forbidden by our Lord as the custom of the Heathen but also frequently reproved by him as the practice of the Hypocrites who love to stand praying in the Synagogues and in the corners of the Streets that they may be seen af Men that they may be taken notice of for Godly men desiring rather to seem than really to be Religious loving the praise of Men more than the praise of GOD. Matth. 6. 5. c. 23. 14. Mark 12. 40. Luke 20. 47. Ioh. 12. 43. To pray continually then is neither to be understood of doing nothing else but pray nor yet of using long prayers the one being prohibited by our Lord and the other condemned by his Church but in this and the like Expressions is commanded The intense Devotion of the Soul in Prayer So our Lord expounds his own Command that men ought always to pray viz. that they faint not Luke 18. 1. to wit for want of that holy fervour and devout zeal which is the life and soul of an effectual Prayer And this same Celestial fire of holy Zeal in prayer spends not it self in multitude of Words and much babling of the Lips but is expressed in sighs and groans which cannot be uttered Rom. 8. 8. 26. which are truly the Breathings of the holy Spirit of God in prayer who dwels not upon the Tongue but in the Heart To pray continually enjoyns the constant and continued returns of this holy Duty that we lose no time neglect no opportunity either of the Publick prayers of the Church or of private prayer and Closet-Devotions upon the set solemn and accustomed times thereof remembring that the Time only which is imployed in the sacred Acts of Piety towards God and Charity towards Man is redeemed out of the all-devouring jaws of Death and dark Oblivion to be the Seminary of a blessed Eternity when time shall be no more T is to this end our Lord commands us to watch and pray by our constant prayers at Evening at Midnight at the Cock crowing and in the Morning to watch for the coming of our Lord to put an end to Time and to all that is by Time limited and circumscribed That we ought always to pray i. e. say the Fathers upon the Text at those appointed Hours observed by the Church of God both under the Law called therefore the Hours of the Temple and under the Gospel called the Canonical Hours so generally observed formerly of all devout Christians that St. Hierome Epist. ad Eustor with his Quis nescit takes it for granted that no Godly Christian is either ignorant or negligent in the observation of such Hours as being probably observed by holy David or from his example derived saying of his own daily practice Psal. 119. 164. Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments To continue in prayer is to have our Hearts so inflamed with the love of God as to be in a continual disposition to pray and this not only at all set and accustomed times but at all times and upon all occasions and objects presented to raise up our souls upon the Spiritual wings of holy Meditations celestial Affections devout Colloquies and Ejaculatory converses with Heaven Thus Enoch walked with God and was translated Gen. 5. 24. Heb. 11. 5. Thus King David professeth I have set God always before me I sal 16. 9. And I will give thanks unto the Lord his praise shall ever be in my mouth Ps. 34. 1. No time omitted Evening and Morning and Noon-day Ps. 55. 17 18. Early and late Ps. 63. 1. 7. No place pretermitted in the Wilderness in the land of Iordan and the unbeaten paths of Hermon Ps. 42. 8. T is the great and constant imployment of a true Christian's life to depend upon God to fix all our Hopes all our Joy and Consolation all that we can reasonably desire to enjoy conducing to our happiness both in this and in the other world in God alone who is the Beginning the Mean and the End of our Being In the first and purest times of Christianity while the blood of Christ was yet warm and more inflamed the Souls of true Believers than in these later and colder times then were the hearts of the Religious continually in Heaven by holy and Divine Aspirations even when their hands were imployed in any and every of their works upon earth So the Divine Ephrem Sive opereris sive sedeas sive comedas In all thy works even in Eating and Drinking and Travelling sitting going standing lying Pray without ceasing Take hint from every thing thou seest hearest tastest to lift up thy heart unto God and refer all to his glory T is recorded of St. Bartholomew the Apostle that he prayed an hundred times in a day and an hundred times in the night also Ephrem tom 1. Homil. de Orando Deum So the great St. Basil Hom. in S. Iude. So St. Chrysost. Hom. 23. in Mat. St. Hierom professeth of himself that often on the tops of Mountains and in hollow Valleys and craggy Rocks with eyes lifted up to Heaven and flowing with tears he poured forth his soul in holy prayers and meditations S. Hierom. Ep. ad Eustor So meditates S. Austin also Te Domine mediter per dies sine cessatione Te sentiam per soporem in nocte Te alloquar Aug. Med. O that I could meditate upon Thee O Lord through the whole day and not cease to be affected with thee in the night my spirit speaking unto thee and my mind conversing with thee alway and alone Blessed are they who think of nothing speak of nothing but the Lord who love nothing above thee desire nothing besides thee Blessed are they whose Hope alone is the Lord and all whose Work is Prayer And several of the devout Fathers computed all that time lost wherein God was not in their minds and memories And there is great reason for it as the same St. Austin meditates For as there is no moment of Time wherein we enjoy not the sweet influences of the Divine Goodness and stand in need also of Gods protecting Presence with us so there should be no time wherein we have not God in our thoughts Aug. in Marcum Wait on thy God continually Hos. 12. 16. Seek the Lord and his strength seek his face evermore Ps. 105. 4. Thus St. Paul and truly devout Christians with him have their conversation in heaven Phil. 3.20 whilst they are upon Earth and that 's the way surely to have our consummation in Heaven when we shall be taken from the Earth MEDITATIONS UPON Our going to CHURCH with some short Directions for our Demeanour in the House of GOD touching some too much mistaken and neglected Acts of Divine Worship As for me I will come into thy House in the multitude of thy Mercies and in thy fear will I worship towards thy Holy Temple Ps. 5. 7. OXFORD Printed by L. Lichfield Printer to the University for Richard Sherlock
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
