[When those perfons who are inclined to become members of the church, thoroughly know and confess these fundamerital truths; they are then to be asked whether they have any doubt in any point concerning the doctrine; to the end that they may be fatisfied; and in cafe any of them should answer in the affirmative, endeavours must be used to convince them, out of the scriptures; and if they are all satished, they must be asked, whether they propose, by the grace of God, to persevere in this doctrine, and to forfake the world, and to lead a new chriftian life, Laftly, they are to be asked, whether they will fubmit themselves to the chriftian difcipline.

Which being done, they are to be exhorted to peace, love and concord with all men, and to reconciliation if there is any variance subfifting between them and their neighbours.} The end of the compendium of the christian religion.

THE

LIT U RGY

OF THE REFORMED CHURCH IN.

NETHERLAND.

Or, the Forms ufed therein in Public Worship.

I. Of Public Prayer. II. Of the Administration of the : Holy Sacraments. III. Of the Exercife of Church Difcipline. IV. Of the Ordination of Church Offi cers. V. Of the celebration of Marriage. VI. Of Comforting the Sick.

Christian Prayers, to be used in the affembly of the Faithful, and on other occafions.

A Prayer on the Lord's day, before fermon.

Ο

Eternal God, and most merciful Father, we

humbly proftrate ourselves before thy high majesty, against which we have so often and grievously offended; and acknowledge, if thou shouldft enter into judgment with us, that we have deserved nothing but eternal death: for befides that we all are by original fin, unclean in thy fight and children of wrath, conceived in fin and brought forth in iniquity, whereby all manner of evil lufts, striving against thee and our neighbour, dwell within us; we have alfo indeed, frequently and without end,

L

tranfgreffed thy precepts, neglect haft commanded us, and done wha prefsly forbidden us. We have ftr and have greatly offended against acknowledge, and are heartily for confefs to our fhame, and to the pr towards us, that our fins are more t our heads, and that we are indebte lents, but not able to pay. Whe worthy to be called thy children; eyes towards heaven, to pour out thee. Nevertheless, O Lord G Father, knowing that thon doft no of a finner, but that he may turf nefs and live; and that thy mercy thou fheweft unto those who return tily call upon thee, trusting in Chrift, who is that Lamb of Go the fins of the world, and we be miferate our infirmity, forgiving Chrift's fake: wath us in the p blood, that we may become clean a Cover our nakednefs with his inno oufness, for the glory of thy name understanding of all blindness, an hardness and pride. Open the mo at prefent, and replenish him with knowledge, that he may purely a forth thy word; prepare alfo our he

Hear, understand and keep the fame; write thy laws (according to thy promife) in the tables of our hearts, and ftrengthen us to delight and walk in the fame, to the praife and glory of thy name, and to the edification of thy church. O gracious Father, we ask for, and defire all these things in the name of. Jefus Chrift, who hath. taught us thus to pray, 15 x Our Father, &c.

A Prayer to be used on the Lord's Day, after Sermon.

A

eyes

LMIGHTY and merciful God, we acknowledge in ourselves, and confefs before thee, as the truth is, that we are not worthy to lift up our towards heaven, and to prefent our prayers before thee, if thou fhould refpect our merits and worthinefs; for our confciences accufe us, and our fins bear witnefs against us; we alfo know, that thou art a righteous judge, punishing the fins of thofe who tranfgrefs thy commandments. But O Lord, fince thou hast commanded us to call upon thee in all tinres of neceffity, and haft of thine ineffable mercy promifed to hear our prayers, not because of our merits, (which are none) but for the merits of our Lord Jefus Chrift, whom thou haft appointed to be our Mediator and Advocate: wherefore we for fake all other help, and take our refuge to thy mercy alone. Efpecially, O Lord, befides the innumerable benefits which thou fheweft to all mankind in general on

earth, thou haft in particular beftowed manifold favours on us, which we are not capable to comprehend or exprefs: for thou haft delivered us from the woeful flavery of the devil, and all idolatry, where. in we were held, and haft brought us to the light of thy truth, and to the knowledge of thy holy gofpel. On the contrary, we have by our ingratitude been regardless of these thy benefits, we are departed from thee, and have followed our own devices, not honouring thee as was our bounden duty to do. Thus have we, O Lord, grievoudly finned, and highly of fended thee, and can expect nothing else than ever. lafting death and damnation, if thou shouldft deal with us according to our deferis. Yea we alfo perceive, O Lord, by the chaftifements, which thou daily art inflicting on us, that thou art juftly displeased with us. For fince thou art juft, thou wilt punish no man without caufe, and we alfo fee thine hand ftretched out, further to punish us. But though thou didst punish us more feverely than thou haft hitherto done, nay though all the plagues fell upon us, wherewith thou didst visit the fins of thy people Ifrael, we must till confefs that thou wouldest do us no injustice. But, O Lord, thou art our God, and we are but duft and afhes; thou art our Creator, and we are thy handy work; thou art our Shepherd, and we are thy fheep; thou art our Redeemer; and we are those whom thou haft redeemed. Thou art our Father, and we are thy children and heirs, Therefore do