gain nothing by their fathers or mothers faith but rather lose For if they remained still in their Judaisme not beleeving in Christ yet their children were to receive the outward seal of the covenant to wit circumcision whereby they were reckoned among Gods people and had such outward federall holinesse as that sacrament might give them Sith therefore this glosse of the Anabaptists no way agreeth with the scope and intention of the Apostle nor with the truth it selfe it remaineth that we admit of that interpretation which the best of the ancient and latter Expositors give of the text to wit the unbeleeving husband is so far sanctified by the faith of the wife and the unbeleeving wife by the faith of her husband that their children thereby are entitled to the covenant of grace and therefore the Ministers of God have a good ground and warrant to administer baptisme unto them which is the seal of their entrance into that covenant ARTIC 3. Concerning set forms of prayer ANABAPTIST NO set or stinted forms of prayer ought to be used in publike on private but all that pray ought to pray by the spirit in a conceived form variable according to severall occasions THE REFUTATION Though we condemn not all conceived or ex tempore prayer especially in private when we lay open our wants to our Father in secret and rip up our consciences before him yet set or stinted forms of prayer in publike are not only warrantable by Gods Word and verie profitable but in some case necessarie ARGUMENT I. What God appointed in the old testament as appertaining to his substantiall worship it being no part of the abrogated rites of the ceremoniall law may and ought to be observed by us under the Gospell But set forms of blessing thanks-giving and prayer were appoynted by God in the old testament and are no types and figures of Christ nor parts of the ceremoniall law Ergo they may and ought to be observed by us under the Gospell Of the major or first proposition there can be no doubt for that cannot be evill whereof God is the author and though the rites and ceremonies are different yet the substance of Gods worship is the same both under the law and under the Gospell The assumption or minor proposition is confirmed by the expresse letter of these texts Numb 6. 23. 24. 25. 26. Speak unto Aaron and his sons saying on this wise ye shall blesse the children of Israel saying unto them the Lord blesse thee and keep thee the Lord make his face shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace And Deut. 26. 5. And thou shalt speak and say before the Lord thy God a Syrian readie to perish was my father and he went down into AEgypt and sojourned there with a few and became there a nation great mightie and populous c. And Hosea 14. 2. Take with you words and turn to the Lord and say unto him take away all iniquitie and receive us graciously so will we render the calves of our lips And Ioel 2. 17. Let the Priests the ministers of the Lord weep between the porch the Altar and let them say spare thy people O Lord and give not thine heritage to reproach that the heathen should rule over them wherefore should they say among the people where is their God ANABAP ANSWER The forms mentioned in holy Scripture were composed by those that were prophets and immediatly inspired by the holy Ghost such are not the composers of our liturgies and therefore the argument will not follow from the one to the other REPLY First the question is not now whether we ought to use no form but such as is immediately inspired by the holy Ghost but whether set or stinted formes either inspired or not inspired may or ought to be used in the church that they may we prove by Gods own command which must not be restrained to prayers immediately inspired and dictated by the holy Ghost for then none should pray but Prophets and by that reason as none that are not immediately inspired might use set forms of prayers so neither conceived or extempore prayers Secondly though none now pray by immediate inspiration yet we have now the spirit of supplication and we pray by the assistance of the holy Spirit and if our prayers in matter and form are agreeable to Gods word they are acceptable unto him and they cannot be unacceptable unto him hoc nomine for that they are delivered in set formes because God himself was the first author of them and hath left them in scripture for our direction and imitation Thirdly in our Liturgies a great part of the formes of prayer and thanksgiving used by us are formes composed by prophets immediately inspired by the holy Ghost as namely the Lords Prayer the Psalmes of David the Magnificat the Benedictus Nunc dimittis and the close of all our prayers The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ c. Why then doe they not at the least joyn with us in rehearsing these set formes If these may be rehearsed without quenching or restraining the Spirit why may not others also framed according to these patterns ARGUMENT II. Whatsoever the prophets and saints of God practised in the substantiall worship of God under the law may and ought to be a president for us But they used set or stinted forms of prayer and thanksgiving Ergo their practice may and ought to be a president for us The major or first proposition needs no proof because the substance of Gods worship is the same under the Law and under the Gospel and what the prophets and holy men of old did or spake they did or spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1. 21. The assumption or minor is abundantly proved by manifold allegations out of the old Testament as namely Numb 10. 35 36. And it came to passe when the Ark set forwards that Moses said rise up Lord and let thine enemies be scattered and let them that hate thee flee before thee and when it rested he said Returne O Lord unto the many thousands of Israel and 1 Chron. 25. 6 7. All these were under the hands of their father for song in the house of the Lord with Cymbals Psalterie and Harps for the service of the house of God according to the Kings order to Asaph Ieduthun and Heman so the number of them with their brethren that were instructed in the songs of the Lord was 288. And 2 Chron. 29. 30. Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing prayses to the Lord with the words of David and of Asa the Seer and they sang prayses with gladnesse The words of David are those which are extant in the book of Psalmes under the name of David the words of Asa are comprehended in those Psalmes which bear this title A Psalme of Asaph as namely Psal. 73 74 75
like that it be a certain and constant one from which the Pastors of the Church may in no wise depart or varie ARGUMENT V. Those prayers which all in the kingdome are perpetually bound to use ought to be approved by the whole church or kingdome for such prayers especially ought to be made in faith and care taken that nothing be in them repugnant to sound doctrine But such prayers cannot be ex tempore ejaculations or sudden conceptions of every private Pastors brain opinion or fansie Ergo they must be penned forms examined by Gods word and publiquely printed that all may know what they are and may confidently goe along with the Minister and without any scruple of conscience say Amen to the prayers which they cannot doe to such unwarranted immethodicall inconsequent nay hereticall schismaticall and seditious prayers as many of our ex tempore Enthusiasts deliver especially on fast-dayes with infinitie of tautologies and vain repetitions to the great scorn and scandall of our religion ARGUMENT VI. There ought to be publique prayers not only on the Lords day but on the week-dayes also upon speciall occasion in every church or congregation of the saints for prayer is the Christians dayly sacrifice from which those houses of God ought to take their denomination domus mea domus orationis vocabitur my house shall be called the house of prayer domus orationis non orationum not a house of sermons though such there to be made nor a house of sacraments though there to be administred nor a house of Psalmes though there to be sung but a house of prayer as the principall and chief and most necessarie dutie there to be performed prayer may be without the other the other cannot be without it But such prayers can be no other in most churches then set forms devised by the