appearance the time of your our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Do not either way abuse the goodness of GoD, who calleth us mercifully to amendment, and of his endless pity promiseth us forgiveness of that which is past, if with a perfect and a true heart we return unto him. Since therefore you are soon dissolution draweth near; your sins have laid fast hold upon you; you are soon to be removed from among men by a violent death; and you shall fade away suddenly like the grass, which in the morning is green and groweth up, but in the evening is cut down, dried up, and withered. After you to pass into an endless and have thus finished the course unchangeable state, and your of a sinful and miserable life, future happiness or misery you shall appear before the depends upon the few moments Judge of all flesh; who, as he which are left you; I require pronounces blessings on the you strictly to examine yourself, righteous, shall likewise say, and your estate both towards with a terrible voice of most just judgment, to the wicked, Go, ye accursed, into the fire everlasting, prepared for the devil and his angels. Your sins have brought you too near this dreadful sentence: it is therefore your part and duty, my brother, humbly to confess and bewail your great and manifold offences, and to repent you truly of your sins, as you tender the eternal salvation of your soul. Be not deceived with a vain and presumptuous expectation of God's favour, nor say within yourself, Peace, Peace, where there is no peace; for there is no peace, saith my GoD, to the wicked. GOD is not mocked; he is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity; and without holiness no man shall see the LORD. On the other hand, despair not of God's mercy, though trouble is on every side; for GoD shutteth not up his mercies for ever in displeasure: But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us GoD and towards man; and let no worldly consideration hinder you from making a true and full confession of your sins, and giving all the satisfaction which is in your power to every one whom you have wronged or injured; that you may find mercy at your heavenly Father's hand, for CHRIST's sake, and not be condemned in the dreadful day of judgment. Lastly, beloved, submit your self with Christian resignation to the just judgment of GOD, which your own crimes have brought upon you, and be in charity with all men; being ready sincerely to forgive all such as have offended you, not excepting those who have prosecuted you even unto death: and, though this may seem a hard saying, yet know assuredly, that without it your charity is not yet perfect. And fail not earnestly to endeavour and pray for this blessed temper and composure of mind. So may you cast yourself with an entire dependence upon the mercies of GoD, through the thee for succour in behalf of merits of our Saviour and this thy servant, who is now Redeemer JESUS CHRIST. 暫 Here the Minister shall examine him concerning his faith, and rehearse the articles of the Creed, Dost thou believe in GOD, &c, And the criminal shall answer, under the sentence of con demnation. The day of his calamity is at hand, and he is accounted as one of those who All this I steadfastly believe. LORD, remember thy mercies; go down into the pit. Blessed ¶ Then shall the Minister examine whether look upon his infirmities; hear he repent him truly of his sins, exhorting the voice of his complaint; give him to a particular confession of the sin for which he is condemned; and upon him, we beseech thee, patience confession, he shall instruct him what in this his time of adversity, satisfaction ought to be made to those whom he has offended thereby; and if he knoweth any combinations in wickedness, or any evil practices designed against others, let him be admonished to the utmost of his power to discover and prevent them. After his confession, the Minister shall declare to him the pardoning mercy of GOD, in the form which is used in the Com munion Service.. ¶ After which shall be said the Collect following: set and support under the terrors which encompass him; before his eyes the things he hath done in the body, which have justly provoked thee to anger; and forasmuch as his continuance appeareth to be short amongst us, quicken him so much the more by thy grace O HOLY JESUS, who of and holy Spirit; that he, thine infinite goodness, didst being converted and reconciled accept the conversion of a sin- unto thee, before thy judgments ner on the cross; open thine have cut him off from the earth, eye of mercy upon this, thy may at the hour of his death servant, who desireth pardon depart in peace, and be received and forgiveness, though in his into thine everlasting kingdom, latest hour he turneth unto through JESUS CHRIST our Lord. thee. Renew in him whatsoever | Amen.. hath been decayed by the fraud and malice of the devil, or by his own carnal will and frailness. ff Adding this. O SAVIOUR, of the world, Consider his contrition; accept who by thy cross and precious his repentance; and forasmuch blood hast redeemed us, save as he putteth his full trust only us, and help us, we humbly in thy mercy, impute not beseech thee, O LORD. unto him his former sins, but T Then shall the Minister say, T Then the Minister, standing, shall say, IN the midst of life we are in death of whom may we seek for succour, but of thee, O LORD, who for our sins art justly displeased? Yet, O LORD Gop most holy, Q LORD most mighty, O holy and most merciful SAVIOur, deliver us not into the bitter pains of eternal death. Thou knowest, LORD, the to die. Grant that he may secrets of our hearts: shut not take thy judgments patiently, thy merciful ears to our prayers; and repent him truly of his but spare us, LORD most holy, sins; that he recovering thy O GOD most mighty, O holy favour, the fearful reward of and merciful SAVIOUR, thou his actions may end with this most worthy Judge eternal, life; and whensoever his soul suffer us not, at our last hour, shall depart from the body, it for any pains of death to fall may be without spot presented from thee. unto thee,through JESUS CHRIST our Lord. Amen. The Epistle. Heb. xii. 11. T Then the Minister shall say, THE Almighty God, who is a most strong tower to all those who put their trust in him; to NO chastening for the prewhom all things in heaven, in sent seemeth