doth acknowledge himself to be thy Servant even CHARLES our King and Soveraign Liege Help him so to defend Religion execute Justice and subdue his Enemies that under him we and all his Subjects may be religiously and godly peaceably and quietly Governed and accordingly be obedient unto as well as happy in so gracious a Prince And that his excellent Laws may not be perverted in their Administration O Lord Grant such grace unto his whole Council with whom he adviseth in making Laws and to all Magistrates and Officers that are put in Authority to execute them under him That they may deliberately weigh every cause and truly and indifferently determine it so as to make it appear they do minister Iustice and imploy their Power To the punishment of wickedness and greater Crimes the correction of lesser enormities and Vice And the maintenancâ— and defence of the Profession of thy true Religion together with the Practice of all Equity and Vertue which is the endeavour of all Righteous Magistrates But that Piety and Justice may be taught by the Ministers as well as outwardly incouraged â—iâ—e grace O Heavenly Father for the same thy Son Jesus Christs sake to all whom thou hast made Bishops and Governours or Pastors and Curates over thy Flock Assist them so in those sacred offices that they may both by the holiness of their life and the purity of their Doctrine declare and set forth the excellencies of thy true quickening and lively Wâ—rd so that many may be won to live according to it And grant that they may also orderly and rightly frequently and duly Administer both Baptism and the Lords Supper which are thy Holy Sacraments And let them be particularly assisted in the Celebration of the present mystery And that all their labours be not in vain Do thou to all thy People throughout the Christian World â—ive thy Heavenly Grace to dispose their hearts rightly to receive divine things Especially grant to this Congregation and every person here present before thee that with meek hearts from a sense of their own ignorance and due reverence from the apprehension of thy Authority they may hear attentively and receive by Faith the directions of thy Holy Word O Lord let them be converted by it and become real Christians truly serving thee in all the duties of Piety and Holiness Charity and Righteousness and continue in this Obedience all the days of their life especially after this solemn renewing of their Covenant with thee And further reflecting upon thy pitty towards all afflicted persons for the sufferings-sake of thy dear Son We that yet are spared do most humbly beseech thee that though we and our Brethren deserve to suffer yet of thy goodness thou wilt be pleased O Lord effectually at present to comfort and speedily to deliver and succour not those distressed Creatures alone which we particularly love or know but all them who are capable of the benefit of our Prayers even all who in this transitory life the Scene of sorrows are in trouble and fear of some approaching Evil or in sorrow for some Calamity already sustained All that are in need and want as to their outward Estate or in pain and sickness as to their body Or who are visited with some or all of these or any other Adversity Oh pitty and relieve them all And Finally as we praise thee for all the Mercies which thou minglest with the Miseries of this life so we also bless and chiefly praise thy holy Name for those who have no mixtures of sin or sorrow in their Cup of pure and perfect joy even for all thy Saints and holy Servants who were once as frail as we but by thy grace are now departed out of this life but who did live in thy Faith and die in thy fear never forsaking Religion nor a good Conscience We rejoice in their happiness and though we need not pray for them yet we cannot forbear beseeching thee for our selves who are yet upon the Waves that thou wilt please to give us also the same grace which thou gavest them That we may be able so to follow their good Examples in all Piety and Charity while we live that with them and in that glorious Society we may when we die be Partakers by the like Mercy of thy Heavenly Kingdom and its unspeakable felicities Hear us we beseech thee and Grant this and all the rest O Father to thy poor Children who make not our Requests in our own Name or trusting in our own merits but for Iesus Christ his sake and through the most prevailing Sacrifice of his Death here Commemorated Nor do we need or desire to use any other name since he is Our only Mediator to make our peace and Advocate to plead our cause who also joins with us in these Petitions and therefore we hope thou wilt say to him and to us Amen and then it shall be so SECT VIII Of the warning before the Communion § 1. IT is fit that great Mysteries should be ushered in with the solemnities of a great preparation for which cause God gave the Israelites three days warning of his design to publish the Law Exod. 19.15 and ordered their Festivals to be proclaimed by the sound of a Trumpet some time before Levit. 25.9 Numb 10.2 The Paschal Lamb the Type of Christ in this Sacrament was to be chosen and kept by them four days to mind them to prepare for the Celebration of the Passover Exod. 12.3.6 And Christians having more and higher duties in order to this Holy Feast must not have less time or shorter warning whereupon as good Hezekiah published by particular expresses his intended Passover long before 2 Chron. 