Peter God could not but hear the prayers of his Church of his servants assembled and united together in prayer and did hear them For the night before Peter was to be brought forth he sent his Angel into the prison raised Peter being asleep bound with two chains and lying between two Souldiers caused his chains to fall off opened unto him the prison doors went before him led him out into the City and so delivered him out of the hand of Herod and from the expectation of the people Thus you see the power of Common-prayer how much it prevaileth with God when the true servants of God joyn bands and unite themselves together in prayer beseeching God for any special blessing remember well what is written Act. 4. 24. when Peter and John being threatned by the Priests and Elders and commanded to teach no more in the name of Jesus came to their fellows and shewed them what had been done unto them it is recorded when they heard it they lift up their voices with one accord and said O Lord thou art the God c. And that God was well pleased with the lifting up of their voices together with their hearts in prayer may appear by ver 31. and when as they prayed the place was shaken where they were assembled together and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and they spake the word of God boldly What are our words and voices but the Exprestions and Interpretations of our hearts then why may not our people joyn their voices as well as their hearts especially at some times with the Minister to stir up themselves and express their Devotion and to shew that they own the prayers of the Minister and do joyn with him in the Common-prayers of the Church 3. Consider the Reasons why the Clerk is sometimes to say after the Minister as in the confession of Sins the Lords prayer c. and why at other times to answer the Minister We may think that Wise men and Godly men would ordain nothing in the Church without good Reasons and Ground for it 1. For the Clerk you must know he is only appointed to answer as the Guide and Leader of the people and Congregation to draw them on and to encourage them to follow him for what he says all should say with him in the confession of sins the Lords prayer in the Letany repeating of the ten Commandments or elsewhere yea all Minister Clerk and Congregation should joyn with their hearts and may sometimes with their voices is all the prayers of the Church for Deliverance for Mercy for Grace for Peace c. what is uttered by one should be seconded with the Mouths or at least with the hearts of all the Congregation especially in saying Amen to all because all ought to joyn in the Common-prayers of the Church 2. For the people why they should joyn their hearts always with the Minister in the Common-prayers of the Church and may at some set times their voices these Reasons may be rendred 1. To stir them up to attention to shake off their sluggishness to keep them from slumbring and to bring them to the knowledge of the several parts of Divine Service you cannot but take notice that our common and ordinary people are not only ignorant but very dull and lumpish in the performance of Divine Service They do it without Reverence or Fear need often stirring up and quickning Many of them think it is enough if they come to Church and be there with their bodies wheresoever their hearts be therefore some as soon as they are setled in their seats hold down their heads and fall asleep others gaze about and some are slugging and slumbring little minding the Service of God so that they need quickning and stirring up Now if they would joyn and say with the Clerk as they ought it would be a means to put life into them to shake off drowsiness to raise up their attention and Devotion to mind them of the business they are about and to bring them to some measure of Knowledge and Understanding 2. To make them know that the prayers there uttered by the Minister are their prayers made in their name for them and in their behalf that they should own them go along in their hearts if not always in their voices with their Minister and saying Amen to all that it may appear that they understand what they do and not only give their consent but do joyn along with him in the Common-prayers of the Church so that no man can justly take offence at the Clerks answering but such as understand not the true grounds and reasons of it Obj. Our prayers are too many and too short some count them if not call them Shreds and Pieces of prayer Answ We cannot think that God is delighted with the multitude of words you know Solomons counsel Eccles 5. 1. Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thy heart be hasty to utter a thing before God for God is in the heaven and thou upon earth therefore let thy words be few and what our Saviour saith Mat. 6. 