them that doe well the terrour of all that doe evill and the great good of the whole Church and of all his Kingdomes for the conversion of the Queen the religious education of the Prince and the rest of the Royall seed For the comforting of the afflicted Queen of Bohemia sister to our Soveraign and for the restitution and establishment of the illustrious Prince Charles Elector Palatine of the Rhene to all his Dominions and Dignities For a blessing upon the High Court of Parliament when sitting in any of these Kingdomes respectively the Nobility the subordinate Iudges and Magistrates the Gentry and all the Commonalty For all Pastors and Teachers that God would fill them with his Spirit make them exemplarily holy sober just peaceable and gratious in their lives sound faithfull and powerfull in their Ministery and follow all their labours with abundance of successe and blessing and give unto all his people Pastors according to his owne heart For the Vniversities and all Schooles and Religious seminaries of Church and Common-wealth that they may flourish more and more in Learning and piety For the particular City or Congregation that God would powre out a blessing upon the Ministery of the Word Sacraments and Discipline upon the Civill Government and all the severall Families and persons therein For mercy to the afflicted under any inward or outward distresse For seasonable weather and fruitfull seasons as the time may require For averting the Judgements that wee either feele or feare or are liable unto as famine pestilence the sword and such like And with confidence of his mercy to his whole Church and the acceptance of our persons through the merits and mediation of our great High Priest the Lord Jesus To professe that it is the desire of our soules to have fellowship with God in the reverent and conscionable use of his holy Ordinances and to that purpose to pray earnestly for his grace and effectuall assistance to the sanctification of his holy Sabbath the Lords day in all the duties thereof publike and private both to our selves and to all other Congregations of his people according to the riches and excellency of the Gospel this day celebrated and enjoyed And because wee have been unprofitable hearers in times past and now cannot of our selves receive as we should the deep things of God the mysteries of Jesus Christ which require a spirituall discerning To pray that the Lord who teacheth to profit would graciously please to poure out the Spirit of Grace together with the outward means thereof causing us to attain such a measure of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord and in him of the things which belong to our peace that wee may account all things but as drosse in comparison of him And that wee tasting the first fruits of the glory that is to be revealed may long for a more full and perfect communion with him that where he is we may be also and enjoy the fulnesse of those joyes and pleasures which are at his right hand for evermore More particularly that God would in speciall manner furnish his Servant now called to dispense the bread of life unto his houshold with wisdome fidelity zeale and utterance that hee may divide the Word of God aright to every one his portion in evidence and demonstration of the Spirit and power and that the Lord would circumcise the eares and hearts of the Hearers to heare love and receive with meeknesse the ingrafted Word which is able to save their soules make them as good ground to receive in the good seed of the Word and strengthen them against the temptations of Satan the cares of the World the hardnesse of their owne hearts and whatsoever else may hinder their profitable and saving hearing that so Christ may be so formed in them and live in them that all their thoughts may bee brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ and their hearts established in every good word and work for ever We judge this to be a convenient Order in the ordinary Publique Prayers yet so as the Minister may deferre as in prudence he shall think meet some part of these Petitions till after his Sermon or offer up to God some of the Thanksgivings hereafter appointed in his Prayer before his Sermon Of the Preaching of the Word PReaching of the Word being the power of God unto Salvation and one of the greatest and most excellent Works belonging to the Ministry of the Gospell should bee so performed that the Workman need not been ashamed but may save himself and those that heare him It is presupposed according to the Rules for Ordination that the Minister of Christ is in some good measure gifted for so weighty a service by his skill in the Originall Languages and in such Arts and Sciences as are handmaids unto Divinity by his knowledge in the whole Body of Theology but most of all in the holy Scriptures having his senses and heart exercised in them above the common sort of Beleevers and by the illumination of Gods Spirit and other gifts of edification which together with reading and studying of the Word hee ought still to seek by Prayer and an humble heart resolving to admit and receive any truth not yet attained when ever God shall make it known unto him All which hee is to make use of and improve in his private preparations before hee deliver in publike what he hath provided Ordinarily the subject of his Sermon is to be some Text of Scripture holding forth some principle or head of Religion or suitable to some speciall occasion emergent or hee may goe on in some Chapter Psalme or Booke of the holy Scripture as hee shall see fit Let the Introduction to his Text be brief and perspicuous drawn from the Text it self or context or some parallel place