it is also a Chufing of Death and running violently upon the Wrath to come which every man in his Wits will do all that ever he is Able to Flee from CHAP. V. Of Licentiousness as to the Object of Prayer PRayer is the main part of all our Worship and to pay this Royalty of the Crown of Heaven The Tribute of Adoration to others than to God himself Be it to Images Saints Angels or any thing else is expresly forbidden Mat. 4.10 Get thee hence Satan for it is written Thou shalt Worship the Lord thy God and Him Only shalt thou Serve In all such Divided Worship may be seen the Print of the Cloven Foot To worship any Creature with Divine Worship is to make it an Idol And Idols are of his Erecting who is all for Vsurping God's Honour to himself And so the Children which were Offered to the Idols of Canaan were said to be offered unto Devils Psal 106.37 38. The Apostle makes Invocation peculiar to the God in whom we Believe Rom. 10.14 How shall they Call on Him in whom they have not Believed For I must Believe him to whom I Pray to be Omnipresent Omniscient and Omnipotent Or else I am sure he could not Hear and Help me and all my Fellow-Supplicants all over the World in all the things which we have to Beg. And if Saints and Angels be Omnipresent Omniscient and Omnipotent what then are they less than Deities And what more can we ascribe to the most High God As there is but One God So we are told but of One Mediator between God and Man 1 Tim. 2.5 And that is Enough For none can have more Power and Interest with God than He. None can have more Pity and Kindness for us And what we cannot obtain thrô the Mediation of Jesus alone We may despair ever to get by Ingratiating ourselves with any other Friends This One is better than all the Strings which they have at Rome to their Bow He that taught us to say Our Father adds not a Syllable of any Prayers that we are to make to his Mother Nor does God stand in need like the imperfect Princes of the Earth to be Sollicited by Courtiers and Proxies who must indeed first Learn from Him the very Matter which they present to Him And all the Good Manners of fetching this wide Circuit is utterly spoil'd by the Disobedience of the thing It is such a piece of Good Breeding as the Law calls Treason to give the King's Crown to a Courtier It is to offer Rebellion for Sacrifice and pretend to Honour God with the Violation of his own Law It 's true We may desire our present Friends to Pray for us But we use not to stand here and Call upon some in the East Indies Nor to apply to our Friends with the very same Gestures and Expressions as unto God Himself Indeed even the Ora pro Nobis applied by us to those in Heaven is Impertinent enough and we may better imploy ourselves than so spend our Breath which we know not if ever it Reach to them whither we direct it But if we shall be allowed capable of Understanding the common Construction of the Popish Offices as plain as words can express They do Pray Directly to Saints for the very same things that we do to God As for us We would Honour God's Saints more than to think them so Proud as ever to Arrogate or Abide the Glory of their Blessed Maker to be conferred upon Them Or to think them Ambitious of that Worship which was the Devil's desire When their language on Earth was Sirs Why do ye these things Stand up I my self also am a man See thou do it not Sure they have not since Vnlearn'd that Humility in Heaven for which they were so Eminent here below as to thank us now for the Service No they are too Good to Endure it And they that Pray to an Image Not only do Dishonour the Infinite Majesty that can never be so Represented without being most grosly Abused But also Debase themselves into a Likeness with that Senseless thing which they fall down to Psalm 115.8 They that make them are Like unto them So is every one that Trusteth in them And whoever Trusts to any thing which they Are or Have to any thing in them or about them and fly for that Refuge to any Fruitions Interests Friends or Creatures in the World which is only to be found in Him that Made Heaven and Earth As they Desert and Disoblige Him who will not give his Glory to another So they miserably Disappoint and Abuse themselves and come under the Imprecation Jer. 17.15 Cursed is the man that Trusteth in man and maketh Flesh his Arm and whose Heart departeth from the Lord. CHAP. VI. Of Licentiousness in the Manner of Praying SECT I. Taking no Care of the Heart WHEN men draw nigh to God with their Mouth and their Hearts are far from him Contenting themselves to go over so many Words in the meer Lip-labour and Yawning over some faint Petitions in a Listless drowsy manner as if they were not well Awake doing nothing Heartily as to the Lord Yea when their business is not to Meet and Enjoy the Lord but like such as Visit only out of a Formality and not for any Cordial Friendship care not if the Person be at Home or no so that they have performed the Task They do but Take the Name of God in Vain and take on them to Worship For it is but the Picture or Carkass of Worship no Worship indeed unless we Serve him with our Spirit If it be not the Act of the Mind it is not We and no more than Personating the Devout When the Supplicants have no concern either to Prepare the heart for Prayer or to keep it Intent upon the work in Praying When they presumptuously go forth in their own Strength and rush upon the Service without considering what they are going about And when fallen upon it they mind not whither the Heart Roves and gads Let the Tempter Jog and Interrupt them as the Pythoness did St. Paul when he went to Prayer Acts 16.16 Yet they take no care to seize and call in the Vagabond Thoughts Then the Prayer is nothing else but only so much Said and a Huddle of Words pour'd out into the empty Air Of no Significancy at all but only to Accuse and Condemn them for making so Bold with the Searcher of Hearts To lie Babbling in his Presence and make but a Noise as Sounding Brass and the Tinkling Cimbal Yea and commit a sort of Perjury Invocating the Deity to witness but a Lye because they Intend nothing less than what they say and if they but stay out the Time and run over the Words the work is done Such careless Prayers are never like to effect any great and Desirable matters And when Duty so flags no wonder if their Comfort also droops for the vigorous Exercises of Godliness are
