his vocation and Ministery may truly and godly serve thee And O Lord who hast made all men nor wouldest the death of a sinner but rather that he should be converted and live have mercy upon al Jews Turks Infidels and Hereticks and take from them all ignorance and hardness of heart and contempt of thy word and so fetch them home blessed Lord to thy flock that they may be saved among the remnant of the true Israelites and be made one fold under one shepherd Jesus Christ And merciful God which through thy only begotten Son Jesus Christ hast overcome death and by his resurrection Resurrection opened unto us the gate of everlasting life We humbly beseech thee that as by thy special grace preventing us thou doest put into our mindes good desires so by thy continual help we may bring the same to good effect And as thou didst give him not only to die for our sins but to rise again for our justification grant us so to put away the leaven of malice and wickedness that we may always serve thee in pureness of living and truth And as thou didst give him both a sacrifice for sin and also an example of godly life give us the grace that we may alwayes most thankfully receive that his inestimable benefit and also dayly endeavour our selves to follow the blessed steps of his most holy life And like as we do believe thy only begotten Son our Lord to have ascended with Ascension great glory into the Heaven so we beseech thee grant us that we may also in heart and mind thither ascend also and with him continually dwell who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost And do not leave us comfortless but according to thy promise send us thine Holy Ghost to comfort us and exalt us unto the same place whither our Saviour is gone before And as thou didst after our Saviours Ascention teach the hearts of thy faithful people by thy sending them the light of thy Holy Spirit Sending the holy Spirit Grant us by the same spirit to have a right judgement in all things and evermore to rejoyce in his holy comfort through the merits of Christ Jesus And seeing thou hast given us grace thus by the confession of a true faith to acknowledge the glory of the eternall Trinity and in the power of Trinity the Divine Majesty to worship the unity We beseech thee that through the stedfastnes of this faith wee may evermore be defended from all adversities through Jesus Christ our Saviour who liveth and reigneth with the in the unity of the selfe same Spirit one God world without end Amen An Excellent Prayer VII O Almighty and Everliving Lord God God the Father God the Son God the holy Ghost holy blessed and glorious Trinity three persons and one God have mercy upon us Remember not our offences nor the offences of our forefathers neither take thou vengeance of our sins but spare us good Lord spare thy people whom thou hast redeemed with thy most pretious blood and be not angry with us for ever Preserve us from all evill and mischief from sin from the crafts and assaults of the Divell from thy wrath and from everlasting damnation Deliver us from all blindnes of heart from pride vaine glory and hypocrisie from envy hatred and malice and all uncharitablenes from fornication and all other sins the wages of which is death and from all the deceits of the world the flesh and the Divell keep us from any hurt by lightning and tempest from the plague pestilence and famine from battels and murder and from sudden death deliver us from all sedition and privy conspiracy all false doctrine and heresie hardnes of heart and contempt of thy word and commandements And these things wee beseech of thee for and through the mystery of thy holy incarnation thy holy nativity and circumcision thy baptisme fasting and temptation through thine agony and bloody swet thy crosse and passion thy pretious death and buriall thy glorious resurrection and ascension and the comeing of the holy Ghost And O Lord God we do beseech thee that it would please the to rule and governe thy holy Church universall in the right way Illuminate all Bishops Pastors and Ministers of the Church with true knowledge and understanding of thy word and that both by preaching and living they may set it forth and shew it accordingly Be pleased to blesse and keepe the Magistrates giving them grace to execute justice and to maintaine truth And Blesse and keepe all thy people give us all hearts to love and dread thee and diligently to live after thy commandements That we may have increase of grace to heare meekely thy word and receive it with pure affection and bring forth the fruits of the Spirit Wee beseech thee to give unto all Nations unity peace and concord bring into the way of truth all such as have erred and are deceived strengthen such as do stand comfort and helpe the weake-hearted raise up them that fall and finally beate down Satan under our feete Be pleased O Lord to succour helpe and comfort all that be in danger necessity and tribulation preserve all that in their lawfull affaires travell by land or water all women labouring with child all sick persons and young children and to shew thy pitty upon all prisoners and captives defend and provide for the fatherlesse children and widdowes and all that are desolate and oppressed and let it please thee to have mercy upon all men Forgive our enemies persecutors and slanderers and turne their hearts And we beseech the to give and preserve to our use the kindly