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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A95762	The judgement of the late Arch-bishop of Armagh, and Primate of Ireland. Of Babylon (Rev. 18. 4.) being the present See of Rome. (With a sermon of Bishop Bedels upon the same words.) Of laying on of hands (Heb. 6. 2.) to be an ordained ministery. Of the old form of words in ordination. Of a set form of prayer. / Published and enlarged by Nicholas Bernard D.D. and preacher to the Honourable Society of Grayes-Inne, London. Unto which is added a character of Bishop Bedel, and an answer to Mr. Pierces fifth letter concerning the late primate.	Ussher, James, 1581-1656.; Bedell, William, 1571-1642.; Bernard, Nicholas, d. 1661.	1659 (1659)	Wing U189; Thomason E1783_1; ESTC R209661	108,824	393

his Kingdome Rome shall be grown proud and secure so as to say I sit as a Queen and then by the ten Kings mentioned in the former Chapter who had given their Kingdomes unto her shall she be ruined and burnt c In this Exposition the revolt that he tells of from the Obedience of the See of Rome is a Fancy of his own and hath not the least ground in St. Iohns Vision That the revolt from the Faith whereof the Apostle Paul speaks 2 Thessalonians 2. is the very Apostacy of Antichrist the man of sinne and sonne of perdition 2 Thes 2.3 that Rome in Antichrists time shall be secure and account her self to sit as a Queen and then be destroyed by the ten Kings that formerly had served and obeyed her this is very true as being expresly so laid down in the 16. and 17. Vers of the former Chapter But that which befell the Iewes in the looking for the Kingdome of Christ when it was already among them happeneth to Viegas and those of his side They fondly look for Antichrist the last head of the beast whereupon the Babylonian Harlot sitteth above a thousand yeares after all the former and consider not that this beast is one Principality under divers forms of Government whereof five being fallen in Saint Johns time one then in being and the other to endure a short space To make this short space a thousand years or else to put in so many years of the Popes government over Rome before Antichrist come who shall forsooth revolt from his Obedience It seemes rather the dream of a waking man then to hold any likelyhood of Truth Howsoever it resteth even by Viegas consent notwithstanding his cunning combination of two states of Rome that under Paganisme and that under Antichrist with a thousand years between that Rome must have continued Christian for sundery Ages before her Desolation and for ought doth yet appear the present Monarchy which she claims to exercise over the Christian World is the Mystical Babylon out of which Gods People are called For the better clearing whereof let us consider the Description that is made of this Babylon by the Angels and our Saviour Christ himself more distinctly to see whether it doe agree to the present estate of Rome or no The Angel tells Iohn in the last Verse of the former Chapter The woman which thou sawest is the great City which reigneth over the Kings of the Earth and before Verse 5. upon her forehead is a name written Mysterie Babylon the great Touching this greatness I may spare my pains to speak much there is a learned Book of Iustus Lipsius which he intitles Admiranda marvells touching the greatness of Rome not long after in concurrence thereto there was another made by Thomas Stapleton our Countreyman Professour at Lovaine which he intitles Vere admiranda Marvels indeed touching the greatness of the Church of Rome wherein by comparison he indeavours to shew that for largeness of Extent strength and power over Princes themselves honour yielded unto it the greatness and magnificence of the Romane Church doth far surpass the Roman Empire These two books were both printed together and set forth at Rome against the year of Jubilee 1600. as if the Papacy laboured to carry in her forehead the name Great Babylon For the reigning over the Kings of the Earth by this great City which is another point of the Angels description It is true that heathen Rome had anciently in the borders and consines of the state sundry Kings that held their Kingdomes of her Such were the Herods Aretas and Agrippa mentioned in the New Testament but these were neither in number nor dignity nor in the absoluten ss of their subjection to be compared with those that the now Rome reigneth over And no great marvel if the Roman Emperour armed with thirty or fourty Legions had many Kings at command saith Stapleton but that the Pope being altogether unarmed should give Lawes to the Kings of the Earth and either advance them to their Kingdomes or depose them who would not account worthy of great marvel true but the Angel