secrets shall bee opened and God will no more intreat you to confess Heb. 9. 7. Matth. 10. 26. Behold the Judge standeth at the door Jam. 5. 9. will sin goe then with you for as light a matter as it doth now Will you then deny it or will you stand to all the reasonings or excuses by which you would now extenuate or cover it Will you defend it as your friend and bee angry with Ministers and Reprovers as your Enemies Or will you not mourn at last with weeping and gnashing of teeth And say How have I hated Instruction and my heart despised Reproof And have not obeyed the voyce of my Teachers nor inclined mine Ear to them that Instructed mee Pro. 5. 11 12 13. Mat. 13. 4◠50. O that you were wise that you understood this and that you would consider your latter End Deut. 32. 29. beleeve Gods wrath before you feel it bee convinced by the word and servants of the Lord before you are confounded by the dreadfulness of his Majesty yet there is hope but shortly there will be none if you now neglect it yet if you consess and forsake your sins you shall have mercy but if you cover them you shall not prosper Prov. 28. 13. And if being oft reproved you harden your Neck you shall suddenly bee destroyed and that without remedy Pro. 29. 1. Bee not deceived God is not mocked whatsoever you sow that shall you also reap Gal. 6. 7. O man you know not what it is to deal with an offended and revenging God Nor what it is to hear Christ say depart from mee yee workers of Iniquity I never knew you depart from mee yee wicked into everlasting fire Matth. 7. 23. and 25. 41. You know not what it is to bee shut out of Heaven and concluded under utter desperation and in Hell to look back upon this obstinate Impenitence and rejecting of the mercy that would have saved you And there to have Conscience telling you for ever what it is that you have done Did you not know what this is could you think a Penitent confessing and forsaking your sin to be a condition too hard for the preventing of such a Doleful state O No! you know not what a case you are casting your immortal soul into The Lord give you repentance that you may never know it by experience To prevent this is our business with you Wee delight not to displease or shame you But God hath told us that if any do err from the truth and one convert him let him know that hee which converteth the sinner from the errour of his way shall save a soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sins Jam. 5. 20. I do therefore by the Command and in the name of Jesus Christ require and beseech you that you do without any more delay confess your sins and heartily bewail them and beg pardon of them and resolve and promise by the help of God to do so no more And bless God that you have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous whose blood will cleanse you from your sins if you penitently confess them 1 John 1. 7 9. and 2. 1 2. and that mercy may bee yet had on so easie terms If you had any sense of your sin and misery or any sense of the dishonour done to God or of the wrong that you have done to others and of the usefulness of your Penitent confession and amendment to the reparation of all these you would cast your self in the dust in shame and grief before the Lord and before the Church To day therefore if you will hear his voyce harden not your heart least God forsake you and give you over unto your own hearts lust to walk in your own counsels and resolve in his wrath you shall never enter into his rest Psalm 95. 8. 12. and 81. 11. 12. And then God and this Congregation will bee Witnesses that you were warned and your blood will bee upon your own head But if in Penitent confession you fly to Christ and loath your self for your iniquities and heartily forsake them I have Authority to promise you free Forgiveness and that your Iniquitie shall not bee your Ruine Luke 24. 4. 7. Ezek. 18. 30 31 32. A Form of Confession to bee made beeore the Congregation I do confess before God and this Congregation that I have greatly Sinned I have offended and dishonoured God wronged the Church and the Souls of others I have deserved to bée forsaken of the Lord and cast out of his presence and the communion of Saints into desperation and remediless misery in Hell I am no more worthy to bée called thy Son or to have a name or place among thy Servants I do here declare mine Iniquitys and am sorry for my sins They are gone over my head as a heavy burden they are too heavy for mée they take hold upon mée I am ashamed as unworthy to look up towards heaven but my hope is in the blood grace of Christ who made his life a Sacrifice for sin and came to séek and save that which was lost whose grace aboundeth where sin hath abounded The Lord bée merciful to mée a sinner I humbly beg of the Congregation that they will earnestly pray that God will wash