they writ by the Spirit Since then we cannot pretend upon any grounds of probability to an inspiration so immediate as theirs and yet their assistances which they had from the Spirit did not exclude humane arts and industry but that the ablest Scholler did write the best much rather is this true in the gifts and assistances we receive and particularly in the gift of Prayer it is not an ex tempore and an inspired faculty but the faculties of nature and the abilities of art and industry are improved and ennobled by the supervening assistances of the Spirit And now let us take a man that pretends he hath the gift of Prayer and loves to pray ex tempore I suppose his thoughts goe a little before his tongue I demand then Whether cannot this man when it is once come into his head hold his tongue and write downe what he hath conceived If his first conceptions were of God and Gods Spirit then they are so still even when they are written Or is the Spirit departed from him upon the sight of a pen and Ink-horne It did use to be otherwise among the old and new Prophets whether they were Prophets of Prediction or of ordinary Ministery But if his conception may be writtâ—n and being writtâ—n is still a production of the Spirit then it followes that set forms of Prayer deliberate and described may as well be a praying with the Spirit as sudden formes and ex tempore out-lets Now the case being thus put I would faine know what the difference is betweene deliberate and ex tempore Prayers save onely that in these there is lesse consideration and prudence for that the other are at least as much as them the productions of the Spirit is evident in the very case put in this very argument and whether to consider and to weigh them be any disadvantage to our devotions I leave it to all wise men to determine So that in effect since after the pretended assistance of the Spirit in our Prayers we may write them downe consider them try the spirits and ponder the manner the reason and the religion of the addresse let the world judge whether this sudden utterance and ex tempore forms be any thing else but a direct resolution not to consider before-hand what we speak But let us look a little further into the mysterie and see what is meant in Scripture by praying with the spirit In what sense the holy Ghost is called the spirit of prayer I have already shewne viz. by the same reason as he is the spirit of faith of prudence of knowledge of understanding and the like But praying with the spirit hath besides this other senses also in Scripture I find in one place that then we pray with the Spirit when the holy Ghost does actually excite us to desires and earnest tendencies to the obtaining our holy purposes when he gives us zeale and devotion charity and fervour spirituall violence and holy importunity This sense is also in the latter part of the objected words of Saint Paul Rom. 8. The spirit it selfe maketh intercession for us with groanings c. Indeed this is truly a praying in the spirit but this will doe our reverend Brethren of the Assembly little advantage as to the present Question For this spirit is not a spirit of utterance not at all clamorous in the eares of the people but cryes loud in the eares of God with grâ—anes unutterable so it followes and onely He that searcheth the heart he understandeth the meaning of the spirit This is the spirit of the Sonne which God hath senâ— into our hearts not into our tongues whereby we cry Abba Father Gal. 4. 6. And this is the great {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} for mentall Prayer which is properly and truly praying by the Spirit Another praying with the Spirit I find in that place of Saint Paul from whence this expression is taken and commonly used I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the understanding also Here they are opposed or at least declared to be things severall and disparate where by the way observe that praying with the spirit even in sense of Scripture is not alwayes most to edification of the people Not alwayes with understanding And when these two are separated S. Paul prefers five words with understanding before ten thousand in the spirit For this praying with the spirit was indeed then a gift extraordinary and miraculous like as prophecying with the spirit and expired with it But while it did last it was the lowest of gifts Inter dona linguarum it was but a gift of the tongue and not to be the benefit of the Church rectly or immediately By the way onely If Saint Paul did so undervalue the praying with the Spirit that he preferred edifying the Church a thousand degrees beyond it I suppose he would have beene of the samâ— mind if this Question had beene between praying with the Spirit and obeying our superiors as he was when it was between praying with the Spirit and edification of the Church because it I be not mistaken it is matter of great concernment towards the edication of the Church to obey our superiours not to innovate in publick formes of worshâ—p especially with the scandall and offence of very wise and learned men and to the disgrace of the dead Martyrs who sealed our Liturgy with their blood But to return In this place praying with the Spirit is no more than my spirit praying For so S. Paul joynes them as terms identicall and expressive one of anothers meaning as you may please to read ver. 14. and 15. 