things for the good state of the Church besides severall Hymnes and spirituall Songs sung to the praise of God Again I never read or heard that the Jews before Christ or since judged all formes of Prayer unlawful but I have read that the Jewes untill the time of our Saviour did use the Prayer of Moses viz. the 90. Psal I have read that our Saviour conformed himself in the celebration of the Passover unto divers customes of the Jewes and that instituting and celebrating the Sacrament of the Lords Supper in the close of the Paschal Supper he and his Disciples sung the same Hymn or Psalme See Dr. Lightfoot of the Passeover after it or at the conclusion which the Jews used to do in the end of the Passeover Moreover it is observed that the Jewes who lived in the dayes of Adrian the Emperour viz. in the beginning of the second Century complained of the taking away their Liturgy and therefore they had one And lastly the Moderne Jews use set forms of Prayer in their Synagogues So that certaine it is that the judgment of the Jews both Ammi and Lo-Ammi before and since their rejection is for the lawfulness of set formes of Prayer Come we to the Christian Church she hath been so farre from condemning all formes as utterly unlawfull that for about twelve hundred yeares Concil Carth. 3. can 23. Concil Milen 2. can 12. Cassand 1. in Liturgy she hath thought it expedient to use them in publique Divine worship And if we will believe Beza in his notes upon 1 Cor. 11.31 the Apostle Paul did not hold it unlawfull for ordinary Pastors in Churches constituted to use set forms in the publique Assemblies Suppose extraordinary Officers of the Church at such times as they were extraordinarily moved to pray preach and praise God by Psalmes in those primitive times were also assisted extraordinarily by the miraculous motions influences and gifts of the holy Ghost to doe all this without any form prescribed by others or composed by their owne study or premeditation yet this hinders not but that those who had not those extraordinary effusions and assistances of the holy Ghost or at such times as they were not so extraordinarily moved and influenced even in those dayes might and we since may without sin prepare Prayers Sermons and Psalms with study and premeditation or may make use of Scripture Prayers Sermons and Psalmes in the worship and service of God It is true that our Saviour bids his Disciples when they are brought before Governors and Kings for his sake to take no thought not to premeditate how or what they shall speak For it shall be given them in that same hour what they shall speak For it is not ye that speak saith he but the spirit of your father which speaketh in you Mat. 10.18 19 20. Mark 13.11 Luke 12.11 But I no where read when ye come before God in prayer the great Ruler and Governor of the World Take no thought neither do ye premeditate but whatsoever shall be given you in that same hour that speak ye for it is not ye that speak but the holy Ghost Indeed the Disciples had a promise of the Spirit who is a spirit of Prayer and of Prophecy but of neither in such a manner as universally to forbid as unlawful or unnecessary all care study fore-thought or premeditation what to pray or what to preach But grant they had these extraordinary infusions alwaies in praying and preaching so as no study or fore-thought was at all necessary yet now those extraordinary assistances ceasing it may sure be lawfull for us to expect the fulfilling the promise of the Spirit to help us in prayer and preaching that we may doe both as workmen that need not to be ashamed but so as to concur with our endevours and not his gifts to be alwaies suddenly infused without all thought or study of our own Moreover let me adde this that the opinion of the unlawfulnesse of formes of Prayer is a Novel opinion and in comparison but of yesterday I no where read or remember I am sure that it was the tenet of the Albigenses or Waldenses those antient witnesses against Antichrist that Wickliff Huss Jerom of Praguâ— Luther Melanchthon Calvin Bucer Paulus Fagius Cranmer Latimer Bradford Ridley Hoopen Knox Gilpin Fox most of them Martyrs many Confessors all enemies to the Papacy and Reformers of the Church of latter times Further I no where read that Cartwright Dr. Reyn. Dr. Burgess Hildersham Greenham M. Bains Mr. Bifield Mr. Dod Dr. Sibs men eminent for their gifts and graces and all or most such as were accounted no grrat friends to the Hierarchy and Ceremonies ever condemned all formes of Prayer as unlawfull although possibly some of them might scruple some things in the English Liturgy or judge the rigid imposing of it to the depriving of many parishes of the sincere Milke of the Word too harsh measure from them who should have been Nursing fathers to the Church Certain it is that in and after the Reformation from Popery the Reformed Churches