surpasseth all other prayers THe Lords Prayer is the Lady of all prayers Tertullian is of opinion that this prayer hath some kind of privilege in heaven above other prayers Haec oratio suo animatae privilegio ascendit in coelum c. and St. Cyprian who â—rod in his Master's steps for so he used to call Tertullian speaks much like his Master in this point God the Father saith he doth acknowledge his sons words and gives a readier ear and a more favourable audience if faith and devotion doth accompany it when requests are presented to him in his sons language Hooker doth hit upon the same string Though men saith he should speak with the tongues of Angels yet words so pleasing to the ears of God as those which the son of God himself hath compos'd are not possible for men to frame We need not doubt saith another of a gracious hearing since the Prince that must hear was the Orator that did pen our prayer and put words into our mouths This is stylus Curiae It is a petition made in the style and form of the Court even the Court of Requests in heaven and therefore is the more passable and current there This cherisheth much confidence and consolation in us saith Calvin that our requests contain nothing that is absurd or offensive to God qui pene ex ejus ore rogamus since we ask nothing but what he himself did dictate unto us and put into our mouths The prayer which John the Baptist prickt out for his Disciples intimated Luk. 11.1 is not now extant upon record It is probable that it soon grew obsolete and out of use when this came up As John himself gave place to Christ so did his prayer to Christ's prayer as the lesser lights use to vanish or grow dim at the presence of nobler Luminaries Sed quorsum perditio haec What needs this waste of words upon such a subject truly the aim is this that since others have decried this prayer so much not onely disusing but abusing it with some derogatory expressions it is a duty we ow to it and the Author of it to cry it up again to its just value and no farther And therefore I shall Super-pondii loco add to the former Elogies this of Dan Tilenus a learned Protestant of Germany Nulla praestantior formula reperiri potest â—ut excogitari quam quae à summê° illo preâ—candi magistro exauditionis mediatore Christo nobis est tradiâ—a nam sive sapientiam spectes ipsamet sapientia dictavit sive perfectionem omnia gâ—uera rerum expetendarum complectitur sive ordinem divina sanè est methodus artifictum APHOR. 5. Set forms of prayer needfull for some and lawfull for all THe truth of this Aphorism was little questioned in former ages the Lords Prayer and other Leiturgies may be read with feeling and understanding saith Mr. Ainsworth an eminent man in his generation A form of prayer being read doth not cease to be a prayer if the Spirit of prayer and supplication be not wâ—â—â—ing in the reader or hearer saith Mr. Perkins who taught England to preach as one saith of him and who alwaies did use one form of prayer before his Sermons Concerning the lawfullness of forms and book-book-prayers I make no doubt to concur with Bishop Hall in his Soliloquies saith Mr. Baxter a late writer of good note Some reject forms prescribed onely because they are prescribed they affect freedom and liberty so much that they would account their girdles and garters to be bonds and shackles if they were commanded to wear them Davids Psalms make no music in their ears their own Ditties are more harmonious because they are their own though they father them upon a better Author The Saints of old times did not think such prescribed lessons to be restraints upon the Spirit or a quenching of it For that Royal Composer David did give in writing the 105. Psalm to Asaph and his brethren to praise the Lord withall And 7. they did not quarrel at it for long after this King Hezekiah commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the Lord in the words of David and Asaph the Seer The 136. Psalm which begins O give thanks unto the Lord for he is gracious c. was wont to be sung upon several occasions as at going forth to war by Iehosaphat 2 Chro. 20.22 and at the laying the foundation of the new Temple by Zerubbabel Ezra 3.11 And the learned Iunius in his notes on that Psalm saith that this Ode Epainetic or song of praise was sung daily in the congregations as the moral part of the public service And it is vouched by good warrant that the Jews had set forms of praises and prayers in all ages and Buxtorf saith that the thirteen articles of the Jewish Creed was collected by R. Mâ—ses Ben Maimon out of the antient Jewish Liturgies A wise Prince gives thee counsel not to be rash with thy mouth or hasty to utter any thing before God But to be well advised what thou speakest to take heed of too much familiarity with thy Mâ—ker and to remember thy distance that he is in heaven and thou on earth he is a glorious God and thou art but dust and â—shâ—s It was a rash vow of Iephte the first thing that comes to meet me shall be the Lords Judg. 11.31 so if thou sayest the first words that come upon my tongue shall be the Lords they may prove rash and foolish and offensive even the Sacrifice of a fool Before thou prayest prepare thy self and be not as one that tempteth the Lord it is an Apocryphal Text but Canonical counsel Hodâ—è majorem licentiam illicitis suis cupiditatibus homines in precibus indulgent quam si pares cum paribus joco è fabularentur Calvin l. 3. Iâ—st cap. 20 5. APHOR. 