agreeable to right Reason and Religion that we should begin our Service to God with Confession of our sins that having first confessed our sins and implored God's pardon for them we may the better pray unto him and praise him for other things So David began with Wash me throughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sin Psal 51.2 and then he says Open thou my lips O Lord and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise ver 15. because sin doth shut up our mouth and God pardoning sin opens it that we may chearfully pray unto him and praise him And whereas Confession of sin is enjoyned to be said of the whole Congregation after the Minister it is for these reasons 1. Because the Minister is the peoples mouth to God-ward in Prayer both to go before them and to instruct them as in Preaching he is Gods mouth to the people 2. By this means the Church like a careful Mother makes provision so far as she can that none of her untoward children should dissemble their wickedness the humble and penitent confession whereof is made so necessary an introduction to her Divine Offices Now this Confession is to be made kneeling because it is the fittest posture for Penitents that by the outward lowliness of our bodies we may the better express the inward humility of our minds All Holy men we meet with in Scripture were for this posture of kneeling at their devotion David Psal 95.6 Solomon 2 Chron. 6.13 Ezra chap. 9.5 Daniel chap. 6.10 Christ Luk. 22.41 Stephen Acts 7.60 Paul Acts 20.36 God would not have us when we come before him to worship him to offer to him and to receive from him to be as if we had no joynts in our knees he expects more from us then from the Pillars of our Churches Every day we begin our Service with a Psalm which invites us to it Psal 95.6 And the first Christians ever used to begin their Service in this manner saying Before all things let us fall down and worship the Lord who made us This was the first voice heard and the first thing done in the Primitive Church We daily utter the same voice and daily invite our selves to do the same thing and shall we never do it for all this what is this but to mock God nay to mock and abuse our selves for God will not be mocked he knows our misdemeanours in his Service and how to apportion out punishments in his own due time such as we deserve As Augustus the Emperour said to one who came rudely into his presence to petition I wonder how we two come to be so familiar so if we do but observe how rudely and with what unmannerly behaviour some persons come into Gods presence to beg pardon of him for their sins it may raise more wonder to think how God and they come to be so familiar RUBRICK The Absolution or Remission of sins to be pronounced by the Priest alone standing the people still kneeling ALmighty God Gen. 17.1 the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 15.6 who desireth not the death of a sinner but rather that he may turn from his wickedness and live Ezek. 33.11 1 Tim. 2.4 and hath given power and commandment to his Ministers to declare and pronounce to his people being penitent the absolution and remission of their sins Luk. 24.47 Joh. 20.23 2 Cor. 5.19 He pardoneth and absolveth all them that truly repent and unfeignedly believe his Holy Gospel Act. 10.43 Luk. 24.47 Act. 3.19 Rom. 1.16 Wherefore let us beseech him to grant us true repentance and his holy Spirit 2 Tim. 2.25 Act. 11.18 Luk. 11.13 that those things may please him which we do at this present Heb. 11.6 Rom. 8.8 and that the rest of our life hereafter may be pure and holy Ephes 1.4 Joh. 5.14 Rom. 6.6 so that at the last we may come to his eternal joy Heb. 12.14 Mat. 5.8 through Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 5.21 Rom. 6.23 RUBRICK The People shall answer here and at the end of all other Prayers Amen Nehem. 5.13 1 Chron. 16.36 1 Cor. 14.16 EXPLANATION The Absolution is as to every part of it grounded upon Scripture Remission and Absolution are two names which signifie one and the same thing a loosing from sin wherein the Soul is held bound as in a prison Psal 142.7 Psal 119.32 Sin is as a yoke burden chain fetter which loads binds and holds fast the Soul Lam. 1.14 Psal 38.4 Psal 73.6 Absolution helps to remove this yoke to lighten this burden to loose this chain Sin is a debt Mat. 6.12 Luk. 11.4 Mat. 18.27 by Absolution and Remission we are acquitted and discharged from this debt The Heathens looked upon the characteristick A when set alone as a propitious letter because it noted amongst the Romans the Absolution of a Criminal whereas the characteristical letter C was the mark of a condemned person but in Christianity let C for Confession be placed before A for Absolution it alters the case very much Some persons indeed have been very much offended at the word Absolution and therefore prevailed to have the word Remission stand by it to be its Interpreter into milder sense those persons I conceive to be like some people which I have read of who fearing their Tygers called them by more gentle names that they might not be devoured by them But some scruple may again be made why the Priest alone should pronounce this Absolution and that in the standing posture when all the people are still upon their knees Which scruple may easily be removed from those who can distinguish the Priest and a Minister in his Office from an ordinary person not invested into Holy Orders For the Priest especially when in his Office and officiating is in Christ's stead and acting in one part of his Commission given to him by Christ which is to absolve penitents Mat. 16.19 John 20.23 Neither doth he absolve by way of declaration only but by way of authority Jam. 5.14 15. which authority is absolutely and originally in God who is only able to forgive sins by the highest and most unquestionable authority Mark 2.8 Yet there is by the Charter of the Church a subordinate delegate power derived from God by Christ to the Priests and Ministers for to remit or to retain sin John 20.22 23. The Priest remits or retains sin as a Civil Magistrate pardons or condemns a Malefactor not by any power originally in themselves but by a power delegated from God And to shew by what power he acts the Priest pronounceth the Absolution standing and when the Confession of sin is serious from the heart unfeigned such as God requires and will accept of the Priest's Absolution is without question as effectual as if God himself did pronounce it from Heaven Heaven waits for and expects the Priest's sentence on Earth and if the person to be absolved by an hypocritical and feigned repentance make not the key to fail in such cases
