night Make him as an Angel of God to discera between good and evil that in his eyes a vile person may be contemned due hee may honour them that fear the Lord that his eyes may bee upon the faithful of the Land that they may dwell with him and they that are perfect in the way serve him Remove the Wicked from before him that his Throne may bee established in Righteousness and grant that under him wee may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all Godliness and Honesty And when hee hath finished his course on Earth let him inherit a Crown of Righteousness and reign with Christ for ever Bless the Queen Mother the Illustrious Prince James Duke of York and the rest of the Royal Family endue them with thy Holy Spirit inrich them with thy heavenly Grace and make them blessings in their Generation Endue the Lords of His Majesties Counsel and all the Nobility the Judges and all the Magistrates of the Land with Wisdome from above that they may rule as in thy fear and iudge Righteous Judgement and may take heed what they do as iudging not for man but for the Lord that Justice may run down as Water and Righteousness as a mighty stream Let all His Maiesties Subiects duly submit to him and obey him not only for wrath 〈◊〉 for conscience sake Let all his Kingdâ—mes bee the Kingdâ—mes of the Lord and of his Son Christ that God may dwell amongst us and if it may bee said of them The Lord bless thee O Habitation of Justice and Mountain of Holiness For Thine O Father with the Son and Holy Ghost is the Kingdome and Power and Glory for ever Amen The General Prayer OMost Holy Blessed and Glorious Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost Three Persons and One God our Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier our Lordâ— our Governour and Father hear us and have mercy upon 〈◊〉 miserable sinners O Lord our Saviour God and man 〈◊〉 who having assumâ—… our nature by thy sufferings and death and burial wast made 〈◊〉 Ransome to take away the sins of the World who being raises from the dead ascended and glorified art made Head over all things to the Church which thou gatherest justifiest sanctifiest rulest and preservest and which at thy coming Thou wilt raise and judge to endless Glory Wee beseech Thee to hear us miserable sinners make sure to us our Calling and Election our unfeigned Faith and Repentance that being justified and made the Sons of God wee may have Peace with him as our Reconciled God and Father Let thy holy Spirit sanctifie us and dwell in us and cause us to deny our selves and to give up our selves entirely to Thee as being not our own but Thine As the World was created for thy Glory let thy Name bee glorified throughout the World Let Self-love and Pride and Uain-glory bee destroyed cause us to love Thee fear Thee and trust in Thee with all our hearts and to live to Thee Let all the Earth subject themselves to Thee their King Let the Kingdomes of the World become the Kingdomes of the Lord and of his Christ Let the Atheists Idolaters Mahometans Jews and other Infidels and ungodly People bee converted Send forth meet Labourers into the Harvest and let the Gospel bee preached throughout all the World Preserve and bless them in thy Work Sustain in patience and seasonably deliver the Churches that are oppressed by Idolaters Infidels Mahometans or other enemies or by the Roman Papal 〈◊〉 Unite all Christians in Jesus Christ the true and onely universal Head in the true Christian and Catholick Faith and Love cast out Heresies and Corruptions heal divisions let the strong receive the weak and bear their Infirmities Restrain the spirit of Pride and Cruelty and let nothing bee done in strife or vain-glory Keep us from Atheism Idolatry and Rebellion against Thee from Infidelity Ungodliness and Sensuality from Security Presumption and Despair Let us delight to please Thee and let thy Word bee the Rule of our Faith and Lives let us love it and understand iâ— and meditate in it day and night Let us not corrupt or neglect thy Worship nor take thy Holy Name in vain keep us from Blasphemy Perjury prophane Swearing Lying contempt of thy Ordinances and from false unworthy and unreverent thoughts and speeches of God or holy things and from the neglect and prophanation of thy Holy Day Put it into the hearts of the Kings and Rulers of the World to submit to Christ and rule for him as Nursing-Fathers to his Church and save them from the temptations that would drown them in sensuality or would break them upon Christ as a Rock of offence by engaging them against his holy Doctrine Waies and Servants Have mercy on thy Servant Charls our King protect his Person illuminate and sanctifie him by thy Spirit that above all things hee may seek thine honour the encrease of Faith and holy Obedience to thy Laws and may govern us as thy Minister appointed by Thee for the terrour of evil doers and the praise of them that do well that under him wee may live a quiet and peaceable life in all Godliness and Honesty Have mercy upon all the Royal Family upon the Lords of the Counsel and all the Nobility the Judges and other Magistrates of these Lands Let them fear Thee and hee Ensamples of Piety and Temperance haters of Injustice Covetousness and Pride and Defenders of the Innocent in their eyes let a vile person bee contemned but let them honour them that fear the Lord. Let every soul bee subject to the Higher Powers and not resist Let them obey the King and all in Authority not only for wrath but for conscience sake Give all the Churches able holy faithful Pastors that may soundly and diligently preach thy Word and guide the Flocks in waies of Holiness and Peace over-seeing and ruling them not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready minde not as being Lords over thy Heritage but the Servants of all and Ensamples to the Flock that when the chief Pastor shall appear they may receive the Crown of Glory Let the people know those that are over them in the Lord and labour among them preaching to them the Word of God let them highly esteem them in love for their works sake account them worthy of double honour and obey them in the Lord. Let Parents bring up their Children in Holy Nurture that they may remember their Creatour in the daies of their youth and let Children love honour and obey them Let husbands love their Wives and guide them in knowledge and holiness and let Wives love and obey their Husbands Let Masters rule their servants in thy fear and servants obey their Masters in the Lord. Kéep us from Murders and violence and injurious passionate words and actions Kéep us from Fornication and all uncleanness from Chambering and wantonness from Lustful thoughts
