terrours by night and of the Pestilence walking in darkness and therefore Evening and Night Prayers are certainly a good defensative against both What remains of the Evening Service is the same with that of the Morning and concludes in the same manner Hereunto is added by way of Appendix these following Paraphrases 1. A Paraphrase upon Psal 95. Vers 1. THe great God of Heaven is he from whom all our deliverance and strength doth come O let us uniformly joyn in praising and glorifying his Name Vers 2. Let us make our daily constant addresses to him with all the acknowledgments and expressions of thankful hearts Vers 3. For he is the Supreme God of Heaven and Earth the only super-eminent Monarch over all Powers and Dignities to whom Angels in Heaven are Ministers and the mightiest Princes upon the Earth are Vice-gerents Vers 4. The bowels and bottom of the Earth are in his disposal and so are the loftiest and stoutest Hills by which it is also intimated that the meanest and lowest men or creatures on Earth are particularly ordered by his providence in all that befalls them here and the mightiest men in the world are bounded and governed by him Vers 5. It is he that framed the whole Orb of the Sea and dry Land and so contrived them the one within the bowels of the other that they should not incommode each the other but both together make up one useful Globe for men and all other creatures to inhabit Vers 6. O let us joyntly adore praise and pray unto him and make the members of our bodies partners and witnesses of the real devotion of our hearts let us joyn inward and outward reverence together in the most submiss and lowliest gestures thereby signifying and expressing the sincere humility of our Souls which is a tribute most justly due to him who is the great Lord and Creator of all Vers 7 8. And although we have often rebelled against him and so have often deserved his dereliction and as often smarted for it yet if now at length we shall be wrought upon by his calls and warning and perform unto him sincere obedience he is most ready to accept us to take us into his care and protection and to secure us from all our enemies Vers 9. But let not us like our provoking fore-fathers who being delivered by him sinned yet more against him after we have so liberally tasted of his power goodness and long-sufferance and after his many gracious calls afforded us to Repentance rebell against him and provoke his wrath by imitating them in their ingratitude and impenitence Vers 10 11. For fourty years together wherein for their sins God detained and perplexed them in the wilderness they did frequently provoke God to indignation and made him resolve that they were a stupid Idolatrous people preferring the worship of false Gods and Devils before the obedience and worship of him the only true God of Heaven and Earth therefore being as it were tired out with their continued provocations God obliged himself by an Oath irreversibly that of the many thousands which came out of Aegypt only two persons who were grown up to be men should enter the Land of Promise O let not us follow them in their sins lest we follow them also in their punishments and so fall short of Heaven as they did of Canaan 2. A Paraphrase upon Benedictus Luk. 1. vers 68. Vers 68. ALl glory honour and praise be unto the great Lord and gracious God of his chosen people and select inheritance for he hath performed his promise so often made to them by his gracious Visitation in bringing them out of Aegypt formerly by a temporal deliverance which did pre-figure a greater deliverance to be wrought by Christ the promised Messias who is shortly to be born Vers 69. Of David's Family and invested with all power honour glory dignity and triumph to be a King Ruler and eminent deliverer of his people whose Kingdom is not Secular but Spiritual Vers 70 71. Of whom honourable mention is made by all the holy Prophets of God speaking of him as with one mouth from the beginning of that age which was before the coming of the Messias unto this present time The end of whose coming is to save us from all our spiritual enemies sins and dangers by taking upon him our nature and in it performing perfect unsinning obedience by dying upon the Cross for us and by giving us precepts and rules by their own inward goodness most agreeable to our reasonable nature for the purifying of our affections and for teaching and instructing us to lead pure lives Vers 72. By all which God hath made good his signal promise of mercy made to the holy Fathers and Patriarchs wherein both themselves and their Seed were highly concerned Vers 73. Especially that great and gracious Covenant of mercy which he made to Abraham and his Seed in a Spiritual sense and ratified and confirmed by the Sanction of an Oath Vers 74 75. Namely that he would give us power ability and grace in and from the Messias revealed to obey and attend him in a sincere performance of all duties to God and man and