Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A48617
|
A sermon preached before the King at White-Hall, July 26, 1668, in defence of the liturgy of our church by Richard Lingard ...
|
Lingard, R. (Richard), 1598?-1670.
|
1668
(1668)
|
Wing L2353; ESTC R15769
|
12,930
|
31
|
A SERMON Preached before the KING AT WHITE-HALL July 26. 1668. In Defence of the LITURGY of our CHURCH BY RICHARD LINGARD P.P. D.D. And Dean of Lismore Published by His Majesties special Command LONDON Printed by J. M. for John Crook and are to be sold at his Shop in Duck-Lane 1668. II CHRON. XXIX 30. Moreover Hezekiah the King and the Princes commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the Lord with the words of David and of Asaph the Seer and they sang praises with gladness and they bowed their Heads and Worshipped THAT the Structure of the ensuing Discourse may be advanced upon a good foundation it may be worth our while to determine how far the abrogation of the Jewish Religion does extend and what are those Rites and Usages which we Christians may safely transcribe from thence without Judaizing and endangering our Profession This will be resolved by observing that there was a twofold service of God among the Jews Ceremonial and Moral the Ceremonial consisted in Sacrifices and Offerings c. and all that Digest of Mosaical Rudiments a Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances which Moses did particularly delineate according to the pattern in the Mount and was to be managed only by the Sons of Aaron and was to be confined to their Tabernacle or Temple in the place that the Lord their God should chuse and nothing here was left to the discretion of the Church and succeeding Ages but was to be observed most punctually as Moses had commanded without any accession or diminution Now this being Figurative and Typical representing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things to come and being protestations of Faith in a future Messiah they were to expire when Christ came and therefore de jure were cancelled at Christ's Passion being nailed to his Cross and the whole body of them were de facto buried at the Destruction of the second Temple never to be raised again but to be left with Christ's Grave Cloaths in the Sepulchre so that a re-calling them out of those Ruines a raking them out of the ashes of the Temple to observe them would not only be dangerous but deadly a protestatio facto contraria a pregnant denial of Christs being come The Moral service of God consisted in Prayers and Praises in Benedictions and Vows and Adorations which Nature teaches every rational Creature should tender unto his Maker and the obligation to this is immutable and perpetual by vertue of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Hierocles speaks that Oath of Allegiance and Fealty that Men make to God as soon as they are made Now the manner of performing this among the Jews was much distant from that of their other service as being supposed by Moses and to be but collected from him and though it was darkly insinuated by him yet says Maimonides Invocation and Prayer was primariae intentionis principally intended as being more grateful to God Psal 69.30 31. I will praise the name of God with Song and magnifie him with Thanksgiving this shall please the Lord better then a Bullock that hath Horns and Hoofs However it was left to the Prudence of the Church and the Jews say it was founded only on that general precept to serve the Lord with all the heart Deut. 11.13 Cultus cordis est precatio but the number and the form and the time was not specifyed therefore the management of this was the peculiar Province of their Prophets and Wise Men it was their work to instruct the People and reprove their sins and press them to Spiritual Obedience at such times when the People might repair to them 2 Kings 4.22 to praise God also with Psalms and Songs and to pray with and for the People so Gen. 20. 7. 1 Kings 18.29 36. 1 Sam. 12.19.23 And all this was not confined to the Temple but was performed in their high places the Schools of the Prophets their Colleges and Synagogues so that this service having it forms and determinations its parts and increments from Prophets and inspired persons could not but be consonant to the divine will thus Davids introducing of Musick into this service was owned for the Commandment of the Lord by his Prophets 2 Chron. 29.25 Admitting therefore this distinction of the service of the Tabernacle and of the Synagogue the first was entirely abolished but the usages and customs of the second were not so destroyed or disturbed but might remain as patterns to be assumed still so far as they fitted the ends of Christianity Thus when Christ introduces his own Scheme of Reformation like a true Reformer he does not widen the breach but reduces the differences into as small a compass as may be and was therefore willing to retain such Rites and Observations as contradicted not his oeconomy and dispensation Thus learned men do declare that the Government of the Christian Church was modell'd according to that of the Synagogue that our practice of Excommunication does correspond with the Jewish that our blessed Lord did elevate and adopt his Sacraments out of their Institutions Baptism being derived from their manner of initiating Proselytes and in the Lords