people as it holds a real presence of Christ's Body and Blood in the Sacrament saying The Body of our Lord Jesus Christ which was given for thee c. The Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ which was shed for thee c. So it seems to shut the Door against Transubstantiation in saying Take and eat this in Remembrance c. Drink this in Remembrance c. Noting it to be a Commemoration only of his suffrings in his natural Body upon the Cross however spiritually his Body and Blood are both exhibited and participated in the Sacrament Again our Church is expresly both in her Book of Homilies and in her Articles against Transubstantiation Artic. 28. Indeed the form for administration in the late Directory did rather officiate towards the errour of Transubstantiation then the form in our Common-Prayer-Book 4. To with-hold the Cup of blessing from the People in the Lords Supper is looked upon by some as a very gross Popish errour especially by those who have neither given the Bread nor the Cup to the People for many Years together Now our Common-Prayer-Book expresly injoynes the Minister to give the Communion to the People in both kinds and our Church is urgent in one of her Articles to have it so Artic. 30. Eccles Ang. 5. To restrain the holy Scriptures from the perusal of the People is branded for Popery and that by some who have indulged so great a liberty to the People in this kind that they have abused and wrested the Scriptures to patronize Treason Rebellion Sacriledge and any gross sin whatsoever Now in our Common-Prayer-Book that Scripture which is most for edification is not only ordered to be read in the vulgar tongue but so ordered to be read and so sorted out to all the best advantages that would the People follow the Churches order and method it is not possible they should be so grosly ignorant as they are 6. To have publick Prayers in a Tongue unknown to the common People and to which they cannot understandingly say Amen is condemned for grand Popery by those who yet have devised a way of extemporary Prayer and many times in such language too that it is not possible for People safely to joyn their Amen to those Prayers which they cannot understand But the Common-Prayer sums up all lawful and necessary requests in so plain and pious formes that they may say Amen to and edifie by those Prayers if they will 7. To prohibit Marriage to Men in Holy Orders is voted grand Popery especially by those who have so much invaded the Church-maintenance that there is scarce sufficient left to maintain the Ministers in a single life wheras our Common-prayer-Book in the Office for Matrimony admits all to the holy state of Matrimony that are allowed of by the Word of God and the Church of England expresly declares the marriage of Priests to be lawful Artic. 32. 8. To indulge Marriage to Persons within the degrees prohibited by the Laws of God is accounted another branch of Popery But the Common-prayer-Book in the Matrimonial Office declares against it and so doth the Church Can. 99. 9. To tolerate the liberty of Divorce betwixt Man and Wife for more causes than the cause of Fornication is accounted Popery and yet they did both allow it and practise it who profess themselves to be the only Anti-Papists The Common-prayer now in the Matrimonial Office admits of no such thing and our Church is very cautious in so weighty a matter Can. 105 106 107. 10. To obtrude new Articles of faith upon the People which have no ground in the Word of God is complain'd of for very gross Popery especially by those who have of late years done it thrusting upon the People new Doctrines new Catechisms new Covenants which are in many things contrariant to God's Word and did it with such violence as to refuse them communion who refused to submit to these impositions Whereas our Common Prayer-Book admits of no more Articles of faith than what are contained in the ancient Creeds of the Latin and Greek Church And the Church expresly declares for them Artic. 8. and as expresly declares against any thing enforced as a matter of faith which is contrary to Gods written word Artic. 6. Artic. 20. Artic. 21. 11. The Doctrine concerning Purgatory Pardons worshiping and adoration as well of images as of Reliques and also invocation of Saints is declaimed against as very foul and intolerable Popery by those especially who made of late Years Mens lives more bitter then any Purgatory who drew People off from their subjection and allegiance to their lawful Prince and pardon'd them when they had done who defaced all Images which were only for decency and a civil remembrance with that zeal and fury as if they saw some Religion in them more then ever was intended and who were so far from the invocation of Saints that they ran fouly into the other extreme obliterating all their annual days of observance and instead of allowing them any pious and civil remembrance sordidly reviling them and disgracing so much as in them lay their very memories and names However the Common-prayer-Book and our Church teacheth them no Popery yet both may teach them more civility and moderation As for a Popish purgatory the Common-prayer is against it in the Burial Office holding the spirits of all who depart hence in the Lord to be in joy and felicity in bliss though not in their perfect consummation and bliss As for pardons and indulgencies the Common-prayer takes notice of none but only while Men are alive to beg for pardon and that of God not for the merit of any Saint but for the merits of Christ for most of the Collects conclude Through Jesus Christ our Lord. For worshiping and adoration of Images there is not one syllable in all the Common-prayer tending that way but through all the Offices our worship and adoration is terminated in God as the proper object and offred by Christ as the only Advocate Mediator and Intercessor And for invocation of Saints departed or praying to them there is no thing so irreconcilable to our Common-prayer-Book For through all the Offices of it we acknowledg no Mediator Intercessor or Advocate but Christ only indeed we honor the memorial of some known Scripture Saints by observing set days and propounding their lives as exemplary to us we praise God for their holy living here in this World Articl Eccles Anglic. 