Hâ— ven and passing by Angels present 〈◊〉 selves before the Royal Throne it self St. Chrysostom's words are upon 〈◊〉 Subject From whence we may leâ— by the way that they little thought those dayes of addressing themselves any of the Ministers in the Heaveâ— Court though never so high whâ— they passed by and went directly to 〈◊〉 Divine Majesty as we now may â— ought to do This he represents in an excellâ— Discourse of his upon another Subjeâ— as the high dignity of Christians 〈◊〉 which the Angels themselves are Sâ—â— ctators and very much â— mire the honour that is doâ— us a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tom. 1. p. 372. For as if in tâ— presence of a great Armâ— before the Captains and great Oâ— cers and Consuls an ordinary persoâ— be admitted to the speech of the Kingâ— it fixes all eyes upon him and rendeâ— him the more illustrious and venâ— rable so it is with those that pray 〈◊〉 God For think with thy self whaâ— a great thing it is for thee who art but a man in the presence of the Angels the Arch-angels the Seraphim the Cherubim and all the rest of the Heavenly Host standing by to be permitted to approach with much confidence and to speak with the King of those Powers What honour is there that can equal this Nor were the better sort of Pagans without this notion of Prayer that it is our Conducter unto God brings us into his Divine light sets us in his presence draws him to us by a Divine perswasive Rhetorick and powerful sympathy with him nay Proclus in Plat. Timaeum L. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. knits and unites us unto the first Being and moves his bountiful goodness to communicate all good things to us it being the opening of our Souls to God that he may fill us To this effect Proclus discourses And is not this the most incomparable honour that can be done us to be made thus familiar with God The higher any persons are the more we think our selves enabled when we are admitted into their society especiâ— if we may at all times have recoâ— unto them and be kindly received 〈◊〉 them By which we may judge 〈◊〉 account to make of the honour which we are preferred by be brought into the company of 〈◊〉 who is higher than the highest Wâ— whose most excellent Nature to 〈◊〉 true Communion is the greatestâ— fection whereof we are capable eiâ— in this World or in the next And how is it possible to haveâ— ous thoughts of him and not in 〈◊〉 measure be assimulated to him 〈◊〉 while he is in our mind we are the present necessarily made suâ—â— he is Holy and Pure Gracious Merciful Tender and Kind Saâ—â— ed and well-Pleased in all thiâ— That is we cannot think of him 〈◊〉 out some transformation of our 〈◊〉 into his blessed likeness while we think of him Of which more anoâ— By which you may understand 〈◊〉 it is not merely an external Honâ—â— which is hereby done us but by 〈◊〉 vout Prayer we are naturally indâ— with true Greatness and Nobleneâ— mind raised above these little things â—ere how great soever they seem in vulgar account by having a sight and feeling of an infinite good Unto which if it fasten us by Faith and by Love we are made the Friends of God who have no reason to envy the greatest persons in this World but rather to look down with pitty upon them if they be strangers unto God By conversing with whom you may further consider our minds are both refined and spiritualized and also much widened and enlarged which are two most excellent qualities wherein Devout Prayer improves us by the constant exercise thereof 1. Our Souls indeed are Spiritual things But being tied to these Bodies and thereby ingaged in worldly affairs and fleshly concerns they grow earthly and sensual dull and heavy if we take not care to keep up their familiarity with their Spiritual Acquaintance and Kindred in the other World This we do by Prayer which is a continual exercise of our most spiritual Powers a dayly conversation with Spiritual things even with the Father of Spirits himself and his 〈◊〉 vine perfections and with the 〈◊〉 and condition of our own Souls bâ— as they are now at present whetâ—â— they lie in sin and wickedness or beâ—â— dued with true Holiness and Goodneâ— and as they will be in the other Worâ— either in the blessedness of Heaven in the torments of Hell and with 〈◊〉 Lord and Saviour the great Juâ—â— of all who will sentence us either the one or the other when he 〈◊〉 come in his own Glory and in his 〈◊〉 thers and in the Glory of all the 〈◊〉 ly Angels and with the Holy Spiâ—â— the Inspirer of all good thoughts 〈◊〉 fervour in our desires who togetâ— with the Father and the Son is Wâ— shipped and Glorified All which things being perceiâ— only by our minds and by no othâ—â— means do very little affect the heaâ— of those who never lift up thâ— thoughts above this World in pray to God but appear most real a weighty things to those that do 〈◊〉 ticularly God's most glorious perfeâ— on s and the incomparable Glâ—â— wherein our Blessed Saviour shinesâ— the Heavens at God's right hand appear the most lovely the most beautiful and every way the most excellent Objects unto those that have their minds and hearts fixed on them as we have when withdrawing our thoughts from sensible injoyments we apply them wholly to converse with God in praises of him and Thanksgivings to him and earnest desires after him By which also we are made to understand of what consequence it is to our happiness to be acquainted with him and with our Blessed Saviour and with the Holy Ghost the Comforter and we also dayly improve that acquaintance and are made more conformable to him as the only way to that happiness Which is excellently expressed by Origen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sect. 29. upon those words of the Psalmist Vnto thee O Lord I lift up