(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
baseness and unworthiness mightily convinced that God hath often done good to us and others and deeply affected with the freeness frequency and fulness of his mercies and favours for here we are to exercise love and gratitude and to imitate the Quire of heaven who survey the whole world and pay the tribute of glory to him whose mercy and goodness they see and admire in every thing and so may we and then our souls shall readily comply with Davids courteous invitations to bless the Lord. Oh my God I behold what thou dost for all mankind and I feel what I have received I confess my unworthiness and admire thy goodness in all things And then the Glory be to the Father c. is a recapitulation of all those foregoing causes of glorifying every Person in the glorious Trinity or all of them and must be an acknowledgment that all mercies are dispensed to us by the Father for the Sons sake through the Ministry of the Holy Spirit and upon this account all honour and glory is and was and ever shall be due to Father Son and Holy Ghost O my ingrateful heart which sees so much cause of praising God every day for his works and his goodness to others and for what we have experience of and yet hath not learned fully to love God and constantly to praise him Come to the sweet singer of Israel he will excite thee by his example in every thing to give thanks learn of him to rejoyce with them that rejoyce learn of him to love and sing Glory be c. and thou shalt sing new songs in the New Jerusalem for ever By such means as these we ought to tune our hearts for this heavenly musick if we would have it please God and profit us and if by the help of Gods good spirit we have in some measure well performed this our next care must be that we loose not those good affections 3. Therefore endeavour to nourish these holy flames on the altar of thy heart by a holy life such as the inspired Penmen of these Psalms lead themselves (r) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athanas and such as they exhort others to and so shalt thou be every day fit to joyn in this office and be alwaies prepared to accompany the Church with suitable affections to all the several parts of Psalmody Remember these Anthems are designed not only to raise Devotion in publique but to assist holiness in private (s) Verba vivenda non legenda and by letting thee feel the comfort of that in Gods house which may strengthen thee to do his will afterwards and to set us all upon our guard against sin and Sathan who design to discompose our minds by presenting sensual pleasures and carnal allurements but you that have tasted sweeter and nobler delights will certainly despise those vain and empty pretenders to satisfaction and wish no other joy then to praise God among his servants on Earth here and among his Saints in Heaven hereafter And if this be your desire the constant use of these Psalms will make them so familiar that you will never want holy Meditations ejaculations answers to Sathans temptations and Mementoes of a holy life which is the only way that leads to the happiness you desire SECTION VIII Of the Lessons § 1. BEfore we begin to read or hear the holy Scripture it will be useful that we consider first their own excellency to engage our love to them Secondly The Providence of God in the Composing and Preserving them to excite our Reverence Thirdly The Care of the Church in fitting them to our use to encourage our diligence First The Scripture must needs be excellent because it is the Revelation of the whole Will of God so far as is necessary for our Salvation And we believe as God hath taught us and with the Primitive Church (t) 2 Tim. 3.15 In qâ—ibus invenâ—untur illa omnia quae continent f dâ—m moresque vivendi Aug. doc Chris l. 2. c. 17. Sacrae divinitùs inspiraâ—ae Scripturae per se abunde sufficiunt â—d veritatis indicationem Athan. in Idol Antiquam fidei Regulam Euseb hist lib. 5. that it is the compleat Repository of all Divine truths that concern faith or manners and therefore we own it to be the Rule of our lives and the foundation of our Faith and in all our considerable (u) Sancta Synodus Christum assessâ—rem capitis loco adjunxit Veneâ—ondum enim Evangelium inâ— Sancto throno collocavit Cyâ—ill See Dr. Cosens History of the Canon controversies we place it in the Throne as the Councels of Ephesus and Aquileia did for the moderator and determiner of such doubts and differences This is the guide of our Consciences the ground of our hopes the evidence of our inheritance and the Law by which we shall be judged at the last day (x) John 5.45 Revel 20.12 Wherefore it is the duty (y) John 5.39 and interest (z) 2 Tim. 3.15 of every Christian to be conversant in them according to the command of Jesus and the example of all Gods servants who studied them more then any other writings So that Sr. Basil and his friend used no other Book but wholly meditated in this for thirteen years And if it were possible we should exercise our selves in it day and night (a) Josh 1.8 Deut. 17.19 R. Ismael à sororis filio rogatus quodnam tempus Graecorum lectioni impenderet Resp Nullum nisi potest inveni itempus quod nec ad diem neque ad noctem pertinebat è Talin Masius in Jos 1. that is alwaies But however we must spend so much time upon them that we may be alwaies furnished with precepts to direct promises to encourage and examples to quicken us to do all good and also with Prohibitions to restrain threatnings to affright and presidents to warn us from all evil waies whatsoever And being so constantly useful and so able to shew us all that is necessary to be known believed or to be done we should love them and delight to hear them and know them because ignorance of these Sacred Oracles will lay us open to errors in Judgments (b) Mark 12.24 and wickedness in Practice (†) Psal 119.3 and finally prove the ruine of our Souls § 2. Secondly we must remember it is no ordinary regard which we must give to these holy Pages because God is the Author and his Spirit the enditer of them and in his infinite wisdome and love he hath committed his Will to writing that it might not be corrupted or impaired by the prejudices the malice or forgetfulness of men as all Traditions generally are For the matter of it he could have filled it with amazing Mysteries but consulting our good rather then his own greatness he condescends to our capacities (c) Lex loqui ut nobiscum linguâ â—lioâ—um hominum Lumen supernum nunquam descendit sine indumento Proverb
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
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
