own strength but in a full reliance on thine I will never talk of any security but that which I hold by thy free mercy and fidelity by which thou art obliged to perform thy promise and never to forsake those who depend on Thee Vers 17. Blessed God I have had experience of thy wonderful acts of power and goodness towards me from the first part of mine Age and I have made declaration of them accordingly Vers 18. Do not now with-draw from me in my declining Years wherein I most stand in need of thy support but afford me matter of continual acknowledgements that I may proclaim thy attributes to many more than yet I have done and live to be an instrument of bringing in those to thy service who are not yet born Vers 19. How infinitely great O Lord is thy bounty How glorious are thy works of power and goodness There is none that can in the least be compared with thee Vers 20. Thou hast suffred me to fall into great afflictions and distresses yet I doubt not either of thy powâ—r or will to restore me again and to rescue me out of the lowest and most disconsolate state Vers 21. Thou canst return upon me in mercy and bring more comforts than thou tookest away by turning thy face from me Vers 22. For this and all thy rich mercies will I in most solemn manner exalt and â—â—aise thy Name O thou great and only God of Heaven who thus graciously revealest thy self to thy People Vers 23. And this shall be to me the most joyful imployment in the World joy to my tongue being honoured to be the instrument of thy praises joy to my very life being rescued by thee from such present dangers Vers 24. And as it shall be the most pleasant so the most constant imployment of my life to declare thy mercy and the performance of all thy good promises to me in securing me from so great a danger and sending me so gracious a deliverance For which and for all Glory be to the Father c. Halleluiah Adding this O Saviour of the World who by thy Cross c. John 3.17 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Then shall the Minister say The Almighty Lord c. Psal 18.1 Philip. 3.10 11. Act. 4.12 And after that shall say Unto God's gracious mercy and protection c. Numb 6.24 25 26. Note Here are now added to this Office four admirable Prayers composed in the very Scripture-phrase 1. For a sick Child 2. For a sick Person when there appeareth small hope of recovery 3. For a sick Person at the point of departure 4. For Persons troubled in mind or in conscience All which Prayers may with a very little pains taking be clearly and almost verbatim extracted out of the Scriptures in all which I cannot enough admire as the Churches prudence in their composure so also her care in making so necessary a provision for all Persons who are any ways grieved or afflicted The Communion of the Sick Rubrick For as much as all mortal Men be subject c. Note The Communion is to be received by every Parishioner at the least thrice a Year whereof the Feast of Easter to be one Can. 21. Eccles Anglican The administration of this Sacrament to Christians in extremis was reputed by the Primitive Fathers a very necessary dispensation Nicen. Can. 13. cod Eccl. univers so necessary that they indulged it in that extremity to such as were excommunicated by the censures of the Church Concil 1. Nicen. Can. 13. Bucer saith this Office is framed according to the Rule of Holy Scripture Censur pag. 487. The Argentine or Strasburgh exiles had in their Liturgy an Office intitled De Eucharistia ministranda aegrotis The Communion for the Sick is used in most reformed Churches when any sick Person desireth it and the same provision is made for a number to Communicate as is here made in our Rubrick Vid. Durel Conformity of other reformed Churches with the Reformed Churches of England pag. 49. Mr. Calvin pleads very much for it Epist. 361.363 This is Ultimum Viaticum Vid. Dr. Sparrow Rational pag. 333 334 c. It is to be administred to all dying Persons desiring it in case they are found fit to receive it Vid. Cyprian Epist. 54. The Sacrament is a great defensative in the last Hour when the Devil is doing his last and worst Vid. Concil 4. Carthag Can. 76 78. Concil Auras Can. 3. Concil Vas 2. c. 2. See more in Dr. Sparrow's Rationale The Collect. Almighty ever-living God Maker of Man-kind c. Note This Collect or short Prayer is fitted to this Office and grounded upon Heb. 12.5 6 7 8. Pro. 3.11 12. 1 Thes 5.23 The Epistle Heb. 12.5 6. Paraphrase My Son kick not at God's punishments but make that use of them for which they are sent neither be discouraged and disheartned by them For it is an effect in God of Paternal love that on his beloved Children and Servants he inflicts punishments for their farther amendment and it is an argument of his approving them for his own that he dealeth thus sharply with them The Gospel John 5.24 Paraphrase This is so perfectly the will of God who is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ that I must tell you that if you believe in Christ and entertain his Doctrine as the message of God thereon depends your Eternal well-being by this means you shall escape Eternal Death and attain Eternal Life Rubrick After which the Priest shall procéed c. Note What follows are partly Rules and Directions