will obtain help from him for us by the power of his undenyable intercession and as a glorious Conqueror commands the Earth and Hell it self So that his might will secure us here and this is our strong Tower in which we believe our selves so safe that upon the confidence thereof we pray for protection and defence and that we may neither fear nor feel harm from any of our opposers and desire this may be granted and decreed in heaven by the mighty interest of our Mediator there and accomplished on earth by the invincible strength of the same Jesus here Amen The Paraphrase of the Collects for Peace O God who by thy constant power and providence art the author of safety and the cause of our peace from without the procurer of amity and lover of concord within thy Church and among thy people Thou art the only true God in knowledge of whom standeth out chief happiness in eternal life and our best means of coming safe thither for thou art the best of all Masters whose service is safe and pleasant because it is perfect freedom from the slavery of Sathan and the fear of his instruments Therefore mighty Lord be pleased to defend us who fly to thy protection and surrender up our selves to thee vowing we are and ever will be thy humble servants Oh keep us safe in soul and body if not from yet however in all assaults which are made upon us by the power malice or cunning of our enemies let their attempts be so constantly frustrated that we under the shadow of thy wings may couragiously proceed in our holy course and surely trusting in thy defence while we are faithful to thy service that we may not so much as fear the power or policy of any adversaries since we have so good grounds to hope thou wilt now and alwaies hear us through the interest and help us through the might of Iesus Christ thy dear son our Lord and only Saviour Amen The Analysis of the third Collect for Grace In this Collect are four parts 1. A confession of the Attributes of God 1. Love O Lord our heavenly Father 2. Power Almigâ—ty and 3. Eternity everlastiâ—g God 2. An acknowledgment of his Providence Who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day 3. A Petition for â—is grace 1. To preserve us from evil 1. In general defend us in the same with thy mighty power 2. In particular from 1. Spiritual and grant that this day we fall into no sin 2. Temporal neither run into any kind of danger 2. To help us in doing good that we may be 1 Directed by him but that all our doings may be ordered by thy governance 2. Accepted of him to do alwâ—ies that which is righteous in thy sight 4. The means to obtain it through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen A Practical Discourse on the Collect for Grace § 5. O Lord our heavenly Father almighty and everlasting God Peace without Grace is the nurse of vice the sauce of dangerous pleasures It occasions our forgetfulness of God that gave it and becomes an undisturbed opportunity to prosecute and enjoy those lusts which it is apt to breed So that we must not pray for Peace alone but joyned with righteousness and Grace for these God hath united in Scripture (n) Psal 85.10 2 Cor. 1 2. and we must not separate them in our devotions For which cause this Collect for Grace follows that for Peace Grace alone can make Peace true beneficial and lasting and sin is the great boutefen and the greatest enemy to Peace in the world So that by receiving this Collect devoutly we still improve our former request and if we can obtain such grace as to make us just and charitable meek and patient towards one another this world will be the Type of everlasting Peace We shall neither disquiet our selves nor others while our doings are directed by the wisdome and agreeable to the will of the God of peace Since therefore Grace is so necessary for us we must learn where to seek it and its very name will lead (o) Gratia est gratis data non meritis operantis sed miseratione donantis August Epist 120. us to the free and inexhaustible fountain whence it ever flows even to God who gives to all men liberally and upbraideth no man The very Heathens confessed it the gift of God (p) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plat. Mem. Nulla sine Deo mens bona Seneca who will rejoyce to hear such a request from an humble soul that is sensible of its own weakness and desirous of his strength He will be more ready to grant then you can be to ask (q) Luke 11.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Maxim Tyrius in dissert Consider but the Attributes the Church hath prefixed to this Prayer Is not the Lord your heavenly Father and shall not he pitty and love you and delight to do you good Is he not Almighty and therefore able to relieve you and Everlasting the same yesterday today and for ever Being All-sufficient and never to be drawn dry though we come day by day unto him We have no reason to doubt either his sufficiency his might or his mercy and therefore no cause to fear but this Petition shall prevail We are on Earth but we have a Father in Heaven we are weak but our Lord is Allmighty our time is measured by daies and nights and we grow older every day and must at length have our end but we have a God that changeth not but is the same from everlasting to everlasting Let this chear our hearts (r) Psal 102.25 26 27. and give wings to our Petitions and strength to our faith Let us fly to him and rest upon him for we can never come to him for grace but we are sure to find him furnished with it and both able and ready to bestow it upon us § 6. Who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day The Mercies of God are new every morning and so ought our Praises to be (s) Lament 3.23 Psal 92.1 2. Occurrere ergo ad solis Ortum ut te Oriens invenint jam paratum Ambr. in Psal 119. offered still with a fresh Devotion to which purpose being now come to the shore it will be a pleasant and profitable prospect to look back on the great deep the darkness of the night which we have passed and now to remember that though we were folded in the arms of sleep the brother of death and were insensible of danger and uncapable of resistance yet we have gone safe through those dismal shades which are the image of hell the embleme of death the opportunity of mischief and the most uncomfortable part of our lives And though the Heathens supposed the Dominion of the Night to belong to the Infernal Powers yet we have found it is under the government of our heavenly Father by whose gracious providence we have been kept therein from
softened and bettered by the word of God when you come to his house (t) Quid ergo miramini vos quae in scholam affertis ea domum referre num ut decreta vel abjecturi vel correcturi vel commutaturi advenitiâ— Arrian in Epict. l. 2. c. 21. resolved not to forsake any of your evil courses since you trust the Devil and believe not him that speaketh from heaven But be advised and take heed behold a sad example of those hard hearted Jews who dealt thus with God at Massah and Meribah which words signifie provocation and temptation they lusted for water and because they were not presently supplied they blasphemed God and questioned his providence and doubted of his promises and were so hardened by their lust that they feared not his dreadful indignation which therefore fell upon them This day is made by God a day of mercy but if you be resolved to hearken to your lusts if they call but for water and will not hear the calls of God if you doubt his promises and despise his threatnings as they did you will turn this day of grace into a day of provocation and temptation and perhaps of destruction and desolation as you do deserve § 6. Ver. IX X and XI When your Fathers tempted me c. It was the boast of the Jews that they followed the steps of their fore-fathers and so they did but not of the best of them not of Abraham who no sooner heard Gods voice but he was obedient to it (u) John 8.39 Gen. 17.23 but they followed the steps of those obstinate and provoking wretches which God delivered out of Egypt conducted them in the wilderness and sustained them there with bread from heaven yet they did frequently and continually discover their disobedience and unbelief by inventing strange wayes to try and prove the patience and fidelity of God growing rude and insolent in every denial discontent and clamorous if they had not every day a new miracle and although he had done so much to testifie his affection to them and care of them yet upon every slight occasion they conclude that they had neither his favour towards them nor his presence among them God indeed was so merciful that he suffered these their evil manners fourty years (x) Acts 13.18 but not without loathing and abhorrency and high indignation (y) Ver. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aqu. Sym. cum taedio pertuli Vatabl. fasâ—idio habui Jun. Tremel and though he did not presently destroy them yet he gave sufficient testimony that he was displeased at these their dealings They asked every thing of God they wanted and were impatient of denial but yet they would deny God that called them to repentance every day and thus they mistook him and formed wrong notions of him falsely imagining to be heard without obedience or else wretchedly concluding God was not able or not willing to make good his promises But they must be strangers to his Power truth and mercy that think so And yet as they erred in their minds so God made them err and wander in that desolate wilderness and he grew so highly incensed at last at their obstinacy and unbelief that he unalterably proposed which is expressed by taking an Oath they should none of them come into that Land of Caanan nor enjoy that rest since they sometimes despised it and preferred Egypt before it and otherwhiles doubted whether they ever could obtain it so that notwithstanding all their priviledges and all that God had done for them these vile returns provoked him that loved them once so deerly to destroy them in the wilderness and make good that promise to their children which the Fathers had made themselves unworthy of This is the sum of this sad example and of what happened to those Jews for our learning (z) 1 Cor. 10.11 Omne quod evenit patribus signum fuit filiis Moses Gerund in Gen. 12. and as David set it before the men of his time and St. Paul those of his so doth our Church daily set it before you for a warning that you may not do as they did least you also perish as they did You are delivered by Christ from the bondage of Sin and Sathan you are the chosen people of God pilgrims in the wilderness of this world and travellors to the heavenly Caanan and here is set before you some that of old did miscarry that you may shun those paths that lead them to ruine and that you may hearken to Gods calls and believe his Promises and despise Egypt and be content with his providence and then you shall arrive at your desired rest Otherwise do not encourage your selves because God spares you and think you may deny him to day as you did yesterday for he may suffer these abuses from you many years and be highly provoked against you in his own brest though his anger break not out in your destruction presently and you had best take heed you trifle not and mistake till God vow your deprivation for then you are irrecoverably lost These Israelites were going to a temporal Caanan and so dyed only temporally for ought we know and lost the pleasures of that pleasant land But we are invited to a heavenly rest and if we provoke God as they did our loss is ten thousand times greater and we must dye eternally Acquaint your selves therefore with Gods wayes and do not delight in such destroying mistakes as you are pleased to hug in your bosoms He is merciful to those that obey him and will perform all the expectations of his faithful servants but those that presume he should do so to them and yet continue to stop their ears though he spare them long yet he will cut them off at last which being so certain and having so plain an example this day propounded to you I hope you will this day hearken to the invitations that you hear out of Gods word and resolve now to begin a new course of life and if this have so good an effect you will have great cause to bless God for sparing you so long and warning you so seriously and giving this one effectual call more and then you may well conclude this Divine Hymn with Glory be to the Father c. As it was in the beginning c. Amen The Paraphrase of the XCV Psalm VERSE I. O come with all speed and let us who are here met together in the house of God with loud and chearful voices sing unto the Lord and having our affections raised by the remembrance of his mercy let us not only outwardly and vocally but inwardly and heartily rejoyce in him that is the Rock of our defence the foundation of our hope and the strength by which we shall be brought to the fruition of our salvation Ver. II. He is present every where but especially here where we assemble to worship him therefore let us come into his house where we are
benedicam tibi laudabo nomen tuum c. Vulg. Lat. only altering the Tense and Person Lord help us for we are thy servants paying thee the daily tribute of Praise Whatever thou bestowest on us will not be forgotten nor buâ—ied in ungratefull silence We meet in thy house every day to magnifie thee in this manner and to set our the glory of thy Name in every thing thou dost for u. Withold not thy mercy for we will not withold thy Praise and since we resolve daily to do the work of Angelâ— Lord keep us pure as they are for praise is neither seemly nor acceptable in the mouth of a sinner Let not us who are thy servants in the morning be the devils slaves before night (z) Coepisti meliùs quam desinis ultima primis Distant but preserve us holy all day that our afternoon sins may not rob us of the benefit of this dayes Praises nor indispose us against the next morning when our duty will return Dear Jesus look on our frailty and strengthen us look on our guilt and misery and Pardon us We cry earnestly and double our request Jesus Master (a) Math. 20.30 31. have mercy on us have mercy on us for our needs are great and pressing unless we find mercy for former sins we must be condemned by thee and except we obtain mercy for future assistance we shall be overcome by Sathan Oh shut not out our Prayer consider not our merits but our distress we know we deserve nothing but we have great hopes such is thy transcendent goodness that we shall have what we desire Those that were better then we have put words in our mouths who in the Psalms (b) Psal 33.22 Sit misericordia tua Domine super nos quemadmodum speravimus in te Psal 31.1 In te Domine speravi non confundar in aeternum Vulg. Lat. did not urge thee as if they had been worthy but only trusted in thy mercy and so do we We rely not on our selves or any Creature but on thee alone for we know thou canst help us and we have a persuasion thou wilt All the world sees by our daily attendance on thee that all our expectations are from thee Oh do not disappoint those hopes that are grounded on thy tender mercy least Sathan upbraid us and the world slight us (c) Ezra 8.22 Psal 22.7 8. and then which way can we look Lord be it unto us according to our Faith Amen Amen The Paraphrase of the Te Deum WE Praise thee most heartily for all we have learned out of thy holy Word O God and it shall be our care as it is our duty to observe thy Will since we acknowledge thee to be the Lord to whom we owe all Duty and Obedience We esteem it our happiness and honour to be accounted thy servants who art Lord of all the world and aâ—l the earth with its Inhabitants joyns with us and doth worship thee who aâ—t from Eternity and in all ages hast been acknowledged to be the Father everlasting Nor doth this lower world alone own thy Supremacy but Praise is given to thee by the several Orders of all Anâ—â—â—s who with harmonious voices cry aloud in proclaiming thy glory which is ever set forth by all the hosts of the Heavens the Thrones Dominions Principalities and the Powers that are therein To thee O God triumphant Hymns are sung in that Celestial Quire For the Cherubin on one side and the Seraphin on the other with ravishing melody chart thy Praise and in their mysterious adorations they continually do cry one to another Holy Father Holy Son Holy Spirit three Persons but one Lord thou art tâ—e most mighty God of Savaoth the supream commander of all the hosts of Heaven of us and the innumerable myriods of blessed Spirits Thou makest us happy with beholding and the Sons of men with expecting thy glory so that all the Inhabitants of Heaven and Earth rejoyce in thee because all parts of the Universe are full of those manifestations of thy power and goodness which declare the majesty of thy glory Thus the Angels sing and for our great comfort many of our bretheren now glorified bear a part with them The glorious company of the Apostles who Preached Christ and with unwearied diligence and patience admirable courage and fidelity shewed he was come to save the world these are now in those regions of bliss and there for ever praise thee As also all those harbingers of thy Sons comming inspired at sundry times and in divers manners these are now met in glory and make up the goodly fellowship of the Prophets whose words we read on earth but they now are happy in beholding him of whom they foretold and now continually praise thee To all which blessed numbers are added those undaunted Legions who sealed the truth of the Prophets predictions and the Apostles preaching with their blood even The noble army of Martyrs who conquered infidelity and cruelty by Faith and Patience these now are passed from torments to their reward and they with all other Saints and Angels with united hearts and voices sweetly praise tâ—ee Oh Lord we long to be there that we might see thee as clearly and praise thee as heartily as they do But since we can now know thee only by Faith we must glorifie thee by agreeing with The holy Church even our faithful bretheren throughout all the world in the Confession of that True Faith whereby every good Christian doth acknowledge thee to be what thou hast revealed thy self to be in thy holy word We believe in that Trinity which the Angels worship even in thee the Father who by creating and governing all the World declaredst thy self to be of an infinite Majesty And we believe in him that is equal in glory with thee and one in nature thine honourable true and only begotten Son who hath redeemed us that we of slaves of Sathan might be thy adopted Sons We do believe and acknowledge also the Holy Ghost to be very God equal to and with the Father and the Son and is the advocate for us in Heaven and the Comforter of us on the Earth And these Three Persons are One God Thy grâ—cious condescension O blessed Jesus shall not Eclipse thy Divine Perfection for though thou camest in our likeness to Redeem us yet we believe thou art equal with the Father and the King of Glory for thou ever wa st most glorious in thy self and thou O Christ art anointed of God a King and Priest for ever From eternity thou art God neither hadst thou thy beginning when thou wast made the Son of Man for thou art the everlasting Son begotten of the Father before the world began Yet blessed be thy name thou didst change thy Glory for Misery and sufferedst thy Eternity to be measured by time for when thou tookest upon thee that glorious design to deliver man from eternal death thou didst not abhor the meanest
