Exaltation namely Resurrection Ascension and Glorification in Heaven ARTICLE V. The third day he rose again from the dead Tho' being a Christian I need no Proof of Christ's rising from the Dead yet to confirm my belief of so eminent an Article God has given me the Testimony of Angels of the Men that guarded the Sepulcher the many Apparitions of Christ after he was risen the Effusion of the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles the Miracles done by them in his Name So that I have just ground to believe and profess That the Body of Christ saw no Corruption as did the Bodies of the Patriarchs And because it was impossible he should be holden of the Power of Death I do believe that he did really rise again and that the very same Body and Soul of our Saviour which were separated by Death were by his own Divine Power reunited in his Resurrection And as to the time when he arose I have been taught and do believe That it was the Third day after his Death which hapned to be the First day of the Week Which Day we celebrate in memory of his Resurrection and which has immemorially been called The Lord's Day ARTICLE VI. He ascended into Heaven and sitteth c. I believe That Christ ascended by the same Power he rose And that this was no other Power than that of his own Divinity by which as an High-Priest of good things to come he once ascended visibly and locally into the Heaven of Heavens as the High-Priest once every Year entred into the Holy of Holies And the End of his Ascension was I believe to prepare a place for Believers and to receive them to it that where he is they might be also After Christ's Ascension into Heaven he took his Place at the Right-Hand of God Not that I think God who is a most absolute Spirit hath either Right or Left Hand but that this is spoken after the manner of Men who place those whom they will most honour upon their Right-hand And from Christ's being thus placed in Heaven I collect That he there took up his Abode in a State of Majesty and Power to shew that he was above all Creatures in Heaven and Earth and that he is exalted to be the King of Saints and Judge of Sinners the Prince of our Salvation and High-Priest of our Profession and that in him there was an Union of the Regal Power and Priestly Office when he sat down at the Right-hand of the Father Almighty So that by the former he is perfectly able to subdue all his Enemies and by the latter he doth ever intercede for and eternally save those that are his ARTICLE VII From thence he shall come to judge c. As I believe that Christ redeemed me by his death and passion and that by his Ascension he is become my Advocate and Intercessor with God so I believe that he shall come the second time from Heaven with great Glory to judge the World For besides the particular Judgment that passeth upon every Man immediately upon his Death when the departed Soul is set at God's Tribunal and examined of all its Thoughts Words and Actions I say besides this particular Judgment I believe their shall be a general Judgment when all shall be judged as well the Quick that shall be alive at that day as the Dead who shall then be raised up And that this last Judgment Christ himself as a Supream Judge shall pass the final Sentence and that the Saints as Assessors shall pass their Sentence of Approbation I believe too That I and all Men shall be judged of all things done in the Body whether Good or Evil And that upon the pronouncing of the Sentence the truly penitent shall pass to an Estate of Eternal Happiness and finally the Impenitent to an Estate of Eternal Misery ARTICLE VIII I believe in the Holy Ghost Having briefly declared what my Faith is in God the Father and God the Son I am next to declare what I believe concerning God the Holy Ghost And first I believe That without Faith in the Holy Ghost I cannot believe in God the Father nor in his Son as my Lord. For no Man can call God Father but by the Holy Ghost nor can any Man say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost Whom I believe to be the Third Person in the Divine Being and therefore True God And that as he proceedeth from the Father and the Son which I believe he doth he is a Person distinct from both The Spirit in whom I believe is called Holy because in himself he is without all Pollution and sin and because he is the Author of all Holiness in me and all who truly believe in him So that all my Holiness is but a Ray or Effusion of the Holy Ghost which doth furnish my Heart with spiritual and saving Graces by the Work of Sanctification ARTICLE IX I believe the Holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints After this plain Account given by me of the Articles which concern the Blessed Trinity I will now give the like Account of those that follow which respect such only as truly believe in and obey and Worship the Trinity in Unity and who are here called the Church Which I plainly take to signifie all those whom Christ hath called out of the World to be his peculiar People Over whom he hath a Sovereign Authority in regard of which they willingly and chearfully pay him Homage and obey his Law and Ordinances For by Church I have been taught to understand the Corporation and General Family of all true Believers which Family truly deserves to be called Holy in respect of its Head which is Christ who is Holy in himself and whose Holiness is imputed to all sincere Believers And who through the Grace given to them do labour study and endeavour to be Holy And the Church in this familiar acception I believe is Universal as well as Holy