3.8 So that being compassed with so much guilt and finding no help on Earth it becomes the Soul in this fear with Jehosophat 2 Chron. 20.12 to fly to heaven and say I have no might O God against this great Multitude of transgressions that is set in array against me neither know I what to do but my eyes are upon thee my onely refuge and last hope and unless I find health and help in thee I must inevitably Perish But Lord do not cast me off but have mercy c. But although this sense be very genuine we may take the freedome for the inlarging our thoughts and assisting our Devotions to pursue the Metaphor and explaine it in that manner as a generall inference c. § 8. But thou O Lord have mercy upon us miserable sinners When we have thus discovered our deplorable condition we must not run away from God by the entertainment of despairing thoughts both because it is impossible to escape him (q) Non est quo fugias à Deo irato nisi ad Deum placatum August in Psal 7. and by attempting to fly from God we run into the evils we fear and hasten from him that alone can help us to what we desire and need Let us come therefore but not with the Pharisees I thank thee (r) Luke 18.11 but with the Publicans Lord be merciful as the Church from his Example hath taught us And when we are before him let us not ask any favours till we have begged a removal of the evils which are upon us viz. The guilt the punishment and the dominion of sin which are here so contrived into three Petitions that every one is joyned with a Motive to enforce it so that our Misery pleads for Mercy our free Confession cries for a removal of the Punishment and our hearty Reformation begs deliverance from all our contracted Indispositions The first thing in our view is our present Misery which is so plain we cannot over look it and so great we cannot but feel it and we are taught to beseech our God to look upon it for Misery is the proper object of Mercy (s) Misericordia est alienae miseriae quaedam in nostro corde compassio qua utique si possumus subvenire compellimur August Civ Dei l. 9. c. 5. That benigne Attribute is ever looking upon the Creatures present sufferings without reflecting on the deserts of the sufferer and is moved with the sight of a distressed Person whatever be the cause of his calamity Therefore when nothing else in God can give any comfort to a poor sinking sinner that knows he is not more miserable then he hath made himself by his wickedness then he can lay hold of this The Publican that dares not look up to heaven can yet say Miserere and as Mercy is the sinners chiefest comfort so it is that Attribute that moves God to forgive and pardon (t) Rom. 11.32 Hebr. 8.12 Psalm 51.1 2. so that to beg for mercy and desire forgiveness are all one as in that eminent Penitential Psalm David begins with Have mercy on me and immediately explains it by the removing his offences in like manner here we pray for pardon in our Have mercy on us because Mercy is the Almoner to distribute this principal act of Divine bounty and grants out all pardons It is not from any desert in us but a meer compassion of our distress and a pure act of Free grace that disposeth God to take away sin * Isai 43.25 We have no friend in the Court of Heaven to obtain it but Mercy and no Argument to plead for it but Misery if we come with We have prayed fasted waited (u) Isai 58.3 we seem to apply our selves to Gods Justice But he that from a heart secretly groaning under the apprehensions of its distress cries out for Mercy because he is Miserable he shall pierce Mercies ears and cause her to open her compassionate eyes to see and stretch out her gracious hand to help and if she be thy Advocate she will cause the bowels of the Almighty to yearn upon thee (x) Jerem. 31.20 Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vide 1 Reg. 3.26 prop. viscera matris vel iâ—volnera quibus foetus in utero continetur at saepe pro misericordid Dei with the same affection that the tender Mother did when she heard the cryes of her poor sprawling infant under the merciless sword of the bloody executioner But then you must be sure first to view your sin and danger fully that you may be fully convinced of your Misery and cry in a pungent sense thereof most earnestly Lord have Mercy for otherwise this will be a feigned cry and an intolerable abuse of this sweet Attribute what can provoke God more then for a man to call Mercy forth which is ready enough to come and then through impenitence or laziness or not discerning our need of it to send it back empty alas such are more miserable because they see not their misery (y) Nihil est miserius misero non miserante seipsum and they are never like to be delivered from that misery because by these feigned calls they have so often mocked God and affronted this their only friend that if at last they call in earnest when Death is before their eyes Mercy then will not come § XI Spare thou them O God that confess their faults The elder brother that knew the fidelity and constancy of his service expects a large reward but the poor Prodigal that was conscious of his offences will esteem it a high favour to escape a severe Chastisement and utter exclusion from his Fathers house and presence they that are not sensible of their guilt fear not punishment and esteem a deliverance scarce worth the asking But he that considers the multitude of his own offences and Gods abhorrency of them and remembers the terrors of his threatnings and strictness of his justice the fierceness of his anger when he begins and the impossibility of avoiding that stroke which no place can hide him from (z) Josh 8.20 Non erat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in eis Manus ad pugnandum vel pedes ad fugiendum RR. LXX Vulg. Masius Nen erat iis locus ut Deut. 2.37 C. P. J. nostr Vers Non erant in eis vires ita Drus no hands resist no feet fly from nor no strength endure To this poor soul Gods pity is desirable and it is accounted a great mercy he hath not yet felt the weight of Gods wrath such an one begs earnestly he never may feel it or however not sink eternally under it he can pray as heartily before the stroke come as otheâ—s when the smart extorts it from them When the Israelites heard the cry of Egypt and saw the slaughter of so many first born (a) Exod 12.13 Fagius in locum they then thought it a mercy not to be slain worthy the celebrating with
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
(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
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. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Whereas in Extempore Prayer the Petitions expire into Air in a moment for neither Minister nor People knew them before nor can remember them afterwards the one being busy in inventing the others in expecting a pleasing novelty And methinks it argues more of the Spirit of God when we can attend the old Prayers with zeal and love then when we need Variety and Novel Expressions to skrew us up into a Devotion too much like Artifice and seeming rather to be moved by the pleasure of the Fancy then the Actings of desire However we judge of the Effects of Gods Spirit rather by disposing our hearts to joyn in a well-composed Form then by filling our heads with new Prayers or opening our Mouths in fluent expressions both which we may do without the help of the Spirit but to be devout without it is most impossible To which we shall only add that many Sons of God and sound Members of our Church do daily use these prayers with as much Spirit and Life serious and sincere Devotion as any in the World can do And this they account a demonstration that the Spirit doth assist them in this Form And so it may assist these mistaken Christians if they will lay down their groundless prejudice and try to serve God thus as well as they can So would the good Spirit assist their prayers and make up our differences (h) Quis enim inimicum adhuc ducere potest eum cum quo unam ad Deum vocem emisit D. Basil giving us one mind and one Spirit that with one Heart and one Mouth we might glorify one God Object 2. But it is further urged that these Prayers though good in themselves