condition but wast conceived in tâ—e Virgins womb and born like unto us only void of sin How chearfully didst thou embrace a bitter and bloody Passion to satisfie the Divine Justice provoked by our offences and when thou hadst by suffering the wrath due to us overcome the sharpness of that sting of death which our sins had armed it with the whole world found the benefit of thy Cross For by those merits thou didst open those gates of mercy which iniquity had shut against all mankind for hereby alone admittance into the kingdom of heaven is granted to all believers that are or were or ever shall be hereafter And no such can be excluded for now thou sittest as a glorious conqueror at the right hand of God to intercede that the faithful may have the benefit of thy purchase to keep possession for them and finally to receive them to partake with thee in the glory of the Father which thou now injoyest and canst dispose it to whom thou pleasest To our great comfort therefore we believe that thou who hast been our Redeemer and art our Advocate shalt come with millions of Angels in great glory to try all the world and particularly to be our Iudge with full Power to condemn or acquit us We therefore knowing our guiltiness and that we cannot account to thy Justice do before hand beg thy mercy and most humbly pray thee help thy servants with thy infinite merits and abundant grace and to answer for them whom thou hast so deerly bought and redeemed with thy most precious blood that we may not loose the benefit nor thou the glory of thy gracious purchase Since all men must stand or fall then at thy sentence Oh do thou acquit thy faithful ones and by applying thy merits make them to be numbred with thy Saints that being placed on thy right hand they may have a part with thee and them in Glory unspeakable and everlasting And that thou mayest have mercy on them in thy Kingdom give them here all that may fit them for it and bring them to it O Lord save thy people from all evil which might dishearten or defile them and bless thy Church with all good things which may make it flourish as thine inheritance and encourage it in well-doing Be thou a shepheard to watch over and feed thy servants a King to defend and govern them in all thy holy wayes and when Sathan and his instruments design to cast them down rescue and lift them up by thy grace above their power and malice that they may be safe for ever Particularly be mindful of us in this Congregation who will never forget thee but as we daily taste of thy mercies so Day by day we acknowledge them in thy house and we magnifie thee for them with these sacred hymns Thou art an everflowing spring of comfort therefore we ever praise thee and we worship thy name both now in this world and will glorifie it in thy Kingdom ever world without end And as by our daily paying thee this Tribute of Praise we declare our selves thy servants Vouchsafe O Lord to remember our frailty and by thy grace to keep us this day which we have begun in thy service holy pure and without sin that our present sacrifice may be accepted and our hearts fitly disposed against the next opportunity We have so often fallen into sin and so sadly smarted for our folly that we must now most earnestly beseech thee O Lord to forgive and have mercy upon us for all that is past and again to have mercy upon us and deliver us for the remaining part of our lives We beg compassion of thee in all humility O Lord let thy mercy come to us and lighten upon us not for our merits nor after the proportion of our deserts but our faith even like as we incouraged by thy promises most readily and firmly do put our trust in thee and hope for it And though we do not challenge it by desert yet we believe thou wilt not frustrate any of our expectations for every one of us renouncing all other helps can say O Lord in thee alone have I trusted because I knew thy grace and bounty Let me not now ask in vain Oh let me never be put to shame before the world or the devil nor be confounded by being sent away empty Amen The second Hymn after the First Lesson at Morning Prayer § 5. WE shall briefly pass over this Hymn because it is seldom used and sufficiently plain it being an invitation of all Creatures to praise God And though it be not in the Canon of Scripture yet it is an excellent Paraphrase on the 148 Psalm and comes so near it in words and sense that we must reproach that if we despise this And we have the practice of the Primitive Church to justifie our use of it wherein it was not sung only four times in the year as in the present Roman Church but on all solemn occasions in the assemblies of the faithful from the beginning as Ruffinus and St. Augustine (d) In omni solemnitate in sacâ—is fidelium decantatur Ruffinus l. 2. adv Hieron ap Sixâ— Senens Biblioth Aug. Serm. 47. temp assure us And the duty which it invites us to ought to recommend it which is to praise God for all his works 'T is true they are so excellent that they do of tâ—emselves declare the Power and Wisdom of their great Creator (e) Psal 19.1 Bona enim ex sâ—ipsis vâ—ce â—â—emittunt neque enim Sol vel Luna interprete egeâ—◠〈◊〉 ipsa lux palam testatur quod totum mundum illustrant Philo. And yet since we have benefit by them and understanding to observe and speech to express his glory who made them God calls on us to lend them a tongue to glorifie him with and by so doing we may fill our souls with reverence and noble thoughts of the Lord of all things Our aptness to be forgetful of the rare contrivance and unthankful for the usefulness of his works makes this Hymn often needful but it is alwayes proper to be used after the History of the Creation or the relation of those miracles wherein God useth the Creatures as Instruments of his Justice or Mercy And then we may in this Form learn the order of Gods works for the method is exact and beginning with the Heavens and the hosts thereof descends to the air the Earth and Sea reckoning up all the furniture of them and concluding with a particular exhortation to the Sons of Men who are concerned in them all to give praise to the Lord their maker the Order will inform our understanding the exactness quicken our memory and the comprehensive and devout manner of address will enlarge our affections if we attend it and desire to profit by it and then it will need no other recommendations The Analysis of the Benedictus or first Hymn after the second Lesson In this
high did thus descend to Earth it was to be hoped men would shake off their sloth and since he sent them so fair a notice that they would not be surprised in their carelesness but appear in an Equipage suiting the greatness of his Majesty the dearness of his love and the excellency of his design (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philo de Cher. that was to come And this made the good man rejoyce hoping when they saw their danger and were shewed their Redeemer they would fly into his arms for remission and grace and if they did so he is glad for their advantage However he praises God for his mercy since he hath done his part And we have still the same cause of rejoycing for that which was then done by an Agent extraordinary is now performed by the Ministers and Ambassadors of Chriâ—t and by the Gospel you have now heard which being ever resident among us prepare a lodging for Jesus in your hearts when he comes in the Spirit to offer his grace to you Thus he is set before you not to be gazed at but to be entertained And if you upon the warning prepare for him by Repentance you shall also have Remission and then you may with Zachary bless God for the knowledge of Salvation that the Gospel gives unto you And that the exhortations of Ministers and summons of Gods word may not be as ineffectual to us as those of this great Prophet were to the Jews consider the first cause of all this Mercy both of Gods sending his son to us and giving us so many warnings to receive him It was the bowels of Gods tender mercies (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vulg. Viscera Misericordiae viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 affectus Matris erga foetum è Visceribus suis prodeuntem Jerem. 31.20 which yearned to behold us in the hands and under the sword of the merciless executioner and moved him to send his son to rescue us by suffering the stroke for us It was not our merits but our misery not our deserts but distress that prevailed with him we were worthy to dye yet his heart relented and he could not see us bleed and shall we be unmoved to behold him bleed for us and will we dye for all this we were indeed in darkness and could not see our danger and if we had fallen into the pit then it had been our calamity but now the morning appears John teaches Ministers Preach and Christ himself the Sun of Righteousness (c) Malach. 4.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut LXX Jerem. 23.5 Zachar. 3.9 malè Bez. germen conser ver 79. Jesai 9.2 Camer Grotius Christus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitur à Patribus Judaei horoscopum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vocare solent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 1.2 Syr. vert 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scaliger began to spring from the East then and now if we perish 't is our willfulness and deserves no pitty Oh what hath God done to shew us the right way sending first the morning Star the Harbinger of the Suns approach (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philo. and when the Heathens were benighted in Idolatry the Jews with evil principles worse practises and sad afflictions then did our Sun display his Beams from on high for he rose not from the Earth but his rising was his fall his course a descent from Heaven to us and if Zachary is so rejoyced with the glimpses we should much more with the Meridian glory he now shines in Let us not only rejoyce in his light for a season but walk by it and if we be in darkness it will shew us our Condition and then guide us into the right way this light will first Convert us and then conduct us The Apostle thought it was high time to awake then (e) Rom. 13.11 12. and sure it is more so now for if in the light of knowledge in the day we do the works of darkness that very light which we refuse to direct us as a guide shall discover us to our shame But take warning and let not this light be set up in vain who would not most thankfully follow a friendly light offered to him in an unknown dark and dangerous way The Devil will lead you up and down after the Ignis fatuus of Enthusiasm and your own imagination till you sink into destruction but this Gospel is a true light be thankful for it for its precepts are tâ—e Beams of the Sun of Righteousness and do not only admire but follow it and it will not only shew you where you are but carry you where you should be even to everlasting joy and peace Amen The Paraphrase of the Benedictus PRaised and Blessed be the Lord of hosts the God of Israel even of all true believers for he hath shewed us in holy Gospel how he remembred our misery beheld our distress and in pitty sent his son from heaven who hath visited in his Incarnation and redeemed by his death us and all his people throughout the world He hath relieved us when we had no means of help and hath raised up the greatest deliverer that ever was to be a mighty Salvation for us even his Eternal and only Son made man descending as was promised of the tribe of Judah to succeed in the house and restore the Kingdome of his servant David and make it an everlasting Dominion Hereby our God hath not only helped us but manifested his own truth for now he hath make good his Word and done as he spake by his Spirit in the mouth of all his messengers the holy Prophets which have been sent to give notice of this great mercy at sundry times since the world began It rejoyceth our souls to see the fulfilling of that which they so often comforted Gods people with by assuring them that we and they should be delivered by an invincible Redeemer from our enemies Sin and Sathan and nobly rescued from the hands and out of the Power of those that had enslaved us and of all that hate us and seek our ruine This is the blessed time in which the God of truth was pleased to perform the glorious work of our Redemption which was the mercy so much desired by and so graciously promised to our forefathers now he hath vouchsafed to call to mind and to remember the engagements he made to them in his holy Covenant and made them good before our eyes Our gracious Lord is as sure to perform his word as he was ready to promise and we now rejoyce in the verification of the Oath which he unchangeably sware to our forefather Abraham to assure him that he would give us who are his seed by faith his own dear Son for our Redeemer And now what doth the Lord our God require in return for all his mercy and truth but that we being delivered by the death of Jesus from the wrath of God and rescued out of
with God and pray every day more heartily to him to deliver him from them and to be more thankful if by the divine mercy he do escape them § 8. But that all our doings may be ordered by thy governance to do alwaies that which is righteous in thy sight through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen If by all that hath been said and our own sad experience we are become so wise as to see we are insufficient for our own conduct I hope we shall in this Petition most humbly commit our waies to the Lord that he may direct our paths and that he may as David speaks (u) Prov. 3 6. â—sal 37.5 and 23. Ideo Deus secundet ac bene fortunet omâ—â—â— eventus in cursu vitae nostrae nempe quia nihil tentamus quod non ei placeat Calv. in loc Psal 37. order all our goings and make them acceptable to himself and then they shall be prosperous If his good Spirit be our guide (x) Psal 51.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we shall seldome fall into danger never into sin Oh let us earnestly beseech him that his grace may direct our hearts and his Providence order our lives that we may be blessed in our going out and coming in in our studies and labours commerce and society eating and recreations in our prayers and praises that in all our actions natural civil and religious we may design his glory and be successful The proud man thinks his doings good enough if they are pleasing in his own sight (y) Prov. 16.2 and 21.2 and Prov. 14.12 Quicquid volunâ— homines se bene velle putant though evil wâ—ies do frequently appear so to us and thus we may deceive our selves into an unexpected ruine by absolving our selves even when God condemns us The Hypocrite believes his acâ—ions excellent if the world commend them if the complying and fashionable out-sides of Religion present him righteous in the eyes of men he supâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 waies prudently ordered But we must rememâ—â—â—â—e are not judges of our own nor of one anothers works but must all stand before the judgment seat of God wherefore it is his approbation that we desire It is not the opinion of the malefactor nor the vote of his fellow-prisoners but the sentence of the Judge that must save or condemn Having therefore such a Tribunal to appear before let us beg large measures of his grace to lead us for he will approve of no waies but what his Spirit directs us into and that had need be excellent that appears so to an all-seeing eye Our lives must not be guided by the loose rules of Custome if we expect they should be accounted righteous in his sight But they must be ordered by the exact rule of his holy word and then though all the world condemn us we shall be prosperous here and finally acquitted hereafter Perhaps we judge it impossible our waies should ever appear righteous in his sight but we are mistaken for if we take him for our guide he will not be strict to mark unavoidable defects And it is not our performances but the effects of his own grace that he approves of Nor yet doth he count them righteous for any merit that is in the works or the persons doing them but through the merits and obedience of the Holy Jesus in whose name we therefore make this Prayer not expecting our supplications can be heard or our actions justified for their own worth but through Jesus Christ our Lord desiring he will please by his intercession and merits so to recommend our Persons and Devotions that we may be sanctified by his grace justified by his mercy and finally may be for ever glorified with him and for his sake Amen The Paraphrase of the Collect for Grace O Lord We thy poor finite Creatures upon this Earth do daily remember with much comfort that thou art our heavenly Father and hast pitty on us and being an Almighty and everlasting God art all-sufficient and alwaies able to help us The remembrance of the dangers of the last night doth engage us most heartily to praise thee who ha st safely kept our souls and bodies therein and brought us intire in both to the beginning of this day And this thy Providence doth incourage us to beseech thee graciousâ—y to defend us from all kinds of evil which this daies occasions may expose us to and to keep us in the same by thy mighty power which alone can make us safe Consider our frailty O Lord and grant that this day we may discover and overcome all the temptations of the world the flesh and the devil so that we fall into no sin let us not by any iniquity great or small displease thee hurt our souls nor run by our own folly into any kind of danger and that we may avoid all the mischiefs with which we are environed we pray that we may not be left to our selves but that all our doings and undertakings in spiritual or temporal concerns may be this day and ever guided by thy Spirit and â—rdered by thy wise and faithful governance for while we follow thy direction thy grace will enable us to do alwaies that which is most profitable to us and best pleasing to thee even that which is though imperfect in it self accounted righteous in thy sight O most merciful Judge through Iesus Christ his merits and intercession for whose sake accept and hear us for he is our Lord and only Saviour Amen SECTION XV. Of the two Collects peculiar to the Evening Prayer WE have chosen this place to insert these parts of the Evening Service because all the following Collects are the same in both parts of the day and the Hymns with these two Prayers being all the difference it is not necessary in our method to separate the Offices and this way every thing comes in its proper place only omitting what is peculiar to the other part of the day The Analysis of the second Collect for Peace in the Evening Prayer In this Collect are three Parts 1. The Person of whom we ask who is 1. The beginner of all good O God from whom all holy desires all good counsels 2. The perfecter of it and all just works do proceed 2. The thing asked for described by 1. It s Name give unto thy servants that peace 2. It s Quality which the world cannot give 3. The Arguments to prevail for it taken from 1. The benefit of the Petitioners as a means of our 1. Holiness that both our hearts may be set to obey thy commandements 2. Safety and also that by thee we being defended from the fear of our enemies 3. Comfort may pass our time in rest and quietness 2. The interest of the Mediator through the merits of Iesus Christ our Saviour Amen A Practical Discourse on this Collect for Peace § 1. O God from whom all holy desires all good counsels and all just works do proceed This Collect hath the same