that are about Him And none of his Kindness to us must ever tempt us to forget our Distance and Grow upon Him as if he were but Such a one as our selves Ignorant people think basely of God in the form of an Old man sitting in his Chair to which Bungling Conceit the Popish Painters have lent their Help daring so to Picture Him that is Invisible and Incomprehensible And answerable to the Opinion conceived of God uses to be the Worship paid to him When men think Low and Slightly of God they can be as Rude and Saucy with him and divulge their Inward Contempt in their Carriage Abroad Presenting no Oblations but what more Affront than Honour him As if they came not to Adore and Pray but to Vaunt and Huff to Shew or Divert themselves to Scandalize their Neighbours and Sadden the hearts of some and make a Game for others To cast their Dirt and Scorn upon Holy things in their Yawning or Sleeping over them or Laughing the while and Playing with them And by their Countenance and Gesture and Actions shewing no more Concern in the Worship of God than if it were an idle Gambol or the most Trivial business They will observe and Revere a frail man that shall Dye but make even nothing of the Almighty Everliving God who Awes the World with a Look and will make his Despisers discern to their eternal Cost between them that Honoured and them that so Vilified Him Christians that behave themselves Rude and Vnmannerly in their Worship shall be condemned in Judgment by the Turks who are said to be so Curious in this point they think it will Spoil all their Prayers if they but Scratch the head with a Finger while they are upon them The dreadful Judge of Quick and Dead is not to be treated after the rate of an ordinary man They that have such a Clownish Familiarity have never the more but the less Friendship with God The Prayer that Puffs up serves but to do us hurt When we are Proud of our Prayers which are indeed but Acknowledgments of Indigence and Guilt and Offices of Humiliation and Repentance we quite mistake their Design and shall as much fail too of their Success And instead of Drawing nigh to God He will See us afar off 'T is his Grace to take even our Best in good part at our hands which is but a mean Present for the most High and to imploy sinful Worms in his Service who Humbles himself to Behold even the things that are in Heaven and hath the highest Angels ambitious to Attend upon His Throne And if we use to Applaud ourselves Principibus placuisse viris to fit the Humour of Great men How much more should we rejoyce to be Acceptable to Him in whose Favour is Life Who unless we hold Back what is in our Power to Give will not Despise us that it is no Better when he sees we Have no Better But he will not endure that Proud Scorners and rude Lubbers should come to his Face only to Pollute his Ordinances but will cast their wretched Offerings as Dirt in their Faces especially when they are called by his Name and pretend to be a People Nigh to Him And yet he could not be worse Served by any that are Afar off but his Name is more Dreadful among the Heathen Tho Religion then is not to be Gawdy yet we must not strip it so Naked under pretence of Spirituality that it appear in no Decent Garb Nor make Irreverence and a Worship without any Becoming Circumstances the distinguishing Note of a Godly man For that is the way to bring all our Religion under a just Suspicion when we carry towards the great Adorable Object of it as if we had no Awe of Him nor Regard or Love to Him Cursed is he that doth the Work of the Lord so Negligently At his Peril it is who meddles not with the Worship of God but to Expose and Blaspheme it and Wo be to that man whose very Oblations are the highest Provocations SECT IV. Of Praying without taking care of our Living THE Blessed God who Lacketh nothing stands not in such Need of men's Services as to accept the Present that is all Soiled with Filthy Hands When he accepts nothing indeed from us but only to do us a Kindness and makes us much more Beholden to Him to take Notice of our Offering than ever we can Oblige Him with the Service He will Abhor even our Holy things if we Abhor his Holy Ways Therefore when we are off our Knees the Apostle cautions us to take heed how we Walk 1 Pet. 1.17 If ye Call upon the Father who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work Pass the time of your Sojourning here in Fear All the Religion of wicked men is upon their Knees without looking to their Steps They may sometimes shew Devout in their Prayers who yet are most Profligate in their Lives and use their Offices only as a Cloak for their Sins and to Compound with the Divine Justice for Going on still in their Trespasses Depositing their Pageant-like Piety in the Church Pref. to Caus of Decay of Christ Pi. only to make a Shew with on Holidays But such as are so Rotten and corrupt at Heart and quite out in the very Drift and tenour of their Life must not think to put off the Holy Jealous God with a parcel of Good Words and Demure Looks and fine Postures He will scorn all the Prayers of such as cast off his Fear and disregard his Holy Word They shall cry in vain for his Help that neglect their honest Endeavors to Help themselves They that Trust in the Lord and do no Good but presume that Christ will Save them against his own Gospel are a sort of Worshippers that are like to find as little Success in their Praying as God finds Integrity and Piety in their Walking Their Carnal Living spoils all their Spiritual Worshipping They shall find small Wellcome with Him when they love to be most Vnlike Him When they cannot abide his Friends And love none so well as the Worst of his Enemies Nay can Blasphemously Swear elsewhere as fast by the Name of their Maker as they Bow mannerly at Church to the Name of their Saviour And when they take on them to Pray the Lord to have Mercy upon them for Taking his Name in Vain and to Incline their Hearts to keep that Law and yet are so far from Minding what they Say that presently after in the accustomed manner they fall Foul upon Him and make nothing of it to Play with that tremendous Name as their Bable O how Vain are their Oblations What Abomination is their Incense Yea what Iniquity even their Solemn Meeting As good they Slew a Man as Kill'd an Ox or Cut off a Dogs neck as Sacrific'd a Lamb. Isa 66.3 If any man be a Worshipper of God and do his Will him he Heareth Joh. 9.31 The only
for having all such Bones Buried before his Own and I cannot forbear to quote a Golden Paragraph worthy of such an Excellent Author in his Preface to a Collection of Bishop Wilkins Sermons vindicating the most deserved Fame of that Right Reverend Prelate says he I purposely mention his Moderation and likewise adventure to Commend him for it Notwithstanding that this Vertue so much esteemed and Magnified by Wise men in all Ages has of late been Declaim'd against with so much Zeal and Fierceness and yet with that good Grace and Confidence as if it were not only no Vertue but even the Sum and abridgement of all Vices I say notwithstanding this I am still of the old opinion That Moderation is a Vertue and one of the peculiar ornaments and advantages of the excellent Constitution of our Church and must at last be the temper of her Members especially the Clergy if ever we seriously intend the firm Establishment of this Church and do not industriously design by cherishing heats and divisions among ourselves to let in Popery at those Breaches I break not in upon any thing that is Established nor confront whatever for Decency and Order is Appointed being well satisfied That I can be a Member and Minister of the Church of England and yet the Lord's Free-man Yea whenever I look towards Rome I cannot but bless his Name That by the Grace of God I am Where and What I am But I cannot think they are True to their Lord nor Just to their Church nor yet Kind to their Brethren who would have men under their Girdle where the Lord and the Church both has left them at Liberty What is so Graciously Given and Granted I do Plead for in behalf of every one that ought to Share in it And if thou art