may say it or sing it and were justly to be blamed in case we should refuse the doing so The 100 Psalm is joyned with it and the Minister may make his choice of either because both are Thanksgivings unto God enforced almost with the very same reasons and arguments RUBRICK Then shall be sung or said the Apostles Creed by the Minister and the people standing Except only such days as the Creed of St. Athanasius is appointed to be read I Believe in God the Father Almighty Maker of heaven and earth Mark 9.24 Heb. 1.2 John 14.1 Psal 124.8 And in Jesus Christ his onely Son our Lord John 1.18 John 14.1 Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary Mat. 1.20 23. Luk. 1.27 31. Suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried Mat. 27.2 1 Tim. 6.13 He descended into Hell the third day he rose again from the dead Act. 2.31 32. 1 Cor. 15.4 Ephes 4.9 1 Pet. 3.19 He ascended into Heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty Act. 1.9 Ephes 4.9 10. Heb. 12.2 From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead Act. 1.11 Act. â—0 42 Act. 17.31 I believe in the Holy Ghost Mat. 28.19 Act. 19.2 1 John 5.7 The holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints Psal 87. Psal 110.3 Isa 54.2 3. 1 Cor. 10.16 Ephes 1.3 4. Ephes 4.15 16. Heb. 10.22 23 24 25. 1 John 1.7 The forgiveness of sins Luk. 24.47 Act. 2.38 Colos 2.13 The resurrection of the body 1 Cor. 15. And the life everlasting Rom. 6.23 Amen Mark 9.24 EXPLANATION This is called the Creed or Belief because all necessary points to be credited or believed in order to our Salvation are contained in it It is the Key of the Holy Scriptures an Abridgment of the Gospel Christ taught it the Apostles the Apostles taught it the Church and the Church us Though it be not Canonical Scripture as to the make yet as to the matter contained in it it is for it contains in it the very Scripture Word and Truth of God It is of greater Authority then any other Ecclesiastical Traditions of this nature whether they are Confessions of particular Churches or Writings of private men The Nicene and Athanasian Confessions mentioned and used in our Liturgy are not new Creeds but larger Explications of this It is called the Apostles Creed either because they themselves used it or because it contains the heads of that Doctrine which they taught the world and it is the Judgment of some very learned men that it is more Ancient then many writings of the New Testament At first perhaps it was no part of the Liturgy or publick Service only a prescribed Lesson for the Catechumens to be instructed in and whereof they were to make publick rehearsal in order to their admission unto Baptism There is mention made of it in the most Ancient writers of the Church and however some objections may be made against the Apostolicalness of it yet those objections certainly are not unanswerable But however most certain it is that it is so Apostolical as to the matter that it may without offence carry its denomination from the Apostles and be called their Creed because it is a most excellent Epitome and Abridgment of their Doctrine contrived in a very near resemblance to their Language and a great part of it undoubtedly digested by the Apostolical Church For if the Apostolical Churches had not this very Creed in express words yet they had a Creed very much resembling this as to the substance of the Articles though with some few syllabical variations If at any time the Articles concerning the Holy Ghost and the Church were omitted in the Creed yet they were supplied from the form of Catechizing then in use which form was in truth a Creed and with the rehearsal of which the Catechumens were Baptized Though not in Tertullian yet in Cyprian we find express mention of the Holy Church Remission of sins and everlasting life but then indeed as it is noted by Jerom all the mysteries of the Christian Faith were upon the matter terminated in the Resurrection of the flesh into which they were baptized 1 Cor. 15.19 and with it Tertullian concludes his rule of Faith yet was not the Article of Life everlasting any after-new addition only it was represented in a different order Let but the African parcels of Tertullian and Cyprian be united together and a Creed may be found as to the Essentials conformable to this of the Apostles and the like may be found in the Epistles of Ignatius who was disciple to one of them Neither was there any need for the Apostles or Fathers to commit this Creed to writing in regard it was the great depositum of the Church conveyed down from one Age to another in a Traditional way supposed by some to be the one Faith mentioned Ephes 4.5 and the form pattern or summary of sound words mentioned 2 Tim. 1.13 the body of Faith made up in all its proportions mentioned Rom. 12.6 and the Faith which was once delivered to the Saints mentioned Jude vers 3. This Creed and the other two the Nicene and the Athanasian which are but Explanations of this are ordered to be said after the Lessons to shew that Faith comes by Hearing and Hearing by the Word of God Rom. 10.17 we must first hear and then confess and they are ordered to be said standing because they are summaries of the Gospel which was ever rehearsed in that posture and because the Catechumens used to make rehearsal of their Faith in a standing posture which posture is also significant and notes that gallant resolution which ought to be in us to maintain and defend that Faith and Religion which we profess The Creed Explained I Believe in God the Father Almighty Maker of heaven and earth I for my self as every Christian ought to believe for himself do believe there is a God do believe God and do believe in God I confess him put all my trust and confidence in him acknowledge my self obliged to do his will and to obey his commands I own his title God his personality Father his power Almighty and admire and adore him for his operations and works for he is the Maker of heaven and earth He is able to do whatever is fit for God to do he can do what he will and more then he will whatever implies not a contradiction in it self or argues not imperfection in him He is so Almighty that he is liable to no imperfections and his Almightiness appears remarkably in the Creation of the World for he is the Maker of heaven and earth He made something of nothing and out of that something he made all things the glorious Heaven Angels and Spirits the Starry Heaven Sun Moon and lesser Lights with all the glorious Constellations the Airy Heaven winged Fowls Clouds and Vapours Hail and feather'd Snow Rain Lightning and terrible Thunder He made
Confession Contrition works of Mercy and all kind of Reformation of our lives to labour for Absolution and in all these humbly to beg of God his special grace that it may go along with all these outward ordinances and diligently to watch observe and receive it in the use of them and to lay it up in honest hearts that we may bring forth fruits with patience neither resisting nor repelling nor grieving nor quenching this Holy Spirit of God whereby we are sealed if we do not betray our selves unto the day of complete Redemption Ephes 4.30 The holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints As the first part of the Creed was chiefly concerning God so the latter part of it is principally relating to the Church of God as we begin with God in our Confession of Faith so we end with the Church for unless we are of the Church we shall lose our interest in God Now by Church in this place we are to understand a society of Believers ruled and continued according to all the ordinances before-mentioned of the Holy Ghost's settling and establishing which Church is described by these three properties Holy Catholick a Communion of Saints 1. The Church is remarkably said to be Holy in respect of the holy Powers and Offices which are settled in it and upon it in respect of the Holy Ghost the author and founder of them in respect of Christ the Head of it who is most holy in respect of the Faith of the Church which is in it self holy and makes us holy in respect of that sanctity and holiness of life which ought to be in all the Members of it in respect of the great design in the first constitution of it which was to beget and to increase holiness 2. The Church is remarkably said to be Catholick which word signifies 1. Orthodoxal as having Truth in it and so it is distinguished from the Societies of Hereticks and Schismaticks wherein is errour and falshood 2. Universal dispersed and extended all the world over and so it is distinguished from the Church of the Jews which was an inclosure divided from all the world beside It is Universal also in respect of the same Faith which it teaches to all men in all places and at all times and in respect of the same Laws and Constitutions according to which all Reformations ought to be made otherwise they will appear to be rather Innovations then Reformations an introducing of new things rather then a restoring of the old Lastly the Church is remarkably said to be a