pity who being just ready to celebrate these Venerable Mysteries was so unnessarily and unseasonably and uncharitably angred by Eusebius Bishop of Valentinople that he was forc'd to desist from the Office and to desire Pansophius Bishop of Pisida to consecrate for him being perswaded that that occasional anger was an invalidating of his preparation And in truth the * Conc. Carth. 4. Can. 93. Church was so much an enemy to all quarrels that it forbad the admittance of the Oblations of those who were not in perfect Charity either at the Altar or into the Church-Treasury 5. But if I sin after so solemn a Renewal of my Vows in this Sacrament will it not increase my guilt So among the Ancients some deferr'd their Baptism till the time of their death that they might not be impeacht of defiling the White Robes which they then put on And does not this Argument equally hinder the performance of all other Offices of Christianity May I not as well defer to repent since a relapse into evil habits after such an ab-renunciation of them is an heavy aggravation of my Crime And is not this to do as it is reported of the Circassians who follow their Thievery till they are Sixty and then spend the remainder of their days in Prayers devoting their Youth and Strength to the Devil and their Vices their Old Age Impotence and Diseases to God and Repentance But what if death should seize me while I thus defer making up my accounts with my Master What if a dull Lethargy which perhaps is but the effect and punishment of my irregularities should seize my brain and stifle the spirits and disable me from thinking So that by reason thereof I am dead while I live What if a Fever should captivate my Reason and put me into a Frenzy so as I can only name God in my Oaths and Curses will not this hinder all commerce with God or my own Soul And how deplorable must my estate then be For Heaven was never design'd a Bedlam a Receptacle for the Distracted and Vicious How can I promise my self to repent or communicate to morrow who put off hearkening to my Saviour to day since all his injunctions relate to the present time And if that that must save me be a work of Grace of time and perseverance what folly is it to neglect it And will not the slighting these passionate and earnest invitations of my God be a great increase of my guilt 6. But does not Satan sometimes tempt me to think it unlawful to communicate with sinners or as it is worded with a mixt company And am not I my self the greatest sinner And who can come there who is not so And does not our Church as well as all other the Reformed debar all gross and notorious transgressors from the Sacrament Can I call this any thing but Cunning in my ghostly Enemy who first tempts me to mean thoughts of my self and would keep me from God's Table because my self am unworthy and now tempts me to pride and contempt of my Christian brother I am sure Charity thinks no evil and obliges us in honour to prefer others to our selves Besides why do I pray or hear with sinners if I must not communicate with them And how do I know but he who offended deeply yesterday is as deep a penitent to day And how dare I to judg anothers servant It is not in the diseases of the soul as of those of the body Nothing makes the spiritual Plague infectious but my consent A man may if he will live chast in a school of debauchery and keep himself temperate in the house of an Epicure If my brother comes unworthily he eats and drinks damnation to himself and not to me And I am sure I have employment enough to examine my self to keep me from being busied about other mens matters Lastly But is not the posture of receiving apt to give scandal and to be mistaken for an act of worship perform'd not to God but to the Elements I am sure Humility is a necessary Attendant on the worthy Communicant a Vertue which is peculiarly Christian which the Philosophers do not so much as name in their Catalogues I know also that when I communicate the Priest prays that the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ may preserve my body and soul unto eternal life and with him I pray when I say Amen and the posture of prayer is kneeling and therefore I fall down and worship before the Lord our Maker Perhaps our Saviour gave the blessed Eucharist to his Apostles in another posture for we are not sure because the Scripture is silent and so also did he give it only to men when there were many Female Disciples and in an upper room and after a Feast as it was also in St. Paul's time celebrated after the Love-Feast or Agape But hath not the Church as much power as the Synagogue And did not the Jewish Church alter the posture of the Passeover which was at first to be eaten standing with the shoes on to a Table posture which also our Saviour seems to have observed For can we think that our Saviour's practice binds more than God's express command Or does it bind more in one circumstance than in others Besides I am convinc'd that the practice of the Ancients and the commands of my superiors should much sway me in doubtful cases But they tell me * Aug. in Ps 98. Chrys To. 3. p. 778. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Id. to 5. p. 518. c. That it is a sin not to adore when I receive And when I so adore I no more worship the Altar or the Elements that I bow before than when I kneel in the Pew I worship the Desk or the Book that lies on it Nor hath the one been more abused to Idolatry than the other For the Heathen do worship Wood and stone as much as the Papists the Host And is not this adoration a part of that honour which is fixt on Christ the Institutor of this Sacrament who also is the thing signified under those Visible Figures for he hath sworn by himself that every knee shall bow to him which honour he purchas'd by his blood For because he humbled himself to the death of the Cross therefore God hath given him a Name above all Names that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow And is not this Sacrament a Representation of that Passion Nor was it ever heard that Superstition could abolish the duty of a Text. And if when I kneel I give countenance to the Papists who in this case err by attributing such honour to the Son of God which he allows not of I am sure in sitting at this Table I countenance the Socinians and other Anti-Trinitarians who debase our Saviour and degrade him from his Godhead for which Reason * Altare Damascen p. 752. in Four several Synods in Poland the Protestants both Lutherans and Calvinists
devout person on such an occasion ' Lord how sad was I when I came last from thy Holy Temple And had I not great Reason to be so considering that I left thy service to be involv'd again in the world How tedious hath been the time since I last communicated with my Jesus And when shall I come again and appear before him that I may meet my Saviour in his Mysteries and converse with him with delight and true satisfactions * Psal 42.12 Like as the hart pants after the water-brooks so longs my soul for thee O God My soul is athirst for God yea even for the living God When shall I come and appear before the presence of God My Saviour when he first ordained this Sacrament exprest himself with Earnestness and Vehemence * Luke 22.15 With desire have I desired to eat this passeover that is according to the expressions of the Synagogue Greek I have heartily desired I have passionately longed to do it and yet he had no need of Sacraments to strengthen or confirm him And should there not be in me the same mind and the same measure of Love that was in my Redeemer Wise men tell us that three things incite the will and create love Excellency Difficulty and Absence and all these meet here 1. This is the most sublime Mystery of our Religion and the most excellent And therefore the Fathers give it the most Honourable Titles and call it the Mystery and the Sacrament of Sacraments c. Nor can any enjoyment make me more happy but being admitted to the Marriage-supper of the Lamb in Heaven For neither eye hath seen nor ear heard nor can the heart of man conceive the present Favors which God in this life bestows on them that love him 2. It is no easie slight thing to be a Worthy Communicant The deepest Sorrow the heartiest Resolutions the most unalterable Vows and the strictest Obedience are qualifications indispensibly necessary to worthy communicating The Table of God is not lightly to be talkt of much less presumptuously to be addrest to And therefore the Fathers when they mentioned the Holy Eucharist because their Congregation was mixt only hinted at things and subjoin'd * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys Passim Those who have been partakers of that Table know what we mean And others are not fit for such sublime Notions And for this Reason * Sec. 46. de Verb. Dom. St. Austin preaching on that Text My flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed purposely avoids a plain Explanation of the words And that he might tempt that part of his Auditory which had never received to a love to that Sacrament he uses this way of Reasoning ' If thou who art a Catechumen art willing to be instructed in this Mystery now is the Feast of Easter enter thy name among those who are to be baptized at the Festival and then thou shalt be inform'd If the time do not invite thee let curiosity incline thee And for this Reason the Table whereon the consecrated Mysteries were plac'd was concealed * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Curtains from the view of the people during the first Service and Sermon till the Communion-Office began 3. The day that I long for is to come and the substance represented under these symbols is in Hnaven For they shall contain the Son of Man till the time of the consummation of all things But till I see him in his Glory this is the most proper and most advantageous way of enjoying him I know not how long it shall be ere I die and go to the lover of my soul and therefore I will converse with him in his Ordinances nor know I but I may die to morrow and therefore I will if I can communicate to day For how can I live without him either in Person or Representation who is the light of my eyes the joy of my heart and should be dearer to me than my Life and Being It is a strange whimsey I acknowledg in * De Hierarchia p. 611. Ed. Rotomag Father Celot the Jesuite That the multitude of Masses bring so much glory to God and so much profit to souls that there could not be too many if not only according to Moses's wish all the Lord's people were Priests but also if all men and women if it were possible and all inanimate bodies and even brute beasts were turn'd Priests to celebrate the Mass And yet every Priest in the Romish Church is bound to say Mass every day Nevertheless I must say it were well to be wisht that both by Priest and People this Sacrament were addrest to with greater frequency and more Reverence and that all the parts of the Creation were imployed in praising their Creator For can I be happy too osten or too much I will therefore love every thing that bears the divine Image stampt upon it and nothing shall occasion my thinking the Table of the Lord contemptible The Collect. MY soul O Lord is delighted with thee and with whatscever hath a relation unto thee Thy Name is Holy and Reverend in my thoughts thy Word Powerful and sacred in my ears thy Body and Blood sweeter than Honey to my mouth and beyond all Delicacâ—es to my taste Give me therefore gracious Lord frequent occasions of calling upon thy Name of hearing thy Word and receiving thy Mysteries that my Saviour may dwell in my heart by Faith here and hereafter I may dwell with him in the Vision of his Glory to all eternity Amen CHAP. XVII Of Resignation and Self-denial NOR must this love which I prosess to my God and his Ordinances be faint and weak but it ought to be strong enough to conquer all that opposes it For can I say I love God if I deny him preference in my esteem to all things else For if I love Father or Mother or any other Relation or my own Ease or Life it self beyond my Saviour I am not worthy to be called his Disciple and am unfit for the Kingdom of Heaven 'T is a Maxim in the School of Jesus * Mat. 16.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophil in loc If any man will come after him let him deny himself and that not by way of Ceremony or Complement with the Elder Brother in the Gospel who said I go sir but went not but with the greatest sincerity and the most intense zeal For to be a Christian is to be a Follower of the Son of God who paid so exact a deference to his Father that tho his own and his Father's will were the same yet he protests that he came into the world * John 6.38 not to do his own will but the will of him who sent him and that when nothing else could do it when Sacrifices and Burnt Offerings were insignificant then was it Recorded of him that he came to do the will of God And what greater Instance could be given of
this his Piety than that act of intire Resignation in the Garden ' For as * Chillingw Serm. 5. p. 71. an acute man observes he in the manner of expressing this act of his Humility in the Three Evangelists supercedes all scruple and clears all evasion for in St. Luke 22.42 it is Not my will but thine be done In which words he resigns the faculty of his will the whole power of it into his Father's hands In St. Mark 14.36 it is not what I will but what thou wilt wherein he resigns the act and exercise of his will But in St. Matth. 26.39 it is Not as I will but as thou wilt wherein he submits his will not only as to the act and power of it to do what God shall command him but is willing to do it God's way and after what manner God shall please Nor can any man conceive a degree of Obedience beyond this This was his Glory Nor did it lessen his Excellencies or his Happiness For notwithstanding this his Humiliation he was always glorious and always blest as the Angels when they leave the Throne of God and come down on Earth carry their Heaven with them or rather find a new one in their Obedience And ought not I to learn of this our great High Priest not to remove mountains or to curb the winds not to feed five thousand by Miracle or to raise the dead but to be humble and meek to deny my self and to depend on God How should this Love of Christ constrain me For can there be any room for pride or covetousness for lust or ambition for wantonness or intemperance when I have given my self intirely to my Saviour Since * Gal. 5.24 they who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the lusts thereof and must resolve to love nothing but their Saviour to hate nothing but disobedience to dread his power only and to grieve at nothing but his displeasure To such persons all things else are insignificant and cannot cheer the heart unless he vouchsafe his Favours and the light of his countenance And tho perhaps my portion may be severe and my province difficult yet I cannot expect to be better treated when my Master's Cup was so imbitter'd It could not be expected that our Redeemer should love his Disciples better than his Father loved him who was his only begotten and beloved Son But when God loved thee most ardently O my Saviour he inured thee to labours and sufferings to great conflicts and struglings And thus he * Heb. 2.10 consecrated thee to be our High Priest and gave thee perfection by thy adversities For such a sacrifice became us and his sufferings were a great testimony of his Innocence For not only the Blood of the Oblation was first let out at the foot of the Altar to emblem the mortification of our passions before we approach our Maker but it was also observable that every beast was not thought fit to make a Sacrifice Sheep and Doves Creatures famous for their harmlesness and their purity for their innocence and their tenderness were destin'd to the Altar while Dogs and Swine and other creatures that delight in Rapine or Pollution were banisht from God's House And can I expect to communicate with my Jesus in his Kingdom who refuse to share with him in his sufferings How unreasonable is it to expect how impossible to be conform'd to his Ascention and Triumphs without a conformity to his Indignities and Passion to his Agonies and Crucifixion For that Text If any man will come after me let him deny himself is a Prophecy as well as a Precept and so must be fulfill'd in the Church as long as it hath a being and every good man must do what St. Francis and others are only feign'd to do he must bear about in his body the marks of the Lord Jesus Nay it is one of the conditions on our part of the Covenant which we make with God in the Sacrament To be ready if need be to die with and for that Saviour of ours who hath given us his own most precious Body and Blood to represent his dying for our sins For if the love of St. Thomas was so great to Lazarus that he was content * John 11.16 to die with him how much more should I be ready to lay all my concerns at the feet of my Redeemer For of him * Ap. Theophyl in loc p 721. Origen understands St. Thomas to speak How acceptable therefore would Martyrdom be to me for such a friend And how prescrable to the Ease and Honours the Pomps and Voluptuousness of this sensual and giddy world Poor St. Romanus when he was Repriev'd from Execution exprest himself with much grief * Theodorit Eccl. Hist l. 3. c. 17. Romanus is not worthy the Honour of Martyrdom And when the holy ‡ Basil Orat. in S. Gord. Gordius was to be beheaded he was troubled at nothing but that he had but one life to lose for his dearest Redeemer and would have been contented to have shed his blood for his Saviour as often as he had shed his tears for his sins had God given him Powers adaequate to his Will and Resolutions For what can check the Sallies of a Seraphick Passion or daunt that man who lives above the world And what should hinder but that I also should exert as great Courage and as much Resolution and love my blessed Master as much and as heartily as they I am sure my Obligations are a great and therefore my Gratitude should be as eminent and illustrious The Collect. SEnd down O Lord the Spirit of Power into my heart to triumph over the degenerate and fearful Spirit that resides there Enable me to subdue all my Passions to the Laws of Reason and Religion to mortifie my Lusts and to deny my self that what thou determinest may be my choice and I may devoutly and humbly resolve to make thy will the Rule of all my actions through the merits and mediation of the great High Priest and Bishop of Souls Jesus Christ the Righteous Amen CHAP. XVIII Of Humiliation before the Reception AMong the many duties preparative to Worthy Receiving Fasting humiliation and intense devotion are not of the least use and advantage tho the world is so much a slave to sloth and ease and hates any thing that is laborious and painful most men being like * Cicer Tuscul 2. Dionysius of Heraclea who finding the pains of the Gout too strong for his principle of Apathy deserted the Stoicks and turn'd Epicurean an undeniable evidence how much more we are guided by our Senses than our Reason But notwithstanding all our prejudices these methods of severity are very requisite to compleat our preparations for the Lord's Table The Fathers generally observe that Adam undid himself and was the cause of our Ruin by transgressing the Rules of Abstinence which his Maker had prescribed him in Paradise That when the Old
to others against those sins which his own Conscience testifies himself hath been guilty of 'T is an exemplary story if it be true that Epiphanius relates of Origen * Haeres 64. p. 228. that after his fall returning to Jerusalem he was defired to preach which Office he addressing himself to occasionally lights upon that passage of the * Ps 50.16 17. Psalmist Unto the ungodly saith God why dost thou preach my Law and take my covenant into thy mouth whereas thou hatest to be reformed and hast cast my words behind thee Which passage as soon as he had read he could not but call to mind his former Apostacy whereupon he sate down and wept and the whole Congregation wept with him and that was all the Sermon they had for that day Who O my Soul dares speak evil of that Priest who spends all his Time and Strength in the service of that God whom he acknowledges and who will not reverence that Clergy-man who busies himself in visiting the sick in instructing the ignorant in reclaiming the profligate in comforting the disconsolate in diligent Preaching and Catechizing and in a reverent Administration of the Sacraments There is a natural Veneration and Respect that all men pay to that which is truly Religious but when he who instructs others never preaches to himself this casts an odium on Christianity that is not easily defac't for a wicked Priest at the Altar is worse than Judas for when Judas kist and then betrayed our Blessed Saviour tho the action was as he intended it abominable yet as God applied it it became the Instrument of the World's Happiness but when the vicious Priest approaches God's Table and puts the Body of Jesus into his own Lips and the hands of his people he prophanes the tremendous Sacrament he affronts the Majesty of God he does no good to himself or others but much harm he eats and drinks Damnation to himself and gives a very evil Example to his Neighbours and what Power can bring any good out of so much Wickedness And yet to sin like Judas is to be a vile and notorious Transgressor and the case of that Traytor is an affrighting Example our Holy Redeemer had given him his Body and Blood tho he knew he would betray him that he might attempt all methods to reclaim him to soften his hard Heart by Kindness and Condescention and to secure him from the Temptations of Satan by arming him with the power of God and the Grace that is conveyed with those Mysteries but Judas was the first Instance that the Holy Sacrament which the Son of God instituted for the Consolation and Welfare of his Servants may become the occasion of Condemnation to those who receive it unworthily and that the Devil may enter into that Man's mind whose Body hath received the Lord Jesus and how impudently wicked doth such a Wretch grow of a sudden for when our Master had declared that one of his Family would be that Traytor who should deliver him into the Hand of the High-priest * Luk. 22.21 When the rest of the Innocent Apostles were struck dumb with Astonishment Judas took the hardiness to ask him the Question Thus he who is not better'd by the means of Grace insensibly grows worse and hardly can a Miracle save such a resolute sinner And what dismal Lamentations what complication of Woes are sufficient to mourn the state of such a Priest for * Vid Hieron Ep. ad Heliodor to 1. p. 4. m. who shall make attonement for him whose Office it is to intercede for others ' The Soul of a Priest says * Lib. 6. de Sacerdot p. 44 46 c. St. Chrysostome should be bright and more untainted than the Rays of the Sun lest the Spirit of God be forc't to desert him and that he may be able to say Now it is no longer I that live but Christ who lives in me for like that great Light that rules the day he should enlighten the World and warm it with the Ardors of Divine Love for when the Priest stands at the Altar the Angels attend him and all the Heavenly Powers mix their Voices with his and all the Space round the Altar is filled with the Blessed Spirits who honour him that is there represented and incircle his Body as Guards do a Prince Nay so great is the Honour that is done to a good Priest when he administers in Holy Things that he stands in Gods stead for as God offer'd up his only Begotten Son for the Redemption of the World So doth the Priest at the Altar make a Commemoration of that one perfect and intire Sacrifice and Oblation of our Holy Saviour for the sins of Mankind and was it ever known that any man durst play the Devil in the likeness of God To meet Satan in the Habit of an Angel is not unusual but to see an Angel of God as Priests are called and truly are to be a real Fiend is abominable When therefore thou considerest this dost not thou tremble O my Soul when thou consecratest this Tremendous Sacrament And oughtest thou not to practice the deepest Reverence and to demean thy self humbly and decently because of the Angels who attend thee and because of God whom thou representest Great is the Honour which God gives his Priests and great is their Charge and who is sufficient for these Things A prayer for the Priest before he goes to consecrate out of St. Chrys Liturgy 'TO minister to Thee O thou King of Glory in Holy Offices is a great and terrible undertaking and such as is dreadful to the powers of Heaven but thou acted by thine unspeakeable and Infinite Love becamest our High-priest and being Lord of all things deputed'st men to the Ministry of this Sacrifice Look down upon me a sinful and unfruitful servant of thine cleanse me from an evil Conscience and prepare me by the Powers of thy Holy Spirit to stand before thy Holy Table and to minister thy sacred and uncorrupted body and thy precious Blood turn not thy Face away from me nor reprobate me from the number of thy Children Lord remember me when thou art in thy Kingdom Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldst come under the polluted roof of my Soul but as thou wert pleased to lye down in the Manger among the Beasts and to sit at Meat in the House of Simon the Leper and to receive the Harlot a like sinner to my self when she came unto thee so vouchsafe to make thy entrance into my unreasonable Mind and into my defiled Body which is dead as well as Leprous and as thou didst not abominate the mouth of the Harlot when she kist thy unpolluted Feet so O Lord my God do not despise and abominate me a sinner Pardon blot out and forgive all my sins which I have committed either willingly or unwillingly whether they are sins of Knowledg or Ignorance whether in Deed or in Word or in
