A Christian Directory, Part 4: Christian Politics

The General Prayer

O most holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, Three Persons and One God, our Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier, our Lord, our Governor and Father, hear us, and have mercy upon us, miserable sinners.

O Lord our Saviour, God and man! who, having assumed our nature, by thy sufferings, and death, and burial, wast made a ransom to take away the sins of the world; who being raised from the dead, ascended and glorified, art made head over all things to the church, which thou gatherest, justifiest, sanctifiest, rulest, and preservest, and which at thy coming thou wilt raise and judge to endless glory; we beseech thee to hear us, miserable sinners: 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.²²⁸

Let thy Holy spirit sanctify us, and dwell in us, and cause us to deny ourselves, and to give up ourselves entirely to thee, as being not our own, but thine.

As the world was created for thy glory, let thy name be glorified throughout the world; let self-love, and pride, and vain-glory be destroyed; cause us to love thee, fear thee, and trust in thee with all our hearts, and to live to thee.²²⁹

Let all the earth subject themselves to thee, their King. Let the kingdoms of the world become the kingdoms of the Lord, and of his Christ. Let the atheists, idolaters, Mahometans, Jews, and other infidels, and ungodly people, be converted. Send forth meet labourers into the harvest, and let the gospel be preached throughout all the world. Preserve and bless them in thy work. Sustain in patience, and seasonably deliver, the churches that are oppressed by idolaters, infidels, Mahometans, or other enemies, or by the Roman papal usurpations.²³⁰

Unite all christians in Jesus Christ, the true and only universal Head, in the true christian and catholic faith and love; cast out heresies and corruptions, heal divisions, let the strong receive the weak, and bear their infirmities; restrain the spirit of pride and cruelty, and let nothing be done in strife or vain-glory.²³¹

Keep us from atheism, idolatry, and rebellion against thee; from infidelity, ungodliness, and sensuality; from security, presumption, and despair. Let us delight to please thee, and let thy word be the rule of our faith and lives; let us love it, and understand it, and meditate in it day and night.²³²

Let us not corrupt or neglect thy worship; nor take thy holy name in vain. Keep us from blasphemy, perjury, profane swearing, lying, contempt of thy ordinances, and from false, unworthy, and unreverent thoughts and speeches of God, or holy things; and from the neglect and profanation of thy holy day.²³³

Put it into the hearts of the kings and rulers of the world to submit to Christ, and rule for him as nursing-fathers to his church: and save them from the temptations that would drown them in sensuality; or would break them upon Christ as a rock of offence, by engaging them against his holy doctrine, ways, and servants.²³⁴

Have mercy on thy servant Charles, our king, protect his person, illuminate and sanctify him by thy Spirit, that above all things he may seek thine honour, the increase of faith, and holy obedience to thy laws; and may govern us as thy minister, appointed by thee for the terror of evil-doers, and the praise of them that do well, that under him we may live a quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty.²³⁵

Have mercy upon all the royal family, upon the lords of the council, and all the nobility, the judges, and other magistrates of these lands. Let them fear thee, and be ensamples of piety and temperance, haters of injustice, covetousness, and pride, and defenders of the innocent: in their eyes let a vile person be contemned, but let them honour them that fear the Lord.²³⁶

Let every soul be subject to the higher powers, and not resist; let them obey the king, and all in authority, not only for wrath, but for conscience' sake.²³⁷

Give all the churches able, holy, faithful pastors, that may soundly and diligently preach thy word, and guide the flocks in ways of holiness and peace; 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 the servants of all, and ensamples to the flock; that when the chief Pastor shall appear, they may receive the crown of glory.²³⁸

Let the people know those that are over them in the Lord, and labour among them, preaching to them the word of God; let them highly esteem them in love for their work's sake, account them worthy of double honour, and obey them in the Lord.²³⁹

Let parents bring up their children in holy nurture, that they may remember their Creator in the days of their youth; and let children love, honour, and obey them. Let husbands love their wives, and guide them in knowledge and holiness; and let wives love and obey their husbands. Let masters rule their servants in thy fear, and servants obey their masters in the Lord.²⁴⁰

Keep us from murders and violence, and injurious passionate words and actions.²⁴¹

Keep us from fornication and all uncleanness, from chambering and wantonness, from lustful thoughts and filthy communications, and all unchaste behaviour.²⁴²

Keep us from stealing or wronging our neighbour in his property, from perverting justice, from false witnessing and deceit, from slandering, backbiting, uncharitable censuring or other wrong to the reputation of our neighbours.²⁴³