chearfully and constantly to persevere therein being by him rescued and secured from all dangers of enemies without us though not altogether from those which may be founded in our selves in our own negligences and miscarriages Vers 76. And thou Child meaning John the Baptist shalt be a wonderful person and extraordinary Prophet of God for thou shalt foretell Judgments on the Nations if they repent not speedily and in a signal manner shalt point out Christ being his immediate fore-runner and shalt preach Repentance and amendment of life thereby to fit and prepare men for him Vers 77. Teaching all men that in Christ there is a possibility for sinners to obtain Salvation and to have their sins pardon'd upon their Repentance and New life Vers 78. Which is a special act of compassion and signal mercy in God through which mercy the Messias who is called the Day-spring by the Prophets is come from Heaven to visit us and to abide amongst us Vers 79. And to shine forth to blind ignorant mortals and obdurate worldlings who lived in a state of sin and death and to bring them and us into the way of Sanctity and Holiness which leads to Salvation and life eternal 3. A Paraphrase upon Psal 100. Vers 1 2 O Let all the people in the world bless worship and praise and offer up their Prayers and Supplications to the great God of Heaven let them resort daily to his Sanctuary and constantly attend his Service and account it the most estimable and delectable task and the most renowned and most glorious imployment which they can possibly undertake Vers 3. For this is the only way to converse with the great and glorious and omnipotent Creator of all things to whom we owe all that we have and all that we are to him we
our blessed Saviour repeated one Prayer three times Mat 26.44 and he questionless could have altered had he thought it either necessâ—â—â—â— or convenient Such short ejaculatory â—rayers as these come nearest to the pattern given by our Saviour who gave to his Disciples a short form and in all the Holy Bible we meet not with any example or pattern of a very long Prayer Solomon's Prayer used at the Dedication of the magnificent Temple which he built to God is the longest we meet with in Holy Scripture And saith holy Augustine the business of Prayer is rather done by sighs groans and fervency of heart then by multiplicity of words RUBRICK Then shall the Priest and the People with him say the Lords Prayer OVr Father which art in heaven Hallowed be thy Name Thy kingdom come Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven Give us this day our daily bread And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us And lead us not into temptation But deliver us from evil Amen Luk. 11.2 3 4. For the often use of this Prayer in our Liturgick Offices and the meaning of it see before The Versicle Priest O Lord deal not with us after our sins Answer Neither reward us after our iniquities Psal 130.3 Let us pray Why this is so often used see before O God mercifull Father that despisest not the sighing of a contrite heart Psal 51.17 nor the desire of such as be sorrowful mercifully assist our prayers that we make before thee in all our troubles and adversities whensoever they oppress us and graciously hear us that those evils which the craft and subtilty of the devil or man worketh against us be brought to nought and by the providence of thy goodness they may be dispersed that we thy servants being hurt by no persecutions may evermore give thanks unto thee in thy holy Church through Jesus Christ our Lord Psal 20. Psal 86.7 O Lord arise help us and deliver us for thy Names sake Nehem. 1.9 10 11. Ezek. 20.9 Ezek. 36.12 O God we have heard with our ears and our fathers have declared unto us the noble works that thou didst in their days and in the old time before them Psal 78.3 4. Psal 43.1 O Lord arise help us and deliver us for thine honour Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Foly Ghost Answ As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen Why this is used and so often see before From our enemies defend us O Christ Psal 25.15 16 17 18 19. Graciously look upon our afflictions Pitifully behold the sorrows of our hearts Mercifully forgive the sins of thy people Favourably with mercy hear our Prayers O Son of David have mercy upon us Luk. 18.9 Both now and ever vouchsafe to hear us O Christ John 14.13 14. Graciously hear us O Christ graciously hear us O Lord Christ Priest O Lord let thy mercy be shewed upon us Answ As we do put our trust in thee Psal 33.22 Note All the forementioned Prayers with the Responds are short lively active and spirited Prayers uttered with fervency which are most available with God when they come from devout and righteous souls Jam. 5.16 it is the short Prayer which pierceth Heaven God looks not at how much we pray but how well we pray how heartily and sincerely we pray Such were the Prayers of the most devout Christians in ancient times whose hearts