Chapter XXXIV: Cases and Directions About Self-Judging (3)

20. The maintenance of the ministry shall neither be so poor, as to discourage men from devoting their children to the office, or disable them from a total addictedness to their proper work, by any distracting wants or cares; nor yet wholly disable them from works of charity: nor yet so great, as may be a strong bait to proud, covetous, worldly-minded men, to intrude into the ministry for fleshly ends. It shall be so much, as that the burden of their calling may not be increased by want; but yet not so much, but that self-denial shall be exercised by all that undertake the ministry; and of the two, the burden of the ministerial labours, with its proper sufferings, shall to flesh and blood seem to preponderate the worldly advantage. So greatly needful is it to the church, that all ministers be self-denying men; that valuing things spiritually can practise humility, mortification, and contempt of the world, as well as preach it.

21. There shall be a treble lock upon the door of the ministry:--

(1.) Whether they are fit to be ministers in general, the ordainers shall judge.

(2.) Whether they are fit to be the pastors of this or that particular church, the members of the church shall so far judge, as that none shall become their pastors without their own consent.

(3.) Whether they be fit for the magistrate's countenance, maintenance, and protection, the magistrate himself shall judge.

And therefore, all three shall severally try and approve each pastor: yet so, that the two first only be taken as necessary to the office itself; and the third only to the maintenance and encouragement or defence of the officer. And though sometimes this may occasion disagreements and delays for a time; yet, ordinarily, the securing of a faithful ministry, and other good effects, will countervail many such inconveniences.

22. No one church shall have the government of another church; and the secular differences of metropolitans, patriarchs, &c. which was set up in one empire, upon secular accounts, and from secular reasons, shall all cease. And no differences shall be made necessary among them, which Christ hath not made necessary. But christian princes shall take warning by the Greek and Latin churches, and by all the calamities and ruins which have been caused in the christian world, by bishops striving who should be the greatest, when Christ decided the controversy long ago, Luke xxii.

23. As christians hold personal, christian communion, in their several particular churches; so churches hold a communion of churches, by necessary correspondencies and associations: not making a major vote of bishops in synods, to have a proper government over the minor part; but that by counsel and concord, that may help and strengthen one another, and secure the common interest of christianity. And that he that is a member of one church, may be received of the rest; and he that is cast out of one, may not be received by the rest, unless he be wronged. So that it shall not be one politic church, but a communion of churches.

24. The means of this communion shall be,

(1.) By messengers.

(2.) By letters and certificates communicatory.

(3.) By synods.

25. These synods shall, as to a few neighbour churches, be ordinary and stated; and the meetings of ministers in them shall be improved,

(1.) To the directing and counselling of one another, in matters doubtful; especially of discipline.

(2.) To edify each other by conference, prayer, and disputations.

(3.) That the younger may be educated under the grave advice and counsels of the elder.

(4.) That the concord of themselves, and the churches under them, may be preserved.

But if they would grow imperious, tyrannical, heretical, or contentious, the magistrate shall hinder their stated, ordinary meetings; that it be not accounted a thing simply necessary, nor used to the disturbance of the church or state. And all provincial, national, and larger councils, shall be held by the magistrate's consent.

26. He that taketh himself to be wrongfully excommunicated in one church, shall have a treble remedy:

(1.) To have his cause heard by the associated pastors of the neighbour churches; though not as rulers of the bishop or pastor of that particular church, yet as counsellors, and such whose judgment bindeth to concord in lawful things.

(2.) To be admitted by another church, if it appear that he is wronged. And,

(3.) To appeal to the magistrate, as the preserver of justice and order in all societies.

27. The magistrate shall appoint some of the most grave, and wise, and godly, and moderate of the ministers, to have a general inspection over many churches; and to see that they be well taught and ordered, and that pastors and people do their duty: who shall therefore oft visit them, and shall instruct and exhort the younger ministers; and with the countenance of the magistrate, and their own seniority and ability, shall rebuke the slothful and faulty ministers; and persuade them to diligence and fidelity: but shall exercise no outward force by the sword; nor any excommunication by themselves alone, or otherwise than in the aforesaid regular way.

