not sustained your fury ye had delivered me over to Everlasting Burnings I do abhor and detest ye all how dear soever you have been to me the sight of my bleeding Saviour hath stirred up my indignation against you and I will revenge his blood upon you by sacrificing you all at this Altar How can my Eyes but drop down tears of Contrition when they behold thee pouring forth Rivers of thy Blood but while I grieve to see thy bleeding wounds I must not forget for whom thou didst sustain them thy Blood was shed for me because my life was forfeited why art thou then so cast down O my Soul wilt thou dishonour that price by thy doubts and fears which God hath accepted for all the World cannot that Sacrifice which appeaseth the divine wrath satisfie thy Faith Be not afraid only believe and be assured he will not cast away those whom he hath bought at so dear a rate for thee it was shed for thee it is prepared open thy mouth wide and he will fill it §. 12. Preserve thy Body and Soul unto Everlasting Life An Act of Supplication O Lord I tremble at the apprehension of all those Evils that stand between me and thy glory behold the Grave gapeth for my Body the Infernal Pit threatens to swallow my Soul and Satan is ready were he permitted every moment to devour me wherefore I beseech thee sprinkle me with thy all-saving blood that the destroying Angel may pass over me let me drink of this Cup of Life and so shall my Body be free from Corruption and my Soul from Condemnation Death shall be defeated the Grave dismantled and Satan disappointed Let me drink of thy precious Blood that I may receive thereby abundance of thy Spirit so shall my Body be hallowed into a sacred Temple and my Soul shall be replenished with such Graces that I can never perish Sweetest Jesus how desireable are thy Provisions oh let us not always languish without them but pitty our dry and parched Souls and water them we intreat thee with these living streams for behold we thirst and long with a mighty Passion to drink of this Fountain of Life that we may not faint in our journey to those Rivers of pleasures which are at thy right hand Oh give us this divine Cordial at present and make it to us a Preservative for Body and Soul to everlasting life Amen A Meditation in the receiving of the Cup. §. 13. Drink this in remembrance that Christs blood was shed for thee An Act of Commemoration How chearing is this Cup to me Blessed Jesus which was so dreadful unto thee it was thy Agonies and thy Wounds which afforded me this Wine of Joy Thou didst find how bitter it was when thou wert appeasing an offended God but I tast how sweet it is now that thou hast made him a tender and reconciled Father I receive this Cup O my Saviour as a new plâ—dge of thy dearest love for from those pits whence these Rivulets did flow I can discern thy heart bleeding in pity to my misery and sick of Love And since thou dost here give me a right to that great expiation which thou hast made I do most humbly commemorate the same before the Father of Heaven as the full satisfaction for my innumerable debts and I will remember the dolours of thy Cross with a brisker sense than ever because thou hast made me drink of thy blood and given me thy Soul thy Life and thy Spirit so that now I will live no more but thou shalt live in me because we have mingled Souls and thou hast joined me to thy self by the Communications of thy Spirit O let nothing separate that which thou hast so graciously joined together A Meditation after the receiving of the Cup. §. 14. And be thankful An Act of Thankfulness and Resolution Praise the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me bless his holy name for now I find the Mercy and the Peace the Comfort and the Grace which flows from the Death of Christ let all the World know what he hath done for my Soul he hath rescued me and many of my poor Brethren round about me from the nethermost Hell wherefore I will love thee holy Jesus more than I can express and I will love them for thy sake And since thou hast given thy self thy merits and graces to me and sealed a New Covenant with me in thy own blood I do here bind my self by this sacred Cup to be sincerely thine m Mos est regibus quoties in societatem coeant implicare dextras pollicesque inter se vincire Mâ—x levi ictu cruorem eliciunt atque invicem lambunt id foedus arcanum habetur quasi mutuo cruore sancitum Tacit. Annal. lib. 12. I will spend my time and strength in thy service yea and Sacrifice my blood to bear witness to thy truth if ever thou callest me thereunto I will never betray nor forsake thee but live and die with thee for I have sworn and am stedfastly purposed to keep thy righteous judgments Oh let me never unhallow that body nor defile that Soul in which the Lord Jesus delights to dwell let no Oaths or lying prophane those lips no Obscenity or Intemperance pollute that mouth by which those holy Symbols have passed And methinks I feel new desires and new hopes my nature seems râ—newed my blood refined my Soul full of holy vigour blessed be thy name for it let thy mercy keep me in this happy temper till I have accomplished all my resolutions Amen § 15. By these and such like contemplations you must keep your minds imployed all the time that the Heavenly Banquet doth continue and if the Congregation be numerous and there be further opportunity the devout Soul will easily find more fuel to nourish these flames viz. by considering the necessities of all Mankind the Calamities of the Church the Miseries of the Sick the wants of the Poor the condition of our Relations Friends and Acquaintance and recommending them all with an effectual Charity to Almighty God through Christ Jesus As also by lamenting its own unworthiness and indispositions by recollecting all its present wants both spiritual and temporal by surveying the difficulties and dangers of that pious course now undertaken and by calling upon the Father of Mercies for grace and relief for courage and strength for support and protection in order to each of these So likewise by doing Acts of mental Charity to be put in Execution afterwards viz. Resolving for the sake of Jesus to forgive and do good to our Enemies to reprove Sinners instruct the ignorant help those that are in need And finally by contemplating of the wisdom and advantage of a holy Life the comfort and peace of a happy Death the joys and felicities of the life of Glory with the pleasures of those Souls that behold Jesus face to face these and many more which the good Spirit will offer we must improve
sins of the World receive our Prayer Thou that sittest at the right hand of the Father have mercy upon us As the Father is the Object so the Son is the Subject of the Angelick Praises wherefore in the next place we are to glorifie him who is remembred and represented given by God and received by us in this Mystery It is usual at the Entertainment of great Princes by a Herauld to proclaim their Names Stile and Titles with great solemnity Even so the pious Soul which hath now received her dearest Lord doth with a mighty pleasure repeat all the names belonging to his Person to his Nature and his Offices and thereby declare the Majesty and Glory the Mercy and Goodness of him whom she hath now accepted for her Lord and King And whilst we are setting out his glories we do also invocate him by all these honourable and endearing Names that he will imploy his Power his Interest and Merits to make our Persons and our Prayers acceptable We behold him dying for the sins of all the World and we cannot but beseech him to grant our Pardon We discern him sitting at the right hand of the Father interceeding for us and thereby we are encouraged to beseech him to pitty our miseries and accomplish our desires His glory and our necessity makes us beg this with ingeminated cries and a redoubled importunity saying as he once in his Agony did the very same words And thus we do at once provide for our own relief and do honour to the Blessed Jesus for this part is so contrived that it is a Confession of our Faith an acknowledgment of his Glory a Prayer and a Tanksgiving all in one and thus we may reduce it to a practical Meditation How shall we express thy welcom into our Souls Blessed Jesus or how shall we celebrate thy praise We will remember what thou art in thy self and what thou hast done for us for thou art glorious enough in thy own perfections O thou Eternal and only begotten Son of God equal to the Father who art thy self both Lord and God How lovely art thou O thou innocent Lamb of God encircled with millions of redeemed Souls whom thou hast washed in thy blood O how illustrious a brightness shines round about thee whilst thou art in the midst of all thy happiness interceding for poor Sinners I adore thee and long to do thee honour and I delight to see all the Angels of Heaven worshipping thee my Lord and my God Hast thou merited so much on Earth and hast thou so much glory in Heaven sweetest Saviour then sure I cannot perish Behold how many poor Souls are prostrate before thee admiring and publishing the merits of thy Death and the power of thy intercession hear our importunate Supplications and help us all therefore O Lord that we may be able by experience to proclaim thy goodness Amen § 6. For thou only art holy thou only art the Lord thou only O Christ with the Holy Ghost art most high in the glory of God the Father Amen This Phrase thou only art holy with some others in this Hymn are taken out of the Song of Moses and of the Lamb Revel 15.4 as that thou only art the Lord is from the first Ep. Tim. 6.15 g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apoc. 15.4 Vulg. Solus Pius es 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Timoth. 6.15 Non quod non aliis is titulus aliquo sensu tribuatur sed quia hoc quicquid est à Deo venit Grot. in 1 Tim. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Responsor ad Quaest Graec. There are indeed holy Angels and Saints and there are Lords many 1 Cor. 8.5 Yet none of these have a propriety in this Title because their holiness is imperfect and derived Only Jesus is Holy in and of himself and of his holiness all others do receive He is Holy and Hallowed because he halloweth and sanctifieth us as the Liturgy of St. James paraphraseth it h Solus tu sanctus es qui sanctificas sanctificaris Liturg. S. Jacob. He only is that Lord saith St. Augustine i Solus verus Dominus es qui Dominum non habes Aug. Confes l. 10. c. 36. who hath no other Lord above him For he only with the Holy Ghost is equal to the Father God blessed for ever And this is the reason why we exalt him so highly and pass by the Mediation of Saints and Angels because none is so holy none so mighty none so high in the favour of God nor none so gracious and loving to us as Jesus is This we do acknowledge therefore with all possible joy and triumph and it is a mighty rejoicing to our Spirits that he who hath given himself for us and is come to dwell with us is so High and so Magnificent And while it doth chear our hearts to set forth his glory our Enemies are confounded For while the Church triumphs the powers of darkness tremble at the mention of his perfections Let us then refresh our selves with some such Meditation We have exalted thee O Lord as high as we can and yet scarcely so high as really thou art We will apply our selves to thee only for Holiness for thou only art most Holy we will seek for succour and protection from thee for thou art the supream Lord of Lords and we will not doubt of acceptance with our Heavenly Father because thou art a Partner in his Divinity the highest Favourite of the Coelestial Court Thou art the greatest and the best in Heaven and Earth and to my endless comfort whatsoever thou art thou hast made thy self mine so that the greater thy glory is the greater is my happiness now by Faith hereafter by enjoyment 'T is true I cannot see thee with my bodily Eyes but I admire and bless thee I love thee with ecstasies of affection for thou art my Lord and I am thy servant I feel thy influence and I believe thy excellencies so that I can rejoice in thee with joy unspeakable and full of glory Thou art the highest in thy Fathers favour and in my esteem also to thee therefore with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory now and for ever Amen The Paraphrase of the Angelick Hymn § 7. O come let us join with the Heavenly Host and sing Praises for the Redemption wrought by Jesus which bringeth so much Glory to God who dwells on high from all the Saints and Angels and which makes on Earth such a blessed Peace by reconciling us all to God and to one another and which also declares so great good will in the Almighty towards Men who had perished eternally without his Mercy Holy Father it is we that receive the benefit of this thy goodness wherefore We praise thee for the Power and we bless thee for the mercy of this great Salvation We worship thee with our Bodies and we glorifie thee with our Souls for thou hast redeemed them both We give
Ambrose saith the Priest spoke to the Person Baptized in this manner God the Father Almighty who hath regenerated thee by Water and the Holy Ghost and forgiven thee thy Sins c. which shews that the Antients did not question the effect of the Sacrament no not in Persons of Age until their future Conversation declared they had broke their Covenant how much more then ought we to believe this in the Case of Infants who can put no impediment to the Grace of God and are all alike so that either all or none receive these blessings Now the particulars for which we bless our most merciful Father they are Three all of them acts of free Grace and effects of a mighty favour and all of them highly beneficial to the party on whom they are bestowed First That it hath pleased God to Regenerate this Infant with his Holy Spirit which is an invaluable mercy For whereas it was by its first Birth guilty of Original Corruption and lyable to Eternal Death in this second Birth that guilt is done away and that Obligation to Death cancelled and so shall ever remain unless it fall under it again by actual disobedience And whereas it was defiled and corrupted in the principles of its being deprived of the image of God under the Power of Sin and the Dominion of the Flesh in a servile wretched condition so that it could never have pleased God Rom. 8.8 nor conquer'd its evil affections nor had it any assistance or strength so to do But now it is born of the Spirit and purifyed in the inward Man and the image of God is begun to be drawn anew it hath a new principle put into it which will resist the flesh and may wholly in time subdue it it is in Covenant with God and hath promises of aid from him so that its nature is healed at present and shall be sanctifyed throughout hereafter if this Grace be not expelled again it was an Object of divine wrath a Vessel fit for destruction a corrupt abominable Creature but now it is beloved purifyed and restored it is admitted to a state of Pardon put into a Capacity of pleasing God and Conquering all its Enemies and it hath as fair possibilities of glory as the best of Gods Saints which now injoy it once had Oh let us bless the Almighty for this change for from such beginnings Eternal felicity uses to spring and this little seed by the divine influence and careful cultivating will thrive and grow into a state of perfection and immortality 2. We must praise him that he hath adopted it for his own Child which is a consequent of the Regenerating it for God adopts none for his Children till he hath first sanctified k Pythagoraei vocant Deum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hierocles them and made them in some measure like himself Now how excellent a favour is this also that so poor a Wretch whose Kindred was Worms and Corruption if not evil Spirits should so freely be adopted by the King of Kings not because he wants Children of his own the usual reason of Adoption l Adoptio solet fieri 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aulus Gellius Divus Augustus amissis liberis nepotibus exhaustâ Caesarum turbâ adoptione domum desertam fulsit Senec. Consol ad Marc. Sect. 15. for besides the Holy Jesus the Blessed Angels are all Sons of God nor yet because he deserved this favour was this