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
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
our Lord Jesus in that rare pattern of his present Intercession in Heaven the last Prayer he made upon Earth for his Church did pray That all of his Religion might be preserved in Truth and Unity John 17.17.21 so that we are assured we beg the same here that he intercedes for above and therefore if it should not be compleatly granted yet he that hath asked this with a great Devotion and endeavoured it to his power shall have satisfaction in the Testimony of a good Conscience and hath testified his unfeigned Charity to the Church and his love to all the Members thereof § 7. We beseech thee also to save and defend all Christian Kings Princes and Governours especially thy Servant CHARLES our King that under him we may be godly and quietly governed We have often prayed for the King already but principally respecting his Authority in the State so we prayed for him alone but now we consider him as a Principal Person in the Church of which he is under Christ i Nutritii patres Ecclesiae Jesai 49.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristot pol. 3. as the Bishops of Rome of old confessed the supream Head and so are other Christian k Christus Imperatori omnia tribuit dominari eum non solum Militibus concessit Greg. Mag. Epist 64. ad Theodor. Princes in their several Countries wnom we therefore here do pray for also as St. Paul commands 1 Tim. 2.2 and as the Antient Church ever did in the time of this Mystery There are now three sorts of Rulers in the Christian World which are here expressed by three words First Kings that is such as have absolute Monarchies Secondly Princes who have Royal Authority in lesser Dominions though not without paying some homages Thirdly Governours who preside in Aristocracies and Common-wealths these and each of these are or ought to be supream Presidents over Ecclesiastical as well as Civil Affairs in the several Jurisdictions and since their Power is imployed to save and l Deus Op. Max. pietatis justae Actionis quoddam quasi vinculum nos esse voluerit Theodos Imp. Ep. ad Cyril defend the Church she is obliged to desire the King of Kings to save and defend them all from Invasions and Rebellions Treasons and all Mischiefs that they may not be hindred in the exercise of their most useful and pious Authority And if we prevail many Millions will receive benefit thereby and every Christian Nation shall have its share in this Blessing It happens I confess sometimes contrary to the wish of all pious Men that even Princes of the same Religion have differences with each other but then we must at this Holy Sacrament forgive our Enemies and with the welfare of the whole Church only we must pray for the safety of other Kings no further than is consistent with the welfare of our natural Liege for whom we must pray especially because under him we enjoy our Liberty and Religion our proprieties and our Peace and if it please God to defend him we doubt not but we shall have under him Quiet and peaceable lives in all Godliness and Honesty 1 Tim. 2.2 that is in two words we shall be godlily and quietly governed and thus our own interest may move us earnestly to intercede for the safety of our Soveraign for the benefit is ours more than his § 8. And grant unto his whole Councel and to all that are put in Authority under him that they may truly and indifferently Minister Iustice to the Punishment of Wickedness and Vice and to the maintenance of thy true Religion and Vertue When Justice is purest in the King the Fountain thereof it is often corrupted in the streams the subordinate Dispensers for Mortal Princes cannot see all with their own Eyes m Numb 10.31 Heb loco oculorum h. e. Confiliarius 70. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut oculus nobis charus necessarius Fag Grot. in loc nor Act all things with their own hands though they be said to judg the Nation Psal 72.2 yet the Mountains or higher Magistrates and the little Hills that is inferior Officers do bring this Righteousness to the people who can seldom receive judgment immediately from the Princes mouth ver 3. Wherefore since we must be more particular in our desires for the welfare of these Kingdoms it is necessary that we pray for all that advise in the making and assist in the executing of good Laws viz. for the Kings Council at large in Parliament as the old Christians prayed pro Senatu or more strictly for the Lords of his Privy-Council who besides their Examination of Causes in those places and their influence upon the Royal Determinations are usually Persons enjoying the highest Dignities and weightiest Offices of the Nation And because by them and the lower Orders of Magistrates all Causes are decided we are bound to pray heartily for them that they may judge by the Rules of Equity truly and indifferently without mistake or partiality and have before their Eyes the great end of all Laws which is the punishment of evil Doers and the incouragement and reward of them that do well u Leges improbos supplicio afficiunt ac defendunt tuentur bonos Cicer. de leg 2. Pius IV. Pont. R pingebat laures cum Virgis cum hoc lemmate Praemium Poena pro sumbolo suo Nic. Cauâ—sin 1 Pet. 2.14 Rom. 13.3 4. And surely happy are the people that are in such a Case when their Counsellors are faithful and prudent their Judges deliberate and upright their Officers careful and without rigour for then the profession of Religion shall be guarded and the practice of Virtue incouraged Innocence shall be safe and wickedness punished nay all Vices made infamous according to the Will of God the desire of our gracious Soveraign and the wishes of all this people especially those who now at this Sacrament come to dedicate themselves to Piety and Devotion they have peculiar Reason to pray that they may be secured in their rights and encouraged in their holy purposes by the due Administration of Justice and the punishment of all that would harm or hinder them because their innocence doth more expose them to the designs of evil men § 9. Give grace O Heavenly Father to all Bishops and Curates that they mat both by their life and Doctrine set forth thy true and lively Word and rightly and duly Administer thy Holy Sacraments The greatest gifts that the divine goodness hath bestowed upon the Sons of Men saith Justinian in his Authenticks are the Royal Power and the Office of Priesthood Both of which are so contrived that they are necessary not only for the Conservation of the World but for the mutual support of each other o Christus voluit ut Christiani Imperatores pro vitâ aeternâ Pontificibus indigerent Pontifices pro cursu temporalium rerum Imperialibus legibus uterentur Rom. leg c.
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
Eyes all things lie open If we were to pass the strictest humane Examination our thoughts would be unobserved and unpunished but we are now to pass a nearer Scrutiny for in this Ordinance our God comes into see the Guests Math. 22.12 and as the Priest in the Temple to search the very Inwards of those who are about to offer up themselves to him Secondly If we complain that our hearts are deceitful Jerem. 17.9 so that we have neither strength to root out nor skill to discover all the Corruptions that are lodged there Let us look up to him who is able to help us in cleansing this Augaean Stable for we may be assured if he see it is our unfeigned desire to be purified his Omnipotence shall not be imployed to ruine us but to destroy our Lusts and his Omniscience not to find them out to our shame but to our amendment And thus the same Attributes that did terrifie us from rude and impure approaches will incourage us again to draw near by shewing us how we may be cleansed § 4. Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the Inspiration of thy holy Spirit This Petition is the Paraphrase of Davids Prayer Psal 51.6 7. Make me a clean heart c. and the moral of all those c Psal 26.6 Lavabo ut rem divinam faciam Plaut procul ite profani washings used by Jews and Gentiles before they came to the Altar And it is the more necessary for us because we are not only entring upon the most solemn part of Gods worship but also in hope that Jesus himself is coming to lodg in our hearts Wherefore being conscious that we are overspread with the Leprosie of Sin while we are yet a great way off Luke 17.12 13. We cry out unclean unclean Levit. 13.45 46. And do call upon Jesus saying Lord if thou wilt thou canst make us clean Mâ—th 8.2 For unless he cleanse us before we come too near He will either abhor us and our offerings Or at least those impure thoughts like Abrahams Fowls will steal away the benefit and the Comfort of our Sacrifice and while our bodies are in the holy place d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philo leg Allegor carry our minds after abominable things leaving a Carcass before the Altar And therefore that no filthy imaginations may defile us nor secular thoughts disturb us Let us pray to be inspired with that purifying Spirit Psal 51.10 11. which will not only eject but keep out all evil affections and preserve the possâ—ssion for the blessed Jesus For he that took up a pure lodging for our Lord in the Virgins Womb must also prepare his Apartment in our Souls if ever we have his Company It is not with Notions or sublime Revelations but with holy inclinations and pure affections that we desire to be inspired which are more excellent in themselves and more necessary for this Heavenly Feast § 5. That we may perfectly love thee and worthily magnify thy holy Name throuâ—h Iesus Christ our Lord Amen It is a great affliction to a truly pious man to find that his heart retains the least affection to iniquity since he desires to love God with all his Soul and with all his strength and to worship him with all his power But whilest sin hath a party within and is a Rival to our Lord We cannot perfectly love him nor worthily praise him no not in this holy Sacrament in which we ought to profess that we love nothing more than God nay nothing equal to him and to shew forth the greatness and goodness of our Redeemer to all the World We are therefore taught to intreat so earnestly for a pure heart lest by any secret delight in wickedness our protestations of love should be adjudged feigned and our praises hypocrisie by him that sees we affect something more dearly and magnifie and esteem it more highly than we do God himself We cannot indeed love God so much as he deserves but if we love him sincerely that is accounted perfectly And although we cannot sufficiently set forth all the praise of which he is worthy e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non semper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed qualemcunque convenientiam denotat Grot. in Math. 10.11 Bene itaque Graeca versio Petlaei hoc loco 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet when we value him in our hearts above all things we are accounted to magnifie him worthily f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non magnum efficere sed magnum praedicare Deum Psal 34.3 Act. 10.46 that is suitably in some measure to his goodness Now since it is such a happiness thus to love and thus to praise God we must desire a clean heart the necessary means thereof through the merits and for the sake of Jesus Christ and then we may be assured that so excellent a thing asked for so noble an end and by so powerful and ingaging a name can never be denied to us and so this Prayer shall have its desired effect Amen The Paraphrase of the Collect for Purity § 6. O Almighty God whose power is terrible to all that approach thee with polluted Souls because thou art that Majesty unto whom the thoughts and imaginations of all hearts be open and apparent all Desires and wishes after any evil are known and evident And the God from whom no secrets in word or deed are hid or by any policy can be concealed The remembrance of our impurity makes us fear to draw near to thee till we have implored thee who alone art able to help us herein to cleanse and purge out all the thoughts of evil which are so commonly the Guests of our hearts lest they provoke thy pure Eyes to pass us by with abhorrency and deprive us of the comfort and benefit of this Communion Blessed Lord prepare thy lodging in our Souls by the inspiration of those pure thoughts and Heavenly desires which are the fruit of thy holy Spirit and the Harbingers of the King of Glory that we may as it is our unfeigned desire at all times and above all things most sincerely and perfectly love thee that thou maist have no secret lust to be thy Rival in our hearts and that we may also especially in this Sacrifice of Praise worthily magnify and agreeably set forth the glory of thy holy Name in giving so illustrious a Salvation to us through Christ Jesus for whose sake we beseech thee to hear us for he is thy Son and shall be our Lord for ever Amen SECT III. Of the Ten Commandments § 1. AS Moses by the special command of God did sanctifie the people before the first promulgation of this Law Exod. 19.14 15. So it is our care in the preceeding Collect that all may be pure which are now to hear it For Gods Law is so holy that such as have hearts defiled with the love of Sin are neither a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato Psal 19.8 9. worthy to
