Imatges de pàgina
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the minister is then reading or citing; and abstaining much more from all private whisperings, conferences, salutations, or doing reverence to any person present, or coming in; as also from all gazing, sleeping, and other indecent behaviour, which may disturb the minister or people, or hinder themselves or others in the service of God.

If any, through necessity, be hindered from being present at the beginning, they ought not, when they come into the congregation, to betake themselves to their private devotions, but reverently to compose themselves to join with the assembly in that ordinance of God which is then in hand.

Of Publick Reading of the Holy Scriptures.

READING of the word in the congregation, being part of the publick worship of God, (wherein we acknowledge our dependance upon him, and subjection to him,) and one mean sanctified by him for the edifying of his people, is to be performed by the pastors and teachers.

Howbeit, such as intend the ministry, may occasionally both read the word, and exercise their gift in preaching in the congregation, if allowed by the presbytery thereunto.

All the canonical books of the Old and New Testament (but none of those which are commonly called Apocrypha) shall be publickly read in the vulgar tongue, out of the best allowed translation, distinctly, that all may hear and understand.

How large a portion shall be read at once, is left to the wisdom of the minister; but it is convenient, that ordinarily one chapter of each Testament be read at every meeting; and sometimes more, where the chapters be short, or the coherence of matter requireth it.

It is requisite that all the canonical books be read over in order, that the people may be better acquainted with the whole body of the scriptures; and ordinarily, where the reading in either Testament endeth on one Lord's day, it is to begin the next.

We commend also the more frequent reading of such scriptures as he that readeth shall think best for edification of his hearers, as the book of Psalms, and such like.

When

When the minister who readeth shall judge it necessary to expound any part of what is read, let it not be done until the whole chapter or psalm be ended; and regard is always to be had unto the time, that neither preaching, nor other ordinances, be straitened, or rendered tedious. Which rule is to be observed in all other publick performances.

Beside publick reading of the holy scriptures, every person that can read, is to be exhorted to read the scriptures privately, (and all others that cannot read, if not disabled by age, or otherwise, are likewise to be exhorted to learn to read,) and to have a Bible.

Of Publick Prayer before the Sermon.

AFTER reading of the word, (and singing of the psalm,) the minister who is to preach, is to endeavour to get his own and his hearers hearts to be rightly affected with their sins, that they may all mourn in sense thereof before the Lord, and hunger and thirst after the grace of God in Jesus Christ, by proceeding to a more full confession of sin, with shame and holy confusion of face, and to call upon the Lord to this effect:

"To acknowledge our great sinfulness, First, by reason "of original sin, which (beside the guilt that makes us liable "to everlasting damnation) is the seed of all other sins, hath "depraved and poisoned all the faculties and powers of soul "and body, doth defile our best actions, and (were it not "restrained, or our hearts renewed by grace) would break "forth into innumerable transgressions, and greatest rebel"lions against the Lord that ever were committed by the "vilest of the sons of men. And next, by reason of actual "sins, our own sins, the sins of magistrates, of ministers, "and of the whole nation, unto which we are many ways accessory: which sins of ours receive many fearful aggra"vations, we having broken all the commandments of the "holy, just, and good law of God, doing that which is for"bidden, and leaving undone what is enjoined; and that "not only out of ignorance and infirmity, but also more "presumptuously, against the light of our minds, checks of" "our consciences, and motions of his own Holy Spirit to the "contrary,

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contrary, so that we have no cloak for our sins; yea, not "only despising the riches of God's goodness, forbearance, and long-suffering, but standing out against many invita-❝tions and offers of grace in the gospel; not endeavouring, "as we ought, to receive Christ into our hearts by faith,. or to walk worthy of him in our lives.

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"To bewail our blindness of mind, hardness of heart, "unbelief, impenitency, security, lukewarmness, barrenness; our not endeavouring after mortification and newness of life, nor after the exercise of godliness in the pow"er thereof; and that the best of us have not so stedfastly. "walked with God, kept our garments so unspotted, nor "been so zealous of his glory, and the good of others, as we ought and to mourn over such other sins as the "congregation is particularly guilty of, notwithstanding the "manifold and great mercies of our God, the love of Christ, "the light of the gospel, and reformation of religion, our own purposes, promises, vows, solemn covenant, and "other special obligations to the contrary.

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"To acknowledge and confess, that, as we are convinced "of our guilt, so, out of a deep sense thereof, we judge "ourselves unworthy of the smallest benefits, most worthy "of God's fiercest wrath, and of all the curses of the law, "and heaviest judgments inflicted upon the most rebellious "sinners; and that he might most justly take his kingdom " and gospel from us, plague us with all sorts of spiritual and temporal judgments in this life, and after cast us into utter "darkness, in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone, "where is weeping and gnashing of teeth for evermore.