7. When you pray use no vain repetitions as the Heathen for they think to be heard for their much babling yet we do not disallow of long prayers so that the heart do not flag but be kept bent unto them and the fervency of the Spirit go along with them It is not as some imagine saith an ancient Father that long praying is that fault of much speaking in prayer which our Saviour doth there reprove for then he would not himself have continued whole nights in prayer as you read Luke 6. 12. that he spent the whole night in prayer to God but that we should use no vain superfluity of words as the heathens do no vain Tautologies for they imagine that their much speaking will cause them to be heard whereas in truth the thing which God looketh upon is how well our hearts are affected in prayer and not how copious our tongues are how well we are affected in the true devotion of our hearts when we come to present our Supplications before him and not how long we talk Our Saviour Christ denounceth a woe against the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 23. 14. Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites for you devour widows houses under colour of long prayers noting their sin of Hypocrisie in that they devoured Widows goods and under a shew of godliness not as if he did find fault with long prayers so they be free from Hypocrisie and from vain ostentation and attended with the true Devotion of the heart yet short prayers may be as effectual also to prevail with God for a blessing when they are poured out of a contrite and broken heart proceeding from faith and followed with the fervency of the spirit Look upon the Parable of the Pharisee and Publican mentioned by our Saviour Luke 18. 10. Two men went up to the Temple to pray the one a
least Allowed for the Minister to use in Publick Divine Administrations And if we look upon Antiquity the Presbyterians themselves will and do confess in their Smâ—ctymâ—â—us The occasion that moved the Church to appoint a Publick Form and Liturgy at first was when the Arrian and Pelagian Heresies did invade the Church then because those Hereticks did convey and spread their poysonous Doctrine in their Forms of Prayer and Hymns the Church thought it convenient to restrain that Liberty and set an Order that none should vary in their Prayers but all should use the same Form which was approved of and prescribed Now be pleased to consider rightly of it doth not the same reason hold good with us Have we not too much cause to complain of our Errours Schisms Heresies and Divisions and so just cause and reason upon the same grounds to tie all to one Form not upon any Opinion that we conceive a set Form to be of an Absolute necessity but only expedient to stop Schisms and Errours to prevent those Extravagancies and to preserve Unity and Order 2. Be pleased without prejudice or any strong over-ruling Affection or Passion to take into your serious consideration this Argument If the Ministers conceived Prayer which he doth make as the Mouth of the Congregation wherein all the Congregation doth or should joyn with him in his suit to God for them and in their behalf is no stinting of the Spirit of God to them nor counted unlawful though it be a form to them why should a Prayer conceived by others and made and framed according to the Rules of prayer prescribed to the Minister to use for himself and the Congregation be a stinting of the Spirit to him or them That the Ministers conceived prayer is a Form to the people and Congregation assembled cannot be denyed they are tied to it as to a Form because they may not vary from him in their hearts but ought in their hearts to joyn every way with him in their Petitions to God still in their hearts going along with him for Matter Form and Manner of expression The tie in regard of a form is still one and a like if the people may be thus tied to the conceived prayer of their Minister which is a form to them why may not the Minister likewise be tied to a form conceived by others made according to the rules of prayer and prescribed to him both to use and follow If it be no stinting of the Spirit of God in the one then how can it be in the other We confess that without the help of the Spirit of God we cannot pray at all that is pray aright so as to find acceptance with God For the Apostle Paul telleth us 2 Cor. 3. 5. We are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God and Phil. 2. 13 It is God which worketh in you the Will and the Deed even of his good pleasure So that iâ— must be the Spirit of God within us must move us to pray and work it within us moving our hearts to pray and we know God regardeth not multitude of words Matth. 6. 7. Floquent or Elegant Phrases or neat expressions it is the heart God looks upon how that is affected he regardeth the groans and desires of the heart issuing from true faith and proceeding from the Spirit of God as he telleth Moses Exod. 14. 