in all the rest It may not be inconvenient in the Conclusion to offer something that may help us to shew our Devotion in leaving the Church as well as in coming to it and continuing there It is said of the ancient Jews that they went out of the Synagogues backward that they might declare their unwillingness to leave God's House in which holy Men have desired ever to dwell And whatever that way of expressing this may seem to some I am sure there ought to be such affections in us as was thereby signified and nothing we do that is contrary thereunto can seem decent to wise Men and if People's hurrying out of the Church as soon as ever the Sermon or Prayers are ended be not apparently contrary to such affection my conceit deceives me especially when they will not stay to take God's blessing along with them I say God's for though a Man pronounceth it yet it is such a Man as is his Minister and Herald the Steward of his Mysteries whose words as such he will never suffer to fall to the ground but will give them their effect on all that are meet Subjects and therefore to despise that glorious and mysterious Blessing wherewith these holy Offices are concluded shews great Ignorance to Prophaneness and little manners and is an affront to the Blessed Trinity and to the Congregation met to do Worship thereunto POSTSCRIPT ONe thing I have thought fit to add as useful to the design of this Paper which is My humble Request to Ministers and Vestries that they will take care that fit and worthy Persons be put into the Office of Parish-Clerks for that the defects of the People in performing their part of this Service is chiefly imputable to this cause that they have not a Clerk that iâ— able to lead them in the right way of that performance for if the People would but consider that 't is the special work of a Clerk to Guidethem in what they are to say and do in this Service and would make such observation of him as they ought he standing so advantageously for the same it would bring the whole Congregation unto a good performance Some Persons that may offer themselves and that it may be the Parishes interest to chuse may have such natural Defects that they can never be made fit for the place and some are of such a profane Spirit that they will never set themselves to study to do their duty therein Both these are to be rejected whatever advantages the Parish may make by their Election for so sacred a thing as the Worship and Service of Almighty God is not to be subjugated to the secular interests of Men And it is a great reproach to any Parish that to save themselves a little charge in maintaining a poor Family they should employ a Person to be Guide to the People in this most solemn Office of Divine Worship that is in any way a scandal or dishonour thereunto or unfit to perform it as he ought And if any such be already in the place my request is that the Minister and Vestry will use their Authority to reform them and engage them to study the most decent and graceful manner of performance and if that cannot be effected to force them to admit the help of another in that matter though they continue to do the Parish-business in other respects I make this humble Request because I believe that a Clerk that was a devout Man and one that had a good command of his Voice if he would set himself to study to excel in performing what is required of him he would greatly assist the People in the well performance of their part and excite them thereunto AN APPLICATION TO THE Clergy and to the People To the CLERGY AND now I most humbly beseech the Reverend Clergy of this Church that they will not despise the Advice of so unworthy a Person If there be not Truth in what I write I desire not to be regarded but if there be Truth is a thing so Divine and Excellent as not for my unworthiness or for any defects in the delivery to be rejected especially when it is Truth of the highest concern that can be imagined that which concerns and that most immediately the glory and honour of the most High God and his Son Jesus Christ our most holy Saviour that which concerns the supream good of the best of earthly Creatures and that with relation to his better part and his eternal state that which much concerns the happiness and well-fare of this flourishing Church and tends to its Unity Sanctity and Glory That which concerns the discharge of your great Duty to God and his Church and is the best Return of the Benefits you partake from both I say when it is Truth of such concern methinks it should be consider'd and that whoever it come from as the Instrument since God himself must be acknowledged the Author The Worship and Service of God hath been esteemed of all wise Men the chief of those things wherein Men or Angels could imploy themselves 'T is the principal End of bringing Men into Holy Orders and of instituting Christian Assemblies the greatest Means of inducing that super-excellent Principle of the Divine Life that Evangelical Spirit which only can overcome our Vices and sublime Moral Vertues into Christian Graces and make our good Works Seeds of eternal Glory This is the Prelibation of and Preparation for the unspeakable Joys above 'T is this for which all our Noble Faculties were given us 'T is this that chiefly distinguisheth us from Beasts and that more then the meer shape of our Bodies or our Natural Reason and gives us the greatest Likeness unto and Communion with the Angels 'T is the Worship of One God that is the greatest Incentive to Love and the strongest Bond of Peace among Men and among Christians it becomes more so when we worship Him in and through One Mediator and Saviour our Lord Jesus Christ The Natural Worship which was offer'd in the State of Innocency the Superstitious Worship of guilty and affrighted Criminals the Typical and Pedaegogical Worship of Mosaical Institution all these had something of Excellency in them nay they were the best thing the World had besides But the Excellency and Glory of Evangelical Worship is above them all it far exceeds whatever else we can do in this Life and is the highest Felicity of the Life to come Angels began it here on Earth Luke 2.13 14 and shall rejoyce to accompany us therein when we are in Heaven A Man that hath the Power of Godliness in his Soul is apt to say when he is at Church as the Disciples when they were on the Holy Mount Lord it is good for us to be here or as David Blessed are they that dwell in thy house and are ever praising thee These Things I have touched that I might introduce this great Consideration That the most learned and highly dignified of
the publick Assemblies Prayers had been ordinarily used to be made in the Extempore Way except by inspired Persons as before that that Way could not have been altered so universally as it was to the use of Forms and yet we have no notice of the same either in History or by Tradition But secondly not only in that we use a Form but in that we use such Forms wherein we have the most Communion with other Christians that is possible in the very words we speak we use the Psalms of David which as they have ever been a part of the Publick Worship of Jews so also of Christians we use also that excellent Form the Te Deum which hath been used very anciently and received of abundance of Churches into their publick Liturgy so the three Creeds and the Collects before the Epistles and Gospels and the Gloria Patri and most parts of our Service are made up of the most approved and generally received Forms of Prayer that could be found with accommodation to the present time 3dly In the use of the Common-Prayer we have Communion most fully with the Christians to whom we are united under one Government which we call the Church of England and with all of that Congregation we presently joyn with in publick Worship whereas in the other Way we have no certain Communion but only with the Minister because we are not sure that any one in the Congregation approves of all he says nor it may be can we neither and it is possible the Minister himself may speak that for want of premeditation which he on second thoughts may not approve himself So that there cannot be so full Communion of the Spirit in that Way as in ours These things I have thought fit to hint to beget a good Opinion in the minds of Men of our established Order for the publick Worship of God But I would not be thought to despise any that have a true love to God and desire to honour and glorifie him in such a Way of Worship as they think most acceptable to him what Mistakes soever Misinformation and Prejudices of Education and Converses may subject them unto And I hope those that differ from me will not reproach my fervent desire to promote Piety in the Way I best approve and that which I am many ways obliged to chuse before any other And if what I have written would perswade them to make a honest trial not by standing at gaze to see what we do or sitting by as unconcerned in the Worship we offer to God by the Common-Prayer while they only wait for the Preacher they desire to hear but by joyning heartily with us according to the Advices of this Paper