Lamb without spot, who by sacrifice of himself 66 away the sins of the world;" of whom only it may be truly spoken, that he did all things well, and in his mouth was found no craft nor subtilty." None but he alone may say, "The prince of the world came, and in me he hath nothing.' And he alone may also say, "Which of you shall reprove me of any fault?" Hom. ii. 2. He being guiltless was condemned by the judge's sentence, that he might before the heavenly judgment-seat acquit and entirely restore us that were guilty, whose cause was convicted and condemned by the judgment of God. For if he had been murdered by thieves, or slain with sword by private men in an uproar or sedition, such death could have had no form of satisfaction and recompense. Nowell, p. 48. So pleasant was this sacrifice and oblation of his Son's death, which he so obediently and innocently suffered, that he would take it for the only and full amends for all the sins of the world. And such favour did he purchase by his death, of his heavenly Father, for us, that for the merit thereof, if we be true Christians indeed, and not in word only, we be now fully in God's grace again, and clearly discharged from our sin. Hom. Xxxv. 1. not be acceptable for you. Lev. xxii. 20. Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. John i. 29. Redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 1 Pet. i. 19. Judas said, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. Matt. xxvii. 4. Pilate took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it. Matt. xxvii. 24. Pilate said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? Í have found no cause of death in him. One of the malefactors said, This man hath done nothing amiss. The centurion said, Certainly this was a righteous man. Luke xxiii. 22, 41, 47. d He was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. 1 John iii. 5. God sending his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh. Rom. viii. 3. To finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity. Dan. ix. 24. Now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.-Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many. Heb. ix. 26, 28. Christ hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh. 1 Pet. iii. 18. You hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death. Col. i. 21, 22. Christ gave himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God. Eph. v. 2. Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree. 1 Pet. ii. 24. He is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John ii. 2. The Son of man gave his life a ransom for many. Matt. xx. 28. after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, for ever sat down on the right hand of God. Heb. x. 12. When he had by himself purged our sins. Heb. i. 3. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins. Eph, i, 7. Col. i. 14. The blood of Jesus Christ This man, once made, should take away the sins of the world and sin, as Saint John saith, was not in him. But all we the rest, although baptized, e They know that Christ (whom they trust upon) appeasing the wrath of his Father, their sins shall never be imputed any more unto them than if the same had never been committed. Nowell, p. 33. O Lord, the only-begotten Son Jesu Christ; O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Thou that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Thou that takest away the Com. Service. sins of the world, receive our prayer. Q. Is this holiness which thou dost attribute to the Church, already upright and in all points perfect? A. Not yet: for so long as we live a mortal life in this world, such is the feebleness and frailty of mankind, we are of too weak strength wholly to shun all kinds of vices. Therefore the holiness of the Church is not yet full and perfectly finished, but yet very well begun. But when it shall be fully joined to Christ, from whom she hath all her cleanness and pureness, then shall she be clothed with innocency and holiness in all points full and perfectly finished, as with a certain snowy white and most pure garment. Nowell, p. 65. So long as we live in this world, we are far from the perfection and full attaining of spiritual rest; and here is given us but a certain taste of that rest which we shall enjoy perfectly, fully, and most blessedly in the kingdom of God. Nowell, p. 19. There liveth no mortal man that doth not oft slip in doing his duty, and that doth not oft and grievously offend God. Nowell, p. 94. In very deed the life of all men, even of the devoutest and most Christian, both is, and evermore hath been, such, as one may always find some lack, even in the very best and purest conversation. Jewell. We do daily and hourly, by our wickedness and stubborn disobedience, horribly fall away from God; thereby purchasing unto ourselves-if he should deal with us according to his justice-eternal damnation. Hom. xxxii. 