of the horrible punishment which will ensue Wherefore consider with your selves the end of your ministerie towards the children of God towards the spouse and body of Christ and see that you never cease your labour your care and diligence until you have done all that lieth in you according to your bounden duty to bring all such as are or shall be committed unto your charge unto that agreement in faith and knowledge of God and to that ripeness and perfectness of age in Christ that there be no place left among you either of errour in religion or for viciousness in life Then forasmuch as your office is both of so great excellencie and of so great difficulty ye see with how great care and study ye ought to apply your selves as well that you may shew your selves kinde to that Lord who hath placed you in so high a dignity as also to beware that neither you your selves offend neither be occasion that other offend Howbeit ye cannot have a minde and a will thereto of your selves for that power and ability is given of God alone Therefore ye see how ye ought and have need earnestly to pray for his holy Spirit And seeing that you cannot by any other means compass the doing of so weighty a work pertaining to the salvation of man but with doctrine and exhortation taken out of the holy Scripture and with a life agreeable unto the same ye perceive how studious ye ought to be in reading and in learning the Scriptures and in framing the manners both of your selves and of them that specially pertain unto you according to the rule of the same Scriptures and for this self same cause ye see how ye ought to forsake and set aside as much as you may all worldly cares and studies We have good hope that you have well weighed and pondered these things with your selves long before this time and that you have clearly determined by Gods grace to give your selves wholly to this vocation whereunto it hath pleased God to call you so that as much as lyeth in you you apply your selves wholly to this one thing and draw all your cares and studies this way and to this end And that you will continually pray for the heavenly assistance of the Holy Ghost from God the Father by the mediation of our only mediatour and Saviour Jesus Christ that by dayly reading and weighing of the Scriptures ye may so wax riper and stronger in your ministery and that ye may so endeavour your selves from time to time to sanctifie the lives of you and yours and to fashion them after the rule and doctrine of Christ and that ye may be wholsome and godly examples and patterns for the rest of the Congregation to follow and that this present congregation of Christ here assembled may also understand your mindes and wills in these things and that this your promise shall more move you to do your duties ye shall answer plainly to these things which we in the name of the congregation shall demand of you touching the same First demand Do you think in your heart that you be truly called according to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ and the order of this Church of England to the ministery of Priesthood Answer I think it Second demand Be you perswaded that the holy Scriptures contain sufficiently all doctrine required of necessity for eternal salvation through faith in Jesus Christ And are you determined with the said Scriptures to instruct the people committed to your charge and to teach nothing as required of necessity to eternal salvation but that you shall be perswaded may be concluded and proved by the Scripture Answer I am so perswaded and have so determined by Gods grace Third demand Will you then give your faithfull diligence alwayes so to minister the doctrine and Sacraments and the discipline of Christ as the Lord hath commanded and as this realm hath received the same according to the commandments of God so that you may teach the people committed to your cure and charge with all diligence to keep and observe the same Answer I will so do by the help of the Lord. Fourth demand Will you be ready with all faithfull diligence to banish and drive away all erroneous and strange doctrines contrary to Gods word and to use both publike and private monitions and exhortations as well to the sick as to the whole within your cures as need shall require and occasion be given Answer I will the Lord being my helper Fifth demand Will you be diligent in prayers and in reading of the holy Scriptures and in such studies as help to the knowledge of the same laying aside the study of the world and the flesh Answer I will endeavour my self so to do the Lord being my helper Sixth demand Will you be diligent to frame and fashion your own selves and your families according to the doctrine of Christ and to make both your selves and them as much as in you lieth wholsom examples and spectacles to the flock of Christ Answer I will apply my self the Lord being my helper Seventh demand Will you maintain and set forwards as much as lyeth in you quietnesse peace and love among all Christian people and specially among them that are or shall be committed to your charge Answer I will so do the Lord being my helper Eigth demand Will you reverently obey your Ordinarie and other chief Ministers unto whom the government and charge is committed