the Chariots of Israel and the Horse men thereof Could I see once a Congregation of such Devout persons met together as the Apostles were in one place and with one Accord in the Name of Christ what a Blessed spectacle would that be How might I affirm that I had seen God there the Angels present Christ himself in the midst And how would all their Hearts like the Angel that appeared â—â— Manoah ascend to Heaven in the â—lames of such 〈◊〉 Jacob's Vision again methinks it is another 〈◊〉 Angels ascending and descending upon the Rounds of this Ladder Sure enough it is not 〈◊〉 Goodness in our Prayers but want of Devotion in our selves 〈◊〉 all Men will I hope be perswaded to 〈◊〉 this 〈◊〉 and learn to have a due Regard to so Holy a thing as the Churches Service is That all that hear me may I shall propound to your Consideration the Conducement hereof to the Peace of the Church and to the Peace of the Kingdom we live in our Love to which next to God's Glory and Honour ought to outweigh in the Ballance all other things whatsoever And indeed 1. Highly will it make for the Peace of the Church by putting a Bar to Heresie and Schism For he that is for the Churches Prayers cannot be an Heretick Whereas take away this Hedg and Mound once who may not Bless the People as St. Cyprian complained heavily a Montanist a Donatist a Manichee I may add a Socinian an Anti-trinitarian and what not Then that 't is a Cure of Schism who does not see for what is it else that Keeps our Wounds open but an Evil Opinion of the Churches Service a Conceit with some that 't is Popish with others that 't is not according to the Manner prescribed by Christ And let me tell you that Schism as 't is a prodigious Evil having malign Influences on the World so 't is a great Sin also of the first Magnitude St. Cyprian equals it to offering Sacrifice to Idols and well does he for the Church is the Body of Christ and what a great Sin must that be to Rend and Tear in pieces his Holy and Sacred Body to Divide and Crumble into Factions the best and purest Societies that ever were or can be but of Saints in Heaven For which a Divine of our Church hath said that it were better those little things about which our Differences are were buryed deep in Eternal Silence at the very Bottom and Centre of the Earth than that the Peace of the Church should be disturbed by them But the Mischief is Schism is like Sheol semper Petax it is always Craving never Satisfyed The best Cure of this Malady that I know is a due Obedience to our Superiours together with a general Conformity to and Uniformity in the Worship and Service of God Highly also will it make for the Peace of the Kingdom of which we are all Members it being the main Expedient to bring back that Love that Unity that Concord and that Agreement that hath been so long banished from us by this Antecedent Difference in Opinion and Judgment about matters of Worship Whilst one is for this Sect another for that one for Episcopacy another for Presbytery some for a Liturgy others for none how can we expect that the Blessing of Peace should remain in our Borders Do we not rather make way by it for the Abomination that makes Desolate to come upon us I wish my Conjecture may prove Abortive but that it will be so unless God in Mercy by healing our Breaches and making up our Divisions put a stop to it â— may Predict I think without a Spirit of Prophecy 'T is what fills the Enemies of our Church with Hope and all her Friends with Fear And do I not hear you now sighing out these Words of the Prophet Is there no Balm in Gilead are there no Physicians there whâ— thâ—â— is not the Health of the Daughter of my People recovered In my Conceit I do and I say to it that there is Balm in Gilead blessed be God for it and there are store of Physicians there But to little purpose is it unless the Voice of Christ may be heard which calls upon the Shâ—â—â—mite to return unless they that Dissent and Separate would see their Errour once and go back by the same Steps they have gon astray to the Church which they forsook without Cause For tho I may not be bold to say of her as her Spouse of the Church invisible There is no Spot in her yet this I may and will say that there is none in her so great as to justifie a Separation from her Communion O that Men would listen and give Ear But what am I I will leave the Church to speak for her self I see her methinks standing at the side of her Altar with her Service Book in her Hand weeping bitterly and taking on heavily that her Children should depart and go away from her And what does she further do why she Beseeches she Conjures them for the Love they bear if not to her self to her Head and Husband and that in the Words of her Litany By the Mystery of his Holy Incarnation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nativity and Circumâ—â—sion By his Baptism Fasting