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
That would make the Porch larger then the house and may better be seen in the following discourse only at present we may say this of it in general That though all Churches in the World have and ever had forms of prayer yet none was ever blessed with so comprehensive so exact and so inoffensive a Composure Which is so judiciously contrived that the wisest may exercise at once their Knowledg and Devotion and yet so plain that the most ignorant may pray with Understanding so full that nothing is omitted that is fit to be asked in publique and so particular that it comprises most things which we would pray for in private and yet so short as not to tire any that have true Devotion It s Doctrine is pure and Primitive its Ceremonies so few and Innocent that most of the Christian World agree in them its Method is exact and Natural its language is significant and perspicuous most of the words and Phrases being taken out of holy Scripture and the rest the Expressions of the first and best Ages so that whoever takes exceptions at these must quarrel with the language of the Holy-Ghost or fall out with the Church in her greatest Innocence Indeed the greatest part of these Prayers are primitive or a second Edition of the most ancient Liturgies of the Eastern and Western Churches corrected and amended And in the opinion of the most impartial and excellent Grotius (a) Certum mihi est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Anglicanam item morem imponendi manus adolescentibus in memoriam baptismi Autoritatem Episcoporum Presbyteria ex solis pastoribus composita multaque alia ejusmodi satis congruere institutis vetustioris Ecclesiae a quibus in Galliâ Belgio recessum negare non possumus Grotius Epist ad Boet. who was no member of nor had any Obligation to this Church The English Liturgie comes so near that Pattern that none of the Reformed Churches can compare with it And if any thing External be needful to recommend that which is so glorious within We may add That the Composers were all Men of great Piety and Learning for they were all either Martyrs or Confessors upon the Restitution of Popery which as it declares their Piety so the Judicious Digesting of these prayers doth evidence their Learning for therein a Scholar can discern close Logick pleasing Rhetorick pure Divinity and the very Marrow of all the Ancient Doctrine and Discipline and yet all made so familiar that the unlearned may safely say Amen (b) 1 Cor. 14.16 Lastly all these excellencies have obtained that universal Reputation which these prayers enjoy in all the World so that they are deservedly admired by the Eastern Churches and had in great esteem by the most eminent Protestants (c) See D. Durel his defence of the Liturgy beyond the Seas the most impartial Judges In fine this Liturgie is honoured by all but the Romanist whose interest it opposeth and some Dissenters whose prejudices will not let them see its lustre whence it is they call that which Papists hate because 't is Protestant Superstitious and Popish and though they count it Roman condemn it without a hearing But when we remember the best things in a bad world have most Enemies as it doth not lessen its worth so it must not abate our esteem that it hath malicious or misguided Adversaries Who for all this hold the Conclusion and obstinately resolve they will not come How endless and unprofitable it is to dispute with these the little success of the best arguments managed by the wisest Men do too sadly testify Wherefore I shall decline that and attempt to convince the Enemies by assisting the Friends of our Church Devotions And by drawing that vaile which the ignorance and indevotion of some and the passion and prejudice of others have cast over them represent the Liturgie in its true and native lustre which is so lovely and ravishing that like the purest beauties it needs no supplement of Art and Dressing but conquers by its own attractives and wins the affections of all but those that do not see it clearly (d) Ignorant qui non amant This will be sufficient I am sure to shew that whoever desires no more then to worship God with zeal and knowledg spirit and truth purity and sincerity may do it by these devout Formes so that I should have concluded here my Preface when I had given a more particular account of this Undertaking but that I must first examine an Objection or two which are like a skin over the eyes of some and be the Picture never so full of graces will spoile the Prospect if they be not removed Object 1. It is said to be a Form and therefore a hindrance to zealous praying by the spirit Answ Whoever makes this Objection and affirmes we cannot pray by the Spirit in the words of a Form must beware his ignorance betray him not into a dangerous uncharitableness and perhaps blasphemy For the Saints of the Old Testament (e) Numb 6.23 Deut. 26.3 Ezra 9.5 Daniel 9.1 prayed by Formes and so did Christ himself in the New (f) Math. 26.44 and he taught his Apostles a Form to pray by and dare any say they prayed not by the Spirit Have not all Churches since the Apostles times to our daies had their Forms of Prayer and did not the devoutest men of all ages Compose and use such Was ever Extemporè Prayer heard of in Publique till of late unless on special occasions And do we think No Church nor no Persons prayed by the Spirit till now To come nearer still Have not France and Geneva their Forms And did not learned Calvin and the best reformed Divines use a Form before their Sermons And is not an unstudied Prayer a Form to the People who are confined to pray in those words And will you say these all pray without the Spirit of God But sure we hugge the Phrase of praying by the Spirit not attending the Sense For the meaning doubtless is to be so assisted by the Holy-Ghost that our thoughts being composed and our Souls calmed and our Hearts deeply affected with our Wants and the Divine all-sufficiency we can pray with a strong Faith and a fervent Love When we are so intent upon our Requests that we duly weigh them and pursue every petition with pressing importunity ardent desires and Vigorous affections this is the Spirit of prayer And thus we may better pray by the Spirit in the words of a Form than we can do when our Mind is imployed in inventing new expressions For having a Form which custome hath made familiar we have all things set down to our Hands which we or others want and we are at leasure to improve the good Motions of the Spirit having no more to do but to joyn our Souls and Affections to every Petition and follow them up to Heaven in most passionate and zealous wishes that God would grant them
of the Christian Church prove Christ to be God (u) Ergo qui remittit Deus est quia nemo remittit nisi Deus Hilar. in Math. Can. 8. because he forgave sin which none but God can do (x) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys in 1 Cor. 15. and his son Jesus who is also very God and purchased this Mercy of Absolution with his own blood (y) Ille solus peccata dimittit qui pro peccatis mortuus est Ambr. Veniam peccatis quae in ipsum commissa sunt solus potest ille largiri qui peccata nostra portavit Cypr. wherefore we give to God the things which are Gods and plainly declare he is the Author we the dispensers only of this favour and the Witnesses and Messengers to bring certain news thereof (z) En fili certificate remissa tibi esse peccata hujus me testem habebis Vade in Pace Fer. in Matth. 9. And this is more comfort to the Penitent the Supreme Judge he from whose Sentence is no Appeal Pardoneth thee fear not the state of Agag whom Saul had pardoned but God had not wherefore Samuel hewed him to pieces in the midst of his vain hopes that the bitterness of death was past He Pardoneth that hath no equal to examine or approve much less superiour to disanul his actings Our absolution is profitable when the Persons are meet to receive it (a) Tunc enim vera est absolutio Praesidentis cum aeterni arbitrium sequitur judicis Greg. hom 26. but the stamp of God will make it currant in Heaven it self The Priests Pardon is not compleat at present till it be ratified at the last day But he Pardoneth at this present while we are holding out this Absolution he that knows who among you are true believers and really Penitent is at this instant sealing your Pardon in Heaven which makes ours to be valid we then are but the Messengers and interpreters but it is our great Master that Absolveth because what we do is Pronounced in his name dispensed by his Authority offered on his Condition and confirmed by his Approbation § 9. All them that truly repent and unfeignedly believe his holy Gospel These two acts Repentance and Faith are by Christ (b) Mark 1.15 and his Apostles (c) Act. 20.21 made the Conditions of all the Gospel promises and without them no Absolution can be had those that have these no man can condemn but without these no man can acquit it was therefore a great arrogance in those Ecclesiasticks in St. Hieroms time who imagined they could save or destroy at pleasure (d) ut vel damnent innocentes vel solvere se noxios arbitrantur Hierom. Com in Matth. l. 3. Nec Angelus nec Archangelus potest nec Dominus ipse si peccaverimus in poenitentiam deferentibus non relaxat Ambros Epist 28. ad Theodos and it is as great a vanity in any to believe a Servant acting contrary to his Masters known Will because it will be insignificant wherefore if any by hypocrisie shall think to surprize an Absolution Or if he that dispenseth an act by prejudice or corruption you must know it is he must ratifie the Pardon who can see whether these qualifications are in him that receives it or no and though we hold out this Act of a Grace to all yet our Master pardons none but such as do repent truly and believe unfeignedly and how many soever do so if they have been the worst of sinners they shall every one be forgiven Let us then take care to come 1. With an hâ—mble lowly penitent and obedient heart sorrowing and being ashamed fearing exceedingly confessing humbly and resolving heartily against all sin let us beware that a hard heart and a customary confession and hypocritical pretences do not ruine our hopes and blast our desires for he only Pardoneth the real Penitent 2. Let us bring with us an unfeigned Faith in his Gospel trusting in the assurances of his Promises and persuading our selves of the necessity and excellence of his laws and confirming our souls in the expectations of his rewards and this Faith unfeigned (e) 1 Tim. 1.5 2 Tim. 1 5. will open the door of Mercy but for that bold challenge which some make to the promises and the benefits of the Gospel while they are void of hatred to sin or love to God it is only feigned to stifle the accusations of Conscience and ward off the threats of the Law and to give the man liberty to sin and God will never accept such to remission but discover these men had no other ground for their confidence but only because they had persuaded themselves of a falshood Remember you come to him that searcheth the heart for a Pardon and strive that your Repentance may be true and Faith cordial and sound as you hope for mercy from him and learn by this order first to repent of your former evil ways before you entertain too particular confidences of Gods love and your interest in Jesus but if you have truly repented the more firmly you believe the greater will be Gods glory and the sweeter your comfort and the speedier will your Absolution be confirmed Though your iniquities are heinous and innumerable if upon the sight you have had of them you do condemn your self with real purposes of amendment and notwithstanding your unworthiness if you can trust to the Merits of Jesus and believe all the gracious Promises of the Gospel shall be fulfilled to you I doubt not to assure this your Repentance and Faith shall pass the test of God himself and your desires shall be satisfied in his mercy § 10. Wherefore let us beseech him to grant us true Repentance and his holy Spirit The whole duty of a Minister consists in instruction and exhortation (f) Acts 2.40 Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first to convince the understanding the second to engage the affections both which parts of his Office the Priest doth here exercise for hitherto he hath testified there is Remission to be obtained and now he exhorts to seek for it for in this Section we are directed how to obtain in the following we are encouraged by the Benefits to be had thereby now this present exhortation is a conclusion inferred from all the former parts of this Absolution which are in this word wherefore urged as so many motives to quicken our addresses viz. 1. Since God who is full of power and mercy would not the death of us sinners but desires we may live therefore we may cheerfully come to him for help who will be as well pleased with the opportunity of giving as we with the mercy of receiving 2. He hath Commissionated Ministers to be the Heralds of his willingness to forgive wherefore let us in answer to this gracious Proclamation go in and submit to him who though he be the offended Party first sent to us to be reconciled 3. He hath assured us he
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
