for Non-subscription to the Book and Ceremonies and to prosecute divers private Christians for Non-observation or else their opposition to the Ceremonies therein contained Insomuch that many like the children of faithfull Abraham forsook their owne country and fathers house and went into a strange Land viz. into America to the end they might have their consciences freed from these yoaks and burdens as they thought intolerable Besides in divers places the Ministers were forbidden to exercise their own gift of Prayer and others did voluntarily suffer parts and gifts to dry up for want of using because they had this book at hand in all their administrations Further it was observed many of the people did so idolize it that they judged no other way of worshipping God like it or to be allowed by men and accepted by God but that To prevent these or such like mischiefs and inconveniencies for the future as also it may be for that some judged it not necessary if tolerable that all men should be bound to use Crutches because some could not well goe without them and also that they might bring the Churches of England Scotland and Ireland to the neerest conjunction and uniformity in Religion particularly in a Directory for worship catechizing according to their Covenant newly entred into with the Kingdome of Scotland lately set all on a flame with a Service-book which in some things was more though in others lesse liable to exception than the English Liturgy sent thither from hence by the Archbishop of Canterbury I say for these or the like reasons the Assembly advised and the Parliament which the King had confirmed by Act thought good by an Ordinance to lay aside wholly the Common-prayer-book judging it as lawful to doe it as was for Hezekiah to break in pieces the Brazen Serpent made by Moses when once abused to Idolatry The Parliament having thus removed the Booke by an Ordinance or two who were we that we should resist God and them and hazard our own and the Kingdomes and Churches peace to maintain a Form when as without charity all Prayers whether with or without a Form or Book are lost If it shall be further objected that the Service-book was setled by an Act and removed or abolished by an Ordinance To this all I think good to answer here at present is this That I have heard that an Ordinance of Parliament was of validity to suspend an Act And that that Ordinance of Parliament hath not been as yet suspended nor the Act for the Liturgy hitherto revived by any other Act. Let this suffice to justifie our non-using of the English Liturgy III. I come now to my last Observation that is to justifie our continued use of the Lords Prayer And here let me minde you that the same reverend godly and learned Assembly which judged it expedient to take away the Common-prayer did yet recommend the Lords prayer to be used in the prayers of the Church because it is take their owne words in the Directory Not onely a pattern of Prayer but it selfe a most comprehensive Prayer As the same measure may be a standard to frame and try other measures by and may besides be used to measure withall So may this Prayer of our Lord be used both as a Pattern of prayer to frame our prayers by as a Standard to examine them by and as a Prayer it selfe also And truly if our Saviour had meant this Prayer onely for a pattern and that it should be unlawful to uss it as a Prayer I believe him so plain and so good a speaker for never man spake like him and in his mouth was found no guile that he would never have answered such a request Lord teach us to pray as John also taught his Disciples in such expresse language When ye pray say Our Father c. without some caution limitation or restriction to prevent mistakes For had it been possible that when our Lord said When ye pray say Our Father c. that his sense and meaning should be when ye pray ye must not say Our Father c. ye must not say these words at any time or in any case but onely pray alwaies after this patterne we may suppose the holy Ghost would have added some explanation or interpretation as in other cases viz. John 7.38 39. and John 2.20 21. the rather considering there is no room here as in other places for a figurative sense and that it is the office of the holy Ghost to lead us into all truth and so to preserve us from error and that the words are so plaine a forme of Prayer and so plain for the using of them so that plainer needed not upon supposition that it was the minde of Christ that these words should be used as a Prayer Let us reason the matter a little what can be said against using this Prayer of Christ now which might not have been objected or pretended by Aaron and his Sons for their not using the forme of blessing prescribed of old Numb 6.23 24. Yea how shall we now justifie our practice of blessing or praying for a blessing in the words of the Apostle Paul in the close of our Sermons if it be utterly unlawfull to pray unto God in the words of our Lord Jesus in the beginning of our Sermons What is the Disciple come to be above his Master and the Servant above his Lord Again how can we think