wisdome of those men who in all reason are to be supposed to have received from God all those assistances which are effects of the spirit of Government and therefore it is but weaknesse of spirit or strength of passion impotency in some sense or other certainly that first dislikes the publique provisions and then say they are not wholsome For I demand concerning the publike Lyturgies of a sect. 64 Church whose constitution is principally of the parts and choisest extracts of Scripture Lessons and Psalmes and some few Hymnes and Symbols made by the most excellent persons in the Primitive Church and all this in nothing disagreeing from the rules of Lyturgie given in Scripture but that the same things are desired and the same persons prayed for and to the same end and by the same great instrument of addresse acceptation by Jesus Christ and which gives all the glory that is due to God and gives nothing of this to a Creature and hath in it many admirable documents whether there be any thing wanting in such a Lyturgie towards edification What is there in prayers that can edifie that is not in such in a Lyturgie so constituted Or what can there be more in the private formes of any Minister then is in such a publick composition By this time I suppose the Objection with all its sect. 65 parts is disbanded so farre as it relates to edification profit and compliance with the auditors As for the matter of liberty and restraint of the Spirit I shall consider that apart In the mean time I shall set down those grounds of Religion and Reason upon which publick Lyturgie relies and by the strength of which it is to be justified against all opposition and pretences 1. The Church hath a power given to her by the Spirit sect. 66 of God a command to describe publick forms of Lyturgie For I consider that the Church is a Family Jesus Christ is the Master of the Family the holy Spirit is the great Dispensatour of all such graces the Family needs and are in order to the performance of their Duty the Apostles and their Sucoessors the Rulers of the Church are Stewards of the manifold Graces of God whose office is to provide every mans portion and to dispence the graces and issues Evangelicall by way of Ministery Who is that faithfull and wise Steward whom his Lord shall make ruler of his Houshold It was our blessed Saviours Question and Saint Paul answered it Let a man so account of us as of the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the mysteries of God Now the greatest Ministery of the Gospell is by way of prayer most of the graces of the Spirit being obtained by prayer and such offices which operate by way of impetration and benediction and consecration which are but the severall instances of prayer Prayer certainly is the most effectuall and mysterious ministery and therefore since the Holy Ghost hath made the Rulers of the Church Stewards of the mysteries they are by virtue of their Stewardship Presidents of Prayer and publike Offices 2. Which also is certaine because the Priest is to stand sect. 67 between God and the People and to represent all their needs to the throne of grace He is a Prophet and shall pray for thee said God concerning Abraham to Abimelech And therefore the Apostles appointed inferiour Officers in the Church that they might not be hindred in their great worke but we will give our selves to the word of God and to prayer And therefore in our greatest need in our sicknesse and last scene of our lives we are directed to send for the Elders of the Church that they may pray over us and God hath promised to heare them and if prayer be of any concernment towards the finall condition of our souls certainly it is to be ordered guided and disposed by them who watch for our soules {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as they that must give account to God for them 3. Now if the Rulers of the Church are Presidents of sect. 68 the rites of Religion and by consequence of Prayer either they are to order publike prayers or private For private I suppose most men will be so desirous of their liberty as to preserve that in private where they have no concernments but their owne for matter of order or scandall But for publike if there be any such thing as Government and that prayers may be spoiled by disorder or made ineffectuall by confusion or by any accident may become occasion of a scandall it is certaine that they must be ordered as all other things are in which the publike is certainly concerned that is by the Rulers of the Church who are answerable if there be any miscarriage in the publike Thus farre I suppose there will not be much Question with those who allow set formes but would have themselves be the Composers They would have the Ministers pray for the people but the Ministers shall not be prescribed to the Rulers of the Church shal be the Presidents of religious rites but then they will be the Rulers therefore we must proceed farther and because I will not now enter into the Question who are left by Christ to govern his Church I will proceed upon such grounds which I hope may be sufficient to determine this Question and yet decline the other Therefore 4. Since the Spirit of God is the spirit of supplication sect. 69 they to whom the greatest portion of the Spirit is promised are most competent persons to pray for the people and to prescribe formes of prayer But the promise of the Spirit is made to the Church in generall to her in her united capacity to the whole Church first then to particular Churches then in the lowest seat of the Category to single persons And we have title to the promises by being members of the Church and in the Communion of Saints which beside the stylus curiae the form of all the great promises being in generall and comprehensive termes appears in this that when any single person is out of this Communion he hath also no title to the promises which yet he might if he had any upon his own stock not derivative from the Church Now then I infer if any single persons will have us to believe without possibility of proof for so it must be that they pray with the Spirit for how shall they be able to prove the spirit actually to abide in those single persons then much rather must we believe it of the Church which by how much the more generall it is so much the more of the Spirit she is likely to have and then if there be no errors in the matter the Church hath the advantage and probability on her side and if there be an errour in matter in either of them neither of them have the Spirit or they make not the true use of it But the publike Spirit in all
Nothing can be regular and orderly that is hasty and precipitate and therefore unlesse Religion be the most imprudent trifling and inconsiderable thing and that the worke of the Lord is done well enough when it is done negligently or that the sanctuary hath the greatest beauty when it hath the least order it will concerne us highly to thinke our prayers and religious offices are actions fit for wise men and therefore to be done as the actions of wise men use to be that is deliberately prudently and with greatest consideration Well then in the nature of the thing ex tempore sect. 12 formes have much the worse of it But it is pretended that there is such a thing as the gift of prayer a praying with the spirit Et nescit tarda molimina spiritus sancti gratia Gods Spirit if he pleases can doe his worke as well in an instant as in long premeditation And to this purpose are pretended those places of Scripture which speak of the assistance of Gods spirit in our prayers Zech. 12. 10. And I will poure upon the house of David and the inhabitants of Hierusalem the spirit of grace and supplication But especially Rom. 8. 26. likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered c. From whence the Conclusion that is inferred is in the words of Saint Paul that we must pray with the Spirit therefore not with set formes therefore ex tempore The Collection is somewhat wild for there is sect. 13 great independency in the severall parts and much more is in the Conclusion then was virtually in the premises But such as it is the Authours of it I suppose will owne it And therefore we will examine the maine designe of it and then consider the particular meanes of its perswasion quoted in the Objection It is one of the Priviledges of the Gospel and the sect. 14 benefit of Christ's ascension that the Holy Ghost is given unto the Church and is become to us the fountain of gifts and graces But these gifts and graces are improvements and helps of our naturall faculties of our art and industry not extraordinary miraculous and immediate infusions of habits and gifts That without Gods spirit we cannot pray aright that our infirmities need his help that we know not what to aske of our selves is most true and if ever any Heretick was more confident of his owne naturalls or did ever more undervalue Gods grace than the Pelagian did yet he denies not this but what then therefore without study without art without premeditation without learning the Spirit gives the gift of prayer and it is his grace that without any naturall or artificiall help makes us pray ex tempore no such thing the Objection proves nothing of this 15. Here therefore we will joyne issue whether the sect. 15 gifts and helps of the Spirit be immediate infusions of the faculties and powers and perfect abilities Or that he doth assist us onely by his aides externall and internall in the use of such meanes which God and nature hath given to man to ennoble his soule better his faculties and to improve his understanding That the aides of the Holy Ghost are onely assistances to us in the use of naturall and artificiall meanes I will undertake to prove and from thence it will evidently follow that labour and hard study and premeditation will soonest purchase the gift of prayer and ascertaine us of the assistance of the Spirit and therefore set Formes of Prayer studied and considered of are in a true and proper sense and without Enthusiasme the fruits of the Spirit First Gods Spirit did assist the Apostles by waies extraordinary sect. 16 and fit for the first institution of Christianity but doth assist us now by the expresses of those first assistances which he gave to them immediately Thus the Holy Ghost brought to their Memory all sect. 17 things which Iesus spake and did and by that meanes we come to know all that the Spirit knew to be necessary for us the Holy Ghost being Authour of our knowledge by being the fountaine of the Revelation and we are therefore {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} taught by God because the Spirit of God revealed the Articles of our Religion that they might be known to all ages of the Church and this is testified by S. Paul he gave some Apostles and some Prophets c. for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the of Son God unto a perfect man c. This was the effect of Christ's ascension when he gave gifts unto men that is when he sent the Spirit the verification of the promise of the Father The effect of this immission of the Holy Ghost was to fill all things and that for ever to build up the Church of God untill the day of consummation so that the Holy Ghost abides with the Church for ever by transmitting those revelations which he taught the Apostles to all Christians in succession Now as the Holy Ghost taught the Apostles and by them still teaches us what to believe so it is certaine he taught the Apostles how and what to pray and because it is certaine that all the rules concerning our duty in prayer and all those graces which we are to pray for are transmitted to us by Derivation from the Apostles whom the Holy Ghost did teach even to that very purpose also that they should teach us it follows evidently that the gift of prayer is a gift of the Holy Ghost and yet to verifie this Proposition we need no other immediate inspiration or extraordinary assistance than that we derive from the Holy Ghost by the conveyance of the Apostolicall Sermons and Writings The reason is the same in Faith and Prayer and if sect. 18 there were any difference in the acquisition or reception faith certainly needs a more immediate infusion as being of greatest necessity and yet a grace to which we least cooperate it being the first of graces and lesse of the will in it then any other But yet the Holy Ghost is the Authour of our faith and we believe with the Spirit it is Saint Paul's expression and yet our belief comes by hearing and reading the holy Scriptures and their interpretations Now reconcile these two together Faith comes by hearing and yet is the gift of the Spirit and it saies that the gifts of the Spirit are not extasies and immediate infusions of habits but helps from God to enable us upon the use of the meanes of his owne appointment to believe to speake to understand to prophesie and to pray But whosoever shall looke for any other gifts of the sect. 19 Spirit besides the parts of nature
