and the compliance of our affections being not only confident of their truth because God hath revealed them but delighted with their excellency because they tend to make us holy and happy and then we shall believe them with a perswasion stronger than can be built upon the Scholastical Demonstration we shall adhere to them closely and for ever because they are amiable and lead us to God and immortality Let us not think our Faith sufficient till we so believe in Jesus as our Lord and Saviour that we are moved thereby to repent of our sins and cast our Souls on him for Pardon and then we have spiritually communicated already we have obtained the benefits and perfected the designs of this Sacrament and done that internally and nakedly by Faith which is more solemnly effected in the Mysteries themselves To which there is no better preparation than such a repetition of our Holy Faith The Paraphrase of this Creed Sect. 4. I confess with my mouth and believe with my heart in one God a pure and infinite Spirit distinguished into three Persons the first of which is God the Father declared to be Almighty as he is the Maker of Heaven and Earth Creator of the whole World and all things contained in any part thereof both visible as all bodily substances on Earth and invisible as spiritual beings and Angels in Heaven And I also believe firmly in one Lord Iesus Christ the second Person of the glorious Trinity who is not as Angels or Men the adopted but the only begotten Son of God not created in time but begotten of his Father from all Eternity before all Ages of the Coelestial or Terrestrial Worlds Of the same nature with his Father God begotten of God after a mysterious and spiritual manner as Light is kindled of Light not diminishing his Fathers substance and yet being very God of very God derived not as the Creatures for he was begotten and not made and is equal to God being of one nature and substance with the Father and of the same dignity and power for he is that Eternal Word by whom all things were made out of nothing I believe also it was this very Son of God who passing by the fallen Angels for us Men and for the effecting of our Salvation and deliverance out of the state of sin and death in which we miserably lay came down unto this Earth from Heaven and left his glory for he took our nature and was incarnate by assuming a body of flesh like ours only without sin because it was conceived by the overshadowing of the Holy Ghost in the Womb of the Virgin Mary so though he was still very God yet he took the form of a servant And was made Man living holily and working Miracles till at last he was unjustly condemned and was crucified also with intolerable torments to satisfie Gods justice for us and all Mankind who were become liable to Damnation which cruel Death he endured under Pontius Pilate the Roman President by whose unjust sentence he suffered till he was really dead and was buried and yet when he had paid the full price of our Redemption The third day after his Crucifixion by his divine power he rose again to life according to all those Prophecies and Types of him before recorded in the Scriptures After which he conversed with his Disciples fourty days and ascended in their sight into Heaven where he is restored to all his glory and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father interceeding for us And he shall come again at the end of the World with glory and Millions of Saints and Angels to judge all men according to their works both the quick then living and the dead who departed never so long since whereupon the wicked shall be condemned to endless Torments and the righteous received to immortal joy by the same Jesus whose Kingdom shall then fully begin but shall have no end but remain for ever and ever And I believe most firmly in the Holy Ghost the third person of the glorious Trinity who is also very God the Lord and giver of grace and all spiritual Life who is not made nor begotten but proceedeth from the Father and the Son yet is not less in dignity as who with the Father and the Son in all Offices of the Church together and in the same manner is worshipped and glorified being the inditer of holy Scriptures and he who spake by the Prophets in the Old Testament and by the Apostles in the New And finally I believe that the whole body of Christian people holding the right Faith do make one Catholick and Universal True and Apostolick Church in which Society I acknowledge there are great priviledges viz. One Baptis◠instituted by Christ not only as a sign of but a means for the remission of all those sins which we are guilty of when we enter into this Covenant Wherefore being my self baptized I hope for pardon and grace in this life And I look for and expect that my body though after Death corrupted and turned to dust shall be restored to life in the Resurrection of the Dead at the last day and I hope then for a Portion in glory and the life Everlasting and that I shall Reign in the blissful Kingdom of the World which is to come after this is utterly dissolved Amen Lord be it unto me according to my Faith Amen § 4. The Sermon which is here to follow comes not within the Method we have proposed so that we shall only note that it was appointed by Antiquity there should be Sermons i Concil 6. Constant can 19. Concil Mogunt can 25. or Homilies k Concil Vasense can 4. an Christi 460. every Lords Day especially when the Lords Supper was Administred l Acts 20.7 Post lectionem legis prophetarum Epistolarum c. Ordinatus-alloquatur populum verbis Exhortatoriis Const Apost c. 4. Leo. 1. Serm. 2. de Pasch Aug. confes l. 3. cap. 3. and surely this is the fittest place since the Sermon is either an explication of some Article of the Creed preceeding or an exhortation to the following duty of Charity But I do earnestly wish that when there is a Communion the Minister would sute his Discourse to that occasion for to treat of another subject then although otherwise never so good will too much divert the minds of those whose careful preparation hath composed their thoughts for this Ordinance whereas if the Sermon be chiefly tending to raise them still into a higher strain of Devotion for their communicating it will be a word spoken in due season Prov. 15.23 and rarely improve their Souls then made tender by Repentance and much more apt to receive impressions from all representations of the love of Christ and the means of our Union with him Yet withal the people must now hear with extraordinary attention and receive with great affection these holy Instructions and Exhortations drawn from the Word of
require less time and pains to review the sentence Now our Souls will easily lye down in all humility and penitential acknowledgments at Gods footstool we shall long for mercy passionately vow amendment sincerely and be at peace with all the World so shall we be by God himself accepted as worthy Receivers and then all the terrors vanish for there are better things provided for us § 7. And above all things ye must give most humble and hearty thanks to God the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost for the Redemption of the World by the Death and Passion of our Saviour Christ both God and Man To commemorate the Death of Christ with thanksgiving is the principal duty at this Eucharistical Feast Humiliation and Repentance are chiefly to be exercised before But now we are come to the Altar we must above all things give thanks for all the foregoing Exhortations to examine and judge our selves are designed to bring us with a clear Conscience and an unburdened Soul to sing Praises For which reason this Admonition doth well follow the former because those that have searched most diligently for their sin and those that have been most fully convinced of it and most deeply humbled for it these will best apprehend their need of the Death of Jesus and offer up the most affectionate praises for it These will offer up most humble thanks because they see their danger and unworthiness and most hearty because they have the briskest perception of this sweet and seasonable mercy Draw near therefore ye contrite Souls and behold the Lamb of God dying for those sins for which ye have mourned removing that wrath at which ye trembled let your sorrow be turned into joy and your fear into Faith and Hope Come and offer up your best praises to the Father who contrived this glorious Redemption to the Son who effected it and to the Holy Ghost who gives us the benefit thereof As every Person of the blessed Trinity hath joined in this noble work let every person share in the praise and as all the World hath been Redeemed so let every man make his particular acknowledgments Behold how fit a Saviour is provided One that is God that he might conquer Man that he might suffer and both God and Man that he might reconcile the Divine Majesty to humane nature Praise ye the Lord Thus in general we do excite you to give thanks and the next Paragraph will furnish you with particular Considerations on which your gratitude may enlarge it self § 8. Who did humble himself even to the Death upon the Cross for us miserable Sinners who lay in darkness and in tâ—e shadow of Death that he might make us the Children of God and exalt us to Everlasting Life As the Jews had their Paschal Hymn recording their miraculous deliverance from Aegyptian Bondage Buxt Syn. Jud. cap. 13. and the Antient Christians their Commemoration of the Lords Passion at this Holy Feast So our Church hath here provided a brief but clear description of the wonderful work of our Redemption taken from Philip. 2.8 and Colos 1.12 13. thereby to supply every devout Soul with rare matter for those humble and hearty praises which are here to be offered up For in these few words are contained these four Considerations 1. Who it was that did redeem us 2. Whereby he did redeem us 3. From what we were redeemed 4. To what Estate we are thereby brought Each of which we shall so represent as may best beget or exercise our Gratitude on this Occasion 1. Let us consider the dignity of our Redeemers person who was the Eternal and only begotten Son of God far above all Principalities and Powers higher than Angels or Arch-Angels adored by all the Coelestial Host He was the delight of Heaven the joy of his Father in whose Bosom he had perfect felicity and should have enjoied it to all Eternity whatsoever had become of us He was most happy in himself and not concerned with us yeâ— no other durst undertake no meaner Person b Ex personae celsitudine facti aestimatio augetur Grot. in Johan 13.3 idem de satisfac Christi cap. 8. pag. 173. could have accomplished our Redemption and ought we not to be infinitely thankful that such a Saviour is given to us 2. Let us further meditate by what means he did effect this great Salvation He could by one word create the World out of nothing but it cost more to redeem our Souls This was not to be accomplished till he stripped himself of his glory descended from the felicities of his Throne and was abased into the condition of a man yea of the meanest of the Sons of Men. He took on him the form of a servant who was Lord of all and yet all this was not sufficient He that did no sin must suffer he from whom all receive life must die and that by the most cruel and tormenting the most ignominious and accursed kind of Death too base for the meanest of Slaves c In Crucem milites tulit servilibus suppliciis semper affecit Jul. Capitolin de Macrino 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dion de Sossio Visum est ignominiosâ morte obscurare memoriam ejus Joseph Antiqu. l. 15. c. 1. Pone crucem servo Juven Cur non honesto aliquo mortis genere affectus est cur potissimum cruce cur infami genere supplicii quod etiam homini libero quamvis nocenti indignum videatur Lact. inst l. 4. c. 26. too barbarous for the worst of Malefactors Yet thus he was contented to exchange the Musick of Angels and the pleasures of Heaven for reproaches and Agonies scorn and tortures that so he might expiate our offences But as C. Marius when he shewed his wounds received for his Country once in the Senate-House so may I say now What need is there of words when there are so many bleeding Witnesses He suffered more than we can conceive or express more than the best of us would have endured for the greatest or dearest concern in the World only that we might suffer nothing and will not this elevate us into the highest Key of Praise 3. Let us remember the Persons for whom Jesus endured all this and that will help to encrease the wonder it was not for Angels or any of the Heavenly Orders but for Creatures of a meaner kind even for us the miserable Sons of Men his Vassals by Creation but Rebels and Enemies against him by our Sins for us who could not expect it did not deserve it nor cannot requite it for us who were Heirs of Hell and Slaves of Sathan unable to satisfie Gods Justice fly his Anger or bear his Sentence for us whom with Equity and honour enough he might have left to perish for ever For our sakes he suffered all this moved so far by his pity till he forgot all pity to himself and took that load upon his own shoulders that would have sunk us into the bottomless