that God that hears our prayers who have not the Spirit in such a measure as the Apostles had should not regard his Sons prayer should therefore not heare his childrens prayers because presented unto him in his owne and onely Son's words Yea will God the Father heare our prayers indited by the holy Spirit not hear us when we pray that which his Son made put in our hands hearts And did not the same holy Spirit that indited our prayers indite the prayer of Christ too and do not we who have the Spirit by measure receive of Christs fulnesse as all other graces so also the spirit of Grace and Supplication I dare say that the holy Ghost is not therefore out of love out of conceit with his own conceptions because they are not new Must all our prayers necessarily be put up in our Saviours name if they finde acceptance if they be heard and answered and must they in no wise at no time in any case be sent up in his owne words or will Jesus Christ the great Favourite and Master of Requests in heaven refuse to present our Petitions because of his own drawing or inditing Must we alway when we pray pray after this manner and must we never when we pray say Our Father c If one be Scripture is not the other also yea doubtlesse both and in both we have the minde of Christ for he that said that said this also Must we alway keep to Christs sense and meaning and yet never use his words but our
from the Lord that in this and all other things I may be found faithfull If as often as Gods people meet together to worship God publiquely and especially upon the Lords day this prayer also might be offered up to God being a Sacrifice and Incense which our high Priest hath consecrated to God and his Father and to our God and our Father I should think it might be a good supplement of the defects and some emendation of the errors in our prayers Especially in such dayes of division as ours are wherein good men are split into so many several parties and opinions in matters of Church and State that whilst some holy men in their hearts say Amen to some prayers put up in their name by the Ministers others as holy as they in their hearts say God forbid or that be far from us This is a publique Prayer and no private Christian but ought to say Amen unto it However we are divided in more particular Requests wee ought all to concenter and agree in these generall neessary things herein prayed for Forasmuch therefore as when we come together in the Church to pray there are too too often divisions amongst us though we are together in one place yet not with one heart and because the promise is especially to two or three that agree together to ask any thing and to pray with divided hearts this is in a sense not to pray this is not to seek the Lord in due order to reforme in some measure at least these abuses in prayer I should recommend to all the Churches of Christ and to every Christian in them this one prayer the Lords prayer to which Christians of all Nations Tongues and Languages may agree to say Amen For I have received of the Lord that which I delivered unto you how that the Lord Jesus the same time when he was by one of his Disciples in effect asked this question how we should pray saying Lord teach us to pray as John also taught his Disciples he said When ye pray say c.. Obj. Are these things so why then do you not justifie prescribed and imposed Liturgies or forms of Prayer Answ I shall not so far lanch forth into that controversie now as either to commend or condemne them yet this I say that this was made by an infallible Spirit And againe concerning this our Saviour Christ hath said that which he never said concerning any other After this manner pray ye or when ye pray say Our Father c. I shall conclude all with some use of the Doctrine 1. And first As the Angel said to Joseph concerning the blessed Virgin Mary whilst he thought of putting her away privily Feare not Joseph thou son of David to take unto thee Mary thy espoused wife for that is conceived in her is of the holy Ghost So say I to all those just ones who have had thoughts of putting away this prayer privily feare not to take unto you this prayer which you have loved and as it were espoused for that which is conceived in it is of the holy Ghost But be not ye as the Papists are who think to make satisfaction to God and merit at his hand by the often repetition of their Pater Noster c. although without faith without understanding without holy affections And againe doe not ye slight other prayers made according to this modell or patterne by them who have the spirit or gift of prayer and above all things my brethren beware of blaspheming the spirit of prayer or praying by the Spirit accounting and calling it vaine babling 2. And you who have the gift of prayer so that ye have no need that any one teach you so that ye can goe without crutches and swimme without bladders I meane pray without using formes made by other men yet be not ye therefore lifted up or puffed up And againe be circumspect and never presume to utter any thing before the Lord in publique which will not hold weight if weighed in