and consented unto if it were possible by all the sound true orthodox churches in the world is in many respects expedient such a form as being free from all exception apprved of all might testifie their sweet harmonie and concent And the like may be said of forms of catechismes confessions c. A stinted form then of publick prayer is not one in common nature with images devised for worship nor opposite to the worship which must in speciall be instituted of God it is no vain or superfluous devise much lesse an humane invention condemned in the second commandment It is not strange at all that one and the same thing should be a sin in one and not in another If by the same thing you mean the same materially onely And if that which was lawfull to all people priests and Levites in the old Testament cannot be unlawfull now then neither circumcision nor any other Jewish rite is now unlawfull to us True it is that one and the same thing may be sin in one and not in another when the reasons and considerations be not the same as that which a man is bound to do by speciall calling or office may be sin in another which is not called and appointed pointed to that service And many things were lawfull in the old Testament being according to Gods word that are not so now viz. things that were proper and peculiar to them and those times in respect of the manner of dispensation Divine But things which have grounds and reasons common to those and our times in respect of persons and things and do not in peculiar respects belong unto them onely these if lawfull to them are lawfull to us and if forbidden to us they are forbidden to them And of this sort is a stinted form of prayer or blessing not peculiar to them but common to us with them not a priviledge of the persons but of the cause It is given for a rule concerning examples That a reason drawn from them doth necessarily conclude sc cùm unum particulare ab alio particulari probatur vi similitudinis communis toti generi sub quo ea particularia continentur But the publick use of a stinted free arbitrarie form of prayer praise or blessing is grounded upon reasons and considerations common to the priests or Levites and the ministers of the Gospel the things are like and this likenesse is common to the whole kind not materiall circumstance can be named which should appropriate it unto them onely Therefore if the publick stinted use of prayer or blessing was not a breach of the second commandment in them it is not a sin against that commandment in us It is objected that their forms were not as ours strictly imposed ordinarily to be used without so much as the variation of a word But this unlooseth not the knot but rather tyeth it the faster For if it be a sin against the second commandment to use such a form it must not be done once If it be no sin it is not made sinfull by this that it is used this week or the next as occasion is offered If it be lawfull to use the Lords prayer as a stinted form it is not made unlawfull that I use it in these precise words without addition or alteration And if the priests were not tyed to one precise form of blessing without addition or alteration yet might they lawfully use one form without addition or variation and that which was allowable in them is not unlawfull in us upon the same grounds and considerations So that we may summe up this reason thus If publick stinted forms of blessing prayer or praise might be used ordinarily by the priests Levites and ministers of the Gospel without addition or alteration then all stinted forms to be used ordinarily without addition or alteration be not a breach of the second commandment in common nature one with an image devised for worship But the priests and Levites in the time of the Law and the ministers of the Gospel in the New Testament might ordinarily use a stinted form without addition or alteration Or thus it may be framed If a publick stinted form of prayer be unlawfull then either simply and absolutely all stinted forms to be used in publick or such onely as are to be used ordinarily without alteration or addition or such onely as be corrupt and faulty But a publick stinted form is not simply and absolutely unlawfull for then this exception That it is to be used ordinarily and without alteration is vain and superfluous not onely because it is ordinarily to be used without alteration or addition for then that consideration taken away a stinted form should be just and lawfull as also then it should be lawfull at one time to use this or that phrase of speech unlawfull at another when yet the same occasion requireth it If onely because corrupt and faulty then a stinted form is not an humane invention a breach of the second commandment an idole-prayer a superfluous devise to be condemned then the fault and corruption removed the form it self is lawfull to be used without addition or variation A stinted form of prayer is not unlawfull to him that needeth it as not able largely to expresse his own desires or lay open his wants particularly but to him that is able and needeth it not it is unlawfull because in such case a set form of prayer is an arbitrary help or furtherance forbidden by the second commandment But then a set form of prayer in words devised by others or by a mans self is not unlawfull because stinted or devised not of it self nor to all but by accident onely Then it is not a devised worship strange incense an idole-prayer an image of prayer forbidden in the second commandment for whatsoever is verified of a generall as generall is verified of all underneath it Then they must not say Humane inventions in Gods worship are forbidden but Humane inventions in the worship of God are lawfull to them that need them unlawfull to them that need them not because arbitrarie Then the exception of using a stinted form ordinarily without alteration or addition is altogether fruitlesse for the form is unlawfull because arbitrarie And for the thing it self it is an unwritten tradition because it hath no ground in scripture For it is a received rule That all distinctions in Divinity not grounded upon the word of God are unwritten traditions indeed humane unwarrantable inventions and additions But this distinction That a stinted form of prayer is warrantable to him that needeth it because of his inability unwarrantable to him that needeth it not is grounded upon no text of scripture or solid consequence drawn from thence All arbitrarie helps and furtherances in Gods service are not forbidden in the second commandment nor any help or furtherance because arbitrarie in this sense that is no help or furtherance devised in Gods worship that