contented with this Reader and cravest no more Take so much Liberty without scruple and much good may it do thee And so Farewell THE CONTENTS OF THE FIRST PART THE Introduction pleading for Prayer it Self Page 1 CHAP. I. The Liberty of Praying as to the Matter of Prayer 8 CHAP. II. The Liberty of Praying as to the Manner 14 Sect. 1. Of the Freedom and Boldness of Address 15 Sect. 2. The Liberty of Vsing the Voice or not 27 Sect. 3. The Liberty to use Long Prayers or Short 30 Sect. 4. The Liberty of using Plain Words or Elegant 40 Sect. 5. The Liberty of using this Posture or that 45 Sect. 6. The Liberty of using a Form or none 51 Sect. 7. The Liberty of using one Form or another 65 Sect. 8. The Liberty of Varying our Prayers as to the Parts and Words 79 CHAP. III. The Liberty of Praying as to the Time 85 Sect. 1. The Liberty to Pray at any Time Ib. Sect. 2. Of Praying Without Ceasing 88 Sect. 3. Of Chusing the Best Times for Prayer 90 Sect. 4. The Liberty of Praying in time of trouble 93 CHAP. IV. The Liberty for the Place of Prayer 97 CHAP. V. The Liberty of Prayer as to the Persons Praying 101 Sect. 1. The Liberty that All Sorts have to Pray Ibid. Sect. 2. What Liberty have Sinners to make their Prayers 107 CHAP. VI. The Liberty of Prayer as to the Persons Prayed for 114 Sect. 1. The Liberty of Praying for All. Ibid. Sect. 2. The Liberty of Praying for Wicked men 122 The Close of the First Part Justifying the Liberty pleaded for 124 THE CONTENTS OF THE SECOND PART THE Transition To Obviate Bigots and prevent Mistakes 131 CHAP. I. Sect. 1. The Licentiousness Not to Pray at all 133 Sect. 2. Of such as withhold Prayer out of Perverseness 136 Sect. 3. Of Despising Prayer out of Profaneness 141 Sect. 4. Of Neglecting Prayer out of Laziness 143 CHAP. II. Of not Praying in the Places meet for Prayer 146 Sect. 1. Of not Praying at the Church Ibid. Sect. 2. Of not Praying in the Family 151 Sect. 3. Of not Praying in Secret 159 CHAP. III. Of Licentiousness as to the Time of Prayer 162 CHAP. IV. Of the Licentious asking Unfit things 168 CHAP. V. Of Licentiousness as to the Object of Prayer 171 CHAP. VI. Of Licentiousness in the Manner of Prayer 174 Sect. 1. Taking no care of the Heart Ibid. Sect. 2. Taking no care of the Words 178 Sect. 3. Taking no care of the Behaviour in Prayer 181 Sect. 4. Praying without taking care of our Living 184 CHAP. VII Licentiousness concerning the Success of Prayer 189 CHAP. VIII Licentiousness in Flying out against our Fellow-Worshippers 191 The Peroration with a call to Moderation and Devotion 196 ERRATA PAge 4. line 9 dele the p. 17. l. 3. after raâ—se r. our p. 78. l. â— dele â—e Part II. Chap. 2. Sect. 1. l. 1. after Combin'd r. Hâ—…many PART I. THE Liberty of PRAYER Asserted The Introduction pleading for Prayer it self THE Liberty of Prophecying which is a Disputable Priviledge and not belonging to many hath been Asserted by a famous Author And why may not any one Assert the Liberty of Prayer which is a Priviledge Uncontroverted wherein every one in the World hath a Right Should not a People seek to their God Is not only the voice of Scripture but the very Suggestion of Nature to every Reasonable Creature who in the sense of his Wants is taught to Seek out for Supply And when any thing ails him to cry O God! And look out for Help from Above The same Light which shews us a God teaches us also the Veneration of that Almighty Being which is so Superlatively Excellent Psal 86.9 10. All Nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee O Lord And shall Glorify thy Name For thou art Great and dost Wondrous things Thou art God alone No Ethnicks that ever own'd any Deity have denied Invocation which is as the Bucket whereby we draw out of God's Infinite Fulness to supply our wants Even those rude Seamen Jon. 1.5 Cried every man to his God And St. Paul tells us Rom. 10.12 There is no difference between the Jew and the Greek For the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him 'T is the Reasonable Service which every Wise considering man must needs chuse and perform Nor can we make any better Use of the Reason which God hath given us to Know Him or of the Speech wherewith he hath endowed us to express his Glory Indeed our very Precarious Beings call us to Prayers As all Weak things are taught by the Dictates of their own Nature to make towards and Lean upon that which will Support them The Hop the Vine the Ivy that cannot stand Themselves With their wires and Tendrils catch hold on somewhat else to bear them up So what should poor Derivative Creatures but repair to the Almighty Giver to be also the Continual Preserver of their Being When we feel our-selves still verging to Nothing And that we have no power to hold our Souls in Life one Moment Whither shall we betake our selves but to the Root of
Cant but Pathetick Speaking which comes warm from the Heart that is likely to be most Prevailing Especially with our Heavenly Father Who is not to be wrought upon with Rhetorick or any arts of Persuasion But calls for the Heart which is an Instrument that makes the best Musick in his Ears when it is Broken And Fineries of Language look not so Agreeable for Mourners and the Beggars which we personate in our Prayers The plainest Garb that is Decent best fits the Former And to the Latter we are inclinable to give rather when they appear in Rags than in Ribbons Jingles and Quibbles are fitter to be us'd in Playing than in Praying And it gives suspition that we rather Play with our Prayers than pour them out from a heart Sensible of our Wants and Distresses When we can be so Gay and Flourishing and vary phrases to set off our Abilities The use of our Words in Prayer being rather to Affect our selves than to Move the Lord No matter therefore how Plain they be so they be Pertinent and not Loose and indecent For we are not so much Affected with words that are Trim or Hard as with those that are Significative and Hearty He that knows the Poverty of our case will not reject us for appearing before him in a Plain homely Dress Nor Despise the Prayers of the Humble because they are of a course Thread and not set off with Laces and Fringes We may speak our Minds Down-right to God even as we would to our dearest Friend And not fear a Repulse because our words want a Flourish He speaks Elegantly enough that speaks but Intelligibly and Affectionately And when I Feel what I say and Say that which makes others Vnderstand and Sympathize with me That is the Happiness of Expression which best answers the Ends of Speech But if we think any thing Better than this we May use it Nay we should Because God is Worthy to be Served with the Best He that chiefly requires Truth in the Inward parts will also be Honoured with the Mouth And did not give man Eloquence for any thing so much as to shew forth his Praise 'T is too Morose to exclude all Flowers of Language from the Pulpit and Prayer because of St. Paul's Demonstration of the Spirit opposed to the Enticing words of man's Wisdom The Deceiver is cursed that hath in his Flock a Male and Vows and Sacrifices to the Lord a Corrupt thing Mal. 1.23 Heart and Head too must be at his Service And the Best member we have must do it's Best for him that gave it That which is called our Glory