their Tables so they did not include that Office only within that Table-service They were but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ministri as the name signifieth servants in all to both the rest as the Seventy were in Prayer and the Word subject and inferiour to the Apostles These indeed being the Governours of them all So we see there was alwayes an imparity in the Church alwayes the spirits of the Prophets subject to the Prophets 1 Cor. 14. As Aaron and the High Priests of old so under them the inferiour Priests and Levites Afterward CHRIST our Lord as he sent the Apostles and seventy Disciples at two severall times Luke 9.2 10. v. 1 2 3. Luke the 9. and 10. Chapt. So thereby he directed his Church most plainely to these two Orders 1 The Bishops who did succeed into the Apostles place as the Church Governours who were to Watch for our soules Heb. 13.17 Heb. 13.17 in the preserving of peace and truth And 2 the inferiour Clergy though sent also by CHRIST in the Seventy yet sent after in time after also and inferiour in place that they might know they are to be subject to the first Those indeed the Apostles sent first absolutely and with Power saith the Evangelist Mat. 10.1 Mat. 10.1 Iohn 21.16 Acts 20.28 altogether and alike sent as Sheepherds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to feed onely but also to guide the flock These the Seventy sent after and apart two by two Luke 10.3 and that saith S. Luke who reports the difference fully and plainly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Lambes in Prayer and the Word only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to feed the flock and to be ordered and directed by those others They the Apostles sent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Sheepe saith S. Matthew and so superiour to the rest * Mat. 10.16 Fathers of and Elders over to guide and governe them Thus as a difference of Names and Titles so also no lesse of Orders As a Priority of mission so was there of commission also Neither was it ever otherwise in any other place in any after and succeeding ages amongst their successors Even in the Apostles times not to trouble you with after testimonies Titus Bishop of Crete Timothy Bishop of Ephesus both appointed by S. Paul who therefore sometimes joynes them and others with himselfe in the Front of his Epistles to the Churches a 1 Cor. 1.1 Paul and Sosthenes b 2 Cor. 1.1 Phil. 1.1 Col. 1.1 Paul and Timotheus c 1 Thes 1.1 2 Thes 1.1 Paul and Silvanus and Timotheus c. To teach us that those he thus joynes with himselfe must and should indeed succeed unto him After in the Age next after the Apostles d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Ignat. Epist ad Trall in initio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. Vide eundem in Epist ad Magnes Et ad Philadelphens Item Epist ad Smyr h. v. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Ignatius every where warnes the Priests to be subject to their Bishops the Deacons to their Priests the People at the least in these two Prayer and the Word to be subject to them all Thus was it alwayes in all places no where otherwise For GOD is the God of Order As he will be served of us in Prayer and the ministration of the Word so will he be served in Order by us as inferiour Labourers by them as Superiour Governours though not * Mat. 20.25 Mark 10.42 Luke 22.25 1 Peter 5.3 1 Tim. 5.17 2 Cor. 11.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though not domineering and absolutely out of the plenitude of their power Lording it as the same words constantly held both by the three Evangelists and S. Peter the Apostle well import yet worthily ruling worthy to be accounted worthy their double honour For surely though their Place is higher and honour more yet is their labour no lesse and their burthen heavier They not onely labour in the Church as doe we but care for the Church yea The care of all our Churches layd on them Thus whilest we serve GOD in private in our Prayers and the words ministration they in a more publike care may I so say doe even serve the meanest and lowest of us all There is no service Beloved to that of Governement where one serves all And that Greek Proverbe is most true in every Family much more in this great Houshold of Faith and Family of the Faithfull The Church of GOD 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is There is but one servant in each house and that 's the Master It is our Lord and Masters Rule Mat. 20.26.27 Whosoever will be great amongst you let him be your Minister and whosoever will be chiefe amongst you let him be your servant So must it needs be the higher place the heavier burthen and