generally obtained the use of set formes in publique Divine Worship that the Churches of England and of Scotland till of late had the Churches of France Geneva the lower and upper Germany still have set formes of Prayer either imposed or allowed at least for the Minister to use in publique Divine Administrations It shall suffice me at present if what hath been already said in this matter satisfie not to recommend dissenting Christians to Mr. Perkins Dr. Preston and Mr. Ball all men of eminency for their excellent graces parts learning and all express Assertors of the lawfulnesse of praying with or by a form See the life of Dr. Preston by Mr. Ball. M. Perkins holds a man may pray when he reads a Prayer out of a book Dr. Preston allowes the use of set formes of Prayer and answers the Objection about quenching of the Spirit And Mr. Ball hath written a Treatise justifying in part the late Liturgy Obj. But 't is easie to fore-see an Objection which some may be apt to make Why doe you seeme to build againe the things you have so lately destroyed Why did you shut the Liturgy out of the Church if you can so readily open a doore for Set Formes Answ The Liturgy or Common-prayer was taken away if we may believe the Assembly who advised the removall thereof in their Preface of the Directory substituted in its roome not as judged by them simply unlawful but for the abuse of it for divers inconveniences which had and they thought still might attend the continuance of it It was observed that ill use was made of the Service-book to justle out preaching in divers places and of the Ceremonies therein injoyned to cast out many eminently godly and able Preachers out of their Churches and Livings for non-conformity thereunto and to keep out others very hopefull Instruments from the work of the Ministry
How good and how pleasant a thing it is for brethren to joyn together in prayer God hearkens and heares and a booke of remembrance shall be written for them that speak often one to another as those converts doe Zech. 8.2 Come let us goe speedily to pray before the Lord I will goe also One soul well tuned in prayer maâ—es good musick in Gods ears Mâ— Cobbet of Prayer but he delights much saith a reverend Author I say most in prayers in consort when two or three when two or three thousand gather together and agree to ask any thing in the name of Christ The Church on earth is never so like the Church in heaven as when the four living Creatures and the four and twenty Elders i e. when Pastors and People having Harps in their hands that is being prepared to praise God and golden vials full of Odours or Incense that is being prepared to pray unto him when all these meet together thus to worship the Lamb Rev. 5.8 Let Christians say it is good for us to be here it is best for us to be here How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts this is none other than the Suburbs of Heaven than the gate than a corner of Heaven than a Heaven upon Earth Pray therefore all manner of prayer but especially in publique with the Assemblies of Gods people I shall adde but one thing more in this particular and that is to beseech you not to diminish ought of this service not to clip Gods Tribute-mony or to offer an imperfect Sacrifice unto God but at all times but especially on the Lords day let us come together at the beginning and tarry till the end of publique Prayers God will not allow the Prince of his people to absent himself or to delay his coming to publique Worship or to depart untill the Conclusion Ezek. 46.10 And now if there be any here who shall say in their hearts Wee have high thoughts of Prayer and a good minde to the duty but alas we are not able to compose a Prayer of our selves we cannot goe to prayer except some lead us by the hand we know not what to say as we ought except some put words in our mouths To these the second Observation may give satisfaction which speaketh on this wise saying II. It is lawfull to pray with or by a Set forme of Prayer Prayer is an offering up of our desires to God for things agreeable to his will in the name of Christ with confession of our sins and thankful acknowledgement of his mercies This is the definition of Prayer given by the late Reverend Assembly in their shorter Catechisme And in this we have contained all the Essentials of Prayer and all this may be done whether we make use of a written or printed book or rehearse a Prayer out of our memory D. W. Gâ—ft of Prayer that invisible book or whether we may by immediate and sudden suggestion or according to the sudden conceptions and dictates of our own hearts I say therefore that it is neither absolutely necessary in it self nor utterly unlawfull to use a Set form of Prayer Confident I am that Prayer with or by a Form is better than no prayer at all and that if all those persons amongst us who are not able to pray by immediate