is to be in the kneeling posture the posture of penitents when he is performing this penitential Office and he is to perform it in the appointed place in imitation of the Priests and Ministers under the Law who were commanded in their penitential Service to weep between the Porch and the Altar and to say Spare thy people O Lord and give not thine heritage to reproach that the heathen should rule over them wherefore should they say among the people Where is their God Joel 2.17 To conclude the Litany take it in the whole and in every part of it is so excellent a Form of all good devotion that they must needs be upbraided either with errour or somewhat worse whom in all parts this principal and excellent Prayer doth not fully satisfie The corruptions brought into former Litanies by addition of Saints names and Invocation of Saints are purged away in ours so that there is not any Litany extant more complete then ours is the Church in other Divine Offices hath exceeded other Churches but in this her self RUBRICK Prayers and Thanksgivings upon several occasions to be used before the two final Prayers of the Litany or of Morning and Evening Prayer PRAYERS For Rain O God heavenly Father who by thy Son Jesus Christ hast promised to all them that seek thy kingdom and the righteousness thereof all things necessary to their bodily sustenance Mat. 6.33 Send us we beseech thee in this our necessity such moderate rain and showres that we may receive the fruits of the earth to our comfort and to thy honour through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Jam. 4.3 Jam. 5.18 Hos 2.21 22. 1 King 8.35 36. John 14.13 14. For fair weather O Almighty Lord God who for the sin of man didst once drown all the world except eight persons 1 Pet. 3.20 and afterward of thy great mercy didst promise never to destroy it so again Gen. 8.21 22. We humbly beseech thee that although we for our iniquities have worthily deserved a plague of rain and waters yet upon our true repentance thou wilt send us such weather as that we may receive the fruits of the earth in due season and learn both by thy punishment to amend our lives and for thy clemency to give thee praise and glory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen In the time of Dearth and Famine O God heavenly Father whose gift it is that the rain doth fall the earth is fruitful beasts increase and fishes do multiply Job 38.25 26 27 28. Gen. 1. Behold we beseech thee the afflictions of thy people and grant that the scarcity and dearth which we do now most justly suffer for our iniquity may through thy goodness be mercifully turned into cheapness and plenty for the love of Jesus Christ our Lord to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory now and for ever Amen 2 Chron. 20.9 2 Chron. 6.26 27 28 29 30 31. Rom. 8.32 Deut. 11.13 14. Or this O God merciful Father who in the time of Elisha the Prophet didst suddenly in Samaria turn great scarcity and dearth into plenty and cheapness 2 King chap. 6. chap. 7. Have mercy upon us that we who are now for our sins punished with like adversity may likewise find a seasonable relief increase the fruits of the earth by thy heavenly benediction and grant that we receiving thy bountiful liberality may use the same to thy glory the relief of those that are needy and our own comfort through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen 1 King 8.35 36 37 38 39 40. In the time of War and Tumults O Almighty God King of all Kings and Governour of all things whose power no creature is able to resist to whom it belongeth justly to punish sinners and to be merciful to them that truly repent save and deliver us we humbly beseech thee from the hands of our enemies abate their pride asswage their malice and confound their devices that we being armed with thy defence may be preserved evermore from all perils to glorifie thee who art the only giver of all victory through the merits of thy only Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen 2 Sam. 22.32 Isa 45.22 Psal 76.7 10. 1 King 8. vers 44 c. In the time of any common Plague or Sickness O Almighty God who in thy wrath didst send a Plague upon thine own people in the wilderness for their obstinate rebellion against Moses and Aaron Numb 16. and also in the time of King David didst slay with the plague of Pestilence threescore and ten thousand and yet remembring thy mercy didst save the rest 2 Sam. 24.15 16. Have pity upon us miserable sinners who now are visited with great sickness and mortality that like as thou didst then accept of an atonement and didst command the destroying Angel to cease from punishing 2 Sam. 24.16 so it may now please thee to withdraw from us this plague and grievous sickness through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen In the Ember weeks to be said every day for those that are to be admitted into Holy Orders ALmighty God our heavenly Father who hast purchased to thy self an universal Church by the precious bloud of thy dear Son Act. 20.28 Colos 1.13 14. Tit. 2.14 Rev. 1.5 Rev. 7.14 mercifully look upon the same and at this time so guide and govern the minds of thy servants the Bishops and Pastours of thy flock that they may lay hands suddenly on no man 1 Tim. 5.22 but faithfully and wisely make choice of fit persons to serve in the sacred Ministery of thy Church Act. 1.24 25 26. And to those which shall be ordained to any holy function give thy grace and heavenly benediction that both by their life and doctrine they may set forth thy glory and set forward the salvation of all men through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen 1 Tim. 4.16 Deut. 33.8 Or this ALmighty God the giver of all good gifts who of thy divine providence hast appointed divers orders in thy Church 1 Cor. 12.28 29. Ephes 4.11 12. 