Christians Members of Christ's Body which is his Church Which being nothing else but an Assembly of Men devoted unto Christ met together for Religious Worship they are not a part of it if they do not assemble with it That is they are not Christians nor will any of their privatâ— Devotions be acceptable unto God being set in opposition to the Publick because they go about to destroy the very Body of Christ which is his Church whose very being consists iâ— Assemblies and not in separated Worship alone by our selves Which Private Worship is then acceptable unto God when performed by a true Member of Christ's Body that is by onâ— who attends upon the Publick Assemblies by which he procures acceptance for his secret and private Services Which are so far from being moâ—â— acceptable that we cannot reasonable think they are acceptable at all wheâ— they are set in opposition to the otherâ— or when the other is constantly neglected If I knew how to make this plaineâ— I would do it because it is a matter 〈◊〉 great importance that we may not 〈◊〉 guilty of neglecting the Publick Wâ—â— ship of God where it may be injoyeâ— For so far as we neglect this we 〈◊〉 our selves off from the Church which is the Body of Christ That is we cease to be Christians and become bare Natural Men and Women for Christians are made to Worship God together in a Body of which every particular person is a part which cannot subsist but in Conjunction with the rest of the Members of that Body Perhaps this will be better understood by considering how we come to be Christians Which is not barely by belief in Christ but by receiving Baptism where professing Faith in him we are admitted into the Christian Society and Communion to parâ—ake of those Blessings which are bestowed by Christ upon the Christian Fellowship But then we must continue therein by living like Christiâ—ns and particularly by assembling â—ogether continually for Christian Worship Otherwise we renounce our Baptism which admitted us into a Society and not to act separately by our selves alone In which Society if â—ny man behave himself so scandaâ—ously that he is thrust out of it he â—s denied to have Communion with them in their Prayers all the times 〈◊〉 remains so cut off from the Churcâ— Which is a demonstration that to haâ— communion with the faithful in Prayâ— is the very thing unto which we are aâ—mitted by being made Christians 〈◊〉 being the thing of which men are 〈◊〉 barred when they are turned out 〈◊〉 the Christian Society For the further manifestation 〈◊〉 which great truth which I have thâ— explained in general I shall in the 〈◊〉 lowing Chapters offer several paâ—â—â—cular considerations which deserveâ— be seriously pondered in every Câ— stians thoughts CHAP. XV. Our Blessed Saviour the Founder the Church teaches us this Dâ—ctrine I. AND first of all I desire it 〈◊〉 be considered that our Bâ—â—â—sed Lord doth plainly suppose 〈◊〉 Notion of a Church that is of Râ—â—â—gious Assemblies in the very Prayer â—he taught his Disciples The first words of which being Our Father not my Father are an indication it was not made for a single person only but for a company of men joyning together in their Petitions to God Who are put in mind by this expression when any of them sayes this Prayer alone by himself that his Prayer is at that time acceptable because he is a Member of the Church of Christ and â—olds communion with the rest of his Christian Brethren There can be no other reason given why we say Our Father even in our Closets but that we pray as part of a Body and hope to be heard because we are in union therewith and not divided from it â—nd therefore stand bound as oft as we have opportunity to communicate with it in Prayer and all other Holy Offices when it meets together for that purpose II And therefore we may further observe that Christ most especially promises his Blessed Presence in such Publick Assemblies Matth. xviii 20. For where two or three are gathered together in my Name there am I in 〈◊〉 midst of them That he speaks of the being assembled in his Name foâ— Prayer appears from the foregoinâ— verse where he saith if two of yâ—â— agree on Earth as touching any thiâ— they shall ask it shall be done c. Aâ— the word gathered together shows 〈◊〉 speaks of Publick Prayer such as use to be in the Synagogues unto whiâ—â— the word in the Greek alludes Aâ— two or three so gathered together aâ—â— put for any number whatsoever bâ—â— rather mentioned than any other greâ—ter number that Christians might 〈◊〉 be discouraged though they couâ—â— meet but in very small Companies 〈◊〉 reason of the difficulties and distresâ— they laboured under in the beginniâ—â— of our Religion The Rules of the Synagogue was aâ— Dr. Lightfoot and otheâ— have observed that 〈◊〉 less the number of 〈◊〉 persons Temple-Service C. vii Sect. 3. who were 〈◊〉 Years were gathered together it wâ— no Assembly nor could there be aâ— Prayer But our Lord would not havâ— his Church thus abridged in this high priviledge of Prayer knowing