how and in what order the Minister is to proceed in the Communion Office for the Sick For Ministers who are to bring the People to a Rule should keep themselves to an established Rule and not go some one way some another Partly they are comfortable applications to be made to the sick Person in case by reason of some just impediments the Sacrament cannot be administred in that extremity in such a case the Minister is to tell the sick Person that if he be a sincere Disciple of Christ so believing the Doctrin of Christ as to obey it also embracing all his promises upon the same terms as they are made not only assenting to the truth of them but undertaking the performance of the conditions of them too If he transcribe Christ's Doctrin and Example so as that both may have an influence upon his life if he sincerely and unfeignedly repent of his sins and depend upon Christ and him only for salvation resigning up himself wholly to him This is undoubtedly to eat the flesh of the Son of Man and to drink his blood this is to be a member of Christ and to be interested in that spiritual and endless life which Christ came to bestow upon all true believers and godly livers He who departs the world with these assurances shall receive no prejudice as to his future estate however it may so happen as to die without receiving the
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
out again at the Resurrection The Spring for the time the Gardens for the place present us with significant emblems of the Resurrection sufficient to convince Heathens to subscribe to the truth of it And this is a critical reason given by some why Christ made choice of the Spring and of a Garden for the place both of his Sepulture and rising again Bishop And. Serm. in Mark 16.1 2 3 4 5 6. The Hebrew Doctors in their Language express the Place of Burial by a word which signifies the House of the Living The Greeks Latines and others by words which signify Dormitories Dortors Sleeping-Places Places of Rest Euseb lib. 7. c. 12. Where the Bodies of God's Servants rest in hope of a joyful Resurrection A carnal Mans hope is but Spes Spirantium a hope while he breaths but a Christian Man's hope is Spes Expirantium a hope when he can fetch his breath no longer Dum spiro spero saith the one whilst there is breath there is hope Dum expiro spero says the other when there is no breath yet there is hope My flesh doth rest in hope saith David Psal 16.9 And this is the Christian hope laid up in the bosom of every departing Saint and Servant of God that though his Body and Soul by a natural death be for a time separated the one from the other yet they shall meet again at the time appointed in inseparable unions Now howâ—ver such consecrated Places are made choice of for the Sepulture of Gods Servants it is not to be conceived that our Religion teacheth us to call any place holy in it self since the Temple only some we esteem of as more holy in their use than others and these distinctions of places are made only out of a respect to decency and order and to keep up that honourable esteem which is due to Christian Profession and to shew our selves charitably affected towards the remains not of dead Men but of dead Christians and those whom we hope one day to see glorious As we neither scorn the Carkasses of our Friends with the old Troglodites so neither do we with the old Aegyptians respect them more than when they were informed with a living Soul but we keep such an even mean betwixt both in disposing of their Bodies to the Earth from whence they first came that we keep as close as may be to the Apostles Canon of Decency and Order avoiding on one hand the indelible brand of barbarous inhumanity and on the other hand the more tolerable errour of being superstitious What a more than common esteem the first Christians had of these Places where the Bodies of God's Servants sleep in peace we may be sufficiently taught out of Eusebius Splendidissima Sepultura So He. lib. 7. cap. 15. lib. 7. c. 10. And out of St. Augustine Curatio Funeris conditio Sepulturae pompa exequiarum magis sunt vivorum solatia quam subsidia mortuorum So He. de civit Dei lib. 1. c. 12. And out of Origen Rationalem animam honorare didicimus So He. Cont. Cels lib. 8. And out of our own Sir Henry Spelman as much as any de concil tom 1. proem Yet in making choice of such places for Burial and using such Rites and Ceremonies however in Origen's sense we may express a civil honour to Christian Souls departed in committing the instruments or cases of them honourably to the Grave We intend them not saith Augustine as helps to the dead but only as comforts to the living shewing how great account we Christians make of Heaven and of a Resurrection Therefore in this pompous manner are the Priest and Clerks to go before the Corps either into the Church or towards the Grave saying or singing John 11.25 26. I am the Resurrection and the Life saith the Lord he that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die Note These words are Christs words to Martha touching Lazarus wherein our Saviour told her that he was able to raise the dead to life again whensoever he pleased One that is a Believer said he and faithful Disciple of mine such as