in passion may censure to be so for we are to hope the best of all and condemn not Luk. 6.37 lest we be condemned May not a persecuting Paul become an Elect vessel Act. 9.15 and a forsworn Peter go out and weep bitterly But of this more when we shall speak of execrations herafter What wee are to pray for Sufficient limits may be found in that heavenly pattern which our Saviour hath left for that purpose Mat. 26.75 consisting of a Preface petitions and a conclusion In the preface the first word as we have it Our minds us of unity and respect to our brethren as well as of our selves excluding dissention that frustrates our best intentions as also respect of persons in preferring the rich before the poor and censuring others as being not capable of Gods mercies equally with our selves The second word Father assures us of acceptance tells us we are all brethren and that we need not to make our addresses for our wants to others whom we may not term fathers he having will and power to supply us and dislikes that we should seeke further in hope of speeding better for wee have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear Rom. 8.15.16 but we have received the Spirit of Adoption wherby we cry Abba Gal. 4.6.7 Father This Spirit it selfe bearing witness with our spirit that we are the children of God That which followes which art in heaven makes pilgrimages to shrines and reliques superfluous and superstitious Psal 25. Psal 121. Psal 122. For it lifts up our hearts to heaven and heavenly things as the Psalmist teacheth us I lift my heart to thee and unto thee do I lift up mine eyes O thou that dwellest in the heavens Ioh. 17. Which our Saviours practice confirmeth These words spake Jesus and lift up his eyes to heaven and said Father the houre is come And tells us moreover that wee have an overseer who looks into all our thoughts words Ps 113.5 and works Who is like unto the Lord our God who hath his dwelling so high and yet humbleth himselfe to behold the things that are in heaven and in earth The Petitions that succeed are by some made but six but without quarrelling may be reckoned seven In which the order of them shew that spiritual things are to be first looked after Mat. 6.33 and prayed for before temporal according to that of our Saviour first seek the Kingdom of God Mat. 6.33 and the righteousnesse thereof and then temporal matters shall be added as an advantage In which respects Solomons choice pleased God in praying for wisdome 1 King 3.11 before riches and honour for what shall be best for us we shall not want if we prefer the first petition the Hallowing of Gods Name before all temporalities Of this Moses and St. Paul were so tender that the one wished to be blotted out of Gods booke of life Exod. 32.32 Rom. 9.3 The other to be accursed from Christ rather then an aspersion should be cast on God either of impotency in not being able or breach of promise as not performing what he had of his free bounty undertaken for his Church to bring to passe The Hallowing therefore and glorifying and extolling above all things of the infinite Majesty of Gods Name is the thing that we are to esteem of above our own salvation And Name here which signifies Gods Essence Attributes and Commands must be conceived to be no other but that which wee were baptized in including both Father Sonne and Holy Ghost who being of one essence must needs by the same Act of ours equally be honoured or dishonoured The second petition Let thy Kingdome come Instruct us that next after Gods glory the good of his Church must be respected and prayed for that being militant here as it ought it may triumph hereafter as it expects Any thing therefore that may derogate from this must be so far from our prayers that it be rejected as the subject of our chiefest detestations Thirdly Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven guideth all our desires and petitions to be regulated by Gods will revealed in his word the resisting or declining from which must not once come within compasse of our thoughts much lesse of our petitions And now when we descend to beg for supplies in our own behalfe The fourth Petition Give us this day our daily bread how in every word doth it lesson us to exclude exorbitances Give not as due but of thy meer bounty not to one that hath of his own but to those that of unfained necessity are forced to beg with us not for themselves only but for their brethren too who must do the like for them also rich and poor are at Gods gate of mercy must be equally supplicants and that for present supply This day our daily bread must be conferred on us by a continued liberality where under the name of bread are contained apparel dwellings all things necessary to teach moderation to be used in all Gods blessings so that superfluities make not up any part of our petitions And that these blessings be not hindered by our sins The fifth petition puts in a caveat forgive us our trespasses as wee forgive them that trespass against us The condition here expresses the obligation that lies upon us of forgiving others if wee hope to be forgiven of God our selves I say therefore saith our Saviour blesse them that curse you Mat. 5.44 do good to them that hate you pray for them that despightfully use you and persecute you So that an irreconciled petitioner in Gods Court of Requests is like as you see to find no audience And as not for the remission of his own debts so neither to be freed from the assaults and hazards of ruining temptations which makes up the sixth request to be granted of him that only can keep us from and deliver us in the strongest combates of the World the Flesh and also against the most impetuous incursions of the Divel himself desired in the seventh and last Petition All these shew so sufficiently what wee are to ask that wee need not cast about what besides wee should pray for for the Articles of the Apostles Creed shew but the condition of that Kingdome whose coming and prosperity we pray for in the second Petition And what is the loving of God above all things and of our neighbour as our selves but the substance of the ten Commandments that wee desire in the third Petition That the will of God may bee done by us here on earth as it is in Heaven by the Saints and Angels For the more assured obtaining of all which petitions the Conclusion adds this confidence For thine O Father is the Kingdome therefore thou wilt the Power therefore thou canst the Glory therefore in honour thou art in a sort by thy selfe engaged to tender the prayers of thy children subjects and
hath a special prescription Lev 7.12 to be tempered with plenty of oyl of gladness that maketh the face to shine Ps 24.25 In this behalf the Psalmist is so copious that it is hard to pitch upon any passage wherein he seemeth more expressive then other In that ninety second Psalm which carries the Title for the Sabbath day no entrance is found but by the door of Thanksgiving It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord and to sing praises unto thy Name O thou most high To tell of thy loving kindnesse early in the morning and of thy truth in the night season Upon an Instrument of ten strings and upon the Lute upon a loud Instrument and upon the Harp Church-musick then in those dayes was not held Superstitious but taken in for an help to set forth Praise and Thanksgiving For performance of which duty so many ties are upon us that the Prophet cryes out as destitute of expressions Psa 116.11 What reward shall I give unto the Lord for all the benefits he hath done unto me and can resolve no otherwise for himselfe but Psal 145.1 Every day will I give thanks to thee and praise thy name for ever and ever And for stirring up of others to the same duty O praise the Lord saith he for it is a good thing to sing praises unto our God yea Psal 147.1 a joyful and pleasant thing it is to be thankful But what need we go further where we have the practice of our Saviour to lead us I thank thee O Father Mat. 11.25 Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them to babes Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight According with this we have that large form of