Religious Worship wherein we own God for the Supreme Being and Lord of the World and yield him Honour and Adoration as such wherein we acknowledge our dependance on him we submit our selves to him imploring his gracious favour and the communications of his goodness This doth belong to Natural Religion being taught us by our inbred Reason and is a necessary consequent from the belief of a God Whence the practice of it hath been universal and the most degenerate of Mankind have us'd to invoke some Deity or other We read how the Priests of Baal did call upon him from morning to evening a 1 Kings 18. 29. and the Mariners in Jonah's Tempest cried every one unto his God b Jon. 1. 5. We may also observe from our Saviour that the Heathen had their Prayers in which they used vain Repetitions and did think to be heard for their much speaking c Mat. 6. 7. It doth appear from their own Writers how zealous they were in their Idolatrous Devotions that they had every where their Temples Priests and stated times of Worship And 't was a received custom among them in every business of moment they were to undertake Initium à precationibus capere d Plin. Paneg Traj to begin with Prayer In the Church of God Prayer hath been always esteem'd the principal part of Religion We read in the Old Testament how it was in constant use with those who profess'd the true God In his Temple at Jerusalem were offer'd up daily Sacrifices e Exod. 29. 38 39. which were still accompany'd with Prayer f Ecclus. 50. 15 16 20 21. by which they were recommended to the Divine Acceptance and the Worship render'd compleat And they had there a Liturgick Service consisting of Prayers and Praises Of such the devout Psalms of David are made up and 't is with reason believ'd that some of these were a considerable part of that Service which is probable from the Titles of them as of Psal 88. and 92. and those others which are inscribed to the Praecentor or Chief Musician It is mention'd when one Psalm of this sweet singer of Israel was first deliver'd by him for public use g 1 Chror 16. 7. and we read that in the time of Hezekiah the Priests and Levites did praise the Lord in the words of David h 2 Chron. 29. 30. Beside the more solemn Service of the Temple the Jews did likewise every day celebrate their Devotions in the Synagogues which were throughout the Country And for daily use they were furnish'd with certain set Prayers eighteen in number compendiously made that they might be the more easily remember'd i D. Lightf Hor. Heb. in Mat. cap. 6. And 't is affirm'd by Grotius Lightfoot and other Learned Men that the Petitions of the Lord's Prayer are for substance the same with these of the Jews and abstracted from them So careful were their Rabbi's or Doctors to promote Devotion in their Scholars that beside the ordinary Prayers they were wont to recommend to them some others of their own composingi. And thus did John the Baptist of whom we find in the Gospel that he taught his Disciples to pray k Luke 11. 1. The usual times of Prayer observ'd by the Jews were no less than three every day the third the sixth and the ninth hour And it hath been a Tradition among them that the third was instituted by Abraham the sixth by Isaac and the ninth by Jacob l Drus in cap. 3. Act. Apost To these hours we must refer the Devotions of David and Daniel when we read they were performed by them three times a day m Psal 53. 10. Dan. 6. 10. It was from a regard to Prayer especially that their Phylacteries were so much valued by them and therefore named Tephillim or Precatoria being scrolls of Parchment whereon were written some parts of the Pentateuch fasten'd on their foreheads and the wrists of their hands and by these they intended to be put in mind of their duty to God Also by having them on at the time of praying they thought they did serve him in a manner the more holy and acceptable From their high opinion of Prayer and its great importance proceeded that proverbial saying among them Sine stationibus non subsistere Mundus without standing Prayers the World would not stand For by Statio or rather the Hebrew word answering to it they used to fignifie Prayer it being one of the seven names by which they call it from the posture in which it was by them performed for the Jews unless at the times of mourning or extraordinary humiliation did commonly pray standing as several places of Scripture do plainly shew n Neh. 9. 5. Mat. 6. 5. Mark 11. 25. Luke 18. 11. and therefore that Text Gen. 18. 22. which by us like as in other versions is render'd Abraham stood before the Lord is in the Chaldee Paraphrase Abraham prayed before the Lord and from the Jews the same might descend to the Christians For that they did anciently pray standing doth appear out of Justine Martyr St. Cyprian and others The former-nam'd relating the manner of their pious Exercise on the Lord's day saith After these things we stand up all together and pour out our Prayers And in the latter it is Quando stamus ad orationem c. When we stand at Prayer most dear Brethren we ought to be watchful and to attend our Prayers with our whole heart o Just Mar. Apol. 2. Cypr. de Orat. dom Though it must be said there is this other account too why Christians used that posture namely that they intended it as symbolical of our Saviour's Resurrection and a visible token of their stedstast belief of it which they knew to be the supporting Article of their Religion It is therefore called by St. Austin Signum resurrectionis p Aug. Ep. 119. c. 15. and that it was so may be collected from the special times in which this Ceremony was observed which were every Lord's day being the day of the week on which Christ rose from the Dead and from Easter the solemn Festival of the Resurrection on every day 'till Whitsontide q Tertul. lib. de cor mil. cap. 3. August Ep. 119. c. 17. We do account it wickedness saith Tertullian to fast on the Lord's day or to pray kneeling And we enjoy the same freedom from Easter-day 'till Pentecost That standing at Prayer should be generally observed at the times now mention'd the Fathers of the great Nicene Council thought fit to enjoyn in their 20th Canon This minds us to add farther how the Duty we are upon hath been more eminently exemplified since the times of the Gospel in the practice of Christ himself of his Apostles and of those who profess'd the Religion by them taught in the first Ages of Christianity That our Saviour pray'd often and sometimes very long we are inform'd by the Evangelists and