Child Adopted But of his own infinite goodness Our Heavenly Father takes the Slaves of his Enemy whose lives are forfeit to his Justice and not only pardons them but makes them his own Children and thereby gives them the best freedom even the glorious liberty of the Sons of God m Eum servum quem Dominus actis intervenientibus filium suum nominaverit liberum esse constituimus Justin institut l. 1. tit 2. Sect. 12. Rom. 8.21 and intitles them to a Portion of his Grace and also an Inheritance in his Glory and a right to the Crown of Life Oh who can parallel this mercy or how can we sufficiently express it Lastly We are to give thanks that this Child is made a Member of the Church it is a rare mercy that the great Husbandman should take this dead Branch of a wild Olive only fit to be fuel for Eternal Flames and graft it into the true Olive Rom. 11.17 so as to make it partake of the same Spirit and grace which is derived from the Root into the most flourishing and fruitful Branches That this Stranger should be incorporated into the Society of Christs Holy Church and made a Denizon of the New Jerusalem n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost The Chief Captain purchased his freedom in the Roman City at a very great rate Acts 22.28 and it was formerly thought a reward for the greatest merits to give them the Priviledges of a Roman but behold one that could deserve nothing most freely made a Fellow-Citizen with the Saints and of the Houshold of God Ephes 2.19 admitted to all the Franchises and Immunities that belong to the Communion of Saints Blessed be God! Could this poor Infant understand its own happiness herein or were it able to express it self it would most passionately sing praises and be ravished with Admiration at so marvellous bounty and condescension but since the Child cannot do this as yet let us to whom the like favour hath been shewed lend it our Tongues and Hearts to bless the Lord at present and let us really rejoice in remembrance of our own Mercy so that the Name of his Majesty may be magnified as it ought to be Amen 2. To our Thanksgiving we must add Petitions and beseech Almighty God that it may not receive this Grace in Vain And herein also we have a President in the Jewish Rites where the Circumciser having ended the Circumcision saith O our God and the God of our Fathers strengthen and preserve this Infant unto his Parents c. and as he hath entred into the Covenant of Circumcision let him enter into the state of Marriage and good Works But our Prayers are more spiritual viz. for inward Grace rather than outward Blessings and good Reason for all these benefits will vanish unless they be afterwards improved they will not have their full effect unless the Conditions be performed Neither we nor the Primitive Church do believe them to be so regenerate or so endued with the Spirit but that by sloth and wilful iniquity they may be deprived of all again their Corruptions are not so mortified but that by complyance and base negligence they may revive again so that the last Estate shall be worse than the first and it shall be more tolerable for Heathens than for vile Apostates Wherefore we beg most humbly and earnestly that this Child may live as one upon whom such great favours are bestowed The Words of these Requests are St. Pauls Rom. 6.4 5 6. and ver 11 12 13. and
to the Church and those of the Closet performed by humbled Souls in order to their preparation for this Sacrament We learn from St. Chrys that all the Communicants were wont to join in saying the same general Prayer for Mercy a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys Hom. 18. in 2. ad Cor. and St. Aug. b August de salutar dorum c. 33. affirms that when they received these mysteries they first did fly to Confession and Repentance and what sins they found themselves guilty of upon a strict survey of their actions they did immediately purge away by penitential acknowledgments So that of old not only the Priest as the Custom of Rome now is but every one of the people made an open Confession to God before the Communion it was indeed in general Terms c In hâc confessione non in specie sed in genere confitenda sunt peccata quoniam ista confessio non occulta est sed publica Innocen l. 2. de myst but omitted by none because there is no Man but he hath sinned and he that is not censured by the Church nor lyable by humane Laws may yet be guilty before God The Death of Jesus is now to be set forth and if we do not confess those sins which caused that his bitter Passion he might seem to suffer for his own offence Nor can we expect a publick pardon sealed till by Confession we declare how little we deserve it how much we need it and how highly we are obliged for it And by doing this one duty well we shall renew the sense of our sins and enlarge our affections to him that died for them we shall move our God to forgive them d Quando homo detegit Deus tegit cum homo coelat Deus nudat cum homo agnoscit Deus ignoscit Aug. in Psal and give the best testimony of our amendment e Somnium narrare vigilantis est vitia sua confiteri sanitatis iudicium est Senec. ep 54. Now that we may thus offer up this exact and pious Confession let us first labour to understand it and be affected with it by the following explication The Analysis of the Confession Sect. 2. This Confession hath five Parts 1. An acknowledgment of our sins shewing 1. To whom we do confess Almighty God Father of our Lord Iesus Christ Maker of all things Iudge of all Men. 2. What we do confess 1. In general We acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness 2. In particular 1. The number Which we from time to time most grievously have committed 2. The kinds by thought word and deed against thy Divine Majesty 3. The effects of them provoking most justly thy wrath adn indignation against us 2. An Act of Contrition for them expressed 1. More largely We do earnestly repent 2. More strictly in our 1. Sorrow for them and are heartily sorry for these our misdoings 2. Hatred of them the remembrance of them is grievous unto us 3. Trouble under them the burden of them is intolerable 3. A supplication for pardon intimating 1. What we crave Have mercy upon us have mercy upon us 2. Of whom we crave it most merciful Father 3. In whose name for thy Son our Lord Iesus Christ his sake 4. How far our Petition extends forgive us all that is past 4. A Petition for such Grace as may be true 1. In the duration of it and grant that we may ever hereafter 2. In the Acts of it serve and please thee in newness of life 3. In the end of it to the honour and glory of thy Name 5. A general motive to them all through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen A Practical Discourse upon the Confession § 3. Almighty God Father of our Lord Iesus Christ maker of all things Iudge of all men When the glories of God were described before holy Job he immediately abhors himself in dust and ashes Job 42.5 6. and there is not a more effectual instrument of contrition than a serious prospect of the Majesty whom we have offended hence the Servants of God in Scripture do usually begin their Confessions with the mention of the Divine Power and goodness Nehem. 1.5 Dan. 9.4 And for this cause our Church hath selected four most comprehensive Titles which do most clearly set before us the Greatness and the Goodness of that Lord against whom we have sinned We will therefore particularly consider them First As they contain matter of terror for our humiliation Secondly As they express grounds of hope to encourage us to ask Pardon 1. We may meditate that he whose Laws we have broken is an Almighty God infinite in Power and terrible in his Anger from whom nothing can defend us but submission and a great humiliation It was desperate presumption to offend him and it is a strange stupidity and madness if we now be void of fear and sorrow Are we stronger than he 1 Cor. 10.22 if not why did we provoke him at first or how dare we now stand out against him 2. He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and in him he is the Father and Fountain e Pater Hebraicè pro authore vel fonte misericordiae ita Ephes 1.17 Job 38.28 c. of all mercies 2 Cor. 1.3 and by him he hath expressed such an affection to us as all the World can never parallel and have we thus requited him by profaning his name disobeying his Commands despising his love and doing that which his Soul hateth Oh monstrous ingratitude 3. He is the maker of all things and so may justly challenge obedience from all the World nor is there any of his Creatures but we alone that are refractory to his will Can there then be greater injustice than that we should rob him of the service we owe unto him and abuse him by those very things which he hath made to serve our needs 4. He is the Judge of all men Gen. 18.25 at whose sentence we must either be justified or condemned for ever and yet instead of obliging him to stand our Friend we have even urged him to become our Enemy and forced him as he is just to pass a dreadful doom upon us Let us lay all this to heart and his Power will shew the Boldness his Love the Baseness his Title to us the Injustice and his Authority over us the folly of every sinful Act and all together I hope will melt our rocky hearts and make us sincerely Penitent 2. That we be not too much dejected let us review these Attributes again and we shall also find in them motives sufficient to support our hope and encourage us to ask forgiveness For first He is Almighty even absolute and supream so that if he please he can forgive without controul and none can reverse his Acts of Grace Secondly He is the Father of our dear Redeemer and in him loveth us with an everlasting love by him our Peace is made so that through him we
sin 2 Sam. 12 13. And though David might by his Faith in the Promises have found some Comfort yet neither so sure nor so sweet a consolation as when he receives it from the mouth of a special Messenger So likewise if we would chuse to believe rather than dispute it would be a powerful Cordial to every troubled Spirit by a particular Officer from the King of Heaven to be thus saluted and he that cannot value this Absolution from the Priest can no other way receive satisfaction to his doubts and fears unless he expect to be assured of his Remission by an immediate Revelation or can be content to stay till the day of Judgment for the Resolution of this great enquiry Only let us but be careful that our Repentance be sincere and then we may with much joy hear the following Absolution which very briefly we shall now explain The Analysis of the Absolution Sect. 2. The Absolution hath three parts 1. The Original from whom it springs Almighty God our Heavenly Father 2. The ground on which it depends His promise 1. The motive to it who of his great mercy hath promised 2. The matter of it forgiveness of sins 3. The conditions annexed to it to all them that with hearty repentance and true Faith turn unto him 3. The Petitionary blessing or Absolution it self for 1. The Averting the Evil of 1. Sin Have mercy upon you 2. Punishment Pardon and deliver you from all your sins 2. The obtaining of good both 1. Present Confirm and strengthen you in all goodness 2. Future and bring you to everlasting life through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Practical Discourse of the Absolution § 3. Almighty God our Heavenly Father who of his great mercy hath promised forgiveness of sins to all them that with hearty Repentance and true Faith turn unto him The Spiritual Physician doth here proceed most regularly in the Cure of poor Sinners that labour under a burden of guilt and sorrow for he first premises such Considerations as may dispose them to believe that the following Blessing shall be ratified and the Absolution confirmed by a higher Power For first He minds them that he who is Almighty and only can forgive Mar. 2.7 is also their Heavenly Father and full of Compassion toward them yea like as a Father pittyeth his own Children even so is the Lord merciful unto them that fear him Psal 103.13 But of this before Secondly therefore that he is not only engaged by his affections but by his truth also to deliver them for he hath solemnly promised Isai 55.7 Ezek. 18.30 John 3.16 c. that he would freely forgive and fully be reconciled to all such as unfeignedly grieved for their sins and wholly cast themselves upon his mercy so that they cannot doubt of a pardon if they believe him to be faithful that promised d Qui credidit promittenti fidentèr promissum repetit promissum quidem ex misericordiâ sed jam ex justitiâ persolvendum Bern. de gr lib. It was indeed only his great mercy which moved him to promise this because he might most righteously have taken the first forfeiture made to his justice but now this gracious Promise is made by him that cannot lie there is a certainty of the performance He knew that as the stroke of his Vengeance was intolerable so the expectation thereof was terrible and amazing wherefore he promised forgiveness on purpose to prevent the despair of such as were willing to amend that by so great a favour he might engage them to obedience and encourage them in all the parts of duty Yet because it almost exceeds belief that ever God should receive such grievous Sinners and they that are most truly humble are most apt to Question this therefore is all this premised to prepare them with faith and hope to entertain that which follows § 4. Have mercy upon you pardon and deliver you from all your sins confirm and strengthen you in all goodness and bring you to everlasting life through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen When Jesus was to raise up Lazarus from the dead he commanded the men who stood by to remove the stone from the Grave and afterwards to unloose the Grave-Cloâ—hs even so though he only do give life to Sinners e Absolutio hominis in Dei miseratione non in hominis potestate est Ambr. in Job l. 1. c 6. yet he is pleased to use the Ministry of his Servants in the Dispensation of their Pardon f Nostrûm est onera removere illius exuere de sepulchro exutos vinculis idem de poen l. 2. cap. 7. The Prayer is made by the Priest but then it is directed to the Divine Majesty and though according to the antient manner g Misereatur vestri omnipotens Deus dimittat vobis omnia peccata vestra Missal it be put into the form of a request yet being grounded on the promise and agreeable both to the nature and design of God it hath a mighty force and ascends Heaven Cum privilegio it is like the Fathers Blessing which hath always been believed to convey as well as crave the Benediction thus Isaac blessed Jacob Gen. 27.28 29. in the Imperative Mood God give thee c. Let the people c. Be thou Lord c. And thus Jacob blessed Josephs Sons Gen. 48.15 16. and the Lord accomplished all the particulars Let it therefore chear your hearts ye contrite ones to hear this Blessing from your spiritual Father for behold it contains all that you do need or can desire Are you miserable here is mercy are you sinful here is pardon are you liable to punishment here is deliverance are you desirous but unable to do good here is strength and confirmation are you fearful of Death and Hell here is Heaven and Everlasting Life And all this asked of God by one that he hath Commissionated to make this Prayer so that your only care is that your Repentance be such as your Minister believes it to be and then this Absolution shall certainly be confirmed in the High Court of Heaven and not one word thereof shall fall to the ground The Paraphrase of the Absolution § 5. Let not the multitude of your sins discourage any of you who are truly grieved for them for I am bound to speak peace to you in the name of Almighty God against whom you have offended because he is our Heavenly Father infinite in mercy and loving kindness And you may believe this the more firmly since it is he who of his great mercy and pity to poor Sinners so freely and frequently hath promised to grant forgiveness of sins and a gracious Pardon to all them that with hearty Repentance for their grievous offences and true Faith in his mercy and the merits of Jesus do turn unto him to seek remission and obtain his favour I his Substitute believing you to be such do according to mine office beseech and require