Supper that the whole action of Christs was in pursuance of the Jewish Rites is so certain that I think no learned man at this day does doubt of it So here it was not intended by Christ and his Apostles to baulk their example in celebrating of praises and prayers to God for seeing the Moral service of God is to be the constant employment of all Christians and in the manner of it the Jewish Church is a laudable president it is but reasonable for us to serve God in that way which we are sure was once acceptable to him And thus I come to the Text wherein we have a Service 1. Imposed and commanded by Authority Hezekiah the King c. commanded the Levites to sing praise 2. Composed and prescribed in it self they are to sing praise with the words of David and of Asaph the Seer And therein consider it 1. As a determined form 2. In the manner of its administration and this will be a competent justification of the Service of our Church for none ever quarrelling with the matter of it as if it contained any thing contrary to the Christian Faith the exception must be 1. That it is a set solemn and composed form or 2. That the manner of performing it is inconvenient therefore if any here with the Jewish Children shall say What meaneth this Service what is the ground of this procedure in your holy Offices it will be sufficiently defended to be as S. Paul speaks Rom. 12.1 a rational Service if I can demonstrate that by these measures God was worshipped among the Jews and that the Christian Church did and always intended to follow the Example Consider then the words of David and Asaph 1. as a form of serving God and of this I shall give account in these ensuing Propositions 1. The serving God by prescribed forms of
Moses by Miriam and the Women that went out after her Exod. 15.21 and so oft the Psalms of David for it appears that some Psalms are Dramatick and the Persons changed Psal 118. and the Burdens at set Periods are repeated Psal 107.8 15 21 31. This Calvin and Molerus do acknowledge and it is expressed Ezra 3.11 that they Sung together by course so the Seraphim in Isaiahs Vision cryed unto one another Isa 6.3 this cryed to this holy holy holy c. Thus the People were to bless God in the Congregations which could not be by a bare Amen 1 Chron. 16.35 36. and 29.20 and 2 Chron. 7.3 Nay they say they were not to say Amen within the Mountain of the Temple but Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting unto everlasting Psal 72.19 So in the Christian Church the People were not to be Spectators and not Actors but had their shares in Prayers and Praises which Saint Paul allows to Women 1 Cor. 11.5 and he assigns the Laity their place the room of the unlearned 1 Cor. 14.16 though at the Eucharist they said but Amen at Consecration which Justin testifies was with a loud voice ad similitudinem coelestis tonitrui populus reboat Hierom. And this is heard as far as Heaven if it be not a faulty Amen Amen pupillum surreptitium sectile when the Prayer is not understood not finished not minded but say the Jews he that says Amen with all his might the Cate of the Garden of Eden shall be open unto him this is Amen justorum But this was not all for in the first inspired Prayer that we find after the gift was poured out the whole company lift up their voice to God with one accord and Prayed Acts 4.24 not that they were all inspired with the same words but joined with him that was vocally repeating after him as we now follow the Minister in the Confession So in the Psalms the People repeated sometimes the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes whole Verses whole Parts by Courses or whole Quires and tot penè Psallentium chori quot gentium diversitates Hier. different Countries had their different Modes The words of Tertullian found this way sonant inter duos Psalmi Hymni mutuò provocant quis meliùs Deo suo cantet Tert. ad Uxon And that of Pliny signifies no less that the Christians were wont carmen Christo ut Deo dicere secum invicem Let me adde two Instances for farther proof of this 1. The sursum Corda Pr. Lift up your Hearts Ans We lift them up unto the Lord. Pr. Let us give thanks unto our Lord God Ans It is meet and right so to do mentioned by St. Cyprian and Constitut Apostol and found in all Antient Liturgies just where we place it and believed by Saint Austin to be verba ab ipsorum Apostolorum temporibus petita a sure proof of Forms and the Peoples part in them 2. The other is of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or allocutions made by the Deacon to the People in behalf of Hearers Penitents c. mentioning the particulars to be prayed for and at the end of each the People responded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which justifies Forms by Letanies and biddings or Exhortations to Prayer 3. A third Circumstance I may call the interruption of the service from 1. The shortness and conciseness of the Prayers 2. The mingling of them with Psalms 3. The interposing of portions of Holy Scripture to be read 4. And lastly The placing the Homily or Sermon within it I shall not encroach on your Patience by dwelling on these particulars seeing they may be easily defended from the grounds already laid and have the concurrent practise of Jews and Christians to vouch for them but shall close up all with a double expostulation 1. To those