The sin may be named and aggravated when it is convenient.
A. B. you are convict of a gross and scandalous sin; you have been admonished and entreated to repent. The promises of mercies to the penitent, and the threatenings of God against the impenitent, have not been concealed from you. We have waited in hope of your repentance, as having compassion on your soul, and desiring your salvation; but we must say with grief, you have hitherto disappointed us. We are certain from the word of God, that you must be penitent, if ever you will be pardoned, and that except you repent, you shall everlastingly perish. To acquaint you publicly with this, and yet here to offer you mercy from the Lord, is the next duty laid upon us for your recovery. Oh! blame us not, if, knowing the terrors of the Lord, we thus persuade you, and are loth to leave you in the power of Satan, and loth to see you cast out into perdition, and that your blood should be required at our hands, as not having discharged our duty to prevent it.[275]
Be it known unto you therefore, that it is the God of heaven and earth, the great, the jealous, and the terrible God, whose laws you have broken, and whose authority you despise. You refuse his government, who is coming with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly of their ungodly deeds and speeches; who hath told us that "evil shall not dwell with him." "The foolish shall not stand in his sight." "He hateth all workers of iniquity." "The ungodly shall not stand in judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous." God hath not his laws in vain. "Though the wicked contemn God, and say in their hearts he will not require it;" "yet their damnation slumbereth not, they are reserved to the day of judgment, to be punished." "And he seeth that their day is coming." If men cut off the lives of those that break their laws, will God be outfaced by the pride and stubbornness of sinners? He will not; you shall know he will not; he threateneth not in jest. "Who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?" "Are you not as chaff and stubble? and is not our God a consuming fire?" "If briers and thorns be set against him in battle, will he not go through them, and burn them up together?" "Can your heart endure, or your hands be strong, in the day when God shall deal with you? It is the Lord that hath spoken it, and he will do it." What will you do, when you must bear with the pains of hell from God, that now can scarce endure to be thus openly and plainly warned of it? If we to please you should be silent and betray you, do you think the God of heaven will fear or flatter you to please a worm? "Do you provoke the Lord to jealousy? are you stronger than he?" O man! for your soul's sake, let not Satan abuse your understanding, and sin befool you. Must you not die? And doth not judgment follow, when all secrets shall be opened, and God will no more entreat you to confess. "Behold, the Judge standeth at the door." Will sin go then with you for as light a matter as it doth now? Will you then deny it, or will you stand to all the reasonings, or excuses, by which you would now extenuate or cover it? Will you defend it as your friend; and be angry with ministers and reprovers as your enemies? Or will you not mourn at last, (with weeping and gnashing of teeth,) and say, "How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof; and have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!" "Oh that you were wise, that you understood this, and that you would consider your latter end!" Believe God's wrath before you feel it: be convinced by the word and servants of the Lord, before you are confounded by the dreadfulness of his majesty. Yet there is hope; but shortly there will be none, if you neglect it. Yet "if you confess and forsake your sins, you shall have mercy; but if you cover them, you shall not prosper. And if, being oft reproved, you harden your neck, you shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy." "Be not deceived, God is not mocked. Whatsoever you sow, that shall you also reap." O man! you know not what it is to deal with an offended and revenging God. Nor what it is to hear Christ say, "Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity; I never knew you: depart from me, ye wicked, into everlasting fire." You know not what it is to be shut out of heaven, and concluded under utter desperation; and in hell to look back upon this obstinate impenitence, and rejecting of the mercy that would have saved you; and there to have conscience telling you for ever, what it is that you have done. Did you know what this is, could you, think a penitent confessing and forsaking your sin to be a condition too hard for the preventing of such a doleful state? O no! You know not what a case you are casting your immortal soul into. The Lord give you repentance, that you may never know it by experience. To prevent this, is our business with you: we delight not to displease or shame you. But God hath told us, "That if any do err from the truth, and one convert him, let him know, that he which converteth a sinner from the error of his way, shall savea soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins." I do therefore by the command, and in the name of Jesus Christ, require and beseech you, that you do, without any more delay, confess your sins and heartily bewail them; and beg pardon of them, and resolve and promise by the help of God to do so no more. And bless God that you have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, whose blood will cleanse you from your sins, if you penitently confess them; and that mercy may be yet had on so easy terms. If you had any sense of your sin and misery, or any sense of the dishonour done to God, or of the wrong that you have done to others, and of the usefulness of your penitent confession, and amendment, to the reparation of all these, you would cast yourself in the dust, in shame and grief before the Lord, and before the church. "To-day, therefore, if you will hear his voice, harden not your heart, lest God forsake you, and give you over unto your own heart's lust, to walk in your own counsels, and resolve in his wrath, you shall never enter into his rest." And then God and this congregation will be witnesses that you were warned; and your blood will be upon your own head. But if, in penitent confession, you fly to Christ, and loathe yourself for your iniquities, and heartily forsake them, I have authority to promise you free forgiveness, and that your iniquity shall not be your ruin.[276]
* Here the sin must be named and aggravated, when by the pastor it is judged requisite.