learned of the Clergie and approved by the State for there is not one Minister or Curate of a hundred especially in countrey villages or parochiall churches who hath any tolerable gift of conceived as they tearm them or ex tempore prayers Ergo there ought to be set forms of prayer used in publique congregations ARGUMENT VII No man prayeth as he ought who poureth not out his whole soul before God praying as well with an entire intention as affection But this a man cannot doe who maketh a prolix ex tempore prayer in a publique congregation by reason that he must at the same time both think upon what he speaketh and invent also what he is to speak in order and with good coherence unlesse he will pray absurdly and inconsequently Ergo no man prayeth as he ought who comes not with a set or premeditated form of prayer into a publique congregation ARGUMENT VIII Not to speak of sudden ejaculations which necessitie forceth or excuseth nor of prayers in extasies and raptures in which an elevated soul is rather passive then active In all ordinarie prayers which we are to offer to God in the usuall and constant course of our Ministerie we must be carefull to shun all temeritie and rashnesse and watch in prayer with all diligence The pure oyle Olive of the Sanctuarie was to be beaten by Gods appointment Exod. 27. 20. and the Virgins were to trim their lights Mat. 25. 7. before they went out to meet the Bride-groome and God himself rejected the blind and the lame for sacrifices None presumeth to put up a petition to the king which is not carefully perused before and shall we lesse reverence the King of heaven then an earthly prince But temeritie and rashnesse cannot be avoided by such who speak to God quicquid in buccam venerit and presume to deliver that in a publique assembly which they never thought on before Ergo all such ex tempore prayers ought to be forborn in publique and the set forms of the Church retained or some in stead of them composed with publique approbation Anabaptists Objections In excepting against all set or stinted â—orms of prayer aspis a vipera sumit venenum according to the Latin proverb the asp borroweth poyson from the viper that is the Anabaptists from the Brownists who may rightly be tearmed a generation of vipers because they after the manner of vipers make way to their separation or going out from the Body of their Mother the Church of England by eating and rearing her bowels Out of their own store the Anabaptists furnish themselves with arguments against all set forms of prayer in generall but they are beholding to the Brownists for all such objections as they make against the publique forms of prayer used in the Church of England in particular For the more distinct handling of the objections being somewhat of a different nature and for the ease of the reader that he may more readily find a particular and punctuall solution to any such speciall objections as most stick with him I will first propound their main arguments against set forms in generall and both answer them and retort them and then particularly scan what they seem materially to object against the Service-book established by law in the Church of England OBJECTIONS against set forms of Prayer in generall OBJECT 1. No worship devised by man is acceptable to God Set forms of prayer are a worship devised by man Ergo set forms of prayer are not acceptable to God ANSWER First a worship of God devised by man may be taken in a double sense either for a worship wholly devised by man without any precept or president in scripture and such a worship is not agreeable unto God but condemned in his word under the name of will-worship or for a worship in substance prescribed by God but in some circumstance manner or help thereunto devised or composed by man and such may be and is acceptable unto God as for example reading scripture is a religious act prescribed by God yet the translation of the originall into the mother-tongue divisions of the text into chapters and verses diverse readings interlinearie glosses together with the contents and fitting them to the times and seasons are from man Preaching is a worship of God yet the choyse of such a text dividing it into parts and handling the parts in such a method raysing doctrines and applying Uses from them are from man or acts wherein the Preacher maketh use of his invention art and judgement Catechizing is a dutie enjoyned by God yet to use such a form of words or method in Catechizing by questions and answers as also the dividing the Catechisme into 52. Sections answerable to the Sundayes in the year as we see in Calvins and other Catechismes is a device and invention of man In like manner prayer is a dutie enjoyned by God and a part of his substantiall worship but the set forms are devised by man yet according to generall rules prescribed in scripture Secondly not only prayer it self but even set forms of prayer have both precept and example in Gods
word as I proved heretofore and therefore are not to be accounted a meer humane invention although therein mans wit and invention be made use of Thirdly this argument may be retorted upon the Anabaptists Forms of prayers upon premeditation which Preachers use before their sermons are as well a worship of mans devising as the set forms devised and framed by the governours of the church But premeditated or studied prayers made by way of preface before sermons are acceptable to God and allowed by the Anabaptists themselves Ergo set forms of prayer cannot be disallowed OBJECT II. None who useth a set form of prayer prayeth by the Spirit Every good Christian ought to pray by the Spirit 1 Cor. 14. 15. Ergo no good Christian may use set forms of prayer ANSWER First the Apostle in the place alledged speaketh of an extraordinarie gift of the Spirit as appeareth by the verse immediately going before If I pray in a strange tongue my spirit prayeth but my understanding is without fruit Now sith those extraordinarie gifts of the Spirit are ceased Christians are not now bound to prophesie or pray by the Spirit in the Apostles sense This text therefore is impertinently alledged and maketh nothing against set forms of prayers now in use in the church Secondly the phrase to pray by the Spirit as it is used by Divines may admit of a double meaning either to pray by the immediate inspiration of the Spirit as the Prophets and Apostles and all the pen-men of the holy Ghost spake and wrote and in this sense they who use set forms of prayer devised by men pray not by the Spirit as neither doe they who pray ex tempore for then they could not be out which they are often nor commit any errour in their prayers which they doe very many nay then their prayers should be of equall authoritie with the Psalmes other prayers set down in scripture given by divine inspiration or by this phrase they mean to pray by the assistance of the Spirit and in this sense they who use premeditated and penned prayers more pray by the Spirit then they who use ex tempore prayers conceived and brought forth at the same instant for the Spirit assisteth the former both in their premeditation and their present deliverie but the latter only in their sudden expressions and I would fain know of them why they who preach studied and penned sermons preach by the Spirit and that far more accurately learnedly judiciously and powerfully then others and yet in their judgements they who utter studied and penned prayers pray not by the Spirit Thirdly this objection may also be retorted by the Apostles example we are as well to sing by the Spirit as to pray by the Spirit for so are his expresse words I will pray with the Spirit I will pray with understanding also I will sing with the Spirit I will sing with understanding also But a man may sing by the Spirit and yet sing prick-song and a written or printed dittie in meeter for such are the Psalmes of David which they themselves sing therefore a man may pray by the Spirit and yet use a set form and rehearse a penned or printed prayer OBJECT III. It is not lawfull to confine the spirit for that is a kind of quenching it forbidden by the Apostle 1 Thess. 5. 