HOMILY ON THE PLACE AND TIME OF PRAYER

Short-Title Catalogue 13675. Renaissance Electronic Texts 1.1.
copyright 1994 Ian Lancashire (ed.) University of Toronto

   Edited to 2003 American English* by Curtis I. Caldwell on 06 November 2003

A HOMILY OF THE
place and time of Prayer.

 Of the Place and Time of Prayer.
[Title from the 1979 Book of Common Prayer, Episcopal Church USA,
Articles of Religion Article XXXV, Of the Homilies]

God through his Almighty power, wisdom, and goodness, created in the beginning, heaven and earth, the sun, the moon, the stars, the birds of the air, the beasts of the earth, the fishes in the sea, and all other creatures, for the use and advantage of man, whom also he had created to his own image and likeness, and given him the use and government over them all, to the end he should use them in such sort as he had given him in charge and commandment, and also that he should declare himself thankful and kind for all those benefits, so liberally and so graciously bestowed upon him, utterly without any deserving on his behalf. And although we ought at all times, and in all places, to have in remembrance, and to be thankful to our gracious Lord, according as it is written, I will magnify the Lord at all times. And again, Wherever the Lord rules, O my soul praise the Lord (Psalm 103:22): Yet it appears to be God's good will and pleasure, that we should at special times, and in special places, gather our selves together, to the intent his name might be renowned, and his glory set forth in the congregation and assembly of his Saints. As concerning the time which Almighty God has appointed his people to assemble together solemnly, it appears by the fourth commandment of God: Remember, says God, that you keep holy the Sabbath day. Upon the which day, as is plain in the Acts of the Apostles, the people usually assembled together, and heard diligently the Law and the Prophets read among them (Acts 13:14). And albeit this commandment of God does not bind Christian people so strictly to observe and keep the utter ceremonies of the Sabbath day, as it was given unto the Jews, as touching the forbearing of work and labor in time of great necessity, and as touching the precise keeping of the seventh day, after the manner of the Jews. For we keep now the first day, which is our Sunday, and make that our Sabbath, that is our day of rest, in the honor of our Savior Christ, who as upon that day rose from death, conquering the same most triumphantly: Yet notwithstanding, whatever is found in the commandment appertaining to the law of nature, as a thing most godly, most just, and necessary for the setting forth of God's glory, it ought to be retained and kept of all good Christian people. And therefore by this commandment, we ought to have a time, as one day in the week, wherein we ought to rest, from our lawful and necessary works. For like as it appears by this commandment, that no man in the six days ought to be slothful or idle, but diligently to labor in that state wherein God has set him: Even so, God has given express charge to all men, that upon the Sabbath day, which is now our Sunday, they should cease from all weekly and workday labor, to the intent, that like as God himself wrought six days, and rested the seventh, and blessed, and sanctified it, and consecrated it to quietness and rest from labor: even so God's obedient people should use the Sunday holily, and rest from their common and daily business, and also give themselves wholly to heavenly exercises of God's true religion and service. So that God does not only command the observation of this holy day, but also by his own example stirs and provokes us to the diligent keeping of the same. Good natural children will not only become obedient to the commandment of their parents, but also have a diligent eye to their doings, and gladly follow the same. So if we will be the children of our heavenly Father, we must be careful to keep the Christian Sabbath day, which is the Sunday, not only for that it is God's express commandment, but also to declare ourselves to be loving children, in following the example of our gracious Lord and Father.