since they were ushered in by Faith and Charity the best preparatives to that duty We have all owned that we have one Lord and one Faith and now we are preparing as bretheren and fellow-souldiers to unite our requests and to send them to the throne of God But first in token of our mutual Charity the Church appoints instead of the antients kiss of peace a hearty salutation to pass between the Minister and People he beginning in the phrase of Bâ—az to his Reapers The Lord be with you (o) Ruth 2.4 Psal 129.8 which was after drawn into common use as a form of salutation to all and used by St. Paul in his Epistles (p) 2 Thess 3.16 to which the people are to return a good wish for their Minister in a form taken from the same Apostle (q) 2 Tim. 4.22 Galat. 6.18 desiring the Lord may be with his spirit Which is no invention of our own but mentioned in an Antient Counsel (r) Placuit ut Episcopi â—resbyteri uno modo salutent populum dicentes Dominus vobiscum ut respondeatur à populo Et cum Spiritu tuo sâ—cut ab ipsis Apostolis traditum omnis retinet Oriens Concil Brace primum Can. 21. and there affirmed to have been instituted by the Apostles and as it there appears retained in the Liturgies especially of the Greek Church but sure it never had a fitter place then in our excellent service where it succeeds the Creed as the Symbol and bond of peace St. John forbids us to salute or to desire God to be with any that cleave not to this right Faith (s) 2 Ep. 5. Jâ—hn ver 10.11 But when the Minister hath heard every one profess his Faith in the same words with himself how chearfully and without scruple may he salute them as bretheren and they requite his affection with a like return 'T is too sadly true that little differences in Religion make wide separations and the most incurable animosities Why then should not our exact agreement be as forcible an uniter of all our hearts since the profession of the same Faith hath ever been reputed the firmest bond of Charity (t) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philo. Wherefore when these endeering offices have warmed our hearts with mutual love these expressions will not barely signifie the affections between the Minister and his people but may be used as the exercise of their Charity by way of Pâ—ayer for one another Let the spiritâ—al man meditate how often Sathan is among the sons of God how mâ—ny of his flock which now are preparing to joyn with him are oppressed with hard hearts or disturbed with vain thoughts and then let him earnestly pray the Lord may be with them that his Prayers be not in vâ—in for them Let the people also remember how comfortable and advantagious it will be to them that he who is their mouth to God may have a pure heart and a fervent spirit and with these thoughts let them most hear ily require their Pastors prayer by desiring the Lord to be with his spirit that both may by acknowledging tâ—eir insufficiency and declaring their Charity obtain a blessing of God for each other and find the benefit of these short Petitions in every part of the suceeding Offâ—ces § 2. Let us pray We can do nothing in Religion without the Divine presence and Assistance and therefore the Minister and People must mutually beg that for each other and then they must joyn in their Petitions In the beginning of which is placed this short and antient Exhortation So often repeated in all the old Liturgies (u) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alibi Dominum oremus postulemuâ— vid. Liturg S. Jacobi S. Basilii c. whereby the Priest gives the signal of battel or the watch word to all the assembly that they may set on their enemies with courage and besiege even Heaven it self with a holy importunity And as the Cryer of old in the Heathen Sacrifices proclaimed his HOC AGITE and warned all to attend what they were about so doth the Minister charge you against all wandring thoughts which are never more frequent nor pernicious then in holy duties desiring you not to rest satiâ—fied in his Petitions for you but to let your heart go along with him that they may be accepted as your Prayers though pronounced with his lips He injoyns all to pray and that with him and for one another for it is a great work we have to do and we must now take off our thoughts from all other things and wholly mind this § 3. Lord have mercy upon us Christ have c. Lord have c. The best beginning for our requests is a Petition for Mercy whereby we acknowledge our unworthiness declare our misery and confess we cannot expect our Prayers should be heard unless it may please God first to have mercy upon us Like those poor Lepers (x) Luke 17.11 12. eminus tanquam immundi Levit. 13.45 clamant Jesu Domine miserere nostri we discerning Jesus afar off cry out unclean and beseech him to have mercy on us for we are defiled dust and ashes and how shall we dare to draw near to him or open our mouths before him till he be pleased to pitty and cleanse us As to this particular Form it is originally taken out of Davids Psalms (y) Psal 6.2 Psal 51.1 Psal 123.3 where it is sometimes repeated twice together to which tâ—e Church hath added Christ have mercy upon us that it might be a short Litany and a supplication for mercy to every Person in the Trinity (z) Imploramus misericordiam Domini per Kyrie eleeson Chriâ—e c. Kyrie c. ita ut tres articulos aliquo modo divinae majestatis trinitatis in Ecclesiâ celebreâ—us Amalar Fort. de Eccl. off because we have offended every Person and are to pray to every Person and need the help of every Person calling both the Father and Holy Ghost by the same title of Lord as being partakers of only one and the same Divine Nature and the Son by another title who also did partake of our humane Nature as Durand Rational l. 4. c. 12. doth observe And as Tho. Aquinas adds being under a three sold misery of ignorance guilt and punishment we thrice imploâ—e mercy And because we need that when ever we pray (a) Quia ante omnem Orationem sacerdotùm necesse est misericordiam Domini implorare Durand Rat. ut supr it was used both in the Eastern and Western Churches and become customary in the time of Theodosius the younger so that it was decreed by a Councel (b) Et quia dulcis nimis salubris consuetudo intâ—omissa est ut Kyrie eleeson frequentiùs cum grandi compunctione dicatur Placuit etiam nobis ut in omnibus Ecclesâ—is nostris ista consuâ—tudo Sancta ad Matutinum ad Missas ad Vesperam
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
humbly submit these Prayers to the Judicious Correction of the Reverend Fathers of the Church desiring nothing may be said which dissents from the Doctrine and Discipline now established for if it do it is without the Authors knowledge and against his Judgment And finally as to all sober and devout Christians he wisheth the same Charity may guide their eyes and fill their hearts in their perusal which guided his hand in the Composal of these lines and then he hopes for a fair interpretation which these following Sections may need since they are drawn up not for the Study but the Temple not for Criticks but Asceticks (u) Malo ut me reprehendant Grammatici quam ut non intelligant populi D. August nor to make men more learned but more devout They are intended to wait upon you to the house of God and entertain you there till Prayers begin that you may by perusing some parts hereof be fitly disposed for them which is almost one half of the Duty (x) Dimidium facti qui bene coepit habet But the Preface is grown too long and must not be enlarged by Apologies but concluded with this hearty wish May the God of Peace give us all meek Hearts quiet Spirits and devout Affections and free us from sloth and prejudice that we may have full Churches frequent prayers and fervent Charity and that uniting in our Prayers here we may all joyn in his Praises hereafter for Jesus sake Amen SECTION I. OF THE PREPARATION TO Publick PRAYER § 1. PRAYER is an Elevation of the Soul to contemplate the beauties of the Diviâ—e Nature that by beholding such transcendent perfections it may learn to love desire to please and delight to imitate so great and exact a pattern and consequently is a duty of the highest concernment for it is an Honour and a Benefit to us and yet it is accepted by God as our homage and the testimony of our observance It is a high favour to be admitted to have familiar converse * Job 15.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vulg. Ang preces prâ—p sign Colloquium familiare Drusius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. Strom. 7. with the King of Kings and a huge advantage to have so frequent admission to the Fountain of all goodness But then it is difficult as well as fair and requires so much attention and serenity zeal and vigour humility and faith love and admiration that it cannot either be well done or kindly accepted without some preceding Preparation for these Souls of ours are so drenched in Matter and so generally taken up with the consideration of outward things partly by the condition of our Nature but principally by the frequency of our conversing with the Cares and Pleasures of the lower World that we find our Minds exceedingly pressed down with the weight of them when we would lift them up to God but as those Fowls whose wings are not proportionable to the weight of their bodies do usually run some paces before they can rise from the earth to begin their flight so the Church teacheth us first to prepare our hearts before we begin to pray The Jews are taught when they enter their Synagogues to stand silently a while in the posture of Prayer before their Devotion is begun (a) Buxtorf Synag Judaic c. 5. and one of their Masters told his Schollars this was the Way to obtain Eternal life (b) Quum vultis orare cogitate prius coram quo stetis Dict. R. Eleaz. Talmud tract Mosi Beruch And the Primitive Christians had a preparatory preface (c) Sacerdos ante Orationem Praefatione praemissâ parat fratrum mentes Cyprian de Orat. dominic to their Publick Prayers as long ago as the time of the famous Cyprian In imitation whereof we are appointed to exercise our Souls in the meditation of these Sentences of Scripture with the Exhortation subjoyned that we may thereby become more fit to pray The Israelites in the oblation of their First-fruits had a form of Gods own appointment Deut. 26.5 wherein they were minded of their former Poverty and that Illustrious Heathen Temple had this Inscription in letters of gold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Worshippers by a true consideration of themselves might approach with all humility to their supposed Deities And surely it is more requisite for us who worship the True God to reflect upon the vast Disproportion between our selves and him which is as great as between finite and infinite mortal and immortal holy and impure and so we may be convinced of the necessity of being most lowly and reverent before him The frailties of our bodies and the infirmities of our Nature the defects of our Faculties and the misery that cleaves both to Soul and Body doth command us to be humble in the presence of God But that which will lay us lowest of all in oâ—r own thoughts is the remembrance of our Sins which do principally if not alone alienate us from God for he that pityeth our Miseries doth hate our Sins and he that caused the Leper to be banished out of the City admitted the Lame Man to the beautiful gate of the Temple Wherefore our Spiritual Guides present us with these in the first place both to allay our Pride and to engage our Care to remove them by Repentance before we begin to pray because else we know our prayers cannot be heard (d) Psalm 66.18 Joh. 9.31 Is 59.16 for Joshua himself cannot be heard while the Sin of Israel was not taken away (e) Joshua 7.10 and he meets with a check in his Devotion because he presumed to pray before he had removed the Accursed thing Now since none of us are innocent it follows that none must come to petition God till they have prepared themselves by Repentance and he that doth not this continues in sin still and if so there is a Moral impossibility such a mans prayers should prevail for they are either a heap of contradictions or a contexture of indignities against the God of heaven for such men bewail that in words which they love in their heart and ask forgiveness where they are neither sensible of an offence nor will own the pardon as a favour they accuse themselves for what they did willingly and never condemned themselves for it but will reiterate upon the first opportunity they petition their enemy and ask for what they hate and flatter him whom they fear perhaps but do not love and require thingâ— that they hope he will not give and if they ask any thing seriously it is either inconsiderable or with evil designs and so becomes a provocation (f) Quas nisi seductis nequeas committere divis Now can an All-seeing eye discern this without indignation will not an Almighty hand be lifted up to destroy them who both delude themselves and mock the King of Glory let us beware least we experience the truth of this in our eternal ruine We
thee nor their danger to me and therefore I have not fully renounced them nor yet absolutely returned to thee and thy wayes and therefore thou hast not blessed my Confessions which have rather been looked on by me as an indulgence to go on since my former offences were so easily pardoned then an engagement to forsake my iniquities But now I know my vileness in making so slight addresses for so great a favour and my solly to cheat my self of so considerable a blessing and my sloth to slip so many fair opportunities by my deceitful behaviour before thee O Lord I have deceived my self and I am hugely ashamed that having offended so dear a Father I have been no more really concerned and having so gracious a God to turn to I am yet so far distant from thee by pretending to turn to thee If I want pardon or peace the blame must lye upon my own negligence for thou art apt to give and ready to forgive long before thou punishest sinners but soon entreated to receive Penitents and doest most joyfully lay aside thy resolutions of judgment when we perform our purposes of amendment Oh my soul will not this real goodness of thy God shame thy hypocrisie will it not pierce thy heart to see whom thou hast offended and thaw thy hopes to behold whom thou art turning to His holiness is mixed with long suffering his justice with mercy his decrees allayed with limitations and is it fit to approach him without love or fear hopes or desires gratitude or admiration or is the forgiveness so mean a favour that it deserves no more hearty applications sure enough my hypocrisie hath hindered my pardon wherefore I begin to detest it and hereafter I will look more to the dispositions of my heart then the posture of my body I will set him before me whose love I have abused and whose patience I have tyred who is so gracious to spare me and so willing to be reconciled to me a most ungrateful wretch that so when I come to him I may have my eyes filled with tears my cheeks with blushes and my heart with sorrow I will remember who I am that go that I may be humble what I go for that I may be earnest and who I go to that I may be full of faith and hope so shall my addresses not be in vain but all these gracious attributes shall be made good to me Amen Having thus applyed these Portions of holy writ to your own souls we must desire you will observe that to these Sentences of Gods Word is annexed by the Church a pertinent exhortation least any should not sufficiently undrestand these places or not carefully practice what they know to be required by them The Words of Scripture are first laid down to shew we impose not this Duty of Confession upon you but that God requires it and then the Minister proceeds to this pious inference from them that so what God commands may be rightly understood and particularly applyed and duly practised by all people and no man may plead ignorance or forgetfulness to excuse him from this necessary Duty to which we are directed in the following Words SECT II. Of the Exhortation after