1 Pet. 4.10 1 Cor. 12.4 Give thy grace we humbly beseech thee to all those who are to be called to any office and administration in the same and so replenish them with the truth of thy doctrine and indue them with innocency of life that they may faithfully serve before thee to the glory of thy great Name and the benefit of thy holy Church through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Note The four Ember weeks were anciently weeks of Abstinence quarterly Fasts observed in the four seasons of the year the Wednesday Friday and Saturday after the first Sunday in Lent for the Spring the Wednesday Friday and Saturday after the Feast of Pentecost for the Summer the Wednesday Friday and Saturday after Holy Cross September the 13th for the Autumn and the Wednesday Friday and Saturday after St. Lucies day December the 13th for the Winter Now the Church enjoyned Wednesday Friday and Saturday to be weekly observed because Christ
was betrayed by Judas on a Wednesday was crucified on a Friday and was laid in the Sepulchre on a Saturday And the Church enjoyned these days to be quarterly observed as Fasting-days for these following reasons 1. That Christians might be as devout as the Jews who observed four several and solemn times of Fast in the year Zechar. 8.19 2. Because these are the First-fruits of every Season which we rightly dedicate to the service and honour of God that beginning every Season so devoutly we may learn to spend the whole year accordingly and that by this means we may procure Gods blessing upon the Fruits of the year arising out of the Earth which are at these Seasons either sown sprung up come to ripeness or gathered into Barns 3. That we may call our selves yearly to a strict account for our sins committed every Season and sadly and seriously repent of them 4. That we may implore Gods mercy to our bodies in freeing us from those common distemperatures which usually are predominant at these four Seasons 5. That we may procure the greater blessing upon the Ministers received into Holy Orders at these four Seasons of the year by Prayer Fasting and imposition of hands Now the forementioned weeks are called Ember weeks from an old Saxon word Enthber which denotes Abstinence or say others from the word Ember now commonly in use which signifies Ashes for Ashes were a ceremony frequently made use of in times of Fasting and carried with it significancy sufficient from which ceremony the first day of the Lent-fast was termed Ash-wednesday of which it is probable I may say something more in proper place A Prayer for the High Court of Parliament to be read during their Session MOst gracious God we humbly beseech thee as for this Kingdom in general so especially for the High Court of Parliament under our most religious and gracious King at this time assembled That thou wouldst be pleased to direct and prosper all their consultations to the advancement of thy glory the good of thy Church the safety honour and welfare of our Soveraign and his Kingdoms that all things may be so ordered and settled by their endeavours upon the best and surest foundations that peace and happiness truth and justice religion and piety may be established among us for all generations These and all other necessaries for them for us and thy whole Church we humbly beg in the Name and Mediation of Jesus Christ our most blessed Lord and Saviour Amen Note No persons can be offended at this Prayer who are not enemies to all goodness and rather desire that debauchery and wickedness should overspread a Nation to the shame and dishonour of it than piety and vertue to advance its reputation A Collect or Prayer for all conditions of men to be used at such times when the Litany is not appointed to be said O God the Creator and Preserver of all mankind we humbly beseech thee for all sorts and conditions of men that thou wouldest be pleased to make thy ways known unto them thy saving health unto all nations Psal 67.1 2. 