Peace which brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ that great Shepherd of the Shéep through the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good work to do his Will working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom bée Glory for ever and ever Amen THE Celebration of the Sacrament of Baptism LEt no Minister that is therein unsatisfied be forced against his Judgement to baptize the Childe of open Atheists Idolaters or Infidels or that are unbaptized themselves or of such as do not competently understand the Essentials of Christianity what it is to be a Christian and the Essentials of Baptism nor of such as never since they were baptized did personally own their Baptismal Covenant by a credible Profession of Faith and Obedience received and approved by some Pastor of the Church as before Confirmation is required and in His Majesties Declaration Nor yet the Childe of Parents justly excommunicate or that live in any notorious scandalous sin or have lately committed such a sin as if the Childe be gotten in Adultery or Fornication and being justly convict of it refuseth penitently to confess it and promise Reformation But if either of the Parents bee duly qualified and present the Childe to bee baptized or another for them in case they cannot bee present the Childe is to bee received unto Baptism And if both the natural Parents are Infidels Excommunicate or otherwise unqualified yet if any become the Pro-parents and owners of the Childe and undertake to educate it in the Faith of Christ and Fear of God and so present it to bee baptized let it bee done by a Minister whose judgement doth approve it but let no Minister be forced to it against his judgement Let the Parents or owners come to the Minister at some convenient time the week before and acquaint him when they intend to offer their Childe to Baptism and give an account of their fore-said capacity and receive his further Ministerial Assistance for the fuller understanding of the use and benefits of the Sacrament and their own duty The Font is to bee placed to the greatest conveniency of the Minister and People The Childe or Children being there presented the Minister may begin with this or the like speech directed to the Parent or Parents that presenteth it THat you may perform this service to God with understanding you must know that God having made man in his own Image to love and serve him our first Parents wilfully corrupted themselves by sin and became the Children of Death and the Captives of Satan who had overcome them by his temptation And as by one man sin entred into the World and death by sin so death passed upon all for that all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God Wee are conceived in sin and are by nature children of wrath For who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean By the offence of one Judgement came upon all men to condemnation But the infinite Wisdome and Love of the Father hath sent his Son to bee the Saviour of the World The Word was made Flesh and dwelt on Earth and overcame the Devil and the World Fulfilled all Righteousness and suffered for our sins upon the Cross and rose again and reigneth in Glory and will come again and judge the World in Righteousness In him God hath made and offered to the World a Covenant of Grace and in it the Pardon of sin to all true Penitent Beleevers and power to bee the Sons of God and Heirs of Heaven This Covenant is extended to the seed also of the Faithful to give them the benefits suitable to their age the Parents dedicating them unto God and entring them into the Covenant and so God in Christ will bee their God and number them with his People This Covenant is to be solemnly entred into by Baptism which is a holy Sacrament instituted by Christ in which a person professing the Christian Faith or the Infant of such is baptized in water into the Name of the Father the Son and Holy Ghost in signification and solemnization of the holy Covenant in which as a Penitent Beleever or the seed of such hee giveth up himself or is by the Parent given up to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost from henceforth or from the time of natural capacity to beleeve in love and fear this Blessed Trinity against the Flesh the Devil and the World and this especially on the account of Redemption and is solemnly entred a Visible Member of Christ and his Church a Childe of God and an Heir of Heaven How great now is the Mercy and how great the Duty that is before you Is it a small Mercy for this Childe to bee accepted into the Covenant of God and washed from its Original sin in the Blood of Christ which is signified and sealed by this Sacramental washing in water to be accepted as a Member of Christ and of his Church where hee vouchsafeth his Protection and Provision and the Means and Spirit of Grace and the renewed pardon of sin upon Repentance and for you to see this happiness of your Childe The duty on your part is first to see that you are stedfast in the Faith and Covenant of Christ that you perish not your self and that your Childe is indeed the Childe of a Beleever And then you are beleevingly and thankfully to dedicate your Childe to God and to enter it into the Covenant in which you stand And you must know that your Faith and Consent and Dedication will suffice for your Children no longer than till they come to age themselves and then they must own their Baptismal Covenant and personally renew it and consent and give up themselves to God or else they will not bee owned by Christ You must therefore acquaint them with the Doctrine of the Gospel as they grow up and with the Covenant now made and bring them up in the fear of the Lord. And when they are actually penitent Beleevers they must present themselves to the Pastors of the Church to bee approved and received into the Communion of the Adult Beleevers If the Persons bee before well instructed in the nature of Baptism and Time require Brevity the Minister may omit the first part of this speech and begin at the description of Baptism or after it If there bee need of satisfying the People of the duty of Baptizing Infants the Minister may here do it otherwise let the Questions here immediately follow The Minister shall here say to the Parent and the Parent answer as followeth IT being the Faithful and their seed to whom the Promises are made And no man will sincerely dedicate his Childe to that God that hee beleeveth not in himself I therefore require you to make Profession of your own Faith Quest Do you beleeve in God the Father Almighty c Answ All this I do unfeignedly beleeve Quest Do you repent of your
