sure promise: verily, verily, I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he will give it you; and hath commanded us to pray OUR FATHER, &c.

A Morning Prayer.

O MERCIFUL Father, we thank thee, that thou hast in faithfulness watched over us the night past, and we beseech thee to strengthen, and henceforth guide us by thy holy Spirit, that we may spend this, and all the days of our lives, in all righteousness and holiness, and that whatsoever we undertake, we may always aim at the promoting of thy glory, and expect all the success of our undertakings from thy bountiful hand alone: and to the end that we may obtain this mercy of thee, be pleased (according to thy promise) to forgive all our sins, through the holy passion and blood-shedding of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, for we heartily repent of them. Enlighten also our hearts, that we, having cast off all works of darkness, may as children of light walk in a new life in all godliness. Bless also the preaching of thy gospel. Destroy all works of the devil. Strengthen all ministers of the gospel, and magistrates of thy people. Comfort all those who are persecuted and afflicted in mind, through Jesus Christ thy beloved Son, who hath promised us, that thou wilt certainly give us, whatsoever we shall ask in his name, and therefore hath commanded us to pray-OUR FATHER, &C

An Evening Prayer.

O MERCIFUL God, eternal light, shining in darkness, thou who dispellest the night of sin, and all blindness of heart, since thou hast appointed the night for rest, and the day for labour; we beseech thee, grant that our bodies may rest in peace and quietness, that afterwards they may be able to endure the labour they must bear. Temper our sleep, that it be not disorderly, that we may remain spotless both in body and soul, nay, that our sleep itself may be to thy glory. Enlighten the eyes of our understanding, that we may not sleep in death; but always look for deliverance from this misery. Defend us against all assaults of the devil, and take us into thy holy protection. And although we have not passed this day, without having greatly sinned against thee, we beseech thee to hide our sins with thy mercy as thou hidest all things on earth with the darkness of the night, that we therefore may not be cast out from thy presence. Relieve and comfort all those, who are afflicted or distressed in mind, body or estate, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who hath taught us to pray-OUR FATHER &c.

A Prayer at the opening of the Consistory.

HEAVENLY Father, eternal and merciful God, it hath pleased thee of thy infinite wisdom and goodness to gather a church to thyself out of all nations upon the face of the earth, by the preaching of thy holy gospel, and to govern the same by the service of men. Thou hast also graciously called us up to this office, and commanded us to take heed unto ourselves and unto the flock, which Christ hath bought with his precious blood.-Since we are at this present assembled in thy holy name, after the example of the apostolic churches, to consult, as our office requires, about those things which may

come before us, for the welfare and edification of thy churches, for which we acknowledge ourselves to be unfit and incapable, as we are by nature unable of ourselves to think any good, much less to put it in practice: therefore, we beseech thee, O faithful God and Father, that thou wilt be pleased to be present with thy Holy Spirit, according to the promise, in the midst of our present assembly, to guide us in all truth. Remove from us ali misapprehensions and unbecoming desires of the flesh, and grant that thy holy word may be the only rule and guide of all our consultations, that they may tend to the glory of thy name, and to the edification of thy church, and to the discharge of our own consciences, through Jesus Christ thy Son, who with thee and the Holy Ghost, the only true God, is eternally to be praised and magnified. Amen.

A Prayer at the close of the Consistory.

( LORD God and heavenly Father, we heartily thank thee, that thou hast been pleased to gather a church to thyself in this part of the world, and to use our service therein, granting us the privilege, that we may freely and without hindrance preach thy holy gospel, and exercise all the duties of godliness: moreover we thank thee, that thou now hast been present with thy holy spirit in the midst of this our assembly, directing our determinationa according to thy will, uniting our hearts in mutual peace and concord-We beseech thee, O faithful God and Father, that thou wilt graciously be pleased to bless our intended labour, and effectually to execute thy begun work always gathering unto thyself a true church, and preserving the same in the pure doctrine, and in the right use of thy holy sacraments, and in a diligent exercise of discipline. On the contrary, destroy all evil and crafty councils, which are devised against thy word and church. Strengthen alsc all the ministers of thy church, that they may faithfully and steadfastly declare thy holy word: and the magistrates of thy people, that they may bear the sword with righteousness and discretion. Particularly we pray for those, whom thou hast been pleased to put in authority over us, both those of higher and lower dignity, and especially for the worshipful magistrates of this city. Grant that their whole government may be thus directed, that the King of all kings may rule over them, and their fellow-citizens, and that the kingdom of the devil (which is a kingdom of scandal and reproach) may, daily, more and more be destroyed and brought to nought by them as thy servants, and that we muy lead with them a quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty. Hear us, O God and Father, through Jesus Christ thy beloved Son, who with thee and the Holy Ghost, the only and true God, is eternally to be magnified and praised. Amen.