22. happy departure hence praying that our lives may be as holy and our deaths as happy but we do not pray unto them If there be any other Tenents which some are pleased to call Popery for all is Popery with some which they have not a châ—ef hand in the establishment if they fear Justifying Popery Free-will Popery Merit Popery Supererrogation Popery Satisfaction Popery or what Popery soever for they must name it I fear I have not given the names aright but if it be Popery
consecrated Elements of Bread and Wine into his Mouth For he that believeth in Christ embraceth his doctrin and is sincerely his Disciple shall undoubtedly live for ever John 6.47 Rubrick In the time of the Plague c. Note Note Ministers are to visit the Sick by this Rule be the Disease never so infectious but there is an indulgence granted them as to this particular danger Can. 67. Yet God forbid any Minister should decline this most Christian and needful Office meerly intending his own private safety more than the Sick-mans Eternal welfare For undoubtedly God is able to protect his Ministers from all infection when they are sincerely discharging their Office and provided they do not presumingly tempt God decline no dangers for the good of Souls POST-SCRIPT Christian Reader IF any seducing Teachers have told thee either in their private suggestions or popular Sermons that the Common-Prayer is nothing but the Mass-Book turned into English and that it is Popish all over if not worse I desire thee to take notice once for all that they have told thee as great an untruth as ever was told by any but the Father of Lies and when thou shalt see Popery it self clearly confuted out of the Common-Prayer I desire thee to be so kind to thy self as to lend no Ear for the time to come to such notorious Preachers of Lies if thou hast any value at all for thy precious Soul have nothing to do with these precious Seducers who have found out such a pious policy to delude the vulgar as to carry the Doves Eye in the Serpents Head Now before I proceed to bring forth the Service Book to the Confutation of Popery I think it very requisite first that it be resolv'd on what Popery is not and then what it is for I have observ'd a very strange humour predominant amongst some more peevish English of late time and that is to brand every thing with the infamous name of Popery which they like not of and which is not framed up in every respect to please their fancies and over-dainty Palats Sure to read the Book of Psalms Chapters for Lessons out of both the Testaments and Epistles and Gospels is not Popery now this takes up the greatest part of our Service-Book If to read the Bible and so to read it as the Church prescribes that is so as to edifie most by the reading of it be accounted Popery I profess my self so much for this Popery as I could wish there were more Papists As for those Apocryphal Chapters we read I am satisfied that the Church enjoyns them to be read only for example of life and instruction of manners but doth not press them to be applyed to establish any Doctrine by Artic. 6. The Texts of Scripture set before the Service-Book is not Popery unless the very Scripture be Popery neither is the following Exhortation Confession and Absolution the Lord's Prayer and the following Responses Popery for all are grounded upon and taken Verbatim out of the Scripture The Te Deum the Gloria Patri the three Creeds are not Popery unless the Confutation of Arianisme and other gross Heresies of the Greek Church be Popery The 95th Psalm The Benedicite The Benedictus Psalm the 100. The Magnificat Psalm the 98th The Nune dimittis and Psalm the 67th and all the Responses following are not Popery for they are all the very Scripture either taken thence or may be reduced thither The Collect for Peace The Collect for Grace The Prayers for the King for the Royal Family for the Clergy and People The Prayer of St. Chrysostom The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ The Collects at Evening Prayer for peace for aid against all perils The lesser and larger Litany with the following Prayers and Responses The Prayers extraordinary for Rain for fair weather In time of Dearth and Famine In time of War and Tumults In time of any common Plague or Sickness The Prayers in the Ember-weeks The Prayer for the High Court of Parliament The Prayer for all conditions of men And the Thanksgivings extraordinary are not cannot be Popery unless the Lord's Prayer be Popery and St. Paul's exhortation 1 Tim. 2.1 2. be Popery to which they may be all reduc'd The Collects Epistles and Gospels to be used throughout the Year have nothing Popish in them nor any one of the offices following any one thing tending that way Some things we have which the Church of Rome may have in her formula's but we have them not because Rome hath them but because they are agreeable to Scripture because the antient Liturgies had them because they were used in the Church before Popery was in the World The Church of Rome hath many novel devices which we have not but have rejected as frivolous erroneous and of too late a date to be retained in our Service So far as they hold with the ancient Church we hold with