shewes us the true reason Verse 12. the ten hornes which thou sawest are ten Kings which have received no Kingdome as yet but receive power Verse 17. as Kings at once with the beast c. For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his Will and to agree and to give their Kingdome unto the beast until the Word of God shall be fulfilled And consider I pray you here the manner how they have given their Kingdomes to the beast Vpon the Election of any new Pope they send a solemne Embassage to profess their Obedience to him And one of those which is extant in Print as great a Monarch as any the Christian World hath Offers himself and all his Kingdomes his Seas Firm lands Islands Armes Forces Treasures Ships Armies whatsoever he is whatsoever he hath whatsoever he is able to doe and falling down at the Popes feet as a most obsequious Sonne he acknowledgeth and confesseth him to be the true Vicar of Christ our Saviour on Earth the successour of Peter the Apostle in that See the head of the Vniversal Church the Provost Parent and Pastor of all Christians praying him and humbly beseeching him that he would receive all whatsoever he hath offered to the profit defence of the Church into his Protection and Patronage And these words c. are said with a gesture corespondent the Embassador falling down upon his knees let Lipsius if he can with all his reading in Story shew us such an Example of any King subject to old Pagan Rome It is true that Nero accounted it for his highest Glory to have set the Crown upon Tiridates the King of the Armenians head in the City of Rome with great state and pomp But let us see saith Stapleton If the Majesty of the Church of Rome hath not had an equal part of this glory yea and a greater and then he reckons how Pope Leo the third gave the Empire to Charles the great and how other Popes conferred to others a great many other Kingdomes One thing he forgets that neither Nero nor any other Emperour of old Rome ever Crowned any with his feet as Celestine the third did Henry the sixth nor caused him to hold their stirrops or kiss their feet much less set their feet upon their neckes as Pope Adrian the fourth and Alexander the third did to the Emperor Frederick And that we may not spend more time in proving that the present Papal Rome reigneth over the Kings of the Earth the Merchants of Babylon are now resolved That all the Kingdomes of the Earth are the Popes insomuch that the best Title that any Prince can have to his Crown is Dei Apostolicae sedis gratia by the grace of God and Apostolick See Lib. Rom. Pon● 5.1.2 6. Ab Alex 6. Cap. 7.8 And Cardinal Bellarmine recognizing his

eminent of our English Bishops since the withdrawing our selves from him that it may the rather appear that the judgement of the Primate concurres with the rest of his brethren before him Bishop Jewell that learned Bishop of Sarishury in his Exposition of the second Epistle to the Thessalonians cap. 2. is very large in the application of the whole prophesie to the See of Rome as that of the vision of Saint John concerning Babylon p. 373. c. Concludes that Antichrist shall not be a Jew but a Christian not a King but a Bishop and a holy Father and should weare a Mitre For on whom saith he should an Army of Priests attend as Gregory the great a Bishop of Rome prophesied of Antichrist but upon a Bishop and an universal Bishop at least one so claiming that universality see his recollection of the whole pag. 319. wondring any man should doubt of it 't is so apparent And what he saith p. 279. viz. that he knew what he should speak would be ill taken of many such affection they bear to him whom the Apostle deciphers to be Antichrist though I shall say nothing but what the holy scriptures and learned writings of the Fathers have left unto us and which the Church of God hath at this time proved to be true will be found I fear also in many of this age whose inclinations are too much declared in the defence of that See in this particular Bishop Abbot one of his successours Bishop of Sarisbury in that book of his called Antichristi demonstratio which were his Lectures at Oxford is as full also Wherein at his entrance having spoken of the name of Antichrist and given some descriptiption of him he addes these words All which are most fitly to be applied to him Haec verò notatio nominis Antichristi si illam integram acciptamus quadrat in illum optimè quem esse verum illum Antichristum Deo juvante demonstrabimus Romanum dico Pontificem qui se esse caput Ecclesiae Christi Christi vicem implere gloriatur whom with Gods assistance we shall demonstrate to be the very Antichrist I say the Bishop of Rome who arrogates unto himself to be the head of the Church of Christ and his Vicegerent c. and p. 92. wonders at the blindness of