thy Brother Lazarus was I can though he be dead and buried raise him presently to life again And he who is now alive and so not capable of such a present Miracle shall if he receive and obey my Doctrin though he dies after the manner of other Men rise again unto life immortal Job 19.25 26 27. I know that my Redeemer liveth and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth and though after my Skin worms destroy this Body yet in my Flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my self and mine eyes shall behold and not another Note These are the words of holy Job that Miracle of Patience Tertullian applies them to Christs Incarnation but the most as our Church doth to the Resurrection The words carry this meaning Whatsoever terms I am forced to make use of to express my grief yet I know that he from whom I expect my salvation is living and that after he hath tried my patience he will bring me out of that miserable condition to which I am reduced And I may well believe it since faith perswades me that I must rise again after my death that my Bones shall once again be cloathed with Flesh that in my own Body I shall see the God who I adore and hear from his Mouth a Sentence favourable to my Innocence This holy Job who was poor even to a Proverb was enriched with this singular faith I shall see God in my Flesh that is I in my flesh shall see God Videbo Deum in carne hoc est Deum incarnatum I shall see God having taken flesh on him 1 Tim. 6 7. We brought nothing into this World and it is certain we can carry nothing out Note That Christianity is an advantageous calling is in one sense most true for a Christian life with a competent subsistence is as much as all the wealth in the World For any thing above sufficiency for this life is no way advantageous to us for as we brought nothing into the World with us so neither can we carry any thing out so that all that which we do not spend or use is lost to us Job 7.21 The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away Blessed be the Name of the Lord. Note Job being prostrate upon the Earth for to adore and kiss the hand which struck him said with sentiments of râ—spect I came naked out of the womb of my Mother and shall enter naked into the bosom of the Earth the bounty of God gave me Riches Children Friends and his Justice takes them from me the loss though it be sensible is welcome to me since it is he that ordains it and by whatsoever misfortune he tries my patience his Name shall always receive praises from my Mouth Now the Priest and Clerk go in
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
Tertullian is very plain and full Vid. Melanct. in Evangel domin in loc commun And Mr. Calvin is very express That Christ alone is enter'd into the Sanctuary of Heaven and that he presents unto God the Prayers of the People who remain in a remoter Court till the end of the World Instit lib. 3. c. 20. Sect. 20. lib. 3. cap. 25. sect 6. in Luc. cap. 16. vers 22. vid. Marlorat vid. Calvin lib. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 1 Pet. 3.19 2 Pet. 2.4 Luc. 23.43 Mat. 8. Genes 5. de raptu Enochi Job 14. Philip. 1.6 2 Cor. 5.1 2 Cor. 12.13 Instit lib. 4. cap. 4. sect 12. in Catechism In all which places he will not define or determine any thing in terminis only holds as we do that they are in bliss but shall not have their perfect consummation and bliss till the Resurrection and Day of Doom The Collect. O merciful God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the Resurrection and the Life in whom whosoever believeth shall live though he die and whosoever liveth and believeth in him shall not die eternally Joh. 11.25 26. who also hath taught us by his holy Apostle St. Paul not to be sorry as Men without hope for them that sleep in him 1 Thes 4.13 14. We meekly beseech Thee O Father to raise us from the death of sin unto the life of righteousness Rom. 6.3 4. 1 Cor. 15.34 That when we shall depart this life we may rest in him as our hope is this our _____ doth and that at the general Resurrection in the last day we may be found acceptable in thy sight and receive that blessing which thy well beloved Son shall then pronounce to all that love and fear Thee saying Come ye blessed Children of my Father receive the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the World Mat. 25.34 Grant this we beseech thee O merciful Father through Jesus Christ our Mediator and Redeemer Amen Note This Collect sums up all the remarkableness of the Burial Office in a short devout prayer and brings all home in pious application Herein we declare our hope concerning all who depart this life in the bosom of the Church for so long as we are in the bosome of the Church we are in the state of pardon however if we are sometimes mistaken in our hope as to particulars yet it is ever a testimony of our charity It is Error amoris in case it happen at any time to be an errour 2 Cor. 13.14 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost be with us all ever more Amen Viz. The charity of God the Son the love of God the Father and the bounty or liberal effusion of the graces of God's Holy Spirit be in us with us and upon us now and ever Amen POSTSCRIPT Christian Reader IN the first place