Apostles are raviâ—hed with his glory whom they saw in his weaknâ—ss The Prophets are delighted with him whom they prophesied of but never beheld before The Martyrs are transpoâ—ted with his love and forgetting all their torments solace themselves in his joyes and every gaping wound (d) Quot vulnera hiantia tot ora laudantia Deum is a mouth to chant out his Praise Oh what honour is it to serve such a Lord what delight to be admitted to so glorious a society Summon up all the powers and fâ—culties of your souls and as they fill Heaven do yoâ— fill the Earth with setting out the Majesty of his Glory § 3. The second part of this Hymn in the eleven following versicles is a Confession of Faith And eveâ—y Aâ—ticle thereof is a fâ—rther motive to praise God eitâ—er foâ— the gâ—ory of his Essence or the mercy that appears in his works And since we see God at present only by Faith the Profession of that Faith is to us reputed a glorifying of him (e) Rom. 15.6 The Saints and Angels have a fâ—ll view and what they â—o by Joy we do by Faith and holy desires of a nearer union Aâ—d certainly we cannot set out the Majesty of his Glory better then by assenting to that Revelation which his Truth hath made of himself and by confessing him that the glorious Hosts of Heaven adore and the Universal Châ—â—ch doth and ever did acknowledge For so we agree in a sweet harmony with the Saints and Angels in heaven and with all holy men our Bretheren on the earth For the unanimous consent of the Servants is a manifestation of the Masters honour And it is an evidence that our Lord is really such and so glorious as we believe him to be since all unite in the profession of it Aâ—d this holds good most evidâ—ntly in the great mistery of the Trinity which the Celestial Quire owns by their Trisagium Holy Hâ—ly Holy And the Catholick Church hath most unanimously acknowledged most sacredly kept and most courageously defended above all other Articles so that all those agree in this who differ in many other points Let us then chearfully acknowledge the infinite Majesty of the Father who governs all Creatures and declare the honour of his true and only Son whose Glory is great in our salvation Let us confess the Divinity of that holy Spirit who is our Advocate in Heaven and our Comforter (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 u rumque signif Johan 14.16 1 Ep. Johan 2. ver 1. upon the Earth Above all let us be carefull that the humiliation of our mercifull Redeemer do not abate of our esteem To prevent which the Church in this Hymn as also in all her Creeds makes the largest and most particular Confession of the Son of God and we have here a full account of Divinity and Humanity because by the malice of Sathan these have been so confounded and mistaken by so many Heresies and we have also a recital of those works of his which most concern us because it is the interest of us all to know and believe these which more directly tend to our salvation then any other of the works of God and therefore do more strongly engage our gratitude for we shall find abundaâ—t matter of Praise both in what Jesus is in his nature and what he hath done for us He is very God and therefore we give â—im that title which alone belongs to the Lord of hosts and St. Ambrose the best interpreter of this Hymn saith (g) Psal 24 7. 10. Quis est iste Rex gloriae Respondetur à scientibus Dominus virtutùm ipse est Rex gloriae Ergo Dominus virtutùm est ipse filius Ambros de Fide lib. 4. that twenty fourth Psalm was sung by the Angels at our Saviours Resurrection those who came with him calling to those in Heaven to open the gates for the King of Glory who answered them as it is in that Psalm And we may call him the King of Glory both as he is very God and because he hath purchased Glory for us and shall distribute it to us and shall receive glory and praise from us and all that are partakers of it And his glory depends not on our praises but is inseparable from his nature because he is the true and only begotten Son of God not Created as the Angels nor Adopted as Men but by Eternal Generation Coeternal with the Father and Coequal What though he was born in time the Son of Man this doth not take away his Being the Son of God nor change his nature but express his love and engage our affections Dear Jesus whether hath thy love carried thee from Glory to misery from the highest Throne in Heaven to the lower parts of the Earth (h) Ephes 4.9 Pudorem exordii nostri non recusaâ—iâ— sed contumelias naturae nostrae transcurrit Hilar How hast thou pursued â—s through all the stages of our infelicity from the dishonours of the Womb to those of the Tombe not abhorring the meanest place that was pure nor the lowest condition that Innocence could be put into What cause have we to bless thee (i) Ideo quod homo est Christus esse voluit ut homo possit esse quod Christus est who wert pleased to become what we were that we might be not what we deserved but as thou art Holy Saviour we believe and rejoyce in believing that thou wast born like us livedst with us and diedst for us and that death was our life it was shameful and inglorious sharp and tormenting so terrible as might startle a great confidence in a good cause But it was not more bitter to thee then sweet to us We even we Oh Lord had armed Death with a sting sharp and venomous for our sin had provoked the Divine wrath And this sting though with the suffering (k) 1 Cor. 15.57 Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Devicto mortis aâ—uleo Ambr. of inexpressible dolours thou hast pulled out and having satisfied the Justice of God canst now triumph over death it self and enable us with comfort to say O Death where is thy sting with which thou didst threaten all the World with unavoidable destruction Who can behold what thou hast suffered and we have escaped and not be ravished with thy Love Oh blessed Lord Jesus The way to Heaven was ever open to Innocence but we all had sinned and come short of the glory of God Heaven gates were shut against us and Hells mouth open to receive us And in this estate our life had been worse then death by the dreadful expectations of deserved vengeance and our death had certainly delivered us up to feel what we feared Do we live with any comfort 'T is thou hast removed our fears Can we dye with any peace It is thou alone hast renewed our hopes if any men that are or ever were or shall be are admitted into this Kingdome
esteem it while it promotes your Imitation of so excellent a Patern I shall add no more but to beg my Imperfections may take Sanctuary in the integrity of my Purposes which have armed me against all Detractions because my Aim is the Glory of God the encrease of Piety and the Peace of this Church for the obtaining whereof the Prayers as well as the Patronage of your Lordship are most earnestly requested by My Lord Your Honours most obliged and Most faithful Servant Thomas Comber THE PREFACE THere are two principal ends of the Worship of God The glory of him that is Worshiped and the benefit of the Worshipers And these two are so inseperably united that St. Augustine (a) Credendum est totum quod recte colitur Deus homini prodesse non Deo Aug. Civ Dei l. 10. cap. 5. reduceth both to one assuring us that all the advantage accrues to us But whether we look on them single or conjoyned no part of Divine Worship doth so much express and advance Gods glory nor so directly tend to Mans good as Publique Prayer in which we make the most universal solemn acknowledgments of our Obligations unto and Dependence upon the Supreme Lord of all the World and by which all the servants of God in all times places and circumstances do with one heart and voice by common consent (b) Publica est nobis COMMUNIS ORATIO quando oramus non pro uno sed pro toto populo oramus quia totus populus unum sumus Cyprian reveal their wants and obtain supplies for them So that we may call this the Life and Soul of Religion the Anima Mundi that universal Soul which quickens unites and moves the whole Christian World Nor is the case of a private Man more desperate when he breaths no more in secret Prayer then the condition of a Church is where Publique Devotions cease St. Hierome out of Hippolitus puts the cessation of Liturgie (c) Hieron Com. in Dan. as a principal sign of the coming of Antichrist And nothing more clearly shews a profane generation (d) Gen. 4.26 Chal. Par. Tunc profani fuerunt homines ut non Orarent in nomine Domini edit Ven. the very title of wicked men in Scripture (e) Psal 14.4 53.4 being that they call not upon God 'T is well if any of us can excuse our selves but the general neglect of daily Prayers (f) In the Rubrick before the Morning Prayer by Ministers who are both desirous and bound to perform them doth too sadly testify they are tired out with the peoples constant absence and all together witnesseth an Universal decay of true Piety Perhaps the dishonour