mée throughly from mine Iniquity and cleanse mée from my sin that hée will forgive them and blot them out and hide his Face from them and remember them no more that hée will not cast mée away from his presence nor forsake mée as I have forsaken him nor deal with mée according to my deserts But that hée will create in mée a Clean heart and renew a right spirit in mée and grant mée the joy of his Salvation and I beg pardon of the Church and all that I have wronged and resolve by the grace of God to do so no more but to walk more watchfully as before the Lord and I desire all that are ungodly that they think never the worse of the Laws or waies or servants of the Lord for my misdoings For if I had béen ruled by God and by his servants I had never done as I have done There is nothing in Religion that befriendeth sin there is nothing so contrary to it as God and his Holy Laws which I should have obeyed Rather let all take warning by mée and avoid temptations and live not carelesly and hearken not to the Inclinatious or Reasonings of the Flesh nor trust not their weak and sinful hearts but live in godly fear and watchfulness and kéep under the Flesh and kéep close to God and hearken to the faithful Counsel of his servants and Intreat your Prayers to God that I may bée strengthened by his grace that I may sin thus no more least worse befal mée A Form of Prayer for a Sinner Impenitent after Publick Admonition MOst Gracious God According to thy Command wée have warned this sinner and told him of thy
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
Nations under the Heavens of God as far as wee can learn that have more able holy faithful laborious and truly peaceable Preachers of the Gospel proprotionably than those are that are now cast out in England and are like in England Scotland and Ireland to bee cast out if the old Conformity bee urged This witness is true which in Judgement wee bear and must record against all the reproaches of uncharitableness which the Justifier of the Righteous at his day will effectually confute Wee therefore beseech you that when thousands of souls are ready to famish for want of the bread of Life and thousands more are grieved for the Ejection of their faithful Guides the Labourers may not bee kept our upon the account of such Forms or Ceremonies or Re-ordination at least till you have enow as fit as they to supply their places and then wee shall never petition you for them more 3. And wee beseech you consider when you should promote the joy and thankfulness of His Majesties Subjects for his happy Restauration whether it bee equal and seasonable to bring upon so many of them so great calamities as the change of able faithful Ministers for such as they cannot comfortably commit the conduct of their souls to and the depriving them of the Liberty of the Publick Worship calamities far greater than the meer loss of all their worldly substance can amount to In a day of Common Joy to bring this causelesly on so many of His Majesties Subjects and to force them to lye down in heart-breaking-sorrows as being almost as far undone as Man can doe it this is not a due requital of the Lord for so great deliverances Especially considering that if it were never so certain that it is the sin of the Ministers that dare not bee Re-ordained or conform its hard that so many thousand innocent people should suffer even in their souls for the faults of others 4. And if wee thought it would not bee mis-interpreted wee would here remember you how great and considerable a part of the three Nations they are that must either incur these sufferings or condole them that undergo them and how great a grief it will be to His Majesty to see his grieved subjects and how great a joy it will bee to him to have their hearty thanks and prayers and see them live in prosperity peace and comfort under his most happy Government 5. And wee may plead the nature of their cause to move you to compassionate your poor afflicted Brethren in their sufferings It is in your own account but for refusing Conformity to things indifferent or at the most of no necessity to salvation It is in their account for the sake of Christ because they dare not consent to that which they judge to be an usurpation of his Kingly power and an accusation of his Laws as insufficient and because they dare not bee guilty of addition to or diminution of his Worship or of worshipping him after any other Law than that by which they must bee judged or such as is meerly subordinate to that Suppose they bee mistaken in thinking the things to bee so displeasing to God yet it is commendable in them to bee fearful of displeasing him and careful to obey him a disposition necessary to all that will bee saved and therefore to bee loved and cherished in them by the Pastors of the Church who should bee very tender