A Prayer at the meeting of the Deacons.

MERCIFUL God and Father, thou who hast not only said unto us, that we should always have the poor with us, but hast also commanded that they should be assisted, and for that end hast ordained the service of deacons in thy church, by whom they might be relieved. As we, who are called to the office of deacons in this congregation, are here at present met in thy name, to consult together concerning our ministry, therefore we humbly beseech thee for the sake of Jesus Christ, that thou wilt be pleased to endue us with the spirit of diseretion, to the end that we may rightly discern, who are

really poor, and who are not: and that we may with all cheerfulness and tidelity, distribute the alms collected by us to every one according to his necessity, not leaving the indigent members of thy beloved Son comfortless, neither giving to those who are not in want. Kindle within the hearts of meu an ardent love towards the poor, that they may liberally give of their temporal goods, of which thou hast made them stewards: and that we, having the means in hand to assist the indigent, may faithfully without vexation. and with a free heart, perform our office. Grant us also the talents, not only to comfort the miserable with the external gift, but also with the holy word. And since man doth not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of thy mouth, be pleased therefore to extend thy blessing over our distributions, and increase the bread of the poor, that both we and they may have reason to praise and thank thee: expecting the blessed coming of thy beloved Son Jesus Christ, who became poor for our sakes, to make us rich in eternity. Amen.

Grace before meal.

Psalm cxlv. 15, 16.-"The eyes of all wait upon thee, and thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing."

ALMIGHTY God, thou who hast created all things, and dost still maintain and govern them by thy divine power, and didst feed thy people Israel in the wilderness, bless us thy poor servants, and sanctify these thy gifts, which we receive from thy bountiful goodness, that we may temperately and holily use them according to thy will, and thereby acknowledge that thou art our Father, and the fountain of all good. Grant also that we may at all times and above all things seek for that spiritual bread of thy word, with which our souls are fed to life eternal, which thou hast prepared for us by the holy blood of thy beloved Son Jesus Christ. Amen.-Our Father, &c.

Also our Lord Jesus Christ admonishes us.

Luke xxi. 34, 35.-" And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares: for as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth."

Grace after meat.

Thus speaketh the Lord, in the fifth book of Moses, chap. viii. 10, 11.— "When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the Lord thy God, for the good land which he hath given thee. Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments and his judgments, and his statutes which I command thee this day."

O LORD God and heavenly Father, we thank thee for all thy benefits, which we without intermission receive from thy bountiful hand; we bless thy divine will, for preserving us in this mortal life, and for supplying all our wants; but especially for our regeneration unto the hope of a better life, which thou hast revealed unto us by the gospel. We beseech thee, merci. ful God and Father, not to suffer our hearts to be fixed on these earthly and corruptible things; but that we may always look up to heaven, expecting thence our Saviour Jesus Christ, until he appear in the clouds for our deliverance. Amen.-OUR FATHER, &c.

A Prayer for sick templed persons.

O ALMIGHTY, eternal, righteous God, and merciful Father, thou who art Lord of life and death, and without whose will, nothing is done in heaven, nor in earth, although we are not worthy to call upon thy name, nor to hope that thou wilt hear us, when we consider how we have hitherto employed our time; we beseech thee, that thou wilt be pleased of thy mercy to look upon us in the face of Jesus Christ, who has taken all our infirmities on him. We acknowledge that we are utterly incapable of any good, and prone to all evil, wherefore we have justly merited this punishment, yea, have de served much more. But Lord, thou knowest that we are thy people, and that thou art our God: we have no other refuge than to thy mercy, which thou never hast withheld from any one who turned himself to thee. Therefore we beseech thee not to impute our sins unto us, but account the wisdom, righteousness and holiness of Jesus Christ, to us, that we may in him be able to stand before thec. Deliver us for his sake from these sufferings, that the wicked may not think that thou hast forsaken us. And if it is thy pleasure longer thus to try us, give us strength and patience to bear all such according to thy will, and let all turn according to thy wisdom to our profit. Rather chastise us here, than hereafter, to be lost with the world. Grant that we may die to this world, and all earthly things, and that we may daily more and more be renewed after the image of Jesus Christ. Suffer us not to be separated by any means from thy love; but draw us daily nigher and nigher unto thee, that we may enter upon the end of our calling with joy; that is, may die, rise again, and live with Christ in eternity. We also be lieve that thou wilt hear us through Jesus Christ, who hath taught us to pray-OUR FATHER, &c.