we know that the shoulders next the head are the most bearing part Let us not therefore envie this honour to any whom GOD hath set over us Nay rather let us pitty their persons and that heavie burthen they beare and let us strive by our joynt and free obedience to make it lighter Let us as Aaron and Hur Exod. 17.12 by a faithfull discharge of this our twofold duty Prayer and the Word especially by our earnest and serious prayers beare up Moses armes that they and we all may as cheerefully as resolutely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Give our selves without any let or impediment from our selves to prayer and the ministration of the Word And so though omitting much of our intended discourse we come from the Persons to the Duties Wee to Prayer c. II. The Duties We cannot so easily come to these Duties but we must againe with them awhile behold the Persons they are here so linked together We to prayer and to the ministration of the Word The first fruits of every thing were sacred for GODS use Exod. 13.2 and the first-borne of the Males were as holy consecrate to GODS more speciall service such were these here the first-fruits of the Christian faith and the first-borne that opened the wombe of our Mother Church and therefore as such are set apart for GODS more speciall service as such they freely and wholly give up themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We say they will give our selves continually to prayer and to the ministration of the word Therefore they were especially 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods portion and inheritance And as they so we Their number This is the twofold Duty of every one of us who succeeded them we truly serve GOD and his Church in both In our publike prayers we serve GOD as do all others Prayer being most properly his service and are herein more peculiarly the mouth of the people unto GOD. In the Word which is his Gospell we serve his Word and Church and are Gods mouth in his embassage message to his people Thus
Concerning PVBLIKE-PRAYER AND THE FASTS OF THE CHURCH Six Sermons or Tractates By Io. Br. B. D. Their severall Contents are set downe in the next page S. Aug. de Temp. Serm. 230. Adversus Daemonum nequitiam quae nobis DOMINVS arma * Matth. 17.21 This kinde goeth not out but by Prayer and Fasting ostendit debemus utique retinere sc Orationem Iejunium LONDON Printed by Richard Badger and are to bee sold in S. Dunstans Church-yard in Fleetstreet at the Shop turning up to Cliffords Inne 1636. THE CONTENTS OF THESE SIX SERMONS FOLLOVVING Serm. I. Of Religious feare and Reverence in Gods House II. Of the Subordination of Church Duties in reference chiefly to the people III. Of the Duties Nature and Lawes of Publike Prayer IV. Of the necessity and order of Gods Service by Prayer and the Words Ministration chiefly in reference to the Clergy V. Of the Grounds and Reasons of Set times for Fasting VI. Of the manner and quality of Church Fasts TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE MY SINGVLAR GOOD LORD VVILLIAM Lord MAINARD Baron of EASTAINES and one of His Majesties Lords Lievtenants for the County of ESSEX Right Honourable and my very good Lord I Could never have thought these Sermons or any thing else comming from me worthy the view of so learned an Age. Neither have I ever shunned ought more then to come in publike Yet I know not how it now happeneth that I am at this present drawen forth into open view urged partly by the advice and earnest request of some good friends who judged these Sermons when preached necessary for these times partly by the mistake of some otherwise I doubt not well affected Christians who neverthelesse not well understanding my meaning have misreported both it and me To satisfie both I deemed this the best way necessary also perhaps besides other reasons hereby to prevent the publishing of them by any other hand since some Copies have gone abroad not through any desire of mine but by the request of those friends I could not gainsay That I present them to your Lordship is not without great good reason you not onely having beene a chiefe Auditour at the preaching of some of them but also which I may never forget nor can sufficiently recount being my most noble free and bountifull Patron Wherefore I could not but here follow the example of our Blessed LORD and SAVIOUR joyning the remembrance of Mary's Spikenard with the Gospell preached that is with these Sermons sent abroad into the World the thankefull acknowledgment of your Honours bounty For since in our bookes and writings wee honourably mention those Worthyes in Learning whose more able studies have furthered or advanced ours wee