as Mr. Thorndike observes it might so fall out that such a number of his Disciples could not get together either because of the persecutions which scattered them abroad or because there were but few suppose only two or three as yet converted in a place where the Gospel was preached Who if they did unanimously agree in common Petitions our Saviour promises should find notwithstanding their small number that he would be present among them That 's the Blessing promised to their consent and agreement in common Prayer Which is not to be understood as if he would not be present with a good Christian when he prays alone but the meaning is that then when they joyned in common Prayer he would be more especially present For if our Lord Christ have a love to every Christian Soul and delights to have its company then is he much more pleased with a great number of them who present themselves together to seek his Grace and Favour They are more welcome to him their company is more lovely the sight of them more amiable and they are more beloved of him and prevail for greater Tokens of his love And thus all wise Christians Ancient and Modern have understood it I will name one of later times for there is no doubt of the Ancient Conventus verò Sacros ad loca condicta deputata c. But as for Sacred Assemblies in places appointed and deputed for that purpose we have a very great veneration and highly approve and love them cùm nobis conjunctis Christum magis adesse existimamus for we believe Christ to be more present with us when we are met in conjunction together They are the words of Peter Martyr upon Gen. xxviii 12. And here it may not be unfit to note for a fuller explication of this matter
of the Earth and none can stay his hand or say unto him what dost thou ver 34 35. And then concludes his Declaration in this manner Now I Nebuchadnezzar Praise and Extol and Honour the King of Heaven all whose works are Truth and his wayes Judgment and those that walk in Pride he is able to abase A Voice worthy of a King and worthy to be published throughout all the World and therefore he made the Declaration wherein it was contained to be sent to all People Nations and Languages that dwelt on all the Earth ver 1. that is throughout all his wide Empire to all the parts of the Earth where his Authority reached and his words would be reverenced that they might magnifie this great King of Heaven and Earth together with him That was the end of it and it is one of the most publick pieces of Devotition that we ever read was performed by any man arising out of this sense with which he was possessed in those Ancient times that God is to be Honoured Blessed and Extolled publickly among and by all People to whom he thought himself bound to show the Signs and the Wonders which the most High God had wrought towards him And How great saith he are his Signs and how mighty are his Wonders ver 3. He was not able to tell but made the best and the most ample Declaration of them that he could in this Imperial Decree which he caused to be proclaimed every where By all which we may easily be convinced in what gross Errors two sorts of people live First They who imagine that God may be served as well at home as at the Church Such men neither understand the Nature of God nor the Nature of Religion nor their own Nature which teach them quite otherwise And instruct them also to frequent the Publick Assemblies where they have opportunity so to do Secondly For that is another palpable Error to think that it is sufficient if we come on the Lord's Day to testifie that we do not forget God though all the Week beside we take no notice of him but constantly neglect his Publick Service when we are invited to it and have leisure to attend it We forget the many publick common Blessings we dayly need and dayly receive which ought to be as publickly every day implored and acknowledged in our Common Prayers Let the foregoing considerations be duly pondered and they will perswade you both out of Love to God's Honour and out of love to your own good to joyn as often as you can your Prayers Praises and Thanksgivings with the whole Church of God and to make our Assemblies as full as you can both on the Lord's Day and every Day of the Week Whereby you would declare your constant dependence on God and acknowledge how he dayly 〈◊〉 you with his Benefits and draw 〈◊〉 Publick Blessings in abundance upon the Church and Kingdom where you live and do credit to our Holy Religion which alas now looks in many places as if it were despised and not only do credit to it but both help to support it and also promote and propagate it to the Honour and Praise of the Almighty Lord of Heaven and Earth unto whom be Glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all Ages World without end Amen CHAP. XIV The Nature of a Church requires there should be Publick Prayers I Proceed now to the Third Head of Arguments whereby a Christian should be most of all moved to his Duty and that is to consider the Nature