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
forgive thee upon thy humble acknowledgment but that he knows thy sins are as inconsistant with thy happiness oh my soul as they are with his laws and therefore he that desires thy felicity will not forgive the old score unless thou cease to run further in debt for while thou goest on in sin thou art in the way to eternal death and art really dead to all true sense of divine comfort thou art buried alive in lusts and pleasures and thy flesh intombs thy wretched soul and the grave-cloaths of vile affections bind thee hand and foot from moving towards God nor hast thou power to breathe in the pure air of heavenly meditations and canst thou like to stay in this filthy place still when thou didst not see thy misery no wonder if thou calledst this Dungeon and Vault a Pallace But now thou must abhor it when Jesus calls Lazarus come forth Dost thou not find the more thou followest these the less thou lovest thy God and seldomer thinkest of him and movest slowlier toward him and hast meaner apprehensions of him Return then from these evil paths for now thou knowest the dead are there Do not onely seek a pardon but desire a Communion with him who is thy strength and life thy joy and happiness and he will be joyful for thy recovery that he will forget all former unworthy dealings and will only study how to make thee happy hereafter There is nothing can hinder thee unless thou lovest thy sins too well to forsake them and carest so little for him that thou hadst rather dye without him then with him live holily here and happily hereafter which God forbid § VI. ANother sort of men there are who know it to be their Duty to Repent and yet do from day to day neglect it and have more need to be excited then instructed in order whereunto here is provision made of a cogent example and a strict command which may put them upon the practise of this necessary grace First such who are great sinners and yet seldome reflect upon their own condition cannot sure but blush to behold one who had been no customary offender but being once surprised in a deplorable instance never gives over thinking upon it with shame and sorrow * Psalm 51.3 while they that are more guilty never concern themselves The rest of Davids life was a converse with God and a strict observance of his will and if the Jewish conceit of good deeds being weighed over against the evil might be allowed or if after the manner of the Persians (h) Vita anterior simul cum delicto in aestimationem venit quâ major pars vitae atque ingenii steâ—iâ— eâ judicandâ—m de homine Asin Pollio de Persis his former life had been considered with his present transgression surely he might have been excused But he never attempts to hide this one sin in a croud of holy actions nor goes about to extenuate it because it was the first or but one or not great in comparison of others but confesseth it to be very hainous continually laying it open not only before God but before himself that he might recollect with grief and sorrow the guilt and filth whereof the baseness of the act and the danger of the event and fully discover the vileness and horridness thereof and it seems he was not without dreadful apprehensions of Gods anger for we fix our eye on what we fear and cannot get that out of our minds which doth affright us oh how doth this reproach that negligence which we shew who are guilty of so many and so great wickednesses and have no holy actions to set over against them and yet we either cast them behind our backs and grow careless and merry and forget our danger or if we do sometimes look over them we do it slightly and are glad of any occasion to divert us T is certain God sees them and will one day make them all pass before us (i) Psal 50.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tanquam aris armatorum disponam nay muster them up against us unless by looking on them now we learn to abhor them and repent of them and so God of his mercy do for ever hide his eyes from them (*) Psal 51.3 let others be unconcerned when they offend thee and go about to excuse themselves I must and will publish my baseness in offending my heavenly Father Lord I acknowledge with a sad heart my transgression of thy most holy law by this wilful act of wickedness for which I know I have so justly deserved thy wrath that my eye and mind are fixed on what I have done and my sin haunts me continually giving my conscience no rest because it is ever before me and I cannot but view the hainousness of it till thou hast pardoned it Secondly If the shame of such an example make no impression let them hear that strict and positive command (k) Matth. 3.3 which being a summons from God to all the world to repent was proclaimed first by the harbinger S. John in the wilderness to those who had so much devotion as to come to him thither and after it was published by the Lord Jesus himself in Towns and Cities to all those he met with this was his first Sermon (l) Matth. 