sins and renounce the Flesh the Devil and the World and consent to the Covenant of Grace giving up your self to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost as your Creator and Reconciled Father your Redeemer and your Sanctifier Ans I do Or thus rather if the Parent bee fit to utter his own Faith Quest Do you remain stedfast in the Covenant which you made in Baptism your self Ans Repenting of my sins I do renounce the Flesh the Devil and the World and I give up my self to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost my Creator and Reconciled Father my Redeemer and my Sanctifier Quest Do you present and dedicate this Childe unto God to bee baptized into this Faith and solemnly ingaged in this Covenant unto God the Father Son and Holy Ghost against the Flesh the Devil and the World Ans It is my desire or I do present and dedicate him for this end Quest Do you here solemnly promise that if God continue it with you till it bee capable of Instructions you will faithfully indeavour to acquaint this Childe with the Covenant in which hee was here by you ingaged and to instruct and exhort him to perform this Covenant as ever hee looks for the blessings of it or to escape the curses and wrath of God that is That hee renounce the Flesh the World and the Devil and live not after them And that hee beleeve in this One God in Three Persons the Father Son and Holy Ghost his Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier That hee resign himself to him as his absolute Owner and obey hâ—m as his Supream Governour and love him as his most gracious Father hoping to injoy him as his Felicity in Endless Glory Ans I will faithfully indeavour it Quest Will you to this end faithfully endeavour to cause him to learn the Articles of the Christian Faith the Lords Prayer and the ten Commandements and to read or hear the holy Scriptures and to attend on the Publick Preaching of Gods Word Will you endeavour by your own Teaching and Example and Restraint to keep him from wickedness and train him up in a holy life Answ I will faithfully endeavour it by the help of God Then let the Minister pray thus or to this sense O Most merciful Father by the first Adam sin entred into the world and death by sin and wée are all by nature Children of Wrath But thou hast given thy only Son to bée the séed of the Woman the Saviour of the World the Captain of our Salvation to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself and to wash us in his blood and reconcile us unto thée and to renew us by the Holy Ghost and to bruise Satan under our féet In him thou hast established the Covenant of grace and hast appointed this Holy Sacrament of Baptism for our solemn Entrance into the Bonds of the Covenants and stating us in the blessings of it which thou extendest to the faithful and their séed Wée dedicate and offer this Childe to thée to bée received into thy Covenant and Church Wée beséech thée to accept him as a member of thy Son and wash him in his blood from the guilt of Sin as the Flesh is washed by this water Bée reconciled to him and take him for thy Childe renew him to the Image of thy Son make him a fellow Citizen with the Saints and one of thy Houshold Protect him and provide for him as thy own and finally preserve him to thy Heavenly Kingdome through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour Amen Then the Minister shall ask of the Parent the name of the Childe to bee Baptized and naming him shall either dip him under the water or else pour water upon his face if hee cannot be safely or conveniently dipt and shall use these words without Alteration I Baptise thée in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost And hee shall thus Declare THis Childe is now received by Christs appointment into his Church and solemnly entred into the holy Covenant and engaged if heâ— lives to the use of Reason to rise with Christ to newness of life as being buried with him by Baptism and to bear his Cross and confess Christ crucified and faithfully to fight under his Banner against the Flesh the Devil and the World and to continue his Faithful Souldier and Servant to the death that hee may receive the Crown of Life Then hee shall give Thanks and Pray WEe thank thée most merciful Father that when wée had broken thy Law and were condemned by it thou hast given us a Saviour and life in him and hast extended thy Covenant of Grace to Beleevers and to their â—éed and hast now received this Childe into thy Covenant and Church as a member of Christ by this Sacrament of Regeneration Wée beséech thée let him grow up in Holiness and when hee comes to years of discretion let thy spirit reveal unto him the mysteries of the Gospel and the riches of thy love in Jesus Christ and cause him to renew and perform the covenant that hée hath now made and to resign himself and all that hée hath entirely unto thée his Lord to bée subject and obedient to thée his Governour and to love thée his Father with all his heart and soul and might and adhere unto thée and delight in thée as the Portion of his soul desiring and hoping to enjoy thée in everlasting Glory Save him from the Lusts and Allurements of the Flesh the temptations of the Devil and the Baits of the pleasure profit and honour of the world and from all the Corruptions of his own heart and all the hurtful violence of his Enemies Kéep him in Communion with the Saints in the love and use of thy word and worship Let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow Christ the Captain of his Salvation and bée faithful unto the death and then receive the Crown of life through Jesus Christ our Saviour Amen Then use this Exhortation or the like to the Parents YOu that have devoted this Childe to God and ingaged it in Covenant to him must bee thankful for so great a mercy to the Childe and must be faithful in performing what you have promised on your parts in instructing and educating this Childe in the Faith and Fear of God that hee may own and perform the Covenant now made and receive all the Blessings which God hath promised Hear what God hath made your duty Ephes 6. 4. Fathers provoke not your Children to wrath but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Prov. 22. 6. Train up a childe in the way hee should go and when he is old he will not depart from it Prov. 19. 15. The Rod and Reproof give Wisdome but a Childe left to himself bringeth his Mother to shame Deut. 6. 5 6 7. Thou shalt love thy Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might
