another thing Yea every man will be apt to think he findeth that there which his own corrupt mind brings thither It will bring confusion into Families as well as Churches whilst every Child and Servant will by this principle be tempted to reject the Instructions of his Master or Father who would teach him a Catechisin or form of Prayer for which the Scripture affords him no particular direction 6ly And hereby all possibility of Union among Christians must perish till this opinion perish for if we must unite only in that which Scripture doth particularly direct us to we must not unite at all If we must all in singing Psalms agree in no Metre or tune in the Church but one that Scripture hath prescribed us we must not sing at all If we must pray in publick only in Words prescribed by Scripture to be used in publick we must not pray at all in publick If we must receive the Sacrament only when it is consecrated in Words prescribed by Scripture we must not receive at all 7ly Hereby Christian love will be quenched when every man must account his Brother a Transgressor against the perfect Rule of Scripture that cannot shew a Text of Scripture for the hour the place of worship the bells the hour-glasses the pulpit the utensils which are used in the Service of God Hereby those pious Men Calvin Cartwright Sibs Perkins Hildersham who used a form of Prayer yea almost all the Christians in the World must be condemned 8ly This Doctrine will rack and perplex the Conscience of all Christians by forcing them to think that they are guilty of sin by every Tune Metre Word Gesture Time Place or any other Circumstance of worship which they use without a Scripture warrant On this account some dare not pray in their Families some dare not think what they shall pray some dare not teach their Children to pray some dare not hear a studyed Sermon or read a printed Book To conclude this Tenet will affright poor people from Scripture and Religion and make us our doctrine and worship ridiculous in the sight of all the World Lastly I add that they who do assert this Tenet do many things repugnant to it As v. g. They introduce Lay Elders unordained of whom there is no mention in the Scriptures or in the Church of the first Ages They sing in stinted Metre Hymns of their own devising for which no Precept or Example can be produced from the Book of God Besides where hath our Lord or his Apostles enjoyned a Direrectory for publick worship and that which they imposed what Authority could it pretend to but that of man They when they take an Oath do not refuse to lay their hands upon and kiss the Holy Scriptures Now all agree that Oaths are solemn Acts of Divine Worship for they are Invocations of God and thereby we acknowledge his Omniscience and that he knows the uprightness of our intentions and that his Justice will avenge it self on the false Swearer and that his Power is able to inflict upon him the severest Judgments and that he by his promise stands bound to help and to reward all those who do believe and act according to the Holy Scriptures Here therefore is an outward Ceremony of Humane Institution joyned with many acts of religious worship Again when they enjoyned the solemn League and Covenant they ordered that the whole Congregation should take it 1. uncovered 2 standing 3. with their right hand lift up and bare Now let any man of reason say if it be unlawful to submit to our three Ceremonies of kneeling crossing and wearing a white Garment in Gods Service why it is less unlawful to use three other Ceremonies in that more solemn act of worship viz. the taking of an Oath or if men may appoint these Ceremonies to be used in taking of an Oath what hinders but in other acts of worship they may do the like CHAP. IV. The CONTENTS Obj. 3. It is unlawful to add unto the parts of Gods worship but to add our Ceremonies to Gods worship is to add to the parts of Gods worship which they endeavour to prove by 12 Arguments To this Argument we answer 1. By shewing what outward worship in the general is viz. The Acknowledgment of some Excellency in the Person worshipped by actions proper to express our Sense or Apprehension of that Excellency Whence 't is concluded that our Ceremonies can be no parts of worship because not in themselves or by their imposition intended to express our Sense of any Divine Excellency The Arguments to the contrary are briefly but fully answered § 1. Obj. 4. To impose our Ceremonies without license from Christ is to invade his Kingly Office he being the sole Law-giver to his Church and derogate from his Prophetick Office which is the only Teacher of his Church and the Appointer of all means whereby we should be taught Answ 1. That it falsly is supposed that the Rulers of our Church have ordained any Ceremonies to teach Spiritual Duties by their Mystical Signification or to be Authentick means of Spiritual Teaching 2 That it can be no derogation from Christs Prophetick or his Kingly Office to stir up our minds by things apt to stir them up to the performance of their duty or to express and signify our duty by things apt to express and signify it 3ly That it is not true that Christ in Scripture hath set down all things by which we may be admonished of our duty 4. That this Argument concludes with equal strength against the imposition of all Ceremonies even time and place 5ly That the Injunction made by Rulers for Decency and Order if they do truly answer these ends are made by virtual Commission from Christ and therefore can be no Entrenchment on his Legislative Power Mr. Baxters Objection answered § 22. CHAP. IV. § 1 IT is not lawful to add unto the parts of Gods worship Obj. 3 but to add our Ceremonies to Gods worship is to add to the parts of Gods worship Repl. to Dr. Ham. p. 85. therefore it is not lawful to add our Ceremonies to Gods worship The Minor is proved by Mr. Jeans thus Because our Ceremonies are external worship and therefore parts of Gods worship That our Ceremonies are external worship he proves by these Arguments Arg. 1 1. Those external Ceremonies whose proper use is the honouring of God are external worship but our Ceremonies are such Ergo. Arg. 2 2. All external Ceremonies in their Nature formally elicited from Religion are external worship but our Ceremonies are such Ergo. Or thus All meer and immediate actions of Religion are parts of Divine worship but our Ceremonies are meer and immediate acts of Religion Another argues in the like manner thus Arg. 3 1. As the means that God hath appointed to teach obedience be acts of Divine Service so the means that man deviseth for that end and purpose must needs be worship also Arg. 4 2. Those signs