19. But the prescribing and using set forms of prayers is a confining or stinting the spirit Ergo the prescribing or using set forms of prayer is unlawfull First if the governours of the Church should simplie and absolutely forbid all suddainly conceived or ex tempore prayers in publike or private they should offend in some degree and be guiltie of the breach of that precept of the Apostle For to stifle all suddain motions of the Spirit and prohibit all piouâ— ejaculations is in some sense to quench the Spirit But albeit they command a set form of Liturgie to be read in the church yet they condemn not the use of conceived or premeditated prayers by preachers in their Sermons nor by private Christians in their closets but leave them to their Christian libertie Secondly I demand of them when they object against the use of set forms of prayer that they confine the spirit what Spirit they mean the Spirit of God or their own spirit the spirit of man If the Spirit of God their objection contains in it blasphemie for the Spirit of God cannot be confined by us whether we pray with premeditation or without use a set form or not the Spirit of God worketh in both as he pleaseth both by enlightning the understanding and warming our affections and powerfully assisting both in the conceiving and deliverie of prayer If they mean their own spirit or the spirit of him that prayeth in the congregation namely the minister or preacher I answer this is most necessarie that his spirit for the time be confined and his intention tied to that prayer he readeth or saith by heart neither is this forbidden by the Apostle nor is it any quenching of the spirit but rather a kindling it For in uttering zealous prayers with a fixt intention and devout affection we feel our hearts burn within us Thirdly this objection may also be retorted if a preacher may not use a set form of prayer because the spirit in him is thereby confined neither may he deliver a conceived or ex tempore prayer in the audience of the people because by it the spirit in them is confined though the prayer of the preacher be no set form to him but meer voluntarie and extemporarie yet is it a set form to the hearers and their spirit if they will not suffer their mind to wander is tied and confined to it so long as it lasteth being an home or two according to the length of our late fast prayers in which regard none more confine the spirit in men then these our upstart Enhusiasts OBJECT IV. Prayers of the Pastor or Minister ought to be fitted to the severall occasions of the faithfull Set forms of prayer cannot be so fitted Ergo they ought not to be used in churches First this is ignorantly objected by such who never read either our books of Common-Prayers or other helps to private devotion for in them there are not only generall prayers fit for all men to use at all times but also speciall applied to severall estates and conditions of men for men in sicknesse and in health in time of war or in peace and the like Secondly these severall occasions they speak of are either such as concern more in the congregation or some one only in partilar if they concern more and the preacher be acquainted therewith he may either chuse a penned prayer fitting for them or himself upon premeditation make one if they concern one only such are not fit to be mentioned in publike prayers but the Pastor is to repair to them and applie a salve in private to their peculiar sore Thirdly
this objection may also be retorted if all things which we need to pray for upon any occasion whatsoever be contained in one short set form of prayer much more may they be in many of greater length But all things we need to pray for are comprised in a short set form of prayer to wit our Lords prayer as S. Austine saith in expresse words although saith he we vaire never so much in our prayers and say other words then those which Christ hath sanctified in his holy form of prayer yet if we pray as we ought we say no other thing then that which is set down in the Lords prayer Ergo all things we need to pray for may be comprised in set forms which may be thus easily demonstrated there is no ex tempore prayer which may not be taken by characters and then either read or said by heart and so made a set form of prayer for all men in the like case OBJECT V. Reading a prayer is no more praying then reading a prophesie is prophesying or reading a Sermon is preaching But where a set form of Liturgie is used the minister only readeth certain prayers and collects Ergo he prayeth not nor is his ministerie therein Divine Service ANSWER First bare reading a prayer simplie without any more then lip-labour is not praying but reading a religious prayer with understanding intention and affection is praying and godly devotion For what is prayer but a lifting up of the heart to God with a lively faith and fervant affection out of a quick sense of our wants and calling upon him for such things as are agreeable to his will This whether it be done within book or without book with our own words or borrowed from another it matter not at all Secondly the reason holdeth not from praying to prophesying and preaching for prophesie is an extraordinarie gift of the holy Ghost and preaching a speciall facultie acquired by many years studie now especially since the extraordinarie gifts of the Spirit are ceased but prayer is a common dutie of all Christians and therefore though it will not follow such a man readeth a prophesie Ergo he is a prophet or readeth written or printed Sermons Ergo he is a preacher Yet we may rightly conclude such a one readeth godly prayers constantly after a religious manner therefore he is an humble orator and petitioner to his heavenly Majestie for Christ said to his Apostles when you pray say Our Father c. Saying therefore or rehearsing a set form is praying Thirdly this objection may be thus retorted if reading the law in the synagogue be preaching it in the language of the holy Ghost then reading holy and heavenly prayers of the church is praying but the text saith expressely that reading the law is preaching Act. 15. 21. Moses of old hath in everie Citie them that preach him seeing he is read in the synagogue everie Sabbath day Ergo reading prayers is praying The Anabaptists having thus disgorged their poyson against set forms of prayer in generall the Brownists who ingender with them thus spit their venome against the Liturgie of the Church of England in particular EXCEPT I. First they except against it that it is a meer humane invention and hath no warrant from Gods word ANSWER But this exception is weak and false First weak for if all things in the service of God wherein mans invention skill and art is exercised are to be rejected and abandoned what will become of the partition of the Bible into chapters and verses the translating it into the mother-tongue putting Psalms into meeter and setting tunes to them Catechismes confessions of faith forms of administring sacraments nay conceived as well as read prayers and all commentaries homilies and sermons for all these have something of Art and are the issue of our meditation invention and contemplation We must therefore of necessitie distinguish between the doctrine and the method of a sermon the matter and the form of a prayer the substance and circumstance of Gods worship in the former there is no place for mans art wit or invention in the latter there hath been alwayes and must be Secondly it is false for the booke of Common-prayer consisteth of first confessions of sinnes and of faith secondly lessons out of the old and new Testament thirdly thanksgivings or blessings generall and speciall fourthly Psalmes read and sung fifthly prayers for our selves and for others but for all these we have precept and president in scripture namely for confession of sinnes Psal. 32. 5. I said I will confesse my transgrlssions to the Lord. Prov. 28. 13. He that covereth his sinnes shall not prosper but who so confesseth them and forsaketh them shall have mercie Dan. 9. 20. While I was praying and confessing my sinne and the sinnes of my people Ezra 10. 1. 11. Now when Ezra had prayed and confessed weeping and casting himself down before God 11. Now therefore make confession unto the Lord God of your fathers Math. 3. 6. And were baptized of him in Iordan confessing their sinnes For confession of faith Math. 10. 32. whosoever shall confesse me before men him will I confesse before my father which is in heaven Rom. 10. 