return not like the Dog to lick up our vomit again or like the Swine to our former pollutions 2 Pet. 2.22 and so become the fouler for our once being cleansed and be drowned in that Holy Laver which was designed for our preservation Lastly as Christ was tempted and that he might overcome the Tempter did for our sake and in part for our example too Fast even to a miracle so we are to pray unto God for his Grace to direct and assist us in all our Temptations that we may use such abstinence as to bring our flesh in subjection to the Spirit and ever obey the Godly motions of Gods holy Spirit living in righteousness and true holiness to the praise and glory of him Suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried The great end and design of Christ's coming into this world was that he might suffer and by his sufferings make satisfaction to Divine Justice for man's sin He did not suffer because he was himself a sinner but because he became a Surety for us who are so He suffered for our sins not for his own He being righteous died for us who are unrighteous 1 Pet. 2.21 22. this he did for our sake and for our example and encouragement He hath given us in himself an example of enduring the highest afflictions which example so far as imitable is to be imitated and transcribed by us 1 Pet. 2.21 From the manner of his death we are taught the great doctrine of Mortification to put off the body of the sins of the flesh Col. 2.11 to destroy the body of sin Rom. 6.6 to put our sinful habits to a contumelious death to crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts and in so doing to conform our selves exactly to the sufferings of Christ through all the gradations of it that so we may be planted with him in the likeness of his death Rom. 6.5 As a consultation was held against Christ as he was apprehended examined accused condemned shamed and crucified so strictly and severely should we deal with our Old man our whole body of sin we should consult deliberately about its execution chuse our most sober seasons for the doing of it when we are in the calmest temper of Soul and we are to proceed orderly to act against sin to apprehend it to stop every course and habit of it in its career we are to examine it by the Word of God by the commands of Christ in all its variations from and oppositions to them This done we are to accuse it and in so doing to aggravate it with all the heightning circumstances of guilt and danger Then by a solemn full consent of all the faculties we are to condemn this dangerous Malefactor to spit upon it with contempt and scorn to give it up to be crucified never to revive again to any vital actions Neither are we to be thus severe against our single habit of sin only but against the whole body of sin and all its parts and members Again from the manner of Christ's death we are instructed further to take up our Cross voluntarily and chearfully when it is laid upon us to follow Christ in his sufferings and to conform our selves really to the image of our crucified Saviour for if we are thus partakers of his sufferings we shall be also partakers of his enjoyments He went by the Cross to his Crown passed through ignominies and sufferings into his Glory so should we Again he was dead that by his dying he might destroy death and sanctifie the state of death to all his Servants Death lost its sting in his side and so became to all who are his but as a calm sleep Lastly he was buried to shew that he was really dead and as his body was removed out of sight so we are to put all our sinful habits like dead bodies out of the way that they may neither offend nor infect others He continued some time in the Grave to note unto us the reality and continuance of our mortified state and that we should not only once for all repent and mortifie but keep in our Souls a continued death unto sin sincere and unfeigned till we are risen again to the other Diviner life to live unto Godliness as he rose again to live unto God He descended into Hell the third day he rose again from the dead Here began Christ's exaltation after his abasement and diminution His descent into Hell was the first part of his advancement As his body not separated from his Divinity rested in the Grave so his Soul united to his Divinity had something further to do He descended not to suffer but to conquer As he overcame the World on Earth Death in the Grave so he triumphed over Satan in Hell and within the Territories of his own Kingdom he went into Satans quarters and openly shewed him the Victory which by death he had gotten over him over death it self and over all the Powers of darkness However certain it is that he remained some time in the state of the dead his living Soul being separated from his dead body This Article of Christ's descent is as true as all the rest though perhaps not so capable as the rest of any binding interpretation to be put upon it Therefore we pass this part of the Article by and come to the latter part The third day he rose again from the dead that is within the space of less then seventy two hours and before his body saw corruption he rose again that flesh which he laid down in the Grave he by his own power raised up again from the Grave As his dying shewed his Humanity so his rising again declared his Divinity by which Resurrection of his not only his Godhead was demonstrated Rom. 1.4 but the all-sufficient Sacrifice of his death and passion for sin was