harm but that we may be constant and steddy in our Faith and Duty and by a continuance of well doing may attain that life Eternal and Crown of Glory which thou hast promis'd Bless thy Church throughout the World that it may flourish in truth and holiness and remain safe from all persecuting Powers Be thou favourable to this Church and Kingdom to which we belong continue thy Gospel to us and grant that Piety Justice and whatever is is requisite to make us a good and happy people may encrease and abound We implore thy pity for all in any trouble or calamity whether of Soul or Body that thou wouldst please to afford them thy comfort and seasonable relief And we likewise beg thy favour and special kindness for all our friends that thou wouldst bestow thy blessings upon them both for life and godliness Accept O Lord our return of thanks for thy goodness continued to us the day past that thou doest still supply us with accommodations for the support and comfort of our lives that thou hast preserved us from many evils which if left to our selves we should have fallen into and that we are still alive whereas so many others have been this day cut off from the land of the living we bless thee for sparing us so long and granting us so large a time for making our calling and election sure help us to improve thy long-suffering and the day of Grace by working out our own salvation That when ever thou shalt call us hence we may be ready and prepar'd to enter into the joy of our Lord. We commend our persons and all belonging to us to thy care and protection this night defend us from our ghostly enemies and let no evil come nigh our dwelling grant us a quiet and comfortable repose and that we may awake in safety the next morning dispos'd both in body and mind for thy service Hear us O merciful Father and fulfil our desires for the sake of our blessed Saviour who sitteth at thy right hand in whose words we continue to pray unto thee Our Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy Name thy Kingdom come thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our Trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil for thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen Thy Grace O Lord Jesus Christ thy Love O heavenly Father thy Fellowship and Communion O holy and blessed Spirit be with us and abide with us henceforth and for ever A Psalm and Prayer for the Evening Sunday Evening on the Lords day O Lord how manifold are thy works in wisdom hast thou made them all the earth is full of thy riches When I consider thy Heavens the work of thy fingers the Moon and the Stars which thou hast ordained What is man that thou art mindful of him and the Son of man that thou visitest him For thou hast made him little lower than the Angels and hast crowned him with glory and honor Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thine hands thou hast put all things under his feet Why do the heathen rage and the people imagin a vain thing The Kings of the earth set themselves and the Princes take Counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed Let us break his bands asunder and cast away their cords from us He that sitteth in the Heavens shall laugh the Lord shall have them in derision Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure Yea I have set my King upon my holy hill of Sion I will declare the decree the Lord hath said unto me thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Ask of me and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost part of the earth for thy possession The Lord hath sent redemption unto his people he hath commanded his covenant for ever holy and reverend is his name He hath shewed his word unto Jacob his Statutes and his judgments unto Israel He hath not dealt so with any nation and for his judgments they have not known them praise ye the Lord. ALmighty and most glorious God we acknowledge thy great grace and favour in permitting us to wait upon thee from time to time with our devotion and supplications thou art most perfect and happy in thy self not needing any service of ours and yet thou art pleased to invite and command us to come unto thee thou art the high and lofty one the Maker and Governour of all the World and yet doest condescend to receive the addresses of us thy Creatures who are vile dust and ashes We must confess O Lord that our righteousness doth not extend to thee nor can our religious performances deserve thine acceptance for there is iniquity in our most holy things we do not attend upon thee with that humility and reverence with that faith and servency which thou mayest justly require When we draw near unto thee with our lips our hearts are often far from thee we present our bodies before thee when the thoughts and affections of our souls are running after vanity And since our best Duties are so liable to thy displeasure how much more the ordinary and common actions of our life and how can we stand before thy justice if thou shouldst call us to a strict account for all our careless omissions of Duties by thee required and our many commissions of what thy Law hath expresly forbidden If thou shouldst be extreme to mark what is done amiss O Lord who could abide it but thou art a God full of compassion and plenteous in mercy and thou hast given thine own Son to be our Mediator though we have no righteousness or oblation of our own that can procure thy favour yet be thou gracious to us for the sake of him who is the Lord our righteousness and for the merit of his most perfect Sacrifice which he made for us when he offered up himself a Lamb without spot or blemish let the blood of Christ cleanse us from all unrighteousness and purge our conscience from dead works to serve the living God And that we may from henceforth walk as the redeemed of the Lord unto all well-pleasing give unto us thy grace and holy Spirit for the mortification of sin and the sanctifying of us throughout in Soul Spirit and in Body grant that our hearts and lives may be conform'd to thy heavenly Will and the Precepts of thine holy Gospel that we may fear thee at all times and love thee above all things and serve thee with our chiefest care and endeavour let not the love of any worldly good or the fear of any temporal evil cause us to turn aside from thee into any sinful practice but grant that we may still account it our