must be imployed to his Glory And when we speak not in a Bombastick Affectation or Tawdry Phraseology but in a becoming Politeness and Awful Grandiloquence such as speaks us Mindful of the Infinite Majesty we are before When the Tongue and Mind are turnâ—d to an Vnison and there is Melody in the Heart as well as Quainteness in the Mouth Pleasing to God is that Eloquence Such as have even a Natural Facility and Felicity of ingeniously Expressing themselves need not fear it will create any Prejudice against their Prayers to speak as Handsomly to God as they do to Men. Nor think that Homeliness must be Peculiar to his Service But rather Dread to pour out Crude indigested stuff to provoke a Nauseous Qualm and make the Offering of the Lord to be Abhorred And such as are fain to Study for it before they can attain to the Better way of Expression yet need not fear that the Artificial will profane the Spiritual part of their Devotion But may rather take satisfaction in this That they do not Serve the Lord their God with that which Costs them Nothing The Dr. says well That where God hath given Learning and Vtterance Pag. 143.4 He will not endure Men should be Accurate in their Discourse and Loose in their Devotions To put off the Author of every good and perfect Gift with Ramble and confused Talk Babble and Tautology Nothing under the best a man can offer being fit to present to God Yet I doubt not but the man shall be Accepted according to what he hath who strives to be as Accurate here as he is any where else Thô he cannot express himself at the Rhetorical rate of some Wits True indeed It is not the Simplicity of the Head Pag. 142. but of the Heart Yet God knows the most learned Doctor 's best weighed words to be but Weak and course before Heaven And the plainest Speech of any ordinary man that is Sincere and Devout sounds as well with him as the most Florid Harangue of the greatest Master of Language SECT V. The Liberty of using this Posture or that THO' Bodily Exercise profitteth little yet as much as the Body is capable of doing it can no where Better perform than in his Service who Framed it We are commanded to Glorify him with our Souls and Bodies both And some Bodily Distance helps to bring our Souls Nearer to God The Body is the Servant of a Servant And it is fit my Servant should serve me in the Serving of my Lord. He that hath given us Knees and Bodies to Bow down and Hands and Eyes to Lift up instructs us by our very Frame as well as by his Word how we should carry in his Worship The call to Worship is also to Fall down and Kneel before the Lord our Maker Psal 95.6 And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is to Crouch even as a Spaniel before his Master We cannot shew the Inner-man but by the Outer which is to tell how things stand Within and by proper Words and Tone and Gesture and Actions to profess the Profound Admiration we have in our minds of the glorious Excellencies and infinite Perfections of God Men that cannot see our Hearts yet take notice of our Carriage And we must dread to Scandalize those whom we ought to Edify A little matter here may give great Offence And we must not only Look to our own Hearts but take heed we do not stumble others Thô we must be so intent upon the Presence of God as little to regard who else is present with us at our Prayers and not let any Company Awe or Divert or Interrupt us in the Homage we are paying to Him who is infinitely Higher and Greater and Better than all who compar'd with Him are no more than mere Vanity and Nothing In Company we are to Pray as if there were none but God there and in Solitude as if the Eyes of all the World as well as His were upon us For he indeed is All and to Him all Persons and things else are as if they were not at all Yet it is not under pretence of Spirituality to Slight those external Signs of Reverence which are so mighty Influential to raise our own Affections and to Enflame the Zeal of others Thô we have that Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Yet even
the Child of a King may go Rudely into his Father's presence And Stately to set us down in the Presence of God as if the glorious Majesty so infinitely Above us were to be Bearded in a sawcy manner shews us to be children of such Manners as need to be better Taught as if we thought it a Lessening of our selves to use the humblest Prostrations before Him at whose Feet all the Worthies of Heaven Cast their Crowns Rev. 4.10 and whom indeed we can never Honour so much as his service Honours us Let us Consider then With whom it is that we make so Bold and not forget the Infinite Disproportion between us and Him that Made us Nor carry as if we were too Goodly to be seen Cringing low at his Footstool or as if we meant it only for a Complement when we call our selves his Humble servants It is Mockery indeed to Bow the Body at his Name when the Heart never Bends to his Gospel Like those that Bowed the Knee and cried Hail Jesus to the Lord of Glory whom they Crucified Nor is it a Puppet-Religion without Life that I contend for To make our selves such Anticks as the Popish Worshippers who had need be Masters of the Ceremonies to hit of that Worship more like a Ball or Interlude than the grave Worship in Spirit And their Religion as Ritual as Judaism clogg'd with Rites as numerous and more Obscure and useless yea even all Outside and Pageantry and as unlike the Gospel-Simplicity as dumb Shews and idle Formalities can make it such a Rote of words and Histrionick gestures and Superstitious Fopperies which any silly Children or the vilest of the people can be as nimble at as the best and contend more for the Modish forms than for the Faith Once delivered to the Saints These doings may soon give any Spiritual Worshipper Enough of Popery and utterly turn his Heart against that which is so opposite to the design and Genius of the Gospel Tho so many can wonder at the outward Pomp without the inward Life and cry The Temple of the Lord when they mind no Fellowship with the Lord of the Temple I cannot think it such a mighty Accomplishment for men to enter those Geers and observe all their postures in the Ritual Religion and shew all their Metal for the things least Required at their hands But yet outward Significations of Reverence in Worship are not such matters of Indifference as we need not take any Care of For who that has the Fear of God in his Heart can make so Bold with the Majesty of Heaven as if the great God were Altogether such a one as himself To present that to the Biggest and Best of Beings Perfect above thought and Blessed beyond addition which he would be ashamed to offer even to his poor Fellow-creature an earthly Governor To be stiff and Haughty or Whifling and wanton before the Throne of God To Loll or Yawn over the Divine Worship To sit in State as those that were Above it Or to Prate and Laugh to Gaze about or be doing some Silly actions as those that came only to Slight and Affront it How fulsome soever it be to see the Loose Liver a compleat Formalist Yet who can think well of such a rude Slovenly Religion as does not compose men into a more awful Devout Behaviour in their solemn Addresses to the Most High God whom we should never approach but with all Humility and