the Doctrine of the Book of God obliging them to learn the Psalter and the Epistles of St. Paul without book while we think that study unworthy of our selves or our posterity We plead it 's true as St. Caesarius of Arles says the difficulty of learning the Rules of Faith and Holy Life without book especially if we cannot read But if the most ignorant and unlearned can find out a way to remember a prophane or lewd Song or Story will their ignorance excuse them if they have not learnt the Precepts of the Gospel Men have wit and memory enough to attain without reading to that which the Devil teaches them for their destruction But when they are to receive from the mouth of their blessed Saviour the Laws that will make them eternally happy then they plead ignorance But whatever others do or my self have heretofore practis'd I profess for the future that I will love thy Law And do thou think upon me O Lord according to thy word wherein thou hast caused me to put my trust Thou hast given me thy Holy Scriptures that through them I might have hope in all capacities and in all distresses of mind body or estate For tho I read there that Lucifer sinn'd himself beyond the hopes of Redemption and that there is a sin against the Holy Ghost that cannot be pardon'd and a sin unto death that is not to be pray'd for yet the state of sinful men is declared to be different from that of the fallen Angels And what these particular Transgressions are and wherein they consist is not plainly revealed in those Oracles that no man might despair of mercy but withal that every man might beware of the smallest sin as if it were of the greatest magnitude the deepest dye and most dismal consequences From this Book also I learn That at what time soever a sinner repents and doth that which is lawful and right he shall save his soul alive For who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect since it is God who justifies and who is he that condemns since Christ hath died and is risen again and sitteth at the right hand of God to make intercession for us Lord be merciful to my former sin for my neglect hath been great and keep me stedfast to my duty for the remainder of my life that tho I cannot see my God yet I may every day hear him and converse with him in his word and being inlightned thereby may learn to depart from evil The Collect. For the 2d Sunday in Advent BLessed Lord who hast caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning grant that I may in such wise hear them read mark learn and inwardly digest them that by patience and comfort of thy Holy Word I may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed Hope of Everlasting Life which thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ Amen CHAP. IX Of Christian Love WHen I have thus adorn'd my soul with saving knowledg my next employment is strictly to examine my practise and what degrees of divine love I have attained to now I better feel what that love is in my heart than I can describe it with my tongue For when I am in the Palace of divine Love I am in St Paul's Third Heaven where tho the Apostle without doubt saw ravishing sights and such as were worth dying for and heard admirable discourses such as the King of Glory entertains his favorite Angels with yet he assures us he heard and saw * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 12.4 what could not be uttered or described But as it is said of Heaven tho it does not appear what we shall be yet we have a glorious character of that City given us in Holy Writ so it may be said of Christian Love Great things are spoken of it and such as render it venerable in the eyes of all wise and discerning persons For 1. It is a complication * Aug. de C. D. l. 15. c. 22. Nihil aliud virtus est quà m or do amoris Id. de C. D. l. 14. c. 7. Amor inhians habere quod amatur cupiditas est idem habens eóque fruens laetitia est c. of all Vertues When it longs for what it affects it is desire and when it enjoys it it is gladness when it flies what it abominates it is fear and when it falls into the hands of its enemies it is sadness says St. Austin and * 1 Cor. 13. a greater than St. Austin hath told me That Love is the most comprehensive Vertue For Charity suffers long and then it is meekness it is kind and then it is courtesie it envies not and so it is peaceableness it vaunteth not it self and so it is modesty it is not puft up and so it is humility it doth not behave it self unseemly and then it is called decency seeketh not her own and then it is publick-spiritedness is not easily provok'd and then it is patience thinketh no evil and so it is simplicity and innocence rejoiceth in the truth and so it is verity and spiritual gladness beareth all things and so it is Christian fortitude believeth all things and so it is faith hopeth all things and so it is assurance endureth all things and then it is magnanimity and it never fails and so it is