cannot be performed Particular duties affirmative against a generall negative commandment must have expresse warrant by way of prerogative and derogation from the generall commandment wherein we must not go one jot beyond signed commission Thus Abraham was commanded to offer up his son Isaac which otherwise had been against the sixth commandment Thus the sacraments are commanded to the church which for the church to devise of her self is against the second commandment and therefore it is unlawfull to institute other sacraments then God hath appointed or adde sacramentall signes to them which the Lord hath instituted But to affirm the same of devised words in prayer preaching administration of the sacraments and reading of the scriptures sc that they were instituted of God by particular warrant and by speciall prerogative and derogation would be exceeding strange Signes religious then are of two sorts 1. Vocall if they may be called signes metaphysicall under which I comprehend naturall gestures as they are expressions of the inward affection and these are not simply forbidden or commanded in the second commandment nor do simply pertein to the second commandment but to the precept rather which requireth the inward affection it self 2. Reall and such as in common nature use and end be one with the positive ordinances of God and these are the images forbidden in the second precept And seeing for the affirmative part positive worship as it is to be approved mainteined and exercised purely according to the institution is the object of that commandment it seemeth that prayer as it is directed unto God onely in the mediation of Jesus whether inward or outward conceived in heart or declared by word or gesture cannot be referred as a branch of positive worship to the second commandment When men pray to idols or saints departed inwardly or outwardly they sinne against the first commandment If with carnall imaginations before an image they break the second if lightly vainly irreverently with the lips alone they sinne against the third But the method words or phrase of speech as such is neither condemned in the second commandment nor doth belong unto it Mens inventions in Gods worship are forbidden in the second commandment But stinted prayer is the invention of man never instituted nor approved of Christ in his Testament Must this go for currant without limitation proof or explication That all inventions of men in Gods worship are forbidden in the second commandment What then shall we say to all devised words and phrases used in Gods service What to all set forms of catechismes studied sermons interpretations of the scriptures the contents of chapters the titles of sundry books of scripture What to the divisions of thē into sections chapters and verses the interlineary glosses divers readings marginall references the reading of one part this week another the next What of the building and ordering of synagogues for the sanctification of the sabbaths the fashion of gathering for the repair of the temple in Joash his time the swearing to the covenant under Asia the ordination of holy feasts and fasts upon occasion What of the forms and gestures used in oathes of conceived prayer it self of set forms of worship studied before and kept in memory as some distinguish in the same form and with like truth we may argue against them mens inventions in the worship of God are forbidden by the second commandment But set forms of catechismes studied sermons interpretations of the scripture c. are mens inventions The conclusion that followeth from these premisses is evidently false therefore some one of them if not both is false also For of truth nothing but truth can follow And what they can answer to the premisses of this latter argument the same will be sufficient to overthrow the other Catechizing is Gods ordinance but this or that form of catechisme in respect of method and phrase of speech is the collection and composition of man Reading the scripture is allowed of God but the division of the law into fiftie three or fiftie foure greater sections and the subdivision of these into lesser sections the partitions of severall books into chapters and the division of them into verses the appointing of this or that portion of the law the prophets and the evangelists to be read ordinarily upon this or that day is the invention or devise of man Preaching is commanded of God so is the interpretation of the scripture but the phrase and method of sermons is of men The matter of scripture is the immediate truth of God but the words and phrases which are as vessels to convey this truth unto us I speak of translations not of the originall text are humane and not of God by immediate inspiration God commandeth us to call upon his name both in publick and private but the words wherein we expresse our desires are our own both in conceived and stinted prayer These are humane in respect of the word and form Divine in respect of the matter And here it must be observed that positive worship or means for these two in this sense are all one opposed to humane inventions is that which must be warranted by particular institution and not by the light of reason according to the generall rules of scripture As for example the sacraments are positive worship or means of worship and they have particular expresse institution but the form or manner of administration as it respecteth decency order and edification is not positive worship or means thereof in the sense before mentioned and therein it sufficeth if all things be done according to the generall rules of scripture the light of reason directing in particulars what is decent and to edification So then devised worship is unlawfull but it is lawfull to worship God in a form of words devised for the form is not worship but the prayer tendred in that form Mens inventions in Gods worship that be of the same nature and use with true worship or means of worship ordained of God be unlawfull but method order phrase of speech devised by man was never judged an invention unlawfull Book-prayer in an image or similitude of spirituall prayer which indeed it is not and the book as idoles supplyeth the place of the world and spirit The accusation is grievous but if we crave a reason thereof we shall find them as farre to seek as forward to accuse Is it onely a similitude of prayer because it hath onely the externall form of prayer but wanteth the soul and life thereof They might easily answer themselves As it is penned or printed it hath onely the externall form and so it is not properly a prayer but as it is rehearsed with understanding affiance of heart and fervency it hath the true and whole nature of prayer And by what reason can a book-prayer be called an image of true prayer which will not agree to prayer first conceived and then uttered For
is lawfull to one because he needth it is forbidden to another by the second commandment because he needeth it not The method of sermons and prayers set forms of catechismes blessings and baptizing are arbitrarie helps and furtherances as they are called as whether we preach by doctrine reason and use or in another method begin with confession or thanksgiving use this precise form of words I baptize thee c. or Be thou baptized c. but not forbidden in the commandment Helps and furtherances in Gods worship so to speak because I would not contend about words are of two sorts Some necessary and in nature and use the same with the true worship of God instituted by his Highnesse particularly and these are unlawfull if devised by men because devised neither can any necessity be pretended to excuse them For in the point of Gods worship what is of the substance of worship and in conscience necessary that if it be not determined of God and instituted by him is unlawfull Others are mere circumstances concerning the method phrase externall manner of celebration which are not determined by God and therefore no particular is unlawfull which is according to the generall rules in scripture Thus for the place of sacrifice before it was determined it was lawfully in any place because no place was designed but after it was once determined it was lawfull in no place but that alone Voluntary and free-will-offerings might be offered at any time because for them no