a becoming Reverence and godly Fear and even Annihilate our selves before him But then for the Manner of expressing this Reverence In our Secret Prayers we are left at Liberty to use that Gesture which we find most to Quicken us and promote the Duty And in Publick our Behaviour must Conform to the usage of the Church with which we have Communion And with Company elsewhere our care must be so to carry our selves as to Express our own Devotion and not to Damp but Excite the same in others Holy Scripture doth not Limit us to one certain Posture of Prayer Thô the most usual and best approved among all be Kneeling Our great Redeemer himself Kneeled down and Prayed Luk. 22.41 And that for certain is the best Pattern we can follow If our Blessed Lord so Humbled himself the Greatest man must not think much to come down so Low Kneeling ne're spoil'd Silk Stocking Herb. If it hurt the Finery it will make him finer another way But yet it is not Sinful sometimes upon occasion to use another Gesture Not only Prostration or Lying along as Numb 11.25 Or Standing as Mar. 11.25 and Luk. 18.11 Even the humble Publican who would not so much as Lift up his eyes to Heaven we find in this Posture But even Sitting as 2 Sam. 7.18 King David sate before the Lord and Prayed as there to the chapters end So it is according to our Translation Thô some think it denotes rather his Abode than his Posture in Prayer with whom I list not to contend But again it is said 1 Kings 19.4 Elijah Sate down under a Juniper tree and Prayed The Impotent man then that is confined to his Bed or Chair must not think it will Spoil or hinder his Prayers Because he doth not use his Knees And when we are Walking in our Chamber or on the Way When Riding or Sitting where we cannot Retire and at the same Instant find an Occasion and Motion to Lift up our Hearts to God We must not withhold Prayer because we want a Conveniency for Kneeling But let the Office rather than Fail be done for that time in the Posture as we are And God will hear the Desire of the Humble heart thô the Body be not Incurvate in the usual Figure When I am By my self I will not scruple to Pray Standing or Walking or Lying if I find the work go forward in such ways as well as by Kneeling Prayers are not so confined to the Knees but that as I may Kneel and not Pray So I may Pray and not Kneel Genuflection I account indeed the Best but not the Only Posture of Prayer SECT VI. The Liberty of using a Form or none THE Contending Parties in both Extreams I think to be Mistaken Such as will allow of no Forms of Prayer at all And such as plead for Forms Alone and will not Endure any other way of Praying They that are against Forms as such must reject the Prayer of the Lord himself That Breviary of the Gospel as Tertullian calls it A Prayer so Comprehensive and Copious as well as Compendious that thô we may Enlarge upon it we cannot ask More than is included in it A Prayer which few Sects of Christians have been so wild as to leave out of their Offices Tho we are not bound Always to use it yet still to Pray after the Manner as it prescribes Mat. 6.9 And who can we think so fit to instruct us How God should be Prayed to and Man prayed for as he who was
enemies to the Popish Superstition Tho I dare not Idolize any Form nor make it Exclusive of all else as if there were no true Worship but that I am far from Despising what the Dr. calls such a Treasure of Rational Devotion And I believe many have a Pique at it not so much for any Exceptionable things in it as for the sake of some Admired Persons whom they hear Speak against it I have long since testified my Assent and Consent to all that is therein Appointed To allow it as True and to Approve it as Good Or as Dr. Falkner gives his sense of it Lib Eccles p. 96 That it may Warrantably and with a good Conscience be used And I do still Declare for it as far as it is Appointed i. e. for the Publick Service of the Church But I cannot think my self obliged to Plead for this Form to the Justling out of all other When as indeed Other Forms also are Contrived and put into our hands even by the Fathers of the Church And Dr. Patrick now one of our Right Reverend Bishops in the Preface of his Book of Devotions for Families thus freely delivers his Opinion That the Reverence due to the Common-Prayer will be best preserved by imploying it only in the Publick Divine Service unless there 's a Priest to Officiate in Private And that the Design of it is not to furnish people with Prayers for all those particular Occasions wherein Devout Souls should make their Requests to God And he appeals to the constant Opinion of pious Divines That other Prayers are Necessary for the Flock of Christ Besides the Publick Liturgy And I observe that his Grace the late Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Whose Name I cannot mention without some mark of Honour Such a rich Perfume his high Deserts have left behind him Who was upon constant and eminent Service of the Church even all his days And his most Vseful Learning and Happy Pen flowing with Nervous Sense in the Easiest Stile will Oblige the World even as long as it stands In his Sermon of Family-Religion makes no mention of the Common Prayer for Family-Worship But refers to the Excellent Helps for this purpose for those that stand in Need of them in the several Books of Devotion calculated for the Private use of Families as well as for Secret Prayer in our Closets Thô I Criminate none who discreetly collect out of the Liturgy to use in their Houses but commend all the Families where this or any other Offices of God's true Worship are Reverently and Seriously performed That I may not be guilty of the Imposing Humour which I censure Hanc Veniam damus petimusque vicissim Let every one enjoy the Freedom which the great Lord of all hath Allowed them Tho' God that required Sacrifices without Blemishes would have those of our Prayers as free from Mutilation and Defect as our Frailty will admit Yet I do not expect to Join with any Worship on Earth that is Perfect I am glad when I am concern'd in that which is Least Faulty And tho I would not make Invidious Comparisons nor Cry up some Prayers to the Depretiating of others Yet I must make bold to tell the Dr. That I have heard Bishops and Dignitaries and many Doctors and Divines of this Church all very Learned and Pious Pray without the Book both before their Sermons and upon other Occasions And with such a Rational and Raised Devotion as has been so far from Offensive and Grating That it has been very Instructive and Edifying And here I cannot but Reflect with some concernment on the Doctor 's Sharp Reprimand of Praying before Sermon which he says Pag. 213. Put the Rule of the Church first out of Vse and then out of Countenance And that it is a Senseless and Absurd practice After the Church has been near for an Hour together Praying for all that is Fit And That the Bidding-Prayer against all Law and Reason is Justled out by this Vpstart Puritanical Encroachment which is a Conforming to the Phanaticks How desperately doth he Strike here at his Fathers and Brethren peradventure the Most and the Best of this Church That are not to Learn even of this Reverend Dr. either to Preach or to Pray And I may add