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truth_n	church_n	scripture_n	word_n	10,667	5	4.6589	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A65465	The pious communicant rightly prepar'd, or, A discourse concerning the Blessed Sacrament wherein the nature of it is described, our obligation to frequent communion enforced, and directions given for due preparation for it, behaviour at, and after it, and profiting by it : with prayers and hymns, suited to the several parts of that holy office : to which is added, a short discourse of baptism / by Samuel Wesley ...	Wesley, Samuel, 1662-1735.	1700 (1700)	Wing W1376; ESTC R38528	120,677	302

continue who are not constant Communicants Many of these indeed are likewise engaged in the Business of the Reformation and so on the other side but this is only accidental and these two are distinct Bodies of Men one from the other I cannot tell whether I can give you a better Character of those Persons who compose these Religious Societies and their Design and Employment in them than what Tertullian and other antient Writers have left us of the first Christians in the best and purest Ages of the Church I am sure I cannot speak more Truth of them in fewer words They often meet together say the Antients of those first Christians ad confoederandam Disciplinam and to pray and sing Hymns to Christ as God We assemble our selves says Tertullian to the Repetition of the Holy Scriptures we support our Faith by Religious Discourse we excite our Hope we fix our Confidence we encrease our Knowledge by the Exhortations of our Teachers we gather a Stock for the Poor according to every Man's ability which we expend not in riotous Feasting but in helping the Indigent and Orphans and the Aged and those who are persecuted for the Cause of God This is their Design and Employment in their Meetings and for the Methods whereby they regulate them they appear to be chosen with all Christian Prudence but they are too large to be here inserted and therefore I must again refer you to Mr. Woodward's Book for a full Account of them The main thing for which I am concerned is to give you my Reasons why I believe such Societies as these if further propagated would be so far from being any Injury to the Church as may be the Opinion of some Persons who either may not fully understand them or are prejudiced against them that I think I can make it appear they would be of great Advantage to it I know few good Men but lament that after the Destruction of Monasteries there were not some Societies founded in their stead but reformed from their Errors and reduced to the Primitive Standard None who has but lookt into our own Church History can be ignorant how highly instrumental such Bodies of Men as these were to the first planting and propagating Christianity amongst our Forefathers 'T is notorious that the first Monks wrought honestly for their Livings and only met together at the Hours of Prayer and necessary Refection as do most of those in the Eastern Countries to this day And those who read the Exemplary Piety of the old British Monks and what indefatigable Pains they took and what Hazards they ran in the Conversion of our Heathen Ancestors as well as how stoutly they withstood the early Encroachments of Rome cannot but entertain an extraordinary Opinion of them and will be apt to judge charitably of their great Austerities and Ascetic way of Living tho' perhaps we may be in the right when we think they were in some things mistaken However this is certain that a great part of the good Effects of that way of Life may be attained without many of the Inconveniencies of it by such Societies as we are now discoursing of which may be erected in the most populous Towns and Cities without depriving the Commonwealth of the Service and Support of so many useful Members It will be owned a desirable thing that we had among us some places wherein those who are religiously disposed might have the Liberty for a Time of a voluntary retirement that they might escape the World vacare Deo sibimet ipsis This was once practised with great Applause of all good Men by Mr. Farrar of which we have an account in Mr. Herbert's Life and a larger as I have heard in Bishop Hacket's Life of Bishop Williams and the same has been lately attempted by Mr. St But if this should not be practicable at least generally by Men of Trade and Business tho' of never so devout Inclinations I see nothing that could come nearer it than these Religious Societies The Design of that excellent Person Archbishop Cranmer to have founded so many Collegiate Churches out of the broken Monaste●ies to consist of some Laity as well as Clergy seems to have had something in it of the same Nature tho' in a higher degree with that of these Christian Societies now erected namely to make a stand for Religion and Virtue so many Redoubts against an encroaching World where any might receive Counsel and Advice who addressed themselves unto them but since we were not so happy to have this accomplished Why may not these Societies in some measure supply the want of them For if they were once erected in the most considerable Towns and populous Villages or where one was not large enough out of more neighbouring Villages united they might be able notably to assist the Rural Deans where there are any and in some measure supply their Want where there are none and would not this disarm that Objection against Diocesan Episcopaey which is brought