Thankgiving besides many others to stirre up our selves and others of the Kingly Prophet Psal 136. O give thanks unto the Lord for he is gracious and his mercy endureth for ever O give thanks unto the God of all gods for his mercy endureth for ever O thank the Lord of all Lords for his mercy endureth for ever and so going on in numbring up Gods blessings for which thanks were due with a repetition from whence they proceeded from Gods mercy not our deserts for his mercy endureth for ever He ends as he began as though in his acknowledgment he had never said enough O give thanks unto the Lord of heaven for his mercy endureth for ever O give thanks unto the Lord of Lords for his mercy endureth for ever Upon this ground proceed the four and twenty Elders representing the whole Church of the Faithful falling upon their faces and worshipping We give thee thanks Rev. 12.17 O Lord God Almighty which art and which wa st and which art to come because thou hast taken unto thee thy great power and hast reigned From these and the like patterns our Leiturgies forms are derived A Thanksgiving for raine in time of drought O God our heavenly Father who by thy gracious providence dost cause the former and the latter rain to descend upon the earth c. For fair weather O Lord God who hast justly humbled us by the late plague of immoderate rain and waters c. For Plenty O most merciful Father which of thy gracious goodness hast heard the devout prayers of the Church c. For Peace and Victory Almighty God who art a strong Tower of Defence unto thy servants against the face of their enemies c. For Deliverance from the Plague O Lord God which hast wounded us for our sins c. After receiving of the Lords Supper Almighty and everlasting God wee most heartily thank thee for that thou dost vouchsafe to feed us which have duly received these holy Mysteries c. And last of all under the Title of Prayers most commonly set in the end of the Church-Book what a complete form of Thanksgiving have we that thus begins Honour and Praise be given to thee O Lord God Almighty most dear Father of heaven for all thy mercies and loving kindness shewed unto us c. Which ends with this most pious and necessary petition to be used at all times and on all occasions Let thy mighty hand and out-stretched arm O Lord be still our defence c. For your Sexe also my Daughters is not to be omitted the Thanksgiving of women after Child-birth commonly called the Churching of Women though latter times have held it superfluous if not superstitious wherein Forasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God of his goodnesse to give you safe deliverance and preserved you in the great danger of Child-birth You are called upon to be thankful heartily and to pray with the words of the Psalmist Psal 121. I have lifted up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my salvation my help cometh from the Lord which hath made heaven and earth And that which followes The Sun shall not burn thee by day nor the Moon by night c. is not impertinent as some will have it in as much as it ascribes all preservation to God at all times and in all places in our greatest extremities When more punctual devout and judicious Thanksgiving upon surer grounds and authority shall bee tendred to you my Daughters you may satisfie your consciences in making use of them In the meane time you and yours may feed on the milk which your Mother the Church so plentifully affords you and not cast about for change of Nurses who will scarce prove so natural CHAP. VI. Of Praises PRaise is a due acknowledgment of Gods infinite excellency expressed in his works of Power Mercy and Justice It hath such affinity with Thanksgiving that most commonly they go together and usually are taken one for the other Psa 145.11 As in that Psalm All thy works praise thee O Lord and thy Saints give thanks unto thee I will magnifie thee Ver. 1 2. O Lord my King and will praise thy Name for ever and ever Every day will I give thanks to thee and praise thy Name for ever and ever Notwithstanding howsoever Magnifying Praising Blessing and giving of Thanks to God are used to the same purpose yet praise may belong to Excellency which we are not bound to thank whereas Thanks includeth Praise for affording us a Blessing by which wee are obliged to magnifie the Donor In the Old Testament those that will seek for forms in this behalf shall find all the Psalmes of David in the Original to come under the title of The Book of Praises Not that all Psalmes therein may be so termed but because the most part are so that gives the nomination to the whole And Samplers for Praises to you my Daughters may be as pertinent that of Miriam registred to all posterity for imitation in these words Exo. 15.20 And Miriam the Prophetesse the sister of Aaron took a Timbrel in her hands and
a Spirit Joh. 4.24 and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and Truth Those that tell you that Statua's and Images are good memorials to mind us what we should worship you may answer Psal 19. That the Heavens declare the glory of God and all other Creatures his handy works direct us to the worshipping of him that made them Thus shall ye say unto them as the Prophet charged the Israelites to tell the Idolatrous Chaldeans in their own language The Gods that have not made the heavens and the earth Jer. 10.12 even they shall perish from the earth and from under those heavens Images for Worship saith another are but Teachers of lies Hab. 2.18 and the promoters of the Doctrine of Divels 2 Tim. 4.1 They may otherwise have an Historical use and adorne buildings but for Worship we have the Words direction not a painted Crucifix to set before the foolish Galatians Christ crucified Gal. 3.1 And for Remembrance of our Saviours Passion why should not the Breaking of bread and drinking of wine in the Sacrament of his last Supper be accounted the best Art of Memory seeing hee himself hath taught us Do this in remembrance of me Luk. 22.19 And would not any wise man take the Sermons of our Saviour and the Writings of his Apostles to be better Relicks then a chip of the material Crosse or the shewing of Saint Peters Chaines to inform us what they taught for our salvation or did for our imitation Last of all Against the Proctors for praying to Saints or Angels that which our Saviour replyed to the Lawyer may be well made use of Luk. 10.26 What is written in the Law how readest thou Can you shew me any Precept or Example of such prayer throughout all the Old or New Testaments Or can wee think in reason that Saints will bee more readie to hear or tender our wants or promote our Petitions then our blessed Redeemer and our only Mediatour and Advocate Christ Jesus The Woman of Canaan found small comfort upon earth of Saints Intercession Mat. 15.23 Send her away say they for she cryeth after us Wee believe the Saints are most happy in heaven and honour their persons and memory here on earth in appointing Holy-Dayes wherein their Doings and Doctrine are commended to our Assemblies for their pious Imitation But what they know of us or may do for us by way of Intercession in heaven is not revealed unto us Build you therefore upon certainties my Daughters Christ hath taught you to say Our Father which art in heaven and the Church wherein you were borne and baptized teacheth you accordingly That when you direct your Prayers severally to any of the Persons in whose Names you were baptized or jointly to the Blessed Trinity you direct them to One God which is Three in One and One in All. And as many as walk according to this Rule peace be on them and mercy Gal. 6.16 and upon the Israel of God which prevailing with God they shall the more comfortably and assuredly enjoy if they take with them as an Antidote Saint Johns conclusion Little children John 5.13 keep your selves from Idols CHAP. III. What wee are to ask in our prayers TO know the Necessity of Prayer and to whom we are to pray will but little avail if we are not well advised what to ask Joh 21 22 Peter may enquire what shall become of John but receive a check What is that to thee Inquire not after that which belongs not to thee do that I bid thee