The Devout Christian Instructed How to Pray and Give Thanks, Title page – Errata
THE DEVOUT CHRISTIAN Inſtructed How to PRAY and give THANKS to GOD: OR, A Book of Devotions FOR FAMILIES: AND For Particular Perſons IN Moſt of the concerns of Humane Life.
By the Author of the CHRISTIAN SACRIFICE.
1 Theſſ. 5.17. Pray without ceaſing.
18. In every thing give thanks.
LONDON, Printed for R. Royſton, Bookſeller to His moſt Sacred Majeſty. MDCLXXIII.
Non magna loquimur ſed vivimus.
QUI SEQUITUR ME IN TENEBRIS NON AMBULAT.
Cum clamore valido et lachrymis preces off…ens exauditus est pro sua reverentia
THE AUTHOURS PREFACE.
I Need not tell the well diſpoſed Reader, there being ſo much ſaid and writ continually in this Argument, how natural and neceſſary it is for all rational creatures, to look back upon all occaſions to the Author of their being; that they may make him their hearty acknowledgements for all the benefits they have received from him, and ſtill recommend themſelves and all their concerns, to his continued Grace and good Providence. Nor ſhall I go about to ſhow how much the Publick Service of God in his own houſe is to be preferred before the private Devotion of Families at home: there being no reaſon, as far as I understand, to make the latter neceſſary, but only becauſe, in most places, Chriſtian people cannot meet together, at the Church, every day Morning and Evening, to give to God the glory that is due unto his Name.
My buſineſs is to deſire him to remember, how natural it is likewiſe to all mankind to take ſuch good advice before-hand, when they have any petitions or thanks to prefer unto earthly gods, as that they may be delivered in a decent and grave form of words, as well as after a reverend manner: and to conſider therefore, with what ſober and prudent care all thoſe expreſſions ought to be weighed, wherein they preſent the humble deſires and grateful affections of their hearts, to the moſt High God, the eternal Majesty of heaven and earth.
It hath not proved I am ſure an honour to Religion, that men have learnt to be leſs ſolicitous about the one, than they are about the other. But ſuch have been the licentious rambles of their fancy in ſuddain Prayer, ſo bold and rude have their deſcriptions been of Almighty God, ſo raſh their affirmations concerning him or concerning themſelves, and ſo many untrue or doubtful things have they uttered; that it is ſufficient, in my poor judgement, to blaſt the credit of that way of addreſs to him, as it hath done, alas! with too many, the credit of Chriſtian Piety, which hath ſuffered extreamly by ſuch extravagance.
I know there are great numbers that will be ready to oppoſe me in this particular, with whom I liſt not to diſpute in this ſhort Preface. Let me only beſeech them to uſe ſo much moderation, as not to diſcourage honest-hearted people from performing their duty to God, by diſgracing any longer, as they have been wont to do, all Book-prayers. Which if they have not the advantage (as I think they have) of ſuddain conceptions and expreſſions, yet are ſo neceſſary in the Church, that without them many perſons cannot pray at all. And I hope they will confeſs, upon due deliberation, that though ſome few may have attained an habit of uttering their deſires freely, and becomingly upon any occaſion, yet as the uſe of it before others is too apt to miniſter to pride, vain-glory, and ſelf-conceit; ſo moſt people are ſo defective both in their conceptions and utterance, as not to be able to diſcharge this holy duty as they ought, without ſuch aſſiſtance as is here offered them.
How well I have performed what I have undertaken, I must leave to the judgement of others. I am ſure I have proceeded with deliberation; and ſtudied faithfully to avoid all affected expreſſions, fantaſtical alluſions, inſignificant allegories, pretended wit, and elegant converſions of ſentences, and raſh application of the holy Scripture to my preſent purpoſe: which have been the vices, perhaps, of ſome forms, though not ſo frequently, as well as of mens haſty inventions.
I have laboured alſo to gratifie the Reader with ſome variety; not becauſe I think it is always beſt to uſe it, but becauſe ſome weak and ſqueamiſh appetites will not be ſatisfied without it. And beſides Prayers for Families, I have compoſed a great many other for particular perſons; wherein if I have failed in the clearneſs and perſpicuity of my expreſſions, it was much againſt my will: and being admoniſhed of it by my friends, I will reform it, or any thing elſe that is amiſs.
But the length, or the brevity of the Prayers ſure will not be accuſed, becauſe there are of both ſorts; that they who like not the one, may make uſe of the other.
Some, I doubt not, will complain that they find not a Prayer for ſome particular want of theirs, not here named; but that's a defect which could not be remedied. For I knew not where to ſtop, if I had extended my thoughts beyond thoſe neceſſities which are moſt common; and the reſt, I hope, may be reaſonably well ſupplied out of that which I have done to ſerve the other.
It is poſſible alſo that ſome may judge this whole Work to be but a needleſs labour: ſince they have the Book of Common Prayers at hand, which they can uſe at home, as well as in the Church. With theſe perſons I ſhall not contend; but only deliver my opinion freely about this matter. Which is, that the reverence due to that Book will be beſt preſerved, by employing it only in the publick Divine Service; or in the private, where there is a Prieſt to officiate. However, the deſign of it is not to furniſh the people with Prayers, for all thoſe particular occaſions, wherein devout ſouls would make their requeſts to God. And the conſtant opinion of pious Divines, in this and in other Churches, we ſee, by their writings, hath been; that other Books of Prayers, which they have compoſed, are neceſſary for the Flock of Chriſt, beſides their publick Liturgie.
