more substantiall and true prayers then the outward expressions alone though both severally be called prayers 2. These images in a lively way teach us how to form our prayers but the holy Ghost inableth us effectually to pray whether we use the means of hearing or seeing these images so the most substantiall prayers can not bee born in a pocket or gotten from men though the expressions may be gotten from men it is only the expressions which men receive from ministers as they concur but the holy Ghost addeth true prayer to the expressions heard or seene Quest Christ after his ascension gave gifts unto men to bee faithfully used should we then by reading neglect our conceptions Ans You need not neglect them seeing you may conceive as much as ever you did before or after reading 2. True grace is more known in using the basest means as Christ and his servants used then to use the most glorious means that our loftie nature affecteth most Q. The Scripture biddeth us pray it biddeth not read the words Ans Neither biddeth it conceive the words 2. We are bidden drink wine in a cup at the Lords supper we are not bidden drink in a cup of mettall or timber shall we therefore use only cups of gold rejecting silver cups saying they are not Gods ordinance because they are not expresly commanded to be used at the Sacrament and shall we say that cups of gold are Gods ordinance because we esteeme most of them when as God warrandeth not the one more than the other So we are commanded to pray without naming any form yet we should rather use both the forms then both these cups for examples of both the forms but not of the mater of sacramentall cups is mentioned in Scripture Then when generals are commanded in Scripture we should obey in such particulars as wherein true obedience may bee seene So we may pray truely in any form read or not read if we do otherwise the cause is not in the form but in our corrupt naturs that can not use the formes which the dearest Saints used Quest Is it not idolatrie in Gods worship to direct our faces towards a book we should look up to heaven where God sitteth in glory Answ If thou canst read turning thy back to the book thy speach would seeme to have some reason But thou canst not read without looking on the words the book is not a religious object of adoration but an object of necessitie 2. The words are images of the things signified if it be idolatrie to direct thy face towards them at prayer so should it be at the singing of Psalmes and at the reading of scriptures for it is Divine Service to read GODS word for edification 3. Elias upon mount Carmel and our Saviour in the garden without idolatrie prayed with their faces towards the earth Quest How many wayes doth Gods word warrand us to exercise spirituall dueties in particular circumstances Answ Three wayes 1. When Gods word expreslie commandeth the duety with the circumstances as when the Lord forbad his disciples to fast like the hypocrits he bade them wash their faces and anoint their heads 2. When scriptures bring exampls of the godly practising these duties in their circumstances as when Steven prayed kneeling Act 7. 3. It warrandeth by way of consequent that is it commandeth the general duety not showing the particular circumstances But none can obey except in circumstances which inable them to obey Then Gods word which commandeth the duety expresly consequently commandeth to use the same circumstances because without them they can not do the duety Wee have a threefold warrand of setformes of prayer in scripture 1. It is commanded as in Math. 6. Luk. 11. He sets down the manner and forme of prayer 2. We have examples of set formes in scripture as the blessing of the Priests it was also commanded Numb 6. And Christ prayed thrise in the same words in the garden So did the Psalmest in the Psal 80.3 By of consequent the scripture proveth that such as can not understand nor imitat new conceptions must use often repeated conceptions or else they can not pray at all And learned men though they can conceive by the same consequent they must use set formes or else they can not teach the weak ones to pray neither can they be free of the contempt of the practise of Christ and of his servants and of the simplicitie of GODS word except they use also set formes They should not seeme wiser but esteeme it great wisdome to imitat them in things lawfull which are neither cerimoniall rites that are abrogat nor miracles that can not be imitat Then as Christ commanded to give almes to the poor consequently he commanded Peter to cure a creple because he had no other riches He commanded to baptise with water consequently biddeth that in cold regions infants should be sprinkled least dipping in water kill or hurt them So in commanding us to pray he willeth us to use formes fittest for our habilitie Quest Commandeth he such as can not make use of conceived formes consequently to read or hear them read Answ He willeth 1. that they pray in set formes and concur with