are Idolaters may be undeceived and turn from deifying of the Bishop of Rome unto us whom they for our being against him count Hereticks and that the ancient People of God the Jewes may have the vail taken away from their eies that they may see into the end of the Law Christ Jesus and believe 2 Cor. 3. and be saved as the Apostle Paul saith that they shall then we ought to pray for Kings and Magistrates under whom we live and for the Ministry of the Word for all such as are afflicted whether within our Land or without that be our brethren being sorry for their sufferings as for our owne Thus for publick Prayers For Thansgivings they are also to be made commonly 1 Tim. 2. first for gracious and godly Kings when such are set over us and like Magistrates under them for the light of the Gospel shining amongst us by the Preachers thereof beseeching the Lord of the Harvest from time to time to send forth Labourers into his Harvest We ought also to have Thanksgivings for Rain and fruitfull Seasons for deliverance from Plague Pestilence or Famine for Victory over our Enemies and Cessation of War which hath been in our Land and particularly for Women preserved from the great danger of Child-birth when God hath made themable to come again to his house to give him thanks as we ought to pray for them that are labouring with child and for such as we have in their dangerous sicknesses prayed for when they are restored to health again and if we look into our Book of Common prayer injoyned every Minister to use in his Church under a great penalty by statute Law made 10. common- The book of common-Common-Prayer of Elizabeth we shall find therein formed a Common Prayer prescribed in confessing of our sins and in all the particulars beforegoing so pious and effectual as any that can be conceived that only which can by any that are conscientious be excepted against is so great a multitude of prayers to the tiring of the spirits both of the Minister and people although for the most part they be but short yet being so many and some often repeated the saying of them all cannot but be a wearinesse to most men whose devotion is but weak and therefore it were to be wished that his Majesty and his great Councel would refer the amending of this fault to some Godly judicious Divines in whom there is no prejudice against a reformation herein as there is in some who are so addicted to our Liturgy as it is that they say it cannot by all the Divines in England be amended which I grant is true for the matter and form of these Prayers but for the multiplicity and repetitions it must needs be yeelded for the reasons aforegoing that the Book may be amended to the better liking of the whole Nation for when the reading of all these Prayers was injoyned there were but few able Preachers in England but abundance of Churches and Parishes to meet there to offer up their Prayers to Almighty God and to hear his holy word read and taught insomuch as that in most Churches Sermons were seldom preached but only Divine Service said and some homily read in the forenoon and in the afternoon only Divine Service said wherefore that a competent time might be spent both times the Liturgy used of old before the Reformation of Religion when in most Churches they came only to hear Masse was translated into our mother tongue that which was Idolatrous being left out so appointed to be used in all Churches with the prayers therein contained being so good and effectual could not but be a commendable way for that time but now thanks be to God the number of learned and able preachers being greatly increased who labour almost in every Church in preaching forenoon and afternoon it were too great a burthen to enjoyne them the reading of so many prayers an Epistle and Gospel beside Psalm and Chapters every forenoon and it would be too great tediousnesse to the people and wearying of their affections to the making of them to worship God with their bodies but not with their spirits which is vain for what difference between their praying Esay 9. that are so long and full of repetitions condemned in Scripture as Pharisaical and such a multitude of prayers and some again repeated being altogether as long as their own prayer yea doth it not come near to the superstitious devotion of the Papists who pray upon beads saying a great number of prayers at once thinking for the great multitude of them to be the more accepted before the Lord we have no hint given us in Holy Scriptures of multiplying many prayers when we come together in the publick place but of praying there together and then spending the greatest part of the time in reading and preaching the whole time for the most part in preaching and expounding the Scriptures For when at any time Christ came into a Synagogue on the Sabbath day we read of a lecture of the Law and the Prophets then Read and then of his Preaching but of Praying we read nothing at that time Luke 4. although there was certainly praying also for my house saith the Lord shall be called the house of Prayer and as he did so he gave Commission to all his Disciples to do saying Goe and teach all Nations Baptizing them c. But of saying any prayers before preaching he said nothing although the Apostles after his Ascension and other believers assembled together to pray Act. 1.14 and they again after the converting of 3000 continued together in teaching breaking Bread and prayer and many other passages there be which shew that there was Praying in the House of God as well as preaching But most time by far was spent in Preaching and Reading as appeares by Nehemiah 8. where first it is said That Ezra read in the Book of the Law before the people assembled together from Morning till Midday ver 3. Then he prayed all the people saying Amen ver 6. After which by other Ministers of the Lord the people were further instructed in it ve 8 All which considered who can stand yet for saying so many Prayers at every assembling together to the house of God And not acknowledge that the Book of Common Prayer hath need to be corrected by putting out the repetition of the Lords Prayer after the rehearsing of the Creed of the Apostles and then after the Letany which is a most excellent and general Prayer for all things and all persons that we should pray for concluding Morning-prayer with two Prayers only following and the three prayers for Good-Friday which is for the conversion of Jews Turks and other Infidels the versicles and repeating of the Lords Prayer there being left out Against Letay exceptions and the Prayer of the Kings Royal Progeny and Bishops Curates and People as being prayed for before in the