30. so hath our Church prudently ordered this timely notice to be given that none might pretend to stay away out of ignorance of the time or unfitness for the duty but that all might come and come prepared also It is needless to expect a President for this in the antient Church their daily or Weekly Communions made it known that there was then no solemn Assembly of Christians without it and every one not under censure was expected to Communicate But now when the time is somewhat uncertain and our long omissions have made some of us ignorant and others forgetful of this duty most of us unwilling and all of us more or less indisposed for it it was both prudent and necessary to provide these large Warnings and Exhortations Cautions and Instructions For the Composures themselves they are exact and rarely fitted to be the Harbingers to this blessed Sacâ—ament and if we duly weigh and carefully improve them they will exceedingly help towards our Preparation as will be evident enough without a Paraphrase in the succeeding Analysis and Discourse The Analysis of the Warning before the Communion § 2. This Warning consisteth of three principal Parts 1. Information concerning 1. The Time Dearly beloved on next I purpose c. 2. The Persons to administer to all
to Repentance and our Monitor to prevent the like misdoings for the future But I am the briefer in this consideration because my main design tends to the Holy Sacrament And also because the Church hath here placed the Ten Commandments principally as the Rule and Measure of that Examination which St. Paul makes to be necessary before we eat thereof 1 Cor. 11.28 For the same Apostle teacheth us that by the Law is the knowledge of Sin Rom. 3.20 And experience also sheweth that there is no readier way to discover our iniquities and humble us for them than the serious application of this exact Rule to our perverse and crooked paths I shall therefore Secondly Give Directions how we may so try our ways by them as to prepare our selves for this Heavenly Feast To which purpose let it be considered that this duty of Self Examination is never so necessary as now when we purpose to receive the Holy Communion For it is but hypocrisie to seek a pardon for sins which we never perceived our selves guilty of and foolish presumption to make a Covenant before we have weighed the conditions to which we are to be obliged Until we see the number and apprehend the heinousness of our transgressions and fear the vengeance due unto us for them we are altogether unfit for the Commemoration of his Death who suffered for our offences It is the sight and sense of sin alone that will shew us what need we have of so glorious a Redeemer This will shew us our obligation to Jesus and teach us heartily to praise God for him and passionately to beg an interest in him whilest he that doth not discern his guilt nor foresee his danger is stupid and unmoved at this amazing spectacle of a bleeding languishing dying Saviour and hath no love nor no fear No tears nor no desires No relenting or indignation for what is past Nor any vows and wishes as to the time to come and shall be judged an unworthy Receiver So that if you desire comfort in benefit from or acceptance at the holy Table I charge you to be exceeding curious and diligent in this Examination The Pythagoreans and better sort of Heathens did strictly call themselves to an Account every night before they went to sleep where they had been what evil they had done or what good they had left undone And shall not they condemn those Christians who will not do the same once in a Month or three or four times in a Year especially upon so solemn an occasion and for so excellent an end as to procure a pardon sealed for all their misdemeanours The Rabbins perswade the devouter Jews to spend a whole Month together before the Feast of Expiation Buxtorf Synag Judaic c. 18. in examining all their lives assuring them that all those offences which they discover shall be forgiven them in that great day Which may more truly be applied to this Ordinance That holy Anchoret which the Patriarch of Alexandria found in the Egyptian desarts said he had imployment enough there where he had nothing else to divert him for his whole life to judge and condemn himself And shall not we be justly condemned of the Lord who think a day or two too much to be so imployed But I hope I need add no more to perswade to so good a work And therefore supposing this a sufficient Conviction to those who have any care of their Souls I shall proceed to direct how we must examine our selves by these Commandments § 5. When the Minister gives warning of an approaching Communion We must contrive to have at least one whole day separated to this so necessary Trying and judging our selves And first As this Law was given in the Wilderness Exod. 19.1 So we cannot use it in a crowd but when we purpose thus to apply it we must retire from the World and lay aside all secular business h Secessi de populo in me unicum negotium est mihi Tertul. de pall c. 5. Psal 4.4 and carry our minds with us into some place of privacy that we may wholly attend this great work which will take