Thus it may plainly appear, that God's will and commandment was to have a solemn time and standing day in the week, wherein the people should come together, and have in remembrance his wonderful benefits, and to render him thanks for them, as appertains to loving, kind, and obedient people. This example and commandment of God the godly Christian people began to follow immediately after the ascension of our Lord Christ, and began to choose a standing day of the week to come together in, yet not the seventh day, which the Jews kept, but the Lord's day, the day of the Lord's resurrection, the day after the seventh day, which is the first day of the week. Of which day mention is made by Saint Paul in this way, "In the first day of the Sabbath, let every man lay up what he thinks good", meaning for the poor (1 Corinthians 16:2). By the first day of the Sabbath, is meant our Sunday, which is the first day after the Jews' seventh day. And in the Apocalypse it is more plain, where as Saint John says, "I was in the Spirit upon the Lord's day" (Revelations 1:10). Since which time God's people has always in all ages, without any gainsaying, used to come together upon the Sunday, to celebrate and honor the Lord's blessed name, and carefully to keep that day in holy rest and quietness, both man, woman, child, servant, and stranger. For the transgression and breach of which day, God has declared himself much to be grieved, as it may appear by him, who for gathering of sticks on the Sabbath day was stoned to death (Numbers 15:32-36). But alas, all these notwithstanding, it is lamentable to see the wicked boldness of those that will be counted God's people, who pass nothing at all of keeping and hallowing the Sunday. And these people are of two sorts. The one sort if they have any business to do, though there be no extreme need, they must not spare for the Sunday, they must ride and journey on the Sunday, they must drive and carry on the Sunday, they must row and ferry on the Sunday, they must buy and sell on the Sunday, they must keep markets and fairs on the Sunday. Finally, they use all days alike, workdays and holy days all are one. The other sort is worse. For although they will not travel nor labor on the Sunday as they do on the week day, yet they will not rest in holiness, as God commands, but they rest in ungodliness and filthiness, prancing in their pride, pranking and pricking, pointing and painting themselves to be gorgeous and gay. They rest in excess and superfluity, in gluttony and drunkenness, like rats and swine: they rest in brawling and railing, in quarrelling and fighting. They rest in wantonness, in wanton talking, in filyour fleshliness, so that it too evidently appears that God is more dishonored, and the devil better served on the Sunday, than upon all the days in the week besides. And I assure you, the beasts which are commanded to rest on the Sunday, honor God better than this kind of people. For they offend not God, they break not their holy days. Wherefore, O you people of God, lay your hands upon your hearts, repent and amend this grievous and dangerous wickedness, stand in awe of the Commandment of God, gladly follow the example of God himself, be not disobedient to the godly order of Christ's church, used and kept from the Apostles' time, until this day. Fear the displeasure and just plagues of Almighty God, if you be negligent and forbear not laboring and travailing on the Sabbath day or Sunday, and do not assemble together to celebrate and magnify God's blessed name, in quiet holiness and godly reverence.

Now concerning the place where the people of God ought to assemble together, and where especially they ought to celebrate and sanctify the Sabbath day, that is the Sunday, the day of holy rest: That place is called God's temple or the church, because the company and congregation of God's people (which is properly called the church) assemble there themselves on the days appointed for such assemblies and meetings. And forasmuch as Almighty God has appointed a special time to be honored in, it is very meet, godly, and also necessary, that there should be a place appointed where these people should meet and assemble, to serve their gracious God and merciful Father. Truth it is, the holy patriarchs for a great number of years had neither temple nor church to gather unto. The cause was, they did not stay in any place, but were in a continual movement as foreigners and wandering, that they could not conveniently build any church. But so soon as God had delivered his people from their enemies, and set them in some liberty in the wilderness, he set them up a costly and curious tabernacle, which was as it were the parish church, a place to gather unto of the whole multitude, a place to have his sacrifices made in, and other observances and rites to be used in. Furthermore, after that God according to the truth of his promise, had placed and quietly settled his people in the land of Canaan, now called Israel, he commanded a great and magnificent temple to be built by King Solomon, as seldom the like has been seen: a temple so decked and adorned, so gorgeously garnished, as was proper and expedient for people of that time, which would be allured and stirred with nothing so much, as with such outward bright and festive things. This was now the temple of God, endued also with many gifts and sundry promises. This was the public church, and the mother church of all Israel. Here was God honored and served. Hither was the whole realm of all the Israelites bound to come at three solemn feasts in the year, to serve their Lord God here. But let us proceed further. In the time of Christ and his apostles, there were yet no temples nor churches for Christian men. For why? They were always for the most part in persecution, vexation and trouble, so that there could be no liberty nor license obtained for that purpose. Yet God delighted much that they should often gather together in a place, and therefore after his ascension they remained together in an upper chamber, sometime they entered into the temple, sometimes into the synagogues, sometimes they were in prison, sometimes in their houses, sometimes in the fields, etc. And this continued so long till the faith of Christ Jesus began to multiply in a great part of the world. Now when several realms were established in God's true religion, and God had given them peace and quietness: then began kings, noble men, and the people also, stirred up with a godly zeal and ferventness, to build up temples and churches, whither the people might gather, the better to do their duty towards God, and to keep holy their Sabbath day, the day of rest. And to these temples have the Christians customarily used to assemble from time to time, as unto appropriate places where they might with common consent praise and magnify God's name, yielding him thanks for the benefits that he daily pours upon them, both mercifully and abundantly, where they might also hear his holy word read, expounded, and preached sincerely, and receive his holy sacraments ministered unto them duly and purely. True it is that the chief and special temples of God, wherein he has greatest pleasure, and most delights to dwell, are the bodies and minds of true Christians, and the chosen people of God, according to the doctrine of Holy Scriptures, declared by Saint Paul. Know you not (says he) that you are the temple of God, and that the spirit of God dwells in you? The temple of God is holy, which you are (1 Corinthians 3:16-17). And again in the same Epistle: Know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost dwelling in you, whom you have given you of God, and that you be not your own (1 Corinthians 6:19)? Yet this notwithstanding, God allows the material temple made with lime and stone (so often as his people come together into it, to praise his holy name) to be his house, and the place where he has promised to be present, and where he will hear the prayers of them that call upon him. Which thing both Christ and his apostles, with all the rest of the Holy Fathers, do sufficiently declare by this: That albeit they certainly knew that their prayers were heard in whatever place they made them, though it were in caves, in woods, and in deserts, yet (so oft as they could conveniently) they resorted to the material temples, there with the rest of the congregation, to join in prayer and true worship.

