may act their parts over us and we may live peaceably and quietly under them For all persons any ways afflicted for enemies persecutors and slanderers and we are to beg of God for them the same good things as we would beg for our selves 4. Giving of thanks wherein we are to bless God for all mercies already received vouchsafed to our own persons to all who relate to us to the Church and State whereof we are members to all mankind We are to give unto God the retribution of thanks for all spiritual blessings for giving us his Son and holy Spirit for affording all means to bring sinful men from their vitious courses unto himself for suffering us to be born within the pale of the Church to be brought up in Christian Religion where we have the advantages of the Word Sacraments and all the means of eternal life put into our hands We are to render to God our thanks for his patience and long-sufferance in waiting for our repentance for his calls and invitations outward by his Word inward by his Spirit to bring us to repentance for his good great and gracious work wrought upon any of us in bringing us clear off from prophane worldly and carnal courses to lead Godly and Christian lives We are also to praise God and to give him the retribution of our thanks for temporal blessings for the peace and prosperity of the Church and Nation for all remarkable deliverances vouchsafed to either for all the good things of this life in general and in particular for health food raiment friends all preservations and deliverances and for all mercies whatsoever which cannot easily be enumerated Vnder all the forementioned heads the main body of the Service constantly used in our Christian Assemblies is contained which Service is to be concluded with the Priests blessing and benediction without which the Assemblies cannot well be dismissed or dissolved These few considerations I thought good to recommend unto you not so much to instruct the knowing as to inform the ignorant who either enter not Gods house at all but it may be are worse imployed when they should be there which is an evil they consider not of and so they offer God no Sacrifice at all or else they enter it without any devotion or reverence which is another evil that they consider not of and so they offer to God a Sacrifice of fools or being entred it may be do not understand their own offering which they are to offer up and so they offer to God they know not what serve him they know not how nor wherefore But to correct those evils that persons may come to the house of God come as they should come and knowingly and understandingly do what there is fit to be done I have presented these considerations to those who do evil in Church-Assemblies and consider not when they do it These Christian Reader with the following Notes made upon our service-Service-Book I freely offer to thee hoping that thou wilt as kindly accept them as I do freely offer them and I pray God to direct thee and to give thee a right understanding in all things Farewell RUBRICK The Order for Morning Prayer daily throughout the Year EXPLANATION Note 1. THat Prayer is a devout ascent of the Soul to God whereby we petition him for such things as we need both for our support and duty and we ought to be frequent in this devout exercise because it is not only the great duty but the greatest priviledge of a Christian commanded by Christ's Precept and commended by Christ's Example who was frequent in Prayer not so much for himself as for our benefit and instruction Note 2. That Prayers especially publick in the Church-Assemblies are to be ordered set and prescribed because in the Church which ought to be the School of comliness things are to be done decently by observing every due and proper Scheme and Figure which the action shall require and according to the order and appointment of Ecclesiastical Governours 1 Cor. 14.40 It is much to be wondred at that any persons of sober judgments and well ground in Religion can imploy their time so ill as to devise and study objections against prescribed Prayers in the publick Service of God Because set forms were prescribed by God in the Old Testament Numb 6.23 24 25. Deut. 26.5 Christ in the New not only enjoyned a set form to be used by his Disciples Luk. 11.2 but he whose every action should be our instruction used one himself It was also the practice of the Jews from the time of Ezra and long before constantly to use set forms of Prayer by way of Liturgy neither did they use them only as a necessary provision for the Ignorant but as a secure hedge and fence to their Religion by this means to keep all mixtures and corruptions out of their Church and they had 18 Prayers or Benedictions set and composed according to the matter and form of which some say the Lords Prayer was instituted and it is very probable that in imitation of the Jews the Pagans might use set forms at their Sacrifices and most certainly they did which forms were first approved of by the Priests before they were used and when they did use them they read them out of a Book that they might neither stray in the matter of their Prayers nor offend in the manner And that the Church of Christ hath in all ages used a prescribed and set Form I think is not to be question'd After Christs ascension and before the Holy Ghosts descension they continued all with one accord in Prayer and Supplication Act. 1.14 which Prayer was certainly in a set form for as yet the Holy Ghost was not come down upon them neither were they qualified for Prayer above the ordinary rate of other men and when the Holy Ghost did come down with his extraordinary gifts those gifts continued not long and therefore an early provision was made for set forms to be constantly used to supply the defects of them which Liturgies as ours is were framed up according to St. Paul's prescribed pattern 1 Tim. 2.1 consisting 1. Of Supplications for the averting of all hurtful things sins and dangers 2. Of Prayers for the obtaining of all good things which they wanted or stood in need of 3. Of Intercessions for others for Kings and all in Authority for the whole Church 4. Of Thanksgivings for mercies already received in all which they prayed not only for themselves but in a greater diffusion of their charity for all mankind And all were prescribed 1. That the people might the better joyn with the Minister and say Amen to the Prayer 2. That the peoples wants might be the better enumerated the people themselves be the better edified all absurdities in Prayer might be avoided and all might with one mind and one mouth glorifie God Rom. 15.6 RUBRICK At the beginning of Morning Prayer the Minister shall read with a loud voice