6. Prayer in a language not understood unlawfull I Will pray with the Spirit and pray with the understanding also saith St. Paul I will sing with the Spirit and sing with the understanding also else how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen to thy giving of thanks seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest For thou verily givest thanks well but the other is not edified From which words it may be irrefrâ—gably concluded that the congregation must understand the prayers that are put up in the assâ—mbly else they cannot say Amen and they cannot be edified thereby And this may be also cleerly inferred thence that he that is the mouth of the Congregation or else prays in privat must understand himself what he prays else it is but the carcass of a prayer without soul or life in it oratio sine ratione for the heart cannot be affected with what it doth not understand and praying is a work rather of the heart than of the tongue no lip-labour Cardinal Cajetan upon this Text doth
of Baptism There is no danger in the bare want of it where it may not be had but in the neglect or contempt of it where it may be had this is a soul-endangering sin and imports a contempt of the Author and a rejecting of the counsel of God Gods anger was highly inceâ—sed against Moses for not Circumcising his child in due time according to the command Are young children capable of Baptism Yea the children of believing Parents are as the children of the Israelites being but eight daies old were of Circumcision And where but one of the Parents is a believer the children are admitted unto those favouâ—â— and privileges of the Church that do belong unto that Parent as a believer Wherefore was the Lord Supper instituted It was instituted by Christ not onely for a memorial of his own death but also for a means of applying his merits to the partakers for the increasing of love and amity among the faithfull and for the improving and strengthening of their faith and love towards God by these outward tokens and pledges of his love to them What is necessary for the due receiving of the Lords Supper It is expedient that a man examine himself but not so necessary that he should examine others whether they be worthy or unworthy for no man is partaker of another mans sins except he be accessâ—ry thereunto either by counsel or consent or approbation or some such way Is it expedient that a man be a frequent partaker of the Lords Supper Yea for often approaching to the Lords Table in due mannâ—r besides other benefits conduceth much to the advancement of piety and a holy life for thereby we are called to a re-inforcing of our watch to descend to that most usefull duty of self-examination or searching our own bosoms to purge out the old leaven and all impurity that is there contracted and lastly to a renewing of our vows and promises made in baptism of serving God with more circumspection and vigilance Are these Sacraments to continue for some certain time onely or for ever They are not temporary â—iâ—es but standing appointments in the Kingdom of Christ and of perpetual use in his Church until his second coming None can arrive at such perfection in this life at to be above Ordinances or not to stand in need of them for the uses before mentioned for which purposes all sober and humble Christians have alwaies founâ— them usefull and efficacious Who are lawfull Administrators and Dispensers of the Sacraments Onely such as are lawfully called to Ecclesiasticall Ministeries are lawfull Administrators of the Sacraments They are the Keepers of the Seals and are entrusted to apply and dispense them to such persons as desire them and are meetly qualified for them and none other FINIS A review of the precedent Aphorisms Wherein some of the most material points and passages that have been most liable to mistakes in these times are farther illustrated and verified 1. OF Fundamentals 2. Of the Authors and authority of the Creed 3. Of the fullness and sufficiency of it 4. Of the Patriarchs Creed 5. Of believing the Catholic Church 6. Of the Nicen and Athanasian Creeds 7. Gloria patri a short Creed 1. OF the obligation of the Moral Law under the Gospel 2. Of the perfection of the Moral at the first enacting of it 3. How this Law is possible to be performed 1. OF mens ignorance in the duty of prayer 2. That the Lords Prayer is a prayer 3. It is the Rule and Law of all prayers 4. Surpâ—sseth all other Compositions 5. Of set forms of Prayer 6. The Lords Prayer may not be laid aside 1. SAcraments why instituted 2. Their virtue and efficacy from the Author 3. They are Seals as well as Signs 4. Absolutely necessary where they may be had 5. Infant-Baptism more antient than Christ and his Apostles 6. Where the Sacraments may not be had desire supplies the defect APHOR. 