of putting them to suffering or casting them out of the Church because they dare not do that which they judge to bee so great a sin against the Lord deserving damnation to themselves Should not the love of Christ command us to bee tender of those that are so tender of his honour and to take heed what wee do to men for taking heed of sin and being afraid to offend the Lord and should not the special love of Christians and the common love of men command us to bee loath to drive men by penalties upon that which they judge doth tend to their everlasting damnation and which indeed doth tend to it because they judge it so to do For hee that will do that which hee thinks to bee so great a sin as is before described to please men or to escape their punishment no doubt deserveth the wrath of God and should wee not bee loath to drive men upon sin and condemnation though wee were sure that their own infirmity is the occasion If it bee said that by this Rule nothing shall bee commanded if men will but scruple it Wee answer Things in themselves necessary or commanded by God must bee commanded by man because scruples make them not unnecessary and make not void the Laws of God and it will bee a sin even to the scrupulous to disobey But things dispensible and of themselves unnecessary should not bee rigorously urged upon him to whom they would bee a sin and cause of condemnation It is in case of things indifferent in your own judgement that wee now speak If it bee said that it is humour pride or singularity or peevishness or faction and not true tenderness of conscience that causeth the doubts or non-conformity of these men Wee answer such crimes must bee fastened onely on the Individuals that are first proved guilty of them and not upon multitudes unnamed and unknown and without proâ—â— and you know it is the prerogative of God to search the heart and that hee hath said Judge not that yee be not judged for with what judgement yee judge yee shall bee judged and with what measure yee mete it shall bee measured to you again Mat. 7. 1 2. And who art thou that judgest another mans servant to his own Master hee standeth or falleth yea hee shall bee holden up for God is able to make him stand Rom. 14. 4. And who can pretend to bee better acquainted with their hearts than they are themselves For what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of a man which is in him 1 Cor. 2. 11. And they are ready to appeal to the dreadful God the searcher of hearts and the hater of Hypocrisie that if it were not for fear of sinning against him and wounding their consciences and hazarding and hindering their salvation they would readily obey you in all these things That it is their fear of sin and damnation that is their Impediment they are ready to give you all the assurance that man can give by the solemnest professions or by oath if justly called to it And one would think that a little Charity might suffice to enable you to beleeve them when their non-compliance brings them under suffering and their compliance is the visible way to favour safety and prosperity in the world And if men that thus appeal to God concerning the intention of their own hearts cannot bee beleeved even when the State of their worldly interest bears witness to their professions but another shall step into the Throne of the heart-searching God
our selves Thou art the King of all the world and Thy Laws are holy iust and good But wée have denied Thée our due subjection and obedience being unruly and self-willed minding the things of the flesh and making provision for its lusts Wée have staggered at Thy Word through unbeléef and have not fully placed our trust and hope in Thée Wée have rather feared man that is dust and can but kill the body than Thée that canst destroy both soul and body in Hell Thou art infinitely good and love it self yet have wée not fully taken Thée for our portion nor loved Thée with all our heart and soul and might nor mads Thée our full desire and delight But wée have inordinately loved our selves and the world and the things of the world and lived by sense when wée should have lived by Faith and cared and laboured for the food that perisheth when wée should have laboured for the one thing néedful and that which indureth to everlasting life wée have béen slothful servants yéelding to temptations ashamed of our duty losing our precious time when wee should have béen fervent in spirit serving the Lord cleaving to Thée with full resolution redéeming the time and with diligence making sure our Calling and Election Wée have not with due holiness and reverence drawn neer Thée and used thy holy Name thy Worship and thy Day Wée have dishonoured and disobeyed our Superiours and neglected our Inferiours Wée have béen guilty of not loving our Neighbours as our selves and not doing to