"

she that brought forth the Man was really the Mother of God, and by her Cousin Elizabeth she is styled the Mother of her Lord; which Word Lord Luke i. 43. was accounted equivalent to the Word God... Q. But can the Divine Nature be born and suffer, and die, and be buried, and rise from the Grave?

A. No, it cannot; and so wild a Thought hath always been disclaimed by all orthodox Christians, with the utmost Abhorrence and Detestation. But this they have said, that he was God, that he was made of a Woman, who was seen and handled; who was arraigned, and condemned, and crucified, and afterwards laid in the Grave; not indeed in his Divine, but Human Nature; but it was one and the same Person which subsisted in both Natures. Q. What Instances are there in Scripture that justify the Manner of these Expressions?

A. John Baptist says, that he who cometh after me John i. was before me; which could not be true if affirmed 27, 30. of the same Nature, but yet was verified of the same Person. So St. Peter affirms that the Son of Man Mat. xvi. was the Christ, the Son of the living God. Christ avers 13, 16. of himself, that he was the Son of God, truly and properly, as his Words were understood by his Friends and Enemies. The Apostles still preached the same Doctrine, that the Church was purchased with the Blood of God: That the Man whom the Jews cruci- Acts xx. fied was the Lord of Glory: The same Lord who was 28. nailed to a Cross, was afterwards laid in the Graves. and arose from thence; and this Lord was God.

Q. It being sufficient as to the Mystery of the Incarnation, that when our Saviour was conceived and born, his Mother was a Virgin; what is reasonable to believe concerning her continuing in the same State of Virginity?

A. The peculiar Eminency and unparalleled Privilege of that Mother; the special Honour and Reverence due unto that Son, and ever paid by her; the Regard of that Holy Ghost that came upon her; the singular Goodness and Piety of Joseph, to whom

1 Cor. ii.

i

she was espoused; have persuaded the Church of God in all Ages to believe that she still continued in the same Virginity, and therefore is to be ac-. knowledged The Ever Virgin Mary.

Q. How ought we to reverence the blessed Virgin Mary?

A. By entertaining a great Opinion of her Virtue and Piety who had the great Honour of being the Mother of the Messiah. It being reasonable to believe that a Person chose for that Purpose was endowed with great Excellencies: And the rather because she maintained so lively a Sense of her own Unworthiness to receive so great an Honour, and when she was advanced to be the Mother of the World's Saviour, seeks no greater Title than to be Luke i. 38. styled Handmaid of the Lord: But not to invocate her; because we are directed in Scripture to offer up all our Prayers in the Name, and through the Mediation, of Jesus Christ only; besides, the Church of God, in the three first Ages, maketh no Mention of it; neither are there any Footsteps of that Practice to be found among them.

Q. What may we learn from the Observation of this Festival?

A. To admire and adore the great Goodness of God manifested in the Incarnation of the eternal Word; thereby shewing that he thought nothing too great nor too dear to part with for our Sakes; and the wonderful Humility and Condescension of our Saviour, who stooped so low when he undertook the Work of our Redemption. To express great Modesty and Confusion when we meet with the Praises and Applause of the best Men, from a true Sense of our own Unworthiness, and by Silence and Fear to guard ourselves from Vanity. To endeavour to answer the Design of our Saviour's being made Man, that we might become like unto God, and be made Partakers of the Divine Nature; and that Christ might be formed in us, and that we might put on the Lord Jesus Christ; by making no Pro

vision for the Flesh to fulfil the Lusts thereof: That as he was pleased to be united to our Nature, so we may make it the great Care and Business of our Lives to be really and spiritually united to him. Q. How are Christians united to Christ?

A. This Union is formed by Baptism, when they are made Members of Christ's mystical Body, the Church, whereof he is the Head, and wherein they profess to believe what he hath revealed, and to perform what he hath commanded, and engage to govern their Lives by that Gospel he hath published to the World. And all the Metaphors in Scripture that describe this Relation, plainly refer to their being Members of the Christian Church. Now this Union is farther maintained by preserving Communion with the Church, in Prayers, and in the Sacrament, and by living in a regular Subjection to, and strict Union with, our spiritual Governors the Bishops and Presbyters, Christ's Representatives here upon Earth.