of the Church which both requires Publick Assemblies and makes the Service performed in them far more acceptable than Private Prayers can be And here let it be considered in general that the very word we translate Church in the Holy Scriptures signifies in the Greek Language an Assembly a company of persons met together and that publickly upon the publick business or occasions The first time but one we meet with this Word in the New Testament it is used in opposition to a single person alone by himself or to one or two more beside him Matth. xviii 15 16 17. If thy Brother trespass against thee go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone and if he will not hear thee take one or two more c. and if he neglect to hear them tell it to the Church that is to that solemn Assembly which sat to judge causes and unto which was the last resort so that if he did not hear them he was to be lookt upon as an Heathen Man and a Publican And the truth is it signifies any sort of Assembly or concourse of People which was among the Gentiles as well as the Jews For in the xix of the Acts when all the City of Ephesus was in an uproar and ran together into the Theatre crying up Diana this general concourse is thrice called their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Assembly ver 32. Some cryed one thing some another for the Assembly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was confused c. and ver 39. If you inquire of other matters it shall be determined in a lawful Assembly and ver 41. having thus spoken he dismissed the Assembly Now this being the very Notion of the word Church the Christian Church which Christ hath called is an Assembly of Men and Women met together to Worship God by him to give him Thanks for all his Benefits and to implore his Grace and Mercy to them and to all the World It is an Assembly or Company of Men as much as any other but our Saviour's Kingdom being not of this World the Assembly which he appoints is not to meet for Civil Ends and Purposes but for Religious And the great thing in all Religion is the Devout Worship of God and giving Him the Honour due unto his Name for which the Church i.e. Christian Assemblies being founded it is a clear demonstration that this Worship is not so well performed alone by our selves as in these Assemblies For here we act most like Christians that is like Members of the Body of Christ which is his Church With which whosoever doth not joyn he is no longer a Christian because he is not a Member of the Body of Christ which is a Company joyned together to have Fellowship with God and one with another in all Holy Duties of which Prayer Thanksgiving and Praises are the chief For though there they receive Christian Instruction yet that is not the principal business for which they assemble as appears by St. Paul's words to Timothy before-mentioned 1 Tim. ii 1. If we could make Christian people sensible of this they would immediately yield the Publick Worship of God to be that which of all other he most designs to have continued in the World and consequently be most affected towards it and constantly frequent it And how should they remain insensible of it if they would but consider duely that it is implied in their being
several pretious Gums made no other perfume than the Spices would have done had they been burnt one by one CHAP. XVII Other Considerations to strengthen this Argument VII GOD hath also appointed a publick order of Men to Direct and Govern Christian Assemblies and to Minister therein both by giving Christian Instruction and by offering up the Common Prayers of the Church to God and Blessing the people in his Name This is another convincing Argument both that Christ designed publick Assemblies because he hath appointed publick Ministers to officiate there and that the Prayers made there are to be preferred before private Devotions because there we partake of the Service of God's Ministers the benefit whereof we lose if we content our selves with what we do at home There is nothing more apparent in the Holy Writings than that our Lord would have such an order of men set apart for his Divine Service in the Church Whose ordination by his special appointment and designation is an assurance that their Ministry therein is acceptable to God as well when they offer the peoples Prayers to him and bless them in his Name as when they deliver his Word to the people and teach them both how to pray and to perform all other Duties of a Christian Life Both of these are necessary and their Office is designed for both But especially for the first to minister the Divine Service of the Church The principal of which is the Eucharist wherein they dispense the most pretious Tokens of Christ's Love to his Body the Church by Prayers and by Thanksgivings to God for the Redemption of the World by that Death of Christ upon the Cross Which ought to be publickly celebrated because it is an Annunciation oâ— the Lord's Death wherein we publish and show it forth till he