10. With the heart man beleeveth unto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made to salvation 1 Pet. 3. 15. Be readie alwayes to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you For lessons to be read out of the old and new Testament Deut. 31. 11. Thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing Esay 34. 16. Seek ye out of the book of the Lord and read Luke 4. 16. He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up for to read Acts 13. 15. After the reading of the Law and the Prophets Acts 15. 21. Moses being read in the synagogue every Sabbath day 1 Tim. 4. 13. Give attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine For thanksgivings Neh. 11. 17. And Mattaniah the sonne of Asaph was the principall to begin the thanksgiving in prayer Psal. 26. 7. That I may publish with the voyce of thanksgiving and tell of all thy woundrous works Psal. 50. 14. Offer unto God thanksgiving Phil. 4. 6. In every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God Ephes. 5. 20. Give thanks alwayes 1 Thess. 5. 18. In every thing give thanks For Psalmes read and sung Psal. 95. 1. O come let us sing unto the Lord. 1 Chron. 16. 9. Sing Psalmes unto him Ephes. 5. 19. Speaking to your selves in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall songs Iam. 5. 13. Is any merry let him sing Psalmes Rev. 15. 3. And they sang the song of Moses the servant of the Lord. For prayers for our selves and others 1 Kings 8. 28 29 30 38. Have respect unto the prayer of thy servant Math. 21. 13. My house shall be called the house of prayer Luke
by divine inspiration as the originals are EXCEPT V. Fifthly they except that there are vain repetitions in the Service-book But this exception is vain not the repetitions for First that is not vain which serves to a holy end and purpose the more to stirre up our affections or imprint such prayers deeper in our memories as the reflecting of the sunne-beams is not in vain which encreaseth the heat thereof and the striking again and again upon the same nail is not in vain because it driveth it in deeper and more fasteneth it Secondly the holy scripture warranteth such repetitions for in the 136. Psalme these words for his mercie endureth for ever are 27. times repeated in the old translation but 26. according to the new and in Psalme 119. the word of God or some synonymon thereunto is repeated 175. Christ himselfe repeated that prayer Father let this cup passe from me three times Thirdly there is no prayer appointed to be often repeated save the Lords prayer which Christ himself twice delivered upon severall occasions and not only the church of England but all churches in their Liturgies have thought fit to rehearse often for it is as the salt which seasoneth all our spirituall sacrifices as the amber which sweeteneth all our dishes as the Elixar which turneth all our leaden conceptions into pure gold In the confession of our sinnes we are defective as also in the profession of our faith and in our prayers for our selvs and others and in our forms of consecration of the sacrament and therefore in all these places of the Service-book the Lords prayer is added to supply the defects thereof EXCEPT VI. Sixthly they except against the shortnesse of our prayers they say they are rather snips of prayers then prayers and that in them there may be some sparks of pietie but no flame of devotion But this exception is neither true nor just First not true for the prayers appoynted by the church to be read at solemn fasts as likewise the prayers for the whole estate of Christs church and the Morning and Evening prayers for private Families and for sundrie other purposes printed after the Psames are of as large a size as any used in any reformed churches Secondly it is not just our prayers are thereby no way disparaged for the shortest of them come nearer to the pattern of perfect prayer drawn by our Saviour then their longest In all the Bible there is no example of any verie long prayer on the contrarie Solomon commandeth us when we petition the Almightie to use few words and Christ himselfe more then once taxeth the vanitie and hypocrisie of such as mete out their devotion by the ell when you pray use not vain repetitions as the heathen do for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking And Mat. 23. 14. Wo be unto you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for ye devoure widdows houses and for a pretence make long prayers In direct opposition to such he framed a prayer to himself a verie short one but most pithie and perfect and it is after this fair copie that the learned Scribes who penned our English devotions wrote well knowing that God is not wooed with varietie of of phrases but rather with sighs and groans not with enlarged thoughts but with enflamed affections as Saint Austine teacheth us The hotest spring sends forth their waters by ebullitions oratio brevis penetrat coelum In a long prayer the affection slaketh cooleth and dieth before he that prayeth is speechlesse and the vulgar sort of people are verie little benefited by these prolix and long-winded rather discourses or expostulations or exaggerations then prayers neither can they for so great a space of time hold their attention to the Preacher neither can their memorie carrie away a quarter of what is powred out before them whereas short prayers often repeated in their ears leave an impression behind them and they get them with many most profitable texts of Scripture often rehearsed in the Book of Common-Prayer by heart and if you take away from them these short cuts and shreddings of devotion as they please to nick-name them such as can neither read nor write will have nothing left to mend their wedding garment Howsoever we want not the approbation herein of the ancient churches especially the famous churches of Aegypt who had many prayers but verie short as if they were darts thrown with a suddain quicknesse lest that vigilant and erect attention of the mind which in prayer in most necessarie should be wasted or dulled through the continuance of over-long prayers EXCEPT VII Seventhly they except against the interchangeable varietie of our Service-Book whereas they continue a long prayer themselvs without any interruption the people only sealing all in the end with their Amen But according to the Rubrick and practice of the church in most congregations in reading the Psalmes and other parts of the Service the Minister and people answer one another by course and turns sometimes he darts outâ—a short ejaculation as sursum corda lift up your hearts they answer him with habemus ad Dominum we lift them up unto the Lord when he singeth one verse in a Psalme they chant out another when he prayeth for them the Lord be with you they require him with a like prayer and with thy spirit And what hurt or incongruitie is in this it is a religious seconding one the other in their devotion and stirring up the intention of the people It is as it were the laying gloing coals one upon another which presently kindle one the other and make the flame the greater And though now this be an eye-sore to some in our Common-Prayer-Book yet the ancients esteemed it no blemish but a beautie in their Liturgies For Saint Ambrose maketh mention of such a custome in Millain Platina in Rome Basil throughout all Greece and Plinie the younger among the first Christians in Trajans time within a hundred years after Christs death These Christians saith he before day sing Hymns alteratìm by turns or catches to one Christ whom they esteem a God And yet we may fetch this practice higher even from a quire of Angells in heaven for so we read Esay the 6. 3. And the Seraphims cryed one to another holy holy holy EXCEPT VIII Their last exception and greatest spleen is at the Letanie one of the choicest pieces in all the Service-Book wherein we offer up the sweetest incense of most fervent prayers and fragrant meditations to God And the Brownists their taking offence at it sheweth them to be of the nature of the Vultures who as Aristotle writeth are killed with the oyl of Roses or rather like swine who as Plinie informeth us cannot live in some parts of Arbia by reason the sweet sent of aromaticall trees there growing in everie wood Against this therefore they thunder out a volley of objections in the Letanie say they
