is preserved but a sense also of his Greatness and Magnificence as I may call it is also bred and nourished in mens minds Who joyning as one Man in the same service are taught not only that God is but what he is infinite in all perfections For when a multitude of people meet together even as many as a spatious place can contain to Worship the same Being it doth most naturally signifie and declare that He is exceeding great and glorious whom so many own for their Lord upon whom they depend for all they have or can have which is not signified nor represented when only one or two or a few pray to Him Therefore this is a reason both that we should hold publick Assemblies and that they should be as full as is possible and all who belong to them should croud unto them to testifie that they look upon him who is there Worshipped to be the great King over all the Earth as the Psalmist speaks xlvii 2. For great numbers meeting together to do their Homage to him it is the most natural sign that can be contrived which private Worship is not that we take him to be the Soveraign of the World the Lord of all above all good unto all in one word the common Parent of us all to whom we resort for his Blessing This is a demonstration that Publick Worship is to be preferred before all other because most sutable to his most excellent Majesty the best token of the high thoughts we have of him the utmost we are able to do to testifie how great and how good we believe him to be how able and willing to help us all as being equally related unto all And the more meet together for this end the better this is declared that he cannot be honoured and glorified enough but we stand in need of the united thoughts and affections of all Mankind could they be assembled at once to magnifie his incomparable perfections Nay If all Creatures in Heaven and in Earth as a very worthy Person observes could meet together in one Body to Worship Him at the same time and in the same place it would still be much better because more sutable to His Most Excellent Majesty being still a better signification of his Infinite perfections and of his vast Dominions which he governs with inconceiveable Wisdom and takes care of with a most provident goodness And though no one place here on Earth is big enough to contain so much as one Nation or Country or great City yet we meeting in several places of the same kind and set apart for the same purpose to Worship God at one and the same time it approaches something near unto this all the people that are under one and the same Government hereby setting forth God's praise together at the very same moment and in the like though not the very same individual place where they uniformly acknowledge him with joynt consent to be their common Preserver and Benefactor Which is far more agreeable to the perfection of his most excellent Nature than the single or private Applications that are made to him in which there is no sensible Declaration made what he is able to do for all but only what he is able to do for one or for a few For which reason the Universal Church anciently observed certain set hours of Prayers that all Christians throughout the World might at the same time joyn together to glorifie God and some of them * Origen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 N. 33 35. were of opinion that the Angelical Host being acquainted with those hours took that time to joyn their Prayers and Praises with those of the Church For common reason led them to this thought that those noble Creatures are highly concern'd to set forth to the utmost of their Power the glorious Honour of God's Majesty who as he is exalted above all Blessing and Praise so hath the utmost pitch of Praise to which Creatures can reach given unto Him when the whole Family of Heaven and Earth combine together at once to Worship Him Thence it was that the Psalms of David though many of them particularly concerned himself were directed to the Chief Musitian for the Publick Service as the way to make his Praise glorious So the Psalmist speaks in lxvi Psalm which begins with a desire that all Lands would make a joyful noise unto God and sing forth the honour of his Name and make his Praise glorious That is this was the way to do something sutable to the surpassing Glory of his Majesty For great saith he elsewhere is the Lord and therefore greatly to be praised in the City of our God xlviii Psal 1. He was not greatly praised sutably to his greatness unless it were in that place where they all met together to praise him No the very private Blessings bestowed on David he would have publickly celebrated by all the people And therefore doth not only say I will bless the Lord at all times his praise shall be continually in my mouth My Soul shall make her boast of the Lord c. but adds O magnifie the Lord with me and let us exalt his name together xxxiv Psal 1 2 3. And therefore much more were the common Blessings poured on them all to be thus acknowledged and his praise sung in the Congregation of Saints as the words are cxlix Psal 1. that is by all the people of the Jews Nay by all the people on the face of the Earth as he speaks cxvii Psal O praise the Lord all ye Nations praise him all ye people c. Which St. Paul shows in the xv Rom. 11. was accomplished when the Gentiles submitted themselves to Christ and became Members of his Church therein to praise him continually in their publick Assemblies III. In which the sense of God will not only be preserved sutable to his most excellent greatness and goodness but preserved pure and sincere free from those dangerous mixtures which may sooner creep into it to corrupt and embase it if he should be Worshipped only in private Where every man may frame conceits of the Divine Majesty agreeable to his own inclinations and there is no such way to prevent or correct them as by attending upon the publick Offices of Religion Into which Errors are not so easily admitted because men are naturally careful about that which they expose to the publick view not being willing themselves to appear before others with such neglect as they are sometimes found in when they are alone Or if there be any thing dangerous admitted there it will soon be discovered and if not redressed yet opposed by good men as all corruptions have been at their first appearance though in process of time they have prevailed They began in private and from thence by degrees adventurnd to appear in publick where they would have appeared sooner if the common sense of Mankind or of Christian people had not been against them There
to tell him our thoughts but is acquainted with the very beginning of them before they are formed and therefore hath bestowed upon us the faculty of speaking that we may tell our thoughts unto others and make them understand that we are Religiously affected towards him Who if he had intended Religion should be only a private business might have made us without Tongues because he needs no Language to acquaint him with our desires but hears our very thoughts and perceives the most inward motions of our Souls VVhich we have power to express in words not that he may understand us but for the benefit of others that they may understand our sense and know that we are lovers of God and be stirred up by our Prayers and Praises and Thanksgivings to the same Devotion towards him Whence David calls his Tongue his glory lvii Psal 8. because therewith he glorified God and as it there follows ver 9. Praised God among the people and sung unto him among the Nations This St Paul supposes when he saith Prayers ought not to be made in an unknown Tongue because if they were he that was not learned in that Tongue would not be able to say Amen 1 Corinth xiv 16. which word Amen was then it seems pronounced at the end of every Prayer by the whole company for whom the publick Minister spake to God and was as it were their mouth in what he said But though it was thus ordered to avoid confusion and that it might be distinctly known by every body what was said in the Church which had been impossible if they had all spoken together yet they thought themselves bound to signifie and declare that he spake their sense by saying Amen at the conclusion of the Prayer he made Which was as much in effect as if they had said every word of it themselves for it was as much as to say they approved of and consented to the whole And this every one did so audibly that a great multitude being gathered together in a Church it imitated the voice of Thunder as St. Hierom tells us And verily it is a great fault that we do not all thus joyn in the Publick Prayers at this day not only by our bodily presence but with our tongues which ought to express our consent to those Petitions and Thanksgivings which are offered up to God in the name of us all III. And there is a further reason for common Prayer beâ—â—â—â— the Blessings we enjoy in common together are far greater than those we enjoy singly and distinct one from another We all breath in one common Air and enjoy the