28. All ordinations shall be performed, (except in case of necessity,) either in the assembly of the associated pastors, with their president; or in the vacant church, by some of them, appointed by the rest; or by the general visitor, last mentioned, with a competent number of assistants. But still, an ordination to the ministry in general, shall not be taken to be formally the same as the affixing him to this or that church in particular; nor more than the licensing of a physician is the same with the affixing him to a particular hospital.

29. A catalogue shall be drawn up of some of the greatest verities, which are not expressly found in the creed, Lord's prayer, or decalogue; which, as the articles of confession of the associated churches of the nation, shall serve for these three uses:--

(1.) To satisfy all foreign churches, against any accusation, that they are orthodox.

(2.) To examine the knowledge of such as are admitted to the ministry by (but not to be subscribed, unless only as to a general acknowledgment of the soundness of their doctrine; without saying that, There is nothing faulty in them).

(3.) To be a rule of restraint to ministers, in their preaching; that none be allowed publicly, after admonition, to preach against any doctrine contained in them.

30. The usurped ecclesiastical power of bishops, and presbyteries, and councils, (which were coercive, or imitated secular courts, or bound the magistrate to execute their decrees,) being cast out, and all pastors restrained from playing the bishops in other churches, out of their own charge, the magistrate shall exercise all coercive church government himself; and no more trust the sword directly, or indirectly, in the hands of the clergy, who have long used it so unhappily, to the disturbance of the christian world, and the shedding of so much innocent blood. Where it may be had, there shall be a church justice, or magistrate, in every considerable parish; who, being present, shall himself hear how ministers preach, and behave themselves among their people. And all ministers and churches shall be responsible to the magistrate, for all abuses, and mal-administration. If any minister preach or pray seditiously, abusively, factiously, railingly, against tolerable dissenters, to the destroying of christian love and unity; or heretically, to the danger of the people's souls; or shall exercise tyranny over the people, or live a vicious life; or be negligent in his office of teaching, worship, or discipline, or otherwise grossly misbehave himself; he shall be responsible both (as aforesaid) to the associated pastors and visitor, (or archbishop,) and also to the magistrate; who shall rebuke and correct him, according to the measure of his offence. And it shall appear, that the magistrate is sufficient for all coercive church government, without all the clergy's usurpations; which uphold the Roman and other tyrannical societies.

31. The question, Who shall be judge of heresy, schism, or church sins? shall be thus decided.

(1.) The bishops or pastors of the particular churches shall be the judges, who is to be denied communion in their churches as heretics, schismatics, &c.

(2.) The associated churches shall be judges, (in their synods, or by other correspondence,) who is to be commonly denied communion in all their churches; and what pastors and churches shall have the _dextram communionis_, and who not.

(3.) The magistrate shall be the only judge, who is to be punished for heresy or schism, &c. with fines, or any outward, corporal penalty. And no one shall usurp the other's right.

32. The magistrate shall silence all preachers that, after due admonition, so grossly misbehave themselves in doctrine, worship, or conversation, as to be the plagues of the churches, and to do apparently more hurt than good. But as to all worthy and able ministers, if they commit any fault, they shall be punished as other subjects, only with such penalties as shall not, by silencing or restraint, be a punishment to the innocent people's souls, nor hinder the preaching of the gospel of salvation: even as if the common bakers, brewers, butchers, carpenters, perform their work perniciously, (poisoning their beer, bread, and meat,) they shall be forbid the trade; but for other faults, they shall be so punished, that the people be not left without bread, beer, meat, houses, for their faults.

33. If any heretics (as Arians, Socinians, &c.) would creep into the ministry, there shall not be new forms of subscription made to keep them out; (which it is likely, with their vicious consciences, would be ineffectual, and would open a gap to the old church tyrannies and divisions;) nor an uncertain evil be ineffectually resisted by a certain greater mischief. But while he keepeth his error to himself, he is no heretic as to the church (_non apparere_ being equal to _non esse_): and when he venteth his heresy, he is responsible all the ways aforesaid, and may be by the magistrate punished for his crime, and by the churches be branded as none of their communion; which is the regular way of reforming crimes, viz. By judgment and execution, and not by making new rules and laws, as fast as men break the old; as though laws could be made which no man can break.

