Note 1. THat Prayer is a devout ascent of the Soul to God, where­by we petition him for such things as we need both for our support and duty; and we ought to be frequent in this devout exercise, because it is not only the great duty, but the greatest priviledge of a Christian, commanded by Christ's Precept, and commended by Christ's Example, who was frequent in Prayer not so much for him­self, as for our benefit and instruction.

Note 2. That Prayers, especially publick in the Church-Assemblies, are to be ordered, set and prescribed; because in the Church, which ought to be the School of comliness, things are to be done decently, by observing every due and proper Scheme and Figure, [Page 2]which the action shall require, and accor­ding to the order and appointment of Ec­clesiastical Governours, 1 Cor. 14.40. It is much to be wondred at, that any persons of sober judgments, and well ground in Reli­gion, can imploy their time so ill as to de­vise and study objections against prescribed Prayers in the publick Service of God: Be­cause set forms were prescribed by God in the Old Testament, Numb. 6.23, 24, 25. Deut. 26.5. Christ in the New not only en­joyned a set form to be used by his Disci­ples, Luk. 11.2. but he, whose every action should be our instruction, used one himself. It was also the practice of the Jews, from the time of Ezra, and long before, constantly to use set forms of Prayer by way of Liturgy; neither did they use them only as a necessary provision for the Ignorant, but as a secure hedge and fence to their Religion, by this means to keep all mixtures and corruptions out of their Church; and they had 18 Prayers or Benedictions set and composed, according to the matter and form of which some say the Lords Prayer was instituted; and it is very probable, that in imitation of the Jews, the Pagans might use set forms at their Sacrifices, and most certainly they did; which forms were first approved of by the Priests, before they were used; and when [Page 3]they did use them, they read them out of a Book, that they might neither stray in the matter of their Prayers, nor offend in the manner. And that the Church of Christ hath in all ages used a prescribed and set Form, I think is not to be question'd: After Christs ascension, and before the Holy Ghosts de­scension, they continued all with one accord in Prayer and Supplication, Act. 1.14. which Prayer was certainly in a set form, for as yet the Holy Ghost was not come down upon them, neither were they qualified for Prayer above the ordinary rate of other men; and when the Holy Ghost did come down with his extraordinary gifts, those gifts continued not long, and therefore an early provision was made for set forms to be constantly used, to supply the defects of them; which Litur­gies (as ours is) were framed up according to St. Paul's prescribed pattern, 1 Tim. 2.1. consisting, 1. Of Supplications, for the avert­ing of all hurtful things, sins and dangers. 2. Of Prayers, for the obtaining of all good things, which they wanted or stood in need of. 3. Of Intercessions, for others, for Kings and all in Authority, for the whole Church. 4. Of Thanksgivings, for mercies already re­ceived: in all which they prayed not only for themselves, but in a greater diffusion of their charity for all mankind. And all were [Page 4]prescribed, 1. That the people might the better joyn with the Minister, and say Amen to the Prayer. 2. That the peoples wants might be the better enumerated, the people themselves be the better edified, all absurdi­ties in Prayer might be avoided, and all might with one mind and one mouth glorifie God, Rom. 15.6.

The forecited sentences are all taken word for word out of the Holy Scripture; of which the Minister may, according to his discretion, and as a fit occasion shall be offered, make his choice; which he is to read with a grave, distinct, loud but humble voice, always considering that they are here set in proper place to mind the Congrega­tion of their own misery, and God's mercy, and to prepare and stir up the hearts of people for the better performance of Holy Duties, following both with alacrity and devotion. —

The forementioned Exhortation is grave and serious, exactly agreeable to Holy Scrip­ture, in which the people are invited and exhorted in an Apostolical stile, to confess their sins humbly to the Lord; who is able to help them, because Almighty; and wil­ling to hear them, because most merciful. It gives us in a short summe, the chief ends of our publick meetings in the houses of God; it sets us some steps forward toward repen­tance, makes us to know that we have [Page 8]offended, instructs us how and in what man­ner to acknowledge our offence, and by degrees brings us to confession upon our knees.

This Confession, as appears by the fore­cited Texts, is exactly agreeable to Scrip­ture, and is rationally and upon prudent grounds allowed the first place in our pub­lick Liturgy. We begin our Service with Confession of sin for these reasons, 1. Be­cause our sins make a separation betwixt God and us, Isa. 59.2. keep good things from us, Jer. 5.25. hinder our prayers from ascending acceptably to God, and God's blessings from descending comfortably upon us. 2. It was the practice of God's people the Jews, to begin their Service with a ge­neral Confession of sin, of which we have the marks and signs in the Law, Lev. 16.16. and the pattern and platform in the Pro­phets; but the Confessions themselves are particularly to be met with in the Books of the Jews. This verbal Confession (of which we have an instance Luke 1.10.) made the [Page 10] Jews fully acquainted with the true use of Sacrifices: Besides, Almighty God being jea­lous of his honour, commanded a brazen Laver to be set between the Tabernacle of the Congregation and the Altar, for Aaron and his Sons twice in a day to wash their hands and feet, Exod. 30.17, 18, 19, 20, 21. by which was signified the Laver of Repen­tance, which we always stand in need of: From the Jews it afterwards became a cu­stom in the Christian Church, to begin their publick Service with Confession of sin, and to perform it in such a manner as we do. The very Heathens had something amongst them which seemed to allude to it, for they used to wipe off the dirt from their feet when they entred into the places of their Religious Service and Sacrifice. However, it is most certainly agreeable to right Rea­son and Religion, that we should begin our Service to God with Confession of our sins; that having first confessed our sins, and im­plored God's pardon for them, we may the better pray unto him, and praise him for other things. So David began with, Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin, Psal. 51.2. and then he says, Open thou my lips, O Lord, and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise, ver. 15. because sin doth shut up our mouth, and God par­doning [Page 11]sin, opens it that we may chearfully pray unto him and praise him. And where­as Confession of sin is enjoyned to be said of the whole Congregation after the Mini­ster, it is for these reasons; 1. Because the Minister is the peoples mouth to God-ward in Prayer, both to go before them and to instruct them, as in Preaching he is Gods mouth to the people. 2. By this means the Church, like a careful Mother, makes pro­vision so far as she can, that none of her untoward children should dissemble their wickedness, the humble and penitent con­fession whereof is made so necessary an in­troduction to her Divine Offices. Now this Confession is to be made kneeling, because it is the fittest posture for Penitents, that by the outward lowliness of our bodies, we may the better express the inward humility of our minds. All Holy men we meet with in Scripture, were for this posture of kneel­ing at their devotion; David, Psal. 95.6. Solomon, 2 Chron. 6.13. Ezra, chap. 9.5. Daniel, chap. 6.10. Christ, Luk. 22.41. Stephen, Acts 7.60. Paul, Acts 20.36. God would not have us when we come before him to worship him, to offer to him, and to receive from him, to be as if we had no joynts in our knees; he expects more from us then from the Pillars of our Churches: [Page 12]Every day we begin our Service with a Psalm which invites us to it, Psal. 95.6. And the first Christians ever used to begin their Ser­vice in this manner, saying, Before all things let us fall down and worship the Lord who made us. This was the first voice heard, and the first thing done in the Primitive Church. We daily utter the same voice, and daily in­vite our selves to do the same thing, and shall we never do it for all this? what is this but to mock God? nay to mock and abuse our selves, for God will not be mocked; he knows our misdemeanours in his Service, and how to apportion out punishments in his own due time, such as we deserve. As Augustus the Emperour said to one, who came rudely into his presence to petition, I wonder how we two come to be so familiar; so if we do but observe how rudely, and with what unmannerly behaviour some per­sons come into Gods presence, to beg par­don of him for their sins, it may raise more wonder to think how God and they come to be so familiar.