reply We lift them up n Chrysos homil de encoeniis c. The heart of holy men is daily directed to Heaven and therefore when the Priest admonisheth them to lift it up thither they may safely answer We lift c. p Corda fidelium coelum sunt quia in coelum quotidiè diriguntur dicente sacerdote Sursum corda securè Respondent Habemus ad Dominum Aug. de tempor ser 44. for where our Treasure is there will our heart be also And he that requires q Id. de ver Relig. c. 16. this duty of us will enable us to perform it O happy agreement when Priest and people are raised up above this sublunary World and ascended into the Holy Mount to converse with Jesus with whom it is good to dwell for ever § 4. Priest Let us give thanks unto our Lord God Answ It is meet and right so to do When the Soul is thus lifted up and enlarged by contemplating the glories of God it is then in right frame to celebrate his Praise wherefore the Priest improves the opportunity and invites us while we are thus disposed to give thanks c. Thus the Praecentor of the Jewish Choir was wont to call upon the rest to join with him in the divine Praises as appears by several of the Psalms Psal 34.3 81.1 95.1 96.1 And it may be from thence this excellent Exhortation was taken at first which hath been retained ever since Verbatim both in the Churches of the East and West as appears both from the Liturgies r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Liturg. Basilii ap Cyril Hieros Ad haec inter sacra mysteria ad gratiarum actiones convertitur Cypr. de coen In ipso verissimo singulari sacrificio gratias agere admonemur Aug. de spir lit 11. and the observations of the ancients upon these words The Priest saith Let us give thanks unto the Lord And surely saith St. Cyril Å¿ Cyril Hierosol catech mystag 5. We ought to give thanks unto him who hath admitted us that are so unworthy unto such mighty favours that being Enemies he hath reconciled us and honoured us with the Spirit of Adoption And then you answer It is meet and right for when we give thanks to God we verily do a work that is just and due But when he granted so great a benefit and gave us such good things it was not an Act of his Justice but infinitely more than of right belonged to us thus he St. Augustine applies it somewhat otherwise but very well in this manner In the Sacrament of the faithful it is said that we should Lift up our hearts which is done by the gift of God for which gift we are admonished by the Priest to give thanks to the Lord our God and the people answer It is just and right so to do Å¿ Aug. de bon perseverant l. 2. And elsewhere t Idem de bon Viduit cap. 16. We do not attribute unto our selves the glory of this great good viz. the lifting up of our hearts But we give thanks unto the Lord God as we are presently warned because it is just and right so to do Let us then give thanks now for that which is past the gracious promise of Absolution Let us praise him for that which is present the Grace that elevates our hearts And bless him for that which is at hand the Banquet of his Sons most precious Body and Blood for nothing is more agreeable to this Office more fit for us to give nor more due for him to receive And if you do from your heart confess that the Lord deserves all honour and glory the Priest may rejoice in the success of his Exhortation for that very acknowledgment is it self an Act of Praise in which both Priest and People are now agreed to join with all possible Devotion § 5. It is very meet right and our bounden duty that we should at all times and in all places give thanks unto thee O Lord holy Father Almighty and Everlasting God These are still the words of Pious Antiquity the dependence whereof we learn from St. Chrysostom for the Priest saith he u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys Hom. 18. in 2. ad Cor. having received their suffrage doth gather their Confessions together and then begin the Sacrifice of praise Most joyful it is to the Holy Man to hear such an acknowledgment from the Congregation and that he may promote it as much as possible he doth confirm the truth of so pious an Assertion with many words much of the same signification saith Florus x Repetitio sermonis est confirmatio veritatis Flor. Magister Or as others y Dignum est quantum ad Dominum quia ipse Dominus Deus noster Justum est quantum ad nos quia nos sumus populus ejus Innocent Mist miss l. 2. in general it is very meet that is most fit and reasonable to praise God And as to him who is the object of it it is Just and Right because he deserves it as to our selves who are the offerers thereof it is our bounden duty because we are so infinitely indebted to him If it were possible we should rejoice in him evermore 1 Thess 5.16 and bless him in all places in private as well as publick for he bestows mercy on us at all times and in all places night and day at home and abroad in retirement and Company in sickness and health we are indebted to him for our Creation and preservation for our Bodies and our Souls for our Redemption for the means of Grace and the hopes of Glory so that we ought to give him thanks every moment But at this great Solemnity we must unite all our Powers and as the Christians were wont of old Bless him here for all together If the most ordinary single mercy challenges â—n Act of praise how should we raise our gratitude to the highest pitch now when we survey them all at once § 6. Therefore with Angels and Archangels and all the Company of Heaven we laud and magnify thy glorious Name That the Angels were present at the performance of divine mysteries hath been the opinion of both Heathens and of Christians z 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 esse dicit Plutar. lib. de Orac. Angelo orationis adhuc adstante Tertul de orat but that they are especially present at the Lords Supper is generally received Flesh and blood saith St. Chrysost a Chrys in Math. hom 10. is here made a part of the Angelick Choir And again b Idem Homil. de non contem Eccles Consider O man near whom thou standest in these terrible mysteries with whom thou art about to worship God with Cherubins and Seraphins and all the Heavenly Powers And surely it will mightily exalt our affections and stir us up to the most vigorous devotion to consider with whom we are to bear a part not
only with the Priest but with Angels and with Archangels and all the Company of Heaven c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys hom 18. in 2. ad Cor. for Jesus by his Death hath united Heaven and Earth and designed all his redeemed ones to sing Hallelujahs with the blessed spirits above for ever Wherefore it is fit that in this Commemoration of his Passion we should begin to unite our Voices to them with whom we hope to praise God to all Eternity Only as we sing with them let us sing like them and not spoil their blessed harmony by mingling flat and discordant notes O with what delight and pleasure sincerity and joy do they sing this Hymn while they are ravished with the prospect of the divine perfections Could we but see their felicity and hear their Musick it would transport us above our selves and make us forget and despise all other pleasures to join with them It may be we fear that we cannot sing in so high a note yet if we do it with like sincerity our lower key may grace the harmony and compleat the Concord Behold those blessed Spirits who had no need of any Saviour and who never did offend do praise God with incessant Voices for his mercy and love to us and seem to invite us saying O ye Sons of men praise the Lord with us and let us magnifie his name together How then can we be silent especially when our glorified Brethren Prophets and Apostles Saints and Martyrs do also bear a part in this admirable Hymn How justly do we stile the object of these praises a glorious Name since all the World resounds its praise To it Cherubin and Seraphin Angels and Archangels continually do cry Holy Holy Holy and all the Saints in Heaven and Earth do join to set forth the glory thereof § 7. Evermore praising thee and saying Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hosts Heaven and Earth are full of thy Glory Glory be to thee O Lord most high This primitive and triumphant Hymn was first taught unto the Prophet Isaiah Chap. 6.3 when he was admitted to hear it sung in the Quire of Heaven But as Procopias well observes the Triple Holy could not fit the Jewish Synagogue and so was designed at first for the Christian Church who confess the Holy Trinity wherefore it was again revealed to St. John Revel 4.8 and afterwards constantly used by all Churches in the Celebration of these Mysteries for it is found in all the Liturgies of St. James St. Mark St. Basil and fully in St. Chrysostoms thus Before thee stand thousands of Archangels and many thousands of Angels Cherubins and Seraphins singing the triumphant Hymn chanting forth crying and saying Holy Holy Holy Lord God c. and the like appears in the Apostolick Constitutions lib. 8. cap. 16. so that though some affirm that Sixtus the eight Bishop of Rome brought it first in use with the Latine Church about 130. years after Christ yet Nicephorus doubts not to say it was derived from an Apostolical Tradition hist lib. 18. c. 51. The Grecians call it the Trisagium because the word Holy is thrice repeated and of latter times do express it thus Holy God Holy Strong Holy Immortal d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sixt. Sene◠Bib. Sanct. l. 5. annot 58. Have mercy on us And they have a Tradition that they were commanded thus to repeat it by a Child which for some time was rapt up into Heaven in the time of a great Earthquake in the days of Theodosius junior and Proclus the Patriarch and by so repeating it the City was delivered However it is certainly an Act of Praise wherein we worship and adore the whole Trinity and Galatinus d Pet. Galatinus lib. 2. c. 1. de Jesai 6.3 saith it was antiently read in Jonathans Chaldee Paraphrase Holy Father Holy Son Holy Spirit but as it is nothing is more plain e Non semel dicunt ne singularitatem credas non bis dicunt ne spiritum excludas non sanctos ne pluralitatem aestimes sed ter repentant idem dicunt ut etiam in hymno distinctionem Trinitatis divinitatis intelligas unitatem Ambr. de sp sanc l 3. c. 18. ita Epiphan in Ancorat Procop. Gazaeus in Jesaiam than that every Person is acknowledged to be Holy and all to be one Lord God of Hosts who commands the Armies of Heaven and all the Creatures of the World whose Glory fills both Heaven and Earth Which way can we look or what can we think upon that doth not declare how great and gracious their Creator and Preserver is and how can we then refrain from giving glory also unto the Lord most High In his nature he is holy in all his works glorious let us praise him therefore with pure hearts for he is thrice Holy let us bless him with a mighty vigour that as the Angels make the Upper so we may make the lower Region Eccho with his praise It was long since ordained that this Hymn should be used every day supposing the faithful would never be weary of so sweet and desirable an imployment f Quia tam dulcis desiderabilis vox etiam si die noctuque possit dici fastidium generare non possit Concil Vasens can 6. An. 450. But surely it is most proper for this blessed Sacrament that as every person in the Trinity concurred to our Redemption so every one may be adored in the memorial thereof The Father is Holy who gave us such a Saviour the Son is Holy who effected this Salvation and the Spirit is Holy who sanctifies us by the vertue thereof and yet these three are one Lord to whom we must now with most fervent gratitude offer up the Sacrifice of Eucharist and Thanksgiving O ye Heavenly powers that rejoice for the sake of us poor Sinners we join with you and with joyful hearts over our Propitiation do sing Holy Holy Holy Lord God c. Glory be to thee O Lord most high Amen An Appendix of the particular Prefaces § 8. It is long since the daily and weekly Communions have been generally laid aside by the people for St. Chrysostome himself takes notice that ordinary Christians in his time had appropriated their communicating to the greater Festivals of the Church g Chrys orat de B. Philogono and some affirm that Fabian the Martyr did order those seasons especially for all the faithful to receive h Sabellicus Volatteranus ad An. Christi 236. And truly a solemn time of joy seems the most proper for the Celebration of this Heavenly Feast Now hereupon it came to pass that as the Church was wont at this Holy Table to give thanks for all mercies so they did peculiarly praise God for the mercy commemorated on that Festival upon which they did Communicate which doubtless was the Original of these particular Prefaces In the Roman Church there were formerly nine of them to which Vrban added
forth the Death of Christ and that homage and service which thou commandest us to perform Wherefore Dear Lord be thou pleased with this so sincere though poor acknowledgment not weighing or considering our merits by which we cannot pretend any right to thy acceptance but pardoning our offences which might cause thee to reject us Oh do thou deal thus with us through the Merits and Intercession of Iesus Christ our Lord by whom as our Mediator and with whom as thy only Son in the unity of and together with the Holy Ghost we desire all honour and glory may be given unto thee O Father Almighty both now in this World and for ever in the World which is without end Amen SECT III. Of the second Prayer in the Post-Communion § 1. WHen we communicate often it may be very grateful and sometimes very helpful to our devotion to vary the form for which cause the Church hath supplyed us with an other Prayer that so according to the temper of our spirit we may make our choice This being more full of praises and acknowledgments will be most fit when our minds have a joyful sense of the benefits received in this Sacrament as the former consisting chiefly of Vows and resolutions is more proper when we would express our selves in love or duty And yet we may use either of them at any time because neither doth the former want Thanksgivings nor this Petitions for Grace The Composition of this also is regular and judicious pious and extracted out of antient forms and as the former Prayer it will not only serve to close our Devotions within the Temple a Non est vera Religio quae cum templo relinquitur Lactantius but it offers very useful Meditations for the Closet also after we return home as the ensuing method will demonstrate The Analysis of the Second Prayer in the Post-Communion § 2. This Second Prayer consists of Four Parts 1. A hearty Thanksgiving for the present Favour describing 1. The Object of our Praise Almighty and everlasting God we most heartily thank thee 2. The Subject thereof for that thou hast vouchsafed to feed us who have duly received these holy Mysteries with the spiritual Food of the most precious Body and Blood of thy Son our Saviour Iesus Christ 2. A free Confession of the Benefits assured thereby 1. In possession 1. The Love of God And dost assure us thereby of thy favour and goodness towards us 2. Union with the Saints and that we are very Members incorporate into the mystical Body of thy Son which is the blessed Company of all faithful People 2. In reversion Eternal Life And are also Heirs through hope of thy everlasting Kingdom by the Merits of the most precious Death and Passion of thy dear Son 3. An humble Petition that we may retain them shewing 1. The Thing requested And we most humbly beseech thee O heavenly Father so to assist us with thy Grace 2. The Ends why we do request it viz. for 1. Perseverance that we may continue in that holy Fellowship 2. Fruitfulness and do all such good works as thou hast prepared for us to walk in 3. The Motive to obtain it Through Iesus Christ our Lord 4. A concluding Doxologie to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory world without end Amen A Practical Discourse upon the second Prayer with Meditations after the Communion § 3. Almighty and everliving God we most heartily thank thee for that thou hast vouchsafed to feed us who have duly received these holy Mysteries with the spiritual food of the most