have mercy upon us 3. A Doxology to him also together with the whole Trinity For thou onely art Holy thou onely art the Lord thou onely O Christ with the Holy Ghost art most High in the Glory of God the Father Amen A Practical Discourse upon the Gloria in Excelsis § 3. Glory be to God on high on Earth Peace and good will toward men This blessed Hymn the Church hath learned from that Heavenly Choire which came to celebrate our Lords Nativity Luke 2.16 And since we have tasted the Coelestial Manna and fed upon Angels food it is fit we should join with them in singing the praises of their Lord and ours and as one of the Angelick Order first began and then a multitude of the Heavenly Host united their Voices so it was the Custom b Angelicum posthaec sacrifex pater incipit hymnum Inceptum complet vociferando Chorus Hildebert Conoman Episc of old for the Priest first to begin and then all the Communicants to compleat the Harmony of this divine Anthem It was first endited to set forth the happy effects of that Redemption which Jesus did undertake at his Birth and it doth declare that it caused Glory to be given to God in Heaven and made Peace for poor Sinners on Earth because it did engage the good will of the Almighty towards Men But all this was but expected and prophesied of then whereas now when the Merits of this Redemption are really and effectually communicated to Penitent Souls in this Sacrament those things are all performed and accomplished so that the worthy Receivers have juster cause now than ever to sing Glory to God in the highest note who dwelleth in the highest place c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aliquando excellentissimè Math. 21.9 hoc loco terrae opponitur Grot. for he hath now done us the highest favour in making such Peace on Earth d Deus nobis haec otia fecit Virg. and giving such testimonies of his good will toward us No doubt the blessed Spirits above who sing at the Conversion of one Sinner do give glory to God in the highest now when he hath sealed his Covenant of Peace with so many and when they behold us all at peace one with another and rejoicing in these pledges of the divine favour The Church rejoyceth to see so many poor Souls revived with the hopes of Mercy e Gaudet Ecclesia redemptione multorum adstare sibi familiam candidatam spirituali exultatione laetatur Ambros de Sacr. l. 5. c. 3. every heart is full of joy and every Tongue is ready to bless the Lord for this happy reconciliation Oh let us strive to sing the Praises with an Angelick Spirit that so they above and we below may make a lovely Concord and if our Devotion cannot rise to the same note yet let our sincerity keep us in an agreeable Key and for the help of our affections let us thus meditate O my Soul behold and blush to see the Angels who are almost unconcerned sing for thy felicity while thou art silent and unmoved The Heaven is calm above thee the Earth is quiet round about thee and thy God hath testified his good will unto thee Rejoice and be exceeding glad admire and celebrate the Love of Jesus and the efficacy of that Sacrifice which hath filled Heaven with Glory Earth with Peace and all the World with Comfort O ye Celestial Powers it is my concern to magnifie him to whom you pay these Praises for I have received those Mercies which are the cause of your Joy Wherefore I will join with you and bless my God in the highest strain and I will pray that I may extol him more highly O let all the Lords redeemed on Earth and all the glorious Spirits of Heaven unite their Voices till all the World do resound with his Praise who hath restored Peace to us and shewed such good will unto men Hosanna in the highest § 4. We praise thee we bless thee we worship thee we glorifie thee we give thanks unto thee for thy great glory O Lord God Heavenly King God the Father Almighty Having before propounded the subject of our Praises we now begin to descant upon it and first we glorifie the Father Almighty to whom the former Praises are primarily directed And although we are taught with many words to express our gratitude and our joy yet none can censure this as a vain repetition because it is done in imitation of those Celestial Hymns recorded in the Revelations viz. Blessing and Glory and Wisdom and Thanksgiving and Honour and Power and might be c. Revel 7.12 and the like Chap. 5.13 as also because every word here used is highly pertinent and hath its peculiar and proper signification f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philem. Poet. Graec. We praise God by setting forth his Greatness we bless him by declaring his goodness we worship him with our Bodies we glorifie him with our mouth we give him thanks with our hearts for the great glory which he hath gotten to himself by these his Mercies toward us And further the adding so many words doth well express the vehemency of our affections and shew that we are so full of admiration and delight that we know not well with what words to signifie the pleasure which we feel within us And whilst we are repeating so many Phrases let our Souls be enlarged in comfortable reflections upon the goodness of God and then we shall not object against their number but find a new motion in our minds to comply with every one of these Eucharistical words and use every one of them with devotion O God the Father of Heaven whose mercy is over all the World I am infinitely pleased to behold the glory and to hear the Praises which thou hast gotten by thy mercy to poor Sinners and I could even pour out my Soul in the manifestation of that joy which my heart conceiveth at thy so universal Honour Wherefore I will praise thee by acknowledgments and bless thee with Hymns I will worship thee with the lowest reverence and glorifie thee in the highest note yea I will give thanks unto thee with all my Soul for thy Pity and thy Patience thy Mercy and long-suffering thy Bounty and Loving-kindness towards thy unworthy yet miserable Creatures And as all men do share in thy goodness I hope they will join in thy Praises in singing that Song of the Lamb which is to be the subject of eternal Hallelujahs Praise and Blessing Honour Glory and Thanksgiving be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne for ever and ever Amen § 5. O Lord the only begotten Son Iesu Christ O Lord God Lamb of God Son of the Father that takest away the Sins of the World Have mercy upon us Thou that takest away the Sins of the World Have mercy upon us Thou that takest away the
of the Fathers who disallow that practice and certainly it is a great presumption for an ordinary Person to invade the Ministerial Office without any Warrant and as to the pretence that a Child may be in danger I suppose the Salvation of the Child may be as safe upon the stock of Gods mercy without any Baptism as with a Baptism that is not commanded by God nor hath he made any promises unto it So that where God gives not opportunity of a Person who may do it aright it seems better to leave it undone 2. The Words I Baptize thee c. were always the form of the Western Church and cannot be pronounced Emphatically by Midwives or such as the Romanists sometimes permit to baptize but do suppose a lawful Priest one to whom Christ hath given Power to do this The Eastern Church use a little variation Let N. be Baptized c. but the sense is much the same howsoever in the next words In the Name of the Father c. all Orthodox Christians ever did agree because it is of Christs own appointment and unalterable wherefore when the Hereticks presumed to vary from this form they were censured by the Church and those Baptisms declared null which were not ministred in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost I confess there were words put in to explain not to vary the sense x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Constit l. 7. c. 23. fusiùs ap Justin Martyr Apol. 2. And the Orthodox took liberty to mingle a Paraphrase with them yet surely it is more prudently done of our Church to preserve the Words of our Lord intire without any Addition or Diminution Now by Baptizing in the Name of the Three Persons is not only meant we do it by the Commission and Authority of God the Father Son and Holy Ghost But that we do baptize them into the Faith of the Holy Trinity and do receive them into that Society of Men who are distinguished from Jews and Turks Heathens and all false Professions in the World by believing Three Persons and one God This is the great fundamental Article on which all the rest depend and to which they may be referred so that our very being Baptized into the Trinity is an Argument we are Christians and a Profession of the Religion which Jesus taught And the more to illustrate this St. Ambrose tells us that when Men come to full Age were Baptized they asked them three several times if they did believe in each of the three Persons and put them into the Water first when they professed their belief in the Father and again when they declared their Faith in the Son and a third time when they said they believed in the Holy Ghost Ambros de sacram l. 2. cap. 7. We may add that this solemn naming of the three Persons is a kind of calling them to Witness from Heaven that we may as it were profess before these three Witnesses our unfeigned Faith 1 John 5.7 And so we have the same for Witnesses of our Faith y obsignata in Patre Filio Spiritu Sancto nam si in tribus testibus stabit omne verbum quanto magis dum habemus per benedictionem eosdem arbitros Fidei quos sponsores salutis Tertul. de bapt c. 6. who make us the promises of Salvation and sure we shall never dare fall off who have sealed our Profession in the Presence of the Father Son and Holy Ghost wherefore let our words be established for ever 3. We are to consider the Sacred Actions in Baptism which are the Dipping or Sprinkling of the Party with Water It is indeed very probable that at the first Institution of Baptism in those hotter Regions where it was ordinary to bath daily the Rite might be performed commonly by Immersion but the Prudence and Charity of the Church knowing this not to be Essential to the Sacrament did even there appoint that Clinick Christians that is such who by weakness kept their Beds should only be sprinkled with Water which St. Cyprian determines to be a lawful Baptism z In sacramentis salutaribus necessitate cogente Deo largiente indulgentiam suam totum conferunt Divina◠Compendia Cypr. ad Magn. ep 76. And therefore for the same reason it may very well be indulged to tender-infants in these Northern Countries For God will have mercy and not Sacrifice and the divine grace is not measured by the quantity of Water used in the Administration And yet because the way of immersion was the most antient our Church doth first prescribe that and only permits the other where it is certified the Child is weak although Custom have now prevailed to the laying the first wholly aside but it is not a matter worth contending for since sprinkling is sufficient As for the Custom of Dipping or sprinkling three times Once at the naming of the Father again at the naming of the Son and a third time at the naming of the Holy Ghost it is very likely a Non semel sed ter ad singula nomina in personas singulas tinguimur Tertul. advers Prax. cap. 26. Cyril catech 2. it was the general use of the Church of old and they supposed it did very well express the Mystery of the Trinity But our Church hath not enjoined it wherefore if it be used by any it must not be urged as necessary for when some in Spain began to press and strain this Trine Immersion too far it was Decreed in a Council b Caeutum est ne in Hispania fiat baptismus nisi una mersione Concil Tolet. 4. Can 5. That it was sufficient to do it once because this did as well set out the one God as the other did the Three Persons To conclude we ought not to be so much concerned for these outward and ritual parts as for the Devotion of our Hearts Wherefore let the Priest minister herein with all possible Humility Reverence and Sincerity remembring that God is doing his work within while he is exercised without and let the People behold the mystery with gravity and wonder thankfully remembring the like mercy once shewed to them And finally let the Priest and all the People heartily say Amen when the mystery is ended both to shew they believe the Child to be rightly baptized and to desire God may ratifie that in Heaven which we have done upon the Earth Amen so be it §. 5. The Reception of the Child into the Church We receive this Child into the Congregation of Christs flock and do sign him with the Sign of the Cross c. Baptism is by the appointment of Christ himself the Sacrament of our initiation and admission into his Church wherefore when any one is Baptized it is requisite they should be solemnly declared members of the visible Church and when God hath received them into his favour and sealed them with his Spirit as he ever doth in this mystery where
1. ALthough it be a great satisfaction to him that Ministers to see Gods Table well furnished yet because he seeks the profit of the Communicants as well as his own pleasure he not only endeavours by the former Exhortation to encrease their numbers but by this to rectifie their dispositions that they may be not only many but good And howsoever this hath been done before they came to the Feast it will seem necessary to do it again now they are come if we consider either the danger of unworthy receiving or the dignity of this Ordinance which is made more reverend by being veiled with many Coverings The Aegyptians admitted none to converse with their Priests and to know the secrets of their mysteries till they had been initiated by abstinence patience and many labours a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Porphyr de abst l. 4. supposing they would learn to value them by the difficulty of access And so those who entred into the Persian Rites of Mithra b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Naz. Orat. 1. in Jul. were to be first approved by 80. degrees of Tryal to be unpassionate and holy Persons c Nonnus Synag hist c. 5. The like difficulty of acceptance was practised in the entertainment of Scholars into Pythagoras his School d Jamblic l. 1. c. 17. and in the admission of Novices into the Monastical Societies of old e Cassian instit l. 4. c. 3. And can we then think it too much to pass one Exhortation more before we eat of this Celestial Banquet We derive this necessary part of the Office from the Greek Church where the Guests being placed the Priest standing on the steps to be seen of all stretched out his hand and lifted up his voice in the midst of that profound silence inviting the worthy and warning the unworthy to forbear f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost hom in 9. ad Heb. Ethic. Which if it were necessary in those blessed days how much more requisite is it in our looser Age wherein men have learnt to trample upon Church Discipline and to come out of Custom at set times whether they be prepared or no Every one hopes to pass in the Croud but knowing the terror of the Lord we do again and again beseech our people diligently to prepare themselves before he come to try them And that this Exhortation may be effectual to this purpose this following Account may assist our devout improvement thereof The Analysis of the Exhortation at the Communion § 2. In this Exhortation we are incited to Two general Duties 1. Self-examination by 1. Propounding it more largely and shewing 1. The Persons enjoyned Dearly beloved in the Lord ye that mind to come c. 2. The Authority enjoyning it must consider how S. Paul c. 3. The Duty to be done diligently to try and examine themselves 4. The Time of doing it before they presume to eat c. 2. Pressing it with reasons taken from 1. The Benefits â—f worthy Receiving viz. 1. Participation of Christ For as the benefit is great if- c for then we spiritually eat the flâ—sh of Christ c. 2. Union with him then we dwell in Christ we are one with Christ and c. 2. The danger of unworthy Receiving as to 1. The Sin of it so is the danger great if we for then we are guilty of the body and c. 2. The Punishment following upon it we eat and drink our own damnation we kindle Gods wrath against us c. 3. Parting it by an Exhortation unto the special Duties of 1. Repentance Iudge therefore your selves Brethren Repent you truly for your sins c. 2. Faith Have a lively and stedfast faith c. 3. Reformation Amend your lives 4. Charity and be in perfect charity with all men So shall ye be meet c. 2. Giving of Thanks assisting us 1. By way of Consideration declaring 1. The Necessity of it And above all things ye must give most humble and hearty thanks 2. The Object of it to God the Father the Son c. 3. The Subject of it for the Redemption of the world by c. 4. The Particular Reasons as well 1. Why for this Redemption because of 1. The difficulty of the Work who did humble himself even unto the death c. 2. The Persons for whom for us miserable sinners who lay in darkness c. 3. The Ends for which it was wrought that he might make us the children of God and exalt us c. 2. Why in this Sacrament because of 1. The Reasons of its Institution And to the end that we should always remember 1. the exceeding great Love c. 2. and the innumerable Benefits which c. 2. The Author He hath instituted c. 3. His Design therein as pledges of his Love and for to our great and endless comfort 2. By way of Practice in a Form shewing 1. The Object of our Praise To him therefore with the Father and the Holy Ghost 2. The Manner how to offer it both 1. In Word let us give as we are most bounden continual thanks 2. In Deed by 1. Resignation submitting our selves wholly to his holy Will c. 2. Obedience and studying to serve him in true holiness all the days of our life Amen A Practical Discourse upon this Exhortation § 3. Dearly beloved in the Lord ye that mind to come to the holy Communion of the body and blood of our Lord and Saviour Christ must consider how St. Paul exhorteth all persons diligently to try and examine themselves before they presume to eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup. When the Guests of this blessed Feast are now drawing near and the King of Heaven is approaching to survey them The Minister out of a peculiar affection to those who have obeyed his Masters invitation salutes them in St. Pauls phrase Rom. 16.8 with Dearly beloved in the Lord and in the stile of the same Apostle minds them of the greatness of that work which they go about even to share in the Communion of Christs body and blood 1 Cor. 10.16 Their intentions are commendable and it is pitty but such pious purposes should have their desired success Wherefore he doth once more warn them to examine themselves before they eat a duty enjoined not by humane Authority nor prescribed meerly as the advice of a Friend but bound upon all by St. Paul himself and by the Spirit of God in him 1 Cor. 11.28 Let a man c. saith he that is every man examine himself and so let him eat c. intimating that none might eat without this renewed Examination and because the Discipline of the Corinthian Church was much impaired by the Schisms then within it the Apostle obligeth every man to do it to himself and that not with a slight inquiry but so throughly to search his own heart that he might be able to judge g Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