helped by industry and Gods blessing upon it and the revelations or the supplies of matter in holy Scripture will be very farre to seek having neither reason promise nor experience of his side For why should the spirit of prayer be any other than as the gift and spirit of faith as Saint Paul calls it acquired by humane meanes using divine aides that is by our endeavours in hearing reading catechizing desires to obey and all this blessed and promoted by God this produces faith Nay it is true of us what Christ told his Apostles sine me nihil potestis facere not nihil magnum aut difficile but omninò nihil as Saint Austin observes Without me ye can doe nothing and yet we were not capable of a Law or of reward or punishment if neither with him nor without him we were able to doe any thing And therefore although in the midst of all our co-operation we may say to God in the words of the Prophet Domine omnia opera operatus es in nobis O Lord thou hast wrought all our works in us yet they are opera nostra still God works and we work First is the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Gods grace is brought to us he helps and gives us abilities and then expects our duty And if the spirit of prayer be of greater consequence then all the works God hath wrought in us besides and hath the promise of a speciall prerogative let the first be proved and the second be showne in any good Record and then I will confesse the difference The Parallel of this Argument I the rather urge because sect. 20 I find praying in the Holy Ghost joyned with graces which are as much Gods gifts and productions of the spirit as any thing in the world and yet which the Apostle presses upon us as duties and things put into our power to be improved by our industry and those are faith in which I before instanced and charity But ye beloved building up your selves on your most holy faith praying in the Holy Ghost keep your selves in the love of God All of the same consideration Faith and Prayer and Charity all gifts of the Spirit and yet build up your selves in faith and keep your selves in love and therefore by a parity of reason improve your selves in the spirit of Prayer that is God by his Spirit having supplied us with matter let our industry and co-operations per modum naturae improve these gifts and build upon this foundation Thus the Spirit of God is called the Spirit of adoption sect. 21 the Spirit of counsell the Spirit of grace the Spirit of meeknesse the Spirit of wisdome And without doubt he is the fountaine of all these to us all and that for ever and yet it cannot reasonably be supposed but that we must stir up the graces of God in us co-operate with his assistances study in order to counsell labour and consider in order to wisdome give all diligence to make our calling and election sure in order to our adoption in which we are sealed by the Spirit Now these instances are of gifts as well as graces and since the daies of wonder and need of miracles is expired there is no more reason to expect inspiration of gifts then of graces without our endeavours It concerns the Church rather to have these secured than those and yet the Spirit of God puts it upon the condition of our co-operation for according to the Proverb of the old Moralists Deus habet sinum facilem non perforatum God's bosome is apt and easie to the emission of graces and affistances but it is not loose and ungirt something must be done on our part we must improve the talents and swell the bank for if either we lay them up in a napkin or spend them suppresse the Spirit or extinguish it we shall dearly account for it In the meane time if we may lose the gifts by our sect. 22 owne fault we may purchase them by our diligence if we may lessen them by incuriousnesse we may increase them by study if we may quench the spirit then also we may reenkindle it all which are evident probation that the Holy Ghost gives us assistances to improve our naturall powers and to promote our acquisite and his aides are not inspirations of the habit or infusions of a perfect gift but a subliming of what God gave us in the stock of nature and art to make it in a sufficient order to an end supernaturall and divine The same doctrine we are taught by Saint Paul's exhortation sect. 23 to Timothy Neglect not the gift that is in thee which was given thee by prophesie with the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery And againe stirre up the gift of God which is in thee by the laying on of my hands If there be any gifts of the Holy Ghost and spirituall influences dispensed without our co-operation and by inspiration of the intire power it is in ordination and the persons so ordeined are most likely to receive the gift of prayer if any such thing be for the edification of the Church they being the men appointed to intercede and to stand between God and the people and yet this gift of God even in those times when they were dispensed with miracle and assistances extraordinary were given as all things now are given by the meanes also of our endeavour and was capable of improvement by industry and of defaillance by neglect and therefore much rather is it so now in the daies of ordinary ministration and common assistances And indeed this argument beside the efficacy of its sect. 24 perswasion must needs conclude against the Men to whom these adversaria are addressed because themselves call upon their Disciples to exercise the gift of prayer and offer it to consideration that such exercising it is the way to better it and if naturall endowments and artificiall endeavours are the way to purchase new degrees of it it were not amisse they did consider a little before they begin and did improve their first and smallest capacities before they ventured any thing in publike by way of addresse to Almighty God For the first beginnings are certainly as improveable as the next degrees and it is certaine they have more need of it as being more imperfect and rude Therefore when ever Gods Spirit hath given us any capacities or assistances any documents motions desires or any aides whatsoever they are therefore given us with a purpose we should by our industry skill and labour improve them because without such co-operation the intention is made void and the worke imperfect And this is exactly the doctrine I plainly gather from sect. 25 the objected words of Saint Paul The Spirit helpeth our infirmities {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} it is in the Greek collaborantem adjuvat It is an ingeminate expression of our labours And that supposes us to have faculties
capable of improvement and an obligation to labour and that the effect of having the gift of prayer depends upon the mutuall concourse that is upon God blessing our powers and our endeavours And if this way the Spirit performes his promise sufficiently and does all that we need and all that he ties himself to he that will multiply his hopes farther then what is sufficient or what is promised may possibly deceive himself but never deceive God and make him multiply and continue miracles to justifie his phansie Better it is to follow the Scriptures for our guide as in sect. 26 all things else so in this particular Ephes. 6. 17 18. Take the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God Praying alwaies with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit The word of God is the sword of the Spirit praying in the Spirit is one way of using it indeed the onely way that he here specifies Praying in the Spirit then being the using of this Sword and this Sword being the word of God it follows evidently that praying in the spirit is praying in or according to the word of God that is in the directions rules and expresses of the Word of God that is of the holy Scriptures For we have many infirmities and we need the spirit to help as doubting coldnesse wearinesse disrelish of heavenly things indifferency and these are enough to interpret the place quoted in the Objection without tying him to make words for us to no great religious purposes when God hath done that for us in other manner then what we dreame of So that in effect praying in the Holy Ghost or with the sect. 27 spirit is nothing but prayer for such things and in such manner which God by his Spirit hath taught us in holy Scripture Holy Prayers spirituall songs so the Apostle calls one part of prayer viz. Eucharisticall or thanksgiving that is Prayers or Songs which are spirituall in materiâ And if they be called spirituall for the Efficient cause too the Holy Ghost being the Authour of them it comes all to one for therefore he is the cause and giver of them because he hath in his word revealed what things we are to pray for there also hath taught us the manner And this I plainly prove from the words of sect. 28 Saint Paul before quoted The Spirit helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought In this we are infirme that we know not our owne needs nor our owne advantages when the Holy Ghost hath taught us what to aske and to aske that as we ought then he hath healed our infirmities and our ignorances in the matter and the manner then we know what to pray for as we ought then we have the grace of Prayer and the Spirit of supplication And therefore in the instance before mentioned concerning spirituall songs when the Apostle had twice enjoyn'd the use of them in order to Prayer and Preaching to instruction and to Eucharist and those to be done by the aide of Christ and Christs spirit What in * one place he calls being filled with the Spirit In the other he calls * the dwelling of the word of Christ in us richly plainly intimating to us that when we are mighty in the Scriptures full of the word of Christ then we are filled with the Spirit because the Spirit is the great Dictatour of them to us and the Remembrancer and when by such helps of Scripture we sing Hymnes to Gods honour and our mutuall comfort then we sing and give thanks in the spirit And this is evident if you consult the places and compare them And that this is for this reason called a gift and grace sect. 29 or issue of the Spirit is so evident and notorious that the speaking of an ordinary revealed truth is called in Scripture a speaking by the Spirit 1 Cor. 12. 8. No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost For though the world could not acknowledge Jesus for the Lord without a revelation yet now that we are taught this truth by Scripture and by the preaching of the Apostles to which they were enabled by the Holy Ghost we need no revelation or Enthusiasme to confesse this truth which we are taught in our Creeds and Catechismes and this light sprang first from the immission of a ray from Gods Spirit we must for ever acknowledge him the fountaine of our light Though we coole our thirst at the mouth of the river yet we owe for our draughts to the springs and fountains from whence the waters first came though derived to us by the succession of a long current If the Holy Ghost supplies us with materials and fundamentals for our building it is then enough to denominate the whole edifice to be of him although the labour and the workmanship be ours upon another stock And this is it which the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 2. 13. Which things also we speake not in the words which mans wisdome teacheth but which the Holy Ghost teacheth comparing spirituall things with spirituall The Holy Ghost teaches yet it is upon our co-operation our study and endeavour while we compare spirituall things with spirituall the Holy is said to teach us because these spirituals were of his suffestion and revelation For it is a rule of the Schoole and there is much sect. 30 reason in it Habitus infusi infunduntur per modum acquisitorum whatsoever is infused into us is in the same manner infused as other things are acquired that is step by step by humane meanes and co-operation and grace does not give us new faculties and create another nature but meliorates and improves our owne And therefore what the Greeks called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} habits the Christians used to call {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} gifts because we derive assistances from above to heighten the habits and facilitate the actions in order to a more noble and supernaturall end And what Saint Paul said in the Resurrection is also true in this Question That is not first which is spirituall but that which is naturall and then that which is spirituall The graces and gifts of the Spirit are postnate and are additions to art and nature God directs our counsels opens our understandings regulates our will orders our affections supplies us with objects and arguments and opportunities and revelations in scriptis and then most when we most imploy our owne endeavours God loving to blesse all the meanes and instruments of his service whether they be natural or acquisite So that now I demand Whether since the expiration sect. 31 of the age of miracles Gods spirit does not most assist us when we most endeavour and most use the meanes He that saies No discourages all men from reading the Scriptures from industry from meditation from conference from humane