precious Body and Blood of thy Son our Saviour Iesus Christ This Act of Thanksgiving may be expressed in various words but it must not be omitted after the Communion and therefore it is put into both these forms We ought not at any time rudely to ask for blessings from God until we have prepared the way by Praises b Arrogans oratio si ab homine quid petiturus dicas statim da mihi hoc Peto Debet inchoari oratio à laude Dei ut sequatur supplicatio Ambr. de Sacr. l. 6. c. 5. But having so lately received so great mercy it would be unsufferable to pray for more till we have acknowledged that which is already bestowed on us And by confessing the former mercy in the very entrance of this Prayer we do both encourage our selves to ask and expect further blessings c Sequentium rerum certitudo est praeteritorum exhibitio Greg. in Evang. hom 1. and we do also by our gratitude engage the Almighty to give us more d Ascensus gratiarum descensus gratias Cassiod Efficacissimum genus est rogandi gratias agere Plin. Paneg. Indignus est dandis qui ingratus est pro datis Aug. de temp 112. Besides the very gift it self now imparted to us is the greatest and the best the most sweet and most necessary for us in the World we bless God for our daily Bread our common food how much more then ought we to praise him for this spiritual food which nourisheth our Souls unto life everlasting True it is that carnal and unworthy Receivers have little cause of joy e Sacrificia non sanctificant hominem non enim indiget Deus sacrificio sed conscientia ejus qui offert sanctificat hominem pura existens Irenae l. 4. c. 34. for they have eat the Bread and drank the Wine not discerning the Lords Body and Blood but those that prepared themselves by Repentance and received by Faith those I say have fed upon the spiritual part and therefore they have the most reason with all their powers to bless the Lord in this wise An Act of Thanksgiving It is a mighty favour to me O my God that thou hast made bread to grow out of the Earth to nourish my mortal body but O how far hast thou transcended that mercy in giving me the Bread of Life from Heaven to feed my immortal Soul Whom was there in Heaven or Earth that I could have wished for in comparison of Jesus Christ and now thou hast given him to me whom my Soul longed for and in him thou hast given me all for he is all in all He is the fairest of ten thousand for whose sake I will trample upon all that this World accounts desirable O my Soul bless thou the Lord I came not to gaze at or taste of the outward part but to satisfie the longings of my sin-sick Soul by laying hold of the merits of a Crucified Saviour yet I have received the Sacred Elements and thou hast made them to me that which I needed and desired even the Body and Blood of thy Son I have received his flesh in Sacrament but his grace in reality f Ideo in similitudine quidem accipis sacramentum sed verae naturae gratiam virtutemque consequeâ—is Ambr. de sacr l. 6. And O how it fills my Soul with joy to behold thy Majesty
a Vide Rom. 8.26 Wherefore We beseech thee O merciful Father to have Compasâ—ion upon us because of these our infirmities excusing the failings and supplying the defects of these our Prayers And those things which we have left out being checked by our Consciences for our unworthiness which made us that we dare not pray for them As also those things which for our ignorance and for our spiritual blindness we cannot ask not knowing they were good for us vouchsafe to give them all unto us of thy bounty which is wont to go beyond b Vberior semper est Dei gratia quam nostra precatio Ambr. in Luc. Fides aliquando recipit quod Oratio non praesumit Bernard de grad humil Ex gratiâ 1 Reg. 3.13 Psal 21.4 Luc. 23.42 43. all our Petitions Withold not any good thing because we are unworthy but give us all that we need for the worthiness and merits of thy Son Iesus Christ our Lord who hath deserved this grace for us Amen VI. A Concluding Prayer for the acceptance of the rest § 7. There are three Qualifications of an acceptable Prayer 1. That it be made in Christs name c John 14.13 16.23 2. That it be agreeable to Gods will d 1 Ep. S. John 5.14 3. That it be asked in Faith e Math. 21.22 James 5.15 Now because it were impudent to expect to be heard upon other Terms the Church hath here put them all together in this finishing Prayer which is very properly used after any of our Prayers especially the Common Prayers which if we have said in Faith we are sure the Petitions are according to Gods will and made in the name of Christ The Paraphrase of the sixth Prayer Almighty God who in thy holy Word hast promised graciously to hear and readily to answer the Petitions of them that according to thy direction do ask in thy Sons name the only Mediator and Advocate of his Church Relying on this thy Promise We beseech thee most mercifully to incline thy Ears and most speedily to return an answer to us that have made now in our great necessity these our Prayers and Supplications and presented them unto thee in the name of Jesus Christ And grant us this last request even that those great and excellent things which trusting in thy mercy we have faithfully asked Provided they be according to thy will and such things as thou seest to be good for us that they may effectually be obtained by our Petitions and speedily bestowed on us And this thy mercy in granting our requests will both tend to the relief of us thy servants in all our Necessities And also to the setting forth of thy own infinite glory before all the World who will perceive thy goodness towards us thy unworthy Creatures through Iesus Christ our Lord In whose Name we ask and for whose sake thou givest every good thing by whom therefore all glory be to thee for ever Amen The End of the Communion Office A BRIEF DISCOURSE UPON THE OFFICES OF BAPTISM AND CONFIRMATION LONDON Printed by J. M. for John Martyn at the Bell in St. Pauls Church-Yard MDCLXXIV TO THE REVEREND and WORTHY JOHN TILLOTSON Doctor of DIVINITY DEAN OF CANTERBURY c. SIR I Do not imagine I shall discharge those Obligations which your Goodness hath laid upon me but rather encrease them by the Presenting these little Tracts unto you for it will contribute to their Reputation to be ushered in with so worthy a Name Place this before Page 357. and add to their Authors Character to be reckoned among the number of your Friends So that if this Tender be accepted but as the Testimony of my Gratitude I shall confess my self to be your Debtor still The Discourses are brief that they may be of as general use as they are of Vniversal Concernment The first upon the Office of Baptism shewing as well the Consent of this Church with the best Antiquity therein as the several duties of Parents Sureties and younger Christians in order to the making and keeping the Baptismal Vow The Second being a like Account of the necessary though neglected Office of Confirmation containing the Motives to perswade to it the Method of its Administration and the means to profit by it And I hope they are so done that they may be honoured with your approbation as well as your Name for then they will be effectually recommended to all the judicious and raised above the censures of the less discerning I shall only add That as I wish no others may measure the worth of these Papers barely by their Proportion a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Demosthenes so I will particularly request from your self not to estimate the Respects of the Presenter by the Quantity of the Present b In quo censendum nil nisi Dantis amor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Chrysost hom in Johan for though the Treatises are small yet they are tendered with a great affection by Reverend Sir Your most obliged and most faithful Servant Tho. Comber THE INTRODVCTION Of Baptism in general § 1. WAter hath so naturally a property of cleansing that it hath been made the Symbol of Purification by all Nations and used with that signification a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut. quaest Roman in the Rites of all Religions The Gentiles washed before their Sacrifices b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 idem Lavabo ut rem divinam faciam Plautus and for the Expiation of their offences c Aquae vero adspersione corporis labem tolli castimoniam praestari putabant Alex. ab Alexandr de Aegyptiis sacerd gen di l. 4. c. 17. yea Satan who delights to counterfeit divine Institutions had taught the Heathens divers kinds of Baptisms as means of remission of their sins d Nationes extraneae viduis aquis sibi mentiuntur nam sacris quibusdam per lavacrum initiantur Isidis alicujus aut Mithrae certè ludis Apollinaribus Pelusiis tinguntur idque se in regenerationem ut impunitatem perjuriorum suorum agere praesumunt Tert. de Bapt. Aug. de Bapt. in Donatist The frequent washings of the Jews are known to all and Baptism is no stranger to them for they Baptize such as are admitted Proselytes at large and when any of those Nations turn Jews who are already Circumcised they receive them by Baptism only with which Ceremony also they purified Heathen Women which were to be married to Jewish Husbands And some of their own Rabbins had said of old That in the days of the Messiah there should be so many Converts that they should be forced to baptize them because it would be impossible to Circumcise them all And this is that universal plain and easie Rite which our Lord Jesus adopted to be a mystery in his Religion and the Sacrament of admission into his Church enjoining his Disciples and all their Successors to use it to this end in all parts
have another opportunity but that thy next Inditement may be in another World And in the mean time that an All-seeing God will come in at this Feast to inquire how faithfully thou hast performed this Duty And then fifthly Set your self seriously to look over all the Records of your Memory and Conscience Call to mind all Places you have been in all Companies and Persons with which you have conversed Reflect upon your designs your business your pleasure and divertisements with all those circumstances which may represent unto you all your evil thoughts words and actions and may set before you all the good which you have omitted And if any seem dubious Quo praetergressus quid factum in tempore quid non Offensus pravis date palmam praemia rectis you must prove and try them Lam. 3.40 That you may condemn them in your judgment as well as recollect them by your memory And do this as impartially as is possible judging the same of your own Actions as you would if they were done by the worst of your Enemies For your better help wherein the following Table is contrived Sect. 6. Brief heads of Self-Examination upon every one of the Commandments I. Commandment § Though I have not Atheistically denied the Being of God or wickedly renounced him by Apostasie Yet § Have I not loved desired and delighted in other things more than God § Have I not feared Men more than God and sinned against him to avoid their displeasure or outward Sufferings § Have I not trusted in Man and relyed on outward means more than on God in my wants dangers and distresses § Have I neither neglected lawful means nor used unlawful means to bring me out of them § Have I not despaired of Gods mercy so as to neglect my duty or by presuming upon it incouraged my self to go on in Sin § Have I not been fearless of the divine threatnings And yet discontented with impatient under and unreformed by Gods Corrections § Have I not been unthankful for goods things or ascribed the praise of what I am have or can do to fortune my self or any other Creature Lord have mercy c. And encline c. II. Commandment Though I have not worshipped God by Images Yet § Have I not entertained gross and false Conceptions of God and worshipped him so as is unbecoming his Divine Nature § Have I not failed in any of the parts of Religious Worship § Have I not either omitted or sleightly performed Morning and Evening Prayer and reading the Holy Scriptures § Have I not been indifferent and customary as to my coming to the Publick Worship § Have I not behaved my self there without Reverence or Devotion forgetting the Presence of the Invisible God whom I serve § Have I not by design or carelesness neglected the Lords Supper or come to it ignorantly rashly and without preparation § Have I not received it irreverently and without spiritual affection or broken the vows and promises I then made Lord have mercy c. And encline c. III. Commandment If I have not openly blasphemed the Holy Name of God § Have I not sleightly or irreverently mentioned his Holy Name or Attributes § Have I not prophanely jested upon or abused his holy Word § Have I not violated holy Places Persons Ordinances or any thing peculiarly dedicated to God § Have I not taken Gods name in vain by common Swearing or by Cursing my self or others § Have I not taken false or unlawful Oaths Or broken my lawful Oaths or Vows Especially my Baptismal Vow Lord have mercy c. And encline c. IV. Commandment § Have I not neglected the publick worship of God on the Sabbath Day § Have I not mispent any part thereof in vain sports idle discourses complemental visits or unnecessary business § Have I not permitted those under my charge to prophane it § Have I not forgotten to praise God for the Creation and Resurrection especially on this Day § Or for his other Mercies in his Son or his Servants upon the Festivals of the Church § Have I not sleighted these solemnities or abused them by debauchery Lord have mercy c. And encline c. V. Commandment § Have I not omitted or acted contrary to my Duty in those Relations wherein I stand § Have I not censured envyed or railed against my Domestical Ecclesiastical or civil Governours instead of honouring imitating and praying for them § Have I not been undutiful to my Parents disloyal to my Prince stubborn or unfaithful to my Master fractory and unthankful to my Minister peevish and unkind to my Yokefellow § Have I been careful to instruct and incourage in well doing To reprove and chastise for ill doing those under my charge Lord have mercy c. And encline c. VI. Commandment If I have not actually taken away the life of any person Yet § Have I not made my Neighbours life grievous concealed designs against it or willingly hastned his death or wished it § Have I not by fighting or quarrelling wounded or maimed him or drawn him to any vice which might destroy his health or shorten his life § Have I not been rashly and immoderately angry or used reviling and quarrelsom speeches or harboured thoughts and purposes of Malice and Revenge § Have I not been intemperate in meat or drink or any other ways prejudiced my own health or indangered my life Lord have mercy c. And encline c. VII Commandment If I have escaped the grosser acts of Adultery and Fornication Yet § Have I not neglected to use the means to preserve my own and others Chastity § Have I not by gluttony and drunkenness pampered my body or by cherishing unclean thoughts purposes and desires defiled my Soul § Have I not run into any occasions or used any provocations of wantonness § Have I not used or listened to filthy talking or been guilty of immodest Garbs or unchast behaviour Lord have mercy c. And encline c. VIII Commandment If I have not been guilty of notorious Felony or Robbery Yet § Have I not by negligence in my particular Calling run into debt without hopes or purposes of repayment § Have I not wasted my own Estate and ruin'd my Family by idleness or prodigality § Have I not cheated my neighbour in buying or selling breaking my Covenants fraudulent writings or falsifying my word § Have I not by violence or oppression exacted of my inferiours or by unreasonable usury taken advantage of others necessity § Have I not wasted or imbezeled that which was committed to my trust refused to restore the pledge abused what was lent or denied that which was found by me Lord have mercy c. And encline c. IX Commandment If I have not before a Magistrate directly sworn falsly Yet § Have I not accustomed my self to lying in my common discourse § Have I not maliciously and uncharitably raised or spread abroad evil and false
