expose us to contempt and loathing to harden Mens hearts against a just Reformation to make those who are reformed grow sick and weary and ashamed of the distracted unsetledness and ungovernableness of such people Who like nothing but what is unlike to all the Churches of Christ that have been in the World till this last unhappy Age. This cannot proceed from the Blessed Spirit of Grace which cannot lead Men to destroy the Church which Christ hath purchased by his Blood Which it is evident cannot be preserved much less promoted but by a due regard to those who are over us in the Lord and by adhering closely to such an Authentick Constitution as that of this Church which is the genuine Off-spring of the Apostles declaring nothing to the people but the true sense of the Ancient Apostolick Church throughout the World Which alwayes had such Governours of a superiour Order and Degree to other Ministers as we have such Prayers such Hymns in a word such a Face of Religion as is here seen in this our Church of England And may be seen Blessed be God in other Reformed Churches particularly in those called Lutheran who as Chemnitius tells us have had solemn Prayers every day and much after the same Order that is observed in ours His words are these Populus singulis diebus bis certa hora c. The people assemble every Day twice at a certain hour Exam. Concil Trident. Pars iv cap. ult Morning and Evening and after the singing of some Psalms Lessons are read in order partly out of the Old Testament partly out of the New And the Assembly concludes alwaies with Common Prayers and some Hymn of Thanksgiving And besides the people come together every Week on some certain Day in greater Multitudes to make Publick and Solemn Supplications which are called Letanies And so he proceeds to relate how they Worship God with the greatest Solemnity on the Lord's Dayes and upon special Festivals in memory of the great Benefits we have received on the Nativity Circumcision c. in short on all the Dayes now observed by our Church O that there were such an heart in us as instead of Wrangling and Disputing seriously to set our selves to make the best use we can of such Blessed Opportunities as God still affords unto us of meeting together every Day for his Worship and Service Especially upon Letany Dayes when there ought to be a fuller Congregation and more than ordinary Devotion One of those Dayes at least I should think every Devout Christian may easily see there is great cause to set apart every Week for Fasting and Humiliation together with Supplication and Prayer to the Divine Majesty that he would turn away his Anger from us Men are naturally too backward I know to such Holy Imployments and satisfie themselves that they have an Excellent Religion which they highly value without considering that they have so much the greater Obligation upon them to joyn frequently in the Holy Offices thereof Let that therefore for a conclusion be added to all the motives I have used in this Book to stir you up to the constant performance of this Duty that it will be the greatest shame to us if when they whose Religion is a false Worship have their constant Dayly Service and attend upon it we who have the truest Notions of God and the most Excellent Religion have less regard unto it by which means their Religion how corrupt soever it be is upheld and maintained and for want of this ours though never so pure must needs fall to decay For they that love the Religion they profess though it be not so sincere and perfect as it ought to be yet never fail to reap all the Benefits which it is able to afford and this among the rest that they keep their Religion by their unfeigned Love to it and Diligence in it Whereas the best and soundest Religion professed by those who bear not the like Affection to it yields those who thus retain it little or no benefit as Mr. Hooker hath observed and by degrees is lost for want of a due regard and earnest Affection to it We see this verified in Pagans Turks and Hereticks Who zealously attend upon the Publick Offices of their Religion and so continue their Sect. How comes their Religion to lead them to have frequent Assemblies and ours to make us neglect them But that they keep up their Love to their Religion such as it is and we have lost our first Love and so endanger the loss of our Religion For had we a sincere love to it we should be led by the Natural Dictates of it to attend upon its publick Offices that being the very first thing to which Religion inclines us and there to attend with all seriousness both to the Prayers and Hymns and to the Holy Scriptures which are then read unto us And therefore our Religion hath gone to decay because we have not minded publick Assemblies dayly but where they are kept up they are empty and thin or when they are full there are none of these Natural signs of Devotion in too many people which are among all Nations bended Knees Hands and Eyes lifted up to Heaven nay they do not attend to the Word of God there read but pass it by as a Tale that is told fancying I suppose it is never the Word of God but when it is preached that is spoken without Book These are not the Faults of all nor I hope of most among us But I have observed some of them especially the last of Whispering together all the time the Scriptures are read as if they were nothing but an empty sound in so many Persons from whose Understanding one would expect better things that I could not but take notice of such unbecoming Behaviour in the House of God Where I beseech God to awaken all his Ministers to perform their Duty with careful Diligence And all his People to Accompany them reverently in continual Prayers and Supplications to the Glory of His Great Name the Credit of our Holy Religion the Honour of this Church the Increase of all true Godliness and Vertue among us and the furtherance thereby of our Joyful Account and Happy Meeting in the Day of the Lord Jesus Amen THE END ERRATA PAge 30. l. 24. d. he p. 33. l. 20. for created r. erected p. 53. l. ult for enabled r. enobled p. 59. l. 7. r. 2dly This. p. 65. l. 11. for it r. he p. 106. l. 17. d. also p. 121. l. 3. after yet add p. 123. l. 9. after 19 add p. 168. l. 1. for times r. time p. 170. l. 22. for Rules r. Rule p. 184. l. 25. r. was as well performed any where as in the Church p. 185. l. 3. r. inlarge THE CONTENTS THE Introduction PART I. CHAP. I. OF the Nature of Prayer Page 1 CHAP. II. Of the Necessity of Prayer Page 10 CHAP. III. The sense of all Mankind about this matter especially of our Blessed Saviour Page 22 CHAP. IV. Other Arguments of the great Necessity of Prayer Page 32 CHAP. V. Some Reflections upon the foregoing Considerations Page 39 CHAP. VI. The Honour God doth us in admitting us into his Presence Page 49 CHAP. VII The Pleasure which springs from the serious performance of this Duty Page 61 CHAP. VIII The great Benefits we receive by serious Prayer to God 74 CHAP. IX The Three foregoing Chapters improved Page 85 PART II. CHAP. X. Publick Prayer the most necessary of all other Page 95 CHAP. XI God is most honoured by Publick Prayers Page 99 CHAP. XII Publick Prayers most advantagious unto us Page 115 CHAP. XIII Publick Prayers most sutable to the Nature of Man Page 135 CHAP. XIV The Nature of a Church requires there should be Publick Prayers Page 162 CHAP. XV. Our Blessed Saviour the Founder of the Church teaches us this Doctrine Page 168 CHAP. XVI Which is further confirmed by the Practice of the Apostles and the first Christians Page 177 CHAP. XVII Other Considerations to strengthen this Argument Page 192 CHAP. XVIII A Recapitulation of the four foreing Chapters with some Inferences from thence Page 206 CHAP. XIX Of Dayly Publick Assemblies and of Hours and Gestures of Prayer Page 222 CHAP. XX. Some Objections removed Page 244 THE END
