenitent sinners to the end that being admonished of the great indignation of God against them they may be the rather called to earnest and true repentance and may walk more warily in these dangerous times and flee from such vices for which God may justly suffer his wrath to break forth against us And therefore seeing as David also beareth witness Psalm 119. 21. That all they be accursed which do erre and go astray from the Commandements of God let us remembring the dreadful judgement hanging over our heads and being alwayes at hand return unto our Lord God with all contrition and meekness of heart bewailing and lamenting our sinful life knowledging and confessing our offences and seeking to bring forth worthy fruits of repentance For now Mat. 3. 10. is the axe put unto the root of the trees so that every tree which bringeth not good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire It is a fearful thing to fall into the Heb. 10. 31. hands of the living God he shall poure down rain upon the sinners snares fire Psal 11. 6. and brimstone storm and tempest this shall be their portion to drink For loe the Lord is come out of his place Isa 26. 26. to visit the wickedness of such as dwell upon the earth But who may abide the Mal. 3. 2. day of his coming Who shall be able to endure when he appeareth His fan is in his hand and he will purge his floor Mat. 3. 12. and gather his wheat into the barn but he will burn the chaffe with unquenchable fire The day of the Lord 1 Thes 5. 2. cometh as a Thief in the night and when men shall say peace and all things are safe then shall sudden destruction come upon them as sorrow cometh upon a woman travelling with childe and they shall not escape Then Rom. 2 4. shall appear the wrath of God in the day of vengeance which obstinate sinners through the stubbornness of their heart have heaped unto themselves which despised the goodness patience and long sufferance of God when he called them contiually to repentance Then shall they call upon me Prov. 1. 28. saith the Lord but I will not hear they shall seek me early but they shall not finde me and that because they hated knowledge and received not the fear of the Lord but abhorred my counsel and despised my correction Then shall it be too late to knock when Mat. 2â— 10. the door shall be shut and too late to cry for mercy when it is the time of justice O terrible voice of most just judgement which shall be pronounced upon them when it shall be said unto them Go ye cursed Mat. 4. 1. into the fire everlasting
DEVOTIONS Of the ANCIENT CHVRCH In Seaven Pious PRAYERS with Seaven ADMINISTRATIONS Collected for a private use and now at the desire of some judicious persons made publick Luke 5. 39. No man having drunk old wine straightway desires new for he saith the Old is better LONDON Printed for R. Royston at the Angel in Ivy-lane 1660. The PREFACE THat there may be good use of a set form of Prayer cannot be gainsaid without the censure of the Ancient and present reformed Churches condemning the judgement and practice of the most eminent Divines not only the Episcopal but Mr. Rogers Mr. Egerton Mr. Heldersham Dr. Gouge Dr. Preston Dr. Sibbs with others which also appears by that book conceived to be of Mr Cartwrights penning entituled The form of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments agreeable to Gods word and the use of the reformed Churches wherein is enjoyned a constant use of the Lords Prayer both after the Ministers prayer before Sermon â—â—d in each other service Bapâ—isme Communion c. and 〈◊〉 title of Common Prayer now slighted is there often â—â—â—ned such as have been and are reputed otherwise And if so why not the old being taken out of the most Ancient Liturgies unless that must be its reproach which with Jeremiah cap. 6. 6. is its reputation The matter is granted by all to be holy and good and if a formality be the only barre to its reassuming why might not each party for unitysake hearken to some accommodation to suppress the whole is to blur the compilers of it some of whom suffered Martyrdome by the Sea of Rome but a review in the exchange of some few expressions for the better reception of it in an after age may be a friendly office Such as observe no form do frequently in sacred administrations fall into impertinencies where each Minister takes his own there cannot but be an inequality of those performances in several congregations and the refusing to submit to any but our own argues a too much valuing of our selves and too little of that humility and lowliness of minde which best becomes the Ministers of the Gospel The framing of a new Liturgy which some of both parties have been attempting will not attain its desired end by the present much lamented disaffection between them that what the one shall commend the other will dislike and an equal mixture of a new composure with the old will be but as the putting of a new piece to an old Garment whereby the rent will be the worse so that there can be no such probable way of healing up the breach among us in this particular as by some prudent consideration of that which was framed by our fore-fathers and with which most of us have been educated for which submitting one to another in circumstantials we have the examples of St. Paul and other of the Apostles And it is some evidence such are the stronger in knowledge on either side who upon this exigency are the most apt to yield in them and those the weaker that stand most upon them rather hazarding the shipwrack of the whole then permit the casting over-board some goods of the least value zeal is an excellent vertue but without a bridle may run the person headlong upon dangerous inconveniences as there extremity is to be condemned who will have none of the old at all so is theirs not justifiable who will have all i. e. every particular rite and circumstance or none a moderation between both is the more prudential In this book is the matter of the whole only with some diversity in the form method and dispensing with a few causelesly offensive passages Many short prayers