and Mountains of difficulties before he can reach that blissful Crown it is little less than Miracle that all men do not sooner or latter fall and fall from the faith and fear of God What prospect in the World can ravish us with greater pleasuâ—es or raise in us higher admirations of the divine goodness than to behold those that were once as frail and sinful as we are now advanced above Satans malice or Deaths Power and placed in the Regions of Joy and the Bosom of Jesus that we might not tremble or think it impossible to come thither also Doth not their felicity give life to our hopes and become a pledge of our own future glory why should we not then rejoice with them and delight our selves with the very news of our Brethrens happiness what other Communion is there between us and those blessed Spirits but that they in general pitty and wish well to us and we praise God with and for them And by thus meditating of their most desirable estate we shall learn to despise Death and long to be with such inviting Company nay languishing after the happy enjoyment of such noble Society for ever and ever Who can look up to these Mansions and not enquire for the path that leads thither and be strongly attracted to follow the steps of those who have so successfully trodden this way before This makes the pious Soul so passionately beg the divine grace that it may do as they have done live as they lived and die as they died so that what they are now it may be hereafter The Scythians as Lucian relates kept the memorials of their brave Men with great joy that so many might strive to become like unto them d Simus inter exempla quare deficimus quare desperamus quicquid fieri potuit potest Sen. ep 98. Magnorum virorum non minus quam praesentia utilis est memoria idem ep 102. And St. Augustine saith when any duty seemed difficult he was wont to think of the Saints of former times and he imagined they derided his sloath saying Tu non poteris c. Canst not thou do what those Men nay those Women once did that which hath been effected is not impossible Would we make this use of our faithful Brethren departed their memory and example would be as profitable as if we had their bodily presence with us and the remembrance of their glory would strongly excite us to follow their good example till we came with them to partake of that Heavenly Kingdom in the mean time we shall never want matter for to praise God in their behalf since his truth and mercy to them is the confirmation of our Faith the encouragement of our duty and gives us in contemplation an antepast of our happiness before we come to the full enjoyment of it § 13. Grant this O Father for Iesus Christ his sake our only Mediator and Advocate Amen This general Conclusion of all our Prayers we should not remark particularly here but that the Mass hath thrust in the names of the B. Virgin and other Saints e Et omnium Sanctorum tuorum quorum meritis precibusque concedas in Canone Missae Rom. into the Supplications through whose Merits and Prayers they intercede even in this place where there is a lively Commemoration of the Death of Christ our only Mediator which is not only the holding a Candle to the Sun but seems to intimate that to plead in the Virtue of our Lords Passion is not sufficient that that intercession by which the Holy Virgin and all other Saints became accepted by God was not alone forceable enough But we desire no other Mediator nor need no other Advocate 1 Tim. 2.5 but our Lord Jesus Christ who is here represented nor do we doubt to ask all these Mercies for all these Persons since we approach our Heavenly Father with his dear and only beloved Son in our Arms wherefore let us bless the name of God who hath chosen such a Master of Requests to present our Prayers and put such an Argument in our Mouths when we approach unto him Let us look to the holy Symbols and remember our great High Priest while we offer up the Intercessions with a great humility and a sprightly devotion because our God will not nay cannot deny those that thus come unto him The Paraphrase of the Prayer for the whole Church § 14. O Almighty and Everliving God who art able to help all Persons always and in all things We are unworthy to ask for our selves and yet we are incouraged to intercede for others since by thy holy Apostle Saint Paul thou hast taught us in our daily Assemblies to make Prayers to obtain good Intercessions and Supplications to remove evil in behalf of all the World And to give thanks for the Mercies received by all men Believing therefore thy willingness to grant these things which thou commandest us to ask We humbly disclaim our own Merits beseech thee for Jesus sake and by the Vertue of his Passion here set forth most mercifully ** This to be omitted when there is no Collection ** to accept this poor acknowledgment of thy bounty and testimony of our love in these our Alms to the Poor and Oblations to thy Ministers intreating thee also to hear and ** This to be omitted when there is no Collection ** to receive all our former Petitions especially these our Prayers for all People which we offer as the evidence of our Universal Charity most heartily to thy Divine Majesty who art all-sufficient to supply the whole World To thy goodness therefore we come Beseeching thee though miraculous gifts are ceased yet to inspire continually with such grace the whole body of the Vniversal Church spread over all the Earth that it may be quickened with the most holy Spirit which teacheth the Principles of truth and produceth Vnity in the Faith and Concord in the affections of thy people And grant that all the Members of thy Church that do profess thy true Religion and confess to believe in thy holy Name laying aside their animosities may agree all their differences and so fully rest in the infallible truth of thy Holy Word and its determinations of all necessary things that notwithstanding some lesser varieties they may have mutual peace And live as Children of the same Father in Vnity without Schism or Heresie in Charity and godly love without Malice or Envy among them And because thy Church cannot well subsist on Earth without temporal Guardians We beseech thee also in order to the common good to save the Souls and defend the Persons and Rights of all Christian Magistrates who in their several Dominions have or ought to have supream governance of the Church whether they be absolute Kings or free Princes or else Rulers and Governours in popular States But as our duty interest and affection do peculiarly oblige us We pray thee Especially to save and defend Him who
doth acknowledge himself to be thy Servant even CHARLES our King and Soveraign Liege Help him so to defend Religion execute Justice and subdue his Enemies that under him we and all his Subjects may be religiously and godly peaceably and quietly Governed and accordingly be obedient unto as well as happy in so gracious a Prince And that his excellent Laws may not be perverted in their Administration O Lord Grant such grace unto his whole Council with whom he adviseth in making Laws and to all Magistrates and Officers that are put in Authority to execute them under him That they may deliberately weigh every cause and truly and indifferently determine it so as to make it appear they do minister Iustice and imploy their Power To the punishment of wickedness and greater Crimes the correction of lesser enormities and Vice And the maintenancâ— and defence of the Profession of thy true Religion together with the Practice of all Equity and Vertue which is the endeavour of all Righteous Magistrates But that Piety and Justice may be taught by the Ministers as well as outwardly incouraged â—iâ—e grace O Heavenly Father for the same thy Son Jesus Christs sake to all whom thou hast made Bishops and Governours or Pastors and Curates over thy Flock Assist them so in those sacred offices that they may both by the holiness of their life and the purity of their Doctrine declare and set forth the excellencies of thy true quickening and lively Wâ—rd so that many may be won to live according to it And grant that they may also orderly and rightly frequently and duly Administer both Baptism and the Lords Supper which are thy Holy Sacraments And let them be particularly assisted in the Celebration of the present mystery And that all their labours be not in vain Do thou to all thy People throughout the Christian World â—ive thy Heavenly Grace to dispose their hearts rightly to receive divine things Especially grant to this Congregation and every person here present before thee that with meek hearts from a sense of their own ignorance and due reverence from the apprehension of thy Authority they may hear attentively and receive by Faith the directions of thy Holy Word O Lord let them be converted by it and become real Christians truly serving thee in all the duties of Piety and Holiness Charity and Righteousness and continue in this Obedience all the days of their life especially after this solemn renewing of their Covenant with thee And further reflecting upon thy pitty towards all afflicted persons for the sufferings-sake of thy dear Son We that yet are spared do most humbly beseech thee that though we and our Brethren deserve to suffer yet of thy goodness thou wilt be pleased O Lord effectually at present to comfort and speedily to deliver and succour not those distressed Creatures alone which we particularly love or know but all them who are capable of the benefit of our Prayers even all who in this transitory life the Scene of sorrows are in trouble and fear of some approaching Evil or in sorrow for some Calamity already sustained All that are in need and want as to their outward Estate or in pain and sickness as to their body Or who are visited with some or all of these or any other Adversity Oh pitty and relieve them all And Finally as we praise thee for all the Mercies which thou minglest with the Miseries of this life so we also bless and chiefly praise thy holy Name for those who have no mixtures of sin or sorrow in their Cup of pure and perfect joy even for all thy Saints and holy Servants who were once as frail as we but by thy grace are now departed out of this life but who did live in thy Faith and die in thy fear never forsaking Religion nor a good Conscience We rejoice in their happiness and though we need not pray for them yet we cannot forbear beseeching thee for our selves who are yet upon the Waves that thou wilt please to give us also the same grace which thou gavest them That we may be able so to follow their good Examples in all Piety and Charity while we live that with them and in that glorious Society we may when we die be Partakers by the like Mercy of thy Heavenly Kingdom and its unspeakable felicities Hear us we beseech thee and Grant this and all the rest O Father to thy poor Children who make not our Requests in our own Name or trusting in our own merits but for Iesus Christ his sake and through the most prevailing Sacrifice of his Death here Commemorated Nor do we need or desire to use any other name since he is Our only Mediator to make our peace and Advocate to plead our cause who also joins with us in these Petitions and therefore we hope thou wilt say to him and to us Amen and then it shall be so SECT VIII Of the warning before the Communion § 1. IT is fit that great Mysteries should be ushered in with the solemnities of a great preparation for which cause God gave the Israelites three days warning of his design to publish the Law Exod. 19.15 and ordered their Festivals to be proclaimed by the sound of a Trumpet some time before Levit. 25.9 Numb 10.2 The Paschal Lamb the Type of Christ in this Sacrament was to be chosen and kept by them four days to mind them to prepare for the Celebration of the Passover Exod. 12.3.6 And Christians having more and higher duties in order to this Holy Feast must not have less time or shorter warning whereupon as good Hezekiah published by particular expresses his intended Passover long before 2 Chron. 30. so hath our Church prudently ordered this timely notice to be given that none might pretend to stay away out of ignorance of the time or unfitness for the duty but that all might come and come prepared also It is needless to expect a President for this in the antient Church their daily or Weekly Communions made it known that there was then no solemn Assembly of Christians without it and every one not under censure was expected to Communicate But now when the time is somewhat uncertain and our long omissions have made some of us ignorant and others forgetful of this duty most of us unwilling and all of us more or less indisposed for it it was both prudent and necessary to provide these large Warnings and Exhortations Cautions and Instructions For the Composures themselves they are exact and rarely fitted to be the Harbingers to this blessed Sacâ—ament and if we duly weigh and carefully improve them they will exceedingly help towards our Preparation as will be evident enough without a Paraphrase in the succeeding Analysis and Discourse The Analysis of the Warning before the Communion § 2. This Warning consisteth of three principal Parts 1. Information concerning 1. The Time Dearly beloved on next I purpose c. 2. The Persons to administer to all
thus offendeth Secondly For the sins of our Words which are the superfluous scum of an evil heart running over out of the mouth p Math. 12.34 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. James 1.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alas how many lies and slanders Oaths and Curses boasting flattering and filthy speeches proceed thence Beside infinite and innumerable vain words q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quod fine utilitate loquentis dicitur audientis S. Hieron all which the Jewish Doctors say shall be noted in a Table to be produced and read before us in the hour of Death r Vajikra Rab. Sect. 26. And a greater than they saith we shall give an account for them in the day of Judgment Math. 12.34 Thirdly For our Deeds of Wickedness all which are open to God and our Consciences and many of them publick and notorious to the World By these we have done great dishonour to God brought much of scandal on Religion and done real injury to our Neighbours Let us therefore reflect upon all this and consider that we have offended in all these kinds and whereas we should have glorified God in our Hearts with our Lips and by our Lives we have sinned 〈…〉 â—ry one of these ways that is as many 〈…〉 arâ— capable of sinning against the Divine 〈…〉 â—nd that our Confession may be more humble and passionate let us further meditate of the dreadful effects of such and so many Sins St. Paul informs us they produce in God Indignation and Wrath against us Rom. 2.8 And oh how terrible a thought it is to think that God is angry with us this makes the Spirits of darkness tremble and melts the heart of an ingenuous Christian into tears and mourning But it may be we fancy as Basilides of old that God will see no sin in us or being so merciful however will not be so much incensed at us and so we shall confess with Agags vain Confidence 1 Sam. 15.32 that the danger of death is past Oh take heed When God hath said that he hates all iniquity and vowed yea sworn that he will punish it what madness and presumption is it to think he is not just or not serious This is so vain and so impudent that it adds one greater to all the former sins Å¿ Nemini itaque facilis sua causa fit nullus difficiliùs evadit quam qui se evasurum praesumpserit S. Salvian and thus to hope against sense and reason and the truth of God hath been the ruine of thousands The Church therefore will have us to acknowledge that we have deserved the wrath of God yet not as the Athenians who obliged the Malefactor convicted by Law to confess himself worthy of Death that they might ground the sentence upon his own words but that God may upon our free acknowledgment most freely acquit us for Jesus sake If we believe we have merited the indignation of the Almighty we shall fear it and if we fear it we shall strive to escape it and so we shall never feel it t Hoc metueret conscientia nostra si crederet si autem crederet caveret si caveret evaderet Cypr. de un Eccl. And thus the Divine Anger may bring us to Repentance and become the Instrument of our Pardon u Indignatio ejus non est ultionis executio sed magis est absolutionis operatio Tertul. in Marc. Consider how great a miracle of Patience it is that God hath not begun with us how miserable we shall be if ever we fall into his avenging hands and how great a mercy it is that he is pleased to try us now once more And if either his love can draw us or our own danger drive us by repentance into the Arms of his Mercy we may yet be saved and his name glorified in our deliverance § 6. We do earnestly repent and are heartily sorry for these our misdoings the remembrance of them is grievous unto us the burden of them is intolerable In pursuance of our first general affirmation we did before acknowledge and now we do bewail our manifold sins That is the first and this the second part of every just Confession and surely when we have owned the facts to be so many and so abominable we cannot but be exceedingly grieved for them the boldest Sinners being hardly so confident when their crimes are discovered to say they do not repent of them and therefore our hearts must be moved with those passions which our mouths do here express in so many and dolorous terms First We must repent most seriously and fervently w Earnestly Graeca Vers Lit. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nota verba duplicata in Hebr. passionem exprimentia Nostrates reddunt earnestly Job 7.2 c. Jerem. 31.20 I do earnestly or passionately remember him still having indignation against our selves that ever we did commit them and wishing again and again they had never been done Secondly We must be heartily sorry for them and if possible we must testifie the real Passion which we feel by our tears Bassianus could never look upon the Picture of his Brother Geta whom he had slain but he wept as Ael Spartianus reports and can we with dry Eyes behold Christ Crucified for our Sins We do not read saith St. Ambrose what Peter said but we do read that he wept bitterly and there was a mighty Oratory in those tears x Interdum lachrymae pondera vocis habent Ovid. 3. de Pont. El. 1. yet if our temper be not apt to express it self in tears we must be truly sorry and sometimes the heart may bleed when the Eyes shed not one drop Thirdly We must look back upon them with a sad Remembrance we acted them rashly in the hurry of a Temptation not discerning the evil or the danger of them but now that we soberly view the guilt the shame and the misery following upon them the remembrance of them is grievous to us as the murther of Clitus was to the Grecian Conqueror when his Wine was gone and his reason returned for then he was like to have done violence to himself for so base an Act. Alas we have grieved our dear Father in committing them and the recollecting of that must be as grievous to us as the acting of them was to him Fourthly We must feel the heavy burden of them y Nullum onus graviùs est quam sarcina peccatorum pondus flagitiorum Amb. Ep. 18. In the day of our madness we never felt the strokes nor discerned the load but now that we discover our condition the grief the shame and the fear do even sink us with the mighty pressure Our Souls are greatly vexed they go stooping and bowed down Baruch 2.18 they are a sore burthen too heavy for us to bear Psal 38.4 and in this distress we pray with the Greek Church z 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Liturg. Eccles Graecae O Lord stretch out thy
life-giving hand and lift us up who are bowed down and lie groveling upon the Earth under a grievous and deadly burthen We can hardly bear up under the weight of this momentany sorrow and how then are we like to endure the eternal Vengeance Thus then we must be affected when we say this Confession for let us remember that we do not confess to instruct an All-seeing God but to humble our selves And to reckon up our sins without such contrition is but a renewed provocation he that abhorred our wickedness when it was done will abhor us if we tell the story of it with an unrelenting heart Let him therefore not only hear the words of our lips but the sad groans of our penitent hearts saying a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philo legis alleg l. 2. Ah me how long have I been sick of the Disease of folly Miserable wretch can I excuse or dare I deny any of this Indictment the facts are apparent the Law is plain and the sentence unavoidable I must confess I have been as unworthy and as grievous a sinner as ever the Earth bore and I am amazed at my self for I am here liable to all that God hath threatned to the greatest offenders Wo is me I have no refuge no sanctuary but in the divine mercy and thither will I fly for succour § 7. Have mercy upon us have mercy upon us most merciful Father for thy Son our Lord Iesus Christ his sake forgive us all that is past After the Confession of our sin and our hearty Contrition for it most regularly follows this supplication for Mercy We have clearly represented our miserable Estate how we lie groaning and oppressed with an intolerable load of guilt and terror and he that commands us not to see our Enemies Beast lie under his burden without relief Exod. 23.5 will never suffer our poor Souls to perish under this our grievous pressure but will pitty and help us especially because we do with so much Passion beg his Mercy with redoubled Cries Have mercy upon us have mercy c. We must not censure this as a vain repetition for it is the very words of David Psal 57.1 123.3 and doth rarely express our great necessity our earnest desire and our imminent danger b Repetitio ardorem precandi denotat clementiam divinam commovet ad opem accelerandam Muis. Gejer. in Psal 57. it is an importunity pleasing to our gracious God Mark 10.47 48. who is ready to give his mercy as soon as we are fit to receive it and when by our urgent cries we shew that we have found ouâ— want of mercy he rejoices in that opportunity to bestow it He is a most merciful Father and the fountain from whence all the pity in the World doth flow and if men who are often churlish and unnatural can scarce deny the cries or abuse the expectations of their Children Luke 11.11 12 13. how much more impossible is it for our Heavenly Father to reject so earnest and so necessary a request The Prodigal no sooneâ— pronounces the word Father Luke 15.21 but the resâ— of his speech was much of it interrupted by his Fathers embraces charmed with that endearing name which as we here use on the same occasion let us do it with like affections and it shall have the same success Mercy is the first but not the only thing we ask for we further beseech him to forgive us and this will follow thâ— other because the mercy of God is not a meer useless pity or ineffective condoling c Misericordia est animi condolentis affectiâ— cum additamento beneficii ut compatiamuâ— proximo largiamus de proprio August but it immediately brings us help for by removing our sin the cause it soon takes away our misery which was only the effect thereof we desire therefore his mercy may appear in our forgiveness and we have a powerful motive annexed not for our Righteousness d Non quia merui sed quia egeo justitia meritum quaerit misericordia miseriam Bern. but for our Lord Jesus sake whose Death is here set forth and who hath so purchased mercy as to satisfie justice e Misericordia tunc est vera misericordia si sic facta est ut justitia per eam non contemnatur Chrysos hom in Math. Wherefore we may most chearfully ask a pardon in his name even for all that is past because he hath deserved mercy for all the World if they will receive it and there are Millions of Souls now in Heaven that once lay under as great a burden as we now do who making their Confession and supplication in his name have for his merits sake been advanced to a state of glory Let us ask then also and that with all possible fervency considering how blessed we shall be when God hath crossed out all our debts and Jesus cancelled all our Obligations Oh how will this dispel all our Clouds of sorrow how chearfully shall we stand upright and praise God in the following Office when this dismal load is thus removed § 8. And grant that we may ever hereafter serve and please thee in newness of life to the honour and glory of thy Name through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen In the same breath that we ask for Pardon we must also Petition for Grace to amend our lives or else we affront the Holiness of God f Non est poenitens sed â—rrisor qui adhuc agit â—nde poeniteat S. Bern. while we pretend to crave his mercy He that only desires forgiveness to be quit of his present fear is an Hypocrite g Improbus quo ad metuit omnia est promissurus fimulatque timere desierit similis est futurus sui Cicero 2. Phil. and doth not hate or grieve for his iniquity but for the punishment annexed to it and when that fear ceaseth will be as bad as ever But I hope we have truly felt the weight of sin and duly apprehended the misery of having God to be our Enemy and if so we shall be as desirous to be kept from future sins as we are to be delivered from our past offences We have seen how base how foolish and how desperate a thing it is to displease the Lord let us now therefore beg it as a mighty favour that we may hereafter please him by an obedience that may last for ever and may extend to all parts of our duty so that we may be wholly changed into new Persons and live in newness of life Rom. 6.4 Proclus tells of one Eurynous who died and was buried at Nicopolis yet some days after was taken up alive h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Comm. in Plat. Rep. and afterwards did lead a much more holy life than he had done before h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Comm. in Plat. Rep. Even so should we who were dead in Law and by the sentence of our own Conscience being
now raised up again by the mercies of God and the merits of Jesus walk after a new manner in all religious and holy Conversation so should our deliverance be for the glory of his holy name through Christ Jesus for whatsoever Lusts we shall conquer or whatsoever good we shall perform the praise must wholly redound to him who did revive and restore us And surely we shall find it a most happy change from the slavery of sin the bondage of Satan and the fear of Hell to be acquainted with the pleasures of holiness the peace of a good Conscience and the love of God wherefore though this be the last let it not be thought the least of these Petitions but let us beg it with such Devotion as may attest our sincerity in all the other parts of this Confession so will our Heavenly Father grant them all to us through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen The Paraphrase of the Confession § 9. O Almighty God we thy poor sinful Creatures full of anguish and confusion for our offences against thy Majesty do make bold to come unto thee because thou art the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ and for his sake inclinable to shew us mercy Thou art the Maker of us and all things and thou hatest nothing which thou hast made but hast pity on all the works of thy hands so that we are encouraged to make our supplication unto thee O thou judge of all men for it is in thy power for ever to acquit or to condemn us We tremble and blush to be found Sinners against so infinite a power and goodness but we must not add Hypocrisie to our disobedience Wherefore We acknowledge freely and bewail most bitterly our manifold offences of all kinds from the least of our Sins to the greatest of our Crimes and wickedness All and every one of which we long and frequently from time to time with many provoking aggravations most grievously have committed O Lord who can tell how oft we have offended * Here call to mind some of the greatest of thy particular sins in thoughts words or actions By thought in vain and evil imaginations by word in false uncharitable or blasphemous speeches and by Deed in ungodly unjust or intemperate actions For alas by all and every one of these ways we have daily sinned against thy Divine Majesty turning thereby thy loving kindness into displeasure and provoking thee to anger we have given thee cause most justly to let loose thy wrath and indignation against us to our utter ruine if thy mercy do not help us Our guilt is evident our danger apparent and our estate is most deplorable wherefore We do most passionately and earnestly repent us that ever we did commit them And are heartily sorry with all our Souls for these our so many and so abominable misdoings When we look upon the baseness and presumption of these vile offences The remembrance of them doth pierce our hearts with shame and sorrow and is most grievous unto us When we behold thy Favour which we have forfeited and Eternal Damnation which we have deserved thereby the burden of them presseth down our Souls with a load of terror and amazement that is intolerable Yet since thou callest all that are heavy laden we must not despair of thy pity but in this great distress we do beseech thee to Have mercy upon us and since our necessity forceth us to be importunate we will cry again Have mercy upon us We know thou art a most merciful Father though by sin we are unworthy to be called thy Children yet we hope thy bowels will yern upon us We lie prostrate and helpless begging of thee for thy dearly beloved Son our Lord Iesus Christ his sake and by the merits of his Cross and Passion to forgive us freely and fully for all that is past from the beginning of our life until this very moment Lord make us instances of thy mercy And grant when we have received so excellent and undeserved a favour that we may be so engaged thereby as that for ever hereafter we may beware of falling back into the like sin and misery Convert us we beseech thee as well as pardon us and enable us most obediently to serve and most intirely to please thee by spending the rest of our time in newness of life and all holy conversation Which through the help of thy grace we do here vow and resolve upon that this mighty change may tend to the honour and glory of thy Name who hast so wonderfully delivered us All which we most heartily beg through Iesus Christ our Lord to whose intercession for us do thou say Amen and it shall be to us according to thy word Amen SECT IV. Of the Absolution § 1. HE must be wholly a stranger to the Discipline of the Antient Church who knows not how great a care was taken that no publick offender might partake of these mysteries until by a long tryal and a great humiliation he had received an Absolution as publick as his crime had been so that it was a mighty and scandalous irregularity in S. Cyprians time a Nondum poenitentiâ actâ nondum exomologesi factâ nondum manu eis ab Episcopo Clero impositâ Eucharistia iis datur Cypr. de laps that lapsed persons by the favour of the Confessors and Martyrs were in some places suffered to Communicate without the solemn Absolution which yet was rectified afterwards b Vbique mysterii ordo servatur ut prius per remissionem vulneribus medicina tribuatur postea alimonia mensae coelestis exuberet Ambr. in Luc. But this godly Discipline being now every where laid aside it is so much the more necessary to supply it by this general Confession and Absolution Concerning which in general the Reader may consult what is said before Compan to the Temp. SECT IV. § 1. And as to this particular form it shall suffice to note that it is in imitation of that antient form of blessing c Benedictio ista pronuncianda est à sacerdote stante facie ad populum versâ manibus elevatis altâ voce in nomine Dei proprio RR. ap Fag Numb 6.24 c. being expressed by way of Prayer as there The Lord bless thee c. And since it is certain there is such a Power vested in the Ministers of the Gospel to support the spirits of a dejected Penitent by antedating his pardon in the name of God there can be no fitter opportunity to exercise this power than now when so many poor humbled Sinners are kneeling before God and begging forgiveness at his hands Then it becomes the Priest in Confidence of his Masters Mercy to give them his best wishes and with more than an ordinary Prayer to signifie as well as ask their pardon You have said with David We have sinned wherefore God hath sent his Minister like another Nathan to assure you that He hath also put away the iniquity of your
