men They are an universal declaration of things Heavenly working in those whose hearts God inspireth with a due consideration and disposition of mind whereby they are made fit vessels both for receipt and delivery of whatsoever Spiritual perfection There is nothing necessary for man to know which the Psalms are not able to teach They are to beginners a familiar introduction to those who are entred into the way of Religion a mighty augmentation of vertue and knowledge and to the most perfect a strong confirmation Heroical magnanimity exquisite Justice grave moderation exact wisdom Repentance unfeigned unwearied Patience the mysteries of God the sufferings of Christ the terrours of Wrath the comforts of Grace the works of Providence over the world present and the promised Joys of the next all good necessary to be known done or had are laid up in this Store-house no grief incident to man's soul or sickness to the body but a remedy may be found for it in the Book of Psalms As the Holy Scripture exceeds other writings in verity so the Book of Psalms exceeds other Sacred Scriptures in variety The Psalter is the common treasury of all good arguments and instructions the summary pith and breviary of the whole Bible therefore as the Church esteemed nothing more generally necessary for the Worship of God then the Word of God so she judged no parcel of the Word more full and fit then the Psalms But it is to be wished that we could all endeavour to make our lives conformable to those Holy patterns who were the Pen-men of these Psalms and that the Psalmists infusions and effusions may find in us the Psalmists spiritual affections to go along with them that when we say or sing over these Psalms we may not speak against our sense knowledge or conscience nor blame the Psalm or Church for enjoyning it to be used when we our selves perhaps are in fault He who would make a right and good use of the Psalms read over in private or publick must endeavour to form his Spirit to the affection of the Psalm if it be the affection of love which runs through the Psalm it is to be read with the same affection if of fear the same Spirit of fear should be imprinted upon the Soul if of desire it should be carried on with the like transportation if of gratitude to God the Soul should be lifted up with praises and come with affections that way enflamed If the Psalm carries in it the Spirit of Prayer and Supplication of Praise or Eucharist he who dares to read it must still conform and bring down his Spirit to the Psalm and whatever affection is in any Psalm the heart is to comply with that affection that by this means the often repeating of the Psalms may not prove a ridiculous piece of Pageantry we should strive to say the Psalms with the same Spirit with which they were inspired who composed them and accommodate our selves to them in the same manner as if we our selves had been the composers or as if they had been purposely composed for our use by exciting up in our selves the same affections which we may discern to have been in David or others at the same time when they composed them We are to love when they love fear when they fear hope when they hope praise God when they praise him weep for our own sins and others when they weep beg what we want with the like Spirit wherewith their petitions are framed love our enemies when they love theirs pray for ours when they pray for theirs have zeal for Gods glory when they profess it humble our selves when they are humbled and lift up our Spirits to Heaven when they lift up theirs give thanks for Gods mercies when they do delight and rejoyce in the benefits of the Messias and beauties of the Church when they do relate the wonderful works of God in the creation of the World and deliverance of his people with the like admiration and praise as they do and where-ever there is mention of punishments inflicted on rebellious sinners and rewards and favours bestowed upon the obedient we are to tremble where they tremble and to rejoyce where they rejoyce we are to walk in Gods Sanctuary as they walked and to wish to dwell in it as they wished And wherever the Psalmist as a Master teacheth exhorteth reprehendeth and directeth we are to suppose him speaking to every one of us and we should answer him in such due manner as he requires And at the beginning of every Psalm we should beg of God that affection which the Psalmist had when he composed it and desire to attain the same guift and spiritual savour which he felt Was this course as constantly used as the reading over the Book of Psalms we should in time be of the Psalmists temper and devotion and the usage of the Psalms would not seem so strange as perhaps they may to some for want of observing this good rule prescribed by the Ancients It is a course which the devouter Christians ever observed and they found it hugely advantageous for the heightning and enflaming of their devotions Some scruples may be made by some persons against the reading of Scripture in general and against the Psalms in particular the most devotional part of Scripture for they were most of them composed by David the Type of Christ and the best fitted and qualified of any man to set down a formulary of Devotions in which are contained the most remarkable things which concern Christ or Christianity and which may well enough be used by all who are sincerely Christian either as forms of Prayers or Praises of which they consist for the most part Indeed some Psalms seem to have no propriety of the Spirit of Christianity being spent in calling down vengeance upon Gods and the Psalmists enemies which is contrary to the Gospel-temper Luk. 9.54 55. but herein lies our great mistake for David the Psalmist of Israel by whom the Spirit of the Lord spake 2 Sam. 23.2 could not have in him the least malignity or revenge in the penning of his Psalms not of those of the severest character for in those Psalms he did not so properly pray as a petitioner that God would bring such and such Judgments upon obstinate sinners as he did predict and denounce as a Prophet the just Judgments of God which would inevitably fall upon such sinners Such Psalms are Prophesies and Predictions not properly Prayers and they may easily be accommodated to the Christian affection Spirit and temper All Texts of Scripture in either Testament of this seemingly-severe temper and nature may be safely admitted into the very bowels of our Souls if they could be permitted also to perform the work which they are designed for that is to melt us into contrition to mortifie us to reform us to bruise our Souls to purge all dross out of them to refine and prepare them for holy duties Besides the Jews