I doconfess before God and this congregation, that I have greatly sinned. * I have offended and dishonoured God, wronged the church, and the souls of others. I have deserved to be forsaken of the Lord, and cast out of his presence and communion of saints, into desperation, and remediless misery in hell. I am no more worthy to be called thy son, or to have a name or place among thy servants. I do here declare mine iniquity, and am sorry for my sins; they are gone over my head as a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me, they take hold upon me. I am ashamed, as unworthy to look up towards heaven, but my hope is in the blood and grace of Christ, who made his life a sacrifice for sin, and came to seek and save that which was lost; whose grace aboundeth where sin hath abounded. The Lord be merciful to me a sinner. I humbly beg of the congregation that they will earnestly pray, that God will wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sins; that he will forgive them, and blot them out, and hide his face from them, and remember them no more; that he will not cast me away from his presence, nor forsake me as I have forsaken him, nor deal with me according to my deserts: but that he will create in me a clean heart, 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 misdoings; for if I had been ruled by God, and by his servants, I had never done as I have done. There is nothing in religion that befriendeth sin; there is nothing 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 befall me.[277]
Mostgracious 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 flee 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 misery, nor pitieth himself. O 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 long-suffering, nor with a hardened, impenitent heart, treasure up wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of thy righteous judgment; who wilt render to every man according to his deeds, even to them that are contentious and obey not the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation 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 he heareth the threatenings of thy word, to bless himself 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 from under heaven, and all thy curses lie upon him, and thou separate him to evil, even to the worm that 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, which he is the more in danger of, because he feeleth not, and feareth not his danger. Let him know how hard it is for him to kick against the pricks, and how woeful 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 sinned; and humbling his soul in true contrition, and loathing himself, and begging thy pardoning and healing grace, and begging the prayers and communionof thy church, and resolving to sin wilfully no more, but to live before thee in uprightness and obedience all his days. O let us prevail with thee for the conversion of this impenitent sinner, and so for the saving of his soul from death, and the hiding and pardoning of his sins; that he that is lost may be found, and he that is dead may be alive, and the angels of heaven, and we thy unworthy servants here on earth, may rejoice at his repenting. Let us see him restored by thy grace, that we may joyfully receive him into our communion, and thou mayst receive him at last into thy heavenly kingdom, and Satan may be disappointed of his prey; for thy mercy' sake, through Jesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour.[278]Amen.