up our whole time and imploy all our faculties For we communicate so seldom and generally live so carelesly between one time and another that our Sins are numerous our Consciences intricate and many things forgotten and all confused So that it is not for us to alledge that the Primitive Christians did not use such solemnity of Preparation For they lived strictly received daily or weekly and kept their Souls always in good Order For which cause I suppose neither were the Commandments appointed to be read in the Antient Liturgies Did we lead such lives we might be accepted with lesser and shorter preparatives But most of our hearts will tell us the case with us is far otherwise Secondly Having thus chosen a time and place for the undisturbed proceeding in this grand affair we must resolve to spend it Fasting Dan. 9.3 not only that we may not be diverted or lose any of this precious time by our meat but that our minds may be more spiritual and more clear our body more gentle and more at the command of the Spirit i Infirmitas carnis vigorem mentis exacuit ut affectis artubus vires corporum in virtutes transferantur animorum Salv. lib. 1. de prov that our hearts may be tender and more apt to grieve for Sin and fear Gods wrath as also that we may punish our flesh for the gratifying of which most of our Sins have been committed that we may acknowledge our selves unworthy of our daily bread And finally declare that we desire peace with God more than our very food and do so earnestly hunger and thirst after Jesus that we forget our bodily sustenance Thirdly Begin this work with humble and hearty Prayer to him that sees your heart and must be your Judge Beseech him to help you to prevent his judgment by condemning your selves Desire him to fix your thoughts strengthen your memory and to work upon your affections that you may perceive how often how heinously and how long time you have offended and may with a relenting wounded heart bewail the same Fourthly After this rise up and meditate how merciful thy God hath been in not summoning thee to his Tribunal as yet and in giving thee this opportunity to prevent a sad and final Doom Remember thy heart is deceitful and not willing to see its own baseness or to discover its own shame nor apt to censure it self k Prov. 21.2 Nemo non benignus sui judex Sen. de ben l. 2. Nemo suae mentis motus non astimat aequos Quòdque volunt homines se bene velle putant aright And yet cursed are they that do this work of the Lord deceitfully Jer. 48.10 for it will be their own ruine Wherefore resolve to set about it with all possible sincerity and strictness as believing thou mayest never
present with us For thus the Greek Liturgy orders ſ Sapientiam sermonem Dei hunc esse omnes credentes clamamus Gloria tibi Domine S. Germ. Theor. Et Liturg. S. Chrys Gloria tibi domine dicant omnes And the Ancients used to say before the Gospel Glory be to thee O God and afterwards Thanks be to God for his holy Gospel tanquam Christo praesenti as if Christ was then before their Eyes Do you but endeavour to hear it with Faith so as you may obey and imitate and then you shall have great reason to break forth into the Divine Praises If you remember the sad tidings of Condemnation which the Law lately sounded in your Ears Oh how welcome must the prospect of so sweet a Saviour and the news of so gracious a Pardon be unto you As for the particular use to be made of these Holy Portions of Scripture I refer the Reader to the Comp. to the Temple Sect. of the Lessons § 8. having no opportunity here to pursue that subject Sect. 2. Of the Creed in the Communion Office § 2. As the Apostles Creed is placed immediately after the daily Lessons so is this after the Epistle and Gospel since it is founded on the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles and herein we follow St. Pauls Method Rom. 10.10 That as in the Gospel c Quia ut per S. Evangelium corde credatur ad justitiam per Symbolum ore Confessio fiat ad salutem D. Bern. we have 〈◊〉 the heart believed unto Righteousness so in the Creed we confess with our Mouths unto Salvation This Creed was composed in the second general Council at Constantinople probably by the famous Nazianzen An. Dom. 383. in the time of Gratian and Theodosius the Great approved by 150. Bishops the chief of which seems to be Cyril of Hierusalem and confirmed by the Imperial Authority it is sometimes called the Nicene Creed because it differs very little from that which was composed in the first general Council at Nice nor did this Council intend it for a new Creed d Custodiendam esse fidem 318. Patrum qui apud Nicaeam c. Can. 1. Concil Constant 1. but only a fuller explication of some Articles in order to a more particular confutation of the Arrians the Macedonian Photinian and Eunomian Hereticks And this Creed hath ever since been received and used in the Liturgies of both Eastern and Western Churches so that although we had the shorter Creed before in the Morning Office yet we here again repeat this First with good Authority Secondly For weighty Reasons First For Authority To omit the Command of God in the Case of the Passover Exod. 12.43.48 That no stranger or uncircumcised should eat thereof we have clear evidence of the Primitive practice who never celebrated this Mystery till they had solemnly excluded e Quibus vescentes confessionem fidei suae addebant Ambr. de Sacr. Diaconus inter precandum clamat Nullus Catechumenus nullus auditor nullus infidelis nullus Haereticus Constit Apostol quod probat Sozom. Hist Eccles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 6. c. 