or generall sentence of Scripture If the Text be long as in Histories and Parables it sometimes must be let him give a briefe summe of it if short a Paraphrase thereof if need be In both looking diligently to the scope of the Text and pointing at the chief heads and grounds of Doctrine which he is to raise from it In Analysing and dividing his Text hee is to regard more the order of matter then of words and neither to burden the memory of the hearers in the beginning with too many members of Division nor to trouble their minds with obscure termes of Art In raising Doctrines from the Text his care ought to bee First that the matter be the truth of God Secondly that it be a truth contained in or grounded on that Text that the hearers may discern how God techeth it from thence Thirdly that he chiefly insist upon those Doctrines which are principally intended and make most for the edification of the hearers The Doctrine is to be expressed in plaine termes or if any thing in it need explication is to bee opened and the consequence also from the Text cleared
thinke best for edification of his Hearers as the Book of Psalmes and such like When the Minister who readeth shall judge it necessary to expound any part of what is read let it not bee done untill the whole Chapter or Psalme bee ended and regard is alwayes to be had unto the time that neither Preaching or other Ordinance bee straitned or rendred tedious Which Rule is to be observed in all other publique performances Beside Publique Reading of the Holy Scriptures every person that can reade is to be exhorted to reade the Scriptures privately and all others that cannot reade if not disabled by age or otherwise are likewise to bee exhorted to learne to reade and to have a Bible Of Publike Prayer before the Sermon AFter Reading of the Word and singing of the Psalme the Minister who is to Preach is to endeavour to get his own and his Hearers hearts to be rightly affected with their Sinnes that they may all mourn in sense thereof before the Lord and hunger and thirst after the grace of God in Iesus Christ by proceeding to a more full Confession of Sinne with shame and holy confusion of face and to Call upon the Lord to this effect To acknowledge our great sinfulnesse First by reason of Originall sin which beside the guilt that makes us liable to everlasting Damnation is the seed of all other sinnes hath depraved and poysoned all the faculties and powers of Soule and Body doth defile our best actions and were it not restrained or our hearts renewed by Grace would breake forth into innumerable transgressions and greatest rebellions against the Lord that ever were committed by the vilest of the sons of Men. And next by reason of Actuall sins our own sins the sins of Magistrates of Ministers and of the whole Nation unto which wee are many wayes accessory Which sins of ours receive many fearefull aggravations wee having broken all the Commandements of the holy just and good Law of God doing that which is forbidden and leaving undone what is enjoyned and that not onely out of Ignorance and Infirmity but also more presumptuously against the light of our Minds checks of our Consciences and motions of his own Holy Spirit to the contrary so that we have no cloak for our sins Yea not onely despising the riches of Gods goodnesse forbearance and long-suffering but standing out against many invitations and offers of grace in the Gospel not endeavouring as wee ought to receive Christ into our hearts by Faith or to walke worthy of him in our lives To bewaile our blindnesse of minde hardnesse of heart unbelief impenitency security lukewarmnesse barrennesse our not endeavouring after mortification and newnesse of life nor after the exercise of godlinesse in the power thereof and that the best of us have not so stedfastly walked with God kept our garments so unspotted nor been so zealous of his glory and the good of others as wee ought And to mourn over such other sins as the Congregation is particularly guilty of notwithstanding the manifold and great Mercies of our God the Love of Christ the Light of the Gospel and Reformation of Religion our own purposes promises vows solemn Covenant and other speciall obligations to the contrary To acknowledge and confesse that as wee are convinced of our guilt so out of a deep sense thereof wee judge our selves unworthy of the smallest benefits most worthy of Gods fiercest wrath and of all the Curses of the Law and heaviest Judgements inflicted upon the most rebellious Sinners and that hee might most justly take his Kingdome and Gospel from us plague us with all sorts of spirituall and temporall judgements in this life and after cast us into utter Darknesse in the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone where is weeping and gnashing of teeth for evermore Notwithstanding all which To draw neare to the Throne of Grace encouraging our selves with hope of a gracious Answer of our Prayers in the riches and all-sufficiency of that onely one oblation the satisfaction and intercession of the Lord Jesus Christ at the right hand of his Father and our Father and in confidence of the exceeding great and precious promises of mercy and grace in the new Covenant through the same Mediator thereof to deprecate the heavy wrath and curse of God which wee are not able to avoid or beare and humbly and earnestly to supplicate for mercy in the free and full remission of all our sins and that onely for the bitter sufferings and pretious merits of that our onely Saviour Jesus Christ That the Lord would vouchsafe to shed abroad his love in our hearts by the Holy Ghost seale unto us by the same Spirit of Adoption the full assurance