and that there are in all the Quarters of the World those who by Baptism are admitted into it and so made Members of Christ's Mystical Body who are guided by his Spirit nourished by the Word and Sacrament and who are obedient to the Rule and Government of the Bishops and Pastors lawfully called to their Offices And of this Society of Believers which constitute the Church some are in a state of War continually fighting against their own and Christ's Enemies but yet in daily expectation of Triumph and a Crown And these are called the Church Militant which is on Earth And some are in a state of Peace for having fought the good Fight of Faith and finished their Warfare they are entred into their Master's Joy And these make the Church Triumphant which is crowned in Heaven Now these I hold are not two divers Churches but the same Church under a different State and Condition For I believe the Church to be essentially but one And as Christ's Mystical Body the Church
in the Sacrament which doth not only represent unto you the manner of Christs Death and in visible Actions set before you what he suffered on the Cross Nor doth the Sacrament only convey unto you that Grace which flows from Christs Death but it doth seal and confirm unto every worthy Communicant all the Benefits of Christs Passion For God to magnifie his Mercy and Goodness towards Believers was not content to give them only a general offer of his Promises in Christ but thought sit to seal them to every particular penitent Christian and in the Sacrament actually to deliver him them Faith apprehending and applying the benefits of Christ which are all comprized in the Forgiveness of Sins and Salvation the sum of all the Happiness of this World and of that which is to come LVI And having tried and found your Faith toward God to be such as he has promised not to be displeased with your next business is to examine your Charity toward your Neighbour for it is required of them who come to the Lords Supper to be in Charity with all Men. If thou bringest thy Gift to the Altar and there rememberest that thy Brother hath ought against thee leave there thy Gift before the Altar and go thy way first be reconciled to thy Brother and then come and offer thy Gift This was our Saviour's advice to the Jews and may thus be translated to your self and every Christian If at any time you are coming to the Lords Table and there call to mind that you have done any man any Injury do you repair first to that Person whom you have injured use means to reconcile him to you repair the wrong and if you cannot let him know your willingness and request his Pardon and having done thus return to compleat your intention and receive the Sacrament in testimony of your Peace with God and your Neighbour This reconcilement with your Brethren is absolutely necessary not only to make your participation of the Sacrament but all other performances acceptable to God And you see it consists in a confession of your wrong and repairing it it being reasonable that in order to obtain his pardon whom you have injured you acknowledge your fault to him and to the utmost of your Ability make him amends LVII And as to this Charity here spoken of the very Elements of the Lords Supper figure and enforce it for the many grains made up into one Loaf and the many Grapes pressed into one Cup signifie how we being many are made one Bread and one Body And nothing can make all Christians to be affectionately one but Charity or mystically and spiritually one except Charity the Bond of Peace and Union And this is that heavenly temper of Mind to which Christians are obliged upon the account of the nearness of that relation which is amongst them for they have all but one Father one Saviour one Sanctifier they all profess one Faith have all received one and the same Baptism and all expect one and the same Inheritance But if in spight of all this you trample Charity under Feet and instead of being reconciled to your Neighbour you malice and hate him you are no more fit for the Sacrament than a Murderer for such are all those who hate their fellow Christians according to St. John in the third and fourth Chapters of his first Epistle LVIII And as Charity binds you to seek to be reconciled to those whom you have injured and to obtain their Pardon so it likewise engageth you to forgive those by whom you have been wrong'd And indeed the forgiving others their Trespasses is the condition of obtaining the forgiveness of your own for if you forgive Men their Trespasses your heavenly Father will forgive you but if you forgive not men their Trespasses neither will your Father forgive your Trespasses This was our Saviours own Doctrine Mat. 18. from verse 23. to the end and also his Practice when he pray'd for the forgiveness of his Crucifiers and that at a time too when his own most grievous Agonies and Pains might justly have diverted all respect to others especially to those who were then actually putting him to death How dismal then is your Condition if instead of having your Heart replenished with Charity it be full of Malice if instead of obeying the Doctrine and following the Example of Christ you act quite contrary If you find your brest barren of this kindness to your fellow-Christians pretend not to any real respect to the blessed Author of that Name 1 John 4.20 For if a man say I love God and hateth his Brother he is a Lyar for he that loveth not his Brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he never saw You never beheld God with any Eye but that of Faith and therefore could never