coâ—dition as our Bodies tell us when thâ— are ill or in pain or hungry aâ— thirsty or labouring under any othâ— burthen 3. And then there is supposed a â—â—sire to have these wants supplyed as 〈◊〉 have already said Emptiness is troublesome to us when we feel it and it â—s impossible we should not long to be â—ased by getting it filled If we do â—ut fancy we are in need there is no â—est till we find some satisfaction We must be either satisfied that we do not â—eed it or we must have what we are â—tisfied is needful And in this consists Internal Prayer the desire or longing of the Soul to be â—lled with all the fulness of God to be satisfied with his likeness to be reconciled to him and to be made dayly more conformable to his Will and Pleasure in every thing 4 Which desires we are strongly inâ—ined even by Nature it self to exâ—ess in Words which are the interâ—reters of our minds and declare that is in our hearts For all sensible Creatures we see make their moans by â—â—dible Cryes of several sorts when their needs are great And therefore â—an cannot be the only silent thing â—â—t is formed by God to implore his â—elp and beg his relief on all occasiâ—ns in such words as are apt signiâ—cations of his inward desires And that 's the last thing observable 5. Prayer is an expression of our inward desires unto God the Author anâ— Fountain of all good For when wâ— are desirous to receive an Alms from any person we alwayes ask it of sucâ— as we believe are able and we hopâ— are willing to bestow it But neveâ— make our applications to those whâ— are as beggarly as our selves Now 〈◊〉 is God only who is able to supply aâ— our needs and hath revealed himself 〈◊〉 be willing to bestow what we ask 〈◊〉 him nay hath invited us to come 〈◊〉 him and assured us he will grant oâ— desires And who alone knows oâ— needs and can hear the desires of aâ— men and likewise is the only Judgâ— whether that be fit for us which we as 〈◊〉 or there be not something better thaâ— our own wishes Upon which account Saints and Aâ—gels are not to be invocated For 〈◊〉 we know not whether they hear uâ— nay it seems impossible to us thâ— they should be able to hear such greâ— numbers of Supplicants as in seveâ— and very distant places call upon thâ— same Saint or Angel So we know 〈◊〉 what power they have to help us nor what they can do for us if they could hear us but we know they cannot be in so many places at once as they have Suitors to give them their succour and assistance And besides they have made no promises to us that they will so much as prefer our petitions to God or do all they can for us Nor are they wise enough to judge what Petitions are fit to be preferred and what not that is what is most behoveful for us in all conditions and states of Life and in all the particular passages and circumstances thereof It might be added that all these Petitions must be put up in the Name and through the Mediation of our Blessed Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus who is our only Advocate with the Father But that belongs rather to the manner of addressing our Prayers unto God and therefore I here omit it And shall only observe for the further explication of it that there are several parts of Prayer to God As may be gathered even from that remark at the conclusion of the lxxii Psalm The Prayers of David the Son of Jesse are ended Where the foregoiâ—â— Psalms are all called Prayers thougâ— some of them be doleful complaints 〈◊〉 the sadness of his condition others 〈◊〉 them confessions of sin which hâ—â— brought him into that doleful estate others acknowledgments of his intiâ—â— dependance on God others magniâ—â—â— his powerful and wise Goodness anâ— render thanks for benefits receiveâ— and promise dutiful obedience as we as petition for pardon and deliverancâ— By which we learn that Prayer unâ—â— God is made up of all these and thâ— in a sense of his Greatness and Gooâ—ness of our absolute dependance upâ—â— him and all the benefits we have râ—ceived from him we ought to addreâ— our selves to him confessing how wâ— have offended him bewailing the â—â—serable estate into which we have therâ— by brought our selves begging hâ—â— pardon imploring the Grace of hâ—â— Holy Spirit and in the sincerity anâ— uprightness of our hearts resolving tâ—â— be wholly his and to serve him in newness of life all our dayes And the truth is every one of theâ—â— is vertually a petition to him Wheâ—â—ther we heartily acknowledge what he â—s or adore him or praise him or give him thanks or confess our unworthiness or profess our dependance on him or promise fidelity to him c. they all bespeak his grace and favour towards us and move him to bestow his mercy upon us This is a short explication of the Nature of Prayer which will be something better understood by what follows concerning the Necessity of it though when I have said all that I can I am sensible it will be defective For Prayer is so sublime a thing that the noblest Wits have acknowledged we stand in need of the Father to inlighten of his first-begotten Word to teach and of the Spirit to operate in us as Origen's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 N. 8. words are That we may be able to think and speak worthily in so great an Argument CHAP. II. Of the Necessity of Prayer WE shall be the more strongly moved to study this high and excellent Duty and to labour to perform it aright when we are made sensible it is so indispensable a part of aâ— godly Life that we cannot so much a pretend to the profession of Christianity if we do not practise it Of which there is this general demonstration which cannot be gainsaid That which is founded in our Nature and to which we are bound bâ— vertue of our being Creatures to thaâ— every Christian is indispensably tied it being the intention of our Lord Christ his coming not to loosen those obligations we have upon us as menâ— but to strengthen them and bind them harder upon us to heighten all natural Duties and to make us more deeply sensible of the Laws that are written in our very being Now such an one is this of Prayer which doth not stand upon a mere positive command as Baptism and the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper do That is it is not our Duty merely because our Lord by his Authority hath made it so but he hath made it so because we are made to it as I may speak and formed by God to acknowledge him in this manner For it is as natural a thing to Pray as it is to Believe there is a God and to be perswaded that we were made by him and not by our selves Hence it is That you shall
