are afflicted or diftreffed in mind, body or estate, through Jefus Christ our Lord, who hath taught us

to pray :

Our Father, &c..

A Prayer at the opening of the confiftory.

EAVENLY Father, eternal and merciful God,

Hit pleased of thy infinite

good nefs, to gather a church to thyfelf out of all nations upon the face of the earth, by the preaching of the holy gofpel, and to govern the fame by the fervice of men. Thou haft alfo graciously called us up to this office, and commanded us to take heed unto ourfelves and unto the flock, which Chrift hath. bought with his precious blood.-Since we are at this prefent affembled in thy holy name, after the example of the apoftolic churches, to confult as our office requires of thofe things which may come before us, concerning 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 lefs to put it. in practice therefore we beseech thee, O faithful. God and Father, that thou wilt be pleased to be prefent with thy holy fpirit, according to thy promife,. in the midst of our prefent affembly, to guide us in all truth. Remove from us all mifapprehenfions and.

unbecoming defires of the flesh, and grant that thy holy word may be the only rule and guide of all our confultations, that they may tend to the glory of thy name, and to the edification of thy church, and to the difcharge of our own confciences, through Jefus Chrift thy Son, who with thee and the Holy Ghoft, the one only true God, art eternally to be praifed and magnified. Amen,

A Prayer at the clofe if the Confiftory.

LordGod and heavenly Father, we heartily thank

thee, that thou haft been pleafed to gather a church to thy felf in this part of the world, and to ufe our fervice therein, granting us the priviledge, that we may freely and without hinderance preach thy holy gofpel and exercise all the duties of godli nefs: moreover we thank thee, that thou now haft beca prefent with thy holy fpirit in the midst of this our affembly, directing our determinations 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 blefs our intended labour, and effectually to execute thy begun work always gathering unto thy felf a true church, and preferving the fame in the pure doctrine, and in the right ufe of thy holy facraments, and in a dili gent exercise of difcipline. On the contrary destroy

all evil and crafty councils, which are devised against thy word and church. Strengthen alfo all minifters of thy church, that they may faithfully and stedfaftly declare thy holy word. And the magiftrates of thy people, that they may bear the fword with righteoufnefs and difcretion. Particularly we pray for thofe, whom thou haft been pleafed to put in authority over us, both thofe of higher and lower dignity, and efpecially for the worshipful magiftrates 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 fcandal and reproach) may daily more and more be destroyed and brought to nought by them as thy fervants, and that we may lead under them a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness, and honefty. Hear us, O God and Father, through Jefus Chrift thy beloved fon. Who with thee and the Holy Ghoft, the only and true God, are eternally to be magnified and praised. Amen.

A Prayer at the meeting of the Deacons.

MR

ERCIFUL God and Father, thou who haft not only faid unto us, that we should always have poor with us, but hast also commanded that they hould be affifted, and for that end haft ordained the

the

fervice of deacons in thy church, by whom they might be relieved and as we who are called to the office of deacons in this congregation, are here at prefent met in thy name, to confult together concerning our miniftry, therefore we humbly befeech thee for the fake of Jefus Chrift, that thou wilt be pleafed to endue us with the fpirit of difcretion, to the end that we may rightly difcern who are really poor, and who are not and that we may with all cheerfulness and fidelity, diftribute the alms collected by us to every one according to his neceffity, not leaving the indigent members of thy beloved Son comfortless, neither giving those who are not in want. Kindle within the hearts of men an ardent love towards the poor, that they may liberally give of their temporal goods, of which thou haft made them ftewards; and that we having the means in hand to affift the indigent, may faithfully without vexation, and with a free heart, ferve our office, Grant us alfo the talents, not only to comfort the miferable with the external gift, but alfo with thy holy word. And fince man doth not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of thy mouth, be pleased therefore to extend thy bleffing over our dißributions, and increase the bread of the poor, that both we and they may have reafon to praise and thank thee: expecting the bleffed coming of thy beloved Son Jefus Chrift, who became poor for our fakes to make us rich in eternity, Amen.

Grace before Meat.

Pfalm cxlv, verse 15, 16.

The eyes of all wait upon thee, and thou giveft them their meat in due feason.

Thou openeft thine hand, and fatisfieft the defireof every living thing.

A'

LMIGHTY God, thou who haft created all things, and doft ftill maintain and govern them by thy divine power, and didft feed thy people Ifrael in the wilderness, blefs us thy poor fervants,. and fanctify 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 alfo that we may at all times. and above all things feek for that fpiritual bread of thy word, with which our fouls are fed to life eternal, which thou haft prepared for us by the holy blood of thy beloved Son Jefus Chrift. Amen.

Our Father, &c.

Alfo our Lord Jefus Chrift admonishes us :

Luke xxi. 34, 35.

And take heed to yourfelves, left at any time your hearts be overcharged with furfeiting and drunkennefs, and cares of this life, and fo that day come upfor as a inare fhall it come on all on you unawares:

them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.