my Soul The phansie of all earthly things being discharged and the eyes of the mind lifted up to think of God alone and to converse with Him who listens to us in a solemn and becoming manner how can they chuse but be very much improved beholding 〈◊〉 open face the Glory of the Lord and â—ing transformed into the same Iâ— from Glory to Glory For they 〈◊〉 take at that time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a certain diviner fort intellectual influence derived to thâ— from God according to that Lâ— imprint the light of thy countenance 〈◊〉 us iv Psal 6. The Soul also be lifted up aloft both follows the Sâ—rit and is also separated from 〈◊〉 Body Nay it not only followâ— the Spirit but being in it why shoâ— we not say that it is carried above self and ceasing to be a mere Sâ— becomes Spiritual Of such things Men that neâ— pray to God or are seldom serioâ—
want â—â—thing yet the sense we have that we â—old all we call ours by the meer mercy 〈◊〉 God should powerfully move us to acknowledge him and to pay him our â—â—mage of Thanks and Praise and â—â—ble our selves before his Majesty as â—â—â—hing without him Yea it is an â—â—nour and singular Favour we should â—â—â—k to be admitted into his Sacred â—â—sence as I am sure we should â—eem it did we enjoy the same priâ—â—â—edge with earthly Princes Into â—â—ose presence we should not think â—e could come too oft if they would â—â—â—mit it but we should be ambitious wayes to stand in their sight and â—â—â—k upon our selves as highly dignified if they would be pleased to maâ—â— us their familiars Let us not then bâ— perverse as to live as we thought 〈◊〉 Lord of Heaven and Earth doth us injury or layes an heavy burden oâ— when he requires us to attend hiâ— that is when he bids us come to him 〈◊〉 first ask and then receive his Blessâ—â—â— Look upon our Blessed Saviour 〈◊〉 observe how constant and unweaâ— he was in this Holy Duty how â—â—â—…quently he went alone by himself 〈◊〉 give thanks to God and to impâ—â—… his continued presence with him 〈◊〉 diligently he went to the Temple 〈◊〉 he was at Jerusalem and to the Syâ—â—gogues when he was in the Countâ— how he acknowledged God in the 〈◊〉 common benefits how much timâ— spent publickly and privately inâ— company With what strong crieâ— called upon him in the dayes oâ— Flesh with what submission 〈◊〉 what reverence with what repeâ—â—… importunities and then think 〈◊〉 your selves are you in less want oâ— help of God than our Blessed Savâ—â—â—â— was Can you live well enough wâ—â—â—out praying to him when his only 〈◊〉 ten Son could not Why do you not 〈◊〉 go to Him with fervent desires â—y do you not imitate the Son of God the frequency of your Addresses To what purpose hath God given 〈◊〉 his Holy Spirit if you will not â—y its motions To what end is the â—â—d Jesus appointed to be your Interâ—or if you will send up no Prayers â—e presented by him in the Court of â—â—ven Why doth he call upon you â—ray alway if you need not pray at 〈◊〉 Consider all these Arguments 〈◊〉 again how naked you are withâ—â— this Divine Armour to defend you 〈◊〉 all Gods Graces languish and dye â—his do not continually maintain 〈◊〉 how good Men have thought it â—â—er not to live than not to pray and 〈◊〉 Thanks to the God of their life 〈◊〉 they will prevail with you not to be â—â—gers unto this Heavenly imployâ—t An imployment wherein you will 〈◊〉 much comfort and no less success â—â—u do not negligently discharge it 〈◊〉 God hath a love to souls and greatâ—esires their improvement He would â—e them advance even unto his likeâ—â— in Righteousness and Goodness and true Holiness Else he would 〈◊〉 invite them and call upon them 〈◊〉 doth to fix their eyes upon himâ— would not have given them suchâ— and assistance and discovered sâ— wonderful love unto them as he 〈◊〉 manifested in the Son of his Lâ— Christ Jesus The Heathen thought it sufficieâ— desire God to hear them out of love he bears to immortal Spirits 〈◊〉 they cry unto him So I find one 〈◊〉 ing in an Ancient Greek Poet â— words are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hearken unto me O Father thou 〈◊〉 wonder of Mankind who takest a sâ— care of an ever-living Soul But we have a great deal moâ— build our hopes upon and may 〈◊〉 Hear us O Father of our Lord 〈◊〉 Christ who hast astonished us witâ— wonders of thy love in him Hear us of the love thou bearest unto the Son 〈◊〉 love Hear us for his sake whoâ— down his life to redeem our imâ—â— Souls who lives for ever to make 〈◊〉 â—ession for us Thou who hast bestowed alâ—â—ady so surprising a gift without our askâ—ng hear us and give us what we ask of â—ee when we ask it in his name who gave â—imself for us and hath assured us that â—ith him thou wilt give us all things CHAP. VI. The Honour God doth us in admitting us into his presence AMong other false conceits which men have of this Duty of Prayâ—â—o God these two are very prejudiâ—al to its performance First They look upon it only as a â—y laid upon them by God's mere â—ill and Pleasure which might be â—â—red there being no real need of it it were not for this that God will we it and hath ordained it Secondly They imagine thereupon â—â—t he is beholden to them for what â—ey do and that they have perforâ—ed such a great piece of service to â—m when they have prayed a while â—â—t they thereby obtain a dispensation to do their own Will when 〈◊〉 have satisfied his To rectifie the first of theseâ— stakes I have shown this to be a 〈◊〉 ral Duty and not merely bound 〈◊〉 us by a positive Law A Duty sâ— sed by our Lord and Saviour 〈◊〉 than commanded for it arises 〈◊〉 our being God's Creatures whâ— therefore bound to acknowledge 〈◊〉 and to wait upon him continuallâ— the supply of our necessities froâ— bounty And now I shall proceâ— correct the second