the balance of the Sanctuary So speak to God as considering that men also heare you And if ever you should have any thing amisse in your prayers either for matter or for manner of expression lay not this at the doore of the Spirit but rather father it thy selfe own it though with sorrow as a brat of thy owne naughty heart or extravagant fancy And farther having such a golden talent as the gift of prayer labour to improve for thy Masters and the Churches and thy owne advantage And if yee would be mighty in prayer be much in the study of the Scriptures in prayer and meditation The best way to the throne of Grace lyes by the Oracles of God And neglect not to eye and follow the cloud of Incense that is the prayers of Saints in Scripture which ascend to heaven when you would goe to God in prayer And you who have the gift of prayer pray for the Grace also and that more earnestly because one dramme of Grace is worth many talents of Gifts 3. You who have not the gift of Prayer so as to compose a Prayer but have need that some one teach you To the Lords prayer to the prayers of David Hezekiah Daniel the Apostle Paul c. in Scripture and to other formes of prayer framed by other men according to Scripture-patternes and after this manner pray ye c. As to formes of prayer composed by men of a fallible spirit use them as learners to swim use bladders so as they may be able at length to swimme without them use to goe to prayer with them as children use first to go by a bench or forme so that after a while you may as they go without them use them not as old men use staves or crutches never likely to lay them aside 4. As for those who pray not alone and with their families if they be Masters of families pretending they know not how to pray this Doctrine renders them in excusable they must needes become silent before God What can they say for themselves If they say they cannot go behold God allows them crutches to help their weaknesse Brethren if you have but a good will to come to draw nigh to God in prayer behold Jesus Christ stretches out his hand to direct you he hath left you this prayer as legs to go withall to his Father you may be welcome to God and Christ If you come but born upon the shoulders of prayers made by others if you cannot come alone of your selves goe therefore to others to teach you to pray as this Disciple did to Christ and let all Ministers Parents and Masters imitate our Lord Jesus Christ in the text and his forerunner teaching their people children servants to pray as John and Christ taught their Disciples 5. Last of all let us that use the Lords prayer ordinarily make it the patterne of our practise as well as of our prayers Let us doe as we say as we pray Let us endeavour that Gods name may be hallowed or glorified by us and others that the Kingdome of sin which is indeed the Devils Kingdome may be thrown down to the ground down to the nethermost Hell that our Lord Jesus by his good Word and holy Spirit may set up his throne in our hearts and in the world farre above the thrones of all the Kings of the earth the Prince of the aire and all the powers of darknesse Endeavour we our selves and perswade we and help we others to do the will of God on earth readily cheerfully constantly as the Saints and Angels doe it in heaven And we that every day pray for daily Bread let us take some honest calling and course to get it Operantibus dabitur your labour shall not be in vaine And content we our selves so with daily Bread with the portion for the day as to take or admit no carking or distracting thoughts for to morrow Let us who pray God to forgive us our offences against him as we forgive our brethren their offences against us let us be sure that we do not play the Hypocrites or dally with God lest our prayer be turned into sin lest our prayer to God prove like the petition of Adonijah for Abishag the Shunamite to be his wife lest it cost us our lives lest God answer and say you have spokn this against your owne lives against your owne soules you will not forgive your brethren Mites and therefore I will never forgive you Millions of talents Let not us who pray to God not to lead us into temptation goe presently and tempt the very Devill the Tempter to tempt us by throwing our selves upon occasions of sinning Whilest we pray deliver us from evill from all evill of sinne and punishment and particularly from that evill one the Devill see that we run not headlong into any sin as a horse rusheth into the battaile knowing that in so doing we cast our selves into the Lions den yea into the mouth of the roaring Lion Devill and as much as in us lieth into hell it selfe that lake that burneth with fire and brimstone And let us that fill our mouthes with Arguments to plead and wrestle with God as Princes in prayer from his Kingdome Power and Glory i. e. his ability to help us Let us with our very hearts and lives as well as with our lips praise him with the song of Moses Rev. 15.3 4. and of the Lamb ascribing to him alwayes the Kingdome the Power and Glory for ever and ever Thus sealing up our Prayer with a reall AMEN FINIS Adde this after the Title Qu. How is the Lords Prayer to be used Ans The Lords Prayer is not onely for direction as a pattern according to which we are to make other Prayers Mat. 6.9 with Luke 11.2 but may also be used as a Prayer so that it be done with understanding faith reverence and other graces necessary to the right performance of the duty of Prayer ERRATA PAge 47. line 17. instead of those words Do not open your doores to be a randevouz for Devils a habitation for Ziim and Iim and every unclean spirit read thus Do not open your doores to be a randevouz for Devils to be made like falne Babylon Revel 18.2 the habitation of Devils and the hold of every foule Spirit and a cage of every uncleane and hatefull Bird.