all persons to obey those that have the rule over them Heb. 13.17 and submit themselves Rom. 13.1.5 1 Pet. 2.13 and to be subject to the higher powers as to the ordinance of God and that for Conscience sake and the Lords sake He that can satisfie his Conscience in his refusal so to do must shew some Law of God as evidently forbidding his obedience to what Superious do enjoin P. 197. as do these Scriptures command obedience to them in all lawful things I having therefore in this Treatise answered all your pretences for such a prohibition of the Holy Scripture forbidding your submission to the Rites and Constitutions of the Church of England enjoined by Superiors have made it manifest that you can never satisfie your Consciences in your refusal to submit unto them nor can you or your Leaders return a satisfactory Answer to the Questions propounded by that Author to you in these words P. 58. Do they prefer mercy before Sacrifice or comply with the forementioned injunctions of Obedience to their Superiors who will not submit to Rites or Circumstances or to the use of things no where forbidden in the word to prevent Schism and all the dreadful consequences of it but rather will give cause to their Superiors to judge them scandalous Resisters of Authority and pertinacious Disturbers of the Churches Peace 59. Do not they scandalize offend and contribute unto the Ruine of Christs little stock who do involve them in a wretched Schism on the account of things which they may lawfully submit to Do not they shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men who forbid them to enter when they may Do not they impose heavy burthens also who say to their Disciples Hear not the Common Prayer Receive not the Sacrament Kneeling suffer not your Children to be signed with the Cross Communicate not with that Minister who wears a Surplice or with that Church which imposeth any Ceremonies or any Constitutions but concerning the time and place of performing Publick Worship If nothing doth so scandalize Christs followers as to find their Teachers at discord and divided can they act as becometh his Disciples who are not willing to procure Vnity and Concord and to avoid this scandal by their submission to things indifferent in their own nature and not forbiden in the law of God § 2 Thirdly He pleads for this submission from that great rule of equity which calls upon you to do to others as you would be dealt with putting the Question to you thus p. 187. Do not you expect obedience from your Children and Servants in like cases Should you command them to come at ten of the Clock into your Parlour to Family Devotions requiring them to come dressed and to kneel at their Devotions would you permit them to refuse to come at the time and to the place appointed because all times and places are indifferent to God or in the garb appointed by you because God regards not habits or to refuse to kneel because they may pray standing Would you not rather judge them contemners of your lawful authority and needlesly and sinfully scrupulous in those matters And must not you by the same Rule be guilty of contemning the lawful Authority of your Civil and Spiritual Fathers and of the Masters of Christs Family by your refusal to submit unto their Constitutions in matters of like nature upon the like accounts or can those Principles derive from him who is the God of order not of confusion 1 Cor. 15.33 which would so evidently should they obtain fill Families as well as Kingdoms and Churches with confusion and destroy their order § 3 Fourthly He argues ad hominem thus If notwithstanding the evidence produced p. 289. that Baptism by immersion is sutable both to the institution of our Lord and his Apostles and was by them ordained to represent our Burial with Christ and so our dying unto Sin Rom. 6.4 Coloss 2.12 and our conformity to his resurrection by newness of life as the Apostle clearly doth explain the meaning of that Rite I say if notwithstanding this Dissenters do agree to sprinkle the baptized Infant why may they not as well submit to the significant ceremonies imposed by our Church for since it is as lawful to add unto Christs institutions a significant ceremony as to diminish a significant ceremony which he or his Apostles instituted and use another in its stead which they did never institute what reason can they have to do the latter and yet refuse submission to the former and why should not the peace and union of the Church be as prevailing with them to perform the one as is their mercy to the Infants body to neglect the other And § 4 Fifthly The said Author shews that our divisions do highly prejudice the Christian Faith Chap. 1. that they gratify the Infidel and Sceptick and scandalize the weak and doubting Christian that they minister to the advantage of the Papist and to the prejudice of the true Protestant Religion that they are highly prejudicial to the State that they have a pernicious influence upon our selves by promoting strife enmity carnality and all the evils consequent upon them by obstructing the love peace unity order and edification of the Church and the benefit of our Prayers by hindring the efficacy of the means of Grace by depriving us of all the blessings of love and peace and by endangering our eternal peace And hence he strongly doth infer That if Dissenters do not think it better that all these evils should ensue than that they should comply or bear with those few ceremonies P. 22. and scrupled expressions of our Liturgy then must they in these matters submit to the commands of their Superiours And p. 29. he puts this serious Question to Dissenters Whether those ceremonies and those expressions in our Liturgy which they at present scruple be so plainly evil and so unquestionably forbidden that for preventing all these dreadful evils they may not be complyed with adding That if they be not so clearly and indispensably evil that these great ends of the promoting the salvation of mens Souls and the preventing of the forementioned evils which do inevitably ensue upon them cannot hallow them they cannot be excused from being accessary to those evils which ensue upon their separating from and their dividing of the Church on these accounts Now that Dissenters cannot rationally judge these things to be thus clearly and indispensably evil or think it better that all these mischiefs should ensue than that they should submit unto them he seems convincingly to prove from these considerations 1. Chap. 6. §. 1. from p. 167. to p. 170. That the duties of promoting Christian love peace unity and the edification of the Church and the preventing of Division Schism and the disturbance of the Civil Government are moral and essential duties which will admit no dispensation so that it is the duty