mistake and 〈◊〉 by also further confirm what 〈◊〉 said concerning the necessity oâ— Duty by showing that this is 〈◊〉 from being a burden laid upon 〈◊〉 his mere will and pleasure or anâ— service whereby we oblige him oâ— cure an indulgence or connivanâ— what we do contrary to his Wâ— other things that in truth the 〈◊〉 is done intirely to our selves 〈◊〉 Righteousness cannot profit Him 〈◊〉 intends hereby to make us really 〈◊〉 nay excellent Creatures whose 〈◊〉 it is to look upon our selves as infâ— ly beholden to him that he will 〈◊〉 us to come into his presence upon all occasions and call him Our Father This I shall demonstrate by representing first how honourable and excellent an employment this is Secondly How comfortable and truly delightful when performed as it ought Thirdly How beneficial both to make and preserve us such as we ought to desire above all things to be Of the first of these I shall give a brief account in this Chapter wherein I shall endeavour to make the Reader sensible that this Duty which our own necessities call for and exact of us is in it self a most Noble and Excellent Imployment For it is the Ascent of our mind to God as the Ancient Christians describe it a familiar conâ—erse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. an holy discourse with the Lord of all the withdrawing of our minds from this World and all things in it above which it raises our thoughts and lifts them up unto the first and chiefest Good into whose company it brings us and sets us in his Blessed presence that he may lift up the light of his countenance upon us For though it be the expressioâ— our deepest humility yet therebyâ— are lifted up above the highest top of
which I further intend it may be fit to consider these two things First That we want no incitement or incouragement to the serious performance of this Duty frequently Secondly That we have a clear Direction in what hath been said to make a right judgment of our selvâ—â— whether we perform it as we ougâ—â— or no. 1. As to the former Let us considâ—â— how we will answer it to God if 〈◊〉 be not mightily excited by what I haâ—â— represented to be frequent and fervâ—â—â— in this Holy Duty whereby we 〈◊〉 receive such great Beâ—efits such 〈◊〉 Comfort and such high Honour 〈◊〉 Preferment as to be admitted into 〈◊〉 Divine Presence and to have sociâ—â—… with the Almighty Goodness 〈◊〉 alone can fill our Souls and 〈◊〉 thoughts of whom do really fill thâ—â— and give them satisfaction Especâ—â—â—ly when we have any reason to 〈◊〉 â—â—lieve that he loves us which we haâ—â— just cause to conclude when we 〈◊〉 that we heartily love him one prâ—â—… of which is our loving to be mâ—â—â— with him and delighting in his Coâ—pany From which we can never depâ—â—… unsatisfied but carrying away a coâ—fortable belief that he is with us aâ—â— will prosper and bless us may pass 〈◊〉 time delightfully here in this Worâ— and chearfully receive all events whiâ—â— at any time befal us and rest perfectly contented in every issue of his wise and good Providence unto which we have commended our selves with a full trust and confidence that it will dispose all things to our advantage This the very Heathen saw in some measure to be every mans interest as well as Duty which made Plato most judiciously resolve * in Timaeo that all men who have the least degree of Wisdom and Sobriety call upon God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. when they begin to move towards any undertaking whether it be great or whether it be small And to the same purpose is Porphyry his observation â—ong after Proclus L. 2. in Timaeum that all wise men in all Nations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. have been very diligent and frequent in Prayers as a thing of mighty importance Which we Christians better understand than they could do and therefore should think it most adviseable upon all occasions to apply our selves to God about every thing both small and great because we believe him to be the Governour and Disposer of things who can make them insâ—â—â—ments of our grief and sorrow or our joy and comfort as he thiâ— good and because it appears frâ—â— what hath been said on this subjeâ—â— that so much of our life in this World Coelestial and Divine as we spend this exercise of Prayer to God Unto which therefore let both hâ—â— and low rich and poor betake theâ— selves as to the great Instrument their happiness here and Eternally Let the poor pray that they may contented and the rich that thâ— may be truly thankful Let the low and the mean pray 〈◊〉 their Spirits may be raised and iâ—â—bled inriched and well satisfied 〈◊〉 let the great and noble pray that thâ— minds may be humbled and abaseâ— their hearts emptied of self-confideâ—â—â— pride and contempt of others Let all pray that they may acknoâ—ledge God and maintain a sense of hâ—â— in their minds and give up themselâ—â— to his service and beseech his Grâ—â— and favour sutable to their conditioâ— Let those who are still bad pray to be made good and they that are good to be made better And if they really and heartily desire what they ask they will be more and more successful in their desires If they be not they may conclude their hearts were not right with God or they did not with becoming earnestness and fervency apply themselves unto him with a sense of their own great unworthiness for his Mercy and Grace towards them 2. For hereby as I said we may take a measure of our selves whether we perform this Duty as we ought or â—o By which I have shown we may â—eap the greatest Spiritual benefits and comforts and therefore if we find that our minds are more composed and â—etled if our hearts be more contenâ—ed if we be better satisfied in our condition if we be more resolved in our duty more