The Faith of the Church of England, Chapter 5 – Chapter 6
CHAP. V. Of the giving of internall grace to men.
THoſe places that affirme, that God gives grace, as faith and repentance and the like, prove that God doth more then perſwade externally, or give ſome power, that men may beleeve or repent, becauſe they ſay, that God gives the things themſelves. God is not the giver of that which we attain to only by his perſwaſion, nor chiefly to be commended for it, but he that attains to it: as on the contrary, the devill was not the authour of Adams ſinne, nor chiefly to be condemned for it, becauſe he did but perſwade him to it, Adams own will did it, and himſelf was moſt to be blamed for it. So in all Logick and Law the actour is the principall, the Counſellers are inſtruments and acceſſaries. And Kings were ever held above their Councell, and more praiſe worthy for doing well, then they for adviſing. Now that God gives us thoſe graces, let us heare out of the Records.
Lord from whom all good things doe come.Collect. 5. Sunday af-Eaſter. Collect. 7. Sunday after Trinity. Sunday 23. Prayer. 1. in Matrim. Lords prayer by D. Cox
Lord which art the author and giver of all good things.
God the author of all godlineſſe.
O eternall God giver of all ſpirituall grace the author of everlaſting life.
Thine Holy Ghoſt into us poure with all his gifts moſt plenteouſly.
See more to the ſame purpoſe in the Homily for Rogation weeke, Part. 1.2.3. Now. Cat. queſt. 249.
O God from whom all holy deſires, Even. pray. Coll. 2.all good counſailes, and all juſt works doe proceed.
That it may pleaſe thee to endue the Lords of the Councell, and all the Nobility with grace.The Letany The Letany Alſo, Coll. 13. after Trin.
That it may pleaſe thee to give to all thy people encreaſe of grace to heare meekely thy word, and to receive it with pure affection, and to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit.
Thou in thy gifts art manifold,Come holy Ghoſt eternall God.
whereby Chriſts Church doth ſtand:
In faithfull hearts writing thy law,
the finger of Gods hand.
Wee beſeech him to grant us true repentance.Abſolution. Short prayafter the Creede. Coll. Quin. ſunday. Coll. 7. ſun. after Trin. Prayer for Church mil. Reaſon 2. of Confirm.
Indue thy Miniſters with righteouſneſſe.
Send thy Holy Ghoſt, and poure into our hearts that moſt excellent gift of charity.
Graffe in our hearts the love of thy name.
Inſpire continually the univerſall Church with the Spirit of truth, unity and concord.
Confirmation is miniſtred to them, that be baptiſed, that by impoſition of hands, and prayer they may receive ſtrength, and defence againſt all temptations to ſinne, and the aſſaults of the world and the devill.
Arme and make ſtrong thy feeble hoaſt,Lords pray. by D. Coxe.
with faith, and with the Holy Ghoſt.
Every good and heavenly gift, as faith, hope, Hom. of faſt Part. 2.charity, cometh onelyonly, and ſolely of God.
God give us grace to follow Chriſts example in peace and charity, in patience and ſufferance.Paſs. Ser. 1.
Thou haſt received Chriſts body to have within Reſur. ſerm.thee the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy Ghoſt for to dwell with thee, to endow thee with grace to ſtreng then thee againſt thine enemies.
By the aſſiſtance of Gods holy Spirit we be repleniſhed with all righteouſneſſe, In the ſame place.by his power we are able to ſubdue all our evill affections.
God is preſent in his choſen all whole in Majeſtie together with all his power, In the ſame place.wiſdome, and goodnes.
From God as from a giver, In the ſame place. Hom. for Whitſunday.come theſe graces and gifts, kindneſſe, meekneſſe, patience.
Some men will ſay, How ſhall I know, that the Holy Ghoſt is within me? As the tree is knowne by the fruit, ſo is alſo the Holy Ghoſt.
The fruits of the Holy Ghoſt are love, Part. 1.joy, peace, long ſuffering, gentleneſſe, goodneſſe, faithfulneſſe, meekneſſe, temperance.