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dionys Eccl. Hier. all unbaptized and unbelieving Persons so that they never administred it to any but those of the right Faith f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justin Mart. Apol. using this as a Touchstone to try who might and who might not stay to communicate so that by the third Council of Toledo about 600. years after Christ it was positively commanded That every Communicant should after the manner of the Eastern Church repeat this Creed with an audible voice that so they may both shew what Faith they profess and that by right believing their hearts may be purified and prepared for this holy Sacrament Can. 2. ap Caranz sum Secondly As for Reason we may assert the fitness of it upon these Accounts First Since in this Sacrament we are to renew our Baptismal vow the Foundation whereof is to believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith we must not be admitted till we have declared that we stand firm in the belief of these Articles Secondly Because the Eucharist is the highest Mystery of Christianity and the sublimest priviledge of a believer on Earth The Communicants must not only hold the general Creed but shew themselves free from every Heresie and profess that they are in the strictest League of Union with the Holy Catholick Church Thirdly Since this Ordinance is the highest exercise and noblest Tryal of our Faith wherein we are to raise up our minds above the sensible objects to believe that which our bodily Eyes do not see g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys hom 2. in 2 Timoth. and to receive all the benefits thereof by Faith alone it is hugely necessary that we should first train this grace by imploying it on spiritual objects that in this divine office it may make a better flight § 3. How to improve the Creed and to recite it every day with a new devotion may be learned in the first Part h Compan to the Temple Disc of Creed Sect. 1. c. only we shall briefly remark the necessity and the manner of using it aright in order to the Holy Communion First You may remember that this Sacrament doth necessarily presuppose a firm and affectionate belief of every one of these Principles and is a superstructure raised upon this Foundation so that the least doubt or hesitancy in these main Articles will make the Soul lame in the whole Performance nor can you be a worthy receiver unless you do fully believe the Majesty of the Father whom you have offended the Divinity Incarnation Passion and Resurrection of the Son by whom you sue for Pardon as also the divine nature and sanctifying efficacy of the Holy Ghost whereby you hope to be enabled to keep your Covenant and so in all the rest Especially since this Communion is the peculiar badge and cognizance of Christians wherein we do avow the Lord Jesus to be our Master and publickly own our selves Disciples of his Religion for so both Jews and Gentiles by eating of their several Sacrifices did declare they were Servants of that Deity to whom the Sacrifice was presented 1 Cor. 10.16 And thus as Athenaeus tells us the various Sects of Philosophy had their Symposia and Commemoration Feasts wherein they did remember their Founder and profess themselves Abettors of his Opinions in like manner do we protest our Faith in Jesus by this divine Festival and therefore it is necessary that we do first repeat the proper Articles of this Religion as the Rules by which we resolve to live and as such infallible truths for which if need require we will not refuse to die Secondly Let us then devoutly say over this our Creed before the Sacrament especially and as we go along entertain every Article not only with an assent of the understanding but with the consent of our Will
is It was formerly promised for them and now they are to engage that they will renounce all Evil believe the Articles of the Christian Faith and keep the Commandments of God wherefore it is absolutely necessary that they first understand the reasonableness of their Renunciation the truth of the Creed the meaning and extent of the ten Commandments together with the use of Prayer and the Sacraments for obtaining Grace to observe them or else they can never make a prudent or a lasting Resolution The promise was made by others when we were altogether uncapable but now that God hath spared us to years of discretion it becomes our own Duty and we must by deliberate choice take it upon our selves and as this Preface notes those are the two great ends and benefits of this Duty 1. That every one may expresly consent to the Covenant in which he is so highly concerned 2. That he may before God and many Witnesses engage to perform his part thereof Not much unlike this is that Custom of the Jews of bringing their Children before the Congregation at 13. years old when they have learned the Law and the Misnah and their daily Prayers whereupon they are declared Sons of the Precept and henceforth to answer for their own sins