fruits of the earth so as in due time we may enjoy them and deale not with us after our sins nor reward us after our iniquities but give us true repentance forgive us all our sins negligences and ignorances indue us with the graces of thy holy Spirit to amend our lives according to thy holy word And O mercifull father that despisest not the sighing of a contrite heart nor the desires of such as be sorrowfull mercifully assist our prayers that we make before thee in all our troubles and adversities whensoever they oppresse us and gratiously heare us that those evils which the craft and subtilty of the divell or man worketh against us be brought to nought and by the providence of thy goodnes they may be dispersed that we thy servants being hurt by no persecutions may evermore give thanks unto thee in thy holy Church And seeing we have heard with our eares and our fathers have declared unto us the noble works that thou didst in their dayes and in the old time before them We beseech thee in the midst of these our divisions and distractions to arise and helpe us by thy power and deliver us for the honour of thy name defend us from all our enemies and let thy mercy be shewed upon us as we do put our trust in thee
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
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
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
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
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
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
of our State doth depend knowing that without thee we can do nothing do at this time with fear and reverence in the beginning of our consultations first look up unto thee from whom wisdome and happy success doth come praying thee to look down from Heaven upon us with the eye of thy mercy to draw near unto us with the presence of thy grace to prepare us all with counsel and understanding and to be president and director of all our conferences that those things may be propounded conceived allowed and confirmed which may best please thee and most directly and soundly uphold the honour of thy Name the sincerity of thy worship the safety of our King and peace of thy people even for thy Son our Lords sake And that we may not our selves be any hinderance to the obtaining of these our desires either by means of any Sin formerly committed or of any corruption yet remaining in us we humbly pray thee to forgive our sins and blot out all our iniquities and to stand reconciled unto us in an everlasting covenant of peace as if we had never sinned against thee And because our hearts by nature are not fit for good cogitations create a new heart and renew a right spirit in us remove far from us all vain-glorious humour of commending our own wit all covetous humour of advancing our private profit all envious humour of disgracing other mens gifts all malicious humour of hurting any mans person and finally all froward humour of opposing our selves against just needful and godly things by whomsoever propounded Furnish us with knowledge wisdome and zeal by sending down thy spirit into our hearts that we may understand discern prefer and set forward all things tending to the advancement of thy glory and such as may be thought worthy our assent and furtherance And because all good things are not of equal goodness nor all needful things of equal necessitie let our care and zeal be equally proportioned to the degrees of things in goodness and necessity different And therefore first make us careful of the glory of thy Name which is the high end of all thy counsels and works ought to be the last end and first respect of all our purposes and doings And therein let our especial care be to provide for the continuance of thy word and religious practise of thy worship by the ministery and means that Christ hath planted in his Church next let the good of this whole Iland move our care and zeal which consisting in the safety and honour of the King and the enacting and executing of good laws let us be wisely careful and faithfully zealous for the person of our King whom thou the King of Kings hast in mercy set over us And because no Law can be good that is not agreeable to thy law which containeth the fundamental equity of all laws in making laws to govern thy people let us alwayes have an eye unto thy law not digressing from the holy equity thereof and what through thy mercy we shall here profitably enact we pray thee through the whole Kingdome it may be truly executed that our great labour may not be disgraced with little fruit And forasmuch as we all and every one of us have in this place with wonder and astonishment and without any merit of ours found a most evident assurance of thy mercy and goodness in a miraculous deliverance from the greatest danger by popish treachery that ever was attempted or threatned towards our King our State and Us give us good Lord hearts above the hearts of men to offer unto thee in the same place a dayly sacrifice of thanksgiving in the highest measure together with a fervent and incessant zeal care and diligence in all our proceedings for the setling of the peace and happy estate of thy Church amongst us the preservation of our King his royal progeny our selves and our posterity and for the preventing suppressing and final rooting out of the spring issue and fruit of all such hellish and popish