gravated when it the Church to entertain him into their communion with gladness, and not upbraid him with his fall, but rejoice in his recovery, and endeavour his confirmation and preservation for the time to come: and it is his duty accordingly to admit him to communion, and theirs to have loving communion with him: all which the penitent person, must believingly, lovingly, and joyfully receive. But if any by notorious perfidiousness, or frequent covenant-breaking have forfeited the credit of their words, or have long continued in the sin which they do confess, so that their forsaking it hath no proof; the Church then must have testimony of the actual reformation of such as these, before they may take their professions and promises as credible; yet here the difference of persons and offences is so great; that this is to be much left to the prudence of Pastors that are present, and acquainted with the persons and circumstances of the case. In the transacting of all this, these following forms, to be varied as the variety of cases do require, may be made use of. A Form of Public Admonition to the Impenitent. The sin may be A. B. you are convict of a gross and scandalous sin, named and ag- you have been admonished and entreated to repent. is convenient. 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. O! blame us not if, knowing the terrors of the Lord, we thus persuade you, and are loath to leave you in the power of Satan, and loath 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. Luke 13.3, 5. 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 66 Psal. 5. 4, 5. 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." Jude 14, 15. "He hateth all workers of iniquity." "The ungodly Psal. 1. 5,6. shall not stand in judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.' God hath not Psal. 10. 13. 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 2 Pet. 2. 3, 9. he seeth that their day is coming." If men cut off Psal. 37. 13. 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 Job 9.4. himself against him and hath prospered?" not as chaff and stubble, and is not our God a con- Heb. 12. 29. suming fire?" "If briars and thorns be set against Isa. 27. 4. him in battle, will he not go through them, and burn 66 "Are you Psal. 1. 4. Matt. 10. 26, them up together?" "Čan your heart endure, or Ezek. 22. 14. 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 1 Cor. 10. 22. to jealousy, are you stronger than he?" O man! Heb. 9.7. 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 James 5.9. 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, Prov. 5.11-13. and my heart despised reproof? and have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to Matt. 15.42.50. Prov. 28. 13. Prov. 29. 1. Gal. 6.7. Matt, 7. 23; Deut. 32. 29. them that instructed me." "O 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 25. 41. 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 not 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 save a 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 1 John 1.7.9; promise by the help of God to do so no more. And 2.1, 2. bless God that you have an advocate with the Fa James 5. 20. ther, Jesus Christ the righteous, whose blood will 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, Psal. 95. 8. 18; if you will hear his voice, harden not your heart, lest 81. 11,12. 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 Luke 24. 4. 7. witnesses that you were warned; and your blood will Ezek. 18. 30, 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. A Form of Confession, to be made before the I Congregation. 31, 32. Prov. 28. 13. Gen. 4. 16. Luke 15. 21. Luke 13.13. Rom. 5. 10. Do confess before God, and this congregation, Josh. 7. 19. * I have offended, Psal. 32. 5. that I have greatly sinned. * Here the sin must be and dishonoured God, wronged Exod. 10. 16. named and aggravated, the Church, and the souls of Gal. 1. 13. when by the Pastor it is others, I have deserved to be 2 Chron. 15. 2. judged requisite. forsaken of the Lord, and cast Psal. 51. 11. out of his presence and communion of saints, into Matt. 27. 5. desperation, and remediless misery in hell: I am no Mark 12. 8. more worthy to be called thy son, or to have a Psal. 38. 18.4; name or place among thy servants. I do here de- 40. 12. clare mine iniquity, and am sorry for my sins; they 1 Tim. 1. 1. are gone over my head as a heavy burden, they are Heb. 9. 26. too heavy for me, they take hold upon me, I am Luke 19, 10. ashamed, as unworthy to look up towards heaven, but my hope is in the blood and grace of Christ, Psal. 51.2, 1,9. who made his life a sacrifice for sin, and came to Heb. 8. 12. Psal. 51. 11. 27; seek and save that which was lost; whose grace 9; 103. 10; aboundeth, where sin hath abounded: the Lord be 51. 10. 12. merciful to me a sinner: I humbly beg of the con- 2 Cor. 2. 7, 10. gregation that they will earnestly pray, that God John 8. 11. will wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and Psal. 73. 1. 15. cleanse me from my sins, that he will forgive them, Eccles. 8. 12. and blot them out, and hide his face from them, and 2 Chron. 20.20. remember them no more, that he will not cast me Psal. 5. 5. away from his presence, nor forsake me as I have 1 John 3. 4. forsaken him, nor deal with me according to my deserts but that he will create in me a clean heart, Mark 13. 37. James 1. 13,14. Gal. 6. 1. 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 12.2 Sam. 11.2. servants, I had never done as I have done! There Matt.26.41.75, 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 be Heb. 12. 28. 1 Cor. 9. 25. 26, 27. 2 Chron. 25.16. Eph. 3. 16. John 5. 14. 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 O 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. |