1 Cor. 14. I will pray with the Spirit and my Spirit truly prayeth It is the act of our inner man praying holy and spirituall Prayers But then indeed at that time there was somthing extraordianary joyned for it was in an unknowne tongue the practice of which Saint Paul there dislikes This also will be to none of their purposes For whether it were Extempore or by premeditation is not here expressed or if it had yet that assistance extraordinary in prayer if there was any beside the gift of tongues which I much doubt is no more transmitted to us then the speaking tongues in the spirit or prophecying Extempore and by the spirit But I would adde also one experiment which S. Paul also there addes by way of instance If praying with the spirit in this place be praying ex tempore then so is singing too For they are expressed in the same place in the same manner to the same end and I know no reason why these should be differing senses put upon them to â—erve pâ—rposes And now lâ—t us have some Church-musicke too though the Organs be pulled down and let any the â—est Pâ—almâ—st of them all compose a hymne in â—etricall forme and sing it to a new tune with perfect and true musick and all this extempore For all this the holy
and ancient formes of Church service which are composed according to those so excellent patternes which if they had remained pure as in their first institution or had alwayes beene as they have beene reformed by the Church of England they would against all defiance put in for the next place to those formes of Liturgy which Mutatis mutandis are nothing but the words of Scripture But I am resolved at this present not to enter into Question concerning the matter of prayers But for the forme this I say further 4. That the Church of God hath the promise of the spirit made to her in generall to her in her Catholicke and united capacity to the whole Church first then to particular Churches then in the lowest seate of the Category to single persons Now then I infer if any single persons will have us to beleeve without all possibility of proofe for so it must be that they pray with the Spirit for how shal they be able to prove the spirit actually to abâ—de in those single persons then much rather must we beleeve it of the Church which by how much the more generall it is so much the more of the spirit she is likely to have and then if there be no errors in the matter the Church hath the advantage and probability on her side and if there be an error in matter in either of them they faile of their pretences neither of them have the spirit But the publick spirit in all reason is to be trusted before the private when there is a contestation the Church being Prior potior in promissis she hath a greater and prior title to the spirit And why the Church hath not the spirit of prayer in her compositions as well as any of her children I desire once for all to be satisfied upon true grounds either of reason or revelation 5. Or if the Church shall be admitted to have the giâ—t and the spirit of prayer given unto her by virtue of the great promise of the spirit to abide with her for ever yet for all this she is taught to pray in a set forme of prayer and yet by the spirit too For what thinke we When Christ taught us to pray in that incomparable modell the Lords Prayer if we pray that prayer devoutly and with pious and actuall intention doe we not pray in the Spirit of Christ as much as if we prayed any other forme of words pretended to be taught us by the spirit We are sure that Christ and Christs Spirit taught us this Prayer they onely gather by conjectures and opinions that in their extempore formes the spirit of Christ teaches them So much then as certainties are better then uncertainties and God above man so much is this set forme besides the infinite advantages in the matter better than their extempore formes in the forme it selfe 6. If I should descend to minates and particulars I could instance in the behalfe of set forms that God prescribed to Moses a set form of prayer and benediction to be used when he did blesse the people 7. That Moses composed a song or hymne for the children of Israel to use to all their generations 8. That David composed many for the service of the tabernacle 9. That Solomon and the holy Kings of Iudah brought them in and conâ—inued them in the ministration of the temple 10. That all Scripture is written for our learning since all these and many more set forms of prayer left there upon record it is more then probable that they were left there for our use and devotion 11. That S. Iohn Baptist taught his Diciples a forme of prayer 12. And that Christs Disciples begged the same favour and it was granted as they desired it 13. And that Christ gave it not onely inmassâ materiae but in forma verborum not in a confused heap of matter but in an exact composure of words it makes it evident he intended it not onely proregula petendorum for a direction of what things we are to aske but also proforma orationis for a set forme of Prayer In which also I am most certainly confirmed besides the universall testimony of Gods Church so attesting it in the precept which Christ added When ye pray pray after this manner and indeed it points not the matter onely of our prayers but the forme of it the manner and the matter of the addresse both But in the repetition of it by Saint Luke the preceptive words seem to limit us and direct us to this very forme of words When ye pray say Our Father c. 14. I could also adde the example of all the Jewes and by consequence of our blessed Saviour who sung a great part of Davids Psalter in their Feast of Passeover which part is called by the Jewes the great Hallelu-jah it begins at the 113. Psalme and ends at the 118. inclusively And the Scripture mentions it as part of our blessed Saviours devotion and of his Disciples that they sung a Psalme 15. That this afterward became a Precept Evangelical that we should praise God in Hymnes Psalmes and spirituall songs which is a forme of Lyturgie in which we sing with the spirit but yet cannot make our Hymnes ex tempore it would be wild â—tuffe if we should goe about it 16. And lastly that a set-forme of worship and addresse to God was recorded by Saint Iohn and sung in heaven and it was composed out of the songs of Moses Exod. 15. of David Psal. 145. and of Ieremy Chap. 10. 