Keep us from coveting any thing that is our neighbour's. Let us love our neighbours as ourselves, and do to others as we would they should do to us.²⁴⁴

Cause us to love Christ in his members with a pure and fervent love, and to love our enemies, and do good to all, as we are able; but especially to the household of faith.²⁴⁵

Give us our necessary sustentation and provision for thy service and contentedness therewith. Bless our labours, and the fruits of the earth in their season, and give us such temperate weather as tendeth hereunto. Deliver us and all thy servants from such sickness, wants, and other distresses, as may unseasonably take us off thy service. Keep us from gluttony and drunkenness, slothfulness, unlawful gain, and from making provision for the flesh to satisfy its lusts.²⁴⁶

When we sin, restore us by true repentance and faith in Christ. Let us loathe ourselves for our transgressions; forgive them all, and accept us in thy well-beloved Son; save us from the curse and punishment which they deserve, and teach us heartily to forgive others. Convert our enemies, persecutors, and slanderers, and forgive them.²⁴⁷

Cause us to watch against temptations, to resist and overcome the flesh, the devil, and the world; and by no allurements of pleasure, profit, or honour, to be drawn from thee to sin. Let us patiently suffer with Christ that we may reign with him.²⁴⁸

Deliver us and all thy people from the enmity and rage of Satan, and all his wicked instruments; and preserve us to thy heavenly kingdom.²⁴⁹

For thou only art the universal King; all power is thine in heaven and earth: of thee, and through thee, and to thee are all things, and the glory shall be thine for ever.²⁵⁰ Amen.

Concerning the Psalms for public use

We desire that instead of the imperfect version of the Psalms in metre now in use, Mr. William Barton's Version, and that perused and approved by the Church of Scotland there in use, (being the best that we have seen,) may be received and corrected by some skilful men, and both allowed (for grateful variety) to be printed together on several columns or pages, and publicly used; at least until a better than either of them shall be made.

A Thanksgiving for Christ, and his gracious Benefits

Most glorious God, accept, through thy beloved Son, though from the hands of sinners, of thanksgiving, which thy unspeakable love and mercies, as well as thy command, do bind us to offer up unto thee. Thou art the Father of mercies, and the God of all consolation, full of compassion, gracious, long-suffering, plenteous in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin. For thy glory thou didst create us after thine image; thou madest us a little lower than the angels, and crownedst us with glory and honour, giving us dominion over the works of thy hands, and putting all these things under our feet. And when we forsook thee, and broke thy covenant, and rebelled against thee, and corrupted ourselves, and turned our glory into shame thou didst not leave us in the hands of death, nor cast us out into utter desperation; but thou didst so love the sinful world, as to give thy Son to be our Saviour. He took not upon him the nature of angels, but of man; the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. This is the unsearchable mystery of love which the angels desire to pry into: he was tempted, that he might succour them that are tempted, and conquered the tempter, that had conquered us. He became poor that was Lord of all, to make us rich. He did not sin, but fulfilled all righteousness, to save us from our unrighteousness. He made himself of no reputation, but was reviled, scorned, and spit upon, enduring the cross, and despising the shame to cover our shame, and to bring us unto glory; thou laidst upon him the iniquity of us all. He was bruised and wounded for our transgressions, that we might be healed by his stripes. He gave himself a ransom for us, and died for our sins, and rose again for our justification. We thank thee for his death that saveth us from death, and that he bore the curse to redeem us from the curse, and for his life which opened to us the way to life. Thou hast given him to be Head over all things to the church, and hast given the heathen to be his inheritance, and given him a name above every name, and given all power and judgment unto him. We thank thee for the new and better covenant, for thy great and precious promises; that thou hast given us eternal life in Christ. That we have the clear and sure revelation of thy will in the holy Scriptures. That thou foundest thy church upon apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the head corner-stone. And hast committed to thy ministers the word of reconciliation, that as ambassadors speaking in the stead of Christ, they might beseech us to be reconciled unto thee. We thank thee that by them thou hast opened our eyes, and turned us from darkness unto light, and from the power of Satan unto God. We were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, taken captive by Satan at his will; but thy mercy saved us by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. Thou mightest justly have left us to the blindness of our minds, and to the hardness of our hearts, to seared consciences, to be past feeling, to our own hearts' lusts, to walk in our own counsels, and to work uncleanness with greediness, when we so oft refused to come to Christ that we might have life, and would not have him to reign over us. But thy patience waited on us in our sin; and all the day long didst thou stretch forth thy hand to a disobedient and gainsaying people. When we turned from thee, thou calledst after us, to turn and live. Thou drewest us to thy Son, and openedst our hearts to attend to thy call. Thou lovedst us first, and was found of them that sought thee not. Thou hast pardoned our great and manifold transgressions, and justified us by faith in Christ, and given us repentance unto life. Thou hast adopted us to be thy sons, and joint heirs with Christ; and made us his members, and given us his Spirit: we are no more strangers, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of thy household. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who of his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for us. Thou keepest us by thy mighty power through faith unto salvation: ready at last to be revealed, though (when they are needful) we must for a season be in heaviness under tribulations. Thou hast promised, that all things shall work together for our good; in all our straits thou grantest us access to the throne of grace, bidding us call upon thee in the time of trouble, and promising to deliver us, that we may glorify thee: every where we have leave to lift up unto thee holy hands, especially in the house of prayer, and the assembly of the saints. Thou hast heard the voice of our supplications when we have cried unto thee; great is thy mercy towards us. O Lord, thou hast delivered our souls from the lowest hell; thou hast sent forth from heaven thy mercy and truth; and saved us from the reproach of him that would swallow us up. Thou art our hiding-place: in the secrets of thy presence thou preservest us from trouble, from the pride of men, and from the strife of tongues. Thou dost compass us about with songs of deliverance. O love the Lord, all ye his saints! for the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. He dealeth not with us after our sins; his anger is but for a moment, but in his favour is life. In his wrath he remembereth mercy: all thy paths, O Lord, are mercy and truth to such as keep thy covenant. We come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercies; O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever. Glory ye in his holy name; let the hearts of them rejoice that seek him. Blessed are the people that know the joyful sound; they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance. In thy name they shall rejoice all the day, and in thy righteousness and favour shall they be exalted. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house, they will be still praising thee. O satisfy us early with thy mercy, that we may rejoice and be glad in thee all our days. Guide us by thy counsel, and afterwards receive us unto thy glory; where with all the blessed host of heaven, we may behold, admire, and perfectly and joyfully praise thee, our most glorious Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier, for ever and for ever.²⁵¹ Amen.