men like Owls at noon day not to see it accordingly Arch-bishop Whitgift in his defence of the Answer to the Admonition often applies the Title of Antichrist to the Bishop of Rome as a thing taken for granted See Tract 8. p. 349. where having spoken much of him before he thus concludes I know that those Sects and Heresies gave strength unto Antichrist and at the length were one speciall meanes of placing him in his throne even as also I am perswaded that he worketh as effectually at this day by your stirres and contentions whereby he hath and will more prevail against this Church of England then by any other means whatsoever Therfore it behoveth you to take heed how you divide the Army of Christ which should unanimitèr fight against that Antichrist That he means the See of Rome none can doubt Whosoever shall read Bishop Andrews his Tortura Torti cannot but conceive his judgement to be the same Where he hath many of the observations which have been mentioned already from the situation on seven hills and the 7 head governments And p. 183. upon the grant on both sides that Babylon is Rome (p) De eo tantum nobis lis erit jam quanam illa ibi Roma Babylon aut Roma quo tempore Babylon esse coeperit Cui rei tot ibi circumstantias adhibet S. Johannes vix ut in ea errare cuiquam contingat Quae enim Babylon ibi eadem meretrix magna dicitur c. Edoctum autem ibi se dicit Johannes à spiritu de rebus quae ventura essent Quod si jam Romam ibi quo tu sensu vis designavit nihil venturum edocuit spiritus Ethnica enim tum Roma in Auge erat vel maximè Propheticus verò is liber totus haberi solet c. nimis autem illa misella tum prophetia foret si praediceret fore ut persequeretur R●ma Christianos vidit vero hoc priusquam in Pathmos relegatus esset c. p. 183 184. and p. 185. De ea Roma quae veneficiis seducit quae agnum specie refert scriptam tamen in fronte blasphemiam in Templo Dei sedet cujus merces hominum animae quam decem Reges igne concrematuri sunt ad perniciem sempiternam quae per pseudo prophetam suam vim habet signa faciendi Verè à Torto dicitur Romam Christianam perditam non iri Non certè sed illam Antichristianam scilicet c. he states the question for the time and resolves it cannot be Rome Ethnick for then it had been no prophesie it being at that time a persecutor of the Christians and a shedder of the blood of the Saints which Saint John then had the experience of himself with divers other arguments from her inchantments manner of destruction making merchandize of soules the persons which shall burn her which could not agree to Heathen Rome Adding to be the same beast which hath horns like the lamb sits in the Temple or Church of God exalts himself above all that is called God one that was not in being in Saint Johns time pretendeth to to the working of miracles and so concludes that though Rome Christian may not go into perdition yet Rome Antichristian shall which hath been drunk with the blood of the Saints and the Martyrs of Jesus c. Bishop Bilson in his book of the difference between Christian subjection and unchristian Rebellion delivers his judgement often accordingly as a matter out of controversie affirming the Tyranny of Rome to be the power of darknesse and kingdom of Antichrist applying the pride of the Papacie to that of the man of sin exalting himself in the Temple of God 2 Thessal 2. It was saith he the ancient device and drift of Antichrist to make himself mighty when it was first attempted by Hildebrand Greg. 7. and now coloured by the Papists with the name of Religion p. 527. 817. c. Bishop Hall that elegant and pious Bishop of Norwich hath much to this purpose dispersed through his works No peace with Rome Sect. 1. Look on the face of the Roman Church she is Gods and ours look on the back she is quite contrary Antichristian Sect. 22. shall we ever grow to that height of madnesse as to come from the Standard of God to the tents of the Roman Antichrist The heavens shall passe away by a change Rome by a destruction not a change The Honour of the married Clergy Were it not for this opinion i. e. the forbidding it the Church of Rome would want one evident brand of her Antichristianisme Sect. 15. Speaking of a Popish Priest Well doth it become the son of