forth the Death of Christ and that homage and service which thou commandest us to perform Wherefore Dear Lord be thou pleased with this so sincere though poor acknowledgment not weighing or considering our merits by which we cannot pretend any right to thy acceptance but pardoning our offences which might cause thee to reject us Oh do thou deal thus with us through the Merits and Intercession of Iesus Christ our Lord by whom as our Mediator and with whom as thy only Son in the unity of and together with the Holy Ghost we desire all honour and glory may be given unto thee O Father Almighty both now in this World and for ever in the World which is without end Amen SECT III. Of the second Prayer in the Post-Communion § 1. WHen we communicate often it may be very grateful and sometimes very helpful to our devotion to vary the form for which cause the Church hath supplyed us with an other Prayer that so according to the temper of our spirit we may make our choice This being more full of praises and acknowledgments will be most fit when our minds have a joyful sense of the benefits received in this Sacrament as the former consisting chiefly of Vows and resolutions is more proper when we would express our selves in love or duty And yet we may use either of them at any time because neither doth the former want Thanksgivings nor this Petitions for Grace The Composition of this also is regular and judicious pious and extracted out of antient forms and as the former Prayer it will not only serve to close our Devotions within the Temple a Non est vera Religio quae cum templo relinquitur Lactantius but it offers very useful Meditations for the Closet also after we return home as the ensuing method will demonstrate The Analysis of the Second Prayer in the Post-Communion § 2. This Second Prayer consists of Four Parts 1. A hearty Thanksgiving for the present Favour describing 1. The Object of our Praise Almighty and everlasting God we most heartily thank thee 2. The Subject thereof for that thou hast vouchsafed to feed us who have duly received these holy Mysteries with the spiritual Food of the most precious Body and Blood of thy Son our Saviour Iesus Christ 2. A free Confession of the Benefits assured thereby 1. In possession 1. The Love of God And dost assure us thereby of thy favour and goodness towards us 2. Union with the Saints and that we are very Members incorporate into the mystical Body of thy Son which is the blessed Company of all faithful People 2. In reversion Eternal Life And are also Heirs through hope of thy everlasting Kingdom by the Merits of the most precious Death and Passion of thy dear Son 3. An humble Petition that we may retain them shewing 1. The Thing requested And we most humbly beseech thee O heavenly Father so to assist us with thy Grace 2. The Ends why we do request it viz. for 1. Perseverance that we may continue in that holy Fellowship 2. Fruitfulness and do all such good works as thou hast prepared for us to walk in 3. The Motive to obtain it Through Iesus Christ our Lord 4. A concluding Doxologie to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory world without end Amen A Practical Discourse upon the second Prayer with Meditations after the Communion § 3. Almighty and everliving God we most heartily thank thee for that thou hast vouchsafed to feed us who have duly received these holy Mysteries with the spiritual food of the most precious Body and Blood of thy Son our Saviour Iesus Christ This Act of Thanksgiving may be expressed in various words but it must not be omitted after the Communion and therefore it is put into both these forms We ought not at any time rudely to ask for blessings from God until we have prepared the way by Praises b Arrogans oratio si ab homine quid petiturus dicas statim da mihi hoc Peto Debet inchoari oratio à laude Dei ut sequatur supplicatio Ambr. de Sacr. l. 6. c. 5. But having so lately received so great mercy it would be unsufferable to pray for more till we have acknowledged that which is already bestowed on us And by confessing the former mercy in the very entrance of this Prayer we do both encourage our selves to ask and expect further blessings c Sequentium rerum certitudo est praeteritorum exhibitio Greg. in Evang. hom 1. and we do also by our gratitude engage the Almighty to give us more d Ascensus gratiarum descensus gratias Cassiod Efficacissimum genus est rogandi gratias agere Plin. Paneg. Indignus est dandis qui ingratus est pro datis Aug. de temp 112. Besides the very gift it self now imparted to us is the greatest and the best the most sweet and most necessary for us in the World we bless God for our daily Bread our common food how much more then ought we to praise him for this spiritual food which nourisheth our Souls unto life everlasting True it is that carnal and unworthy Receivers have little cause of joy e Sacrificia non sanctificant hominem non enim indiget Deus sacrificio sed conscientia ejus qui offert sanctificat hominem pura existens Irenae l. 4. c. 34. for they have eat the Bread and drank the Wine not discerning the Lords Body and Blood but those that prepared themselves by Repentance and received by Faith those I say have fed upon the spiritual part and therefore they have the most reason with all their powers to bless the Lord in this wise An Act of Thanksgiving It is a mighty favour to me O my God that thou hast made bread to grow out of the Earth to nourish my mortal body but O how far hast thou transcended that mercy in giving me the Bread of Life from Heaven to feed my immortal Soul Whom was there in Heaven or Earth that I could have wished for in comparison of Jesus Christ and now thou hast given him to me whom my Soul longed for and in him thou hast given me all for he is all in all He is the fairest of ten thousand for whose sake I will trample upon all that this World accounts desirable O my Soul bless thou the Lord I came not to gaze at or taste of the outward part but to satisfie the longings of my sin-sick Soul by laying hold of the merits of a Crucified Saviour yet I have received the Sacred Elements and thou hast made them to me that which I needed and desired even the Body and Blood of thy Son I have received his flesh in Sacrament but his grace in reality f Ideo in similitudine quidem accipis sacramentum sed verae naturae gratiam virtutemque consequeâ—is Ambr. de sacr l. 6. And O how it fills my Soul with joy to behold thy Majesty
stedfast and unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord. And I beseech thee give me constant and continual supplies of thy Grace that I may be able to perform whatsoever I have promised and let not forgetfulness or indevotion seize upon me hereafter Let me hold fast that which I have and daily strive to gain more and finally make me faithful to the Death so shall I receive the Crown of Life for he that endureth to the end shall be saved Amen § 8. Through Iesus Christ our Lord to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory World without end Amen There is a mighty efficacy in the name of Jesus used by a devout Soul that hath lately beheld the Commemoration of his great Attonement Through him we beg this Grace therefore And to him together with the Father and the blessed Spirit we offer up all honour and glory for the favours imparted to us in this Communion which but just now we did acknowledge and these Prayers and Praises we have cause to sign with an unfeigned Amen For we need the grace desired and the blessed Trinity deserves the glory ascribed wherefore we say Amen So be it But of this we have spoken before The Paraphrase of the second Prayer O Lord who art ever able and always ready to help thy servants being an Almighty and everliving God whose power and mercy can never fail We thy poor Creatures according to our bounden duty do most heartily thank and most unfeignedly praise thee for that of thy infinite pitty and bounty thou dost vouchsafe at this thy holy Table to feed us who have with penitence and Faith devoutly and duly received these holy Mysteries For therein thou hast refreshed our Souls with the spiritual and most desirable food of life thou hast made us Partakers by Faith of the most precious Body and of the most holy blood of thy Son our Saviour Iesus Christ which was offered for the Redemption of the whole World We acknowledge O Lord that besides the present comfort of this inestimable gift thou hast convinced us And dost assure us thereby of that which though we do not deserve yet we esteem above all things even thy favour thy gracious designs and goodness towards us poor Sinners And further by this holy Rite thou hast declared us thy Children and that we are very certainly living Members incorporate in and united unto the mystical Body of thy Son even thy Holy Church which is the blessed Company which are redeemed reconciled and sanctifyed by Jesus consisting of all faithful People in whose Prayers Priviledges and hopes we have now a happy interest And are also together with those thy servants by this Seal of thy Covenant made Heirs through hope already of thy Everlasting Kingdom which was purchased by the Merits of the most precious Death and Passion of thy Dear Son whose sufferings are set forth and the benefits of them conveyed to us in this Sacrament And now lest we should lose these blessings again by relapsing to folly as we have formerly done We most humbly and earnestly beseech thee O Heavenly Father for thy mercy sake so constantly and powerfully to assist us with thy grace in all our endeavours to perform our Obligations and our Vows that we may continue for ever in that holy fellowship with thy Son and thy Saints to which thou hast admitted us And do all such good works of Mercy Piety and Vertue as thou hast by the direction of thy holy Word prepared for us to walk in who have professed our selves to be thy Servants All which we beg through the most powerful intercession of Iesus Christ our Lord by whom we have received these and all other Mercies To whom therefore with thee O Father Almighty and the Holy Ghost three Persons and one God let there be all honour and glory ascribed both now and World without end Amen Be it so SECT IV. Of the Gloria in Excelsis or the Angelick Hymn § 1. TO conclude this Office with an Hymn is so direct an imitation of our Saviours practice Math. 26.30 that it is observed in all Churches and hath been used in all Ages And although the forms may differ yet this is as Antient as any now Extant The former part of it is of an Heavenly Original and was sung by the Angels at our Lords Nativity Luke 2.14 and it seems from thence it was transcribed into the Oriental Liturgies for it is thrice repeated in that of St. James The latter part is by Hug. de S. Victor l. 2. said to be composed by St. Hilary Bishop of Poictiers but by Rabanus Maurus who lived 200. years before the said Hugo it is ascribed to Telesphorus about the year of Christ 139. Certain it is that it was added by the Ecclesiastical Doctors as we are informed by the fourth Council of Toledo a Concil Tolet. IV. Can. XII celebrated about 1000. years ago and yet those are accursed by that Council who shall reject this or the Gloria Patri or other Hymns because they are not verbatim in the Scripture for as is there well noted upon that pretence we might reject the most part of the Church Offices It is also to be noted that with very little difference we find this Hymn in Clement's Constitutions l. 17. cap. 48. so that it is likely to have been of very antient use in the Western Church And whereas in the present Roman Missal it stands in the beginning of this Office it is much more properly placed by our Liturgy here in the end of the Communion for every devout Communicant is now even full of gratitude and longeth for an opportunity to pour out his Soul in the praises of God and how fit this Hymn is for that purpose the Analysis and following discourse will shew The Analysis of the Angelick Hymn or Gloria in Excelsis § 2. The Angelick Hymn hath Two Parts 1. The Angels Song acknowledging 1. The Effect of Christs Death 1. Above Glory be to God on High and 2. Below in Earth Peace 2. The moving Cause of it good will towards Men. 2. A Descant upon it by 1. A Glorification of the Father expressing 1. The Manner how we offer this Praise We praise thee we bless thee we worship thee we glorifie thee we give thanks unto thee 2. The Reason why for thy great Glory 3. The Person to whom O Lord God Heavenly King God the Father Almighty 2. A Supplication to the Son who is 1. Confessed in his Titles O Lord the only begotten Son Iesu Christ O Lord God Lamb of God Son of the Father 2. Invocated by his 1. Office to 1. Pardon that takest away the sins of the World have mercy upon us Thou that takest away c. have mercy c. 2. Hear us Thou that takest away the sins of the World receive our Prayer 2. By his Glory also to pardon us Thou that sittest at the right hand of the Father