34. The magistrate shall countenance or tolerate no sin or error, so far as he can cure it by just remedies, which will not do more harm than good: but he shall unwillingly tolerate many tolerable errors and faults; because it is not in his power to remedy them, but by such means. But,

(1.) The sound and concordant ministry only shall have his countenance and maintenance.

(2.) Smaller errors and disorder shall be best cured by gentle rebukes, and discountenance, and denial of maintenance; together with the disgrace that will be cast upon them, by the judgment and dissent of all the united, concordant ministers and churches (which together will do more and better, than exasperating cruelties will do).

(3.) The publishing of pernicious principles shall be restrained more severely.

But though men may be restrained from venting pernicious falsehoods, they cannot be constrained to believe the truth; (we are not so happy;) nor shall they be constrained to lie, and say that they believe it when they do not.

35. All matters of quarrels, division, and cruel usage of each other, being thus cut off and gone, bitterness and revengeful thoughts will cease, and love will revive in all men's breasts, and unity and peace will follow of its own accord. And if any heretical or contentious sect arise, the hearts of all united people will so rise against them, that desertion and shame will quickly kill them.

36. Then will the hearts of the people cleave to their pastors: and they will be no more put on the great difficulties of loving the bishops that hurt them, or of loving them in gaols; but it will be as easy to love them, when they feel the love to their souls in the labours and kindness of their pastors, as to love their dearest and nearest friends. And then love will open the people's ears to the teacher's doctrine, and it will do them good: and then the labours and lives of faithful ministers will be sweet and easy, when the love, and the unity, and faithfulness of the people, is their daily encouragement. Oh how good, and how happy, will it be for pastors and people thus to live in love and unity! It will not only remind us of Aaron's perfume, but of the Spirit of love that dwelt in our Redeemer, and which he promised should be his seal and mark upon all his true disciples; yea, and of the celestial society, and life of perfect love.

37. Then shall neighbours exercise their charity, for the help of the ignorant about them, without the suspicions of venting heresies, or sedition, or encroaching on the pastor's office. And neighbours, when they come together, shall not take praying together, or holy conference, or singing God's praise, or reading good books, or repeating their teachers' sermons, or counselling each other, to be a bad or dangerous work: but the ignorant, that cannot spend the Lord's day in holy exercises at home, (because they cannot read or remember much,) shall join with the families of their more understanding neighbours, who can help them; (as they met, Acts xii. 12, for prayer; and as neighbour families were to join in eating the passover with the family that had not enough to eat it;) for love and unity shall end these jealousies. And all shall be done under the guidance and oversight of their pastors; and not in enmity of opposition to them, or to the concordant church assemblies. And oh what helps and comfort will this be to all faithful pastors, when all the work lieth not on them alone; but every one sets his hand to build, in his proper place; and when they that converse together all the week, are seconding that which he more seldom teacheth them in public!

38. The younger sort of ministers, that are now bred up in Vulcan's forge, shall be then trained up under grave and peaceable men; where uniting and peace-making principles shall be the rudiments of their literature.

39. And the younger sort of the people shall be no more tempted into envious heats against their afflicters; nor into contentious sects, because of controversies; but shall be fed with the milk of peaceable principles, and be educated in the love of love itself. And the names of sects, and church divisions, and proud pretendings, shall, by use, be made as disgraceful, as now the names of swearing, drunkenness, and whoredom are.

40. And oh how dear, how amiable, how honourable will their governors be, to such a people (especially that blessed prince, that shall first perform this work)! How heartily will they pray for them, plead for them, and fight for them! and how freely will they contribute any thing in their power to their aid! and how impatient will they be against every word that would dishonour them! How blessed will the people be under such a prince! and how sweet and easy will the life of that prince be, that is to govern such a people!

GRANT, O LORD, THAT THIS GREAT HONOUR AND COMFORT MAY FALL INTO THE HANDS OF THE KING OF ENGLAND, BEFORE ALL OTHERS IN THE WORLD. Kings will then see, that it is their interest, their honour, and their greatest happiness on earth, to be the wise, pious, righteous governors, of a wise, pious, just, united people; that love them so much, that still they would fain serve them better than they are able.