the men and the Deaconesses to that belonging to the Women and this they were advised to do with this sober caution * Const Ap. ub supr that no one should salute his brother deceitfully and treacherously as Judas kist our Lord when he betrayed him In the Liturgy of St. Basil the people are bid to salute one another that they might unitedly confess the Father Son and Holy Spirit the consubstantial and inseparable Trinity and then they repeated the Creed and in that of St. Mark there is a prayer to be said at the performance of this Ceremony wherein ' They desire God to look down on his Church and to bestow on them his Love and his Assistances and the Gifts of the Holy Ghost that with a pure Heart and a good Conscience they may salute one another with the Holy Kiss not in Hypocrisie but in purity and innocence in one Spirit in the bond of peace and of Love that they might become one Body and one Spirit in one Faith and one hope of their calling that at last they might all be partakers of the Divine and infinite Love o-Christ Jesus Then in ⸫ Cyril ub supr the Church of Jerusalem the Priest did bid the people lift up their hearts and they answered We lift them up unto the Lord the Priest rejoined Let us give thanks unto the Lord The people answered It is meet and right so to do after which the Church calling upon the whole Creation to praise God did sing the Angelical Hymn Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Sabbath Which Hymn was usher'd in with this Preface o Liturg. S. Jacobi ' Let all Flesh keep silence and stand with fear and trembling and put off all worldly and sensual Thoughts for the King of Kings the Lord of Lords Christ our God is coming forth to be slain and given for Meat to all his Faithful Servants the Quires of Angels go before him and with them Principalities and Powers the Cherubim with many Eyes and the Seraphim with six Wings shading their Faces and singing the Hymn Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Then followed the Prayer of Consecration and with that the Prayer for all states of Men and for the peace of the World together with the recital of the Diptychs which was always closed with the Lord's Prayer But in other Churches it was otherwise * Constit li. 2. c. 57. li. 8. c. 11 12. First the general Prayer for the whole state of mankind for Peace and Prosperity and all other Blessings was said at the end of which the Names of all the Eminent Persons who either had dyed in the Communion of the Church or yet lived in it were recited out of the Ecclesiastical Tables or Dyptichs and then the people were bid to lift up their hearts unto God c. Whereupon the Bishop making the sign of the Cross blest the People saying Preserve O Lord thy people and bless thine inheritance which thou hast purchas'd by the blood of thy Christ and hast called to be a royal priesthood and an holy nation And then the Bishop standing at the Altar proceeded to the Prayer of Consecration which was agreeable to our Saviour's Form at the Institution at * Dion areop ub supr Basil de spir S. cap. 27. which time the Elements which were before cover'd with a fine Linnen Cloath in Imitation of Christ's being so wrapt when he was lay'd in his Sepulchre were uncover'd that the people might see the Bread broken and the Wine poured out After the Prayer of Consecration the ⸪ Cyril ub supr Priest first heartily said Amen And after him ‡ Just in Apol. 2. Dion Alex. apud Euseb li. 7. c. 9. c. the people praying that so it might be and protesting that they believed that that Sacrament was the true Body and Blood of Christ but in the Liturgy of St. James when the Words of the Institution were recited the Deacon first said Amen and then acknowledged That they did believe and confess that as often as they did eat that flesh and drink that blood they did show forth the Lords Death To which the people answered We do show forth thy death O Lord and we do acknowledg thy Resurrection This being done the Deacon bid the people attend to the holy oblation in peace and quietness and to bow their heads to their Saviour Jesus in honour to his name and institution Then it was said Holy things to holy persons To which the people answered There is one holy one Lord one Jesus Christ blessed for ever in the glory of God the Father Then the people were exhorted to the reception of the holy Mysteries the Priest singing with heavenly Melody the words of the Psalmist ‡ Cyril ubi sup Psal 34.8 O taste and see that the Lord is gracious to which the Congregation in some ‡ Liturg. S. Jacobi Churches answered Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. When the Consecratlon was done which probably if there were many Bishops or Priests present they all joined in the person consecrating said ‖ Liturg. S. Marc. As the Hart desireth the water-brooks so longeth my soul after thee O God And then himself received in which Action it is observable by St. Chrysostome's Liturgy he was obliged to drink three times of the Chalice bowing all the while in honour of the Father Son and Holy Ghost and afterward he gave it to the Clergy if any were present the Bishop giving it to the Priests the Priests to the Deacons and the Deacons to the people after the ⸪ Const Apost ji 8. c. 13. Clergy the Monks received for they gave them the preference because they look't on them as a sort of Ecclesiastical persons not purely Laymen tho not in Orders and after the Monks the Deaconesses Virgins and Widows then the Children then the rest of the Laity in their several Orders that is as I conjecture first the Men afterward the Women * Conc. Tolet. 4. c. 17. the Priests and Deacons communicating at the Altar the Inferior Clergy in the Quire and the people at the Rails without tho I am well perswaded that in the first Ages the Laity also came up to the Altar to which they were invited to draw near in the Fear of God and with Faith and Charity and when they approacht they were commanded by the Deacon to stand decently and reverently in the fear of God and with contrition of heart and to receive modestly and piously behaving themselves as those who approacht the presence of a King And accordingly they received in a posture of deep Reverence and Adoration for no man durst to receive but he adored and while the Mysteries were distributing the Congregation * Const Apost ubi sup Liturg. S. Jacobi S. Chrysost c. sung the 33d Psalm or as we reckon it the 34th I will bless the Lord at all times his praise shall be continually
in my mouth but in St. Austins time at * August Retractat lib 2. cap. 11. Carthage they used to sing the Psalms of David not only during the distribution of the Sacrament but also before the Oblation I suppose he means only those which were suitable to the occasion and mystery In †Just M. Apo. log 2. Palestine and in many other places the Bishop or Priest brake the bread and gave it into the hands of the Deacons and they gave it to the People as they also distributed the Cup. At ‡ Tertul. de Coron cap. 3. Carthage and else where especially in Africa the people received both the Elements from the hands of the Bishop while at ‡ Clem. Alex. Strom. 1. Alexandria the people were allowed themselves to take the consecrated Bread from the Patin tho I think this was a peculiar custom of that Church and lasted but a little while but generally he who consecrated gave the Bread and the Deacon the Cup. ' In the ‖ Cyril Cat. myst 5. Church of Jerusalem when the Communicants received the bread they took care not to spread their hands abroad or to widen their fingers but placing their hands in the form of a Cross they supported the Right Hand with the Left and in the hollow of the Hand received the Body of Christ This o Vid. Chrys to 5. p. 519. holy bread they first put to their Eyes and then did eat it being extreamly careful that no part of it should fall to the ground thus they received the bread and when the cup was to be received the * Cyr. ubi supr Const Ap. li. 8. c. 3. Prosper in Sentent Communicant was forbid to stretch out his Hand and only advised to bow himself and being in the posture of Worship and Adoration the Wine was poured into his Mouth and before he swallowed it he was obliged to moisten his Fingers in it and then to touch his Eyes his forehead and the rest of the Organs of his senses thereby sanctifying them and securing them from the assaults of Satan He who Ministred the blessed Sacrament ‖ Chrys l. 3 de Sacerd. Aug. Ep. 259. carried it in his right hand and when he gave the Bread he said * Ap. Const l. 8. c. 13. The Body of Christ or ⸫ Liturg. S. Marc. the Holy Body and the Communicant said Amen And when he gave the Cup he said The Blood of Christ the Cup of Life or the precious Blood of our Lord God and Saviour and then also the Communicant answered o Vid. Aug. contr Faust Manich lib. 12. cap 10. Amen But afterward the form ‖ Liturg. Greg. Dialog was enlarged as I conjecture by Gregory the Great The Priest saying The Body of our Lord Jesus Christ preserve thee unto Eeernal Life Amen To which the Communicant replyed I will receive the heavenly Bread and will call upon the Name of the Lord and when the Priest delivered the Cup he used this Form The Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ preserve thee unto Eternal Life Amen and the Communicant rejoin'd I will receive the Cup of Salvation After the Distribution was ended * Const Ap. ub Supr the Deacon spoke to the Congregation in these words Let us who have received the precious Body and Blood of Christ give him our Thanks and Praises to which end he did bid them put themselves into an erect posture and to stand upright that both Soul and Body might be intent on the Office that in the Prayer which compleated the Sacrifice they might praise God heartily and with a good courage for the Honour and Priviledg of partaking of those Mysteries and then they were dismist The remainder of the Consecrated Elements was ⸫ Just M. Apolog 2. some of it sent to those who were absent especially to the Confessors in Prison who were every day in expectation of Death the rest the faithful who had communicated carried home with them and o Naz. Or. 11. Or. 19. that in both kinds and ‖ Tert. ad Vxor l. 2. they commonly did eat of this Bread before their ordinary meals especially at their entertainments of Friends and Bishops usually sent pieces of it one to another as a token of mutual Communion In after times in some Churches the Communicants did eat what was left in some they buried in others they burnt the remainders and in other places they gave them to the School-boys and other Children who had not communicated What was left of the Oblations unconsecrated found the Ancients the materials of their Love-seasts tho the Apostolical * L. 8. c. 31. Constitutions give it to the Clergy afterward the Bread was given to the Catechumens or Penitents who were speedily to be reconciled or it was sent instead of the Sacramental Present abovementioned by one Bishop to another These were the Ancient Methods and may our good God give this present Age his Grace and fill our Hearts with a holy Fear of his Majesty and a due Reverence and respect to all his Ordinances that the Examples of the devout Christians of the Primitive Ages may incline us to an Imitation of their Piety Humility and other Virtues till we come to the general Assembly of the first-born in Heaven through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen CHAP. XXII Of the honour done to the Sacrament by the Ancients THE Holy Eucharist being the highest Office of Religion and the greatest Priviledg of Christians on Earth the Church hath thought fit on all occasions to testifie what a Reverence ought to be paid it and what honour is justly due to it And therefore took all care to sence and secure it from any attempts that might lessen its esteem or profane its usages of which I shall mention the most materal For 1. None was permitted to be present at the Celebration but those who had right to receive the Mysteries for tho the Governours of the Church prohibited no Persons to be present at the Sermon ‖ Conc. Carth. 4. c. 84. were they Infidels Jews or Hereticks yet as soon as the Sermon was done * Const Ap. lib. 1. cap. 5 6. the Deacon made a Proclamation Let no Infidel tarry here and lest that warning should not secure the Mysteries from being prostituted the faithful People were bid to ⸫ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys adv Jud. examine and take Cognisance one of another and to look distinctly that there were no Stranger among them the Church having pray'd for them already That God would convert them to the Truth When they were dismist and Silence made o Id. hom 2. in 2 Ep. ad Corinth the People were bid to stand decently and to pray for the Catechumens who were all the while Kneeling or Prostrate that God would bring them to Baptism ‖ Const App. ub Sup. the People in the mean while praying silently to themselves and saying Lord have mercy after
our great Master at that season first gave Being to the Sacrament dispensing with Peoples eating before they received which at other times was not allowed And ⸪ Aug. Ep. 118. in some of the African Churches they celebrated the Eucharist twice on this day in the morning for the sake of those who intended to dine and in the evening for the sake of those who fasted and in the * Ludolph li. 3. c. 6. alii Aethiopick Churches to comply the more exactly with the practice at the Institution they use unleavened Bread whereas all the rest of the Year they celebrate in Leaven And the ‖ Prateol de Haer. p. 202 Guid. Car. Alph. a Castro c. Greeks are perswaded that the Sacrament consecrated on Maundy-Thursday is of more Virtue and Efficacy than when it is consecrated at any other time and therefore they and the Moscovites in imitation of them reserve some of the Sacramental Bread consecrated on this day to be administred to the sick the whole Year following and it is not a little remarkable that among the Roman-Catholicks in Holland and as ‖ Ep. Vossio init Ep. Ecclesiast Theolog. Ep. 557. p. 807. Grotius thinks elsewhere time out of mind until now on this day after Supper the Father or Master of the Family in imitation I suppose of the Jewish Custom after the eating of the Passover having read the History of the Sacrament out of the Gospel gives to every one of his Family a piece of bread dipt in Wine This day is also called among the High-Germans Green Thursday among the Low-Germans White Thursaday and among our Forefathers Sheer Thursday as it was generally and among all the Western Christians Lavipedium and Maundy-Thursday either because of the Maundy or Alms that were given this day to the Poor by Princes Bishops and religious Persons or rather because of the Mandate or Command John 13.34 A new Commandment I give unto you that ye love one another which Passage is the Antiphona for this day in the Wâ—stern Churches an Instance of which Love and Condescention our Blessed Saviour then gave when-he wash'd his Disciples Feet which in the East was the Office of Servants toward their Masters and this Custom also is not only continued in the ‡ Smith p. 40 41. Greek Church and among the other Oriental Christians but in the Latin Church also the Bishop performing this Office to his inferior Clergy and the Governour of every Religious House to those of his Fraternity the custom being Ancient and Apostolical ‡ V Conc. Aquisgr c. 20. Aug. Ep. 119. c. 18. tho the practice as to circumstances were not uniform in all Churches and on this day the King of England anciently in his own Person now by Proxy the Grand Almoner supplying the place does wash the feet of as many poor men as he is Years old to whom also he gives an Alms as the Bishops do on the same occasion which was wont to be called the * Anastas in Adrian P.P. p. 112. Paschal Alms or the Easter Charity The Lessons on this day if I mistake not the Fathers were the Book of ‡ Ambr. ub supr Jonas a very proper Portion of Scripture to set forth the Divine Pity and inclinations to forgive and the ‡ Chrys ub supr History of Judas's Treason together with the Account of the Institution of the Blessed Sacrament The Epistle 1 Cor. 10.16 THE Cup of Blessing which we bless is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ The Bread which we break is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ for we being many are one Bread and one Body for we are all Partakers of that one Bread The Gospel out of the Evangelists and St. Paul THE Lord Jesus the same Night in which he was betray'd after his Disciples had eaten the Paschal Lamb took Bread and when he had given Thanks and Blessed it be brake it and gave it to them and said Take Eat This is my Body which is broken and given for you This do in remembrance of me after the same manner also when he had supped he took the Cup and when he had given Thanks he gave it to them saying Drink ye all of it for this is my Blood of the New Testament which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins This do as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me Verily verily I will no more drink of the Fruit of the Vine until I drink it new with you in my Father's Kingdom and they all drank of it And having sung an Hymn they went out to the Mount of Olives The MEDITATION THE Condition of Mankind in this Life is relative and made up of dependancies upon Heaven nor could Adam in his best Estate subsist without the Benediction of his Maker Communion with God is the End of Religion and was the Employment of Paradise nor can any thing else make the World happy But because God who is a pure Spirit cannot converse with men without condescending to treat us according to our Capacities therefore Truth when it visits us is content to be drest in our Habits when God speaks to us he entertains us not with his own Losty and Majestick Expressions but with modes of Speech and Representations of Things that we are acquainted with It is true had we been made without Flesh and Blood our Graces had come to us like themselves not wrapt up in Emblems and Figures but because we cannot live without our senses and are most affected with what we hear and see theresore God speaks to our outward man in visible ministrations the Almighty Wisdom treating the World with sensible Objects the better to lead them to the Contemplation of those things that are invisible and this was the cause why Rites and Ceremonies were instituted in the Church as marks of Communion and incentives of Devotion Angels we know who are not clogg'd with a load of Flesh and Blood and whose dwelling is above have no need of Sacraments they who have the Honour of a clear Vision of the Almighty and the freedom of a more immediate Converse with him need not these remoter Encouragements to Piety and such also shall be the Happiness of God's Servants after they dye but man in his best and most innocent Estate wanted them and therefore God planted and by a particular sanction constituted the two Trees in Eden to be two Sacraments outward and visible sings of the Favour which Adam should partake of if he perform'd the conditions of obedience which God required from him they representing to him the state of Wisdom and Felicity which was reserved for him in Heaven and serving to inform him that to attempt the knowledg of the highest Mysteries to the prejudice of the Divine Commands is not the way to Life and Immortality To maintain this Union with God Adam was endued with Original Righteousness he had no
which our Redeemer once offered to cleanse the world from their sins and we offer as often as we communicate setting that Immaculate Lamb before the Eyes of God and by that intreating him to have Mercy upon us For our Saviour commanded us to do as he did at the Institution in remembrance of him not only to our selves and our Neighbours but to God also as the Ancients and the most judicious of the Modern Writers affirm For tho my Saviour was many Hundred Years since Crucified yet he is the Sacrament represented as if his Passion commenc'd at the same time in which the Holy Office is performed and what should hinder my receiving the benefits of his sufferings tho so long since undergone For if by reason of my share in the first Adam's Transgression notwithstanding the vast distance of Time and Place I and every one that is born is infected with Original Sin what should hinder but that the Crucifixion of my Saviour tho transacted so many Ages past and in a Countrey so remote as Judea should be available to my Salvation For as by one mans sin many were made Offenders so by the Obedience of one many are made Righteous The Priest therefore offers a Sacrifice at Gods Altar a commemoration of that one full perfect and intire Sacrifice which was once offered on the Cross And at the same time Jesus our High Priest offers in Heaven pleads his VVounds and the merits of his Death and implores the Divine Pardon and the assistances of Grace for all his Servants And this is as much as the Church can pretend to while it is Militant so under the Old Law the Priests who had admittance into the Temple were denied entrance into the Holy of Holies thither only the High Priest went once a Year but they were not denied the Liberty to direct the smoak of their incense toward that sacred Place and their Prayers and their Incense had access where themselves could not come And so is it in the Christian Congregration for when the Oblation is made we that are concern'd in the Offertory cannot reach Heaven while we are in this state of Imperfection but our High Priest is there already and gives his People liberty thither to address their supplications and the sweet Odours of their Devotion this is the Honour and these the Priviledges that are purchased for the Church by that Sacrifice and secured to it in this Sacrament Blessed Eucharist Glorious things are spoken of it in the Writings of the good men of old It is called the Supernatural Bread the Divine Mysteries the Sacrifice of Sacrifices the Honourable the Holy the Heavenly the unspeakable Gifts the Sacrament of Sacraments the Holy of Holies the food which gives Life and Salvation the nourishment which endears a man to his God which recovers those that languish which recals those who are in error which raises them that are fallen and secures to the dying penitent the rights of Immortality and by way of eminency it is called the Sacrament the blessed and holy Sacrament when we eat of it we feed on the fatness of the Lord's Body and when we drink of it we taste the immortal Blood of our dying Saviour If Manna were Angels food this is the Bread of God and what an honour is it to receive my Saviour If Joseph's Tomb tho but a little and narrow place when it entertain'd the Body of our crucified Lord was by that means made more venerable and august than the Palace of Kings and became more glorious by containing the Son of God than by being the residence of the Angels who there took up their station how much more excellent is my injoyment when I give my dear Saviour a lodging in my heart and my bosom becomes an habitation for the Lord of Life With trembling therefore will I approach the Altar of God I will admire the Mystery and contemplate the circumstances of his Passion in which every word that he spoke was a Sermon for his Cross was his Pulpit and Mount Calvary the House of Prayer for there he prayed for his enemies and from thence he preached patience and submission to his Friends and I will remember his last actions for tho in all his discourses he spake so as never Man spake like him yet he never entertain'd the world with so eloquent and convincing a Sermon as when he went dumb before his persecutors and opened not his mouth when he carried his Cross silently and bore the marks of his adversaries cruelty without murmuring I will remember this my greatest and best Friend I will remember his last words and dying injunctions and I will communicate with him in the benefits of his Passion till his second appearance to judgment when the just shall eat of the Tree of Life in a better Paradise at that time all Signs shall cease all distant methods of conversation shall expire for in Heaven there are no Sacraments so that at the dawning of the day which the Lord himself shall enlighten when no other beams shall be needful but those of the Sun of Righteousness to make it glorious for ever then all Types and symbolical emblems shall be accomplisht then I shall be united to my Jesus and personally enjoy that immediate communion of which these Mysteries are but shadows and remote representations The Collect. BLessed Lord who bast so graciously invited me to partake of the merits of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ conveyed to me in the blessed Sacrament grant that I may receive it to the remission of my past sins and to the preservation of my Soul against future temptations to the correcting of the deformities of my mind and the rooting out all evil customs out of my heart to the inlightening of my understanding to the strengthening of my faith and that I may be able to give a good account at the dreadful seat of thy judicature help me to spend this day and every day in thy fear and in the offices of holy Religion let thy Mercy pardon me thy Angels guard me and thy Goodness lead me to repentance that I may live and dye thine for Jesus Christ's sake our only Mediator and Advocate Amen The Anthem PETER Mourning IN a cold dark and melancholly night To gloomy shades which did augment the sright Where dismal horrors and confusion dwell And ghastly sights that made the place like Hell The trembling Peter tends and with swoln eyes Deeply laments his fear and cowardise Wretch that I am thus to deny my Lord Fit to be scorn'd by men by God abhorr'd Disconsolate and sad where shall I fly T'escapte the lightnings of my Master's eye That glance that passionate and killing look When Jesus turn'd his head me thunder strook Sufficient was the warning which was given By the infallible Oracle of Heaven Peter said my wise Master boast no more The rich in brags are in performance poor In vain thou promisest with me to dye Thou e're
