to this or that Party or Sect which agrees with his Humours and Opinions but To all the Flock impattially and without Hypocrisie and this first affirmatively to instruct the Ignorant to strengthen the weak to confirm the wavering to reduce the erroneous to visit the the sick to comfort the afflicted to bind up the broken in heart to reprove the sinful and to testify against the stubborn and disobedient Secondly Negatively not to break the bruised reed and quench the smoaking flax Mat. 12. 20. not to sow Pillows under all Armholes Ezek. 13. 18. Not to suffer them to settle with ease and without reproof upon the Lees of their sins and and the errors of their wayes Not to claw the scabbed Sheep and scratch the itching ears not to tickle and foment the petulant humors of the Factious not to please those squeazy Palates who nauseate the solid food of Gods publick solemn standing worship under the prophane scurrilous name of Porridge and for no other cause but because it is like it self ever the same constant to it self Like the Glorious Sun in the Firmament which shines every day the same which renders it a worship acceptable as being herein most agreeable to the Immutable nature of God the Father of lights with whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning Jam. 1. 17. But the Itch after novelties in the Flock and the Itch of popular applause or filthy Lucre in the Pastor whilst the one scratches the Itch of the other Hence the putrid Scabs of Schism and Heresie in the Church of Disobedience and Rebellion in the Kingdome are engendred Against all such sinful Compliance Take heed to your selves my Brethren take heed to your selves and to your vows and promises Sacerdotal and Ecclesiastical confirmed by your respective Subscriptions to the Articles and Canons of the Church to the Injunctions of your Metropolitan and Diaecesan to the Approbation and constant use of the Liturgy of the Church and of that onely in publick In which last particular wherein the greatest part of Ministerial Function consists I cannot but testifie in this Assembly so much concern'd therein That there is utterly a fault amongst us In that those divine and excellent Prayers and heavenly inspired Praises of God and that ancient and constant way of Gods worship in Publick is by many too much slighted and neglected by many irreverently and indevoutly celebrated by many mangled and maimed curtail'd abbreviated and by the Additions of others implicitly vilified And generally almost by all secretly undermind enervated and subverted by each mans private prayer in publick The which private prayer whether before Sermon or at any other time in the Congregation doth not onely secretly imply a defect in the Publick Prayers of the Church which must forsooth be supplyed by mens private conceived prayers but also 't is a disorder and confusion in the service of God for thus publick and private prayer are confounded which our Lord Christ hath distinguished and commanded to be seperately observed to avoid Hypocrisie and vain-glory limiting private Prayer to the private Closet Mat. 6. 5 6. and for avoiding Tautologies and impertinent bablings after the manner of the heathen he prescribes a set form to be us'd in publick vers 8 9. We are commanded when we call upon the Lord to pay our vows to the most High and then he will hear Psal. 50. 14. But can any man think it probable that God will hear their Prayers who sacrilegiously break their vows when they pray by praying otherwise then they have vowed and promised those promises also being agreeable to the Commands of Christ and the orders of his Church And this undoubtedly amongst many others is not the least canse of so many stray and wandring Sheep in every Flock of so many giddy headed and factious minded men in every Congregation of so many seperate Congregations or Conventicles in every Parish one great cause hereof is the falshood and treachery of the Shepherds who in compliance with the noxious humors of the diseased part of their Flock take no heed to themselves nor to the vows and promises they have made in order to the right and regular execution of their Function in feeding of their Flock so for the iniquity and irregular carriage of the Priests the sons of Eli in the sacrifices of the Temple Men abhorred the offering of the Lord 1 Sam. 2. 17. 6. But should not the Flock take heed to the Shepherd as well as the Shepherd to the Flock The duty of the one to the other undoubtedly is reciprocal and the mutual Relation respectively binding Take heed to thy said said the Lord to his people that thou forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest upon the earth Deut. 12. 19. and Chap 14. 27. Fccl. 7. 30. There is nothing more plainly asserted and more punctually commanded in the book of God then that the people should take heed to their Priests the flock to their Shepherds especially such as are Orthodox and holy that they should hear and obey their voice and make their Application and recourse unto them in all cases of ignorance or doubting For the Priests lips should keep knowledge and they the people should seek the Law at his mouth for he is the messenger or the Angel of the Lord of Hosts Mal. 2. 