Persons any way visited or afflicted in mind body or estate that I cannot conceive them liable to any the least exception they are most what taken out of the Psalter which is a rich Magazine of Devotions furnishing all sorts of Men in all conditions both to praise God and to pray unto him Psal 20. vers 1 2 3 4. Psal 25. vers 15 16 17 18 19. and other places out of the Book of Psalms will furnish us not only with the materials but also with the very phrase and manner of expressions whereof the forementioned Prayers are made and composed Rubrick Then shall the Minister exhort the sick Person after this form or other like Note The Exhortation is left arbitrary for the Priest to use this or some other at his own choice as he sees occasion administred to him from the Sick Person for he is to apply his spiritual aids according to the Sick parties needs yet this Exhortation framed by the Church is so formed that a better cannot be devised to suit with all Mens conditions however visited and afflicted and it is grounded upon these and the like places of Scripture 1 Sam. 2.6 Job 5.17 18. Job 12.9 10. Job 12.14 Job 13.15 Job 13.26 Job 14.16 17. Job 16.11 12 13 14 15 16 17. Job 19.21 Job 19.25 26 27. Job 23.12 13 14. Job 27.5 6. Psal 39.7 8 9 11 12 13. 1 Sam. 3.18 Jam. 1.2 3. Jam. 1.12 1 Thess 3.3 4. Jam. 4.10 Jam. 5.11 1 Pet. 1.5 6 7. 1 Pet. 4.1 2. 1 Pet. 4.12 13. Rubrick If the Person visited be very Sick then the Curate may end his Exhortation in this Place or else procéed Note By Curate in this Place is not meant only a stipendiary Minister but every Rector and spiritual Incumbant who hath Curam animarum He is left to use his discretion either in lengthning out or cutting short his Exhortation as he sees the sick party in a capacity to admit of any longer or shorter discourse The following part of the Exhortation is grounded upon these places of Scripture Heb. 12.6 7 8 9 10 11. Heb. 12.2 3. Rom. 6.3 4 5. Rom. 8.29 Luk. 24.26 2 Tim. 2.11 12 13. 1 Pet. 4.13 1 Thes 4.14 15 16 17. Heb. 10.23 Heb. 9.27 2 Cor. 5.10 Rom. 14.10 1 Cor. 11.31 32. After this Exhortation the Minister is to rehearse to the sick party the Articles of our faith that the party may know whether he believes as a Christian Man should or no. Admirable is that saying of St. Augustine Male vivitur si de Deo non recte creditur we live ill and dye so too if we believe amiss of God Heaven Gates are shut up against Male-fidians as well as Nulli-fidians and Soli-fidians If our faith be wrong all is wrong Christian Religion is made up of these two constituent parts a right faith and a righteous life as a right faith without a righteous life will not save us so neither will a righteous life without a right belief He who lives justly but blasphemes impiously cannot be safe Vid. Haman Lestrange Alliance of Divine Offices pag. 297. Dr. Sparrow Rational pag. 327. Therefore this is a very considerable question put to the sick Person whether he believes as a Christian ought to do and there can be no better rule to try his faith by than the Creed which is the summary of all contained in both Testaments touching God the Father Son and Holy Ghost August Serm. de Temp. 137. Ruffin in Symbol Tertull. de praescript Irenaeus lib. 1. c. 3. 19. Here I have assumed to my self a liberty of inserting this short Exposition following upon the Apostles Creed The Apostles Creed or Rule of Faith Creed So called from the Latin word Credo because it contains our Credenda it is Lex credendorum all necessary points of faith are comprized in it To believe what is laid down there is necessary for all points in it are fundamentals but to believe all deductions drawn from thence is not so absolutely necessary in regard they are but superstructures in the fundamentals we should all agree and it were to be wished we could agree also in the explication and application of the superstructures Lis de nugis ha tamen nugae ad seria ducant The Apostles Creed So called 1. Because they or their Disciples made it Tertul. Apolog. cont gent. c. 47. August Serm. 5. de Temp. c. 2. Cyprian in Exposit Symbol Ruffin in Symbol n. 10. It is very ancient in use before the Epistle to the Hebrews was written Calvin in Heb. 6.1 It was in use before any part of the New Testament Irenaeus lib. 3. c. 4. 2. Because it contains the chief heads of the Apostles Doctrine It is as a rich Treasure digg'd out of the Golden Mines of the Apostles The Object of the Creed 1. God Father Son and Holy Ghost 2. The Church of God The general Heads of it 1. Touching God the Father and the Worlds Creation 2. Touching God the Son and Mankinds Redemption 3. Touching God the Holy Ghost and the Churches Sanctification As concerning the Church it treats 1. Of her signal properties 2. Of her sublime priviledges The particular Heads of it Twelve Articles or Joynts knitting together the whole Body of Christian saith Fides una copulativa The 1. Article I believe in God the Father Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth Where Note 1. The Act Believe The Christian Religion is a Religion of faith wherein Reason is not so properly contradicted Rom. 1.16 Hebrews 11. 