threatenings and foretold him of thy certain terrible Judgements that hée might sly from the wrath to come but alas wée perceive not that hée repenteth or resenteth but hardeneth his heart against reproof as if hée were able to contend with thée and overcome thy power O let us prevail with thée for grace that wée may prevail with him for Penitent confession and reformation O Pitty a miserable sinner miserable as that hée laieth not to heart his misery nor Pittieth himself O save him from the Gall of Bitterness and from the Bonds of his Iniquity give him â—…tance unto life that hee may recover himself out of the snare of the Devil who is taken Captive by him at his Will Give him not up to a blinde minde to a seared conscience a heart that is past feeling nor to walk in his own counsels and after his own lusts Let him no longer despise the riches of thy Goodness and forbearance and long-suffering nor with a hardened impenitent heart treasure up wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of thy righteous Judgement who wist render to every man according to his Déeds even to them that are contentious and obey not the truth but obey unrighteousness indignation and wrath Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doeth evil Let him bée sure that the judgement of God is according to truth against them that commit such things and let him not think in his impenitency to escape thy judgement O suffer him not when hée heareth the threatnings of thy Word to bless himself in his heart and say I shall have peace though I walk in the Imaginations of my heart and add sin to sin lest thy Anger and Jealousie smoke against him and thou wilt not spare him but blot out his name from under Heaven and all thy curses lye upon him and thou separate him to Evil even to the worm that dyeth not and to the fire that is not quenched O save him from his sins from his Impenitency and the Pride and stubborn ness of his heart O save him from the Everlasting Flames and from thy wrath which hée is the more in danger off because hée féeleth not and feareth not his danger Let him know how hard it is for him to kick against the Pricks and how woful to strive against his maker lay him at thy footstool in sackcloath and ashes in tears and lamentation crying out Woe unto mée that I have sinned and humbling his soul in true contrition and loathing himself and begging thy pardoning and healing grace and begging the Prayers and Communion of thy Church and resolving to sin wilfully no more but to live before thée in uprightness and obedience all his daies O let us prevail with thée for the Conversion of this Impenitent sinner and so for the saving of his soul from death and the hiding and pardoning of his sins that hée that is lost may bée found and hée that is dead may bée alive and the Angels of Heaven and wée thy unworthy servants here on Earth may rejoyce at his repenting let us sée him restored by thy grace that wée may joyfully receive him into our Communion and thou mayest receive him at last into thy Heavenly Kingdome and Satan may bée disappointed of his Prey for thy mercy sake through Jesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour Amen A Form of Rejection from the Communion of the Church IEsus Christ the King and Law giver of the Church hath commanded that If a Brother trespass against us wee go and tell him his fault between him and us alone and if hee will not hear us wee shall then take with us one or two more that in the mouth of two or three Witnesses every word may bee Established And if hee shall neglect to hear them that hee tell it to the Church and if hee neglect to hear the Church that hee bee to us a Heathen Man and a Publican Matth. 18. 15 16 17. And that wee keep not company if any that is called a Brother bee a Fornicator or Covaious or an Idolater or a Raylor or a Drunkard or an Extortioner with such a one no not to eat 1 Cor 5. 11. And that wee withdraw our selves from every Brother that walketh disorderly and note him and have no company with him that hee may bee ashamed 2 Thess 3. 6. 14. According to these Laws of Christ wee have admonished this offending Brother who hath greatly sinned against God and grieved and injured the Church wee have earnestly prayed and patiently waited for his repentance but wee have not prevailed But after all hee continueth impenitent and will not be perswaded to confess and forsake his sin Wee do therefore according to these Laws of Christ Declare him unmeet for the Communion of the Church and reject him from it Requiring him to forbear it and requiring you to avoid him and wee leave him bound to the Judgement of the Lord unless his true Repentance shall prevent it A Form of Absolution and Reception of the Penitent THough you have greatly sinned against the Lord and against his Church and your own Soul yet seeing you humble your self before him and Penitently fly to Christ for mercy resolving to do so no more hear now the glad tidings of Salvation which I am commanded to declare unto you 1 John 2. 1 2. If any man Sin wee have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous And hee is the Propitiation for our sins 1 John 1. 9. If wee confess our sins hee is faithful to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness Isa 55 6 7. Seek the Lord while hee may bee found Call upon him while hee is near Let the Wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and hee will have mercy upon him and to our God for hee will abundantly pardon Prov. 28. 13. Hee that covereth his sin shall not prosper but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy Gal. 6. 1. Brethren if a man bee overtaken in a fault restore such a one in the spirit of meckness considering thy self least thou also bee tempted According to this word of Grace do loose the bonds here laid upon you and receive you again into the Communion of the Church requiring them to receive you and not upbraid you with your sin but rejoyce in your recovery And I do declare to you the pardon of all your sins in the Blood of Christ if your Repentance bee sincere And I exhort charge you that you beleevingly and thankfully accept this Great unspeakable mercy and that you watch more carefully for the time to come and avoid temptations and subdue the Flesh and accept reproofes and see