hearts intentions and practises to the everlasting praise and glory of thy blessed name Hear us we pray thee O Father of mercy in these our most humble and needful petitions forgive and answer us according to thy fatherly and great goodness for Jesus Christ his sake to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost three persons and one God be all praise glory and power now and for ever Amen A Prayer for the Parliament used also in the House II. ALmighty God which by thy holy Prophet David art most truly said to stand in the congregation of Princes and givest judgement in the midst of the mighty men of the world and through whose authority Princes do raign Law-makers do discern just things Lords bear rule and all Judges of the earth execute judgement and for that cometh of thee all counsel and equity all understanding and strength grant unto us here gathered together in thy name that wisdome which is alwayes assistant to thy seat to give knowledge to our feeble and ignorant mindes Send down we beseech thee the same wisdome out of thy holy heavens and from the throne of thy majesty that it may be now with us and labour with us whereby we surely knowing what is acceptable unto thee may be led through it to the debating weighing and final determining of those matters by the which thy blessed Name may be glorified thy Catholick Church of England confirmed and increased the Kings assurance established the common tranquillity of this Realm safely maintained and last of all all estates and people thereof in true obedience and charity united and knit together Grant this O God for thy only Sons sake Jesus Christ our Lord Amen The Ancient manner of ORDINATION In the CHURCH of ENGLAND Received and observed by the most Eminent Divines since the Reformation The prudence and excellency of which constitution these particulars following do demonstrate to any ingenuous and unbiassed Reader THere were foure times in the year ordinarily appointed for it Prayer and Fasting of the whole Church was to precede it which times being known the persons ordained might be the more assured of the benefit of it There was to be a strict examination of the persons to be presented both for their learning vertuous and godly conversation and a great charge laid upon him that did present them to take good heed they were apt and meet to exercise their Ministry duely to the honour of God and the edifying of his Church and a principal person of the Ministery whose office it was did affirm it publickly that he had enquired of them and examined them and conceived them so to be Upon the day of Ordination both of Deacons and those admitted unto the Ministry of Priesthood or Presbyters there was to be a Sermon declaring the duties and office of Ministers the necessity of such orders in the Church and how the people ought to esteem of them in their vocation At
the entrance into each the people were asked if any of them knew any impediment or notable crime in any of them now presented for the which they ought not to be admitted and were desired in the name of God to come forth and declare it and if any were objected the person accused was not to be ordained until such time as he had fully cleared himself of it The place where it was to be done was in the face of the Church or congregation on the Lords day or some other day of publick meeting the manner of the Ordination as followeth First for the Deacons THey were first commended unto God by the prayer of the whole congregation then some fitting portions out of holy Scripture were read before them containing their duties viz. 1 Tim. 3. from the 8. ver to the end of the Chapter Acts 6. from the 2. to the 8. After this the office of a Deacon was declared unto them many serious questions asked them some in matter of belief as whether they did believe they had an inward call by the motion of the Holy Ghost to take upon them that office and ministration and that their outward was according to the will of Christ that they did believe all the Canonical books of holy Scripture Some in matter of practice as whether they would frame their own lives and the lives of their families as examples unto others and would reverently obey their Governours and superiours hearkning to their admonitions c. To these there were solemn engagements for them accordingly in the presence of the congregation The manner of Ordaining was thus The Deacons being upon their knees the Bishop laid his hands severally upon the head of each of them saying Take thou Authority to execute the office of a Deacon in the Church of God committed unto thee In the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost Amen Then was delivered to each of them the New Testament saying Take thou authority to read the Gospel in the Church of God and to preach the same if thou be thereto ordinarily commanded And as an initiation of them one of them by appointment did read a portion out of the Gospel that day The oath of Supremacy administred unto each and the seasonable and sitting prayers both before imposition of hands and after and that they were that day to receive the Communion may be found in the book it self of which is here intended only a summary thus much for the inferiour office of the Deacon upon the experience and trial of whom in it for the space of a year except for reasonable causes it should be thought otherwise and being found faithful and