but the dregs thereof all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out and drink them ¶ But I will declare for ever I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. * For thou art my hope O Lord God thou art my trust from my youth ¶ By thee have I been holden up from the wombe thou art he that tooke me out of my Mothers bowels my praise shall be continually of thee * For the Lord is a sun and a sheild the Lord will give grace and glory and no good thing will he withhold from them that live a godly life ¶ O Lord of Hosts Blessed is the Man that putteth his trust in thee Glory be to the Father c. Or this * GOd is greatly to be fear'd in the assembly of the Saints and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him ¶ Thou rulest the raging of the sea when the waves thereof arise thou stillest them * The heavens are thine the earth also is thine as for the world and the fulnesse thereof thou hast founded them ¶ Justice and judgement are the habitation of thy throne mercy and truth shall go before thy face * For loe thine enemies O Lord loe thine enemies shall perish all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered ¶ The righteous shall flourish like a Palme tree he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon * Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts of our God ¶ They shall still bring forth fruit in their old age they shall be fat and flourishing ¶ To shew that the Lord is upright he is our rock and there is no unrighteousnesse in him Glory be to the Father c. Then read a lesson out of the Epistle of S. Paul or any of the Canonical Epistles in order or selected upon special occasions After the lesson say this Psalme * GIve eare O Lord unto my prayer and attend to the voice of my supplications ¶ Turne us O God of our salvation and cause thine anger towards us to cease * For thou Lord art good and ready to forgive and plenteous in mercy to all them that call upon thee ¶ O Remember not against us former iniquities let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us * Helpe us O God of our salvation for the glory of thy name deliver us and purge away our sins for thy names sake ¶ Teach us thy way O God and we will walke in thy truth unite our hearts to fear thy Name * O satisfy us early with thy mercy that we may rejoyce and be glad all our daies ¶ So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thankes for ever we will shew forth thy praise from generation to generation Glory be to the Father c. Or this * IN thee O Lord doe I put my trust let me never be ashamed deliver me in thy righteousnesse ¶ Into thy hand I commend my spirit thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth * Make thy face to shine upon thy servants save us for thy mercies sake ¶ For great is thy goodnesse which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men * The Angel of the Lord encamped round about them that fear him and delivereth them ¶ Thou art my hiding place thou shalt preserve me from trouble thou shalt compasse me about with songs of deliverance * Thou makest darknesse and it is night wherein all the beasts of the forest doe creep forth ¶ O Lord how manifold are thy workes in wisdome hast thou made them all the earth is full of thy riches * The Glory of the Lord shall endure for ever the Lord shall rejoyce in his workes ¶ He appointed the moone for certaine seasons and the sun knoweth his going downe * I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live I will sing praise unto my God while I have my being my meditation of him shall be sweet I will rejoyce in the Lord. ¶ I will both lay me downe in peace and sleep for thou Lord makest me dwell in safety Glory be to the Father c. Or else say 103. Psalme or the 91. or the 121. Then shall follow the Apostles Creed I Beleeve in God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and earth * And in Jesus Christ his onely son our Lord * which was conceived by the holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary * suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried * He descended into hell * The third day he rose againe from the dead * He ascended into Heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty * From thence he shall come to judge the quicke and the Dead * I believe in the holy Ghost * The holy Catholick Church the communion of Saints * the forgivenesse of sins * the resurrection of the body * and the life everlasting Amen Minister The Lord be with you People And with thy Spirit 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 trespass against us * And lead us not into temptation * But deliver us from evil For thine is the Kingdom the power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen Then followes the first collect as at Morning Prayer I. O Great King of heaven and earth the Lord and patron of all ages receive thy servants approaching to the throne of Grace in the Name of Jesus Christ. Give unto every one of us what is best for us cast out all evil from within us work in us a fulnesse of holinesse of wisedome and spiritual understanding that we increasing in the knowledge of God may be fruitful in every Good worke through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Or this SAve us defend and keep us in thy fear and love O thou God of mercy and grace Give unto us the light of thy countenance pardon of our sins health of body sanctification of our spirits peace from heaven and salvation of our soules in the day of our Lord Jesus Amen I. For repentance and a Holy life ALmighty God the fountaine of holinesse and felicity who by thy word and by thy spirit dost conduct all thy servants in the waies of peace and sanctity inviting them by promises and winning them by love endearing them by necessities and obliging them by the perpetual testimonies of thy loving kindnesse grant unto us so truly to repent us of our sins so carefully to reforme our errors so diligently to watch over all our actions so industriously to doe all our duty that we may never transgresse thy Holy lawes willingly but that it may be the worke of our lives to obey thee the joy of our soules to please thee the satisfaction of all
our hopes and the perfection of our desires to live with thee in the holinesse of thy Kingdome of grace and glory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen II. For Peace O Almighty and most gracious Father who art the fountaine of peace and the Father of Unions we pray unto thee for peace for love and for thy salvation Let a holy peace for ever dwell in our consciences Let peace and holinesse and Gods blessing for ever adorne support and enlarge this family Let there be peace and Union of minds in all Christian assemblies one heart and one voice the same faith and an eternal charity Make warrs to cease in all the world that the peace and the designe of the Gospel may be advanced the lawes of the holy Jesus may be obeyed and his Name be magnified in all the world for ever and ever Amen III. For all Christian Princes and the Ecclesiastical state ALmighty God who rulest in the Kingdomes of men and in all events of the world defend those with thy mercy whom thou hast adorned with thy power lift up the horne advance the just interests of all Christian Kings Princes and states by the power of thy venerable and lifegiving passion *** Give unto all them who serve thee in the ministeries of religion wisedome and holinesse the blessings of peace and great abilities to minister prosperously to the good of soules by the power and aides of thy holy Spirit of wisdome IV. Pardon all our sins take away our iniquities from us all and preserve us from all danger and trouble from need and persecution from the temptations of the Devill from the violence and fraud of all our enemies Keep us O God from sinning against thee and from suffering thy wrath through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen V The collect for the Evening O Almighty Father who givest the Sun for a light by day and the ordinances of the Moone and of the Stars for a light by night vouchsafe to receive us this night and ever into thy favour and protection defending us from all sad casualties and evill accidents ruling and governing us with thy holy spirit that all darknesse and hurtfull ignorance all infidelity and weaknesse of heart all inordinate fear and carnall affections may be remooved far from us that we being justified by the mercies of God in our Lord Jesus may be sanctified by thy spirit and glorified by thy infinite mercies in the day of the glorious appearing of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen VI. For a blessed death O Most gracious and most holy Redeemer who by dying for us becamest the author of life unto us and hast subdued all the powers of hell and the grave taking away the sting of death and breaking in peices the powers of darknesse have mercy upon us now and at the hour of our Death Let thy holy Spirit governe all our words and actions our thoughts and designes our civill entercourse and the duties of religion and grant to us so perfectly to obey his commandements and attend his motions all the daies of our life that we may by holy habits and a constant performance of our dutie waite for the coming of our Lord and be ready to enter with him at whatsoever hour he shall come VII O be mercifull unto us in the day of our calamity and of thy visitation strengthen our faith in the day of our sicknesses trial when the Cloud is thicke the storme is great that we may rely upon thy grace invocate thy mercies hope in thy goodnesse and receive the end of our hopes the salvation of our soules O Let us never descend into the dwellings of the wicked nor into the place of them that know not God but be pleas'd here to guide us with thy councell and after that receive us with thy glory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Or this O Eternall God thou fountaine of life and pardon there is no number of thy daies nor of thy mercies be mercifull unto us now and at the hour of our death let not thy servants be arrested with sudden death that we be neither unready in our accounts nor snatched hence with an imperfect duty nor surprised in an act of sin nor called upon when our lampes are untrimm'd let it be neither violent nor untimely hasty nor unblessed but after the ordinary visitation of men having in it an excellent patience and an exemplar piety and the greatest senses and demonstrations of thy eternall mercies Preserve O God our reason and religion our faith and our hope our sense and our speech perfect and usefull till the last of our daies and grant that we may die the