76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83. and Ezra 9. 5 6. I fell upon my knees and spread out my hands unto my Lord my God and said O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee my God for our iniquities are increased over our head and our trespasse is grown up unto the heavens c. usque ad finem capitis And Psal. 92. the title is A Psalme or song for the Sabbath day and Psal. 102. the title is A prayer for the afflicted when he is overwhelmed and poureth out his complaint before the Lord. From Psalme 119. to 134. all the Psalmes are intituled Songs of degrees they are fifteen in number answerable to the fifteen steps between the peoples court and the priests and they were so called as the Iewish Rabbines observe because these fifteen Psalmes were sung in order as the priests went up those fifteen steps Hereunto we may adde a passage out of the Samaritan Chronicle Postea mortuus est Adrianus cujus Deus non misereatur c. The high Priest living in that time in the year of the world 4713. by their accompt took away that most excellent book that was in their haâ—ds even since the calm and peaceable times of the Israelites which contained those songs and prayers which were ever used with their sacrifices for before every of their severall sacrifices they had their severall songs still used in those times of peace all which accurately written were transmitted to the subsequent generations from the time of the Legat MOSES untill this day by the ministerie of the high Priest Long after Moses in the dayes of Ezra set forms of prayer were prescribed and used in the Synagogue of the Iews whereof Maimonides yeelds this reason Ut preces indisertorum non minùs perfectae forent quam preces viri utcunque linguae disertae Vid. Selden Comment in Eutychium Patriarcham ANABAP ANSWER It cannot be denied that in the time of the old Testament set and stinted forms were used but the case is different with us for under the Gospel we have more light of knowledge and many speciall gifts of the Spirit which they had not they were in their non-age and as children used these forms like festra's which they that can read perfectly cast away or as those that learn to swim make use of bladders which they put from under them after they can swim of themselves securely REPLY First though it must be confessed on all hands that we have under the Gospel more clearer light of knowledge then the Iews under the Law for as S. Ambrose saith excellently Umbra in lege imago in evangelio veritas in coelo and though we excell them in other gifts of the Spirit yet they wanted not the Spirit of supplication mentioned Zach. 12. 10. I will poure upon the house of David and the inhabitants of Ierusalem the Spirit of grace aâ—d supplication it was not therefore for want of the Spirit that they used set forms Secondly let it be noted that Moses and David and other prophets both prescribed and used set forms who no doubt could and did pray by the Spirit in a more excellent manner then any now adayes can yet they commended and used set forms Thirdly if this had been an errour in the Iewish Liturgie or publique Service that they used stinted forms undoubtedly Christ or his Apostles would have somewhere reproved this as they doe other errours that crept into that Church but they are so farre from reproving this practice that they rather confirm and establish it as you shall see in the next argument ARGUMENT III. Whatsoever Christ commanded and the Apostles practised ought to be retained among Christians But we have Christs command and the Apostles practice for set and stinted forms of prayer Ergo they ought to be retained in the Christian church Of the major or first proposition it is impietie to doubt for there was a Voyce heard from heaven saying heare him he cannot mis-lead us for he is the Way nor deceive us for he is the Truth and if Pythagoras schollars bare such a reverent respect to their master that his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ipse dixit sealed up their lips and stopt their mouthes from contradicting what his bare word had ratified how much more reverence owe we to the words of our Lord and Master who hath not only the words of eternall life but is himself the word of God or rather God the word The assumption is proved out of Math. 6. 9. After this manner therefore pray ye Luke 11. 2. When ye pray say c. Luke 15. 18 19. I will rise and goe to my father and say Father I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight and am no more worthy to be called thy sonne Math. 26. 39. O my father if it be possible let this cup passe from me and v. 44. and he left them and went away again and prayed the third time saying the same words And Io. 17. 11. 21. that they all may be one as thou father art in me and I in thee And Rom. 16. 24. 1 Cor. 16. 23. 2 Cor. 13 14. Gal. 6. 18. Eph. 6. 24. Phil. 4. 23. 1 Thess. 5. 28. 2 Thess. 3. 18. Heb. 13. 25. Revel 22. 21. The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you all Apoc. 4. 11. Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and c. 5. 12. worthy is the Lamb to receive power c. c. 15. 3. they sang the song of Moses the servant of God viz. the song set down Exod. 15. 1. In these passages of the new Testament we have set forms of prayer somewhere commanded somewhere commended somewhere used somewhere reiterated and all inspired by the holy Ghost and therefore certainly the use of them can be no quenching of that holy Spirit whom we feel to inflame our hearts in the rehearsing these sacred forms ANABAP ANSWER The Lords prayer is expounded in Scripture tanquam norma non tanquam forma orationis as a pattern of all prayer not as a prayer it is scripture and therefore not to be used as a prayer in prayer we are to expresse our wants in particular and the graces which we desire in this prayer are only propounded in generall REPLY First Christ delivered the Lords Prayer at two severall times and upon speciall occasions in the former he commands it as a pattern and rule of all prayer saying pray after this manner but in the latter he enjoyneth it to be used a a prayer in the former he saith pray thus in the latter pray this or when ye pray say our Father and surely not only all the ancient fathers who have commented upon this prayer as Tertullian Cyprian Cyrill of Ierusalem Ambrose Gregorie Nyssen Ierome Chrysostome Augustine Cassian Petrus Crysologus Bernard Innocentius Theophylact Euthymius Bede c. but
also all the the reformed churches who conclude their prayers before their Sermon or after with this prayer conceive that it ought not only to beset before us as a pattern when we pray but also to be used as a prayer Neither are the reasons to the contrarie of any weight for though it be Scripture that doth not conclude it to be no prayer For the prayers of Moses Hannah Deborah Solomon David and Paul are set down in holy Scriptures and are part of the inspired oracles of God yet they cease not to be prayers and though in the Lords Prayer all the particular wants of Gods children are not expressed yet the main wants and principall graces are expressed to which the other may be with great facilitie added by our selvs and referred to the proper heads in the Lords Prayer Secondly hos suo jugulamus gladio we may give them a wound with their own dudgeon dagger for if they grant it to be the pattern of all Prayers it followeth that it is the perfectest of all prayers and certainly if we may use prayers of our own which are more imperfect much more may we use this which is a most absolute and perfect one If a Scrivener set a most perfect copie and therein comprise in certain sentences not only all the letters of the Alphabet but all the combinations and conjunctions of them none doubteth but that the schollers may both write other sentences according to that pattern and in the first place write those verie sentences in the copie endeavour to come as near as they can to the originall Such is the Lords Prayer a perfect copie to write by comprising in it all things needfull for a Christian to pray for first therefore we are to write it and then to write after it and correct our writing by it and though we speak with the tongue of men and Angells yet certainly our prayers cannot be so acceptable to God as when we tender them unto him in his