1 John 5.4 Hebr. 10.23 1 Tim. 3.9 1 Tim. 3.16 as raised up to a higher pitch and supernaturaliz'd Our Saviour did not clear Nicodemus his Quomodo by any Arguments of Reason but resolved the great mystery of Regeneration into a principle of faith John 3. Tertullian's answer to Marcion was I deo verum quia impossibile This honour hath the Christian Religion above others that it rests upon surer Principles than carnal Arguments 1 Cor. 1.20 Luc. 5.22 The first Lesson taught in Socrates School was silence and in Aristotles to rest in the judgment of their Master So in Christs School Oportet discentem credere We must not reason much about matters of Religion but piously rest in them Pruritus disputandi scabies ecclesiae it would be more for the honour of our Christian Religion did we practise more and dispute less Minus Scientiae might be allowed as to unnecessaries had we Plus Conscientiae as to necessaries 2. The Personality I we must pray for others but believe for our selves We may put others into our Pater-noster Habak 2.4 we must put only our selves into our Creed Matth. 9.22 No Mans saith can do us good but our own we cannot believe by an Atturney Luke 7.50 nor be saved by a Proxie We are received into the bosom of the Church upon the faith of the Church but when we are arrived up to the use of our reason we must make confession with our
own mouths and make a particular application of these general Heads to our own comfort 3. The Object GOD in God Credere Deum That he is Credere Deo That he is true cannot be deceived himself will not deceive us Credere in Deum Because a Father so willing to hear us and because Almighty so able to help us To believe in God is Facere voluntatem Dei to do as God would have us God is here manifested to us 1. By his Title Father Principium Deitatis 2. By his Attribute Almighty He can do whatever implies not a contradiction in it self or argues not imperfection in him 3. By his Works Maker of Heaven and Earth Seculum Speculum Creatura index Creatoris Artificem commendat opus Psal 33.6 Psal 95.5 Psal 96.5 Psal 104.24 Psal 121.2 Psal 124.8 Psal 134.3 Hebrews 1.2 Act. 17.24.26 Let any make such a World and let him be God He made something of nothing and of that something all things How can we distrust that God who hath proved Himself thus Omnipotent 2. Article And I believe in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord. John 3.18 Rom. 3.26 Philip. 1.29 John 14.1 This part of the Creed treats of Man's Redemption wherein we are to observe the Titles and in Them the Natures and Offices of our Redeemer 1. Jesus So a Saviour Matth. 1.21 2. Christ So a Saviour anointed Mat. 1.16 Matth. 16.16 John 4.25.29 That is anointed with the Holy Ghost the fulness of grace in him and from his fulness do we receive John 1.16 Colos 1.19 Others Christi Domini He Christus Dominus The anointing powred down upon him dropt down upon others He anointed above his fellows Psal 45. Others anointed Kings so David Priests so Aaron Prophets so Elisha None King Priest and Prophet but He. Melchizedeck King and Priest David King and Prophet Samuel Priest and Prophet these saving Offices met doubly in others but in Him they all meet Who is David's Priest Psal 110. Jeremie's King Jerem. 23.5 Moses Prophet Deut. 18.15 As a King he redeems us from danger as a Priest from sin as a Prophet from error 3. His only Son There his Divine Nature of the same Power Majesty and Eternity with the Father John 5.26 John 10.30 1 John 4.15 John 3.16 4. Our Lord. There his humane nature Nostram assumpsit naturam non deposuit suam Ours 1. By Gift John 3.16 2. By Faith Ephes 3.17 Lord. 1. By Creation John 1.3 2. By Redemption Gal. 3.13 3. By Dominion Mat. 28.18 All redeemed by Him though all not actually saved by Him as many Israelites came out of Aegypt which dropt short of Canaan That all are not saved is from our own default not any defect in the meritorious price of our Redemption Incredulitas facit esse paucorum quod alias esset commune omnium beneficium 3. Article Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost Matth. 1.18 20. Born of the Virgin Mary Luke 1.27 Isay 7.14 This Article sets before us Christ's Humanity as the former did chiefly his Divinity which is proved 1. From his mysterious Incarnation and Conception 2. From his miraculous Birth and Nativity Requisit it was that He should be God and Man who was to Redeem Man to God and to Reconcile God to Man Fit He should be one of both who was to make both one A Jacob's Ladder in this coupling Earth to Heaven standing upon Earth as Man reaching up to Heaven as GOD. 4. Article Who suffred under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried and descended into Hell This and the Article preceding shews how and by what means the work of Man's Redemption was wrought For as to Redeem us was the thing chiefly intended so it was done by steps and there were many intervening acts to bring it about 1. His mysterious Conception By the Holy Ghost 2. His miraculous Nativity Of the Virgin Mary 3. His active obedience and holy life included in both for He could not possibly sin whose Conception was so holy and Birth so pure 4. His passive obedience and meritorious death wherein we are to consider 1. That He suffred this He did from the Cradle to the Grave from the Cratch to the Cross The whole History of his sufferings are recorded at large in the Four Evangelists all comprized in these words He suffred under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried Whence Note 1. The who He. 2. The what Suffered 3. By and under whom Pontius Pilate one of the Chief to be noted in that foul murder For he was the Magistrate then in being the Judg who swayed the whole Bench although the People sway'd him 4. What manner of death he suffred Was crucified Which is marked out in Scripture for an accursed death wherein was both pain and shame and that to the highest aggravation of his suffrings 5. That he suffred death for dead 6. That he was really dead for buried The words following are not to be understood of any part of his humiliation but of the first degree of his exaltation Where by Hell we are to understand the place of the damned August Epist 99. Ne ipsos quidem inferos uspiam scripturarum locis in bono appellatos potui reperire So he Vid. August de Genes ad Lit. lib. 12. c. 33. By his descent we are to understand that as in his Body he descended into the Bowels of the Earth so in his Soul separated from his Body He descended into Hell Vid. Dr. Howel's Catechism in Locum Artic. 