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
ready at last to bee revealed though when they are needful wee must for a season bee in heavyness under tribulations thou hast promised that all things shall work together for our good in all our straits thou grantest us access to the Throne of grace bidding us call upon thee in the time of trouble and promising to deliver us that wee may glorifie thee every where wee have leave to lift up unto thée holy hands Especially in the house of Prayer and the Assembly of the Saints Thou hast heard the voice of our supplications when wee have cried unto thee great is thy mercy towards us O Lord. Thou hast delivered our souls from the lowest Hell Thou hast sent forth from Heaven thy mercy and truth and saved us from the reproach of him that would swallow us up Thou art our Hiding place In the secrets of thy presence thou preservest us from trouble from the pride of men and from the strife of Tongues Thou doest compass us about with Songs of deliverance O love the Lord all yee his Saints for the Lord preserveth the faithful and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer Hee dealeth not with us after our sins his Anger is but for a moment but in his favour is life In his wrath hee remembereth mercy All thy paths O Lord are mercy and truth to such as keep thy Covenant Wee come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercies O give thanks unto the Lord for hee is good for his mercy Endureth for ever Glory yee in his Holy Name let the hearts of them rejoyce that seek him Blessed are the People that know the joyful sound They shall walk O Lord in the Light of thy Countenance In thy name shall they rejoyce all the day and in thy righteousness and favour shall they bee axalted Blessed are they that dwell in thy house they will be still praysing thee O satisfie us early with thy mercy that wee may rejoyce and bee glad in thee all our daies Guide us by thy Counsel and afterwards receive us unto thy glory where with all the blessed host of Heaven wee may behold admire and perfectly and joyfully praise thee Our most glorious Creator Redeemer and Sanctifier for ever and for ever Amen The Hymn The First Part. BLess the Lord O my Soul And all that is within mee bless his Holy Name Bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits who forgiveth all thine Iniquities and healeth all thy diseases who redeemed thy life from destruction and crowneth thee with loving kindeness and tender mercies As far as the East is from the West so far hath hee removed our transgressions from us Behold what love the Father hath bestowed on us that wee should bee called the Sons of God because thy loving kindeness is better than life my Lips shall praise thee Thus will I bless thee while I live I will lift up my Hands in thy name My Soul shall bee satisfied as with marrow and fatness and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none on Earth that I desire besides thee My Flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my Portion for ever For lo all that are far from thee shall perish but it is good for mee to draw near to God I am continually with thee Thou hast holden mee by my right hand in the multitude of my thoughts within mee thy comforts delight my Soul Thou shalt guide me with thy Counsel and afterward receive mee to glory The Second Part. HOw excellent is thy loving kindeness O God therefore do the Sons of Men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings They shall bee abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house and thou shalt make them drink of the Rivers of thy pleasures for with thee is the Fountain of life In thy sight we shall see Light therefore my Heart is glad and my Glory rejoyceth My Flesh also shall rest in hope Thou wilt shew mee the path of life In thy presence is fulness of joy and at thy right hand are pleasures for ever more Surely Goodness and mercy shall follow mee all the daies of my life And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever O continue thy loving kindeness to them that know thee and thy righteousness to the upright in heart To the end that my glory may sing praise unto thee and not bée silent O Lord my God I will give thanks to thée for ever The Third Part. GLory to God in the Highest On Earth Peace Good will towards men Praise yée the Lord sing to the Lord a new Song His praise is in the Congregation of Saints For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people he will beautify the meek with salvation Let the Saints be joyful in glory Let the high praises of God bée in their mouths All thy works praise thée O Lord and thy Saints shall bless thée They shall speak of the glory of thy Kingdome and talk of thy Power To make known to the sons of men thy mighty Acts and the glorious Majestie of thy Kingdome Thy Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome and thy Dominions is through all Generations The Elders and Saints about thy Throne rest not night nor day saying Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come Thou art worthy O Lord to receive Glory and Honour and Power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created They sing unto thée the Song of Moses and of the Lamb saying Great and marvellous are thy works Lord God Almighty Just and true are thy waies thou King of Saints Who shall not fear thée O Lord and glorifie thy Name for thou only art Holy For all Nations shall come and Worship before thee for thy judgements are made manifest Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive Power and Riches and Wisdome and Strength and Honour and Glory For thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood and made us Kings and Priests to God The Fourth Part. O That men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the Children of men Let them Sacrifice the Sacrifices of Thanksgiving and declare his works with rejoycing Sing unto the Lord bless his Name shew forth his Salvation from day to day Worship the Lord in the Beauty of Holiness fear before him all the Earth Let the Heavens rejoyce and the Earth bee glad before the Lord For hee cometh For hee cometh to judge the Earth With Righteousness shall hée judge the World and the People with Equity Bless the Lord yée his Angels that excel in strength that do his Commandements hearkening to the voice of his Word Bless yée the Lord all yée his Hosts yee Ministers
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
our daily bread our necessary sustentation and provision for thy service and let us use it for thée and not to satisfie the flesh Let us depend on thée and trust thée for it in the lawful use of means And bless thou our labours and give us the fruits of the Earth in season and such temperate weather as tendeth thereunto Deliver us and all thy Servants from such wants distresses griefes and sicknesses as will unseasonably take us off thy service and from untimely death And teach us to value and redéem our time and work while it is day Kéep us from Gluttony Drunkenness and all intemperance from sloth and idleness from inordinate desires of pleasures or abundance but having food and Rayment let us bée therewith contented Of thy abundant mercy through the sacrifice and merits of thy Son according to thy promise forgive us all our sins and save us from thy deserved wrath and condemnation Remember not O Lord our offences nor the offences of our fore-Fathers but though our Iniquities testifie against us spare us and save us for thy mercy sake O Let not our sin deprive us of thy spirit or of access unto thée or Communion with thée or of thy favour or comfort or the light of thy Countenance or of everlasting life Cause us to forgive from our hearts the Injuries done against us as wée expect to bée forgiven by thée the greatest debt Kéep us from all revengfull desires and attempts And do thou convert and pardon our Enemies slanderers oppressors persecutors and others that have done us wrong Keep us from running upon Temptations suffer not the tempter by subtilty or importunity to corrupt our judgements Wills Affections or Conversations Cause us to maintain a diligent and constant watch over our thoughts and hearts our senses and Appetites our words and actions and as faithful Souldiers by the conduct and strength of the Captain of our Salvation with the whole Armour of God to resist and overcome the world the Devil and the Flesh unto the End Save us from the Temptations of Prosperity and adversity let us not bée drawn from thée to sin by the pleasures profits or honours of the world strengthen us for sufferings let us not forsake thee or fall in time of tryal help us to deny our selves and take up our Cross and follow Christ Accounting the sufferings of this present time unworthy to bée compared with the glory to bée revealed Deliver us from the Enmity and Rage of Satan and his Instruments and give not up thy Servants their Souls or Bodies their Peace or Liberties Estates or Names to their Malicious Wills but save us and preserve us to thy Heavenly Kingdome Wée ask all this of thée O Lord for thou art the Universal King Holy and just to whom it belongeth in righteousness to judge the World and save thy people All power is thine to execute wrath upon thine Enemies and to deliver and Glorifie thy Flock and none is able to resist thée Of Thée and through Thée and to Thée are all things and the Glory shall bée Thine For Ever Amen The Churches Praise For our Redemption to bee used at Discretion OUr Souls do magnifie thée O Lord Our spirits rejoyce in God our Saviour who remembred us in our Low and lost Estates for his mercy endureth for ever By one man sin entred into the World and death by sin Wée kept not the Covenant of God and refused to walk in his Law For all have Sinned and come short of the Glory of God and Judgement came upon all men to Condemnation But Blessed bée the Lord God of Israel that hath visited and redéemed his people and hath raised up a mighty Salvation for us in the House of his servant David As hée spake by the Mouth of his Holy Prophets which have béen since the World began A Uirgin hath conceived and brought forth The Holy Ghost did come upon her the power of the Highest did over-shadow her therefore the Holy one that is born of her is called the Son of God His name is called Jesus for hée saveth his people from their sins To us is born a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. Hée is the Image of the Invisible God The first born of every Creature for by him All things are created that are in Heaven and in Earth visible and invisible whether Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers All things were Created by him and for him and hée is before all things and by him all things do consist Hée is the Power of God and the Wisdome of God The true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world The Word was made Flesh and dwelt among us and men beheld his Glory as the Glory of the onely begotten of the Father full of Grace and Truth For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell When the fulness of time was come God sent his