I do not doubt but they would soon leave wondering at my fervency in this Way But if some should through misguided Zeal or for the Interests of their Party fall foul on me for commending what they seek by all means to deprave I am content to suffer as my Saviour did while the Reproaches of those that reproach God in condemning what by the Laws of Nature and Examples in Scripture he approves fall upon me And if those that approve this Way of Worship be made hereby the more fervent and devout in attending thereupon I shall rejoyce in my Labours and Sufferings for their sakes And I hope they will be so when they consider that in this Way Devotion is not subject to be abused by the subtilty of ill Men as it hath been by such on both sides that differ from us that here is no Discouragement given to the Weak and Bashful by exemplifying a Way of Devotion that is above their reach nor any Temptation to the Bold and Self-conceited to aspire to things too high for them to their own shame and to the disturbance of the Church That therein nothing but Principles of Truth that tend to Piety Charity Obedience to Superiours Meekness Moderation and Peaceableness among our selves are possible to be insinuated into our minds That hereby we shall be greatly assisted in Holy Meditations while our minds will he stored with abundance of excellent matter for the same and in educating our Children religiously in keeping our Families in Vnity and Order and performing the Worship belonging to the same and the many other great benefits that we shall experience in a devout attendance on the daily Service of God in publick appointed by this Church by which considerations they will also be more confirmed in their love hereunto and excited to become examples to others who will be more effectually drawn to their Duty by observing the devout and frequent practice of this Way of Piety than by Disputations about it And it seems to me that nothing is more like to preserve this Church against the designs of its Enemies on both hands than such exemplary frequency of Attendance and fervency of true Devotion in those that profess themselves the Children thereof The effecting of which is the Design of the ensuing Advice both to Readers and People WHile this Sheet was Printing I was told by a Friend that he heard the Learned Dr. Beveridge in a Sermon on Titus 2.12 March 26. declare That the import of the word Worship was expressing Honour and Respect by bowing the Head and Shoulders and that this Action as it had anciently been used in sacred Offices to signifie our Adoration of Almighty God so it is most fit and decent in the Exercises of Religion now I was much pleased that the Judgment of so excellent a Person publickly declared just at the coming out of this Book wich I am sure he had not the least knowledge or intimation of gave countenance to my Undertaking in this Preface Since that I hearing the said Doctor read Prayers at one of the Lent-Sermons at his Church it seemed to me such a perfect Exemplification of what I advise in the Book that I might seem to have learnt all from his practice though I never heard him before And I have great hope that the Example of one so eminently Pious and Learned of so excellent a Temper and such unwearied Labours in the Ministry may do more toward introducing Seriousness and Reverence in Divine Worship than these Papers can do themselves wherefore I have ventured without his knowledge to propose his Example in conjunction with my Endeavours humbly begging his pardon if he be offended to have his Name mentioned by so unworthy a Pen. SOME CONSIDERATIONS Offered to Readers and People DIRECTIONS for READERS HE that will perform this Service as he ought must first be prepared with true Devotion in his Mind and Spirit Two things are needful for the Explication of this First That the Expression of Devotion is a necessary Part of Worship Secondly That it will be difficult for the Reader to make such Expression if he have not real Devotion in himself For the first I shall only observe That it is the very Nature of Publick Worship to be an
this Service well and make fit expressions of Devotion in their outward Behaviour I say though they may be often guilty of Intemperance and other Vices yet we cannot condemn them of Hypocrisie nor ought to discourage them in what they do well but our Duty is by all means to admonish them daily and to convince them of the deceitfulness of their sin that they be not hardened by it and perswade them of the necessity of universal Repentance and Obedience as that without which God will never accept them into the embraces of his Fatherly Love however he may forbear them some Temporal Judgments and give them some Temporal Blessings much less will he bring them â—o his Heavenly Kingdom Nor can the true Children of God and his Church maintain such intimate Converses with them nor shew such brotherly Kindness to them as to sober Christians Nor ought â—he Church to continue them in her Communion if they do not speedily reform and amend their lives But yet we may not decline their Ministration nor make any Schism in or from a Church on their account or condemn them of Hypocrifie in their expressions of Devotion But because I would not be though hereby to excuse such Men or give them any encouragement to presume I intreaâ—â— them to consider that the Evangelical Precepts of Perfection are plain and cogentâ— The Grace vouchsafed is mighty and powerful and to those that will fight manfully the Victory is certain every one that seeâ— as he ought shall find a way of escape oâ— of every Temptation for God will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are ableâ— If we will resist the Devil he will flie from us if we will walk in the Spirit we shaâ—â— not fulfil the lusts of the flesh for the Spirit that is in us is stronger than he which is 〈◊〉 the World or than the most importunaâ—â— lusts of the Flesh Therefore it is only oâ— willingness to yield that makes us easie 〈◊〉 be overcome and he that thinks otherwise dishonours the Grace of God discourages vigorous Endeavours after thâ—â— Perfection which is the mark we should 〈◊〉 aim at puts the Conscience on the raâ—â— or as the Prophets's phrase is stays longâ—â— the place of breaking forth of children enjoâ—ing no ease and content in his mind and prevents himself of the highest Joy in the hope of eternal Life Besides he is an offence to his Brethren tempts them to forsake if not abhor God's Altar and prove Separatists from the best Church in the World and neglect their attendance on the most solemn and edifying Form of Divine Service and many more mischiefs which are consequent unto an indulging themselves in Viciousness especially that unmanly Vice I here treat of Wherefore I earnestly beseech all Readers to break off all evil Customs of this kind and to endeavour a perfect Temperance and Sobriety I have been long on this Head because I think it of greatest weight I shall be brief on the rest 3. Being prepared as before he must endeavour to carry a sober Gravity in his Countenance as becoming his sence of approaching the Divine Presence in the most solemn Exercises of Holy Worship and also the knowledge of his Office that he is God's Embassador to his People and their Spokesman to God for so is every Reader rightly Ordained as well as the Preacher and in reading the Scripture as a Minister of the Church he speaks from God with the greatest Authority he should therefore suppress in himself all timerousness and bashfulness and carry a decent majesty and gravity in his Deportment and Countenance 4. He must make those ends to which the several parts of this Service are designed to be his own He must endeavour by reading the Sentences of Scripture and the solemn Preface at the beginning to compose the minds of the People to great seriousness and true penitence By reading the Absolution to confirm their hopes oâ— Mercy and Pardon but without presumption By reading the Prayers and repeating all parts of Praise and Thansgiving and the Responses and mutual Provocations to Devotion c. he must earnestly intend not only the expression of his own holy affections but to excite the like in others There is a vast difference between the bare reading the Prayers and this manner of speaking to God and Man thereby making the words as if they weâ—â— our own 5. He must endeavour by a clear Voice and distinct Pronuntiation to make himself understood of all and by a treatable Speech to make it easie for the People 〈◊〉 follow him especially in those parts 〈◊〉 Worship wherein they are to joyn the Voices But yet not so slow neither that many should run before him in repeating the Prayers and the Belief as People are apt to do which seems to me a very indecent thing and an affront to the Ministerial Office which is always to lead in the Publick Duties of Religion And in repeating the Psalms he should make such observation that his Speech may bear proportion with the generality of the Congregation and that there be no pause between their ending one Verse and his beginning another but that he come in with them at the