12.2 Sam. 11.2. Gen. 3. 6. and renew a right spirit in me, and grant me 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 ways, or servants of the Lord for my mis1 Cor. 10. 11, doings; for if I had been ruled by God, and by his servants, I had never done as I have done! There Matt.26.41.75, is nothing in religion that befriendeth sin, there is noHeb. 12. 23. thing so contrary to it, as God and his holy laws, which I should have obeyed. Rather let all take warning by me, and avoid temptations, and live not carelessly, and hearken not to the inclinations, or reasonings of the flesh, nor trust their weak and sinful hearts, but live in godly fear and watchfulness, and keep under the flesh, and keep close to God, and hearken to the faithful counsel of his servants, and I entreat your prayers to God, that I may be strengthened by his grace, that I may sin thus no more, lest worse be 1 Cor. 9. 25. 26, 27. 2 Chron. 25. 16. Eph. 3, 16. 2 Cor. 5. 11. Matt. 3. 7. Prov. 29. 1. 1 Cor. 10. 22. Luke 23. 24. fal me. A Form of Prayer for a Sinner impenitent, after Public Admonition. Most gracious God, according to thy command. we have warned this sinner, and told him of thy threatenings, and foretold him of thy certain terrible judgments, that he might fly from the wrath to come, but alas, we perceive not that he repenteth or relenteth, but hardeneth his heart against reproof; as if he were able to contend with thee, and overcome thy power; O let us prevail with thee for grace, that we may prevail with him for penitent confession and reformation; O pity a miserable sinner! so miserable, as that he layeth not to heart his Acts 8. 22, 23; misery, nor pitieth himself. Ŏ save him from the gall of bitterness, and from the bonds of his iniquity give him repentance unto life, that he 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 blind mind, 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 longsuffering, nor with a hardened, impenitent heart, 11. 18. 2 Tim. 2.25, 26. John 11.40. 1 Tim. 4. 2. treasure up wrath, against the day of wrath and revelation of thy righteous judgment, who wilt render 8,9. 2, 3. Deut. 9. 17. to every man according to his deeds, even to them Eph. 4. 19. that are contentious and obey not the truth, but Psal. 81. 12. obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tri- Rom. 2. 4; 5. 6. bulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil. Let him be sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them that commit such things, and let him not think in his impenitency to escape thy judgment. O suffer him not, when Deut. 29. 19he heareth the threatenings of thy word, to bless him- 2 1. self 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 jealousy smoke against him, and thou wilt not spare him, but blot out his name Mark 9. 24. from under heaven, and all thy curses lie upon him, and thou separate him to evil, even to the worm that Matt. 1. 21. dieth not, and to the fire that is not quenched. O save him from his sins, from his impenitency, and the pride and stubbornness of his heart: O save him from the everlasting flames, and from thy wrath, 2 Cor. 6. 2. which he is the more in danger of, because he feeleth Luke 19. 41. 42. not, and feareth not his danger; let him know how Prov. 28. 14. hard it is for him to kick against the pricks, and Isa. 45. 9. how woful to strive against his Maker; lay him at thy footstool in sackcloth and ashes, in tears and lamentation, crying out, Woe unto me that I have Joel 2. 1—3. sinned, and humbling his soul in true contrition, and Lam. 5. 16. loathing himself, and begging thy pardoning and healing grace, and begging the prayers and commu- Psal.51. nion of thy Church, and resolving to sin wilfully no James 5. 20. more, but to live before thee in uprightness and obe- Luke 32. 10. dience all his days: O let us prevail with thee for the conversion of this impenitent sinner, and so for Gal. 6. 1. the saving of his soul from death, and the hiding, and pardoning of his sins: that he that is lost may Acts 9.5. be found, and he that is dead may be alive, and the Luke 15. 27. angels of heaven, and we thy unworthy servants here on earth may rejoice at his repenting, let us Ezek. 33. 14.16. see him restored by thy grace that we may joyfully receive him into our communion, and thou mayest receive him at last into thy heavenly kingdom, and 2 Tim. 2. 26. Satan may be disappointed of his prey; for thy mercy sake, through Jesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour. Amen. Luke 19. 27. Matt. 18. 15,16. 1 Cor. 5. 11. Tit. 3. 10. Matt. 18. 1517. 2 Thes. 3. 6. 14, 15. 1 Cor. 11. 5. 2 Sam. 12. 14. ? Thes. 3. 6. 14. Acts 8. 24. 2 Tim. 2. 25. 26. 1 Cor. 5. 13. Matt. 18. 18. 2 Sam. 12. 13. 2 Chron. 33. 12, 13. Rom. 10. 