others as wée would they should do to us but have sought our own against their welfare not forbearing and forgiving not loving our enemies as wee ought nor following peace nor studying to do good to all according to our power Wee have sinned secretly and openly in thought word and déed ignorantly and presumptuously in passion and upon deliberation against thy Precepts Promises and Threats against thy mercies and thy judgements under thy patience and in thy sight against our consciences our purposes and our covenants when wée were hasting to death and judgement for which through all our lives wée should have prepared Thou hast commended thy wonderful love towards us in giving thy Son to dye for sinners to reconcile us to Thée while wée were enemies and all things being made ready thou hast sent thy Messengers to invite us to come in preaching to us the glad tidings of salvation and fréely offering us pardon and life in Jesus Christ but wee have made light of it and neglected this great Salvation and made excuses or too long delaies undervaluing our Redeemer his blood and merits his offered grace and endless glory rejecting his holy Doctrine and Example resisting his Spirit Ministers and Wrod Wee have sinned O Lord against Thée and against our own souls and are not worthy to be called thy children Wée have deserved everlasting wrath to us belongeth confusion but mercy and forgiveness unto Thée Have mercy upon us O God according to the multitude of thy Mercies Heal our souls that have sinned against Thée and enter not into judgement with thy servants Hide thy face from our sins and blot out all our iniquities Cast us not away from thy presence and avenge not upon us the quarrel of thy Covenant Wash us in the blood of the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world Accept us in thy Beloved Son who was made a curse for us and was wounded for our transgressions that wée might bee healed by his stripes Turn us O God of our salvation and cause thy face to shine upon us Give us Repentance unto life cause us to loathe our selves for all the evils that wée have committed Give us that broken contrite Spirit which thou wilt not despise Create in us a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within us Take out of us the old and strong heart and give us a new and tender heart Give us the Spirit of thy Son and bee our God and let us bée thy People Enlighten our understandings to know the wonderful things of thy Law the dimensions of thy love in Christ the mysteries of thy Kingdome and the riches of the glory of thy Inheritance in the Saints and that wee may approve the things that are excellent and may escape the snares of the Devil and may hate every false way Shed abroad thy love in our hearts by thy holy Spirit and cause us so to love Thee that nothing may separate us from thy love Put thy fear into our hearts that wee may never depart from Thee Cause us to seek first thy Kingdome and its Righteousness and as those that are risen with Christ to seek the things that are above and to lay up a treasure in Heaven and let our hearts and conversations bee there mortifie our earthly inclinations and desires Crucifie the world to us and us unto the world by the Cross of Christ Cause us to live by Faith and look at the things that are unseen and use the world as not over-using it seeing the fashion of it passeth away striving to enter in at the strait gate and running so as to obtain let us no longer live the rest of our time to the lusts of men but to the will of God studying in all things to please Thee and to bee accepted of Thee let us not seek our own wills but the will of him that called us yea let us delight to do thy will O God let our delight bee in thy Law and let us meditate therein day and night cause us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soverly and righteously and godly in this present world as obedient children not fashioning our selves to the former lusts of our ignorance but as hee that hath called us is holy let us be holy in all manner of conversation Cause us to love one another with a pure heart fervently forbearing and forgiving one another if any have a quarrel against other even as Christ forgave us Give us the wisdome which is first pure and then peaceable In our eyes let a vile person bee contemned but let us honour them that fear the Lord. Cause us to walk circumspectly without offence and to bee zealous of good Works to love our enemies and not to give place to wrath and in patience to possess our souls Help us to deny our selves and take up our Cross and follow Christ esteeming his reproach to bee greater riches than the treasures of the world that having suffered with him wee may also bee glorified with him Though wee must bee tempted help us to overcome and bee faithful unto the death and then let us receive that Crown of Life through the merits and intercession of Christ Jesus our Lord and onely Saviour in whose comprehensive words wee summ up our Requests saying as hee hath taught us Our Father which art in Heaven hallowed bee thy Name Thy Kingdome come c. Or thus when Brevity is