will grow flat and nauseous by daily use (i) Vilia sunt nobis quaecunque prioribus annis Vidimus sorâ— det quicquid spectavimus olim Calphurn Eccl. 7. and consequently become an impediment to Devotion Answ We come not to the house of God for Recreation but for a supply of our Wants and therefore this might be a better reason of an empty Theatre than a thin Congregation We come to God in Publique to petition for the releif of our own general Necessities and those of the whole Church viz. for Pardon of sin Peace of Conscience the succours of Divine Grace and a Deliverance from sin and Sathan Death and Hell as also for food and raiment health and strength protection and success in all our Concerns and more generally for the Peace of the Kingdom the prosperity of the Church the propagation of the Gospel and the success of its Ministers Now these things are alwaies needful and alwaies the same to be prayed for every day alike Wherefore unless we be so Vain as to fancy God is delighted with Variety and Change as well as we what need is there to alter the Phrase every day or what efficacy can a new Model give to our old requests Particular wants and single Cases must be supplyed by the Closet-Devotions for the Pubâ—ique whether by Form or Extempore can never reach all those which are so numerous and variable Wherefore one Form may fit all that ought to be asked in the Church and why then should we desire a needless and infinite Variety and Alteration If we do it is out of Curiosity not Necessity The poor Man is most healthful whose Labour procures him both Appetite and Digestion who seldome changeth his Dish yet finds a Relish in it and a new strength from it every day And so it is with the sober and industrious Christian who busying himself in serving God gets daily a new sense of his Wants and consequently a fresh Stomack to these Holy Forms which are never flat or dull to him that brings new affections to them every day It is the Epicure and luxurious the crammed lazy Wanton or the diseased man that need quelques choses or Sauces to make his daily bread desirable And if this be our Temper it is a sign of a diseased Soul and an effect of our surfeiting on holy things In this we resemble those Murmurers Numb 11.6 who despised the bread of Heaven because they had it daily and loathed Manna it self calling it in scorn Dry Meat This was sufficient to sustain their bodies and satisfy their hunger but they required Meat for their Soul (k) Psal 78.18 LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to feed their Fancies and their lusts even as we do for whom the Church hath provided Prayers sufficient to express our needs but not to satiate our wanton Fancies nor gratify the Lust of our Curiosity and we complain they are insipid so perhaps they are to such for the Manna had no Tast to the wicked but it suited it self to the Appetite and Tast of every good Man as the Jews tell us in their Traditions (l) Wisd 16.21 Fagius on Numb 11. Sure I am it is true here for if we be curious and proud or Carnal and Profane there is no gust in the Common-prayers but a truly pious Man can every day here exercise Repentance and Faith Love and Desire and so use them as to obtain fresh hopes of Mercy Peace of Conscience increase of Grace and expectations of Glory and whoever finds not this the fault is not in the Prayers but in the indisposition of his own heart If all this will undeceive any and take away their prejudice so that they may see clearly what they cannot but love if they did behold I shall think my pains well bestowed if not it appears they are resolved to believe as they do and I am resolved also not to imitate them so far as to cover my Arguments with strenuous revilings (m) Non incessimus adversarios convitiis contumeliis sicut plerique faciunt rationum argumentorum infirmitatem maledictis obtegentes Greg. Naz. because it is more pleasant to me to give a true and lovely Character of my own Devotions then an odious though deserved one of Others Only let those that delight in making objections against Forms know that we can easily recriminate and Charge extempore Prayers with Novelty Confusion Irreverence Vain-glory which can scarce be denyed and many other inconveniences that will hardly be excused But this were to perpetuate a Quarrel and had not been mentioned here but to teach those to be modest in their Censures (n) Cum tua praevideas oculis mala lippus inunctis Cur in amicorum Vitiis tam cernis Acutum who are not free from all Exceptions nay liable to infinitely more then can be justly Charged upon us But having thus cleared the way to all indifferent and disinterested Persons it is time to speak briefly of the Design of the following Discourse which is to make it evident that our Excellent Prayers do deserve all possible love and esteem and contain in them a rich Treasurie of all that can make our Devotion liveâ—y and useful And if we be assisted by Gods spirit and
come with Desire to pray with zeal and sincerity here is without calling in any aids but that of Heaven Matter enough in the curious Order clear Method significant Phrases and strong Arguments to quicken our affections and enlarge our Souls in holy and fervent wishes desires and meditations which is the Prayer of the Inward Man the Life and Soul of this Duty All which is done by giving a Natural and facile Analysis of the Method and by making plain and practical Observations on the parts together with a literal Paraphrase of the whole By which none can imagine I should give a borrowed lustre to the Prayers which they had not of their own for I only prove they had it before and I find all in them that I observe from them which I hope will be so plain that all Men will see the inference and be able in their own Devotions to find out much more Now in this Essay I shall hope to serve three sorts of Persons 1. The Ignorant who may be instructed hereby to pray with understanding Not that we suppose these Offices so obscure as to need a Comment for nothing can be more plainly expressed nor is it possible to invent words more universally understood but many that understand the sense of the words have not Art enough to discern the Order Method and Connexion of the Prayers nor skil to find out the Arguments that press every request or the places of Scripture which furnish these Devotions with significant Phrases nor judgment to Describe what disposition of Soul doth suit the several parts of them And they that consider that the greatest number are such will think it seasonable to help such with a plain and easy Explication But to pass these there are many in other things knowing Persons who rather for want of Consideration then judgment never took notice of the natural dependences of these prayers nor the true and full import of the expressions nor of the Graces to be exercised in the several Parts because they only attended the words but took no care to expatiate into holy meditations And if the former need a Master these want a Monitor lest they offend in a worse kind (o) Non tibi deputatur ad culpam quod invitus ignoras sed quod negligis quaerere quod ignoras Aug. de lib. arbitr lib. 3. c. 19. For Negligence is worse then simple Ignorance But I hope though all that is here be obvious yet something will be found which either was not known or not observed before and those things also such as may elevate the affections and make