Follow thou me And when the mother of Zebedees children became a suiter for the preferment of them to that which they were uncapable of Mat. 20.20 wee know what a cold satisfaction they obtained from our Saviour Mar. 10.35 Ye know not what ye ask Neither the joint petition of the Apostles afterwards concerning an earthly Kingdom found better successe Acts 1.7 It is not for you to know the times and seasons which the Father hath put into his own power Those therefore that trust to speed must petition only for those things which may be convenient for them to receive and for God to grant as the entrauce to our Liturgy tells us They must ask those things which are requisite for the soul and body Otherwise their prayers may be turned into sin Psa 109.7 and instead of an expected Blesing a deserved curse may fall upon them Gen. 27.12 The caveat therefore of the preacher as well for the mouth as for the foot is to be observed of all suiters that shall present themselves before the throne of grace First learne by hearing what to doe before thou tender a fooles sacrifice without consideration in hope to obtaine Eccles 5.1 and be not rash with thy mouth and hasty with thy heart to multiply many words where few would be more to the purpose and better accepted for how can it chuse but prove lost labour to beg that of God which may not be granted by reason of his revealed will to the contrary Hence the salvation of Judas and damned spirits the foreknowledg of the day of Judgment and secrets of God in election or reprobation of this or that party must not come within the compasse of our petitions And if the tree must lye where it falleth Eccles 11.3 and the condition of the dead from worse to better be unchangeable those Masses dirges and prayers for any friend departed may very well be spared which some are so missled to purchase and others to sell at so dear a rate for who hath required this at your hands Isa 1.12 Psal 49.8 It cost more to reedem a soul therfore that must be let alone for ever upon the same ground Samuel might not pray for Saul nor Jeremiah for preventing Judahs captivity where the immutable purpose of God was once made known unto them Things then spiritual which concerne our salvation and temporal that make for our preservation in the condition God hath put us or furtheering us to a better according to his good will and disposition not our restlesse and itching ambition must bee the line and compasse of our approveable devotions And this brings in that confidence the beloved disciple speaks of That if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us Joh 5.14 and if we know that he heareth whatsoever we aske wee know wee have the petition that we desired of him Many scruples are here suggested whether we may pray for one blaspemously sinning to death or obstinately standing excommunicate or rebelliously persecuting the Church and State seeing the petition of the Psalmist is expresse Stand up O Lord God of hostes Psal 59.5 thou God of Israel to visit all the heathen and be not mercifull unto them that offend of malicious wickednesse But the Prophets prayer runs against those that God shal find so not against such as we
his brother Esaus coming with four hundred men against him he betakes himself to this effectual personal prayer dictated to him by feare upon the present occasion O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaak thou Lord which saidst unto me return unto thy country and to thy kindred and I will deal well with thee I am not worthy of thy mercies and all thy truth which thou hast shewed unto thy servant for with my staffe I passed over this Jordan and now I am become two hands Deliver me I pray thee from the hand of my brother Esau for I feare him lest he should come and smite mee with the mother upon the children Gen. 32 6. Thus wrestled he with God and obtained a blessing and thus must all that generation of them doe that seek him even of them that seek thy face O Jacob. What was St. Psal 24.6 Pauls thorne in the flesh that buffeted him into humiliatie Cor 12.9 nonewas sensible of but himself but what remedie doe we find he used to take it off no other but personal praier For this thing saith he I besought the Lord that it might depart from me and the return he received from God was most gracious My Grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weaknesse In these and the like practices of Piety you have Samplers my daughters how to fit your selves with personal prayers upon any private occurrences Bosome sins peculiar temptations and secret defects are incident to the best and none knowes so well where a fair shooe wrings as hee that weares it In such cases therefore the urgency of the matter will quickly frame a form correspondent to our desires vexed and barren Hannah needed not a prompter besides the bitternesse of her soul to teach her thus to pray unto the Lord O Lord of hosts if thou wilt indeed look upon the affliction of thine handmaid and remember me and not forget thine handmaid but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man-child 1 Sam. 1.11 then will I give him unto the Lord all the dayes of his life I need not relate how well this prayer took the story of Samuel being so well known From Esthers trembling at the hazardous venture shee made upon majestick Ahasucrus and the importance of the suit shee had in hand we have this pertinent prayer Esth 14.3 O my Lord thou only art our king helpe me desolate woman who have no helper but thee for my danger is in mine hand O thou mighty God above all vers 4. hear the voice of the forlorn vers 4. and deliver us out of the hand of the mischievous and deliver mee out of my feare This prayer howsoever Apocriphal the calamities of these times have made in a sort Canonical The dangers are not unslike all upon the point to be lost and no hopes of redress but by publick and private prayers deliberate and occasional which need not justle one the other but duly take their turnes in their several places Extemporal and personal conceptions upon private occasions which are too often emergent we must commend and be stored with but in publick Assemblies where Gods people come together not only to hear that whereby they may be instructed but especially to confesse their sinnes and to professe their faith and give God thanks with their own mouthes in an uniforme manner for all his blessings and to ask those things which shall be requisite and necessary as well for the body as the soul not only for themselves but for their brethren wheresoever dispersed present or distressed in such publick devotions young men and maidens Psal 148.12 old men and children every one according to his abilitie must act their proscribed parts with the Minister and Praise the Name of the Lord. All must joyne in saying Almighty and most mercifull Father we have erred and strayed from thy waies like lost sheepe All answer the Ministers entrance O Lord open thou our lips and our mouth shall shew forth thy praise All stand up and professe with him leading the way I Believe in God the Father Almightie Maker of Heaven and Earth For was not the Hosanna of the children in the Temple Mat. 21.16 justified by our Saviour against those that would have none heard in the Church but themselves And why may not the Congregation joyne as well with the Minister in praying as in singing or to speak to the point in prayers in prose in a set form as consonantly as in a set form of prayers in verse must they come together to admire or censure their Ministers gifts and performe nothing themselves And is there such antipathy betweene Religious preaching to men and publick set prayers to God that they may not stand both together and the one the better for the other Men as religious and judicious heretofore as for ought wee find now are have determined otherwise whom you may do well to follow till you are convinced with better reasons then have yet beene produced CHAP. II. Of Houshold or Prayers in Family IF any provide not for his own and especially those of his own house or kindred that belong to him saith the Apostle hee hath denied the faith 1 Tim. 5 88 and is worse than an infidel