that you return not to your vomit or to wallow again in the mire when you are washed but obey the spirit and keep close to God in the means of your preservation A Form of Thanksgiving and Prayer for the Restored Penitent OMost merciful Father Wée thank thée that thou hast brought us under so gracious a Covenant as not only to pardon the suis of our unregenerate state but also upon our Penitent confession and return to cleanse us from all our unrighteousness and pardon our falls by the blood of Christ and to restore our souls and lead us again in the Paths of Righteousness and command thy Servants to receive us Wée thank thée that thou hast thus restored this thy Servant giving him repentance and remissian of sin and returning him to the Communion of thy Church Wée beséech thée comfort him with the beleeving Apprehensions of thy forgiveness and reconciliation through Jesus Christ Restore unto him the joy of thy salvation and uphold him by thy frée spirit stablish strengththen settle him that with full purpose of heart he may cleave unto thée and now thou hast spoken peace to him hée may not return again to Folly as hée nameth the Name of Christ let him depart from Iniquity and never more dishonour Thée thy Church or truth nor his holy profession but save him from Temptation Let him watch and stand fast and sin no more least Worse befal him Let him not receive this grace in vain nor turn it into Wantonness nor continue in sin that grace may abound But let this old man bée crucified with Christ and the Body of sin be destroyed that henceforth hée may no more serve sin remembring what fruit hée had in those things whereof hée is now ashamed and that the Eud and waies of sin is death and let us all take warning by the falls of others and bee not high minded but fear And let him that thinketh hée standeth take héed least hée fall Let us watch and pray that wee enter not into Temptation remembring that the flesh is weak And our Adversary the Devil walketh about séeking whom hée may devour And let none of us hate our Brother in our hearts but in any wise rebuke our neighbour and not suffer sin upon him and confirm us unto the end that wée may bée blameless in the Day of our Lord Jesus Christ to whom with thée O Father and thy Holy Spirit bée Kingdome and Power and Glory for ever Amen APPENDIX A Larger Letany or General Prayer to bee used at Discretion O Most Holy Blessed and Glorious Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost thrée persons and one God Infinite in Power Wisdome and Goodness our Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier our Owner Governour and Father hear our Prayers and have mercy upon us Miserable sinners O Lord our Saviour whose Jucarnation Nativity Subjection Fasting Temptation Poverty Reproaches Agony and Bloody sweat Scourging Desertion Crucifying Death and Burial were all undergone to take away the sins of the World Who being risen ascended and glorified art the great Priest and Prophet and King of thy Universal Church for which thou makest Intercession which thou doest gather teach and guide by thy Spirit Word and Ministers which thou dost justifie and wilt glorifie with thyself who wilt come again and raise the Dead and judge the world in righteousness Wée beséech thée hear us Miserable sinners Cast us not out that come unto thée Make sure to us our Calling and Election our unfeigned faith and repentance that being justified and made the Sons of God wee may have peace with him as our Reconciled God and Father Let our hearts bee right with thee our God and stedfast in thy Covenant cause us to deny our selves and give up our selves entirely unto thee our Creatour Redeemer and Sanctifier as being not our own but thine Let thy Holy spirit dwell in us and sanctifie us throughout that wee may bee new creatures and holy as thou art Holy let it bee in us the spirit of Adoption and supplication and the seal and earnest of our Glorious Inheritance and let us know that wee are thine and thou abidest in us by the spirit which thou hast given us As thy name O Lord is Holy and thy glory covereth the Heavens so let the Earth bee filled with thy praises Let our souls ever Magnifie thee O Lord and our Tongues extoll thée Let us speak of the glorious honor of thy Majesty of thy Greatness thy Power thy glorious Kingdome thy Wisdome Holiness Truth and Righteousness thy Goodness thy Mercy and thy wonderous Works Let all Flesh bless thy Holy Name Let the desire of our Souls bee to thy Name Cause us to love thee with all our hearts to fear thee trust in thee and to delight in thee and bee satisfied in thee as our Portion and what ever wee do to do it to thy glory Kéep us from Inordinate self love from Pride and vain Glory and self séeking and from dishonouring thée thy Word or service in the World Let the world acknowledge thee the Universal King Give thy Son the Heathen for his Inheritance and the utmost parts of the Earth for his Possession Let the Kingdomes of the world become his Kingdomes Convert the Atheistical Idolatrous Infidel Mahomitan and ungodly Nations of thè Earth that every knée may bow to Christ and every tongue confess him the King of Kings and Lord of Lords To the Glory of God the Father Let the Word of thy Kingdome and Salvation be preached to all the World let it have frée course and be glorified and by the Power of thy Spirit convert many unto Christ and let him be thy Salvation to the Ends of the Earth Send forth more Labourers into the Harvest which is great and fit them for so great a work and deliver them from unreasonable and wicked men that to fill up their sins forbid them to speak to the People that they might be saved Deliver the Churches that are oppressed by Idolaters Mahomitans or other Infidels and Enemies Give all thy Servants Prudence Patience and Innocency that suffering as Christians and not as Evil-Doers they may not be ashamed but may glorifie thée and wait for thy Salvation committing the kéeping of their souls unto thée in hope of a Reward in Heaven Deliver the Church from the Roman Papal Usurpations and Corruptions dispel the deceits of Heresies and false Worship by the light of thy prevailing Truth Unite all Christians in Christ Jesus the true and onely Universal Head that by the true Christian Catholick Faith and Love they may grow up in him and may kéep the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace the strong receiving and bearing the Infirmities of the weak Heal the divisions that are among Beléevers Let nothing be done through strife or vain-glory but in lowliness of mind let each