41. The ignorant, vulgar, and ruder sort, observing this amiable concord, and all the blessed fruits thereof, will admire religion, and fall in love with it: and multitudes that shall be saved, will be daily added to the seriously religious, and the house of Christ will be filled with guests.

42. Hereupon the scandalous and flagitious lives of common protestants will be much cured; for the number of the flagitious will grow small, and crimes will be under common disgrace. Besides that, they will be punished by the magistrate; so that gross sin will be a marvel.

43. The books of plain doctrine and holy living, with the pacificatory treatises of reconcilers, will then be most in esteem and use; which now are so disrelished by turbulent, discontented, siding persons. And abundance of controversial writings, about church government, liturgies, ceremonies, and many other matters, will be forgotten and cast aside as useless things; for the swords shall be made into plough-shares and pruning-hooks.

44. The happy example of that happy prince and country, that shall begin and first accomplish this work, will be famous through all the protestant churches; and will inflame such desires of imitation in them all, and be such a ready direction in the way, that it will greatly expedite their answerable reformation. And the famous felicity of that prince, in the reformation and concord of his subjects, will kindle in the hearts of other protestant princes and states an earnest desire of the same felicity. And so, as upon the invention of printing, and of guns, the world was presently possessed of guns and of printed books, that never before attained any such thing; so here, they that see the happiness of one kingdom brought about, and see how it was done, will have matter enough before their eyes, both to excite their desires and guide their endeavours in the means to bring all this to pass.

45. The protestant kingdoms and states, being thus reformed and united in themselves, will be inflamed with an earnest desire of the good of all other churches, and of all the world: and therefore, as divines have held something called general councils for the union of all those churches; so these princes will by their agents hold assemblies for maintaining correspondence, to the carrying on of the common good of the world, by the advantage of their united counsels and strength; and then no enemy can stand long before them. For they that love and serve them zealously at home, will venture their lives for them zealously abroad, if there be cause.

46. The excellent and successful use of the magistrate's government of the churches in their dominions, will quite shame all the usurping claims of the pope and general councils, and their mongrel ecclesiastic courts, and all the train of artifices and offices, by which their government of the world is managed. And the world, and especially princes, will plainly see how much they were abused by their usurpations, and that there is no need of pope or cardinal, nor any of those officers or acts at all; but that these are the mere contrivances of carnal policy, to keep up an earthly kingdom under the name of the catholic church. And also the purity and unity of the reformed churches, where the vulgar have more religion and union than their monasteries, will dazzle the eyes of the popish princes, states, and people; and when they see better, and especially the happiness of the princes, they will forsake the usurper that had captivated them by fraud, and will assume their freedom and felicity; and so the Roman church kingdom will fall.

47. The deluded Mahometans seeing the unity and glory of christendom, as they were before kept from Christ by the wicked lives and the divisions of christians (thinking that we are far worse than they); so now they will be brought to admire and honour the christian name, and fear the power of the christian princes. And one part of them will turn christians; and the rest, even the Turkish power, the christian's force, by the power of God, will easily break. And so the Eastern churches will be delivered and reformed, and the Mahometans come into the faith of Christ.

48. The poor scattered Jews also, when they see the glory and concord of christians, will be convinced that Christ is indeed the true Messias: and being converted, perhaps, shall by the christian powers be some of them re-established in their own land; but not to their ancient peculiarity, or policy and law.

49. And then the christian zeal will work to the conversion of the poor idolatrous, heathen world; and part of them will yield to reason and faith, and the rest by just victories be subdued. And so the kingdoms of the world will become the kingdoms of the Lord and his Christ; and the gospel shall be preached in all the world.

50. And when the kingdom of grace is perfected, and hath had its time, the kingdom of glory shall appear, upon the glorious appearing of Christ our King; and the dead shall arise, and they that have overcome, shall reign with Christ, and sit with him upon the throne, even as he overcame, and is set down with the Father on his throne. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

"Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also, which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee; that they also may be one in us, that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me, I have given them, that they may be one, even as we are one. I in them, and thou in me; that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me," John xvii. 20-24.