have Opportunity if he needed it to shew any kindness to his Person So that all you can do to testifie you love him is your Obedience to his Commands whereof this is the sum That he who loveth God loves his Brother also 1 John 4.21 LIX And if this love be without dissimulation such as Scripture and common Equity requires at your hands it will not only appear in a merciful forgiveness of Offenders but also in a liberal relief of the needy And I mention this latter Act of Charity because I find that something was ever given to the Corban of the Poor by those who came to the Sacrament If you consult the practice of the Primitive the best Guide for the present Church you will hardly find that the Lords Supper was ever administred without an Offertory In Acts 2.45 46. you have mention made of selling Possessions and Goods and parting them to all as every man had need And that this was done at the solemn times of publick Prayers and receiving of the Sacrament there is light enough in the Text to clear it You read likewise of a Command That upon the first day of the Week every man should lay by him in store as God hath prospered him The first day of the Week was that we now call Sunday and the Lords day whereon the Lords Supper was constantly received 1. Cor. 16.2 unto which they never came emptie but according as God had increased their Goods the Communicants gave to the relief of the Poor And if you look into the ancient Liturgies you will find them generally taking notice of this Religious Custom And that this was intended by our own Church is concludible from her placing Texts to persuade to this sort of Charity and desiring God to accept our Alms and Oblations in the Communion-office Apol. 2. In Justin Martyr a Father of the second Age we read how the Christians brought forth some of the good Fruits of the Earth and offer'd them at Gods Table and the Bishop or in his absence the Presbyter received them as an Abel's Offering and blessed God for the Fruits of the Season
So that on the contrary I am enjoyned to keep my Body in Temperance Soberness and Chastity to preserve Modesty in Thought Behaviour and Apparel In the Eighth Commandment which concerns Man's Estate I am as I have been taught forbidden all defraudation or deceitful Stealth Oppression and violent Robbery Sacriledge or pillaging of God all Bribery and withholding other mens dues with all covetous desires And on the contrary I am bound by vertue of this Command to give to all their Dues to live in some lawful Calling and therein to be diligent to restore that which hath been stolen to give Alms to the Poor and to avoid the Company of all such as would entice me to break this Law The Ninth Commandment concerns Man's Good Name and forbids me to lye to raise or receive or to divulge any false or malicious Reports against my Neighbour It likewise forbids all groundless Suspicions together with suborning and encouraging of false Witnesses And on the other hand it enjoyns me to love and speak the Truth to preserve my own Reputation and when it is seasonable to vindicate my own Innocence and the Innocency of my Neighbour when I know either to be unjustly aspersed In the Last Commandment which especially respects Man's Desires I am forbidden to covet my Neighbours Goods of what nature or sort soever And I am required to regulate my Affections to restrain all sinful Desires to be content with my present Condition to learn and labour truly to get mine own living and to do my Duty in that state of life unto which it hath pleased God to call me And now having given this account of the Ten Commandments I leave it to your upright Consideration whether my knowledge of them be fufficient to qualifie me for the Holy Communion The Obedience I owe to these Precepts is the next thing that importantly concerns me And here I openly confess that it is not in my power to obey God's Commandments without his special Grace but that if this be once shed in my heart it will enable me to obey them And when my Obedience is true faithful and sincere though mixed with much weakness imperfection and many sins yet if therein I live not wilfully impenitent I do unfeignedly believe God will accept and Crown it But I have been often taught that this special Grace of God cannot be obtained but by diligent Prayer Which you have told me is the Third General Branch of my Christianity and that it has for its Rule that Divine Form Christ composed and which from him is called The Lord's Prayer And this consists of a Preface six Petitions and a Conclusion Of each of which I will now give such an account as I have learned from you beginning with the Preface namely Our Father which art in Heaven Wherein I am taught to direct my Prayers to God as to a Father whom I ought to approach with holy Reverence and with humble Confidence that he will hear and grant what I pray for And to him only Prayers ought to be made because he only is every where present to receive them and every way able to grant what is prayed for The Six Petitions now follow whereof the Three first concern God's Glory and the Three last concern Man's Wants PETITION I. Hallowed be thy Name In this Petition I am taught to desire and chiefly to endeavour the glorification of God's Holy Name which Name in general signifies God himself and in particular all his Titles as Lord Jehovah c. next all his glorious Attributes or Excellencies together with every thing that has a peculiar relation unto him as his Word his House his Day c. So that in this Petition I pray That God would strike my heart with such an