comfort of one common Light The Heavens drop their fatness in common upon every mans Fields and Pastures And which is more than all the rest the great Blessings of order and Government the benefits of which we all enjoy by being knit in the same Society undeâ— the same Governour make it highâ— reasonable that we should joyn or selves together as one man to acknowledge these common Blessings which make us all happy For being made for society and enjoying innumerable benefits thereby which this is not a place to mention particularly we have lost all sense of what we are and what we have if we do not thiâ—â— our selves bound to give God thanâ— for them in one Body begging 〈◊〉 pardon for their abuse and beseeching their continuance I name not now the greatest Blesing of all which is the Redemptionâ— mankind by Jesus Christ in whiâ—â— not a few particular persons but aâ—â— in general are concerned it being thâ— common Salvation as St. Jude calls 〈◊〉 because it belongs to the next head where we shall consider mankind aâ— Church bound to bless God above a things for his Grace in the Lord Jesâ— Let us look at present only to the visible Heavens which incircle us aâ—â— and proclaim aloud as the Psalâ—â— speaks the Glory of God throughout the World Behold the Sun that great Minister of God which preaches as I may say every where and publishes not to one place or Country but to the whole Earth the Praises of the Lord. It is not a private Whisper but a publick Cry which the Heavenly Bodies make there is neither Speech nor Language but their voices are heard among them Their sound is gone out into all Lands and their words into the ends of the World which tell us what we should do and call upon us to make the voice of his Praise to be heard as much and as far as we are able who hath appointed such illustrious Creatures to do us perpetual service Which is the meaning of the Holy Pslamist when he calls upon all Creatures in Heaven and in Earth both visible and invisible to praise the Lord. Psal cxlviii That is he excites himself and others to give God Thanks for them and to acknowledge the Praises which they continually give him His most Glorious perfections that is which they declare and set forth in the most publick manner For they speak to all as much as they do to one the most excellent immense greatness and goodness of the Lord who in Wisdom also hath made them all and this we ought as publickly to declare it being all that we can do for the Honour of his Name but only live accordingly which this also teaches us and makes absolutely necessary that we may eternally praise him There is an excellent Discourse 〈◊〉 remember in St. Chrysostome to this purpose in his ix Homily upon Genesis where showing how God hath preferred Mankind above all other Creatures he concludes with this exhortation Let us therefore give him Thanks for all these benefits he hath heaped on us This is no grievous no burdensome thing which he expects from us for what trouble is there in testifying our sense of his loving kindness in confessing out obligations in returning our thankful acknowledgments for them 〈◊〉 Which He who is all-sufficient iâ— himself stands in no need of but we ought to learn thereby to love the Author of all good and not to be ungrateful but study to live sutable to such a careful Providence over us Let us not I beseech you be negligent in this but think with our selves continually both what the common benefits are we all enjoy and the private ones which he hath conferred upon any of us both those which are manifest and confessed by all and those which are concealed perhaps and proper to our selves alone And by all let us excite our selves to give him Thanks which is the greatest Sacrifice the most perfect Oblation Especially when we all joyn together I may add to confess his Goodness and declare the Wonders he doth for the Children of Men. And whosoever he is that hath these things continually in mind and reflects upon his own meanness as well as the immenseness of the Divine Mercy how he governs us and dispenses his Blessings to us not regarding what our sins deserve but what is becoming his
which the Kingdom is laid and it can neither be erected or being erected cannot stand when this is gone Now as Religion is necessary to uphold States and Kingdoms so the Publick exercise of it is as necessary to uphold Religion Let the Publick Assemblies cease and Religion will not long stand But we shall soon lose it if we do not meet together to joyn in the common Offices of it and we shall soon be tempted to have the less concern for one anothers safety and happiness when we are not tied together by the bond of one and the same Religion In which when we heartily joyn to serve God it makes us look upon one another as Brethren dear to the same God and Father of us all and therefore dear to one another This the Psalmist represents when he cryes out in the beginning of cxxxiii Psal Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity He would have all the Israelites to look upon themselves as Brethren being all descended from one and the same stock and having also the same God for their Father And then they dwelt together in unity not merely when they lived lovingly and unanimously pursued the same common Interest for the common good but then especially when they all met in one and the same place to Worship God together with one heart and with one Soul which linkt them closer than any other bond could do and provided best for their common security For it appears by what follows he chiefly aims at this assembling themselves unanimously together as the words are in the Hebrew O how good and pleasant is it for Brethren to dwell even together i. e. to meet all at God's house as common to them all Nothing more delightful than to behold such a general Assembly which he illustrates by two similitudes First Of the pretious Oyntment which ran down from the Head of the High Priest to the very skirt of his Garment And then by the Dew of Heaven which made the Hill of Hermon and the Mountain of Zion nigh to which the Temple stood exceeding fruitful And then in conclusion he adds the reason why this was so joyful a sight and so beneficial for there the Lord commanded the Blessing even Life for ever more He pours down his Blessings of all sorts as the Heavens do the Dew and as the pretious Oyntment ran down from Aaron's head upon a people that are thus unanimously joyned together in the Worship and Service of God who only can make them happy that 's meant by Life and can make them so for evermore In order to which He took care his Divine Service should be perpetually performed in the Temple whither they were to resort to do their Duty to him and to implore his Grace and Favour towards them And I cannot think it fell out by chance that next to the Psalm now mentioned is immediately placed a solemn Exhortation in the cxxxiv. Ps unto the Ministers of God to attend constantly upon their Duty in the Sanctuary there to praise the Lord who made Heaven and Earth and to give a Blessing to his people and pray for their prosperity out of Sion as that Psalm concludes I end this with the observation of a wise man that we being Members of a publick Body ought to serve it the best we can Now all the Service we do as Members of it is publick Service which is far more worthy than what we act for our selves privately and distinctly as much as a whole Society exceeds the worth of any one Man in it And what service is there we can do it like to that of maintaining God's true Religion by serious attendance with due care and frequency upon the publick Offices thereof whereby we shall exceedingly promote the common good of all and maintain Society it self by which we are kept and preserved in safety and prosperity For by doing publick honour to God we shall draw down publick Blessings upon our selves God himself will bless us as the Psalmist speaks He will bless them that fear the Lord both small and great The Lord shall increase you more and more you and your Children Ye are the Blessed of the Lord that made Heaven and Earth CXV Psal 13 14 15. Observe the Title he gives himself The Lord that made Heaven and Earth and you will not think it sutable to his super-excellent and transcendent Majesty to have his Worship confined to your Closets or to your private Houses but make it as publick as the Heaven and the Earth are which are exposed to the view of all In that spatious Temple of his as the Ancients were wont to call the World of which the Temple at Jerusalem was an imitation he is to be magnified and praised as openly and with as great multitudes as can possibly meet together that we may not seem to Worship some little petty Deity but the Universal Lord of all Thus I am faln upon the Argument wherewith I begun which cannot be too often pressed and hath a close connexion with this other which I have now handled For he having formed us to live together in Society and to keep closely United in one Body for our common safety and preservation teaches us