come anâ— never was administred nor can be bâ— any other persons but those whom oâ— Lord hath intrusted to be Stewards 〈◊〉 his Mysteries For whose Prayers and Publick Seâ—vice in the Church if Men have not great esteem it is because they havâ— no Religion or no true Knowledgâ— thereof For if they believed thaâ— God hath any Ministers as he hath iâ— there be any such thing as Religion who are peculiarly sanctified that is set apart for his Service they would believe that God conveys some Bleâ—sings by their Ministry and look upoâ— their Ordination as a Seal that He whâ— hath thereby appointed them to be Instruments of his for the Salvation of Men's Souls will by these Instruments effect the thing whereunto he hath ordained them and particularly give Men his Blessing by their means and accept those Prayers which these Servants of his offer up unto him for them and in their Name For that praying for the People is a special part of their Work we may learn from St. James v. 14. where he directs those to whom he writes when any Man was sick to send for the Elders of the Church and let them pray over him Which no less belonged to their Office we may be sure when Men were well than when they were sick being a part of their dayly ministration for the whole Body of the Church Whose weaker Prayers as I noted before out of St. Chrysostome being helped by the stronger Prayers of God's Ministers go up to Heaven together with them All Christians indeed are called A Holy and a Royal Priesthood to offer up Spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God by Christ Jesus 1 Pet. ii 5 9. but it is manifest by these very words that they are not so singly but in a Body when they Pray and give Thanks together with him that Ministers the Divine Service in the Church the Spiritual House of which the Apostle there speaks in which Spiritual Sacrifices were offered up to God And since Sacrifices were offered only in Publick in the place God appointed for them we may thence I think conclude that our Prayers Praises and Thanksgivings are then only Sacrifices when made in our Assemblies and that then we act as Priests unto God and not at other times The principal Sacrifice of Christians I am sure is in its own Nature a Publick Service and is to be so esteemed even when it is administred to the Sick in Private who receive it as part of that Body which is supposed continually to offer this Sacrifice I mean the Holy Communion wherein we offer to God with Prayers Praises and Thanksgivings a commemoration of the Sacrifice of Christ upon the Cross for us For this we ought all to meet as frequently as we can that we may conjunctly and openly acknowledge this benefit because though this be the principal and immediate intention of this action it hath respect also to that communion which we have one with another as mutual Members and with Christ our Head as his Body So the Apostle teaches us when he saith The Cup of Blessing which we bless is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ The Bread which we break it is not the Communion of the Body of Christ For we being many are one Bread and one Body for we are all partakers of that one Bread 1 Cor. x. 16 17. And therefore since we are not Members of the same Body unless we be knit together in one and we are not knit together in one but by the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ and we cannot have that communion but by Assembling together to eat of one Bread and drink of one Cup it is manifest to all that there is the greatest necessity of Publick Assemblies where this is the chief business for which Christians should meet together in one Body as oft as is possible and at all other times beseech God to accept their Sacrifices for the sake of that perfect Sacrifice Oblation and Satisfaction which Christ hath made and which we commemorate Here also in the Publick Assemblies censures were inflicted upon publick Offenders as we learn from the Apostle 1 Corinth v. 4. as well as from Tertullian in his Apology cap. xxxix and many such like things I might add to the same purpose if I had room for them and had not other material considerations to press which ought not to be omitted VIII Among which this is not inconsiderable that the Publick Service of the Church by them ministred is so acceptable unto God that the Angels God's Heavenly Ministers attend in such Holy Assemblies and make a part of them For this is the Reason St. Paul gives 1 Corinth xi 10. why a Woman should cover her Head in time of Prayer that is be in a humble and reverend posture because of the Angels Whose presence in the Assemblies of Christians is a Token of Christ's Blessed Presence in the midst of them according to his own promise before-mentioned Matth. xviii 20. For where the Angels are said to be there God is present as the Hebrews observe and not without good ground for what they say For when Jacob saw Angels