them and so far as they have departed from the ancient Church we have departed from them Indeed our Service-Book is a good defensative not only against all other heresies but against all Romish novelties whatsoever What are those things then which the most severe and rigid enemies in appeâ—rance to the Church or rather Papacy and Court of Rome quarrel at as Popish Give me leave to name them only to put the same Persons to the blush who quarrel at Popery and yet equally disgust the Common-Prayer-Book wherin it is confuted and so tell the World that they are Protestants in shew and Papists in reality 1. To hold the Pope Supreme is taken for grand Popery and the chief hinge on which all other Popish errours depend Now the Common-Prayer in all its Collects for the King acknowledges the King to be Soveraign and Supreme and in the form for Ordination of Ministers the Oath of Supremacy is to be taken by all who enter into holy Orders to acknowledg the Kings Supremacy in all Causes and over all Persons as well Ecclesiastical as Temporal See more Can. 1. c. 2. Eccles Anglican Artic. 37. Eccles Angl. Here it may be demanded whether those Persons are to be taken for Protestants or not rather to be suspected for Papists who will not take the Oath wherein the Kings Supremacy is asserted 2. To hold an infallibility and that the Church cannot erre is said to be another Branch of Popery By the Common-prayer in the first general confession of sin we are taught to say We have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost Sheep and never had we so just cause to say it as since we left it off besides that Churches and Councils may err is plain Can. 19. and Can. 21. Eccles Anglican 3. To hold Transubstantiation in the Sacrament a term which many are frighted at though they know not what it means is looked upon by some as a very gross piece of Popery Wheras our Common-prayer Book in the very words wherein the Minister delivers the Consecrated Elements to the
Persons any way visited or afflicted in mind body or estate that I cannot conceive them liable to any the least exception they are most what taken out of the Psalter which is a rich Magazine of Devotions furnishing all sorts of Men in all conditions both to praise God and to pray unto him Psal 20. vers 1 2 3 4. Psal 25. vers 15 16 17 18 19. and other places out of the Book of Psalms will furnish us not only with the materials but also with the very phrase and manner of expressions whereof the forementioned Prayers are made and composed Rubrick Then shall the Minister exhort the sick Person after this form or other like Note The Exhortation is left arbitrary for the Priest to use this or some other at his own choice as he sees occasion administred to him from the Sick Person for he is to apply his spiritual aids according to the Sick parties needs yet this Exhortation framed by the Church is so formed that a better cannot be devised to suit with all Mens conditions however visited and afflicted and it is grounded upon these and the like places of Scripture 1 Sam. 2.6 Job 5.17 18. Job 12.9 10. Job 12.14 Job 13.15 Job 13.26 Job 14.16 17. Job 16.11 12 13 14 15 16 17. Job 19.21 Job 19.25 26 27. Job 23.12 13 14. Job 27.5 6. Psal 39.7 8 9 11 12 13. 1 Sam. 3.18 Jam. 1.2 3. Jam. 1.12 1 Thess 3.3 4. Jam. 4.10 Jam. 5.11 1 Pet. 1.5 6 7. 1 Pet. 4.1 2. 1 Pet. 4.12 13. Rubrick If the Person visited be very Sick then the Curate may end his Exhortation in this Place or else procéed Note By Curate in this Place is not meant only a stipendiary Minister but every Rector and spiritual Incumbant who hath Curam animarum He is left to use his discretion either in lengthning out or cutting short his Exhortation as he sees the sick party in a capacity to admit of any longer or shorter discourse The following part of the Exhortation is grounded upon these places of Scripture Heb. 12.6 7 8 9 10 11. Heb. 12.2 3. Rom. 6.3 4 5. Rom. 8.29 Luk. 24.26 2 Tim. 2.11 12 13. 1 Pet. 4.13 1 Thes 4.14 15 16 17. Heb. 10.23 Heb. 9.27 2 Cor. 5.10 Rom. 14.10 1 Cor. 11.31 32. After this Exhortation the Minister is to rehearse to the sick party the Articles of our faith that the party may know whether he believes as a Christian Man should or no. Admirable is that saying of St. Augustine Male vivitur si de Deo non recte creditur we live ill and dye so too if we believe amiss of God Heaven Gates are shut up against Male-fidians as well as Nulli-fidians and Soli-fidians If our faith be wrong all is wrong Christian Religion is made up of these two constituent parts a right faith and a righteous life as a right faith without a righteous life will not save us so neither will a righteous life without a right belief He who lives justly but blasphemes impiously cannot be safe Vid. Haman Lestrange Alliance of Divine Offices pag. 297. Dr. Sparrow Rational pag. 327. Therefore this is a very considerable question put to the sick Person whether he believes as a Christian ought to do and there can be no better rule to try his faith by than the Creed which is the summary of all contained in both Testaments touching God the Father Son and Holy Ghost August Serm. de Temp. 137. Ruffin in Symbol Tertull. de praescript Irenaeus lib. 1. c. 3. 19. Here I have assumed to my self a liberty of inserting this short Exposition following upon the Apostles Creed The Apostles Creed or Rule of Faith Creed So called from the Latin word Credo because it contains our Credenda it is Lex credendorum all necessary points of faith are comprized in it To believe what is laid down there is necessary for all points in it are fundamentals but to believe all deductions drawn from thence is not so absolutely necessary in regard they are but superstructures in the fundamentals we should all agree and it were to be wished we could agree also in the explication and application of the superstructures Lis de nugis ha tamen nugae ad seria ducant The Apostles Creed So called 1. Because they or their Disciples made it Tertul. Apolog. cont gent. c. 47. August Serm. 5. de Temp. c. 2. Cyprian in Exposit Symbol Ruffin in Symbol n. 10. It is very ancient in use before the Epistle to the Hebrews was written Calvin in Heb. 6.1 It was in use before any part of the New Testament Irenaeus lib. 3. c. 4. 