the Prayers more pleasing and more profitable 2. The devout servants of God and obedient Sons of the Church whose Care it is to pray daily in Publique and whose desire and endeavour is to do it well Might I be a Nethinim to hew wood and prepare fuel for the altars of their Hearts I should rejoice and it hath been my Care to suggest not alwaies the most Critical but the most practical sense which most directly tended to help Devotion for these Mens sake who no doubt have in their own hearts made many of these Observations before and I hope they will like them no worse for I shall like them better in hopes the same Spirit directed me and them But I hope that what I have done will besides its present assistance suggest a way to all devout Souls for making Pathetical and pious inlargements more and better then are to be found here that so our daily Offices may be full of life and pleasure and every day court us with new delights And I must affirm I have rather opened the top then searched the bottome of this rich Mine But suâ—e I am we had need to quicken our Devotion all we can not only for our own good but that our flames might thaw the hearts and lighten the eyes of the rest of the Congregation which scarce ever mind either Words or â—ense but are either sleepy or tired to the dishonour of God the discomfort of the Minister (p) Pauci mecum sunt in oratione hi ipsi vertiginosi hiantes assiduè se convertentes observantes quando Psalmorum cantor versus finiet quando ab Ecclesiâ velut à carcere ab orationis necessitate liberabuntur Basil conc 11. de servit and the ruine of their own Souls How happy should we be if by my endeavours and your Examples we might awaken such into a Sense of their Duty that these excellent Prayers might every where be said with an excellent spirit for the benefit of particulars and the good of the whole Church 3. The mistaken dissenters who hereby may be convinced and perhaps persuaded (q) Facilius vinci possunt quam persuaderi Hyeron that we can pray by this Form with as much zeal and more knowledg with as much Spirit and more Truth then by any other kind of Prayer And then it must appear that this Venerable Liturgie hath been falsly represented by such who would not have it seen truly lest it should be loved really (r) Credunt de nobis quae non probantur nolunt inquiri ne probentur non esse Tert. Ante nos incipiunt homines odisse quam nosse ne cognitos aut imitari possint aut damnare non possint Cyp. de idol Van. But if they are so much their own Masters as to read the Prayers seriously and view this little book with as much Charity as it was written with I shall hope either for their company at Prayers or at least to escape their censures for going thither For unless they be foolishly obstinate they either must love them or cannot hate them If they would love them and pray with us we shall be friends and if only the second be obtained we shall be quiet and even that is desirable These are the designes which began and incouraged this undertaking and that they are the sincere purposes of the Author his own Conscience doth testify and he hopes even those who approve not the Meanes must confess the end is good But that he should be so happy to obtain it in all is rather to be desired then expected and if it be succesful in any of these kinds he will not repent his pains If in none he is not the first that hath failed in accomplishing good Intentions And however he will have satisfaction in the Peace of a good Conscience (s) 2 Cor. 1.12 and may say with that noble Roman (t) si sequuta fuerit quae debuit fortuna nos omnes gaudebimus sin minùs ego tamen gaudebo Brutus ap Ciceronem If the success answer his sincerity it will be a cause of universal Joy if not he can rejoyce in his cordial intentions to do good For the Censures of furious zealots or the scoffings of profane Ishmaels he doth not value them being only unwilling to offend authority or true Piety Wherefore he doth
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
his Authority Much more may the God of Heaven do so and we are taught whom he did choose (z) Matth. 28. ult the Apostles and their successors who are his Ambassadors (a) 2 Cor. 5.20 his Ministers and Stewards of divine Mysteries (b) 1 Cor. 4.1 nay the Presidents of Souls (c) Heb. 13.17 Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thess 5.12 Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Levit. 10. and the familiar friends of God (d) Ver. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propinqui Dei Fagius in locum and the Scripture calls them Angels (e) Jud. 2.1 C. P. ascendit Propheta in legatione à coram domino because they have the same imployment which the Antients ascribed to Angels (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philo. de Plant. Noe. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divinorum sunt patefactores Traducunt divina ad nos nostra vicissim ad divina perducunt Jamblith de Mysteriis to conâ—ey Messages between God and Men to present our Prayers to him and bring back to us the news of his Love and especially to bring this Pardon to the Penitent and to proclaim it even to the Impenitent Wherefore let those that despise the Priest or invade his office or allow no difference between a Pardon pronounced by him and an ordinary Person let them take heed of contemning those whom God so highly honours and beware they intrench not upon the supreme Power of the Sender in disallowing the subordinate Power of those that are sent A Condemned man may be told of a Pardon intended to him but he will then believe and humbly rejoyce in it when his Princes herald approaches with it in his hand Oh that we would shew as much reverence and joy upon the news of a greater Absolution that learned Professor may be our pattern (g) Dr. Reynolds who though he in some things dissented yet in this of Absolution he was so clear that he desired it on his death bed and kist the hands of his Brother Professor (h) Dr. Holland who at his earnest request had absolved him But besides their power as the Ambassadors of Christ they have a special charge and command to restore them that fall (i) Galat. 6.1 to comfort the feeble-minded (k) 1 Thess 5.14 and under the Allegory of Shepheards (l) Ezek. 34.4 c. are severely threatned if by their neglect the deseased broken and scattered ones of the flock shall perish and certainly if sinners grow desperate out of ignorance that they may be forgiven it will be heavily charged upon these Shepheards who should have proclaimed this as we do in our Church every day to bring such to a hearty Repentance A power we have alwaies but when there is any truly humbled soul then we have an express Command to loose them of their bonds § 7. To declare and pronounce to his People being Penitent the Absolution and Remission of their sins As the Priests of the Law were to pronounce a blessing upon the offerers (m) Num. 6.24 c. so those of the Gospel are to dispense the blessing of Absolution unto the Penitent this we declare in this daily form according to the Power which God hath given us and upon great need and especial occasion are ready more solemnly to pronounce it to those that are prepared for it according to the particular charge we have received and in both Cases we can assure those that truly Repent that the guilt of their sin shall be absolved and the Punishment remitted But God himself will