death of the righteous and let our last end be like to his free from debt and deadly sin having first discharg'd all our obligations of justice and made competent provision for our relatives that none of ours be left miserable and unprovided in our departure but grant that being blessed by thy providence and sanctified with thy spirit they may for ever be servants of the Lord Jesus II. Thou knowest Lord the secrets of our hearts shut not up thy mercifull eyes and eares unto our prayers but spare us O Lord most holy O God most mighty O holy and mercifull Saviour thou most worthy Judge eternall suffer us not at our last hour for any paines of death to fall from thee but strengthen us with a mighty grace and support us with an infinite mercy giving us perfect measures or repentance and great treasures of charity that at the generall resurrection in the last day we may be found acceptable in thy sight and receive that blessing which thy welbeloved son shall then pronounce to all them that love and feare thee saying Come ye Blessed children of my Father receive the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world * This mercy O most mercifull Father vouchsafe to give unto us and all thy servants through Jesus Christ our Mediator and Redeemer Amen Here may be inserted any of the portions of the prayer of intercession which is at the end of Morning Prayer The Blessing THe Lord blesse you and keep you The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you The Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon you and give you peace The blessing of God Almighty the Father Son and Holy Ghost be amongst you and abide with you and be your portion for ever and ever Amen The end of Evening Prayer To be added to the foregoing Offices upon speciall occasions immediately before the blessing at Morning or Evening Prayer A prayer before Sermon O Lord God fountaine of life giver of all good things who givest to men the blessed hope of eternall life by our Lord Jesus Christ and hast promised thy holy Spirit to them that aske him Be present with us in the dispensation ofthy holy word and Sacraments grant that we being preserved from all evil by thy power and among the diversities of opinions and judgments in this world from all errors and false doctrines and led into all truth by the conduct of thy holy spirit may
for ever obey thy heavenly calling that we may not be onely hearers of the word of life but doers also of good workes keeping faith and a good conscience living an unblameable life usefully and charitably religiously and prudently in all godlinesse and honesty before thee our God and before all the world that at the end of our mortal life we may enter into the light and life of God to sing praises and eternall hymnes to the glory of thy name in eternal ages through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen In whose name let us pray in the words which himselfe commanded saying 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 and ever Amen A prayer of Thanksgiving after Sermon if it be convenient by reason of the time or other circumstances I. ALmighty God our glory and our hope our Lord and Master the Father of mercy and the God of all comfort we humbly present to thee the sacrifice of a thankfull spirit in a joyfull acknowledgment of those infinite favours by which thou hast supported our state enriched our spirits comforted our sorrowes releiv'd our necessities blessed and defended our persons instructed our ignorances and promoted our eternall interest * We praise thy name for that portion of thy holy word of which thou hast made us partakers this day Grant that it may bring forth fruit unto thee and unto holinesse in our whole life to the glory of thy holy name the edification of our Brethren and the eternall comfort of our soules in the day of our Lord Jesus II. Have mercy upon all that desire and upon all that need our praiers Ease the paines of the sick support the spirit of the disconsolate heare the cries of Orphans and Widdowes in their calamity and restore all that are oppressed to their rights and sanctify to them all their wrongs pity the folly and pity the calamities of poor mankind in mercy remembring them that are appointed to die comfort and support their spirits perfect and accept their repentance and receive the soules returning unto thee whom thou hast redeemed with thy most precious blood III. Lord pity and pardon direct and blesse sanctify and save us all Give repentance to all that live in sinne and perseverance to all thy sons and servants for his sake who is thy beloved and the foundation of all our hopes Our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus to whom with the Father and the holy Spirit be all honour and glory praise and adoration love and obedience now and for evermore Amen If this whole office be said at Morning or Evening Prayer respectively the Collect before sermon here put downe may be used instead of the Usual prayer before sermon ending with the Lords prayer and the Sermon to begin immediately before the blessing The Sermon being ended the prayer of thankes-giving may be said and the congregation dismissed with the blessing set downe at the end of Evening Prayer A prayer when a sick person desires to be publikely prayed for I. O Almighty and most gracious Father who art the fountaine of life and health and pardon hear the prayers of thy servants in behalfe of our Brother or Sister the miserable for the afflicted of sinners for him or her whom thou hast smitten Lord lay no more upon him then thou shalt enable him to beare but give him patience and doe thou thy selfe open a door for his escape even by a holy and a reformed life and a speedy recovery or else by a blessed death as thou in thy infinite loving kindnesse shalt choose for thy glory and his eternall interest II. Lord give unto thy servant a perfect repentance and a perfect pardon of all his sins Remember not the errors of his youth the weaknesse of his spirit the surprises of his life and the crimes of his choice but joyne his present sufferings to the passion his prayers to the intercession and his repentance to the merits of our dearest Saviour Jesus that he may be pardoned and pitied comforted and supported sanctified and saved in the day of recompenses III. Blessed Jesus who hast overcome all the powers of sinne Hell and the grave take from thy servant all inordinate fear of death give him a perfect resignation of his will and conformity to thine restraine the power of the enemy that he may not prevaile against the soule which thou hast redeemed If it be thy will give him a speedy restitution of his health and a holy use of the affliction or if thou hast otherwise decreed preserve him in thy fear and favour and receive his soule to mercy to pardon and eternal life through thy mercies and for thy compassion sake O Blessed Saviour and Redeemer Jesus Amen I. For seasonable weather in time of drowth immoderate raine or scarcity or death of Cattel c. O Lord God whose providence is universal and sufferest nothing to happen in vaine have mercy upon thy servants who have deserved thy wrath and to suffer thy indignation in every expression by which thou art pleas'd to signifie it Thou O God coverest the Heaven with clouds and preparest raine for the earth thou makest the grasse to growe upon the mountains and herbe for the use of men Thou givest fodder unto the cattel and feedest the young ravens that call upon thee Heare us O God who are thy servants and the sheep of thy pasture we have indeed wandered and gone astray but doe thou be mercifull unto us and bring us home to thee Take away thine anger from us Blesse the labours of the husbandman and the fruits of the feild refresh the weary earth with seasonable showers or seasonable weather for thou hast the key of raine and the key of providence thou didst bind up the heavens with ribs of iron and thou didst open againe the sluces of water at the prayer of thy servant Elijah and thy hand is not shortned and thy mercies have no limit II. Open thy hand O God and fill us with thy loving kindnesse that the Mower may fill his hand and he that bindeth up the sheaves his bosome that our garners may be full with all manner of store that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets That our oxen may be strong to labour that there be no breaking in or going out that our hearts may be replenish'd with food and gladnesse that there be no complaining in our streets Give us sufficient for this life
sanctifying these waters a new and heavenly off-spring may hence arise full of health and light that humane nature which was made after thy own image being reformed and restored to the honour of its first beginning may be cleansed from all the impure adherencies of sin preserved from the Dominion of it and rescued from all its sad effects that what shall be so born in the wombe of the Church may dwell in the house of God and Reign with thee for ever in the inheritance of our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Amen II. OUR Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus who was baptized of John in Jordan who walked upon the waters who converted water into wine who out of his precious side shed forth bloud and water the two Sacraments of life unto his holy Church and commanded his disciples to teach all nations baptizing them with water in the Name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost he blesse and sanctifie by his holy Spirit this water that it may be instrumental and effective of grace of pardon and sanctification Hear us O most gracious God that whoever shall be baptized in this water may be renewed by thy grace justified by thy mercy sanctified by thy Spirit preserved by thy providence and guided by thy word that in this water springing from the Paradise of God the Soul or Souls presented unto thee may be cleansed and purified and that there may be added to thy Church daily such as shall be saved in the day of thy glorious appearing O Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Amen Then the Minister and People arising from their knees the following Gospel shall be read Hear the words of the holy Gospel written by S. Matthew in the third chapter c. Verse 13. to verse 17. inclusively THen cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John to be baptized of him * But John forbad him saying I have need to be baptized of thee and commest thou to me And Jesus answering said unto him Suffer it to be so now for thus it becommeth us to fulfill all righteousness Then he suffered him And Jesus when he was baptised went up straitway out of the water and loe the heavens were opened unto him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a Dove and lighting upon him * And loe a voice from heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Hear likewise what S. Mark writeth in his tenth chapter Verse 13. 