15. Why dost thou cry unto me Neither can we think that the Spirit of God excludeth reason and prudence setting a mans Tongue so agoing that he cannot rule it and guide it or stop it at his pleasure Object 2. Prayer is a Spiritual work proceedâ—â—g from the Spirit and a work of the Spirit therefore needeth not a Form or Book to pray bâ— or to read it upon a Book Our Saviour saith John 4. 23 24. The true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and Truth for the Father requireth even such to woship him God is a Spirit and they thaâ— worship him must worship him iâ— Spirit and Truth And the Apostle Paul telleth us Rom. 8. 26. Likewise the spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what to pâ—ay as we ought but the spirit it self maketh Intercession for us with groans which cannot be uttered or as the Old Translation is with sighs which cannot be expressed so that prayer needeth not the help of a Form or Book Answ Those words of our Saviour were spoken to the Woman of Samaria and are grounded on ver 20. as an answer to her words where she speaketh of the difference between the Jews and the Samaritans about the place of Gods worship The Samaritans tied the place of Gods worship to that Mountain called Gerizim The Jews to Jerusalem Christ telleth her that the time is now coming under the New Testament that the worship of God shall be tied to no certain place neither to that mountain nor to Jerusalem but the true worshippers shall worship God in Spirit and Truth The word Spirit is there set against that Commandment which is called carnal Heb. 7. 26. And Truth against the outward Ceremonies of the Law which were only shadows of things to come The meaning of them then must be this that under the New Testament Gods worship shall be tied to no certain place neither shall it consist in any outward corporal or carnal things sacrifices purifyings washings and the like Ceremonies of the Law they shall all cease and be ended in Christ But the true worshippers shall worship him in spirit and truth that is in a spiritual manner not with outward observances but the inward Devotion of the heart and mind The mind is there called the Spirit it is not meant of the Spirit of God but of the mind the spirit of man with true faith true love reverence obedience holiness and righteousness Now this we do acknowledge doth forbid and cut down all carnal worship if any man think that the outward action of reading a prayer upon a Book or in a â—ook is the worship of God but no man can deny but a man may pray by the spirit of God with sighs and groans proceeding from Faith when prayers are uttered after a prescript form or read upon a Book And for the words of the Apostle expositours give us the meaning thus There is no cause why we should faint under the burthen of our Afflictions seeing prayers yield us a strong defence help and comfort which cannot be in vain because they proceed from the spirit of God likewise the spirit helpeth our infirmities besides the support of faith hope and patience mentioned before the spirit helpeth to bear up 〈◊〉 burthen that we sink not under it for we know not what to pray as we ought but the spirit maketh Intercession for us with groans which cannot be uttered that is the spirit doth move us and stir us up to prayer and doth as it were dictate words groans and
sighs within us helpeth that dulness ignorance and blindness in us teaching us how and what to pray for And he that searcheth the heart knoweth the meaning of the spirit What sighs and groans proceed from the spirit from the motion and breathing of the spirit because it maketh Intercession for the Saints according to the will of God It teacheth the Saints to pray according to his will it worketh in us those wishes and desires and kindleth in our hearts those earnest fervent and ardent affections sighs and groans which please God This we all acknowledge that we can do nothing in prayer without the help of the spirit which stirreth up earnest affections desires and groans in the heart but this spirit of God doth not exclude reason and prudence or any helpes that may be afforded us to forward us in that good duty but joyneth as it were with them and followeth them with his assistance In the performance of this duty of prayer three things are especially requisite and needful 1. To pray with Understanding to know what we say and what we pray for 2. To pray in Faith to come in the name of Christians to ask those things that are agreeable to Gods will believing that God both can and will hear us and help us and answer our Petitions as far as he shall see and judge fitting for his own glory and our good 3. To pray in the Spirit with zeal fervency intention of mind and spirit and with earnestness and true Devotion of the heart Now who can say but a man may pray with Understanding pray in Faith and pray in the Spirit with true Devotion of heart and with sighs and groans when the prayer is uttered after a prescript form or read upon a Book We grant that