6 7. which certainly is a very good precedent for us to imitate although but revealed to Saint Iohn by way of vision and extasie All which and many more are to meâ—as so many arguments of the use excellency and necessity of set-formes of Prayer for publike Lyturgies as and of greatest conveniencies even for private devotions 17. And so the Church of God in all Ages did understand it I shall not multiply authorities to this purpose for they are too many and various but shall onely observe two great instances of their beliefe and practice in this particular 1. The one is the perpetuall use and great Eulogies of the Lords Prayer assisted by the many Commentaries of the Fathers upon it 2. The other is that solemne forme of benediction and mysticall prayer as Saint Augustine calls it Lib. 3. de Trinit. c. 4. which all Churches and themselves said it was by Ordinance Apostolicall used in the Consecration of the blessed Sacrament But all of them used the Lords Prayer in the Canon and office of Consecration and other prayers taken from Scripture so Iustin Martyr testifies that the Consecration is made per preces verbi Dei by the prayers taken from the Word of God and the whole Canon was short determined and mysterious Who desires to be further satisfied in this particular shal find enough in Walafridus Strabo Aymonius Cassander Flacius Illyricus Iosephus Vicecomes and the other Ritualists and
this reason also ceases in our prayers For God understandeth what we say sure enough he hath no prejudices to be removed no infirmities to be wrought upon and a fine figure of Rhetoricke a pleasant cadence and a curious expression move not him at all no other twinings and complyances stirre him but charity and humility and zeale and importunity which all are things internall and spirituall And therefore of necessity there is to be great variety of discourses to the people and permissions accordingly but not so to God with whom a Deus miserere prevailes as soone as the great office of 40. houres not long since invented the Church of Rome or any other prayers spun out to a length beyond the extension of the office of a Pharisee 3. I feare it cannot stand with our reverence to God to permit to every spirit a liberty of publike addresse to him in behalfe of the people Indeed he that is not fit to pray is not alwayes fit to preach but it is more safe to be bold with the people then with God if the persons be not so â—it In that there may be indiscretion but there may be impiety and irreligion in this The people may better excuse and pardon an indiscretion or a rudenesse if any such should happen then we may venture to offer it to God 4. There is latitude of Theologie much whereof is left to us so without precise and cleere determination that without breach either of faith or charity men may differ in opinion and if they may not be permitted to abound in their owne sense they will be apt to complain of tyrannie over consciences and that men Lord it over their faith In Prayer this thing is so different that it is imprudent and full of inconvenience to derive such things into our prayers which may with good profit be matter of Sermons Therefore here a liberty may well enough be granted when there it may better be denyed 5. But indeed if I may freely declare my opinionâ— I think it were not amisse if the liberty of making Sermons were somthing more restrained than it is and that either such persons only were intrusted with the liberty for whom the Church her selfe may safely be responsall that is to men learned and pious and that the other part the Vulgus Cleri should instruct the people out of the fountaines of the Church and upon the publicke stock till by so long exercise and discipline in the schooles of the Prophets they may also be intrusted to minister of their owne unâ—o the people This I am sure was the practice of the Primiâ—ive Church when preaching was as ably and religiously performed as now it is But in this prescribe nothing But truely I thinke the reverent Divines of the Assemby are many of my mind in this particular and that they observe a liberty indulged to some persons to preach which I thinke they had rather should hold their peace and yet thinke the Church better edified in your silence than their Sermons 6. But yet me thinks the argument objected if it were turned with the edge the other way would have more reason in it and instead of arguing Why shall noâ— the same liberty be allowed in praying as in preaching it were better to substitute this If they can prâ—y with the spirit why also do they not preach with the spirit if praying with the spirit be praying extempore why shall they not preach extempore too or else confesse that they preach without the spirit or that they have not the gift oâ— preaching For to say that the gift of prayer