time was determined but the passeover might be celebrated onely at one time because the precise time of it was determined In all matters of positive worship and determined circumstances by the word of God such onely areâ— lawfull as the word of God hath enjoyned and all things are forbidden which are not commanded But in circumstances and matters of order not determined no particular is necessary and all such are lawfull as be consonant to the generall rules given in scripture and that if agreeable to the generall rules is lawfull which is not forbidden And so in this particular if God had determined any prescript form of prayer either for some time or for ever to all men or some onely that form to such and at such times had been necessary and that alone lawfull because determined If God had tied men to conceived prayer without any set or stinted form devised by themselves or imposed by others that alone had been lawfull because determined But seeing we are enjoyned to pray confesse sinne entreat mercy and no set form determined therefore any fit form is warrantable one as well as another For where the law hath put no difference it is not for us to distinguish Let it be demanded of a man when he prayeth why he useth that form he then useth what answer can he return but this That no form is determined and so any Fitting form is warrantable Or if he answer otherwise in effect he shall answer amisse as not knowing the true ground of the lawfulnesse of that he doth No man hath authoritie to devise any substantiall means of worship which must be referred to the second commandment no more then he may teach new doctrines or institute new sacraments in Gods church upon his own head But the order phrase or method which is devised by man is no worship of God And if we put no difference betwixt the positive worship of God which he hath in particular commanded and must not be devised of men and the order phrase and method in which his worship is performed it is not possible to worship God aright without sinne But if we shall looâ— more narrowly into the former distinction we shall find it flat contradictorie to it self and to the commandment For by arbitrarie furtherances we must understand not devised furtherances which this answer granteth to be lawfull but furtherances which are not necessary to one man though lawfull to another And then whereas the second commandment forbiddeth devised worship which is unlawfull as contrary to the eternall rule of righteousnesse by this answer arbitrarie furtherances not devised furtherances should be condemned which is clean contrary to the scope and end of the commandment For example when the commandment saith Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven image c. If a man shall distinguish thus Devised images are not unlawfull to him that needth but onely arbitrarie images sc to him that needeth them not should he not speak contrary to the commandment The case is the same in this particular For the things forbidden in the second commandment are in generall nature one with an image sc devised worship which carrieth not the stamp or approbation of God And when a stinted or set form of prayer is impleaded as contrary to that royall precept do they not speak contradictories that say A stinted form is lawfull to him that needeth it but an arbitrarie form unlawfull viz. a stinted or devised form to him that needeth it not For this is as much as to say devised worship is lawfull and acceptable in him that needeth that help but arbitrarie worship to wit to him that needeth it not is forbidden Actions lawfull in case or upon condition onely the case being amoved become unlawfull As for David to eat the shew-bread and in case the woman be not able to bring a lambe for her burnt-offering then a young pigeon shall be accepted Now the lawfulnesse of a stinted form of prayer lieth onely in case of some necessitie as a naturall help to supply some defect Many things no question are lawfull in case of necessitie which in a time free are unlawfull But the things unlawfull out of case of necessitie are such as God hath forbidden in his word as the eating of shew-bread c. whereas no reason hath been alledged to prove the use of a stinted form unlawfull more out of then in the case of necessitie Also that necessitie which doth legitimate an action unlawfull out of case of necessity must either free us from the commandment or is in speciall dispensed withall by God himself But necessity of a stinted form to free from the obligation of the second commandment or dispensation by way of prerogative in that case none hath nor can be shewed David did eat the shew-bread and sinned not sc in case of extremitie For ceremoniall precepts must give place to morall duties The priests in the temple profane the sabbath not simply and properly but according to the opinion of the adversaries if every action of the hand do profane the sabbath or they profane the sabbath because they do that by the appointment of God which otherwise would be a profanation both of the temple and the sabbath If the woman be not able then in stead of a lamb a young pigeon shall be accepted because the Law-giver hath so appointed otherwise I should think it
whom hath the Lord committed that charge and given ordinary authoritie to prescribe forms of singing in the churches in the new Testament If thee be such difference as is pretended betwixt the devised forms of praying and singing it is necessary that he that denieth the one to be lawfull and challengeth liberty in the other should shew his commission Christ fitteth his servants with gifts for the whole work of the ministery to pray as well as to preach by their own gifts for prayer is an ordinance of the new Testament as well as preaching and they are made able thereunto not by shewing the sufficiency of other men whose prayer they reade but their sufficiency is of God enabling them Thus our brethren reason against read or prescribed prayer and doth not the same hold as truly against the use of a prescribed psalme To sing psalmes is an ordinance of the new Testament and the minister of God is enabled to sing as well as to pray by his own gifts otherwise he is not enabled for the whole work of his ministery and if he reade or sing a psalme whose gifts doth he exercise therein This necessitie being presupposed I would know whether that particular form of singing devised by man and prescribed by others be an humane invention or no If it be the devise of man then it is forbidden in the second commandment as they say If it be not of man then it must be of God by speciall institution and immediate inspiration then the self-same form of words issuing from the same cause or authour should be humane if delivered in form of prayer and Divine in form of a psalme Whereas this necessitie is onely an adjunct to the thing and doth not so change the nature of it as to make that which is of man by common gifts to be from God by speciall institution as it must in this case according to their tenent I would know further whether this devised or prescribed form of singing be an acceptable worship and service of God or no If it be then some worship devised by men is acceptable to God in case of necessitie which cannot be admitted If it be not worship then a devised form of prayer cannot be condemned as a devised worship And therefore if there be any such necessity as is pretended it should rather exempt from the practice of singing then give