Heavenly awe that I may humbly reverence his great Name and carry such a respect to all things that relate unto him and his Worship as may manifest my honour to his great Majesty that my holy Profession be not blasphemed but glorified by my self and others PETITION II. Thy Kingdom come Divines tell me and I heartily believe That God has a Threefold Kingdom 1. A Kingdom of Power whereby he ruleth over all Creatures even his professed Enemies 2. A Kingdom of Grace whereby he ruleth in the hearts of his Children by his Word and Spirit 3. A Kingdom of Glory which is in Heaven And in a more eminent manner shall begin at the last Judgment when Christ as Man shall deliver up the Kingdom to God his Father When all the Saints shall be taken in to Reign with him And oâ— this Kingdom there shall be no end And in praying that God's Kingdom may come I desire that God would stablish his Throne and Rule for ever in my Heart And by the Power of his Grace subdue all those Rebellious Corruptions that exalt themselves against him That the Gospel may be settled where it is not received that all the Ends of the Earth may see the Salvation of Christ That he would hasten the coming of his Kingdom of Glory and so consummate and accomplish the Kingdom of Grace PETITION III. Thy will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven I have been constantly Catechized to believe That the Will of God is either secret or revealed and that I am to pay Obedience to them both patiently submitting to God's secret Will and chearfully performing as far as I am able his Revealed Will as it is set down in his Word And as the doing of God's Will and not my own is the matter of my Obedience so the manner of my Obedience is the Example of the Holy Angels in Heaven who execute the Commands of God with readiness speed faithfulness and constancy So that in praying Thy Will be done c. I desire God to enable me by his Grace chearfullâ— to suffer God's Will in all hiâ— Afflictions and readily to perform it in all his Commands And that God would give mâ— of that Heavenly Zeal to his Service wherewith the blessed Angels are inspired that I may obey his Will with the likâ— Warmth and Chearfulness and that following them in their Obedience while I am on Earth I may be joyned with them to sing Eternal Praises in Heaven PETITION IV. Give us this Day our daily bread This is the first of the Three Petitions that concerns Man's Wants in which I am taught to profess my dependance upon God for this present life and every thing that supports it For by Bread I have been taught â—o understand all outward Comâ—orts necessary for this life and â—hat I am to pray that by direct â—nd honest means I may enjoy â—o much of this Worlds good as â—s convenient and agreeable for my present Condition and just Occasions And by saying daily I intimate my Contentedness with present necessaries and my purpose to continue daily Prayer for them And by thus Praying I cast my Cares upon God and declare that only from his Fatherly hand I expect
your behalf to enquire into the Duties you are to discharge when you come to the Holy Sacrament before I deâ—cend to a distinct handling â—hereof give me leave first to â—ind you of the end of your â—oming thither which I take 〈◊〉 be none other than chiefly to renew the Covenant yoâ— made with God in Baptism who is pleased in great mercy to admit you to the Lords Table in order to repair youâ— Vow of Baptism after that by numerous ways you have broken it And when it shall bâ— your care worthily to Commâ—nicate God will vouchsafe graciously to accept you and iâ— the Lords Supper to restore yoâ— to all the forfeited benefits oâ— your Baptism II. Seeing then that the renewing of your Covenant is the greaâ— business of your coming to thâ— Blessed Communion it is highly reasonable that you have a fuâ—â— and clear understanding of thâ— nature of that Covenant whicâ— you are to renew And in oâ—der hereunto you are to knoâ— iâ— general that the Covenant to â—e renewed by you is that into â—hich you enter'd at Baptism â—here the Covenant God at first â—ade with Mankind which is â—e foundation of all Christiaâ—â—ty is applied to every parâ—â—cular person who at Baptism â—â—lemnly give up their Names â—â—to Christ and enter upon â—â—e profession of his most Holy â—eligion And to the end you â—ay more clearly comprehend â—is important Truth it is conâ—enient that you a little reflect â—pon that double Covenant God â—ade with Adam as he was â—ot only the Patriarch but â—â—presentative of all Mankind III. Where you may find that the â—â—â—st Covenant was made with â—dam immediately upon his â—eation when he was in his flourishing Integrity and indue not barely with a perfect knoâ—ledge of his Duty but with sufficient power of performinâ— it When Adam I say was in most excellent State and Câ—â—dition God made an Agreemeâ—â— with him to this purpose vâ— That if he took care to conâ—â—nue in Obedience to his Makâ— then his Knowledge and Strengâ— should remain and after a loâ—â— and pleasant life upon Earth last he should either put off Body or have it together wâ— his Soul taken up into Heaveâ— and therein both be happy aâ— glorious to all Eternity â— if he disobeyed and so brâ— this Covenant he was to the perfect knowledge of Duty and his strength of â—â—fectly discharging it and â— also to be subject to tempâ— death which is a separatioâ— the Soul from the Body â— time and to death eternal which is a banishment from God's gracious presence for eâ—er And as upon his breach â—f Covenant Adam was liable 〈◊〉 the first sort of Death