prayer is a spiritual work proceeding from faith neither is faith in any but there is some power to utter some matter of prayer in every one that prayeth in faith and to open his mind and to pour out his desires in some measure and that no prayer is regarded of God unless it do proceed from faith But because some are so overwhelmed with ignorance others so weak in expressions and dull in their conceit and some so perplexed in mind and disturbed in their thoughts that they cannot tell how to pray or what to utter of themselves therefore they need the help of a set form of prayer prescribed by another or may joyn with another in a form that is read upon a Book Yet when we pray thus by a Book we do not fetch the matter from the Book but from our hearts with sighs and groans only we are helped by a Book as the Congregarion which prayeth with the Minister is helped and stirred up by the Minister for the manner of delivery of their prayers unto God Christ himself appointed a set form saying not when you meditate but when you pray say thus c. Luke 11. 1 2. Object 3. Read Prayers were devised by Anti-Christ and maintain Superstition Idolatry and an idle Ministry Answ There were Liturgies in the Church of old before Anti-christ was set up in his Throne and the prescribed forms delivered in the Scriptures to be used and which were practised in the Church as you have seen before recited shew the thing to be allowed of God We may farther adde this that in singing of Psalms we cannot but confess They did read them upon a Book and did sing them to the Lord and many of those Psalms are full of Petitions and Prayers as is evident to all men These forms were first set up and are still continued for Order and Uniformity to avoid offences and inconveniencies which then did and still may arise in the Church neither doth it maintain an idle Ministry Our Ministers have liberty not only in private but in publick both before and after their Sermons to exercise their gift of prayer and to enlarge themselves upon any emergent occasion or opportunity afforded as God shall enable them and they themselves shall judge fit or any way expedient and needful Besides in all the Reformed Churches they have a Liturgy and yet have able Ministers Again if Read prayers and Imposed Liturgies be Idolatry where shall we find a visible Church For all Churches that are and have been for many hundred years have had Liturgies either Imposed or Allowed yet not branded with Idolatry Superstition or any such reproachful terms Obj. Set Forms and stinted Prayers cannot be as necessity doth require Answ The prayers of our Church are publick prayers and Common-Prayer They are called publick prayers in regard of the time and place when and where they are used and Common Prayer in respect of the persons that assemble together unite and joyn their hearts and voices together in their prayers and petitions unto God all joyn together So that no man can expect that the private necessities of particular persons unless there be some extraordinary cause can be there recommended unto God in their publick prayers and Common-Prayer of the Church Now no man can deny but some things are necessary to be prayed for at all times and for all persons as the confession of our sins and prayer for the forgiveness of them For the acceptance of our persons and prayers for our protection from danger for peace for grace to live well according to Gods Laws and the like Of these there may be a set form prescribed and used in the Church some things again are not necessary at all times these are not required but at special times and occasions to be used as the particular necessities of the time require as in time of War for Peace and deliverance from our Enemies prayers in the time of Dearths â—lagues Pestilence or any great Mortality prayers for Rain for Fair-weather in the time of Need and Thanksgiving accordingly For these also there may be a set form in the Church but for that which is extraordinary the Ministers may supply we do not say that a set form is of absolute necessity either in publick or private prayer If there were in all a perfection of knowledge and faith a quickness of conceit and a full freedom and power of expression we should not need the outward help of Form or Book But in the publick Service of the Church a form is only prescribed and required for convenience to prevent some miscarriages and extravagancies which otherwise might arise Thus we have Answered all the chief Objections which are made against all set forms of prayer and shewed you the true Grounds and Reasons how they came up at first and why they are still continued not for any absolute necessity we put in them but only for conveniency to prevent Schisms stop Errors preserve Order Unity and Uniformity in the Church and how we hold them lawful and allowed of God We are now to come to those exceptions which are made more directly and precisely against our Book of Common-Prayer Established and