The Hymn

The First Part

Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: who forgiveth all thine iniquities, and healeth all thy diseases; who redeemed thy life from destruction, and crowneth thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Behold, what love the Father hath bestowed on us, that we should be called the sons of God. Because thy loving-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee while I live; I will lift up my hands in thy name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none on earth that I desire besides thee. My flesh and my heart faileth, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. For, lo, all that are far from thee shall perish; but it is good for me to draw near to God. I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand. In the multitude of my thoughts within me, thy comforts delight my soul. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.²⁵²

The Second Part

How excellent is thy loving-kindness, O God! therefore do the sons of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the rivers of thy pleasures: for with thee is the fountain of life. In thy light we shall see light. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth. My flesh also shall rest in hope. Thou wilt show me the path of life. In thy presence is fulness of joy, and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. O continue thy loving-kindness to them that know thee, and thy righteousness to the upright in heart. To the end that my glory may sing praise unto thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I give thanks to thee for ever.²⁵³

The Third Part

Glory to God in the highest: on earth peace, good will towards men. Praise ye the Lord: sing to the Lord a new song; his praise is in the congregation of saints. For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people; he will beautify the meek with salvation. Let the saints be joyful in glory. Let the high praises of God be in their mouths. All thy works praise thee, O Lord, and thy saints shall bless thee. They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power; to make known to the sons of men thy mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of thy kingdom. Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion is through all generations. The elders and saints about thy throne, rest not day nor night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power; for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. They sing unto thee the song of Moses, and of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name; for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee, for thy judgments are made manifest. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory. For thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, and made us kings and priests to God.²⁵⁴

The Fourth Part

Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing. Sing unto the Lord, bless his name; show forth his salvation from day to day. Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth. Let the heavens rejoice, and the earth be glad before the Lord; for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth. With righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity. Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening to the voice of his word. Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts, ye ministers of his that do his pleasure. Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of his dominions. Bless the Lord, O my soul. My mouth shall speak the praises of the Lord; and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever. Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.²⁵⁵

THE ORDER OF CELEBRATING THE SACRAMENT OF THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST

This, or the like Explication of the Nature, Use, and Benefits of this Sacrament, may be used at the Discretion of the Minister, when he seeth it needful to the Instruction of the Communicants.