Q. Doth this outward and visible Profession convey to us all the Privileges of being Members of Christ?

A. By being made Members of the Christian Church, we are in some Measure entitled to all those Privileges that are derived from Christ our Head; but yet we can never be made effectually Partakers of them except we perform those Conditions, upon which those great Blessings were promised: we must be true to our Baptismal Covenant, we must renounce all Sins, which are the Works of the Devil, and those false and corrupt Maxims which govern the World, and mortify the sinful Lusts of the Flesh; we must subject our Understandings to the Obedience of Faith, and keep God's holy Will and Commandments, and walk in the same all the Days of our Lives, if ever we pretend to be really united to our Saviour, and expect the Benefit of such a spiritual Relation.

Q. What are the great Privileges that result from this Union, from our being living Members of Christ's mystical Body?

141

For the
Benefit of

Christ's
Death.

Praise for the Incarnation.

A. The gracious Promises of Pardon and Forgiveness of Sin upon our true Repentance, the Assistance of God's blessed Spirit, and the Influences of his Grace, to enable us to work out our Salvation. The Benefit of Christ's Intercession in Heaven, where he is an Advocate for us with the Father. A Share in all those Promises of Care and Protection made to the Church; and, to encourage our Perseverance, an Inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away. For though all Mankind are in the Hands of God's unlimited Goodness, yet his covenanted Mercies are the peculiar Lot and Portion of Christians, the Members of Christ's mystical Body.

THE PRAYERS.

I.

I BESEECH thee, O Lord, pour thy Grace into my

Heart, that, as I have known the Incarnation of thy Son Jesus Christ by the Message of an Angel, so by his Cross and Passion I may be brought unto the Glory of his Resurrection through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.,

II.

I
DESIRE, O Lord, to bless and praise thy infinite
Goodness, which took Compassion upon Mankind
in its greatest Misery; and hath provided so ad-
mirable a Remedy, by sending thy only-begotten
Son into the World to recover our corrupt and de-
generate Nature; and by the Purity of his Doctrine,
the Example of his Life, and the Sacrifice of his
Death, to purchase eternal Happiness for us, and
to direct and lead us into the Way to it. All Glory
be to our great Redeemer and Saviour; who came
down from Heaven that he might carry us thither,
and took human Nature upon him, that we there-
by might be made Partakers of a divine Nature;

and humbled himself to Death, even the Death of the Cross, that he might exalt us to Glory and Honour. Unto him that was as upon this Day incarnate, to our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath loved us, and taken our Nature upon him, and hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father; to him be Honour and Praise, Dominion and Power, now and for ever. Amen.

III.

the blessed

GRANT, O Lord, by the Assistance of thy For ImiGrace, that I may most heartily comply with those tation of great Things which thou hast done and designed Virgin. for my Salvation: Teach me readily to obey thee as the Angels do in Heaven: Give me Purity and Piety, Prudence and Modesty, those Virtues which made the blessed Virgin so highly favoured: That my Employment may be always holy, that my Affections may not be set upon this World; that as much as my Condition of Life will bear, I may frequently retire both from the Business and Enjoyments of it: That by Prayer and Meditation I may have my Conversation above: That by believing the Gospel of Christ, I may entertain him in my Heart, and by Obedience to his Laws publish him to the World: That he may dwell in me for ever, and that I may dwell with him above, in Mansions of Glory to all Eternity. Amen.

CHAP. XV.

EASTER SUNDAY.-A MOVEABLE FEAST.

Q. WHAT Festival doth the Church this Day observe?

A. The great Festival of the Anniversary Com memoration of our Saviour's Resurrection, which, for its Antiquity and Excellency, challenges the Precedence of all other Festivals.