That which remains, is only to intreat thoſe who will make uſe of this Book which is here tendered to them; Firſt, to ſtirr up their hearts to offer their Praiſes, Thanksgivings, and Prayers unto God our heavenly Father, with fervent devotion of ſpirit. And then, not to imagine the reading them out of a Book is any hindrance to Devotion; but rather a conſiderable help, and much better than truſting the memory even with a form. For a mans mind hath nothing to do, when he hath the words before his eyes; but wholly to intend it ſelf, to the raiſing of its affections unto the greatest height and ardency of deſire, and love, and joy, that it is able.
But take heed, I beſeech you, in the last place; leſt the performance of theſe holy duties, with ſome affection, deceive you into the neglect of all the reſt. Our Prayers will be fruitleſs, if they be not attended with our ſerious ſtudy and earneſt labour, to attain that which we beſeech God to beſtow upon us. And therefore with a ſincere hatred of all ſin, and a ſpirit armed with hearty reſolution againſt it, invoke the Divine Grace for your aſſiſtance.
If you be true Chriſtian Souldiers, that manfully fight under the banner of our Lord, call to him for aid, with your weapons in your hand. With a mind bent to conſider, deſire God to enlighten you. And with an heart ſtored with the treaſures of Divine Truth, beſeech him to quicken and enliven you. And with cloſe and urgent applications of them to your heart, entreat him to enable you to form and ſhape your whole man, ſpirit, ſoul and body, according to them. For God is not hard to be entreated, ſince he entreats us to come to him, yea gives a great deal of his grace without asking: but it is the faintneſs or inconſtancy of our endeavours to comply with his grace, and our own petitions, that makes them no more prevalent.
They that had no other Director, but the light of their own minds, ſaw this well enough, and were ſo ſenſible of this truth; that they were wont publickly to declaim (as we find in Ariſtides his Oration to the Rhodians concerning Concord) againſt the abſurd folly of thoſe, who were perpetually importuning the Gods with their Prayers, but would do nothing for themſelves; foreign, &c.no, not thoſe things which they knew the Gods had put in their power.
And in the ſame manner Demoſthenes in one of his Philippicks, chides the Greeks; comparing them to men, who ſeeing great Hail-ſtones fall upon their heads, prayed that they might be preſerved in ſafety; but would not run away to ſecure themſelves from harm.
And therefore Clemens Alexandrinus, Lib. 7. Strom.justly commends the wiſdom of thoſe, who made the Laws of the famous Olympick Combats: By which he that entred the liſts, having for a long time before exerciſed his body to feats of activity, was ordered before he began to contend for the Prize, to stand right over against the Statue of Jupiter, and to ſay this Prayer. O God; if I am in all regards duly fitted and prepared, as I ought, for this Combate; vouchſafe, in thy righteous judgement, to grant the victory to me. Even ſo, ſaith he, may a man chearfully approach to God, who, faithfully and with a good conſcience, doth all that he can both to learn his will, and to exerciſe himſelf in good works, that are pleaſing to him: for he ſhall have all that can be wiſht for the perfecting of his Salvation. Juſt as a Phyſician (as he goes on) reſtores health to thoſe, who cooperate with his medicines: ſo will God give his eternal ſalvation, to them who work together with him, both unto knowledge, and unto well doing.
As for thoſe who do not live well, it is plain, ſaith he in another place,Lib. 6. Strom. that they do not ſo much as know what things are moſt profitable for themſelves. And if ſo, then it is manifeſt likewiſe that they cannot tell how to pray to God to receive good things from him, being ignorant of what is good. Or if they ſhould receive them, they would have no ſenſe at all of the gift, nor uſe it according to its worth and dignity; and that for the very ſame reaſon, becauſe they understand not its value.
Inſpire therefore, O God of all Grace, I moſt humbly beſeech thee, both my heart and the hearts of all others who ſhall read this Book, with ſuch a godly will, to endeavour zealouſly in all things to do what is well pleaſing in thy ſight; that we may comfortably expect the conſtant and powerful preſence of thy holy Spirit with us, to help us in the performance of our duty, till we have perfected holineſs in thy fear. And the ſincerity of that love to thee, which we profeſs in our Prayers, being teſtified by an unwearied obſervance of all thy commands; we may be able alſo to wait with an humble confidence for thy ſalvation: who haſt graciouſly promiſed to reward our weak and ſhort obedience in this life, with inconceiveable and endleſs joys in a better World. Amen.
Imprimatur.
Sam. Parker Rmo. in Chriſto Patri ac Domino, Dno. Gilberto Archiep. Cantuar. à ſac. Dom. Ex Aedib. Lambeth Octob. 21. 1672.
ERRATA.
PAge 41. line 8. read abundant. p. 50. l. 3. for thou, r. the. p. 51. l. 11. r. conſecrate. p. 84. l. 9. r. devote. p. 92. l. 24. r. children. p. 135. penult. dele to. p. 258. l. 7. for who, r. thou. p. 265. l. 8. for bountiful, r. beautiful. p. 495. l. 5. r. every one.