own mouths and make a particular application of these general Heads to our own comfort 3. The Object GOD in God Credere Deum That he is Credere Deo That he is true cannot be deceived himself will not deceive us Credere in Deum Because a Father so willing to hear us and because Almighty so able to help us To believe in God is Facere voluntatem Dei to do as God would have us God is here manifested to us 1. By his Title Father Principium Deitatis 2. By his Attribute Almighty He can do whatever implies not a contradiction in it self or argues not imperfection in him 3. By his Works Maker of Heaven and Earth Seculum Speculum Creatura index Creatoris Artificem commendat opus Psal 33.6 Psal 95.5 Psal 96.5 Psal 104.24 Psal 121.2 Psal 124.8 Psal 134.3 Hebrews 1.2 Act. 17.24.26 Let any make such a World and let him be God He made something of nothing and of that something all things How can we distrust that God who hath proved Himself thus Omnipotent 2. Article And I believe in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord. John 3.18 Rom. 3.26 Philip. 1.29 John 14.1 This part of the Creed treats of Man's Redemption wherein we are to observe the Titles and in Them the Natures and Offices of our Redeemer 1. Jesus So a Saviour Matth. 1.21 2. Christ So a Saviour anointed Mat. 1.16 Matth. 16.16 John 4.25.29 That is anointed with the Holy Ghost the fulness of grace in him and from his fulness do we receive John 1.16 Colos 1.19 Others Christi Domini He Christus Dominus The anointing powred down upon him dropt down upon others He anointed above his fellows Psal 45. Others anointed Kings so David Priests so Aaron Prophets so Elisha None King Priest and Prophet but He. Melchizedeck King and Priest David King and Prophet Samuel Priest and Prophet these saving Offices met doubly in others but in Him they all meet Who is David's Priest Psal 110. Jeremie's King Jerem. 23.5 Moses Prophet Deut. 18.15 As a King he redeems us from danger as a Priest from sin as a Prophet from error 3. His only Son There his Divine Nature of the same Power Majesty and Eternity with the Father John 5.26 John 10.30 1 John 4.15 John 3.16 4. Our Lord. There his humane nature Nostram assumpsit naturam non deposuit suam Ours 1. By Gift John 3.16 2. By Faith Ephes 3.17 Lord. 1. By Creation John 1.3 2. By Redemption Gal. 3.13 3. By Dominion Mat. 28.18 All redeemed by Him though all not actually saved by Him as many Israelites came out of Aegypt which dropt short of Canaan That all are not saved is from our own default not any defect in the meritorious price of our Redemption Incredulitas facit esse paucorum quod alias esset commune omnium beneficium 3. Article Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost Matth. 1.18 20. Born of the Virgin Mary Luke 1.27 Isay 7.14 This Article sets before us Christ's Humanity as the former did chiefly his Divinity which is proved 1. From his mysterious Incarnation and Conception 2. From his miraculous Birth and Nativity Requisit it was that He should be God and Man who was to Redeem Man to God and to Reconcile God to Man Fit He should be one of both who was to make both one A Jacob's Ladder in this coupling Earth to Heaven standing upon Earth as Man reaching up to Heaven as GOD. 4. Article Who suffred under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried and descended into Hell This and the Article preceding shews how and by what means the work of Man's Redemption was wrought For as to Redeem us was the thing chiefly intended so it was done by steps and there were many intervening acts to bring it about 1. His mysterious Conception By the Holy Ghost 2. His miraculous Nativity Of the Virgin Mary 3. His active obedience and holy life included in both for He could not possibly sin whose Conception was so holy and Birth so pure 4. His passive obedience and meritorious death wherein we are to consider 1. That He suffred this He did from the Cradle to the Grave from the Cratch to the Cross The whole History of his sufferings are recorded at large in the Four Evangelists all comprized in these words He suffred under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried Whence Note 1. The who He. 2. The what Suffered 3. By and under whom Pontius Pilate one of the Chief to be noted in that foul murder For he was the Magistrate then in being the Judg who swayed the whole Bench although the People sway'd him 4. What manner of death he suffred Was crucified Which is marked out in Scripture for an accursed death wherein was both pain and shame and that to the highest aggravation of his suffrings 5. That he suffred death for dead 6. That he was really dead for buried The words following are not to be understood of any part of his humiliation but of the first degree of his exaltation Where by Hell we are to understand the place of the damned August Epist 99. Ne ipsos quidem inferos uspiam scripturarum locis in bono appellatos potui reperire So he Vid. August de Genes ad Lit. lib. 12. c. 33. By his descent we are to understand that as in his Body he descended into the Bowels of the Earth so in his Soul separated from his Body He descended into Hell Vid. Dr. Howel's Catechism in Locum Artic. 3. Edward Reg. 6 ti Artic. 3. Elizabeth 1562. and Artic. 1. Vid. August Epist. 99. Athanas Symbol Tertul. de anim c. 55. The end of his descending was to dissolve the power of Hell Aug. Epist 99. To triumph over Hell and to fulfill that of the Prophet Hos 13.14 5. Article The Third Day He rose again from the Dead This Article presents us with Christ's Triumphant return from Death to Life Act. 10.40 41. 1 Cor. 15.4 2 Cor. 5.15 Whence we may observe 1. That he is risen 2. That we shall rise For Resurrexit solus sed non totus He is Primitiae dormientium 6. Article He ascended into Heaven And sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty In this Article is noted to us Christ's Exaltation into Heaven and his investing with all Power and Rule for the Father did put all Authority into the Sons hands and as Kings at their Inaugurations give gifts to Men so did He. Act. 2.33 33 34 35 36. Act. 1.9 Ephes 4.8 9 10. Philip. 2.9 10. Colos 1.16 17 18. Colos 2.10 Matth. 22.44 Luc. 22.69 Rom. 8.34 Ephes 1.20 21 22. 7. Article From thence He shall come to judg both the quick and the dead This Article speaks of Christ's second coming at the end of the World and the Consummation of all things a coming much differing from the first then he came as a Lamb now as a Lion then in weakness now in Power then in ignominy now in glory
