St. John hath transmitted to us one compleat Prayer of his which he used together with his Disciples a little before he was betray'd r John 17. Of the Apostles we read that being met soon after their Lord's ascension they all continued with one accord in Prayer and Supplication Act. 1. 14. Likewise when they were to fill up their number by chusing one into the room of Judas Å¿ Act. 1. 24. and when being assembled at another time the Holy-Ghost fell on them t Act. 2. 1. Again when they were together for the Election of the seven u Act. 6. 6. Thus auspiciously did these wise Master-builders of the Christian Church lay the foundation of their great Work in the humble duty of Prayer The Christians living in the succeeding times of Heathen Persecution were not asham'd nor afraid to worship their God and Saviour when it was most despis'd and frown'd upon by the then ruling Powers and they had Zeal enough to keep up their Religious Meetings though they did thereby run the greatest hazard of their Estates Liberty and Life it self They came together to one place to pray having one common Prayer and with one mind w Ignat. Epist ad Magnes When any new Converts were to be admitted into the Church the great Lesson was They were taught to fast and pray to call upon God for remission of Sins the whole Congregation also fasting and praying Then were they brought to a certain place where Water was c. and after they had been baptiz'd They were brought to the place of the Congregation whither the Brethren were assembled to make their common Prayers to God both for themselves and the baptized x Jus â—â—r Apol. 2. Looking up to Heaven saith Tertullian we pray with hands wide open because they are innocent bare-headed because we are not asham'd without a Monitor because our Prayers are from the heart y Tertul. Apol c. 30. And again We meet in an Assembly or Congregation that we may besiege God with our Prayers as with an Army such violence is pleasing to him z Ib. c. 2. 9 When the Persecutions were so hot and furious that they were not permitted to assemble openly they did then betake themselves to subterraneous Vaults to Fields and desert places and would rather want their sleep than the opportunities of their Devotion for they had their Coetus antelucani a Tertul. de Coron Mil. Assemblies before day their Nocturnae Convocationes b Idem ad Vxor lib. 2. Congregations in the night time And as 't was reported by one of their Persecutors who had made strict enquiry into their way of living They did use to meet together at appointed times before day and sing Hymns to the honour of Christ as God c Plin. l. 10. Epist 97. Moreover their frequency in this holy Exercise is very memorable for beside the morning and evening they had every day three other times of Devotion which being the same as before to the Jews were at the third the sixth and ninth hour or according to our division of the day at nine in the morning at noon and at three in the afternoon Their regard to these hours is supposed to be in imitation of the holy Apostles which is the account given of it by some of the Fathers d Tertul. lib. de Jejun c. 10. Cypr. de orat dom Hieron in Dan. c. 6. Basil in Ascetic for it was the third hour when they were all with one accord in one place Act. 2. 1. 15. at the sixth Peter went up upon the House-top to pray Act. 10. 9. and it was the ninth hour by St. Luke called the hour of Prayer when Peter and John went into the Temple Act. 3. 1. There is no doubt but the Apostles did herein comply with the custom of the Jews as they did in other cases to avoid offence and the better to gain them over to the Faith and from their example it got the rather into the practice of other Christians though without any real obligation on the Conscience for no hour of the day is in it self more acceptable to God than another nor is any preferr'd in the Apostolical Writings but 't is commanded indifferently that we pray at all times e Eph. 2. 18. And this much Tertullian hath declared when speaking of these hours he doth interpose that the observance of them should be Salva indifferentia f Tertul. de Jejun c. 10. with this caution or reserve that it be not thought any necessary duty And he subjoyns a good reason when he reckons it in the number of those things Quae carent Scripturae authoritate That have nothing from Scripture obliging us to them Wherefore we may not vindicate that extravagant honour given to certain Canonical hours as they are call'd both of day and night or the peremptory imposition of them as if they had some peculiar holiness in them or were prescrib'd by a divine Command which afterward obtain'd when Superstition had prevail'd in the Church Nor would we lead the pious Christian near the Confines of the Messalians otherwise called Euchitae an Enthusiastic sort of Heretics who misunderstanding some Texts of Scripture had the vanity to think that their whole time was to be spent in Prayer Whence they cast off all worldly Employments persuading others to do the like and did moreover reject the holy Sacraments and other duties of Religion as accounting Prayer alone sufficient to Salvation g Theod. Hist lib. 4. cap. 11. Aug. Haeres 57. But however the devout practice of the ancient Christians as before mention'd should teach us to be assiduous and frequent in this holy Exercise And though we cannot charge the Conscience with a religious regard to any particular hours because God himself hath not done it yet from the reasons of the Duty it self and from the Scripture Precepts that enjoyn its frequency we must in the general declare it a sinful omission in any Christian if he do not ordinarily twice every day at least worship God in Prayer beside other times of doing the same when usual opportunities or any special occasion shall call him to it In the Jewish Church the morning and evening Sacrifice were appointed by God himself h Exod. 29. 38 39. and hereby saith Calvin they were taught to begin and end the day with the invocation and worship of God i Calv. in cap. 3. Act. Apost Likewise the burning of Incense on the golden Altar was order'd to be at the same times k Exod. 30. 7 8. And surely these are also the fittest seasons for the Spiritual Oblations of our Christian Worship For since our whole time is made up of night and day it seems very meet and expedient whether we respect God or our selves that at the beginning and end of these we should present our Religious Service and Prayers to him in whom we still live and move