1. Of the four fundamentals of Religion MOst men do divide this Sovereign Science of Theology into four parts Dr. Nowel in his Catechism calls those four by the names of Faith Obedience Invocation and Sacraments which amounts to the same with this division which we here follow for faith is summed up in the Creed obedience in the Decalogue Invocation in the Lords Prayer and the Sacraments make the fourth part Mr. Perkins calls these four Hâ—â—ds the grounds and Catholic principles of the Catechism and Dr. Dâ—avenam that â—d Jewel of Salisbury calls them the Fundamentals of Christian religion By Fundamentals he understands such things as are absolutely necessary to salvation and as such to be embraced of all men when they are sufficiently proposed unto them And such are saith he not onely mysteries of faith comprized in thâ—Creed but also the dictates of the Divine Law contain'd in the Decalogue which he calls Symbolum Agendorum as the other is Symbolum Credendorum A Speculative knowledg of Divine Mâ—stâ—ries will not carry us one step forward towards heaven without the practical knowledge of Divine Mandates and it is no less damnable to erâ— in moral principles than in speculative that is it is as great a Heresie dogmatically to impâ—gn one of the Commandments as one of the Articles of the Creed For he that affirms that God is not to be worshipped or that Parents are not to be honoured or teacheth that theft and murther are no sins is an absolute Heretick for every practical dictate of the moral law is a fundamental truth and ought as firmly to be believed as any article of the Creed for it is implicitly contained in it There are some general verities and propositions also in the doctrine of prayer and Sacraments which are no less fundamental than the other and which to dâ—ny or oppose would be both impious and heretical Those Churches that are built upon these fundamentals and do firmly retain them have that which may suffice them to salvation they have a foundation sufficient to bear that super-structure which they are intended for even mans eternal salvation And if men indeavour to live according to these principles thâ—y are to be deemed members of Gods Church and such to whom all Christians should give the right hand of fellowship and not sâ—parate from though they might be guilty of sundry failings otherwise This is the substance of some chapters of that pious mans Irenicon or exhortation to peace directed to the Proâ—estant Churches of Germany which are divided into Lutherans and Calvinists APHOR. 2. Of the Authors and authority of the Apostles Creed MAgno certè verterum consensu c. surely by a general vote suffrage of the antient Fathers this Creed is ascribed unto the Apostles saith Mr. Calvin ab ultimâ memoriâ Sacro-sanctae inter pios omnes authoritatis â—uit as he goes on and it was esteemed of sacred authority among all Gods servants from the first spring of Christianity Ireneus one of the
Articles that are contained in the Apostles Creed Which Creed is the Key to all other doctrinal points of Religion VI THe Patriarchs and Servants of God in old time were saved by the faith contained in this Creed every Article thereof being revealed unto them and to be sound dispersedly in the writings of Moses (a) and the Prophets For as there was but one (b) Church from the beginning of the World so there was but one (c) faith which is common to us and them and to all that shall come after us VII OF those twelve Articles some do concern God the Father as the first Article some concern God the Son as the six Articles immediately following and some do concern God the Holy Ghost as the eighth Article The four last do set forth the state of the Church both in this World and in the nexâ— VIII THe Article of Christ's descent into Hell may safely be understood and believed either of these two waies 1. That the soul of Christ descended locally among the Infernal Spirits not to suffer but to manifest the power of his Godhead which is the interpretation of the Fathers and divers eminent Writers * of later age 2. By descending into Hell no more is to be understood than that Christ descended into the state of the Dead and was there continued for the