read of them and in the Churches of the Laodiceans And for that of 2 Tim. 3. 16. we confess that the whole Scripture is given by Inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to convince to correct and to instruct in righteousness But withall no man can deny but one part of the Scripture may be far more Edifying far more profitable for the people then another Then what are all these Texts to the purpose we find in the ancient Records that the Jews in Gods ancient Church had their several Sections Parts and Portions of Scripture which they called Paraschioth distinct parcels set out to be read on the Sabbath days which St. Luke calleth Lectures Act. 13. 15. After the Lecture of the Law and the Prophets c. shewing that a part was read out of the Law and a part out of the Propheâ—â— And in the Primitive times we do not find that they were tied either to read or to expound upon one Book wholly and go through it all along in order but took parts and portions of Scripture such as they accounted most useful and profitable for the people most Edifying and also most proper for the time which they did not only read but expound and preach upon especially these select Epistles and Gospels as may plainly appear to any man by the many and several Postills which are extant upon them Object The Responds and Answers of the Clerk are not fitting none should speak in the Church but the Minister Answ We acknowledge as the Minister is the Mouth of God unto the people by Preaching so he is the Mouth of the people again to God by prayer But then 1. You must remember to conceive of the Minister as the servant of the Church and helper of the Congregation in prayer he is not there as a private man praying only for himself and pouring out his own necessities but as a publick person presenting to God the Petitions of the people their prayers And surely we must needs think and judge though the bodies of the people be there present yet if their hearts if not their lips do not joyn with him those prayers which he maketh and there poureth out being their prayers and in their behalf cannot be said to be the prayers of the people or any way effectual for them or acceptable to God from them but rather accounted by God a delusion in them seeing he is but their Mouth their Speaker to deliver and present their Petitions to God to utter them for the people and in their behalf It is a great mistake in people to think that in the Common-prayers of the Church the Minister can do all their duty to God for them without them They must consider they come not to the Church the House of prayer to hear the Minister pray but to pray themselves and to joyn their hearts if not their voices with the Minister in the common-Common-prayers of the Church 2 You must also take notice that this is common-Common-prayer wherein all should joyn and unite their hearts together if not their voices in their joynt and common Supplications unto God that they may the better prevail with God the whole Congregation should agree and joyn with the Minister in them as the Apostle sheweth in 1 Cor. 14. 16. where speaking of him that prayed in the Church with a strange tongue not understanding of the people he saith How shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks seeing he knoweth not what thou sayest whereby it appeareth that at that time it was the custom of the Church Though one the Minister utter'd the prayers yet all the Congregation agreed to them witnessing and giving their consent unto them by answering Amen following and sealing them up with the Devotion of their hearts as prayers are the Ejaculations and lifting up of our hearts to God so stiled Hos 14. 4. The calves of our lips they are those sweet odours Rev. 5. 8. those rich presents Act. 10 4. which being carried up to heaven do best testifie our dutiful affection and are the most undoubted means to purchase any favour at the hand of God You know what St. James saith Jam. 5. 16. The prayer of the righteous availeth much with God if it be fervent the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the singular number the prayer of one righteous man is strong and forcible with God Joshuah by his prayer made the Sun to stand still in the Firmament Josh 10 Hezekiah made the Sun to go back ten degrees in the Dial of Ahaz Es 38. 8. Elias by his prayer did shut up heaven 1 King 17. 1. and open heaven 1 King 18. 45. yea fetcht fire thrice from heaven Peter by prayer raised Tabitha Act. 9. Paul Eutychus Act. 20. Yea it stayeth the very hand of God when he is ready to smite God himself speaketh to Moses Exod. 32. 