17. exclusively THE Jews brought children to Christ that he should touch them and his Disciples rebuked those that brought them * But when Jesus saw it he was much displeased and said unto them Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the kingdome of God Verily I say unto you whosoever shall not receive the kingdome of God as a little child he shall not enter therein * And he took them up in his armes put his hands upon them and blessed them FRiends in these Gospels you see the actions and hear the words of our Blessed Saviour how he commanded little children to be brought unto him how he rebuked those that would have kept them away how readily he blessed them how kindly he embraced them how he pronounced them capable of and entitled to the kingdome of God how he commanded us to receive the kingdome as infants received it and affirmed that we can no way receive it but by being like them you know also that although Christ commanded them to be brought unto him there is no ordinary and appointed way for Infants to come to Christ and no way poâ—â—â—ble for them to be brought to Christ but by this new birth and regeneration in the laver of Baptisme you see also by the example and words of our Blessed Lord himself that even the most innocent persons ought to be baptized For he himself who knew no sin was yet baptized in the Baptisme of Repentance and so to doe was the fulfilling of righteousness we may therefore easily perceive that the innocence of infants and their freedom from actual sin cannot excuse them from Baptisme and if we remember that although our Blessed Saviour required faith of them who came to be healed of their diseases yet by the * faith of others who came in behalf of such as could not be brought or could not come the sick person was healed we are sufficiently instructed that although Infants have no more actual faith then they have actual sin yet the faith of others can be is by the usual and revealed method of the divine mercy as well imputed to them to the purposes of grace and life as the sin of Adam can be imputed to the purposes of death that as in Adam all die so in Christ all should be made alive we may therefore from these certain evidences conclude that God alloweth in you this obedience and charity in bringing this child to Christ to receive all blessings of which he is capable a title to the promises and adoption to be the child of God a sanctification by the spirit a designation to the service of Christ and putting him into the order of eternal life Therefore as circumcision was the seal of the righteousness of faith and yet minâ—stred to infants eight daies old and commanded so severely that God said the uncircumcised child whole flesh is not circumcisedâ— that soul shall be cut off from his people so Baptisme which is now the seal of the same faith and the same righteousness and a figure like unto the former is to be administred to infants although they have no more actual faith then the children of the Israelites had our Blessed Saviour having made Baptisme as necessary in the new Testament as Circumcision in the Old For because little children can receive the kingdome of God and in infants there is no incapacity of receiving the mercies of God the adoption to be children of God a title to the promises the covenant of repentance and a right to pardon whosoever shall deny to baptize infants when he is justly required is sacrilegious and uncharitable Since therefore the Church of God hath so great so cleer so indubitable a warrant to baptize infants and therefore did alwaies practice it let us humbly and charitably give thanks to God for his great mercies unto us all and with meekness and love recommend this child to the grace of God Let us pray O Almighty and eternal God who hast redeemed us from sin and shame from the gates of hell and the sting of death and from ignorance and darkness by thy holy Son who is that light which lightneth every man that cometh into the world we praise and glorifie thy name that thou hast called us to the knowledge of thy will and the love of thy name and the service of thy majesty which is perfect freedome the freedome of the sons of God II. As thou hast
dealt graciously with us so deal with this infant whom we humbly bring and offer to our blessed Saviour Jesus that he should receive him and blesse him with the blessings of an everlasting love Receive him O most gracious Lord who is thy child by creation make him thine also by adoption into thy covenant of grace and favour let him be consigned with thy Sacrament be admitted into Christs kingdome enter into his warfare beleeve his doctrine labour and hope for his promises that this child witnessing here a good confession may have his understanding for ever brought unto the obedience his affections to the love and all his faculties to the service of Christ and after he hath served thee in his generation he may receive his part and portion in thy glory thorough Jesus Christ our Lord. Then arising from their knees the Minister shall say unto the Godfathers and Godmothers as followeth WEl beloved friends you have brought this child to be presented unto Christ as a servant of his laws and a Disciple of his doctrine ye have prayed that God would receive him and give him a portion in the Gospel and kingdome of his Son ye have heard what promises God hath made on his part and ye beleeve and know all his words are yea and Amen and not one tittle of them shall pass unaccomplished now therefore because it is a Covenant of grace and favour on Gods part and of faith and obedience on ours though God prevents us with his grace and begins to doe for us before we can doe any thing to him yet you under whose power this child is and by whose faith and charity this child comes to Christ in holy Baptisme must also on his or her behalf promise that he will forsake the devil and all his wicked works that he will faithfully beleeve Christs holy Gospel and dutifully keep all Christs Commandements Minister Dost thou abjure and renounce and promise to forsake the Devil and all his wicked works not to listen to his temptations not to be led by the flesh by the vain powers of the world by carnal or covetous desires but thou wilt be the servant of the Lord Jesus Answer I forsake them all and will be a servant of Jesus Minister Dost thou beleeve in God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth And in Jesus Christ his onely begotten Son our Lord And that he was conceived by the holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary that he suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried that he went down into hell and also did rise againe the third day that he ascended into Heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty and from thence he shall come again at the end of the world to judge the quicke and the dead And dost thou believe in the holy Ghost the Catholick Church the Communion of Saints the remission of sins the resurrection of the flesh and everlasting life after death Answer All this I will profess and stedfastly beleeve Minister Wilt thou be baptized into this faith Answer That is my desire Let us Pray O Almighty God who hast given the promise of thy Spirit to us and to our children even to as many as the Lord our God shall call Give thy holy Spirit to this infant that the evil spirits of darkness may not take thy portion from thee nor hurt the body nor deceive the understanding nor corrupt the will nor tempt the affections of this infant but that thy Spirit who bloweth where it listeth no man knows whence he cometh nor whether he goeth may be in this child as the seed of God springing up to life eternal that the kingdom of God which is within and commeth not with observation may early rule and conduct this infant prevent the folly of his childhood from growing up to sins in his youth and may work strongly in him when his weakness his ignorances and temptations are most powerful to prevail upon him that from his cradle to his grave he may be guided by the Spirit of God in the paths of the divine Commandements Admit him O God into the bosome of the Church into the armes of thy mercy into a right of the promises into the service of Christ into the Communion of Saints and give him power to become the Son of God that being buried with Christ in Baptisme he may also rise with him thorough the faith of the operation of God thorough the same our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen Then the Minister of the Sacrament shall take the child in his armes and ask the Name Then naming the child aloud he shall dip the head or face or body of the child in the water saying N. I baptize thee in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Dipping the head at the naming of the holy Trinity If the child be weak or any other great Cause intervene it may suffice instead of dipping to sprinkle water on the face using the same form of words Then shall the priest make the sign of the Cross upon the childs forehead saying WE sign this child with the sign of the Cross and enroll him a Soldier under the banner of Christ to signifie and in ceremony to represent that the duty of this and all baptized persons is manfully to fight under the banner of Christ against the flesh the world and the Divel all the daies of their life and by the power which Christ our Blessed Lord who hath the key of David hath given unto me I admit this child into the Communion of Saints into the bosome of the visible Church the kingdome of Grace and the title to the promises Evangelical and the hopes of glory OUr Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus who when he had overcome the sharpness of death did open the kingdom of heaven to all beleevers and gave unto his Church the keyes of the kingdome that his ministers might let into it all that come to him he of his infinite goodness and truth make good his gracious promises upon this infant that what we doe on earth according to his will he may confirme in heaven by his spirit and by his word to the glory of the blessed and undivided Trinity God the Father Son and Holy Ghost Amen Then shall the Minister adde this Invitation SEeing now dearly Beloved that this infant hath received holy Baptisme and is washed in the laver of regeneration admitted into the bosome of the Church into the Covenant of faith and repentance pardon and holiness let us give thanks to God for these graces and pray that this child may lead his life according to the present undertaking I. WE give thee thanks and praise O heavenly and most gracious Father that it hath pleased thee to call this child to thy holy Baptism to renew him with thy holy Spirit to admit him into the Church to adopt him for thy child and to receive him