space of three daies which is more generally received of the later Writers IX TO believe the Holy Catholick Church is to believe that among all the Tribes (a) and Nations of the World God hath some chosen servants a peculiar people whom he hath taken (b) out for his name sanctified with his Spirit (c) called unto the state of grace (d) and ordained unto eternal Glory X. TO believe the Communion of Saints is to believe that the Saints and Servants of God are knit by an invisible tye of faith and love to Christ their head (a) and to each other by common participation and mutual communication of all good things both spiritual and temporal as if they were but one body and were acted by one soul and spirit (b) XI TO believe forgiveness of sins is to believe that God doth freely pardon sin to penitent (a) sinners thtough faith in Christ (b) without any other merit or satisfaction And that he hath given power to his Church (d) to declare and prâ—nounce this pardon in his name upon just and lawfull occasions XII THe Nicene Creed and the Creed of Athanasius are but Paraphrases and Explanations of the Apostles Creed upon occasion of Heresies that sprung up in the Church about those times touching the holy Trinâ—ty and the Incarnation of Christ But they contain nothing material or substantial that is not couched in the short symbol of the Apostles XIII THat little Hymn of glory called Gloria Patri c. is as it were a little Creed and an Abridgement of the Apostolical brought into the Church about the time that Arrianism prevailed for to be a badge to distinguish the Orthodox Believers from the Heterodox or mis-believers For by giving glory to God in this form they confessed the Trinity in Unity which the Arrians opposed A PRAYER BLessed be thy holy name O Lord for all the holy Scripture which thou hast given us for a light unto our feet (a) and a lantern unto our paths And particularly for that part of it which thy holy Apostles have delivered for a Summary of Faith and a Rule of right belief to teach us to know thee the onely true God and Jesus Christ (b) whom thou hast sent Lord strengthen and confirm this faith in us more and more that we being built upon the Rock (c) and the firm foundation of the Prophets (d) and Apostles may stand up stedfast unshaken and unmovable against all the temptations of Satan both against the strong blasts of persecution when any shall arise and against the breath of seducers which do daily lie in wait to deceive and to beguile unstable souls That so holding fast this (f) pledge which was once delivered unto the Saints we may at last obtain the end (g) of our faith even the salvation of our souls through him who is the Author (h) and finisher of our faith Jesus Christ the Righteous Vnto whom with the Father and the blessed Spirit all glory be rendred by all the Church as in the beginning so now and to all ages of the World Amen OF THE COMMANDMENTS I. THe second general Hâ—ad of Christian Religion are the Commandments which are the Breviate of the Law Moral and of all the practical duties of humane life It is the Rule of our obediencâ— the Tree (a) of knowledge of good and evil shewing what is good (b) and what is bad what is to be followed and (c) what to be eschewed II. OUr Saviour Christ did not abolish the Ten Commandments for it is a law founded in Nature (a) and natural equity and therefore is unmovable and unchangable It is the eternal Rule of Justice to all persons to the end of the World for the Gospel doth not exempt any persons from natural or moral obligations at any time III. CHrist freed us from the Ceremonial Law which was grown to be (a) unsupportable but not from the law of good manners (b) which was promulgated upon Mount Sinai He hath freed us also from the rigor and punctuality of this Law but not from the regiment of it And lastly he hath freed us from the curse (c) of this law or the curse annexed to the breach of it when he was himself made â— curse by suffering an accursed death for our sins (d) IV. THis Law called Moral is a holy (a) and perfect (b) Law having a spiritual (c) as well as a literal sense being made to regulate the whole man both outwardly in his members and inwardly for the thoughts and intentions of the heart (d) Christ did fullfill this Law by doing it not by filling up the vacuities of it for there was no defect or imperfection in it (e) V. GOd summed all moral duties in ten general Precepts or Ten (a) Words as Moses calls them Our Saviour Christ reduced these ten into two and St. Paul into one even Love Love (c) is the fullfilling of the Law and the end and complement (d) of it (b) that is Love towards God and Love towards our Neighbour this is the total sum of the Moral Law VI THough the Law be so nice and exact (a) in it self that we cannot perform it so fully as we ought or as it requires (b) nevertheless we may Gods grace assisting us perform it so far as to find a gracious acceptance with him through Christ (c) The doing the uttermost of what we can (d)