thanks unto thee with all our hearts for thy great glory Which is given to thee by all the World O Lord God We acknowledge thou art our Heavenly King who hast subdued our Enemies Thou art God the Father Almighty who hast designed and brought about this marvellous work We do also adore thee O Lord our Saviour remembring with delight and confessing with joy that thou art the only begotten Son of God Iesu Christ the anointed Redeemer And now O Lord God As thou art the most innocent Lamb of God slain and sacrificed for our offences and as thou art the most dearly beloved Son of the Father that by thy holy Passion takest away the sins of the World We entreat thee to Have mercy upon us and pitty us And again we beseech thee Thou that takest away the sins of the whole World since we are Sinners Have mercy upon us and forgive us And once more we pray thee O Thou that takest away the sins of the World take away our sins and receive our Prayer which otherwise might be hindred by them We know thou hast the only interest in Heaven wherefore we do again beseech thee Thou that sittest in great glory at the right hand of the Father that thou wilt have mercy upon us and save our Souls To thee we make this application for pardon and acceptance Blessed Jesus for thou only art holy in and from thy self To thee we seek for succour for thou only art the supream Lord of Lords Thou only O Christ together with the Holy Ghost the Comforter art most high in the favour and a Partner in the glory of God the Father constituting the holy and undivided Trinity which is blessed for ever Amen SECT V. Of the final Blessing § 1. OF the concluding the Ordinary Prayers with a blessing we have discoursed Comp. to the Temple SECT ult But besides it is apparent that the people were always dismissed from this Ordinance with a solemn Benediction pronounced by the Bishop when he was present a Plebs ab Episcopo cum benedictione mittatur Concil Agath can 30. and in his absence by the Priest b Populus non ante discedat quà m Missae solennitas compleatur ubi Episcopus non fuerit Benedictionem accipiat sacerdotis Concil 3. Arelatens yet so as none might depart till this was given by the one or the other Which Custom some would ground upon our Saviours practice who after his last eating with his Disciples Luke 24.43 took his leave with a blessing ver 50. The present form is taken out of holy Scripture the first part is from Philip. 4.7 The latter part is a Christian Paraphrase upon the old form of Moses Numb 6.24 25 26. for whereas the name of the Lord is thrice repeated there to note the Mystery of the Trinity we have explained it by the Father Son and Holy Ghost And what is further observable the following method will declare The Analysis of the final Blessing Sect. 2. This Blessing containeth a twofold wish 1. For the Peace of God to be in us shewing 1. The Excellency thereof The Peace of God which passeth all understanding 2. The end for which it is desired Keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God and of his Son Iesus Christ our Lord. 2. For the Blessing of God to be upon us intimating 1. Whence it must proceed And the blessing of God Almâ—ghty the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost 2. How it is to be imparted be amongst you and remain with you always Amen A Practical Discourse upon the final Blessing § 3. The Peace of God which passeth all understanding Keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God and of his Son Iesus Christ our Lord. When St. Paul had directed us to make our addresses to God by Prayers Supplications and Thanksgivings Philip. 4.6 he immediately adds And the Peace of God shall keep your hearts c. ver 7. So that he may seem to have designed this to be a Conclusion for this very office For we have now by Prayers Letany and Eucharist c Graec. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 4.7 made our applications to the Divine Majesty Wherefore the holy man by this method ought now to give us the Peace of God We have begun in Piety and therefore we shall certainly end in Peace Hence all Liturgies generally conclude with the mention of Peace d In pace Christi eamus Lit. S. Jacob Reg. MS. enim lâ—git 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 4.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysos hom de jejun in Pasch In pace procedamus in nomine Domini Lit. S. Basil And there is not a more comprehensive blessing than Peace nor a more seasonable valediction after this Sacrament whether we understand it of the Peace which God hath made with us or of that which he requires of us 1. If we take it for the Peace which God hath made with us viz. for our Reconciliation to him by Jesus Christ Rom. 5.1 e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophylac in loc Philip. and the internal Peace of Conscience following thereupon It is so admirable in it self and it brings such comforts to the Soul which enjoys it that it not only surpasseth all the gifts of Wisdom and Knowledge but passeth the capacity of the highest Understanding to comprehend it And whereas we do now all pretend to know and to love God and our Lord Jesus Christ the Minister prays that we may find such comfort and delight in our Peace and Reconciliation with God that it may keep us firm and constant to this Knowledge and Love that it may win the affections of our hearts and gratifie the powers of our Mind so as to attract us to a further progress in the knowledge of so gracious a God and in the love of so dear a Saviour He prays that this Peace may make us despise all the friendships of Sin and engage us to seek after a further acquaintance with God and a nearer Union with Jesus Christ so that we may fall off no more to vanity when we have tasted these divine pleasures 2. If we take it for the Peace which God requires of us viz. that Peace which by his command we here make with our Brethren which sense Theophylact also mentions it is very proper to wish that this Peace may keep our hearts also For we are all here joined in the Unity of the Spirit and the Bond of Peace and Amity as a token whereof the Antients finished these Mysteries with a kiss of Peace f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justin M. Apol. 2. Osculum Pacis quod est signaculum orationis Tertul. de Or. Roman 16.16 and supposed they had not received aright unless they all departed in mutual Peace and Charity g Quale sacrificium est à quo sine Pace receditur idem Tertul. ibid. And this blessed Peace is both better than
Christ for its Author than that Divine Prayer which ows its Original to the same person The Lords Prayer must be the most proper Introduction to the Lords Supper It seems our Saviour intended it should be joined to all our Offices of Devotion because he ushers it in with this Injunction Luke 11.2 When ye pray Say Our Father c. In Compliance wherewith as the Church hath again placed it at the entrance into this Service so let us repeat with a fresh Devotion Considering that these being the Words of the Son of a Agnoscat Pater filii verba Cypr. God will if duly repeated make way for the Acceptance of all the rest of our Petitions and Services And as there is nothing can be more agreeably united to the Intercession of Jâ—sus in Heaven in this our great rite of Supplication than that Prayer which himself hath indited So the form it self as the Ancients did explain it doth excellently agree b Oratio illa nihil terrenum habet sed omnia coelestia ad animum tendentia S. Germ. Theor. to this Mystery Wherefore passing by its Analysis and Discourse upon its several parts which we have done before Compan to the Temple We shall now as more pertinent to this Occasion by a brief Paraphrase direct the pious Soul how to apply it to the present duty The Paraphrase of the Lords Prayer § 2. We confess O Lord we are not worthy to be called thy Servants and yet desire so to be united to thy Son by Faith and to one another by Love that thou maist be Our Father in Jesus Christ by the visible remembrances of whose Death on Earth we set forth thy goodness which art in Heaven and not to be seen with mortal Eyes O let us so reverently celebrate this Mystery that Hallowed and adored by us and all the World may â—e thy Name for the Mercies of our Redemption And let us by this Manifestation of our Saviours love be won so fully to thy Obedience that thy Kingdom of Grace being set up in all our hearts we may be ready against thy Kingdom of Glory come where these outward signs shall cease and we shall see thee face to face In the mean time let this and every part of Thy will be done with the like sincerity and Devotion by us thy Servants in Earth as it is by thy holy Angels in Heaven who are now attending upon and desirous to look into these Mysteries But since we want that immediate fruition of thy glorious presence which those blessed Spirits do enjoy Give us at thy Holy Table which thou hast prepared for us â—his day that Bread of Life the Body of Christ c Et corpus ejus in pane censetur panem enim peti mandat quod solùm fidelibus est necessarium Tertul. de Orat. Ita Cypr. Hieron in Math. 6. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophil in Math. 6. which is as necessary for our Souls as our daily Bread is for our bodily sustenance And since thou hast admitted us to Feast upon the remainders of the great Sin-offering Be pleased by virtue of that expiation to pardon And forgive us fully and freely all our trespasses against thy divine Majesty as we moved by the experience of a greater mercy in this holy Sacrament do heartily forgive those that now or at any time in word or deed trespass against us Finally when with the expence of thy Sons blood thou hast reconciled us to thy self and to one another Let not the Enemy renew the breach And lead us not into evil circumstances lest we forgetting our vows should comply and fall into temptation again and so provoke thy Spirit to forsake us We are thine O Lord leave us not but deliver us as Members of thy dear Son from all the snares of the wicked one that we may be preserved from evil spiritual temporal and eternal And as a pledg thereof do thou in this Sacrament to these Petitions set thy Amen SECT II. Of the Collect for Purity § 1. THis Ancient and Devout Collect was retained not without great Prudence as being a most exact and compendious expression of our desires of Purity Nor could it be more conveniently placed since it is not only an excellent entrance for the Communion Office as the Discourse will manifest But a very proper Preface even when there is no Sacrament to the rehearsing of and examining our lives by the Ten Commandments to which it is immediately prefixed For if we hear the Law with an impure heart Sin will take occasion by a Rom. 7.8 Admonent enim saepe dum interdicuntur Cypr. de Spect. the Commandment to cause thoughts of desire after or delight in the very iniquity which is forbidden And then how is it possible we should heartily say Lord have mercy c. Or Incline our hearts c. So that we are obliged upon both accounts earnestly to beg a pure heart And that we may do it with a more knowing Devotion We shall open the particular Form by the following plain Division Discourse and Paraphrase The Analysis of the Collect for Purity Sect. 2. This Collect hath 3. Parts 1. The Reason of the Request Gods Omniscience which is expressed 1 Affirmatively Almighty God unto whom all hearts be open all desires known 2. Negatively From whom no secrets are hid 2. The Request it self viz. 1. The Matter of it Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts 2. The Means By the inspiration of thy holy Spirit 3. The end 1. Internal That we may perfectly love thee 2. External and worthily magnify thy holy name 3. The Argument used to obtain it through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen A Practical Discourse upon the Collect for Purity § 3. Almighty God unto whom all hearts be open all desires known and from whom no secrets are hid Of all the Divine Attributes there are none so likely to make us afraid in this our nearest approach to God of coming with an unclean heart as his Omnipotence and Omniscience And these therefore are in Scripture phrase here set before us to mind us that we b Jerem. 17.9 Psal 38 9. Cui omnis voluntas loquitur Missal Rom. Psal 44.21 Job 42.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Petlaei versio Lit. ex Heb. 4.13 Allusio ad victimas excoriatas suspensas dum sacerdos exta scrutatur come before an Almighty and All-seeing Majesty So that if any wickedness be but imagined in the heart desired by the will or acted by the hand in the darkest night or most secret corner it is apparent to him and he will condemn us for it unless we first condemn our own selves Which Consideration we may improve two ways First To shew how necessary it is for us to labour for pure hearts since we are about to draw near to him who is so able to punish and so sure to discover the most secret sins To whose power all things are subject and to whose
need be and never desert his interest either for cost or peril which Prayer we must not only make with respect to our temporal felicity but as duly considering that the Almighty and invisible Governour of the World doth not Rule us immediately by himself but by Kings to whom he hath delegated his Authority So that they bear his Name and act by his Power g Exod. 22.28 Psal 82.1.6 Dii i. e. Judices qui potestatem Dei exercent Ab. Ez. And such as Rebell h Quicunque obfirmat faciem suaem contra Regem perinde est ac si obfirmaret faciem contra Divinam Majestatem Midr. Cohel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Const do fight against God Act. 5.39 oppose his word and resist his Ordinance Rom. 13.2 Wherefore we desire grace to obey not only for fear of wrath but for the Lords sake 1 Pet. 11.13 that is for Conscience sake Rom. 13.5 And this will produce the firmest and readiest obedience to all the Commands of our Governours when we observe them as subordinate to the Laws of God Eph. 6.1 in the Lord i Sed intra limites Disciplinae Tertul. Quia poterant aliquid imperare perversum ideo adjunxit in Domino Hieron in Eph. 6. Superiorum imperia Dura Declinanda sensim relinquenda magis sunt quam Respuenda Aul. Gell. Noct. At. l. 2. c. 7. as far as they do not contradict the plain will of the Almighty and for the Lord Rom. 13.1 that is because of his Authority vested in them And thus the best Christian will be the best Subject Let us therefore most fervently beg that we may all be conscientiously obedient and if we desire that heartily we shall not only obtain grace from God to be so but this Petition is an evidence we are already loyal And were it sincerely put up by all there could be no Treason nor Rebellion harboured in our Breasts but we should live in peace and please God adorn the Gospel Tit. 11.10 oblige the King and declare to all the World that it is not only the Duty but the Interest of Princes to defend the Religion of this Church which makes the best men and loyallest Subjects in the World § 6. Through Iesus Christ our Lord who with thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth ever one God World without end Amen It was a false and malicious calumny of the Jews that the Kingdom of Iesus was inconsistent with the Empire of Caesar for Obedience to Kings was never so enjoined and asserted before as it was by Christ and his Apostles And he himself hath told us that he is a King but no Rival to the Monarchs of this Earth For his Throne is in Heaven And his proper Subjects Saints and Angels k John 18.36 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb He reigns but it is with the Father and the Holy Ghost for ever For his sake therefore we may pray for the welfare of Temporal Kingdoms who hath power both to dispense them on Earth Math. 28.18 and to command blessings from Heaven on them especially on such Princes who are the Guardians of his beloved Church who own his Supremacy and daily confess and praise Him that liveth and Reigneth for ever The Paraphrase of the first Collect. § 7. Almighty God who art always ready to help us since thou art that King whose Kingdom is Everlasting and All sufficient to relieve us since thou art in Power infinite We beg not single or small Mercies of so great a Majesty but beseech thee to Have mercy upon all the Members of thy whole Church And especially that part thereof planted in these Nations which will be truly happy if it may please thee so graciously to direct the Counsels and so constantly to rule the heart of thy chosen and anointed Servant CHARLES by thy Providence and his undoubted right our King and Governour That He always remembring his Authority to flow from thee and knowing whose Minister and Vicegerent he is even the Deputy of thy Heavenly Majesty may above and before all things seek by defending Religion executing Justice and shewing mercy to advance thy honour and glory for he in so doing will ingage us all to praise thee for setting so wise and gracious a Prince over us And to compleat his and our happiness Grant that we and all others whom thou hast placed in the condition of his Subjects seriously and duly considering that for thy sake whose Authority he hath we owe him all duty and Allegiance may faithfully serve him with our Prayers Lives and Fortunes and also honour him in his person with our hearts and humbly obey him in his Laws by our whole Conversation so far as is possible in thee by the help of thy grace and for thee and for thy sake by a conscientious and exact Obedience according to the Commands of thy blessed word the appointment and Ordinance of thy Supream Providence O Lord let us be so happy to obtain this through the Merits of our great High Priest Iesus Christ who hath enjoined this Obedience and is our Lord who sets up Christian Princes on Earth to rule under him who with thee the Father and the Holy Ghost most gloriously liveth and reigneth in Heaven ever one God in that World which is without end and yet not forgetting us that are his Members in this changeable and uncertain World for his sake be it so Amen Of the second Collect for the King § 8. This Prayer is only added to help our Devotion with a greater variety but being as to the main so little different from the former it shall suffice to remark that the Petitions are here grounded on a never failing l Matth. 