my death Good Lord deliver me From sins of Ignorance and sins of Malice from impatience under reproof and the eagerness of an angry Mind from sensual and polluted Fancies from the Spectres of the Night and unbecoming Dreams Good Lord deliver me From being ingaged in the pursuits of a proud and perverse Generation and from the World that lies in wickedness Good Lord deliver me From disbelief of the Mysteries of Religion and walking contrary to my Profession from calling God Father and yet cbeying the Devil and from praying to him with my Lips when my Heart is far from him Good Lord deliver me From a fondness for secular Wisdom and Learning and the neglect of the Word from hearkening to the Suggestions of Satan and slighting the Counsels of the blessed Spirit from vain and inconsiderate Talk and rash Resolutions Good Lord deliver me From Atheism and Impiety from worshipping any thing in my mind or practices in Opposition to my Maker and from all Hypocrisie and Superstition Good Lord deliver me From taking thy Name in Vain by Oaths or Blasphemy by idle and rash Talk and Curses and from slighting thy Temple and Service thy Day and Ordinances Good Lord deliver me From disobedience to my Superiors and neglect of my Parents from Envy Hatred and Malice from evil Speaking and Slandering Clamor and Reviling and from Blood and Murther and all Revenge Good Lord deliver me From unchast and wanton Thoughts from leud and intemperate Discourses from a lustful Eye and all sort of carnal Pollutions Good Lord deliver me From pride and vain Glory from lying and false Witness from Slandering and Perjury from Covetousness and Ambition and from being discontented at my present Condition from all evil Thoughts and a vain Conversation Good Lord deliver me From having my Portion in this Life and an uninterrupted Felicity from Anger and Provocations to Uncharitableness from nauseating the means of Salvation and from a hardned Heart Good Lord deliver me From a polluted mind and a love of Dissention from forsaking thy Interest to maintain my own and from following a multitude to do evil Good Lord deliver me From neglecting thy Holy Table and slighting the invitation of my Saviour from a want of due preparation and from eating and drinking damnation to my self Good Lord deliver me From the snare of a slanderous tongue and the lips that speak lies from the malice of hypocrites from the rage and fury of Zealots and from the cunning and power of Satan Good Lord deliver me From the follies of my youth and the sins of my riper years from the sins which I have committed my self and those which I have encouraged others to commit from the defilements of my Body and the pollutions of my Soul Good Lord deliver me From my secret and open sins from what I have done to please my self and what I have done to please others from the sins which I remember and those which I have forgotten Good Lord deliver me From those sins * Here the penitent may reckon the particular sins he hath committed to which temper and inclination use and custome and evil company have addicted me Good Lord deliver me From the evil both of vice and punishment from the lashes of Conscience and a distracted mind and from a sudden painful and unexpected death from a place on the left hand and a portion among the Goats from the chains of darkness and the bottomless pit Good Lord deliver me By thy unspeakable generation as God and thy wonderful birth as Man by thy circumcision and acceptance of the adorations of the wise men the first fruits of the Gentiles Good Lord deliver me By thy wisdom in baffling the Scribes and Pharisees by thy humility in stooping to a mean condition and by thy obedience to thy Parents Good Lord deliver me By thy Baptisme forty days Fast and victory over the Devil in the Wilderness by thy surprizing but useful Miracles by thy plain but convincing Discourses and by thy winning and exemplary Conversation Good Lord deliver me By the wonderful and mysterious representation of thy bloody passion in the blessed Eucharist and by thy unexpressible love to thy Church by thy bitter Agony thy wondrous Sweat and fervent Prayers in the Garden Good Lord deliver me By the variety of thy sufferings which are recorded and by thy unknown pangs and tortures which we cannot describe and by thy strong crying and tears when thou prayedst for thine enemies Good Lord deliver me By thy mercy to dye for us thy power to rise again and thy compassion to intercede for us and to be our Advocate and by whatever else is dear to thee and of use to the world Good Lord deliver me In the days of my prosperity and in the times of suffering in the troubles of my mind and the weakness of my body in the hour of my death and in the terrible day of thy coming to judgement Good Lord deliver me Jesu Master thou Son of David have mercy on me That it may please thee to illuminate thy Holy Church with the spirit of truth amity and concord that all that are called Christians may be united in one holy Faith and may retain the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace and in righteousness of life I beseech thee to hear me good Lord. That it may please thee to bless and defend our gracious Soveraign from all his enemies separately and conjunctly that his days may be many his Reign prosperous and his end everlasting Life I beseech thee to hear me good Lord. That the Royal Family may be happy in thy service the Clergy honoured with thy protection the Nobility guided by thy Holy Spirit the Gentry Firm and Loyal and the Commons of the Realm humble and obedient I beseech thee c. That all men may be saved Hereticks made Converts to Truth Schismaticks to Peace Rebels to Loyalty and Jews Mahometans and Infidels become Disciples to the Son of God I beseech thee c. That Widows may be protected and Orphans provided for the sick healed the opprest defended the naked cloathed the hungry fed the ignorant instructed the refractory reclaimed and that all Prisoners and whoever is appointed to dye may taste of thy Fatherly pity I beseech thee c. That it may please thee to succour and ease all that labour under the weight of an evil and disturbed Conscience and to give the rewards of Martyrdome to those who suffer for a good one I beseech thee c. That it may please thee to pardon and amend all mine enemies and teach me not only to forgive but to forget injuries I beseech thee c. That it may please thee to give me and all thy Servants true quiet and liberty and protection from sin and wickedness all the days of our lives I beseech thee c. That an Angel of Peace a faithful guide may be the Guardian both of my Soul and Body I beseech thee c.
to the Son of David blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord Peace in Heaven and Glory in the Highest § 9. When the devont Christian is invited to draw near to the Holy Table he uses one or more of these Sentencs Lord I have looked for thee in Holiness that I might behold thy Power and Glory How dreadful is this Place this is no other but the House of God and the Gate of Heaven This is the Lords Mercy-Seat which the Cherubim of Glory shadow this is the Altar of Jesus round which the Angels clad in their bright Robes stand This is the Altar where Jesus is crucified let all the Angels of God and all the Sons of Men worship him I will come into thy House upon the multitude of thy Mercies and in thy fear will I hold up my hands and worship towards the Mercy-Seat of thy Holy Temple I will exalt the Lord my God and will worship at his Footstool for he is Holy I will fall down and adore for I know that God is here of a truth § 10. VVhen the good man comes up and kneels before the Altar he says Lord I most thankfully receive this gracious Invitation which thou hast afforded me to come to thy Holy Table and tho the number and weight of my Transgressions might justly deter me yet I am resolved to embrace the opportunity because thou hast bidden all who are weary and heavy laden to come unto thee Will Jesus whom the Heavens must contain till the consummation of all things be content to dwell with his poor servant Oh that I could entertain thee in my Soul with the same joy that the Holy Virgin did at thy incarnation with the same Exultations that the Infant Baptist did when he danc'd before he was Born at the approach of a Saviour with the Hosannah's of the Devout Jews before thy Passion and with the Authems of Angels at thy Ascension For who deserves my praises but my Saviour Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive Power and Riches and Wisdom and Strength and Honour and Glory and Blessing My Soul therefore shall joyn consort with every Creature which is in Heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the Sea when they say Blessing and Honour and Glory and Power be unto him that sits on the Throne and unto the Lamb for evermore § 11. VVhile the Priest himself is receiving the good man prays for him The Lord hear thee the name of the God of Jacob defend thee send thee help from the Sanctuary and strengthen thee out of Zion Remember all thy offerings and accept thy Sacrifice Grant thee thy hearts desire and fulfil all thy mind § 12. After which if the time will permit he Exercises this or the like act of contrition but if he wants time he does it in his Closet at his return Lord I am the greatest of sinners but here is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the World His Blood speaks better things than that of Abel and he is the propititation for our sins My sins dearest Jesu brought thee to all thy shame and all thy sufferings but that satisfaction was necessary for the Redemption of the World I am troubled above measure for thy sorrows and will revenge thy death on my vices which were the cause of it Melt me O God into a soft temper fit to receive thy impressions give me an intire detestation of my sins and an indignation that may engage me to forsake my transgressions and to love the paths of virtue § 13. To which he subjoins this or the like act of Faith Jesus is my God and my Saviour he is the Angel of the Covenant I will not leave him till he bless me This is Jesus whom the Jews slew and hanged on a Tree him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins If God hath given us his Son how shall he not with him give us all things for his flesh is meat indeed and his blood is drink indeed Lord I believe that thou art present in the Sacrament but in a manner spiritual and ineffable to think that thou art here corporeally bids defiance to my senses and my reason and debases thy glorified humanity and to imagine that I receive nothing more than bare signs is to rob my self of the benefit of communicating with thee Let me feel the truth of that mystery which I admire and believe but cannot prove and let me experiment the glorious effects of this Sacrament tho I am unacquainted with the particular manner how they are derived to me Thou hast convinc'd me that the flesh profiteth nothing but thy Words are spirit and life as therefore thou hast made it so I humbly and thankfully receive it Let it be unto thy servant according to thy word and grant that the days may come shortly when Faith shall be swallowed up of Vision Amen § 14. If many others Communicate before him the good man employs that leasure in reflecting upon the Office of Consecration and because he could not without disturbance interpose his ejaculations while the Priest was saying the Prayer of Consecration he takes this occasion to say When the Priest carries the Patin As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness for the cure of the wounded Israelites so was our dearest Saviour lifted up on the Cross for the redemption of a world of sinners Lord evermore give me this bread When the Priest breaks the Bread he says So was the Body of Jesus mangled so was his flesh torn till there was no whole place in his body When the Priest pours out the Wine he says So when Jesus was in his Agony so when he was scourged crowned with Thorns and nailed to the accursed Tree did the Blood run down so Jesus loved us and wash'd us from our sins in his own blood When the Priest carries the Chalice he says It is the Blood of Jesus that makes atonement being shed for me and for many for the remission of sins I will cleave to the Cross of my bleeding Saviour and will drink his Blood Inable me O my God to overcome all my ghostly enemies by the blood of the Lamb. § 15. When the Priest takes the Elements in his hands to give them to the devout Christian he remembers that so God offers his Son to be the Author of Eternal Salvation to every believer so hath God fitted Jesus a body and indowed him with the spirit above measure that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life § 16. When the Priest delivers the Elements to the worthy Communicant he considers that there are two parts in the form of distribution a Prayer and an Advice the Prayer in these words The Body the Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ preserve thy Body and Soul unto everlasting Life to which with
agreed to abolish that Custom To conclude the famous Huniades is as great in Story for his Humility as for his Victories and as much celebrated that he would not tho on his Death-bed receive the blessed Sacrament but on his knees as for the many Overthrows that he gave the Mahometans Since therefore these and the like Excuses are but Engines to entrap and betray me And since the same Authority that forbids me to kill or to steal bids me do this in remembrance of my Saviour I do from henceforth resolve to communicate upon every Occasion as I love my life and my salvation The Collect. GRacious God the instructor of the ignorant and the guide of them who are out of the way convince me of my folly remove my prejudices and arm me with thy Grace against the assaults of Satan that I may not consult with Flesh and Blood but with thy lively Oracles that I may long for all occasions to communicate with thee and may stifle all Excuses that would hinder that holy Converse that above all things I may love thee here and live with thee for ever hereafter through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen CHAP. III. Of the danger of unworthy Receiving BUT do not thou imagine O my deceitful heart that there is nothing required of thee but only to approach this holy place and taste of the Dainties it affords They never relish well but to the Palat that is seasoned This Bread turns to a Stone and the Wine into Gall and Wormwood to the sinner whose soul is vitiated Our Saviour does not vouchsafe to eat this Christian Passeover but with his Disciples with the penitent and the devout He is the Carkass and here the Eagles are expected but Dogs are prohibited * Revel 22.15 without are dogs and all that work iniquity And whatever wretch should dare break through these Fences and commit a Rape on this blessed Sacrament he will be deceived of the benefit expected for this spiritual food to him hath no extraordinary relish nor does it differ from that which ministers to his Lust and his Wantonness and he runs the greatest hazard of eternal damnation He had better have swallowed the deadliest Poison I dare not therefore magnifie constant Communion so as to depretiate the Vertues that must qualifie the Communicant and make him worthy It is an insufferable affront to Religion and an intrusion not to be pardoned when the crafty Usurer shall come from his yesterdays grinding the face of the poor to eat to day the Body of his Saviour the Shop-keeper from his little arts and methods of fraud the Glutton from his cramm'd dishes the Intemperate from his last nights debauch and the lustful from the arms and embraces of his Mistrisses to force themselves a way to Gods House and Table that man unavoidably * 1 Cor. 11.27 29. eats and drinks damnation to himself and is guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. And tho perhaps the word in the Original which our Translators render Damnation be sometimes taken in a softer sense and only signifies Temporal Judgments And it be a Quaere whether he who thinks himself unworthy be for that Reason unfit because the most humble is the best prepared or whether every actual unworthiness makes a man liable to so severe a sentence Yet doubtless every prophane and impenitent Wretch is in the high-road to Ruin And hardly can salvation it self save such a man * Heb. 6.6 c. who after he hath been inlightned from above and tasted of the good gift of God falls away For he hath anew crucified to himself the Lord of life I therefore as a private person charge thee O my soul look to thy self and examine severely thy state Thy happiness and eternal welfare depend on thy due preparation And as God's servant in the Function of the Priesthood I charge the Drunkard and Adulterer and I do it in the Name of our adorable Saviour I charge the Covetous and the Extortioner the Proud and the Revengeful the Prophane Man and the Hypâ—crite the practical Infidel and Debauchee not to presume to tread this holy ground Fire will break from this Altar and consume them Here is an angry Cherub with his Flaming Sword turning every way to secure the Tree of Life that it may not be tasted of by the wicked and profligate but I also charge the same Atheistical and vicious liver to alter his evil habits to wash his soul clean in the waters of true penitence and then let him visit the Temple It is equally damnable not to come at all and to come unprepared The Collect. In imitation of St. Chrysostome HOly Saviour who hast been in all places who didst not disdain to visit the Grave with thy Body and Hell with thy Soul while thy Divinity was with the penitent Thief in Paradise and with thy Father on his Throne Thou Spirit of Truth thou Heavenly King and Comforter who art present every where and fillest all things Thou Treasure of Goodness and Guide unto Eternal Life where wilt thou that I shall provide the Passeover O! come and pitch thy Tents in my Soul and purge me from all pollution cleath me with thy Righteousness give me Faith and Knowledg Love and Obedience that I may always be fit to enjoy thy company and to share in thy Merits Pardon my sins and save my soul O thou Author of all Goodness Amen CHAP. IV. Of Examination in general THere is an indispensible necessity of Examination preparative to worthy receiving For tho Charity inclines me to judg Favourably of others yet I dare not flatter my self And if severity be at any time lawful it is in the Offices of Repentance I ought to suspect my best actions and censure my very devotions I ought to fly the very appearances of evil as I dread the shadows of the Grave and to tremble at a temptation when first in View For nothing can be so terrible as the state of a * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reprobate For if the Sacrifice must be without blemish if it must not only not want any Essential or Integral part not an Ear or an Eye but also must not so much as have a Scab or an Ulcer the blood must not be tainted nor the Lungs scirrous how much more ought the Priest to be perfect throughly furnisht unto every good work It is the Apostle's advice 1 Cor. 11.28 Let every man examine himself and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a word of a very large and comprehensive signification I ought to examine my self as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 h. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vid. S. Chrysost Hom. 20. in Ep. ad Rom. to 3. p. 174. the Ancient Priests did their Sacrifices For both the Jews and Gentiles when an Oblation was brought to the Temple did not only inspect its Out-side but cut it down by the back
them for whom thou wert pleased to shed thy Blood and we supplicate for those for whose welfare thou didst sacrifice thy Body They also believed that as long as they did Communicate they did enjoy the company of those blessed Spirits and that when they were kept from the Lord's Table they were under the power of Satan for Excommunication was a terrible sentence to them and the worst of punishments so great an affliction did they account that which is now our choice being fully perswaded that he who was shut out of the Church here without a deep Repentance and Absolution must necessarily be kept out of the Kingdom of Heaven And May God of his great Mercy and Goodness give his Holy Spirit to all that are called Christians that they may put a just value on the Priviledges of the Church of God that they may Honour Reverence and Frequent the Holy Sacrament which is the Communion of Saints and may dread the being justy deprived of those advantages that we may neither excommunicate our selves from thy Table nor deserve the censures of the Church to drive us from it but that thy fear may be upon us all the days of our Life through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen CHAP. XXIII Of the abuse of the Sacrament to evil ends IT is an Observation confirm'd by sad Experience That the best of things or persons when they degenerate prove the worst of their kind and it is also as sadly confirm'd That the best of enjoyments when employed to bad ends and purposes prove the causes of the greatest mischiefs and this is demonstrated as by many other instances so by the abuse of the Divine Institution of the Holy and most Advantageous Sacrament of the Eucharist to serve the designs of sensual ambitious and covetous men very great alterations having been made both in the Doctrine and Rites of that Sacrament from the Primitive Institution and Original Practise Of this Nature I must confess there are some things that seem to me not so fairly defensible in the Centuries that preceded the Establishment of Popery such as * Aug. op imperf adv Julian l. 3. c. 164. the making Plaisters of the Eucharist to Cure Blindness or other Diseases ‡ Id. de C. D. l. 22. c. 8. the Celebrating of this Sacrament in a private house to expel the Evil Spirits that haunted it * Nicet Paphl Vit. Ignat. Theop. an 20. Heracl the dipping Pens in the Consecrated Wine when they either Sealed Covenants or condemn'd a notorious Heretick †Ambr. in ob Satyr Fratr the tying it about the neck as an Amulet in the time of Imminent danger ‡ Hesyc in Levit. l. 2. c. 8. the burning or burying the remainders of the Consecrated Elements or ‡ Evagr. l. 4. c. 35. giving them to School-boys and such like persons who were not present at the Consecration with other such usages but I remember that those were the days of Miracles and Extraordinary men might make use of uncommon methods and that it becomes not me to uncover the Nakedness of the Fathers especially because at this distance of time few men are capable of understanding the reasons why they did many things at which we now wonder And it were to be wisht the same Apology were so made for the succeeding Ages wherein strange Opinions and as Novel Customs had their Original for then the reverence due to the mysteries degenerated into Superstition and Idolatry and the Mysteries themselves were many times applyed to unbecoming usages and on trifling occasions For men would not be content to believe that God was really present in the Sacrament but they were resolved to study a way how to make him so by a Method that baffles sense and contradicts reason and to this purpose men begun not to be satisfied with the common Bread in which the Eucharist was Anciently Celebrated the bread that was usually eaten at ordinary meals was thought unfit for this sacred use and therefore unleavened bread and wasers were introduc'd and this perhaps was the practise of the eighth Century and in two or three Hundered Years after the notion of Transubstantiation began to be owned but in such an Age which Baronius and other Historians say was the shame of the Papacy when there was neither Learning nor Vertue at Rome but the greatest ignorance and the greatest debauchery imaginable and with this Doctrine the half communion was introduc'd the people being Sacrilegiously rob'd of the Cup for sear they should in Receiving spill the Blood of Christ after which the Schoolmen first amus'd themselves and then their neighbors with impertinent inquiries relating to these Mysteries which made neither themselves nor others wiser or better and what number of Miracles were then coyned to uphold the new Doctrines that when reason would not perswade men to believe they might be convinc'd by wonder and extraordinary apparitions People being told that the Bread by the Prayers ‖ Jo. Diac. vit Greg. l. 2. c. 41. of St. Gregory the Great was turn'd into a piece of Flesh in view of all the people that our ‡ Paschas c. 14. de Corp. Dom. Saviour frequently appear'd on the Altar in the shape of a beautiful Boy ‡ Vid. Pinelli meditat 4. p. 126. ad p. 146. That St. Antony of Padua's Mule worshipt the Host and that Bees in their Hive built a Chappel to an Host which was by the owner put there to increase his stock And thus by degrees it grew to be a God till at last it had a Festival appointed called Corpus Christi day on which it is solemnly prayed to as at other times it is bow'd down to and Adored And as the Ark of the Govenant was carried before the Camp of the Israelites so the ‡ Hey l. Hist of Reform p. 70. Cornish Rebels in Edw. 6 time carried the Consecrated Host under a Canopy with Crosses Banners and other such solemn appendages before them in hopes thereby to get a certain Victory and as the Kings of Persia had their Immortal Fire carried before them to is this Sacrament carried before the Pope on solemn days and as Anciently men swore by the Name of God so they now swear by the Sacrament and did not Pope Hildebrand confult this Sacrament as as an Oracle to know what success he should have against the Emperor of Germany and when it did not answer expectation threw it into the Fire if we may believe Cardinal Benno and if he be doubted there are other ‡ Vid Orland in Hist Soc. Jes l 12. ss 48. p. 394. li. 16 ss 22. p 544. Instances out of more Authentiek and uncontroverted Authors to prove the usage and how often hath the Pix been brought out to quench Fires As was lately done at ‡ V. Daille de obj Cult Relig. li. 1. c 10 p. 138 Con Saligunst c 6. Avenion by the Popes own Legal Governor of that City when the