himself in to a fitting posture and disposition to receive that he may appear unto him that gives to be a real object of hiâ— Charity Now this we do by Prayer 〈◊〉 which is a natural expression both oâ— our Poverty and of our Humility which very much move compassion and of the sense we have that we are Creatures who have nothing of our selves which we can properly call our own and therefore are naturally leâ— hereby to think what submission and obedience we ought to pay unto him whose is all that we are and have Upon this account as much as any other Prayer is necessary that we may be put into a temper of Love and Gratitude and Obedience unto Him 〈◊〉 who is the Donor of all good things and who expects that we should acknowledge the propriety He hath iâ— all the Gifts which his Bounty bestows upon us Which we do by Prayer thereby we are constantly put in mind in what tenour we hold all the Blessings we receive from his hands which we may not therefore use as we please out as He allows and directs And if we do at any time use them otherwise â—â—d thereby give just offence to God â—â—eir Owner and ours Prayer both â—turally calls such offences to mind â—â—d makes us more fearful hereafter to â—ffend For no man comes to ask a benefit of â—other as Mr. Hooker if I forget â—t very pertinently observes but if 〈◊〉 have given him any offence he will â—hen unavoidably remember it and 〈◊〉 the very first place cast himself â—own at his feet and beg pardon with 〈◊〉 resolution not willingly to offend â—m again Which resolution is mainained and supported by the very same â—ing which constrained us to make 〈◊〉 that is the constant necessity we 〈◊〉 in to ask for new benefits For 〈◊〉 men are naturally afraid to offend â—hose into whose presence they must requently come to sue for favours This keeps them in awe and makes them careful how they behave thâ— selves that their suits may not be jected We are not fit then to receive oâ— enjoy any thing from God with devout Prayer to Him And there we ought constantly to perform 〈◊〉 duty because otherwise we 〈◊〉 things by stealth and lay hold onâ— Blessings of Heaven without asâ— him leave and we ought to perfâ—â— it seriously because it will not otâ— wise have the forementioned effectâ— making us afraid to offend Him 〈◊〉 out which our Prayers are notâ— worth and can obtain nothing 〈◊〉 Him To end this let us consider 〈◊〉 we do not pray that we may alter mind of God who is alwayes same unchangeable Goodness 〈◊〉 to give unto those who are qualifiâ— receive his favours but that we 〈◊〉 alter and change our own mind forâ— better and thereby become dispâ— for the good things of which weâ— desirous And nothing alters 〈◊〉 much as serious Prayer which 〈◊〉 new mind into us and for the 〈◊〉 â—t makes us quite another sort of â—eatures We are forgetful of God lovers of 〈◊〉 selves confident in our own â—ength doters upon this present â—orld too much wedded to our own 〈◊〉 and pleasure complainers murâ—rers envious wavering and inâ—stant in our good purposes unâ—dful of other mens miseries reâ—geful and implacable which are all 〈◊〉 to the obtaining of God's mercy 〈◊〉 therefore Prayer is absolutely neâ—â—ry to remove them that is to â—ember us of God to keep Him in â—embrance and to maintain an acâ—ntance with him to fill us with 〈◊〉 to Him to humble and abase us â—ur own thoughts to draw our 〈◊〉 off from this vain World and â—ttle our trust in Him alone to fix dependance on Him and subdue wills to his to give us a taste of â—itual pleasures to make us thankâ—â—contented and well satisfied to â—â—e our compassion towards others â—stand in need of our help as we of the help of God to incline us â—â—e pittiful and to do good and forgive without which we confess our very Prayers that we cannot â—â—pect forgiveness from God This consideration shows 〈◊〉 prayer is so necessary that there 〈◊〉 be no goodness nor vertue in the Wâ— without it But Mankind will gâ— strangers unto God and He unto theâ— which will bring all things to 〈◊〉 fusion CHAP. III. The sense of all Mankind about matter especially of our Bâ— Saviour IV. IT is truly therefore obsâ— by Origen in his Booâ— Prayer newly come to light thâ—â— people in the World pray who oâ— Providence and set a â—â—vernour over the 〈◊〉 verse * Sect. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The conâ— opinion that there 〈◊〉 need of Prayer being the Doctriâ— those only Who are either altogâ— Atheistical and deny the being of God or 〈◊〉 those who own a God in name but take â—ay his Providence Which is maniâ—t from hence that all Nations by a â—ange consent have ever thought it â—cessary to offer up some sacrifices as 〈◊〉 acknowledgment of the Sovereignâ—â— of God and of the interest he hath â—all that we injoy and as an humble â—oplication of his continued favour â—to those who own Him to be the â—ssessor of Heaven and Earth by reâ—ning Him some part of those good â—ings which he hath bountifully beâ—wed upon Mankind This was the â—ture and meaning of Sacrifices from 〈◊〉 beginning which being all now â—lished by the Sacrifice of Christ 〈◊〉 yet it being natural to Mankind to â—â—er something to God it remains â—â—t we present him continually with 〈◊〉 Sacrifice of Prayer together with â—â—t of Praise and Thanksgiving â—ich are a part or concomitant of â—â—yer as we learn from many places 〈◊〉 Holy Scripture where they are â—â—rce distinguished but used as words 〈◊〉 the same signification They are â—â—th joyned together in the Fiftieth Psalm ver 14 15. Offer unto God Thâ—â— giving and pay thy vows unto the 〈◊〉 high And Call upon me in the day trouble I will deliver thee and 〈◊〉 shalt glorifie me These Prayers 〈◊〉 these Thanksgivings being preseâ— by worthy persons as Justin Mâ—â— tells Trypho the Jew anâ— only perfect and well pleâ—â— Sacrifices unto God * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dialog cum Tryph. 〈◊〉 whom the Sacrifice of Bâ—â— were never acceptableâ— not when by himself 〈◊〉 pointed unless they 〈◊〉 significations of pious and deâ— minds begging pardon imploâ— mercy and rendering thanks for 〈◊〉 fits received Alms indeed are also called a Sacriâ—â— but they then only are truly so wâ— we give them as an acknowledgâ— of God's bounty unto us with huâ— Prayer to him that he would be pleâ—â— graciously to accept them They often therefore joyned together 〈◊〉 ticularly in the story of Corneliâ—â— whom the Angel said Thy Pray and thy Alms are come up for a meâ— al before God First his Prayers 〈◊〉 â—hen his Alms Which are an Offering 〈◊〉 Sacrifice when they attend upon â—rayer and Thanksgiving whereby â—e are naturally put in mind of the â—or and needy and stirred up even 〈◊〉 the feeling we have of our own
neâ—â—ssities to relieve and succour â—â—em We pay no homage to God then if 〈◊〉 omit this Duty we live wholly â—â—thout God in the World and give 〈◊〉 token no signification that we own 〈◊〉 being We rank our selves among â—heists or Epicuraeans who are 〈◊〉 only in Name having lost the â—mmon sense of all Mankind Which â—â—th ever led them to acknowledge 〈◊〉 by solemn Supplications and â—hanksgivings to Him V. Which is a Duty so necessary 〈◊〉 so essentially flowing if I may so â—eak from Humane Nature that â—rist our Lord it may be in the next â—ce observed lived in the constant â—rformance of it Christ I say in whom dwelt all the fulâ—ss of the Godhead bodily nay who as God blessed for ever who in that respect needed nothing and was 〈◊〉 to effect all things yet as he 〈◊〉 man prayed and made supplicaâ— for those things which as he was 〈◊〉 he already possessed and could preâ—â—ly communicate to the Humane Naâ—â— by his immediate conjunction and 〈◊〉 mate union therewith Notwithstâ—ing this he asked them of God 〈◊〉 beseeched him to bestow them 〈◊〉 cause it was necessary and natural 〈◊〉 do because it became a Creature own its dependance on an higher 〈◊〉 to give to the Creator the Honour unto his Name and to testifie by 〈◊〉 action his Submission and Obediâ—â— his Humility and Love and that 〈◊〉 highly soever advanced as the Huâ—â— Nature of Christ was to the 〈◊〉 degree of honour due acknowlâ—â—ment ought to be made by it unto Most High who is the Fountaâ— Glory and Honour And here I take it to be very reâ— kable that there is no kind of Prâ—â— whereof we have not an Example iâ— Lord Christ Of Secret Prayer weâ— v. Luke 6. where it is said