JesusChrist, 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.[279]
Thoughyou have greatly sinned against the Lord, and against his church, and your own soul, yet seeing you humble yourself before him, and penitently fly to Christ for mercy, resolving to do so no more; hear now the glad tidings of salvation, which I am commanded to declare unto you. If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our sins. If we confess our sins, he is faithful to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him 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. Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself lest thou also be tempted. According to this word of grace,|* This must be omitted if the person was not first rejected.|[* I do loose the bonds here laid upon you, and receive you again into the communion of the church,] requiring to receive you, and not upbraid you with your sin, but rejoice in your recovery. And I do declare to you the pardon of all your sins in the blood of Christ, if your repentance be sincere. And I exhort and charge you, that you believingly and thankfully 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.[280]
O mostmerciful Father, we thank thee that thou hast brought as under so gracious a covenant, as not only to pardon the sins of our unregenerate state; but also upon our penitent confession, and return, to cleanse us from all our unrighteousness, and pardon our falls by the blood of Christ, and to restore 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 servant, giving him repentance and remission of sin,|* Leave out this if he was not rejected.|[* and returning him to the communion of thy church.] We beseech thee, comfort him with the believing apprehensions of thy forgiveness and 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, nor his holy profession, but save him from temptation. Let him watch and stand fast, and sin no more, lest worse befall 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 crucified with Christ, and the body of sin be destroyed; that henceforth he may no more serve sin, remembering 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 high-minded, 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.[281]Amen.
O mostholy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, three Persons and one God, infinite in power, wisdom, and goodness, our Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier; our Owner, Governor, and Father; hear our prayers, and have mercy upon us, miserable sinners.
O Lord our Saviour, whose incarnation, nativity, subjection, fasting, temptation, poverty, reproaches, agony and bloody sweat, scourging, desertion, crucifying, death, and burial, were all undergone to take away the sins of the world; who being risen, ascended, and glorified, art the great Priest, and Prophet, and King of thy universal church, for which thou makest intercession, which thou dost gather, teach, and guide by thy Spirit, word, and ministers, which thou dost justify and wilt glorify with thyself, who wilt come again, and raise the dead, and judge the world in righteousness; we beseech thee hear us, miserable sinners. Cast us not out that come unto thee. Make sure to us our calling and election, our unfeigned faith and repentance, that being justified, and made the sons of God, we may have peace with him as our reconciled God and Father.[282]
Let our hearts be right with thee our God, and stedfast in thy covenant. Cause us to deny ourselves, and give up ourselves entirely unto thee, our Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier, as being not our own, but thine.[283]
Let thy Holy Spirit dwell in us, and sanctify us throughout, that we may be new creatures, and holy as thou art holy; let it be in us the Spirit of adoption and supplication, and the seal and earnest of our glorious inheritance; and let us know that we are thine, and thou abidest in us, by the Spirit which thou hast given us.[284]
As thy name, O Lord, is holy, and thy glory covereth the heavens, so let the earth be filled with thy praises. Let our souls ever magnify thee, O Lord, and our tongues extol thee. Let us speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, of thy greatness, thy power, thy glorious kingdom, thy wisdom, holiness, truth, and righteousness, thy goodness, thy mercy, and thy wondrous works. Let all flesh bless thy holy name.[285]
Let the desire of our souls be to thy name: cause us to love thee with all our hearts, to fear thee, trust in thee, and to delight in thee, and be satisfied in thee as our portion, and whatever we do to do it to thy glory.[286]
Keep us from inordinate self-love; from pride, and vain-glory, and self-seeking; and from dishonouring thee, thy word, or service in the world.[287]
Let the world acknowledge thee, the universal King. Give thy Son the heathen for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession. Let the kingdoms of the world become his kingdoms. Convert the atheistical, idolatrous, infidel, Mahometan, and ungodly nations of the earth, that every knee may bow to Christ, and every tongue confess him the King of kings, and Lord of lords, to the glory of God the Father.[288]
Let the word of thy kingdom and salvation be preached to all the world; let it have free course and be glorified: and by the power of thy Spirit convert many unto Christ; and let him be thy salvation to the ends of the earth. Send forth more labourers into the harvest, which is great, and fit them for so great a work; and deliver them from unreasonable and wicked men, that (to fill up their sins) forbid them to speak to the people, that they might be saved.[289]