unto the profession of thy faith and we humbly beseech thee to grant unto him thy grace to accompany him all the daies of his life that he may hold fast the profession of his faith making his calling and election sure that his body being washed in pure water and he tasting of the heavenly gift being made partaker of the holy Ghost and sprinkled in his heart from an evil Conscience he may follow thee in the regeneration and after the end of this life he may for ever be with them who have washed their robes and made them white in the bloud of the Lamb. Grant this O God our Father thorough Jesus Christ our Blessed Saviour and Redeemer II. O most holy most gracious Saviour Jesus who lovest thy Church and hast given thy self for it that thou mayest sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water in the word do thou with thy holy Spirit enlighten and with thy word instruct the understanding of this child that he may live by faith and may perceive the secrets of thy kingdom and know thy will and obey thy laws and promote thy glory III. O God be thou his Father for ever Christ his elder Brother and his Lord the Church his Mother let the body of Christ be his food the bloud of Christ his drink and the Spirit the earnest of his inheritance Let faith be his learning Religion his imployment his whole life be spiritual heaven the object of his hopes and the end of his labours let him be thy servant in the kingdome of grace and thy Son in the kingdome of glory thorough Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Then shall the priest adde this blessing OUr Blessed Lord God the Father of men and Angels who hath sent forth his An-Angels ministers appointing them to minister to the good of them who shall be heirs of salvation he of his mercy and goodness send his Holy Angel to be the Guardian of this child and keep him from the danger and violence of fire and water of falls and sad accidents from evil tongues and evil eyes from witchcraft and all impressions of the spirits of darkness from Convulsions and Rickets from madness and stupidity from folly and evil principles from bad examples and from evil teachers from crookedness and deformity from the mutilation of a member or the loss of sense from being useless and unprofitable from being impious harsh natur'd and unreasonable and make him a wise useful and a holy person belov'd of men and belov'd of God thorough Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Amen YOU the Godfathers and Godmother of the child as you have done this charity to the infant to bring him to Holy Baptisme so you must be sure to continue your care over him till he be instructed in his duty taught what vow he hath made by you and how he shall perform it To this purpose you shall take care that he may learn the Lords prayer the Apostles Creed and the Commandements of our Lord that he may know how to pray what to beleeve and what to practise and when he is in all these things competently instructed neglect not any opportunity of bringing him to the Bishop that he by imposition of hands and invocation of the holy Spirit of God may procure blessing and spiritual strength to this child Which duty when you have done you are discharged of this trust and from the mercies of God may humbly hope for the reward of your charity So ends the office of Baptisme THE DEVOTIONS and PROPER OFFICES for WOMEN An office for safe Childbirth I. O Almighty Father of Men and Angels in whose hands are the keyes of life and death of the womb and of the grave look down at this time in great mercy and gentlest compassion upon thy servant Thou hast O God upon the weakest of mankind fixed the sharpest decree of painful childbirth but so thou lovest to magnifie thy mercies and thy power that thy strength may be seen in our weakness so let it be O God unto thy handmaid let thy loving kindness be her confidence and her rest her hope and her security now and in the hour of her travail II. LORD let thy holy Angels be present with thy servant in their holy and charitable ministeries about her person it is a great thing that we require but we beg it of the great King of Heaven and Earth the Lord of Angels who hath promised that his Angels shall stand in circuit round about them that fear the Lord Look O Lord upon her fear it is humble but it is trembling look upon her love and make it what it is not yet doe thou sanctifie her fear of thee and change it into obedience and carefulness of duty increase her love of thee and make it to be pure and perfect operative and buisie zealous and obedient make it to grow up to the perfections of a Christian and pass unto the beauties of holyness so shall thy servant feel thy daily mercies and no evil shall come neer to hurt her III. GRacious Father give thy servant leave to rely upon thy glorious promises thou hast commanded us to call upon thee in our trouble and hast promised to deliver us O look upon thy handmaid leave her not nor forsake her for trouble is hard at hand and there is none that can help or deliver but onely thou O God In thee O Lord doe we trust let thy servants never be confounded Be pleased O Lord to give thy servant patience and dereliction of her own desires perfect resignation of her own will and a conformity to thine that she may with joy receive the blessing which thou wilt choose for her and which we humbly beg of thee even that she may have a holy a healthful a joyful and a safe deliverance of her burden Lord keep her from all sad accidents and evil contingencies from violent pains and passions from all undecency of Comportment and unquietness of Spirit from impatience and despair from doing any thing that is criminal or feeling any thing that is intolerable IV. O Lord my God give thy servants leave to pray to thee in behalf of this thy handmaid that thou wilt not cut her off in the middest of her daies nor forsake her when her strength faileth but spare her O God not for any purposes of vanity or the satisfaction of any impotent or secular desires but that she may live to serve thee to redeem her time mispent in folly to get victory over temptations and perfect dominion over her passions to grow great in religion and of an excellent charity and devotion O spare her a little that she may recover her strength before she goes hence and be no more seen so shall thy servant rejoice in thy mercies and speak of thy loving kindness in the Church of thy redeemed ones and will spend her daies in holiness and zealous pursuances of religion Remove her sinnes far from her as the East is from the
I may instruct them with diligence and meekness govern them with prudence and holiness provide for them useful imployments and competent provisions of life and comfort leading them in the paths of religion and justice by example and precepts of holiness never provoking them to wrath never indulging them in their follies never conniving at an unworthy action and that all my children may be thine O preserve them in thy favour or take them away from hence while they are If thou pleasest let them live to a full age but secure to them a full measure of piety and holiness thorough Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen II. TO this end give them grace to obey their Parents that doing the duty they may receive the promise preserve them from sin and shame from youthful follies and youthful crimes Sanctifie them thoroughout in their bodies and souls and spirits that their thoughts may be pure and holy not displeasing or misbecomming the eye of him who is the searcher of hearts let their words be true prudent and ingenuous seasoned with grace and apt to minister grace unto the hearers let all their actions in their whole life be such as becommeth the servants of Jesus holy and useful that they may not be burdens to the publick or to their family but pleasing thee and doing good to others they may increase in the love of God and in favour with men and may have the portion of the meek and humble in this world and of the pure and merciful in the world to come thorough Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen The VViddows Prayer I. O Eternal God most Gracious Lord and my most merciful Father thou art my refuge and my hope my sanctuary and my rock my guardian and protector all my daies I have offended thee and thou hast smitten me I have deserved very much evil and thou hast corrected me with the gentle visitation of a Fathers rod and though thy hand is heavy and thy rod presseth me sore by reason of my own weakness and infirmities yet when I consider how little I suffer in respect of what I have deserved I cannot but adore thy goodness and delight in thy mercies and run for help and comfort support and conduct from that hand which smites me O my God give me patience under thy afflicting hand for my impatience I feare hath provoked thee to anger and hath doubled my owne calamity and since my duty is my proper cure and will make thy hand easy and thy anger little give thy servant a quiet and a râ—signed a humble and a meeke spirit that I may not become my owne tormenter and my sin may not be my owne punishment II. O My gracious Lord doe to me what seemeth good in thy owne eyes I am like clay in the hands of the potter and what am I that I should repine against the acts of thy providence and dispensation Behold O God thy Hand-maid is but a worme before thee shall dust and ashes repine against God Thou art just and righteous in all thy wayes and though thou hast afflicted mee sore yet blessed be thy holy Name I have not lost my hope and I can yet pray and I will trust in thee though I die onely be thou pleased to let this thy heavy hand efforme in me the effects of grace and conforme me to the likenesse of the holy Jesus my dearest Saviour that I may so beare the Crosse that I may never displease him nor dishonour the excellent name of a Christian by which I am called III. I Am O my God by the meanes of thy heavy hand not onely under the discipline of a Child but have also obtained a new title to thy especial providence and protection for thou art the patron of the poore the helper of the friendlesse the father of the fatherlesse and the defender of the widowes and if these be the effects of thy anger and