He 〈◊〉 drew himself into the Wilderness prayed Spent that retirement from â—ompany and other imployments in â—oughts of God and acknowledgements of the honour He had done him â—nd in Prayer for his constant presence â—ith him Of Private Prayer with his â—isciples that passage seems to be â—eant ix Luke 18. And it came to pass 〈◊〉 he was alone praying his Disciples were â—ith him and he asked them saying Whom â—y the people that I am i. e. in his reâ—ement from the multitude attended â—ly by his Disciples he first prayed â—â—d then began by way of enquiry and â—â—king questions to instruct them in â—â—s Religion As for Publick Prayer â—â—e read often of his going into the â—emple the house of Prayer at Jeruâ—lem and of his frequenting the Synaâ—gues which were places for Religious Assemblies all over the Country We read also how he prayed for others as well as for himself For Peter â—xii Luke 31. that his faith might not â—il For all his Apostles that his joy â—ight be fulfilled in them and that God would keep them from the evil of the World and that they might be sanctified â—hrough the truth xvii Joh. 13 15 19. For his whole Church That they 〈◊〉 all be one as he and the Father are 〈◊〉 c. ver 21. And on the Cross prayed for his bitterest Enemies before for his Friends xxiii Luk. 〈◊〉 And after all we read that it was custom thus to pray to God xxii Lâ— 39 c. And he came out and went he was wont to the Mount of Olives 〈◊〉 his Disciples also followed him and 〈◊〉 he was at the place he said unto the Pray that ye enter not into temptatiâ— And he was withdrawn from about stones cast and kneeled down and pray saying Father if thou be willing 〈◊〉 And as he prayed so he gave thanâ— particularly at the raising of Lazaâ— out of his Grave xi Joh. 41. And acknowledged and praised God 〈◊〉 revealing his will not to the Wise aâ— Prudent but unto Babes whom 〈◊〉 imployed to be the Ministers of 〈◊〉 Gospel of his Kingdom xi Matth. â— And as we have examples in him 〈◊〉 all sorts of Prayer so it is further 〈◊〉 servable that he hath left us the liâ—â— examples of the times and of the â—â—ner of Prayer For times of Prayer we read 〈◊〉 i. Mark 35. of his Morning Prayer And in the morning rising up a great â—chile before day he went out and deâ—arted into a solitary place and prayed And in the vi Mark we read of his Evening Prayer for when the day was â—ar spent ver 35. he fed a great multitude miraculously and then contrained his Disciples to go into the ship while he sent away the people which being done he departed into a Mountain to pray ver 46 47. He prayed also at Meals as we find ver 41. of that Chapter When he had taken â—he Loaves and Fishes He looked up to Heaven and blessed or gave thanks â—i Joh. 11. for those good things which the bounty of God bestows for the food of Mankind And lastly we â—ead of extraordinary Prayer where a â—pecial occasion required it for just before he ordained his xii Apostles he â—ent into a Mountain to pray and contiâ—ued all Night in Prayer to God vi â—uk â—2 13. As for the manner we find he did it with all fervour with strong cryes saith â—he Apostle v. Heb. 7. where he adds â—ears also as an argument of his great piety Secondly With perfect subâ—â— sion as we find when he prayed 〈◊〉 the removal of the bitter Cup whiâ—â— Nature very much desired but he aâ— with this humble resignation of himself to God Nevertheless not my will 〈◊〉 thine be done xxii Luk. 42. Not whâ—â— will but what thou wilt xiv Mark Thirdly With all due reverence 〈◊〉 devotion for we read there that kneeled down and prayed xxii Luk. â— and being in an agony he prayed 〈◊〉 earnestly ver 44. and with greaterâ— pressions of reverence for he fellâ— his face as the manner was in greatâ— stresses xxvi Matth. 39. And lastâ— With frequent and repeated importâ—â— ties for he prayed three times for 〈◊〉 same thing with the same submissâ—â— and in the very same words also 〈◊〉 more than all this he prayed even 〈◊〉 that which he was sure God woâ—â— bestow upon him because he haâ—â— alwayes possessed it as he was God 〈◊〉 knew it was designed for him as 〈◊〉 was Man in Gods Eternal 〈◊〉 cree I mean his glorious prâ—â—ment into the Heavens to sit downâ—â—â— the right hand of the Majesty 〈◊〉 high For which he lift up his eyes unto Heaven and said Father the hour is â—ome glorifie thy Son that thy Son may glorifie thee xvii Joh. 1. and again ver 5. And now O Father glorifie thou me with thy own self with the glory which I had with thee before the World was Lay all these things together and they will teach those that consider them both the weightiness and the great dignity as well as necessity of this Duty Unto which who can â—huse but be awakened when he sees the Son of God so industrious so unwearied in it For if Jesus prayed as Origen â—â—gues * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Num. 39. and prayed â—ot in vain but obtained what he asked and without prayer â—ould not we may well think obtain â—t which of us can be so negligent as â—ot to pray For to what end can we think was â—ll this done by him but to show us â—he obligations of Humane Nature â—nd to make us sensible of our depenâ—ance on God and that we can have nothing without his Will and that is absolutely necessary our wills shâ—â— be wholly regulated by his He 〈◊〉 not all this barely to give us an exaple but to demonstrate and make know that no man though never perfect can live to God with praying to him CHAP. IV. Other Arguments of the great Nâ—â—sity of Prayer VI. IT may be useful to us furtâ— to consider that God hath 〈◊〉 pointed his Holy Spirit to assist us this Duty which is a convincing 〈◊〉 monstration of its great necessity we will judge of things according the account which God makes of theâ— Who lest this Duty should not be wâ— done lends us his power to perform acceptably unto Him And shall 〈◊〉 suffer the Holy Spirit to wait upon â—o no purpose Nay shall it follow us â—ontinually and urge us to have reâ—ourse to God inspiring us with good â—houghts and exciting pious desires â—nd we refuse to be led and conducted â—y its holy motions This is as unnaâ—â—ral as for a man to have a Soul and â—ever think to have a Tongue and never speak Eyes and a power to see and never open them VII It is as considerable also that â—e hath appointed his Son to be our Mediator and Intercessor with Him in â—he Heavens Which supposes both that we will do this and that it is most necessary to be done For otherwise we make void this new Office of our Blessed Saviours which God the Father in his infinite Wisdom and tenâ—erest compassion hath created We make him an Advocate without Clients an Intercessor who hath nothing to do but waits in vain for our Petitions Good Lord That Men should be so ignorant or presumptuous as to account themselves Christians and never or seldom lift up their minds 〈◊〉 hearts unto him in the Heavens 〈◊〉 feel any need of his Patronage 〈◊〉 make use of his most powerful interâ— for the obtaining any Blessings 〈◊〉 them which they cannot have unâ—â— they address themselves to God them in his prevailing Name and alone VIII The Necessity also of this 〈◊〉 be understood by the frequent injâ—ctions we meet withal in Holy Scritures for praying alwaies praying wâ—â—out ceasing and with all Prayer and Sâ—plication in the Spirit as I have beâ—â—noted Which declare it to be a â—â—ness of such importance that we canot subsist without it but must useâ— as constantly as we do our Meat aâ— Drink or rather more constantly being of such great concernment thâ— it is as necessary as our very breath The Incense in the Temple as 〈◊〉 John teaches us viii Revel 3. repâ—â—sented the Prayers of the Saints Noâ— it may not be unworthy our observaâ— on to note that whereas the Shew-breâ— whereby an acknowledgment wâ— made as some think that they receiâ—ed all their food from God was reâ—ewed and set upon the Holy Table in â—he Sanctuary but once every Week â—nd the Lamp in the Temple which â—â—gnified perhaps the Light of God's Word was dressed once every day The Incense which certainly signified their Prayers was renewed by God's order twice every day and offered upon the Altar Morning and Evening Which may suggest unto us that we â—â—ght to be more sensible of the need â—e have of the Word of God and â—rayer than of the need of our dayly â—ood but especially of Prayer Though we read often yet we stand in need to â—ray oftner IX For it is our main security our â—reat safe-guard our refuge and place â—f retreat in all the dangers unto which we are exposed in this present World and therefore is not only mentioned by the Apostle as a part of the Christian Armour but set also in the last place as that which compleats all the rest of the whole Armour of God vi Ephes 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as St. Chrysostome oâ—â— speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. xxx in Gen. CAP. xi for Prayer 〈◊〉 mighty Weapon a powerful defence wâ—â— out which no manâ— be able to stand â—maintain his grounâ— gainst the Assaults temptations nor oâ— come his spiritual Enemies but which we lay hold upon the Arm of Almighty for our defence and succoâ— and engage the power of God to with us and assure our selves if rightly manage it of a certain 〈◊〉 ctory For herein we imploy all the othâ—â— parts of the whole Armour of God whâ— the Apostle there requires us to 〈◊〉 unto us and to put on us We our knowledge of the Truth and our Faith our Love and our Hâ— and have recourse to the Word of Gâ—â— particularly to his pretious promise and declare our sincere affection to Righteousness and our upright intâ— tions to persist and continue thereâ— by the help of God which we imploâ— So that it is the more necessary because by Prayer all the graces of God's Holy Spirit are continually exercised and kept in ure the whole Armour of God is girt closer to us and we are made more expedite and ready on all occasions to encounter with the Enemies of our Salvation X. Whence it was you may observe in the last place that Holy Men who lived the Life of God in this World could never be perswaded to omit it I will give but one instance of this in the Prophet Daniel who when he had received the command of a great King to forbear praying to his God for the space of 30 dayes durst not consent to a complyance with his will and pleasure And yet Daniel was a good Subject as well as a wise Man who was very sensible what ready obedience ought to be paid to Kings and how necessary this Obedience was where a contrary antecedent necessity did not â—e upon him to obey God Especially when the thing was enjoyned under the penalty of Death and when his Soveraign did not require a total forbearance of this Duty but only for a liâ—â—ted time And yet so it was he câ—â— rather to lose the favour of his Prinâ—â— who had been very kind to him nayâ— lose his Life as well as his Honoâ— and more than that to be thrown in the Den of Lyons there to be torn pieces and devoured by those ravenâ— Beasts than to omit his constant â—â—votions to the Supreme Lord and â—â—veraign of Heaven and Earth 〈◊〉 saith the History of his admirable â—â—ty vi Dan. 10. When Daniel knew 〈◊〉 this decree was signed mark that went into his house and his Window 〈◊〉 open toward Jerusalem he kneeled 〈◊〉 his knees three times a day and pray and gave thanks before his God 〈◊〉 did afore time Which shows that in his opiniâ—â— it is more necessary
Envy doth not gnaw Pride puffs not up nor doth the Love of vain Glory corrupt but all these Wild Beasts are tamed as by a Divine Charm as soon as the hearing of the Holy Scriptures enters at every Mans Ears into his Soul and layes all these unreasonable Passions asleep Who then will not judge them to be miserable Wretches that when they might be partakers of such great Wisdom and Grace will not gather themselves together continually and come to the common Mother of us all I mean the Church For what more necessary business canst thou pretend What more gainful Meeting Or what should hinder thee from letting us here have thy company This is a Lesson he repeats very often particularly in a Sermon he preached a little after Whitsuntide Where he complains that he had in vain perswaded them Hom. v. de Anna Tom. 2. at the last solemn Assembly to continue in their Fathers House not merely appear there on a Festival and then leave it And therefore desires his constant Auditors that they would try to reduce their Neighbours by representing to them that though Pentecost were gone yet the Festival was not gone therewith For every Holy Meeting saith he is a Feast as appears from the Words of Christ himself Where two or three are gathered together in my Name there am I in the mist of them When Christ is in the midst of those who are assembled what other demonstration greater than this would we have of a Festival Where there is the Sacred Doctrine and Prayer where the Benedictions of Fathers and the hearing of the Holy Laws where the meeting together of Brethren and the Bond of sincere Love and Charity where converse with God and God speaking to men how can there chuse but be a Festival and a day of publick rejoycing For not the Multitude but the Vertue of those that are gathered together makes a Festival not the fine Cloaths but the Ornaments of Piety not a rich Table but careful provision for the Soul The greatest Feast is a good Conscience And therefore we may keep a Feast every day if we will exercise Vertue if we will purifie the Conscience For in what doth the late great Festival differ from this day but only in Tumult and Noise and in nothing else For to day you may injoy the Holy Mysteries and partake of other Spiritual benefits viz. Prayer Hearing Blessings Charity and all other things and therefore it is as good a day as any CHAP. XIX Of Dayly Publick Assemblies and of Hours and Gestures of Prayer IT may be thought perhaps by some that I go too far in pressing a dayly attendance upon the Publick Prayers which they imagine is but a superfluous piece of Devotion a great deal more than needs But if they would lay a very few things together and consider them seriously they would alter their Opinion First Let it be considered that there was Anciently a Morning and an Evening Sacrifice every day publickly offered to God at the Temple which was called the Continual Burnt-Offering ordained by him on Mount Siâ—â— Numb xxviii 3 6. Exod. xxix 42. Secondly That such Sacrifices were Atknowledgments to God and Prayeâ— for the obtaining his Favour as appearâ— by the 1 Sam. xiii 12. Thirdly Thaâ— the re-iterated Precepts of the Gospel which require us to pray alway and to pray without ceasing were never thought by any Christian to signifie less than praying as oft as the Jews offered Sacrifice that is Morning and Evening which may with propriety enough be called praying continually or without ceasing as those Morning and Evening Sacrifices at the Temple were called the Continual Burnt-Offering And Fourthly That no reason can be given why those Sacrifices were publickly offered which will not make it as necessary that we should have Publick Prayers which are most for the Honour of God I have proved before and every way most