reports of my Neighbour § Have I not incouraged such ill-reports nor published the faults of another to his disgrace § Have I not undervalued good or flattered bad men and given a false Character to please a friend § Have I not suffered an innocent persons good name to be traduced when I had opportunity or power to clear it § Have I not by pride conceived or by boasting uttered false things concerning my self § Have I neither sought unjustly to uphold or wilfully to blast my own Credit Lord have mercy c. And encline c. X. Commandment § Have I not secretly murmured at the Providence of God as if others had too much and my self too little § Have I not greedily coveted the Estate honours o◠comforts of my neighbours nor sought by evil means to procure them to my self § Have I not envyed any so as to be grieved at their prosperity or to wish or rejoice in their losses and calamities § Have I not been apt to undervalue all my own things and neglected to give God thanks for them § Have I not too passionately pursued riches and honours so as to neglect my Soul and Religion upon these accounts § 7. Whosoever hath particularly and seriously asked his own Soul the foregoing Questions will be far from the vanity of the young Man in the Gospel nor is it likely that he will now have the confidence to say as he Matth. 19.20 All these have I kept from my youth For his own Conscience will tell him in most inquiries that He is the Man And accordingly the Church hath provided the Publican Confession Luke 18.12 Lord have mercy upon us Which now may be fitly used First As an humble and dolorous Confession that we are Guilty very Guilty For when the Prisoner falls down and craves Mercy It shews he is convinced of his fault and in that phrase is supposed to acknowledge it Secondly As a passionate and earnest Exclamation for Pardon which now appears infinitely needful when this black and dreadful Bill is set before us Yet lest all this should not be sufficient to produce that sorrow and shame which is necessary for this solemn Confession but our hearts remain still obdurate and unrelenting Let every one lay before himself these Considerations First Meditate of the nature of all these Sins of which thou art guilty They are the Actions of a poor helpless depending Creature done against the holy Will and most gentle and reasonable Commands of that Majesty who could destroy thee in a Moment and whom Angels and all the World besides exactly do obey And besides thou maist upbraid thy self with the folly of Anger the fury of Revenge the filthiness of Lust and the shame of Lying the beastliness of Drunkenness and the misery of Covetousness the unreasonableness of Pride and the vanity of seeking humane Praise the restlesness of Ambition and the vexation of a discontented mind Consider the malignity of all Sin and the baseness of every particular and surely it will appear it was impudence and ingratitude simplicity and madness in thee ever to commit them Secondly Meditate of the number of them And think that if there be so much evil in one Sin How deplorable is thy Case who hast offended in so many kinds Oh how often hast thou acted or designed the greater and more notorious wickednesses And for those which we account the lesser What is wanting in the odiousness of the single Acts thou hast supplyed by frequent repetitions Few days nay minutes passing in thy whole life in which thou dost not sin in these instances I doubt not but thy memory now presents a vast number to thee but alas those that were never observed are far more and those that are forgotten are much more numerous than both Yet these are all noted in the Records of Heaven So that if thou couldest apprehend this formidable Army it would lay thy confidence in the dust and strike thee with amazement to consider how many times thou hast deserved Condemnation Thirdly Meditate of the Desert of these Sins viz. that the wages of any the least unobserved or forgotten sin is death Rom. 6.23 And then how many times hast thou deserved to be cut off Consider how thou art by these transgressions exposed to the wrath of God and to suffer all those Temporal Spiritual and Eternal miseries which the Righteous Judge of all the World hath threatned in his holy word And if thy heart be apt to excuse its faults on pretence of a corrupt Nature a violent Temptation or a sudden surprize and will not believe or fear that God is so highly displeased then tell thy own Soul that for one offence the Angels were cast out of Heaven and Adam out of Paradise and He that is the lover of Men for lighter or fewer Crimes doth lay dreadful Plagues and Miseries upon thy Brethren And God is no respecter of Persons He spared not his own Son when he stood in the place of Sinners and shall He spare thee Oh look up to the Cross of Jesus and behold his Agonies and his Sorrow hear his groans and cryes observe his anguish and his pains Is not God highly displeased with Sin when he makes his own Son the Example of his wrath to his offending Servants In short know that if Repentance do not now procure thy Pardon thou shalt have God and all Creatures thy Enemies and maist justly expect Losses and Crosses Poverty and Reproach Diseases and an evil Death and which is more horrid to be deprived of the aids of Gods Spirit and the offers of Grace and to be left in thy own hardness and impenitency as one that refuseth to be reclaimed And if any or all these have not yet faln upon thee it is only because the Lord will try whether at this time thou wilt seriously Repent but thou art not acquitted though he do awhile forbear Fourthly Meditate of those Aggravations which make thy Sins worse than those of other Men and that will convince thee that thou deservest no less For First Have not many of them been committed against thy knowledge and reason and in despite of all the checks and reluctancies of thy Conscience Secondly And although thou hast made so many vows and taken so many resolutions never to act them more yea and engaged this upon the holy Sacrament of Christs body and blood Yet hast thou not entertained them again Thirdly Have not all those mercies and favours spiritual and temporal wherewith thy Heavenly Father hath courted thy Love been abused by thee and cast away upon thee when all this could not prevail to make thee leave one lust or perswade thee to give over piercing him that hath died for thee Fourthly Hast thou not proceeded in thy evil Courses after all those Examples of divine vengeance on others and all those Calamities which Sin hath brought upon thy own self Hast thou feared any longer than the smart remained Hast thou not made the
his Interest and his Children beloved of God De vitâ Constant l. 4. c. 45. And sure it is prudent to ask our greatest mercies often and especially then when by the commemoration of this All powerful Sacrifice we may be most likely to prevail Yet it is not necessary to disturb the Prayer of Consecration with this and the following General Intercession as the Roman Missals do but is much more conveniently set here in the first place I shall only add that these Reasons are given not so much to satisfie inquiring Curiosity as to shew how reasonable and fit it is that we should again fall upon this Duty with a fresh Devotion To stir us up whereunto here is new fewel in these varieties of Forms laid upon the Altar which will help us to break forth into holy Flames if the good Spirit but please to blow upon us The Analysis of the first Collect for the King Sect. 2. This Collect hath three Parts 1. Of whom we ask God dedescribed by 1. His Name Almighty God 2. His Supremacy Whose Kingdom is everlasting 3. His Might and Power infinite 2. For whom we ask 1. In general for the Church Have mercy upon the whole Church 2. In particular for 1. The King that he may be Pious intimating 1. The Cause And so rule the heart of thy chosen Servant CHARLES our King and Gouernour 2. The Effect that he knowing whose Minister he is may above all things seek thy honour and glory 2. The People that they may be loyal shewing 1. The Branches 1. Fidelity And that we and all his Subjects duly 2. Honour considering whose Authority he hath may 3. Obedience faithfully serve honour and humbly obey him 2. The ground of it in thee and for thee according to thy Blessed word and Ordinance 3. In whose name we ask Through Iesus Christ our Lord who with thee the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth ever one God World without end Amen A Practical Discourse on this Collect. § 3. Almighty God whose Kingdom is Everlasting and Power infinite have mercy upon the whole Church The entrance into this Prayer is a Confession of Gods Eternal Supremacy and Omnipotence in the very words of Scripture Psal 145.13 Dan. 4.34 Psal 147.5 thereby to lift up our hearts above the mutable glory and limited power of all Earthly Kingdoms to him that reigneth for ever and doth whatsoever he pleaseth Our Princes are many and not suffered to continue by reason of death Heb. 7.23 Be they never so great or so good so dear or so useful they must be taken from us But our Supream King is always one and Reigns throughout all Ages So that Gods Church can never want a Patron to secure it in all the changes of this World especially since his power is as infinite as his Dominion is endless and his might hath no limits but his will e Deo non posse nolle est posse velle Tertul. in Prax. Upon the serious meditation whereof we may with hope and chearful expectations ask for the Kings Majesty who is the Head of this Church and for all the Members of the same For this Everlasting and Almighty King is able to furnish them all § 4. And so rule the Heart of thy chosen Servant CHARLES our King and Governour that he knowing whose Minister he is may above all things seek thy honour and glory The blessings which are bestowed on the single members of a Church are the comfort and advantage only of a few but if it may please God to direct the King always to seek his glory herein he shews mercy to the whole Church and blesseth all the Nation at once For the Princes Piety doth put such discouragement upon Vice and cast so great a reputation and lustre upon Religion that good men out of love will follow and evil men for fear will pretend to comply with so excellent an example And thus vertue becomes publick encouraged and prevailing but wickedness infamous and obscure and loseth many of its followers which is curiously expressed in the 72. Psalm Nor is there any one Earthly thing that the truly pious Christian doth more heartily desire We beg with daily Supplications saith Lanctantius concerning the most Excellent Emperour Constantine that the Divine Majesty will always preserve you whom he hath chosen to preserve us all and that he will inspire you with a heart always to persevere in the love of God which will be advantageous and salutary to all and will procure your endless happiness and the peace of all your Subjects Lact. instit in fine Kings are the choicest of Gods Servants and in Scripture peculiarly stiled his chosen Psal 89.3.19 So that we may presume to beseech him to bestow more than ordinary Grace upon our dear Soveraign whom God hath so wonderfully restored to us and so mercifully preserved over us that no Prince in the World hath had such signal testimonies of the favours of Heaven to him We may pray therefore with much hope and we ought to beg with great Devotion that God would rule over him who governs us and guide him by whose Counsels we are ordered in such wise that he may ever have in his Eye the Power and Goodness of his great Master and always know that is consider f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 13.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 6. by whom he is deputed and bear himself continually as the Vicegerent of God by whom all Kings Reign and in all his actings and Consultations that he may aim at nothing so much as the advancing of the Divine Glory from whence all his honour is derived And surely herein our gracious King will firmly establish his own Throne and make all his Subjects happy For that Wisdom and Piety Justice and Equity which doth set for Gods glory and make so many join in magnifying him that hath set so excellent a Prince over us will be both his and our extraordinary benefit We will therefore ever Pray that our Soveraign Liege may be above all concern'd to continue his care to defend the Church and execute Justice that we may be happy under his shadow and after-Generations may call him blessed to which every loyal heart and pious Soul will most affectionately say Amen § 5. And that we and all his Subjects duly considering whose Authority he hath may faithfully serve honour and humbly obey him in thee and for thee according to thy blessed word and Ordinance We must not only look at the Kings duty but also be mindful of our own For the happiness of a Nation consisteth not only in a Religious Prince but also in Obedient people And therefore we are taught in the next place to pray that not only we but all that are under his Majesties Dominion may be loyal and faithful humble and obedient revering his Authority observing his Laws and opposing all his and our Enemies That we may serve him with our Estates and Persons if
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
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