Whereas in Extempore Prayer the Petitions expire into Air in a moment for neither Minister nor People knew them before nor can remember them afterwards the one being busy in inventing the others in expecting a pleasing novelty And methinks it argues more of the Spirit of God when we can attend the old Prayers with zeal and love then when we need Variety and Novel Expressions to skrew us up into a Devotion too much like Artifice and seeming rather to be moved by the pleasure of the Fancy then the Actings of desire However we judge of the Effects of Gods Spirit rather by disposing our hearts to joyn in a well-composed Form then by filling our heads with new Prayers or opening our Mouths in fluent expressions both which we may do without the help of the Spirit but to be devout without it is most impossible To which we shall only add that many Sons of God and sound Members of our Church do daily use these prayers with as much Spirit and Life serious and sincere Devotion as any in the World can do And this they account a demonstration that the Spirit doth assist them in this Form And so it may assist these mistaken Christians if they will lay down their groundless prejudice and try to serve God thus as well as they can So would the good Spirit assist their prayers and make up our differences (h) Quis enim inimicum adhuc ducere potest eum cum quo unam ad Deum vocem emisit D. Basil giving us one mind and one Spirit that with one Heart and one Mouth we might glorify one God Object 2. But it is further urged that these Prayers though good in themselves will grow flat and nauseous by daily use (i) Vilia sunt nobis quaecunque prioribus annis Vidimus sorâ— det quicquid spectavimus olim Calphurn Eccl. 7. and consequently become an impediment to Devotion Answ We come not to the house of God for Recreation but for a supply of our Wants and therefore this might be a better reason of an empty Theatre than a thin Congregation We come to God in Publique to petition for the releif of our own general Necessities and those of the whole Church viz. for Pardon of sin Peace of Conscience the succours of Divine Grace and a Deliverance from sin and Sathan Death and Hell as also for food and raiment health and strength protection and success in all our Concerns and more generally for the Peace of the Kingdom the prosperity of the Church the propagation of the Gospel and the success of its Ministers Now these things are alwaies needful and alwaies the same to be prayed for every day alike Wherefore unless we be so Vain as to fancy God is delighted with Variety and Change as well as we what need is there to alter the Phrase every day or what efficacy can a new Model give to our old requests Particular wants and single Cases must be supplyed by the Closet-Devotions for the Pubâ—ique whether by Form or Extempore can never reach all those which are so numerous and variable Wherefore one Form may fit all that ought to be asked in the Church and why then should we desire a needless and infinite Variety and Alteration If we do it is out of Curiosity not Necessity The poor Man is most healthful whose Labour procures him both Appetite and Digestion who seldome changeth his Dish yet finds a Relish in it and a new strength from it every day And so it is with the sober and industrious Christian who busying himself in serving God gets daily a new sense of his Wants and consequently a fresh Stomack to these Holy Forms which are never flat or dull to him that brings new affections to them every day It is the Epicure and luxurious the crammed lazy Wanton or the diseased man that need quelques choses or Sauces to make his daily bread desirable And if this be our Temper it is a sign of a diseased Soul and an effect of our surfeiting on holy things In this we resemble those Murmurers Numb 11.6 who despised the bread of Heaven because they had it daily and loathed Manna it self calling it in scorn Dry Meat This was sufficient to sustain their bodies and satisfy their hunger but they required Meat for their Soul (k) Psal 78.18 LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to feed their Fancies and their lusts even as we do for whom the Church hath provided Prayers sufficient to express our needs but not to satiate our wanton Fancies nor gratify the Lust of our Curiosity and we complain they are insipid so perhaps they are to such for the Manna had no Tast to the wicked but it suited it self to the Appetite and Tast of every good Man as the Jews tell us in their Traditions (l) Wisd 16.21 Fagius on Numb 11. Sure I am it is true here for if we be curious and proud or Carnal and Profane there is no gust in the Common-prayers but a truly pious Man can every day here exercise Repentance and Faith Love and Desire and so use them as to obtain fresh hopes of Mercy Peace of Conscience increase of Grace and expectations of Glory and whoever finds not this the fault is not in the Prayers but in the indisposition of his own heart If all this will undeceive any and take away their prejudice so that they may see clearly what they cannot but love if they did behold I shall think my pains well bestowed if not it appears they are resolved to believe as they do and I am resolved also not to imitate them so far as to cover my Arguments with strenuous revilings (m) Non incessimus adversarios convitiis contumeliis sicut plerique faciunt rationum argumentorum infirmitatem maledictis obtegentes Greg. Naz. because it is more pleasant to me to give a true and lovely Character of my own Devotions then an odious though deserved one of Others Only let those that delight in making objections against Forms know that we can easily recriminate and Charge extempore Prayers with Novelty Confusion Irreverence Vain-glory which can scarce be denyed and many other inconveniences that will hardly be excused But this were to perpetuate a Quarrel and had not been mentioned here but to teach those to be modest in their Censures (n) Cum tua praevideas oculis mala lippus inunctis Cur in amicorum Vitiis tam cernis Acutum who are not free from all Exceptions nay liable to infinitely more then can be justly Charged upon us But having thus cleared the way to all indifferent and disinterested Persons it is time to speak briefly of the Design of the following Discourse which is to make it evident that our Excellent Prayers do deserve all possible love and esteem and contain in them a rich Treasurie of all that can make our Devotion liveâ—y and useful And if we be assisted by Gods spirit and
freely to purchase Gods favour but though men be thus appeased yet he must have something he likes better and truly the Sacrifices most likely to be accepted of God who needs no outward things are a broken spirit which trembles at his Anger and hateth it self for its sins and is almost dashed to pieces betwixt fear and sorrow Whoever therefore brings such a broken and a contrite heart let him think it never so vile yet O God thou whose favour such alone desire wilt not despise nor reject but accept and embrace both it and those that bring it 2. If they shall further argue against themselves that they deny not Gods gracious nature but that they fear their iniquities have turned his love into hatred his mercy into fury and his kindness into indignation Behold in the next place a free discovery of what God is to sinners (k) Dan. 9.9 for the Jews were then in captivity but had so grievously offended that Daniel who much desired their restauration scarce knew how to plead for them till at last he finds an Argument in Gods gracious Nature viz. That mercies and forgiveness that is many nay infinite mercies and forgiveness for numberless sins were Gods peculiar possession a principal part of his Name (l) Exod. 34.6 the chiefest of his Attributes and inseparably annexed to his Essence and therefore the sins of his creatures cannot make any change in God Mercy in the creatures is by communication from him but he is the original and fountain which is never dry therefore Daniel confesseth they are sinners but denies that therefore it is impossible to hope for pardon for their evil doings could not rifle his treasures nor rob him of his Attributes nor alter his Nature That continues the same still and therefore there is mercy to be had He confesses them guilty of all sorts of sins that is sins of commission and that even to an absolute rebelling and forsaking of God and apostacy from him (m) LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ita Vulg. Vat. by Idolatry and then also Omission and neglect of walking in Gods law though they were taught and instructed in it therefore they deserved no mercy But God is the fountain of mercies still and therefore there is yet hope Other Translations generally read not though but because we have sinned which is but a further illustration of the same sense viz. We may see and be convinced that Mercy is Gods peculiar possession because we have done such vile things and yet he hath spared us that we might by our humiliation give him occasion to forgive us and this his pity in sparing shews his intention of restoring us and therefore should quicken us to address to him who hath it solely in his own power Daniel will not go to the King of Babylon not to the best nor greatest on the earth No Mercy is Gods and so we have the better hope to obtain it Dan. 9.9 Why should we because we have formerly sinned remain hopeless of ever being received since we know that To the Lord Jehovah who is peculiarly our God as inseparably annexed to his Essence and as his own proper possession belongs mercies infinite and forgivenesses more then our sins can need and since they are his we hope we shall have them though we are unworthy for though we have sinned by breaking his laws and rebelled against him by forsaking his Covenant neither have we done what he commanded us nor obeyed the voice of the Lord our God who charged us by his servants to walk in his laws and tread in that plain and pleasant path which he set before us though all this be true we are sorry for it but will not despair because God can yet restore us 3. To enforce both the former and encourage these humble souls whose desires are too big for their faith here is a lively example of one (n) Luke 15.18 19. whose condition was as miserable his faults as great and his reception as unlikely as theirs can be And yet he comes and speeds that you may take example hereby and do likewise The example is that of the prodigal son who had voluntarily forsaken his Fathers house and carried away his full portion which he wasted lavishly and consumed in all manner of riot and excess never thinking of nor regarding his father all the time of his madness till extreme want had restored him to the use of his Reason (o) ver 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad seipsum rediens and put him into his wits again and then he blames himself for lying still either in his sin which is lapsus animae the fall of the soul resolving to arise by repentance or else you may understand his lying along or sitting on the ground to be a posture of sorrow (p) Isa 3.26 But he sees he may sit disconsolate for ever and be no nearer to his fathers house wherefore he resolves to take courage and arise and not sit alwaies bemoaning himself with a vain and ineffective grief but repenting himself to return home His father had not called him nor had he any assurance he should be received only he knew if he sate still he must starve and if he were repulsed he could suffer no more He comes not to make any apology but to bring in accusation against himself he hoped indeed that his offence could not unty the bands of that dear Relation and therefore calls him Father but confesseth he had forfeited the title of Son and not onely broken the law of Nature but of heaven that is of the God of heaven (q) Coelum pro Deo ponitur quoniam est ejus habitaculum Elias Tisb Psal 73.9 who expresly requireth this Obedience He could have wished a return to his Fathers Table but that were Presumption to expect only he hopes he will not see him starve and if he be set with the meanest servants that will be prevented But the Father is readier to hear then the Son to desire and what his unworthiness made him ashamed to ask his Fathers Bounty made him willing to bestow and he that scarce hoped to be admitted a servant is once more owned as a dear son This he found and so shall they that follow his example Luke 15.18 19. Why do I sit still in my sin vainly bemoaning my folly while I am like to starve surely I will take courage and I will arise by repentance and with prayer and supplication make haste and go by faith to my Father who can relieve me and perhaps may have pity on me For to move his bowels toward me as soon as I see him I will fall down and will say unto him Father who didst beget me that am now so wretched I here confess that I have sinned by my ungodly courses against Heaven and the God that dwells there and before thee being so ungrateful for all thy love that I justly deserve to be disowned and
left in my misery for I have forfeited my relation and am no more worthy to be called thy Son yet I hope thou wilt not let me perish who feedest thy meanest servants A Meditation preparatory to Prayer when we doubt of the favour of God to us HE that hath a considerable request to make to an earthly King must approach without a present in his hand but my request is to the King of Kings to whose laws I have been disobedient false to his Government refractory to his summons and ingrateful for his former favours But what can I offer to him that needs nothing what can I give to him whose both my self and all I have are his favour indeed is so sweet so desirable and so universal a comprehension of all happiness that I could freely give all I have or can do or may procure for the purchase of it but the whole world is a vanity to him neither can such trifles blind his eyes or bind his hands buy his mercy to the unworthy or pervert his justice from the sinner I could methinks expose my body to the sharpest torments my soul to the heaviest sorrows and my life to the cruelest Tyrant if I were sure of his everlasting mercy afterwards and would account my self happy in the purchase but it cost more to redeem a soul I can give nothing but it is his already and I can suffer nothing but what I have deserved what then oh where shall I have a peace-offering which may not be dispised I am told nothing is more acceptable then a broken heart t is strange can an heart polluted with the guilt and enslaved to the Power of sin stupid to apprehend slow to desire and impatient to wait for and unable to perform any good but witty to invent and vigorous to prosecute unsatiable to desire and unwearied to pursue all evil and now more vile then ever by reflecting upon its own vileness shaken with fears torn in pieces with sorrow and even a terror to it self miserable and poor blind and naked can this heart be a fit sacrifice for so glorious and all-seeing so holy and pure a God can he like that which I abhor how can it be but let me recall that hasty word for he hath said it who best knows what will please himself and if he value it it is worthy for the true worth of every thing is to be judged by his estimation of it Who knows but such a broken heart may be a greater evidence of his power and mercy a fitter instrument of his praise and glory a plainer table to describe his grace and draw his image on then any other Such a heart I have and if this serve I am happy I will give it freely to thee oh Lord who despisest not the meanest gift if there be sincerity in the giver It was broken before with fear but it is now dissolved with love I am ashamed it is no better but thy mercy is the greater in accepting it and it will become better by being thine oh how am I filled with admiration of the freeness and fulness of thy mercies in comparison of which the greatest humane compassion seems cruelty and I dare proclaim to all that in thee are all the mercies of the world united and thou art mercy it self in the highest degree if my disobedience and negligence contempt and ingratitude could have separated thee from thy mercy I had now met thee in fury taking vengeance without pitty for I have seemed to live as if I had designed to Dare thee to turn away thy self from me and to try thy utmost patience the least part of which baseness would have turned my best friends in the world against me but behold the mercy of my God continues still oh let me have the shame of an ingrateful sinner and thy name have the glory of thy inexpressible pitty even to those who are almost ashamed to ask pardon and let me to whom thou hast shewed such compassion have the honour to be an instance of thy goodness to all the world but have I such a father why then do I lye still with this load of guilt upon my soul and this heavy burden of sorrow upon my spirit what do I get by these vain complaints but waste my time and double my misery by sad reflections I can neither have help from my self nor any creature but from my Father alone to whom mercies are as proper as misery is to me and if I through fear or sorrow sit still here and starve I have not so much pity for my self as he would have for me if he saw me thus grieved for abusing his mercies wherefore I will arise and go though I think I shall scarce have the face to ask more I have spent the last so ill and I shall be ashamed to tell him how base I have been but as I was not ashamed when I did evil so I must have shame when I suffer the desert of it I will go bathed in tears blushing for shame accusing my self and only relying on the bowels of a Father will beg only so much mercy as will banish despair and quiet my mind and give me some little hope and revive my languishing faith and if I may have this I will be content though I be not entertained with assurance and certain expectations for the least favourable look is more then I have deserved yet I see the tender Father upon the first sight of the returning prodigal whom he had never sent for but was driven home by his own miseries yet he runs to meet him takes the words out of his mouth and receives him with all the demonstrations of love and the caresses of a deer affection and is my God less merciful who hath invited me so often and promised me so largely I have done ill to stay so long but I will go now high in my desires low in my expectations sorrowing for my offence and begging his mercy and I hope though I carry no merits of my own to his justice yet I carry misery enough to make his bowels of compassion yearn upon me and then I cannot perish Amen Thus we see the Church hath shewed her care of these poor contrite ones in selecting the most and choicest of these sentences for them who are the best though the least part of the people and though such are vile in their own eyes (t) Psal 15.4 Old Transl Chal. Par. Viles prae oculis suis yet they are dear to God and highly valued by all good people and tenderly indulged by the Church who wishes there were more of this blessed temper § 5. THe next sort of men who come to pray are involved in gross ignorance and such are inappreâ—ensive of their guilt and unacquainted with their danger who know not what to ask nor of whom nor why but these be instructed before they pray or otherwise they will neither confess aright nor amend at all