should by as good reason inscribe our books or writings to those Noble Personages worthy of all Honour whose rightly imployed wealth or power have under GOD supported upheld or encouraged our otherwise disheartned studies Thence Gratitude hath made it a custome with us even anciently practised by sundry Heathen that where Honourable greatnesse and goodnesse hath by any nourished the life and sappe of Learning for the present there by a due retaliation Learning and Arts should honor and eternize their memories to all future Ages that thus they by whom we live now may by us or ours in an happy and blessed memoriall live for ever I cannot promise your Honour by this poore worke any such lasting monument nor am I one of those that can any way arrogate that title to my selfe My desire onely is hereby to acknowledge to the World how much I am your Lordships that seeing I appeare in publike I may stirre up others if any shall receive any benefit by my poore labours to praise and pray GOD for your Noble Lordship Whilst I shall alwayes pray and beseech His Heavenly Majestie to blesse your Honour your Noble Lady Children and Familie with all increase of Heavenly Ioyes and earthlie happinesse Remaining whilst I live Your Lordships in all affectionate service and duty most bounden IOHN BROVVNING THE FIRST SERMON CONCERNING RELIGIOVS FEARE and REVERENCE in GOD's HOUSE ECCLES 5.1 Take heede to thy foote or keepe thy foote when thou entrest into the House of GOD. THE House of God is the house of Prayer Esay 56.7 Esay 56.7 Hither we enter that wee may offer not as at Ierusalem in one place 1 Tim. 2.8 hot every where calling upon GOD in Spirit and truth Iohn 4.23 Iohn 4.23 For from the rising of the Sunne saith the Lord even unto the going downe of the same Mal. 1.11 my Name shall be great among the Gentiles and in every place Incense shall be offered unto my name and a pure offering And what that is Verse 8. there at the 8. verse is shewed by the contrary If yee offer the blinde for sacrifice is it not evill If yee offer the lame for sacrifice is it not evill 1 Cor. 11.29 Yes doubtlesse very evill and the sacrifice of fooles that as Blinde cannot see not discerning the Lords Body 1 Cor. 11.22 therefore no reverence in offering that as Lame cannot bend or bowe despising the Church of God M. Minucius Felix in Octavio p. 51. and therefore no reverence in entring It is the saying of Minucius Felix to the Heathen De vestro numero carcer ex estuat nullus ibi Christianus nisi aut suae religionis rous aut profugus I would we could say so too No such matter our prisons are full And what 's the reason because our Churches are empty Empty at those publique Prayers when we should prevaile with God for a blessing both for our private and publique good when by being ready to heare and obey God and his Church wee may cause Him in His Church to be ready to heare us and to give us his blessing out of Sion Thus empty of offerers Nay empty of hearers strange in this Eare-age either wee heare not at all like the deafe Adder or else wee heare not as we should heare Wee have the Word of God in respect of persons we pronounce This or that or such or such a man for the most part such as they should not be Heare yee him Or else wee that are your Prophets as you call us are as the Prophets of old wee are unto you as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voyce and can play well on an Instrument Ezek. 33.32 you heare our words but you doe them not your Entrance is without reverence your Hearing for the most part unlesse you respect the person without attention your Prayers and Offerings without devotion and your departure I am affraide to tell you if you continue such must needs be without grace blessing and benediction Let mee not beloved be your Enemy for telling you the truth I had intended to have brought you other matter stronger meat but as the Apostle to the Hebr. 5.12 Hebr. 5.12 Yee that for the time ought to have
beene Teachers have need that one teach you againe which are the first Principles Yee as Children have need of milke yee as Children must be taught to Heare to Speake as Children yee must learne to Goe how to goe into the House of God And indeed this Chapter toucheth the vanities in divine service And therefore as they that will learne any thing must first unlearne what is amisse So if we will serve God aright Praecepta dat vitae non vult offendere euntes ad Ecclesiam S. Hieron in locum Tom. 5. oper wee must unlearne the errours and vanities in His service and this with the first the errour of the Foot in entring then next the errour of the Eare in hearing last the errour of the Mouth Heart and Hand in praying and offering