2. Because it contains the chief heads of the Apostles Doctrine It is as a rich Treasure digg'd out of the Golden Mines of the Apostles The Object of the Creed 1. God Father Son and Holy Ghost 2. The Church of God The general Heads of it 1. Touching God the Father and the Worlds Creation 2. Touching God the Son and Mankinds Redemption 3. Touching God the Holy Ghost and the Churches Sanctification As concerning the Church it treats 1. Of her signal properties 2. Of her sublime priviledges The particular Heads of it Twelve Articles or Joynts knitting together the whole Body of Christian saith Fides una copulativa The 1. Article I believe in God the Father Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth Where Note 1. The Act Believe The Christian Religion is a Religion of faith wherein Reason is not so properly contradicted Rom. 1.16 Hebrews 11. 1 John 5.4 Hebr. 10.23 1 Tim. 3.9 1 Tim. 3.16 as raised up to a higher pitch and supernaturaliz'd Our Saviour did not clear Nicodemus his Quomodo by any Arguments of Reason but resolved the great mystery of Regeneration into a principle of faith John 3. Tertullian's answer to Marcion was I deo verum quia impossibile This honour hath the Christian Religion above others that it rests upon surer Principles than carnal Arguments 1 Cor. 1.20 Luc. 5.22 The first Lesson taught in Socrates School was silence and in Aristotles to rest in the judgment of their Master So in Christs School Oportet discentem credere We must not reason much about matters of Religion but piously rest in them Pruritus disputandi scabies ecclesiae it would be more for the honour of our Christian Religion did we practise more and dispute less Minus Scientiae might be allowed as to unnecessaries had we Plus Conscientiae as to necessaries 2. The Personality I we must pray for others but believe for our selves We may put others into our Pater-noster Habak 2.4 we must put only our selves into our Creed Matth. 9.22 No Mans saith can do us good but our own we cannot believe by an Atturney Luke 7.50 nor be saved by a Proxie We are received into the bosom of the Church upon the faith of the Church but when we are arrived up to the use of our reason we must make confession with our
own strength but in a full reliance on thine I will never talk of any security but that which I hold by thy free mercy and fidelity by which thou art obliged to perform thy promise and never to forsake those who depend on Thee Vers 17. Blessed God I have had experience of thy wonderful acts of power and goodness towards me from the first part of mine Age and I have made declaration of them accordingly Vers 18. Do not now with-draw from me in my declining Years wherein I most stand in need of thy support but afford me matter of continual acknowledgements that I may proclaim thy attributes to many more than yet I have done and live to be an instrument of bringing in those to thy service who are not yet born Vers 19. How infinitely great O Lord is thy bounty How glorious are thy works of power and goodness There is none that can in the least be compared with thee Vers 20. Thou hast suffred me to fall into great afflictions and distresses yet I doubt not either of thy powâ—r or will to restore me again and to rescue me out of the lowest and most disconsolate state Vers 21. Thou canst return upon me in mercy and bring more comforts than thou tookest away by turning thy face from me Vers 22. For this and all thy rich mercies will I in most solemn manner exalt and â—â—aise thy Name O thou great and only God of Heaven who thus graciously revealest thy self to thy People Vers 23. And this shall be to me the most joyful imployment in the World joy to my tongue being honoured to be the instrument of thy praises joy to my very life being rescued by thee from such present dangers Vers 24. And as it shall be the most pleasant so the most constant imployment of my life to declare thy mercy and the performance of all thy good promises to me in securing me from so great a danger and sending me so gracious a deliverance For which and for all Glory be to the Father c. Halleluiah Adding this O Saviour of the World who by thy Cross c. John 3.17 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Then shall the Minister say The Almighty Lord c. Psal 18.1 Philip. 3.10 11. Act. 4.12 And after that shall say Unto God's gracious mercy and protection c. Numb 6.24 25 26. Note Here are now added to this Office four admirable Prayers composed in the very Scripture-phrase 1. For a sick Child 2. For a sick Person when there appeareth small hope of recovery 3. For a sick Person at the point of departure 4. For Persons troubled in mind or in conscience All which Prayers may with a very little pains taking be clearly and almost verbatim extracted out of the Scriptures in all which I cannot enough admire as the Churches prudence in their composure so also her care in making so necessary a provision for all Persons who are any ways grieved or afflicted The Communion of the Sick Rubrick For as much as all mortal Men be subject c. Note The Communion is to be received by every Parishioner at the least thrice a Year whereof the Feast of Easter to be one Can. 21. Eccles Anglican The administration of this Sacrament to Christians in extremis was reputed by the Primitive Fathers a very necessary dispensation Nicen. Can. 13. cod Eccl. univers so necessary that they indulged it in that extremity to such as were excommunicated by the censures of the Church Concil 1. Nicen. Can. 13. Bucer saith this Office is framed according to the Rule of Holy Scripture Censur pag. 487. The Argentine or Strasburgh exiles had in their Liturgy an Office intitled De Eucharistia ministranda aegrotis The Communion for the Sick is used in most reformed Churches when any sick Person desireth it and the same provision is made for a number to Communicate as is here made in our Rubrick Vid. Durel Conformity of other reformed Churches with the Reformed Churches of England pag. 49. Mr. Calvin pleads very much for it Epist. 