diligent they might be admitted unto the higher ministries in the Church viz. unto the order of Priesthood or Presbyters which followeth The ordination of Presbyters NOw secondly for the manner of ordering of those admitted into the Ministry of Priesthood or Presbyters it was thus after the Sermon or exhortation wherein their office and duty was to be shewen unto them they were solemnly presented by a principal person for that end the consent and approbatition of the people was asked in these words following Good people these be they whom we purpose God willing to receive this day unto the holy office of Priesthood and after due examination we finde not to the contrary but that they be lawfully called to their function and ministrie and that they be persons meet for the same but yet if there be any of you which knoweth any impediment or notable crime of any of them for the which he ought not to be received into this holy ministrie now in the name of God declare the same c. And if any were objected the person was not to be ordained till he had cleared himself of it Those that were to be ordained were first commended as before unto God by the prayers of the whole congregation of which this was one viz. That God who is the giver of all good things and by his holy spirit had appointed diverse orders of Ministers in his Church would be pleased mercifully to behold these his servants now called to that office that he would replenish them so with the truth of doctrine and innocency of life that both by word and good example they might faithfully serve him in this office to the glory of his name and profit of his Church or congregation c. After Prayer some select portions out of holy Scripture containing their duties were read before them viz. Acts 20. 17. to the 36. From Mileto Paul sent messengers to Ephesus and called the Elders of the Church c. or 2 Tim. 3. 1. to the 8. If a man desire the office of a Bishop he desires a worthy work a Bishop must be blameless c. Mat. 28. 18 19 20. containing the Apostles commission from our Saviour or John 10. 11. to 17. chap. 20. 19. to 24. And then an Ancient Hymn said or sung as may be seen more at large in the book of Ordination These things premised then followed the Ordination it self first a grave solid exhortation and admonition directed to the persons to be ordained with divers serious questions and solemn engagements taken of them and I conceive 't is more profitable to have things of this nature punctually set down without any variation whereby all come to be a like obliged and each may have an often serious review of what was charged upon him and engaged by him then to have them left to the ordainers sudden transient expressions which cannot be well called to minde by either and for the same causes a set form of Prayer at these solemnities is the most prudent The Exhortation given by the Bishop to the persons ordained YOu have heard brethren as well in your private examination as in the exhortation and in the holy lessons taken out of the Gospel and of the writings of the Apostles of what dignity and of how great importance this office is whereunto ye be called And now we exhort you in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ to have in remembrance into how high a dignity and to how chargeable an office ye be called that is to say the messengers the watchmen the pastours and the stewards of the Lord to teach to premonish to feed and provide for the Lords family to seek for Christs sheep that be dispersed abroad and for his children which be in the middest of this naughty world to be saved through Christ for ever Have alwayes therefore printed in your remembrance how great a treasure is committed to your charge for they be the sheep of Christ which he bought with his death and for whom he shed his blood The Church and congregation whom you must serve is his spouse and his body And if it shall chance the same Church or any member thereof to take any hurt or hinderance by reason of your negligence ye know the greatness of the fault and also
to the same office and ministery of salvation of mankinde we render unto thee most hearty thanks we worship and praise thee and we humbly beseech thee by the same thy Son to grant unto all which either here or elsewhere call upon thy Name that we may shew our selves thankfull to thee for these and all other thy benefits and that we may daily increase and go forwards in the knowledge and faith of thee and thy Son by the holy Spirit So that aâ— well by these thy Ministers as by tâ—em to whom they shall be appointed Ministers thy holy Name may be alwayes glorified and thy blessed kingdom enlarged through the same thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ which liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the same holy Spirit world without end Amen After this prayer the Bishop with the Ministers present did lay their hands severally upon the head of every one that received orders the receivers humbly kneeling upon their knees and the Bishop in the name of the rest of the Ministers asisting him in it did say * The sense of these words and the fitness of the use of them here upon this occasion see the late arch Bishop of Armaghs judgment as the neglect in that ordination which gives no power or authority either in these words or any other to the likesense Ordinat of Presby ters p. 136. Receive the holy Ghost whose