to Heaven than the deepest Valley not that God hears a Suppliant sooner from a place of Eminence but because there he was most sequestred from the World free from noise and disturbances and in the fittest place to converse with God From a Mountain he preached not that he coveted the highest seat in that spacious synagogue but that he might be the more easily heard by his Auditory and that the New Law might be preached from as eminent a Pulpit as the Old and to the Mountain he retires to manifest his Glory not so much to tell his Disciples that he who will be made Partaker of Celestial Honour must leave this lower world as to conceal the Miracle to avoid the imputation of vain glory and the defires of secular applause On Mount Calvary was Jesus Crucified in the View of all the world but he was Transfigured on Mount Tabor in the view of only Three of his Disciples Thus every Action of our Masters is beautiful in its season he had just before sadded his Disciples with an Account of his own sufferings and the necessity that they also must drink of the same bitter Potion and that he who does not take up his Cross and follow his Saviour is not worthy to enter into the Kingdom of God but lest this Discourse might dishearten them a few days after he carries the most eminent of his Domesticks with him to the Holy Mountain there to confirm their Faith and strengthen their Resolutions by assuring them that he who hath once had a view of the Recompence of Reward can never be affrighted at the sight of the Cross to see his afflicted Condition and to hear from his own Mouth whose every Word was Oracle that his state for the Future should be more uneasie and deplorable was a sad suggeston For how can this be That he should save others who could not save himself That he should protect his Followers who could not rescue himself from the shame and the torture of his scourging and his Crucifixion But to see his Face shine like the Sun in its Glory and his Garments made whiter than Alabaster and more glittering than Gold this was an irresistable Conviction that the light Afflictions that are but for a Moment are not worthy to be compared with the Glory that shall be revealed in us It was fit that this extraordinary Appearance should be kept secret for a while and therefore a place of retirement was the most proper Scene for this Act but it was requisite that some Persons should be present to attest the Miracle and those no less than Three that according to the Law in the Mouth of Two or Three Witnesses the Truth might be establish'd when in due time the World should be acquainted with it As therefore Moses left the Elders and the People at the bottom of Sinai and took Aaron Nadab and Abihu with him when he went up to speak with God so did Christ leave the Multitude and the Nine behind him and took Peter James and John with him to see and hear the Wonders of his Transfiguration And why if I may presume to ask my unerring Redeemer why these Three before the rest of the Apostles Was not Andrew the first Convert and the Elder Brother to Simon And was not James the Son of Alphaeus as much an Apostle as James the Son of Zebedee And was not Simon the Zelot as earnest an Asserter of his Masters Honour as the Beloved Disciple I must confess it does not become humane ignorance to pretend to dive into the secrets of the Divine Wisdom and yet perhaps we are allowed to conjecture where we cannot be certain These Three Disciples were our Saviours Darlings and his Companions in all extraordinary Occurrences when Jairus's Daughter was raised from the Dead they only were admitted as Spectators and when Jesus underwent his bitter Agony in the Garden they attended him to the Theatre of Sorrows and Sufferings and to them he gave peculiar additional Names which Honour he did not vouchsafe to the rest of the Twelve Simon he sirnamed Peter and the two Sons of Zebedee he called Boanerges i. e. Sons of Thunder It was fit to be revealed to Peter who was chosen to a Primacy of Order in the Colledg of the Apostles to James because he was the first of all that immediate Family of our Lord who was to be Crown'd with Martyrdom and to John not only because he was the Beloved Disciple and dyed a Virgin but also because he was designed to live longest of all the Twelve that he might own and attest the Miracle after the other Apostles were laid in their Graves when the early Hereticks should deny the Divinity of our Lord. In the view of these Persons was Jesus Transfigured not that the Nature and Substance of his Body was changed but his Appearance his Head was surrounded with Rays and his whole Body inlightened with the Beams of his Divinity for doubtless his Glory was greater and more conspicuous than that either of Moses or Elias But it is to be remembred that these bright tokens did not signalize him as soon as he ascended the Hill but after he had retired himself and prayed for every happiness of another Life is a Recompence of Holiness in this and could it have been imagined that the Apostles should be drowsie while their Master watch'd unto Prayer That they should fall asleep while they were about to enjoy that sight that only was worth seeing on this side Heaven but so easily are we inclined to grow lazy and idle to indulge to sloth and sensuality when the best example and the best encouragements incite us to Devotion for thus the same men did when their Master was in his Agony tho they had just before received the venerable Sacrament and knew their Master was that Night to be betrayed such is our humane Frailty and so violent are our Inclinations to forget our Duty tho perhaps this sleep was rather an Extasie the brightness of the Apparition dazling the Senses and surprizing the Soul which in all Prophetick Visions being unable to sustain the Revelation is astonish'd at the fight and sinks under the Weight of it as the Eyes are too weak to gaze on the Sun and this my Charity for those Reverend men would incline me to believe But whatever the sleep was as soon as ever the Apostles did awake as if it had been a just Punishment for their sloth and negligence the blest Society broke up and the Holy Men retired whom the Apostles knew to be what they were not so much by their Discourse for during that Entercourse they were a sleep as by their Masters Condescention who communicated the Notice to them by a Method best known to himself Moses and Elias doubtless came in their own bodies they were not represented by Phantasms or the intervention of Angels for it was requisite that as our Blessed Saviour took upon him our humane Nature in
much devotion and an audible voice he heartily says Amen as a testimony of his strongest desires that it may be so and of his firm belief that God will make it so The Advice in these words Take and eat or drink this in remembrance c. And this puts him in mind 〈◊〉 duty what faith and thankfulness he ought to exercise at the reception of this blessed Sacrament And therefore he says Lord thou hast said it behold the Son of thine handmaid let it be unto me according to thy word I desire to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified and to learn nothing but a conformity to his death and resurrection The word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we have seen his glory the glory as of the only begotten Son of God full of Grace and Truth § 17. Tho the devout Communicant brings with him unsatisfied ardors yet he takes care to receive decently and reverently not to snatch at the Bread nor to drink greedily for it is a Feast of temperance and therefore the Bread is given in a little piece and the Wine was anciently mixed with Water as for other reasons so for this that it might not offend the Head He therefore eats not as one whose antecedent fastings have made him hungry but as one who is little concern'd how his Body be provided for so the longings of his Soul be satisfied with spiritual food and he drinks not with the men of Corinth to be drunk at this Feast of Charity nor so much to allay his natural thirst as to satisfie the intense desires of his mind inflamed with love to his Saviour and the Holy Sacrament For at God's Table we are to eat and drink not to the satisfaction of our sensual appetites but to the sanctification of our Souls § 18. While the mysteries are distributeing to those who receive after him the good man examines his obligations to God's bounty in giving him one opportunity more of serving him in the beauties of holiness He remembers that Jesus being made a little lower than the Angels for the suffering of death was crowned with glory and honour and considers that now he is crucified with Christ that he might live to God and that the life that he now leads in the flesh he lives by the faith of the Son of God who loved him and gave himself for him He offers himself a sacrifice to God and for the future looks on himself as something consecrated and that can no longer without most prodigious Sacriledg be put to any profane use For how shall he dare to defile that which God hath sanctified For if Belshazzar were punish'd for quaffing in the Vessels of the Temple how much more shall that man be plagued that pollutes the residence of the Son of God And how shall that man presume to appear again before God that sins against him after the receipt of such blessings § 19. After this considering that this Sacrament is called the Cup of blessing and a holy Eucharist he expresses his gratitude in solemn Thanksgivings saying either * Constit Ap. l. 8. c. 13. Psal 34. which the Ancient Church used at this solemnity or Psal 111. rendring verse 6. thus He hath showed his people the power of his works and given us the bread of Angels Or this that follows Give thanks O my Soul unto God the Lord in the Congregation from the ground of the heart Say unto God how wonderful art thou in thy works How glorious are the things which thou in thy goodness hast prepared for the poor Thou hast prepared a Table for me my Cup did overflow and I have tasted and seen how good the Lord is I have eaten the Bread of God with joy and drunk his Wine with a merry heart for God hath accepted me My Soul is filled as it were with marrow and fatness and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips Blessed is he whom thou chusest and receivest unto thy self he shall dwell in thy Courts and shall be satisfied with the pleasures of thy House even of thy holy Temple As long as I live will I magnify thee in this manner and lift up my hands in thy name for thy loving kindness is better than life it self An offering of a free heart will I give thee and praise thy name because it is so comfortable I will love the Lord as do all his Saints I will bless him and magnify him for ever For this God is our God for ever and ever He shall be our guide unto death Glory be to the Father c. § 20. To this he subjoins an act of love and resignation I will love thee O Lord my God for the Lord is my defence and my refuge I will devote unto thee my body soul and spirit which are thine for thou hast redeemed them thou God of Truth Jesus hath loved me and laid down his life for me therefore will I adore him He is the Priest the Sacrifice and the Altar on him will I depend for salvation He hath given me the Sacrament as a confirmation of his former love and as a pledge of future favours therefore will I reverence and worship him world without end Lord I give my self to thee and I know whom I have believed and am perswaded that he is able to keep what I have committed to him against that day Write in my heart the laws of love and thankfulness that I may no longer dare to sin against thee For how shall I now escape if I neglect so great salvation § 21. To which may be added this prayer out of the Liturgy of St. Clemens GRant Blessed God that we and all thy Servants who have been admitted to communicate with Jesus by Faith and the participation of the Sacramental mysteries may obtain remission of our sins and be so confirm'd in the ways of godliness and rescued from the dominion and impositions of Satan that being filled with thy Holy Spirit we may here be made worthy Members of Christ's Body and at last become heirs of everlasting life through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our Saviour Amen § 22. Just before his leaving the Church the good man thus prays Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes have seen thy Salvation Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people To be a light to lighten the Gentiles and to be the glory of thy people Israel After which he speaks courteously and friendly to all his fellow-communicants for they are his brethren and the Eucharist is the bond of that unity and this serves him instead of the Kiss of Charity which was anciently given at this Sacrament tho now the custom be antiquated And because the Love-feasts succeeded the Eucharist which are also now disused that he may do something that is equivalent thereunto he invites one or more of his poorer Neighbours for the rich are in no need
of it to dine with him treating them with all affability and humble carriage relieving their bodily wants and instructing their minds and by this means earning their Prayers And this he does over and above what he hath given at the Offertory where he hath liberally according to his ability offered unto God and the Poor remembring that a thinking Heathen never came in sight of an Altar tho but occasionally but he tendred something thereon if it were but a little Salt or a handful of Flower and thought himself also obliged to provide for the indigent as for his brethren § 23. At his return he does not think fit to go immediately to his own dinner but retires to his Closet * Scalig. de Emendat temp l. 6. the Jews were obliged that night on which they did eat the Passover to taste nothing after it for the whole night that the relish of the Paschal Lamb might continue in their mouths a long time and the reason holds good in the Christian Church for our Blessed Saviour after he had eaten of this Supper resolved never to eat more till he had accomplish'd our redemption for says he I will drink no more of the fruit of the Vine till I drink it new in my Father's kingdom In the Closet the good man recollects the proceedings of the day and in his thoughts acts over again the solemnities of that glorious triumph for he dares not spend any part of this day but in holy Offices in Meditations and Prayers in acts of Faith and Love of Piety and Charity in Reading and Conference and in all other exercises that may serve to increase his virtues both in number and degree especially in holy praises and solemn thansgivings to God for all his benefits § 24. And after this manner he expresses himself I am thine and nothing shall separate thee from my love on the Cross every member of thy body every faculty of thy soul had its sufferings and its agonies for my sins and should I reserve any thing from thee No my most obliging Saviour I make an intire oblation of my self to thee a whole burnt-offering sacrificed in the flames of holy love and this I do with all my might and power nothing could atone for my sins but thy sufferings nor can any thing testify my gratitude but the devoting of my self to thy service Thou hast redeemed me thou God of Truth and I will be thy servant for ever My soul doth magnify the Lord and my spirit rejoiceth in God my Saviour For I have found him whom my soul loveth Jesus the Messiah of whom Moses in the Law and the Prophets did write What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits I will receive the Cup of Salvation and will praise the name of the Lord. I will go into thy House with my offerings and will pay my Vows which I promis'd with my lips when I was in trouble § 25. To which he subjoins Lord my single praises make but an insignificant and low sound they are the poorest of recompences and the most disproportioned to thy Majesty and thy Merits I therefore call in the assistances of Angels and of the whole host of Heaven of Sun Moon and Stars of the Earth and Sea and all that is therein to joyn with me in the magnifying of my Redeemer Let all the World worship thee sing of thee and bless thy name let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord for great is the Glory of the Lord and let all the Earth be filled with the knowledg of his Glory for his Name alone is excellent and his Glory above Heaven and Earth Amen Amen Glory be to the Father c. Then follows the Trisagios Holy God Holy and Powerful Holy and Immortal have mercy upon us § 26. After which he thus expresses himself How unwillingly have I left the place where my blest Saviour dwells and how well pleased should I be could I live and communicate with him always How amiable is that Palace where my dear Friend fixes his residence And how do I long to be treated continually at the Supper of the Lamb Oh that I could dye this very moment if it were but pleasing in the sight of my Heavenly Father and pass immediately from this antepast of joys to the intire entertainment of that Glorious Feast And would my Redeemer affist me how readily would I be this moment his Martyr How acceptable would a Prison or the Rack the Flames or a Sword be to me so I could by any means embrace an opportunity to let my beloved Jesus know how dear he is to me how much I value him and how ready I am to offer him my Blood who hath shed his own Blood for me upon the Cross and sed me with it at his Table And if that be an Honour that I am not worthy of and perhaps not capable of yet O Lord let me always be thy Martyr in resolution and since there is so much happiness in communicating with thee let me never leave the World so suddenly but that I may have the assistance of a good Priest to give me in thy name Absolution and to strengthen me in the agonies of death with the blessed Sacrament § 27. After which Meditation the worthy Communicant uses this Prayer taken out of the * Ps 8. c. 14.15 Constitutions commonly called the Apostles How ready and willing is my soul which hath been cherish'd and fed with the most Precious Body and Blood of my Saviour to offer him the thanks which I can pay tho neither what he deserves nor what I ought since he hath vouchsaf'd me the honour to partake of his holy Mysteries Grant holy Jesu that it may be for my Health not for my Ruin for my Happiness not for my Condemnation for the Security of my Soul and Body for the increase of Piety for the remission of Sins and for the introducing me into thy Palace for thy Name is called upon me and into thy Family I am adopted among thy faithful Servants Strengthen me and them by thy Holy Spirit inlighten our ignorance and supply all our defects and confirm us in the resolutions of a holy Life rescue and defend us from Satan and all our enemies ghostly and bodily sanctifie and protect help and keep us in our going out and in our coming in and at last assemble us in thy Kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all Glory Honour and Worship now and for ever Amen To which he adds this other Collect. ALmighty God who hast united the Christian World in one common Brotherhood by the Holy Sacrament that we being many might be one body because we are all partakers of that one Bread let me be partaker this day of the Prayers of all that this day have communicated whereover thy Church be dispers'd over the face of the whole earth and let my Petitions be available in
as fearful of offending and as tender of my duty as the first day that I vowed or as I was when I last communicated Do I remember how dear my former Offences cost me and how dâ—fficult my Repentance was How many sighs how many disturbances of a distracted Conscience it gave occasion to And have I courage enough to resist a temptation for the future to put a knife to my throat when I am at a Feast and to wear Sackcloath in the Palace of Princes Can I be grave in light company and reserv'd among the vain and virtuous in a debauch'd Society and chaste among the effeminate Are these my Resolutions constant do they dwell in my mind Or am I holy only by occasion and outward accidents and extraordinary events Am I as humble and devout in my prosperity as in the day of affliction Do I pray as often on the days of my pleasure as on a fasting-day And am I as just as charitable and temperate when I follow my worldly business as when I communicate Have I remembred * 2 Cor. 13.5 the Apostle of the Gentiles to examine my self whether I am in the Faith or else I am a Reprobate Is my Faith such as works by Love and publickly declares it self by an intire Obedience to the Laws of Christ and is fit to give me a right to communicate For the Catechumens who were not baptized had Faith and so had those who were in a state of Penance and yet their Faith was not thought sufficient to intitle them to the Priviledges of God's Table For Faith is not so much an affiance in God as a giving credit to his Revealed Will as it is a body of Laws adapted to the promoting of God's Honour and our Salvation Therefore when I say I believe I mean I resolve to live according to those injunctions that I take Jesus for my Saviour and expect to share in the benefits of his Death and Resurrection no further than I obey his will I must also further examine Am I in perfect Charity Is my hope firm and my love to Jesus unalterable Do I as earnestly long for this spiritual food as I do for my daily sustenance And could I be content rather to want the Necessaries of life than to be deprived of the Bread of God And do I bear in mind the doom of those who slighted the divine Invitations and would not come and of him who intruded not having the Wedding-garment These and many other such Questions are necessary to make this duty of Self-examination advantageous For nothing less than the strictest scrutiny can make a worthy Communicant It was therefore an excellent Observation of the Ancients That the preparation for the Holy Eucharist should be as strict and compleat as our preparation for our dissolution and that I should no more dare to appear before God's Table with any known sin unmortified than I should dare to appear before his Tribunal with it For when I approach this tremendous place I am not concern'd about matters of curiosity and of light value but about the most momentous affairs of Religion about my Souls health and eternity I do not therefore puzzle my self with little questions nor do I dispute what are the exact dimensions of the Kingdom of darkness where it is and what different Climates are in it but the question is whether Heaven and Hell be real or imaginary places Whether the Judicature of Conscience signifie any thing in this world or the Tribunal of Christ in that which is to come Can I dwell with everlasting burnings and a consuming fire where the torments are infinite in their height and infinite in their duration Is not depending on a death-bed-Repentance a deceiving of our selves And if so what shall I do now that when I go hence I may die in God's favour What shall I do to be saved This is a terrible Interrogatory a question of weight and moment For as no man is fit to die but he who loves God above all things and is in perfect charity with all Mankind who is unconcerned with the affairs of the world and hath learnt and practised an intire Resignation of himself into the hands of his Creator whose accounts are adjusted whose life hath been one act of intercourse with Heaven and whose interests in eternity are secured so neither is any man fit to approach the holy Table without the like preparation The Collect. LET thy holy Spirit so assist me O most gracious Father that my preparation for the Sacrament may be as exact as if I were to fit my self to stand before the Throne of my eternal Judg that nothing may a lienate my affections from thee nor alter my Resolutions Heavenward but that I may so worthily eat the Flesh and drink the Blood of the Son of man that when I go hence I may be admitted to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen CHAP. VII Of the Examination of my Knowledg 'T IS not to be denied that some knowledg is requisite to fit me for this Heavenly Communion that I may be able * 1 Cor. 11.29 to discern the Lords Body But this knowledg rather consists in the understanding of the Offices of Holiness than in the comprehension of the depth of this and other sacred Mysteries I am very sure that at the first Institution the Apostles were very meanly furnisht with such Learning The very Foundation of the Sacrament the Death and Resurrection of our Saviour was a Riddle to them Nor did they then understand either the method of working out our Redemption or of the establishing of the Kingdom of the Messias in the world And yet because they were humble and devout sincere and obedient our great Master gave them admission to his Table And so was it also in the Primitive Church For the Bishops of old allowed every one as soon as he was baptized to come to the Holy Eucharist altho they carefully avoided any discourses about this Sacrament before those who had never been partakers of it And when their Subject led them that way they spoke in Figures and Metaphorical Expressions and appealed to the understanding of those who had communicated For they were well perswaded that it was a Mystery Now Mysteries are not to be pryed into but admired not to be commonly talkt of nor curiously disputed about but to be lookt on with Veneration and Respect to be studied and reverenc'd They knew it was no slight and perfunctory employment to communicate with the Holy Jesus but they withal knew that a little measure of Knowledg and a great degree of Humility Piety and Charity would intitle to the Priviledges of God's Altar Now all that they instructed the Candidates of these Mysteries in was only the duties of Morality Justice and Honesty Peaceableness and Compassion Chastity and Temperance together with an ardent love to God only now and then they could not forbear reprehending an Heretick