That you may discern the Lord's body, and understand the nature, use, and benefits of this sacrament; you must know that God created man in his own image, to know, and love, and serve his Maker; that man fell under the guilt of sin and condemnation, and left his holy fitness for the work for which he was created. That hereupon the wonderful love and wisdom of God provided us a remedy in our Redeemer, to the end he might not lose the glory of his creation, that he might pardon and save us upon terms; securing the honour of his justice, and attaining the ends of his law and government, and recover us to his love and service, by appearing to the world, in the greatest demonstrations of goodness, love, and mercy. By the greatest miracle of condescension, he first promised, and then gave his only Son, the Eternal Word, to take man's nature into personal union with his Godhead; that being God and man, he might be a fit Mediator between God and man, to restore us, and reconcile us to himself. Thus Jesus Christ, conceived by the Holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary, became the Second Adam, the Physician and Saviour of undone sinners, the Captain of our salvation, to be the glorious King and Head of all that are sanctified and saved. He revealed the holiness, the goodness, and the love of God, by the perfect holiness, goodness, and love of his blessed person, doctrine, and conversation, and by suffering for us all the afflictions of this life, and at last the cursed death of the cross, as a sacrifice and ransom for us. That all this might be effectual to our recovery, he made for us a new and better covenant, and preached it himself, undertaking the pardon, justification, and sanctification of all that by unfeigned faith do take him for their Saviour, repenting of their sins, and consenting to be sanctified by his word and Spirit (by which also he inviteth and draweth men to himself, and giveth them to believe): into this blessed, pardoning, saving covenant, we are first solemnly entered by baptism. And when Christ was ready to leave the world, and to give up himself a sacrifice for us, and intercede and exercise the fulness of his kingly power, and the church's Head; and by his grace to draw men to himself, and prepare them for his glory; he did himself institute this sacrament of his body and blood at his last supper, to be a continued representation and remembrance of his death, and therein of his own and his Father's love, until his coming; appointing his ministers, by the preaching of the gospel, and administration of these sacraments, to be his agents without, and his Spirit within, effectually to communicate his grace.

[The Lord's supper, then, is a holy sacrament instituted by Christ, wherein bread and wine being first by consecration made sacramentally, or representatively, the body and blood of Christ, are used by breaking and pouring out to represent, and commemorate, the sacrifice of Christ's body and blood, upon the cross once offered up to God for sin; and are given in the name of Christ unto the church, to signify and solemnize the renewal of his holy covenant with them, and giving of himself unto them, to expiate their sins by his sacrifice, and sanctify them further by his Spirit, and confirm their right to everlasting life: and they are received, eaten, and drunk by the church, to profess that they willingly receive Christ himself to the ends aforesaid, (their justification, sanctification, and glorification,) and to signify and solemnize the renewal of their covenant with him, and their holy communion with him, and with one another.]

It being the renewing of a mutual covenant that is here solemnized, as we commemorate Christ's sacrifice, and receive him and his saving benefits, so we offer and deliver to him ourselves, as his redeemed, sanctified people, to be a living acceptable sacrifice, thankfully and obediently to live unto his praise.

Before the receiving of his holy sacrament, we must examine ourselves, and come preparedly; in the receiving of it, we must exercise holy affections suited to the work; and after the receiving of it, we must, by consideration of it, endeavour to revive the same affections, and perform our covenant there renewed.

The holy qualifications to be before provided, and in receiving exercised, and after receiving, are these. 1. A true belief of the articles of the christian faith concerning Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; the person, offices, works, sufferings, and benefits of Christ. 2. The sense of our sinful and undone condition, as in ourselves, and of our need of Christ: so as humbly to loathe ourselves for our transgressions, with the sense of our present weaknesses to be strengthened, and sins to be forgiven. 3. A true desire after Christ for pardon, and spiritual nourishment and salvation. 4. A thankful sense of the wonderful love of God, declared in our redemption, and in the present offers of Christ, and life. 5. The exercise of holy love and joy in the sense of this unspeakable love. (If these two be not felt before we come, yet in and after the sacrament we must strive to exercise them.) 6. A love to one another, and forgiving wrongs to one another, with a desire after the communion of saints. 7. The giving up ourselves in covenant to God, with resolution for renewed obedience. 8. A patient hope for the coming of Christ himself, and of the everlasting kingdom, where we shall be perfectly united in him, and glorified with him.