Communion of Saints in respect of the Communion of Faith and Laws in respect of the Communion of Sanctity and Holiness which ought to be in all the Members of it and in respect of the communications of Charity First Corporal charity to all the Fellow-members of Christ that are in need Secondly Spiritual charity expressed to mens souls by advice counsel reprehension spiritual conference and in any kind of effusion of Grace from God to us in praying with and for one another in praising God with and for one another which last is a duty continued mutually betwixt us and the glorified Saints in Heaven so far as is most commodious to the condition of each As the Saints in rest and joy and advanced towards the Throne of Glory in Heaven pray for their younger brethren on Earth so the Saints who are yet in the Camp and Militant on Earth praise God for those revelations of his Grace and Glory which he hath bestowed upon their elder brethren in Heaven As the Saints and Members of the Church hold communion with Christ the Head have interest in all his benefits go sharers in the common Salvation so do they hold communion one with another As in the body natural so in Christ's mystical body the Church there is a perpetual sympathy between the parts if one Member suffer all suffer with it if one be had in honour all rejoyce with it 1 Cor. 12.26 Neither doth death it self dissolve this communion for the knot of fellowship holds between the Saints departed this world and those who still remain in it The departed Saints pray to God for our good in general and we praise God for their good in particular we praise God for giving them such eminent graces on Earth and such unspeakable glories in Heaven in affections and hearts we converse with them we love their memories use all innocent means to have their exemplary lives propounded to us for our imitation we desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ and them and we judge it the greatest honour that we can do them to imitate their pious and holy lives and that we may do this in our annual day of commemoration for All-Saints we pray That as God hath knit together his Elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of his Son Christ our Lord so he would grant us grace so to follow his blessed Saints in all vertuous and godly living that we may come to those unspeakable joys which he hath prepared for them who unfeignedly love him through Jesus Christ our Lord. The forgiveness of sins That is I believe that by the death and sufferings of Christ there is pardon and remission to be had in the Church for all true penitent sinners which pardon all true penitens upon exact examination of themselves may be able to pronounce unto themselves but the Minister whose office it is upon a clear view of conscience so far as is fairly possible may pronounce it more authoritatively yet neither of them can do it infallibly so that as to their pronouncing Remission of sins is not properly a matter of Faith neither can it well be But the matter of Faith which is contained in this Article is this To believe that the forfeiting of our perfect unsinning innocence in Paradise shall not be able to exclude us from Gods favour and grace here nor from Heaven hereafter if we sincerely turn from sin and return to God for God is pleased to accept of Christ's sufferings as a meet and meritorious satisfaction for all true penitent sinners We are born in sin and we grow from sin to sin from bad to worse naturally and it is by the grace of God that our sins are remitted which remission is conveyed to us whilst we are in the Church and continue Church-Members by Prayer the Word and the Sacraments This Remission is not to be imputed to our merit but to Gods mercy who beholds all true penitent Christians in Christ and upon their unfeigned repentance and amendment reputes their sins as no sins But that we may have our sins pardoned and forgiven it concerns us to set our selves sincerely and industriously to the performance of those conditions upon which remission of sins is to be had to repent of them to reform from them to amend our lives to fly sin and to follow sanctity to continue in a full assurance of hope towards God that
our solemn Service and Sacrifice to him we ought in the first place to make Confession of our sins to which necessary and important duty we are not only moved and invited by the Word of God in many places and by many urgent motives and reasons but we are also by the same Word instructed how to perform it We are not to dissemble our sins before that God from whom we cannot hide them but we are to confess and acknowledge our manifold sins and wickednesses with humble lowly penitent and obedient hearts to the end that we may obtain forgiveness of the same by Gods infinite goodness and mercy This is a duty which ought to be done by every private Christian at all times in the â—loset and in the secret hambers but chiefly and most solemnly is to be done by all Christians when they are met together in Christian Assemblies that having done this first they may be the better disposed to do other things which are also then and there fit and necessary to be done 1. To render to God a tribute of thanks for mercies received 2. To render him a tribute of praise in the best expressions 3. To hear his Word with all attention due reverence and devotion 4. To beg humbly of him all necessary things which we want either for our souls or bodies for our support or duty All which things cannot be well done nor done with any good success by those who would endeavour to hide their sins from God and decline to make sincere confession of them with a purpose to forsake them For he that covereth his sins shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall have mercy Prov. 28.13 Fourthly Thus far our considerations as to our affairs in the Temple and the house of God are right and being well entertained by us and often and seriously thought upon may rectifie many evils and disorders which by fools and inconsiderate persons are too frequently there committed Now having seriously considered all that is before mentioned and having resolved to do it too upon serious consideration then it will in the next place concern us when we are all present together with pure hearts and humble voices to make our approach to the Throne of Gods heavenly Grace and to confess all meekly kneeling upon our knees 1. That God is Almighty able to help us and a most merciful Father willing to hear us 2. That we are grievuous sinners who have neglected to do our duty and have not refrained to do whatsoever is contrary to it 3. That our condition is sad and deplorable that there is nothing either in us or from us which can minister to us any relief but that upon our unfeigned repentance our departing from sin and amendment of our lives and serious resolutions to live better for the future Grace is to be had from the Throne of Grace by the Mediatour of Grace Jesus Christ. For as God delights not in the sin of any man but would have all men come to repentance so neither is he pleased with the death of any penitent sinner but hath given forth his promises of pardon and forgiveness to be authoritatively conveyed by the mouths of his Ministers to all who have received the Grace of true repentance which we are constantly to pray for and are acted on by his holy Spirit to lead holy and pure lives that so by living exactly according to the measures of Grace received here which is Glory begun we may come to Glory hereafter which is Grace complete and all through Jesus Christ unto whose Throne we may come boldly yet humbly not trusting to our own merits but relying upon Gods mercies through Christs merits that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help us in time of need Heb. 4.16 Fifthly Having thus seriously composed our selves by a deep consideration of our sins both confessed and acknowledged and by the consideration of our wants to be supplied and of the greatness and goodness of that God to whom we are to make our addresses for the pardon of our sins and the supply of our wants Then it is very well worthy our consideration and upon consideration we may resolve within our selves that we cannot come with a better and more acceptable Prayer to be offered up unto the Throne of Grace than that which the Mediatour of Grace himself hath taught us saying When ye pray say Our Father which art in heaven Luk. 11.2 in which Prayer before we offer it up we may do well to take notice both of the method and of the matter contained in it The method of the Prayer is this 1. There is a Preface shewing whom we pray to We pray to God who is a Father and so willing who is in Heaven and so able to help us who is ours in Christ and so by a warrant and commission given us from Christ we may with the more confidence make our addresses to him As he is a Father we pray to him in hope as he is ours a common Father we pray to him in hope and as he is in Heaven we pray to him in fear humility and devotion 2. There are Petitions