24.35 Foundation the word of God viz. Prov. 21.1 The Kings heart is in the hand of the Lord as the Rivers of Waters he turneth it whithersoever he will Although the Kings heart be unsearchable to men Prov. 25.3 and his purposes seldom to be alter'd by any of his Inferiors Yet Almighty God hath shewed many instances m Ezra 1.1 7.28 9.9 Neh. 1.11 Dan. 3.28 Rev. 17.17 that he can change the Decrees of the greatest Monarchs and as the Gardener n See Hammond on Psal 1.3 by opening certain Sluces can direct the streams of his Water-courses to which part of his Plantation he pleaseth So can the King of Kings direct the Counsels and turn the designs of all mortal Princes to his own glory and the prosperity of his Church To increase our wealth at home to secure us against foreign Enemies and defend us in the Exercise of the true Religion is the care of our gracious King the Prayer of all good Subjects and the end of government it self o See 1 Tim. 2.2 Vt placidam quietam vitam degamus cum omni pietate honestate Quid enim aliud est imperium nisi cura salutis alienae Ammian Mercellin and therefore let us rejoice that we have
to the Church and those of the Closet performed by humbled Souls in order to their preparation for this Sacrament We learn from St. Chrys that all the Communicants were wont to join in saying the same general Prayer for Mercy a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys Hom. 18. in 2. ad Cor. and St. Aug. b August de salutar dorum c. 33. affirms that when they received these mysteries they first did fly to Confession and Repentance and what sins they found themselves guilty of upon a strict survey of their actions they did immediately purge away by penitential acknowledgments So that of old not only the Priest as the Custom of Rome now is but every one of the people made an open Confession to God before the Communion it was indeed in general Terms c In hâc confessione non in specie sed in genere confitenda sunt peccata quoniam ista confessio non occulta est sed publica Innocen l. 2. de myst but omitted by none because there is no Man but he hath sinned and he that is not censured by the Church nor lyable by humane Laws may yet be guilty before God The Death of Jesus is now to be set forth and if we do not confess those sins which caused that his bitter Passion he might seem to suffer for his own offence Nor can we expect a publick pardon sealed till by Confession we declare how little we deserve it how much we need it and how highly we are obliged for it And by doing this one duty well we shall renew the sense of our sins and enlarge our affections to him that died for them we shall move our God to forgive them d Quando homo detegit Deus tegit cum homo coelat Deus nudat cum homo agnoscit Deus ignoscit Aug. in Psal and give the best testimony of our amendment e Somnium narrare vigilantis est vitia sua confiteri sanitatis iudicium est Senec. ep 54. Now that we may thus offer up this exact and pious Confession let us first labour to understand it and be affected with it by the following explication The Analysis of the Confession Sect. 2. This Confession hath five Parts 1. An acknowledgment of our sins shewing 1. To whom we do confess Almighty God Father of our Lord Iesus Christ Maker of all things Iudge of all Men. 2. What we do confess 1. In general We acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness 2. In particular 1. The number Which we from time to time most grievously have committed 2. The kinds by thought word and deed against thy Divine Majesty 3. The effects of them provoking most justly thy wrath adn indignation against us 2. An Act of Contrition for them expressed 1. More largely We do earnestly repent 2. More strictly in our 1. Sorrow for them and are heartily sorry for these our misdoings 2. Hatred of them the remembrance of them is grievous unto us 3. Trouble under them the burden of them is intolerable 3. A supplication for pardon intimating 1. What we crave Have mercy upon us have mercy upon us 2. Of whom we crave it most merciful Father 3. In whose name for thy Son our Lord Iesus Christ his sake 4. How far our Petition extends forgive us all that is past 4. A Petition for such Grace as may be true 1. In the duration of it and grant that we may ever hereafter 2. In the Acts of it serve and please thee in newness of life 3. In the end of it to the honour and glory of thy Name 5. A general motive to them all through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen A Practical Discourse upon the Confession § 3. Almighty God Father of our Lord Iesus Christ maker of all things Iudge of all men When the glories of God were described before holy Job he immediately abhors himself in dust and ashes Job 42.5 6. and there is not a more effectual instrument of contrition than a serious prospect of the Majesty whom we have offended hence the Servants of God in Scripture do usually begin their Confessions with the mention of the Divine Power and goodness Nehem. 1.5 Dan. 9.4 And for this cause our Church hath selected four most comprehensive Titles which do most clearly set before us the Greatness and the Goodness of that Lord against whom we have sinned We will therefore particularly consider them First As they contain matter of terror for our humiliation Secondly As they express grounds of hope to encourage us to ask Pardon 1. We may meditate that he whose Laws we have broken is an Almighty God infinite in Power and terrible in his Anger from whom nothing can defend us but submission and a great humiliation It was desperate presumption to offend him and it is a strange stupidity and madness if we now be void of fear and sorrow Are we stronger than he 1 Cor. 10.22 if not why did we provoke him at first or how dare we now stand out against him 2. He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and in him he is the Father and Fountain e Pater Hebraicè pro authore vel fonte misericordiae ita Ephes 1.17 Job 38.28 c. of all mercies 2 Cor. 1.3 and by him he hath expressed such an affection to us as all the World can never parallel and have we thus requited him by profaning his name disobeying his Commands despising his love and doing that which his Soul hateth Oh monstrous ingratitude 3. He is the maker of all things and so may justly challenge obedience from all the World nor is there any of his Creatures but we alone that are refractory to his will Can there then be greater injustice than that we should rob him of the service we owe unto him and abuse him by those very things which he hath made to serve our needs 4. He is the Judge of all men Gen. 18.25 at whose sentence we must either be justified or condemned for ever and yet instead of obliging him to stand our Friend we have even urged him to become our Enemy and forced him as he is just to pass a dreadful doom upon us Let us lay all this to heart and his Power will shew the Boldness his Love the Baseness his Title to us the Injustice and his Authority over us the folly of every sinful Act and all together I hope will melt our rocky hearts and make us sincerely Penitent 2. That we be not too much dejected let us review these Attributes again and we shall also find in them motives sufficient to support our hope and encourage us to ask forgiveness For first He is Almighty even absolute and supream so that if he please he can forgive without controul and none can reverse his Acts of Grace Secondly He is the Father of our dear Redeemer and in him loveth us with an everlasting love by him our Peace is made so that through him we
life-giving hand and lift us up who are bowed down and lie groveling upon the Earth under a grievous and deadly burthen We can hardly bear up under the weight of this momentany sorrow and how then are we like to endure the eternal Vengeance Thus then we must be affected when we say this Confession for let us remember that we do not confess to instruct an All-seeing God but to humble our selves And to reckon up our sins without such contrition is but a renewed provocation he that abhorred our wickedness when it was done will abhor us if we tell the story of it with an unrelenting heart Let him therefore not only hear the words of our lips but the sad groans of our penitent hearts saying a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philo legis alleg l. 2. Ah me how long have I been sick of the Disease of folly Miserable wretch can I excuse or dare I deny any of this Indictment the facts are apparent the Law is plain and the sentence unavoidable I must confess I have been as unworthy and as grievous a sinner as ever the Earth bore and I am amazed at my self for I am here liable to all that God hath threatned to the greatest offenders Wo is me I have no refuge no sanctuary but in the divine mercy and thither will I fly for succour § 7. Have mercy upon us have mercy upon us most merciful Father for thy Son our Lord Iesus Christ his sake forgive us all that is past After the Confession of our sin and our hearty Contrition for it most regularly follows this supplication for Mercy We have clearly represented our miserable Estate how we lie groaning and oppressed with an intolerable load of guilt and terror and he that commands us not to see our Enemies Beast lie under his burden without relief Exod. 23.5 will never suffer our poor Souls to perish under this our grievous pressure but will pitty and help us especially because we do with so much Passion beg his Mercy with redoubled Cries Have mercy upon us have mercy c. We must not censure this as a vain repetition for it is the very words of David Psal 57.1 123.3 and doth rarely express our great necessity our earnest desire and our imminent danger b Repetitio ardorem precandi denotat clementiam divinam commovet ad opem accelerandam Muis. Gejer. in Psal 57. it is an importunity pleasing to our gracious God Mark 10.47 48. who is ready to give his mercy as soon as we are fit to receive it and when by our urgent cries we shew that we have found ouâ— want of mercy he rejoices in that opportunity to bestow it He is a most merciful Father and the fountain from whence all the pity in the World doth flow and if men who are often churlish and unnatural can scarce deny the cries or abuse the expectations of their Children Luke 11.11 12 13. how much more impossible is it for our Heavenly Father to reject so earnest and so necessary a request The Prodigal no sooneâ— pronounces the word Father Luke 15.21 but the resâ— of his speech was much of it interrupted by his Fathers embraces charmed with that endearing name which as we here use on the same occasion let us do it with like affections and it shall have the same success Mercy is the first but not the only thing we ask for we further beseech him to forgive us and this will follow thâ— other because the mercy of God is not a meer useless pity or ineffective condoling c Misericordia est animi condolentis affectiâ— cum additamento beneficii ut compatiamuâ— proximo largiamus de proprio August but it immediately brings us help for by removing our sin the cause it soon takes away our misery which was only the effect thereof we desire therefore his mercy may appear in our forgiveness and we have a powerful motive annexed not for our Righteousness d Non quia merui sed quia egeo justitia meritum quaerit misericordia miseriam Bern. but for our Lord Jesus sake whose Death is here set forth and who hath so purchased mercy as to satisfie justice e Misericordia tunc est vera misericordia si sic facta est ut justitia per eam non contemnatur Chrysos hom in Math. Wherefore we may most chearfully ask a pardon in his name even for all that is past because he hath deserved mercy for all the World if they will receive it and there are Millions of Souls now in Heaven that once lay under as great a burden as we now do who making their Confession and supplication in his name have for his merits sake been advanced to a state of glory Let us ask then also and that with all possible fervency considering how blessed we shall be when God hath crossed out all our debts and Jesus cancelled all our Obligations Oh how will this dispel all our Clouds of sorrow how chearfully shall we stand upright and praise God in the following Office when this dismal load is thus removed § 8. And grant that we may ever hereafter serve and please thee in newness of life to the honour and glory of thy Name through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen In the same breath that we ask for Pardon we must also Petition for Grace to amend our lives or else we affront the Holiness of God f Non est poenitens sed â—rrisor qui adhuc agit â—nde poeniteat S. Bern. while we pretend to crave his mercy He that only desires forgiveness to be quit of his present fear is an Hypocrite g Improbus quo ad metuit omnia est promissurus fimulatque timere desierit similis est futurus sui Cicero 2. Phil. and doth not hate or grieve for his iniquity but for the punishment annexed to it and when that fear ceaseth will be as bad as ever But I hope we have truly felt the weight of sin and duly apprehended the misery of having God to be our Enemy and if so we shall be as desirous to be kept from future sins as we are to be delivered from our past offences We have seen how base how foolish and how desperate a thing it is to displease the Lord let us now therefore beg it as a mighty favour that we may hereafter please him by an obedience that may last for ever and may extend to all parts of our duty so that we may be wholly changed into new Persons and live in newness of life Rom. 6.4 Proclus tells of one Eurynous who died and was buried at Nicopolis yet some days after was taken up alive h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Comm. in Plat. Rep. and afterwards did lead a much more holy life than he had done before h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Comm. in Plat. Rep. Even so should we who were dead in Law and by the sentence of our own Conscience being