and all other perfections and thy Works have been wonderful and gracious towards the Sons of Men. But what is Man that thou art mindful of him and what am I vile Creature that I should be admitted to thy Throne of Grace O Lord I am but Dust and Ashes and therefore unworthy thou shouldst have any regard unto me I am a polluted Sinner and therefore unfit for thy presence or any testimony of thy favour the frame and disposition of my heart is to sin and folly and the practice of my life have been always disobedient and provoking to this very day I desire therefore with shame and hearty repentance to humble my self begging thy merciful pardon of all my sins past through the Merits of Christ and the assistance of thy special Grace for the future whereby I may be enabled to lead a sober righteous and godly life Since I am thy Creature who hast made all things for thy self and thine own glory let it be my chief care to serve thee and whether I eat or drink or whatever I do to do all in thy fear and to the honour of thy great Name as I have been bought with a price even the precious blood of thy dear Son so grant I may glorifie thee both in my body and soul which are thine and whatever power or opportunities thou dost vouchsafe unto me help me to employ the same in doing good and discharging my Duty both toward thee and toward men that I may not be barren or unfruitful but always abounding in the Work of the Lord and for the greater usefulness and comfort of my life be thou pleas'd to continue to me my understanding and senses together with health and soundness of body and let my Members and Faculties be always instruments of righteousness unto holiness O stablish my heart by thy Grace that I may be constant in thy Faith and Fear in sincere obedience to thy holy commands and so after a patient continuance in well-doing may receive the promis'd reward of eternal life O Lord I do thankfully acknowledge the continual Mercies of thy good Providence by which I have been preserv'd and cherish'd hitherto I bless thee for the protection and refreshment of the night past and that thou hast prolonged my life to another day be thou pleas'd to guide and defend me throughout the same bless and prosper my endeavours in every lawful undertaking and suffer me not to fall into any danger or unhappy accident Above all do thou preserve me from sin and the temptations to it and let neither the World the Flesh nor the Devil draw me aside from thee into any wicked practice but grant that I may still walk on in the way of righteousness without turning from it into those sinful paths that lead down to the Chambers of death Bless thy people throughout the World and send thy comfort and deliverance to all who are in any distress or affliction of body or mind Preserve this Church and Kingdom to which I belong and make us happy in Truth Righteousness and Peace do good to all my friends and if I have any Enemies forgive them and turn their hearts O Lord pardon the defects of this my devotion accept my person and hear my Prayer through the Righteousness and Intercession of thy blessed Son my alone Saviour In whose own Words I further call upon thee Our Father c. Thy Grace O Lord Jesus Christ thy Love O heavenly Father thy Communion O blessed Spirit be with me this day and for evermore Amer. Another Prayer for the Morning CAuse me O Lord to hear thy loving kindness in the Morning for in thee do I trust Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk for I lift up my soul unto thee Order my steps in thy Word and let not any iniquity have dominion over me O Lord my God who art the Author of my being and the giver of all the good things which I have at any time receiv'd I do here offer up my bounden Duty of Worship and Praise and I do present my Soul and Body to be consecreated unto thee and thy Service despise not I pray thee the Work of thine own hands but though I am vile and unworthy by reason of Sin yet according to thy rich Mercy and for the worthiness of thy beloved Son be thou pleas'd to overlook whatever is amiss in me and to receive me graciously as one of thine adopted Children That I may be qualify'd for thy love and favour make me conformable to thy divine Image in righteousness and true holiness do thou govern my will and affections that I may chuse the good and refuse the evil that I may love what thou doest command and hate whatever thou hast forbidden O Lord who knowest my ignorance and folly instruct me how to demean my self in all the affairs and passages of my life thou who seest my weakness strengthen me by thy Grace that I may be able to resist all evil motions and temptations to Sin and to perform all the Duties of my Christian obedience suffer me not to err from thy Commandements but let the direction of thy Word and Spirit be as a voice behind me shewing the way wherein I should walk when I am turning to the right hand or to the left confirm my Soul in thy true Religion and the holy fear of thy great Name make me steadfast and immoveable in thy Service that being faithful unto the death I may at length receive that Crown of everlasting Life which thou hast promis'd Be thou pleas'd to bless me in my body with health and strength in my Soul with encrease of divine Knowledg of true Piety and all saving Vertues and give me such a measure of temporal good things as may best contribute to my real happiness I yield thee humble thanks that I have been preserv'd and refresh'd the Night past that I am kept alive to this Morning as thou hast brought me out of the shades of Night so help me to cast off the sinful works of darkness and to walk as becometh a Child of Light let thy presence be with me and thy blessing upon me in the day following give thine Angels charge to keep me in all my ways that I fall not into any disaster and let thy Grace be sufficient for me that I be not exercis'd in any evil work but grant me to abide in perfect safety and to be still holy and upright before thee to the end of this day and of my whole life through my blessed Saviour Jesus Christ in whose holy Name and Words I continue to pray unto thee Our Father c. Thy Grace O Lord Jesus Christ thy Love O Heavenly Father thy Communion O blessed Spirit be with me this Day and for evermore Amen A Psalm and Prayer for the Morning on the Lords day I Laid me down and slept I awaked Sunday Morning for the Lord sustained me O God thou art my God early