shewing what we pray for and in what order First we pray to God as it is fit we should for those things which concern his Glory and by which his Name may be hallowed and glorified Next we pray for those things which concern our good of Glory Grace and Nature We pray that Gods kingdom may come that his power and dominion may appear all over the world we pray that his will may be done by us men on earth as it is done by the Holy Angels in heaven and that we may all live in all holy obedience to his commands We pray that God would give us daily bread all things needful both for our souls and bodies for our support and duty whilst we live here In the next place we pray against the evil of sin past that God would in mercy pardon it and incline us to have the like pity and compassion one of another we pray against the evil of sin to come that God would by his grace keep us from it we pray also against the evil of punishment external internal eternal that God would keep it from us by his mercy This is the summe of the Dominical or Lords Prayer Sixthly Being thus as it were refreshed and enlivened by this Prayer we are next to proceed in very good order to the more solemn Service and Worship of God desiring his assistance to open our lips that we may praise him in the bâ—st manner â—or without Gods grace we can do nothing and it is most certain that the Devil will be then most ready to hinder us when we are most dâ—sirously bent to serve and praise God â—aving therefore petitioned God in the Dominical Prayer meekly kneeling upon our knees and having joyntly craved his assistance in what is farther to be done it follows
compendious for phrase and words so sweet for order in all respects so perfect and absolute we give it the most place in our publick devotions sometimes begin with it to guide our prayers and sometimes conclude with it to compleat and perfect them Wherever Christian Religion is professed this prayer is used as one of the principal and most material duties of honour done to Jesus Christ The often repeating of it cannot bring it within the compass of that vain repetition which our Saviour condemned Mat. 6.7 for repetition is then only vain when words are often repeated being directed neither with reason of Art nor with zeal and devotion of heart nor with any supposal of a justly implyed necessity all which most certainly may meet in the use of this prayer how frequently soever we make use of it For because we cannot pray as we ought there is a kind of necessity for us to use it to supply our defects and that with art and zeal we hope sufficient Again seeing we have an Advocate with the Father interceding continually for sinners when we seek for pardon of our sins at Gods hand we cannot do better then alledge unto God the words which our Advocate hath taught us seeing he hath promised that shall be granted which we ask in his name we may be confident that will not be denied which we ask in his name and words When in our prayers we speak unto the Father in the Sons own prescribed form of words we may be sure that we utter nothing which God will either disallow or deny The Minister is to begin this prayer with an audible voice and the people all kneeling are to repeat it orderly after him for these supposed reasons 1. That people ignorantly educated may learn it and be instructed in it 2. To shew what an esteem we ought to have for it and for Christ our Lord and Saviour who was the Author of it and for Christianity it self and the Christian Service wherein all of us are to bear a part But that people may say this prayer understandingly I shall add this plain Paraphrase upon it OVr Father which art in heaven O holy Father ours by creation education instruction compassion and adoption who remainest gloriously on thy throne in Heaven where thou art praised and glorified by the holy Angels and blessed Souls of thy departed Saints and Servants where thou reignest in unspeakable glory and art perfectly obeyed Hallowed be thy name be pleased by thy grace poured into our hearts and the hearts of all men and by the dispensation of thy gracious providence to work all our hearts to such a reverence awe and separate respect unto thee thy Majesty thy Attributes thy works of Grace thy Name thy Word thy holy days thy holy places thy holy Ministers thy holy Patrimony devolved from thee upon them for the maintenance of thy holy Service that the sins of Sacriledge Prophaness Idolatry Heathenism Atheism irreverence and indevotion may be turned out of the world and the contrary vertues of Christian piety reverence and devotion may be set up and flourish amongst us Thy kingdom come by thy grace inspired into our hearts and the hearts of all men and by thy blessed disposal of all things here below weaken the power of the Adversary give check to the malice of all opposers and so begin to set up thy kingdom immediately in our hearts that it may by degrees of flourishing daily increase and that all other things which are in thy purpose may be so orderly computed till at last this mortal compounded kingdom which hath so much mixture of rebellion sin and infirmity in it may be turned into a kingdom of perfect holiness and immortality Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven So inspire thy grace into all our hearts so direct us by thy providence and assist us to performance that we may obey thee in all thy commands here on Earth willingly readily chearfully speedily impartially sincerely without indulging our selves to any kind of sin in the omission of any part of duty as thy holy Angels obey thy commands in Heaven doing all things promptly and readily which thou commandest them without the neglect of any part of duty Give us this day our daily bread Give us day by day this present day and for the remainder of our lives all the necessaries of life whatever is agreeable and fit for our subsistence and being and suitable to our conditions taken with all circumstances food convenient for us Give us also thy Grace the food of our Souls in that measure day by day which may suffice for the remainder of our warfare here and give us all bodily sustenance which we can possibly want or stand in need of assist and uphold us in all our wants for we referr the care thereof to thee who carest for us And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us Pardon all our offences committed against thee punish not on us those sins whereby we have offended and provoked thee to punish us and that we may be capable of thy remission bestow upon us we pray thee that necessary qualification of freely pardoning all those who by any injuries done to us are become our debtors and might justly in strict Law be by us prosecuted unto punishment And lead us not into temptation Suffer us not to be brought into any temptation or snare suffer us not to be intangled in any dangers or difficulties which may not be easily supported by us may no allurement of pleasure or profit no determent of danger of evil cause or occasion us to fall into any sin when at any time we are tempted which may be the lot of the best men do not thou leave us nor withdraw thy grace from us nor so deliver us up in time of temptation as to leave us unable to extricate our selves and to be overcome and swallowed up by the temptation But deliver us from evil Give us a proportionate measure of strength and grace to bear up and to move under any temptation or pressure how heavy soever it may be temper the temptation to our strength and permit not the assault to be too heavy for us Deliver us from Satan who is the artificer designer and improver of temptations deliver us from the temptations themselves which come from our own lusts the world or the enemies of true piety that we may not be overcome by any of them nor drawn into sin For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory for ever and ever Amen For it is thy due to have dominion over the world therefore we resign up our souls for thee to reign in them as the sole Prince and Monarch of them Thou art Omnipotent and All-sufficient the fountain of all that grace and strength which we beg for therefore we relie upon thee for all that is necessary for this life and the other The thanks honour and glory of