fully evidenced and declared for had there remained but one sin unsatisfied for which he came to make satisfaction for that one sin might have kept him from rising The Resurrection of Christ shewed that a full satisfaction was made for sin by his death 1 Cor. 15.17 Again Christ's Resurrection is the ground of ours as Adam brought death into the world to kill us so Christ brought Resurrection into the world to give us life 1 Cor. 15.22 Christ is risen as the Head we shall follow as the Members Christ is risen as the First-fruits we shall follow as the Harvest Again the Resurrection of Christ is a proof of our Justification before God for he is to be considered as a publick person both in his Death and in his Resurrection Rom. 4.25 Lastly his Resurrection from the Grave should mind us of our Resurrection from sin which brought him to it Our actual rising to new life is as necessary as mortification as Christ rose from the dead to dye no more so we being dead to sin should rise to newness of life and live unto God Rom. 6.10 11. As he after
his Resurrection appeared unto men so should we and walk exemplarily before them in heavenly living We should continue in a sanctified state of perseverance in Godly living till by Gods mercy we are taken up to bliss We should depend upon Christ for our Justification and Sanctification which are both of the effects of his rising We should also hasten our Resurrection as he did his and not so immerse our selves with sorrow and humiliation the Grave of mortified Souls as to hinder any actions and vital performances of the new and regenerate life As Christ dyed and as we are baptized into the death of Christ so we are to beg of God for his grace that we may continually mortifie our corrupt affections and being buried with him may pass through the grave and gate of death to our joyful Resurrection He ascended into Heaven and fitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty that is after his Resurrection when he had made his appearance several times to his Apostles to confirm them in the truth of it whom he had chosen for the publication of it unto the world after he had given them many sure proofs and evidences that he was risen after he had talked with them about the affairs of his Church which should be planted and governed by them and of many things concerning the Gospel and his Kingdom and how both his friends and his enemies should be dealt withall after he had eaten and drank and familiarly conversed with them thereby to give them all possible assurance of the truth of his Resurrection of his Power and Godhead and that he was indeed the undoubted Messias after that he had instructed them to tarry at Jerusalem to wait for the coming down of the Holy Ghost and how to prepare themselves for his reception after he had reproved them for their curiosity and shewn their vanity in expecting a Kingdom which he never intended to set up then in the presence and sight of them all he was taken up by Angels from the earth in a bright shining cloud which inclosed him so that they could see him no more Act. 1.2 3 4 5 6 7 8. He carried up our nature which he had assumed in which he suffered and which he had raised out of the Grave up on high above all Heavens Ephes 4.10 offer'd it up to the Father as an acceptable oblation who placed it on a glorious Throne at his right hand And as he descended on purpose to do us good to bestow and scatter his graces amongst us so he ascended also upon a good design for us that he might send down the Holy Ghost upon his Apostles and by that means supply all our wants and do what was necessary to be done for the planting and governing of his Church The place he ascended from was Mount Olivet the place he ascended to was the highest Heavens The time of his Ascension was sourty days after his Resurrection the truth of it appears from the evidence of those who saw it and are able to give a good testimony of it the manner of it was glorious and the end of it hugely advantageous and beneficial to us But the practical Use which we are to make of Christ's Ascension and Session at the Father's right hand is this 1. As we believe that he is ascended into the Heavens corporally so we are spiritually in hearts and minds to ascend after him and to dwell continually with him in Divine meditations carrying heavenly minds in earthly bodies seeking minding savouring things above at the right hand of God where Christ sits Colos 3.1 where Christ our treasure is there should our hearts be also 2. Seeing he hath withdrawn his corporal presence we are to content our selves with his spiritual not to hang on his bodily presence the presence of his Manhood as it was visible to the eye but to acquiesce in his spiritual presence the presence of his Godhead and the presence of his Manhood too united to his Godhead yet no otherwise present then spiritually and by Faith for though his Godhead be every where yet his Manhood in a corporeal and natural sense cannot be every where but only where it is placed at the right hand of God Let us spiritually see him ascending cordially believe in him absent wait and hope with patience for his coming again and by his secret mercy feel and enjoy him spiritually present with us And seeing he sits at Gods right hand and is exalted with great triumph into his kingdom in Heaven whereby is noted his Reign and his being invested with all power in the union of his Regal and Priestly Office by