that when thou smitest us thy verystrokes are healing and thy displeasure is medicinal what shall thy servant expect will be the effect of thy pardon and loving kindnesse but yet O my Lord helpe me in my duty and though I have failed in all my relations hitherto by my impatience and murmure by my carelesse comportment and undutifull behaviour towards thee yet now let my sad state of Widdowhood be a state of holinesse and repentance of devotion and a severe religion Let me recollect my years in bitternesse and my soule in sorrow for my sins let me have no affections for the things of this world but let my hope and all my joy my desires and my conversation be in heaven and all my imployment and care be how I may enjoy thee in holy and spiritual unions and adherencies IV. O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himself it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps I have often resolved to live innocently and I have often broken all my holy purposes and I cannot of my self thinke one good thought as of my self but my sufficiency is of thee thou art my strength O preserve thy servant in my single state of Widdowhood that I may never have any thought of change till the day of my great change shall come be thou O God a covering of the eyes unto thy hand-maid let me have no loves but thine no affections but for thy service and since thou hast broken in pieces that holy band of conjugal society which thy holy ordinance did tye between my deare Lord and Husband and thy handmaid give me thy grace dearly to preserve his memory to retaine the impresses and remembrances of that affection and to entertaine no new ones but wholly imploy my time my estate and all my powers in bringing up my children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord in making fair and fitting provisions for them in giving them good example in bearing the burthen of the Lord sweetly in prayers and fastings in almes and piety in reading and meditating in spirituall and Sacramental Communions that when the worke of my life is done I may find pardon and favour and acceptance at the hands of my Lord and a portion among thy saints and servants If there be children of both sexes let the following portion be added V. O My God now thy servant hath taken upon me to speake to my Lord let not my Lord be angry not reject the prayer of his servant interceding and praying for my children the pledges of my deare Lord and Husband preserve them O God in the strictest duty and services to thy self O be thou their God and father let thy providence be their portion thy service their imployment thy Angels their guards keepe them so by thy preventing and restraining grace that they may not by their owne sins provoke thee to anger and jealousy and let not the sins of their forefathers be visited upon them in thy anger and displeasure thou lovest to shew mercy and thou delightest in the
this Church State saw it necessary to fixe where with advice she had begun and with counsel she had once mended And to have altered in things inconsiderable upon a new design or sullen mislike had been extreme levity and apt to have made the men contemptible their authority slighted and the thing ridiculous especially before adversaries that watch'd all opportunity and appearances to have disgraced the Reformation Here therefore it became a Law was established by an Act of Parliament was made solemne by an appendant penalty against all that on either hand did prevaricate a sanction of so long and so prudent consideration 14. But the Common Prayer-book had the fate of S. Paul for when it had scap'd the storms of the Romane Sea yet a viper sprung out of Queen Maries fires which at Frankford first leap'd upon the hand of the Church but since that time it hath gnawn the bowels of its own Mother and given it self life by the death of its Parent and Nurse 15. For as for the Adversaries from the Romane party they were so convinc'd by the piety and innocence of the Common Prayer-Book that they could accuse it of no deformity but of imperfection of a want of some things which they judged convenient because the error had a wrinckle on it and the face of antiquity And therefore for ten or eleven years they came to our Churches joyn'd in our devotions and communicated without scruple till a temporal interest of the Church of Rome rent the Schism wider and made it gape like the jaws of the grave And let me say it addes no small degree to my confidence and opinion of the English Common Prayer-Book that amongst the numerous Armies sent from the Romane Seminaries who were curious enough to enquire able enough to finde out and wanted no anger to have made them charge home any errour in our Liturgy if the matter had not been unblameable and the composition excellent there was never any impiety or heresy charg'd upon the Liturgy of the Church for I reckon not the calumnies of Harding for they were onely in general calling it Darkness c. from which aspersion it was worthily vindicated by M. Deering The truth of it is the Compilers took that course which was sufficient to have secur'd it against the malice of a Spanish Inquisitor or the scrutiny of a more inquisitive Presbytery for they put nothing of controversy into their prayers nothing that was then matter of question onely because they could not prophecy they put in some things which since then have been called to question by persons whose interest was highly concerned to finde fault with something But that also hath been the fate of the Penmen of holy Scripture some of which could prophecy and yet could not prevent this But I doe not remember that any man was ever put to it to justify the Common Prayer against any positive publick and professed charge by a Romane Adversary Nay it is transmitted to us by the testimony of persons greater then all exceptions that Paulus 4 tâ—s in his private entercourses and Letters to Queen Elizabeth did offer to confirm the English Common Prayer Book if she would acknowledge his Primacy and authority and the Reformation derivative from him And this lenity was pursued by his Successor Pius 4 tus with an omnia de nobis tibi polliceare he assured her she should have any thing from him not onely things pertaining to her soul but what might conduce to the establishment and confirmation of her Royal Dignity amongst which that the Liturgy newly established by her authority should not be rescinded by the Popes power was not the least considerable 16. And possibly this hath cast a cloud upon it in the eyes of such persons who never will keep charity or so much as civility but with those with whom they have made a league offensive and defensive against all the world This hath made it to be suspected of too much compliancâ— with that Church and her Offices of devotion and that it is a very Cento composed out of the Mass Book Pontifical Breviaries Manuals and Portuises of the Romane Church 17. I cannot say but many of our Prayers are also in the Romane Offices But so they are also in the Scripture so also is the Lords Prayer and if they were not yet the allegation is very inartificial and the charge peevish and unreasonable unless there were nothing good in the Romane Books or that it were unlawful to pray a good prayer which they had once stain'd with red letters The Objection hath not sense enough to procure an answer upon its own stock but by reflection from a direct truth which uses to be like light manifesting it self and discovering darkness 18. It was first perfected in King Edward the sixths time but it was by and by impugned through the obstinate dissembling malice of many They are the words of M. Fox in his Book of Martyrs Then it was reviewed and published with so much approbation that it was accounted the work of God but yet not long after there were some persons qui divisionis occasionem arripiebant saith Alesius vocabula penè syllabas expendendo they tried it by points and syllables and weighed every word and sought occasions to quarrel which being observed by Archbishop Cranmer he caused it to be translated into Latine and sent it to Bucer requiring his judgement of it who returned this answer That although there are in it some things quae rapi possunt ab inquietis ad materiam contentionis which by peevish men may be cavill'd at yet there was nothing in it but what was taken out of the Scriptures or agreeable to it if rightly understood that is if handled and read by wise and good men The zeal which Archbishop Grindal Bishop Ridly D r Taylor and other the holy Martyrs and Confessors in Queen Maries time expressed for this excellent Liturgy before and at the time of their death defending it by their disputations adorning it by their practice and sealing it with their blouds are arguments which ought to recommend it to all the sons of the Church of England for ever infinitely to be valued beyond all the little whispers and murmurs of argument pretended against it and when it came out of the flame and was purified in the Martyrs fires it became a vessell of honour and used in the house of God in all the days of that long peace which was the effect of Gods blessing and the reward as we humbly hope of an holy Religion and when it was laid aside in the days of Queen Mary it was to the great decay of the due honour of God and discomfort to the Professors of the truth of Christs Religion they are the words of Queen Elizabeth and her grave and wise Parliament 19. Archbishop Cranmer in his purgation A. D. 1553. made an offer if the Queen would give him leave to prove All that