lest his Mercy become the support of iniqâ—ity his Holiness the entertainer of what he hates and his Goodness the encouragement to the breach of his Laws And if this seem difficult that you must forsake all evil and do the contrary good before you can be accepted you must consider the benefit of it is the saving your souls alive this will preserve you from a two-fold death the least of which is worse then bodily death a dying in sin and a dying for sin for while you go on to practise these sins you are really dead (d) Impii etiamsi videantur vivere miseriores tamen sunt omnibus mortuis carnem suam sicut tumulum circumferentes cui infaelicem infoderunt animam quae intra humum volvitur terrenae avaritiae cupiditatibus caeterisque vitiis includitur ut gratiae coelestis auram spirare non possunt Ambros de Cain Ab. Ephes 2.1 1 Tim. 5.6 though you have a name to live because you so long have no sense of any good nor motion toward it nor any union â—ith God whose departure from the soul of the sinner is as real a death to the soul as it is to the body to have the soul separated from it But by forsaking your sins God will be moved to return and revive you and so you shall not dye eternally whereas the wicked man that lives in his sins first God forsakes his soul and then his soul forsakes his body (e) Revel 3.1 and so begins his eternal misery (f) Cum anima à Deo deserta deseriâ— Corpus Aug. where his soul lives only to feel torments but never more to enjoy any good To prevent which you must turn out of that evil way that leads to both these deaths and your souls shall live in glory for though Gods justice oblige him to punish you for the old score yet our Lord Jesus hath by his death purchased a Covenant of Repentance for us wherein God ingageth to receive us and he promiseth to satisfie the former Debt if we repent and amend (g) Ezek. 18.27 Though I might easily revenge my self on the sinner for all his old transgressions yet through my Son Christ Jesus I do here promise when the wicked man who is walking in the wayes of death not onely confesseth his fault but also turneth away from those paths and being really grieved for what is past abstaineth from his wickedness and never more practiseth those sins that he hath formerly with so much delight committed if this wicked man amend his life and doth that which is lawful and allowed by my word so that his wayes be good and right in my eyes I will forgive the punishment and remove the power of his sins so that while impenitent sinners are dead in sin here and die eternally for it hereafter he shall save his soul alive and I will give him life everlasting A Meditation preparatory to Prayer for the instruction of such as are mistaken IS it possible I should be all this while deluded so grosly to imagine my eyes open and my way direct and to suppose I have hitherto dwelt in light when indeed my eyes are shut and my feet are wrong and my mind over-spread with the mist of Error and the Aegyptian Darkness of a stupid Ignorance Thy Word O Lord is a light to my feet not onely to shew me which is the right way but to let me know when I am in the wrong which I never suspected till I met with the faithful conduct of thy sacred Oracles How have I given up my soul to false gâ—ides who that I might not enquire after the right way would never acquaint me I was wandring from it had I followed them still I had stumbled on the threshold of hell while I expected to arrive at the gates of heaven Blessed be thy Name I now see I have been straying from thee the fountain of all true happiness and have been in vain seeking content where it is not to be found and this disappointment drives me to seek it where it is Had I not been a stranger to my own heart I had not been so far out of the right way But I have supposed my self clear only because I never considered wherein I was guilty and have flattered my self with the pleasing thoughts of my own innocence so that I have been as secure as if I really had been so I have relyed on my own vain imaginations being glad to spare my self the labour of a farther inquiry and most foolishly I have accounted this a Peace which was no other but want of a sense of my real danger I find my chief design hath been to seem good and persuade my self I was so that I might be more quiet in the ways of evil and might neither be accused by my own Conscience nor allarumed by thy dreadful threatnings since I supposed they did not belong to me But alas how miserable would the event of this self deceit have been for thou oh my God didst see and wouldst have condemned me for all my blasphemous and repining thoughts against thee my malicious envious disdainful and treacherous thoughts against my neighbour thou heardest all those false and slanderous vain and filthy words I uttered with my mouth those deceitful and unjust cruel and uncharitable works which I committed with my hands thou sawest yea all that formality and hypocrisie ambition and pride lust and covetousness that lay in the secret corners of my heart were apparent in thy sight and what did it avail me not to see them thy vengeance would have come as certainly and more terribly because it was not expected It is most strange I should never see this vast heap before but sure I have wilfully shut my eyes lest I should discern that I was loath to believe and unwilling to amend and thus my Iniquities continue still But now I see them by thy mercy and I believe I have offended thee as much by hypocrisie in concealing them as by my disobedience in committing them Therefore now I will ingenuously confess them because the graciousness of thy Nature and the truth of thy Promises and the satisfaction of the Lord Jesus are sufficient to procure a pardon for those who dare so far trust to thy Mercy as to become their own accusers and while I thus discover my sore to the Physician of souls though it be dishonourable and troublesome 't is the onely way to have it cured and cleansed had not Jesus dyed for me upon my confession thy Justice would have proceeded to punish but now by thy promise to him it will oblige thee to forgive me and deliver me Yet since my God hath so graciously convinced me of the evil and danger of those courses I have taken I will not rest in a bare confession I am in the wrong but by his grace will return from it and utterly forsake all these my follies His Mercy perhaps is great enough to
forgive thee upon thy humble acknowledgment but that he knows thy sins are as inconsistant with thy happiness oh my soul as they are with his laws and therefore he that desires thy felicity will not forgive the old score unless thou cease to run further in debt for while thou goest on in sin thou art in the way to eternal death and art really dead to all true sense of divine comfort thou art buried alive in lusts and pleasures and thy flesh intombs thy wretched soul and the grave-cloaths of vile affections bind thee hand and foot from moving towards God nor hast thou power to breathe in the pure air of heavenly meditations and canst thou like to stay in this filthy place still when thou didst not see thy misery no wonder if thou calledst this Dungeon and Vault a Pallace But now thou must abhor it when Jesus calls Lazarus come forth Dost thou not find the more thou followest these the less thou lovest thy God and seldomer thinkest of him and movest slowlier toward him and hast meaner apprehensions of him Return then from these evil paths for now thou knowest the dead are there Do not onely seek a pardon but desire a Communion with him who is thy strength and life thy joy and happiness and he will be joyful for thy recovery that he will forget all former unworthy dealings and will only study how to make thee happy hereafter There is nothing can hinder thee unless thou lovest thy sins too well to forsake them and carest so little for him that thou hadst rather dye without him then with him live holily here and happily hereafter which God forbid § VI. ANother sort of men there are who know it to be their Duty to Repent and yet do from day to day neglect it and have more need to be excited then instructed in order whereunto here is provision made of a cogent example and a strict command which may put them upon the practise of this necessary grace First such who are great sinners and yet seldome reflect upon their own condition cannot sure but blush to behold one who had been no customary offender but being once surprised in a deplorable instance never gives over thinking upon it with shame and sorrow * Psalm 51.3 while they that are more guilty never concern themselves The rest of Davids life was a converse with God and a strict observance of his will and if the Jewish conceit of good deeds being weighed over against the evil might be allowed or if after the manner of the Persians (h) Vita anterior simul cum delicto in aestimationem venit quâ major pars vitae atque ingenii steâ—iâ— eâ judicandâ—m de homine Asin Pollio de Persis his former life had been considered with his present transgression surely he might have been excused But he never attempts to hide this one sin in a croud of holy actions nor goes about to extenuate it because it was the first or but one or not great in comparison of others but confesseth it to be very hainous continually laying it open not only before God but before himself that he might recollect with grief and sorrow the guilt and filth whereof the baseness of the act and the danger of the event and fully discover the vileness and horridness thereof and it seems he was not without dreadful apprehensions of Gods anger for we fix our eye on what we fear and cannot get that out of our minds which doth affright us oh how doth this reproach that negligence which we shew who are guilty of so many and so great wickednesses and have no holy actions to set over against them and yet we either cast them behind our backs and grow careless and merry and forget our danger or if we do sometimes look over them we do it slightly and are glad of any occasion to divert us T is certain God sees them and will one day make them all pass before us (i) Psal 50.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tanquam aris armatorum disponam nay muster them up against us unless by looking on them now we learn to abhor them and repent of them and so God of his mercy do for ever hide his eyes from them (*) Psal 51.3 let others be unconcerned when they offend thee and go about to excuse themselves I must and will publish my baseness in offending my heavenly Father Lord I acknowledge with a sad heart my transgression of thy most holy law by this wilful act of wickedness for which I know I have so justly deserved thy wrath that my eye and mind are fixed on what I have done and my sin haunts me continually giving my conscience no rest because it is ever before me and I cannot but view the hainousness of it till thou hast pardoned it Secondly If the shame of such an example make no impression let them hear that strict and positive command (k) Matth. 3.3 which being a summons from God to all the world to repent was proclaimed first by the harbinger S. John in the wilderness to those who had so much devotion as to come to him thither and after it was published by the Lord Jesus himself in Towns and Cities to all those he met with this was his first Sermon (l) Matth. 4.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hierocles and is the first lesson to be learned in Christs School not by some particulars but by all that will be his Disciples he speaks to all and to every particular man repent ye for he knows this duty necessary for every one so that till this be done you have done nothing in Christianity and if any say he will not he despiseth his authority if he plead he need not he impeacheth his Wisdome and if he alledge he cannot yet it seems he dare live in a wilful neglect of his commands Tertullian thinks we ought not to enquire what need or what good there is of repentance (m) Neque enim quia bonum est auscultare debemus sed quia Deus praeceperit ad exhibitionem obsequii prior est authoritas imperantis quà m utilitas serviâ—â—is Lib. de poenitent because his commands by whose favour we hope for eternal happiness are to have weight with us without any appendant reason but here we have a reason of the precept added to shew us he injoyns not this so much to shew his authority as because it is necessary for us and our interest requires it viz. Because the kingdome of heaven or of God which is all one ant pag. 14. is at hand That is either the kingdome of grace as it is sometimes taken in Scripture (n) Matth. 13.24 alibi or the kingdome of glory as it signifies elsewhere (o) 1 Corinth 6.9 2 Thessal 1.5 both which do press this duty when this was spoken by our Saviour he meant it in the first sense viz. that the time being now approaching
3.8 So that being compassed with so much guilt and finding no help on Earth it becomes the Soul in this fear with Jehosophat 2 Chron. 20.12 to fly to heaven and say I have no might O God against this great Multitude of transgressions that is set in array against me neither know I what to do but my eyes are upon thee my onely refuge and last hope and unless I find health and help in thee I must inevitably Perish But Lord do not cast me off but have mercy c. But although this sense be very genuine we may take the freedome for the inlarging our thoughts and assisting our Devotions to pursue the Metaphor and explaine it in that manner as a generall inference c. § 8. But thou O Lord have mercy upon us miserable sinners When we have thus discovered our deplorable condition we must not run away from God by the entertainment of despairing thoughts both because it is impossible to escape him (q) Non est quo fugias à Deo irato nisi ad Deum placatum August in Psal 7. and by attempting to fly from God we run into the evils we fear and hasten from him that alone can help us to what we desire and need Let us come therefore but not with the Pharisees I thank thee (r) Luke 18.11 but with the Publicans Lord be merciful as the Church from his Example hath taught us And when we are before him let us not ask any favours till we have begged a removal of the evils which are upon us viz. The guilt the punishment and the dominion of sin which are here so contrived into three Petitions that every one is joyned with a Motive to enforce it so that our Misery pleads for Mercy our free Confession cries for a removal of the Punishment and our hearty Reformation begs deliverance from all our contracted Indispositions The first thing in our view is our present Misery which is so plain we cannot over look it and so great we cannot but feel it and we are taught to beseech our God to look upon it for Misery is the proper object of Mercy (s) Misericordia est alienae miseriae quaedam in nostro corde compassio qua utique si possumus subvenire compellimur August Civ Dei l. 9. c. 5. That benigne Attribute is ever looking upon the Creatures present sufferings without reflecting on the deserts of the sufferer and is moved with the sight of a distressed Person whatever be the cause of his calamity Therefore when nothing else in God can give any comfort to a poor sinking sinner that knows he is not more miserable then he hath made himself by his wickedness then he can lay hold of this The Publican that dares not look up to heaven can yet say Miserere and as Mercy is the sinners chiefest comfort so it is that Attribute that moves God to forgive and pardon (t) Rom. 11.32 Hebr. 8.12 Psalm 51.1 2. so that to beg for mercy and desire forgiveness are all one as in that eminent Penitential Psalm David begins with Have mercy on me and immediately explains it by the removing his offences in like manner here we pray for pardon in our Have mercy on us because Mercy is the Almoner to distribute this principal act of Divine bounty and grants out all pardons It is not from any desert in us but a meer compassion of our distress and a pure act of Free grace that disposeth God to take away sin * Isai 43.25 We have no friend in the Court of Heaven to obtain it but Mercy and no Argument to plead for it but Misery if we come with We have prayed fasted waited (u) Isai 58.3 we seem to apply our selves to Gods Justice But he that from a heart secretly groaning under the apprehensions of its distress cries out for Mercy because he is Miserable he shall pierce Mercies ears and cause her to open her compassionate eyes to see and stretch out her gracious hand to help and if she be thy Advocate she will cause the bowels of the Almighty to yearn upon thee (x) Jerem. 31.20 Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vide 1 Reg. 3.26 prop. viscera matris vel iâ—volnera quibus foetus in utero continetur at saepe pro misericordid Dei with the same affection that the tender Mother did when she heard the cryes of her poor sprawling infant under the merciless sword of the bloody executioner But then you must be sure first to view your sin and danger fully that you may be fully convinced of your Misery and cry in a pungent sense thereof most earnestly Lord have Mercy for otherwise this will be a feigned cry and an intolerable abuse of this sweet Attribute what can provoke God more then for a man to call Mercy forth which is ready enough to come and then through impenitence or laziness or not discerning our need of it to send it back empty alas such are more miserable because they see not their misery (y) Nihil est miserius misero non miserante seipsum and they are never like to be delivered from that misery because by these feigned calls they have so often mocked God and affronted this their only friend that if at last they call in earnest when Death is before their eyes Mercy then will not come § XI Spare thou them O God that confess their faults The elder brother that knew the fidelity and constancy of his service expects a large reward but the poor Prodigal that was conscious of his offences will esteem it a high favour to escape a severe Chastisement and utter exclusion from his Fathers house and presence they that are not sensible of their guilt fear not punishment and esteem a deliverance scarce worth the asking But he that considers the multitude of his own offences and Gods abhorrency of them and remembers the terrors of his threatnings and strictness of his justice the fierceness of his anger when he begins and the impossibility of avoiding that stroke which no place can hide him from (z) Josh 8.20 Non erat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in eis Manus ad pugnandum vel pedes ad fugiendum RR. LXX Vulg. Masius Nen erat iis locus ut Deut. 2.37 C. P. J. nostr Vers Non erant in eis vires ita Drus no hands resist no feet fly from nor no strength endure To this poor soul Gods pity is desirable and it is accounted a great mercy he hath not yet felt the weight of Gods wrath such an one begs earnestly he never may feel it or however not sink eternally under it he can pray as heartily before the stroke come as otheâ—s when the smart extorts it from them When the Israelites heard the cry of Egypt and saw the slaughter of so many first born (a) Exod 12.13 Fagius in locum they then thought it a mercy not to be slain worthy the celebrating with
