and absurd then for men to esteem or vilifie love or hate any thing not according to the worth or unworthinesse thereof not as it may be usefull or hurtfull in its own nature to them but in opposition to others without due discretion or judgement had of the matter in question or thing what and how it is or may be in it self to account it vile because they have a good opinion or honourable conceit thereof and for no other reason to detest and loath it then for that their enemies fancy or bear a liking to it First loving or hating it and afterward searching out if possible rationall motives and arguments to give a just account of either to the world And yet such was the condition of these bitter and eager adversaries as may appear by the following instances For to begin with the received set form of Prayer and Liturgy once generally used in the Assemblies of thy people for the worship and service of their Maker though since become through the subtle malice of Satan the main bait of their furious and lasting contentions what could have been more profitably devised for the instruction of the ignorant then this What more conducing to order and peace then it in a setled Church What more inoffensive and harmlesse then the rites and ceremonies thereof What lesse obnoxious to any just exception of superstition errour impertinency or absurdity And yet notwithstanding the grosser ignorance of the vulgar people is solely or chiefly imputed unto it by the opposite party together with the generall profanenesse of life and meer externall formality in the acts of piety and devotion every where conspicuous in the nation And it hath been thought by some a sufficient ground not of separation only from the unity of thy body but of war also between thy members even unto rapine spoyle conflagration and bloud at least a fair pretence for these and like courses not inferiour to them Besides this it is too well known what large accusations have been brought against it by many of Idolatry will-worship contradiction tautologie indecency inadvertency redundancy in some deficiency in other parts thereof and what not which might in any respec detract from the worth thereof or make it contemptible and odious with the people To omit the taunts and reproaches which were usually cast upon the orders and ceremonies thereof and the great indignities offered to the persons of them who according to their conscience office and duty maintained it by their preaching and practise All which being taken into the consideration of prudent moderate and peaceable men were judged by them to be nothing else then the fruits of giddy passion or of distemper in judgement and in zeal And indeed he that shall but indifferently weigh and examine the reasons and exceptions which the dissenting and separating brethren alledge against the use of the English Liturgy will finde them for the most part so invalid and weak that one strong argument may be drawn from hence to prove it lawfull because whatsoever hath been hitherto brought by way of reproof to evince the unlawfulnesse thereof hath had in it no greater strength of reason and demonstration very requisite in a cause so important as this and in a charge so furious as was made against it But however reason and truth were wanting to their cause the opinion and confidence of both resting on their side was so deeply rooted in them that I verily beleeve it would be an hard matter to finde any sect either modern or antient who have more obstinately adhered to their principles or more vehemently prosecuted their designes then they As if they had been acted with a spirit of infallibility and carried on thereby in these proceedings when that of errour contrariety and spleen against the adverse party seemeth to have been their chief if not only guide wherefore they oppose themselves with might and main against the established order of prayer and diseipline and to disgrace and depresse the former they highly commend and above measure extoll and likewise use upon all occasions unpremeditate or as some term it conceived prayer A very forcible engine raised by them against Church-conformity and in all likelihood that which hath more upheld strengthened and encreased their faction then any one means whatsoever honouring it with the glorious title of praying by the Spirit and that by way of propriety in opposition to praying with any set form of words composed beforehand or framed to our ordinary use As if the Spirit of God did immediately suggest unto their mindes both the matter and form sense and words of these their supplications but was not assistant to the other or the other inconsistent with the grace and help thereof whereas upon due search into the Scriptures concerning this point we shall finde this pretended praying by the Spirit not to be so much as mentioned therein and for this cause at the best but warrantable and lawfull for us by the generall rule of indifferent things the which are left to the judgement of Christian prudence to be done or omitted by us as we shall see it most convenient for our selves or for other men not of necessary use as many of them suppose and maintain seeing that they cannot produce any expresse or implicite command for the same out of the written word of God For although mention be made there of prayer and supplication in the Spirit Ephes 6.18 yet it canbe proved either by that which precedeth or by that which followeth in the Text that the Apostle doth mean by this form of speech the same kinde of praying which they so much magnifie and contend for But rather he understandeth by prayer in the Spirit that in which the hearty affection is joyned with the mouthes expression and the desire of the soul is answerable to the positure and devotion of the body see Rom. 1.9 or that assistance of the Spirit whereof he speaketh Rom. 8.26 27. Otherwise the Apostle in this place and by these words doth shew what it is to pray alwaies namely not to be continually muttering prayers with our lips as some have vainly imagined but to be in a perpetual disposition of the heart towards this holy exercise yea and to be assiduous and constant in desire of those things which we want without slothfull intermission or faith lesse fainting in case we do not perceive a sudden grant of our requests Luk. 18.1 either of which is farre different from the former as appeareth at the very first sight thereof And yet how great advantage have they gotten upon their adversaries by their facility of utterance and volubility of speech in prayer without thought as they professe and premeditation in the least measure of what they were to say Many of which though learned and eloquent men either because they were ill affected to this practise or for that they did not exercise their gifts and parts this way being unwilling or unable