Son made of a Woman made under the Law to redéem them that are under the Law This is the beloved Son in whom the Father is well pleased For such a high Priest became us who is Holy Harmless Undefiled separate from sinners hée did no sin neither was there any guile found in his mouth when hée was reviled hée reviled not again leaving us an Ensample Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the Trée For God layed on him the Iniquity of us all and by his stripes wée are healed When wée were without strength in due time Christ died for the ungodly the just for the unjust In this was manifest the Love of God towards us that God sent his only begotten Son into the World that wée might live by him Forasmuch as the Children were Partakers of Flesh and Blood hée himself likewise took part with them that hée might destroy through death him that had the Power of death that is the Devil and might deliver them who through fear of Death were all their life time subject to Bondage Having spoiled Principalities and Powers hée made shew of them openly triumphing over them in his Cross Hée was Buried and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures For God raised him having loosed the pains of death because it was not possible that hée should bée holden of it hée hath abolished death and brought life and Immortality to light by the Gospel O Death where is thy Sting O Grave where is thy Uictory All Power is given him in Heaven and Earth when hée asscended up on high hée led Captivity Captive and gave gifts to men And hee gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and some Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the Edifying of the Body of Christ till wee all come in the unity of the Faith of the knowledge
and filthy Communication and all unchaste behaviour Kéep us from stealing or wronging our Neighbour in his propriety from perverting Justice from false witnessing and deceit from slandering backbiting uncharitable censuring or other wrong to the reputation of our Neighbours Kéep us from coveting any thing that is our Neighbours Let us love our Neighbours as our selves and do to others as wee would they should do to us Cause us to love Christ in his members with a pure and fervent love and to love our Enemies and do good to all as wée are able but especially to the houshold of Faith Give us our necessary sustentation and provision for thy service and contentedness therewith Bless our labours and the fruits of the earth in their season and give us such temperate weather as tendeth hereunto Deliver us and all thy servants from such sickness wants and other distresses as may unseasonably take us off thy service Kéep us from gluttony and drunkenness slothfulness unlawful gain and from making provision for the flesh to satisfie its lusts When wée sui restore us by true Repentance and Faith in Christ Let us loath our selves for our transgressions Forgive them all and accept us in thy well beloved Son save us from the curse and punishment which they deserve and teach us heartily to forgive others Convert our enemies periâ—culors and slanderers and forgive them Cause us to watch against temptations to resist and overcome the Flesh the Devil and the World and by no Allurements of pleasure profit or honour to bee drawn from thée to sin let us patiently suffer with Christ that wée may reign with him Deliver us and all thy people from the enmity and rage of Satan and all his wicked Instruments and preserve us to thy Heavenly Kingdome For thou only art the Universal King All power is thine in Heaven and Earth of Thee and through Thee and to Thee are all things and the glory shall bée Thine for ever Amen Concerning the Psalms for Publick use Wee desire that instead of the imperfect version of the Psalms in Meeter now in use Mr. William Bartons Version and that perused and approved by the Church of Scotland there in use being the best that we have seen may bee received and corrected by some skilful men and both allowed for grateful variety to bee Printed together on several Columnes or Pages and publickly used At least until a better than either of them shall bee made A Thanksgiving for Christ and his gracious Benefits MOst Glorious God accept through thy beloved Son though from the hands of sinners of thanksgiving which thy unspeakable love and mercies as well as thy Command do binde us to offer up unto Thée Thou art the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation full of compassion Gracious long suffering Plenteous in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving Iniquitie Transgression and Sin For thy glory thou didst create us after thine Image Thou madest us a little lower than the Angels and Crownedst us with glory and honour giving us Dominion over the works of thy hands and putting all these things under our feet And when wee forsâ—â—k thée and broke thy Covenant and rebelled against Thée and corrupted our selves and turned our glory into shame thou didst not leave us in the hands of Death nor cast us out into utter Desperation But thou didst so love the sinful World as to give thy Son to bee our Saviour Hée took nor upon him the nature of Angels but of man The word was made flesh and dwelt among us This is the unsearchable Mystery of love which the Angels desire to pryints Hee was tempted that hee might succour them that are tempted and conquered the Tempter that had conquered us Hee became poor that was Lord of all to make us rich Hée did not sin but fulfilled all righteousness to save us from our unrighteousness Hée