thereby to own Him as the common Parent of us all and to contrive the best wayes we can whereby we may acknowledge him so to be And there is no way like this of meeting together in the greatest multitude that can assemble to magnifie and praise Him with one voice for his Goodness and declaring the Wonders he doth for the Children of Men commend our selves and all our concerns unto his most powerful protection By whom Kings Raign and Princes decree Justice and therefore he ought to be sought for their Guidance and Direction Protection and Safety and to be acknowledged as it is in the Collect for our King to be the High and Mighty King of kings Lord of lords the only Ruler of Princes who from his Throne beholds all that dwell on the Earth And they are all as the Prophet most admirably expresses it as Nothing less than Nothing and Vanity in comparison with his incomprehensible Greatness Who as that great King Nebuchadnezzar publickly acknowledged and desired all Nations and Kingdoms should take notice of it is the High God whose Kingdom is an Everlasting Kingdom and his Dominion is from Generation to Generation So he begins the Proclamation he caused to be made of his humble Devotion to the Divine Majesty by whom he had been abased as low as the Beasts of the Earth Dan. iv 2 3. After which he tells all the World I Blessed the Most High and I Praised and Honoured Him that liveth for ever whose Dominion is an Everlasting Dominion and his Kingdom is from Generation to Generation And all the Inhabitants of the Earth are reputed as Nothing and he doth according to his Will in the Army of Heaven and among the Inhabitants
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Num. 39. and prayed â—ot in vain but obtained what he asked and without prayer â—ould not we may well think obtain â—t which of us can be so negligent as â—ot to pray For to what end can we think was â—ll this done by him but to show us â—he obligations of Humane Nature â—nd to make us sensible of our depenâ—ance on God and that we can have nothing without his Will and that is absolutely necessary our wills shâ—â— be wholly regulated by his He 〈◊〉 not all this barely to give us an exaple but to demonstrate and make know that no man though never perfect can live to God with praying to him CHAP. IV. Other Arguments of the great Nâ—â—sity of Prayer VI. IT may be useful to us furtâ— to consider that God hath 〈◊〉 pointed his Holy Spirit to assist us this Duty which is a convincing 〈◊〉 monstration of its great necessity we will judge of things according the account which God makes of theâ— Who lest this Duty should not be wâ— done lends us his power to perform acceptably unto Him And shall 〈◊〉 suffer the Holy Spirit to wait upon â—o no purpose Nay shall it follow us â—ontinually and urge us to have reâ—ourse to God inspiring us with good â—houghts and exciting pious desires â—nd we refuse to be led and conducted â—y its holy motions This is as unnaâ—â—ral as for a man to have a Soul and â—ever think to have a Tongue and never speak Eyes and a power to see and never open them VII It is as considerable also that â—e hath appointed his Son to be our Mediator and Intercessor with Him in â—he Heavens Which supposes both that we will do this and that it is most necessary to be done For otherwise we make void this new Office of our Blessed Saviours which God the Father in his infinite Wisdom and tenâ—erest compassion hath created We make him an Advocate without Clients an Intercessor who hath nothing to do but waits in vain for our Petitions Good Lord That Men should be so ignorant or presumptuous as to account themselves Christians and never or seldom lift up their minds 〈◊〉 hearts unto him in the Heavens 〈◊〉 feel any need of his Patronage 〈◊〉 make use of his most powerful interâ— for the obtaining any Blessings 〈◊〉 them which they cannot have unâ—â— they address themselves to God them in his prevailing Name and alone VIII The Necessity also of this 〈◊〉 be understood by the frequent injâ—ctions we meet withal in Holy Scritures for praying alwaies praying wâ—â—out ceasing and with all Prayer and Sâ—plication in the Spirit as I have beâ—â—noted Which declare it to be a â—â—ness of such importance that we canot subsist without it but must useâ— as constantly as we do our Meat aâ— Drink or rather more constantly being of such great concernment thâ— it is as necessary as our very breath The Incense in the Temple as 〈◊〉 John teaches us viii Revel 3. repâ—â—sented the Prayers of the Saints Noâ— it may not be unworthy our observaâ— on to note that whereas the Shew-breâ— whereby an acknowledgment wâ— made as some think that they receiâ—ed all their food from God was reâ—ewed and set upon the Holy Table in â—he Sanctuary but once every Week â—nd the Lamp in the Temple which â—â—gnified perhaps the Light of God's Word was dressed once every day The Incense which certainly signified their Prayers was renewed by God's order twice every day and offered upon the Altar Morning and Evening Which may suggest unto us that we â—â—ght to be more sensible of the need â—e have of the Word of God and â—rayer than of the need of our dayly â—ood but especially of Prayer Though we read often yet we stand in need to â—ray oftner IX For it is our main security our â—reat safe-guard our refuge and place â—f retreat in all the dangers unto which we are exposed in this present World and therefore is not only mentioned by the Apostle as a part of the Christian Armour but set also in the last place as that which compleats all the rest of the whole Armour of God vi Ephes 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as St. Chrysostome oâ—â— speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. xxx in Gen. CAP. xi for Prayer 〈◊〉 mighty Weapon a powerful defence wâ—â— out which no manâ— be able to stand â—maintain his grounâ— gainst the Assaults temptations nor oâ— come his spiritual Enemies but which we lay hold upon the Arm of Almighty for our defence and succoâ— and engage the power of God to with us and assure our selves if rightly manage it of a certain 〈◊〉 ctory For herein we imploy all the othâ—â— parts of the whole Armour of God whâ— the Apostle there requires us to 〈◊〉 unto us and to put on us We our knowledge of the Truth and our Faith our Love and our Hâ— and have recourse to the Word of Gâ—â— particularly to his pretious promise and declare our sincere affection to Righteousness and our upright intâ— tions to persist and continue thereâ— by the help of God which we imploâ— So that it is the more necessary because by Prayer all the graces of God's Holy Spirit are continually exercised and kept in ure the whole Armour of God is girt closer to us and we are made more expedite and ready on all occasions to encounter with the Enemies of our Salvation X. Whence it was you may observe in the last place that Holy Men who lived the Life of God in this World could never be perswaded to omit it I will give but one instance of this in the Prophet Daniel who when he had received the command of a great King to forbear praying to his God for the space of 30 dayes durst not consent to a complyance with his will and pleasure And yet Daniel was a good Subject as well as a wise Man who was very sensible what ready obedience ought to be paid to Kings and how necessary this Obedience was where a contrary antecedent necessity did not â—e upon him to obey God Especially when the thing was enjoyned under the penalty of Death and when his Soveraign did not require a total forbearance of this Duty but only for a liâ—â—ted time And yet so it was he câ—â— rather to lose the favour of his Prinâ—â— who had been very kind to him nayâ— lose his Life as well as his Honoâ— and more than that to be thrown in the Den of Lyons there to be torn pieces and devoured by those ravenâ— Beasts than to omit his constant â—â—votions to the Supreme Lord and â—â—veraign of Heaven and Earth 〈◊〉 saith the History of his admirable â—â—ty vi Dan. 10. When Daniel knew 〈◊〉 this decree was signed mark that went into his house and his Window 〈◊〉 open toward Jerusalem he kneeled 〈◊〉 his knees three times a day and pray and gave thanks before his God 〈◊〉 did afore time Which shows that in his opiniâ—â— it is more necessary