stedfast in well-doing more patient in suffering if we can more chearfully submit our selves to God after we have commended our selves to him if we be more in love with all that is good and more averse to every thing that is evil it is a sign that we have prayed aright beeâ— our Prayers have done us good Let all that read this Treatise 〈◊〉 amine themselves upon this point 〈◊〉 your minds made more spiritualâ— your Prayers to God the Father Spirits Have you a greater sense him remaining in your minds aâ—â— more lively sense of the other Woâ—â— and all the concerns thereof Are 〈◊〉 raised above the petty concerns this Do you feel your Souls inlaâ—â— in universal Love and Charity 〈◊〉 you trust God more confidently 〈◊〉 you less disturbed with fears and caâ—â— and such like passions Do 〈◊〉 Prayers make you more just and mâ—â—ful more compassionate and charâ—â—ble more candid and favourable others more ready to do good and forgive forward to contribute 〈◊〉 you can to the comfort and happiâ— of every one Are your inordinate passions 〈◊〉 Appetites not only curbed and restâ—ned thereby but more subdued a mortified Do your Prayers give yoâ— taste of such pleasure in God and Holiness and Goodness as makes 〈◊〉 desire to be better acquainted with them and to prefer them above Riches and Honours and all manner of sensual pleasure Is Pride Ambition and vain Glory is Malice Hatred and Revenge is Anger and Wrath Coveâ—ousness and Care for the things of this World dayly suppressed and deadned In short Do we find that our thoughts are at rest in God and in his Love Are our hearts well-pleased and satisfied in his Favour and Grace cowards us Is this the highest boon we can beg of God that we may be thoroughly and universally good And when we find our selves improving herein and making any advancement towards that perfection to which we aspire is it the greatest pleasure to us of all other Are we abundantly satisfied in this thought that by God's Grace and Goodness to us every thing shall do us good Are our hearts set upon rectifying all disorders in our Souls and provided we can but feel an amendment are we quiet and in peace and less concerned about external things which we cannot rectifie according to our desires Then it is certain our Prayers have been truly â—â—vout and highly acceptable to Gâ—â— as we may perceive by this Bleâ—â— change in our hearts Which if we do not yet feel leâ—â— not quite discourage us but 〈◊〉 quicken our Spirits to more freqâ—â— and fervent Prayer with greater â—â—tention of mind and due considerâ— on what it is we ought most to deâ— in our Prayers to God And if we not content our selves barely with
so Separate or Holy as the Temple was and will be alwayes to the end of the World unless we suppose that men will lose all Reverence to God and let him have nothing among us which may be peculiarly called his own Now this thing alone is an Argument for Publick Worship that there hath alwaies been a place appointed for Divine Service which would have been needless if Men were not bound to assemble together to Worship God for then it might have been left to every ones liberty where they would please to do it themselves And this also shows the advantage which Publick Worship hath of all other For being performed in a place set a part for it where nothing else is done at our very entrance into it we are naturally put in mind of God and of our business there which is only with him and so shall be more apt to be composed there than in any other place which we are wont to imploy about other things besides the Worship of God Especially since all Wise Men have ever endeavoured that the Service of God should be there performed with the most Solemnity and Majesty that could be contrived nay that the place it self should not be mean but rather stately and gravely adorned For it is not with Publick Prayer as it is with Private In Private as Mr. Hooker judiciously observes secrecy is commended rather than outward show whereas Publick Prayer being the act of the whole Society requires accordingly more care to be had of external Appearance And therefore the very assembling of Men unto this Service hath ever been very solemn and the very outward Form of the place of Publick Prayer hath been ever thought a Circumstance of great moment to help Devotion VI To this may be further added from one of the Texts now mentioned that the Apostle directs how they should exercise their Spiritual Gifts in the Holy place where they met together and particularly the Gift of Prayer 1 Corinth xiv 23. There were a great many extraordinary Gifts then bestowed upon the Corinthian Church every one of which the Apostle informs them was bestowed by one and the same Spirit and bestowed by him to profit withal xii 7. that is for the publick benefit of the Church And among the rest there was a Giâ—â— of Prayer which was upon some occasions afforded by a particular inspiration of the Holy Ghost and designed as every one beside were for the common good of all the faithful For if any Man wanted the faculty of expressing those pious thoughts which the Spirit suggested to him iâ— the common Language which every Body understood the Apostle showâ— his Gift was of small value and directs such a Man to pray that he mighâ— be able to interpret xiv 13. into a Language that is which was commonly understood The reason oâ— which was because then his Gift oâ— Prayer would be of general use iâ— the Publick Assemblies The advantage of which was to be preferred before any Man's private benefit Sâ— he tells them in the verse foregoing ver 12. that they who were zealous of Spiritual Gifts should seek thaâ— they might excel to the edifying of the Church And in the verses following ver 14 15. he saith that if he himself should pray