Now if this be required in matters temporal why should it not be urged more earnestly in cases spirituall by how much heaven is to be preferred before earth and the soule before the body For except the Lord build the house Ps 127.1 the labour is but lost of them that build it as except the Lord keepe the city the watchman waketh but in vain labor and wake and toile we may early and late and eat the bread of carefulnesse and be never the nearer Psalm 90. except the glorious Majestie of the Lord our God be upon us to prosper the workes of our hands and impart successe and sleep to his beloved Those house-keepers therfore that expect the blessings of the marriage Psalme so pertinently used in our leiturgie upon them and theirs Psal 128. must be carefull as Abraham was to have them religiously instructed and well chatechized as those three hundred and eighteen were Gen. 14.14 with whom he routed the four Eastern victorious Kings and recovered the spoiles they had taken And this God makes a motive for communicating to him his purpose in the ensuing destruction of Sodom and Gomorrha And the Lord said Gen. 18.19 Shall I hide from Abraham the thing that I do c. For I know that he will command his children and his houshold after him and they shall kee the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment The fruit of which houshold Instruction we find afterwards in the prayer and faithfulnesse of his chiefest servant whom he sent into Mesopetamia to fetch a wife for his son Isaac The prayer of the Servant is very remarkable O Lord of my
orderly with Gods Word which must be the ground and rule of all preaching praying and Christian conversation Now such a Reformation is directed to us that wee know not where we are or what to expect but that the longest liver shall never be acquainted by this new method in our Church Service with the whole counsel of God Acts 20.27 and if the Minister please not the Ten Commandments in the Old Testament and Lords Prayer in the New shall never bee known to the simple people But concerning the divers uses and applications of the Psalmes in private that notable Treatise of an ancient Father placed before our Psalmes in Meter may bee a profitable Directory wherein 99. Cases are set down what Psalmes wee may distinctly use for our greatest comfort For you my Daughters it may be sufficient to take into your particular Devotions those seven Psalms termed by the Ancients Penitentials which are the 6 32 38. 51 102 130 143. and were usually repeated weekly each on its set day which was a pious course But if this may bee thought to be otherwise supplyed in the Family Confessions before mentioned in your daily Morning and Evening Prayer it may bee worth your private Observation to consider the several works of the six dayes in the Creation as they are registred in Genesis with the celebration of the Sabbath chap. 1. and then to select seven Psalmes which may serve as a most sweet and pertinent explanation of each of them In this accommodation for Light the first dayes work you have the 27 Psalm The Lord is my light and my salvation whom then shall I fear c. For the second dayes work which were the Heavens the 19. Psalm The heavens declare the glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy-work For the Earth with the Sea of the third dayes framing how consonant is the 14 Psalm The earth is the Lords and all that therein is the compasse of the world and they that dwell therein for he hath founded it upon the sea and prepared it upon the flouds c. In the same order the Sun and Moon and Stars which were created and set in the Firmament the fourth day are taken into especial consideration in the 8. Psalm When I consider the heavens the work of thy fingers the Moon and the Stars which thou hast ordained Behold what an excellent use hee makes of it for a patterne to direct us what we should do in contemplating all the rest of the Creatures Lord what is man that thou art mindful of him and the Son of man that thou visitest him The like use is made upon the consideration of the fishes of the Sea and of the fowls of the air which were the work of the fifth day in the 104. Psalm Ver. â—5 And for the sixth day wherein Man was created with the beast and the rest of the Inhabitants of the Earth to serve him how fit is the 139 Psalme to bee thought upon O God Ver. â—5 thou hast searched me out and known me thou knowest my down-sitting and mine uprising thou understandest my thoughts long before c. My bones are not hid from thee though I be made secretly and fashioned beneath in the earth Thine eyes did see my substance yet being unperfect and in thy book were all thy Members written And last of all the 92 Psalm bears this Title A Psalm or Song for the Sabbath Day conformable to which we have the seventh and Lords day wherein we may observe that which an unwise man doth not well consider Ver. 6. and a fool doth not understand 1. What is to be done in celebrating of it Ver. 1. It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord and to sing praises unto the name of the Most Highest 2. At what set times especially Ver. 2. Morning and Evening To tell of thy loving kindnesse early in the Morning and of thy truth in the night season 3. With what solemnity Upon an Instrument of ten strings and upon the Lute upon a loud Instrument any that may consort with or quicken our praises Prayers or Thanksgivings 4. Upon what ground Because God hath made us glad through his works and therefore this day should be especially set apart for to rejoyce in giving praise for the operations of his hands which is intimated in the fourth Commaudment it self In six dayes the Lord made heaven and earth the sea and all that in them is What should this mean but that especially upon this day with all Praise and Thanksgiving all these things were to be considered in pious meditations and distinct Prayers Praises and Thanksgivings to be inferred thereupon according to every mans private Devotions and capacities besides the publick Service 5. In what manner must this be done Our Psalmist also here furnisheth us with a Gloria Patri O Lord how glorious are thy works and thy thoughts are very deep And 6. Tells us that those that pass this over as a slight business are but unwise men and fools who prick up as the green grasse quickly to be mowen down and made fodder for beasts whereas the truly religious and due observers of the Lords Day according to his own holy Ordinance 1 Shal have their strength exalted as the horn of an Unicorn 2. Be annointed with the fresh oyl of Gods blessed Spirit 3. Flourish like a Palm tree that prospereth under pressures and 4. Spread abroad like a Cedar in Libanus in spite of winds and tempests 5. Shall see their enemies danted and put to confusion according to their desire Whereas 6. They themselves shall be firmly fixed and flourish in Gods house and bring forth more fruit in their age then the vigour of their former dayes hath yeilded There be that apply the 150 Psalmes in this manner That the first fifty should especially stir us up to hearty repentance The second to the consideration of Gods Mercy and Justice The third to the contemplation of Eternal happinesse to bee intertained with Hallelujahs and Thanksgivings But if you answer to this Such knowledge is too wonderful and excellent Psal 139.5 we cannot attain unto it Take then in a shorter way those three Psalms which may well bee called the Sermons of David In the first of which which is the 37th you have a plaister against fretting at the prosperity of the wicked and perplexed estate of those that in all mens judgements deserve better In the second being the forty ninth a purge for swelling up-starts whose state is held no better then that of the beasts that perish this is set forth more at large in the seventy third to beat us off from all worldly vanities and to bring us to hold fast by God Psal 73.27 37.38 for that will only bring us true peace at the last These Sermons will not over-burden your memories with tediousnesse but be easily learned by you and taught your children And seeing you have the