religious can either need or fancy but the English Liturgy in its entire constitution will furnish us withall And certainly it was a very great wisdome and a very prudent and religious Constitution so to order that part of the Liturgy which the ancient called the Lectionarium that the Psalter should be read over twelve times in the year the old Testament once and the new Testament thrice beside the Epistles and Gospels which renew with a more frequent repetition such choice places as represent the intire body of faith and good life There is a defalcation of some few Chapters from the intire body in the order but that also was part of the wisdome of the Church not to expose to publick ears and common judgements some of the secret rites of Moses Law or the more mysterious prophecies of the new Testament whose sense and meaning the event will declare if we by mistaken and anticipated interpretations doe not obstruct our own capacities and hinder us from beleeving the true events because they answer not those expectations with which our own mistakes have prepared our understandings as it hapned to the Jews in the case of Antiochus and to the Christians in the person of Antichrist 38. Well! thus as it was framed in the body of its first Constitution and second alteration those excellent men whom God chose as instruments of his honour and service in the reformation to whom also he did shew what great things they were to suffer for his Names sake approved of it with high testimony promoted it by their own use and zeal and at last sealed it with their bloud 39. That they had a great opinion of the piety and unblameable composure of the Common Prayer-book appears 1 in the challenge made in its behalf by the Archbishop Cranmer to defend it against all the world of Enemies 2 by the daily using it in time of persecution and imprisonment for so did Bishop Ridley and D r Taylor who also recommended it to his wife for a legacy 3 by their preaching in behalf of it as many did 4 by Hulliers hugging it in his flames with a posture of great love and forwardness of entertainment 5 besides the direct testimony which the most eminent learned amongst the Queen Mary Martyrs have given of it Amongst which that of the learned Rector of Hadley D r Rowland Taylor is most considerable his words are these in a Letter of his to a friend But there was after that by the most innocent King Edward for whom God be praised everlastingly the whole Church Service with great deliberation and the advice of the best learned men of the Realm and authorized by the whole Parliament and received and published gladly by the whole Realm which Book was never reformed but once and yet by that one reformation it was so fully perfected according to the rules of our Christian Religion in every behalf that no Christian conscience could be offended with any thing therein contained I mean of that Book reformed 40. I desire the words may be considered and confronted against some other words lately published which charge these holy and learned men but with a half-fac'd light a darkness in the confines of Egypt and the suburbs of Goshen And because there is no such thing proved of these blessed Men and Martyrs and that it is easy to say such words of any man that is not fully of our minde I suppose the advantage and the outweighing authority will lie on our part in behalf of the Common Prayer-book especially since this man and divers others died with it and for it according as it hapned by the circumstance of their charges and articles upon which they died for so it was in the cases of John Rough John Philpot Cutbert Simson and seven others burnt in Smithfield upon whom it was charged in their indictments that they used allowed preached for and maintained respectively the Service-book of King Edward To which articles they answered affirmatively and confessed them to be true in every part and died accordingly 41. I shall press this argument to issue in the words of S. Ambrose cited to the like purpose by Vincentius Lirinensis Librum sacerdotalem quis nostrum resignare audeat signatum à Confessoribus multorum jam martyrio consecratum Quomodo fidem eorum possumus denegare quorum victoriam praedicamus Who shall dare to violate this Priestly book which so many Confessors have consigned and so many Martyrs have hallowed with their bloud How shall we call them Martyrs if we deny their faith how shall we celebrate their victory if we dislike their cause If we beleeve them to be crown'd why shall we deny but that they strove lawfully So that if they dying in attestation of this Book were Martyrs why doe we condemne the Book for which they died If we will not call them Martyrs it is clear we have chang'd our Religion since then And then it would be considered whether we are fallen For the Reformers in King Edwards time died for it in Q. Elizabeths time they avowed it under the protection of an excellent Princess but in that sad interval of Q. Maries reign it suffered persecution and if it shall doe so again it is but an unhandsome compliance for Reformers to be unlike their Brethren and to be like their Enemies to doe as doe the Papists and onely to speak great words against them and it will be sad for a zealous Protestant to live in an age that should disavow K. Edwards and Q. Elizabeths Religion and manner of worshipping God in an age that shall doe as did Q. Maries Bishops persecute the Book of Common Prayer and the Religion contained in it God help the poor Protestants in such times But let it doe its worst if God please to give his grace the worst that can come is but a Crown and that was never denied to Martyrs 42. In the mean time I can but with joy and Eucharist consider with what advantages and blessings the pious Protestant is entertained and blessed and arm'd against all his needs by the constant and Religious usage of the Common Prayer-book For besides the direct advantages of the Prayers and devotions some whereof are already instanc'd and the experience of holy persons will furnish them with more there are also forms of solemne benediction and absolution in the Offices and if they be not highly considerable there is nothing sacred in the Evangelical Ministery but all is a vast plain and the Altars themselves are made of unhallowed turf 43. Concerning Benediction of which there are four more solemne forms in the whole Office two in the Canon of the Communion one in Confirmation one in the Office of Marriage I shall give this short account that without all question the less is blessed of the greater and it being an issue spiritual is rather to be verified in spiritual relation then in natural or political And therefore if
this Psalme * PLeade thou my cause O Lord with them that strive with me for they have laid their net to destroy me without a cause yea even without a cause have they made a pit for my soule ¶ Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoyce over me neither let them winke with the eye that hate me without a cause * For they speake not peace but they devise deceitfull matters against them that are quiet in the land ¶ They rewarded me evill for good to the great discomfort of my soule * Stirre up thy selfe and awake to my judgement even unto my cause my God and my Lord. ¶ Judge me O Lord my God according to my righteousnesse and let them not rejoyce over me * And my soule shall be joyful in the Lord it shall rejoyce in his salvation ¶ All my bones shall say Lord who is like unto thee which deliverest the poore from him that is too strong for him yea the poore and needy from him that spoileth him * Let them shout for joy and be glad that favour my righteous cause yea let them say continually let the Lord be magnified which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servants ¶ Trust in the Lord and doe good so shalt thou dwell in the land and verily thou shalt be fed * Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him fret not thy selfe because of him who prospereth in his way because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to passe ¶ For the Lord shall laugh at him for he seeth that his day is comming * Glory be to the Father c. ¶ As it was in the beginning c. Minister The Lord be with you Answer And with thy Spirit Let us pray Our Father which art in Heaven c. The Collect. ALmighty and everlasting God who hatest nothing that thou hast made and lovest not that a sinner should die before thee and before thy Angels there is joy in heaven at the conversion of a sinner thou hast promised pardon to the penitent and salvation to them that persevere O grant that we may never presume on thy mercy or despise the riches of thy goodnesse but that thy forbearance and long suffering may lead us to repentance create and make in us new and contrite hearts that we truly mourning for our sins and forsaking them condemning our selves and justifying thee crucifying the old man and becomming new creatures may obtaine of thee mercy and remission that though we are now worthily punished for our sins by the comfort of thy grace we may be mercifully releived through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen I. The prayer for the Church O Eternal God thou preserver of men and the Great lover of soules have pitty and compassion upon thine afflicted handmaid the Church of England Thou hast humbled us for our pride and chastised us for our want of discipline O forgive us all our sins by which thou hast been provoked to anger and to Jealousie to despise our sorrowes and to arme thy selfe against us II. Blessed God smite us not with a final and exterminating judgement call not the watchmen off from their guards nor the Angels from their charges let us not die by a famine of thy Word and Sacraments If thou smitest us with the rod of a man thou canst sanctify every stroke unto us and canst bring good out of the evil and delightest to doe so but nothing can bring us a recompence if thou hatest us and sufferest the soules of thy people to perish III. Unite our hearts and tongues take away the Spirit of error and division from amongst us and so order all the accidents of thy providence that religion may increase and our devotion may be great and popular and truth may be incouraged and promoted and thy Name glorified and thy servants comforted and instructed that thy holy Spirit may rule and all interests may stoope and obey publish and advance the honour of our Lord Jesus Amen For the Superiour Clergy O Most blessed Saviour Jesus King of Heaven and earth the head and prince of the Catholick Church who hast appointed thy servants Ministers and stewards in the house of thy Father to give bread to the hungry and drinke to them that thirst after the water of life flowing from the Fountaines of our Saviour continue and blesse sanctify and adorne with thy gifts and graces all the Spiritual guides and governours which thou hast appointed over us that they may continue in thy service to comfort the afflicted to instruct the ignorant to confirme the strong to defend and promote thy truth to intercede for thy servants to open the kingdome of heaven to all beleivers and to shut up the disobedient and rebellious in everlasting prisons by the keyes of the Kingdome by thy word and Sacraments by thy power and by thy Spirit remove not the Candlestick from us neither doe thou quench the light of Israel but let thy servants our Bishops and Priests be like burning and shining lights in the Temple of God by a continual never failing never broken succession offering up the daily sacrifice rejoycing in the plenty of peace and the imployments of thy house in holy offices and a daily ministration that thou being for ever pleas'd and for ever glorified we may