want â—â—thing yet the sense we have that we â—old all we call ours by the meer mercy 〈◊〉 God should powerfully move us to acknowledge him and to pay him our â—â—mage of Thanks and Praise and â—â—ble our selves before his Majesty as â—â—â—hing without him Yea it is an â—â—nour and singular Favour we should â—â—â—k to be admitted into his Sacred â—â—sence as I am sure we should â—eem it did we enjoy the same priâ—â—â—edge with earthly Princes Into â—â—ose presence we should not think â—e could come too oft if they would â—â—â—mit it but we should be ambitious wayes to stand in their sight and â—â—â—k upon our selves as highly dignified if they would be pleased to maâ—â— us their familiars Let us not then bâ— perverse as to live as we thought 〈◊〉 Lord of Heaven and Earth doth us injury or layes an heavy burden oâ— when he requires us to attend hiâ— that is when he bids us come to him 〈◊〉 first ask and then receive his Blessâ—â—â— Look upon our Blessed Saviour 〈◊〉 observe how constant and unweaâ— he was in this Holy Duty how â—â—â—…quently he went alone by himself 〈◊〉 give thanks to God and to impâ—â—… his continued presence with him 〈◊〉 diligently he went to the Temple 〈◊〉 he was at Jerusalem and to the Syâ—â—gogues when he was in the Countâ— how he acknowledged God in the 〈◊〉 common benefits how much timâ— spent publickly and privately inâ— company With what strong crieâ— called upon him in the dayes oâ— Flesh with what submission 〈◊〉 what reverence with what repeâ—â—… importunities and then think 〈◊〉 your selves are you in less want oâ— help of God than our Blessed Savâ—â—â—â— was Can you live well enough wâ—â—â—out praying to him when his only 〈◊〉 ten Son could not Why do you not 〈◊〉 go to Him with fervent desires â—y do you not imitate the Son of God the frequency of your Addresses To what purpose hath God given 〈◊〉 his Holy Spirit if you will not â—y its motions To what end is the â—â—d Jesus appointed to be your Interâ—or if you will send up no Prayers â—e presented by him in the Court of â—â—ven Why doth he call upon you â—ray alway if you need not pray at 〈◊〉 Consider all these Arguments 〈◊〉 again how naked you are withâ—â— this Divine Armour to defend you 〈◊〉 all Gods Graces languish and dye â—his do not continually maintain 〈◊〉 how good Men have thought it â—â—er not to live than not to pray and 〈◊〉 Thanks to the God of their life 〈◊〉 they will prevail with you not to be â—â—gers unto this Heavenly imployâ—t An imployment wherein you will 〈◊〉 much comfort and no less success â—â—u do not negligently discharge it 〈◊〉 God hath a love to souls and greatâ—esires their improvement He would â—e them advance even unto his likeâ—â— in Righteousness and Goodness and true Holiness Else he would 〈◊〉 invite them and call upon them 〈◊〉 doth to fix their eyes upon himâ— would not have given them suchâ— and assistance and discovered sâ— wonderful love unto them as he 〈◊〉 manifested in the Son of his Lâ— Christ Jesus The Heathen thought it sufficieâ— desire God to hear them out of love he bears to immortal Spirits 〈◊〉 they cry unto him So I find one 〈◊〉 ing in an Ancient Greek Poet â— words are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hearken unto me O Father thou 〈◊〉 wonder of Mankind who takest a sâ— care of an ever-living Soul But we have a great deal moâ— build our hopes upon and may 〈◊〉 Hear us O Father of our Lord 〈◊〉 Christ who hast astonished us witâ— wonders of thy love in him Hear us of the love thou bearest unto the Son 〈◊〉 love Hear us for his sake whoâ— down his life to redeem our imâ—â— Souls who lives for ever to make 〈◊〉 â—ession for us Thou who hast bestowed alâ—â—ady so surprising a gift without our askâ—ng hear us and give us what we ask of â—ee when we ask it in his name who gave â—imself for us and hath assured us that â—ith him thou wilt give us all things CHAP. VI. The Honour God doth us in admitting us into his presence AMong other false conceits which men have of this Duty of Prayâ—â—o God these two are very prejudiâ—al to its performance First They look upon it only as a â—y laid upon them by God's mere â—ill and Pleasure which might be â—â—red there being no real need of it it were not for this that God will we it and hath ordained it Secondly They imagine thereupon â—â—t he is beholden to them for what â—ey do and that they have perforâ—ed such a great piece of service to â—m when they have prayed a while â—â—t they thereby obtain a dispensation to do their own Will when 〈◊〉 have satisfied his To rectifie the first of theseâ— stakes I have shown this to be a 〈◊〉 ral Duty and not merely bound 〈◊〉 us by a positive Law A Duty sâ— sed by our Lord and Saviour 〈◊〉 than commanded for it arises 〈◊〉 our being God's Creatures whâ— therefore bound to acknowledge 〈◊〉 and to wait upon him continuallâ— the supply of our necessities froâ— bounty And now I shall proceâ— correct the second mistake and 〈◊〉 by also further confirm what 〈◊〉 said concerning the necessity oâ— Duty by showing that this is 〈◊〉 from being a burden laid upon 〈◊〉 his mere will and pleasure or anâ— service whereby we oblige him oâ— cure an indulgence or connivanâ— what we do contrary to his Wâ— other things that in truth the 〈◊〉 is done intirely to our selves 〈◊〉 Righteousness cannot profit Him 〈◊〉 intends hereby to make us really 〈◊〉 nay excellent Creatures whose 〈◊〉 it is to look upon our selves as infâ— ly beholden to him that he will 〈◊〉 us to come into his presence upon all occasions and call him Our Father This I shall demonstrate by representing first how honourable and excellent an employment this is Secondly How comfortable and truly delightful when performed as it ought Thirdly How beneficial both to make and preserve us such as we ought to desire above all things to be Of the first of these I shall give a brief account in this Chapter wherein I shall endeavour to make the Reader sensible that this Duty which our own necessities call for and exact of us is in it self a most Noble and Excellent Imployment For it is the Ascent of our mind to God as the Ancient Christians describe it a familiar conâ—erse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. an holy discourse with the Lord of all the withdrawing of our minds from this World and all things in it above which it raises our thoughts and lifts them up unto the first and chiefest Good into whose company it brings us and sets us in his Blessed presence that he may lift up the light of his countenance upon us For though it be the expressioâ— our deepest humility yet therebyâ— are lifted up above the highest top of
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
likelihood the place where our Lord eat his last Supper with them before his Passion They did not look for this promise of our Saviour in their Closets but expected he would be in the midst of them by the power of the Holy Ghost when they were met together to wait upon him for the fulfilling of his Word IV. And accordingly you may further note that all they who were converted by them to own Christ Jesus for their Lord and Master immediately joyned themselves to them to Worship God in communion with them Thus you read how upon that very day when they received the Holy Ghost and preached thereupon unto all they could meet withal the Resurrection of Christ in their own Language as many as received the Word that is believed on Christ were Baptized that was the first thing they were admitted into the Church and the effect of it was this They continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship and breaking of Bread and in Prayers ver 41 42. which is repeated again ver 46. they continued daily with one accord in the Temple Worshipping God with the Jews and then received the Eucharist at home which was the proper Christian Worship wherein they joyned together in their own Assemblies And here it is very remarkable that when their numbers were increased from three to five thousand and there was a new descent of the Holy Ghost to inable more besides those on whom it fell at first to preach the Word this descent was at the time of Prayer when they were assembled together for that purpose Read Act. iv where you find that the Apostles being let go from their imprisonment they went unto their own Company ver 23. and reported all that the Chief Priests and Elders had said unto them Which when the Company heard they lift up their voice to God with one accord and said Lord Thou art God which hast made Heaven and Earth and the Sea and all that in them is c. grant unto thy Servants that with all boldness they may speak thy Word c. ver 24 25 c. And when they had prayed ver 31. the place was shaken where they were assembled together for Prayer you plainly see and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and they spake the Word of God with boldness And as it was at Jerusalem so in all other places where they setled a Church it was for this purpose that they should assemble to Worship God together by Christ Jesus This was the very first or principal thing they ordained in such Churches as those words to Timothy which I have often named sufficiently testifie 1 Tim. ii 1. I will therefore that first of all Supplications Prayers Intercessions and giving of Thanks be made for all Men c. Which Assemblies the Apostles required Christians not to forsake no not in times of danger Heb. x. 25. For that you may note as I pass along was to fall off from Christianity as appears by the following Words ver 26. For as to become a Christian was to joyn themselves to the Christian Society in such actions of Religion according to that you read of St. Paul who being converted assayed to joyn himself to the Brethren that is to the Assemblies of Christians Act. ix 26. So to cease to be thus joyned in Christian Communion was to cease to be a Christian and in effect to deny Jesus Christ to be their Lord and Saviour who hath made all that belong unto him to be a Church that is as I have often said a Company of Men and Women assembling themselves together for Divine Offices V. And that they might so do there was it may further be observed a certain place appointed for their Assemblies because there could be no Assemblies but they must be held somewhere or other and they could not be held with any certainty unless the place were determined and known to be designed for that purpose Of this we read so frequently in the Holy Writings of the New Testament that it is a wonder any should make a question of it I mentioned before the upper room Act. i. 11. where the Apostles assembled immediately after our Saviours Ascension which Mr. Mede * Book ii p. 408 c. hath abundantly proved to be the setled place of their Holy Assemblies Where as I said they were assembled again on the day of Pentecost Act. ii 1. and the next day after iv 31. and was the House where they are said to have continued dayly breaking Bread at home Act. ii 46. Nor was this peculiar to Jerusalem but in other Cities they had the like For at Troas also the Church was gathered together in an upper Chamber Act. xx 8. And at Corinth 1 Cor. xi 18 20. the Apostle speaks of their coming together in the Church and into one place which he distinguishes from their own home ver 34. And again xiv 23. he speaks of the whole Church coming together into one place Which was no other but that place where they commonly assembled for Divine Worship And so those words of St. Paul to Timothy are to be understood 1 Tim. ii 8. I will therefore that Men pray every where c. Which is spoken saith Beza in opposition to assembling only at God's House at Jerusalem unto which men were no longer confined but might assemble in any place where there was a House appointed for that purpose So he expounds those words every where omnem locum sacris coetibus destinatum every place appointed or set apart for Holy Assemblies to meet in for St. Paul saith he speaks of Publick Prayer in the common Meeting Thus St. Basil many Ages before him explained the Apostles words L. 2. de Baptismo Resp ad Q. viii in answer to those who urged them to prove that Prayer was not as well performed any where as the Church No such matter these words in every place do not comprehend such places as are imployed in common uses and in prophane or perhaps filthy affairs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. but inlarges the Service of God beyond the Compass of Jerusalem unto any place in the World which according to the Prophecy about Sacrifice is reverently devoted unto God for the Sacred performance of the Glorious Mystery And that these places thus designed for Holy Assemblies were separated from common use and set apart only for this was never doubted till this last Age of fancy and vain conceit Which hath imagined the separation of places to Divine Service only to be a meer legal Institution that is ordained merely by the Law of Moses which made the Tabernacle and afterward the Temple such an Holy Place Whereas they were so made in conformity to the common Notions of Humane Nature and only made more Holy and Separate than any other place by the residence of a visible Majesty and Glory there Otherwise there were Holy that is separated places before that time though not
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
himself in to a fitting posture and disposition to receive that he may appear unto him that gives to be a real object of hiâ— Charity Now this we do by Prayer 〈◊〉 which is a natural expression both oâ— our Poverty and of our Humility which very much move compassion and of the sense we have that we are Creatures who have nothing of our selves which we can properly call our own and therefore are naturally leâ— hereby to think what submission and obedience we ought to pay unto him whose is all that we are and have Upon this account as much as any other Prayer is necessary that we may be put into a temper of Love and Gratitude and Obedience unto Him 〈◊〉 who is the Donor of all good things and who expects that we should acknowledge the propriety He hath iâ— all the Gifts which his Bounty bestows upon us Which we do by Prayer thereby we are constantly put in mind in what tenour we hold all the Blessings we receive from his hands which we may not therefore use as we please out as He allows and directs And if we do at any time use them otherwise â—â—d thereby give just offence to God â—â—eir Owner and ours Prayer both â—turally calls such offences to mind â—â—d makes us more fearful hereafter to â—ffend For no man comes to ask a benefit of â—other as Mr. Hooker if I forget â—t very pertinently observes but if 〈◊〉 have given him any offence he will â—hen unavoidably remember it and 〈◊〉 the very first place cast himself â—own at his feet and beg pardon with 〈◊〉 resolution not willingly to offend â—m again Which resolution is mainained and supported by the very same â—ing which constrained us to make 〈◊〉 that is the constant necessity we 〈◊〉 in to ask for new benefits For 〈◊〉 men are naturally afraid to offend â—hose into whose presence they must requently come to sue for favours This keeps them in awe and makes them careful how they behave thâ— selves that their suits may not be jected We are not fit then to receive oâ— enjoy any thing from God with devout Prayer to Him And there we ought constantly to perform 〈◊〉 duty because otherwise we 〈◊〉 things by stealth and lay hold onâ— Blessings of Heaven without asâ— him leave and we ought to perfâ—â— it seriously because it will not otâ— wise have the forementioned effectâ— making us afraid to offend Him 〈◊〉 out which our Prayers are notâ— worth and can obtain nothing 〈◊〉 Him To end this let us consider 〈◊〉 we do not pray that we may alter mind of God who is alwayes same unchangeable Goodness 〈◊〉 to give unto those who are qualifiâ— receive his favours but that we 〈◊〉 alter and change our own mind forâ— better and thereby become dispâ— for the good things of which weâ— desirous And nothing alters 〈◊〉 much as serious Prayer which 〈◊〉 new mind into us and for the 〈◊〉 â—t makes us quite another sort of â—eatures We are forgetful of God lovers of 〈◊〉 selves confident in our own â—ength doters upon this present â—orld too much wedded to our own 〈◊〉 and pleasure complainers murâ—rers envious wavering and inâ—stant in our good purposes unâ—dful of other mens miseries reâ—geful and implacable which are all 〈◊〉 to the obtaining of God's mercy 〈◊〉 therefore Prayer is absolutely neâ—â—ry to remove them that is to â—ember us of God to keep Him in â—embrance and to maintain an acâ—ntance with him to fill us with 〈◊〉 to Him to humble and abase us â—ur own thoughts to draw our 〈◊〉 off from this vain World and â—ttle our trust in Him alone to fix dependance on Him and subdue wills to his to give us a taste of â—itual pleasures to make us thankâ—â—contented and well satisfied to â—â—e our compassion towards others â—stand in need of our help as we of the help of God to incline us â—â—e pittiful and to do good and forgive without which we confess our very Prayers that we cannot â—â—pect forgiveness from God This consideration shows 〈◊〉 prayer is so necessary that there 〈◊〉 be no goodness nor vertue in the Wâ— without it But Mankind will gâ— strangers unto God and He unto theâ— which will bring all things to 〈◊〉 fusion CHAP. III. The sense of all Mankind about matter especially of our Bâ— Saviour IV. IT is truly therefore obsâ— by Origen in his Booâ— Prayer newly come to light thâ—â— people in the World pray who oâ— Providence and set a â—â—vernour over the 〈◊〉 verse * Sect. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The conâ— opinion that there 〈◊〉 need of Prayer being the Doctriâ— those only Who are either altogâ— Atheistical and deny the being of God or 〈◊〉 those who own a God in name but take â—ay his Providence Which is maniâ—t from hence that all Nations by a â—ange consent have ever thought it â—cessary to offer up some sacrifices as 〈◊〉 acknowledgment of the Sovereignâ—â— of God and of the interest he hath â—all that we injoy and as an humble â—oplication of his continued favour â—to those who own Him to be the â—ssessor of Heaven and Earth by reâ—ning Him some part of those good â—ings which he hath bountifully beâ—wed upon Mankind This was the â—ture and meaning of Sacrifices from 〈◊〉 beginning which being all now â—lished by the Sacrifice of Christ 〈◊〉 yet it being natural to Mankind to â—â—er something to God it remains â—â—t we present him continually with 〈◊〉 Sacrifice of Prayer together with â—â—t of Praise and Thanksgiving â—ich are a part or concomitant of â—â—yer as we learn from many places 〈◊〉 Holy Scripture where they are â—â—rce distinguished but used as words 〈◊〉 the same signification They are â—â—th joyned together in the Fiftieth Psalm ver 14 15. Offer unto God Thâ—â— giving and pay thy vows unto the 〈◊〉 high And Call upon me in the day trouble I will deliver thee and 〈◊〉 shalt glorifie me These Prayers 〈◊〉 these Thanksgivings being preseâ— by worthy persons as Justin Mâ—â— tells Trypho the Jew anâ— only perfect and well pleâ—â— Sacrifices unto God * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dialog cum Tryph. 〈◊〉 whom the Sacrifice of Bâ—â— were never acceptableâ— not when by himself 〈◊〉 pointed unless they 〈◊〉 significations of pious and deâ— minds begging pardon imploâ— mercy and rendering thanks for 〈◊〉 fits received Alms indeed are also called a Sacriâ—â— but they then only are truly so wâ— we give them as an acknowledgâ— of God's bounty unto us with huâ— Prayer to him that he would be pleâ—â— graciously to accept them They often therefore joyned together 〈◊〉 ticularly in the story of Corneliâ—â— whom the Angel said Thy Pray and thy Alms are come up for a meâ— al before God First his Prayers 〈◊〉 â—hen his Alms Which are an Offering 〈◊〉 Sacrifice when they attend upon â—rayer and Thanksgiving whereby â—e are naturally put in mind of the â—or and needy and stirred up even 〈◊〉 the feeling we have of our own