disadvantage to our devotions I leave it to all wise men to determine So that in effect since after the pretended assistance of the Spirit in our prayers we may write them downe consider them try the spirits and ponder the matter the reason and the religion of the addresse let the world judge whether this sudden utterance and ex tempore formes be any thing else but a direct resolution not to consider before hand what we speake Sic itaque habe ut istam vim dicendi rapidam aptiorem esse circulanti judices quam agenti rem magnam seriam docentique They are the words of Seneca and expresse what naturally flowes from the premises The pretence of the Spirit and the gift of prayer is not sufficient to justifie the dishonour they doe to Religion in serving it in the lowest and most indeliberate manner nor quit such men from unreasonablenesse and folly who will dare to speake to God in the presence of the people and in their behalf without deliberation or learning or study Nothing is a greater disreputation to the prudence of a Discourse then to say it was a thing made up in haste that is without due considering But here I consider and I wish they whom it concerns sect. 36 most would doe so too that to pretend the Spirit in so unreasonable a manner to so ill purposes and without reason or promise or probability for doing it is a very great crime and of dangerous consequence It was the greatest aggravation of the sin of Ananias and Saphira {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} that they did falsely pretend and belye the Holy Spirit which crime bestdes that it dishonours the holy Ghost to make him the president of imperfect and illiterate rites the author of confusion and indeliberate Discourses and the parent of such productions which a wise person would blush to owne it also intitles him to all those Doctrines which either Chance or Designe shall expose to the people in such prayers to which they entitle the holy Spirit as the Author and immediate Dictator So that if they please he must not onely own their follies but their impieties too and how great dis-reputation this is to the Spirit of Wisdome of Counsel and of Holinesse I wish they may rather understand by Discourse then by Experiment But let us look a little farther into the mysterie and sect. 37 see what is meant in Scripture by praying with the Spirit In what sense the holy Ghost is called the Spirit of Prayer I have already shewn viz. by the same reason as he is the Spirit of Faith of prudence of knowledge of understanding and the like because he gives us assistances for the acquiring of these graces and furnishes us with revelations by way of object and instruction But praying with the Spirit hath besides this other senses also in Scripture I find in one place that we then pray with the Spirit when the holy Ghost does actually excite us to desires and earnest tendencies to the obtaining our holy purposes when he prepares our hearts to pray when he enkindles our desires gives us zeal devotion charity and fervour spirituall violence and holy importunity This sense is also in the latter part of the objected words of S. Paul Rom. 8. The Spirit it selfe maketh Intercession for us with groanings And indeed this is truly a praying with the Spirit but this will doe our Reverend Brethren of the Assembly little advantage as to the present Question For this Spirit is not a Spirit of utterance not at all clamorous in the eares of the people but cryes loud in the eares of God with groans unutterable so it followes and onely He that searcheth the heart he understandeth the meaning of the Spirit This is the Spirit of the Sonne which God hath sent into our hearts not into our tongues whereby we cry Abba Father Gal. 4. 6. And this is the great {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} for mentall prayer which is properly and truly praying by the Spirit Another praying with the Spirit I find in that place of sect. 38 Saint Paul from whence this expression is taken and commonly used I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the understanding also It is generally supposed that Saint Paul relates here to a speciall and extraordinary gift of Prayer which was indulg'd to the Primitive Bishops and Priests the Apostles and Rulers of Churches and to some other persons extraordinarily of being able to compose prayers pious in the matter prudent in the composure devout in the formes expressive in the language and in short usefull to the Church and very apt for devotion and serving to her religion and necessities I beleeve that such a gift there was and this indulged as other issues of the Spirit to some persons upon speciall necessities by singular dispensation as the Spirit knew to be most expedient for the present need and the future instruction This I beleeve not because I finde sufficient testimony that it was so or any evidence from the words now alledged but because it was reasonable it should be so and agreeable to the other proceedings of the holy Ghost For although we account it an easie matter to make prayers and we have great reason to give thanks to the holy Ghost for it who hath descended so plentifully upon the Church hath made plentifull revelation of all the publike and private necessities of the world hath taught us how to pray given rules for the manner of addresse taught us how to distinguish spirituall from carnall things hath represented the vanity of worldly desires the unsatisfyingnesse of earthly possessions the blessing of being denyed our impertinent secular and indiscreet requests and hath done all this at the beginning of Christianity and hath actually stirred up the Apostles and Apostolicall men to make so many excellent Formes of Prayer which their successors did in part retaine and in part imitate till the conjunct wisdome of the Church saw her offices compleat regular and sufficient So that now every man is able to make something of Formes of Prayer for which ability they should do well to pay their Eucharist to the holy Ghost and not abuse the gift to vanity or schisme yet at the first beginning of Christianity till the holy Spirit did fill all things they found no such plenty of forms of Prayer and it was accounted a matter of so great consideration to make a Form of Prayer that it was thought a fit work for a Prophet or the Founder of an Institution And therefore the Disciples of John asked of him to teach them how to pray and the Disciples of Christ did so too For the Law of Moses had no rules to instruct the Synagogue how to pray and but that Moses and David and Asaph and some few of the Prophets more left formes of Prayer which the Spirit of God inspired them withall upon great necessities and
great mercy to that people they had not knowne how to have composed an office for the daily service of the Temple without danger of asking things needlesse vaine or impious such as were the prayers in the Roman Closets that he was a good man that would not owne them Et nihil arcano qui roget ore Deos. Pulchra Laverna Da mihi fallere dajustum sanctumque videri Noctem peccatis fraudibus objice nubem But when the Holy Ghost came downe in a full breath and a mighty wind he filled the breasts and tongues of men and furnished the first Christians not onely with abilities enough to frame excellent devotions for their present offices but also to become precedents for Liturgy to all ages of the Church the first being imitated by the second and the second by the third till the Church being setled in peace and the records transmitted with greater care and preserved with lesse hazard the Church chose such Formes whose Copies we retaine at this day Now since it was certaine that all ages of the Church sect. 39 would looke upon the first Fathers in Christ and Founders of Churches as precedents and Tutours and Guides in all the parts of their Religion and that prayer with its severall parts and instances is a great portion of the Religion the Sacraments themselves being instruments of grace and effectuall in genere orationis it is very reasonable to think that the Apostolicall men had not onely the first fruits but the elder Brothers share a double portion of the Spirit because they were not onely to serve their owne needs to which a single and an ordinary portion would have been then as now abundantly sufficient but also to serve the necessity of the succession and to instruct the Church for ever after But then that this assistance was an ability to pray ex sect. 40 tempore I find it no where affirmed by sufficient authentick Testimony and if they could have done it it is very likely they would have been wary and restrained in the publike use of it I doubt not but there might then be some sudden necessities of the Church for which the Church being in her infancy had not as yet provided any publike formes concerning which cases I may say as Quintilian of an Oratour in the great and sudden needs of the Common-wealth Quarum si qua non dico cuicunque innocentiam civium sed amicorum ac propinquorum alicui evenerit stabÃtne matus salutarem parentibus vocem statim si non succurratur perituris moras secessum silentium quaeret dum illa verba fabricentur memoriae insidant vox ac latus praeparetur I doe not thinke that they were oratores imparati ad casus but that an ability of praying on a sudden was indulged to them by a specall aide of the Spirit to contest against sudden dangers and the violence of new accidents to which also possibly a new inspiration was but for a very little while necessary even till they understood the mysteries of Christianity and the revelations of the Spirit by proportion and analogy to which they were sufficiently instructed to make their sudden prayers when sudden occasions did require This I speak by way of concession and probability sect. 41 For no man can prove thus much as I am willing relying upon the reasonablenesse of the Conjecture to suppose but that praying with the Spirit in this place is praying without study art or deliberation is not so much as intimated For 1. It is here implyed that they did prepare some of sect. 42 those devotions to which they were helped by the Spirit {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} when you come together each of you peradventure hath a Psalme {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} not {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} not every one makes but when you meet every one hath viz. already which supposes they had it prepared against the meeting For the Spirit could help as well at home in their meditation as in the publike upon a sudden and though it is certaine the Holy Spirit loves to blesse the publike meetings the communion of Saints with speciall benedictions yet I suppose my Adversaries are not willing to acknowledge any thing that should doe much reputation to the Church and the publike authoriz'd conventions at least not to confine the Spirit to such holy and blessed meetings They will I