herein I shall divide this ensuing Discourse into three parts whereof the first shall be concerning the due preparations to Prayer the second of Prayer in private and the third of praying in publick Assemblies wherein it were fruitlesse to heap together all that may be said the best Teacher hath left us a pattern to respect our Auditors capacities I have many things to say unto you Joh. 16.12 1 Cor. 3.2 Heb. 5.12 but you cannot bear them now Milk therefore must be the Childrens diet until their stomacks be fitted for stronger meat The Preparation comes here first to be thought on Wherein these particulars are especially to be observed 1. The Necessity of prayer 2. To whom our prayers are to be directed 3. What we are to ask 4. What gestures are most beseeming our Devotions 5 The impediments that are most likely to frustrate or disturb our petitions 6. What Helps may most stir us up to further them 7. The waiting for a gracious answer from God and the surest tokens to discern it In none of which my Daughters you must expect what might be gathered by me from divers Authors with my own additions but such touches only as you may best remember to put in practice When our Saviour had instructed his Disciples to pray and shewed how prevalent it is with God if it be continued with importunity interposing therewith a Miracle in casting out a dumb Divel which he shewed his calumniatours that he did not by Inchantments but by the finger of God a certaine woman of the company is said to have lift up her voice by way of applause Blessed is the Womb Luk. 11.27 that bare thee and the paps that thou hast sucked But what was the answer she received for so hearty an expression yea rather saith our Saviour Blessed are they that hear the Word of God and keep it It is not the applauding of the Preacher but the edification and practice of the Hearer that finds acceptance at the Throne of Grace This therefore we should especially drive at which is informed and made effectual by continual prayer The Necessity of which in the first place is duly of you to bee considered CHAP. I. Of the Necessity of Prayer OF all Christian duties wee finde none so much urged in Scripture as Prayer Luk 21.36 1 Th. 5.17 Pray alwayes saith our Saviour continually saith the Apostle which convinceth its Necessity And Experience informeth us that there were never any so brutish who acknowledged a God but also concluded upon it that hee must be sought unto by prayer We therefore that from heavenly Institution have surer grounds to build upon 1 Pet. 2.19 may 1. From the command of the Father 2. From the seconding of the Son 3. From the inforcing of the Holy Ghost 4. From the honour given to them in Scripture that have been eminent in prayer As also 5 From the wonderful effects of prayer And 6. From the freedom of it that cannot be hindred as other duties may And last of all for that it is the only meanes that forceth as it were the Almighty and the special Engine that terrifieth and routeth Satan and all his Adherents may wel I say more peremptorily inforce the Necessity of it to be such that as outward works of our vocation cannot bee performed without Light the night cometh saith our Saviour when no man can work Joh. 9.4 so no action of ours can be acceptable to God or profitable for our selves except it be seasoned with the salt of prayer 1. For the first inducement Call upon me saith the Father in the time of thy trouble and I will hear thee Psal 50.15 and thou shalt praise me For the second Ask and it shall be given you they are the words of the Sonne seek and ye shall finde Matth. 7.7 knock and it shall be opened unto you Ask by prayer seek by reading or hearing knock by doing good works And as though all this had been too little in regard of our dulnesse to have once said the word hee reinforceth it again with a promise renewed for every one that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth Ver. 8. and to him that knocketh it shall be opened And further lest this large proffer should make the promise suspected he backs it with an instance pickt out of our naturall corrupt affections What man is there so perverse among you saith he whom if his son ask for bread Ver. 9. will he give him a stone or if he ask a fish will he give him a serpent And that we neglect not or misapply the inference by our untoward Logick he adds for a right application If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts to your children Ver. 10. how much more shall your father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him 3. For the third Would the Spirit think you when we know not what we should pray for as we ought Rom. 8.26 help our infirmities and make intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered if prayers were not necessary for the Saints according to the will of God 4. In the fourth place Psal 99.6.4 that passage of the Psalmist Moses and Aaron among his Priests and Samuel amongst them that call upon his Name and that of the prophet If these three men Noah Daniel Ezek. 14.14 and Job should be intercessors for the putting by of a determined famine and spoil by beasts sword or pestilence for the wickedness of the people they only should save themselves what may it intimate unto us but the prevalence of such mens prayers where any hope is left and the hainousnesse of continued abominations have not quite excluded pardon Fifthly the wonderful effects of prayer are sufficiently set forth in that of Joshua Jos 10.12 Sun saith he stand thou stil upon Gibeon and thou Moon in the valley of Ajalon which was no sooner asked then had so that there was no day like before it or after it that God thus hearkned unto the voice of a man But if this may seem too extraordinary Elias saith the Apostle was a man subject to the like passions as we are and he prayed earnestly that it might not raine Jam. 5.17 and it rained not on the earth by the space of three yeares and six months and he prayed again Ver. 18. and the heavens gave raine and the earth brought forth her fruit And this makes both for prayers necessity and excellency Which sixthly may be further thought on that whereas other duties of preaching Sacraments visiting the afflicted giving of Alms or the like may through pressing distractions want of ability or opportunity of time and place be wholly hindered no time no place no calamity whatsoever can prohibit us from the practice of praying Daniel in the lions den Jonas in the Whales belly Acts 5.16 25 Paul and Silas in the stocks howsoever imprisoned find
humble Supplicants and dismisse them with the Seal of Amen set to their just requests You cannot therefore my Daughters be ignorant what to pray for or what to decline as impertinent to your Devotions being so compendiously instructed by our Saviours owne heavenly Directory It will do well therefore in the next place to take some notice what Gestures in our Prayers may be most conveniently used CHAP. IV. Of External Gestures beseeming Religious Devotions HOwsoever Superstition as praying in an unknown tongue upon Beads before a Crucifixe or the like be as wild Goards 2 Kin. 4.40 that throwne in among good herbs makes the pottage deadly yet a distinction must be ever made between that and due reverence This is required not only of the mind but also of the Body Exod. 4.5 Josh 5.15 Moses and Joshuah must put off their shooes when they approach near to have conference with God Job Job 42.6 that was somewhat too forward upon his integrity when the Lord had schooled him was quickly brought to professe that he abhorred himself and repented in dust and ashes And it may well be thought that the heavy doome pronounced against the Intruder at the Kings Marriage Supper for his Son Mat. 22.13 without a Wedding garment was especially inflicted upon him for his irreverence in that behalf For would an earthly Prince endure a Tradesman invited by him to a Feast to come regardless out of his shop in his worst Apparrel without respect of the Person or place or honor of his Superiour that vouchsafed so much to owne him Joseph must not be presented to Pharaoh without trimming Gen. 41.74 and changing his rayment And what adoe was there with the Purification of the Virgins Esth 2.12 