and Mountains of difficulties before he can reach that blissful Crown it is little less than Miracle that all men do not sooner or latter fall and fall from the faith and fear of God What prospect in the World can ravish us with greater pleasuâ—es or raise in us higher admirations of the divine goodness than to behold those that were once as frail and sinful as we are now advanced above Satans malice or Deaths Power and placed in the Regions of Joy and the Bosom of Jesus that we might not tremble or think it impossible to come thither also Doth not their felicity give life to our hopes and become a pledge of our own future glory why should we not then rejoice with them and delight our selves with the very news of our Brethrens happiness what other Communion is there between us and those blessed Spirits but that they in general pitty and wish well to us and we praise God with and for them And by thus meditating of their most desirable estate we shall learn to despise Death and long to be with such inviting Company nay languishing after the happy enjoyment of such noble Society for ever and ever Who can look up to these Mansions and not enquire for the path that leads thither and be strongly attracted to follow the steps of those who have so successfully trodden this way before This makes the pious Soul so passionately beg the divine grace that it may do as they have done live as they lived and die as they died so that what they are now it may be hereafter The Scythians as Lucian relates kept the memorials of their brave Men with great joy that so many might strive to become like unto them d Simus inter exempla quare deficimus quare desperamus quicquid fieri potuit potest Sen. ep 98. Magnorum virorum non minus quam praesentia utilis est memoria idem ep 102. And St. Augustine saith when any duty seemed difficult he was wont to think of the Saints of former times and he imagined they derided his sloath saying Tu non poteris c. Canst not thou do what those Men nay those Women once did that which hath been effected is not impossible Would we make this use of our faithful Brethren departed their memory and example would be as profitable as if we had their bodily presence with us and the remembrance of their glory would strongly excite us to follow their good example till we came with them to partake of that Heavenly Kingdom in the mean time we shall never want matter for to praise God in their behalf since his truth and mercy to them is the confirmation of our Faith the encouragement of our duty and gives us in contemplation an antepast of our happiness before we come to the full enjoyment of it § 13. Grant this O Father for Iesus Christ his sake our only Mediator and Advocate Amen This general Conclusion of all our Prayers we should not remark particularly here but that the Mass hath thrust in the names of the B. Virgin and other Saints e Et omnium Sanctorum tuorum quorum meritis precibusque concedas in Canone Missae Rom. into the Supplications through whose Merits and Prayers they intercede even in this place where there is a lively Commemoration of the Death of Christ our only Mediator which is not only the holding a Candle to the Sun but seems to intimate that to plead in the Virtue of our Lords Passion is not sufficient that that intercession by which the Holy Virgin and all other Saints became accepted by God was not alone forceable enough But we desire no other Mediator nor need no other Advocate 1 Tim. 2.5 but our Lord Jesus Christ who is here represented nor do we doubt to ask all these Mercies for all these Persons since we approach our Heavenly Father with his dear and only beloved Son in our Arms wherefore let us bless the name of God who hath chosen such a Master of Requests to present our Prayers and put such an Argument in our Mouths when we approach unto him Let us look to the holy Symbols and remember our great High Priest while we offer up the Intercessions with a great humility and a sprightly devotion because our God will not nay cannot deny those that thus come unto him The Paraphrase of the Prayer for the whole Church § 14. O Almighty and Everliving God who art able to help all Persons always and in all things We are unworthy to ask for our selves and yet we are incouraged to intercede for others since by thy holy Apostle Saint Paul thou hast taught us in our daily Assemblies to make Prayers to obtain good Intercessions and Supplications to remove evil in behalf of all the World And to give thanks for the Mercies received by all men Believing therefore thy willingness to grant these things which thou commandest us to ask We humbly disclaim our own Merits beseech thee for Jesus sake and by the Vertue of his Passion here set forth most mercifully ** This to be omitted when there is no Collection ** to accept this poor acknowledgment of thy bounty and testimony of our love in these our Alms to the Poor and Oblations to thy Ministers intreating thee also to hear and ** This to be omitted when there is no Collection ** to receive all our former Petitions especially these our Prayers for all People which we offer as the evidence of our Universal Charity most heartily to thy Divine Majesty who art all-sufficient to supply the whole World To thy goodness therefore we come Beseeching thee though miraculous gifts are ceased yet to inspire continually with such grace the whole body of the Vniversal Church spread over all the Earth that it may be quickened with the most holy Spirit which teacheth the Principles of truth and produceth Vnity in the Faith and Concord in the affections of thy people And grant that all the Members of thy Church that do profess thy true Religion and confess to believe in thy holy Name laying aside their animosities may agree all their differences and so fully rest in the infallible truth of thy Holy Word and its determinations of all necessary things that notwithstanding some lesser varieties they may have mutual peace And live as Children of the same Father in Vnity without Schism or Heresie in Charity and godly love without Malice or Envy among them And because thy Church cannot well subsist on Earth without temporal Guardians We beseech thee also in order to the common good to save the Souls and defend the Persons and Rights of all Christian Magistrates who in their several Dominions have or ought to have supream governance of the Church whether they be absolute Kings or free Princes or else Rulers and Governours in popular States But as our duty interest and affection do peculiarly oblige us We pray thee Especially to save and defend Him who
doth acknowledge himself to be thy Servant even CHARLES our King and Soveraign Liege Help him so to defend Religion execute Justice and subdue his Enemies that under him we and all his Subjects may be religiously and godly peaceably and quietly Governed and accordingly be obedient unto as well as happy in so gracious a Prince And that his excellent Laws may not be perverted in their Administration O Lord Grant such grace unto his whole Council with whom he adviseth in making Laws and to all Magistrates and Officers that are put in Authority to execute them under him That they may deliberately weigh every cause and truly and indifferently determine it so as to make it appear they do minister Iustice and imploy their Power To the punishment of wickedness and greater Crimes the correction of lesser enormities and Vice And the maintenancâ— and defence of the Profession of thy true Religion together with the Practice of all Equity and Vertue which is the endeavour of all Righteous Magistrates But that Piety and Justice may be taught by the Ministers as well as outwardly incouraged â—iâ—e grace O Heavenly Father for the same thy Son Jesus Christs sake to all whom thou hast made Bishops and Governours or Pastors and Curates over thy Flock Assist them so in those sacred offices that they may both by the holiness of their life and the purity of their Doctrine declare and set forth the excellencies of thy true quickening and lively Wâ—rd so that many may be won to live according to it And grant that they may also orderly and rightly frequently and duly Administer both Baptism and the Lords Supper which are thy Holy Sacraments And let them be particularly assisted in the Celebration of the present mystery And that all their labours be not in vain Do thou to all thy People throughout the Christian World â—ive thy Heavenly Grace to dispose their hearts rightly to receive divine things Especially grant to this Congregation and every person here present before thee that with meek hearts from a sense of their own ignorance and due reverence from the apprehension of thy Authority they may hear attentively and receive by Faith the directions of thy Holy Word O Lord let them be converted by it and become real Christians truly serving thee in all the duties of Piety and Holiness Charity and Righteousness and continue in this Obedience all the days of their life especially after this solemn renewing of their Covenant with thee And further reflecting upon thy pitty towards all afflicted persons for the sufferings-sake of thy dear Son We that yet are spared do most humbly beseech thee that though we and our Brethren deserve to suffer yet of thy goodness thou wilt be pleased O Lord effectually at present to comfort and speedily to deliver and succour not those distressed Creatures alone which we particularly love or know but all them who are capable of the benefit of our Prayers even all who in this transitory life the Scene of sorrows are in trouble and fear of some approaching Evil or in sorrow for some Calamity already sustained All that are in need and want as to their outward Estate or in pain and sickness as to their body Or who are visited with some or all of these or any other Adversity Oh pitty and relieve them all And Finally as we praise thee for all the Mercies which thou minglest with the Miseries of this life so we also bless and chiefly praise thy holy Name for those who have no mixtures of sin or sorrow in their Cup of pure and perfect joy even for all thy Saints and holy Servants who were once as frail as we but by thy grace are now departed out of this life but who did live in thy Faith and die in thy fear never forsaking Religion nor a good Conscience We rejoice in their happiness and though we need not pray for them yet we cannot forbear beseeching thee for our selves who are yet upon the Waves that thou wilt please to give us also the same grace which thou gavest them That we may be able so to follow their good Examples in all Piety and Charity while we live that with them and in that glorious Society we may when we die be Partakers by the like Mercy of thy Heavenly Kingdom and its unspeakable felicities Hear us we beseech thee and Grant this and all the rest O Father to thy poor Children who make not our Requests in our own Name or trusting in our own merits but for Iesus Christ his sake and through the most prevailing Sacrifice of his Death here Commemorated Nor do we need or desire to use any other name since he is Our only Mediator to make our peace and Advocate to plead our cause who also joins with us in these Petitions and therefore we hope thou wilt say to him and to us Amen and then it shall be so SECT VIII Of the warning before the Communion § 1. IT is fit that great Mysteries should be ushered in with the solemnities of a great preparation for which cause God gave the Israelites three days warning of his design to publish the Law Exod. 19.15 and ordered their Festivals to be proclaimed by the sound of a Trumpet some time before Levit. 25.9 Numb 10.2 The Paschal Lamb the Type of Christ in this Sacrament was to be chosen and kept by them four days to mind them to prepare for the Celebration of the Passover Exod. 12.3.6 And Christians having more and higher duties in order to this Holy Feast must not have less time or shorter warning whereupon as good Hezekiah published by particular expresses his intended Passover long before 2 Chron. 30. so hath our Church prudently ordered this timely notice to be given that none might pretend to stay away out of ignorance of the time or unfitness for the duty but that all might come and come prepared also It is needless to expect a President for this in the antient Church their daily or Weekly Communions made it known that there was then no solemn Assembly of Christians without it and every one not under censure was expected to Communicate But now when the time is somewhat uncertain and our long omissions have made some of us ignorant and others forgetful of this duty most of us unwilling and all of us more or less indisposed for it it was both prudent and necessary to provide these large Warnings and Exhortations Cautions and Instructions For the Composures themselves they are exact and rarely fitted to be the Harbingers to this blessed Sacâ—ament and if we duly weigh and carefully improve them they will exceedingly help towards our Preparation as will be evident enough without a Paraphrase in the succeeding Analysis and Discourse The Analysis of the Warning before the Communion § 2. This Warning consisteth of three principal Parts 1. Information concerning 1. The Time Dearly beloved on next I purpose c. 2. The Persons to administer to all