thy mercy These are thy words O Christ for thou hast spoken them and they are mine because thou hast spoken them for my Salvation O sweet and amiable words in the Ears of a poor Sinner by which thou invitest an indigent starved wretch to partake of thy holy body But who am I O Lord that I should dare to come the Angels and Archangels reverence thee thy Saints and holy ones fear before thee and yet thou sayst unto me Come c. unless thou hadst said it who could have believed it to be true unless thou hadst commanded it who durst have attempted this approach T. à Kempis de imitat Chris l. 4. c. 1. The Paraphrase O ye of contrite hearts Hear with joy and wonder what comfortable words he whose love you so much long for even our Saviour Christ himself saith to all such as you that truly grieving for your sins do turn to him to find mercy Lo he pities you and most affectionately calls upon you saying Come unto me with a perswasion that I am able and desirous to help you O all ye that travel with much grief and pains for your sins and are heavy laden with the apprehensions of my anger against you for them be not discouraged for I will bear this burden my self and I will by my sufferings make your peace with my Father and so refresh you according to your hearts desire § 3. So God loved the World that he gave his only-begotten Son to the end that all that believe in him should not perish but have Everlasting Life S. John 3.16 The second Assertion in the Absolution is confirmed by this Sentence viz. that Almighty God will forgive all that with true Faith turn unto him If he were willing to grant pardon on easier terms yet a man void of Faith could not receive it It was an absurd practice in some places of old to give the Sacrament to the Dead who had been surprized by mortal sickness and prevented to receive it living but an antient Council condemned this h Placuit ut corporibus defunctorum Eucharistia non detur Dictum est enim à Domino Accipite c. Conc. 3. Carthag Can. 6. because the Dead could not as Christ commands Take and eat it And for the same reason a Man without Faith cannot receive Absolution because he is dead i Vnde mors in animâ quia non est fides unde mors in corpore quia non est anima ergo animae tuae anima fides est Aug. in Johan void of all spiritual life and power to apprehend the benefit thereof Therefore if our sins and sorrows have wrapt us in such mists that we can scarce discern the light of Gods countenance let us throughly meditate of this one Sentence and the glories of it will dispel them all For here it doth appear that he first loved us and gave the noblest testimony of the biggest affection to us for he gave not a Creature nor a Servant a Prophet nor an Angel for us but he gave up his Son his only Son to a cruel Death for the World his Enemies and liable to his justice and all this for no other end but that we and the rest of this miserable World might be freed from the Damnation which we had deserved and be advanced to that glory which we could never have expected And do we still question his willingness to save us Did he give such a price to purchase our Salvation when we were Enemies and shall we think he will cast us into those flames out of which we were so dearly rescued now when we beg his mercy Did he send his Son on purpose to preserve us and will he lose his end in so glorious a work Away ye misgiving thoughts dishonour not the incomparable goodness of God hath he not given more when he gave his own Son for all than to grant life to a few for his sake Oh do not question that Love which is sealed with such an Evidence but believe admire embrace it and be thankful The Paraphrase Dost thou fear O my Soul that God will not have mercy on thee behold he that best knew his Fathers mind affirms that So wonderfully God loved his miserable Enemies even all the Sinners in the World that he when none else could help them freely gave up not some of his noblest Servants but his only-begotten and intirely beloved Son to die for them And this he did to the end that we and such like poor Sinners even all that believe this Jesus is able and willing to save them and so trust in him might be delivered from the wrath to come for all this was done on purpose that we should not perish in endless Torments but have everlasting life in his Heavenly Kingdom Doubt not then but this design shall be accomplished in thy Salvation § 4. This is a true saying and worthy of all men to be received that Iesus Christ came into the World to save Sinners 1 Timoth. 1.15 Although there needs nothing to confirm what Jesus saith yet since he himself was pleased to take his Apostles for his Witnesses we have here brought in two of the principal of them to avouch this excellent truth viz. That there is mercy for Penitent Sinners And first the certainty thereof is averred by Saint Paul who had found the experience of it and was himself so great an instance thereof that he thinks ver 16. no sinner will ever despair that can but consider how great an offender he was and yet that he found mercy whereupon he doth with great confidence assert this as a tried and infallible Maxim and because all men have sinned he propounds it as a Truth which every man is concerned to receive as unquestionably and believe as firmly as the Cabala l Cabala fig. receptam doctrinam qui docet enim apud Judaeos tradere dicitur qui discit recipere Vid. Ham. annot in 1 Tim. 1. Drus praeterit l. 8. was amongst the Scholars of Jewish Rabbins And he urgeth this the more vigorously because we are so apt to object what such as we shall we ever partake of such a happiness Yes such as you for our Lord Jesus had no other errand into this World no other design in putting on our nature no other end in dying than to save Sinners He came not to call the Righteous Math. 9.13 but to seek and save those which were lost Chap. 18.11 and he assures us there is more joy in Heaven at the difficult and unexpected Salvation of a Sinner than at the more likely and more looked for glorification of many righteous Luke 15.7 But you say you are grievous Sinners Are not all the World so if there had been no Sinners there had needed no Saviour if Sinners cannot be saved no man did ever enter Heaven if sin be unpardonable Jesus hath died in vain Do not argue against your own felicity but be assured if you
the Tenth concerning the Virgin Mary not till the year 1095. But our prudent Reformers have retained only five of the most ancient which are concerning the principal Acts of Christ His Incarnation Resurrection Ascension and sending of the Holy Ghost all which we may very properly bless God for over this Commemoration of his Passion because they are either the Precedents to his Death or the consequents thereof only that of the Holy Trinity is added both as it is a fundamental Article of our Faith and a great mystery and because many Sundays are reckoned by it Now for the use of these we must note that as the greater Feasts of the Jews continued seven or eight days so these Prefaces are to be repeated some days after the great day to which they principally belong both that the mercy may be better remembred by often repetition and also that all the people who in many places cannot Communicate in one day may join in praising God for it Which being the great end of them the best method to promote that and fit the receivers with peculiar praises for these solemnities will be to ground a devout Meditation upon every one of these Prefaces proper for those who do partake of the mysteries at any of these Times A Meditation for the Communion at Christmas § 9. Welcome thrice blessed Day the desire of all Nations whose distant glories made the Father of the faithful to rejoice and whose approaches fill'd the World with wonder and expectation thou wert ushered in with Angelick Hymns and celebrated ever since with Anthems of praise because thou didst bring forth joy and a Redeemer to Mankind Happy am I that I have a Sacrifice of Thanksgiving in my hand to express the delight which my heart doth feel This holy Table is the Altar upon which I offer my acknowledgments for all mercies and oh how many how great are those which this day brings to my remembrance so infinite they cannot be expressed and yet so excellent they must not be forgotten This day hath reconciled Heaven and Earth and made contradictions friends to find a way to help us as if nothing might disagree when man was at peace with God O my Soul summon all thy powers to admire and worship for all is Miracle and the height of Wonder Eternity begins to be the Maker of all is made himself an infinite Majesty is shrunk into the dimensions of a span The word is made flesh and God becomes Man yet remains God still Here is a Mother who knew no man a Son that had no Father on Earth a Child of Adam untainted with the Cantagion that infects all his Posterity an Infant honoured with a new and glorious Star adored by Kings worshipped by Angels yet born in the condition of the meanest fortune All hail sweetest Saviour how lovely is thy condescension how honourable thy abasement thou hast more splendor in the Rags of thy Humility than all the Grandeurs of this World could give thee thou art more a King because thou wouldst be like a slave for our sakes and conquerest more hearts by thy stupendious love and unparallel'd self-denyal O how shall I celebrate this great Solemnity wherewithal shall I set forth my gratitude for this most auspicious Day I will receive the Cup of Salvation and with ravishments of delight feast upon that precious Body and Blood which Jesus did this day assume for me It is not enough dearest Lord that thou wast born for me unless thou art also born again in me and as it were become incarnate in my heart In thy Birth thou wast made one with us thou didst put on flesh and wert a partaker of our humanity And thou hast appointed this holy Sacrament that I might be one with thee be replenished with thy Spirit and a partaker of thy divine nature Nor is it any incongruity if I remember thy Passion and praise thee for thy Incarnation at once for as soon as thou wast born thou didst begin to die and the life which was here begun compared to that glorious life which thou didst leave was it self a very Death but therefore thou wast born that thou mightest be capable to suffer that death for us which thy Divinity could not feel and thus thy Nativity was the first Scene of thy Passion for it introduced thy Death and that effected our Salvation so that I will remember both together For in both thou hast most admirably humbled thy self to the depth of misery and yet I doubt not but thou wouldst have stooped lower if it had been either necessary or possible But there needs no more testimonies of thy love Blessed Jesus I am already overwhelmed with these which are so strange and undeserved so sweet and ravishing that my Soul could not contain if it did not vent it self in thy Praises Therefore with Angels c. A Meditation for the Communion at Easter § 10. O my soul adorn thy self with the garments of gladness prepare thy most triumphant Hymns to go forth and meet this great returning Conqueror Thou didst rejoice when he was pleased to undertake the Combate and didst celebrate his entrance into the lists with Praises how then will it ravish thee to behold him come off with such success and honour His warfare is now accomplished and he hath passed through the scorn and cruelty of Men the malice and rage of Devils the just but severe anger of God yea the shaddow of Death and the Regions of Eternal horror and after all this thy Surety is set at liberty for he hath paid all thy Debts and cancelled all those dismal Bonds by which thou wert forfeited to eternal Ruine Thy Champion is Victorious and as the Trophees of his Conquest he hath the Keys of Death and Hell and leads them both in triumph vanquished and disarmed Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord We receive thee dearest Saviour as born to us a second time and this shall be thy Birth-day also the Nativity though not of our Emperor yet of thy Empire thy Restauration to a state of immortality Thy former Birth did shew thee to be the Son of Man but this declares thee to be the Son of God and now we know that our Redeemer liveth he that loved us so infinitely as to dye for us doth now ever live to interceed on our behalf he that expressed such kindness to us in his Passion hath so fully demonstrated his own Power in his Resurrection that we are sure he is as able as willing to deliver us Let the Heavens rejoice and the Earth be glad for this is the Day that the Lord hath made a day to be had in everlasting remembrance a Time destined to jubilee and rejoicing Behold how nature is raising it self from the grave of Winter and seems annually to celebrate the memory of her Lords Resurrection in her green and fresh attire A season chosen by God for Festival 3000. years ago and observed