1 Tim. 2.1 2 3 4. More especially we pray for the good estate of the Catholick Church Gal. 6.10 Psal 122.6 that it may be so guided and governed by thy good spirit that all who profess and call themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth and hold the faith in unity of spirit in the bond of peace and in righteousness of life Ephes 4.3 Finally we commend to thy fatherly goodness all those who are any ways afflicted or distressed in mind body or estate Heb. 13.3 * * This to be said when any desire the prayers of the Congregation especially those for whom our prayers are desired that it may please thee to comfort and relieve them according to their several necessities giving them patience under their sufferings and a happy issue out of all their afflictions And this we beg for Jesus Christ his sake Amen A Prayer that may be said after any of the former O God whose nature and property is ever to have mercy and to forgive receive our humble petitions Psal 103.13 and though we be tied and bound with the chain of our sins yet let the pitifulness of thy great mercy loose us for the honour of Jesus Christ our Mediatour and Advocate Amen Note Touching the preceding Prayers and following Thanksgivings may it be observed that extraordinary dangers should of themselves invite us and stir us up to extraordinary Prayers and extraordinary deliverances from those dangers should equally move us to extraordinary thankfulness as we are to pray to God for the blessings we would obtain so we are to praise him when they are obtained when God opens his hand to gratifie us we should open our mouths to glorifie him It is the Apostles prescribed method to begin with Prayer and to end with Thanksgiving 1 Tim. 2.1 indeed where the concernment is National a provision in such cases is usually better made by fixing set days to be solemnly and religiously observed but it many times happens that the calamities inflicted and mercies received are only Provincial or peculiar to some one County Town City or Vicinage so that they may not reach the cognizance of the Supreme Magistrate therefore are these Prayers and Thanksgivings composed that they may be ready upon all occasions for us to have recourse to when there are no set days indicted for such a purpose THANKSGIVINGS A General Thanksgiving ALmighty God Father of all mercies 2 Cor. 1.3 we thine unworthy servants do give thee most humble and hearty thanks Psal 116.12 13. for all thy goodness and loving kindness to us and to all men 1 Tim. 2.1 * * This to be said when any that have been prayed for desire to return praise particularly to those who desire now to offer up their praises and thanksgivings for thy late mercies vouchsafed unto them We bless thee for our creation preservation and all the blessings of this life but above all for thine inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ for the means of grace and for the hope of glory And we beseech thee give us that due sense of all thy mercies that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful and that we may shew forth thy praise not only with our lips but in our lives by giving up our selves to thy service and by walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all our days Luk. 1.74 75. Tit. 2.11 12. through Jesus Christ our Lord to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory world without end Amen Note This Thanksgiving is not only warrantable by more Texts of Scripture then I have cited but it is so excellent both for matter and method that all Churches and Writers can hardly shew a better form so full of matter and that comprized in so few words This needs no vindication because no persons in their
let thy mercy lighten upon us as our trust is in thee Psal 33.22 O Lord in thee have I trusted let me never be confounded Psal 71.1 EXPLANATION The Church in appointing Hymns observes punctually the rule of the Apostle Colos 3.16 and from the practice of Christ and his Apostles who sung Hymns together Mat. 26.30 probably to teach and instruct us to do the like may the Antiquity of them in the Christian Church be derived We have not only Christ's example for it and the Apostles command for it but we read of it practised in the Church of Alexandria which was founded by St. Mark St. Ambrose brought Hymns into the Church of Millain God saith Jerom is delighted with Morning and Evening Hymns St. Augustine as we read in the Life of him was very much afflicted a little before his death as for the decay of other things in Religion and in the publick worship of God so that the Hymns and Lauds used to be sung to God were lost out of the Church Those Hymns were either said or sung but more properly sung because Hymns are Songs of Praise and it was the practice to sing them both in the Jewish Psal 47.6 and Christian Church Mat. 26.30 for singing enflames and enlivens the minds and affections of the hearers and such musick by pleasing the affections and delighting the minds of men makes the Service of God more delectable and less tedious And for this reason is Church-Service so intermixed with Lessons Psalms and Prayers and like the garment of the Spouse Psal 45. made up of such variety that by this variety our devotions may be carried on with the more chearfulness and the greater appetite and without any fastidiousness Standing was the usual posture for the saying or singing of Hymns for it is indeed the most proper posture for thanksgiving or laud Psal 134.1 2. 2 Chron. 