before they were thought fit to come into Ahasuerus his presence To this purpose God himself lessoneth grieved Aaron for the unexpected death of his two rash sons Nadab and Abihu I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me and before all the people I will be glorified It is a plot of Satan to brand due reverence of the body with the scandal of Superstition Bowing at the name of Jesus standing up at the Creed kneeling at the Receiving of the Blessed Sacrament of the Lords Supper must be held with some Superstitious to smel of Popery as though it were too much for him that created the body aswel as the soul to have the due reverence from both And because Papists are too peevish in over acting we should performe nothing at all That mean therefore must be kept between warrantable Ceremonies and superstitious fooleries that in detesting the one wee prove not profane in the other Herein our Church hath been very careful and judicious in giving a reason of Ceremonies in a Preface to our Leiturgy why some be abolished and some retained which those that dislike will dislike any thing that comes not out of the forge of their owne fancies and that most commonly as our fashions endures no longer then the starting up of another whimzy whose noveltie takes more with the people Jude such clouds without water fruitlesse trees raging waves of the sea foaming out their owne shame gifts without grace shifts withont blushing drifts without the least touch of conscience and Christianity our late experience hath taught us how ruinous they prove to Church and Commonwealth The smarts whereof should rather make us to recollect our selves and recover that we have lost both in external and internal Devotions then to proceed in such dangerous wayes which in the end must needs undo us for this falleth in with that of the Prophet Jer. 18.15 16 17. Because my people have forgotten me they have burnt Incense unto vanity and they have caused them to stumble in their wayes from the ancient paths to walk in paths in a way not cast up to make their Land desolate and a perpetual hissing Every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished and wag his head But mark the issue if timely repentance prevent it not I will scatter them as with an East wind before the enemy I will shew them the back and not the face in the day of their calamity Amendment therefore for the present and prevention for the future will prove at this time especially more seasonable then complaints for that which is past and cannot be recalled That which the Apostle requireth 1 Cor. 14.40 Let all things be done decently and in order is of a large extent and hath a more evident reflex in our devotions upon the outward postures of our body then the inward affection of the mind Such Gestures therefore as these 1. Casting our eyes on the earth and smiting our brests as unworthy to behold heaven by reason of our false-hearted exorbitancies 2. Standing up at the Creed in token of our free profession of it and resolution ever to stand to it 3. The lifting up of our eyes and hands to heaven as to the Mercy-Seat of that only God to whom only our prayers are to bee directed 4 Strong cryes and tears Heb 5.7 which make our Supplications prevalent with him that puts them in his bottle and is able to save us from death provided they be as well meant as they are oftentimes expressed 5. Bowing of the head and body 6. Kneeling on the knees 7. Prostrating our whole body upon the earth have pattern and warrant in Scripture and may be used of us in our private or publick devotions as variety of occasions shall be offered 1 For casting down the eyes to the earth as unworthy to look on heaven and smiting his brest Luk. 18.13 were the penitent Publicans postures that went home more justified thereby then the self-pleasing vaunting Pharisee 2. Ps 106.30 Phineas stood up and prayed therewith executing judgment the word bears both senses and so the plague ceased Judg. 3 26 Eglon the fat King of Moab had so much goodness in him as to rise from his seat when he was to hear a Message from God And may Christians hold it superstitious to rise up reverently when their Faith is to be professed And Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost in acknowledgment of the blessed Trinity to be given unto God 3. Moses holding up his hands that purchased victory against Amalek Exod. 17.11 Davids practice and prayer I have lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help Psal 123.1 Psal 141.2 And let the lifting up of my hands be as the evening sacrifice Our Saviours confirmation in that excellent prayer for his disciples These things spake Jesus Joh. 17.1 and lift up his eyes to heaven and said are uncontrollable patterns for the lifting up of our eyes and hands to God in prayer 4. And he that observeth Davids watering his couch with tears by night Psal 6.6 and mingling his drink with weeping by day Psal 102.4 Jeremies wishing his
congregation c. and then as formerly O God whose nature and property is ever to have mercy and forgive c. And The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ makes up the conclusion This will revive the memory of the Apostles Creed which we undertook to believe and profess in our Baptisme and of the ten Commandments which were written by the finger of the Father and by the Son never abrogated but expounded and urged to be strictly observed the laying aside of which may make most especially the simpler sort to be liable to such Prophets reprehension Jer. 23.27 They think of their dreames to cause my people to forget my name And not to remember into what faith they were baptized For the Fridayes Office in Morning Prayer the Leiturgy as it lyeth may serve as complete beginning with O God the Father of heaven c. and ending with the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ c. And so have you the prayers to bee ordinarily used with your Families If besides in private when you lye downe to sleep or rise in the morning you would have some formes to commend you to God you shall hardly meet with any more effectual that may fit you for the morning then that Almighty and most gracious God I heartily thank thee for the sweet sleep and comfortable rest c. and that other for the Evening O merciful God and heavenly Father whether we sleep or wake live or dye we are alwayes thine c. to be had in the end of most of our Church-Books which devoutly used will bring us to that thankful acknowledgment of the Psalmist Psalm 3.5 I laid me down and slept and rose again for the Lord sustained me CHAP. III Of Blessings and occasional Salutations BLessings may be diversly understood All Gods favours to us and our returning thanks to him are indifferently called Blessings of which more hereafter Here Blessings are to be reckoned for such good turnes returnes and wishes as usually we receive from one another So Melchizedeck blessed Abraham Blessed be Abraham of the Most High God possessour of heaven and eath and blessed be the Most High God Gen. 14.19 20 which hath delivered thine enemies into thine hand Where Abraham is pronounced happy through Gods favor and God is praised and glorified for thus favouring Abraham The Emulation and plotting between Esau and Jacob for their Fathers Blessing is an Argument that Parents Blessings were then of some esteem which now with many are reckoned scarce worth the asking Esau not much noted for piety how tenderly did he take it that his brother had prevented him and passionately with tears urge his father to bless him in the like kind Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me Gen. 27.38 Hast thou but one blessing Blesse me even me also my father So sensible he shewes himself of so great a losse and vowes revenge on his brother for thus supplanting him Jacob would not let go the Angel without a Blessing Gen. 32.25 though he got it with an halting ever after to shew that the blessings of this life are accompanied with infirmitie 2 Cor. 12.7 as Saint Pauls rapture into the third heaven was with a thorne in the flesh to keep him from boasting which our gifted age so much triumpheth in In stead of the patterns of the Old Testament we have Precept in the New and that from him in whom al the Naons of the earth are blessed I say unto you Matt. 5.44 Love your enemies blesse them that curse you do good to them that hate you pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you And when little caildren were brought unto him Mar. 10.16 he took them in his armes and laid his hands on them and blessed them Saint Peter leads us along in the same blessed path for after he had fully shewne the mutual duties of Husbands and Wives one towards another 1 Pet. 3.8.9 Finally be ye all of one mind saith he having compassion one of another Love as brethren be pitiful be courteous not rendring evil for evil or railing for railing but contrariwise Blessing knowing that ye are thereunto called that yee should inherit a Blessing And do we not read that as Aaron was commanded to blesse the children of Israel in this wise Num. 6.23 The Lord blesse thee and keep thee the Lord make his face to shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace So the Apostles blessing which we have in our Leiturgy The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 13 14. 