found in the same service or administration for which St. Augustine commends the Aethiopick Liturgies and others prudently appointed for some special dayes and annual commemorations are here with the several Exhortatives in satisfaction of a very weak objection drawn into one body And if the Lords Prayer do appear once in each I suppose it will be judged very convenient by which with the Creed and Ten Commandements in the old form constantly repeated the fundamentals of religion were preserved in the memories of the vulgar which by these late years neglect have been almost worn out of them and in the younger sort who have never or very rarely heard of them there is found a grosser ignorance then in the elder This caveat is only entred that if the Reader do sometimes meet with an exchange or omission of any rite or clause in either let him not conclude them to be removed by a writ of errour but be looked upon as innocent honourable persons offering themselves to die for the peace of their Country And as the aime of all our endeavours ought to be for the restauration of that Primitive union when the Church was of one heart and one soul so it will be the prudence of us notwithstanding our judgements are still firm for the old form without the least alteration to shew it in our meekness of compliance accordingly for that end It being one of the best evidences of a true son of the Church of England to be willing to bear with somewhat cross to his own opinion for the peace of his Mother In a word most of these particulars following were drawn up by the Author long agoe for a private use and though they be now printed which was desired by such whose judgements are sufficiently known to be for the Liturgy of the Church of England yet in regard the principal Administrations are stil too frequently so confin'd it is possible they may not transgress that intended limit of them and the experimental acceptation which they found then with the moderate sort of both parties in the hearing gives the like probability now in the reading Howsoever being thus barely presented without any presumptuous proposal for the publick use as a copy for others to write after I know no cause of censure it can incur in the publishing unless it be for observing that advice of St. Paul Let your moderation be known unto all men The Contents of the Book Diverse brief prayers used by the Church at each are here drawn into one 1. A Prayer for the Morning page 1. 2. A Prayer for the Evening pag. 6. Consisting of the ancient Collects or prayers appointed for each Sunday in the year 3. A prayer for the Morning pag. 9. 4. A prayer for the Evening pag. 13. Composed of the like used upon the Festivals of the Apostles and Evangelists 5. A most profitable prayer pag. 19. Meditations upon our Saviours Incarnation Birth circumcision passion resurrection ascension c. used by the Church upon those and the like Festivities 6. A heavenly prayer pag. 23. Full of faith containing the articles of it and full of Charity in praying for all degrees of men and all sorts of blessings for them called heretofore the Letany drawn without the responds into one continued Prayer 7. An
the Kingdome the power and the glory for ever Amen A Prayer for the Evening II. ALmighty God from whom all holy desires all good Counsells and all just works do proceed give unto thy servants that peace which the world cannot give that both our hearts may be set to obey thy commandements and also that by thee we being defended from the feare of our enemies may passe our time in rest and quietnes And we beseech thee O Lord to lighten our darknes and by thy great mercy defend us from all perills and dangers of this night following and grant that by thy preventing us in all our doings with thy most gratious favour and furthering us with thy continuall helpe we may in all our works begun continued ended in thee glorifie thy holy name and finally by thy mercy attaine everlasting life And seeing thou hast by thy holy Apostle taught us to make prayers and supplications and give thanks for all men Wee humbly beseech thee most mercifully to receive these our prayers which we offer unto thy divine Majesty beseeching thee to inspire continually the universall Church with the Spirit of truth unity and concord And grant that all they that do confesse thy holy name may agree in the truth of thy holy word and live in unity and godly love We beseech thee for such as are in authority over us that under them we may be godly and quietly governed And grant to the Magistrates that they may truely and indifferently minister justice to the punishment of wickednes and vice and to the maintenance of Gods true religion and vertue Give grace O heavenly Father to all Bishops Pastors and Ministers of thy word that they may both by their life and doctrine set forth thy true and lively word and rightly and duely administer thy holy Sacraments and to all thy people give thy heavenly grace and specially to us here present that with meeke heart and due reverence we may heare and receive thy holy word truely serving thee in holiness and righteousnes all the dayes of our lives And we most humbly beseech thee of thy goodness O Lord to comfort and succour all them which in this transitory life be in trouble sorrow need sicknes or any other adversity And thou O Lord who hast promised to heare the petitions of them that aske in thy Sons name we beseech thee mercifully to encline thine eare to us that have made now our prayers and supplications unto thee and grant those things which we have faithfully asked according to thy will may effectually be obtained to the relief of our necessities and to the setting forth of thy glory through Jesus Christ our Lord in whose name and words we further pray OUr Father which art in heaven hallowed by 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 trespasse as wee forgive them that trespasse against us And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evill Amen A Prayer for the Morning III. ALmighty and Everlasting God which hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning grant that we may in such wise heare read marke learne and inwardly digest them that by patience and comfort of thy holy word we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life which thou hast given us in our blessed Saviour And give us grace that we may cast away the workes of darkenes and put on the armour of light now in the time of this mortall life when the true light thy Son Christ Jesus hath come to visit us in great humility that in the last day when he shall come in his glorious Majesty to judge both the quick and the dead we may through him rise to immortall life And we beseech thee to lighten our hearts by thy gratious visitation to raise up thy power and come among us and with thy great might succour us that whereas through our sins and wickednes we be sore let and hindered thy bountifull grace and mercy through the satisfaction of thy Son our Lord may speedily deliver us And mercifully receive the prayers of thy people which call upon thee and grant that they may both perceive and know what things they ought to do and also may have grace and power from thee to fulfill the same that so under thy governance who rulest all things in heaven and earth they may have peace continued to them all dayes of their lives And seeing O Lord thou knowest our infirmities looke favourably upon us and in all our dangers and necessities stretch forth thy right hand to helpe and defend us Thou seest how we are set in the midst of many and great perills that for mans frailnes we cannot alway stand uprightly Grant us the health both of body and soule that all those things which we suffer for sin by thy helpe we may overcome And we beseech thee to keepe thy Church and household continually in thy true religion that they which do leane only upon hope of thy heavenly grace may evermore be defended by thy mighty power and though we be justly punished for our offences yet we may mercifully be delivered by thy goodnes to the glory of thy name And O Lord which seest that we put not our trust in any thing we do and that thou hast taught us that all our doings without charity are nothing worth send thy holy Ghost and poure into our hearts that most excellent gift of charity the very bond of peace and all vertue without the which whosoever liveth is counted dead before thee And seeing we heare thou wilt forgive the sinnes of all them that be penitent Create and make in us new and contrite hearts that we worthily lamenting our sinnes and acknowledging our wretchednes may obtaine of thee the God of all mercy a present remission and forgivenes And may through thy grace continually use such abstinence that our corrupt flesh being subdued to the Spirit we may ever obey thy godly motions in righteousness and true holines to thy honor and glory And O Lord which doest see that we have no power of our selves to helpe our selves keepe thou us this day both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our soules that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body and from all evill thoughts which may assault and hurt the soule We beseech the thus to looke upon the heartie desires of thy humble servants and stretch forth the right hand of thy Majesty in the defence of us against all our enemies that we which for our evill deeds are worthily punished by the comfort of thy grace may mercifully be relieved and by thy great goodness may be governed and preserved ever more both in body and Soule unto thy eternall kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord in whose name and words we call upon thee saying Our Father which art in
forefathers Abraham and his seed for ever Or Psalm 98. O Sing unto the Lord a new song for he hath done marvellous things With his own right hand and with his holy arm hath he gotten himself the victory The Lord declared his salvation his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen He hath remembred his mercy and truth toward the house of Israel and all the ends of the world have seen the salvation of our God Shew your selves joyful unto the Lord all ye lands sing rejoyce and give thanks Praise the Lord upon the harp sing to the harp with a Psalm of thanksgiving With trumpets also and shawms O shew â—our selves joyful before the Lord the King Let the Sea make a noise and all that therein is the round world and they that dwell therein Let the floods clap their hands and let the hills be joyful together before the Lord for he is come to judge the earth With righteousness shall he judge the world and the people with equity Luke 2. 29. (e) This or the next were wont to be read at the Evening after the second chapt LOrd now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy Word For mine eyes have seen thy salvation Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people To be a light to lighten the Gentiles and to be the glory of thy people Israel Or Psalm 67. GOd be merciful unto us and bless us and shew us the light of his countenance and be merciful unto us That thy way may be known upon earth thy saving health among all nations Let the people praise thee O God yea let all the people praise thee O let the nations rejoyce and be glad for thou shalt judge the folk righteously and govern the nations upon earth Let the people praise thee O God let all the people praise thee Then shall the earth bring forth her increase and God even our own God shall give us his blessing God shall bless us and all the ends of the world shall fear him Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen The repetition of this ancient doxology had this pious intention viz. to keep the mystery of the blessed Trinity in the mindes of the vulgar who else may be in danger to forget it Which with the other according to the rule were to be read by the Minister alone and not interchangeably by the people though the common practice had prevailed otherwise The Creed (f) This was wont to be read after the second chapter both at morning and evening I Believe in God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and earth