the only Region of Rest For I may be secure in the love of the world but I can never be safe but in the love of Jesus This divine Vertue is always content when it is in trouble it is not distrest when under the greatest perplexities it is far from despair when it is persecuted it is never forsaken of its God or its hopes and when it is wounded it cannot be slain for it always carries about with it the marks of a dying Redeemer and desires to know nothing but Christ and him crucified that it may die to the world 3. According to what a man loves so is his denomination in this world and so shall his judgment be in another We call a man Covetous from his love of money and Voluptuous from his love of Pleasure and Envious from his love of Revenge and so also we call a man a Christian from his love to God and his Neighbour For on those two hang all the law and the prophets And in the proceedings of the last day a man shall be examined not what he hath known nor what he hath believed not what he hath hop'd nor what he hath talkt of but what he hath loved and accordingly the love of the World shall damn the sinner while the love of Heaven makes the Saint happy Now this love can never be compleat unless it reflect upon God my Neighbours and mine Enemies and be particularly conversant with the Offices of Religion The Collect. For the 14th Sund. after Trin. ALmighty and Everlasting God! give unto me and to all thy people the increase of Faith Hope and Charity and that we may obtain that which thou dost promise make us to love that which thou dost command through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen CHAP. X. Of the Love of God I Tremble when I read that sentence * 1 Cor. 16.22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus let him be Anathema Maranatha And yet it is but just that the Punishment should be proportion'd to the Offence and that that man should be hated by his Maker who hath no affection for his Saviour in whom there is nothing wanting that may endear him to our Respects and our Love 1. There is in him the greatest Perfection and the most admirable Excellencies Can I with patience behold the Miser condemn himself to the Mines for the sake of his Mammon and a bigotted Devoto use wonderful Abstinences and submit to great austerities only to serve his desires of Applause Can I every day see how the lovers of Pleasure and Revenge wilfully make themselves dismal spectacles of Ruin and Desolation and be all the while unconcern'd and take no delight to please my adorable Redeemer and save my own soul * Wis 13.3 c. If men being delighted with the beauties of the Heavenly Host took them to be Gods let them know how much better the Lord of them is For the first Author of Beauty hath created them and by the beauty and greatness of the Creatures proportionably is the Maker of them seen But it is too sadly found true that the love of the world grows to a prodigious stature of a sudden while the love of God and Holiness is pincht in its Infancy and starv'd in its Swath-bands It is a Plant which seldom meets with a fit Soil and when it grows up can never be brought to maturity without the constant beams of the Sun of Righteousness a plentiful portion of the dew of Heaven and a great care to preserve and cherish it 2. I ought to love my Saviour because I have the greatest Obligations to him For his love to me brought him from Heaven to Earth from a Throne to a Cross and thence into Hell for my Redemption Greater love than this hath no man shown than that he should lay down his life for his friend said the compassionate Jesus And is there no higher degree no nobler instance of love O my infallible Master Yes certainly thine was when thou wert content to die for thine Enemies Many waters could not quench it and it was stronger than death Now if the love of an undone world conquer'd God's Anger made him suspend his Justice and degrade his Son should not the love of God much rather engage me to conquer my Lusts Could I die O my best Friend a thousand times over for thee yet should I not love thee according to thy deservings But this is our great folly and the cause of all our miseries we are set on fire under the Pole and we freeze under the Aequinoctial the world makes us passionate Lovers while the Son of God cannot 3. To love God is the most natural and easie of all Recompences Shouldest thou Lord now require from me the burthensom Attendances and the expensive Sacrifices that were injoin'd under the Old Law I could have no Reason to complain but to love thee sincerely is the cheapest of Returns For when my bodily weakness or infirmities will not suffer me to fast or watch or wear sackcloath and my poverty hinders my giving Alms yet I am never so poor never so weak but I can love and tho perhaps I cannot hear every day nor pray every hour nor communicate every week yet nothing hinders but that I may love my God every moment and that will bring me to Eternity 4. The Love of God is the Fountain of acceptable Obedience and proportionable to my Love to God is my Zeal and my Devotion my Resolution and my Piety and when once these Ardors cool every thing that is good languishes and decays To be affrighted threatned and compell'd to serve my Master is a dishonour to my Christian performances and fullies all their Beauties but it is a Sacrifice that God is well-pleased with when the Offering is brought freely and offered chearfully and sent up in flames to Heaven being offered on the Altar of Love For Jesus is the Author of salvation to those only who so love him and the Grace of God is only with them who love his Son in sincerity 5. A due Reflection upon this Sacrament is a great encouragement to love him who instituted it for by it we are made one Body of which our blessed Saviour is the Head And therefore among other Rites that intimated this Union it was the ancient use nor is it yet prohibited in our Church but left to discretion to mingle Water with the Wine in the holy Chalice to testifie the Mystical Union that is betwixt Christ and his Church For as Water and Wine mix and incorporate so are the faithful Communicants made the same body with the Son of God For in the Opinion of * Cypr. Epist 63. Euseb Emis Hom. 5. de Pasch c. the Ancients the Wine is the Figure of our Redeemer's Blood and the Water of the many Nations purchas'd by it Besides all which it is further considerable that of worldly things a man may love what he shall never enjoy or
Churches commonly in the form of a Cross and for this cause they cover'd the * Bed in 16. S. Matth. Damas P. Epist Altar with a white linnen cloath not so much to denote the purity of the Mysteries or the innocence of the Communicants as our Saviour's being wrap'd in fine linnen at his Funeral On the * Chrys To. 6. p. 360. Altar also they plac'd the Cross and that without superstition that they might direct their eyes and minds toward Heaven where the crucified Jesus sits on his Father's Right Hand They enjoined their Communicants when they pray'd * Tertul. de Orat cap. 11. to stretch out their hands in the form of a Cross and when they received the consecrated Elements * Concil Trull Can. 101. they put themselves into the same posture The elevation of the Elements when taken into the hands of the Priest emblems the lifting up of Christ upon his Cross the breaking of the Bread implies not only that he died but that he was slain that he died a violent death and when the Wine is poured out nothing can more pertinently and plainly represent the shedding of his sacred Blood In the Liturgy of * p. 984 985. Edit Savil. St. Chrysostome which is now used in the Greek Church the Priest is expresly injoin'd to make upon the Bread which is to be consecrated the sign of the Cross with the Holy Launce for so they call the Knife which is then used alluding to the weapon with which our Saviour's side was pierc'd and to say three times In remembrance of our Lord our God and Saviour Jesus Christ after which he is to strike the Launce four times into the extremities of the Cross and to say when he strikes it into the right side He was led as a sheep to the slaughter when into the left side As a lamb without blemish is dumb before the shearer so he opened not his mouth Then he is to strike it into the top of the Cross saying In his humiliation his judgment was taken from him then into the bottom saying And who shall declare his Generation After which the Priest elevates the Bread saying For his life was taken away from the Earth now and for evermore Amen And then lays it in the Patin saying The lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world is sacrificed for the sins and salvation of the world During every one of which several actions the Deacon says We beseech thee to hear us O Lord. And when the Wine and Water is poured into the Chalice the Deacon says And one of the soldiers pienc'd his side with a launce and there issued out water and blood which mixture they always make the better to represent that part of the Passion And the whole Church hath thought fit to consecrate Red Wine that the colour might mind us of our Saviour's Blood as the Jews in the Passeover used the same coloured Wine in remembrance of the Blood of their predecessors which was spilt in Aegypt The Greeks consecrate no Bread but what is mark'd as above-said and stampt with these Letters IC XC NK i. e. Jesus Christ overcomes which was the Motto of the Cross shown to Constantine the Great And in the Gethick Church in Spain as the Mosarabick Missal mentions they divided the Holy Bread into Nine parts to which they affixt the Names of Incarnation Nativity Circumcision Transfiguration Passion Death Resurrection Glory and Kingdom under which Names they comprehended our Saviour's whole History intimating unto all who were spectators of their proceedings that the design and intention of the Sacrament was only to imprint on their minds the Memorial of our Saviour and his performances for our salvation Thus the whole Church thought themselves obliged to do in remembrance of their dearest Master and Patron who had he been corporeally present under the Accidents had had no need to have bidden us to remember him for we only remember things and persons that are absent And is there any Reason that I should be so often put in mind of that which alone can make me happy Thou hast bid me O my God that as often as this Sacrament is celebrated and what a Reproof is this of my seldom coming to that Ordinance that I should call to mind thy Death Lord how can I forget thee I should sooner forget to eat or to sleep How violent and acute were thy pains and yet how couragiously endured Did not my iniquities cause thy sufferings and are not all the benefits purchas'd thereby transferr'd and made over to me And can I forget such a Friend What therefore shall I do to fit my self to receive the advantages of thy Passion sealed and conveyed to me in this Sacrament I will deface all the Records of Vanity and Folly of sin and iniquity that have found a place in my memory and there will I treasure up the History of my dearest Jesus his Undertakings of his Sufferings and his Victories and thence will I transcribe the Copies of Obedience into my life and conversation till I am perfectly conform'd to his Image The Collect. GRant I beseech thee O my crucified Saviour that I may this day and every day remember thy shame and thy sufferings that I may magnifie thy goodness and imitate thy patience and be conform'd to the pattern of thy Vertues that I may love thy Laws and depend upon thy Merits that after frequent acts of remembring thee and communicating with thee I may be remembred by thee in the Agonies of death and after my death may have a place in my Master's Kingdom Amen CHAP. XII Of Love to my Neighbour NExt to my love to my Maker ought my love to my Neighbur to take place whose welfare is to be as dear to me as my own and to whom I must do good as much as lies in me as I hope to see the Face of God for I must love my Neighbour as my self and every one is my Neighbour who wants my assistance This love therefore engages me to submit to my superiors to walk in peace to prefer others before my self to instruct the ignorant to soften the passionate to reprehend the vicious to reclaim the profligate to counsel the unadvised to speak peace to distrest Consciences to visit the Prisons and to administer to them who are appointed to die to relieve the opprest to clothe the naked and to feed the hungry For these were the employments of our charitable Master who was our great Almoner and who hath commanded us if need be * 1 John 3.16 that we also should lay down our lives for the brethren And this Doctrine was so well understood by Johannes Elecmosynarius that when he met with a modest necessitous person to whom he had been formerly charitable but at last found him inclinable to refuse his Alms he plainly told him That he had not yet arrived to that height of Christian Love to which he was obliged
any opportunity of doing good when it is offered to him For who can expect that his Saviour should give him the dainties of his Table who denies his crumbs to his necessitous brother Nay the Ancients rather than suffer the poor to want thought it no Sacriledg to sell the Church plate for their Relief And St. Caesarius when he died made no other Will but this I bequeath all that I am worth to the use of the poor and St. Paulinus Bishop of Nola sold himself into captivity to redeem the son of a distrest Widow There is no way but this to make Freinds of the Mammon of Unrighteousness nor is there any likelier method to restore us to God's Love and Favour Mercy ard Truth are the Image of God And * Chrysost To. 4. Hom. 13. in 1 Tim. p. 302. tho the Heathens define a man to be a Rational Creature and capable of Knowledg the Scripture defines him otherwise when it tells us that the merciful person is only a man and that there is nothing so venerable in Nature as the Almoner The Collect. For Quinquages Sunday O Lord who hast taught us that all our doings without Charity are nothing worth pour into my heart that most excellent Gift of Charity the very Bond of Peace and of all Vertues without which whosoever lives is counted dead before thee Grant this for thine only Son Jesus Christ his sake Amen CHAP. XV. Of Love to my Enemies BUT it is not enough for me to love the brethren and to do good to the Houshold of Faith I must also love my Enemies and do good to them who intend my Ruin For if ye only love them who love you what reward have ye Matth. 5.44 c. do not even the Publicans the same And if you salute the brethren only what do you more than others do not even the Publicans so Be ye therefore perfect be ye merciful as your Father in heaven is merciful for be makes his Sun to rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust Our blessed Saviour therefore says to me and to all his Disciples Love your enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you that you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven This is the perfection of Vertue this the glory of our Christian profession and herein do the Laws of our blessed Master out do all other Schemes of Morality * Vid. Tert. ad Scapul Athenag Legat. c. Nor could either Jew or Gentile approach to so sublime a degree of compassion which is truly Evangelical and a Lesson only learnt in the School of Christ And therefore the Confessor at Alexandria whom Cassianus mentions answered like himself when his Heathen Adversaries pursued him with all sort of Contumely and Reproaches and at last disdainfully ask'd him What Miracle did your Master Christ ever do When he made this Return It is no mean Miracle that he hath wrought in me that I can tamely hear your Reproaches and not be concern'd at the Injury that I can suffer you to revile me and can at the same time bless and speak well of you At this Sacrament I commemorate the Death of my Redeemer who died for his Enemies and offer'd his Merits to those who crucified him as well as to those who oblig'd him And this is that particular Accomplishment of the Divinity that is proposed to our imitation For whereas an attempt to be like God in Power and Majesty degraded Lucifer and his confederate Angels and Resolves to attain to the degree of wisdom which the Creator possesses banish'd Adam and undid his posterity the transcribing the copy of the divine goodness and compassion will re-instate the world into a better Paradise and give men the place which the Fallen Spirits deserted Nay many times an act of mercy proves successful beyond expectation and delivers an Adversary not only from temporal wants but from eternal horrors And I may make a Convert of that Enemy whom I pity and relieve And if to know the art of true Charity be a greater priviledg than to be crown'd with the Majesty of Kings then to convert a soul is a nobler Alms than to give a Million of money to the stock of the poor And it is very remarkable that our Saviour hath not only made this duty of forgiving Injuries * Mat. 6.12 14 15. a necessary and indispensible qualification to fit me for the receiving of God's pardon but seems to imply that upon one act of Obstinacy one Refusal to obey this Injunction my former sins that have already been forgiven me shall be brought again to remembrance and be the cause of my condemnation For when in the * Mat. 18.27 34. Parable ten thousand Talents were remitted to the disabled Servant by his Lord and the Obligation cancell'd yet when the same Servant dealt unmercifully with his Fellow servant his Lord delivered him to the Tormentors till he should pay all that was due to him And so shall our Heavenly Father do to us if we from our hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses And for this Reason I cannot but think it a commendable custom in the Greek Church in which during the celebration of this Office not only the Deacon who assists begs pardon of the consecrating Priest as St. Chrysostome's Liturgy injoins * Smyth 's Acc. of the Greek Church p. 143. but the Priest who consecrates takes care to reconcile himself before he approaches the Altar and the assisting Priests also bow toward the people as an instance of their begging forgiveness if they have offended any one there present After which every Lay Communicant immediately before he receives says aloud Christians forgive to which the Congregation answers God shall forgive you And in the Primitive Church the Deacon was bound to say aloud Let no man who is not in perfect Charity dare to approach this Table And the better to demonstrate the Churches Resolutions in this case as Easter was the most solemn time of giving the Eucharist so in the foregoing week on Maundy Thursday the Penitents were solemnly admitted to Communion For whereas on that day the blessed Sacrament was always administred because that was the day on which it was instituted * Innocent Ep. 1. ad Decent cap. 7. Ambr. li. 5. Ep. 33. so on that day also were the Church-censures remitted because on that day our Holy Saviour delivered himself into the hands of the Jews for our Redemption the * Conc. Carthag 4. Can. 80 82. Penitents being brought up to the Altar before which they kneeled and being reconciled by the Imposition of the Priests hands were afterward communicated All which were Instances of the Church's Charity and an excellent Rule how we ought also to demean our selves toward our Enemies I therefore think my self bound
attended with all other virtuous performances The Patriarch of Constantinople called John the Faster lost the Reward of his abstaining from all sorts of Delicacies while he could not abstain from Pride and Vain-glory but disturb'd the world with his pretences to the Title of Universal Bishop Nor did the men * Socrat. Eccle. Hist l. 7 c. 15. of Alexanandria fast to any purpose but to smite with the fist of wickedness when during this solemnity they murder'd the most excellent Philosopher Hypatia This is truly Superstition to seek to bribe God with little Observances and to trample on his more obliging Precepts So the Pharisees dreaded being defiled should they but enter into a Court of Judicature during the Paschal Solemnity but were nothing affrighted at the contriving and compassing the Death of the Innocent Jesus When therefore I oblige my self to fast I propose to my self the pattern of one of those venerable Sages who had gotten an absolute conquest over their Lusts and had so kept under their bodies and brought them into subjection that they were no longer apt to rebel against the Precepts of Reason and Religion And to my Abstinences I joyn my Tears remembring that excellent advice of * Apud Leon. Allat de Symeon p. 23. Symeon Stylita Never to communicate but with the deepest compunction and heartiest sorrow for my sins till I have moistened the holy bread with my tears And when I weep I will pray with the greatest ardors of love and the strongest bent of my mind but with the least outward motion imaginable lest that should seem to savour of the Theatre and not of the House of God It was the mistake of the Old * Philostrat vit Apollonii Tyan Gymnosophists That the higher they leapt in their sacred dances wherein they praised their Deities they came so much the nearer to Heaven and rendred themselves and their actions thereby the more acceptable to their Gods Nor do I think that Ignatius Loyola and other of the Romish Saints were ever the more in God's favour because they are said to be lifted up above the ground in their prayers as if Angels carried them so much the nearer to the Throne of Grace This also is a priviledg the Heathens have pretended to and perhaps with as much Right as our Modern Votaries For * Eunap vit Jamblich Init. Jamblichus is reported when he pray'd to have been raised up Ten Cubits above the ground and his Face and Garments to have been chang'd into a bright Gold-colour but when the Devotions were done he return'd to his former colour and station Nay greater things than these may be done and yet a man be no Favourite to the Almighty But if I pray fervently and devoutly if my heart breathe out its complaints and longs to be delivered from the burthen of its sins if my soul hunger after Righteousness and be athirst for the living God longing to come into his presence and to partake of his gracious dispensations then tho my tongue be silent and my lips stand still I may safely presume that I shall have profit when I pray unto him And by this means shall my soul mount upward when to my fasting and tears I joyn my supplications and my alms For they are the wings of the mind Nor will I doubt when I am so prepared but my God will hear me and accept of me and send me away with a blessing The Collect. O Lord Jesu Christ who in the days of thy Humiliation didst offer up Prayers and Supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save thee from death and wert heard for that thy Piety melt I beseech thee my obdurate heart till it become soft and fit to receive thy impressions Represent to me my sins and thy sufferings to make me sorrowful and set before my eyes the vanity of the world to wean me from depending on it Enable me to beg earnestly and never to desist till I receive thy benediction that I may trample upon all the pomps and pleasures of this life and settle my Affections upon that which is to come that I may love and desire all opportunities of Communion with thee on Earth till thy Merits procure for me a place at thy Table in Heaven Amen CHAP. XIX Of Joy and Resolution after the Reception IF it be just and reasonable that our Thanksgivings should be proportion'd to the Excellency of our Enjoyments and our gratitude be adequate to the beneficence of our Patron how eminent and exceeding should my joy be when I have been honoured with the society of my God endowed with the purchase of my Saviour's Blood and admitted to the Communion of Angels and the Priviledges of the Saints If * Luke 1.41 the Baptist when the unborn Infant Jesus came to his Father's House leapt in his Mothers womb and gave such early Testimonies of his Veneration to the Messiah as the Legend tells us That * Vid. Card. Bona de Divin Psalmod cap. 18. Sect. 3. p. 893. St. Benedict before he was born sung distinctly with his Sister Scholastica to the praise and glory of God how much more solemn should my Exultations be who have been admitted to entertain an adult Saviour and to be a sharer in his Triumphs So true and so hearty should my joy be as that which a new Convert experiments who hath been lately rescued from a state of folly and fear and admitted into the number of the Sons of God Or rather it should match the mirth of Nuptials For in this Sacrament is my Soul married to my Holy Redeemer Nay my inward satisfactions should express themselves as a victorious Army glories in its Conquests every noise should be a shout and every sentence a part of a triumphant song For my dearest Saviour by his Death conquer'd his Enemies and by the Symbols of that Death enables me his meanest and weakest Servant to rout the scattered Forces of the Kingdom of Darkness Such a demeanor agrees to the practise of the Jews who injoyed but a shadow of this blessed Sacrament It agrees to our blessed Master's actions at the Celebration to the Nature of the Ordinance and to the Customs of the Primitive Christians The Jews whose Passeover was only a commemoration of their deliverance out of Aegypt while our Paschal Lamb hath set us free from spiritual and eternal Thraldom never did eat the Lamb but they sung the great Hallel which begun with the 113th and ended with the 118th Psalm And because to have but such ablessing in view is an happiness they begun and ended the Ceremony with the expressions of their thankfulness * Buxtorf Hist Sacr. Caenae for they sung the 113th and 114th Psalms before they did eat the Passeover and the other four Psalms after they had fed upon that Sacrifice And accordingly did our Saviour For we have the strongest probability that he who did in other Ceremonies comply with the injunctions