10. Let me alone that my wrath may wax hot against them Moses stood in the gap to turn away Gods anger from them and by his prayer stayed his hand Quis te Ligavit Domine Deus Ligatum habent Sancti Deum ut non puniat nisi permiserint ipsi ut non puniat nisi dimissus ipse saith Bernard The Saints of God do bind God that he cannot punish except they give way If the prayer of one righteous man be so powerful with God the prayers of many righteous can not but prevail more we have a special promise Math. 18. 20. Where two or three are gathered together in my name I am there in the midst among them saith our Saviour Multi nimirum cum Congregantur unanimes sunt magni multorum preces impossibile est contemni saith Ambrose many Littles make a great body and such forces do as it were besiege God and make him yield God cannot but hear the prayers of many they are like the roaring Sea or like a Thunder-clap in the ears of God Not to trouble you with our own Chronicles how the men of St. Edmonds Bury prayed against that cruel Tyrant Swanus and the Lord heard them and smote Swanus that he died roaring and yelling and they were delivered There is a memorable story in our ancient Monuments how in the hoast of M. Aurelius a Company of Christian Souldiers by prayer obtained Rain when all the hoast was like to perish for want of water they also obtained Thunder-bolts to be thrown from heaven in the faces of their enemies and thence were called Legio Fulminea We have divers examples in the Scriptures I shall name but one you read Act. 12. 1. that Herod stretched out his hand to vex certain of the Church he killed James the Brother of John with the Sword proceeded farther and took Peter and put him in prison intending after the Passover to bring him out unto the people for ought we know for execution it is there said ver 5. earnest prayer was made of the Church for
require nor injoyn these things altogether without reason Take a view examine all particulars the several gestures injoyned commanded by our Church The chief of all are these 1. Kneeling in the time of prayer 2. Standing up at the rehearsal of the Apostles Creed 3. Bowing at the Name of the Lord Jesus 4. Kneeling at the receiving of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper 1. Kneeling in time of prayer the Scripture doth hold out unto us especially these three several Gestures in the time of prayer 1. Prostrating and casting down our selves upon our faces in our prayers to God for this we have the example of our Saviour Christ Matthew 26. 39. it is said there of our Saviour Christ a little before he was apprehended That he went a little farther and fell on his face and prayed c. and Mark 14. 35. it is said He went forward a little and fell down upon the ground and prayed And thus we read of the Primitive Christians in former times the warning sound was no sooner heard but the Churches were presently filled the pavement covered with bodies prostrate and wash'd with tears of devout joy Ad Domos statim Dominicas currimus Corpora humi sternimus mixtis cum Fletu Gaudiis supplicamus faith Salvianus 2. Standing some suppose that the Israelites did many times stand and pray this Christ our Saviour seemeth to intimate Mark 11. 25. saying When ye shall stand and pray forgive 〈…〉 read of the Pharisee and Publican when they came bâ—â—h 〈…〉 the Temple to pray Luke 18. it is said of the Pharisee 〈…〉 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself and of the 〈◊〉 ver 13. But the â—ublican standing afar off c. and Christ speaketh of the Pharisees Matthew 6. 5. And when thou prayest be no◠〈◊〉 the Hypocrites for they love to stand and pray in the Synagogues 〈◊〉 corners of the streets 3 Kneeling that was always the most usual Gesture thus we find everywhere in Scripture it is said of Solomon 1 Reg. 8. 54. when he had ended his prayer and supplication to the Lord for the Temple that he arose from kneeling upon his knees it is recorded of Daniel Dan. 6. 10. that he usually kneeled three times a day upon his knees and prayed praised his God and of St. Paul and the Church with him Act. 21. 6. When he departed from them they kneeled down upon the shoar and prayed Now the usual Gesture among us in time of prayer is either standing or kneeling we do not altogether disallow of standing in prayer but we may stand as a servant before his Master or as a subject before his Prince we may kneel upon our knees St. Stephen as we may suppose used both these Gestures praying for himself we may conjecture he prayed standing Act. 7. 