(u) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alexandr Paedag. as the Christians form of praising God above 100 years before the Councel of Nice An. 190. besides it appears it was used in the service of the Church before or somewhat very like it (x) Gloria Deo Patri honor item adoratio cum filio collegâ unà cum Sancto vivificatore Spiritu Athanasius because the Arrians did alter the antient form into Glory be to the Father by the Son and in the holy Ghost for which they are sharply reprehended by the Orthodox Fathers who afterward annexed it to their publique Devotions in this Form in which we now have it All which doth not only prove the Antiquity of it but teach us that it may serve for two purposes first as a form of Praising God and glorifying every Person of the Trinity which was the first design of those that invented it Secondly as a shorter Creed and declaration of our Faith in the Trinity in Unity which was the use it was fitted to afterwards I wish we might have no occasion to make use of it in the second sense as a Teste for Hereticks though the Disciples of Socinus and Fanatick Enthusiasts do even still deride or deny this mistery but if there were no such it might still serve its principal end to be a Form of ascribing all Praise and Glory to the Supreme Being and an Act of Adoration to each Person which we are obliged particularly to pay because every one of the Persons in the Trinity hath done peculiar benefits for us so that it is our Duty to Praise the Father for our Creation the Son for our Redemption the Holy Ghost for our Sanctification The Father hath sent us into the world and preserves and provides for us in it The Son hath lived with us and died for us and being returned to his Glory is still mindful of us The Holy Ghost doth come to us and stay with us as a guard and a guide a comforter and an advocate cleering our minds cleansing our hearts quickening our affections and enforcing our prayers and shall we not then be highly ungrateful if we pay not a particular tribute to every Person in special as well as to all in general Remember the Angels sung praise to the undivided and ever-blessed Trinity in the morning of the Creation the beginning of all time (y) Job 38.7 and they and all the world do it now and both men and Angels shall continue this Jubilee to eternity As long as goodness endures (z) Omnes tam orationes quam oblationes cessabunt in seculo futuro sed oblatio gratiarum nunquam cessabit R.D.K. Psal 100.4 gratitude and praise cannot cease This was and is and ever shall be done in all ages and generations (a) Psal 145.4 The Patriarchs and Prophets did it in the beginning of the Church the Apostles and Martyrs in the first planting of the Gospel All these though removed to heaven continue to sing praises to the Trin-une God there as we and all Pious Christians do here and there will never want tongues in Heaven nor Earth to sing this gratulatory Hymn for all generations Observe further the Comprehensiveness of these few words which extend to all things as well as to all times and persons and present at once to our view all the Mercies of God past present and to come and are an acknowledgment that all the good that ever was or shall be done or is now enjoyed in heaven or earth hath proceeded from this all-sufficient and ever-flowing fountain to whom this tribute of praise is and was and ever will be due Behold then oh pious soul a glorious Quire of Angels Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Saints and Martyrs in Heaven with all holy Men and Women in all the world at once with united voices and joyful hearts to sing this triumphant Song let this inspire thee with holy raptures and extasies of Devotion to bear a part here on earth and when thou art taken hence thy place shall be supplied by the succeeding generations and thou shalt be advanced to a state as endless as his mercy where thou shalt praise him to eternity What better form can we have to glorifie God by then this which is a declaration of our faith a discharge of our homage in which we acknowledge his former mercies and confess his present favours to us and all the world and glorifie him for both we hope in him for those that are to come expecting all from him and resolving upon those returns of Eucharist which we will for ever make to him How can this be done too often or repeated too frequently surely his mercies are more frequent then our praises can be Those that censure this as a vain repetition would ill have digested the hundred blessings (b) Deut. 10.12 R. R. legunt pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro quid leg centum unde unusquisque benetur centum benedictiones quotidiè reddere which the Jews are bid to say every day and might be offended at Davids seven times a day (c) Psal 119.64 and St. Pauls charge to rejoyce alwaies (d) 1 Thess 5.18 Philip. 4.4 but as God never thinks it too often to relieve us let us never think his praises too many tedious or impertinent but in Psalms Letanies and every thing let us give thanks and when Gloria Patri is not in our mouths let it be in our heart that we may never forget his benefits To this we shall only add the particular reason why the Church hath placed it in the close of the penitential part of daily Prayer and that is in imitation of holy David who commonly when he hath made his Confession and declared his distress (e) Psal 6.9 and 130.7 and begged pardon and deliverance turns his petitions into Praises because of his lively hope of acceptance so we being full of hopes that our gracious Father will forgive us for his Sons sake by the Ministry of his spirit We I say do now give glory to the Father who granteth this Absolution to the Son who purchased and obtained it and to the Holy Ghost who sealeth and dispenseth it to us and we also call to mind those innumerable instances of the like infinite mercies to poor sinners which have been and ever shall be to the worlds end and what heart can conceive or tongue express that exstasy of ravishing pleasures which we shall feel at the last day when we and all true Penitents that ever were or shall be shall all joyn in singing songs of praise to our deer Redeemer whom we shall love much because much is forgiven us we can foresee those Anthems which shall then be sounded on the battlements of Heaven by millions of glorious souls rescued from destruction and we by Faith have such a sense hereof that we begin now that Song that we shall sing for evermore § 5. Praise ye the Lord the Lords
(g) Filius abdicatus in gratiam rediens Graecis dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pater 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scult exer and received into grace again and thus the Promise made to Abraham is made good and the Lord becomes the God of his seed for ever Oh my soul acknowledge the gracious dealings of thy most merciful Father but above all praise him for the mercies of the Gospel for what comfort were it to be raised by the fall of our temporal enemies to a fading honour if a miserable Eternity did succeed but now by Faith in Jesus thou art not only secured in thy low estate but mayest behold an immoveable Throne an immortal Crown prepared for thee high as Heaven while all the proud workers of iniquity shall fall low as hell never to rise again Glory be to the Father c. The Paraphrase of the Magnificat O Praise the Lord with me all ye that behold his inexpressible goodness which hath exalted my affections and filled My soul with such glorious apprehensions that with all its powers it doth magnifie and set forth the admirable greatness of the Lord my mind also and my spirit ravished with the contemplation of his infinite goodness doth rejoyce with joy unspeakable in God who hath vouchsafed to become my Saviour I cannot sufficiently express his Mercy nor my gratitude For he that is the Majesty of Heaven by his marvelous condescension hath regarded and cast a gracious eye on the poverty and the lowliness of my condition who am so inconsiderable and never aimed higher then to be reputed amongst the meanest of his servants and called by the name of his handmaiden I am most despicable in the worlds eyes and vile in my own yet he hath conferred on me a high and lasting honour for behold he hath passed by the more noble and chosen me to be the Mother of the worlds Saviour so that from henceforth whenever this mercy is mentioned to the honour of God his favour toward me will be remembred by the people of all generations who shall bless God for it and shall call me blessed and account me happy above all women But I will freely acknoâ—ledge it was not my own merit nor strength that hath advanâ—ed me For he that is mighty in Power and infinite in Mercy most freely hath exalted me and hath magnified me his poor unworthy hand-maid his therefore is the glory his the praise and holy and reverend is his Name which I and all his servants will ever love and honour For I am not the only instance of his goodness nor do I confine my Praises to my particular occasion all the world sees and knows that his favour And his mercy is ever shewed on them that fear him so that holy and pious men are blessed by him and shall be throughout all generations while the world endureth Ye servants of the Lord consider how in all the course of his Providence especially in this great Redemption He hath shewed strength and a mighty Power for with his arm he hath secured and lifted up his own and by it he hath scattered the forces and baffled the designs of the proud who thought they only deserved to be respected by God and were so high and safe in the imaginations of their hearts At all times he disappoints such expectations and now as at other seasons he hath put down the wise the honourable and the mighty from their seats and thrones on which their pride had mounted them And hath exalted to that honour the humble and meek even those whom the arrogant most despised He hath filled most plenteously the souls of the hungry that earnestly desired the least favours and satisfied their longings with good things beyond their expectations and the rich whose pride made them think themselves fittest objects of his bounty and yet their abundance abated their desires after it these he hath disappointed and sent empty away And as in all other cases so now He remembring the constant method of his mercy and seeing his peoples distress hath holpen and again restored his servant Israel and all faithful people to favour and the hopes of glory as he promised to the Saints of former ages and particularly to our forefathers to Abraham that he would give a Saviour to Redeem and bring deliverance to us and to his seed for ever The second Hymn after the first Lesson viz. the XCVIII Psalm § 4. SOmetimes instead of the Blessed Virgins Song we use this Psalm to express the same thing even the might of Gods arm and the affections of his heart both shewed to his people Israel his true Church and this is one of Davids triumphant Hymns composed upon some miraculous victory over the enemies of the truth and being intituled a new Song may be applied in the Mistery to the glorious Conquest made over Sin and Sathan by the mighty arm of Jesus or in the letter to those deliverances of the faithful mentioned in the Lessons and a new heart will make it every day a new song by a renewed sense of the Divine goodness for here the people of God incourage one another to praise him for his works which are so admirably contrived ver 1. so mightily performed ver 2. so clearly manifested ver 3. to his own people and all the world ver 4. Wherefore the exhortation is renewed and inlarged and all the world is invited to joyn in this Hymn ver 5. and shewed how to praise him with heart and voice and all sorts of Musick ver 6. and 7. no part of the Earth must be silent but the Inhabitants of Seas (h) Arab. populi fluviorum c. populi montium Clament c. Aspice venturo laetentur ut omnio seclo and flouds hills and valleys must rejoyce not only for past mercies but for the Kingdome of Christ which every temporal deliverance minds us of when he shall come to free his servants from sin and misery and exercise such justice in the trial of all the World that his Saints shall sing a new song of Victory to him for ever in Heaven and we on Earth in hopes of it do at present rejoyce and say Glory be to c. The Analysis of the Nunc Dimittis Luke 2.29 Herein Simeon sheweth 1. The greatness of his joy which appeareth 1. In offering his very life 2. In his readiness to meet death so Willingly Peaceably 2. The reason of it which was 1. His particular happiness 1. In the fulfilling the Promise 2. In the beholding his Saviour 2. The Universal good because 1. Christ was visible to all 2. Beneficial to all bringing light glory to the Gentiles Jews A Practical Discourse on the Nunc Dimittis The first Hymn after the second Lesson § 5. THE Author of this short and comprehensive Hymn was a man eminent for his exact Justice vigorous Devotion lively Faith and extraordinary inspiration and of this the holy Text assures us and it is
omne princiâ—ium huc refer exitum we now give that to him our selves which we prayed might be offered him from others For the sense of these words they may be an acknowledgment of his infinite perfections who is not praised by flattery but by a bare confession of the truth what he really is and hath in by and from himself and we fall short of what he is and deserves in our most exact acknowledgments for his Kingdome is everlasting and universal his power infinite and unlimited his glory transcendent and incomprehensible we may repeat them but can neither fully comprehend them nor express them but by silence and admiration only we confess our own subjection weakness and misery and ascribe all these to him Kings must lay down their Crowns Mighty men their Strength and the Honourable men of the Earth their glory at his foot-stool These words considered in themselves thus are an Act of Praise but being connected to the prayer by the particle for they are a proper Conclusion to this Divine Prayer and seem to contain a reason of every Petition for we are obliged to pray that his Kingdome may come because he is the right and lawful King of Heaven and Earth and to desire his will may be done because he hath the just Power and Supremacy over all to command what he pleaseth and to wish his name may be hallowed because he is glorious in himself and deserves all possible praises from all the World so likewise in the three last Petitions of him we ask for a Temporal supply because he is the King of all Creatures and all provisions are his of him we beg a Pardon for he only hath full Power and just Authority to dispense it and of him lastly we request deliverance from Sin and Damnation because he may have the same glory from us as he now hath and ever shall have from the blessed Saints whom he hath brought to his heavenly Kingdome or if this seem too nice and we reflect upon the whole prayer together here we are struck with reverence in remembrance of that great King we have spoken to we declare why we make our addresse to him and what ground we have to hope for acceptance with him His is the Kingdome therefore we his poor subjects do petition him and it is his Prerogative to help and by his Supremacy he may do it His is the Power therefore we his weak impotent Creatures look up to him and rely upon him who is able to do all we desire and being Almighty can perform it His is the Glory and therefore we vile sinners that can do nothing without him though we deserve nothing from him yet we present our necessities before him that by his free grace he may have that glory from us which he hath from all others that he hath formerly relieved Leave thy prayers then with much comfort in his hands who is thy Heavenly Father and may do abundantly for thee by his Right and can do it by his Power and will do it for his Glory both this day to morrow and for ever come when thou wilt he is and hath Kingdome Power and Glory from everlasting to everlasting this is no mortal King nor fading Power nor transient glory but all endures longer then thy wants even for ever and ever Oh how hearty an Amen mayest thou say to this Prayer since as thou hast great reason to desire all these things should be granted thou hast as good ground to believe they shall Amen The Paraphrase of the Lords Prayer after the Absolution MOst merciful Lord God who hast owned us for thy Children by Creating us preserving and providing for us and after our manifold disobedience hast by this gracious promise of Pardon again encouraged us to call thee Our Father thy mercy in receiving us exceeds the Compassions of Earthly Parents and thy infinite goodness and power do evidence thy glory and teach us humbly to adore thee which art in Heaven and therefore thou canst do what thou pleasest in all the world But we are so transported with thy admirable pitty towards us and all poor sinners that forgetting our own wants we heartily desire thy glory even that by us and all men hallowed sanctified reverenced and for ever feared may be thy Name from which we have had our help and thy Attributes in which we have our comfort let us ever express a fervent love and dutiful regard to thee and all belonging to thee Oh Lord we lately were as many yet are in rebellion against thee but since we have sound thee so merciful a Prince Oh let thy Kingdome come into all our hearts to rule us by thy grace and to fit us against it shall come in glory for the Crowning of thy servants and the Condemnation of thy Enemies whose misery thou delightest not in but deferrest thy coming because it is thy will we should live in holiness here and happiness hereafter Dear Father let this thy will be done by our obedience to thy Word and submission to thy Providence for then shall all the world be happy when thy good will and pleasure is done by us and on us thy poor Creatures in earth as readily and fully as constantly and cheerfully as it is in heaven by the blessed Saints and Angels whose food it is to execute thy Commands But Lord thou knowest the frailty of our nature and the misery of our Condition which needs continual support and supplies and forceth us to beseech thee who hast all blessings at thy disposal to give us this day which for any thing we know may be our last and therefore we look no further nor ask no more then out daily bread even so much food and raiment health and wealth prosperity and success as thou seest is necessary and convenient for us in this state of life and condition in which thou hast placed us that we may be able to serve thee not encouraged to forget thee or enticed to encrease the number of our sins which are so many already that we must daily acknowledge and bewail them and remembring the vengeance due unto us for them we earnestly beseech thee to pardon and forgive us our trespasses against thy righteous laws and just authority for Jesus sake who hath made satisfaction for them gracious Lord by his Merits forgive us as we by the help of thy grace the injunction of thy Gospel and the example of thy mercy forgive them that trespass against us in fewer and lesser matters we tremble at the remembrance of all those amazing miseries which our former sins made us lyable to Oh let that mercy which moved thee to Pardon us prevail with thee to become our guide and though we deserve to be deserted by thee yet that we may never fall again into those dreadful circumstances lead us not into any dangerous occasions or opportunities of sin but though many snares be laid for us guide us so by thy Providence
that we may seldome fall into temptation and never fall by it least Sathan who desires our eternal ruine again get power over us and advantage against us let us not be a prey to his malice but deliver us from evil which he inticeth us to as a Tempter and will punish us for as a Tormentor that we may not deliver our selves over to him by sin nor thou give us up to his wrath to execute thy sentence upon us for it These mercies we need and though we are unworthy yet we Petition thee for them thou mayest help us for thine is the Kingdome thou canst do it for thine is the Power thou wilt do it for us as thou hast freely and frequently relieved poor penitent sinners for which Men and Angels do acknowledge thine is the Praise and the Glory and we shall by thy mercy to us be obliged to joyn in this just acknowledgment which shall be made to thee in Heaven and Earth for ever and ever world without end Amen be it so SECTION VI. Of the Responses First of them in General § 1. AFter this devout address to God in that incomparable Prayer which Jesus taught are added some short and pithy Sentences in which the People are to bear a part according to the manner of the Primitive Christians (u) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Constit Ap. l. 2. c. 5. who used this so constantly that Eusebius (x) Euseb Hist Eccl l. 2. c. 17. brings it as an Argument to prove the Essenes were Christians because they sung by turns answering one another They did so indeed among the Jews but those duties were performed by the Priests and Levites only But Christians have a greater Priviledge and every man is so far a Priest (y) 1 Pet. 2.9 Revel 1.6 as to have leave to joyn in this spiritual sacrifice and it is for the benefit as well as honour of the people For First This shews their full Consent and Unity in all that is Prayed for which Christ teacheth us to be necessary that our Prayers may be heard (z) Matth. 18.19 Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nor is their silence sufficient to express such a consent as is here required for they must not only be willing these things may be prayed for but they must desire God should look on it as every ones particular request and accordingly Minister and people must with one mouth as well as one mind (a) Rom. 15.6 praise God Secondly This quickens their Devotion by a grateful variety making those holy offices pleasant which our corrupt nature is so apt to think tedious and by a different manner of address making the time seem short (b) Breve videbitur tempus quod tantis operûm varietatibus occupatur Hieron Epist ad Laet. and the Devotions new so that we may be as fresh as in the beginning of our Prayers Thirdly This engageth their Attention which is apt to stray especially in Sacred things and most of all if the people bear no part But when they have also their share of Duty they must expect before it comes that they may be ready when it is come that they may be right they must observe and after take heed to prepare against the next Answer they are to give How Pious therefore and Prudent is this Oâ—der of the Church thus to intermix the Peoples duty that they may be alwaies exercised in it or preparing for it and never have leisure to entertain those vain thoughts which will set upon us especially in the house of God (c) Nihil agendo malè agere dâ—scimus Senec. if we have nothing to do And assuredly the general neglect of this Duty of answering in their course hath introduced so much laziness sleeping irreverence inadvertency and weariness into the house of God Our Pious Ancestors may make our Devotion blush when we see them all the time of Prayer in procinctu with their knees bended their hands lifted up their eyes fixed on the Minister and their hearts and mouths ready to say Amen and answer where ever it was required And if ever this Devotion be restored in the Church which all good men passionately with it must be by learning the people zealously and conscientiously to joyn in these pious Ejaculations allotted to them which that they may do I shall now explain them to every ones capacity § 2. O Lord open thou our lips And our mouth shall shew forth thy praise This sentence with many of those that follow are Endited by the Spirit of God taken out of that excellent repository of Devotion the Psalms of David from whence the Jews took the greatest part of their Liturgy and the Primitive Christians collected their Prayers (d) See Dr. Hammonds Preface to his Annotat. and composed their Hymns out of it because it contains variety of prayers and praises exactly fitted for all persons in all circumstances as pertinent as if they had been made for the present occasion and so we shall find this to be which we now consider The words are to be found in Psal LI. ver 15. and were antiently transcribed into the Christian Liturgies for they are ordered to be three times repeated in that antient one attributed to St. James not to mention them of later date And nothing can be more pertinent when Minister and people apply themselves to praise God for speech is the gift of God (e) Prov. 16.1 Exod. 4.11 and that in which man excells all other Creatures and was given us to this end that we might glorifie him whence the tongue is called our glory (f) Psal 16.9 gloria mea LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vid. Psal 36.12 108.1 because it is the instrument of his praise But we here do not only acknowledge our speech was given us to this end but desiring now to make a right use of it we beg his help and confess from him we have the faculty and the exercise of that faculty in every Act especially in holy things wherein unless he open our lips we cannot set forth his praise This is the sense of the words considered absolutely and alone But the Observation whence they are taken oâ—t of the most famous Penitential Psalm and where they are set soon after the Confession will afford us another profitable exposition David useth them after the Confession of his grievous sin and earnest supplication for Pardon and we use them in the Close of the Penitential part before we begin our solemn praises and petitions intimating that till we have some hopes of our Pardon we cannot proceed any further and so we briefly but zealously press that great sute for mercy because sin and the guilt of it doth stop our mouths and shut our lips that we become tongue-tyed (g) Matth. 22.11 Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speechless and mute as Judah the most eloquent of all his brethren (h) Gen. 44.16 Quid scribam vobis a t quomodo
It hath ever been and still is the custome for Souldiers when they were about to joyn in battle (a) 1 Sam. 17.20 Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vid. Grot. in Josh 6.5 to encourage one onother with a general shout to which we may compare this joyful Acclamation of the Church Militant we being now about to besiege heaven with our Prayers and to assail the gates of hell by holy resolution every Man shews his Own forwardnesâ— and reproves his Neighbours backwardness with O come let us c. which word signifies that zealous speed we are to make that we may set upon these holy offices and this we are commanded to do by the Apostle whenever we use to meet in the house of God (b) Heb. 10.25 especially in Psalms and Spiritual Hymns (c) Ephes 5.19 Coloss 3.15 then we must admonish and encourage one another as the Minister and People do most pathetically in this Psalm stirring up each others hearts in these two first verses to praise God the same thing after the Poetick manner being expressed in divers words from which it appears this Psalm was sitted for the two sides of the Quire and so we still use it The Priest beginning the Exhortation O come let us sing c. and the people answering Let uâ— come c. thereby approving the advice and returning the courteous invitation and both minister and people do mutually pâ—ess the duty and express their joynt resolutions to glorifie God In private it may suffice that our heart and spirit rejoyce in God (d) Luke 1.46 47. but we are now in publique and therefore as God hath bestowed his favours (e) 1 Cor. 6. â—0 on both soul and body we must both in heart and voice glorifie him by both We must sing his Praises and thereâ—y shew even to men who cannot see the heart th â— we are glad and joyâ—â—l in remembring his goodness We mâ—st 〈◊〉 stand mute but our tongues must affect our hearts and the hearts of all about us that every mans light may shine clearly and our neighbours torch may be kindled at our fire till the several sparks of gratitude that lye hid in single hearts be blown up and united into one flame bright as the blaze of the Altar and till we be all turned into holy joy and love which will be the effect of the zealous performing the outward part But we must also be sure to let our heart make a Unison with our tongue (f) Ephes 5.19 c. Rom. 15.6 or else the grunting of swine is not more harsh and unpleasant to our ears then the best harmony of their voices in Gods who only dwell on the sounds and never observe the sense nor excite devout affections as a caution against such formality there are four good considerations proposed in these two Verses First The Person to whom these Praises are addressed unto the Lord who sees our hearts and cannot as men be deceived with Verbal complements Secondly The reason why we praise him because he is the strength of our Salvation a Rock of Defence (g) See Dr. Hammond Annot. on Psal 89. ver 26. l Syr. potentissimus meus liberator LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. to us and a mighty Champion for us and powerful rescuer of us on whose power and mercy relies the strength of all our hopes for this world and the next Thirdly The place where we praise him we are before his presence in those Assemblies where he peculiarly manifests himself The Jews were before the Ark but St. Paul teacheth us that we come into the Holiest of all for we Christians are admitted into the Presence-Chamber and if we mock him we do it to his very face Fourthly The manner in which he expects to be praised even that we be glad in him and rejoyce in the Lord not with the mirth of a Theatre loose and voluptuous but with the joys of Cherubins and all those celestial Orders whose joy is kindled from the pure beams of the Divine love These things as seriously thought on as they are frequently repeated would spiritualize our joy and help us both in heart and voice to glorifie the fountain of all good § 3. Ver. III IV and V. For the Lord is a great God c. 'T is impossible we should do any action chearfully till we are informed of the reason why it must be done and when the understanding is convinced fully the Will chuseth freely and then all the faculties of the Soul and members of the Body lend their help readily to put it in execution For which cause these three Verses contain the Reasons and Motives to that duty of praising God in heart and voice to which the former Verses exhort us For as the Subjects of great Princes do celebrate their masters praises with Panegyricks and with loud hyperbole's set forth the greatness of their Power multitude of their Vassals largeness of their Dominions and the excellency of their atcheivements so we being before the King of Kings and our particular benefactor are more firmly obliged to glorifie him and can more justly commend him upon all these accounts then the Favourites of the greatest Monarch upon Earth who are forc't to magnifie small matters and add many to fill up their Lords character but we need only relate the truth even that our God is infinite and immense in himself absolute and supream in his Authority universal and unlimited in his Dominions glorious and admirable in his Works all which will quicken our Praises if we consider them severally as they are laid down in order in these Verses 1. The Lord is a great God Let us view his Essential greatness and Immensity which places him without the bounds of our apprehension but he is so much the more to be esteemed (h) Hoc est quod Deum aestimari facit dum aestimari non capit Tert. Apol. Nec videri potes visu clarior nec comprehendi tactu purior nec aestimari sensu major est idâ—ò sic eum dignè aestimamus dum inestimabilem diximus Cyprian because he cannot be comprehended our senses cannot represent him nor can those thoughts that can measure out heaven and earth contain him who is not so properly said to be in the world as the world in him for he is every where (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philo. but is confined no where and though to pursue this contemplation would amaze our understandings rather then help our Devotion yet it will teach us humility and to supply with admiration what we cannot conceive clearly nor explicate fully and it will engage us to extol him as much as is possible that our praises may hear some proportion with his greatness Yet let us believe that whatever we say or think of him here is so far short of what he really is that when we are admitted to the Beatifick Vision we shall confess with that Queen that the