Sons own words For this end saith that blessed Martyr S. Cyprian Christ vouchsafed to leave us this incomparable forme of prayer that whilst in prayer to the Father we read or say by heart what his Son taught us we may the sooner and easier be heard ARGUMENT IV. What the Christian church hath generally practised in all ages and places in the worship of God ought not to be thought as erroneous or swerving from the rule of Gods word But the Christian church generally in all ages and in all places hath made use of publike set and sanctified forms of prayer as appeareth by the Liturgies yet extant whereof some bear the names of the Apostles as S. Iames and S. Peter some of the Greek fathers as that of Chrysostome and S. Basil some of the Latine fathers as Ambrose Gregorie and Isidore c. Ergo set forms of prayers are not erroneous or swerving from the rule of Gods word ANABAP ANSWERS First that this is no better then a popish argument drawn from antiquitie and universalitie Secondly that these Liturgies are Apochryphall and though in latter times the use of Liturgies came in yet the purer and more ancient times used no such crutches to support their lame devotion for Justine Martyr in his second apologie affirmeth that the chief minister sent up prayers to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is interpreted according to his abilitie or gift of ex tempore prayers and Tertullian in his apologie saith that the Christians needed no monitor in their prayers as it were to chalk the way before them in a set form because they prayed by heart REPLY First the Papists pretend to antiquitie and make their brags of universalitie but in truth they have neither An argument drawn from a shadow of truth vanisheth like a shadow but an argument drawn from a true bodie is substantiall Secondly the strength of the argument lieth not in bare antiquitie and the universalitie of this practice for we know many errors are ancient and some abuses verie far spreading but in the nature and condition of the Catholike Christian church to whom Christ hath promised his perpetuall presence and the guidance of his Spirit into all truth in which regard the Apostle stileth it the pillar and ground of truth For howsoever particular churches may erre in faith and manners and the representative Catholike church in the most generall Councells hath sometimes grossely mistaken error for truth and Idolatrie for true religion yet the universall church taken formally for the whole companie of beleevers hath ever been kept by vertue of Christs promise from falling into any dangerous errour especially for any long time Thirdly Because they except against the Liturgies found in the writings of the ancient fathers in which though I grant there are some prints of noveltie yet there are foot-steps also of true antiquitie I will wave them for the present and by other good testimonies prove the constant and perpetuall use of Service or Common-Prayer-Books To begin with the first age from the ascension of our Lord to a hundred years Victorius Sciaticus Maronita in his preface to those three Liturgies he put forth saith that the Bishops both of the Eastern and Western churches made some alteration upon good ground in those Liturgies which they received from the Apostlei If this mans credit cannot carrie so great a cause yet certainly Hegesippus his testimonie a most ancient writer bordering upon the Apostles time ought not to be slighted who writeth of S. Iames chosen Bishop of Ierusalem by the Apostles themselvs that in regard of a form of Service or Common-Prayer-Book made by him for the use of the church of Ierusalem he was stiled Iacobus Liturgus In the second age Iustine Martyr in his second apologie which he wrote to Antoninus the Emperour acquainteth us with the practice of the Christians in his time which was to meet everie Sunday and in their Assemblies to read select places of Scripture hear Sermons and sing Psalmes and after the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Priest or chief Minister had made an end of his conceived prayer to offer up make or say Common-Prayers unto God It is true as it is alledged that he prayed by himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with all his might that is in the best manner he could or with all fervencie of devotion as the Rabbins say that he that pronounceth Amen with all his might openeth the gates of Eden This expression in the Greek will not conclude that the chief Minister in those dayes prayed ex tempore for it may truly be said of them who in the Universitie and at Court pen their prayers most accurately that they pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with all their strength of wit memorie and affection Yet if it were granted that the Preacher in Iustine Martyrs time might make a short prayer before his Sermon ex tempore yet certainly he read other
set forms of Prayer which are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Common Prayers and distinguished from that which he delivered alone by himself by way of preface to his Sermon or Homilie In the third age we meet with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prescribed prayers and Tertullian in his apologetick gives us the moulds or heads of the publike prayer then constantly used saying our prayer for all our Emperors is that God would vouchsafe to grant them a long life a happy reign a safe Court valiant armies faithfull counsellors a good people a quiet world Yea but say the Anabaptists they said this prayer de pectore out of their brests and sine monitore without any guide or remembrancer or prompter and therefore by an ex tempore facultie This will not follow they mistake much the matter for this monitor Tertullian speaks of was a kind of Nomen-clator who kept a Catalogue of their numerous heathen deities to whom those Paynims prayed upon speciall occasions and directed them to whom and for what to pray left they should commit any absurditie in their prayers in praying to Ceres for wine and to Bacchus for corn Such monitors or prompters the Christians needed not who prayed to one God only and not a prayer suggested by others but premeditated by themselvs and first spoken in their heart before it was uttered by the mouth according to that of the Psalmist My heart is enditing a good matter my tongue is the pen of a readie writer To pray then de pectore in Tertullians sense is no more then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to say without book or pray by heart or from the heart whose feat is in the brest S. Cyprian flourished in this age about the year 250. in whose writings which S. Ierome affirmeth to have been sole clamora as illustrious and well known in the Christian church as the beams of the sun or as he speaketh hyperbolically brighter then they We find some short forms of prayer at this day in use both in the Roman Missall and our book of Common-Prayer as namely sursum corda habemus ad Dominum lift up your hearts and we lift them up unto to the Lord c. Upon which passages and the like the Centurle writers who have gathered all the harvest of antiquitie and have scarce left gleanings for any other truly infer that in this blessed Martyrs dayes out of all peradventure they had certain set forms of short prayers and responds In the fourth age Eusebius writeth that the most religious Emperour Constantine the great commanded all his subjects to keep holy the Lords day and on it to send up to God with heartie and unanimous devotion an elaborate or studied form of prayer penned as it seemeth for the purpose as to give God thanks for the great and miraculous victories he gave him over all the tyrants that persecuted the church so to pray to God to perfect the great work he had begun by him to propagate the Gospell through the whole world and reduce all that were subject to the Roman state to the obedience of faith Besides this prayer penned by some Bishop the same Historian writeth that the Emperour himself made a speciall prayer which he commanded the Souldiers to say every day in the Roman tongue In this age also the famous Councell at Laodicea was held which hath left us diverse Canons like so many golden rules both to regulate our devotion and rectifie our lives and among these for one that everie morning and evening the same service