or the other according to His Majecties gracious Declaration concerning ECCLESIASTICAL AFFAIRS THE Ordinary Publick-Worship ON THE LORDS-DAY The Congregation being reverently composed let the Minister first crave Gods assistance and acceptance of the Worship to bee performed in these or the like words ETERNAL Incomprehensible and Invisible GOD infinite in Power Wisdome and Goodness dwelling in the Light which no man can approach where thousand thousands minister unto Thée and ten thousand times ten thousand stand before Thee yet dwelling with the humble and contrite and taking pleasure in thy People Thou hast consecrated for usâ—…a new and living way that with boldness wée may enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus and hast bid us séek Thée while thou mayest be found Wée come to Thée at thy call and worship at thy Footstool Behold us in thy tender Mercies Despise us not though unworthy Thou art greatly to be feared in the Assembly of the Saints and to be had in Reverence of all that are about thée Put thy fear into our hearts that with Reverence wée may serve Thée sanctifie us that thou mayest be sanctified of us when wée draw nigh Thée Give us the Spirit of Grace and Supplication to help our infirmities that our prayers may be faithful fervent and effectual Let the desire of our souls bée to Thée Let us draw néer Thée with our hearts and not only with our lips and worship Thée who art a Spirit in Spirit and Truth Let thy Word be spoken and heard by us as the Word of God Give us attentive hearing Ears and opened beleeving understanding hearts that wee may no more refuse thy calls nor disregardthy merciful cut-stretched-hand nor sleight thy Counsels and Reproofs but be more ready to hear than to give the sacrifice of Fools Put thy Laws into our hearts and write them in our minds and let us bee all taught of God Let thy Word bee unto us quick and powerful a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the hearts mighty to pull down strong-holds casting down imaginations and reasonings and every high thing that advanceth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ Let us magnifie Thée with thanksgiving and triumph in thy Praise Let us rejoyce in thy Salvation and glory in thy holy Name Open thou our lips O Lord and let our mouths shew forth thy praise And let the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts bee acceptable in thy sight through Jesus Christ our Lord and onely Saviour Amen Or thus when Brevity is necessary O Eternal Almighty and most gracious God Heaven is thy Throne and Earth is thy Footstool holy and reverend is thy Name Thou art praised by the heavenly Hosts and in the Congregation of thy Saints on Earth and wilt bee sanctified in all that come nigh unto Thee Wée are sinful and unworthy dust but being invited by Thée are bold through our blessed Mediator to present our selves and our supplications before Thée Receive us graciously help us by thy Spirit let thy Fear bee upon us let thy Word come unto us in power and bée received in love with attentive reverent and obedient minds Make it to us the savour of life unto life Cause us to be fervent in Prayer and joyful in thy Praises and to serve Thée this day without distraction that wee may finde that a day in thy Courts is better than a thousand and that it is good for us to draw néer to God through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour Amen Next let one of the Creeds bee read by the Minister saying In the Profession of this holy Christian Faith wee are here assembled I beleeve in God the Father c. I beleeve in one God c. And sometimes Athanasius Creed The Ten Commandements God spake these Words and said c. For the right informing and affecting the People and moveing them to a penitent beleeving confession some of these sentences may bee read GOd created man in his Image By one man sin entred into the World and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God God so loved the world that hee gave his only begotten Son that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Hee that beleeveth on him shall not bee condemned but hee that beleeveth not is condemned already because hee hath not beleeved in the name of the only begotten Son of God And this is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil For every one that doth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should bee reproved Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law beeing made a curse for us Except a man be born of water and of the spirit hee cannot enter into the Kingdome of God That which is born of the Flesh is Flâ—sh and that which is born of the spirit is spirit Verily I say unto you except yee bee converted and become as little Children yee shall not enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Say unto them As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live Turn yee turn yee from your evil waies for why will yee dye oh house of Israel I say unto you there is joy in the presence of the Angels of God over a sinner that repenteth I will arise and go to my Father and say unto him Father I have sinned against Heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to bee called thy Son The Confession of Sin and Prayer for Pardon and Sanctification O Most Holy Righteous and Gracious God who hatest all the workers of iniquity and hast appointed death to bée the wages of sin but yet for the glory of thy mercy hast sent thy Son to be the Saviour of the world and hast promised forgiveness of sin through his blood to all that beléeve in him and by true Repentance turn unto Thée and that whosoever confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall have mercy Wée confess that wée are vile and miserable sinners being conceived in sin by nature children of wrath and transgressors from the womb All wée like shéep have gone astray and turned every one to his own way Thou madest us and not wée our selves Thou boughtest us with a price and wée are not our own and therefore wée should have wholly given up our selves unto Thée and have glorified Thée with our souls and bodies as being Thine What ever wée did should have been done to thy glory and to please Thée in the obeying of Thy Will But wee have displeased and dishonoured Thée and turned from Thée exalting séeking and pleasing