hear us when we call upon thee Psal 4.1 Psal 30.10 Psal 109.26 Priest Endue thy Ministers with righteousness Answer And make thy chosen people joyful Psal 132.9 Priest O Lord save thy people Answer And bless thine inheritance Psal 28.9 Priest Give peace in our time O Lord 2 King 20.19 Psal 122.6 Answer Because there is none other that fighteth for us but only thou O God 2 Chron. 20.12 Exod. 14.14 Nehem. 4.20 Isa 31.4 Priest O God make clean our hearts within us Answer And take not thy holy Spirit from us Psal 51.10 11. EXPLANATION The forementioned Prayers are all agreeable to Scripture of Divine derivation and because they are most what taken out of the Book of Psalms the Priest is ordered to stand up at the reading of them they are short and in that respect conformable to Scripture pattern and Primitive practice The interchangable way of praying is used here and often elsewhere in our Divine Offices which is agreeable to Primitive practice also and the end of it is to refresh the peoples attention to teach them their part in the publick Prayers to unite their affections and to keep them in a league of perpetual amity In these Prayers we pray first for the King next for the Ministers of Christ Priests and Deacons and in the last place for the People and in all we follow that excellent pattern which was set us by the Royal Prophet David Psal 132.1 9. And although it may be our good happiness to live in a time of Peace yet we pray constantly for Peace in our time in the same sense as we pray in the Lords Prayer for daily bread when we have it by us we pray that it may come where it is not and that it may continue where it is we pray also for the blessing of peace as well as for peace it self And although we pray in express terms for peace in our time yet we do not forget posterity only we dare not presume that it shall remain with us with her wings clipt for ever as we ask for bread this day and yet we neglect not to morrow only we follow the rule of our Saviour who forbids us anxiously to take care for to morrow And whereas it is added in the foregoing Prayers Because no other fighteth for us but only thou O God our meaning is that we fear not War but hope for an eternal Peace of God to defend us we acknowledge him our Shield our Watch-Tower and our Keeper Psal 18.2 Psal 121.4 Psal 127.1 Psal 73.25 and that there is none that holds with us but Michael our Prince Dan. 10.21 that is Christ Though Angels and men may fight in our quarrel yet they all do it but as God's Instruments God only fights for us as principal Agent He it is who teacheth our hands to War and our fingers to fight Psal 18.34 And in regard that without Christ's assisting us with his holy Spirit we can do nothing for he is first and last we can neither begin nor end well without him therefore as we begin so we end with God First we desire God to be with us and with our Spirit and in the last place we desire of God that he would not take his holy Spirit from us RUBRICK Then shall follow three Collects The first of the day which shall be the same that is appointed at the Communion The second for Peace The third for Grace to live well And the two last Collects shall never alter but daily be said at Morning Prayer throughout all the year as followeth all kneeling The second Collect for Peace O God who art the author of peace and lover of concord 1 Cor. 14.33 2 Cor. 13.11 in knowledge of whom standeth our eternal life John 17.3 whose service is perfect freedom Luk. 1.74 John 8.32 36. Rom. 6.18 1 Cor. 7.22 Defend us thy humble servants in all assaults of our enemies Psal 31.3 4 5. that we surely trusting in thy defence may not fear the power of any adversaries Psal 125.1 Psal 118.8 9 10 11. Psal 62.6 7 8. through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord Act. 4.12 Amen The third Collect for Grace O Lord our heavenly Father Mat. 6.26 Almighty and everlasting God Gen. 17.1 Gen. 21.33 who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day Psal 22.9 10. Psal 3.5 defend us in the same with thy mighty power Psal 62.2 and grant that this day we fall into no sin neither run into any kind of danger Mat. 6.13 Psal 19.12 13. 2 Thes 3.3 Psal 17.5 Gen. 20.6 but that all our doings may be ordered by thy governance to do always that is righteous in thy sight Psal 17.5 Prov. 20.24 Psal 5.8 Psal 119.5 through Jesus Christ our Lord John 14.13 Amen EXPLANATION Collects are so called because they are Prayers in short sums containing much matter in few words like so many choice Flowers gathered and collected out of the Scriptures Garden and bound up in little Posies to be offer'd and presented to God by Jesus Christ The first Collect here mentioned for the day is always fitted to the day and framed for the most part in reference to something remarkable in the Epistle and Gospel for the day which the Collect is set before The second Collect is for Peace because we cannot well pray nor offer up an acceptable Sacrifice to God without Peace where there is no Peace there is no Piety Godliness nor Honesty therefore we pray for Peace that the rest may be preserved 1 Tim. 2.1 2. The third Collect is for Grace to live well because if there be no Peace with God by holy life there can be none with man There is no peace to the wicked Isa 48.22 Peace and Truth Isa 39.8 Peace and Righteousness Psal 85.10 Peace and Holiness Heb. 12.14 are joyned by God in Scripture and by us should not be parted Our Religion if truly Christian is pure and peaceable Jam. 3.17 RUBRICK In Quires and places where they sing here followeth the Anthem Then these five Prayers following are to be read here except when the Litany is read and then only the two last are to be read as they are there placed A Prayer for the Kings Majesty O Lord our heavenly Father high and mighty King of Kings Lord of Lords the only Ruler of Princes who doest from thy throne behold all the dwellers upon Earth Most heartily we beseech thee with thy favour to behold our most gracious Soveraign Lord King CHARLES and so replenish him with the grace of thy holy Spirit that he may alway incline to thy will and walk in thy way endue him plenteously with heavenly gifts grant him in health and wealth long to live strengthen him that he may vanquish and overcome all his enemies and finally after this life he may attain everlasting joy and felicity through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer for the Royal Family ALmighty God the fountain of all goodness we humbly beseech thee