Strengthen us also in the true faith, which we believe in our hearts and profess with our mouths.-I believe in God, &e.

Or thus:

ETERNAL merciful God and Father, the eternal salvation of the living and the everlasting lite of the dying, seeing that thou hast death and life in thy hand alone, and takest such care of us continually, that neither health nor sickness, nor any good or evil can befall us, nay, not a hair can fall from our head, without thy will: and since thou dost order all things for the good of thy people, we beseech thee, grant us the grace of thy holy spirit, to teach us rightly to acknowledge our misery, and patiently to bear thy chastenings, which we have deserved ten thousand times more severe. We know that they are not the evidences of thy wrath, but of thy fatherly love towards us, that we should not be condemned with the world.-O Lord. increase our faith in thine infinite mercy, that we may be more and more united to Christ, as members to their spiritual head, to whom thou wilt make us conform in sufferings and in glory. Lighten the cross, so that our weakness may be able to bear it. We submit ourselves entirely to thy holy will, whether thou art pleased to continue our souls longer in these tabernacles, or take them into eternal life, since we belong to Christ, and therefore shall not perish. We would willingly leave this weak body in hopes of a blessed resurrection, when it shall be restored to us much more glorious. Grant us o experience the blessed comfort of the remission of sins, and of justifica tion through Christ, that we by that shield may overcome all the assaults of Satan. May his innocent blood wash away all the stain, and uncleanness

of our sins, and his righteousness answer for our unrighteousness in thy last judgment. Arm us with faith and hope, that we may not be ashamed nor confounded by the terror of death; but when our bodily eyes are closing in darkness, may the eyes of our souls be directed towards thee; and when thou shalt have deprived us or the use of our tongues, may our hearts never cease to call upon thee. O Lord, we commit our souls into thy hands, for sake us not in our last extremity, and that only for the sake of Jesus Christ, who hath taught us to pray-OUR Father, &e.

THE FORM

FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF BAPTISM

TO INFANTS OF BELIEVERS.

THE principal parts of the doctrine of holy baptism are these three: First. That we with our children are conceived and born in sin, and therefore are children of wrath, in so much that we cannot enter into the kingdom of God, except we are born again. This, the dipping in, or sprinkling with water teaches us, whereby the impurity of our souls is signified, and we admonished to loathe, and humble ourselves before God, and seek for our purification and salvation without ourselves.

Secondly. Holy baptism witnesseth and sealeth unto us the washing away of our sins through Jesus Christ. Therefore we are baptised in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. For when we are baptised in the name of the Father, God the Father witnesseth and sealeth unto us, that he doth make an eternal covenant of grace with us, and adopts us for his children and heirs, and therefore will provide us with every good thing, and avert all evil, or turn it to our profit. And when we are baptised in the name of the Son, the Son sealeth unto us, that he doth wash us in his blood from all our sins, incorporating us into the fellowship of his death and resurrection, so that we are free from all our sins, and accounted righteous before God. In like manner, when we are baptised in the name of the Holy Ghost, the Holy Ghost assures us, by this holy sacrament, that he will dwell in us, and sanctify us to be members of Christ, applying unto us, that which we have in Christ, namely, the washing away of our sins, and the daily renewing of our lives, till we shall finally be presented without spot or wrinkle among the assembly of the elect in life eternal.

Thirdly. Whereas in all covenants, there are contained two parts: therefore are we by God through baptism, admonished of, and obliged unto new obedience, namely, that we cleave to this one God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; that we trust in him, and love him with all our hearts, with all our souls, with all our mind, and with all our strength; that we forsake the world, crucify our old nature, and walk in a new and holy life.

And if we sometimes through weakness fall into sin, we must not therefore despair of God's mercy, nor continue in sin, since baptism is a seal and undoubted testimony, that we have an eternal covenant of grace with God.