and 〈◊〉 the appointed time suffer'd 〈◊〉 so had he likewise underâ—one the second kind of Death God in his unspeakable merâ—â— had not come to new Agreeâ—ent with him Now all that â—u need to know concerning â—e first Covenant is 1. That â—e Condition thereof was wonâ—â—rful easie for Adam to have served seeing no more was â—â—uired of him than an abstiâ—â—â—ce from one Tree only in 〈◊〉 Garden where God had â—ced him which Restraint â—ld not be grievous seeing was allowed a freedom of the rest 2. That Aâ— at his Wife's instigation of the forbidden Tree and by eating thereof broke 〈◊〉 first Covenant the effeâ—â— whereof were no milder thâ— the loss both of the Knowledâ— and Ability of doing what Gâ—â— required of him For immeâ—ately upon his transgressâ— God's Commandment the liâ—â— that was in Adam became dâ— and his Strength like Saâ—sons upon the cutting off of Locks was extreamly weâ—ned so that he became feeble and defective and â—â—serably crippled both in his â—â—derstanding and Will that could neither clearly disceâ— nor exactly execute his Dâ—â— 3. You are to know tâ—â— all men being in the loins Adam were infected with sin and like him became â—â—â—stitute of a right understaâ—â—ing of their Duty and Abiâ— to discharge it backward Good and prone to Evil â—â—mane Nature upon Adam 's Fall becoming like a sick Stomach which doth not only loath what is wholsome but lust after that which â—s quite otherwise IV. But when Adam by Disobediâ—nce had forfeited the benefits â—f the first God was pleased to make with him a second Coveâ—ant and therein to accept of â—nother to pay the Debts and â—erform the Duties in his stead â—or which he had made himself â—together unable and insolvent â—nd this is that Covenant â—hich only now concerns you â—nd which at the Communion â—ou are to renew and whereof â—ou ought to have a full and â—ear understanding for it â—ould sound very oddly for a â—an to pretend a most solemn â—newing of he knows not what V. Now in tracing out the â—â—ture of this Covenant you wâ— find it was made with all Maâ—kind in Adam immediately 〈◊〉 on his Fall I say immediatâ—â— upon his Fall for considerâ— the great love God ever bâ— Man you may imagine 〈◊〉 would not suffer our Great â— rent to lie long under the â—â—â—turing reflections and hellish paâ—â— with which his Conscienceâ— loaden by the consideration his sin and which have eâ— been found to be the most â—â—tural effects of doing vitiousâ— but that he presently relieâ— his afflicted mind by entrâ— into a gracious Compact wâ— him and shewing him how and his Off-spring were to saved from that destruction had brought upon both â— the first revelation of this Covenant is met with in Gen. 3.15 which with greater plainness is repeated Gen. 22.17 18. compared with Gen. 12.3 and Gen. 18.18 The contents of which Texts the Son of Sirach calls the Blessing of all Men and the Covenant Ecclesiasticus 44.22 VI. And seeing as has been said that the great business of your coming to the Lords Table is to renew the Covenant of your Baptism which you have broken which Covenant of Baptism is no other than the second Covenant made with Mankind in general applied to you in particular you are to understand that a Covenant as we now consider it is a mutual Agreement betwixt God and Man consisting of Mercies â— God 's part made over to Maâ— and of Duties or Conditions on Man's part required by Goâ— So that it is necessary for yoâ— to know 1. What the Mercies are which on God's part are madâ— over to Man 2. What the Conditions are which on Man's part are required by God VII And first as to the Mercies which on God's part are made over to Man in the second Covenant the sum thereof is the Seed of the Woman or the sending Christ to take upon him the nature of Man and to be as a second Adam to supply what was wanting in the first and to perform that sinless Obedience which was the Condition of the first Covenant he being both in Birth and Conversation absolutely innocent And though the thus sending of Christ the second Person of the ineffable Trinity be the abridgement of all the Mercies of the second Covenant yet under this Title many Benefits are contain'd For you
you may here do wisely to call to mind by what occasions and with what baits you have been â—nd still are apt to be drawn away and enticed to the end you may with greater vigilance and courage avoid and resist them For common Prudence will teach you to strengthen the Fence where the Beast useth to break in and to re-inforce that Avenue where the Enemy is wont to make and prevail in his Attack XLVIII The last thing I shall mention concerning your Religious Resolutions is their speedy execution for delay therein has ever been thought dangerous aâ— having a throat wide enough tâ— swallow the biggest opportunâ—ty And you cannot be suâ—â— till you practise what you puâ—pose for seeing your life coâ—tinually walks to and fro â— a breath and that you have 〈◊〉 warrant of being able to do thâ— the next hour which this yoâ— neglect and put off this througâ—ly concludes for the present dâ—ing of what you purpose Anâ— if holy Resolutions might safeâ—â— be delay'd yet they can be delay'd no longer than your comâ—ing to the Scarament becauâ— you cannot safely approach thâ— Ordinance without stedfastâ— purposing to lead a new lifâ— for till you are a new Creaturâ— or begin to lead a new life yoâ— are in sense of Scripture deaâ— And how absurd a thing is it 〈◊〉 put Bread and Wine into a deaâ— mans mouth none so stupid aâ— not to imagine You may indeed naturally eat and drink the Bread and Wine