what the Servant binds or looses here on Earth the Lord himself ratifies and confirms in Heaven Mat. 18.18 19. Now in the Absolution to be pronounced by the Minister or rather after it this clause is added Wherefore let us beseech him to grant us true repentance and his holy Spirit and may seem to be added for these reasons following 1. To shew that as Repentance is a necessary disposition to pardon so that it is also a necessary consequent of it for he who is pardoned ought to be as much a penitent if he truly understands himself as he who seeks pardon as we are daily liable to sin so for our own safety we are to secure and keep our selves within the state of pardon which we cannot do but by continuing in a state of Repentance besides the sad remembrance of sin though pardon'd ought to be always grievous to us 2. Because after a sin is pardoned and remitted the Devil is most busie to tempt the sinner either to commit the same sin again or a worse therefore as in the Lords Prayer we are taught to pray first to have our sins forgiven and next not to be led into temptation so here no sooner is Absolution and Remission of sins declared and pronounced by the Priest as a great priviledge and favour granted to all sincere Penitents and sound believers but the same pardoned persons are invited and stirred up in their own defence to pray for a continued Repentance and assistance of Gods holy Spirit that they may be secure from all Satans temptations for the future and make the grace of Pardon already granted a new obligation to more holy living that so we may not only please God in our present Devotions but also in our future life for most certain it is that every lapse after pardon is the greater sin John 5.14 2 Pet. 2.20 But we are to note in the last place that the people are enjoyned to answer Amen as at the end of this so of every Prayer in the Service-Book because Amen if pronounced as from the heart is an Indication of the peoples assent to the preceding Prayer and an affirmation that the thing prayed for is good and necessary for them and a tollification of the peoples votes and desires to obtain it It hath ever been used at the end of Prayers and pronounced with a loud voice carrying in it devotion zeal and fervency it is the last acclamation of our prayers in the pronouncing of which the Primitive Christians were wont to raise up their bodies as if they had a desire to carry their bodies as well as their souls up to Heaven RUBRICK Then the Minister shall kneel and say the Lords Prayer with an audible voice the People also kneeling and repeating it with him both here and wheresoever else it is used in Divine Service OUr Father which art in heaven hallowed be thy name Mat. 6.9 thy kingdom come thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven ver 10. give us this day our daily bread ver 11. and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us ver 12. and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory for ever and ever Amen ver 13. EXPLANATION They must certainly be vain and wicked acted on by some wild and extravagant spirit who to make way for their own crude and humane breathings not fit sometimes to carry the name of Prayers would thrust the Lords Prayer quite out and allow it no place in the publick Divine Service which is as the Salt of the Sacrifice and that which should season all our Liturgick Offices Certainly as men may use other Prayers so they ought not to be restrained nor to restrain themselves from the use of this which is a Prayer used by the Church of Christ all the world over dictated at first by the supreme wisdom of our great and eternal Mediator Jesus Christ who presents our Prayers unto God and perfectly knows our Fathers mind It is the most complete Prayer which can be made summing up all the most lawful requests which can be imagined the epitome mirrour rule of all other Prayers in a wonderful brevity of words including so great plenty and variety of matter as if it would make a Camel to pass through a Needles-eye It contains in it more histories and mysteries then words it is the most methodical emphatical divine Prayer that ever yet was or shall be composed for all the parts of it cohere with an admirable symmetry it is exactly made in measure and proportion all of it is full of Torches which enlighten each other not all the wits on Earth nor Angels in Heaven were ever capable of dictating the like There is as much difference betwixt this and Prayers of man's composing as betwixt the Tabernacle and Pattern upon the Mount the Tabernacle was Earthly framed by man the Pattern Heavenly formed by God so this Prayer is all over coelestial and divine whereas our Prayers are at the best but humane and framed up by man's industry Neither is there any man so knowing or so religious who is not subject to many failings in the composure of his Prayers they are subject to imperfection to excess to disorders to many irregularities we cannot possibly be without some errour in this business either we want or exceed are too short or too long or raise our thoughts out of rank and place when we speak our own Prayers but in saying the Lords Prayer if our hearts go along with the prayer we cannot fail to speak well we omit nothing we speak nothing superfluous we are not extravagant we cannot be impertinent in our words Therefore having framed up Prayers according to what is possible for us to do and having well considered the defects of them we have recourse to this most absolute Prayer of Christ for the perfecting of all the imperfections in our own Certainly we who are Christians ought to say this Prayer because Jesus Christ hath put it into our mouths and made it to be the abridgment of all Prayer wherein are summed up all lawful requests He hath given it to be a rule and guide for us to pray by and an exact form for us to pray in It is a Prayer of universal concernment in respect of things contained in it persons using it times when and places where it may be used All the Churches of the Christian World pronounce it and it must needs be a great consolation to us to keep our part in this great consort we may say it in prosperity and adversity in Peace and War in health and sickness in life and at the hour of death young and old rich and poor noble and ignoble Princes and Peasants may all pronounce it together Therefore not without good reason is it so frequently used in our Liturgick Offices because it is so large for matter so short and
Confession Contrition works of Mercy and all kind of Reformation of our lives to labour for Absolution and in all these humbly to beg of God his special grace that it may go along with all these outward ordinances and diligently to watch observe and receive it in the use of them and to lay it up in honest hearts that we may bring forth fruits with patience neither resisting nor repelling nor grieving nor quenching this Holy Spirit of God whereby we are sealed if we do not betray our selves unto the day of complete Redemption Ephes 4.30 The holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints As the first part of the Creed was chiefly concerning God so the latter part of it is principally relating to the Church of God as we begin with God in our Confession of Faith so we end with the Church for unless we are of the Church we shall lose our interest in God Now by Church in this place we are to understand a society of Believers ruled and continued according to all the ordinances before-mentioned of the Holy Ghost's settling and establishing which Church is described by these three properties Holy Catholick a Communion of Saints 1. The Church is remarkably said to be Holy in respect of the holy Powers and Offices which are settled in it and upon it in respect of the Holy Ghost the author and founder of them in respect of Christ the Head of it who is most holy in respect of the Faith of the Church which is in it self holy and makes us holy in respect of that sanctity and holiness of life which ought to be in all the Members of it in respect of the great design in the first constitution of it which was to beget and to increase holiness 2. The Church is remarkably said to be Catholick which word signifies 1. Orthodoxal as having Truth in it and so it is distinguished from the Societies of Hereticks and Schismaticks wherein is errour and falshood 2. Universal dispersed and extended all the world over and so it is distinguished from the Church of the Jews which was an inclosure divided from all the world beside It is Universal also in respect of the same Faith which it teaches to all men in all places and at all times and in respect of the same