The Nature Parts and Kinds of Prayer, Chapter 11

The Nature Parts and Kinds of Prayer · Chapter 11

p. 187CHAP. XI. …heweth, what Geſtures may be uſed in prayer.

Sect. 1.

If it be demanded now, What geſture is to be uſed in prayer?

I anſwer, That no ſpecial rules …an be given hereof, inaſmuch as we …ave neither commandment to uſe …his or that geſture, nor promiſe that p. 188in ſo doing we ſhall the rather be heard; nor example which ties us neceſſarily to this geſture rather than to that. Some pray ſtanding, as the ten Lepers, Luke 17.12, 13. and the Publican, Luke 18.13. Others kneeling, as Solomon in the Temple, 1 Kings 8 54. Stephen for his enemies, Acts 7.60. Peter for the reſtoring of Tabitha, Acts 9.40. Others lying, as David, who lay all night on the ground, when he prayed for the life of his child, 2 Sam. 12.16. and Hezekiah upon his bed praying for his own life, Iſai. 38.2. Others groveling, as Moſes, Deut. 9.18. and Joſhua, Ch. 5.14. And leſt any man ſhould think they did amiſſe herein, we have an example beyond all exception, ſc. the example of Chriſt himſelf, who prayed ſometime ſtanding, as when he raiſed up Lazarus, John 11.41. ſometime kneeling, as in his agony in the garden, Luke 22.41. ſometime grovelling with his face to the ground, as in Gethſemane, Matth. 26.39. Hence there are confuted two errours: 1. The errour or hereſie (as Damaſcen calls it) of the Agnoclitae, p. 189who thought it unlawfull to pray any way, but ſtanding.Damaſcen. de haereſib. Contra Scripturam fecerit, ſiquis in Cathedra aut ſubſellio ſedens oraverit. Tertul. 2. Of Tertullian, who thought it unlawfull to pray ſitting; for if it might be lawfull to pray lying (as I have ſhewed by the examples of David and Hezekiah) much more is it lawfull to pray ſitting; in that ſitting is a poſition of the body, wherein we ſhew more reverence than in lying along. Beſides, we have the examples of holy men for our warrant. When Jacob was ready to die, and had ſworn Joſeph to bury him in Canaan, he worſhipped God towards the beds head, and ſitting …p in his bed, and leaning on his ſtaff, Heb. 11.21. When the Prophet Nathan came with a meſſage to David from the Lord, and told him, That he ſhould not build an houſe to his Name, but that his ſonne …ould build it: David went and …e before the Lord, and prayed; Who am I O Lord? 2 Sam. 7.18. Vaije…eb] which though it be taken by ſome to be a Catachreſis, and that ſedit is put for reſedit, yet I ſee not but it may be taken in its proper p. 190ſenſe for ſitting: for ſo the LXX. tranſlate it,foreign. Sept. Aug. ad ſimplic. lib. 2. Quaeſt. 4. and the Vulgar Latine, ſedit coram Domino, and the Engliſh, he ſate before the Lord. And Auſtin from this place concludeth, That it is lawfull to pray ſitting. The Greek Church in old time were wont to pray ſtanding, Conſtrictis ad pectus manibus, their hands being bound to their breſts;Vid. reſpon. Nicol. l. ad Conſul. Bulgar. cap. 54. which cuſtome ſome have approved; for they did thereby ſentence or condemn themſelves, that they might not be condemned of the Lord; as the King of Syria and his Captains, put ropes about their necks, to teſtifie they had deſerved death, and ſubmitted themſelves to the Kings pleaſure in that pittifull ſort. We read in the Goſpel, of ſome bound hand and foot, and caſt into outer darkneſſe; therefore the Grecians bound their hands to their breſts when they prayed, as if they ſhould ſay, Domine ne manus meas ligari praecipias, ut mittar in tenebras exteriores, quoniàm jàm ego eas ligavi, & ecce ad flagella paratus ſum.

Now as no ſpecial rule can be given p. 191of the geſture of the whole body, ſo neither of any part or member thereof; as of the hand, or of the eye. Moſes is ſaid to have lifted up his hands when he prayed for Iſrael againſt Amalek, Exod. 17.12. and Solomon in his prayer at the Dedication of the Temple, 1 Reg. 8 22. whereas the Publican is ſaid, To have ſmitten his breſt with his hand, Luke 18.13. Chriſt is ſaid to have looked up to Heaven, when he pray…d, Matth. 14.19. And David ſaith, I lift up mine eyes to the hils, &c. Pſalm 121.1. whereas the Publican …s commended that he did not …o much as lift up his eyes to Hea…en, when he went to pray, Luke 18.13.

Object. 1. But it may be ſaid, That … are commanded to pray kneeling, Pſalm 95.1. O come let us fall …own and kneel before the Lord …ur maker. We have likewiſe the ex…mples of many devout perſons, con…tantly uſing this geſture of kneeling in prayer. Greg. NazianzenGreg. Nazianz. ſaith of …is ſiſter Gorgonia, that her knees …ere as it were even growne to the p. 192ground by continual praying. And Gregory ſaith, That his aunt Thraſilla had elbows as hard as horn by leaning on a desk when ſhe prayed. Gregor. Dialog. Hieron. in vit. Pauli Erem. Hier. Epiſt. ad Marcel.And Jerom writing the life of Paul the Eremite, ſaith, That he was found dead on his knees, holding up his hands and eyes to Heaven: for ſaith he, Etiam mortui cadaver officioſo geſtu precabatur. Likewiſe we are ſometimes commanded to lift up our hands in prayer; Lift up your hands to the Sanctuary, and praiſe the Lord, Pſalm 134.2. I will that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, 1 Tim. 2.8.