And this I suppose will give you the order of this and the next verse For the words themselves The Division without any great curiosity you may observe these two parts in them I. The Warning it selfe Custodi c. II. The Person warned Ingressurus or Tu quum ingrederis Thou whosoever thou art that entrest into the House of God From both these in generall wee observe this Proposition or Observation viz. Proposition I That Reverence and Preparation is necessary to and in all holy duties In the Admonition or Caveat we consider 1. The Matter and substance of it even that which is enjoyned and that is Custodia And that implyeth Care Labour watchfulnesse and diligence in keeping Whence this second is inferred viz. Proposition II That Every kinde of Reverence or Preparation which we thinke fit is not sufficient and therefore in the second place we consider 2. The Specification from the matter and object it is Pedem and Pedem tuum from whence wee observe Proposition III That this Care Heed and Keepe in our Reverence and preparation ought to be universall to reach even to the abject and meanest parts even from head to foote over the whole man both body and soule from this word Pedem thy Foote or as Tremellius readeth it both thy feete Proposition IV That This Care Heed and Keepe as it ought to be generall or universall over every part of our selves so ought it to be particular for the Person onely restrained to our selves and that from this word Tuum Take heed to Thy foote The other Generall part is the Person admonished or warned to whom this caveat is given and that is Ingressurus c. from whence wee ground this Observation viz. Proposition V That This Custody Care Keepe diligent and reverent attention as it is alwaies necessary so then especially is it most necessary when wee enter into the House of God And if when we enter Domum Domini Gods House then most of all is it more necessary when we not onely salute Dominum Domus the Lord of the house but chiefly and especially above all when He by the graces of His Spirit either in the Word or Sacrament ingressurus est is about to enter into us and to make us Domini Domum the Temple of the living Lord. And first of the two first Propositions wrapping them up together as much as I can FOr the former Proposition I. II. That Preparation and Reverence is necessary c. I suppose no man that knoweth either that there is a GOD or confesseth himselfe to be a man dare or can deny the evidence of this truth being grounded upon these two most confessed Principles For first hee that knoweth himselfe to be a man knoweth himselfe to be a sinner For Rom. 3.23 in Adam all have sinned and are deprived or come short of the glory of God And here we must confesse Pedem lapsum that our foote hath slipt Nay labentem that it doth daily slip for Prov. 24.16 Prov. 24.16 The most righteous man falls seven times a day and in many things we offend all Iames 3.2 Iames 3.2 And if not so yet at least wee must confesse Pedem labilem that our foot may slip For omnis homo mendax Every man is a lyar Rom. 3.4 Rom. 3.4 and 1 Cor. 10.12 1 Cor. 10.12 Let him that stands take heed lest hee fall Therefore there is at least a Potentia a possibility of falling And where either the foote is weake or the way is slippery we had need Custodire pedem Take keepe of our feete Secondly hee that confesseth a God confesseth also that this God is good true pure holy and sincere seeing to be God must needs be to be such What agreement then is there between light and darknesse between Christ and Belial Plato in Phaedon t. 67. Tom. 1. apud Plutarch de Isid Osirid fol. 352. Synesius Epist 57. Epist 137. S Greg. Nazianzen alibi saepius c. between Heaven and Hell It was Plato's argument in this very kinde which was often used even by the Christians also in their Church censures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That which is pure may not be touched by that which is impure Hence it was that by the light of Nature amongst the Heathen some were secluded and shut out from the services of some gods none being admitted but such who were entred and initiate and amongst them none might intermeddle but such who had cleane hands For not to name their often lustrations and expiatory washings so zealous were they in some places that in the Egyptian Temples especially of Isis Plut. de Isid Osirid all excrements of men and beasts were utterly forbidden Hence saith Plutarch they used white linen garments for their Priests to signifie that the greatest cleannesse or purity that man can have is not sufficient for so pure a God For Behold Iob 15.15.25.5 6. saith Eliphaz he found no steadfastnesse in his Angels yea the heavens and stars