indued with reason more than the custome that hath heretofore been when our case was not like to that which now is As for the Ornaments as they are called wherein the Minster is injoyned to read and to use them in all his ministration Surplice and Cope viz. The Cope and Surplice and Hood because I hear that they shall no more be injoyned because of the scandal that hath been by them in most parts of the land I will say no more but this they are truly relicks of Popery although the Surplice hath been used very anciently yet not in the first century but altogether without ground in holy Scripture which commandeth to do only in the publick worship of God what he prescribeth without adding or detracting ought which holdeth as well under the N. T. as the old wherein vestments were indeed commanded to be used Deut. 12.32 by the Priests in their ministration about the Altar but now under the new that kind of service being at an end and a new which is spiritual being set up without peculiar vestments for which the Minister is left free as well as other men what was it but a reducing again of a ceremony antiquated long before into the Evangelical Church which was proper to the legal contrary to the Rule given by our Saviour The true worshippers of God John 4.20 shall worship him in spirit and in truth which is not yet so to be understood as if no regard was to be had to externals for we must worship God outwardly in the body also according to that O come let us worship and fall down and kneel before the Lord our maker and a man praying or Prophesying with his head covered that is having his hat on his head as when he is only amongst his fellowes for not doing this outward reverence to Christ his head who is in a special manner present in the congregation thus reverencing him lesse than the head of the Kingdome where he liveth dishonoureth his head Cor. 11. and for garments to be worn by the Minister in his ministration that which is most decent may be injoyned for all things must be done decently and in order and if by our governours in the Church a black Gown which hath been proper to a Minister be judged most decent and a peculiar kind of Cloak whereby he may in all places be known from other men and reverenced accordingly what are any that are inferiours to take exceptions thereto and likewise if they inhibet the Clergy from wearing long hair which the Apostle saith is a shame for any man to wear and require that they shew no levity and in their own apparrel by wearing light colours but dark which shewes gravety not in following vain fashions of the time Zeph. 1.8 which shewes exceeding great levity which ought to be reproved by the Minister and threatned Reading of the Scriptures as by Zephany even in the Kings Children For Reading of the holy Scriptures in the Church before preaching there is something which is justly excepted against viz. both the appointing of Chapters to be read out of Apocry phal Books as Esdras the book of Wisdom and of Tobit c. and those not a few but 60 at the least in the year wherein they say that the Service book which now we have is altered from the first appointed in the year of Edward 6. in which were none but canonical Scriptures appointed to be read and that in all Churches the Ministers are required to read Chapters both in the Old and New Testament appointed by the daies of the month which though it may be well in Churches or Chappels where service is said every day yet if the Minister in every parochial Church keepeth himself to this order he shall not in many years by reading the Chapters appointed for the Lords dayes read most of the Chapters of the Bible but passe them over continually And forasmuch as now there is preaching in every Church of the Gospel of Jesus Christ sometimes upon Gospels somtimes upon Epistles this is but an adding of an unnecessary labour to the wearying of the preacher before he commeth to his greatest labour Wherefore His Majesty and the Councel of the Land in whose power only it is are to be desired to see these things amended also And lastly because it is an offence to some Reading of prayers indeed not so commendable in a Minister to read prayers there was not any such thing done in Israel of old for nothing was read in the congregation but Scripture and as for praying and praysing of God it was don memoriter by the Minister Nehe. 8. the saying of the prayers set forth in the Book of Common Prayer without book by the Minister would be enjoyned that comming from his spirit immediately as if they were his own both he himselfe and the whole Congregation may be the better affected therewith and such as know not how to pray by hearing them often so said may be stirred up to learn them by heart also and make use of them or some of them in private which how shall they be put on to do if the Minister himself cannot say them but by the book to read a prayer made by others cannot be praying by the spirit as all praying in the Congregation ought to be but then may one be said to pray by the spirit when he hath laid up the prayer to be uttered in his heart and from thence immediately brings it forth being affected with it as if it were of his own conceiving If it shall be counted sufficient for a Minister to read prayers in the Congregation when his sight groweth dim or he cannot see or the Sky be overcast with darknesse how shall he be able to go on in praying if it be said every one hath not so good a memory I answer He that giveth himself to praying upon paines taking shall attain to a memory snfficient for this and so all Ministers after the example of the Apostles ought to do Act. 6. or else they are not worthy of the Ministry as for the praying in the Pulpit if so much time hath been spent in praying before it will not be requisite now for the Preacher to spend much time in praying again but after a short prayer made for the assistance of Gods holy Spirit and for a blessing to fall immediately to the work of preaching Matt. 5. Luke 4. For when Christ preached in the Mount and in Nazareth we read of spending time in preaching but not in praying and likewise of the Apostle Peters saying much when the people were assembled together to hear him Act. 2. Act. 10. by way of preaching only and of Paul neither do I find that any of the Ancient Doctors of the Church when they stood up to preach did otherwise As for the ten commandements rehersing every Lords day in the house of God to make all