suppose rather grant the words doe probably intimate they came prepared with a Hymne and therefore there is nothing in the nature of the thing but that so also might their other formes of Prayer the assistance of the Spirit which is the thing in Question hinders not but that they also might have made them by premeditation 2. In this place praying with the Spirit signifies no sect. 43 other extraordinary assistance but that the Spirit help'd them to speake their prayer in an unknowne Tongue {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} If I pray in a tongue my spirit prayeth but my understanding is without fruit what then I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the understanding also Plainly here praying in the Spirit which is opposed to praying in understanding is praying in an unknown tongue where by the way observe that praying with the Spirit even in sense of Scripture is not alwaies most to edification of the people Not alwaies with understanding And when these two are separated Saint Paul preferres five words with understanding before ten thousand in the spirit For this praying with the Spirit was indeed then a gift extraordinary and miraculous like as prophecying with the Spirit and expired with it But while it did last it was the lowest of gifts inter dona linguarum it was but a gift of the tongue and not to the benefit of the Church directly or immediately This also observe in passing by If Saint Paul did so sect. 44 undervalue the praying with the Spirit that he preferred edifying the Church a thousand degrees beyond it I suppose he would have been of the same mind if the Question had between praying with the Spirit and obeying our Superiours as he was when it was between praying with the Spirit and edification of the Church because if I be not mistaken it is matter of great concernment towards the edification of the Church to obey our Superiours not to innovate in publike formes of worship especially with the scandall and offence of very wise and learned men and to the disgrace of the dead Martyrs who sealed our Liturgy with their bloud But to returne In this place praying with the Spirit sect. 45 beside the assistance given by the Holy Ghost to speake in a strange tongue is no more then my spirit praying that is it implies my co-operation with the assistance of the Spirit of God insomuch that the whole action may truly be denominated mine and is called of the Spirit onely
by reason of that collaterall assistance For so Saint Paul joynes them as termes identicall and expressive one of anothers meaning as you may please to read ver. 14 15. 1 Cor. 14. I will pray with the Spirit and my spirit truly prayeth It is the act of our inner man praying holy and spirituall prayers But then indeed at that time there was something extraordinary adjoyned for it was in an unknown Tongue the practise of which Saint Paul there dislikes This also will be to none of their purposes For whether it were ex tempore or by premeditation is not here expressed or if it had yet that assistance extraordinary in prayer if there was any beside the gift of Tongues which is not here or anywhere else expressed is no more transmitted to us then the speaking tongues in the Spirit or prophecying ex tempore and by the Spirit But I would adde also one experiment which S. Paul sect. 46 also there adds by way of instance If praying with the spirit in this place be praying ex tempore then so is singing too For they are expressed in the same place in the same manner to the same end and I know no reason why there should be differing senses put upon them to serve purposes And now let us have some Church Musique too though the Organs be pull'd down and let any the best Psalmist of them all compose a Hymn in Metricall form as Antipater Sidonius in Quintilian Licinius Archias in Cicero could doe in their Verses and sing it to a new tune with perfect and true musick and all this ex tempore For all this the Holy Ghost can doe if he pleases But if it be said that the Corinthian Christians composed their Songs and Hymnes according to art and rules of Musick by study and industry and that to this they were assisted by the Spirit and that this together with the devotion of their spirit was singing with the Spirit then say I so composing set formes of Liturgy by skill and prudence and humane industry may be as much praying with the Spirit as the other is singing with the Spirit Plainly enough In all the senses of praying with the Spirit and in all it 's acceptations in Scripture to pray or sing with the spirit neither of them of necessity implies ex tempore The summe or Collecta of the premises is this Praying sect. 47 with the spirit is either 1 when the Spirit stirres up our desires to pray per motionem actualis auxilii or 2 when the spirit teaches us what or how to pray telling us the matter and manner of our prayers 3 Or lastly dictating the very words of our prayers There is no other way in the world to pray with the Spirit or in the Holy Ghost that is pertinent to this Question And of this last manner the Scripture determines nothing nor speaks any thing expresly of it and yet suppose it had we are certain the Holy Ghost hath supplied us with all these and yet in set formes of Prayer best of all I mean there where a difference can be For 1 as for the desires and actuall motions or incitements to pray they are indifferent to one or the other to set formes or to ex tempore 2. But as to the matter or manner of prayer it is clearly sect. 48 contained in the expresses and set formes of Scriptures and there it is supplied to us by the Spirit for he is the great Dictatour of it 3. Now then for the very words No man can assure sect. 49 me that the words of his ex tempore prayer are the words of the holy Spirit it is not reason nor modesty to expect such immediate assistances to so little purpose he having supplied us with abilities more then enough to expresse our desires aliundè otherwise then by immediate dictate But if we will take David's Psalter or the other Hymnes of holy Scripture or any of the Prayers which are respersed over the Bible we are sure enough that they are the words of Gods spirit mediately or immediately by way of infusion or extasie by vision or at least by ordinary assistance And now then what greater confidence can any man have for the excellency of his prayers and the probability of their being accepted then when he prayes his Psalter or the Lords Prayer or any other office which he finds consigned in Scripture When Gods spirit stirres us up to an actuall devotion and then we use the matter he hath described and taught and the very words which Christ Christs spirit and the Apostles and other persons full of the Holy Ghost did use If in the world there be any praying with the Spirit I meane in vocall prayer this is it And thus I have examined the intire and full scope of sect. 50 this First Question and rifled their Objection which was the onely colour to hide the appearance of its naturall deformity at the first sight The result is this Scribendum ergo quoties licebit Si id non dabitur cogitandum ab utroque exclusi debent tamen adniti ut neque deprehensus orator neque destitutus esse videatur In making our Orations and publike advocations we must write what we meane to speake as often as we can when we cannot yet we must deliberate and study and when the suddennesse of the accident prevents both these we must use all the powers of art and care that we have a present mind and call in all our first provisions that we be not destitute of matter and words apt for the imployment This was Quintilian's rule for the matter of prudence and in secular occasions but when the instance is in Religion and especially in our prayers it will concern us nearer to be curious and deliberate what we speak in the audience of the eternal God when our lives and our soules and the honour of God and the reputation of Religion are concern'd and whatsoever is greatest in it self or dearest to us THe second Question hath in it something more sect. 51 of difficulty for the Men that owne it will give leave that set formes may be used so you give leave to them to make them but if authority shall interpose and prescribe a Liturgy every word shal breed a quarrell and if the matter be innocent yet the very injunction is tyranny a restraining of the gifts of the Holy Ghost it leaves the spirit of a Man sterile and unprofitable it is not for edification of the Church and is as destitute of comfort as it is of profit For God hath not restrain'd his Spirit to those few that rule the Church in prelation above others but if he hath given to them the spirit of government he hath given to others the spirit of prayer and the spirit of Prophesie Now the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall for to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdome
brevia concisa singultantium modo ejecta But then these accidentall advantages and circumstances of profit which may be provided for in private as they cannot be taken care of in publike so neither is it necessary they should for those pleasures of sensible devotion are so farre from being necessary to the acceptation of prayer that they are but compliances with our infirmities and suppose a great weaknesse in him that needs them say the Masters of spirituall life and in the strongest prayers and most effectuall devotions are seldomest found such as was Moses prayer when he spake nothing and Hannah's and our blessed Saviour's when he called upon his Father {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} with strong cries in that great desertion of Spirit when he prayed in the Garden In these praiers the Spirit was bound up with the strictnesse and violence of intention but could not ease it self with a flood of language and various expression A great devotion is like a great grief not so expressive as a moderate passion teares spend the grief and variety of language breathes out the devotion and therefore Christ went thrice and said the same words he could just speak his sense in a plaine expression but the greatnesse of his agonie was too big for the pleasure of a sweet and sensible expression of devotion So that let the devotion be never so great set formes sect. 59 of prayer will be expressive enough of any desire though importunate as extremity it self but when the Spirit is weak and the devotion imperfect and the affections dry though in respect of the precise duty on our part and the acceptation on Gods part no advantage is got by a liberty of an indifferent unlimited and chosen form and therefore in all cases the whole duty of prayer is secured by publike formes yet other circumstantiall and accidentall advantages may be obtained by it and therefore let such persons feast themselves in private with sweet-meats and lesse nourishing delicacies weak stomackes must be cared for yet they must be confessed to have stronger stomackes and better health that can feed upon the wholesome food prepared in the common refectories So that publique formes it is true cannot be fitted sect. 60 to every mans fancie and affections especially in an Age wherein all publike constitutions are protested against but yet they may be fitted to all necessities and to every mans duty and for the pleasing the affections and fancies of men that may be sometimes convenient but it is never necessary and God that suffers drynesse of affections many times in his dearest servants and in their greatest troubles and most excellent Devotions hath by that sufferance of his given demonstration that it is not necessary such affections should be complyed withall for then he would never suffer those sterilities but himselfe by a cup of sensible Devotion would water and refresh those drinesses and if God himselfe does not it is not to be expected the Church should And this also is the case of Scripture for the many sect. 61 discourses of excellent Orators and Preachers have all those advantages of meeting with the various affections and dispositions of the hearers and may cause a teare when all S. Pauls Epistles would not and yet certainly there is no comparison between them but one Chapter of S. Paul is more excellent and of better use to the substantiall part of Religion then all the Sermons of Saint Chrysostome and yet there are some circumstances of advantage which humane