of all Christians to contend earnestly and strive together with one Soul for the promotion of these duties and the prevention of the contrary evils 2ly p. 176. That the preserving of what is most essential unto the welfare of the Church and to the interests of piety is more to be regarded than the omission of what is only circumstantial to them and that precepts which concern only Rituals p. 46. are to give place to those which do concern the welfare of mens bodies and much more to those which do respect the welfare of our Brothers Soul so that when both cannot together be observed we must neglect or violate the former to observe the latter Agreeably to which assertion Divines do generally lay down this as a certain rule concerning positive commands requiring things which it is not intrinsecally evil to omit viz. That all such things cease to be duties when they are inconsistent with others of a greater consequence there being greater reason and obligation when we cannot do both to do the latter with the omission of the former And this that Author doth confirm 1. From the example of God himself who suffered his own ceremonial institutions to be neglected upon accounts of lesser moment p. 171. viz. circumcision for the convenience of his peoples travels in the wilderness the celebration of the Passover in the 14th day of the first month when they were in a journey about their temporal concerns 2ly From the example and declarations of our Saviour who taught that in all such cases p. 171 172. God would have mercy and not sacrifice approved the action of David and his Servants in eating the Shew-bread which was by Gods prescription to be eaten only by Aaron and his Sons and who commanded the impotent man to take up his Bed and walk upon the Sabbath-day whence he seems evidently to infer 1. p. 173. That if God was pleased to suffer his own institutions in matters ceremonial to be neglected when that neglect was needful to promote some higher end if to preserve the life of man and beast he would permit men to do that which otherwise would have been deemed a breach of his own institution and a prophanation of his day it is not to be doubted but he will permit us to do those things which in their natures may be inconvenient when it is necessary to submit unto them for the promotion of the great ends of love peace unity and the advantage of poor Souls if our respect unto our Brothers life and health will warrant our neglect of many outward duties then surely our respect unto the Churches peace and unity and to the good of Souls may warrant our submission to those things for these good ends which God hath never plainly made it our duty to omit and our Superiours whom he most plainly doth command us to obey in lawful matters do enjoin 2ly p. 175. That if the duties mentioned be of an higher nature than any outward circumstance of worship it cannot be so much our duty to endeavour that Gods worship should be performed without those rites or circumstances as that these higher duties should be practised or to contend for the omission of them with loss or hazard of these more weighty matters if in these moral duties consists the life and substance of Religion and the essentials of true Piety whereas the matters which our Dissenters do contend for relate not to the being of Religion but as they think only unto the purer exercise of some religious duties certain it is they ought not so to contend for the omission of these external circumstances as to impair that charity and peace that unity and edification wherein the substance of Religion and the welfare of the Church consists which seems to be the very Argument St Paul insists on when he saith Rom. 14.17 19. the kingdom of God is not meat and drink but righteousness and peace wherefore let us follow after the things which make for peace i. e. Let us not by doing or omitting of these things obstruct the Churches peace or hinder the promotion of those things in which Gods Kingdom more especially consists 3ly p. 176. He asks Whether Dissenters can with good conscience say that Gods glory is as much concerned in the administration of his worship rather in some other way than in that mode which now obtaineth in the Church of England as it is certainly concerned in the performance of those moral duties and in the honour and success of Christian Faith the salvation of Souls the welfare of the State and of the Protestant Religion and whether by joining with us in our publick Ordinances such mischiefs would ensue if not 't is certainly their duty rather to comply with the commands of their Superiors p. 177. though they conceive them burthensome and inconvenient than to administer by their refusal so to do occasion to the greater dishonour of their God and all these dreadful evils both to Church and State which do ensue on that refusal § 5 Sixthly This Author strongly seems to argue for this submission in prosecution of the ends forementioned from the example of St Paul who though he were free from all men 1 Cor. 9.19 20. yet made himself servant to all that he might gain the more to the Jew p. 145. becoming as a Jew that he might gain the Jew c. For sure saith he it well becometh our Dissenters to imitate this great example of St. Paul by conforming their wills as servants do unto the will of their Superiors and doing all that lawfully they can to please and testify their due subjection to them without respect to their liberty to do in order to their being serviceable to the Church in the promotion of the Gospel and the salvation of Souls as the Apostle did when he submitted to the circumcision of Timothy when he undertook a legal purification of himself and offered sacrifice against which actions it is easie to produce more plausible exceptions than they can bring against our Ceremonies especially if we consider that the Apostle did comply Acts 21.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 28.17 not only with the Law of Moses for this end but also with the traditions imposed by the Elders and so did yield unto the very thing which they are so afraid to do § 6 Seventhly This Author proves That Schism is a most pernicious evil Chap. 2. §. 1. this he makes good from Scripture from the concurring suffrage of all the Fathers of the Church from the mischievous and dreadful consequences of it and from the opposition that it bears to the great duties of Charity and Peace of Union and Edification Now certainly it highly must concern us in reason and in Conscience where our mistakes are like to prove of such a fatal consequence to our immortal souls and to expose us to such dreadful evils to be very wary