from the extent of its Iurisdiction However if this be ultra crepidam it 's certain that this would hold of Parish Priests and they would as some have already done soon find extraordinary Advantages by it There are a great many Parishes in this Kingdom which consist of several Thousands some of some Myriads of Souls Now what one Man or two or three is sufficient for such a multitude What Strength to visit them What Memory unless very extraordinary to retain but their Names Those who have but one or two thousand will find their Cares heavy enough especially now they have neither the Catechists of the Antients to assist them nor those Clerks which are mentioned in the Rubrick and seem to have been designed for that End at the Reformation And may not we say of these great Numbers as the Disciples did to our Saviour when they saw the multitudes from whence shall we buy Bread that these may eat But would not these things be rendred much more easie to the careful Pastor when such considerable Bodies should act in Subordination to him and with Direction from him to promote those great Ends for which he has so solemnly dedicated himself to God They would be as so many Church-Wardens or Overseers or almost Deacons under him caring for the Sick and Poor giving him an account of the Spiritual Estate of themselves and others persuading Parents and Sureties to Catechise their Children and fitting them for Confirmation discoursing with those who have already left the Church to bring them back to it or who are tempted to leave it in order to preserve them in it the effect whereof we may guess by the contrary there being it 's likely Ten who are persuaded to leave the Church by their Neighbours to one who is immediately wrought upon by the Dissenting Teachers This assistance would in all probability conduce as much to the Health of the Minister's Body by easing him of many a weary step and fruitless

as they are in our Communion-Service and in the Versicle added to every one of them implore Pardon where you find any Breach and Grace for the future to observe them better And the same of any other Sin not so easily reducible under any particular Command such as Drunkenness neglect or abuse of the Sacrament and the like 4. Fix your main Battery against that Sin which you find the strongest whether discontent with your Condition hard Thoughts of God Intemperance Passion Pride Sloth Impurity or what ever else Most heartily lament it most earnestly resolve and implore Strength against it and draw near to the Holy Table with Faith to obtain it and fear not but your Saviour will meet and bless you A Prayer for one in Affliction and Want O GOD who art Infinite in Power and Compassion and Goodness and Truth who hast promised in thy Holy Word That thou wilt hear the Prayer of the poor distitute and wilt not despise his Desire Look down I beseech thee from Heaven the Habitation of thy Holiness and Glory upon me a miserable Sinner now lying under thy Hand in great Affliction and Sorrow who fly to thee alone for help and Comfort I am weary of my groaning my Heart faileth me the Light of my Eyes is gone from me I sink in the deep Waters and there is none to help me yet I wait still upon thee my God Tho' all the World forsake me let the Lord still uphold me and in him let me always find the truest the kindest the most compassionate unwearied Almighty Friendship to him let me ease my wearied Soul and unbosom all my Sorrows Help me O Lord against Hope to believe in Hope Grant that I may not be moved with all the Slights and Censures of a mistaken World Let me look by Faith beyond this Vale of Tears and Misery to that happy place which knows no Pain or Want or Sorrows as being assur'd that there is an End and my Expectation shall not be cut off I know O Lord that a Man's Life consists not in the abundance of Things that he possesses but that he who has the most here as he brought nothing with him into this World so he shall carry nothing out I bless thee that thou hast not given me my Portion among those who have received all their Consolation here whose Portion is in this Life only Neither let me expect those Blessings which thou hast promised to the Poor unless I am really poor in Spirit and meek and humble I know nothing is impossible with God and that it is thou alone who givest Power to get Riches and that thou canst by thy good Providence raise me from this mean Condition whenever thou pleasest and wilt certainly do it if it be best for me and therefore humbly submit all unto thy wise and kind Disposal I desire not Wealth or Greatness Give me neither extreme Poverty nor do I ask Riches of thee but only to be fed with Food convenient for me I desire earnestly to seek first the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof well hoping that in thy good Time Food and Raiment all other things that be needful shall be added unto me I believe O Lord that thou who feedest the Ravens and clothest the Lilies wilt not neglect me and mine That thou wilt make good thy own unfailing Promises wilt give Meat to them that fear thee and be ever mindful of thy Covenant In the mean time let me not be querulous or impatient or envious at the Prosperity of the wicked or judge uncharitably of those to whom thou hast given a larger Portion of the Good things of this Life or be cruel to those who are in the same Circumstances with my self Let me never sink or despond under my heavy pressures and continued Misfortunes Tho' I