the Sentences The Analysis or Division of the Exhortation The parts of this Exhortation are three 1. A loving Compellation Dearly beloved brethren the Scripture c. 2. A Profitable instruction in which is shewed 1. That we must confess Affirmatively to acknowledge and confess our manifold sins and wickedness Negatively and that we should not dissemble nor cloak them The Reason Because we are before the face of Almighty God our heavenly Father 2. How we must confess 1. With a sense of sin but confess them with an humble lowly 2. A sorrow for it Penitent 3. Resolutions against it and obedient heart 3. Why we must confess For pardon to the end that we may obtain forgiveness of the same by his infinite goodness and mercy 4. When we must confess 1. in general alwayes Although we ought at all times humbly to acknowledge our sins before God Yet ought we most chiefly so to 2. In particular in publick where we meet Do when we assemble and meet together 1. To render thanks for the great benefits we have received at his hands 2 To set forth his most worthy praise 3. To hear his most holy Word 4. To ask those things which are requisite and necessary as well for the body as the * soul 3 An earnest supplication in which there is 1. The person exhorting * Wherfore I pray and beseech you 2. The parties exhorted as many as are here present 3. The thing requested to accompany me to the throne of the heavenly grace 4. The manner of doing this Internally with a pure heart Externally and humble voice saying after me A Practical Discourse on the Exhortation § 1. Dearly beloved Brethren The Minister begins with this affectionate and courteous salutation after the example of S. Paul S. Peter and S. John who frequently begin their Exhortations in their Epistles in this language the better to engage their attention for which cause it is used here not as an idle complement but a significant indication from whence this Admonition proceeds viz. from love For he that loveth the souls of his people and hears what God expects from them and sees the danger of their neglect cannot in pity suffer them to go on and perish without warning or instruction and the people may see he hath no ends of his own but is engaged by his love to become their Moâ—itor as they are his deerly beloved Brethren Wherefore the Admonitions of Ministers should ever be accepted as the effects of their true affection to us though it proves too often otherwise for flatterers and dissemblers that will extenuate or connive at our faults are usually listed among our friends But those who discover our danger and reprove our vices and advise us to amend these we hate as Ahab did Micaiah for men are so foolish or unworthy as not to distinguish between the reproaches of an Enemy and the reproofs of a Friend because when we have done evil there is some disgrace in either but the management and design are directly contrary (a) Probra tam amicus quam inimicus objicit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. Paedag l. 1. c. 9. and if any reproof proceed from kindness surely it must be this which comes from him that is your spiritual Father yet salutes you as Brethren and reckons himself under the same obligation and toucheth your offences with so much tenderness only his Master hath charged that he shall reprove you and not hate you in heart (b) Levit. 19.17 for the neglect of this duty would argue he hated you and cared not to see you perish § 2. The Scripture moveth us in sundry places We may easily foresee if the Minister did only by his own authority command us to repent his words would
is the Christians highest aim it was Davids prayer (z) Psal 19.14 and the greatest blessing the Priest could wish (a) Numb 6.24 25 26. Psal 20.3 4. that Almighty God might accept them Poor Socrates after many a tedious step in a virtuous but afflicted state (b) An diis placent quae feci nescio hoc autem solum scio me sedulò haec egisse ut placerent could not tell whether he had given content to his Deities or no but whoever of you have the grace of Repentance and the holy spirit are not in those uncertainties but have Enochs Testimony Heb. 11.5 that you do please God § 12. And that the rest of our lives hereafter may be pure and holy this is the second benefit and motive earnestly to pray for these things for so you shall not only be welcomed at present with a gracious smile but all your lives long be reputed as the friends of God and by his help shall be preserved as pure as a true Repentance hath made you and as holy as those are who are under the Guard of the Spirit of holiness Pray therefore with all your soul for a true Repentance or else as soon as your soul is washed it will return to its impure wallowings and all your labour is in vain hitherto (c) 2 Pet. 2.22 laterem lavare for a feigned repentance will send Absolom away for a while but upon the next Enterview will hurry us with more passion into his embraces whereas the deep wounds of the true penitent make sin hateful to him while he lives and he that gets on a white garment with so much difficulty will not easily sully it but carefully preserve it pure as his tears have made it And upon the same ground be very pressing for the holy spirit Which if you can obtain you shall not only be preserved from the spots of sin but shall shine with the lustre of a holy life for our goodness is apt to vanish (d) Hos 6.4 we are wavering and soon weary unless we have that establishing spirit (e) Psal 51.14 David prays for and then all duties will be easie and we shall be strong for love and the sense of his assistance will carry us cheerfully through them all so as to be our pleasure not burden and when we are arrived to this nothing can bribe us to forsake them Oh happy soul that is thus begun to be restored to that purity and holiness which are part of Gods Image (f) Ephes 4.24 and parcels of the Divine Perfections blessed is he that is so far advanced that God is not like to forsake him because he hath made him holy pure and a fit temple for the inhabitation of his spirit nor is he likely ever to forsake that God whose mercy hath saved him whose grace doth refresh him whose waies please him and his glorious bounty which faith discovers doth still allure him to press forward to neerer unions and unseparable connexions no state under the Sun is to be longed and wished for like this which a true Repentance and Gods holy Spirit brings us to § 13. So that at the last we may come to his eternal joy through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen There is nothing more desirable then the sweet peace of a good Conscience but only that which is the end and perfection thereof and that is that happiness which is infinite and endless which the Scripture calls an eternal and everlasting joy (g) Isai 35.10 Chap. 61.7 51.11 which neither men nor devils can lessen or interrupt much less put a period to it And if God give us true Repentance it will preserve us from the sins which forfeit this and if he add his holy spirit it will safely lead us into those paths of righteousness which lead thither where we can desire no more because we have all that is desirable There are no cares to disturb no fears to allay nor sorrows to abate those ravishments of delight for ever there is joy which far surpasseth the half-sad and mixed pleasures which this world hath being nothing else but pure joy which pleaseth by its own excellence and by having no fears nor possibility of defailance in degree or continuance we tast something of it in the charming calm of a strong faith and a quiet conscience with undeceived expectations of Gods love but this is but the land-skip of our heavenly Canaan which Jesus hath purchased for us and God the Father will grant unto us and the most holy Spirit will be our guide thither (h) Psal 51.14 LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole glorious Trinity is concerned for us and will cooperate with us to put us into possession of them and then rejoyce over us to all eternity The Father who forgave us the Son who dyed for us and the Blessed Spirit who wrought effectually in us will Communicate this their joy with us and to us for ever And lastly to shew that you thankfully follow these Directions of the Ministers and have in your own heart and thoughts most devoutly petitioned God for a true Repentance and his holy Spirit by means whereof all these incomparable benefits may redound to you in testimony I say hereof you sum up all in a Petitionary Amen desiring it may be so and assenting also to the truth of all this It is most true and therefore oh so be it unto you Amen The Paraphrase of the Absolution BE it known to every one of you that hath confessed his sins with an humble lowly Penitent and obedient heart that Almighty God Supreme King of Heaven and Earth whose Royal Prerogative it is fully to acquit or finally to condemn being the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who assumed our nature and suffered for our sins this great God by his Merits is of an angry Judge become a tender Father and hath solemnly sworn he is one who desireth not neither taketh pleasure in the death or damnation of a sinner though never so justly deserving it but rather chuseth to have opportunity to shew mercy and therefore he useth all possible means that he may turn from his wickedness which will bring the sinner into condemnation that by leaving these paths of death he might be forgiven and live in holiness and comfort here and in everlasting glory hereafter And to confirm this his good will and keep penitent sinners from despair he hath given and in holy Scripture communicated Power by vertue of his Supreme Authority and Commandment for the exercise of this power for when poor sinners need comfort he hath given special charge to his Ministers lawfully chosen by himself and those he appoints to be his Ambassadors to declare at all times his willingness to pardon all and pronounce Absolution more particularly and plainly to those that by returning and obedience do own him even to his People being Penitent for all their offences as you now from your
hearts seem to be Know ye therefore that we are Authorised in Gods name to bring to such the message of the Absolution from the guilt and Remission of the punishment of their sins And by vertue of the power and in obedience to the Command given to us by God we do now proclaim that not we but He Pardoneth that can do it by his own right and Absoldeth both from guilt and Punishment all them be they never so many and their sins never so great that are qualified for a Pardon by those conditions which are by him required even them that truly Repent and heartily grieve for all their evil ways longing to be delivered from them and seriously purposing to amend them these shall never be condemned if they will trust in his mercy and Vnfeignedly believe and are firmly perswaded of the excellency of the precepts and the truth of the Promises of his holy Gospel and if they particularly accept this message of his Love therein manifested wherefore since God is so able and willing to pardon and hath sent us his Ministers to offer a Pardon if you repent and believe oh let us not loose the benefit of so gracious an offer but let us all since all are sinners go together to the Throne of grace upon this courteous summons and beseech him earnestly who sent it to us of his favour and bounty to grant us true Repentance such as he can work in us and such as he will accept so as to forgive us thereupon and having thereby cleansed us from by-past sins let us most heartily beg the help of his grace and his holy Spirit to purifie our hearts strengthen our Faith and bless our indeavours of reformation so constantly that we may have all our desires accomplished which petition if God shall grant the blessed event will be that those things even all the duties which you shall now perform and the Absolution now pronounced which is the office of the Minister may please him so as that he hear your Prayers and seal your Pardon and bless all which we do at this present when he hath cleansed us from iniquity and quickened us by his spirit the fruit shall be present acceptance and that the rest of our lives hereafter which formerly have been so sinful may be pure from wickedness sanctified and righteous and holy full of all well-pleasing and that we may persevere all our daies in this happy course so that at the last when Death puts an end to the tedious sorrows and short contents of this mortal life we may come to his eternal joy that is unconceivable and endless without mixture or diminution and which is so much above our deserts that we could not hope ever to obtain it but through Iesus Christ our Lord who by his Death purchased this Pardon by his intercession prevaileth for grace and at his Ascension took possession of this eternal joy for all that are truly Absolved to which we all say Amen Lord be it so unto us Amen SECTION V. Of the Lords Prayer Of the Lords Prayer in General § 1. WHat hath hitherto been performed by the Church was rather a preparation to Prayer then Prayer it self For this Confession and Absolution answers to the Heathen Washings and those the Jews used before they approached their altars So that we may say the first place is by us assigned to the first and chiefest of all Prayers which should have stood in the front of all but only till we had repented of our disobedience we ought not to call God Father and till we have his Pardon we cannot with comfort call him so He that hath been in Rebellion must have his offence forgiven before he presume to petition for acts of grace so we being praedisposed by Confession and Absolution begin with this Prayer And sure this deserves to be first since it was made by Jesus and endited by his divine spirit to be a guide to and a part of our daily Devotions (i) Luc. 11.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Math. 6.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vid. LXX Numb 6.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Debet benedictio ista proferri linguâ sanctâ cum nomine Dei proprio Fagius in loc to be used as oft as we need our daily bread saying these words or praying in this manner which is all one for that form of blessing Num. 6.23 the Jews are prescribed to use in that manner who yet keep both words and language in the Pronunciation this Prayer Christ had delivered in his first Sermon Matth. 6. but it seems his Disciples did not then understand it for a form (k) See modo Diatrib on Matth. 6.9 so that the next year they requested him for a Form such as the Doctors among them were wont to give their Schollers as a Badge of their Relation to such a Master and then Luke 11.1 our Lord prescribed this set Form which for words and phrases he took (l) Tam longè abfuit Dominus Ecclesiae ab omni affectatione non necessariae novitatis Grotius out of the Jewish forms with little variation (m) Vid. Capelli not in Crit. Sacr. to shew how far he was from all affectation of novelty in Devotion and certainly we may discern in it a lively resemblance of its Author who was the highest and lowest the greatest and least God and Man The Comprehensiveness of it is the admiration of the wisest (n) Quantum substringitur verbis tantùm diffunditur sensibus Tert. the plainess suiting still the meanest capacity for it is so clear that all may understand it so short that any may learn it so full as to take in all our wants and so exact as to shew us what we should be (o) Vnusquisque nostrûm sic discat orare de orationis lege qualis esse debeat noscere Cypr. de Orat. as well as what we should ask and is the Epitome (p) Breviarium Evangelii Tertul. de Orat. of the Gospel Herein we glorifie God in desiring his honour may be made manifest and are mindful of our selves in praying for all Graces Reverence and Fear Sanctification and Purity Submission and Obedience active and passive Faith and Love Diligence and Zeal Constancy and Perseverance and for our Bodies we beg Food and Raiment Health and Strength Riches and Friends a good Name and a long Life so far as they are good for us We look back to our sins past and humbly crave Remission we look forward first to our duty engaging our selves in purposes of holy Charity and then to our danger earnestly intreating his preventing grace and pitty may preserve us from sin and punishment the snares of men and devils finally we look upwards in an humble acknowledgment of his goodness and greatness and just deservings of all honour and glory from us and all the World In this one Form as we represent all our own wants so we exercise all graces (q) Quot simul expunguntur