liberty to a devised form which God hath not warranted nor approved For it is a rule in Divinity That against a generall negative precept no particular affirmative can be lawfull unlesse that particular be warranted in scripture For the scripture should not be perfect to furnish the man of God completely to every good work if a particular affirmative not warranted in speciall might be lawfull against a generall negative seeing in that case a man can have no sure ground to rest on But against this supposed generall negative precept forbidding all humane inventions in Gods worship all devised helps and furtherances all strange worship there is no particular warrant allowing it in singing psalmes When all devised worship is condeÌ„ned how shall the conscience be assured that this particular devised worship shall be accepted No necessity excuseth in the doing of a thing otherwise unlawful but that which exempteth from the coÌ„mandment in that case Now whether that pretended necessity of a set form should exempt from the generall negative precept forbidding all devised forms as will-worship as they expound it or froÌ„ the affirmative precept of singing of psalmes let them judge who put the exception Necessitie which hath no law in some particular case presupposeth some free time wherein that pressing necessitie hath no place then what necessity hath found out for remedy that must cease the necessity ceasing But that any necessity which lieth continually upon all churches as doth the singing in a prescript form if they sing at all should warrant them to do that which is coÌ„trary to a general negative precept is a tradition in Divinity never heard of before The reason therefore standeth still in force If it be lawfull to praise God in a form of words devised by man it is lawfull also to pray to God in a stinted form and an arbitrary form is altogether as lawfull as a devised form And if Christians shall not withdraw themselves from the stinted prayers of the congregation before a materiall difference be shewed in these particulars and that destinction of Arbitrary and Necessary devised forms be proved by scripture or solid reason the world shall end I am confident before they separate And thus some other objections made against a stinted Liturgie are answered It is Gods ordinance that the churches should be edified by their gifts who minister unto them and that in prayer as well as in preaching and Christ â—itteth all his servants with gifts for the whole work of the ministery But in reading a stinted Liturgie a minister doth not edifie the church with his own gifts This reason concludeth not against a publick stinted Liturgie as a breach of the second commandment or a devised worship nor as unlawfull in it self but by accident onely as it hindreth the edification of the church by the ministers own gifts But I desire to know whether it be not lawfull for the minister at all in the publick execution of his office or any part thereof to make use of other mens gifts or that he must not make use of other mens onely and not of his own at all If the former it is not proved by any text of scripture If the later it maketh nothing against the use of stinted prayer In every part of his publick function preaching prayer blessing singing administration of the sacraments reading of the scriptures a minister may and ought to make use of the gifts of others In exposition of scripture he may make use of the divers readings marginall notes interlineary glosses marginall references he may make use of the gifts of linguists translatours paraphrasts and commentatours to explain hard phrases find out the coherence and meaning of the text c. In matters of controversie of the labours and gifts of them that have travelled most painfully therein In application of doctrine he may make use of such as have handled that matter more soundly fully pithily then he is able and in the act of preaching of all these joyntly or severally as he doth utter what he hath gathered out of his notes or memory Calvine a man of great learning admirable dexteritie of wit singular skill in the Hebrew tongue was yet pleased in his commentaries upon the psalmes to make great use of Vatablus annotations Mercer in his exquisite Commentary upon Job was not a little holpen by the sermons of Calvine upon the same book Mollerus is pleased for the most part to gather his observations upon the psalmes word for word professedly out of Calvine How many sermons and tractates be extant
at this day wherein we may observe those that follow to have done more then track the steps of them that have gone before them and this without rebuke In prayer a minister may use the gifts of others to furnish himself with method words matter and arguments and utter his meditations as upon meditation he hath digested them by such helps yea he may use those very expressions and forms which others have used before him when they be more fit and moving then of himself he could reach unto In singing psalmes though the minister be able to turn them into more grave solid exact metre then usuall and nearer to the originall yet it is not denied but he may make use of other mens gifts inferiour to his own In reading the scripture in a prescribed translation which is a part of Gods publick worship whose gifts doth the minister make use of what ministeriall gift is exercised or manifested therein Every child of twelve or thirteen yeares old in respect of the outward act is as well able to reade a chapter as the stinted Liturgie They answer that Between publick reading of scriptures and publick reading of prayers there be two differences First the publick reading of the scripture is Gods ordinance but stinted prayers have not warrant from the word Secondly reading of the scriptures in the publick assembly simply considered in it self is not the proper work of the minister But this later is not to the purpose For we speak of reading the scriptures as it is done by a minister in the publick assembly and in the solemn worship of God be it when he readeth his text being a shorter or larger portion of holy writ The first is a flat contradiction to the reason it self and a plain confession that it is of no worth For when they say Reading the scripture is Gods ordinance wherein the minister useth anothers gifts and not his own but the introducing of new forms by mens devise and appointment is not warranted do they not confesse that this is no just exception against stinted prayer because it should condemn the ordinance of God no lesse then it and that stinted prayer is not unlawfull because a minister in reading it doth make use of another mans gifts but because it is unwarrantable which is the matter to be proved and importeth a confession that it is not proved by this reason but rather overthrown For if they restrain the proposition thus That stinted form of prayer is unlawfull wherein the minister maketh use of another mans gifts not of his own the reason consisteth all of particulars beggeth onely but concludeth nothing If the proposition be generall That is not an ordinance of God in the use whereof a minister exerciseth other mens gifts and not his own the exception here annexed is directly crosse thereunto for the publick reading of the scriptures is Gods ordinance But seeing this is a matter so much insisted upon That a stinted form of Liturgie is not warranted and so unlawfull let us consider a little how many wayes a thing may be warranted and in what