are not cleane in his sight how much more then is man abominable and filthy that drinketh iniquity like water Iob 15.15 Thus whatsoever the Heathen practise might be I am sure their ground is good Nay their very practise Vide S. Cyril Alexand. ubi infra if we may beleeve Saint Cyrill is approved by God For whereas amongst the Egyptians no man might enter into their Idoll temples with shooes on his feete because they were made of dead beasts skins and therefore accounted a pollution God at his first appearing to Moses in the bush though hee had called him yet bids him Come not neerer Put off thy shooes off thy feete Exod. 3.5 for the place where thou standest is holy ground The like we find cōmanded Ioshua also Iosh 5.15 Iosh 5.15 Thus God to shew that hee would not be behinde the Heathen false gods in exacting all due and possible Reverence calls for it from Moses and Ioshua who both had seene this custome in Egypt by a ceremony common and well knowne unto them Where observe I pray you by the way that even by Gods warrant in commanding
them this that they are fooles indeed And truly Is it not folly for one man to oppose the whole Christian Church of God Is it not folly for one man to thinke himselfe wiser than Gods Church Catholique over the world assisted with Gods Spirit in all ages Is it not folly for things indifferent to breake the union and peace of all Christian Churches Is it not folly in the highest degree that though they have beene convinced of their follies they will notwithstanding goe on still in their folly and not know or acknowledge that they doe evill I am not hasty to apply sentences of condemnation I wish from my heart their conversion who are thus perversly affected As I said at first my Text speaketh not nor I as I hope to any such here yet I desire that they that will not heare from me from us here may at least heare from us by others here Our prayers shall be for them our studies and endeavours if it may be to doe them good Exhortation In the meane time my Exhortation is to you First for obedience to our Mother Church and conformity with her to the best and purest Churches Surely beloved it is not safe to disobey seeing he that dispiseth her cannot chuse as I have shewed but displease God being in a great forwardnesse to make Him turne His backe upon him and upon his Cain-like offering 2 For caution in hearing how and whom you heare seeing it is not likely that they should teach obedience who are themselves the authors of disobedience It is S. Iohn 2. Ep. v. 10. Ioh. 2. Ep. v. 10 If there come any to you not having this Doctrine receive him not into your house nor bid him GOD speede 3 For particular obedience to this order in GODS divine and publique worship that you be carefull how you enter whom when and how you heare what and how you offer That you bee carefull so to offer that you may profitably come neare so to come neare that you may obediently heare so to heare that you may religiously and piously offer And if thus we offer it shall be truely as some read it Super donum insipientum Sacrificium a Sacrifice far above the Sacrifice of fooles It shall be the savour of life unto life a Sacrifice truely acceptable to God in the Merits and Passion of Iesus Christ FINIS A SERMON PREACHED IN CHELMSFORD AT A QVARTER-SESSIONS 1632. Ecclesiastes 5.2 Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God for God is in Heaven and thou upon Earth therefore let thy words bee few I May not wave this Text because of the Occasion nay rather this Text best fits the Occasion for even here behold a Sessions also 1 The Iudge upon the Bench GOD in Heaven 2 The Offenders at the Barre Coram before GOD the Iudge Thou whosoever upon Earth 3 Faults committed Abuses to bee reformed Errours censured Rashnesse in the mouth Hastinesse in the heart the two most usuall and common offenders 4 The Lawes to be promulged the Charge that is given and that of both sorts both negative and affirmative as well forbidding as bidding and commanding Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thine heart be hasty c. Let thy words be few And indeed these Sessions have the advantage of all ours here on earth 1 For the Matters about which they are such as concerne the High Court of Heaven or our Petitions to the Star-Chamber of the Highest GOD Prayer 2 For the Iudge it is GOD as farre above all here as Heaven is above Earth 3 For the Offenders it would bee considered whether they that be Iudges here below be not as others guilty Offenders at this barre here Especially this would bee thought upon with the first Whether these Sessions in this place well held would not make way for the better performing ours And doubtlesse