Resp. The meaning of the holy Ghoſt in bidding us fall down and kneel before the Lord, is not to enjoyn this geſture of kneeling more than any other; but that we wholly ſubject and ſubmit, that we dedicate and conſecrate our ſelves to his ſervice and worſhip, uſing ſuch comely geſtures as may beſt expreſſe the reverence and humility of the heart… otherwiſe we are bound no more t… kneel when we pray, than to tremble and quake; becauſe it is ſaid p. 193Tremble before him all the whole earth, Pſalm 96.9. And by lifting up our hands, is meant metonymically the lifting up of our hearts by prayer, as Pſalm 141.2. Let the lifting up of my hands be as the evening Sacrifice, that is, let my ſupplication which I teſtifie outwardly by lifting up of my hands, let that be as an evening Sacrifice.

Object. 2. But ſome may ſay, Doth …ut our Saviour command, that when …e ſtand and pray, we ſhould forgive, and it ſhall be forgiven us; therefore …t may ſeem we are bound to pray ſtand…ng, Mark 11.25.

Reſp. Some reſtrain theſe words onelyonly to prayer in the Temple, where men were wont to pray ſtanding; as …e may ſee in the example of the Publican, and of the Phariſee, who both went up into the Temple to pray, …nd both ſtood and prayed, Luke 18.10, 11, 13. But I rather think, that …he word [ſtand] is uſed by the holy Ghoſt, for the framing, compoſing, and ſetting our ſelves to prayer; ſtanding being put for any ge…ture, whether kneeling, lying, or p. 194ſitting, either becauſe it is the chiefeſt poſition, or that it was moſt uſed by the Jewes in the Temple, to whom Chriſt here applieth hi… ſpeech;Mais quand vous vous preſenterez pour faire naiſon, pardonnez, &c. Fren. and thus the French tranſlate theſe words, cum ſtatis (i.) ſiſtitis vos, when ye preſent or ſet your ſelves to pray, forgive.

Sect. 2.

ALbeit we are not to put any great Religion in outward geſtures, and though it be not much material, what manner of geſture, or poſition of the body we uſe (ſo the mind be well diſpoſed) ſeeing bodily exerciſe, and ſo bodily geſture availeth little; yet becauſe we are to glorifie God, as well in our bodies, as in our ſpirits, as the Apoſtle commandeth us, 1 Cor. 6.20. And foraſmuch as that part of Gods outward worſhip doth conſiſt in theſe bodily geſtures, as in kneeling, in lifting up the hands and eyes, &c. So alſo conſidering, that the Scripture makes ſo often mention hereof; neceſſary it is, that we have ſome generall Rules for p. 195our direction herein; the firſt ſhall …e this:

1. In publick prayer we are to …ollow the lawfull and laudable cuſtome of the Church wherein we live. I ſay Lawfull:] for ſome ge…tures uſed by the old hereticks, the Gnoſticks, were not lawfull, as being …o obſcene, that they cannot once be …amed with modeſty. And I adde laudable] becauſe there be ſome more lawfull, that are not laudable; either in that they are not decent, or not profitable, ſerving for edifi…ation. I ſay alſo in Publick:] for …hat a man in private, being in his cloſet alone, is free to uſe what come…y geſture he pleaſeth: but in pub…ick, whether in the Congregation or a family, he is to conform himſelf to the cuſtome of that place: for if he …hall kneel when other men ſtand, or …and when others kneel (as ſome among us are wont to ſit when others kneel, it cannot chuſe but give offence, breed diſorder, and haply be the cauſe of ſchiſm and diſſention in the Church.

2. We are to uſe ſuch geſtures as p. 196will beſt ſtirre up devotion, an… ſtrike us with the greateſt reverence▪ We have this rule in a lively manne… exemplified by the practice of the Saints in all ages: ſome kneeling… others lying in ſackcloth and aſhes▪ others grovelling with their faces to the ground; others knocking their breſts; and all to the end they might hereby be affected with the greater reverence, when they came into the preſence of God, and with a more lively ſenſe and feeling of their own unworthineſſe. Moſes and Joſhua are commanded to put their ſhoes off their feet, when they came into the preſence of God, to work in them (doubtleſſe) a more reverent opinion of Gods excellent Majeſty, his Holineſſe, and ſanctity, and a baſer conceit of themſelves, their unworthineſſe and inſufficiency; the which examples, though we are not bound to follow, and in particular (as the ſuperſtitious Prieſts among the Jews do, when they go into their Synagogues, as is reported) and the Turkes when they go into the Temple of S. Sophia, p. 197becauſe we have no ſuch par…cular commandment: yet in ge…eral, we are to follow them, in …ſing ſuch geſtures,Moſes Gerardenſis. as may beſt help …nd further devotion, reverence, …umility, and the like: for if ſuch …oly and devout men as they were, …ed ſuch outward Ceremonies to …ork reverence, and kindle devoti…n; how much more have we that …e ſo cold and prophane in compa…ſon of them? They therefore that …orn, diſdain, or neglect theſe out…ard geſtures, have either a pro…hane or proud heart; for they ei…her think them to be but idle Ceremonies, or that themſelves are ſo devout, holy, Angelical, that they have no need thereof.