they are Persons who must give an account of their proficiency in the Gospel who are under their charge Heb. 13.17 I wish the Ministers were so careful of their People as to go to the Sick when they call or send for them and that the People had so much respect for the Ministers and for themselves too as to send for them upon all occasions when ever they stand in need of any spiritual aids Peace be to this House and to all that dwell in it Note This is clearly grounded upon that of our Saviour When ye come into an House salute it say peace that is all kind of prosperity be to this House Matth. 10.12 13. Luk. 10.5 6. And if there be any pious Person or Son of Peace in the house capable of so great a blessing theâ— the blessing of peace shall rest upon him if not the blessing shall return to the Minister and the party visited shall receive no advantage by the Ministers coming to him upon a design of so much charity Rubrick When he cometh into the sick Mans presence he shall say knéeling down Remember not Lord our iniquities c. Note This short Prayer is warranted from these Texts of Scripture Joel 2.17 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Act. 20.28 Psal 85.3 Answer Spare us good Lord. Note This supposes a company joyned in Prayers with the Minister and to return back Spare us good Lord in answer to the Ministers Spare thy People going before Rubrick Then the Minister shall say Let us Pray Lord have mercy c. Our Father which art in Heaven c. Note I have already often accounted for the frequent use of these in our divine Offices and therefore I shall not now say any thing of them only give me leave to insert this short Paraphrase upon the Lord's Prayer Our Father which art in Heaven O Lord God our Heavenly Father who art the giver of all goodness who art the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ by nature ours by grace and favour who dwellest in Heaven the Throne of thy Majesty the Seat of thy Glory attended by myriads of Angels ready to take Commissions from Thee in order to execute thy will and pleasure Hallowed be thy Name Send down thy grace unto us and to all People that we may glorifie thy great Name as we ought to do Let thy blessed and glorious Name be ever sanctified by us and by all that draw nigh unto Thee may we never profane it in our common talk abuse it by detestable oaths or blasphemies nor vainly make use of it in words or works professing Thee with our Lips and departing from Thee in our Lives Thy Kingdom come May the Scepter of thy Spirit so over-rule our unruly Spirits that we may worship Thee serve Thee and obey Thee as we ought to do Lord remove from us the Kingdom of thy Justice for if Thou shouldst strictly account with us no flesh could be justified bring us into Thy Kingdom of Grace that we may be comforted here and into thy Kingdom of Glory that we may be crowned hereafter Thy will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven So long as we are to live in this Vale of misery let not our own wills but Thy will be done in us and by us in our several stations periods and conditions incline our hearts unto Thee that we may do all thy commands sincerely readily chearfully and in some proportion to what is done by the blessed Saints and glorious Angels in Heaven where there is no opposing disputing or resisting of thy will Give us this Day our daily Bread And that we may go on the more cheerfully in the discharge of our duties not taken off nor interrupted by any anxious thoughts about the things of this life We pray Thee to send us all things needful both for our Souls and Bodies the necessaries of our lives from day to day proportion'd to every Mans being or sustenance Give us the day of our life and the life of our days our daily bread victual for the nourishing of our bodies doctrinal for the reforming of our lives Sacramental for the sanctifying and saving of our Souls And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us We beseech Thee also to be merciful unto us and to forgive us our sins punish not on us those sins wherewith we have offended and provoked Thee to punish us Pardon all our sins of impiety committed against Thee of injustice and uncharitableness committed against our Neighbours of intemperance and uncleanness committed against our selves These and all other sins committed by us against thy Divine Majesty in thought word or deed we pray Thee to pardon and pass by as we forgive all who have any way or at any time trespassed against us in thought word or deed in body goods or Name And lead us not into Temptation And to these blessings of thy Mercy in pardoning what is past add that other of thy providence to preserve us for the time to come Suffer us not through our own corâ—uptions which are very many nor through the Devils malice which is very great to be brought into any temptation or snare or to be intangled in any dangers or difficulties which may not be easily supported by us But deliver us from evil But let it be thy pleasure to save and defend us in all dangers ghostly and bodily to keep us from all sin and wickedness from our ghostly enemy and from everlasting death Deliver us from the blandishments of the flesh the allurements of the World the plausible snares of the Devil From external evils internal evils eternal evils by thy grace from the evil of sin by thy mercy from the evil of punishment Good Lord deliver us For thine is the Kingdom the power and the glory for ever and ever Amen These and all other blessings of thy grace goodness mercy and Majesty we trust Thou wilt bestow upon us of thy mercy and goodness through our Lord Jesus Christ For thine is the Kingdom and we doubt not but that Thou art able to remove from us all those Evils and Judgments which we have prayed to be delivered from For thine is the power Both which we beg at thy hands in order to advance and to set forth thy glory For thine is the glory To Thee therefore Father Son and Holy Ghost Three Persons and One God be ascribed in our Prayers and in our praises all honour glory power praise might majesty and dominion to both Ages the present and the future for the ever of this World which hath an end and the ever of that other World which is without end Amen Lord so be it Minister O Lord save thy Servant c. O Lord look down from Heaven c. Hear us Almighty and most merciful God and Saviour c. Note These Prayers are all prescribed and deliver'd in the very Scripture phrase so full of piety charity and devotion and so sitted to all