to be joyous, but earth, and under the earth, do grievous; nevertheless, afterbow and obey; be now and wards it yieldeth the peaceable evermore thy defence; and fruit of righteousness, unto make thee know and feel that them which are exercised there is none other name under thereby. heaven given to man, in whom and through whom thou mayest receive salvation, but only the name of our Lord JESUS CHRIST. Amen. T And after that shall say, UNTO God's gracious mercy and protection we commit thee: The LORD bless thee and keep thee: The LORD make his face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace both now and evermore. At the time of Execution, besides all, or such parts of the foregoing office as the Minister shall judge proper, shall be said the Commendatory prayer for a person at the point of departure, as it is in the The Gospel. St. John v. 24. VERILY, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemna tion; but is passed from death unto life. TA Prayer for imprisoned Debtors. MOST gracious God, look down in pity and compassion upon these thine afflicted servants, who are fallen under the misery of a close restraint. Give them always a deep sense of their sins, and of thy fatherly love and correction; and the more their confinement presseth hard upon them, the more let ¶ The Collect for the Communion Service. the comforts of thy grace and O GOD, who declarest thy mercy abound towards them almighty power chiefly in Give to their creditors tendershowing mercy and pity; we ness and compassion, and to beseech thee to have mercy them a meek and forgiving upon this thy servant, who for spirit towards all those who his transgressions is appointed have confined them, and a full Visitation of the Sick. purpose to repair all the injuries here; and so sanctify their and losses which others have afflictions, that they may work sustained by them. Raise them for them an eternal weight of up friends to pity and relieve | glory, through the merits and them; give them the continued mediation of JESUS CHRIST thy comfort of thy countenance | Son our Lord. Amen. A FORM OF PRAYER AND THANKSGIVING TO ALMIGHTY GOD, For the fruits of the earth, and all the other blessings of his merciful providence; to be used yearly on the FIRST THURSDAY IN NOVEMBER, or on such other day as shall be appointed by the civil authority. The service shall be as usual, except where it is hereby otherwise appointed. Among the Sentences at the beginning of Morning Prayer shall be the following: HONOUR the LORD with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thine increase; so shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. Prov. iii. 9, 10. of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! Deut. xxxiii. 29. ¶ Instead of, O come let us sing, &c. the following shall be said or sung: PRAISE ye the LORD; for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant, and praise is comely. The LORD by wisdom hath The LORD doth build up Jefounded the earth; by under-rusalem; he gathereth together standing hath he established the outcasts of Israel. the heavens: by his knowledge He healeth those that are the depths are broken up, and broken in heart, and bindeth the clouds drop down the dew.up their wounds. Prov. iii. 19, 20. The eternal GOD is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. Deut. xxxiii. 27. He covereth the heaven with clouds, and prepareth rain for the earth; he maketh the grass to grow upon the mountains. He giveth to the beast his food; and to the young ravens which cry. Israel then shall dwell in safety alone; the fountain of Jacob shall be upon the land of corn and of wine, also his Praise the LORD, O Jerusaheaven shall drop down dew.lem: Praise thy GOD, O Sion. Deut. xxxiii. 28. For he hath strengthened Happy art thou, O Israel; the bars of thy gates; he hath who is like unto thee, O people blessed thy children within saved by the LORD, the shield thee. He maketh peace in thy The Epistle. St. James i, 16, borders, and filleth thee with the finest of the wheat, ¶ Then shall be said or sung one of the Selections, or some other portion of the Psalms, at the discretion of the Minister. The First Lesson shall be Deut. viii. and the Second Lesson shall be 1 Thess. v. 12 to 24. DO not err, my beloved brethren; every good gift and every perfect gift is from above; and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will T After the General Thanksgiving, shall be begat he us of the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures. said this which followeth : MOST gracious GoD, by whose knowledge the depths Wherefore, my beloved brethare broken up, and the clouds ren, let every man be swift to drop down the dew; we yield hear, slow to speak, slow to thee unfeigned thanks and wrath; for the wrath of man praise, as for all thy mercies, worketh not the righteousness so especially for the returns of of GOD. Wherefore lay apart seed-time and harvest, and for all filthiness and superfluity of crowning the year with thy naughtiness, and receive with goodness, in the increase of the meekness the ingrafted word, ground, and the gathering in which is able to save your souls. of the fruits thereof. And, we Be ye doers of the word; and beseech thee, give us a just not hearers only, deceiving sense of this great mercy; such your own selves. For if any as may appear in our lives, by be a hearer of the word and not an humble, holy, and obedient a doer, he is like unto a man walking before thee all our beholding his natural face in a days, through JESUS CHRIST glass; for he beholdeth himself, our Lord; to whom, with thee and goeth his way, and straightand the HOLY GHOST, be all way forgetteth what manner of man he was. glory and honour, world withBut whoso out end. Amen. looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, ¶ The Collect to be used instead of that for he being not a forgetful hearer, the day. O MOST merciful Father, who hast blessed the labours of the husbandman in the returns of the fruits of the earth; we give thee humble and hearty thanks for this thy bounty; beseeching thee to continue thy loving kindness to us; that our land may still yield her increase, to thy glory and our comfort, through JESUS CHRIST Our Lord. Amen. but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before GOD and the Father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. |