over you following with a glad minde and will their godly admonitions and submitting your selves to their godly judgments Answer I will so do the Lord being my helper Then the Bishop say'd Almighty God who hath given you this will to do all these things grant also unto you strength and power to performe the same that he may accomplish his work which he hath begun in you untill the time he shall come at the latter day to judge the quick and the dead After this exhortation and these demands the Congregation was desired secretly in their prayers to make humble supplications to God for the aforsaid things viz. that the persons might have grace to performe what they had promised and had been exhorted unto for the which there was a certaine space kept in silence And then the Bishop prayed in this wise ALmighty God and Heavenly Father which of thine infinite love and goodnesse towards us hast given to us thy only and most dear beloved Son Jesus Christ to be our redeemer and authour of everlasting life who after he had made perfect our redemption by his death and was ascended into heaven sent abroad into the world his Apostles Prophets Evangelists Doctors and Pastors by whose labour and ministery he gathered together a great flock in all the parts of the world to set forth the eternall praise of thy holy Name For these so great benefits of thy eternall goodnesse and for that thou hast vouchsafed to call these thy servants here present
which is prepared for the Devil and his Angels Therefore brethren take we 2 Cor. 6. 2. heed betime while the day of salvation lasteth for the night cometh when none can work let Joh. 9. 4. Joh. 12 35. us while we have the light believe in the light and walk as the children of the light that we be not cast into the utter darkness where is weeping and gnashing of teeth Mat. 25 30. Let us not abuse the goodness of God which calleth us mercifully to amendment and of his endless pity promiseth us forgiveness of what is past if with a whole minde and true heart we turn unto him For though our sins be as red as scarlet Isa 1. 18. they shall be as white as snow and though they be like purple yet shall they be as white as wooll Turn you saith the Lord from all your wickedness and your sins shall Ezek. 18. 30. not be your destruction Cast away from you all your ungodliness that ye have done make you new hearts and a new spirit Wherefore will ye die O ye house of Israel seeing that I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth Saith the Lord God Turn ye then and ye shall live Although we have sinned yet have 1 John 2. 1 2. we an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he it is that obtaineth grace and pardon for our sins For he was wounded for our offences and smitten for our wickedness Isa 53. 5 Let us therefore return unto him who is the merciful receiver of all true penitent sinners assuring our selves that he is ready to receive us and most willing to pardon us if we come to him with faithful repentance if we will submit our selves unto him and from henceforth walk in his wayes if we will take his easie yoke and light Mat. 11 29. burden upon us to follow him in lowliness patience and charitie and be ordered by the governance of his holy spirit seeking alwayes his glory and serving him duly in our vocation with thanksgiving This if we do Christ will deliver us from the curse of the law and from the extream malediction which shall light upon them that shall be set on the left hand and he will set us on his right hand Mat. 25 33. and give us the blessed benediction of his Father commanding us to take possession of his glorious Kingdome unto the which he vouchsafe to bring us all for his infinite mercy Amen This Psalm being the fifty-first may be also fitly read Miserere mei Deus HAve mercy upon me O God after thy great goodness according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences Wash me throughly from my wickedness and cleanse me from my sin For I acknowledge my faults and my sin is ever before me Against thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight that thou mightest be justified in thy saying and clear when thou art judged Behold I was shapen in wickedness and in sin hath my mother conceived me But lo thou requirest truth in the inward parts and shalt make me to understand wisdome secretly Thou shalt purge me with Hysop and I shall be clean thou shalt wash me and I shall be whiter then snow Thou shalt make me hear of joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce Turn thy face from my sins and put out all my misdeeds Make me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirit from me O give me the comfort of thy help again and stablish me with thy free spirit Then shall I teach thy wayes unto the wicked and sinners shall be converted unto thee Deliver me from blood-guiltiness O God thou that art the God of my health and my tongue shall sing of thy righteousness Thou shalt open my lips O Lord my mouth shall shew forth thy praise For thou desirest no sacrifice else would I give it thee but thou delightest not in burnt offering The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit a broken and contrite heart O God shalt thou not despise O be favourable and gracious