1. See also Article XIV. c. cleanseth us from all sin. 1 John i. 7. How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works. Heb. ix. 14. This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many, for the remission of sins. Matt. xxvi. 28. The Scripture hath concluded all under sin. Gal. iii. 22. There is no man that sinneth not. 1 Kings viii. 46. There is not a just man upon earth that doeth good and sinneth not. Eccles. vii. 20. In many things we offend all. James iii. 2. and born again in Christ, yet offend in many things; and if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. f See Article XVII. s. XXVII. g. Under the name of sin, not only those gross words and deeds, which by the common judgment of men are counted to be filthy and unlawful, and so consequently abominable sins; but also the filthy lusts and inward concupiscences of the flesh; which, as St. Paul testifieth, do resist the will and Spirit of God, and therefore ought earnestly to be bridled and kept under. (Gal. v. 17.) Hom. xxxii. 1. See also Article IX. Truth it is that sin is strong and affections unruly. (Psalm xxxvi. 1.) Hard it is to subdue and resist our nature, so corrupt and leavened with the sour bitterness of the poison, which we receive by the inheritance of our old father Adam. "But yet take good courage," saith our Saviour Christ," for I have overcome the world, and all other enemies for you." (John xvi. 33.) "Sin shall not have power over you, for ye be now under grace," saith St. Paul. (Rom. vi. 14.) Hom. xxvi. As for them that do not confess that they have sinned, nor do crave pardon of their defaults, but with that Pharisee do glory in their innocency and righteousness before God, or rather against God, they exclude themselves from the fellowship of the faithful, to whom this form of prayer (the Lord's prayer) is appointed for them to follow, and from the haven and refuge of safety. For this is it that Christ saith, "That he came into this world, not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Nowell, p. 94. Dearly beloved brethren, the Scripture moveth us in sundry places to acknowledge and confess our manifold sins and wickedness; and that we should not dissemble nor cloke them before the face of Almighty God, our heavenly Father; but confess them with an humble, lowly, penitent, and obedient heart; to the end that we may obtain forgiveness of the same, by his infinite goodness and mercy. Exhortation. Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against thy holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; and we have done those There is none righteous, no, not one. Rom. iii. 10. Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin. Prov. xx. 9. Who can understand his errors? Cleanse thou me from secret faults. Ps. xix. 12. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other, so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. Gal. v. 17. We are all things which we ought not to have done; and there is no health in us. Confession. 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. Litany. O God, whose nature and property is ever to have mercy and to forgive, receive our humble petitions; and though we be tied and bound with the chain of our sins, yet let the pitifulness of thy great mercy loose us, for the honour of Jesus Christ our Mediator and Advocate. Amen. Occasional Prayer. Grant, we beseech thee, merciful Lord, to thy faithful people pardon and peace; that they may be cleansed from all their sins, and serve thee with a quiet mind, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Coll. for the twenty-first Sunday after Trinity. O Lord, we beseech thee, absolve thy people from their offences; that through thy bountiful goodness we may all be delivered from the bands of those sins, which by our frailty we have committed. Grant this, O heavenly Father, for Jesus Christ's sake, our blessed Lord and Saviour. Amen. Coll. for the twenty-fourth Sunday after Trinity. Wash it, we pray thee, in the blood of that immaculate Lamb, that was slain to take away the sins of the world; that whatsoever defilements it may have contracted in the midst of this miserable and naughty world, through the lusts of the flesh, or the wiles of Satan, being purged and done away, it may be presented pure and without spot before thee. Visitation of the Sick. as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. Isa. lxiv. 6. I find a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. Rom. vii. 21. If we ay The Montarists. The Puritans denied the hope of recovery from him after Baption. NOT 87 XVI. Of Sin after Baptism. every deadly sin willingly committed after Baptism, is sin against the Holy Ghost, a They which in act or deed do sin after their baptism, when they turn again to God unfeignedly, they are likewise washed by this sacrifice (of Christ) from their sins, in such sort, that there remaineth not any spot of sin, that shall be imputed to their damnation. Hom. iii. 1. See Article XXXI. ye are the temple 57 Wherefore we do not without à just cause, detest and abhor b For it is impossible for those novations who were once enlightened, and formed have tasted of the heavenly gift, on this. thin Heb. x. 26. If after they have and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are |