_Object._ But if this world should ever become so happy, it would be more amiable, and so be a greater snare to our affections, and make us willing to stay from heaven.

_Answ._ No amiableness or pleasantness stealeth the heart from God, or keepeth it from heaven, but that which hideth the glory and goodness of God and heaven from our minds, or corrupteth and diverteth the will and affections by some inconsistency or contrariety; but the spiritual excellency of the reformed concordant church on earth, will so much more clearly represent heaven to our conceptions, and give our hearts so pleasant a foretaste of it, that above all things it will excite our desires of that fuller glory, and call us most powerfully to a heavenly mind and life: as the first-fruits and earnest do make us desire the harvest, and the full possession; and as now those that live in the most heavenly society, and under the most excellent helps and means, have usually more heavenly minds and lives, than they that in more tempting and distracting company never enjoy such heavenly beams.

CONSECTARY.

All the Romish dreams of church union arise from ignorance of the true state and interest of the church, and the true and necessary terms of union.

And all the plots also of the moderating papists, that talk of a political church catholic having a visible constitutive or governing head; whether monarchical, (the pope,) or aristocratical, or democratical (the patriarchs, or a general council): and that talk of universal laws of this church, made by such a universal head, besides the universal laws of Christ; and falsely feign the councils called general, in a particular empire, called or ruled by one emperor only, in his own dominions, to have been universal, as to all the catholic churches on earth; and that feign these councils to have been infallible, which so often erred, and crossed each other; and that set the world upon the undeterminable controversy, Which were true general councils; and, How many we must receive and conform to: whether only four, or six, or eight; and till what age. And that would persuade the christian world, that whatever diversity of canons, customs, or church laws, or ceremonies, are allowed among them, it must all be done or held by this same authority of the pope or council, or both: to which (though foreign) kings and bishops must all be subject; and from which they must receive their christianity; and by which all their reformations must be tried: and that none must be taken as catholics, nor any churches tolerated, that hold not such a factious union, under such a usurping head, personal or collective: but as Tertullian speaketh, rather than endure such wiser and better societies, _Solitudinem facerent, et vocarent pacem_: and as a WORLDLY CLERGY, whose church and kingdom is only of and in this world, would banish from it all (save a lifeless image) which hath any kin to heaven; and suffers none to live in this world among them but themselves.

* * * * *

I say, all this is, 1. From ignorance of the true nature of the christian religion, church state, and terms of unity and concord; which I have lately opened in a book, entitled, "The True and only Terms of the Concord of all the Churches."

2. And from contention about ambiguous words, and self-conceitedness in their controversies, ignorantly thence raised; which I have sought to end in a book, called, "Catholic Theology."

3. And from vicious passions and partiality; which I have sought to heal in a book, called, "The Cure of Church Divisions."

All written long since the writing of this foregoing Prognostication.

THE REFORMED LITURGY.

THE ORDINARY PUBLIC WORSHIP ON THE LORD'S DAY.

_The Congregation being reverently composed, let the Minister first crave God's assistance and acceptance of the Worship, to be performed in these or the like words._

Eternal, incomprehensible, and invisible God, infinite in power, wisdom, and goodness, dwelling in the light which no man can approach, where thousand thousands minister unto thee, 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 us a new and living way, that with boldness we may enter into the holiest, by the blood of Jesus, and hast bid us seek thee while thou mayst be found: We come to thee 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 thee. Put thy fear into our hearts, that with reverence we may serve thee; sanctify us, that thou mayst be sanctified of us, when we draw nigh thee. 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 be to thee: let us draw near thee with our hearts, and not only with our lips, and worship thee, 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, believing, understanding hearts, that we may no more refuse thy calls, nor disregard thy merciful, outstretched hand, nor slight 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 be all taught of God. Let thy word be unto us quick and powerful; a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart; mighty to pull down strong-holds, casting down imaginations and reasonings, and every high thing that advanceth itself against the knowledge of God; and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Let us magnify thee with thanksgiving, and triumph in thy praise. Let us rejoice in thy salvation, and glory in thy holy name. Open thou our lips, O Lord, and let our mouths show forth thy praise. And let the words of our mouths, and the meditation of our hearts, be acceptable in thy sight, through Jesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour.[176] 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 be sanctified in all that come nigh unto thee. We are sinful and unworthy dust, but being invited by thee, are bold, through our blessed Mediator, to present ourselves and our supplications before thee. Receive us graciously, help us by thy Spirit; let thy fear be upon us; let thy word come unto us in power, and be 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 thee this day without distraction, that we may find that a day in thy courts is better than a thousand, and that it is good for us to draw near to God; through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.[177] Amen.