last word which makes this Exercise more like Psalmody the thing for which it is intended wherein the People do much want to be well instructed for this would turn their Prejudices against this manner of reading the Psalms into a great Devotion and make them have a great delight therein as a thing which hath most of Heaven of any thing that is done here on Earth 6. In the reading the Solemn Prayers he must put on the greatest gravity and outward expression of humblest Reverence and Devotion this being one principal part of Divine Worship wherein we apply our selves most immediately to God himself and make the nearest approaches unto his Throne of Grace And he must labour to excite the same expressions of Devotion in the People as by his own Example so by the affectionate pronunciation of these words appointed thereunto Let us pray than which nothing can be better ordered to distinguish between the Solemn Prayers we offer up to God and those we make in the way of Psalmody Especially in the repetition of the Lord's Prayer I earnestly recommend the most devout Reverence and Fervour For we cannot but know that as God hath greatest regard to that as the Composure of his dear and only Son his eternal Wisdom appearing in our Flesh and as the Catholick Church guided by the Divine Spirit hath ever had it in great veneration as the Instruction of her Lord and Saviour in the most principal part of her Duty and the Declaration of her Catholick Vnity so every Minister of God and his Church should shew his great esteem thereof by the most solemn and devout manner of repearing the same Besides in honour of the Author and for the excellency of the matter and the comprehensiveness of the words as
Sacrifice was then appropriate for which reason Solomon calls it Sacrifice by way of Eminency which I dare say they do not believe if ever it were called so at all 4. But if that were meant by Sacrifices we must be sure that it was the matter of action and not the ill manners of performance that in Solomon's sence did denominate it the Sacrifice of Fools For we know there were such things as are in the most primitive and proper sence Sacrifices and that of God's own appointment which yet by ill circumstances might be made the Sacrifices of Fools If any of these be a mistake as I believe they all are no proof of any ill in this Custom can result from this Scripture But it is not more certain that an iâ—â— humour in the Eye gives its own tincturâ— to all Objects presented to it than it is that salse Opinions being once fixed in thâ— Mind make Men think Scriptures to sounâ— the praise of their own Way and the reproach of others But if I might give my Opinion of the Instruction which thiâ— Scripture affords it should be this Thaâ— as the Jews of old were not to think iâ— enough that they went to the Temple and did their Sacrifices as was required as to the matter of them but ought diligently to attend to a due preparation and the right manner of performance without which they would be accounted in the sight of God but the Sacrifice of Fools wherein God hath no pleasure So Christians now ought to takâ— the same care lest their slight and irreverent approach to the House of God or any indecencies or disorders in whaâ— they do there may render their Evangelical Sacrifices unpleasant unto God These Sacrifices are those of ourselves anâ— especially of our Bodies for by words and actions we do the same thing that waâ— done by the legal Sacrifices I mean in thiâ— respect that they were Ordinances of Divine Worship That Worship was by Types and Figures for the time then present as was the place where they were offered ordained by a positive Law This the Natural and Eternal Worship founded in the unchangeable rules of Reason and therefore called our Reasonable Service this Service we perform when our Bodies are imployed in the forementioned acts of Adoration in speaking in Prayer and Praise and in hearing the Word of God read or preached But it is not these bodily Exercises and external Appearances being alone that can profit ourselves however they may in some respects honour God and edifie others Because the good they do to others is by accident and not of design and therefore can no more profit us as to our acceptance with God or to the increase of Piety in ourselves than what was there called the Sacrifices of Fools did profit them And they may be called foolish Sacrifices both because not done from a right Principle nor to a right End in which things true Wisdom much more consists than in the best outward performance if it be but in Masquerade and for ill or mean purposes But then they are much more foolish if unduely done i. e. in a slight and irreverent manner in which they will be very subject to do them that are not so dispos'd as before is advised Therefore we ought diligently to attend to the preparing ourselves both by the sobriety of our general Conversation and by our pious Resolutions before-hand 〈◊〉 and also by putting on such holy affectionâ— at the present time as may animate ouâ— Devotions and direct them to a right end and then continuing our care all the time of Divine Service that we be not diverted nor discomposed either by our own vain thoughts or by outward Objects but that the performance may be according to our preparations And this is the thing to which I admonish as our moral preparation for this Service And I must adâ— one thing omitted before viz. That it is very helpful to such composure for this Service That all persons do endeavour to be at Church before the Prayers begin that they may more sedately approach the Divine Presence and perform the Reverence due to the most high God and without any disturbance to themselves or the Congregation take their place in the Church and compose themselves by Prayer and Meditation for these holy Duties as before Certainly it is a great advantage to a right performance that we do this for when we come suddenly and hastily from our worldly Businesses to sacred Offices it is hard â—o compose ourselves as we ought and so as to do them well but being at Church before hand where we are retired from the World and are helped by the Magnificence and Beauty of the place and by our custom of worshipping God there to think of his glorious Presence and fix our minds on him by serious Meditations of his Attributes Words and Word c. I say this â—s a mighty help to a right performance Then we may with more freedom make our private Prayer to God for his gracious acceptance and assistance and those who are offended when we do it in midst of the Service can find no fault with us for doing â—t before it begin And we shall also prevent as much as may be the disturbing the Congregation by clattering of Pews and by disordering others to get to our places and calling the Sexton from serving God to wait on us to open our Pew And indeed I have thought that sort of Men very unhappy in this that they can have little time and composure to attend this Holy Office upon that very account which every one should prevent as far as they â—an considering they have souls to save as well as we But yet let not this nor any thing else so prevent those who are necessarily hindred from coming early that they come not at all it is better to come but to the Blessing than wholly to forbear God accepts the will for the deed when we can do no more and so he doth a part for the whole and by declaring our willingness to do what we can we keep up a reverence for the Prayers and gain our selves a share with the rest of the Congregation in all the Blessings sought therein There is one thing that I would advise as a help to this our coming early which is that a certain time be fixed by the Minister for the beginning of Prayers for then every one can the better order his business and watch the time that he may be ready and where it is so I know that Men of great business may find a time to attend the daily Prayers I have some Examples near me that I can scarce forbear to name but without leave I dare not And I wish withal my heart that while Prayers are read daily in some places in this City the Parishes where they are would take care for a Bell of a clear sound and advantageously hung and would also cause it to be rung some considerable