so they will For what better in the entrance and beginning than that with which if they begin aright all men do begin withall Prayer the Lock of the Night the Key of the Morning the entrance to every action Without me saith CHRIST ye can do nothing Iohn 15.5 Iohn 15.5 Not judge I am sure for justice and judgement are the Lords and fetch them downe we must by prayer as David did Give thy judgements O Lord unto the King and thy righteousnesse to the Kings Sonne Psalme 72.1 Psal 72.1 But the reason of your meeting is for abuses to be reformed then what more needfull to be reformed than our Prayers If amisse we begin as they are our first beginning what hope ever of a good ending But the end of our meeting is for peace for civill peace and what more assured way for this than to lay the foundation of religious peace Religion my Text sheweth it bridles the Tongue that untamed member that sets the world on fire it restraineth the Heart the root of all outward actions Religion is the soule of the State the life of the Common-weale and surely as in a Glasse face answereth to face so doth the peace of the State to the peace of the Church like Hippocrates his Twins they laugh and weepe together as Castor and Pollux ominous it must needs be if the peace of the one be sundred from the other Solomons Temple was first built 1 Kings 6 7. then Solomons House and the same wisdome that taught him so to build taught him so to reforme by the same Order It is observeable that Solomon intreating of the remedying of follies in these following Chapters begins in this beginning of this Chapter from the errours and vanities in Religion plainly teaching us that as follies and iniquities in Religion are the ground of all other follies so the reforming of these is the way to establish all the rest But of follies in Religion those are the greatest which are in the greatest and neerest degree to the honouring and dishonouring GOD such are they that are in Prayer for this is the Ladder of Heaven the Christians Sacrifice the just mans Safegard the Divels scourge the Spirits earnest this is the Nurse of love the Friend of peace the Soules solace our Accesse to God the Meanes of salvation For Whosoever shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be saved Ioel 2.32 Ioel. 2.32 Acts 2.21 Rom. 10.13 14 15. c. For this as I have shewed is all our preaching hearing beleeving Rom. 10. Our entring hearing offering in the former words hither are they referred all of them here the greatest danger if we misse herein the greatest comfort if we hit and therefore here as for that unum necessarium I challenge your best attention Where you may please to consider these three things First the Errours indited the follies arraigned either in defect or excesse of religious duties Secondly the Precepts Charge and Injunctions given which are these Be not rash with thy mouth and let
that arduum that hard worke of prayer as the Scripture calleth it Surely the Church hath found it so For whereas after and against the established formes of the Church some brought in their private conceipts into the African Churches 3 Concil Carth. can 23. 2 Milevitan can 12. first the third Councell of Carthage and then the second of Milevis did publish their Lawes that no prayer should be used in the Church but such which had been first approved by the Church and a reason is given from this rashnesse Ne forte aliquid contra fidem vel per ignorantiam aut per minus studium sit compositum that is Lest perchance somewhat might be vented through ignorance or carelesnesse which might be contrary to the faith the very ground of my Text. And surely that there should be a set-forme of prayer maketh much for this one mouth Thy mouth The mouth of the Church should be but one when it was otherwise the Apostle liked it not many mouthes a meanes of confusion 1 Cor. 14.26 1 Cor. 14.26 How is it when you come together every one hath a Psalme hath a Doctrine hath a tongue hath a revelation hath an interpretation Let al things be done to edifying If every one in the Church should conceive his Psalme what confusion would there be of notes and voices Yet our Psalmes are but Prayers and our Prayers should be as Psalmes wherein all doe joyne such were anciently both their Psalmes and Prayers Concil Milev can 12. Ab omnibus celebrentur Let them be said by all saith the same Councell of Milevis Such is Common Prayer as the Ancients rightly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our prayers are common for all say the same prayer saith S. Chrysostome And so as you have heard S. Chrysost Hom. 18. in cap. 8 ep 2. ad Corinth 2 That there may be but one heart it is fit all should do A set