one half was never told us (k) 1 Kings 10.6 7 8. 2. And a great King above all Gods Let us take notice of his Supremacy over all not only Men but Gods for though there be no other God but he alone yet there are many to whom that name is given (l) 1 Cor. 8.5 Idolaters give it to deceased Heroes and Devils of which Eusebius out of Hesiod reckons 30000 and St. Augustine advances the sum to 300000 every one of which was honoured with magnificent Temples sumptuous Altars costly and pompous Rites and Sacrifices curious Images and rich Statues they were attended with millions of Priests maintained at the publique charge inriched with large Donatives advanced to the highest dignities and all this done by Kings and Emperors Senators and Philosophers The Greatest Richest and Wisest in the World in honour of a Creature nay a Devil which are but the slaves to our great and glorious God and if such honours are payed them what doth he that is both their and our Master deserve from us Oh ye Christians when ye go about to praise the true God behold the smoaking Altars and bleeding Sacrifices the triumphant processions and solemn addresses which are paid so freely by the slaves of Gods Vassals and be ashamed of your rude and cheap worshipings attend the pleasing harmony of rarest voices and sweetest instruments which wait upon the hymns of those that tremble at the name of your Lord and blush to offer up either flat or feigned gratulations as you have the greatest God so he deserves the noblest adorations Again Angels are called Gods (m) Psal 8.6 and Psal 97.7 compared with Heb. 1.6 and it may be applied to them they are so glorious that those holy men to whom they have appeared could scarce refrain from giving them Divine Adoration they are truly admirable for the brightness of their presence the swiftness of their motion clearness of their knowledge and greatness of their power Yet these are but the officers of his Courts and Executors of his Will who pay him their duty with loud praises vailed faces and submiss prostrations Now if the Attendants be bright as the Sun quick as Lightning and powerful as Thunder what is he that is their Lord what Songs of Eucharist doth he deserve Lastly the Governors of this World are also called by the name of Gods but they are his Creatures and they have no power but from him (n) Exod. 21.6 Psal 82.1 and 1â—8 1 no honour but as they administer his Rights and represent his Person and can you see their large â—etinues and solemn observances or hear the strained praises which their flattering Parasites cast upon them who are your Lords servants and Tributaries and will you give less to the King of Kings the Lord of Men and Devils Angels and the highest of the Rulers of this earth 3. In his hand are all the corners of the earth and the strength of the hills is his also Let us take a prospect of the Vastness and Immensity of his Empire which hath no other limits then those of the Universe for both Sea and Land are in his hand that is in his power and under his command and at his disposal so are the most hidden and secret corners (o) Abstrusissima terrae Vatab. of the earth into which mans eye cannot search and also the inaccessible tops of the loftiest mountains (p) Lassitudines Montiâ—m Heb. to climb which would tire the strongest and are seldome reckoned among the Dominions of earthly Kings being either fortified by Robbers and so impregnable or deserted by the husbandman and so unserviceable Yet the darkest Caverns and highest rocks and mountains which own no other Lord even they are his his eyes discern the one and his power can reach the other His dominion reacheth to the corners or uttermost parts of the Earth as some here read (q) LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vulg. fines Psal 139.7 so far as no Princes Armies could penetrate nor perhaps people inhabite yet these parts of the World are his and those vast mountains whose Immoveableness is the emblem of his unshaken and eternal principality are as so many natural bulwarks for the defence of his Kingdome which takes in the inhabitants of Heaven the armies of the Abyss and is large as the World strong as the most inassailable mountains This King of Kings and Lord of the Universe may challenge the most hearty and humble praises from his servants which we might further from their Allegorical Exposition of these words who apply them to the several conditions of men (r) Psal 72.3 and 148.9 for although he be so great the meanest and poorest are not below his notice and though he condescend so far yet the very richest and greatest terrible as the hills of the Robbers are not above his power but he rules and orders all so that nothing happens to Kings or slaves but by his permission and therefore he may expect Glory from all sorts of men 4. The Sea is his and he made it and his hands prepared the dry Land Let us consider the greatness of his works and we shall see the Arch of Heaven the Pillars of the Earth and the Fountains of the great deep were contrived by his wisdome and finished by his power so that without boasting he may say of this goodly Fabrick as the vain Assyrian did of his Royal City (s) Dan. 4.30 and none can contradict him The words Sea and Land are the two constituent parts and put for the whole and these are his by right of Creation which sure is the justest Title But therefore is the making of the Sea and adorning the dry land here mentioned because there is a special mark of his Wisdome and Providence in making that separation observed by the very Heathens (t) See Grotius de Verit. Relig. Christianae lib. 1. cap. 7. For he hath bound that unfixed Element in a girdle of sand which it cannot break and not only restrained it from overflowing us but made it serve our necessities and lend its help for the entercourse and mutual supplies of the most distant Nations And by these two words of Sea and Land we musâ— understand all the furniture of both which yield us such variety of provisions all these are Gods Creatures but by him freely assigned to our use desiring no other Tribute from us but to pay those Praises to our bountiful Lord and noble Benefactor which none of the dumb creatures can do and if he have also given us tongues we shall be most ingrateful if we glorifie him not with them Thus we have lead you in these Meditations to discover the glories of Gods Kingdome as Philo tells of his Prophet who upon a sight of the whole was asked before the Creation of Man if there wanted any thing to compleat so brave a work he answered there needed nothing but one to explain that goodly Work and glorifie
and be careful to express those practical inferences that are all along drawn from them in our lives and conversations heartily desiring we may live by these holy principles of truth and in these we must exercise especially Faith and Love concluding them with giving Glory to the Father who hath made us partakers of a right Faith in his Son by his Spirit and remembring that every Person of this Glorious Trinity joyns in these eminent works of Creation Providence Redemption and Sanctification let us heartily praise God the Father Son and Holy Ghost for all that is done or designed for the sons of men Let thy soul say Oh Lord I confess the truth of these things I believe them fully and I admire them highly and will ever love thee for declaring them I acknowledge thy Power in Creating thy Bounty in sustaining thy Wisdome in ordering and thy Mercy in relieving and preserving all the World I discern thy love in our Redemption I hope in thy might for a resurrection to life and I trust in thy Mercy for a share in thy glory Glory be to the Father c. for all this 2. The Psalms of Exhortation which are serious admonitions backed with powerful motives and convincing arguments and cleer examples by which we are stirred either to some Acts of moral Virtue (b) Psal 15. and 101. or to some Duties of positive Religion to fear God or study his Law or observe his Will (c) Psal 1. and 34. and 119. or else we are warned against sin by threatnings and examples (d) Psal 7. and 58. and 64. particularly against distrust in God by the History (e) Psal 78.105 106. of his Providence over his own people That we may profit by these it is requisite that we do weigh the promises and motives to holiness so seriously that we be convinced of our folly in neglecting these duties and resolved to set upon the sincere performance of them and it is necessary that we consider the evils that are appointed for and threatned to all sorts of sins and the sad instances and examples of sinners that have been made miserable thereby till we find our hearts moved with fear and penitence and till we have taken up purposes of speedy forsaking those dangerous courses so that here we are to exercise humility and Repentance fear of God and pious resolutions which being finished in the Doxology is a superadded act of Praise to the Father for sparing us to the Son for interceding for us and to the Holy Ghost for warning and convincing us and this Glory be to the Father c. doth declare you are thankful for the admonition and resolved to take warning and full of hopes of the Divine assistance to help you to forsake the evil and follow the good In these Psalms take the same resolutions which holy David did and encourage your selves with the same hopes love what he loves desire what he longed for believe and expect what he promiseth to himself hate what he hated take warning by what he observed and fear the same sad event if you go on in the same way with those sinners that are made examples to you evermore praising God for these gracious discoveries and saying Glory be c. 3. The Psalms of Supplication which are most ardent Petitions for all good things for your selves your Bretheren and the whole Church in all circumstances and upon all occasions These are private Prayers for Pardon of sin (f) Psal 25. and 51. and 143. for Restauration to Gods favour (g) Psal 4. and 42. and 63. for Patience in trouble (h) Psal 39. and 88. for deliverance from Spiritual or Temporal enemies (i) Psal 55. and 59 and 71. and 74. and also publique Prayers for the King (k) Psal 21. and 72. and for the Church and people of God (l) Psal 68. and 79. and 80. and such like Which that we may be fitly disposed for we must have a quick and feeling sense of our own and our bretherens wants a firm belief of Gods all-sufficiency a strong confidence in the intercession of Jesus Christ and a full persuasion of the acceptableness of these requests which are drawn up by the Holy Ghost And these devout prayers will give us occasion to shew our care of our own souls and our universal charity to all the world our love to Gods Church and our intire dependance on his Power and Mercy and may fitly be closed with a giving Glory to the Father who heareth us to the Son who pleads for us in Heaven and to the Holy Ghost who directs and assists us on Earth and we have cause to bless him who hath heard both our and others Prayers and will do so to the end of the world giving all persons in all ages past present and to come great-cause of Eucharist and thanksgiving for by this Gloria Patri added to our Prayers we declare our confidence and hope that he will grant us our desires who is and was and ever shall be the helper of all that flee to him for succour and we call to mind that many are now praising him in heaven for hearing these very Petitions we now put up Art thou poor or miserable sick or weak despised or slandered persecuted or oppressed here thou mayest breath out thy complaints to him that can help thee or those that are so Art thou under trouble of conscience or fear of Gods anger worsted by temptation or sluggish in holy duties or any waies spiritually indisposed here are most proper and pertinent forms for thy comfort and redress Art thou a well-wisher to all the world a lover of Gods people a friend to the Peace of Kingdoms and a faithful Subject to thy own Prince hast thou any detestation for sinners or desire of their Conversion any pitty for the calamitous and wishes for their deliverance if thou bring a charitable heart thou mayest pray for all or any of these in such prevailing words that ere thou hast done speaking thou mayest have such assurances of a gracious return as to sing Glory be to the Father c. 4. The Psalms of thanksgiving are those joyful songs of Praise and Eucharist and lovely descriptions of the Divine goodness to the World but especially to us and all his own people Such are those wherein God is praised for all his mercies (m) Psal 103. and 136. and 145. for those bestowed on our bodies (n) Psal 116. and 130. health plenty (o) Psal 65. and 104. victories over our enemies (p) Psal 18. and 144. and 149. as also for what he hath done for our souls (q) Psal 66. and 111. and 118. and in these Psalms are most earnest exhortations to joyn in praising his holy Name and most exact Characters of all Gods gracious dealings with us and all mankind wherefore that we may joyn in heart and voice let us bring with us hearts fully sensible of our
thankfulness whether it instruct or reprove us invite us to duty or affright us from sin whether it consist of Promises or Threatnings Precepts or Examples it ought to be concluded with We praise thee O God viz. for illuminating our minds quickning our affections renewing our memory reviving our hopes awakening our sloth or confirming our resolutions Some benefit we have or may have by every one and therefore a Hymn will both refresh us with variety discharge a great obligation to God and prepare us to hear the next Lesson with fresher appetite We have two for our choice that we may suit every Chapter but we shall first consider that which is most usual the Te Deum The Analysis of the first Hymn or the Te Deum This Hymn hath three Parts 1. An Act of Praise containing 1. The Duty performed by us in Praise and Homage 2. The encouragement from others who also Praise him 1. All People of the Earth 2. All the Powers of Heaven Angels Cherubins Seraphins and Apostles Prophets Martyrs All Saints 2. An Act of Confession declaring 1. The Persons confessing viz. The Universal Church 2. The Faith Confessed 1. In the whole Trinity the Father Son and Holy Ghost 2. Particularly in the Son being an acknowledgement of 1. The glory of his Essence 2. The manner of his Subsistence 3. The humility of his Birth 4. The benefits of his Death 5. The height of his Exaltation 6. The certainty of his Return 3. An Act of Supplication requesting 1. For all the faithfull 1. Present assistance 2. Final acceptance Deliverance from Evil Prosperity Direction support 3. The means to attain both viz. 2. For our selves expressing 1. Who we are His constant servants 2. What we desire Strength against sin pardon for it 3. Why we desire this because 1. Of Gods Mercy 2. Of his Promises 3 Ouâ— humble Expectations A Practical Discourse on the Te Deum § 2. ALthough this Song of Praise be not of Divine Authority yet it is said to have been miraculously composed and first Sung by St. Ambrose and St. Augustine after the Baptism of that illustrious Convert and it is placed among the undoubted works of holy Ambrose who in the times of general Calamity first brought the use of Hymns into the Latine Churches which had been used in the East from the beginning and made several Forms of Praise himself and among the rest this grand and powerful Hymn (y) Grande carmen istud est quo nihil potentius Quid enim potentius quam Confessio Trinitatis quae quotidiè totius populi ore celebratur Certatim omnes student fidem fateri Patrem Filium Spiritum S. nôâ—unt versibus praedicare Ambros in Conc. de Basilicis c. Tom. 5. which its likely he means when he speaks of that Confession of the Trinity in Verse which the people so much delighted in and sung so joyfully every day For this hath ever since been frequently used and highly esteemed in the Church not only for its Authors sake but for its own since it is so rare a piece of choice Devotion The principal scope whereof is to give all glory to God which therefore is interwoven with every part but the nine first versicles are wholly Eucharistical wherein we express our own gratitude and cast our eyes on all Creatures in Heaven and Earth that joyn with us in paying that Duty to heigthen our Devotion before so great a Lord. We have now heard out of Gods sacred Word those gracious invitations and sweet comforts those useful directions and necessary warnings which he therein gives us for all which we give him thanks when we say We praise thee O God We have also heard many instances of his Power and been instructed in his holy commands which engages us to acknowledge his Authority and pay our homage Therefore we promise to be his Servants and seriously acknowledge him to be our Lord which is a mocking of the Divine Majesty (z) Luke 6.46 unless we resolve to do what he hath signified to be his Will But why should we not be sincere in this acknowledgment since it is our honour to serve him whom the Heavens praise and the Earth worships and all the Inhabitants of both are subject to The Earth that is the men that dwell therein in all ages did and in every Nation now do give him honour For there is no time nor Country which hath not afforded many to confess and adore him that fills all places and endureth from everlasting to everlasting But if so many examples our of all mankind will not suffice to make us praise him devoutly and acknowledge him faithfully let us lift up our eyes to the Heavens which are replenished with Creatures more noble and glorious then we yet all these make it their imployment and account it their delight to glorifie his Name And we lately prayed that Gods will might be done on earth as it is in heaven How it is done there this excellent Hymn will shew you It opens Heaven to you nay with the Evangelical Prophet carries you thither to behold their Order Angels and Powers Cherubins and Seraphins Apostles Prophets and Martyrs This shews you their Imployment which is one and that you are now exercised in even to Praiâ—e the Lord every morning (a) Gen. 32.26 Dimitte me quia ascendit columna Aurorae apprepinquat hora Angelorum ad laudâ—ndum Deum Targ. Hierosol or rather every moment with never ceasing voices (b) Voce incessabili in S. Ambrose Nay you may learn their song (c) Isai 6.3 Sanctus Pater Sanctus Filius Sanctus Spiritus Cal. Par. Jon. Iâ—a olim legebal P. Galatinus even that mysterious Anthem to the Trinity by which they confess every Person and adore all So that you may at once learn what to believe and how to worship God Oh let us learn the song we must sing in Heaven when we shall bear a part in that Celestial Quire where all these glorious hosts ever magnifie their great Commander all Creatures of the Earth all the Lights of Heaven and the Innumerable and invincible Legions of Angels are listed under this our Lord fight for him and ever execute his commands Wherefore he is called Lord God of Sabaoth that is of the Armies and Powers of Heaven and Earth And since every one that is under him gives him honour the majesty of his glory must reach as far as his troops extend and they fill both the upper and lower world Joyn with these Angelick hosts now and you shall be joyned to them hereafter be not discouraged at the distance of your nature and Condition for there are alreâ—dy many of our bretheren which were oâ—ce as we are already glorious and admitted to this honour intermixed with this Society Oh see the faithful and painful Apostles see the zealous and holy Prophets behold the triumphant Army of devout and couragious Martyrs how they all rejoyce and sing The
Apostles are raviâ—hed with his glory whom they saw in his weaknâ—ss The Prophets are delighted with him whom they prophesied of but never beheld before The Martyrs are transpoâ—ted with his love and forgetting all their torments solace themselves in his joyes and every gaping wound (d) Quot vulnera hiantia tot ora laudantia Deum is a mouth to chant out his Praise Oh what honour is it to serve such a Lord what delight to be admitted to so glorious a society Summon up all the powers and fâ—culties of your souls and as they fill Heaven do yoâ— fill the Earth with setting out the Majesty of his Glory § 3. The second part of this Hymn in the eleven following versicles is a Confession of Faith And eveâ—y Aâ—ticle thereof is a fâ—rther motive to praise God eitâ—er foâ— the gâ—ory of his Essence or the mercy that appears in his works And since we see God at present only by Faith the Profession of that Faith is to us reputed a glorifying of him (e) Rom. 15.6 The Saints and Angels have a fâ—ll view and what they â—o by Joy we do by Faith and holy desires of a nearer union Aâ—d certainly we cannot set out the Majesty of his Glory better then by assenting to that Revelation which his Truth hath made of himself and by confessing him that the glorious Hosts of Heaven adore and the Universal Châ—â—ch doth and ever did acknowledge For so we agree in a sweet harmony with the Saints and Angels in heaven and with all holy men our Bretheren on the earth For the unanimous consent of the Servants is a manifestation of the Masters honour And it is an evidence that our Lord is really such and so glorious as we believe him to be since all unite in the profession of it Aâ—d this holds good most evidâ—ntly in the great mistery of the Trinity which the Celestial Quire owns by their Trisagium Holy Hâ—ly Holy And the Catholick Church hath most unanimously acknowledged most sacredly kept and most courageously defended above all other Articles so that all those agree in this who differ in many other points Let us then chearfully acknowledge the infinite Majesty of the Father who governs all Creatures and declare the honour of his true and only Son whose Glory is great in our salvation Let us confess the Divinity of that holy Spirit who is our Advocate in Heaven and our Comforter (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 u rumque signif Johan 14.16 1 Ep. Johan 2. ver 1. upon the Earth Above all let us be carefull that the humiliation of our mercifull Redeemer do not abate of our esteem To prevent which the Church in this Hymn as also in all her Creeds makes the largest and most particular Confession of the Son of God and we have here a full account of Divinity and Humanity because by the malice of Sathan these have been so confounded and mistaken by so many Heresies and we have also a recital of those works of his which most concern us because it is the interest of us all to know and believe these which more directly tend to our salvation then any other of the works of God and therefore do more strongly engage our gratitude for we shall find abundaâ—t matter of Praise both in what Jesus is in his nature and what he hath done for us He is very God and therefore we give â—im that title which alone belongs to the Lord of hosts and St. Ambrose the best interpreter of this Hymn saith (g) Psal 24 7. 10. Quis est iste Rex gloriae Respondetur à scientibus Dominus virtutùm ipse est Rex gloriae Ergo Dominus virtutùm est ipse filius Ambros de Fide lib. 4. that twenty fourth Psalm was sung by the Angels at our Saviours Resurrection those who came with him calling to those in Heaven to open the gates for the King of Glory who answered them as it is in that Psalm And we may call him the King of Glory both as he is very God and because he hath purchased Glory for us and shall distribute it to us and shall receive glory and praise from us and all that are partakers of it And his glory depends not on our praises but is inseparable from his nature because he is the true and only begotten Son of God not Created as the Angels nor Adopted as Men but by Eternal Generation Coeternal with the Father and Coequal What though he was born in time the Son of Man this doth not take away his Being the Son of God nor change his nature but express his love and engage our affections Dear Jesus whether hath thy love carried thee from Glory to misery from the highest Throne in Heaven to the lower parts of the Earth (h) Ephes 4.9 Pudorem exordii nostri non recusaâ—iâ— sed contumelias naturae nostrae transcurrit Hilar How hast thou pursued â—s through all the stages of our infelicity from the dishonours of the Womb to those of the Tombe not abhorring the meanest place that was pure nor the lowest condition that Innocence could be put into What cause have we to bless thee (i) Ideo quod homo est Christus esse voluit ut homo possit esse quod Christus est who wert pleased to become what we were that we might be not what we deserved but as thou art Holy Saviour we believe and rejoyce in believing that thou wast born like us livedst with us and diedst for us and that death was our life it was shameful and inglorious sharp and tormenting so terrible as might startle a great confidence in a good cause But it was not more bitter to thee then sweet to us We even we Oh Lord had armed Death with a sting sharp and venomous for our sin had provoked the Divine wrath And this sting though with the suffering (k) 1 Cor. 15.57 Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Devicto mortis aâ—uleo Ambr. of inexpressible dolours thou hast pulled out and having satisfied the Justice of God canst now triumph over death it self and enable us with comfort to say O Death where is thy sting with which thou didst threaten all the World with unavoidable destruction Who can behold what thou hast suffered and we have escaped and not be ravished with thy Love Oh blessed Lord Jesus The way to Heaven was ever open to Innocence but we all had sinned and come short of the glory of God Heaven gates were shut against us and Hells mouth open to receive us And in this estate our life had been worse then death by the dreadful expectations of deserved vengeance and our death had certainly delivered us up to feel what we feared Do we live with any comfort 'T is thou hast removed our fears Can we dye with any peace It is thou alone hast renewed our hopes if any men that are or ever were or shall be are admitted into this Kingdome