spirit of the humble and the heart of the Contrite ones for thou wilt not contend for ever neither wilt thou bee alwaies wroth for the spirit would fail before thée and the soul which thou hast made Look down in tender mercy on the affliction of this thy Servant O Lord rebuke him not in thy wrath neither chasten him in thy hot displeasure All his desire is before thée and his groaning is not hid from thée Have mercy upon him O Lord for hée is weak O Lord heal him whose boues and soul is vered In death there is no remembrance of thée In the grave who shall give thée thanks Remember that wée are but flesh a Wind that passeth away and cometh not again wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble Remember not the Iniquities of his youth or his transgressions look upon his Afffiction and his pain and forgive all his sins Though the sorrows of death do compass him about yet if it bée for thy glory and his good recover him and let him live and praise thy name Rebuke his sickness direct unto such means as thou wilt bless In the time of his trouble wée call upon thée do thou deliver him and let him glorifie thée however shew him the sin that doth offend thée let him search and try his waies and confess and turn from his Inquity and let it bée good for him that hée was afflicted Let this bée the fruit of it to purge and take away his sin That being chastened of the Lord hée may not bée condemned with the world And though chastisement for the present séemeth not to bée joyous but grievous yet afterwards let it yéeld the peaceable fruit of Righteousness to this thy Servant that is exercised therein In the mean time O Lord bée thou his Portion who art good to the Soul that séeketh thée and waiteth for thée Let him patiently and silently bear thy yoak let him hope and quietly wait for thy salvation Considering that thou wilt not cast off for ever that thy anger is but for a moment but in thy favour is Life Wéeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning and that whom thou lovest thou chastenest and scourgest every son whom thou receivest and that if hée indure Chastening thou dealest with him as a Son If hée bée recovered let him devote himself entirely to thy glory That when thou hast put off his sackcloath and mourning and girded him with gladness hee may speak thy praise and give thée thanks If hée receive the sentence of death in himself let it cause him to trust in thée that raisest the dead knowing that as thou didst raise up the Lord Jesus thou wilt raise him up also by Jesus Therefore suffer not his hope to faint but though his outward man perish yet let his inwardman bée renewed from day to day and let him live by faith and look at the things which are not séen even at the excéeding eternal weight of glory Let him bée found in Christ not having his own righteousness but that which is of God by faith Restrain the tempter and deliver thy servant from the sinful fears of death by Christ who through death destroyed the Devil that had the power of death That hée may finde that death hath lost his sting and Triumph over it by Faith in him through whom wée are made more than Conquerers That by faith and love his soul may now ascend with Christ that ascended unto his Father and our Father and to his God and our God and is gone to prepare a place for us and hath promised that where hée is there his servants shall bée also That they may behold the glory which thou hast given him Magnifie thy self in his Body whether by life or death and safely bring him into thy glorious presence where is fulness of Joy and Everlasting pleasures through Jesus Christ our Life and Righteousness Amen A Prayer for Women drawing neer the time of Childe-bearing MOst merciful Father who hast justly Sentenced Woman that was first in the Transgression to great and multiplyed sorrows and particularly in sorrow to bring forth Children yet grantest preservation and reliefe for the propagation of Mankinde Bée merciful to this thy servant bée néer her with thy present help in the néedful time of trouble and though in Travel shée hath sorrow give her strength to bring forth Being delivered let her remember no more the Anguish for ioy that a Childe is born into the World Bless her in the fruit of her body and being safely delivered let her return thée hearty thanks and devote it and the rest of her life to thy service through Jesus Christ our Saviour Amen A Thanksgiving for those that are restored from Dangerous Sickness WEe thank thée O Most Gracious God that thou hast heard us when