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
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
and be careful to express those practical inferences that are all along drawn from them in our lives and conversations heartily desiring we may live by these holy principles of truth and in these we must exercise especially Faith and Love concluding them with giving Glory to the Father who hath made us partakers of a right Faith in his Son by his Spirit and remembring that every Person of this Glorious Trinity joyns in these eminent works of Creation Providence Redemption and Sanctification let us heartily praise God the Father Son and Holy Ghost for all that is done or designed for the sons of men Let thy soul say Oh Lord I confess the truth of these things I believe them fully and I admire them highly and will ever love thee for declaring them I acknowledge thy Power in Creating thy Bounty in sustaining thy Wisdome in ordering and thy Mercy in relieving and preserving all the World I discern thy love in our Redemption I hope in thy might for a resurrection to life and I trust in thy Mercy for a share in thy glory Glory be to the Father c. for all this 2. The Psalms of Exhortation which are serious admonitions backed with powerful motives and convincing arguments and cleer examples by which we are stirred either to some Acts of moral Virtue (b) Psal 15. and 101. or to some Duties of positive Religion to fear God or study his Law or observe his Will (c) Psal 1. and 34. and 119. or else we are warned against sin by threatnings and examples (d) Psal 7. and 58. and 64. particularly against distrust in God by the History (e) Psal 78.105 106. of his Providence over his own people That we may profit by these it is requisite that we do weigh the promises and motives to holiness so seriously that we be convinced of our folly in neglecting these duties and resolved to set upon the sincere performance of them and it is necessary that we consider the evils that are appointed for and threatned to all sorts of sins and the sad instances and examples of sinners that have been made miserable thereby till we find our hearts moved with fear and penitence and till we have taken up purposes of speedy forsaking those dangerous courses so that here we are to exercise humility and Repentance fear of God and pious resolutions which being finished in the Doxology is a superadded act of Praise to the Father for sparing us to the Son for interceding for us and to the Holy Ghost for warning and convincing us and this Glory be to the Father c. doth declare you are thankful for the admonition and resolved to take warning and full of hopes of the Divine assistance to help you to forsake the evil and follow the good In these Psalms take the same resolutions which holy David did and encourage your selves with the same hopes love what he loves desire what he longed for believe and expect what he promiseth to himself hate what he hated take warning by what he observed and fear the same sad event if you go on in the same way with those sinners that are made examples to you evermore praising God for these gracious discoveries and saying Glory be c. 3. The Psalms of Supplication which are most ardent Petitions for all good things for your selves your Bretheren and the whole Church in all circumstances and upon all occasions These are private Prayers for Pardon of sin (f) Psal 25. and 51. and 143. for Restauration to Gods favour (g) Psal 4. and 42. and 63. for Patience in trouble (h) Psal 39. and 88. for deliverance from Spiritual or Temporal enemies (i) Psal 55. and 59 and 71. and 74. and also publique Prayers for the King (k) Psal 21. and 72. and for the Church and people of God (l) Psal 68. and 79. and 80. and such like Which that we may be fitly disposed for we must have a quick and feeling sense of our own and our bretherens wants a firm belief of Gods all-sufficiency a strong confidence in the intercession of Jesus Christ and a full persuasion of the acceptableness of these requests which are drawn up by the Holy Ghost And these devout prayers will give us occasion to shew our care of our own souls and our universal charity to all the world our love to Gods Church and our intire dependance on his Power and Mercy and may fitly be closed with a giving Glory to the Father who heareth us to the Son who pleads for us in Heaven and to the Holy Ghost who directs and assists us on Earth and we have cause to bless him who hath heard both our and others Prayers and will do so to the end of the world giving all persons in all ages past present and to come great-cause of Eucharist and thanksgiving for by this Gloria Patri added to our Prayers we declare our confidence and hope that he will grant us our desires who is and was and ever shall be the helper of all that flee to him for succour and we call to mind that many are now praising him in heaven for hearing these very Petitions we now put up Art thou poor or miserable sick or weak despised or slandered persecuted or oppressed here thou mayest breath out thy complaints to him that can help thee or those that are so Art thou under trouble of conscience or fear of Gods anger worsted by temptation or sluggish in holy duties or any waies spiritually indisposed here are most proper and pertinent forms for thy comfort and redress Art thou a well-wisher to all the world a lover of Gods people a friend to the Peace of Kingdoms and a faithful Subject to thy own Prince hast thou any detestation for sinners or desire of their Conversion any pitty for the calamitous and wishes for their deliverance if thou bring a charitable heart thou mayest pray for all or any of these in such prevailing words that ere thou hast done speaking thou mayest have such assurances of a gracious return as to sing Glory be to the Father c. 4. The Psalms of thanksgiving are those joyful songs of Praise and Eucharist and lovely descriptions of the Divine goodness to the World but especially to us and all his own people Such are those wherein God is praised for all his mercies (m) Psal 103. and 136. and 145. for those bestowed on our bodies (n) Psal 116. and 130. health plenty (o) Psal 65. and 104. victories over our enemies (p) Psal 18. and 144. and 149. as also for what he hath done for our souls (q) Psal 66. and 111. and 118. and in these Psalms are most earnest exhortations to joyn in praising his holy Name and most exact Characters of all Gods gracious dealings with us and all mankind wherefore that we may joyn in heart and voice let us bring with us hearts fully sensible of our
clean heart He sees Gods will clearly loves it exceedingly closes with it readily because it suits his inclinations and sympathizes with his affections so that it brings its welcome along with it 3. Come with holy desires to learn your duty and stedfast resolutions to practice it The end of writing the Scripture must be our aim in hearing it that we may be wiser and better The Philosopher complained of some that read Plato not to reform their manners but to adorn their discourse (q) Est etiam proh Jupiter qui Platonem legere posiulet non vitae ornandae sed linguae orationis comendae gratiâ non ut modestior fâ—at sed lepidior Taur ap Aul. Gell. no. At. 1.9 but we have juster cause to complain of those that hear Gods holy word to make them more talkative and not more holy It is not Phrases but virtue which we ought to learn there We must like good souldiers stand with our loins girt our arms fixed expecting only the watch word and then we must obey Let us say Spâ—ak Lord for thy sâ—rvant heareth and with St. Paul (r) 1 Sam. 3.10 Acts 9.8 Lord what wouldâ—st thou have me to do And when he hath in his word signified his pleasure our souls must answer (s) Exod. 19.8 All that the Lord hath spoken that will we do It had been a strange presumption in David to have consulted the Oracle about his safety (t) 1 Sam. 23.2 and ver 12. unless he had purposed to obey the Answer And it is an equal affront to the Divine Majesty for us to pretend we come to ask his advice when we have no intentions to follow it § 5. Being thus prepared before by Prayer purity and holy resolutions when the Lessons are begun Fourthly Let us hear them with all reverence according to that excellent example of those devout Jews (u) Nehem. 8.6 who when the Law was read to them lifted up their hands bowed down their heads and fell on their faces And sure we should express such outward respects as may declare we are mindful of the Author of these Proclamations who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords The Scripture daily salutes us as Ehud did the King of Moab (x) Judg. 3.20 I have a message to thee from God And if the Tyrant at that news rose from his seat shall not he condemn us if we receive it with less signs of regard and reverence But especially let us labour to fill our minds with serious apprehensions that it is the word will and mind of the great God (y) Scriptura est ipsa vox anima Dei. D. Gregor and then we shall express our outward reverence with more ease and sincerity Let us receive it as being truly his (z) 1 Thess 2.13 and it will work as effectually as if it came with the terrors of Mount Sinah or were delivered in Thunder from the battlements of Heaven And the better to affect your heart behold the evident demonstrations that God is in and with them Think how many sad hearts these promises have cheared how many erring and wavering minds these truths have established sow many obstinate sinners these exhortations and threatnings have converted and it will help to give them their due valew in your eyes 5ly Mark them with a most diligent attention as those did our saviours words (a) Luke 19. ult Let your eyes be fixt on the Minister as if you expected to receive something (b) Acts 3.5 Let your ear be open to receive the words and your heart ponder well the sense and be sure you narrowly watch and speedily drive away those evil thoughts which come to devour our sacrifice and carry our souls away we know not whither How deservedly would that poor man want relief who should entertain himself with every Bird within his view at a time of distribution till all were disposed of Yet such is their folly who while they are pursuing every idle thought which Sathan starts loose many sentences which might open their eyes strengthen their hands and comfort their hearts And he knows not what good he deprives himself of that lets the least sentence slip unobserved for the very filings of gold are precious and there is weight in the least tittle of Gods word (c) Matth. 5.18 There are many places which are obscure and by reason of close connexions or speedy transitions are no wayes to be understood without the comparing with what precedes or follows (d) Qui non adveris quid supra infra scriptum sit is pervertit verba Dei viventiâ— Munster so that breaking one link may spoil the chain It is not possible a careless hearer should understand them clearly or apply them prudently or make any future benefit of them but we find by half sentences and slight observation men sâ—ck in errors and evil principles and the same word that cures one kills another (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arrian in Epict. l. 2. c. 24. It is this negligence and inadvertency that makes the Scripture so little understood so hugely perverted so speedily forgotten and so slowly practiced We have enough to imploy our minds and our time and did we give that heed (f) Qui audierit inveniet Deum qui etiam studuerit intelligere cogetur credere Tert. to Scripture that we do to trifles we might easily understand it and should be engaged to a firmer belief and a more conscientious practice of it § 6. The last part of our care is after the Lessons be ended then sixthly Meditate of them and lay them up in your heart that you may faithfully remember what you have learned and readily bring it forth upon occasion We do not only hear Gods word to stir us into a present Devotion but to fill our Treasures store our Armory and victual our Fort against we be besieged by temptation or affliction (g) Heb. 2.1 Hammond Annot. and 't is not our affections when we hear it so much as our memory of what we hear that thus makes it serviceable to us But we must especially treasure that which is most pertinent to our own condition and as the Jewish Masters love to Allegorize we must not be like the Wine-press which keeps the husks and lets out the pure Wine nor like the Spunge which promiscuously sucks in all nor yet like the Hour-glass which pours out at one side what it received on the other but in hearing we must be like the Fan which retains nothing but the solid Corn. If we have but skill to chuse according to our needs there is in Scripture plenty and variety for all estates and if our arms be fewer yet if they be ready and fit they may be more serviceable then more that are not so well ordered Lastly Begin immediately to put what you hear into practice and then it is out of Sathans reach (h) Is divinas Scripturas rectè
