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
excellent prayer pag. 28. Psalm 95. O come let us sing c. pag. 34. We praise thee O God c. pag 35. Luk. 1. 68. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel c. pag. 37. Psalm 100. O be joyful in the Lord c. pag. 38. Luk. 1. 46. My soule doth Magnify the Lord c. pag. 39. Psalm 98. O sing unto the Lord a new song c. pag. 40. Luk. 2. 29. Lord now letest thou thy servant depart c. pag. 41. Psam 67. God be Mercifull unto us and blesse us c. pag. 41. The Creed I believe in God c. pag. 42. The Nicen Creed I believe in one God c. pag. 43. The Creed of Athanasins commonly so called Whosoever will be saved c. pag. 45. The Ten Commandements 49. Some Choice sentences out of Scripture used at the beginning of prayer c. pag. 51. Prayers for raine faire wether in time of dearth and famine in time of war in time of any common plague or sicknes and thanksgivings for the returne of each pag. 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59. A thanksgiving of Women after Childbirth pag. 59. The Seven administrations 1. Baptisme pag. 63. 2. Communion pag. 75. 3. Visitation of the sick pag. 91. 4. Catechisme pag. 117. with confirmation pag. 128. 5. A day of fasting or Humiliation pag. 131. 6. Matrimony pag. 141. 7. An Exhortation at the Buriall pag. 153. Some prayers used upon the Fifth of November pag. 161. A prayer formerly used by the Speaker of the house of Commons in Parliament pag. 169. A prayer for the Parliament used in the house pag. 174. The substance of the Ancient manner of Ordination in the Church of England pag. 177. The Articles of the Church of England An Advertisement PAge 80 81 82. some Prayers at the Communion in relation to the Nativity Resurrection and Ascension of our Saviour Pentecost Trinity-Sunday are intended only for their proper festivals but may be used at the discretion of the Minister Page 27. line 18. read glory and triumph into thy kingdome of Heaven p. 29. l. 21. dele any hurt by p. 31. l. 13. dele in their lawful affairs p. 118. l. 4. r. and I heartily thank our Heavenly Father that he hath called me to this state of salvation through Jesus Christ our Saviour p. 123. l. 27. r. be merciful unto us and p. 199. dele 100. DEVOTIONS OF THE ANTIENT CHURCH A Prayer for the Morning I. ALmighty God and in thy Son Jesus Christ our most mercifull Father we acknowledge we have erred and strayed from thy wayes like lost sheep we have followed too much the corrupt desires of our own hearts and have offended against thy holy lawes by leaving undone those things which we ought to have done and doing those things which we ought not to have done So that in us dwelleth no good thing We beseech thee to have mercy upon us who are miserable offenders to spare us who do confesse our faults and restore us who are penitent for them according to thy promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant O most mercifull Father for his sake that we may hereafter live a godly righteous and sober life to the glory of thy holy name And O Lord in regard we heare out of thy word that thou desirest not the death of a sinner but rather that he may turne from his wickedness and live and hast given power and commandement to thy Ministers to declare and pronounce to thy people being penitent the forgiveness and remission of their sinnes And that thou wilt pardon all them that truely repent and unfeignedly believe thy holy Gospell We beseech thee to grant us true repentance and thy holy Spirit that those things may please thee which we do at this present and that the rest of our life hereafter may be pure and holy so that at the last we may come to thy eternall joy where our lips shall be opened and our mouth continually shew forth thy praise in giving glory to the Father and to the Son and to the holy Ghost world without end And O Lord our heavenly Father who art the author of peace and lover of concord in the knowledge of whom standeth our eternall life whose service is perfect freedom mercifully heare us now we call upon thee defend us thy humble servants in all assaults of our enemies that we surely trusting in thy defence may not feare the power of any adversaries but by thy being with us and shewing thy mercy upon us and granting us thy salvation thy chosen people may be still joyfull in thee peace may be given and continued in our time O Lord and thy inheritance even thy people may be blessed and saved and taught to put their trust in thee there being no other that fighteth for us but only thou our God and do thou make cleane our hearts within us that thy holy Spirit be not taken from us And seeing O Lord thou hast safely preserved us hither to this day defend us in the same with thy mighty power and grant that this day we fall into no sinne neither run into any kind of danger but that all our doings may be ordered by thy Governance to do allwayes that which is righteous in thy sight And we humbly beseech thee O Father mercifully to looke upon our infirmities and for the glory of thy names sake turne from us all those evills 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 purenes of living to the honor and glory of thy name And O Lord who art the Governor of all things whose power no creature is able to resist to whom it belongeth justly to punish sinners and to be mercifull unto them that truely repent wee beseech thee to save and deliver us out of the hands of our enemies abate their pride aswage their malice and confound their devices that we being armed with thy defence may be preserved evermore from all pâ—rills to glorifie thee who art the only giver of all victories And seing thou 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 be 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 Through Jesus Christ our Lord in whose name and words we further pray saying 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 trespasses as wee forgive them that trespasse against us And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evill for thine is