Dominicam idcirco mox post precem dicimus quòd nos Apostolorum fuit ut ad ipsam solummodò orationem oblationis hostiam consecrarent Greg. Epist lib. 7. Epist 63. And to say the truth I have not read or heard that ever any of the Fathers or Councils judged it either unlawfull or inexpedient to use the Lords Prayer for a Prayer And now Sir having by this time I suppose sufficiently tried if not tired your patience in detaining you so long a spectator of our contests with this half doZen of errors I shall adde no more but desiring that this Epistle may remain as a publique acknowledgement or expresse of gratitude for those Respects and Favours wherewith you have been pleased to oblige our Brackley-society I shall onely bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus for you that you may be the blessed of the Lord and your off-spring with you and particularly sith you are one who can say Amen to the Prayer of Moses for Levi Deut. 33.11 and to the Prayer of Christ Mat. 6.9 c. and Luke 11.1 2 c. that you may beare a part in the Song of Moses and of the Lamb. Sir this is and shall be the heartie prayer of Your very humble Servant in the Lord Tho Hodges Decem. 1. 1655. A TREATISE OF PRAYER And particularly An Apology for the use of the Lords Prayer On LUKE 11.1 2. And it came to passe that as he was praying in a certain place when he ceased one of his Disciples said unto him Lord teach us to pray as John also taught his Disciples And he said unto him when ye pray say Our Father c. GOd having but one Son made him a Minister of the Circumcision that is he ordained him a preacher of the truth to his own people the Jewes This man was not meerely as other Priests taken out from amongst men but that in all things he might have the preheminence he was taken from amidst the persons of the ever blessed Trinity to deale in things pertaining unto God And now being made an Officer in the Church it behoved him to wait on his office and to fulfill his Ministry which he had received of the Lord. And accordingly he did he gave himselfe continually to Prayer and to the Ministry of the word and so he became an example and pattern to his Apostles which they did follow Acts 6.4 and to all Ministers that come after that they should tread in his steps And upon occasion of his frequent going to prayer at a certain time when he had been about that holy performance one of his Disciples whether one of the Apostles for they were all called Disciples or one of the seventy Disciples or some other of his followers I determine not but one of them desires of him to teach them to pray as John Baptist had taught his Disciples It may seem either that this Disciple was not present at our Saviours Sermon on the Mount wherein as you have it Mat. 6.9 he taught his Disciples and in them all Christians to pray after this manner Our Father c. or else that he did not apprehend our Lords meaning at that his first delivery of this form of Prayer but took it for a model or pattern of Prayer onely And as probably the chief Masters or Rabbies amongst the Pharisees had framed certain formes of prayer for their Disciples and John the Baptist had given his a forme of prayer suitable likely to their present condition wherein it may be one great request was that the Messiah whom John preached and they expected and longed for might suddenly come into his Temple So this Disciple prayeth Christ to prescribe his Schollars and followers a form also both as a badge and cognizance of being his Disciples and as a help and furtherance to them in their devotions Possibly the Liturgy of the Scribes and Pharisees might now be leavened with evil as well as their Sermons Observable it is that our Saviour sometime adviseth on this wise saying the Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses chaire whatsoever they say unto you that observe and do but we never finde that he counselled to pray their prayers And again it may be that the form which John Baptist the Lord Christ his Harbinger taught his Disciples to prepare the way for Christ was not sufficiently accommodated or fitted to the condition of them who believed him already come followed him professed Faith in him and were ready to or actually did preach him Upon these or such like considerations this Disciple might make this motion to our Saviour saying Lord teach us to pray as John also taught his