it is not by the merits of their own Innocence but by those of this thy all-saving death We need not dispute de Facto whether any of the Saints before Christ had actual Possession of Heavens Glory the Scripture (l) Heb. 11.40 1 Pet. 3.19 Matth. 27.52 and the Fathers (m) Clem. Alexandr Strom. 20. Tertul. de animâ cap. 55. Cypr. Serm. in Dom Pass Ambrosius Comment in Rom. 5. passim especially St. Ambrose seem to deny it and it is not easie to disprove them but this we are sure of de Jure that none under the Law nor the Gospel ever were received thither but by Faith in this Death of Jesus which God might consider as done before it was accomplished but no holiness that we are capable of can challenge Heaven nor no feigned Purgatory expiations can satisfie for our sins And whenever Abraham Isaac and Jaacob entred into their glory it was in the right of Jesus who by this saving death pulled out that fatal sâ—ing and obtained admission for all believers not only for Jews and Saints of former ages but for Gentiles and all the World that so owns him as a Saviour as to give up themselves to be ruled by his holy Laws Our blessed Master indeed was glorious with his Father from all Eternity he was in Heaven before (n) Ascendit non ubi Verbum Deus ante non fuerat sed ubi verbum Caâ—e factum ante à non sederat Ruffin in Symbol But not in our nature not as our advocate not to take possession for us but now he is restored to his tâ—rone again ready to receive all believers into the participation of his joyes And now his glory is our great advantage and iâ—finite comfort so that we may receive this article with that delight with which old Jaacob did the news of his beloved Josephs advancement over all the Land of Egypt assuring our selves that he who stooped so low to us and suffered so much for us will imploy his regained Power and Glory for ouâ— good even to take us up to him and to let us reign with him who ever lives to make intercession for us We cannot see him in this glory by the eye of seâ—se bâ—t we do discern â—im by the eye of faith and we doubt not bâ—t he shall be revealed in all this glory when he comes to judge the world at the lasâ— day He â—hall then come to examine and pass sentence upon all But since we must every one bear our own buâ—dens we must not concern our selves for the sâ—re of others but busie our selves to prepare our own accounts for we are sure he shall be our Judge our guilt might make us fear and tremble to think of it yet his mercy may comfort us and quicken us to make ready Who could we rather wish should Judge us then he that Redeemed us and he that now offers to give us a Pardon sealed in his own blood Let us now accept his tender and we need not tremble then for our Judge shall be our advocate and our friend § 4. The last part which closeth this devout and exquisite form turns both the Thanksgiving and Confession into Prayer as a most natural consequence of all the preceding considerations for who can behold so great a God so universally praised in Heaven and Earth and not believe him to be the fountain of all goodness and desire his fâ—vour Who can contemplate the Saviour of the World in his Essential glory in his admirable Condescension willing humiliation and illustrious restitution and not break forth into most passionate supplications for a share in his love Or if we go back no farther then the two last Verses we there saw him with St. Steven sitting in all his glory at the Right hand of God and shall we not request him to be mindfull of us in his glory whom in his low estate he purchased with his life and blood And as he put on weakness and submitted to misery to redeem us that he will imploy his regâ—ined Power and Glory for our help and assistance We say he is to be the Judge of us and all the World (o) John 5.22.27 and we know we cannot answer him for one of a thoâ—sand (p) Job 9.2 Sure then our wisest way is to make supplication to our Judge (q) Job 9.15 and to beg his favour may at that day be shewed to us and all his people for at his sentence all the world â—â—st stand or fall those whom he justifies or reputes innocent (r) Numerare prâ— reputari Isai 53.12 Sapient 5.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graec. shall be set on the right hand and be reckoned among the number of the Saints and sealed ones (s) Revel 7.4 and therefore let us pray to this great Shepheard that though now the sheep and goats are mixed yet he will wash us with his blood and pronounce us guiltless that our lot may be with his Saints Now that we may be thus disposed of at the last day we shall need not only his Mercy then but his grâ—ce now to secure us in our passage through this world Wherefore we pray with holy David in the last words of the 28th Psalm that God would use all means to bring his people to his glory (t) Psal 28. ult Serva populum tuum benedic hereditati tuo rege eos extolle eos usque in aeternum Vulg. Lat. even that he would save them from all evil and bless them with all good things That he would govern and direct them in their duty and lift them up and support them against all opposition for ever And these are the sum of every Christians needs and desires What more can we wish or pray for then to be rescued out of trouble and furnished with all blessings needful for our souls and bodies That God should feed us as a shepheard as the Hebrew reads (u) Heb. LXX pasce eos hoc est rege Vulg. Sorores enim sunt artes pascendi regnandi Basil conc 24. or govern us as a Prince conducting our duty by his care and Laws that we may not stray nor go amiss And lastly That he should bear us up against all the opposition of Sathan and his instruments and advance us from our low estate (x) Job 22.19 Psal 9.14 to â—et us up on that Rock where our enemies malice cannot reach us but we may stand safely there till we are lifted up from thence to Glory which we cannot miss of if God hear but these Petitions Therefore having prayed for all that is needful for us as members of the Church we now look more peculiarly to our selves considered apart And since we are now and every day imployed thus in praising God we desire him to accept this as a Testimony that we are his Servants We declare it in Davids Phrase Psal 145.2 (y) Psal 145.2 Per singulos dies
benedicam tibi laudabo nomen tuum c. Vulg. Lat. only altering the Tense and Person Lord help us for we are thy servants paying thee the daily tribute of Praise Whatever thou bestowest on us will not be forgotten nor buâ—ied in ungratefull silence We meet in thy house every day to magnifie thee in this manner and to set our the glory of thy Name in every thing thou dost for u. Withold not thy mercy for we will not withold thy Praise and since we resolve daily to do the work of Angelâ— Lord keep us pure as they are for praise is neither seemly nor acceptable in the mouth of a sinner Let not us who are thy servants in the morning be the devils slaves before night (z) Coepisti meliùs quam desinis ultima primis Distant but preserve us holy all day that our afternoon sins may not rob us of the benefit of this dayes Praises nor indispose us against the next morning when our duty will return Dear Jesus look on our frailty and strengthen us look on our guilt and misery and Pardon us We cry earnestly and double our request Jesus Master (a) Math. 20.30 31. have mercy on us have mercy on us for our needs are great and pressing unless we find mercy for former sins we must be condemned by thee and except we obtain mercy for future assistance we shall be overcome by Sathan Oh shut not out our Prayer consider not our merits but our distress we know we deserve nothing but we have great hopes such is thy transcendent goodness that we shall have what we desire Those that were better then we have put words in our mouths who in the Psalms (b) Psal 33.22 Sit misericordia tua Domine super nos quemadmodum speravimus in te Psal 31.1 In te Domine speravi non confundar in aeternum Vulg. Lat. did not urge thee as if they had been worthy but only trusted in thy mercy and so do we We rely not on our selves or any Creature but on thee alone for we know thou canst help us and we have a persuasion thou wilt All the world sees by our daily attendance on thee that all our expectations are from thee Oh do not disappoint those hopes that are grounded on thy tender mercy least Sathan upbraid us and the world slight us (c) Ezra 8.22 Psal 22.7 8. and then which way can we look Lord be it unto us according to our Faith Amen Amen The Paraphrase of the Te Deum WE Praise thee most heartily for all we have learned out of thy holy Word O God and it shall be our care as it is our duty to observe thy Will since we acknowledge thee to be the Lord to whom we owe all Duty and Obedience We esteem it our happiness and honour to be accounted thy servants who art Lord of all the world and aâ—l the earth with its Inhabitants joyns with us and doth worship thee who aâ—t from Eternity and in all ages hast been acknowledged to be the Father everlasting Nor doth this lower world alone own thy Supremacy but Praise is given to thee by the several Orders of all Anâ—â—â—s who with harmonious voices cry aloud in proclaiming thy glory which is ever set forth by all the hosts of the Heavens the Thrones Dominions Principalities and the Powers that are therein To thee O God triumphant Hymns are sung in that Celestial Quire For the Cherubin on one side and the Seraphin on the other with ravishing melody chart thy Praise and in their mysterious adorations they continually do cry one to another Holy Father Holy Son Holy Spirit three Persons but one Lord thou art tâ—e most mighty God of Savaoth the supream commander of all the hosts of Heaven of us and the innumerable myriods of blessed Spirits Thou makest us happy with beholding and the Sons of men with expecting thy glory so that all the Inhabitants of Heaven and Earth rejoyce in thee because all parts of the Universe are full of those manifestations of thy power and goodness which declare the majesty of thy glory Thus the Angels sing and for our great comfort many of our bretheren now glorified bear a part with them The glorious company of the Apostles who Preached Christ and with unwearied diligence and patience admirable courage and fidelity shewed he was come to save the world these are now in those regions of bliss and there for ever praise thee As also all those harbingers of thy Sons comming inspired at sundry times and in divers manners these are now met in glory and make up the goodly fellowship of the Prophets whose words we read on earth but they now are happy in beholding him of whom they foretold and now continually praise thee To all which blessed numbers are added those undaunted Legions who sealed the truth of the Prophets predictions and the Apostles preaching with their blood even The noble army of Martyrs who conquered infidelity and cruelty by Faith and Patience these now are passed from torments to their reward and they with all other Saints and Angels with united hearts and voices sweetly praise tâ—ee Oh Lord we long to be there that we might see thee as clearly and praise thee as heartily as they do But since we can now know thee only by Faith we must glorifie thee by agreeing with The holy Church even our faithful bretheren throughout all the world in the Confession of that True Faith whereby every good Christian doth acknowledge thee to be what thou hast revealed thy self to be in thy holy word We believe in that Trinity which the Angels worship even in thee the Father who by creating and governing all the World declaredst thy self to be of an infinite Majesty And we believe in him that is equal in glory with thee and one in nature thine honourable true and only begotten Son who hath redeemed us that we of slaves of Sathan might be thy adopted Sons We do believe and acknowledge also the Holy Ghost to be very God equal to and with the Father and the Son and is the advocate for us in Heaven and the Comforter of us on the Earth And these Three Persons are One God Thy grâ—cious condescension O blessed Jesus shall not Eclipse thy Divine Perfection for though thou camest in our likeness to Redeem us yet we believe thou art equal with the Father and the King of Glory for thou ever wa st most glorious in thy self and thou O Christ art anointed of God a King and Priest for ever From eternity thou art God neither hadst thou thy beginning when thou wast made the Son of Man for thou art the everlasting Son begotten of the Father before the world began Yet blessed be thy name thou didst change thy Glory for Misery and sufferedst thy Eternity to be measured by time for when thou tookest upon thee that glorious design to deliver man from eternal death thou didst not abhor the meanest
still Are not our principles surer our hopes clearer and our probabilities fairer and our gains like to be infinitely more Why then do we say these principles over as it were some Lesson that was never to be put in practice Let us turn our Creed into Syllogisms and we shall see what consequences necessarily flow from it And let us so firmly believe it that our Conversation may be the natural conclusion from those premises for there is no man whose natural Logick will not enable him to argue thus He that believes God to be Almighty and that he made him and all the world must love and fear this God and trust in him in all his needs But I believe in God the Father Almighty c. Therefore I must love and fear and trust in him at all times Or thus Whoever deserves and fears Gods wrath cannot truly believe Jesus came to save him from it but he must speedily apply himself to him and thankfully embrace this salvation But I who deserve and fear Gods wrath do believe this c. Therefore I must speedily apply my self to him and thankfully embrace this salvation from him And thus without strictly confining our selves to the rules of Art the most ignorant may with a little consideration find the natural result of every Article and what effect it will produce in any man that heartily doth embrace it And oh that all the world were as willing to live according to their professions as they are able to apprehend the force of these arguings We should not see our practises so frequently opposite to nay destructive of those principles we pretend to believe Let us ask our selves what manner of persons we ought to be who do so solemnly protest our belief that all these things are true In temporal things what we believe dangerous and unprofitable we avoid what we are persuaded is pleasant and advantageous we pursue and if our assent be as firm why should we not do so in spirituals Where the grounds are surer the inferences clearer and the gain and reward infinitely greater 't is too much to be feared we follow not our Creed far enough nor consider what the belief of those Articles would produce in us if cordially embraced Wherefore for the sake of such as could not or would not thus use the Articles of their Faith we have added to the Paraphrase the following Application The Paraphrase and Application of the Creed Art 1. I Believe most firmly in one infinite and eternal God who is a most powerful wise gracious and pure spirit Distinguished into three Persons the first of which is the Father Almighty who is the maker of me and all the Creatures of heaven and earth the preserver and Governor of all the world Wherefore I am obliged and resolved to own him for my God and Almighty Father by loving fearing serving and obeying him and to acknowledge him the Creator of all by admiring his works rightly using his Creatures and relying on his Providence for whatever I want in this world which is at his disposal And I am encouraged to call upon this my mighty God and merciful Father for my self and all the world for a competent measure of food and raiment health and wealth peace and plenty and not to doubt but that he who can do what he please will take care of the work of his own hands Art 2. And I do most firmly believe in the second Person of the glorious Trinity even in Iesus Christ our anointed Saviour who is very God equal to the Father being his only Son by eternal generation and is now become our Lord by the merciful redemption of our souls from death and hell Wherefore I am obliged and resolved most thankfully to commit my salvation to the management of my glorious and gracious Redeemer and as anointed by God to be a Prophet Priest and King to observe his teaching rely on his attonement and submit to his Authority and to walk answerable to the price that is payed for me And I am encouraged to pray in his name with faith and comfort for deliverance from my spiritual enemies and the salvation of my soul for a safe Pasport to Gods Heavenly Kingdome since his only Son is my Redeemer Art 3. I do also most firmly believe it was this very son of God who became man and yet was conceived free from sin by the overshadowing power of the Holy Ghost and that assuming our Nature and uniting it to his own Divine Nature was born of the blessed Virgin Mary so that he was both God and Man two Natures in one Person Wherefore I am obliged and resolved to be most thankful for that miraculous condescension and to learn to submit to the meanest condition to do good and to be careful not to defile my Nature which Jesus hath united to the Divinity And I am encouraged to pray that I may be sustained under the necessities of my frail estate which Jesus was acquainted with and purged from the corruptions which he was freed from and that being regenerate like him by the power of the Holy Ghost I may be partaker of his Nature as he was of mine Art 4. I do also most firmly believe that the holy Jesus being to satisfie the Divine Justice for our offences suffered the wrath which we had deserved and under Pontius Pilate the Romane Governor though most innocent in himself he was crucified till with cruel torments both of body and soul he had offered up his life a sacrifice for sin He was really dead and buried and took possession of the regions of darkness for he descended into hell and remained under the power of death for a time Wherefore I am obliged and resolved to lament for and crucifie my sins the cause of his bitter Passion to beware least by continuing in them I bring my self under the same curse and loose the benefits of this all-saving death and also to learn from him to suffer patiently and dye chearfully when God pleaseth And I am hereby encouraged to pray that I may not suffer what Christ hath endured for me that this sacrifice may be accepted as a satisfaction for all my transgressions and that the remembrance of it and the grace obtained by it may mortifie and kill in me that which hath crucified him Art 5. I do also most firmly believe that when he had paid the full price for the sins of the world death could no longer hold him so that the third day after his suffering by an infinite power he arose again assuring us that justice was satisfied and our enemies conquered since he was delivered from the dead among whom our iniquities and Gods anger had laid him Wherefore I am obliged and resolved in my lowest estate to trust in his power for my safety to rely on his All-sufficient merits for my Pardon and to endeavour to rise from the death of sin to walk in newness of life And I am encouraged
Festivals Good Friday Turks Sundaies and Festivals Good Friday Infidels Sundaies and Festivals Good Friday Hereticks Sundaies and Festivals Good Friday 2. Such as are in the Church 1. The whole body that it may be kept in 1. Truth Sundaies and Festivals St. John Good Friday 5. Epiphany 2. Unity Sundaies and Festivals St. Simon and Jude 3. Peace Sundaies and Festivals 5. Trinity 16. Trinity 22. Trinity 2. The Ministers that they may be Fit Sundaies and Festivals St. Matthias Diligent Sundaies and Festivals St. Peter Successful Sundaies and Festivals 3. Advent SECTION XIV Of the two Collects peculiar to the Morning Prayer The Analysis of the second Collect for Peace In this Collect are five parts 1. The Person to whom we make this request 1. His Nature O God who art 2. His Attributes the Autâ—or of peace and lover of concord 2. The reasons why we make it taken from 1. Our happiness in knowing him in knowledge of whom standeth our eternal life 2. Our priviledge in serving him whose service is perfect freedom 3 The request it self specifying 1. The thing desired defend 2. The Persons by whom us thy humble servants 3. The time when in all assaults of our enemies 4. The ends for which we make it 1. The securing our Faith that we surely trusting in thy defence 2. The removing our fears may not fear the Power of any Adversaries 5 The means by which we hope to prevail through the might of Iesus Christ our Lord Amen A Practical Discourse on the Collect for Peace § 1. O God who art the author of peace and lover of concord Peace hath alwaies been reputed the chiefest of earthly blessings both because of its own excellâ—ncies and because it is the Parent and the Nurse of all other comforts So that in the sacred dialect (u) Num. 6.26 in salutationibus Pax est Gen. 29.6 comprehendit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Drusius Si non pax nihil Adag Hebr. ap Fagium peace is used to signifie all good things â—lenty and prosperity health and joy and the undisturbed fruition of all these It is the felicity indeed of Earth â—here all is nothing without it and the Type of Heaven where all is comprehended in it wherefore the Christiaâ—s according to Gods command (x) Heb. 12.14 Jerem. 29.7 Psal 122.6 orbem quietum Tertul. Apolog. Pro arcendis hostibus vel auferendis vel temperandis adversis ut pro gentium pace salute Cypi Epist ad Demetr did ever follow it in their lives and â—eg it in their Prayers both as to the Heathens under whom they lived and the Church of God And in obedience to the Divine Command and imitation of such examples we also make it a part of our daily Office to pray for Peace And sure none can approach the throne of grace to ask this blessing with greater encouragements then we have For as the Church intimates our God is the author of Peace (y) Isâ—i 45.7 Matth. 5.9 and owns the peace-makers for his Children And instead of that dreadful title the Lord of hosts is in the New Testament (z) Rom. 15.33 Chap. 16.20 Philip. 4.9 ever stiled the God of Peace because he loves it and procures it (a) Psal 46.9 and commands us to make it and seek it with all men So that this Petition can never be rejected which is no more then Lord give us that which is agreeable to thy nature pleasant in thy sight and which we by thy command continually do follow after And as he delights to preserve his servants in Peace from all enemies without so also to behold them live in unity and concord within among themselves Hence he also commends and commands this (b) Psal 68.6 133.1 2. Rom. 15.5 6. Acts 2.44 and did so firmly bind the souls of the first believers in the bands of amity and concord that all the powers of darkness could not dissolve those holy combinations Wherefore set these Attributes of God before you when you are to beg for Peace and let them encourage you to ask chearfully and teach you as you desire to please him to endeavour after Peace and Concord in your lives that your actions may not contradict your Prayers wherein you own your selves sons of the God of peace § 2. In knowledge of whom standeth our eternal life whose service is perfect freedom It will further encourage our request if we here make humble acknowledgments of and pleasing reflexions upon our happiness in having relation to such a God the perfect knowledge of whom is the felicity of the Saints of Heaven (c) John 17.3 and his worship and service the safety of his holy ones on earth It is the most ravishing of all the delights of Eternity for blessed spirits to take a full prospect of the immense treasures of the unexpressible love of the God of Peace and to behold how he rejoyces over the endearing Concord and inseparable mities of his chosen ones in his everlasting peace And that little discovery which he hath mâ—de to us in this imperfect state of his power and providence his care and love his delight in our concord and procuring our peace even this is the greatest help to bring â—s to those endless joys For when we behold the miseries of the world the rage of wicked men and the malice of Sathan we might in despair 〈◊〉 escape them comply with them for our present safety and so lose our eternal happiness But only that we know him who is able to secure us and delights in our peace and therefore we fly to him call upon him and incourage our selves in him in the greatest appearance of danger and thereby are kept through Faith unto salvation and brought at last to that eternal life which we should scarce dare to hope for but by our knowledge and experience of his power and mercy This is the reason why we now entreat him for peace whom we know to be the Author of Peace even that we may improve our knowledge of him to be a means to bring us to that never ceasing peace in his heavenly Kingdom and to shew us from whom we must seek protection all the way And further we declare that we neither are nor desire to be masters of our selves For our liberty consists not in being subject to no superior but in that we are the servants (d) John 8.32.36 1 Cor. 7.22 Dion Drus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orat. 14. of so almighty and gracious a master who preserves us a thousand times safer then if we were left to our selves We are now directly engaged in his service and therefore under his immediate proteâ—â—ion so that now we have a perfect freedom even from the very fears of any harm from the worst of our enemies We that trembled like slaves and bowed our necks to sinful complyances in every appearance of danger do now pray most chearfully for peace and are as free men
will humble us and make our request more zealous and mollifie him and make him more ready to grant them By his great mercy he will be moved to compassion to see us chained by night and sleep helpless and exposed to all mischiefs of soul and body and will send his grace to defend our souls and his Angels to guard our bodies that none of these perils shall hurt us And then our morning Praises must own it as an Act of great pitty How dare you suffer your eyes to sleep in the midst of such armies of Perils before you have besought him that never slumbers nor sleeâ—s to save you from them But if any be so confident it is not courage but desperate stupidity and inconsideration that makes him so daring The good man begs for Protection for this night and so again for the next and every time with a new Devotion having warmed his heart first with apprehensions of his own dangers and insufficiency to escape them § 7. For the love of thine only Son our Saviour Iesus Christ Amen Although with the Disciples we may be somewhat affraid when we enter into the cloud yet we must beware the darkness do not shut up the eye of our Faith by which we may behold him in whom God is well pleased when our bodily eyes are closed And if we discern him by Faith that very sight will make our darkness to be light For we may run to him and approach the Throne of Grace with him in our Armes The Molossian King was by law obliged to grant any Petition offered by one that brought his Son with him And the Kiâ—g of heaven cannot deny us when we most truly and humbly disclaim our own merits and beg his Protection for the love he bears to the holy Jesus who was the delight of his Soul from all eternity and yet â—e became one with us in his incarnation and made us one with him in our regeneration and we are the members of his body and the price of his bloud so that the Father loves us in and for him that have nothing attractive or lovely in our selves Again we intreat him to save us by all the love which Jesus bears unto us to whom we are neer as his own flesh deerer then his own life more esteemed then fallen Angels or a thousand worlds For his delight is with the Sons of men (z) Prov. 8.31 Wherefore we beseech our heavenly Father by that which will moove his bowels towards us by his own everlasting love to us and his affection to his only Son and by the inexpressible love of that his Son to us to give us a night comfortable and safe We are in darkness but our head is in a never ceasing light and he that gave him to redeem us from eternal darkness will not suffer us to perish in spiritual darkness nor leave us exposed to the mischiefs of one night that will so soon be over passed If our affections be as fervent as this argument is foâ—ceable 't is sure this Petition will not be denyed The Paraphrase of the third Collect for Aid against all Perils LEt the assurance of thy Providence the comforts of thy grace and the beams of thy favour Lighten our darkness and remove the discomfort of the approaching night we beseech thee to make in sweet and safe to us O Lord thou Father of lights and by thy great mercy behold and pitty the various miseries and mischiefs that we thy poor helpless Creatures are exposed unto That thou mayest preserve and defend us in our souls and bodies estate and friends from all perils and dangers which might befall us in any part of this night grant this dear Father not for our merits but for the love thou bearest to the person of the only Son and to us for his sake since he is our Saviour even Jesus Christ our Lord and our Redeemer Amen SECTION XVI Of the Collects for the King and the Royal Family The Analysis of the Prayer for the Kings Majesty This Prayer hath two general Parts 1. The Confession of the King of Heaven acknowledging 1. His great goodness O Lord our heavenly Father 2. His Supream Authority high and mighty King of Kings Lord of Lords the only ruler of Princes 3. His Universal Providence who dost from thy throne behold all the dwellers upon earth 2. The Petitions for his Vicegerent on Earth requesting 1. A special Providence over him most heartily we beseech thee with thy favour to behold our most gracious Soveraign Lord King CHARLES 2. All kinds of blessings â—or him 1. Spiritual 1. Grace aâ—d so replenish him with the grace of thy holy spirit that he may alwaies incline to thy will and walk in thy way 2. Gifts endue him plenteously with heavenly gifts 2. Temporal 1. Prosperity grant him in health and wealth long to live 2. Victory strengthen him that he may vanquish and overcome all his enemies 3. Eternal with the general motive and finally after this life he may attain everlasting joy and felicity through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen A Practical Discourse on the Prayer for the Kings Majesty § 1. O Lord our heavenly Father The Almighty and Eternal God is without dispute the King of Heaven and Earth and supream governor of all the world But since his throne is in Heaven he is pleased to constitute Princes his Deputies on the Earth which he hath given to the Children of men (a) Psal 115.16 Wherefore since by him Kings reign (b) Prov. 8.15 Nos judicium Dei suscipimus in Imperatoribus qui gentibus illos praefecit id in eis seimus esse quod Deus voluit ideoque salvum volumus esse quod Deus voluit Tertul Apol. c. 32. we submit to his appointment of them and revere his Majesty in them and to him we make our supplications for them who hath power to defend them as well as authority to create them And he must needs have a peculiar regard toward them and love to them because they are anointed by him to administer his rights among us This hath encouraged all Nations to pray for their Governors so universally as if it had been an agreement among all mankind To omit the Heathen sacrifices and Prayers for the Cities and Emperors we shall find two Psalms (c) Psal 20. Psal 72. which were used by the Jews as Forms of Prayer for the King and both by Gods command and the desire of the Princes of the Gentiles who then were rulers over that people supplications were made to God in their behalf (d) Ezra 6.10 Jerem. 29.7 by those Jews who were under their protection But to come nearer we Christians are most expresly commanded by God and his holy Apostle (e) 1 Tim. 2.1 2. In obsequio quotidiano pro regibus pro his qui in sublimitate positi sunt orandum est Chrys in 1 Tim. 2. Pro potestatibus seculi Tertul. Apol. Obsecramus