eloquence may have which are not observed to be in those other more excellent emanations of the holy Spirit And therefore if the Objection should be true and that conceived formes of Prayer in their great variety might doe some accidentall advantages to weaker persons and stronger fancies and more imperfect judgements yet this instance of Scripture is a demonstration that set and composed devotions may be better and this reason does not prove the contrary because the Sermons in Scripture are infinitely to be preferred before those discourses and orations which doe more comply with the fancies of the people Nay we see by experience that the change of our prayers or our bookes or our company is so delightfull to most persons that though the change be for the worse it more complies with their affections then the peremptory and unaltered retaining of the better but yet this is no good argument to prove that change to be for the better But yet if such compliance with fancies and affections sect. 62 were necessary what are we the neerer if every Minister were permitted to pray his own formes How can his forme comply with the great varity of affections which are amongst his auditors any more then the publick forms described by authority It may hit casually and by accident be commensurate to the present fancy of some of his Congregation with which at that time possibly the publick forme would not This may be thus and it may be otherwise and at the same time in which some feele a gust and relish in his prayer others might feele a greater sweetnesse in recitation of the publike formes This thing is so by chance so irregular and uncertaine that no wise man nor no Providence lesse then Divine can make any provisions for it And after all it is nothing but the fantastique and sect. 63 imaginative part that is pleased which for ought appears may be disturbed with curiosity peevishnesse pride spirit of novelty lightnesse and impertinencie and that to satisfie such spirits and fantastique persons may be as dangerous and uselesse to them as it is trouble some in it selfe But then for the matter of edification that is considerable upon another stock for now adaies men are never edified unlesse they be pleased and if they mislike the Person or have taken up a quarrell against any forme or institution presently they cry out They are not edified that is they are displeased and the ground of their displeasure is nothing from the thing it selfe but from themselves onely they are wanton with their meat and long for variety and then they cry out that Manna will not nourish them but prefer the onions of Egypt before the food of Angels the way to cure this inconvenience is to alter the men not to change the institution for it is very certain that wholesome meat is of it self nutritive if the body be disposed to its reception and entertainment But it is not certain that what a sick man fancies out of the weaknesse of his spirit the distemper of his appetite wildnesse of his fancy that it will become to him either good or good physick Now in the entertainments of Religion and Spirituall repasts that is wholesome nutritive and apt to edifie which is pious in it selfe of advantage to the honour of God whatsoever is good Doctrine or good Prayers especially when it is prepared by a publick hand and designed for publick use by all the
reason is to be trusted before the private when there is a contestation the Church being prior potior in promissis she hath a greater and priour title to the Spirit And why the Church hath not the spirit of prayer in her compositions as well as any of her Children I desire once for all to be satisfied upon true grounds either of reason or revelation And if she have whether she have not as much as any single person If she have but as much then there is as much reason in respect of the divine assistance that the Church should make the forms as that any single Minister should and more reason in respect of order and publike influence and care and charge of soules but if she have a greater portion of the Spirit than a single person that is if the whole be greater then the part or the publike better than the private then it is evident that the spirit of the Church in respect of the divine assistance is chiefly and in respect of order is onely to be relied upon for publike provisions and formes of prayer But now if the Church in her united capacity makes sect. 70 prayers for the people they cannot be supposed to be other than limited and determined formes for it is not practicable or indeed imaginable that a Synod of Church Governours be they who they will so they be of Christs appointment should meet in every Church and pray as every man list their Counsels are united and their results are Conclusions and finall determinations which like generall propositions are applicable to particular instances so that 1 since the Spirit being the great Dictatour of holy prayers and 2 the Spirit is promised to the Church in her united capacity and 3 in proportion to the Assembly caeteris paribus so are measures of the Spirit powred out and 4 when the Church is assembled the Prayers which they teach the People are limited and prescribed formes it followes that limited and prescribed formes are in all reason emanations from the greatest portion of the Spirit warranted by speciall promises which are made to every man there present that does his duty as a private member of the Christian Church and are due to him as a Ruler of the Church and yet more especially and in a further degree to all them met together where if ever the holy Spirit gives such helps and graces which relate to the publike government and have influence upon the communities of Christians that is will blesse their meeting and give them such assistances as will enable them to do the work for which they convene But yet if any man shall say What need the Church sect. 71 meet in publike Synods to make formes of Prayer when private Ministers are able to doe it in their severall Parishes I answer it is true many can but they cannot doe it better then a Councell and I think no man is so impudent as to say he can doe it so well however quod spectat ad omnes ab omnibus tractari debet the matter is of publike concernment and therefore should be of publike consultation the advantages of publikely describ'd formes I shall afterwards specifie In the mean time 5. As the Church I mean the Rulers of the Church sect. 72 are appointed Presidents of religious rites and as the Rulers in conjunction are enabled to doe it best by the advantages of speciall promises and double portions of the Spirit so she alwayes did practise this either in conjunction or by single dictate by publick persons or united authority but in all times as necessity required they prescribed set Formes of Prayer If I should descend to minutes and particulars I sect. 37 could instance in the behalf of set Formes that 1. God prescribed to Moses a set Forme of Prayer and benediction to be used when he did blesse the people 2. That Moses composed a Song or Hymne for the children of Israel to use to all their generations 3. That David composed many for the service of the Tabernacle and every company of singers was tyed to certain Psalmes as the very titles intimate and the Psalmes were such limited and determinate prescriptions that in some Gods Spirit did bind them to the very number of the Letters and order of the Alphabet 4. That Solomon and the holy Kings of Judah brought them in and continued them in the ministration of the Temple 5. That in the reformation by Hezekiah the Priests and Levites were commanded to praise the Lord in the words of David Asaph 6. That all Scripture is written for our learning and since all these and many more set Formes of Prayer are left there upon record it is more then probable that they were left there for our use and devotion and certainly it is as lawfull and as prudent to pray Scriptures as to read Scriptures and it were well if we would use our selves to the expression of Scripture and that the language of God were familiar to us that we spake the words of Canaan not the speech of Ashdod and time was when it was thought the greatest Ornament of a spirituall Person and instrument of a religious Conversation but then the consequents would be that these Prayers were the best Formes which were in the words of Scripture and those Psalmes and Prayers there recorded were the best devotions but these are set Formes 7. To this purpose I could instance in the example of Saint John Baptist who taught his Disciples a Forme of Prayer And that Christs Disciples begged the same favour and it was granted as they desired it And here I mean to fix a little for this ground cannot sect. 74 fail us I say Christ prescribed a set Form of Prayer to be used by all his Disciples as a Breviary of Prayer as a rule of their devotions as a repository of their needes and as a direct addresse to God For in this Prayer God did not onely command us to make our Prayers as Moses was bid to make the Tabernacle after the patterne which God shewed him in the Mount and * Christ shewed his Apostles but he hath given us the very tables written with his own hand that we should use them as they are so delivered this Prayer was not onely a precedent and pattern but an instance of addresse a perfect forme for our practice as well as imitation For 1. When Christ was upon the Mount he gave it for sect. 75 a patterne {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} So pray ye or after this manner which if we expound onely to the sense of becomming a pattern or a Directory it is observable that it is not onely Directory for the matter but for the manner too and if we must pray with that matter and in that manner what does that differ from praying with that forme however it is well enough that it becomes a precedent to us in any sense and the Church may vary her
formes according as she judges best for edification 2. When the Apostles upon occasion of the Forme sect. 76 which the Baptist taught his Disciples begg'd of their Master to teach them one he againe taught them this and added a precept to use these very words {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} when ye pray say our Father when they speak to God it was fit they should speake in his words in whose name also their prayers onely could be acceptable 3. For if we must speak this sense why also are not the sect. 77 very words to be retained Is there any errour or imperfection in the words was not Christ Master of his language and were not his words sufficiently expressive of his sense will not the Prayer do well also in our tongues which as a duty we are oblig'd to deposite in our hearts and preserve in our memories without which it is in all senses uselesse whether it be onely a pattern or a repository of matter 4. And it is observeable that our blessed Saviour doth sect. 78 not say Pray that the name of your heavenly Father may be sanctified or that your sinnes may be forgiven but say Hallowed be thy name c. so that he prescribes this Prayer not in massa materiae but in formâ verborum not in a confused heap of matter but in an exact composure of words it makes it evident he intended it not onely pro regula petendorum for a direction of what things we are to aske but also pro forma orationis for a set form of Prayer Now it is considerable that no man ever had the fulnesse of the Spirit but onely the holy Jesus and therefore it is also certain that no man had the Spirit of prayer like to him and then if we pray this prayer devoutly and with pious and actuall intention doe we not pray in the Spirit of Christ as much as if we prayed any other forme of words pretended to be taught us by the Spirit We are sure that Christ and Christs spirit taught us this Prayer they onely gather by conjectures and opinions that in their ex tempore or conceived formes the Spirit of Christ teacheth them So much then as Certainties are better then Uncertainties and Gods words better than Mans so much is this Set forme besides the infinite advantages in the matter better then their ex tempore and conceived Formes in the forme it selfe And if ever any prayer was or could be a part of that doctrine of faith by which wee received the Spirit it must needs be this prayer which was the onely forme our blessed Master taught the Christian Church immediately