pit He saw us wretched and miserable lying hopeless and helpless reserved in Chains of Darkness to the judgment of the great Day and then he had Compassion on us and broke our Bonds in sunder But there is one step higher still 4. Let us behold the noble design and happy consequence of this Deliverance he hath not only snatched us from the flames of Hell but made us Heirs of Heaven not only pacified our offended Judge but engaged him to become our most gracious Father so that he owns us for his Friends adopts us for his Children and intends us to be partakers of his endless joys We are taken from our Dungeon into the Family of God from his Bar into his Bosom and advanced to be like unto the Angels in glory and immortality Oh the heigth and length the depth and breadth of the love of Christ Who can sufficiently admire it that so great a Majesty should stoop so low and suffer so much for so poor and so evil-deserving wretches with purpose to advance them to so blessed a condition this is a subject fit for an Angels Song-Praise the Lord oh my Soul and let all thy powers be acted with such love and wonder that thou maist break forth into all the expressions of joy that admiration and gratitude can inspire thee with Glory be to thee O Lord most high § 9. And to the end that we should always remember the exceeding great love of our Master and only Saviour thus dying for us and the innumerable benefits which by his precious blood-shedding he hath obtained to us he hath instituted and ordained holy mysteries as pledges of his love and for a continual remembrance of his Death to our great and endless comfort Our merciful and gracious Lord hath so done his marvellous works that they ought to be had in remembrance Psal 111.3 but especially this work of our Redemption which to forget were an ingratitude baser than Heathens or Publicans ever knew Math. 5.46 and might almost compare with the Cruelty of his Murtherers Is it not our greatest comfort and our highest honour that we were thus redeemed by such a Saviour Can we forget that precious blood which was the price of our Souls and the purchase of Heaven by which we obtain benefits more than we can number greater than we can sufficiently apprehend Pardon and peace the love of God and the service of Angels Victory over Satan and the Conquest of Death the Conversion of Souls and the fruition of glory do all spring from it with many many more The Choire of Heaven bless God for it and Eternity is designed to sing the glory of this excellent love which had no pattern hath no parallel nor ever can it fully have an imitation John 15.13 Rom. 5.7 8. And is it possible now that those for whom all this was done should ever forget so rare a mercy or neglect so cheap d Qui meminit sine impendio gratus est Sen. so mean a return as to Commemorate it with thanksgiving Reason would deem this impossible but experience alas shews it is too frequent and both good and bad do more or less let slip the memory hereof Wherefore the holy Jesus found it necessary to appoint this Sacrament to be the Worlds Remembrancer therein It hath been the Custom of all Nations to preserve the memory of their Hero's and to perpetuate their deliverances by appointing publick Games and Festivals thus Cities commemorate their Founders and the Sects of Philosophers their first Authors yet all these being of humane Institution are soon apt to decay and beside they are without advantage to the Souls of men But our Lord hath appointed a Commemoration of his Death and our Salvation that shall as far out-last as it doth outvy them all A Coelestial Banquet and worthy of so great so divine an Author Which doth at once represent our Saviours Passion before us and convey its benefits to us it demonstrates his love confirms our Faith mortifies our Lusts it makes us like to Jesus and one with him And how can we have more evident pledges of his favour He knew we were apt to forget him and then we grow cold and dull exposed to our Enemies and open to all mischief wherefore he hath contrived these mysteries that we might neither want the comfort of remembring his holy Passion nor the benefit of sharing in the merits of it He had given himself for all before but now he gives himself to every particular Soul Let us then take care duly to receive these Tokens of his endless love and they shall begin a joy which shall never cease till our Lord in person shall appear in all his glory and by the brightness of his presence remove all these Vails and Coverings and give us leave to see him face to face § 10. To him therefore with the Father and the Holy Ghost let us give as we are most bounden continual thanks submitting our selves wholly to his holy will and pleasure and studying to serve him in true holiness and righteousness all the days of our life Amen By this time surely we begin to be melted with these vigorous manifestations of the love of Christ and our affections big with gratitude and admiration begin to struggle within us for therefore is this representation made that we might remember it and remembred that we might celebrate it with Hymns and Eucharist My heart is ready O God saith the pious Soul My heart is ready Psal 108.1 Most seasonably therefore doth the Priest invite us to Praise the Lord with him just now and summon us to this excellent duty almost in the very words of St. Paul Heb. 13.15 We have seen the everlasting love of the Father the unspeakable kindness of the Son the incomparable grace of the Holy Ghost and our own infinite Obligations Let us therefore all join in offering up all possible Praise and Glory let us begin the Office with it that it may warm our hearts and dispose them for all the following parts thereof And let us worship the blessed Trinity with such sincere and hearty thanksgivings that the Choire of Communicants may be a little Emblem of that of Angels with this only difference that they openly behold that which we discern by Faith but both they and we rejoice in it with joy unspeakable and full of glory But because when we have done all we can we shall come far short we must resolve not only to make a few praises in this highest part of our Devotion but to perpetuate the duty to our lives end for our very life is too short and all our Thanksgiving too narrow to celebrate these mercies let us strive therefore to imprint the love of Jesus so deeply in our minds that the memory thereof may never depart from us but be ever in us and always dispose us to bless the Lord at all times in all places and upon all occasions And further since no praises
of our Lips can be sufficient we are here prescribed another way to make our thanks to be continual viz. by glorifying God in our Lives And this we may effectually do 1. By resigning up our selves to the disposal of his providence 2. By yielding obedience to all his holy Commandments 1. By our submission to his will we glorifie him by declaring that through these tokens of his favour we are so satisfied of his Wisdom and his Love that we can be confident that whatsoever he shall appoint is good for us We tell all the World that whatsoever comes from God is just and holy wisely ordered graciously designed and full of mercy 2. By our serving him in Holiness we express how highly we are obliged to him how sure we are of the excellency of his Laws and how fully we are Conquered by his amazing love and thus the praises of God are writ in plain and real Characters in the lives of contented and righteous men so that all the World may read them The Eucharist is but for one hour the Hymns will soon be over but by Submission and Obedience we may glorifie our God continually and every moment Amen SECT II. Of the immediate Invitation § 1. THE Guests being come and the provisions ready it was the office of the Governour of the Feast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 2.9 to make them sit down which place the Disciples sustained in that miraculous feeding of the 5000. John 6.10 as an Emblem that they and their Successors should do it ever after in this Coelestial Banquet Thus our Church according to the Custom of the Primitive Christians orders the Priest to invite the Communicants to draw near So in that antient Book which bears the name of Dionysius the Areop we read the holy Man used to say Come my Brethren unto this holy Communion a Dionys Eccles Hier. cap. 3. And in the Liturgies of St. Chrysostome and St. James Come near with fear and Faith b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Liturg S. Chrys And in the Constitutions Coming in Order with reverence and holy fear c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Constit Apost l. 2. c. 57. Yet we do not only call men to this holy Feast but withal we mind them again of those qualifications without which God will not accept and receive them We do not saith St. Chrysost d Chrysost hom 24. in 1. ad Corinth exhort men to destroy themselves by impudent and rude approaches but that they may come with fear and purity unto the Lord We tell them all that unless they have truly repented and are in perfect Charity and have intire purposes of amendment they can neither come with Faith receive with Comfort nor depart with a blessing In the Olympick Games the Cryer by Proclamation enquired If any could accuse the Agonist to have been a Slave a Thief or of Evil Conversation for no such were allowed to strive there But our Herald saith the aforesaid Author makes his appeal to our own Consciences and makes us our own Accusers e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys ad Heb. 9. Eth. for every man best knows his own heart and each one is most concerned for his own safety therefore let us be ingenuous and deal truly between God and our Souls in this affair if our own hearts tell us we are not thus qualified in any measure we ought to forbear if we be in any tolerable degrees thus disposed I may say as they once to the blind man Mark 10.49 Arise be of good Comfort he calleth you When the Servant calls you in the name and by the rules of his great Master you are to repute it as the very words of Christ himself and to believe that he invites you It is recorded as the great honour of the famous Pindar f Scholias Graec. in ejus vitâ Lil. Greg. Giraldus Dialog 9. that the Priest of Apollo did by order from the God invite him frequently to Feast upon the remainders of his Sacrifices But how much more honour and Comfort hath the true Christian in being thus lovingly called by Jesus himself Come ye blessed of the Lord draw near with Faith and Feast with holy Joy and Comfort Let not the sense of former sins which you have repented of keep you back but bring you hither more humbly for the very next duty you are to perform is to ease your Soul of those sad remembrances by a meek and hearty Confession concerning which the Church gives you a full direction in two words 1. For the temper of your Souls that you make it with humility and Contrition 2. For the posture of your Bodies that you do it upon your bended knees as Shimei confest his Treason to King David 2 Sam. 19.18 and as all Criminals Petition mortal Princes for their Pardon Put therefore your outward and inward man into this posture so shall you be fit to repeat the adjoining Confession to which we shall turn our discourse when we have given you the Analysis and Paraphrase of this Invitation and so made it sufficiently plain to all The Analysis of the Invitation Sect. 2. This Invitation consists of three parts The Qualifications required in those that are invited viz. 1. Repentance Ye that do truly and earnestly repent you of your sins 2. Charity And art in Love and Charity with your Neighbours 3. Holy purposes And intend to lead a new life following the Commandments of God and walking from henceforth in his holy ways 2. The Invitation it self Draw near with Faith and take this Holy Sacrament to your Comfort 3. A direction as to 1. The duty next to be done And make your humble Confession to Almighty God 2. The manner of doing it Meekly kneeling upon your knees The Paraphrase of the Invitation § 3. O all Ye that do sincerely and truly passionately and earnestly repent you of all your former iniquities and your sins which ye have committed And ye that have cast away all malice and are in a perfect state of Love and Charity with every one of your Neighbours And ye that condemning your by-past folly do resolve and intend to lead a new life taking Jesus for your guide following the Commandments of God fully and walking from henceforth unblameably in his holy ways in the name of Christ I bid you that are so qualified to draw near to this holy Table with Faith in your Saviours mercy and take this Holy Sacrament the pledge of his love to your great and endless Comfort only because you must have no secret accusations of Conscience to disturb your joy in this blessed Feast Open your heart to the Lord once more And make your humble Confession with great sorrow and contrition to Almighty God and that in the lowlyest posture meekly kneeling upon your knees to beg your Pardon from the King of Kings SECT III. Of the Confession § 1. BEsides those publick Confessions in the reconciliation of notorious Offenders
only with the Priest but with Angels and with Archangels and all the Company of Heaven c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys hom 18. in 2. ad Cor. for Jesus by his Death hath united Heaven and Earth and designed all his redeemed ones to sing Hallelujahs with the blessed spirits above for ever Wherefore it is fit that in this Commemoration of his Passion we should begin to unite our Voices to them with whom we hope to praise God to all Eternity Only as we sing with them let us sing like them and not spoil their blessed harmony by mingling flat and discordant notes O with what delight and pleasure sincerity and joy do they sing this Hymn while they are ravished with the prospect of the divine perfections Could we but see their felicity and hear their Musick it would transport us above our selves and make us forget and despise all other pleasures to join with them It may be we fear that we cannot sing in so high a note yet if we do it with like sincerity our lower key may grace the harmony and compleat the Concord Behold those blessed Spirits who had no need of any Saviour and who never did offend do praise God with incessant Voices for his mercy and love to us and seem to invite us saying O ye Sons of men praise the Lord with us and let us magnifie his name together How then can we be silent especially when our glorified Brethren Prophets and Apostles Saints and Martyrs do also bear a part in this admirable Hymn How justly do we stile the object of these praises a glorious Name since all the World resounds its praise To it Cherubin and Seraphin Angels and Archangels continually do cry Holy Holy Holy and all the Saints in Heaven and Earth do join to set forth the glory thereof § 7. Evermore praising thee and saying Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hosts Heaven and Earth are full of thy Glory Glory be to thee O Lord most high This primitive and triumphant Hymn was first taught unto the Prophet Isaiah Chap. 6.3 when he was admitted to hear it sung in the Quire of Heaven But as Procopias well observes the Triple Holy could not fit the Jewish Synagogue and so was designed at first for the Christian Church who confess the Holy Trinity wherefore it was again revealed to St. John Revel 4.8 and afterwards constantly used by all Churches in the Celebration of these Mysteries for it is found in all the Liturgies of St. James St. Mark St. Basil and fully in St. Chrysostoms thus Before thee stand thousands of Archangels and many thousands of Angels Cherubins and Seraphins singing the triumphant Hymn chanting forth crying and saying Holy Holy Holy Lord God c. and the like appears in the Apostolick Constitutions lib. 8. cap. 16. so