Domestick Devotions FOR THE VSE OF FAMILIES AND OF PARTICULAR PERSONS Whereunto are prefixed Some earnest PERSWASIVES to Prayer and Devotion 1 Tim. 2. 8. I will therefore that men pray every where lifting up holy hands Tertul. De Jejun Semper ubique omni tempore Orandum Cypr. ad Donat. Sit tibi vel Oratio assidua vel Lectio Nunc tu cum Deo loquere nunc Deus tecum London Printed by J. Playford for William Shrowsbery at the Bible in Duke-Lane 1683. THE PREFACE THAT there is a supreme invisible Being the Creator and Governour of the World is a grand Truth to which we yield our common assent from the evidence of natural reason as well as the revelation of holy Scripture None but a fool will call it into question in his thoughts and he must be an impudent profligate wretch that dares deny it with Psal 14. ◠his lips Now when we say there is a God we do with the same breath acknowledge he is to be honour'd and worshipp'd by us for the very notion of a Deity doth imply an undeniable title to our greatest service His nature is transcendently excellent and glorious and therefore the highest acts of veneration are due to him this reason of divine Worship is urg'd by the Psalmist who thus bespeaking the Angels as the Text is understood by St. Paul Worship him all ye Gods subjoyns immediately after For thou Lord art high above all the earth thou art exalted far above all Gods Psal 79. 7. And Heb. 1. 6. the same is assign'd by a great Divine in Gentile Theology The nature of God saith he may justly challenge the worship of men because of his superlative Excellence Blessedness Eternity for whatever excells hath on that account a veneration due to it And Epicurus himself though he disclaim'd all others yet admitted Cic. lib. 1. De Nat. Deor. The singular excellence of the divine Nature for a solid ground of religious worship Sen. de Benef lib. 4. cap. 19. Moreover as God is founder of the World and more especially as Author of our own being he doth justly challenge our humblest adoration this is likewise given in Scripture as a ground of religious service as Psal 100. 2 3. Where the Inhabitants of the earth are call'd upon to serve God with gladness and come before his presence with Songs of Praise on this consideration that The Lord he is God it is he that hath made us and not we our selves And this glorious Fabrick of the World is also propos'd by Tully as an argument for Divine Worship in these words That there is an excellent and eternal Being and such 〈…〉 and the order of heavenly 〈◊〉 do compel us to acknowledge Lib. 2. de Nat. Deor. Again it is most just and congruous that God should be ador'd by us as he is the Soveraign Lord and Supreme Governour over us and the whole Vniverse by whose providence we are sustain'd and both our persons and all that we have or can desire at his free dispose there is a great honour belongs to earthly Rulers because of that high Station and Dignity wherein they are plac'd but to him by whom these do reign as his substitutes who is the blessed and only Potentate the King of Kings and Lords of Lords the greatest honour must needs be due and the highest veneration possible as is that of religious Worship and this reason of adoration is also alledged by the Psalmist for having said The Lord he is a great God and a great King above all Gods he thence takes occasion of stirring up himself and others to Come and Worship to fall Psal 95. 3. down and kneel before him and it is urg'd by God himself when reproving his people for their neglects in his Worship For I am a great King saith the Lord of Mal. 1. 14. Hosts To this belongs that of the Moralist when he saith 'T is the first honour of God to believe that he is and the next to ascribe to him his Majesty to ascribe his Goodness without which there can be no Majesty at all to be sensible that he doth preside over the Sen. Epist. 95. World that he governs all things by his power that he hath the care of Mankind But we need not stay long in representing the reasonableness of that about which mankind have been alwayes satisfy'd and as it were determin'd to it by mere instinct it being a plain dictate of the Law of nature that God is to be worshipp'd and usually reckon'd among those first Principles which neither require proof nor admit any doubt and therefore Aristotle though an heathen hath excepted it out of the number of disputable Problems adding that whoever should call the same into question was 〈◊〉 lib. 57 cap. 11. not to be dealt with by Arguments but Punishments So intimate is Religion to the Soul of Man that some of the Learned have thought it to be of his very Essence and that 't is the primary difference rather than reason by which we are distinguish'd from Brutes for there seem to be some imperfect discoveries of reason in the actings of other living Creatures insomuch as that several Philosophers both Antient and Modern have not doubted to affirm that they are in a lower degree truly rational But Amongst all kinds of living Lib. 1. de Leg. Creatures saith Tully that are in the World there is none but Man that hath any Notion of a Deity In this surely we may be positive that Religion if not our Essence yet is a property issuing from it by a kind of necessary emanation whence it hath come to pass that scarce any thing can be nam'd in which Mankind have in all times and places been so unanimous as the Belief and Worship of a God And the barbarous people which being dark in ignorance could not discern the true God yet rather than want an Object of their worship 〈…〉 that did them good and 〈◊〉 down to the Host of Heaven to Men like themselves yea to Birds four-footed Rom. 1. 23. Beasts and creeping things But to us Christians the day-spring from on high hath risen and we are happily guided to the right and sole object of religious Service by the holy Scriptures Whereunto St. Peter wills 2 Pet. 1. 19. us to take heed as to a light shining in a dark place and as this Written Revelation doth bring to our notice the eternal and only true God whom we are to worship so it doth render us on many accounts the more oblig'd to do it For the Word of God doth discover to us the infinite and adorable perfections of his Divine Nature as also our own dependance on him both in respect of his Creation and Providence it doth contain his express Commands that we should serve him together with prescriptions as to the manner of performance and moreover we have there many and great encouragements to the Duty