in our Ministerial function and thereupon do judge of us as of Time-Servers and Separate from our Communion and become guilty of that Schism which accidentally procures their ruine must we not therefore submit to Authority Obey them that have the Rule over us or feed our Flocks When therefore things indifferent in their own Nature become necessary to these ends we may perform them tho accidentally they tend unto the ruin of our Brother 1. Because disobedience to our Superiors in Lawful matters is a sin and we must not do evil that good may come 2ly Because the Scandals following from our refusal to obey will in this case be greater and more destructive to Souls then are the Scandals which are ministred by our obedience Obj. 8 It is good saith Paul neither to eat Flesh nor drink Wine nor to do any thing whereby thy Brother stumbleth or is offended or is made weak Rom. 14.22 But our Prelatists determine quite otherwise if Authority enjoyn it is good say they to eat Bread drink Wine wear a Surplice use the sign of the Cross in Baptism tho never so many Brethren stumble or are offended or made weak thereby Answ This Tenet is injuriously imposed upon them whom he contemptuously stiles Prelatists they do not say that the determination of Superiors will always take away the sin of Scandal in these matters but that it will then do it when upon that Determination an equal or a greater Scandal follows on the other hand and where the thing is Lawful and the Scandal equal what reason can there be on the account of Scandal for our refusal to obey Obj. 9 But can then the Law of Superiors be greater then the Law of Charity which is Gods Law Answer Is not the Law of Obedience to our Rulers equally Gods Law Put the case that after the Decrees of the Synod of Jerusalem some particular Persons should have been offended that their Brethren refused to eat meats offered to Idols pleading that was Superstition in them or a betraying of their Christian Liberty or that the things enjoyned by that decree were not Commanded of the Lord and so were Human inventions Will-Worship and addition to Gods Word would Christians then have been obliged to suspend their obedience to this Decree lest they should offend such Scrupulous Persons I trow not § 3 There be other Answers usually offered to take off the Objection of Scandal ministred by our Ceremonies which I cannot approve of and therefore dare not offer as v. g. 1. It is said the Scandal which the weak conceive at our Conformity is passive and not active that is the nature of our action doth not give occasion to it but they are only Scandalized through ignorance or weakness Now say they it is only Scandal given which we are Concerned to Avoid in opposition to this Plea I say That it is not sufficient to excuse us from being Guilty of sinful Scandalizing our weak Brother that what we do is Lawful in it self and therefore ministers no just occasion to the sin full or ruin of our Brother For the Apostle doth declare that he was taught by the Lord Jesus that no meats were of themselves Rom. 14.14 unclean and therefore that the eating of them could minister no just occasion of offence to the weak Jew 1 Cor. 8.7 and that it was for want of knowledg and through the weakness of his conscience that the weak Brother was offended at it and yet he doth as positively declare that it was evil to eat them with offence that the strong by thus eating of them did walk uncharitably and sin against Christ Rom. 14.15 20. 1 Cor. 8.12 Matt. 17.27 moreover our Lord himselfe paid tribute though he might Lawfully not have done it lest he should Scandalize where Even Maldonate observes that Christ in paying tribute to avoid Scandal shun'd a Scandal which was meerly passive because the exactors of Tribute ought not to have been Ignorant that Christ was free from any obligation to the payment of it whence he concludes that this is no sure Rule that Scandal only given and not Scandal taken is to be avoided 3ly The keeping of the Brazen Serpent as a monument of Divine mercy was a thing Lawful in it self and yet when Scandal arose out of it 't was necessary to remove it as being in it self a thing unnecessary Lastly If Scandal passive tends to Gods dishonour by ministring unto my Brothers sin if his Soul suffers by a passive as well as by an active Scandal surely the Love of God and of my Neighbours Soul should be sufficient motive to engage me to do all that Lawfully I can for the prevention of it provided that I know or have good reason to suspect that it will follow from my action tho through my Brothers fault For are we not obliged to preserve a Drunken Man from falling down a Precipice or into a River because he is made Drunk by his own fault Why therefore are we not obliged if Lawfully we can to preserve our Brothers Soul from perishing by his own fault I fear this will be found at the last day too true that he doth Criminally Scandalize who doth or who enjoyneth that which is unnecessary and which he knows will through the weakness of his Brother Minister occasion of his sin and ruine having no benefit from what he doth require or do equal unto the mischief which it doth to others 2ly It is said by Dr. Womack that Scandal is an action done with intent to ensnare Men in sin Melius Inquir p. 106. or set up as a Mouse-Trap on purpose to entrap them whence it will follow that no Man in the judgment of Charity can say that by the Ceremonies we Scandalize our weak Brother because they cannot Charitably judg that these Ceremonies are imposed with an intent to draw Men to sin But with submission to better judgments I humbly conceive that it will not excuse us from the guilt of Scandal that we do not designedly and actually intend to make our Brother sin provided that the action doth through our Brothers weakness Admister occasion to his sin and ruine and we do either by experience find it to be so or may if we be careful see that this is like to be the issue of it and yet when no necessity is laid upon us will proceed to do it For although Peter did not intend to cause the Gentiles to sin or to compel them to judaize by his withdrawing from them at the coming of the Jews from Jerusalem for the Text tells us he did it for another reason viz. Gal. 2.11 fearing those of the Circumcision yet was he to be blamed saith St. Paul Gal. 2.11 he was a Transgressor v. 18. and that because by his Authority and example tho not by his intention he compel'd the Gentiles to live as did the Jews v. 14. 2ly He who doth venture on that action whence he either doth