fall let me rise again because the Lord taketh me up Let my Heart never be sunk so low that I should be afraid to own the Cause of despised Vertue Give me Diligence and Prudence and Industry and let me neglect nothing that lies in me to provide honestly for my own House least I be worse than an Infidel Help me carefully to examine my Life past and if by my own Carelesness or Imprudence I have reduced my self into this low Condition let me be more deeply afflicted for it but yet still hope in thy Goodness avoiding those Failures whereof I have been formerly guilty Or if for my Sins thou hast brought this upon me my unthankfulness for thy Mercies or abuse of them help me now with Submission and Patience to bear the Punishment of my Iniquity Or if by thy Wise Providence thou art pleas'd thus to afflict me for Tryal and for the Examples of others Thy Will O my God! not mine be done Help me and any who are in the same Circumstances in Patience to possess our Souls and let all thy Fatherly Chastisements advance us still nearer towards Christian Perfection teach us the Emptiness of all things here below wean us more and more from a vain World fix our Hearts more upon Heaven and help us forward in the right Way that leads to Everlasting Life Thro' Jesus Christ our Lord to whom with the Father and Holy Ghost be Glory Honour and Power now and for ever Amen! APPENDIX A LETTER concerning the Religious Societies SIR HAVING in Conversation accidentally mentioned those Religious Societies which have been for some time erected in and about the Cities of London and Westminster and of late in some other places you were pleased to desire a more particular Account concerning them of their Orders and manner of Life and what my Thoughts were as to what we then heard objected against them I must confess I have had the Curiosity to make a particular Enquiry about them and the Informations I have received have been from such Persons as I think I may entirely depend upon for the Truth of them and what I have from them I here very briefly give you referring them for a larger Account to Mr. Woodward's little Book on that Subject In the first place I find many Persons are in the same mistake which you were once in and confound these Religious Societies with the Societies for Reformation tho' they are quite different as to their Institution and immediate Ends and for the most part as to the Persons whereof they are composed The immediate Business of the Societies for Reformation is to assist the Civil Magistrates in putting the Laws in Execution against Profaneness and Immorality and consists of Sober Persons of any Persuasion among Protestants tho' most of them as far as I can observe of the Church of England But the Religious Societies as we call them for distinction from the other are composed of such as meet together wholly upon a Religious Account to promote true Piety in themselves and others and are all of them strict Members of the Church of England none being admitted or suffered to

out of all Nations to admit Children among others by Circumcision tho' they could not actually signify their Belief of the Law nor promise Obedience to it then the Apostles who were sent to make Proselytes to Christianity by Baptism could never think of excluding Children whom the Iews before admitted seeing the Reason for their admission was the same in both cases unless our Saviour had expresly forbidden it If it be asked wherefore Infants are not as capable of receiving the Lord's Supper as of Baptism we answer that the Reason is plain because the Lord's Supper is a confirming Seal Baptism only the entring Seal of the Covenant by which Children may now be admitted into it as they were of old by Circumcision But we may argue more strongly that the Apostles did admit Children for Proselytes by Baptism as well as we know they admitted Women tho' neither of them actually mentioned in their Commission because it was the Custom of their Country to do both and neither was forbidden by our Saviour As if any of our Ministers goes among the Heathens and converts them he would certainly baptise Infants and give the other Sacrament in both kinds to the adult because such was the practice of those Protestant Churches whence he went § XIX A fifth Argument for the Baptising of Infants is because it is very probable if not positively certain that the Apostles themselves did baptise them Supposing those two Instances of Baptising Women had not been recorded in the Acts of the Apostles yet we might fairly have concluded that when so many Thousands so many entire Housholds were baptised Women were not excluded especially when it was the known Custom of the Iews to admit them Proselytes by Baptism and the same holds of Children nay more strongly on the account of Circumcision three Thousand were baptised in one day by the Apostles Acts 2. 41. and it is likely five Thousand in another Acts 4. 4. And can it rationally be supposed that there were no Children among such vast Numbers Nay does it not seem highly probable there might be many such there some in their Mothers Arms others in their Hands as is usual in such a publick Concourse especially when there were Children present at the Repetition of the Law already mentioned and likewise at our Saviour's preaching who in his miraculous Feast is said to have sed five Thousand Men besides Women and Children St. Matt. 14. 