or form of prayer should be used and because some even in this verie age adventured to make use of their ex tempore gift of prayer at least read or said some private prayer conceived by themselvs in stead of the publike form the Milevitan Councell provideth against this abuse by a speciall Canon which carrieth this tenor it seemed good to the reverend fathers met in this Synod to appoynt that those prayers or orizons which were devised or at least allowed by that Councell should be used by all men and no other lest peradventure something through ignorance or want of care might be uttered in the church that might not well agree with the Catholike faith The occasion of this Canon was the over-weeâ—ing conceit that some Bishops had of some prayers devised by themselvs which they obtruded to the church in stead of the publike prescript form whereby it appears that in those dayes that libertie was not permitted to any reverend or ancient Bishop which now everie punie minister taketh to himself to adde or leave out or change what he thinketh good in the Book of Common-Prayer established by the church and ratified by Act of Parliament About the end of this age or the beginning of the next Basil Ambrose and Chrysostome framed Liturgies to be used in their Diocesses yet extant in their works and bibliotheca patrum though with some interpolation And S. Augustine in his seventh Tome consisting of many excellent treatises against the Pelagians produceth divers passages out of the Common-Prayer then used by the church to convince those hereticks of the noveltie as well as falshood of their tenets For notwithstanding that the Pelagians were furnished with many testimonies of the ancient Doctors especially of the Greek church qui ante exortum Pelagium securius locuti sunt who before that heresie sprang up spake more freely of the freedome of mans free will by nature in opposition to the Manichees who taught a fatall necessitie of sinning then could well stand with the free grace of Christ accurately defended by S. Austine and his scholars yet this learned and zealous father being most expert in the prayers appoynted to be read in the ancientest Christian churches out of them exceedingly confounded these upstart hereticks and proved a full consent of antiquitie for those Orthodox tenets he propugned against all the enemies of Christs free and saving grace and truly at this day a man may more certainly gather out of the Book of Common-Prayer and specially the Collects used in our Liturgie what is the judgement of the church of England in those points anciently questioned by the Pelagians and now by the Arminians then out of the Book of Articles or Homilies In the sixt age Gregorie the great and S. Isidore set forth offices or forms of church Service and partly out of them partly out of the Liturgies above mentioned of S. Basil Ambrose and Chrysostome partly some more ancient attributed to the Apostles and Evangelists themselvs all the famous and known churches of the Christian world have their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 misses officia services or Books of Common-Prayer compiled which they use at this day and as most of the reformed churches have so the most learned and judicious Calvin wisheth all might have Concerning a form of prayer and ecclesiasticall rites I very well
18. 10. Two men went up into the Temple to pray Acts 3. 1. Peter and Iohn went up together into the Temple at the houre of prayer 1 Thess. 5. 17. Pray without ceasing 1 Tim. 2. 1. Let prayers intercessions and supplications be made for all men 1 Thess. 1. 2. making mention of you in our prayers 2 Tim. 1. 3. remembrance of thee in my prayers EXCEPT II. Secondly they except against the Service-book that either all of it or the greater part is taken out of the Roman Missall and therefore is to be kickt out of the church with that superstitious piece of Romish devotion ANSWER But this exception is first insufficient secondly ignorant For if the prayers in our Service-book are holy and pithie if agreeable to the pattern of all prayer and favour of true pietie and devotion which they cannot denie they doe what skils it out of what book they were culled The Iews borrowed jewels of the Egyptians to adorn the Sanctuarie Solomon sent for timber and other materials for the Temple to Hyram king of Tyre S. Paul transcribed verses out of heaÌ„then Poets Virgil raked gold out of Enuius hic muck Christian Apothecaries gather simples to make sovereigne electuaries out of the gardens of Iews and Mahumetans the Lapidaries take out a precious stone called Bufomtes out of the head of a Toad Christ indeed forbids us to cast pearl before swine but no where to take a pearl out of a ring in a swines snowt if there be found any there Secondly this exception is guiltie of as much ignorance as weaknesse they who make it are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as cannot see afarre off of if they could they might have discerned the prayers in our Church-book to be farre more ancient then the Roman Missall The Bishops and learned Doctors who in the dayes of Edward the sixt compiled the Service-book at Windsor had farre more ancient Liturgies in their eye then the Roman Missall or Breviarie they drew not water out of that impure channell but out of a clearer fountain There are the same Epistles and Gospels in our book and theirs but they were not taken out of theirs but out of the Canonicall books of the old and new Testament there are the same Psalmes and Hymnes but they were not taken out of their Psalter but out of Davids and Saint Luke there are many of the same Collects and Orisons but they are not taken out of their Breviarie but out of the Liturgies of Saint Basil Saint Ambrose Saint Chrysostome and other more ancient attributed to the Apostles themselves Lastly if in regard of that little which may seem to be translated out of the Missall into our English Service-book it might be tearmed as Spalatensis when he was present at the Service in Canterburie church called it Breviarium optime reformatum a reformed Breviarie I cannot apprehend how that should be any derogation to it for what saith Solomon take away the drosse from the silver and there shall come forth a vessell for the refiner This was the noble work of the learned Doctors and Martyrs who reformed Religion in England they took away the drosse not only from the Missals but from all other Offices and Service-books then extant all superstitious Rites either heathenish or Iewish all Legendarie fables all invocation of saints prayers for the dead all Dirige's and Trentals and whatsoever was not warrantable by holy scripture and retaining the rest supplyed what was wanting thereunto and hence came forth this Vessell for the refiner this Liturgie of our church more compleat then any now extant in other reformed churches EXCEPT III. Thirdly they except at three Popish absolutious as they tearme them the first in the beginning of the Service after the publique confession the second before the Communion the third in the visitation of the sick But this exception hath in it more strength of passion then reason for none of these absolutions are absolute but conditionall nor in the name or by the authoritie of the Minister but of Christ. The first is nothing but a declaration of Gods mercie who freely pardoneth the penitent and of the Ministers dutie to declare and pronounce this absolution and remission to the people The second is a prayer of the Minister to God to have mercie upon the Communicants to pardon and deliver them from all their sinnes and to confirme and strengthen them in all goodnesse The third is the execution of that Ministeriall power wherewith Christ invested the Apostles and their successours Iohn 20. 23. As my father sent me so I send you whose sinnes ye remit they are remitted whose sinnes ye retaine they are retained Here is our expresse warrant and commission from Christ for what we doe in this kind to revive the spirit of the humble and cheat up the drooâ—ing conscience reaâ—lie to languish in a featefull conflict with despaire EXCEPT IV. Fourthly they except against the reading of the Psalmes Epistles and Gospels in a corrupt translation in which there are many grosse errours as Psal 105. 