is a gift ex tempore but the gift of preaching is with study and deliberation is to become vaine and impertinent Quis enim discrevit Who hath made them of a different consideration I mean as to this particular as to their efficient cause Nor reason nor revelation nor God nor man To summe up all If any man hath a mind to exercise his gift of Prayer let him set himselfe to worke compose books of Devotion we have great need of them in the Church of England so apparent need that the Papists have made it an objection against us and this his gift of Prayer will be to edification But otherwise I understand it is more fit for ostentation then any spirituall advantage For God heares us not the sooner for our ex tempore long or conceived prayers possibly they may become a hindrance as in the cases before iâ—stanced And I am sure if the people be intelligent and can discern they are hindred in their devotion for they dare not say Amen till they have considered and many such cases will occur in ex tempore prayers that need much considering before we attest them But if the people be not intelligent they are apt to swallow all the inconveniencies which may multiply in so great a licence and therefore it were well that the Governors of the Church who are to answer for their soules should judge for them before they say Amen which judgement cannot be without set formes of Lyturgie My sentence therefore is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Let us be as we are already Few changes are for the better For if it be pretended that in the Lyturgie of the Church of England which was composed with much art and judgement by a Church that hath as much reason to be confident she hath the Spirit and gifts of Prayer as any single person hath and each learned man that was at its first composition can as much prove that he had the Spirit as the objectors now adayes and he that boasts most certainly hath the least If I say it be pretended there are many errors and inconveniences both in the order and the matter of the Common Prayer booâ—e made by such men with so much industry How much more and wiâ—h how much greater reason may we all dread the inconveniencies and diâ—orders of ex tempore prayers where there is neither conjunction of heads nor premeditation nor industry nor method nor art nor any of those things or at least not in the same degree which were likely to have exempted the Common-Prayerâ— booke from errors and disorders If these things be in the greene tree what will be done in the dry But if it be said the ex tempore and conceived prayers will be secured from error by the Directory because that chalkes them out the matter I answer it is not sufficient because if when men study both the matter and the words too they may be and it is pretended are actually much more may they when the matter is left much more at liberty and the words under no restraint at all And no man can avoid the pressure and the weight of this unlesse the Compilers of the Directory were infallible and that all their followers are so too of the certainty of which I am not yet fully satisfied And after all this I would faine know
what benefit advantages shall the Church of England in her united capacity and every particular in the diffused capacity received by this new device for the publike it is cleere that whether the Ministers pray before they Study or Study before they pray there must needs be infinite difformity in the publicke worship and all the benefits which were before the consequents of conformity and unity will be lost and if they be not valuable I leave it to all them to consider who know the inconveniences of publike disunion and the publike disunâ—on that is certainly consequent to them who doe not communicate in any common formes of worship And to think that the Directory will bring comformity is as if one should say that all who are under the same Hemisphere are joyned in Communi patriâ â—nd will love like country-men for under the Directory there will be as different religions and as different desires and as differing formes as there are severall varietyes of men and manners under the one half of heaven who yet breath under the same half of the Globe But I aske again what benefit can the publicke receive by this forme or this no forme for I know not whether to call it Shal the matter of prayers be better in all Churches Shall God be better served Shall the word of God and the best patâ—ernes of prayers be alwayes exactly followed It is well if it be but there is security given us by the Directory for the matter is left at every mans dispose for all that and we must depend upon the honesty of every particular for it and if any man proves a Heretick or a Knave then he may introduce what impiety he please into the publick formes of Gods worship and there is no law made to prevent it and it must be cured afterwards if it can but before-hand it is not prevented at all by the Directory which trusts every man But I observe that all the benefit which is pretended is that it will make an able Ministery which I confesse I am very much from beleeving and so will every man be that considers what kind of men they are that have been most zealous for that way of conceived Prayer I am sure that very few of the learnedst very many ignorants most those who have made least abode in the Scooles of the Prophets And that I may diâ—grace no mans person we see Tradesmen of the most illiberall arts and women pretend to it and doe it with as many words and that 