particularly by St. James Unto which though some Additions perhaps had been then made as there have been more since yet it is hard to think that a great number of Bishops would have owned a Liturgy as composed by St. James if there had not been a constant tradition among them that the Apostles left some stated Form of Prayer and Praise in the Churches which they governed But what need I trouble my self with a long proof of this matter when we have the Confession of the most Learned and Best Men among those whom they that dissent from us have been wont to reverence that there hath been no time wherein there was not a prescribed Form of Divine Service Let Dr. Preston speak for all in a Book of his much prized in former times * Saints dayly Exercise p. 80. where after he had owned that Christ prescribed a Form c. he adds And in the Church at all times both in the Primitive times and all along to the beginning of the Reformed times to Luther and Calvin 's time still in all times the Church had set Forms they used and I know no Objection of weight against it And in Answer to that common Objection which he calls the main one that in stinted Prayer the Spirit is straitned and limited c. He answers as we do now That even those Men that use this reason do the same dayly in the Congregation for when another prayes that is a set Form to him that hears it And therefore if that were a sufficient reason that a Man might not use a set Form because the Spirit is straitned he should not hear another pray at all though it be a conceived Prayer because in that case his Spirit is limited to what that Man saith And very judiciously adds That it is not a bond or restraint of the Spirit because there is a tye of Words For the largeness of the heart standeth not so much in the multitude and variety of Expressions as in the extent of Affection And at last concludes That a set Form of Prayer must be used Would to God they that scruple it would weigh such things as these it would not be long then before they liked nay loved that Form of Prayer which is used in this Church For it is so exactly conformable to the Rule of the Holy Apostle which I have often mentioned 1 Tim. ii 1. consisting of unexceptionable Prayers Supplications Intercessions and Thanksgivings that one cannot but think the Composers of it laid that Rule before them when they framed it It would be too long to give an Account of the whole Book which it is easie to show is made up of those four parts of Divine Service Look only into the Letany which is a word signifying properly a Supplication for the turning away of evil things with which it begins and then proceeds to Prayers and to Intercessions having in the end a general Form of Thanksgiving And observe the admirable Method of it It directs our Prayers to the ever Blessed Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost the only Object of Worship and Fountain of Mercy Of whom we first deprecate evil things and that in the right order first desiring to be delivered from the evil of Sin both of the Spirit and of the flesh and then from the evil of punishment whether in outward or in inward judgments All this we pray to be delivered from by what Christ hath done and suffered for us and by that alone which is the most prevalent way of suing for Mercy And by the way observe that what some through misunderstanding I hope have been pleased to make the Subject of their Mirth and Sport is really and ought to be esteemed the most serious and effectual Supplication that can be made to our Lord. By whose Holy Nativity and Circumcision by his Baptism Fasting and Temptation by his Agony and bloody Sweat by his Cross and Passion by his Pretious Death and Burial by his Glorious Resurrection and Ascension and by the Coming of the Holy Ghost we pray to be delivered For thus it is Our Lord having humbled himself to be a Man for our sakes nay to take on him the form of a Servant and after all his other Sufferings at last to dye the Death of the Cross for us is gone with that Blood which was there shed into the Heavens and is exalted at God's Right Hand in the High and Holy Place where he represents all that he did and suffered from his coming into the World till his going out of it before God and in the vertue of his bloody Sacrifice which he made of himself pleads to have every thing from God which he hath promised and cannot be denied Now for us to beseech him that through the force of his Sufferings of all sorts especially of his cruel Death and the Glory that followed we may be delivered and saved from all evil is the most pathetical the most powerful way of intreaty and the most prevailing importunity that can be used It is as if we should say Lord show unto the Father what thou hast indured for us represent unto him thy obedience unto Death which he promised to reward with all power in Heaven and in Earth Exercise thy Royal Power which thou hast obtained by that humble Obedience for our Deliverance and Salvation As thou hast received the Gift of the Holy Ghost and imparted it to thy Apostles so pour it down more and more upon us also who believe the Gospel which they preached and testified to be the truth Then follow Petitions for all good things First For the Universal Church then for our own in particular For the King