and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord which was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried he descended into Hell the third day he rose again from the dead he ascended into Heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead I believe in the Holy Ghost the holy Catholick Church the communion of Saints the forgiveness of sins the Resurrection of the Body and the life everlasting Amen The Nicene Creed (g) This was used to be read in the morning I Believe in one God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible and in one Lord Jesus Christ the only begotten Son of God begotten of his Father before all worlds God of God Light of Light very God of very God begotten not made being of one substance with the Father by whom all things were made who for us men and for our salvation came down from Heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary and was made man and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate He suffered and was buried and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures and ascended into Heaven and sitteth on the right hand of the Father And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead whose kingdom shall have no end And I believe in the Holy Ghost the Lord and giver of life who proceedeth from the Father and the Son who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified who spake by the Prophets And I believe one Catholick and Apostolick Church I acknowledge one Baptisme for the remission of sins And I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come Amen The Creed of Athanasius commonly so called (h) This was appointed to be read about thirteen times in the year to the people if it were now read once a month it were very convenient WHosoever will be saved before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholick faith Which faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled without doubt he shall perish everlastingly And the Catholick faith is this that we worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity Neither confounding the persons nor dividing the substance For there is one person of the Father another of the Son and another of the Holy Ghost But the God-head of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost is all one the glory equal the Majesty coeternal Such as the Father is such is the Son and such is the Holy Ghost The Father uncreate the Son uncreate and the Holy Ghost uncreate The Father incomprehensible the Son incomprehensible and the Holy Ghost incomprehensible The Father eternal the Son eternal and the Holy Ghost eternal And yet they are not three eternals but one eternal As also there are not three incomprehensibles nor three uncreated but one uncreated and one incomprehensible So likewise the Father is Almighty the Son Almighty and the Holy Ghost Almighty And yet they are not three Almighties but one Almighty So the Father is God the Son is God and the Holy Ghost is God And yet they are not three Gods but one God So likewise the Father is Lord the Son Lord and the Holy Ghost Lord. And yet not three Lords but one Lord. For like as we be compelled by the Christian verity to acknowledge every person by himself to be God and Lord. So are we forbidden by the Catholick Religion to say there be three Gods or three Lords The Father is made of none neither created nor begotten The Son is of the Father alone not made nor created but begotten The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son neither made nor created nor begotten but proceeding So there is one Father not three Fathers one Son not three Sons one Holy Ghost not three Holy Ghosts And in this Trinity none is afore or after other none is greater or less then another But the whole three persons be coeternal together and coequal So
evermore from all perils to glorifie thee which art the onely giver of all victory through the merits of thy onely Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen In time of any common plague or sickness O Almighty God which in thy wrath in the time of King David didst slay with the plague of pestilence threescore and ten thousand and yet remembring thy mercy didst save the rest have pitty upon us miserable sinners that now are visited with great sickness and mortality that like as thou didst then command thine Angel to cease from punishing so it may now please thee to withdraw from us this plague and grievous sickness through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Or this O God whose nature and property is ever to have mercy and to forgive receive our humble petitions and though we be tyed and bound with the chain of our sins yet let the pitifulness of thy great mercy loose us for the honour of Jesus Christs sake our only mediator and advocate Amen A thanksgiving for rain O God our Heavenly Father who by thy gracious providence dost cause the former and the latter rain to descend upon the earth that it may bring forth fruit for the use of man we give thee humble thanks that it hath pleased thee in our greatest necessity to send us at the last a joyful rain upon thine inheritance and to refresh it when it was dry to the great comfort of us thy unworthy servants and to the glory of thy holy Name through thy mercies in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A thanksgiving for fair weaâ—her O Lord God who hast justly humbled us by thy late plague of immoderate rain and waters and in thy mercy hast relieved and comforted our souls by this seasonable and blessed change of weather we praise and glorifie thy holy Name for this thy mercy and will alwayes declare thy loving kindness from generation to generation through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A thanksgiving for plenty O Most merciful Father which of thy gracious goodness hast heard the devout prayers of thy Church and turned our dearth and scarcity into cheapness and plenty we give thee humble thanks for this thy special bounty beseeching thee to continue this thy loving kindness unto us that our land may yield us her