Laws and Constitutions according to which all Reformations ought to be made otherwise they will appear to be rather Innovations then Reformations an introducing of new things rather then a restoring of the old Lastly the Church is remarkably said to be a Communion of Saints in respect of the Communion of Faith and Laws in respect of the Communion of Sanctity and Holiness which ought to be in all the Members of it and in respect of the communications of Charity First Corporal charity to all the Fellow-members of Christ that are in need Secondly Spiritual charity expressed to mens souls by advice counsel reprehension spiritual conference and in any kind of effusion of Grace from God to us in praying with and for one another in praising God with and for one another which last is a duty continued mutually betwixt us and the glorified Saints in Heaven so far as is most commodious to the condition of each As the Saints in rest and joy and advanced towards the Throne of Glory in Heaven pray for their younger brethren on Earth so the Saints who are yet in the Camp and Militant on Earth praise God for those revelations of his Grace and Glory which he hath bestowed upon their elder brethren in Heaven As the Saints and Members of the Church hold communion with Christ the Head have interest in all his benefits go sharers in the common Salvation so do they hold communion one with another As in the body natural so in Christ's mystical body the Church there is a perpetual sympathy between the parts if one Member suffer all suffer with it if one be had in honour all rejoyce with it 1 Cor. 12.26 Neither doth death it self dissolve this communion for the knot of fellowship holds between the Saints departed this world and those who still remain in it The departed Saints pray to God for our good in general and we praise God for their good in particular we praise God for giving them such eminent graces on Earth and such unspeakable glories in Heaven in affections and hearts we converse with them we love their memories use all innocent means to have their exemplary lives propounded to us for our imitation we desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ and them and we judge it the greatest honour that we can do them to imitate their pious and holy lives and that we may do this in our annual day of commemoration for All-Saints we pray That as God hath knit together his Elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of his Son Christ our Lord so he would grant us grace so to follow his blessed Saints in all vertuous and godly living that we may come to those unspeakable joys which he hath prepared for them who unfeignedly love him through Jesus Christ our Lord. The forgiveness of sins That is I believe that by the death and sufferings of Christ there is pardon and remission to be had in the Church for all true penitent sinners which pardon all true penitens upon exact examination of themselves may be able to pronounce unto themselves but the Minister whose office it is upon a clear view of conscience so far as is fairly possible may pronounce it more authoritatively yet neither of them can do it infallibly so that as to their pronouncing Remission of sins is not properly a matter of Faith neither can it well be But the matter of Faith which is contained in this Article is this To believe that the forfeiting of our perfect unsinning innocence in Paradise shall not be able to exclude us from Gods favour and grace here nor from Heaven hereafter if we sincerely turn from sin and return to God for God is pleased to accept of Christ's sufferings as a meet and meritorious satisfaction for all true penitent sinners We are born in sin and we grow from sin to sin from bad to worse naturally and it is by the grace of God that our sins are remitted which remission is conveyed to us whilst we are in the Church and continue Church-Members by Prayer the Word and the Sacraments This Remission is not to be imputed to our merit but to Gods mercy who beholds all true penitent Christians in Christ and upon their unfeigned repentance and amendment reputes their sins as no sins But that we may have our sins pardoned and forgiven it concerns us to set our selves sincerely and industriously to the performance of those conditions upon which remission of sins is to be had to repent of them to reform from them to amend our lives to fly sin and to follow sanctity to continue in a full assurance of hope towards God that
some one or more of these sentences of the Scriptures that follow and then he shall say that which is written after the said sentences When the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed and doth that which is lawful and right he shall save his soul alive Ezek. 18.27 I acknowledge my transgressions and my sin is ever before me Psal 51.3 Hide thy face from my sins and blot out all mine iniquities Psal 51.9 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit a broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Psal 51.17 Rent your heart and not your garments and turn unto the Lord your God for he is gracious and merciful slow to anger and of great kindness and repenteth him of the evil Joel 2.13 To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses though we have rebelled against him neither have we obeyed the voice of the Lord our God to walk in his Laws which he set before us Dan. 9.9 10. O Lord correct me but with judgment not in thine anger lest thou bring me to nothing Jer. 10.24 Repent ye for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand Mat. 3 2. I will arise and go to my Father and will say unto him Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy son Luke 15.18 19. Enter not into judgment with thy servant O Lord for in thy sight shall no man living be justified Psal 143.2 If we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us But if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness 1 John 1.8 9. EXPLANATION The forecited sentences are all taken word for word out of the Holy Scripture of which the Minister may according to his discretion and as a fit occasion shall be offered make his choice which he is to read with a grave distinct loud but humble voice always considering that they are here set in proper place to mind the Congregation of their own misery and God's mercy and to prepare and stir up the hearts of people for the better performance of Holy Duties following both with alacrity and devotion DEarly beloved brethren Jam. 2.5 the Scripture moveth us in sundry places to acknowledge and confess our manifold sins and wickedness 1 John 1.9 Psal 51.3 Psal 38.18 and that we should not dissemble nor cloak them before the face of Almighty God our heavenly Father Prov. 28.13 Psal 32.5 but confess them with an humble lowly penitent and obedient heart to the end that we may obtain forgiveness of the same by his infinite goodness and mercy Psal 10.17 Psal 34.18 Joel 2.12 13. And although we ought at all times humbly to acknowledge our sins before God 1 Tim. 2.8 yet ought we most chiefly so to do when we assemble and meet together Levit. 