and the bewailing of what we cannot do is all that the mercifull God requires at our hands in this point VII THe precepts of the first Table do contain the duty of man towards God being given to direct him in the service of his Maker and in performing both the internal (a) and external worship that is due unto him For he that made both soul and body expects the service of both and to be glorified in both (b) VIII THe precepts of the second Table do contain the duty of man towards his Neighbour obliging him to love him (a) as himself as his fellow-creature (b) hewn out of the same (c) rock made by the same hand and bearing the same stamp impress and superscription with him even the (d) image of him that made both the one and the other IX THe Commandements are but few in number and short in words but they contain much in a little For where any particular Virtue is commanded all Virtues of the same kind are under that name commanded And where any Vice is forbidden all Vices of that race and kind are forbidden likewise X. WHere any Virtue is commanded there the opposite Vice is forbidden and where any Vice is forbidden the opposite Virtue or duty is commanded by the Rule of Contraries As where stealing is forbidden there honest labour frugality and industry in our calling is imâ—plicitly commanded that men need not be forced to steal XI WHere any duty is commanded there all lawfull means conducing to that duty are cacitly commanded And where any vice is forbidden there all the means and occasions (a) as also the allurements and provocations that do any way tend or induce thereunto are likewise forbidden THE PRAYER MOst holy God who art glorious (a) in holiness and who wilt be sanctified (b) in all that come nigh unto thee Thou hast been graciously pleased to declare thy will unto us and to shew how thou wouldest be served and obeyed (c) and what thou (d) requirest of us while we dwell in Tabernacles of flesh Thou hast given us a holy and a perfect (e) Law to be the Rule of our obedience and the square of all our actions Lord open our eyes that we may see the wonderous (f) things of this Law see the fullness and purity and perfection of it Write it we pray thee in the Tables (g) of our Hearts that we may see it there and do it and assist us with thy good Spirit that we may embrace and follow every virtue that is there commanded and shun every vice that is forbidden and study to be doers of the word and not hearers onely deceiving our own souls (h) And though we are not able through our natural depravedness and corruption to perform thy Law and Commandments so exactly as we should yet O Lord our God we beseech thee to accept of our sincere indeavours who knowest our weaknesses and disabilities knowest what is in man and whereof he is made (i) and dost often accept of the will for the deed even so accept of our imperfect obedience for his sake who hath fullfilled all righteousness and accomplished thy will in all points even Jesus Christ our onely Mediator and Redeemer OF THE LORDS PRAYER I. THere is none in this World that is so full and self-sufficient but doth want somthing and must seek out of himself for a supply of that want Nature (a) dictates and suggests that prayer and supplication is an effectual means to obtain this supply And that humble address must be made to him that hath all and wants nothing (b) II. Though God be rich (a) in mercy towards all and knows all our wants better than our selves yet he expects to be asked before he gives (b) He requires us to acknowledge our (c) wants and weaknesses and to lift up a prayer in faith and then he will meet our desireâ— if they be just (d) and convenient III. MOst men are ignorant (a) in the duty of prayer and know not how to pray as they ought (b) or to pray according to Gods will (c) Therefore our Saviour Christ at the request of his Disciples did prick down a lesson for that purpose as St. John had done for his Disciples (d) He gave them a prayer which they might use without fear of offending by presenting unfit or unlawfull desires IV. THat form of words delivered by Christ in the sixt of Matthew and the eleventh of Luke is not onely a pattern to pray by but also a formal prayer and a full comprehensive one being an Inventary of all our wants and suiting with all persons times and occasions V. AS it is a prayer of it self so it is the law and line of all our prayers The Rule and Directory for composing of all prayers that suit with mens particular occasions And the standard whereby â—hose prayers are to be examined whether they be made according to the pattern shewed in the Mount * VI THe Lords prayer must