Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

the great globe, and, Alexander like, cry and. weep, not, being Lord of the univerfe, O the mifery of our littlenefs; a truly great foul knows not where to fix boundaries to his greatnelles.

i

L Bor. The power, authenticity and confirmation of the facrament of Priefhood is farther explained and enlarged on in the eighth chapter of Acts, when Philip, the Deacon, went to Samaria, many were converted and were baptized by him but he, not receiving the facrament of Priefthood, was not empowered to confer the Holy Ghoft. For when the Apofiles heard that Samaria bad received the word of God, they fent; to them. Peter and John, who when they were come, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghoft; for he was not as yet come upon them but they were only baptized. Then, they laid their hands upon them, and they re-, ceived the Holy Ghoit.

[ocr errors]

Mof. If Proteftants believe Chrifl to be God, himfelf in his own words and applications is full and convincing; and their effects produce full and ample confirmation of the facrament of Prjelihood.

I

"

Luth. I have never as yet confirmed, but I am refolved, when I arrive in Britain, all to fubmit that have arrived to a proper age, and to raife a fpiritual poll-tax, by which I fhall make a confiderable faving. For as the Apoftle obferves, If I give you my Spirituals, think you much to give me your Temporals? One Guinea per head cannot be thought out of the way, or be gain-faid. A large annual fum will bolster

my

my Treasury, which may prevent vice, lemhance my temporal emoluments, and their spiritual. Great bleffings.logge

1

[ocr errors]

Bey. The eighth chapter of the Acts goes on. And when Simon (the Magician) faw, that by the impofition of the hands of the Apoftles, the Holy Ghoft was given, he offered them money, faying: Give me alfo this power, that on whom foever ofball lay my hands, he may receive the Holy Ghoft. But Peter daid to him: Keep thy honey to thyfelf, to perish with thee becaufe thou haft thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou haft no part or lot in this matter, for thy heart is not right in the fight of God. Neal potis red of 2 Mof. That comes in a propós and feasonable to hiss Reverence's laft plot, which places him in the fhoes of Simom

Luth Proteftams, as appears in the cafe of Simon, and eighteen ages to our time, have confidered Peter as a bitter, meddling, arrogant, and daring adverfary. But my refolve is fixt So be it. Amen.

if

Boy. Second epiftle of St. Paul to Timothy, whom Paul had confecrated Bifhop of Ephefus. I admonish thee, that thou ftir up the grace of God, which is in thee, by the impofition of my bands.

Mof. This confirms the facrament to the Chrif tian Priesthood, according to Luther's CommonPrayer-Book. An outward and vifible fign, an inward and spiritual grace. Paul vifibly impofed redol y boli bu yechis

his hands, by which outward fign, Timothy receives the inward and fpiritual grace.

[ocr errors]

Luth. I hope you are fully fatisfied, that f have fully proved the facrament of Holy Order. or the Chriftian Priesthood. I am almoft out of all patience for to allay the avaritious convutfions of my hungry appetite. Be quick; or I shall never be able to bear up against it.

Boy. The facranient of. Matrimony, oun next, is fufficiently attefted, and proved by the Com mon-Prayer-Book of the Church of England, which is in your hands.

[ocr errors]

10 Mof. Here it is. At the day and time ap. pointed for folemnization of Matrimony, the perfons to be married fhall come into the body of the Church; and there ftanding, the man on the right, and woman on the left, the Priest hall fay, Dearly beloved, we are gathered together there in the fight of God, and in the face of this congregation, to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony, which is an honourable eftate, inflituted of God in the times of man's innocency, fignifying unto us the mystical union that is betwix: Chrift and his Church; which holy eftate Chrift adorned and beautified with his prefence and firft miracle that she wrought in Cana of Galilee, and is commanded by St. Paul to be honourable among all men; and therefore is not by any to be enterprized, nor taken in hand unadviledly, lightly, or wantonly, to fatisfy man's carnal lufts and appetites, like brute-beafts that have no understanding; but reverently, difcreetly, advisedly, foberly, and in the fear of God,

duly

daily confidering the causes for which Matrimony was ordained.

First, It was ordained for the procreation of children, to be brought up in the fear and nurture of the Lord, and to the praife of his holy name. Secondly, it was ordained for a remedy against fin, and to avoid fornication, that fuch perfons as have not the gift of continency, might marry, and keep themselves undefiled members of Chrift's body. Thirdly, it was ordained for the mutual fociety, help, and comfort that the one ought to have of the other, both in profperity and adverfity: into which holy eftate thele two perfons prefent come now to be joined.

The fecond caufe or motive, for which marriage was inftituted, is to avoid fin, and yet poffefs' the enjoyment and pleafure; what would be a matter of eternal reprobation to the parties without matrimony, with it becomes holy, pure, and spotless. This is the feal of the facra

ment.

The Prieft receiving the woman at her father, or friend's hands, fhall caufe the man with his right hand to take the woman by her right hand, and to fay after him, as follows:

ILuther take thee, Kate, to my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worfe, for richer for poorer, in ficknefs, and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's ordinance; and thereto I plight thee my troth.

[blocks in formation]

Then all they loose their hands, and the woman with her right hand taking the man by his right hand, fhall likewife fay after the Prieft:

I Kate take thee, Luther, to my wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better for worle, for richer for poorer, in fickness and in health, to love and cherifft, and obey, till death us do part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto give thee my troth.

Then fhall they again loofe their hands, and the man fhall give unto the woman a ring, laying the fame upon the book, with the accustomed duty to the Prieft, Clerk, &c. and the Prieft taking the ring. fhall deliver it unto the man, to put it upon the fourth finger of the woman's left band, and the man holding the ring there, and taught by the l'rieft, fhall fay:

With this ring I thee wed, and with my body thee worship, and with all my worldly goods I thee endow. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

Then the man leaving the ring upon the fourth finger of the woman's left hand, they fhall both kneel down, and the Priest fhall fay:

Let us pray.

O eternal God, Creator and Preferver of all mankind, Giver of all Ipiritual Grace, the Author of everlasting Life, fend. thy bleffing upon thefe thy fervants, this man.and this woman, whom we blefs in thy name; that as Ifaac and Rebecca.

« ZurückWeiter »