perseverance it purifies more than the flames of Martyrdom and is a better Alms than the world dispos'd of to charitable uses it enlightens more than all reading and all contemplation and it makes a man a Christian while Knowledg and Miracles only make him a Prodigy In a word it is all Philosophy and all Religion and he alone truly knows how to live who knows how to love Nay it is Heaven upon Earth says the devout Poet For We know not what they do above But that they sing and that they love Nay it is God himself * 1 John 4.8 For he that loves not knows not God for God is Love ' Who is able to describe the beauties of Holy Love says St. Clement * Ep ad Corinth p. 63 64. The height to which it carries us is unsearchable it unites us to God and it covers a multitude of sins it is the bond of Union and the bane of Schism and Divisions and without it nothing can please God It was nothing but Love that brought down Jesus from Heaven to shed his Blood for us and nothing but Love that can carry us thither whence he came down on Earth 2. Love is the only Original of all our satisfactions in this Life it sweetens all sufferings and makes difficulties easie for it subdues whatever opposes it True Love is a flame enkindled in the mind by our holy Saviour which preys upon and destroys all secular and carnal affections its eye is fixt on Heaven and its wings spread toward that bright Palace and thither it endeavours with unwearied speed to fly because that is
house of mourning but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth it is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than for a man to hear the song of fools for as the crackling of thorns under a pot so is the laughter of the fool The Gospel Mat. 9.14 THen came to him the Disciples of John saying why do we and the Pharisees fast often but thy Disciples fast not And Jesus said unto them can the children of the Bride-chamber mourn as long as the Bridegroom is with them but the days will come when the Bridegroom shall be taken from them and then shall they fast No man puts a piece of new cloath into an old garment for that which is put in to fill it up takes from the garment and the rent is made worse Neither do men put new wine into old bottles else the bottles break and the wine runs out and the bottles perish but they put new wine into new bottles and both are preserved The MEDITATION SAD and disconsolate must needs have been the state of the Infant Church when its Tutor and Guardian was taken from it nor could the Disciples but sit in darkness and in the shadow of death who were deprived of the light and warmth of the Sun of Righteousness they had lost one Comforter and had only the remote expectations of another their Master had establish'd a Kingdom which they knew not what to make of they could not apprehend how a Prince could make himself Glorious and yet trample upon the Pomps and Vanities the Crowns and Purple which this world adorns its Monarchs with nor how he who had not so much as a House which he could call his own could be Lord of the whole Earth nor did they understand how this could be the Messiah who should redeem all Israel who could not rescue himself from the Torture and Ignominy of the Cross these were amazing Considerations and such as filled their hearts full of sorrow these thoughts confin'd the Apostles during the time that their Master lay in the Grave to retirement and privacy they sighed and bewailed the loss of their hopes which they imagined were buried in the same Sepulcher with their Lord past any possibility of a Resurrection As long as they expected to share in the Grandeur of the Messiah and under him to govern Principalities how willingly did they follow him but when they saw all those satisfactions which they promis'd themselves vanish like the Idea's of a dream sorrow could not but fill their hearts And is not this O my soul the general practise of Mankind how fond are we of the Glories of Christ's Kingdom but how weary of his Cross how ready to follow him to Mount Tabor but how unwilling to accompany him to Mount Calvary We run eagerly to the Plain to eat Bread multiplied by Miracle but we dread the way that leads to the Mountain where by day he preach'd his Excellent Sermons and spent the whole Night in Prayers But is there not also O my Soul much to be said in the behalf of these Apostles which we can never plead to excuse our own negligence Their Master was now in the Grave the work of their Redemption not yet perfected and the Holy Spirit was not yet given which alone could fill them with Knowledg and Fortitude in such a distrest condition who can blame their fears and their cowardise but as soon as ever they had seen the Lord return from the dead and the Blessed Spirit had descended on them at Pentecost their hearts were filled with joy and resolution they then courted the dangers which before they studiously shun'd and with assurance accosted the