to match them at this weapon which they had been taught to handle and wield as they listed from their tender years were scorned of them and traduced to the ignorant sort as meer naturall men not having the Spirit of God whereof they did pretend this to be a sure note and character Although indeed if we offer up our prayers unto God from a pure heart with stedfastnesse of faith and fâ—rvency of affection it matters not whether we do it in a set form or by sodain ejaculation Provided that we aske things agreeable to the minde and will of God entertain no thought in our selves that the one is better then the other absolutely considered or more acceptable in it self with him approach with reverence both of body and of soul to the throne of Grace and utter words beseeming the Majesty and holinesse of him with whom we have to doe And now I shall only take a view of one exception which hath been frequently alledged in my hearing against the received form of Church prayer knowing how much hath already been said and that effectually in defence thereof by men eminent for learning and piety and so conclude this point And it is the very same which I have formerly mentioned namely that by the use of this service men were generally nursed and brought up in grosse ignorance profanenesse and formality of Religion The which exception if it were just or true who could doubt but that the Liturgy was to be exploded out of the congregation as impious in it self and therefore unlawfull to be used at any hand But that it is altogether groundlesse and false might be made manifest by severall arguments proving the contrary one shall suffice for the present which is taken from the substance or matter contained therein For this being either some part or portion of the word of God faithfully interpreted according to the Analogie of Faith and minde of the holy Ghost in all things which concern our salvation or what may be deduced from it by rational consequence or that which doth no way contradict and thwart the precepts thereof how can it possibly be a cause or means of ignorance and profanenesse to the which it is so opposite unlesse light may produce darknesse heat cold and good evill How then came it to passe that very many who had the continuall use and benefit of this form were so grosly ignorant of the mysteries of godlinesse so dissolute in their life and so formall in their profession as they were throughout this whole nation Surely not because this was a covert to their eyes that they could not see the light or a flie postern gate opening a way privily unto sin or licentiousnesse as they falsly do imagine but from the corruption of mens hearts Joh. 3.19 whereby it is that they love darknesse rather then light beeduse their deeds are evill and content themselves with a meer shew or slight touch at the furthest of Religion as being most agreeable with flesh and bloud by reason of the lightnesse and easinesse which is therein and the liberty it doth indulge unto those lusts which are most common and predominant in humane nature whereas the sincere and practicall profession of Christianity doth confine and restrain our unbridled affections locks up our wandring desires and ties the knot hard upon our loose pleasures and delights obliging us to abstinence and austerity of life and therefore doth it generally distast with men and universally with all whose hearts are not seasoned with true sanctifying grace or as the Apostle speaketh Heb. Heb. 13.9 13.9 established therewith Besides it is too well known how little care hath been taken by those who had the oversight of the people to inform them concerning the use and end of their publique devotions and of those circumstantiall rites pertaining to the same or make them understand the sense and signification of those things which were so often inculcated into their ears by others or which themselves uttered with their lips yea not a few of their teachers were so forsaken of knowledge and destitute of exemplary holynesse notwithstanding their place and function did require eminency of both that either they were unable to instruct their charge aright or what they taught them carryed no weight of reverence or authority with it but rather was the lesse esteemed of by the people for their sakes who did commend the same unto them being witnesses of their levity and sin and of their continuall practise farre disserent from their own profession and doctrine And yet such was the force of custome with many joyned with ignorance and indiscretion of the nature of things that they verily thought every parcell of the Common-prayer-book and every ceremony prescribed thereby to be of no lesse then divine institution and that a slight perfunctory use of its forms in praying with the other rules and directions of externall worship observed by them was sufficient to bring them unto heaven without any more adoe To this we may adde the remisse and slack hand of Ecclesiasticall discipline as another main cause of the generall ignorance and profanenesse of these times which reached no farther for the most part to the inferiour Clergie how peccant soever otherwise in the exercise thereof then in point of disconformity to Episcopall orders Provinciall or Synodicall constitutions touching externall government neither did it call the people to a due account if any of their proficiency in the knowledge of Christ Jesus or censure them for non-proficiency therein yea scarcely for grosse and scandalous crimes if they were persons known to be well affected towards the present government though upon the weakest perchance and worst grounds which can be imagined namely the defects and failings of those who did administer the same In like manner the sleeping or not executing of necessary penall statutes upon offenders against the Law of God hath been a chief cause of open profanenesse in the land for had these been impartially executed upon every convicted transgressor after some care taken to finde them out I am perswaded by this time we should not have seen many drunkards or heard many swearers throughout this whole populous Hand And indeed I can speak it upon my own knowledge that a town of good note in the Western parts of the the Land not far distant from the Sea heretofore famed for all manner of riot and disorder by this course of late years hath been reduced to that order and discipline that it is a rare matter to see a man there at any time distempered with wine or with strong drink or to hear a rash oath proceed from any mans mouth no not when there is most frequent concourse of people thither from all the neighbouring parts so carefull are men to keep the Law where as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 2.2 Heb. 2.2 every transgression and disobedience receiveth a just recompense of reward So easie a matter is it for Ministers and