4.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hierocles and is the first lesson to be learned in Christs School not by some particulars but by all that will be his Disciples he speaks to all and to every particular man repent ye for he knows this duty necessary for every one so that till this be done you have done nothing in Christianity and if any say he will not he despiseth his authority if he plead he need not he impeacheth his Wisdome and if he alledge he cannot yet it seems he dare live in a wilful neglect of his commands Tertullian thinks we ought not to enquire what need or what good there is of repentance (m) Neque enim quia bonum est auscultare debemus sed quia Deus praeceperit ad exhibitionem obsequii prior est authoritas imperantis quà m utilitas serviâ—â—is Lib. de poenitent because his commands by whose favour we hope for eternal happiness are to have weight with us without any appendant reason but here we have a reason of the precept added to shew us he injoyns not this so much to shew his authority as because it is necessary for us and our interest requires it viz. Because the kingdome of heaven or of God which is all one ant pag. 14. is at hand That is either the kingdome of grace as it is sometimes taken in Scripture (n) Matth. 13.24 alibi or the kingdome of glory as it signifies elsewhere (o) 1 Corinth 6.9 2 Thessal 1.5 both which do press this duty when this was spoken by our Saviour he meant it in the first sense viz. that the time being now approaching
probable he was a person considerable very likely him whom the Jews call Simeon the first who lived at this time and was the son of the most famous Rabbi Hillel (i) Vid. Scultet Exerc. Evang. l. 1. c. 61. and Light-foots Harm on this place who opposed the received opinion of the temporal Kingdome of the Messiah for it is certain our Simeon did so or he had never thus rejoyced over a Messiah presented by so mean Parents in swadling clothes at the gates of the Temple It was not the object that appeared to his eyes but the illumination of the Spirit and the prospect of his Faith that elevated his affections Wherefore we need not pretend to dismiss this holy song by alledging it was an extraordinary occasion for the writings of thâ— Apostles which are daily read among us do as clearly represent him the Saviour of the world to the eye of Faith and set him before us as evidently in the house of God as any bodily sight could do to him and if our minds be inlightened and our faith firm as his we have the same occasion and ought to rehearse it with the same devotion The mercy is made sufficiently plain to us it we were but as apprehensive of the advantages it brings to us and all men as he was I know not why we should wish to live any longer then till we have obtained hopes of a share in it But we have houses to build families to propagate and designs to compleat and all before we are willing to dye We desire something besides nay perhaps more then an Interest in Jesus and therefore we dare not joyn in this noble wiâ—h But he was dead to the world before and had been impatient of a longer stay but only for the promise to have a sight of Jesus in the flesh And when this long-wished for happiness was come to pass his expectations are answered and all his desires filled He values nothing here but humbly craves his dismission His holy soul that came from God can find no rest on the waters of this world and therefore desires to return with an Olive-branch of peace to its dear Lord (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Câ—em Al. Strom. 4o. Mortem Stoici appellare solent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arrian where it was sure of rest and joy among the best of friends He now desires leave to depart from the flesh which he had long esteemed his Prison wherein he was confined by his infirmities (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Themistius ap Stobae and shut up from beholding the glories of God which he now longs to see more then ever by this last experience of his Truth and Mercy and he knew that death would set him free his desires and joy begin to swell too big to be confined in the walls of flesh and now he is even straitned till he be let loose into the regions of glory to praise him face to face And yet his extasies transport him not beyond the measures of obedience and humility for he first asks his Masters leave nor will he go till he have Commission but he intimates he had stript himself of all worldly desires and had his inner coat his flesh in his hands ready to lay it down and run whenever the watch word (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ar. was given