sense the proposition holdeth true What is not warranted that is unlawfull A thing is warranted in the worship of God three wayes First by the light of nature and reason according to the generall rules of scripture and so time place method phrase of speech and such like are warranted though nothing be determined particularly thereof in scripture For the scripture commandeth that all things be done in order but it determineth not this or that to be matter of order Thus a stinted Liturgie is warranted Secondly a thing is warranted by necessary consequence when to some particular dutie required this or that particular is necessary or expedient though it be not named and so the translation of the scripture is warranted because is must be read to edification and edifie it cannot unlesse it be understood Thirdly that is warranted which is by speciall institution commanded as a part or substantiall means of worship which should be unlawfull if it was not particularly instituted as being contrary to the second commandment And seeing the word is thus diversly used in different matters unlesse it be wisely distinguished a man shall build false conclusions upon true principles if truly applied and sooner entangle himself then confute his adversary as it fareth with our brethren in this case For taking the word warranted in the strictest sense when they dispute against a set form or Liturgie as an addition to the word and means of worshipping God by the devises and appointment of men they conclude erroneously For a stinted Liturgie is no substantiall means of worshipping or positive worship for these two are one but onely a matter of order or form of words and method wherein we present our requests to God c. And from the same mistake they ensnare themselves while they teach others to argue upon the same grounds and with like force against singing of psalmes and reading of set translations to wit That they are not warranted of God and that we must be carefull as not to take away from the word any ordinance of God so not to adde to the word as means of worshipping God the devises and appointment of men Out of which snare they can never rid themselves unlesse they take the word warranted in a larger sense and distinguish betwixt the substantiall and necessary means of worship and that which is allowed by consequence onely or doth pertein to the worship of God â—s a matter of order For though singing of psalmes be commanded of God though God allow nay command that the scriptures should be translated as that without which they cannot be read to edification yet the frame of words in singing and the translation it self is the work of men and the words and phrases the devises of men not an ordinance of worship This knot cannot be untyed but it will cut the sinews of the former objection Who seeth not that the imposing of prayers devised by other men upn the churches to be used of all ministers ordinarily for theirs and the churches prayers doth much derogate from the honour fruit and benefit of Christs ascension into heaven and from the love care and bounty that he hath and sheweth continually to his church upon earth giving gifts to men for the work of the ministery and the profit of the churches Eph. 4. 8 13. 1. Cor. 12. 4 5 6. with Matth. 28. 20. Whatsoever derogateth from the honour fruit and benefit of the ascension of Christ that is wicked and unlawfull But to reade prayers out of a book derogateth from the honour fruit and benefit of Christs ascension What is here said of imposing prayers devised by others is alledged against the use of stinted prayers and Liturgie and so must be understood and till the use of a prescript form of prayer or Liturgie be proved unlawfull it will never be found
as whether we say I baptize or as the Greek church Be thou baptized c. is not of like necessitie neverthelesse we may and do constantly use this form I baptize c. without addition or variation at any time Our argument from these places is this If a set form of blessing thanksgiving salutaion and administration of baptisme be lawfull to be used ordinarily without addition or variation then a stinted form of prayer to be used ordinarily without addition or alteration is not unlawfull But a prescript form of blessing thanksgiving salutation and administration of baptisme to be used ordinarily without addition or alteration is not unlawfull There is apparent difference betwixt prayer and blessing For prayer is expressed from men to God but blessing is pronounced from God to men Prayer may be performed by one equall to another by an inferiour to a superiour yea by a man to himself but blessing is alwayes from the greater to the lesse And Solomon used a different gesture in praying and in blessing the people Let prayer and blessing differ in these and other particulars as many as they please in this they agree that they are both parts or branches of worship And if a stinted form be disallowed in the one it is unlawfull in the other if it be a devise of man to be condemned in the one it cannot be approved in the other And therefore seeing a prescript form of blessing is lawfull a stinted form of prayer is not to be condemned Moses did not prescribe unto the priests a form of words whereunto they must be tyed in blessing of the people but onely gave them a rule of direction according to which they should blesse them For otherwise the priests had sinned whensoever pronouncing the blessing they had used other words And the particle Thus So or In this manner denoteth the form or similitude of the things whereof there is mention c. It is a troublesome thing that these ministers thus urge the letter of the scriptures as if the question were not about their sense and interpretation which they should prove to be for their stinted service c. but the question is whether Moses tyed and stinted the priests to that form of words in blessing the people The like they say of the form of baptisme It sufficeth that these forms of blessing prayer and thanksgiving and administration of baptisme might or may be used though in conscience neither the priests then nor we at this day are necessarily tyed unto them in so many precise words For the lawfull not the necessary use of a prescript form of prayer or Liturgie is now in question which is proved by the places above rehearsed and not gainsaid at all by this answer For if the Saints in former times might pray unto or praise the Lord in a stinted form of words invented by themselves or indited by others as we find they might and did if the preiests might use a stinted form of words in blessing the people whereunto they were not tyed if Christians may salute one another in this stinted form of words Peace be unto you The Lord be with you The Lord blesse thee though they be not tyed thereunto nor can reach every particular comprehended in those short sentences recorded in scripture then a stinted form of prayer or blessing in words invented by themselves or indited by others is lawfull to us for in that particular the ground and reason is common to them and us Apply this answer to the reason That the priest might use that form without variation but was not tyed unto it That we may use the Lords prayer without alteration and the form of baptisme without addition and diminution but are not necessarily obliged to use the very words and syllables precisely and I know not how they should tye the knot faster For is not this in plain terms to confesse That an arbitrarie