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-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
in the old offices themselves So that I need not put you in mind of that famous doxologie of the Gloria Patri c. nor the Trisagion nor any of those memorable hymnes used in the ancient Church so knownly and frequently that the beginning of them came to be their name and they were knowne more by their owne words then the Authors inscription At last when some men that thought themselves better gifted would be venturing at conceived formes of their owne there was a timely restraint made in the Councell of Milevis in Africa Placuit ut preces quae probaâ—ae fuerint in Coâ—ciliâ— ab omnibus celebrentur nec aliae omnino dicanâ—ur in Ecclesia nisi quae à prudentioribus faâ—tae fuerint in Synodo That 's the restraint and prohibition publike prayers must be such as are publikely appointed and prescribed by our superiours and no private forms of our conceiving must be used in the Church The reason followes Ne forte aliquid contra â—idem vel per ignâ—rantiaâ— vel per minus studium â—it compositum Lest through ignorance or want of deliberation any thing be spoken in our prayers against faith and good manners The reason is good and they are eare-witnesses oâ— it that heare the variety of prayers before and after Sermons there where the Directory is practiced where to speak most modestly not onely their private opinions but also humane interests and their owne personall concernments and wild fancies borne perhaps not two daies before are made the objects of the peoples hopes of their desires and their prayers and all in the meane time pretend to the holy Spirit I will not now instance in the vaine-glory that is appendant to these ex tempore formes of prayer where the gift of the man is more then the devotion of the man nor will I consider that then his gift is best when his prayer is longest and if he take a complâ—cency in his gift as who is not apt to doe it he will be sure to extend his prayer till a suspicious and scrupulous man would be apt to say his prayer pressed hard upon that which our blessed Saviour reprehended in the Pharisees who thought to be heard for their much babling But these things are accidentall to the nature of the thing And therefore though they are too certainly consequent to the person yet I will not be too severe but preserve my selfe on the surer side of charitable construction which truly I desire to keep not onely to their persons whom I much reverence but also to their actions But yet I durst not doe the same thing even for these last reasons though I had no other But it is objected that in set formes of Prayer we restraine and confine the blessed Spirit and in conceived formes when every man is left to his liberty then the Spirit is free unlimited and unconstrained I answer either their conceived formes I use their owne words though indeed the expression is very inartificiall are premeditate and described or they are ex tempore If they be premeditate and described then the Spirit is as much limited in their conceived formes as in the Churches conceived forms For as to this particular it is all one who describes and limits the forme whether the Church or a single man does it still the Spirit is in constraint and limit So that in this case they are not angry at set formes of Prayer but that they doe not make them And if it be replyed that if a single person composes a set forme he may alter it if he please and so his spirit is at liberty I answer so may the Church if she see cause for it and unlesse there be cause the single person will not alter it unlesse he doe things unreasonable and without cause So that it will be an unequall and a peevish quarrell to allow of set formes of prayer made by private persons and not of set formes made by the publike spirit of the Church It is evident that the Spirit is limited in both alike But if by Conceived formes in this objection they meane ex tempore prayers for so they most generally practice it and that in the use of these the liberty of the spirit is best preserved To this I answer that the being ex tempore or premeditaâ—e will be wholly impertinent to this Question of limiting the spirit For there may be great liberty in set formes even when there is much variety and there may be great restraint in ex tempore prayers even then when it shall be called unlawfull to use set formes That the spirit is restrained or that it is free in either is accidentall to them both for it may be either free or not free in both as it may happen But the restraint is this that every one is not left to his liberty to pray how he list with premeditation or without it makes not much matter but that he is prescribed unto by the spirit of another But if it be a fault thus to restraine the spirit I would faine know is not the spirit â—estrained when the whole Congregation shall be confined to the forme of this one mans composing or it shall be unlawfull or at least a disgrace and disparagement to use any set formes especially of the Churches composition More plainly thus 2. Doth not the Minister confine and restraine the spirit of the Lords People when they are tyed to his forme It would sound of more liberty to their spirits that every one might make a prayer of his owne and all pray together and not be forced or confined to the Ministers single dictate and private spirit It is true it would breed confusions and therefore they might pray silently till the Sermon began and not for the avoiding one inconvenience runne into a greater and to avoid the disorder of a popular noyse restraine the blessed Spirit for even in this case as wel as in the other Where the spirit of God is there must be liberty 3. If the spirit must be at liberty who shall assure us this liberty must be in formes of prayer And if so whether also it must be in publike prayer and will it not suffice that it be in private And if in publike prayers is not the liberty of the spirit sufficiently preserved in that the publicke spirit is free That is the Church hath power upon occasion to alter and increase her Letanyes By what argument shall any man make it so much as probable that the holy Ghost is injured if every private Ministers private spirit shall be guided and therefore by necessary consequence limited by the authority of the Churches publick spirit 4. Does not the Directory that thing which is here called restraining of the spirit Does it not appoint every thing but the words And after this is it not a goodly Palladium that is contended for and a prinâ—ely liberty that they leave unto the Spirit to be free onely in
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.