2 Th. 3.17 and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost be with us all evermore is acknowledged to be his usual Salutation under his own hand and is one of the chiefest Arguments for confirming the Doctrine of the blessed Trinity and praying to the Holy Ghost which by Novellists in their Liberty of Prophesie is in these dayes again opposed In which it is strange also that a generation is found amongst us that scruple at childrens asking blessing from their parents Are they afraid they should shew themselves to be too dutiful Or surfeit upon blessings Or must no blessing be held effectual that comes not from their mouthes This Doctrine may bee entertained by itching ears 2 Tim. 3.6 2 Tim. 4.3 and silly women but you my Daughters shal do better to follow the tracts of your pious predecessors according to the example of good king David who after an eminent celebration of Gods publick Worship with his Subjects returned saith the Text to blesse his house 2 Chr. 16.43 In your houses therefore let such care be taken Ephes 5.3 that cursing or swearing or lying or filthy or foolish talking or jesting which are not convenient be not heard or pass unreproved amongst your children or servants Let them not offer to eat or drink without Grace before Meat and after it It is a piece of Judas character fore-prophesied long by the Psalmist His delight was in cursing Ps 109.16 and it shall happen unto him he loved not blessing therefore it shall be far from him Our Saviors last parting from his Disciples is thus described He lift up his hands and blessed them and it came to passe Luk. 24.51 while he blessed them he was parted from them and carried up into heaven From whence when he returnes to judgement O how much it stands us upon to be found with the Blessed at his right hand Matth. 25. to inherit eternal Blessedness And what are Christian Salutations but Blessings whereby we expresse the unfeigned good will we bear to all Gods children 2 Sam. 6.10 King Toi sends Prince Joram his son to salute David and to blesse him 1 Sam. 13 10 King Saul goes to meet Samuel to salute him saith the Text the Margin noteth to blesse him And this must not be performed only to
dismal spectacle of this flourishing Commonwealth so late famous amongst neighbor Nations and now so ruinated who can chuse but take up those Lamentations of the Prophet Jer. 4.19 My bowels my bowels I am pained at the very heart my heart maketh a noise within me I cannot hold my peace because thou hast heard O my soul the sound of the Trumpet and alarm of War destruction upon destruction for the whole land is spoiled And all this is done by foolish children who are wise to do evil but to do good they have no knowledg 4. And may not our owne particular sufferings turne us to the lamentable expressions of the 69 Psalm Save me O God Psalm 69.1 for the waters are come into my soul I stick fast in the deep mire where no ground is I am come into deep waters so that the flouds run over me Thy rebuke hath broken my heart I am so full of heaviness Ver. 21 I looked for some to have pity on me but there was no man neither found I any to comfort me And surely the perfidiousness of friends the fraud of flatterers and the impudent insultations of the basest of the people may 5. Chap. 30 Put us upon Jobs complaint They who are younger then I have me in derision whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock They were cried after as a thief They were the children of fools and base men But now I am their song they abhor me and flee from me and spare not to spit in my face 6 Upon survey and sense of our own disabilities to procure the least refreshing to our galling grievances how feelingly may that of Isaiah vent our sorrowes Chap. 24.16 My leannesse my leannesse wo unto me the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously yea the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously Fear and the snare and the pit are so ordered upon us that he who flyes for fear shall fall into the pit and he that cometh out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare 7. Last of all Psalm 119 If Davids eyes gusht out with water because men kept not Gods Law what rivers of tears should run down our cheeks at the beholding of our obstinate offending under the rod of Gods confounding punishment Even in the sight of Moses and the lamenting congregation by reason of the plague amongst them an impudent Zimri will trace along with his shameless Cozbi Num. 25.6 In stead of true humiliation we shall have obtruded deluding dissimulation and dogs shall prove more pitiful to disconsolate Lazarus Luke 16. then purple Dives or any of his full-fed attendants To all which what have we to say Psalm 64.1 but O God to whom vengeance belongeth Thou God to whom vengeance belongeth shew thy self c. and to comfort our selves in this Gen. 19 16 that in Sodoms destruction from heaven Lot shal find a protection to escape And Baruch shall obtain his life for a prey in all places whithersoever he goes Jer. 45.5 In the destruction of that Temple and City which was the beauty of the whole earth a Mark shall be set upon those that sigh and cry for all the abominations that they see committed Ezek. 9.4 Rev. 7. that so in the day of vengeance they may be passed over preserved Whereupon we may safely conclude with the experienced Psalmist as much in this kind Psal 126.6 as any of Gods children They that sow in tears shall reap in joy He that now goeth on his way weeping and beareth forth good seed shall doubtlesse come again with joy bring his sheavs with him For expressing of which rejoycing we may use for a Directory the Helps that follow CHAP. VII Of Excitation or Incouragements to all kind of Christian cheerfulness and Alacrity SUch is our stupid dulnesse since the Fal and loathing averfenesse from all goodnesse that though it be erected by grace and directed in the plainest paths that lead to happiness yet without continual goadings on it will look back with Lots wife Gen. 19.20 and be like the Horse and Mule which will follow us no longer then they are drawn to it with the bit and bridle in our hands Psal 32.10 Hence the Psalmist being exceeding sensible of this original Lethargy no lesse then seven times in one Psalm sues to the Physician of our souls for spiritual quickning Aqua vitae in these and the like expressions Quicken me Psal 119.25 37.88 O Lord according to thy word in the way according to thy loving kindnesse And the blessed Apostle thinks it not enough to put his Scholer Timothy to indure hardnesse 2 Tim. 2.3 except he joyned with it the stirring up of the gifts which God had given him Ibid. c. 1.6 and improving them to the utmost in the vocation the Church had set him When the people told blind Bartimeus whom they had blamed before for his balling that our Saviour made a stand Mar. 10.46 and called for him O how nimbly the blind begger bestirs himself Ver. 50 off goes his garment up hee starts scrambles to Jesus as well as he could was presently healed and followed