and Royal Family For all in Authority under him For all sorts of Persons and for all sorts of Blessings both for Soul and Body Be at the pains I beseech you to read and consider it with such Observations as these and it alone will be sufficient to make you in love with the rest of the Book of Common Prayer A Book so fully perfected according to the Rules of our Christian Religion Dr. Taylor Rector of Hadley in every behalf that no Christian Conscience in the opinion of a famous Martyr in Queen Maries Dayes whose words these are could be offended with any thing therein contained And therefore I conclude that as it would have been a great Sin in the Church of Ephesus if they had dislikeâ— and rejected that way of Supplications Prayers Intercessions and Thanksgivingâ— wherein Timothy led them to serve God so it will be still in us if we refuse those Directions which are given us in the Divine Service by our Spiritual Governours when it is manifest they guide us by the Word of God and the Apostolical practice according to it If they had composed a Divine Service wherein they required us to prâ—â— to Angels or to Saints departed tâ—â— Life or to supplicate God by theâ—â— Merits and their Intercession we should
thereby and be able to say Amen thereunto 1 Corinth xiv 13 14 15 16. Upon which words St. Chrysostome supposes they ended then their Blessing in the Spirit with the very same Form of words wherewith we now conclude our Doxologies or giving Glory to God viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for ever and ever or throughout all Ages World without end as we translate the Apostles words Ephes iii. 21. And Peter Martyr thought he had reason to acknowledge as much For upon the forenamed place 1 Cor. xiv 16. he hath this observation From hence we learn that even in those first times the publick Prayers were wont to be concluded with these words secula seculorum World without end And this place of the Apostle puts me in mind of another undeniable Argument for prescribed Forms of Worship in the Christian Church which is that singing Psalms and Hymns made up a great part of that Worship and could not possibly be performed by the whole Congregation unless they had before them that which was to be sung Therefore singing by the Spirit that is by a Spiritual Gift the Apostle makes small account of unless what was sung were put into such words that all the people might understand it and sing God's Praises together with him that was inspired This is the Apostles meaning when he bids them speak among themselves in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs singing and making melody in their heart to the Lord. Ephes v. 19. Where by Psalms I think all agree are meant the Psalms of David which were a constant set Form of Praise Hymns and Spiritual Songs were the compositions its like of inspired persons then in the Church which could not be sung by all unless they were communicated to the whole Company And then they were a Form also and we may well think were sung more than once it being very reasonable to conceive that they had not every time they met a new Hymn no more than a new Psalm For St. Paul blames it as a confused unedifying thing that when they came together met that is in the publick Assemblies every one had his particular Psalm c. 1 Cor. xiv 26. and commands all things should be done to edifying by making the Psalm common that is so that all might be the better for it Such I perswade my self were the Prayers and Hymns which St. Paul and Silas sung in Prison not each of them their own Private Prayer and Hymn but some Common Prayer and Form of Praise which they were wont to use Act. xvi 25. Such Hymns it is certain there were in the Church which were sung every Morning in praise of our Blessed Saviour as Pliny himself testifies And Eusebius produces an Ancient Writer asserting the Divinity of our Saviour out of the Hymns that had been of old used in the Church acknowledging his Divinity L. v. Eccles Hist chap. 28. And that Writer calls them Psalms and Hymns 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 written by the faithful from the beginning which celebrated Christ the Word of God as God indeed The most Ancient of all which was the Doxology we still use Glory be to the Father and to the Son together with the Holy Ghost as St. Basil * ad Amphilochium cap. 27 29. or whosoever was the Author of the Book concerning the Holy Spirit reports Where he saith that thus it run before the Arian times After which to show that the Church meant in those words to ascribe equal Glory unto the Holy Ghost with the Father and the Son it was altered into that Form wherein it now continues not with the Holy Ghost but to the Holy Ghost Which is the very same as to the sense there being no real difference whether we say Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost or Glory be to them with the Holy Ghost But to avoid all suspition of any distinction which the Church made between them the Form as it is now was thought better And so Ancient and Universal was this Form of Doxology that the Arians themselves used one very like to it giving Honour and Glory to the Father by his only begotten Son in the Holy Ghost as the same Writer informs us * Cap. 25. Which Originally had the same meaning with