that Babylonish strumpet the lips drenched in the cup of those fornications c. and abundance of the like might be produced Bishop Downham the learned Bishop of Derry in Ireland from whose mouth I have heard sufficiently that way in his book entituled Papa Antichristus is the most large of any we have yet named dividing his discourse into the description of the place and person and the designation of the time out of the 2 Thess 2. and Revelat. 17. and all directly applyed by him to the See of Rome Bishop Morton that famous and Reverend Bishop of Durham coetaneous with the former and yet living hath much of this in divers parts of his works Bishop Davenant the eminent Bishop of Sarisbury and professor of Divinity at Cambridge hath often declared his judgement accordingly in his Determinations pag. 24. Pontifex Maximus Antichristianam suam superbiam c. audacia plusquam Antichristianâ c. Vniversalem Papae jurisdictionem in totam Ecclesiam non esse jure divino sed usurpatione Antichristiana Bishop Prideaux in his Lectures saith the like often specially in that de Antichristo that he cannot be the Turk but the Pope c Unto which Bishops might be added the votes of many other learned orthodox and Episcopall men whose judgements have been declared accordingly As that learned Professor of Divinity Doctor Samuel Ward in his Lectures and Determinations at Cambridge lately printed specially in those three questions Romana Ecclesia est Idololatrica Apostasia à Paulo praedicta est adimpleta Romana Ecclesia est schismatica i. e. 1. The Roman Church is Idolatrous 2. The Apostasie foretold by Saint Paul is fulfilled 3. The Roman Church is schismaticall Thus concluding in relation to the See of Rome Haec scilicet est illa Babylon quae in corde suo dicit sedeo regina sola sum non est praeter me i. e. This is that Babylon which saith in her heart I sit as a Queen I am only there is none besides me And who knowes not till of later yeares how both the Vniversities in their publick disputations and determinations abounded in their conclusions accordingly I shall only adde the judgement of that meek and judicious man Mr. Hooker see his Treatise of Justification Sect. 10. God hath spoken by his Angel from heaven to his people concerning Babylon by Babylon we understand the Church of Rome Go out of her my people that ye be not partaker of her plagues he expounds the going out of her to be specially meant out of Popish superstitions and heresies calling the maintainers of them Popish Hereticks and by plagues not only temporal but eternal Sect. 20. compares the Pope to Jeroboam Rome to Samaria that played the Harlot c. Sect. 27. speaking of the Bishop of Rome and the Church of Rome addes this As Frenzy though it take away the use of reason doth notwithstanding prove them reasonable creatures which have it because none can be frantick but they so Antichristianity being the bane and plain overthrow of Christianity may nevertheless argue the Church wherein Antichrist sitteth to be christian Sect. 57. God did in all ages keep his elect from worshipping the Beast and from receiving his mark in their foreheads he hath and will preserve them from receiving any deadly wound at the hands of the man of sin whose deceit hath prevailed over none unto death but only such as never loved the truth but took pleasure in unrighteousness 2 Thessal 2 Sect. 35. speaking of Christs mercy to the worst of men upon their repentance saith thus if a Pope stripped of usurped power Antichrist converted penitent and lying prostrate at the foot of Christ c. shall I think Christ will spurn at him In his Sermon on Saint Jude Sect. 14. He calls the Pope the man of sin and son of perdition who hath fawned upon the Kings and Princes of the earth and by spiritual consenage proclaiming sale of Pardons c. hath taken the children of the Noblest families and made them his Cardinals built Seminaries and hereby as at this day the man of sin warres against us c. with the cup of whose deadly abominations this Jeroboam of whom we speak hath made the earth so drunk that it hath reeled under us c. Now of whom the Prophet speaketh this whether of the Bishop of Rome or some other man needs no further resolution and so much for Mr. Hooker And whether or no those of the Remonstrants are of a contrary judgement which some call the Arminian party 't is apparent Arminius himself consented with the aforesaid Bishops and Authours (ſ) Thes 31. De Pontifice Romano praecipuis qui ipsi attribuuntur titulis S. 12. Adversarii porro Dei Antichristi nomen ipsi competere evidentissima ratione monstratur Prius enim illi Apostolus tribuit quum appellat illum homi nem peccati filium perditionis adversarium efferentem se supra vel contra omne id quod dicitur Deus aut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ita ut in templo Dei tanquam Deus sedeat prae se ferens se esse Deum qui ex collapso Imperio Romano exurget ejusque vacantem dignitatem occupabat haec enim de Pontifice Romano sola intelligenda esse intelligi posse asserimus Antichristi verò nomen illi competet excellentissimè sivè particula 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oppositionem sive unius rei pro altera substitutionem vel legitimè factam aut per vim fraudem c. significat S. 13. i. e. Omni instrumentorum Satanicorum genere usus est sophistica