of his that do his pleasure Bless the Lord all his Works in all places of his Dominions Bless the Lord O my soul my mouth shall speak the Praises of the Lord And let all Flesh bless his holy Name for ever and ever Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise yee the Lord. The Order of Celebrating the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ This or the like Explication of the Nature Use and Benefits of this Sacrament may bee used at the discretion of the Minister when hee seeth it needful to the Instruction of the Communicants THat you may discern the Lords body and understand the nature use and benefits of this Sacrament you must know that God created man in his own Image to know and love and serve his Maker That man fell under the guilt of sin and condemnation and left his holy Fitness for the work for which hee was created That hereupon the wonderful love and wisdome of God provided us a Remedy in our Redeemer to the end hee might not lose the glory of his Creation that hee might pardon and save us upon terms Securing the honour of his Justice and attaining the ends of his Law and Government and recover us to his love and service by appearing to the world in the greatest demonstrations of Goodness Love and Mercy By the greatest Miracle of Condiscension hee first promised and then gave his onely Son the Eternal Word to take mans nature into personal union with his God-head that being God and Man hee might bee a fit Mediator between God and Man to restore us and reconcile us to himself Thus Jesus Christ conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary became the second Adam the Physician and Saviour of undone Sinners the Captain of our Salvation to bee the glorious King and Head of all that are sanctified and saved Hee revealed the Holiness the Goodness and the Love of God by the perfect Holiness Goodness and Love of his Blessed Person Doctrine and Conversation and by suffering for us all the Afflictions of this life and at last the cursed death of the Cross as a Sacrifice and Ransome for us That all this might be effectual to our Recovery hee made for us a new and better Covenant and preached it himself undertaking the Pardon Justification and Sanctification of all that by unfeigned Faith do take him for their Saviour repenting of their sins and consenting to be sanctified by his Word and Spirit by which also hee inviteth and draweth men to himself and giveth them to beleeve Into this blessed pardoning saving Covenant wee are first solemnly entred by Baptism And when Christ was ready to leave the world and to give up himself a Sacrifice for us and intercede and exercise the fulness of his Kingly Power as the Churches Head and by his grace to draw men to himself and prepare them for his glory hee did himself institute this Sacrament of his body and blood at his last Supper to bee a continued Representation and Remembrance of his Death and therein of his own and his Fathers Love until his coming appointing his Ministers by the Preaching of the Gospel and Administration of these Sacraments to bee his Agents without and his Spirit within effectually to communicate his Grace The Lords Supper then is a holy Sacrament instituted by Christ wherein Bread and Wine being first by Consecration made Sacramentally or Representatively the body and blood of Christ are used by breaking and pouring out to represent and commemorate the Sacrifice of Christs Body and Blood upon the Cross once offered up to God for sin and are given in the Name of Christ unto the Church to signifie solemnize the renewal of his holy Covenant with them and the giving of himself unto them to expiate their sins by his Sacrifice and sanctifie them further by his Spirit and confirm their right to everlasting life And they are received Eaten and drunk by the Church to profess that they willingly receive Christ himself to the Ends aforesaid their Justification Sanctification and Glorification and to signifie and solemnize the Renewal of their Covenant with him and their holy Communion with him and with one another It being the renewing of a mutual Covenant that is here solemnized as wee commemorate Christs Sacrifice and receive him and his saving benefits so wee offer and deliver to him our selves as his redeemed sanctified people to bee a living Acceptable Sacrifice thankfully and obediently to live unto his Praise Before the receiving of this holy Sacrament wee must examine our selves and come preparedly In the receiving of it wee must exercise holy affections suited to the work And after the receiving of it wee must by consideration of it indeavour to revive the same Affections and perform our Covenant there renewed The holy Qualifications to bee before Provided and in Receiving exercised and after Receiving are these 1. A true beleef of the Articles of the Christian Faith concerning the Father Son and Holy Ghost the Person Offices Works and Sufferings and Benefits of Christ 2. The sense of our sinful and undone condition as in our selves and of our need of Christ so as humbly to loath our selves for our transgressions with the sense of our present weaknesses to bee strengthened and sins to bee forgiven 3. A true desire after Christ for pardon and spiritual Nourishment and Salvation 4. A thankful sense of the Wonderful Love of God declared in our Redemption and in the present offers of Christ and Life 5. The exercise of holy love and joy in the sense of this unspeakable Love if these two bee not felt before wee come yet in and after the Sacrament we must strive to exercise them 6. A love to one another and forgiving wrongs to one another with a desire after the Communion of Saints 7. The giving up our selves in Covenant to God with resolution of renewed Obedience 8. A patient hope for the coming of Christ himself and of the Everlasting Kingdome where wee shall bee perfectly united in him and glorified with him Those onely are to bee invited to the Lords Table and to come that truly repent and beleeve and unfeignedly consent to the terms of the Covenant though all are not to bee invited thus to beleeve and repent and so to come But those are to be admitted by the Pastors if they come who having the use of reason to understand what they do and examine themselves have made a Personal Profession of Faith Repentance and Obedience and are Members of the Church and not justly for Heresie or scandalous sin removed from its present Communion The benefit of the Sacrament is not to be judged of onely by present Experience and Feeling but by Faith God having appointed us to use it and promised his Blessing wee may and must beleeve that hee will make good his Promise and what ever wee feel at present that wee sincerely wait not on him in
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
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