and 〈◊〉 by his Agony and bloody 〈◊〉 by his Cross and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pretious Death and 〈◊〉 and by the Glorious 〈◊〉 and Ascension that they would walk according to Rule and 〈…〉 same things That Dissenters will not heard 〈…〉 should be how quickly would 〈…〉 again even so as to give 〈…〉 Ezekiel which is Jehovah Shammah the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no more only a Word or two by way of Prayer or Vote that Almighty God would take the matter into his own Hand and work upon the Hearts of all the People of this Nation that they may yet be wise and see and understand what is for their own good learning to serve him one Way and with one Mind laying aside Division and Schism and indeavouring as they have one Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of all to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace God of his infinite Mercy grant it that so our Church may continue in Tranquility our Nation abide in Quietness God's Service remain in its Purity God himself be Glorifyed and our Souls saved in the Day of the Lord Jesus To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost three Persons and one God be ascribed as is most due by Angels and Men by us and all People all Honour and Glory both now and for evermore FINIS
they would have a Publick and Perpetual Service also if not why the Temple called an House of Prayer for all People by our Saviour himself and by God's Prophet before him And now does not this Justifie yea does it not commend unto us the Wisdom and Conseience of the Church we live in it does exceedingly In regard she hath taken Care that God should be so Worshipped and Served as he ought to be Publickly Solemnly Perpetually with Confessions and Prayers with Thanksgivings and Hymns as becomes the Majesty of him who dwells in the highest Heavens as to his Glory and yet condescends to dwell in earthly Houses in respect of his gracious Presence that there Sinners may seek his Face and find him Did I say justifie Surely the Church could not perform its Trust else if it did not so if it left I mean God's Worship to be performed at Random or otherwise then in the most Solemn Manner it could imaginably be If it did not propose him to be served by all People with most perfect Prayers and highest Praises that we may do God's Will on Earth as they viz. the Angels in Heaven do as far as our Imperfections will permit us that is as near as we can For she is not only to look to the Duty or the Act of Prayer but also to its Matter and Form and all its Circumstances that they be according to the Will of her Master And for that she hath done so O! that we could see our Happiness That we have such a constant publick Service That we know whither to go that we may meet our God! whither to come that we may seek his Face where to be that we may have Fellowship with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ that we may pertake of his Presence sit at Table and Eat and Drink with him even at his own House which is an House of Prayer for all People And let us not be unthankful for so great a Blessing the greatest Blessing that we can wish to our selves or that Heaven could possibly bestow upon us since our Saviour Christ and the Holy Ghost came down thence As Phinchas's Wife did by the Ark of the Testament I may give it the Title of the Glory of the Lord and if it should be taken from us as that was by the Philistin's how may we sigh out the same Words that she did at that time and say The Glory of the Lord is departed from Israel Without Stations the Jewish Proverb goes that is without Prayers the World would not consist nor would it indeed For these are those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thimróth Gnashan the Incense-Clouds or Piliars of Smoak in the Book of Canticlâ—s that Christ is to be seen in the Saultie◠〈◊〉 to his Holy Cross which upholds the World with its four Parts it is true in the Spirit tho not in the Letter what the Jews assume to themselves as I have it from Buxtorâ—â— Tam nou 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dus hic subsistâ—re sine Israelitis quam sine Aâ—re 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the World can no more subsist without 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Pray as Jacob did for which he was calâ—â—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with God then with â—t the Element of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is the Morning and Evening Incense which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heaven from our Hâ—ly Places daily that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all we have for the keeping off of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Sword is not made drunk with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not look in at our