virtue of which he gives commands to his Church intercedes with God for his Church and that so powerfully as actually to bestow that grace and pardon which he intercedes for making continual Intercession with God who is his Father and ours This should teach us to give up our selves obediently to be ruled by him in all his holy institutions and commands and to be guided by all those whom he hath placed in his Church under him to rule over us This should also teach us to depend upon his Intercession to offer up all our prayers and praises to God in and through him only This should teach us to be in a readiness to receive all Grace that shall flow from him and to make the holiest use and best advantage of it Lastly This should teach us to have recourse to him in all temptations and to persevere in despight of all assaults to the contrary to have our eye upon him in all that ever we do to improve those Talents well which he bestows upon us for as he is gone to Heaven he will return again from Heaven to judge the world From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead The very same Jesus Christ who is gone up to Heaven in glorious manner shall come one day from Heaven again in as glorious a manner to judge us Act. 1.11 His going up to Heaven was not an absolute departing from us only he went to take possession of that Kingdom of his which he shall exercise to the end of the world and then he shall return again to judge all men without respect of persons all that are dead and all that shall then be found alive all Nations of men in their order and every man of every Nation shall give up their accounts to him and shall receive according to what they have done in the flesh be it good or bad To those who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honour and immortality shall be given the reward of eternal life but to those who are contentious and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness the retribution shall be indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish shall be upon every Soul of man that doth evil but glory honour and peace to every man that worketh good Rom. 2.7 8 9 10. Now the
next that we should in the most chearful posture which is standing exhibit to God our Lands and Praises for all those blessings which he hath most graciously conferred upon us which Praises of God cannot be better set forth than in the Book of Psalms which his own Spirit hath endited which once made up a great part of the Jewish Service and which Christ himself consecrated by his and the Apostles use of them to bear a part in Christian Assemblies Wherein we are to consider 1. Whom we are to praise The Lord. 2. How we are to do it joyntly with voices of Psalmodists and joyful hearts Let us sing let us heartily rejoyce 3. Why we are to do it Because he is the strength of our Salvation our mighty Saviour and deliverer ready to supply all our needs to help us in all our dangers and distresses and can and will succour us if we relie upon him when we are most destitute O come therefore let us sing unto the Lord let us heartily rejoyce in the strength of our salvation Psal 95.1 which Psalm hath been used by the Church of God in all ages for an Introit Psalm to put us in mind how we should praise and glorifie God Now as we invite our selves by this Psalm to give glory to God so it is meet and convenient that at the end of every Psalm we should actually do it saying Glory be to God the Father our Maker to God the Son our Redeemer to God the Holy Ghost our Sanctifier as it hath been the ancient use in all Christian Assemblies Seventhly Having offered up our Lands and Praises to God in a most solemn manner whereby we may not only instruct our selves but edifie Gods glory then to give a kind of rest to our devotions that they tire not it follows in due and proper place that we should with all devout diligence sober serious and grave attention give up our selves to the hearing of Holy Scriptures distinctly and orderly read out of both the Testaments For as it was once the practice of the Jews in their publick Service to have one Lesson read out of the writings of Moses and another out of the other Prophets that the people might see the Harmony and agreement betwixt Moses and the rest so the like use and practice hath been observed by Christians in their publick Assemblies to have one Lesson read out of the Old Testament and another out of the New only a Hymn used betwixt both to take off from the tediousness and to make the Service the more recreative that people may be able to see the Harmony of both the Testaments to discern one God one Christ and one Spirit in both and how the Old Testament carries the New along with it in the same bottom that both aim at one and the same great design to make men first holy and then happy And this reading of Scripture hath been in ancient times esteemed Preaching as appears Act. 15.21 where it is said That Moses of old time had in every City them that preached him being read in the Synagogue every Sabbath-day There are indeed other ways of preaching besides this Dilating upon a Text of Scripture is preaching Catechizing is preaching Expounding is preaching yet this hinders not but bare reading of the Text may be preaching also and may for ought I know edifie as well as any Gloss made upon it â—or can we imagine that a set speech of any man made upon a Text of Scripture taken at all adventure though it may set an