Sanhedrim from whom before they hid themselves then they lookt upon the Chains which they wore for the sake of the Blessed Jesus as Ornaments of their Hands and Legs a Prison was a Palace to them the Blood that followed their scourgings the Purple which they wore and the place of Execution a Room of State the Cross was a Throne and the Flames a Royal Chariot to convey them to Heaven Arm'd with those assistances not only Peter and Paul smiled on Martyrdom and were in love with dying but even Women and Children Persons of strong sears and weak powers of violent Passions and shallow Reasons went in such multitudes to the Tribunals to acknowledg themselves Christians that they tired their Judges with pronouncing Sentences of Death and their Executioners with inflicting them and what is it O my Soul that hinders thee from exerting the same Gallantry and Resolution who besides all the assistances which they enjoyed hast also the advantage of their Examples Often have I wondred how those Excellent Persons became such admirable Proficients in the school of the Son of God How their Piety their Charity their Justice and Sobriety their Love of God and love to Mankind could be so conspicuous in the eyes of their Heathen Adversaries while they contended earnestly for the Faith when nothing but Bonds Imprisonment and Death nothing but Shame and Sufferings were their Portion Whereas now when the Christian Religion is countenanc'd and cherish'd by Authority and the good things of this life are its reward as well as the joys of a better we are more profane and irreligious more unjust and uncharitable more lustful and intemperate than the vilest Heathens And perhaps this is not the worst reason that can be given of it that in those days the greater part of Christians were converted after they came to years of discretion when the Church required from them all sorts of testimonies of their vertue and their constancy before they were admitted into it bringing them up when Catechumens under a severe Discipline acquainting them with the strictness of the Laws of Religion inuring them to Fastings and Abstinencies to frequent Prayers and frequent Watchings and other such hardships to a publick and solemn renouncing of their own lusts and a generous contempt of the world for by this means Religion was indeared to them who before their admission to the priviledges of it had conquer'd all their Passions and were crucified to the World and had upon the maturest deliberation chosen Jesus and the Cross before the Honours Wealth and Voluptuousness of this life Whereas now our admission is in our Infancy when our sponsors promise of course for us what we never care to make good and we are admitted to the priviledges before we understand the duties of Christianity so that we take up our Religion as we do our Cloaths or our Customs because they were the practices of our Fore-fathers and are the garb of the present time And perhaps it is also considerable that prosperity often cheats us when we are proof against all the temptations of adversity worldly ease softens us while a state of affliction and trouble becomes a great benefit And so in truth is it a Christian not deserving his name till he be a Convert from sensuality to a crucified
dastardly and low-spirited were even the very Apostles tho they lived and dayly conversed with him their courages were impaired by their sears they betrayed deserted and denied him but his Resurrection did beget in the mind of the Christian World a true generosity and fortitude able to subdue and trample on all dangers in as much as men of no breeding no natural valour of no interests or friends durst prefer the confession of their Saviour and his Gospel to their Countrey and Relations to their quiet and security and to life it self and passionately to chuse scourges and prisons and the various methods of death before all sorts of voluptuous enjoyments But what is more and more acceptable than all knowledg and all power the Resurrection of Christ gave the Holy-Ghost to the World for the blessed Spirit could not be given till Christ was risen Thus this one act of the Almighty Redeemer of mankind baffled all the fears of his servants compleated the satisfaction for their sins secured unto them the company of the Spirit of Truth Peace here till they should be carried into his Kingdom on the wings of Angels And what greater blessings canst thou wish than these O my soul Give the riches and the honours of this life O my dearest Saviour to others I will never envy their fruitions so thou give me thy Self let me partake of the benefits of thy Resurrection in the pardon of my sins in the indwelling of the Comforter in my mind and in the first fruits of obedience in frequent approaches to thy Table and other acts of devout converse with thee and leaving the manner of my death to thy disposal for on these terms in what sort or at what time soever it shall be I