of our Pardon and Reconciliation comfort all that mourn in Zion speak peace to the wounded and troubled spirit and bind up the broken hearted And as for secure and presumptuous sinners that he would open their eyes convince their Consciences and turn them from darknesse unto light and from the power of Satan unto God that they also may receive forgivenesse of sin and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in Christ Jesus With remission of sins through the blood of Christ To pray for sanctification by his Spirit the Mortification of sinne dwelling in and many times tyrannizing over us the quickening of our dead spirits with the life of God in Christ grace to fit and inable us for all duties of conversation and callings towards God and Men strength against temptations the sanctified use of blessings and crosses and perseverance in Faith and obedience unto the end To pray for the Propagation of the Gospell and Kingdome of Christ to all Nations for the conversion of the Jewes the fulnesse of the Gentiles the fall of Antichrist and the hastening of the second comming of our Lord For the deliverance of the distressed Churches abroad from the tyranny of the Antichristian faction and from the cruell oppressions and blasphemies of the Turke For the blessing of God upon all the Reformed Churches especially upon the Churches and Kingdomes of England Scotland and Ireland now more strictly and religiously united in the solemne Nationall League and Covenant and for our Plantations in the remote parts of the World more particularly for that Church and Kingdome whereof we are Members that therein God would establish Peace and Truth the purity of all his Ordinances and the power of Godlinesse prevent and remove heresie schisme prophanenesse superstition security and unfruitfulnesse under the meanes of Grace heale all our rents and divisions and preserve us from breach of our solemne Covenant To pray for all in Authority especially for the Kings Majesty that God would make him rich in blessings both in his Person and Government establish his Throne in Religion and Righteousnesse save him from evill Counsell and make him a blessed and glorious Instrument for the conservation and propagation of the Gospell for the encouragement and protection of
The parallel places of Scripture confirming the Doctrine are rather to bee plaine and pertinent then many and if need bee somewhat insisted upon and applyed to the purpose in hand The Arguments or Reasons are to bee solid and as much as may bee convincing The illustrations of what kind soever ought to bee full of light and such as may convey the truth into the Hearers heart with spirituall delight If any Doubt obvious from Scripture Reason or Prejudice of the Hearers seem to arise it is very requisite to remove it by reconciling the seeming differences answering the reasons and discovering and taking away the causes of prejudice and mistake Otherwise it is not fit to detain the hearers with propounding or answering vaine or wicked Cavils which as they are endlesse so the propounding and answering of them doth more hinder then promote edification Hee is not to rest in generall Doctrine although never so much cleared and confirmed but to bring it home to speciall Use by application to his hearers Which albeit it prove a worke of great difficulty to himselfe requiring much prudence zeale and meditation and to the naturall and corrupt man will bee very unpleasant yet hee is to endeavour to perform it in such a manner that his Auditors may feele the Word of God to bee quick and powerfull and a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart and that if any unbeleever or ignorant person bee present hee may have the secrets of his heart made manifest and give glory to God In the Use of Instruction or information in the knowledge of some truth which is a consequence from his Doctrine he may when convenient confirm it by a few firm Arguments from the Text in hand and other places of Scripture or from the nature of that Common place in Divinity whereof that truth is a branch In Confutation of false Doctrines he is neither to raise an old Heresie from the grave nor to mention a blasphemous opinion unnecessarily but if the people be indanger of an Errour he is to confute it soundly and endeavour to satisfie their judgements and consciences against all objections In Exhorting to Duties he is as he seeth cause to teach also the meanes that helpe to the performance of them In Dehortation Reprehension and publique Admonition which require speciall wisedome let him as there shall be cause not only discover the nature and greatnesse of the sin with the misery attending it but also shew the danger his hearers are in to be overtaken and surprized by it together with the Remedies and best way to avoyd it In applying Comfort whether generall against all tentations or particular against some speciall troubles or terrours he is carefully to answer such objections as a troubled heart and afflicted spirit may suggest to the contrary It is also sometimes requisite to give some Notes of tryall which is very profitable especially when performed by able and experienced Ministers with circumspection and prudence and the Signes cleerely grounded on the holy Scripture whereby the Hearers may be able to examine themselves whether they have attained those Graces and performed those duties to which he Exhorteth or be guilty of the sin Reprehended and in danger of the Judgements Threatned or are such to whom the Consolations propounded doe belong that accordingly they may be quickned and excited to Duty humbled for their Wants and Sins affected with their Danger and strengthned