3. The geſture of the body is to be fitted to the grace and diſpoſition of …he heart, and ſo farre forth uſed, and no further, than as it ſerves to teſtifie the ſame: The rule hath two parts, 1. That the geſture fit the affection and diſpoſition of the mind; for if it be accounted a ſo…oeciſm in action, to ſpeak of Heaven, and point to the Earth; much p. 198more is it in manners, more in Religion, moſt of all in prayer; whe… the heart and hand agree no bette… than harp and harrow; the hear… affecting one thing, the hand expreſſing another; therefore when w… come before God with cheerfulneſſ… and confidence, we are to lift up ou… hands and our eyes to Heaven, a… Solomon is ſaid to have ſtretched ou… his hands to Heaven; and Stephen to have ſtedfaſtly looked into Heaven but coming with grief and ſorrow o… heart, we are to caſt down our eyes as the Publican, who would not ſo much as look up to Heaven. 2. The geſture of the body is no further to be uſed, then as it ſerveth to teſtifi… the grace and diſpoſition of the heart… for if the outward geſture be without the inward affection, it is nothing but hypocriſie, the outward man belying the inner man of the heart: as when the Jewes drew neer unto God with their mouths, but their hearts were farre from him; when they lifted up waſhen hands with unwaſhen hearts; therefore the outward action is never to be ſevered p. 199from the inward affection: Let us …t up our hearts with our hands to … in the Heavens, ſaith the Church, …. 3. Hence it is, that the holy …hoſt puts the outward action for …e inward affection; the lifting up … our hands for the lifting up of our …arts, Pſalm 141.3. [Bereck] ſigni…th not onelyonly the bowing of the …e, but of the heart by bleſſing …d praiſing the name of God in …yer.

Again, As the outward action is …t to be ſevered from the inward …ection; ſo it is never to go before …, but alwayes to follow it: the …ſture of the hand, eye and out…ard man, being moved, cordis quaſi …ctro, being framed, and as it were …ted by the action of the inner man; …h…refore with Manaſſes, we muſt …ow the knees of our hearts before …e knees of our bodies; and with …e Church, Lament. 3. we muſt lift … our hearts with our hands; firſt …r hearts, then our hands; firſt our …arts muſt be enditing a good matter, …hen muſt the tongue be the pen of a …ady writer: the heart is to be rent, p. 200before the garment, and to be humbled before the outward man; neither is this rule contrary to the former, which ſaith, the outward geſture is to ſtirre up the devotion o… the heart, for they are concauſae; th… devotion of the heart firſt framer… the geſture of the body, and tha… again ſtirreth up the devotion of th… mind. S^• Auguſtine ſpeaks very we… to this purpoſe:Neſcio quomodo ut cordis affectus qui ut fierent, iſta praeceſſit, quia facta ſunt, creſcit. Auguſt. de cura pro mortuis. cap. 5. I know not, ſait… he, how it cometh to paſſe, tha… the affection of the heart whic… cauſed them, is encreaſed b… them.

Sect. 3.

Object. BUt haply ſome may her… object the precept of th… Apoſtle, who enjoyneth one ſet kind o… geſture to men when they pray, and t… women another, 1 Cor. 11.4, ad 10.

Resp. We are to know that th… precept of the Apoſtle (verſ. 7. tha… a man ought not to cover his head and verſ. 10. Therefore a woman ough… p. 201… have power on her head, that is, a …ail to teſtifie the power of her huſ…and, if ſhe be married, and man in …eneral hath over her) it is no mo…al precept, of abſolute neceſſity to …e kept of all men in all places; but …nely a rule of decency or civility, …nd that onelyonly in ſuch countreys, as … the Eaſt, eſpecially where women …f old, and at this day uſe to wear …ng vails to cover their faces, chiefly … publick Aſſemblies, or in the pre…nce of their husbands, in token of …bjection. Abimelech alluding to …is cuſtome, telleth Sarah, That Abraham is a vail or covering for her …es, or of her eyes, Geneſ. 20.16. …hat is, that he is her husband, and …o hath power over her and hers, as …ing her Head, and that he was to …otect her, and that ſhe was his …ife, and therefore to be ſubject …nto him, and to be guided by him: …d which are ſignified by the vail: …. I ſay it denotes mans ſuperiority …er her, in which reſpect it is ſaid, …hat Rebekah ſeeing Iſaac, lighted off …n Camel, and covered her ſelf with a …il, Gen. 24.65.—2. His protecting p. 202of her; in which ſence the Lawyers ſay, That every married woman is under Covert-Baron, or Coverture, and ſo not liable to ſuits of Law, he being to anſwer for her. 3. Her ſubjection in all modeſty and reverence to her huſband: for hence it is that the Romans in old time, and the Germans at this day, cover the new married Bride with a vail, whence cometh the word Nubere, Nubere quaſi velare caput vel obnubilare. Feſtus.which properly ſignifies to cover the head, as Feſtus ſaith, and by a Metonimy, to be given in marriage, in that ſhe was given to the man covered or vailed. And hence it is, that the Apoſtle ſaith, That the woman ought to have power over her head, verſ. 10. where by the word power (by a Metonimy of the ſubject) is meant a vail, which ſignified, that ſhe was under the power and authority of the man: Neither is this true of married women onelyonly, but of maids alſo, who were not to pray, nor come in publick without a vail, they being inferiour to man, and as yet under the power of their Parents, as Tertullian p. 203ſhews at large in his Book concerning the covering of Virgins.Tertul. lib. de Veland. virginib.