's the maine thing with as much confidence and speciousnâ—sse and spirit as the best among them And it is but a small portion of learning that wil serve a man to make conceived formes of prayer which they may have easily upon the stock of other men or upon their owne fancy or upon any thing in which no learning is required He that knowes not this knowes nothing of the crafâ— that may be in the Preachers trade But what Is God bâ—tter served I would faine see any authority or any reason or any probability for that I am sure ignorant men offer him none of the best sacrifices ex tempore and learned men will be sure to deliberate and know God is then better served when he is served by a publike then when by a private spirit I cannot imagine what accruements will hence come to the publike It may be some advantages may be to the private interests of men For there are a sort of men whom our blessed Saviour noted who doe devoure widowes houses and for a pretence make long prayers They make prayers and they make them long by this meanes they receive double advantages for they get reputation to their ability and to their piety And although the Commonâ—Prayer-booke in the Preface to the Directory be charged with unnecessary length yet we see that most of these men they that are most eminent or would be so make their prayers longer and will not lose the benefits which their credit gets and they by their credit for making their prayers Adde to this that there is no promise in Scripture that he who prayes ex tempore shall be heard the better or that he shall be assisted at all to such purposes and therefore to innovate in so high a matter without a warrant to command us or a promise to warrant us is no better then vanity in the thing and presumption in the person Hee therefore that considers that this way of prayer is without all manner of precedent in the primitive Church against the example of all famous Churches in all Christendom in the whole descent of 15. ages without all Command and warrant of Scripture that it is unreasonable in the nature of the thingâ— against prudence and the best wisdome of humanity because it is without deliberation that it is innovation in a high degree without that authority which is truly by inherent and ancient right to command and prescribe to us in externall formes of worship that it is much to the disgrace of the first reformers of our religion that it gives encouragement to the Papists to quarrell with some reason and more pretence against our Reformation as being by the Directory confessed to have beene done in much blindnesse and therefore might erre in the excesse as well as in the defect in the throwing out too much as casting off too little which is the more likely because they wanted zeal to carry him farre enough He that considers the universall difformity of publike worship and the no means of union no Symbol of publick communion being publickly consigned that all heresies may with the same authority be brought into our prayers and offered to God in behalf of the people with the same authority that any truth may all the matter of our prayers being left to the choice of all men of all perswasions and then observes that actually there are in many places heresie and blasphemy and impertinency illiterate rudenesses put into the devotions of the most Solemne dayes and the most publike meetings and then lastly that there are divers parts of Liturgie for which no provisions at all is made in the Directory and the very administration of the Sacraments left so loosely that if there be any thing essentiall in the formes of Sacraments the Sacrament may become ineffectuall by want of due words and due ministartion I say he that considers all these things and many more he may consider will finde that partticular men are not fit to be intrusted to offer in publike with their private spirit to God for the people in such solemnities in matters of so great concernment where the honour of God the benefit of the people the interest of Kingdomes the being of a Church the unity of minds the â—onformity of practice the truth of perswasions and the salvation of soules are so very much concerned as theyâ— are in the publike prayers of a whole Nationall Church An unlearned man is not to be trusted and a wise man dare not trust himselfe he that is ignorant cannot he that is knowing will not FINIS Vid. Act. 19. 21 Act. 16. 7 8 9 10. Apoc. 15.
Ghost can doe if he pleases But if it be said that the Corâ—nthian Christians composed their songs and hymnes according to art and rules of musick by study and industry and that to this they were assisted by the Spirit and that this together with the devotion of their spirit was singing with the spirit then say I so composing set forms of Liturgy by skil and prudence and humane industry may be as much praying with the spirit as the other is singing with the spirit Plainely enough In all the senses of praying with the spirit and in all its acceptations in Scripture to pray or sing with the spirit neither of them of necessity implyes extempore The summe or Collecta of the premises is this Praying with the spirit is either when the spirit stirres up our desires to pray Per motionem actualis auxilii or when the spirit teaches us what or how to pray telling us the matter and manner of our prayers Or lastly dictating the very words of our prayers There is no other way in the world to pray with the spirit or in the holy Ghost that is pertinent to this Question And of this last manner the Scripture determines nothing nor speakes any thing expressely of it and yet suppose it had we are certaine the holy Ghost hath supplyed us with all these and yet in set formes of prayer best of all I meane there where a difference can be For as for the desires and actuall motions or incitements to pray they are indifferent to one or the other to set formes or to extempore a. But as to the matter and manner of prayer it is cleerly contained in the expresses and set formes of Scriptures and it is supplyed to us by the spirit for he is the great Dâ—ctator of it Now thâ—n for the very words No man can assure me that the words of his ex tempore prayer are the words of the holy Spirit it is not â—eason nor modesty to expect such immediate assistances to so little purpose he having supplyed us with abilities more then enough to expresse our desires aliunde otherwise then by immediate dictate But if we will take Davids Psalter or the other hymnes of holy Scripture or any of the Prayers which are respersed over the Bible we are sure enough that they are the words of Gods Spirit mediately or immediately by way of infusion or extasie by vision or at least by ordinary assistance And now then what greater confidence can any man have for the excellency of his Prayer and the probability of their being accepted then when he prayes his Psalter or the Lords prayer or another office which he finds consigned in Scripture When Gods Spirit stirs us up to an actuall devotion and then we use the matter he hath described and taught and the very words which Christ and Christs Spirit and the Apostles and other persons full of the holy Ghost did use if in the world there be any praying with the Spirit I meane in vocall prayer this is it And thus I have examined the intire and full scope of this Question and riâ—â—ed their Objection Now I shâ—ll proceed to some few arguments which are more extrinsecall to the nature of the thing It is a practice prevailing among those of our Brethren that are zealous for ex tempore prayers to pray their Sermons over to reduce their doctrine into Devotion and Lyturgie I mislike it not for the thing it â—elâ—e if it were done regularly for the manner and the matter were alwayes pious and true But who shall assure me when the preacher hath disputed or rather dogmatically decreed a point of predestination or of prescience of contingency or of liberty or any of the most mysterious parts of Divinity and then prayes his Sermon over that he then prayes with the Spirit Unlesse I be sure that he also preached with the Spirit I cannot be sure that he prayes with the spirit for all he prayes extempore Nay if I heare a Protestant preach in the morning and an Anabaptist in the afternoone to day a Presbyterian to morrow an Independant am I most sure that when they have preached Contradictoryes and all of them pray their Sermons over that they doe not all pray with the spirit More then one in this case cannot pray with the spirit possibly all may pray against him 2. From whence I thus argue in behalfe of set formes of prayer That in the case above put how shall I or any man else say Amen to their prayers that preach and pray contradictoryes At least I am much hindred in my devotion For besides that it derives our opinions into our devotions makes every schoole point become our religion and makes God a party so farre as we can intitling him to our impertinent wranglings Besides this I say while we should attend to our addresses towards God we are to consider whether the point be true or no and by that time we have â—acitly discoursed it we are upon another point which also perhaps is as Questionable as the former and by this time our spirit of devotion is a little discomposed and something out of countenance there is so much other imployment for the spirit the spirit of discerning and judging All which inconveniences are avoyded in set formes of Liturgy For we know before hand the conditions of our Communion and to what we are to say Amen to which if we like it we may repayre if not there is no harm done your devotion shall not be surprized nor your Communion invaded as it may be and often is in your extempore prayers And this things hath another collaterall inconvenience which is of great consideration for upon what confidence can we sollicite any Recusants to come to our Church where we cannot promise them that the devotions there to be used shall be innocent nor can we put him into a condition to judge for himselfe If he will venture he may but we can use no argument to make him choose our Churches though he should quit his owne 3. But againe let us consider with sobriety Are not those prayers and hymnes in holy Scripture excellent compositions admirable instruments of devotion full of piety rare and incomparable addresses to God Dare any man with his gift of Prayer pretend that he can exâ—tempore or by study make better Who dares pretend that he hath a better spirit then David had or then the Apostles and Prophets and other holy persons in Scripture whose Prayers and Psalmes are by Gods Spirit consigned to the use of the Church for ever Or will it be denyed but that they also are excellent directories and patterns for prayer And if patternes the neerer we draw to our example are not the imitations and representments the better And what then if we took the samplers themselves is there any imperfection in them and can we mend them and correct Magnificat In a just proportion and commensuration I argue so concerning the primitive