The practical divinity of the papists discovered to be destructive of Christianity and mens…

Sect. 2. Come we to the next of their good works, that is Prayer; this unquestionably is a good work, but then sure it must be good praying; but they are so far from judging it necessary to pray well, that they conclude it sufficient to employ themselves about this work, in such a manner, as cannot upon a just account, be called praying at all. The ⟨p. 398⟩only public prayers necessary for the people by the Roman orders, are those of the Mass, but how they pray therein, I cannot apprehend. They use not the words, they need not hear them, they cannot understand them; now can it be imagined that he prays, who neither expresses, nor conceives any Petitions? they do it not themselves, they join not with the Priest, for no man can possibly concur with the words, or the sense of him whom he neither hears nor understands. They cannot concur with the Priest as men, with rational acts, much less as Christians. The Church of Rome has made it not only needless, but impossible for the people to pray in their public Service, they must think something sufficient for them, which is not praying. Let us see what account their Authors give of this. Sylvester proving that it is not needful to pray on the Lords Day, or any of their days, for public worship, tells us what will serve the people instead thereof. ^(r)It suffices that they stand hy the Priest praying in the Mass, and that's all that is requisite, by virtue of this Precept. So that the Church requires no more than the presence and posture of the body. And they that can make a prayer of this, may make an Image in the Church to pray: and if this would be a miracle, it would be as wonderful that the other should be praying; but thus it becomes those who will worship Images, as if they were God; to worship God, as if themselves were Images. Oh but they must concur with the Priest, ^(s)so far, as either actually or virtually to wish that his prayers may be heard. And if this be praying, a man may pray in the Church, while he is in his Bed at home; for actually he may wish this, if he be awake; and virtually, though he be asleep. There is no prayer, but what is either vocal or mental; what the people do in the Mass, is neither, they say nothing, nor do they understand any thing, nor need they mind any thing, of what is said;