4.14 to render thanks for the great benefits that we have received at his hands Psal 68.19 to set forth his most worthy praise Psal 50.23 to hear his most holy word Hebr. 3.7 Rom. 10.17 and to ask those things which are requisite and necessary as well for the body as the soul Mat. 6.11 12. Mat. 7.7 8. Jam. 4.2 3. Wherefore I pray and beseech you as many as are here present to accompany me with a pure heart and humble voice 1 Cor. 4.16 2 Cor. 2.8 2 Cor. 5.20 unto the throne of the heavenly Grace saying after me Hebr. 4.16 EXPLANATION The forementioned Exhortation is grave and serious exactly agreeable to Holy Scripture in which the people are invited and exhorted in an Apostolical stile to confess their sins humbly to the Lord who is able to help them because Almighty and willing to hear them because most merciful It gives us in a short summe the chief ends of our publick meetings in the houses of God it sets us some steps forward toward repentance makes us to know that we have offended instructs us how and in what manner to acknowledge our offence and by degrees brings us to confession upon our knees RUBRICK A general Confession to be said of the whole Congregation after the Minister all kneeling ALmighty and most merciful Father Gen. 17.1 Gen. 35.11 2 Cor. 1.5 we have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep Psal 119.176 1 Pet. 2.25 we have followed too much the devises and desires of our own hearts Febr. 3.10 Gen. 6.5 we have offended against thy holy Laws Act. 7.53 Dan. 9.9 10. Jam. 2.10 Jam. 3.2 we have left undone those things which we ought to have done and we have done those things which we ought not to have done Rom. 7.15 19. and there is no health in us Isa 1.5 6. But thou O Lord have mercy upon us miserable offenders Luke 18.13 Psal 51.1 Spare thou them O God which confess their faults Joel 2.17 Hos 14.2 restore thou them that are penitent Psal 51.12 Hebr. 6.6 according to thy promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesu our Lord Ephes 3.6 Rom. 15.8 2 Cor. 1.20 And grant O most merciful Father for his sake John 14.13 14. John 15.16 that we may hereafter live a godly righteous and sober life Tit. 2.11 12. to the glory of thy holy Name 1 Pet. 4.11 1 Cor. 10.31 Amen 1 Cor. 14.16 EXPLANATION This Confession as appears by the forecited Texts is exactly agreeable to Scripture and is rationally and upon prudent grounds allowed the first place in our publick Liturgy We begin our Service with Confession of sin for these reasons 1. Because our sins make a separation betwixt God and us Isa 59.2 keep good things from us Jer. 5.25 hinder our prayers from ascending acceptably to God and God's blessings from descending comfortably upon us 2. It was the practice of God's people the Jews to begin their Service with a general Confession of sin of which we have the marks and signs in the Law Lev. 16.16 and the pattern and platform in the Prophets but the Confessions themselves are particularly to be met with in the Books of the Jews This verbal Confession of which we have an instance Luke 1.10 made the Jews fully acquainted with the true use of Sacrifices Besides Almighty God being jealous of his honour commanded a brazen Laver to be set between the Tabernacle of the Congregation and the Altar for Aaron and his Sons twice in a day to wash their hands and feet Exod. 30.17 18 19 20 21. by which was signified the Laver of Repentance which we always stand in need of From the Jews it afterwards became a custom in the Christian Church to begin their publick Service with Confession of sin and to perform it in such a manner as we do The very Heathens had something amongst them which seemed to allude to it for they used to wipe off the dirt from their feet when they entred into the places of their Religious Service and Sacrifice However it is most certainly
compendious for phrase and words so sweet for order in all respects so perfect and absolute we give it the most place in our publick devotions sometimes begin with it to guide our prayers and sometimes conclude with it to compleat and perfect them Wherever Christian Religion is professed this prayer is used as one of the principal and most material duties of honour done to Jesus Christ The often repeating of it cannot bring it within the compass of that vain repetition which our Saviour condemned Mat. 6.7 for repetition is then only vain when words are often repeated being directed neither with reason of Art nor with zeal and devotion of heart nor with any supposal of a justly implyed necessity all which most certainly may meet in the use of this prayer how frequently soever we make use of it For because we cannot pray as we ought there is a kind of necessity for us to use it to supply our defects and that with art and zeal we hope sufficient Again seeing we have an Advocate with the Father interceding continually for sinners when we seek for pardon of our sins at Gods hand we cannot do better then alledge unto God the words which our Advocate hath taught us seeing he hath promised that shall be granted which we ask in his name we may be confident that will not be denied which we ask in his name and words When in our prayers we speak unto the Father in the Sons own prescribed form of words we may be sure that we utter nothing which God will either disallow or deny The Minister is to begin this prayer with an audible voice and the people all kneeling are to repeat it orderly after him for these supposed reasons 1. That people ignorantly educated may learn it and be instructed in it 2. To shew what an esteem we ought to have for it and for Christ our Lord and Saviour who was the Author of it and for Christianity it self and the Christian Service wherein all of us are to bear a part But that people may say this prayer understandingly I shall add this plain Paraphrase upon it OVr Father which art in heaven O holy Father ours by creation education instruction compassion and adoption who remainest gloriously on thy throne in Heaven where thou art praised and glorified by the holy Angels and blessed Souls of thy departed Saints and Servants where thou reignest in unspeakable glory and art perfectly obeyed Hallowed be thy name be pleased by thy grace poured into our hearts and the hearts of all men and by the dispensation of thy gracious providence to work all our hearts to such a reverence awe and separate respect unto thee thy Majesty thy Attributes thy works of Grace thy Name thy Word thy holy days thy holy places thy holy Ministers thy holy Patrimony devolved from thee upon them for the maintenance of thy holy Service that the sins of Sacriledge Prophaness Idolatry Heathenism Atheism irreverence and indevotion may be turned out of the world and the contrary vertues of Christian piety reverence and devotion may be set up and flourish amongst us Thy kingdom come by thy grace inspired into our hearts and the hearts of all men and by thy blessed disposal of all things here below weaken the power of the Adversary give check to the malice of all opposers and so begin to set up thy kingdom immediately in our hearts that it may by degrees of flourishing daily increase and that all other things which are in thy purpose may be so orderly computed till at last this mortal compounded kingdom which hath so much mixture of rebellion sin and infirmity in it may be turned into a kingdom of perfect holiness and immortality Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven So inspire thy grace into all our hearts so direct us by thy providence and assist us to performance that we may obey thee in all thy commands here on Earth willingly readily chearfully speedily impartially sincerely without indulging our selves to any kind of sin in the omission of any part of duty as thy holy Angels obey thy commands in Heaven doing all things promptly and readily which thou commandest them without the neglect of any part of duty Give us this day our daily bread Give us day by day this present day and for the remainder of our lives all the necessaries of life whatever is agreeable and fit for our subsistence and being and suitable to our conditions taken with all circumstances food convenient for us Give us also thy Grace the food