was a part of his great and glorious Sermon in the Mount in which all the needs of the world are sealed up as in a treasure house and intimated by severall petitions as diseases are by their proper and proportioned remedies and which Christ published as the first emanation of his Spirit the first perfume of that heavenly anointing which descended on his sacred head when he went down into the waters of Baptisme This we are certain of that there is nothing wanting sect. 79 nothing superfluous and impertinent nothing carnall or imperfect in this prayer but as it supplies all needs so it serves all persons is fitted for all estates it meets with all accidents and no necessity can surprize any man but if God heares him praying that prayer he is provided for in that necessity and yet if a single person paraphrases it it is not certain but the whole sense of a petition may be altered by the intervention of one improper word and there can be no security given against this but qualified and limited and just in such a proportion as we can be assured of the wisdome and honesty of the person and the actuall assistance of the holy Spirit Now then I demand whether the Prayer of Manasses be sect. 80 so good a prayer as the Lords Prayer or is the Prayer of Judith or of Tobias or of Judas Maccabeus or of the Sonne of Sirach is any of these so good Certainly no man will say they are and the reason is because we are not sure they are inspired by the Holy Spirit of God prudent and pious and conformable to Religion they may be but not penn'd by so excellent a spirit as this Prayer And what assurance can be given that any Ministers prayer is better then the prayers of the Sonne of Sirach who was a very wise and a very good man as all the world acknowledges I know not any one of them that has so large a testimony or is of so great reputation But suppose they can make as good prayers yet surely they are Apocryphall at least and for the same reason that the Apocryphall prayers are not so excellent as the Lords prayer by the same reason must the best they can be imagin'd to compose fall short of this excellent pattern by how much they partake of a smaller portion of the Spirit as a drop of water is lesse then all the waters under or above the Firmament Secondly I would also willingly know whether if sect. 81 any man uses the forme which Christ taught supposing he did not tie us to the very prescript words can there be any hurt in it is it imaginable that any Commandement should be broken or any affront done to the honour of God or any act of imprudence or irreligion in it or any negligence of any insinuation of the Divine pleasure I cannot yet think of any thing to frame for answer so much as by way of an Antinomy or Objection But then supposing Christ did tye us to use this Prayer pro loco tempore according to the nature and obligation of all affirmative precepts as it is certaine he did in the preceptive words recorded by S. Luke When ye pray say Our Father then it is to be considered that a Divine Commandment is broken by its rejection and therefore if there were any doubt remaining whether it be a command or no yet since on one side there is danger of a negligence and a contempt and that on the other side the observation conformity cannot be criminall or imprudent it will follow that the retaining of this Prayer in practice and suffering it to doe all its intentions and particularly becomming the great {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or authority for set formes of Prayer is the safest most prudent most Christian understanding of those words of Christ propounding the Lords Prayer to the Christian Church And because it is impossible that all particulars should be expressed in any forme of prayer because particulars are not onely casuall and accidentall but also infinite Christ according to that wisdome he had without measure fram'd a Prayer which by a general comprehension should include all particulars eminent and vertually so that there should be no defect in it yet so short that the
therefore represented plurally and the place is very extrinsecall to the nature of prayer I will that men pray every where lifting up pure hands and retiring into a Closet is onely advised for the avoiding of hypocrisie not for the greater excellency of the duty So that if publick Prayer have advantages beyond private Prayer or upon its own stock besides it the more publick influences it receives the more excellent it is And hence I conclude that set Formes of Prayer compos'd and used by the Church I mean by the Rulers in Conjunction and Union of Heads and Councells and used by the Church I mean the People in Union and society of Hearts in Spirits hath two very great advantages which other Prayers have not For first it is more truly publick and hath the benefit sect. 101 of those helps which God who never is deficient to supply any of our needs gives to publick persons in order to publick necessities by which I mean its emanation from a publick and therefore a more excellent spirit And secondly it is the greatest instance of union in the world for since God hath made Faith Hope and Charity the ligaments of the communion of Saints and Common prayer which not onely all the Governours have propounded as most fit but in which all the people are united is a great Testimony of the same Faith and a common hope and mutuall charity because they confesse the same God whom they worship and the same Articles which they recite and labour towards the same hope the mighty price of their high calling and by praying for each other in the same sense and to the same purpose doing the same to them that I desire they should doe for me doe testifie and preserve and increase their charity it followes that common and described prayers are the most excellent instrument and act and ligament of the Communion of Saints and the great common terme of the Church in its degrees of Catholike capacity And therefore saith S. Ignatius {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} All meet together and joyne to common Prayers {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} let there be one minde and let there be one prayer That 's the true Communion of Christians And in pursuance of this I consider that if all Christian sect. 102 Churches had one common Lyturgie there were not a greater symbol to testifie nor a greater instrument to preserve the Catholick Communion and when ever a Schisme was commenc'd and that they call'd one another Heretick they not onely forsook to pray with one another but they also altered their Formes by interposition of new Clauses and Hymnes and Collects and new Rites and Ceremonies onely those parts that combin'd kept the same Lyturgie indeed the same Formes of Prayer were so much the instrument of Union that it was the onely ligament of their Society for their Creeds I reckon as part of their Lyturgie for so they ever were so that this may teach us a little to guesse I will not say into how many Churches but into how many innumerable atomes and minutes of Churches those Christians must needes be scattered who alter their Formes according to the number of persons and the number of their meetings every company having a new Forme of Prayer at every convention And this consideration will not be vaine if we remember how great a blessing unity in Churches is and how hard to be kept with all the arts in the world and how every thing is powerfull enough for its dissolution But that a publick Forme of Lyturgie was the great instrument of Communion in the Primitive Church appeares in this that the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or excōmunication was an exclusion à communicatione orationis conventus omnis sancti commercii from the participation of the publick meeting and Prayers and therefore the more united the Prayer is still it is the greater instrument of Union the Authority and Consent the publick Spirit and common Acceptation are so many degrees of a more firme and indissoluble Communion 3. To this I adde that without prescribed Formes issues sect. 103 of the publick Spirit and Authority publick Communion cannot be regular and certain as may appear in one or two plain instances It is a practise prevailing among those of our Brethren that are zealous for ex tempore or not enjoyned Prayers to pray their Sermons over to reduce their Doctrine into Devotion and Lyturgie I mislike it not for the thing it self if it were regularly for the manner and the matter alwayes pious true But who shall assure me when the Preacher hath disputed or rather dogmatically decreed a point of predestination or of prescience of contingency or of liberty or any of the most mysterious parts of Divinity and then prayes his Sermon over that he then prayes with the Spirit Unlesse I be sure that he also Preached with the Spirit I cannot be sure that he Prayes with the Spirit for all he prayes ex tempore Nay if I hear a Protestant preach in the Morning and an Anabaptist in the Afternoone to day a Presbyterian to morrow an Independent am I not most sure that when they have preached contradictories and all of them pray their Sermons over that they do not all pray with the Spirit More then one in this case cannot pray with the Spirit possibly all may pray against him 4. From whence I thus argue in behalfe of set formes sect. 104 of prayer That in the case above put how shall I or any man else say Amen to their prayers that preach and pray Contradictories At least I am much hindered in my devotion For besides that it derives our opinions into our devotions makes every School-point become our Religion and makes God a party so farre as we can intit'ling him to our impertinent wranglings Besides this I say while we should attend to our addresses towards God we are to consider whether the point be true or no and by that time we have tacitely discours'd it we are upon another point which also perhaps is as questionable as the former and by this time our spirit of devotion is a little discompos'd and something out of countenance there is so much other imployment for the spirit the spirit of discerning and judging All which inconveniences are avoided in Set formes of Liturgy For we know beforehand the conditions of our communion and to what we are to say Amen to which if we like it we may repaire if not there is no harme done your devotion shall not be surpriz'd nor your communion invaded as it may be often in your ex tempore prayers and unlimited devotions 5. And this thing hath another collaterall inconvenience sect. 105 which is of great consideration for upon what confidence can we sollicite any Recusants to come to our Church where we cannot promise them that the devotions there to be used shall be innocent nor can we put