The Absolution is as to every part of it grounded upon Scripture; Remission and Absolution are two names, which signifie one and the same thing, a loosing from sin, wherein the Soul is held bound as in a pri­son, Psal. 142.7. Psal. 119.32. Sin is as a yoke, burden, chain, fetter, which loads, binds, and holds fast the Soul, Lam. 1.14. Psal. 38.4. Psal. 73.6. Absolution helps to remove this yoke, to lighten this burden, to loose this chain. Sin is a debt, Mat. 6.12. Luk. 11.4. Mat. 18.27. by Absolution and Remission we are acquitted and discharged from this debt. The Heathens looked upon the characteristick (A) when set alone, as a propitious letter, because it noted amongst the Romans the Absolution of a Criminal; whereas the characteristical letter (C) was the mark of a condemned person: but in Christianity, let (C) for Confession be pla­ced before (A) for Absolution, it alters the [Page 15]case very much. Some persons indeed have been very much offended at the word (Ab­solution,) and therefore prevailed to have the word (Remission) stand by it, to be its Interpreter into milder sense; those persons I conceive to be like some people, which I have read of, who fearing their Tygers, called them by more gentle names, that they might not be devoured by them. But some scruple may again be made, why the Priest alone should pronounce this Absolution, and that in the standing posture, when all the people are still upon their knees? Which scruple may easily be removed from those, who can distinguish the Priest and a Mini­ster in his Office, from an ordinary person not invested into Holy Orders: For the Priest, especially when in his Office, and officiating, is in Christ's stead, and acting in one part of his Commission given to him by Christ, which is to absolve penitents, Mat. 16.19. John 20.23. Neither doth he absolve by way of declaration only, but by way of authority, Jam. 5.14, 15. which au­thority is absolutely and originally in God, who is only able to forgive sins by the highest and most unquestionable authority, Mark 2.8. Yet there is by the Charter of the Church a subordinate delegate power, derived from God by Christ to the Priests [Page 16]and Ministers, for to remit or to retain sin, John 20.22, 23. The Priest remits or retains sin, as a Civil Magistrate pardons or con­demns a Malefactor, not by any power ori­ginally in themselves, but by a power de­legated from God. And to shew by what power he acts, the Priest pronounceth the Absolution standing; and when the Con­fession of sin is serious, from the heart, un­feigned, such as God requires and will ac­cept of, the Priest's Absolution is without question as effectual, as if God himself did pronounce it from Heaven. Heaven waits for, and expects the Priest's sentence on Earth; and if the person to be absolved, by an hypocritical and feigned repentance, make not the key to fail in such cases, what the Servant binds or looses here on Earth, the Lord himself ratifies and confirms in Heaven, Mat. 18.18, 19. Now in the Ab­solution to be pronounced by the Minister, or rather after it, this clause is added, Wherefore let us beseech him to grant us true repentance, and his holy Spirit, and may seem to be added for these reasons following; 1. To shew that as Repentance is a necessa­ry disposition to pardon, so that it is also a necessary consequent of it; for he who is pardoned, ought to be as much a penitent (if he truly understands himself) as he who [Page 17]seeks pardon; as we are daily liable to sin, so for our own safety we are to secure and keep our selves within the state of pardon, which we cannot do but by continuing in a state of Repentance; besides, the sad re­membrance of sin (though pardon'd) ought to be always grievous to us. 2. Because after a sin is pardoned and remitted, the Devil is most busie to tempt the sinner either to commit the same sin again, or a worse; therefore as in the Lords Prayer we are taught to pray, first to have our sins for­given, and next not to be led into tempta­tion; so here no sooner is Absolution and Remission of sins declared and pronounced by the Priest, as a great priviledge and fa­vour granted to all sincere Penitents, and sound believers, but the same pardoned per­sons are invited and stirred up in their own defence, to pray for a continued Repen­tance and assistance of Gods holy Spirit, that they may be secure from all Satans tempta­tions for the future, and make the grace of Pardon already granted, a new obligation to more holy living; that so we may not only please God in our present Devotions, but also in our future life; for most certain it is, that every lapse after pardon is the greater sin, John 5.14. 2 Pet. 2.20. But we are to note in the last place, that the people [Page 18]are enjoyned to answer Amen, as at the end of this, so of every Prayer in the Service-Book, because Amen if pronounced as from the heart, is an Indication of the peoples assent to the preceding Prayer, and an affir­mation that the thing prayed for is good and necessary for them, and a tollification of the peoples votes and desires to obtain it. It hath ever been used at the end of Prayers, and pronounced with a loud voice, carrying in it devotion, zeal and fervency; it is the last acclamation of our prayers, in the pro­nouncing of which the Primitive Christians were wont to raise up their bodies, as if they had a desire to carry their bodies as well as their souls up to Heaven.

They must certainly be vain and wicked, acted on by some wild and extravagant spi­rit, who to make way for their own crude and humane breathings, (not fit sometimes to carry the name of Prayers) would thrust the Lords Prayer quite out, and allow it no place in the publick Divine Service, which is as the Salt of the Sacrifice, and that which should season all our Liturgick Offices. Cer­tainly as men may use other Prayers, so they ought not to be restrained, nor to restrain themselves from the use of this, which is a Prayer used by the Church of Christ all the world over, dictated at first by the supreme wisdom of our great and eternal Mediator Jesus Christ, who presents our Prayers unto God, and perfectly knows our Fathers mind: It is the most complete Prayer which can be made, summing up all the most lawful re­quests which can be imagined, the epitome, mirrour, rule of all other Prayers, in a won­derful [Page 20]brevity of words, including so great plenty and variety of matter, as if it would make a Camel to pass through a Needles­eye: It contains in it more histories and mysteries, then words; it is the most metho­dical, emphatical, divine Prayer, that ever yet was or shall be composed, for all the parts of it cohere with an admirable sym­metry; it is exactly made in measure and proportion, all of it is full of Torches, which enlighten each other; not all the wits on Earth, nor Angels in Heaven, were ever ca­pable of dictating the like. There is as much difference betwixt this, and Prayers of man's composing, as betwixt the Tabernacle and Pattern upon the Mount: the Tabernacle was Earthly, framed by man; the Pattern Heavenly, formed by God: so this Prayer is all over coelestial and divine, whereas our Prayers are at the best but humane, and framed up by man's industry: Neither is there any man so knowing or so religious, who is not subject to many failings in the composure of his Prayers; they are subject to imperfection, to excess, to disorders, to many irregularities; we cannot possibly be without some errour in this business, either we want or exceed, are too short or too long, or raise our thoughts out of rank and place, when we speak our own Prayers; but [Page 21]in saying the Lords Prayer (if our hearts go along with the prayer) we cannot fail to speak well; we omit nothing, we speak no­thing superfluous, we are not extravagant, we cannot be impertinent in our words: Therefore having framed up Prayers accor­ding to what is possible for us to do, and ha­ving well considered the defects of them, we have recourse to this most absolute Prayer of Christ, for the perfecting of all the imper­fections in our own. Certainly we, who are Christians, ought to say this Prayer, because Jesus Christ hath put it into our mouths, and made it to be the abridgment of all Prayer, wherein are summed up all lawful requests. He hath given it to be a rule and guide for us to pray by, and an exact form for us to pray in: It is a Prayer of universal concern­ment, in respect of things contained in it, persons using it, times when, and places where it may be used. All the Churches of the Christian World pronounce it, and it must needs be a great consolation to us to keep our part in this great consort; we may say it in prosperity and adversity, in Peace and War, in health and sickness, in life and at the hour of death; young and old, rich and poor, noble and ignoble, Princes and Peasants may all pronounce it together. Therefore not without good reason is it so [Page 22]frequently used in our Liturgick Offices, be­cause it is so large for matter, so short and compendious for phrase and words, so sweet for order, in all respects so perfect and abso­lute, we give it the most place in our pub­lick devotions; sometimes begin with it to guide our prayers, and sometimes conclude with it to compleat and perfect them. Wherever Christian Religion is professed, this prayer is used as one of the principal and most material duties of honour done to Jesus Christ. The often repeating of it, can­not bring it within the compass of that vain repetition, which our Saviour condemned, Mat. 6.7. for repetition is then only vain, when words are often repeated being di­rected neither with reason of Art, nor with zeal and devotion of heart, nor with any supposal of a justly implyed necessity, all which most certainly may meet in the use of this prayer, how frequently soever we make use of it. For because we cannot pray as we ought, there is a kind of necessity for us to use it to supply our defects, and that with art and zeal (we hope) sufficient. Again, seeing we have an Advocate with the Father interceding continually for sinners, when we seek for pardon of our sins at Gods hand, we cannot do better then alledge unto God the words which our Advocate hath taught [Page 23]us; seeing he hath promised that shall be granted which we ask in his name, we may be confident that will not be denied which we ask in his name and words. When in our prayers we speak unto the Father in the Sons own prescribed form of words, we may be sure that we utter nothing which God will either disallow, or deny. The Minister is to begin this prayer with an audible voice, and the people all kneeling are to re­peat it orderly after him, for these supposed reasons; 1. That people ignorantly educa­ted may learn it, and be instructed in it. 2. To shew what an esteem we ought to have for it, and for Christ our Lord and Sa­viour, who was the Author of it; and for Christianity it self, and the Christian Ser­vice, wherein all of us are to bear a part. But that people may say this prayer under­standingly, I shall add this plain Paraphrase upon it.