read and approved of as our own Comments upon a Text of Scripture which it is to be presumed we would not have to be taken for Canonical Scripture They who are most against the reading of them cannot but confess our Sermons and Tractates to have as little of the Spirit of infallibility and Sanctification as the Apocryphal Books So far as they are consonant to the Word of God they are Canonical though not Proto-Canonical There is truth in them and we are to embrace truth wherever we meet with it for it is Gods whoever speaks it or writes it we read them not to confirm us in matters of Faith but to instruct us in life and manners because they contain in them many excellent moral precepts for the regulating of our lives and well ordering of our conversations Again some part of the Canonical is not enjoyned to be read publickly in the Congregation not because the Authority of it is undervalued but because it is not so useful for Edification nor so fitted to the understandings and capacities of the people as those portions of Scripture are which are enjoyned to be read those necessary parts of Scripture which God hath made easie the Church desires should be made familiar and frequently read to the people Therefore she orders the Psalms to be read over once every month most part of the Old Testament once a year the New thrice and hath so sorted the Lessons Prayers Psalms Epistles and Gospels for some Festivals that they edifie as much as any ordinary Sermons if people were but so wise as to consider the wise directions of the Church and to value her prudence as much as they do their own foolish humors Now the Lessons are taken one out of the Old another out of the New Testament that by frequent reading of them we may observe the Harmony of both for as the Cherubins of Glory looked each upon other and both closed with their wings over the Mercy-seat so the Two Testaments look each upon other both upon Christ who is the supplement of the one and the complement of the other in the one promised in the other exhibited the Law being an hidden Gospel and the Gospel a revealed Law The Patriarchs Prophets Evangelists Apostles wrote by the same Spirit pointed at the same Messias were saved by the same Faith and this may very much confirm us in the truth of the Scriptures when we read that exactly fulfilled in the New Testament which was so punctually foretold in the Old Besides it may be a means of converting the Jews as well as confirming us Christians for they may in time embrace Christ's Gospel with us when they see us embrace Moses and the Prophets together with them But in taking Lessons first out of the Old Testament and then out of the New the Church observes the method of the Holy Spirit who first published the Old then the New first the precepts of the Law then of the Gospel and by this method we are taught to go forward in our knowledge from smaller things to greater from the lowest to the highest for the Law is as a Paedagogue teaching the first Rudiments the Institutions of highest perfection are contained in the Gospel The Minister is to read the Lessons distinctly with a sober grave and audible voice and he is to turn himself towards the people when he reads because he is upon an office directed to them whereas in Prayer he looks another way towards the more eminent part of the Church where use to be placed the Symbols of God's more especial presence with whom the Minister in Prayer hath chiefly to do For the same reason we may suppose that the Christians in former times used to pray with their faces Eastward because in the Chancel which was the East part of the Church stood the Holy Table where the highest of Religious Services were usually performed and the Sacrament of Christ's body and bloud was administred which is the special sign of God's mysterious presence The Jews at the reading of the Law and other Scriptures looked toward the people but in Prayer toward the Mercy-seat or principal part of the Temple Psal 28.2 and Christians may in all probability do the like in imitation of the Jews for as their Mercy-seat was a type and figure of Christ so the Holy Table and the Sacred Mysteries there performed are representations of him in a more special manner Neither did the Jews nor do the Christians this out of any superstitious conceit that God cannot or will not hear our Prayers unless we look Eastward when we pray as the Jews looked toward the Oracle or Mercy-seat for we know God is Omnipresent every where present yet for all this Christ directed us by his form of prayer to look towards Heaven when we pray because it is the Throne of God Te Deum Laudamus WE praise thee O God we acknowledge thee to be the Lord Psal 67.3 Psal 99.34 Psal 148.1 All the Earth doth worship thee the Father everlasting To thee all Angels cry aloud the Heavens and all the Powers therein Psal 148.2 To thee Cherubin and Seraphin continually do cry Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabaoth Heaven and Earth are full of the Majesty of thy Glory Isa 6.3 Rev. 4.8 Isa 66.1 Jer. 23.24 The glorious company of the Apostles praise thee The goodly fellowship of the Prophets praise thee Rev. 4.10 11. The noble army of Martyrs praise thee Rev. 6.9 10. The holy Church throughout all the world doth acknowledge thee Psal 67.2 The Father of an infinite Majesty Psal 93.1 Thine honourable true and onely Son Mat. 17.5 Luk. 1.32 Heb. 1.3 4 5. Also the Holy Ghost the Comforter John 14.26 Thou art the King of Glory O Christ Rev. 17.14 Psal 24.8 Luk. 19.38 Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father Rom. 1.4 Isa 9.6 Luk. 1.35 John 8.58 John 17.5 When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man thou didst not abhor the Virgins womb Philip. 2.6 7. Mat. 1.25 When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death thou didst open the kingdom of Heaven to all believers John 14.2 3. John 17.24 Heb. 9.8 9 10 11. Heb. 10.19 20. Thou sittest at the right hand of God in the glory of the Father Act. 2.33 Heb. 10.12 Heb. 12.2 We believe that thou shalt come to be our Judge Rom. 2.16 Act. 1.11 Act. 17.31 We therefore pray thee help thy servants whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious bloud 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Psal 74.2 Make them to be numbred with thy Saints 〈◊〉 in glory everlasting Colos 1.12 John 17.22 O Lord save thy people and bless thine heritage Govern them and lift them up for ever Joel 2.17 Psal 28.9 Day by day we magnifie thee Psal 96 2◠Psal 145.2 And we worship thy Name ever world without end Psal 61.8 Vouchsafe O Lord to keep us this day without sin Psal 17.5 Gen. 20.6 O Lord have mercy upon us have mercy upon us Psal 123.3 O Lord
of our souls We are to undreg them of all earth dirt and filth that nothing which is earthly or sensual may mingle with our spiritual imployments wherein we are to be exercised and wholly taken up during our stay in that Holy place When Moses and Joshua approached that ground which the presence of God by his Angel made holy they were commanded to put off their shoes Exod. 3.5 Josh 5.15 By which in a figure was intimated the cleansing of the soul from that filth of sin which is required of every one who draws near unto God Heb. 10.22 When our business is with God we are to mind our business to have our minds hearts and affections set only upon it When we come into the house of God which is the figure of heaven we are to leave the earth and the world behind us and to have our conversation only in heaven When Abraham went to sacrifice and to offer up the dearest thing which he had unto God he left his Ass and his Servants behind him Gen. 22.5 And when holy Bernard entred the Temple his usual saying was Stay behind all my worldly thoughts So when we are to enter Gods house and are making our approaches to do him service we should have nothing to do with the world but take off our hearts and affections clear from it As we would keep our feet as much as possibly we can from dirt and filth when we are to enter the Presence-Chamber of a King so when we enter into Gods house which is his Presence-Chamber we are to keep the feet of our souls clean and unspotted from the world though not altogether clean yet as clean as they can be kept Like those who come out of the dirt into a well-swept room we must cast away that filth and uncleanness which we may have contracted in our worldly affairs when we are entring into the house of God Keep thy foot when thou entrest it is an expression borrowed from the Heathens especially the Aegyptians who would not enter their Idol-Temples with shoes on their feet And amongst his other precepts Pythagoras gave this for one When thou sacrificest or worshippest put off thy shoes from thy feet By which is intimated to us who look not so much at the ceremony as at the meaning of it That when we come into Gods house who is a God of purity in whose presence the brightest Angel is impure we are to see that all be pure about us we are to come with pure hearts pure hands and to present him with pure offerings especially we are to look to our affections the feet of our souls to see that they have contracted no impurity for if they be pure the whole man is pure Keep thy foot when thou entrest This is the first consideration which if well thought upon would prevent many of those rudenesses evils and misdemeanours which unwise men rashly commit in Gods house and so offer to him the Sacrifice of fools for want of due consideration Secondly When thou art entred the house of God let thy next consideration be that thou art in the presence of God there where God is present in a more special and peculiar manner He is every-where present by his Essence which is infinite and cannot be contained within bounds or limits He is every-where present by his Power turning the Orbs of Heaven with his hand fixing the