they have benefit by this excellent part of holy Writ 4ly The Prophesies are the Predictions of ruine from the mouth of God to all wicked men both heathens and enemies of Gods people and also those that then gloried in that name as we do now but continued in the practice of all iniquity How sadly do the Prophets complain of such what terrible Menaces and piercing reproofs do they give them Yet every where intermixed with earnest invitations to amendment and pressing exhortations to sincere reformation and the practice of that hearty obedience which the Letter of the Law expressed not as an introduction to the Gospel and coming of Jesus which is here set out in all its glory And when we behold that both those heathen Nations and the Jews themselves have pulled utter ruine on themselves by their contempt of the Promises and verified the Threatnings by their disobedience to these warnings we ought to fear and grow wise by their Calamity and take heed to answer our profession with a holy life and cast off all those destructive sins or we may be sure these Prophecies shall once more be fulfilled in our inevitable destrâ—ction And for the more Mysterious Prophesies (s) S. Propheta audivit nâ—n intellexit quid faâ—ient hi qui signatum librum usque ad tempus consummationis mulâ—is obscuritatibus inâ—â—luâ—um praesumptione mentis edissâ—runt Hieron in Dan. we need not curiously pry into them noâ— know particularly to what Church or Persons to fix the woes therein denounced but rather applying them to our own lusts let us take courage from the assurance of victory under Christs Kingdome to mortifie and subdue them That as God hath sent him to us in the Flesh and so far made good these predictions so we may admit him to reign in our hearts and then we shall experience the truth of that triumph joy and peace which is promised to wait upon his Government and also avoid all the terrors that are denounced against the workers of iniquity § 8. The New Testament is read for the Second Lessons because it is the perfection of the Law the substance of the types and the fulfilling of all the Prophecies and because it hath manifested the reward more fully it heightens and improves the duties (t) Lex vetus ligat manum lex nova ligat animum for since to us mâ—ch is given much may justly be required And if so clear a discovery of Gods infinite love will not work upon us we are strangely obdurate But we hope better things will be effected 1. By the History of the Gospel 2. By the Epistles Fifthly Therefore that we may apply and improve the Gospel let us consider it as an exact account of all that Jesus did and suffered for us Here is a Relation of his mean and humble birth a record of his holy and afflicted life a register of his Miracles a summary of his Sermons and a most moving description of his painful and Meritorious death Let us therefore in hearing these Lessons imagine our selves of his retinue as if we were giving audience to his voice or beholding his wonders of goodness and might Let us carry our Pride to his Nativity our idleness to his industrious doing good to all our anger to his meekness our revenge to his gentleness and love of his enemies that they may blush and dye when they see their deformity by so sweet a pattern See and wonder admire and love and strive to imitate your dear Saviour in kindness and charity mercy and pitty diligence and piety patience and constancy faith and zeal and rejoyce to have him presented to you thus because your Captain is your Companion (u) Tunc enim promptius iâ—unt Milites cum Dux sit Socius and hath done himself what he requires of you The servant of Wenceslaus following his Royal and devout Master barefoot in a deep snow to a house of Prayer in a Winter night when he began to tire beheld his Prince and with shame and love recruited his tired spirits and every look gave him a new life So would the sight of Jesus beget in us did we view him with that affection and steddiness as we ought if we have a due love for Christ it will not only be pleasant but profitable thus daily to hear of him For his Sermons will convert us his Conversation engage us to love him more his Example will invite and enflame us and his Death will above all tye our souls to him and make our sins as odious as the worst instruments of that black cruelty thus we may live like him dye with him and rise again to newness of life Lastly those sacred Epistles are used which do further explain the Mysteries of the Divine Love and the Covenant of Grace declaring Gods designs in it and expectations from us and the preparations made for us with incomparable cautions against the deceits of Sathan cruelty of Persecutors and falshoods of hereticks together with variety of Promises Exhortations and Directions so closely united and so majestically expressed that it requires a quick apprehension and a solid jâ—dgment to unravel all the mysteries in them and yet they that avoid curiosity and self-conceit and bring humility love and holy resolutions such cannot be more effectually improved in knowledge and piety by any part of Scripture And this rule must be observed by all in the Offices of Religion when we hear Gods word that we do not pursue difficulties and unprofitable disputes but apply the holy Scripture to profit by it And certainly he best understands it who by it learns to bridle his passions bound his desires conquer his appetites to fear God love his neighbour and to be careful of his own Immortal soul and if we make this use of the words of God we shall have good cause to joyn in the next duty of giving praise to him that made them and assists us that we may profit by them SECTION IX Of the Hymns for the Morning Prayer § 1. THere is not in the whole Circle of Christian Duties any more universal then Praise For because in every thing God shews mercy we must in every thing (x) 1 Thess 5.18 give thanks So that Hymns of Praise are ever seasonable especially in the house of God where they are to be intermixed with every part of Divine Service to make it pleasant to us and delightful to him we worship We are to bless God for our bodily food how much more then for the food of our souls the providing of which for us is the greatest mercy next to that of giving the Eternal word to us For if God had not written his Word for us we should not have seen either our sin or our danger our duty nor our assistance our Deliverer nor our reward and shall we not Praise him for this shining light And particularly what Chapter is there but it contains a peculiar reason of our
See how he hath glorified himself in giving the world such a manifestation of his truth as will stop the mouths of his enemies and for ever strengthen the faith of his humble servants For now he hath made good all his words and Promises his Covenant and Protestations in the first and greatest blessing of all (r) 2 Cor. 1.20 and so given that as an earnest of all the rest The night seemed long and the people of God themselves began to fear and the wicked to deride their expectation But now we will trust in him even though he defer we will wait on him for we find he will not forget his promises nor falsifie his word Oh let us rejoyce in the God of truth who hath sent this mighty Salvation to us which is the instrument of our safety and the evidence of his truth and on both accounts the cause of our rejoycing § 7. But in the midst of our Joy we must not forget our Dâ—ty nor so please our selves with the delightful view of our advantage by this glorious Redemption as to pass by the design of God in giving it least we think Jesâ—s came to set us free from death and let us loose to sin He came to free us from the slavery which we were fâ—llen into uâ—der Sathan but not to discharge â—s of our duty to himself Nay to encrease the obligation for by redeeming us from captivity and death he ingaged us to serve him all our lives which the laws of Nations (s) Redemptus ab hostibus r demptori serviat denec pre ium reddiderit Grot. de jur B. P. l. 3. c. 9. §. 10. as well as common gratitude doth inform us of And if he had not rescâ—ed nor yet purchased us yet we are bound to serve God as we are his Creatures and as he is Supream Lord and law-giver to all the World But then we coâ—ld not have payed that duty withoâ—t fears aâ—d terrors both becaâ—se of the Tyrants w om we were enslaved to and the Mâ—jesty we had offended against And therefore witho t a Redeemer our seâ—vice to God either would have â—â—en neglected or have been â—ccompanied with such â—â—emblings aâ—d anxieties so devoid of faith or love oâ— hope that it would have appeared necessaâ—y and consâ—rained not voluntary or free and consequently it would be unacceptable to God and unprofitable to us His mercy therefore is designed to remove our fears and not to quit us of our Obedience but to make it more easie and pleasant by appeasing Gods wrath restraining Sathans power and encreasing our strength So that now when we apply our selves to the duties of Religion we need not be discouraged at our former guilt he will cleanse us amazed at Gods justice he will satisfie it affrighted at Sathans malice he will restrain it We need not be disheartned at the difficulty he will help us nor doubtful of the event he will procure acceptance and reward He hath taken off the terrors of an offending slave and left us no fear but that which is useful the fear of an ingenious and a dutifâ—l Child (t) Non sicut feram timeo patrem timeo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. Strom. 2o. who out of love to his Father is afraid to offend him or come short in his duty to him And this blessed Condition to be able to serve God with Faith and Hope freedom and chearfulness is the great comfort of every truly pious soul and if we be such we shall reckon the convenience to do our duty among the chiefest of our felicities and praise God as much for the Power to do good as for any other blessing Lâ—t us then who pretend to more Gospel then any had then imitate this blessed man who in praising God for the Redemption seems speedily to pass over all the benefits of Pardon and reconciliation and glory it self aâ—d chuseth above all to bless God for affording us opportunity and freedom to serve him As if holiness and undisturbed obedience were the most desirable thing in the world and the Heaven which Jesus brings Let us behold our duty and rejoyce in that more then in our pardon and ease and then we shew a noble love And let this deliverance produce its due effect in us even to make us use our hopes and comforts to quicken our love and our obedience And so this Hymn shall not only be a form of Praise but a tutor to instruct us what returns we ought to make even to walk holily in our duties to God and righteously in our conversation with men (u) Titus 1.11 Resolving that neither ease nor pretended gain shall intice us back to our chains nor all Sathans menaces shall affright us from our gracious Master whom we must now serve not with such outward shews (x) Coloss 3.22 as if we only courted human approbation but with such sincerity as may declare he hath won our hearts and engaged our affections while we live Therefore our ear must be bored to signifie we will now hear his word obey his will and never leave so sweet and dear a Master And when we have a while found and considered the easiness of his service the greatness and readiness of his assistance the infiniteness and endlesness of his rewards we shall have cause to glorifie God for sending Jesus to bring us into this estate and think all our duty too little to express our obligation and see reason to put it into our Benedictus that of slaves of Sathan we are become Gods free men § 8. God hath not only expressed his love in raising up a Saviour for us but in making him known to us And since our obedience was designed least ignorance should make Apology (y) Rom. 10.14 15. the divine care did order it should be proclaimed to all the world It was foretold at a great distance by the Prophets to comfort the former ages And when it was just approaching it was by a special Harbinger pointed out as near at hand to awaken mens expectations and summon them to prepare so that it is sure it was the great interest of all mankind or else it had not been ushered in by so many warnings I doubt not but holy Zachary now felt the Etymology of his sons Name and the truth of the Angels Promise (z) Luke 1.14 gaudium exultaâ—io Not so much that he had a son as in tâ—e joy he conceived that he was to be the messenger of the Lord of hosts the Herald and Harbinger to the most high And yet he rejoyceth not so much in the particular priviledge of his son as the general benefit which the world might receive by his message And therefore he blesseth God for his duty as well as his office For when such a messenger came to assure them of the approach of the so long expected Messiah and much desired Salvation and to let the world know for what purposes the most