in an unknown Tongue â—his Spirit indeed prayed that is the Spiritual Gift which he had was thereâ—n exercised but his understanding was â—nfruitful that is others received no â—enefit by it because they understood â—ot what he said And therefore he â—uts this question What is it then That is what is it that we should deâ—â—re in this business of Prayer Which â—e resolves thus I will pray with the â—pirit and I will pray with the Vnderâ—â—anding also That is this is most 〈◊〉 be desired when I or any other â—ath a Prayer suggested to him by the â—pirit that we may be able not only 〈◊〉 utter what it inspires but to underâ—â—and it also our selves so far as to â—ake others understand it by putting 〈◊〉 into known and intelligible words â—his is certainly best not merely to â—â—ve conceptions formed in us by the â—irit but to utter those conceptiâ—s in such familiar and common exâ—essions that others may be profited 〈◊〉 them Else saith he When thou shalt â—â—ss with the Spirit how shall he that is unlearned say Amen ver 18. That is how shall he that understands not what thou sayest because it is uttered in a strange Language give his consent and joyn with thee in those Petitions and Thanksgivings though iâ— themselves never so Holy and Good Which the people did at the end 〈◊〉 the Prayers by saying Amen So be it Which words are a demonstration he speaks of Prayer in Publick oâ— Common Prayer Which from henâ—â— it is evident was then in greateâ— esteem because in comparison witâ— this the Apostle undervalues even aâ— extraordinary Gift of Prayer which private Person had whereby he aloâ—â— was profited He prayed well bâ— others not being edified thereby because they understood not what 〈◊〉 said it was a great diminution of iâ— worth and made it of less price in thâ— Apostles account And we all agreâ— he had the Spirit of God and coâ—â— as well judge what was best as whâ— was good Now this was best in 〈◊〉 judgment to have the Prayer maâ—â— publick that all might joyn in it aâ—â— not remain merely a private good And indeed that Spirit it may be noted under this head which inlivens the whole Body of the Church moves every Member of it unto this to joyn in its common Offices for the Service of the whole Which it is the very scope of the Apostle to demonstrate in those three Chapters xii xiii xiv of the First Epistle to the Corinthians that they ought in every thing to act as Members of a Body seeking the improvement one of another by the exercise of all their Gifts not separately but conjunctly so that all might partake of the benefit And whosoever he is that hath any sense of such a thing as the Body of Christ whereof he is one Member he will never think that what he doth alone is as good as what he performs in Fellowship with the rest of the Members No if he say the same Prayers and offer the same Praises in private which the Church offers in publick he cannot reasonably think there is no difference nor imagine that both alike are God's Service because what he doth in conjunction with the rest of the Body is most agreeable to God's Holy Spirit by which this Body is linkt together and every part of it moved to act for the good of the whole I conclude this with the words of Mr. Thorndike to imagine that Prayers at home will be as acceptable to God Relig. Assembl p. 173. as those made in the Church with our Brethren is as if one should have fancied that the incense of the Temple spoken of Psal cxli. 1. which was a compound of
have had reason therein not to have followed their guidance because we and they have a superiour Direction God's Holy Word which forbids such Worship But when no such Prayers are appointed nothing ordered to be offered unto God but what is perfectly agreeable to his Holy Word we can make no Apology for our selves if we reject them merely because they are a prescribed Form or because every direction about them is not expresly required in the Word of God This is to affront the whole Christian Church from the beginning This is to throw off all subjection to Spiritual Pastors whom the Holy Ghost hath commanded us to obey Not indeed with an illimited Obedience with an absolute assent to whatsoever they shall propose without any Examination of their injunctions or any appeal for this were to take away all the Authority of God's Word and to erect the present Authority of the Church above it which is the Extream into which they of the Church of Rome are run But we ought to take care that out of eagerness to avoid that Extream we do not fall into another as they do who affirm that Spiritual Pastors must only then be obeyed when they determine and give Direction out of the express Laws of God For as the former take away all Authority from God's Word so this takes away all Authority from God's Ministers and deprives them of that Obedience which by God's Word is due unto them An excellent * Dr. Jackson upon the Creed Book 2. chap. 4 c. Divine of our Church hath largely treated of this long ago showing that since God in his Holy Word gives them in express terms some Spiritual Authority and Right to exact some Obedience peculiarly due to them from their Flock it must be in things not enjoyned by the express Word of God but only not forbidden thereby For if they be then only to be obeyed when they produce the express Command of God in Scripture for that particular thing unto which they require Obedience there is no more Obedience performed unto them than unto any other Man whatsoever For there is no Man so mean but if he can show us the express Command of God for what he sayes it must be obeyed of all But when it is thus obeyed it is that Command of God only not he that shewed it to us which is obeyed And if this be all the Obedience we owe to our Governours they are as much