suggestion or sudden conception or who cannot by study premeditation compose such a Prayer as they dare offer up to God especially before others if these would make use of some Forms of wholsome desires framed by others and if being Masters of Families they would morning and evening ingage themselves to seek God with their families in this way God might and should have honour thereby and they receive blessing from God This lawfulnesse of Set Formes may be evinced by holy Scriptures by the practise of the Church of God Jewish and Christian The Apostle Paul in his first Epistle to Timothy ch 2.1 makes four sorts or parts of Prayer Supplications Prayers Intercessions and giving of Thanks and we have patternes or ground for Set Formes of all these in the Scriptures For the first sort of Prayer wherein we desire the averting of evils both of sinne and punishment we have ground to do this in or by a prescribed form of words for so God injoyned in the case of an uncertain murder Deut. 21.7 8. that the Elders of the city that is next to the slain man should wash their hands over an Heifer which was to be beheaded in the valley and that they or the Priests in their name and roome should answer and say Our hands have not shed this blood neither have our eyes seene it Be mercifull O Lord unto thy people Israel whom thou hast redeemed and lay not innocent blood unto thy people of Israels charge Again the Prophet Hosea exhorting Israel to return unto the Lord chap. 14. beginning saith Take with you words and turn to the Lord say unto him take away all iniquity and receive us graciously so will we render the calves of our lips c. from which two texts I think it more reasonable to inferre or conclude that they might without sin say those very words which were put into their mouths than to say they should sinne if they should pray in that very form of words 2. We have in the Scripture formes of Prayer or petitions for the obtaining of good things A Forme used by Moses one who had abundance of spirit at the setting forward of the Ark and at the resting of the Ark Numb 10.35 36. And another Form prescribed to Aaron and his Sons in blessing the people Numb 6.23 24 25 26. And we have a Form of Prayer also injoyned to him that paid his third yeare tithes Deut. 26 13 14 15. 3. A ground for a forme of Intercession and that too upon a publique Fast day we have in Joel chap. 2.17 Let the Ministers of the Lord weep between the Porch and the Altar and let them say Spare the people O Lord and give not thy heritage to reproach that the Heathen should rule over them wherefore should they say among the people where is now their God I doe not believe that these were all the words they did or might say unto God on a day of Humiliation but I think I have more reason hence to gather that they might lawfully have used this form of words in their Prayers that day than any man hath to conclude the contrary 4. A ground for Set forms of Praise or Thanksgiving we have in those many admirable formes of praise composed by David Asaph and other holy men and sung at the Tabernacle and Temple and that too in the times of Hezekiah's reformation 2 Chron. 29.30 and left upon record in the book of Psalmes Mr. Mede calls the booke of Psalmes the Jewish Liturgy and truly therein we have Formes of all these four sorts of Prayer There are Prayers for averting evill for obtaining of good
owne Surely we cannot have better matter better method better words than is contained in Christs owne Prayer Let us therefore not so requite the kindness of Christ in teaching us a form of prayer and his condescention in allowing us to pray after this pattern and giving us his spirit to help us in prayer as wholly to lay aside the very words of Christ but as we judge it lawful to praise God in the words of David so let us not scruple the praying unto God in the words of the Messiah the Son of David yea Davids Lord. Let us thus honour our Lord and Master as by reading his Word so by praying his Prayer I shall now come to endeavour to remove some of those rubs or stumbling-blocks I mean Objections which already lye or possibly may be cast in the way to hinder this Doctrine from having a cleare passage amongst us Obj. If Christs meaning was that we should say these words when we pray then we must alway say these words and no other words when we pray and so if this text make the saying of this Prayer lawfull it makes all other Prayers besides this unlawfull Answ It doth not follow that if we may say these words then we may say no other or that we must necessarily rehearse these very words as oft as we goe to prayer I le instance in two parallel texts Our Saviour saith Mat. 6.6 But thou when thou prayest enter into thy closet and when thou hast shut thy doore pray c. It doth not hence follow that we must never pray but privately or privately but in our closet or with our