our selves into this estate but thou O Lord who seest our distress have mercy upon us and let thy bowels yearn upon so wretched a spectacle forgive that horrid guilt that doth amaze us for though we deserve no pitty yet thou knowest we are most miserable sinners like to be eternally condemned by thy Justice if thou dost not pardon us and certain to perish under thy vengeance whensoever thou beginnest to punish us but for thy pity and compassion sake spare thou them O God that knowing they have deserved thy wrath and fearing before it comes do of their own accord confess their faults in hopes to find mercy and a deliverance if it please thee from temporal judgments however from eternal Although O Lord our God when thou hast removed thy Judgments unless thou also take away that security and presumption impenitence and unbelief the sad remains of our sins we shall want thy favour still which is our only happiness therefore we further pray Restore thou that health and comfort that former joy and peace freedom and strength we had before we did offend For we now groan under that deadness which seized on us upon the withdrawings of thy holy spirit and do see and lament those sins which did occasion it we â—ow relent and are of the number of them that are penitent and resolve if thou wilt cleanse us from the dregs of these corruptions never to do the like again We confess we have no merit to deserve these things and so no ground in our selves to expect them but we hope thou wilt grant us all these requests for Pardon Peâ—ce and Restauration because they are oh thou God of truth according to thy Promises which thou madest so freely out of thy everlasting love and resolvest so fully to perform that that thou hast openly declared and proclaimed these thy gracious intentions unto mankind on purpose that such poor sinners as we who are not excepted might not despair but come in upon thy general summons and lay hold on those comfortable promises which are made in Christ Iesus our Lord who Purchased this favour for us by his death and now lives to dispense his benefits to those he dyed for in whom thou art reconciled to us so that we not only hope for a Pardon but mindful of his intercession we beseech thee to give us thy holy Spirit and grant O most merciful Father unto us who deserve nothing on our own account to be so powerfully assisted by thy grace for his sake who is now pleading in heaven for us that we who have earnest desires and unfeigned purposes to amend though we cannot satisfie for the time past may hereafter give all diligence to fulfill the end of Christs coming and answer the design of thy forgiving us that we may live a godly and religious life in observance of all our duties to thee that we may love and fear thee honour and adore thee believe in thee and rely upon thee long for thee and delight in thee above all the world daily seeking to know thee praying for thy help praising thee for thy Mercies and waiting in hopes of the eternal injoyment of thee that by serving thee we may be inabled also to lead a Righteous life in all justice honesty and charity to our Neighbours hurting no man in thought word or deed but ready to relieve and help all to our power doing ever unto others what we would have done to our selves And lastly grant that by thy Divine aid we may live a Temperate Chast and a sober life Mortifying our lusts moderating our desires restraining our appetites so that we may avoid all carnal delights that would cloud our reason engross our thoughts pollute our bodies and souls or unfit us for thy service Which if thou shalt please to do for us thy mercy in forgiving our grievous sins thy pity in delivering us from apparent mine and thy grace in strengthening us to live a reformed life will not only be our advantage but turn to the glory of thy holy name which shall be praised by us and all the world for these incomparable testimonies of thy unspeakable Loving-kindness now and evermore And in token of our earnest desire of all these Petitions we unfeignedly sign them by heartily saying Amen Lord grant it may be so SECTION IV. Of the Absolution §. 1. Of Absolution in General SIN doth abridge the Soul of its free converse with God and by the terror of it binds the soul down with fear and by it the wicked are reserved in chains to the judgment of the great day wherefore it is compared to a bond (s) Acts 8.23 Graec. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the sinner is said to be holden in its cords (t) Prov. 5.22 but since Christ came to loose those bonds (u) Isai 66.1 they are now prisoners of hope (x) Zach. 9.12 because Jesus hath the keys of death and Hell and he can loose whom he please by forgiving that is absolving and unloosing those bonds But because he is now invisible and imployed in heaven to intercede for us before his departure he appointed his Apostles to supply his place giving them Commission (y) Math. 16.19 Chap. 18.18 John 20.22 23. by a visible and external application of this power to support the spirits of all true Penitents till himself should come to ratifie this Absolution upon which ground the Bishops and Priests of the whole Christian Church have ever used to absolve all that truly Repented and at this day it is retained in our Church and is a part of the daily office which being so useful and necessary and founded on holy Scripture needs not any arguments to defend it but that the ignorance and prejudice of some makes them take offence at it and principally because it hath been so much abused by the Papal Church so that it may perhaps help the Devotion of many if we discover the true meaning of Absolution and the mistakes of our adversaries on both sides as well those who make it nothing as those who urge it as instar omnium those who would rob us of it as those who would ensnare us by it 1. The true judgment of the Church of England concerning Absolution may best be gathered from the Liturgy in which are three forms of Absolving set down The first declaratory here which is a solemn promulgation of pardon by a Commissionated person repeated every day when the whole Congregation confess their sins wherein they are assured of forgiveness if they Repent and believe and this is fitted for a mixt Company of good and bad men where many hypocrites feign Repentance but this Absolution gives no encouragement to such Only it assures all that there is a Pardon and shews on what terms it may be had so that to those who truly do repent it is present remission to those that do not it is a Monitor that they may repent it comforts the Godly and
then he would by fraud or flattery lying or cheating deceive his neighbour of what is justly his If any here object many rich men have goods laid up for many years and need not ask their daily bread I answer The Rich need Gods blessing to prosper and preserve what they have as the poor do to give them what they have not nor can their meat nourish them (l) Matth. 41.4 their garments warm them or their pallaces defend them without his blessing what one hath more then another is here confessed to be the gift of God and Christ teacheth the rich humility by shewing them whence their abundance came and by whom it is continued and least they should despise the poor they learn that if God withdraw his blessing they will soon become both alike wherefore he that hath as well as he that hath not must every day on his knees beg a piece of bread or a power to use it and a blessing upon it And thus we have begun to pray for our selves and Jesus teacheth us to begin at the lowest step and first to ask relief for our bodies assuring us that our Heavenly Father cannot hear his Children cry for bread and not supply them and when he hath done so we may from his kindness in lesser things be encouraged to ask for our Souls which he is more concerned for but it would seem presumption for us to ask the greatest first who do not deserve the least Genes 32.10 § 7. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us The Particle and connects this to the former Petition and declares we are continuing those requests which concern our selves and we have need to look further then our earthly needs least if we obtain a supply for them from his bounty (m) Consequens erat ut observata Dei liberalitate clementiam ejus precaremur quid enim alimenta proderunt si illi reputamur reverà quasi taurus ad victimam Tertull. and do not procure a Pardon from his mercy our food should fat us for the slaughter If we rightly apprehend the danger of our souls all the enjoyments of this life can yield no more pleasure to us then the curious fare presented to that Persian Captive designed to be sacrificed when he remembred the knife and the Altar The fears of Gods eternal vengeance will imbitter all our abundance and therefore we add a prayer for forgiveness without which we cannot relish our daily bread nor do we think our food so necessary as the remission of our offences the want of that could but bring us to a temporal death but without this we shall loose everlasting life and dye in eternal misery and the necessity is also as universal for as no man can live without bread so no man can live comfortably here or happily hereafter without mercy for all men have sinned (n) Rom. 3.23 Sâ—iâ—bat Dominus se solum sine delicto esse Tert. and those sins cannot be done away without mercy which every man that lives by bread must pray for even the best of men and as often as they pray for that even every day they must also ask Pardon of Almighty God because no day is wholly inoffensive and our Lord Jesus would here set our sinfulness daily before our eyes to make us constantly sensible that we are unworthy of the meat we eat and all outward blessings which we receive and to make us continually humble and penitent He knew before that even the best of men had sin and prescribes this petition as daily useful to all his Disciples and those who out of ignorance or pride think they have no sin do exclude themselves out of the number of his Schollers who have all learned to pray for Absolution But to be more particular let us observe how many Duties are exercised in these few words even all that becomes the address of a true Penitent Confession and self-accusation Contrition for and Aggravation of the sâ—ns deprecation of the punishment with acknowledgement of the justice thereof Faith in a Redeemer and hope in his Merits First we herein daily confess our sin our very asking pardon is an acknowledgment we are guilty and we appropriate them to our selves (o) Exomologesis est petitio veniae qui petit veniam delictum confitetur Tert. de Orat. for though Jesus did suffer the Punishment we acted the Crimes which we here being mindful of his bitter Passion do own with sorrow calling them Our Trespasses and in that word we signifie the vast number of our transgressions this plural indefinite word declares them very many which we have committed against God and our neighbour not against one but all his laws not once but many times And further we confess they are as heinous as numerous viz. trespasses and injuries done to God himself by us his poor Creatures (p) 1 Sam. 2.25 in his own person or in his subjects our neighbours of whose Rights he is the Protector and the avenger of their wrongs we have broke down the hedge of Gods laws and by our disobedience disowned his supremacy and denied that duty which we owed to him whereupon sins are called debts (q) Matth. 6.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same Luke 11.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confer Luke 13.2 cum ver 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost de poen 2. Debitum in Scripturis delicti figura est quod perinde judicio debeatur nec evadat justitiam exactionis nisi donetur exactio Tertul. ut supr because God being our supream Lord Creator and preserver we are bound to obey all his pleasure and to do his commands specially having voluntarily promised this in our Baptism wherefore if we pay not God this due and vowed obedience we are debtors to him and must discharge and satisfie by suffering the Penalty (r) Si non reddit faciendo justitiam reddit patiendo miseriam August unless we can find a surety to undertake for us Oh what can set out the heighnousness of sin more lively it is a wrong and injury done by us poor miserable wretches against the Laws and Authority and the Rights of that God who made us and whose Covenant-servants we are and to this we must add that we are liable to his just and severe threatnings and may be if God please summoned to his Bar endited for this Debt nay Condemned for it to eternal Torments for the satisfaction But only that his Mercy and Wisdome hath found a gracious Redeemer who hath taken these Trespasses upon himself and made a fuller satisfaction for them then we could have done by eternal sufferings And it must be supposed we believe the satisfaction of Christs death and by it hope for a Remission or else what encouragement have we to ask pardon and confess a debt when we are insolvent and that to a just and true God that must have satisfaction this were to ask impossibilities
baseness and unworthiness mightily convinced that God hath often done good to us and others and deeply affected with the freeness frequency and fulness of his mercies and favours for here we are to exercise love and gratitude and to imitate the Quire of heaven who survey the whole world and pay the tribute of glory to him whose mercy and goodness they see and admire in every thing and so may we and then our souls shall readily comply with Davids courteous invitations to bless the Lord. Oh my God I behold what thou dost for all mankind and I feel what I have received I confess my unworthiness and admire thy goodness in all things And then the Glory be to the Father c. is a recapitulation of all those foregoing causes of glorifying every Person in the glorious Trinity or all of them and must be an acknowledgment that all mercies are dispensed to us by the Father for the Sons sake through the Ministry of the Holy Spirit and upon this account all honour and glory is and was and ever shall be due to Father Son and Holy Ghost O my ingrateful heart which sees so much cause of praising God every day for his works and his goodness to others and for what we have experience of and yet hath not learned fully to love God and constantly to praise him Come to the sweet singer of Israel he will excite thee by his example in every thing to give thanks learn of him to rejoyce with them that rejoyce learn of him to love and sing Glory be c. and thou shalt sing new songs in the New Jerusalem for ever By such means as these we ought to tune our hearts for this heavenly musick if we would have it please God and profit us and if by the help of Gods good spirit we have in some measure well performed this our next care must be that we loose not those good affections 3. Therefore endeavour to nourish these holy flames on the altar of thy heart by a holy life such as the inspired Penmen of these Psalms lead themselves (r) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athanas and such as they exhort others to and so shalt thou be every day fit to joyn in this office and be alwaies prepared to accompany the Church with suitable affections to all the several parts of Psalmody Remember these Anthems are designed not only to raise Devotion in publique but to assist holiness in private (s) Verba vivenda non legenda and by letting thee feel the comfort of that in Gods house which may strengthen thee to do his will afterwards and to set us all upon our guard against sin and Sathan who design to discompose our minds by presenting sensual pleasures and carnal allurements but you that have tasted sweeter and nobler delights will certainly despise those vain and empty pretenders to satisfaction and wish no other joy then to praise God among his servants on Earth here and among his Saints in Heaven hereafter And if this be your desire the constant use of these Psalms will make them so familiar that you will never want holy Meditations ejaculations answers to Sathans temptations and Mementoes of a holy life which is the only way that leads to the happiness you desire SECTION VIII Of the Lessons § 1. BEfore we begin to read or hear the holy Scripture it will be useful that we consider first their own excellency to engage our love to them Secondly The Providence of God in the Composing and Preserving them to excite our Reverence Thirdly The Care of the Church in fitting them to our use to encourage our diligence First The Scripture must needs be excellent because it is the Revelation of the whole Will of God so far as is necessary for our Salvation And we believe as God hath taught us and with the Primitive Church (t) 2 Tim. 3.15 In qâ—ibus invenâ—untur illa omnia quae continent f dâ—m moresque vivendi Aug. doc Chris l. 2. c. 17. Sacrae divinitùs inspiraâ—ae Scripturae per se abunde sufficiunt â—d veritatis indicationem Athan. in Idol Antiquam fidei Regulam Euseb hist lib. 5. that it is the compleat Repository of all Divine truths that concern faith or manners and therefore we own it to be the Rule of our lives and the foundation of our Faith and in all our considerable (u) Sancta Synodus Christum assessâ—rem capitis loco adjunxit Veneâ—ondum enim Evangelium inâ— Sancto throno collocavit Cyâ—ill See Dr. Cosens History of the Canon controversies we place it in the Throne as the Councels of Ephesus and Aquileia did for the moderator and determiner of such doubts and differences This is the guide of our Consciences the ground of our hopes the evidence of our inheritance and the Law by which we shall be judged at the last day (x) John 5.45 Revel 20.12 Wherefore it is the duty (y) John 5.39 and interest (z) 2 Tim. 3.15 of every Christian to be conversant in them according to the command of Jesus and the example of all Gods servants who studied them more then any other writings So that Sr. Basil and his friend used no other Book but wholly meditated in this for thirteen years And if it were possible we should exercise our selves in it day and night (a) Josh 1.8 Deut. 17.19 R. Ismael à sororis filio rogatus quodnam tempus Graecorum lectioni impenderet Resp Nullum nisi potest inveni itempus quod nec ad diem neque ad noctem pertinebat è Talin Masius in Jos 1. that is alwaies But however we must spend so much time upon them that we may be alwaies furnished with precepts to direct promises to encourage and examples to quicken us to do all good and also with Prohibitions to restrain threatnings to affright and presidents to warn us from all evil waies whatsoever And being so constantly useful and so able to shew us all that is necessary to be known believed or to be done we should love them and delight to hear them and know them because ignorance of these Sacred Oracles will lay us open to errors in Judgments (b) Mark 12.24 and wickedness in Practice (†) Psal 119.3 and finally prove the ruine of our Souls § 2. Secondly we must remember it is no ordinary regard which we must give to these holy Pages because God is the Author and his Spirit the enditer of them and in his infinite wisdome and love he hath committed his Will to writing that it might not be corrupted or impaired by the prejudices the malice or forgetfulness of men as all Traditions generally are For the matter of it he could have filled it with amazing Mysteries but consulting our good rather then his own greatness he condescends to our capacities (c) Lex loqui ut nobiscum linguâ â—lioâ—um hominum Lumen supernum nunquam descendit sine indumento Proverb