Persons any way visited or afflicted in mind body or estate that I cannot conceive them liable to any the least exception they are most what taken out of the Psalter which is a rich Magazine of Devotions furnishing all sorts of Men in all conditions both to praise God and to pray unto him Psal 20. vers 1 2 3 4. Psal 25. vers 15 16 17 18 19. and other places out of the Book of Psalms will furnish us not only with the materials but also with the very phrase and manner of expressions whereof the forementioned Prayers are made and composed Rubrick Then shall the Minister exhort the sick Person after this form or other like Note The Exhortation is left arbitrary for the Priest to use this or some other at his own choice as he sees occasion administred to him from the Sick Person for he is to apply his spiritual aids according to the Sick parties needs yet this Exhortation framed by the Church is so formed that a better cannot be devised to suit with all Mens conditions however visited and afflicted and it is grounded upon these and the like places of Scripture 1 Sam. 2.6 Job 5.17 18. Job 12.9 10. Job 12.14 Job 13.15 Job 13.26 Job 14.16 17. Job 16.11 12 13 14 15 16 17. Job 19.21 Job 19.25 26 27. Job 23.12 13 14. Job 27.5 6. Psal 39.7 8 9 11 12 13. 1 Sam. 3.18 Jam. 1.2 3. Jam. 1.12 1 Thess 3.3 4. Jam. 4.10 Jam. 5.11 1 Pet. 1.5 6 7. 1 Pet. 4.1 2. 1 Pet. 4.12 13. Rubrick If the Person visited be very Sick then the Curate may end his Exhortation in this Place or else procéed Note By Curate in this Place is not meant only a stipendiary Minister but every Rector and spiritual Incumbant who hath Curam animarum He is left to use his discretion either in lengthning out or cutting short his Exhortation as he sees the sick party in a capacity to admit of any longer or shorter discourse The following part of the Exhortation is grounded upon these places of Scripture Heb. 12.6 7 8 9 10 11. Heb. 12.2 3. Rom. 6.3 4 5. Rom. 8.29 Luk. 24.26 2 Tim. 2.11 12 13. 1 Pet. 4.13 1 Thes 4.14 15 16 17. Heb. 10.23 Heb. 9.27 2 Cor. 5.10 Rom. 14.10 1 Cor. 11.31 32. After this Exhortation the Minister is to rehearse to the sick party the Articles of our faith that the party may know whether he believes as a Christian Man should or no. Admirable is that saying of St. Augustine Male vivitur si de Deo non recte creditur we live ill and dye so too if we believe amiss of God Heaven Gates are shut up against Male-fidians as well as Nulli-fidians and Soli-fidians If our faith be wrong all is wrong Christian Religion is made up of these two constituent parts a right faith and a righteous life as a right faith without a righteous life will not save us so neither will a righteous life without a right belief He who lives justly but blasphemes impiously cannot be safe Vid. Haman Lestrange Alliance of Divine Offices pag. 297. Dr. Sparrow Rational pag. 327. Therefore this is a very considerable question put to the sick Person whether he believes as a Christian ought to do and there can be no better rule to try his faith by than the Creed which is the summary of all contained in both Testaments touching God the Father Son and Holy Ghost August Serm. de Temp. 137. Ruffin in Symbol Tertull. de praescript Irenaeus lib. 1. c. 3. 19. Here I have assumed to my self a liberty of inserting this short Exposition following upon the Apostles Creed The Apostles Creed or Rule of Faith Creed So called from the Latin word Credo because it contains our Credenda it is Lex credendorum all necessary points of faith are comprized in it To believe what is laid down there is necessary for all points in it are fundamentals but to believe all deductions drawn from thence is not so absolutely necessary in regard they are but superstructures in the fundamentals we should all agree and it were to be wished we could agree also in the explication and application of the superstructures Lis de nugis ha tamen nugae ad seria ducant The Apostles Creed So called 1. Because they or their Disciples made it Tertul. Apolog. cont gent. c. 47. August Serm. 5. de Temp. c. 2. Cyprian in Exposit Symbol Ruffin in Symbol n. 10. It is very ancient in use before the Epistle to the Hebrews was written Calvin in Heb. 6.1 It was in use before any part of the New Testament Irenaeus lib. 3. c. 4. 2. Because it contains the chief heads of the Apostles Doctrine It is as a rich Treasure digg'd out of the Golden Mines of the Apostles The Object of the Creed 1. God Father Son and Holy Ghost 2. The Church of God The general Heads of it 1. Touching God the Father and the Worlds Creation 2. Touching God the Son and Mankinds Redemption 3. Touching God the Holy Ghost and the Churches Sanctification As concerning the Church it treats 1. Of her signal properties 2. Of her sublime priviledges The particular Heads of it Twelve Articles or Joynts knitting together the whole Body of Christian saith Fides una copulativa The 1. Article I believe in God the Father Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth Where Note 1. The Act Believe The Christian Religion is a Religion of faith wherein Reason is not so properly contradicted Rom. 1.16 Hebrews 11. 1 John 5.4 Hebr. 10.23 1 Tim. 3.9 1 Tim. 3.16 as raised up to a higher pitch and supernaturaliz'd Our Saviour did not clear Nicodemus his Quomodo by any Arguments of Reason but resolved the great mystery of Regeneration into a principle of faith John 3. Tertullian's answer to Marcion was I deo verum quia impossibile This honour hath the Christian Religion above others that it rests upon surer Principles than carnal Arguments 1 Cor. 1.20 Luc. 5.22 The first Lesson taught in Socrates School was silence and in Aristotles to rest in the judgment of their Master So in Christs School Oportet discentem credere We must not reason much about matters of Religion but piously rest in them Pruritus disputandi scabies ecclesiae it would be more for the honour of our Christian Religion did we practise more and dispute less Minus Scientiae might be allowed as to unnecessaries had we Plus Conscientiae as to necessaries 2. The Personality I we must pray for others but believe for our selves We may put others into our Pater-noster Habak 2.4 we must put only our selves into our Creed Matth. 9.22 No Mans saith can do us good but our own we cannot believe by an Atturney Luke 7.50 nor be saved by a Proxie We are received into the bosom of the Church upon the faith of the Church but when we are arrived up to the use of our reason we must make confession with our