the other till they perverted it signifying as much as we say now in our Communion Service when we pray for the pardon of our Offences through Jesus Christ our Lord by whom and with whom in the Vnity of the Holy Ghost all Honour and Glory be unto thee O Father Almighty World without end I will not trouble the Reader with any more of the Ancient Hymns but only note that even in the Book of the Revelation we read not only of the Song of Moses but of the Song of the Lamb the latter of which was as much a set Form as the former and is there recorded Revel xv 3 4. Great and marvellous are thy Works Lord God Almighty just and true are thy wayes thou King of Saints Who would not fear thee O Lord and glorifie thy Name For thou only art Holy c. And what hath been said of Hymns may be as truly said of Prayers that the Church had from the beginning a Form of Divine Service which Justin Martyr calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Common Prayers and in Ignatius nearer to the Apostles time is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the common Supplication which we cannot well think was any other than such as he or some other Apostolical Man prescribed In Origen they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the prescribed or ordained Prayers regular Petitions which they who used were safe he saith from all the power of the Devil And as the Hymn they sung to Christ was so celebrated that the Pagans took notice of it as I observed before so these Forms of Prayer were now so well known to them that they got some scraps of them For we find these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord have mercy upon us in Epictetum in Arrianus a Pagan Philosopher who lived about the same time with Justin Martyr the next Age to the Apostles It is superfluous to add that the Emperour Constantine was wont to say with his whole Court 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Eusebius * L. iv de vita Constant c. 17. calls them the appointed Prayers And delivered a Form of Prayer to his Army to be constantly used by the Souldiers which Eusebius also hath set down in his Life * Ib. cap. 20. Let me only note by the way to quicken the Reader to this Holy Duty that as this Religious Prince had dayly Prayers in his Palace which he frequented with his Courtiers making it an House of God So he had likewise certain * Ib. cap. 22. hours wherein he constantly retired to pray by himself As for following Ages we find frequent mention of Liturgies formed by the Apostles themselves
coâ—dition as our Bodies tell us when thâ— are ill or in pain or hungry aâ— thirsty or labouring under any othâ— burthen 3. And then there is supposed a â—â—sire to have these wants supplyed as 〈◊〉 have already said Emptiness is troublesome to us when we feel it and it â—s impossible we should not long to be â—ased by getting it filled If we do â—ut fancy we are in need there is no â—est till we find some satisfaction We must be either satisfied that we do not â—eed it or we must have what we are â—tisfied is needful And in this consists Internal Prayer the desire or longing of the Soul to be â—lled with all the fulness of God to be satisfied with his likeness to be reconciled to him and to be made dayly more conformable to his Will and Pleasure in every thing 4 Which desires we are strongly inâ—ined even by Nature it self to exâ—ess in Words which are the interâ—reters of our minds and declare that is in our hearts For all sensible Creatures we see make their moans by â—â—dible Cryes of several sorts when their needs are great And therefore â—an cannot be the only silent thing â—â—t is formed by God to implore his â—elp and beg his relief on all occasiâ—ns in such words as are apt signiâ—cations of his inward desires And that 's the last thing observable 5. Prayer is an expression of our inward desires unto God the Author anâ— Fountain of all good For when wâ— are desirous to receive an Alms from any person we alwayes ask it of sucâ— as we believe are able and we hopâ— are willing to bestow it But neveâ— make our applications to those whâ— are as beggarly as our selves Now 〈◊〉 is God only who is able to supply aâ— our needs and hath revealed himself 〈◊〉 be willing to bestow what we ask 〈◊〉 him nay hath invited us to come 〈◊〉 him and assured us he will grant oâ— desires And who alone knows oâ— needs and can hear the desires of aâ— men and likewise is the only Judgâ— whether that be fit for us which we as 〈◊〉 or there be not something better thaâ— our own wishes Upon which account Saints and Aâ—gels are not to be invocated For 〈◊〉 we know not whether they hear uâ— nay it seems impossible to us thâ— they should be able to hear such greâ— numbers of Supplicants as in seveâ— and very distant places call upon thâ— same Saint or Angel So we know 〈◊〉 what power they have to help us nor what they can do for us if they could hear us but we know they cannot be in so many places at once as they have Suitors to give them their succour and assistance And besides they have made no promises to us that they will so much as prefer our petitions to God or do all they can for us Nor are they wise enough to judge what Petitions are fit to be preferred and what not that is what is most behoveful for us in all conditions and states of Life