it is not by the merits of their own Innocence but by those of this thy all-saving death We need not dispute de Facto whether any of the Saints before Christ had actual Possession of Heavens Glory the Scripture (l) Heb. 11.40 1 Pet. 3.19 Matth. 27.52 and the Fathers (m) Clem. Alexandr Strom. 20. Tertul. de animâ cap. 55. Cypr. Serm. in Dom Pass Ambrosius Comment in Rom. 5. passim especially St. Ambrose seem to deny it and it is not easie to disprove them but this we are sure of de Jure that none under the Law nor the Gospel ever were received thither but by Faith in this Death of Jesus which God might consider as done before it was accomplished but no holiness that we are capable of can challenge Heaven nor no feigned Purgatory expiations can satisfie for our sins And whenever Abraham Isaac and Jaacob entred into their glory it was in the right of Jesus who by this saving death pulled out that fatal sâ—ing and obtained admission for all believers not only for Jews and Saints of former ages but for Gentiles and all the World that so owns him as a Saviour as to give up themselves to be ruled by his holy Laws Our blessed Master indeed was glorious with his Father from all Eternity he was in Heaven before (n) Ascendit non ubi Verbum Deus ante non fuerat sed ubi verbum Caâ—e factum ante à non sederat Ruffin in Symbol But not in our nature not as our advocate not to take possession for us but now he is restored to his tâ—rone again ready to receive all believers into the participation of his joyes And now his glory is our great advantage and iâ—finite comfort so that we may receive this article with that delight with which old Jaacob did the news of his beloved Josephs advancement over all the Land of Egypt assuring our selves that he who stooped so low to us and suffered so much for us will imploy his regained Power and Glory for ouâ— good even to take us up to him and to let us reign with him who ever lives to make intercession for us We cannot see him in this glory by the eye of seâ—se bâ—t we do discern â—im by the eye of faith and we doubt not bâ—t he shall be revealed in all this glory when he comes to judge the world at the lasâ— day He â—hall then come to examine and pass sentence upon all But since we must every one bear our own buâ—dens we must not concern our selves for the sâ—re of others but busie our selves to prepare our own accounts for we are sure he shall be our Judge our guilt might make us fear and tremble to think of it yet his mercy may comfort us and quicken us to make ready Who could we rather wish should Judge us then he that Redeemed us and he that now offers to give us a Pardon sealed in his own blood Let us now accept his tender and we need not tremble then for our Judge shall be our advocate and our friend § 4. The last part which closeth this devout and exquisite form turns both the Thanksgiving and Confession into Prayer as a most natural consequence of all the preceding considerations for who can behold so great a God so universally praised in Heaven and Earth and not believe him to be the fountain of all goodness and desire his fâ—vour Who can contemplate the Saviour of the World in his Essential glory in his admirable Condescension willing humiliation and illustrious restitution and not break forth into most passionate supplications for a share in his love Or if we go back no farther then the two last Verses we there saw him with St. Steven sitting in all his glory at the Right hand of God and shall we not request him to be mindfull of us in his glory whom in his low estate he purchased with his life and blood And as he put on weakness and submitted to misery to redeem us that he will imploy his regâ—ined Power and Glory for our help and assistance We say he is to be the Judge of us and all the World (o) John 5.22.27 and we know we cannot answer him for one of a thoâ—sand (p) Job 9.2 Sure then our wisest way is to make supplication to our Judge (q) Job 9.15 and to beg his favour may at that day be shewed to us and all his people for at his sentence all the world â—â—st stand or fall those whom he justifies or reputes innocent (r) Numerare prâ— reputari Isai 53.12 Sapient 5.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graec. shall be set on the right hand and be reckoned among the number of the Saints and sealed ones (s) Revel 7.4 and therefore let us pray to this great Shepheard that though now the sheep and goats are mixed yet he will wash us with his blood and pronounce us guiltless that our lot may be with his Saints Now that we may be thus disposed of at the last day we shall need not only his Mercy then but his grâ—ce now to secure us in our passage through this world Wherefore we pray with holy David in the last words of the 28th Psalm that God would use all means to bring his people to his glory (t) Psal 28. ult Serva populum tuum benedic hereditati tuo rege eos extolle eos usque in aeternum Vulg. Lat. even that he would save them from all evil and bless them with all good things That he would govern and direct them in their duty and lift them up and support them against all opposition for ever And these are the sum of every Christians needs and desires What more can we wish or pray for then to be rescued out of trouble and furnished with all blessings needful for our souls and bodies That God should feed us as a shepheard as the Hebrew reads (u) Heb. LXX pasce eos hoc est rege Vulg. Sorores enim sunt artes pascendi regnandi Basil conc 24. or govern us as a Prince conducting our duty by his care and Laws that we may not stray nor go amiss And lastly That he should bear us up against all the opposition of Sathan and his instruments and advance us from our low estate (x) Job 22.19 Psal 9.14 to â—et us up on that Rock where our enemies malice cannot reach us but we may stand safely there till we are lifted up from thence to Glory which we cannot miss of if God hear but these Petitions Therefore having prayed for all that is needful for us as members of the Church we now look more peculiarly to our selves considered apart And since we are now and every day imployed thus in praising God we desire him to accept this as a Testimony that we are his Servants We declare it in Davids Phrase Psal 145.2 (y) Psal 145.2 Per singulos dies
Hymn God is praised 1. For the Redemption both as to 1. The nature of it as it is an act 1. Of Gods Mercy ver 68. 2. Of his Power ver 69. 3. Of his Truth being the fulfilling of His Word ver 70 and 71. His Promise His Covenant 72. His Oath ver 73. 2. The end of it viz. 1. Our safety ver 74. 2. Our obedience which must be 1. Universal in the parts Holiness towards God Righteousness towards man 2. Sincere before him 3. Constant all our life ver 75. 2. For the Promulgation considering 1. The Instrument and that for 1. His Office to be a Prophet Harbinger 2. His Duty to Prepare v. 76. Instruct 3. The end for Remission ver 77. 2. The cause why iâ— was now to be thus made known 1. In general Gods Mercy 2. In particular in regard 1. Of him that was to come ver 78. 2. Of the end of his coming ver 79. A Practical Discourse on the Benedictus § 6. THE Gospel which hath now been read for the second Lesson doth not only require our attention but command our gratitude because it brings that good news which is the cause of great joy to all people The Angels sing and all holy men to whom it was revealed entertain the news with Hymns of Praise And if we be as sensible of the mercy as they were and as thankful as we ought to be for the benefit thereof we shall rejoyce as heartily as they did since it is as much our concern as theirs And how can we better express our gladness for all that the Gospel records of what Jesus hath done for us then in those sacred forms indited by the holy Spirit with which devout Persons welcomed our Lord into the world And these will be most acceptable to God and most beneficial to us both to help us with fit expressions and to ingage us to sing them with the same heart and affections which were in the first Composers and particularly with the Devotion of holy Zachariah the Author of this Hymn who after nine months silence recovering his speech stays not to rejoyce in that personal Mercy but immediately being filled with the Divine Spirit the inexpressible joy that filled his heart before now breaks forth in these words Blessed be the Lord God of Israel c. Wherein he in the Phrase of Antient times (f) Gen. 9.26 Psal 41.13 declares the wonderful goodness of God And we ought to joyn with him not scrupling the Jewish form of expression because if we be true Christians and have the circumcision of the heart we are the Children of the Promise (g) Rom. 9.8 the seed of Abraham and the Israel of God And this God of our Israel hath in a more excellent manner delivered â—s from the slavery of Sathan then he did them from the bondage of Egypt And yet though this Spiritual Redemption be much greater there is such a similitude in the method and circumstances that it appears that was a type of this and therefore Zacâ—ariah alludes to Gods delivering the people from Aegyptian misery For as then he first visited them (h) Exod. 3.16 Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and considered their misery (i) Gen. 21.1 Visitavit Chal. Par. Recordatus est ita Syr. Luc. 7.16 Arab. Respexit ita Vulg. Ruth 1.6 and then he rescued them with a mighty hand So in our case he visited us in all senses he remembred our calamity he looked on our misery considered our distress and came himself to see us and made such a visit as men and Angels admire at He came in our nature clothed with our infirmities and stayed with us and dwelt among us And all this to Redeem us not by doing miracles but by suffering death not only by conquering our inraged enemies but satisfying an offended God buying our lives with his dearest hearts blood And by taking our Punishment when himself was innocent he freed us both from the sin and the wrath due to it (k) Suscipiendo poenam sine culpâ culpam delevit poenam August that we might with freedome and hope serve our reconciled God Well may we call this a Mighty Salvation being accomplished with as much Power as it was undertaken with Love Behold how many helpless Creatures he delivers from cruel burdens mighty oppressors and dreadful expectations nay from the just vengeance of an angry terrible and Almighty God from endless and unsufferable flames as horrid as unavoidable This was indeed a horn of Salvation (l) Cornu robur Imperium vocat Hieron Hab. 3. Vide Dan. 7.24 cap. 8.21 1 Sam. 2.10 Chal. Par. pro Cornu habent Regnum Ecclus 49.5 that is a Royal Princely succour and rescue such as became the Son of so Victorious a King as David was nay such as became the Son of God when he undertook to restore the Kingdom of Divid which now literally Herod and the Romans had usurped but spiritually sin and guilt had overcome yet Jesus will retrieve it and set it up for ever not to deliver us from Temporal but Spiritual enemies not from Tribute but Damnation and shall not we rejoyce at his Coronation It is certain there is not a more illustrious mercy then this which was proclaimed so early to our first Father (m) Gen. 3.15 and repeated so often by all the Prophets (n) Act 3.24 Deut. 28.7 Jerem. 23.6 Isai 25.8 men of excellent holiness approved integrity and unquestionable truth These all as if they had but one mouth unanimously agreed in the publication hereof This is the mercy that was so fully confirmed by Covenants and Oaths (o) Gen. 12.16 Heb. 6. to Abraham and all the faithful This was believed and hoped for by the Jews and expected by the very Gentiles (p) Percrebuerat Oriente toto vetus constans opinio ut eo tempore Judae à profectus rerum poteretur Tacitus Annal. Vid. Numb 24.17 This is that good news which cheared Adam after his fall rejoyced Abraham in his peregrination revived Jacob on his dying bed (q) John 8.56 Gen. 49.18 and supported the Patriarchs in all their troubles although they only saw it at a distance and hoped and waited for the light while they themselves were in the dark But when Zachary beheld the morning star and saw the day begin to spring which had so long been wished and desired he is ravished with holy joy like the Northern people after a tedious night when they perceive the Sun approach And shall not they that lived by the bare hope of this and he that was so overjoyed at the first glimpse of it condemn us who are daily taught that he is come and hath confirmed Gods truth and answered all their expectations if we rejoyce not at least as much in the performance as they did in the promise Behold how God hath favoured us to let us behold the accomplishing of the desire of all Nations
advantage which occasions that joy wherefore we are most of all obliged to rejoyce with the blessed Virgin both as she was the Mother of our Redeemer according to the flesh and because we may be so according to the spirit the Lesson we now heard is out of the Old Testament and as there we find the Records and Examples of the Divine Mercy to the Pious and humble and of his Vengeance upon the Proud and arrogant so here we find a Form of Praise for those dispensations of Gods Providence and since all the deliverances of Gods people there related are founded on this mercy of our Redemption or flow from it or are directed to it this Hymn will teach us to turn the Old Testament into Gospel and with the holy Patriarchs (l) Gen. 49.18 Non expecto redemptionem Sampsonis quae est salus transitoria sed expecto redemptionem Messiae filii David Targ. ever to apply all to this great salvation of which all other mercies were but types Behold then the Mother of Jesus saying to you Oh praise the Lord with me (m) Psal 34.4 and let us magnifie his name together let us shew forth the greatness of his power and goodness for we cannot set out his Perfections with any advantage nor represent him greater then really he is as we often magnifie one another but then we magnifie the Lord when we declare what we apprehend him to be and let us advance his glory as high as is possible for there is no danger of exceeding our Praises will be short but they must be real wherefore before we can bear a part in this Anthem we must get our souls affected with a sense of his infinite Power and our minds exalted with the belief of his excellent mercy so our praise shall be no complement but our soul and spirit shall bear their part and our thanksgiving may be real as his favours are let his wonderful love present it self to your affections and bring out your wonder and joy your hopes and desires to behold the sweetness till these passions begin to be enamoured on it and moved by it and then they will carry a lovely notion and fair Idea of it to the mind and so effectually recommend it that the whole inward man shall be ravished with the beautiful prospect and every faculty of the soul and part of the affections shall unite into a devout celebration of the divine love and mercy Behold the holiest of Women observe where she fixes her eye and whether she directs her Praises she rejoyceth not in her own excellencies nor doth she magnifie her self but God her Saviour which may check our vanity who are so apt in a prosperous success and unexpected exaltation to sacrifice to our own deserts (n) Hoc ego feci non fortuna dict Timoth. ducis to crown our selves though we snatch it from the head of Heavens King but sure since he gives the blessing he deserves the honour (o) Tuum Domine est bonum tua itaque est gloria Qui enim de bono tuo gloriam sibi quaerit non tibi fur est latro similisque diabolo qui voluit furare gloriam tuam August Soliloqu c. 15. and he that paies it not is a double thief and steals the gift and the glory also for both are his She that was the Mother of Jesus after the flesh thinks it no disparagement to confess her Son to be her Saviour but rejoyceth that he was so let not us then think we are saved from temporal evils or can be from eternal death without him and let us esteem it a greater honour to us and a surer ground of our rejoycing that the most high God is become our Salvation then if we had our strength in our own hands § 2. There is nothing gives the dimensions of Gods love to us more truly then the sight and sense of our vileness when we behold our selves so low and despicable as indeed we are then the glories of the Divine Majesty in stooping to us and looking on us in our low estate will shine in their native lustre when we see how worthless we are and what favour we have obtained beyond our expectations as much as our deserts then our souls will magnifie the Lord in the apprehensions of his greatness and our spirits rejoyce in the admirable goodness of God our Saviour Thus the blessed Virgin was inspired with these Seraphical extasies of joy by looking on the mean Condition in which this infinite mercy surprised her she was not arrived to the honour of marriage and in the opinion of the daughters of Jerusalem who esteemed it a huge reproach and a great affliction (p) 1 Sam. 1.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LXX pro sterilitate ut Gen. 29.32 to be without Children her estate was disgraceful and her fortunes were really dishonourable for though she sprung from the blood Royal of Judah yet she was then a poor obscure maid unknown to the world but regarded by him that loves to lodge in the lowest hearts (q) Isai 57.15 of the poor and pious as well as in the highest heavens she was in her lowest estate the Lords hand-maid and devoutly served him day and night and her Piety sanctified her Poverty and drew the eye of God to regard her as he will the meanest of us if our obedience equal hers and especially if our minds be as low as our estate is for so was this excellent Virgins who by lowliness here means not her humility for it had argued Pride to have so high a conceit of her lowliness of mind as to believe it obliged Gods favour there it was her meanness and poverty (r) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abjectionem humilem conditionem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verò humilitatem significare asserit Erasmus which she so freely confesseth and heartily praiseth God for regarding No doubt her humility was eminent in her afflicted condition for when she was advanced to be the Mother of the Worlds Saviour she seeks no greater honour then to be stiled the hand-maid of the Lord ver 38. Oh Blessed Soul that was ever the same neither dejected in her affliction nor puffed up with her exaltation but serves God chearfully in the one and praises him heartily for the other She beholds an infinite and lasting honour prepared for her not alone among the daughters of one place or Generation (s) Gen. 30.13 Syr. pro gloriâ med for she was to be the Mother of a Universal and Everlasting blessing which all former ages had desired and all future times should rejoyce in and Both would proclaim her happy above all Women who should be the Instrument of this Mercy And yet she resigns all this glory to him that gave it her and declares whence she received it (t) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophilac in loc that not her name but his may have the glory and sure she deserves