I am to desire thee to have so much charity for our reviving Mother the Church of England as not to think her any way addicted to an affected singularity in her prescribed Office for the Burial of her dying Children for as in her other Offices so in this she holds exact conformity with her other Sisters the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas so far as they may be permitted to hold conformity with her Vid. Mr. Durel Touching the conformity of other reformed Churches with the Reformed Church of England pag. 34. sect 38. pag. 48. sect 60. Besides take notice of the words of the most judicious Hooker Take away saith he these prayers praises and holy Lessons which were ordained at Burials to shew the peculiar hope of the Church touching the Resurrection of the dead and in the manner of the dumb Funerals what one thing is there whereby the World may perceive that we are Christians Hook Eccles Pol. lib. 5. sect 75. Some few Rites more I shall add observed at Funerals together with their Reasons annexed only to give satisfaction to those better sort of weak Christians who quarrel at their use more out of tenderness of conscience than out of turbulency or any contentious spirit as for such who are contentiously given who are ill-willers to Sion who are enemies to the peace of the Church who delight in nothing but dreadful confusions and make it a great part of their Religion to quarrel the ancient practises of the Church and just Orders of Superiours I leave them to the severest execution of the Laws of the Land and the power of those who are invested with Jurisdiction to punish them as schismatical and seditious Persons and as the nature of their offence shall deserve and truly I think Superiours may be blamed for their indulgence in such cases as well as for their severity Our Church will never be at peace and our State never at quiet from the working of some Mens spirits and intemperate zeal Si vitiis Principum irasci liceat insidiari bonitati But enough of this I proceed now to speak of the few other Rites rather practised at Funerals than by Law or Canon prescribed and to account for them with what brevity and perspicuity I can 1. The ringing of the Passing-bel or Soul-bell as we call it is not intended to help the passage of the Soul when departed out of the Body but only to stir up devout Christians to pray for its happy passage out of its Body and to move those who are living to make reflexions upon their own mortality and seriously to consider of their later end This Bell is like St. Paul's Trumpet 1 Cor. 14.8 which gives such a certain sound that all within the hearing of it may prepare themselves to the Battel which is to be fought in the Field of Death 2. It was an ancient custom and is still practised to bury the Dead with their Faces turning towards the East to shew that they were as sure of an uprise as the Sun that comes forth of his Eastern Chamber and that they lie waiting for that Sun of Righteousness Malach. 4.2 who shall at the last day return with his healing Wings and quicken and revive all the dead Bodies of his Servants by his healing and life-giving influence when he comes with his Prodi Lazare or Surge qui dormis then the Graves shall set open their Marble Doors and restore their deposita When the Arch-Angel shall sound the Trump of Collection then the scattered bones of Gods Saints shall be gathered together with sinews and those sinews incorporated with flesh and that flesh covered over with skin all mortality being purged away and by a new 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Pythagoras never dreamed of the same Soul shall re-enter the same Body These and the like Ceremonies the Church hath practised in her Funerals to be as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so many significant emblems to strengthen and confirm her living Children in the hopes of a joyful resurrection 3. It was an
by him and delivered from those dangers which did encompass me I have nothing to do but to serve him in all sincerity and integrity of conversation Vers 8. For he hath rescued my life from death wiped all tears from my eyes restored me from my weakness to a perfect strength and soundness Vers 9. Therefore will I spend the remainder of my days which he shall afford me in this World in his service and at the present make my humble address to the place of God's special presence there to celebrate that mercy which he hath afforded me in so signal a deliverance Vers 10 11. When my calamities were most pressing and my dangers greatest by which I was clearly convinced that the arm of flesh was not to be trusted in for my relief yet I knew there was one sure hold to which I might hopefully and successfully resort the never failing Omnipotent hand of God therfore to that I betook my self entirely and from that I received my deliverance Vers 12 13 14. For this and for all other abundant mercies which God hath so graciously bestowed upon me I am bound up by all obligations to make my most thankful acknowledgment and to do it in the most solemn manner in the presence of the whole Congregation by way of publick Festival blessing and magnifying God's Holy Name who hath preserved my life from so great a