The forementioned Versicles with the Re­sponses, are Canonical Scripture, and taken most-what out of the Book of Psalms; by which we acknowledge our dependance upon God, and that we are unable of our selves to perform any Religious duty well, unless God enable us. They are used inter­changably by Minister and People, to testi­fie mutual Love, to strengthen affection, to stir up devotion, to kindle and enflame it one in another, to oblige us to greater at­tention; and this praying by way of Re­sponse, is grounded upon the Scripture, and conformable to the practice of the earliest [Page 29]and purest times of Christianity. And for the form of giving glory to God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, it is very ancient, by which we avouch our Doctrine and Faith of the Trinity against all opposers; as we have received from Christ and his Apostles, so we baptize, believe, and give glory to God Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; and this we do not without Scripture-warrant, Mat. 28.19. Rom. 11.36. It is the Christians Hymn and shorter Creed; some who pro­fessed Christianity, had corrupted this form of giving glory to God, and had framed up another form, in favour of their own new opinions and perswasions in Religion, differ­ing from that of the Ancient Christians both in words and sense; but the ancient form, which was before, and is still used, was again restored, upon the restauration of which those words were added, As it was in the beginning, &c. that is, in the first beginning of the true Religion professed and solemnly owned by the name of Christian. Now cer­tainly very meet it is that we should give glory to God, because it is appropriate to God alone, Psal. 115.1. It is his peculiar right, which he lays claim to, Isa. 42.8. for he is the King of Glory. The Heavens de­clare it, Psal. 19.1. the Angels chant it, Luk. 2.14. Seraphims resound it, Isa. 6.3. [Page 30]and man is no less obliged to it, then those coelestial Spirits are. No place on earth is more proper for it, then God's house, where every man should speak of his honour; and there is no better posture to do it in, then standing, for by it we shew our chearful rea­diness to give glory to God, and our pious resolution to stand fast in the Faith of the Holy Trinity. And for those words, Praise ye the Lord, they are the same with Hallelu­jah; set at the end of the five last Psalms in the Psalter, and used in this place, to be as an impression invitatory to the following Psalms: and the following Response, The Lords name be praised, is according to what we find written Psal. 106.48.

With this Psalm the ancient Church used to begin her Service; it was the invitatory Psalm, with which they usually began before the Congregation was well met together, at the hearing of which, all hastned to Church; and it is very well appointed to be used in this place before all other Psalms, because it is the fittest to conform us to the right use of all the rest, and to furnish out Gods Service with all due reverence. Glory be to the Fa­ther, &c. is added at the end of this, and of every Psalm, that we may reduce that to practice which is the scope of every Psalm, that is, Give Glory to God.

The Psalter was anciently divided into several portions called Nocturns, by which division the Psalms were read every week, and this was a custom peculiar only to the Latine Church; for in the Syrian and Greek Churches, the Psalter was read over every twenty days: Our Church allows a months space for the reading over the Book of Psalms; and her meaning is, that they should be read in publick, according to ancient practice, by way of Response. Now the reasons why the Psalms are so frequently read over, and why in this manner, I con­ceive to be these. Because the Psalms do contain in them the choice and flower of all things profitable, which may be met withall in the Holy Scriptures; and do more mo­vingly express them, by reason of the Poe­tical form wherein they are written. No part of Scripture doth more admirably set forth all the considerations and operations, which belong to God, nor so magnifie the Holy meditations and actions of Divine men; They are an universal declaration of things Heavenly, working in those, whose hearts God inspireth with a due considera­tion, and disposition of mind, whereby they [Page 34]are made fit vessels both for receipt and delivery of whatsoever Spiritual perfection. There is nothing necessary for man to know, which the Psalms are not able to teach: They are to beginners, a familiar introduction; to those who are entred into the way of Religion, a mighty augmenta­tion of vertue and knowledge; and to the most perfect, a strong confirmation. Heroi­cal magnanimity, exquisite Justice, grave moderation, exact wisdom, Repentance un­feigned, unwearied Patience, the mysteries of God, the sufferings of Christ, the terrours of Wrath, the comforts of Grace, the works of Providence over the world present, and the promised Joys of the next; all good ne­cessary to be known, done, or had, are laid up in this Store-house; no grief incident to man's soul, or sickness to the body, but a remedy may be found for it in the Book of Psalms. As the Holy Scripture exceeds other writings in verity, so the Book of Psalms exceeds other Sacred Scriptures in variety. The Psalter is the common trea­sury of all good arguments and instructions; the summary, pith and breviary of the whole Bible: therefore as the Church esteemed nothing more generally necessary for the Worship of God, then the Word of God; so she judged no parcel of the Word more [Page 35]full and fit, then the Psalms. But it is to be wished, that we could all endeavour to make our lives conformable to those Holy patterns, who were the Pen-men of these Psalms; and that the Psalmists infusions and effusions, may find in us the Psalmists spiri­tual affections to go along with them; that when we say or sing over these Psalms, we may not speak against our sense, know­ledge, or conscience, nor blame the Psalm, or Church for enjoyning it to be used, when we our selves perhaps are in fault. He who would make a right and good use of the Psalms, read over in private or publick, must endeavour to form his Spirit to the affection of the Psalm: if it be the affection of love, which runs through the Psalm, it is to be read with the same affection; if of fear, the same Spirit of fear should be im­printed upon the Soul; if of desire, it should be carried on with the like transportation; if of gratitude to God, the Soul should be lifted up with praises, and come with affe­ctions that way enflamed: If the Psalm car­ries in it the Spirit of Prayer and Supplica­tion, of Praise or Eucharist, he who dares to read it, must still conform, and bring down his Spirit to the Psalm; and what­ever affection is in any Psalm, the heart is to comply with that affection; that by this [Page 36]means the often repeating of the Psalms, may not prove a ridiculous piece of Pagean­try, we should strive to say the Psalms with the same Spirit, with which they were in­spired who composed them; and accom­modate our selves to them in the same man­ner, as if we our selves had been the compo­sers, or as if they had been purposely com­posed for our use, by exciting up in our selves the same affections, which we may discern to have been in David or others, at the same time when they composed them. We are to love when they love, fear when they fear, hope when they hope, praise God when they praise him, weep for our own sins and others when they weep, beg what we want with the like Spirit wherewith their petitions are framed; love our ene­mies when they love theirs, pray for ours when they pray for theirs, have zeal for Gods glory when they profess it, humble our selves when they are humbled, and lift up our Spirits to Heaven when they lift up theirs; give thanks for Gods mercies when they do; delight and rejoyce in the benefits of the Messias, and beauties of the Church, when they do; relate the wonderful works of God in the creation of the World, and deliverance of his people, with the like ad­miration and praise as they do; and where­ever [Page 37]there is mention of punishments in­flicted on rebellious sinners, and rewards and favours bestowed upon the obedient, we are to tremble where they tremble, and to rejoyce where they rejoyce; we are to walk in Gods Sanctuary as they walked, and to wish to dwell in it as they wished. And wherever the Psalmist as a Master tea­cheth, exhorteth, reprehendeth, and di­recteth, we are to suppose him speaking to every one of us, and we should answer him in such due manner as he requires. And at the beginning of every Psalm, we should beg of God that affection which the Psal­mist had when he composed it, and desire to attain the same guift and spiritual savour which he felt. Was this course as constant­ly used, as the reading over the Book of Psalms, we should in time be of the Psalmists temper and devotion; and the usage of the Psalms would not seem so strange, as perhaps they may to some, for want of ob­serving this good rule prescribed by the An­cients. It is a course which the devouter Christians ever observed, and they found it hugely advantageous for the heightning and enflaming of their devotions. Some scru­ples may be made by some persons, against the reading of Scripture in general, and against the Psalms in particular, the most de­votional [Page 38]part of Scripture; for they were most of them composed by David, the Type of Christ, and the best fitted and qualified of any man to set down a formulary of De­votions, in which are contained the most remarkable things, which concern Christ or Christianity; and which may well enough be used by all, who are sincerely Christian, either as forms of Prayers or Praises, of which they consist for the most part. Indeed some Psalms seem to have no propriety of the Spirit of Christianity, being spent in calling down vengeance upon Gods and the Psalmists enemies, which is contrary to the Gospel-temper, Luk. 9.54, 55. but herein lies our great mistake, for David the Psal­mist of Israel, by whom the Spirit of the Lord spake, 2 Sam. 23.2. could not have in him the least malignity or revenge in the penning of his Psalms, not of those of the severest character; for in those Psalms he did not so properly pray as a petitioner, that God would bring such and such Judg­ments upon obstinate sinners, as he did pre­dict and denounce as a Prophet, the just Judgments of God, which would inevitably fall upon such sinners. Such Psalms are Prophesies and Predictions, not properly Prayers, and they may easily be accommo­dated to the Christian affection, Spirit and [Page 39]temper. All Texts of Scripture in either Te­stament, of this seemingly-severe temper and nature, may be safely admitted into the very bowels of our Souls, if they could be per­mitted also to perform the work, which they are designed for; that is, to melt us into contrition, to mortifie us, to reform us, to bruise our Souls, to purge all dross out of them, to refine and prepare them for holy duties. Besides, the Jews, under whose Po­litie the Psalms were penned and composed, were a Typical people, and Gods Oeconomie to them may be instructive to us, not in a literal, but spiritual sense; what severity was required from them towards the Canaa­nites, and other enemies of God, the same should be transcribed by us in another way; that is, we should express our displeasure and revenge upon our lusts and sins, as the greatest enemies of God, or us; and thus our indignation and zeal, our imprecations and Anathema's, may be seasonable enough, if we continue them only in this sense; but for the cursing of any other enemies, it is hardly reconcilable to Christianity; neither can it be warranted out of the Psalms, or any other part of Scripture, to be used as a Prayer, but only as a prediction or denun­ciation; and this may be done upon a de­sign purely Christian and charitive enough. [Page 40]And whereas many things in the Psalms, may seem not to suit well with every mans condition at all times, and so the Spirit of the Reciter may meet with a kind of con­tradiction, forbidding to go along with the Spirit of the Psalmist; (as for instance, how can a man overwhelmed with distress, h [...]ve the lively vigorous Spirit of Praise or Eu­charist? or a man in a prosperous state, have the true Spirit of devotion and humilia­tion?) yet this scruple may be easily remo­ved, thus; That though the Psalms read may not suit so properly with our own con­dition, yet they may suit with the condi­tion of others, to the best advantages; and in our publick Services, we are to put upon us publick Spirits, and mind the state and condition of other men, as well as of our selves: we are to rejoyce with them that do rejoyce, and to weep with them that weep, and to be of the same mind one towards another, Rom. 12.15, 16. we are to remem­ber those who are in bonds, as bound with them, and those who suffer adversity, being our selves also in the body, Febr. 13.3. Therefore do we pray for the sick, when we our selves are in health; give thanks for the deliverance of others, when we our selves are not in their dangers. This we do as Christians, not as meer men, nor as ne­cessity [Page 41]urgeth us to it, but as charity binds us; whereby we shew, that as Christ is the Head of the body, so we are Members one of another. This is truly Christian, when we can zealously comprehend others within our Prayers or Praises, either for what they stand in need of, or have received. And it will be a very hard matter for any one of us, to mention any one of the Psalms, which we may not have some propriety to, in what­soever condition we are. In our greatest prosperity, we may have cause enough to humble our selves; in our greatest distress, there may be good grounds for giving of thanks. Job was summoned to bless God as well for his sufferings, as for his enjoyments, Job 1.21. and many holy and pious men, have seen ground and cause enough for their humiliation, in the midst of their greatest affluence and abundance. And whereas some of the Psalms are advanced to that high pitch of devotion, which ordinary men, who are not of the Psalmists spirit and temper, cannot possibly reach to; yet these very Psalms should be made familiar, and be of constant use, if for no other reason, yet for this, to quicken our dull devotions, to give some spirit and life to our dead, and not enough vigorous performances in the Ser­vice of God, and to make us see how much [Page 42]we fall short of those holy and divine Pen­men of the Psalms, who as to their pro­fession of Faith, zeal, love, and obedience to God, ought to be looked upon as worthy patterns for our imitation; and by reproa­ching of us for our own defects, may hum­ble us before God, because we cannot so vi­gorously pronounce these holy Hymns as we ought to do, and may teach us to pray for more growth and spiritual proficiency, in our constant Religious performances.