fruits of increase to thy glory and our comfort through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A thanksgiving for peace and victory O Almighty God which art a strong tower of defence unto thy servants against the face of their enemies we yield thee praise and thanksgiving for our deliverance from those great and apparent dangers wherewith we were compassed we acknowledge it thy goodness that we were not delivered over as a prey unto them beseeching thee still to continue such thy mercies toward us that all the world may know that thou art our Saviour and mighty deliverer through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A thanksgiving for deliverance from the plague O Lord God which hast wounded us for our sins and consumed us for our transgressions by thy late heavy and dreadful visitation and now in the midst of judgement remembring mercy hast redeemed our souls from the jaws of death we offer unto thy fatherly goodness our selves our souls and bodies which thou hast delivered to be a living sacrifice unto thee alwayes praising and magnifying thy mercies in the midst of the congregation through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Or this WE humbly acknowledge before thee O most merciful Father that all the punishments which are threatned in thy law might justly have fallen upon us by reason of our manifold transgressions and hardness of heart yet seeing it hath pleased thee of thy tender mercy upon our weak and unworthy humiliation to asswage the noisome pestilence wherewith we lately have been sore afflicted and to restore the voice of joy and health into our dwellings we offer unto thy divine Majesty the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving lauding and magnifying thy glorious Name for such thy preservation and providence over us through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Thanksgiving for women after Child-birth O Almighty God we bless and praise thy name that thou hast of thy goodness given safe deliverance unto this woman thy servant and hast preserved her from the great pain and peril of Child-birth grant we beseech thee most merciful Father that she through thy help may both faithfully live and walk in her vocation according to thy will in this life present and also may be partaker of everlasting glory in the life to come through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen After which this blessing may be pronounced to her AS thy help hath been hitherto in the name of the Lord who hath made Heaven and earth even so the Lord himself still be thy keeper and thy defence upon thy right hand the Lord preserve thee from evil yea it is even he that shall keep thy soul the Lord preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth for evermore Amen Seven ADMINISTRATIONS 1. Baptisme 2. Communion 3. Visiting the Sick 4. Catechisme with Conformation 5. Day of fasting or Humiliation 6. Matrimony 7. An Exhortation at the Burial BAPTISME Welbeloved in the Lord Hear the words of the Gospel written by St. Mark in the Tenth Chapter AT a certain time they brought Children to Christ that he should touch them and his Disciples rebuked those that brought them But when Jesus saw it he was displeased and said unto them Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not for to such belongeth the Kingdome of God Verily I say unto you whosoever doth not receive the Kingdome of God as a little Childe he shall not enter therein And when he had taken them up in his arms he put his hands upon them and blessed them Friends you hear in this Gospel the words of our Saviour Christ that he commanded the children to be brought unto him how he blamed those that would have kept them from him how he exhorted all men to follow their innocencie You perceive how by his outward gesture and deed he declared his good will toward them for he embraced them in his arms he laid his hands upon them and blessed them Doubt you not therefore but earnestly believe that he will likewise favourably receive these present Infants that he will embrace them with the arms of his mercy that he will give unto them the blessing of Eternal life and make them partakers of his everlasting Kingdome Wherefore we being thus perswaded of the good will of our Heavenly Father towards these infants declared by his Son Jesus Christ and nothing doubting but that he favourably alloweth this charitable work of ours in bringing these Children to his holy Baptisme let us proceed accordingly in it Welbeloved friends ye have brought these children here to be Baptized ye have heard the gracious promise made by Christ unto them which he for his part will most surely keep and perform wherefore these Infants must
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
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
as their own bodies He that loveth his wife loveth himself for no man ever yet hated his own flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it even as the Lord the Church for we are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and shall be joyned unto his wife and they two shall be one flesh This is a great mystery but I speak concerning Christ and the Church Nevertheless let every one of you in particular love his wife even as himself Likewise the same St. Paul writing to the Colossians speaketh thus Colos 3. 9. to all men that be married Husbands love your wives and be not bitter against them Hear also what St. Peter the Apostle of Christ which was himself 1 Pet. 3. 7. a married man saith unto all men that are married Ye husbands dwell with your wives according to knowledge giving honour unto the wife as unto the weaker vessel as being heirs together of the grace of life that your prayers be not hindered Hitherto ye have heard the duty of the husband toward the wife now hear the wives duty towards the husband even as it is plainly set forth in holy Scripture Saint Paul in the forenamed Epistle to the Ephesians teacheth you thus Ye women submit your selves Ephes 5. 