receive into your stomach the elements of the Sacrament but if you live in the liking much more in the commission of any thing you know to be sin you can receive no more spiritual nourishment in the Sacrament than a dead Carcass at the best Entertainment XLIX And this is another consideration that lays upon you a necessity presently to renounce your sins to give them a Bill of Divorce and to withdraw from them all degrees of kindness and respect For without this you can be in no fit disposition to be married to Christ and to embrace all the Graces flowing from him In short that Resolution which I call a branch of Repentance and which is indispensible required of you when you come to the Lords Table is made up of these two things First Renouncing of all sin Secondly Embracing of all Christian Vertues The first without the second is but sweeping the house without furnishing it And therefore when you have cleansed your Soul of the nastiness and dirt of sin you are not to let it lye empty but to furnish it with all those Graces commanded you in the Gospel such especially as are required in every one coming to the Supper of the Lord. And those are chiefly three namely Faith Charity and Devotion L. The necessity of Faith is expresly taught you by your first Catechism where it saith That a lively Faith in Gods Mercies through Christ is required of every Communicant and that the Body and Blood of Christ are verily and indeed taken and received by the faithful in the Lords Supper For it is by Faith that you there look upon him whom God hath set forth to be the Propitiation for your Sins even Jesus Christ the Lamb of God that taketh away the Sins of the World Rom. 3.25 John 1.29 You easily perceive the necessity of Faith when you mind that in receiving the Holy Sacrament you are to believe that Jesus is the true Seed of the Woman which was promised in the beginning and was sent in the fulness of time that in hiâ— all the Nations of the Earth iâ— they will may be blessed he being the Universal and Mighty Saviour who both will and can save all that come unto him there being no other in whom Salvation is to be expected Yoâ— are likewise to believe that he was crucified or died an ignominious or cursed death and that the Merits of his death are sufficient to save all Sinners and that all those Merits are convey'd to you in the Sacrament when it is worthily received LI. But as to the clear Nature oâ— that Faith now required of you the Church fairly intimates whaâ— it is when she calls it a lively Faith in Gods Mercy through Christ LII And Faith is said to be lively when it works through Love shewing it self in well doing for where Life is there will be Action And the Life of Faith like that of Nature will shew it self in the Heart Tongue and Hands In the first by sincereness of Devotion and holy Thoughts in the second by wholsome and gracious Communication And in the last by works of Justice and Charity LIII The Object of this lively Faith is God's Mercy upon which it reflects as the Fountain whence the Scriptures have proceeded in which Gods Covenant for Mans Redemption is established and his Promises to believing penitent Sinners are contained And if you shall inquire into the reason of all this you will find that nothing but his meer Mercy moved God to make known his Will and in the Holy Scriptures to reveal the Means of Salvation and make the way to Heaven plain and easie It was onely to shew the great love wherewith he loved you and the exceeding Riches of his Grace that prevailed with God to be thus kind unto you LIV. But all this is through Christ he is the Conduit of all these Blessings being of God made unto all Believers Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification Redemption He is the Author oâ— all true Knowledge the cause oâ— your Justification your Sanctification and will be also of your Deliverance and rescue from all Calamities that you are subject to in this Life and at last from Death it self by raising you again 1 Cor. 1.30 And as by a voice from Heaven God declaed with Solemnity that he was well pleased with Christ so he hath likewise declared that he is well pleased with Believers only for his sake By Christ you are predestinated adopted accepted and pardon'd and shall be glorified So that in your own Person you may speak as the Apostle did in the Name of all Christians Ephes 1.3 4 5 c. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed me with all spiritual Blessings in heavenly things in Christ according as he hath chosen me in him that I should be holy and without blame before him in Love LV. In whom I have Redemption through his Blood the forgiveness of Sins according to the riches of his Grace c. It is impossible in any Duty without Faith to please God or to be accepted of him because whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin But in the matter of the Holy Sacrament Faith hath a more appropriate Office for by it as by a Hand Mouth and Stomach you receive eat and digest the spiritual Food and heavenly Sustenance by which your Soul is nourished to eternal Life And in the sense of the Spirit to eat and drink the Body and Blood of Christ is properly to believe on him