as much as the time will give us leave because to look about us or to unbend our thoughts while the Celebration is in hand is a sign of a carnal heart and a base spirit that is weary of conversing with God it is an affront to the blood of Christ it exposeth us to Satans malice and prepares us for evil suggestions which unguarded Souls fall into sooner here than elsewhere and to conclude it will make our Lord abhor us the Spirit forsake us and turn the Cup of Blessing into poison and a Curse Wherefore be very watchful that no evil or impertinent cogitation do divert you till the Post-Communion doth begin and then you must have no other imployment but to join with the Minister in that part of this holy Office also PARTITION IV. Of the Post-Communion SECT I. Of the Post-Communion in general and in particular of the Lords-Prayer § 1. IT is a rudeness in manners to depart from the House of our Friend as soon as the Tables are removed and an Act of Irreligion to rise from our common meals a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Porphyr de Essenis de abst lib. 4. Sect. 12. Gratias agere debent cum hymno à mensâ devenire Chrysos hom 83. in Math. without Prayer Thanksgiving How much more absurd and impious then were it for us to depart so abruptly from the Lords Table Our Church hath therefore here provided this concluding Banquet of Prayers and Praises imitating our Saviours Pattern who concluded his last Supper with that excellent Prayer John 17. as well as with that Hymn Math. 26.30 which is supposed to have been the Paschal Hallelujah and all Churches do finish this Heavenly Feast in like manner as the following particulars will demonstrate It is our part therefore to take care that the vigour of our devotion do not remit for we ought to perform these duties also with the same affections It is the first Testimony which we give of that Piety that we have vowed and if well done will be like the digestion and turning this Heavenly food into spiritual nourishment We do not eat our common meat only to please our palate but to support and strengthen our nature and to make us more fit for our imployment in like manner we do not partake of the Blessed Eucharist to put us into holy raptures at present only but to strengthen our Souls and put them into better frame for all Duties which we owe to Almighty God so that now we must give the first experiment of our having worthily received § 2. The Lords Prayer is placed in the first entrance upon this part of the Office both in imitation of Antiquity b Docuit Apostolos ut quotidiè in Corporis illius sacrificio credentes audeant loqui Pater noster Hieron in Pelag l. 3. Vid. Aug. ep 59. Greg l. 7. ep 63. and because it cannot any where be used more properly For having now been made partakers of Jesus and his Spirit it is fit the first words which we speak should be his as if not we but he lived and spake in us and surely these divine words can never be more effectual than when we have the blessed Author of them so fresh in our memories and have so lately set forth his most meritorious Death We have in this Sacrament received him and we know that unto as many as receives him he gives them power to become the Sons of God so that we may all with one heart and voice now say most chearfully Our Father and apply every Petition to the present occasion in this or the like manner The Paraphrase of the Lords-Prayer O Lord who hast now sealed our Adoption and made us Members of Christ we make bold to call thee Our Father and do lift up our hearts to thee which art in Heaven to bless thee for this mighty favour wishing that Hallowed and for ever blessed may be thy Name throughout all the World Thou hast made us thy servants now by grace therefore O let thy Kingdom of glory Come as soon as thou pleasest In the mean time since we have been fed with Angels food we pray that thy Will may be done by us thy servants in Earth as readily and as constantly as it is ever done by those blessed Spirits in Heaven We cannot distrust thy Providence for Earthly things since thou hast given us thy own Son and fed us with his Body and Blood wherefore we will only beseech thee to Give us this day so much as is necessary for our subsistence even our daily Bread to enable us to serve thee And â—orgive us by the merits of that prevailing Sacrifice now commemorated all our trespasses by which we have deserved that wrath which Jesus hath endured Lord pardon us therefore as we by thy Example in this Feast of love do freely forgive them that have done any trespass against us And do thou not only remit what is past but lest we lose our comfort and break our Vows O Lead us not neither suffer us to fall into temptation which we expect with more violence now that we have renounced the bondage of Satan But we trust in thee O Lord and call upon thee to deliver us from all Evâ—l temporal spiritual and Eternal * Note that the Doxology is here used because this part of the office is Eucharistical For thine is the Kingdom over all especially over us who have now sworn Allegiance unto thee Thou only hast the might and the Power to secure us And therefore to thee shall all the Praise and the Glory be given by Men and Angels for ever and ever O do thou therefore to these our requests say Amen that we may also join in thy Praises So be it SECT II. Of the first Prayer in the Post-Communion § 1. THat the Eucharist was always concluded with a Hymn is observed by all but we affirm there were Prayers also made after it as appears by that Prayer of our Saviour John 17. and also from the Custom of the Jews who finished the Paschal Solemnity with Prayers as well as Hymns a Hoc ita gesto pater familias precationes mensarias ad finem precari pergit Buxt Synag Cap. de Pasch 13. And for the Christians St. Cyril warns them b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Cyril Mystag cat 5. not to depart till the last Prayer be done Besides the joint consent of all the antient Liturgies shew that all Churches had such Prayers As for this form the principal clause thereof of offering up our Bodies and Souls is taken from St. Paul Rom. 12.1 and it is a main end of this Sacrament though the Roman Mass is wholly silent in it the rest of this Prayer although the words be modern in sense agrees with many of the antient forms and is so well contrived as it may not only serve to exercise our devotion at present but teach how to demean our selves
so afterwards that we may retain the benefits which we have received as the more particular consideration thereof will shew The Analysis of the First Prayer in the Post-Communion § 2. This First Prayer consisteth of Three Parts 1. A Supplication to the Father 1. For the Acceptance of our Sacrifice of Praise O Lord our heavenly Father we thy humble Servants entirely desire thy Fatherly Goodness mercifully to accept this our Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving 2. For the Benefits of the Oblation made by Jesus Christ Most humbly beseeching thee to grant that by the Merits and Death of thy Son Iesus Christ and through Faith in his Blood we and all thy whole Church may receive remission of our Sins and all other benefits of his Passion 2. An Oblation of our selves by 1. A solemn Dedication 1. The thing dedicated And here we offer and present unto thee O Lord our selves our souls and bodies 2. The end of the Dedication to be a reasonable holy and lively Sacrifice unto thee 2. A Petition for Grace to make good this Vow Humbly beseeching thee that all we who are Partakers of this Holy Communion may be full filled with thy Grace and heavenly Benediction 3. An Act of Humility expressed in 1. Acknowledging our unworthiness And although we be unworthy through our manifold Sins to offer unto thee any Sacrifice 2. Petitioning to be mercifully accepted yet we beseech thee to accept this our bounden Duty and Service not weighing our Merits but pardoning our Offences 3. A Doxology to the whole Blessed Trinity Through Iesus Christ our Lord by whom and with whom in the Vnity of the Holy Ghost all Honour and Glory be unto thee O Father Almighty world without end Amen A Practical Discourse upon the first Prayer with Meditations after the Communion § 3. O Lord our Heavenly Father we thy humble Servants entirely desire thy Fatherly goodness mercifully to accept this our Sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving The devout Soul being newly refreshed with these Heavenly Comforts and even ravished with joy to find him whom she loved and longed after desires now an opportunity to express her gratitude But alas what have we to return we can make no requital only we must acknowledge the favour and offer up a Sacrifice of Praise for it and since this is all we can do we had need do this very well but if we reflect upon the manner even of this Oblation we shall easily perceive there have been many defects so that without a merciful acceptance it could never avail us in the sight of God how apparent is it that we have not praised God so affectionately and unfeignedly as so infinite a mercy doth deserve Wherefore if we be really his humble Servants the first thought in our hearts and the first word in our mouths will be the confession of our failings even in the whole office from the beginning to the end for the Ancients called the whole Communion the Sacrifice of Praise c Ecclesia immolat in Corpore Christi sacrificium laudis Aug. l. 1. in advers legis cap. 20. as our Church here doth whereas the Romanists only call it a Sacrifice d Praesta ut hoc sacrificium quod oculis tuae Majestatis indignus obtuli Missal Rom. without any other addition but it is not the Sacrifice of Christ which we here speak of for that is always pleasing to God and was absolutely perfect but it is our own Peace-offering in Commemoration thereof in which there have bâ—en many failings and therefore we desire and beg that it may be accepted in mercy so that our infirmities may not deprive us of the benefit and the comfort thereof to which purpose let us thus Meditate When I compare thy acts with mine Holy Jesus I am exceedingly ashamed to behold so vast a disproportion thou givest me thy merits and graces thy life and thy love at present and hast promised thy Kingdom to me in reversion and I have scarce returned this with the intire devotion of one half hour Oh how little is my obdurate heart affected with the sense of my own guilt the fears of the divine wrath or the apprehensions of thy sufferings Yet Lord I do desire and did endeavour to praise thee so that I hope thou wilt consider my infirmities with much compassion and measure my services not by the exactnâ—ss of the performance but by the sincerity of my wishes so shall I be accepted before thy Heavenly Father and by the mercy of that acceptance be obliged unto thee for ever § 4. Most humbly beseeching thee to grant that by the merits and death of thy Son Iesus Christ and through Faith in his Blood we and all thy whole Church may obtain remission of our sins and all other benefits of his Passion Our Heavenly Father doth not at any time require our praises meerly for the advancement of his own glory but that we may thereby be the more fit to receive greater benefits from him e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ch. in Gen. hom 52. thus in the design of this holy Sacrament he doth not only intend it as a Sacrifice of Praise for the Death of Christ but as a means to convey the blessings thereof to us Wherefore we must in the next place petition that we may find the happy effects of our Lords Passion and then we shall have good grounds to turn this memorial thereof into Eucharist and Thanksgiving We have beheld that sacred body broken and that precious blood spilt in a mystery which is sufficient to attone our sins and the sins of the whole Church and we have now perceived our own need of mercy and we are in perfect Charity with all Christian people so that it is now most proper for us to pray that that so excellent a price may not be paid in vain so glorious an offering may not want its due effects But that by this Sacrifice as the meritorious and moving cause and by our Faith therein as the instrumental we and the whole Church may find remission at the hands of God This is the great end of our Communicating and if we would most earnestly intreat for it we may thus enlarge our selves Gracious Lord we have beheld the efficacious and all-saving Sacrifice which thy Son hath offered for us we have remembred it and blessed thy name for it as well as we were able though not so highly as we are obliged to do f Gratias agimus Deus omnipotens non quantum debemus sed quantum possumus Liturg. S. Clement For the benefits thereof are inestimable Oh let them not all be lost unto us for want of Faith to believe and receive them There is no want of merit in Jesus to deserve no want of mercy in thee to bestow remission Oh let there not want in us or in any of those for whom Christ died grace to accept this Pardon Behold Lord how we struggle under a load of guilt
profess if we had not been encouraged by his love and goodness and commanded by his own Precept we durst not have approached to these terrible mysteries Yet since it is our bounden duty and a service so fit so just and reasonable we may hope he will accept us not because we are worthy or have done any thing to merit his favour but because he is merciful y Non aestimator meriti sed veniae largitor Ambros Rom. Missal and apt to forgive our failings if he should take a measure of the worth of our Sacrifice by the Holiness of the offerers z Qui petit primo debet attendere ut pro suis meritis nihil accepturum se putet sed de Dei misericordiâ tantum Bern. in sent it is sure ours would be rejected and therefore it is best for us to fly to his mercy For the best of Gods Saints whose devotion far excelled ours have set us this Example and found it the wisest and safest way I confess to thy goodness saith St. Ambrose that I am not worthy to come near to so great a mystery for my manifold sins But thou canst make me worthy Wherefore although a Sinner I come to thy Altar to offer the Sacrifice which thou hast appointed Whose example we may follow by this or the like Act of Humility O thou all-seeing and most holy Lord God I have been admitted to make an Oblation of my praises and my self unto thee and I am infinitely concerned that thou shouldst accept me therein not for any merit in me but for thy own mercy sake O my God thou knowest I have been polluted with Sin undutiful to thy commands unfaithful to my promises unmindful of my obligations confederate with thy Enemies yea and even in the time of these holy mysteries so obdurate and confused that I might justly fear lest my wretchedness should make my Sacrifice an abomination I blush that I am no fitter I lament that I should bring so many defilements where the purity of an Angel is scarce sufficient but I take sanctuary in thy most obliging condescensions and because I am so unworthy I will endeavour to esteem my self as vile as I really am in thy sight O do not look upon the deserts of a wretched sinner but remember thy own mercies and accept what thou hast required of me And so shall thy favour be more illustrious because it is bestowed upon so undeserving a Creature and the sense of my unworthiness shall enlarge my thankfulness and make me praise thee more than if I had approached with all perfections § 8. Through Iesus Christ our Lord by whom and with whom in the unity of the Holy Ghost all honour and glory be unto thee O Father Almighty World without end Amen When the people prayed without Luke 1.10 they directed their faces toward the Temple and the Priest who was there offering Incense but we have much more reason to lift up our hearts to our great High Priest who is now entred into the Heavens and doth there present most perfect intercessions and unreproveable Mediations for us We know our own services to be altogether imperfect wherefore we do here declare that our only hopes of Acceptance and Pardon is Through Jesus Christ by whom we are directed to offer the Sacrifice of Thanksgiving Heb. 13.15 as we here do in this present Doxology which comes very near to the antient form used in this Office a Audi quid dicat sacerdos Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum in quo tibi est cum quo tibi est honor laus gloria magnificentia potestas cum Spiritu Sancto à seculis nunc semper in omnia secula seculorum Amen Ambros de sacr l. 6. c. 5. and doth glorifie the whole Trinity from every person whereof we have now received peculiar testimonies of grace and favour and I wish that we may do it with a devotion proportionable to the great Obligations now laid upon us and then it will be accepted according to our desire Amen The Paraphrase of the first Prayer § 9. O Lord whom though we may make bold to call our Heavenly Father through Christ Jesus yet We esteem it our honour to be accounted thy humble Servants Having now finished this great mystery we do most heartily and entirely desire thy Fatherly goodness to pass by our failings therein