liberty of the Spirit sufficiently preserved that the publick Spirit is free That is the Church hath power upon occasion to alter and increase her Litanies By what argument shall any man make it so much as probable that the holy Ghost is injured if every private Ministers private spirit shall be guided and therefore by necessary consequence limited by the authority of the Churches publick Spirit 4. Does not the Directory that thing which is here called sect. 121 restraining of the Spirit Does it not appoint every thing but the words And after this is it not a goodly Palladium that is contended for and a princely liberty they leave unto the Spirit to be free onely in the supplying the place of a Vocabulary and a Copia verborum For as for the matter it is all there described and appointed and to those determined senses the Spirit must assist or not at all onely for the words he shall take his choise Now I desire it may be considered sadly and seriously Is it not as much injury to the Spirit to restrain his matter as to appoint his words Which is the more considerable of the two Sense or Language Matter or Words I mean when they are taken singly and separately For so they may very well be for as if men prescribe the matter onely the Spirit may cover it with severall words and expressions so if the Spirit prescribe the words I may still abound in variety of sense and preserve the liberty of my meaning we see that true in the various interpretations of the same words of Scripture So that in the greater of the two the Spirit is restrained when his matter is appointed and to make him amends for not trusting him with the matter without our directions and limitations we trust him to say what he pleases so it be to our sense to our purposes A goodly compensation surely 5. Did not Christ restrain the spirit of his Apostles sect. 122 when he taught them to pray the Lords Prayer whether his precept to his Disciples concerning it was Pray this or Pray thus Pray these words or Pray after this manner Or though it had been lesse then either and been onely a Directory for the matter still it is a thing which our Brethren in all other cases of the same nature are resolved perpetually to call a restraint Certainly then this pretended restraint is no such formidable thing These men themselves doe it by directing all of the matter and much of the manner and Christ himself did it by prescribing both the matter and the words too 6. These restraints as they are called or determinations sect. 123 of the Spirit are made by the Spirit himself For I demand when any Assembly of Divines appoint the matter of Prayers to all particular Ministers as this hath done is that appointment by the Spirit or no If no then for ought appears this Directory not being made by Gods Spirit may be an enemy to it But if this appointment be by the Spirit then the determination and limitation of the Spirit is by the Spirit himself and such indeed is every pious and prudent constitution of the Church in matters Spirituall Such as was that of Saint Paul to the Corinthians when he prescribed orders for publick Prophecying and Interpretation and speaking with Tongues The Spirit of some he so restrained that he bound them to hold their peace he permitted but two or three to speak at one meeting the rest were to keep silence though possibly six or seven might at that time have the Spirit 7. Is it not a restraint of the Spirit to sing a Psalme in sect. 124 Meeter by appointment Cleerly as much as appointing Formes of prayer or Eucharist And yet that we see done daily and no scruple made Is not this to be partiall in judgement and inconsiderate of what we doe 8. And now after all this strife what harme is there sect. 125 in restraining the Spirit in the present sense What prohibition what Law What reason or revelation is against it What inconvenience in the nature of the thing For can any man be so weak as to imagine a despite is done to the Spirit of grace when the gifts given to his Church are used regularly and by order As if prudence were no gift of Gods Spirit as if helps in Government and the ordering spirituall matters were none of those graces which Christ when he ascended up on high gave unto men But this whole matter is wholly a stranger to reason and never seen in Scripture For Divinity never knew any other vitious restraining sect. 126 the Spirit but either suppressing those holy incitements to vertue and good life which Gods Spirit ministers to us externally or internally or else a forbidding by publike authority the Ministers of the Word and Sacraments to speake such truths as God hath commanded and so taking away the liberty of prophecying The first is directly vitious in materia speciali The second is tyrannicall and Antichristian And to it persecution of true Religion is to be reduced But as for this pretended limiting or restraining the Spirit viz. by appointing a regular Forme of prayer it is so very a Chimaera that it hath no footing or foundation upon any ground where a wise man may build his confidence 9. But lastly how if the Spirit must be restrained and sect. 127 that by precept Apostolicall That calls us to a new account But if it be not true what meanes Saint Paul by saying The spirits of the Prophets must be subject to the Prophets What greater restraint then subjection If subjected then they must be ruled if ruled then limited prescribed unto and as much under restraint as the spirits of the superiour Prophets shall judge convenient I suppose by this time this Objection will trouble us no more But perhaps another will For why are not the Ministers to be left as well to sect. 128 their liberty in making their Prayers as their Sermons I answer the Church may if she will but whether she doth well or no let her consider This I am sure there is not the same reason and I feare the experience the world hath already had of it will make demonstration enough of the inconvenience But however the differences are many 1. Our Prayers offered up by the Minister are in behalf sect. 129 and in the name of the People and therefore great reason they should know beforehand what is to be presented that if they like not the message they may refuse to communicate especially since people are so divided in their opinions in their hopes and in their faiths it being a duty to refuse comunion with those prayers which they think to have in them the matter of sin or doubting Which reason on the other part ceases for the Minister being to speak from God to the people if he speaks what he ought not God can right himself however is not a partner of the sin as in
the other case the people possibly may be 2. It is more fit a liberty be left in Preaching than sect. 130 Praying because the addresse of our discourses and exhortations are to be made according to the understanding and capacity of the audience their prejudices are to be removed all advantages to be taken and they are to be surprized that way they lie most open But being crafty I caught you saith Saint Paul to the Corinthians And discourses and arguments ad hominem upon their particular principles and practises may more move them than the most polite and accurate that doe not comply and wind about their fancies and affections Saint Paul from the absurd practise of being baptized for the dead made an excellent Argument to convince the Corinthians of the Resurrection But this reason also ceases in our prayers For God understandeth what we say sure enough he hath no prejudices to be removed no infirmities to be wrought upon and a fine figure of Rhetorick a pleasant cadence and a curious expression move not him at all No other twinings and compliances stirre him but charity and humility and zeale and importunity which all are things internall and spirituall It was observed by Pliny Deos non tam accuratis adorantium precibus quam innocentiâ sanctitate laetari gratioremque existimari qui delubris eorum puram castamque mentem quam qui meditatum carmen intulerit And therefore of necessity there is to be great variety of discourses to the people and permissions accordingly but not so to God with whom a Deus miserere prevails as soon as the great Office of 40 houres not long since invented in the Church of Rome or any other prayers spun out to a length beyond the extension of the office of a Pharisee 3. I feare it cannot stand with our reverence to God sect. 131 to permit to every spirit a liberty of publike addresse to him in behalf of the people Indeed he that is not fit to pray is not alwaies fit to preach but it is more safe to be bold with the people then with God if the persons be not so fit In that there may be indiscretion but there may be impiety and irreligion in this The People may better excuse and pardon an indiscretion or a rudenesse if any such should happen than we may venture to offer it to God 4. There is a latitude of Theology much whereof is sect. 132 left to us so without precise and cleare determination that without breach either of faith or charity men may differ in opinion and if they may not be permitted to abound in their owne sense they will be apt to complaine of tyranny over Consciences and that Men Lord it over their faith In prayer this thing is so different that it is imprudent and full of inconvenience to derive such things into our prayers which may with good profit be matter of Sermons Therefore here a liberty may well enough be granted when there it may better be denied 5. But indeed if I may freely declare my opinion I sect. 133 thinke it were not amisse if the liberty of making Sermons were something more restrain'd then it is and that either such persons onely were intrusted with the liberty for whom the Church her selfe may safely be responsive that is to men learned and pious and that the other part the Vulgus Cleri should instruct the People out of the fountaines of the Church and the publike stock till by so long exercise and discipline in the Schooles of the Prophets they may also be intrusted to minister of their owne unto the People This I am sure was the practise of the Primitive Church when preaching was as ably and religiously performed as now it is but in this I prescribe nothing But truly I think the reverend Divines of the Assembly are many of them of my mind in this particular and that they observe a liberty indulg'd to some Persons to preach which I think they had rather should hold their peace and yet think the Church better edified in their silence then their Sermons 6. But yet methinks the Argument objected so farre sect. 134 as the ex tempore Men make use of it if it were turned with the edge the other way would have more reason in it and instead of arguing Why should not the same liberty be allowed to their spirit in praying as in preaching it were better to substitute this If they can pray with the Spirit why doe they not also preach with the Spirit And it may be there may be in reason or experience something more for preaching and making Orations by the excellency of a mans spirit and learning then for the other which in the greatest abilities it may be unfit to venture to God without publike approbation but for Sermons they may be fortunate and safe if made ex tempore Frequenter enim accidit ut successum extemporalem consequi cura non possit quem si calor ac spiritus tulit Deum tunc adfuisse cum id evenisset veteres Oratores ut Cicero dicit aiebant Now let them make demonstration of their Spirit by making excellent Sermons ex tempore that it may become an experiment of their other faculty that after they are tried and approv'd in this they may be considered for the other And if praying with the Spirit be praying ex tempore why shall not they preach ex tempore too or else confesse that they preach without the Spirit or that they have not the gift of preaching For to say that the gift of Prayer is a gift ex tempore but the gift of Preaching is with study and deliberation is to become vain and impertinent Quis enim discrevit Who hath made them of a different Consideration I mean as to this particular as to their Efficient cause nor Reason nor Revelation nor God nor Man To summe up all If any man hath a mind to exercise sect. 135 his Gift of Prayer let him set himself to work and compose Bookes of Devotion we have need of them in the Church of England so apparent need that some of the Church of Rome have made it an objection against us and this his Gift of Prayer will be to edification But otherwise I understand it is more fit for oftentation then any spirituall advantage For God hears us not the sooner for our ex tempore long or conceived Prayers possibly they may become a hindrance as in the cases before instanced And I am sure if the people be intelligent and can discerne they are hindred in their Devotion for they dare not say Amen till they have considered and many such cases will occurre in ex tempore or unlicenc'd Prayers that need much considering before we attest them But if the people be not intelligent they are apt to swallow all the inconveniences which may multiply in so great a licence and therefore it were well that the Governours of the