Earth with his foot guiding all Creatures with his eye and refreshing them all with his influence but he is more specially present in some places than in othersome by the several and more special manifestations of himself to extraordinary purposes Thus by Glory his seat is in Heaven where his Servants dwell with him by Grace and Benediction he is present in Holy places and Sacred Assemblies where his Servants walk with him and worship him Well then consider what thou art and what God is into whose special presence thou art come and what is thy business with him Thou art a feeble infirm creature made up of nothing but wants and weaknesses God is a Creator All-sufficient to heal thy infirmities to supply thy wants and to manifest his strength in thy weakness It is thine own misery and his mercy which are the two chief motives that bring thee into his house of prayer That which brought home the Prodigal into his Fathers house Luk. 15.17 18. we may suppose brings thee into Gods house want and woe in us untoward Children pity and plenty in God a good and kind Father For is not this our business with him if we do truly understand our own business to have our needs and wants supplied our sins pardoned our miseries relieved by mercies and aâ— our insufficiencies every way answered out oâ— that inexhaustible fountain of his goodness who is all-sufficient This is the best title we can give our selves we are all but his creatures and if we are just to our selves and not partial we must confess that we are none of the best creatures by our own default but vile and vitious more than enough Our dependance both for our being and well being and for what is requirable to both is entirely upon our Creator and him only whose creatures we are but whatever tends to our ruine undoing infelicity and misery is meerly from the Serpent and our selves So that as I noted before our own miseries and Gods mercies our wants and Gods many ways to supply them our sins our many sins to be pardoned and Gods inclinations great inclinations for to pardon them if we are truly and sincerely penitent are the two great motives which bring us into Gods house into his special presence but we are to lay open our selves before him from whom we cannot hide our selves though we would for he made us and knows us better than we know or can know our selves For there is not any creature that is not manifest in his sight there is no man shall be able to disguise himself so cunningly but God will discover him all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do Heb. 4.13 Thirdly But now in the third place let us consider what we are to do first after we have made our adorations as we ought to do when we are come into Gods house and special presence Now methinks those vile unprofitable and pernicious things called our sins which are indeed properly our own should come to our remembrance There is nothing so likely to hinder good things from us as our sins unconfessed unrepented of They hinder our prayers from ascending acceptably unto God for God will not hear sinners who bring nothing but their sins unrepented of for an offering and like Adonijah lay hold on the Altar with all their sins and rebellions about them and they hinder Gods blessings from descending comfortably upon us Therefore when we are come into the presence of God and are all met together in his house to offer up
some one or more of these sentences of the Scriptures that follow and then he shall say that which is written after the said sentences When the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed and doth that which is lawful and right he shall save his soul alive Ezek. 18.27 I acknowledge my transgressions and my sin is ever before me Psal 51.3 Hide thy face from my sins and blot out all mine iniquities Psal 51.9 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit a broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Psal 51.17 Rent your heart and not your garments and turn unto the Lord your God for he is gracious and merciful slow to anger and of great kindness and repenteth him of the evil Joel 2.13 To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses though we have rebelled against him neither have we obeyed the voice of the Lord our God to walk in his Laws which he set before us Dan. 9.9 10. O Lord correct me but with judgment not in thine anger lest thou bring me to nothing Jer. 10.24 Repent ye for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand Mat. 3 2. I will arise and go to my Father and will say unto him Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy son Luke 15.18 19. Enter not into judgment with thy servant O Lord for in thy sight shall no man living be justified Psal 143.2 If we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us But if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness 1 John 1.8 9. EXPLANATION The forecited sentences are all taken word for word out of the Holy Scripture of which the Minister may according to his discretion and as a fit occasion shall be offered make his choice which he is to read with a grave distinct loud but humble voice always considering that they are here set in proper place to mind the Congregation of their own misery and God's mercy and to prepare and stir up the hearts of people for the better performance of Holy Duties following both with alacrity and devotion DEarly beloved brethren Jam. 2.5 the Scripture moveth us in sundry places to acknowledge and confess our manifold sins and wickedness 1 John 1.9 Psal 51.3 Psal 38.18 and that we should not dissemble nor cloak them before the face of Almighty God our heavenly Father Prov. 28.13 Psal 32.5 but confess them with an humble lowly penitent and obedient heart to the end that we may obtain forgiveness of the same by his infinite goodness and mercy Psal 10.17 Psal 34.18 Joel 2.12 13. And although we ought at all times humbly to acknowledge our sins before God 1 Tim. 2.8 yet ought we most chiefly so to do when we assemble and meet together Levit. 4.14 to render thanks for the great benefits that we have received at his hands Psal 68.19 to set forth his most worthy praise Psal 50.23 to hear his most holy word Hebr. 3.7 Rom. 10.17 and to ask those things which are requisite and necessary as well for the body as the soul Mat. 6.11 12. Mat. 7.7 8. Jam. 4.2 3. Wherefore I pray and beseech you as many as are here present to accompany me with a pure heart and humble voice 1 Cor. 4.16 2 Cor. 2.8 2 Cor. 5.20 unto the throne of the heavenly Grace saying after me Hebr. 4.16 EXPLANATION The forementioned Exhortation is grave and serious exactly agreeable to Holy Scripture in which the people are invited and exhorted in an Apostolical stile to confess their sins humbly to the Lord who is able to help them because Almighty and willing to hear them because most merciful It gives us in a short summe the chief ends of our publick meetings in the houses of God it sets us some steps forward toward repentance makes us to know that we have offended instructs us how and in what manner to acknowledge our offence and by degrees brings us to confession upon our knees RUBRICK A general Confession to be said of the whole Congregation after the Minister all kneeling ALmighty and most merciful Father Gen. 17.1 Gen. 35.11 2 Cor. 1.5 we have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep Psal 119.176 1 Pet. 2.25 we have followed too much the devises and desires of our own hearts Febr. 3.10 Gen. 6.5 we have offended against thy holy Laws Act. 7.53 Dan. 9.9 10. Jam. 2.10 Jam. 3.2 we have left undone those things which we ought to have done and we have done those things which we ought not to have done Rom. 7.15 19. and there is no health in us Isa 1.5 6. But thou O Lord have mercy upon us miserable offenders Luke 18.13 Psal 51.1 Spare thou them O God which confess their faults Joel 2.17 Hos 14.2 restore thou them that are penitent Psal 51.12 Hebr. 6.6 according to thy promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesu our Lord Ephes 3.6 Rom. 15.8 2 Cor. 1.20 And grant O most merciful Father for his sake John 14.13 14. John 15.16 that we may hereafter live a godly righteous and sober life Tit. 2.11 12. to the glory of thy holy Name 1 Pet. 4.11 1 Cor. 10.31 Amen 1 Cor. 14.16 EXPLANATION This Confession as appears by the forecited Texts is exactly agreeable to Scripture and is rationally and upon prudent grounds allowed the first place in our publick Liturgy We begin our Service with Confession of sin for these reasons 1. Because our sins make a separation betwixt God and us Isa 59.2 keep good things from us Jer. 5.25 hinder our prayers from ascending acceptably to God and God's blessings from descending comfortably upon us 2. It was the practice of God's people the Jews to begin their Service with a general Confession of sin of which we have the marks and signs in the Law Lev. 16.16 and the pattern and platform in the Prophets but the Confessions themselves are particularly to be met with in the Books of the Jews This verbal Confession of which we have an instance Luke 1.10 made the Jews fully acquainted with the true use of Sacrifices Besides Almighty God being jealous of his honour commanded a brazen Laver to be set between the Tabernacle of the Congregation and the Altar for Aaron and his Sons twice in a day to wash their hands and feet Exod. 30.17 18 19 20 21. by which was signified the Laver of Repentance which we always stand in need of From the Jews it afterwards became a custom in the Christian Church to begin their publick Service with Confession of sin and to perform it in such a manner as we do The very Heathens had something amongst them which seemed to allude to it for they used to wipe off the dirt from their feet when they entred into the places of their Religious Service and Sacrifice However it is most certainly