thoughts of him F◠〈◊〉 the remembrance and especially the â—resence of an excellent man stirrs us â—p to imitate him and oft-times stops â—ur inclinations to that which is bad How much more profitable will the â—emembrance of God the Father of all with Prayer to him be to those who â—erswade themselves that they stand â—efore him and speak to him from â—hom nothing can be hidden This â—e confirms by many places of the Hoâ—y Scripture and conâ—ludes that if we got noâ—hing else by Prayer * Ib. Sect. 31. we â—hould be sufficient gainers by putting â—ur minds into a posture to pray as we â—ught This may be further demonstrated â—y glanceing briefly upon every part of â—he Lord's Prayer which no man can â—ut up to God with understanding with seriousness and with fervent desires and not be thereby made better For how can we call God Our Father and not reverence him and be filled both with a filial Fear of him and with Love to him together with Hope and Joy in him How is it possible to desire his Naâ— may be hallowed by all and we oâ— selves continue to dishonour it We do not sure desire his Kingdom should come and exempt our selve from his Government and deny hiâ— our Obedience Nor pray that his Will may be done resolving to do as we will our selves We cannot begg of God our dayâ— bread and not rest contented there with much less be insensible of hiâ— bounty if he give us more than dayly bread and bestow upon us perhaps great plenty and abundance When we pray him to for give us on trespasses we are at the same timâ— taught to forgive others or to hopâ— for no pardon our selves and this 〈◊〉 one of the hardest though a most reasonable and noble part of Christiaâ— Vertue When we pray God not to lead us in to Temptation with what face can we think fit to run into it And when we beseech him to deliveâ— us from evil especially from the evâ—â— one we are strangely forgetful and careless if we run into those sins which throw us into the very mouth of that roaring Lyon who goes about seeking whom he may devour And in the conclusion who can acknowledge that his is the Kingdom that is he rules over all and yet not stand in awe of him and honour him more than any Earthly Majesty And that his is the Power and not depend on him and trust him in well doing but expect that he will subvert us in evil courses And that his is the Glory and not give him thanks for all his benefits and use them to his Honour and Glory and the doing him service in the World That is who can think seriously of all his incomparable perfections which are expressed in those words thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory and not have some suteable affections in his heart disposing him to do that which is well-pleasing in God's sight who hath it in his Power to make us either happy or miserable for ever and ever This is so plain a Truth that we cannot so much as say a short Grace before and after Meat but it will dispose us if we mind what we say to thâ— practice of such Christian Vertues aâ— are proper at that season We shaâ—â— not easily that is drink too much oâ— play the Glutton as St. Chrysostomâ— observes upon those words 1 Sam. 1.9 10. Hom. 2. de Anna Tom. 2. but the remembrance that we must pray to God wheâ— we have done eating and drinking 〈◊〉 will be a restraint upon us and make us use his good gifts in a convenient measure For a Table begun with Prayer and ending in Prayer cannot want any thing that is good and therefore let us not neglect so great again For is it not absurd that when our servants who wait upon us bowâ— and give thanks if we reach to them any portion of that which is set before us we our selves who enjoy so many good things should not payâ— this honour unto God Especially since by that we shall dispose our selves for greater blessings For where Prayer is and giving oâ— Thanks there is the Grace of the Holy Spirit and the Daemons and all the adverse Powers flie away He that is about to pray dare not speak any absurd thing no not in the midst of the Meal or if he do he will presently repent of it when he comes to speak to God And therefore in the beginning and in the conclusion of our Meals we ought to give thanks to God for this cause especially that we shall not as was said before easily fall into Drunkenness if we be setled in this pious custom Which we ought not to omit though we should chance to be overtaken and to rise up from the Table with our Heads heavy by too much eating and drinking for though we offend now we shall correct this shameful practice the next time Thus that excellent man presses Prayer and giving of Thanks upon such occasions as a means to restrain us from those sins which are then too common when a sense of God doth not govern our Appetites and preserve us in a Holy fear of offending so great a Benefactor as he is continually to us Whose Grace the more earnestly we desire the more certain we are to obtain it For what can we suppose the Good God to love more than Soul that hungers and thirsts after tâ— Righteousness which it expresses 〈◊〉 constant and hearty cryes for it uâ—â— Him who hath promised it shall 〈◊〉 satisfied therewith Neither Religiâ— nor common Reason will let us douâ—â— that he doth most willingly commuâ— cate himself to such thirsty Souls aâ— bestow this incomparable Blessing uâ— on every one that importunately seeâ— it at his hands Let us but show hiâ— in our Prayers that we are sincere Lâ— vers of him and of all Goodness thâ— we unfeignedly long to be better oâ— selves and to see all the World amended that to be pure and undefiled 〈◊〉 desire more than any Earthly pleasure that we would have the peace of Gâ— rule in our hearts and all our things dâ— with Charity in short that we wouâ— be filled with all the fulness of God bâ— as for all other things we refer oâ— selves wholly to him and desire theâ— only so far as they may conduce to oâ— being or our doing good and 〈◊〉 may assure our selves of his gracioâ— acceptance there being nothing iâ— Heaven or Earth more pleasing tâ— God than this holy temper of Mind and Spirit Which therefore he will cherish promote and increase if our desires and endeavours after it continue earnest and constant till he hath brought it to perfection For as St. Romanus told his Persecutors St. Chrysost Hom. 48. Tom. 1. the Sacrifice wherein God delights is a Soul that looks up unto him his only food is the Salvation of those that believe CHAP. IX The Three foregoing Chapters improved BEfore I proceed to that
acceptably and find the Blessed Effects of it in God's gracious Communications of himself unto us sutable to our necessities provided we do not neglect his publick Worship which the private ought not to hinder but promote because in truth it is defective without the publick being only Worship but not Honour Glory or Service We read of all these four frequently in the Holy Scriptures Worship Honour Glory and Service The first of which may be performed in the most secret place but the other three have respect to what is done in Publick In our mind indeed we Honour God wheresoever we Worship him if we have an high esteem of his Excellencies but we do him no Honour unless others see by outward Signs and Tokens the inward regard we have to Him or we make the voice of his praise to be heard among them Then we give him the Honour due unto his Name when others are Witnesses of the esteem we have of his Divine perfections by such actions as naturally declare it viz. by our solemn Reverend acknowledgement of him in his publick Worship Upon which if we do not attend men have reason to think we are void of all sense of him and have no respect to him For the Honour that is done to any one among men is alwayes a publick thing as those words of Saul to Samuel testifie 1 Sam. xv 30. Honour me before the Elders of my people and before Israel Thus Haman understood the word Honour when Abasuerus said What shall be done unto the man whom the King delighteth to Honour For thinking with himself there was none in