of it is an Assembly of Men and Women called to meet together and therefore the Christian Church is such an Assembly called to joyn together in Worshipping God by Christ Jesus who himself hath supposed this in the Prayer he gave his Disciples and hath promised his special Presence in such Assemblies which the Apostles constantly held and there received the first and best Fruits of his Love in the descent of the Holy Ghost which drew all Converts every where into the same Blessed conjunction for which Holy Places were appointed where they constantly Assembled and where the extraordinary Gift of Prayer was to be made common or else lookt upon as of little value where God hath appointed his Ministers to attend and there offer up the Prayers of his people and bless them in his Name where the Angels also are present and delight to see us assembled that we may maintain the Communion of Saints here on Earth and be fitted for the company of the Blessed in Heaven who all joyn together in giving Blessing and Praise and Honour unto him whom we Worship who is far Exalted above all Blessing and Praise either of ours on Earth or of theirs in Heaven Consider I say all this and then think what an errour they live in who make little or no account of the Publick Assemblies but imagine they can pray and serve God as well by themselves alone This is a most unchristian thought directly contrary to the very frame of our Holy Religion which therefore ought with all diligence to be exploded out of every one of our minds As for those who do not barely neglect the Publick Service but refuse to joyn in it they are still in a far worse condition having broken themselves off from the Body of Christ which the Ancient Church thought so heinous a crime that they lookt upon their Prayers as an abomination For so I find in the Council of Antioch * Canon 2. that such Christians were condemned as going into any private House prayed together with those who would not joyn in the Prayers of the Church None of the Church were to joyn in their Prayers if any did they thought it equal to the crime of communicating with Excommunicated Persons The like I find in the Council of Laodicea And the Canons ascribed to the Apostles speak to the same purpose Can. 33. Can. 10. And this Sentence of those Councils is very conformable to the sense of the Ancient Jews whose Maxime this was as Mr. Thorndike * Relig. Assembl p. 173. observes He that dwells in a City where there is a Synagogue and prays not there with the Congregation this is he who is called a BAD NEIGHBOVR And well may he be called bad who will have no Society in the best things who cuts himself off by his own act from the Congregation of the Lord who will not afford his Neighbours the help of his Prayers who lives as if the World could be Governed without taking any notice of God the Supreme Governour who directly overthrows the Christian Religion and destroys the very notion of a Church who hath no regard to Holy places and slights God's Ministers who withdraws himself from God's special presence and protection and defies all the Blessed company of Heaven Among whom he can never hope to find any entertainment nor to be received into the Coelestial Habitations having shut himself here out of the Society of Saints and the place where God's Honour dwelleth Would to God such things as these were seriously and deeply considered by us all that our minds might be awaked to a diligent and constant attendance upon the Publick Assemblies Which our Lord hath taken the greatest care to establish and unto which he hath also granted very high Priviledges lest they should fall into contempt or neglect through Mens Idleness or Covetousness or Conceitedness or by any other means whatsoever Certain it is if we had an hearty Love to our Religion and understood it we could not but be so in Love with the Publick Exercises of it as every day if it lay in our power to go into God's house and there recommend our selves and his whole Church to his Grace and Mercy For there is no way it is evident from what hath been said to uphold and support the Church like to this we being a Church by meeting together to have communion in the same Prayers Which the oftner we have the more we look like a Church and act like Members of the Body of Christ who are combined and knit together for mutual preservation As on the contrary the seldomer we meet the less there is of the face of a Church among us which cannot be preserved from ruin when the Publick Assemblies are generally neglected because the Church falls to decay by that very neglect Let us therefore set our selves to maintain the Church of which we are Members by maintaining Publick Assemblies and suffering no day to pass without a solemn meeting in as full a Body as we can make for the duties of our Religion This would be both an Ornament and a Strength and Establishment to our Religion The Truth which we profess would hereby be both honoured and confirmed and appear with greater Authority as well as Beauty in the Eyes of all its Adversaries when they beheld the Multitude the Unanimity