prayer therefore necessary that there may be one mouth Againe set-prayer makes for the unity of the heart also as Thy mouth Thy heart of all but one heart so should it bee The heart of the people should if not lead yet at least go along with their owne prayer but how can this be unlesse their prayers be knowne unlesse familiar to them unlesse they be before acquainted with them Hee that prayeth with others must have respect to others with whom he prayeth publike use and order is not directed but by commonly knowne sounds the Apostle sheweth it 1 Cor. 14.8 1 Cor. 14.8 If the Trumpet give an uncertaine sound who shall prepare himselfe to the battell The Trumpets sound is therefore certaine because knowne before set and prescribed And againe There are so many voices in the world yet none of them without signification 1 Cor. 14.10 1 Cor. 14.10 Signifie they do all because they are set and certaine therefore they lead direct and instruct the mind Such must our prayers be that they may do the like That the heart therefore may be but one a set-prayer necessary one mouth that there be but one heart Againe 3 It prevents the mouths rashnesse set-prayer prevents the danger of the mouths rashnesse Be not rash And indeed how many foolish Tautologies Battologies how many idle words irreverent unmannerly ridiculous if not blasphemous passages fall from many in their suddenly conceived prayers The Councell of Milevis saw it and shewes it well enough Ne contra fidem vel per ignorantiam aut per minus studium Blasphemous ignorant carelesse Prayer experience shewes it with us Iudg. 11.31 Iephta's vow alone is a witnesse A man would thinke it a glorious zeale The first saith he that comes out to meete me shall be the Lords the very first that whatsoever even that and no other that whatsoever it be Behold a true picture of Quicquid in buccam 1. Anastas Nicaenum seu Sinaitam Qu. 38 Hug. de Sancto Vict. tract de filia Iepte Tom. 3. f. 234. It might have beene an Asse or a Dog as well as his Daughter God therefore as Divines note forbad him not as hee did Abraham but suffered him to do and offer the sacrifice of fools Onely by him God hath taught us thee and mee our mouth should not be rash much lesse the mouth of thee and me and many more The mouth of the people the Minister neither for matter nor manner may be rash Hee tyed to a forme A set-Prayer necessary for him that hee prove not rash with his mouth 4 It prevents the hearts rashnes But suppose all well no errour in such conceived Prayers yet the mouth of the congregation the Minister 1. By understanding them as hee must not goe before his owne heart so neither before the heart of the people whose mouth hee is Either way the mouth is too rash Fit it is their owne heart should leade at least accompany their owne Prayer A set-Prayer necessary for the people also 2. By meditation before But if so yet the heart may be too hasty if not filled by meditation Meditation is as the Schooles rightly applicatio mentis Intellectus contemplativus a raising and applying the Heart the understanding that it may leade the Heart the will and affections after it Therefore preparation necessary before prayer But how can this be if that they should meditate upon be unknowne unto them Therefore a set-prayer necessary for this end also But yet not all As meditation before 3. By attention in them so Attention is necessary in our prayers Prayer is Intellectus practicus The earnest desire of the heart All kind of attention and intention is for the heart most needfull and for this cause 2. The Churches practice that the hearts desire may be the more earnest whilest being eased for the mouth it is most busied upon it selfe 1. Before the Law Gen. 4.26 Puto vertendum Tunc inceptum est invocari nomen Domini ut dicat eo tempore ritus certos colendi Deum institutos fuisse quos observarent filii Dei hoc est Membra Ecclesiae quam in posteris Seth haesisse multi arbitran tur Ioan. Drusius in Difficilior Genescos cap. 15. p. 30. 2. Vnder the Law Num. 6.23.24 Ioel 2.17 Deut. 24.14 3. Vnder the Gospel a set-prayer is necessary for this end also Be not rash with thy mouth And indeede as GOD hath commanded so the Spirit who teacheth us to pray Rom. 8. hath alwaies directed the Church in all ages to a set-forme of prayer in publike In the old World and the Church before the Law Gen. 4.26 it is said Then beganne men to call upon the Name of the Lord that is say Interpreters they began to use Rites and set-formes in publike After under the Law there needs no proofe God in many places prescribed set-formes unto them which the Iewes even use to this day Numb 6.23 Ioel 2.17 Deut. 24.14 Infinite are the places It is too notorious