59. it is said they stoned Stephen who called upon God and said Lord Jesus receive my spirit but ver 60. when he prayed for his enemies the Text saith And he kneeled down and prayed with a loud voice Lord lay not this sin to their charge But kneeling we account and judge the fittest posture to shew our true humility and our reverence to God This no man questioneth 2. Standing up at the rehearsal of the Apostles Creed and making our Christian confession this many stick at The reasons why this posture is injoyned and required may be these upon conjecture 1. To stir up the dulness and sluggishness of people and to keep them from slumbring and sleeping and to stir up their attention to consider of the several parts of the Service of God Common people are very dull and lumpish and many times very drowsie in the performance of the Service of God and having sate long in hearing the Psalms read unto them and the Chapters read are many times overtaken with slumbring and drowsiness and this standing up then at the rehearsal of the Creed may be a good means to cause them to shake off their drowsiness to keep them from slumbring and to quicken their attention to the Service they are about If there were nothing else this might in some mens judgments be a sufficient ground for this injunction as long as the Gesture is indifferent in it self 2. This standing up at the Creed the Confession of our Christian Faith may be required to teach blind and ignorant people and to inform them that the Creed is no prayer There be too many ignorant people notwithstanding the great Light we have and the plentiful means of instruction by continual Preaching Teaching and Catechising here among us yet still take this Creed to be a prayer which formerly by most was accounted among their prayers and so used by them as a prayer Now because ordinarily in our prayers we do kneel as is fitting and we are required This very posture of standing up at the rehearsal of this Creed may convince them fully that it is no prayer but a publick Confession and Profession of our Christian Faith 3. The chief reason at all why we stand up at the rehearsal of this the Apostles Creed is to shew our Christian resolution to maintain and defend this our Christian Doctrine For this Creed is a short abridgment and Epitome of all the Apostles Doctrine which they received from Christ our Saviour and delivered to us in the New Testament The rule of our Faith the Touch-stone of Truth the very Pith and Substance of our Christian Religion the very Badge and Cognisance of a Christian whereby he is not only known from Pagans but distinguished from Hereticks Therefore we are injoyned not only to stand up at the rehearsal of it but to joyn our selves also in rehearsing it to testifie to the world our readiness and constancy to maintain this our Religion and Profession being the true Catholick Faith whereof this is a full abridgment that we are willing to stand to it to the death and to live and die in the Profession of it 3. Bowing at the Name of the Lord Jesus this indeed is also required that as all persons should reverently kneel upon their knees when the general Confession and other prayers were made stand up at the saying of the Creed and Belief so when in the time of Divine Service the Lord Jesus should be mentioned due and lowly reverence should be done by all persons present testifying by these outward Ceremonies and Gesture their inward humility Christian Resolution and due acknowledgement that the Lord Jesus Christ the true and eternal Son of God is the only Saviour of the world in whom alone all the Mercies Graces and Promises of God to mankind for this life and the life to come are fully wholly comprised according to that of S. Peter Act. 4. 12. Neither is there Salvation in any other for among men there is given none other Name under heaven whereby we must be saved Though all do not agree that this bowing is either commanded in those words of the Apostle Phil.
Pharisee the other a Publican the Pharisee maketh a long prayer justifying himself laying open and censuring the faults and sins of others and condemning the poor Publican ☉ God I thank thee that I am not as other men Extortioners Unjust Adulterers or as this Publican I fast twice in the week I give tithe of all that ever I possesse Here you see how he doth inlarge and commend himself but the Publican stood a far off and would not lift so much as his eyes up to Heaven as being ashamed of his sins confounded in himself and afraid of Gods judgments but smote his breast to shew the true contrition of his heart his prayer is short only this O God be merciful to me a sinner yet this man went home to his house justified saith our Saviour rather then the other God accepted of the short prayer of the humble Publican proceeding from faith and rejected the long prayer of the proud Pharisee The sacrifices of God saith David Psal 51. 17. are a contrite spirit A broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Hoc negotium plerunque plus gemitibus quam Sermonibus agitur plus Fletu quam afflatu saith Bernard God regardeth the Groans Sighs and Tears of an humble soul more then words We read that when Monica the Mother of St. Augustine a good Religious Woman did often complain weep and devoutly pray to God for her Son Augustine being then a wild and unruly youth that the Lord would be pleased to convert him and make him a new man St. Ambrose comforted her saying It is impossible that a Son of so many tears should perish so may we say it is impossible that the prayers groans and tears of an humble soul and contrite heart should be in vain Mark the prayer of Hannah 1 Sam. 1. 