have mercy upon us 3. A Doxology to him also together with the whole Trinity For thou onely art Holy thou onely art the Lord thou onely O Christ with the Holy Ghost art most High in the Glory of God the Father Amen A Practical Discourse upon the Gloria in Excelsis § 3. Glory be to God on high on Earth Peace and good will toward men This blessed Hymn the Church hath learned from that Heavenly Choire which came to celebrate our Lords Nativity Luke 2.16 And since we have tasted the Coelestial Manna and fed upon Angels food it is fit we should join with them in singing the praises of their Lord and ours and as one of the Angelick Order first began and then a multitude of the Heavenly Host united their Voices so it was the Custom b Angelicum posthaec sacrifex pater incipit hymnum Inceptum complet vociferando Chorus Hildebert Conoman Episc of old for the Priest first to begin and then all the Communicants to compleat the Harmony of this divine Anthem It was first endited to set forth the happy effects of that Redemption which Jesus did undertake at his Birth and it doth declare that it caused Glory to be given to God in Heaven and made Peace for poor Sinners on Earth because it did engage the good will of the Almighty towards Men But all this was but expected and prophesied of then whereas now when the Merits of this Redemption are really and effectually communicated to Penitent Souls in this Sacrament those things are all performed and accomplished so that the worthy Receivers have juster cause now than ever to sing Glory to God in the highest note who dwelleth in the highest place c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aliquando excellentissimè Math. 21.9 hoc loco terrae opponitur Grot. for he hath now done us the highest favour in making such Peace on Earth d Deus nobis haec otia fecit Virg. and giving such testimonies of his good will toward us No doubt the blessed Spirits above who sing at the Conversion of one Sinner do give glory to God in the highest now when he hath sealed his Covenant of Peace with so many and when they behold us all at peace one with another and rejoicing in these pledges of the divine favour The Church rejoyceth to see so many poor Souls revived with the hopes of Mercy e Gaudet Ecclesia redemptione multorum adstare sibi familiam candidatam spirituali exultatione laetatur Ambros de Sacr. l. 5. c. 3. every heart is full of joy and every Tongue is ready to bless the Lord for this happy reconciliation Oh let us strive to sing the Praises with an Angelick Spirit that so they above and we below may make a lovely Concord and if our Devotion cannot rise to the same note yet let our sincerity keep us in an agreeable Key and for the help of our affections let us thus meditate O my Soul behold and blush to see the Angels who are almost unconcerned sing for thy felicity while thou art silent and unmoved The Heaven is calm above thee the Earth is quiet round about thee and thy God hath testified his good will unto thee Rejoice and be exceeding glad admire and celebrate the Love of Jesus and the efficacy of that Sacrifice which hath filled Heaven with Glory Earth with Peace and all the World with Comfort O ye Celestial Powers it is my concern to magnifie him to whom you pay these Praises for I have received those Mercies which are the cause of your Joy Wherefore I will join with you and bless my God in the highest strain and I will pray that I may extol him more highly O let all the Lords redeemed on Earth and all the glorious Spirits of Heaven unite their Voices till all the World do resound with his Praise who hath restored Peace to us and shewed such good will unto men Hosanna in the highest § 4. We praise thee we bless thee we worship thee we glorifie thee we give thanks unto thee for thy great glory O Lord God Heavenly King God the Father Almighty Having before propounded the subject of our Praises we now begin to descant upon it and first we glorifie the Father Almighty to whom the former Praises are primarily directed And although we are taught with many words to express our gratitude and our joy yet none can censure this as a vain repetition because it is done in imitation of those Celestial Hymns recorded in the Revelations viz. Blessing and Glory and Wisdom and Thanksgiving and Honour and Power and might be c. Revel 7.12 and the like Chap. 5.13 as also because every word here used is highly pertinent and hath its peculiar and proper signification f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philem. Poet. Graec. We praise God by setting forth his Greatness we bless him by declaring his goodness we worship him with our Bodies we glorifie him with our mouth we give him thanks with our hearts for the great glory which he hath gotten to himself by these his Mercies toward us And further the adding so many words doth well express the vehemency of our affections and shew that we are so full of admiration and delight that we know not well with what words to signifie the pleasure which we feel within us And whilst we are repeating so many Phrases let our Souls be enlarged in comfortable reflections upon the goodness of God and then we shall not object against their number but find a new motion in our minds to comply with every one of these Eucharistical words and use every one of them with devotion O God the Father of Heaven whose mercy is over all the World I am infinitely pleased to behold the glory and to hear the Praises which thou hast gotten by thy mercy to poor Sinners and I could even pour out my Soul in the manifestation of that joy which my heart conceiveth at thy so universal Honour Wherefore I will praise thee by acknowledgments and bless thee with Hymns I will worship thee with the lowest reverence and glorifie thee in the highest note yea I will give thanks unto thee with all my Soul for thy Pity and thy Patience thy Mercy and long-suffering thy Bounty and Loving-kindness towards thy unworthy yet miserable Creatures And as all men do share in thy goodness I hope they will join in thy Praises in singing that Song of the Lamb which is to be the subject of eternal Hallelujahs Praise and Blessing Honour Glory and Thanksgiving be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne for ever and ever Amen § 5. O Lord the only begotten Son Iesu Christ O Lord God Lamb of God Son of the Father that takest away the Sins of the World Have mercy upon us Thou that takest away the Sins of the World Have mercy upon us Thou that takest away the
in vitam aeternam liberamur Tert. de bap cap. 1. It s natural life is a miserable mortal life a state of Bondage But we pray it may here be adopted to an Eternal life and a glorious Kingdom through Christ his Merits Amen §. 5. The Gospel and Exhortation deduced from it Hear the words of the Gospel Mark 10.13 They brought young Children to Christ c. This portion of Scripture hath been censured by some as improper for this place because the Children here mentioned were not brought to be Baptized but whosoever makes this Objection doth not well understand upon what account this Gospel is placed here and if they would take their measures by the end for which it is made use of they would retract so impertinent a charge Let it be considered therefore that in the making of a Covenant the express Consent of both Parties is required u Pactio est enim duorum pluriumvâ— idem placitum seu consensus L. 1. ff de pactis And this Covenant of Baptism being now to be made between Almighty God and this Child it is requisite that before the Sureties engage in behalf of the Infant they should have some Comfortable assurances that God on his part will be pleased to consent to and make good the Agreement Now though he be in Heaven yet his Ambassador the Priest in his Name doth produce this place out of his Holy Word the Declaration of his Will whereby it doth appear that God is willing to receive Infants into his favour and hath by Jesus Christ declared them capable of that Grace and that Glory which on Gods part are promised in this Baptismal Covenant wherefore the Sureties need not fear to make the stipulations on their side since they have Gods Royal Word his teste meipso and as great assurances as Majesty uses to give that there is no impediment in Children to make them incapable of receiving that which he hath promised and will most surely perform It is very likely it might be a Custom among the Jews to bring their Children to Persons of Eminent Sanctity to obtain their Blessing for St. Hierom relates that when St. Hilarion passed through Syria the Men Women and Children came flocking to him and kneeling before him they cryed Barac i. e Bless us x Hieron in vitâ S. Hilarionis which also is the manner of the East to this day y Drusius quaest Hebr. l. 2. But doubtless those who brought these Infants z Luke 18.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Marc. 10.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 16. cum accepisset eos in ulnas in their Arms did conceive some hope our Saviour was the Messiah and because the Promises belonged to them and to their Children Acts 2.39 they came to Jesus to desire he would pray for them and bless them and thereby own them as Members of the Covenant of Abraham But his Disciples either because they heard their Master require Faith and Repentance from all that he did receive or else esteeming it below their Masters dignity reproved those that brought them Whereupon our Lord checks their folly and taketh this occasion to shew that Children have a right to his Kingdom The Kingdom of Grace the Church consisteth of Children in Age or in Manners of them and such as they are and the Kingdom of Glory or Heaven shall be filled with Infants blessed by Christ and with Men become as little Children He begins saith Epiphanius with Infants but lest the Kingdom of Heaven should be thought only belonging to them be grants to those of every age provided they be like unto them that they shall inherit it together with them But if these that are such as they be admitted to the Kingdom how much more Infants themselves who are the Patterns of those that be compared to them Epiph. Panar L. 2. Tom. 2. haer 67. in Hieracitas Another Antient Author a little otherwise but appositely enough to this Case saith that Christ would not allow Jewish Children to be kept from coming to him because of such i. e. of Christian Children brought by their Sureties to Baptism the Kingdom of Heaven was Author libri Hypognosticon l. 5. And when Jesus hath thus pleaded their Cause who could not speak for themselves and declared that they are capable of the Kingdom of Heaven he establisheth a perpetual Decree that none do presume ever after to keep them from his Grace since they are capacitated for his Glory And then he doth bless them according to the desire of those that brought them and we are to believe that the laying on of our Saviours hands was no empty Ceremony but did effectually convey a Blessing unto them a Deus cum benedicit facit quod dicit Augustinus so that this also testifies they are capable of receiving Grace From all which Premises the Church in the Exhortation doth conclude that the Sureties may chearfully promise that which belongs to their Part since God by his Son Jesus Christ hath given such satisfaction that his Part shall be accomplished It appears both by the Words and Deeds of our Lord in this Case that Infants are beloved by him and by his Father that he will receive them kindly when they are brought to him that he will give them all the Grace and Blessing which is needed by them or desired for them it is evident that they are capable of being adopted into the Church and that the Kingdom of Heaven may be estated on them yea if they die after they have received Christs Blessing and have done nothing to evacuate it there is none more fit or likely to enter into Everlasting Glory whither we our selves cannot come unless we be like unto them b Tantum contingat nos virtutis puritate eidem similes fieri ut integritate morûm eandem cum infantibus in Christo requiem consequamur Basil Ep â—d Nectar 44. de filiolo mortuo ejusdem Nectarii Wherefore since Baptism is the only way now for Infants to be brought to Christ the Godfathers may be assured that God is well pleased with their Charity in bringing so fit an object for his Mercy and they may perceive now how ready our Heavenly Father is on his Part which Mercy they must acknowledge in the following Thanksgiving and so proceed to seal their Part of the Covenant in the Name of the Child as hereafter is directed §. 6. The Thanksgiving Almighty and Everlasting God Heavenly Father we give thee humble thanks The good News which is every where imparted by the Gospel requires that it should always be concluded with Thanksgiving And this foregoing Portion doth peculiarly deserve it for it declares the Humility Mercy and Condescension of Jesus in admitting Infants into a state of Grace and because we our selves were once received in this manner it doth admonish us to renew our acknowledgments for the mercy of our Christianity upon this fresh occasion Plato is said to have
if the holy Dove did descend in the Baptism of Jesus who had no need of cleansing we hope by the devout Prayers of the Church it will be sent to these Waters which are to be used for the purifying of a Soul most miserably defiled Secondly We pray for suitable dispositions in the suscipient as well as spiritual efficacy in the instrument that not only this Water may be hallowed to convey but this Child fitted to receive abundance of Grace at present and may keep the blessings for ever which are now bestowed on it There are too many whose names are written in the Catalogue of Christians yea and their names written it seems in the Book of Life who yet are blotted out again because of their Apostasie Revel 22.19 Chap. 3.5 m A sanctitate ad immunditiam à justitiâ ad iniquitatem à fide ad impietatem multos transire dubium non est Prosper resp ad objec 3. and lose their Crown n Revel 3.2 Dominus non minaretur auferri posse coronam justitiae nisi quia recedente justitiâ recessit corona Cyprian de un Eccles Wherefore we pray that this Child may not only be admitted into the number of Gods chosen ones but may make its calling and election sure by adorning this Faith into which it is baptized with Virtue and all holy Conversation 2 Peter 1.5.10 Many have received abundance of Grace in this holy Laver here they have been adopted and have persevered in that blessed estate to their lives end and we wish this Child may receive as much as any ever received use it as well as ever any used it and keep it as long as ever any kept it Amen § 3 4. The Naming and Baptizing of the Child Name the Child N. All things being thus Prepared when we see the Minister take the Infant in his Arms it should mind us of the mercy of Jesus who in like manner embraced those that were brought unto him and we are to hope that he will as lovingly receive the Soul thereof as his Minister doth the body And now the time is come to give it a new name Nature hath taught the most barbarous Nations to impose Names on their Children for distinction and among the Civilized part of the Heathen World the Name was given upon a certain day o Alexander ab Alexand genial Dier l. 2. c. 25. Varro l. 17. Nominalia Romanis dicuntur either the Seventh Eighth Ninth or Tenth according to custom of several places But always with great solemnity and among the Grecians not without a Sacrifice The Jews it is well known named the Child at Circumcision Gen. 21.2 3. Luke 1.59 60. Chap. 2.21 and therefore the Christians named theirs at Baptism Alluding to that new name which Jesus promiseth to give to his Servants Revel 2.17 Yea even Persons of riper Years did commonly change their Names as St. Ambrose saith Saul did in Baptism change his name to Paul Acts 13.9 p At ubi pluvia super eum lavacri coelestis influxit necatur persecutor necatur Saulus vivificatur Apostolus vivificatur Paulus usque adeo autem perdidit veterem hominem ut cum moribus mutaret nomen Ambros Dom. 1. Quadrag ser 2. Ordine 31. The like might be shewed in many others especially where they had names before taken from any Idol or relating to false Gods For it was forbid by Christian Councils q Concil Nicaen can 30. to give Heathen Names to Children or others but rather to give them the Name of some Apostle or Saint not that there is any fortune or merit in the name it self but that so the party may be stirred up to imitate the Example of that holy Person whose name he bears Now this Name though it may be privately resolved upon by the Relations Gen. 28.29 Ruth 4.18 yet it must be dictated by the Godfather the Witness of this new birth the Surety who engageth it shall lead a new life and then solemnly given by the Minister because he is in Gods stead who we hope will give it a new nature also We derive one name together with our original guilt from our Parents which ought to humble us and mind us of our being born in Sin But this new name we receive at the time of our Regeneration to admonish us of our new Birth and our Heavenly Kindred This Christian Name was given us when we were listed under Christs Banner and it is a badge that we belong to God so that as often as we hear it we should remember the Vow then made in our behalf The Custom of old was to write the Souldiers name upon his Shield r Inde prodiit jus imaginum nomina militum clypeis inscripta Forerius in leg 95. Vide Veget. de re militari l. 2. c. 28. by which he was engaged in honour not to lose that Shield unless he lost his life Even so hath God given us our Name and our Faith together so that if we Apostatize our Name will be our Eternal Infamy We have a new Name let us walk worthy of it and lead a new life ſ Reatus impii est pium nomen Salvian de Prov. l. 4. Cura esse quod audis Horat. Epist 16. Nomen tuum attende esto quod diceris Hieron ad Paul either striving to make our name Exemplary if there have been no Saint of it or else labouring to be like those of our Ancestors Luke 1.59 Vide Grot. in locum or of Gods Saints who have worn it worthily before us so shall it be recorded not only in the Churches Register but in the Book of Life and stand there for ever Amen §. 