it But since they that are against us on both sides are so earnest in defending their own ways and reproaching us the Ministers should not be remiss in counter-working such ill Designs by the most Rational and Convincing Demonstration joined with Fervency and Importunity of Perswasion in their Preaching on this Subject And here I must first observe That general Exhortations to Piety and Holiness how Excellently and Passionately soever delivered by our Ministers tho they may make them admired and followed and that by Men of several Perswasions yet they will not have the effect such should intend if Mens minds be corrupted with false Notions about the exercising and expressing of Piety and Holiness But as the best Food may do Men hurt by reason of ill Humors in the Stomach so may such good Doctrine through ill Principles in the Understanding Such as think the best way to be holy is to Consecrate themselves in the Blood of Heretiques as the Papists or of such as will not let Christ rule over them as some Enthusiasts believing that as the Levites were by Moses commanded to Consecrate themselves every Man on his Son and on his Brother that had committed Idolatry in worshipping the Calf so they may Consecrate themselves by this and such as think the way of Holiness lies in distinction of Words and Phrase and in their Garb and Garments or in strictness in some Indifferent and Apocriphal Observances not injoined by God nor the Church Nay if they think it lies in being above Ordinances and rejecting both the Sacraments in railing against God's Ministers and censuring all their Neighbours that are not of their Sect and calling us all Ignoramus's and Persecutors or which is most my Subject in condemning all Forms of Prayer and all Superiority among Ministers as Popish and Anti-christian and applauding Independency as the only Scriptural Church-Government and the Ex tempore Way as the onely Acceptable Mode of Worship and that in publick as well as private I say all these and whatever other of like kinds of which there are abundance in the World when they hear the most Powerful and Passionate Exhortations to Piety in general terms they make the Application to Zeal in their own Way Wherefore I think those Ministers who believe that in a Sincere and Diligent Improvement of the Order of our Church we may Exercise the most Fervent Devotion towards God and the most pleasant Communion of Saints in Holy Worship and also prosecute the Sanctification of our Hearts and Lives in a way to be preferr'd before all other Ways wherein Men pride themselves I say those Ministers that believe this as all of the Church of England and especially those concern'd in its Government I hope verily do should not think it enough to preach up Piety in general but should think themselves obliged to make such particular Application to a Devout and Constant Attendance on the Common Prayer as a principal Act of it as may prevent such abuse of their Sermons by Men of ill Principles and make them most serviceable to the Honour of God and Peace and Welfare of this Church If we Observe the Sermons and Books of the Nonconformists on this Subject it will appear that all their Discourses of Piety have always a secret and very frequently an open Relation to the Exercise thereof in their own way and very bad Reflections on ours as being but a kind of pageantry and ostentation of Devotion and meer formality and outside without that life and power which makes it acceptable to God and that such Devotion is no evidence that we are truly Regenerate and his Elect People And this is that which confirms their Disciples in their own way and hinders them from so much as trying ours And shall the Ministers of our Church be out-done by those they account Schismaticks Doth not the Ancient Orderly and Solemn Way of our Church deserve as much Zeal as the novel Ways cried up with them Is not the Honour of God and Salvation of Mens Souls as much concerned in being devout in our way as in theirs Is not a great love to the Common Prayer a delight to attend constantly on the Offices thereof and a fervent Devotion therein as good a sign of true Grace as the love of Extempore Prayer and a delight in going frequently to private Meetings Is not the neglect of God's Worship in our way especially by those that profess to approve the Order we have for it a sign of the deadly state of carnal-mindedness and unregenerateness from which Men must be converted except they will be damned and so to be esteemed by us as well as the neglect thereof in their way All Men know that no Way or Mode of Religion is so good that Men should be thought good Christians meerly for being Educated therein and Professing to approve the same but such Education and Profession will aggravate their sin if they be not serious in that Way of Religion they approve and so will the Excellency and Goodness thereof if they slight it And should not the Ministers of God who must bear the blame for ever if God be dishonoured or Souls damned through their default Consider this and perswade Men to a greater love to God and to his Worship in the Way of this Church And so to order their Concerns with Relation thereunto that they may approve themselves truly Converted and such as shall be Saved 'T is Seriousness in Religion that speaks Men true Christians and this joined with Constant Attendancy on Religious Duties which is the fruit thereof is their security against Apostacy of all kinds and I must say this that however there may be and I am confident there are some of all the different Ways of Religious Worship that are truly Converted and shall be Saved yet none that I have known are better Christians then they who are Serious and truly Devout in the Way of the Church of England I know there are many Hypocrites that seem so and are not amongst us as well as others but I speak of the Sincere And if it be so sure Ministers should think it their Glory and Joy when they can bring Men from a Carnal and Unregenerate State to that which is truly Spiritual and Gracious It hath been some grief to me to see that Ministers on both extreams should out-do ours in this matter those of the Papists seem to exult not only when they can bring one of our Religion over to their Church but when any of their own turn from a Worldly Secular Life to that which they call Religious and Spiritual And the Separatists not onely pretend to leave us upon the account of forsaking the World and devoting themselves to God but to set up their Meetings on purpose to call others to a more Spiritual Life in communion with them and rejoice greatly in their success therein and in nothing do they more glory over us than in out-doing us in Seriousness
and Intention in the Matters of Religion And should we give them cause so to do It seems to me in very deed there is too great cause of the same Complaint in Christian States where Men are Christians by their Birth-right as was in that of the Jews under the Law That there is none that understandeth and seeketh after God and much more then was in the Apostles times where Men chose Christianity though accompanied with Reproaches and Persecutions when yet it is said That all minded their own things and not the things of Jesus Christ The Worship and Honour of God and our Saviour is not so dear to Men as their Secular Advantages Men do not believe or consider that it is of necessity to their Salvation to love God above all to do all that ever they do with a greater relation to his Honour than to their own Carnal Advantages and that the careless neglect of these Holy Offices when they might order it so as to have time to attend them gives great suspicion they live to themselves and not to God and are yet but Carnally Minded and in a state of Spiritual Death Methinks therefore those who have Care of Mens Souls should be Jealous over them lest that all their Labour should be in vain whil'st they continue such under their Ministry and be in Travel as Women with Child for their Regeneration 'T is certainly a woful sign when Ministers have no greater Concern than to get Money and to make the best of his Livings and little regard whether his People be pious or profane God complains heavily of this in many places of Scripture and it were easie here to declaim against it in many words if it were not sufficiently done by others and also so evident in it self that no Minister that will but think on 't can be ignorant of the great sinfulness of such a Temper and that the Wrath of GOD and Curses of the Damned for this their neglect awaits them in the World to come and that they are the grief of good Men and the scorn of bad ones in this World on that very account They cannot but know that it is they that make Men Separatists while no Man that hath any Concern for his Soul can indure to live under a Minister that regards the Souls of his People not half so much as he doth the Life of his Beasts And I wonder they can blame any Man for endeavouring their suspension since they can be no true Christians who had rather see so many Souls damned as may be in danger of it by such Mens neglect then that they should be displaced by a Just Suspension that a better may take their Place For my part I wish all Parishioners were convinced of their Duty in this kind and would endeavour all that is possible in just ways to remove such Ministers And those that are most offended at this should do their duty in this before they think of separating from the Church and those that have not thought of this which was the right way to ease their grief but run into the wrong way of Separation let them now return at the earnest Invitation of this Church by her best Ministers and when they have resolved to do their Duty to God and to the Church according as the Law requires let them in God's Name see that their Ministers do theirs too especially in taking care of the Souls of their People and in performing what the Law of God and the Church requires of