that though some affirm that Sixtus the eight Bishop of Rome brought it first in use with the Latine Church about 130. years after Christ yet Nicephorus doubts not to say it was derived from an Apostolical Tradition hist lib. 18. c. 51. The Grecians call it the Trisagium because the word Holy is thrice repeated and of latter times do express it thus Holy God Holy Strong Holy Immortal d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sixt. Sene◠Bib. Sanct. l. 5. annot 58. Have mercy on us And they have a Tradition that they were commanded thus to repeat it by a Child which for some time was rapt up into Heaven in the time of a great Earthquake in the days of Theodosius junior and Proclus the Patriarch and by so repeating it the City was delivered However it is certainly an Act of Praise wherein we worship and adore the whole Trinity and Galatinus d Pet. Galatinus lib. 2. c. 1. de Jesai 6.3 saith it was antiently read in Jonathans Chaldee Paraphrase Holy Father Holy Son Holy Spirit but as it is nothing is more plain e Non semel dicunt ne singularitatem credas non bis dicunt ne spiritum excludas non sanctos ne pluralitatem aestimes sed ter repentant idem dicunt ut etiam in hymno distinctionem Trinitatis divinitatis intelligas unitatem Ambr. de sp sanc l 3. c. 18. ita Epiphan in Ancorat Procop. Gazaeus in Jesaiam than that every Person is acknowledged to be Holy and all to be one Lord God of Hosts who commands the Armies of Heaven and all the Creatures of the World whose Glory fills both Heaven and Earth Which way can we look or what can we think upon that doth not declare how great and gracious their Creator and Preserver is and how can we then refrain from giving glory also unto the Lord most High In his nature he is holy in all his works glorious let us praise him therefore with pure hearts for he is thrice Holy let us bless him with a mighty vigour that as the Angels make the Upper so we may make the lower Region Eccho with his praise It was long since ordained that this Hymn should be used every day supposing the faithful would never be weary of so sweet and desirable an imployment f Quia tam dulcis desiderabilis vox etiam si die noctuque possit dici fastidium generare non possit Concil Vasens can 6. An. 450. But surely it is most proper for this blessed Sacrament that as every person in the Trinity concurred to our Redemption so every one may be adored in the memorial thereof The Father is Holy who gave us such a Saviour the Son is Holy who effected this Salvation and the Spirit is Holy who sanctifies us by the vertue thereof and yet these three are one Lord to whom we must now with most fervent gratitude offer up the Sacrifice of Eucharist and Thanksgiving O ye Heavenly powers that rejoice for the sake of us poor Sinners we join with you and with joyful hearts over our Propitiation do sing Holy Holy Holy Lord God c. Glory be to thee O Lord most high Amen An Appendix of the particular Prefaces § 8. It is long since the daily and weekly Communions have been generally laid aside by the people for St. Chrysostome himself takes notice that ordinary Christians in his time had appropriated their communicating to the greater Festivals of the Church g Chrys orat de B. Philogono and some affirm that Fabian the Martyr did order those seasons especially for all the faithful to receive h Sabellicus Volatteranus ad An. Christi 236. And truly a solemn time of joy seems the most proper for the Celebration of this Heavenly Feast Now hereupon it came to pass that as the Church was wont at this Holy Table to give thanks for all mercies so they did peculiarly praise God for the mercy commemorated on that Festival upon which they did Communicate which doubtless was the Original of these particular Prefaces In the Roman Church there were formerly nine of them to which Vrban added
my dejected mind and turn my ignorance into knowledge my knowledge into practice and make that practice so sweet and easie that this may be a day of joy to me also solemnized in the white garments of sanctification and rejoicing And finally let not this Heavenly Inspiration be only expressed in extasies and holy fervors this day but let thy spirit rest upon me and dwell in me for ever So shall I always have cause to bless thee for so incomparable a gift Methinks I feel already the force thereof bearing down my corruptions and its bright beams driving away the mists of sin and error I find its flames warming my heart with Zeal and Charity and its quickning power opening my sealed lips to shew forth thy praise Therefore with Angels c. A Meditation for the Communion on Trinity-Sunday § 13. O admirable mystery to be adored in the profoundest silence by the contemplation whereof when I am struck with amazement I can learn humility and discover my own ignorance and I have the opportunity of exercising a nobler Faith than if I could comprehend it with my shallow reasonings and imperfect demonstrations The Trinity in Vnity and the Vnity in Trinity hath been derided by the Heathens and endeavoured to be perplexed by the wits of all kinds of Hereticks but it sufficeth me blessed Jesus that thou hast revealed it and thy Holy Church divided in too many other things hath universally agreed in this great Truth And I am the more confirmed in it because I learn by it to worship with a regular devotion from hence I am taught to pray to the Father in the name of the Son through the assistance of the Holy Ghost and as long as I live will I praise thee and magnifie thee in this manner I will bless thee particularly at this holy feast for so excellent a revelation for this Ordinance it self contains many things above my understanding and is all mystery The Trinity is the Article and this Sacrament the Rite which do distinguish thy true Religion from all the Sects in the World wherefore by observing this Rite I do embrace this Faith and upon the representation of thy death I do profess to live in it and die for it resolving never to have other Lord And when I find the Father giving the Son given and the Holy Ghost dispensing that gift unto my Soul in this sacred Communion it shall be a greater confirmation to my Faith in this Divine Mystery than can be acquired from the most curious search into it However I am resolved my Reason shall vail to thy Word and I will be content to stay for a full apprehension of this sublime Truth till I am advanced to a state of Angelick Perfection and come to behold the glories of the Trin-une God till then I will bless thee for what I know and believe more than I can conceive and I will worship the same Majesty which the Heavenly Quire doth in these addresses Therefore with Angels c. PARTITION III. Of the Celebration SECT I. Of the Address § 1. THE nearer we approach to these mysteries the greater reverence we must express The very Heathen could say men should be always best when they came to the Gods a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pythag. ap Plur. de superstit and therefore so much better by how much they come nearer Our late rejoicing might savour of too much confidence if it were not allayed with this Act of humility which is the immediate Address to this holy Feast There is somewhat agreeable to this some Apology or acknowledgment in all antient Liturgies but that of St. James comes the nearest to this of ours I come to this divine and supercoelestial mystery unworthy indeed but relying on thy goodness And afterwards Turn not away from us sinners who are celebrating this dreadful and unbloody Sacrifice for we trust not in our own righteousness but in thy bountiful mercy c. But in none so fully as in this present form can the devout Soul express its sense of its own unworthiness and its desires to taste of this Heavenly Banquet as by our usual method will be more clearly manifested The Analysis of the Address Sect. 2. The Address hath two Parts 1. An Apology for this our approach shewing 1. The ground thereof 1. Negatively We do not presume to come to this thy Table O merciful Lord trusting in our own righteousness 2. Affirmatively But in thy manifold and great mercies 2. The persons coming We are not worthy so much as to gather up the Crumbs under thy Table 3. What he is to whom we come But thou art the same Lord whose property is always to have mercy 2. A Prayer for a blessing upon it noting 1. To whom we pray Grant us therefore gracious Lord 2. What we pray for so to eat the flesh of thy dear Son Iesus Christ and to drink his blood 3. For what end 1. A present advantage by the 1. Cleansing of our Bodies that our sinful bodies may be made clean by his Body 2. Purifying of our Souls and our Souls washed through his most precious blood 2. A continual benefit by an inseparable Uâ—ion And that we may evermore dwell in him and he in us Amen A Practical Discourse upon the Address § 3. We do not presume to come to this thy Table O merciful Lord trusting in our own righteousness but in thy manifold and great mercies When Josephs Brethren were invited to his House they durst not enter till they had made their Apology at the door because they esteemed themselves both criminal and unworthy Gen. 43.20 How then shall we that are greater offenders and more unworthy presume to sit down at the Table of the King of Kings before we have expressed our reverence and humility It is his goodness indeed to do us this honour but then it is at least our duty to be so just as to confess it is a free and undeserved favour agreeing rather to the nobleness of the giver than to the deserts of the Receivers b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysos Now how can we better declare this than in the words of that favourite of Heaven Dan. 9.23 the Prophet Daniel whose Prayer was heard before it was finished because he presented it not trusting in his own Righteousness but in Gods manifold and great mercies Dan. 9.18 And that we may speak these words with the same sincerity and make these addresses with the same sense of our own unworthiness Let us consider 1. How dangerous it is to come to this Holy Sacrament with a proud heart For Pride is foolish c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodoret. therap ser 1. and unreasonable in it self dishonourable and injurious to God offensive and troublesome to our Brethren hardening and mischievous to our selves and especially it is most odious and contrary to our Lord Jesus whose humility we are here to remember Solomon accounts it an uncomely
Blessed Sacrament on purpose to purifie us and unite us unto our dear Redeemer Why then do we stand looking one upon another Gen. 42.1 and not rather look up to him that only can help us all will not our own necessities open our mouths nor his tender mercies incourage us to call upon him to give us grace that we may eat and live We do intend to eat but we had better not eat at all than not eat So k 1 Cor. 11.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So let him eat Psal 26.6 So will I compass c. as God requires and So as to be bettered thereby Now to the pure all things are pure but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure Titus 1.15 In vain therefore should we desire in the following Prayer of Consecration that these Elements should become the body and blood of Christ if we did not first pray that we might worthily receive them There must be a change in us or else though Christs natural flesh and blood were here and we should eat and drink thereof every day we could not partake of Christ l Qui discordat à Christo nec carnem ejus manducat nec sanguinem bibit etiamsi tantae rei sacramentum quotidiè indifferentèr accipiat Prosp sent 341. It is our eating with Faith and penitence love and holy purposes that makes it to be Christs body and blood to us most wisely therefore hath the Church ordered that before we pray for the Consecration of the Symbols we should desire to be Consecrated our selves Thus St. Ambrose in that Prayer said to be used by him before he Communicated saith O holy Bread which camest down from Heaven and givest life to the World come into my heart and cleanse me from all defilements of flesh and spirit enter into my Soul heal and sanctifie me within and without Let us consider the spots and stains the foulness and diseases with which our bodies and Souls are overspread and then behold this salutary and living Manna which hath power to restore us to an excellent purity and to make us amiable in the Eyes of God and then we shall heartily put up this Petition we shall hunger and thirst after it groan and long for it m Famelicus accedo ne recedam impastus si antequam comedam suspiro da vel post suspiria ut comedam August Med. c. 39. as it is reported St. Catherine was wont to do with the same passion that the Child doth for the Breast of its Mother Let us come then with most ardent desires and summon up all our Powers now the Angel is so near who makes our Bethesda Medicinal let us passionately cry out and say Lord hast thou set open this Fountain and wilt thou let a wretched Creature die for thirst in thy presence hast thou prepared such balm to heal me and shall I languish here before thee I know if thou wilt thou canst make me clean here is the very instrument in thy hand Grant therefore holy Jesus that I may duly apply it and rightly use it and then it shall prepare me for thee and unite me to thee by such inseparable Bonds as shall never break unless Eternity can have an end Blessed are they that So eat thy flesh and So drink thy blood So as thou requirest and So as thy Saints of old have done for they have been cleansed at this Fountain and here their Vnion with thee first began Oh happy season Excellent opportunity Lord let me do it well this once and I am thine for ever Amen The Paraphrase of the Address § 6. Holy God! thou mightest justly wonder to see so many grievous Sinners daring to come so near but We do not impudently rush upon these dreadful mysteries nor do we presume to come to this thy Table where Angels do attend as if we deserved this Honour O merciful Lord We do not approach trusting in our own Righteousness for alas we have done nothing which can bear that name but that which drew us hither was our confidence in thy manifold and great mercies which exceed our manifold and great offences And now that we are before thee we must still confess whatever favours thy goodness heaps upon us that we are not worthy by reason of our sinfulness and backslidings so much as with the Dogs to gather up the Crumbs which fall under thy Table not fit to receive the least mercies or measures of grace from thee much less to sit as guests before thy Majesty at this Heavenly Feast But yet we make bold to do this because thou art not to be changed by our sins being ever the same Lord whose property is to be unwearied with well-doing and never wanting in pity and thou art wont always to have mercy on those who confess their offences as we have done Grant unto us therefore gracious Lord by the present assistance of thy holy Spirit so to eat the flesh of thy dear Son Iesus Christ spiritually in this Sacrament and so to drink his blood as that we may receive all the benefits of his Cross and Passion even that our sinful and defiled bodies may be made clean by his holy and immaculate body and our Souls which are polluted in every faculty washed through his most precious blood which taketh away the sins of the World Let us be so wholly purifyed that we may now begin to be inseparably united to Jesus and that we by Faith may evermore dwell in him abiding in his love and that by his spirit he may dwell in us always Amen SECT II. Of the Prayer of Consecration § 1. AFter all this Preparation we need not ask with Isaac Gen. 22.7 where is the Lamb for the Burnt-Offering for God hath provided his own dear Son whose blood being already spilt is so efficacious and all-sufficient that there is now no need of any other but this unbloody Sacrifice a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyril cat Myst 5. incruentam oblationem Liturg. 