them 2. And if they can not read they should get some set formes perquier by hearing them often repeated by reading without reading 3. And for that purpose ministers should read them for the best memories through cold and other deseases will forget words unawares and they say other words of the same sense for them yet it confoundeth weak memories who are forced to forget the words in whose place they hear new words repeated A book is an artificiall memory ordained to help the weaknes of naturall memories for this end God did writ his law on two tables caused his prophets write the scriptures Gods Spirit worketh holy motions in mens hearts at the hearing of his word read and also of read prayers which the enemies of read prayers confesse were dyted by Gods Spirit at the first conception and what hindereth him to be still effectuall with his own work Quest Is it not a shinting of prayers if the weak ones use set formes only Answ It is rather a stinting when the strong ones use conceived formes only they stint the forme though not the words men stint their prayers when they use only a part and not the full liberty which God hath granted in his word when they are able to use the rest also which the weak ones cannot do God hath given them liberty only to use a set form for he hath not made them capable of any further so that without miracle they can not conceive 2. They who urge them to conceive because others can conceive they tempt God as if they urged them to speak all languages because the apostles spake them If God enlarge their gifts none hindereth them also to conceive 3. Neither are they so stinred but they have liberty to concur with
conceived formes so far as they can 4. But thou condemnest thy self in judging others who read prayers when thou readest either prayers or praise unto God at the singing of psalmes Gods Spirit worketh at the reading of both Quest Do any despise set formes altogether Answ Yea for some affirme that Gods spirit helpeth no mans infirmities but at the first conception of prayers but they fight against themselves unawars admitting sundry prayers in a set forme 1. They conclude the divine service saying the blessing in a set forme 2. Their conceived prayers are set formes to the people that concurre with them It is a second rehearsing of their prayers for the people conceive them not 3. They stint them to say Amen at the end of every prayer Amen is a short summe of the prayer 4. The preachers conclud their conceived prayers with a set form like to this To the Son with the Father and with the boly Spirit be glory c. 5. At singing of psalms which is a set form of praise they say also many prayers among them Quest Is it not sluggishnesse to use set formes neglecting varietie of meditations Answ We neglect them not for we conceive also 2. If the use of set forms be sluggishnesse then the contemners of se forms are sluggish in using these set formes foresaid and the people which concur are sluggish 3. It is a greater sluggishnes when men apply not set forms unto their hearts when their conscience can not deny but they signifie their wants they can not pray without noveltie of words Some were moved to pray with set forms taking them to be new conceptions because they heard not these prayers before but afterwards they loathed them also They knew not the working of Gods Spirit whereof they brag so much they think Gods Spirit be like themselves delighting only in novelty of words and abhorring his own words which himself dyted unto Christians before so that he worketh no more by his own words as they imagine but they who grow in grace despise not to use them also afterwards as did Christ and his dearest Saints Quest Can book prayers be steadable at our departing from this life Ans The last prayer that Christ said upon the crosse was a book prayer written in the book of the psalms He rehearseth it from the book of his memorie Into thy bands I commit my Spirit Psal 31 2. Oftentimes at death God holdeth before men the book of his judgements wherein all their senses may read sufficient matter for meditation and prayer 3. A well formed prayer for their present condition may be read to the great confort of distressed souls who cannot read by themselfs Quest How know you if the words of set formes be dyted by Gods Spirit Answ If they expresse things agreeable to Gods revealed will in his word Quest How know you if Gods Spirit teacheth us effectually to use them rightly Answ Every man knoweth best what is in himself if Gods Spirit work in his heart hee prayeth expressing the words with faith with fervent desires and bumilitie intending Gods glory his own salvation and the good of others though his expression be weak his desires may be fervent no otherwise are conceived prayers known to be dyted and made usefull by Gods Spirit then as the reading of a supplication hindereth it not to be a supplication unto a King and the reading of a psalm hindereth it not to be a praise unto God so the reading of prayers