which is prepared for the Devil and his Angels Therefore brethren take we 2 Cor. 6. 2. heed betime while the day of salvation lasteth for the night cometh when none can work let Joh. 9. 4. Joh. 12 35. us while we have the light believe in the light and walk as the children of the light that we be not cast into the utter darkness where is weeping and gnashing of teeth Mat. 25 30. Let us not abuse the goodness of God which calleth us mercifully to amendment and of his endless pity promiseth us forgiveness of what is past if with a whole minde and true heart we turn unto him For though our sins be as red as scarlet Isa 1. 18. they shall be as white as snow and though they be like purple yet shall they be as white as wooll Turn you saith the Lord from all your wickedness and your sins shall Ezek. 18. 30. not be your destruction Cast away from you all your ungodliness that ye have done make you new hearts and a new spirit Wherefore will ye die O ye house of Israel seeing that I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth Saith the Lord God Turn ye then and ye shall live Although we have sinned yet have 1 John 2. 1 2. we an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he it is that obtaineth grace and pardon for our sins For he was wounded for our offences and smitten for our wickedness Isa 53. 5 Let us therefore return unto him who is the merciful receiver of all true penitent sinners assuring our selves that he is ready to receive us and most willing to pardon us if we come to him with faithful repentance if we will submit our selves unto him and from henceforth walk in his wayes if we will take his easie yoke and light Mat. 11 29. burden upon us to follow him in lowliness patience and charitie and be ordered by the governance of his holy spirit seeking alwayes his glory and serving him duly in our vocation with thanksgiving This if we do Christ will deliver us from the curse of the law and from the extream malediction which shall light upon them that shall be set on the left hand and he will set us on his right hand Mat. 25 33. and give us the blessed benediction of his Father commanding us to take possession of his glorious Kingdome unto the which he vouchsafe to bring us all for his infinite mercy Amen This Psalm being the fifty-first may be also fitly read Miserere mei Deus HAve mercy upon me O God after thy great goodness according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences Wash me throughly from my wickedness and cleanse me from my sin For I acknowledge my faults and my sin is ever before me Against thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight that thou mightest be justified in thy saying and clear when thou art judged Behold I was shapen in wickedness and in sin hath my mother conceived me But lo thou requirest truth in the inward parts and shalt make me to understand wisdome secretly Thou shalt purge me with Hysop and I shall be clean thou shalt wash me and I shall be whiter then snow Thou shalt make me hear of joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce Turn thy face from my sins and put out all my misdeeds Make me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirit from me O give me the comfort of thy help again and stablish me with thy free spirit Then shall I teach thy wayes unto the wicked and sinners shall be converted unto thee Deliver me from blood-guiltiness O God thou that art the God of my health and my tongue shall sing of thy righteousness Thou shalt open my lips O Lord my mouth shall shew forth thy praise For thou desirest no sacrifice else would I give it thee but thou delightest not in burnt offering The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit a broken and contrite heart O God shalt thou not despise O be favourable and gracious unto Sion build thou the walls of Jerusalem Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness with the burnt offerings and oblations then shall they offer young bullocks upon thine altar A PRAYER TUrn us O good Lord and so shall we be turned be favourable O Lord be favourable to thy people which turn unto thee with weeping and fasting and praying for thou art a merciful God full of compassion long suffering as also of great pity Thou sparest when we deserve punishment and in thy wrath thinkest of mercy Spare thy people good Lord spare them and let not thine heritage be brought to confusion but after the multitude of thy mercies so look upon us We beseech thee to hear our prayers and to have mercy on such as do penitently confess their sins unto thee that they whose consciences by sin are accused by thy merciful pardon may be absolved And O Lord which hast compassion of all men and wouldest not the death of a sinner but rather that he should turn from sin and be saved mercifully forgive us our trespasses receive and comfort us which be grieved and wearied with the burden of our sins Thy property is to have mercy to thee only it appertaineth to forgive sins Spare us therefore good Lord spare thy people whom thou hast redeemed enter not into judgement with thy servants which be vile earth and miserable sinners but so turn thine ire from us which meekly acknowledge our vileness and truly repent us of our faults So make haste to help us in this world that we may ever live with thee in the world to come through Jesus Christ our Lord to whom with thee and thy holy spirit be all honour and glory now and ever Amen MATRIMONY Welbeloved the ancient laudable order of our Church was that as often as there was a marriage there should be a Sermon wherein ordinarily the duties of man and wife should be declared according to holy Scripture but if there were no Sermon it was left to the Minister to make this or some short exhortation I shall therefore accordingly first let you know what the holy Scripture doth say as touching the duties of husbands towards their wives and wives towards their husbands SAint Paul in his Epistle to the Ephesians the fifth Chapter Ephes 5. 25. doth give this commandment to all married men Ye husbands love your wives even as Christ loved the Church and hath given himself for it that he might so sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word that he might present it unto himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish So ought men to love their wives