our blessed Saviour repeated one Prayer three times Mat 26.44 and he questionless could have altered had he thought it either necessâ—â—â—â— or convenient Such short ejaculatory â—rayers as these come nearest to the pattern given by our Saviour who gave to his Disciples a short form and in all the Holy Bible we meet not with any example or pattern of a very long Prayer Solomon's Prayer used at the Dedication of the magnificent Temple which he built to God is the longest we meet with in Holy Scripture And saith holy Augustine the business of Prayer is rather done by sighs groans and fervency of heart then by multiplicity of words RUBRICK Then shall the Priest and the People with him say the Lords Prayer OVr Father which art in heaven Hallowed be thy Name Thy kingdom come Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven Give us this day our daily bread And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us And lead us not into temptation But deliver us from evil Amen Luk. 11.2 3 4. For the often use of this Prayer in our Liturgick Offices and the meaning of it see before The Versicle Priest O Lord deal not with us after our sins Answer Neither reward us after our iniquities Psal 130.3 Let us pray Why this is so often used see before O God mercifull Father that despisest not the sighing of a contrite heart Psal 51.17 nor the desire of such as be sorrowful mercifully assist our prayers that we make before thee in all our troubles and adversities whensoever they oppress us and graciously hear us that those evils which the craft and subtilty of the devil or man worketh against us be brought to nought and by the providence of thy goodness they may be dispersed that we thy servants being hurt by no persecutions may evermore give thanks unto thee in thy holy Church through Jesus Christ our Lord Psal 20. Psal 86.7 O Lord arise help us and deliver us for thy Names sake Nehem. 1.9 10 11. Ezek. 20.9 Ezek. 36.12 O God we have heard with our ears and our fathers have declared unto us the noble works that thou didst in their days and in the old time before them Psal 78.3 4. Psal 43.1 O Lord arise help us and deliver us for thine honour Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Foly Ghost Answ As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen Why this is used and so often see before From our enemies defend us O Christ Psal 25.15 16 17 18 19. Graciously look upon our afflictions Pitifully behold the sorrows of our hearts Mercifully forgive the sins of thy people Favourably with mercy hear our Prayers O Son of David have mercy upon us Luk. 18.9 Both now and ever vouchsafe to hear us O Christ John 14.13 14. Graciously hear us O Christ graciously hear us O Lord Christ Priest O Lord let thy mercy be shewed upon us Answ As we do put our trust in thee Psal 33.22 Note All the forementioned Prayers with the Responds are short lively active and spirited Prayers uttered with fervency which are most available with God when they come from devout and righteous souls Jam. 5.16 it is the short Prayer which pierceth Heaven God looks not at how much we pray but how well we pray how heartily and sincerely we pray Such were the Prayers of the most devout Christians in ancient times whose hearts fired with zeal and devotion did passionately send forth short Prayers as the hottest Springs send forth their waters by ebullitions See before Let us pray WF humbly beseech thee O Father mercifully to look upon our infirmities and for the glory of thy Name turn from us all those evils that we most righteously have deserved and grant that in all our troubles we may put our whole trust and confidence in thy mercy and evermore serve thee in holiness and pureness of living to thy honour and glory through our only Mediatour and Advocate Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Note the fulness of this Prayer and by this judge of all the rest Herein we pray that God would in mercy pardon the sinful frailties and infirmities of our lives and the imperfections of those very Prayers wherein we beg that pardon This we beg not for our merits for we can merit nothing at his hands but upon the account of his mercy And we pray further that he would divert from us all the evil of punishment which our evil of sin might move him justly to inflict upon us and that whatever calamities befall us in this world for our own defaults yet we may repose confidence in his mercy and not distrust him though he kill us however we may have cause enough to distrust our selves but that we may be awakned and warned by the punishments which he is pleased to inflict upon us to walk more warily for the future to make our actions more holy and our lives more pure that so we may bring good to our selves and honour and glory to him and all this as we do all other things convenient and needful for us we beg not through the mediation and intercession of any Saint or Angel but through our only Mediatour and Advocate Jesus Christ our Lord. A Prayer of St. Chrysostom ALmighty God who hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications unto thee and dost promise that when two or three are gathered together in thy Name thou wilt grant their requests Fulfill now O Lord the desires and petitions of thy servants as may be most expedient for them granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth and in the world to come life everlasting Amen 2 Cor. 13.14 THe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost be with us all evermore Amen Here endeth the Litany And be it noted that the Litany is no distinct Service properly for a Service consists of Psalms Lessons Creed Thanksgivings and Prayers distinct only it is a distinct Form and many times made use of as a fit preparative to other ensuing Offices Formerly notice was used to be given by the tolling of a Bell when it was to be said The accustomed days for the saying of it are Sundays Wednesdays Fridays the three days of Rogation and other Fasting-days appointed to be observed in times of Plague Famine War and other general calamities and it is a devotional piece of Service very suitable to all such times The usual place for saying of it where it can be done conveniently is in the midst of the Church and just before the Chancel-door the Ministers turning their faces towards the Altar or Communion-Table when they say it For saith Chrysostom it is fit that the Minister who officiates in Prayer should put on the outward garb and deportment as well as the inward mind of a Supplicant and therefore he