Texts the latter is forbid more than the former Answ 2 2ly If Praying by a Form be inconsistent with Praying in the Spirit and in the Holy Ghost then must the use of the Lords Prayer be so and consequently we cannot use it in our Publick Worship without transgressing of these Precepts Answ 3 3ly I answer that Praying by the Spirit and in the Holy Ghost in the forementioned places may only signifie praying for such things and in such a manner as God hath by his Spirit taught us in the Holy Scripture and with such Spiritual Fervency and Constancy and other Christian Graces as he exciteth in us that this most likely is the import of the words in both these places may be argued from this consideration that in both places all good Christians are exhorted to pray in the Spirit and in the Holy Ghost now praying by the Spirit as it importeth praying by the immediate assistance of the Holy Spirit or the Spiritual Gift mentioned in Scripture is praying with the Gift of Tongues to which all Christians could not be exhorted because saith the Apostle all could not speak with Tongues 1 Cor. 12.30 2ly Because Tongues being for a sign not to believers but to unbelievers v. 22. It cannot rationally be supposed this Gift should be vouchsafed to Believers in their private Prayers of which here the Apostles seem to speak 3ly The Apostle here exhorteth the Ephesians to pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 always in the Spirit whereas the miraculous assistance of the Spirit in this duty being free what assurance could the Ephesians have of praying always by it Moreover he prescribes the matter of their Prayer exhorting them to pray for him that utterance might be given him V. 19. that he might open his mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the Gospel which he would scarce have done had he conceived that they were still to pray by the immediate assistance of that Spirit who needed no directions what he should suggest In the Epistle of St. Jude praying with the Holy Ghost is joined with building up themselves in their most holy faith and keeping themselves in the love of God these being therefore duties put into our power and to be improved by our industry not to be given by the miraculous assistance of the Holy Ghost without our industry why should we think otherwise of that praying by the Holy Ghost to which we here are equally exhorted if then this be the import of praying by the Spirit certain it is that we may pray thus by the Spirit though we use a Form for the matter of the Form may contain only what is good and acceptable in the sight of God and he that useth it and they who do join with him may do it in Faith and Fervency and with all other requisites unto an acceptable Prayer But 2ly If by praying in the Spirit and in the Holy Ghost we are to understand praying by that Spiritual Gift which was vouchsased to some Christians in the Apostles days by which they were enabled by the immediate and the miraculous assistance of the Holy Spirit to indite or use such Prayers as suted to the wants of the Christians of those times as Grotius and Dr. Hammond think Let it be then observed that these miraculous Gifts being now ceased we are no more concerned in these Precepts than we are to anoint the sick with oil when we pray over them according to the prescription of St. James James 5.14 Now that these Gifts are ceased and that no man can now pretend to the miraculous extraordinary immediate infusions of the Gift of Prayer and therefore that the Holy Ghost doth only now assist us by those ordinary and external means which do improve our understanding and instruct us what we ought to do and therefore to desire Grace to do is evident from these considerations 1. That were this otherwise our Prayers would be of Divine Inspiration and therefore as Canonical as Holy Scripture and as fit to be preserved as a Guide or Rule of Faith or at the least of Prayer which yet Dissenters have not the confidence to say 2ly Then also the same Persons may pretend to sing and Prophesie and Preach by the miraculous and the immediate assistance of the Holy Ghost for where the Apostle maketh mention of praying by this Gift of the Good Spirit he also speaketh of Singing and Prophesying by the Spirit whereas Dissenters have not the considence to pretend unto the latter and therefore have no reason to lay claim unto the former Now hence it follows That diligent perusal of the Holy Scriptures and meditation of those things which we do chiefly want and it doth most concern us to desire is the best way to purchase the assistance of the Holy Spirit and to obtain that which is called the Gift of Prayer and therefore that to Pray by a premeditated Form must be more properly to Pray by the assistance of the Holy Spirit than to pray ex tempore Our Saviour forbiddeth his Disciples when they shall be brought before Kings and Princes to take thought Matt. 10.19 or meditate how or what to speak Mark 13.11 because it shall be given them in that hour what they shall speak and because it is not they that speak but the Spirit of his Father that speaketh in them Now hence they argue à fortiori thus would God assist them to plead at an Heathen Tribunal and not at the Throne of Grace Answ 1 That the Persons with whom we have to do though they will not prescribe a Form yet do they allow of meditating before we Pray nay they prescribe the matter of the Prayer saying Directory p. 14. the Minister is to call upon God to this effect now both these are as much against this promise as is the using of a Form for the Text saith do not ye meditate take you no thought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how or what you shall speak and the promise is peculiar for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it shall be given what you shall speak it therefore is unreasonably urged against Forms by them who do allow of meditation and of prescribing the materials of Prayer Answ 2 This promise belongs not to us but to the Primitive Martyrs and Confessors of Christianity before the Heathen World who were to be converted to it and then there is no reason to extend it to other cases for otherwise it may as plausibly be urged thus for an immediate assistance in preaching of the Word would God assist men in speaking for themselves and not for him in speaking for the preservation of their Bodies from temporal and not in speaking for the preservation of the Souls of others from external destruction and so we must not only Pray but Preach also ex tempore and from immediate assistance of the Holy Spirit Answ 3 Thirdly The words which these men spake were not their own but were the dictates