then in the Cloud of our Flesh now in the Clouds of Heaven then to be judged now to Judg. Note 1. Who shall come He. 2. Whence from Heaven 3. When. No time set it is certain come he shall but most uncertain when Latet ille dies ut observentur omnes 4. What to do To judge 5. Whom The quick and dead Act. 10.38.40 41. Rom. 2.16 2 Tim. 1.8 Jam. 5.9 8. Article I believe in the Holy Ghost This Article is touching the third Person in the sacred Trinity the Author of Man's Sanctification wherein we are to Note 1. The Divinity I believe in which we could not do was he not God 2. His Nature A Spirit an holy spirit 3. His Nature and Office both Holy 1. He is so The highest Holy 2. He makes us so He is Spiritus Sanctus spiritus sanctificans 1 Cor. 1 21 22. 1 Pet. 1.2 9. Article I believe there is an Holy Catholick Church which is a Communion of Saints As the other Articles were touching God and the chief works of God Creation attributed to the Father Redemption attributed to the Son Sanctification attributed to the holy Ghost So this and the following Articles are touching the People of God called a Church or the Lords People Catholick for time and place Apostolick for faith and government Holy and a Communion of Saints because sanctified in Baptism by the holy Spirit and dedicated to the service of God which is an holy service Note 1. There is a Church 2. There is but one 3. It is distinguished from other Societies by these badges or marks 1. Holy 2. Catholick 3. Apostolick 4. A Communion of Saints Ephes 4.15 1 Cor. 10.16 Heb. 10.25 1 John 1.7 Ephes 1.3 4. Ephes 2.21 Colos 1.22 Isay 54.2 Psal 87.4 Act. 1.8 Ephes 2.14 Revel 5.9 10th 11th 12th Article I believe there is a Remission of Sins Resurrection of the Body and a Life Everlasting In these last Articles are contained the priviledges and special immunities of the People of God 1. Touching the Soul Remission 2. Touching the Body Resurrection 3. Touching both Life Everlasting Amen So it is I believe Lord help my unbelief Note here once for all that a very great part of the Service-Book or Common-Prayer may be resolved into this Creed and was the Method of the Common-Prayer warily and considerately observed the Apostles Creed would need no other explication then what the Church in her Liturgick Office hath in one part or other one office or other clearly made out to our hands I am very confident the Service-Book cannot be faulty in any one thing unless it will be confest that this confession of faith according to which most of the Service is composed be faulty also 1. The Te Deum The Athanasian and the Nicene Creeds are but explications of this and the growth of heresies in the Church gave the occasion to those explications that the Members of the Church might be the better secured from the infection of them 2. The Gloria patri c. so often repeated is but a shorter confession of the Trinity which this Creed teacheth us to believe in 3. The Lord have mercy Christ have mercy c. Lord have mercy c. which is the lesser Litany used in all Divine Offices is of the same use and design 4. The greater Litany which begins O God the Father of Heaven c. is as to the first part of it the very same and those passages in it which some scruple at By the mystery of thy holy Incarnation c. is but a pathetical enumeration of all those acts and passages of our Redeemer mention'd in this Creed by which we pray for deliverance and without which our deliverance we pray for could not possibly be obtain'd 5. Many of the Collects Epistles and Gospels for the Dominicals and Festivals may be reduced to this Creed and may serve for a clear explication of it As that for Trinity-Sunday to the whole Creed The Prayer for Rain In time of dearth and Famine with many other Collects to the first Article The last Prayer but one in the Visitation of the Sick to the second Article as also many other Prayers and Collects The Collects for the Annunciation and the Nativity to the third Article The Collect for the Sunday next before Easter and the first Collect for good Friday to the fourth Article The Collect and Epistle for Easter Even The Anthems Collect Epistle and Gospel for Easter Day for Munday and Tuesday in Easter-Week for the first and second Sunday after Easter to the fifth Article The Collect Epistle and Gospel for Ascension-Day and the Collects for the Sunday after Ascension to the sixth Article The Collect for the first Sunday in Advent to the seventh Article The Collects Epistles and Gospels for Whit-Sunday Munday and Tuesday in Whitsun-Week and the second Collect for good Friday to the eighth Article The Collect for the 22th Sunday after Trinity for all the Festivals of the Apostles and Evangelists especially for all Saints to the 9th Article The Confession and Absolution at the beginning of the Service-Book the Absolution and following Collect in the Visitation of the Sick The general confession in the Office for the Communion and the Absolution together with many other Collects and Prayers to the tenth Article The most part of the Office for the Burial of the dead and many other passages in the Service-Book as the Collect for the second Sunday in Advent to the eleventh and twelfth Article Hither all the Festivals touching Christ then Apostles and Evangelists together with the Collects Epistles and Gospels proper Lessons and proper Psalmo may be reduced and may serve not only to explain every Article in the Creed but to imprint it in our memories that it may have the greater influence upon our lives So that I very much wonder that any People can be offended at the Service-Book it being of so admirable contrivance and so singularly useful would People but follow and observe as well as follow the Churches method I could easily reduce the most of it to the Lord's Prayer Apostles Creed and Ten Commandements After the Minister hath rehearsed the Articles of the Faith The sick Person is to return this Answer All this I stedfastly believe That by it the Minister may be assur'd that the sick Person believes as a Christian ought to do and so may proceed to the other part of the Office in that order as the Church directs Rubrick Then shall the Minister examine â— Note It is not enough that the sick Person declare his assent to all the Articles of Faith contained in the Creed but that his faith may appear sound and sincere and be in some sort evidenced to the Minister that so it is by the fruits and effects of it the Minister is to examine him further touching his life and conversation 1. Touching his charity without which a bare profession of faith is nothing worth Fides non