and your Father and to my God and your God And lest you should say that hee will not own those little ones that whether for Truths sake or for their infirmities do bear disgraceful titles in the world Remember that at the day of udgement hee will say Inasmuch as you did it not or did it to one of the least of these my Brethren you did it not or did it unto mee Mat. 25. 40. 45. If his Elect cry to him day and night though hee bear long hee will avenge them and that speedily Luke 18. 7 8. Bear with us while wee add this terrible passage which wee once before made mention of Mat. 18. 5 6. Who so shall receive one such little childe in my name receiveth mee but whose shall offend one of these little ones that beleeve in mee it were better for him that a Milstone were hanged about his neck and that hee were drowned in the depth of the Sea Undoubtedly if you consider duly by such passages how Christ will take it to have his servants not onely notvisited not-relieved but to bee afflicted not onely in body but in soul with that great affliction to be cast out of the Ministry or Church for an unavoidable dissent in things indifferent you will never joyn with those that shall stretch forth a hand against them for such a cause as this If yet the old pretence be made that they suffer as Schismaticks and disobedient wee must say again if any shall make men disobedient by imposing things unnecessary which they know are by learned pious peaceable men esteemed sins against the Lord and then shall thus heavily afflict them for the disobedience which they may easily cure by the forbearance of those impositions let not our souls come into their secret nor our honour be united to their Assembly If they shall smite or cast out a supposed Schismatick and Christ shall finde an able holy peaceable Minister or other Christian wounded or mourning out of doors let us not be found among the Actors nor stand among them in the day of their accounts when tribulation shall be recompenced to the Troublers of beleevers 2 Thes 1. 6. 14. Wee beseech you also to consider that men have not their understandings at their own command much less can they be commanded by others if they were never so willing to beleeve all that is imposed on them to bee lawful they cannot therefore beleeve it because they would the intellect being not free And to dissemble and say and swear and do the things which they beleeve not is such an aggravated hypocrisie being in the matters of God and joyned with perfidiousness as wee may suppose cannot render them acceptable to any that have not renounced Religion and Humanity much less should they bee constrained to it And when it is known that mens judgements are against the things imposed and that penalties are no means adapted to the informing and changing of the judgement but to force men to do the things they know wee conceive they should not bee used and so used in the case of things indifferent where they are not necessary to the common good and where the sufferers have never had sufficient means to change their judgements If it be said that it is their own sault that their judgements are not changed and that the means have been sufficient Wee answer That it is their fault is the point in question which the Sword can easilier take for granted than the Tongue or Pen can prove But if it be so it is their fault as it is that they are the Sons of Adam partakers of the common corruption of humane nature and as it is their fault that they are not all of the highest form in the School of Christ above the common ignorance and frailties of beleevers and that they are not all the most judicious Divines of the most subtile wits and had not the same education and society to advance your opinions and represent things to their understandings just as they are represented unto yours And if men must be cast out of the Church or Ministry because they are not wiser than such learned men as the Pastors of the most of the Reformed Churches and as Hildersham Barâ—e Parker Ames Dod Ball Nichols and many such others as have here taken this conformity to be a sin how few alas how very few will there be left And if it be said that men do willingly keep out the light We must say that few men are obstinate against the opinions that tend to their ease and advancement in the world and to save them from being viâ—ified as Schismaticks and undone and when men profess before the Lord that they do impartially study and pray for knowledge and would gladly know the will of God at the dearest rate wee must again say that those men must prove that they know the dissentors hearts better than they are known to themselves that expect to be beleeved by charitable Christians when they charge them with wilful ignorance or obstinate resisting of the truth 15. And wee crave leave to ask whether you do not your selves in some things mistake or may not do so for ought you know and whether your understandings are not still imperfect and all men differ not in some opinions or other And if you may mistake in any thing may it not be in as great things as these can it be expected that wee should all be past erring about the smallest Ceremonies and Circumstances of worship And then should not the consciousness of your own infirmity provoke you rather to compassionate humane frailty than to cast out your Brethren for as small failings as your own 16. And wee further offer to your consideration whether this be doing as you would be done by would you be cast out for every fault that is as bad as this and doth this shew that you love your neighbours as your selves Put your selves in their case and suppose that you had studied conferred and prayed and done your best to know whether God would have you to be Re-ordained to use these Forms or Ceremonies or Subscriptions or not and having done all you think that God would be displeased if you should use them would you then be used your selves as your dissenting Brethren are now used or are like to bee love them as your selves and wee will crave no further favour for them 17. But nothing more affecteth us than to think of the Lamentable divisions that have been caused and are still like to bee whilest things unnecessary are so imposed And on the contrary how blessed an unity and peace wee might injoy if these occasions of division were removed and wee might but have leave to serve God as his Apostles did As in Doctrinals ten thousand will sooner agree in an Explicite belief of the Creed than an hundred in an Explicite belief of all that Ockam or Scotus have determined So in the matters of Government and