and the Order and Constancy of those that assert it The better and gentler sort of them would be the more easily won to joyn with us and they whose hearts are alienated from us would be the less inclin'd to set themselves against us And for the Grace and Favour of God which is the chief thing of all Christians may promise it to themselves for their protection against all their Adversaries when they constantly and earnestly seek it with their joynt Prayers and Supplications Which will be powerful also for the setling such as are wavering in their Religion whom the constant Authority likewise of a great Number of faithful people cannot but be of much moment to contain in their Duty for Men are ashamed to forsake a multitude when they easily desert small Numbers The Ancient Christians were so possessed with this sense that they lookt upon their Prayers as the impregnable Bulwark of the Church an unshaken Garrison terrible to the Devils and salutary to God's pious Worshipppers a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrysost Tom. 1. p. 757. Edit Fr. D. In so much that St. Basil speaking of God's gathering the Waters together which he called Seas and saw it was good Gen. i. 16. falls into a pious Meditation how much more acceptable to him such a Collection or gathering together of the Church must needs be b in Hexameron Hom. iv sub fin in which the mixed sound of Men Women and Children making a noise like the Waves dashing against the Shore is sent up to God in Prayers A profound Calm and Tranquillity shall preserve such
Imprimatur Jo. Battely Aug. 21. 1686. A DISCOURSE CONCERNING PRAYER Especially of frequenting the Dayly Publick Prayers In Two PARTS By SYMON PATRICK D. D. now Lord Bishop of Ely LONDON Printed for Luke Meredith at the Star and Sold by R. Wilkin at the King's Head in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1693. THE INTRODUCTION The Design of this BOOK PRAYER is so considerable a part of a Godly Life and so great a means both to work â—â—d to preserve and increase all manâ—r of Godliness and Vertue in us â—at the ancient Christiâ—s doubted not to call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. (a) St. Chrysost L. i. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very top of all â—od things the founâ—ation and the root of an useful â—e the fountain and the parent â—innumerable benefits Whence it is that they have left â—so many Treatises upon this subâ—t and that we find it so oft reâ—ted in their Sermons Which they tell us they did on purpose that thâ— Souls of their people might receivâ— not merely a light tincture of this Dâ—ctrine but as St. Chrysostom's (b) Hom. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 phrase iâ— be deeply dyed with iâ—Vnto whose pious labours which goâ— men have imitated in all succeedinâ— ages if mine be now added in a smâ— Book upon the same Argument I hoâ— it will not be found altogether unprâ—fitable but contribute something the growth of Christian piety by stâ—ring up this present Generation to â— serious practice of this part of it Which is commonly distinguish into secret Prayer alone by 〈◊〉 selves private with our Familieâ— and publick with the whole Congâ—â—gation of Christian people amâ— whom we live The last of which 〈◊〉 first in my design when I began think of writing about this mattâ— because Common Prayer which 〈◊〉 make all together in one Body 〈◊〉 God is the most necessary and the â—ost prevalent and yet alas the â—ost neglected of all other But conâ—â—dering that men would be the better â—isposed to attend upon the publick â—â—rvice if they could be perswaded to â—ustom their minds unto devout â—â—ughts of God and affections toâ—rds him alone by themselves I solved to premise a short Discourse â—â—ncerning Prayer in general with special respect unto such secret incourse with the Divine Majesty As for that which is called private â—â—ayer in our several Families â—â—e needs no particular Discourse out it but it may be sufficiently unâ—stood by what I have to say of the â—er two especially of publick â—â—â—yer whose place it is to supply â—n we cannot have the benefit of it Now this Duty of secret converse â—â—h God by humble Prayer to him â—vidently enjoyned in those words â—ur Blessed Saviour Matth. vi 6. But thou when thou prayest â—â—ter into thy Closet c. In whâ—â— he doth not exclude pubâ—â— Prayer but only forbids ostentâ— in it And commands us out of 〈◊〉 to God not out of love to populaâ— plause that we may be truly 〈◊〉 and not merely thought so to 〈◊〉 our hearts to Him when no body us but He alone That 's the thing I intenâ— evince that it is the duty of eâ— Christian to retire himself 〈◊〉 business and from Company 〈◊〉 he may pray to God In treâ— of which I think it will be uâ—â— if I distinctly show First Theâ— ture of this Duty Secondly 〈◊〉 Necessity of it Thirdly 〈◊〉 great Benefits we may deriveâ— its serious performance A Discourse CONCERNING â—RAYER c. PART I. CHAP. I. Of the Nature of this Duty PRAYER