shall not be disturbed I shall be happy in the remembrance that when my Master comes and finds me so doing he will give me a share in his joys The Collect. ALmighty God who through thine only begotten Son Jesus Christ hast overcome Death and apened unto us the gate of everlasting Life we humbly beseech thee that as by thy special grace preventing us thou dost put into our minds good desires so by thy continual help we may bring the same to good effect through Jesus Christ our Lord who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy-Ghost ever one God world without end Amen The Anthem The Resurrection and Aseension I. COme holy Spirit from above Come warm me with Seraphick love That I may the triumphant Jesus sing Whose resurrection heaven to earth did bring And put thee long'd-for peaceful Dove upon the wing II. Jesus is risen mount my mind And leave this sordid earth behind God made thy body dust but Sin a grave Let thy Soul too its Resurrection have No longer be thy Lusts the Worlds or Satan's slave III. Attend the Conqueror to his Throne Who from the lower world is flown Make tho the meanest one in that parade The bleeding Jesus did my heart in vade And none can heal the wound but he whose hand it made IV. View yonder Arch inscrib'd above Sacred to Coelestial Love There the incomparable Jesus dwells Iesus who charms thee by the strengest spells Love him with transports O my passions and none else V. See the bright Angels how they glide Up and down by 's Chariot's side See where ten thousand hover and attend To guard the Conqueror to his journies end Whose Chariot does directly to God's right hand bend VI. There Jesus fixes and from thence Sheds his benignest influence And like triumphant Victors does bestow His donatives on us who dwell below That we in time our Triumphs may accomplish too VII You Angels you who dwell above Spend all your time in songs and love While I who sadly want your light and fire Detain'd in sensual fetters would mount higher And wish to do what I can only now admire VIII You Guardians are by Heaven design'd To awe and to protect Mankind When Jesus rose you did the news relate When he ascended you did on him wait That I might triumph so give me my Saviours Fate Rules of Conduct for Easter-Day and the Sacrament § 1. It is taken for granted that the devout Person hath humbled himself in the sight of God for his sins the Week aforegoing more particularly on Good-Friday and the Holy Saturday and it is requisite he should watch a great part of if not all the Saturday night which time should be spent in more intense Supplications and more ardent Meditations the Vigils of the Ancient Church were an excellent Institution and Watching and Prayer are joined by our Saviour and we are bid to be sober and to watch unto Prayer by the Apostles that is to fast to watch and to pray it is true the Vigils at last gave offence and were for that reason almost all prohibited because such promiscuous meetings of men and women under the covert of the night did administer to many Exorbitances But the Vigils of Easter and the greater Festivals were always kept up and are so still in the Churches of the East and tho our Church doth not expresly injoin the observation yet it mentions them in her Rubricks and leaves every man to his own liberty to watch in his Closet where there can be no such temptation as gave occasion to the disuse of that practice And whenever the Christian Penitent goes to bed it is requisite to rise very early on Easter day because our Blessed Master rose ‖ Joh. 20.1 while it was yet dark § 2. After the private devotions are performed and the necessary duties of the Family if any considered and attended the good man goes to Church nor will he choose to receive any other where but at his own Parish Church if there be a Sacrament there which on this Festival is expresly enjoined to be celebrated over all Christendom * Can. 6. The Council of Gangra denounc'd a solemn Anathema against the Erecters of private Conventicles that those who dislik'd the publick Assemblies might communicate at home in private And by the old †Ludov. 1. tit 101. Lothar l. 1. tit 357 c. Capitulars every Priest was ordered to be degraded every Layman to be excommunicate who lest his own Parish to receive the Blessed Eucharist in another unless extraordinary business or a Journey called them that way or they had a dispensation so to do from their Superiours § 3. But if the devout Person be hindred by sickness or some other inevitable obstruction he bears the loss with Patience but looks on it as a great affliction and longs to go up to the House of the Lord and to communicate with his Saints and that he may not lose all the benefit of the solemnity his thoughts are present and go along with the Service and he begs God earnestly to accept of his willing mind and to send him his Blessing and his Holy Spirit as much as if he actually communicated Thus the