in all reason be esteemed above the best of hâ—mane compositions 1. By reason of the excellency of the Author who was the Wisdom (a) of his Father and in whom were hid all the treasures (b) of wisdom and knowledge and unto whom the Spirit was not given by measure (c) 2. For the acceptableness thereof with God for when we supplicate the Father not onely in his sons name (d) but also in his sons words we may with good reason suppose that our requests will be the sooner heard and return with better success VII YEt neither the eminency of the composer nor the art of the composition do recommend a prayer so much as true saith (a) and fervent affection (b) as also humility (c) and due reverence (d) which are necessary dispositions and qualifications in any person that shall send up this prayer or any other VIII A â—â—ayer composed by another whither read or repeated by heart is as usefull and prevalent as any made by our selves if devotion be in the heart And the same prayer may be often used as (a) Christ did if the same grace be still wanting God is not delighted with varying of phrases or suits of several dresses IX IN the Lords Prayer we are taught to say our Father In the Creed to say I believe c. To instruct us that every man must believe for himself being to be saved by his own (a) saith But we must pray for others (b) as well as our selves for as charity begins at home but doth not end there so doth prayer though it hath one foot in the center of a man's self the other foot doth fetch a compass about the World X. THe Lords Prayer doth consist of six Petitions equally divided between God and man Whereof
Arausican Council it was made a Canon Quod omnes baptizati Christo auxiliante coâ—operante possent deberent qaae ad salutem pertinent si fideliter laborare voluerint adimplere Dicat Pelagius per gratiam nos posse implere legem dei pax est August contra Pelag THE LORDS PRAYER APHOR. 1. Of ignorance in the duty of Prayer SUch ignorance and darkness doth possess our minds that we often fail in our best duties and those that do most concern us our very prayers are sometimes extravagant and offensive as propounding things either unlawfull for the matter or unfit for the condition of them that make them Of both which since God is better able to judge than we our selves let no man murmure or repine when his prayers do finde a repulse but let him rather suspect that there is somthing amiss on his part and make this inference that God hath turn'd a deaf ear to his desires for his good and denyed them in courtesie For this is the confidence saith St. John that we have in God that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us our prayers must be then according to Gods will not according to our own e're they find admission or success It was then a good advice of a Heathen in this particular Si consilium vis Permittes ipsis expendere numinibus quid Conveniat nobis rebâ—sque sit utile nostris Nam pro jucundis aptissima quaeque dabunt Dî Charior est ipsis Homo quà m sibi Consonant to which Plato cites a prayer of a Greek Poet which he commends for the temper and prudence of it and * Calvin commends him for commending it and it was thus {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Mr. Calvin gives this meaning of it O Iupiter give us those things that are best and fittest for us whether we beg them particularly or no but such things as are hurtfull keep them from us though we earnestly desire them Nihil autem magis ignorari quà m quid singulis expediat aut quid petendum sit ne Gentiles ignorarûnt inter hos qui scripsit Evertêre domos totas optantibus ipsis Dî faciles c. The Disciples request to their Master that he would teach them to pray Luk. 11.1 did imply their ignorance and unskilfullness in this duty and to prevent mistakes and to succour mens ignorance in this performance it was that Christ fram'd this prayer as Calvin rightly teacheth Cà m videret quà m angusta esset nostra paupertas quid aequum postulare quid è re nostra esset huic nostrae ignorantiae occurrit quod captui nostro deerat de suo ipse supplevit ac suffecit APHOR. 