hypocrisi mendaciis aequivocationibus per●●dia perjuriis violentia veneno armis adeò ut merito dici possit● bestiae illi formidabili quae Pardo Vrso Leoni similis est quâ Romanum Imperium significatum est successisse c. Faxit Deus ut Ecclesia ab Antichristi fraudibus Tyrannide liberetur Religiosae sapientiae est Curiam Romanam ab Ecclesia in quâ Pontifex sedeat interstinguere c. in his 31. Theol. disput intituled Of the Bishop of Rome and of the chief Titles which are attributed unto him Wherein after the rejection of the title given unto him by his favourites as blasphemous and asserting his deserts of others viz. the false Prophet Revel 19.20 cap. 16.23 cap. 12.14 Which did wonders before the beast out of whose mouth three impure spirits came forth The overthrower and destroyer of the Church in matters of faith and worship and raising of divisions between Princes and their subjects S. 12. he asserts the name of Antichrist most evidently to belong unto him for the Apostle gives it unto him 2 Thessal 2.3 4 5 6 7 8. where he there calls him the man of sin the son of perdition that opposeth and exalts himself above or against all that is called God or worship sitting in the Temple of God and saying he is God who upon the fall

14. why may not the spirit of a private Minister in these ordinary gifts be limited by the vote and consent of the whole Ministery Secondly see the ill consequences of it It must be appliable against singing of Psalmes in the spirit which Saint Paul puts together with prayer I will pray with the spirit and I will sing with the spirit 1 Cor. 14.5 divers of the Psalmes are prayers now if the set form of words in them be not an obstruction to the making a spiritual melody in your hearts to the Lord why shall it be a stop to the overflowings and enlargements of the heart and spirit in prayer Again it must be of the like force against preaching in rhe spirit that if it be premeditated or the Sermon be before composed it cannot be in the demonstration of the spirit and power nor have any efficacious operation in the hearers which is both against our daily experience and Solomons Commendation of the Preacher meaning it may be himself Eccles 12. because he was wise he gave good heed and sought out fit words and set them in order even words of truth If the spirit was not obstructed in the pens of the Evangelists writing their Gospels or with the Apostles in their several Epistles then notwithstanding both were done with labour and studdy why should our labour accordingly in the word and doctrine by the pen or premeditation exclude it now and if a set form doth not stint the spirit either in singing preaching or writing of holy things why must it be so injurious onely to the spirit of prayer 3. But thirdly if a set form be the stinting of the spirit it must be either in the speaker or hearer 1. Not in the speaker for his spirit may be the more at liberty to spirituall fervent enlargements when there is no obstruction or diversion by the work of the Invention in inditing of matter and words the unaptnesse and unreadinesse unto which in many hath so disturbed them and caused them to wander into such immethodicall impertinet wayes that they have been far from the spirit of prayer 2. Not in the hearers for then it must ever be so stinted for whether the speaker useth sudden or premeditated expressions which they cannot judge of the hearers are alike bound to mind what proceeds from his lips so that if the spirit be stinted with them in the latter it is as much in the former For as the judgment is the freer to say Amen by the fore-knowledge and approbation of the prayer so the spirit and affections are at an equall freedom also so that this objection is of no value I shall onely put this to consideration whether that mans heart may be accounted most spiritual which can be daily enlarged and his affections lifted up in the use of the same words or which cannot without the help of a variety like those weak stomacks or distempered in their health that cannot relish one dish twice but must at each meale have the inventions of men imployed to give them various nay in danger of losing their stomack if they hear of them before they come suddenly before them Now in this I would not be understood to discourage any persons in exercising themselves this way and striving to perfection in this gift which I do much commend only as those that learn to swim have help at first of some supporters but afterward come to swim without them Children at first have their Copies their paper ruled their hands held but in time do it of themselves and so there is an expectation that you that are of ability should grow in knowledge and utterance this way but for the weaker sort is it not better they should use a staffe