bound to obey us as we to obey them The people owe no more Obedience to their Pastors than those Pastors owe to their people If neither of these Extreams then be true it remains that we owe though not an absolute unlimited yet a conditional and cautionary Obedience unto Spiritual Pastors Who have a general Warrant expresly contained in Scripture to require Obedience from their people and therefore ought to be obeyed though their people see not an express Word of Scripture to Authorize every particular wherein they require Obedience provided they require Obedience to nothing expresly condemned in Scripture Disobedience to them in such things is as dangerous as blind Obedience is in matters plainly unlawful For as the latter is the Mother of Superstition and Idolatry so the former is the Mother of Schisms Presumption Carnal Security and Infidelity Which Rocks cannot be avoided but by a due submission to the Guides of Souls in things wherein God hath not plainly ordered the contrary And therefore if any have been so unhappy as by their Education to have imbibed a dislike to such a way of Worship as they prescribe and to be possessed with Fears it may not be the right way though they cannot say wherein it contradicts God's Holy Word These fears and all such like things are to be overballanced and weighed down by the Authority of Spiritual Guides and Governours Which is good for little if it cannot settle such doubts and scruples over which it will prevail if Men consider that God commands us to obey them And therefore their Commandments are but particular Branches of God's General Commandment to give Obedience to them Insomuch that they who disobey them disobey God unless their Commands be contrary to some other of the Divine Commandments as plain as that which sayes Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves c. Heb. xiii 17. Which Truths if they were rooted in our hearts and Men had a just sense of such a thing as Spiritual Obedience to Spiritual Governours They would rather like well of the things prescribed by them for the sake of their Authority by whom they are prescribed than disobey their Authority upon the account of any private dislike which they have to such prescriptions Make application of all this which I have represented out of the forenamed Author in fewer words to our own Church and its Worship and Governours who have framed a Divine Service for us exactly conformable to the most Ancient and Pure Patterns with such care with such circumspection and conscientious regard to the Directions the Apostles have left us that none of its Enemies can find any thing in it as to the substance which is not theirs And therefore this may be justly called in that regard as well as others a truly Apostolical Catholick Church From which let no Man withdraw himself but dread the guilt of such a crime That is let him fear to withdraw himself from its Publick Assemblies from the Common Prayers and from Obedience to its Governours For if any Man be led from these under the pretence of purer Worship unto separate Meetings managed by those who own not the Authority of this Churches Governours it is most certain he is not guided by the Spirit of Christ herein but by the Spirit of Error and Delusion Of which a very Reverend Person * Praeface to Paralipom Prophetica hath lately given this plain demonstration that if Men had such a measure of the Spirit as makes them living Members of the Body of Christ they could not but feel what sensibly hurts that Body what palpably hinders the growth of it what disgraces and reproaches it what wounds it nay hazzards the very Life and Being of it They that want this necessary sympathy and sense of the common good of the Body of Christ and the interest of his Kingdom cannot justly pretend to any competent portion of his Spirit For what is more necessary for our preservation than that we keep together in one Body under the same Guides and Governours that we keep in the way which the Church of Christ hath alwayes trod and be not hurried into Opinions and Practices so unlike the truly Ancient and Apostolical Church that we bear no resemblance to it For that Church had Ministers superior to the rest as indeed the Jewish Church had who governed and ruled them and the people it had forms of Divine Service such as we now have The rejection of which is to
your sins Such Petitions the Ancient Christians thought so powerful that they supposed they could obtain any thing of God by combining as it were together to seek his favour in the Common Prayers of the whole Assembly Apolog. cap. 39. Coimus ad Deâ—um ut quasi manu facta precationibus ambiamus c. saith Tertullian We come by Troops to make our Prayers to God that being banded as it were together we may with a strong hand sue to him for his favour Haec vis Deo grata est This violence is grateful unto God It is a force which he loves and such pressing Supplicants are welcome to His Majesty To the same purpose St. Ambrose speaks in his Book of Repentance as Mr. Hooker hath observed Many of the meanest being gathered together unanimously become great And it is impossible the Prayers of many should be contemned Which was a Notion so much rooted in the Jewish Nation that they have an opinion the Prayers of the Congregation were alwayes heard Rel. Assembl p. 173. but not so the Prayers of particular persons in private as Mr. Thorndike observes out of Maimonides But we have no neeed of their opinion or any ones else to justifie this that there is the greatest force in the Publick Prayers of many joyning their desire in the same Petitions For St. Paul who might presume to have as much power with God upon his own single interest in him as any man whatsoever yet thought the Prayers of a great number