A DISCOVRSE CONCERNING PRAYER Ex tempore OR By pretence of the Spirit In justification of Authorized and set-Set-formes of LYTURGIE 1 COR. 14. 32. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} And the spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets For God is not the author of confusion but of peace as in all Churches of the Saints Printed in the Yeere MDCXLVI A Discourse concerning PRAYER Ex tempore c. I Have read over this book which the Assembly of Divines is pleased to call The Directory for Prayer I confesse I came to it with much expectation and was in some measure confident I should have found it an exact and unblameable modell of Devotion free from all those objections which men of their owne perswasion had obtruded against the publike Liturgy of the Church of England or at least it should have been composed with so much artifice and finenesse that it might have beene to all the world an argument of their learning and excellency of spirit if not of the goodnesse and integrity of their religion and purposes I shall give no other character of the whole but that the publike disrelish which I finde amongst persons of great piety of all qualities not onely of great but even of ordinary understandings is to me some argument that it lyes so open to the objections even of common spirits that the compilers of it did intend more to prevaile by the successe of their Armies then the strength of reason and the proper grounds of perswasion which yet most wise and good man believe to be the more Christian way of the two But Sir you have engaged me to say something in particular to satisfie your conscience In which also I desire I may reserve a leave to my self to conceal much if I may in little do you satisfaction I shall therefore decline to speak of the Efficient cause of this Directory and not quarrell at it that it was composed against the Lawes both of England and all Christendome If the thing were good and pious I should learne to submit to the imposition and never quarrell at the incompetency of his authority that ingaged me to doe pious and holy things And it may be when I am a little more used to it I shall not wonder at a Synod in which not one Bishop sits in the capacity of a Bishop though I am most certaine this is the first example in England since it was first Christned But for the present it seemes somthing hard to digest it because I know so well that all Assemblyes of the Church have admitted Priests to consultation and dispute but never to authority and decision till the Pope-enlarging the phylacteries of the Archimandrites and Abbots did somtimes by way of priviledge and dispensation give to some of them decisive voyces in publike Councells But this was one of the things in which he did innovate and invade against the publike resolutions of Christendome though he durst not doe it often and when he did it it was in very small and inconsiderate numbers I said I would not meddle with the Efficient and I cannot meddle with the Finall cause nor guesse at any other ends and purposes of theirs then at what they publiquely professe which is the abolition and destruction of the Book of Common-Prayer which great change because they are pleased to call Reformation I am content in charity to beleeve they think it so and that they have Zelum Dei but whether secundum scientiam according to knowledge or no must be judged by them who consider the matter and the forme But because the matter is of so great variety and minute consideration every part whereof would require as much scrutiny as I purpose to bestow upon the whole I have for the present chosen to consider onely the forme of it and because it pretends against the forme of set Lyturgie and that ex tempore forms doe succeed in room of the established and determined services I shall give you my judgement of it without any sharpnesse or bitternesse of spirit for I am resolved not to be angry with any men of another perswasion as knowing that I differ just as much from them as they doe from me And first I consider that the true state of the Question is onely this Whether it is better to pray to God with consideration or without whether is the wiser man of the two he who thinks and deliberates what to say or he that utters his mind as fast as it comes Whether is the better man he who out of reverence to God is most carefull and curious that he offend not in his tongue and therefore he himselfe deliberates and takes the best guides he can or he who out of the confidence of his owne abilities or other exteriour assistances speakes what ever comes uppermost And here I have the advice and councell of a very wise man no lesse than Solomon Eccles. 5. 2. Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thy heart be hasty to utter any thing before God for God is in heaven and thou upon earth therfore let thy words be few The consideration of the vast distance between God and us heaven and earth should create such apprehensions in us that the very best and choycest of our offertoryes are not acceptable but by Gods gracious vouchsafeing and condescension and therefore since we are so much indebted to God for accepting our best it is not safe venturing to present him with a dowbaked sacrifice and put him off with that which in nature and humane consideration is absolutely the worst for such is all the crude and imperfect utterance of our more imperfect conceptions But let Solomons reason be what it will good we are sure it is Let us consider who keepes the precept best He that deliberates or he that considers not but when he speakes What man in the world is hasty to offer any thing before God if he be not who prayes ex tempore And then adde to it but the weight of Solomons reason and let any man answer me if he thinkes it can well stand with that reverence we owe to the Immense the infinite and to the eternall God the God of wisdome to offer him a sacrifice which we durst not present to a Prince or a prudent Governour in reseriâ such as our prayers ought to be And that this may not be dashed with a pretence it is carnall reasoning I desire it may be remembred that it is the argument God himselfe uses against lame maimed and imperfect sacrifices Goe and offer this to thy Prince See if he will accept it Implying that the best person is to have the best present and what the Prince will slight as truely unworthy of him much more is it unfit for God For God accepts not of any thing we give or doe as if he were betterd by it for therefore its estimate is not taken by its relation or naturall complacency to him