hindereth them not to be prayers but it furthereth us being ready to supplie the defects of our memory and it keepeth our mindes from wandring when our eyes and memories are fixed upon the same matter for diverse objects of the sight oftimes perturbeth the memorie and if we have not the words in our memorie a well formed prayer in the book of things perpetually needfull will surnish unto us matter and words for our expression and it bringeth our wants to remembrance Gods Spirit assisteth all who use the lawfull meanes and confide not in their own strength Quest Do you match two or three read lines with Gods Spirit as if they could inable us to pray Answ Neither can two or three new conceptions inable us to pray 2. By what spirit do you calumniat us as contemners of Gods Spirit unto whom we never matched the Canonick Scriptures much lesse conceived and set forms all which profit nothing if Gods Spirit work not by them 3. In the psalme fourth in miter O Lord grant us thy countenance thy favour and thy grace all such prayers of the psalms in miter are paraphrases of the text as the read prayers are of some petitions of the Lords prayer Thou by reading them at singing condemnest thy self in judging others who read prayers which is more needfull then singing of psalms in this life if at the reading the words of prayer in the psalms thou prayest not in thy heart if the words expresse thy wants thou playest the hypocrite and if thou pray then thou readest a set form of prayer as well as of praise for they are not new conceptions You confesse that men speak by the Spirit in their new conceptions our set forms at the first expression were new conceptions then who bindeth the Spirit to the set forms of prayer in miter more then without miter or who bindeth him to a read praise more then to a read prayer The Spirit inableth us to both 1 Cor. 14. and Ephes 5.18 4. Naturally all men abhor prayer more then singing of psalms because of the melody in singing if they pray without singing they supplie the melody with novelty of words which is admired by Pagans as well as by Christians it proceedeth not from Gods Spirit in christians but from satan and from their naturall part to abhor any forme of worship which was in request with Christ and his dearest saints and was dyted by Gods Spirit in his word if Gods Spirit work not with him that readeth because the conceptions are not his so is it with him him that concurreth for the conceptions are not his but if both apply the words to their hearts the conceptions are theirs as truely as they were unto the first expressours neither can any now living be the first expressour for many have had the same conceptions before Quest Reading seemeth more barnly and therefore it is fitter for children then for aged men it seemeth barnly because the words are few and often repeated c. Answ Seeing Christ the ancient of dayes and his Prophets and Apostles did read from the book of memory it becometh men if they were older then Methusalem and wiser then Salomon to read upon the artificiall memorie of books At Divine Service Christ did read on the book of Esay Luk. 4. vers 16. The apostles did read also on visible bookes for Paul had bookes and parchments 2 Tim 4. Gods Spirit who was effectuall with Christ reading a text of old conceptions will also be
sometimes true prayer may come from the heart alone Quest No Apocrypha should be brought into publict assemblies but onely Gods word and the lively voites of his owne graces mens writings are Apocrypha Answ Mens sermons the psalmes in meeter and conceived prayers are not Canonick more then read prayers 2. If they be the lively voices of GODS graces so are read prayers for godly men gifted with GODS graces first conceived them and they still signifie the same things and men having saving grace use them as the first conceivers did in earnest prayer assisted by GODS Spirit so that they make use of them as if themselves had conceived them Quest Mens writings are not without errour they carie not such majestie as the pen of the holy Ghost they are not so authentick confirmed by signes and wonders Answ Neither are mens unwritten conceptions so authentick Quest Doe not read prayers restraine the libertie of GODS Spirit who inableth men to conceive Answ Not for neverthelesse of them men may conceive as much as ever they did 2. Did Christ his Prophets and Apostles restrain this libertie when they said set forms 3. Seing GODS Spirit in his word indited both the forms they restrain his libertie who abolish any of the forms from GODS publict worship seeing GODS word which alloweth these forms is made publict to the world Quest Is it not a quenching of the Spirit to read other mens words when I should poure forth mine owne heart Answ If you have the same wants the words of a read prayer are yours as well as these who first conceived them GOD doth not appropriat words and speeches to particular men Thou wouldst have people to concur with thy conceived words which are no