the hand of our enemies should never by sin put our selves in their power again but being obliged by our Pardon and assisted by his grace henceforth might serve him with a lively faith and chearful hope without fear of being hurt by Sathan or rejected by God So long as we walk in holiness towards him and righteousness toward our Neighbours and if our Religion and Charity be sincere as done before him and constant so as we continue in it all the days of our life we answer all his expectations and need not doubt of acceptance and reward Lord thou camest to make us holy as well as happy and therefore thou hast sent this Harbinger to acquaint us with thy design And thou Child art chosen to give the world warning and shalt be called the Prophet of the highest God thy office shall be to fit men to receive this mighty Saviour for thou shalt go as a Herald before the face of the Lord by severe reproofs and powerful exhortations to prepare his ways by bringing men to repentance Thou art sent to shew the danger of sin and to give knowledge of him that will bring Salvation to his People that they repenting and fearing the wrath to come may forsake all iniquity and fly to Jesus for the Remission of their sins It is high time for us who are guilty of so many sins to take care least by impenitence and unpreparedness we loose the benefit of this salvation which is provided for us through the tender bowels of the mercy of our God whereby he pittied our desperate danger and after our dismal right hath given us the light of the day-spring even his only Son who from on high leaving his Heavenly Throne hath visited us And now hath set up his Gospel among us to give light and discover the dangerous event of sin to them that sit in darkness through ignorance or by horrid guilt are in the valley and shadow of death that so they may be instructed converted and live And to guide our feet when we are thus brought out of our evil and dangerous paths that we may enter into the way that leads to the everlasting Kingdom of Peace we will observe this light and follow this guide and ever praise thee for it saying Glory be to the Father c. The second Hymn after the second Lesson at Morning Prayer Or the 100 Psalm § 9. THE Church hath provided not only for our necessities but our delight giving us the choice of another Hymn which is a Psalm of Praise as the Title tells us and was Composed to be sung by course in the Temple-service (f) Dr. Hammond Paraph. and Annot. on Psal 100. at the time of the Oblation of the Peace-Offering and yet it is not so appropriate to the Jewish service but it may well fit the Christian worship being a double exhortation to publick Praise which is most due to God for the publication of his Gospel and besides it is addressed to all Nations and so is a fit return for so universal a Mercy as the Redemption is There is no difficulty in the Method or Phrase and therefore we shall only note That the first Exhortation in the three first Verses is both to direct and quicken us in the duty of Divine Praise directing us in the two first Verses concerning the Persons by whom the manner how and place where we must perform it and the third Verse contains the Motives which are taken first from the Nature of God secondly from his Works both in Creating us and taking special care of us as of the sheep of his Pasture Wherefore the fourth Verse renews and inforceth the Duty even to come into Gods house with hearts full of gratitude and joy lauds and benedictions and the fifth Verse gives new reasons of it and more spiritual motives to it first because of his Essential goodness secondly his Endless Mercy thirdly his infallible truth All which are manifested so clearly in his holy Gospel that the world never had such a Testimony of them before and therefore this Hymn directly looks upon us who have heard this good news and obligeth us to bless God for that infinite Grace and Mercy and Truth which he shewed in giving his Son to us for which we must ever ascribe Glory to the Father c. SECTION X. Of the Hymns for the Evening Prayer and first of the Magnificat The Analysis of the Magnificat This Hymn hath two Parts 1. A general Thanksgiving containing 1. The Acts of Praise Magnifie and Rejoyce 2. The Instruments Soul and Spirit 3. The Object of it The Lord God c. 2. The special reasons for it 1. Upon her own account considering 1. Her present Meanness 2. Her future Honour 3. The Author of her happiness He that is Mighty He that is Holy 2. Upon the account of others 1. For the general disposals of his Providence Giving to the Pious Mercy Humble Exaltation Poor Supplies Procuring to the Proud Shame Mighty Humillation Rich Want 2. For the particular grace of the Redemption in which God shewed His Mercy In remembring of us His Power In sending help to us His Truth In keeping his word with us A Practical Discourse on the Magnificat § 1. THE Blessed Virgin whom God chose to be the Instrument of the greatest blessing that ever the World had by the fruit of her lips as well as of her Womb hath given apparent testimony of the extraordinary presence of the Divine Spirit with her and in her For this sacred Hymn breaths forth such lovely mixtures of faith and fear humility and love charity and devotion that it appears she was full of grace as well as highly favoured And it should be our wish and endeavour to repeat it with the same affections and holy fervours with which she indited it Perhaps we think we have not the same occasion 'T is true God the Word took flesh in her Womb and that is her peculiar Priviledge But if we receive the word of God and the motions of the holy Spirit that attend it we may turn that word into (g) Verbum Carnem facere est Verbum in Opus Scripturas in operas convertere Bish Andr. Ser. 6. flesh by Faith and Obedience if we so hear as to practice (h) Sit in singulis Mariae anima Nam etsi secundum carnem una Mater est Christi secundum fidem tamen omnium fructus est Ambros in Luc. we do conceive Christ by Faith and he is formed in us (i) Omnis enim anima concipit Dei verbum si tamen immaculata immunis à vitiis intemerato castimâ—niam pudorâ— custodiat Idem by the overshadowing power of the Holy Ghost and a puâ—e heart and he is by holiness brought forth for Christ himself calls such (k) Matth. 12.50 by the name of his Mother We are to rejoyce with all that do rejoyce but especially when we are sharers in the mercy and
probable he was a person considerable very likely him whom the Jews call Simeon the first who lived at this time and was the son of the most famous Rabbi Hillel (i) Vid. Scultet Exerc. Evang. l. 1. c. 61. and Light-foots Harm on this place who opposed the received opinion of the temporal Kingdome of the Messiah for it is certain our Simeon did so or he had never thus rejoyced over a Messiah presented by so mean Parents in swadling clothes at the gates of the Temple It was not the object that appeared to his eyes but the illumination of the Spirit and the prospect of his Faith that elevated his affections Wherefore we need not pretend to dismiss this holy song by alledging it was an extraordinary occasion for the writings of thâ— Apostles which are daily read among us do as clearly represent him the Saviour of the world to the eye of Faith and set him before us as evidently in the house of God as any bodily sight could do to him and if our minds be inlightened and our faith firm as his we have the same occasion and ought to rehearse it with the same devotion The mercy is made sufficiently plain to us it we were but as apprehensive of the advantages it brings to us and all men as he was I know not why we should wish to live any longer then till we have obtained hopes of a share in it But we have houses to build families to propagate and designs to compleat and all before we are willing to dye We desire something besides nay perhaps more then an Interest in Jesus and therefore we dare not joyn in this noble wiâ—h But he was dead to the world before and had been impatient of a longer stay but only for the promise to have a sight of Jesus in the flesh And when this long-wished for happiness was come to pass his expectations are answered and all his desires filled He values nothing here but humbly craves his dismission His holy soul that came from God can find no rest on the waters of this world and therefore desires to return with an Olive-branch of peace to its dear Lord (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Câ—em Al. Strom. 4o. Mortem Stoici appellare solent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arrian where it was sure of rest and joy among the best of friends He now desires leave to depart from the flesh which he had long esteemed his Prison wherein he was confined by his infirmities (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Themistius ap Stobae and shut up from beholding the glories of God which he now longs to see more then ever by this last experience of his Truth and Mercy and he knew that death would set him free his desires and joy begin to swell too big to be confined in the walls of flesh and now he is even straitned till he be let loose into the regions of glory to praise him face to face And yet his extasies transport him not beyond the measures of obedience and humility for he first asks his Masters leave nor will he go till he have Commission but he intimates he had stript himself of all worldly desires and had his inner coat his flesh in his hands ready to lay it down and run whenever the watch word (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ar. was given His hopes and desires to see his Saviour had alone made his life acceptable and the fulfilling of them makes even death most welcome to him because he knew that Jesus came to disarm death and by satisfying for sin to deprive it of that sting which made it terrible to all men All the sin-offerings of the law were but weak armor to encounter death nor could they so fully purge or appease the Conscience as that it should not accuse in the fatal hour But the perfect Sacrifice of the death of Jesus doth so fully avert Gods wrath that all that believe in him can triumph over death meet it with courage and embrace it with peace as the end of their fears and the entrance into their felicity (n) 1 Cor. 15.55 Non est timendum quod liberat nos ab omni timendo How can he fear death that hath his sins forgiven or how can he doubt Gods mercy that beholds his Son with faith and love or how can he question the truth of Gods Promises that embraces Jesus the greatest of all in his arms He that knows Gods power is persuaded of his love and convinced of his truth can dye in peace and lye down with joy in the assurance of a blessed Resurrection And this we may do for it was only their priviledge who lived then to see Jesus and whoever looked on him so as to dare to dye then must behold him by faith and thus we may see Christ not only with Simeon presented in the Temple but with St. Steven standing at the right hand of God not only in his rising but his full glory Why then are we so fixed to this world so desirous to stay so loath to depart so sad when God calls Oh let us look on this our Redeemer so stedfastly and embrace him so tenderly in our hearts that it may appear he is dearer to us then our very lives Let us love him so intirely that nothing may satisfie us without him and trust so fully in his merits and mercies that we may live chearfully and dye peaceably Let us say with this devout Old man Lord I do now so clearly perceive thy purposes of mercy so confidently believe thy promises of forgiveness and so firmly rely on the hopes of glory that I resolve to be ever thy servant I desire to stay no longer in this world then to get assurances for a better Earths vanities do not make me wish to live nor deaths terrors afraid to dye If thou callest me this day Lord I come I can live with patience or dye in peace for I see him that will preserve me in life or death and gives me hopes that whether I live or dye I am the Lords I was not with Simeon in the Temple to behold my Saviour with my bodily eyes but I have had thy Salvation as clearly manifested in this thy holy word as if I had seen him with my eyes Lord grant me thy holy Spirit that I may behold him with the same faith and embrace him with the same affections that he did and then I shall chearfully joyn in a Nunc Dimittis and being daily ready to dye shall ever be fit to live and thy will shall be done in my life or death Blessed Lord thou hast even to our dayes by these holy writings sufficiently manifested thy Son before all our faces and it is our carelesness ingratitude and unbelief that hides him from our eyes and makes us hug these vanities and fear to leave them But thou hast done thy part and I will praise thee for sending this bright and glorious Sun
along with every sentence and seal it with a most hearty assent There are many truths which do not concern us whether they be true or false and in such cases a general persuasion that they may be true will suffice But these principles of our Faith are the ground of our Prayers the rule of our lives and must be received with the same evidence that the Mathematicians postulata are on which his following demonstrations depend so that without the admission of these he can do nothing Remember you must conduct the affairs of your life by this profession you must venture your souls at your death on these principles nay if need be you must seal these Truths with your blood therefore do not slightly repeat them but let them sink into your heart and be so assured of them that no pleasure or profit may intice you to walk contrary to it or deny it nor no threats or pains affright you from confessing it and rejoyce in this daily opportunity to express the constancy of your faith and every day protest your belief as solemnly as if you were to dye for it 3. Our mind can never want imployment for all the faculties and powers thereof because in the repetition we are to make a particular application of every Article that it may produce those effects and serve those ends for which it was revealed And it is absurd if not impious to think that God did discover these sacred truths only to enlarge our speculations or experience our credulity All that is true is equally so and the reason why these truths are more necessary to be believed then others is not because they are more certain but more uâ—eful to assist our devotions and direct our conversation then any other propositions that Gods word doth contain where they are not barely taught but ever applied either as incouragements to the worship of God or arguments to a holy life Nor are they intended so much to make us wiser as to perswade us to become better (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. Paedag. And if they have not this effect upon us our Faith excels not the Confession of the Devils (i) Matth. 8.29 James 2.19 who did acknowledge Jesus the Son of God and yet opposed the purposes of that mistery and so had no benefit by their acknowledgment This light is set up to direct us and it is expected that we should work and walk by it And that will appear when our Devotions suit these principles and our practices are the genuine products of our profession For therefore Heaven did reveal this Creed and therefore the Church inserts it here And that we may learn to use it to these purposes let us more particularly consider 1. How we may apply it to assist our Prayers In order whereunto we must observe that our Faith is the basis on which our Petitions are built the sole engagement to us to make them and the principal motive to God to hear them who hath so often required that we should pray with Faith and without the least wavering or distrust (k) Matth. 21.22 1 Tim. 2.8 Heb. 11.6 James 1.6 Graec. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 agitatur scil dubitans at non progreditur vide item Jac. 5.15 Graec. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. If we come to God we must believe that he is and that he will reward those that wait upon him without which persuasion the Gentiles themselves did never (l) Veneramini Dees colitis non credentes illos esse propitias aures vestris supplicationibus accommodare Arnob adv gentes lib. 2. worship their false Gods nor can we pray to the true with either courage zeal or comfort till we have possessed our souls with right opinions of him And this we may do by a reciting our Creed before our Prayers which is an impenetrable armor against all those discouragements and fears which Sathan is apt to assail us with Let us not pray like those that know not God but imitate the holy servants of God in Scripture who alwaies begin their supplications with a brief Confession of their Faith in Gods Power (m) 1 Kings 8.23 Nehem. 9.6 1 Chron. 29.11.12 Daniel 9.4 and Providence his Mercy and his Covenant as we do ours with the declaration of our Faith Oh what holy fervours doth it put our souls into to contemplate the Power of an Almighty Father the love of a most merciful Redeemer and the grace of the holy Spirit our sanctifier Doth it not teach us reverence and fear sincerity and longing desires hope and chearful expectations thus to set God before us in our Creed in the beauty of his Attributes and the glory of his works When we have professed our belief in the Father Almighty that made Heaven and Earth how readily shall we run to him for the supply of our temporal necessities When we have protested our assurance that the eternal Son of God was made man born among us lived with us and dyed for us and arose again and returned to his glory to prepare a place for us and plead our cause can we then forbear to cry for pardon and peace for conversion and salvation or shall we doubt to be accepted Again have we owned our belief of that holy Spirit which is the Author and finisher of all grace and are we not then fitly disposed and strongly moved to petition for his aid that we may continue true members of Christs body and enjoy a Communion with the Saints remission of our sins restauration of our body and an eternal life of glory If we did not premise our Faith to our Prayers it might be suspected we spoke to him we knew not and asked what was unfit to be desired or impossible to be obtained But now all these stumbling blocks are removed and our Creed is made an excellent preparatory to the following Collects every Petition of which are directed by grounded on and enforced from some of these Articles which if we thus apply them will shew us how fitly we may desire these things and what reason we have to hope they shall be granted And secondly we must learn to apply these Articles of our Faith to the right ordering of our lives not repeating them as empty notions and airy speculations but as the principles and rules of practice For why should the Christians belief alone be supposed sufficient without some Acts deduced from it The Merchant believes there are Jewels and rarities in other lands (n) Estne operis in vitâ negotiosum aliquod quod non fide praecunte suscipiunt actores Arnob. l. 2. Nihil est quod in vitâ geri possit si non credulitas praecesserit Ruffin in Symbol and he puts to Sea and attempts the purchase The Countryman sows the Scholar studies and the Souldier fights according to the principles of advantage they believe will come upon those endeavours And doth the Religious man only believe and sit
title and seems to have the same subject with that in the morning Office And indeed Peace is so desirable a blessing that we cannot pray for it too often especially if it be for different kinds of Peace as it is in the present case if we well observe it In the Morning we pray for external in the evening for internal peace In the beginning of the day being to dispatch various affairs and converse with the world we desire to be preserved from the injuries affronts and designs of evil men In the close thereof we request that tranquility of mind that springs from the testimony of a good Conscience that when our hearts lye as easie as our heads our sleep may be sweet and quiet The first kind of Peace sometimes the best of men cannot obtain for the wicked will do wickedly but even then this inward peace will support us and make a calm within when the waves beat most furiously from without So that this is the most necessary and most advantageous Wherefore we are taught to ask this which is called the Peace of God from the God of peace who is here described to us as the author and finisher of all holiness and righteousness the surest and only foundations for a true and lasting peace From which we may learn that there is an inseparable union between righteousness and true peace (z) Fac justitiam habebis pacem tu fortè unam habere vis alteram non vis at osculantur hae amant hae si amicam pacis non amaveris non amabit te pax Aug. Psal 85.10 and that we cannot have that unless it spring from holy desires good counsels and just works If the grace of God work these in us it is not all the slanders (a) Conscia mens recti famae mendadacia ridet Ovid. Bona via gaudium semper habet Isidor Soliloqu the scorn nor injustice of the world can hinder the serene reflexions and inward Peace of a good conscience He that doth not deserve reproach can nobly despise it and he that hath not provoked his neighbour to wrong him by any evil doing can easily bear the greatest of injuries Whereas if all the world be quiet and none disturb the wicked man he makes himself restless (b) Si in mundo non est quod timeant pacem habere putantur sed pax ista cum conscientia semper litigat rixatur intrinsecus cum hostem non habet secum decertat Cassiodor in Psal because there is an enemy within that upbraids him more loudly and wounds him more deeply then he can do the holy man Whoever therefore enquires for true peace let them here behold him in and from whom are all the causes of it with love and admiration And let them acknowledge to his glory and their own comfort that he is the Author and finisher of every good work (c) James 1.17 Philip. 2.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hierocles He excites our affections to desire it engageth our will to choose it and strengtheneth our hands to perform it There are no holy thoughts in our minds (d) 2 Cor. 3.5 nor good purposes in our hearts (e) Prov. 16.1 nor any righteous actions in our lives (f) Isai 26.12 but it is in and by and through him To him then let us make our supplications that he will fill our hearts with the motions of his holy spirit the first seeds of all vertue and by the continuing influence of the same grace make these holy thoughts spring up into prudent and religious resolutions and determinations and by favourable circumstances and addition of strength ripen them into pious and just works And the fruit hereof will be peace and we may chearfully hope and pray that he that planted the root and sowed the seed will give us the pleasure of the fruit and comfort of the harvest which is the sweetest and most enduring peace And let us beware since we confess this to be the fruit of righteousness that when we seem most earnest in our prayers for this peace we do not wilfully deprive our selves of it and hinder our own wishes by stifling holy thoughts and breaking pious resolutions and neglecting good works For he that cuts the root and lops off the branches must not expect ever to eat of this fruit and if he complains deserves to be silenced as the Author of his own misery § 2. Give unto thy Servants that Peace which the world cannot give To ask a thing inconsiderable of a mighty prince may seem a disparagement because he can as easily bestow a province on a faithful Servant as another can give a small gratuity So when we that are the Servants of the most high make our Petitions it must be for such things as are not in our power nor in the power of any other to bestow Our requests must be proportionable to his infinite bounty rather then our deserts We must ask something which may become his Majesty to give that our Lord may be glorified by the very expectations of his Servants We now desire peace but it is such a Peace as no other hand can dispense a Peace that is not given as the world gives in a feigned Complement or an empty wish at best (g) John 14.27 Homines plerumque frigidae tantum Ceremoniae causâ pacem in ore habent vel si pacem alicui seriò precantur non tamen cam reipsâ dare possunt Calv. in loc but in sincerity and with effect a peace differing from the worlds Peace in its nature causes and Qualities in all which it far excels it This Peace is grounded on the evidence of Faith in that reconciliation which the merits of Jesus have procured (h) Rom. 5.1 2. between the Divine Majesty and our sinful souls from the persuasion whereof ariseth such cleer hopes of pardon such a lively sense of Gods love with such abundant satisfaction therein and such fixed expectations of eternal glory thereby that no ravishments are comparable to the pleasures of it And then it is further comfirmed by the testimony of a good (i) 2 Cor. 1.12 conscience declaring we have endeavoured to walk answerable to this infinite love by a strict observance of all the will of God which occasions such a pleasing calm in our souls and creates so brisk a delight in every review that no tongue can tell the joy of such souls but only theirs that feel it This is the Peace which is so sweet and so unmixed so charming and powerful that no sinful pleasures can entice nor no earthly calamities force a holy man from the embraces of it The Peace of the world if it spring from the friendship and love of men hath innumerable allays For this is sometimes no more but guilded flattery and a cover for more unexpected and dangerous assaults But if true it can neither support you under nor secure you against the anger of God and must
all outward happiness that the Queen may be fruitful the Prince healthful and the whole family numerous and fortunate united in the bonds of an indissoluble love and that there may never want a man of them to sit upon the throne for ever Let not Traiterous Projectors be more zealous to cut off these hopes then we are to pray to God to discover and disappoint them let us beg that we may not provoke him to punish us in the decay of that Royal house the establishment whereof we should wish more then that of our own families because the welfare of so many are dependent on it and the consequences of change dismal and uncertain Therefore we will heartily pray they may have all the happiness they can wish in this world and so enjoy it that they may not loose the glorious Crown of Eternity in the world to come for which no temporal greatness or pleasures can make them a satisfaction Amen The Paraphrase of the Prayer for the Royal Family O Almighty and all-sufficient Lord God the fountain of life and inexhaustible spring of all goodness As we have begged thy blessing for thine anointed so also we humbly beseech thee in order to his comfort and our benefit and the good of future times continually to bless our gracious Queen Catherine and the illustrious Prince James Duke of York that the succession may be secured by the preservation and encreas of them and all the branches of the Royal family And that they may please thee and become blessings to us endue them with the best of all endowments thy holy Spirit to direct them in all virtue and enrich them with the most durable of all riches thy heavenly grace to make them exemplary and rich in good works keep them from all traiterous designs and prosper them with all kind of happiness which this world can afford to encourage them in well-doing and because this happiness must end give them at the conclusion thereof a blessed exchange and bring them to thine everlasting Kingdome of joy and peace there to reign with thee for ever through the merits and intercession of Jesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour Amen SECTION XVII Of the two last Prayers The Analysis of the Prayer for the Clergy and People This Prayer hath three Parts 1. The Preface in which God is acknowledged in 1. His Excellent Attributes Almighty and everlasting God 2. His Wonderful Works who alone workest great marvels 2. The Petitions expressing 1. For whom we pray Clergy send down upon our Bishops and Curates People and all Congregations committed to their charge 2. For what we pray 1. Grace to fit them for duty the healthful spirit of thy grace 2. A Blessing on their endeavours and that they may truly please thee pour upon them the continual dew of thy blessing 3. The Argument to enforce them Grant this O Lord for the honour of our advocate and mediator Iesus Christ Amen A Practical Discourse on the Prayer for the Clergy and People § 1. ALmighty and everlasting God who alone workest great marvels As we have made our supplications before for our Temporal Governors that we under them may have all those outward blessings which will make our lives comfortable here so we now continue to pray for our Spiritual Guides that with them we may receive all those Graces and inward blessings which will make our souls happy hereafter And as we are members of the Church as well as the State we must pray for those things which are requisite to the preservation and felicity of both joyntly and severally since they mutually support each other And as the union of men into Polities and civil Societies is designed for the securing our Bodies and Estates and the obtaining of external prosperity so the union of Christians by one Spirit into one Faith and to one another by the bonds of love is intended by God for the edification of our souls and the securing our eternal inheritance Wherefore let us remember our Mystical as well as Political union our souls as well as our bodies and most devoutly imitate the best examples in calling (x) John 17.20 Deut. 33.11 upon God for his Church and People and especially for the Ministers thereof as the Scripture injoyns us (y) Psal 132.9 Ephes 6.18 19. and as the Apostle St. Paul so often particularly intreats those he writes unto (z) Coloss 4.3 1 Thess 5.25 to do And for this we have in all ages many testimonies of holy men who both in their publique and private worship did ever beg for the peace and welfare of the Church more then any of their private concerns With which noble spirit if our breasts be possessed this excellent Form is here daily presented to us to be offered to God with fervent affections which is so contrived that the very method and phrase if duly considered may furnish us with many affecting meditations to improve our devotion in the use of it The Introduction sets God before us in those admirable Attributes and wonderful Works which declare him every way fit to be called upon for his Church and mind us what he hath done for it It is he that first gathered his Church out of obstinate Jews and ignorant Heathens by his Almighty Power and who hath by the same Omnipotence either preserved it from or supported it against the malice of Sathan the rage of Persecutors the subtility of Hereticks and the blind zeal of factious Dividers so that it continues to this very day and shall do to the end of the world because our Redeemer ever lives to intercede for us and hath promised to be with us (a) Matth. 16.18 chap. 28. ver ult Heb. 7.25 Graec. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Omnis Ecclesia quae fit propter Deum firma permanebit Dic. Rab. for ever Our God is everlasting and the duration of the Church relies on the indeficiency of the Divine Nature which ever lives and ever loves it and is as powerful and sufficient to support and supply it now as ever in former ages History can describe and our Fathers can tell us what marvellous works he hath done for the benefit thereof how many miracles he wrought for the confirmation of his truth to the conviction of its enemies and the strengthening of the members thereof In the first times he did wonderfully inspire the Apostles with the Holy Ghost and power to work miracles by which (b) Acts 2.4 Chap. 9.17 Chap. 19.6 2 Tim. 1.6 1 Tim. 1.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hoc est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oecum in loc their successors were distinguished for some time till the world did believe And afterwards though the operation were not so visible because it was not so necessary (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost l. 4. de Sacerdotio Necessaria fuerunt antequam crederet mundus ad hoc ut crederet Aug. Civ De. 22. yet the