361.363 This is Ultimum Viaticum Vid. Dr. Sparrow Rational pag. 333 334 c. It is to be administred to all dying Persons desiring it in case they are found fit to receive it Vid. Cyprian Epist. 54. The Sacrament is a great defensative in the last Hour when the Devil is doing his last and worst Vid. Concil 4. Carthag Can. 76 78. Concil Auras Can. 3. Concil Vas 2. c. 2. See more in Dr. Sparrow's Rationale The Collect. Almighty ever-living God Maker of Man-kind c. Note This Collect or short Prayer is fitted to this Office and grounded upon Heb. 12.5 6 7 8. Pro. 3.11 12. 1 Thes 5.23 The Epistle Heb. 12.5 6. Paraphrase My Son kick not at God's punishments but make that use of them for which they are sent neither be discouraged and disheartned by them For it is an effect in God of Paternal love that on his beloved Children and Servants he inflicts punishments for their farther amendment and it is an argument of his approving them for his own that he dealeth thus sharply with them The Gospel John 5.24 Paraphrase This is so perfectly the will of God who is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ that I must tell you that if you believe in Christ and entertain his Doctrine as the message of God thereon depends your Eternal well-being by this means you shall escape Eternal Death and attain Eternal Life Rubrick After which the Priest shall procéed c. Note What follows are partly Rules and Directions how and in what order the Minister is to proceed in the Communion Office for the Sick For Ministers who are to bring the People to a Rule should keep themselves to an established Rule and not go some one way some another Partly they are comfortable applications to be made to the sick Person in case by reason of some just impediments the Sacrament cannot be administred in that extremity in such a case the Minister is to tell the sick Person that if he be a sincere Disciple of Christ so believing the Doctrin of Christ as to obey it also embracing all his promises upon the same terms as they are made not only assenting to the truth of them but undertaking the performance of the conditions of them too If he transcribe Christ's Doctrin and Example so as that both may have an influence upon his life if he sincerely and unfeignedly repent of his sins and depend upon Christ and him only for salvation resigning up himself wholly to him This is undoubtedly to eat the flesh of the Son of Man and to drink his blood this is to be a member of Christ and to be interested in that spiritual and endless life which Christ came to bestow upon all true believers and godly livers He who departs the world with these assurances shall receive no prejudice as to his future estate however it may so happen as to die without receiving the
pronounced by all the People with a loud Voice Jerom. in 2. proaem comment in Galat. Clem. Alexandr stromat lib. 7. Optati◠est adimpletionis omnium petitionum The Lord's Prayer and the Decalogue answering each the other Lord's Prayer  Decalogue God is our Father Therefore No other Gods but Him God is in Heaven No graven Image to worship it God's Name must be hallowed We must not take his Name in vain We pray that Gods Kingdome may come and his wil may be done Some portion of time must be consecrate for his worship and service We pray that he would give us our daily Bread Having sufficient we must be helpful to others and so honour our Father Mother and having sufficient we have the less temptation to be injurious to others in any kind We pray that God would not lead us into temptation We must contentedly sit down with what we have and not entertain any covetous desires after that which is another Mans. Minister  O Lord save this Woman thy Servant Psal 34.22 Psal 33.21 Answer  Who putteth her trust in Thee  Minister  Be Thou to her a strong Tower Psal 25.1 Psal 18.1 Answer  From the face of her enemy  Minister  Lord hear our Prayer  Answer Psal 4.1 And let our cry come unto Thee Psal 5.1 2. Note These Responds are the very Scripture phrase taken out of the Psalms that Treasury of Devotion and are fitted to the present occasion wherein Minister and People as taking it one from the other put up their Prayers to God for a continued mercy upon the Woman who comes devoutly to return her thanks to God for the great mercy already received Minister Let us Pray Note The Prayer following being clearly fitted to the occasion this clause is set before it to stir up the People to joyn heartily and unanimously with the Minister in begging of Almighty God those special blessings and mercies to rest upon the Woman which are there and then prayed for O Almighty God we give Thee humble thanks for that thou hast vouchsafed to deliver this Woman thy Servant from the great pain and peril of Child-birth Grant we beseech Thee most merciful Father that she through thy help may both faithfully live and walk according to thy will in this life present and also may be partaker