The reading of Lessons out of the Old and New Testament, is in punctual imita­tion of the Ancient Church; which Lessons are not left arbitrary, but appointed, some for ordinary days, and some for Festival, according to Primitive custom and practice. As the Jews used to read some Lessons, and portions of Scripture, out of Moses and the other Prophets, upon their Sabbaths and Festivals, Act. 13.27. which they called Sections, or Tractats of a good day, Colos. 2.16. so it was decreed and ordered in the Church Christian, and in imitation so near as could be of what was practised in the Jewish Church, that the first Lesson should be read out of the Old Testament, and the second out of the New. And it was so contrived, that Hymns, Lessons and Psalms should be used interchangably, to take off something from the tediousness of the Ser­vice; for as variety is pleasant to the body, so is it also to the Soul: therefore is the Service made so Mosaick, and of so many pieces commodiously disposed, to rescue each other from fastidiousness. Neither do we read only the Canonical Scripture, but some part also of the Apocryphal Books, [Page 44]which appear to be most agreable to the Ca­nonical; in the doing of which, we do not consider both under the same parity of ho­nour and estimation, for our Bibles have sufficiently made a distinction. And though it cannot be denied, that the Ancient mo­del of Canonical and Apocryphal Books, did pass under a complex notion of the Old Testament; yet we read not the Apocry­phal Books, as we do Canonical Scripture, to ground any Article of Faith upon; only we read them for instruction in life and manners, and upon the same account as the Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians, was wont to be read in Churches in Ancient times. Neither are any Chapters or Lessons so prescribed out of the Apocryphal Books, as that we should set aside the Canonical Scripture, for the Minister is left to his dis­cretion, to make his choice as he thinks fit, either of the one, or of the other. We read the Apocryphal Books, because they are consonant to the Canonical, because they were respected by the Ancients, because they are instructive in their stile, and some passages in them do explain the Canonical Scripture, which they, who most oppose them, cannot honestly deny; and why may they not be as well read and approved of, as our own Comments upon a Text of Scrip­ture, [Page 45]which (it is to be presumed) we would not have to be taken for Canonical Scripture. They who are most against the reading of them, cannot but confess our Sermons and Tractates to have as little of the Spirit of infallibility and Sanctification, as the Apocryphal Books. So far as they are consonant to the Word of God, they are Canonical, though not Proto-Canonical. There is truth in them, and we are to em­brace truth wherever we meet with it; for it is Gods, whoever speaks it or writes it: we read them not to confirm us in matters of Faith, but to instruct us in life and man­ners, because they contain in them many ex­cellent moral precepts, for the regulating of our lives, and well ordering of our con­versations. Again, some part of the Cano­nical is not enjoyned to be read publickly in the Congregation, not because the Au­thority of it is undervalued, but because it is not so useful for Edification, nor so fitted to the understandings and capacities of the people, as those portions of Scripture are, which are enjoyned to be read; those ne­cessary parts of Scripture which God hath made easie, the Church desires should be made familiar, and frequently read to the people. Therefore she orders the Psalms to be read over once every month, most part [Page 46]of the Old Testament once a year, the New thrice; and hath so sorted the Lessons, Prayers, Psalms, Epistles and Gospels, for some Festivals, that they edifie as much as any ordinary Sermons, if people were but so wise, as to consider the wise directions of the Church, and to value her prudence, as much as they do their own foolish humors. Now the Lessons are taken one out of the Old, another out of the New Testament, that by frequent reading of them, we may observe the Harmony of both: for as the Cherubins of Glory looked each upon other, and both closed with their wings over the Mercy-seat; so the Two Testaments look each upon other, both upon Christ, who is the supplement of the one, and the comple­ment of the other; in the one promised, in the other exhibited; the Law being an hid­den Gospel, and the Gospel a revealed Law. The Patriarchs, Prophets, Evangelists, Apo­stles, wrote by the same Spirit, pointed at the same Messias, were saved by the same Faith; and this may very much confirm us in the truth of the Scriptures, when we read that exactly fulfilled in the New Testament, which was so punctually foretold in the Old. Besides, it may be a means of converting the Jews, as well as confirming us Christians; for they may in time embrace Christ's Gospel [Page 47]with us, when they see us embrace Moses and the Prophets together with them. But in taking Lessons first out of the Old Testa­ment, and then out of the New, the Church observes the method of the Holy Spirit, who first published the Old, then the New; first the precepts of the Law, then of the Gos­pel; and by this method we are taught to go forward in our knowledge, from smaller things to greater, from the lowest to the highest; for the Law is as a Paedagogue teaching the first Rudiments, the Institu­tions of highest perfection are contained in the Gospel. The Minister is to read the Lessons distinctly, with a sober, grave, and audible voice; and he is to turn himself towards the people, when he reads, be­cause he is upon an office directed to them; whereas in Prayer, he looks another way, towards the more eminent part of the Church, where use to be placed the Symbols of God's more especial presence, with whom the Minister in Prayer hath chiefly to do. For the same reason we may suppose, that the Christians in former times used to pray with their faces Eastward, because in the Chancel, which was the East part of the Church, stood the Holy Table, where the highest of Religious Services were usually performed, and the Sacrament of Christ's [Page 48]body and bloud was administred, which is the special sign of God's mysterious pre­sence. The Jews at the reading of the Law, and other Scriptures, looked toward the people; but in Prayer, toward the Mercy­seat, or principal part of the Temple, Psal. 28.2. and Christians may in all probability do the like, in imitation of the Jews; for as their Mercy-seat was a type and figure of Christ, so the Holy Table, and the Sacred Mysteries there performed, are representa­tions of him in a more special manner. Nei­ther did the Jews, nor do the Christians, this out of any superstitious conceit, that God cannot or will not hear our Prayers, unless we look Eastward when we pray, as the Jews looked toward the Oracle or Mercy-seat, for we know God is Omni­present, every where present; yet for all this, Christ directed us by his form of prayer to look towards Heaven, when we pray, be­cause it is the Throne of God.