5. Marci sacrificium absque sanguine Liturg. S. Basil to be offered and that in memorial of that great Sin-offering which taketh away the sins of the World 1 Pet. 2.5 And for this purpose Christ himself hath b Ille mirabilem quandam victimam pro nostra omnium salute obtulit memoriam nobis tradens loco sacrificii continuo offerendam Euseb praep Evang. l. 1. c. 10. appointed these Creatures of Bread and Wine ordaining that because they are designed to express so great a Mystery they shall have a peculiar Consecration The antient Greeks and Romans would not taste of their ordinary Meat and Drink till they had hallowed it by giving the first parts thereof to their Gods c Romani Graeci in convictu familiari ciborum particulis vino in ignem conjectis libamina Diis dabant Alex. ab Alex. gen dier l. 5. c. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Porph. de abst l 2. c. 20. The
as many as had sinned even for all the World for all saith St. Chrysostom are many When therefore we see this so plainly represented in the pouring forth of the Holy Chalice let us not only shew a high estimation of that most meritorious Blood which saves so many Souls effectually and hath virtue enough to redeem all the World but also actuate our devotion in some pertinent Soliloquies after this or the like form Methinks O my dear Redeemer while thou art pouring forth thy most precious blood thou lookest on me with a Countenance mixed of pity and upbraiding that I should take so little care to save this Soul which thou hast bought at such a rate Do I not behold those drops and streams to trickle down that have sealed the Covenant of Peace and confirmed all the Promises of the Gospel why then am I not swallowed up with admiration why do I not breath and pant after it I came not to quench my bodily thirst but to wash my Soul in this salutary Fountain oh how freely it flows how perfectly it cures Lord let me tast thereof Make it unto me the blood of Jesus for it is that my Soul thirsteth after And now that thy powerful word hath hallowed it let me not by evil thoughts or unbelief malice or impenitence make it to my self an unhallowed thing but as thou hast fitted it for the mystery oh fit me also to receive it I cannot now have any more low or common thoughts about it I will by Faith esteem it as my Saviours blood and though I am unworthy of so divine a Cordial yet my Soul gaspeth for it and without it alas I must die and perish § 13. Do this as oft as ye shall drink it in remembrance of me Amen We have here again a renewed injunction to Do this and if we have any sense of our Redeemers love or any care of our own Souls we shall not need to be pressed to it but shall desire to Do it often and yet always to Do it well not Drinking it as common Wine but as the memorial of his blood-shedding in remembrance of him and his inestimable kindness but of this we have spoken before § 10. Only we must note that this Amen in the end of this Prayer was antiently spoken z 1 Cor. 14.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Atque ubi Praeses orationes gratiarum actiones absolvit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Just Mart. Ap. 2. by the people with a loud voice not only to shew their joining in the desire that the Elements may become truly Consecrated but also to declare their firm belief that they are now to be esteemed as the very Body and Blood of Christ Let us therefore here most devoutly seal all that the Priest hath done and unfeignedly testifie our Faith by a hearty Amen Lord it is done as thou hast commanded and I doubt not but the mystery is rightly accomplished I am perswaded that here is that which my Soul longeth after a Crucifyed Saviour communicating himself to poor penitent Sinners Oh let me be reckoned among that number and then I shall assuredly receive thee holy Jesus Amen The Paraphrase of the Prayer of Consecration § 14. O Almighty God infinite in Power and wonderful in thy goodness Thou art our Heavenly Father who to save us from Eternal Misery of thy tender mercy and free Compassion didst give thy only and well-beloved Son Iesus Christ not only to be born in our nature but also to suffer a most grievous and bitter death upon the Cross that his life might be for our Redemption from everlasting Torments to which we were forfeited We believe and confess it was this thy Son who made there on the Cross by his own voluntary oblation of himsel◠to that accursed Death though he was but once offered in this manner a full perfect and sufficient Sacrifice Oblation and satisfaction to thy offended Justice not only for the sins of some times or some Persons but for the sins of all men that are were or shall be throughout the whole World so that there is none but might upon their Faith and Repentance be forgiven by the vertue thereof And because there needs no other Sacrifice for sin now therefore our Lord Jesus appointed and did institute this holy Sacrament to represent it And in his holy Gospel he doth accordingly plainly command us to observe this Rite thereby to continue a perpetual and lively memory of that his most meritorious and most precious Death So that his love may be fresh in our hearts until his coming again to judgment in the end of the World In obedience to this command we are now about to make this memorial of his Passion and that we may do it effectually Hear us O most merciful Father Consider our need of this Heavenly food We most humbly beseech thee in whose power it is alone to feed our Souls And grant that we receiving with a true repentance and lively Faith these thy Creatures of Bread and Wine which thou hast chosen to express this mystery and partaking of them according to thy Son our Saviour Iesus Christs gracious intention and most holy Institution namely in remembrance of his bitter Death and bloody Passion Let them Communicate him unto us that we by them may be partakers of his most blessed Body and Blood and of all the benefits of his Incarnation and his sufferings But it is not in us to make these Creatures to be a Sacrament wherefore we will do as our Lord did and say as he said And be thou pleased to grant that the Words of Jesus pronounced by thy Servant may have the same effect upon these Elements which they had when spoken with his blessed mouth Who in the same night that he was betrayed to his Crucifyers as one of the last tokens of his love Took Bread the staff of life as we now take this into our hands to resemble his taking our nature and when he had begged thy blessing as we do also thereon and given thanks shewing how chearfully he suffered for us He brake it as we this Bread into many pieces an Emblem of his broken and wounded Body and gave it to his Disciples to whom he designed the benefits of his Passion Saying Take this pledge of your Redemption most thankfully and by Faith Eat that you may be nourished by my Love for This is the Communion of my Body and shall make you partakers of it as it is a Sacrifice which is given to God to satisfie for you Provided you Do this in a most thankful remembrance of me and my all-sufficient Oblation Likewise also after the Paschal Supper that he might give himself wholly to us He took the Cup of Wine which maketh glad the heart of Man even as we take this And when he had begged thy blessing on it as we now do and also given thanks that his blood was accepted for the life of the World He
not sustained your fury ye had delivered me over to Everlasting Burnings I do abhor and detest ye all how dear soever you have been to me the sight of my bleeding Saviour hath stirred up my indignation against you and I will revenge his blood upon you by sacrificing you all at this Altar How can my Eyes but drop down tears of Contrition when they behold thee pouring forth Rivers of thy Blood but while I grieve to see thy bleeding wounds I must not forget for whom thou didst sustain them thy Blood was shed for me because my life was forfeited why art thou then so cast down O my Soul wilt thou dishonour that price by thy doubts and fears which God hath accepted for all the World cannot that Sacrifice which appeaseth the divine wrath satisfie thy Faith Be not afraid only believe and be assured he will not cast away those whom he hath bought at so dear a rate for thee it was shed for thee it is prepared open thy mouth wide and he will fill it §. 12. Preserve thy Body and Soul unto Everlasting Life An Act of Supplication O Lord I tremble at the apprehension of all those Evils that stand between me and thy glory behold the Grave gapeth for my Body the Infernal Pit threatens to swallow my Soul and Satan is ready were he permitted every moment to devour me wherefore I beseech thee sprinkle me with thy all-saving blood that the destroying Angel may pass over me let me drink of this Cup of Life and so shall my Body be free from Corruption and my Soul from Condemnation Death shall be defeated the Grave dismantled and Satan disappointed Let me drink of thy precious Blood that I may receive thereby abundance of thy Spirit so shall my Body be hallowed into a sacred Temple and my Soul shall be replenished with such Graces that I can never perish Sweetest Jesus how desireable are thy Provisions oh let us not always languish without them but pitty our dry and parched Souls and water them we intreat thee with these living streams for behold we thirst and long with a mighty Passion to drink of this Fountain of Life that we may not faint in our journey to those Rivers of pleasures which are at thy right hand Oh give us this divine Cordial at present and make it to us a Preservative for Body and Soul to everlasting life Amen A Meditation in the receiving of the Cup. §. 13. Drink this in remembrance that Christs blood was shed for thee An Act of Commemoration How chearing is this Cup to me Blessed Jesus which was so dreadful unto thee it was thy Agonies and thy Wounds which afforded me this Wine of Joy Thou didst find how bitter it was when thou wert appeasing an offended God but I tast how sweet it is now that thou hast made him a tender and reconciled Father I receive this Cup O my Saviour as a new plâ—dge of thy dearest love for from those pits whence these Rivulets did flow I can discern thy heart bleeding in pity to my misery and sick of Love And since thou dost here give me a right to that great expiation which thou hast made I do most humbly commemorate the same before the Father of Heaven as the full satisfaction for my innumerable debts and I will remember the dolours of thy Cross with a brisker sense than ever because thou hast made me drink of thy blood and given me thy Soul thy Life and thy Spirit so that now I will live no more but thou shalt live in me because we have mingled Souls and thou hast joined me to thy self by the Communications of thy Spirit O let nothing separate that which thou hast so graciously joined together A Meditation after the receiving of the Cup. §. 14. And be thankful An Act of Thankfulness and Resolution Praise the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me bless his holy name for now I find the Mercy and the Peace the Comfort and the Grace which flows from the Death of Christ let all the World know what he hath done for my Soul he hath rescued me and many of my poor Brethren round about me from the nethermost Hell wherefore I will love thee holy Jesus more than I can express and I will love them for thy sake And since thou hast given thy self thy merits and graces to me and sealed a New Covenant with me in thy own blood I do here bind my self by this sacred Cup to be sincerely thine m Mos est regibus quoties in societatem coeant implicare dextras pollicesque inter se vincire Mâ—x levi ictu cruorem eliciunt atque invicem lambunt id foedus arcanum habetur quasi mutuo cruore sancitum Tacit. Annal. lib. 12. I will spend my time and strength in thy service yea and Sacrifice my blood to bear witness to thy truth if ever thou callest me thereunto I will never betray nor forsake thee but live and die with thee for I have sworn and am stedfastly purposed to keep thy righteous judgments Oh let me never unhallow that body nor defile that Soul in which the Lord Jesus delights to dwell let no Oaths or lying prophane those lips no Obscenity or Intemperance pollute that mouth by which those holy Symbols have passed And methinks I feel new desires and new hopes my nature seems râ—newed my blood refined my Soul full of holy vigour blessed be thy name for it let thy mercy keep me in this happy temper till I have accomplished all my resolutions Amen § 15. By these and such like contemplations you must keep your minds imployed all the time that the Heavenly Banquet doth continue and if the Congregation be numerous and there be further opportunity the devout Soul will easily find more fuel to nourish these flames viz. by considering the necessities of all Mankind the Calamities of the Church the Miseries of the Sick the wants of the Poor the condition of our Relations Friends and Acquaintance and recommending them all with an effectual Charity to Almighty God through Christ Jesus As also by lamenting its own unworthiness and indispositions by recollecting all its present wants both spiritual and temporal by surveying the difficulties and dangers of that pious course now undertaken and by calling upon the Father of Mercies for grace and relief for courage and strength for support and protection in order to each of these So likewise by doing Acts of mental Charity to be put in Execution afterwards viz. Resolving for the sake of Jesus to forgive and do good to our Enemies to reprove Sinners instruct the ignorant help those that are in need And finally by contemplating of the wisdom and advantage of a holy Life the comfort and peace of a happy Death the joys and felicities of the life of Glory with the pleasures of those Souls that behold Jesus face to face these and many more which the good Spirit will offer we must improve