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
necessary O Most great most iust and gracious God thou art of purer eyes than eo behold iniquity thou condemnest the ungodly impenitent and unbeleevers but hast promised mercy through Jesus Christ to all that repent and beleeve in him Wee confess that wee were conceived in sin and are by nature Children of wrath And have all sinned and come short of the glory of God In our Baptisme thou tookest us into the bond of the holy Covenant but wee remembered not our Creator in the daies of our youth with the fear and love and obedience which wee owed thee not pleasing and glorifying thee in all things nor walking with thee by faith in an Heavenly conversation nor serving thee fervently with all our might but fulfilled the desires of the flesh and of the Carnal minde Wee have neglected and abused thy Holy Worship thy Holy Name and thy Holy Day Wee have dishonoured our superiours and neglected our inferiours Wee have dealt unjustly and uncharitably with our Neighbours not loveing them as our selves nor doing to others as wee would they should do to us wee have not sought first Thy Kingdome and Righteousness and been contented with our dayly bread but have been careful ond troubled about many things neglecting the one thing necessary Thou hast revealed thy wonderful love to us in Christ and offered us pardon and salvation in him but wee made light of it and neglected so great salvation and resisted thy Spirit Word and Ministers and turned not at thy reproof Wee have run into temptations and the sin which wee should have hated wee have committed in thy sight both secretly and openly ignorantly and carelesly rashly and presumptuously against thy precepes thy promises and threats thy mercies and thy judgements our transgressions are multiplied before Thee and our sins testifie against us if Thou deal with us as wee deserve Thou wilt cast us away from thy presence into Hell where the worm never dieth and the fire is not quenched But in thy mercy thy Son and thy Promises is our hope Have mercy upon us most merciful Father Bee reconciled to us and let the blood of Jesus Christ cleanse us from all our sins Take us for thy children and give us the Spirit of thy Son Sanctifie us wholly shed abroad thy love in our hearts and cause us to love Thee with all our hearts O make thy face to shine upon thy servants save us from our sins and from the wrath to come make us a peculiar people to Thee zealous of good works that wee may please Thee and shew forth thy praise Help us to redeem the time and give all diligence to make our Calling and Election sure Give us things necessary for thy service and keep us from sinful discontent and cares And seeing all these things must bee dissolved let us consider what manner of persons wee ought to be in all holy conversation and godliness Help us to watch against temptations and resist and overcome the Flesh the Devil and the World and being delivered out of the hand of all our enemies let us serve Thee without fear in holiness and righteousness before Thee all the daies of our life Guide us by thy Counsel and after receive us into thy glory through Jesus Christ our onely Saviour Amen Here use the Lords Prayer as before For the strengthening of Faith and raising the Penitent some of these sentences of the Gospel may bee here read Hear what the Lord saith to the absolution and comfort of Penitent Beleevers THe Lord your God is gracious and merciful and will not turn away his face from you if yee return unto hine If any man sin wee have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and hee is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole World Bee it known unto you men and Brethren that through this man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins and by him all that beleeve are justified from all things from which they could not bee justified by the Law of Moses Where sin abounded grace did much more abound That as sin reigned unto death even so might grace reign through Righteousness unto Eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. If wee walk in the light as hee is in the Light wâ—â— have fellowship one with another And the blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanseth us from all sin If wee say that wee have no sin wee deceive our selves and the truth is not in us If wee confess our sin hee is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness Come unto mee all yee that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Take my yoak upon you and learn of mee for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall finde rest unto your souls For my yoak is easie and my barden is light Whosoever will let him take of the Water of life freely All that the Father hath given mee shall come to mee and him that cometh to mee I will in no wise cast out I will bee mercifull to their unrighteousness and their sins and Iniquities I will remember no more Hear also what you must Bee and Do for the time to come if you would bee Saved NOw if any man have not the Spirit of Christ hee is none of his If any man bee in Christ hee is a new Creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new There is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit For they that are after the flesh do minde the things of the flesh but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit For to bee carnally minded is death but to bee spiritually minded is life and peace For the Carnal minde is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can bee So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God For if yee live after the Flesh yee shall die but if through the spirit yee mortifie the deeds of the body you shall live Now the works of the flesh are manifest which are these Adultery Fornication Uncleanness Lasciviousness Idolatry Witchcraft Hatred Variance Emulations Wrath Strife Seditions Heresies Envyings Murders Drunkenness Revellings and such like of the which I tell you before as I have told you in time past that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdome of God But the fruit of the spirit is love joy peace long suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance against such there is no Law And they that are Christs have crucyfied the flesh with the affections and lusts Let us walk honestly as in the day not in rioting and drunkenness not in chambering and wanionness not in strife and envying But