Disciples and occasion our Lord more plainly and fully to expresse himself concerning the use of that form of prayer formerly delivered now not to say as before After this manner pray yee but when ye pray say Our Father c. It is the saying of learned Mr. Mede As the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh because the thing was established by God so the Lords Prayer was twice delivered that we might not scruple the using but know it for a truth that Jesus Christ did recommend it to his Church to be used as a forme of prayer and not a patterne of prayer onely Let this serve for the occasion and scope of the words There are three observations which I shall raise and prosecute in part in my treating on this text 1. Gods Children or People or right Christians are a praying generation 2. It is lawfull to use a Form of Prayer 3. It is lawful to use this Form the Lords Prayer for a Prayer I. Of the first Gods Children or right Christians are a praying generation That John the Baptist the Elijah who was for to come was also noted for prayer I gather hence because 't is said that hee taught his Disciples to pray And that they viz. his Schollers or Disciples learnt this lesson and practised this duty seems implied in the same phrase And as for Christ himself the onely begotten Son of God and his Disciples the adopted children of God that they were men of many prayers those who much frequented and highly valued this Ordinance the very words of the text import or at least insinuate From these premises I inferre my first conclusion and ground my following discourse thereupon I shall endeavour to shew what Prayer is That all men ought to pray That the children of Men as well as the children of God That very Heathens without the pale of the Church and profane or scandalous Persons Formalists and Hypocrits within do sometimes pray That Gods own People his dear Children or right Christians are most frequent and most excellent at prayer They take the most pains about it and the greatest pleasure in it Prayer is a making of our requests known unto God It is an offering up of the first born of our soules i. e. of our desires unto God To pray well there is nothing required
what gifts He addes to him shall one give of the gold of Sheba And according to his word the Queen of Sheba gave King Solomon Gold even to an hundred and twenty talents and of Spices very great store and pretious Stones and yet I have not told you the halfe of Solomons treasury he had an Exchequer of prayers far beyond all gold and pretious stones For when his dying Father as some thinke by the Spirit of Prophecy had blessed him with that wealth he addes that which excelleth all the gold and riches of both the Indies Prayer also shall be made for him continually Psal 72.10 11 15. Again this Royall Prophet when he speakes unto God in prayer hath yet that holy boldnesse as to liken his prayers to Incense to Sacrifice to the evening Sacrifice which because it did most punctually typifie Jesus Christ who was offered up about the time of the Evening Sacrifice might in that respect have the preheminence Psal 141.2 Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense and the lifting up my hands as the evening sacrifice In all this David sinned not nor spake to God foolishly or unadvisedly with his lips for prayer is as a sweet incense before God in the language of the Old and New Testament Malach. 1.11 Revelat. 8.3 4. And according to the price and value this holy Prophet set on the duty was his practice of it sometimes he prayed thrice a day sometimes seven times a day perhaps thrice a day was his ordinary daily course and seaven times was his practice upon Sabbaths and Festivals Againe sometimes he prayes at midnight and rises to the duty sometimes early in the morning his prayers prevent the dawning of the day Understand this of continued prayer As for Ejaculations sudden short dartings and breathings of his soule after God this kind of prayer was his element the aire his soule delighted to breath in the pulse of his soule beat this way and thus his heart panted toward God continually not onely seven times a day but seventy times seven times When his body was at rest in his bed his soule was fully imployed in following hard after God He makes his bed as it were a Bethel a house of prayer and when the time of feasting is over or ceaseth even in the night watches when he is on his bed then hath he meat to eat which the world knowes not then he doth not as some dreame of a feast but hath his soul satisfied wiâ—h holy meditations as with marrow and fatnesse A second eminent instance we have in Daniel who as before so after the decree was signed by Darius that whosoever should ask any petition of any God or Man save of the King for thirty daies space should be cast into the den of Lions went into his house and his windowes being open in his chamber towards Jerusalem he kneeled upon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God as he did aforetime saith the text Dan. 6.10 It was not the den of Lions could scare him from his wonted devotions and prayers