up that few had the knowledge thereof But granting some of you a primacy in the former I suppose many of you have cause to blush at the mention of the latter remembring what mistakes impertinencies tautologies inconsequencies to say no worse have passed from you in this rash and inconsiderate motion Although the better advised and wiser sort among you to avoid such inconveniences as these are thought to present us with composed formes of prayer many times yet so as they would have them taken of their Auditors for the issues of sudden meditation and indeed the phrase and language of the same intimate as much being for the most part more apt and elegant then that which they use in their popular Sermons Wherefore one of your faction and of your society heretofore well reputed of for his learning with you unto this day did not many years agoe privately impart his minde concerning this thing to a friend of his well known unto my self of whom also I received it and that to this effect to wit That he had so many formes of prayer lying by him or else committed to memory by the enterchangeable use of which notwithstanding the same for words or but little varying upon some speciall occasion he was thought by the people alwaies to pray without premeditation How warrantable this delusion may be with men I cannot tell but with God surely it cannot passe the note of hypocrisie and of vain-glory From which the Apostle was so free that he did forbear to say the truth in such a case as this tending to his own honour lest saith he any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be 2 Cor. 12.6 or that he heareth of me But be it so as ye would have it this cannot adde either to the efficacy of your prayers or to the acceptation of your persons in the presence of the Almighty albeit it is to be feared that some of you entertain this conceit thereof secretly in your hearts for otherwise they would not condemn at least so peremptorily as they do the use of set formes in other men Neither can good and diligent preaching advantage your souls without answerable living though ye never so frequently and fervently cry down in the Assembly self and flesh and nature and world with whatsoever appertaineth to their severall proprieties I know full well that ye are good at this in the Pulpit laying aside your affectation of new coined words unusuall tone and gesture the which some have in part relinquished for very shame but in your conversation ye are as other men especially when ye are called upon by your profession for contempt of the world in your practise and example Witnesse this the leaders and chieftains who brought and setled you where ye now abide For as they did displace at pleasure all those that did not yeeld to their demands so they wrought themselves into those places made vacant by them which were of greatest benefit and advantage at least most opportune for their private ends of covetousnesse or ambition And albeit this might seem a point of wisdome in them to the eyes of the world I am sure it was not that wisdome which descendeth from above and which they so much commend by their doctrine to the conscience of others but that which is from below even the wisdome of this world Jam. 3.15 or of the flesh of which see Jam. 3.15 And yet perchance it was a kinde of imprudence too in respect of the common cause which they did then maintain the which without doubt could not but suffer hereby some diminution of its former credit and repute with all indifferent men But it is an hard matter even for the deepest dissemblers to conceal themselves and not to put off their disguise in such concerning cases as these and therefore having so fair and singular opportunity of advancing themselves they accumulate places of honour and trust so high was their opinion of their own worth so immoderate their desire of worldly wealth and greatnesse according to the custome of their faction who are generally accounted provident ingatherers and layers up in store for the future but niggardly dispensers of what they have and can well spare to the necessities of their poor brethren whose mouthes seldome blesse you because their bowels are seldome refreshed by you but curse you often because of your frequent incompassion towards them The Lord forgive both you and them Yea some were known to be penurious and sordid towards themselves and their families and so cruell to their own bowels as well as to other men Now what good works will follow you after death according to this account I need not speak For your laudable pains in the work of the ministery cannot further you in the way of salvation 1 Cor. 9.27 without exemplary holinesse of life And here we may not passe by without just censure those men who have contrary to former oathes entred into others right and possessed themselves of their places violating hereby the statutes of the house which they had sworn ever to maintain One of them eminent for place among you though not for parts being urged upon a certain occasion with the statute of the Colledge by another who sought his right on this ground and disputed the case as warrantable and just from principles of this nature was not ashamed to reply in defence of the contrary part that no oathes could binde the conscience against the reformation a strange reformation that cannot be effected without the grosse and palpable perjury either of the reformers themselves or of them that are to be be reformed by them For indeed the licentious manner of living in these times even of the best is not capable of a strict conformity to Colledgestatutes formerly established so austere and rigid are they especially some of them and not suting with the long accustomed loosnesse of our age Insomuch as it were reformation enough and as most men would count more then enough if Popery and superstition laid aside men were exacted the obedience only of those statutes which concern morall duty and behaviour in common life one towards another But notwithstanding this mans great zeal for the reformation time hath since declared to the world that neither protestation league or covenant could sufficiently binde him for the work against his preferment profit and ease So little conscience do they shew in time of triall who most pretend for it in a more calm and quiet season As for your Elections I have not much to witnesse of them and yet some have feelingly complained in my hearing that desert whether of learning or of other parts findes as cold a welcome with you if poorly attended or elad as ever it did in times past and that preferment runs as heretofore in the corrupt channell of favour and affection not in that of equity and right But for this happily ye may be excused in part