of our Souls in that measure day by day which may suffice for the remainder of our warfare here and give us all bodily sustenance which we can possibly want or stand in need of assist and uphold us in all our wants for we referr the care thereof to thee who carest for us And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us Pardon all our offences committed against thee punish not on us those sins whereby we have offended and provoked thee to punish us and that we may be capable of thy remission bestow upon us we pray thee that necessary qualification of freely pardoning all those who by any injuries done to us are become our debtors and might justly in strict Law be by us prosecuted unto punishment And lead us not into temptation Suffer us not to be brought into any temptation or snare suffer us not to be intangled in any dangers or difficulties which may not be easily supported by us may no allurement of pleasure or profit no determent of danger of evil cause or occasion us to fall into any sin when at any time we are tempted which may be the lot of the best men do not thou leave us nor withdraw thy grace from us nor so deliver us up in time of temptation as to leave us unable to extricate our selves and to be overcome and swallowed up by the temptation But deliver us from evil Give us a proportionate measure of strength and grace to bear up and to move under any temptation or pressure how heavy soever it may be temper the temptation to our strength and permit not the assault to be too heavy for us Deliver us from Satan who is the artificer designer and improver of temptations deliver us from the temptations themselves which come from our own lusts the world or the enemies of true piety that we may not be overcome by any of them nor drawn into sin For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory for ever and ever Amen For it is thy due to have dominion over the world therefore we resign up our souls for thee to reign in them as the sole Prince and Monarch of them Thou art Omnipotent and All-sufficient the fountain of all that grace and strength which we beg for therefore we relie upon thee for all that is necessary for this life and the other The thanks honour and glory of
Psal 129.8 2 John 10. which are not to be thought idle Complements whereby we take the name of God in vain but Christian and commendable civilities and duties which were commonly used and practised by Christians in the time of the Apostles 2 John 10 11. In the Liturgies of St. James Basil Chrysostom and the Aethiopians the Priest was wont to say Peace be unto you to which the People replied And with thy Spirit In the old Liturgy of Spain called Mozarabe because the Christians were mingled with Arabians the Priest said The Lord be with you the People answered And with thy Spirit the Priest again said Help me brethren in your prayers and the People answered The Father Son and Holy Ghost help thee Petrus Damianus wrote a whole Book upon this argument intituled The Lord be with you It was used in the Latine Church ever since their Liturgy was composed by Damasus and supposed to be deduced out of the Greek Church into the Latine it is of very ancient use and is one of the first Formula's of devotion used in the Christian Church at first it belonged only to the Ministers of the lower Order and when the Bishop did officiate he used in place thereof Peace be unto you but in the Braccarian Council it was decreed that the Bishop and Presbyter should use one and the same form and determined the form to be this The Lord be with you adding this As it is used in all the Orient which shews the custom to be changed since Chrysostom's time or else we must reject a great part of his Works for counterfeit Epiphanius saith that this form of Salutation was derived from our Saviour's first greeting of his Apostles after his Resurrection John 20.19 However it did anciently denote a transition from one part of the Service unto another as it is here applyed by our Church for the very same purpose These mutual and reciprocal Salutations were prudently and Christianly made a part of the publick Service to continue that agreement and love which ought to be between Pastor and People and the very order of it shews that it is the Ministers office to begin and the peoples duty to correspond in all good affections and kindness when the Minister is as Paul the people should be as Galathians chap. 4.15 not only reverence his place but also love his person The Pastor cannot wish a better wish then this The Lord be with you neither can the people make a fitter reply then this And with thy Spirit To note that he is to offer up a spiritual Service and Sacrifice unto God and to do it ardently and affectionately which he cannot do unless God be with him by his Grace and holy Spirit to aid and assist him Now Christ hath promised to be with his Apostles and their successors unto the end of the world Mat. 28.20 to be with his Church in her devotions in the midst of us or amongst us when we offer up our Services to him but if our Spirits be not right fixed so as to intend and mind what we are about how can God be with us How can God be with our Spirits if our Spirits are not with God How can God be in the midst of us when we are not in the midst of our selves Therefore this clause Let us pray is very often repeated in the Service upon any noâ— table transition from one eminent part of Service to another to fix us to our devotions and to make us the more intent upon what we do for we are apt to be dull enough in Sacred duties unless we are frequently call'd upon to mind seriously what we are about It was anciently the Deacons office to pronounce it and therefore he was said to preach or to proclaim the Service for it was his office by loud voice or proclamation to warn the people in several parts of the Service what was done or to be done that accordingly they might order themselves both in their hearts and in their bodies suitable to that which was done or performed by Christ's Ministers that so all things might be done with good order and due reverence The Heathens in their Religious Offices had a custom not much differing from this for they had their Preachers and Proclaimers of their Service for the same purpose to regulate the carriage and behaviour of the people and to prevent confusion The three following Versicles Lord have mercy c. were called by the Ancients the Lesser Litany and they are fitly placed before the Lords Prayer because in our resort to him in Prayer it is very expedient that we first implore the â—ercy and assistance of the Trinity to whom we pray RUBRICK Then the Minister Clerks and People shall say the Lords Prayer with a loud voice See before pag. 18 19. OVr Father great in Creation gracious in Love rich in Inheritance which art in Heaven the Glass of Eternity the Crown of pleasure the Store-house of felicity Hallowed be thy Name in us by us upon us in our words actions lives that it may be to us Honey in the mouth Melody in the ear Jubilee in the heart Thy Kingdom come of Power to defend us of Grace to sanctifie us of Glory to crown us Let it be to us pleasant without mixture calm without disturbance secure without loss Thy will be done not ours as in Heaven by the holy Angels so on Earth by men that we may hate what thou hatest love what thou lovest and do nothing but what is pleasing unto thee Give for every good gift is thine we have nothing from our selves but crave all from thee us as necessity makes us pray for our selves so charity for others this day all the time of our living here our which we have a lawful and just title to daily what is sufficient for our necessity not superfluity to supply our wants not our wantonness bread what is necessary for our bodies or our souls Victual Doctrinal Sacramental bread And forgive us our debts whatever sins we have committed against thee our neighbour or our selves As we forgive our debtors who have injured us in our bodies goods or name And lead us not suffer us not to be led into temptation of the world the flesh the Devil But deliver us from evil present past to come Amen So be it The Doxology is here and elsewhere omitted because in St. Luke's Gospel it is not any part of the Prayer Luk. 11.2 3 4. and Mr. Calvin doth acknowledge it not to be extant in any Latine copies it was supposed to be added by the Greek Church but never used in the Latine However our Bible in St. Matthew received it and no Minister is restrained from the use of it in Divine Service RUBRICK Then the Priest standing up shall say O Lord shew thy mercy upon us Answer And grant us thy salvation Psal 85.7 Priest O Lord saze the King 1 Sam. 10.24 1 Tim. 2.2 Psal 21.1 Answer And mercifully