28. And they were not obedient to his word whereas it should be translated and they rebelled not against his word and Luke the first 36. This is the sixth moneth which was called barren for this is the sixth moneth with her who was called barren And Rom. 12. 11. Fervent in Spirit serving the time for serving the Lord. And Galat. 4. 25. Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia and bordereth upon the citie which is now called Ierusalem for and answereth to Ierusalem And Phil. 2. 8. He was found in his apparrell as a man for being found in fashion as a man And Ephes. 3. 15. Which is the father of all that is called father in heaven and earth for of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named But this exception is of little importance and may soon be philipp't away For first if no translation way be read in the church but that which is free from all errour then none at all ought to be read for there is none in which there are not some mistakes more or lesse with this ferula therefore they rap themselves over the thumbs Secondly those sores on which they fasten their nail have their salves they may see them if they please in Hooker Fisher and many others who have cleared those very passages Lastly neither is the Minister nor are the people tyed to that translation in the common-prayer-book but they may if they please in stead thereof read the Psalmes Epistles and Gospels according to the last and best translation neither were they to blame who in the first setting forth of the common-prayer-book appointed the scriptures to be read in that ancient translation for that was the best then extant neither is there any errour at all in it which concerneth faith or manners and other slips must be born withall in translations or else we must read none at all till we have a translation given
there is a prayer for the dead Remember not Lord the offences of our fore-fathers prayer against suddain death which may be a blessing prayer for all that travell by land or by water and so for theevs and Pirats for all women labouring of child and consequently for all queans and harlots there is rapping out of oaths and no better then exorcisms and conjurations by thy nativitie and circumcision by thy crosse and passion c. And therefore many who are in charitie with other prayers are frighted with the Letanie and as soon as the Minister beginneth it they run swifter out of the church then he over it But I may truly say with the prophet timuerunt ubi non erat timor they feared where there was no cause of fear like silly ducklings they were scared at the sight of the shadow of a Kite in the water For not to answer all their objections en passant they are not worth the stay or insisting upon any of them those words they first stumble at Remember not the offences of our fore-fathers are not a prayer for the dead but for the living that God would not so remember of offences of our fore-fathers as to visit them upon us according to that dreadfull menacie in the second commandement I am a jealous God and visit the sins of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation of them that hate me The suddain death we pray against is not a quick riddance out of pain or a speedie taking us away from the evill that is to come for that indeed were to pray against our own good but by mors repentina or suddain death there is meant unexpected or unprepared death when we are summoned by death as by Gods messenger to bring in our bills and books to be examined at the great Audit before our accompts be readie it is true wee should be alwayes readie but who of a thousand is so And if any be tardie as thou and I are shall any blame us for desiring a day at least to make even reckonings and perfect our account As for those passionate strains By thine agonie and bloodie sweat they are no forms of oaths much lesse conjuration as these ignorant Sectaries blaspheme them but a compendious and verie usefull recapitulation of the storie of the Gospel and an acknowledgment of the chief means of our salvation and a vehement obtestation by the meritorious actions and passions of Christ like to that 1 Thess. 1. I beseech you brethren by the Lord Iesus Christ. Neither are such kind of earnest obtestations unusuall in our petitions to men per dextram tuam Caie Caesar saith Cicero per connubianostra saith Dido If they are true Christians they beleeve that God hath and doth deliver us from all punishment due to our sin and from eternall death by these very actions and passions of Christ recounted in the Letanie and if these be undoubted means of our salvation ought we not to pray to God to save us by these means from wrath and bring us to his everlasting kingdome The preposition By hath many significations sometimes it is the note and sign of an oath sometimes and that most usually it signifieth the instrumentall cause and so it is taken in the Letanie wherein we doe not affirm or swear any thing to be so or so by Christs nativitie or circumcision or death or passion but we pray to God to deliver us from all the evils both of sinne and punishment before specified by these meritorious actions and passions of our Redeemer as by the only effectuall means to procure us such a deliverance And for the extent of our charitie and generalitie of our prayers as we are commanded by the Apostle while we have time to doe good unto all men but especially to those of the houshold of faith so we are likewise to pray for all men because there is no man so wicked and in so damnable a condition to whom God for ought we know may not give repentance unto life and we are indebted unto Gods mercie and restraining grace that we run not into the like excesse of not as they nor are as wide from the way of salvation as the farthest wandering sheep And though we pray indefinitely for all that travell by land or by water yet those all in the churches account are no other then such as travell in the way of a lawfull calling And as for women labouring with child we pray nothing for them but that they may be safely delivered nor for any that are in present danger but that God would preserve them and have we not expresse warrant for such a prayer both in the words of Iob O thou preserver of all men and of the Apostle 1 Tim. 4. 10. God is the Saviour of all men especially of those that beleeve Upon which ground the Apostle himself inferreth a necessarie dutie of all Christians to pray for all men 1 Tim. 2. 3 4. I exhort you therefore that first of all supplications prayers and intercessions be made for all men for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour who will have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the Truth ARTIC 4. Concerning the calling of Pastours ANABAPTIST THat there ought to be no distinction by the Word of God between the Clergie and the Laitie but that all who are gifted may preach the Word and administer the Sacraments THE REFUTATION This prodigious errour which may be easily convinced not onely by the cleare light of Scripture and the practise of the Christian Church from the beginning to this day but also by the glimmering light of Reason and Custome of all Nations a mungrill sect of late betweene Brownists and Anabaptists have set abroach and thereby after a sort justified the scandall laid upon some in the Reformed Churches by Card Bellarmine that Protestants have no order at all among them but confusion that among them all sorts of Tradesmen and Artificers handle the Word and Sacraments with foul and unwashed hands to the great dishonour of God and prophanation of his holy Ordinances But let the Cardinall and all Papists know that we owne none of these russet Rabbies or Apron Levites but detest and abominate them as much as we doe that great Patriarch of the Anabaptists Cuiperdolin who in Munster at the Coronation of their Taylor King creeps upon all foure and passing through a great throng of people breathed into all their mouthes saying to every one in particular The Father hath sanctified thee receive the holy Ghost This Heresie may be felled downe at three blowes of the axe Saint Iohn Baptist speaks of laid to the root of the tree after this manner ARGUMENT I. No man may conjoyne or confound them whom God hath severad and distinguished But God in his Word hath severed the Clergie from the Laity distinguished the Priests from the people Nem.