fired with zeal and devotion did passionately send forth short Prayers as the hottest Springs send forth their waters by ebullitions See before Let us pray WF humbly beseech thee O Father mercifully to look upon our infirmities and for the glory of thy Name turn from us all those evils that we most righteously have deserved and grant that in all our troubles we may put our whole trust and confidence in thy mercy and evermore serve thee in holiness and pureness of living to thy honour and glory through our only Mediatour and Advocate Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Note the fulness of this Prayer and by this judge of all the rest Herein we pray that God would in mercy pardon the sinful frailties and infirmities of our lives and the imperfections of those very Prayers wherein we beg that pardon This we beg not for our merits for we can merit nothing at his hands but upon the account of his mercy And we pray further that he would divert from us all the evil of punishment which our evil of sin might move him justly to inflict upon us and that whatever calamities befall us in this world for our own defaults yet we may repose confidence in his mercy and not distrust him though he kill us however we may have cause enough to distrust our selves but that we may be awakned and warned by the punishments which he is pleased to inflict upon us to walk more warily for the future to make our actions more holy and our lives more pure that so we may bring good to our selves and honour and glory to him and all this as we do all other things convenient and needful for us we beg not through the mediation and intercession of any Saint or Angel but through our only Mediatour and Advocate Jesus Christ our Lord. A Prayer of St. Chrysostom ALmighty God who hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications unto thee and dost promise that when two or three are gathered together in thy Name thou wilt grant their requests Fulfill now O Lord the desires and petitions of thy servants as may be most expedient for them granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth and in the world to come life everlasting Amen 2 Cor. 13.14 THe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost be with us all evermore Amen Here endeth the Litany And be it noted that the Litany is no distinct Service properly for a Service consists of Psalms Lessons Creed Thanksgivings and Prayers distinct only it is a distinct Form and many times made use of as a fit preparative to other ensuing Offices Formerly notice was used to be given by the tolling of a Bell when it was to be said The accustomed days for the saying of it are Sundays Wednesdays Fridays the three days of Rogation and other Fasting-days appointed to be observed in times of Plague Famine War and other general calamities and it is a devotional piece of Service very suitable to all such times The usual place for saying of it where it can be done conveniently is in the midst of the Church and just before the Chancel-door the Ministers turning their faces towards the Altar or Communion-Table when they say it For saith Chrysostom it is fit that the Minister who officiates in Prayer should put on the outward garb and deportment as well as the inward mind of a Supplicant and therefore he
agreeable to right Reason and Religion that we should begin our Service to God with Confession of our sins that having first confessed our sins and implored God's pardon for them we may the better pray unto him and praise him for other things So David began with Wash me throughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sin Psal 51.2 and then he says Open thou my lips O Lord and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise ver 15. because sin doth shut up our mouth and God pardoning sin opens it that we may chearfully pray unto him and praise him And whereas Confession of sin is enjoyned to be said of the whole Congregation after the Minister it is for these reasons 1. Because the Minister is the peoples mouth to God-ward in Prayer both to go before them and to instruct them as in Preaching he is Gods mouth to the people 2. By this means the Church like a careful Mother makes provision so far as she can that none of her untoward children should dissemble their wickedness the humble and penitent confession whereof is made so necessary an introduction to her Divine Offices Now this Confession is to be made kneeling because it is the fittest posture for Penitents that by the outward lowliness of our bodies we may the better express the inward humility of our minds All Holy men we meet with in Scripture were for this posture of kneeling at their devotion David Psal 95.6 Solomon 2 Chron. 