edge upon somâ— hearers devotion should yet edifie more than the Text it self or adde any efficacy to that Certainly the Sermons of Moses and the Prophets of Christ and his Apostles being often heard with attention and devotion as they are often read may instruct as much as any set speech delivered by men of meaner gifts which may be as soon forgotten as it is spoken and may be oft-times more obscure too than the Text which it endeavours to explain This is not spoken to detract from solid and seasonable preaching but only to vindicate the Word read from that scorn which too many put upon it in these evil days Eighthly Having devoutly heard the Word of God and by often hearing of it been well grounded and instructed in those points of Faith which are necessarily to be believed by all who seek for salvation by Jesus Christ the anointed Saviour which points of Faith are briefly summed up in the Apostles Creed and only enlarged by way of explication in the Nicene and Athanasian it follows next in very good order that we should in a posture of resolution which is a standing posture make publick and joynt Confession of that Faith with our mouths which we believe in our hearts to shew that we dare own it in the face of all the world and are not ashamed of it Wherein we confess to believe That there is one God maker of all things one Christ redeemer of mankind one Holy Spirit sanctifier of the elect people of God which people are an holy society or Church Catholick dispersed over the world and a Communion of Saints firmly united by all the communications of love and charity acted by the same Spirit governed by the same Laws leading holy and pure lives having all the same hopes to have their sins pardoned their bodies raised from death to life again and souls and bodies both re-united and crowned with glory in an immortal and endless life This is the summe of our Faith which we are to make Confession of after the hearing of the Word Because Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Rom. 10.17 Ninthly Having thus far proceeded in the publick Service both for Morning and Evening in a right and due order it is meet in the close of all when we have first prepared and fitted our selves by some quickning reciprocal Responds that we summe up either in Litanies universal Collects or Collects apart all that we are to pray unto God for or to praise him for in publick Assemblies Now all will come under the heads mentioned 1 Tim. 2. vers 1 2. which Text seems to be a platform according to which the publick Service fitted for Christian Assemblies was first framed up wherein we meet with 1. Supplications for the averting of all hurtful things from us sins and dangers that God would turn us from the evil of sin by Grace and turn from us the evil of punishment by Mercy 2. Prayers for the obtaining of all good things which we want for our souls and bodies for our souls pardon of sins past and grace to forsake sin for the future for our bodies all things needful and convenient for us whilst we live here what God knows best for us in order to advance his glory to promote the good of others and the salvation of our own souls 3. Intercessions for others for all mankind for all Governours secular and spiritual that they
compendious for phrase and words so sweet for order in all respects so perfect and absolute we give it the most place in our publick devotions sometimes begin with it to guide our prayers and sometimes conclude with it to compleat and perfect them Wherever Christian Religion is professed this prayer is used as one of the principal and most material duties of honour done to Jesus Christ The often repeating of it cannot bring it within the compass of that vain repetition which our Saviour condemned Mat. 6.7 for repetition is then only vain when words are often repeated being directed neither with reason of Art nor with zeal and devotion of heart nor with any supposal of a justly implyed necessity all which most certainly may meet in the use of this prayer how frequently soever we make use of it For because we cannot pray as we ought there is a kind of necessity for us to use it to supply our defects and that with art and zeal we hope sufficient Again seeing we have an Advocate with the Father interceding continually for sinners when we seek for pardon of our sins at Gods hand we cannot do better then alledge unto God the words which our Advocate hath taught us seeing he hath promised that shall be granted which we ask in his name we may be confident that will not be denied which we ask in his name and words When in our prayers we speak unto the Father in the Sons own prescribed form of words we may be sure that we utter nothing which God will either disallow or deny The Minister is to begin this prayer with an audible voice and the people all kneeling are to repeat it orderly after him for these supposed reasons 1. That people ignorantly educated may learn it and be instructed in it 2. To shew what an esteem we ought to have for it and for Christ our Lord and Saviour who was the Author of it and for Christianity it self and the Christian Service wherein all of us are to bear a part But that people may say this prayer understandingly I shall add this plain Paraphrase upon it OVr Father which art in heaven O holy Father ours by creation education instruction compassion and adoption who remainest gloriously on thy throne in Heaven where thou art praised and glorified