Deliver the churches that are oppressed by idolaters, Mahometans, or other infidels and enemies. Give all thy servants prudence, patience, and innocency, that, suffering as christians, and not as evil-doers, they may not be ashamed, but may glorify thee, and wait for thy salvation, committing the keeping of their souls unto thee, in hope of a reward in heaven.[290]
Deliver the church from the Roman papal usurpations and corruptions. Dispel the deceits of heresies, and false worship, by the light of thy prevailing truth. Unite all christians in Christ Jesus, the true and only universal Head; that by the true christian, catholic faith and love, they may grow up in him, and may keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace; the strong receiving and bearing the infirmities of the weak. Heal the divisions that are among believers. Let nothing be done through strife or vain-glory, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than himself; and let all men know that we are Christ's disciples, by our fervent love to one another.[291]
Let us be heartily and entirely thy subjects, believing that thou art just, and the rewarder of them that diligently seek thee. Keep us from atheism, idolatry, and disobedience; from infidelity, ungodliness, and sensuality; from security, presumption, and despair.[292]
Let us study to please thee in all things. Let thy law be written in our hearts; and let us delight to do thy will.Let our faith and lives be ruled by thy word, which is able to make us wise unto salvation; let us love it, search it, and understand it, and meditate in it day and night.[293]
Let us not please ourselves or other men against thee, nor be led by the wisdom or desires of the world and flesh, nor regard lying vanities, nor through carelessness, rashness, or presumption, offend thee.[294]
As all nations must be judged by thee, let them be ruled by thy laws, and not make them void by men's traditions, nor worship thee in vain, teaching for doctrine the commandments of men. But whatever thou commandest, let them take heed to do; let them add nothing thereto, nor take aught therefrom.[295]
Let us not take thy holy name in vain, but use it in truth and reverence. Keep us from all blasphemy, perjury, profane swearing; from lying before the God of truth; and from contempt and forgetfulness of thy presence; from false, unworthy, unreverent thoughts or speeches of God, and holy things; and from neglecting or abusing thy holy word and worship.[296]
Help us to keep holy thy day, in remembrance of the blessed work of our redemption, and reverently to attend thee in public worship; and obediently to receive thy word; and fervently to call upon thy name; and to delight ourselves in thanksgiving and joyful praises to thy holiness in the communion of thy saints: and let us carefully see that our households, and all within our gates, do serve thee, and not abuse thy holy day.[297]
Have mercy on the kings and rulers of the earth, that they may escape the temptations of worldly greatness, honours, and prosperity, which would captivate them to the flesh, and draw their hearts from thee, thy laws, and ways, and would engage them against thee and thy servants. And as they are thy ministers, and magistracy is thine ordinance, sanctify and dispose them to be nursing fathers to thy church, to own thy interest, and rule for thee.[298]
Especially have mercy on thy servant Charles, our king: illuminate and sanctify him by thy Holy Spirit, that above all things he may seek thy glory, the increase of faith and obedience to thy laws, and may rule us as being thy minister for good, not to be a terror to good works, but to evil; that under him we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.[299]
Have mercy upon all the royal family, the lords of the council, and all the nobility, the judges, and magistrates of these lands. Cause them to fear thee, and to be eminent in sobriety, righteousness, and godliness, to protect the innocent, and be a terror to the wicked, hating injustice, covetousness, and pride.[300]
Let every soul be subject to the higher powers, and not resist. Let them obey the king, and all that are in authority under him, not only for wrath, but for conscience' sake, as knowing that they rule by thee, and for thee.[301]
Give all the churches able, holy, faithful pastors; and cause them laboriously to preach, and rightly to divide the word of truth, to feed thy people with knowledge, and lead them in the way of faith and love, of holiness and peace, and to watch for their souls as those that must give account; overseeing and ruling them, not by constraint, but willingly, not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind, not as being lords over thy heritage, but as the servants of all, and ensamples to the flock; that when the chief Pastor shall appear, they may receive a crown of glory.[302]
Let the congregations know those that have the ruling of them, and are over them in the Lord, that labour among them, preaching to them the word of God. Let them submissively and obediently hear, and esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake, and account them worthy of double honour.[303]