then slip and are not the Major part of this kind like men with weak sights needing the help of Spectacles To whom by denying them a set Form are we not injurious accordingly Though those we call weak may possibly by their fervency and ardency of affection be said of as Saint Paul of himself when I am weak then am I strong and Gods strength perfected in their weaknesse The prevalency of a prayer being not in the elegancy and loftinesse of the stile but in the sighes and groanes and inward workings of the heart like that of Nehemiah and Hanna though their voice were not heard In a word an Vniformity in the publick prayers of the Church to be observed in each congregation would tend much to the unity of hearts and spirits among us which Saint Paul commends as the more excellent way and the end of coveting all gifts whatsoever viz. a Composure of a Form for the publick service of God by the joynt assistance of the most learned and pious from which the most eminent gifted person might not depart more then the inferiour I speak not of prayer before Sermon and after when each may take their liberty though therein the Dutch and French Church are strict also but of some consent in the manner of Administration of Baptisme the communion and other offices in the publick that might be owned by us all in Common as the form of the Church of England which as it hath been a means to continue a unity in other reformed Churches at this day so I believe would be a means for the reducing it with us even a setled peace both in Church and State which ought to be the prayer and principall endeavour of every good Christian So much for the declaring and confirming the Primates Judgment of the use of a set form of prayer in the publick Now unto his for the more easie reception of it I shall here adde the votes of some whom the contrary minded at least the most pious of them will not gainsay I shall not mention the judgement and practice of the worthy Ministers and Martyrs in Queen Maries dayes some of whom were put to death for approving and using the form which was then extant being one of the (a) Ralph Allerton John Rough. Articles put in against them Of these it will be said they walked according to the light then given them I shall therefore trouble the Reader onely with a few testimonies of godly and eminent men who lived within our own memory some of them reckoned among the Non-conformists or old Puritanes yet in this particular fully concurring with the Primate Mr. Richard Rogers Preacher at Walbersfield in Essex whom I well remember and have often seen his constant attendance at the publick prayers of the Church In his pious book entituled the seven Treatises In that Chapt. of publick prayers He thus beginneth If that mind be in us with the which we have been taught to come to all holy exercises and so to be prepared for them who doubteth but that we may receive much help by them yea and the better a man is the more he shall profit by them c. Some have thought all set forms of prayer are to be

disliked and such onely to be offered up to God as by extemporary gift are conceived and uttered And that the Minister should use no set form of prayer but as they are moved by Gods spirit I answer It is a foul errour so to think For as there be necessary things to be prayed for of all men and alwayes and those are the most things which we are to pray to the Lord for so there may be a prescript form of prayer made concerning all such things which being so what letteth that in the reading of such forms either of confessing of sinnes request or thanksgiving what letteth I say that the hearers hearts may not profitably go on with the same both to humble to quicken and to comfort For is the reading it self unpure when the Minister in his own behalf and the peoples uttereth them to God I speak not ye see of the matter of prayer but of reading it for if the matter be erroneus and naught the pronounceing of it maketh it not good any more then the reading doth and if it be good and pure being uttered or pronounced the reading cannot hurt it or make it evill And as the Church in the Scripture did and doth sing Psalmes upon a book to God and yet though it utter a prescript form of words I hope none will say that it is a sin to do so the heart being prepared In like manner to follow a prescript form of words in praying is no sinne and therefore ought not to be offensive to any c. And further they may know that in all Churches and the best reformed there is a prescript form of prayer used and therefore they who are of mind that it ought not to be must seperate themselves from all Churches Also if a set form of prayer were unlawful then neither were the Lords prayer which is a form of prayer prescribed by our Saviour himself to be used And