21. Again the Apostles baptised many Families or Housholds nay we hardly read of the Master of a Family who was made a Convert and baptised but his whole Family as was before the Custom among the Iews were converted proselyted and baptised together with him Thus the Iaylor's Houshold Acts 16. 33. He and ALL his The Houshold of Gaius which was so large that he is called the Host of the whole Church Rom. 16. 23. of Stephanus and Crispus the chief Ruler of the Synagogue and ALL his House Can we I say suppose that in all these Housholds which we read were without exception baptised there should not be so much as one Child or Infant when we may observe very few of our own little Families taking them one with another that are wholly without Children But what if besides all this we should find someting still more express for the Baptising of Children in the Acts of the Apostles In St. Peter's Sermon already mentioned Acts 2. 38. thus he exhorts Repent and be baptised every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the Remission of Sins c. For the Promise is to you and to your Children The Answer was indeed to those adult Persons who ask'd What shall we do These he bids Repent and be baptised but it reacht further than to those that made the Question and tho' Children could not actually Repent yet they might be baptised and there are two things in the words which shew they were here included 1. Because the Apostle addresses himself to every one of them and among every one Children must be contained 2. They are expresly mentioned The Promise is to you and to your Children without any exception and to all that are afar off even as many as the Lord your God shall call That is all Gentiles to whom the Apostles or their Successors should come to gather Proselytes from among them § XX. The last Argument for baptising of Infants may be taken from the general Practice of the Christian Church in all Places and all Ages since the first planting of Christianity For the Truth whereof we have unexceptionable Evidence in antient Writers St. Austin St. August de Genesi ad Literam Lib. X. Cap. 23. for the Latin Church who flourished before the Year four Hundred and Origen Origen on the 6th of the Rom. for the Greek who was born in the Second Century and famous about the middle of the Third both affirming not only that the universal Church did then Baptise Infants but likewise that they received this Custom of Baptising them from the Apostlos themselves as we know they also did the change of the Sabbath and other things of like nature not clearly asserted in the Scriptures St. Austin speaks of it in the most posicive Expressions proculdubio says he without doubt it was delivered down from our Lord and his Apostles St. Cyprian is likewise clear for it and a whole Council with him as appears in his Epistle to Fidus and other places So is Athanasius who flourished Anno Three Hundred Twenty Six and he founds Infant-Baptism on the same places which we still make use of to the same purpose suffer little Children to come unto me Now are your Children Holy c. St. Chrysostom is of the same mind and proves the Necessity of Children's Baptism from their being guilty of original Sin And even Gregory Nazianzen is for having them baptised in mere Infancy in case of Danger which he founds on the Circumcision on the eighth day and tho' in no Danger he would not have it deferred till they were above three Year old Tho' even this was a singular Opinion of his but such as does no Service to the Cause of the Antipoedobaptists since they are for baptising adult Persons only Siricius Bishop of Rome about the middle of the fourth Century was for the baptising of Infants So was St. Ambrose And to go higher tho' Tertullian seems to have been much of the same mind with Nazianzen as to the delaying their Baptism yet his very Advice in this matter fairly implys that it was then the general Custom to baptise Infants And he in other places affirms that of Baptism which is a sound Argument for admitting Infants to it namely that it is necessary to Salvation and that without it none can enter into Heaven Iustin Martyr says that the outward Circumcision which was to be performed on the eighth day was a Type of the true Circumcision that Christians received this true spiritual Circumcision by Baptism thro' God's

it was the way among the Iews to make Proselytes of whole Families small and great together if the whole Church of God has in all Places and Ages for almost Seventeen Hundred Years together baptised Children and continue it now and were never opposed till the last Century by some in Germany who were far from being of the best Characters and if they were in the right and we mistaken it would follow that there has been no true Church since our Saviour and his Apostles and that all the old Fathers and Bishops and our first Protestant Reformers and Martyrs were either deceived themselves after their most diligent search for the Truth or else did delude wilfully and deceive others Lastly if there are so many high and inestimable Benefits conferred in Baptism no less than washing away the damning Guilt of original Sin and weakning the Power of it by the application of our Saviour's merits the engrafting us into Christ by making us Members of his Church and thereby giving us a right to all the Graces and Promises of the Gospel the beginning of Regeneration the solemn early sacramental Dedication of us to the Service of the blessed Trinity all which Infants are capable of as well as grown Persons If all