made himself of no reputation but was reviled scorned and spit upon enduring the Cross and despising the shame to cover our shame and to bring us unto glory thou laidst upon him the Iniquity of us all Hée was bruised and wounded for our Transgressious that wée might bée healed by his stripes Hée gave himself a Ransome for us and died for our sins And rose again for our justification Wée thank thée for his death that saveth us from death and that hée bore the curse to redeem us from the curse and for his life which opened us the way to life Thou hast given him to bée head over all things to the Church and hast given the Heathen to bée his Inheritance and given him a name above every name and given all power and judgement unto him Wée thank thée for the New and better Covenant for thy great and precious promises That thou hast given us eternal life in Christ That wée have the clear and sure Revelation of thy will in the Holy Scriptures That thou foundedst thy Church upon Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the head Corner stone And hast committed to thy Ministers the word of Reconciliation that as Embassadours speaking in the stead of Christ they might beseech us to bee reconciled unto thee Wée thank thée that by them thou hast opened our eyes and turned us from darkness unto Light and from the power of Satan unto God Wée were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures taken captive by Satan at his will but thy mercy saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost Thou mightest justly have left us to the blindness of our mindes and to the hardness of our hearts to seared consciences to bee past feeling to our own hearts lusts to walk in our own Counsels and to work uncleanness with greediness when we so oft refused to come to Christ that wee might have life and would not have him to reign over us But thy patience waited on us in our sin And all the day long didst thou stretch forth thy hand to a disobedient and gain-saying People When wee turned from thee thou calledst after us to turn and live Thou drewest us to thy Son and openedst our hearts to attend unto thy calls Thou lovedst us first and was found of them that sought thee not Thou hast pardoned our great and manifold transgressions and iustified us by Faith in Christ and given us Repentance unto life Thou hast adopted us to bee thy sons and joynt heirs with Christ and made us his members and given us his spirit Wee are no more strangers but fellow Citizens with the Saints and of thy houshold Blessed bee the God and Father of our Lord Jesus-Christ who of his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an Inheritance incorruptible undefiled that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for us Thou keepest us by thy mighty power through Faith unto salvation
followeth or to this sense ALmighty God thou art the Creator and the Lord of all Thou art the Soveraign Majesty whom wee have offended Thou art our merciful Father who hast given us thy Son to reconcile us to thy self who hath ratified the New Testament and Covenant of Grace with his most precious blood and hath instituted this Holy Sacrament to bée Celebrated in memorial of him till his coming Sanctifie these thy Creatures of bread and wine which according to thy will wée set apart to this holy use that they may bée Sacramentally the Body and Blood of thy Son Jesus Christ And through his sacrifice and intercession give us the pardon of all our sins and bée reconciled to us and nourish us by the body and blood of Christ to Everlasting life And to that end give us thy quickning spirit to shewChrist to our beléeving souls that is here represented to our senses Let him soften our hearts and humble us for our sins and cause us to féed on Christ by Faith Let him shed abroad thy love upon our hearts and draw them on in love to thée and fill us with Holy Joy and thankfulness and fervent love to one another let him comfort us by witnessing that wée are thy Children and confirm us for New obedience and bée the Earnest of our Inheritance and seal us up to life Everlasting through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour Amen Let it bee left to the Ministers discretion whether to deliver the Bread and Wine to the People at the Table onely in General each one taking it and applying it to themselves or to deliver it in General to so many as are in each particular form or to put it into every persons hand As also at what season to take the Contribution for the Poor And let none of the people be forced to sit stand or kneel in the Act of Receiving whose Judgement is against it The Participation being ended let the Minister pray thus or to this sense MOst Glorious God how wonderful is thy power and wisdome thy Holiness and Justice thy love and mercy in this work of our Redemption by the Incarnation life death resurrection intercession and dominion of thy Son No power or wisdome in Heaven or Earth could have delivered us but thine The Angels desire to pry into this Mystery the Heavenly Host do celebrate it with praises saying Glory bée to God in the Highest On Earth peace Good will towards men The whole Creation shall proclaim thy Praises Blessing Honour Glorie and power bée unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive Power and Honour and Glory for hée hath redeemed us to God by his blood and made us Kings and Priests unto our God Where sin abounded Grace hath abounded much more And hast thou indéed forgiven us so great a debt by so precious a Ransome Wilt thou indéed give us to reign with