Selected quad for the lemma: church_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	form_n	prayer_n	set_a	6,981	5	11.4340	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A76182	The judgment of Mr. Baxter concerning ceremonies and conformity in the points of difference betwixt the Church of England and the dissenters novv published in vindication of the moderate and learned part of the Presbyterians, to let the vvorld see that they are not so irreconcilable to the discipline of the Church of England, as some people vvould have us believe.	Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691.	1689 (1689)	Wing B1291; ESTC R42756	4,021	4

The Judgment of Mr. BAXTER concerning Ceremonies and Conformity in the Points in Difference betwixt the Church of England and the Dissenters Novv Published in Vindication of the Moderate and Learned Part of the Presbyterians to let the VVorld see that they are not so irreconcilable to the Discipline of the Church of England as some People vvould have us believe Licensed and Entered according to Order The Judgment of Mr. Baxter concerning Ceremonies and Conformity Disp 4 p. 361. THose Modes or Circumstances of Worship which are necessary in genere but left undetermined by God in specie are left by God to human prudential Determination else an Impossibility would be necessary But many such there are that are necessary in genere but left undetermined of God in specie therefore many such are left to human prudential Determination Disp 5. p. 400. Sect. 5. Yet it is in the power of man to determine of such Modes and Circumstances as are necessary to the performance of that Worship which God hath instituted in his Word and therefore lawful Governors may in such cases bind us by their Command P. 400.1 It is left to human Determination what Places the Publick Assemblies shall be held in P. 401.2 It is left to man to determine of the Time of Holy Duty except only where God hath determined to the contrary Ibid. 3 It is left to the determination of human Prudence what Utensils to employ about the Publick Worship of God. Here therefore vve must conclude P. 423.1 That every misordering of such great Affairs is the sin of them that do it 2. But yet that the Subject is not exempted from Obedience by every such mistake of the Governour but by some he is Ibid. Sect. 67. If the mischusing some Circumstances by Church Governours be but an inconvenience and do destroy the ordinance it self or frustrate the ends of it we are to obey 1. He is the Judge of his own work not we 2. The thing is not sinful tho' inconvenient 3. Obedience is commanded to our Lawful Governours P. 424. We must obey in all things Lawful And when we do obey in case of miscommanding it is not a doing of evil that good may come of it as some do misconceive but it is only a submitting to that which is ill commanded but no evil in him that doth submit it is the determiner that is the cause of the inconvenience and not the obeyer Nor is it inconvenient for to obey tho' it be worse perhaps to him that commandeth While he sinneth in commanding he may make it my duty to obey P. 396 Sect. 6. dist 4. We must distinguish between Ceremonies imposed by a Lawful Magistrate or Church-Governours and such as are imposed by Usurpers or men without Authority P. 398. Sect. 25. prop. 12. It may be very sinful to command some Ceremonies which may lawfully yea must in duty be used by the Subject when they are commanded Sect. 27. prop 14. Yet certain things which are commonly called Ceremonies may lawfully be used in the Church upon human Imposition and when it is not against the Law of God no person should disobey the commands of their Lawful Governours in such things Of set forms and the Book of common-Common-Prayer Disp 4. p. 358 Prop 1. A stinted Liturgy is in it self Lawful A stinted Liturgy in some parts of publick Holy Service is ordinarly necessary 3. In the parts where it is not of necessity it may not only be submitted unto but desired when the peace of the Church requires P. 359. Prop 7. The safest way of composing such a publick form is to take it all for matter and words out of the Holy Scripture 8. Yet is not this of such necessity but that we may joine in it or use it if the form of words be not from Scripture Prop 1. A stinted Liturgy is in it self Lawful and it is thus proved Arg. 1 That which is not directly nor consequentially forbidden by God remaineth lawful a stint●d Liturgie is not directly or consequentially forbidden of God therefore it remaineth Lawful The major is undoubted because nothing but a prohibition can make a thing unlawful Sin is the transgression of a Lavv vvhen there is no Lavv there is no Transgression And yet I have heard very reverend Men answer this That it is enough that it is not commanded though not forbidden which is plainly to deny both Scripture and Civil Principles P. 361. Now for the minor That a stinted Liturgy is not forbidden we need no other proof than that no prohibition can be produced P 364. Arg. 6 If it be lawful for the People to use a stinted form of words in publick Prayer then is it in it self lawful for the Pastors but it is Lawful for the People for the Pastor's Prayer which they must pray over with him and not only hear it is a stinted Form to them even as much as if he had learnt it out of a Book they are to follow him in his method and words as if it were a Book-Prayer Arg. 7. It is lawful to use a Form in Preaching therefore a stinted Liturgy is lawful 1. Because Preaching is a part of that Liturgy 2. Because the Reason is the same for Prayer as for that in the main Argument 8. That which hath been the Practice of the Church in Scripture-times and down