His hopes and desires to see his Saviour had alone made his life acceptable and the fulfilling of them makes even death most welcome to him because he knew that Jesus came to disarm death and by satisfying for sin to deprive it of that sting which made it terrible to all men All the sin-offerings of the law were but weak armor to encounter death nor could they so fully purge or appease the Conscience as that it should not accuse in the fatal hour But the perfect Sacrifice of the death of Jesus doth so fully avert Gods wrath that all that believe in him can triumph over death meet it with courage and embrace it with peace as the end of their fears and the entrance into their felicity (n) 1 Cor. 15.55 Non est timendum quod liberat nos ab omni timendo How can he fear death that hath his sins forgiven or how can he doubt Gods mercy that beholds his Son with faith and love or how can he question the truth of Gods Promises that embraces Jesus the greatest of all in his arms He that knows Gods power is persuaded of his love and convinced of his truth can dye in peace and lye down with joy in the assurance of a blessed Resurrection And this we may do for it was only their priviledge who lived then to see Jesus and whoever looked on him so as to dare to dye then must behold him by faith and thus we may see Christ not only with Simeon presented in the Temple but with St. Steven standing at the right hand of God not only in his rising but his full glory Why then are we so fixed to this world so desirous to stay so loath to depart so sad when God calls Oh let us look on this our Redeemer so stedfastly and embrace him so tenderly in our hearts that it may appear he is dearer to us then our very lives Let us love him so intirely that nothing may satisfie us without him and trust so fully in his merits and mercies that we may live chearfully and dye peaceably Let us say with this devout Old man Lord I do now so clearly perceive thy purposes of mercy so confidently believe thy promises of forgiveness and so firmly rely on the hopes of glory that I resolve to be ever thy servant I desire to stay no longer in this world then to get assurances for a better Earths vanities do not make me wish to live nor deaths terrors afraid to dye If thou callest me this day Lord I come I can live with patience or dye in peace for I see him that will preserve me in life or death and gives me hopes that whether I live or dye I am the Lords I was not with Simeon in the Temple to behold my Saviour with my bodily eyes but I have had thy Salvation as clearly manifested in this thy holy word as if I had seen him with my eyes Lord grant me thy holy Spirit that I may behold him with the same faith and embrace him with the same affections that he did and then I shall chearfully joyn in a Nunc Dimittis and being daily ready to dye shall ever be fit to live and thy will shall be done in my life or death Blessed Lord thou hast even to our dayes by these holy writings sufficiently manifested thy Son before all our faces and it is our carelesness ingratitude and unbelief that hides him from our eyes and makes us hug these vanities and fear to leave them But thou hast done thy part and I will praise thee for sending this bright and glorious Sun
lest his Mercy become the support of iniqâ—ity his Holiness the entertainer of what he hates and his Goodness the encouragement to the breach of his Laws And if this seem difficult that you must forsake all evil and do the contrary good before you can be accepted you must consider the benefit of it is the saving your souls alive this will preserve you from a two-fold death the least of which is worse then bodily death a dying in sin and a dying for sin for while you go on to practise these sins you are really dead (d) Impii etiamsi videantur vivere miseriores tamen sunt omnibus mortuis carnem suam sicut tumulum circumferentes cui infaelicem infoderunt animam quae intra humum volvitur terrenae avaritiae cupiditatibus caeterisque vitiis includitur ut gratiae coelestis auram spirare non possunt Ambros de Cain Ab. Ephes 2.1 1 Tim. 5.6 though you have a name to live because you so long have no sense of any good nor motion toward it nor any union â—ith God whose departure from the soul of the sinner is as real a death to the soul as it is to the body to have the soul separated from it But by forsaking your sins God will be moved to return and revive you and so you shall not dye eternally whereas the wicked man that lives in his sins first God forsakes his soul and then his soul forsakes his body (e) Revel 3.1 and so begins his eternal misery (f) Cum anima à Deo deserta deseriâ— Corpus Aug. where his soul lives only to feel torments but never more to enjoy any good To prevent which you must turn out of that evil way that leads to both these deaths and your souls shall