4. The form of Baptism N. I Baptize thee In the name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Amen After the Name is given there are three things considerable in the performance of this Holy Ministration 1. The Person who baptizeth 2. The Words 3. The Actions used in Baptizing 1. He that doth Baptize ought to be a lawful Minister for Christ gave this Commission only to the Apostles joining the Office of Preaching together with it so that unordained Persons may as well presume to preach as to Baptize t Petulantia autem mulieris quae usurpavit docere non etiam tinguendi jus sibi pariet Tert. de bapt c. 17. And therefore the Church of old forbad Women to baptize u Mulier baptizare non praesumat Conc Carthag 4. Can. 100. quibu◠Gratian P. Lomb. de suo addunt nisi cogente necessitate and Epiphanius accounts it ridiculous in Marcion and his followers to permit Women to do this Office w Epiphan Panar lib. 1. tom 3. haeres 42. So that our Church requires it be done by a lawful Minister I know there are some allegations out of Antiquity which seem to allow of a Lay-Man to Baptize in Cases of great necessity But there are others
Fathers or our Brethren SECT III. The Close and Consequents after Baptism §. 1. The Exhortation to the Congregation SEeing now Dearly Beloved Brethren that this Child is regenerate c. We must not presently turn our backs upon God so soon as the Holy Rite is finished but compleat the Solemnity by Thanksgiving and Prayer and that we may do both not only with the Spirit but with Understanding the Minister doth here teach us what must be the Subjects of our Praises and Petitions 1. Our Praises must look back upon the Grace already shewed and the benefits which are already given to this Infant which are principally two 1. Internally it is regenerated 2. Externally it is grafted into Christs Church for which we must give hearty thanks to Almighty God To which we must add 2. Our Prayers which must look forward upon the grace which will be needful to enable it to live answerable to this Estate into which it is admitted and this we must beg of Almighty God also or else the former blessings will be altogether in vain Now all this is so plain that no more would need to be added but only that some with Nicodemus are apt to say How can these things be John 3.9 judging it impossible that so great a matter as regeneration can be effected so soon and by so mean an instrument b Simplicitas sacramenti quibusdam derogat effectûs fidem cum sumptu plurimo pompis idolorum arcana sibi authoritatem conciliant Tertul. de Bapt. as they account it whereas the effect is to be ascribed to the Divine Power of the Author not to the intrinsick efficacy of the outward means Yet in regard we can never bless God heartily for a mercy unless we believe he hath bestowed it we must labour to remove these scruples by a fuller Account of this Baptismal Regeneration that we may not withhold the divine praises by our doubting and unbelief The word Regeneration is but twice that I know of used in Scripture first Math. 19.28 Ye that have followed me in the Regeneration where though by altering the point followed me in the Regeneration when the Son of man c. it may signifie in the Resurrection yet as we read it signifies the renewing of men by the Gospel and Baptism Secondly Titus 3.5 he saved us by the Laver of Regeneration b Graec. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per Lavacrum Regenerationis Vulg. Syr. Vatab. Beza and renewing of the Holy Ghost which is a Paraphrase upon that of our Saviour John 3. Except a man be born of Water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God ver 5. And because Persons come to Age before their Conversion are first taught and perswaded by the Word of God the Language of Holy Writ enlarges the Metaphor and saith such are Begotten by the Word of God 1 Cor. 4.15 and then Born again or Regenerated in Baptism In like manner speak the Fathers who do constantly and unanimously affirm that we are Regenerated in or by Baptism c In novam vitam lavacro aquae salutaris animatus Cyprian de seipso ep 2. ad Donat. Regeneratione coelesti Christo consurreximus lib. de zel livor Lavacrum inde Dionysius vocat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vide Ambr. de Sacram. l. 3. c. 1. So that we must next enquire wherein this Regeneration doth consist And first whereas both Children and those of riper years are by nature dead in Sin so that they lie under the guilt and power thereof our gracious Father doth here in Baptism Seal a Covenant with us wherein he promiseth to pardon them and when this deadly load is removed the Soul receives as it were a new life and takes new hopes and Courage being restored to the divine favour and being set free from the sad expectations of unavoidable condemnation for former sin Original in Infants and both it and Actual in those of riper years Before this Covenant we were dead in Law and by the Pardon of our Sins we are begotten again to a lively hope and herein stands the first particular of our Regeneration viz. in the Remission of Sins wherefore both Scripture and Antiquity d Luke 3.3 Acts 2.38 Chap. 22 16. Omnem autem enormitatem sceleris baptismi sacramenta diluunt teach us that Baptism is the means for Remission of Sin and hence they join Pardon and Regeneration commonly together e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justin Martyr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyril Catech 2. because this forgiveness puts us into a new Estate and an excellent condition in comparison of that which our natural Birth had left us in 2. But further by Baptism we gain new Relations and old things being done away all things become new Hence the Jews called their Proselytes New-born Children because they forsook all their Heathen Kindred so we although we do not renounce our Earthly Parents because they also are Christian yet we gain new Alliances for God hereby doth become our Father and Jesus our Master and all the Saints both in Heaven and Earth our Brethren so that it is as if we were born over again since Baptism doth intitle us to this Coelestial Kindred But this is not all For Thirdly Our corrupt nature is changed in Baptism and there is a renovation effected thereby both as to the mortification of the old affections and the quickning of the new by the Holy Spirit which is hereby given to all that put no bar or impediment unto it This was the Antient Doctrine who affirmed a real Change to be wrought f Da injustum insipientem peccatorem continuò aequus prudens innocens erit uno enim lavacro malitia omni◠abolebitur Lact. Inst 3. 26. Vndae genitalis auxilio superioris aevi labe detersâ in expiatum pectus purum desuper lumen infudit Cypr. de seipso 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyril catech 3. and believed the Spirit to be therein bestowed as God had promised Ezek. 36.25 26. That he would sprinkle clean Water upon them and they should be clean from all their filthiness and then a new heart would he give them and put a new Spirit within them And it is manifest that in the first Ages of the Church there was abundance of gifts and graces miraculously bestowed upon Christians in their Baptism and no doubt if the Catechumens of our days who are of Age would prepare themselves as strictly by Repentance Fasting and Prayer as they of old did they should find incomparable effects of this sacred Laver if not in as miraculous measures yet to as real purposes that is they should be truly regenerated and their hearts changed by the influence of the Divine Spirit But some may doubt whether Infants be regenerate in this sense because they are not capable of giving any Evidences of their receiving the Spirit nor doth there any immediate effects of their Regeneration appear hence the
strength a Sed ne putes te viribus tuis hoc posse attende cujus est opis August in loc but we may have Help from him who made Heaven and Earth and therefore ought not to despair II. Psalm Cxiii 2. Blessed be the Name of the Lord Answ Henceforth World without end And since the Name of this glorious Lord God hath been our only help and shall be so for ever Have we not all possible reason to magnifie and praise his Name now our selves yea and to desire that it may be Blessed and glorified to all Eternity for he pitied and visited us he redeemed and washed us from our Sins in the Laver of Regeneration and in the fountain of his Sons Blood and he hath now encreased the number of his professed Servants Oh that his Mercy may be remembred for ever and ever III. Psalm Cii 1. Lord hear our Prayers Answ And let our Cry come unto thee From the Remembrance of his former favours we are encouraged to ask for more and in this Humble manner we crave Audience of the King of Heaven before our Supplication begin The Bishop is going to pray and cry to God on our behalf and we and all the Congregation are about to join with him in Prayers for the good Spirit which we need and in earnest Cries to be delivered from the Evil Spirit to which we were in Bondage first therefore we crave acceptance and desire that by his Answering our Requests we may perceive our Cry hath come unto him or as St. Augustine observes the Phrase is doubled to shew the vehement desire and fervent affections of the Petitioners b In geminatione affectus petentis est Aug. in locum Wherefore we must speak this with an earnest Devotion so shall we no doubt make way for the following Prayer to pierce the Clouds §. 4. The first Prayer Almighty and Everliving God who hast vouchsafed to regenerate these tâ—y Servants c. Before the Imposition of hands there was a Prayer made for the gifts of the Spirit to be poured forth upon the party to be Confirmed as appears by the Testimonies of S. Cyprian Tertullian Ambrose c. before cited For although the Spirit do go along with the Water in Christian Baptism yet the Apostles thought it necessary to lay their c Spiritus autem Sanctus in solâ Catholicâ per manus impositionem dari dicitur Aug. in Donat. de Bap. l. 3. c. 15. hands on the Baptized that they might receive the Spirit in greater measures and the Fathers thought it was particularly given by this Rite Nor is it any wonder saith one d Raban Maurus de institut Cleric lib. 1. cap. 30. if a man have a double Vnction in order to receiving the Holy Ghost since the Spirit was twice given to the Apostles themselves John 20.22 Acts 2.4 especially since the Spirit is given to several purposes as the former Author notes viz. In Baptism to consecrate an habitation to God In Confirmation to declare that the seven-fold grace of the Holy Ghost is come into us with a fulness of Sanctity Wisdom and Virtue Or as Eusebius Emissenus serm de Pentec In Baptism the Holy Spirit gives what is sufficient to make us innocent but in Confirmation it gives increase and makes us gracious In short there the Spirit was bestowed to cleanse us from sin here to adorn us with all its Graces e Albaspin observat lib. 1. 25. According to which Antient Doctrine this Prayer is Composed First to acknowledge the former gift and then to Petition for the second in the very words almost of that Antient Prayer which came between Baptism and Confirmation in the Greek f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euchologion Graecor pag. 355. offic S. Baptism Liturgy Blessed art thou O Lord God Almighty Who now hast pleased to regenerate this thy new inlightened Servant by Water and the Holy Ghost granting him a pardon of all his voluntary and involuntary Sins Do thou O Lord and merciful Governour of all bestow upon him also the seal of the gift of thy Holy Omnipotent and ever to be adored Spirit c. And it is very fit we should praise God for the Grace of Baptism before we beg that of Confirmation especially because the washing of us from Original Sin in the holy Laver did cleanse and prepare us that we might be pure Temples for the Holy Ghost to dwell in the greater measures of the Spirit now begged are but in pursuance of the former mercy The Lord did then consign us to the Spirit and now we pray it may visibly exert it self He then lifted us as his Souldiers and we have been ever since by Catechising trained Gen. 14.14 and now are going into the Field against our spiritual Enemies so that we shall need more visible and more efficacious assistances wherefore we pray for all the gifts of the Holy Spirit which in the Old Greek and Latine Translations are reckoned up to be seven Isai 11.2 and from thence are transcribed into this Prayer and these seven are put for all because the Scriptures describe the gifts of the Holy Ghost by seven Spirits Revel 1.4 Chap. 4.5 5.6 whence also we often read in the Antients of the sevenfold Grace of the Spirit g Ambros in Luc. 9. item Raban Maurus lib. 1. c. 30. and the number Seven is put for the Holy Spirit it self h Septenario numero significatur Spiritus sanctus August de Civ dei l. 11. c. 31. But for these seven here reckoned up it is certain they were in the same Words repeated in the Office of Confirmation as long ago as St. Ambrose his time who saith Remember that thou hast received the Spiritual seal the Spirit of Wisdom and Vnderstanding the Spirit of Counsel and strength the Spirit of Knowledge and Godliness and the spirit of holy fear i Ambros lib. de initiand c. 7. And in another place k Idem de Sacram. lib. 3. cap. 2. It remaineth after Baptism saith he that we be made compleat when upon the Prayer of the Priest the Holy Spirit is poured into us the Spirit of Wisdom c. as before Where he further instructs us that all gifts and graces belong to the Spirit but these are the most Eminent and Principal so that they are put for all the rest We must not be too curious in the particulars since many of the Words seem to be synonymous yet we may thus distinguish these seven gifts 1. The Spirit of being wise in Spiritual things 2. The Spirit of apprehending what we are Taught 3. The Spirit of prudent managing all our Actions 4. The Spirit of power to execute all our religious purposes 5. The Spirit of discerning between good and evil 6. The Spirit of Devotion in Gods service 7. The Spirit of Reverence to be expressed towards God in our whole Conversation These are the blessed gifts for which the Bishop prays