Pageantry dressing up a representative Saviour and carying Palms before him as if they welcomed him into Jerusalem and in the Greek Church they make up Branches of Olives and Palms into divers forms by which they keep up the memory of the Feast the Emperor and the Patriarch when that Empire was in its Glory using to give at this time great Largesses to the common People which from the day were called Palms and now in Muscovy the Patriarch rides in state like our Saviour and is met by the Grand Duke and all the People who represent the Jews entertaining him but in a To. 5. p. 541. St. Chrisostome's time ' the Greeks were better taught for then the whole Christian Church had their Processions and went out to meet their Saviour not deckt with Palms but adorn'd with Alms and Mercifulness and other Virtues with Fastings and Tears and Prayers and Watchings and all sort of holy deference to their Redeemer ‖ Aug. Ser. 46. de Verb. Dom. Ambr. Epist 33. c. On this day anciently did the Persons who were to be baptized at Easter give in their Names to the Bishop from which time till their Baptism they were distinguisht from the other Catechumens and called Competentes and to them the Bishop himself if present as he was seldom absent from his See at all this Solemnity but if absent the Presbyters in the Baptistery expounded the Creed * Aug. Scr. 115. Id. de fide Symb. c. p. 1. for the Creed was not in those Ages read in the first Service at which the Catechumens were present which Creed they were to learn the Week following and to give an account of it solemly on ‖ Conc. Laod. Can. 46. Easter-Eve in the Latin-Church but in the Greek-Church on Maundy-Thursday and now probably were they also taught the Lord's prayer which no unbaptized Person was allowed to repeat for how says St. Austin can he call God Father who was never regenerate And lest the Persons to be baptized should come to the Laver of Regeneration filthy sordid and sullied with their fastings and Lentpenances at which time they used to cast Ashes on their Heads and lie on the bare Ground on this day they washt the Heads of the Competentes and from hence the day was called ⸫ Isidor Etymol li. 6. c. 18. c. Capito-Lavium So careful were the Ancients that at the time of our blessed Saviour's Resurrection all things should be gay and all Persons joyful The Epistle Isa 62.10 11 12. GO thro go thro the Gates prepare ye the way of the People cast up cast up the Highway gather out the Stones lift up a Standard for the People Behold the Lord hath proclaimed unto the end of the World say ye to the Daughter of Zion Behold thy Salvation cometh behold his Reward is with him and his work before him and they shall call them the Holy People the Redeemed of the Lord and thou shalt be called Sought out a City not forsaken The Gospel Matth. 21.5 c. TELL ye the Daughter of Zion behold thy King cometh unto thee meek and sitting upon an Ass and a Colt the fole of an Ass and the Disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them and brought the Ass and the Colt and put on them their Cloaths and they set him thereon and a very great multitude spread their Garments in the way others cut down Branches from the Trees and strawed them in the way and the Multitudes that went before and that followed cryed saying Hosannah to the Son of David blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord Hosannah in the highest And when he was come into Jerusalem all the City was moved saying Who is this And the Multitude said This is Jesus the Prophet of Nazareth of Galilee and Jesus went into the Temple of God and cast out all them that sold and bought in the Temple and overthrew the Tables of the Money changers and the seats of them that sold Doves and said unto them It is written My house shall be called the House of Prayer but ye have made it a Den of Theives The MEDITATION WHen our blessed Saviour made his publick appearance in the World every thing in him was excellent and extraordinary the Lineaments of his Face so beautiful that he was justly stiled the fairest of ten thousand but the Qualifications of his Soul were so miraculous that whatever of great or good could be observed either in Men or Angels was but a faint Representation of his more stupendious Accomplishments the charms of his Countenance were most taking the Eloquence and Reason of his Discourses most persuasive but the Holiness of his Conversation was transcendent insomuch that his Friends loved and his very Enemies tho they hated him could not but admire him his converse was freeand obliging his pity generous and noble he accounted that day lost wherein he had not done some kindness and was grieved to send any man away from him sorrowful He often neglected to mind himself but he never omitted his care of the Poor and he who had no house to reside in no maintenance but the Alms of well-inclined People had yet a Bag and a Treasury for the indigent he frequently forgot to eat but he never forgot to Pray so wonderful was his Devotion so universal his Charity and so incomparable his Obedience His Soul was the Temple of Chastity and Temperance the seat of Prudence the fortress of Courage the Throne of Justice the storehouse of Humanity the Sanctuary of Meekness in a word it was the residence of all Virtues and who could converse with such a Saviour and refuse to Love and Adore him But never were his Accomplishments so Illustrious as when he took his last journey to Jerusalem when all the Scenes of Treachery and Cruelty were to end in the unparallel'd Murther of the Son of God then he exerted all his Vigor for then the Son of God was to be glorified and to be manifested to be the only begotten of the Father with Power according to the Spirit of Holiness by the Resurrection from the Dead for his sufferings were his own crown and the cause of the worlds Salvation Perillous was the attempt but the combatant was invincible His first Essay towards the compleating of our redemption was on Palm-Sunday on this day of the week he made his entry into Jerusalem like a Conqueror or rather like the King of the World from hence I date the Epocha of his Crucifixion because on this day among the Jews the Paschal Lamb was separated from the rest of the Flock and with much solemnity brought up to Jerusalem in order to its being Sacrificed and on this day of the week also he made a more pompous entry into the Holy City when attended by many Saints returning from their Graves to accompany his Resurrection he made it appear that he had spoiled Hell and saved mankind both which entries were
made in despight of all the Opposition of the Scribes and Pharisees his implacable Enemies And where O my Soul shouldst thou wish thy self a place but among the Train of this Omnipotent Victor Thou hast been by him raised from a sad estate from being dead in sins and trespasses and whom shouldst thou Love and accompany but thy best Friend I will follow him therefore into the High-priest's Palace and to the Judgment-seat of Pilate I will go with him to Mount Calvary and there I will dye with him but first I will view his Triumphs and admire his Grandeur I will first accompany him to the Jewish Temple and then to the Christian Altar that is to the Cross on which he was Offered as a Lamb without spot and blemish From the East came the Sun of Righteousness to Jerusalem for on that side of the City lay Bethany and rejoyced like a Giant to run his course tho he foresaw he should suffer a dismal Eclipse and in this also he might be likened to the Sun that he appeared greater and shone brighter than ordinary just before his setting 'T was required by the Mosaical Law that every Male should appear at Jerusalem three times a Year nor would Jesus be tho he was exempted from those attendances for thus it behoved him to fulfil all righteousness and in this he was so punctual that the best account which the Christian World hath how long our Savior lived appears from the Evangelists recording how many Passovers he kept The past years of his Life he went up to the House of God in a State of Privacy but now he resolves to approach the City like a Prince that is like himself But where is the Ceremony of this Royal Parade Where is the Gilt Chariot Where the Purple Robes Where are the Armed Lifeguards and where the Retinue of Nobles Is the King of Israel no better equip't than with an Ass and that Ass borrowed Are his most Eminent Courtiers but Twelve poor Galileans most of which were Fishermen and one a Publican And hath he no other Followers but the Multitude the Dregs of the People 'T is no Wonder that at this sight all the People were moved Never was Prince in Exile worse attended And can this be the King of the Jews Is this the Messiah But remember O my soul that all this was Prophecy and no word of God is ever unfulfilled his Poverty was a sign to the Shepherds to know him by at his Birth and the same sign is given to the Holy City at his Death Zech. 9.9 and she is called upon to rejoice and to shout for joy because her King comes to her a just Prince and one that brings Salvation but he comes in a state of Humility riding upon an Ass and a Colt the Fole of an Ass and must God falsifie his Word to comply with our impertinent notions of Greatness And is not the Condescention an Emblem of his Meekness He came into the world to conquer not by the Sword but by the Cross not by fighting but by dying and does not this Ass denote his Contempt of the World and the lowliness of his Mind How mild and good and how benign he should be even to his worst Adversaries Besides it was necessary his first coming into the World should be distinguish't from his second coming to Judgment Nor was this but an addition to his Honour that the first Confessors of the Christian Religion were not many mighty not many wise not the Kings or the Generals or the Philosophers of the World but a few abject and contemptible men rude and unassisted ill-clad and unlearned and yet they converted the World But this is not all see something that compleats the Wonder for could there be a greater instance of my Blessed Saviours Divinity than this That notwithstanding the wariness of the Roman Garison who to secure the Imperial Title to Judea were ready to take Fire upon the notice of a new Kings Arrival as a Competitor of the Government notwithstanding all the Spite Malice and Cunning of the Pharisees Jesus makes this Triumphant Entry preaches in the Temple casts out the Buyers and Sellers and works many Miracles without any disturbance this was certainly the Finger of God and a Specimen of the Divine Power Be not therefore scandalized O my soul this poor Saviour is the Son of God and the Redeemer of the World and his Poverty is his Churches Patrimony and this is the Day which many Kings and Prophets have long'd for but never could see joyn thy self therefore to the Company and sing thy Hosannahs also to the Lord of Life and Glory 'T is shameful to slight thy Saviour when the Multitude admires him Of the People some followed Jesus from Bethany while others met him from Jerusalem both joining together in one Company of which some went before him others followod the Messiah who rode in the midst of them under whom they spread their Garments in they way as was the Custom of many Nations when they entertained their Princes and strowed Flowers and Leaves for so were Monarchs also treated at their Entrance into any City the People meeting them and carrying Lawrel and Roses in their Hands and covering the streets with them by which they testified their acknowledgment and submission to their Sovereigns Authority and probably the Jews coming immediately from Mount Olivet carryed Olive-Branches in their hands as other Nations used to do on such solemnities Emblems of Peace and Union between a Prince and his Subjects and signs how ready great Persons should be to forgive Injuries after which manner they also carried Palms as a good Omen of Victory And all this was done at this time to denote that the true Messiah the King of the Jews was now come to his own City of Jerusalem a Meek and a Compassionate Saviour and ready to triumph over the powers of darkness and all the other Enemies of Mankind To him therefore the people sung their Hosannahs wishing him all happiness and themselves all happy in him Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord ' Most acceptable is his Person most welcome is his Reign and Kingdom Hosannah in the highest Let our Shouts reach Heaven 'T is the God who dwells there whom we praise and may that God whose Throne is there make us eternally happy in this Son of his Love Peace in Heaven Glory in the highest the Messiah is come and our Fears are at an end And who would not joyn in Consort to this Heavenly Song 'T is one of the Anthems of the Angels and some of the Entertainment which God's Palace will afford us The joy ought to dilate my soul tho it did not swell my Saviour and this also was another argument that he was the Son of God and the Lord of Glory that this extraordinary reception did not transport him but with the same evenness of temper he enjoys all the various dispensations of
Providence his poverty never deprest him his disgraces never ruffled his quiet nor can honours and pomp make him proud and insolent But that which made no impression on the Son of God made a very deep one upon the Pharisees for envy is a busie and restless Vice they when they saw they could not curb the multitude would have put our Saviour upon checking and repressing them for as the covetous man cannot endure a discourse of voluntary poverty nor the lascivious person a lecture of Chastity as you raise the passion of the Oppressor when you preach to him the Laws of Justice and inflame the froward and the cruel when you urge him to forgive Injuries and to love his Enemies so to the proud and ambitious nothing is so killing a sight as another mans Honour But Jesus tells them the meeting was not procured by craft nor were the people flattered much less affrighted into the combination the Oblation of Thanksgiving was voluntary and an accomplishment of a prophecy God now intending out of the mouths of babes and sucklings to perfect praise for Virtue makes it self admirers where ever it goes and should these people hold their peace the very stones would cry out and who dares check the Holy Spirit and fight against God But what need of all this complaint have patience O ye Rulers of the Jews and the people will answer your desires such is the vanity of all worldly fruitions they who to day cry Hosannah shall in a few days cry louder Crucifie him Crucifie him Now they sing Blessed is the King that cometh in the Name of the Lord and anon We have no other King but Caesar Now they spread their Garments in the way but then they shall strip him of his own raiment Now they bless and cry Master but then they shall curse and despise him such is all Secular Pomp and Humane Applause it depends upon popular Breatu which when it turns like the Wind it blows back again and carries away all that before it brought Upon foresight of this sad sinful Change see the Marks of a deep Sorrow on the Face of Christ amidst all the Acclamations and other Testimonies of Publick Joy Jesus the Prince of Peace was now at the foot of the Mount of Olives the Emblem of peace in view of Jerusalem whose name implies the Vision of Peace and yet he knowing their sins and foreknowing God's Judgments could not forbear Tears and the terrible denunciation of the Divine Vengeance upon that City that was now become the sink of all wickedness and yet this weeping was but the Prologue to the mightier grief of his upon the Cross to which no sorrow could be compared when he offered up Prayers and Supplications to his and our Father with strong Crys and Tears and was heard for that his Piety Now he mourns only the fate of one City of one People but then he wept over and dyed for the sins of the whole World of Disobedient and desperate Wretches who doted upon ruin all the Honour that could be given him all the Grandeur that could surround him gave him no Pleasure in this Triumphant Entry while he saw the end of his designed death frustrated and a whole Nation obstinate to be undone when the Son of God was most willing and most busie to save them Every Drop was of more Value than a Pearl and the Streams that ran down his Sacred cheeks more precious than those Waters which bring down Gold from the neighbouring Mountains And does my Saviour weep and can I dare to indulge to immoderate Laughter Can I rejoice when he is covered with Sorrows Or live in sensuality when the chastisement of my peace is upon him God forbid Now therefore O my Soul contemplate thy Saviour in all his Offices in his Triumphs he shows himself a Prince in his Mourning over Jerusalem he acts the part of a Priest whose Office it is to weep over and atone for the sins of the People and how does he declare himself to be a Prophet when he foretels the precise time of the ruin of the Jewish Nation before the present Generation should pass away In this disconsolate plight does our endearing Redeemer draw nigh to Jerusalem and to let the world know that his Kingdom is not of this world he balks the direct way over the Brook Kedron to the fortress of Zion and diverting passes through the Sheepgate which led to the House of God he goes not up to the Palace of the High-Priest nor to the Court of the Roman Governour but immediately hastens to the Temple to teach us to begin every Action with God and to love the place where his Honour dwells more than all the Tents of ungodliness to love the Gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob and to assure us that he who would meet God comfortably must enquire for him in his Temple For where should I seek for thee O my dear Saviour where should I find thee but in thy Father's House The Temple is thy Palace and the Chair of Moses thy Throne thence thou didst baffle the Doctors and from thence didst thou dispence the Oracles of Heaven to the world rescuing the Doctrines of Religion from the Traditions and the Duties of it from the evil practices of the Pharisees and to demonstrate that thy complaint of them was not without cause thence didst thou drive the buyers and sellers such was thy Zeal for the Habitation of God when the Lord came to his Holy Temple and who could stand before thee when thou didst thus appear like a Refiner's Fire and like Fuller's Soap Thus when Reformation is begun at the house of God there is great hope that the rest of the City will easily be reform'd At this Visitation Jesus beheld all Things not for Curiosity but to see what was amiss and needed amendment he lookt into all the Corners of the Temple and diligently attended to all the performances of the Priests in their several stations how they kept up the Reputation of Religion how exactly they performed all their Service a fit Employment for the great High Priest and Bishop of Souls But why all this Severity Why the Buyers and Sellers banisht VVhy the Money-changers Banks overthrown Were not the Jews obliged to come Three times a Year to Jerusalem And when they came were they to come empty Now to bring with them from the remotest parts of Judea Sheep and Oxen and the first fruits of their Cattel VVine and Oyl with orther Offerings was very troublesom and to dispose of those things in kind in the Countrey and turning them into Money to buy the like at Jerusalem was not only reasonable but agreable to the Divine Command and for this purpose had the Jews their Markets and Banks Deut. 14.24 25. in or near their Temples as the Gentiles also had Now the Practice having the countenance of a Law and tending so much to the ease of the People and
to the Honour of God also inviting all occasional Comers to buy and offer liberal Sacrifices as an Exchange tempts Customers it also making provision for Proselites and strangers of such Money as was current at Jerusalem which only was to be offered to the Lord and for the poor that they might borrow tho not on Usury yet on Pawn so as they might not comeempty handed before the Lord the place of this Traffick being only the outer Court of the Temple into which were admitted even the Gentiles and Uncircumcised why was our Masters Zeal so Fervent With great Reason doubtless was this done for all that Jesus did was by the guidance of the Infallible Spirit nor was it without reason that this Action was called the greatest of our Saviour's Miracles and one of the most solemn Declarations that he was the Son of God VVas it not a great Affront to the Divine Majesty to make a Butchers stall or a Bankers shop of his House To alienate it from its right use and instead of a house of Prayer to make it a den of Thieves of Publicans and Extortioners and of the Practicers of the Arts of Fraud and the Methods of Cheating VVas it not Irreligious to serve the Ends of Covetousness more than the designs of Piety For these Markets were at first held only near the Temple but at last through the greediness of the Priests were brought into the first Court of it to their no little gain while they managed the Markets either by their own servants or by exacting a Tribute of all those who there erected stalls and perhaps selling one and the same sacrifice over and again to several Persons Now what could create in mens minds mean thoughts of Religion and depreciate the service of the Almighty if such Actions did not And how could men chuse but abhor the Offerings of the Lord This therefore incited the Zeal of our dearest Lord and it was a sad Omen that the Priests themselves should in a little time be banisht from the House of God and turn'd out of his service because they had corrupted and huxter'd the VVord of God and handled it deceitfully And now O my soul and my body are not you the Temple of God And ought not the same measure of Zeal to be in me that was in my Redeemer Ought I not to cleanse this Temple and to expel thence all brutish Affections all covetous thoughts all self love and love of the VVorld all pride and vain glory and to keep my self undefiled in the VVorld fit for the residence of God and the indwelling of his Holy Spirit for if a man defile the Temple of God shall not God destroy that sinner I will therefore devote my self intirely to my Maker what he loves shall be my delight and I will honour him here in his Person in his Will in his Ordinances in his Habitation in his Revenue and in every thing else that appertains to him that I may hereafter enjoy him and live with him for ever Amen The Collect. ALmighty and most Merciful Saviour who in the heighth of thy Glories wast mindful of thy Humiliation and thy sufferings as thou wert contented to be made the Son of man tho by an ineffable generation thou wert the Son of God so new make me thy most unworthy because thy most disobedient Servant create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me that my soul whom thou hast redeemed may always sing thy Praises and celebrate thy bounty that all my faculties and all my members being consecrated to thee and thy service my Zeal may be flaming and unquenchable my love to thee victorious over all self love or love of the world my love to my neighbours generous and disinterested and my constancy and resolutions to be thine unalterable that I may preserve thy living Temple free from all Pollation till I come to the New Jerusalem where the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it through the Merits und Mediation of thee my only Saviour and Redeemer Amen The Anthem for Palm-Sunday ETERNITY I. MY Eager Soul 's upon the wing To view th' Court of th' Heavenly King So passionate 't is those Joys to taste and know That it disdains all pleasures here below For what can this sad world impart To ease the longings of my Heart Which Heavenly Love hath wounded with its Dart II. The Palace Glorious was where God Made his perpetual abode E're his Omnipotent Word bad all Things be The Mighty Undivided Trinity Resided in Eternal Light Before the Sun appear'd in sight Or Time was impt to make his earliest flight III. With Joy the Father then look't on The Beauties of his only Son Miraculous Child whose great Sire cannot be Above his Son in Age or Dignity From both these did proceed the Dove Which gently up and down did move And fill'd the place with Harmony and Love IV. In this vast space the Equal THREE With mutual Sentiments did agree That God the Father should the World create The Son redeem the Spirit regenerate Transcendent Fountain whence did flow What infinite Pity could bestow To make men Gods and bring down Heav'n below V. No longer can my Soul forbear It Sighs and Wishes to be there That it may celebrate the Father's power Love Jesus and the Holy Spirit adore For tho my Saviour's Presence here My Soul to Scepters does prefer On Earth she dreads to lose him there 's no fear Monday before EASTER THE Monday before Easter was called the Holy and Great Monday or the second day of the Paschal-week and the whole week was called the Great week ‖ Chrys To. 5. p 541 c. not because the days were longer than ordinary but the blessings were greater because of the great and stupendious Blessings not to be comprehended or utter'd which God this Week conferred upon the World in the Death and Resurrection of our blessed Saviour and because it immediately preceded the great Festival as Easter is called Joh. 19.31 or * Bern. Ser. 3. in domin Palmar because of the four great Days in it viz. The Procession of Talm-Sunday the Institution of the blessed Sacrament on Maundy-Thursday the Passion on Good-Friday and the continuance in the Grave on Saturday which was the Eve to our blessed Masters Resurrection The Week also was stiled the Passion-week the Week of Fastings dry Diet and Penances in which the Devouter sort did eat nothing but Bread and Salt and drank nothing but Water from which strictness no day was exempt except the Lords Day on which it was a great Crime to Fast ‡ Constit App. l. 5. c. 17. alii Every day of this Week was a day of business the whole time from the days of the Apostles being spent in Prayers Watchings and Mortifications ⸫ Chrys ub Sup. p. 586. Tribunals and Courts of Justice were now shut up no Pleadings no Suits of Law no publick Business no