what the Servant binds or looses here on Earth the Lord himself ratifies and confirms in Heaven Mat. 18.18 19. Now in the Absolution to be pronounced by the Minister or rather after it this clause is added Wherefore let us beseech him to grant us true repentance and his holy Spirit and may seem to be added for these reasons following 1. To shew that as Repentance is a necessary disposition to pardon so that it is also a necessary consequent of it for he who is pardoned ought to be as much a penitent if he truly understands himself as he who seeks pardon as we are daily liable to sin so for our own safety we are to secure and keep our selves within the state of pardon which we cannot do but by continuing in a state of Repentance besides the sad remembrance of sin though pardon'd ought to be always grievous to us 2. Because after a sin is pardoned and remitted the Devil is most busie to tempt the sinner either to commit the same sin again or a worse therefore as in the Lords Prayer we are taught to pray first to have our sins forgiven and next not to be led into temptation so here no sooner is Absolution and Remission of sins declared and pronounced by the Priest as a great priviledge and favour granted to all sincere Penitents and sound believers but the same pardoned persons are invited and stirred up in their own defence to pray for a continued Repentance and assistance of Gods holy Spirit that they may be secure from all Satans temptations for the future and make the grace of Pardon already granted a new obligation to more holy living that so we may not only please God in our present Devotions but also in our future life for most certain it is that every lapse after pardon is the greater sin John 5.14 2 Pet. 2.20 But we are to note in the last place that the people are enjoyned to answer Amen as at the end of this so of every Prayer in the Service-Book because Amen if pronounced as from the heart is an Indication of the peoples assent to the preceding Prayer and an affirmation that the thing prayed for is good and necessary for them and a tollification of the peoples votes and desires to obtain it It hath ever been used at the end of Prayers and pronounced with a loud voice carrying in it devotion zeal and fervency it is the last acclamation of our prayers in the pronouncing of which the Primitive Christians were wont to raise up their bodies as if they had a desire to carry their bodies as well as their souls up to Heaven RUBRICK Then the Minister shall kneel and say the Lords Prayer with an audible voice the People also kneeling and repeating it with him both here and wheresoever else it is used in Divine Service OUr Father which art in heaven hallowed be thy name Mat. 6.9 thy kingdom come thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven ver 10. give us this day our daily bread ver 11. and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us ver 12. and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory for ever and ever Amen ver 13. EXPLANATION They must certainly be vain and wicked acted on by some wild and extravagant spirit who to make way for their own crude and humane breathings not fit sometimes to carry the name of Prayers would thrust the Lords Prayer quite out and allow it no place in the publick Divine Service which is as the Salt of the Sacrifice and that which should season all our Liturgick Offices Certainly as men may use other Prayers so they ought not to be restrained nor to restrain themselves from the use of this which is a Prayer used by the Church of Christ all the world over dictated at first by the supreme wisdom of our great and eternal Mediator Jesus Christ who presents our Prayers unto God and perfectly knows our Fathers mind It is the most complete Prayer which can be made summing up all the most lawful requests which can be imagined the epitome mirrour rule of all other Prayers in a wonderful brevity of words including so great plenty and variety of matter as if it would make a Camel to pass through a Needles-eye It contains in it more histories and mysteries then words it is the most methodical emphatical divine Prayer that ever yet was or shall be composed for all the parts of it cohere with an admirable symmetry it is exactly made in measure and proportion all of it is full of Torches which enlighten each other not all the wits on Earth nor Angels in Heaven were ever capable of dictating the like There is as much difference betwixt this and Prayers of man's composing as betwixt the Tabernacle and Pattern upon the Mount the Tabernacle was Earthly framed by man the Pattern Heavenly formed by God so this Prayer is all over coelestial and divine whereas our Prayers are at the best but humane and framed up by man's industry Neither is there any man so knowing or so religious who is not subject to many failings in the composure of his Prayers they are subject to imperfection to excess to disorders to many irregularities we cannot possibly be without some errour in this business either we want or exceed are too short or too long or raise our thoughts out of rank and place when we speak our own Prayers but in saying the Lords Prayer if our hearts go along with the prayer we cannot fail to speak well we omit nothing we speak nothing superfluous we are not extravagant we cannot be impertinent in our words Therefore having framed up Prayers according to what is possible for us to do and having well considered the defects of them we have recourse to this most absolute Prayer of Christ for the perfecting of all the imperfections in our own Certainly we who are Christians ought to say this Prayer because Jesus Christ hath put it into our mouths and made it to be the abridgment of all Prayer wherein are summed up all lawful requests He hath given it to be a rule and guide for us to pray by and an exact form for us to pray in It is a Prayer of universal concernment in respect of things contained in it persons using it times when and places where it may be used All the Churches of the Christian World pronounce it and it must needs be a great consolation to us to keep our part in this great consort we may say it in prosperity and adversity in Peace and War in health and sickness in life and at the hour of death young and old rich and poor noble and ignoble Princes and Peasants may all pronounce it together Therefore not without good reason is it so frequently used in our Liturgick Offices because it is so large for matter so short and
terrours by night and of the Pestilence walking in darkness and therefore Evening and Night Prayers are certainly a good defensative against both What remains of the Evening Service is the same with that of the Morning and concludes in the same manner Hereunto is added by way of Appendix these following Paraphrases 1. A Paraphrase upon Psal 95. Vers 1. THe great God of Heaven is he from whom all our deliverance and strength doth come O let us uniformly joyn in praising and glorifying his Name Vers 2. Let us make our daily constant addresses to him with all the acknowledgments and expressions of thankful hearts Vers 3. For he is the Supreme God of Heaven and Earth the only super-eminent Monarch over all Powers and Dignities to whom Angels in Heaven are Ministers and the mightiest Princes upon the Earth are Vice-gerents Vers 4. The bowels and bottom of the Earth are in his disposal and so are the loftiest and stoutest Hills by which it is also intimated that the meanest and lowest men or creatures on Earth are particularly ordered by his providence in all that befalls them here and the mightiest men in the world are bounded and governed by him Vers 5. It is he that framed the whole Orb of the Sea and dry Land and so contrived them the one within the bowels of the other that they should not incommode each the other but both together make up one useful Globe for men and all other creatures to inhabit Vers 6. O let us joyntly adore praise and pray unto him and make the members of our bodies partners and witnesses of the real devotion of our hearts let us joyn inward and outward reverence together in the most submiss and lowliest gestures thereby signifying and expressing the sincere humility of our Souls which is a tribute most justly due to