stinted form is lawfull but not necessary If God had commanded a form it onely had been necessary if God had determined one precise form that onely and none other had been lawfull but seeing he hath commanded none determined none precisely but left us free to use those recorded in scripture or some others in the selfsame or other words a stinted form is apparently warranted of God though not commanded It followeth not that a prescript form devised by man is lawfull because a form prescribed of God is good Moses was a prophet and had an immediate commission from God for what he appointed in the house of God which the imposers of the Liturgie cannot plead Christs ordinance can make the writings of the Apostles a rule of faith can men make another scripture c. A form prescribed and determined by God is not onely lawfull and good but necessary and onely lawfull as it is prescribed which prerogative no form devised or prescribed by man can participate But when God is pleased to give a form for direction onely and neither to command it precisely nor to determine it as the onely allowable for words and syllables in that case this reason is good That seeing the forms set down in scripture may lawfully be used though not prescribed therefore a stinted form is not unlawfull And thus we conclude from these passages of holy writ The stinted forms of blessing prayer thanksgiving and baptizing set down in scripture are lawfull to be used though not prescribed of God as necessary therefore a stinted form of prayer is not unlawfull For that form of words which is neither determined nor commanded of God as necessary but left at liberty to be used or not that is not in point of conscience absolutely more lawfull then another sound and grave If no form of words be determined or commanded any form just and good one as well as another is free in conscience Gods commandment maketh a thing necessary his determination maketh it onely and none other lawfull but a form not tying to the words precisely but given for direction onely doth authorize any other for matter the same and different onely in words or phrase of speech Every stinted form of prayer or blessing c. not prescribed of God or ordained of him is an humane devise though the matter be good and the words be gathered out of the scripture because whatsoever is not from heaven is of men what is not of God by his institution prescribed or appointed that our brethren conclude to be humane But no prescript form of blessing prayer or praise c. is appointed of God and commanded as necessary to be used of all or any man at all times as they confesse and labour to convince Therefore it necessarily followeth That if one godly form of prayer or blessing may constantly be used another for matter the same though different in phrase of
the Old Testament from the apostles at their first conversion but suddenly they could not be translated into every language and till they were translated they could not be read in the congregation unto edifying The books of the New Testament could not be delivered untill they were written but they were not written all at once and when they were all written being sent to severall churches it must be some time before they could be gathered together and translated And if nothing be allowable in the church but what was found in the primitive churches planted by the apostles by record of scripture I fear the reading of the scriptures in a known tongue must be cast out of the congregations I go not about to equalize stinted Liturgies with set translations of the holy scriptures but I would intreat such as oppose a stinted Liturgie by these reasons to consider whether they do not put weapons into the adversaries hands to fight against the scriptures Again set forms of catechismes publick or private composed by the minister or devised by others used with liberty to adde or alter as occasion requireth are no more commanded of God then set forms of prayer nor no more in use in the apostolick churches Christ our Saviour the Prophets or Apostles have no more appointed the one then the other if all parts of holy and spirituall worship may be performed without a stinted Liturgie they may be performed also without a stinted or set catechisme and if a set form of prayer must be disallowed a set form of catechisme publick or private composed by the minister or devised by others must be condemned also But the antiquity excellency and necessity of catechizing is known to them who are exercised in the building and governing of the house of God the use and profit of a set form therein is both manifest by reason and confirmed by experience at home and abroad in publick and private to them who have laboured to lay the foundation of Christian religion and train up the people committed to their charge in sound wisdome and understanding And in these things we swerve not from our pattern because we teach and professe the same doctrine and worship God with the same worship and substantiall means of worship that the primitive churches and Christians did There is the same reason of reading the Apocrypha books of Maccabees and those that follow them in the congregation and of reading a stinted form of Liturgie and the same reasons that silence the Apocrypha will silence stinted prayers as well and as much When we prove the lawfulnesse of a stinted form of prayer by the stinted forms of psalmes and blessing mentioned in scripture it is thought answer sufficient to say There is great difference betwixt blessings or psalmes and prayer and yet here it is enough to match things unlike together and to say of them without all proof There is the same reason of both But if it have any sinews it will silence the singing of psalmes sermons professions of faith and conceived prayer no lesse then stinted especially the use of notes to help memory and forms of catechisme by whomsoever and howsoever used For there is the same reason of reading and uttering by heart in the congregation And if nothing but the canonicall scriptures must be read in the congregation nothing must be uttered by heart or strength of memory but the scriptures alone But sermons professions of faith conceived prayer are not canonicall scripture The reason is one and whatsoever can be answered truly in the one will put the other to flight If it be said That it is the prerogative of the scripture to be the rule of faith and manners and therefore nothing is to be read in the congregation as the ground undoubted and immediate of faith and manners but the scripture alone this openeth way for stinted prayer as well as for sermons or conceived prayer The substantiall means of worship both publick and private are determined of God It is unlawfull to set up an image for worship either publick or private The scripture must be acknowledged the sole rule of faith and manners both in publick and private It is unlawfull to devise sacramentall signes in private as well as in the congregation And if it be unlawfull to reade any other book in the congregation because the reading of the scripture is the onely approved medium cultûs by the same reason all forms of catechismes and singing of psalmes and reading or use of stinted praiers in the family are unlawfull And if the one be an image in the congregation the others are so in the family When the Lord had devised and appointed a perfume saith the authour of the Letter all men are forbidden to make a composition like that perfume Exod. 30. 