of the horrible punishment which will ensue Wherefore consider with your selves the end of your ministerie towards the children of God towards the spouse and body of Christ and see that you never cease your labour your care and diligence until you have done all that lieth in you according to your bounden duty to bring all such as are or shall be committed unto your charge unto that agreement in faith and knowledge of God and to that ripeness and perfectness of age in Christ that there be no place left among you either of errour in religion or for viciousness in life Then forasmuch as your office is both of so great excellencie and of so great difficulty ye see with how great care and study ye ought to apply your selves as well that you may shew your selves kinde to that Lord who hath placed you in so high a dignity as also to beware that neither you your selves offend neither be occasion that other offend Howbeit ye cannot have a minde and a will thereto of your selves for that power and ability is given of God alone Therefore ye see how ye ought and have need earnestly to pray for his holy Spirit And seeing that you cannot by any other means compass the doing of so weighty a work pertaining to the salvation of man but with doctrine and exhortation taken out of the holy Scripture and with a life agreeable unto the same ye perceive how studious ye ought to be in reading and in learning the Scriptures and in framing the manners both of your selves and of them that specially pertain unto you according to the rule of the same Scriptures and for this self same cause ye see how ye ought to forsake and set aside as much as you may all worldly cares and studies We have good hope that you have well weighed and pondered these things with your selves long before this time and that you have clearly determined by Gods grace to give your selves wholly to this vocation whereunto it hath pleased God to call you so that as much as lyeth in you you apply your selves wholly to this one thing and draw all your cares and studies this way and to this end And that you will continually pray for the heavenly assistance of the Holy Ghost from God the Father by the mediation of our only mediatour and Saviour Jesus Christ that by dayly reading and weighing of the Scriptures ye may so wax riper and stronger in your ministery and that ye may so endeavour your selves from time to time to sanctifie the lives of you and yours and to fashion them after the rule and doctrine of Christ and that ye may be wholsome and godly examples and patterns for the rest of the Congregation to follow and that this present congregation of Christ here assembled may also understand your mindes and wills in these things and that this your promise shall more move you to do your duties ye shall answer plainly to these things which we in the name of the congregation shall demand of you touching the same First demand Do you think in your heart that you be truly called according to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ and the order of this Church of England to the ministery of Priesthood Answer I think it Second demand Be you perswaded that the holy Scriptures contain sufficiently all doctrine required of necessity for eternal salvation through faith in Jesus Christ And are you determined with the said Scriptures to instruct the people committed to your charge and to teach nothing as required of necessity to eternal salvation but that you shall be perswaded may be concluded and proved by the Scripture Answer I am so perswaded and have so determined by Gods grace Third demand Will you then give your faithfull diligence alwayes so to minister the doctrine and Sacraments and the discipline of Christ as the Lord hath commanded and as this realm hath received the same according to the commandments of God so that you may teach the people committed to your cure and charge with all diligence to keep and observe the same Answer I will so do by the help of the Lord. Fourth demand Will you be ready with all faithfull diligence to banish and drive away all erroneous and strange doctrines contrary to Gods word and to use both publike and private monitions and exhortations as well to the sick as to the whole within your cures as need shall require and occasion be given Answer I will the Lord being my helper Fifth demand Will you be diligent in prayers and in reading of the holy Scriptures and in such studies as help to the knowledge of the same laying aside the study of the world and the flesh Answer I will endeavour my self so to do the Lord being my helper Sixth demand Will you be diligent to frame and fashion your own selves and your families according to the doctrine of Christ and to make both your selves and them as much as in you lieth wholsom examples and spectacles to the flock of Christ Answer I will apply my self the Lord being my helper Seventh demand Will you maintain and set forwards as much as lyeth in you quietnesse peace and love among all Christian people and specially among them that are or shall be committed to your charge Answer I will so do the Lord being my helper Eigth demand Will you reverently obey your Ordinarie and other chief Ministers unto whom the government and charge is committed over you following with a glad minde and will their godly admonitions and submitting your selves to their godly judgments Answer I will so do the Lord being my helper Then the Bishop say'd Almighty God who hath given you this will to do all these things grant also unto you strength and power to performe the same that he may accomplish his work which he hath begun in you untill the time he shall come at the latter day to judge the quick and the dead After this exhortation and these demands the Congregation was desired secretly in their prayers to make humble supplications to God for the aforsaid things viz. that the persons might have grace to performe what they had promised and had been exhorted unto for the which there was a certaine space kept in silence And then the Bishop prayed in this wise ALmighty God and Heavenly Father which of thine infinite love and goodnesse towards us hast given to us thy only and most dear beloved Son Jesus Christ to be our redeemer and authour of everlasting life who after he had made perfect our redemption by his death and was ascended into heaven sent abroad into the world his Apostles Prophets Evangelists Doctors and Pastors by whose labour and ministery he gathered together a great flock in all the parts of the world to set forth the eternall praise of thy holy Name For these so great benefits of thy eternall goodnesse and for that thou hast vouchsafed to call these thy servants here present