with Comfort as their condition upon examination shall require And as he needeth not alwayes to prosecute every Doctrine which lies in his Text so is he wisely to make choice of such Vses as by his residence and conversing with his flock he findeth most needfull and seasonable and amongst these such as may most draw their soules to Christ the fountaine of light holinesse and comfort This Method is not prescribed as necessary for every man or upon every Text but only recommended as being found by experience to be very much blessed of God and very helpfull for the peoples understandings and memories But the Servant of Christ what ever his Method be is to performe his whole Ministery 1. Painfully not doing the work of the Lord negligently 2. Plainly that the meanest may understand delivering the truth not in the entising words of mans wisdome but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power least the Crosse of Christ should be made of none effect abstaining also from an unprofitable use of unknowne Tongues strange phrases and cadences of founds and words sparingly citing sentences of Ecclesiasticall or other humane Writers ancient or moderne be they never so elegant 3. Faithfully looking at the honour of Christ the conversion edification and salvation of the people not at his own gaine or glory keeping nothing back which may promote those holy ends giving to every one his own portion and bearing indifferent respect unto all without neglecting the meanest or sparing the greatest in their sins 4. Wisely framing all his Doctrines Exhortations and especially his Reproofs in such a manner as may be most likely to prevaile shewing all due respect to each mans person and place and not mixing his own passion or bitternesse 5. Gravely as becometh the Word of God shunning all such gesture voice and expressions as may occasion the corruptions of men to despise him and his Ministry 6. With loving affection that the people may see all coming from his godly zeale and hearty desire to doe them good And 7. As taught of God and perswaded in his own heart that all that he teacheth is the truth of Christ and walking before his flock as an example to them in it earnestly both in private and publique recommending his labours to the blessing of God and watchfully looking to himselfe and the flock whereof the Lord hath made him overseer So shall the Doctrine of truth be preserved uncorrupt many soules converted and built up and himselfe receive manifold comforts of his labours even in this life and afterward the Crown of Glory laid up for him in the world to come Where there are more Ministers in a Congregation than one and they of different guifts each may more especially apply himselfe to Doctrine or Exhortation according to the guift wherein he most excelleth and as they shall agree between themselves Of Prayer after the Sermon THe Sermon being ended the Minister is To give thanks for the great Love of God in sending his Sonne Jesus Christ unto us For the communication of his Holy Spirit For the light and liberty of the glorious Gospell and the rich and heavenly Blessings revealed therein as namely Election Vocation Adoption Justification Sanctification and hope of Glory For the admirable goodnesse of God in freeing the Land from Antichristian Darknesse and Tyranny and for all other Nationall Deliverances For the Reformation of Religion For the Covenant and for many temporall blessings To pray for the continuance of the Gospell and all Ordinances thereof in their purity power
the Child without adding any other Ceremony This done he is to give thanks and pray to this or the like purpose Acknowledging with all thankefulnesse that the Lord is true and faithfull in keeping Covenant and Mercy That hee is good and gracious not onely in that hee numbreth us among his Saints but is pleased also to bestow upon our children this singular token and badge of his love in Christ That in his truth and speciall providence hee daily bringeth some into the bosome of his Church to be partakers of his inestimable benefits purchased by the blood of his dear Son for the continuance and increase of his Church And praying That the Lord would still continue and daily confirm more and more this his unspeakable favour That he would receive the Infant now baptized and solemnly entred into the household of Faith into his Fatherly tuition and defence and remember him with the favour that he sheweth to his people That if he shall be taken out of this life in his Infancy the Lord who is rich in mercy would be pleased to receive him up into glory and if he live and attain the years of discretion that the Lord would so teach him by his word and spirit and make his Baptisme effectuall to him and so uphold him by his Divine power and grace that by faith he may prevail against the devil the world and the flesh till in the end he obtain a full and finall victory and so be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord. ¶ Of the celebration of the Communion or Sacrament of the LORDS Supper THe Communion or Supper of the Lord is frequently to be celebrated but how often may be considered and determined by the Ministers and other Church-Governours of each Congregation as they shall finde most convenient for the comfort and edification of the people committed to their charge And when it shall be administred we judge it convenient to be done after the morning Sermon The Ignorant and the Scandalous are not fit to receive this Sacrament of the Lords Supper Where this Sacrament cannot with conveniency be frequently administred it is requisite that publike warning be given the Sabbath day before the administration thereof and