advantagious to us And then we can make no other conclusion but this that Morning and Evening Prayer ought every day to be offered to God in our Publick Assemblies and that we ought to be glad of the opportunity to joyn therein as the People did with the Priest who ministred in the Temple For when he was in the Sanctuary at the Altar of Incense praying The whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of Incense Luk. i. 10 11 13. All the people of the Land indeed could not possibly come thither every day to Worship But they had their Synagogues in the Country where at the time of Morning and Evening Sacrifice they met together to pray and hear the Law of God read to them And a certain number of Men were likewise appointed from among them Dr. Lightf Temple-Service c. vii Sect. 3. whom they called Stationary Men to attend constantly in their courses at the Temple in the Name of the rest whom they represented Which things considered we cannot think it fit to have no Assemblies but only on the Lord's Day especially when we observe that the Ancient Prophets expresly say there should be as frequent Devotion in the Dayes of Christ as there had been in former times So we read in that famous Prophecy Psal lxxii 15. Prayer shall be made for him or to him continually a plain allusion to the Continual Burnt-Offering and dayly shall he be praised Which that it is meant of Publick Prayers and Praises is eâ—ident from the Offerings which it is there said shall be brought to him and from the effect hereof in the 17 ver His Name shall be continued for ever and Men shall be blessed in him all Nations shall call him blessed Thus the Chaldee Paraphrast understood those words ver 5. They shall fear thee as long as the Sun and Moon endure throughout all Generations that is saith he they shall in all ages pray before thee which is comprehended in the fear of God whereby is often meant his Worship and Service with the Sun and before or in the presence of the Moon As much as to say in the Morning when the Sun arises and again at Night when the Moon shines they shall by Devout Prayers express their Reverence to him the King of the World Where people indeed in Country Villages lye scattered one from another and have abundance of business which call them several wayes it cannot be expected that there should be every day such Assemblies But in Cities and in Market Towns where they live nearer together and have on most dayes a great deal of leisure which to my knowledge is spent by many people there in mere idleness or pleasure it is of absolute necessity if we will do our Duty compleatly to God our Saviour that Assemblies should be maintained and frequented as they Anciently were and still are in most parts of the Christian World For the Apostles of Christ immediately upon his Ascension unto Heaven persisted in the Ancient Practice of Publick Devotion being continually i. e.
at Morning and Evening Prayer in the Temple Praising and Blessing God Luk. xxiv 53. And after by the power of the Holy Ghost coming on them they had setled Churches we read the four living Creatures and the twenty four Elders by which are certainly meant the Governours of the Christian Church rested not Day and Night saying Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty c. that is Morning and Evening they fell down before God and Worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever Which Practice hath ever since continued in the Church which in that Heavenly Hymn commonly ascribed to St. Ambrose hath constantly said Day by day we magnifie thy Name For which end certain hours as well as a certain place have been alwayes appointed that Men might so order their other Affairs as to be able to mind this great business of giving Thanks and Praise to God the Creator of all and imploring his Blessing on them in their several Callings and Conditions and on their Church and Country and finally on the whole World It is so sure that the Jews had such set hours of Prayer that I do not think fit to say much of a matter so well known I will only note that they were the 3d hour the 6th and the 9th Which the Christian Church afterward observed and that from the Example of the Apostles themselves For St. Peter even when he was not at Jerusalem went up to the house-top to pray about the sixth hour i. e. Twelve a Clock Which we cannot doubt was his usual custome and as little doubt that it was the custom of the other Apostles and by them every where propagated throughout all the Churches Which the Ancient Writers of Christianity tell us observed those very set hours of Prayer So Clemens in his Constitutions vii 24. and Clemens Alexandrinus in L. vii of his Stromata where he calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the set appointed hours And Tertullian in his Book of Fasting chap. 10. Origen also in his Book of Prayer proves from several Scripture Examples that it ought not to be made less than three times every day N. 38. And such was the Practice in St. Chrysostomes dayes I shall have occasion to show in the end of this Chapter which is still continued in our great Churches every where I will here only transcribe the Words of St. Hierom upon the vi Dan. 10. There are three times in which our knees ought to be bowed to God at the third hour the sixth and the ninth as the Ecclesiastical Tradition instructs us At the third hour the Holy Ghost descended upon the Apostles At the sixth Peter went up to pray in the upper Chamber And at the ninth Peter and John went up together into the Temple Whether the Publick Service of God was every where celebrated three times a day or only upon the Lord's Day and in great Cities every Day may justly be questioned And I incline to think it was not every day in all places celebrated more than twice because the Constitutions ascribed to the Apostles which are undoubtedly very Ancient injoyn no more but Morning and Evening Prayer The words are very remarkable directed to the Bishop to whom they say L. 2. Constit 58. Command and Exhort the people to come continually to Church Morning and Evening every day and not to fail at all and then they mention in the same place three Services upon the Lord's Day as more solemn than all the rest Which is exactly sutable to God's appointment among the Jews who had daily the Morning and Evening Offering And on the Sabbath day another Offering beside the Continual Burnt-Offering as we read expresly Numb xxviii 9 10. They had indeed at the Temple other Offerings every day about 12 a Clock but they were not the Sacrifices of the whole Congregation of Israel as the Morning and Evening Sacrifices were but the Sacrifices of particular Persons on particular Occasions And accordingly all Christians prayed publickly twice every day Morning and Evening and had another hour also for Private Prayers which was about Noon conformable to that of the Psalmist Evening and Morning and at Noon will I pray and cry aloud and he shall hear my voice Psal lv 17. It must not here be forgotten there were likewise two of the Week dayes more solemnly observed than the rest for Publick Prayers viz. Wednesdayes and Fridays as hath been elsewhere proved * Treatise of Repentance pag. 112. On which dayes there were three Services in some places as on the Lord's Day And in all places they took special care that nothing should keep them then from the Publick Assemblies how negligent soever they were at other times And the devouter sort also fasted on those two dayes that they might have more time for Prayer and be excited to greater fervour in it by a deep