doores shut and yet we may pray in our closets and with our doores shut Our Saviour prayed oft in the Mount of Olives Again our Saviour saith Luke 12.13 When thou makest a dinner or a supper call not thy friends nor thy brethren neither thy kinsmen nor thy rich neighbours lest they also bid thee again and a recompence be made thee But when thou makest a feast call the poore the maimed the blind From hence it follows that we may call the poore the blind the halt the maimed when we make a feast and yet from hence it doth not follow that we must never make a feast but they must be called or none else but such And so because our Lord saith when ye pray say Our Father c. I gather I think rationally that we may say these words and yet conceive it unreasonable that then we may say no other or that we must say these words as often as we pray The King was bound to read in the book of the Law all the daies of his life and yet he might and was to do other things besides read in the book of the Law and might without sin read in other books daily besides the book of the Law Affirmative precepts bind semper but not ad semper and so though we should say it was a commandement of Christ When ye pray say c. as it looks more like a Precept Injunction or command than a Prohibition yet it followes not that we must pray no other prayer or never pray but that we must adde this Prayer also I say we may pray saying these very words because Christ saith When ye pray say And I say we may pray in other words after this pattern or model because I read Mat. 6.9 After this manner pray ye Our Father c. And because I read that the Apostles prayed other prayers Acts 4.24 25. and in many other Scriptures If any say But we never read that the Apostles used this Prayer at all To this I return answer That though we read not that they ever did use this Prayer yet we no where read in Scripture that they did not and we have the authority of the Ancients that they did use it and particularly in the consecration of the elements in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Hieron adversus Pelag. Greg l. 7 â—p 63. Again it followes not because the Scripture is silent as to the Apostles practise whether they used or not used the Lords Prayer that therefore they did not use it at all To plough a little as to the substance of what I say with Monsier de Spaign's Heifer in answer to this Objection We never read that the Apostles baptized any in the name of the Father the Son and the holy Ghost shall we therefore believe they did not or that is was unlawfull for them to doe so Because our Saviour saith Goe teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father of the Son and the holy Ghost I conclude that they might lawfully and so may we now use that very form of words in Baptisme notwithstanding that I read not in the holy Scriptures of any baptised in that form but the Scriptures speak expresly of some who were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus either by some of Johns Disciples or by the Apostle Paul Acts 19.5 but it no where records the baptisme of any expresly in the other forme Now because of this practise of the Church I collect they sinned not who baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus and because of Christs command Mat. 28. latter end I believe it very lawfull to baptize in the name of the Father the Son and the holy Ghost and that it is now lawfull and I think most expedient at least to say no more to baptize now in this same form of The Father the Son and the holy Ghost And so in the present case although I read not in Scripture that the Disciples did use the Lords Prayer for a Prayer yet it seemes very strange if they never should our Saviour speaking so expresly When ye pray say Our Father c. yet I judge it lawfull for them and so for us to use it because of this text yea I will adde that put the case those who had the extraordinary miraculous assistance of the holy Ghost in praying did not actually use this very forme yet I think it lawfull and expedient for us to use it who have necessarily no such infallible assistance and guidance in our prayers Obj. But the Evangelist Matthew chap. 6.16 and this Evangelist Luke here set down the Lords Prayer with some difference In the one it is Forgive us our sins for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us in the other it is Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors In the one For thine is the Kingdome the Power and the Glory for ever is added to the Petitions in the other it is omitted from hence it may be gathered that we are not to use the very words for if so which forme should we follow Ans I answer with Mr. de Spaign the Evangelists and the Apostle Paul relate Christs words in the celebration of the Lords Supper diversly may we not therefore use the words of any of them yes surely of any one of them