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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A59765 The irregularitie of a private prayer in a publick congregation in a letter to a friend. Sherlock, R. (Richard), 1612-1689. 1674 (1674) Wing S3241; ESTC R25624 14,535 24

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Disobedience to the Higher Powers and breach of the fifth Commandement I might adde in the last place the Non-conformitie of this Practice with all other Protestant Communicants beyond the Seas their Ministers being neither fond of it themselves nor permitted such a Liberty by their Governors Object Object But to solve all these Particulars 't is said A Private Prayer before Sermon is allowed nay enjoyned by the 55 Canon of the Church which is called indeed a Form of Prayer but therein the Minister is not bound up to the use of the same words but may pray to that effect Answ Answ First But surely there is no man that understandeth sense and is not blinded with prejudice will say That the Form prescribed in the Canons is a Form of prayer but an Exhortation only to move the people to joyn in prayer for Christs Holy Catholick Church for the Kings Majestie for and 't is most properly called a bidding of prayer And 't was Mr. Cartwright that Ring-leader of the Puritan-Faction in the time of Q. Elizabeth who first turned this Bidding prayer into a long prayer of his own head and 't was the very engine hereby he and his followers undermined the Common Prayers of the Church Answ Second It is a very unseemly thing if seriously considered to tell the Great King of Heaven by way of prayer to him that the Kings Majestie is King of England Scotland c. Defendor of the Faith c. or to tell him of such or such a Lord that he is Earl of such or such a Place Lord of such one of the Privy Councel his very good Lord and Patron clauses with several particulars in that Canon are very improper to be said unto God by way of Prayer but not so by way of Exhortation unto Prayer Thirdly Because the Observance of this Canon was obnoxious to the censure and exceptions of many who desired an absolute Prayer in stead of that bidding Form it was proposed at the Convocation held An. 1640. that it might be so ordered and accordingly there was a short Prayer drawn up comprizing all the heads of the Canon The which notwithstand the confidence some had of its universal reception was rejected by the most Reverend Arch-Bishop who judged it neither safe nor fitting to alter that Ganon which was founded on the Injunctions of Queen Elizebeth and King Edward 6. at the first Reformation which sufficiently evinceth the said Canon to be no Prayer not yet lawfull to be altered and used Prayerwise Fourthly 'T is a presumptuous usurpation and Affront upon the Church of Christ for any man to thrust himself upon such a Ministeral Office as he is not by the Authority of the Church entrusted withall and whosoever acts the Presbyterian in this particular becomes Independant the one having no more just Anthority derived from the Church that ordained him to use such a private Prayer of his own in Publick than the other hath either to Preach or Pray in Publick being not admitted into holy Orders nor lawfully called thereunto Fiftly 'T is an Innovation in Religion a new up-start practise brought into the Church not above 70 years ago and may therefore be reckoned inter profonas vocum novitates which the Apostle admonished to avoid even all profane and vain bablings (a) 1 Tim. 6.20 canting language new words and new waies such as are contrary to those old paths and those good wais which the Lord commands us to enquire after and to walk therein Jer. 16.16 And such New wais are fitly called profane quasi procul a fano saith the Commentator Lyr. in Loc. because fat from the Temple or different from the words and wais of Christs Church and contrary to the Apostles depositum tene 1 Tim. 6. in the following words hold fast that which is committed to thee i. e. saith the Father quod tibi creditum non quod a te inventum what the Church whereby thou art addmitted to the Ministerial Function hath commited to thy trust and commanded thee to observe hold fast that keep close to that not following thine own fancy and invention to bring in what is New which ever undermines the Old and true way of Divine worship Seventhly If a call or command from God be herein pretended though not allowed by the Church yet in this particular they are at aloss except they pretend immediate Revelation with the Enthusiasts For there is neither command nor example in holy Writ to justifie this private Prayer in Publick we have many Sermons of the Apostles upon record but no Prayer before any of them so that this is an act of usurpation upon the Publick Divine Worship a presumption to do that which God hath no where commanded nor the Church of Christ allowed Eighthly Liberty being permitted for any person of what perswasion soever to vent his private conceptions by way of Prayer in Publick opens a gap to Heresie and Schism in the Church to Sedition and Rebeltion in the Kingdome For their private errours and designs being inserted in their Prayers do insinuate into the Affections and more mightily enssame the People than by any other way of perswasion whatsoever Old Truths being undermined by New wais of worship and vain bablings the constant Parents of errors in the Faith (a) 1. Tim. 6.20.21 Ninthly Thus Separations and Divisions both amongst Ministers and People are bred and nourished for whilst one Minister or gifted man as such are called Prays thus and thus and another in a way and with words diverss from him one sort and Sect of men likes this mans way method and language tone and gesture another sort is taken more with anothers way Hence One saith I am of Paul and another I am of Apollo and another I of Cephas (a) 1 Cor. 1.12 which is the life and being of Schism the remedie whereof is To obey that most pathetical exhortation Now I beseech you Brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that yee all speak the same thing That there be no divisions amongst you (b) 1. Cor. 1.10 To speak the same thing and to use the same words in the Publick worship of God or as the same Apostle To glorify God with one minde and one mouth is the way to avoid divisions and to take off the People from their partiality and fondness in preferring one Minister before another merely for their less or more eminencie in this unwarrantable way of Praying Tenthly By this Private Prayer the Publick Prayers of the Church are implyed to be imperfect and deficient are slighted nay contemned and undermined For they with whom this way is in repute generally slight slubbour over the Common-Prayer carelessly irreverently and indevoutly but to their own conceived Prayers give all the advantages of seeming zeal both in their tone and language elevation of eyes hands and no marvel then that the one be so much applauded by the vulgar and the other slighted especially