3. Edward Reg. 6 ti Artic. 3. Elizabeth 1562. and Artic. 1. Vid. August Epist. 99. Athanas Symbol Tertul. de anim c. 55. The end of his descending was to dissolve the power of Hell Aug. Epist 99. To triumph over Hell and to fulfill that of the Prophet Hos 13.14 5. Article The Third Day He rose again from the Dead This Article presents us with Christ's Triumphant return from Death to Life Act. 10.40 41. 1 Cor. 15.4 2 Cor. 5.15 Whence we may observe 1. That he is risen 2. That we shall rise For Resurrexit solus sed non totus He is Primitiae dormientium 6. Article He ascended into Heaven And sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty In this Article is noted to us Christ's Exaltation into Heaven and his investing with all Power and Rule for the Father did put all Authority into the Sons hands and as Kings at their Inaugurations give gifts to Men so did He. Act. 2.33 33 34 35 36. Act. 1.9 Ephes 4.8 9 10. Philip. 2.9 10. Colos 1.16 17 18. Colos 2.10 Matth. 22.44 Luc. 22.69 Rom. 8.34 Ephes 1.20 21 22. 7. Article From thence He shall come to judg both the quick and the dead This Article speaks of Christ's second coming at the end of the World and the Consummation of all things a coming much differing from the first then he came as a Lamb now as a Lion then in weakness now in Power then in ignominy now in glory
we avouch our faith in God One in Essence Three in Person we are to pray to But be this Oremus or Let us pray set where it will the end and â—se of it is very good to settle and fix our intentions towards some ensuing duty for unless we are thus stirred up and called upon we are apt to grow dull and drowsie and to supplicate God to hear those Prayers which we do not hear our selves This Oremus is very ancient as appears out of Chrysostom Augustine and others and there was a practise amongst the Heathens in their sacred though erroneously so Offices very like unto it Vid. Plutarch in Coriolano Our Father which art in Heaven Our Teacheth us to pray one with another one for another he who prays only for himself shal be heard only for himself The prayers we put up to God should be cast in the mould of love and charity He who is angry with his brother cannot offer a pleasing and acceptable offring to God his Father without faith no acceptable pray'r without love no true faith Father This begets in us love a humble confidence a holy kind of presumption what wil God deny us who vouchsafes us this to call him Father Though we are sinful he will not forget to be merciful though we forget our duties he will not forget his Nature Laesus est sed tamen pater which art in Heaven This begets in us fear and a holy kind of reverence This minds us of our earthly peregrination shews our wants and whence we are to expect relief it notes us to be strangers and pilgrims on Earth standing in need of his help and assistance who is in Heaven It teacheth us whither we are to direct our prayers and where to settle our affections when we pray Orantis est nil nisi coelestia cogitare It shews whence every good comes we can possibly want or stand in need of it shews God to be all-sufficient able to help us for in Heaven as willing to hear us for our Father It minds us that we are but viatores Travailours Earth is our way and Heaven is our home Our Nos pudeat eum aspernari fratrem quem deus non aspernatur filium Est vox charitatis as this Pray'r is Breviarium fidei so is it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Singuli pro omnibus omnes pro singulis orant Pro se orat necessitas pro aliis charitas Father Magnum nomen hoc sub quo nemini desperandum Surgam ibo ad patrem Luc. 15.18 19. Pater etiamsi offensus est pater filius etiamsi nequam tamen filius He will never forget the nature of his Name though we forget our duties There is indulgentia paterna liberalitas paterna Facilitas dandi condonandi in patre Nomen patris explicat charitatem dei excitat charitatem nostri which art in Heaven Other Fathers sub terris he in coelis Isay 63.16 Psal 10.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 3. aquilarum hoc negotium non talparum non milvorum Caelumque tueri Jussit We do genus de coelo ducere Act. 17. We should look home with the Prodigal Luc. 15. As Absolom desired to see the King's face 2 Sam. 14. So we the face of Christ and God in Heaven Coelum petere is the Unum necessarium In this sense Qua supra nos maxime ad nos Pater ergo vult In coelis ergo potest Nullus pater talis pater Tertull. Hallowed be thy Name This shews as Holiness is the chief attribute in God so it should be the chiefest thing in our account we should be holy as he is holy holy in our words holy in our actions holy in our lips holy in our lives We must not falsify Gods Name set it where he will not set it himself nor pretend it to justifie or legitimate any Action which is sinful This is as if we should carry God's Ark into the Field to fight against himself or fight the devils cause under the banner of Christ or wear Christs livery in the bare profession of a name and do the devils service We do not sanctifie God's Name but profane it when we profess him in words and deny him in works When we pretend Christian liberty to destroy Christian duty make use of Religion to usher