that is cast upon God and Religion while there is no apparent testimonies that they value either will not move these disregarders and neglecters since they live so that a Stranger could not imagine they had any God at all But I hope they have yet so much Charity for themselves that it may startle them to consider what mischiefs are hereby brought upon themselves and others Wherefore let them ask the cause of all that Atheism and Prophaneness Luxury and Oppression Lying and Deceiving Malice and Bitterness that is broke in upon us to the torment and disquiet of the whole World Let them ask why they plague others with their sins and others requite them again and it will appear that all this is come upon us because we forget God and Heaven Death and Judgment which daily prayers would mind us of Our Souls are fixed to the Earth because we lift them not up to Heaven We have neither grace to do good nor resist Sin because we never ask it and we can have as little hopes of Glory as we have signs of grace because we do not prepare for it But if these evils be too thin and spiritual let it be enquired whence our National and personal calamities proceed Epidemical diseases Warrs and pestilences Whence comes the Multiplication of Heresies the prevalency and pride of the Enemies of the true Religion The Jews will tell you Jacob's Voice in the Synagogue (g) Omni tempore quo Jacobi vox est in synagogis non sunt ibi manus Esau Prov. Rab. lib. Musar keeps off Esau's hands from the People We have disrespected and slighted God and his VVorship and he may justly put us out of his Protection who do not duly pay our homage to him and go away (h) Si Deus s b. synagogam intrat nemo inventus est abiit iratus ut Isai 50.2 Buxtorf syn ex Rh. displeased and then we lye open to all evil when our defence is departed from us and they that provoke him so to do are enemies to themsâ—â—â—â— and to the Church and state where they live indeed the worst Neighbours (i) Quisquis incolit civitatem in quâ extat synagoga et eam tecum non adiit is est Vicinus malus R. Nath. de latr But notwithstanding all this while all sober and devout Men lament this Epidemical iniquity and groan under the sad effects thereof passionately wishing a speedy remedy the Offenders grow bold by their numbers and hardened by this evil custome till they now despise a reproof and deny this Negligence to be a sin because they have no mind to amend it But these are of two kinds 1. Those that make their business their Apology and suppose it is unreasonable to expect them every Day at Common Prayer and judge it sufficient to say they cannot come 2. Those which have learned to despise or hate the Prayers of the Church and to scorn that which their Fore-fathers generally better then they did heartily serve God by and yet these account it their Virtue to abstain from them and having sufficiently undervalued these Devotions stampt by Publick Authority they imagine they may say innocently enough they wil not come But if to disparage our Rule did take off our Obligation to walk by it Scorners then were the least of sinners But neither the excuses of the one can cover his Covetousness and Irreligion nor the confidence of the other shelter his Pride at the last and dreadful day So that I suppose it may be a friendly office and will be so accepted to warn all such of the unsafe grounds they relye upon to prove their innocency in forbearing Publique Prayers And this I shall do by representing with all Moderation 1. The reasonableness of our being present at Daily Prayers to those who say they cannot 2. The Excellency of the Liturgie to those who say they will not come And this I am obliged to do to smooth the way to the Temple for in vain do we shew how men may be devout there if they excuse or deny Coming thither And we must not so confine our Charity to these within the walls as to forget those without We love the one best but we must pitty the other also and endeavour to
way to escape them To deny my sins were impudence to excuse them will be apparent hypocrisie To be concealed is impossible to be found intollerable I am miserably confounded But was never any in this case before that I might receive some advise and comfort for them Yes surely The Church hath here presented me with a King and a Prophet both dear to God whose fears were greater though their sins were less and their danger not so great as mine yet these in the midst of their fears considered their sins as the onely cause of these evils and accordingly they freely confessed them bitterly lamented and exceedingly humbled themselves for them not striving so much to avoid the Punishment as to obtain the pardon of their sins knowing that the guilt once removed thou wouldst either totally spare them or gently chastise them for their good Wherefore they rendred themselves up into thy hands rather aggravating then extenuating their offences and yet humbly begging their correction might be in mercy and they found the benefit of it Go to then my soul and do thou likewise thou hast first occasioned Gods wrath by thy breaches of his laws oh do not encrease it by dishonouring his Name with excessive fears thou hast forsaken him by sin run not farther by despair for the faster thou runnest from his Mercy the sooner thou wilt meet with his Justice Delay no longer but go in before he send for thee deliver up thy self before death or any sore judgment arrest thee accuse thy self before thou be indited and confess thy sins freely before the witnesses be called out against thee pass sentence on thy self e're the Judge condemn thee I cannot expect wholly to escape but it will be a great favour if I meet a sickness instead of death losses in my estate instead of loosing both my God and my Soul for ever It is not fit to desire my heavenly Father altogether to lay aside his Rod but only to use it gently that I may by this smart be warned against those future sins that bring me to utter and final ruine Oh Lord rather chastise me then disinherit me me and those stripes shall be welcome which come in exchange for eternal torments Thou who wilt change thy Sword into a Rod wilt be so compassionate in thy inflictions that I shall onely feel what my distempered soul needs to recover and my flesh and spirit can bear not what my sins deserve and thy Justice might exact Wherefore I will no longer hide my sins but by a humble and hearty confession declare that I hate them more then I fear to fall into thy merciful hands and do hope hereafter I shall fear to offend and then I shall be freed from these sad expectations of thy heavy wrath which wisdom God grant me for Jesus sake Amen § 4. NOt much unlike this is the case of the poor doubting soul who is discouraged from Confession by mis-giving thoughts that God is become utterly irreconcileable and hence they conclude it needless to repent because they believe the recovery of his favour to be impossible and truly so it is if we think it so to be because while we look upon it to be impossible we can never seek after it (z) Postquam enim adempta spes est lassus câ—râ consertus stupet Arnobius but if we observe it is the design of Satan to make us to think so that we might never obtain it nor attempt it Wherefore to rescue these poor souls from so dangerous a delusion and to prepare them to ask a pardon in Faith the Church hath selected three portions of Scripture more The first (a) Psalm 51.17 To shew they are fitly disposed to ask by their contrition The second (b) Daniel 9.9 To demonstrate God is inclined to give notwithstanding their unworthiness The third (c) Luke 15.18 19. To prove by a pertinent example they are likely to be received if they will venture to come 1. Psalm 51.17 Let this dejected soul view holy David after the Commission of his great sin who being earnestly desirous as you are to be taken again into favour by God vers 12. was surveying his flocks and all his substance (d) Micah 6.6 7. to find some acceptable present to offer to God resolving that nothing was too much nor too precious to procure a thing so excellent But while he looks abroad he remembers he hath something at home a trembling broken heart which panted in his breast and therefore here expressed by a word (e) Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fluctus ad scopuluâ— allisos ita signif Psal 94.5 signifying waves dashed against a Rock this broken spirit and contrite heart was the most acceptable offering in the world Gods justice in condemning his power in detaining and his severity in executing the sentence of his wrath upon his Enemies was in his thoughts as a mighty Rock against which these thoughts had beat so long that his heart was almost dashed to pieces with fear and yet he knows its sighs and groans are pleasanter to God then the melody of the Chantings of the sons of Asaph its pantings and breathings are perfumes sweeter then the cloud of Incense its free Confessions and exposing it self to shame make it an acceptable Heave-offering its tears are a precious Drink-offering and its flaming desires do make it more excellent then whole Burnt-offerings and all the Sacrifices of the Temple The sorrows of our hearts are far more prevalent then the fattest oxen of our stalls or the fairest calves of our lips neither of which without contrition are respected by God (f) Matth. 