to this day and is yet the practice of almost all the Churches of Christ on Earth is not like to be unlavvful but such is the use of some stinted Forms of Publick Service There fore c. That It vvas so in the Jevvs Church and approved by Christ I have shevved That it hath been of ancient use in the Church since Christ as it is at this day in use in Affrick Asia Europe Even among the Reformed Churches in France Hòlland Geneva and is so vvell knovvn that I think I need not stand to prove it yea those fevv that seem to disuse it do yet use it in Psalms and other parts of Worship P. 421. As for the Common-Prayer it self I never rejected it because it was a forme we thought simply unlawful because it was such a form but have made use of it and would do again in the like case Of Ceremonies The Ceremonies controverted amongst us vvere specially the Surplice the Gesture of Kneeling in receiving the Lords Supper the Ring in Marriage Laying the hand upon a Book in taking an Oath the Organs and Church-Musick Holi-days Altars Rails and the Cross in Baptism Of the Surplice P. 409 Some decent Habit is necessary either the Magistrate or the Minister himself or the Associated Pastors must determine vvhat I think neither Magistrate nor Synod should do any more then hinder undecency but yet if they do more and tye all to one habit and suppose it vvere an undecent habit yet this is but an imprudent use of power it is a thing vvithin the Magistrates reach he doth not an aliene work but his ovvn vvork

amiss therefore the thing in it self being lavvful I vvould obey him and use that Garment if I could not be dispensed vvith yea though secondarily vvhiteness be to signify Purity and so it be made a teaching sign yet vvould I obey Of kneeling at the Sacrament P. 411. But yet as sinful as this Gesture vvas imposed for my part I did obey the imposers and vvould do if it vvere to be done again rather than disturb the peace of the Church or be deprived of its Communion for God having made some Gesture necessary and confined me to none but left it to human determination I shall submit to Magistrates in their proper work even vvhen they miss it in the manner I am not sure that Christ intended the example of himself and his Apostles as obligatory to us that shall succed I am sure it proves sitting lavvful but I am not sure that it proves it necessary tho' very convenient but I am sure he hath commanded me obedience and peace Of the Ring in Marriage P. 401. As for the Ring in Marriage I see no reason to scruple the lawfulness of it for tho' the Papists make a-Sacrament of Marriage yet we have no reason to take it for an Ordinance of Divine Worship any more than the solemnising of a Contract between a Prince and People all things are sanctified and pure to the pure Of Organs and Church Musick P. 412. As for Organs or other Instruments of Musick in God's Worship they being a help partly Natural and partly Artificial to the exhilerating of the Spirits for the praise of God I know no Argument to prove them simply unlawful but what would prove a Cup of Wine unlawful or the tune and Meeter and Melody of singing unlawful Of Holy-dayes P. 412.413 Nor for my part do I make any scruple to keep a day in Remembrance of any Eminent Servant of Christ or Martyr to praise God for their Doctrine or Honour their Memorial But the hardest part of the Question is Whether it be lawful to keep days in Celebrating the Memorial of Christ's Nativity Circumcision Fasting Transfiguration Ascension and such like P. 416. And yet for all this I am resolved If I live where such Holy-Days as these are observed to censure no man for observing them nor would I deny them Liberty to follow their Judgment if I had the power of their Liberties provided they use not reproach and violence to others and seek not to deprive them of their Liberties P. 417. Yea more I would not only give men their Liberty in this but if I lived under a Government that peremptorily commanded it I would observe the outward rest of such a Holy-day and I would preach on it and join with the Assemblies in God's VVorship on it Yea I would thus observe the day rather than offend a weak Brother or hinder any man's Salvation much more rather than I would make any Division in the Church Of Altars and Rails Ibid. As for the next Ceremony the Name and Form of an Altar no doubt but it is a thing indifferent whether the Table stand this way or that way and the Primitive Churches commonly used the Names or Sacrifice and Altar and Priest and I think lawfully for my part I shall not be he that shall condemn them Ibid. I conceive that the dislike of these things in England the Form and Name of an Altar and Rails about it was not as if they were simply evil P. 401 402. VVhether we shall receive the Lords Supper at a Table or in our Seats or whether the Table shall be of VVood or Stone whether it shall be Round Long or Square whether it shall stand in the East or VVest end of the Temple or in the middle whether it shall have Rails or no Rails all these are left to humane Prudence Of the Cross in Baptism P. 417. But of all our Ceremonies there is none that I have more suspected to be simply unlawful than the Cross in Baptism P. 418. Yet I dare not peremptorily say That it is unlawful nor will I condemn either Ancients or Moderns that use it nor will I make any disturbance in the Church about it more than my own forbearance vvill make I presume not to censure them that judge it lavvful but only give the Reasons that make me doubt and rather think it to be unlavvful tho' still with a suspicion of my own Understanding and a love and honour to Dissenters Printed at London and Re-printed at Edinburgh 1689.