Nor to Obey the Canons neither Tho I am told he Learn'd this at a very Advantageous Season Yet what if I can point him to several Canons that he doth not think Convenient to be so Punctual an Observer of in his Parish And must the very Name of Bidding-Prayer make this Canon more Binding and Bidding and Commanding above all others Like as One Canon in a Cathedral may be more Imperious than all the Rest But if Custom has made the Bidding-Prayer at least in his sense of it as Unfashionable as the Standing-Collars and Priests Cloaks Rather let him Pelt me for following my Betters than I 'le make my self an Antick Ridiculous to all but some Starched Dons for Appearing still in the Old stiff Ruff. Yet with Submission to Wiser Judgments I offer it to Second Thoughts Whether he in his heat and Transport has not wrackt the Canon beyond its genuine drift and intention For I do not find that the Form there mentioned is Absolutely Enjoin'd So that the Prayer be but To that Effect and as briefly as conveniently the Preachers may Of which Conveniency I think themselves are the Fittest Judges or else they are not Fit to be Preachers And if they find it not Convenient to be so Brief at one time as at another I see not but the Canon leaves them at Liberty For even that which in some Ears sounds like a strict Limitation in my Judgment gives a fair Latitude for Variation and Addition and shews that the Canon does not Impose an Indispensible and Unchangeable Form but only Direct to some Heads that should not be left out When it is said In this Form or to this Effect as briefly as conveniently they may Doth not this leave Room to Vary and Enlarge beyond the bare words of Prayer exprest in that Canon For if I were bound still to keep just to that very Form and speak Nothing more than is there Mentioned it would admit of no Magis and Minus nor any thing else to be brought in tho never so Conveniently and Briefly And so run it up to the Super-Conforming Height against all Law and Reason indeed But if it be so Senseless and Absurd to Fray afore Sermon Because all that is Needful has been asked Before To what Sense then is it That the Church and the King must be Prayed for again as the Canon prescribes When it has been done Three or Four times before Nay why then must the Lords-Prayer be Repeated anew to Shut up the Bidding-Prayer when it has been Used also as many times the same Morning But he Complains not of another New Mode as much Prevailing among a sort of Divines and whereby the Bidding Prayer is I
Application of the Means Thou canst not be of God's Council Yet be sure it is to some purpose for thee to Obey his Commands He Commands thee to Pray And thou maist be Confident He would never Enjoin an Impertinent thing He would never bid thee Ask Seek Knock if it Signified nothing at all for thee to do so We are told of some Doctrines that spoil all Preaching and of some that destroy all Praying 'T is easy indeed for a man of Wit to Load with Absurdities any Doctrine he is Prejudic'd against But were it so that I must needs adhere to the one or the other For my part I should rather chuse the Doctrines that Enervate Sermons and Stain the Pride of man's Glory Than those that Vacate Prayers and cloud the glory of that Grace by which we are Saved and that not of Ourselves it being the Gift of God And herein I am proud to agree with our sweet and Excellent Poet where he thus declares I value Prayer so That were I to leave all but One Wealth Fame Endowments Vertues all should go I and dear Prayer would together dwell And for each Inch lost quickly gain an Ell. Herb. But St. Paul that zealous Assertor of God's Free Grace Gratiae Specialis Pugil Bradward did not think it an idle Exhortation when he call'd on his People To Work out their own Salvation with Fear and Trembling Thô at the same time he told them It was God that workt in them to Will and to Do of his good Pleasure Indeed if I must speak my own Sense I cannot but think my self the more Concerned to live and keep in his holy Fear when I believe all that ever concerns me lies in his All-disposing Hands And I count it to very great and good Purpose to Beg hard of Him for his Gracious Aids without whom I can do Nothing I shall leave them who think nothing is to be Askt which is given Absolutely by vertue of God's Decree to consider what room they leave for their Prayers When as themselves hold That God has Absolutely Determined to give to every one Grace Sufficient to Believe and upon their Believing to Endure to the end and be Saved And that beyond this Sufficient Grace Nothing is to be Sought of God only they are to exert the Power received and to Stir up the Grace of God that is in them And so according to their own declared Sentiments in this matter What should they Beg for that which they believe is Antecedently Secured to them Again I grant that God knows the whole of thy Case and how every thing is with thee Better than thou canst tell him But then thou art to remember That the end of thy Praying is not to Inform God of what he does not Understand but to Dispose and Qualify thee to receive what he has promised to Give To perform the Condition on thy part to be performed To Humble thy Soul and Raise up thy Heart and Enflame thy Affections and Open thy Month wide that he may fill it The Promise is Mat. 5.6 Blessed are they that Hunger and Thirst after Righteousness for they shall be filled Now thy fervent Praying argues such Hungering and Thirsting and so prepares thee for the Mercy Entitles thee to it and tends to Assure thee of it But it is a Tempting of the Lord thy God to expect his Immediate Aids without thy use of his Means And what if the Despiser of Prayer enjoy the Fulness of the World and live in all Pomp and pleasure and Prosperity And the loose Dives that Worships no God but his Fortune and his Belly is aforehand with many of God's daily Orators for the Sweet and Brave Accommodations of this Life Be sure The World 's Good shall never do them any Good who Snatch it without God's Leave and devour his Comforts without Asking his Blessing For the Creatures are Sanctified by the Word of God and Prayer And the very Blessings are Cursed to them that have them without Calling upon the Lord for them Who have them on easier terms than the Expence of their Prayers Or at least do not so Sanctify them upon the Receit shall have small Joy of them but will find them instead of Prosperous Gifts only Temptations and Snares Better indeed Ask and not Receive than Receive and not Ask. For Prayer coming between our Necessity and God's Bounty keeps the good Understanding and fair Correspondence between us and Heaven which is an Advantage of the highest consideration But then for the Better things that Accompany Salvation which are the Childrens Bread we must never expect them till we are qualified as Children going to our Father for them St. Paul calls Isaiah very Bold to say the Lord was found of them that Sought him not Rom. 10.20 However Liberal He is to Bestow such Favours Yet he is not Prodigal to throw them away upon such as count them not worth so much as the Asking for We shall not be Saved if not Sanctified Nor can we be Sanctified without the Spirit of God nor are we to look for that Spirit without