Letany and here because some petitions in the Letany are by some excepted against I will say somwhat in the justification thereof some except against this Remember not Lord our offences nor the offences of our fore Fathers As if in so saying we pray for the Dead but they are too captious that make this exception for the Lord threatneth to visit the sins of the Fathers upon the Children to the third and fourth Generation And to the same effect our Lord Jesus threateneth the Jews Matt. 23. to bring all the Righteous Blood that had been shed by their Forefathers upon them Wherefore we pray only against vengeance taking upon us for our own sins or the sins of our Forefathers against which who but a cavellar can speak Secondly They except against this from Fornication and all other deadly sin Good Lord deliver us As if hereby the Popish Doctrine that some sins are venial and some only deadly Rom. 6.23 were implyed when as the wages of any sin is death unlesse repented of and pardoned But although it be so yet there are some sins greater then others of which it is particularly said that they who do such things shall die Exek 18. Gal. 5.19 and never enter into the Kingdome of Heaven of which Fornication is one wherfore every lesser sin indangereth him that committeth it in respect of the second death yet there are some greater sins whereby the Soul is more indangered because few of them that live in such great sins have the grace given them to Repent we pray therefore to be kept from all sin but more especially against the greatest as David Psal 19.12 13. Cleanse me from secret faults and keep me from presumptuous sins so shall I be innocent from the great offence which is most deadly Thirdly They except against praying against sudden death for we ought all to be alwaies prepared for Death and to such as are prepared it can never be sudden But seeing no man liveth and sinneth not who can be alwaies so well prepared as he should be and who then hath not need to pray this Prayer And sudden dying is more uncomfortable to friends surviving and may prevent the setting of our houses in order which was granted in favour to Hezekiah and the parents blessing of his children before he die as Isaac and Jacob did and their giving instructions to those about them which commonly are most memorable to the edifying of the hearers at that time and their own commending of their Souls to God by prayer and the death of the wicked is sometimes spoken of as a suddain going down into the pit as we have heard that some of them have done in the very acting of some great sin Fourthly They except against that petition That God would preserve all Travelling by land or by Water Whenas by land there are some Theeves travelling and by water some Pirates murtherers But by saying all we mean only all that be travelling about their lawfull occasions only Fifthly They except against that wherein we pray That God would have mercy upon all men for which there is a plain place 1. Tim. 2. Let Prayers and supplications be made for all men and a reason added that God would that all should be saved neither doth it make against our praying thus that few shall be saved it is enough for us that God would not have any perish but turn from sin and live and therefore this we must pray for as we would not be found defective in doing our duty herein by God commanded and helping what we can all men towards Salvation leaving the successe to God Some other exceptions also be made against our Book of Common-Prayer Except taken as against the Collect of the second Sunday after Trinity Sunday wherein it is said Give unto us that which our prayers dares not perfume to ask As if there were any thing that we durst not pray for in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ when as he hath bidden us aske and ye shall have and said whatsoever ye aske in faith shall be done for you but the meaning is not that we dare not for our unworthynesse if we had not been warranted thereunto by his promise But thereupon we are made bold to aske the greatest boones in all the World the pardon of all our sins and Justification by faith and Salvation As for the exception taken to the words of the Prophet Ezek. Ezek. 18.21 22. in the beginning of our Divine Service not rightly rendred but so as may make a wicked man bold to go on in his sins till his last sicknesse At what time soever a sinner doth repent him of his sins from the bottom of his heart I will blot out all his wickednesse out of my remembrance saith the Lord Whereas the words of the Prophet are If the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed and keep all my Satutes and do that which is Lawfull and right he shall hereby live he shall not die all his transgressions that he hath committed shall not be mentioned unto him in his righteousnesse that he hath done he shall live Betwixt which and the Book of Common-Prayer there is this great difference there forgivenesse of sin is promised only upon repentance from the bottom of his heart which may be understood of hearty sorrow and no more when he seeth the Ax ready to be laid to the Root of the tree to cut it down which Ahab did when he saw judgements ready to come down upon him and Judas also repented and was exceedingly sorry in the Prophet there is turning from all his sins and keeping all the Statutes of the Lord and doing that which is lawfull and right required in him that would not die but live of wicked he must turn righteous which one being deadly sick and dying hath no time now to do although he be penitent and grieved at his heart for his sins for if it be in truth he hath yet but two parts of Repentance in him which Reprobates may have as in the two examples beforegoing confession of the mouth and contrition of the heart But for want of the third keeping the statutes of the Lord and doing contrary to that which he did before he cannot expect the fulfilling of the promise of Life made to them that do thus wherefore instead of this beginning it is necessary to set down the very words of the Prophet that there may be no occasion given to the wicked to think when they have in the publick place confessed and sorrowed for their sins a while they are forgiven and shall be saved although they turn not from them all no nor from any but return as the Dog to his vomit And hitherto of that which I have thought necessary to be considered and amended or not in our common Prayers and that not without shewing good and solid reason which ought to bear sway with all that are