may act their parts over us and we may live peaceably and quietly under them For all persons any ways afflicted for enemies persecutors and slanderers and we are to beg of God for them the same good things as we would beg for our selves 4. Giving of thanks wherein we are to bless God for all mercies already received vouchsafed to our own persons to all who relate to us to the Church and State whereof we are members to all mankind We are to give unto God the retribution of thanks for all spiritual blessings for giving us his Son and holy Spirit for affording all means to bring sinful men from their vitious courses unto himself for suffering us to be born within the pale of the Church to be brought up in Christian Religion where we have the advantages of the Word Sacraments and all the means of eternal life put into our hands We are to render to God our thanks for his patience and long-sufferance in waiting for our repentance for his calls and invitations outward by his Word inward by his Spirit to bring us to repentance for his good great and gracious work wrought upon any of us in bringing us clear off from prophane worldly and carnal courses to lead Godly and Christian lives We are also to praise God and to give him the retribution of our thanks for temporal blessings for the peace and prosperity of the Church and Nation for all remarkable deliverances vouchsafed to either for all the good things of this life in general and in particular for health food raiment friends all preservations and deliverances and for all mercies whatsoever which cannot easily be enumerated Vnder all the forementioned heads the main body of the Service constantly used in our Christian Assemblies is contained which Service is to be concluded with the Priests blessing and benediction without which the Assemblies cannot well be dismissed or dissolved These few considerations I thought good to recommend unto you not so much to instruct the knowing as to inform the ignorant who either enter not Gods house at all but it may be are worse imployed when they should be there which is an evil they consider not of and so they offer God no Sacrifice at all or else they enter it without any devotion or reverence which is another evil that they consider not of and so they offer to God a Sacrifice of fools or being entred it may be do not understand their own offering which they are to offer up and so they offer to God they know not what serve him they know not how nor wherefore But to correct those evils that persons may come to the house of God come as they should come and knowingly and understandingly do what there is fit to be done I have presented these considerations to those who do evil in Church-Assemblies and consider not when they do it These Christian Reader with the following Notes made upon our Service-Book I freely offer to thee hoping that thou wilt as kindly accept them as I do freely offer them and I pray God to direct thee and to give thee a right understanding in all things Farewell RUBRICK The Order for Morning Prayer daily throughout the Year EXPLANATION Note 1. THat Prayer is a devout ascent of the Soul to God whereby we petition him for such things as we need both for our support and duty and we ought to be frequent in this devout exercise because it is not only the great duty but the greatest priviledge of a Christian commanded by Christ's Precept and commended by Christ's Example who was frequent in Prayer not so much for himself as for our benefit and instruction Note 2. That Prayers especially publick in the Church-Assemblies are to be ordered set and prescribed because in the Church which ought to be the School of comliness things are to be done decently by observing every due and proper Scheme and Figure which the action shall require and according to the order and appointment of Ecclesiastical Governours 1 Cor. 14.40 It is much to be wondred at that any persons of sober judgments and well ground in Religion can imploy their time so ill as to devise and study objections against prescribed Prayers in the publick Service of God Because set forms were prescribed by God in the Old Testament Numb 6.23 24 25. Deut. 26.5 Christ in the New not only enjoyned a set form to be used by his Disciples Luk. 11.2 but he whose every action should be our instruction used one himself It was also the practice of the Jews from the time of Ezra and long before constantly to use set forms of Prayer by way of Liturgy neither did they use them only as a necessary provision for the Ignorant but as a secure hedge and fence to their Religion by this means to keep all mixtures and corruptions out of their Church and they had 18 Prayers or Benedictions set and composed according to the matter and form of which some say the Lords Prayer was instituted and it is very probable that in imitation of the Jews the Pagans might use set forms at their Sacrifices and most certainly they did which forms were first approved of by the Priests before they were used and when they did use them they read them out of a Book that they might neither stray in the matter of their Prayers nor offend in the manner And that the Church of Christ hath in all ages used a prescribed and set Form I think is not to be question'd After Christs ascension and before the Holy Ghosts descension they continued all with one accord in Prayer and Supplication Act. 1.14 which Prayer was certainly in a set form for as yet the Holy Ghost was not come down upon them neither were they qualified for Prayer above the ordinary rate of other men and when the Holy Ghost did come down with his extraordinary gifts those gifts continued not long and therefore an early provision was made for set forms to be constantly used to supply the defects of them which Liturgies as ours is were framed up according to St. Paul's prescribed pattern 1 Tim. 2.1 consisting 1. Of Supplications for the averting of all hurtful things sins and dangers 2. Of Prayers for the obtaining of all good things which they wanted or stood in need of 3. Of Intercessions for others for Kings and all in Authority for the whole Church 4. Of Thanksgivings for mercies already received in all which they prayed not only for themselves but in a greater diffusion of their charity for all mankind And all were prescribed 1. That the people might the better joyn with the Minister and say Amen to the Prayer 2. That the peoples wants might be the better enumerated the people themselves be the better edified all absurdities in Prayer might be avoided and all might with one mind and one mouth glorifie God Rom. 15.6 RUBRICK At the beginning of Morning Prayer the Minister shall read with a loud voice