in Sacriledge and Rebellion Paint the Cross upon banners and yet by actions most sinful and scandalous put Christ as it were upon a new Crucifixion God is not to be named but he is above every name only he was pleased to make himself known under the notion of names that we might have some directions how to invocate and call upon Him This is Caput votorum Sanctificetur cannot come from any Persons that are profane Psal 50.16 17. Not Jacob 's voice and Esau 's hands Not a Scriptum est from the Devil's mouth nor the devils gloss and comment upon GOD's Text. In Nomine Domini incipit omne malum that ought not to be There are Qui sub Christiano Nomine Christianam vulnerant Religionem Quid verba audio cum facta videam En Testimonia rerum loquentia signa God's Name is as a Castle we must not flie to it but in time of need Prov. 18.10 Deus Sanctificat nos faciendo Sanctos ex non sanctis nos sanctificamus Deum non faciendo eum sanctum sed agnoscendo praedicando Extrinsecus assumpsit sibi nomen ut invocetur Thy Kingdom come In this Petition we pray for the propagation of the Gospel the spreading of Christian Religion all the World over that God's Name which was onely great in Israel may be known and acknowledged reverenced and adored among all Nations we pray for the extirpation of sin and the implantation of grace that we may be translated out of the Kingdome of Darkness into the Kingdom of Light freed from the slavery of sin and Satan and intitled to the glorious liberty of the Sons of God That Christ would set up his Throne and Scepter in our hearts that the work of grace may be here in us glory begun and the work of glory may be hereafter in us and upon us grace compleat We pray for the means ordained and appointed of God to bring this Kingdom to us and us into it the word the Sacraments and a regular and ordain'd Ministry to preach the one and to administer the other Thy Kingdom of God 1. Universal over all 2. Special over the Church and this latter 1. Regnum gratiae inchoatum in hac vita 2. Regnum gloriae consummatum post hanc vitam Rex hujus Regni Christus 1. Quia Deus 2. Quia Mediator Regni hujus cives 1. Angeli 2. Sancti Militantes in terris Triumphantes in coelis Regni hujus Leges 1. Verbum Dei 2. Spiritus Dei Regni hujus Dona 1. Fides 2. Conversio 3. Justificatio 4. Sanctificatio 5. Glorificatio Regni hujus hostes 1. Diaboli 2. Homines impii In
Purification of sin whereby the Blood of the Lamb of God and the death of the Messias was prefigured Levit. 14.6 7. Numb 19.6 So shall I be restored to that blessed estate from which I have so sadly fallen by my sinful miscarriages Vers 8. I am yet in a sad and most wretched condition thy wrath continuing over me sets my soul upon torture my own conscience under thee being my dreadful executioner but O be thou pacified unto me again and that shall be the most joyful news which ever came to any poor tortured suppliants ears when he is taken from the rack his bones set and he restored to ease again Vers 9. Lord pardon my sins return thy wonted favour towards me Vers 10. I have sadly fallen from my wonted purity and sincerity but O Lord by the good work of thy grace upon my heart restore me to it again renew me inwardly and throughly my thoughts as well as actions that I never fall into the least beginning of any such pollutions again Vers 11. It is just with thee to cast me from thy spiritual commerce who have resisted thy spirit it is just with thee to withdraw thy grace to which I have done such despite but O do not thus severely punish me by withdrawing that which I now more than ever stand in need of Vers 12. Without thy gracious aid and assistance I am not able to get out of this broken condition the free assistances of thy Spirit are so necessary to me that without them I cannot indeavour in the least the recovering of that purity from which I am fallen Therefore Lord restore them to me that I may be restored unto thee Vers 13. This thy exceeding mercy to me a sinner so sadly lapsed may be a means to bring wicked livers home to repentance by mine own happy success I shall encourage them to return who have fallen as sadly as any of them can have done and yet have met with mercy and many I doubt not encouraged on by my example by the assistance of thy grace will be brought home to thy service and the practise of the duties of new life Vers 14. The sin of Murder is an horrid and crying sin of a black and deep die deliver me from that so far as my conscience assures me guilty though my own hands have not been polluted with it Blessed Lord from whom all deliverance comes be pleased to deliver me from this and all other foul commissions which will be welcome news to me and make me with greatest exultation of Heart to proclaim abroad thy abundant mercies Vers 15. Thy work of grace towards me shall set my lipps wide open in praysing thee Vers 16. It is not any Hecatombe or most chargeable oblation for sin thou requirest of me for the truth is my sins are such as for which all exteriour performances afford no reconciliation Vers 17. 