unto Sion build thou the walls of Jerusalem Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness with the burnt offerings and oblations then shall they offer young bullocks upon thine altar A PRAYER TUrn us O good Lord and so shall we be turned be favourable O Lord be favourable to thy people which turn unto thee with weeping and fasting and praying for thou art a merciful God full of compassion long suffering as also of great pity Thou sparest when we deserve punishment and in thy wrath thinkest of mercy Spare thy people good Lord spare them and let not thine heritage be brought to confusion but after the multitude of thy mercies so look upon us We beseech thee to hear our prayers and to have mercy on such as do penitently confess their sins unto thee that they whose consciences by sin are accused by thy merciful pardon may be absolved And O Lord which hast compassion of all men and wouldest not the death of a sinner but rather that he should turn from sin and be saved mercifully forgive us our trespasses receive and comfort us which be grieved and wearied with the burden of our sins Thy property is to have mercy to thee only it appertaineth to forgive sins Spare us therefore good Lord spare thy people whom thou hast redeemed enter not into judgement with thy servants which be vile earth and miserable sinners but so turn thine ire from us which meekly acknowledge our vileness and truly repent us of our faults So make haste to help us in this world that we may ever live with thee in the world to come through Jesus Christ our Lord to whom with thee and thy holy spirit be all honour and glory now and ever Amen MATRIMONY Welbeloved the ancient laudable order of our Church was that as often as there was a marriage there should be a Sermon wherein ordinarily the duties of man and wife should be declared according to holy Scripture but if there were no Sermon it was left to the Minister to make this or some short exhortation I shall therefore accordingly first let you know what the holy Scripture doth say as touching the duties of husbands towards their wives and wives towards their husbands SAint Paul in his Epistle to the Ephesians the fifth Chapter Ephes 5. 25. doth give this commandment to all married men Ye husbands love your wives even as Christ loved the Church and hath given himself for it that he might so sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word that he might present it unto himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish So ought men to love their wives
the entrance into each the people were asked if any of them knew any impediment or notable crime in any of them now presented for the which they ought not to be admitted and were desired in the name of God to come forth and declare it and if any were objected the person accused was not to be ordained until such time as he had fully cleared himself of it The place where it was to be done was in the face of the Church or congregation on the Lords day or some other day of publick meeting the manner of the Ordination as followeth First for the Deacons THey were first commended unto God by the prayer of the whole congregation then some fitting portions out of holy Scripture were read before them containing their duties viz. 1 Tim. 3. from the 8. ver to the end of the Chapter Acts 6. from the 2. to the 8. After this the office of a Deacon was declared unto them many serious questions asked them some in matter of belief as whether they did believe they had an inward call by the motion of the Holy Ghost to take upon them that office and ministration and that their outward was according to the will of Christ that they did believe all the Canonical books of holy Scripture Some in matter of practice as whether they would frame their own lives and the lives of their families as examples unto others and would reverently obey their Governours and superiours hearkning to their admonitions c. To these there were solemn engagements for them accordingly in the presence of the congregation The manner of Ordaining was thus The Deacons being upon their knees the Bishop laid his hands severally upon the head of each of them saying Take thou Authority to execute the office of a Deacon in the Church of God committed unto thee In the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost Amen Then was delivered to each of them the New Testament saying Take thou authority to read the Gospel in the Church of God and to preach the same if thou be thereto ordinarily commanded And as an initiation of them one of them by appointment did read a portion out of the Gospel that day The oath of Supremacy administred unto each and the seasonable and sitting prayers both before imposition of hands and after and that they were that day to receive the Communion may be found in the book it self of which is here intended only a summary thus much for the inferiour office of the Deacon upon the experience and trial of whom in it for the space of a year except for reasonable causes it should be thought otherwise and being found faithful and diligent they might be admitted unto the higher ministries in the Church viz. unto the order of Priesthood or Presbyters which followeth The ordination of Presbyters NOw