Christ in Glory and sée thy face and love thée and bée beloved of thée for ever Yea Lord thou hast forgiven us and thou wilt glorifie us for thou art faithful that hast promised With the blood of thy Son with the Sacrament and with thy spirit thou hast sealed up to us these precious promises And shall wée not love thée that hast thus loved us Shall wée not love thy Servants and forgive our Neighbours their little debt After all this shall wée again forsake thée and deal falsly in thy Covenant God forbid O set our affections on the things above where Christ sitteth at thy right hand Let us no more minde Earthly things but let our Conversation bée in Heaven from whence wée expect our Saviour to come and change us into the likeness of his glory Teach us to do thy will O God and to follow him who is the Author of Eternal Salvation to all them that do obey him Order our steps by thy word and let not any iniquity have dominion over us Let us not henceforth live unto our selves but unto him who died for us and rose again Let us have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but reprove them And let our light so shine before men that they may glorifie thée In Simplicity and Godly Sincerity and not in Fleshly wisdome let us have our Conversation in the world O that our waies were so directed that wée might kéep thy statutes Though Satan will bée desirous again to sift us and séek as a roaring Lion to devour strengthen us to stand against his Wiles and shortly bruise him under our féet Accept us O Lord who resign our selves unto thée as thine own and with our thanks and praise present our selves a living Sacrifice to bée acceptable through Christ Useful for thine honour Being made frée from sin and become thy Servants let us have our fruit unto Holiness and the End Everlasting Life Through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour Amen Next add this or some such Exhortation if there bee time DEar Brethren wee have been here feasted with the Son of God at his Table upon his Flesh and Blood in preparation for the Feast of Endless Glory You have seen here represented what sin deserveth what Christ suffered what wonderful Love the God of infinite Goodness hath expressed to us You have had Communion with the Saints you have renewed your Covenant of Faith and thankful Obedience unto Christ You have received his renewed Covenant of Pardon Grace and Glory unto you O carry hence the lively sense of these great and excellent things upon your hearts You came not onely to receive the mercy of an hour onely but that which may spring up to Endless Joy You came not onely to do the duty of an hour but to promise that which you must perform while you live on Earth Remember daily especially when temptations to unbeleef and sinful heaviness assault you what pledges of Love you here received Remember daily especially when the Flesh the Devil or the World would draw your hearts again from God and temptations to sin are laid before you what bonds God and your own consent have laid upon you If you are Penitent Beleevers you are now forgiven and washed in the Blood of Christ O go your way and sin no more No more through wilfulness and strive against you sins of weaknesse Wallow no more in the mire and return not to your vomit Let the exceeding Love of Christ constrain you having such Promises to cleanse your selves from all Filthiness of Flesh and Spirit perfecting Holiness in the fear of God And as a Chosen Generation a Royal Priesthood an Holy Nation a Peculiar People to bee Zealous of good works and shew forth the Praises of him that hath called you Next sing some part of the Hymn in meeter or some other sit Psalm of Praise as the 23. 116. or 103. or 100 c. And conclude with this or the like Blessing NOw the God of
bee a Communion of the Church in the Lords Supper Let the Pastor require him to forbear and not suffer him to partake of the Lords Table If yet the offender remain impenitent let the Pastor openly declare him â—â—meet for the Communion of the Church and require him to abstain from it and require the Church to avoid Communion with him And let him binde him by the denounciations of the threatings of God against the impenitent But before this is done let no necessary consultation with other Pastors or concurrence of the Church bee neglected And after let there bee place for due appeals and let Ministers consent to give account when they are accused of Mal-administration But if after private Admonition while the offence is such as requireth not publick confession the Sinner bee penitent let the Minister privately apply to his Consolation the promises of the Gospel with such cautelous prudence as is most suitable to his condition And if hee repent not till after publick admonition or that the scandall bee so great and notorious as that a publick confession is necessary let him at a seasonable time appointed by the Pastor with remorse of conscience and true contrition confels his sin before the Congregation and heartily lament it and clear the honour of his Christian profession which hee had stayned and crave the prayers of the Church to God for pardon and reconciliation through Christ and also crave the Ministerial Absolution and restauration to the Communion of the Church and profess his resolution to do so no more but to live in new obedience to God desiring also their prayers for Corroborating and preserving grace It is only a credible profession of repentance that is to bee accepted by the Church The foregoing Cautious must bee carefully observed in such confessions