'T is my sincere humiliation confession and renovation which alone thou admittest and which thou art mercifully pleased to have respect to however I am in this foul condition and to look upon them as the most acceptable oblation These with an honest heart presented unto Thee will be sure to find a favourable and welcome reception Vers 18. Be merciful O Lord not to me only but to all that love and fear thy Name and meet uniformly in the place appointed for thy service Be thou a defence and succour to all such Let them be walled about with thy protection and preserve them from falling into any wilful and presumptuous sins Vers 19. For then shall all our services of Prayers and praises typified by the Legal sacrifices our solemn acts of the most ardent devotion to Thee and most diffusive charity to our brethren be accepted by Thee being upon an humble but cheerful confidence of thy acceptance presented to Thee upon the Altars of our very hearts Vid. Dr. Hammond Glory be to God the Father maker of all the World and to God the Son Redeemer of all Mankind and to God the Holy Ghost Sanctifier of the Church or all the Elect People of God Answer This was the confession of faith taken up from the first beginning of the Christian name and grounded upon Christ's own institution Matth. 28.19 therefore against all Arrians and Antitrinitarians we make confession of the same faith in the ever blessed Trinity and pray for the continuance of it to the Worlds end subjoyning our Amen of confirmation that so it is and of option that so it may continue Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Note These Versicles are of very ancient usage in the Church-Service mention'd in the Clementine Constitutions lib. 8. c. 5. c. 6. Council of Vas c. 5. Ann. Dom. 440. received both in the Eastern and Western Church called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seasonable at all times and therefore it hath a part in all our divine Offices and is set ever or for the most part before the Lord's Prayer as a fit preparative to usher it in Vid. Haman Lestrange Alliance of Divine Offices Pag. 83. Dr. Sparrow's Rational pag. 71 72 73. Our Father which art in Heaven c. Note This Prayer is Tanquam sal omnium divinorum Officiorum Upon which I have here added this Paraphrastical Prayer Preface O Lord God who art great in power rich in mercy whose glory is above the Heavens whose goodness is over all the Earth who art Almighty for in Heaven who art most merciful for our Father in Heaven so able to help us our Father so willing to hear us Lord what art not thou able to do for us who art in Heaven Lord what art not thou willing to do for us who art our Father Here we lie prostrate before Thee upon the Earth yet pressing in our affections towards the Heaven where thou art and presume not for any merit in us but for thy mercies in Christ that thou wilt deny us nothing which may do us good who vouchsafest us this to call Thee Father 1 Petit. Thou art an Holy God and delightest that all thy Worshipers should worship Thee in the beauties of holiness we desire Thee to shed thy Holy Spirit abroad in our hearts that we may perform this our bounden duty and service in an holy manner that we may lift up holy hands with holy hearts to Thee who dwellest in the Heavens Thou who art the sanctifier of all that is made holy make us to be holy as Thou art holy give us holiness in our thoughts words and actions sanctify us inwardly and outwardly in our Souls and Bodies make us holy in our lives that we may be happy at our deaths Let thy Name of Father be hallowed in us and upon us that we may in our lives and conversations walk before Thee in newness of life and as it becometh the Sons of God 2 Petit. To this end we humbly beg of Thee to sanctifie our corrupt nature and to beautifie
Lord be thou pleased to give us this grace so to instruct us and convince us of the shortness of our lives that we may by this consideration be brought to pay that constant reverence and obedience which is due to Thee and wherein the true wisdom consists for there cannot be any greater folly imaginable than to provoke Thee by our sins and to run the adventure of being cut off by Thee in our sins Vers 13. And O Lord if it stand with thy good pleasure reverse the sentence of excision which is gone out against us let it suffice that thy wrath hath swept away so many of us vouchsafe at last to be pacified and reconciled with us Vers 14. We have lain very long under thy wrath delay not now to afford us the full streams of thy mercy which we have so long wanted and impatiently thirsted after that so for the remainder of our time we may have some matter of rejoycing after so much sadness Vers 15. May the days of our rejoyceing hold some proportion with the days of our mourning and let our comforts be answerable to our calamities Vers 16. Magnifie thy glorious work of grace and mercy which is properly thy work to us and our posterity Vers 17. Shew thy loving kindness and light of thy countenance towards us look in mercy upon us give us thy grace to direct us all our days and in all our ways work in us both to will and to do and then by thy good providence prosper our designs and undertakings Vid. Dr. Hammond Note Why Gloria Patri concludes this and the foregoing Psalms I have given my Reasons in another Book upon the Common-Prayer Rubrick Then shall follow the Lesson taken out of the Fiftéenth Chapter os the former Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians Paraphrase Note This Lesson indeed the whole Office sets forth the peculiar hope of the Church touching the Resurrection of the Dead Which is Primarium Evangelii caput The Predominant Article that presupposeth all the rest It is Nexus Articulorum Fidei The tying Knot upon which all other links of holy Faith depend By this hand Religion is held up by the head 1 Cor. 15. vers 20. ad finem Vers 20. All the hope of a Christian is not terminated with this life of his here on Earth for if it were so Christians would be the most unhappy Persons and the most proper objects of compassion in the World But blessed be God for it it is much otherwise for Christ is risen and he by raising himself raiseth all others