them in order thereunto and and if by humble Intreaties and a pious Example and by due Attendance for their Reformation they cannot prevail with them they ought to complain to the Bishop of the Diocess to endeavour their Suspension and that more Faithful ones may be Intrusted by them with the Cure of their Souls And it seems a great Argument to perswade all Nonconformists that are truly Pious to return to the Communion of our Church and to indeavour to approve themselves Devout and Pious in the Offices of God's Worship administred therein for that by so doing they may be greatly helpful to the Reformation of things amiss to the Incouraging the good and Removing unworthy Ministers to the Honour of our Religion and Salvation of Mens Souls And I believe there be many Pious Bishops in this Church that would be glad to have such just proof of the Misdemeanors and Neglects of their Clergy as might inable them to suspend such as deserve it and put into Imployment those that are able and willing to do better and there are many such to my knowledge who can have no Imployment in the Church while these naughty Persons by the favour of careless and prosane Patrons get into good Livings And I look on it as none of the least mischiefs of Separation that thereby those that should be Instruments of Reforming the Parochial Churches by Example Admonition and assisting the Exercise of Discipline therein which cannot take place there through the prevalency of Prophaness and majority of evil Men forsake them and leave Ministers and People to perish together at least for any thing they will do to help to save them 'T is not enough for such to rail against ill Ministers and corrupt Communions for if it be found that through their unjust forsaking the Church to join in Separate Societies it comes to pass that Parishes cannot be reformed nor evil Men Clergy or Laity be expell'd as they ought their professed detestation of such will not excuse them but aggravates their guilt But this Subject hath been sufficiently Handled by others I onely thought fit to mention it that none may think a legal liberty to separate will excuse them from Sin or Schism But as I have thus expressed my Dislike of those Ministers that are negligent in a Charge of such Infinite and Eternal Concernment so I cannot but declare my great Respect for such as are Diligent and Faithful and many such there are God be thanked in this City and Kingdom however some Nonconformists have reported them so few that they were next to none And I do heartily congratulate the happy success of such Ministers such who in Conscience of their Assent and Consent to the Orders of this Church have taken upon them the constant daily Reading of the Common Prayer in their Parish-Churches and that do frequently Administer the Lord's Supper therein that do not make the backwardness of their People to come to Prayers and the Sacrament a pretence for their own neglect when they never tried how forward they would be if they had Opportunity and good Instruction but set themselves to do their own part in waiting on the Ministries to which they are called and to perswade the People to do theirs in a constant and devout Attendance thereon and to beg God's Blessing on their Endeavours for their Peoples Edification and Salvation In this way they have found success beyond their expectation the numbers of those
of God and his Church God looks we should be Just and Faithful to our Promises in small things as well as great and if it were lawful for them to Promise it is necessary they should be careful to Perform It is not haste of Business or every kind of avocation that can excuse the curtailing of the Service nothing but what a Man may justly think the Church would have allowed for an excuse if she had fore-seen it and dispense with her Laws for can discharge the Conscience from the Obligation of this Promise at any time Therefore if any one to please his own private fancy or to gratifie others leaves out or puts in or alters any thing of the Service I cannot think but he sins against God and I am sure he gives offence to many that have a Reverence for the Orders of the Church and scandal to those that have not and incourages others to reject and disobey them in greater matters But that which is worst of all is that it divides the Ministry and the Church Some are counted Moderate Men and Friends to Nonconformists and Dissenters whil'st others that believe such to be Schismaticks and that the Church hath given them no cause of displeasure who strictly observe the Orders of the Church and seek not so much to please as to bring Dissenters to Repentance and a return to their Duty these are branded as Popishly Affected Persecutors and High Church Men and are many ways rendred contemptible to the Vulgar It seems to me a thing much to be desired that Ministers would agree to be Uniform in their Practice in these Matters and that they would all throughly study the Rubrick and agree together in what cases they may be excused from the strict observances of such things which many constantly omit and others very often and let the People know it that we may not think it proceeds from condemning themselves of doing amiss in their promises to observe all and every thing from differences of Judgment about the Lawfulness of such Things or the Contempt of Publick Order and in what cases we may expect it and in what not And I think if the Ministers of this City did begin this Agreement it might give great Satisfaction and good Example to the Country I have heard some Country Ministers that are for strict Obedience complain of the Defects of some Eminent Persons in this City in this matter of following the Directions of the Rubrick and that they have found by Discourse with them that it hath been caused through ignorance in that they never throughly Read it Certainly this is a great Reproach and should be considered and since the chief strength of this Church consists in the respect which is given by its Ministers especially those that should be Examples to the rest to the Rules and Orders thereof and their Unity and good Agreement in observing the same I hope this Advice will not be despised And I am sure this will make much for the Agreement of the People who are much distracted and divided by the different Practices as well as Judgments of the Conforming Clergy and they would be more disposed to seek Satisfaction about Conforming to the Orders of the Church who scruple it if their Scruples were not too much Justified by these Mens Irregularities and they would be a thousand times more like to be Reformed and brought into good Order by the Methods prescribed by the Laws of Church and State if they had not this to say for themselves That those who Prosecute them for breaking the Laws make but little Conscience of keeping them themselves or of suffering others that believe all things good and lawful that are ordered to walk disorderly not observing the Law but through breaking it to dishonour the Wisdom of Church and State themselves whereas they disobey not out of contempt but because they fear to dishonour God and offend against the Dictates of their own Consciences and would swear as I have heard many say that it is not to serve any Interest but out of pure Conscience they Conform not although I fear they have not used due ways of satisfaction Now it is mighty hard to give a Reason why some should be indulged in a slothful or contemptuous Disobedience and they punished that disobey out of Conscience I confess could we say that these Men prosecute the End of the Law which is the Edification of the Church and the Peace and Prosperity of the State Unity and Charity in each Man's Parish in which Cases some things at some times may be dispensed with and a Man may be sure the Law-makers meant they should or could we say it were like to win the Scrupulous Dissenters that these Men pass over many things that the Church injoyns and do some which she allows not we might say somewhat to purpose to silence this Complaint but it is hard to prove either when so many Worthy Persons of this Church have written so much to the contrary and Twenty Years Experience disproves it therefore the best way to bring Nonconformists to Reverence and Obey the Publick Order to promote Peace Amity and Edification is For these that are called Conformable Ministers to take care to observe the Publick Order strictly themselves and to have frequent Conferences Personal and by Letters for the effecting a general Agreement therein And I most humbly beseech the most Reverend the Arch-Bishops and Right Reverend Bishops of this Church to take the Matter into their Serious Thoughts and consider what Concern they have herein since the different usages of Ministers in Cathedrals in Presence of the Bishop himself gives great offence to some that hold the fore-mentioned Obligation to a Uniformity in all things and gives greatest strength to the Argument of the Dissenters against their being prosecuted for not observing the Laws There is one Thing which the Rubrick most plainly orders but is generally omitted viz. The Administring the Sacrament every Sunday at the least in Cathedral Churches and I mention it because I believe the due performance thereof and the preparations requisite to the same would be a great means to reform the Manners of those that officiate in Choirs of the Officers belonging thereunto and of the Servants of the Bishops and the Chief of the Clergy these ought frequently to attend the same as well as the Priests and Deacons and may be easily brought to it by the Authority of their Masters and no doubt many Devout Persons in the City would come also and this Solemnity performed as it ought I verily believe would be a means to restore much of Primitive Devotion which the Errors and Disputes of the late Times had almost utterly extinguished and I believe also that the Zeal and Devotion of the Bishops and chief Ministers of this Church in thus promoting Piety and Devotion and indeavouring such a Reformation in the Place of their Residence and among the Officers that depend most on them