this be true as I hope I have made it out from the Word of God from good Reason and from the Iudgment and Practice of the universal Church then surely it follows that Infants may be baptised that they ought to be baptised that our Church does well in baptising them that the Universal Church has done well in baptising them that those do extremely ill who neglect it that those are dangerously mistaken who forsake the Church because she continues in the true Faith Doctrine and Practice of the Apostles and yet deny not to communicate with those who hold dangerous and damnable Heresies who some of them deny the Lord that bought them by denying the Divinity of our Saviour who many of them believe affirm and too many teach that the Soul sleeps till the Resurrection As on the other side it will follow that those are in a safe and happy Condition who lead a Holy Life and continue in the Fellowship of the regular established Church of this Nation a sound Member of the Universal Church of Christ and therefore tho' some may leave it tho' many live unworthy of it yet we are assured Christ will not forsake his own he will not forget his Promises it is founded on the Rock of Ages and we trust the Gates of Hell shall never prevail against it § XXII Having thus established the Truth in Controversie I come to answer those Objections which are commonly brought against it tho' indeed they may be all or most of them easily answered from what has been already said and an honest and well meaning Christian may be well established in the Faith and yet not fit for doubtful Disputations which are to be left to those who have more Learning Time and Ability to manage them § XXIII I think their main Objection and which they most frequently make use of is drawn from the mistaken Interpretation and Application of our Saviour's words to his Disciples in the 28 of St. Matthew and 19. Go and teach all Nations baptising them in the Name of the Father c. Here say they Teaching is put before Baptising whence they argue that all Persons ought to be taught before they are baptised and that since Infants are uncapable of being taught they are also uncapable of Baptism In answer 1. The Order of Words is no certain Rule for the Order of things either in common Speech or in Scripture We usually say a Man was bred and born in such a place and the Latins accordingly nutrit peperitque by a common Figure and many Instances of the same nature might be given from the Scripture which as the Rabbies tell us speaks with the Tongue of the Sons of Men. Instances we have of this in the first of St. Mark v. 4. Iohn did baptise in the Wilderness and preach the Baptism of Repentance Again v. 5. They were baptised of him in Iordan confessing their Sins Now either the Order of Words in Scripture does not always infer the same Order of Things or else it follows that St. Iohn did baptise before he preached and before his Hearers Confession and Repentance Again it is said in St. Mark 1. 15. Repent and believe the Gospel But Repentance does not always go before Faith for Faith rather in order of Time as well as of Nature precedes Repentance because the Belief of the Promises and Threatnings of the Gospel is that which induces Sinners to repent Last of all the place is certainly mistranslated For whereas we read Go and teach all Nations baptising them And again Teaching them to observe all things c. which makes a plain Tautology or improper and undecent Repetition of the same Word in the same Sense it ought to be render'd Go and make Disciples of all Nations by Baptising them This is plain from the very Construction of the Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must agree with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 included in the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but if it had only been teach or preach to all Nations baptising them it might have agreed with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and must have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to proselyte or make Proselytes Disciple or make Disciples has been sufficiently proved by Learned Men who have wrote on this Controversie This is now owned by the Antipedobaptists themselves for Dr. Russel in the late Dispute at Gosport renders the word Disciple or make Disciples the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the same signification being here used by the Syriack but the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the 20 v. which answers the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truly rendered Teaching But that Children are capable of being made Proselytes has been already proved as they are of being further taught when they are by Baptism entred into the School of Christ. § XXIV Their next Objection is taken from those Expressions in Scripture Repent and be baptised believe and be baptised He that believes and is baptised shall be saved and the like whence they argue as before that Faith and Repentance are to go before Baptism In answer as to the order of the words we have already proved that there is nothing in it tho' it is not denied but that where a Person is capable of making an actual Declaration of Faith and Repentance he is obliged to do it before Baptism And such were those adult or grown Persons to whom the Gospel was at first preached as Oral Profession was required by the Iews of adult Proselytes and the same does our Church require in the most solemn manner of those who are