sinful Body may be made clean by his Body and my Soul washed through his most precious Blood At the receiving of the Bread LOrd I am not worthy thaâ— thou shouldest come undeâ— my Roof but speak the Word and my Soul shall be healed Adding with the Priest THE Body of our Lord Jesuâ— Christ which was given foâ— me preserve my Body and Soâ— unto everlasting Life Amen At the receiving of the Cup. WHat Reward shall I give unto the Lord for all the Benefits that he hath done unto me I will take the Cup of Salvation and call upon the Name of the Lord. Adding with the Priest THE Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ which was shed for me preserve my Body and Soul unto Everlasting Life Amen Immediately after your receiving of the Sacrament say OH my God thou art true and holy Oh my Soul thou art blessed and happy Oh the depth of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God! how incomprehensible are his Judgments and his ways past finding out Praise the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me praise his holy Name which saveth thy Life from Destruction and feedeth thee with the Bread of Heaven Glory be to God on high and in Earth Peace good Will towards men I praise thee I worship thee O Lord and I magnifie thy Name for ever who hast vouchsafed to fill my Soul with Gladness and to feed me with the heavenly Mysteries of Christs sacred Body and Blood I humbly beseech thee that from henceforth I may walk in all good Works and serve thee in holiness and pureness of living to the Honour of thy Name Amen Meditations whilst others are Communicating HAppy are those Servants whom when their Lord cometh he shall find thus doing Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you If any one defile the Temple of God him will God destroy Behold thou art made whole sin no more lest a worse thing happen unto thee Be ye followers of God as dear Children and walk in love even as Christ loved us and gave himself an Offering and a Sacrifice of a sweet savour unto God for us As you go from before the Communion Table this Doxology TO thee O King eternal the immortal invisible and only wise God be all Honour and Glory now and for evermore Amen A Thanksgiving after the receiving of the Communion to be said at Home THou O my God hast comforted my Soul thou hast strengthned and refreshed me with thy Blessings and rejoyced my Heart with the tokens of thy Love O how sweet are thy comforts how ravishing are the Effects of thy Goodness toward them that fear thee Wonderfuâ— vouchsafement Thou hast treated a vile wretched Sinner at thâ— own Table and fed me with thâ— Bread that came down from Heaven Wherein am I better than those to whom thou dost not grant this Favour It is not it is not for my Merits but because thou wilt be glorified in doing good to the most unworthy thou hast this day made me a happy Example of this thy free Grace and Bounty Vouchsafe me this favour also O my God that through the whole course of my Life I may give thee Praise and Glory and that the due sense of thy Mercies may make me unfeignedly thankful and that my thankfulness may appear in my care to walk before thee in Holiness Sobriety and Righteousness all the days of my Life Amen FINIS Books Printed for W. Crooke at the Sign of the Green Dragon without Temple-Bar near Devereux Court HISTORY 1. AN Institution of general History or the History of the World being a compleat Body thereof in two Volumes by W. Howel late Chancellour of Lincoln in folio price 2 l. 10 s. 6 d. 2. Clelia the whole Work in five parts written in French now put into English in folio price 1 l. 5 s. 6 d. 3. Scarron's Comical Romance being an Historical account of a company of Stage-Players full of variety of Novels rare Adventures amorous Intreagues c. being both witty and pleasant in fol. price 6 s. 4. Popish Cruelties being an account of the Treasons of Dr. Parry against Qu. Elizabeth with his Confession of it at his Tryal and his Denial at his Execution Folio price 1 s. 5. The Life of Thomas Hobbs of Malmsbury written by himself in Latin since translated into English in folio price 6 d. 6. 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TO THE Right Reverend Father in God SETH Lord Bishop of SARUM My LORD YOur Name is here prefixed to the Ensuing Discourse neither for Charm nor Amuâ— to save it from the Rude and Censorious for it doth not at all â—gard what Entertainment it meets â—ith at such hands But it assumes â—is Honour upon the Account of â—s Author who having the Happiâ—ess to be one of your Diocesan Clergy thinks all he can perform in that Relation ought to be devoted to your Lordship as a sincere Testimony of his bounden acknowledging your Paternal
ancientest Catechists For like them she hath reduced to four general Heads all that is truly necessary to Salvation For retrenching what is but artificially necessary to acquire the Felicity of the future state all truly necessary thereunto is reduceable 1. To Faith or things to be believed 2. To Obedience or things to be done 3. To Prayer or things to be received 4. To Sacraments or things to admit and establish us in the Church As for the things we are to believe they are summ'd in Twelve Articles bearing the Name of the Apostles Creed because it was either of their composing or contains the substance of all which they taught to be necessary for single Belief and was collected by Apostolical Men out of their Writings into this Form or Breviary that we now profess As for Obedience the Decalogue is its Rule and Object which compriseth a pure draught of practical Duties Prayer which makes another Head of the Catechism is an Auxiliary to the two former for unless we beg and obtain the Divine Assistance we can neither believe nor obey as we ought Know this that thou art not able to do these things of thy self nor to walk in the Commandments of God without his special Grace which thou must learn at all times to call for by diligent