Let parents bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, diligently teaching them thy word, talking of it when they are in their house, and when they walk by the way, when they lie down, and when they rise up, that they may know their Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier, in the days of their youth: and cause children to hear, love, honour, and obey their parents, that they may have the blessing of thine especial promise unto such.[304]
Let husbands love their wives, and prudently guide them in knowledge and holiness; and let wives love, honour, and obey their husbands, as meet helpers to them.[305]
Let masters rule their servants in holiness and mercy, remembering they have a Master in heaven; and let servants reverently, singly, and willingly be obedient, and do service to their masters as to the Lord, from him expecting their reward.[306]
Keep us from murder, violence, and all injury to our neighbour's life or health; from malice, cursing, reviling, and unadvised anger. Let us not resist evil with evil, but forbear one another, and not give place to wrath.[307]
Keep us from adultery, fornication, and all uncleanness, and the occasions and appearances thereof. Let us take care as becometh saints, that they be not immodestly named among us, and that no corrupt communication proceed out of our mouths. Keep us from chambering and wantonness, from lustful thoughts, and all immodest attire, behaviour, looks, and actions.[308]
Keep us from theft and oppression, and any way wronging our neighbour in his property and estate.[309]
Keep us from false witness-bearing, lying, and deceiving; from slandering, backbiting, unjust, uncharitable censuring or reproaching; from all perverting of justice, and wronging the reputation of our neighbour; and from all consent or desire of such wrongs.[310]
Keep us from envy, and from coveting any thing that is our neighbour's, to his wrong, and from seeking our own, or drawing to ourselves, to the injury of his welfare; but let us love our neighbours as ourselves, and do to others as we would they should do to us.[311]
Teach us to love Christ and his holy image in his members, with a dear and special love, and to love our enemies, and pray for them that hate and persecute us, and to do good to all as we are able, but especially to them of the household of faith.[312]
Cause us with patience to submit to all the disposals of thy will, and wait thy end, and to love the demonstrations of thy holiness and justice, though grievous to the flesh; and keep us from impatient murmurings, and discontent, and arrogant reasoning against thy will.[313]
Give us our daily bread, our necessary sustentation and provision for thy service; and let us use it for thee, and not to satisfy the flesh. Let us depend on thee, and trust thee for it in the lawful use of the means. And bless thou our labours, and give us the fruits of the earth in season, and such temperate weather as tendeth thereunto.[314]
Deliver us and all thy servants from such wants, distresses, griefs, and sickness, as will unseasonably take us off thy service, and from untimely death; and teach us to value and redeem our time, and work while it is day.[315]
Keep us from gluttony, drunkenness, and all intemperance; from sloth and idleness; from inordinate desires of pleasures or abundance; but having food and raiment, let us be therewith contented.[316]
Of thy abundant mercy, through the sacrifice and merits of thy Son according to thy promise, forgive us all our sins, and save us from thy deserved wrath and condemnation. Remember not, O Lord, our offences, nor the offences of our forefathers; but though our iniquities testify against us, spare us and save us for thy mercy's sake. O let not our sin deprive us of thy Spirit, or of access unto thee, or communion with thee, or of thy favour or comfort, or the light of thy countenance, or of everlasting life.[317]
Cause us to forgive from our hearts, the injuries done against us, as we expect to be forgiven by thee the greatest debt. Keep us from all revengeful desires and attempts. And do thou convert and pardon our enemies, slanderers, oppressors, persecutors, and others that have done us wrong.[318]
Keep us from running upon temptations: suffer not the tempter by subtlety or importunity to corrupt our judgments, wills, affections, or conversations. Cause us to maintain a diligent and constant watch over our thoughts and hearts, our senses and appetites, our words and actions; and as faithful soldiers, by the conduct and strength of the Captain of our salvation, with the whole armour of God, to resist and overcome the world, the devil, and the flesh unto the end.[319]
Save us from the temptations of prosperity and adversity. Let us not be drawn from thee to sin by the pleasures, profits, or honours of the world. Strengthen us for sufferings. Let us not forsake thee, or fall in time of trial. Help us to deny ourselves, and take up our cross and follow Christ, accounting the sufferings of this present time unworthy to be compared with the glory to be revealed.[320]
Deliver us from the enmity and rage of Satan and his instruments; and give not up thy servants, their souls or bodies, their peace or liberties, estates or names, to their malicious wills; but save us and preserve us to thy heavenly kingdom.[321]
We ask all this of thee, O Lord; for thou art the universal King, holy and just, to whom it belongeth in righteousness to judge the world, and save thy people. All power is thine to execute wrath upon thine enemies, and to deliver and glorify thy flock; and none is able to resist thee. Of thee, and through thee, and to thee, are all things, and the glory shall be thine, for ever.[322]Amen.