of our deceased friends unto the Grave we do not lay up these precious Reliques in the Wardrobe of the Earth as Carkasses lost and perished but as having in them a seed of Eternity in sure and certain hope of a Resurrection to Eternal Life this is to bury Christianly the hope of the Resurrection being the proper hope of Christians Vid. August de Civit. Dei lib. 1. c. 13. Now this hope is grounded upon Christ's Resurrection who is our Resurrection and Life John 11.25 He is Primogenitus mortuorum Colos 1.18 As he rose in se so he rose Pro aliis As an Angel proclaimed at his Grave Resurrexit non est hic Mat. 28.6 So from his Resurrection we have added on our Tomb-stones to Hic jacet this happy clause Spe Resurgendi What is gone before in the Head shall follow in the Members if the Head be above there is hope for the whole Body if the Root have Life the Branches shall not long be without Christ the first fruits being restored to life all the rest of the dead who die in him are in him entitled to the same hope Rubrick Then shall be said or sung Note This following is another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or triumphant Hymn to be sung by Priest and People or said by the Priest alone to show our expressions of joy over our deceased friends whereby we do in a holy valour laugh at death I heard a voice from Heaven saying unto me write From henceforth blessed are the dead which die in the Lord even so saith the Spirit for they rest from their labours Note This place of Scripture is primarily applied to the great Trials and Persecutions which were then to fall upon the Church within a short time which should be so great that they should be counted happy who were well dead before and were gone to enjoy their reward of peace and bliss being taken away from the Earth before such combats and storms as these should fall The holy Divine accounts those happiest who should die soonest and be taken out of this life from having their parts in the evil to come Isay 57.1 So upon mention of oppressors and strength on their side and the no comforter the Preacher tells us that he praised the dead which are already dead Eccles 4.1 2. And to this belongs the answer of the Spirit in the words following they shall have rest from their labours that is from those Persecutions which attend them here and which only death can put an end to But our Church very fitly applies it to all the Saints and Servants of God departing this life as finishing their warfare and going out of the World to receive the reward both of their Christian combat and conquest Rubrick Then the Priest shall say Note Here the Priest is Vox Populi the Peoples Mouth to God-ward Luk. 18.13 Lord have mercy upon us To God the Father Mat. 15.22 Christ have mercy upon us To God the Son Mark 10.48 Lord have mercy upon us To God the Holy Ghost Note This is thrice repeated to shew our faith in the Trinity This was called the lesser Litany and was of very early usage in Church Offices Clem. constit lib. 8. cap. 5. 6. Our Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy Name Our Father Great in our Creation Good in our Redemption Rich in Goodness and good in the riches of thy mercy sweet in love and slow to wrath willing to hear us for our Father able to help us for in Heaven Which art in Heaven The Glass of Eternity the Crown of Felicity the Treasure of all Complacency In Heaven Eminenter chiefly there but not only there in Heaven the Throne of thy Glory the Place of thy Majesty teaching us both whither to direct our Prayers and where to setle our affections when we pray Hallowed be thy Name in us by us upon us thy Kingdom come That it may be as Hony in the Mouth Melody in the Ear Jubily in the heart as Holiness is chief in Thee so let it be chief in our account and esteem of Thee May thy Name of Father be so hallowed in us and by us in our words lives and actions that we may deserve the title of Sons Thy Kingdom come Thy Kingdom of Grace come to us that we may come to thy Kingdom of Glory Thy Kingdom come that the Kingdom of Sin Satan and Death may be destroyed Thy Kingdom of Power to defend us Thy Kingdom of Grace to Sanctifie us Thy Kingdom of Glory to establish us in all bliss and happiness We are in this World but thy Kingdom is not of this World call us out of the one into the other Here thy Kingdom is begun in us by grace hereafter it must be perfected in us by glory Here is truth mixed with error here is joy mixed with grief here is tranquility mixed with trouble Here thy Kingdom thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven hath many enemies who seek the division of it labour the ruine of it malice the glory of it though avert it they may evert it they cannot The gates of Hell cannot prevail against the gates of Sion nor the kingdom of Satan against the Kingdom of Christ But O Lord let it come in its power and full glory that there may be in it Truth not mixed with errour Joy not mixed with sorrow Peace without trouble Glory without shame and a Kingdom so setled it upon us and we in it that there may be no more fear of losing it Thy will be done c. Thy will not ours be done in us and by us Freely without coaction fully without imperfection faithfully without fraud or hypocrisie In us that is in us men as it is done in Heaven that is in and by the holy Angels So that we may love those things which thou lovest hate those things which thou hatest shun those things which thou forbidest and do those things which thou commandest Give us this day and suffer those things with patience which thou art pleased in thy wise providence to inflict upon us Give us this day c. Give for we cannot have it except thou give it Dicimus da nobis ne putetur esse a nobis We are taught to ask it of God to shew that we have it not of our selves Us thou teacheth us that we are not to pray for our selves alone but that we are to seek the good one of another Pro se orat necessitas pro aliis charitas This day Day is here taken for life so long as we live so long shall we stand in need of God's givings and may say this Prayer Give us c. This day should teach us moderation in the pursuit of earthly things They are Utenda not Fruenda things to use not to enjoy Like Israel's Manna we are to feed upon them only till we come to the borders of our Canaan This life is Via the way Daily bread is