and so the rite ends in Praises and Supplications Buxt Synagog Jud. cap. 3. Considering therefore here is so great a work to be performed Ministers Parents and Godfathers must most diligently prepare those under their Charge for it and they who are to be Confirmed must examine themselves if they can freely and willingly make this Vow without any reserve or hypocrisie and consider how they may keep it and that some Days before be set apart to this purpose is very convenient for it was an old Order that all should fast before they came to so weighty a Duty We must not dare to come for Company meerly or for fashion-sake nor let it be said of us as Sidonius did of Theodorich His worship of God is such that every one might perceive he shewed that observance rather out of Custom than for any Reverence to Religion Sidon ep 1. for then we shall not only be condemned by Men but by God also §. 2. The Interrogation and Answer Quest Do ye here in the presence of God and of this Congregation renew the solemn Promise and Vow c. Answer I do The most antient and universal way of obliging our selves by Words is Stipulation that is by a Question and Answer which is the most approved by the Roman Laws because it gives the Party to be obliged opportunity to consider what he is to bind himself unto and so may give a deliberate Answer Justinian Institut lib. 3. Tit. 6. § 1. Which method was antiently used in Confirmation wherein we are asked by the Highest Minister of Religion the Bishop himself whether we will renew our Baptismal Vow x Inde olim vocatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 · Constitut Apostol lib. 3. cap. 17. And to this he solemnly chargeth us to answer as in the presâ—nce of God and the whole Congregation and for greater security one Godfather or Godmother is peculiarly required y Pro eo qui promittit solent alii obligari qui fidejussores appellantur quos homines accipere solent dum curant ut diligentiùs sibi cautum sit Justinian instit lib. 3. tit 21. Sect. 1. as a pledge of our sincerity and to be a continual Monitor to us to keep our Vow as well as a Witness of our making the same So that it behoveth every one who is to be Confirmed to consider well and answer sincerely lest he affront God to his very Face who discerns the Heart yea lest he abuse his Witnesses and the whole Congregation who will testifie against him at the Dreadful Day of Doom We were every one obliged before but in regard that Vow was made by others for us and long since when we were uncapable it is thought fit by the Church there should be a Novation as the Civil Law calls it that is that we should renew the Obligation in our own Names that so the Vow may have the greater force upon us But it is so much our Interest and Advantage to consent to Gods terms and engage our selves in his Covenant that if we know our own benefit we shall need no urging to it but as soon as we hear the blessed Question shall heartily and thankfully agree to it z Fides suadenda non imperanda Bern. in Cantic 66. Nemo cogitur ut credat invitus Cassiodor variar l. 2. There are indeed many Duties to which you do bind your selves but without them you cannot have Eternal Life So that it is no more than if the Bishop should say thus Since you cannot be saved unless you renew your Vow c. will you renew it and keep it that you may be saved who would not Answer I will You have been spared now by Goâ— to those years that you can consider what benefiâ—s you â—ill have by making and keeping it and what sad miseries you run into by breaking it so that it may justly be expected you shall upon good grounds say I agree to it with all my Heart before God and all this Congregation And when you have engaged remember as the Greek Church speaks to the Catechumen after his solemn promise to be A Christian The Bonds are now sealed and Christ hath received them who is in Heâ—ven mind your promise and fulfil your Engagement which will openly be produced at the Day of Judgment Take heed you blush not at Christs dreadful Tribunal where all the powers of Heaven tremble and all mankind stands to be judged where the Devil will be present to accuse you saying Lord this wretch in word renounced me but in deed was my servant Then Angels shall sigh and Holy Men shall bewail your Misery But Father nor Mother cannot help you Brethren and Friends will not own you but every man shall be naked and destitute Consider thâ—refore and provide for your own safety Euchologion Graecor in Orat. ad faciendum Catechum §. 3. The Versicles and Responses Upon the hearing of this good Confession The whole Church express their joy and their desires it may be confirmed in some of the Words of Davids Psalms which are often used in Antient Liturgies and are very properly inserted here that the whole Congregation may join I. In the profession of their Faith in God II. In the giving glory to him III. In begging acceptance from him The particulars follow I. Psalm Cxxiv 7. Our help standeth in the Name of the Lord. Answ Who hath made c. When we consider how at our Admission into the Covenant of Grace The snare of the Dâ—vil was broken and we were delivered ver 6. we are admonished to confess it was by the Help of God and to prevent spiritual Pride the Bishop minds us we cannot keep this promise by our own