7. Haec sunt initia haereticorum ut sibi placeant praepositum superbo tumore contemnant Cypr. lib. 3. Epist. ad Florent Hence the Rise of Hereticks in the Church when the people swelling with presumption of their own knowledge and pleasing themselves in their fancies and opinions proudly neglect and scorn to submit to their directions whom the Lord hath appointed to be their Shepherds and Guides of their Souls And thus even thus the people of God fell into Idolatry even that gross and infamous Idolatry of the Golden Calf when slighting Moses and overawing Aaron the high Priest they commanded him who should have commanded them saying Make us God to go before us for as for this man Moses we wot not what is become of him Numb 22. 1. When the same people were weary of the Government of Samuel the Prophet and desired a King the Lord said unto Samuel They have not despised thee but they have despised me 1 Sam. 8. 7. Whereupon St. Gregory Quam reverendi sunt Pastores optimi Sanctae Ecclesiae how reverendly to be esteemed are the Pastors of holy Church who whilst they faithfully serve the Lord in the Execution of their function they are so closely joyn'd unto him in the bond of love that the least slight disesteem or neglect that is cast upon them the Lord takes it as an injury to himself So said the Lord to his Apostles and in them to their Successors He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Luc 10. 16. And this duty that the people should take heed to their
conceived Prayer is no less than the immediate influence of the holy Spirit of God Object At least they say That Prayers read in a Book have not that quickning vigour in them like to the prayer memoriter and without book the one savours of the deadness of the Letter the other of the quickning Spirit Answ. But in holy prayer it is not the words said whether written or not written whether said within or without book but the affectionate Zeal of him that prays That gives vigor and efficacy to this holy Duty and where this is wanting the fault is not in the Prayers themselves but in the persons that profanely slight and undervalue them the deadness they talk of lies in their own hearts which are not touched with the quickning spirit of devotion in the use of those holy and good prayers And whosoever Is more affected with a conceived than a written prayer thinks sure that the one is more immediately by inspiration from Heaven than the other and so smels strong of the Heresie of Enthusiasm I am sure to speak foolishly and impertinently hath been usually accounted and called speaking without Book Object 3. There be many Episcopal persons and such who both use and are zealous for the Liturgy of the Church do yet use private prayer of their own before Sermon the which surely they would never do if they conceived it unlawful Answ. This is done t is confest by many persons of known worth and integrity some with good intentions to win upon such persons whom no other kind of prayers will please some that their private prayer may be a Pattetn whereby their people may learn to pray in private and for these reasons I conceive this practice hath been and is still overlook'd by Ecclesiastical Superiors But in the general this custom is continued through inadvertency in not considering and deeply weighing the equity or iniquity fitness or unfitness thereof nor can the practice of this or any other custom prove the same to be lawful There is a great difference betwixt a custom founded upon the principles of truth and equity and such a custom as is contrary hereunto how plausible soever Many persons also that are eminent in knowledge and piety in the general may through long custom and many examples fail in some particulars through inconsideration Object 4. T is observable by experience that variety of expressions and change of Forms in prayer do more work upon the Affections of the People and stir up their Devotions than one and the same constant standing Form Answ 1. This doth more tickle the itching ears of the people indeed and the itching of the ears comes from the corruption of the heart And surely their devotion is very cold that must be warmed by variety of expressions the which in preaching may be commendable but not in praying except by way of private ejaculations it being one great design of Exhortations and moving ing admonitions in Sermons to excite their Affections to what is taught and exhorted unto whereas holy Prayer is not the cause but the effect and issue of devout Affections and t is then only acceptable unto God when it comes from a heart replete with humility compunction fervor and Divine love which do necessarily infer foreknowledge of the Prayers we use that they be such as whereby our devout Affections may be expressed Answ. 2. It is generally observed by the Masters of