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
back again to thy self better than I received thee There needs no application but that every Communicant do as sincerely make oblation of their Souls and Bodies to God for this the poorest may give and yet this is more acceptable than thousands of Gold and Silver If these reasons do convince us of the justice and the necessity of our making this Oblation we may learn in the next place from the very form in this Prayer how and in what manner it may be done for we are taught therein I. What it is which we must offer viz. our whole selves not only our Bodies but our Souls also n Quodâ—si corpus quo inferiore tanquam famulo utitur anima sacrificium est quanto magis anima ipsa cum se refert ad Deum August Deinde cum plena resignatione integrâ voluntate offer teipsum in honorem nominis mei corpus tuum scil animam mihi fidelitèr câ—mmittendo Tho. à Kemp. de imit Christi l. 4. c. 6. for we consist of both these God hath created and redeemed both and each of them in their capacity can do him service wherefore we must give him both or he will accept neither o Pectora vestra duanon admittentia curas Juven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Macrob. Saturn because he hath no equal he will have no Rival All the members of our Bodies and all the powers of our Souls our Limbs and Senses our Will and Affections our Reason and Understanding must be dedicated to him for so long as any of these are under the bondage of sin the rest cannot be intirely the Servants of God Math. 6.24 II. To what end we make this Oblation of our selves First To be a reasonable Sacrifice The offering up of our Souls and Bodies since we are rational Creatures is not like the Sacrifices of brute Beasts by dying but by living agreeable to the will of God and the rules of right reason p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epicharmus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Socrat. ap Stobaeum for reason as it is inlightned in us Christians doth direct us to approve of all things that are good and doth attest and confirm the Duties which God requires He therefore makes himself a reasonable Sacrifice who doth live prudently and piously and walk according to the dictates of the best reason he that is religious and just sober and humble meek and patient compassionate and charitable q Qui innocentiam colit Deo supplicat qui justitiam Deo libat qui hominem periculo subtrahit optimam victimam caedit Min. Foelix Vis Deos propitiare bonus esto satis illos coluit quisquis imitatus est Sen. ep 95. for these things are in themselves the most rational and we have the greatest reason and the highest obligations to perform them Secondly We offer our selves to be an Holy Sacrifice that is to be pure and spotless as all those offerings were appointed to be r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 · Athenaeus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 · Suidas which were offer'd to the Divine Majesty And as all such offerings were set apart and sanctified never to be accounted the owners Å¿ Nullius autem scil hominis sunt res sacrae religiosae quod enim Divini juris est id nullius in bonis est Justinian instit l. 2. tit 1. Sect. 7. or to be used to any common or prophane use afterwards so when we are purified by the blood of Christ and dedicated to God it is with intent never to use our faculties as the servants of sin nor our members as the instruments of unrighteousness any more Our Eyes must not look towards wantonness our Ears must not hearken to vanity our tongues must not speak lies or slanders our hands must not wrong nor oppress nor our feet spurn the poor neither may our wit or reason our passions or our will be the slaves of Sin hereafter For we are Holy 1 Cor. 3.16 17. and if we unhallow our selves again it is a crime equal to Belshazzers sacrilegious drinking in the holy Vessels of the Temple Thirdly That we may be a Living Sacrifice for we do not vow to kill or destroy our selves as some of the Heathens did in honour to their less-deserving Deities but we resolve to Sacrifice our Lusts t Non enim sicut tunc corpora pro corporibus immolanda sed vitia corporis perimenda sunt S. Ambros in 12. ad Rom. by mortification because so long as they live we are dead to the service of God We engage to be living u Aqua viva Hebr. Dialecto est aqua fontana ebulliens perennis jugitèr manans that is lively and strong vigorous and persevering in all religious duties and that we will perform all kind of good works with such an alacrity as may express life and spirit so that although we do not or cannot return the love of Jesus by dying for him as he hath done for us yet we will live to him and desire our life no longer nor for no other end than to advance his glory and do his blessed pleasure And now if we do so far understand our own interest and are so really weary of the bondage of Satan as to desire and long for a better Master and do wish unfeignedly that we may be accepted as the servants of God let us resign up and dedicate our selves to him in this or the like form An Act of Oblation of our selves or the form of a Vow after the Holy Communion O most merciful Lord God I am amazed at the mighty faâ—â—â—â—s which thou hast shewed to me a sinful wretched Creature I cannot but acknowledge thy goodness although I can make no retribution had I all the World at my disposal I could freely give it all to thee as a testimony of my unfeigned gratitude but I hear thy gracious voice saying My Son give me thy heart It is not mine dearest Lord but me thou seekest sinful and miserable though I am yet I am that purchase for which Jesus hath left his glory laid down his life done and suffered all these things O marvellous condescension I am nothing I have nothing I am void of all good full of evil and deserving thy wrath so that I abhor my self and canst thou delight in me Be it so then for I will dispute no more with unsearchable mercy I believe O my God and wonder I can no longer resist thy condescending and Almighty Love I will with all the joy imaginable give my se f to thee for thou hast but lately restored me to my self Alas I have been a Prisoner to Satan a Slave to Sin and marked for destruction but thou hast procured my Pardon my Liberty and my Life requiring no more for so unexpressible bounty but only that I will intirely become thine Had I the life of an Angel the understanding of a Cherubin or the powers of one of the Heavenly Host
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
super hominem August in Donat. de bap l. 3. c. 17. and St. Ambrose notes that even St. Paul himself was not so bold as to communicate the Spirit autoritatively to his new Converts but he begs it of God for them Coloss 1.9 t Impetrare optavit non imperare praesumpsit Ambros de Spir. Sanc. l. 1. c. 7. Now the party confirmed ought chearfully to hope this Prayer shall be accepted and while the Bishops hand is over our head we ought to meditate that God himself will keep us in the shadow of his hand Isai 49.2 and that by this Rite is signified that the Lord will stretch out his Hand to Defend us against all our Spiritual Enemies We have given up our selves to be his Servants and the Hand of the Lord is with us Luke 1.66 that is his Spirit is upon us and if we keep close to him none can pluck us out of his hand John 10.28 29. but we may continue his for ever Satan will assault us the World will allure us and the Flesh will entice us to break this Vow but the Holy man prays we may be defended by the Spirit of grace so that we may never fall off as too many have done It is a comfort to see so many Dedicating themselves to God but it is also a sad consideration that scarce one of twenty remember this engagement but they first forsake God and then he forsakes them for ever 1 Chron. 28.9 Oh then let us pray that neither we nor any of our Relations may prove Apostates or Backsliders but that we may remain under the divine protection and continue his to our lives end For if we keep united to this Living Root we shall not only live but flourish grow and bring forth more and more fruit John 15.2 The Grace now imparted is of that nature that if we cherish it we shall encrease daily therein and therefore the Bishop prays we may not only have the Spirit at present but that we may grow in Grace every Day even until we be fitted for glory and be partakers of Gods Heavenly Kingdom as the Council of Laodicea speaks And since so excellent a Prayer is made by so eminent a Person with so antient a Rite let every one for himself and every one for his Children Servants or Friends add thereto a most affectionate Amen §. 7. The Versicle Response and Lords Prayer The Lord be with you Answ And with thy Spirit Our Father c. We have fully discoursed of these Devotions Comp. to the Temple Part. I. and shall only note here That the Parties Confirmed having professed their Faith and vowed Obedience ought now to be saluted as Brethren and are to be reckoned among the Faithful as being sealed with the Seal of God and now belonging unto his Family u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gregor Nazianz. The Spirit hath been given to them we pray therefore it may remain with them The Bishop desires the Lord may assist them in blessing his Name for these Mercies and they mutually pray the Lord may assist the spirit of the holy Man who is praying for them And then all most fitly join in saying the Lords Prayer Which the whole Church sayeth and shall say unto the end of the World August retract lib. 1. cap. 19. §. 8. The Proper Collect. Almighty and Everlasting God who makest us both to will and to do those things that be good c. Without me saith Christ ye can do nothing John 15.2 and the better sort of Heathens confessed that the power to do good as well as the will to chuse it was from Heaven x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 · Pindar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 · Hierocles which Truth as it is expressed in St. Pauls words Philip. 2.13 is made the foundation of this address We have heard these Persons willing to chuse and ready to promise that which is good wherefore we confess God gave them the will and he can only give them Power to perform that which they have promised and since he hath made them willing already we hope he will make them able also for though the will be good yet if it produce no suitable actions it will but aggravate their Condemnation and that is the reason why we pray so oft and so earnestly for them The Bishop hath now in imitation of the Apostles as all Parties confess y Hic unus locus abundè testatur hujus ceremoniae originem fluxisse ab Apostolis Calvin in Heb 6. Exempla Apostolorum veteris Ecclesiae vellem pluris aestimari Zanchius Vide Chemnit Examen Concilii Trident. part 2. de confirm laid his hands upon these Persons and as Christ shewed his favour to little Children Math. 19.15 by laying his hands on them and expressed his love to St. John by the same sign Revel 1.17 So the Holy Man hath laid his hands on these as a token of Gods favour and therefore he is concerned to pray that it may not be an empty and insignificant sign but that the Hand of God may be over them for ever even when his hand is removed and that Gods Spirit may be always with them which Petitions are well Paraphrased by that Prayer of the Greek Church Lay thy mighty hand upon him and protect him by the power of thy goodness keep this holy Seal inviolable and vouchsafe to bring him to Eternal Life and to fulfill all thy good pleasure z 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 · Eucholog in offic ablut post S. Baptism For thus it is desired here that the Hand and Spirit of God may continue with us the one to assist us in the understanding the other to help us in the performance of the Divine Word till we come to everlasting happiness The Word of God shews us the way to Heaven The Spirit makes us to understand and obey the Directions thereof so that if God hear this Prayer we cannot miss of that blessed end And here we must observe to what end the Holy Ghost is given us in this Ordinance not to make us able to speak with Tongues but to know the Word and do the Will of God It is the saying of the famous St. Augustine The Spirit which is now given by imposition of hands is not attested by temporal and sensible miracles as it was at first for the commendation of our Faith while it was young and to enlarge the beginnings of the Church For who doth now expect that those on whom hands are laid for receiving the Holy Ghost should presently begin to speak with tongues but yet the divine Love is understood to be secretly and invisibly inspired into their hearts by the Bond of Peace which enables them to say The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which he hath given us August de Bapt. in Donat. lib. 3. cap. 16. So that we must not despise Confirmation in our Church though it be not