sense of their own unworthiness of the least of God's Blessings And do we now think to please God and to preserve our Religion without any of this care either on those dayes or on others but only the Lord's Day Then the Christian Church in all ages till these later times hath been too officious though it followed the plain Instructions and the best patterns of the Holy Scriptures Which have been so universally understood to enjoyn a daily publick Service of God that there is no Christian Country that I can find at this day by whom this Tribute is not pay'd unto him All the Eastern Christians as a Learned Divine and great Traveller hath informed us * Dr. Basire 's Funer Sermon for the Bishop of Durham pag. 95. and see Chemnitius Exam Concil Trident pars quarta p. 160 and 162. Greek Armenian and others constantly perform it in the West the Church of Rome still observes this practice and in Germany both the Lutherans and the Calvinists have their dayly publick Offices and full Congregations So we have in these Islands and in many places full Congregations also though in others alas either no publick Assemblies or scandalously empty Which is a very great shame as the forementioned Dr. speaks that when now under the Gospel God doth not require our Lambs which were offered publickly twice every day by the Jews we should not dayly give him the Calves of our Lips as the Prophets phrase is that is Pray to him and Praise him and give him Thanks in the publick Congregation Why the Reformed Churches in France did not thus constantly Assemble as they do in Germany it is not my business to enquire Mr. Calvin I am sure both approved of this Practice and wisht it were restored in more places of his Works than one by noteing which what I have said will be confirmed and some reason also given of this Omission For having observed that God appointed a * Comment in iii. Act. 1. Morning and Evening Sacrifice to be offered among the Jews and thereby taught them to begin and close the day with Invocation
and the Worship of God and a little after that he also appointed stated hours for these Sacrifices to teach us that the Church cannot be without a certain Discipline he then concludes Ac hodie nisi obstaret nimius torpor utile esset quotidiè haberi tales conventus and at this day if too much sluggishness did not hinder it would be useful every day to hold such Assemblies And in his Discourse upon the fourth Commandment L. 2. Institutionum Cap. viii Sect. 32. he not only asserts that Ecclesiastical Assemblies are enjoyned by God's words and that experience sufficiently shows their necessity and that the dayes and times must be stated and set or else they cannot be at all c. but in answer to those who objected Why do we not rather meet every day that distinction of dayes may be taken away He thus replies Vtinam illud quidem daretur c. Would to God we were able so to do For certainly it was a worthy Spiritual Wisdom which spared a little portion of time every day from other business for God's Service But if we cannot obtain from the infirmity of many that dayly Assemblies may be held and respect to Charity doth not permit us to exact more of them Why do we not yield Obedience to that which we see by the Will of God is imposed upon us And he thus concludes his Explication of that Commandment This general Doctrine is especially to be held That Holy Meetings be diligently and Religiously observed and such external helps constantly used as may serve to support and cherish the Worship of God lest Religion either fall to the Ground or languish among us To which I think fit to add what his opinion was concerning set times of Prayer for his Words are very instructive Upon Psal lv 17. his note is That from the mention there of Morning Evening and Noon we may gather that pious Men had stat as hâ—ras set hours for Prayer in those times Which good Men observed in their private Devotions because then the publick Service of the Temple was performed by God's appointment For the daily Sacrifice was offered every Morning and Evening And the mid-Day saith he was appointed for other Sacrifices The reason of which he gives upon the 18th ver Because we are backward to this Duty therefore God in fixing certain hours of Prayer intended to cure this infirmity Which same reason ought to be extended to private Prayer as appears by this place with which the Example of Daniel agrees And upon that practice of Daniel he thus writes in his notes on Dan. vi 10. This Example is worth the noting of praying three times a day because nisi quisque nostrum praefigat sibi certas horas ad precandum facile nobis excidet memoria We easily forget this Duty unless every one of us prescribe to our selves certain hours for Prayer From all which it is apparent that he lookt upon set hours for publick Divine Service as appointed by God and that he also thought the reason of it to be perpetual Because if we be left to our liberty we shall easily forget our Duty and perform that at no time which we imagine may be done at any time as well as at that which is appointed The benefit of which is this among others that where there are no publick Assemblies or Men cannot by reason of sickness or other urgent cause attend them they may at those set times offer some short Prayer to God in private and desire the publick Prayers of the Church where they are continually made may be accepted with him By which means they are in some sort present there and the Prayers they make in private become a part of the publick they praying as Members of that Body which is then met together in the House of God Thus St. Peter prayed privately as I observed above at the sixth hour when they were praying at the Temple and in Christian Assemblies and though alone at that time yet he chose the same hours with theirs that his Prayers might be joyned with the rest and not be single but united desires Thus St. Chrysostome directs his people in answer to those who objected unto his pressing Arguments for attending the publick Prayers how is it possible for a Secular Man ingaged in business 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. to pray at the three hours every day Hom. iv de Anna. Tom. 2. and run to Church To which he replies in this manner though it be not easie for every Man to run to the Church so oft yet it is easie for him even when he is in publick business to pray to God unto which not so much the voice is requisite as the mind And therefore let no Man excuse himself by saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the House of Prayer is not near to mine for if we be watchful the Grace of the Holy Spirit will make every one of us a Temple of God She that sits at the Spindle may look up to Heaven in her thoughts and call upon God with fervent desires and so may he that is in the Market or in a Journey or in his Shop making Shoes in like manner a Servant he that buyes Meat he that dresses it and all the rest when it is not possible for them to come to Church they may notwithstanding make fervent and lively Prayers to God who doth not despise the place where they are made but desires alone warm Affections and a serious composed Mind And he concludes thus My meaning in all that I have said is this That we should go to Church as oft as is possible and when we cannot pray at home in great quietness and tranquillity Which counsel if we would all follow that is if as many as can would come to the House of God every day and if they that cannot would let their hearts be there what Blessings might we not expect from God What a flourishing Church and happy Kingdom might we hope to see And there are a great many people I am sure have leisure enough in all Cities and Towns to fill the Churches where there are publick Prayers Nothing but that sluggish dulness Mr. Calviâ— speaks of is the hinderance Which if men would shake off and awakeâ— themselves to serious thoughts of God and the need they have of him and 〈◊〉 constant Prayer to him and such like things as I have represented theâ—â— would be publick Prayers where noâ— there are none and Men would crowâ— every day into the House of Goâ— where there are to Worship him and give him Thanks and beseech hiâ— to be gracious to them As for thâ—â— whose condition and business is such that they cannot possibly attend them nothing can hinder them but their own Wills from going thither in their Wills from going thither in their minds with serious Thoughts and hearty Affections intreating the Father of Mercies to hear the Prayers of those who are there