6.13 Ezra chap. 9.5 Daniel chap. 6.10 Christ Luk. 22.41 Stephen Acts 7.60 Paul Acts 20.36 God would not have us when we come before him to worship him to offer to him and to receive from him to be as if we had no joynts in our knees he expects more from us then from the Pillars of our Churches Every day we begin our Service with a Psalm which invites us to it Psal 95.6 And the first Christians ever used to begin their Service in this manner saying Before all things let us fall down and worship the Lord who made us This was the first voice heard and the first thing done in the Primitive Church We daily utter the same voice and daily invite our selves to do the same thing and shall we never do it for all this what is this but to mock God nay to mock and abuse our selves for God will not be mocked he knows our misdemeanours in his Service and how to apportion out punishments in his own due time such as we deserve As Augustus the Emperour said to one who came rudely into his presence to petition I wonder how we two come to be so familiar so if we do but observe how rudely and with what unmannerly behaviour some persons come into Gods presence to beg pardon of him for their sins it may raise more wonder to think how God and they come to be so familiar RUBRICK The Absolution or Remission of sins to be pronounced by the Priest alone standing the people still kneeling ALmighty God Gen. 17.1 the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 15.6 who desireth not the death of a sinner but rather that he may turn from his wickedness and live Ezek. 33.11 1 Tim. 2.4 and hath given power and commandment to his Ministers to declare and pronounce to his people being penitent the absolution and remission of their sins Luk. 24.47 Joh. 20.23 2 Cor. 5.19 He pardoneth and absolveth all them that truly repent and unfeignedly believe his Holy Gospel Act. 10.43 Luk. 24.47 Act. 3.19 Rom. 1.16 Wherefore let us beseech him to grant us true repentance and his holy Spirit 2 Tim. 2.25 Act. 11.18 Luk. 11.13 that those things may please him which we do at this present Heb. 11.6 Rom. 8.8 and that the rest of our life hereafter may be pure and holy Ephes 1.4 Joh. 5.14 Rom. 6.6 so that at the last we may come to his eternal joy Heb. 12.14 Mat. 5.8 through Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 5.21 Rom. 6.23 RUBRICK The People shall answer here and at the end of all other Prayers Amen Nehem. 5.13 1 Chron. 16.36 1 Cor. 14.16 EXPLANATION The Absolution is as to every part of it grounded upon Scripture Remission and Absolution are two names which signifie one and the same thing a loosing from sin wherein the Soul is held bound as in a prison Psal 142.7 Psal 119.32 Sin is as a yoke burden chain fetter which loads binds and holds fast the Soul Lam. 1.14 Psal 38.4 Psal 73.6 Absolution helps to remove this yoke to lighten this burden to loose this chain Sin is a debt Mat. 6.12 Luk. 11.4 Mat. 18.27 by Absolution and Remission we are acquitted and discharged from this debt The Heathens looked upon the characteristick A when set alone as a propitious letter because it noted amongst the Romans the Absolution of a Criminal whereas the characteristical letter C was the mark of a condemned person but in Christianity let C for Confession be placed before A for Absolution it alters the case very much Some persons indeed have been very much offended at the word Absolution and therefore prevailed to have the word Remission stand by it to be its Interpreter into milder sense those persons I conceive to be like some people which I have read of who fearing their Tygers called them by more gentle names that they might not be devoured by them But some scruple may again be made why the Priest alone should pronounce this Absolution and that in the standing posture when all the people are still upon their knees Which scruple may easily be removed from those who can distinguish the Priest and a Minister in his Office from an ordinary person not invested into Holy Orders For the Priest especially when in his Office and officiating is in Christ's stead and acting in one part of his Commission given to him by Christ which is to absolve penitents Mat. 16.19 John 20.23 Neither doth he absolve by way of declaration only but by way of authority Jam. 5.14 15. which authority is absolutely and originally in God who is only able to forgive sins by the highest and most unquestionable authority Mark 2.8 Yet there is by the Charter of the Church a subordinate delegate power derived from God by Christ to the Priests and Ministers for to remit or to retain sin John 20.22 23. The Priest remits or retains sin as a Civil Magistrate pardons or condemns a Malefactor not by any power originally in themselves but by a power delegated from God And to shew by what power he acts the Priest pronounceth the Absolution standing and when the Confession of sin is serious from the heart unfeigned such as God requires and will accept of the Priest's Absolution is without question as effectual as if God himself did pronounce it from Heaven Heaven waits for and expects the Priest's sentence on Earth and if the person to be absolved by an hypocritical and feigned repentance make not the key to fail in such cases