live in glory for though Gods justice oblige him to punish you for the old score yet our Lord Jesus hath by his death purchased a Covenant of Repentance for us wherein God ingageth to receive us and he promiseth to satisfie the former Debt if we repent and amend (g) Ezek. 18.27 Though I might easily revenge my self on the sinner for all his old transgressions yet through my Son Christ Jesus I do here promise when the wicked man who is walking in the wayes of death not onely confesseth his fault but also turneth away from those paths and being really grieved for what is past abstaineth from his wickedness and never more practiseth those sins that he hath formerly with so much delight committed if this wicked man amend his life and doth that which is lawful and allowed by my word so that his wayes be good and right in my eyes I will forgive the punishment and remove the power of his sins so that while impenitent sinners are dead in sin here and die eternally for it hereafter he shall save his soul alive and I will give him life everlasting A Meditation preparatory to Prayer for the instruction of such as are mistaken IS it possible I should be all this while deluded so grosly to imagine my eyes open and my way direct and to suppose I have hitherto dwelt in light when indeed my eyes are shut and my feet are wrong and my mind over-spread with the mist of Error and the Aegyptian Darkness of a stupid Ignorance Thy Word O Lord is a light to my feet not onely to shew me which is the right way but to let me know when I am in the wrong which I never suspected till I met with the faithful conduct of thy sacred Oracles How have I given up my soul to false gâ—ides who that I might not enquire after the right way would never acquaint me I was wandring from it had I followed them still I had stumbled on the threshold of hell while I expected to arrive at the gates of heaven Blessed be thy Name I now see I have been straying from thee the fountain of all true happiness and have been in vain seeking content where it is not to be found and this disappointment drives me to seek it where it is Had I not been a stranger to my own heart I had not been so far out of the right way But I have supposed my self clear only because I never considered wherein I was guilty and have flattered my self with the pleasing thoughts of my own innocence so that I have been as secure as if I really had been so I have relyed on my own vain imaginations being glad to spare my self the labour of a farther inquiry and most foolishly I have accounted this a Peace which was no other but want of a sense of my real danger I find my chief design hath been to seem good and persuade my self I was so that I might be more quiet in the ways of evil and might neither be accused by my own Conscience nor allarumed by thy dreadful threatnings since I supposed they did not belong to me But alas how miserable would the event of this self deceit have been for thou oh my God didst see and wouldst have condemned me for all my blasphemous and repining thoughts against thee my malicious envious disdainful and treacherous thoughts against my neighbour thou heardest all those false and slanderous vain and filthy words I uttered with my mouth those deceitful and unjust cruel and uncharitable works which I committed with my hands thou sawest yea all that formality and hypocrisie ambition and pride lust and covetousness that lay in the secret corners of my heart were apparent in thy sight and what did it avail me not to see them thy vengeance would have come as certainly and more terribly because it was not expected It is most strange I should never see this vast heap before but sure I have wilfully shut my eyes lest I should discern that I was loath to believe and unwilling to amend and thus my Iniquities continue still But now I see them by thy mercy and I believe I have offended thee as much by hypocrisie in concealing them as by my disobedience in committing them Therefore now I will ingenuously confess them because the graciousness of thy Nature and the truth of thy Promises and the satisfaction of the Lord Jesus are sufficient to procure a pardon for those who dare so far trust to thy Mercy as to become their own accusers and while I thus discover my sore to the Physician of souls though it be dishonourable and troublesome 't is the onely way to have it cured and cleansed had not Jesus dyed for me upon my confession thy Justice would have proceeded to punish but now by thy promise to him it will oblige thee to forgive me and deliver me Yet since my God hath so graciously convinced me of the evil and danger of those courses I have taken I will not rest in a bare confession I am in the wrong but by his grace will return from it and utterly forsake all these my follies His Mercy perhaps is great enough to