Mystical Theology and Spiritual Life that there is a sensible Devotion which begins in the sensitive Nature producing tenderness of spirit drawing often sighs from the bosome and tears from the eyes and begets a secret delectation and sweetness in the soul with which many persons are much taken and transported as conceiving such pleasing delights in Prayer to be no other than the influences of the holy Spirit of God And yet this exterior pleasure of a sensible Devotion is not always a sign of a sound and right temper of holiness in the soul Because First many wicked irregenerate persons may and have enjoyed the same Secondly it may proceed from the natural temper Thirdly from the vehement intention of the mind Fourthly from the mournful tone cadence of words and power of language And such sensible delights even in Prayer are sometimes the insinuations and illusions of the Evil spirit to puff up the soul with self-love vain-glory presumption in Gods favour and contempt of others I deny not but such sensible consolations are often the influences of the holy and true Spirit given us for our encouragement in holy and divine Offices in the love of God and obediener But there is great discretion and humility also required in the use we make of them neither are we over-highly to esteem of them as the Casuist observes Because they are neither true virtues neither are they neeessary instruments of proficiency in true devotion for without such sensible consolations many holy persons have ascended to a great height of virtue and purity of mind The strongest Devotions and most effectual Prayers are seldomest attended with these sensible consolations and sweetnesses which flow in upon variety of taking expressions for a great Devotion is like a great Grief which is not so expressive in words as a less moderate passion a lesser Grief also is wasted away by tears and complaints whilst the greater is both more silent and more lasting so the less and more weak devotion of the Soul is breathed out and wasted in variety of language but not the solid strong and lasting servor Such was the prevailing devotion of Moses when he fell down before the Lord Deut. 9. 18. 25. and that of Hannah when she prayed in the Temple 1 Sam. 1. 10 11. Their words in their prayers were few and low unheard but their desires and affections strong and prevalent as being not wasted by much speaking And such was that Devotion of our Lord in the Garden and on the Cross when he poured out his Soul in prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears Heb. 5. 7. His words were few but his devotion great and prevailing mightily which devotion was neither begotten nor increased nor poured forth in a floud of language and various expressions for he went away saith the holy Ghost and prayed saying the same words Mat. 26. 44. So that settled and stinted Forms of Prayer may be expressive enough of the greatest Devotion nor is God more pleased or the Soul that prayeth more profited by variety of expressions though the exterior pleasure of a sensible devotion may be raised thereby Object 5. But stinted forms of Prayer cannot suit with all tempers and conditions a Garment may as well be made to fit the changeable Moon as one Form of Prayer to fit all men or any one man at all times Answ. 1. T is true that limited forms of Prayer cannot be fitted to every man's fancie and affection especially amongst such men where such prayers are either
Bookseller In the Year 1684 MEDITATIONS upon our going to Church with some short Directions for your Demoanour in the House and in the Service of GOD. UPon your going to Church three things will be necessary for you to consider 1. The Condition of the Place whither you are going 2. The great End of your going thither and 3. How there you are to demean your self All this you would consider if you were going to the Palace of an earthly Prince who is but a mortal man like your self and you surely have much more reason to consider the particulars now that you are going unto the Courts of the Lord's house First then as to the House whither you are going t is indeed as to its Fabrick but like other houses made of wood and stone even as the Lords day is but like other days as to the air and light of heaven but the relative holiness of this House and its eminency above other houses will appear by the Names whereby it is called both in the Book and by the people of God Under the Law it was called the Tabernacle of the Congregation i. e. the place of God's meeting with his people the Temple of the Lord where he presents himself to the contemplation or view of his Worshippers sitting betwixt the Cherubims as on his throne of State T is also called the Sanctuary of the Lord the House of God the Habitation of his Holiness and the place where his Honour dwelleth All which Names do explain each other and need no Interpretation Under the Gospel t is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Church of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord's House 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the King's Palace and Oratorium the House of Prayer Any of which Names much more all of them together considered will oblige any man who hath any sense of Religion to obey that command of God himself which is not merely ceremonial and typical but moral and perpetual Ye shall keep my Sabbaths and reverence my Sanctuary Lev. 19. 