Deum pro tranquillitate mundi pro Regibus Cyril catech 5. Pro fidelissimis Deo dilectis Imperatoribus Liturg. Chris Memento Domine piissimi fidelissimi Imperatoris Basil in Liturg. to Pray for Kings and all in authority So that it was ever a part of the Churches Publique Devotions to intercede for the Emperours and Princes even while they were enemies to the Faith as all Antiquity doth evince Much more when the Powers of the world became Christian for then they named them in their offices with titles expressing the dearest affection and most honourable respect And surely since we meet in Publique to pray especially for Publique mercies there is not any temporal blessing that is of so universal concern as that we should have righteous and religious Kings guided by wise councels and living in prosperity and Peace For this as the Apostle himself observes (f) Illorum namque salus est nostra tranquilitas Theophil in 1 Tim. 2. Ostendit in nostrum lucrum cadere ipsorum incolumitatem Oecum in loc is every mans advantage The government of a Heathen or a Tyrant is better then Anarchy Change or Confusion And if the Preservation of such were advantageous to Christianity how much more then are we obliged to call upon our heavenly Father for the welfare of Christian Kings who are Fathers of their Country and nursing Fathers to the Church (g) Numb 11.12 Isai 49.23 who execute justice and defend Religion and do good to all quiet and peaceable men Therefore we here call God our heavenly Father to signify it will be a great demonstration of his love to us and Care of us if he please to preserve our Prince whom he hath set over us § 2. High and mighty King of Kings Lord of Lords the only Ruler of Princes We ought to beware that while we give Caesar his due we rob not God of his The splendour of Royal Majesty might be apt to dazle us and make us imagine it had no superior nor needed no supporter To prevent which the Church hath selected out of holy Writ those glorious Attributes of God which declare him to be higher then the Kings of the Earth (h) Psal 89.27 We see every head uncovered before mortal Princes and every knee bending to them which shews they are high in dignity but (i) Eccles 5.8 there is one higher then they who hath greater reverence paid him by Angels then these by their most dutiful subjects If Earthly Kings be judged mighty in Power because of their guards and revenues their forts and armies then who can estimate his power and might against whom such preparations are nothing since he speaks in thunder and can arm all the hosts of heaven nay the meanest creatures upon earth to destroy the highest and mightiest of the sons of men Yet if Kings and their people do confess with holy David that he is the most high and to be feared (k) Psal 47.2 his might shall be the support of their dignity and their power which is assuredly the wisest course for they can never be higher then when they submit to the most high nor stronger then when they trust in the Almighty He who is not only above them as being higher in dignity and greater in power but supream over them a King of Kings and Lord of Lords (l) Dan. 2.47 1 Tim. 6.15 who hath not only some petty Princes of a few Provinces his homagers which is all the greatest Empires in the world can boast of but all mortal Princes are his Vice-gerents since he hath and ever had the absolute disposâ—l of all the Kingdoms upon Earth setting up one and pulling down another as it pleaseth him It may be accounted di honour to a Prince to crave aid of his equal but let not the greatest Monarch blush to bend his knee to the supream Majesty of Heaven whose Vassals and Homagers are all the Governors of this lower world who wear their Crowns by his donation and must resign them at his command How can Kings or Subjects want relief that humbly and earnestly sue to this blessed only Potentate the King of Kings If we that are by the supream disposer of all things placed under Authority want any thing in or for our Governors let us apply our selves to him who is the only Ruler of Princes and hath the hearts of Kings in his hands (m) Prov. 21.1 he can persuade convince and turn them when they will not take advice from their inferiors And he only is the judge of their actions since they are his servants and substitutes to their own master they must stand or fall and are only accountable at his tribunal (n) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xiphilin Vide Psal 51.4 Neque enim ullis ad poenam vocantur legibus tuti imperii potestate homini ergo non peccavit cui non tenebatur obnoxius Ambros de loc Nulla creatura judicat regem sed solus Deus ss b. Pirk. Aboth And therefore we have so much the more need to pray for them to their great Lord that he would direct them to do well and to execute justice and guide them who are to rule us that this their mighty power may be our safety and our peace for if it should be otherwise which God forbid we neither will nor can oppose them having no other arms against our Prince but prayers and tears (o) Lachrimae meae arma mea sunt aliter nec debeo nec possum resistere Ambros Orat. in Auxent l. 5. But why should we doubt since we Pray to him that can over-rule the greatest Kings and will not suffer this unless it be as a just punishment to our iniquities Finally let all this create in every soul most honourable opinions of this great God and fill every heart with reverence that is before him when we see our dread Soveraign and all the mighty Monarchs of the Christian world doing obeisance to his footstool and laying down their Crowns at his feet acknowledging they received their dominions from him and hold them by his favour and declaring they trust not in the multitude of their people strength of their Cities nor prudence of their Counsels but though they have Armies and Navies terrible and numerous and Revenues unaccountable they come to the Throne of our God to Petition for his help And all their faithful subjects attend on them and joyn with them who then would not fear before him and trust in him express all possible lowliness in his presence and give him all imaginable glory who liveth and reigneth over all from the beginning and shall do so for ever and ever § 3. Who dost from thy throne behold all the dwellers upon earth It is an infallible maxime that the less is alwaies blessed of the greater (p) Heb. 7.7 Wherefore being to beg a blessing from the King of Heaven for the Rulers of this World we must first acknowledge
they are inferior to him in the extent of their dominion as well as in the quality of their dignity power and authority There is a Providence in Scripture attributed to Governors (q) Acts 24.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graec. who as they sit on their thrones above all their subjects so that heigth is the embleme of the advantage they have to behold and a Monitor of the duty lying on them to take care of all that are under their charge But the most vigilant Princes with all their faithful Ministers who are as so many eyes and ears to them find it difficult enough to oversee and provide for the inhabitants of one Kingdome Whereas the King of Kings hath the Heaven for his throne (r) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orpheus Isai 66.1 Psal 97.9 and the Earth for his footstool and as he sits higher so he sees further the◠they From his throne he beholds all the world the meanest are not below his cognizance nor the greatest above his reach He sees and rules all which gave ground to that Egyptian Hieroglyphick which represented God by an eye in a scepter the emblems of Providence and Authority And in the sacred pages the same thing is expressed by the Phrase of Beholding from his Throne (s) Psal 33.14 Isai 63.14 For the Divine Majesty is no idle spectator but improves the heighth of his seat and the universal prospect he hath from thence to the good of all mankind His eye denotes his care for he sees the necessities (t) Psal 34.15 Gen. 22.14 Deus videbit al. providebit and considers the wants and desires of all men and of every particular and orders his supplies accordingly So that his Providence and Dominion is over all the earth and no Monarch need account it a dishonour to bow before this mighty Lord and his glorious throne § 4. Most heartily we beseech thee with thy favour to behold our most gracious Soveraign Lord King CHARLES Since all mankind is under the eye and care of God no doubt he hath an especial regard to Kings and Princes on whose safety the welfare of all the rest next under his own providence doth depend (u) Nihil est illi principi Deo acceptius quam concilia coetusque hominûm quae Civitates appellantur earumque rectores servatores hinc profecti hûc revertuntur Cicer. som Scip. He cheifly delights in men as they are united into Societies by charity and laws and for the preservation of these unions his principal care is for those he hath set over them who are the bond of the rest We may therefore cheerfully pray for an especial and more particular providence over our gracious King because God doth usually grant this and because he needs it more then ordinary persons do His duty is more difficult his abundance exposeth him to more temptations and his heigth to more dangers then any of his people and yet his preservation is far more necessary and of universal concernment (x) 2 Sam. 18.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutar. vit Pelopid Cum tot ab hac animâ populorum vita salusque Pendeat Lucan for he is worth ten thousand of us and we had need pray heartily to God to save him who doth defend us all He stands in need of more wisdome to direct him more power to protect him more care to preserve him then other men and therefore we pray that the King of heaven will shew a particular favour to him A pious and religious King doth as earnestly seek and as much valew a favourable look from the Majesty of heaven as any of his Courtiers do a smile from his countenance (y) Psal 84.9 Psal 21.6 Psal 4. ver 7 8. Lord saith holy David look upon the face of thine anointed and thou wilt make me glad with the joy of thy Countenance yea more joyful then the worlding is in the encrease of his admired wealth And methinks it should fill our Souls with awful and noble thoughts of our glorious Lord God to see Kings in the light of whose countenance is life and whose favour is a dew upon the grass (z) Prov. 19.6 Chap. 16.15 courting so humbly and needing so mightily the favour of the Majesty of heaven Let us joyn our most hearty requests that what our deer Soveraign wants and wishes he may have if he were a Saul or a Nero we should sin in ceasing to pray for him (a) 1 Sam. 12.23 But no affections nor passions are too fervent no opportunities too often to call upon God for our gracious King who is our lawful and natural Liege Lord a just possesser of his Crown a worshiper of God a defender of the faith a maker of good laws and an executor of the same who secures our rights protects us from publique enemies and Private fraudes and endeavours to choose fit and faithful governours both for Church and State For such an one we must pray not only out of obedience to God and the Churches order but out of our private love and particular affection as St. Ambrose (b) Meque non solum officio publico debitas pendere preces sed etiam amore privato Amb. ep ad Gr. did for the Emperour Gratian. To quicken us whereunto we may do well to call to mind the miseries of the Church of God under persecuting heathens of old later furious Romanists and the particular calamities of this Church under the late usurpers and then we shall discern what praise we owe to God and what love to our gracious King whose name ought to be so deer to us that in our daily office we should wish it written in heaven and registred in the book of life as well as in the leaves of the Churches devotions § 5. And so replenish him with the Grace of thy holy Spirit that he may alwaies incline to thy will and walk in thy way Grace is so constant a companion and so certain an effect of the Divine favour that the Greek expresseth both by one word So that if we can prevail with God to look favourably on our Soveraign we may be assured he will give bountifully to him And since the first and choicest of his largesses is the Grace of his holy Spirit we first beg that he may have a constant and bountiful supply of that of which he needs a double portion For the temptations of a Prince are many to pride and luxury to carelesness and vanity his faithful friends very few who either will or dare inform or advise him without partiality and self interest his Concerns are weighty since the welfare of Church and State depend upon them his example prevalent and usually made the incouragement of virtue or the excuse of vice All which declares the danger of Governors to be very great to fall into evil waies and their preservation from them to be the greatest blessing wherefore all faithful subjects and good men cease
us that the constant opposition of the Popes to the Emperors had occasioned it to pass for a Proverb proprium est Ecclesiae edisse Caesares that it was natural to the Church to hate the Emperor Which how justly it is said of the Roman Church the world knows But 't is sure nothing is more contrary to the principles and practise of this our Church who may rejoyce and glory in her fervent love of her gracious King her devout prayers for him and her constant loyalty to him and his Royal Progenitors So that I hope it may be more justly said that it is natural to the true Sons of the Church of England to love the King Whoever loves the peace of the Church doth heartily pray for the flourishing of the Crown because they live and grow together and he that is a friend to one cannot be a foe to the other His friends are our friends and his enemies our enemies For whoever attempts to smite the Shepheard (n) Si quis ovem jugulat gregem imminuit at qui pastorem tolà t omnes dissipat Chrys in 1 Tim. 2. seeks to destroy the flock and he is a mortal foe to the whole nation (o) In reos majestatis publicos hostes omnis homo miles est Tertul. I know nothing so common with rebels and usurpers as to pretend love to those they would stir up against their lawful Prince but it appeares to be ambition and covetousness in the later end and such persons design to rise by the fall of many thousands Or it Religion should be the ground of the quarrel besides our late sad experience Reason will tell us that War and faction injustice and cruelty can never lodge in those brests where that pure and peaceable quality doth dwell If it be a forreign Prince that opposeth our King he is a Robber and unjust to invade his neighbours rights if he be a Subject who riseth against his Soveraign he hath renounced Christianity with his allegiance and is to be esteemed a troubler of our Israel (p) Nisi falior Vsurpator bellum infert Imperator jus suum tuetur Ambr. Therefore whosoever they be that are enemies to the King or whatsoever the pretence be we wish they may never prosper in that black impiety of unjust invasion or unchristian rebellion And how exactly our fidelity and our devotions in this agree with the rites and manners of the first and best Christians may appear to any discerning person (q) Pro pâ—â—ssimo à Deo conservando Imp. nostro oâ— nique palatio exercitat ejus prâ— quo pugnare Dominum Deum nostrum dignetur subjicere sub pedibus ejus omnem hostem hellatorem Liturg. S. Basil ita ferè Lit. Chrys Exercitus fortes senatum fidelem populum probum orbem quietum Tertul. Apol. c. 30. ut subjectas habeant gentes ut amotâ perturbatione seditionis succedat laetitia Ambr. in 1 Tim. 2. We know the Emperors when Heathens and afterwards obtained many and great Victories by the Christians prayers for which cause one of the Legions (r) Euseb Eccles hist l. 5. c. 5. was sirnamed the thundering Legion and let us pray in hope our prayers shall not be less effectual for a Prince of the right Faith that so the enemies of his soul and of his life the enemies of his Crown and dignity may either be converted or discovered defeated and deservedly punished and then we may live in love and peace and give the glory of our safety to him who strengthens the hands and hearts of all faithful subjects and gives the Victory to his Anointed § 9. And finally after this life that he may attain everlasting joy and felicity through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen Having now wished our Prince all the happiness which this world is capable of we must remember he is mortal and though never so dear to us he must be taken from us His health must end in sickness his wealth in a Sepulchre his life and his glories here must have an end For he that conquers all other enemies must add to the number of deaths trophies and fall under the hand of the last enemy Wherefore we do most heartily pray that an earthly and transient prosperity may not be all his portion but that he may so please God in the Administration of this temporal Authority that when all these things cease he may be admitted to that never ceasing felicity of Heaven to reign in a glorious eternity crowned with that Crown of life which fadeth not away which doth so infinitely transcend all that an earthly Diadem can afford that the greatest Monarchs have renounced th ir Crowns and Scepters and all the pleasures and magnificence of their Courts and sought after it in the retirements of a poor obscurity accounting it a blessed exchâ—nge to part with Earth for Heaven Temporals for Eternals There is now nothing further in this world we can desire and therefore we pray that our dear Soveraign may never be so deceived with the glories of this golden Crown as to forget much less neglect or despise to seek for that glorious Crown which is richer sweeter and safer a thousand times but that he may be happy both in this world and the next through Jesus Christ who is the blessed and only potentate the King of Kings and Lord of Lords by his merits alone those whose swords can cut them a passage to an earthly throne must be admitted to reign in glory and he must intercede for those to whom the world make their Petitions they who by their interest and power can have or do any thing here must be there accepted through Jesus Christ as well as the meanest of their Subjects Wherefore in his name we ask and by his mediation we hope to obtain that our beloved Prince may be prosperous and holy wise and couragious that he may have a healthful body a pious Soul a quiet mind faithful counsellors loyal Subjects conquering armies a long life abounding with riches and honour and at the end of these transient glories a never ceasing joy in the Kingdom of heaven and let every good Subject and good Christian whoever loves the Church and respects his Country say Amen Let us pray thus and live thus to the honour of God the establishment of Religion and the welfare of both King and people Amen The Paraphrase of the Prayer for the Kings Majesty O Lord our heavenly Father who art most high in dignity and mighty in power To whom should we pray for our earthly Governours but to thee the Supreme King of Kings and the absolute Lord of Lords from whom they derive their authority and to whom alone they are accountable since thou art the only Ruler of the hearts and examiner of the actions of Princes we acknowledg thee the King of all the world who dost from the highest heaven thy throne by â—hy all-sufficient providence take care of and with thy
esteem it while it promotes your Imitation of so excellent a Patern I shall add no more but to beg my Imperfections may take Sanctuary in the integrity of my Purposes which have armed me against all Detractions because my Aim is the Glory of God the encrease of Piety and the Peace of this Church for the obtaining whereof the Prayers as well as the Patronage of your Lordship are most earnestly requested by My Lord Your Honours most obliged and Most faithful Servant Thomas Comber THE PREFACE THere are two principal ends of the Worship of God The glory of him that is Worshiped and the benefit of the Worshipers And these two are so inseperably united that St. Augustine (a) Credendum est totum quod recte colitur Deus homini prodesse non Deo Aug. Civ Dei l. 10. cap. 5. reduceth both to one assuring us that all the advantage accrues to us But whether we look on them single or conjoyned no part of Divine Worship doth so much express and advance Gods glory nor so directly tend to Mans good as Publique Prayer in which we make the most universal solemn acknowledgments of our Obligations unto and Dependence upon the Supreme Lord of all the World and by which all the servants of God in all times places and circumstances do with one heart and voice by common consent (b) Publica est nobis COMMUNIS ORATIO quando oramus non pro uno sed pro toto populo oramus quia totus populus unum sumus Cyprian reveal their wants and obtain supplies for them So that we may call this the Life and Soul of Religion the Anima Mundi that universal Soul which quickens unites and moves the whole Christian World Nor is the case of a private Man more desperate when he breaths no more in secret Prayer then the condition of a Church is where Publique Devotions cease St. Hierome out of Hippolitus puts the cessation of Liturgie (c) Hieron Com. in Dan. as a principal sign of the coming of Antichrist And nothing more clearly shews a profane generation (d) Gen. 4.26 Chal. Par. Tunc profani fuerunt homines ut non Orarent in nomine Domini edit Ven. the very title of wicked men in Scripture (e) Psal 14.4 53.4 being that they call not upon God 'T is well if any of us can excuse our selves but the general neglect of daily Prayers (f) In the Rubrick before the Morning Prayer by Ministers who are both desirous and bound to perform them doth too sadly testify they are tired out with the peoples constant absence and all together witnesseth an Universal decay of true Piety Perhaps the dishonour that is cast upon God and Religion while there is no apparent testimonies that they value either will not move these disregarders and neglecters since they live so that a Stranger could not imagine they had any God at all But I hope they have yet so much Charity for themselves that it may startle them to consider what mischiefs are hereby brought upon themselves and others Wherefore let them ask the cause of all that Atheism and Prophaneness Luxury and Oppression Lying and Deceiving Malice and Bitterness that is broke in upon us to the torment and disquiet of the whole World Let them ask why they plague others with their sins and others requite them again and it will appear that all this is come upon us because we forget God and Heaven Death and Judgment which daily prayers would mind us of Our Souls are fixed to the Earth because we lift them not up to Heaven We have neither grace to do good nor resist Sin because we never ask it and we can have as little hopes of Glory as we have signs of grace because we do not prepare for it But if these evils be too thin and spiritual let it be enquired whence our National and personal calamities proceed Epidemical diseases Warrs and pestilences Whence comes the Multiplication of Heresies the prevalency and pride of the Enemies of the true Religion The Jews will tell you Jacob's Voice in the Synagogue (g) Omni tempore quo Jacobi vox est in synagogis non sunt ibi manus Esau Prov. Rab. lib. Musar keeps off Esau's hands from the People We have disrespected and slighted God and his VVorship and he may justly put us out of his Protection who do not duly pay our homage to him and go away (h) Si Deus s b. synagogam intrat nemo inventus est abiit iratus ut Isai 50.2 Buxtorf syn ex Rh. displeased and then we lye open to all evil when our defence is departed from us and they that provoke him so to do are enemies to themsâ—â—â—â— and to the Church and state where they live indeed the worst Neighbours (i) Quisquis incolit civitatem in quâ extat synagoga et eam tecum non adiit is est Vicinus malus R. Nath. de latr But notwithstanding all this while all sober and devout Men lament this Epidemical iniquity and groan under the sad effects thereof passionately wishing a speedy remedy the Offenders grow bold by their numbers and hardened by this evil custome till they now despise a reproof and deny this Negligence to be a sin because they have no mind to amend it But these are of two kinds 1. Those that make their business their Apology and suppose it is unreasonable to expect them every Day at Common Prayer and judge it sufficient to say they cannot come 2. Those which have learned to despise or hate the Prayers of the Church and to scorn that which their Fore-fathers generally better then they did heartily serve God by and yet these account it their Virtue to abstain from them and having sufficiently undervalued these Devotions stampt by Publick Authority they imagine they may say innocently enough they wil not come But if to disparage our Rule did take off our Obligation to walk by it Scorners then were the least of sinners But neither the excuses of the one can cover his Covetousness and Irreligion nor the confidence of the other shelter his Pride at the last and dreadful day So that I suppose it may be a friendly office and will be so accepted to warn all such of the unsafe grounds they relye upon to prove their innocency in forbearing Publique Prayers And this I shall do by representing with all Moderation 1. The reasonableness of our being present at Daily Prayers to those who say they cannot 2. The Excellency of the Liturgie to those who say they will not come And this I am obliged to do to smooth the way to the Temple for in vain do we shew how men may be devout there if they excuse or deny Coming thither And we must not so confine our Charity to these within the walls as to forget those without We love the one best but we must pitty the other also and endeavour to
practice that must be our Rule because we are all sinners what glory was it to Tamar to be more righteous then Judah (d) Gen. 38.26 or to the Jews to be holier then the Chaldeans (e) Habak 1.13 minus improbi illis quidem justiores reverâ— nequissimi Drus when both were wicked We shall never rightly judge of our wayes if we measure them by a crooked stick But suppose we be better then others that cannot make Confession needless though no man could charge us no nor our own Consciences yet is it not safe to plead Not guilty (f) 1 Cor. 4.4 Job 9.15 before that God who examines so narrowly and sees so exactly and remembers so perfectly that the best had need to crave for Mercy This Confession is so general so universally true of all and so particularly applicable to every mans case that we invite all to it so that the Pharisee may not think himself too good nor the Publican doubt himself too bad to make it before God The Church doth not allow of those dangerous Persuasions which have puffed some up with arrogance and presumption as if their sins were already absolutely forgiven their pardon actually sealed for if so what need they be obliged to a daily Repentance or to ask for what they have already but alas it is only in their own opinion for the very pride that such false imaginations produce were enough to reverse the grant if God had once consented to absolve them On the other side we do advise the greatest sinners to repent rejecting those discouraging Doctrines of mens eternal reprobation which some think not reversible by any endeavours we do not know of any living man that may not be pardoned (g) In isto adhuc mundo manenti poenitentia nulla sera est patet ad indulgentiam Dei aditus Cypr. ad Demetr wherefore we pray and beseech these dejected persons not to be discouraged because they have stayed so long but to hasten because they have no more time left for he only is in danger of being for ever cast off who hearing these summons doth not obey them Let no man then go about to excuse himself for it is the duty of every man present in Gods House § 10. To accompany me The Jewes were never allowed under the Law to enter into the Temple but the Priest alone went in every day (h) Exod. 30.7 Luke 1.10 Heb. 9.6 7. into the outer part of it to burn Incense and to the Mercy-seat or Inner and most Holy place none might come but the High Priest once a year but the people alwaies remained in the outward Court prayed there for which purpose were those stone Tables there made which the Talmud speaks of (i) Tract 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 6. The King indeed was admitted into the Inner Court where the Priests did sacrifice (k) 2 Kings 11.11 1 Kings 8.22 1 Chron. 6.10 but when a Prince would have gone nearer Azariah is commended for resisting him because the Priests alone were to come so near (l) Levit. 10.3 Fag 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propinqui dei But now we have more freedom for every Christian is one of Gods houshold (m) Ephes 2.19 and though the order of Priesthood is not taken away yet the priviledge of the people is enlarged so that Philoes brag is alwaies true of us (n) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philo. 1 Pet. 2.6 for every man is a Priest to offer up his own prayers and praises and that not without for we are led in by the hand to the very Throne of Grace (o) Eph. 2.18 Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Christ or the Priest who is his representative and have liberty to speak (p) Heb. 4.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see Acts 26.1 freely for our selves before the King of Heaven and Earth Which you ought to esteem as an high act of favour and most thankfully to embrace it since you are now no longer to stand without and send in your Petition by the hands of a servant but are admitted nay requested to come in your selves in the company of Gods Messenger who hath the same errant for himself and therefore is likely to be the more concerned and importunate He even the Minister is that Ambassadour whom God sent to bring you out of your evil wayes (q) Acts 26.18 2 Cor. 5.18 19. and it will be acceptable to God to see him return with you in his hand and it will be a comfort to him when he can say Behold me and the children thou hast given me he will be your guide and he sets you a good example for he goes himself and no doubt both you and he will be kindly welcomed by his great Master and all the blessed Angels of Heaven Wherefore let not your Minister go alone but be you alwayes present and joyn in the Confession or otherwise if he go without you he cannot but complain of you (r) Isai 53.1 Heb. 13.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and must sigh when his Lord enq ires for you which will be more your loss then his because he hath done his duty in inviting and although he loose the comfort of your company yet you loose the benefit of his and the pardon annexed because you neglect so precious an opportunity and seem to send a daily denial by the hands of Gods special Messenger § 11. With a pure heart and humble voice to the throne of the heavenly Grace saying after me The various Rites of washings and cleansings which all Nations used before they approached to their Templâ—s were only to mind them of purity of heart which the Heathens knew to be necessary for all that drew near to God (s) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato in Alcib 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 2.22 wherefore in their sacrifices the unclean were commanded out by the voice of a Cryer Much more ought Christians to come with a pure heart which inward purity we account the principal requisite of the prayer but withal we require that the tongue shall be used as the interpreter of the desires of the soul and therefore it is added that we pray with an humble voice This was Pythagoras precept of old (t) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to pray with an audible voice and though the Jewish Doctors allow private prayers when the lips onely move (u) 1 Sam. 1.13 Grotius in loc yet in publick Worship God himself commanded Open and vocal Confessions and particularly when the Sin-offering was presented the party was to lay his hand on the head of it and say Lord I am guilty of death I have deserved to be stoned for such a sin to be strangled for such and such transgression to be burnt for these and these crimes (x) See Munster on Numb 5.7 And to come nearer we find publick Confession in the Christian Church (y) Acts 19.18 Ordinatur ut