Wherefore (dearly beloved) you that profess your selves to be Christians, and glory in that name, disdain not to follow the example of your master Christ, whose scholars you say you are, show yourself to be like them whose schoolmates you take upon you to be, that is, the apostles and disciples of Christ. Lift up pure hands, with clean hearts, in all places and at all times. But do the same in the temples and churches upon the Sabbath days also. Our godly predecessors, and the ancient fathers of the primitive church, spared not their goods to build churches, no they spared not their lives in time of persecution, and to hazard their blood, that they might assemble themselves together in churches. And shall we spare a little labor to come to churches? Shall neither their example, nor our duty, nor the advantages (that thereby should come unto us) move us? If we will declare our selves to have the fear of God, if we will show our selves true Christians, if we will be the followers of Christ our master, and of those godly Fathers that have lived before us, and now have received the reward of true and faithful Christians, we must both willingly, earnestly, and reverently come unto the material churches and temples to pray, as unto fit places appointed for that use, and that upon the Sabbath day, as at most convenient time for God's people, to cease from bodily and worldly business, to give themselves to holy rest, and godly contemplation pertaining to the service of Almighty God: Whereby we may reconcile our selves to God, be partakers of his holy sacraments, and be devout hearers of his Holy Word, so to be established in faith to God, in hope against all adversity, and in charity toward our neighbors. And thus running our course as good Christian people, we may at the last attain the reward of everlasting glory, through the merits of our Savior Jesus Christ, to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost, be all honor and glory. Amen.