our Asking Luk. 11.13 'T is not to such as Slight him but to them which Ask Him That God will Give the Holy Spirit SECT 3. Of Despising Prayer out of Profaneness THO' men of the best Rank are ambitious to attend in the Kings Presence and much greater Honour it is to attend upon the most High God Yet there are men too high to Stoop even to Him that Made them and who scarce meddle with his Name unless it be in their Oaths and to Droll upon his Word and Scoff at his Holy things They know not how to Worship and Pray and Call on the Name of the Lord But they know how to Curse and Swear and Blaspheme that blessed Name by which they are called Vile Bruits that never Look up to the Hand from whence they Receive all but go to and from their Tables as their Troughs and in and out of their Beds as their Sties without Asking of God's Leave or taking any Notice of their great Owner and Preserver So Good Fellows that they will not break Company and go Apart thô it be to Seek the Face of the Lord and to Enjoy God Himself Their ungodly Living takes them off Praying or else the Praying would take them off such kind of Living Alas what should they do with Him who they know Hates all such Workers of Iniquity He is out with them and they care not then for Drawing Nigh to Him Men Estranged from God are not for such kind of Company as Fellowship with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ For it is Likeness that breeds the endearing Friendship But what Communion hath Light with Darkness Where there is not first a State of Nearness there are not to be expected any Acts of Approximation Those Ordinances of Worship which are Breasts of Consolation to others are but dry empty Shells to them They find no
the Oyl to keep in the shining Lamp of Heavenly Hope and Joy And when the Heart instead of stooping down under the humble Sense of Sin is Lifted up in a Proud conceit of themselves and so directly Contradicts the Self-abasing work they are upon Instead of Praying in Faith Believes nothing that God hath said and so puts a Bar to all their Hopes of receiving any thing at his Hands Instead of abounding with Love is full of Cores and Malice neither for the Giving or Forgiving Charity and so turns the Supplication even into an Execration because our Lord who has charg'd us when we Stand or set ourselves upon Praying to Forgive Teacheth us to ask and Expect the Mercy to Ourselves but only as we shew and Extend it to Others And when instead of Burning with fervent Zeal like the Fire in the Alembick to send up its earnest Desires the Heart is Playing behind the Curtain and the Oscitant pretenders to Worship do but Trifle and offer up a Heartless Service as those who seem very Indifferent whether they be Heard or not yea rather Afraid to be taken at their Words All this while there may be somewhat like Seeking but here is no Striving to Enter when the Heart is no more Engaged to the Lord. Nay 't is but a meer piece of Mock-Devotion that instead of Attoning for our Sins does but Add still more to the Number And then alas What Hope can men have from such kind of Prayers even for which they have a great deal more to Answer No Wit or Parts or the most curious Art to Pack words neatly together is enough to make a good Prayer without the Drawing Nigh of the Heart and the Spirit of Supplication The Springs of Action upon what Motives we proceed and to what Ends we do it are most of all to be regarded tho they be Latent like the Roots of things that lye under Ground Yet in the Scrutiny and Examination of ourselves this is the main Enquiry Whether our Principles and Designs be right and sound at the Bottom Whether God's holy Fear and Faith and Love set us a going and whether the Pleasing of his Will the Honouring of his Name and the attaining of his Favour to be made Liker and to be brought Nearer to Him be our grand Aim and Intention Better let the Heart lead the Words thô they be but few and mean than be full of fine Expressions and no Heart to follow But O how is the Deceiver Deceived that goes about to Mock the only Wise God As good Affront him in the Face of the Sun as to Dissemble with him in the Secret of the Heart And let such as are for playing the Hypocrite with him but forbear till they can do it so as he shall not be Aware of it And then be sure they will never Dare to offer it SECT II. Taking no Care of the Words THE main Province of man is to Keep his Heart but yet it is not All nor the Only thing that he hath to look after He must see that out of the Abundance of his Heart his Mouth speak to the Purpose and as Becomes him 'T is an intolerable Presumption for poor Mortals that are but Sinful wretched Worms to be Rash with their Mouths to utter any thing that comes Vppermost tho never so Crude and wild before the most High and Wise and Holy God As if the Words of Prayer needed no other recommendation than Boldness and men might speak what their List in the greatest Presence As if they thought the Lord either such a Sorry Master whom any thing were good enough for Or one so far off as to be out of Hearing and not to Know what were said But it is the Liberty of Praying not of Prating that I plead for If it be a License taken I am sure it is not Given to roll and Luxuriate in empty Expressions without either Spirit or so much as any Good Sense To prevent which we may do well to Digest aforehand the Words as well as the Matter of our Prayers At least to have in store and readiness such a Stock of Authentick Expressions as are fit and proper for our Devotions Out of which we may produce what is Pertinent and not be at a Loss to express the Sentiments and wishes of our Hearts Tho an easy Vnaffected Stile suited to the Understanding and Infirmity of the Worshippers is the fittest and best Because Words in Prayer are used more for our own Sakes than His that understands our Desires without our Words Yet too Loose a Dress argues a Contempt of the Presence we are in When if the Tongue be but kept Going any impertinent Clack or the most course and tatter'd stuff shall serve the turn Nay so Weak and Flat are some and so Homely and Fulsome are others in their Prayers that if we may here credit Reports The Silliness of the one and the Rudeness of the other makes their Company in Pain for them and where others beg to be Heard it might be better for them if God did not Hear them Their very Tone of Prayer betraying their Contempt of Heaven when they Gabble over what they have to say without any Submissive Voice or Lively Accents or Affectionate Strain to shew how Awful and in what good Earnest they are Our Voice is the Index of our Mind and by that we signify the Devotion which is in our Hearts And he that talks at Random before the Lord shews little care that his Heart is in to perform Service meet for God's Acceptance We had as good Pray in an Vnknown as in an Vnregarded Language The one is to say We Know not what and the other We Care not what But if we must Worship with the Spirit it is requisite we should Know what we say and Pray with the Vnderstanding or else how can our Mind and Spirit be concerned 'T is less Affront to be Silent before the Lord than to offer to Him Service that is to us Vnintelligible Gibberish or Empty Talk And I cannot but tax it for a very condemnable Intemperance and Looseness of Speech in Prayer when the Tongue is suffered to run out quite beyond the Sense and Devotion of the Speaker and also as far beyond the Attention and Patience of the Hearers When the Prayers are spun out to a Tedious Length to shew how far a man is able to hold out and Jade and tire all his Company till they Long for nothing more than to be out of that Pain and then rejoyce in the Deliverance and Dread such another Affliction May they Beware by whom such Offence comes that they Distaste not any too apt to Imbibe such Prejudices against the Worship of God to whom they should use all Ingenuous and harmless Artifices to Recommend and Endear it SECT III. Taking no Care of the Behaviour in Prayer GOD that is Terrible out of his Holy Places ought Greatly to be Feared of all