15.9 The prayers and tears of sorrowful Hanna can fetch a greater and spedier blessing from heaven then the costly oblations of Elâ—anah (g) 1 Sam. 1.13 David is resolved to offer this for this he is sure God will not despise Which word not despise is to meet with the fears of the contrite sinner who because he knows his own heart so filthy deceitful and vile a thing cannot believe but God will reject it as he did the lame and the blind the sick and maimed sacrifice under the Law This is that you fear but he assures you he will not despise it but there is more intended (h) Minus dicitur sub eo majus intelligitur ut Johan 6.37 alibi even that he will accept it kindly as when Christ saith he will not cast them off who come to him he means he will lovingly entertain them so here 't is certain God will not onely not despise it but will look upon it as the best and greatest gift though it be from the hand of a Publican (i) Luke 18. wherefore be not disheartned for your fears shew you have this broken heart offer that and be assured God will embrace it lovingly treat it tenderly and keep it safely Psalm 51.17 I have nothing in this world so dear to me but I would give it
wherein the Messias and our Saviour of the world was to set up a spiritual kingdome in the hearts of men it was necessary for all that desired to become his subjects to renounce those lusts to which they had been enslaved and to prepare his way by repentance or else they must remain slaves still and this reason urgeth us now as strongly as ever because our Lord Jesus doth every day now by his Word and Embassadours proclaim liberty to us and offers to become our King but in most of our hearts sin hath usurped his throne and therefore we must first exclude that and if we repent not it seems we love the slavery of Sathan better then the liberty of the Sons of God and do declare we will not have Christ to reign over us and though he may for a while connive at this affront yet remember there is another kingdome of heaven at hand even the kingdome of glory wherein all that shall then have rejected Christ for their King shall be utterly destroyed (p) Luke 19.27 and condemned to unspeakable and endless torments And this ought to fill such lazy persons with fear because for any thing they know the end of all is near at hand however 't is secret that you might not delay and will be sudden when it doth come and if it surprize us we can never repent more and if this world should last 10000 years more it is nothing to us for this kingdome of heaven begins with us when we leave this world and therefore who knows how near the kingdome of heaven may be Matth. 3.3 I see you have committed many sins and do still go on in them and so are neither fit for that grace which is offered you here nor to appear in that judgment which must pass upon you hereafter Wherefore I charge you all repent ye of all your wickednesses and confess them seriously and forsake them speediâ—y for the kingdome of Jesus Christ the eternal Son of the God of heaven is now to be set up in the hearts of all true penitents and for others their death is not 〈◊〉 off and the kingdome of glory is at hand and wiâ—â— surprize them in their trifâ—ing intentions to their utter ruine A Meditation preparatory to Prayer for the quickening of such as neglect repentance IT had been well for my soul if all this while my safety had been equal to my confidence for none ever thought themselves more secure though there was no other ground for it but only because I was resolved not to take the pains to behold my danger I have multiplied my transgressions and lived in sins unamended yea unrepented of and therefore have had the drawn sword of the divine vengeance hanging over my guilty head by the slender thred of my uncertain life which every thing can snap asunder and I have seemed wilfully to shut my eyes chusing rather to feel it and the eternal smart of it then to behold this dreadful sight which would long since have terrified me into amendment and snatched me from under the approaching ruine what prodigious folly hath seized on me what stupid laziness hath benummed me are the pains of escaping greater then the pains of suffering or will the blow be lighter because I resolve neither to see it nor avoid it awake my soul awake while there is a possibility to prevent thy ruine thy sins are so numerous and so hainous that thou canst be ignorant of them the threatnings of Gods wrath are so plain and so positive that thou mayst see they aim at thee thy conscience cryes so loud that thou canst not but hear it and Gods holy spirit pleads so powerfully that thou must take as much pains to exclude these friends as would serve to turn out thy enemies Surely God gave me not wit and understanding to invent a plausible cover for the eyes of my conscience or to contrive bulworks of excuses to intrench my sins in safety and yet I unhappy wretch have been ingenious in nothing so much as in plotting the ruine of my soul and designing to perish undisturbed Behold and blush where holy David lyes covered with shame drowned in tears and overwhelmed with sorrow not able through sear and terror to take his eye of that one offence whilst thou a far greater sinner art careless and unconcerned He sets his before his own face and God throws them behind his back but I who cast them behind me and strive to bury them in oblivion and inconsideration shall have them set before my face when the sight of them cannot conduce to the obtaining of my pardon but the aggravating my eternal misery the sight of them indeed is most unpleasant the object odious and ungrateful but the benefit will abundantly recompence the trouble and if I behold them now so as to repent of them I shall see them no more for ever I will imitate therefore this holy man and ever view the guilt and the danger of them that I may humbly confess them and obtain a pardon for them my wretched heart hath taken pleasure in committing them and it shall have vexation in reflecting on them for I will not take my eyes off from them till the horrid aspect of my grievous iniquities have humbled my soul for them and turned my heart against them The blessed Jesus that sees the hearts and knows the necessities of all hath given a universal command of repentance to all men which yet methinks seems peculiarly directed to me who have neglected this necessary duty hitherto Thou oh Lord seest my danger and pittieth my approaching ruine I bow my head and heart and neither dare nor can disobey so gracious and loving advice so useful and necessary a warning Thy bare word had been sufficient to command obedience from those who expect salvation by thee but thou art pleased farther to convince me I do believe dear Jesus the benefit is great if I shall turn now while thy grace is so freely offered to all people I know the danger is dreadful if I defer any longer since 't is certain thy Kingdome shall come but uncertain how soon either death shall arrest me or judgment surprize me in such delayes I have cause to bless thee that neither of these have happened yet since I have so justly provoked thee by excluding so gracious a King out of my heart rather then I would be at the trouble of preparing for thee yet Lord thou callest still and now I am making what haste I can oh remember not how long I have stayed but consider how little time I have left and by the help of thy grace make my work short and easie proportionable to my time and strength I confess I knew before but I never considered till now and now I dare not stay but through thy help now I come oh do not cast me off for thy mercies sake Amen § VII Lastly If any by dayly use of these offices begin to grow