22. unto your own husbands as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the Church and he is the Saviour of the body Therefore as the Church is subject unto Christ so let the wives be to their own husbands in all things And again he saith Let the wife reverence her husband And in his Epistle to the Colossians St. Paul giveth you this short lesson Ye wives submit your selves unto your own husbands as unto the Lord. St. Peter also doth instruct you very godly thus saying Let wives be subject to their own husbands so that if any obey not the word they may without the word be wonne by the conversation of the wives while they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of platted hair and wearing of gold or of putting on of apparel but let it be the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which is a precious thing in the sight of God For after this manner in the old time did the holy women which trusted in God adorn themselves being in subjection to their own husbands even as Sarah obeyed Abraham calling him Lord whose daughters ye are as long as ye do well and not being dismayed with any fear These are your duties which if you shall observe that blessing in the 128. Psalm may be your portion BLessed are all they that fear the Lord and walk in his wayes For thou shalt eat the labour of thy hands O well is thee and happy shalt thou be Thy wife shall be as the fruitful vine upon the walls of thine house Thy children like the olive branches round about thy table Lo thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord. The Lord from out of Sion shall so blesse thee that thou shalt see Jerusalem in prosperity all thy life long Yea thou shalt see thy childrens children and peace upon Israel Dearly beloved friends we are gathered together here in the sight of God and in the face of his congregation to joyn together this man and this woman in holy matrimony which is an honorable estate instituted of God in paradise in the time of mans innocency signifying unto us the mysticall union that is betwixt Christ and his Church which holy estate Christ adorned and beautified with his presence and first miracle that he wrought in Cana of Galilee and is commended of St. Paul to be honorable among all men and therefore is not to be enterprised nor taken in hand unadvisedly lightly or wantonly to satisfie mens carnall lusts and appetites like brute beasts that have no understanding but reverently discreetly advisedly soberly and in the feare of God duly considering the causes for which Matrimony was ordained One was the procreation of children to be brought up in the feare and nurture of the Lord and praise of God Secondly it was ordained for a remedy against sinne and to avoid fornication that such persons as have not the gist of continency might marry and keepe themselves undefiled members of Christs body Thirdly for the mutuall society helpe and comfort that the one ought to have of the other both in prosperity and adversity into the which holy state these two persons present come now to be joyned Therefore if any man can shew any just cause why they may not lawfully be joyned together let him now speake or else hereafter for ever hold his peace And also speaking to the persons that shall be married he may say I require and charge you as you will answer at the dreadfull day of judgement when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed that if either of you do know any impediment why ye may not be lawfully joyned together in matrimony that ye confesse it For be ye well assured that so many as be coupled together otherwise then Gods word doth allow are not joyned together by God neither is their matrimony lawfull N. Wilt thou have this woman to thy wedded wife to live together after Gods ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony Wilt thou love her comfort her honour and keepe her in sickness and in health forsaking all other keep thee only unto her so long as you both shall live The man answereth I will Then the Minister sayeth unto the woman N. Wilt thou have this man to thy wedded husband to live together after Gods ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony Wilt thou obey him and serve him love honour and keep him in sicknes and in health and forsaking all other keepe thee only unto him so long as you both shall live The woman answereth I will Then the Minister sayeth Who giveth this woman to be married to this man And the Minister receiving the woman of her fathers or friends hands causeth the man to take the woman by the right hand saying I. N. Take thee N. to my wedded wife to have and to hold from this day forward for better for worse for richer for poorer in sicknes and in health to love and to cherish till death us depart according to Gods holy ordinance and thereto I plight thee my troth Then they loose their hands and the woman taking againe the man by the right hand sayeth I. N. Take thee N. to my wedded husband to have and to hold from this day forward for better for worse for richer for poorer in sicknes and in health to love cherish and to obey till death us depart according to Gods holy ordinance and thereto I give thee my troth Then again loosing their hands
the man may give unto the woman a Ring and put it upon the fourth finger of her left hand saying With this Ring I thee wed with my body I thee * i. e. I give thee my personal honours worship with all my worldly goods I thee endow In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Amen Then may the Minister joyn their right hands together and say Those whom God hath joyned together let no man put asunder Forasmuch as N. and N. have consented together in holy wedlock and have witnessed the same before God and this company and thereto have given and pledged their troth either to other and have declared the same by giving and receiving of a Ring and by joyning of hands I pronounce them to be man and wife together In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Amen Let us pray O Eternal God Creator and preserver of all mankind giver of all spiritual grace the author of everlasting life send thy blessing