should bear to those whether our Superiors Equals or Inferiors with whom we are united as one Nation and National Church and also should endeavour to represent to ourselves what may be the several States and Conditions of those we are presently to joyn with in the performance of Sacred Offices Such Considerations will much help our Devotion for the sense of the sins of others to whom we are united as well as of our own will help to make us humble and contrite in our Confessions the sense of their Wants and Miseries will help to make us fervent in our Supplications the sense of the Mercies they receive will help to make us joyful in God's Praises because we are obliged by our Union to reckon their Sins their Wants and their Mercies our own Thus the general knowledge that multitudes of Christians as well as our selves are concerned in the Matter of our Prayers and the sense we have in particular of the Concern of many of those we presently joyn with will add much more to our Devotion It may be there are many things in the Publick Prayers that we have not at present such a particular Concernment in but when we think there are Millions of Christians that have who are all of the same Divine Incorporation and that many of them are our own Country-men united with us as a National Church and some our Neighbours with whom we are one as a Parochial Church and of whose Concern we may have a particular knowledge I say this Meditation will greatly assist our Devotions and will also increase that Charity without which our Prayers as well as Ourselves are counted but dead in the fight of God And when we have wrought Ourselves to this excellent Temper our love to our Brethren will help our Devotion another way also For it will make us endeavour by our example to make them Devout and the more defefective we do perceive their Devotion to be the more shall we indeavour to assist it by the perfection of our own And there is certainly no better way for I have known those that Reproof and Disputation did but irritate by such Examples to have been reformed Lastly Frequent Reading these Holy Offices by ourselves and serious Meditation thereon would be a great help to our Devotion and Dr. Comber 's Excellent Book on the several Office of the Common Prayer will much 〈◊〉 us therein for when we have a full understanding of the great things contained in the brief comprehensive Sentences of the Lords Prayer and of our Collects c. the memory thereof when we come to repeat them will much assist our Devotion And I am perswaded that if Men were but conversant in the study of the Common Prayer-Book they would find more Instruction in the Matter of their Duty to God and Man more Assistance in governing their Affections and Passions and preserving Peace in themselves more Support and Consolation in Troubles and Afflictions and more Aid against Temptations c. than in reading many Books but especially it would be an excellent Means to increase those Holy Affections which prepare us for Publick Prayers and to assist our Devotion in the Performance I have mentioned this little of a great deal that might be said of the Matter of our Meditation but still it must be remembred that these things be thought on with a purpose and intention to beget in us such habitual Affections and Dispositions that we may be always fit to Pray and may in the most wonted Expressions exercise a servent Devotion and if we do so we shall not so need the Natural or Artificial Rethorick in Prayer as those do that want these Dispositions nor shall we be cloy'd with having Prayers always the same as some Dainty Stomachs are with eating often the same Meats for such Men constantly carry in their Breast such a sense of their past Enormities that it puts Life into their repeating our General Confession and such Esteem of God's Mercy in Christ as gives them a Behaviour not ordinary in receiving Absolution they have such Affection towards the Glory and Pleasure of Almighty God and such belief that he only can give what we want and forgive the Sins and prevent the Temptations that would involve us in evil now in this World and eternally in the next that it gives a great Devotion to their saying the Lord's Prayer and all the rest tho' they are still the same And where Men have such sense methinks no Man should deny that they pray in the Spirit or in the Holy Ghost as the Precepts of the Gospel require That Pious Nonconformist Mr. J. Corbet in his Kingdom of God hath these words The Spirit of Prayer is never wanting where the Heart hath a due sense of the Matter pag. 46. Although as he afterwards explains it we use a stinted Form of Words Dr. Owen I confess in a late Discourse of Prayer hath these words If Persons are able in the reading any Book meerly of Human Composure to rise up in answer to this Duty of Praying with all manner of Prayer and Supplication in the Spirit or the exercise of the Aids and Assistances received from him and his Holy Acting in them as a Spirit of Grace and Supplication endeavouring labouring and watching thereunto they have attained what I cannot understand That is in plain words the Doctor cannot understand how a Man that uses a Form can be said to pray in the Spirit It would be a high presumption in me to question the Understanding of so Great a Man but he will not be angry if I question my own for I cannot understand why our Saviour from whom we have these Precepts of Praying in the Spirit should teach his Disciples a Form of Prayer if in using a Form we cannot pray in the Spirit But it may be the Doctor will say as he doth insinuate in many places of that Book that Christ gave those words only for a Doctrinal and Directive Help to Prayer i. e. To teach Men how to pray Ex tempore for which End he saith we may read Forms of Prayer how unlawful soever the use be for which they were made But then I do not understand how the Doctor can say pag. 234. That it were better it may be that this were done Men taught to pray Ex tempore in some other way and these Doctrinal and Directive Helps not cast into the Form of a Prayer which is apt to divert the Mind from its proper End and Vse Which words seem to me to have such a Reflection on our Blessed Saviour as is little short of Blasphemy according to the Doctor 's Opinion of the Lord's Prayer For if that were not intended for a Form but for a Doctrinal and Directive Help to Prayer then those words applied to him plainly say That it may be Christ might have done better than to have cast his Instructions and Directions about Prayer into the Form of a Prayer which is
apt to divert the Mind from its proper End and Vse which to say is to reproach the Wisdom of God-incarnate and to tell Our great Teacher sent from God that he did not understand his Office nor teach in the best manner a thing of greatest concern to the Glory of God and Happiness of Mankind as the Doctor rightly saith the well performance of Prayer is Words which no Christian can patiently hear of his Saviour Now according to my weak opinion there is but one of these two ways for the Doctor to avoid this consequence from his words either that he confess the truth and say That our Saviour intended to teach his Disciples a Form of Prayes and that it is not only Lawful but a Positive Duty to use this his Holy Prayer as we do Or if he will hold to this Opinion viz. That 't is a Doctrinal and Directive Help to teach to Pray Ex tempere Then he must prove that it is not cast into the Form of a Prayer Now this later seems utterly impossible to be done for since it so plainly appears that it is cast into the Form of a Prayer And since the Christians of many Ages throughout the World have esteemed and used it as a Form of Prayer And since the Doctor himself notwithstanding his Opinion that it was not so intended cannot forbear in many places of his Book to call it The Lord's Prayer I say since it is so he will never make Men believe it is not cast into the Form of a Prayer Therefore I hope the Doctor on second thoughts will retract his Book and confess that there is a Work of the Spirit in Prayer that he hath therein