of Christians would do him more service And therefore frequently begs of the Churches that they would assist him with their earnest Prayers to God for him Thus he writes to the Romans xv 30 31. Now I beseech you Brethren for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake and for the Love of the Spirit observe how passionately he desires this That ye strive together with me it is such a kind of phrase as that I mentioned of Tertullians in your Prayers to God for me that I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the Saints And to the Corinthians 2 Cor. i. 11. You also helping together by Prayer for us that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf Where he plainly acknowledges it would be much to his advantage if many did contribute their help both in Prayers and in Thanksgivings on his behalf Nay he should be able he thought to preacâ— the Gospel better and with more Authority as well as freedom if the common Prayers of Christian people were not wanting on his behalf iv Coloâ—â— 2 3 4. Continue in Prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving Withâ—â— praying also for us that God would opeâ— unto us a door of utterance to speak thâ— mystery of Christ for which I am iâ— bonds that I may make it manifest as ought to speak Behold how solicitouâ— St. Paul was to have the benefit of the Churches Common Prayer And hoâ— great a man was he Inferiour to none but rather as St. Chrysostoâ— describes him * Hom. xxxiii Tom. 1. de petitione filiorum Zebed the 〈◊〉 best of men the teacher 〈◊〉 the World who speedily passed as if he had had Winâ—â— over Sea and Land that chosen Vessel the Spokes-man of Christ to espouse Sâ—â— to him the Planter of Churches thâ— wise Master-builder the Preacher 〈◊〉 Racer c. who left monuments of 〈◊〉 vertue all the World over who 〈◊〉 snatcht into the third Heaven before 〈◊〉 Resurrection who was taken up into Paradise whom God made partaker of iâ— effable mysteries who received a more abundant Grace and laboured more abundantly than they all This man begs for the Publick Prayers and could not be satisfied unless he was commended by them to the Grace of God A sign that he lookt upon them as most efficacious for though God as Grotius excellently observes upon xviii Matth. 19. Oft-times grants to one mans Prayers that which he asks yet to many who unanimously joyn in the same Petitions He gives both more willingly and more largely and more speedily Which by the way is an unanswerable Reason why the Publick Prayers ought to be in a known Tongue that all may joyn in desiring the same thing and by their united desires prevail for the greater Blessing Hear St. Chrysostome whose words upon the 2 Cor. viii 24. Hom. xviii in 2 Cor. marvellously illustrate this and all that I have said Where the Apostle exhorting them to shew to those whom he had sent a proof of their love before the Churches he interprets it in the publick Assemblies And then adds and this is no small matter for great is the power of an Assembly or of the Churches Behold What their Prayer can do it loosed the bonds of Peter and it opened the mouth of Paul They that are about to be ordained therefore beg the Prayers of the Congregation in like manner for those who are possessed and for those that are in penance Prayers are made by the whole Church and not by the Priest only They all say one and the same Prayer a Prayer full of compassion For in this the people are concerned as well as the Priest they praying for him as he for them He saith the Lord be with you and they answer and with thy Spirit And what wonder is it if they pray with the Priest when they send up the Holy Hymns of the Church in common with the Cherubims and the Powers above This that good Father repeats very often and I wish it were imprinted in all our minds and did sink down into all our hearts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. iii. ad pop Antioch c. The Common Prayer of the Church can do much when we offer up those Prayers with an afflicted Soul and with a broken and contrite heart L. viii p. 424. Edit Cant. The same Origen tells Celsus in words worthy to be remembred If when two of us on Earth agree together to ask any thing Matth. xviii 19. it is granted by the Father of the just who is in Heaven for God delights in the symphony and agreement of rational Creatures and is displeased with their discord and disagreement what might we not expect if not only as now a very few but the whole Roman Empire agreed together to sue for the Divine favour They might pray to him that said heretofore to the Hebrews when the Egyptians pursued them THE LORD SHALL FIGHT FOR YOV AND YE SHALL HOLD YOVR PEACE Exod. xiv 14. And praying most unanimously obtain greater Victories than Moses then did by his Prayer to God for help III. But further we are to consider how much our Zeal and Devotion is naturally inflamed by Publick Assemblies which is a thing of great power in Prayer For it is that which the Apostle calls praying in the Spirit and