THE REASONABLENESS OF OUR Christian Service As it is contained in the Book of common-COMMON-PRAYER EVIDENCED And made clear from the Authority of Scriptures and Practice of the Primitive Christians Or A short RATIONALE upon our Morning and Evening Service as it is now Established in the Church of ENGLAND Wherein every Sentence therein contained is manifestly proved out of the Holy Bible or plainly demonstrated to be consonant thereto Composed and written by Thomas Elborow Vicar of Cheswick And since his death made publick by the care and industry of Jo. Francklyn A. M. and Minister of Brentford 1 Cor. 1.10 11. Now I beseech you brethren by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgment For it hath been declared unto me of you my brethren by them which are of the house of Cloe that there are contentions among you LONDON Printed for Richard Chiswell at the Rose and Crown in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1678. Imprimatur July 3. 1674. C. Smith R. P. D. Episc Lond. à Sac. Dom. To the most Virtuous M rs FRANCES ELBOROW Widow of the late deceased Author Madam YOur Husband the Author of this following Treatise a very worthy and in his station eminent Minister of and what of greater note a faithful Advocate for the Church of England besides his continued Exhortations to Piety to all whom his Care did reach or his Interest could prevail with was in the Practises of Publick Duties an eminent Christian Subject continually promoting those Duties fundamental to Government Loyalty and a Communion with the Church by Law Establish'd Of the former and his endeavours for it he gave a good Testimony in the beginning of our late Troubles by his diligent Perswasion of others to it and what is truer proof his own Sufferings for it The latter became 〈◊〉 Care in its season too When our Soveraign was restored to his Right the Church to its former Order and He to a Place for the exercise of his Function he endeavoured to undeceive those the foregoing Times had misled and to make them sensible of the true Harmony in the Churches Publick Divine Service And as his Endeavour so was his Prospect great too for seeing the Present Age even spoil'd he did look forward and endeavour to mend the Succeeding To this end he writ the following Annotations with a design as great as good and which I hope will not in a small measure gain upon the World to beget the Worship of God its due reverent performance to gain the Church the Communication of all â—ational English Subjects and all of the Churches Communion a true sense of their Publick Devotions That neither so great a good nor the memory of the worthy Author should dye not only the care and love which my Function presseth me to of actions of this nature but also many singular acts of kindness and friendship which I had receiv'd from the Author made me gratefully concern'd But having added to these of his many and great favours receiv'd from Your virtuous hands and of those most obliging me to perpetuate your Husband's memory to have him known to the World by benefiting it with some Work of his I lay under far greater obligations To satisfie which that among other scatter'd Papers which came to my hands I should choose to publish this Piece was in consideration of his intent thoughts upon the benefits of it and of the concurrence of Your generous temper rather desiring the benefit of most then the satisfaction of the most curious Knowing moreover that any name or thing made publick hath its reception and takes the measure of its estimation from the greatness or the generality of the advantage it brings There had layn indeed a just accusation against me as of dis-ingenuity toward the Publick so of great ingratitude to your Virtues and to the memory of your Husband upon my neglect in this concern However now give me leave of this necessity to make a small piece of virtue and from that little care the publishing this Book requir'd in me take advantage to express my gratefulness to the memory of the worthy Author and to you the surviving part of him my desire to shew my self Madam Your very faithful Friend and Servant J. F. Brentford June 6. 1677. THE PREFACE TO THE READER Courteous Reader Iâ—ind written Eccles 5.1 that some persons who come into the Religious Assemblies to offer up their service and devotions to God and for want of due consideration do absurd things they do evil and consider not that they do it Now if it be demanded who they are that do so the same Scripture tells us They who do not keep their feet when they enter into the house of God do not demean themselves with all the Reverence imaginable when they come into that Holy place where Gods terrible Majesty is represented which is enough one would think to suppress any unworthy and irreligious actions or thoughts They who do not come into Gods house with all holy devotion and prepared resolutions to offer to him an holy Worship and Service such as he will accept of They who are not ready to hear and to receive instruction to salvation by the Word of God which is there publickly taught They who do not readily dispose themselâ—es to all voluntary obedience to the same Word in which obedience consists that Service which is more acceptable with God than any Sacrifice outward They who come into Gods house and special presence there to offer him a Sacrifice and perform it in such a gross and rude manner as that God will not indeed cannot accept of it they do as it were affront him in his own house they offer him an abuse before his face they come to express their folly rather then to shew their devotion they give him the Sacrifice of fools and all for want of due consideration For they consider not that they do evil Now to correct all these errours and evils which may be committed in the Service of God for want of due consideration which are great evils however little account we may make of them I shall fix your considerations upon some few things very necessary to be thought upon when ye are either going about or are upon the Service of God 1. When ye are entring consider that ye are entring Gods house and therefore keep your feet when ye enter Eccles 5.1 which words are a caution commanding our care and our consideration that we do not enter rudely that we do not enter rashly and unadvisedly I or we are going into the house of God whither we are to carry nothing along with us which may be displeasing and offensive unto that God into whose house we are going We are to look to our feet that is our passions and affections which are as the feet and lower part