Windows that our Land is not made an Akeldamah or a plow'd-up Field It is this that we owe our Plenty and our Peace to which through Christ is the Cause of all the Gracious Appearances of God to us You 'l find Luk. 1. That the Angel appeared to Zacharias at Incense-time v. 10. and v. 11. standing at the right Hand of the Altar of Incense a Type that of our Prayers now being offered to God at the time Accepted which is at the time of the Publick Congregation For this is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gneth Râtsôn of which the Psalmist speaks the accepted Time or Time of Acceptation Therefore the Jews if they saw a Man neglecting the Times of Prayer at the Synagogues they call'd him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shôchên râng an ill Neighbour 't is render'd but it has a further Significancy for as Almighty â—od is called by Esay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shôkên Gnad one that Inhabits Eternity so did they understand by it that such a one was an Inhabitant of Wickedness that his Shekinah was Wickedness as if he dwelt in Puddles and Gutters and Sinks like that Essene Mr Godwin speaks of that being fallen accidentally into a Jakes rather then be pulled out by the Christians would keep his Sabbath there And Let them consider this who separate from the Service of the Church that refuse to be there at the acceptable Times where God is ready to hear and is night to all them that call upon him For what I have said as it justifies the Church so does it condemn them as much that disregard and decry its Constitutions and Appointments that scoff at and make light of its Prayers and Litanies that choose their own way of serving God as Micah in the Book of Judges who of his stolen Money made a graven Image and a molten Image an Ephod and a Teraphim and got a sorry Levite to serve him for ten Shekels per Annum a suit of Apparel and a little Victuals and so had a Service of his own in his own House For so do they in part at least I mean our Sectaries they will serve God their own way the manner that likes them best or not at all They will not frequent God's House his Face they will not seek there but Worship their own Teraphim preferring before the Churches Constitutions their own Imaginations and Fancies as Michah his Graven and Molten Images all the while pretending that they are wiser then their Teachers those Spiritual Guides to whom God hath committed the Care of their Souls as if God would not soonest be heard in his own House and in Forms of Prayer wisely and discreetly made after the Pattern that is here given us by Christ And here My second Point comes to hand the Modus of this Act or the Qualification of our Saviour's Injunction After this manner Pray ye What this Manner is I shall not be long in declaring it 's plain I need not The Pattern as you well know is our Lord 's own Prayer the Canon that which all our Prayers are to be ruled by So that after this manner imports as much as this comes to that our Prayers be both for Matter and Form such as that is That we may use a Form St. Luke is positive for it who says when ye Pray say thus and that the Matter be such as our Blessed Saviour directs to will be denyed I suppose by none that have their
shew some Token which of the two he best accepted This is done and what is the Event In the Morning forsooth because the Gregorian Missal was taken in pieces and scatter'd the Leaves of it here and there over the Church and that of St. Ambrose lay whole on the Altar this they conclude was Divinitùs a Token that the one was to be used all the World o're and the other only at Millan A pleasant thing this is it not And why all this adoe what is the Reason 'T is Conjectured only for the Sake of that one Word Figura in the Canon of St. Ambrose for that he calls the Scrament the Figure only of the Body and Blood of our Lord. So that 't was then we conceive and in Gregory the Seventh's Days of late Date at least that the Worshipping of the Host as God came in and together with it the Propitiatory Sacrifice instead of the Eucharistical Oblation and Invocation of Saints in lieu of an honorable Commemoration of them If so then Antiquity will not bear them out Nor will the great Boast of the Popes Infallibility neither for for that matter Mr. Crackanthrop tells us with undeniable Evidence that Vigilius in the fifth General Council of Constantinople was curst for Nestorianism Much less will the great Pretence of Universal Headship since besides this Story of Vigilius we are satisfy'd by S. Isidorus that Petrus de Lunâ alias Benedict the thirteenth was deposed by the Council of Constance as Eugenius afterwards by the Council of Basil We for our parts know assuredly that Christ is Head of his Church and we are well assured also that he is Infallible truly and he hath taught us other things then