be thy peculiar people a chosen generation a royal priest-hood clothed with righteousnesse and singing with joyfulnesse Eternall Hallelujahs to the honour of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen For Priests and the Inferiour Clergy MOst Blessed and Eternal Jesu who art a Preist for ever after the order of Melchisedek and hast separated thy servants to minister to thee in holy offices and to convey holy things unto the people give unto all thy servants the Ministers of thy word and Sacraments the spirit of prudence and knowledge of faith and charity of watchfulnesse and holy zeale that they as good helpes in Government may declare thy will faithfully to their congregations and administer the Sacraments purely and devoutly and by their holy life become an example to thy litle flock that so they with cheerfulnesse and joy may render an account of their charge and may by thy mercy obtaine the blessing of thy Preisthood the glories of thy Kingdome O most Blessed and Eternall Saviour who livest and reignest with the Father and the holy Spirit eternal God world without end Amen The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ c. To this office may be added the confession of sins taken out of S. Ephraim the Syrian in the Evening prayer for a family and said immediately before the collect Or else Immediately before the blessing as opportunity shall require or permit may be said the Let any described at the end of these devotions Any of these prayers or psalmes may upon any occasion ordinary or extraordinary be used in any of the other offices In time of VVarre to the foregoing offices may be added these following prayers taken out of a special
his infinite mercy bring thee to the regions of holinesse and eternal peace through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen I. A prayer to be used in behalfe of Fooles or Changelings O Eternal and most blessed Saviour Jesus who art the wisedome of the Father and art made unto us wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and Redemption have pity upon the miserable people to whom thou hast given life and no understanding Thou didst create us of nothing and gavest us being when we were not and createdst in us capacity of blessings when we had none and gavest us many when we did not understand them thou bringest infants from the wombe and from the state of nature to the state of grace and from their mothers breasts thou doest often convey them to the bosome of Jesus and yet they doe nothing but thou art glorified in thy free gift O be gracious to all Natural fooles and innocents for thou hatest nothing which thou hast made and lovest every soule which thou hast redeemed we that have reason can deserve heaven no more then these can but these doe not deserve hell so much as we have done Impute not to them their follies that are unavoidable nor the sins which they discerne not nor the evils which they cannot understand keepe them from all evil and sad mischances and make supply of their want of the defences of reason by the special guard of Angels and let thy obedience and thy sufferings be accepted and thy intercession prevaile for them that since they cannot glorify thee by a free obedience thou mayest be glorified by thy free mercies to them and for their destitution of good in this world let them receive eternal blessings in the world to come through thy mercies O eternal and most Blessed Saviour Jesus Amen II. A prayer for Madmen ALmighty God whose wisedome is infinite whose mercy is eternal whose tranquillity is essential and whose goodnesse hath no shore In judgement remember mercy and doe thou delight to magnify thy mercy upon them who need it but cannot aske it who are in misery but feele it not who doe actions without choice and choose without discretion and sober understanding Pity the evil they suffer and pardon the evils that they have done and impute not unto them the evils which they rather beare then act and let not their entry into this calamity be an exclusion from their future pardon but let this sad calamity and judgement which they beare be united to the sufferings of our Lord and be sanctified by his intercession and become an instrument of their peace Lord restore them to their health and understanding take from them all violent passions and remove all evil objects far from their eyes and eares create a cleane heart and renew a right Spirit in them Give them sober thoughts and meeke Spirits contempt of the world and love of holy things suffer them not to doe violence to any man and let no man doe violence to them let them be safe under the conduct of thy providence and the publick lawes and be innocent under the conduct of thy holy Spirit that when thou shalt returne and speake peace to thy people they may rejoyce in thy mercies and salvation thou didst O God shew mercy to Nebuchadnezar gavest to him the heart of a man after he had sin'd and fallen into the lot of beasts and wildnesse and thy hand is not shortned that thou canst not helpe but let thy mercies and loving kindnesse returne upon thy servants as at first that thou mayest rejoyce in thy mercies and salvation because thou hast pleasure in the prosperity of thy Servants Grant this Almighty God and Father for Jesus Christ his sake our Lord and dearest Saviour Amen III. A prayer in behalfe of Hereticks and seduced persons O Most blessed most Gracious Saviour Jesus who art the way and the truth and the life thou art a light to them that sit in darkenesse the light that lightneth every man that commeth into the world preserve thy Church in peace and truth in love and holinesse to thy second comming Reduce every misbeleiver to the fold of thy Church instruct every ignorant person in the wayes of Godly wisedome subdue the pride of man and bring every understanding to the obedience of thy sacred law Let no mans vanity or ignorance divide the church let not any holy truth be sullied with the mixture of impure and heretical doctrines nor evil principles disorder the beauties of religion and godly living nor any doctrines of men be taught as the commandement of God but grant that the truth of God may be publikely maintained constantly taught hūbly beleived zealously practized by all men in their several stations that in the church of God there be no contention but in giving honour to each other and glory to God in all the wayes of faith and charity through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen II. Blesse the ministery of thy holy word in its ordinary dispensation grant it may prevaile mightily for the convincing of them that have no faith for the reprooving of the errors of them whose faith is not pure for the confirming them who are weake in faith for the perfecting them who are novices in faith open the hearts of all gainsayers take from them all their prejudices and all their passions their secular interests and confident opinions that they may humbly and meekely attend to the voice of God in the mouths of thy servants in the pages of scripture in the doctrines of the Spirit that they may doe nothing against the truth but for the truth that they may not quench the Spirit nor despise prophecying nor shut their eyes against the light and their hearts against the love of God but grant that in all things being obedient to the heavenly calling they may receive the blessings of truth and peace in this world and in the world to come exalting the kingdome and partaking the glories of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen These three last prayers are to be used upon any of the great Festivals of the yeare especially Easter day Ascension day Whitsunday and upon 8 dayes after these Festivals or upon good Friday Prayers and Psalmes to be used by the Minister and Curate of Soules at the Visitation of the sick In the Name of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Our Father which art in Heaven c. Minister O God make speed to save us Answer O Lord make hast to helpe us * Glory be to the Father c. ¶ As it was in the beginning c. Then recite this Psalme * REbuke me not O Lord in thine anger neither correct me in thy heavy displeasure ¶ Have mercy upon me O Lord for I am weake O Lord heate me for my bones are vexed * My soule is also sore troubled but Lord how long wilt thou punish me ¶ Turne thee O Lord and deliver my soule O save me for thy mercies sake * For in death no
never heard and know what was never revealed below O grant that she may have aydes that her she never did neede even mighty assistances in proportion to her new and strang erstate that whatsoever is in the darkenesse or in the fire in the secret regions of wrath and the horrible places of torment and fearful exspectations may not afflict or affright the lambe of thy flock the price of thy bloud the child of thy kingdome and the portion of thine owne inheritance Amen V. O sweetest Jesu say unto this soule This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise say unto this foule Feare not for it is my Fathers pleasure to give thee a Kingdome Let this soule dwell in safe and pleasant regions and be supported with the hope of God comforted with a holy conscience rejoyce in a confirm'd pardon be recreated with the visitation of Angels and walke in white whithersoever the Lambe shall goe Amen VI. Give unto this decaying dying body a blessed and a glorious resurrection to this weary and afflicted this penitent and redeemed soule a portion in the blessed sentence of the right hand amongst the blessed children of thy Father who shall receive the Kingdome prepared for them from the beginning of the world Amen VII Remember O God the good things which by thy grace and by the aides of thy holy Spirit thy servant hath done in all his life and remember not his evil deedes which by the weakenesse of the flesh and the temptations of the Devil and the evil contingencies of this world have afflicted and humbled the soule of thy servant remember thy holy Son did die for these and thy holy Spirit was the cause of those and for whom thou hast given thy Son and to whom thou hast given thy Spirit give thy eternal pardon and thy eternal glories thorough Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen After the soule is departed the Minister may say this prayer in behalfe of the living friends and relatives of the dead ALmighty God who governest all things in heaven and earth with infinite wisedome and infinite mercy and bringest good out of evil comfort out of sorrow and after a gentle visitation dost refresh thy children with the light of thy countenance with the blessings of thy providence with the returnes of