(g) Filius abdicatus in gratiam rediens Graecis dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pater 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scult exer and received into grace again and thus the Promise made to Abraham is made good and the Lord becomes the God of his seed for ever Oh my soul acknowledge the gracious dealings of thy most merciful Father but above all praise him for the mercies of the Gospel for what comfort were it to be raised by the fall of our temporal enemies to a fading honour if a miserable Eternity did succeed but now by Faith in Jesus thou art not only secured in thy low estate but mayest behold an immoveable Throne an immortal Crown prepared for thee high as Heaven while all the proud workers of iniquity shall fall low as hell never to rise again Glory be to the Father c. The Paraphrase of the Magnificat O Praise the Lord with me all ye that behold his inexpressible goodness which hath exalted my affections and filled My soul with such glorious apprehensions that with all its powers it doth magnifie and set forth the admirable greatness of the Lord my mind also and my spirit ravished with the contemplation of his infinite goodness doth rejoyce with joy unspeakable in God who hath vouchsafed to become my Saviour I cannot sufficiently express his Mercy nor my gratitude For he that is the Majesty of Heaven by his marvelous condescension hath regarded and cast a gracious eye on the poverty and the lowliness of my condition who am so inconsiderable and never aimed higher then to be reputed amongst the meanest of his servants and called by the name of his handmaiden I am most despicable in the worlds eyes and vile in my own yet he hath conferred on me a high and lasting honour for behold he hath passed by the more noble and chosen me to be the Mother of the worlds Saviour so that from henceforth whenever this mercy is mentioned to the honour of God his favour toward me will be remembred by the people of all generations who shall bless God for it and shall call me blessed and account me happy above all women But I will freely acknoâ—ledge it was not my own merit nor strength that hath advanâ—ed me For he that is mighty in Power and infinite in Mercy most freely hath exalted me and hath magnified me his poor unworthy hand-maid his therefore is the glory his the praise and holy and reverend is his Name which I and all his servants will ever love and honour For I am not the only instance of his goodness nor do I confine my Praises to my particular occasion all the world sees and knows that his favour And his mercy is ever shewed on them that fear him so that holy and pious men are blessed by him and shall be throughout all generations while the world endureth Ye servants of the Lord consider how in all the course of his Providence especially in this great Redemption He hath shewed strength and a mighty Power for with his arm he hath secured and lifted up his own and by it he hath scattered the forces and baffled the designs of the proud who thought they only deserved to be respected by God and were so high and safe in the imaginations of their hearts At all times he disappoints such expectations and now as at other seasons he hath put down the wise the honourable and the mighty from their seats and thrones on which their pride had mounted them And hath exalted to that honour the humble and meek even those whom the arrogant most despised He hath filled most plenteously the souls of the hungry that earnestly desired the least favours and satisfied their longings with good things beyond their expectations and the rich whose pride made them think themselves fittest objects of his bounty and yet their abundance abated their desires after it these he hath disappointed and sent empty away And as in all other cases so now He remembring the constant method of his mercy and seeing his peoples distress hath holpen and again restored his servant Israel and all faithful people to favour and the hopes of glory as he promised to the Saints of former ages and particularly to our forefathers to Abraham that he would give a Saviour to Redeem and bring deliverance to us and to his seed for ever The second Hymn after the first Lesson viz. the XCVIII Psalm § 4. SOmetimes instead of the Blessed Virgins Song we use this Psalm to express the same thing even the might of Gods arm and the affections of his heart both shewed to his people Israel his true Church and this is one of Davids triumphant Hymns composed upon some miraculous victory over the enemies of the truth and being intituled a new Song may be applied in the Mistery to the glorious Conquest made over Sin and Sathan by the mighty arm of Jesus or in the letter to those deliverances of the faithful mentioned in the Lessons and a new heart will make it every day a new song by a renewed sense of the Divine goodness for here the people of God incourage one another to praise him for his works which are so admirably contrived ver 1. so mightily performed ver 2. so clearly manifested ver 3. to his own people and all the world ver 4. Wherefore the exhortation is renewed and inlarged and all the world is invited to joyn in this Hymn ver 5. and shewed how to praise him with heart and voice and all sorts of Musick ver 6. and 7. no part of the Earth must be silent but the Inhabitants of Seas (h) Arab. populi fluviorum c. populi montium Clament c. Aspice venturo laetentur ut omnio seclo and flouds hills and valleys must rejoyce not only for past mercies but for the Kingdome of Christ which every temporal deliverance minds us of when he shall come to free his servants from sin and misery and exercise such justice in the trial of all the World that his Saints shall sing a new song of Victory to him for ever in Heaven and we on Earth in hopes of it do at present rejoyce and say Glory be to c. The Analysis of the Nunc Dimittis Luke 2.29 Herein Simeon sheweth 1. The greatness of his joy which appeareth 1. In offering his very life 2. In his readiness to meet death so Willingly Peaceably 2. The reason of it which was 1. His particular happiness 1. In the fulfilling the Promise 2. In the beholding his Saviour 2. The Universal good because 1. Christ was visible to all 2. Beneficial to all bringing light glory to the Gentiles Jews A Practical Discourse on the Nunc Dimittis The first Hymn after the second Lesson § 5. THE Author of this short and comprehensive Hymn was a man eminent for his exact Justice vigorous Devotion lively Faith and extraordinary inspiration and of this the holy Text assures us and it is
probable he was a person considerable very likely him whom the Jews call Simeon the first who lived at this time and was the son of the most famous Rabbi Hillel (i) Vid. Scultet Exerc. Evang. l. 1. c. 61. and Light-foots Harm on this place who opposed the received opinion of the temporal Kingdome of the Messiah for it is certain our Simeon did so or he had never thus rejoyced over a Messiah presented by so mean Parents in swadling clothes at the gates of the Temple It was not the object that appeared to his eyes but the illumination of the Spirit and the prospect of his Faith that elevated his affections Wherefore we need not pretend to dismiss this holy song by alledging it was an extraordinary occasion for the writings of thâ— Apostles which are daily read among us do as clearly represent him the Saviour of the world to the eye of Faith and set him before us as evidently in the house of God as any bodily sight could do to him and if our minds be inlightened and our faith firm as his we have the same occasion and ought to rehearse it with the same devotion The mercy is made sufficiently plain to us it we were but as apprehensive of the advantages it brings to us and all men as he was I know not why we should wish to live any longer then till we have obtained hopes of a share in it But we have houses to build families to propagate and designs to compleat and all before we are willing to dye We desire something besides nay perhaps more then an Interest in Jesus and therefore we dare not joyn in this noble wiâ—h But he was dead to the world before and had been impatient of a longer stay but only for the promise to have a sight of Jesus in the flesh And when this long-wished for happiness was come to pass his expectations are answered and all his desires filled He values nothing here but humbly craves his dismission His holy soul that came from God can find no rest on the waters of this world and therefore desires to return with an Olive-branch of peace to its dear Lord (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Câ—em Al. Strom. 4o. Mortem Stoici appellare solent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arrian where it was sure of rest and joy among the best of friends He now desires leave to depart from the flesh which he had long esteemed his Prison wherein he was confined by his infirmities (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Themistius ap Stobae and shut up from beholding the glories of God which he now longs to see more then ever by this last experience of his Truth and Mercy and he knew that death would set him free his desires and joy begin to swell too big to be confined in the walls of flesh and now he is even straitned till he be let loose into the regions of glory to praise him face to face And yet his extasies transport him not beyond the measures of obedience and humility for he first asks his Masters leave nor will he go till he have Commission but he intimates he had stript himself of all worldly desires and had his inner coat his flesh in his hands ready to lay it down and run whenever the watch word (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ar. was given His hopes and desires to see his Saviour had alone made his life acceptable and the fulfilling of them makes even death most welcome to him because he knew that Jesus came to disarm death and by satisfying for sin to deprive it of that sting which made it terrible to all men All the sin-offerings of the law were but weak armor to encounter death nor could they so fully purge or appease the Conscience as that it should not accuse in the fatal hour But the perfect Sacrifice of the death of Jesus doth so fully avert Gods wrath that all that believe in him can triumph over death meet it with courage and embrace it with peace as the end of their fears and the entrance into their felicity (n) 1 Cor. 15.55 Non est timendum quod liberat nos ab omni timendo How can he fear death that hath his sins forgiven or how can he doubt Gods mercy that beholds his Son with faith and love or how can he question the truth of Gods Promises that embraces Jesus the greatest of all in his arms He that knows Gods power is persuaded of his love and convinced of his truth can dye in peace and lye down with joy in the assurance of a blessed Resurrection And this we may do for it was only their priviledge who lived then to see Jesus and whoever looked on him so as to dare to dye then must behold him by faith and thus we may see Christ not only with Simeon presented in the Temple but with St. Steven standing at the right hand of God not only in his rising but his full glory Why then are we so fixed to this world so desirous to stay so loath to depart so sad when God calls Oh let us look on this our Redeemer so stedfastly and embrace him so tenderly in our hearts that it may appear he is dearer to us then our very lives Let us love him so intirely that nothing may satisfie us without him and trust so fully in his merits and mercies that we may live chearfully and dye peaceably Let us say with this devout Old man Lord I do now so clearly perceive thy purposes of mercy so confidently believe thy promises of forgiveness and so firmly rely on the hopes of glory that I resolve to be ever thy servant I desire to stay no longer in this world then to get assurances for a better Earths vanities do not make me wish to live nor deaths terrors afraid to dye If thou callest me this day Lord I come I can live with patience or dye in peace for I see him that will preserve me in life or death and gives me hopes that whether I live or dye I am the Lords I was not with Simeon in the Temple to behold my Saviour with my bodily eyes but I have had thy Salvation as clearly manifested in this thy holy word as if I had seen him with my eyes Lord grant me thy holy Spirit that I may behold him with the same faith and embrace him with the same affections that he did and then I shall chearfully joyn in a Nunc Dimittis and being daily ready to dye shall ever be fit to live and thy will shall be done in my life or death Blessed Lord thou hast even to our dayes by these holy writings sufficiently manifested thy Son before all our faces and it is our carelesness ingratitude and unbelief that hides him from our eyes and makes us hug these vanities and fear to leave them But thou hast done thy part and I will praise thee for sending this bright and glorious Sun
since they were ushered in by Faith and Charity the best preparatives to that duty We have all owned that we have one Lord and one Faith and now we are preparing as bretheren and fellow-souldiers to unite our requests and to send them to the throne of God But first in token of our mutual Charity the Church appoints instead of the antients kiss of peace a hearty salutation to pass between the Minister and People he beginning in the phrase of Bâ—az to his Reapers The Lord be with you (o) Ruth 2.4 Psal 129.8 which was after drawn into common use as a form of salutation to all and used by St. Paul in his Epistles (p) 2 Thess 3.16 to which the people are to return a good wish for their Minister in a form taken from the same Apostle (q) 2 Tim. 4.22 Galat. 6.18 desiring the Lord may be with his spirit Which is no invention of our own but mentioned in an Antient Counsel (r) Placuit ut Episcopi â—resbyteri uno modo salutent populum dicentes Dominus vobiscum ut respondeatur à populo Et cum Spiritu tuo sâ—cut ab ipsis Apostolis traditum omnis retinet Oriens Concil Brace primum Can. 21. and there affirmed to have been instituted by the Apostles and as it there appears retained in the Liturgies especially of the Greek Church but sure it never had a fitter place then in our excellent service where it succeeds the Creed as the Symbol and bond of peace St. John forbids us to salute or to desire God to be with any that cleave not to this right Faith (s) 2 Ep. 5. Jâ—hn ver 10.11 But when the Minister hath heard every one profess his Faith in the same words with himself how chearfully and without scruple may he salute them as bretheren and they requite his affection with a like return 'T is too sadly true that little differences in Religion make wide separations and the most incurable animosities Why then should not our exact agreement be as forcible an uniter of all our hearts since the profession of the same Faith hath ever been reputed the firmest bond of Charity (t) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philo. Wherefore when these endeering offices have warmed our hearts with mutual love these expressions will not barely signifie the affections between the Minister and his people but may be used as the exercise of their Charity by way of Pâ—ayer for one another Let the spiritâ—al man meditate how often Sathan is among the sons of God how mâ—ny of his flock which now are preparing to joyn with him are oppressed with hard hearts or disturbed with vain thoughts and then let him earnestly pray the Lord may be with them that his Prayers be not in vâ—in for them Let the people also remember how comfortable and advantagious it will be to them that he who is their mouth to God may have a pure heart and a fervent spirit and with these thoughts let them most hear ily require their Pastors prayer by desiring the Lord to be with his spirit that both may by acknowledging tâ—eir insufficiency and declaring their Charity obtain a blessing of God for each other and find the benefit of these short Petitions in every part of the suceeding Offâ—ces § 2. Let us pray We can do nothing in Religion without the Divine presence and Assistance and therefore the Minister and People must mutually beg that for each other and then they must joyn in their Petitions In the beginning of which is placed this short and antient Exhortation So often repeated in all the old Liturgies (u) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alibi Dominum oremus postulemuâ— vid. Liturg S. Jacobi S. Basilii c. whereby the Priest gives the signal of battel or the watch word to all the assembly that they may set on their enemies with courage and besiege even Heaven it self with a holy importunity And as the Cryer of old in the Heathen Sacrifices proclaimed his HOC AGITE and warned all to attend what they were about so doth the Minister charge you against all wandring thoughts which are never more frequent nor pernicious then in holy duties desiring you not to rest satiâ—fied in his Petitions for you but to let your heart go along with him that they may be accepted as your Prayers though pronounced with his lips He injoyns all to pray and that with him and for one another for it is a great work we have to do and we must now take off our thoughts from all other things and wholly mind this § 3. Lord have mercy upon us Christ have c. Lord have c. The best beginning for our requests is a Petition for Mercy whereby we acknowledge our unworthiness declare our misery and confess we cannot expect our Prayers should be heard unless it may please God first to have mercy upon us Like those poor Lepers (x) Luke 17.11 12. eminus tanquam immundi Levit. 13.45 clamant Jesu Domine miserere nostri we discerning Jesus afar off cry out unclean and beseech him to have mercy on us for we are defiled dust and ashes and how shall we dare to draw near to him or open our mouths before him till he be pleased to pitty and cleanse us As to this particular Form it is originally taken out of Davids Psalms (y) Psal 6.2 Psal 51.1 Psal 123.3 where it is sometimes repeated twice together to which tâ—e Church hath added Christ have mercy upon us that it might be a short Litany and a supplication for mercy to every Person in the Trinity (z) Imploramus misericordiam Domini per Kyrie eleeson Chriâ—e c. Kyrie c. ita ut tres articulos aliquo modo divinae majestatis trinitatis in Ecclesiâ celebreâ—us Amalar Fort. de Eccl. off because we have offended every Person and are to pray to every Person and need the help of every Person calling both the Father and Holy Ghost by the same title of Lord as being partakers of only one and the same Divine Nature and the Son by another title who also did partake of our humane Nature as Durand Rational l. 4. c. 12. doth observe And as Tho. Aquinas adds being under a three sold misery of ignorance guilt and punishment we thrice imploâ—e mercy And because we need that when ever we pray (a) Quia ante omnem Orationem sacerdotùm necesse est misericordiam Domini implorare Durand Rat. ut supr it was used both in the Eastern and Western Churches and become customary in the time of Theodosius the younger so that it was decreed by a Councel (b) Et quia dulcis nimis salubris consuetudo intâ—omissa est ut Kyrie eleeson frequentiùs cum grandi compunctione dicatur Placuit etiam nobis ut in omnibus Ecclesâ—is nostris ista consuâ—tudo Sancta ad Matutinum ad Missas ad Vesperam