upon these thy servants this man and this woman whom we bless in thy name that as Isaac and Rebecca lived faithfully together so these persons may surely perform and keep the vow and covenant between them made and may ever remain in perfect love and peace together and live according to thy laws And O Lord seeing it is by thy gracious gift mankinde is encreased give that thy blessing of children to these two persons and grant them to live so long together in godly love and unity that they may see their childrens children and peace upon Israel O Lord bless them and sow the seed of eternal life in their mindes that whatsoever in thy holy word they shall profitably learn they may indeed fulfil the same Look O Lord mercifully from Heaven upon this thy servant and thy handmaid which do put their trust in thee send them help from thy holy place and evermore defend them be unto them a tower of strength from the face of their enemies And as thou didst send thy blessing upon Abraham and Sarah to their great comfort so vouchsafe to send thy blessing upon these thy servants that they obeying thy will and alway being in safety under thy protection may abide in thy love unto their lives end And O God which by thy mighty power hast made all things of nought which also after other things set in order didst appoint that out of man created after thine own image and similitude woman should take her beginning and knitting them together didst teach that it should never be lawful to put asunder those whom thou by Matrimony hast made one O Lord which hast consecrated the state of Matrimony to such an excellent mystery that in it is signified and represented the spiritual marriage and unity betwixt Christ and his Church look mercifully upon these thy servants that both this man may love his wife according to thy word as Christ did love his Spouse the Church who gave himself for it loving and cherishing it even as his own flesh and also that this woman may be loving and amiable to her husband as Rachel wise as Rebecca faithful and obedient as Sarah and in all quietness sobriety and peace be a follower of holy and godly matrones O Lord bless them both and grant them to inherit thy everlasting Kingdome through Jesus Christ our Lord in whose name and words we conclude our imperfect prayers saying 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 dayly bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil For thine is the Kingdom the power and the glory for ever Amen The Blessing ALmighty God which at the beginning did create our first Parents Adam Eve and did sanctifie and joyn them together in marriage poure upon you the riches of his grace sanctifie and bless you that you may please him both in body and soul and live together in holy love to your lives end God the Father God the Son God the Holy Ghost bless preserve and keep you The Lord mercifully look upon you and so fill you with all spiritual benediction and grace that you may so live together in this life that in the life to come you may have life everlasting Amen AN EXHORTATION AT THE BURIAL FOr asmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God of his great mercy to take unto himself the soul of our dear brother here departed we therefore commit his body to the ground earth to earth ashes to ashes dust to dust in sure and certain hope of a resurrection by our Lord Jesus Christ who shall change their vile bodies who do sleep in him that they may be like unto his glorious body according to the mighty working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself And now while the body is interring it will be seasonable and profitable for us to hear some portions out of Scripture which may put us in minde of our mortalitie and of the resurrection 'T is the speech of Job Man that Job 14. 1 2. is born of a woman is of few dayes and full of trouble He cometh forth like a flower and is cut down he flieth also as a shadow and continueth not I know that my redeemer liveth and Job 19. 25 26. that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth And though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my self and my eyes shall behold and not anothers though my reins be consumed within me The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away blessed be the name of the Lord. The speech of our Saviour I am John 11 25 26. the resurrection and the life he that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die The speech of Saint Paul We 1 Tim. 6. 2. brought nothing into this world and it is certain we can carry nothing out Saint John saith I heard a voice from Heaven saying unto me write Rom. 14. 23. blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they rest from their labours But no place is more seasonable to be read now unto you then that of Saint Paul 1 Cor. 15. 20. which chiefly concerneth the resurrection Christ is risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that slept 20 For since by man came death by man came also the resurrection of the dead 21 For as in Adam all died even so in Christ shall all be made alive But every 22 man in his own order Christ the 23 first fruits afterwards they that are Christs at his coming Then cometh the end when he
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