15. John 2.1, 2. A Form of Rejection from the Communion of the Church. JESUS Christ, the King and Lawgiver of the Church, hath commanded, that, If a brother trespass against us, we go and tell him his fault between him and us alone, and if he will not hear us, we shall then take with us, one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses, every word may be established; and if he shall neglect to hear them, that he tell it to the Church, and if he neglect to hear the Church, that he be to us as a heathen man, and a publican. And that we keep no company; if any that is called a brother, be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner, with such a one, no not to eat. And that we withdraw ourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and note him, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. According to these laws of Christ, we have admonished this offending brother, who hath greatly sinned against God, and grieved and injured the Church, we have earnestly prayed, and patiently waited for his repentance, but we have not prevailed. But after all, he continueth impenitent, and will not be persuaded to confess and forsake his sin: we 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 we leave him bound to the judgment of the Lord, unless his true repentance shall prevent it. A Form of Absolution, and Reception of the THOUGH you have greatly sinned against the Lord, If we confess our sins, he is faithful, to forgive us 1 John 1. 9. our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him Isa. 55. 6, 7. while he is near: let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. He that covereth his sins shall not prosper, but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. Gal. 6. 1. Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, restore Matt. 18. 8. such a one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself lest thou also be tempted. According to this *This must be omitted if the person was not first rejected. word of grace, [* I do loose the Prov. 28. 13. bonds here laid upon you, and Luke 15. receive you again into the com- 2 Cor. 2. 7. 10. munion of the Church,] requir- 8.8. Acts 13. 38; Psal. 85. 8. 2 Pet. 2. 22. ing to receive you, and not upbraid you with your Luke 15.25.27. sin, but rejoice in your recovery. And I do declare Matt. 26. 41. to you the pardon of all your sins in the blood of 1 Cor.9.25-27. Christ, if your repentance be sincere. And I exhort and charge you, that you believingly and thank- Psal. 141. 5. fully 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 reproofs, 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, or Prayer, for the MOST merciful Father, we thank thee, that thou Rom. 3. 25. hast brought us under so gracious a covenant, as 1 John 1.9; 2.1, not only to pardon the sins of our unregenerate state; 2. but also upon our penitent confession, and return, to cleanse us, from all our unrighteousness, and par- Psal. 23; 103.3. don our falls by the blood of Christ, and to resture our souls, and lead us again in the paths of righteousness, and command thy servants to receive us. We thank thee that thou hast thus restored this thy Matt. 9. 2. servant, giving him repentance and remission of sin. * Leave out this if he was not rejected. [* And returning him to the commu- Rom. 5. 1—3. 1 Pet. 5. 10. Acts 11. 23. Psal. 85.8. 2 Tim. 2. 19. Rom. 2. 23. Matt. 6. 13. reconciliation through Jesus Christ. Restore unto him the joy of thy salvation, and uphold him by thy free Spirit; stablish, strengthen, settle him, that with full purpose of heart he may cleave unto thee, and now thou hast spoken peace to him he may not return again to folly; as he nameth the name of Christ, let him depart from iniquity, and never more dishonour thee, thy Church or truth, nór his holy profession, but save him from temptation. Let him watch and stand fast, and sin no more, lest 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 his old man be cruci-, fied with Christ, and the body of sin be destroyed; that henceforth he may no more serve sin, remem1 Cor. 16. 13. bering what fruit he had in those things, whereof he is now ashamed, and that the end and wages of sin is death, and let us all take warning by the falls of others, and be not highminded but fear; and let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. Let us watch and pray that we enter not into temptation, remembering that the flesh is weak. And our adversary the devil walketh about seeking whom he 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 we may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with thee, O Father! and thy Holy Spirit, be kingdom, and power, and glory for ever. Amen. John 5. 14. 2 Cor. 6. 1. Jude 4. |