perfect and glorious the Creator of us and the whole World and Governour of all things both in Heaven and Earth our great Law-giver and most just Judge who will reward or punish according to our actions That he can save or destroy us make us miserable or happy h Jam. 4. 12. That he is the Author of all good and having all things at his dispose can do for us whatever we can need or desire I say considering the Almighty in all these several respects we cannot but be satisfied that he is to be honour'd and worship'd by us and doth highly deserve our service and adoration That we are greatly concern'd to humble our selves at his Footstool imploring his mercy to submit our persons to him and placing our whole trust in his power and goodness to beg at his hands a supply of all our wants IV. This holy performance will be thought very congruous and necessary on a due consideration of our selves for we are Beings entirely dependent on God we have been created by him and 't is by his power and providence that we daily subsist Whatever good things we enjoy whatever do administer to our life either as to the necessities or conveniencies thereof they are all his Creatures and by him provided for our use and benefit We are weak and frail exposed to dangers of all kinds in every place and every hour of our life nor have we foresight or power enough of our own to secure our selves Moreover we are guilty Sinners before God and so have forfeited his kindness and made our selves obnoxious to his wrath and severity There are in us corrupt inclinations to sin We are still encompassed with Temptations and the Devil is our malicious and subtile Adversary So that if left to our selves we cannot hope to be holy in this life nor happy in the next Now when we thus reflect 't is easie to understand how much we are oblig'd to honour and worship the Divine Majesty and to render to him our daily thanks and praise for all that we are or have how much it doth behove us to desire his constant care and protection recommending our selves to his watchful Providence We may quickly apprehend of what importance it is that with humiliation and hearty repentance we beg the pardon of our sins lest we fall under condemnation and eternal punishment and that we earnestly crave the assistance of Divine Grace whereby we may be able to overcome sin and all spiritual enemies and may be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation V. There is in Prayer it self enough to make it desirable and much valued by us 1. It is highly honourable for what greater honour then to be taken into an immediate attendance about the Almighty and to have converse with the supream Monarch of the world the great King of Kings and Lord of Lords in respect of whom the Potentates on Earth are of an account infinitely meaner then the vilest Begger if compar'd to them And what an high priviledge is it that poor mortals made up of Clay can be admitted to the Throne of this Glorious Majesty there to present their Petitions and to have his ear on all occasions Holy David was so apprehensive what an advancement it was to wait on God in his Worship that though he were a King he esteemed the meanest Office in the Temple well worth his ambition and would be content to be a Door keeper in Gods house i Psal 84. 10. rather then live in a state of distance and alienation from him The famous Constantine first Christian Emperour thought it much for his honour to be openly represented as in the posture of one at Prayer And therefore gave order that his own Effigies in the the Impresses of the publick Coyn should be so fashion'd As it was also over the Gates of his Palace in several places k Euseb Vit. Const lib. 4. c. 15. Certainly whosoever hath understanding enough to know God and himself and to compare the one with the other will see abundant reason for saying as the pious Father that he cannot but admire and wonder at the great love of God towards man for vouchsafing him so high an Honour as familiarly to speak unto himself by Prayers l Chrys de Orand Deum lib. 1. 2. It is a duty so material and comprehensive that it doth in a manner take in the Whole of our Religion our piety to God is largely contain'd in it since by Prayer we acknowledge and honour him as our Creator and Lord offering up our Souls and Bodies to his service We profess our subjection and rely upon him for all the good we desire We do hereby give particular honour to his Divine Attributes to his Omni-presence and infinite Knowledge in that we suppose him near at hand to take notice and hear our Petitions wheresoever we are to his Holiness and Justice by lamenting our sins and deprecating his deserved punishments To his Mercy and Goodness while we beg forgiveness and all the Blessings we stand in need of To his Power and Soveraignty in that we think him able to do for us in all the things we request of him and do commit our selves to his Care and Providence We ascribe to him the Glory of all the great and good things he hath done for us and all Mankind by our praise and thanksgiving Likewise we do herein perform our duty with respect to Christ as our blessed Redeemer in that renouncing all our own Righteousness we plead his alone merits for our pardon and acceptance and present all our supplications in his name and through his intercession There is moreover in Prayer an happy concurrence of our Christian Graces and a fruitful exercise of them Of Faith for whosoever cometh unto God believeth that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that seek him m Heb. 11. 6. Rom. 10. 14. He is perswaded of his power and readiness to help and doth confide in the truth of his word and promises Of Repentance in our humble confession of sin our profess'd sorrow for what we have done amiss and our petition for Grace to amend our lives Of Hope for t is by it we are encourag'd to pray and have a comfortable expectation of receiving the good things we pray for and our charity shews it self while we pray for others as well as our selves and do profess to forgive men their trespasses against us as we desire God to forgive ours And it belongs to our holy obedience that we implore the divine assistance and Gods holy Spirit for enabling us tomortify sin and to lead a sober righteous and Godly life And because the substance of Religion is thus compriz'd in Prayer hence it is sometimes us'd to signify a mans duty to God in general as when it is said Whosoever calleth upon the name of the Lord shall be saved n Joel 2. 32. Act. 2. 21. Rom. 10. 13. and in