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
Essens d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Porph. ut supr l. 4. c. 12. and the Christians e Tert. Ap. c. 39. Nec cibi sumantur nisi oratione praemissâ Hieron ep 22. ad Eustach began their common meals with a solemn Prayer for a blessing The Jews would not eat of the Sacrifice till Samuel came to bless it 1 Sam. 9.13 How much more then ought we to expect the Prayers of the Priest over this mysterious food of our Souls before we eat thereof especially since Jesus himself did not deliver this Bread and Wine until he had Consecrated it by giving thanks There are some other parts of this Office which may upon some occasions be omitted * Non prius discumbitur quam oratio ad Deum praegustetur but this must never be left out it being the most antient and Essential part of all some learned Men do believe that the Apostles themselves in their daily Communions did ever use the latter part of this form from who in the same night c. Alcuin de divin off and it is most certain that no Liturgy in the World hath altered that particular For in every Church the Priest repeats the words of our Saviours Institution and by those words the Consecration is made f Quomodo potest qui panis est esse corpus Christi Consecratione consecratio igitur quibus verbis est Domini Jesu paulò post ubi venitur ut conficiatur venerabile sacramentum jam non suis sermonibus sacerdos utitur sed Christi Ambr. de sacr l. 4. c. 4. ita D. Chrys serm de Judâ prodit Vbi Christi verba deprompta fuerunt jam non panis dicitur sed Corpus appellatur Aug. de verb. dom ser 28. ita Author de Card. op Christi ap Cypr. for it is not the power of the Priest but the efficacy of the Author which makes the Elements to become sacramentally the body and blood of Christ S. Chrys hom 2. in 2. ep ad Cor. versùs fin The Roman Church indeed hath made large additions to this Primitive Form so that it is not above a tenth part of the Canon of their Mass much of the rest being the names of Saints and commemorations of the dead But these corruptions and innovations being removed our excellent Reformers have given us the Apostolical and Catholick Form alone only with a short Prayer to introduce it and because all the Communicants ought to join with the Minister therein we will proceed so to explain it as may assist every ones understanding and devotion The Analysis of the Prayer of Consecration § 2. The Prayer of Consecration hath Three Parts 1. An Introduction shewing the Reasons of this Duty because 1. We have a dying Saviour given for us Almighty God our heavenly Father who of thy tender mercy didst give thy onely Son Iesus Christ to suffer death upon the Cross for our Redemption 2. That Death is so perfect and meritorious who made there by his own oblation of himself once offered a full perfect and sufficient Sacrifice Oblation and Satisfaction for the Sins of the whole World 3. We are commanded to remember it and did institute and in his holy Gospel command us to continue a perpetual memory of that his precious death until his coming again 2. A Petition for a Blessing on it intimating 1. The Author of this Blessing Hear us O merciful Father we most humbly beseech thee and grant 2. The occasion of desiring it considering 1. The Act which we are about to do that we receiving these thy Creatures of Bread and Wine 2. The Manner we intend to do it in according to thy Son our Saviour Iesus Christs most holy Institution in remembrance of his Death and Passion 3. The Blessing desired may be Partakers of his most blessed Body and Blood 3. The Consecration it self reciting 1. The time when it was instituted Who in the same night that he was betrayed 2. The Manner how it was Instituted 1. As to the Bread 1. The Preparation I. Took Bread II. And when he had given thanks III. He brake it 2. The Administration and gave it to his Disciples saying Take eat This is my Body which is given for you 3. The Direction Do this in remembrance of me 2. As to the Wine also 1. The Preparation Likewise also after Supper I. He took the Cup II. And when he had given thanks 2. The Administration He gave it to them saâ—â—ng Drink ye all of this â—or This is my Blood of the New-Testament which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins 3. The Direction Do this as oft as ye shall drink it in remembrance of me Amen A Practical Discourse upon the Prayer of Consecration § 3. Almighty God our Heavenly Father who of thy tender mercy didst give thy only Son Iesus Christ to suffer death upon the Cross for our Redemption Our blessed Lord hath taught us to whom we should direct this Prayer even to God the Father of whom he himself did first beg this blessing and since the foundation of this Ordinance was the Death of Jesus Christ we do most fitly begin this Prayer with a Commemoration of that Mercy for how can we more effectually move Almighty God to give his blessing to us in this Sacrament than by acknowledging his infinite love in granting so glorious a Redemption to us And he that spared not his own Son but delivered him up to death for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things Rom. 8.32 He that made him a Sacrifice for us will certainly make these Symbols to communicate him to us if we be desirous and prepared to receive him It is the method of the divine bounty to give his second mercies meerly because he had freely given the first g Cui initio ratio non fuisset praestandi aliquid ei praestamus ob hoc quia praestitimus Sen. de benef l. 4. c. 15. especially when he finds the former thankfully accepted so that we cannot have a better introduction to this Petition than the acknowledgment of Gods goodness in first giving his own Son for us especially if we make it with an humble and graâ—eful heart Besides it must need be a mighty strengthening to our Faith and a great encouragement to our hope of prevailing in this request when we have first remembred so rare an experiment of Gods mercy already received Let us therefore most thankfully confess the incomparable bounty of our Heavenly Father in giving his only Son to suffer for our Redemption and then we may with more confidence beseech him to sanctifie these Elements that they may be his body and blood to us because the divine appointment hath made them to be the means whereby we may become partakers of the benefits of that Holy Passion § 4. Who made there by his own Oblation of himself once offered a full perfect and sufficient Sacrifice
Oblation and satisfaction for the sins of the whole World As we have declared the bounty of the Father so now we must acknowledge the merit of the Son before we did set forth the admirable love of the giver and next we magnifie the incomparable worth of the gift for God did not evidence his love to us by any insignificant testimony but by giving us the most real and inestimable benefit in the World The Death of this Saviour which he gave us though suffered but once was so infinitely meritorious as that it was sufficient to satisfie for the sins of all Mankind And where is it more proper to set forth that one all-sufficient Sacrifice in all its glories than here where we come peculiarly to celebrate it with our highest Praises and to make an everlasting memorial thereof If we regard the persons for whom this was done it is a Sacrifice if we respect him that did offer it it is a free Oblation if we consider him to whom it was offered it is a satisfaction and in every one of these respects it is full perfect and sufficient or particularly it is a full satisfaction a perfect Oblation and a sufficient Sacrifice not like the legal Offerings for the sins of one kind or the offences of one Nation or of one Person but for the sins of all the World Let none therefore mistake or imagine we are about to Sacrifice Christ again as the Roman Church falsly teacheth for that is not only needless and impossible but a plain contradiction to St. Paul who affirms that Jesus was to be offered but only once Heb. 9.26 Chap. 10.10 12. and by that one oblation h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theop. in 10 Hebr. v. 12. Illo sacrificio singulari à peccatis omnibus mundaremur Aug. de Civ Dei l. 7. c 31. he hath for ever perfected them that are sanctifyed ver 14. so that there needs no more offering for sin ver 18. And besides if we think that in this Sacrament Christ is daily offered up it seems we do not believe that which he did on the Cross to have been sufficient and so we should exceedingly derogate from that most meritorious Sacrifice to which we pretend to do honour by this Commemoration nor shall we make any difference between the all-saving Death of our Saviour and the daily offerings of Mosaick Institution if this also be continually to be reiterated Wherefore we do deny this Communion to be any new sacrificing of Christ For there is but one Sacrifice saith S. Ambrose not many and this is but the exemplar of that i Ambr. in 10. ad Hebr. This is only a memorial which the Lord hath delivered to us instead of a Sacrifice saith Eusebius k Euseb praep Evang. l. 1. c. 10. The Sacrifice need not be reiterated it is sufficient to remember it with Eucharist and Thanksgiving Rejoyce ye poor repentant Sinners for the price is paid by Christ and accepted by his Father already Acknowledge it gratefully and believe it firmly express it with all the honour you can devise since you came to this Heavenly Feast on purpose to glorifie the compleat and absolute satisfaction which your Redeemer hath made Let no man deceive you for Christ on th◠Cross assured you that the work of expiation was then finished there is nothing left for you now to do but only to pray that these outward Elements may be so blessed as to convey unto you the benefit thereof § 5. And did institute and in his holy Gospel command us to continue a perpetual memory of that his precious Death until his coming again The work of our Redemption is so very excellent in it self that it deserves a perpetual memorial and who so fit to direct the particular manner of remembring it as he that did so nobly accomplish it and this is that very way which he himself hath instituted so that we have a most direct and powerful Argument to move our Lord to sanctifie these Elements because we celebrate this mystery in obedience to his own Commands Do this saith he in remembrance of me Luke 22.19 and we are bid to shew forth the Lords Death till he come 1 Cor. 11.25 26. And surely he will make these Symbols to be his Body and Blood to us because we are about to receive them purely by his Order no doubt he will establish that which he hath wrought for us l Grandis in rebus humanis est praerogativae ut aliquis operibus beneficiis faveat suis Amb. ser 10. in Ps 119. Psal 68.28 for otherwise he would seem saith S. Ambrose to abrogate that which he hath appointed We are desirous as much as in us lyeth to be partakers of his precious Body and Blood and according to his command we are come thus far but we can only strike the Rock it is he must bring forth the Water we must now stand still and see the Salvation of the Lord for till he have blessed the Bread and Wine we can go no farther Now if this Holy Rite were a meer humane device we could hardly expect to have so great a grace and power shewed for its ratification they that invocate God for those that are falsly called Sacraments cannot so rationally hope to be heard as we who only desire him to be favourable to the work of his Hands and to prosper us in that which we undertake by express Commission from the blessed Jesus O let us then revere this Ordinance which hath so divine an Author on which the Image of God is so plainly stamped let us with a mighty affection embrace our dying Saviours love who was so much afraid we should forget him and so desirous to be ever with us let us chearfully go on without doubts or fears knowing that he who hath bid us Do this is able to make it whatsoever he will or whatsoever we need let us not startle at the difficulty of this Sacramental change but rest satisfied in the power of the Author and Enjoyner let us call on him earnestly and then believe that he will so be present by his Spirit and his Grace as that we shall feel the virtue and efficacy thereof from time to time from one Communion to another even till we come to see him unvailed and face to face at his coming again in glory § 6. Hear us O merciful Father we most humbly beseech thee and grant that we receiving these thy Creatures of Bread and Wine according to thy Son our Saviour Iesus Christs most holy Institution in remembrance of his Death and Passion may be partakers of his most blessed Body and Blood We have now made a sufficient Introduction to this great Request by acknowledging the mercy and merit of Christs Death as also by declaring the divine Original of this Sacrament wherefore in the next place we come to the Petition it self which is the very Grace before this Coelestial food and herein
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