put yee on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof Love not the World neither the things that are in the world if any man love the world the love of the father is not in him For all that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eye and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world Enter yee in at the strait gate for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there bee that go in thereat Because strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life and few there bee that finde it For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared unto all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts wee should live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world looking for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Who gave himself for us that hee might redeeme us from all Iniquity and purifie to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Blessed is the man that walketh not in the Counsel of the ungodly nor standeth in the way of Sinners nor sitteth in the seat of the Scornful But his delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his law hee doth meditate day and night The ungodly shall not stand in the Judgement nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous Wherefore wee receiving a Kingdome which cannot bee moved let us have grace whereby wee may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear for our God is a consuming Fire Seeing then that these things shall bee dissolved what manner of persons ought yee to bee in all holy conversation and godliness looking for and hasting to the Comming of the day of God Therefore my beloved Brethren bee yee stedfast unmovable alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as yee know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord Then may bee said the 95. or the 100. Psalm or the 84. And next the Psalms in order for the day And next shall be read a Chapter of the Old Testament such as the Minister findeth most seasonable or with the liberty expressed in the Admonition before the second book of Homilies After which may be sung a Psalm or the Te Deum said then shall bee read a Chapter of the New Testament and then the Prayer for the King and Magistrates And after that the 67. or 98. or some other Psalm may bee sung or said or the Benedictus or Magnificat And the same order to bee observed at the Evening Worship if time allow it NExt after the Psalm the Minister shall in the Pulpit first reverently prudently and servently pray according to the State and necessities of the Church and those especially that are present and according to the subject that hee is to preach on And after prayer hee shall preach upon some Text of holy Scripture suiting his matter to the necessities of the Hearers and the manner of delivery to their quality and benefit Alwaies speaking from faith and holy experience in himself with plainness and perspicuity with reverence and gravity with convincing evidence and authority with prudence caution faithfulness and impartiality with tender love and melting compassion with servent zeal and perswading importunity and with frequency and unwearied Patience waiting on God for the success After Sermon hee shall pray for a blessing on the word of Instruction and Exhortation which was delivered And in his Prayers before or after Sermon ordinarily hee shall pray for the Conversion of Heathens Jews and other Infidels the subversion of Idolatry Infidelity Mahometanisme Heresie Papal Tiranny and Superstition Schisme and Prophaneness and for the free progress of the Gospel and the increase of Faith and godliness the honouring of Gods name the enlargement of the Kingdome of Christ and the obedience of his Saints through the Nations of the Earth And in special for these Nations for the Kings Majestie and the rest of the Royal Family for the Lords of his Majesties Counsel the Judges and other Magistrates of the Land for the Pastors of the Church and all Congregations committed to their Care and Government Alwaies taking heed that no mixtures of impâ—â—dent disorderly expressions of private discontent and passion of unreverent disobedient seditious or factious Intimations tending to corrupt and not to edifie the peoples minds do turn either Prayer or Preaching into sin And ordinarily in Church Communion especially on the Lords Day which is purposely separated for the joyful Commemoration of the Blessed Work of mans Redemption a considerable proportion of the Publick Worship must consist of Thanksgiving and Praises to God especially for Jesus Christ and his Benefits still leaving it to the Ministers discretion to abbreviate some parts of Worship when hee seeth it needful to bee longer or some other The Sermon and Prayer being ended let the Minister dismiss the Congregation with a Benediction in these or the like words Blessed are they that hear the Word of God and keep it The Lord bless you and keep you the Lord make his face to shine on you and bee gracious unto you The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you Peace The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God the Father and the Communion of the Holy Ghost bee with you all Amen Except there bee a Communion in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper to bee celebrated or any further Worship to be performed and then the Minister may delay the Benediction till the End And because when there is leisure the Prayers of the Church should bee as full as the Rule and our Necessities require let the following General Prayer bee used when the Ministers findeth it convenient instead of the Letany and Collects Here are also adjoyned a Thanksgiving for Christ and his benefits and a Hymn to bee used at the discretion of the Minister either after Sermon or at the Communion or on other daies A Prayer for the King the Royal Family and Magistrates ALmighty God by whom Kings reign and Princes decree Justice who rulest in all the Kingdomes of men and givest them to whomsoever thou wilt who by thy special Providente hast set over us thy Servant Charls our King Crown him with thy Blessings and satisfie him with thy Goodness Save him by thy right hand and defend him against such as rise up against him prolong his life in Peace and Righteousness grant him the Spirit of Wisdome and Counsel the Spirit of Holiness and the fear of the Lord that he may know how to go in and out before this great People over whom thou hast fet him Let not thy Law depart out of his mind or mouth but let him meditate in it day and