St. Pauls account to be they who call upon the name of Christ and to be Christians are one and the same o 1 Cor. 1. 2. There being so much of piety and holiness in this one duty therefore 't is that God is so pleas'd with it for the Prayer of the righteous is his delight p Prov. 15. 8. And we may observe that when he had erected a Temple for his honour among the Jews though Sacrifices and other religious Offices were perform'd in it yet he was pleased to give it a name with respect to Prayer as the most eminent part of his service My house shall be called an house of Prayer for all people q Isa 56. 7. 3. Prayer is an excellent remedy to which we may have recourse in all the ills of our life and 't is a means proper and suitable whatever our condition or distress may be when encompass'd with dangers or overwhelm'd with grief persecuted by men or tempted by Satan When under disappointment losses or want When distemper'd in body or diseased in mind I say in these and other like cases we may by Prayer betake our selves to God who hath a Salve for every Sore who doth know how to deliver and is able to do it When the righteous do Cry unto him he heareth them and delivereth them out of all their troubles r Psal 34. 17. He will be a refuge for the oppressed a refuge in times of trouble and they who know his name will trust in him Å¿ Psal 9. 9 10. The name of the Lord is a strong Tower the righteous runneth into it and is safe t Prov. 18. 10. And therefore we are directed in Scripture to the use of Prayer when we are in any distress Call upon me in the day of trouble Psal 50. 15. Is any man among you afflicted Let him pray Jam. 5. 13. And it is prescrib'd in the Verse following as the best receipt for a sick man that the Elders of the City be sent for to pray over him 4. This exercise of Devotion is exceeding pleasant and delightsom It was so to David and therefore he said O how amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of hosts My Soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord u Psal 84. 1 2. And 't is the welcom which God doth promise to them who shall come to his worship that he will make them joyfull in his house of prayer w Isa 56. 7. It must be confess'd that this holy duty is not so pleasing to all persons there being some to whom the service of God is an irksom drudgery and they quickly say What a weariness is it x M. l. 1. 13. But the minds of such men are earthly and sensual whence it is they savour nothing that is spiritual and while they continue no better dispos'd the entertainments of Heaven it self would not relish to them To other whose souls are purified and by the practices of Religion wrought into an heavenly and devout temper the Worship of God is not a burden but pleasure and they can experimentally say with the Psalmist One day in thy Courts is better than a thousand for it must needs delight any man of a right understanding to wait on the great Lord and Governour of the World to be imployed in the service of his Creator which is the very end of his being the chief business of his life and that which will be sure to turn to a good account it cannot chuse but be a great comfort and satisfaction to disburden our breasts and make our wants known to one who is so well able to relieve and it may well afford delight and contentment to be exercised in adoring and praising God since 't is the work and happiness of the blessed Angels and Saints above 5. The Duty of Prayer is greatly beneficial and if perform'd aright is a plentiful reward to it self for our God is not like the Idols of the Heathen which have ears and hear not z Psal 115. 6. But 't is his property that he heareth Prayer a Psa 65. 2. and when he heareth he sheweth mercy and giveth forth his benefits By the constant exercise of Devotion men hold an intercourse and holy commerce with Heaven and may thence enrich themselves with returns of blessings for all their needs they do engage him for their friend Who is the giver of every good and perfect gift b Jam 1. 1. 17. By this Key of Prayer they open to themselves the rich treasury of his goodness for it's prevalence with Almighty God is exceeding great we are assur'd by the Apostle that the effectual fervent prayer of the righteous man availeth much c Jam. 5. 16. There is an authority attributed to it by which it sways with God so in these words by the Prophet Ask me of things to come and concerning the works of mine hands command you me Isa 45. 11. and it is elsewhere intimated as if it did lay a kind of force on Heaven and over-power the hands of Omnipotence as when God speaketh thus to Moses Let me alone that mine anger may wax hot against them that I may consume them d Exod. 32. 10. and though God were so incens'd and dispos'd to take vengeance yet on the earnest intercession of that good man the people were spared These expressions must be understood indeed after the manner of men but however they do really import the great interest and efficacy of Prayer Which how it comes to be a duty of so great success and advantage as it is we may better understand when 6. We shall consider the particular encouragements we have for addressing ourselves to God in this holy duty as 1. That he is so able to help us in all things that we call upon him for being the Lord Almighty who doth whatsoever he pleaseth in the heaven above in the earth and waters beneath e Psal 135. 6. To whom all things are possible f Mat. 19. 26. And he can do for us exceeding abundantly above what we can ask or think g Eph. 3. 20. Wherefore he is a sure refuge and let our case seem never so difficult or desperate we may animate our devotion with that of the Angel to Sarah Is there any thing too hard for the Lord h Gen. 18. 34. and from hence we may also learn how much safer it is to seek unto God and relie on him then to place our confidence in any worldly succours which by daily experience are found insufficient and do especially fail us in our greatest concerns and when we most stand in need 2. The God to whom we pray hath a Goodness equal to his Power and is kindly dispos'd to shew mercy and do good the Scripture assures us that he is gracious and full of Compassion i Psal 111. â— 4. He is good ready to forgive plenteous in mercy unto all them that