us we have refused to follow him in the right way but have run on after one anothers bad Example and sometimes chosen the treacherous directions of the Wolf or Fox before those of our dear Shepherd to whom we now cry with shame and sorrow to rescue and restore us § 4. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts Confession ought to be a giving glory to God (n) Joshua 7.19 Jerem. 13.6 and therefore we must beware it prove not a dishonouring of him by transferring the guilt of our sin upon him directly or indirectly for though our treacherous hearts love the sin too well yet they would fain lay the blame and shame upon some other Adam will tacitly charge God himself (o) Genes 3.12 Natura hominuâ— procliviâ— in vitia vidâ—ri vult non modo cum veniâ sed etiam cum ratione peccare Lact. Inst lib. 4. rather then want an Apology to excuse his crimes and they imitate his example who confess their original corruption not to aggravate but extenuate their actual transgressions thinking they are the more excusable because they were naturally inclined to it Let such know it is not alone the inclinations of Nature but the complying with them and following of them and the neglect of Gods restraining grace that leads us into evil and no blame can be imposed on him that hath left the Canaanites to try us since he provides and offers sufficient help and defence against them nor can any excuse be made for us who love them and strengthen them and daily make Covenants with them it is our misery that our Nature is so evil disposed but it is our fault (p) Nemo de vitiis naturalibus sed de voluntariis poenas luit Aug. Civ Dei l. 12. c. 13. when we reject Gods directions and neglect his assistance and take these false principles and vitiated appetites for our guides Wherefore we here confess that not the having but the following these evil devices and desires is the cause of all our sins * Hosea 13.6 That which Divines call Original sin is by the Jews (q) Genes 6.5 Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 figmentum malum Vatab stiled the Evil device and is here most significantly stiled The devices and desires of our hearts which takes in that universal Corruption which hath overspread the soul and consists in the decay of the Divine Image which man was created in viz. The quickness and comprehensiveness of the intellectual powers to discern what was truly good and the readiness of the will to chuse and of the affections to make after that which was so discerned This was our state but now the Understanding is dull and shallow confused with wrong notions and busied in devising evil (r) Prov. 19.21 Prov. 3.29 Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glebas vertit which the Scripture compares to plowing and turning up the clods to search with labour and industry for fine dresses plausible excuses and speedy accomplishments And then we begin to fall in love with evil and greedily to desire it so that our Understanding is enslaved to our Appetites and must pronounce for it And when we have devised how to call evil good we are hurried on to desire it with the blindness and violence (s) Hi motus si ratione destituuntur in praeceps rapiuntur rapiunt Macrob. Som. Scip. l. 2. c. 16. of unguided affections that end in ruine Thus we devise how to present riches and plenty ease and pleasure honour and esteem satisfaction and revenge to our selves in so pleasing a garb that they may pass for excellent things and then we long for them and still devise wayes to obtain or recover them and then pursue them with expence of our times and estates with continual care mighty pains and restless endeavours because we suppose we cannot be happy without them Although it is most sure we can never have fast hold of them the child may as soon catch the Rainbow as we these flying shadows which have no worth but onely in our imagination But it will be well if when we have wearied our selves with an endless and vain chase we be so wise as to sit down panting and breathing out sighs and making sad reflexions on what we have done if we can consider we may easily discern that our devices have failed our desires been unsatisfied our expectations frustrated and our pains unrewarded and therefore we have good cause to confess we have followed them too much already and to resolve to be abused no more because they lead us into all sin and yet yield nothing but vanity and vexation of spirit for all our venture and pains § 5. Wâ— have offended against thy holy Laws Our gracious God hath given his law to supply all our defects and it is a lamp (t) Psal 119.105 to lighten the darkness of our minds a Counsellor (u) ibid. ver 24. to direct the weakness of our judgment a Guide (x) Psalm 32.8 to conduct our unsteady actions that we might not miss our way to true happiness But we will be our own directors and call that good which God calls evil so that we neglect what he commands and desire what he forbids We forsake our rule and come into a wrong way by our false devices and we run fast by our greedy and evil appetites and so are all our actual sins committed as is here taught out of S. John (y) 1 John 3.4 James 1.17 and this is the exact Pedegree of sin which S. James teacheth to be conceived in the devices of the mind nourished by the desires of the heart and produced by following both these so it was in the first of Gods laws which was broken by our first Parents (z) Oculus vidit cor concupiscit instrumenta operis pergunt ad agendum Fagius and so it is ever since these evil principles endeavour first a connivance then a consent and lastly exercise a tyrannical authority and necessity to evil where they have gotten the power But we may observe in this general sentence four aggravations of all Actual sins 1. They are done against a law enacted in Heaven and proclaimed over the whole Earth and particularly among us by divers special Messengers so that we cannot pretend ignorance 2. Not onely against one or two but many laws and if we search narrowly it will appear we have broken all the law of Nature the Decalogue of Moses the Precepts of Christ and the injunctions of the Apostles and it is a bad sign when so many Obstacles cannot stop us and doth encrease our guilt when all these laws will not restrain us 3. These sins are not against the laws of any mortal Prince but against the commands of the King of Kings the God of Heaven whose Dominion over us is so absolute his Wisdome so infinite to enact and his Power so great to reward or punish that
them and by degrees scourges in their sides violence to drive them and lastly thorns in their eyes that by putting out the light of conscience it self they may sin without fear Oh! Do not therefore cease repenting as soon as you can believe or hope a Pardon but let that hope encourage you to repent more and to cast out all the reliques of the old leaven watch and pray till you be restored to the same cleerness of judgment earnestness of holy desire freedome of will power over your affections composedness of soul and tenderness of conscience which you had before you fell for not till then are you out of the danger of your disease § 11. According to thy Promises declared unto mankind in Christ Iesu our Lord It might well be deemed an high Presumption in us that are offenders against God to ask so many favours of him 〈◊〉 but that he hath prevented this censure by interposing his Promise that he will do what we desire which Promise is a sure foundation to build our hopes upon because by it we have a title to that which before we could not expect for God being truth it self is obliged to make his Word good and by his promise gives his Creature a kind of right to the thing promised (m) Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 promissio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eustath Il. β. and if he be not bound to us yet he is by his own Justice and Veracity (n) Deus non nobis fit simplicitèr debitor sed sibi ipsi T. Aquin. which yet doth not abridge his freedom who could discern before all that could fall out and yet freely obliged himself so that his Promise is no more then a Declaration of what he can do and sees fit to be done if it had never been promised Wherefore we cannot please him better then to urge him with his promises because then we only desire what he judges fit to be granted nor must we measure the Almighty by the scant measures of a man (o) Numb 23.19 Homo ex 4 causis solet promissa negare vel quando fallacitèr quid promisit vel quando promissi poenitet vel quando offenditur ab eo cui fit promissio vel quando nequit persolvere haec omnia à Deo absunt ex Fag who loves not to be charged with what he doth not intend or is not able to perform but there is no unforeseen accident can occur to alter the determination of an All-seeing and Immutable God his servants have alwayes pleased him and obtained their sute (p) 2 Chron. 6.16 Chap. 20.9 when they have pleaded a Promise in a particular temporal concern Much more shall we in these which are of so great weight and so often repeated in the Book of God and so fully agreeable to his eternal purposes and constant desires These Promises are indeed conditional but we ask them not absolutely but upon the condition on which they are made viz. as hoping by Gods grace that we are penitent or else our request could not be according to his Promises But in these words are three grounds of our hopes 1. Because the Promises are declared he hath not onely purposes of Mercy in the secrets of his unsearchable breast but he hath made Promises and communicated and published them by Word and Writing from time to time before Heaven and Earth Angels and Devils and all Men that are or were or ever shall be now if they should not have been certainly performed they would not have been divulged before so many Witnesses but since they are declared to all they are a summons to all and shall be fulfilled to all that do go in to God bringing his gracious Proclamation in their hands 2. They are made to mankind for the Apostate Angels were permitted as they fell so to lye to Eternity though in their Naturals they far excelled us but Jesus graciously snatched hold (q) Heb. 2.16 Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dr. Ham. of us and made a Covenant with us so that though we are offenders we are salvable though despicable yet we are such as the Promises are directed to We dare not with some pretend to any infallible revelation of our peculiar interest in them nor do we plead any particular ingagements made to our persons by Name yet since made to all we are thankful we are not particularly excepted and do hope we shall have a share for we believe Mercy on purpose contrived the Promises so large that no repentant sinner might want encouragement and we apply them modestly to our selves not because we are better then others but because we have as much need as any and even when we see our selves the chief of sinners we may take comfort in the universality of the Promise because we are of mankind but those who fancy they can read their own names in them are like that vain person who offered his Prince a great sum of money to be permitted to salute him familiarly every day that men might suppose him a Confident of the Kings for the better sort of humble Christians are thankful for lesser favours which are also commonly more real though less plausible 3. We hope in these Promises because they are made in Christ Jesus for he first clearly revealed them to us (r) 2 Tim. 1.10 and procured them of God and sealed them as a Mediatour between both and therefore they are made in him (s) 2 Tim. 1.1 And because they are made in him 1. We believe they shall be faithfully performed they are Yea and Amen (t) 2 Cor. 1.20 that is really intended Christ is the first (u) Gen. 3.15 and great promise and God having given him already hath both evidenced his love to us and manifested his reality in promising and his resolution of performing all the rest in due time (x) Rom. 8.32 And further it is surer comfort that they are made in him then if they had been made immediately to us for so when ever we had broke any Condition we had lost our title to what was promised (y) In pactis si vel tantillum ex dictis pars altera transgrederetur rupta sunt foedera Thucyd. but our Venture is deposited in a safer bottom even in him that fulfilled all that God required Surely none can question those Promises which were made freely by the God of Truth and are confirmed by the performance of the greatest first and depend on the perfect Obedience of Christ Jesus whose compleat Righteousness shall justifie the claim of every true Penitent notwithstanding his own many failings 2. We believe because made in him they shall be dispensed to us with much mercy not like those made upon Mount Sinâ—i which could only benefit him that had at all times and in all instances obeyed for what comfort were that to him that owns himself a sinner but these are from mount Sion and to be fulfilled by our gracious
his promise but for the confirmation of our Faith and as a condescention to our infirmity Indeed all Gods words are most true but not many have an Oath annexed as this hath which he that will not have us swear but upon weighty Occasions would not have added but because the belief of this is the Foundation of all Religion since no man can begin to seek to God till he believe he delights in Mercy (k) Heb. 11.6 and is willing to receive those that turn to him wherefore let us not doubt so great and necessary a truth confirmed with his Oath (l) O beatos nos quorum causa Deus jurat O miserrimos si nec Deo juranti credimus Tert. de poenit who assures us he wills not the death of a sinner (m) LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vatab. num desidero aut volo with his Will nor desires it as we do those things we have pleasure in but is even forced to it against his inclination Which gracious nature of God is here set before the sinners eyes to discover what probability there is for his granting out such a Commission because he that desireth not the death of such will not withold Mercy nay he will by the offer of a Pardon prevent it for this phrase means he desires the life even the everlasting life of all penitents (n) Negatio mali in S. S. notat accumulationem boni Job 3.18 Job 11.26 vide 1 Tim. 2.4 1 Thess 5.9 and if the assurance of Remission will support them and give them encouragement to seek for happiness they shall not want it For to do good is the Nature of God he doth this willingly and readily without the consideration of merit or expectation of reward but Punishments are Extorted from him (o) Lam. 3.33 Vatab. ex corde non est proprium Dei affligere castigare homines sed alienum by mens wickedness and when he inflicts them he expostulates with himself like an indulgent Father about to correct a disobedient child (p) Hos 11.8 Ezek. 33.11 So that it is no incredible thing that he should send a Pardon it is the device of Sathan to picture the Almighty so dreadful that he may be a terror to his Supplicants to make men fear and hate and fly from him rather then serve or love him But God is love and especially kind to Men (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato 1 John 4.8 who have no reason to dishonour God by dismal apprehensions of him Remember I beseech you the Price payed for you the Covenant made with you the Promises given to you call to mind how justly frequently and easily he might have cut you off if he had not designed to be Reconciled and think of the earnestness of his invitations continuance of his patience the arts of his providence and all other means used to preserve you and then blush at your selves for having ever had hard thoughts of God or doubting he would not Absolve you Whoever hath so conceived of God is as bad as an Atheist for he takes away Gods Being and this his goodness as if like the Scythian Deities (r) Meliùs esset nullos credere Deos quam esse putare sed sanguine caesorum hominum laetatos existimare Plutar. de Superstit Scyth Gallorum he rejoyced in humane Sacrifices and we our selves had rather be reported dead then traduced living but though this unbelief do attempt to dishonor God the mischief lights upon it self for God is glorious still in Mercy and he that does not believe it is void of love and hope weak in Faith full of fears and dismal expectations (s) Et faciunt animos humiles formidine divum Depressosque premunt ad terram Luc. and when he that is perswaded of Gods mercy can rejoyce in hearing this Absolution the other quarrels with the Messenger or suspects the Master and tortures himself with endless scruples § 5. But rather that he should turn from his wickedness and live We must be cautious while we endeavour to prevent despair that we encourage not presumption and least any should think when they hear of Gods kindness to sinners that he will allow them their sins (t) Rom. 6.1 this is added to shew that he so desires our happiness as the end that he desires our holiness as the only way thither he would have us live viz. in Eternal glory but his desires cannot be accomplished if we continue in our wickedness because then God is obliged in justice to destroy us therefore he labours to turn us from those evil ways which end in death and to bring us into the safe paths of holiness which are the beginning of Heaven upon earth for the felicity of Heaven is but an addition to and the perfection of that begun holiness in vain therefore does any trust to this Mercy of God who lives wickedly still for what Father would spare his offending Child or what Prince pardon his rebellious Subject but upon condition they will not renew the same Crimes it is possible indeed to deceive men into Remission when the offenders mean not to reform Caesar was stab'd by Brutus a reconciled enemy whom he had adopted for his son Cicero was beheaded by Popilius whom he had saved from publique justice But the All-seeing God knows your purposes and can tell what you will do hereafter so that you deceive your selves in hoping for forgiveness while you remain impenitent but you cannot deceive him to make him grant to it he will not make his mercy the support of your iniquity and it would undo (u) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orig. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 3. sinners if he should too easily forgive such mercy before true repentance would make sin cheap and encourage men to do wickedly Wherefore he sends his Ambassadors to proclaim his gracious intentions of saving you least any should grow desperate with Cain (x) Gen. 4.13 and as the hardened traitor resolve to dye in their rebellion but these Ministers of God are first to turn (y) Acts 3. ult men from their iniquities and if they prevail in that they have a Pardon ready sealed and can assure them of life everlasting and that God who punisheth unwillingly will freely forgive he must either condemn or save you it is most evident he had rather give you life and will rejoyce if you accept it and if you miss it it is because you had rather sin and dye not because he had rather you should so perish § 6. And hath given Power and Commandement to his Ministers Whoever hath a just right and absolute Authority may either exercise it in Person or Depute others by communicating to them their Power subordinately and then these substitutes have a Ministerial right so far as their Commission extends a Temporal Prince can do thus and choose which of his Subjects he pleaseth to act thus in his Name and by
is the Christians highest aim it was Davids prayer (z) Psal 19.14 and the greatest blessing the Priest could wish (a) Numb 6.24 25 26. Psal 20.3 4. that Almighty God might accept them Poor Socrates after many a tedious step in a virtuous but afflicted state (b) An diis placent quae feci nescio hoc autem solum scio me sedulò haec egisse ut placerent could not tell whether he had given content to his Deities or no but whoever of you have the grace of Repentance and the holy spirit are not in those uncertainties but have Enochs Testimony Heb. 11.5 that you do please God § 12. And that the rest of our lives hereafter may be pure and holy this is the second benefit and motive earnestly to pray for these things for so you shall not only be welcomed at present with a gracious smile but all your lives long be reputed as the friends of God and by his help shall be preserved as pure as a true Repentance hath made you and as holy as those are who are under the Guard of the Spirit of holiness Pray therefore with all your soul for a true Repentance or else as soon as your soul is washed it will return to its impure wallowings and all your labour is in vain hitherto (c) 2 Pet. 2.22 laterem lavare for a feigned repentance will send Absolom away for a while but upon the next Enterview will hurry us with more passion into his embraces whereas the deep wounds of the true penitent make sin hateful to him while he lives and he that gets on a white garment with so much difficulty will not easily sully it but carefully preserve it pure as his tears have made it And upon the same ground be very pressing for the holy spirit Which if you can obtain you shall not only be preserved from the spots of sin but shall shine with the lustre of a holy life for our goodness is apt to vanish (d) Hos 6.4 we are wavering and soon weary unless we have that establishing spirit (e) Psal 51.14 David prays for and then all duties will be easie and we shall be strong for love and the sense of his assistance will carry us cheerfully through them all so as to be our pleasure not burden and when we are arrived to this nothing can bribe us to forsake them Oh happy soul that is thus begun to be restored to that purity and holiness which are part of Gods Image (f) Ephes 4.24 and parcels of the Divine Perfections blessed is he that is so far advanced that God is not like to forsake him because he hath made him holy pure and a fit temple for the inhabitation of his spirit nor is he likely ever to forsake that God whose mercy hath saved him whose grace doth refresh him whose waies please him and his glorious bounty which faith discovers doth still allure him to press forward to neerer unions and unseparable connexions no state under the Sun is to be longed and wished for like this which a true Repentance and Gods holy Spirit brings us to § 13. So that at the last we may come to his eternal joy through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen There is nothing more desirable then the sweet peace of a good Conscience but only that which is the end and perfection thereof and that is that happiness which is infinite and endless which the Scripture calls an eternal and everlasting joy (g) Isai 35.10 Chap. 61.7 51.11 which neither men nor devils can lessen or interrupt much less put a period to it And if God give us true Repentance it will preserve us from the sins which forfeit this and if he add his holy spirit it will safely lead us into those paths of righteousness which lead thither where we can desire no more because we have all that is desirable There are no cares to disturb no fears to allay nor sorrows to abate those ravishments of delight for ever there is joy which far surpasseth the half-sad and mixed pleasures which this world hath being nothing else but pure joy which pleaseth by its own excellence and by having no fears nor possibility of defailance in degree or continuance we tast something of it in the charming calm of a strong faith and a quiet conscience with undeceived expectations of Gods love but this is but the land-skip of our heavenly Canaan which Jesus hath purchased for us and God the Father will grant unto us and the most holy Spirit will be our guide thither (h) Psal 51.14 LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole glorious Trinity is concerned for us and will cooperate with us to put us into possession of them and then rejoyce over us to all eternity The Father who forgave us the Son who dyed for us and the Blessed Spirit who wrought effectually in us will Communicate this their joy with us and to us for ever And lastly to shew that you thankfully follow these Directions of the Ministers and have in your own heart and thoughts most devoutly petitioned God for a true Repentance and his holy Spirit by means whereof all these incomparable benefits may redound to you in testimony I say hereof you sum up all in a Petitionary Amen desiring it may be so and assenting also to the truth of all this It is most true and therefore oh so be it unto you Amen The Paraphrase of the Absolution BE it known to every one of you that hath confessed his sins with an humble lowly Penitent and obedient heart that Almighty God Supreme King of Heaven and Earth whose Royal Prerogative it is fully to acquit or finally to condemn being the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who assumed our nature and suffered for our sins this great God by his Merits is of an angry Judge become a tender Father and hath solemnly sworn he is one who desireth not neither taketh pleasure in the death or damnation of a sinner though never so justly deserving it but rather chuseth to have opportunity to shew mercy and therefore he useth all possible means that he may turn from his wickedness which will bring the sinner into condemnation that by leaving these paths of death he might be forgiven and live in holiness and comfort here and in everlasting glory hereafter And to confirm this his good will and keep penitent sinners from despair he hath given and in holy Scripture communicated Power by vertue of his Supreme Authority and Commandment for the exercise of this power for when poor sinners need comfort he hath given special charge to his Ministers lawfully chosen by himself and those he appoints to be his Ambassadors to declare at all times his willingness to pardon all and pronounce Absolution more particularly and plainly to those that by returning and obedience do own him even to his People being Penitent for all their offences as you now from your