him who is the great Lord and Creator of all Vers 7 8. And although we have often rebelled against him and so have often deserved his dereliction and as often smarted for it yet if now at length we shall be wrought upon by his calls and warning and perform unto him sincere obedience he is most ready to accept us to take us into his care and protection and to secure us from all our enemies Vers 9. But let not us like our provoking fore-fathers who being delivered by him sinned yet more against him after we have so liberally tasted of his power goodness and long-sufferance and after his many gracious calls afforded us to Repentance rebell against him and provoke his wrath by imitating them in their ingratitude and impenitence Vers 10 11. For fourty years together wherein for their sins God detained and perplexed them in the wilderness they did frequently provoke God to indignation and made him resolve that they were a stupid Idolatrous people preferring the worship of false Gods and Devils before the obedience and worship of him the only true God of Heaven and Earth therefore being as it were tired out with their continued provocations God obliged himself by an Oath irreversibly that of the many thousands which came out of Aegypt only two persons who were grown up to be men should enter the Land of Promise O let not us follow them in their sins lest we follow them also in their punishments and so fall short of Heaven as they did of Canaan 2. A Paraphrase upon Benedictus Luk. 1. vers 68. Vers 68. ALl glory honour and praise be unto the great Lord and gracious God of his chosen people and select inheritance for he hath performed his promise so often made to them by his gracious Visitation in bringing them out of Aegypt formerly by a temporal deliverance which did pre-figure a greater deliverance to be wrought by Christ the promised Messias who is shortly to be born Vers 69. Of David's Family and invested with all power honour glory dignity and triumph to be a King Ruler and eminent deliverer of his people whose Kingdom is not Secular but Spiritual Vers 70 71. Of whom honourable mention is made by all the holy Prophets of God speaking of him as with one mouth from the beginning of that age which was before the coming of the Messias unto this present time The end of whose coming is to save us from all our spiritual enemies sins and dangers by taking upon him our nature and in it performing perfect unsinning obedience by dying upon the Cross for us and by giving us precepts and rules by their own inward goodness most agreeable to our reasonable nature for the purifying of our affections and for teaching and instructing us to lead pure lives Vers 72. By all which God hath made good his signal promise of mercy made to the holy Fathers and Patriarchs wherein both themselves and their Seed were highly concerned Vers 73. Especially that great and gracious Covenant of mercy which he made to Abraham and his Seed in a Spiritual sense and ratified and confirmed by the Sanction of an Oath Vers 74 75. Namely that he would give us power ability and grace in and from the Messias revealed to obey and attend him in a sincere performance of all duties to God and man and chearfully and constantly to persevere therein being by him rescued and secured from all dangers of enemies without us though not altogether from those which may be founded in our selves in our own negligences and miscarriages Vers 76. And thou Child meaning John the Baptist shalt be a wonderful person and extraordinary Prophet of God for thou shalt foretell Judgments on the Nations if they repent not speedily and in a signal manner shalt point out Christ being his immediate fore-runner and shalt preach Repentance and amendment of life thereby to fit and prepare men for him Vers 77. Teaching all men that in Christ there is a possibility for sinners to obtain Salvation and to have their sins pardon'd upon their Repentance and New life Vers 78. Which is a special act of compassion and signal mercy in God through which mercy the Messias who is called the Day-spring by the Prophets is come from Heaven to visit us and to abide amongst us Vers 79. And to shine forth to blind ignorant mortals and obdurate worldlings who lived in a state of sin and death and to bring them and us into the way of Sanctity and Holiness which leads to Salvation and life eternal 3. A Paraphrase upon Psal 100. Vers 1 2 O Let all the people in the world bless worship and praise and offer up their Prayers and Supplications to the great God of Heaven let them resort daily to his Sanctuary and constantly attend his Service and account it the most estimable and delectable task and the most renowned and most glorious imployment which they can possibly undertake Vers 3. For this is the only way to converse with the great and glorious and omnipotent Creator of all things to whom we owe all that we have and all that we are to him we
our blessed Saviour repeated one Prayer three times Mat 26.44 and he questionless could have altered had he thought it either necessâ—â—â—â— or convenient Such short ejaculatory â—rayers as these come nearest to the pattern given by our Saviour who gave to his Disciples a short form and in all the Holy Bible we meet not with any example or pattern of a very long Prayer Solomon's Prayer used at the Dedication of the magnificent Temple which he built to God is the longest we meet with in Holy Scripture And saith holy Augustine the business of Prayer is rather done by sighs groans and fervency of heart then by multiplicity of words RUBRICK Then shall the Priest and the People with him say the Lords Prayer OVr Father which art in heaven Hallowed be thy Name Thy kingdom come Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven Give us this day our daily bread And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us And lead us not into temptation But deliver us from evil Amen Luk. 11.2 3 4. For the often use of this Prayer in our Liturgick Offices and the meaning of it see before The Versicle Priest O Lord deal not with us after our sins Answer Neither reward us after our iniquities Psal 130.3 Let us pray Why this is so often used see before O God mercifull Father that despisest not the sighing of a contrite heart Psal 51.17 nor the desire of such as be sorrowful mercifully assist our prayers that we make before thee in all our troubles and adversities whensoever they oppress us and graciously hear us that those evils which the craft and subtilty of the devil or man worketh against us be brought to nought and by the providence of thy goodness they may be dispersed that we thy servants being hurt by no persecutions may evermore give thanks unto thee in thy holy Church through Jesus Christ our Lord Psal 20. Psal 86.7 O Lord arise help us and deliver us for thy Names sake Nehem. 1.9 10 11. Ezek. 20.9 Ezek. 36.12 O God we have heard with our ears and our fathers have declared unto us the noble works that thou didst in their days and in the old time before them Psal 78.3 4. Psal 43.1 O Lord arise help us and deliver us for thine honour Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Foly Ghost Answ As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen Why this is used and so often see before From our enemies defend us O Christ Psal 25.15 16 17 18 19. Graciously look upon our afflictions Pitifully behold the sorrows of our hearts Mercifully forgive the sins of thy people Favourably with mercy hear our Prayers O Son of David have mercy upon us Luk. 18.9 Both now and ever vouchsafe to hear us O Christ John 14.13 14. Graciously hear us O Christ graciously hear us O Lord Christ Priest O Lord let thy mercy be shewed upon us Answ As we do put our trust in thee Psal 33.22 Note All the forementioned Prayers with the Responds are short lively active and spirited Prayers uttered with fervency which are most available with God when they come from devout and righteous souls Jam. 5.16 it is the short Prayer which pierceth Heaven God looks not at how much we pray but how well we pray how heartily and sincerely we pray Such were the Prayers of the most devout Christians in ancient times whose hearts fired with zeal and devotion did passionately send forth short Prayers as the hottest Springs send forth their waters by ebullitions See before Let us pray WF humbly beseech thee O Father mercifully to look upon our infirmities and for the glory of thy Name turn from us all those evils that we most righteously have deserved and grant that in all our troubles we may put our whole trust and confidence in thy mercy and evermore serve thee in holiness and pureness of living to thy honour and glory through our only Mediatour and Advocate Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Note the fulness of this Prayer and by this judge of all the rest Herein we pray that God would in mercy pardon the sinful frailties and infirmities of our lives and the imperfections of those very Prayers wherein we beg that pardon This we beg not for our merits for we can merit nothing at his hands