what the Servant binds or looses here on Earth the Lord himself ratifies and confirms in Heaven Mat. 18.18 19. Now in the Absolution to be pronounced by the Minister or rather after it this clause is added Wherefore let us beseech him to grant us true repentance and his holy Spirit and may seem to be added for these reasons following 1. To shew that as Repentance is a necessary disposition to pardon so that it is also a necessary consequent of it for he who is pardoned ought to be as much a penitent if he truly understands himself as he who seeks pardon as we are daily liable to sin so for our own safety we are to secure and keep our selves within the state of pardon which we cannot do but by continuing in a state of Repentance besides the sad remembrance of sin though pardon'd ought to be always grievous to us 2. Because after a sin is pardoned and remitted the Devil is most busie to tempt the sinner either to commit the same sin again or a worse therefore as in the Lords Prayer we are taught to pray first to have our sins forgiven and next not to be led into temptation so here no sooner is Absolution and Remission of sins declared and pronounced by the Priest as a great priviledge and favour granted to all sincere Penitents and sound believers but the same pardoned persons are invited and stirred up in their own defence to pray for a continued Repentance and assistance of Gods holy Spirit that they may be secure from all Satans temptations for the future and make the grace of Pardon already granted a new obligation to more holy living that so we may not only please God in our present Devotions but also in our future life for most certain it is that every lapse after pardon is the greater sin John 5.14 2 Pet. 2.20 But we are to note in the last place that the people are enjoyned to answer Amen as at the end of this so of every Prayer in the Service-Book because Amen if pronounced as from the heart is an Indication of the peoples assent to the preceding Prayer and an affirmation that the thing prayed for is good and necessary for them and a tollification of the peoples votes and desires to obtain it It hath ever been used at the end of Prayers and pronounced with a loud voice carrying in it devotion zeal and fervency it is the last acclamation of our prayers in the pronouncing of which the Primitive Christians were wont to raise up their bodies as if they had a desire to carry their bodies as well as their souls up to Heaven RUBRICK Then the Minister shall kneel and say the Lords Prayer with an audible voice the People also kneeling and repeating it with him both here and wheresoever else it is used in Divine Service OUr Father which art in heaven hallowed be thy name Mat. 6.9 thy kingdom come thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven ver 10. give us this day our daily bread ver 11. and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us ver 12. and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory for ever and ever Amen ver 13. EXPLANATION They must certainly be vain and wicked acted on by some wild and extravagant spirit who to make way for their own crude and humane breathings not fit sometimes to carry the name of Prayers would thrust the Lords Prayer quite out and allow it no place in the publick Divine Service which is as the Salt of the Sacrifice and that which should season all our Liturgick Offices Certainly as men may use other Prayers so they ought not to be restrained nor to restrain themselves from the use of this which is a Prayer used by the Church of Christ all the world over dictated at first by the supreme wisdom of our great and eternal Mediator Jesus Christ who presents our Prayers unto God and perfectly knows our Fathers mind It is the most complete Prayer which can be made summing up all the most lawful requests which can be imagined the epitome mirrour rule of all other Prayers in a wonderful brevity of words including so great plenty and variety of matter as if it would make a Camel to pass through a Needles-eye It contains in it more histories and mysteries then words it is the most methodical emphatical divine Prayer that ever yet was or shall be composed for all the parts of it cohere with an admirable symmetry it is exactly made in measure and proportion all of it is full of Torches which enlighten each other not all the wits on Earth nor Angels in Heaven were ever capable of dictating the like There is as much difference betwixt this and Prayers of man's composing as betwixt the Tabernacle and Pattern upon the Mount the Tabernacle was Earthly framed by man the Pattern Heavenly formed by God so this Prayer is all over coelestial and divine whereas our Prayers are at the best but humane and framed up by man's industry Neither is there any man so knowing or so religious who is not subject to many failings in the composure of his Prayers they are subject to imperfection to excess to disorders to many irregularities we cannot possibly be without some errour in this business either we want or exceed are too short or too long or raise our thoughts out of rank and place when we speak our own Prayers but in saying the Lords Prayer if our hearts go along with the prayer we cannot fail to speak well we omit nothing we speak nothing superfluous we are not extravagant we cannot be impertinent in our words Therefore having framed up Prayers according to what is possible for us to do and having well considered the defects of them we have recourse to this most absolute Prayer of Christ for the perfecting of all the imperfections in our own Certainly we who are Christians ought to say this Prayer because Jesus Christ hath put it into our mouths and made it to be the abridgment of all Prayer wherein are summed up all lawful requests He hath given it to be a rule and guide for us to pray by and an exact form for us to pray in It is a Prayer of universal concernment in respect of things contained in it persons using it times when and places where it may be used All the Churches of the Christian World pronounce it and it must needs be a great consolation to us to keep our part in this great consort we may say it in prosperity and adversity in Peace and War in health and sickness in life and at the hour of death young and old rich and poor noble and ignoble Princes and Peasants may all pronounce it together Therefore not without good reason is it so frequently used in our Liturgick Offices because it is so large for matter so short and
