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A53963 A practical discourse upon the Blessed Sacrament shewing the duties of the communicant before, at, and after the Eucharist / by Edward Pelling ... Pelling, Edward, d. 1718. 1692 (1692) Wing P1089; ESTC R20512 120,778 284

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And though contentions about words are trifles yet to speak freely I see no just exception against the use of this word as long as we use it in the genuine sense of the Antient Christians For they called it an Altar not upon this supposition as if the true Natural Body of Christ were really offer'd upon it and that too as a propitiation for the Sins of the Living and the Dead no neither was any such Corporal Presence or any such Oblation either believed or so much as dreamt of by the Church for several hundred years after the beginning of Christianity But so they stiled it perhaps because the Death of Christ is Commemorated and Annunciated Solemnly at the Table but most plainly because the Congregation of Communicants did gather themselves to it to call upon God and to present their Alms to be laid upon the Table and this not only for the more easie Celebration of the Eucharist but as a decent signification too that whether they prayed whether they gave Thanks or whether they offered Alms they did all to the Glory of Christ and in the name of Christ the Memorial of whose Death was celebrated there and because these Prayers these Praises these Alms were called Sacrifices and Oblations therefore was the Table it self at which they were offered called an Altar TO conclude this point now I think enough hath been said concerning this Branch of Charity at the Holy Communion which consisteth in shewing Mercy and Liberality to the Indigent especially to those who have the same Faith and the same Hope with us You see what special Reasons there are to excite you to it at this great Solemnity and how Ancient Constant and Uniform the practice of all Christians hath still been as to this particular which I was the more willing to shew because Examples commonly are very operative and I am sure Ancienter Nobler Better grounded Examples we cannot have of any Christian Office that is required at our hands CHAP. IX Of Brotherly Forgiveness 2. I Proceed now to the consideration of the other Branch of Christian Charity which consisteth in Fraternal Forgiveness In discoursing upon this I am to shew 1. What is meant by Fraternal Forgiveness 2. How necessary it is when we come to the Lord's Table 3. How this matter is to be made practical 1. First then Fraternal Forgiveness as it is required and stated by the great Law of Christ consisteth in two things 1. In laying aside all Desires and Intentions of pure Revenge This the Scripture calls rendring of Evil for Evil when an injur'd Person punisheth the Offenders not for any ends of Charity or Justice but meerly for Punishment sake because he delights in his Sufferings and seeks only to satisfie a provoked and distemper'd Passion For the clearing up of this because it is a very material point we must note that when an Injury is committed either against ones Person or Interest or good Name one or other of these three things is apt to follow between which we must carefully distinguish either Discipline or Reparation or Revenge Discipline is when the Offender is made to undergo Rebuke or Shame or Smart and this for his own Correction and future Amendment Now the end of this being nothing but Charity or the doing of an Offender Good it is not only very consistent with but very agreeable unto the Law of Christ And so you Read it St. Matth. 18. 15 16 17. If thy Brother shall Trespass against thee go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone if he shall hear thee thou hast gained thy Brother But if he will not hear thee then take with thee one or two more that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established And if he shall neglect to hear them tell it unto the Church But if he neglect to hear the Church let him be unto thee as an Heathen Man and a Publican Reparation is when an Offender is punisht in his Fortunes for the making up of that loss or dammage which by the Injury his Brother sustains Now the end of this being nothing but Justice it is very consistent also with the standing Laws of Christianity that every Man must provide for his own that we must live Righteously in this World and that he that doth wrong shall receive for the wrong that he hath done Col. 3. 25. But pure Revenge is when a Man is punisht not out of any good intentions to himself nor out of hopes of Repairing the injur'd Man's Losses but only to retaliate one Act of Hostility with another thereby to satisfie his Hatred and Anger As for instance a Man wilfully strikes out thine Eye and to recompence the blow thou strikest out his too this is properly Revenge here his Eye doth not make Amends or Reparation for the loss of thine Therefore the end of this being nothing but to hurt another and to satiate a Brutish Appetite by inflicting Punishments that are both Uncharitable and Impertinent and that have nothing to be pretended for them but an inhumane Pleasure in doing Mischief it is utterly repugnant to his Religion whose business in the World was to go about doing good and to teach all his Followers to do the same Ye have heard saith our Saviour that it hath been said an Eye for an Eye and a Tooth for a Tooth but I say unto you that ye resist not evil but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right Cheek turn to him the other also Mat. 5. 38 39. That is rather than return Injury for Injury be contented to receive another Though God by his right of absolute Soveraignty over all may punish obdurate Wretches to shew his wrath and power especially when there are no hopes of amendment yet we poor Creatures who stand upon the same level and are all of us a-kin on Adam's side ought ever to propose to our selves some Charitable ends in our proceeding with one another not recompensing any Man Evil for Evil not avenging our selves but rather giving place unto wrath because it is written vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord Rom. 12. 17 19. This is one part of Fraternal Forgiveness to slight all that is past without strict Retaliation to void our minds of all malicious intentions and not to think of any Punishments which are not required by the Rules of Charity or common Justice of which Cases I shall speak by and by 2. FRATERNAL Forgiveness must rise higher yet and that it may fully answer its measures in the Gospel it must consist in doing an Enemy Good too This is the perfection and the most perfect expression of it instead of Hurting after a revengeful manner to Help to Succour and to Intreat kindly every one whoever he be that hath offended us And this is that new sort of Patience which Christ hath taught his Disciples saith * Novam plan● patientiam docet Christus c. Tertul. adv Marcion l. 4.