whom the King delighted so much as himself he answered Let the Royal Apparel be brought forth and the Horse on which the King is wont to ride c. and set the man thereon and let it be proclaimed before him Thus shall it be done to the man whom the King delighteth to honour vi Esth 6 7 c. For he knew that unless something was done in publick it would be no honour to him that received it For who can tell what is in anothers mind in which Honour lies without such external signs as are real testimonies of his inward thoughts opinion esteem and affection Thus the Angel instructs Tobias and his Son about the Worship of God Bless God praise him magnifie him bless him for the things he hath done unto you in the sight of all that live It is good to praise God and exalt his Name and honourably or with honour as the words are in the Greek to shew forth the works of God Therefore be not slack to praise him it is good to keep close the secrets of a King but it is honour able to reveal or to publish the works of God xii Tob. 6 7. Which is the sense of the Psalmist cxlv Psal 4 5. One Generation shall praise thy Works to another and shall declare thy mighty acts I will speak of the glorious Honour of thy Majesty and of thy wondrous works And what hath been said concerning honouring God may in like manner be affirmed of giving him Glory that it is done by publick actions it being nothing else but the publishing and spreading the fame of his Divine Perfections or of his wondrous Works This we learn as from many passages in the Psalmist so from our Blessed Saviour himself Who a little before his departure from this World lift up his eyes to Heaven and said Father I have glorified thee on Earth that is xvii Joh. 4. made him known to be what he is published his whole Will and Pleasure and done whatsoever he commanded him And in like manner told his Apostles Herein is my Father glorified if ye bear much fruit xv Joh. 8. in publishing that is his Holy Gospel and bringing many to the belief of it Which is sufficient to show that if we do not honour God by what we do in private much less do we glorifie him which wholly refers to proclaiming his Name and setting forth his Praise And from all this it follows that we cannot be said to do him any service by our private addresses to him whereby we only serve our selves For then we serve him by our Worship when we openly acknowledge him and own him to be what indeed he is the great Creator and most wise Governour of the World who therefore we hereby testifie and declare ought in our opinion to be Worshipped by all men with the same reverend regard which we pay unto him In brief we do him Honour when we openly declare with that Blessed company we read of in the Revelation iv ult that he is worthy to receive Glory and Honour and Power for thou O Lord say they hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created Then we also glorifie him when we declare his greatness and goodness and speak of the Glory of his Kingdom and talk of his power Worshipping the Lord in the beauty of Holiness or in his glorious Sanctuary as the Psalmist speaks xxix 2. cxlv 6 11 c. And hereby we serve him very much and do something which promotes his Interest in the World whereas all that we do in private only promotes our own This I shall explain in three particulars I. The Publick Worship of God doth him great service by maintaining a sense of God in the World and preserving the notion of him which would be in danger to be lost if his Worship were only in secret or among a few persons privately where no body knew what they did but they themselves Such close and retired Devotion would have no power to uphold and keep up a Religious regard to the Almighty Creator of all things among his Creatures All that it could do must be upon those particular men themselves who secretly Worshipped him but upon others it could do nothing at all for how could that preserve the knowledge of God which was not it self known And how prone would men be to conclude that the being of God was only a dark fancy in some mens minds whose single opinion could have no Authority at all but rather be despised as being ashamed to own it self or having no publick approbation Which the Publick Worship of God gives it and not only supports the belief of God's being in mens minds as the common sense of Mankind but is apt to strike men with some awe of him when they see a great many with humble Devotion and reverence with bended knees and eyes lifted up to Heaven paying their solemn acknowledgments to His Majesty Especially when they see him thus adored by men of the greatest place and in the highest reputation for Wisdom and Knowledge who will have an heavy account to give unto the Supreme Lord and Judge of all if they do not contribute to the upholding his Authority among Men by frequenting the publick Assemblies and by their reverend deportment there II. Whereby not only a sense of him in general
in a vision ascending and descending upon a Ladder which stood on the Earth and reached unto Heaven he said as soon as he was awake how dreadful is this place that is with what reverence should I behave my self here this is no other but the House of God and this is the Gate of Heaven He concludes God to be present because the Angels were who are his Ministers and Attendants And accordingly we are to understand these words of the Apostle as intended to signifie a Divine presence among us when we are reverently assembled together to Worship God in his Holy places Which the Ancient Christians lookt upon as a singular incouragement to attend upon the Publick Prayers because then a Christian prays with the Angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are the words of Clemens Alexandrinus as already L. vii Strom. p. 746. especially at that time equal even to an Angel and will not be out of the precinct of those Holy Guardians when he prayes alone but then also have their Company Of which Origen hath a set Discourse in his Book of Prayer lately published Part. 2da Num. 20. where mentioning the words of the Psalmist among others The Angel of the Lord incampeth round about them that fear him c. He thus proceeds it is probable that when many are assembled together sincerely to the Glory of Christ the Angel of every one of them there pitcheth his Tent together with him that is committed to his Charge and Custody so as to make 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a double Church where the Saints are gathered together one Church of Men and another Church of Angels IX But if there were nothing of this in it yet the Communion of Saints here on Earth which is an Article of our Creed should invite us unto the Publick Service For how do we maintain communion with them if we joyn not with those among whom we live in the Assemblies of the Saints That is of Christians who are all a Holy people to the Lord by their solemn dedication to him in their Baptism and by their Holy profession and meeting together continually for Holy Offices Which if any Man forsake he is no longer Holy but Prophane renouncing so far the Christian Faith which teaches him to keep the Communion of Saints by having Fellowship with them in Prayer especially in the Eucharist which is the Communion of Christ's Body and Blood By partaking of which we have the nearest Communion also one with another being made one Body as I have said already by partaking all of that one Bread 1 Cor. x. 17. Communion indeed or Fellowship is in one place made a thing distinct from breaking of Bread and Prayers Act. ii 42. and signifies some think communicating to each others necessities Which Notion of Communion if we understand to be meant in the Creed it makes no less to my purpose than the other For we must consider that this was done in their Publick Assemblies whereby their communicating to the needs of their Brethren became an acceptable Offering unto God together with their Prayers This we learn from the 1 Cor. xvi 1 2. Where St. Paul speaks of the Collections for the Saints as a part of the business of the first day of the Week both there and in the Churches of Galatia When they did not forget this well-pleasing Sacrifice as it is called Heb. xiii 16. but acknowledged God's bounty to themselves by the relief they sent to others and by such a publick contribution maintained also a sense and fellow-feeling of one anothers condition and made a profession that they all belonged to one and the same Body though never so far distant one from another The Sense of which we are apt to lose when we joyn not together in such actions of piety Whereby Brotherly Love and Kindnese is likewise nourished and we are knit together in the tenderest Affection while we look upon one another not only as Children of the same common Father but as Limbs of the same Body Who naturally have the same care one for another and whether one Member suffer all the Members suffer with it or one Member be honoured all the Members rejoyce with it 1 Corinth xii 25 26. In this Brotherly Love and in the