they do to give Divine Worship and to Pray to God only to our Father which is in Heaven and therefore the Council of Trent must Pardon us if we accept not of its Definitions but separate from the Church of Rome's Communion For since they bind us to Pray otherwise then our Saviour does to the Host to Saints and Angels to the Virgin Mary as a Mediatrix betwixt God and Us and the Queen of Heaven I conclude that they tho for Form they may yet for Matter and Substance do not Pray after this manner Next come we to our Dissenters at home who deny all set Forms and are for Extemporay Effusion as if that were it that our Saviour would have by saying After this manner Pray ye because no Form or Book was to be seen before him are not these in the right I answer nor they neither if we speak in reference to the Publick and Solemn Service and Worship of God 1. Because Christ came not as I have already said to Abolish what was well set before but to Reform what was Faulty and Manifest it is that the Jewes had set Forms of Prayer 2. The more is it Confirmed because this Pattern given by him is a Form it self and as called by a Father Breviarium Evangelii an Epitomy of the Gospel so was it also a Collection or Epitomy of the Jewish Euchologue as we learn from Mr. Selden P. Fagius and others If we Consult the Criticks we may find from whence every Petition was taken viz. from Sepher-Hammustar and Sepher-Tephillim their Books of Tradition and Prayers 3. More yet for that set Forms were used by the Appointment of God himself as we may see Num. 6. 23. Where God says to Moses speak unto Aron and to his Sons saying on this wise shall ye Bless the Children of Israel saying unto them the Lord Bless thee and Keep thee the Lord make his Face to shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee the Lord lift up his Countenance upon thee and give thee Peace and they shall put my Name upon the Children of Israel and I will Bless them So again at the Removal of the Ark Num. 10. 35. Where when the Ark set forward the Prayer was Rise up Lord and let thine Enemies be scattered and when it rested again Return O Lord unto the many Thousands of Israel 4. Yet more because of our Saviour's own Example who in his Agony used the same Words three times over Let this Cup pass from me Besides 5. May I not justly argue from the Inconveniencies and Absurdities of Extemporary Prayers why not For they are great and many and such as may not be indured in the Solemn Worship of God in a publick Congregation For that which they which stand for it are so much against falls out unto them the stinting I mean of the Spirit they stint the People say what they will more by much then they are stinted by a Form of Prayer which they know before They are such also as leave the People to be imposed upon by an Humorist or a Madman or one that is Unorthodox or Heretical Yea they are Obnoxious to Nonsense and Blasphemy and in what can we hope to find Atonement if our very Prayers are Provocations Finally they are such as no Man present can assure himself that he can say Amen to as becomes most certainly such Prayers as we offer up to the great Majesty of Heaven Nor is it impertinent to question how all the Parishes in Christendom should be supplyed not to mention these things with Men of such rare and singular Ability's scarcely to be believed to be in the Apostles themselves but that they were indued with Inspiration from above And Inspiration I know no man but an absolute Fanatick will pretend to If any do then what becomes of that Question of St. Paul Are all Apostles sure enough all are not Apostles I shall demand from them that pretend to that that they shew me their Credentials from Heaven that they let me see the Cloven Tongues sitting upon their Heads that they let me hear them speak all Languages or make it appear that they have seen Christ out of Heaven as St. Paul did But in vain may we expect such things as these since John's latter Days are past and gone We are now an ordinary Ministry and Extraordinaries are put a Period to even as the Star that conducted the Wise Men went out at Jerusalem and as when the Children of Israel came to Canaan where they might Plow and Sow then did Mannah cease it was in its Infancy that the Church had the Teat put in her Mouth So 't is manifest I think that neither they at Rome nor our Dissenters at home do Pray after this manner It remains to be considered next whether we in our Church do And If I prove that a way of Liturgy such as we use is to Christ's Meaning agreeable and that there is nothing Unorthodox nothing Corrupt in ours that we do I conceive will not be denyed This therefore I shall indeavour to make good And For the first of these I shall not scruple to let alone what hath been already said to Appeal to the Practice of the Apostles themselves and also of all Churches since even