Now that this practice is not a rule of abſolute neceſſity, to be uſed every where, and that it is not ſimply unlawfull for a man to pray or preach with his Hat or Cap on, but a matter onelyonly of decency and civility, accor…ing to the cuſtom of the place where … man doth live, may appear by theſe Reaſons:

1. From the drift and ſcope of the …poſtle in that place; whoſe mean…ng in forbidding men to pray cover…d, is not to forbid all covering of …he head in prayer, as well Hat as Cap, but ſuch onelyonly as women uſed …o wear among the Corinthians in Greece, and the greateſt part of the …iſt, namely vails, which covered …heir faces, which a man we…r…g could not be diſcerned from … woman; for ſo much the word foreign ſignifieth, and there…re it is not ſo well tranſlated, A …an ought not to cover his head, as …n the old tranſlation, and as Beza Vir nòn debet velare cuput… Beza.…ith it, A man ought not to vail his p. 204head: ſo that if a man doth but Caput tegere, or aliquid in capite geſtare, ſo that he do not Caput velare, and thereby take away the outward note of diſtinction between man and woman, he doth not offend againſt the Apoſtles rule.

2. In that the Apoſtle appealeth to the judgement of the Corinthians, bidding them judge, whether it b… comely for a woman to pray uncovered▪ verſ. 13. he gives us to underſtand▪ that he urgeth it no further, then as a matter of decency, and that tha… geſture which is generally uſed of all▪ and ſo thought decent and ſeemly, may lawfully be uſed, though i… ſeem to others never ſo abſurd — Divers Countreys have diver… and different cuſtomes, and differen… cuſtomes breed different opinion… touching what is ſeemly, and wha… unſeemly: ſo that if men in every Countrey keep their own cuſtomes behaviour and attire, not bringin… in ſtrange faſhions, nor confoundin… the diſtinction that ought to be between the man and the woman, the… ſhall not violate the precept of th… p. 205Apoſtle; though men pray covered, women uncovered, becauſe they uſe …hat geſture or attire which to them…elves ſeems moſt decent: We hold …t a ſeemly thing for women in pub…ick Aſſemblies to go without a vail, …ecauſe it is the cuſtom of our Coun…rey, whereas in Turkey, and in all …he Eaſt, it is and alway hath been …ccounted a ſhame for a woman … whether maid or matron) to ſhew …er ſelf abroad without her vail. …bekah ſeeing Iſaac covered her ſelf …ith a vail. We judge it an un…emly thing for a Miniſter to preach …ith his hat on, and that a little …ore reverence would become him …etter; whereas in the French Church …at is held to be the ſeemlieſt ge…ure of all, moſt agreeable to the …ecept of the Apoſtle, who bids …t us, to teach, exhort, rebuke with … authority, foreign.Tit. 2.15. and moſt …deeming the perſon which he ſu…ineth, being the Embaſſadour of …od. For if the Embaſſadour of an …athly Prince is not to be bare when …e delivereth his meſſage, much leſſe …ay they) is the Miniſter, Gods Embaſſadour p. 206in delivering his.—Moſt men at this day think, that the moſt reverent geſture for a man to pray is bare-headed, or uncovered, and women covered: whereas the ancient Romans, as Plutarch foreign. Plutarc.ſheweth, made ſupplication to their gods with their heads covered, teſtifying their humiliation by covering their heads; for by this geſture of covering their faces two things are meant: 1. They did hereby acknowlege themſelves guilty malefactours, worthy to die; for perſons condemned to die had their faces covered, not onelyonly among the Romans (as we may perceive by the ſaying of Cicero: I lictor, manus ligato, caput obnubiro, arbori infoelici ſuſpendito. Cicero pro Rabirio.when one was condemned to die, the Judge ſaid to the Sergeant: Go thou Sergeant, bind his hands, cover his head, hang him upon the gallows) but alſo among the Perſians, as we may ſee S…ct. 7, 8. where when the ſervants of Ahaſuerus heard him ſay to Haman, Will he force the Queen before me in the houſe? knowing there was miſchief prepared for him of th… King, covered his face. 2. The acknowledgement of the exceedin… p. 207great glory and majeſty of God in whoſe preſence they ſtood, that it was ſuch, and ſo great, that they could not behold the ſame. When God ſpake to Moſes out of the buſh, and bad him put off his ſhooes, it is ſaid, that Moſes hid his face, Exod. 3.6. and durſt not behold it, Acts 7.32. When God ſpake to Elias in Mount Horeb in a ſoft and ſtill voice, …t is ſaid, He covered his face with his mantle, 1 Reg. 19.31. Nay the holy Angels themſelves are ſaid to cover their faces with their wings, as not able to behold the brightneſſe of his glory, Iſa. 6.2.