after with all alacrity praising the heavenly Donor of so inestimable a blessing Such cheerful and confident alacrity the Lord himselfe in peculiar manner gives in charge to General Joshuah Have not I commanded thee Josh 1.9 Be strong and of a good courage be not afraid neither be thou dismayed for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest Psal 57.5 Amongst teeth as spears and arrowes and tongues of his enemies as sharp as swords and nets to entangle his foot and pits to swallow his whole body observe how the Prophet David chears up himselfe My heart is fixed O God Ver. 1 my heart is fixed I will sing and give praise Awake up my glory awake Lute and Harp I my self will awake right early And this is the ready Psal 108 the willing the cheerful Worship the dancing of the heart for joy Psal 28 the praising of God with the best member we have that was prophesied to be performed after our Saviours erecting his Church of Jewes and Gentiles Psalm 110 In the day of thy power the people shal offer thee free-will offerings with an holy Worship or as our latter translation hath it thy people shal be willing in the day of thy power in the beauties of holinesse The dew of thy birth is of the womb of the morning gentle for the descending in drops innumerable For putting life into and hearting this Free-will Worship which is only acceptable unto God when it proceeds according to his own Directory three things in the Scripture our Church Book are especially to be taken notice of 1. Proclamations from God 2. Excitations of our selvs 3. Incitations of others I. Of those which may be termed
of a Sermon how becoming pious is that Petition Grant we beseech thee Almighty God that the words which we have heard this day with our outward ears c. And for the close of all our Prayers that which closeth up the Service of the Communion Almighty God which hast promised to hear the Petitions of them that ask in thy Sons name c. They are unworthy to pray or to bee heard Jer. 2.13 that forsake such fountains of knowne and living waters to hew out to themselves Cisterns broken Cisternes that hold troubled or no water or perchance some mixtures of Marah or Meribah which will not guide us to the Springs of Intercession that next wee must take in our way CHAP. IV. Of Intercessions AMong those kind of Prayers which the Apostle exhorteth 1. Tim. 2.1 especially Intercession succeeds Supplications which are Petitions put up to God for others for whom we are bound to pray either by Nature Law or Christian charity Under this title therefore come all those prayers we have for the Church in general and then more distinctly for Superiors Leaders Equals Friends Enemies all that bee desolate and oppressed that they may be relieved all that bee in good courses that they may be preserved and encouraged To such Intercessions the Psalmist exhorteth all well-affected people especially when they are assembled together Psal 122.6 7 8 9 O pray saith he for the peace of Jerusalem they shall prosper that love thee Peace be within thy walls and plenteousnesse within thy Palaces For my brethren and companions sake I wil wish thee prosperity yea because of the House of the Lord our God I will seek to do thee good So Samuel prayed for Saul until God told him in plaine termes that he had rejected him And so long in charity we are to pray for those that are most untoward until God hath evidenced by cutting them off that their case is desperate which wee must not be too bold to prejudg seeing she that had seven Divels in her did become the most zealous Attendant of our Saviour and he that was a most violent Persecutor 1 Cor. 15.10 the most laborious amongst all the Apostles Smal hopes there was of imprisoned Saint Peters preservation the sword having so fatally cut off Saint James and Herod being so fully bent to please the bloud-thirsty Jewes Acts 12.5 Peter was therefore kept in prison saith the Text but prayer that is Intercession was made without ceasing of the Church unto God for him And was not the event as miraculous Peter is delivered by an Angel and the expectation of the Jews deluded Few would imagine that Saint Paul who had the favour to be rapt up into the third heaven 2 Cor. 12.4 and hear unspeakable words which were not lawful for a man to utter should have need of the Intercession of any of those Converts of his which he had so lately catechized in Christianity yet wee see what he writes to the Thessalonians 1 The. 5.25 Brethren pray for us And to the Hebrews Heb. 13.11 Pray for us for we trust we have a good conscience in all things willing to live honestly Nay Pharaoh and Simon Magus were not so hard hearted though in the gall of bitterness but they allowed and desired the intercession of Gods servants Intreat the Lord saith Pharaoh that there be no more mighty thundrings and hail Exod. 9.28 Acts 8.24 And pray ye unto the Lord for me saith Magus that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me Whereupon Saint James laid it down for a Canon to be observed of all the faithful James 5.16 Confesse your sins one to another and pray one for another that ye may be healed Which two Ingredients make an excellent Soulsalve for all spiritual wounds and bruises And therefore we have so divers and effectual formes of Intercession in our Church-Book that I may wel use the words to you that Boaz sometime did unto Ruth Ruth 2.8 Hear ye not my Daughters Go not to glean in another field neither go from hence for here you shal find that will satisfie The pattern of Intercession we have from our Saviour for his Apostles Successors and Converts John 17. as we had his general prayer before for all things necessary Matth. 6. conformable to which we have framed that excellent Intercession in our Leiturgy under the Title of Let us pray for the whole estate of Christs Church militant here on earth in these words Almighty and everlasting God which by thy holy Apostle hast taught us to make prayers and supplications and to give thanks for all men c. This Prayer is to be had by heart and alwayes used upon any occasion And in particular find we not further Intercessions for the King Queen and Royal Progeny Bishops and all the Clergy most orderly following one another To the same purpose are those interchangeable Intercessions betweene Priest and People O Lord shew thy mercy upon us and grant us thy salvation O Lord save the King c. Which your little ones may be brought to repeat in answering one another The like passages are interposed in Matrimony for the parties marryed O Lord save thy servant and thine hand-maid that put their trust in thee c. In the Visitation of the sick O Lord save thy servant which putteth his trust in thee c. And at your Womens-meetings commonly called Church-going O Lord save this woman thy servant which putteth her trust in thee c. Perswade your selves my Daughters these things are not to be little set by This simplicity in coming to God with good hearts and humble minds in obedience to our Mother the Church which hath thus directed us will be more acceptable to him and more prevalent then Balaks seven Altars and Balaams thence fetching Prophecies Nay then the Sacrifice of a Bullock to use the words of the Psalmist that hath horns and hoofes Psal 69.32 For God is not taken with quaint inventions or excellency of speech 1 Cor. 2.1 as the Apostle tels us The wisdom of this world to him is but foolishness chap. 3.19 chap. 4.20 and his Kingdome consisteth not in words but power If our hearts therefore condemne us not God is greater then our heart and knoweth all things And then saith the blessed Apostle we have confidence towards God 1 Joh. 3.20 21 22 and whatsoever wee ask wee receive of Him if wee keep his Commandments and doe those things which are pleasing in his sight And so wee may close with the man after Gods owne heart Psal 69.33 The humble shall consider this and bee glad Seek ye the Lord in this way and your foul shall live CHAP. V. Of Thanksgiving WEll may Thanksgiving follow Intercession which is the only high-rent that God expecteth for all his infinite blessings bestowed upon us Amongst the Sacrifices of the Old Testament this of Thanksgiving