off our Prayers thô we think he looks Angry at them But As the eyes of Servants look to the hand of their Masters and as the eyes of a Maiden to the hand of her Mistress So let our eyes wait upon the Lord our God untill he have Mercy upon us Psal 123.2 CHAP. VIII Licentiousness inflying out against our fellow-Fellow-Worshippers MEN that are Proudly opinioned of themselves will take mightily upon them fiercely to Rally at all that Serve not God just in their Mode Some all for Common-Prayer and some for none but Conceived Prayers And they cannot forbear bitterly to Tease and Persecute one another as if it were worse than No Prayer that is not exactly after such a Manner Yea so Absurd are many to fill the World with Heats and Quarrels about the Way of others Worship that were never serious in any Worship of their Own And think they have done a great matter to make the Party Odious that is Opposite to theirs But the question is What Service is thus done to Religion And how much Devotion is a Gainer by it We know how Strict and Nice were the Pharisees for the Out-side Religion Tho none had fouler In-sides than they Who more took upon them to Quarrel even with Christ himself And would be Holier than the Holy One of God Who more Bitter against Better men than themselves And what a mad Zeal had Paul this way before his Conversion They that have only the Form of Godliness will be like Bears bereaved of their Whelps to have it taken from them Because if you strip them of that you leave them Nothing They have but a Name to Live and would you Perswade them out of that The very Worst man that cries up their Form shall please them better than the Holiest Christian that appears for the Power of Godliness it self And this makes the Romish Worship so Agreeable to Licentious Livers That the Offices may go on and the Heart be otherwise taken up the while The Inner man may Sleep while the Outer is so Concerned And all done to Satisfaction tho not a Sin wounded nor a Lust disturbed nor any Grace exercised It is enough to turn the Stomachs of all Serious Good men against that Cause which the Roaring Blades are the great Champions and hot Sticklers for And O how does even a Good Cause often suffer by such ill Abettors and lose its Credit for their Sakes I cannot but call in question my Zeal when it strikes in with the Blasphemies of a Swearer or the Revilings of a Drunkard and pleases them better than any else To Stigmatize Persons and Ridicule their Way makes me never the Better nor my Way at all the Lovelier If I have a Zeal of God according to Knowledge I may find room enough to shew my Strictness without spending all the Mettle in that which least Deserves it The sharpest Drolls are not the Happiest Teachers Nor is he the Best Christian that makes the Lowdest Cry against others Satyrical and Dogmatical Doctors shew too little of his Spirit who was Meek and Lowly in Heart But we may know whence the Wisdom comes that is Earthly Sensual Devilish To call every thing that I dislike by an Opprobrious filthy Name and spend my Choller upon it may shew that I want a Purge my self But where Contending Parties Overdo in their Heats on both Sides I do not think I am obliged to depart from Truth or Peace to Side and Ingratiate my self with either As long as the great Lord of the Church doth not Interess himself in the Fiery Disputes for Forms or against them Who art thou that Condemnest what he does not Or layest the Main Stress on that which he Least Regards Where doth he warrant thee to Despise any good Prayer because it is a Form or Imposed Or where does he give thee license to Scoff the Effusion that is more at Liberty In good truth What is even this but a Form to the Company and Imposed upon them I dare not call him a Graceless Formalist that uses Forms Nor him a Proud Hypocrite that uses none For I am satisfied that Forms may be used piously without Formality And as there may be the Spirit of Prayer without a Form So there may be natural or Feverish Heat without the Spiritual Fervour It is not Vtterance that makes a Saint Nor Crying up Church-Orders that must needs make one a true Member of Christ's Church I am equally Distasted at both That call Praying by Habit Whining and Cant and that call the Liturgy Pottage and Idolatry I dare not Deride Prayer thô it be not Cookt exactly to my Gust nor Drest just in my Mode Nor can I count it the Effect of real Piety to be forward in Drolling upon any Holy things Prayer is A kind of Tune which all things Hear and Fear Herb. I know I cannot Worship without Faults of my Own and yet I must not therefore leave off all Worship And if I will not bear with Another's Failings but fly from all Worship that is Faulty With whom then shall I Communicate on Earth But if the other perform not his Part aright the Fault is not mine And my Joyning with him is no Engagement upon me to give my Consent and Approbation to all that ever I Hear from him Yet if I am indeed Athirst I shall not refuse good Drink tho it have some Smack of the Cask And I should methinks be more Wary than Wise never to trust any Physitian or Proctor because it is Possible they may Abuse me Nor ever to Joyn with another in Prayer because I know not before-hand all that he will Say nor can tell but a Word may drop that I do not Like I will use my own Words Yet I will not be so tied to them neither but if I find others better than my own I will not scruple to take them When I am Conscious It is not out of Laziness to save trouble and take what is Next me But to Serve God with that which I count the Best I must not presently be out of Conceit with all that I hear Derided For some that are counted the Ingenious and Well-bred men can Scoff at Scripture as well as Prayer Yea and Descant on the words of Common-Prayer as well as those of other Prayers I care not who make themselves Merry with that wherewith I find my self Edified Licentious tongues Bespatter all But the most curious and hasty to Censure and Carp at Others are commonly the most Careless at Home and the Fairest Marks to be hit themselves The PERORATION with a Call to Moderation and Devotion I Have pleaded for that Liberty which may do us a Kindness and also have made some Strictures upon the License for which we may all be the Worse That which is most Sweet may soonest give us a Surfeit And therefore thô it is an Injury to be abridged of the Diet yet we must not think it hard to be cautioned