so he proceeds to perswade all good Christians to lay aside contention and endlesse and needlesse questions about this matter and with well order'd hearts and minds to attend unto and apply to themselves the prayers which either before Sermon or after Sermon are uttered or the other which through the whole action of Gods worship are read in their hearing c. So much Mr. Rogers Now this book of the seven Treatises hath been since epitomized by Mr. Egerton and entituled the practice of Christianitie which hath an Epistle of Doctor Gouge before it in a high commendation of it Now at the conclusion of that he hath added Certain Advertisements concerning prayer in which his or both their judgements in this subject are declared accordingly viz. That it is lawfull and in some cases expedient to use a set form of prayer Question saith he is made by many of the lawfulnesse or at least of the expediencie of praying by the help of a book or of using a prescript and set form of prayer It is to be considered that there be divers degrees and measures of gifts both naturall as of grace besides some have been by custome more trained and exercised in this holy dutie then others c. which difference I have observed not onely in private Christians but also in some most reverend faithfull and worthy Ministers Some using both in their publick Ministerie and in their private families a stinted prayer and set form of words with little alteration at all except some extraordinarie occasion have happened and yet both sorts so furnished with pietie and learning as I could hardly prefer the one before the other (a) Liberty in solitary prayers Moreover whereas in respect of the place and company there be three sorts of prayer publick in the Church private in the family and secret by a man self greatest liberty may be taken in secret and solitarie prayer because we are sure that if there be a believeing humble upright heart God will not upbraid any man for his method order words or utterance Yet in private prayer we may not take so great a libertie Lesse liberty in private prayer c. and some well-affected have been somewhat faultie and offensive in this behalfe weak and tender Christians such as commonly are in a family are not so capable of that kind of prayer which is called conceived or extemporate varying every time in words and phrases manner and order though the matter and substance be the same Least liberty in publick prayer But especially care must be had in the publick congregation that nothing be done in praying preaching or Administration of Sacraments but that which is decent and orderly because there many eyes do see us and many ears do hear us and therefore it is expedient for the most part to keep a constant form both of matter and words and yet without servile tying our selves to words and syllables but using herein such libertie and freedome as may stand with comelinesse c. And so he proceeds thus to direct men that though a Book may be used in private prayer yet that it is much better to get their prayer by heart commending the use of the Lords Prayer and the varietie of other formes of godly prayers in print penned by forreigne Divines as our own countreymen as Mr. Bradford that blessed Martyr Master Deering Mr. Hieron and divers others yet living whose printed prayers are nothing inferiour to the former And so because there ever have been and still are many Babes in the Church of God which have need of milk c. and some of bad memories and heavie spirits c. he frames divers formes of prayers to be used for Morning and Evening in case of sicknesse for the Lords day c. Thus much very excellently Mr. Egerton approved by Doctor Gouge Mr. Arthur Hildersham Preacher at Ashbie-delazouch in Leicester-shire upon the 51 Psalme p. 63. saith thus I dare not deny but a weak Christian may use the help of a good Prayer-book better to pray on a book then not to pray at all Certainly 't is a spirit of errour that hath taught the world otherwise First our blessed Saviour prescribed to his Disciples a Forme of prayer not only to be to them and his whole Church a rule and sampler according to which all our prayers should be framed as appears when he saith Matth. 6.9 After this manner pray ye but even for them to say tying themselves to the very words of it as appeareth Luke 11.2 when ye pray say our Father c. By which answer of our Saviour to his Disciples it may also appear that John taught his disciples to pray by giving them forms of prayer to say yea even in secret prayer Matth. 6.6 2. All the best reformed Churches do now and ever have used even in publick Liturgies prescript forms of prayer and have judged them of great use and necessitie for the edification of the Church And surely this argument is not to be contemned by any