with him as in the consecration of the first fruits the whole Harvest is also consecrate So that we Christians who are miserable here shall be rewarded hereafter for Christ's Resurrection is a most certain proof of ours As the Head must rise before the Members so the Members are sure to follow the Head Christus est typus Christianorum Christus resurgens non solum est auspex exemplar sed fide-jussor chirographum nostrae resurrectionis Vers 21. As one Man brought death into the World so another Man brought Resurrection into the World Vers 22. For as upon Adam's sin All who are partakers of his nature are concluded under the sentence of his death so all regenerate believers who are like to Christ and belong to him shall be raised to immortal life Vers 23. But yet with some distance of Time shall this be Christ the first fruits shall rise some time before and all regenerate Christians shall rise after Him at his last coming to Judgment Vers 24. And then at the Conclusion of this World and of the spiritual Kingdom of Christ in the Church here below he shall deliver up all his power exercised by Himself and his Commissioners into the hand of God his Father having first destroyed all earthly Dominions pronouncing sentence upon the mightiest as well as the meanest Men subduing all to his Power either by their conversion or their destruction Vers 25. For this was the promise which was made to Christ Psal 110. that his Spiritual Kingdom on Earth should last so long till God had brought all the World to be subject to Him Vers 26. The last Enemy to be subdued by him is death and that must be therefore subdued that Men may be raised again from death to life Vers 27. The evidence is clear that God will subdue all enemies and things without exception under Christ only God is excepted from being so subdued from whom Christ hath received this power Vers 28. And when all things shall thus be brought in subjection to Christ then shall Christ lay down that Office which til then he exerciseth and in which he is conspicuous in his Church And then shal God Father Son Holy Ghost fill all the Elect with endless Bliss and Glory Vers 29. Now if the dead rise not why do Men at their Baptism make profession of the belief of it for the Resurrection of the dead is one of the prime Articles of belief into which Christians are Baptized and to which Baptism refers as a significant emblem first of Christs then of our Resurrection from the Grave The putting in and taking out of the Water being a sign of descending into the state of the dead and ascending from thence To be a Baptized Christian and not to believe the Resurrection is a ridiculous thing an Hypocrisie which will never be answer'd to God or men Note These words of St. Paul which are plain and easie and rational enough in the sense before mentioned are by some diversly rendred and strangely too 1. Stapleton and others prove from hence a Purgatory Vid. Du Moulin in his Confutation of Purgatory pag. 268. 2. Thomas Aquinas by the dead understandeth sins which are dead works 3. Claudius Guiliandus understands it of Martyrdom for the Faith of the Resurrection 4. Some interpret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 over the dead as if it had been the manner of some to Baptize over the Graves of the dead to cherish their hope of the Resurrection but this custome is no where read of 5. Others think it may allude to an ancient custome of the faithful Jews who to strengthen their hopes of a Resurrection used to wash the Bodies of their dead and then embalm them before they buried them 6. Calvin following Epiphanius interprets it to refer to the custome of such Conveâ—ts in Religion who neglected Baptism til their death approached 7. Franciscus Junius interprets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not super but insuper as if the Apostle had said why is Baptisme still continued in the Church for the comfort of the Living as it was found of comfortable use to those who are now dead if the dead rise not 8. St. Ambrose understands it of a Sacramental washing applied unto some living Man in the name and behalf of his Friend dying without Baptism 9. Du Moulin applies it to the manner of Baptisme used By plunging the Body in Water to
hopes of a Resurrection Such Ceremonies are used in exprobration to Death and Mortality By them we shew that we are not sorry for our departed friends as Men without hope we look upon them only as Herbs and Flowers cropt off for a time and to spring up again in their season We sow their Bodies in the Earth with as much faith as we do our Seeds and Herbs and equally expect the spring of both In the midst of life we are in death of whom may we seek for succour but of Thee O Lord who for our sins art justly displeased Note Our end borders upon our beginning Finisque ab origine pendet Death and Life like Jacob and Esau take hold on each others â—eel Orimur morimur We bring sin and death into the World with us Haeret lateri lethalis arundo 'T is in vain to hope for long life which is so short that it is at an end whilst we are speaking of it Dum loquimur fugit vita The Man in the Gospel sung a Requiem to his Soul for many Years when the summons came presently Stulte hac nocte Luk. 12.20 Vitae summa brevis spem nos vetat inchoare longam A Christians hope is not in this life only which is not the only life indeed not to be reckon'd of as life at all Via non vita A midling betwixt life and death Mortalis vita vitalis mors but truly my hope saith David is in Thee O Lord who canst deliver my Soul from sin and my Body from the Grave Psal 39.7 8. Thou killest and thou makest alive thou bringest down to the Grave and bringest up 1 Sam. 2.6 Yet O Lord God most Holy O Lord most Mighty O Holy and most Merciful Saviour deliver Us not into the bitter pains of Eternal Death Note As there is a two-fold Resurrection a Resurrection from sin to the life of grace which is glory begun Rom. 6.4 1 Cor. 15.34 and a Resurrection from the Sepulchre to the life of glory which is grace compleat 1 Cor. 15.54 Philip. 