_Next, let one of the Creeds be read by the Minister, saying,_

In the profession of this christian faith we are here assembled.

I believe in God the Father, &c.

I believe in one God, &c.

_And sometimes Athanasius' Creed._

_The Ten Commandments._

God spake these words, and said, &c.

_For the right informing and affecting the People, and moving them to a penitent, believing Confession, some of these Sentences may be read._

God created man in his image.[178]

By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.[179]

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.[180]

God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.[181]

He that believeth on him shall not be condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.[182]

And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.[183]

For every one that doth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.[184]

Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us.[185]

Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.[186]

That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.[187]

Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.[188]

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 ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?[189]

I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over a sinner that repenteth.[190]

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 be called thy son.[191]

_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 be 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 believe in him, and by true repentance turn unto thee, and that whosoever confesseth and forsaketh his sin, shall have mercy; we confess that we are vile and miserable sinners, being conceived in sin; by nature children of wrath, and transgressors from the womb. All we like sheep have gone astray, and turned every one to his own way. Thou madest us, and not we ourselves. Thou boughtest us with a price, and we are not our own; therefore we should have wholly given up ourselves unto thee, and have glorified thee with our souls and bodies as being thine. Whatever we did should have been done to thy glory, and to please thee, in the obeying of thy will. But we have displeased and dishonoured thee, and turned from thee, exalting, seeking, and pleasing ourselves. Thou art the King of all the world, and thy laws are holy, just, and good. But we have denied thee our due subjection and obedience, being unruly and self-willed, minding the things of the flesh, and making provision for its lusts. We have staggered at thy word through unbelief, and have not fully placed our trust and hope in thee. We have rather feared man that is dust, and can but kill the body, than thee, that canst destroy both soul and body in hell. Thou art infinitely good, and love itself, yet have we not fully taken thee for our portion, nor loved thee with all our heart, and soul, and might, nor made thee our full desire and delight. But we have inordinately loved ourselves, and the world, and the things of the world, and lived by sense when we should have lived by faith, and cared and laboured for the food that perisheth, when we should have laboured for the one thing needful, and that which endureth to everlasting life. We have been slothful servants, yielding to temptations, ashamed of our duty, losing our precious time, when we should have been fervent in spirit, serving the Lord, cleaving to thee with full resolution, redeeming the time, and with diligence making sure our calling and election. We have not with due holiness and reverence drawn near thee, and used thy holy name, thy worship, and thy day. We have dishonoured and disobeyed our superiors, and neglected our inferiors. We have been guilty of not loving our neighbours as ourselves, and not doing to others as we would they should do to us; but have sought our own against their welfare, not forbearing and forgiving, not loving our enemies as we ought, not following peace, nor studying to do good to all according to our power. We have sinned secretly and openly, in thought, word, and deed, ignorantly and presumptuously, in passion and upon deliberation, against thy precepts, promises, and threats; against thy mercies and thy judgments, under thy patience and in thy sight; against our consciences, our purposes, and our covenants. When we were hastening to death and judgment, for which through all our lives we should have prepared, thou hast commended thy wonderful love towards us in giving thy Son to die for sinners, to reconcile us to thee, while we 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 freely offering us pardon and life in Jesus Christ; but we have made light of it, and neglected this great salvation, and made excuses or too long delays; undervaluing our Redeemer, his blood and merits, his offered grace and endless glory, rejecting his holy doctrine and example, resisting his Spirit, ministers, and word. We have sinned, O Lord, against thee, and against our own souls, and are not worthy to be called thy children. We have deserved everlasting wrath; to us belongeth confusion, but mercy and forgiveness to thee. Have mercy upon us, O God, according to the multitude of thy mercies. Heal our souls that have sinned against thee, and enter not into judgment 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 sin of the world. Accept us in thy beloved Son, who was made a curse for us, and was wounded for our transgressions, that we might be 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 ourselves for all the evils that we 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 stony heart, and give us a new and tender heart. Give us the Spirit of thy Son, and be our God, and let us be thy people. Enlighten our understandings to know the wonderful things of thy law, the dimensions of thy love in Christ, the mysteries of thy kingdom, and the riches of the glory of thy inheritance in the saints, and that we 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 we may never depart from thee. Cause us to seek first thy kingdom, 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 be there. Mortify our earthly inclinations and desires. Crucify 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 lust of men, but the will of God, studying in all things to please thee, and to be 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 be in thy law, and let us meditate therein day and night. Cause us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, and righteously, and godly in this present world, as obedient children, not fashioning ourselves to the former lusts of our ignorance; but as he 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, forbearing and forgiving one another, if any have a quarrel against another, even as Christ forgave us. Give us the wisdom which is first pure, and then peaceable. In our eyes let a vile person be contemned, but let us honour them that fear the Lord. Cause us to walk circumspectly without offence, and to be 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 ourselves, and take up our cross, and follow Christ; esteeming his reproach to be greater riches than the treasures of the world; that having suffered with him, we may also be glorified with him. Though we must be tempted, help us to overcome, and be faithful unto the death; and then let us receive that crown of life, through the merits and intercession of Christ Jesus our Lord and only Saviour; in whose comprehensive words we sum up our requests, saying as he hath taught us, Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, &c.[192]