35 37. So if it could be proved that Christ had made a form for the churches and believers alwayes when they pray then the offering up of any other prayers made by others or of our own devising would seem to be as unlawfull as the offering of strange incense Exod. 30. 9. Where it is implyed that seeing God hath determined no certain form therefore forms devised by men are not necessary but lawfull In the same manner they may be answered from their own grounds That seeing God hath sanctified and set apart the canonicall scriptures given by immediate Divine inspiration to be the sole and perfect rule of faith and manners therefore the scripture alone must be read and acknowledged as the sole ground of heavenly instruction But seeing he hath determined no certain form of prayer or sermons professions of faith or thanksgiving therefore either none at all must be made or forms devised by men are lawfull to be heard in the congregation yet not as immediate and undoubted grounds of faith for that is proper to the scripture but as instructions and exhortations builded upon or petitions framed according to the scripture as present occasion doth require In sermons who doth not put a difference betwixt the text whereupon the discourse instructions exhortations rebukes comforts be grounded deduced the exhortations rebukes comforts which are propounded in method phrase of speech devised by men The first is ought to be canonicall scripture the other not so But it would argue great ignorance if not perversenesse if a man should cavill in this manner against the preaching of the word That the scriptures alone are to be read in the congregation therefore the minister of the Gospel must simply reade the scripture but never give the meaning nor make application In the Primitive church sundry councels have forbidden the reading of any books as parts of Divine worship but canonicall scripture onely of the Old and New Testament but no councel ever condemned the use of a stinted Liturgie Those churches which forbad the reading of any books which be without the canon did
people the imposer and user Plain dealing is a jewel Moreover to take away the ambiguitie of the word a stinted form may be set apart for publick use two wayes Either as sanctified to be the immediate and infallible rule of prayer a substantiall or proper means of worship holy by institution and necessary in conscience in respect of Divine commandment and in this no publick Liturgie is or ought to be set apart because none is prescribed of God none such can be devised or appointed of men Or it may be set apart where no one being determined by God one is freely chosen and agreed upon for publick use as consonant to the generall rules of scripture for orders sake to testifie consent in matters of faith and for the help of them that may stand in need not as the immediate and infallible rule of prayer nor as a proper means of worship nor as holy above others nor necessary in point of conscience and in this sense a Liturgy or stinted form may be set apart and it cannot well be conceived how it should generally be used unlesse it be set apart that is unlesse one be chosen amongst many and agreed upon to testifie consent In a stinted form or Liturgie two things are to be considered the matter it self which if holy and good is of God as in conceived prayer and the externall method order and phrase of speech which is not determined by God as whether it shall be in these and these words suddenly conceived or more solemnly composed devised by others or invented by our selves And seeing neither of these is determined it is the devise of man to place opinion of worship holinesse or necessitie in either of them simply considered Our Saviour never joyned with them in their prayers though he came often to their synagogues and meetings but alwayes either to preach unto them or reprove them for their humane inventions taking the opportunitie of their meetings for this very end A stinted Liturgie is challenged to be an humane devise condemned by the second commandment because it is not prescribed in the word The like exception upon just grounds do I make to this answer It is an humane devise a corrupt addition because it hath no warrant from the scripture Why did our Saviour go up to the feast of the passeover according to the custome when he was twelve yeares old onely to preach unto them and reprove their humane inventions and not to keep the passeover Did he ordinarily resort to the synagogues and was he present at the lectures of the law and prophets and did not joyn in prayer He himself telleth us it behooved him to fulfill all righteousnesse and was not this one branch of that righteousnesse he was to fulfill It is true he resorted thither to preach the Gospel and reprove the corrupt glosses of the scribes and Pharisees but to preach the Gospel and joyn in prayer with the people of God in covenant are things that may well stand together Our Saviour reproved the humane inventions of the scribes and Pharisees but did he ever reprove them simply for their stinted Liturgie or teach the faithfull not to joyn with the rest in their synagogues in any part of their stinted Liturgie If he came to the synagogues merely to take the opportunity of their meetings did he celebrate the last passeover with his disciples merely for that end likewise And if any man will be so unadvised and rash to say no more it will not avail For unto their custome of finishing the passeover with certain psalmes there is not any thing more probable then that the holy Evangelist doth evidently allude saying that after the cup delivered by our Saviour to his apostles they sung an hymne and went forth to the mount of Olives And some adde as the nature of some hymnes require it may be there was a common foot of the song wherewith the disciples answered unto our Saviour Christ first singing If they did use such without good warrant it will be no warrant to us and if they had warrant from God for any forms they used about the passeover c. if we have warrant from God we may do the like And we know we must go by rule and not by unwarranted example in all things about Gods worship Warrant is twofold One of precise institution determination and commandment and thus all substantiall parts and proper means of worship must be warranted But this warrant is not necessary to a stinted Liturgie unlesse it be determined of God in speciall And if that be true which some confidently affirm that reading cannot be prayer or that in reading a man cannot speak unto God or that read-prayer is an idole-prayer either it cannot be that by speciall institution a stinted prayer should be prescribed to be read or speciall institution is not sufficient to make it warrantable This I note here once again to perswade men more considerately to view over their positions and shew to how little purpose they ofttimes answer that this or that form is not the invention of man Another warrant there is according to the generall rules of scripture where nothing is particularly determined and thus a stinted Liturgie is warranted both to the Jews and Christians which is sufficient Also the example of our Saviour Christ resorting ordinarily to the synagogues and never speaking one word either to his disciples or other faithfull to beware of joyning with the rest in any part of their stinted Liturgies is to us warrant abundantly sufficient not to withdraw our selves from prayer or other ordinances of God