2. That the Apoſtle doth not ſimply forbid a man to pray covered, may appear by the like; for look how he forbids men to wear long hair, ſo he forbids them to pray covered; for both theſe prohibitions are of the ſame nature, delivered in the ſame place, and upon the ſame ground: now he forbids not long hair, as a thing ſimply unlawfull, but ſo farre forth onelyonly, as it confoundeth the Sex, or as it is unſeemly, ſwerving from the cuſtome of page missing p. 210God, 2 Chron. 6.8. God approveth of his intention; but the accompliſhment of that work is devolved upon Solomon his ſonne: there be divers actions which have ſpecial references unto typical ends, ſuch an action was the building of the Temple, the founder thereof muſt be a type of Chriſt: Davids perſon will not correſpond with the prefiguration of Chriſt, who is the Prince of Peace, he being vir ſanguinis, a man of bloud: as for thoſe actions which concern all men generally (as Invocation, Adoration, and the like) they alway require a haec facite, a preſent diſpatch; but as for ſuch actions as are individual, ceremonial, or have dependance upon ſome type, there conſideration muſt be had of the circumſtances of perſon, time and place; ſuch an action was the building of this Temple: Solomon having built the Temple, it was called by the name of God, Jerem. 7.11. and God ſaid his Name ſhould be there, 2 Reg. 8 …9. thither all the Jews out of their ſeveral tribes aſſembled themſelves three ſeveral p. 211times every year to celebrate thoſe …hree ſolemn Feaſts inſtituted, Exod. …3. viz. the feaſt of the Paſſeover, …he feaſt of Pentecoſt, and the feaſt of Tabernacles; in this Temple Chriſt …eſus was preſented to the Lord, Mary was purified;Luke 2.Luke 2 here it was that …nna ſerved God with faſtings and …rayers night and day; here likewiſe …is parents found him diſputing with …he Doctors, being but twelve years …ld; here he often taught the people, …ter he taught publickly: from …ence he drove out thoſe that ſold Oxen, and Sheep,Joh. 2. Lightf. harmon. Evangel. Sigonius.John 2 and Doves and the …hangers of money ſitting; theſe …ere ſold for Sacrifices, Lambs for …he Paſſeover, and Bullocks for the …ſtival after, and the Doves for the …effering of thoſe women, and thoſe …epers cleanſed that were poor and …ot able to buy a Lamb, as a Learned …an noteth. At theſe times there …eing like to be great ſtore of Sacri…ces, they cauſed a Market to be kept … Je…uſalem, in the Court of the Temple, that thoſe that came from …arre to the Paſſeover, or to the …ther Feſtivals, as Chriſt did with p. 212his company at this time, might n… be forced to bring their Lamb o… Bullock for Sacrifice, but might bu… them for their ready money, whe… they came to Jeruſalem. Twice di… Chriſt whip out theſe prophaners o… the Temple, once at the beginnin… of the execution of his Prophetica… office, John 2.15. and the ſecon… time toward the end and expiratio… thereof, Luke 19.45. and in thi… fact of his, there did plus quam humanum apparere, Gualter. in Luc. 19.Luke 19appear more than a humane power; for I have read▪ that the year following, Pilat… bringing the Image of Caeſar into th… Temple to be ſet up, was reſiſted by the people, notwithſtanding hi… place and great authority among them; as alſo going about to take away certain monies out of the Temple to imploy to make a water-courſe for the uſe of the City, he was like to be torn in pieces. Now the reaſon why our Saviour deals thus ſharply with theſe men, is ſet down Luke 19.46. he ſaid unto them it is written, My houſe is th… houſe of prayer, but ye have made it … p. 213den of thieves. Chriſt juſtifies his …ct from the Scripture, Iſai. 56.7. …nd Jerem. 7.11. in the former of …hich places it is ſaid, That his houſe …all be called a houſe of prayer to …ll people or nations: which words muſt not be taken and conſtrued li…erally, as if all the world ſhould go …o Jeruſalem, and there pray, and do …heir devotions in the Temple; but myſtically and metaphorically fore…lling the calling of the Gentiles, and …eir admiſſion into the Covenant of Grace, who were by nature aliens …im the Commonwealth of Iſrael; he …ith, they ſhall be joyned in ſociety with the reſt of the children of Abra…am, and joyn with them in the true worſhip and ſervice of the true God, which was conveyed from Jeruſalem …nd the Temple to other places;Zech. 14.8.Zech 14:8 ac…ording to that of the Prophet, Iſai. ….3. Ezekiel 47 9. In the latter place, ſc. Jerem. 7.11. he reproveth …hem for prophaning and perverting … evil purpoſes, what was ſet apart for holy uſes: yea he deals plainly with them, telling them they had made his houſe (a houſe of prayer) to p. 214become a den of thieves; by way … alluſion; becauſe as thieves and robbers, are commonly moſt impuden… and audacious, when they be nee… their dens and caves, where they ca… take covert, and hide themſelves ſo they under the cloak of Religion covered their covetouſneſſe an… other impieties; for they had theſ… things to ſell in the Temple, an… that by permiſſion, to the end tha… all the people that dwelt farre off might there buy, whatſoever they would to offer, which ſhould tur… to the profit of the Prieſts. But … ſhall digreſſe no further. My houſ… ſhall be called a houſe of prayer, ſaith our Saviour; here we muſt remember, that both the Prophet Jeremy and Chriſt alledging his teſtimony▪ do uſe a Synecdoche, and by one part of Gods worſhip, underſtand the reſt; for it were an idle and ſenſleſſe concluſion, to ſay, that therefore it's not a houſe of preaching too: it were as good an argument, as to ſay, ſuch a man is quick-ſighted, or can ſee well; therefore he heareth very ill or not at all: now in the ſervice o… p. 215God every duty muſt have its due …ace: for prayer in the Temple we …ave Gods precept in the fore-cited …ace, Iſai. 56.7. for preaching there, was Chriſts conſtant practice; He …ught daily in the temple, Luke 19.…. This the Evangeliſt noteth in …e next words to that, where Chriſt …id, It is written, My houſe is the …uſe of prayer; now what God hath …ed together, let no man put aſunder; …reaching muſt not thruſt prayer out … the Church; for it's an Oratory, … houſe of prayer; nor muſt prayer …uffle preaching out neither, for it's …n auditory, and place for preaching: …nely this we may note in a word, …hat prayer is well-pleaſing to God, … that both here and elſewhere …t is put for the whole worſhip of God.