2. That the Lords Prayer is a Prayer THis is acknowledged by Mr. Perkins a man of some esteem once in this Kingdom and the contrary perswasion condemned for error and ignorance by him The Assembly of Divines in the Directory for public worship do term it a full and comprehensive prayer and not onely a pattern Mr. Calvin doth stile it orationem omnibus numeris absolutam a perfect prayer in all points Beza omnium Christianarum precum summam ac formulam a short sum and model of all Christian prayers Since then it is a prayer let no man doubt or fear to use it as a prayer and do as Christ bade him when thou prayest say Our Father The primitive Christians did interpret this as a Command so that it was the ordinary and usual prayer of the Church in Tertullians time and I do believe that those that do forbear it now do construe it so and that is a chief reason why they forbear it Tertullian in his Exposition of the Lords Prayer which was made above 1400 year since hath these words praemissâ hac ordinariâ legitimâ oratione tanquam fundamento jus est accidentium desideriorum superstruendi extrinsecùs petitiones Of which words this is the sum 1. That the Lords Prayer was the most usual and ordinary prayer in his time 2. That it was esteemed the legitimate that is the authentic and most current prayer of the Church 3. That this prayer was premised or used at the beginning as the foundation of all private and public oraisons Their service consisted of sundry other prayers but this was caput caenae the chief mess In St. Austine's time it was used Coronidis vice for a close or up-shot of all their devotions and for a Crowning prayer reserving their best wine untill the last Mr. Cartwright who condemns the frequent repetition of it in the Service book doth allow that the Church should conclude the Liturgy with it and that Ministers should end their Sermons therewith as in the English Church at Geneva it is used with the prayer after Sermon The continuater of Sulpit Severus tells us that in the Spanish Church the manner was for some time to use Orationem dominicam tantum in die dominico the Lords Prayer onely on the Lords day But the fourth Council of Toledo which weâ— in the year 632. did condemn the practice and commanded that it should be used daily in the publick Services of the Church APHOR. 3. It is the Rule of all other Prayers THis Prayer is both forma precationis norma precandi both a form of prayer and a rule of prayeâ— or the Law of prayer as I may term it in that sense that Tertullian calls the Apostle's Creed legem fidei the law of faith We may call it the standard of prayer as we may also term the Creed the standard of faith and the Commandments the standard of duty and obedience Now public standards or measures that were anciently kept in Temples as the sacred shekle in the Sanctuary or under the Magistrates custody had this use to be both measures themselves and also patterns to make measures by As that rare piece or picture made by Polygnotus which for the excellency and artifice of it was termed the Canon i. the Rule was not onely a compleat picture of it self but also an arch-type or Idea unde artifices artis suae lineamenta peterent as Pliny speakâ— of it a Sampler whence Artists of that faculty should learn the true lines touches and strokes of a picture Whatsoever the mode or form and language of our prayers may be saith * St. Augustin we must fetch the matter and substance of them from the royal mine of this prayer if we pray regularly which is as copious in matter as it is parcimonious in words and in Tertullians judgement Breviarium totius Evangelii If any petition or request be made that doth not square with this prayer or is not reducible to it it is a spark of strange fire that profanes the sacrifice it is not secundum Vsum Sionis APHOR. 4. It
ingenuously confess that it would be more for the edification of the Church if public prayers were performed in a language that is common both to Priest and People Pope John the 8th of that name could not elude or resist the force of this Text or the reasonableness of the practice of the Moravians who did celebrate divine service in the Sclavonian tongue which was the vulgar or mother-tongue of that Nation For in an Epistle written by the said Pope in the yeaâ— 808 to Stentor Prince of Moravia touching this point he doth cite this parcel of Pauls Epistle and saith that he that made the Hebrew and the Latine tongues did make other tongues also for the glorifying of his name withall When this business of having the public service in the vulgar-tongues was hotly controverted in the Church there was a voice in the air heard to say Let every spirit praise the Lord and every tongue confess his name as Zâ—inger reports cited by Dr. Iames Manud art 6. Si populus intelligat orationem sacerdotis meliùs reducitur in deum devotiùs respondet Amen APHOR. 