Page images
PDF
EPUB

Instead whereof, (until the said discipline may be restored again, which is much to be wished,) it is thought good, that at this time (in the presence of you all) should be read the general sentences of God's cursing against impenitent sinners, gathered out of the se ven and twentieth Chapter of Deuteronomy, and other places of Scripture; and that ye should answer to every Sentence, Amen: To the intent that, being admonished of the great indignation of God against sinners, ye may the rather be moved to earnest and true repentance; and may walk more warily in these dangerous days; fleeing from such vices, for which ye affirm with your own mouths the curse of God to be due.

CURSED is the man that maketh any carved or molten image, to worship it.

And the people shall answer and say,
Amen.

Minister. Cursed is he that curseth his father or mother.

[blocks in formation]

Minister.

NOW seeing that all they are accurs

ed (as the prophet David beareth witness) who do err and go astray from the conimandments of God; let us (remembering the dreadful judgement hanging over our heads, and always ready to fall upon us) return unto our Lord God, with all contrition and meekness of heart; bewailing and lamenting our sinful life, acknowledging and confessing our offences, and seeking to bring forth worthy fruits of penance. For now is the ax put unto the root of the trees, so that every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is

hewn down, and cast into the fire. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God: he shall pour down rain upon the sinners, snares, fire and brimstone, storm and tempest; this shall be their portion to drink. For lo, the Lord is come out of his place to visit the wickedness of such as dwell upon the earth. But who may abide the day of his coming? Who shall be able to endure when he appeareth? His fan is in his hand, and he will purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the barn; but he will burn the chaff with unquenchable fire. The day of the Lord cometh as a thief in the night: and when men shall say, Peace, and all things are safe, then shall sudden destruction come upon them, as sorrow cometh upon a woman travailing with child, and they shall not escape. Then shall appear the wrath of God in the day of vengeance, which obstinate sinners, through the stubbornness of their heart, have heaped unto them. selves; which despised the goodness, patience, and long-sufferance of God, when he calleth them continually to repentance. Then shall they call upon me, (saith the Lord,) but I will not hear; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me; and that, be cause they hated knowledge, and received not the fear of the Lord, but abhorred my counsel, and despised my correction. Then shall it be too late to knock when the door shall be shut; and too late to cry for mercy when it is the time of justice. O terrible voice of most just judgement, which shall be pronounced upon them, when it shall be said unto them, Go, ye cursed, into the fire everlasting, which is prepared for the devil and his angels. Therefore, brethren, take we heed betime, while the day of salvation lasteth; for the night cometh, when none can work. But let us, while we have the light, believe in the light, and walk as children of the light; that we be not cast into utter darkness, where is weeping and gnashing of teeth. Let us not 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 true heart we return unto him. For though our sins be as red as scarlet, they shall be made white as snow; and though they be like purple, yet they shall be made white as wool. Turn ye (saith the Lord) from all your wickedness, and your sín shall not be your destruction: Cast away from you all your ungodliness that ye have done; Make you new hearts, and a new spi rit: Wherefore will ye die, O ye house of Israel, seeing that I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God? Turn ye then, and ye shall live. Although we have sinned, yet have we an Advocate with the Fa

ther, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the propitiation for our sins. For he was wounded for our offences, and smitten for our wickedness. Let us therefore return unto him, who is the merciful receiver of all true penitent sinners; assuring ourselves that he is ready to receive us, and most willing to pardon us, if we come unto him with faithful repentance; if we submit ourselves unto him, and from hence forth walk in his ways; if we will take his easy yoke, and light burden upon us, to follow him in lowliness, patience, and charity, and be ordered by the governance of his Holy Spirit; seeking always his glory, and serving him duly in our vocation with thanksgiving: This if we do, Christ will deliver us from the curse of the law, and from the extreme malediction which shall light upon them that shall be set on the left hand; and he will set us on his right hand, and give us the gracious benediction of his Father, commanding us to take possession of his glorious kingdom: Unto which he vouchsafe to bring us all, for his infinite mercy.

Amen.

[blocks in formation]

ine.

But lo, thou requirest truth in the inward parts and shalt make me to understand wisdom secretly.

Thou shalt purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Thou shalt make me hear of joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.

Turn thy face away from my sins: and put out all my misdeeds.

Make me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from thy presence: and take not thy holy Spirit from me. O give me the comfort of thy help again and stablish me with thy free Spirit.

Then shall I teach thy ways unto the wicked and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O

God, thou that art the God of my health and my tongue shall sing of thy righteousness.

Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord: and my mouth shall shew thy praise. For thou desirest no sacrifice, else would I give it thee: but thou delightest not in burnt-offerings.

The sacrifice of God is a troubled' spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, shalt thou not despise.

O be favourable and gracious unto Sion: build thou the walls of Jerusa lem.

Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness, with the burnt-offerings and oblations: then shall they offer young bullocks upon thine altar.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost;

Answer. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world with out end. Amen.

Lord, have mercy upon us.

Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

OUR Father, which art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive its our trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; But deliver us from

evil. Amen.

Minister. O Lord, save thy servants; Answer. That put their trust in thee. Minister. Send unto them help from above.

Answer. And evermore mightily de. fend them.

Minister. Help us, O God our Sa viour.

Answer. And for the glory of thy Name deliver us; be merciful to us sinners, for thy Name's sake.

Minister. O Lord, hear our prayer. Answer. And let our cry come unto thee.

Minister. Let us pray.

LORD, we beseech thee, mercifully hear our prayers, and spare all those who confess their sins unto thee; that they, whose consciences by sin are accused, by thy merciful pardon may be absolved; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

MOST mighty God, and merciful Father, who hast compassion upon all men, and hatest nothing that thou hast made; who wouldest not the death of a sinner, but that he should rather turn from his sin, and be saved; Mercifully forgive us our trespasses; receive and comfort us, who are grieved and wearied with the burden of our sins. Thy property is always to have mercy; to thee only it appertaineth to forgive sins. Spare us therefore, good Lord, spare thy people, whom thou hast redeemed; enter not into judge

ment with thy servants, who are vile carth, and miserable sinners; but so turn thine anger from us, who meekly acknowledge our vileness, and truly repent us of our faults, and so make haste to help us in this world, that we may ever live with thee in the world to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Then shall the people say this that followeth, after the Minister. TURN thou us, O good Lord, and so

shall we be turned. Be favourable, O Lord, Be favourable to thy people, Who turn to thee in weeping, fasting, and praying. For thou art a merciful

God, Full of compassion, Long-suffering, and of great pity. Thou sparest when we deserve punishment, And in thy wrath thinkest upon mercy. Spare thy people good Lord, spare them, And let not thine heritage be brought to confusion. Hear us, O Lord, for thy mercy is great, And after the mul titude of thy mercies look upon us; Through the merits and mediation of thy blessed Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

Then the Minister alone shall say, THE Lord bless us, and keep us; the Lord lift up the light of his coun tenance upon us, and give us peace, now and for evermore. Amen.

THE

PSALMS OF DAVID.

BLESSE

THE FIRST DAY.

MORNING PRAYER.

PSAL. i. Beatus vir, qui non abiit &c. LESSED is the man that hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way of sinners and hath not sat in the seat of the scornful.

:

2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord : and in his law will he exercise himself day and night.

3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the water-side that will bring forth his fruit in due season.

4 His leaf also shall not wither and look, whatsoever he doeth, it shall prosper.

5 As for the ungodly, it is not so with them: but they are like the chaff, which the wind scattereth away from the face of the earth.

6 Therefore the ungodly shall not be able to stand in the judgement: neither the sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

7 But the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous and the way of the ungodly shall perish. PSAL. ii. Quare fremuerunt gentes? WHY do the heathen so furiously rage together and why do the people ima

gine a vain thing?

2 The kings of the earth stand up, and the rulers take counsel together: against the Lord, and against his Anointed.

:

3 Let us break their bonds asunder and cast away their cords from us.

4 He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh them to scorn: the Lord shall have them in derision.

5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure. 6 Yet have I set my King: upon my holy

:

hill of Sion.

7 I will preach the law, whereof the Lord hath said unto me: Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.

8 Desire of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance: and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession.

9 Thou shalt bruise them with a rod of iron and break them in pieces like a potter's vessel.

10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be learned, ye that are judges of the earth.

:

11 Serve the Lord in fear and rejoice unto him with reverence.

12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and so ye perish from the right way if his wrath be kindled, (yea, but a little,) blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

PSAL. iii. Domine, quid multiplicati? LORD, how are they increased that trouble me many are they that rise against me. 2 Many one there be that say of my soul: There is no help for him in his God.

3 But thou, O Lord, art my defender : thou art my worship, and the lifter up of my head. 4 I did call upon the Lord with my voice: and he heard me out of his holy hill.

« PreviousContinue »