thy grace and the comforts of thy holy Spirit have mercy upon this family and returne to them all with thy loving kindnesse exchanging their present sorrow into the advantages of holinesse and blessing Be thou now and ever what thou gloriest in a Father of the Fatherlesse a Husband to the Widow a God of comfort to them that mourn◠in secret Grant that thy servant may not weepe as men without hope nor murmure at thy dispensation nor complaine of any thing but themselves nor desire any thing but that thy will be done nor doe any thing but what is agreeable to thy holy word and commandement and grant that when thou smitest any of us it may increase thy feare in us and when thou doest good to any of us in smiting or forbearing in chastising or comforting it may increase thy love in us and let thy holy Spirit so prevail over all our wills and understandings our affections and the outward man our interests and our hopes that we may live in this world pleasing to thee and may goe out of this world with the peace of a holy conscience and may have a joyful resurrection in the last day to a participation of the glories of God thorough Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen The Blessing THE Lord blesse you and keepe you the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you The Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon you and give you peace The blessing of God Almighty the Father Son and holy Ghost be amongst you and abide with you and be your portion for ever and ever Amen Prayers and devotions to be us'd at the Burial of the Dead The Minister before the Corps entring at the Church doore may begin with one or more of these sentences A Good name is better then precious ointment and the day of death then the day of ones birth It is better to goe to the house of mourning then to goe to the house of feasting for that is the end of all men and the living will lay it to his heart I am the resurrection and the life saith the Lord He that beleiveth in me yea though he were dead yet shall he live And whosoever liveth and beleiveth in me shall not die for ever It is appointed to all men once to die and after death comes judgement I would not have you to be ignorant concerning them which are asleepe that we sorrow not even as others without hope For if we beleive that Jesus died and rose again even so them also which sleepe in Jesus will God bring with him After the Corps is set downe in the body of the Church let Morning or Evening prayer be read according to the time of the day with this difference onely Instead of the usual Psalmes Read Psalme 39. Psalme 49. Psalme 90. For the first lesson read Job 14. or 19. After the first lesson read Psalme 88. For the second lesson read 1 Corinth 15. from verse 12 to the end After the second lesson read Nunc dimittis * LOrd now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word ¶ For mine eyes have seen thy salvation * Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people ¶ To be a light to lighten the Gentiles and to be the glory of thy people Israel Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. After the usual prayers are done then the Corps carried being to the grave the Minister shall read this lesson Ecclesiastes 12. REmember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth while the evil daies come not nor the yeers draw nigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them While the sun or the light or the moon or the stars be not darkned nor the clouds return after the rain In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble and the strong men shall bow themselves and the grinders cease because they are few and those that look out of the windows be darkned And the doors shall be shut in the streets when the sound of the grinding is low and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high and feares shall be in the way and the almond-tree shall flourish and the grashopper shall be a burden and desire shall fail because man goeth to his long home and the mourners go about the streets Or ever the silver cord be loosed or the golden bowle be broken or the pitcher be broken at the fountain or the wheel broken at the cistern Then shall the dust retrun
With a strong hand and with a stretched out arm for his mercy endureth for ever 13 To him which divided the Red sea into parts for his mercy endureth for ever 14 And made Israel to passe through the midst of it for his mercy endureth for ever 15 But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea for his mercy endureth for ever 16 To him which led his people through the wildernesse for his mercy endureth for ever 17 To him which smote great kings for his mercy endureth for ever 18 And slew famous kings for his mercy endureth for ever 19 Sihon king of the Amorites for his mercy endureth for ever 20 And Og the king of Bashan for his mercy endureth for ever 21 And gave their land for an heritage for his mercy endureth for ever 22 Even an heritage unto Israel his servant for his mercy endureth for ever 23 Who remembred us in our low estate for his mercy endureth for ever 24 And hath redeemed us from our enemies for his mercy endureth for ever 25 Who giveth food to all flesh for his mercy endureth for ever 26 O give thanks unto the God of heaven for his mercy endureth for ever PSAL. CXXXVII The Jewes being in the Babylonish Captivity deplore their sad condition they remember the pleasures of Jerusalem and the religion of the Temple they long to be there and pray for the Divine Judgments to descend upon their persecutors BY the rivers of Babylon there we sat down yea we wept when we remembred Zion 2 We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof 3 For there they that carryed us away captive required of us a song and they that wasted us required of us mirth saying Sing us one of the songs of Zion 4 How shall we sing the Lords song in a strange land 5 If I forget thee O Jerusalem let my right hand forget her cunning 6 If I doe not remember thee let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy 7 Remember O Lord the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem who said Rase it rase it even to the foundation thereof 8 O daughter of Babylon who art to be destroyed happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us 9 Happy shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones PSAL. CXXXVIII David being freed from the persecution of Saul and invested in the Kingdome promises to celebrate the Divine praises before all the Kings of the earth whom he exhorts to doe the same he puts his trust in God for the future he prayes to have these mercies continued and enlarged I Will praise thee with my whole heart before the gods will I sing praise unto thee 2 I will worship towards thy holy temple and praise thy name for thy loving kindnesse and for thy truth for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name 3 In the day when I cryed thou answeredst me and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul. 4 All the kings of the earth shall praise thee O Lord when they hear the words of thy mouth 5 Yea they shall sing in the waies of the Lord for great is the glory of the Lord. 6 Though the Lord be high yet hath he respect unto the lowly but the proud he knoweth afar off 7 Though I walk in the mids of trouble thou wilt revive me thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies and thy right hand shall save me 8 The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me thy mercy O Lord endureth for ever forsake not the works of thine own hands Mo. Pr. PSAL. CXXXIX The Divine Omniscience and Omnipresence largely described the thoughts of God are unsearchable the wicked are cursed the Psalmist prayes to be defended from them he hates their waies and prayes to be conducted in the waies of God O Lord thou hast searched me known me 2 Thou knowest my down-sitting and mine up-rising thou understandest my thought afar off 3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down and art acquainted with all my waies 4 For there is not a word in my tongue but lo O Lord thou knowest it altogether 3 Thou hast beset me behind and before and laid thine hand upon me 6 Such knowledge is too wonderfull for me it is high I cannot attain unto it 7 Whither shall I goe from thy spirit or whither shall I flee from thy presence 8 If I ascend up into heaven thou art there if I make my bed in hell behold thou art there 9 If I take the wings of the morning dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea 10 Even there shall thy hand lead me and thy right hand shall hold me 11 If I say Surely the darknesse shall cover me even the night shall be light about me 12 Yea the darknesse hideth not from thee but the night shineth as the day the darknesse and the light are both alike to thee 13 For thou hast possessed my reins thou hast covered me in my mothers womb 14 I will praise thee for I am fearfully and wonderfully made marvellous are thy works and that my soul knoweth right well 15 My substance was not hid from thee when I was made in secret and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth 16 Thine eyes did see my substance yet being unperfect and in thy book all my members were written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them 17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me O God how great is the summe of them 18 If I should count them they are mo in number then the sand when I wake I am still with thee 19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked O God depart from me therefore ye bloody men 20 For they speak against thee wickedly and thine enemies take thy name in vain 21 Do not I hate them O Lord that hate thee and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee 22 I hate them with perfect hatred I count them mine enemies 23 Search me O God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts 24 And see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting PSAL. CXL David being persecuted by Doâ—g and the men of Ziph prayes to God for his safety and defence from their evil tongues he prayes against his Enemies he trusts in God that he shall be safe and that his Enemies shall be destroyed DEliver me O Lord from the evil man preserve me from the violent man 2 Which imagine mischiefs in their heart continually are they gathered together for warre 3 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent adders poyson is under their lips Selah 4 Keep me O Lord from the hands of the wicked preserve me frm the violent man who have purposed to overthrow my goings 5 The proud have hid a snare for me and cords they