officia Dei honor in patre fidei testimonium in nomine oblatio obsequii in voluntate commemoratio spei in regno petitio vitae in pane exomologesis debitoâ—um in deprecatione sollicitudo tentationum in postulatiene tutelae Tertul de Orat. here is our belief of his goodness our persuasion of his love our desire after his holiness our subjection to his Authority and hope of his Kingdome our willingness to suffer and readiness to do his will here we declare our dependance on his Providence and contentedness with his dispensations our Penitence for former sins and resolutions of amendment our sense of our own frailty and our trust in his mercy and grace and all this ending with acts of Faith and Love joy and praise Devotion and Adoration So that this Divine Form is fitted for all times and all places and all persons The ignorant must use it because he may understand it the knowiâ—g that they may understand it better the sinner that he may be holy the holy man least he become a sinner the rich prays thus for the sanctification of his gifts the poor for the supply of his wants in private it extends to particular needs in publique it unites us all into one soul and makes us equally desire (r) Non singulis privatam precem mandavit sed Oratione communi concordi prece pro omnibus jussit orare Cypr. Epist 8. others good with our own being indited in a publique stile so that though it be useful every where yet it is especially fitted for the Assemblies of the Church where all Antiquity used it as the Salt of all other offices (s) Sat omnium divinorum oâ—â—ctorumâ— and we in Imitation of them for our Church prescribes it after the Absolution for acceptance after the word of God read and the recital of the Creed for assistance in holiness and confirmation in Faith in the Letany for deliverance from evil in the Communion Service to dispose us for a penitent hearing of the Laws of God never too often nor never superfluously as you may observe afterwards for how can we too often joyn his most perfect Prayer to ours that are so imperfect since by him both we and our prayers are alone made acceptable Those that presented Petitions to the Roman Emperors drew them up by the direction of some judicious Lawer but we have this Sacred Form from the wonderful Counsellor who came out of the Bosom of God and knew his treasures as well as our wants he best could inform us what was fit for us to ask and what most likely for him to grant he was to go to Heaven to be our Advocate there and he hath taught us this that there may be a Harmony between our requests and his What zeal and height of devout affections are sufficient to offer up this Prayer with drawn up by the great Master of Requests and orderer of all entercourse between God and Man how sure is this of acceptance (t) Animata suo privilegio ascendit coelum commendans patri quae filius docuit Tertull. which is stamped with his Image signed with his hand and sent in his name his Power will make it prevalent and Gods love to his dear Son most acceptable (u) Dum prece Oratione quam filius docuit ad patrem loquitur faciliùs audiamur Cypr. for what can pierce the ears sooner or melt the heart of a tender Father more readily then the voice of his only and Beloved Son use it therefore Reverently and heartily and doubt not to be heard The Division of the Lords Prayer The Lords Prayer hath three Parts 1. The Preface or Compellation 2. The six Petitions which concern Expressing 1. Charity to Men Our 2. Faith in God Father 3. Fear of God which art in Heaven Either Gods Glory by 1. The Reverence of his Attributes hallowed be thy Name 2. The Exercise of his Authority thy Kingdome come 3. The fulfilling of his Will thy Will be done in earth as it is in Heaven Or our own good in 1. Temporal supplies give us this day our daily bread 2. Remission of sins past and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us 3. Deliverance for the future from Sin and lead us not into temptation Punishment but deliver us from evil Being an acknowledgement of God 1. As Supreme for thine is the Kingdome 2. As Omnipotent the Power 3. As Gracious and the Glory 4. As Eternal for ever and ever Amen 3. The Conclusion or Doxology A Practical Discourse on the Lords Prayer § 2. OUr Father which art in Heaven This was the usual Preface to the Jewish Forms of Prayer who stiled God their Father which was in heaven (x) Pater noster qui es in coelis fac nobis gra iam Sed. Tephil Lusitan Deus noster qui in coelo unicus es in lib. Musar But since they owned not God the Son they could not justly call God Father and being in bondage to the Law (y) Galat. 4.6 Servis â—ancillis non permissum Abba vel Immaâ— Dominis suis dicere in Gem. they were Servants rather then Sons and such by their own rule might not call their Masters by the name of Father This Appellation suiteth us better who are by Jesus adopted to be the Sons of God and by his Spirit who obtained that priviledge we are taught to cry Abba Father (z) Gal. 4.6 he that is the eternal Son of God himself who hath alone right to this Name hath put the words in our mouths and what fitter words to begin our Prayers then these two which include the principal requisites of Prayer Faith and Charity no man can call God his Father but by Faith and he must be in Charity that can add Our Father which cannot be said devoutly but by him that is free from wrath to man or doubting (a) 2 Tim. 2.8 'T is certain God is our Father for he hath created us after his own Image and begotten us again by the washing of Regeneration he feeds and cloths us preserves and provides for us he teacheth us what is right and correcteth us when we do amiss and Finally he hath done like a Father in providing an eternal inheritance for us (b) 2 Cor. 12.14 even such as men make for their Children (c) 2 Sam. 7.19 G. P. Talis enim est provisio humana He hath ever expressed a Fatherly love to us and care of us and tenderness toward us and this Jesus obligeth us to acknowledge (d) Isai 63.16 that while we call him Father we may be gratefull to him and have the affections of Children upon us when we come to him in our needs trusting in his mercy persuaded of his All-sufficiency rejoycing in hope and filled with love and joy and comfortable expectations because we are going to our Father and least if we were uncharitable to our Bretheren that unlikeness to
God should confute our calling him Father (e) Matth. 5.45 Psal 145.9 who is loving to every man we must by adding Our shew a universal charity to all the world not arrogantly confining this priviledge to our selves and out of pride or passion excluding others from it but we must comprehend all men within it as our bretheren sons of the same Father making a Common Prayer to the Common Father of all mankind not looking sordidly to our selves alone but as members of the same Mistical body (f) 1 Cor. 12.25 having a feeling of each others wants and desiring the Preservation of the whole rather then our private satisfactions we must therefore when we begin this Prayer lay aside all malice and envy and with loving hearts joined hands and united voices address our selves as so many deer Brothers and Sisters to Our Father so shall we cause the Angells to Sing Ecce quam bonum (g) Psal 133.1 how pleasant a thing it is and no Musick will be more pleasing in the ears of our heavenly Father But many Children have gone to their earthly Parents in their needs and found no relief where they had no means to help and could no otherwise know the love of their deer Fathers then by a sigh or a tear Oh my poor Child I cannot help thee whereas we need not fear such Returns for our Father reigns in Heaven the Center of all happiness so that he can do what he pleases (h) Psal 115.3 for Omnipotence and All-sufficiency are annexed inseparably to that Royal Throne Our Lord Jesus presents us with the seat of his glory to mind us to acknowledge his Dominion and Power and to adore his Infiniteness and Immensity for he whom we pray to hath all things under him to be ordered by his will and all Creatures even millions of blessed Angels to execute his Commands and this should heighten our minds to ask things more excellent then the perishing vanities of this world this remembrance that he is in Heaven should strengthen our Faith in his Power and Mercy for what can we his Children want on Earth who have a Father in Heaven that can do all things and who is so full of goodness that he is not moved by all his glory to despise us but whatever advantages he hath his love makes them all ours and he is in Heaven now but he intends to bring us thither to him yet while we are upon Earth we must approach with lowly addresses and all reverence because we come before him who is in Heaven adored by the blessed Angels with prostrations and veiled faces § 3. Hallowed be thy Name The glory of God which is the principal end of our Creation ought to be the first in our desires and we are doubly obliged to desire the honour of his name both because he deserves it upon the account of his glorious Perfections so that all the Earth is bound to adore the Name of him that dwells in Heaven and also because he is our Father (i) Nullum probrum intollerabilius ignominia parentûm Quis non commotus est c. Grot. ex Eurip. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and if we so much desire the honour of our Natural Fathers that no good Child can endure to hear them reproached how much more should we long after our Heavenly Fathers glory and pray that none might abuse his sacred Name which if we be his true Sons will be unsufferable to us how can we but desire it may be treated by us and all men at all times with that reverence and Religious respect that befits so great a Majesty who is separated from this lower World as far as Heaven is above the Earth and therefore his Name is to be esteemed as no common thing but separated and set apart which is the meaning (k) Levit. 20.24 Deut. 26.28.19 Sanctificatio est seperatio per modum excellentiae Rab. D. Kimhi in Isai 56.2 of hallowing of it the regarding it as a thing truly excellent and so it is in it self so holy that it cannot be profaned by Men nor Devils so as to loose any part of its essential purity any more then the Suns illustrious beams are polluted with the evaporations of a filthy dunghill the blasphemies of hell it self cannot prejudice Gods name any more then the barkings of Dogs and howling of evening Wolves do to the splendor of the Moons shining and for this cause it were needless to pray that Gods name might either be or remain holy but only that being holy in it self it may by us and all men be looked on as infinitely above us and used with reverence and an awful regard Now this Name of his is himself and all that is his it is himself as he can be known (l) Rom. 1.19 Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by us for it is his Attributes and all that his name is called upon all that represents him to us or relates to him his Works his Worship his Sabbaths his Vice-gerents and Officers in Church and State and all that is given to him or his and since we cannot behold Gods Essence which is incomprehensible our Reverence to him will appear by our respect to his Name which is all we have of him with us here on Earth Then his name is hallowed by us and all people when we love his Goodness trust in his Mercy believe his Promises fear his Threatnings acknowledge his Wisdome and adore his Power and live answerable to his Attributes When we praise him for his works speak well of all he doth and worship him with Humility and Faith true affections and hearty desires when we keep his Sabbaths obey Kings his substitutes respect Ministers his messengers love his people and inviolably preserve all consecrated things and finally when we demean our selves towards God and all that is his as may suit so great a Majesty and so gracious a Father and further we must be careful that since we are called by the name of Christ that we do not profane that holy name (m) 2 Tim. 2.19 by wicked lives but be moved to strive to shew our Reverence and admiration of so holy a Name (n) Sanctificetur nomen tuum per opera nostra quocunque tempore facimus quod bonum rectum est Sanctificamus nomen ejus magnum Drus ex lib. Musar in Matth. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyril Alex. by becoming holy and seperating from all sin as his name is seperated from all pollution it becomes us who are honoured with his name in whatever we do or speak or think to be careful that by defiling and abusing our selves we cast not dishonour on him that hath condescended to such a relation Oh let us beware we do nothing wilfully to occasion Religion to be slandered by the enemies thereof for otherwise our lives will be a contradiction to our Prayers § 4. Thy Kingdome come It is the Observation of every good
man that although God is and ever shall be a glorious King (o) Psal 10.16 and Psal 29.10 in deluvium Deus sedit h. e. Perditis omnibus creaturis tamen regnum ejus manet R.R. whatever become of this lower world yet the devils hate him and wicked men rebel against him and their own corruptions will not fully submit to him and all this while the great King of Kings seems to connive at all seldome exercising his power to subdue or his justice to punish and destroy his enemies so that the whole world abounds with Impiety and Confusion and then what wonder if the Children of God who know their Fathers Power and goodness do earnestly desire he may more visibly reign amongst men for his glory and their own good in particular and the benefit of all the World for his Kingdome is Regimen Paternum and consequently our interest (p) Illi deputamus quod ab illo expectamus Tertul. and our happiness and therefore our Prayer for when our Heavenly Father doth thus exercise his Authority then his faithful servants shall be secured from their enemies supplied in all their needs and satisfied in all their desires Now the Kingdome of God or Heaven (q) Vide Supra Ch. p. 1. §. 6. signifies either his Kingdome of Grace or that of Glory His Kingdome of Grace we pray may come in a double sense 1. By an outward profession viz. That the Gospel may be embraced in all the world even there where now they are slaves to the Devil and their own lusts who are servants to the Prince of darkness (r) Ephes 2.2 doing his work observing his Laws and paying him Tribute by Sacrifices as their Leige Lord we pray that these poor Souls may be Converted believe and be Baptised renouncing their old Master and professing themselves Subjects of Jesus and of the great King of all the World 2. We pray his Kingdome of grace may come by a real subjection where his Soveraignity is owned because without this an outward possession is but like the mockery of the cruel Jews who saluted him hail King and then smote him on the face and so doth every professed Christian that lives wickedly Wherefore we pray That his Kingdome may be within us as well as among us (s) Luke 17.21 and whereas now his Laws are broken his Messengers despised his People abused and his Enemies cherished that by the power of his grace in all our hearts our unruly passions may be tamed our rebellious lusts mortified and our naughty desires extinguished till we all own his Authority fear his displeasure and obey his Edicts as we ought to do and if any be so obstinate as still to refuse him for their King (t) Luke 19.14 we pray that our Lord Jesus would exercise his royal power in punishing all such that others may see and fear (u) Psal 58. ult and every good man desires for himself this righteous Prince (x) Psal 45.6 may subdue every opposing thought in his heart (y) 2 Cor. 10.5 and may have the absolute command over all the members of his body and faculties of his soul and then he hopes his corruption will be restrained his graces quickened and all his inward man in much better order he knows if Christ rule in his heart he shall have more freedome comfort and peace then ever he had before Oh it were happy for the Christian world and every truly Christian soul if Our Fathers Kingdome were set up in all our hearts since we all own it with our mouths Lord let thy Kingdome of grace thus come Secondly the Children of God pray for his kingdome of glory viz. for that visible and glorious manifestation of the Kingdome of Jesus when he shall come to dispense his glorious rewards and finall Pardon to his faithful servants and admit them to be sharers in his joy and partners in his Kingdome and to pronounce the fearful doom upon his obstinate and miserable enemies to make them suffer the just deserts of their wilfull opposition and desperate Rebellion in unexpressible and eternal torments In which acts the glory of his kingdome the mightiness of his power the truth of his word the infiniteness of his love to his own and the exactness of his justice to his enemies shall be so clearly demonstrated to all the world that his faithful ones shall be rapt with joy and wonder and glorifie him for it to all eternity Here alass they serve there they shall reign here they are despised and afflicted vext with their own corruptions grieved for the sins of others poor and disconsolate full of cares and fears which when Christs Kingdome comes shall not only be done away but exchanged for endless glory and boundless felicity And who can blame them who are weary with slavery (z) Optamus maturiùs regnare non diutiùs servire Tert. de Or. Regnum Dei Volum Christianorum confusio nationum exultatio Angelorum idem ibid. to wish for liberty and long for that happy day which is the end of all their evils and the beginning of that incomparable joy that never shall have end Let ungodly persons fear and tremble at this dreadful day to them let their tongue falter when they wish for it and their own confusion the holy ones of God can joyn with their bretheren under the Altar in saying Come Lord Jesus come quickly the sooner he comes the sooner shall their souls be delivered and their desires satisfied in seeing and enjoying their Lord and deer Redeemer 'T is true when a good man considers how dreadful vengeance will then seize on sinners out of pitty to them that pitty not themselves they pray that these desperate sinners may first submit to his Kingdome of grace and are well pleased with the deferring of that day (a) 2 Pet. 3.9 Pro morâ finis Tert. ibid. and can pray with the Primitive Christians for the putting that time further off though it be to their own loss because so God will be more glorified and Heavens Quire fuller and the Musick sweeter the more are brought home therefore they pray that though the Kingdome of Glory be their happiness yet the Kingdome of Grace may first come into the hearts of all that will receive it § 5. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven As Gods Kingdome doth alwaies abide so his will is ever done and so it may seem superfluous to request it may be done because it is the Rule by which all Creatures act and they all do bring about (b) Psal 115.3 Rom. 9.19 his Will when they interd it and when they do not and God himself alwaies doth his own Will (c) Deo non posse nolle est posse ville Tertull. in Prax. which is the limit of his infinite power for he can do and doth what he will and thus we had sufficiently asked it before in thy Kingdome come because this is the
property (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herodot of a King to do what he pleases But as Gods Kingdome is scarce visible upon Earth so neither is the accomplishment of his Will for those that renounce his Authority become Lords (e) Psal 12.4 to themselves and do their own Will even where it displeaseth God and though his Will be at last done upon them in their final ruine yet this is not so properly his Will not voluntas beneplaciti his pleasure no more then the malefactor doth his Princes will when he suffers death by his Laws for a capital crime because he that made that Punishment did appoint it to terrifie from the Crime and it was not his intention any should suffer by it so it is the Will of God that all men should live holily here (f) 1 Thess 4.3 and happily hereafter (g) 1 Tim. 2.4 Vt salvi simus in coelis in terris quia summa est voluntatis ejus salus eorum quos adoptavit Tertull. ut supr and if any will be wicked it is also his will they shall suffer for it but then his will is not properly done on them that suffer but only on supposition they were obstinate sinners which he would not have them to be Wherefore we pray that his first and principal Will may be done in the Conversion and Salvation of all men And having lately viewed the upper part of his Kingdome where they are ever happy by a full and free obedience to his Heavenly Will we long and wish and desire that this lower part of his Kingdome where so many are yet totally in Rebellion and others frequently revolting when they do profess subjection even that this World were modelled by that heavenly pattern (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. Strom. 40. as exactly as is consistent with the frailty and mutability of such a state for 't is easie to discern that all the miseries in this world spring from our disobedience to the Laws and our acting contrary to the Will of God so that if the corrupt affections of the better sort were subdued and the evil actions of the more impious did cease and all did guide their actions by the will of God we might be very happy even in this world and should begin our Heaven upon Earth so that we also pray that since 't is Gods will for all to live holily (i) Quid autem Deus vult quam incedere nos secundum suam disciplinam Tert. that this will of his may be accomplished and because our Heavenly Father hath innumerable blessed Spirits there to perform his will and they do it cheerfully and readily fully and constantly we see how much our endeavours come short of them and how little reason we have to be puffed up for our imperfect duties which are begun with reluctancy deferred by sloth or interrupted by vanity carried on heavily shaken with fears and sometimes broken off by sin and this prospect doth humble us while we behold them flying on the wings of love and zeal and our selves creeping by fears and uncertainties and it ought to trouble us that we can do the Will of so great and good a Master in no better manner and then we shall strive and pray that we may know Gods will as fully and desire to do it as fervently and be enabled to accomplish it as pleasantly and as constantly as the glorious Hosts of Heaven do both the lights in the lower Orbs which exactly observe the laws of their Creation (k) sicut coelestia semper inconcussa suo volvuntur sidera motu and those glorious Angels and blessed Spirits which in the regions of bliss do delight continually (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Constit l. 2. cap. 56. to serve him Oh what affections are vigorous enough to pray for the same obedience and unity consent and uniformity among Gods Children as is there above where every one moves in his own place without disturbance thwarting or opposition making perfect Harmony and keeping exact peace and this is Gods will But the word be done seems to others to have a passive signification viz. That whatever happens to us or any by the will of God whether good or evil it may not be displeasing to us and this further shews why we prayed his Kingdome might come that so he may administer all things as he pleaseth for we are not jealous as the Subjects of earthly Princes sometimes are least our God should make his will an arbitrary law because his Holiness and Mercy Truth and Justice are his will we are most sure whatever is his will is best for us be it Judgment or Mercy plenty or want health or sickness life or death it is the best for us whether we apprehend it or no and we ought to wish it may be done because we know he wills no evil to us (m) eò nobis benè optamus quod nihil mali sit in Dei voluntate Tert. and if something we think ill descends from him we may say as Melito did to the Emperor about the Persecutions (n) Si quidem te jubente hoc faciunt bonum credamus quicquid justo imperatore jubente committitur Euseb l. 4. Histor Eccl. c. 25. in hoc dicto ad sufferentiam nos ipsos admonemus Tert. If thou commandest them they are good because injoyned by a just Authority surely though it may seem hard at present it is judged fittest for us by him that knows our temper and need so did the Author of this prayer learn submission (o) Matth. 26.42 and illustrated this petition by his example and so St. Paul (p) Acts 21.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pythag. and to murmure against Gods choice was forbidden by a Heathen and is so impious and foolish that it is a wishing God out of his Throne and the reins out of his hands that we might sit there and rule all things by our own will as if we wished our former petition unsaid Sure we must not only cease to be Christians but sober men before we can fancy our selves wiser to contrive and fitter to dispense all things then God himself is Socrates his prayer was for what was convenient not what he might desire (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ap Juvenal Permittes ipsis expendere numinibus quid Conveniat nobis rebusque sit utile nostris that is plainly that Gods will might be done And if we were our own Carvers we should through rashness and folly passion and prejudice ever choose the worst and having such experience of our mistakes Jesus teacheth us to desire God to order us as he pleases and if we can live this petition believeing the pleasure of God to be alwaies best we shall have comfort in all Conditions and shall glorifie God by such noble opinions of his Wisdome and Power of his love and mercy more then by whole burnt-offerings and
the maker of it And then saith Philo was man created and brought into this stately Theater to do those offices pitty is it you have eyes to see ears to hear mouths to tast and souls to judge and apprehend if you have not hearts and tongues to sing the Encomiums of this Great King who hath made all things so wonderfully and given them to you so freely You are pirates and robbers if you seize the provisions of Sea or Land and do not heartily give thanks to the Lord of them Let the serioâ—s apprehension of all this tune your hearts and voices to sing praises in the highest to so great a God so high a Lord of so vast perfections and endless Dominions of so infinite power and such noble bounty that we ow our selves and all we have to him § 4. Ver. VI and VII O come let us worship c. The people of the East exceeded all others in their expressions of reverence to their Kings and in Persia (u) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Artaban it was established by law that they should adore their Prince as the Visible Image of God so that as Curtius notes Darius received divine honour from his subjects But we are now before the King of Kings whose Empire is universal and his Dominions boundless and therefore we may well advise one another to use the most lowly gestures that may express our holy fear of and awfull regard to so great a Majesty Prostration of the body the greatest sign of honour among those Nations is now out of use but kneeling is still used in all addresses to mortal Princes and that is now among us an expression of the greatest civil respect from inferiors wherefore let us not repine if we be commanded to kneel before our great God the Lord of Heaven and Earth since it was a custome used by the Jews and Christ himself recommended it by Scripture (x) Genuflexio in oratione tam ex divinâ quam humanâ traditione provenit Calvin Inst l. 4. and great examples of its early observance in the Christian Church (y) Vid. Euseb l. 5. c. 5. An. Christi 170. Genua flectimus orantes Origen in Numb and the unanimous consent of all pious men But he that shall behold the abominable irreverence and saucy behaviour now used in our Devotions will think it no more then needs for us severely to reprove the people for it as the Antient Fathers who had not so much cause use to do (z) Diacono clamante flectamus genua maximam partem populi velut columnas erectas stare conspicio quod Christianis dum in Ecclesiâ oratur nec licet nec expediâ— Caesarius Arelat Hom. 30. vid. item Hieron in Ephes cap. 5. and both by our words and examples daily to say to them O come let us kneel c. not to Idols or Images the works of your hands as Heathens and some that are called Christians do bâ—t to the Lord your Maker who made both your Soul and Body and expects reverence from both especially in publique where you are by outward reverence to give testimony of your inward fear of his holy name and as Christ saith he that hath ears so I say he that hath knees to kneel let him kneel to him that is the glorious Maker of the whole Body the whole Man nay of the whole World But we may observe that though all these words are used to express outward reverence yet Worship is a general word and signifies all parts of Gods service and especially prayer (a) John 4.24 Acts 8.27 so that to Worship may here signifie to Pray and as before we encouraged one another to praise God so now having represented the Omnipotency and All-sufficiency of God we invite one another to pray to this great God and mighty King who made all Creatures and disposeth of all things and can relieve us whatever our wants be we need not fear to ask what he cannot do or to be sent back for want of power to help as great Kings sometimes do with their Petitioners (b) 2 Kings 6.27 Have we such a God and shall we be slow to worship him or careless and unmannerly when we make our applications to him no sure if we love our selves we shall make haste to come and be reverent when we are before him If we want any thing and do not pray to him for it he may justly suppose we question his Power or Sufficiency and and take it very ill but if we pray to him with humility he never accounts it boldness but accepts it as an acknowledgment that we believe his Authority and Supremacy and declare our dependance upon him who is our maker and therefore will be our preserver for no man makes a curious piece and then suffers it to decay by minding it no further much less will God despise the work of his own hands when he can so easily preserve us This is the first motive to our putting up Petitions to this great God because he is our Maker but on this ground all the Heathen world is as much obliged and hath as good cause of hopes as we because he hath created them as well as Christians But in the seventh verse we are taught an especial obligation lies upon us besides what concerns all mankind because he is Our God and we are his people the Jews were once so but now they are rejected for unbelief and we adopted into his family (c) Ephes 2.19 Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and admitted neerer to God then ever they were so that he may justly expect we should worship him and pray to him for every Nation doth that to their God though a feigned Deity (d) Micah 4.5 But he is the Lord whom we adore and therefore able he is our God and consequently willing to grant our Requests There is a mutual Covenant between him and us he will defend us with an especial providence and we must serve him with an extraordinary Devotion Oh blessed are we who have this Almighty and most glorious Lord and Ruler of all the World for our God! Why do we look disconsolate or complain of our wants to them that either will not pitty us or cannot help us go ye to the Lord and complain to your God for his is all that power and glory you heard of before We did not choose him but he chose us to be his Flock (e) Psal 23.1 John 15.16 he feeds us and folds us we eat in his pasture and are defended by his hand for our being under his hand (f) Gen. 39.8 John 13.15 and Deut. 38.3 Num. 33.1 denotes his care of us and undertaking to lead us and keep us and whereas we are called his sheep or flock that is his subjects for a shepheard is put for a King (g) Zach. 11.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see both offices joyned in two words Psal 78.72 73. in Scripture and sheep for Subjects