what the Servant binds or looses here on Earth the Lord himself ratifies and confirms in Heaven Mat. 18.18 19. Now in the Absolution to be pronounced by the Minister or rather after it this clause is added Wherefore let us beseech him to grant us true repentance and his holy Spirit and may seem to be added for these reasons following 1. To shew that as Repentance is a necessary disposition to pardon so that it is also a necessary consequent of it for he who is pardoned ought to be as much a penitent if he truly understands himself as he who seeks pardon as we are daily liable to sin so for our own safety we are to secure and keep our selves within the state of pardon which we cannot do but by continuing in a state of Repentance besides the sad remembrance of sin though pardon'd ought to be always grievous to us 2. Because after a sin is pardoned and remitted the Devil is most busie to tempt the sinner either to commit the same sin again or a worse therefore as in the Lords Prayer we are taught to pray first to have our sins forgiven and next not to be led into temptation so here no sooner is Absolution and Remission of sins declared and pronounced by the Priest as a great priviledge and favour granted to all sincere Penitents and sound believers but the same pardoned persons are invited and stirred up in their own defence to pray for a continued Repentance and assistance of Gods holy Spirit that they may be secure from all Satans temptations for the future and make the grace of Pardon already granted a new obligation to more holy living that so we may not only please God in our present Devotions but also in our future life for most certain it is that every lapse after pardon is the greater sin John 5.14 2 Pet. 2.20 But we are to note in the last place that the people are enjoyned to answer Amen as at the end of this so of every Prayer in the service-Service-Book because Amen if pronounced as from the heart is an Indication of the peoples assent to the preceding Prayer and an affirmation that the thing prayed for is good and necessary for them and a tollification of the peoples votes and desires to obtain it It hath ever been used at the end of Prayers and pronounced with a loud voice carrying in it devotion zeal and fervency it is the last acclamation of our prayers in the pronouncing of which the Primitive Christians were wont to raise up their bodies as if they had a desire to carry their bodies as well as their souls up to Heaven RUBRICK Then the Minister shall kneel and say the Lords Prayer with an audible voice the People also kneeling and repeating it with him both here and wheresoever else it is used in Divine Service OUr Father which art in heaven hallowed be thy name Mat. 6.9 thy kingdom come thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven ver 10. give us this day our daily bread ver 11. and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us ver 12. and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory for ever and ever Amen ver 13. EXPLANATION They must certainly be vain and wicked acted on by some wild and extravagant spirit who to make way for their own crude and humane breathings not fit sometimes to carry the name of Prayers would thrust the Lords Prayer quite out and allow it no place in the publick Divine Service which is as the Salt of the Sacrifice and that which should season all our Liturgick Offices Certainly as men may use other Prayers so they ought not to be restrained nor to restrain themselves from the use of this which is a Prayer used by the Church of Christ all the world over dictated at first by the supreme wisdom of our great and eternal Mediator Jesus Christ who presents our Prayers unto God and perfectly knows our Fathers mind It is the most complete Prayer which can be made summing up all the most lawful requests which can be imagined the epitome mirrour rule of all other Prayers in a wonderful brevity of words including so great plenty and variety of matter as if it would make a Camel to pass through a Needles-eye It contains in it more histories and mysteries then words it is the most methodical emphatical divine Prayer that ever yet was or shall be composed for all the parts of it cohere with an admirable symmetry it is exactly made in measure and proportion all of it is full of Torches which enlighten each other not all the wits on Earth nor Angels in Heaven were ever capable of dictating the like There is as much difference betwixt this and Prayers of man's composing as betwixt the Tabernacle and Pattern upon the Mount the Tabernacle was Earthly framed by man the Pattern Heavenly formed by God so this Prayer is all over coelestial and divine whereas our Prayers are at the best but humane and framed up by man's industry Neither is there any man so knowing or so religious who is not subject to many failings in the composure of his Prayers they are subject to imperfection to excess to disorders to many irregularities we cannot possibly be without some errour in this business either we want or exceed are too short or too long or raise our thoughts out of rank and place when we speak our own Prayers but in saying the Lords Prayer if our hearts go along with the prayer we cannot fail to speak well we omit nothing we speak nothing superfluous we are not extravagant we cannot be impertinent in our words Therefore having framed up Prayers according to what is possible for us to do and having well considered the defects of them we have recourse to this most absolute Prayer of Christ for the perfecting of all the imperfections in our own Certainly we who are Christians ought to say this Prayer because Jesus Christ hath put it into our mouths and made it to be the abridgment of all Prayer wherein are summed up all lawful requests He hath given it to be a rule and guide for us to pray by and an exact form for us to pray in It is a Prayer of universal concernment in respect of things contained in it persons using it times when and places where it may be used All the Churches of the Christian World pronounce it and it must needs be a great consolation to us to keep our part in this great consort we may say it in prosperity and adversity in Peace and War in health and sickness in life and at the hour of death young and old rich and poor noble and ignoble Princes and Peasants may all pronounce it together Therefore not without good reason is it so frequently used in our Liturgick Offices because it is so large for matter so short and