3.21 So there is a two-fold death The first death to which the first nature which we derive from Adam is subjected For upon Adam's sin all that are partakers of his nature are concluded under the sentence of death pronounced against him 1 Cor. 15.22 It was a statute made in Paradise a Decree not to be reversed a Debt not possible to be declined Gen. 3 19. Statutum est omnibus semel mori Heb. 9.27 All Men must die the first Death Wherein the Sepulchre like the Serpent feeds on nothing but dust it is not so much the death of the Body as the Death of the Corruption of the Body Mortalitas magis finita est quam vita And there is a second death to which all regenerate Christians who belong to Christ are not subjected but as they derive another nature from Christ so in that nature they shall be raised again to the life immortal 1 Cor. 15.22 Souls and Bodies both For however there is a death of the Soul not that it ceaseth to be but when it ceaseth to be righteous Habet anima mortem suam cum vita beata caret quae vâ—ra animae vita dicenda est August Perdere animam est non ut non sit sed ut male sit So the glosse upon Matth. 16.26 Yet they who belong to Christ who live according to his Doctrine and Example shall be raised Souls and Bodies to an endless life of endless felicities They who have a part in the Resurrection of grace shall have no part in the Second Death Which first Resurrection is proverbially applied to the flourishing condition of the Church under the Messias after a long time of Persecution Revel 20.5 According to that of the Apostle speaking of the Jews received to favour as Persons raised from the dead again Rom. 11.15 and the Second Death is applied to an â—tter final irreparable excision and cutâ—ing off Revel 20.6 Now against this Second Death the bitter pains of Eternal Death in the burning Lake where the Worm never dies and the Fire is not quenched the Church here teaches us to pray for as to the first Death which is a Debt to be paid to that nature which we derive from Adam there is no avoiding of it Palvis es in pulverem reverteris â—s Man's Epitaph written with Gods own Finger Gen. 3.19 But Libenter mortalis sum qui sim futurus immortalis is the faithful Man's subscription Thou knowest Lord the secrets of our hearts shut not thy merciful Eares to our Prayers but spare us Lord most Holy O God most Mighty O Holy and Merciful Saviour Thou most worthy Judge Eternal suffer us not at our last Hour for any pains of death to fall from Thee Note Here we pray to God who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Maker of hearts and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Knower and Searcher of hearts and of actions as well as of hearts that he would in mercy hear our Prayers and in equal mercy pardon and forgive us our sins that he would sanctifie us by his Holiness imparted to us that he would defend us by his power save us in his infinite mercy and as we must all stand before him at the day of Judgment so he would stand by us at the Hour of Death that so the Devil who assaults us in the heel Gen. 3.15 and is most busie at the end and close of our life may have no advantage of us but that by the Shield of Faith we may put by all his Fiery Darts and never come into those everlasting Burnings but dying as Moses did Ad osculum oris Jehovae At a kiss of the Mouth of God So the Chalde paraphrase in Deut. 34.5 We may depart in the arms of God and so pass by Death temporal to Life Eternal Rubrick Then while the Earth shall be cast upon the Body by some standing by the Priest shall say Note This is left arbitrary for any by-stander to perform by which it is implied that it shall be the state and condition of every One one day He that casts earth upon the dead Body to day may have earth cast upon his tomorrow Hodie mihi cras tibi For as much as it hath pleased Allmighty God of his great mercy to take unto Himself the Soul of our dear here departed Eccles 12.7 we therefore commit _____ Body to the ground earth to earth ashes to ashes dust to dust Eccles 12.7 Eccles 3.20 Gen. 3.19 in sure and certain hope of the resurrection to Eternal Life Psal 16.9 1 Cor. 15.20 21 22. 1 Thes 4.13 14. through our Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile Body that it may be like unto his glorious Body according to the mighty working whereby he is able to subdue all things to Himself Philip. 3.20 21. Note When we perform these officia postremi muneris as the Fathers call them and decently commit the Bodies