The Jewes had but one Temple which was at Jeruſalem, where (and …o where elſe) Sacrifices might be offered. 1. To teach us that there Chriſt was to offer himſelf an all-ſufficient Sacrifice for the ſins of the whole world. 2. As alſo to put us in mind, that there was but one faith p. 216and Religion, and that particul… Congregations might not ſeparat… themſelves from their mother Church: But leſt Barbariſm migh… over-ſpread other places, it was provided that they had Synagogues i… their Towns and Villages, wher… the Levites, (diſperſed over thei… Tribes) ſerved, and whither th… people inhabiting thoſe places aſſembled themſelves, to hear the Word read and preached, and to pray together: In theſe places Chriſt often preached on the Sabbath-dayes▪ 1.Bonum quò communius eò meliùs. That he might do the more good by the publickneſſe of the place, whither the more frequent concourſe of people reſorted. 2. That if his Doctrine were cavilled at, it might have this for its defence, that it was not taught in corners, as he told Pilate, John 18.20. by his practice commending the cuſtome of thoſe Countreys, where are publick places appointed for publick meetings. Indeed we read in the book of Numbers, That God commanded his people when they ſhould come into the promiſed Land, not to let a grove, an altar, p. 217or a Temple ſtand: but this precept is …ot moral, but political, and there…re bindeth us not, it had a particu… reference onelyonly to that people: …ey were to have a Temple of their …wn in this Land, and that Temple …s to be a type of our onelyonly Media…r Jeſus Chriſt: and that it may be …one, all other according to that …recept muſt down: our Temples …re not typical, therefore that precept …eacheth not us.

Therefore the Church or publick …eeting place ought to be frequented …y us for theſe Reaſons:

1. That we might make a pub…ck confeſſion of our faith before the …eople, to ſhew that we are not aſha…ed of the Goſpel and profeſſion of Chriſt.

2. To ſhew our charity and unity …e with another, by meeting in the …ame place to pray together with the …ime-affection, and for the ſame …hing.

3. Becauſe here it is poſſible we may ſooner obtain our requeſts at the hands of God than elſewhere. For it is a Principle both in Nature p. 218and Policy, Vis unita ſortior, for… and ſtrength united receiveth mor… ſtrength: It holdeth likewiſe in Divinity: If the prayer of one righte… man availeth much, than much mo… the prayers of many righteous me… will avail with God. If the Rule of the Synagogue obtained his ſui… which he made for his daughter much more the Church and Congregation of Chriſt ſhall obtain for he… children, Etſi duo magna poſſunt quantò magìs plures? If where two or three be gathered together in th… Name of Chriſt, he will be in th… midſt of them, then much more in… the midſt of a great Congregation▪ and multitude of Gods people, i… whom there is one heart, one ſoul▪ one tongue, as if they were all but one man. Let us ever then frequen… the houſe of God, and ſay with the Prophet,Pſal. 122.2.Ps 122:2 Our feet ſhall ſtand within thy gates O Jeruſalem; for there is a bleſſing annexed to the publick place of devotion, Exod. 20.24. In all places where I record my Name (or ſe… up my publick worſhip) I will com… to thee, and bleſs thee, ſaith the Lo… p. 219unto his people: thus Zachariah the father of John Baptiſt prayeth in the temple with, and for the people who were all praying without, Luke 1.10, 11. ſo Peter and John go up into the temple at the ninth hour, being …he hour of prayer, Acts 3.1. that was one of the ſolemn times when the people aſſembled themſelves together: let us not then draw one another, the left hand down-hill way …o Jericho or Beth-aven, to vice or va…ity; but the right hand up-hill way …o Jeruſalem and Bethel, not to the ta…ern but to the temple, not to the …rofits and pleaſures of the world, …ut to the worſhip and ſervice of God.

But here,We read Luke 24.53. that the Apoſtles and Diſciples were daily in the Temple praiſing and bleſſing God: I then inferre, had Temples as publick been unlawfull, they …ad neither been ſo credited by Chriſt, nor frequented by his Apoſtles.Luke 24:53 quis tam faerreus ut teneat …e? how is it poſſible a man ſhould …alke the taxation of that impiety, wherewith our temples are peſtered? what are they but idol ſynagogues? what needs all theſe expences and charges about them? now that Churches being uſed revoke not Judaiſm, will appear, if we conſider the two p. 220different ends of the Jewiſh temple: one was that it might figuratively by way of pedagogy, teach them Chriſt… this end of temples the coming of Chriſt hath diſanulled; ours are not inſtituted for ſignification: a ſecond uſe of the temple was, that being a convenient receptacle, it might be accommodated to the more opportune and decent diſpatch of Gods publick worſhip and ſervice: this end was no way ceremoniall, and to this end we uſe all our temples.

A ſecond ſort there are that quarrel with them, and they are cloſe fiſted Atheiſts, crying out, Quorsùm perditio tanta? what needs all this expence about them? we read that the Doricks dedicating their temples to Minerva, Mars, and Hercules, built them incuriouſly ſtrong, and ſo preſenting in their neglected beauty virilem majeſtatem, a maſculine majeſty: the Corinthes dedicating theirs to Venus, Flora and the Nymphes, builded them exquiſitely poliſhed, and ſo preſented in their affected beauty, muliebrem levitatem, a feminine levity: but the Jönes, a third p. 221…ort of Grecians dedicating theirs to …no and Liber, built ſuch, as neither night, Horrorem ipſa operis ſimplici…te prae ſe ferre, nor yet enervatam …llitiem ex ornamentorum luxuria …mmonſtrare: our temples ought …either be too deſpicably rude for …ant of trimming, nor fantaſtically …dundant with the exceſs thereof: …ey ſhould neither be too gaudy, …at will not ſuite with the gravity …f their employment; nor too ſlo…nly plain that will not anſwer the …ajeſty of God whoſe houſes they …e. When Conſtantine, that worthy …mperor had built ſome temples …ore than ordinarily magnificent, … did beſeem both the author and …oſe times, ſome ſtood up and de…aimed againſt his fact, untill a Sy…d of holy Fathers then congrega…, condemned both them, and all …ch as ſhould plead for a neceſſary …temptibility of publique meeting …aces: a time there was when the …vice done to G…d, was moſtly in …ivate oratories; but afterward …hen he had raiſed up Kings and …mperors to be nurſing Fathers to p. 222his Church, then the Church looked about, how they might not only ſafely, but fitly alſo execute their divine worſhip, and then every mans devotion even in building temples, ſet it ſelf plentifully on work.