not forgive any but those that are Penitent and therefore his servants cannot whose power in this is limited and regulated by his Will We indeed cannot see the hearts of men nor infallibly determine of the sincerity of their repentance but yet we see external signs of it prostration confession and in some sighs and tears wherefore Charity obligeth us to judge favourably (n) 1 Cor. 13.7 Justius est occulta de manifestis praejudicare quam manifestis de occultis praedamnare Tert. Apol. in dubious Cases and it is better to commit an error on the right hand of Mercy then a horrid crime by cruelty (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Antiph and good men (p) Credulitas error est magis quam culpa quidem in optimi cujusque mentem facillimè irrepit Cicero especially Ministers out of tenderness should hope the best The Rabbins say in the cause of blood if one have the Casting voice he must ever take the merciful side and give his suffrage for sparing Fagius and the same reason holds here especially because in a mixt Congregation many are truly penitent and some of them much dejected and these must not starve for fear others surfet least we destroy the Righteous with the wicked wherefore we hold out a daily Pardon to such but we sufficiently exclude the ungodly because we declare it only belongs to the Penitent But yet though the Minister is to judge charitably the people are to examine impartially because though the Servant cannot yet the Master can distinguish between the Penitent and Impenitent And though the Minister shall have a reward for his Charity the obstinate sinner shall not have the benefit thereof Let it therefore be your care to examine your hearts and repent truly that so you may not only have a Pardon from Man but from Almighty God also do you as the Jews are taught by their Masters to do (q) Buxt Syn. c. 18. who are bid to spend the whole Month before the day of Expiation in examining their lives and repenting of their sins especially when the Trumpet sounds to give warning four days before and then we can assure you as they do them that on the great day you shall be certainly absolved he that truly repents and then comes humbly to receive this Absolution shall have God sealing it to him and that day shall be his day of Expiation § 8. He pardoneth and absolveth The unjust Steward for flattery and advantage doth in his own name by private Compacts diminish and remit his Masters debts without his consent (r) Luke 16.5 6. and those Priests are false Stewards to the God of Heaven who in the same manner acquit sinners But whatever tâ—â— Priests of the Roman Church may get by such fraudâ—iâ—â— dealings sure I am God keeps so exact a debt-book that he will loose nothing but the credulous debter shall suffer by his rash belief when he is called over to a new reckoning but because fidelity is the most necessary qualification in a Steward (s) 1 Cor. 4.2 We do not pretend to do this in our own Names but being to Publish a Pardon we do it in Nomine Domini not We but He Pardoneth for it is Gods sole Priviledge to forgive sins and the Scribes and Pharisees called it Blasphemy for any to pretend to this power (t) Luke 5.21 And the Fathers
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
to desire God to be unjust But our Lord Jesus who payed our scores hath sent us to his Father with these words in our mouths and he calls them truly Our Trespasses to shew his love in redeeming us and Gods mercy in forgiving us not to make us fear them as unpardonable for when we remember our Redeemer we have lively hopes in the midst of our humble acknowledgments because he that payed our Debt makes the same request in heaven for us That God would clear us and charge our iniquities upon him But because we are so apt to remember our needs and forget our duty to pray for good things to our selves and neglect the doing them to others our master hath annexed one of the greatest duties of the Gospel so close to this necessary and desirable request that we cannot ask forgiveness of God but we must promise the same to our neighbours that so Christ may make peace in Earth as well as Heaven we must declare not only to lay as de our groundless prejudices against our bretheren bâ—t to q it all pretences of malice or revenge even to those who have not payed us the returns of love and duty where they were obliged to it and to our enemies that have wronged and harmed us by thought word or deeds Not that our Pardon from God depends absolutely on this or is merited by it but because it is most reasonable that we who request forgiveness of our offences against God should forgive the lesser debts (s) Veniam det facile cui veniâ est opus Ecclus 28.3 Matth. 18.24 cum 28. 10000 Tal. h. e. nostrae monet 1870500 lb 100 Denar h. c. 3. lb 2. sol 6. den vide Waser de Num. ap Critic of our bretheren to uâ— which are fewer in number smaller in valew committed against a meaner person and commonly upon some provocation on our part He that doth so strictly exact his due in these petty injuries deserves to be strictly accounted with himself and may blush to ask of so great a God to abate of his rigour when he a mortal creature will not do it to his Equall how can such a malicious person be sensible of the kindness which God sheweth in forgiving him when he is a stranger to those compassions such a mans person must be hatefull to our Heavenly Father because he is so unlike him (t) Matth. 5.45 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 al. lib. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grot. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Libanius Sophist and his request odious because it is unreasonable and impudent Wherefore take heed least by your malice and uncharitableness you involve your selves into the wrath of God for your own greater injuries and offences § 8. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil Temptation doth not in its prime sense in Scripture signifie a sollicitation to evil but any kind of tryal (u) 2 Cor. 13.5 Heb. 11.29 and is expressed both by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Duae sunt tentationes una quae decipit altera quae probat secundum eam quae decipit Deus neminem Tentat Aug. Tract 43. in order to the discovery of what we are whether it be done by a Friend as when God tempted Abraham Gen. 22.1 or glorified him as some read with a design to manifest the strength of his Faith or by an enemy as when Sathan desired to sift St. Peter (x) James 1.13 not to purifie him but to manifest that mixture of chaff he could find in him and because evil objects shew what we are and declare us to be evil if we comply with them therefore the setting evil things before us to draw us into sin are also called Temptation but God never tempts thus he may try us by Afflictions and put us in the fire as Gold (y) 1 Pet. 1.6 7. to separate us from our dross nay he will do it (z) Zechar. 