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A17044
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Concerning publike-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.
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Browning, John, d. 1648.
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1636
(1636)
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STC 3919; ESTC S105933
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161,719
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248
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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
of the earth Dan. 1.3 6. King Nebuchodonazor advanced by him to be Ruler over the whole Province and chiefe of the Governours over all the Wise-men of Babylon Dan. 2.48 Chap. 2.48 after by Belshazzar his Sonne made the third Ruler in the Kingdome Dan. 5.29 Chap. 5.29 even yet farther prospering in the reigne of Darius and Cyrus the Persian Dan. 6.28 Vnder foure of the greatest Monarchs that ever were above the greatest even the chiefe of the three Presidents over an hundred and twenty Princes Dan. 6.2 3. Chap. 6. v. 2.3 If Daniel therefore in the midst of the highest honour can find in his heart thus to humble himselfe If he can in the view of all earthly provocations and temptations thus temper and conteine himself If in the height of all worldly pleasures hee can thus contemne scorne and trample on them mourning in the midst of pleasures fasting from all delights conquering and taming his desires that they might not conquer him then what great matter is it for us to bate our selves a little pleasure some small delight some petty recreation to deny our selves in some few trifles that with Daniel we may the better follow CHRIST Quis non parvam despiciat cellam quando Senator domum despicit marmoratam Quis non terrena contemnens Fulgent ubi supra p. 550. c. Who saith Fulgentius will not now despise a cottage when a Senator leaves an Ivory pallace When Daniel leaves so much who will not leave a little and where all is nothing who will not leave this all with Daniel to labour for Heaven by an holy mourning I Daniel was mourning c. But Daniels Example is yet greater 2 In great favour with God by how much hee that was so high in the eyes of the world is yet higher and greater in GODS favour to whom GOD gave knowledge and skill in all learning and wisedome even understanding in visions and dreames Chap. 1.17 Dan. 1.17 even wiser he tenne times then all the Astrologians and Magicians verse 20. 20. in whom saith Nebuchadnezzar was the spirit of the holy Gods Dan. 4.18.5.11 12 14. Chap. 4.18 5.11 who conversed with Angels even with GOD Himselfe made of His most secret Counsell the fullest clearest and plainest Prophet that ever was And here I may not passe by a * Hierony lib. 2. Apolog. advers Ruffin cap. 9. Theodor. in praefat ad Dan. Doubt which of old troubled Saint Hierome Ruffinus and many others of late also namely what should move the Iewes to reckon the Booke of Daniel amongst the Hagiographa or holy Writers and yet to account him no Prophet Certainly though * Vid. Petr. Cunaeum de Rep. Hebraeor l. 3. c. 7. ubi rationem perperā assignat Rabbi Maimon More Nebochim part 2. cap. 45. some guesse at others yet the true reason is plaine out of Rabbi Maimon who tells us that the Iewes making tenne degrees of Prophecy place Daniel in the second with the rest of the Hagiographa because saith he he is no Prophet in an ordinary manner and therefore ranked by our Nation amongst those who awake and in the vigour of their senses spake by the Spirit of GOD which is the second degree of Prophecy and indeed as he reckons it of all that are inspired to speake the highest So that the Iewes no otherwise denyed Daniel to be a Prophet then our blessed SAVIOUR the Baptist Luke 7.26 28. Luke 7.26 whom calling a Prophet verse 28. he stileth more then a Prophet and likely our SAVIOUR in this speech had respect to this distinction amongst the Iewes Howsoever Saint Hieroms testimony is true Vid. S. Hieron Theod. locis citatis that no Prophet spake so plainly so evidently of Christ as Daniel doth not onely shewing as do the rest that He must come but also designing the very time when He was to come laying downe the order of the succeeding Kings and their times with the manifest foregoing signes To him as to the blessed Virgin the same Messenger is sent the very same Angell Gabriel Dan. 8.16 Luke 1.26 For this cause as GODS chiefest favorite under the Law hee is stiled A man highly or greatly beloved Chap. 9.23 Dan. 9.23.10.11 19. 10.11.19 The highest stile mortality can receive as we may see by the blessed Virgin whose title it is Luke 1.28 Luke 1.28 His Wisedome proverbially extolled Thou art wiser then Daniel Ezech. 28.3 Ezech. 28.3 His Prayers as most powerfull with GOD preferred Ezech. 14.14 Neverthelesse as though hee were not safe in the midst of all these honours 14.14 20. unlesse he were humble he as the blessed Apostle humbleth himselfe by fasting to teach us also that if it were so needfull for him and that chiefe Apostle to keepe their body under to bring it into subjection 1 Cor. 9.27 lest falling through pride they might come to destruction how much then is it more needfull for us vile wretched sinners as we are how needfull for us to do if possible farre more at least the same to make our selves mourne As also to instruct us that if we will attaine to Daniels height we must follow his steps if we will be as hee was wee must do as he did if we will aime at his happinesse we must imitate his humility if have our prayers as his accepted we must sharpen them by fasting we must propound his example to our selves as he doth here by the Spirit of GOD unto us even above any under the Law the greatest and best example of the best of the sons of men I Daniel But the tree is knowne by his fruits saith our Blessed Saviour and a man by his Actions II. His Action for they are they that must praise him in the gates Pro. 31.31 Prov. 31.31 His Action therfore commeth next to be considered and that is mourning By which what is meant is easie to see by that which followeth I ate no pleasant bread c. I The end of it His mourning was fasting to make him mourne it being the use of holy Scripture to stile this duty by this name because it tends to this end And indeed it is worth our observing that there being two words in each of the three learned languages to signifie the two parts of Repentance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Resipiscentia Poenitentia one of them in each signifyeth griefe and mourning to teach us that as they are a signe of and a way to perfect our repentance so fasting is a way to begin our mourning For this cause as sorrow and mourning is ofttimes called repentance Act. Acts. 26.20 26.20 So fasting is usually called mourning as 1 Sam. 16. Matth. 5.4 9.15 as also in this place 1 Sam. 16.1 Mat. 5.4 9.15 because it is both a meanes to and a signe of mourning 1 A signe of mourning as Hannah wept and did