as the infirmities of thy own Children and beseech thee mercifully to accept this our Oblation of our selves together with our Eucharistical Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving for the sufferings and merits of our Redeemer Most humbly deseeching thee who hast given such a Sacrifice for us and in this holy Sacrament offered the benefits thereof unto us That thou wilt please to grant that it may not be in vain to us or any of thy people But that â—y the merits of the Passion and death of thy Son our Saviour Iesus Christ which we have now commemorated and through a lively Faith in his blood which was shed for us Both We who have now Communicated and thy whole Church throughout the World may receive a free Pardon and full remission of our Sins And also obtain reconciliation and adoption sanctification and power against sin assurances of peace hopes of glory and all other benefits of his all-saving Passion And here at thy Altar where thou hast re-minded us of thy giving thy Son for us and where thou hast offered to make a League with us in his most precious blood We offer not only the praises of our lips which are too mean a return for such favour but we dedicate and present unto thee O Lord that which thou chiefly requirest and all that we have to give even our selves wholly and entire all the powers of our Souls and all the members of our Bodies designing them absolutely to thy service and intending them to be a reasonable holy and lively Sacrifice and therefore we have consecrated them unto thee And we hope thou wilt accept us for thine own and never suffer us to be enslaved to sin hereafter And that we may keep this vow we do here crave thy gracious assistance humbly beseeching thee to send thy holy Spirit to take possession of our hearts so that all we who are partakers of the outward part of this holy Communion being made thine may be fullfilled and replenished in Soul and Body with thy grace within us and thy Heavenly benediction upon us And although we confess thou maist justly charge us to be unworthy through the stain and the guilt of our manifold sins which mingle with all our duties to offer unto thee so pure and holy a Majesty any Sacrifice of Praise or to make any Oblations before thee Yet we have ventured in hopes of thy goodness upon this â—acred mystery and we do beseech thee to accept this our imperfect endeavour as a testimony of our desire to please thee since it is our bounden Duty to shew
est sed tibi gratia cui gratia est ipsa justitia Aug. ep 105. ad Sixt. Presb. yet shall be bestowed by the Mercy of the Master upon all that are so qualified Let us then earnestly beseech this blessed Lord who is the Fountain of eternal goodness and doth govern and dispose of all things to give abundant grace to this his new Servant so that it may have the comfort of these graces here and the reward of them hereafter through his Mercy which Crowneth in us that which he hath first given to us for Jesus sake Amen §. 2. The Prayer of Consecration Almighty and everliving God whose most dearly beloved Son Iesus Christ c. The word of God teacheth us that the World was darkness and a Chaos until the Spirit moved upon the face of the Waters Gen. 1.2 from whence the rude and indigested matter received a quickning influence which produced that beauty and order which we now behold And as it was in the first Creation and Generation of all things so it is in the new Creation and Regeneration of a Christian the Spirit moving upon the Waters of Baptism giveth Light and Life and bringeth in order and comeliness instead of the confusion and darkness which Sin had caused wherefore since there is so great a work to be done by the Spirit we must most humbly beseech that the holy Spirit may return to its antient seat as Tertullian speaks It is true our Lord Jesus did sanctifie Water in general to the mystical washing away of Sin but when this particular Water is to be used in so sacred a Ministry and to so admirable purposes it is necessary it should first be sanctified by the word of God and Prayer 1 Timoth. 4.5 that is by repeating the Words of Christs Institution and by Petitioning for the descent of the Holy Spirit which are the two Parts of this Prayer Yet if any shall ask why we Consecrate the Water and where we have an express command in Scripture for it S. Basil g Benedicimus Aquam baptismatis ex quâ autem Scripturâ nonne ex tacitâ traditione Basil de Spir. Sanc. cap. 27. Answers We do this as well as many other weighty things because of the Constant Tradition and continual Practice of the Church which is a sufficient Warrant in matters so reasonable and pious as this is Now that the Primitive Christians did always use a Prayer for the Consecrating of the Water doth appear by many Witnesses h Oportet vero mundari sanctificari Aqua priùs à sacerdote ut possit baptismo suo peccata hominis qui baptizatur abluere Cypr. l. 1. ep 21. Venit sacerdos Precem dicit ad fontem invocavit Patris nomen Praesentiam filii Spiritûs Sancti Vtitur verbis coelestibus Quod baptizemus in Nomine Patris Filii Spiritûs Sancti Ambros de sacr l. 2. c. 5. In Ecclesia Aqua sacerdotis prece sanctificatur Aug. de bapt in Donat. and which is more their Prayer did consist of two principal Parts as ours also doth viz. 1. The repetition of Christs Word Math. 27.19 and a Petition for the Holy Spirit Only the present form is somewhat fuller having First a Typical Allusion as to the Original of Baptism Secondly A recital of the Institution thereof Thirdly A double request grounded on these premises 1. For the sanctifying of the Water 2. For the right disposition of the Child to receive the benefits conveyed thereby 1. This great Petition is introduced by remembring a remarkable passage in the Passion of Christ viz. the flowing of blood and Water from his holy side as he was hanging on the Cross which the Fathers say was from no natural cause but that it was miraculous and a mystery designed to signifie that as Sin had entred into the World by the Woman made by a wound in Adams side So Salvation came in by the two Sacraments of Water and Blood i Aqua ad lavacrum sanguis ad potum Ambros de virgin ad Marcellin l. 3. idem in Luc. 23. de Sacram. l. 5. c. 1. item Tertul. de bapt c. 16. which flowed from the side of the second Adam and therefore we follow Antiquity in this application and encourage our selves to expect great things from him whose suffering did occasion this Mystery and who poured out his hearts blood for us 2. Our Lord did not only figure this Sacrament in a mystical manner but after his Resurrection by a plain and express Commission made it a perpetual Sanction That all Nations should be Baptized in the Name of the Father c. Math. 28.19 Wherefore since it is by his Command that we go about this Mystery we do repeat the Words of our Commission to shew that we expect the inward part and the efficacy of all from him who set us upon the work And since he is God blessed for ever and now also glorified and invested with all Power in Heaven and Earth Math. 28.18 we believe his words k Accedat verbum ad Elementum fit Sacramentum Augustin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dictum Oraculi Pythii ap Herodot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philo de sacrif Abel are sufficient to effect whatsoever he would have done in Baptism There are many believe that in this as well as the other Sacrament the Consecration is made by the divine efficacy of the words of Christ Yet that we may not rest in the repetition of the Syllables only 3. Here is added the requests of the whole Congregation who are all bound to join in this great request that it may be the more prevalent when so many who are already Christian do beg the holy Spirit for the making these Waters effectual to the party now to be baptized And the two former particulars do add much strength to this Petition which we may thus Express O thou who didst so livelily typifie this sacred Ordinance in thy Passion and so plainly institute it after thy Resurrection let us not want thy Presence and thy influence now that we are going about it by express Commission from thee Behold we do all unite our most fervent desires that thou wilt by this Water effect that which far transcends all humane Power Amen Now the things desired are two First That whereas this which we have provided is but common Water yet upon our humble supplication he will send down his Holy Spirit upon it l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyril Catech. 3. Ita de sancto viz. Spiritu sanctificata natura aquarum ipsa sanctificare concepit Tertul. de bapt c. 4. that it may signifie operate and effect all that ever any Soul received in this holy Laver and convey all the blessings of Baptism unto this Child We do not desire nor expect the Water should be changed in substance but only sanctifyed to a new purpose and impregnated with a spiritual property for the mystical washing away of Sin And
attended with miraculous effects which have been ceased above twelve hundred years though it impart no gifts yet it communicates Graces which are much more desireable if hereby we gain the Defence of Gods peculiar protecting hand and the influence of his Spirit that we may understand our duty and practise it so as to go on safely to the possession of Eternal Life we shall have cause to rejoice that we came to it and be obliged to give glory to Jesus who with the Father and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth ever one God World without end Amen §. 9. The general Collect and final Blessing Both these Parts of this Office are expounded in the end of the Communion Service The Collect is added here because the Antients believed that Confirmation was a Preservative to both Body and Soul a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 · Cyril Catech. mystag 3. so that after it we may fitly pray That God may direct sanctifie and govern both our Souls and Bodies so that we may not stray from his Commandments and we make it a new Prayer if we say it with a new Devotion and apply it to this Occasion The Blessing concludes all Offices and particularly ought to end this in regard it is the Epitome of the whole Administration which is only a more solemn Benediction and therefore we must most humbly receive it and most firmly believe it that it may be made good unto us Amen The Conclusion Thus we have represented a Rite in it self Primitive and Pious in its Administration pure and separate from all that Superstition had added to it in its End so excellent that it is commended by Christians of all perswasions and yet alas however it comes to pass too much neglected to the grief of all good Men the scandal of the Church and the great detriment of Religion Wherefore we cannot leave it till we have pressed the constant observation thereof The Romanists indeed pretend to prefer it before Baptism b Hoc sacramentum perfectivum esse Baptismi asserit Aquin. sum 3. p. qu. 72. art 9. majori veneratione venerandum tenendum quam Baptismus Dist 5. de consec can de his but must we give it no honour because they give it too much It is not in our Church set to vye with Baptism but as of old appointed to pursue the same design and ordered to make the Baptismal Vow more solemn and more regarded We do not absolutely deny Salvation to all that want it but we judge it a great sin to despise it or wilfully to neglect it And we think it highly concerns the Church and every particular Person to be careful it be not omitted and that for these Reasons I. Because it tends very much to advance the knowledge of Christian People who are more obliged to teach and to learn when so solemn an Account is to be given II. It conduceth to the encrease of Piety also and lays fresh engagements upon every one to avoid Evil and to do good obtaining withal the Spirit for their assistance therein III. It is an excellent means to preserve the Churches Peace and may prevent many from falling into Schism and Heresie by laying a good foundation at first and by rescuing the younger from the dire misfortune of Evil guides IV. It doth effectually confute the clamours of Anabaptists against our custom of baptizing Children before they can understand for if this be added we have the benefit of Baptism against the danger of Death and yet the same security they pretend to who defer it till riper years V. Hereby we shall agree with the Apostles with the Catholick Church in all Ages with all those wise and holy Men who have enjoined and practised this Rite and believed great benefits were received thereby Which Considerations I hope will have their due effect upon all that are concerned And I. That the Reverend Fathers of the Church will imitate the Piety of the Primitive Bishops and not esteem it a trouble to go into the Country to confirm c Non quidem abnuo hanc esse Ecclesiarum consuetudinem ut ad eos qui longe in minoribus urbibus per Presbyteros Diaconos baptizati sunt Episcopus ad invocationem Sancti Spiritûs manum impositurus excurrat Hieron since they will thereby bring so much good to the Church beget in the minds of the People a singular affection to their Persons and a great Veneration of their Office II. That Parents and Godfathers who stand obliged by the Baptismal Vow will be careful to obtain a discharge from the Bonds they have entred and when they have done their Duty in fitting their Charge for Confirmation I hope they will not repine at a little trouble and charge but rather go to the Bishop than want so great a benefit to themselves and to the Child III. I hope that Ministers will be ready to promote it considering that when they have fitted their Catechumens for this Office and brought them to it they are excellently prepared to receive the benefit of all their after labours and may well hope to give a good account to God of them Finally I wish this serious Advice may encourage all persons who want Confirmation of what Age or condition soever to desire it and wait for an opportunity of it and that it may direct those who come to it to perform their part acceptably and so as to gain the benefits of it And also that it may warn all who have been Confirmed To keep the grace thereof as St. Cyril speaks intire and without spot in their heart daily encreasing in good works and walking in all well-pleasing to the Author of their Salvation Christ Jesus to whom be glory for ever and ever d Cyril Catech. mystag 3. For nothing can more adorn this excellent Rite than the holy Conversation of those who have been partakers thereof FINIS A TABLE Of the chief Heads in the Communion Office Of the Communion Office in general the Analysis of the whole Office PART I.  SECT Parag. Page Of the more general Preparation to the Holy Communion    Of the Lords Prayer I. § 1. 1 the Paraphrase  2 2 Of the Collect for Purity II. 1 3 the Analysis  2 4 the Practical Discourse  3 c. 4 c. the Paraphrase  6 8 Of the Ten Commandments III. 1 9 the Analysis  2  the Practical Discourse containing directions and heads of Self-Examination  3 c. 11 Of the two Collects for the King IV. 1 32 the Analysis of the first  2 34 the Practical Discourse  3 c. 35 the Paraphrase  7 39 the Analysis of the second  9 42 the Paraphrase  10 ib. Of the Epistle and Gospel V. 1 43 and of the Nicene Creed  2 46 the Paraphrase of it  4 50 Of the Offertory and Sentences VI. 1 53 the Analysis of the Sentences  3 58 Discourses