property (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herodot of a King to do what he pleases But as Gods Kingdome is scarce visible upon Earth so neither is the accomplishment of his Will for those that renounce his Authority become Lords (e) Psal 12.4 to themselves and do their own Will even where it displeaseth God and though his Will be at last done upon them in their final ruine yet this is not so properly his Will not voluntas beneplaciti his pleasure no more then the malefactor doth his Princes will when he suffers death by his Laws for a capital crime because he that made that Punishment did appoint it to terrifie from the Crime and it was not his intention any should suffer by it so it is the Will of God that all men should live holily here (f) 1 Thess 4.3 and happily hereafter (g) 1 Tim. 2.4 Vt salvi simus in coelis in terris quia summa est voluntatis ejus salus eorum quos adoptavit Tertull. ut supr and if any will be wicked it is also his will they shall suffer for it but then his will is not properly done on them that suffer but only on supposition they were obstinate sinners which he would not have them to be Wherefore we pray that his first and principal Will may be done in the Conversion and Salvation of all men And having lately viewed the upper part of his Kingdome where they are ever happy by a full and free obedience to his Heavenly Will we long and wish and desire that this lower part of his Kingdome where so many are yet totally in Rebellion and others frequently revolting when they do profess subjection even that this World were modelled by that heavenly pattern (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. Strom. 40. as exactly as is consistent with the frailty and mutability of such a state for 't is easie to discern that all the miseries in this world spring from our disobedience to the Laws and our acting contrary to the Will of God so that if the corrupt affections of the better sort were subdued and the evil actions of the more impious did cease and all did guide their actions by the will of God we might be very happy even in this world and should begin our Heaven upon Earth so that we also pray that since 't is Gods will for all to live holily (i) Quid autem Deus vult quam incedere nos secundum suam disciplinam Tert. that this will of his may be accomplished and because our Heavenly Father hath innumerable blessed Spirits there to perform his will and they do it cheerfully and readily fully and constantly we see how much our endeavours come short of them and how little reason we have to be puffed up for our imperfect duties which are begun with reluctancy deferred by sloth or interrupted by vanity carried on heavily shaken with fears and sometimes broken off by sin and this prospect doth humble us while we behold them flying on the wings of love and zeal and our selves creeping by fears and uncertainties and it ought to trouble us that we can do the Will of so great and good a Master in no better manner and then we shall strive and pray that we may know Gods will as fully and desire to do it as fervently and be enabled to accomplish it as pleasantly and as constantly as the glorious Hosts of Heaven do both the lights in the lower Orbs which exactly observe the laws of their Creation (k) sicut coelestia semper inconcussa suo volvuntur sidera motu and those glorious Angels and blessed Spirits which in the regions of bliss do delight continually (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Constit l. 2. cap. 56. to serve him Oh what affections are vigorous enough to pray for the same obedience and unity consent and uniformity among Gods Children as is there above where every one moves in his own place without disturbance thwarting or opposition making perfect Harmony and keeping exact peace and this is Gods will But the word be done seems to others to have a passive signification viz. That whatever happens to us or any by the will of God whether good or evil it may not be displeasing to us and this further shews why we prayed his Kingdome might come that so he may administer all things as he pleaseth for we are not jealous as the Subjects of earthly Princes sometimes are least our God should make his will an arbitrary law because his Holiness and Mercy Truth and Justice are his will we are most sure whatever is his will is best for us be it Judgment or Mercy plenty or want health or sickness life or death it is the best for us whether we apprehend it or no and we ought to wish it may be done because we know he wills no evil to us (m) eò nobis benè optamus quod nihil mali sit in Dei voluntate Tert. and if something we think ill descends from him we may say as Melito did to the Emperor about the Persecutions (n) Si quidem te jubente hoc faciunt bonum credamus quicquid justo imperatore jubente committitur Euseb l. 4. Histor Eccl. c. 25. in hoc dicto ad sufferentiam nos ipsos admonemus Tert. If thou commandest them they are good because injoyned by a just Authority surely though it may seem hard at present it is judged fittest for us by him that knows our temper and need so did the Author of this prayer learn submission (o) Matth. 