that own not our service but prefer a present conception before the issue of the gravest deliberation the private spirit of a single Person before the publick spirit of the whole Church that are content the People should be tyed to the Prayer of the Minister but not the Minister to the Prayers of the Church nay will run all hazards of Impertinency Non-sence or Blasphemy rather then join in those Prayers where their Faith and Religion is secured and to which they can safely say Amen What would these Men be at Would they manage all by immediate Inspirations like the Apostles Then let them speak with Tongues reveal Secrets design Ministers decide Controversies by Inspiration and we will admit of their Prayers in behalf of the Church or if they cannot give these proofs of Christs speaking in them let them at least demonstrate by distinctive Characters that their words cannot issue from wit or passion or natural Enthusiasm but are of a different stamp from that fervent confident fluent pouring out of Divine things which hath been observed in the worst of Men. Do they think these Forms are contrary to the assistance of Gods Holy Spirit and the gifts of Prayer For my part I wish with Moses all Gods people were Prophets and that every one had the gift and the grace of Prayer But I cannot understand that the assistance of Gods Spirit excludes those other means whereby his gifts and graces are enlarged or that it is of a different nature from that which we expect or find in other Holy Duties much less that the Spirit is the praying person or that he is a Mercury a god of Eloquence that suggests words or matter or delights in Rhetorick and abundance of Speech he lodges not in the Tongue but in the Heart by affecting it by enlivening it by enlarging it which may be by old accustomed words as well as those that are minted from the most extemporary fancy Or will they have their God to be tyred with the oft repeating the same Prayer Alas what thoughts have these Men of the Majesty of Heaven and the Nature of Religion Is not this an express transforming God into their own imaginations a measuring him by the infirmities of flesh and blood For new Prayers can only delight us as they gratifie the carnal Palate as there is a sensual Pleasure in the variety like the change of diet which ministers not to health but wantonness or curiosity And if this be a distemper to be mortifyed and subdued in us rather then encouraged let not God be charged with it Is it not the scope of Devotion to speak great things of the name of God and little things of our selves to ascribe all the Glory to him and shame to our selves and may all things be the same but the words Sure if they be acceptable once they may be so twice and I know not how they can be worse for wearing I here pity some that through education are misled in this particular of some have compassion says the Apostle making a difference but if men shall refuse to be instructed and disown our Communion and not join with us in those Offices by which we stand a visible Church let them look to themselves how they can answer at the Tribunal of Heaven for their contempts and scandals and incurring the horrible crime of Schism 2. To those that pretend to own it but either neglect attendance on it or join in it only proforma drawing near with the Mouth when the Heart is far from God I am ashamed to take notice that Men professing Christianity shall yet think the duties of it a drudgery too ungentile for them they would manage their Spiritual Estates by Stewards be carried to Heaven as in a Coach or Chair with the pains of others themselves minding or intending some other thing or if they afford God their outward presence they think they honour him sufficiently with an implicite recital of the holy offices of the Church whilst Formality eats out the Devotion the Prayers dropping from them in such a languishing manner as if their Souls were not awake Is this the storming Heaven the vis grata Deo Tert. The holy violence and importunity by which we should wrestle and prevail with God Cursed be the Man that doth the work of the Lord negligently But if any Man serve me him shall my Father Honour John 12.26 Being fervent in Spirit serving the Lord Rom. 12.11 If we consider how miserably we have degenerated from the first Ages of the Church and that little Profession that is left is dwindling into Atheism and a contempt of all Religion if no more reverence can be had for this poor despised service almost the only thing wherein we Symbolize with the Primitive Christians it is an indication of Gods Spiritual Judgments upon us it sounds like a migremus hinc and bodes no less then a quite removing the Candlestick We are yet happy if we knew our Condition for we have not Prayers lockt up from us in an unknown tongue nor are we lockt up from them by being denied a daily and publick access to them and there is no Church in the world hath all the Offices and Sacraments so Administred conformably to the best precedents in words understood without any mixture of Dangerous or Superstitious encroachments and with that Gravity Decency and Solemnity that befits the service of God Consider what I say and the Lord give you understanding in all things 2 Tim. 2.7 Blessing Honour Glory and Power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever Rev. 5.13 FINIS