the Greek Church calling the publike Lyturgie {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which signifies prayers made for the use of the Idiotae or private persons as the word is contradistinguished from the Rulers of the Church For {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} signifies contum and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} is as much as {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} to live in the condition of a private person and in the vulgar Greek sayes Arcadius {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} signifie a little man of a low stature from which two significations {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} may well enough design a short form of Prayer made for the use of private persons And this was reasonable and part of the Religion even of the Heathen as well as Christians the presidents of their Religion were to finde prayers for the people and teach them formes of addresse to their Gods Castis cum pueris ignara puella mariti Disceret unde preces vatem ni Musa dedisset Poscit opem chorus praesentia numina sentit Caelestes implorat aquas doctâ prece blandus Carmine dii superi placantur carmine Manes But this was by the way But because I am casually fallen upon mention of sect. 93 the Laodicean Councel and that it was very ancient before the Nicene and of very great reputation both in the East and in the West it will not be a contemptible addition to the reputation of set formes of Lyturgie that we finde them so early in the Church reduced to a very regular and composed manner The XV Canon suffers none to sing in the Church but the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} they that sing by book and goe up into the Pulpit they were the same persons and the manner of doing their office was their appellative which shews plainly that the known custome of the Church was for them who were in the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in the Pulpit to read their offices and devotions They read them {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} that 's the word in the Canon Those things which signifie the greatest or first Antiquity are said to be {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} was spoken proverbially to signifie ancient things And {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} So that if these Fathers chose these words as Grammarians the singers {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} were such as sung ancient Hymnes of Primitive antiquity which also is the more credible because the persons were noted and distinguished by their imployment as a thing knowne by so long an use till it came to be their appellative The 17. and 18. Canons command that Lessons and Psalmes should be said interchangeably {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and the same Liturgie that 's the word or office of prayers to be said alwayes at Nones and Vespers This shews the manner of executing their office of Psalmists and Readers they did not sing or say ex tempore but they read Prayers and Psalmes and sung them out of a Booke neither were they brought in fresh and new at every meeting but it was {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} still the same forme of prayers without variation But then if we remember how ancient this office was sect. 94 in the Church and that the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the Readers and Singers were Clericall offices deputed for publike ministry about prayers and devotions in the Church for so we are told by Simeon Thessalonicensis in particular concerning the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} he does dictate the hymnes to the singers and then of the singers there is no question and that these two offices was so ancient in the Church that they were mentioned by S. Ignatius who was contemporary with the latter times of the Apostles We may well beleeve that set and described formes of Liturgie were as early as the dayes of the Apostles and continued in the continuation of those and the like offices in all descending ages Of the same designe and intimation were those knowne offices in the Greek Church of the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which Socrates speaks of as of an office in the Church of Alexandria {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} c. Their office was the same with the Reader they did ex praescripto praeire ad verbum referre the same which ab Alexandro notes to have beene done in the religious rites of Heathen Greece They first read out of a Book the appointed prayers and the others rehearsed them after Now it is unimaginable that constant officers should be appointed to say an office and no publike office be described I shall adde but this one thing more and passe on sect. 95 ad alia And that is that I never yet saw any instance example or pretence of precedent of any Bishop Priest or Lay person that ever prayed ex tempore in the Church and although in some places single Bishops or peradventure other persons of lesse Authority did oftentimes bring prayers of their * owne into the Church yet ever they were compositions and premeditations and were brought thither there to be repeated often and added to the Lyturgie and although the Lyturgies while they were lesse full then since they have been were apt to receive the additions of pious and excellent Persons yet the inconvenience grew so great by permitting any forms but what were approved by a publike Spirit that the Church as She alwaies had forms of publike Prescription so She resolved to permit no mixture of any thing but what was warranted by an equall power that the Spirits of the Prophets might be subject to the Prophets and such Spirits when they are once tryed whether they be of God or no tryed by a lawfull Superiour and a competent Judge may then venture into the open aire And it were a strange imprudence choosingly to entertaine those inconveniences which our wiser Fore-fathers felt and declar'd and remedied For why should we be in love with that evill against which they so carefully arm'd their Churches by the provision and defence of Lawes For this produc'd that Canon of the Councell of Mileuis in Africa Placuit ut preces quae probatae fuerint in Conoilio ab omnibus celebrentur nec aliae omninò dicantur in Ecclesiâ nisi quae a prudentioribus factae fuerint in Synodo That 's the restraint and prohibition publike Prayers must be such as are publikely appointed and prescribed by our Superiors and no private formes of our conceiving must be used in the Church The reason followes Ne fortè aliquid contra fidem
vel per ignorantiam vel per minus studium sit compositum left through ignorance or want of deliberation any thing be spoken in our Prayers against faith good manners Their reason is good and they are witnesses of it who hear the variety of Prayers before and after Sermons there where the Directory is practised where to speak most modestly not onely their private opinions but also humane interests and their own personall concernments and wilde fancies born perhaps not two dayes before are made the objects of the peoples hopes of their desires and their prayers and all in the mean time pretend to the holy Spirit Thus farre we are gone The Church hath 1 power sect. 96 and authority and 2 command 3 and ability or promise of assistances to make publike formes of Liturgie and 4 the Church alwaies did so in all descents from Moses to Christ from Christ to the Apostles from them to all descending Ages for I have instanced till Saint Austine's time and since there is no Question the people were {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as Balsamon saies of those of the Greek Communion they used unalterable formes of Prayers described out of the Books of publike Liturgy it remains onely that I consider upon what reason and grounds of prudence and religion the Church did so and whether she did well or no In order to which I consider 1. Every man hath personall needs of his owne and sect. 97 he that understands his owne condition and hath studied the state of his Soule in order to eternity his temporall estate in order to justice and charity and the constitution and necessities of his body in order to health and his health in order to the service of God as every wise and good man does will find that no man can make such provision for his necessities as he can doe for his owne caeteris paribus no man knowes the things of a man but the spirit of the man and therefore if he have proportionable abilities it is allowed to him and it is necessary for him to represent his owne conditions to God and he can best expresse his owne sense or at least best sigh forth his owne meaning and if he be a good man the Spirit will make intercession for him with those unutterable groanes Besides this every Family hath needs proper to it in the capacity of a Family and those are to be represented by the Master of the Family whom men of the other perswasion are apt to consesse to be a Priest in his own Family and a King and Sacrorum omnium potestas sub Regibus esto they are willing in this sense to acknowledge and they call upon him to performe Family duties that is all the publike devotions of the Family are to be ordered by him Now that this is to be done by a set forme of words sect. 98 is acknowledged by Didoclavius Nam licet in conclavi Paterfamilias verbis exprimere animi affectus pro arbitrio potest quia Dominus cor intuetur affectus tamen publicè coram totâ familia idem absque indecoro non potest If he prayes ex tempore without a Set forme of prayer he may commit many an uâ—decency a set and described forme of prayer is most convenient in a Family that Children and Servants may be enabled to remember and tacitely recite the prayer together with the Major domo But I relie not upon this but proceed upon this Consideration As private Persons and as Families so also have Churches sect. 99 their speciall necessities in a distinct capacity and therefore God hath provided for them Rulers and Feeders Priests and Presidents of religion who are to represent all their needs to God and to make provisions Now because the Church cannot all meet in one place but the harvest being great it is bound up in severall bundles and divided into many Congregations for all which the Rulers and Stewards of this great Family are to provide and yet cannot be present in those particular Societies it is necessary that they should have influence upon them by a generall provision and therefore that they should take care that their common needs should be represented to God by Set formes of Prayer for they onely can be provided by Rulers and used by their Ministers and Deputies such as must be one in the principe and diffused in the execution and it is better expression of their care and duty for the Rulers to provide the bread and blesse it and then give it to them who must minister it in small portions and to particular companies for so Christ did then to leave them who are not in the same degree answerable for the Churches as the Rulers are to provide their food and breake it and minister it too The very Oeconomy of Christ's Family requires that the dispensations be made according to every man's capacity The generall Stewards are to divide to every man his portion of worke and to give them their food in due season and the under-servants are to doe that work is appointed them so Christ appointed it in the Gospel and so the Church hath practised in all Ages inde enim per temporum successionum vices Episcoporum ordinatio Ecclesiae ratio decurrit ut Ecclesia supra Episcopes constituatur omnis actus Ecclesiae per eosdem Praepositos gubernetur when the Rulers are few for the Ecclesiasticall regiment is not Democraticall and the under offices many and the companies numerous for all which those few Rulers are bound to provide and prayer and offices of devotion are one of the greatest instances of provision it is impossible there should be any sufficient care taken or caution used by those Rulers in the matter of prayers but for them to make such prescript formes which may be used by all companies under their charge that since they are to represent all the needs of all their people because they cannot be present by their persons in all Societies they may be present by their care and provisions which is then done best when they make prescript Formes of prayer and provide pious Ministers to dispense it 2. It is in the very nature of publike prayer that it be sect. 100 made by a publike spirit performed by a publike consent For publike and private prayer are certainly two distinct duties but they are least of all distinguished by the place but most of all by the Spirit that dictates the prayer and the consent in the recitation and it is a private prayer which either one man makes though spoken in publike as the Laodicean Councell calls {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} private Psalmes or which is not attested by publike consent of minds and it is a publike prayer which is made by the publike spirit and consented to by a generall acceptation and therefore the Lords prayer though spoke in private is a publike forme and