26.42 and illustrated this petition by his example and so St. Paul (p) Acts 21.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pythag. and to murmure against Gods choice was forbidden by a Heathen and is so impious and foolish that it is a wishing God out of his Throne and the reins out of his hands that we might sit there and rule all things by our own will as if we wished our former petition unsaid Sure we must not only cease to be Christians but sober men before we can fancy our selves wiser to contrive and fitter to dispense all things then God himself is Socrates his prayer was for what was convenient not what he might desire (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ap Juvenal Permittes ipsis expendere numinibus quid Conveniat nobis rebusque sit utile nostris that is plainly that Gods will might be done And if we were our own Carvers we should through rashness and folly passion and prejudice ever choose the worst and having such experience of our mistakes Jesus teacheth us to desire God to order us as he pleases and if we can live this petition believeing the pleasure of God to be alwaies best we shall have comfort in all Conditions and shall glorifie God by such noble opinions of his Wisdome and Power of his love and mercy more then by whole burnt-offerings and
then he would by fraud or flattery lying or cheating deceive his neighbour of what is justly his If any here object many rich men have goods laid up for many years and need not ask their daily bread I answer The Rich need Gods blessing to prosper and preserve what they have as the poor do to give them what they have not nor can their meat nourish them (l) Matth. 41.4 their garments warm them or their pallaces defend them without his blessing what one hath more then another is here confessed to be the gift of God and Christ teacheth the rich humility by shewing them whence their abundance came and by whom it is continued and least they should despise the poor they learn that if God withdraw his blessing they will soon become both alike wherefore he that hath as well as he that hath not must every day on his knees beg a piece of bread or a power to use it and a blessing upon it And thus we have begun to pray for our selves and Jesus teacheth us to begin at the lowest step and first to ask relief for our bodies assuring us that our Heavenly Father cannot hear his Children cry for bread and not supply them and when he hath done so we may from his kindness in lesser things be encouraged to ask for our Souls which he is more concerned for but it would seem presumption for us to ask the greatest first who do not deserve the least Genes 32.10 § 7. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us The Particle and connects this to the former Petition and declares we are continuing those requests which concern our selves and we have need to look further then our earthly needs least if we obtain a supply for them from his bounty (m) Consequens erat ut observata Dei liberalitate clementiam ejus precaremur quid enim alimenta proderunt si illi reputamur reverà quasi taurus ad victimam Tertull. and do not procure a Pardon from his mercy our food should fat us for the slaughter If we rightly apprehend the danger of our souls all the enjoyments of this life can yield no more pleasure to us then the curious fare presented to that Persian Captive designed to be sacrificed when he remembred the knife and the Altar The fears of Gods eternal vengeance will imbitter all our abundance and therefore we add a prayer for forgiveness without which we cannot relish our daily bread nor do we think our food so necessary as the remission of our offences the want of that could but bring us to a temporal death but without this we shall loose everlasting life and dye in eternal misery and the necessity is also as universal for as no man can live without bread so no man can live comfortably here or happily hereafter without mercy for all men have sinned (n) Rom. 3.23 Sâ—iâ—bat Dominus se solum sine delicto esse Tert. and those sins cannot be done away without mercy which every man that lives by bread must pray for even the best of men and as often as they pray for that even every day they must also ask Pardon of Almighty God because no day is wholly inoffensive and our Lord Jesus would here set our sinfulness daily before our eyes to make us constantly sensible that we are unworthy of the meat we eat and all outward blessings which we receive and to make us continually humble and penitent He knew