Sect. 2. Of private Prayer.

I Am now in the next place to trea… of private prayer; and touching this S^t Paul ſaith, I will that men pra… every where, lifting up holy hands, &c 1 Tim. 2.8. prayer ſaith Jerome, i… Chriſtiani armatura, the Chriſtia… mans armour; therefore as it behoveth not a ſouldier to be unarmed, no more ſhould a Chriſtian b… unprepared to pray;Ubicun que ſunt pericula, & ubicun que Dei auxilio egemus, ubi orandum. Hieron. Ubicun que pius fuerit, & fervens inter pellantis affectio, oratio vim ſuam habebit. Chryſoſt. whereſoeve… there are dangers, and whereſoeve… we want the help of God, there muſ… we pray; and in what place ſoever a godly man ſhall be, and the ferven… affection of him that prayeth, ther… prayer ſhall have its force and efficacy: Thus one ſaith, As the whol… world is (as it were) Gods Cathedrall Church, ſo every mans hea… is his private Chappell. Thus L… p. 223prayed in the wilderneſs, Daniel in …he Lions Den, Paul and Barnabas in …riſon, David on his bed, Jonas in …he whales belly, Peter on the houſe…op. Acts 10.19. our Saviour went often into mountains to pray, Luke …, 12. Luke 22.39, 42, 44. and that …e might pray privately, he with…rew himſelf from his Diſciples a…out a ſtones caſt:Ab hominum conſpectu ſubducti, meliùs ſenſus noſtros colligimus, & magis intenti ſumus ad id quod agimus: magiſ que familiaritèr ſeſe denudat fidelis anima & ſimpliciùs vota ſua, genitus, curas, pavores ſpes & gaudia in Dei ſinum exonerat. Calvin. Comment. in Luc. Calvin on theſe …ords ſaith, That being withdrawn from the ſight of men, we do the better collect our ſenſes, and are the more intent upon what we do: and the more familiarly doth the faithfull ſoul lay open it ſelf to God, and more plainly unburthen his deſires, cares, fears, ſighs, hopes, and joyes into the boſome of God: and if prayer be he elevation of the mind to God, as …ath been ſaid, then is the mind the …ater elevated, Cum qui orat, recedit, … à mundi ſtrepitu, & tumultu ſe ſepe…a; when he that prayeth, goes a…de from the noiſe and tumult of …he world; as Stella noteth: alſo in …rivate, theres leaſt fear of vain-glo…y: upon this ground it is, that he p. 224bids his Diſciples to enter into their Chambers to pray, and to ſhut their doores upon them,Claude oſtium tuum; hoc eſt noli ſermonem clamare, nec diffundere orat. onem tuam, nec jactare per populos: ſed in ſecreto ſuo ora ſeculus, ut te in ſecreto poſſit audire, quoniam pidet & audit univerſa. Ambroſ. apud Arboreum. Oratio privata debet eſſe ſolitaria. Lyra. Si ipſe filius Dei hoc adminiculum nòn neglexit, pluſquàm inſana ſuperbia foret, nòn idem in uſum noſtrum transferre. Calvin. and to pray to their Father in ſecret; this was given in charge to croſs the faſhion o… the hypocrites, who uſed to ſtand and pray in the ſynagogues, and in the corners of the ſtreets to be ſeen o… men, Matth. 6.5, 6. it is not intended thereby to condemn prayers i… ſynagogues, or in corners of th… ſtreets, or market places, or upon the houſe tops, but to take away their end, which was not to be hear… and obtain, but only to be ſeen o… men: Chriſt would have us ente… into our cloſets, and in our devotions eſpecially approve our ſelves t… God, and ſo order the matter (i… thou canſt) to hide thy ſelf from th… world: for as a man may pray in ſecret in an open place, as the Publican Luk. 18. ſo a man may pray for oſtentation in a ſecret place, even unde… many locks and keys, and with many doors ſhut upon him; if he withdraw himſelf, to the end he may b… obſerved: Private prayer, ſaith Lyr… ought to be ſolitary. Solitarineſs i… p. 225threefold. 1. Solitudo mentis, the …olitarineſs of the mind, by which …e may be alone converſing with God in the midſt of a multitude; …aving our minds remote from all …cular cares and buſineſſes; but this …s rare, and hardly performed, and …appy they that can attain unto it. … Solitudo corporis, the ſolitarineſs …f the body, when our bodies onelyonly …e withdrawn from the company of …hen, and our hearts are buſied a…out earthly things; now this is no…hing but hypocriſie, and not requi…ed of us. 3. Solitudo mentis & corpo…, the ſolitarineſs of the mind and …ody; when having withdrawn our …odies from company, we alſo re…all our thoughts and retire our …elves, ut orationi vacemus, that we …ay apply our ſelves to prayer: this …d Chriſt for our example, Luke …2.41. Great reaſon there is men …ould be carefull to perform private …ray…r.