Of our ſelves we be crabbe-trees, Hom. of mans miſery. Part. 2.that can bring forth no apples. We be of our ſelves of ſuch earth, as can but bring forth weeds, nettles, brambles, bryers, cockle and darnell. Our fruits be declared, Gal. 5. We have neither faith, charity, hope, patience, chaſtity, nor any thing elſe that good is, but of God, and therefore theſe vertues be called there the fruits of the Holy Ghoſt, and not the fruits of man.
We ought firſt to crave things that properly belong to the ſalvation of the ſoule, Hom. of prayer. Part. 3.as the gift of repentance, the gift of faith, the gift of charity and good works, patience, lowlineſſe, hope, joy, love, peace, which things God requireth of all thoſe that profeſſe themſelves his children.
This holy company (of Saints in heaven) confeſſeth conſtantly, Rogat. ſerm. Part. 1.that all the goods and graces, wherewith with they were endued in ſoule, came of the goodnes of God onelyonly. It is meet therefore to thinke, that all ſpirituall goodneſſe cometh from God above onelyonly.
We muſt needs agree, In the ſame place.that whatſoever good thing is in us of grace, nature or fortune, is of God onelyonly, as the onelyonly author and worker.
Let us confeſſe that of our ſelves cometh all evill and damnation, Hom. of mans miſery. Part. 2. Rogat. ſerm. Part. 2.and of God all goodneſſe and ſalvation.
If we confeſſe that all grace of the ſoule is of God, and is his gift onelyonly, it will teach us to thank God for them: it will abate our pride, when we perceive, that nothing comes of our ſelves, but ſinne and vice: it will keepe us from deſpiſing ſuch as have fewer gifts: it will make us to have recourſe to God for all grace.
CHAP. VI. Of the receiving of grace.
IF by another ſpeciall grace of God, we doe receive the grace and favour, that God offers us in his holy word, then there is no queſtion, but God doth worke effectually, where he doth regenerate. Let us therefore heare, what the Church teacheth us in that behalfe.
ALmighty God give us the grace, Coll. Sund. 2. after Eaſter. Coll. S. Andrews day.that we may alwayes moſt thankfully receive that his ineſtimable benefit, to wit, of the death of Chriſt.
Almighty God which didſt give ſuch grace unto thy holy Apoſtle S. Andrew, that he readily obeyed the calling of thy Sonne Jeſus Chriſt, and followed him without delay: grant unto us all, that we being called by thy holy word, may forthwith give over our ſelves obediently to follow thy holy commandements through the ſame Jeſus Chriſt our Lord.
Grant us grace to follow thy ſonne Jeſus Chriſt.Coll. S. Matthews day. Prayer for Church militant. Prayer 3. in Confirm.
To all thy people give thy heavenly grace, and ſpecially to this congregation here preſent, that with meek heart and due reverence they may heare and receive thy holy word.
Let thy fatherly hand we beſeech thee, ever be over theſe children, let thy holy Spirit ever be with them, and ſo lead them in the knowledge and obedience of thy word, that in the end they may obtaine the everlaſting life.
Send thy heavenly bleſſing ſo upon theſe thy miniſters, Prayer laſt in ord. of Prieſts.that thy word ſpoken by their mouthes may have ſuch ſucceſſe, that it may never be ſpoken in vaine. Grant alſo that we may have grace to heare and receive the ſame, as thy moſt holy word.
By faith given us of God we imbrace the promiſe of Gods mercy, Serm. of Salvation. Part. 3. Hom. for Whitſunday. Part. 1.and of the remiſſion of our ſinnes.
Let us humbly beſeech God ſo to worke in our hearts by the power of his holy Spirit, that we being regenerate and newly borne againe in all goodneſſe, righteouſneſſe, ſobriety, and truth, may in the end obtaine eternall life.
God of his great mercy ſo work in all mens hearts by the mighty power of the Holy Ghoſt, Part. 2.that the Goſpell may be truely preached, truely received, and truely followed in all places.
By the worke of the Holy Ghoſt we receive this grace of God, whereunto we are reſtored.Now. Cat. queſt. 149.