sorrow upon the Soul and a Repentance not to be repented of That it may please thee to defend and provide for the fatherless children and widows and all that are desolate and oppressed We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. We pray for those whom God himself hath especially declared in Scripture that he will be careful of and kind to and the intimations of his will and pleasure are the best directions for our Prayers neither can we pray more suitably to the mind of God for his pity and compassion to be extended to any then to those miserable persons whom he hath expresly nominated in his Sacred Scriptures to be the proper and fit objects of his compassion and protection so that he is pleased to stile himself the Father of the fatherless the Husband of the widow the Helper of the helpless and the Friend of the friendless the only succour and sure refuge to all miserable and distressed persons who being destituted of the world six their sole dependance upon him That it may please thee to have mercy upon all men We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. When we pray that God would have mercy upon all men we pray for his general mercy to be extended to all in the same sense as he wills all to be saved 1 Tim. 2.1 2 3 4. and in the same sense as he is pleased to distribute out his mercies to all Mat. 5.45 That it may please thee to forgive our enemies persecutors and slanderers and to turn their hearts We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. In praying for our enemies we observe that special command given by our Saviour the observing of which commandment brings us up to the perfection of our Christianity and makes us most like unto God Mat. 5.44 45. And because there is no inordinate lust in our corrupt nature so hard to be mortified as hatred is therefore did Christ in his Sermon upon the Mount administer something expresly towards the mortifying of this wicked passion wherein he doth not only take off the edge of our Revenge but he turns it quite the contrary way teaching us to love our enemies to bless those who curse us to do good to those who hate us to pray for those who despitefully use us and persecute us to love those for Gods sake whom perhaps for their own sake we cannot love The holy Apostle St. Paul teacheth the same Rom. 12.20 21. as Justin Martyr said to Trypho the Jew Ye persecute us and we pray for you Such like forms of Prayers may be met with in the writings of the Primitive Fathers the Liturgies and Constitutions of the Ancient Church Ignatius in his Epistle to Polycarp and the Church of Smyrna Tertullian and Cyprian in their Treatises of Christian Patience have written very notably upon this argument In all which may be observed the charity of the Church of Christians towards the very enemies of that Religion which she professeth There is not any thing in this Litany but may be met with in ancient Writers and ancient Liturgies ascribed to Chrysostom Basil St. James and in the Catholick Collect mentioned in the Constitutions which are father'd upon Clemens Romanus the places I could cite word for word only in regard I am writing to English People I have made it my design to write all in English such as it is and not so much as to dip into any other Tongue or Language That it may please thee to give and preserve to our use the kindly fruits of the earth so as in due time we may enjoy them Psal 104.27 28. Psal 65.9 10 11 12 13. Mat. 6.11 We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. From the Litanies or Rogations then used upon their common Perambulations came the three days before the day Anniversary of our Lords Ascension to be called Rogation-days and the Sunday before Rogation-Sunday wherein the Church prayed especially and most seasonably that it would please God to give and preserve to their use the kindly Fruits of the earth so that in due time they might enjoy them For unless God give them and preserve them when given and preserve them to our use and give us grace to use them as we ought to do we can neither enjoy them him in them nor our selves That it may please thee to give us true repentance to forgive us all our sins negligences and ignorances and to endue us with the grace of thy holy Spirit to amend our lives according to thy holy Word 2 Tim. 2.25 26. Jer. 5.24 25. Mat. 3.8 Mat. 6.33 We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. This petition in very good order follows the former for unless that be granted to us which we petition for in this prayer all the earthly blessings before prayed for may never ripen to maturity they may be blasted in the springing of them the Canker Locust Caterpillar or any thing else however contemptible may be sent on Gods errand come armed with his displeasure and ravish these blessings out of our hands before we can come to the reaping of them One sin God he knows we are guilty of many unrepented of may bring a curse upon our blessings like the Frogs and Flies Locusts and Caterpillars into Aegypt or the Worm into Jonah's Gourd and quickly deprive us of all those blessings of increasing Nature which we yet hold by no other tenure then that of a defeasible expectation and if it shall please God to be so mercifull unto us as to give us these good things to enjoy and to forgive us our sins which is a greater mercy then all besides yet that we may not abuse them to luxury and intemperance when we have them but use them soberly that we may reap the good and God the glory we pray for the grace of Gods holy Spirit that all these blessings may be sanctified to us and that they may be as so many new obligations upon us to amend our lives and to live as becometh those who have received from God the great donor such obliging favours Son of God we beseech thee to hear us Mat. 9.27 Luk. 1.35 Son of God c. O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world John 1.29 Grant us thy peace John 14.27 John 16.33 Rom. 5.1 O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world John 1.36 Have mercy upon us Mark 10.47 48. O Christ hear us O Christ hear us Lord have mercy upon us Lord have mercy c. Christ have mercy upon us Christ have mercy c. Lord have mercy upon us Lord have mercy c. These repetitions are warrantable by Scripture and therefore cannot be by men of Reason and Religion judged vain it is an argument of zeal and devotion and ferventy in prayer when our petitions are doubled by which we express our desires We meet with the like re-duplications frequently used in the Primitive Church David used often repetitions Psal 136. Psal 119. Psal 107.