that they bee not made to the injuring of the Magistrate or of the Church or of the reputation of others or of the Life Estate or Liberty of the offender or to any other shame than is necessary to the manifesting of his repentance and the clearing of his Profession and the Righting of any that hee hath wronged and the honour and preservation of the Church When hee hath made a credible profession of repentance It is the Pastors duty Ministerially to declare him pardoned by Christ but in conditional terms If his repentance be sincere And to absolve him from the censureof non Communion with the Church if he was under such a censure before his penitence and to declare him meet for their Communion and to encourage him to come and require the Church to entertain him into their Communion with gladness and not upbraid him with his fall but rejoyce in his recovery and endeavour his confirmation and preservation for the time to come And it is his duty accordingly to admit him to Communion and theirs to have loving Communion with him All which the penitent person must beleevingly lovingly joyfully receive But if any by Notorious perfidiousness or frequent Covenant breaking have forfeited the Credit of their words or have long continued in the sin which they do confess so that their forsaking it hath no proof The Church then must have testimony of the Actual Reformation of such as these before they may take their Professions and promises as credible Yet here the difference of persons and offences is so great that this is to bee much left to the Prudence of Pastors that are present and acquainted with the persons Circumstances of the Case In the transacting of all this these following Forms to bee varied as the variety of Cases do require may bee made use of A Form of Publick Admonition to the Impenitent A. B. you are convict of gross and scandalous sin you have been admonished and intreated to repent The promises of mercies to the Penitent and the threatnings of God against the Impenitent have not been concealed from you wee have waited in hope for your repentance as having Compassion on your soul and desiring your Salvation But wee must say with grief you have hitherto disappointed us Wee are certain from the Word of God that you must bee penitent if ever you will bee pardoned and that except you repent you shall everlastingly perish Luke 13. 3 5. Act. 5. 31. Luke 12. 47. To acquaint you publickly with this and yet here to offer you mercy from the Lord is the next duty laid upon us for your recovery O! blame us not if knowing the terrours of the Lord wee thus perswade you and are loath to leave you in the power of Satan and loath to see you cast out into perdition and that your blood should bee required at our hands as not having discharged our duty to prevent it Bee it known unto you therefore that it is the God of Heaven and Earth the great the jealous and the terrible God whose Lawes you have broken and whose Authority you dispise you refuse his government who is coming with ten thousands of his Saints to execute judgement upon all and to convince all that are ungodly of their ungodly Deeds and speeches who hath told us that evil shall not dwell with him The Foolish shall not stand in his sight Hee hateth all workers of Iniquity Jude 14 15. Psalm 5. 4 5. The ungodly shall not stand in judgement nor sinners in the Congregation of the Righteous Psalm 1. 5 6. God hath not made his Lawes in vain Though the wicked contemn God and say in their hearts hee will not require it Psalm 10. 13. Yet their damnation slumbereth not they are reserved to the day of judgement to bee punnished 2 Pet. 2. 3 9. And hee seeth that their day is coming Psalm 37. 13. If men cut off the lives of those that break their laws will God bee out-faced by the pride and stubborness of sinners Hee will not you shall know hee will not Hee threatneth not in jest Who hath hardened himself against him and hath prospered Job 9. 4. Are you not as chaffe and stubble and is not our God a consuming Fire Psalm 1. 4. Isa 5. 24. Heb. 12. 19. If Briers and Thorns bee set against him in Battel will hee not go through them and burn them up together Isa 27. 4. Can your heart endure or your hands bee strong in the day when God shall deal with you It is the Lord that hath spoken it and hee will do it Ezek. 22. 14. What will you do when you must bear wich the pains of Hell from God that now can scarce endure to bee thus openly plainly warned of it If wee to please you should bee silent and betray you do you think the God of Heaven will fear or flatter you or bee unjust to please a worm Do you provoke the Lord to Jealousie are you stronger than hee 1 Cor. 10. 22. O man for your souls sake let not Satan abuse your understanding and sin befool you must you not die And doth not Judgement follow when all