call upon him k Psal 86. 5. Like as a father pittieth his Children so the Lord pittieth them that fear him l Psal 103. 13. He doth exercise loving kindness m Jer. 9. 24. and delighteth in mercy n Mic. 7. 18. The Lord indeed is good unto all and his tender mercies are over all his works but he hath a more especial kindness for the Sons of men who bear his own Image and having given us so excellent a being we may not doubt but that he doth affectionately tender the good and welfare thereof and will therefore be ready to relieve our necessities and bestow good things on us if we seek unto him he beareth towards us the relation of a Father and he hath a readiness to do us good agreeable thereunto yea his paternal kindness may much more be confided in than that of earthly parents who are but sinful men and may fail their own Children or at least mistake as to the things wherein they intend them good but if they however know how to give good gifts unto their Children how much more shall our father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him o Mat. 7. 11. Which is our Saviours argument when exhorting his Hearers to the Duty of Prayero. 3. We are encouraged to pray by those many and plain promises in which he hath engaged to encline his ear and reach forth his hand when men present their requests for 't is declared in his word that He is nigh unto all them that call upon him to fulfill their desire to hear their cry and save them p Psa 147. 18 19. When two or three are gathered together in his name he is in the midst of them q Mat. 18. 20. If we call upon him in the day of trouble he will deliver r Psal 50. 15. He will regard the prayer of the destitute and will not despise their prayer Å¿ Psa 102. 17. Ask and it shall be given seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you t Mat. 7 7. Yea so very forward is God to grant the requests of those who seek to him that as soon as they first set themselves to pray and before their Petitions are gone out of their mouths he doth send a gracious answer as doth appear from that promise of his by the Prophet And it shall come to pass that before they call I will answer and while they are yet speaking I will hear u Isa 65. 24. Now these things are said on purpose to incite our devotion by letting us know that if we attend on Gods service 't will not be labour lost and that he hath not said to the seed of Jacob seek ye my face in vain w Isa 45. 19. So that from the divine promises we may be certain that if we endeavour to please God in our life and actions x 1 Joh. 3. 22. and our Petitions be agreeable to his Will y 1 Joh. 5. 14. if they be presented in a due manner z Jam. 4. 3. and the things desir'd be such as would be for our real good and advantage a Mat. 7. 11. we shall be heard and answer'd for in all our supplications we must still remember to beg with submission to the wisdom and good pleasure of God who knows how to give good things better than we do to ask him and we are to mind the example of our Saviour who when praying in a case of greatest extremity did say Nevertheless not my will but thine be done b Luc. 22. 42. 4. We may consider the good success that Prayer formerly hath had For there are infinite examples in which it may be seen how the devout supplicant hath been Victorious like Jacob in his wrestling with God c Gen. 32. 28. As a Prince he hath had power with him and hath prevailed I cried unto the Lord saith David with my voice even unto God with my voice and he gave ear unto me d Psal 77. 1. And again I sought the Lord and he heard me he delivered me from my fears e Psal 34. 4 and 8. From which his own experience he doth bespeak others to make the like trial O tast and see that the Lord is good blessed is the man that trusteth in him Jonah on his calling upon God was delivered safe out of the depth of the Sea I cried saith he by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord and he heard me out of the belly of hell cried I and thou heardst my voice f Jon. 2. 2. And there are many other Instances of a wonderful efficacy from the Prayer of holy men It hath conquer'd whole armies so did that of Moses in the battel with Amalek g Exod. 17. 11 13. and that of Hezekiah when in danger from the Host of the Assyrians h 2 Kirgs 19 19 35. It hath shut up and opened the Clouds of Heaven as when Elias prayed in the days of Ahab i 1 Kin. 17. 1. Prayer hath reprieved life even after a sentence of Death pronounc'd of God himself as in the case of Hezekiah k 2 Kin. 20. 5. Yea which is more than all it hath restored the dead to life again for on the supplication of Elias the Widows Son rivived l 1 Kin. 17. 22. And so did Dorcas upon the Prayer of Peter m Act. 9. 40. Now while we hear how successful Prayer hath been to others it should with good reason encourage us to practise the same duty And therefore St. James when exhorting to it doth mention how the Prophet already nam'd though a man of like passions with others yet obtained by his prayer that it should not rain for three years and an half and when he prayed again the Heavens gave rain to refresh the earth n Jam. 5. 17 18. Which brings to our thoughts another Instance not unlike It is that when Antoninus and his Army being incompass'd by their Enemies in a place where there was want of water were ready to perish for thirst the Christian Soldiers then among them having with fervent Prayer call'd upon the name of Christ and desired Rain there soon after fell such plentiful showers as answered their necessity nor were their lives only preserved but also a glorious Victory obtain'd by them all which was attested by that Emperour himself in his own letter to the Senate of Rome the Copy whereof is inserted by Justin Martyr in an Apology of his for the Christians o Justin Mart. Apol 2. and we cannot imagine he should have the confidence to alledge it openly so near the time of the supposed fact were it not a real thing The renowned Constantine had happily experimented by the success of his Arms against his and the Churches enemies how great efficacy there was in the Prayers of Christians and therefore not thinking himself or his Empire could