in the strict use of the word signifies the Petitions we make to God either for the bestowing on us good â—gs or the averting from us evil â—d thus it is distinguished from Praiâ—â— of his Divine Perfections from â—om those benefits we ask are deriâ—â— and from Thanksgivings for them â—en they are conferred on us accorâ—â—â—g to our desires Which though â—y ought to accompany all our â—yers and it is impossible to pray aright without such acknowledgmeâ—â— of God's incomparable Perfections 〈◊〉 thankfulness to him for his benefâ— yet they are not the things which 〈◊〉 strictly and properly meant by Prâ—â— Which is taken sometimes in a striâ— sense still merely for petitioningâ— good things and so is distinguiâ— by St. Paul 1 Tim. ii 1. from â—â—â—plications which are petitions for 〈◊〉 averting evil things from us In which restrained senses I doâ— intend to treat of it But by Prâ— understand an Address of our Soâ— God the Author and Fountain oâ— Good to request of him those this which we feel we want and of which are desirous 1. It supposes therefore First 〈◊〉 we are in want For if we were 〈◊〉 we should long for nothing We 〈◊〉 Wisdom and Gods Holy Spirit 〈◊〉 the Graces and Comforts thereof â—â—gether with his pardoning and spaâ— Mercy his gracious protection 〈◊〉 safeguard provision for all the â—â—cessities of our outward man beâ— all the needs of others especially God's Church and of that Church Kingdom in particular whereof we are now immediate Members A supply of all which we would either receive or have them preserved to us if we already enjoy these Blessings That is We either want the things themselves or their continuance and therefore we ask them 2. But further It necessarily supposes also that we have a sense and feeling of our wants For if a man be sick or empty yet if he think himself well or feel no hunger he will neither call for his Physician nor for Food Though men be in the very jaws of Hell though they lie under the power of the Devil and be led captive by him at his will though their Lusts and Passiâ—ns tyrannize and insult over them though sin as the Apostle speaks hath the Dominion in their hearts and they are so governed and ruled by viâ—ious Affections and Desires that they â—re no better than Slaves to them yet â—f they think this a state of Liberty and Ease and Pleasure if they have no apprehension of present or future danger they will never be at the pains so much as to pray heartily for deliverance And therefore if we will prâ— aright we must be possessed with 〈◊〉 great a sense of our Spiritual wants 〈◊〉 we have of our Bodily when we aâ— pincht and pressed with them Wâ— must make our Souls feel that there is God and that he is our chiefest good and that in conjunction with him coâ—sists our felicity and that it cannot 〈◊〉 any way attained but by conformity 〈◊〉 him in obedience to his blessed Will And perceiving how short we aâ— of this nay how far perhaps we aâ— from God and Goodness how veâ— negligent we have been in our duty 〈◊〉 him it ought to humble and abase 〈◊〉 to bring us down upon our knees to 〈◊〉 for mercy and excite in us earnâ— desires after him and after Righteoâ—ness and true Holiness as that aloâ— which can bring us into his favour In short Our Souls must acquaintâ— as thoroughly with their state and
conversant in this Duty have no 〈◊〉 prehension at all but are perfeâ—â— blind and stupidly senseless of inviâ— ble and spiritual injoyments Whâ— by their minds are straitned and â—rowed having no thoughts beyâ— their own poor selves and that only this present World when they tâ— set their minds to an holy conveâ— with God in this Spiritual Duty this means mightily widen and inlarge them which is the other advantage I mentioned extending their desires and cares so far as to make them solicitous for the welfare of the whole World both now and for ever This is one of the greatest Excellencies of Holy Prayer that it inlarges our Spirits so far as to enable them to extend their Charity to all Men which it is not in our power by any other means to do We approach unto infinity and immensity in our desires and wishes and in our good will and readiness to benefit all the World Every part of which though never so far distant from us we may help this way and express our affection to it though we are so contracted and limited in all other abilities but this that we know not how to serve them in any thing else Our Prayers alone can reach them and there is no Country nor people out of their reach but in these holy desires we may stretch forth our souls to the furthermost parts of the Earth and looking up to Heaven draw down the blessing of God upon them By which we may learn the neceâ—ty as well as the excellency of Praâ— Without which we grow strangers to God and our Heavenly Countâ—dull earthy poor spirited and defâ—cable things minding only our sely and looking no further than this 〈◊〉 sent World and our particular â—cerns therein but by the practice which we maintain our acquaintaâ— with God and