1. Private prayer hath much fa…iliarity with God, and is the trueſt …yal of a Chriſtian; and to neglect …his, is as it were a living without p. 226God, it argues a man to be eſtranged from any one, with whom he cares not to converſe.

2. Private prayer conſtantly and faithfully performed, keeps the heart of a Chriſtian in a ſoft and tender frame; where the duty of private prayer is neglected, the heart will ſoon grow more hard and brawny; we ſinne daily, and if every day we humble not our ſelves, and ſeek the face of God for the pardon of our ſins, our hearts will be the more hardened.

3. Without private prayer we cannot expect a ſanctification of the particular and private occurrences of the day; for all things are ſanctified to us by prayer, 1 Tim. 4.4.

4. In private prayer, a man may both ask thoſe bleſſings, and confeſs thoſe ſins, which he cannot ſo conveniently do in publick: in private we may rip up our whole life, with a particular confeſſion of our ſins, aggravated with all circumſtances, and this cannot be ſo ſafely, nor ſo decently, nor ſo effectually done in publick, as in private: commodiùs iſta p. 227intùs tranſiguntur; theſe parts are not to be acted on the ſtage, but within …he hangings; he that acts theſe on …he ſtage, will have the perſon of …n hypocrite put upon him, Matth. 6.5. Beſides

5. As Chriſt hath commanded us …o pray in ſecret, ſo he hath promiſed …o hear, accept, and to reward ſuch prayers, ver. 6. thy father which ſeeth in ſecret, ſhall reward thee openly: …he Lord heareth the very deſires of …he humble, Pſal. 10.17. ſo he heard Daniel in the Lions den, Dan. 6.27. …nd Jonah in the Whales belly, Jon. ….1, 2. God takes ſpecial notice of Pauls private prayer after his converſion; for ſaith he to Ananias; behold …e prayeth, Acts 9.11. he ſends A…anias to him to open his eyes, and to reveal the truth more clearly to him.

6. Private prayer is a great advantage to our growth in grace; praying in the holy Ghoſt is a ſpeciall means to build us up in our moſt holy faith, Jude ver. 20. What Solomon ſaith of wiſedom, Eccleſ. 8.1. ſc. that it makes a mans face to ſhine, p. 228the ſame may be ſaid of private prayer: we read that as Chriſt prayed, the faſhion of his countenance wa… altered, and his raiment was white and gliſtering, Luke 9.29. The Learned note, he had then the ſame glory in eſſence and ſubſtance, wherein he will come to judgement, though it differed in meaſure, being but a glimpſe onelyonly and ſo much, as thoſe that were with him at his tranfiguration were able to behold with mortall eyes, and in time and continuance being now but tranſient, which ſhall then be permanent, and we then able to behold it in the full perfection, and ſee him as he is, 1 Joh. 3.2. that Chriſt ſhould pray for himſelf there was no need, his divinity being alwayes able (if it pleaſed him to ſhew it) to ſupport and ſu…ply all helps t… is humanity: and yet he will pra… in private divers times for himſelf, Matth. 26.39. and for Peter Luke 22.32. and for all the faithfull, Joh. 17. and ſurely if he would pray, that was God as well as man, and therefore could want nothing; what muſt we do that be miſerable p. 229…nd wretched men, and have no…hing? In private prayers conſider …heſe five things.

1. You are to confeſs your parti…ular ſins, which you do moſt rea…ily and frequently commit, and …hoſe which were laſt committed by …ou, Pſal. 51.4.

2. You muſt pray for particular …trength againſt thoſe particular corruptions; thus did Paul, 2 Cor. 12.…, 8. when there was given to him a …horn in the fleſh (which ſome think to be the thorn of the fleſh) to aſſault him, he prayed thrice for this thing, that it might depart from him.

3. You muſt conſider what particular graces you want, and theſe you muſt pray for, both for the gift of them and the increaſe of them, Pſal. 119.18.32.

4. You ſhould conſider what you are going about every day, and in private beg the aſſiſtance of God: thus Abrahams ſervant being ſent to fetch a wife for his Maſters Sonne, prayeth unto God: O Lord God of my maſter Abraham, I pray thee ſend me good ſpeed this day, Gen. 24.12.

p. 230Laſtly, In rhe cloſe of every day conſider what bleſſings you have received for your ſelves that day, and for theſe you ought to give thank particularly unto God.

Object. But many men are ready to object and ſay, We have ſo much publick buſineſs and employment in the world, that we cannot spare time for private prayer.

Resp. 1. Thoſe that have had as great employment and as much buſineſs as any of us, have redeemed time for the performance of this duty of private prayer. David was a King, yet he tells us, Seven times a day will I praiſe thee, O Lord, becauſe of thy righteous judgements. And Daniel, a man of publick employment in the Court of Darius, yet he miſſeth not to pray in private in his chamber three times a day, Dan. 6.10.

2. Becauſe the more buſineſs a man hath, the more he may fear miſcarriage therein, if God doth not bleſs it, Pſal. 127.1. Daniel was aſſiduous in private prayer, though he endangered his life thereby.

3. If we pray not before we ſet p. 231upon worldly buſineſſes, we ſhall be a danger to be entangled by them: …erefore, before you undertake any …mployment, pray with that holy …an; Let the beauty of the Lord our …id be upon us, and eſtabliſh thou the …ork of our hands upon us; yea, the …ork of our hands eſtabliſh thou it, …ſal. 90.17. To conclude! let publick …rayers be feaſts, but private prayer …ur ordinary.