7.6 and this erection of our bodies doth most properly express the elevation of our hearts in joy praises and Eucharist unto God The forementioned Hymn called Te Deum laudamus was composed as it is said by St. Ambrose and St. Augustine which they used to sing Anthem-wise and the occasion of its composition was St. Augustine's Conversion and Baptism in both which St. Ambrose was most happily instrumental But be the Author who it will the Structure though Humane is complete and the materials of it are Divine and it is worthily enough vouchsafed a place in our constant Service for its Antiquity for its consonancy with Scripture for having the Churches both warrant and approbation for the contents of it which are most Christian hugely advantageous for the heightning of Devotion and promoting of Religion wherein is acknowledged the Power and Majesty of God the Father the Divinity and Humanity of God the Son his Incarnation Passion Resurrection Ascension Exaltation to Glory and Power committed to him for to guide rule preserve and govern his Church and wherein also is asserted the Divinity of God the Holy Ghost and there is nothing in the whole Hymn but what is very agreeable to Scripture Some exception may be made against this expression in it When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death thou didst open the kingdom of Heaven to all believers But what can justly be found fault with in this expression by it we do not express this to be our meaning as if we thought that the departed Saints were not in a state of bliss and happiness before Christ's Ascension but our meaning is rather that Christ by his Ascension prepared a greater and more complete state of bliss for those that are his meriting their going to it by his Death and making the way passable by his Resurrection and Ascension John 3.13 John 14.2 3. Heb. 9.8 12. Heb. 10.19 20. Heb. 11.40 for by this means he procured greater Grace for them here greater Glory for them hereafter Whatever he did or suffer'd the end was to open the kingdom which our sins had shut up which he opened most liberally at his Ascension and after he had overcome the sharpness of death for then he took a local possession of Glory for the use of all that are his Be the state of the Saints departed before what it will yet what God bestowed upon their Souls was procured by Christ's Death Resurrection and Ascension which followed after as also the Glorification of their bodies is most certainly to follow the Exaltation of his whither the glory of the Head is gone before the hope of the Body is to follow after and when our bodies and souls come to be glorified together then shall we be in our complete and perfect bliss Glory be to the Father is not enjoyned to be used at the end of this Hymn because it is it self almost nothing else but that Doxology enlarged RUBRICK Or this Canticle Benedicite omnia opera Domini O All ye works of the Lord bless ye the Lord praise him and magnifie him for ever Psal 145.10 O ye Angels of the Lord bless ye the lord praise him c. Psal 148.2 O ye Heavens bless ye the Lord praise him c. Psal 148.4 O ye waters that be above the Firmament bless ye the Lord praise him c. Psal 148.4 O all ye powers of the Lord bless ye the Lord c. Psal 150.1 O ye Sun and Moon bless ye the Lord c. Psal 148.3 O ye Stars of Heaven bless ye the Lord c. Psal 148.3 O ye showres and dwe bless ye the Lord c. Psal 147.8 Psal 148.4 O ye winds of God bless ye the Lord c. Psal 147.18 Psal 148.8 O ye fire and heat bless ye the Lord c. O ye Winter and Summer bless ye the Lord c. Psal 74.17 O ye dews and frosts bless ye the Lord c. Psal 147.16 O ye frost and cold bless ye the Lord c. Psal 147.16 17. O ye ice and snow bless ye the Lord c. Psal 147.16 17. O ye nights and days bless ye the Lord praise him c. Psal 74.16 O ye light and darkness bless ye the Lord praise him c. Psal 104.19 20. O ye lightnings and clouds bless ye the Lord c. Job 38.25 34 35. O let the earth bless the Lord yea let it praise him c. Psal 67.6 O ye mountains and hills bless ye the Lord praise him c. Psal 148.9 O all ye green things upon the earth bless ye the Lord c. Psal 147.8 Psal 148.9 O ye wells bless ye the Lord c. Psal 104.10 O ye seas and flouds bless ye the Lord Job 38.8 9 10 11. O ye Whales and all that move in the waters bless ye the Lord Gen. 1.21 O all ye fowls of the air bless ye the Lord Psal 148.10 O all ye beasts and cattel bless ye the Lord Psal 148.10 O ye children of men bless ye the Lord Psal 107.8 O let Israel bless the Lord praise him c. Psal 135.19 O ye
his Resurrection appeared unto men so should we and walk exemplarily before them in heavenly living We should continue in a sanctified state of perseverance in Godly living till by Gods mercy we are taken up to bliss We should depend upon Christ for our Justification and Sanctification which are both of the effects of his rising We should also hasten our Resurrection as he did his and not so immerse our selves with sorrow and humiliation the Grave of mortified Souls as to hinder any actions and vital performances of the new and regenerate life As Christ dyed and as we are baptized into the death of Christ so we are to beg of God for his grace that we may continually mortifie our corrupt affections and being buried with him may pass through the grave and gate of death to our joyful Resurrection He ascended into Heaven and fitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty that is after his Resurrection when he had made his appearance several times to his Apostles to confirm them in the truth of it whom he had chosen for the publication of it unto the world after he had given them many sure proofs and evidences that he was risen after he had talked with them about the affairs of his Church which should be planted and governed by them and of many things concerning