with the Spiritâ— World nay become Friends of Gâ— and grow great minded Heavenly Sâ—ritual able to look beyond our liâ—selves nay beyond all things visiblâ—large comprehensive full of hiâ— thoughts and lofty designs posseâ— with Divine Affections moved truly Noble Ends fraught with Geâ—rous Desires and Transcendent Hopeâ— which fill our hearts with proportâ—nable comfort and satisfaction I conclude this with the words of 〈◊〉 Chrysostome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. As the Sâ— gives light to the Body Prayer doth to the Soâ— and therefore if this be the great calamâ— of a blind man that he sees not the Sâ—â— what a loss is it to a Christian not to prâ— â—â—tinually and by that means bring the â—ight of Christ into his Soul CHAP. VII The Pleasure which springs from the â—serious performance of this Duty THE great Man just now named would have us when we pray to think our selves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the midst of the Holy Angels and that we are performing their service For though we are far removed from them in other things in their Nature Diet Wisdom and understanding yet Prayer is the common Imployment and business of Angels as well as men By which we being segregated from Beasts and knit to the Angels shall shortly be translated into their Polity their manner of Life Honour Nobility Wisdom and Understanding spending all our Life in the service of God Which is a very leasant Contemplation and a fit Introduction to the second thing 〈◊〉 dertook to demonstrate how 〈◊〉 fortable and truly delightful it iâ— approach unto God in such 〈◊〉 thoughts of him and Devout Affâ—â—ons to him as we are supposed to 〈◊〉 when we make our Prayers with â—ses and thanksgivings unto him And here it may be sufficieâ— consider only these two things First This must needs be a deliâ—ful imployment because thereiâ— draw nigh to God as I have alâ— saidl which is the description thâ—ly Scriptures give us of it Secondly In so doing we comâ— our selves and all our concerns 〈◊〉 the care of infinite Wisdom Pâ— and Goodness which is a greatâ— of the business of Prayer to God 1. The former of these may â—â—fily understood by considering to draw nigh to God is to fix our 〈◊〉 on him and lay open our Souls heâ— him in whose presence is fulneâ— Joy and everflowing pleasure That which produces pleasure is is the application of our Faculties â—sutable objects with suitable opeâ—ons about them And the nobler the faculties are and the higher the objects the greater must the pleasure needs be which arises from their conjunction Now our minds and understandings are the highest powers which we have and God is the highest object on which our minds can fix and therefore the application of our Souls to him by the thoughts and affections of our minds which are their operations cannot but produce the highest pleasure as much above all bodily pleasure as our Souls are above our Bodies and God above all worldly things If we feel no such pleasure in our approaches to him it is because our thoughts of God and our affections towards him are dull and liveless We do not stir up our Souls to think seriously of him when we fall down to worship him but suffer our hearts to be far off from him when with our lips we draw nigh to him For were our minds possessed with setled thoughts of his Almighty Power All-seeing Wisdom Boundless Goodness tender Mercy and careful Providence in compassing us and all Creatures bestowâ— great benefits on us now and inteâ—ing greater they would unspeakaâ— delight us The smallest glance have of any of these infinite perfeâ—ons which we acknowledge in 〈◊〉 beginning of all our publick Praye touches us if we mind what we 〈◊〉 with a singular pleasure though cannot at that time have more thaâ— short thought of them And the fore what joy may we not receive â—â—hence in our secret and retired Deâ—tions when we may stay and look long as we please upon any of thâ— Divine Attributes which affect 〈◊〉 hearts delighting our selves in 〈◊〉 thoughts either of his Power whâ— nothing can controul or of his knâ—ledge from which nothing can be hiâ—den or of his wonderful love whiâ— thinks nothing too great to give of his over-ruling Providence whiâ— makes all things work together 〈◊〉 good to those that love him or of 〈◊〉 impartial Justice which in due seasâ— will not fail to render to all men boâ—â— good and bad according to their dâ—ings And when these pious thoughts stirr up in us the passions of love and hope and longings to be more filled with such delightful thoughts of him and affections towards him the pleasure must needs be exceedingly increased As every one may be convinc'd who are not so ill-natur'd as to have no body that they love in this World For they that have a faithful especially if it be also a powerful Friend find nothing so sweet and delightful as to love him sincerely and to be sincerely beloved by him And therefore to feel in our hearts an ardent love to God which naturally makes us hope we are beloved