three times a day There were four circumstances which considering that his enemies were many and mighty and such as did watch for his halting did notably commend his zeale 1. He prayed with the window of his chamber open towards Jerusalem though he was at Babylon a ceremony then used because of the Temple there a type of Christ and because of Solomons prayer in case they were in captivity 1 Kings 8.48 If they pray toward their land the city which thou hast chosen and the house which I have built for thy name then heare thou their prayer c. 2. He prayed kneeling he did not omit his wonted humble gesture though a circumstance or cermony no not when his life was in danger and this posture might possibly help to betray him Could he have satisfied himself to pray in his bed for these thirty daies as thousands amongst us do all the daies of their lives if they pray at all saying 'T is good sleeping in a whole skin Why should I stir out of bed to pray there is a Lion in the way it may indanger my life I say could he have done thus probably the sparing his knee might have help'd to have saved his head 3. 'T is not unlikely that his prayer was vocall that he used his voice in this prayer he would not be silent though he knew he should be an offender a traytour for his words that what his Enemies heard him say in his private chamber in a corner they would publish on the house top and punish in the Lions den 4. It may seem that he continued his prayers till his enemies came and found him Dan. 6.11 and yet possibly might have some intimation or notice of their coming before they apprehended him He would not forbeare continued prayer for a moneth nor abate the ceremony of kneeling nor the circumstance of his voice nor change his times of prayer all into the night time nor cut them off by halfs in the day no though his life lay at stake The Lions roared yet Daniel did not feare And as for the New-Testament Saints the Disciples and followers of Christ as their Lord and Master was a man of many prayers so were they of his houshold and retinue It was the cognizance and character of converts in the Primitive times They continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayers Act. 2.41 42. yea 't is brought as a convincing argument of the reality of Saul's coversion to Paul froÌ„ a persecutor to be a professor a chosen vessel unto Christ Behold he prayeth We are not to imagine but that whilst he was a Pharisee he prayed often But now he prayed more earnestly more from the heart and it may be with strong cries and teares to him that was able to enlighten his darknesse I mean to cure his blindnesse both of soul and body and to save him both from the shadow of death and from utter darknesse Now he prayes to the Lord Jesus Christ whom formerly he persecuted I am Jesus whom thou persecutest Now he prayed after another manner than ever he did before Nor ought it to seem a wonder that Gods children Christians of all men should be most zealous and excellent at prayer if we consider 1. The example of their Lord and Master Jesus Christ 1. Hee was often at prayer witnesse his usuall Oratory Mount Olivet He was zealous at it witnesse his transfiguration on Mount Tabor whilst he was praying and a second kind of transfiguration of his in the Garden when being in an Agony he prayed more earnestly and sweat great drops of blood trickling downe to the ground Luke 22.44 2. If we consider the many precepts and exhortations to this duty Pray without ceasing 1 Thes 5.17 Pray all manner of prayer Eph. 6.18 and Luke 18.1 Jesus Christ spake a parable to the end men should
sight of the Lord a wicked man he was and yet he besought the Lord 2 Kings 13.4 and he hearkened unto him Again I say unto unregenerate persons it is their duty to pray 't is their sin if they doe not It is not their sin simply to pray but they sin indeed whether they eat or drink or sleep or plough or pray because they do not these things to the glory of God but they sin more who will neither lift up their hands to heaven nor put their hand to the plough nor exercise themselves in some honest calling Let thy plough as soone stand still because the ploughing of the wicked is sinne as thy prayers cease before the Lord therefore But God forbid that thou shouldst sinne against God in ceasing to pray for thy own soul for others also although thou beest unregenerate I dare confidently say that no man is ever the farther off from finding grace because he doth in a way of prayer diligently seek for it Prov. 2.1 2 3 4 5 6. Ezek. 36.25 26 27 37. Mat. 7.7 If once God bow thy heart to pray in good earnest there 's hopes he will incline his eare to heare Only see thou henceforth regard not iniquity in thy heart if thou expectest that God should regard thy Prayer 2. Pray with your families thus dedicating your houses daily unto the Lord. The Jews at their first entrance or taking possession of a new house to dwell in it did use to pray feast and sing Psalmes hence the title of the thirtieth Psalme A Psalm and Song at the dedication of the house of David Christians let your houses be dedicated