suis quisque verbis refipiscienâ—iam profiteretur Basil Ep. 3. and injunctions for every man to speak up in his acknowledgments that so our repentance may be as visible as our sins and that God may be glorified (z) Homo es vis rogari putas Deum tibi non roganti ignoscere Ambr de poen l. 2. by a solemn and humble request which even a man would expect from his inferior that had offended him much more may God require it in other Prayers it will suffice to seal them with Amen and set our name at the bottom but this must be all in our own words and under our own hand to justifie God and take shame to our selves and to encourage our brethren The Scripture requires in some cases we should confess our sins to men but what can we think of those that will not confess them to God no not in these general terms which may be said by the best of men too truly surely these men are either Pharisaical and suppose they have no sins worth confessing or hypocritical and would not be taken for sinners or they are carnal and senseless neither feeling their load nor fearing their danger When the Prince comes by a Prison all the Prisoners fall on their knees and every man begs a pardon but if one or two stand mute or stay away we should judge that they were confident of their innocence or obstinate in their wickedness and fearless of the punishment such a censure may too justly be pasâ—ed upon those who either come not to Confession or do not speak those Words in that humble but audible voice the Church requires and God expects for he will loose his glory in pardoning thee if thou hast not first publickly made thy Recantation and confessed thy guilt with thy own mouth The Paraphrase of the Exhortation DEarly beloved Brethren Your souls are really dear to me and out of my true affection to you and desire of your eternal welfare proceeds this courteous Admonition which you must not despise because I am one of you Brethren for I speak not from my self but from the mouth of God who in the Scripture moveth us in sundry places as well as in those I have now read that having seriously examined our hearts and considered our thoughts words and works we do declare the truth of what we find and then to acknowledge and confess how many several wayes how frequently and how sadly we have in all disobeyed his will and broken his laws by our manifold sins and wickedness which are so cunningly and closely twisted by us who have drawn iniquity with cords of vanity and with those cords bound our souls to everlasting misery Wherefore the Word of God commands us to discover them and that we should not dissemble the heinousness of our transgressions by inventing plausible excuses or contriving feigned pretences to extenuate them nor cloak them by impudent denials of what we are justly charged with for it is the manner of hypocrites so to do but it is dangerous to excuse or deny our sins before the face of Almighty God who knows our guilt and can easily destroy us both soul and body and will do it the sooner upon this hypocrisie and presumption though he be our heavenly Father and would forgive us if we confessed them like ingenuous câ—ildren Oh let us not therefore any longer excuse or hide our sins but confess them as he commandeth us and in such manner as he directs us not slightly but with an humble lowly heart in a due seâ—se of our vileness in our frequent and high and heinous provocations of so gracious a God by our rashness and folly treachery and ingratitude and this we must acknowledge with a penitent heart full of â—nfeigned sorrow for the comfort of his love assistance of his grace and hopes of his glory that we have either lost or forfeited for the empty pleasures of sin â—â—d â—ave got nothing in exchange but the terrours of our Conscience the decâ—y of our hopes and the encrease of our fears of the Divine vengeance which we have deserved both here and hereafter of all which miâ—chiefs we must be convinced our iniquities are the cause that we may hate them perfectly and confess them also with an utter detestation of them and with a holy and obedient heart resolve if we be now admitted to Gods favour that we will henceforth forsake them and carefully observe all his blessed will And truly this sense of sin and sorrow for it resolutions against it and purpoâ—es of Obedience are necessary in the confessing of our Offences to the end that we may obtain that which we seek for even the forgiveness of the same because no pardon can be without it though he never account with us in his justice but deal with us never so favourably of his infinite goodness and mercy without which theâ—e had been no conditions at all offered us and though he be infinite in Mercy yet â—e cannot â—dmit us on any terms but such as are consisteâ—t with his truth and holiness And although we who are born in sin and do every day more or less commit iniquity in reason ought at all times even every day and in all places humbly to acknowledâ—e even in our private closets and secâ—etly to bewail our sins before God who sees the Commission and hears the confession of them in the most secret place yet ought we though we daily perform this duty in private not to think that excuseth us from confessing in Gods house for it is our duty most chiefly so to do when we assemble and meet together there where we have so many duties of so great concernment to perform none of which can be done so as we shall be profited by them or God pleased with them unless we first do truly repent for we come hither 1. to render thanks for the great benefits we have received at his hands for our bodies as life and health food and raiment peace and plenty and for our souls as redemption instruction sanctification and hopes of glorification but the impenitent sinner abuseth the mercies of this life and despiseth those that would bring us to a better life and therefore cannot sincerely give thanks for either nor without repentance can we be fit 2. to set forth his most worthy praise because all the glorious titles such give unto God can be nothing but customary complement or flattery for did they believe what they speak of him they could not live in their sins his power would terrifie them his goodness shame them his grace would invite them and his mercy encourage them to turn to him and till then your hymns may justly seem derision and will not profit you no more then your coming in your sins 3. to hear his most holy Word which calls upon you in the first place to repent and if you begin not there it is likely you will be deaf to its exhortations
slight its reproofs refuse its commands despise its threatnings and dis-believe or disregard its promises and so all will be lost upon you But till you hear Gods voice you cannot expect he should hear yours when you come to this house of prayer 4. to ask those things which are requisite and necessary either towards our well-being or being even all that is convenient or of absolute necessity as well for the body as the soul for if you do beg temporal mercies earnestly he knows you will be strengthened in your sins by them and for those which concern the soul if the obstinate sinner could desire them God would not give them nor is such an one capable to receive them Wherefore since we are come into the House of God to worship and serve him and all we can do will be esteemed but a mocking of God without repentance I pray and beseech you who am the Ambassadour of the King of Heaven to whom you intend to pray for all good things and of him to beseech deliverance from all evil I in his Name do request all you as many as are here present high and low rich and poor young and old whether you are the best of the Congregation or the worst of sinners to accompany me in presenting an humble Confession to Almighty God who by Christ Jesus hath given you leave to come into his presence and commanded me to bring you with me and will most mercifully accept and lovingly embrace us both Oh then come along with me and let us confess our sins with a pure heart not harbouring any hypocrisie in our souls and humble voice to express the sorrow of our minds and since you have deserved shame do you in your own words accuse your selves and justifie God and fear not that your own testimony shall be used to help to condemn you for you are not going to a humane tribunal but to the throne of the heavenly Grace where he sits who did invite you and doth wait for you and will forgive you do not fear it And though he be in Heaven yet trouble not your selves how to bespeak him for if you be willing to go with me I will be your Mouth only I request you will in your own words consent to and seal every sentence by saying after me this most hearty Confession following SECTION III. Of the daily Confession The Analysis or Division of the Confession THis pious Confession is so methodically composed that it naturally falls into these four Parts 1. The Introduction 2. The Confession properly so called 3. A Deprecation of evil 4. A Petition for good 1. The Introduction in which is shewed 1. To whom it is made to our Almighty and most merciful Father who is Able to puÌ„ish Willing to forgive Likely to receive us 2. By whom it is made by us we 2. The Confession it self 1. in general that we have sinned have erred and strayed from thy wayes how we have sinned like lost sheep 2. in particular 1. of the cause original sin We have followed too much the Devices and Desires of our own heart 2. of the effect Actual sin in general Disobedience We have offended against thy holy Laws in sins of Omission we have left undon those things which we ought to have done in sins of Commission And we have done those things which we ought not to have done* 3. in a conclusion from both * And