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-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
expectation of Christ's coming to Judgment should teach us to be constant in making up our accounts against his coming as persons daily expecting a righteous though a gracious Judge to sit upon us He is one who will come in flames of fire and in great wrath to take vengeance on his Adversaries and upon all who do not obey the Gospel one who will not only sift our actions but search our very hearts and reins who will not suffer any one sin to be carried along under the disguise of Religion or on confidence of his favour but will come from his Throne of Mercy in Heaven and sit upon his Throne of Justice here upon the Earth to judge all his provokers one who will not be moved with passions bribes flatteries to punish or reward according to any other method or rule but only this of every man according to his works Rom. 2.6 This one would think should bring us to a pious awe of him restrain us from sin keep us in good courses and make us work out our Salvation with fear and trembling I believe in the Holy Ghost who is God a distinct person in the Godhead from the Father and the Son and proceeding from both In respect of Nature the Father is holy and the Son holy the Father is a Spirit and the Son is a Spirit but in regard of Office the third person in the Trinity is eminently stiled the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit He is stiled the Holy 1. From the holiness of his Nature 2. From the holiness of his Office whose special Office it is to make the Church holy The Father sanctifies by the Son and by the Holy Ghost the Son sanctifies from the Father by the Holy Ghost the Holy Ghost sanctifies from the Father and the Son immediately by himself Again he is stiled the Spirit 1. In regard of his Nature which is spiritual 2. In regard of his procession from the Father and the Son being as it were inspired and breathed from both 3. In regard of his operation and manner of working for he inspires and breaths into us holy motions and desires to good things and is the Fountain and Spring of all spiritual life in us This Holy Spirit is holy in himself pure from all sin pollution corruption hypocrisie partiality and that most eminently and he is the Author of all holiness and purity in us which he works in us by two ways of dispensation 1. Outward 2. Inward His outward dispensation was in most eminent manner when he descended visibly upon the Apostles filled them with Graces and furnished them with Powers to plant preserve and govern the Church of Christ over the World The Powers which he invested the Apostles with were these 1. To preach the Gospel 2. To baptize those Nations which embraced it 3. To confirm those whom they had baptized 4. To admit those to the Sacrament of Christ's body and bloud whom they had confirmed 5. To exercise the powers of the Keys in Censures in punishing the pertinacious and casting those out of the Church who would not conform to the rules and orders of it that so they might be ashamed and be made to reform their wicked lives and be capable of being received in again by Absolution upon their sincere repentance evidenced by their Reformation 6. To ordain others and to commit the same powers to them which the Holy Ghost had settled in themselves and so to continue a settled Ministry by succession unto the end of the world In respect of all these forementioned donations the Holy Ghost is stiled a Paraclete by which word we are to understand 1. An Advocate 2. A Comforter 3. An Exhorter and Instructer Now the Holy Ghost is to be considered as an Advocate 1. In respect of Christ 2. In respect of Christians Now the Holy Ghost is Christ's Advocate in pleading his cause against the incredulous world by a threefold conviction John 16.8 1. Of Sin and that great crime of not receiving Christ but rejecting him who was testified and demonstrated by the coming down of the Holy Spirit after his Ascension to be a true Prophet 2. Of Righteousness to convince the world that Christ was a righteous person and unjustly crucified as appeared by his Assumption into Heaven and participation of his Father's Glory 3. Of Judgment to convince all men that Christ who was judged in the world shall judge the world and pass sentence upon the Devil the Prince of this world who was the first contriver of his death and upon all who side with him and take his part Again as the Holy Ghost is Christ's Advocate so is he also the Advocate of all Christians 1. In settling a Ministry to pray and intercede for their several Congregations and enabling them to form a Liturgy to be continued in the Church to that end thereby helping our infirmities and teaching us to pray as we ought 2. In sanctifying those Prayers which the Church daily offers up to the only true God by the only true Mediator Jesus Christ that so they may be offered up with acceptance to the Father by Christ our Mediator Again as the Holy Ghost is an Advocate so is he also a Comforter for by power and abilities bestowed upon men the comfortable news of the Gospel the promises of pardon and grace are divulged to those who want comfort Lastly the Holy Ghost is our Exhorter and Instructer in exhorting us to Repentance to fly from sin and the wrath to come and to walk worthy of the great vocation and calling of our Christianity unto which we are called and by exercising all external means which belong to his Titles and Offices for the working of all manner of sanctity in our hearts and by using all inward means secret preventions incitations over-shadowings and all other assistances which are absolutely necessary to beget and continue holiness in our hearts All which do attend upon his outward ministrations before-mentioned and constantly go along with them to hollow them to all worthy receivers and obedient disciples Now to believe in the Holy Ghost is to acknowledge the truth of all that is before made mention of and to accommodate our practice accordingly and to conform to this Faith 1. By submitting our selves to those Spiritual Pastors whom the Holy Ghost hath set over us as they themselves are to be careful of that Flock whereof the Holy Ghost hath made them Overseers 2. By not intruding into and usurping upon the Sacred Function and Ministry nor meddling in it without a lawful call and such as may justifie it self to be from Heaven 3. By obeying all the several Powers which the Church is invested with 4. By devout hearing the Word 5. By due preparing our selves for Baptism and bringing others to it 6. By fitting our selves for Confirmation 7. By examining our selves that we may come fitly prepared to the Lords Supper 8. By fearing the Church-censures and if we are at any time under them by
hear us when we call upon thee Psal 4.1 Psal 30.10 Psal 109.26 Priest Endue thy Ministers with righteousness Answer And make thy chosen people joyful Psal 132.9 Priest O Lord save thy people Answer And bless thine inheritance Psal 28.9 Priest Give peace in our time O Lord 2 King 20.19 Psal 122.6 Answer Because there is none other that fighteth for us but only thou O God 2 Chron. 20.12 Exod. 14.14 Nehem. 4.20 Isa 31.4 Priest O God make clean our hearts within us Answer And take not thy holy Spirit from us Psal 51.10 11. EXPLANATION The forementioned Prayers are all agreeable to Scripture of Divine derivation and because they are most what taken out of the Book of Psalms the Priest is ordered to stand up at the reading of them they are short and in that respect conformable to Scripture pattern and Primitive practice The interchangable way of praying is used here and often elsewhere in our Divine Offices which is agreeable to Primitive practice also and the end of it is to refresh the peoples attention to teach them their part in the publick Prayers to unite their affections and to keep them in a league of perpetual amity In these Prayers we pray first for the King next for the Ministers of Christ Priests and Deacons and in the last place for the People and in all we follow that excellent pattern which was set us by the Royal Prophet David Psal 132.1 9. And although it may be our good happiness to live in a time of Peace yet we pray constantly for Peace in our time in the same sense as we pray in the Lords Prayer for daily bread when we have it by us we pray that it may come where it is not and that it may continue where it is we pray also for the blessing of peace as well as for peace it self And although we pray in express terms for peace in our time yet we do not forget posterity only we dare not presume that it shall remain with us with her wings clipt for ever as we ask for bread this day and yet we neglect not to morrow only we follow the rule of our Saviour who forbids us anxiously to take care for to morrow And whereas it is added in the foregoing Prayers Because no other fighteth for us but only thou O God our meaning is that we fear not War but hope for an eternal Peace of God to defend us we acknowledge him our Shield our Watch-Tower and our Keeper Psal 18.2 Psal 121.4 Psal 127.1 Psal 73.25 and that there is none that holds with us but Michael our Prince Dan. 10.21 that is Christ Though Angels and men may fight in our quarrel yet they all do it but as God's Instruments God only fights for us as principal Agent He it is who teacheth our hands to War and our fingers to fight Psal 18.34 And in regard that without Christ's assisting us with his holy Spirit we can do nothing for he is first and last we can neither begin nor end well without him therefore as we begin so we end with God First we desire God to be with us and with our Spirit and in the last place we desire of God that he would not take his holy Spirit from us RUBRICK Then shall follow three Collects The first of the day which shall be the same that is appointed at the Communion The second for Peace The third for Grace to live