The Church in appointing Hymns, ob­serves punctually the rule of the Apostle, Colos. 3.16. and from the practice of Christ and his Apostles, who sung Hymns together, Mat. 26.30. probably to teach and instruct us to do the like, may the Antiquity of them in the Christian Church be derived. We have not only Christ's example for it, and the Apostles command for it, but we read of it practised in the Church of Alexandria, which was founded by St. Mark; St. Am­brose brought Hymns into the Church of Millain; God (saith Jerom) is delighted with Morning and Evening Hymns; St. Au­gustine (as we read in the Life of him) was very much afflicted a little before his death, as for the decay of other things in Religion, and in the publick worship of God, so that the Hymns and Lauds used to [Page 52]be sung to God, were lost out of the Church. Those Hymns were either said, or sung, but more properly sung, because Hymns are Songs of Praise; and it was the practice to sing them both in the Jewish, Psal. 47.6. and Christian Church, Mat. 26.30. for sing­ing enflames and enlivens the minds and affections of the hearers; and such musick by pleasing the affections, and delighting the minds of men, makes the Service of God more delectable, and less tedious. And for this reason is Church-Service so intermixed with Lessons, Psalms, and Prayers, and like the garment of the Spouse, Psal. 45. made up of such variety, that by this variety our devotions may be carried on with the more chearfulness, and the greater appetite, and without any fastidiousness. Standing was the usual posture for the saying or singing of Hymns, for it is indeed the most proper posture for thanksgiving or laud, Psal. 134.1, 2. 2 Chron. 7.6. and this erection of our bodies, doth most properly express the ele­vation of our hearts in joy, praises, and Eu­charist unto God. The forementioned Hymn, called Te Deum laudamus, was composed (as it is said) by St. Ambrose and St. Au­gustine, which they used to sing Anthem­wise; and the occasion of its composition, was St. Augustine's Conversion and Baptism, [Page 53]in both which St. Ambrose was most happily instrumental. But be the Author who it will, the Structure, though Humane, is complete, and the materials of it are Divine; and it is worthily enough vouchsafed a place in our constant Service, for its Antiquity, for its consonancy with Scripture, for having the Churches both warrant and approbation; for the contents of it, which are most Chri­stian, hugely advantageous for the height­ning of Devotion, and promoting of Reli­gion; wherein is acknowledged the Power and Majesty of God the Father, the Divi­nity and Humanity of God the Son, his In­carnation, Passion, Resurrection, Ascension, Exaltation to Glory, and Power committed to him for to guide, rule, preserve and go­vern his Church; and wherein also is asser­ted, the Divinity of God the Holy Ghost; and there is nothing in the whole Hymn, but what is very agreeable to Scripture. Some exception may be made, against this expression in it, When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death, thou didst open the king­dom of Heaven to all believers: But what can justly be found fault with in this ex­pression? by it we do not express this to be our meaning, as if we thought that the departed Saints were not in a state of bliss and happiness, before Christ's Ascension; [Page 54]but our meaning is rather, that Christ by his Ascension prepared a greater, and more complete state of bliss, for those that are his, meriting their going to it by his Death, and making the way passable by his Resurrecti­on and Ascension, John 3.13. John 14.2, 3. Heb. 9.8, 12. Heb. 10.19, 20. Heb. 11.40. for by this means he procured greater Grace for them here, greater Glory for them here­after. Whatever he did or suffer'd, the end was to open the kingdom, which our sins had shut up; which he opened most libe­rally at his Ascension, and after he had over­come the sharpness of death, for then he took a local possession of Glory, for the use of all that are his. Be the state of the Saints departed before what it will, yet what God bestowed upon their Souls, was procured by Christ's Death, Resurrection and Ascension, which followed after; as also the Glorifi­cation of their bodies, is most certainly to follow the Exaltation of his; whither the glory of the Head is gone before, the hope of the Body is to follow after, and when our bodies and souls come to be glorified to­gether, then shall we be in our complete and perfect bliss. Glory be to the Father, is not en­joyned to be used at the end of this Hymn, because it is it self almost nothing else but that Doxology enlarged.

This Song, or Hymn, commonly called the Song of the Three Children, is word for word to be found in the Apocryphal Scrip­ture, and was used to be read by Christians in their publick Congregations, as a Reli­gious Formulary of pious thoughts, con­fessions, and prayers, fit to be used in times of remarkable deliverances, vouchsafed from great dangers. The names of the Three Children, mentioned in the close of this Hymn, are to be met with in the Book of Daniel, which is received for Canonical, Dan. 1.6. and the occasion why this Psalm of Praise was at first composed, Dan. 3.25. In the Apocryphal Book of Daniel, this [Page 58]Hymn is set down word for word, (as is before noted) which Apocryphal Books were anciently of very great esteem in the Church, and were publickly read in the Congregations, for instruction in life and manners. However, as appears by the fore­cited Texts, this Hymn is exactly agreeable with Canonical Scripture, and the Ancient Fathers did highly approve of it; neither is there in it any thing liable to a just ex­ception, for it is only a methodical and full Compendium of the great and glorious Works of God; and the whole scope of it is to shew, that God is, and will be magni­fied in all his Creatures. We do not in it speak to the Creatures, for to instruct them what they should do; but we rather speak of them, to teach our selves what is our duty, that is, to glorifie God together; and therefore do we conclude it with, Glory be to the Father, that we may actually do it.