and in all the particular passages and circumstances thereof It might be added that all these Petitions must be put up in the Name and through the Mediation of our Blessed Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus who is our only Advocate with the Father But that belongs rather to the manner of addressing our Prayers unto God and therefore I here omit it And shall only observe for the further explication of it that there are several parts of Prayer to God As may be gathered even from that remark at the conclusion of the lxxii Psalm The Prayers of David the Son of Jesse are ended Where the foregoiâ—â— Psalms are all called Prayers thougâ— some of them be doleful complaints 〈◊〉 the sadness of his condition others 〈◊〉 them confessions of sin which hâ—â— brought him into that doleful estate others acknowledgments of his intiâ—â— dependance on God others magniâ—â—â— his powerful and wise Goodness anâ— render thanks for benefits receiveâ— and promise dutiful obedience as we as petition for pardon and deliverancâ— By which we learn that Prayer unâ—â— God is made up of all these and thâ— in a sense of his Greatness and Gooâ—ness of our absolute dependance upâ—â— him and all the benefits we have râ—ceived from him we ought to addreâ— our selves to him confessing how wâ— have offended him bewailing the â—â—serable estate into which we have therâ— by brought our selves begging hâ—â— pardon imploring the Grace of hâ—â— Holy Spirit and in the sincerity anâ— uprightness of our hearts resolving tâ—â— be wholly his and to serve him in newness of life all our dayes And the truth is every one of theâ—â— is vertually a petition to him Wheâ—â—ther we heartily acknowledge what he â—s or adore him or praise him or give him thanks or confess our unworthiness or profess our dependance on him or promise fidelity to him c. they all bespeak his grace and favour towards us and move him to bestow his mercy upon us This is a short explication of the Nature of Prayer which will be something better understood by what follows concerning the Necessity of it though when I have said all that I can I am sensible it will be defective For Prayer is so sublime a thing that the noblest Wits have acknowledged we stand in need of the Father to inlighten of his first-begotten Word to teach and of the Spirit to operate in us as Origen's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 N. 8. words are That we may be able to think and speak worthily in so great an Argument CHAP. II. Of the Necessity of Prayer WE shall be the more strongly moved to study this high and excellent Duty and to labour to perform it aright when we are made sensible it is so indispensable a part of aâ— godly Life that we cannot so much a pretend to the profession of Christianity if we do not practise it Of which there is this general demonstration which cannot be gainsaid That which is founded in our Nature and to which we are bound bâ— vertue of our being Creatures to thaâ— every Christian is indispensably tied it being the intention of our Lord Christ his coming not to loosen those obligations we have upon us as menâ— but to strengthen them and bind them harder upon us to heighten all natural Duties and to make us more deeply sensible of the Laws that are written in our very being Now such an one is this of Prayer which doth not stand upon a mere positive command as Baptism and the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper do That is it is not our Duty merely because our Lord by his Authority hath made it so but he hath made it so because we are made to it as I may speak and formed by God to acknowledge him in this manner For it is as natural a thing to Pray as it is to Believe there is a God and to be perswaded that we were made by him and not by our selves Hence it is That you shall
not find in the whole Law of Moses any precept for Prayer Of which what reason can we give but this that it was so sufficiently known to be a Duty by the common Light of Nature that there needed no Instruction about it Nor can I observe hitherto any Command in the Gospel of Christ barely for Prayer but only for the manner of Prayer As in the place first mentioned When thou prayest enter into thy Closet and pray to thy Father which is in secret And in other places Watch and Pray Pray continually Pray with all Prayer and Supplication in the Spirit Pray in the Holy Ghost Pray alwayâ— and not faint Pray in the Name of thâ— Lord Jesus All which suppose thâ— Duty of Prayer and only direct how it is to be performed For the further clearing of which general observation let these following particulars be considered I. That it is Natural to everâ— living sensible Creature to look back to its beginning and to own its dependance upon that from whence it derives its being Thus we see the young ones of all sorts of Animals open their Mouths and wait as it were for provision from the old ones while they remain weak and tender 〈◊〉 running also to them for shelter anâ— protection while they are unable tâ— defend themselves Upon which score Prayer is as necessary for us and as natural to us as it is natural to an Infant to cry for its Mothers Breast or something else equivalent thereunto that may satisfie its craving desires Because it is an acknowledgement and owning of God as