compendious for phrase and words so sweet for order in all respects so perfect and absolute we give it the most place in our publick devotions sometimes begin with it to guide our prayers and sometimes conclude with it to compleat and perfect them Wherever Christian Religion is professed this prayer is used as one of the principal and most material duties of honour done to Jesus Christ The often repeating of it cannot bring it within the compass of that vain repetition which our Saviour condemned Mat. 6.7 for repetition is then only vain when words are often repeated being directed neither with reason of Art nor with zeal and devotion of heart nor with any supposal of a justly implyed necessity all which most certainly may meet in the use of this prayer how frequently soever we make use of it For because we cannot pray as we ought there is a kind of necessity for us to use it to supply our defects and that with art and zeal we hope sufficient Again seeing we have an Advocate with the Father interceding continually for sinners when we seek for pardon of our sins at Gods hand we cannot do better then alledge unto God the words which our Advocate hath taught us seeing he hath promised that shall be granted which we ask in his name we may be confident that will not be denied which we ask in his name and words When in our prayers we speak unto the Father in the Sons own prescribed form of words we may be sure that we utter nothing which God will either disallow or deny The Minister is to begin this prayer with an audible voice and the people all kneeling are to repeat it orderly after him for these supposed reasons 1. That people ignorantly educated may learn it and be instructed in it 2. To shew what an esteem we ought to have for it and for Christ our Lord and Saviour who was the Author of it and for Christianity it self and the Christian Service wherein all of us are to bear a part But that people may say this prayer understandingly I shall add this plain Paraphrase upon it OVr Father which art in heaven O holy Father ours by creation education instruction compassion and adoption who remainest gloriously on thy throne in Heaven where thou art praised and glorified by the holy Angels and blessed Souls of thy departed Saints and Servants where thou reignest in unspeakable glory and art perfectly obeyed Hallowed be thy name be pleased by thy grace poured into our hearts and the hearts of all men and by the dispensation of thy gracious providence to work all our hearts to such a reverence awe and separate respect unto thee thy Majesty thy Attributes thy works of Grace thy Name thy Word thy holy days thy holy places thy holy Ministers thy holy Patrimony devolved from thee upon them for the maintenance of thy holy Service that the sins of Sacriledge Prophaness Idolatry Heathenism Atheism irreverence and indevotion may be turned out of the world and the contrary vertues of Christian piety reverence and devotion may be set up and flourish amongst us Thy kingdom come by thy grace inspired into our hearts and the hearts of all men and by thy blessed disposal of all things here below weaken the power of the Adversary give check to the malice of all opposers and so begin to set up thy kingdom immediately in our hearts that it may by degrees of flourishing daily increase and that all other things which are in thy purpose may be so orderly computed till at last this mortal compounded kingdom which hath so much mixture of rebellion sin and infirmity in it may be turned into a kingdom of perfect holiness and immortality Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven So inspire thy grace into all our hearts so direct us by thy providence and assist us to performance that we may obey thee in all thy commands here on Earth willingly readily chearfully speedily impartially sincerely without indulging our selves to any kind of sin in the omission of any part of duty as thy holy Angels obey thy commands in Heaven doing all things promptly and readily which thou commandest them without the neglect of any part of duty Give us this day our daily bread Give us day by day this present day and for the remainder of our lives all the necessaries of life whatever is agreeable and fit for our subsistence and being and suitable to our conditions taken with all circumstances food convenient for us Give us also thy Grace the food of our Souls in that measure day by day which may suffice for the remainder of our warfare here and give us all bodily sustenance which we can possibly want or stand in need of assist and uphold us in all our wants for we referr the care thereof to thee who carest for us And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us Pardon all our offences committed against thee punish not on us those sins whereby we have offended and provoked thee to punish us and that we may be capable of thy remission bestow upon us we pray thee that necessary qualification of freely pardoning all those who by any injuries done to us are become our debtors and might justly in strict Law be by us prosecuted unto punishment And lead us not into temptation Suffer us not to be brought into any temptation or snare suffer us not to be intangled in any dangers or difficulties which may not be easily supported by us may no allurement of pleasure or profit no determent of danger of evil cause or occasion us to fall into any sin when at any time we are tempted which may be the lot of the best men do not thou leave us nor withdraw thy grace from us nor so deliver us up in time of temptation as to leave us unable to extricate our selves and to be overcome and swallowed up by the temptation But deliver us from evil Give us a proportionate measure of strength and grace to bear up and to move under any temptation or pressure how heavy soever it may be temper the temptation to our strength and permit not the assault to be too heavy for us Deliver us from Satan who is the artificer designer and improver of temptations deliver us from the temptations themselves which come from our own lusts the world or the enemies of true piety that we may not be overcome by any of them nor drawn into sin For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory for ever and ever Amen For it is thy due to have dominion over the world therefore we resign up our souls for thee to reign in them as the sole Prince and Monarch of them Thou art Omnipotent and All-sufficient the fountain of all that grace and strength which we beg for therefore we relie upon thee for all that is necessary for this life and the other The thanks honour and glory of