there is no health in us 3. The Deprecation of the Evill 1. What we would be delivered from and 2. The Reasons annexed to every one 1. The guilt of sin But thou O Lord have mercy upon us with the Reason because we are miserable offenders 2. The puniâ—hment of it spare thou them O God with the Reason because such that confess their faults 3. The power of it Restore thou with the Reason because we are of them that are penitent 3. An Argument to enforce the Deprecation 1. From the Promises in general According to thy Promises 2. The manner of giving Declared 3. The Persons to whom unto mankind 4. The Person by whom they were given in Christ Iesu our Lord 4. The Petition for good in which there is 1. Of whom we desire it And grant O most merciful Father 2. Through whom we desire it for his sake 3. What we desire of God 1. in general amendment that we may hereafter live 2. Piety to God a godly 3. Charity to others righteous 4. Temperance to our selves and a sober life 4. Why we desire it or to what end To the glory of thy holy Name Amen A Practical Discourse on the General Confession § 1. Almighty and most merciful Father The Church hath been curious and exact to select such Titles for God in the beginning of every Prayer as are most proper to the Petitions to which they are prefixt and most likely to produce affections sutable to those requests in him that useth them which as it is every where apparent to a considering person so it may appear particularly in the fitness of these two compellations to the subsequent Confession being the Attributes of his infinite Power and Mercy The first is an acknowledgment of the greatness of him whom we have offended and is the same with that which God stiles himself by to Abraham (a) Gen. 17.1 Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Job 22.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aqu. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theo. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 h. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Speusippus Ipsa suis conâ—enta opibus nil indigo nostri Lucrer de natur And it denotes his being all-sufficient in himself for his own happiness as the Philosopher defined him as also his being able to supply all our wants And further it notifies his absolute Dominion over all the world and his infinite power to do whatsoever he pleaseth So that the consideration of this attribute shews us that we have sinned against a God whom we cannot hurt by our sins but by them we damage our selves both in stopping the current of his blessings by which we are sustained and refreshed and by provoking him to stretch out his mighty Arm to destroy us the shutting his hand of bounty would make us perish for want bâ—t the weight of his Arm of power will crush us to pieces And we must meditate on this so long till our hearts are pierced with a religious fear and holy dread of the anger of this Almighty God only this fear must not drive us from him but draw us more speedily to him and be as the Needle (b) Si nullus est timor non est quâ charitas intret sicut setam introducere filum videmus sed nisi exit seta non succedit linum sic timor occupat mentem prior verum non ibi manet quia ideo intravit ut introduceret charitatem Augustin in 1. ep Johan 4o. which enters not to stay but to make way for the thread of
a uniting love for the heart will be the faster bound to the most merciful Father when it is first made sensible it hath offended a dreadful Almighty God who yet retains the bowels as well as name of a Father and is the most merciful of all Fathers for what natural Parent would not have cast out and disinherited his once dearest Child for the one half of what thou hast done against thy Heavenly Father who yet upon our true repentance stands ready to embrace us with as much love as if we had never done amiss if fear will move our hearts here is represented his terrible power if love will work upon us here is discovered unspeakable goodness and what heart can resist both His Almightiness is first but if the terrour thereof seal up thy lips let the hope of his fatherly pity and compassion open them again Learn humility and true contrition from the first and Faith and Hope from the latter which are excellent mixtures in a penitent heart and the best dispositions in the World for a hearty and prevailing confession § 2. We have erred and strayed from thy wayes Gods laws are frequently in holy Scripture compared to a way that leads to everlasting life and thither we are going when we are walking in them But our sins and iniquities are errings and strayings out of this path In our lesser sudden and unobserved sins we step aside and make our way crooked (c) Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sig peccatum curvum Eccles 7.13 Psal 38.16 Job 33.27 Matth. 17.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by vain thoughts rash and idle words light and foolish carriage these happen so frequently that if we walk right a while we are soon out again so that at best we go on but in contorted spiral lines which is far from the straitness and evenness of our rule yet because these are done out of ignorance they are called Errors which though we may think them small in their kind yet they are formidable in their numbers and next to infinite but besides these lesser wandrings we stray further stay longer when we fall into greater transgressions and evil habits these are absolute forsaking of Gods folds and a plain passing over those bounds which God hath set us as Solomon did to Shimei (d) 1 Kings 2.36 ubi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sign transâ—re limites ut Jos 4.1 at Deut. 17 2. c. signif peccare and by so doing we forfeit our lives as he did his if Gods mercy did not spare us And thus Malice and Envy Lust and Drunkenness Pride and Cruelty Covetousness and Oppression especially when by frequent repetitions they are become customary may be called straying from his wayes 'T is very like many in favour to their own cause will count their errors no sins and call their strayings errors and infirmities But the least are committed so often that they are not to be despised and the greater are so heinous they cannot be hid and we should consider that be the sin what it will if we repent not we remain in our wandring and so an error may become a going astray To have stepped aside may seem excusable by humane frailty (e) Humanum est errare Belluinum vero perseverare in errore Cicer. he must be more then man that doth not so sometimes but he that sees his error and goes on it is worse then beast and wholly inexcusable 'T is certain there is none of us but we have erred by less and strayed by greater sins but if we hasten our repentance our strayings will be forgiven and esteemed as errors otherwise the lesser evils if we cherish them and neglect repentance may well encrease and be reputed as the utter deserting of Gods wayes § 3. Like lost sheep The Church chuseth the language of the holy Ghost to express our departure from God by For God and his Son Jesâ—s are compared to the Shepherds and we to the Sheep of their Pasture * Psalm 23.1 100.3 4. John 10.1 2 c. by our sins we become lost Sheep (f) Matth. 15.24 and by the Mercy of Jesus we are reduced (g) Luke 15.4 and since we have all sinned there is no man can deny but he is one of these lost Sheep (h) Isaiah 53.6 and David himself puts it into his Confession (i) Psalm 119.176 and so may the best of men do We frequently forsake the sâ—fe fold the pure streams and the green pasture which God hath provided for us and wander into a dry and barren wilderness where we want all true comforts and are expoâ—ed to a thousand evils Now how fitly these errings and strayings of ours are resembled by a lost Sheep may appear in three particulars 1. No creature is more apt to stray and by its heedlesness would never keep right were it not continually under the Shepherds eye So we while we greedily feed on worldly contents we daily go forward not observing whether we are right or wrong nor minding whither we go so that we easily fall into offences and are seldome long in Gods wayes Again 2. Nothing is more open to dangers when it doth stray then this shiftless Creature which hath many enemies and no defence against them the Dog is too swift the Wolf too strong and tâ—e Fox too cunning for it so that it becomes a prey to all Even so poor silly man when he hath left his Shepherd is intangled in the thorns of worldly cares ensnared by Sathan oppressed by wicked men and pursued by his own Conscience and hath not subtilty enough to contend with the Devil nor strength to defend himself against his instruments nor nimbleness to fly from his accuser Lastly the straying Sheep is most unlikely ever to return for supposing it should miss the ravenous enemies it is so stupid and inobservant that it would stray for ever unless the Shepherd find it and restore it And just thus God knows it is with us who wander up and down forgetting whence we are fallen and ignorant how to return again changing the kinds of our sins sometimes but never likely to find the right path till the good Shepherd of our souls who comes to seek that which was lost cause us to hear his voice behind us (l) Isai 30.21 John 10.4 and we turn and follow him Thus by this one significant Metaphor we own God for our true Shepherd and our selves to be his Sheep poor helpless Creatures apt to stray and in our wandrings likely to perish by many enemies and great dangers and unlikely and unable ever to return unless he please to forgive our sin forget our folly and pity our misery and come to seek and save us that feel our selves neer lost already we have not minded our Shepherds voice nor heeded his steps who as the custom of Shepherds in those Eastern countries was (m) John 10.4 Psalm 77.20 did himself walk before