we avouch our faith in God One in Essence Three in Person we are to pray to But be this Oremus or Let us pray set where it will the end and â—se of it is very good to settle and fix our intentions towards some ensuing duty for unless we are thus stirred up and called upon we are apt to grow dull and drowsie and to supplicate God to hear those Prayers which we do not hear our selves This Oremus is very ancient as appears out of Chrysostom Augustine and others and there was a practise amongst the Heathens in their sacred though erroneously so Offices very like unto it Vid. Plutarch in Coriolano Our Father which art in Heaven Our Teacheth us to pray one with another one for another he who prays only for himself shal be heard only for himself The prayers we put up to God should be cast in the mould of love and charity He who is angry with his brother cannot offer a pleasing and acceptable offring to God his Father without faith no acceptable pray'r without love no true faith Father This begets in us love a humble confidence a holy kind of presumption what wil God deny us who vouchsafes us this to call him Father Though we are sinful he will not forget to be merciful though we forget our duties he will not forget his Nature Laesus est sed tamen pater which art in Heaven This begets in us fear and a holy kind of reverence This minds us of our earthly peregrination shews our wants and whence we are to expect relief it notes us to be strangers and pilgrims on Earth standing in need of his help and assistance who is in Heaven It teacheth us whither we are to direct our prayers and where to settle our affections when we pray Orantis est nil nisi coelestia cogitare It shews whence every good comes we can possibly want or stand in need of it shews God to be all-sufficient able to help us for in Heaven as willing to hear us for our Father It minds us that we are but viatores Travailours Earth is our way and Heaven is our home Our Nos pudeat eum aspernari fratrem quem deus non aspernatur filium Est vox charitatis as this Pray'r is Breviarium fidei so is it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Singuli pro omnibus omnes pro singulis orant Pro se orat necessitas pro aliis charitas Father Magnum nomen hoc sub quo nemini desperandum Surgam ibo ad patrem Luc. 15.18 19. Pater etiamsi offensus est pater filius etiamsi nequam tamen filius He will never forget the nature of his Name though we forget our duties There is indulgentia paterna liberalitas paterna Facilitas dandi condonandi in patre Nomen patris explicat charitatem dei excitat charitatem nostri which art in Heaven Other Fathers sub terris he in coelis Isay 63.16 Psal 10.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 3. aquilarum hoc negotium non talparum non milvorum Caelumque tueri Jussit We do genus de coelo ducere Act. 17. We should look home with the Prodigal Luc. 15. As Absolom desired to see the King's face 2 Sam. 14. So we the face of Christ and God in Heaven Coelum petere is the Unum necessarium In this sense Qua supra nos maxime ad nos Pater ergo vult In coelis ergo potest Nullus pater talis pater Tertull. Hallowed be thy Name This shews as Holiness is the chief attribute in God so it should be the chiefest thing in our account we should be holy as he is holy holy in our words holy in our actions holy in our lips holy in our lives We must not falsify Gods Name set it where he will not set it himself nor pretend it to justifie or legitimate any Action which is sinful This is as if we should carry God's Ark into the Field to fight against himself or fight the devils cause under the banner of Christ or wear Christs livery in the bare profession of a name and do the devils service We do not sanctifie God's Name but profane it when we profess him in words and deny him in works When we pretend Christian liberty to destroy Christian duty make use of Religion to usher in Sacriledge and Rebellion Paint the Cross upon banners and yet by actions most sinful and scandalous put Christ as it were upon a new Crucifixion God is not to be named but he is above every name only he was pleased to make himself known under the notion of names that we might have some directions how to invocate and call upon Him This is Caput votorum Sanctificetur cannot come from any Persons that are profane Psal 50.16 17. Not Jacob 's voice and Esau 's hands Not a Scriptum est from the Devil's mouth nor the devils gloss and comment upon GOD's Text. In Nomine Domini incipit omne malum that ought not to be There are Qui sub Christiano Nomine Christianam vulnerant Religionem Quid verba audio cum facta videam En Testimonia rerum loquentia signa God's Name is as a Castle we must not flie to it but in time of need Prov. 18.10 Deus Sanctificat nos faciendo Sanctos ex non sanctis nos sanctificamus Deum non faciendo eum sanctum sed agnoscendo praedicando Extrinsecus assumpsit sibi nomen ut invocetur Thy Kingdom come In this Petition we pray for the propagation of the Gospel the spreading of Christian Religion all the World over that God's Name which was onely great in Israel may be known and acknowledged reverenced and adored among all Nations we pray for the extirpation of sin and the implantation of grace that we may be translated out of the Kingdome of Darkness into the Kingdom of Light freed from the slavery of sin and Satan and intitled to the glorious liberty of the Sons of God That Christ would set up his Throne and Scepter in our hearts that the work of grace may be here in us glory begun and the work of glory may be hereafter in us and upon us grace compleat We pray for the means ordained and appointed of God to bring this Kingdom to us and us into it the word the Sacraments and a regular and ordain'd Ministry to preach the one and to administer the other Thy Kingdom of God 1. Universal over all 2. Special over the Church and this latter 1. Regnum gratiae inchoatum in hac vita 2. Regnum gloriae consummatum post hanc vitam Rex hujus Regni Christus 1. Quia Deus 2. Quia Mediator Regni hujus cives 1. Angeli 2. Sancti Militantes in terris Triumphantes in coelis Regni hujus Leges 1. Verbum Dei 2. Spiritus Dei Regni hujus Dona 1. Fides 2. Conversio 3. Justificatio 4. Sanctificatio 5. Glorificatio Regni hujus hostes 1. Diaboli 2. Homines impii In