by the holy Angels and blessed Souls of thy departed Saints and Servants where thou reignest in unspeakable glory and art perfectly obeyed Hallowed be thy name be pleased by thy grace poured into our hearts and the hearts of all men and by the dispensation of thy gracious providence to work all our hearts to such a reverence awe and separate respect unto thee thy Majesty thy Attributes thy works of Grace thy Name thy Word thy holy days thy holy places thy holy Ministers thy holy Patrimony devolved from thee upon them for the maintenance of thy holy Service that the sins of Sacriledge Prophaness Idolatry Heathenism Atheism irreverence and indevotion may be turned out of the world and the contrary vertues of Christian piety reverence and devotion may be set up and flourish amongst us Thy kingdom come by thy grace inspired into our hearts and the hearts of all men and by thy blessed disposal of all things here below weaken the power of the Adversary give check to the malice of all opposers and so begin to set up thy kingdom immediately in our hearts that it may by degrees of flourishing daily increase and that all other things which are in thy purpose may be so orderly computed till at last this mortal compounded kingdom which hath so much mixture of rebellion sin and infirmity in it may be turned into a kingdom of perfect holiness and immortality Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven So inspire thy grace into all our hearts so direct us by thy providence and assist us to performance that we may obey thee in all thy commands here on Earth willingly readily chearfully speedily impartially sincerely without indulging our selves to any kind of sin in the omission of any part of duty as thy holy Angels obey thy commands in Heaven doing all things promptly and readily which thou commandest them without the neglect of any part of duty Give us this day our daily bread Give us day by day this present day and for the remainder of our lives all the necessaries of life whatever is agreeable and fit for our subsistence and being and suitable to our conditions taken with all circumstances food convenient for us Give us also thy Grace the food of our Souls in that measure day by day which may suffice for the remainder of our warfare here and give us all bodily sustenance which we can possibly want or stand in need of assist and uphold us in all our wants for we referr the care thereof to thee who carest for us And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us Pardon all our offences committed against thee punish not on us those sins whereby we have offended and provoked thee to punish us and that we may be capable of thy remission bestow upon us we pray thee that necessary qualification of freely pardoning all those who by any injuries done to us are become our debtors and might justly in strict Law be by us prosecuted unto punishment And lead us not into temptation Suffer us not to be brought into any temptation or snare suffer us not to be intangled in any dangers or difficulties which may not be easily supported by us may no allurement of pleasure or profit no determent of danger of evil cause or occasion us to fall into any sin when at any time we are tempted which may be the lot of the best men do not thou leave us nor withdraw thy grace from us nor so deliver us up in time of temptation as to leave us unable to extricate our selves and to be overcome and swallowed up by the temptation But deliver us from evil Give us a proportionate measure of strength and grace to bear up and to move under any temptation or pressure how heavy soever it may be temper the temptation to our strength and permit not the assault to be too heavy for us Deliver us from Satan who is the artificer designer and improver of temptations deliver us from the temptations themselves which come from our own lusts the world or the enemies of true piety that we may not be overcome by any of them nor drawn into sin For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory for ever and ever Amen For it is thy due to have dominion over the world therefore we resign up our souls for thee to reign in them as the sole Prince and Monarch of them Thou art Omnipotent and All-sufficient the fountain of all that grace and strength which we beg for therefore we relie upon thee for all that is necessary for this life and the other The thanks honour and glory of
if we perform our parts God in Christ will never fail in his To pray to God in Christ daily for his mercy to continue in the most melting state of humility and meekness always remembring that all the good we do or can attain to in this life or the next is not to be imputed to us or to any thing in us but is wholly to be acknowledged the purchase of Christ who hath by his passion and sufferings alone delivered us from the punishment of our sins which punishment is the deprivation of Gods grace here and of the vision of God hereafter For all the strength which any Christian hath to resist any sin is but a consequent of Gods being reconciled to us in Christ and for his sake not imputing to us our trespasses The Resurrection of the body That is I believe that this flesh of ours which by the curse of God inflicted on sin goes down to the Grave shall most certainly be raised again out of the Grave though it be the punishment of all mankind by reason of Adam's fall to be mortal and to dye yet this punishment is removed and allayed by