estéem other better than himself and let all men know that wée are Christs Disciples by our fervent love to one another Let us be heartily and entirely thy Subjects beléeving that thou art just and the Rewarder of them that diligently séek thée kéep us from Atheism Idolatry and Disobedience from Infidelity Ungodliness and Sensuality from Security Presumption and Despair Let us study to please thée in all things Let thy Law bée written in our hearts and let us delight to do thy Will Let our Faith and Lives be ruled by thy Word which is able to make us wise unto Salvation let us love it search it and understand it and meditate in it day and night Let us not please our selves or other men against thee nor be led by the wisdome or desires of the World and Flesh nor regard lying vanities nor through carelesness rashness or presumption offend thée As all Nations must be judged by thée let them be ruled by thy Laws and not make them void by mens traditions nor worship thée in vain teaching for Doctrine the Commandments of men But what ever thou commandest let them take héed to do it Let them add nothing thereto nor take ought therefrom Let us not take thy holy Name in vain but use it in truth and reverence Kéep us from all Blasphemy Perjury Prophane swearing from lying before the God of Truth and from contempt and forgetfulness of thy presence from false unworthy unreverent thoughts or spéeches of God and holy things and from neglecting or abusing thy holy Word and Worship Help us to kéep holy thy Day in remembrance of the blessed work of our Redemption and reverently to attend thée in Publick Worship and obediently to receive thy Word and fervently to call upon thy Name and to delight our selves in Thanksgiving and joyful Praises to thy Holiness in the Communion of thy Saints and let us carefully sée that our housholds and all within our gates do serve thée and not abuse thy holy Day Have mercy on the Kings and Rulers of the Earth that they may escape the Temptations of Worldly Greatness Honours and Prosperity which would captivate them to the flesh and draw their hearts from thée thy Laws and Waies and would engage them against thée and thy Servants And as they are thy Ministers and Magistracy is thine Ordinance sanctifie and dispose them to be Nursing Fathers to thy Church to own thy Interest and Rule for thée Especially have mercy on thy Servant Charls our King illuminate and sanctifie him by thy holy Spirit that above all things hée may séek thy Glory the increase of Faith and Obedience to thy Laws and may rule us as being thy Minister for good not to be a terrour to good Works but to Evil that under him wée may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty Have mercy upon all the Royal Family the Lords of the Counsel and all the Nobility the Judges and Magistrates of these Lands Cause them to fear thee and to be Eminent in Sobriety Righteousness and Godliness to protect the Innocent and be a terrour to the Wicked hating Injustice Covetousness and Pride Let every soul be subject to the Higher Powers and not resist Let them obey the King and all that are in Authority under him not onely for wrath but for conscience sake as knowing that they rule by thée and for thée Give all the Churches able holy faithful Pastors and cause them laboriously to preach and rightly to divide the Word of truth to féed thy People with Knowledge and lead them in the way of Faith and Love of Holiness and Peace and to watch for their souls as those that must give account over-seeing and ruling them not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind not as being Lords over thy Heritage but as the Servants of all and Ensamples to the Flock That when the chief Pastor shall appear they may receive a Crown of Glory Let the Congregations know those that have the ruling of them and are over them in the Lord that labour among them preaching to them the Word of God Let them submissively and obediently hear and esteem them very highly in love for their works sake and account them worthy of double honour Let Parents bring up their Children in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord diligently teaching them thy Word talking of it when they are in their house and when they walk by the way when they lye down and when they rise up that they may know their Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier in the daies of their youth And cause Children to hear love honour and obey their Parents that they may have the blessing of thine especial Promise unto such Let Husbands love their Wives and prudently guide them in knowledge and holiness And let Wives love honour and obey their Husbands as méet helpers to them Let Masters rule their Servants in Holiness and mercy remembring they have a Master in Heaven and let Servants reverently singly and willingly bée obedient and do service to their Masters as to the Lord from him expecting their reward Kéep us from Murder Uiolence and all injury to our neighbours life or health from malice cursing reviling and unadvised Anger Let us not resist evil with evil but forbear one another and not give place to wrath Kéep us from Adultery Fornication and all uncleanness and the occasions and appearances thereof Let us take care as becometh saints that they bée not immodestly named among us and that no Corrupt Communication procéed out of our Mouths Kéep us from Chambering and wantonness from lustfull thoughts and all immodest attire behaviour looks and actions Kéep us from Theft and Oppression and any way wronging our Nieghbour in his Propriety and Estate Kéep us from False witness-bearing lying and deceiving from slandering backbiting unjust uncharitable censuring or reproaching from all perverting of justice and wronging the reputation of our Neighbour and from all consent or desire of such wrongs Kéep us from Envy and from coveting any thing that is our Neighbours to his wrong and from séeking our own or drawing to our selves to the Injury of his welfare but let us love our Neighbours as our selves and do to others as wée would they should do to us Teach us to love Christ and his holy Image in his Members with a dear and special love and to love our Enemies and pray for them that hate and persecute us and to do good to all as wée are able but Especially to them of the Houshold of faith Cause us with patience to submit to all the Disposals of thy Will and wait thy End and to love the demonstrations of thy Holiness and iustice though grievous to the Flesh and kéep us from Impatient Murmurings and discontent and Arrogant reasoning against thy Will Give us