the Original from whom we come and as the Author of all good in whom we live and move and have our being and a confession of our own weakness and helpless condition without his care of us The very Heathens had this notion in them that Mankind being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Off-spring of God brought forth by him into the World out of the Womb of his Almighty Goodness they ought to resort unto him even as the Chicken runs under the Wing of the Hen by whom it was hatcht or the Lamb runs to the Teats of her that yeaned it Proclus l. 2. in Timaeum And this say they we do by Prayer which â—s nothing else but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the â—eturn of the Soul back to God from whence it sprung 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—ur looking back to him from whom we come a reflection upon the Founâ—ain of our being and of all good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our turning about to â—he cause of our being a circling as â—t were to that point from whence we â—ook our beginning that we may be fast knit and united unto God and never be divided from him 1. And therefore to explain thiâ— more particularly Prayer is First An high Acknowledgment that Goâ— is the first cause of all things Wâ— magnifie him hereby as the Root thâ— Spring the Fountain of whatsoever wâ— or any other Creatures are or havâ— And without Prayer we do as bad aâ— say We owe nothing to any highâ— Being than our selves 2. Secondly We acknowledge all the Sovereignty which he therefore hatâ— over us and over all things in thâ—â— we ascribe unto him a power to command them all and to help and relieve and supply both us and them according to our various necessities 3. The Independency also of 〈◊〉 Being is herein acknowledged 〈◊〉 that we ask of him alone as having fâ—â— and absolute power within himself 〈◊〉 giving us help and comfort withoâ—â— craving it of any else 4. His Liberty and Freedom aâ— so in that it wholly resides wâ— confess in his Will and Choice whaâ— we shall have and how much anâ— when all as he pleaseth 5. His All-sufficiency likewise to inrich us without impoverishing himself 6. Together with his infinite Greatness and Immensity which is present to all places and ready to supply the needs of all Supplicants 7. And it is no less an acknowledgment of his Omniscience which can not only give audience to all Petitioners every where but exactly know both their necessities and their sense of them and the sincerity of their desires and also what is convenient for him to bestow upon them and will do them most good 8. His inexhausted Goodness and bounty likewise which is still ready and willing to pour out it self to us without any emptiness in the same Blessings that he hath bestowed for so many past ages And Lastly His Eternity and immutability in that after so many successions of Men in the World He is still the same unchangeable fulness unto whom we resort with the same confidence that good Men have ever done In short It arises out of a sense of all Gods Glorious Attributes and Perfections which are every one acknowledged in some part of Prayer or other though we should not expresly name them For in confession of sin we acknowledge his unspotted holiness and that he is of purer eyes than to behold that is approve iniquity In deprecation of his anger we confess his Justice in petitioning for pardon we proclaim his clemency in our request for Grace and Help we give him the Glory of his Power and when we recount his gracious Providences over us we acknowledge his incomparable Goodness and Bounty And therefore unless we will disclaim God and have nothing to do with Him we must perform this Duty of Prayer to Him This is the first Consideration II. To which add further That it is natural for every thing that is in want to desire supply from him that hath ability to fill it Now such is the state of every Man in the World We are at the best weak and feeble beggarly and indigent beings pressed with many and great necessities which we have no power to make up but only by going unto God Whatsoever is from the first Being wants something that it hath Every Creature therefore is imperfect and if any of them could be supposed to want nothing yet it would necessarily want the continuance of its being which it hath received from its Creator And therefore it is a true observation of one of the ancient Philosophers * Theodorus apud Proclum Ib. that all Beings pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 except only the first Being which is God who hath none to pray unto but hath all of himself Prayer is a confession of the true state of our own Souls and Bodies as well as of Gods most excellent Perfections A declaration that we are poor and needy that we are crazy and insufficient of our selves that we are dependent and holden up by another So that we quite forget our selves if we do not pray to God We renounce all care about our own greatest concernments if we take no notice of Him on whom our present and future welfare both here and for ever intirely depends III. As it is natural unto every one in want to ask so it is natural unto every one that asks to put
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—
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