threatenings and foretold him of thy certain terrible Judgements that hée might sly from the wrath to come but alas wée perceive not that hée repenteth or resenteth but hardeneth his heart against reproof as if hée were able to contend with thée and overcome thy power O let us prevail with thée for grace that wée may prevail with him for Penitent confession and reformation O Pitty a miserable sinner miserable as that hée laieth not to heart his misery nor Pittieth himself O save him from the Gall of Bitterness and from the Bonds of his Iniquity give him â—…tance unto life that hee may recover himself out of the snare of the Devil who is taken Captive by him at his Will Give him not up to a blinde minde to a seared conscience a heart that is past feeling nor to walk in his own counsels and after his own lusts Let him no longer despise the riches of thy Goodness and forbearance and long-suffering nor with a hardened impenitent heart treasure up wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of thy righteous Judgement who wist render to every man according to his Déeds even to them that are contentious and obey not the truth but obey unrighteousness indignation and wrath Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doeth evil Let him bée sure that the judgement of God is according to truth against them that commit such things and let him not think in his impenitency to escape thy judgement O suffer him not when hée heareth the threatnings of thy Word to bless himself in his heart and say I shall have peace though I walk in the Imaginations of my heart and add sin to sin lest thy Anger and Jealousie smoke against him and thou wilt not spare him but blot out his name from under Heaven and all thy curses lye upon him and thou separate him to Evil even to the worm that dyeth not and to the fire that is not quenched O save him from his sins from his Impenitency and the Pride and stubborn ness of his heart O save him from the Everlasting Flames and from thy wrath which hée is the more in danger off because hée féeleth not and feareth not his danger Let him know how hard it is for him to kick against the Pricks and how woful to strive against his maker lay him at thy footstool in sackcloath and ashes in tears and lamentation crying out Woe unto mée that I have sinned and humbling his soul in true contrition and loathing himself and begging thy pardoning and healing grace and begging the Prayers and Communion of thy Church and resolving to sin wilfully no more but to live before thée in uprightness and obedience all his daies O let us prevail with thée for the Conversion of this Impenitent sinner and so for the saving of his soul from death and the hiding and pardoning of his sins that hée that is lost may bée found and hée that is dead may bée alive and the Angels of Heaven and wée thy unworthy servants here on Earth may rejoyce at his repenting let us sée him restored by thy grace that wée may joyfully receive him into our Communion and thou mayest receive him at last into thy Heavenly Kingdome and Satan may bée disappointed of his Prey for thy mercy sake through Jesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour Amen A Form of Rejection from the Communion of the Church IEsus Christ the King and Law giver of the Church hath commanded that If a Brother trespass against us wee go and tell him his fault between him and us alone and if hee will not hear us wee shall then take with us one or two more that in the mouth of two or three Witnesses every word may bee Established And if hee shall neglect to hear them that hee tell it to the Church and if hee neglect to hear the Church that hee bee to us a Heathen Man and a Publican Matth. 18. 15 16 17. And that wee keep not company if any that is called a Brother bee a Fornicator or Covaious or an Idolater or a Raylor or a Drunkard or an Extortioner with such a one no not to eat 1 Cor 5. 11. And that wee withdraw our selves from every Brother that walketh disorderly and note him and have no company with him that hee may bee ashamed 2 Thess 3. 6. 14. According to these Laws of Christ wee have admonished this offending Brother who hath greatly sinned against God and grieved and injured the Church wee have earnestly prayed and patiently waited for his repentance but wee have not prevailed But after all hee continueth impenitent and will not be perswaded to confess and forsake his sin Wee do therefore according to these Laws of Christ Declare him unmeet for the Communion of the Church and reject him from it Requiring him to forbear it and requiring you to avoid him and wee leave him bound to the Judgement of the Lord unless his true Repentance shall prevent it A Form of Absolution and Reception of the Penitent THough you have greatly sinned against the Lord and against his Church and your own Soul yet seeing you humble your self before him and Penitently fly to Christ for mercy resolving to do so no more hear now the glad tidings of Salvation which I am commanded to declare unto you 1 John 2. 1 2. If any man Sin wee have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous And hee is the Propitiation for our sins 1 John 1. 9. If wee confess our sins hee is faithful to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness Isa 55 6 7. Seek the Lord while hee may bee found Call upon him while hee is near Let the Wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and hee will have mercy upon him and to our God for hee will abundantly pardon Prov. 28. 13. Hee that covereth his sin shall not prosper but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy Gal. 6. 1. Brethren if a man bee overtaken in a fault restore such a one in the spirit of meckness considering thy self least thou also bee tempted According to this word of Grace do loose the bonds here laid upon you and receive you again into the Communion of the Church requiring them to receive you and not upbraid you with your sin but rejoyce in your recovery And I do declare to you the pardon of all your sins in the Blood of Christ if your Repentance bee sincere And I exhort charge you that you beleevingly and thankfully accept this Great unspeakable mercy and that you watch more carefully for the time to come and avoid temptations and subdue the Flesh and accept reproofes and see