SYMBOLUM APOSTOLICUM. I— Who am sinful in the a To save sinners; of whom I am chief, 1 Tim. 1, 15. greatest sense Believe— In Heart, and place my Confidence In— Him, who framed all things by his b He spoke and it was done, he commanded and it stood fast, Psal. 33. 9 word God— JA H, all potent, all commanding Lord, The— Life of all, hath c He giveth to all things life, & breath, and all things. In him we live, move, and have our being, Acts 17, 25, 28. Motion, Being, Birth, Father— Of all so called in d Ephes. 3, 15. Heaven and Earth: Almighty— Giving fashion to each Matter, Maker— According to his Rules of Nature, e Deus & naturae creavit. Of— All unseen, as of that which we name Heaven— The Grace of the Created Frame; And— Likewise made, as f For by him were all things created in heaven and in earth, visible and invisible, Colos. 1 16. of all things Beginner, Earth— With those various Forms that flourish in her. And— For assurance, there my Faith is fixed In— Him was g Perfect God and perfect man, of a reasonable soul, and humane flesh subsisting, Athan Symb. God and Man, a Person mixed. jesus— Who h Thou shalt call his name jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins, Mat. 1. 21. did salvation to us bring. Christ— The i God appointed jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost, and with power, Acts 10, 38. Anointed Prophet, Priest, and King, His— Father's k This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, Mat. 17, 5. self, none able to subdue Him, Only— As having not a Second to Him. Son— Of th' Eternal Father, l Light of light, very God of very God, Athan. Symb. Light of Light, Our— Churches great Protector day and night: Lord— Unto us by Nature, Grace, and Glory, Which— Showing he was more than transitory, Was— Not as other Mortals are indeed Conceived— In sin, but of immortal seed, By— The m The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee. and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee, Luke 1, 35. overshadowing power of God, or rather The— Spirit came down, sent from th' Eternal Father, Holy— To show his Nature free from sin, Ghost— And not flesh, nor was, nor ere had been. Borne— When n Gal. 4, 4. the fullness of the time was come Of— One o Rom 1, 3. of DAVID'S Line, of Maiden womb, The— Wonder of her Sex, when she on Earth Virgin— Remained, p Vugo fuit partum, post, in, & ante suum. before, in, after's Birth, Marry— Exalted q Mari & Martam, signifit exalted. Maid; then by his Foes Suffered— What Malice could on him impose Under— The Roman Judge, t'injustice bend, Pontius Pilate,— Yet r He took water & washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person, Mat 27. 24. pronounced him innocent. Was— Flouted, scorned, exposed to all dishonour, Crucifi'd— Murdered, slain in barbarous manner: Dead— And extended, of all life bereaved, And— Was that others might not be deceived: Buried— And s They went and made the Sepulchre sure, sealing the stone and setting a watch, Mat. 27, 66. locked in t He made his grave with the rich in his death, Is. 53, 9 joseph of Arimathea, an honourable Counsellor, went in boldly, and craved the body of jesus, and laid him in a Scpulches, Mar. 15, 43, 46. Honourable Tomb, He— Whiles his Corpse was resting in Earth's womb; Descended— Farneze u Ephes 3. 9 below in glorious manner Into— That place, where with victorious Banner Hell— Saw him triumph, Devils trembled when The— Lord w Numb 16. 22. of spirits and flesh appeared: Then Third day— To x Mat. 16, 21. show his God head without striving, He— As the Lord of Dead, and King of Living, Rose— As a y Isay. 25. 8. Conqueror, and then was seen Again— On Earth, as if he ne'er had been From— Thence by Death removed; and then to show The— Truth of all his Enemy's overthrow, Dead— Men z Mat. 27, 52, 53. appeared, and testified 'twas so. He— Having Now on Earth Stayed & Acts 1, 3. forty days, Ascended— Far 1 He ascended up far above the Heavens, Ephes. 4. 10. beyond the Sun's bright rays Into— The place, where 'bove the Starry Sky Heaven— Is the 2 Acts 7, 49. Throne of Sacred'st Majesty. And— There Coequal to the 3 Heb. 12, 9 Father of Spirits, Sitteth— As Heir, and Glory now inherits On— Glories 4 Mat. 19 28. seat, and being free from sinning, The— Place his now; so 'twas before 5 Heb 7. 3. beginning. Right Hand— Hath ever been 6 Tux mihi Pa●is erat dextram tetigisse Tyranni. of peace the sign Of— Ours it was, by Him who did conjoin God— And Mankind, and freely 7 2 Cor. 5, 10, 19 reconciled The— Incensed Party, now by 8 Colos. 