pronounced by all the People with a loud Voice Jerom. in 2. proaem comment in Galat. Clem. Alexandr stromat lib. 7. Optati◠est adimpletionis omnium petitionum The Lord's Prayer and the Decalogue answering each the other Lord's Prayer  Decalogue God is our Father Therefore No other Gods but Him God is in Heaven No graven Image to worship it God's Name must be hallowed We must not take his Name in vain We pray that Gods Kingdome may come and his wil may be done Some portion of time must be consecrate for his worship and service We pray that he would give us our daily Bread Having sufficient we must be helpful to others and so honour our Father Mother and having sufficient we have the less temptation to be injurious to others in any kind We pray that God would not lead us into temptation We must contentedly sit down with what we have and not entertain any covetous desires after that which is another Mans. Minister  O Lord save this Woman thy Servant Psal 34.22 Psal 33.21 Answer  Who putteth her trust in Thee  Minister  Be Thou to her a strong Tower Psal 25.1 Psal 18.1 Answer  From the face of her enemy  Minister  Lord hear our Prayer  Answer Psal 4.1 And let our cry come unto Thee Psal 5.1 2. Note These Responds are the very Scripture phrase taken out of the Psalms that Treasury of Devotion and are fitted to the present occasion wherein Minister and People as taking it one from the other put up their Prayers to God for a continued mercy upon the Woman who comes devoutly to return her thanks to God for the great mercy already received Minister Let us Pray Note The Prayer following being clearly fitted to the occasion this clause is set before it to stir up the People to joyn heartily and unanimously with the Minister in begging of Almighty God those special blessings and mercies to rest upon the Woman which are there and then prayed for O Almighty God we give Thee humble thanks for that thou hast vouchsafed to deliver this Woman thy Servant from the great pain and peril of Child-birth Grant we beseech Thee most merciful Father that she through thy help may both faithfully live and walk according to thy will in this life present and also may be partaker of everlasting glory in the life to come through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Note This Prayer seems principally to be grounded upon 1 Tim. 2.14 15. and is an admirable summary of devotion wherein the Church so far honours these weaker Vessels as to pray for as many blessings upon them as they can possibly be capable of or as can be summ'd up in so few words It is very great pity that any Woman should be so silly so over-laden with sin and over-led with lust 2 Tim. 3.6 as to be carried away as so many Captives by those Seducers and Instruments of destroying Souls who creep first into their Houses then into their hearts into their bosomes so as to depart from God and from this Office of the Church which is purposely framed up for them in reference to their present and future Estate being meerly gull'd out of their Religion by those who pretend it to be Popish and fain would make it so Sed avertat Deus whereas I do verily believe there is no such Christian provision made in all the Mass-Book for Child-bearing Women not so sober grave and serious without any the least mixture of unprofitable and useless Ceremonies Rubrick The Woman that cometh to give her thanks must offer her accustomed offrings and if there be a Communion it is convenient that she receive the holy Communion Note These accustomed offrings were some Evangelical Oblations and small Retributions given to God into the hands of his Ministers by the Woman to be as an evidence of her gratitude for the eminent blessing which she had received and when we offer up our special thanks to God for special mercies it is fit we should bring presents unto him there is nothing Jewish in it but we are obliged to be thankful to God for his mercy no less then the Jews Non ore tantum sed opere David was for a Quid retribuam Psal 116.11 And when-ever we do offer to God it is but Tibi Domine de tuis 1 Chron. 29.14 Now that the Woman receive the Communion if there be a Communion is very requisit that by a new addition of mercies she may have the more ties and obligations upon her to spend the remainder of her days in holiness and may double her oblations together with her mercies received and return home not emptier but the fuller for her oblations filled with joy and comfort having received a spiritual refreshment as well as a corporal deliverance and so make it the business of her whole life to devote her self and those Children to God which God hath given her Lastly Here is to be noted that neither the blessing nor the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ concludes this Office in regard it is a service to be performed betwixt the first and second service which doth so conclude as Dr. Sparrow observes Rational pag. 363. Neither is such like Office altogether a stranger in the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas for in the Hungarian Polonian and Lithuanian Churches we read of an Office of this nature used Vid. Mr. Durel pag. 48. sect 59. THE Primitive Church Discipline GEN. III. xxiv And he drove out the Man and he planted at the East of the Garden of Eden Cherubims and a flaming Sword which turned every way to keep the way of the Tree of Life THis is the first early instance we have in Scripture for Church-Discipline Gratian derives it hence Distinct 50. c. 64. Epiphanius seems to derive it hence Haeres 52. and so doth Jerom. in Hos lib. 2. c. 6. and Augustine in Genes ad lit lib. 11. c. 40. and many others and if so there is not only Scripture for such a Discipline but the most ancient of Scripture An ancient godly Discipline of putting notorious sinners to open Penance which it seems is lost amongst us and we only wish as there is cause enough for it a happy restauration of it It was indeed when it was used as it ought to be a very laudable and edifying way to reform the scandals of Christianity and to make Christians in profession to be Christians in their lives and conversations too It is strange that the only reforming discipline should be abandoned those Churches which are stiled the Reformed that excommunication should be it self excommunicate and that driven out of the Church which should drive out vice And I wonder a whole Nation should vote the restauration of it and so few in the Nation should endeavour it It is a sign that vice hath overtopt Christianity hath gotten the upper hand of all Laws both Political and Ecclesiastical and that may very