condition but wast conceived in tâ—e Virgins womb and born like unto us only void of sin How chearfully didst thou embrace a bitter and bloody Passion to satisfie the Divine Justice provoked by our offences and when thou hadst by suffering the wrath due to us overcome the sharpness of that sting of death which our sins had armed it with the whole world found the benefit of thy Cross For by those merits thou didst open those gates of mercy which iniquity had shut against all mankind for hereby alone admittance into the kingdom of heaven is granted to all believers that are or were or ever shall be hereafter And no such can be excluded for now thou sittest as a glorious conqueror at the right hand of God to intercede that the faithful may have the benefit of thy purchase to keep possession for them and finally to receive them to partake with thee in the glory of the Father which thou now injoyest and canst dispose it to whom thou pleasest To our great comfort therefore we believe that thou who hast been our Redeemer and art our Advocate shalt come with millions of Angels in great glory to try all the world and particularly to be our Iudge with full Power to condemn or acquit us We therefore knowing our guiltiness and that we cannot account to thy Justice do before hand beg thy mercy and most humbly pray thee help thy servants with thy infinite merits and abundant grace and to answer for them whom thou hast so deerly bought and redeemed with thy most precious blood that we may not loose the benefit nor thou the glory of thy gracious purchase Since all men must stand or fall then at thy sentence Oh do thou acquit thy faithful ones and by applying thy merits make them to be numbred with thy Saints that being placed on thy right hand they may have a part with thee and them in Glory unspeakable and everlasting And that thou mayest have mercy on them in thy Kingdom give them here all that may fit them for it and bring them to it O Lord save thy people from all evil which might dishearten or defile them and bless thy Church with all good things which may make it flourish as thine inheritance and encourage it in well-doing Be thou a shepheard to watch over and feed thy servants a King to defend and govern them in all thy holy wayes and when Sathan and his instruments design to cast them down rescue and lift them up by thy grace above their power and malice that they may be safe for ever Particularly be mindful of us in this Congregation who will never forget thee but as we daily taste of thy mercies so Day by day we acknowledge them in thy house and we magnifie thee for them with these sacred hymns Thou art an everflowing spring of comfort therefore we ever praise thee and we worship thy name both now in this world and will glorifie it in thy Kingdom ever world without end And as by our daily paying thee this Tribute of Praise we declare our selves thy servants Vouchsafe O Lord to remember our frailty and by thy grace to keep us this day which we have begun in thy service holy pure and without sin that our present sacrifice may be accepted and our hearts fitly disposed against the next opportunity We have so often fallen into sin and so sadly smarted for our folly that we must now most earnestly beseech thee O Lord to forgive and have mercy upon us for all that is past and again to have mercy upon us and deliver us for the remaining part of our lives We beg compassion of thee in all humility O Lord let thy mercy come to us and lighten upon us not for our merits nor after the proportion of our deserts but our faith even like as we incouraged by thy promises most readily and firmly do put our trust in thee and hope for it And though we do not challenge it by desert yet we believe thou wilt not frustrate any of our expectations for every one of us renouncing all other helps can say O Lord in thee alone have I trusted because I knew thy grace and bounty Let me not now ask in vain Oh let me never be put to shame before the world or the devil nor be confounded by being sent away empty Amen The second Hymn after the First Lesson at Morning Prayer § 5. WE shall briefly pass over this Hymn because it is seldom used and sufficiently plain it being an invitation of all Creatures to praise God And though it be not in the Canon of Scripture yet it is an excellent Paraphrase on the 148 Psalm and comes so near it in words and sense that we must reproach that if we despise this And we have the practice of the Primitive Church to justifie our use of it wherein it was not sung only four times in the year as in the present Roman Church but on all solemn occasions in the assemblies of the faithful from the beginning as Ruffinus and St. Augustine (d) In omni solemnitate in sacâ—is fidelium decantatur Ruffinus l. 2. adv Hieron ap Sixâ— Senens Biblioth Aug. Serm. 47. temp assure us And the duty which it invites us to ought to recommend it which is to praise God for all his works 'T is true they are so excellent that they do of tâ—emselves declare the Power and Wisdom of their great Creator (e) Psal 19.1 Bona enim ex sâ—ipsis vâ—ce â—â—emittunt neque enim Sol vel Luna interprete egeâ—◠〈◊〉 ipsa lux palam testatur quod totum mundum illustrant Philo. And yet since we have benefit by them and understanding to observe and speech to express his glory who made them God calls on us to lend them a tongue to glorifie him with and by so doing we may fill our souls with reverence and noble thoughts of the Lord of all things Our aptness to be forgetful of the rare contrivance and unthankful for the usefulness of his works makes this Hymn often needful but it is alwayes proper to be used after the History of the Creation or the relation of those miracles wherein God useth the Creatures as Instruments of his Justice or Mercy And then we may in this Form learn the order of Gods works for the method is exact and beginning with the Heavens and the hosts thereof descends to the air the Earth and Sea reckoning up all the furniture of them and concluding with a particular exhortation to the Sons of Men who are concerned in them all to give praise to the Lord their maker the Order will inform our understanding the exactness quicken our memory and the comprehensive and devout manner of address will enlarge our affections if we attend it and desire to profit by it and then it will need no other recommendations The Analysis of the Benedictus or first Hymn after the second Lesson In this
which shined on so many millions of wretched Heathens benighted in the darkness of Idolatry and made them Christian I will bless thee for honouring thy antient but despised people who were more enabled by the birth of Jesus then by all their former Royalties and victorious Trophies and instead of the bright Cloud the glory of the Tabernacle thou hast sent him to pitch his tent among them who was the brightness of thy own glory I am ravished to behold so many joyful souls blessing thee for this light which shined on them in their sins and the confines of eternal darkness and converted and translated them into thy marvelous light And all thy holy Saints in all ages have given thee the glory for all those illustrious beams of Love and Charity Piety Justice and Devotion which shine from their lives and are but the reflexion of the rayes of the grace of Jesus This excellent person rejoyced not only in his own felicity but to behold by the Spirit of Prophecy what joy Jesus was like to bring to me and many thousands of Converts and holy Men to the end of the World Wherefore let us be glad and rejoyce with him for our selves and all people for the light that shines upon us and the glory that is round about us and with all our Souls sing Glory be to the Father c. The Paraphrase of the Nunc Dimittis I Desire not to live in this world any longer then I have laid hold of thy Salvation which since thy Word and Spirit hath now discovered to me I have all I can wish for here therefore Lord now lettest thou thy command go forth that thy servant who hath longed hitherto to injoy thee may depart quietly out of this miserable world and be dismissed from the prison of the flesh I can now leave it in peace being assured thou wilt make good all other Promises since in giving thy dear Son thou hast done so exactly according to thy word My desires are satisfied and my faith confirmed as much as is possible in this world For mine eyes inlightened by thy holy Spirit have seen by Faith in thy blessed word him that is my Redeemer and brings thy salvation to me and all the world I cannot contain nor yet express my joy to behold this lovely Peace-maker w ich thou hast not only manifested in the flesh to the infinite delight of thy servants then but prepared by the discovery of thy holy Gospel to appear most gloriously before the face of all people that ever were or shall be This glorious Sun of Righteousness hath shined on all the Earth his word is a light to lighten the dismal regions of the unconverted heathens and the Gentiles that knew not God His doctrine instructed them and hath converted many and his presence and his grace is the honour and the glory of all true believers the joy and comfort of thy people Israel so that we and all the world are bound to praise thee for thy Gospel and thy son here on Earth and to continue our song to all Eternity when thou lettest us depart from hence Amen The last Hymn after the second Lesson viz. the LXVII Psalm § 6. AFter those parts of the Epistles which are more Doctrinal as containing the excellent principles and precepts of the Christian Religion we may seasonably use this rare piece of Davids devotion which contains most passionate wishes for the propagation of the knowledge of these incomparable truths throughout all the world and zealous desires that they may be known to all as they are to us whereby we declare our high esteem of them our hearty thankfulness for them and our sincere desires that all men might have the benefit and God the glory by them which is a seasonable return for those instructions we have now received out of Gods holy word and these very Petitions are an act of Eucharist and Praise The first Verse is the first Request even that God would be gracious to us in forgiving our sins giving us his grace to profit and outwardly expressing the kindness of his heart by the smiles of his countenance The second Verse is the end why we desire this felicity to his Church that the divine goodness to us may invite many Converts in and the encrease of the Church will be our happiness as it is our desire The third Verse is the second Petition that we and all may so discern the excellency of his Laws that he may be universally praised by Jews and Gentiles Verse fourth both for the holiness of his Commands and the righteous administrations of his Providence And to shew how earnestly we desire Gods glory and how constantly it ought to be paid the same Petition is repeated ver 5. And to encourage all to it the blessed effects of this universal praise are added ver 6. and 7. For when we are thankful God will multiply his blessings the Church shall be replenished with grace and fruitful in good works and more will so be drawn to embrace this Sacred Religion Did we thus earnestly beg his grace to prosper his Word to us and heartily Praise him for it our selves and fervently wish the enlargement of Christs Kingdom God the Father and Jesus Christ even our own God and God the Holy Ghost would assuredly bless us To which holy and undivided Trinity be ascribed all Honour Glory and Praise by us and all the World now and for ever Amen SECTION XI The Analysis of the Apostles Creed In this Creed are two parts shewing what we believe 1 Concerning God 1. In general that there is A God One God I believe in God 2. In special as to the Persons of the Trinity 1. Person the Father His Nature the Father Almighty Works Creation Providence maker of Heaven and Earth 2. Person the Son 1. His Name and Offices Prophet Priest and King and in Iesus Christ 2. His Natures both the Divine and his only Son our Lord Humane in his Conception and Birth who was conceived by the holy ghost born of the Virgin Mary 3. His works 1. Redemption by 1. His Passion suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buryed he descended into hell 2. Resurrection the third day he rose again from the dead 3. Ascension and Interces◠he ascended into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty 2. Final Judgement from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead 3. Person whose Name expresseth His Nature a Holy Spirit His Office to sanctifie us I believe in the Holy Ghost 2. Concerning our selves 1. Our Condition as to 1. Union the holy Catholique Church 2. Communion the communion of Saints 2. Our Priviledges 1. As to the Soul the forgiveness of sins 2. As to the Body the resurrection of the body and 3. As to both the life everlasting Amen A Discourse of the Creed § 1. THE Holy Scriptures being a perfect Revelation of all Divine Truth ought to
least it should be neglected or forgotten by private persons if we attend on the Service of the Church we shall neither be ignorant nor unmindful of this heavenly touchstone by which we may constantly discover all that is contrary to the truth of our principles or the holiness of our profession 2. To express our constant fidelity to God this being like the Souldiers word or symbol by keeping which we own that great General whose Souldiers and Servants we avowed our selves at Baptism and took upon us this Faith as the badge and cognizance of our relation to God and dependance on him So that whenever we are to fight for him or to approach him (z) Dei igitur cultus quoniam coelestit militia est devotionem maximam fidemque desiderat Lact. lib. 5. c. 20. Non ego perfidum dixi sacramentum Ibimus ibimus we must shew this badge and repeat the Articles of our Allegiance to declare we are still for the Lord of hosts and do hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering Nor is there a more effectual argument to move God to hear our Prayers and obtain the intercession of Jesus then with heart and voice to make this Confession of him before men (a) Rom. 10. ver 9 10. S. Matth. 10. ver 32. and solemnly to own our selves his servants (b) Psal 116. ver 16. Psalm 119.125 for then we have assured promises of protection and defence Let us then think how reverently should we stand up to renew our faithful engagements to the King of Heaven and Earth and how sincerely should we profess our fidelity to the searcher of all hearts whose we desire so much to be accounted and now that we are in our Petitions to beseech him to shew himself to be our God let us most seriously and devoutly protest our selves to be his servants 3. To manifest our unity among our selves and agreement with the whole Church that as we have one Lord so we may have one Faith (c) Ephes 4.5 Rom. 15.6 and as Children of the same Father servants of the same household and Souldiers under the same Prince may with one mind and one mouth glorifie this One God For we must agree in heart as well as meet in person if we would have our prayers (d) Matth. 18.19 be accepted It were to be wished there were no dissent in the smallest matters among the servants of the same God but if any such be that they may not dissolve our Union nor divide our Worship we are all to rejoyce that we agree in the main and to repeat this Creed together with a hearty charity that we may all declare our selves satisfied in these necessary things and may pray together without the least sparks of wrath Let us therefore remember these Prayers are put up only by and for the true members of the Church and this Creed is the Criterion to discern between the faithful and the false (e) Tessera signaculum quo inter fideles perfidosque seceâ—nitur Maxim Taurin So that by the hearty reciting thereof thou ownest the same Faith which glorified Saints did once profess and all holy Christians throughout the world do now believe and dost hereby declare thy self a true member of Christs holy Church Fides quam Sancti Apostoli praedicaverunt concilia firmaverunt Fatres consignaverunt Theodorus Ep. Rom. and so hast a right to its priviledges and a share in its Devotions § 4. The last and chiefest enquiry is concerning the manner how it is to be repeated of which we had need be careful least our frequent use of so excellent a part of these offices do take off our attention from these noble and necessary ends There are many requisite and becoming affections which our thoughts should now be actuated with concerning the certainty and the usefulness of these truths the happiness of those that know them and the misery of such as are ignorant of them But especially we must be careful in this part of our service 1. To be most heartily thankful to our gracious God that hath made these divine truths so manifest to us Shall the heathen Plato praise God that he was born in Greece and educated at Athens and the Jews bless him every day that made them sons of Abraham and sanctified them with his precepts and shall not we much more magnifie his favour towards us who by the advantages of our Birth and Education are so early instructed in these saving truths that are so necessary we cannot be happy without them so evident that we are scarce ever tempted to doubt of them and yet withall so mysterious that all the wisdome in the world could never without the help of Revelation have discovered them to us many Kings and Princes Prophets and Masters of the greatest reason have lived and dyed in ignorance of these principles which by Gods mercy you understand as clearly and believe as fully as any thing that sense or experience teacheth you Forget not therefore daily to pay the tribute of Praise to thy heavenly Master who hath made thee oâ—e of his own School and prevented thy going blindfold to destruction 2. Be sure to give your positive and particular assent to all and every article thereof receiving them all as undoubted Oracles from the mouth of the God of truth who neither will nor can deceive Our souls may safely rely upon them and require no other demonstration (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. Strom. 50. but only whether it be certain that God did reveal them He that knows him and his eternal veracity will enquire no further and he that would believe firmly had need enquire so far and with the Bereans search the Scripture (g) Acts 17.11 Non temerè sed ratione nitimur ad fidem Orig. in Cels l. 3. and examine if these be confirmed there and then we may on good grounds annex our Credo I believe to every single Article when we have found it agreeing with the Word of God And though I believe be only once set down in the beginning of the first Article yet it must be understood and supplied by us in the front of every Article afterwards as it was wont to be in the antient form of Baptism and may be seen in the Creed for that office in our Liturgy the Priest asking at every Article Credis Dost thou believe and he answering Credo I believe Meditate that God himself doth so bespeak you I have given you my holy word and taught you all saving truth do you believe there is one God and let every ones heart eccho again I do believe it Do you believe he made Heaven and Earth I do believe it c. Nor must any man think it sufficient for the Minister to say the Creed for him it is not then thy Faith but his own Nor doth he confess it that doth not in heart or voice or both go
along with every sentence and seal it with a most hearty assent There are many truths which do not concern us whether they be true or false and in such cases a general persuasion that they may be true will suffice But these principles of our Faith are the ground of our Prayers the rule of our lives and must be received with the same evidence that the Mathematicians postulata are on which his following demonstrations depend so that without the admission of these he can do nothing Remember you must conduct the affairs of your life by this profession you must venture your souls at your death on these principles nay if need be you must seal these Truths with your blood therefore do not slightly repeat them but let them sink into your heart and be so assured of them that no pleasure or profit may intice you to walk contrary to it or deny it nor no threats or pains affright you from confessing it and rejoyce in this daily opportunity to express the constancy of your faith and every day protest your belief as solemnly as if you were to dye for it 3. Our mind can never want imployment for all the faculties and powers thereof because in the repetition we are to make a particular application of every Article that it may produce those effects and serve those ends for which it was revealed And it is absurd if not impious to think that God did discover these sacred truths only to enlarge our speculations or experience our credulity All that is true is equally so and the reason why these truths are more necessary to be believed then others is not because they are more certain but more uâ—eful to assist our devotions and direct our conversation then any other propositions that Gods word doth contain where they are not barely taught but ever applied either as incouragements to the worship of God or arguments to a holy life Nor are they intended so much to make us wiser as to perswade us to become better (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. Paedag. And if they have not this effect upon us our Faith excels not the Confession of the Devils (i) Matth. 8.29 James 2.19 who did acknowledge Jesus the Son of God and yet opposed the purposes of that mistery and so had no benefit by their acknowledgment This light is set up to direct us and it is expected that we should work and walk by it And that will appear when our Devotions suit these principles and our practices are the genuine products of our profession For therefore Heaven did reveal this Creed and therefore the Church inserts it here And that we may learn to use it to these purposes let us more particularly consider 1. How we may apply it to assist our Prayers In order whereunto we must observe that our Faith is the basis on which our Petitions are built the sole engagement to us to make them and the principal motive to God to hear them who hath so often required that we should pray with Faith and without the least wavering or distrust (k) Matth. 21.22 1 Tim. 2.8 Heb. 11.6 James 1.6 Graec. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 agitatur scil dubitans at non progreditur vide item Jac. 5.15 Graec. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. If we come to God we must believe that he is and that he will reward those that wait upon him without which persuasion the Gentiles themselves did never (l) Veneramini Dees colitis non credentes illos esse propitias aures vestris supplicationibus accommodare Arnob adv gentes lib. 2. worship their false Gods nor can we pray to the true with either courage zeal or comfort till we have possessed our souls with right opinions of him And this we may do by a reciting our Creed before our Prayers which is an impenetrable armor against all those discouragements and fears which Sathan is apt to assail us with Let us not pray like those that know not God but imitate the holy servants of God in Scripture who alwaies begin their supplications with a brief Confession of their Faith in Gods Power (m) 1 Kings 8.23 Nehem. 9.6 1 Chron. 29.11.12 Daniel 9.4 and Providence his Mercy and his Covenant as we do ours with the declaration of our Faith Oh what holy fervours doth it put our souls into to contemplate the Power of an Almighty Father the love of a most merciful Redeemer and the grace of the holy Spirit our sanctifier Doth it not teach us reverence and fear sincerity and longing desires hope and chearful expectations thus to set God before us in our Creed in the beauty of his Attributes and the glory of his works When we have professed our belief in the Father Almighty that made Heaven and Earth how readily shall we run to him for the supply of our temporal necessities When we have protested our assurance that the eternal Son of God was made man born among us lived with us and dyed for us and arose again and returned to his glory to prepare a place for us and plead our cause can we then forbear to cry for pardon and peace for conversion and salvation or shall we doubt to be accepted Again have we owned our belief of that holy Spirit which is the Author and finisher of all grace and are we not then fitly disposed and strongly moved to petition for his aid that we may continue true members of Christs body and enjoy a Communion with the Saints remission of our sins restauration of our body and an eternal life of glory If we did not premise our Faith to our Prayers it might be suspected we spoke to him we knew not and asked what was unfit to be desired or impossible to be obtained But now all these stumbling blocks are removed and our Creed is made an excellent preparatory to the following Collects every Petition of which are directed by grounded on and enforced from some of these Articles which if we thus apply them will shew us how fitly we may desire these things and what reason we have to hope they shall be granted And secondly we must learn to apply these Articles of our Faith to the right ordering of our lives not repeating them as empty notions and airy speculations but as the principles and rules of practice For why should the Christians belief alone be supposed sufficient without some Acts deduced from it The Merchant believes there are Jewels and rarities in other lands (n) Estne operis in vitâ negotiosum aliquod quod non fide praecunte suscipiunt actores Arnob. l. 2. Nihil est quod in vitâ geri possit si non credulitas praecesserit Ruffin in Symbol and he puts to Sea and attempts the purchase The Countryman sows the Scholar studies and the Souldier fights according to the principles of advantage they believe will come upon those endeavours And doth the Religious man only believe and sit