before that even the best of men had sin and prescribes this petition as daily useful to all his Disciples and those who out of ignorance or pride think they have no sin do exclude themselves out of the number of his Schollers who have all learned to pray for Absolution But to be more particular let us observe how many Duties are exercised in these few words even all that becomes the address of a true Penitent Confession and self-accusation Contrition for and Aggravation of the sâ—ns deprecation of the punishment with acknowledgement of the justice thereof Faith in a Redeemer and hope in his Merits First we herein daily confess our sin our very asking pardon is an acknowledgment we are guilty and we appropriate them to our selves (o) Exomologesis est petitio veniae qui petit veniam delictum confitetur Tert. de Orat. for though Jesus did suffer the Punishment we acted the Crimes which we here being mindful of his bitter Passion do own with sorrow calling them Our Trespasses and in that word we signifie the vast number of our transgressions this plural indefinite word declares them very many which we have committed against God and our neighbour not against one but all his laws not once but many times And further we confess they are as heinous as numerous viz. trespasses and injuries done to God himself by us his poor Creatures (p) 1 Sam. 2.25 in his own person or in his subjects our neighbours of whose Rights he is the Protector and the avenger of their wrongs we have broke down the hedge of Gods laws and by our disobedience disowned his supremacy and denied that duty which we owed to him whereupon sins are called debts (q) Matth. 6.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same Luke 11.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confer Luke 13.2 cum ver 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost de poen 2. Debitum in Scripturis delicti figura est quod perinde judicio debeatur nec evadat justitiam exactionis nisi donetur exactio Tertul. ut supr because God being our supream Lord Creator and preserver we are bound to obey all his pleasure and to do his commands specially having voluntarily promised this in our Baptism wherefore if we pay not God this due and vowed obedience we are debtors to him and must discharge and satisfie by suffering the Penalty (r) Si non reddit faciendo justitiam reddit patiendo miseriam August unless we can find a surety to undertake for us Oh what can set out the heighnousness of sin more lively it is a wrong and injury done by us poor miserable wretches against the Laws and Authority and the Rights of that God who made us and whose Covenant-servants we are and to this we must add that we are liable to his just and severe threatnings and may be if God please summoned to his Bar endited for this Debt nay Condemned for it to eternal Torments for the satisfaction But only that his Mercy and Wisdome hath found a gracious Redeemer who hath taken these Trespasses upon himself and made a fuller satisfaction for them then we could have done by eternal sufferings And it must be supposed we believe the satisfaction of Christs death and by it hope for a Remission or else what encouragement have we to ask pardon and confess a debt when we are insolvent and that to a just and true God that must have satisfaction this were to ask impossibilities
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
it is not by the merits of their own Innocence but by those of this thy all-saving death We need not dispute de Facto whether any of the Saints before Christ had actual Possession of Heavens Glory the Scripture (l) Heb. 11.40 1 Pet. 3.19 Matth. 27.52 and the Fathers (m) Clem. Alexandr Strom. 20. Tertul. de animâ cap. 55. Cypr. Serm. in Dom Pass Ambrosius Comment in Rom. 5. passim especially St. Ambrose seem to deny it and it is not easie to disprove them but this we are sure of de Jure that none under the Law nor the Gospel ever were received thither but by Faith in this Death of Jesus which God might consider as done before it was accomplished but no holiness that we are capable of can challenge Heaven nor no feigned Purgatory expiations can satisfie for our sins And whenever Abraham Isaac and Jaacob entred into their glory it was in the right of Jesus who by this saving death pulled out that fatal sâ—ing and obtained admission for all believers not only for Jews and Saints of former ages but for Gentiles and all the World that so owns him as a Saviour as to give up themselves to be ruled by his holy Laws Our blessed Master indeed was glorious with his Father from all Eternity he was in Heaven before (n) Ascendit non ubi Verbum Deus ante non fuerat sed ubi verbum Caâ—e factum ante à non sederat Ruffin in Symbol But not in our nature not as our advocate not to take possession for us but now he is restored to his