_Or thus, when brevity is necessary._

O Most great, most just, and gracious God, thou art of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, thou condemnest the ungodly, impenitent, and unbelievers; but hast promised mercy through Jesus Christ to all that repent and believe in him. We confess that we were conceived in sin, and are by nature children of wrath; and have all sinned and come short of the glory of God. In our baptism thou tookest us into the bond of the holy covenant, but we remembered not our Creator in the days of our youth, with the fear, and love, and obedience which we owed thee: not pleasing and glorifying thee in all things, nor walking with thee by faith in a heavenly conversation, nor serving thee fervently with all our might; but fulfilled the desires of the flesh, and of the carnal mind. We have neglected and abused thy holy worship, thy holy name, and thy holy day. We have dishonoured our superiors, and neglected our inferiors. We have dealt unjustly and uncharitably with our neighbours, not loving them as ourselves, nor doing to others as we would they should do to us. We have not sought first thy kingdom and righteousness, and been contented with our daily bread, but have been careful and troubled about many things, neglecting the one thing necessary. Thou hast revealed thy wonderful love to us in Christ, and offered us pardon and salvation in him; but we made light of it, and neglected so great salvation, and resisted thy Spirit, word, and ministers, and turned not at thy reproof. We have run into temptations; and the sin which we should have hated, we have committed in thy sight, both secretly and openly, ignorantly and carelessly, rashly and presumptuously, against thy precepts, thy promises, and threats, thy mercies and thy judgments. Our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us. If thou deal with us as we deserve, thou wilt cast us away from thy presence into hell, where the worm never dieth, and the fire is not quenched. But in thy mercy, thy Son, and thy promise, is our hope. Have mercy upon us, most merciful Father. Be reconciled to us, and let the blood of Jesus Christ cleanse us from all our sins. Take us for thy children, and give us the Spirit of thy Son. Sanctify us wholly, shed abroad thy love in our hearts, and cause us to love thee with all our hearts. O make thy face to shine upon thy servants; save us from our sins, and from the wrath to come; make us a peculiar people to thee, zealous of good works, that we may please thee, and show forth thy praise. Help us to redeem the time, and give all diligence to make our calling and election sure. Give us things necessary for thy service, and keep us from sinful discontent and cares. And seeing all these things must be dissolved, let us consider what manner of persons we ought to be, in all holy conversation and godliness. Help us to watch against temptations, and resist and overcome the flesh, the devil, and the world; and being delivered out of the hand of all our enemies, let us serve thee without fear, in holiness and righteousness before thee all the days of our life. Guide us by thy counsel, and after receive us into thy glory, through Jesus Christ our only Saviour. Amen.[193]

[Here use the Lord's Prayer as before.]