to pray to my Victorious Redeemer to rescue me from the snares of Sathan whom he hath conquered to obtain my justification in Heaven and to compleat my sanctification on Earth that I may serve him in new obedience and never lye as dead in sin more Art 6. I do also most firmly believe that the work of our Redemption being finished on Earth he ascended as a glorious Conquerour with great triumph into Heaven from whence he came and sitteth there in great glory now interceding for us and pleading his merits on the right hand of God the Father Almighty that we may be admitted thither for his sake Wherefore I am obliged and resolved to lift up my heart to him and trust in him in all my troubles to hope for the acceptance of my services to ascend thither now in my thoughts affections and desires that I may hereafter ascend in Person and have the full prospect and fruition of his glory And I am encouraged to call upon my glorified Mediator that he will preserve me in peace on Earth fill my soul with longings after Heaven and procure my acceptance there And that his power over Men and all Angels and his interest at the Throne of God may be imployed to bring me to himself Art 7. I do also most firmly believe that though Jesus be now in heaven yet at the end of the world from thence he shall come again most gloriously attended with millions of Angels to try and to judge all the world according to their deeds both the quick which shall then be found alive and the dead though departed never so long before Wherefore I am obliged and resolved daily to expect and diligently to prepare for his coming to Judgment by frequently examining and severely judging my self before by careful avoiding that which would then condemn me and by leaving all evil actions of others to receive their sentence at his Tribunal And I am encouraged to make my supplication to my Judge who also is my Saviour that he will forgive me and all my enemies and to beseech him to prepare us for this day by his Grace and to acquit us in it by his infinite merits and then none can condemn us for ever Art 8. Furthermore I believe most firmly in the third Person of the glorious Trinity the Holy Ghost the sanctifying spirit who is very God and by his assistance and blessing on the means of grace doth instruct convert strengthen and comfort all pious and pure souls Wherefore I am obliged and resolved to honour the holy Word of God to attend on all his Ordinances to follow the good motions of this blessed Spirit and in a lively hope and expectation of the assistance thereof to resist all evil and apply my self to all that is good And I am encouraged to pray by the help of this good Spirit for a blessing on the Word and Sacraments and all Religious duties that I may by them become still more wise and holy till I am sanctified throughout in Spirit and Soul and Body Art 9. I do also most firmly believe that God is and ever was acknowledged by and hath and ever will defend the Universal society of Believers in all ages and places called the holy Catholique Church who are all united unto Christ their head by grace and to one another by love as appears by the Communion of Saints in all offices of Piety and Charity among themselves Wherefore I am obliged and resolved to live in unity peace and charity as a useful member of this Church to adhere to the Faith professed by it to joyn in the Ordinances Administred in it and to do good to all that belong unto it And I am encouraged to pray with my bretheren for the encrease safety and peace of this Church for the flourishing of Religion the prosperity of the Princes sâ—ccess of the Ministers and unity of the members thereof that by our Concord and good works we may all appear living members of Christ Art 10. I do also most firmly believe that I and all true Christians upon our unfeigned Faith and hearty Repentance shall obtain the forgiveness of and a Pardon for all our sins through the merits and intercession of Christ Jesus Wherefore I am obliged and resolved never to forsake Christs Church to which this priviledge doth belong diligently to repent of all my Transgressions and chearfully to serve my God without fear neither doubting the truth of his Promise nor the sufficiency of my Redeemers merits And I am encouraged daily to make an humble Confession of my siâ—s with earnest supplications for Absolution and hearty Petitions that I may repent so truly that I may abhor and forsake all iniquity here and be fully acquitted from it at the last and great day Art 11. I do also most firmly believe that not only our souls remain after death but our whole man shall be restored to life again by the resurrection of the body howsoever corrupted or dispersed and its reuniting to the soul at the voice and by the power of the Son of God Wherefore I am obliged and resolved to keep this body in temperance soberness and chastity while I live to resign it chearfully when I dye to be steadfast unmoveable alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord since I know my labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. And I am encouraged to pray through the first begotten from the dead for the sanctification of my vile body and a part in the first Resurrection that over me the second death may have no power and that I may be delivered in the greatest miseries of this life and supported under the very Agonies of Death Art 12. And finally I do most firmly believe that the wicked shall remain in endless torments while Gods faithful servants shall enjoy his presence and the society of Saints and Angels in the life whose joys are unspeakable and its glories everlasting which Faith I seal with a most hearty Amen Wherefore I am obliged and resolved to suffer patiently whatever happens in this transitory life to spend the moments thereof well to despise the short and empty pleasures of sin and to esteem nothing too good to loose too difficult to resist or too tedious to perform for the obtaining this happiness And lastly I am encouraged to pray to the purchaser of this Glory to comfort me in all the troubles of this life with the hopes and to carry me through all my duties here by the desires thereof and finally to bring me to the fruition of this bliss the fulfilling of all these hopes and desires hereafter Amen SECTION XII Of the Versicles and their Responsals before and after the Lords Prayer § 1. THe Lord be with you Answ And with thy Spirit If we have sincerely repeated our Creed together we have professed our Faith in God and declared our unity and agreement with one another and then we have cause to hope our Prayers will prevail
will obtain help from him for us by the power of his undenyable intercession and as a glorious Conqueror commands the Earth and Hell it self So that his might will secure us here and this is our strong Tower in which we believe our selves so safe that upon the confidence thereof we pray for protection and defence and that we may neither fear nor feel harm from any of our opposers and desire this may be granted and decreed in heaven by the mighty interest of our Mediator there and accomplished on earth by the invincible strength of the same Jesus here Amen The Paraphrase of the Collects for Peace O God who by thy constant power and providence art the author of safety and the cause of our peace from without the procurer of amity and lover of concord within thy Church and among thy people Thou art the only true God in knowledge of whom standeth out chief happiness in eternal life and our best means of coming safe thither for thou art the best of all Masters whose service is safe and pleasant because it is perfect freedom from the slavery of Sathan and the fear of his instruments Therefore mighty Lord be pleased to defend us who fly to thy protection and surrender up our selves to thee vowing we are and ever will be thy humble servants Oh keep us safe in soul and body if not from yet however in all assaults which are made upon us by the power malice or cunning of our enemies let their attempts be so constantly frustrated that we under the shadow of thy wings may couragiously proceed in our holy course and surely trusting in thy defence while we are faithful to thy service that we may not so much as fear the power or policy of any adversaries since we have so good grounds to hope thou wilt now and alwaies hear us through the interest and help us through the might of Iesus Christ thy dear son our Lord and only Saviour Amen The Analysis of the third Collect for Grace In this Collect are four parts 1. A confession of the Attributes of God 1. Love O Lord our heavenly Father 2. Power Almigâ—ty and 3. Eternity everlastiâ—g God 2. An acknowledgment of his Providence Who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day 3. A Petition for â—is grace 1. To preserve us from evil 1. In general defend us in the same with thy mighty power 2. In particular from 1. Spiritual and grant that this day we fall into no sin 2. Temporal neither run into any kind of danger 2. To help us in doing good that we may be 1 Directed by him but that all our doings may be ordered by thy governance 2. Accepted of him to do alwâ—ies that which is righteous in thy sight 4. The means to obtain it through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen A Practical Discourse on the Collect for Grace § 5. O Lord our heavenly Father almighty and everlasting God Peace without Grace is the nurse of vice the sauce of dangerous pleasures It occasions our forgetfulness of God that gave it and becomes an undisturbed opportunity to prosecute and enjoy those lusts which it is apt to breed So that we must not pray for Peace alone but joyned with righteousness and Grace for these God hath united in Scripture (n) Psal 85.10 2 Cor. 1 2. and we must not separate them in our devotions For which cause this Collect for Grace follows that for Peace Grace alone can make Peace true beneficial and lasting and sin is the great boutefen and the greatest enemy to Peace in the world So that by receiving this Collect devoutly we still improve our former request and if we can obtain such grace as to make us just and charitable meek and patient towards one another this world will be the Type of everlasting Peace We shall neither disquiet our selves nor others while our doings are directed by the wisdome and agreeable to the will of the God of peace Since therefore Grace is so necessary for us we must learn where to seek it and its very name will lead (o) Gratia est gratis data non meritis operantis sed miseratione donantis August Epist 120. us to the free and inexhaustible fountain whence it ever flows even to God who gives to all men liberally and upbraideth no man The very Heathens confessed it the gift of God (p) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plat. Mem. Nulla sine Deo mens bona Seneca who will rejoyce to hear such a request from an humble soul that is sensible of its own weakness and desirous of his strength He will be more ready to grant then you can be to ask (q) Luke 11.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Maxim Tyrius in dissert Consider but the Attributes the Church hath prefixed to this Prayer Is not the Lord your heavenly Father and shall not he pitty and love you and delight to do you good Is he not Almighty and therefore able to relieve you and Everlasting the same yesterday today and for ever Being All-sufficient and never to be drawn dry though we come day by day unto him We have no reason to doubt either his sufficiency his might or his mercy and therefore no cause to fear but this Petition shall prevail We are on Earth but we have a Father in Heaven we are weak but our Lord is Allmighty our time is measured by daies and nights and we grow older every day and must at length have our end but we have a God that changeth not but is the same from everlasting to everlasting Let this chear our hearts (r) Psal 102.25 26 27. and give wings to our Petitions and strength to our faith Let us fly to him and rest upon him for we can never come to him for grace but we are sure to find him furnished with it and both able and ready to bestow it upon us § 6. Who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day The Mercies of God are new every morning and so ought our Praises to be (s) Lament 3.23 Psal 92.1 2. Occurrere ergo ad solis Ortum ut te Oriens invenint jam paratum Ambr. in Psal 119. offered still with a fresh Devotion to which purpose being now come to the shore it will be a pleasant and profitable prospect to look back on the great deep the darkness of the night which we have passed and now to remember that though we were folded in the arms of sleep the brother of death and were insensible of danger and uncapable of resistance yet we have gone safe through those dismal shades which are the image of hell the embleme of death the opportunity of mischief and the most uncomfortable part of our lives And though the Heathens supposed the Dominion of the Night to belong to the Infernal Powers yet we have found it is under the government of our heavenly Father by whose gracious providence we have been kept therein from
not to pray that he who rules us may be governed by the will and walk in the waies of God and then judgment shall be executed religion maintained the Nation shall remain in peace and the Church in prosperity the Kingdom established the King and people exceeding happy in each other Evil men for their own designs may advise their Prince to attend nothing but the pursuing his own inclinations and to walk in the ways of his own heart but the Church knows it is his happiness honour and interest to will according to the will of God and act according to his law and therefore orders us to pray for such abundant measures of Grace as may incline his heart and guide his life into all the Paths of true holiness that his eminent dignity may make his virtue exemplary and conspicuoâ—s and thâ—t may refleâ—t again a lustre upon his honour to make him still more glorious And to encourage this Petition we may remember it is desired in heaven as well as on earth by him that can give as well as by us that ask for God himself enjoyns the Prince to have alwaies beside him a Coppy of his law (c) Deut. 17.18 Josh 1.8 to read on it meditate in it ask councel of it (d) Psal 119.124 Heb. viri consilii mei sunt and walk according to it that he might prosper all his daies And from thence came that ceremony still in use of delivering the word of God to the King (e) 2 Kings 11.12 at his Coronation the substance whereof is fully expressed in this excellent sentence which will most heartily be put up by all that desire the glory of God the benefit of the Prince and the welfare of this Nation § 6. Endue him plenteously with heavenly gifts In the first ages of the world there were usually many visible effects of the descent of the holy spirit (g) Numb 11.17 Judges 13.25 1 Sam. 10.10 and Chap. 16.13 upon such as were chosen to govern the people of God to beget in those under them a reverent opinion of these Persons whom all the world hath ever accounted sacred And there are still some footsteps of these miraculous gifts in the power of healing which God hath bestowed upon the lawful heir of this Crown as a testimony that our King is the Lords anointed To which we beseech our heavenly father to add the Spirit of wisdom and understanding the Spirit of counsel and might which are so necessary that in our prayers as well as Solomon's choice (g) 1 Kings 3.9 10 11. ubi Grotius ex Men. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they have the precedence of all outward blessings For these gifts will enable him to determine intricate cases to mannage weighty affaires to countermine subtle devices to disentangle cunningly proposed counsels in which general usefulness and the advisers self-interest are commonly closely twisted Wherefore we pray that he may have so quick an apprehension so sound a judgment and so couragious a mind that like many of his Royal progenitors he may with a spirit almost prophetical unriddle the dark Intrigues of Policy and with an Heroick resolution break through the most rugged difficulties that he may neither fear his Enemies nor too much incourage any of his seeming friends that he may neither be lifted up in prosperity nor dejected by adversity and may tread the narrow path between justice and clemency severity and indulgence and we are to hope that he who hath advanced our Soveraign to this dignity will be mindful of the necessities of his own anointed and fit him for the place he hath called him to so that all his people may reverence and love him and be happy under the Government of so wise and religious a Prince § 7. Grant him in health and wealth long to live Though Solomon chose wisdome and grace yet God added beyond his promise riches and honour long life and health as an accessary to the former (h) 1 Kings 3.11 Mathew 6.33 Wherefore according to our Saviours rule we pray for those in the first place and now we hope our all sufficient Lord who hath endless treasures of all sorts will not deny us these temporal blessings which are requisite to his external felicity And we have the primitive Christians (i) Nos enim pro salute Imperatoris Deum invocamus aeternum paulo post Oramus pro omnibus Imperatoribus vitam illis prolixam imperium securum c. quaecunque hominis Caesaris vota sunt Tert. Apol. cap. 30. Sacrificamus pro salute Imperatoris sed Deo nostro ipsius sed quomodo praecepit Deus purâ prece Idem ad Scapuli cap. 2. for our example in this as well as in other things who though they did offer no incense to fase Gods for the health and safety of the Emperour as the Gentiles did yet did daily and earnestly sacrifice to the true God with fervent prayers beseeching him to give their Princes health and wealth long life and peace and whatsoever Caesar or any man could wish for or desire as we learn out of Tertullian and all the ancient Liturgies But we must take these words in their full latitude and so they will comprehend all outward blessings so health signifies not only the good temperament of the body but as the Latin salus safety from all dangers (k) Isaiah 58.8 And wealth intimates not only riches but all manner of plenty and prosperity (l) Job 21.13 1 Corinth 10.24 And a long life is to be interpreted of a life of comfort and happiness (m) Non vivere sed valere est vita Prov. Rab. ita 1 Kings 1.31 Dan. 2.4 for the life of the miserable is almost a continual dying And now let us put all these together and the sum will be that we earnestly pray that his Majesties life may be long and his years many and prosperous that he may be freed from sickness and want that so his Reign may abound with all blessings Which we ought earnestly to desire for our own sakes because it is our concern the Supream power should be alwaies vigorous and safe prosperous and abounding in all plenty that he may be a terrour to his enemies and a defence to his loving and loyal subjects In his safety we are safe his health and wealth enables him to secure us in that which is ours since his strength and his time his treasures and his power are imployed and expended for the common good And because changes are alwayes dangerous sometimes destructive to a Nation we pray that our King may be long preserved in his gracious Reign over us And no doubt his majesty shall fare the better for the fervent prayers of the Church which he hath so well deserved by being the Restorer and Defender of its ancient doctrine and discipline § 8. Strengthen him that he may vanquish and overcome all his enemies Guiccardine the famous historian tells
which hath enabled us with one accord and a fervent devotion to make our Addresses to thee with new affections even in the presenting these our daily and common supplications unto thee we confess thou hast helped us to ask and therefore hope thou intendest to give and the rather because thou hast assured us and dost promise that when two or three even the smallest number of the faithful in obedience to thy command are gathered together to offer up their united prayers to the Father in thy name they shall find thee present in the midst of them for thou wilt grant their requests Wherefore since we have called upon thee by thine aid and are assembled in thy name fulfill now O Lord unto us this gracious promise and mercifully accept the desires and meditations which have been sent from the hearts the prayers and Petitions uttered from the mouths of thy Servants supplying their wants with the best things and at the fittest times as may be judged by thy infinite wisdome most expedient for them But however thou dealest in all other things let the interest of our souls be secured both here and hereafter by thy granting us in this world daily experiments and further knowledg of thy truth in the fulfilling of thy promises and the granting of our prayers that so we may never forsake thee here and in the world to come our happiness shall be compleated by thy bringing us then to life everlasting through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen The Blessing taken out of 2 Corinth 13. ver ult § 9. THe grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost be with us all evermore Amen In all Religious Assemblies it hath been the custome to dismiss the people with a Blessing which was wont to be pronounced by the principal Person present (k) Heb. 7.7 sometimes by the King (l) 2 Sam. 6.18 1 Kings 8.55 but most commonly by the Priests (m) Numb 6.23 24 ver c. whose office was to bless in the Name of the Lord. And therefore under the Law there was a particular form of Benediction which the Jews to this day observe so religiously that they believe it ought to be repeated in the Holy Tongue (n) Fagius in Numb 6. Buxtorf Synag c. 14. See Nehem. 8.6 and to be received by the People with all reverence bowing their heads and prostrating their bodies so that no man may presume to look upon the Priests hands when they are stretched out to give it because they say then the glory of God rests upon them And in the Christian Church also they ever concluded with a blessing 't is likely the same we now use being endited by the Holy Spirit and used by St. Paul in the close of his Epistle to the Corinthians concerning which it was ordered that the Assembly should bow their heads (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Constit Ante benedictionem sacerdotis egredi populus non presunat Concil Agath can 31. when it was pronounced and decreed by a Councel that none might depart out of the Church till it was given But to give a greater strength to these Orders let us consider the excellency of this Divine Blessing and sure its own perfections will oblige us to stay for it and engage us to receive it with all devotion and reverence The legal Benediction was no more but a wish for temporal felicity but this contains the whole order of our salvation and brings in the glorious Trinity with the several gifts of each Person to make us compleatly happy The Father indeed is first in order but we begin with the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that is the benefits purchased by his Passion because that is the first mover in our acceptance and obtains both the love of God the Father and the Communication of the Holy Ghost What can the pious soul ask or desire which is not comprehended in this Blessing here is the grace of the Son to pardon our sin the love of the Father to supply our wants the fellowship of the Blessed Spirit to strengthen our weakness The first to redeem us the second to justifie us the third to sanctifie us and all these not only at this present but to be confirmed to us and remain with us even when we are gone from the holy place in life and death and for ever Nor are these only desired but they are pronounced over us by the Embassador of God whom he hath sent to bless in his name and this Minister of Heaven being cheared with observing our Devotion doth from his soul wish and Ministerially as far as in him lies dispense these unspeakable blessings to us And what he doth on Earth shall be ratified in Heaven to every truly holy man Oh let us bow our heads and open our hearts to receive this universal blessing as from God himself and depart from the holy place full of comfort and joy that we have such a preservative against all evil and such a guide and encouragement to all good even the blessing of God to be with us and remain upon us for ever and to this let all the people say Amen The Blessing Paraphrased LEt The Grace and all the benefits of the death of our Lord Iesus Christ merit our Absolution and the love of God the Father seal our justification and the fellowship and Communication of the Graces of the Holy Ghost perfect our sanctification And let all these at present be with us and rest upon us all evermore Amen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS ERRATA The Reader is desired to excuse and amend the following Errata occasioned by the Authors great distance from the Press PReface page 8. read Pet. p. 8. marg l. 12. r. infirmorum p. 12. l. 5. r. recover it ib. marg l. 3. r. confectus p. 18. l. 2. r not approach p. 21. l. 1. r. had need be p. 22. marg l. 13. r. accipiat ib. l. 21. r. Magistri ib. l. 23. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 29. marg l. 3. r. Acies p. 32. l. 21. r. not be p. 35. l. 14. marg r. Quinque p. 43. l. 3. r. Sec. 1. § 5. p. 22 p. 66. marg l. 8. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 70. marg l. 4. r. tribus p. 72. l. 22. r. bloodshot p. 81. marg l. 10. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 90. marg l. 13. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 94. l. 12. r. in your p. 96. l. 4. r. sectile p. 105. marg l. 8. r. ignoscentium p. 114. marg l. 1. r. r. Lev. 10.13 p. 118. l. 29. r. it act ib. marg l. 11. r. nisi p. 129 marg l. 12. r. Med. p. 174. l. 24. r. reference p. 184 l. 30. dele 11 p. 199. marg l. 14. r. è p. 216. marg l. 13. r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 229. l. 35 r. his Divinity p 259. l. 21. r. therefore it p. 260. marg l. 13. r. hi veâ—o p. 269. marg l. 1. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 271. l. 3. r. enobled p. 313. marg l. 3. r. Prus ib. marg l. ult r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 315. l. 31. r. the other p. 319. l. 15. r. reciting p. 320. marg l. 18. r. occurre p. 349. marg l. 17. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
all-seeing eye behold all the dwellers upon earth especially thine anointed ones on whose safety the welfare of the rest depends In all loyal affection to our King we most heartily intreat thee and in all lowly regard to thy glorious Majesty we beseech thee by thy particular providence to defend and with thy especial love and favour to behold thy servant and our most gracious Soveraign Lord King Charles that in his safety and happiness we may have peace and comfort and so replenish him with all holy and virtuous qualities by filling his heart with the grace of thy holy Spirit to make him a most religious Prince that he may in his counsels and intentions alwaies incline to choose that which is agreeable to thy will and in his actions and undertakings ever follow the rule of thy word and walk in thy way And that he may be fitted for the due Administration of so great a charg endue him plenteously with the spirit of wisdom and courage and such an extraordinary measure of all heavenly Gifts as may declare him thy anointed And that he may be every way blessed grant him in health and safety plenty and wealth long to live and prosperously to reign over us direct prosper and strengthen him and his armies that he may vanquish and overcome the policies and forces of all his and our enemies who attempt to disturb our peace And finally since the greatest of men the best of Kings and the longest of worldly joys are finite grant to our dear Soveraign that after this life finished in virtue and honour he may attain a Crown of glory in the Kingdome of everlasting joy and felicity which was purchased by the merits and must be obtained through the mediation of Iesus Christ our Lord to all which we most heartily say Amen be it so The Analysis of the Prayer for the Royal Family This Prayer hath three Parts 1. The Person to whom we Pray described by His Power Almighty God His Goodness the fountain of all goodness 2. The Persons for whom we Pray we humbly beseech thee to bless our gracious Queen Catherine Iames Duke of York and all the Royal Family 3. The blessings desired for them 1. Spiritual gifts and grace Endue them with thy holy Spirit enrich them with thy heavenly grace 2. Temporal prosperity prosper them with all happiness 3. Eternal glory and bring them to thine everlasting Kingdom through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Practical Discourse on the Prayer for the Royal Family § 10. ALmighty God the fountain of all goodness we humbly beseech thee to bless our gracious Queen Catherine Iames Duke of York and all the Royal Family There is as near an alliance between this and the former Prayer as between the persons for whom they are made so that there will be little to be added except where this hath something peculiar And first it deserves our notice that God is called here the fountain of all goodness which is the explication of those Scripture Phrases the well-spring of life and living waters (s) Psal 36.9 Jer. 2.13 and is an acknowledgment that the God we pray unto is absolute and independent having all goodness in and from himself and also inexhaustible for though he bestows his blessings liberally and constantly upon all creatures yet he suffers no diminution nor decay Wherefore though we have now been petitioning for a King who needs extraordinary assistances and large measures of all kinds of blessings yet we know this Ocean cannot be drawn dry but can supply the Branches as well as the root and make all that stock grow and flourish together The Queen and heir to the Crown are the fountains from which we hope blessings shall be derived upon after Generations But here we behold there is a higher fountain which must first replenish them with all that goodness which they convey to us The ancient Church in their prayers did desire the welfare of the Palace and the imperial family (t) Domum tutam Pertul Pro omni palatio Liturg. S. Basil Pontifices eorumque exemplo caeteri sacerdotes cum pro incolumitate principis vota susâ—iperent Neronem quoque Drusum iisdem diis commendavere Tacit Annal. l. 4. Vt pro Domino Imperatore cum suâ prole orationes oblationes augeantur Concil Rhemense can 40. Ezra 6.10 as well as the safety of the Emperour And the practice of the heathens as well as the Canons of the Christians do make it appear fit and rational But if reasons do outweigh examples we may add that we are many waies obliged to pray for the Queen and the Royal family 1. In regard to the glory of God whose honour is advanced by holy example of persons so illustrious whose dignity when it is adorned with piety and goodness may bring virtue into repute and engage many to imitate them 2. In duty to the Kings majesty whose comfort will be encreased both in the holiness and prosperity of persons so neerly related to him and so dearly beloved by him 3. Thirdly in affection to our Country who in this and future generations will have cause to bless God for these prayers if they become prevalent because these are the hopes of succeeding times and our children may be happy in the religious education of such as are to be the pillars of Justice and Patrons of the Church hereafter David had not been so curious in Solomons education but that he knew it was not the Princes personal concern alone but interest of the whole Nation and of all Gods people The Persian Kings desired the Prayers of the Jews for their sons Ezra 6.10 and chose four of their most wise and virtuous Nobility to whom the education of the Prince was committed who as Clem. Alexandrinus tells us were called the Royal tutors and we hope the care of those concerned shall be joiâ—ed to the Churches prayers and then this Petition shall be prevalent § 11. Endue them with thy holy Spirit enrich them with thy heavenly grace Prosper them with all happiness and bring them to thine everlasting Kingdom through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen These particulars are a comprehension of the same blessings in other words which before we desired for the King even spiritual temporal and eternal felicity The persons we pray for are Royally descended nobly educated replenished with all honourable endowments with great riches and vast possessions yet although they need none of the wealth or honours of this world we may wish them greater and better things viz. that their virtue may be parallel to their descent and their graces equal (u) Nemo in nostrûm gloriam vixit nec quod ante nos fuit nostrum est animus facit nobilem Sen. Ep. 44. nay excel all other endowments that they may be rich in good works so as to gain the love of God and of all good men these in the first place to which we desire it may please God to superadd