Christ in respect of all his faithful Servants the bitter and noxious part of death is taken away so far as concerns them the sting of death is plucked out and the Grave is turned into a place of repose and rest where their bodies shall sleep until they are awakened unto bliss That power which raised up Jesus will raise up us also God who fetched all out of nothing by his word can by the last Trump call all of us out of the dust and restore our bodies again to us however they may be changed or transmuted Christ is risen as the First-fruits the heap will follow Christ is risen as the Head the body will follow and if it should not be so our bodies which are both the instruments and co-partners of all sin and of all righteous actions and sufferings would be left unpunished and unrewarded Now the belief of the Resurrection of the body should teach us to keep our bodies in a rising condition not by uncleanness drunkeness worldly-mindedness or floth to nail our hearts and to fasten our affections to the Earth but by purity sobriety heavenly-mindedness and an holy industry to fit our bodies for that Heavenly and Divine condition to which after the Grave we hope to be advanced And to pray to God for this perfection and bliss not only for our selves but for all others who are already entred into Gods rest that souls and bodies joyned may dwell together in the heavenly and endless life of bliss and glory And the life everlasting This is the chief good and last end which we gain by being in the Church and true Members of it Life everlasting all men on earth have life but it is not everlasting life the damned in Hell shall have that which is everlasting but it shall be death rather then life for they shall be tyed perpetually unto torments only the true Members of the Church shall attain to life everlasting an inheritance purchased for them by Christ and yet is it also notwithstanding that purchase Gods free donation if we begin with God and continue Members of his Church this will be our end Everlasting life The life we lead here is finite short and feeble but the life which shall follow the Resurrection of the body will be infinite everlasting an endless state in endless bliss to every true penitent believer and of endless woe to all contumacious provokers How should this teach us seriously to weigh and soberly to consider these two distant states and to be careful not to forfeit our interest in the one nor for a little transitory joy honour and gain or ease for a few minutes here to incur the danger of the other How should this teach us so to use and improve that moment of life which we have here that it may be made a foundation of Eternity God hath set before us life and death and seems to have left either of them too to our own option and choice And if it be so then if we will not accept of the terms and conditions upon which life is offered us we must of necessity for our despising life fall into death Certainly men as men were neither created nor decreed absolutely to Heaven or Hell for Heaven is our crown not our fate our reward not our destiny so neither is Hell our fate or destiny but our punishment God who made us rational men provided also for us rational rewards and rational punishments so that if we miss of Heaven happiness and bliss and Hell become our portion it will be for our own default it must be our own wretched contempt which deprives us of the one and brings us to the other There is an Eternity of joy to be had upon a very rational and easie obedience and an Eternity of misery belongs only to those who fall in love with those things which will inevitably make them miserable God made not death for man but he created Paradise for him the everlasting fire was prepared first for the Devil and his Angels and ungodly men by their own words and works made it to become their portion they did as it were commit a Riot upon Hell and invade Lucifer's peculiar And it is a sad thing to consider how foolish men will strive more vehemently for a sad portion in the burning Lake and endure more for Hell then for Heaven take more pains for Eternal death then for Everlasting life Now although all is true which is expresly contained in the Creed and we may say Amen give our free and full assent to the truth and certainty of it and that there is an Everlasting life is as true as any Article in the Creed beside yet it is to be presumed that there are two sorts of wicked men who shall never come to this life everlasting 1. Wicked Infidels who believe contrary to the Faith of Christ 2. Wicked Believers who live contrary to it They who would have life everlasting must have it upon those terms and conditions upon which it is offered that is not only upon the condition of a sound Faith but also of a sincere obedience as it is written If thou wilt enter into life keep the commandments Mat. 19.17 RUBRICK And after that these Prayers following all devoutly kneeling the Minister first pronouncing with a loud voice The Lord be with you Ruth 2.4 Answer And with thy Spirit 2 Tim. 4.22 Minister Let us pray Psal 95.6 Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Luk. 18.13 Mat. 15.22 Mark 10.47 48. Psal 123.3 EXPLANATION The forementioned Prayers delivered in the very Scripture phrase are Christian Salutations very well becoming the people of God and passing reciprocally betwixt Priest and People The like in ordinary use among us are God save you God speed you God bless you