us we have refused to follow him in the right way but have run on after one anothers bad Example and sometimes chosen the treacherous directions of the Wolf or Fox before those of our dear Shepherd to whom we now cry with shame and sorrow to rescue and restore us § 4. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts Confession ought to be a giving glory to God (n) Joshua 7.19 Jerem. 13.6 and therefore we must beware it prove not a dishonouring of him by transferring the guilt of our sin upon him directly or indirectly for though our treacherous hearts love the sin too well yet they would fain lay the blame and shame upon some other Adam will tacitly charge God himself (o) Genes 3.12 Natura hominuâ— procliviâ— in vitia vidâ—ri vult non modo cum veniâ sed etiam cum ratione peccare Lact. Inst lib. 4. rather then want an Apology to excuse his crimes and they imitate his example who confess their original corruption not to aggravate but extenuate their actual transgressions thinking they are the more excusable because they were naturally inclined to it Let such know it is not alone the inclinations of Nature but the complying with them and following of them and the neglect of Gods restraining grace that leads us into evil and no blame can be imposed on him that hath left the Canaanites to try us since he provides and offers sufficient help and defence against them nor can any excuse be made for us who love them and strengthen them and daily make Covenants with them it is our misery that our Nature is so evil disposed but it is our fault (p) Nemo de vitiis naturalibus sed de voluntariis poenas luit Aug. Civ Dei l. 12. c. 13. when we reject Gods directions and neglect his assistance and take these false principles and vitiated appetites for our guides Wherefore we here confess that not the having but the following these evil devices and desires is the cause of all our sins * Hosea 13.6 That which Divines call Original sin is by the Jews (q) Genes 6.5 Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 figmentum malum Vatab stiled the Evil device and is here most significantly stiled The devices and desires of our hearts which takes in that universal Corruption which hath overspread the soul and consists in the decay of the Divine Image which man was created in viz. The quickness and comprehensiveness of the intellectual powers to discern what was truly good and the readiness of the will to chuse and of the affections to make after that which was so discerned This was our state but now the Understanding is dull and shallow confused with wrong notions and busied in devising evil (r) Prov. 19.21 Prov. 3.29 Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glebas vertit which the Scripture compares to plowing and turning up the clods to search with labour and industry for fine dresses plausible excuses and speedy accomplishments And then we begin to fall in love with evil and greedily to desire it so that our Understanding is enslaved to our Appetites and must pronounce for it And when we have devised how to call evil good we are hurried on to desire it with the blindness and violence (s) Hi motus si ratione destituuntur in praeceps rapiuntur rapiunt Macrob. Som. Scip. l. 2. c. 16. of unguided affections that end in ruine Thus we devise how to present riches and plenty ease and pleasure honour and esteem satisfaction and revenge to our selves in so pleasing a garb that they may pass for excellent things and then we long for them and still devise wayes to obtain or recover them and then pursue them with expence of our times and estates with continual care mighty pains and restless endeavours because we suppose we cannot be happy without them Although it is most sure we can never have fast hold of them the child may as soon catch the Rainbow as we these flying shadows which have no worth but onely in our imagination But it will be well if when we have wearied our selves with an endless and vain chase we be so wise as to sit down panting and breathing out sighs and making sad reflexions on what we have done if we can consider we may easily discern that our devices have failed our desires been unsatisfied our expectations frustrated and our pains unrewarded and therefore we have good cause to confess we have followed them too much already and to resolve to be abused no more because they lead us into all sin and yet yield nothing but vanity and vexation of spirit for all our venture and pains § 5. Wâ— have offended against thy holy Laws Our gracious God hath given his law to supply all our defects and it is a lamp (t) Psal 119.105 to lighten the darkness of our minds a Counsellor (u) ibid. ver 24. to direct the weakness of our judgment a Guide (x) Psalm 32.8 to conduct our unsteady actions that we might not miss our way to true happiness But we will be our own directors and call that good which God calls evil so that we neglect what he commands and desire what he forbids We forsake our rule and come into a wrong way by our false devices and we run fast by our greedy and evil appetites and so are all our actual sins committed as is here taught out of S. John (y) 1 John 3.4 James 1.17 and this is the exact Pedegree of sin which S. James teacheth to be conceived in the devices of the mind nourished by the desires of the heart and produced by following both these so it was in the first of Gods laws which was broken by our first Parents (z) Oculus vidit cor concupiscit instrumenta operis pergunt ad agendum Fagius and so it is ever since these evil principles endeavour first a connivance then a consent and lastly exercise a tyrannical authority and necessity to evil where they have gotten the power But we may observe in this general sentence four aggravations of all Actual sins 1. They are done against a law enacted in Heaven and proclaimed over the whole Earth and particularly among us by divers special Messengers so that we cannot pretend ignorance 2. Not onely against one or two but many laws and if we search narrowly it will appear we have broken all the law of Nature the Decalogue of Moses the Precepts of Christ and the injunctions of the Apostles and it is a bad sign when so many Obstacles cannot stop us and doth encrease our guilt when all these laws will not restrain us 3. These sins are not against the laws of any mortal Prince but against the commands of the King of Kings the God of Heaven whose Dominion over us is so absolute his Wisdome so infinite to enact and his Power so great to reward or punish that
his Pasture shews he feeds us his hand expresseth his ruling of us wherefore if we want any good let us remember our God feeds all much more his own sheep let us pray to him and our King will furnish us Or if we fear any evil let us call to mind his hand is over us his particular providence is engaged for us he watches over us night and day Let us but trust in him and pray to him for the continuance of what we have and the supply of what we want and we need fear no evil no cunning Fox nor ravenous Wolf shall ever be able to pluck us out of his hand § 5. Ver. VIII To day if ye will hear his voice c. This first sentence in the Hebrew is annexed to the former Verse as the Condition on which God will accept us as his sheep and answer our prayers by continuing the supplies of his bounty to us and the defence of his providence over us if we will every day hearken to his voice for his own sheep alwaies do so John 10.4 and so must we follow him who is our shepheard and goes before us by his example (h) John 10.3 see Dr. Hammonds Annotations and calls us after by the voice of his Word otherwise we reject him from being a shepheard over us and so he may justly cast us off But the Greek Interpreters begin as we do in imitation of them a new sentence here and are warranted so to do by the change of the Person which is often used in holy Writ but hath a peculiar Emphasis here hitherto we have been speaking to one another to stir up our hearts to praise God and to pray to him Now the Holy Ghost himself (i) Heb. 3.7 to shew that all our Devotions will be in vain unless we resolve to obey (k) Prov. 1. ver 24. comp with ver 28. Gods word is brought in warning us to hear the voice of God as we expect he should hear our petitions Wherefore it is expressed with Majestick Authority if ye will you may if you will I will enable you to do it and it is best for you so to do and I advise you to it or as others if ye will implies a wish Oh that ye would hearken and obey (l) Ita 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 si per O utinam Exod. 32.32 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luc. 19.42 Cap. 22.42 for it is not unfrequent for God to wish we would do that which he knows to be for our good not but that he could make us do it by his omnipotency yet he doth not deal with us as with irrational creatures by force but entreaty (m) Deut. 4.29 and Chap. 32.29 Deus non eo modo quo per causas naturales agit movet hominû◠voluntates sed alliciendo Maimon because he abhors such constrained observance therefore he sends his word and his servants every day and gives us sufficient grace every day and we may hear and do his Will every day if our own wilful obstinacy hinder not and if it do he is grieved for us because we will dye (n) Matth. 