7. It is not warrantable to lay aside the Lords Prayer IF it be a prayer and there is a command extant for the using of it there cannot be any just pretensions for discarding it out of our Liturgies In the Posie of godly prayers this was ever held the most fragrant flower it is sal omnium divinorum officiorum the salt of the spiritual sacrifice for as every sacrifice under the Law was seasoned with salt so all devotion wch is a Gospelâ—Sacrifice should be seasoned with this prayer {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} left it prove insipid or unsavoury Let none suppose that it was intended onely for Christians of the lower form for St. Austin assures us that it was made not onely for the Lambs but even for the Rams of the flock arietibus gregis i. Apostolis suis dominus dedit and elswhere he adds it to be a form necessary for every particular believer Iustin Martyr saith that the Apostles themselves did use this prayer at the celebrating of the Eucharist which was very frequently in those daies and we may presume that he delivered but his knowledge herein for he living so neer the Apostles might very well understand their practice in this or any other affair If it hath been too often used heretofore as some urge sure I am it is now used too seldom which is the worser fault of the two as of two extremes one may be far worser than the other And it may be well supposed that they have too mean a conceit of this prayer and too high an esteem of their compositions that will not vouchsafe it a room among them One of the reasons given for abolishing the Common-prayer-Book was because it gave offence to divers godly Christians sure I am that the omitting of this prayer or casheering of it for company with our other prayers of the Church gives greatet offence to persons really godly who are as much grieved in spirit at this affront as at any other put upon the Christian Religion in these frantick Corybantiasms that have of late years possessed this Nation The omitting of this Prayer and Creed and Commandments in the public Assemblies have made some men believe that they were but some Grotesques and superfluities in our Religion some parentheses as it were or things indifferent that might be used or omitted at pleasure so that the people have often since mused what Religion hath been taught them these 1600 in this land when the very corner-stones of it are now taken away and the foundations are digged up Where zeal not guided with discretion is in the Commission of Reformation it knows not where to stop or stay but is alwaies pulling down but knows not how to build up or erect any thing like an Apollyon being onely skilfull to destroy to unravel and root up all Et convellere tota Fundamenta quibus nixatur vita salusque Lucret l. 4. OF THE SACRAMENTS APHOR. 1. Sacraments why ordain'd HE that made man and knew best how to instruct and teach him in the great interest of his salvation thought fit to inclose apples of gold in pictures of silver heavenly mysteries in earthly representations and objects because it is natural to man to aâ—cend to super-natural verities by natural helpâ— and to â—cale heaven by a ladder whose rounds are made as it were of gross materials and whose bottom like that of Iacob stands upon the earth though the top reacheth to heaven Geomâ—ters do use certain Schems and Diagrams drawn in the sands or on paper to assist the weak capacities of their Scholars to understand some Conclusions or problems of their Art So God vouchsafes to instruct his Scholars not onely by words but also by signs and symbols to speak not onely to the ear but also to the eye the preaching of the word was not thought * sufficient to inform mens dull capacities and to stir up their other faculties to their proper duties but Sacraments are also added which are a kinde of a visible word Both have the same use the one to teach the minde by the sense of seeing as the other by the sense of hearing And to this purpose the Sacrament is more effectual than the word having a greater energy * and force upon the mind because the eye is a better instructer than the ear * Segniùs irritant animos demissa per aures Quam quae sunt oculis subâ—ecta fidelibus Horat de arte Poet APHOR. 2. Their efficacy from the Author alone THere is no such vertue inherent in the Sacramental symbols to work good upon the soul as there is in herbs or mineral waters to work good upon the body the very applying of the Sacraments as an active to a passive or the opus operatum aâ— the Romish writers express it the very action or deed done doth not do the deed as is pretended God doth not tye his grace to the Means nor to the Ministrators whose worthiness doth not contribute to nor unworthiness derogate from the Sacraments but the work depends wholly upon the good pleasure of the Ordainer and Institutor of them who doth preside in this grand Agend of the Church and who doth exhibit grace therein to all but it is not effectual and beneficial to any but to the worthy Receiver qualified by previous dispositions and expedients We do not depreciate the Sacraments or make them lower or lesser than what indeed they were intended to be by asserting the efficacy and vertue derived from them to him that ordained them We do not over-value nor under-value them we know who have offended in these extremes We do not make them empty Pageants and bare shadows or dumb shews the Church of England declares otherwise in few words Sacraments are not