1, 20. blood grown mild. Father— By's Son is 9 In whom I am well pleased, Mat. 3 ult pleased the work being done, Almighty— Father by th' 10 The Father is Almighty, the Son Almighty. A●han. Almighty Son: From— Which most glorious place, that ne'er hath ending, Thence— With 11 Dan 7 10. ten thousand thousand Saints attending He— That now sits to plead as 12 1 john 7, 1. Advocate Shall— On the 13 Ps. 18, 10, & 104 3. winged 14 Mat 26, 64. clouds in power & state Come— Swiftly 15 Mat. 24, 27. down clothed in 16 2 Thes. 1, 8. flaming fire, To— Give 17 Rev. 22, 12. Mat. 13, 41, etc. the bad their doom, the good their hire. judge— Just, and 18 Acts 10, 42. universal He shall be The— Unjust to captivate, the just to free: Quicke— At his then appearing, being 19 1 Cor. 15, 52, 53. changed, And— Every person then in order 20 Mat. 25, 33, 34, 31. ranged: The— Sentence (20) shall hear pafsed for their faults Dead— All 21 Rev. 20, 12. Surgite Mortui & venite ad Judicium. first summoned from their hallow Vaults. I— Furthermore to show I do not err, Believe— On Him Christ calls the 22 john 14, 16. Comforter: In— Th' spirit of Life, and 23 john 14, 17. Truth that cannot lie, The— Blessed Third in Blessed Trinity: Holy— And Pure, us Pure and Clean to make Ghost— And 24 A Spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have, Luke 24. 39 not Flesh and Bones, which Christ did take. The— Limbs of Christ, which ever had a Being, Holy— Are called, as with 25 Col 1, 18. the Head agreeing: Catholic— 'Tis, as without Limitation, Church— Of our 26 1 Tim. 3, 5. God, the blessed Congregation. The— Parts dispersed are here, in Heaven above Communion— Proof, made one by 27 Col 2, 2. Eph 4. 13. 1 Tim 1, 14. Faith and Love: Of— Whose sweet unity, this I believe Saints— Shall be one in 28 Io. 16, 20. Ps 126. 5, 16. Joy, though now they grieve. The— Chiefest thing that I look after, is Forgiveness— For 29 Psal. 32. 6. what e'er I've done amiss: Of— All for which I may be blamed or shent, Sins— Of 30 Though Scarlet or Crimson sins, Isay. 1, 18. all sorts; of this I'm confident. The Resurrection— And the full Reviving Of— All 31 2 Cor. 5, 10. have been on earth since ADAM Living The— Soul that may be parted long from this Body— Of Mine, shall then both share of bliss: And— When my Bodies raised and pardon sealed, The— Timeless joys of Heaven yet 32 1 Cor. 2, 9 unrevealed: Life— Without dying, I shall then possess Everlasting,— In full grown Happiness. 33 Amen, is not only a wish or desire of a thing to be so; but also an argument that the thing is granted. Weem. in Mand. 3. Amen— So be it when my Race is run, Amen— So verily it shall be done. Oratio Dominica. O— All sufficient, which didst first Create Our— First Grand Parents Pure, Immaculate: Father— Of Comfort, God of Consolation, Which— Settest them in a happy Habitation. Art— Not thou he which at the first didst frame, In— Just respect unto thy glorious Name, Heavens— Goodly Piece, with Angels that do sing Hallowed— And praised be our all-great-good King: Be— As thou art, great, good, just, gracious, than Thy— Praise shall Echo by all sorts of Men: Name— Who dare name, when, where, or whom he will? Thy— Name's of power in Heaven, Earth, and Hell. Kingdom— 'Gainst Kingdom here their forces bend: Come— What come will thy Kingdom ne'er shall end: Thy— Gracious word the Choir that is above Will— Ay perform in perfect purest Love. Be— Pleased then great God that we who have Done— For thy Glory, may thy Mercy crave: In— Perfect Faith and Love, and find it, when Earth— Shall to Earth restored be again: As— We are sure all things in Heaven being done, 'Tis— Thy good pleasure and thy will alone: In— Earth therefore we'll strive, thy word to obey, Heaven— Is our pattern to direct the way. Give— Freely Lord, who at thy Mercy stand, Us— Who implore it at thy gracious hand, This— Small Petition for the Body fit, Day— After Day having, we'll pray for it: Our— Food from Body-starving we desire, Daily— By Faith in Christ we this require, Bread— Which is Mankind's Staff, Lord ne'er deny us, And— Thou shalt still be magnified by us. Forgive— Especially Lord we entreat Us— Who appeal unto thy Mercy-seat, Our— Crying Debts, which we do justly call Trespasses,— Sins, offences great and small: As— From the bottom of our hearts for ever, We— Those that in their Malice do persever, Forgive— Most freely, praying thee to bless Them— That against us any ways transgress: That— In thy rigorous and severe decree, Trespass— Or sin may ne'er revenged be. Against— thou only we have sinned Lord, Us— Therefore pardon we entreat thee afford. And— 'Cause we are in danger of the Devil, Lead— Lord thy Flock from wickedness, from evil▪ Us— In especial we entreat thee spare, Not— Of us only, but of all take care: Into— Old Satan's traps ne'er let us fall, Temptation— Sweetest bait he lays for all: But— In thy tender Mercy and Compassion Deliver— Lord thy Church from foul transgression. Us— Have respect unto, who by thy power From— Sin and Satan must be freed each hour, Evil— Else