houses houses of prayer and singing of Psalmes to all that dwell therein Let God have his morning and evening Sacrifice every day Christians either have or ought to have a Church in their houses your houses should be Seminaries and Nurseries for the Congregation where God should have a Church let not the Devill have a Chappell Instead of praying reading and singing of Psalmes let there not be heard cursing roaring and revelling doe not open your doores to be a randevouz for Devils a habitation for Ziim and Iim and every unclean spirit We heare little now of Fairies and Hobgoblins of Spirits walking in houses I hope one reason is because the worship of God is set up in many houses Therefore it is that Dagon falls down because the Ark of God the Ordinances of God are brought into the house Let all that come under your roofe say Surely the feare of God is in this place this is none other than the house of God and this is the gate of heaven God ordained in the beginning that the first-born of every family should be the King or Governour and the Priest to offer sacrifice God provided a Magistrate and a Minister in every house I perswade my selfe that one great cause why many men are no more masters in or of their own houses or that they finde so much trouble and dâ—sturbance in their government from wife children servants is this because they seperate those things which God hath joyned together they will be Kings to over-rule their Families but they will not be Priests unto God to offer unto him the sacrifice and incense of Praise and Prayer with and for their families they would be Masters but they refuse to be Ministers in their own houses Where there is most praying to and blessing of God together in families I dare warrant there 's the least brawling and cursing of one another Those that serve God together most will least seek to domineere one over another But no mervail you cannot agree all the day in and about your own work when you did not agree in Gods work together in the morning I finde in the Scriptures that God required one great act of religious worship to be performed in private houses namely the Passover And they say that the Jewes in their publick mournings did use to shut themselves up in their houses with their families and there upon some extraordinary occasion they might fast pray and mourn See Zech. 12.12 13 14. Now if they held it lawfull to worship God in such great and extraordinary acts of devotion in their private houses and that too the Temple standing Then let not the calling the family together to pray read and sing Psalmes now in Gospel times be censured for an unlawfull Assembly nor any man be in danger to be called in question for such daily exercises there being sufficient cause whereby we may give account of such meetings in every place every day Yea let me exhort you not onely to make Prayer your ordinary your everyday-work but that when ever the Bridegroom is taken from you when Christ with-drawes his presence or hides his face from your family that then you that are the children of the Bride-chamber would fast and pray in those dayes I dare boldly say that one speciall way and meanes to keep hunger or fasting through necessity or to keep mourning or eating your bread with sorrow and mingling your drinke with teares out of your houses and to celebrate a continuall feast to have peace of conscience and the joy of the holy Ghost amongst you in your dwellings is to bring in prayer ordinary and extraordinary under your roofe As God blessed Potiphar's house for Joseph's sake and the house of Obed-Edâ—m for the Ark's sake so be assured he will blesse you and your houses if you would open your doores to entertain Family-prayer throughout all your dwellings that imprecation or curse of the Prophet should never come nigh your houses Poure out thine indignation upon the Heathen and upon the families that call not upon thy name your houses should never be Beth avens i. e. houses of iniquity and vanity your places Bochims places of weeping your fields Achâ—eldama's fields of blood your valleys valleys of Achor valleys of trouble if you would daily by prayer consecrate them Bethels that is houses of God Let none scruple to pray with their family because it may be some of them are not Saints for this is the way to make them all so And I never read that our Lord Jesus refused to be present at the Passeover which yet was not celebrated without prayers because that Judas a Devil was there But this I read that our Lord prayed in the presence of many thousands Iohn 6.26 27. although some of them were such as laboured more for the meat that perisheth than for that which endureth to everlasting life ver 66. 3. Pray in publique do not forsake the assembling your selves together the praying to God and praising of him in the great Congregation The glory of a King is the multitude of his Subjects And God is most honoured when thousands and ten thousands of his Saints come together into his Courts to bow and kneele before him in prayer David was glad when they said Come let us goe into the house of the Lord.