It has been declared unto you (good Christian people) in the former sermon read unto you, at what time and into what place you shall come together to praise God. Now I intend to set before your eyes, first how zealous and desirous you ought to be to come to your church. Secondly, how sore God is grieved with them that do despise or little regard to come to the church upon the holy restful day. It may well appear by the Scriptures, that many of the godly Israelites, being now in captivity for their sins among the Babylonians, full often wished and desired to be again at Jerusalem. And at their return, through God's goodness (though many of the people were negligent) yet the fathers were marvelous devout to build up the temple, that God's people might return thither, to honor him. And King David when he was a banished man out of his country, out of Jerusalem the holy city, from the sanctuary, from the holy place and from the tabernacle of God: What desire, what ferventness was in him toward that holy place? What wishes and prayers made he to God to be a dweller in the house of the Lord? One thing (says he) have I asked of the Lord, and this will I still crave, that I may go to and have my dwelling in the house of the Lord, so long as I live. Again, "Oh how I rejoiced when I heard these words, We shall go into the Lord's house" (Psalms 122:1, 9). And in other places of the Psalms he declares for what intent and purpose he has such a fervent desire to enter into the temple and church of the Lord: "I will fall down (says he) and worship in the holy temple of the Lord." Again, "I have appeared in your holy place, that I might behold your might and power, that I might behold your glory and magnificence" (Psalms 63:1-2). Finally he says: "I will show forth your name to my brethren, I will praise you in the midst of the congregation." Why then had David such an earnest desire to the house of God? First because there he would worship and honor God. Secondly, there he would have a contemplation and a sight of the power and glory of God. Thirdly, there he would praise the name of God, with all the congregation and company of the people. These considerations of this blessed prophet of God ought to stir up, and kindle in us the like earnest desire to resort to the church, especially upon the holy restful days, there to do our duties, and to serve God, there to call to remembrance how God even of his mere mercy, and for the glory of his name sake, works mightily to conserve us in health, wealth and godliness, and mightily preserves us from the assault and rages of our fierce and cruel enemies, and there joyfully in the number of his faithful people to praise and magnify the Lord's holy name.