Let it be here noted once for all, that the Benedictus of Zachary, and Psalm the 100. for the Morning Service after the Second Lesson; and the Magnificat of Mary, Luk. 1.46. with Psalm the 98. after the First Lesson in the Evening Service; and the Nunc Dimittis, Luk. 2.29. and Psalm the 67. after the Second Lesson, are ordered to be read as the Minister shall make his choice, This or That; and however these Hymns or Psalms were composed upon occasion of particular benefits, yet are they always of singular use in the Church of God. The forementioned Hymns are frequently used in our publick Service, because they are the Hymns wherewith our blessed Saviour was joyfully received, at his first entrance into this world; and they do somewhat more concern us, then Davids Psalms do, because the Gospel and New Testament is of more concern to us, then the Law and the Old. These Hymns are proper only to Christia­nity, whereas the Psalms are common to the Jews and Christians. The Psalms are Pro­phesies and Predictions of Christ, who was to come; these Hymns are plain discoveries of Christ, who is come. They are the first [Page 62]gratulatory Hymns, which welcomed into the world our born Saviour: And though they were most seasonable then, when they were first composed and sung; yet we may profitably enough use them still, as well as Hezekiah in publick Service commanded the Songs of David and Asaph to be used, which were composed long time before, 2 Chron. 29.30. For the promises and performances of God, are not so restrained to particular persons, but others also may go sharers in them, in regard of the mystical union of all the faithful; and however the particular occasion may cease, yet the fountain of goodness and mercy is ever the same: be­sides, by frequent using of the praises of the Saints, our minds may daily more and more be inured and enflamed with their affecti­ons. And the Church hath very fitly ap­pointed Hymns after Lessons; for when we have heard God out of the Lessons, speak­ing as it were from Heaven to our Souls, how can we do less then rise up and praise him? and with what Hymns can we praise him better for our Salvation, then with those which were the first gratulations of our Sa­viour? As for the Hymn and Benedictus of Zachary, it was indeed composed by reason of Christ's birth, and manifestation in our flesh; which Zachary, the Author of it, Pro­phetically [Page 63]foresaw, and therefore composed it for to entertain Christ withall. Yet though the occasion of it was, or rather was not, particular, we may convert it to a common use, as well as the Epistles of St. Paul, which were most of them written upon special oc­casions. Neither can that occasion be in­deed particular, where the benefit is com­mon; for the birth of Christ as much con­cerns us, as it did Zachary; and therefore we may say it, or sing it, and were justly to be blamed in case we should refuse the do­ing so. The 100 Psalm is joyned with it, and the Minister may make his choice of either, because both are Thanksgivings unto God, enforced almost with the very same reasons and arguments.

This is called the Creed, or Belief, be­cause all necessary points to be credited or believed, in order to our Salvation, are con­tained in it. It is the Key of the Holy Scrip­tures, an Abridgment of the Gospel; Christ taught it the Apostles, the Apostles taught it the Church, and the Church us. Though it be not Canonical Scripture, as to the make, yet as to the matter contained in it, it is; for it contains in it the very Scripture, Word, and Truth of God. It is of greater Authority then any other Ecclesiastical Tra­ditions of this nature, whether they are Con­fessions of particular Churches, or Writings of private men. The Nicene and Athanasian Confessions, mentioned and used in our Li­turgy, are not new Creeds, but larger Ex­plications of this. It is called the Apostles Creed, either because they themselves used it, or because it contains the heads of that Doctrine which they taught the world; and it is the Judgment of some very learned men, that it is more Ancient then many writings of the New Testament. At first perhaps it was no part of the Liturgy, or publick Ser­vice, only a prescribed Lesson for the Cate­chumens to be instructed in, and whereof [Page 66]they were to make publick rehearsal, in or­der to their admission unto Baptism. There is mention made of it in the most Ancient writers of the Church; and however some objections may be made against the Aposto­licalness of it, yet those objections certainly are not unanswerable. But however, most certain it is, that it is so Apostolical, as to the matter, that it may without offence carry its denomination from the Apostles, and be called their Creed; because it is a most excellent Epitome and Abridgment of their Doctrine, contrived in a very near re­semblance to their Language, and a great part of it undoubtedly digested by the A­postolical Church. For if the Apostolical Churches had not this very Creed in express words, yet they had a Creed very much re­sembling this, as to the substance of the Ar­ticles, though with some few syllabical va­riations. If at any time the Articles con­cerning the Holy Ghost, and the Church, were omitted in the Creed, yet they were supplied from the form of Catechizing then in use; which form was in truth a Creed, and with the rehearsal of which the Catechu­mens were Baptized. Though not in Ter­tullian, yet in Cyprian we find express men­tion of the Holy Church, Remission of sins, and everlasting life; but then indeed, as it [Page 67]is noted by Jerom, all the mysteries of the Christian Faith, were upon the matter ter­minated in the Resurrection of the flesh, into which they were baptized, 1 Cor. 15.19. and with it Tertullian concludes his rule of Faith; yet was not the Article of Life ever­lasting, any after-new addition, only it was represented in a different order. Let but the African parcels of Tertullian and Cyprian, be united together, and a Creed may be found, as to the Essentials, conformable to this of the Apostles; and the like may be found in the Epistles of Ignatius, who was disciple to one of them. Neither was there any need for the Apostles, or Fathers, to commit this Creed to writing, in regard it was the great depositum of the Church, conveyed down from one Age to another in a Traditional way; supposed by some to be the one Faith, mentioned Ephes. 4.5. and the form, pat­tern, or summary of sound words, mentio­ned 2 Tim. 1.13. the body of Faith made up in all its proportions, mentioned Rom. 12.6. and the Faith which was once delivered to the Saints, mentioned Jude vers. 3. This Creed, and the other two, the Nicene and the Athanasian, which are but Explanations of this, are ordered to be said after the Lessons, to shew that Faith comes by Hear­ing, and Hearing by the Word of God, [Page 68] Rom. 10.17. we must first hear, and then confess; and they are ordered to be said standing, because they are summaries of the Gospel, which was ever rehearsed in that posture; and because the Catechumens used to make rehearsal of their Faith in a stand­ing posture: which posture is also signifi­cant, and notes that gallant resolution which ought to be in us, to maintain and defend that Faith and Religion which we profess.

The forementioned Prayers delivered in the very Scripture phrase, are Christian Sa­lutations very well becoming the people of God, and passing reciprocally betwixt Priest and People: The like in ordinary use among us are, God save you, God speed you, God bless you, Psal. 129.8. 2 John 10. which are not to be thought idle Complements, whereby we take the name of God in vain; but Christian and commendable civilities and duties, which were commonly used and pra­ctised by Christians in the time of the Apo­stles, 2 John 10, 11. In the Liturgies of St. James, Basil, Chrysostom, and the Aethio­pians, the Priest was wont to say, Peace be unto you; to which the People replied, And with thy Spirit. In the old Liturgy of Spain called Mozarabe, (because the Christians were mingled with Arabians) the Priest said, The Lord be with you; the People an­swered, And with thy Spirit. the Priest again said, Help me brethren in your prayers; and the People answered, The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost help thee. Petrus Damianus wrote a whole Book upon this argument, intituled, The Lord be with you. It was used in the Latine Church, ever since their Li­turgy [Page 102]was composed by Damasus, and sup­posed to be deduced out of the Greek Church into the Latine; it is of very an­cient use, and is one of the first Formula's of devotion used in the Christian Church; at first it belonged only to the Ministers of the lower Order; and when the Bishop did offi­ciate, he used in place thereof, Peace be unto you; but in the Braccarian Council it was decreed, that the Bishop and Presbyter should use one and the same form, and de­termined the form to be this, The Lord be with you; adding this, As it is used in all the Orient: which shews the custom to be changed since Chrysostom's time, or else we must reject a great part of his Works for counterfeit. Epiphanius saith, that this form of Salutation was derived from our Saviour's first greeting of his Apostles, after his Re­surrection, John 20.19. However, it did an­ciently denote a transition from one part of the Service unto another, as it is here ap­plyed by our Church for the very same pur­pose. These mutual and reciprocal Saluta­tions, were prudently and Christianly made a part of the publick Service, to continue that agreement and love, which ought to be between Pastor and People; and the very order of it shews, that it is the Mini­sters office to begin, and the peoples duty [Page 103]to correspond in all good affections and kindness; when the Minister is as Paul, the people should be as Galathians, chap. 4.15. not only reverence his place, but also love his person: The Pastor cannot wish a better wish then this, The Lord be with you; nei­ther can the people make a fitter reply then this, And with thy Spirit: To note, that he is to offer up a spiritual Service and Sacri­fice unto God, and to do it ardently and affectionately; which he cannot do, unless God be with him, by his Grace and holy Spirit to aid and assist him. Now Christ hath promised to be with his Apostles and their successors, unto the end of the world, Mat. 28.20. to be with his Church in her devotions, in the midst of us, or amongst us, when we offer up our Services to him: but if our Spirits be not right fixed, so as to intend and mind what we are about, how can God be with us? How can God be with our Spirits, if our Spirits are not with God? How can God be in the midst of us, when we are not in the midst of our selves? Therefore this clause, Let us pray, is very often repeated in the Service, upon any no [...] table transition from one eminent part of Service to another, to fix us to our devo­tions, and to make us the more intent upon what we do; for we are apt to be dull [Page 104]enough in Sacred duties, unless we are fre­quently call'd upon to mind seriously what we are about. It was anciently the Dea­cons office to pronounce it, and therefore he was said to preach, or to proclaim the Ser­vice; for it was his office by loud voice, or proclamation, to warn the people in several parts of the Service, what was done, or to be done, that accordingly they might order themselves both in their hearts, and in their bodies, suitable to that which was done or performed by Christ's Ministers, that so all things might be done with good order, and due reverence. The Heathens in their Re­ligious Offices had a custom, not much dif­fering from this; for they had their Prea­chers and Proclaimers of their Service for the same purpose, to regulate the carriage and behaviour of the people, and to pre­vent confusion. The three following Versi­cles, Lord have mercy, &c. were called by the Ancients, the Lesser Litany; and they are fitly placed before the Lords Prayer, because in our resort to him in Prayer, it is very expedient that we first implore the [...]ercy and assistance of the Trinity, to whom we pray.