of everlasting glory in the life to come through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Note This Prayer seems principally to be grounded upon 1 Tim. 2.14 15. and is an admirable summary of devotion wherein the Church so far honours these weaker Vessels as to pray for as many blessings upon them as they can possibly be capable of or as can be summ'd up in so few words It is very great pity that any Woman should be so silly so over-laden with sin and over-led with lust 2 Tim. 3.6 as to be carried away as so many Captives by those Seducers and Instruments of destroying Souls who creep first into their Houses then into their hearts into their bosomes so as to depart from God and from this Office of the Church which is purposely framed up for them in reference to their present and future Estate being meerly gull'd out of their Religion by those who pretend it to be Popish and fain would make it so Sed avertat Deus whereas I do verily believe there is no such Christian provision made in all the Mass-Book for Child-bearing Women not so sober grave and serious without any the least mixture of unprofitable and useless Ceremonies Rubrick The Woman that cometh to give her thanks must offer her accustomed offrings and if there be a Communion it is convenient that she receive the holy Communion Note These accustomed offrings were some Evangelical Oblations and small Retributions given to God into the hands of his Ministers by the Woman to be as an evidence of her gratitude for the eminent blessing which she had received and when we offer up our special thanks to God for special mercies it is fit we should bring presents unto him there is nothing Jewish in it but we are obliged to be thankful to God for his mercy no less then the Jews Non ore tantum sed opere David was for a Quid retribuam Psal 116.11 And when-ever we do offer to God it is but Tibi Domine de tuis 1 Chron. 29.14 Now that the Woman receive the Communion if there be a Communion is very requisit that by a new addition of mercies she may have the more ties and obligations upon her to spend the remainder of her days in holiness and may double her oblations together with her mercies received and return home not emptier but the fuller for her oblations filled with joy and comfort having received a spiritual refreshment as well as a corporal deliverance and so make it the business of her whole life to devote her self and those Children to God which God hath given her Lastly Here is to be noted that neither the blessing nor the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ concludes this Office in regard it is a service to be performed betwixt the first and second service which doth so conclude as Dr. Sparrow observes Rational pag. 363. Neither is such like Office altogether a stranger in the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas for in the Hungarian Polonian and Lithuanian Churches we read of an Office of this nature used Vid. Mr. Durel pag. 48. sect 59. THE Primitive Church Discipline GEN. III. xxiv And he drove out the Man and he planted at the East of the Garden of Eden Cherubims and a flaming Sword which turned every way to keep the way of the Tree of Life THis is the first early instance we have in Scripture for Church-Discipline Gratian derives it hence Distinct 50. c. 64. Epiphanius seems to derive it hence Haeres 52. and so doth Jerom. in Hos lib. 2. c. 6. and Augustine in Genes ad lit lib. 11. c. 40. and many others and if so there is not only Scripture for such a Discipline but the most ancient of Scripture An ancient godly Discipline of putting notorious sinners to open Penance which it seems is lost amongst us and we only wish as there is cause enough for it a happy restauration of it It was indeed when it was used as it ought to be a very laudable and edifying way to reform the scandals of Christianity and to make Christians in profession to be Christians in their lives and conversations too It is strange that the only reforming discipline should be abandoned those Churches which are stiled the Reformed that excommunication should be it self excommunicate and that driven out of the Church which should drive out vice And I wonder a whole Nation should vote the restauration of it and so few in the Nation should endeavour it It is a sign that vice hath overtopt Christianity hath gotten the upper hand of all Laws both Political and Ecclesiastical and that may very
grounded upon Pulvis es in pulverem reverteris Gen. 3.19 But the Ashes were to mind us of something more as we use to say No smoke but some Fire so no Ashes but some Fire Ashes some derive from the Hebrew Esch Ignis Fire So that the meaning of that Ceremony of Ashes was to mind us of Fire that Fire which is of sins kindling which nothing but the Tears of Repentance with the Blood of Jesus can quench Non est iste ignis sicut qui ardet in foco tuo This fire is another manner of fire from that on our harths or in our Kitchens ours may be quenched that is unquenchable It is a terrible thing to think of dwelling in consuming fire such as ours is but ours as it consumes so it will be consumed it self we could not always dwell in it because it cannot always last the very Vestals themselves could not keep it always burning but there is mention of everlasting burnings Isay 33.14 where the fire shall be ever burning and never going out where sinners shall be like Moses Bush always burning but never consumed Thus have you the meaning of this Day why called Ashwednesday and the meaning of the Ashes which gave it the Name to mind us of those everlasting Burnings which by fasting and penance mortification and amendment of life we may be kept from This is the terror of the Lord which this Day preacheth knowing therefore the terror of the Lord 2 Cor. 5.11 That being forewarned ye may be forearmed and the wrath to come may never come upon you Matth. 