same Faith some think the Unity of the Body of Christ intirely consists But they should consider that this Brotherly Love and Care flows from the Unity of Christ's Body which consists therefore in the conjunction of every Member with the rest and keeping communion one with another in all the common Offices of Religion in Christian Assemblies From which whosoever departs or refuses to joyn therein he breaks the Unity of the Body of Christ which is his Church And though he do the same thing alone which is done in those Assemblies yet it is not the same thing in the account of Christ who looks upon such a Man as gone from him by going from his Body the Church X. I will add one thing more which is that the Service of God in the Church triumphant in Heaven is a Publick Service and they do not Worship God separately there but joyn together in his Praises This we are taught by St. John Rev. vii 11. where after a great multitude had been represented to him which no Man could number of all Nations and Kindreds and Tongues who stood before the Throne and before the Lamb crying with a loud voice and saying Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb whereby no doubt is signified the Service of the Christian Church then it follows that All the Angels also stood round about the Throne and about the Elders and the four Beasts and fell before the Throne on their Faces and Worshipped God saying Amen Blessing and Glory and Wisdom and Thanksgiving and Honour and Power and Might be unto our God for ever and ever They said that is Amen to the Christian Service and also added their own giving Glory to God in one Body for it is the voice of all Angels as the Christian Church did Let this be seriously pondered and we shall indeavour to approach as near unto them as we can by joyning as they do in one Society of the Church to Worship God For so doing we joyn our selves to the Society also of the Holy Angels as the Angels St. John here informs us do to the Society of Christian Worshippers They and we make but one Body in Christ in whom God hath gathered together in one all things both which are in Heaven and which are on Earth And this Unity consists it is manifest by this Vision of St. John in their communion one with another in Holy Offices which the Church in Heaven where it is become most perfectly one doth most sacredly keep and preserve CHAP. XVIII A Recapitulation of the four foregoing Chapters with some Inferences from thence LAY now all these things together that the Church in the very notion
particularly by St. James Unto which though some Additions perhaps had been then made as there have been more since yet it is hard to think that a great number of Bishops would have owned a Liturgy as composed by St. James if there had not been a constant tradition among them that the Apostles left some stated Form of Prayer and Praise in the Churches which they governed But what need I trouble my self with a long proof of this matter when we have the Confession of the most Learned and Best Men among those whom they that dissent from us have been wont to reverence that there hath been no time wherein there was not a prescribed Form of Divine Service Let Dr. Preston speak for all in a Book of his much prized in former times * Saints dayly Exercise p. 80. where after he had owned that Christ prescribed a Form c. he adds And in the Church at all times both in the Primitive times and all along to the beginning of the Reformed times to Luther and Calvin 's time still in all times the Church had set Forms they used and I know no Objection of weight against it And in Answer to that common Objection which he calls the main one that in stinted Prayer the Spirit is straitned and limited c. He answers as we do now That even those Men that use this reason do the same dayly in the Congregation for when another prayes that is a set Form to him that hears it And therefore if that were a sufficient reason that a Man might not use a set Form because the Spirit is straitned he should not hear another pray at all though it be a conceived Prayer because in that case his Spirit is limited to what that Man saith And very judiciously adds That it is not a bond or restraint of the Spirit because there is a tye of Words For the largeness of the heart standeth not so much in the multitude and variety of Expressions as in the extent of Affection And at last concludes That a set Form of Prayer must be used Would to God they that scruple it would weigh such things as these it would not be long then before they liked nay loved that Form of Prayer which is used in this Church For it is so exactly conformable to the Rule of the Holy Apostle which I have often mentioned 1 Tim. ii 1. consisting of unexceptionable Prayers Supplications Intercessions and Thanksgivings that one cannot but think the Composers of it laid that Rule before them when they framed it It would be too long to give an Account of the whole Book which it is easie to show is made up of those four parts of Divine Service Look only into the Letany which is a word signifying properly a Supplication for the turning away of evil things with which it begins and then proceeds to Prayers and to Intercessions having in the end a general Form of Thanksgiving And observe the admirable Method of it It directs our Prayers to the ever Blessed Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost the only Object of Worship and Fountain of Mercy Of whom we first deprecate evil things and that in the right order first desiring to be delivered from the evil of Sin both of the Spirit and of the flesh and then from the evil of punishment whether in outward or in inward judgments All this we pray to be delivered from by what Christ hath done and suffered for us and by that alone which is the most prevalent way of suing for Mercy And by the way observe that what some through misunderstanding I hope have been pleased to make the Subject of their Mirth and Sport is really and ought to be esteemed the most serious and effectual Supplication that can be made to our Lord. By whose Holy Nativity and Circumcision by his Baptism Fasting and Temptation by his Agony and bloody Sweat by his Cross and Passion by his Pretious Death and Burial by his Glorious Resurrection and Ascension and by the Coming of the Holy Ghost we pray to be delivered For thus it is Our Lord having humbled himself to be a Man for our sakes nay to take on him the form of a Servant and after all his other Sufferings at last to dye the Death of the Cross for us is gone with that Blood which was there shed into the Heavens and is exalted at God's Right Hand in the High and Holy Place where he represents all that he did and suffered from his coming into the World till his going out of it before God and in the vertue of his bloody Sacrifice which he made of himself pleads to have every thing from God which he hath promised and cannot be denied Now for us to beseech him that through the force of his Sufferings of all sorts especially of his cruel Death and the Glory that followed we may be delivered and saved from all evil is the most pathetical the most powerful way of intreaty and the most prevailing importunity that can be used It is as if we should say Lord show unto the Father what thou hast indured for us represent unto him thy obedience unto Death which he promised to reward with all power in Heaven and in Earth Exercise thy Royal Power which thou hast obtained by that humble Obedience for our Deliverance and Salvation As thou hast received the Gift of the Holy Ghost and imparted it to thy Apostles so pour it down more and more upon us also who believe the Gospel which they preached and testified to be the truth Then follow Petitions for all good things First For the Universal Church then for our own in particular For the King and Royal Family For all in Authority under him For all sorts of Persons and for all sorts of Blessings both for Soul and Body Be at the pains I beseech you to read and consider it with such Observations as these and it alone will be sufficient to make you in love with the rest of the Book of Common Prayer A Book so fully perfected according to the Rules of our Christian Religion Dr. Taylor Rector of Hadley in every behalf that no Christian Conscience in the opinion of a famous Martyr in Queen Maries Dayes whose words these are could be offended with any thing therein contained And therefore I conclude that as it would have been a great Sin in the Church of Ephesus if they had dislikeâ— and rejected that way of Supplications Prayers Intercessions and Thanksgivingâ— wherein Timothy led them to serve God so it will be still in us if we refuse those Directions which are given us in the Divine Service by our Spiritual Governours when it is manifest they guide us by the Word of God and the Apostolical practice according to it If they had composed a Divine Service wherein they required us to prâ—â— to Angels or to Saints departed tâ—â— Life or to supplicate God by theâ—â— Merits and their Intercession we should