but upon the account of his mercy And we pray further that he would divert from us all the evil of punishment which our evil of sin might move him justly to inflict upon us and that whatever calamities befall us in this world for our own defaults yet we may repose confidence in his mercy and not distrust him though he kill us however we may have cause enough to distrust our selves but that we may be awakned and warned by the punishments which he is pleased to inflict upon us to walk more warily for the future to make our actions more holy and our lives more pure that so we may bring good to our selves and honour and glory to him and all this as we do all other things convenient and needful for us we beg not through the mediation and intercession of any Saint or Angel but through our only Mediatour and Advocate Jesus Christ our Lord. A Prayer of St. Chrysostom ALmighty God who hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications unto thee and dost promise that when two or three are gathered together in thy Name thou wilt grant their requests Fulfill now O Lord the desires and petitions of thy servants as may be most expedient for them granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth and in the world to come life everlasting Amen 2 Cor. 13.14 THe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost be with us all evermore Amen Here endeth the Litany And be it noted that the Litany is no distinct Service properly for a Service consists of Psalms Lessons Creed Thanksgivings and Prayers distinct only it is a distinct Form and many times made use of as a fit preparative to other ensuing Offices Formerly notice was used to be given by the tolling of a Bell when it was to be said The accustomed days for the saying of it are Sundays Wednesdays Fridays the three days of Rogation and other Fasting-days appointed to be observed in times of Plague Famine War and other general calamities and it is a devotional piece of Service very suitable to all such times The usual place for saying of it where it can be done conveniently is in the midst of the Church and just before the Chancel-door the Ministers turning their faces towards the Altar or Communion-Table when they say it For saith Chrysostom it is fit that the Minister who officiates in Prayer should put on the outward garb and deportment as well as the inward mind of a Supplicant and therefore he
agreeable to right Reason and Religion that we should begin our Service to God with Confession of our sins that having first confessed our sins and implored God's pardon for them we may the better pray unto him and praise him for other things So David began with Wash me throughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sin Psal 51.2 and then he says Open thou my lips O Lord and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise ver 15. because sin doth shut up our mouth and God pardoning sin opens it that we may chearfully pray unto him and praise him And whereas Confession of sin is enjoyned to be said of the whole Congregation after the Minister it is for these reasons 1. Because the Minister is the peoples mouth to God-ward in Prayer both to go before them and to instruct them as in Preaching he is Gods mouth to the people 2. By this means the Church like a careful Mother makes provision so far as she can that none of her untoward children should dissemble their wickedness the humble and penitent confession whereof is made so necessary an introduction to her Divine Offices Now this Confession is to be made kneeling because it is the fittest posture for Penitents that by the outward lowliness of our bodies we may the better express the inward humility of our minds All Holy men we meet with in Scripture were for this posture of kneeling at their devotion David Psal 95.6 Solomon 2 Chron. 6.13 Ezra chap. 9.5 Daniel chap. 6.10 Christ Luk. 22.41 Stephen Acts 7.60 Paul Acts 20.36 God would not have us when we come before him to worship him to offer to him and to receive from him to be as if we had no joynts in our knees he expects more from us then from the Pillars of our Churches Every day we begin our Service with a Psalm which invites us to it Psal 95.6 And the first Christians ever used to begin their Service in this manner saying Before all things let us fall down and worship the Lord who made us This was the first voice heard and the first thing done in the Primitive Church We daily utter the same voice and daily invite our selves to do the same thing and shall we never do it for all this what is this but to mock God nay to mock and abuse our selves for God will not be mocked he knows our misdemeanours in his Service and how to apportion out punishments in his own due time such as we deserve As Augustus the Emperour said to one who came rudely into his presence to petition I wonder how we two come to be so familiar so if we do but observe how rudely and with what unmannerly behaviour some persons come into Gods presence to beg pardon of him for their sins it may raise more wonder to think how God and they come to be so familiar RUBRICK The Absolution or Remission of sins to be pronounced by the Priest alone standing the people still kneeling ALmighty God Gen. 17.1 the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 15.6 who desireth not the death of a sinner but rather that he may turn from his wickedness and live Ezek. 33.11 1 Tim. 2.4 and hath given power and commandment to his Ministers to declare and pronounce to his people being penitent the absolution and remission of their sins Luk. 24.47 Joh. 20.23 2 Cor. 5.19 He pardoneth and absolveth all them that truly repent and unfeignedly believe his Holy Gospel Act. 10.43 Luk. 24.47 Act. 3.19 Rom. 1.16 Wherefore let us beseech him to grant us true repentance and his holy Spirit 2 Tim. 2.25 Act. 11.18 Luk. 11.13 that those things may please him which we do at this present Heb. 11.6 Rom. 8.8 and that the rest of our life hereafter may be pure and holy Ephes 1.4 Joh. 5.14 Rom. 6.6 so that at the last we may come to his eternal joy Heb. 12.14 Mat. 5.8 through Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 5.21 Rom. 6.23 RUBRICK The People shall answer here and at the end of all other Prayers Amen Nehem. 5.13 1 Chron. 16.36 1 Cor. 14.16 EXPLANATION The Absolution is as to every part of it grounded upon Scripture Remission and Absolution are two names which signifie one and the same thing a loosing from sin wherein the Soul is held bound as in a prison Psal 142.7 Psal 119.32 Sin is as a yoke burden chain fetter which loads binds and holds fast the Soul Lam. 1.14 Psal 38.4 Psal 73.6 Absolution helps to remove this yoke to lighten this burden to loose this chain Sin is a debt Mat. 6.12 Luk. 11.4 Mat. 18.27 by Absolution and Remission we are acquitted and discharged from this debt The Heathens looked upon the characteristick A when set alone as a propitious letter because it noted amongst the Romans the Absolution of a Criminal whereas the characteristical letter C was the mark of a condemned person but in Christianity let C for Confession be placed before A for Absolution it alters the case very much Some persons indeed have been very much offended at the word Absolution and therefore prevailed to have the word Remission stand by it to be its Interpreter into milder sense those persons I conceive to be like some people which I have read of who fearing their Tygers called them by more gentle names that they might not be devoured by them But some scruple may again be made why the Priest alone should pronounce this Absolution and that in the standing posture when all the people are still upon their knees Which scruple may easily be removed from those who can distinguish the Priest and a Minister in his Office from an ordinary person not invested into Holy Orders For the Priest especially when in his Office and officiating is in Christ's stead and acting in one part of his Commission given to him by Christ which is to absolve penitents Mat. 16.19 John 20.23 Neither doth he absolve by way of declaration only but by way of authority Jam. 5.14 15. which authority is absolutely and originally in God who is only able to forgive sins by the highest and most unquestionable authority Mark 2.8 Yet there is by the Charter of the Church a subordinate delegate power derived from God by Christ to the Priests and Ministers for to remit or to retain sin John 20.22 23. The Priest remits or retains sin as a Civil Magistrate pardons or condemns a Malefactor not by any power originally in themselves but by a power delegated from God And to shew by what power he acts the Priest pronounceth the Absolution standing and when the Confession of sin is serious from the heart unfeigned such as God requires and will accept of the Priest's Absolution is without question as effectual as if God himself did pronounce it from Heaven Heaven waits for and expects the Priest's sentence on Earth and if the person to be absolved by an hypocritical and feigned repentance make not the key to fail in such cases