13.9 and it is a sign of his love (a) Heb. 12.6 and ought to be a cause of our joy (b) James 1.2 and David begs it as a favour (c) Psal 139.23 Nor do any but cheats and hypocrites fly this tryal or fear to be inquired into Gods Children are willing their Father should try them and tempt them here with intentions of mercy rather then to pass the severe Tryal before the last Tribunal and as to these tryals and temptations Christ would rather teach us to pray to be supported under and carried through them then never to be lead into them which if Gods grace be with us may be for our advantage and honour and his glory Wherefore by Temptation here we are rather to understand the being enticed to commit sin or however a trying whether we will sin and thus it well follows the former Petition (d) Vt non de remittendis tantum sed etiam de avertendis in totum delictis supplicaremus Tert. de Or. Illud ut praeterita eâ—pientur hoc ut futura vitentur Oros de liber arb for having considered the heinous nature and dangerous consequents of former sins and prayed for the forgiveness of them if we spoke that out of a real fear of those dreadful miseries we cannot but desire we may never more fall into such desperate circumstances and to quicken this request let us consider Our enemies are many and mighty vigilant and politick that we are naturally easie and willing to be deceived rash in our choices heedless of danger neither considering before nor examining afterwards and so shall certainly fall every moment it God in mercy do not help us and if we be humble and fear and heartily call for aid against sin (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arrian l. 4. c. 12. although we should fall some times we declare our hatred of it and if we be not totally free yet we manifest a desire to be free from all and for this we rely not on our own strength but as Jesus hath taught us humbly beg strength from Heaven every day against it But some may wonder why we desire God would not lead us c. sure he that hates sin so perfectly and so lately forgave us will not tempt us to commit more (f) James 1.13 't is most true Sathan is the Tempter (g) Matth. 4.3 and so his name Sathan in Hebrew signifies he being miserable by sin (h) Solatium perditionis suae perdendis hominibus operatur Lact. de orig er desires to make men partners with him in sin and misery by working on those lusts (i) Jam. 1.14 which do draw us into sin But the Devil himself is under the Command of the Almighty who sets him bounds that he cannot pass and gives permission to him to tempt us (k) Job 1.12 Chal. P. Exiit Sathanas cum licentiae à coram Domino so that he could have no power against us except it were given him from on high
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
name of God for any mercy we have received Wherefore they are used and commended by Christians Jews and Mahumetans And although we have many differences among the several parties that are called Christians yet all agree to make use of these incomparable and sacred Anthems so that Cassander designed to compose a Liturgie out of them that might serve his purpose of universal accommodation and be received by all Christians This joint consent and universal approbation will make it needless to spend much time to commend what all admire Yet it were easie to reckon up those excellent titles (a) Virtutum Organum Ambr. Theologiae compendium Basil Epitome totius Scripturae Athan. Parva Biblia Luther and honourable characters (b) Psalmus benedictio populi est Dei laus plebis laudatio plausus omnium sermo universorum vox Ecclesiae fidei canora confessio c. vid. Ambros praef ad Psal which have been given of them They are the instrument of Virtue the marrow of Divinity the storehouse of Devotion the Epitome of all Holy Scripture They contain excellent Forms to bless the people to praise God to rejoyce in his favour to bewail his absence to confess our faith to crave pardon of our sins deliverance from our enemies and all blessings for the Church of God In the use of them we ought to exercise all Graces Repentance and Faith Love to God and Fear of him Charity to men and Compassion to the miserable with all the rest of those Christian qualifications that our souls must be endued with the Composure of them declares they are fitted for men of all ages and degrees in all Estates and Conditions Young and Old Kings Priests and People in Prosperity and Adversity here they may find that which so exactly sâ—tes them all as it their condition had been foreseen and particularly provided for and if any who grant this shall except that many of the Psalms are not applicable to their condition I shall confidently affirm that a devout soul in its enjoyment of the divine favour can be humbled in using the complaints for want of it uttered by better men and thereby they are moved to see what they deserve and to consider what many of their bretheren want so on the contrary a Pious man under trouble of spirit can by the spiritual rejoycings there described behold the goodness of God to others and foresee his own deliverance receiving thereby additions to his faith hope and patience He that forgives his eâ—emies and wisheth well to all particular persons may repeat those curses delivered in this book as predictions of the misery like to befall the inveterate enemies of Religion or as deprecations against sin and Sathan and all the spiritual enemies of our souls which are the Amalek with whom we must have an endless war and whose extirpation we must endeavour and pray for The like might be said of all the rest in all other cases but this may suffice to justifie the Church in more frequent using these Psalms then any other part of Gods word because this is the quintescence of all Scripture (c) Historia instruit Lex docet Prophetia annuntiat correptio castigat morabitas suadet in libâ—o Psalmorum profectus omnium est Ambros ut supr accommodated for Worship and Devotion And so it was esteemed by the Jews and therefore the greatest part of the Temple-service consisted of Forms contrived out of the Psalms and committed to the Masters of the Quire who used those Forms (d) 1 Chron. 16.7 ad ver 37. collected out of 105.96 106 Psalmes Ab eo tempore ordinariè post-hac Deus fuit celebratus Psalmis sacrâ musicâ Osiander See 1 Chr. 25.2 and praised God by them long after Davids time (e) 2 Chron. 29.30 yea at this very day their Liturgie is an extract principally out of these Psalms (f) Buxtorf Synag cap. 5. Et versus alios complures Psalâ—is Davidicis recitare solent c. ibid. which they use in their Synagogues at this present And no man is ignorant how constantly the Primitive Christians used them in their Assemblies (g) 1 Cor. 14.26 Coloss 3.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Constit Apost l. 2. cap. 57. so that Pliny describes their service by singing hymns to the honour of God which they used so much in publique that the very Women and Children and meanest Mechanicks (h) Psalmorum oracula domi canunt in foro circumferunt Basil in 1 Psal See Euseb Hist lib. 9. cap. 1. and more fully Hammond preface to the Psalms could say them by heart and sung them at home and abroad even about their labours making them at once the exercise of their piety and the refreshment of their minds recreating themselves and glorifying God and hereby they had answers ready to oppose all Sathans temptations and the most illiterate might pray to God or praise him in any circumstances by a Form of his own Inditing How happy should we be if we were now as perfect in them The best way to be so is to frequent the Church daily where they are used and there we shall at once be refreshed with the musick and instructed by the frequent recital of them and so we shall at the same time be pleased and profited we shall have holy principles conveyed into our minds with pleasure (i) O sapiens