praying in the Holy Ghost with fervent that is and inflamed desires such as the Holy Ghost excites when it is pleased to breath upon our souls Now this as I said is even naturally stirred up by the fervour of those Devout Worshippers with whom we joyn our Petitions For who can see a great many good people fall down together and kneel before the Lord their Maker with hands and eyes lifted up to Heaven imploring his Grace and Mercy which are things supposed in Christian Assemblies and not be thereby put in mind that it is a matter of great concernment about which they are so earnest Nay be mightily moved to prostrate himself in like manner to Worship the great Lord of all and to make him the same acknowedgments which are as much due from him as from any body else in the World Were a man never so dull or backward to Religious Worship it is impossible but he should be in some measure affected when he comes among a multitude whose reverend and ferious behaviour in the Divine service testifies the inward respect they have in their minds unto that Almighty Being whom they so devoutly Worship It would certainly not only put him in mind of his Duty but incline him with the like signs of humble and hearty Devotion to cast down himself in his Blessed Presence And the greater signs of ardency of desire and warmth of affection there appears in those with whom we are assembled the more feeling we shall naturally have of it our selves it being impossible to be quite cold by the fire side and to have no touch of Zeal when we are in the company of those who manifest a vigorous flame of Divine Love in their hearts Besides It is a comfortable sight barely to behold a great company gathered together to own one and the same Father who therefore cannot but look upon one another as Brethren This is St. Hierome's observation in iv Galat. Major laetitiaex mutuo conspectu oritur the greater joy arises in every heart by the very mutual sight of each other For so it is when Friends meet together they rejoyce to see the Faces one of another they bless the occasion that brought them into one and the same place and the more there are of them the greater rejoycing is there among them Now joy inlarges the heart and dilates our Spirits it makes them spread so much that sometime we can scarce contain them but are transported beyond our selves As on the contrary sorrow and sadness contracts and shrinks up the Spirits flats and deadens them so much that we have scarce any life left in us Upon which account the Spiritual joy and gladness I spoke of arising from the sight of so many Christian Neighbours and Friends is a very great help to us in our Devotion making us to pour out our Souls as the Psalmist speaks with the more inlarged desire It is but a dull and melancholy thing to be alone in comparison with the chearfulness which a great company of the same mind and Spirit naturally excite in each others Breasts By which we may understand also the advantage of full Assemblies in our Churches which look more lovely and therefore quicken more than a thin scattered Congregation Which is a damp to Christian Spirits because it is a very sad sight to behold the Divine Service neglected as it is where there are but few that come together to do God honour The summ of this Argument is That as no man is so warm alone as in a crowd So our Spiritual fervour is more quickned in an Assembly of pious Worshippers than it is apt to be when we are retired by our selves Where we ought indeed to awaken our Thoughts and stir up our affections but it must be acknowledged that we want then a great help and spurr thereunto which is the Holy Zeal of those who joyn with us in the same Petitions in the Publick Assemblies especially the seriousness the gravity and earnestness of him who ministers the service of God there Which together with the Authority of his Office the Sacredness and Majestickness sometime of the place set apart intirely for such services is apt to raise in us more ardent Devotion than we can easily raise in our selves alone IV. But if we had the same advantages of this kind when we are alone which we have not yet there is one more which wholly arises from our frequenting the Publick Assemblies And that is the good example we give to others who may be hereby moved to become Religious What we do alone no body sees nor is it intended that they should but rather that it should be kept secret And therefore it can be no inducement unto others to do their Duty but is the bare discharge of our own For which cause it is the less valuable because it doth less good for that is the best thing which doth the most universal good By which measure if we judge of Prayer we must prefer the publick whereby others are put in mind of their Duty nay attracted to it by our example whereas we our selves alone are profited by what we do alone It may be said indeed that we do good to others by praying for them But this is a very small good in comparison because it is more than they know and while we neglect the publick service we do them more mischief than we can be supposed to do them good by our private Prayers For we bring Religion into contempt when it hath few or none that attend the publick Offices of it and we let them want as I said the force of Example to awaken them out of that careless neglect of God which is too common in the World This is an Argument that should prevail very much with all good minds both to frequent the Publick Service of God and to behave themselves with an awful reverence therein Which will have some effect upon the looser sort who now are hardned in their impiety by the emptiness of our Churches at the time of solemn Worship or by the negligence of their behaviour who vouchsafe to attend upon it A multitude swayes very much either way to incline men to be good as well as to be bad It is hard to resist numerous examples They are able to bring Devotion as well as other things in fashion But if our example have not this effect on others we have notwithstanding done the best we could to advance the service of God in the World which will be a great comfort to us at present and turn to our good account hereafter We have let our light shine before men we have testified openly to the truth of Religion we have expressed our affection to it and reproved the impiety of those who regard not God Yea we put a stop to the progress of this impiety we hinder its growth and increase by wresting a great Argument out of their hands against Religion which is that there