much opposed A Work wherein he moved our Saviour and Holy Men to compose Forms of Prayer and to teach their Disciples to say them as the best Help to Prayer A Work whereby he moved and inabled our Reformers as well as the Governours of other Churches to Compose and Prescribe a Liturgy or Form for the Publick Service of God A Work whereby he excites Men to approach daily to God in this Solemn Office of Prayer in the Church and not to think it enough to Pray occasionally when they are pressed with the present sense of Dangers Miseries or Wants as I confess every Christian can and may do in his Closet Ex tempore A Work whereby he teacheth Men thankfully to accept and faithfully to use as Prayers the Form our Saviour taught and other Forms taught and prescribed as before Lastly A Work whereby he teacheth and assists the Preparations I before mentioned that in the use of such Forms we may be truly devout and fervent And if the Doctor will believe and consider this I hope he will use no more such Insinuations to perswade that no Forms of Prayer should ever hereafter be made nor those that are be used any otherwise than to help the attainment of the Art of Praying Ex tempore nor will while he professeth to oppose our Liturgy as set up to exclude their Way of Praying endeavour by such Insinuations to banish our Way of Praying out of the World as the use of Ex tempore Prayer did once the Liturgy out of the Church And I hope the Doctor will excuse this warmth which the conceit of such a design hath occasioned But to return if our Saviour meant to teach a Form of Prayer there can be no greater proof than that That in the use of Forms we may best pray in the Spirit For since by his Inspiration the Precept of Praying in the Spirit was given the Way of Prayer he taught must be acknowledged best for the performing the same This I hope will put an end to the common way of appropriating the phrase of Praying in the Spirit to the use of Ex tempore Prayer and give those that pray by Forms and by our Liturgy some share in the honour of it and then I hope we shall hear no more Scoffing at Praying by the Spirit which this appropriation hath caused however the Doctor complains of it which I by no means approve But Lastly When we have done our best in our Preparations and Performances we must take heed that all be not intended to gain an Indulgence for living in any Sin either of Omission or Commission The Enemies of our Church boast much of their good Lives and condemn us that are for the Common Prayer as a profane sort of Men I do heartily wish them as good as they think themselves and that their goodness may consist as much in the Government of their Passions in Just Retributions in Meekness Humility and Candid Interpretations as in decrying Sensual Vices and Worldly Pomps and Vanities And I wish also that ours did not give just occasion for this their complaint and that we may indeavour to Equal yea Excel them in Temperance and Heavenly-mindedness adding Sobriety and True Sanctity to Conformity and Loyalty But that I may also to my Wishes add my Faithful Endeavours I shall offer Two Considerations to perswade thereunto 1. That of the Incongruity of a Vicious Life to daily Attendance on Divine Service and appearing Devout therein 2. Of the Unacceptablness thereof without the Conjunction of a Holy Life 1. The Incongruity is Evident to all Men. None that see a Man to go constantly to Church to bow very low at his coming in to appear very devout in the several Parts of Worship both by Speech and Behaviour I say they that see this expect that such a one should be very exact in the Course of his Life And if they come to know that they are not they will be very apt to take offence at it I confess for my own part it hath been so with me and others have told me it hath been so with them and reason tells me it must be so with all For it is absurd to hear a Man at Church very devoutly to own himself a sinner and condemn himself of silliness in wandring from God's Ways and following his own Desires and Devices as in our General Confession and then return home as Proud and Self-conceited as ever and never the less inclin'd to wander from God in prosecution of Self satisfaction as before To call God our Father at Church as if we did partake of a Nature like his inclined to all Righteousness Goodness and Truth and when we come Home by our Ill Nature and Destructive Practices to shew ourselves the Children of the Devil To call him Our Father in Heaven when neither the consideration of the Heavenly Original of our Souls generated first by Divine Spiration and regenerated by that Word which is of Divine Inspiration on both which accounts we call him our Father can raise our Minds from this Dunghill Earth to seek the Things above Nor the Heighth and Excellency of God's Glory and his Advantage of Seeing and Punishing expressed by his being in Heaven can move us to fear him To Pray that his
any posture that is less reverent To sit is very offensive to all that desire to see this Service duely performed And it is reason it should be so for these words signifie a most immediate Address to God the Ever Blessed Trinity in Unity in the highest act of Christian Worship and so fitly do they serve to the Adoration of the Deity according to the Faith of our Religion that the Man that doth not express the inward reverence and adoration of his mind by the devout manner of his pronouncing them and by a fit deportment at that time gives suspition of some defect in his Christianity or of some mistake in the way of expressing the same And this erect posture of our Bodies would mind us to lift up our Hearts yea and our Voices too in giving praise and glory unto this Blessed Trinity whereas the other disposeth us to a defect in both and therefore not only to avoid giving offence but for our own benefit we should observe it Being next to proceed to praise God by the repetition of the Psalms of David c. the Minister that he may mind us that it is not the ordinary reading those parts of Scripture for instruction but the repeating them as an Office of Praise and Solemn Worship to Almighty God I say the Minister on that account is ordered to say Praise ye the Lord and the People to answer The Lord's Name be praised In hearing and saying which words we must endeavour to excite in ourselves holy desires to praise God and so to perform this Exercise as may tend most abundantly to his Glory and Honour The Psalm with which we always begin at Morning Prayer is O come let us sing unto the Lord and is most fitly chosen both for mutual provocation to this heavenly Exercise and for instruction in the reasons thereof and withal to insinuate that obedience to all God commands in the whole course of our lives should be consequent to the adoration and praise of God as our God shewing in the conclusion the dreadful danger of not attending to the same which excellent matter requires that we be serious and intent in repeating this Psalm as that which will prepare and dispose us to be so in all the rest As for the repetition of the Psalms in course that follows I have hinted before what is needful in that matter one thing pray remember that none should take liberty to fit in that performance except constrained by bodily infirmity because standing is so much more fit a posture for the Office of Thanksgiving and sitting was counted so indecent in the Primitive Times that the whole Service was called Station and sitting is only indulged now in some Parts for bodily weakness and because of the great decay of Piety which will not bear such strictness After the Psalms a Chapter is read out of the Old Testament that we may be instructed in the Doctrine of the Creation and Government of the first World its Destruction and Restitution the Promises of the MESSIA and procedure of God's Grace in preparing Men for Him in bringing them to Him and saving them by Him as also in the correspondency of our Saviour's Doctrine to that which God of old delivered by his Prophets his agreement to the Types and Figures of him under the Law and the accomplishment of what Moses and the Prophets wrote in that which he was did and suffered in such and many other respects the reading thereof is profitable and therefore all talking gazing and careless behaviour too often seen at this time should be avoided and we should appear as diligent Auditors of those Divine Oracles The instruction therein given us to it and the respite we have had hereby in it should cause us to return with greater joy and cheerfulness to this heavenly work of praising God For which there is next prepared the Evangelical Hymn TEDEVM the most excellent that ever was composed by Man and speaks as much of Divine Inspiration as any thing not acknowledged for such ever did 't is so fitted for Divine Adoration and apt to excite Devotion and to minister most abundantly to the Consolation of good Christians that even that alone methinks should draw us to Church if not with-held by great obligations I do therefore most earnestly recommend to you the most solemn appearance and the most devout acts