judgments and opinions that there is among us and that great liberty men take to vent their private sentiments in Prayer when they are not restrained that they shall honestly be able to say Amen to a conceived Prayer whereas in a set Form of Liturgy this inconvenience is avoided seeing we know before hand to what we are to say Amen and therefore if we do not like it may absent our selves 3ly How can we sollicite any persons or perswade any strangers to come to our Churches or join in Communion with us where we cannot promise them that the Devotions to be used there shall be innocent we cannot shew them how we worship God and thereby put them in a condition to judge for themselves or promise them as in the Primitive Church they might whilst prayer by the Spirit lasted that all our prayers shall be agreeable unto the mind of God or how can this be done without producing some prescribed Form by which we pray This seems to be one reason why all the Churches of the World have had their publick Forms of prayer that they might let every-body know how God is served by them And why the best men in the Reformed Churches have wished those happy days might come Thes Salm. de Liturg. part 3. n. 46. in which the same Form of Divine Worship might be observed in the Church and all her members with one heart and mouth might glorify God that so the unity of the spirit and charity among Believers might be preserved as far as may be 4ly By set Forms many mischiefs are prevented to which conceived prayer doth stand obnoxious for hereby care is taken that nothing through the ignorance of some or the negligence of others should be offered up to God which is contrary to the Faith or unworthy of his Divine Majesty on which account it was long since resolved by the Milevitan Council Cap. 12. that no prayers should be used in the Church but those which had been weighed by the most prudent or approved in a Synod And this the wisdom of the Heathens saw whence Plato adviseth De. Legibus l. 7. that whatsoever prayers or Hymns the Poets composed to the Gods they should first shew them to the Priests before they published them lest they should ask evil things instead of good L. 4. c. 17. And Alexander ab Alexandro saith that the Gentiles read their prayers out of a book before their sacrifices ne quid preposterè dicatur that nothing might be spoken preposterously which two may pass for Christian Reasons as seasonable with us as they were among them these times being very subject to these infirmities as our experience hath too sadly found 5ly Our Saviour saith Matt. 18.19 20. where two or three were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 agreeing in the same voice to request any thing it should be granted and the Apostle prays Rom. 15.6 that with one mouth as well as heart we may glorify God now sure there is more Symphony in a good Form of prayer jointly put up by a whole Nation than there would be in mens extemporary effusions and in it we may be better said to glorify God with one mouth than by the great variety of prayers conceived and so the use of well composed Forms in publick Worship are upon this account to be preferred before extemporary effusions And Lastly To confess my own infirmities I find one great advantage in a form of prayer that being naturally thoughtful and apt to make deductions from what I read or hear I very often make some observations from the Psalms and Lessons of the day as I attend unto them and my thoughts eagerly pursuing them my Devotions are too often interrupted with wandring thoughts which though they may be pious in themselves yet must be my infirmities as far as they withdraw my heart from diligent attention to the prayers then put up to God Now when this happens to me whilst others are using their conceived prayers I know not what are the desires I have neglected and so I cannot when I recal my self offer up those desires to God begging his pardon for my wandrings but when I find my thoughts thus wandring in any part of the Church Service I presently recollect where they began to wander what the petitions were which thus escaped me and either presently if I have any opportunity or when I make up my accounts with God in my retirements I humbly offer them up to God beseeching his forgiveness of my wandring thoughts This to me seems a kind of satisfaction made to my good God and is a satisfaction to my mind and therefore whatsoever others may think of it it seems to me no small advantage of a Form above a new conceived prayer though no man that I know of hath taken any notice of it since therefore by the use of Forms we may best pray with understanding and more securely and assuredly may join with him that doth officiate and say Amen to his petitions since hereby others may be assured beforehand that they can join sincerely with us in the publick service and may particularly prepare their hearts beforehand so to do Seeing hereby the benefit which is promised to the Church from the Symphony of her petitions is best acquired and both people and Ministers may be relieved best against their various distractions and seeing hereby all unbecoming scandalous expressions which disturb the most devout and minister occasion of derision to the looser Christian are in the most considerable and solemn parts of Divine Worship best prevented seeing a Form may be used no probability of any prohibition of them being made apparent and Christians stand bound to yield obedience to their Superiors in lawful matters seeing a Form must be used in our publick Prayers by virtue of our Lords command to say Our Father and in our publick Hymns and Psalmody by reason of our inability to conceive them suddenly and lastly seeing the whole Church of God hath constantly used Forms in the performance of her publick service for thirteen hundred Years upon all these accounts I think it is highy convenient that they should be retained in the Church of God especially if we consider that our Church doth not wholly exclude the use of any Ministers pretended gift in this kind but gives him liberty to use it both before Dr. Whitnal of Gifts in publick Worship p. 48. and after Sermon provided we acknowledge this habit to be what it is and use it according to the Laws of God with reverence to the Divine Majesty and care we speak not unadvisedly of him or to him according to the Laws of the Church with sobriety modesty peaceableness and order so as not to disturb or divide the Church by bringing thereby the publick and stated order into disesteem and finally with justice to our selves and the common Christianity so as not to make this the sole way of praying in a due or