danger and kept it as a Jewel of his own Cabinet as being by me humbly deposited with and intrusted to him And this is his gracious way of dealing not with me only but with all who truly rely and depend upon Him For which signal mercy of his I here present my self at this time to pay that gratitude and oblation of praise which if I did not promise in my danger yet am now bound up to perform after my deliverance Vers 16. O most gracious Lord how am I obliged to Thee by all the bonds that any ingagement can lay upon me No Servant bought with a price or born in a Man's house can be more closely bound to him than I am bound to Thee who hast rescued me by so great a deliverance from so great a danger Vers 17 18 19. What remains now but that I should return to Thee the humblest offrings of praise and prayer and spend my whole life as a vow'd oblation to thy service rendring Thee all possible praise in the publick Assembly and in the most solemn manner saying Blessed be the name of the Lord or Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the begining is now and ever shall be World without end Amen Vid. Dr. Hammond Or this Psalm 127. Note This or the former is left to the prudence and discretion of the Minister but the Church in both hath made so good a choice that the Minister in either cannot make an ill one Paraphrase This Psalm was composed by Solomon as a Compendium of his Ecclesiastes wherein is set down the vanity of worldly sollicitude without God's blessing as in all things else so in that of Children the greatest blessing of life Vers 1. There is no way in the World to attain any secular wealth or safety save only from the blessing of God the author and dispenser of all good things The building up of Houses and Families of gathering Riches and begetting Children to inherit them is not to be imputed to Man's sollicitude but is wholly imputable to God's blessing Unless God by his special protection guard a City all the guards of Men can do but little to the securing or preserving of it and unless God build up a Family all the industry of Men will not be successful to it Vers 2. 'T is to little purpose for Men to deny Nature that rest which God hath indulged to her to moil incessantly and to debar themselves the enjoyment of worldly comforts thinking by this means to inrich their Posterity for they who trust and depend upon their own anxious and sollicitous indeavours are generally frustrated and disappointed in their aims and ends whereas they who take God's blessing along with them thrive insensibly and become prosperous though they never loose any sleep in the pursuit of it Vers 3. And for Children that 's a particular blessing of God's from whom all increase comes and he gives them as he pleases and sees good as a present reward to the piety and other virtues of Men. Vers 4. And of all blessings this of a numerous Progeny is the greatest every Child being an addition of strength and safety to the Father Children of Youth are as arrows in the hand of a mighty Man and defend the House from Hostil Invasions as well as Weapons can Vers 5. As the Military Man guards himself with Weapons Arrows and Darts having them in a full quiver all in a readiness and prepared so the Master of a Family is fortified from Hostile Invasions and all other insolencies and molestations by the multitude and strength of his numerous Children who are in a readiness to back and defend him at all turns from injuries of any kind which the open violence or more secret fraud of Men can design against him either in the Field or in any Court of Judicature Vid. Dr. Hammond Therefore for other blessings and for these amongst the rest Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost c. Note Two more excellent Psalms could not have been selected out of the whole Book of Psalms for this Office which though not Penn'd for this particular occasion yet are most admirably fitted to it and most seasonably applied and no Church in the World is more happy for her Verba Opportuna as our Church of England is Then the Priest shall say Let us Pray Note This is like the Prophet David â—s invitatory Psal 95.1 and is frequently used in other Offices of the Service Book especially before the Lord's Prayer to shew what requests we desire more particularly to summe up in that Prayer at that time For this reason is this clause inserted into the Absolution at the begining of Morning Prayer Wherefore let us bâ—seech Him to grant us true repentance and his holy Spirit c. The meaning is that we are incited more particularly to pray for the grace of repentance and the gifts of the Spirit in the Lord's Prayer immediately following which Prayer was undoubtedly indicted by our Saviour for such a purpose or else it is set before these Three Versicles Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us which antiquity called the lesser Litany and were of very early admission into the service of the Church Clemens lib. 8. c. 5. c. 6. And fitly are they placed before â—â—e Lord's Prayer because expedient it is we implore God's mercy before we resort to him in Prayer Durand rational lib. 4. c. 12. It is an address to the blessed Trinity whereby
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