Prayer And the most absolute Form and Pattern of this Duty is that which Christ collected when he reformed their Euchologus out of the Traditions of the Elders and recommended to his Church and which bears his Name The Lords Prayer The Sacraments are the fourth Head of Catechism which God ordained in compliance with Mans infirmities and weakness For being that those things which concern the Endless Welfare of the Rational Soul are like it self of Spiritual and Divine Nature and therefore not easily to be comprehended by those who have their Understanding limited by their Senses it pleased God to appoint certain Holy Rites called Sacraments which by outward and visible Signs represent unto us that inward and Spiritual Grace which he bestows upon us and which are also means whereby we are partakers of that Grace and Pledges to assure us of that participation CHAP. XV. An Account of some Objections usually brought against the Church-Catechism IT hath been generally observed That Zeal if it be not soberly governed when it striveth against any thing that either in reality or but appearance opposeth Religion doth usually proceed with so great impetuousness that Religion it self is in danger And as it not seldom falls out That an over-eager desire to pluck up Weeds doth hazard the extirpation of the good Grain so a sinister zeal against what is Superstitious or but so pretended to be doth often put both the Truth and Practice of Religion into suspence and debate And although this is an Observation which might be easily attested through all the Periods of the Church yet we need not look so far back for Testimony thereof if we revolve what has happened among our selves within the Annals of our Memory For we have seen the malice of the Detracting Spirit of Faction and Sedition exposing every Institute of the Church to contradiction and reproach accounting it Argument enough to abandon every thing used by the Church on which there could any way be fasten'd the odious Names of Popish and Superstitious And though this might be exemplified through the whole Body of the Churches Liturgy yet the present Theme obliges me to remark only such Cavils as with greater speciousness are brought against the Catechism For as for other Exceptions the smalness of their importance renders very needless to return them any solid answer Now the first thing objected against the Catechism respects its two first Questions which are traduced as superfluous and trifling as being to no more purpose than to ask what we know already and to be informed of that which we perfectly understood before Seeing that usually falls out that the Catechist is well acquainted with the Catechumens Name and all the circumstances of its imposition Now seeing that Catechism s pretended to be an Abridgement and that all know how it is the proper Duty of Abridgements to leave out nothing necessary and 〈◊〉 nothing unnecessary in the Châ—â—ch Cateâ—hiâ—â— â—all be far from deservâ— an Abridgement if its 〈…〉 or any thing therein be 〈◊〉 and Redundant But this Objection will appear of small force and importance when it is considered that the Church in her Catechism observes the Method which is natural to Discourses fram'd by Question and Answer whose entrance is ever some familiar Interrogative agreeable to the matter which is to be discoursed And seeing that the Church in her Catechism designed to instruct the ignorant and younger sort the Principles of that Religion which they profess it was very proper to begin her Instruction with an enquiry for that Name in which they first undertook that Profession And in this respect our publick Catechism is more apposite and genuine than either the Roman Catechism established by Pope Clement the Eighth or that of Geneva annexed to their Liturgy for after a long Preamble the one begins with Quidnam Doctrina Christiana The other with Quelle est la Principale fin de la Vie humaine But the entrance of our Church-Catechism will be further vindicated from the imputation of levity or superfluousness when it is rightly considered That it doth naturally guide the Catechised to the knowledge of what most nearly imports him For as 't were by the hand it gently carries him to all the concerning circumstances of his admission into the Church by whom at what time and after what manner he was made a Member of Christ or received into the Congregation of his Flock and had a Right conferr'd upon him to partake of all the Promises and Priviledges of the New Covenant Baptism being an inauguration into that Religious Society which Christ founded And as we read that the People of God have from the beginning had names of special signification as Adam Chava Abram c. whereby they were put in mind of some signal mark of Gods Providence toward them and of their bounden duty of being piously thankful So the Catechised when he is demanded the Name in which he became a Christian it minds him of his obligation 1. To depart from Iniquity and thereby to walk worthy of that Name by which he is called 2. To perform what in that Name he vowed and promised 3. To examine his proficiency in that Religion into which by this name he was first initiate 4. To express a thankful remembrance of Christs singular favour that he so far condescended as to call him after his own Name But the Catechumen may upon another account be first called upon for his name because it is the badge and cognizance of that Holy Religion in which he is to be instructed and of which he must give an account both to God and his Church now and at the last And superseding all