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Notwithstanding all which, to draw near to the throne "of grace, encouraging ourselves with hope of a gracious answer of our prayers, in the riches and all-sufficiency of "that only one oblation, the satisfaction and intercession of "the Lord Jesus Christ, at the right hand of his Father and our Father; and in confidence of the exceeding great and "precious promises of mercy and grace in the new covenant, "through the same Mediator thereof, to deprecate the heavy "wrath and curse of God, which we are not able to avoid, "or bear; and humbly and earnestly to supplicate for mercy, "in the free and full remission of all our sins, and that only

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"for the bitter sufferings and precious merits of that our "only Saviour Jesus Christ.

"That the Lord would vouchsafe to shed abroad his love "in our hearts by the Holy Ghost; seal unto us, by the "same Spirit of adoption, the full assurance of our pardon "and reconciliation; comfort all that mourn in Zion, speak

peace to the wounded and troubled spirit, and bind up "the broken-hearted: and as for secure and presumptuous "sinners, that he would open their eyes, convince their "consciences, and turn them from darkness unto light, and "from the power of Satan unto God, that they also may "receive forgiveness of sin, and an inheritance among them "that are sanctified by faith in Christ Jesus.

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"With remission of sins through the blood of Christ, to pray for sanctification by his Spirit; the mortification of "sin dwelling in and many times tyrannizing over us; the quickening of our dead spirits with the life of God in "Christ; grace to fit and enable us for all duties of con"versation and callings towards God and men; strength against temptations; the sanctified use of blessings and cros"ses; and perseverance in faith and obedience unto the end.

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"To pray for the propagation of the gospel and kingdom "of Christ to all nations; for the conversion of the Jews, "the fulness of the Gentiles, the fall of Antichrist, and the "hastening of the second coming of our Lord; for the de"liverance of the distressed churches abroad from the ty"ranny of the antichristian faction, and from the cruel oppressions and blasphemies of the Turk; for the blessing "of God upon all the reformed churches, especially upon "the churches and kingdoms of Scotland, England, and "Ireland, now more strictly and religiously united in the "Solemn National League and Covenant; and for our "plantations in the remote parts of the world: more par"ticularly for 'that church and kingdom whereof we are "members, that therein God would establish peace and "truth, the purity of all his ordinances, and the power of "godliness; prevent and remove heresy, schism, profaneness, superstition, security, and unfruitfulness under the means of grace; heal all our rents and divisions, and preserve us from breach of our Solemn Covenant.

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"To pray for all in authority, especially for the King's "Majesty; that God would make him rich in blessings, both "in his person and government; establish his throne in re"ligion and righteousness, save him from evil counsel, and "nake him a blessed and glorious instrument for the con"servation and propagation of the gospel, for the encourage"ment and protection of them that do well, the terror of "all that do evil, and the great good of the whole church, "and of all his kingdoms; for the conversion of the Queen, "the religious education of the Prince, and the rest of the "royal seed; for the comforting the afflicted Queen of Bo"hemia, sister to our sovereign; and for the restitution and "establishment of the illustrious Prince Charles, Elector Pa❝latine of the Rhine, to all his dominions and dignities; for "a blessing upon the High Court of Parliament, (when sit"ting in any of these kingdoms respectively,) the nobility, "the subordinate judges and magistrates, the gentry, and all "the commonality; for all pastors and teachers, that God would fill them with his Spirit, make them exemplarily "holy, sober, just, peaceable, and gracious in their lives; "sound, faithful, and powerful in their ministry; and fol"low all their labours with abundance of success and bless"ing; and give unto all his people pastors according to his "own heart; for the universities, and all schools and reli"gious seminaries of church and commonwealth, that they may flourish more and more in learning and piety; for the "particular city or congregation, that God would pour out "a blessing upon the ministry of the word, sacraments, and "discipline, upon the civil government, and all the several "families and persons therein; for mercy to the afflicted "under any inward or outward distress; for seasonable "weather, and fruitful seasons, as the time may require; for "averting the judgments that we either feel or fear, or are "liable unto, as famine, pestilence, the sword, and such like.

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"And, with confidence of his mercy to his whole church, " and the acceptance of our persons, through the merits and "mediation of our High Priest, the Lord Jesus, to profess "that it is the desire of our souls to have fellowship with "God in the reverend and conscionable use of his holy ordinances; and, to that purpose, to pray earnestly for his 66 grace

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