thought what they had seen Only had a Vision been Till the Seraphick Herald silence broke And in these taking words his message spoke IV. ' From you Palace am I sent ' Built beyond the Firmament ' Where th' Almighty keeps his Court ' And the indigent resort ' Thence the obliging Jesus full of Loves ' Full of Attractives down to th' dull Earth moves V. ' Cease your Tremblings and your Fears ' Ill news Gabriel never bears ' Haste to Bethlehem there behold ' Him the Prophets have foretold ' What greater Instance can than this be given ' How dear the ruin'd world hath been to Heaven VI. 'To the Sacred Stable go ' And before the Manger bow ' The Infant-God adore and praise ' Wrapt in Swath-bands there he lies ' These are the marks to know your Savionrby ' He came from Heav'n t' illustrate Poverty VII Lovely Gabriel scarce had done Charming their attention When the humble shepherds view'd The Seraphick multitude Who did themselves round the Arch-Angel post Th' Arch-Angel Captain of that Heav'nly Host VIII Eyes they had that shot loves Darts Meen and Garb to captive Hearts Faces smooth as infant Light Ere the blustring winds durst fight Or Clouds durst interpose their obscure Skreen To keep the useful Rays from being seen IX Their wings impt with Plumes so gay Gold such Lustre can't display Nothing could with them compare But the bright Curls of their Hair VVhich when the sportive blasts of Air did move Nothing could view but what must be in love X. In the Air they gently hung There they danc'd and there they sung ' Glory be to God on High ' Let Peace this sad Earth beautifie ' That men of the Divine Good Will may taste ' And relish here below Heavens Antepast XI Thus they danc'd and thus they sung And the Sky with th' Musick rung Till the Day-star did appear Till the morning beams drew near The watchful Cock preclaim'd the Prince of Light Then they soar'd upward and flew out of sight XII Happy Angels your employ Brings you Honour brings you joy While on Earth I sigh and grean Vastly distant from that Throne Grant Jesu tho my voice be not so sweet My Notes in consort mixt with theirs may meet Wednesday before EASTER THE Ancients called this day the holy and great Wednesday or the fourth day of the Passion Week and among our Forefathers it was called Tenable Wednesday on which Day the Consultation was held for our Blessed Saviour's Apprehension * Constit Ap. li. 5. c. 10. which being begun on Monday was continued on Tuesday but compleated on Wednesday when they agreed with Judas to betray him from which Treason of the Son of Perdition it hath its Name in the Latin Church feria quarta in proditione Judae Now because on this Day the Sanhedrim were consulting how to take the Messiah the Ancients on the same Day were more than ordinarily employed how to receive him the Jews how to treat him unworthily but the Church how to give him due Entertainment And for this cause by the order of the Apostles the †Clem. Alex. Strom. 7. Tertul. de jejun c. 2. Epiph compend c. 21. c. Catholick Bishops bound all Christians to a weekly observation of We dnesday Friday on the first of which days our Saviour was sold as he was on the last Grucified as Days of Fasting which they called their Station days because as a Centinel dares not leave his Post till he be relieved which is seldom done till after a Watch of Twelve or Twenty four Hours so the Primitive Christians would never at such times move from Church till all the Service were over which was not finish'd till about Three a Clock in the Afternoon which Service was compleated with the Reception of the Blessed Eucharist in all Churches except at ‡ Socrat. l. 5. c. 22. p. 287. Alexandria where they had Prayers and a Sermon but no Sacrament and probably in this Week of extraordinary Mortifications the Fast ended not till Night In the present Greek Church on this day as on all the other days of Lent except the Saturdays Sundays and the Feast of the Annunciation which are Festivals they do still receive the Sacrament about Three Afternoon but they receive it of those Elements that had been * V. Bals Zon. in Can. 52. Trullan consecrated before on the precedent Holy-day and which are reserv'd for that purpose they at the same time observing our Blessed Saviours Institution of imploring the Divine Blessing every day by the Oblation and Merit of this Christian Sacrifice and yet preserving the Severity and Solemnity of this Christian Fast The Epistle 2 Pet. 1.16 WE have not followed cunningly devised Fables when we made known unto you the Power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ but were eye-witnesses of his Majesty for he received from God the Father Honour and Glory when there came such a voice to him from the excellent Glory This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased and this Voice which came from Heaven we heard when we were with him in the Holy Mount we have also a more sure Word of Prophecy whereunto ye do well that ye take heed The Gospel Luke 9.28 JESUS took Peter and James and John and went up into a Mountain to pray and as he prayed the fashion of his countenance was alter'd and his Rayment was white and glistering and behold there talked with him two men which were Moses and Elias who appear'd in Glory and spake of his Decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem and there came a voice out of a Cloud saying This is my Beloved Son hear him The MEDITATION IT was a lovely sight and to be long'd for with Transports to see the Blessed Jesus in his meanest and most contemptible dress for even then when he was covered with out sins and his own sorrows he was the fairest among men but how Glorious O my Soul was his Appearance when he was cloathed with the Robes of Immortality in the Holy Mount How transcendent were those lively Representations of the Joys of Heaven and that foretaste of the Pleasures of Eternity Tabor was of it self a delightful place on the Top of the Mountain there was a spacious plain whose fruits were breath'd upon and cherished by a most wholsome Air and moistned with a perpetual Dew the Vines and Olives and other Herbs and Trees cloathd it with a perpetual Verdure affording a Prospect that at once gratified both the sight and the smell and by them affected the mind but never was the Hill so fertile as when the Son of God watered it with his Tears and warmed it with his Rays To the Mountain our Blessed Master retired when he offered his Sacrifices of Suplications and Praise from a Mountain did he preach the glad Tidings of the Gospel and on a Mountain was he Transsigured there he prayed not that the highest Hill is nearer
Truth and Reality and not in Appearance so his Humiliation should be attended not by imaginary but by real Witnesses Moses came from his unknown Grave and Elias from the place whither his fiery Chariot had driven him to accompany Jesus on the Holy Mount whence probably they went into Paradise together Moses the great Lawgiver and Elias the representative of the Prophets the one a Man of the meekest Temper the other a Man of the warmest Zeal to assure the World that this Jesus was he of whom Moses and the Prophets spake the Lamb of God and the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah That neither Elias nor Moses nor any other of the Ancient Wondrous Men were deputed to be the Messiah but only the Lord of Glory the Prince of the World and that he came not to destroy the Law which Moses gave and Elias vindicated but to fulfil it Moses and Elias were present with Jesus two of his most immediate Representatives with the great Redeemer both wrought stupendious Miracles both fasted forty days and nights and both convers'd with God in the Mount in the days of their Flesh Nor canst thou O my Soul imagine that these great Persons had this interview without some Conversation and it is very remarkable that they discours'd not of the ineffable Union of the Holy Trinity nor of the Orders of the Holy Angels they discours'd not of the Songs of the Saints nor of the Employment of the Seraphim of the hidden Decrees or the Laws of Providence but of the Sufferings of Jesus at Jerusalem of that very Article of the Christian Faith at which the Apostles were so startled The Holy Redeemer of the World had resolved to carry the Marks of his sufferings with him his Scars and his Wounds when he ascended into Heaven and therefore it could not be absurd for those who dwelt there to discourse of them for they also were Partakers of the Benefits of his Crucifixion Peter as soon as he did awake being all heat had presently forgot the place of his Nativity and of his Residence no longer did he think upon his Wife and Family his Trade and Interests the Mountain with such Company was preserable to all the World in his Opinion and he thought it better to be there than in the Palace of Princes and because he imagin'd that that Holy Society could not subsist without some accomodations he was for having Three Tabernacles built there as if glorified bodies needed earthly Conveniences But his Devotion made Compensation for his Ignorance and his Master construed it as it was a well-meant mistake tho what the Apostle wisht the Piety of succeeding Ages perform'd The devout Mother of the Great Constantine St. Helena built on that Mountain a beautiful Temple to which were added Two Monasteries and so the Tabernacles were erected tho not for the use of the Persons that were concern'd in the Transfiguration for they needed them not but for the benefit of those who were to imitate the meekness and humility of Moses the mortifications and zeal of Elias and the Patience and Obedience of the Holy Jesus And this Piety was a greater Honour to the Church than all that the Apostle could project could have been to himself or that Triumvirate of blessed Persons for irregular and misguided zeal commonly loses its reward as it happened to the Apostle for immediately upon this Proposal Moses and Elias retired to their proper stations and left our Holy Saviour alone And this also had its just reason for presently thereupon came a Voice from Heaven to confirm the Apostles in the belief of their Master telling them that he was the beloved of God and that they ought to hear and to obey him Now had not the Prophets retired there might have been some ground for mistake but when Jesus was alone the voice out of the Cloud could never deceive them This was the most sensible and publick demonstration that a Company of men were capable of and thus begun our Redeemers Glorification on Earth This Transaction was for a while concealed even from our Masters blessed Mother and his brethren to assure us that it would have been of no advantage to the Holy Virgin to have born him had she not believed in him nor to his Kindred to be allyed to him had they not been his Disciples because it is Grace not Nature that makes a Christian but now that Priviledg is conferr'd on all mankind on us of the Gentile World that were without God and without hope that we might be no longer strangers forreigners but fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the Houshold of God God forbid therefore that I should desire to know any thing but Jesus Christ and him Crucified it is the Theme of Angels and Glorified Saints and how can I distrust such a Saviour who in his deepest Humiliation was crown'd with so much Honour This Consideration strengthens my Faith and secures my hope of Everlasting Life For why should I despair while my Saviour is my Friend and hath promis'd to be so till I renounce and forsake him and what should incline me to be so brutish since without him every thing is miserable and in his Company under his Influences a Wilderness is as the Garden of God And how should I long for his Company in Heaven for if while he was here on Earth the Place where he resided was from his occasional residence called Holy as Tabor is called the Holy Mount what preference ought I to give in my Opinion my Esteem my Love to the place of his fixt residence To see him at his Fathers Right Hand is a sight would engage a man to be a Martyr to enjoy it there are Moses and Elias and all the goodly Fellowship of the Prophets there are Peter James and John and all the Glorious Company of the Apostles there is the Noble Army of Martyrs and Confessors and what should hinder but that I a poor Sinner may make one of that blessed Society and sing the Praises of my Saviour with them to Eternity The Collect. HOly Jesus who by thy Humiliation didst not so much debase thy Divinity as magnifie our humane Nature and who in thy lowest State and Condition wert always glorious Grant me thy Grace that I may sequester my self from the World may pray often and fervently and be made partaker of thy influences reveal thy self unto me O my holy Saviour and incline my heart to accept of thee as my Priest my Prophet and my King that I may here enjoy in Hope and Expectation in imitation and wish the society of Saints and of the King of Glory and hereafter may be happy in the Vision of what I now long for and may for ever remain with thee my Blessed Saviour and Redeemer Amen Another O Most Glorious Saviour incomprehensible in thine Essence incomparable in thine Attributes and wonderfully Gracious in thy Dispensations to sinners how great is thy goodness and how great is thy
for Confirmation or have I slighted the Prayers and Benediction of God's Priest Have I wholly forsaken Satan or rather am I not still under his power by being a slave to the habits of folly and disobedience Have I ever at any time used Charms or Amulets or consulted Witches or Conjurers Am I not yet in love with the pomps and vanities of the World a great frequenter of sports to the hindrance of Religious Duties and do I delight in profane and lascivious representations and are not my Lusts yet unmortified and have I not derogated from the honour of the Captain of our Salvation by cowardise and negligence Eucharist Have I not profan'd the holy Supper of the Lord by not acquainting my self with the nature of the Mystery and the necessity of preparation or by coming to it without Faith and Repentance without an universal charity and a thorow reconciliation to God and my enemies without examination without a due sorrow and amendment of Life Have I not often received that Sacrament without those ardors of devotion which I am obliged to or without that bodily reverence which the most Sacred and Heavenly Mysteries require Have I not made rash promises when I have received and never minded them afterwards Have I not suffered the House to lye idle when it hath been so swept and garnish'd to encourage Satan to take with him seven other Spirits worse than himself and to come and dwell in my Soul till its later estate be more deplorable than its first To which I subjoyn Lord be merciful to me a sinner and so strengthen me by thy Grace that I may perform my Vows and keep the robes of my Baptism unspotted and tho I have approach'd thy Table without the Wedding Garment yet cast me not into outer darkness whence there is no deliverance Now these and all other Transgressions are either heightned or lessened by their circumstances the Examinant therefore ought to consider 1. The Time when he offended Was it on the Lord's day Here additions and alterations may be made by the devout penitent according to his own state or any other publick Festival on a publick Fasting day or the days of my own private humiliation during the hours of Prayer either at the Temple or in my Closet either at or immediately before or after the receipt of the holy Sacrament and have I often committed one and the same sin for these circumstances argue a perverse frame of mind and that it is not infirmity but wilfulness that makes the offender 2. The place where the sin was committed Was it in the Church at the holy Table or in my Closet or in any publick place where the offence became scandalous incouraging the vicious and offending my weaker brethren 3. The state and condition of the Offender Am I not in Holy Orders one of God's Priests that Minister at his Altar have I not more knowledge and a better acquaintance with my duty hath not God afforded me more convictions greater light and frequenter opportunities of doing good was the sin committed when I was under some affliction of mind body or estate or after some sudden deliverance out of some severe judgement on me for my former failings hath not God by his holy Spirit laid many hinderances in my way to ruine and have I not overcome all difficulties and often been my own tempter have I not continued to be wicked after many checks of Conscience and many solemn Vows to the contrary after the experience of much mercy many deliverances and great tenderness compassion and long-suffering in my Saviour towards me 4. The persons injured Are not my sins committed against my God my Master my Saviour my best and only Friend have I rob'd the House of God of its ho nour or revenue have I ground the face of the Poor or rob'd the Fatherless and Widows have I given evil counsel to the ignorant or those that cannot discern the fallacy have I been unjust to my Children or Relatives who are nearest to me and as it were parts of my self Among all which sins I must particularly mourn over and detest those to which I have been most inclined by natural temper or custome and resolve to avoid all provocations and temptations and whatever hath or may promote such evil habits and to practice the contrary virtues To which I subjoyn Lord I have caused thy Name to be blasphemed among the enemies of Religion and Piety but be thou pleased to pity and pardon me the greatest of sinners and give me thy Grace that I may do so no more Besides all which I am bound to reflect on my many secret sins and forgotten offences and to subjoin Lord who can understand how oft he offendeth O cleanse thou me from my secret faults and keep back thy Servant from presumptuous sins lest they get the dominion over my Soul so shall I be innocent from the great offence The Collect. ALmighty Lord and everlasting God Grant I most humbly beseech thee to thy distressed Servant Pardon and Peace and vouchsafe to direct sanctify and govern both my heart and body in the ways of thy Laws and in the works of thy Commandments that through thy most mighty protection both here and ever I may be preserv'd in body and soul through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Amen To this I add the 38 Psalm or the 51. or some other penitential and after that the 22 Psalm Then follows the Litany much agreeable to the former method LORD let thy Ear be attentive to the Prayer of thy Servant who desires to fear thy name O God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and in him the Father of Mercies have mercy upon me the most miserable of sinners O God the Son the Redeemer of the World and the lover of Souls have mercy upon me the most miserable of sinners O God the Holy Spirit of Peace and Love the giver of every Grace and every good Gift have mercy upon me the most miserable of sinners O Holy Powerful and Compassionate Trinity three persons and one God have mercy upon me the most miserable of sinners O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world have mercy upon me O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world grant me thy Peace Lord hear Lord forgive hearken O Lord and do and defer not for thine own sake O Lord our God From polluting the robes of my Baptisme and making new leagues with Satan from a feigned sorrow and an outside repentance Good Lord deliver me From sin and shame from the paths of folly and destruction from great boasting and little performance and from a vain and empty frame of mind from stoath and idleness and the neglect of my best concerns Good Lord deliver me From Self-Love and love of the World from being busy about nothing and slighting the thoughts of Eternity from deferring my repentance and putting off my accounts to the day of
That my past sins may be intirely forgiven and the rest of my life spent in the works of repentance I beseech thee c. That the end of my life may be Christian without pain and without shame if thou seest fit and that I may be able to render a good account when I shall stand before thy dreadful Tribunal I beseech thee to hear me good Lord. From mine enemies defend me O Christ Graciously look upon my afflictions Pitifully behold the sorrows of my heart Favourably with mercy hear my Prayers Mercifully forgive the sins of thy Servant O Son of David have mercy upon me Both now and ever vouchsafe to hear me O Christ Graciously hear me O Christ graciously hear me O Lord Christ O Lord let thy mercy be shewed upon me As I do put my trust in thee Pardon O Lord the guilt of my sins remove the punishment and wash out the pollutions keep me from the shame and the suffering due to them and rescue me from the dominion of Satan the tyranny of my own Lusts and from everlasting destruction Amen Bp. Andrews BLessed Jesu Interpose between God and my Soul thy Priesthood and Sacrifice between my self and Satan thy Kingdom and Conquest between my Soul and my Sins thy Innocency between my Soul and my Concupiscence thy Charity between my Soul and the punishments due to a Sinner thy Passion and the satisfaction of thy Blood between my Soul and my Conscience and God's Tribunal thy Advocateship between my Soul and its want of Righteousness thy absolute and complete Obedience between my Soul and its want of desert thy alsufficient Merits between my Soul and its want of fervour in Devotion thy Intercession between my Soul and its want of sâ—rrow and repentance thy Agony and bloody Sweat for what thou did'st and what thou suffered'st O my dearest Saviour O my best of Masters was done and suffered in my stead and for my benefit Amen Id. LET the Soul of Christ sanctify me the Body of Christ strengthen me the Blood of Christ redeem me the Water that came out of his side cleanse me the Stripes of Christ heal me the Sweat of Christ refresh me the Wounds of Christ save me the Poverty of Christ enrich me and the Sufferings of Christ preserve me from eternal damnation Amen Bp. Taylor GIve me the beauties of Wisdom the brightness of Chastity the health of Temperance the peace of Meek persons and the reputation and joy of the Charitable Amen A Collect for the Assistance of the Holy Spirit O God who knowest that we are set in the midst of so many and great dangers that the Temptations of Satan are very prevalent the vanities of the World very deceitful and our own corruptions very strong help and assist me and all thy servants with the succours of thy holy spirit Give me the spirit of Truth of Wisdome and Understanding to keep me from all error and infidelity the spirit of Counsel to guide me in all difficulties the spirit of Might and Power to preserve me from all Apostacy the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord to keep me from all sin and wickedness Let the Holy-Ghost be my comforter in my distresses the assistant of my devotion the quieter of my conscience and let it bear witness with my spirit that I am one of the Sons of God that neither the wiles nor frowns of the Devil the fears of suffering or the hopes of wealth and honour may sway me to neglect my duty but that I may continue thine for ever and that thou mayst be my protector and guide my friend and advocate now and in the agonies of death and at the day of judgement Amen OUR Father which art in Heaven c. MAY the Power of God the Father protect me the Wisdom of God the Son inlighten me the operations and assistances of the holy Spirit quicken me and may the holy Trinity keep me under the shadow of their wings till I come to the palace of Glory Amen Amen The Epistle Heb. 12.1 WHerefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our Faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the Cross despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the Throne of God for consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds The Gospel Luke 22.41 AND being withdrawn from them about a stones cast he kneeled down and prayed saying Father if thou be willing remove this cup from me nevertheless not my will but thine be dene And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground The MEDITATION THO every thing that is good and virtuous hath its attractives yet when virtue is attended with power it is in its exaltation and makes as many Votaries as it hath spectators and every one looks on it with admiration and surprize and addresses to it with resolutions either to become good or to beg its protection from evil because Piety so assisted proves a great exemplar and a puissant shelter And such was the holy Jesus who was wonderful in all his atchievements for nothing less than unspotted Innocence and Omnipotence conjoin'd could furnish the World with a Saviour The whole Life of Jesus was a miracle of Love and Compassion and the attempts of the Patriarchs appear mean and inconsiderable when compared with the transcendent performances of the Son of God for if to consult the wants of mankind and to relieve them if curing their Bodies and instructing their Souls if feeding them with temporal food and giving them the Bread of Heaven be demonstrations of a large and a divine Soul then that title is peculiarly to be ascribed to the Redeemer of the world whose actions were one continued series of benefits and mercies I will therefore love the examples of good men but I will admire and adore Jesus I will make reflections on their excellent lives but I must fix my thoughts on the conversation of my Saviour who when he requires my adverting to his Pattern and his Laws enjoins me to look off from all other objects and to settle my eyes on him who loved me and bought me with his own most precious blood for they are but a cloud of witnesses but Jesus is the Sun of Righteousness and as when the Sun arises the little handful of Clouds and dusky vapours dwindle and vanish so when the glorious God appears in competition he eclipses all humane perfections For that which sustained the great Apostle when he was ready to be poured out as a drink-offering for the truth of the Gospel 2 Tim. 4.6 and what excited