thereby and be able to say Amen thereunto 1 Corinth xiv 13 14 15 16. Upon which words St. Chrysostome supposes they ended then their Blessing in the Spirit with the very same Form of words wherewith we now conclude our Doxologies or giving Glory to God viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for ever and ever or throughout all Ages World without end as we translate the Apostles words Ephes iii. 21. And Peter Martyr thought he had reason to acknowledge as much For upon the forenamed place 1 Cor. xiv 16. he hath this observation From hence we learn that even in those first times the publick Prayers were wont to be concluded with these words secula seculorum World without end And this place of the Apostle puts me in mind of another undeniable Argument for prescribed Forms of Worship in the Christian Church which is that singing Psalms and Hymns made up a great part of that Worship and could not possibly be performed by the whole Congregation unless they had before them that which was to be sung Therefore singing by the Spirit that is by a Spiritual Gift the Apostle makes small account of unless what was sung were put into such words that all the people might understand it and sing God's Praises together with him that was inspired This is the Apostles meaning when he bids them speak among themselves in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs singing and making melody in their heart to the Lord. Ephes v. 19. Where by Psalms I think all agree are meant the Psalms of David which were a constant set Form of Praise Hymns and Spiritual Songs were the compositions its like of inspired persons then in the Church which could not be sung by all unless they were communicated to the whole Company And then they were a Form also and we may well think were sung more than once it being very reasonable to conceive that they had not every time they met a new Hymn no more than a new Psalm For St. Paul blames it as a confused unedifying thing that when they came together met that is in the publick Assemblies every one had his particular Psalm c. 1 Cor. xiv 26. and commands all things should be done to edifying by making the Psalm common that is so that all might be the better for it Such I perswade my self were the Prayers and Hymns which St. Paul and Silas sung in Prison not each of them their own Private Prayer and Hymn but some Common Prayer and Form of Praise which they were wont to use Act. xvi 25. Such Hymns it is certain there were in the Church which were sung every Morning in praise of our Blessed Saviour as Pliny himself testifies And Eusebius produces an Ancient Writer asserting the Divinity of our Saviour out of the Hymns that had been of old used in the Church acknowledging his Divinity L. v. Eccles Hist chap. 28. And that Writer calls them Psalms and Hymns 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 written by the faithful from the beginning which celebrated Christ the Word of God as God indeed The most Ancient of all which was the Doxology we still use Glory be to the Father and to the Son together with the Holy Ghost as St. Basil * ad Amphilochium cap. 27 29. or whosoever was the Author of the Book concerning the Holy Spirit reports Where he saith that thus it run before the Arian times After which to show that the Church meant in those words to ascribe equal Glory unto the Holy Ghost with the Father and the Son it was altered into that Form wherein it now continues not with the Holy Ghost but to the Holy Ghost Which is the very same as to the sense there being no real difference whether we say Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost or Glory be to them with the Holy Ghost But to avoid all suspition of any distinction which the Church made between them the Form as it is now was thought better And so Ancient and Universal was this Form of Doxology that the Arians themselves used one very like to it giving Honour and Glory to the Father by his only begotten Son in the Holy Ghost as the same Writer informs us * Cap. 25. Which Originally had the same meaning with the other till they perverted it signifying as much as we say now in our Communion Service when we pray for the pardon of our Offences through Jesus Christ our Lord by whom and with whom in the Vnity of the Holy Ghost all Honour and Glory be unto thee O Father Almighty World without end I will not trouble the Reader with any more of the Ancient Hymns but only note that even in the Book of the Revelation we read not only of the Song of Moses but of the Song of the Lamb the latter of which was as much a set Form as the former and is there recorded Revel xv 3 4. Great and marvellous are thy Works Lord God Almighty just and true are thy wayes thou King of Saints Who would not fear thee O Lord and glorifie thy Name For thou only art Holy c. And what hath been said of Hymns may be as truly said of Prayers that the Church had from the beginning a Form of Divine Service which Justin Martyr calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Common Prayers and in Ignatius nearer to the Apostles time is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the common Supplication which we cannot well think was any other than such as he or some other Apostolical Man prescribed In Origen they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the prescribed or ordained Prayers regular Petitions which they who used were safe he saith from all the power of the Devil And as the Hymn they sung to Christ was so celebrated that the Pagans took notice of it as I observed before so these Forms of Prayer were now so well known to them that they got some scraps of them For we find these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord have mercy upon us in Epictetum in Arrianus a Pagan Philosopher who lived about the same time with Justin Martyr the next Age to the Apostles It is superfluous to add that the Emperour Constantine was wont to say with his whole Court 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Eusebius * L. iv de vita Constant c. 17. calls them the appointed Prayers And delivered a Form of Prayer to his Army to be constantly used by the Souldiers which Eusebius also hath set down in his Life * Ib. cap. 20. Let me only note by the way to quicken the Reader to this Holy Duty that as this Religious Prince had dayly Prayers in his Palace which he frequented with his Courtiers making it an House of God So he had likewise certain * Ib. cap. 22. hours wherein he constantly retired to pray by himself As for following Ages we find frequent mention of Liturgies formed by the Apostles themselves