Doctoris inventum qui simul canere utilia nos discere excogitavit Basil ut supr And for this cause I suppose the musick which these sacred songs were first set to is still continued in the Church as it was among the Jews and best Christians (k) Ad S. Altare iterum rediens Psalmorum incipit Melos concinentibus secum sacra carmina omnibus Ecclesiastici Ordinis gradibus Dionys Areop Eccles hist c. 3. Vid. item Euseb lib. 2. cap. 17. Eccl. histor Which ought to mind us of the musick of the Celestial Quire and may calm our souls and gently raise our affections (l) Grotius in 1 Sam. 10. v. 5. putting us into a fit posture to glorifie our Father which is in heaven and sweetning these pious Lessons that will take the deeper root because the heart was first mollified and prepared to receive them for sure he is of a rugged temper and hath an ill composed soul who feels not these effects of that grave and pleasant harmony which doth accompany this office and we may fear they are not of Davids spirit whose ears are offended or spirit disturbed or devotion hindred by vocal or instrumental musick but oh ye prudent and pious Christians who bring no prejudices against these things you know how oft your souls have been rapt up with extasies of devotion and your minds filled with Ideas of the Celestial glory and your hearts enflamed with strong affections by these sweet strains Wherefore do you endeavour when you are so disposed with fervency and holy ardors to
high did thus descend to Earth it was to be hoped men would shake off their sloth and since he sent them so fair a notice that they would not be surprised in their carelesness but appear in an Equipage suiting the greatness of his Majesty the dearness of his love and the excellency of his design (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philo de Cher. that was to come And this made the good man rejoyce hoping when they saw their danger and were shewed their Redeemer they would fly into his arms for remission and grace and if they did so he is glad for their advantage However he praises God for his mercy since he hath done his part And we have still the same cause of rejoycing for that which was then done by an Agent extraordinary is now performed by the Ministers and Ambassadors of Chriâ—t and by the Gospel you have now heard which being ever resident among us prepare a lodging for Jesus in your hearts when he comes in the Spirit to offer his grace to you Thus he is set before you not to be gazed at but to be entertained And if you upon the warning prepare for him by Repentance you shall also have Remission and then you may with Zachary bless God for the knowledge of Salvation that the Gospel gives unto you And that the exhortations of Ministers and summons of Gods word may not be as ineffectual to us as those of this great Prophet were to the Jews consider the first cause of all this Mercy both of Gods sending his son to us and giving us so many warnings to receive him It was the bowels of Gods tender mercies (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vulg. Viscera Misericordiae viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 affectus Matris erga foetum è Visceribus suis prodeuntem Jerem. 31.20 which yearned to behold us in the hands and under the sword of the merciless executioner and moved him to send his son to rescue us by suffering the stroke for us It was not our merits but our misery not our deserts but distress that prevailed with him we were worthy to dye yet his heart relented and he could not see us bleed and shall we be unmoved to behold him bleed for us and will we dye for all this we were indeed in darkness and could not see our danger and if we had fallen into the pit then it had been our calamity but now the morning appears John teaches Ministers Preach and Christ himself the Sun of Righteousness (c) Malach. 4.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut LXX Jerem. 23.5 Zachar. 3.9 malè Bez. germen conser ver 79. Jesai 9.2 Camer Grotius Christus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitur à Patribus Judaei horoscopum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vocare solent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 1.2 Syr. vert 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scaliger began to spring from the East then and now if we perish 't is our willfulness and deserves no pitty Oh what hath God done to shew us the right way sending first the morning Star the Harbinger of the Suns approach (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philo. and when the Heathens were benighted in Idolatry the Jews with evil principles worse practises and sad afflictions then did our Sun display his Beams from on high for he rose not from the Earth but his rising was his fall his course a descent from Heaven to us and if Zachary is so rejoyced with the glimpses we should much more with the Meridian glory he now shines in Let us not only rejoyce in his light for a season but walk by it and if we be in darkness it will shew us our Condition and then guide us into the right way this light will first Convert us and then conduct us The Apostle thought it was high time to awake then (e) Rom. 13.11 12. and sure it is more so now for if in the light of knowledge in the day we do the works of darkness that very light which we refuse to direct us as a guide shall discover us to our shame But take warning and let not this light be set up in vain who would not most thankfully follow a friendly light offered to him in an unknown dark and dangerous way The Devil will lead you up and down after the Ignis fatuus of Enthusiasm and your own imagination till you sink into destruction but this Gospel is a true light be thankful for it for its precepts are tâ—e Beams of the Sun of Righteousness and do not only admire but follow it and it will not only shew you where you are but carry you where you should be even to everlasting joy and peace Amen The Paraphrase of the Benedictus PRaised and Blessed be the Lord of hosts the God of Israel even of all true believers for he hath shewed us in holy Gospel how he remembred our misery beheld our distress and in pitty sent his son from heaven who hath visited in his Incarnation and redeemed by his death us and all his people throughout the world He hath relieved us when we had no means of help and hath raised up the greatest deliverer that ever was to be a mighty Salvation for us even his Eternal and only Son made man descending as was promised of the tribe of Judah to succeed in the house and restore the Kingdome of his servant David and make it an everlasting Dominion Hereby our God hath not only helped us but manifested his own truth for now he hath make good his Word and done as he spake by his Spirit in the mouth of all his messengers the holy Prophets which have been sent to give notice of this great mercy at sundry times since the world began It rejoyceth our souls to see the fulfilling of that which they so often comforted Gods people with by assuring them that we and they should be delivered by an invincible Redeemer from our enemies Sin and Sathan and nobly rescued from the hands and out of the Power of those that had enslaved us and of all that hate us and seek our ruine This is the blessed time in which the God of truth was pleased to perform the glorious work of our Redemption which was the mercy so much desired by and so graciously promised to our forefathers now he hath vouchsafed to call to mind and to remember the engagements he made to them in his holy Covenant and made them good before our eyes Our gracious Lord is as sure to perform his word as he was ready to promise and we now rejoyce in the verification of the Oath which he unchangeably sware to our forefather Abraham to assure him that he would give us who are his seed by faith his own dear Son for our Redeemer And now what doth the Lord our God require in return for all his mercy and truth but that we being delivered by the death of Jesus from the wrath of God and rescued out of
