the death of a sinner, but rather that he should be converted and live; have mercy upon all' thy people, and take from us all ignorance, hardness of heart, and contempt of thy word; and so fetch us home, blessed Lord, to thy flock' of sincere disciples, 'that we may be saved among the remnant of the true Israelites, and be made one fold under one shepherd, Jesus Christ our Lord":' and, O God, forasmuch as without thee we are not able to please thee; mercifully grant that thy Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts, through Jesus Christ our Lord,' 'who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen P.'

SECTION III.

OF THE CHARACTER AND OFFICES OF JESUS CHRIST.

THE Almighty and everlasting God, of his tender love towards mankind, having sent his Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, to take upon Him our flesh, and to suffer death upon the cross :' it becomes us to consider the Character, Nature, and Offices of that Divine Person.

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'Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God,' the ' only begotten" and everlasting Son of the Father,' is God and man".' When He took upon him to deliver man, He did not abhor the Virgin's womb,' but, by the operation of the Holy Ghost,

n Third Collect for Good Friday.

• Collect, Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity.
P End of Third Collect for Good Friday.
q Collect, Sunday next before Easter.
Athanasian Creed.

• Collect for Christmas Day.

t Te Deum.

u Athanasian Creed.

* Te Deum.

was made very man, of the substance of the Virgin Mary, his Mother". Thus, He is God, of the substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds; and Man, of the substance of his Mother, born in the world". Nevertheless, He is 'perfect God, and perfect Man; of a reasonable soul, and human flesh subsisting: equal to the Father, as touching his Godhead; and inferior to the Father, as touching his Manhood.' Still, although He be God and man, yet He is not two, but one Christ:' and that, not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh, but by taking of the manhood into God; one altogether; not by confusion of substance, but by unity of person. For, as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man, so God and man is one Christ a*.'

It appears then, that, though He is God of God, Light of Light, Very God of very God";' yet He came to visit us in great humility,' and ' did humble himself, even to the death upon the cross, for us miserable sinners, who lay in darkness and the shadow of death, that He might make us the children of God, and exalt us to everlasting life ".' He suffered for our salvatione,' and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate'.' After he had thus suffered, he was buried ".' 'He descended

y Preface upon Christmas Day. Communion. z Athanasian Creed.

Athanasian Creed.

*The Son, which is the Word of the Father, begotten from everlasting of the Father, the very and eternal God, of one substance with the Father, took Man's nature in the womb of the blessed Virgin, of her substance; so that two whole and perfect natures, that is to say, the Godhead and manhood, were joined together in one Person, never to be divided, whereof is one Christ; very God, and very man.' Article 2. b Nicene Creed.

c Collect for First Sunday in Advent.

d Exhortation in Communion.

e Athanasian Creed.

f Nicene Creed.

Apostles' Creed.

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into hell";' and, the third day he rose again from the dead, according to the Scriptures.' Having first 'died for our sins, and' then 'risen again for our justification,' having 'overcome the sharpness of death, and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers1;'' He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty. And from thence He shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead;' after which his 'kingdom shall have no end "'

With respect to the various offices which he came to perform for our sakes:

6

S

6

He is the Saviour of the world, who, by his cross and precious blood, hath redeemed us". He is our Advocate and Mediator';' and our King of glory!' He is the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world.' He is the way, the truth, and the life';'' whereby alone men must be saved for there is none other name under heaven given to man, in whom, and through whom, we may receive health and salvation, but only the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!' for the offering of Christ once made is a perfect redemption, propitiation, and satisfaction, for all the sins of the whole world, both original and actual *; and there is none other satisfaction for sin, but that alone ".'

But not only was our Saviour' given to be unto

*Note.... and to be a sacrifice, not only for ORIGINAL guilt, but also for ACTUAL sins of men.'-Article 2.

u Article 31.

us a sacrifice for sin,' but also an ensample of godly life;' that, whilst we "always most thankfully receive that his inestimable benefit,' we may also daily endeavour ourselves to follow the blessed steps of his most holy life.' When He took upon him our flesh, and suffered death upon the cross;' it was, that all mankind should follow the example of his great humility".' When He was 'made to be circumcised, and obedient to the law for man;' it was, that we might aspire to the true circumcision of the Spirit; that, our hearts and all our members being mortified from all worldly and carnal lusts, we might in all things obey the blessed will a' of God. When He was 6 presented in the temple in substance of our flesh;' it was, to teach us that we should endeavour to be presented unto God with pure and clean hearts.' When He was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil, and make us the sons of God, and heirs of eternal life;' it was, 'that, having this hope, we might purify ourselves, even as He is pure; that, when he shall appear again with power and great glory, we may be made like unto him in his eternal and glorious kingdom .' When He did fast forty days and forty nights;' it was, to teach us to use such abstinence, that, our flesh being subdued to the spirit, we might ever obey his godly motions in righteousness and true holiness. And when He ascended into the heavens ;' it was, that we might also in heart and mind thither ascend, and with Him continually dwell.'

(Vide Part I. Section 6.)

y Collect, Second Sunday after Easter.
z Collect, Sunday next before Easter.

a Collect, Circumcisjon of Christ.
b Collect, The purification of St. Mary.
c Collect, Sixth Sunday after Epiphany.
d Collect, First Sunday in Lent.

e Collect, Ascension Day.

PRAYER.

'O God, the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy upon us miserable sinners. Remember not, Lord, our offences, nor the offences of our forefathers; neither take thou vengeance of our sins: spare us, good Lord, spare thy people, whom thou hast redeemed with thy most precious blood, and be not angry with us for ever. O Lord, shew thy mercy upon us, and grant us thy salvation ".' 'Thou art the King of glory, O Christ; thou art the everlasting Son of the Father. When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man, thou didst not abhor the Virgin's womb. When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death, thou didst open the kingdom of heaven to all believers. Thou sittest at the right hand of God in the glory of the Father. We believe that thou shalt come to be our Judge. We therefore pray thee, help thy servants, whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood;' and 'make them to be numbered with thy saints in glory everlasting. O Lord, save thy people, and bless thine heritage. Govern them, and lift them up for ever ".' 'Graciously hear us, O Christ; graciously hear us, O Lord Christi.' Amen.

SECTION IV.

OF THE CHARACTER AND OFFICES OF THE HOLY GHOST.

ALTHOUGH We have sinned,' and ' provoked most justly God's wrath and indignation against us',' yet, as has been shewn in the preceding Section, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ

f Litany.

h Te Deum.

k Commination.

g Sentences.

i Litany.

1 Confession. Commination.