was sung over at the Passover from Ps 113. to Psal 118. inclusivè and yet it cannot reasonably be thought that all the Jews could truly say all that those Psalms contained Could they all say I love the Lord because he hath heard my prayer because he hath enclined his ear unto me therefore will I call upon him as long as I live v. 1 2. return unto thy rest O my soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee Psal 116.7 I will pay my vows unto the Lord v. 14. O Lord truly I am thy Servant vers 16. Could they all truly joyn in those expressions of the 118 Psalm I called upon the Lord in distress the Lord answered me and set me in a large place vers 5. The Lord is on my side I will not fear what man can do unto me vers 6. The Lord is my strength my song and is become my salvavation vers 14. I will praise thee for thou hast heard me and art become my salvation vers 21. Thou art my God and I will praise thee thou art my God I will exalt thee vers 28. If all these expressions would not suit with many of the Jews who were all bound to celebrate the Passover Leight Temp. serv p. 139. Buxt exercit de coen Dom. §. 84. and so to join in singing of this Hymn which by their Constitutions was not to be omitted if lastly Christ himself with Judas sung this Hymn as most Interpreters conceive then doubtless may such Hymns and Prayers be offer'd in a mixt Assembly which do not properly agree to all who meet in that Assembly Moreover the 92 Psalm was the Psalm used in the solemn Service of the Jews upon the Sabbath Day as by the Title we may learn and yet perhaps all of them could not truly say the Lord is my rock vers 15. nor with good ground cry out My horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an Vnicorn I shall be anointed with fresh Oyl Mine eye also shall see my desire on mine Enemies c. vers 10 11. The 94 Psalm was sung saith Dr. Lightfoot every Wednesday Temp. serv p. 59. and yet it may be doubted whether all the Stationary men and all that came unto the Temple Service could say When I said my foot slippeth thy mercy O Lord held me up In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul vers 18 19. much less The Lord is my defence and my God is the rock of my refuge vers 22. And therefore this can be no good exception against the Service of our Church that every passage in it will not suit with the condition of all that hear it or join in it Object 3 It is objected That some petitions in the Common Prayer seem to be without any promise in the word § 6 Dr. Chambers upon which to bottom them That they may be put up in Faith as when we are directed to pray that God would give unto all Nations Vnity Peace and Concord for the word gives us no hope of any such state in the world but teacheth us to expect the contrary Gen. 3.15 Matt. 24.7 And when in the Collect on Good-Friday we are directed to pray that God would have mercy on all Jews Turks Infidels and Hereticks and take from them all ignorances hardness of heart and contempt of his word and so fetch them home to his flock that they may be saved among the remnant of true Israelites Whereas the word say they gives us no hope of any such universal conversion to be obtained from the Lord but assures us of multitudes of obstinate Jews Turks Infidels and Hereticks among whom are such as sin against the Holy Ghost Matt. 12.32 that they shall never be brought unto the fold of Christ and be saved among the remnant of true Israelites but that the Lord will be glorified in their justly deserved destruction as may be seen Rom. 9.27 2 Thess 2.10 11 12. Rev. 13.16 compared with Revel 14.9 10. Such also say they is that petition that the Lord would have mercy upon all men there being no promise in the word on which to found such a Petition That the Lord would have mercy upon all men to Salvation And since the Lord hath plainly declared in his word That he will leave multitudes of the world to perish in their own ways and wickedness to the glory of his justice we see not say they how any except the Origenists can pray either in Faith or Hope that the Lord would have mercy upon all men when they know assuredly from his own mouth that he will not have mercy upon all men but will make some the vessels of his wrath We know from Scripture that he will have mercy on whom he will have mercy and the rest he hardneth Rom. 9.15 18. by giving them up to their own hearts lusts and leaving them to walk in their own Counsels Psalm 81.2 Rom. 1.24 The Prophet David in Faith and Charity no doubt made his Prayer in direct contradiction to this general Prayer of our Liturgy Psal 59.4 And therefore we can look on this no otherwise than as a groundless Petition which hath some shadow of Charity but no substance of Faith or Hope in it without which Prayer is weak and worthless before God Jam. 1.6 Now to the first instance in this Objection I Answer Answ 1 That this is an Objection against the general Petition of the whole Church of God for the Liturgy of St. James runs thus See Dr. Combers Compan p. 126 127 128. we beg of thee ut totus mundus pace fruatur That the whole world may have Peace and Concord The Liturgy of St Chrysostom and Basil thus We pray unto thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Peace and Vnity of the whole world Secondly It is prophesied of our Lord Jesus That he should rule among the Nations and cause them to beat their Swords into Plow-shares and their Spears into Pruning-hooks so that Nation should not rise up against Nation neither should they learn War any more Isa 2.4 But shall sit every man under his own Vine and under his own Fig-tree and none should make them afraid for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Mich. 4.3 4. For the accomplishment of which predictions surely we may pray in Faith because the mouth of him that cannot lye hath spoken them Again the Lord hath promised that none shall hurt in all his Holy Mountain and that because the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the Earth as the Waters cover the Sea Isa 11.9.65.25 Hab. 2.14 and therefore we may pray that this may be accomplished in all Christian Nations 1 Tim. 2.1 Thirdly Christianity was to be planted in all the Nations of the world by promise and being planted so all Christians are obliged by precept to pray for Kings and all that are in Authority that under them they might live peaceable and quiet lives