well And the two last Collects shall never alter but daily be said at Morning Prayer throughout all the year as followeth all kneeling The second Collect for Peace O God who art the author of peace and lover of concord 1 Cor. 14.33 2 Cor. 13.11 in knowledge of whom standeth our eternal life John 17.3 whose service is perfect freedom Luk. 1.74 John 8.32 36. Rom. 6.18 1 Cor. 7.22 Defend us thy humble servants in all assaults of our enemies Psal 31.3 4 5. that we surely trusting in thy defence may not fear the power of any adversaries Psal 125.1 Psal 118.8 9 10 11. Psal 62.6 7 8. through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord Act. 4.12 Amen The third Collect for Grace O Lord our heavenly Father Mat. 6.26 Almighty and everlasting God Gen. 17.1 Gen. 21.33 who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day Psal 22.9 10. Psal 3.5 defend us in the same with thy mighty power Psal 62.2 and grant that this day we fall into no sin neither run into any kind of danger Mat. 6.13 Psal 19.12 13. 2 Thes 3.3 Psal 17.5 Gen. 20.6 but that all our doings may be ordered by thy governance to do always that is righteous in thy sight Psal 17.5 Prov. 20.24 Psal 5.8 Psal 119.5 through Jesus Christ our Lord John 14.13 Amen EXPLANATION Collects are so called because they are Prayers in short sums containing much matter in few words like so many choice Flowers gathered and collected out of the Scriptures Garden and bound up in little Posies to be offer'd and presented to God by Jesus Christ The first Collect here mentioned for the day is always fitted to the day and framed for the most part in reference to something remarkable in the Epistle and Gospel for the day which the Collect is set before The second Collect is for Peace because we cannot well pray nor offer up an acceptable Sacrifice to God without Peace where there is no Peace there is no Piety Godliness nor Honesty therefore we pray for Peace that the rest may be preserved 1 Tim. 2.1 2. The third Collect is for Grace to live well because if there be no Peace with God by holy life there can be none with man There is no peace to the wicked Isa 48.22 Peace and Truth Isa 39.8 Peace and Righteousness Psal 85.10 Peace and Holiness Heb. 12.14 are joyned by God in Scripture and by us should not be parted Our Religion if truly Christian is pure and peaceable Jam. 3.17 RUBRICK In Quires and places where they sing here followeth the Anthem Then these five Prayers following are to be read here except when the Litany is read and then only the two last are to be read as they are there placed A Prayer for the Kings Majesty O Lord our heavenly Father high and mighty King of Kings Lord of Lords the only Ruler of Princes who doest from thy throne behold all the dwellers upon Earth Most heartily we beseech thee with thy favour to behold our most gracious Soveraign Lord King CHARLES and so replenish him with the grace of thy holy Spirit that he may alway incline to thy will and walk in thy way endue him plenteously with heavenly gifts grant him in health and wealth long to live strengthen him that he may vanquish and overcome all his enemies and finally after this life he may attain everlasting joy and felicity through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer for the Royal Family ALmighty God the fountain of all goodness we humbly beseech thee
Psal 136. 1 Chron. 16.41 and to the practice of Primitive Christians to appeal to and to magnifie the mercies of God upon all needful occasions and to beg his mercy of pardon particularly for those sins which we are guilty of and for which we stand in need of pardon The like allocations are to be met with in all the Liturgies extant O God the Father c. O God the Son Redeemer of the world have mercy upon us miserable sinners As we have deviated from the Law of Creation so from the Law of Redemption which is the greater deviation and renders us the more inexcusably guilty therefore do we petition our Redeemer the only begotten Son of God whom he sent into the world not to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved John 3.16 17. Gal. 3.13 Gal. 4.4 5. Heb. 2.9 1 Pet. 1.18 19. that he would have mercy upon us and procure unto us pardon for those breaches which we have made against the Law of our Redemption O God the Son c. O God the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son have mercy upon us miserable sinners As we have sinned against the Law of Creation and Redemption so against the rule of Sanctification which was set us when we were dedicated to God in Baptism and consecrated to Gods service by the Holy Spirit therefore do we petition God the Holy Ghost who was sent down after the Son went up to comfort us John 14.16 to teach and instruct us John 14.26 and to confirm the truth of Christ and the verity of Christian Religion John 15.26 and to seal all those who sincerely embrace it unto the day of complete Redemption Ephes 4.30 that he would pardon those sins whereby