that either then or on some day of that weeke something concerning that Ordinance and the due preparation thereunto and participation thereof be taught that by the diligent use of all meanes sanctified of God to that end both in publique and private all may come better prepared to that heavenly Feast When the day is come for administration the Minister having ended his Sermon and Prayer shall make a short Exhortation Expressing the inestimable benefit we have by this Sacrament together with the ends and use thereof setting forth the great necessity of having our comforts and strength renewed thereby in this our pilgrimage and warfare How necessary it is that we come unto it with Knowledge Faith Repentance Love and with hungring and thirsting souls after Christ and his benefits How great the danger to eat and drink unworthily Next he is in the Name of Christ on the one part to warn all such as are Ignorant Scandalous Profane or that live in any sin or offence against their knowledge or conscience that they presume not to come to that holy Table shewing them That he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh judgement unto himself And on the other part he is in especiall manner to invite and encourage all that labour under the sense of the burden of their sins and fear of wrath and desire to reach out unto a greater progresse in Grace then yet they can attain unto to come to the Lords Table assuring them in the same Name of ease refreshing and strength to their weak and wearied souls After this Exhortation Warning and Invitation the Table being before decently covered and so conveniently placed that the Communicants may orderly sit about it or at it The Minister is to begin the action with sanctifying and blessing the elements of Bread and Wine set before him the Bread in comely and convenient vessels so prepared that being broken by him and given it may be distributed amongst the Communicants The Wine also in large Cups having first in a few words shewed That those elements otherwise common are now set apart and sanctified to this holy use by the word of Institution and Prayer Let the words of Institution be read out of the Evangelists or out of the first Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians Chap. 11. verse 23. I have received of the Lord c. to the 27. verse which the Minister may when he seeth requisite explaine and apply Let the Prayer Thanksgiving or Blessing of the Bread and Wine be to this effect WIth humble and hearty acknowledgement of the greatnesse of our misery from which neither man nor Angel was able to deliver us and of our great unworthinesse of the least of all Gods mercies To give thanks to God for all his benefits and especially for that great benefit of our Redemption the love of God the Father the sufferings and merits of the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God by which we are delivered and for all means of Grace the Word and Sacraments and for this Sacrament in particular by which Christ and all his benefits are applied and sealed up unto us which notwithstanding the deniall of them unto others are in great mercy continued unto us after so much and long abuse of them all To professe that there is no other name under Heaven by which we can be saved but the Name of Jesus Christ by whom alone we receive liberty and life have accesse to the throne of Grace are admitted to eat and drink at his own Table and are sealed up by his Spirit to an assurance of happinesse and everlasting life Earnestly to pray to God the Father of all mercies and God of all consolation to vouchsafe his gracious presence and the effectuall working of his Spirit in us and so to sanctifie these Elements both of Bread and Wine and to blesse his own Ordinance that we may receive by Faith the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ crucified for us and so to feed upon him that he may be one with us and we with him that he may live in us and we in him and to him who hath loved us and given himself for us All which he is to endeavour to performe with suitable affections answerable to such an holy Action and to stir up the like in the people The Elements being now sanctified by the Word and Prayer The Minister being at the Table is to take the Bread in his hand and say in these expressions or other the like used by Christ or his Apostle upon this occasion According to the holy Institution command and example of our blessed Saviour Jesus Christ I take this Bread and having given thanks I break it and give
When the sick person is best composed may be least disturbed and other necessary offices about him least hindred the Minister if desired shall pray with him and for him to this effect 〈…〉 and bewailing of sin Original and Actual the miserable condition of all by nature as being Children of Wrath and under the Curse acknowledging that all Diseases Sicknesses Death and Hell it self are the proper issues and effects thereof Imploring Gods mercy for the sick person through the Blood of Christ beseeching that God would open his eyes discover unto him his sins cause him to see himself lost in himself make known to him the cause why God smiteth him reveal Jesus Christ to his soul for Righteousnesse and life give unto him his holy Spirit to create and strengthen faith to lay hold upon Christ to work in him comfortable evidences of his love to arm him against Temptations to take off his heart from the world to sanctify his present visitation to furnish him with patience and strength to beare it and to give him perseverance in Faith to the end That if God shall please to adde to his dayes he would vouchsafe to blesse and sanctify all means of his