to bless our gracious Queen CATHERINE James Duke of York and all the Royal Family Endue them with thy holy Spirit enrich them with thy heavenly grace prosper them with all happiness and bring them to thine everlasting Kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer for the Clergy and people ALmighty and everlasting God who alone workest great marvels send down upon our Bishops and Curates and all Congregations committed to their charge the healthful Spirit of thy grace and that they may truly please thee pour upon them the continual dew of thy blessing Grant this O Lord for the honour of our Advocate and Mediator Jesus Christ. Amen A Prayer of St. Chrysostom ALmighty God who hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications unto thee and dost promise that when two or three are gathered together in thy Name thou wilt grant their requests Mat. 18.20 John 14.13 Fulfill now O Lord the desires and petitions of thy servants as may be most expedient for them granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth and in the world to come life everlasting Amen 2 Cor. 13.14 THe Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost be with us all evermore Amen EXPLANATION Touching the variety of Service Anthems and Hymns to be sung by way of Antiphony or Response I have spoken something before and therefore shall say nothing in this place Indeed here I might have inserted the Anthems which are daily used in the Cathedral and most eminent Churches but I consider'd it to be needless in regard persons upon enquiry may meet with them bound up all together The forementioned Prayers I have not here Scriptur'd out because most of them as to the matter and substance of them will fall within the Litany which I shall warrant by Scripture sufficiently But here let it be noted that we pray in particular for Kings in pursuance of that precept of the Apostle 1 Tim. 2.1 2 3. which is pressed and urged with this reason that we may lead quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and honesty which can hardly be done if Kings and eminent persons in Authority do not help towards it Good Kings promote Religion wicked Kings persecute it Josiah and Hezekiah did increase true worshippers as Jeroboam did increase and multiply false and Schismatical ones A good King is a very great blessing but so unhappy are we that we cannot know the worth of him unless it be in the want of him We pray for the Church which is excellently described by Bishops Curates and the people committed to their charge all which make up a Church rightly constituted and Ignatius the Disciple of St. John the Evangelist tells us that there can be no truly constituted Church without a Bishop By Curates here are not meant Stipendiaries but all Ministers to whom the Bishop hath committed the cure and care of Souls For the right constituting of a Church and for the preserving of it when it is constituted and settled we pray for the healthful Spirit of Gods grace to be poured down upon all who profess Christ and embrace Christianity with sincerity The terms wherein we pray may seem strange in regard we present our prayers to the Almighty and everlasting God who only worketh great marvels but this expression hath a peculiar reference to Gods sending down of his holy Spirit upon the Apostles whereby they were enabled to speak in all Languages the wonderful works of God Act. 2.11 and to consirm that Doctrine by Miracles which they taught the world The Prayer of St. Chrysostom who lived about the fourth Century is grounded upon Mat. 18. v. 19 20. and may be met with word for word in his Liturgy We begin and end the Morning Service with the Apostle as we begin the Exhortation in an Apostolical stile so we conclude the Prayers with an Apostolical Prayer and conclude most of our Prayers and Collects with this clause Through Jesus Christ our Lord because there is no coming to God but by Christ what we ask as we ought in his Name God will give us for his sake He is our Jacobs Ladder by whom our Prayers ascend to God and Gods blessings descend to us all good things come from God the Father through Jesus Christ our Lord. RUBRICK Here endeth the Order of Morning Prayer throughout the year EXPLANATION The Morning Prayer intended in this order is that which I have before explained which did usually begin at six in the morning and doth still in the Cathedral Churches where the Canonical hours are punctually observed Now every Canonical or greater hour did contain so many lesser hours from six in the morning to nine was the first hour from nine to twelve was the third from twelve to three afternoon was the sixth from three to six was the ninth c. RUBRICK The Order for Evening Prayer daily throughout the Year EXPLANATION THe Evening Service is exactly the same with the Morning as the Jews had their daily Sacrifice a Lamb for the Morning and a Lamb for the Evening Exod. 29.38 so we Christians in a more Spiritual sense have the same Sacrifice to offer up to God by Christ continually in the Morning and in the Evening only here are two Collects to be taken notice of which are not in the Morning Service as also the Hymns and Psalms after the first and second Lesson After the first Lesson Magnificat S. Luk. 1.46 Cantate Domino Psal 98. After the second Lesson Nunc dimittis S. Luk. 2.29 Deus misereatur Psal 67. After this the Creed the lesser Litany the Lords Prayer and the following Responses all to be ranked and placed in that order as they stand in the Evening Service without either Scriptural Notes or Explanation After this follows the Collect for the day and then two other Collects proper for the Evening Service RUBRICK The second Collect at Evening Prayer for Peace O God from whom all holy desires all good counsels and all just works do proceed Jam. 1.17 2 Cor. 3.5 Isa 26.12 Give unto thy servants that peace which the world cannot give 2 Thes 3.16 John 14.27 that both our hearts may be set to obey thy Commandments Psal 40.8 Psal 37.31 Psal 119.36 Deut. 5.29 and also that by thee we being defended from the fear of our enemies may pass our time in rest and quietness through the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour Amen Psal 3.5 6 7. Psal 4.8 Luk. 1.73 74 75. RUBRICK The third Collect for aid against all perils LIghten our darkness we beseech thee O Lord Psal 18.28 Psal 91. and by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night for the love of thy only Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen EXPLANATION Out of the 91 Psalm this Prayer may be enlarged as there shall be occasion in our private Devotions in which Psalm there is mention of the