wée cryed unto thée for thy servant in his weakness and distress that thou hast not turned away our Prayer nor thy mercy from him wée cryed to thée and thou hast delivered and healed him thou hast brought him from the grave thou hast kept him alive that hée should not go down into the Pit thou hast forgiven his iniquity and healed his diseases thou hast redéemed his life from destruction and hast crowned him with loving kindeness and tender mercies thou hast not deprived him of the residue of his years thou hast repented thée of the Evil His Age is nor departed Thou hast renewed his youth and given him to sée man with the Inhabitants of the World And to sée the Goodness of the Lord in the land of the living day and night thy hand was heavy upon him but thou hast turned away thy wrath and hast forgiven the iniquity of his sin for this every one that is godly shall pray unto thée in a time of trouble 〈◊〉 Thou art a hiding place thou preservest us from trouble when our Flesh and our heart faileth us thou art the strength of our heart and our Portion for ever indéed Lord thou art good unto thine Israel Even to such as are clean of heart many are the afflictions of the Righteous but thou deliverest them out of all Though all the day long they bée afflicted and chastened every morning yet are they continually with thée Thou holdest them by the right hand thou art a present help in trouble when all the help of man is vain Let thy servant love thée because thou hast heard his voice and supplication Let him offer unto thée the sacrifice of thanksgiving and pay his vowes to the most high and take the Cup of Salvation and call upon thée all his daies let him bée wholly devoted to thy praise and glorifie thée in Soul and Body as being Thine and seasonably depart in peace unto thy glory through Jesus Christ our life and righteousness Amen A
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
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
of the Son of God to a perfect man hee is set at Gods right hand in the Celestials far above all Principalities and Powers and Might and Dominion and every name that is named not only in this World but in that to come God hath put all things under his feet and gave him to bee head over all things to the Church which is his Body the fulness of him that filleth all in all Without Controversie great is the Mystery of Godliness God manifested in the Flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels preached to the Gentiles beleeved on in the World received up into glory This is the Record that God hath given us Eternal life and this Life is in his Son Hee that hath the Son hath life and hee that hath not the Son hath not life Hee was in the World and the World was made by him and the world knew him not Hee came to his own and his own received him not This is the Condemnation that light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather than light because their Deeds are Evil. But as many as receive him to them gives hee Power to become the Sons of God even to them that beleeve in his Name There is therefore now no Condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit He forgiveth our Iniquities and will remember our sins no more who shall lay any thing to Charge of Gods elect It is God that Justifieth who is hee that Condemneth It is Christ that died Yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Who gave himself for us that hee might redéem us from all Iniquity purifie to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works If any man have not the spirit of Christ the same is none of his Hee that nameth the name of Christ must depart from Iniquity If wee regard Iniquity in our hearts God will not hear our Prayers But wee are washed wee are sanctified wee are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God Not by works of Righteousness which wee have done but according to his mercy hee saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost And being justified by faith wee have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom also wee have Access by Faith into this Grace wherein wee stand and rejoyce in hope of the Glory of God And hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us For if when wee were Enemies wee were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being Reconciled wee shall bee saved by his life Hee that spared not his own Son but gave him up for us All how shall hee not with him also freely give us all things hee that is gone to prepare a place for us will come again and receive us to himself that where hee is there wee may bee also It is his will that they that the Father hath given him bee with him where hee is that they may behold the Glory that is given him Because hee liveth wee shall live also For wee are dead and our life is hid with