Deo propitiante intromittatur Concil Vasens can 5. that it should be said in the Morning and Evening Prayer and in the Communion Offâ—ce with great Contrition and Devotion By which it appears that though these words were so sacred that the Heathens used them in their Prayers (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arrian in Epict. l. 2. c. 7. yet they learned them either from David or the Christian Church where the use hereof was so familiar that we read that Antioch was delivered from an Earth-quake by the Peoples going barefoot in procession and saying this short Litany Lord have mercy on us (d) Paul Diacon lib. 16. No doubt if with humility and fervency we repeat it Our souls may be delivered from sin and our following supplications might be more acceptable for it signifies Lord be gracious (e) Deus sis propitius Ita Vers Jun. Trem. unto us or shew compassion and favour toward us in receiving and answering the Prayers we are about to make especially the Lords Prayer wherein we must not presume to call God Father until we have intreated for grace and mercy But concerning the repetition of the LORDS PRAYER in this place our designed brevity allows us only here to say that being the best of all Prayers it cannot be used too often and having the best of all Authors for its Composer even him for whose sake all our requests are heard it may seem to consecrate the Petitions annexed to it since they are formed by this Pattern and contain nothing but what is agreeable to this form which hath upon it the Royal stamp of Divine Authority Nor should the frequency of its returns abate our devotion in the use since Jesus did thrice pray in the same words Only as before it was applied for the Confirmation of our Pardon so now it must respect the following Petitions to which we may so heartily unite it that they may be more acceptable for its sake and we may make amends for any Petition thereof which was not so zealously put up by reason of intervening distractions when it was said before by asking that with a doubled earnestness now which then we forgot or sligâ—tly passed over § 4. Psal 85.7 O Lord shew thy mercy upon us Answ And grant us thy salvation From the recital of that sacred Form of Prayer which Jesus left us we pass to the interlocutory Petitions by this grateful variety taking off the tediousness and adding to the pleasure of the duty as also quickening the attention and uniting the hearts of the performers And herein the Minister begins as the commissionated Embassador of Heaven yet the people follow and bear a part as a badge of their honour and an engagement to their watchfulness charity and devotion while both contribute heat to each others affections and vigour to these short and sweet ejaculations taken for the most part out of the great storehouse of Divine Offices the Psalms of David and being an Epitome of the ensuing Collects for Grace and Peace for Kings Priests and People that they may be replenished with all sorts of blessings The words of which sentences are so significant and comprehensive that it will be hard to make a better Collection and yet so plain and obvious that we discourse of them rather for the help of Devotion then any necessity of explication This first Versicle is a general Petition for Mercy and Salvation and seems to be the sum of all the weekly Collects for one or both of these are commonly the subject of them we prayed for Mercy in the Lord have mercy c. and now we beg some visible token thereof viz. some such wonderful deliverance (f) Psal 36.17 Psal 64. penult that all the world may see and say it is his salvation We need mercy to pardon pitty and help us in the way and we desire salvation at the end even that eternal salvation which is his by inheritance possession and purchase and can only be ours in his right and by his mercy so that it is fit we call it his salvation and first crave mercy (g) Quia non aliunde inducitur Deus ut salvator nisi quia misericors est Calv. in loc before we presume to ask it because we cannot otherwaies merit or obtain it but by his mercy § 5. Psal 20. ult O Lord save the Kingâ— Answ And mercifully hear us when we call upon thee This twentieth Psalm whence this is taken may be intituled a Prayer for the King for after many Petitions for his prosperity it concludes with this summary ejaculation even in these very words (h) Psal 20. ult LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Ita Vulg. Lat. Vatabl. vide Hammond Annot. Psal 20. d as the Greek Interpreters and their followers do on good grounds read them And for the Phrase it self it is the same with that so usual acclamation God save the King (i) 1 Sam. 10.24 Chal. Par. Sit faelix Rex 1 Kings 1.25.39 2 Kings 11.12 alibi Vivat Rex vel Vivat in aeternum wherein we do in one woâ—d wish the King prosperity and peace long life and health victory and everlasting felicity And this we do not as many Parasites only at the Coronation when every one adores the rising Sun but we repeat it most loyally and devoutly every day earnestly desiring his welfare and safety and because in his peace we shall have peace we humbly beg this request may alwaies find acceptance and that we may be heard and our dear and dread Soveraign blessed every day withall pre-ingaging as it were the Almighty against a time of more especial need viz. that when by reason of wars or tumults we come in the behalf of our Prince to beg a particular blessing for Him and his Armies that we may then prevail so that the Praying as well as fighting legiors may be esteemed the defence and guard of his Person and his Rights § 6. Psal 132.9 Endue thy Ministers with right ousness Answ And make thy chosen people joyful This Prayer for the holy Tribe indited by David seems to have been a part of the Jewish Liturgy for it was solemnly used by Solomon at the dâ—dication of the Temple Let thy Priests be clothed (k) 2 Chron. 6.46 Exod. 28.2 36. saith he with Righteousness alluding no doubt to the holy Garments appointed for their ministration which did signifie that extraordinary and peculiar sanctity which was required in those who approached so near to God The sense of which Petition our Church hath significantly given in the word endue lightly changed from the Latine indue which refers to the qualifications of the mind as the word Cloth to the covering of the body So that here we pray that they may have souls pure as their linnen Ephod and lives spotless and holy as the garments they are clothed with not content to have their outward man arrayed with the sign but endeavouring to
have their inward man endued and adorned with the purity signified thereby And this Petition we make to him who hath promised to deck his Priests with health (l) Psal 132.16 Isai 61.10 and to cloath them with the garment of salvation and the robe of righteousness that his Saints may re-rejoyce and sing For the holy lives and good success of pious and painful Ministers is an extraordinary and a huge delight to Gods people who therefore do here use it as an argument to enforce their request for the Ministers For we say they are not of the number of those who glory in the crimes of the Ministers of God or rejoyce in their calamities because O Lord we love thee and them wherefore if thou wilt please to give them health and safety righteousness and peace we shall thrive under their care and joyfully follow their good examples the benefit and the pleasure will be ours and the glory shall be thine for this and all thy mercies § 7. Psal 28.9 O Lord save thy people Answ And bless thine inheritance The kindness of the Congregation to the Minister expressed in the last Responsal is here most lovingly and thankfully returned and required by him who now prays for them as heartily as they for him before which cannot but endeer the Priest and people one to another since they daily do thus mutually interchange offices of love Wherefore let both joyn in this comprehensive request that God would save and deliver his people from all evil and bless and furnish them with all good things since they are his peculiar inheritance and so may expect a special defence and relief from their own God But of this before in the TE DEVM § 8. 1 Chron. 22.9 Give peace in our time O Lord Answ Because there is none other that fighteth for us but only thou O God It pleased God to make particular Promises to Solomon Hezekiah and Josiah (m) 1 Chron. 22.9 Isai 39.8 2 Kings 22.20 that he would give peace in their days Wherefore we make bold to ask it for our times from the God of peace our only defence (n) Exod. 14.14 Deut. 1.30 against our enemies They who trust in their bow and rely on their sword care not to ask for Peace because they hope either to awe their foes into quietness or to make advantage by War as being sufficiently guarded and prepared But we even the Church of God know Armies and Navies are useless not only against God but without him and only successful by his blessing So that though we have both yet we account the Divine Providence our greatest security How well this Petition suited the Primitive Christians every one may discern who considers they judged it unlawful while the Emperors were Heathen to fight in their own defence (o) Luke 22.38 ita Explic. ab Origen in Cels l. 5. Ambros de Off. Basil August vid. Arnobius l. 1. p 6. And when Prayers and tears were their only weapons they might most justly (p) Ezra 8.22 be earnest with God for their defence who did so wholly depend on his Protection that his glory seemed concerned in their safety Yet it is not improper for us now though blessed be God we have Christian Princes and their forces to defend us for we wish there may be no occasion to use arms or if there be (q) Bellum gerere malis videtur foelicitas bonis necessitas Augustin we declare we rely not alone on these Preparations unless he please to bless them we know they are unserviceable Wherefore if it please him we desire peace and that he will keep off invasions and Rebellions for our time and so will the following generations for their daies that it may appear we wish to live in peace and do trust alone in the Lord of hosts § 9. Psal 51.10 11. O God make clean our hearts within us Answ And take not thy holy spirit from us Though Peace be accounted the chief of all blessings yet without grace it may do us more harm then good Wherefore we conclude with an carnest supplication for Grace to fit us for and help us in the following devotions We are now to offer up our incense and therefore do beseech the Author and lover of purity in holy Davids words to cleanse the Altars of our hearts that neither the guilt of former offences may unhallow or defile them nor any remaining evil thoughts may disturb the holy cloud but that it may ascend and he a sweet savour before the Throne of God And because it is the Holy Spirit alone which can effect this we pray that our hearts may be so pure as to invite this holy Dove to come unto us and remain with us that it may both make and keep us undefiled both in the remaining part of our Prayers and of our lives If we look back on those portions of the Office which we have performed I hope we shall have cause thankfully to acknowledge that the Divine Spirit hath been with us and excited the flames of our devotion the comfort of which aid makes us earnest for its continuance And certainly we could never have sent up these very sacred ejaculations with such fervent spirits united hearts and harmonious voices if the same spirit of zeal and love had not inspired us Therefore let the sweetness of this experience encourage us to beg that the Holy Ghost may stay among us so that we may as affectionately joyn in those Prayers where the Minister is the only speaker as we have done in these wherein we have had the honour and advantage of bearing our Parts and making our Responsals The Paraphrase of the Versicles and Responsals before and after the Lords Prayer Minister MY dear bretheren in the right Faith I do most affectionately salute you desiring The Lord and his grace may be with you to prosper you in that you now are doing Answer And we thankfully return the kindness desiring likewise the Lord may be with thy spirit to compose and excite it while thou speakest to God for us Minister Let not your thoughts wander but now Let us pray to God with fervency and devotion O Lord God the Father pitty pardon and have mercy upon us who are unworthy to call upon thee O Christ the son of God pitty pardon and have mercy upon us whose only hope is in thy Mediation and Redemption O Lord God the Holy Ghost pitty pardon and have mercy upon us and assist us in these our supplications Our Father which art c. Priest Consider our sin and misery with compassion O Lord and now shew some token of thy mercy upon us to our comfort Answ And grant us now and ever such wonderful deliverances from all evil that we may surely obtain thy salvation Priest O Lord thou Governor of all the world be pleased to bless preserve and save the King thine own Anointed Answ And mercifully hear us whose peace is linked
and thy gracious Providence we being defended from the Power and malice and preserved in safety from the fear of our enemies may never be hurt terrified or disturbed but may pass our time which thou shalt afford us on this earth in rest from our foes and quietness in our own minds Grant us O Lord therefore this Peace for the sake as it was obtained through the merits of thy Son Iesus Christ our Saviour Amen The Analysis of the third Collect for Aid against all Perils This Collect hath only two Parts 1. The Petitions for 1. Mystically Knowledge Lighten our darkness we beseech thee O Lord Literally Comfort 2. Safety intimating 1. The means by which we must be delivered and by thy great mercy defend us 2. The evils from which from all perils and dangers 3. The time in which of this night 2. The motive urged to obtain them for the love of thy only Son our Saviour Iesus Christ Amen A Practical Discourse on the third Collect at Evening Prayer § 5. LIghten our darkness we beseech thee O Lord The declining of the day doth now mind us of the approaching darkness which will shortly wrap us in the shadows of the night And what Petition more seasonable then with holy David to beseech God to enlighten our darkness (o) Psal 18.28 Vul. Deus meus illumina tenebras meas For the night is sad and terrible in it we can see nothing with our bodily eys to entertain or to cheer us and we seem exposed to all the mischieâ—s (p) Versuta frans callida amat tenebris obtegi Prud. Ovid. Metam 2. Conscia culpae Conspectum lucemque fugit tenebrisque pudorem Celat John 3.20 Job 24.17 of Sathan and those instruments of his who fly the light and hope to cover their sin with this sable Mantle our dangers are many and our fears are sometimes more especially if our eyes be closed by unbelief as well as darkness If we behold not the Divine Providence watching over us and the Angels encamping round about us the very apprehension of the perils of a dismal night may damp our joy and startle our courage and makes us cry out with the Prophets servant (q) 2 Kings 6.15 16 17. What shall we do But let us intreat the Lord to fulfil his promise (r) Psal 112.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eccl. 5.17 Psal 97.11 c. Adrian Isagoge that light may arise in our darkness that is in Scripture phrase comfort in our sadness That our hearts may by faith and cheerful thoughts by the assurance of his providence and the operations of his Grace be joyful and pleasant and that the shine of his countenance may make our nights bright as the day illuminated by the Meridian Sun For the inward comforts of Gods Spirit and a sense of his care and favour when the Soul is in fear or sadness do cheer and refresh more then a suddain light doth the wandring Travellour who is misled in a gloomy night These make our dwellings a Goshen while the wicked have thoughts black and dismal and Aegypt is veiled in a horrid shade and terrified with the dark side of the Cloud while the people of God are led all the night thorough with a light of fire so that the darkness and light to them are equally safe and comfortable Or if we desire to spiritualize the Petition more we may take occasion from the approaching night to enlarg our meditations upon our spiritual ignorance and blindness by nature by which our Souls are veiled and in the dark so that we often wander out of the way We stumble in the day and are in danger to run into the shadow of death till the day spring from on high visit us and give us that true knowledg which is usually set out under the name of light (s) Luke 2.32 Hebr. 6.4 illuminati i. e. edocti Wherefore let us humbly beseech our gracious Lord to let the Sun of righteousness arise upon us for whoever follows him doth not wander nor walk in darkness (t) John 8.12 and that we may take heed to Gods holy word as to a light shining in a dark place (u) 2 Pet. 1.19 and a sure guide to true blessedness And then our knowledg shall increase and we shall keep the right path till we arrive to that eternal light which shall never be extinguished When our hearts are clouded with greif shadowed with ignorance and benummed with dreadful â—pâ—rehensions we are taught to lift up our thoughts to the Father of lights and the God of all comfort who dwells in that light to which no mortal eye can approach whose Countenance is cleer as the sun and bright as lightning And if we can by our beseechings obtain his favour to shine upon us no doubt it will turn our night into day our sorrows into the joyes of the Morning While we are in the darksome cell of this lower world we think of our glorified brethren who dwell in a perpetual brightness and everlasting light and we long to be with them when it may please God But in the mean time we hope he will support and recreate us with some glimpses of those beams which they have the constant and full fruition of § 6. And by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night Comfort and safety are those two things which make a happy night And of whom should we ask these but of God the Lord who is a light and defence (x) Psal 84.11 The hopes of his love makes it comfortable But least we should be deceived in that comfort his mercy and power must keep us safe which here we earnestly desire We may easily perceive we are most miserable without his Providence especially in the night season for then Sathan prepares most violently to assault us supposing it is his hour and the power of darkness And alas how easily may we then be enticed with pleasure transported with malice and revenge or disturbed with evil fancies and imaginations When the Soul is heavy the Senses dull the stomack loaden the flesh strong and the reason weak (y) Stomachus aeger mens somnolenta animus occupatus tunc omne nefas suadere contendunt quando nullus arbiter culpae nullus criminis conscius nullus potest esse erro is testis Ambros in 8. par 119. Psal when the Curtain is drawn and we think no eyes see us neither judg witness nor accuser can espy us how open are our Souls then to all Dangerous temptations And yet our temporal concerns are not more safe for how soon may we be seized by diseases or suddain death or made miserable by theives and Robbers burnings or inundations Are not our lives and limbs estate and friends liable to loss and mischief both suddenly and unavoidably Go we then with all speed to our merciful Father and let us represent our condition to him the consideration whereof