recovery to remove the disease renew his strength and enable him to walk worthy of God by a faithfull remembrance and diligent observing of such vows and promises of holinesse and obedience as men are apt to make in times of sicknesse that he may glorifie God in the remaining part of his life And if God have determined to finish his dayes by the present Visitation he may finde such Evidence of the Pardon of all his sins of his interest in Christ and Eternall life by Christ as may cause his inward man to be renewed while his outward man decayeth that he may behold Death without fear cast himself wholly upon Christ without doubting desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ and so receive the end of his Faith the Salvation of his Soule through the only merits and intercession of the Lord Jesus Christ our alone Saviour and All-sufficient Redeemer The Minister shall admonish him also as there shall be cause to set his house in order thereby to prevent inconveniences to take care for the payment of his debts and to make restitution or satisfaction where he hath done any wrong to be reconciled to those with whom he hath been at variance and fully to forgive all men their trespasses against him as he expects forgivenesse at the hand of God Lastly the Minister may improve the present occasion to exhort those about the sick person to consider their own mortality to return to the Lord and make Peace with him in health to prepare for sicknesse death and judgement and all the dayes of their appointed time so to wait untill their change come that when Christ who is our life shall appear they may appear with him in glory Concerning Buriall of the Dead WHen any person departeth this life let the dead body upon the day of Buriall be decently attended from the house to the place appointed for publique Buriall and there immediately interred without any Ceremony And because the customes of kneeling down and praying by or towards the dead Corps and other such usages in the place where it lies before it be carried to Buriall are Superstitious and for that praying reading and singing both in going to and at the Grave have been grosly abused are no way beneficiall to the dead and have proved many wayes hurtfull to the living therefore let all such things be laid aside Howbeit we judge it very convenient that the Christian friends which accompany the dead body to the place appointed for publique Buriall doe apply themselves to meditations and conferences suitable to the occasion and that the Minister as upon other occasions so at this time if he be present may put them in remembrance of their Duty That this shall not extend to deny any civill respects or differences at the Buriall suitable to the ranke and condition of the party deceased whiles he was living Concerning Publique Solemne Fasting WHen some great and notable Judgements are either inflicted upon a People or apparently imminent or by some extraordinary provocations notoriously deserved as also when some speciall blessing is to bee sought and obtained Publique solemne Fasting which is to continue the whole Day is a Duty that God expecteth from that Nation or people A Religious Fast requires totall abstinence not only from all food unlesse bodily weaknesse doe manifestly disable from holding out till the Fast be ended in which case somewhat may be taken yet very sparingly to support nature when ready to faint but also from all worldly labour discourses and thoughts and from all bodily delights although at other times lawfull rich apparell ornaments and such like during the Fast and much more from what ever is in the nature or use scandalous and offensive as garish attire lascivious habits and gestures and other vanities of either sexe which we recommend to all Ministers in their places diligently zealously to reproove as at other times so especially at a Fast without respect of persons as there shall be occasion Before the Publique meeting each Family and person apart are privately to use all religious care to prepare their hearts to such a solemne work and to be early at the Congregation So large a portion of the Day as conveniently may be is to be spent in Publique Reading and Preaching of the Word with singing of Psalmes fit to quicken affections suitable to such a Duty but especially in Prayer to this or the like effect Giving Glory to the Great Majesty of God the Creator Preserver and Supreame Ruler of all the World the better to affect us thereby with an holy reverence and awe of Him Acknowledging his manifold great and tender mercies especially to the Church and Nation the more effectually to soften and abase our hearts before him Humbly confessing of sins of all sorts with their severall aggravations justifying Gods righteous Judgements as being farre lesse then our sins doe deserve yet humbly and earnestly imploring his mercy and grace for our selves the Church and Nation for our King and all in Authority and for all others for whom we are bound to pray according as the present exigent requireth with more speciall importunity and inlargement then at other times Applying by faith the Promises and Goodnesse of God for Pardon help and deliverance from the Evils felt feared or deserved and for obtaining the blessings which we need and expect together with a giving up of our selves wholly and for ever unto the Lord. In all these the Ministers who are the mouthes of the people unto God ought so to speak from their hearts upon serious and through premeditation of them that both themselves and their people may be much affected and even melted thereby especially with sorrow for their sins that it may be indeed a Day of deepe humiliation