since Jesus disdains not the smallest Number The Jewish Masters indeed teach that ten is the least number (d) Quando decem homines intrant domum Synogogae Divinitas est cum illis Dicunt enim in Talm. Decem faciunt coetum Ita Rab. Salom. in Numb 14.27 to make an Assembly fit for the Divine Presence But our gracious Lord descends lower even unto two or three that none might be discouraged by the negligence of their Bretheren And now be we never so few if we be unanimous and devout what comfort will this promise leave upon our spirits in the close of our Prayers which ascend to Heaven with priviledge and authority When they are backed with his promise they cannot fail Who would not lay aside all occasions and run every day to meet with Jesus who is sure to be found in the Temple And who would not love these Devotions in which so many thousands do agree And who that believes the truth of Jesus can doubt of a gracious return to them If you find but few of your bretheren at Church you shall find him whom your soul seeks there and by his grace and his answers you shall find he hath been with you and left a blessing behind him § 7. Fulfil now O Lord the desires and petitions of thy servants as may be most expedient for them Having so good grounds to believe he hath been present with us both from the experience of his assistance and the certainty of his promise we are taught now to speak to the holy Jesus as it were face to face to apply our selves to him as if he stood before us beseeching him who enabled us to put up these requests and hath been among us and heard them all along to make good his promise and as he was nigh unto us when we called on him that he will fulfil the desires of us that fear him (e) Psal 145.18.19 Desires and Petitions are empty things the hunger and thirst of the soul and when the Divine bounty satisfies these desires he is said to fill us for food is not more pleasing to a hungry body then the desire accomplished (f) Prov. 13.19 is to a longing soul Therefore we beseech him who hears the Petitions of our mouths and also discerns the meditations of our hearts that he will fulfil all our wishes as holy David prayes Psal 19.14 And as he often in that Book (g) Psal 20. ver 4 5. Psal 21. ver 2. makes desires and Petitions the two parts of his Prayers so do we taking the Petitions for the words of these holy Forms even that which we have asked with our lips in express terms and by the desires we mean those inlargements of our souls into secret thoughts and affectionate wishes which were too big to be delivered at our mouths but were begotten in our hearts by the spirit of God and perhaps by occasion of some meditations suggested in these Pages Which desires are the wings to our Petitions the life of our sacrifice and the particular application of these general requests to the state of our own souls which he that kneels next to us cannot discern but our Lord Jesus both sees and will fulfil these as well as those Petitions which were the ground of such devout inlargements He will grant both if it be expedient for us but because we are so unable to judge what is for our real advantage we must not too peremptorily require that he should give us all we wish or pray for We may ask for evil things or for good things which may be evil for us (h) Nam pro jucundis aptissima quaeque dabunt Dij caecâ magnaque cupidine ducti Conjugium petimus partumque uxoris at illis Notum qui pueri qualisque futura sit uxor Juven Exorari in perniciem rogantium saeva benignitas or we may desire them unseasonably immoderately or to evil purposes and then it were cruelty to hear us and it is the greatest kindness to deny us Let us therefore learn from the example of Christ himself to submit our will to the will of God (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and learn from a Heathen to give God leave to choose for us who being infinite in wisdome and goodness knows what is fittest for us and when and where in what manner and what measures to bestow it So that if we leave it to him we shall have all mercies with infinite advantages when we are fittest for them and they will do us most good Whereupon we must resolve though our petitions and desires be earnest yet they shall not be arrogant nor presumptuous but shall learn humbly to submit unto and patiently to wait upon our Heavenly Fathers order and appointment § 8. Granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth and in the world to come life everlasting Amen To know God here by Faith and to behold him hereafter and enjoy him is the sum of our true happiness And therefore we need not positively pray for any thing else but may be so far indifferent as to all other things to leave it to our gracious Master to give or deny us those things according as he sees most expedient provided these two be secured to know God here and to enjoy him hereafter These we must crave however and desire all other blessings may be subordinate to these and so given to us that neither of these be hindred or impaired Or we may consider that since Jesus hath promised to hear all these our prayers we beseech him to confirm his word in granting them that we may have a further experimental knowledge of the truth of his promises In this world me need his daily help and do every day most humbly desire it and if he please to answer us according to his promise it will give us such constant and fresh testimonies of his being our true and never failing friend that we shall still trust more strongly in him and come more cheerfully to him till at last nothing can separate us from his love And thus we being daily bound by new experiences of his favour shall become faithful to the death and then we cannot fail of the Crown of life And we may enforce all our foregoing Petitions by representing to the holy Jesus the great advantages we shall have by his daily fulfilling our desires and Petitions for besides the things we ask for hereby we shall acquire such confirmation to our Faith and such evidences of his truth as will secure us in his love while we live in this world and bring us to fulness of glory and felicity in the world to come therefore dear Jesus hear us and answer us to our endless comfort Amen Be it so The Paraphrase of the Prayer of St. Chrysostome WE acknowledge thy goodness O Almighty God who remembring our inability to serve thee hast given us that sweet and efficacious assistance of thy grace at this time
Rab. Sermo enim divinus secundum intelligentiae nostrae naturam se temperat nobis enim non sibi loquitur Hilar. in Psal 26. imitates our Phrases complies with our notions and hath laid down all necessary and fundamental truths so clearly that the meanest may understand them and yet in more curious points hath left such difficulties as may exercise the wits and allay the arrogance of the most knowing men Nor hath he in any part set down all that is directly tending to our salvation but to engage us diligently to read it all hath so prudently dispersed these necessary things that some of them are to be found every where and all in no one place but every part thereof is useful and none of it must be neglected much less contemned (d) Nulla ne verecundia tibi est dicere eorum quae Deus ipse loquitur nullam esse cognitionis utilitatem Chrysost Otiosum autem verbum dicere in S. Scriptura ingens blasphemia est Basil For like high hills the outward barrenness is recompensed by Mines and hidden treasures (e) Matth. 5.18 Non est litera in lege à quâ non pendeant magni montes Dictum Rab. and such the most difficult places yield to those that have skill and patience to dig into them And the Almighty hath not only shewed his care in the forming but also in the preserving of these Sacred Records which though they are the most antient in the world of undoubted credit and have been hated and opposed by Sathan and his instruments the great and wise ones of the world yet time power policy nor malice could never corrupt nor destroy them because God resolved to preserve them for our use upon whom the ends of the World are come § 3. Thirdly The Church hath done her part in complyance with the designs of Gods Mercy and Providence to deliver it safely to us and make it useful for us Hereupon the Catholick and faithful Christians discovered the frauds of Hereticks convinced the minds of unbelievers and sealed the truth of it with their blood And least any should pretend ignorance (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex Strom. 10. the governors and lights of the Church have carefully translated the Original Scripture into all Languages that every Nation might hear in their own Tongue the wonderful works of God Acts 2.11 After which pattern our Church hath made that elaborate exact and faithful Translation into the English tongue the like to which is not in any Nation (g) Anglicanae versionis Authores omni laude majores fuisse arguit accurata illa ad invidiam aliarum gentium elaborata versio Sixt. Amama praef ad Drus And now the Scripture hath learned our Language that it may instruct us in our own words and it must be wilful negligence if we do not understand them To prevent which it is not left to our liberty but we are injoyned to read or hear it every day both at Morning and at Evening Prayer according to the practice of the Jews (h) Acts 13.17 2 Cor. 3.15 Luke 4.7 Nehem. 8.8 who read the Law in their Synagogues however on the Sabbath and on other daies they tasted no food till they had read a Section of it either in publique or private (i) Ita fecerunt Christiani teste Clem. Alexandr and every man knows how solemnly and constantly this hath ever been done in all the Assemblies of the Christian Church (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 paulo post 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost ad Act. 9.19 For hence they confirmed their opinions in Doctrine (l) Coimus ad literarum divinarum commemorationem Tertul. Apol. c. 39. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. Strom. 60. and learned lessons of holiness in conversation I had rather your own Observation should inform you then spend time to tell you how carefully the Church hath selected the most practicall and pertinent Chapters omitting the more difficult or rather remitting them to private consideration where you have more leisure The Lessons suited to the solemn Festivals are determined (m) Nunc interposita est sölemnitas sanctorum dierum quibus certas ex Evangelio lectiones oportet in Ecclesi◠tractari Aug. praef in Johan and do either explain the Mistery relate the History or apply the Example unto us In fine the goodness of God in revealing and his Power in preserving these holy Books as also the Churches courage in defending them exactness in Translating and Prudence in dividing them both shew it is the great concern of all Christians to understand them and fit them so to our use that there is nothing wanting to make us wise to salvation but our diligent endeavour so to profit by them that this Grace of God and care of the Church be not bestowed on us in vain wherefore we shall desire you to observe the following directions § 4. First it is necessary that we humbly and earnestly call for the assistance of the Divine Spirit which as it did first indite so it can best explain these Oracles of Truth and also enable us to practice them And this may be done by a short and pathetical ejaculation while the Minister prepares himself to Read and if we are not ready at making such Forms we may repeat Psalm 119.180 Open thou mine eyes that I may see the wondrous things of thy Law Or ver 125. I am thy servant give me understanding that I may know thy testimonies Or if you have time you may pray by that excellent Collect the second in Order for the second Sunday of Advent Blessed Lord God who hast caused all holy Scripture c. Now by these Prayers we own God the fountain of all Wisdome and express our desires to know and do his Will and therefore no doubt they will procure us wisdome and strength Secondly labour to bring a heart purified from the love of all sin for a Lamb only can open the Seals of this Book (n) Revel 5.2 The Mahumetans write on the cover of the Alcoran Non attingat nisi Sanctus Let no unclean Person touch this and since that better agrees to Gods word we shall do well to engrave it on our memories and then we give the signification of that rite of washing the hands before the taking it up which the Christians (o) Chrysost hom 52. in Evang. Johan observed of old and the Turks at this day We cast not our seed into untilled grounds and let us not cast the more precious seed of the Divine word into unhallowed hearts (p) Jerem. 4.3 Matth. 13.4 5 c. least it be choaked with weeds or over-run with thorns or parched for want of root in us The love of sin blinds the eyes vitiates the pallate and alters the object it will make this Divine food nauseous or turn it into the nourishment of corrupt humors He only profits by Gods word that brings a pure and