or at the least we understand not how they can be said with any certainty of truth And Q 1 What say they is the meaning of that Metaphor in the Confession There is no health in us Answer The meaning is That we have no power to help or save our selves out of the misery which by our sins we have deserved that there is nothing in our selves which can preserve us from perishing under the guilt of our iniquities this is the frequent import of the word health in Scripture So Psal 42.11.43.1 God is the health of my countenance i. e. the help of my countenance Psal 42.5 Salvation is far from the wicked Psal 119.155 N. Transl Health is far from them saith the Old And again Trust not in Princes or in any sons of men for there is no help in them Psal 146.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is no health or no Salvation in them say the Seventy Q 2 What is the meaning or at least the appositeness of that Respons Give Peace in our time O Lord. Resp Because there is none other that fighteth for us but only thou O God Answer To lay the foundation of a perspicuous Answer to this Question consider 1. Vide Comber part 1. p. 363 364. 1 Chron. 22.9 Isai 39.8 That it was one of Gods gracious Promises to his pious Servants of old that he would give peace in their days and so this is fit matter of our Prayer 2. Consider That God is in the Scripture stiled the God of Peace that it is He who makes peace in our borders and by his providence preserveth peace among Nations Psal 46.9 breaking the Bow and knapping the Spear asunder Consider 3. That this God is our only sure defence against our Enemies and that our Armies and Navies will be unsuccessful to defend us without his good providence or to procure peace for us And therefore it behoves us to apply our selves unto him for these mercies Conlider 4. That the end of all just War is Peace men therefore sighting in their own defence that they may oblige their neighbours to live peaceably by them This being so what is more proper than this Prayer Give peace in our time O Lord thou God of Peace either by keeping us from War or rendring our Arms so happy and successful that they may procure us a lasting peace This do we beg of thee because there is none other who can keep us from War or save us in it or make our fighting tend unto our lasting future peace but only thou O Lord. Q 3 What is the meaning of that Metaphor Lighten our darkness O Lord Answ I Answer It is a Scripture phrase used Psal 18.28 Job 29.3 importing our desire that by the goodness of our God we may be kept in a joyful comfortable prosperous state which state in Scripture is usually signified by the word light being preserved still from all calamities and miseries if we at present are free from them or else delivered from them by his power and mercy if we labour under any kinds or degrees of them and the ensuing clause is but an explication and application of it to the then present night Q. 4 What mean you by your Prayer for deliverance from Fornication and all other deadly sins Do you not by it seem to approve that Popish Doctrine which holds that some sins in their nature are venial that is do not deserve Eternal Death Answer This cannot rationally be suspected of that Church whose Doctrine it is That all sin is in its own nature deadly though all in the event do not and according to the tenor of the Covenant of Grace will not prove deadly to the Christian. For that New Covenant declares God will accept of our sincere obedience that is of such obedience as is consistent with sins of ignorance and weakness and that such sins will not exclude us from Gods favour but will be pardoned upon our general Repentance and our desire to be cleansed from our secret sins The import therefore of this phrase is this That God would graciously deliver us from-all those sins which are therefore deadly 1. Because they do declare him who commits them to be unregenerate or dead in trespasses and sins And thus it is declared concerning Fornicators Eph. 5.5 For no Fornicator hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ but is a son of disobedience vers 6. He is yoked with the prophane Heb. 12.16 and doth commit that sin which is contrary to his cleaving to Christ and which permiteth not his body to be the Temple of the Holy Ghost And 2. 1 Cor. 6.16 19. Because they leave us under the sentence of death so that whosoever dies without particular Repentance for and reformation of them will be obnoxious to Eternal Death they being sins for which the wrath of God comes upon the Children of disobedience So is it said of Fornication Coloss 3.6 and to all Fornicators it is threatned That they shall have their portion in the lake of fire and brimstone which is the second death Rev. 21.8 and St Paul plainly saith Fornicators and Adulterers God will damn Heb. 13.4 And 3. Because they usually end in death few ever escaping from them or being renewed to Repentance such is too frequently the fate of him who goeth to the Harlots House For none that goeth to her house saith Solomon Prov. 2.19 returns again or takes hold of the paths of life The mouth of a strange Woman being a deep pit Prov. 22.14 into which he that is abhorred of the Lord doth fall Now these sins being too many to be named particularly and being difficult to be exactly stated and enumerated are comprehended under this general appellation To humble the bold committers of them by minding them that if they be not speedily repented of which is but rarely done they will end in their Damnation or Eternal Death Q. 5 Why pray you for deliverance from sudden death which if it happen to the prepared Christian seems to be no evil Answer Though some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euchol p. 776. who it seems think that they are always sit to dye do inconsiderately blame this petition of our Liturgy as unbecoming Christians and thereby blame the Church of God which for a long time hath made use of this petition yet I suppose that none of them would wish or if they well considered be as much contented to dye by the immediate suddain hand of God as to have time to recollect themselves before death to dye as did Jobs children or they on whom the Tower of Siloam fell but rather would conceive it were a mercy worthy of their thanks to be delivered from such a death And that 1. Comber part 2. p. 61 62. Because this suddain death affords no time to settle our Estates but leaves our temporal concerns entangled and involves our Relations in Law-suits and contests 2.