13. when she prayed in Gods House for a Son the Text saith she spake in her heart her lips did only move her voice was not heard so that Eli the Priest took her to be drunk but she answered ver 15. 16. Nay my Lord but I am a woman troubled in spirit I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink but have poured out my soul before God for of the abundance of my complaint and of my grief have I spoken hitherto God heard in Heaven the very groans and desire of her heart and gave her a Son according to her desire The Form of prayer commanded by God for the Priests to bless the people Numb 6. 23 the prayer of Moses at the setting forward and resting of the Ark Numb 10. 35. the prayer prescribed in case of an uncertain murther Deut. 21 7 8. in paying their third years tithe Deut. 26. 13 14 15. the very Form of prayer which Christ himself gave to his Disciples Luke 11. 1. to be a pattern to them and us all are very short pithy substantial and comprehensive long prayer is a dulling of the edge of our spirit and of the earnestness and fervency of the heart which is required in prayer Now our prayers are Common-prayer fitted for the capacity of our plain common and ordinary peope whose hearts cannot be long bent fully to one thing but are apt to stray therefore our prayers are short to keep up the Attention of the heart and spirit and many because they consist of many several Petitions and Requests If we look upon Antiquity St. Augustine Ep. 121. tells us that the Brethren in Egypt are reported to have many prayers but every one of them very short as if they were darts thrown out with a kind of sudain quickness least the vigilant and erect attention of the mind which in prayer is very necessary should be wasted and dulled if their prayers were few and long And Luther saith that prayer is Christianorum Bombarda the Christians Gun-shot as then a Bullet out of a Gun so prayers out of our mouth can go no farther then the spirit doth carry them Therefore it is humble and fervent Devotion the strong bent of the heart mind and spirit that doth pierce the gates of Heaven and pleaseth God as you may see by Hannah 1 Sam. 1. 13. and the short Ejaculations of an earnest and devout soul are a loud cry in the ears of God as you may perceive by Gods words to Moses Exod. 14. 15. Why dost thou cry unto me so that if our prayers be short and many as consisting of many several Petitions as long as our hearts and the fervency of the Spirit are joyned with them there is no doubt but they may and shall find acceptance with God Obj. That the several Gestures prescribed in the Service of God the standing up at the Creed the bowing at the name Jesus and kneeling at the receiving of the Lords Supper are Offensive to many Answ There is an old saying Faelix qui potuit rerum cognâ—scere causas if moderate and wise men were so happy as to know the true grounds and reasons of these things they would not so soon take offence nor be offended at all we all acknowledge the Gesture and Posture of the Body in the Service of God to be counted among things indifferent as a thing indifferent in it self neither necessary nor sinful Morally neither Good nor Evil neither Commanded nor Forbidden in Scripture God regardeth not so much the outward Gesture or Posture of the Body as the inward frame of the Soul and true Devotion of the heart yet it is the Apostles charge 1 Cor. 14. 40. That all things in the Church should be done decently and in order Indeed Order is the Beauty of Nature the Perfection of all things Government the preserver of Order Laws the Soul of Government and Execution the life of all without which no Society State or Kingdom nor the Life of Man or Service of God can well subsist Now if in time of Divine Service and in the performance of one and the same Office and at the same time one will stand another kneel and another sit what order shall there be in the Church or what decency And who shall settle this decency and order in the Church but the Governours of the Church Then if we owe obedience to our Governours according to Gods command Rom. 13 1. we should submit to their judgment in those things which we count indifferent and though in themselves considered they be indifferent yet all circumstances being considered when they are commanded by our lawful Governours and in a lawful way and for a lawful end only for order and decency they are not indifferent to us but we are tied to obedience to submit to their judgment and lawful commands And as for the several Gestures which are required and injoyned by our Governours in their several places to be observed in the performance of the Service and Worship of God though we know not nor understand presently the grounds of them yet we may have so much charity as to think and conceive they do not