Oursouls do magnify thee, O Lord; our spirits rejoice in God our Saviour, who remembered us in our low and lost estates, for his mercy endureth for ever. By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin. We kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law; for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, and judgment came upon all men to condemnation. But blessed be the Lord God of Israel, that hath visited and redeemed his people, and hath raised up a mighty salvation for us in the house of his servant David: as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began. A virgin hath conceived and brought forth: the Holy Ghost did come upon her; the power of the Highest did overshadow her; therefore the Holy One that is born of her, is called the Son of God: his name is called Jesus, for he saveth his people from their sins. To us is born a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord: he is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature; for by him all things were created that are in heaven and in earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions, or principalities or powers, all things were created by him and for him, and he is before all things, and by him all things do consist. He is the power of God and the wisdom of God; the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world. The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and men beheld his glory as the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth; for it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell. When the fulness of time was come, God sent his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that are under the law. This is the beloved Son in whom the Father is well pleased. For such a High Priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners. He did no sin, neither was there any guile found in his mouth; when he was reviled, he reviled not again, leaving us an example: who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree; for God laid on him the iniquity of us all, and by his stripes we are healed. When we were without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly, the just for the unjust: in this was manifest the love of God towards us, that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live by him. Forasmuch as the children were partakers of flesh and blood, he himself likewise took part with them, that he might destroy through death him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and might deliver them, who through fear ofdeath, were all their lifetime subject to bondage. Having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in his cross. He was buried, and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures; for God raised him, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. He hath abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light by the gospel. O death! where is thy sting? O grave! where is thy victory?[323]
All power is given him in heaven and earth. When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men. And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors, and some teachers, for the perfection of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man. He is set at God's right hand in the celestials, far above all principalities, and powers, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but in that to come. God hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be Head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.[324]
Without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God manifested in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached to the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. This is the record, that God hath given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son hath not life. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came to his own, and his own received him not. This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil. But as many as receive him, to them gives he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe in his name. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. He forgiveth our iniquities, and will remember our sins no more. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth: who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died; yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, the same is none of his. He that nameth the name of Christ must depart from iniquity. If we regard iniquity in our hearts, God will not hear our prayers. But we are washed, we are sanctified, we are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. And being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God; and hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given us. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. He that spared not his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? He that is gone to prepare a place for us, will come again and receive us to himself, that where he is, there we may be also. It is his will that they that the Father hath given him be with him where he is, that they may behold the glory that is given him. Because he liveth we shall live also; for we are dead, and our life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall we also appear with him in glory; when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that do believe. Then shall men discern between the righteous and the wicked, between those that serve God, and those that serve him not. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He that overcometh shall inherit all things. He shall enter into the joy of his Lord. He shall be a pillar in the temple of God, and shall go out no more. Christ will grant him to sit with him in his throne, even as he overcame and is set down with his Father in his throne. He will rejoice over us with joy, he will rest in his love, then, in the holy city, the new Jerusalem, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband, where the tabernacle of God will be with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, their God, and shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, no crying, nor pain, for the former things are passed away. And the city needeth not the sun, or the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God doth lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. The throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and his servants shall serve him, and shall see his face, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords. Of him, through him, and to him, are all things; to whom be glory for ever.[325]Amen.