Christ in God When Christ who is our life shall appear then shall wee also appear with him in Glory when hee shall come to bee glorified in his Saints and to bee admired in all them that do beleeve Then shall men discern between the Righteous and the Wicked between those that serve God and those that serve him not Then shall the Righteous shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdome of their Father Hee that overcometh shall inherit all things Hee shall enter into the Joy of his Lord Hee shall bee a Pillar in the Temple of God and shall go out no more Christ will grant him to fit with him in his Throne even as hee overcame and is set down with his Father in his Throne hee will rejoyce ever as with joy hee will test in his love Even in the Holy City the new Jerusalem prepared as a Bride adorned for her 〈◊〉 where the Tabernacle of God will bee with men and hee will dwell with them and they shall bee his people and God himself shall bee with them their God and shall wipe away all tears from their Eyes and there shall bee no more death nor sorrow nor crying nor pain for the former things are passed away And the City needeth not the Sun or the Moon to shine in it for the Glory of God doth lighten it and the Lamb is the Light thereof The Throne of God and of the Lamb shall bee in it and his Servants shall serve him and shall see his face who is the Blessed and only Potentate the King of Kings and Lord of Lords Of him Through him and To him are all things To him bee Glory for ever Amen FINIS 1 Tim. 1. 17. Psal 147. 5. Mat. 19. 17. 1 Tim. 6. 16. Dan. 7. 10. Isa 57. 15. Psal 149. 4. Heb. 10. 19 20. Isa 55. 6. Psa 95. 6. 1 2. 99. 5. 51. 1 17. 89. 7. Jer. 32. 40. Heb. 12. 28. 1 Thes 5. 23. Levit. 10. 3. Zech. 12. 10. Rom. 8. 26. Jam. 5. 16. 1. 6. Isa 26. 8. Matth. 15. 18. Joh. 4. 23 24. 1 Thes 2. 13. Act. 16. 14. Mark 4. 12. Phil. 1. 29. Prov. 1. 24 25. Eccles 5. 1. Joh. 6. 45. Heb. 4. 12 13. 2 Cor. 10. 4 6. Psal 69. 30. Psal 106. 46. Psal 9. 14. Psal 105. 3. Psal 51. 15. Psal 19. 14. Heb. 13. 21. Isa 66. 1. Psa 111. 9. Luke 2. 13. Psa 103. 20. Heb. 1. 6. Psa 149. 1. Lev. 10. 3. Gen 18 27. 2 Tim. 2. 5. Dan. 9. 18. Hos 14. 2. Rom. 8. 26. Heb. 12. 28. 〈◊〉 Thes 2. 10. Luke 19. 48. Isa 1. 19. 2 Cor. 2. 16. James 5 16. Psal 63. 5. 1 Cor. 7. 35. Psal 84. 10. 73. 28. Gen. 1. 27. Rom. 5. 12. Rom. 3. 23. Joh. 3. 16. 18 19 20. Gal. 3. 13. Joh. 3. 5. 6. Mat. 18. 3. Eze. 33. 11. Luk. 15. 10 18 19. Psal 5. 5. Rom. 6. 23. Ephes 1. 6. 12. John 4. 42. Rom. 3. 25. Ephes 1. 5. Luk. 24. 47. Act. 5. 37. Prov. 28. 13. Rev. 3. 17. Psal 51. 5. Ephes 2. 3. Isa 48. 8. Isa 53. 6. Psal 100. 3. 1 Corinth 6. 20. 2 Cor. 8. 5. 1 Cor. 10. 31. 7. 32. 1 Thes 4. 1. 1 Joh. 3. 22. Rom. 2. 23. 1 Chron. 21. 7. Phil. 2. 21. Luke 18. 14. Rom. 15. 1. Psal 47. 7. Rom. 7. 12. Dan. 9. 9. 10. Tit. 1. 7 10. Rom 8. 5. 13. 14. 4 20. Psal 78. 7. 22. Isa 51. 7 8.
they are penitent beleevers comfortably to hope for the Kingdome which God hath promised to them that love him committing their souls to their Redeemer and quietly resting in the will and love and promises of God Resolving if God shall recover them to health to redeem the time and live the rest of their lives unto his glory And being willing if it bee their appointed time to depart and bee with Christ and they must bee exhorted to forgive such as have wronged them and to bee reconciled to those with whom they have been at variance and to make a pious just and charitable disposal of their Worldly Estates The Order for Solemnizing the Burial of the Dead IT is agreeable to nature and Religion that the Burial of Christians bee solemnly and decently performed as to the cases Whether the Corps shall bee carried first into the Church that is to bee buried in the Churchyard And whether it shall bee buried before the Sermon Reading or Prayer or after or in the midst of the reading or whether any Prayer shall bee made at the grave for the living Let no Christians uncharitably judge one another about these things let no people keep up groundless usages that being suspicioâ—s grieve their Minister and offend their Brethren Let no Minister that scrupleth the satisfying of peoples ungrounded desires in such things bee forced to do it against his Conscience and let Ministers that do use any of these Customes or Ceremonies have liberty when they suspect that the people desire them upon some Error to profess against that Error and teach the people better Whether the Minister come with the Company that brings the Corps from the house or whether hee meet them or receive them at the burial place is to bee left to his own discretion But while hee is with them let him gravely discourse of mans Mortality and the useful truths and duties thence to bee inferred And either at the Grave or in the Reading place or Pulpit by way of Sermon according to his discretion Let him at least if it bee desired instruct and exhort the people concerning death and the life to come and their necessary preparation Seeing the spectacle of Mortality and the season of mourning do tend to prepare men for a sober considerate entertainment of such Instructions and hee may read such Scriptures as may minde them of Death Resurrection and Eternal life as 1 Cor. 15. or from vers 10. to the end And Job 1. 