we have grieved him and those many offers and tenders of grace which he hath made unto us and we have obstinately rejected and refused O God the Holy Ghost c. O holy blessed and glorious Trinity three Persons and one God have mercy upon us miserable sinners As we have broken the Law of Creation transgressed the Law of Redemption and violated the sacred rules of our Sanctification and so have made our selves unhappily guilty by our miscarriages and misdoings against all the three Persons in the Godhead therefore do we petition them all to have mercy upon us and to pardon our misactings O holy blessed c. Remember not Lord our offences nor the offences of our fore-fathers neither take thou vengeance of our sins spare us good Lord spare thy people whom thou hast redeemed with thy most precious bloud and be not angry with us for ever This is agreeable to Scripture wherein we pray that God would make good his promise to us and remember our sins and iniquities no more Heb. 10.17 that he would not punish the fathers sins upon the children in the same sense as he himself hath threatned in the second Commandment Exod. 20.5 We read of the like form of prayer Ezra 9.7 Nehem. 1.6 Joel 2.17 and we plead the price of our Redemption mentioned 1 Pet. 1.19 to move God to remove his anger from us that it may not rest upon us according to those pious expressions which we meet with Psal 85.4 5 6. From all evil and mischief from sin from the crafts and assaults of the devil from thy wrath and from everlasting damnation Good Lord deliver us The summe of this petition is contained in the Lords Prayer and all the rest of the petitions in this Litany may easily be reduced to it From all blindness of heart from pride vain-glory and hypocrisie from envy hatred and malice and all uncharitableness Good Lord deliver us This is all agreeable to Scripture which mentions in express terms the very sins which we here pray to be delivered from Blindness of heart Ephes 4.18 Pride 1 John 2.16 Vain-glory Gal. 5.26 Hypocrisie Mat. 6.5 Envy hatred malice and uncharitableness Fphes 4.31 From fornication and all other deadly sin and from all the deceits of the world the flesh and the devil Good Lord deliver us We have Scripture-warrant for all that is contained in this petition touching Fornication 1 Cor. 6.18 and other deadly sins 1 John 5.16 Now they which are usually accounted of as deadly sins though by the general practice of them they may seem otherwise are these Pride which is opposite to Humility Covetousness which is opposite to Liberality Luxury which is opposite to Chastity Envy which is opposite to Gentleness Gluttony which is opposite to Temperance Anger which is opposite to Patience Sloth which is opposite to the devout and earnest serving of God These are called the seven deadly sins not because we judge any other sin in its own nature to be venial and not deadly but because they are so deeply rooted in our nature that it is a very hard matter to mortifie them and therefore do we pray to be delivered from them and from the deceits of the world the flesh and the Devil the grand Enemâ—es of our Christianity which we renounce and bâ—d dâ—hance to in our Baptism For to be intangled with the world is to be drawn from God 1 John 2.15 and to live after the flesh and to be carnal minded is death and to be at enmity with God Rom. 8.6 7. and to be taken in the Devils snares is a very dangerous thing and a very great blessing and happiness to be freed from them 2 Tim. 2.26 From lightning and tempest from Plague Pestilence and Famine from battel and murder and from sudden death Good Lord deliver us When we pray to be delivered from lightning and tempest our meaning is that we may be delivered from the dangers of the whole year arising many times and falling upon us by Lightning in Summer and by Tempest in Winter and when we pray to be delivered from sudden death our meaning is that we may not die such a death as God hath threatned to and usually inflicts upon the wicked Psal 50.22 Psal 73.18 Prov. 1.27 but that we may die comfortably with renewed Faith Repentance Reconciliation and setting of our houses in order that our death may neither be untimely nor unprovided for but that it may be after the common manner of men having nothing in it extraordinary but piety We desire that we may not be snatched away suddenly nor perish and come to fearful ends that we may not die like Absalom Judas Corah Dathan Abiram Ananias and Sapphira all which died fearful and unusual deaths but that we may die comfortably as Jacob Moses Joshua David who leisurably ended their lives in peace and prayer for the mercies of God to come upon their posterities For however there is no condemnation to the Elect and those who are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 yet it may so fall out that some of the Elect themselves may die with more scandal less joy of conscience and enjoy less joys of Heaven then other of their brethren From all