and establish thou the work of our hands upon us yea the work of our hands establish thou it Forsake me not O Lord O my God be not far from me Teach me to do thy Will for thou art my God thy Spirit is good lead me into the Land of uprightness O Most great and glorious God the whole World is the work of thine hands and thou governest all things both in Heaven and Earth We do here admire and adore thy Wisdom Power and Goodness which are so visible and illustrious in all the great Works of Creation and Providence and we do humbly acknowledge our dependence upon thee who art the Author of our Life and the support of our Being by thee we have have been preserved and nourished ever since we were born and 't is of thy care and kindness that we are still sustained from morning to evening and from evening to morning When we consider the frailty of our nature and the many provocations of our life we see great reason to confess that 't is of thy mercy we are not consumed Grant O Lord that thy long suffering and goodness may lead us to repentance and as thy mercies are new to us every morning so we may renew our serious purposes of walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all our dayes Remember not against us the errours of our former life neither punish us as we have deserved but through the redemption of thy beloved Son grant us pardon and reconciliation and make us partakers of all those rich benefits which he hath purchased And let the grace of God which hath brought Salvation teach us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts to live in the pious fear of thee and in faithful obedience to thy holy Laws But because of our selves we cannot stand upright let thy Grace be always sufficient for us strengthen us with all Spiritual Might in the inner man that neither our own corrupt affections nor yet the snares and temptations of the World may ever cause us to depart from thee but grant that the Principles of faith and holiness being firmly rooted in us we may be always stedfast and immoveable in our Christian Practice suffer us not to be too much in love with the things of this World nor to lay up our treasure here on Earth but grant that our affections may be chiefly set on things above and our treasure laid up in Heaven where it will never perish nor be taken from us while we are busie about many things that concern this present life help us still to remember the one thing necessary making it our greatest care to provide for our eternal State in the life hereafter As long as thou shalt continue our abode in this World let thy good Providence watch over our persons and supply all our wants help us to be thankful in prosperity patient in affliction and in every condition to be therewith content and do thou so order and govern the several events and passages of our life that they may all help us forward in our way to Heaven O Lord defend and preserve thy Church Universal enlarge its borders and purge it more and more from all Errour and Corruption bless this Land of our Nativity with Peace and Unity with the continuance of thy Truth and Gospel the encrease of righteousness and all Christian vertues Bless the King's Majesty with sound wisdom and all princely endowments that his Reign may be prosperous and the People happy under him be favourable to all our Friends and Relations bestowing upon them all those good things that may be for their comfort in this life and their eternal happiness in that to come Extend thy pity to such as labour under any trouble or distress give them strength to bear their affliction and in thy due time an happy deliverance We do also present unto thee our sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving for thy care over us the night past that our bodies have been refreshed with sleep and our life continued to another day as thou doest afford us a longer time in the land of the living so lengthen out thy favour and loving kindness by which alone our life can be safe and comfortable to us and teach us so to number our daies that we may apply our hearts to heavenly wisdom to make a right use of our time by doing good works while it is day because the night is coming in which none can work O Lord let thy good Providence and heavenly Grace be present with us and watching over us throughout this day to secure us from dangers and every unhappy accident to preserve us from evil actions and to assist us in those that be good make our way prosperous in every business and undertaking and guide us always by thy Counsels till we shall come to thine everlasting Kingdom Through thy rich mercy in our blessed Sunday Morning Saviour Jesus Christ in whose name and merits we offer up these our Petitions and conclude them in his own words Our Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy Name thy Kingdom come thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our Trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil for thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen Thy grace O Lord Jesus Christ thy love O heavenly Father thy Fellowship and Communion O holy and blessed Spirit be with us all this day and for ever A Psalm and Prayer for the Morning on the Lords day BY the Word of the Lord were the Heavens made and all the Host of them by the breath of his mouth He gathereth all the waters of the Sea together as a heap he layeth up the deep in Storehouses Let all the earth fear the Lord and all the Inhabitants of the World stand in awe of him For he spoke and it was done he commanded and it stood fast Know ye that the Lord he is good it is he that hath made us and not we our selves we are his People and the Sheep of his Pasture Enter into his Gates with Thanksgiving and into his Courts with Praise be thankful unto him and bless his Name They that trust in their Wealth and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches None of them can by any means redeem his brother nor give to God a ransom for him But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave for he shall receive me I have set the Lord always before me because he is at my right hand I shall not be moved Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoiceth my flesh also shall rest in hope For thou wilt not leave my soul in Hell neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption O how amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts My soul longeth even fainteth for the