that those Alterations may bee accepted for ends so desirable as are now before us 9. And wee humbly crave that wee may not in this bee more rigorously dealt with than the Pastors and People of the Antient Churches were If wee may not have the Liberty of the Primitive times when for ought can bee proved no Liturgical Forms were imposed upon any Church yet at least let us have the liberty of the following Ages when under the same Prince there were diversity of Liturgies and particular Pastors had the power of making and altering them for their particular Churches 10. And if you should reject which God forbid the moderate proposals which now and formerly wee have made wee humbly crave leave to offer it to your consideration what Judgement all the Protestant Churches are likely to pass on your proceedings and how your cause and ours will stand represented to them and to all succeeding Ages Though wee earnestly desire the tolleration of those that are tollerable and the peaceable Liberties of all that agree on the Catholick terms of Primitive Simplicity in Doctrine Worship and Discipline yet have wee our selves so far drawn neer you as that the world will say you reject those that are for Episcopacy it self and set Forms of Liturgy and are not so much as charged by you at all as disagreeing in any point of Faith if you shall reject us If after our submission to His Majesties Declaration and after our own Proposals of the Primitive Episcopacy and of such a Liturgy as here wee tender wee may not bee permitted to exercise our Ministery or enjoy the Publick Worship of God the Pens of those learned moderate Bishops will bear witness against you that were once employed as the chief Defenders of that cause wee mean such as Reverend Bishop Hall and Usher who have published to the world that much less than this might have served to our fraternal Unity and Peace If you would not grant this Liberty and Communion to others with whom Christ will hold Communion in grace and glory yet it will appear more strange to the world that you should cast out the Episcopal also that dare not go beyond the Rule of Holy Scripture and the Example of Primitive Simplicity And wee doubt not but you know how new and strange a thing it is that you require in the point of Re-ordination When a Canon amongst those called the Apostles deposeth those that Re-ordain and that are re-ordained And when it is a thing that both Papists and Protestants condemn when not onely the former Bishops of England that were more moderate were against it but even the most servent adversaries of the Presbyterian way such as Bishop Bancroft himself how strange must it needs seem to the Reformed Churches to the whole Christian world and to future Generations that so many able faithful Ministers should bee laid by as broken Vessels because they dare not bee re-ordained and that so many have been put upon so new and so generally dis-relished a thing 11. And wee crave leave to remember you that the Holy Ghost hath commanded you to over-see the flock not by constraint but willingly not as being Lords over Gods Heritage but as Ensamples to the Flock And that it is not onely more comfortable to your selves to bee loved as the Fathers than to be esteemed the Afflicters of the Church but that it is needful to the ends of your Ministry for the peopleâ— When you are loved your Doctrine will more easily bee received But when men think that their souls or liberties are endangered by you its easie to judge how much they are like to profit by you 12. And you know if wee are not in point of Ceremonies or Forms in every thing of your mind it is no more strange to have variety of intellectual Apprehensions in the same Kingdome and Church than variety of temperatures and degrees of age and strength If His Majesty should expel all those from his Dominions that are not so wise as solidly to judge whether the Liturgy as before or as thus reformed bee the best yea whether this bee intollerable in comparison of yours and whether God bee pleased or displeased with your Ceremonies it would bee too great a diminution of his subjects and if you should turn all such out of the Kingdome of Christ it would bee liker a dissipating than a gathering and a destroying than an edifying of his Church And you have not your power to destruction but to edification 2 Cor. 10. 8. 13. 10. you must do all things for the peoples edifying 2 Cor. 12. 19. Ephes 4. 12. 13. And how Christ will take it of you to cast out from the Ministry or Communion of the Church or to grieve and punish all those that dare not conform to you in these matters for fear of displeasing the Law-giver of the Church wee beseech you judge when your souls are most seriously thinking of the day of your Accounts by such passages of Holy Scripture as may fully acquaint you with his mind Hee is himself a merciful High-Priest a gracious Saviour a tender Governour Hee despiseth not the day of small things Zech. 4. 10. Hee feedeth his flock like a Shepherd hee gathereth his Lambs with his Arm and carrieth them in his bosome and gently leadeth those that are with young Isa 40. 11. A bruised reed will hee not break and the smoaking flax will hee not quench Isa 42. 3. Matth. 12. 20. God doth instruct the Plow-man to discretion and teacheth him not to thresh the Fetches with a Threshing-instrument nor to turn the Cart-wheel upon the Cummin but the Fetches are beaten out with a staff and the Cummin with a rod Isa 28. 26 27. Gods Servants are his Jewels Mal. 3. 17. Hee will spare them as a man spareth his Son that serves him and hee that toucheth them toucheth the apple of his eye Zech. 2. 8. Remember the neer relation they stand in to God in Christ that they are the children of God co-heirs with Christ Rom. 8. 17. The members of his body his flesh and bone which hee cannot hate who ever hate them Ephes 5. 29 30. Remember how dear they cost him and to what honour hee will advance them and that these same persons that love him in sincerity must be where hee is to behold his glory Joh. 12. 26. 17. 24. and shall be like the Angels of God Luk. 20. 36. and shall judge the world 1 Cor. 6. 2 3. and that Christ will come to bee glorified and admired in them 2 Thes 1. 10. and they shall shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdome of their Father Mat. 13. 43. Remember with what tender usage hee treated his weak imperfect members upon earth and when hee was ascending to prepare a place for them that they might bee with him where hee is how affectionately hee bespeaketh them Joh. 20. 17. Go to my Brethren and say unto them I ascend up to my Father