of Worship and the most plain joyful and reverent manner of speaking and what ever you can think becomes the repetition of those excellent words The Adoration of God and of our Saviour by the foresaid Exercise cannot but dispose us to the next viz. the Chapter out of the New Testament which being called New for its excellency and perpetuety above the Old and reporting to us either the wonderful Works of Christ and his Apostles their holy and incomparable Doctrine or perfect and exemplary Lives cannot be too diligently and reverently attended to And I should think those who have strength of body would do very commendably in standing up at the reading thereof on the same reasons for which we do so at reading the Gospel Then we are ordered to return again to the work of Praising God which nothing but Carnality can ever be weary of And the Psalms here appointed are such as minister most fitly to the Joy conceived by hearing the glad tidings of the Gospel sent to the Gentiles of which we were as well as to the Jews and therefore to shew that we have not received that Grace in vain nor heard the Gospel of it without diligent heed we should repeat that Psalm devoutly and joyfully The next that follows is the CREEDâ— which contains those matters in which aâ—â— Christians are of one Mind all that believâ— with their hearts to Righteousness and oâ— which all Christians must make publicâ— Profession all that will Confess with theiâ— mouths to Salvation We therefore in one posture and all with our Faces one way as indeed it should be and would be if the Reader did give the example do with one mouth repeat that excellent Form of sound Words which so excellently ministers to the stedfastness of our Faith our rejoycing in Hope our unity in Love and cheerfulness in the Praises of God and our Saviour that no Man that considers it could chuse but stand up and bear his part with us and he that finds no spiritual joy and elevation of mind in repeating the Creed can have nothing else but a natural delight in hearing the most excellent Sermon or ravishing Prayer For neither of these can have any Matter that is more transporting and if it be only the words or passion of the Speaker that affects us 't is no spiritual delight Let those therefore take heed who regard not to honour God and express the joy of their Faith by a due performance in this matter After this we return to the solemn Duty of Prayer which that we may perform with mutual Charity and great Devotion
the Minister salutes the People with that excellent Option The Lord be with you and they return And with thy Spirit Which words spoken with the holy affection they ought are apt to beget such a disposition of mind as will render the Prayers very acceptable to God and edifying to one another The Minister yet farther to awaken all the powers of our Souls to this most serious business is to say Let us pray which therefore we should compose ourselves to do with all our might The Response wherewith we begin Lord have mercy Christ have mercy Lord have mercy serves most fitly to assist this endeavour of great fervency and being repeated without it seems very indecent and a kind of vain Repetition therefore remember this Then we renew the Repetition of the Lord's Prayer which Prayer certainly is of that excellency that no Christian should think it too much to use it both in the beginning and end of this Service And indeed this is the very sum and substance of all our Prayers and others are added only for greater solemnity and fuller explication And therefore the oftner it is repeated the more devoutly it should be said and greater fervency excited by it of which before To relax a little the great intention of mind that should accompany all our Prayers but especially the Lord's prayer we have that excellent Response wherein the Minister and People exchange some devout Ejaculations for themselves for their Superiours and for their Brethren which as they mix holy delight with fervency so they greatly strengthen the Bands of Christian Unity The rest of the time we spend in repeating several Collects most excellent for the matter and comprehensive for the words In praying for the King and Royal Family for Magistrates and Ministers the Church and State all Christians and all Men and in giving solemn Thanks for God's mercies to us and them in all which we should strive to preserve a constant intention and true devotion of mind and if to that end we accompany the Minister with our voice as many do it should be always with such caution as I have expressed before and so it may be very useful thereunto and also it would make us perfect in saying those Prayers which may be of great use to us in other cases besides that of our joyning with the Congregation therein But now if Men having got the faculty of saying the Prayers readily by heart do let their Tongues run before Wits and say faster than it can be thought they understand or can consider what they say then they abuse God's good gifts and shame themselves and disturb others It was greatly blam'd by the Apostle that some of those who had received the miraculous Gift of Tongues were so forward in the use of it as that it hindred their due consideration of the things they spake and others understanding them for amending whereof he proposeth his own example to their imitation saying I will pray with the spirit but yet so as with the understanding also and I think we may infer something from hence for our instruction in this matter I have taken liberty of some repetition and inlargement here because I have often heard this Disorder complained of since the first Edition of this Book and many wish the Reprinting of it for this very reason that it may be lent or given to those in whom they observe this Disorder to rectifie their practice herein What I have here discoursed shews that I believe this Service to be well ordered to prevent all wandring thoughts to preserve a due presence of mind to promote pious affections and to give the best entertainment to true Devotion and indeed on all these accounts I do wonder very much that it is not had in greater estimation But Men must do their own part also towards this therefore I earnestly admonish all Men to avoid sitting lolling leaning and all indecent postures and to continue kneeling meekly and devoutly in the whole Performance if they can And I think Men too apt to plead Infumity out of indulgence to the Flesh which should be taught to suffer something for the honour of God and interests of our Souls which have suffered a great deal by its pleasures and passions and I doubt not the pain we endure to express our reverent Adoration of the Almighty in this his Solemn Worship shall be accepted of God as a part of Our Mortifications and of our Conformity to Christ and his Church and no Christian that considers the great and most dolorous pain wherein Christ offered himself in Sacrifice on the Cross can think much to endure some little pain that we may offer our Sacrifices of Prayers and Praises with that reverence which becomes us nor can any Man have that sence of the adorable Majesty of the most High when his head and elbows lye on the bench of his seat as when he kneels in an erect posture with his eyes and hands lift up to Heaven The actions of the Body have a great influence on the Soul as well as on the contrary the Souls affections move it to act Besides the decency of this which is so evident that I may appeal to Men themselves in this case as the Apostle in another of the same nature being in a matter of Indecency in God's Worship Judge in yourselves what is meet Can any Man think it fit to supplicate the infinite Majesty of Heaven and Earth in any but the most humble posture of body which with us is Kneeling or that we ought to sit on our breeches when we sing or speak praise unto him Certainly the power of Errour is very great that it can blind the mind of Man in a matter so evident and plain But I trust that those to whom I write are not so deceived Yet I would not be thought to commend any such Uneasiness as is either against the due composure of the Mind or the good estate of the Body I know God will have Mercy and not Sacrifice and prefers the due operations of the Mind before the most devout actions of the Body especially where they cannot be both in perfection but our exactness in one must necessitate some relaxation in the other But there is an uneasiness that is so small that it rather helps than hinders inward Devotion and disturbs nothing but a lazie humour or ill habit things no way to be indulged But yet where there is such real Infirmity as justly excuseth from Standing or Kneeling upright c. Men should be careful that in what posture soever they be they make such expressions of Seriousness and Devotion that it may appear to the Congregation that they omit nothing out of Laziness Contempt of the Orders of the Church or a prophane Spirit I have now run over the Daily Office of Morning Prayer and shall proceed no farther because he that will observe what I have written in that cannot be to seek in ordering himself a right