our blessed Saviour repeated one Prayer three times Mat 26.44 and he questionless could have altered had he thought it either necessâ—â—â—â— or convenient Such short ejaculatory â—rayers as these come nearest to the pattern given by our Saviour who gave to his Disciples a short form and in all the Holy Bible we meet not with any example or pattern of a very long Prayer Solomon's Prayer used at the Dedication of the magnificent Temple which he built to God is the longest we meet with in Holy Scripture And saith holy Augustine the business of Prayer is rather done by sighs groans and fervency of heart then by multiplicity of words RUBRICK Then shall the Priest and the People with him say the Lords Prayer OVr Father which art in heaven Hallowed be thy Name Thy kingdom 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 trespass against us And lead us not into temptation But deliver us from evil Amen Luk. 11.2 3 4. For the often use of this Prayer in our Liturgick Offices and the meaning of it see before The Versicle Priest O Lord deal not with us after our sins Answer Neither reward us after our iniquities Psal 130.3 Let us pray Why this is so often used see before O God mercifull Father that despisest not the sighing of a contrite heart Psal 51.17 nor the desire of such as be sorrowful mercifully assist our prayers that we make before thee in all our troubles and adversities whensoever they oppress us and graciously hear us that those evils which the craft and subtilty of the devil or man worketh against us be brought to nought and by the providence of thy goodness they may be dispersed that we thy servants being hurt by no persecutions may evermore give thanks unto thee in thy holy Church through Jesus Christ our Lord Psal 20. Psal 86.7 O Lord arise help us and deliver us for thy Names sake Nehem. 1.9 10 11. Ezek. 20.9 Ezek. 36.12 O God we have heard with our ears and our fathers have declared unto us the noble works that thou didst in their days and in the old time before them Psal 78.3 4. Psal 43.1 O Lord arise help us and deliver us for thine honour Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Foly Ghost Answ As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen Why this is used and so often see before From our enemies defend us O Christ Psal 25.15 16 17 18 19. Graciously look upon our afflictions Pitifully behold the sorrows of our hearts Mercifully forgive the sins of thy people Favourably with mercy hear our Prayers O Son of David have mercy upon us Luk. 18.9 Both now and ever vouchsafe to hear us O Christ John 14.13 14. Graciously hear us O Christ graciously hear us O Lord Christ Priest O Lord let thy mercy be shewed upon us Answ As we do put our trust in thee Psal 33.22 Note All the forementioned Prayers with the Responds are short lively active and spirited Prayers uttered with fervency which are most available with God when they come from devout and righteous souls Jam. 5.16 it is the short Prayer which pierceth Heaven God looks not at how much we pray but how well we pray how heartily and sincerely we pray Such were the Prayers of the most devout Christians in ancient times whose hearts fired with zeal and devotion did passionately send forth short Prayers as the hottest Springs send forth their waters by ebullitions See before Let us pray WF humbly beseech thee O Father mercifully to look upon our infirmities and for the glory of thy Name turn from us all those evils that we most righteously have deserved and grant that in all our troubles we may put our whole trust and confidence in thy mercy and evermore serve thee in holiness and pureness of living to thy honour and glory through our only Mediatour and Advocate Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Note the fulness of this Prayer and by this judge of all the rest Herein we pray that God would in mercy pardon the sinful frailties and infirmities of our lives and the imperfections of those very Prayers wherein we beg that pardon This we beg not for our merits for we can merit nothing at his hands but upon the account of his mercy And we pray further that he would divert from us all the evil of punishment which our evil of sin might move him justly to inflict upon us and that whatever calamities befall us in this world for our own defaults yet we may repose confidence in his mercy and not distrust him though he kill us however we may have cause enough to distrust our selves but that we may be awakned and warned by the punishments which he is pleased to inflict upon us to walk more warily for the future to make our actions more holy and our lives more pure that so we may bring good to our selves and honour and glory to him and all this as we do all other things convenient and needful for us we beg not through the mediation and intercession of any Saint or Angel but through our only Mediatour and Advocate Jesus Christ our Lord. A Prayer of St. Chrysostom ALmighty God who hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications unto thee and dost promise that when two or three are gathered together in thy Name thou wilt grant their requests Fulfill now O Lord the desires and petitions of thy servants as may be most expedient for them granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth and in the world to come life everlasting Amen 2 Cor. 13.14 THe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost be with us all evermore Amen Here endeth the Litany And be it noted that the Litany is no distinct Service properly for a Service consists of Psalms Lessons Creed Thanksgivings and Prayers distinct only it is a distinct Form and many times made use of as a fit preparative to other ensuing Offices Formerly notice was used to be given by the tolling of a Bell when it was to be said The accustomed days for the saying of it are Sundays Wednesdays Fridays the three days of Rogation and other Fasting-days appointed to be observed in times of Plague Famine War and other general calamities and it is a devotional piece of Service very suitable to all such times The usual place for saying of it where it can be done conveniently is in the midst of the Church and just before the Chancel-door the Ministers turning their faces towards the Altar or Communion-Table when they say it For saith Chrysostom it is fit that the Minister who officiates in Prayer should put on the outward garb and deportment as well as the inward mind of a Supplicant and therefore he