_For the strengthening of Faith, and raising the Penitent, some of these Sentences of the Gospel may be here read._

Hear what the Lord saith to the absolution and comfort of penitent believers.

The Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him.[194]

If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.[195]

Be it known unto you, men and brethren, that through this man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins: and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses.[196]

Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: that as sin reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.[197]

If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sin, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.[198]

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.[199]

Whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely.[200]

All that the Father hath given me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in nowise cast out.[201]

I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and iniquities I will remember no more.[202]

Hear also what you must be and do for the time to come, if you would be saved.

Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.[203]

If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.[204]

There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.[205]

For to be carnally-minded is death, but to be spiritually-minded is life and peace.[206]

For the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.[207]

So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.[208]

For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if through the Spirit ye mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.[209]

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.[210]

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.[211]

Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.[212]

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.[213]

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be that go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the path, that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.[214]

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared unto all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, and righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for the blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.[215]

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.[216]

The ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.[217]

Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: for our God is a consuming fire.[218]

Seeing then that these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be, in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting to the coming of the day of God?[219]

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.[220]

_Then may be said the ninety-fifth or the hundredth Psalm, or the eighty-fourth._

_And next the Psalms in order for the day; and next shall be read a chapter of the Old Testament, such as the Minister findeth most seasonable; or with the liberty expressed in the admonition before the second book of Homilies._[221]

_After which may be sung a Psalm, or the Te Deum said; then shall be read a chapter of the New Testament, and then the Prayer for the King and Magistrates. And after that, the sixty-seventh, or ninety-eighth, or some other Psalm, may be sung or said, or the Benedictus, or Magnificat. And the same order to be observed at the Evening Worship, if time allow it._[222]

Next after the psalm the minister shall (in the pulpit) first reverently, prudently, and fervently pray, according to the state and necessities of the church, and those especially that are present, and according to the subject that he is to preach on. And after prayer, he shall preach upon some text of holy Scripture, suiting his matter to the necessities of the hearers, and the manner of delivery to their quality and benefit. Always speaking from faith and holy experience in himself, with plainness and perspicuity, with reverence and gravity, with convincing evidence and authority, with prudence, caution, faithfulness, and impartiality, with tender love and melting compassion, with fervent zeal and persuading importunity, and with frequency and unwearied patience, waiting on God for the success. After sermon he shall pray for a blessing on the word of instruction and exhortation, which was delivered; and in his prayers (before or after sermon) ordinarily he shall pray for the conversion of heathens, Jews, and other infidels; the subversion of idolatry, infidelity, Mahometanism, heresy, papal tyranny and superstition, schism and profaneness, and for the free progress of the gospel, and the increase of faith and godliness, the honouring of God's name, the enlargement of the kingdom of Christ, and the obedience of his saints through the nations of the earth. And in special for these nations; for the king's Majesty, and the rest of the royal family; for the lords of his Majesty's council, the judges, and other magistrates of the land; for the pastors of the church, and all congregations committed to their care and government. Always taking heed that no mixtures of imprudent, disorderly expressions, of private discontent and passion, of unreverent, disobedient, seditious, or factious intimations, tending to corrupt, and not to edify, the people's minds, do turn either prayer or preaching into sin. And ordinarily in church communion, especially on the Lord's day, (which is purposely separated for the joyful commemoration of the blessed work of man's redemption,) a considerable proportion of the public worship must consist of thanksgiving and praises to God, especially for Jesus Christ, and his benefits; still leaving it to the minister's discretion to abbreviate some parts of worship, when he seeth it needful to be longer on some other.[223]

_The Sermon and Prayer being ended, let the Minister dismiss the Congregation with a benediction, in these or the like words._

Blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.[224]

The Lord bless you, and keep you: the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious unto you: the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.[225]

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.[226]

_Except there be a Communion in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper to be celebrated, or any further Worship to be performed, and then the Minister may delay the Benediction till the End._