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
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 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
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
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
Pride the Tympany (k) Ep. Jude 16. of the mind c. Now the poor Penitent having surveyed himself within and without presents himself before the great Physician of souls and acknowledgeth his want of health he finds the whole head sick with evil devices (l) Isai 1.5 6. and the heart faint with pursuing evil desires and the whole body from inward corrupt Principles overspread with Egyptian ulcers so that if Jesus ask him to what part he shall apply his plaister he will answer Not to my feet only but to my hands and my head nothing but a Panarion can cure him the Head is heavy with Ignorance and dizzy with confused thoughts the Eyes bloodless with Wantonness distorred with Envy and inflamed with covetous desires 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 John 2.16 the ears are deaf to Gods Word but itch after vanity and novelties the Tongue blistered with lyes and slanders kindled at the flames of hell * James 3.6 steaming forth filthy and blasphemous Evaporations the Heart is cloven with hypocrisie decayed in the heat of Zeal and Charity the Hands are feeble and soon weary of well-doing the Stomach is overcharged with surfetting and drunkenness and nauseates all sober reproof the Knees are stiff with laziness and irreverence in Gods worship the Feet often lame and alwayes trembling in the wayes of holiness This is the sad account of our infirmities and diseases some of which are almost contrary to others yet all agreeing in this to hasten our death if we hasten not to him who alone hath remedies for us And when we are before him we must not deny any of them for their multitude nor conceal any for their loathsomness for this shame will make our cure impossible (m) Plerosque tamen hoc opus ut publicationem sui aut suffugere aut de dic in diem differre pudoris magis memores quam salutis velâ—t illi qui in vericundioribus corporis partibus contractâ vexatione conscientiam medentium vitant ita cum erubescentiâ suâ pereunt Tertul. de poen cap. 6. and is not to be given way to unless we love our honour better then our eternal safety if any of these plagues should not yet be broke out upon you and you should thence conclude your soundness I shall desire that you would first examine your selves by these symptomes which if you find you may suspect either you are not in health or will not long continue so 1 Decay of the Appetite when the soul doth not hunger and thirst after Righteousness and desire the sincere Milk of the Word (n) Matth. 5.6 1 Pet. 2.1 for a healthy soul cannot be long without them and in the want of them is no more satisfied with worldly delights then your craving bowels are with pleasant Musick such need no arts to invite them to this heavenly food for no business can wholly divert them nor can any difficulty discourage them but to be indifferent whether we have it or no is a bad sign and to nauseate it a worse 2. An ill digestion when the Word doth not inlighten you nor Sacraments engage you nor Prayer spiritualize you nor Reproof amend you when Mercies do do not quicken your love but encrease your security when Afflictions do not bring you to Repentance but fill you with discontent when these Divine things are putrified and Venome and Corruption extracted from them it is time to take heed for a disease is not far off which may be also gathered from 3. A general listlesness and disability in the members of our body and faculties of our souls for the discharge of their several parts in Gods service we may then fear a spiritual lethargy although perhaps the tongue be active still (o) Prov. 26.14 and Chap. 13.14 and is exercised in speaking of Religion and commending the wayes of God nay and many seemingly passionate wishes be added that we may alwayes walk in them yet if the hands hang down and the knees and legs be feeble if the work be still undone this soul is in no Athletick Constitution Nor yet that wherein there is 4. A superfluity of humours if the Choller of Passion the Flegm of Sloth the Melancholly of Despair or the Sanguine of Levity and Voluâ—tuousness too much abound you are in the borders of a disease and had need consider if you are not too hot with Partiality and violent Zeal nor too cold with Atheistical indifferency too moist with discouraging griefâ— nor too dry with unfruitful vanity But 't is to be feared a little Examination will discover some if not most of these Symptomes in us all and were there but half as mâ—ch to portend a mortal sickness to our body we should not stay for an adviser but run to or presently send for the Physician (p) Venienti occurrite morbo sero medicina paracur Cum mala per longas invaluêre moras let me but desire us much care here where the distemper is in the nobler part and the danger Death Eternal your better half is dying and if you love your selves make haste to Jesus for speedy help Flatter not your selves because its signs are not yet so evident or its present force so formidable for by being despised it will gain strength and take root and perhaps despise a cure at last Aristides dyed of the bite of a little Weazle which he neglected till it became incurable and then cryed out in a desperate Rage O me miserum c. Miserable wretch that I am if it had been a Lyon I had sought a Remedy Happy are they that dress their green wounds and purge out their noxious humours betimes so shall they not languiâ—h under a tedious sickness nor be tormented with the pains of an irresistible Gangrene Some do suppose the Penitent after the full View of his many and grievous sins is here looking round about to find whether there be any way to escape or means of deliverance but being disappointed he humbly acknowledgeth there is no health that is no (*) Psal 146.3 in quibus non est salus Vulg. Qui servandi facultatem non habent Vatab. Salus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ap LXX Ps 132.9 alibi ambiguè usurpantur pro sanitate salute unde Psal 119.155 in Vet. Trans Health in Nov. Tran. Salvation is far c. per Metonym salus pro mediis ad salutem necessariis unde Psalm 42. ult Vet. Transl Help of my countenance Nov. Tra. Health of c. h. e. Ab his malis nos servare non habemus potentiam adjuvandi medâ—ndi liberandi facultatem salvation or meanes of help or power to procure health or deliverance among the Sons of Men. We can destroy our selves but in God is our hope Hos 13.9 In vain do we hope for salvation from great or smal Jerem. 3.23 For no man can deliver himself nor his brother Psal 49.7 Salvation alone belongeth to the Lord Psal