3.7 Let not this Day be as Yesterday was not a Day of Feasting but Fasting not a Day of appetence to satisfie fleshly lusts but a Day of abstinence to mortifie them If ye were in the 6th of Amos Yesterday ye must be in the 2d of Joel to Day and thither the Church by the choice of her Epistle for this Day calls you This Day is Caput Jejunii The first Day of the Lent-Fast Let us not pass it over as if we were to begin our Lent too soon and put it off till to morrow Qui non est hodie aptus cras minus He who is unfit to amend his life this Day may be more unfit to morrow Neither are we assur'd of to morrow This first Day of Lent may be the last Day given us to repent in Therefore begin your repentance to day to morrow may be too late Now saith the Lord Turn ye unto me Joel 2.12 Do not ye turn God's Nunc into Nondum now into not yet his Hodie to Day into Cras to morrow Felix who thus plaid with Religion and put off hsi repentance waiting for his own convenient time Act. 24.26 might never find it for ought I know but I pass on from the Day to the Duty this Day calls for 2. If ye will hear his Voice That indeed is the end of our coming hither to hear God's Voice to hear it and do it to know our Lenton-duty and to do it when we know it It is not every Voice of God that must down with us this day not his Voice speaking in the cool of the day yet that Voice was enough to terrifie our first Parents and to make them hide themselves under the covert of those Trees of whose fruit they had furfetted Gen. 3.8 Neither is it his still soft voice that we are to hear yet that made Elijah to cover his face with his Mantle 1 King 19.13 Look not like those in Ezekiel for a jesting Song or for a pleasant Voice this day Ezek. 33.32 Take the Psalm bring hither the Tabret the merry Harp with the Lute that 's the voice for a Solemn Feast Day Psal 81.2 but that 's no voice for a Solemn Fast Day such as this is David tells us of another voice fitter a great deal for this Day God's voice in thunder his mighty voice such a voice as breaks down Cedars divides it self in flames of fire and makes the very Wilderness to tremble Psal 29. A voice that could speak hard Rocks into standing Water and Flint-stones into springing Wells Psal 114.8 That was a Voice proper for us now What say you to the Voice in Isay which calls you back from your wandrings saying This is the way walk ye in it Isay 30.21 What say you to John Baptist's Voice whose voice was God's too calling out of the Wilderness for Repentance and Amendment of Life Matth. 3.2 Nay what say you to the Eccho of that voice which speaks more than the voice it self and calls not only for Repentance but for fruits worthy of Repentance That tels us it is not enough to perswade our selves that we have Abraham to our Father unless we do the works of Abraham and tread in the steps of his most holy faith Matth. 3.8 9. Nay what say you to that Voice which is like an Axe laid to the Root of the Tree of Sin to cut it down a Voice threatning us that if we will not be for fruit we must be for fuel and out down by one Judgment or other and cast into that fire which the very Ashes which give this Day a Name may forewarn us of Matth. 3.10 Many such Voices there are in Scripture that are the proper Voices for this Day Voices not to ravish the Ear but to rend the Heart Heart-breaking Voices Such Voices I presume are now uttered in the Court enough to make the Royal Robe to be lined with Sack cloth as it was noted of the King of Israel 2 King 6.30 and if the Court be in Mourning it is not fit City or Country should be in a posture of rejoycing Away then with those Magistri secundum desideria those Teachers after our own Lusts which the Apostle speaks of 2 Tim. 4.3 This is not a time for Placentia The most seasonable doctrin now is that which calls for Fasting and Mourning Tears and Prayers Sack-cloth and Ashes Now bring forth your Calves of Sin which ye have been making all the Year and burn them in the Fire turn them to Ashes Exod. 32.20 and so how-ever the Ceremony of this day be lost Let us retain the substance But I shall not stay you longer upon this Subject The Church which enjoyns the strict observance of this day that we may know what voice of God is most seasonable and suitable for us to hear hath sorted out her Scriptures purposely in the choice of her Epistle and Gospel for this day taken out of both Testaments out of Joel for the Old and St. Matthew for the New We have Gods Voice speaking in both and preaching to us Fasting Repentance Mortification and Amendment of Life The Epistle is part of Joel's Sermon the Gospel is part of Christ's Sermon and both may make one compleat Sermon the Heads of which are summ'd up in other words in a short Prayer or Collect for the day But that I may not so keep this day now as to break