21. 19. 25 26 27. John 11. 25 26. 5. 28 29. And his Prayer shall bee suited to the occasion When ever the Rain Snow or Coldness of the season make it unhealthful to the Minister or People to stand out of doors at least then let the Reading Exhortation and Prayers bee used within the Church Of Extraordinary Daies of Humiliation and Thanksgiving and Anniversary Festivals WHen great afflictions lye upon the Church or any special part or members of it or when any great sins have been Committed among them it is meet that in publick by fasting and prayer wee humble our selves before the Lord for the averting of his displeasure and on such occasions it is the Pastors duty to confess his own and the peoples sins with Penitence and tenderness of heart and by his Doctrine and Exhortation to Endeavour effectually to bring the People to the sight and sense of their sin and the deserts of it and to a firm Resolution of better obedience for the time to come being importunate with God in Prayer for pardon and renewed grace Upon the receipt of great and extraordinary mercies the Church having opportunity is to Assemble for publick Thanksgiving unto God and the Minister to stirre up the people to a lively sense of the greatness of those mercies and joyfully to Celebrate the praises of God the Author of them And it is not unmeet in these daies to express our joy in Feasting and outward signes of Mirth provided they bee used moderately spiritually and inoffensively and not to gratifie oursensual desires and that wee releeve the poor in their necessities which also on daies of Humiliation and other seasons wee must not forget The occasions of such daies of Humiliation and Thanksgiving being so various as cannot bee well suited by any standing forms the Minister is to apply himself to the respective duties suitable to the particular occasions Though it bee not unlawful or unmeet to keep Anniversary Commemoration by Festivals of some great and notable mercies to the Church or State the memory whereof should bee transmitted to posterity nor to give any persons their due honour who have been the Instruments thereof yet because the Festivals of the Churches Institution now observed are much abused and many sober Godly persons Ministers and others are unsatisfied of the Lawfulness of the Celebrating them as Holy daies let the abuse bee restrained and let not the Religious observation of those daies by publick Worship bee forced upon any that are thus unsatisfied provided they forbear all offensive behaviour thereupon Of Prayer and Thanksgiving for Particular Members of the Church BEsides the Petitions that are put up for all in such distresses in the General Prayer it is meet that Persons in dangerous sickness or other great affliction of Body or minde and Women that are neer the time of Childe-bearing when they desire it shall bee particularly recommended to God in the Publick Prayers of the Church Because all the members constitute one body and must have the same care one for another as suffering all with one that suffereth and rejoycing all with one that is honoured And the effectual servent prayer of the righteous especially of the whole Congregation availeth much with God But because diseases distresses and greif of minde are so various that no forms that are Particular can suit them all And because every Minister should bee able to suit his Prayers to such various Necessities of the people Wee desire that it may bee left to his discretion to pray for such according to their several Cases before or after Sermon But wee desire that except in case of sudden necessity they may send in their Bills of Request to him the night before that hee may consider of their cases and may publish only such in such Expressions as in prudence hee shall judge meet for the Ears of the Assembly In the more ordinary Cases of persons in sickness danger and distress and that are delivered from them these following Prayers may bee used or such like A Prayer for the Sick that is in hopes of Recovery MOst merciful Father Though our Sin doth finde us out and wée are justly afflicted for our Transgressions yet are wée not consumed in thy wrath but thou punishest us less than our Iniquities do deserve though thou causest Grief yet wilt thou have compassion according to the multitude of thy mercies for thou dost not willingly afflict and grieve the children of men Thou revivest the