of our deceased friends unto the Grave we do not lay up these precious Reliques in the Wardrobe of the Earth as Carkasses lost and perished but as having in them a seed of Eternity in sure and certain hope of a Resurrection to Eternal Life this is to bury Christianly the hope of the Resurrection being the proper hope of Christians Vid. August de Civit. Dei lib. 1. c. 13. Now this hope is grounded upon Christ's Resurrection who is our Resurrection and Life John 11.25 He is Primogenitus mortuorum Colos 1.18 As he rose in se so he rose Pro aliis As an Angel proclaimed at his Grave Resurrexit non est hic Mat. 28.6 So from his Resurrection we have added on our Tomb-stones to Hic jacet this happy clause Spe Resurgendi What is gone before in the Head shall follow in the Members if the Head be above there is hope for the whole Body if the Root have Life the Branches shall not long be without Christ the first fruits being restored to life all the rest of the dead who die in him are in him entitled to the same hope Rubrick Then shall be said or sung Note This following is another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or triumphant Hymn to be sung by Priest and People or said by the Priest alone to show our expressions of joy over our deceased friends whereby we do in a holy valour laugh at death I heard a voice from Heaven saying unto me write From henceforth blessed are the dead which die in the Lord even so saith the Spirit for they rest from their labours Note This place of Scripture is primarily applied to the great Trials and Persecutions which were then to fall upon the Church within a short time which should be so great that they should be counted happy who were well dead before and were gone to enjoy their reward of peace and bliss being taken away from the Earth before such combats and storms as these should fall The holy Divine accounts those happiest who should die soonest and be taken out of this life from having their parts in the evil to come Isay 57.1 So upon mention of oppressors and strength on their side and the no comforter the Preacher tells us that he praised the dead which are already dead Eccles 4.1 2. And to this belongs the answer of the Spirit in the words following they shall have rest from their labours that is from those Persecutions which attend them here and which only death can put an end to But our Church very fitly applies it to all the Saints and Servants of God departing this life as finishing their warfare and going out of the World to receive the reward both of their Christian combat and conquest Rubrick Then the Priest shall say Note Here the Priest is Vox Populi the Peoples Mouth to God-ward Luk. 18.13 Lord have mercy upon us To God the Father Mat. 15.22 Christ have mercy upon us To God the Son Mark 10.48 Lord have mercy upon us To God the Holy Ghost Note This is thrice repeated to shew our faith in the Trinity This was called the lesser Litany and was of very early usage in Church Offices Clem. constit lib. 8. cap. 5. 6. Our Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy Name Our Father Great in our Creation Good in our Redemption Rich in Goodness and good in the riches of thy mercy sweet in love and slow to wrath willing to hear us for our Father able to help us for in Heaven Which art in Heaven The Glass of Eternity the Crown of Felicity the Treasure of all Complacency In Heaven Eminenter chiefly there but not only there in Heaven the Throne of thy Glory the Place of thy Majesty teaching us both whither to direct our Prayers and where to setle our affections when we pray Hallowed be thy Name in us by us upon us thy Kingdom come That it may be as Hony in the Mouth Melody in the Ear Jubily in the heart as Holiness is chief in Thee so let it be chief in our account and esteem of Thee May thy Name of Father be so hallowed in us and by us in our words lives and actions that we may deserve the title of Sons Thy Kingdom come Thy Kingdom of Grace come to us that we may come to thy Kingdom of Glory Thy Kingdom come that the Kingdom of Sin Satan and Death may be destroyed Thy Kingdom of Power to defend us Thy Kingdom of Grace to Sanctifie us Thy Kingdom of Glory to establish us in all bliss and happiness We are in this World but thy Kingdom is not of this World call us out of the one into the other Here thy Kingdom is begun in us by grace hereafter it must be perfected in us by glory Here is truth mixed with error here is joy mixed with grief here is tranquility mixed with trouble Here thy Kingdom thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven hath many enemies who seek the division of it labour the ruine of it malice the glory of it though avert it they may evert it they cannot The gates of Hell cannot prevail against the gates of Sion nor the kingdom of Satan against the Kingdom of Christ But O Lord let it come in its power and full glory that there may be in it Truth not mixed with errour Joy not mixed with sorrow Peace without trouble Glory without shame and a Kingdom so setled it upon us and we in it that there may be no more fear of losing it Thy will be done c. Thy will not ours be done in us and by us Freely without coaction fully without imperfection faithfully without fraud or hypocrisie In us that is in us men as it is done in Heaven that is in and by the holy Angels So that we may love those things which thou lovest hate those things which thou hatest shun those things which thou forbidest and do those things which thou commandest Give us this day and suffer those things with patience which thou art pleased in thy wise providence to inflict upon us Give us this day c. Give for we cannot have it except thou give it Dicimus da nobis ne putetur esse a nobis We are taught to ask it of God to shew that we have it not of our selves Us thou teacheth us that we are not to pray for our selves alone but that we are to seek the good one of another Pro se orat necessitas pro aliis charitas This day Day is here taken for life so long as we live so long shall we stand in need of God's givings and may say this Prayer Give us c. This day should teach us moderation in the pursuit of earthly things They are Utenda not Fruenda things to use not to enjoy Like Israel's Manna we are to feed upon them only till we come to the borders of our Canaan This life is Via the way Daily bread is