dragg'd by the rude and incensed multitude into the City and there hurried up and down to all the Judicatories in it he was buffeted and scourg'd the Plowers plowed long furrows on his back he was Crown'd with Thorns and loaden with his Cross having been condemned by clamour and importunity by restless and unsatisfied malice when Pilate his proper Judge had confest him Innocent To his Cross both his hands and feet which by reason of their being full of Nerves are the most sensible parts of the Body were fastened being pierc'd through with sharp Nails the whole weight of his Body stretch'd out as on a Rack resting on his expanded Hands there he languished under an insufferable thirst occasioned by his being so violently transported from place to place by his cruel Agony in the Garden by his loss of so much Blood in that Sweat in his scourging in his being Crown'd with Thorns and nailed to his Cross to which both his hands and feet were fastened that he could no way relieve himself he was exposed to the Sun and the Wind which search'd his wounds and made his pains more grievous his Mother and his beloved Disciple were standing by his Cross in the posture of persons distracted by their sorrows and this increased his torment not only as they were his near Relations but as they represented his Widowed and disconsolate Church And when it might have been expected that his Soul should have received comfort while his body was on this rack this was so far from being the portion of Jesus that his Soul felt more fearful convulsions than his tortured Body when all his bones were out of joint all the anger of God was upon him at once now was the Curtain drawn between the rational faculties of his Soul and God whereas before there was only a skreen between his sensitive faculties and his Father now was the beatifical Union suspended and his God had forsaken him when he stood in most need and when he cryed aloud to his Father for help the rude Soldiers study to encrease his sorrows they give him Vinegar to drink which was proper to stop his bleeding and to lengthen his life and torments and that Vinegar mingled with the bitter juice of Hyssop to make the draught more irksome and unpalatable unless we may believe a modern ‖ Heins Arist in Jo. 19 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Critick That they gave him the Vinegar on a Spunge of the coarsest Wooll to do him the greater dishonour Almost a whole day and night was he under continued tortures from his entry into the Garden to his yielding up the ghost whereof six whole hours he was hanging on the Cross and then he died while his Spirit was whole within him and while being in the vigour of his youth his heart within him was like melting wax for in the heighth of all his acute pains he cried with a loud voice and yielded up the ghost his Body being more sensible of pain than usually malefactors are for he had a beautiful shape and was of a fine and pure make and of a delicate constitution born of a Virgin not subject to and so never harrast with diseases and the pains of his Soul bore proportion to his bodily sufferings for he well knew how grievous and insupportable the anger of God is which we are insensible of he dreaded the burthen of those sins which we delight in and the severity of those punishments which we deride his notions of things were clear his apprehension quick and the bent of his mind most strongly inclinable to pity and compassion Thus were his sorrows augmented and his sufferings made intollerable while the rigour of his enemies left no sound part in him for he suffered in his Soul in his bitter Agony in his whole Body in his Sweat his Head was crowned with Thorns his Eyes were a fountain of tears his Ears inured to mockings his Palate disgusted vvith the Vinegar and the Wine mixt vvith Myrrh his Face spit upon his Neck and Shoulders loaden vvith the burthen of a heavy Cross his Back and Sides scourged his Heart pierc'd vvith the Spear his Hands and Feet nailed to the accursed Tree his Flesh torn and his Blood spilt that he might most justly exclaim I am the man that hath seen affliction by the Rod of God's Wrath Is it nothing to you all ye that pass by Behold and see was there ever sorrow like my sorrow which is done unto me wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger Nor were these all his sufferings for the consideration and foresight that all these mercies should be bestowed on an ingrateful and rebellious World the greatest part of which would be hypocrites and unbelievers would trample on his Blood as an unholy and profane thing and would frustrate the end of his death and the designs of his mercy this doubtless made his sorrows exquisite and so transcendent as nothing could parallel but his Love and his Patience Here the devout Christian may put a stop to his Meditations for a while and subjoin this COLLECT O Lord who wert pleased in the fulness of time to send thine only begotten Son into the World made of a Woman made under the Law that he might become a curse for us and reconcile the World unto thee our Father by his bitter Agony and cruel Death and who hast assured us that thou scourgest every son whom thou receivest grant that I may be conformable to the image of thy beloved Son and our dearest Saviour that his sufferings may be the propitiation for my sins his Blood may cleanse my Soul and I may have life through him and grant that as Jesus offered up himself to thy justice so I may offer my self and all my enjoyments a Sacrifice of praise for the Mercies of God the Father Son and Holy-Ghost now and for evermore Amen After which the devout Christian at what time his strength and occasions will best permit may continue his Meditation Proportionate to the torments which Jesus endured was his shame and ignominy than which nothing is more insufferable to an ingenuous nature His birth was mean his Mother a poor Virgin he was born in a Stable and Cradled in a Manger he was brought up at the mean and laborious Trade of his reputed Father Joseph his many Journies were performed on foot he had no setled habitation and very few Friends and those poor ignorant and contemptible Galilean Fishermen whose very Country was ominous and at his last essay was he not apprehended as a vile malefactor and that not by a party of men of Honour not by the Guards of the Captain of the Temple or the Roman Governor but by the Rabble the meanest of the people tumultuously gathered together arm'd with Clubs and Swords the hasty weapons their fury could lay hold on He was treated as a publick Nusance tho as free from sin as truth and innocence could make
before Christ's Passion is by his Resurrection put into a state of favour and a capacity to return and to be reconciled to his maker And God grant that his whole Church may be reconciled to their Saviour and to each other that they may duly keep the Feast and live in love and unity here till they all triumph together in Heaven Amen The Epistle Philip. 3.8 YEA doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ and be found in him not having mine own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by Faith that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead The Gospel Luke 24.13 BEhold two of them went the same day to a Village called Emmaus and while they communed together Jesus drew near and went with them but their eyes were holden that they should not know him and he said unto them What manner of communications are these which ye have one to another as ye walk and are sad They said unto him concerning Jesus of Nazareth whom the chief Priests and our Rulers have delivered to be condemned to death and have crucified Then said Jesus unto them Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory And beginning at Moses and at the Prophets he expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself And he was known to them in breaking of bread The MEDITATION AMong all our Blessed Saviour's unhappinesses the incapacities of his Disciples understandings was not the least by reason of which tho their Master was the Wisdom of the Father and endowed with the Holy-Ghost without measure which enabled him to speak not only vvith the greatest authority but vvith the greatest veracity and plainness yet they vvere alvvays unvvilling to give entire credit to his sayings Some of them they could not understand and others they vvould not believe So vvhen he discoursed of the great mystery of the Sacrament and averred that no Man could have life in him except he did eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood many of his follovvers apprehended that he vvould oblige them to turn Canibals and so vvent back and vvalked no more vvith him Among vvhom St. Mark himself say the Ancients vvas disgusted and left that holy Society and had not St. Peter opportunely reclaimed him the Church had lost that Evangelist Nor was St. Peter himself free from this crime for vvhen our blessed Saviour gave the Twelve an account of his sufferings and that the redemption of the World was to be accomplish'd by his Crucifixion he whose mind was possest with other notions of the Kingdom of the Messiah was scandalized at the declaration and rebuked his Lord not knovving that our Saviour's Cross vvas to be his Throne and by his Agonies only he was to merit Crovvns and earn Triumphs Nor could all that their infallible Guide could say to inform them better drive out this notion out of the heads of the rest of the Apostles no not vvhen they savv him crucified dead and buried and could not but remember that he promised to rise again the Third day The Women more officious than vvise had brought Spices to embalm him as if the Lamb of God had fallen like a common Sacrifice as if the Lord of Hosts had been captivated by the Grave his Povvers baffled and his Promises cancel'd And tho the empty Sepulchre the sight of the Grave-cloaths orderly laid up and the testimony of the Angel vvere undeniable proofs that Jesus was not there but was risen yet their admiration was stronger than their Faith and the Disciples of both sexes were surprised they hardly believed their eyes for as yet they knew not the Scriptures that he must rise from the dead and wondred at all that was come to pass In the head of those devout female proselites was Mary Magdalene who tho once an Angel of darkness had now the purity and zeal of one of the Seraphim she was all ardor and resolution she was the first who went to the Sepulchre on the day of the Resurrection she was earlier up than the beloved Disciple who lay in his Master's bosome and for that reason should have afforded his Master a place in his own heart in his memory and in his love and she had more courage than Peter tho a man of extraordinary fervor she dreaded not the guards nor the shadows of the night that had not yet given place to day but hastens her steps to the venerable Tomb and when she beheld the empty Sepulchre how deep is her concern at the loss of her Saviour She wept bitterly as if she would have softned the Rock and made the most insensible and obdurate parts of the Creation mourn with her the death of her best Friend And tho these were sad disappointments and the sight had affrighted all that followed her yet there she still continues she was the last who return'd from that awful Garden nor did she at length miss of her expectations for they who sow in tears shall reap in joy The Angels first confirm her hopes and immediately after the Lord of the Angels gave her a view of his sacred Person Remember O my Soul the first appearance of our Saviour after his Resurrection was to the most sinful Magdalene nor do thou despair but that thou maist also be admitted to a share in his favour but remember also that this honour was vouchsafed to the penitent Magdalene to Magdalene transported with the ardors of Divine Love that had destroyed all the heats of Lust If thou longest therefore to be blest with such priviledges rise early and begin betime to serve thy Maker weep over thy follies that have deprived thee of the company of thy Saviour and these methods will recall thy departed Redeemer and thy sins which are many shall be forgiven because thou hast loved much To Mary Magdalene among the softer Sex was the first appearance vouchsafed and among the men the next was to St. Peter the first a Woman of the loosest manners and most profligate conversation the second a Man of strong boastings and a weak faith who when he promised to dye with his Master denied him thus the worst of sinners had the preference in this discovery and why should I doubt but that there is mercy also for me and my Saviour hath the same compassion for my Soul as he had for Mary Magdalen's or St. Peter's Magdalene was our Saviour's first Apostle after his Resurrection she had a commission to instruct St. Peter himself and the beloved Virgin too and to tell them their
dastardly and low-spirited were even the very Apostles tho they lived and dayly conversed with him their courages were impaired by their sears they betrayed deserted and denied him but his Resurrection did beget in the mind of the Christian World a true generosity and fortitude able to subdue and trample on all dangers in as much as men of no breeding no natural valour of no interests or friends durst prefer the confession of their Saviour and his Gospel to their Countrey and Relations to their quiet and security and to life it self and passionately to chuse scourges and prisons and the various methods of death before all sorts of voluptuous enjoyments But what is more and more acceptable than all knowledg and all power the Resurrection of Christ gave the Holy-Ghost to the World for the blessed Spirit could not be given till Christ was risen Thus this one act of the Almighty Redeemer of mankind baffled all the fears of his servants compleated the satisfaction for their sins secured unto them the company of the Spirit of Truth Peace here till they should be carried into his Kingdom on the wings of Angels And what greater blessings canst thou wish than these O my soul Give the riches and the honours of this life O my dearest Saviour to others I will never envy their fruitions so thou give me thy Self let me partake of the benefits of thy Resurrection in the pardon of my sins in the indwelling of the Comforter in my mind and in the first fruits of obedience in frequent approaches to thy Table and other acts of devout converse with thee and leaving the manner of my death to thy disposal for on these terms in what sort or at what time soever it shall be I shall not be disturbed I shall be happy in the remembrance that when my Master comes and finds me so doing he will give me a share in his joys The Collect. ALmighty God who through thine only begotten Son Jesus Christ hast overcome Death and apened unto us the gate of everlasting Life we humbly beseech thee that as by thy special grace preventing us thou dost put into our minds good desires so by thy continual help we may bring the same to good effect through Jesus Christ our Lord who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy-Ghost ever one God world without end Amen The Anthem The Resurrection and Aseension I. COme holy Spirit from above Come warm me with Seraphick love That I may the triumphant Jesus sing Whose resurrection heaven to earth did bring And put thee long'd-for peaceful Dove upon the wing II. Jesus is risen mount my mind And leave this sordid earth behind God made thy body dust but Sin a grave Let thy Soul too its Resurrection have No longer be thy Lusts the Worlds or Satan's slave III. Attend the Conqueror to his Throne Who from the lower world is flown Make tho the meanest one in that parade The bleeding Jesus did my heart in vade And none can heal the wound but he whose hand it made IV. View yonder Arch inscrib'd above Sacred to Coelestial Love There the incomparable Jesus dwells Iesus who charms thee by the strengest spells Love him with transports O my passions and none else V. See the bright Angels how they glide Up and down by 's Chariot's side See where ten thousand hover and attend To guard the Conqueror to his journies end Whose Chariot does directly to God's right hand bend VI. There Jesus fixes and from thence Sheds his benignest influence And like triumphant Victors does bestow His donatives on us who dwell below That we in time our Triumphs may accomplish too VII You Angels you who dwell above Spend all your time in songs and love While I who sadly want your light and fire Detain'd in sensual fetters would mount higher And wish to do what I can only now admire VIII You Guardians are by Heaven design'd To awe and to protect Mankind When Jesus rose you did the news relate When he ascended you did on him wait That I might triumph so give me my Saviours Fate Rules of Conduct for Easter-Day and the Sacrament § 1. It is taken for granted that the devout Person hath humbled himself in the sight of God for his sins the Week aforegoing more particularly on Good-Friday and the Holy Saturday and it is requisite he should watch a great part of if not all the Saturday night which time should be spent in more intense Supplications and more ardent Meditations the Vigils of the Ancient Church were an excellent Institution and Watching and Prayer are joined by our Saviour and we are bid to be sober and to watch unto Prayer by the Apostles that is to fast to watch and to pray it is true the Vigils at last gave offence and were for that reason almost all prohibited because such promiscuous meetings of men and women under the covert of the night did administer to many Exorbitances But the Vigils of Easter and the greater Festivals were always kept up and are so still in the Churches of the East and tho our Church doth not expresly injoin the observation yet it mentions them in her Rubricks and leaves every man to his own liberty to watch in his Closet where there can be no such temptation as gave occasion to the disuse of that practice And whenever the Christian Penitent goes to bed it is requisite to rise very early on Easter day because our Blessed Master rose ‖ Joh. 20.1 while it was yet dark § 2. After the private devotions are performed and the necessary duties of the Family if any considered and attended the good man goes to Church nor will he choose to receive any other where but at his own Parish Church if there be a Sacrament there which on this Festival is expresly enjoined to be celebrated over all Christendom * Can. 6. The Council of Gangra denounc'd a solemn Anathema against the Erecters of private Conventicles that those who dislik'd the publick Assemblies might communicate at home in private And by the old †Ludov. 1. tit 101. Lothar l. 1. tit 357 c. Capitulars every Priest was ordered to be degraded every Layman to be excommunicate who lest his own Parish to receive the Blessed Eucharist in another unless extraordinary business or a Journey called them that way or they had a dispensation so to do from their Superiours § 3. But if the devout Person be hindred by sickness or some other inevitable obstruction he bears the loss with Patience but looks on it as a great affliction and longs to go up to the House of the Lord and to communicate with his Saints and that he may not lose all the benefit of the solemnity his thoughts are present and go along with the Service and he begs God earnestly to accept of his willing mind and to send him his Blessing and his Holy Spirit as much as if he actually communicated Thus the
the Living God Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee in whose heart are thy ways Blessed are they who dwell in thy House they will alway be praising thee Glory be to the Father c. To which he subjoins this Act of Love to ' Jesus I love and admire thee my dearest Jesus I honour and adore thee above all things the most glorious and useful things in nature are contemptible in comparison of thee to know thee is beyond all notion and to love thee better than triumphs I am poor without thee comfortless and forlorn but Heaven it self didst not thou reside there would lose its amiableness Oh the dearest name of my adorable Saviour how sweet is it beyond the taste of delicacies to my pallat how pleasant beyond the Harmony of Angels to my ears how doth the sound of those syllables refresh and chear my drooping soul And when Satan urges to me the remembrance of my sins how do I affront and baffle all his attempts by the powerful Name of Jesus I can tender thee nothing O my most obliging and benign Saviour as a recompence of the infinite and miraculous testimonies of thy Compassion but a few impotent vows and verbal acknowledgments my whole stock of services were my powers as great and my life as long as that of Angels would never repay one half of the debt which I owe thee but if love and adoration will make thee satisfaction I will love and adore thee for ever I will religiously preserve thee in my memory where nothing shall efface the characters From this day I renounce all other loves and turn Apostate from the world to be a Convert to Jesus Oh that I had no necessities of nature to gratifie no distractions of the World to divert me that I might always celebrate and always love my Jesus How much time should I redeem from impertinencies and consecrate to Religion and the service of my Redeemer and what a Heaven upon Earth would this be I am content to be poor and a Pilgrim to be despised and persecuted so I may enjoy thee for where thou art there is Heaven and where thou art not there is Hell and Death and Destruction seize that man whom thou desertest Lord keep me firm to these resolutions that I may live with thee and love thee for ever Amen § 33. This Act of Love is also accompanied with the following Act of Resignation So amiable is the fairest of Ten Thousand and so beneficial are his injunctions that I should baffle my interests as well as my Reason and my Conscience should not I devote my self to his service from this day forward therefore I make Jesus my Master his Majesty will I reverence and his sanctions obey and into his hands do I resign my own will the faculty and powers the acts and exercise of it What my dearest Master loves shall be my delight and I will detest what his soul abhors and he alone shall be my guide who is my best friend my Redeemer came from Heaven to show mankind the way thither and thither after a short stay on earth he returned that he might open that Kingdom to all Believers I can never wander when he conducts me I can never hunger when I am treated with the Bread of Life nor thirst while the Fountain of Salvation is near me nor be naked while his Righteousness cloaths me how shall I doubt who am instructed by unerring Wisdom or fear who am protected by Omnipotency I will therefore live and dye in the service of Jesus that I may experiment the satisfactions and comfort of a good Conscience here and of a Crown of Glory in Heaven Amen The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Love of God and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with me and with all the Servants of God now and for evermore Amen Amen FINIS