secondly for the manner of ordering of those admitted into the Ministry of Priesthood or Presbyters it was thus after the Sermon or exhortation wherein their office and duty was to be shewen unto them they were solemnly presented by a principal person for that end the consent and approbatition of the people was asked in these words following Good people these be they whom we purpose God willing to receive this day unto the holy office of Priesthood and after due examination we finde not to the contrary but that they be lawfully called to their function and ministrie and that they be persons meet for the same but yet if there be any of you which knoweth any impediment or notable crime of any of them for the which he ought not to be received into this holy ministrie now in the name of God declare the same c. And if any were objected the person was not to be ordained till he had cleared himself of it Those that were to be ordained were first commended as before unto God by the prayers of the whole congregation of which this was one viz. That God who is the giver of all good things and by his holy spirit had appointed diverse orders of Ministers in his Church would be pleased mercifully to behold these his servants now called to that office that he would replenish them so with the truth of doctrine and innocency of life that both by word and good example they might faithfully serve him in this office to the glory of his name and profit of his Church or congregation c. After Prayer some select portions out of holy Scripture containing their duties were read before them viz. Acts 20. 17. to the 36. From Mileto Paul sent messengers to Ephesus and called the Elders of the Church c. or 2 Tim. 3. 1. to the 8. If a man desire the office of a Bishop he desires a worthy work a Bishop must be blameless c. Mat. 28. 18 19 20. containing the Apostles commission from our Saviour or John 10. 11. to 17. chap. 20. 19. to 24. And then an Ancient Hymn said or sung as may be seen more at large in the book of Ordination These things premised then followed the Ordination it self first a grave solid exhortation and admonition directed to the persons to be ordained with divers serious questions and solemn engagements taken of them and I conceive 't is more profitable to have things of this nature punctually set down without any variation whereby all come to be a like obliged and each may have an often serious review of what was charged upon him and engaged by him then to have them left to the ordainers sudden transient expressions which cannot be well called to minde by either and for the same causes a set form of Prayer at these solemnities is the most prudent The Exhortation given by the Bishop to the persons ordained YOu have heard brethren as well in your private examination as in the exhortation and in the holy lessons taken out of the Gospel and of the writings of the Apostles of what dignity and of how great importance this office is whereunto ye be called And now we exhort you in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ to have in remembrance into how high a dignity and to how chargeable an office ye be called that is to say the messengers the watchmen the pastours and the stewards of the Lord to teach to premonish to feed and provide for the Lords family to seek for Christs sheep that be dispersed abroad and for his children which be in the middest of this naughty world to be saved through Christ for ever Have alwayes therefore printed in your remembrance how great a treasure is committed to your charge for they be the sheep of Christ which he bought with his death and for whom he shed his blood The Church and congregation whom you must serve is his spouse and his body And if it shall chance the same Church or any member thereof to take any hurt or hinderance by reason of your negligence ye know the greatness of the fault and also
enclined to evil so that the flesh lusteth alwayes contrary to the spirit and therefore in every person born into this world it deserveth Gods wrath and damnation And this infection of nature doth remain yea in them that are regenerated whereby the lust of the flesh called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some do expound the wisdome some sensuality some the affection some the desire of the flesh is not subject to the law of God And although there is no condemnation for them that believe and are baptized yet the Apostle doth confess that concupiscence and lust hath of it self the nature of sin X. Of free-will THe condition of man after the fall of Adam is such that he cannot turn and prepare himself by his own natural strength and good works to faith and calling upon God wherefore we have no power to do good works pleasant and acceptable to God without the grace of God by Christ preventing us that we may have a good will and working with us when we have that good will XI Of the Jâ—stification of man WE are accounted righteous before God only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by faith and not for our own works or deservings Wherefore that we are justified by faith only is a most wholsome doctrine and very full of comfort as more largely is expressed in the Homily of Justification XII Of good works