terrours by night and of the Pestilence walking in darkness and therefore Evening and Night Prayers are certainly a good defensative against both What remains of the Evening Service is the same with that of the Morning and concludes in the same manner Hereunto is added by way of Appendix these following Paraphrases 1. A Paraphrase upon Psal 95. Vers 1. THe great God of Heaven is he from whom all our deliverance and strength doth come O let us uniformly joyn in praising and glorifying his Name Vers 2. Let us make our daily constant addresses to him with all the acknowledgments and expressions of thankful hearts Vers 3. For he is the Supreme God of Heaven and Earth the only super-eminent Monarch over all Powers and Dignities to whom Angels in Heaven are Ministers and the mightiest Princes upon the Earth are Vice-gerents Vers 4. The bowels and bottom of the Earth are in his disposal and so are the loftiest and stoutest Hills by which it is also intimated that the meanest and lowest men or creatures on Earth are particularly ordered by his providence in all that befalls them here and the mightiest men in the world are bounded and governed by him Vers 5. It is he that framed the whole Orb of the Sea and dry Land and so contrived them the one within the bowels of the other that they should not incommode each the other but both together make up one useful Globe for men and all other creatures to inhabit Vers 6. O let us joyntly adore praise and pray unto him and make the members of our bodies partners and witnesses of the real devotion of our hearts let us joyn inward and outward reverence together in the most submiss and lowliest gestures thereby signifying and expressing the sincere humility of our Souls which is a tribute most justly due to him who is the great Lord and Creator of all Vers 7 8. And although we have often rebelled against him and so have often deserved his dereliction and as often smarted for it yet if now at length we shall be wrought upon by his calls and warning and perform unto him sincere obedience he is most ready to accept us to take us into his care and protection and to secure us from all our enemies Vers 9. But let not us like our provoking fore-fathers who being delivered by him sinned yet more against him after we have so liberally tasted of his power goodness and long-sufferance and after his many gracious calls afforded us to Repentance rebell against him and provoke his wrath by imitating them in their ingratitude and impenitence Vers 10 11. For fourty years together wherein for their sins God detained and perplexed them in the wilderness they did frequently provoke God to indignation and made him resolve that they were a stupid Idolatrous people preferring the worship of false Gods and Devils before the obedience and worship of him the only true God of Heaven and Earth therefore being as it were tired out with their continued provocations God obliged himself by an Oath irreversibly that of the many thousands which came out of Aegypt only two persons who were grown up to be men should enter the Land of Promise O let not us follow them in their sins lest we follow them also in their punishments and so fall short of Heaven as they did of Canaan 2. A Paraphrase upon Benedictus Luk. 1. vers 68. Vers 68. ALl glory honour and praise be unto the great Lord and gracious God of his chosen people and select inheritance for he hath performed his promise so often made to them by his gracious Visitation in bringing them out of Aegypt formerly by a temporal deliverance which did pre-figure a greater deliverance to be wrought by Christ the promised Messias who is shortly to be born Vers 69. Of David's Family and invested with all power honour glory dignity and triumph to be a King Ruler and eminent deliverer of his people whose Kingdom is not Secular but Spiritual Vers 70 71. Of whom honourable mention is made by all the holy Prophets of God speaking of him as with one mouth from the beginning of that age which was before the coming of the Messias unto this present time The end of whose coming is to save us from all our spiritual enemies sins and dangers by taking upon him our nature and in it performing perfect unsinning obedience by dying upon the Cross for us and by giving us precepts and rules by their own inward goodness most agreeable to our reasonable nature for the purifying of our affections and for teaching and instructing us to lead pure lives Vers 72. By all which God hath made good his signal promise of mercy made to the holy Fathers and Patriarchs wherein both themselves and their Seed were highly concerned Vers 73. Especially that great and gracious Covenant of mercy which he made to Abraham and his Seed in a Spiritual sense and ratified and confirmed by the Sanction of an Oath Vers 74 75. Namely that he would give us power ability and grace in and from the Messias revealed to obey and attend him in a sincere performance of all duties to God and man and chearfully and constantly to persevere therein being by him rescued and secured from all dangers of enemies without us though not altogether from those which may be founded in our selves in our own negligences and miscarriages Vers 76. And thou Child meaning John the Baptist shalt be a wonderful person and extraordinary Prophet of God for thou shalt foretell Judgments on the Nations if they repent not speedily and in a signal manner shalt point out Christ being his immediate fore-runner and shalt preach Repentance and amendment of life thereby to fit and prepare men for him Vers 77. Teaching all men that in Christ there is a possibility for sinners to obtain Salvation and to have their sins pardon'd upon their Repentance and New life Vers 78. Which is a special act of compassion and signal mercy in God through which mercy the Messias who is called the Day-spring by the Prophets is come from Heaven to visit us and to abide amongst us Vers 79. And to shine forth to blind ignorant mortals and obdurate worldlings who lived in a state of sin and death and to bring them and us into the way of Sanctity and Holiness which leads to Salvation and life eternal 3. A Paraphrase upon Psal 100. Vers 1 2 O Let all the people in the world bless worship and praise and offer up their Prayers and Supplications to the great God of Heaven let them resort daily to his Sanctuary and constantly attend his Service and account it the most estimable and delectable task and the most renowned and most glorious imployment which they can possibly undertake Vers 3. For this is the only way to converse with the great and glorious and omnipotent Creator of all things to whom we owe all that we have and all that we are to him we