2. 47. 3. 142. 2. and lighten himself by casting his burden upon the Lord as the Scripture doth direct d Psal 55. 22. when all means do fail us God is a very present help in trouble e 1 Pet. 5. 7. and is nigh unto all that call upon him f Psal 46. 7. he alone can succour us in cases of greatest moment and when we are most in need if thou art under grief or inquietude of mind thou mayest apply thy self to him as the Father of Mercies and God of all comfort g 2 Cor. 1. 3. in a time of present affliction or threatning dangers thou mayest fly to him as Governour of the World and one who can provide for thy deliverance or else turn the most troublesom events to thy real advantage when thou art perplexed with the guilt and power of Sin whither canst thou go but to him whose property and prerogative it is to forgive who is the God of all Grace h 1 Pet. 5. 10. and able to succour them who are temptedi if thou art under sickness or any fear of approaching death what canst thou do better then seek to him who alone hath the power of Life and Death can direct to and bless the means of recovery or else translate thee to a more happy life in Heaven At all times and in all places when in solitude and confinement when wanting the opportunity of publick Prayers and the society of other Christians the comfort and benefit of private Devotion will still remain with thee and be thine inseparable support when all others fail and whether thou art alone or no thou mayest in a moment of time ascend up to Heaven in divine ejaculations to him who is Cordis non Vocis auditor * Cypr. de Orat. Dom. and by the help hereof thou canst drive on thy great concerns above amidst the ordinary affairs of this life for we find it urg'd on Christians by the antient Fathers that they would mix the acts of Devotion with all their secular employments by one of them it is put into the Character of the pious Christian that In his walking in his discourse in his taking rest in reading and in all his humane affairs he doth still offer up Prayers to God k Clem. Alex Strom. Any time saith another is convenient for Prayer and Singing of Psalms so that while the hands are employed at work the tongue may be also sometimes if possible which is indeed more useful for edification of Faith if not with the heart at least let God be praised in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs as it is written and let Prayers be perform'd at the time of working l Basil in Ascetic Again A man when he goes to market or is walking by himself may make long Prayers he may while sitting in his Shop or Working at his Trade give up his Soul to God thus St. Chrysostome m Ad pop Antioch Hom. 89. And in those days Christians did practise accordingly We read in St. Jerome that in his time the labourers might every where be heard sounding forth godly Songs The Countryman at the Plough had his Hallelujahs the Mower his Hymns and the Vinedresser would be singing Davids Psalms n Ad Marc. Epist 17. But above all there is from private Devotion this most desirable advantage that whatever shall happen the man who hath the testimony of his own conscience for his sincere Piety in the closest privacies of his life will have reason to be chearful in the worst of times and under the greatest disasters he is still safe though the earth be removed and the Mountains carried into the midst of the Sea though the waters roar and be troubled and the Mountains shake through the swelling thereof * Psal 46. 2 3. yea should he be brought to the most dismal extremity even the Valley of the shadow of death yet he need not be afraid l Psa 23. 4. while he can say with Hezekiah that he hath walked before God in truth and with a perfect heart m 2 Kings 20. 3. and there is an example more near to the purpose in the Prophet Daniel who when by the contrivance of his implacable enemies condemned to the Den to be devour'd by Lions was yet nothing terrified for that his Devotion thrice a day in his Chamber the very thing by which they had design'd his ruin was his ground of confidence and the Heathen King could thence encourage him saying Thy God whom thou servest continually he will deliver thee n Dan. 6. 16. and he really did so as it follows in the relation It is most certain that every person whatever will find himself oblig'd sometime or other to have recourse to God in prayer on his own particular account as in a time of personal affliction or threatning danger especially when the terrours of death draw near In such cases to which all are subject nature and the principle of self preservation will set men a praying so that they who had us'd to forget God and his service yet in their affliction will seek him early o Hos 5. 15. and the very Heathen when tossed in a tempest will every one cry unto his God p Jon. 1. 5. Now as we desire God shall hear us in our need and distress we are concern'd to own and worship him at other times for if in our prosperity he be slighted by us and never call'd upon how can we expect he shall give ear or take any notice of us in our time of necessity the Prayers we then put up will be reckon'd to proceed not from any piety to God but wholly from self-love and servile fear We see how God is represented by Solomon as to his carriage towards such ill men as had lived in contempt of him and his service in spight of all persuasions to the contrary for it is threatned that as God had called and they had refused so there would be a time of fear and distress And then saith he shall they call upon me but I will not answer them they they shall seek me early but they shall not find me q Prov. 1. 28. hitherto doth belong what is reported of Bias one of the Grecian wise men that happening to be at Sea with some whom he knew to be of impious lives when these the Ship being in great danger by a storm cried out to the Gods he said to them Hold your peace that they may not take notice ye are here on board r Diog. Laert. in vit Biant meaning that their Prayers could do no good but would rather endanger the Ship the more by letting the Gods know there were such as they in it we must not deny but that God may indeed in the needful time hear the supplications of such as had not us'd to make their particular addresses to him but there is little reason to expect it and 't is a