was betrayed by Judas on a Wednesday was crucified on a Friday and was laid in the Sepulchre on a Saturday And the Church enjoyned these days to be quarterly observed as Fasting-days for these following reasons 1. That Christians might be as devout as the Jews who observed four several and solemn times of Fast in the year Zechar. 8.19 2. Because these are the First-fruits of every Season which we rightly dedicate to the service and honour of God that beginning every Season so devoutly we may learn to spend the whole year accordingly and that by this means we may procure Gods blessing upon the Fruits of the year arising out of the Earth which are at these Seasons either sown sprung up come to ripeness or gathered into Barns 3. That we may call our selves yearly to a strict account for our sins committed every Season and sadly and seriously repent of them 4. That we may implore Gods mercy to our bodies in freeing us from those common distemperatures which usually are predominant at these four Seasons 5. That we may procure the greater blessing upon the Ministers received into Holy Orders at these four Seasons of the year by Prayer Fasting and imposition of hands Now the forementioned weeks are called Ember weeks from an old Saxon word Enthber which denotes Abstinence or say others from the word Ember now commonly in use which signifies Ashes for Ashes were a ceremony frequently made use of in times of Fasting and carried with it significancy sufficient from which ceremony the first day of the Lent-fast was termed Ash-wednesday of which it is probable I may say something more in proper place A Prayer for the High Court of Parliament to be read during their Session MOst gracious God we humbly beseech thee as for this Kingdom in general so especially for the High Court of Parliament under our most religious and gracious King at this time assembled That thou wouldst be pleased to direct and prosper all their consultations to the advancement of thy glory the good of thy Church the safety honour and welfare of our Soveraign and his Kingdoms that all things may be so ordered and settled by their endeavours upon the best and surest foundations that peace and happiness truth and justice religion and piety may be established among us for all generations These and all other necessaries for them for us and thy whole Church we humbly beg in the Name and Mediation of Jesus Christ our most blessed Lord and Saviour Amen Note No persons can be offended at this Prayer who are not enemies to all goodness and rather desire that debauchery and wickedness should overspread a Nation to the shame and dishonour of it than piety and vertue to advance its reputation A Collect or Prayer for all conditions of men to be used at such times when the Litany is not appointed to be said O God the Creator and Preserver of all mankind we humbly beseech thee for all sorts and conditions of men that thou wouldest be pleased to make thy ways known unto them thy saving health unto all nations Psal 67.1 2. 1 Tim. 2.1 2 3 4. More especially we pray for the good estate of the Catholick Church Gal. 6.10 Psal 122.6 that it may be so guided and governed by thy good spirit that all who profess and call themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth and hold the faith in unity of spirit in the bond of peace and in righteousness of life Ephes 4.3 Finally we commend to thy fatherly goodness all those who are any ways afflicted or distressed in mind body or estate Heb. 13.3 * * This to be said when any desire the prayers of the Congregation especially those for whom our prayers are desired that it may please thee to comfort and relieve them according to their several necessities giving them patience under their sufferings and a happy issue out of all their afflictions And this we beg for Jesus Christ his sake Amen A Prayer that may be said after any of the former O God whose nature and property is ever to have mercy and to forgive receive our humble petitions Psal 103.13 and though we be tied and bound with the chain of our sins yet let the pitifulness of thy great mercy loose us for the honour of Jesus Christ our Mediatour and Advocate Amen Note Touching the preceding Prayers and following Thanksgivings may it be observed that extraordinary dangers should of themselves invite us and stir us up to extraordinary Prayers and extraordinary deliverances from those dangers should equally move us to extraordinary thankfulness as we are to pray to God for the blessings we would obtain so we are to praise him when they are obtained when God opens his hand to gratifie us we should open our mouths to glorifie him It is the Apostles prescribed method to begin with Prayer and to end with Thanksgiving 1 Tim. 2.1 indeed where the concernment is National a provision in such cases is usually better made by fixing set days to be solemnly and religiously observed but it many times happens that the calamities inflicted and mercies received are only Provincial or peculiar to some one County Town City or Vicinage so that they may not reach the cognizance of the Supreme Magistrate therefore are these Prayers and Thanksgivings composed that they may be ready upon all occasions for us to have recourse to when there are no set days indicted for such a purpose THANKSGIVINGS A General Thanksgiving ALmighty God Father of all mercies 2 Cor. 1.3 we thine unworthy servants do give thee most humble and hearty thanks Psal 116.12 13. for all thy goodness and loving kindness to us and to all men 1 Tim. 2.1 * * This to be said when any that have been prayed for desire to return praise particularly to those who desire now to offer up their praises and thanksgivings for thy late mercies vouchsafed unto them We bless thee for our creation preservation and all the blessings of this life but above all for thine inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ for the means of grace and for the hope of glory And we beseech thee give us that due sense of all thy mercies that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful and that we may shew forth thy praise not only with our lips but in our lives by giving up our selves to thy service and by walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all our days Luk. 1.74 75. Tit. 2.11 12. through Jesus Christ our Lord to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory world without end Amen Note This Thanksgiving is not only warrantable by more Texts of Scripture then I have cited but it is so excellent both for matter and method that all Churches and Writers can hardly shew a better form so full of matter and that comprized in so few words This needs no vindication because no persons in their