Purification of sin whereby the Blood of the Lamb of God and the death of the Messias was prefigured Levit. 14.6 7. Numb 19.6 So shall I be restored to that blessed estate from which I have so sadly fallen by my sinful miscarriages Vers 8. I am yet in a sad and most wretched condition thy wrath continuing over me sets my soul upon torture my own conscience under thee being my dreadful executioner but O be thou pacified unto me again and that shall be the most joyful news which ever came to any poor tortured suppliants ears when he is taken from the rack his bones set and he restored to ease again Vers 9. Lord pardon my sins return thy wonted favour towards me Vers 10. I have sadly fallen from my wonted purity and sincerity but O Lord by the good work of thy grace upon my heart restore me to it again renew me inwardly and throughly my thoughts as well as actions that I never fall into the least beginning of any such pollutions again Vers 11. It is just with thee to cast me from thy spiritual commerce who have resisted thy spirit it is just with thee to withdraw thy grace to which I have done such despite but O do not thus severely punish me by withdrawing that which I now more than ever stand in need of Vers 12. Without thy gracious aid and assistance I am not able to get out of this broken condition the free assistances of thy Spirit are so necessary to me that without them I cannot indeavour in the least the recovering of that purity from which I am fallen Therefore Lord restore them to me that I may be restored unto thee Vers 13. This thy exceeding mercy to me a sinner so sadly lapsed may be a means to bring wicked livers home to repentance by mine own happy success I shall encourage them to return who have fallen as sadly as any of them can have done and yet have met with mercy and many I doubt not encouraged on by my example by the assistance of thy grace will be brought home to thy service and the practise of the duties of new life Vers 14. The sin of Murder is an horrid and crying sin of a black and deep die deliver me from that so far as my conscience assures me guilty though my own hands have not been polluted with it Blessed Lord from whom all deliverance comes be pleased to deliver me from this and all other foul commissions which will be welcome news to me and make me with greatest exultation of Heart to proclaim abroad thy abundant mercies Vers 15. Thy work of grace towards me shall set my lipps wide open in praysing thee Vers 16. It is not any Hecatombe or most chargeable oblation for sin thou requirest of me for the truth is my sins are such as for which all exteriour performances afford no reconciliation Vers 17. 'T is my sincere humiliation confession and renovation which alone thou admittest and which thou art mercifully pleased to have respect to however I am in this foul condition and to look upon them as the most acceptable oblation These with an honest heart presented unto Thee will be sure to find a favourable and welcome reception Vers 18. Be merciful O Lord not to me only but to all that love and fear thy Name and meet uniformly in the place appointed for thy service Be thou a defence and succour to all such Let them be walled about with thy protection and preserve them from falling into any wilful and presumptuous sins Vers 19. For then shall all our services of Prayers and praises typified by the Legal sacrifices our solemn acts of the most ardent devotion to Thee and most diffusive charity to our brethren be accepted by Thee being upon an humble but cheerful confidence of thy acceptance presented to Thee upon the Altars of our very hearts Vid. Dr. Hammond Glory be to God the Father maker of all the World and to God the Son Redeemer of all Mankind and to God the Holy Ghost Sanctifier of the Church or all the Elect People of God Answer This was the confession of faith taken up from the first beginning of the Christian name and grounded upon Christ's own institution Matth. 28.19 therefore against all Arrians and Antitrinitarians we make confession of the same faith in the ever blessed Trinity and pray for the continuance of it to the Worlds end subjoyning our Amen of confirmation that so it is and of option that so it may continue Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Note These Versicles are of very ancient usage in the Church-Service mention'd in the Clementine Constitutions lib. 8. c. 5. c. 6. Council of Vas c. 5. Ann. Dom. 440. received both in the Eastern and Western Church called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seasonable at all times and therefore it hath a part in all our divine Offices and is set ever or for the most part before the Lord's Prayer as a fit preparative to usher it in Vid. Haman Lestrange Alliance of Divine Offices Pag. 83. Dr. Sparrow's Rational pag. 71 72 73. Our Father which art in Heaven c. Note This Prayer is Tanquam sal omnium divinorum Officiorum Upon which I have here added this Paraphrastical Prayer Preface O Lord God who art great in power rich in mercy whose glory is above the Heavens whose goodness is over all the Earth who art Almighty for in Heaven who art most merciful for our Father in Heaven so able to help us our Father so willing to hear us Lord what art not thou able to do for us who art in Heaven Lord what art not thou willing to do for us who art our Father Here we lie prostrate before Thee upon the Earth yet pressing in our affections towards the Heaven where thou art and presume not for any merit in us but for thy mercies in Christ that thou wilt deny us nothing which may do us good who vouchsafest us this to call Thee Father 1 Petit. Thou art an Holy God and delightest that all thy Worshipers should worship Thee in the beauties of holiness we desire Thee to shed thy Holy Spirit abroad in our hearts that we may perform this our bounden duty and service in an holy manner that we may lift up holy hands with holy hearts to Thee who dwellest in the Heavens Thou who art the sanctifier of all that is made holy make us to be holy as Thou art holy give us holiness in our thoughts words and actions sanctify us inwardly and outwardly in our Souls and Bodies make us holy in our lives that we may be happy at our deaths Let thy Name of Father be hallowed in us and upon us that we may in our lives and conversations walk before Thee in newness of life and as it becometh the Sons of God 2 Petit. To this end we humbly beg of Thee to sanctifie our corrupt nature and to beautifie