far from the true Christian knowledge or from directing it to the right end which is charity and the edification of our Brethren Vers 3. If any Man loves God sincerely and so adheres to him in time of danger he truly knows him and consequently is acknowledged by him Vers 4. We know indeed that an Idol is nothing in the World no part of Gods first Creation only an invention and fancy of Mâ—n there is but one true God all the rest are fictions of wicked Men who were first the formers and then the worshipers of them Vers 5. There may be many such fictitious deities called by that title whether in Heaven or in Earth Vers 6. But we Christians are assur'd the e is but One true God the Creator of all things to whom all Mens Prayers must be addressed from whom we had our being and to whom we are obliged to be his Servants and to make all our applications to Him and there is but One Mediator and Lord Christ by whom all things were created and by whom as the only Mediator betwixt God and us all our Prayers are addressed to Heaven Vers 7. Yet all Men are not of this perswasion that these Idols are nothing for sure if they thought so they would not worship them nay some are of Opinion that they are something and are able to hurt them and therefore they continue their Heathenish custom to be present at the Idol-Feasts notwithstanding these very Persons have received the faith of Christ so that their sick and sinful Consciences are defiled and polluted by so doing Vers 8. Now a Man who is not of this perswasion towards the Idol if he goes to the Idol-Temple with the Idol-Worshipers may be a means of confirming them in their Error it being certain that they will think he comes as they come with the same Opinion of the false deity and of reaping some benefit by it which inconvenience must needs be very dangerous Vers 9. For though the being there or not being there be not of it self of any great moment in the sight of God yet this care would befit every Christian so to use his own liberty as not to be an occasion of sin or of continuance in sin to others by confirming them in their sinful courses Vers 10. For if any Man who through an erroneous Conscience goes to an Idol-Feast sees another at the same Feast who knows within himself an Idol to be nothing and eats not out of any religious Opinion but only as of ordinary meat Will not he by this means be confirmed to go on in his erroneous course Vers 11. So that the Christian of an erroneous Conscience shall go on in his sin and be in danger to be ruined by reason of the others practise who presumes upon his knowledge and so goes confidently to the Idol as a meer vanity and thing of nought not at all considering the erroneous Conscience of his weak Brother and so he makes himself guilty not only of uncharitableness to his Brother but of injury to Christ in betraying a Soul to ruine for the saving of which Christ died Vers 12. And be it granted that for one who understands his Christian liberty to be present at an Idol-feast be not impiety against God yet is it an act of great uncharitableness against the weak Brethren in bringing them to a confirmation in those sinful practises wherein through error they are already and so it may be an impiety and sin against God too who is concerned in them Vers 13. Therefore if to eat a Feast in an Idol-Temple or any use of my liberty in the same kind be an occasion of confirming any Christian in an erroneous sinful practise or of bringing him to do any thing which is unlawful I will be sure to deny my self the use of that liberty supposed it be such as by the Laws of Christ truly belongs to me when it shall prove of such dangerous consequence to my fellow-Christians Note Whatever hath been spoken by way of a plain Paraphrase out of the forementioned places of Scripture makes nothing at all against any Mans conformity to the use of the Common-Prayer-Book now by Law established 1. Nothing out of Rom. 14. makes against it for these following reasons 1. Because no Man who is a Christian can possibly be so weak in the faith unless he be wilful too as to scruple at prayer as such it being the great duty of a Christian or at Prayer in a set-form because it is authorized out of both Testaments and was ever the practise of Christs Church so to pray or at the set-form of Common-Prayer established in our Church because it is conform to all ancient Liturgies and to the Liturgy of the roman-Roman-Church too is not denied so far as that is conform to the Prayers of the ancient and primitive Church but no otherwise besides every branch of it is reducible to the Lords Prayer the Creed and Ten Commandements is agreeable to Scripture and most delivered in the very Scripture-phrase and framed up according to St. Paul's prescribed Model 1 Tim. 2.1 2. Vid. Dr. Hammond Annot. in Locum 2. All this supposed and as easie to be proved as supposed I believe no Christian can pretend to that tenderness of conscience as to be grieved in his conscience for doing that which is so agreeable to God's Word and the practise of all the Church-Christian all the World over 2. Nothing out of 1 Cor. 8. makes against Conformity unless these weak Christians will say which I know they will not least they should be accounted wicked rather than weak 1. That God is an Idol 2. That to pray to God in his House of Prayer or to be present at Christian Festivals and Services in his Temple is Idolatry besides if any should be so perverse and yet mask it under pretence of tenderness of conscience as to be offended at us in so doing and by so doing discharging our duty I do not see how we can leave off these things to gratifie them for we have consciences as well as they have and as tender apt to be grieved as theirs and we understand our Christian liberty as well as they do and it may be in some things better too for we know this liberty is not so in our power as to use it and not use it when we please to gratifie and comply with every passion and distemper but we are bound up by Laws which by Authority deriv'd from God's Laws have power to bind the conscience to serve God in such set-forms and at such set-times neither do I see how any power upon earth can disoblige us from obedience to those just Laws which are impos'd upon us by lawful Superiors how can we to satisfie another Mans conscience take off our obedience from those whom we are commanded to be subject to not only for wrath but also for conscience sake Rom. 13.5 our Christian liberty hath freed us from the Ceremonial