23.37 Methinks it should melt our hearts to hear our gracious God so passionately wish and so earnestly call for our conversion and to consider how he hath long in vain waited for it adding one day to another even to this very day (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. Protreptic Hodiè istud permanebit usque ad finem seculi R.R. yet we put him off when for ought we know this may be our last day and then everlasting night begins with us and though others have their hodiè still we must never more hear this word this sweet to day if we would give all the world for it Oh foolish people how carelesly do you let this irrecoverable treasure this present day pass away and never consider the loss till it be too late The Devil and your wicked hearts say to day you are too busie too much taken up in other concerns and to morrow you will hear his voice and do his will But the Holy Ghost saith if ye will hear it must be to day for this day is yours but to morrow is his whom you provoke by casting away to day and how care you promise what is anothers or how can you expect God should give you more time when you so despise this you have it is likely you may never see another day because the more you have the more you mock God and the further you put him off Gods word read or preached will sound in your ears however this one day more to try if yet you will so hear it as to observe it which is the only right hearing (p) Genes 42.22 if not though your day of grace hath lasted long it shall quickly have an end the Jews had their To day but they would not hear and now they have it no more let us beware by their sad example But least we should be ignorant of the cause of these dangerous delays the good Spirit teacheth us it is by hardness of heart and least any should pretend their hearts were by natural corruption become most obdurate we are here charged that we do not harden them to intimate it is wilfull obstinacy not natural disability (q) Quibus verbis indicatur non ex alio fonte manare nostrum adversus Deum rebellionem quam ex voluntaâ—iâ improbitate dum illius gratiae aditum obstruimus Calvin in Heb. 3.8 for God would take away the stony heart from all who are in Covenant with him if they did not wilfully resist the Holy Ghost (r) Exod. 36.26 Acts 7.51 and like the deaf adder stop their ears and if we consult St. Paul we shall find two causes of hardness of heart First unbelief Heb. 3.12 of the threatnings pronounced against sin as if they should never be inflicted and of the promises made to assist us in and reward us for a holy life as if they should never be performed by which men go on stupidly in sin and fear no evil and slight all the waies of holiness which they think are tedious and unprofitable though the Divine truth affirm the contrary as long as men believe it not all our calls are in vain A second cause of hardening us is the deceitfulness of sin Heb. 3.13 which promiseth present pleasures and profits with all sensual satisfactions and if men believe Sathan in this which is so false and doubt of or deny all that the God of truth affirms what thunder can awaken them they will answer to all the calls of God and his Spirit that they will not leave their fatness (s) Judges 9.9.11 and sweetness since they see no harm in those wayes and find carnal content but do not expect any pleasure in or reward for the other if they could do them Why then do you make excuses or complain you are not
still Are not our principles surer our hopes clearer and our probabilities fairer and our gains like to be infinitely more Why then do we say these principles over as it were some Lesson that was never to be put in practice Let us turn our Creed into Syllogisms and we shall see what consequences necessarily flow from it And let us so firmly believe it that our Conversation may be the natural conclusion from those premises for there is no man whose natural Logick will not enable him to argue thus He that believes God to be Almighty and that he made him and all the world must love and fear this God and trust in him in all his needs But I believe in God the Father Almighty c. Therefore I must love and fear and trust in him at all times Or thus Whoever deserves and fears Gods wrath cannot truly believe Jesus came to save him from it but he must speedily apply himself to him and thankfully embrace this salvation But I who deserve and fear Gods wrath do believe this c. Therefore I must speedily apply my self to him and thankfully embrace this salvation from him And thus without strictly confining our selves to the rules of Art the most ignorant may with a little consideration find the natural result of every Article and what effect it will produce in any man that heartily doth embrace it And oh that all the world were as willing to live according to their professions as they are able to apprehend the force of these arguings We should not see our practises so frequently opposite to nay destructive of those principles we pretend to believe Let us ask our selves what manner of persons we ought to be who do so solemnly protest our belief that all these things are true In temporal things what we believe dangerous and unprofitable we avoid what we are persuaded is pleasant and advantageous we pursue and if our assent be as firm why should we not do so in spirituals Where the grounds are surer the inferences clearer and the gain and reward infinitely greater 't is too much to be feared we follow not our Creed far enough nor consider what the belief of those Articles would produce in us if cordially embraced Wherefore for the sake of such as could not or would not thus use the Articles of their Faith we have added to the Paraphrase the following Application The Paraphrase and Application of the Creed Art 1. I Believe most firmly in one infinite and eternal God who is a most powerful wise gracious and pure spirit Distinguished into three Persons the first of which is the Father Almighty who is the maker of me and all the Creatures of heaven and earth the preserver and Governor of all the world Wherefore I am obliged and resolved to own him for my God and Almighty Father by loving fearing serving and obeying him and to acknowledge him the Creator of all by admiring his works rightly using his Creatures and relying on his Providence for whatever I want in this world which is at his disposal And I am encouraged to call upon this my mighty God and merciful Father for my self and all the world for a competent measure of food and raiment health and wealth peace and plenty and not to doubt but that he who can do what he please will take care of the work of his own hands Art 2. And I do most firmly believe in the second Person of the glorious Trinity even in Iesus Christ our anointed Saviour who is very God equal to the Father being his only Son by eternal generation and is now become our Lord by the merciful redemption of our souls from death and hell Wherefore I am obliged and resolved most thankfully to commit my salvation to the management of my glorious and gracious Redeemer and as anointed by God to be a Prophet Priest and King to observe his teaching rely on his attonement and submit to his Authority and to walk answerable to the price that is payed for me And I am encouraged to pray in his name with faith and comfort for deliverance from my spiritual enemies and the salvation of my soul for a safe Pasport to Gods Heavenly Kingdome since his only Son is my Redeemer Art 3. I do also most firmly believe it was this very son of God who became man and yet was conceived free from sin by the overshadowing