tâ—rone again ready to receive all believers into the participation of his joyes And now his glory is our great advantage and iâ—finite comfort so that we may receive this article with that delight with which old Jaacob did the news of his beloved Josephs advancement over all the Land of Egypt assuring our selves that he who stooped so low to us and suffered so much for us will imploy his regained Power and Glory for ouâ— good even to take us up to him and to let us reign with him who ever lives to make intercession for us We cannot see him in this glory by the eye of seâ—se bâ—t we do discern â—im by the eye of faith and we doubt not bâ—t he shall be revealed in all this glory when he comes to judge the world at the lasâ— day He â—hall then come to examine and pass sentence upon all But since we must every one bear our own buâ—dens we must not concern our selves for the sâ—re of others but busie our selves to prepare our own accounts for we are sure he shall be our Judge our guilt might make us fear and tremble to think of it yet his mercy may comfort us and quicken us to make ready Who could we rather wish should Judge us then he that Redeemed us and he that now offers to give us a Pardon sealed in his own blood Let us now accept his tender and we need not tremble then for our Judge shall be our advocate and our friend § 4. The last part which closeth this devout and exquisite form turns both the Thanksgiving and Confession into Prayer as a most natural consequence of all the preceding considerations for who can behold so great a God so universally praised in Heaven and Earth and not believe him to be the fountain of all goodness and desire his fâ—vour Who can contemplate the Saviour of the World in his Essential glory in his admirable Condescension willing humiliation and illustrious restitution and not break forth into most passionate supplications for a share in his love Or if we go back no farther then the two last Verses we there saw him with St. Steven sitting in all his glory at the Right hand of God and shall we not request him to be mindfull of us in his glory whom in his low estate he purchased with his life and blood And as he put on weakness and submitted to misery to redeem us that he will imploy his regâ—ined Power and Glory for our help and assistance We say he is to be the Judge of us and all the World (o) John 5.22.27 and we know we cannot answer him for one of a thoâ—sand (p) Job 9.2 Sure then our wisest way is to make supplication to our Judge (q) Job 9.15 and to beg his favour may at that day be shewed to us and all his people for at his sentence all the world â—â—st stand or fall those whom he justifies or reputes innocent (r) Numerare prâ— reputari Isai 53.12 Sapient 5.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graec. shall be set on the right hand and be reckoned among the number of the Saints and sealed ones (s) Revel 7.4 and therefore let us pray to this great Shepheard that though now the sheep and goats are mixed yet he will wash us with his blood and pronounce us guiltless that our lot may be with his Saints Now that we may be thus disposed of at the last day we shall need not only his Mercy then but his grâ—ce now to secure us in our passage through this world Wherefore we pray with holy David in the last words of the 28th Psalm that God would use all means to bring his people to his glory (t) Psal 28. ult Serva populum tuum benedic hereditati tuo rege eos extolle eos usque in aeternum Vulg. Lat. even that he would save them from all evil and bless them with all good things That he would govern and direct them in their duty and lift them up and support them against all opposition for ever And these are the sum of every Christians needs and desires What more can we wish or pray for then to be rescued out of trouble and furnished with all blessings needful for our souls and bodies That God should feed us as a shepheard as the Hebrew reads (u) Heb. LXX pasce eos hoc est rege Vulg. Sorores enim sunt artes pascendi regnandi Basil conc 24. or govern us as a Prince conducting our duty by his care and Laws that we may not stray nor go amiss And lastly That he should bear us up against all the opposition of Sathan and his instruments and advance us from our low estate (x) Job 22.19 Psal 9.14 to â—et us up on that Rock where our enemies malice cannot reach us but we may stand safely there till we are lifted up from thence to Glory which we cannot miss of if God hear but these Petitions Therefore having prayed for all that is needful for us as members of the Church we now look more peculiarly to our selves considered apart And since we are now and every day imployed thus in praising God we desire him to accept this as a Testimony that we are his Servants We declare it in Davids Phrase Psal 145.2 (y) Psal 145.2 Per singulos dies