the Gospel and his Kingdom and how both his friends and his enemies should be dealt withall after he had eaten and drank and familiarly conversed with them thereby to give them all possible assurance of the truth of his Resurrection of his Power and Godhead and that he was indeed the undoubted Messias after that he had instructed them to tarry at Jerusalem to wait for the coming down of the Holy Ghost and how to prepare themselves for his reception after he had reproved them for their curiosity and shewn their vanity in expecting a Kingdom which he never intended to set up then in the presence and sight of them all he was taken up by Angels from the earth in a bright shining cloud which inclosed him so that they could see him no more Act. 1.2 3 4 5 6 7 8. He carried up our nature which he had assumed in which he suffered and which he had raised out of the Grave up on high above all Heavens Ephes 4.10 offer'd it up to the Father as an acceptable oblation who placed it on a glorious Throne at his right hand And as he descended on purpose to do us good to bestow and scatter his graces amongst us so he ascended also upon a good design for us that he might send down the Holy Ghost upon his Apostles and by that means supply all our wants and do what was necessary to be done for the planting and governing of his Church The place he ascended from was Mount Olivet the place he ascended to was the highest Heavens The time of his Ascension was sourty days after his Resurrection the truth of it appears from the evidence of those who saw it and are able to give a good testimony of it the manner of it was glorious and the end of it hugely advantageous and beneficial to us But the practical Use which we are to make of Christ's Ascension and Session at the Father's right hand is this 1. As we believe that he is ascended into the Heavens corporally so we are spiritually in hearts and minds to ascend after him and to dwell continually with him in Divine meditations carrying heavenly minds in earthly bodies seeking minding savouring things above at the right hand of God where Christ sits Colos 3.1 where Christ our treasure is there should our hearts be also 2. Seeing he hath withdrawn his corporal presence we are to content our selves with his spiritual not to hang on his bodily presence the presence of his Manhood as it was visible to the eye but to acquiesce in his spiritual presence the presence of his Godhead and the presence of his Manhood too united to his Godhead yet no otherwise present then spiritually and by Faith for though his Godhead be every where yet his Manhood in a corporeal and natural sense cannot be every where but only where it is placed at the right hand of God Let us spiritually see him ascending cordially believe in him absent wait and hope with patience for his coming again and by his secret mercy feel and enjoy him spiritually present with us And seeing he sits at Gods right hand and is exalted with great triumph into his kingdom in Heaven whereby is noted his Reign and his being invested with all power in the union of his Regal and Priestly Office by virtue of which he gives commands to his Church intercedes with God for his Church and that so powerfully as actually to bestow that grace and pardon which he intercedes for making continual Intercession with God who is his Father and ours This should teach us to give up our selves obediently to be ruled by him in all his holy institutions and commands and to be guided by all those whom he hath placed in his Church under him to rule over us This should also teach us to depend upon his Intercession to offer up all our prayers and praises to God in and through him only This should teach us to be in a readiness to receive all Grace that shall flow from him and to make the holiest use and best advantage of it Lastly This should teach us to have recourse to him in all temptations and to persevere in despight of all assaults to the contrary to have our eye upon him in all that ever we do to improve those Talents well which he bestows upon us for as he is gone to Heaven he will return again from Heaven to judge the world From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead The very same Jesus Christ who is gone up to Heaven in glorious manner shall come one day from Heaven again in as glorious a manner to judge us Act. 1.11 His going up to Heaven was not an absolute departing from us only he went to take possession of that Kingdom of his which he shall exercise to the end of the world and then he shall return again to judge all men without respect of persons all that are dead and all that shall then be found alive all Nations of men in their order and every man of every Nation shall give up their accounts to him and shall receive according to what they have done in the flesh be it good or bad To those who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honour and immortality shall be given the reward of eternal life but to those who are contentious and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness the retribution shall be indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish shall be upon every Soul of man that doth evil but glory honour and peace to every man that worketh good Rom. 2.7 8 9 10. Now the