sins thou doest forgive they are forgiven and whose sins thou doest retain they are retained and be thou a faithfull dispenser of the word of God and of his holy Sacraments In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost Amen Then was delivered to every one of them the Bible in his hand the Bishop saying Take thou authority to preach the word of God and to minister the holy Sacraments in the Congregation where thou shalt be so appointed After this was done there was a prayer that the Lord would send upon those persons thus ordained his heavenly blessing that they might be clad about with all justice and that his word spoken by their mouthes may have such successe that it may never be spoken in vain and that the people committed to their charge may have grace to heare and receive the same as his most holy word and the meanes of their salvation and that in all their words and deeds they may seek his glory and the increase of his kingdom c. And it was also ordered that there should be a Communion and that all that were ordained should receive it together with the ordainers and to remaine in the same place where hands were laid upon them till they had received the Communion Now thus weighing and well considering the whole proceedings of this constitution Let any moderate prudent person judge if there were any just cause to have laid it wholy aside but that upon second thoughts there is more cause it were restored to the generall satisfaction both of people and Ministry And for the forme of Consecrating a Bishop it was very grave and Solemn the substance of which was as followeth THe person Elected to that office was commended accordingly to God by the prayers of the Congregation that he might have grace duly to execute the office whereunto he is called to the edifying of the Church and to the honour and glory of his name Wherein the principall prayer is the same which was used in the ordaining of Priests or Presbyters with this difference in the former thus behold this thy servant now called to the office of Priest-hood and in this called to the worke and Ministry of a Bishop The portions read out of holy Scripture are the same also as 1 Tim. 3. 1. to vers 8. John 10. 1. to vers 17. only a third added John 21 15. to vers 18. The Bishop Elected was presented by two Bishops as a godly and well learned man to be consecrated accordingly diverse solemn engagements were demanded viz. for the reading of the Scriptures prayers preaching the withstanding of false doctrines an exemplary godly liâ—e maintaining of peace and quietness correcting of the unquiet to be gentle mercifull and charitable to the poore and needy c. As may be seen more at large in the Booke Then the prayer before imposition of hands was this ALmighty God and most mercifull Father which of thine infinite goodnesse hast given thy onely and most deaâ— beloved Son Jesus Christ â—o be our Redeemer and Author of everlasting life who after that he had made perfect our Redemption by his death and was ascended into heaven poured down his gifts abundantly upon men making some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastours and Doctours to the edifying and making perfect his Congregation grant we beseech thee to this thy servant such grace that he may evermore be ready to spread abroad thy Gospel and glad tidings of reconcilement to God and to use the authority given unto him not to destroy but to save not to hurt but to help so that he as a wise and faithfull servant giving to thy family meat in due season may at the last be received into joy through Jesus Christ our Lord who with thee and the holy Ghost liveth and reigneth one God world without end Amen Then the Archbishop and Bishops present layd their hands upon the head of the Elected Bishop saying Take the holy Ghost and remember that thou stirre up the grace of God which is in thee by imposition of hands for God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of power and love and sobernesse Then the Archbishop delivereth to him the Bible saying Give heed unto reading exhortation and doctrine Think upon these things contained in this book Be diligent in them that the increase coming thereby may be manifest unto all men Take heed unto thy self and unto teaching and be diligent in doing them for by doing this thou shalt save thy self and them that hear thee Be to the flock of Christ a shepherd not a woolf feed them devour them not hold up the weak heal the sick binde together the broken bring again the outcasts seek the lost be so mercifull that ye be not too too remisse so minister discipline that you forget not mercy that when the chief Shepherd shall come ye may receive the immarcescible crown of glory through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen Lastly there was a Communion and the new consecrated Bishop did communicate with the rest When there was one speciall prayer conceived for him as followeth MOst mercifull Father we beseech thee to send down upon this thy servant thy heavenly blessing and so endue him with thy holy Spirit that he preaching thy word may not only be earnest to reprove beseech and rebuke with all patience and doctrine but also may be to such as believe an wholsome example in word in conversation in love in faith in chastity and purity that faithfully fulfilling his course at the latter day he
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