The forementioned Prayers are all agree­able to Scripture, of Divine derivation, and because they are most what taken out of the Book of Psalms, the Priest is ordered to stand up at the reading of them; they are short, and in that respect conformable to Scripture pattern, and Primitive practice. The interchangable way of praying is used here, and often elsewhere in our Divine Offices, which is agreeable to Primitive pra­ctice also; and the end of it is, to refresh the peoples attention, to teach them their part in the publick Prayers, to unite their affections, and to keep them in a league of perpetual amity. In these Prayers we pray first for the King, next for the Ministers of Christ, Priests and Deacons, and in the last place for the People; and in all we follow that excellent pattern, which was set us by the Royal Prophet David, Psal. 132.1, 9. [Page 109]And although it may be our good happiness to live in a time of Peace, yet we pray con­stantly for Peace in our time, in the same sense as we pray in the Lords Prayer for daily bread, when we have it by us; we pray that it may come where it is not, and that it may continue where it is; we pray also for the blessing of peace, as well as for peace it self. And although we pray in ex­press terms for peace in our time, yet we do not forget posterity, only we dare not pre­sume that it shall remain with us, with her wings clipt, for ever; as we ask for bread this day, and yet we neglect not to morrow, only we follow the rule of our Saviour, who forbids us anxiously to take care for to morrow. And whereas it is added in the foregoing Prayers, Because no other fighteth for us, but only thou, O God: our meaning is, that we fear not War, but hope for an eternal Peace of God to defend us; we acknowledge him our Shield, our Watch-Tower, and our Keeper, Psal. 18.2. Psal. 121.4. Psal. 127.1. Psal. 73.25. and that there is none that holds with us, but Michael our Prince, Dan. 10.21. that is, Christ. Though Angels and men may fight in our quarrel, yet they all do it but as God's In­struments; God only fights for us as princi­pal Agent: He it is, who teacheth our hands [Page 110]to War, and our fingers to fight, Psal. 18.34. And in regard that without Christ's assisting us with his holy Spirit, we can do nothing, for he is first and last, we can neither begin nor end well without him; therefore as we begin, so we end with God: First, we de­sire God to be with us, and with our Spirit; and in the last place, we desire of God that he would not take his holy Spirit from us.

Collects are so called, because they are Prayers in short sums, containing much matter in few words, like so many choice [Page 112]Flowers gathered and collected out of the Scriptures Garden, and bound up in little Posies to be offer'd and presented to God by Jesus Christ. The first Collect here men­tioned for the day, is always fitted to the day, and framed for the most part in refe­rence to something remarkable in the Epi­stle and Gospel for the day, which the Col­lect is set before. The second Collect is for Peace, because we cannot well pray, nor offer up an acceptable Sacrifice to God with­out Peace; where there is no Peace, there is no Piety, Godliness, nor Honesty; there­fore we pray for Peace, that the rest may be preserved, 1 Tim. 2.1, 2. The third Collect is for Grace to live well, because if there be no Peace with God by holy life, there can be none with man; There is no peace to the wicked, Isa. 48.22. Peace and Truth, Isa. 39.8. Peace and Righteousness, Psal. 85.10. Peace and Holiness, Heb. 12.14. are joyned by God in Scripture, and by us should not be parted. Our Religion, if truly Christian, is pure and peaceable, Jam. 3.17.

Touching the variety of Service, Anthems and Hymns to be sung by way of Antipho­ny or Response, I have spoken something before, and therefore shall say nothing in this place. Indeed here I might have inser­ted the Anthems, which are daily used in the Cathedral and most eminent Churches, but I consider'd it to be needless, in regard per­sons upon enquiry may meet with them bound up all together. The forementioned Prayers I have not here Scriptur'd out, be­cause most of them, as to the matter and sub­stance of them, will fall within the Litany, which I shall warrant by Scripture sufficient­ly. [Page 116]But here let it be noted, that we pray in particular for Kings, in pursuance of that precept of the Apostle, 1 Tim. 2.1, 2, 3. which is pressed and urged with this reason, that we may lead quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and honesty; which can hardly be done, if Kings and eminent per­sons in Authority, do not help towards it. Good Kings promote Religion wicked Kings persecute it: Josiah and Hezekiah did in­crease true worshippers, as Jeroboam did in­crease and multiply false and Schismatical ones. A good King, is a very great blessing; but so unhappy are we, that we cannot know the worth of him, unless it be in the want of him. We pray for the Church, which is excellently described by Bishops, Curates, and the people committed to their charge, all which make up a Church rightly constituted; and Ignatius the Disciple of St. John the Evangelist, tells us, that there can be no truly constituted Church without a Bishop. By Curates here are not meant Stipendiaries, but all Ministers to whom the Bishop hath committed the cure and care of Souls. For the right constituting of a Church, and for the preserving of it when it is constituted and settled, we pray for the healthful Spirit of Gods grace to be poured down upon all, who profess Christ, and em­brace [Page 117]Christianity with sincerity. The terms wherein we pray, may seem strange, in re­gard we present our prayers to the Almighty and everlasting God, who only worketh great marvels; but this expression hath a peculiar reference to Gods sending down of his holy Spirit upon the Apostles, whereby they were enabled to speak in all Languages the won­derful works of God, Act. 2.11. and to con­sirm that Doctrine by Miracles, which they taught the world. The Prayer of St. Chryso­stom, who lived about the fourth Century, is grounded upon Mat. 18. v. 19, 20. and may be met with word for word in his Liturgy. We begin and end the Morning Service with the Apostle; as we begin the Exhortation in an Apostolical stile, so we conclude the Prayers with an Apostolical Prayer; and conclude most of our Prayers and Collects with this clause, Through Jesus Christ our Lord, because there is no coming to God but by Christ; what we ask (as we ought) in his Name, God will give us for his sake. He is our Jacobs Ladder, by whom our Prayers ascend to God, and Gods blessings descend to us; all good things come from God the Father, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Morning Prayer intended in this or­der, is that which I have before explained, which did usually begin at six in the morn­ing, and doth still in the Cathedral Churches, where the Canonical hours are punctually observed: Now every Canonical or greater hour, did contain so many lesser hours; from six in the morning to nine, was the first hour; from nine to twelve, was the third; from twelve to three afternoon, was the sixth; from three to six, was the ninth, &c.

THe Evening Service is exactly the same with the Morning; as the Jews had their daily Sacrifice, a Lamb for the Morn­ing, and a Lamb for the Evening, Exod. 29.38. so we Christians, in a more Spiritual sense, have the same Sacrifice to offer up to God by Christ continually in the Morning, and in the Evening; only here are two Col­lects to be taken notice of, which are not in the Morning Service; as also the Hymns and Psalms after the first and second Lesson.

• After the first Lesson,
• Magnificat, S. Luk. 1.46.
• Cantate Domino, Psal. 98.
• After the second Lesson,
• Nunc dimittis, S. Luk. 2.29.
• Deus misereatur, Psal. 67.

After this the Creed, the lesser Litany, the Lords Prayer, and the following Responses, all to be ranked and placed in that order as they stand in the Evening Service, without either Scriptural Notes, or Explanation: After this follows the Collect for the day, and then two other Collects proper for the Evening Service.