ALbeit that good works which are the fruits of faith and follow after Justification cannot put away our sins and endure the severity of Gods judgement yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ and do spring out necessarily of a true and lively faith in so much that by them a lively faith may be as evidently known as a tree discerned by the fruit XIII Of works before Justification WOrks done before the grace of Christ and the inspiration of his Spirit are not pleasant to God forasmuch as they spring not of faith in Jesus Christ neither do they make men meet to receive grace or as the School-authors say deserve grace of congruity yea rather for that they are not done as God hath willed and commanded them to be done we doubt not but they have the nature of sin XIV Of works of supererogation VOluntary works besides over and above Gods commandments which they call works of supererogation cannot be taught without arrogancy and impiety For by them men do declare that they do not only render unto God as much as they are bound to do but that they do more for his sake then of bounden duty is required whereas Christ saith plainly when ye have done all that are commanded to you say we are unprofitable servants XV. Of Christ alone without sin CHrist in the truth of our nature was made like unto us in all things sin only except from which he was clearly void both in his flesh and in his spirit He came to be a Lamb without spot who by sacrifice of himself once made should take away the sins of the world and sin as St. John saith was not in him But all we the rest although baptized and born again in Christ yet offend in many things and if we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us XVI Of sin after Baptisme NOw every deadly sin willingly committed after Baptisme is sin against the Holy Ghost and unpardonable Wherefore the grant of repentance is not to be denied to such as fall into sin after Baptisme After we have received the Holy Ghost we may depart from grace given and fall into sin and by the grace of God we may arise again and amend our lives And therefore they are to be condemned which say they can no more sin as long as they live here to deny the place of forgiveness to such as truly repent XVII Of Predestination and Election PRedestination to life is the everlasting purpose of God whereby before the foundations of the world were laid he hath constantly decreed by his counsel secret to us to deliver from curse and damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankinde and to bring them by Christ to everlasting salvation as vessels made to honour Wherefore they which be indued with so excellent a benefit of God be called according to Gods purpose by his Spirit working in due season they through grace obey the calling they be justified freely they be made sons of God by adoption they be made like the Image of his only begotten Son Jesus Christ they walk religiously in good works and at length by Gods mercy they attain to everlasting felicity As the godly consideration of Predestination and our Election in Christ is full of sweet pleasant and unspeakable comfort to godly persons and such as feel in themselves the working of the spirit of Christ mortifying the works of the flesh and their earthly members and drawing up their minde to high and heavenly things as well because it doth greatly establish and confirm their faith of eternal salvation to be enjoyed through Christ as because it doth fervently kindle their love towards God so for curious and carnal persons lacking the spirit of Christ to have continually before their eyes the sentence of Gods predestination is a most dangerous downfall whereby the Devil doth thrust them either into desperation or into wretchlesness of most unclean living no less perillous then desperation Furthermore we must receive Gods promises in such wise as they be generally set forth to us in holy Scripture and in our doings that will of God is to be followed which we have expresly declared unto us in the word of God XVIII Of obtaining eternal salvation only by the Name of Christ THey also are to be had accursed that presume to say that every man shall be saved by the law or sect which he professeth so that he be diligent to frame his life according to that law and the light of nature For holy Scripture doth set out unto us only the name of Jesus Christ whereby men must be saved XIX Of the Church THe visible Church of Christ is a congregation of faithful men in the which the pure word of God is preached and the Sacraments be duly ministred according to Christs ordinance in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same As the Church of Jerusalem Alexandria and Antioch have erred so also the Church of Rome hath erred not only in their living and manner of ceremonies but also in matters of faith XX. Of the authority of the Church THe Church hath power to decree Rites or Ceremonies and authority in controversies of faith and yet it is not lawful for the Church to ordain any thing that is contrary to Gods word written neither may it so expound one place of Scripture that it be repugnant to another Wherefore although the Church be a witness and a keeper of holy Writ yet as it ought not to decree any