more theirs then read words if the one be a quenching of the SPIRIT so is the other for both are the words of other men and both are set formes to the people that conceived them not 2. It is not a quenching but a cherishing of the Spirit to use reverently the gifts which he made usefull to others it is a quenching to despise these gifts 3. Some being in stranger churches were much moved with set formes thinking them to be newly conceived because they never heard them before but at the next hearing of them they become loathsome So it is not the form but the noveltie of the words which pleaseth mens itching ears GODS word it self often tepeated is loathsome to our corrupt nature Some judge GODS SPIRIT to be like themselves delighting only in noveltie of words and therefore they make idols of new conceptions affirming that GODS SPIRIT speaketh only when men use new conceptions The papists banish away conceived forms others discharge set forms True grace should make us strive against both these extremities in the battell between the flesh and the SPIRIT for GODS Spirit indited both the forms in his word 4. A set form at the first hearing is esteemed a work of the SPIRIT but afterwards unconstant people despise the same words as a work of Satan Quest Ministers are called to preach and not to do the office of Readers Answ Then neither should they read the psalmes when they sing nor text when they preach as did the LORD out of Esay 61 1 in Luke 4. 2. Prayer is not preaching if they be only called to preach they should not pray in any form 3. Thus some confesse against themselves that a set form may be used for they say it belongeth to Readers 4. If Ministers be called to preach then they may do the office of Readers and they should do it when they want Readers for all GODS word are canonick preachings of GODS truth his mercies judgements power and wisdome and of his properties works and wonders c. Ministeriall preachings serve for a further explication clearing of the sense and application of the canonick preachings Quest Is not the reading of a prayer a neglect of conception and a shamefull prostrating of our selves to be ruled by men even to the shame of our heavenly Father who giveth unto us better gifts Ans There is no such neglect seeing you may conceive before or after the reading 2. If you concur with a conceived prayer the shame is as great you are no lesse ruled by men whose conceptions are no more thine then the conceptions of read prayers 3. It shameth not but it honoureth GOD if you reverently use the work of his SPIRIT in others but when thou despisest that which he approveth in his word on thy part thou procurest his shame Quest To read a prayer when men may conceive it is to bring the weak and the lame when they have a male in the flock Malac. 1.14 Answ But if I conceive before or after the read prayer I offer the male also 2. If I read a prayer with faith with fervent desires and humble expressions it is a male without blemish before GOD through Christ the Lord and his apostles and prophets offered such males reading set forms from the invisible book of their memorie So wee may read from the visible booke of paper which is an artificiall memorie A book is a rich treasure of conceptions an artificiall memorie a wonderfull providence of God to help such as are weak both of understanding and memorie Quest Should not Christians studie to perfection and grow in godly exercises Answ The grouth of Christians is not in multitude and varietie of words and conceptions for Tullius and Demosthenes might then have been Christians who could be eloquent in any subject even in Christian maters if they had midled with them albeit they had been but hypocrits 2. Neither consisteth this grouth in forsaking the form of prayer which Christ the fulnesse of all perfection used and approved in others but it is a grouth in holinesse of life heavenly knowledge faith hope charitie fervencie in prayer of any form and in other spirituall graces and in doing good works Our Lord in his greatest perfection ended his life saying a few words first conceived by David in psal 31.5 Into thy hands I commit my Spirit and Steven said Lord Jesus receive my Spirit Quest If any that can walk perfectly come to his father creeping or desiring to be born by others will it not offend his father and procure a refusall rather than the benefits which be seeketh So he that can conceive cloquently if be read a prayer or say a set form and so is born up by other mens speaches be offendeth God and procureth a refusall of his benefits Answ Hee that concurreth with conceived prayers is as much born up with other mens speaches 2. Thus the high Priests using the words of the blessing which Aaron first said and the Prophets and Apostles using such set forms as are mentioned in the preceeding chapter are here reproached as born up by these speaches or that they offend GOD using set forms when they may conceive and CHRIST is blasphemed as an offender of GOD and so is