pursues; from thee than lets not swerve, For— All is thine, and all things thee do serve: Thine— In respect of glorious Situation Is— All this Fabric, all thine by Creation; The— Heavens above where God in Glory reigns, Kingdom— Of Earth, which for a while remains. The— Providence of all is in thy Hand, Power— And Protection are at thy Command: And— Th' effusion of all Grace into The— Hearts of Christians thou canst cause and do: Glory— Attends thee, Grace and Glory's thine, For— Thus 'twas ordered by thy will divine: Ever— 'Twas so before that Man offended, And— So't shall be when all by fire is ended: Ever— Therefore we'll praise thy Name, and say AmenTo all: Thus let all Christians pray. To the Old-Protestant-Christian Reader. When one of the Disciples of our Blessed Saviour begged this boon of his Master for himself, and his fellows; Lord teach us to pray, as John also taught his Disciples, Luke 11. 2. Christ did not then answer them, as he did upon another occasion, when they were to be brought before Kings and Governors for his sake: For than he bids them take no thought, how, or what they shall speak, because it shall be given them in that hour what they shall speak, Mat. 10. 19 But now although he were as well able to put words into their mouths to pray to his Father, as the Holy Ghost was then to answer their Persecutors: Yet he doth not say, Take no thought, how, or what ye shall pray; for it shall be given you in that hour what ye shall pray: Neither doth he add as he doth there, v. 20. For it is not ye that pray, but the Spirit of my Father that prayeth in you: He neither makes such an Answer, nor adds such a Reason, but tells them what things they shall pray for, and in what words present it; this being his Answer to the Petition, when ye pray, say, Our Father which art in Heaven, etc. From which Petition of the Disciple, and answer of the best skilled Master, I have these few things observable. 1. That John the Baptist (as it is very apparent) did prescribe and teach his Disciples a set Form of Prayer, and did not bid them (as it is now said) pray by the spirit. 2. From this answer of our Saviour it may be gathered, that a set Form of Prayer is lawful for all Christians, as it was for the Disciples of Christ, and Saint John. 3. That this Prayer which Christ taught his Disciples is not to be neglected of any, but may, and aught to be used and practised of all, in obedience to Christ who commands it. 4. That both the Disciples of John, and our Saviour praying in that manner as they did, and were taught by their instructors, did pray by the spirit. 5. That all things necessary for man, either body or soul, this life, or that which is to come, are summed up in that Prayer, which Christ there prescribed. 6. That Public Prayer is to be preferred before Private, because Christ taught them to pray in a Body together, not severally asunder, bidding them not to say My, but Our Father answering the Disciples request, not teach Me, but Us to pray. Now, because the Liturgy, or Public Service of the Church is laid aside, and decried as Popish and Superstitious (with other unseemly expressions) and that Christ's own Form of Prayer is in particular vilified by some irreligious and scurrilous tongues; some offering to God a worse than Pharisaical Thanksgiving, for that they never could say it; others that they have forgotten it; a third sort publicly glorying, that they have not said it in so many years past; and in general, that it is neglected and left to a careless tuition: And that the Apostles Creed is altogether expunged, the New Public Service either as unnecessary, or imperfect, or fruitless. I have thought good this versifying way to recall it into people's minds, especially those who (stilo Antiquo) have been incorporated into the Body of Christ's Congregation, and to remember all undertakers, how at the Holy Font they have engaged themselves before God and the Church, to make provision that they may learn the Creed, the Lords Prayer, and the ten Commandments in the English tongue. Reader, this which thou seest of the Lord's Prayer, was so done about 23 or 24 years since, and there are many Copies of it abroad, the other of the Creed is newly conceived, and delivered to the Light: I have nothing to Apologise for myself, but those Sinewy Lines of that Excellent man, Mr. GEORGE HARBERT in his Church Porch. Thou whose sweet Youth and Early Hopes enhance Thy Rate and Price, and mark thee for a treasure; Harken unto a Verser, who may chance Rhyme thee to good, and make a bait of Pleasure. A Verse may find Him, who a Sermon flies, And turn delight into a Sacrifice. So Farewell. GEORGE DITTON. October 22. 1649. Imprimatur, JOHN DOWNAME. London, Printed by Thomas Harper, and are to be sold by John Courtney, in Salisbury, 1650.