30. Secondly As to the great end of your going to Church it is to present your self before the Lord and there to adore the great Majesty of Heaven from whom you have your life and breath and all things It is not to serve your self by hearing this or t'other fine-gifted Minister tickling your itching ears by his taking Discourses agreeable to your fancy but to serve the Lord is your Errand to his House viz. there to joyn with the Minister and the Congregation in publick prayers and praises of God in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual songs in Confessions Thanksgivings and Benedictions as wherein chiefly the Service of God consists Behold now praise the Lord all ye servants of the Lord ye that by night stand in the House of the Lord even in the Courts of the house of our God Lift up your hands in the Sanctuary and praise the Lord Ps. 134. 1. 2. As for me I will worship towards thy holy Temple and praise thy Name Ps. 138. 2. Thirdly As to your Carriage and Demeanour in the house of God you are commanded Keep thy foot when thou goest into the house of God Eccles. 5. 1. enjoyning thee First to beware of all light unseemly indecent and irreverent carriage and to shew humility and devotion in all the gestures of thy Outward man bowing down thy self and kneeling before the Lord thy Maker Ps. 95. 6. before him who made both thy body and soul and joyned them together that they might be joyned in his Service So worshipped the people of God the whole Congregation bowed themselves with their faces to the ground 2 Chron 7. 3. And so all good people resolve to do We will go into his Tabernacle and fall low on our knees before his footstool Ps. 132. 7. Secondly The foot of the Inward man must also and chiefly be kept upright in the house of God Thy Affections are the feet or motions of thy Soul these must be kept free from all secular cares pure from all sensual lusts clean from all wanton wicked inclinations yea from all thoughts of any worldly concerns for ye cannot serve God and Mammon Mat. 6. 24. In the High-priest's forehead was engraven in a plate of Gold Holiness to the Lord Exod. 28. 36. and every ordinary Priest was commanded to wash before he entred into the Sanctuary Exod. 30. 19 10. intimating that exact Purity and Holiness which is required of all both Priests and People when we approach the presence of the Lord in his holy Temple So saith the holy man of God Holiness becometh thy house O Lord for ever Ps. 93. 5. and he resolves accordingly I will wash my hands in innocency and so will I go to thine Altar Ps. 26. 6. Be not slothful and negligent averse and careless backward and tardy in coming to the Church for many and mischievous are the consequents of coming thare For 1. you rob your self of the opportunity of your private prayers for a Blessing upon the publick 2. You lose the benefit of the publick Confession and Absolution which are of high esteem and value to all who are wisely religious And 3. to deprive your self wittingly and willingly of any part of God's publick Worship is both a sin and a loss of so great an account as cannot easily be exprest nor will be ordinarily believed Against such sinful sloth and neglect endeavour to have imprinted in your heart the love of God's House and of his Service there performed Say with the man after God's own heart Lord I have loved the habitation of thy House and the place where thine honour dwelleth Ps 26. 8. I was glad when they said unto me We will go unto the house of the Lord. Psalm 122. 1. Our feet stand in thy gates O Ierusalem vers 2. I. When you come to the Church-door COnsider that you are now upon entrance into the Presence chamber of the great King of the World whose Throne of Glory is in Heaven above but his Throne of Grace in his Temple here below Say then within your self Surely the Lord is in this place How dreadful is this plaee This is none other but the house of God this is the gate of heaven Gen. 28. 16 17. How amiable are thy Dwellings thou Lord of hosts My soul hath a desire and longing to enter into the Courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh rejoyce in the living God Yea the Sparrow hath found her an house and the Swallow a nest where she may lay her young even thine Altars O Lord of hosts my King and my God! Blessed are they who dwell in thy house they will always be praising thee Ps. 84. 1 2 3 4 And most happy were I could I both esteem it and make it my greatest joy and constant labour of love to praise the Lord in his Temple II. When you are entred and view the Baptisterion or Font. GIve hearty thanks unto God for your Christendom that