power of the Holy Ghost and that assuming our Nature and uniting it to his own Divine Nature was born of the blessed Virgin Mary so that he was both God and Man two Natures in one Person Wherefore I am obliged and resolved to be most thankful for that miraculous condescension and to learn to submit to the meanest condition to do good and to be careful not to defile my Nature which Jesus hath united to the Divinity And I am encouraged to pray that I may be sustained under the necessities of my frail estate which Jesus was acquainted with and purged from the corruptions which he was freed from and that being regenerate like him by the power of the Holy Ghost I may be partaker of his Nature as he was of mine Art 4. I do also most firmly believe that the holy Jesus being to satisfie the Divine Justice for our offences suffered the wrath which we had deserved and under Pontius Pilate the Romane Governor though most innocent in himself he was crucified till with cruel torments both of body and soul he had offered up his life a sacrifice for sin He was really dead and buried and took possession of the regions of darkness for he descended into hell and remained under the power of death for a time Wherefore I am obliged and resolved to lament for and crucifie my sins the cause of his bitter Passion to beware least by continuing in them I bring my self under the same curse and loose the benefits of this all-saving death and also to learn from him to suffer patiently and dye chearfully when God pleaseth And I am hereby encouraged to pray that I may not suffer what Christ hath endured for me that this sacrifice may be accepted as a satisfaction for all my transgressions and that the remembrance of it and the grace obtained by it may mortifie and kill in me that which hath crucified him Art 5. I do also most firmly believe that when he had paid the full price for the sins of the world death could no longer hold him so that the third day after his suffering by an infinite power he arose again assuring us that justice was satisfied and our enemies conquered since he was delivered from the dead among whom our iniquities and Gods anger had laid him Wherefore I am obliged and resolved in my lowest estate to trust in his power for my safety to rely on his All-sufficient merits for my Pardon and to endeavour to rise from the death of sin to walk in newness of life And I am encouraged
will obtain help from him for us by the power of his undenyable intercession and as a glorious Conqueror commands the Earth and Hell it self So that his might will secure us here and this is our strong Tower in which we believe our selves so safe that upon the confidence thereof we pray for protection and defence and that we may neither fear nor feel harm from any of our opposers and desire this may be granted and decreed in heaven by the mighty interest of our Mediator there and accomplished on earth by the invincible strength of the same Jesus here Amen The Paraphrase of the Collects for Peace O God who by thy constant power and providence art the author of safety and the cause of our peace from without the procurer of amity and lover of concord within thy Church and among thy people Thou art the only true God in knowledge of whom standeth out chief happiness in eternal life and our best means of coming safe thither for thou art the best of all Masters whose service is safe and pleasant because it is perfect freedom from the slavery of Sathan and the fear of his instruments Therefore mighty Lord be pleased to defend us who fly to thy protection and surrender up our selves to thee vowing we are and ever will be thy humble servants Oh keep us safe in soul and body if not from yet however in all assaults which are made upon us by the power malice or cunning of our enemies let their attempts be so constantly frustrated that we under the shadow of thy wings may couragiously proceed in our holy course and surely trusting in thy defence while we are faithful to thy service that we may not so much as fear the power or policy of any adversaries since we have so good grounds to hope thou wilt now and alwaies hear us through the interest and help us through the might of Iesus Christ thy dear son our Lord and only Saviour Amen The Analysis of the third Collect for Grace In this Collect are four parts 1. A confession of the Attributes of God 1. Love O Lord our heavenly Father 2. Power Almigâ—ty and 3. Eternity everlastiâ—g God 2. An acknowledgment of his Providence Who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day 3. A Petition for â—is grace 1. To preserve us from evil 1. In general defend us in the same with thy mighty power 2. In particular from 1. Spiritual and grant that this day we fall into no sin 2. Temporal neither run into any kind of danger 2. To help us in doing good that we may be 1 Directed by him but that all our doings may be ordered by thy governance 2. Accepted of him to do alwâ—ies that which is righteous in thy sight 4. The means to obtain it through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen A Practical Discourse on the Collect for Grace § 5. O Lord our heavenly Father almighty and everlasting God Peace without Grace is the nurse of vice the sauce of dangerous pleasures It occasions our forgetfulness of God that gave it and becomes an undisturbed opportunity to prosecute and enjoy those lusts which it is apt to breed So that we must not pray for Peace alone but joyned with righteousness and Grace for these God hath united in Scripture (n) Psal 85.10 2 Cor. 1 2. and we must not separate them in our devotions For which cause this Collect for Grace follows that for Peace Grace alone can make Peace true beneficial and lasting and sin is the great boutefen and the greatest enemy to Peace in the world So that by receiving this Collect devoutly we still improve our former request and if we can obtain such grace as to make us just and charitable meek and patient towards one another this world will be the Type of everlasting Peace We shall neither disquiet our selves nor others while our doings are directed by the wisdome and agreeable to the will of the God of peace Since therefore Grace is so necessary for us we must learn where to seek it and its very name will lead (o) Gratia est gratis data non meritis operantis sed miseratione donantis August Epist 120. us to the free and inexhaustible fountain whence it ever flows even to God who gives to all men liberally and upbraideth no man The very Heathens confessed it the gift of God (p) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plat. Mem. Nulla sine Deo mens bona Seneca who will rejoyce to hear such a request from an humble soul that is sensible of its own weakness and desirous of his strength He will be more ready to grant then you can be to ask (q) Luke 11.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Maxim Tyrius in dissert Consider but the Attributes the Church hath prefixed to this Prayer Is not the Lord your heavenly Father and shall not he pitty and love you and delight to do you good Is he not Almighty and therefore able to relieve you and Everlasting the same yesterday today and for ever Being All-sufficient and never to be drawn dry though we come day by day unto him We have no reason to doubt either his sufficiency his might or his mercy and therefore no cause to fear but this Petition shall prevail We are on Earth but we have a Father in Heaven we are weak but our Lord is Allmighty our time is measured by daies and nights and we grow older every day and must at length have our end but we have a God that changeth not but is the same from everlasting to everlasting Let this chear our hearts (r) Psal 102.25 26 27. and give wings to our Petitions and strength to our faith Let us fly to him and rest upon him for we can never come to him for grace but we are sure to find him furnished with it and both able and ready to bestow it upon us § 6. Who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day The Mercies of God are new every morning and so ought our Praises to be (s) Lament 3.23 Psal 92.1 2. Occurrere ergo ad solis Ortum ut te Oriens invenint jam paratum Ambr. in Psal 119. offered still with a fresh Devotion to which purpose being now come to the shore it will be a pleasant and profitable prospect to look back on the great deep the darkness of the night which we have passed and now to remember that though we were folded in the arms of sleep the brother of death and were insensible of danger and uncapable of resistance yet we have gone safe through those dismal shades which are the image of hell the embleme of death the opportunity of mischief and the most uncomfortable part of our lives And though the Heathens supposed the Dominion of the Night to belong to the Infernal Powers yet we have found it is under the government of our heavenly Father by whose gracious providence we have been kept therein from