Immagini della pagina
PDF
ePub

of eternal mercy hath been set apart as the great High Priest of his Church, to bear the iniquity, even of the holy things of its members.

They are persuaded that they have a great cloud of witnesses to prove that the faith once delivered by our Lord to his Apostles, and by them to their successors, is essentially that of the Church of England. For this faith it is alike their privilege and obligation to contend, in that spirit of charity which becomes a believer in Jesus. Their weapons, also, are not carnal, but mighty through God, to the pulling down of strong holds. Yet can they achieve no triumph, but as He, in whose cause they fight, may bless them with his help. They intreat, therefore, the reader's prayer in their behalf; that while they have endeavoured to stand forward in the cause of the Lord, He may pardon their sins, accept their services, and prosper their unworthy labours.

It is indeed to be lamented beyond the power of language to express, that any who bear the name of Christ should rest so grievously short of that virtue in his blood to atone for sin, and of that almightiness in his grace to sanctify from its power, which are recorded throughout the gospel, in cha

racters of light and love that seem too radiant to be mistaken. But the Saviour has declared that blasphemy against the Son of Man shall be forgiven.* Let us, therefore, hope and pray that He will yet have mercy on those who deny the Lord that bought them-that the veil which conceals His glory may be removed from their hearts-that they may believe with the Catholic Church, in every age and in every country, that Jesus is God as well as man and, in his two-fold nature as one Christ, entitled and enabled to fulfil the office of a Saviourt-that they may look on Him whom they have pierced by past infidelity, and cry to Him in the adoring faith of Peter,"We believe, and are sure, that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God."!

"O merciful God, who hast made all men, and hatest nothing that thou hast made, nor wouldest the death of a sinner, but rather that he should be converted, and live; have mercy upon all Jews, Turks, Infidels, and Heretics, and take from them all ignorance, hardness of heart, and contempt of thy word; and so fetch them home, blessed Lord,

* Dr. Burton's Testimonies, p. 489.

↑ Dr. Mac Bride's Lectures on the Diatessaron, p. 422.

to thy flock, that they may be saved among the remnant of the true Israelites, and be made one fold, under one Shepherd, Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.

COLLECT FOR GOOD FRIDAY.

All glory be unto the only God, the Eternal Power, Wisdom, Goodness, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, three Persons, and one God; Creator of all things, Redeemer of Mankind, Sanctifier of the elect, whose is the kingdom, and the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.*

* Leslie's Works, II. 400.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
« IndietroContinua »