to have diligent and trusty Servants likewise the Reputation and good Credit of a Family is advanc'd and kept up by the sober and regular Lives of those who are Members of it but when they are such as want good and pious Principles rude Disorders and Scandals are wont to happen which occasion infamy and disesteem And when Irreligion prevails beside that it doth pull down the Curses of God it hath a natural causality for ruining the Family where it is for it usually draws after it Idleness Excess and all the chargeable Vices but the danger is greatest and the Event most fatal when through neglect of holy duties in any houshold the Children grow up in vanity and dissoluteness become averse to all business and industry for advancing their Fortunes in the World and falling into extravagant Follies they often waste the Patrimony left to them and the Families which had long flourished in riches and honour are hereby reduced to meanness and contempt so that while Parents take no heed to have their Children train'd up in Piety they run a very great hazard of losing all their provident care and labour in getting or encreasing their Estates but if they would have them and the rest of their Family to be such as they ought to be and thereby prevent all those ill consequences which they may otherwise expect the most proper and effectual means will be to keep up the practice of Devotion in their houses by reading the holy Scriptures and performing the great Duty of Prayer from day to day V. The publick Interest of Religion and the good of the whole Nation doth very much depend on the pious Government of Families for of these lesser Societies the greater one of the Common-wealth is made up and the same persons are Members of both and therefore if Masters of Families would exercise a religious Discipline and thereby promote holiness and sobriety in their respective houses it might then happily follow that the Kingdome would be generally good as when every one doth make clean before his own door the whole City is thereby cleans'd most certain it is that nothing can be so dangerous to any State and repugnant to all the ends of Government as the prevalence of Impiety and Vice nor is there any thing that doth more contribute to the growth of these then a neglect of Religion in private Families to this must be ascribed in great measure all the wicked disorders of the present Age for we cannot think that Prophaneness Drunkenness Whoredom Thefts Robberies and other enormities would so abound as they do if persons were religiously bred up and the people every where accustomed to pious performances in the houses where they live wherefore to the Laws of the Magistrate and the Preaching of the Minister the good care of the Housholder must also be added that Religion may thrive and the Kingdom become truly happy as Christianity had its Original in private houses for the Primitive Teachers did first propagate the Gospel and administer the Ordinances thereof a Act. 2. 42. 5. 42. 10. 48. 16. 15 33. 20. 20. so on the Piety of Families it doth still depend for it's continuance and preservation VI. As private Families are so many little Societies in the whole Civil State so in a Spiritual sense they are such with respect to the National Church and we find in Scripture that each house the Members whereof did agree in the true Faith and Worship was accounted for a Church and is often so call'd as the house of Priscilla and Aquila b Rom. 16. 5. 1 Cor. 16. 19. The house of Nymphas c Col. 4. 15. and Philemon d Philem. 2. Now as the Christian Prince because he is Head of the Common-wealth hath also the Power and Charge over the whole Church included in it so with some proportion the Domestick governour beside the authority over his Houshold in Secular concerns hath also in some sort a Spiritual rule as it is a kind of Church and it therefore belongs to him to maintain the honour and worship of God within his lesser Dominion In the more ancient times of the Jewish Church the Heads of Families had a sacerdotal power to offer Sacrifice and officiate in the Divine Worship for themselves and those belonging to them We read how careful the holy Patriarchs were to provide themselves Altars wherever they had their abode by building convenient places as Chappels wherein together with their Families they did offer both Sacrifices and Prayers unto God thus Noah Gen. 8. 29. Abraham Gen. 12. 7 8. and Chap. 13. 18. Isaac Gen. 26. 25. and Jacob Gen 33. 20. and Chap. 25. 7. and that these Edifices were for Prayer as well as Sacrifice doth appear from Gen. 12. 8. Where it is said And there he builded an Altar unto the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord this right of domestick Ministry from the Father of each Family did after his decease descend to his first born which say the Jews made Jacob being a pious good man so ambitious of the Birth-right e Gen. 25. 31. and because Esau did undervalue this sacred priviledge by selling it at so vile a rate he is justly censur'd by St. Paul as a prophane person f Heb. 12. 16. When by the modern Jews at this day the Passover is Celebrated in their houses the Pater-Familias or Master of the Family is instead of a Priest for the Shoulder of Lamb or Kid the unleavened Cakes the Herbs c. being ready and set before them he begins the Feast with a Prayer of Consecration and at several times afterward while that solemnity is a carrying on he bespeaketh God for himself and the rest of his Family there present in forms of thanksgiving also at the end thereof he putteth up another Prayer g Buxt Synag Jud. cap. 13. Now that ancient preheminence lately mention'd and the duty impli'd in it doth in some sense still remain even to us Christians and no Master of a Family among us how great soever must think it any diminution but rather an honour and priviledge personally to minister in offering up spiritual Sacrifice to the great God for the Master of a Family doth after a sort and in his measure perform the duty of an Ecclesiastick or Bishop in his house h August In Joan. tract 51. and surely he is bound to officiate himself or at least to take care that it be done by some other and all persons of Quality who take Chaplains into their Families may do well to consider which many have not done of what consequence it is that they be really pious and devout for how else can they expect that the Prayers they present for them shall be acceptable to God since he hath declar'd that the Sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to him i Prov. 15. 8. Joh. 9. 31. and that it is much the more so because such an one