Those only are to be invited to the Lord's table, and to come, that truly repent and believe, and unfeignedly consent to the terms of the covenant (though all are not to be invited thus to believe and repent, and so to come). But those are to be admitted, by the pastors, if they come, who, having the use of reason to understand what they do, and examine themselves, have made a personal profession of faith, repentance, and obedience; and are members of the church, and not justly for heresy or scandalous sin, removed from its present communion.

The benefit of the sacrament is not to be judged of only by present experience and feeling, but by faith. God having appointed us to use it, and promised his blessing, we may and must believe, that he will make good his promise; and whatever we feel at present, that we sincerely wait not on him in vain.

The Exhortation

You are invited hither, dear brethren, to be guests at this holy table, by the Lord's command, to receive the greatest mercy, and to perform the greatest duty. On Christ's part, all things are made ready. The feast is prepared for you, even for you that by sin have deserved to be cast out of the presence of the Lord; for you that have so oft neglected and abused mercy. A feast of the body and blood of Christ, free to you, but dear to him. You were lost, and in the way to be lost for ever, when by the greatest miracle of condescending love, he sought and saved you. You were dead in sin, condemned by the law, the slaves of Satan; there wanted nothing but the executing stroke of justice to have sent you into endless misery; when our dear Redeemer pitied you in your blood, and shed his own to wash and heal you. He suffered that was offended, that the offender might not suffer. He cried out on the cross, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" that we who had deserved it, might not be everlastingly forsaken. He died that we might live. Oh how would the mercy of redemption have affected you, if you had first lain one year, or month, or day in hell! Had you but seen your dying Lord, or seen the damned in their misery, how do you think you should have valued the salvation that is now revealed and tendered to you? See here Christ dying in this holy representation. Behold the sacrificed Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world. It is his will to be thus frequently crucified before your eyes. Oh how should we be covered with shame, and loathe ourselves, that have both procured the death of Christ by sin, and sinned against it! And how should we all be filled with joy, that have such mysteries of mercy opened, and so great salvation freely offered to us! O hate sin, O love this Saviour: see that you come not hither without a desire to be more holy, nor with a purpose to go on in wilful sin. Be not deceived, God is not mocked; but if you heartily repent, and consent to the covenant, come and welcome; we have commission from Christ to tell you, that you are welcome. Let no trembling, contrite soul draw back, that is willing to be Christ's upon his covenant terms, but believe that Christ is much more willing to be yours. He was first willing, and therefore died for you, and made the covenant of grace, and sent to invite and importune you to consent, and stayed for you so long, and gave you your repentance, your willingness, and desire. Question not then his willingness, if you are willing. It is Satan and unbelief that would have you question it, to the injury both of Christ and you. Come near, observe, believe, and wonder at the riches of his love and grace; for he hath himself invited you to see and taste, that you may wonder. You are sinners, but he inviteth you to receive a renewed, sealed pardon of your sins, and to give you more of his Spirit to overcome them. See here his broken body and his blood, the testimonies of his willingness. Thus hath he sealed the covenant, which pardoneth all your sins, and secureth you of your reconciliation with God, and your adoption, and your right to everlasting blessedness. Deny not your consent, but heartily give up yourselves to Christ, and then doubt not but your scarlet, crimson sins shall be made as white as wool or snow. Object not the number or greatness of them against his grace. There is none too great for him to pardon to penitent believers. Great sins shall bring great glory to his blood and grace. But strive you then for great loathing of your sins, and greater love to such a God, and greater thanks to such a Saviour. Unfeignedly say, I am willing, Lord, to be wholly thine, and then believingly take Christ, and pardon, and life, as given you by his own appointment in the sealed covenant. And remember that he is coming. He is coming with thousands of his mighty angels, to execute judgment on the ungodly, but to be glorified in his saints, and admired in all that do believe. And then we shall have greater things than these. Then shall you see all the promises fulfilled, which now are sealed to you, on which he causeth you to trust. Revive now your love to one another, and forgive those that have wronged you, and delight in the communion of the saints; and then you shall be admitted into the church triumphant, where with perfect saints you shall perfectly rejoice, and love and praise the Lord for ever. Receive now a crucified Christ here represented, and be contented to take up your cross, and follow him. And then you shall reign with a glorified Christ, in the blessed vision and fruition of that God, to whom by Christ you are now reconciled. Let faith and love be working upon these things, while you are at this holy table.