Royal branches with the Nobility Clergy and Commons of this Realm assembled together in Parliament by Popish treachery appointed as sheep to the slaughter and that in most Barbarous and Savage manner no age yielding example of the like cruelty intended towards the Lords anointed and his people Can this thy goodness O Lord be forgotten worthy to be written in a pillar of Marble that we may ever remember to praise thee for the same as the fact is worthy a lasting monument that all posterity may learn to detest it From this unnatural conspiracy not our merit but thy mercy not our foresight but thy providence hath delivered us not our love to thee but thy love to thine anointed servant and thy poor Church with whom thou hast promised to be present to the end of the world And therefore not unto us not unto us Lord but to thy Name be ascribed all honour and glory in all Churches of the Saints throughout all generations for thou Lord hast discovered the snares of death thou hast broken them and we are delivered be thou still our mighty protector and scatter our cruel enemies which delight in blood infatuate their counsel and root out that Babylonish and Antichristian sect which say of Jerusalem down with it down with it even to the ground And to that end strengthen the hands of our gracious King the Nobles and Magistrates of the land with judgement and justice to cut off these workers of iniquity whose Religion is rebellion whose faith is faction whose practise is murthering of souls and bodies and to root them out of the confines and limits of this Kingdome that they may never prevail against us and triumph in the ruine of thy Church and to give us grace by true and serious repentance to avert these and the like judgements from us This Lord we earnestly crave at thy merciful hands together with the continuance of thy powerful protection over our dread Soveraign the whole Church and these Realms and the speedy confusion of our implacable enemies and that for thy dear Sons sake our only mediatour and advocate II. ALmighty God and heavenly Father which oâ— thy everlasting providence and tender mercy towards us hast prevented the extream malice and mischievous imagination of our enemies revealing and confounding their horrible and devilish enterprise plotted against our Soveraign Lord the King his Royal house and the whole State of this Realm for the subversion thereof together with the truth of thy Gospel and pure Religion amongst us and for the reducing into this Church and land of Popish superstition and tyranny we most humbly praise and magnifie thy glorious name for thine infinite gracious goodness in this our marvellous deliverance we confess it was and is thy mercy thy mercy alone most merciful Father that we are not consumâ—d that their snare is broken and our soul is escaped For our sins cried to Heaven against us and our iniquities justly called for judgement upon us but thy great mercy towards us hath exalted it self above judgement not to deal with us after our sins to give us over as we deserved to be a prey to our enemies but taking our correction into thine own hands to deliver us from their blood-thirsty malice and preserve from death and destruction our King and State with thy holy Gospel and true Religion amongst us Good Lord give uâ— true repentance and unfeigned conversion unto thee to prevent further judgâ—ments increase in us more and more a lively saith and fruitful love in all obedience that thou mayest continue thy loving favour with the light of thy Gospel to us and our posterity for evermore Make us now and alwayes truely thankful in heart word and deed for all thy gracious mercies and this our special deliverance Protect and defend our Soveraign Lord the King with the Queen and all the Royal progeny from all treasons and conspiracies preserve them in thy faith fear and love under the shadow of thy wings against all evil and wickedness prosper their raign with long happiness on earth and everlasting glory following in the kingdome of Heaven Bless the whole State and Realm with grace and peace that with one heart and mouth we may praise thee in thy Church and alwayes sing joyfully that thy merciful kindness is ever more and more towards us and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever through Jesus Christ our only Saviour and Redeemer Amen III. ETernal God and our most mighty protector we thy people of this land confess our selves above all the Nations of the earth infinitly bound unto thy heavenly majestie for thy many unspeakable benefits conferred and heaped upon us especially for planting thy Gospel among us and placing over us a most gracious King a faithful professour and defender of the same both which exasperate the enemies of true religion and enrage their thoughts to the invention of most dreadful designes all which notwithstanding it hath pleased thee hitherto either to prevent or overthrow at this time principally thou hast most strangely discovered an horrible and cruel plot and device for the massacring as well of thy dear servant and our dread Soveraign as of the chief States assembled in thy fear for the continuance of thy truth and good of this Realm We humbly present our selves at thy feet admiring thy might and wisdome and acknowledging thy grace and favour in preserving them and the whole Realm by their safety beseeching thee for thy Son Jesus Christ his sake to continue still thy care over us and to shield our gracious King under the shadow of thy wings that no mischievous attempt may come near nor the sons of wickedness may hurt him but that under him we may still enjoy this his peaceable government with the profession of the Gospel of thy Son Christ Jesus to whom with thee and the holy Ghost c. IV. O God infinit in power and of endless mercy we give thee all possible thanks that it hath pleased thee so miraculously to discover and defeat the mischievous plots of thine and our enemies thou hast delivered our dread Soveraign from the snare of the fowler and his Nobles from the fire and the fury of the wicked he shall rejoyce in thy salvation and we his people shall triumph in this thy wonderful deliverance thy Gospel shall prosper and thine adversaries shall be confounded And multiply good Lord we beseech thee thy great goodness towards our gracious King and his kingdomes from this time forth through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen A Prayer used by the Speaker of the Commons House of Parliament I. O GOD most great and glorious which dwellest in the Heavens over all yet humblest thy self to behold the things that are done upon the earth we the people and sheep of thy pasture assembled by thy providence to the performance of this high service whereupon the honour of thy name the beauty of thy Church amongst us the glory of our King and wealth
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