Out of the 91 Psalm this Prayer may be enlarged, as there shall be occasion in our private Devotions; in which Psalm there is mention of the terrours by night, and of the Pestilence walking in darkness; and there­fore Evening and Night Prayers, are cer­tainly a good defensative against both. What remains of the Evening Service, is the same with that of the Morning, and concludes in the same manner.

For the often use of this Prayer in our Liturgick Offices, and the meaning of it, see before.

[Why this is so often used, see before.]

Note. All the forementioned Prayers, with the Responds, are short, lively, active and spirited, Prayers uttered with fervency, which are most available with God, when they come from devout and righteous souls, [Page 188] Jam. 5.16. it is the short Prayer which pier­ceth Heaven; God looks not at how much we pray, but how well we pray, how hear­tily and sincerely we pray. Such were the Prayers of the most devout Christians in ancient times, whose hearts fired with zeal and devotion, did passionately send forth short Prayers, as the hottest Springs send forth their waters by ebullitions.

[See before.]

Note the fulness of this Prayer, and by this judge of all the rest: Herein we pray, that God would in mercy pardon the sinful frailties and infirmities of our lives, and the imperfections of those very Prayers wherein we beg that pardon. This we beg, not for our merits, for we can merit nothing at his [Page 189]hands, but upon the account of his mercy. And we pray further, that he would divert from us all the evil of punishment, which our evil of sin might move him justly to inflict upon us; and that whatever calamities be­fall us in this world, for our own defaults, yet we may repose confidence in his mercy, and not distrust him, though he kill us, how­ever we may have cause enough to distrust our selves; but that we may be awakned, and warned by the punishments which he is pleased to inflict upon us, to walk more wa­rily for the future, to make our actions more holy, and our lives more pure, that so we may bring good to our selves, and honour and glory to him; and all this, as we do all other things convenient and needful for us, we beg not through the mediation and in­tercession of any Saint or Angel, but through our only Mediatour and Advocate, Jesus Christ our Lord.

And be it noted, that the Litany is no di­stinct Service properly, for a Service consists of Psalms, Lessons, Creed, Thanksgivings, and Prayers distinct, only it is a distinct Form, and many times made use of as a fit preparative to other ensuing Offices. For­merly notice was used to be given, by the tolling of a Bell, when it was to be said. The accustomed days for the saying of it, are Sundays, Wednesdays, Fridays, the three days of Rogation, and other Fasting-days appointed to be observed in times of Plague, Famine, War, and other general calamities; and it is a devotional piece of Service very suitable to all such times. The usual place for saying of it, where it can be done con­veniently, is in the midst of the Church, and just before the Chancel-door, the Mini­sters turning their faces towards the Altar, [Page 191]or Communion-Table, when they say it: For, saith Chrysostom, it is fit that the Mini­ster who officiates in Prayer, should put on the outward garb and deportment, as well as the inward mind of a Supplicant; and therefore he is to be in the kneeling posture, the posture of penitents, when he is perfor­ming this penitential Office; and he is to perform it in the appointed place, in imita­tion of the Priests and Ministers under the Law, who were commanded in their peni­tential Service, to weep between the Porch and the Altar, and to say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to re­proach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God? Joel 2.17. To conclude, the Litany, take it in the whole, and in every part of it, is so excellent a Form of all good devotion, that they must needs be upbrai­ded either with errour, or somewhat worse, whom in all parts this principal and excellent Prayer doth not fully satisfie. The corrup­tions brought into former Litanies, by ad­dition of Saints names, and Invocation of Saints, are purged away in ours, so that there is not any Litany extant more complete then ours is; the Church in other Divine Offices hath exceeded other Churches, but in this her self.

Note. The four Ember weeks were anci­ently weeks of Abstinence, quarterly Fasts observed in the four seasons of the year; the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday after the first Sunday in Lent, for the Spring; the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday after the Feast of Pentecost, for the Summer; the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday after Holy [Page 197]Cross, September the 13th. for the Autumn; and the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday after St. Lucies day, December the 13th. for the Winter. Now the Church enjoyned Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday to be weekly observed, because Christ was be­trayed by Judas on a Wednesday, was cru­cified on a Friday, and was laid in the Sepul­chre on a Saturday. And the Church en­joyned these days to be quarterly observed as Fasting-days, for these following reasons: 1. That Christians might be as devout as the Jews, who observed four several and solemn times of Fast in the year, Zechar. 8.19. 2. Because these are the First-fruits of every Season, which we rightly dedicate to the ser­vice and honour of God, that beginning every Season so devoutly, we may learn to spend the whole year accordingly; and that by this means we may procure Gods blessing upon the Fruits of the year arising out of the Earth, which are at these Seasons either sown, sprung up, come to ripeness, or ga­thered into Barns. 3. That we may call our selves yearly to a strict account for our sins committed every Season, and sadly and seri­ously repent of them. 4. That we may im­plore Gods mercy to our bodies, in freeing us from those common distemperatures, which usually are predominant at these four [Page 198]Seasons. 5. That we may procure the greater blessing upon the Ministers received into Holy Orders at these four Seasons of the year, by Prayer, Fasting, and imposition of hands. Now the forementioned weeks are called Ember weeks, from an old Saxon word Enthber, which denotes Abstinence; or, say others, from the word Ember, now commonly in use, which signifies Ashes, for Ashes were a ceremony frequently made use of in times of Fasting, and carried with it significancy sufficient; from which ceremony the first day of the Lent-fast, was termed Ash-wednesday: of which it is probable I may say something more in proper place.

Note. No persons can be offended at this Prayer, who are not enemies to all good­ness, and rather desire that debauchery and wickedness should overspread a Nation, to the shame and dishonour of it, than piety and vertue, to advance its reputation.

Note. Touching the preceding Prayers, and following Thanksgivings, may it be ob­served, that extraordinary dangers should of themselves invite us, and stir us up to extra­ordinary Prayers; and extraordinary deli­verances from those dangers, should equally [Page 201]move us to extraordinary thankfulness; as we are to pray to God for the blessings we would obtain, so we are to praise him when they are obtained; when God opens his hand to gratifie us, we should open our mouths to glorifie him. It is the Apostles prescribed method to begin with Prayer, and to end with Thanksgiving, 1 Tim. 2.1. indeed where the concernment is National, a provision in such cases is usually better made, by fixing set days to be solemnly and religiously observed; but it many times hap­pens, that the calamities inflicted, and mer­cies received, are only Provincial, or pecu­liar to some one County, Town, City, or Vicinage, so that they may not reach the cognizance of the Supreme Magistrate; therefore are these Prayers and Thanksgi­vings composed, that they may be ready upon all occasions for us to have recourse to, when there are no set days indicted for such a purpose.

Note. This Thanksgiving is not only war­rantable by more Texts of Scripture then I have cited, but it is so excellent both for matter and method, that all Churches and Writers can hardly shew a better form, so full of matter, and that comprized in so few words. This needs no vindication, because no persons in their right wits, can object any thing justly against it.

Note. These Thanksgivings extraordina­ry, answer most of them to the Prayers ex­traordinary foregeing; we praise God in the latter, for what we prayed for in the former. They need not be Scriptured out exactly, for they are the very Scriptures themselves, both for ground of matter, and form of words. They are of a very rational [Page 207]contrivance, for great deliverances ought to have perpetual remembrances, and the gra­cious favours of God bestowed upon us, are to be remembred and acknowledged with gratitude. The very Heathens in their Hi­stories shew it to be usual, and God in Scrip­ture by his injunction makes it necessary, Deut. 4.9, 10. that we should dutifully re­pay to God our tribute of praise, for the great and undeserved benefits which we have received from him, Psal. 111.4. Thus have I, for the good of the Church, (I hope) and for the glory of God, and for the satis­faction of some who may have prejudices against our publick Divine Service, and up­on that account may absent themselves from it, or not joyn in it with that devotion as they ought to do; and I am sure without making any unhandsom and uncharitable reflections (which is a very great errour of the Pen) upon any persons whatsoever, who do but own Christ and God as they are re­vealed in Scripture, and profess Christianity, contributed my poor endeavours to invite so many in, as can be rationally moved and perswaded, to joyn with us in our Christian Assemblies, that we may with one heart, mind and mouth glorifie God, and serve him without distraction, who is I am sure the God of order, and not of confusion.