them It is a shame for Christians in the worship of the True God to be like the Heathen in the worship of their false and feigned Deities Our duty is to endeavour more for humility purity and fervency in heart than for glib nimble and voluble tongues to pray not with multitude of words and variety of phrases but with pertinent and pithy expressions with ardency and godly zeal and the reason follows For Your heavenly Father knoweth what things you stand in need of before you ask him He is every where present and knoweth all things even the secrets of all hearts and therefore to court him with long and loud Peayers implies our ignorance or misbelief of his perfections Against such extravagancy in prayers our Lord prescribes us a Form with command saying After this manner pray ye vers 9. i. e. as from the context is manifest not after the manner of the Heathen who think to be heard for their much speaking but after this manner i. e. in few words and such as are pithy and to purpose And That t is the meaning of our Lord in this place that all our Prayers should be short and not much exceeding the length of the Pattern he hath given us is manifest 1. Not only from the Context impartially weigh'd and understood but 2. From the practice of Christ's Church which is undeniably the best and surest Interpreter of Christ's meaning in his words And all the Prayers of the Church of Christ are and ever were such in all Ages in all places amongst all persons that are called Christians their Liturgies or Publick prayers are short and pithy called therefore Collects as being so many Collections of much matter in few words 3. Such are all the Prayers of the Holy and True Spirit of God which stand upon record in Holy Writ both for use and imitation viz. the whole Book of Psalms with many more all which though some of them be long as to the whole Psalm or Hymn yet they are divided by Verses into so many shorter Prayers 4. Long Prayers are not only forbidden by our Lord as the custom of the Heathen but also frequently reproved by him as the practice of the Hypocrites Matth. 23. 14. Mar. 12. 40. Luke 12. 47. 5. By long and manifold sad experience t is well known and hath been often observed That all long conceived prayers have been guilty of manifold infirmities light vain and unseemly expressions not fitting to be offered up to the All wise All-glorious Majesty of Heaven yea many falshoods many impieties and profanations have been uttered in such kind of prayers and what have been contradictory to the Religious Duties we owe to God and men 6. If it be here said How can we be too long in our Prayers since our Lord continued all night in prayer Luke 6. 12. and saith also that we ought always to pray and not to faint Luke 18. 1. and his Apostle commands Continue in Prayers and watch Col. 4. 2. and pray without ceasing 1 Thes. 5. 17. and how can these Commands be obey'd without long prayer Answ. To this I answer that there is a great difference between long prayers and praying long The one is unlawful because forbidden and reprov'd by our Lord the other is a Religious Duty because both commanded and practis'd by him and therefore St. Augustin saith Oratio plus gemitibus quà m sermonibus agitur plus fletu quà m afflatu And t is thus The Spirit helpeth our Infirmities by quickning our Devotions and inflaming our Desires he maketh intercession for us i. e. as the same Father secretly inclining our hearts to intercede for our selves with groanings that cannot be uttered Rom. 8. 26. From which Text it is apparent quite contrary to the Enthusiasts sense thereof that t is inward groanings not outward bellowings the internal fervent desires of the Soul not multitude of words which is the proper work of the Holy Spirit in prayer The ordinary Gloss out of St. Chrysostome asks the same Question If we must not use many words in our Prayers how shall we pray without ceasing as t is commanded And answers out of the same Father That both are to he observ'd in our Religious Devotions viz. 1. That our Prayers be short And aly Frequent and continued So Christ hath both commanded and also exemplified in his Personal Prayers And St. Paul also That our Prayers be short but often renewed in few words but with great devotion ending briefly and beginning afresh leaving some intervals or spaces of time for the re-enquickening and enkindling the fire of fervor and holy zeal in the Soul And it s added out of Cassianus The Fathers conceived it most useful to use short but frequent Prayers To be frequent that our Souls may cleave the more steddy unto God by often addresses to his Majesty To be short that we may quench the fiery darts of the Devìl who is most busie to tempt us to dulness and deadness of heart in our prayers which he very easily effects when the prayers we say or hear are long and continued without any intermission T is recorded of those Primitive Christians in Egypt who were most famous for their transcendent Devotions and great Austerities in the exercise of Religious Duties That their Prayers we many and often night and day continued and yet that they were short also not only in their solemn Assemblies and publick Offices of Devotion but also That their private Prayers were as so many Raptures and Ejaculations or Desires darted up into Heaven For as the Father saith thereupon Absit ab Oratione multa lobutio sed non desit multa precatio si fervens perseveret intentio Let not our Devotions be accompanied with much speaking but much praying so long as we can hold out in attention and fervency FINIS D r STEWARD's Judgment of a Private PRAYER in Publick Relating to the Orders of the CHURCH of ENGLAND With an Account of the BIDDING PRAYER OXFORD Printed by L. Lichfield Printed to the University for Richard Sherlock Bookseller In the Year 1684. These are the words of his Inscription near the place where he was interr'd in France MEMORIAE RICHARDI STEWARD DECANI WEST MONASTER ET SA CELLI REGII IN ANGLIA Qui hoc tantum Monumento suo inscribi voluit Epitaphium Hic jacet R. STEWARD QUI Assiduè oravit pro pace ECCLESIAE Obiit 14o. Novemb. 1652. AETAT LVIIIo. THat it is not lawful for any Person that hath received holy Orders in the Church of England to use any extemporary or premeditated Prayers of his own private composure either before or after Sermon or in the Church in the publick Worship and Service of God but only the Liturgy set forth and allowed First Because it is directly against his own solemn promise made to the Church when he came to be ordained and that Promise is set down under his hand when he subscribed the three Articles contained in Canon 36. the second