Set before your eyes also that ancient father Simeon, of whom the Scripture speaks thus, to his great commendation, and an encouragement for us to do the like. There was a man at Jerusalem named Simeon, a just man, fearing God. He came by the Spirit of God into the temple, and was told by the same Spirit that he should not die before he saw the Anointed of the Lord. In the temple his promise was fulfilled, in the temple he saw Christ, and took him in his arms, in the temple he broke out into the mighty praise of God his Lord. Anna, a prophetess, an old widow departed out of the temple, giving herself to prayer and fasting day and night: And she, coming about the same time, was likewise inspired, and confessed, and spoke of the Lord, to all them that looked for the redemption of Israel (Luke 2:25-38). This blessed man, and this blessed woman, were not disappointed of wonderful fruit, advantage and comfort, which God sent them, by their diligent resorting to God's holy temple. Now you shall hear how grievously God has been offended with his people, for that they passed so little upon his holy temple, and foully either despised or abused the same. Which thing may plainly appear by the notable plagues and punishments which God has laid upon his people, especially in this, that he stirred up their adversaries horribly to beat down, and utterly to destroy his holy temple with a perpetual desolation. Alas, how many churches, countries, and kingdoms of Christian people, have of late years been plucked down, and overrun, and left waste, with grievous and intolerable tyranny and cruelty of the enemy of our Lord Christ the great Turk, who has so universally scourged the Christians, that never the like was heard or read of? Above thirty years past [before 1623], the great Ottoman Turk had overrun, conquered, and brought into his dominion and subjection, twenty Christian kingdoms, turning away the people from the faith of Christ, poisoning them with the devilish religion of wicked Mohammed, and either destroying their churches utterly, or filthily abusing them with their wicked and detestable errors. And now this great Ottoman Turk, this bitter and sharp scourge of God's vengeance, is even at hand in this part of Christendom, in Europe, at the borders of Italy, at the borders of Germany, greedily gaping to devour us, to overrun our country, to destroy our churches also, unless we repent our sinful life, and resort more diligently to the church to honor God, to learn his blessed will, and to fulfill the same. The Jews in their time provoked justly the vengeance of God, for that partly they abused his holy temple with the detestable idolatry of the heathen, and superstitious vanities of their own inventions contrary to God's commandment, partly they resorted unto it as hypocrites, spotted, imbrued, and foully defiled with all kind of wickedness and sinful life, partly many of them passed little upon the holy temple, and cared not whether they came thither, or no. And have not the Christians of late days, and even in our days also, in like manner provoked the displeasure and indignation of Almighty God? Partly because they have profaned and defiled their churches with heathenish and Jewish abuses, with images and idols, with numbers of altars, too superstitiously and intolerably abused, with gross abusing and filthy corrupting of the Lord's holy supper, the blessed sacrament of his body and blood, with an infinite number of toys and trifles of their own imagination, to make a pious outward show, and to deface the plain, simple, and sincere religion of Christ Jesus, partly they gather to the church like hypocrites, full of all iniquity and sinful life, having a vain and dangerous fancy and persuasion, that if they come to the church, sprinkle them with holy water, hear a mass, and be blessed with the chalice, though they understand not one word of the whole service, nor feel one motion of repentance in their hearts, all is well, all is sure. Fie upon such mocking and blaspheming of God's holy ordinance. Churches were made for another purpose, that is, to gather thither, and to serve God truly, there to learn his blessed will, there to call upon his mighty name, there to use the holy sacraments, there to travail how to be in charity with your neighbor, there to have your poor and needy neighbor in remembrance, from thence to depart better and more godly than you came thither. Finally God's vengeance has been, and is daily provoked, because much wicked people pass nothing to resort to the Church, either for that they are so sore blinded that they understand nothing of God and godliness, and care not with devilish example to offend their neighbors, or else for that they see the church altogether scoured of such colorful gazing sights, as their gross fantasy was greatly delighted with, because they see the false religion abandoned, and the true restored, which seems an unsavory thing to their unsavory taste, as may appear by this that a woman said to her neighbor: "Alas gossip, what shall we now do at church, since all the Saints are taken away, since all the goodly sights we were wont to have, are gone, since we cannot hear the like piping, singing, chanting, and playing upon the organs that we could before." But (dearly beloved) we ought greatly to rejoice and give God thanks, that our churches are delivered out of all those things which displeased God so sore, and filthily defiled his holy house and his place of prayer, for the which he has justly destroyed many nations, according, to the saying of St. Paul: "If any man defile the temple of God, God will destroy him" (1 Corinthians 3:17). And this ought we greatly to praise God for, that such superstitious and idolatrous manners as were utterly naught and defaced God's glory, are utterly abolished, as they most justly deserved, and yet those things that either God was honored with, or his people edified, are decently retained, and in our churches comely practiced. But now forasmuch as you perceive it is God's determinate pleasure you should gather unto your churches upon the day of holy rest, seeing you hear what displeasure God conceives, what plagues he pours upon his disobedient people, seeing you understand what blessings God are given, what heavenly advantages come to such people as desirously and zealously use to resort unto their churches, seeing also you are now friendly bidden and jointly called, beware that you slack not your duty, take heed that you allow nothing to let you hereafter to come to the church at such times as you are ordinarily appointed and commanded. Our Savior Christ tells in a parable, that a great supper was prepared, guests were bidden, many excused themselves and would not come: I tell you (says Christ) none of them that were called shall taste of my supper. This great supper, is the true religion of Almighty God, wherewith he will be worshipped in the due receiving of his sacraments, and sincere preaching and hearing of his Holy Word, and practicing the same by godly conversation. This feast is now prepared in God's banqueting house the church, you are thereunto called and jointly bidden: if you refuse to come, and make your excuses, the same will be answered to you that was unto them. Now come therefore (dearly beloved) without delay, and cheerfully enter into God's feasting house, and become partakers of the benefits provided and prepared for you. But see that you come thither with your holy day garment, not like hypocrites, not of a custom and for manners sake, not with loathsomeness, as though you had rather not come then come, if you were at your liberty. For God hates and punishes such counterfeit hypocrites, as appears by Christ's former parable. My friend (said God) how came you in without a wedding garment? And therefore commanded his servants to bind him hand and foot, and to cast him into utter darkness, where shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth. To the intent that you may avoid the like danger at God's hand, come to the church on the holy day, and come in your holy day garment, that is to say, come with a cheerful and a godly mind, come to seek God's glory, and to be thankful unto him, come to be at one with your neighbor, and to enter in friendship and charity with him. Consider that all your doings stink before the face of God, if you are not in charity with your neighbor. Come with an heart sifted and cleansed from worldly and carnal affections and desires, shake off all vain thoughts which may hinder you from God's true service. The bird when she will flee, shakes her wings. Shake and prepare your self to flee higher than all the birds in the air, that after your duty duly done in this earthly temple and church, you may flee up, and be received into the glorious temple of God in heaven through Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all glory and honor. Amen.

*Editing goals: Clear the text from obsolete words and phrases and from references local to England, its constitution, and laws.