because administred in a stinted Liturgie The spirit of the people should joyn with the ministers spirit in prayer according to the ordinance of Christ who ordereth no more to their parts in that case then to joyn with him and to testifie it by saying Amen And if the prayer be sound fit and holy what hindreth why the people may not testifie their consent by saying Amen If the governours neglect to stirre up the graces and gifts of the Spirit in themselves and so deprive the people of the benefit of their gifts must not the people make use of such gifts as they use if not their own then others The worship it self is vain fruitlesse and unwarrantable No branch of Gods worship consisteth in this That our prayers be presented to God in this or that method order or phrase of speech in a form of speech devised by others or invented by our selves suddenly conceived or premeditated long before varied every time we pray or one and the same often reiterated as occasion requireth And if the worship it self be vain and unwarrantable it must be either because the form of prayer is devised by himself and uttered in a stinted form or devised by others and not by himself If the former then no prayer is Gods ordinance which is
not uttered without premeditation settled and digested or at least which is not immediately suggested by the Spirit in respect of words and phrase of speech If the latter then devised worship is not forbidden in the second commandment but worship devised by another For that prayer which should be pure worship if devised by a mans self is unlawfull worship when devised by another And so devised worship or prayer is not condemned but worship or prayer devised by another man And if this be not the devise of man I know not what is Can this alter the nature of the worship in the hearer or him that joyneth that the words in prayer are invented by another studied by the governour or more suddenly conceived In the judgement of some Divines the three first commandments are thus distinguished each from other That the first commandment conteineth all those our duties towards God which are naturall The second all those duties in Gods speciall worship which are instituted and either of these is both inward and outward The third commandment requireth the well using of both these and of all other things which come of God If this distinction be allowed a stinted form as such doth not at all belong to the second commandment For instituted worship and not the order or manner of performance is the matter of the second commandment Stinted prayer is unlawfull because a man in devising it doth not exercise his own gifts Though he exercise not his gifts in devising it in reading or uttering it as a prayer he may set his understanding judgement faith hope love humility fervency and other graces of Gods Spirit on work And if the minister do not may not the people exercise their gifts in hearing and so though it be unlawfull to him it is not so to them Stinted prayer voluntarily taken up upon a mans self is not so much unlawfull but prayer imposed upon men because in such case they subject themselves to mans ordinance in Gods worship This is a strange description of mans ordinance in the worship of God or of worshipping God after the ordinances of men For thence it will follow that the same devised worship voluntarily taken up hath some allowance as the ordinance of God and ceaseth onely to be of God when it is imposed Whereas the ordinances of men in Gods worship condemned in scripture are not mere matters of order forms of words and phrases circumstances of time and place determined by men according to the generall rules but matters of worship devised besides and against the word of God and are unlawfull whether voluntarily taken up and devised of our selves or imposed by others A prescribed set form is not agreeable to the word of God for circumstance because the prescribing of it is to set apart or sanctifie it for such an use without Gods command and so to idolize it above other prayers In what sense a stinted form of prayer is or may be set apart hath been shewed before But this description of setting apart or prescribing is a mere devise barely affirmed without any shew of reason What is here objected against a prescribed form may be affirmed of a prescribed place time and order for the celebration of Divine ordinances which are of the same nature with it and no more determined by the word of God And suppose the minister or governour maintein some erroneous conceit touching the prescribed form of prayer are the people children or servants hereby authorized to withdraw themselves from such prayers or the prayers themselves made unacceptable to such as know how to use them aright One man is of opinion that a prescribed form is better then another another that a prescribed form is unlawfull one that it is best ordinarily to use a stinted form another that he is to pray alwayes according to the present occasion in a different order and phrase of speech In these cases if the least errour do stain the prayers to others that they may not lawfully joyn together with whom shall the faithfull joyn at all Is not this to fill the conscience with scruples and the church with rents Errours and abuses personall they rest in the persons so erring and stain not others It is harsh to affirm that such hath been the estate of the church ever since the death of the apostles almost if not before that a Christian could not without sinne joyn with any publick assembly in prayer or participation of the sacraments that he must either separate from the prayers of the assembly and depart from the sacraments or derogate from the authoritie of God and worship him after the ordinances of men For if such was the state of the Christian church from that time what is become of those great and pretious promises made to the church in the times of the Messias Did the church begin to draw and give up her breath both in one day Many things were amisse in the church many corruptions did begin to bud in the apostles times and after their departure did put forth with greater vigour and the saints of God I doubt not offended many wayes through ignorance and infirmity which God in mercy was pleased to pardon unto them But that the state and condition of the church was such that a Christian could not hold communion in prayer and the sacraments with the churches of God is contrary to the many promises in scripture made to the churches of the New Testament It is true the scripture doth forewarn us of an apostasie from the faith and the mystery of iniquity began to work in the apostles dayes and after their death things declined more and more But that within an age or two after the apostles departure out of this life things were so corrupted that the godly might not hold communion with the church in prayer and participation of the sacraments is more then an advised Christian will dare to affirm or think But if a stinted form of prayer be unlawfull both to minister and people to him that administers according to it and them that joyn a Christian might not safely joyn in any church-assembly or congregation in prayer or participation of the sacraments within few ages after the death of the apostles if at all Unlawfull commands in matters of religion especially cannot be obeyed without sinne Hos 5. 11. and it is a sinne to walk after them many wayes In matters of religion if the commands of men be contrary to the commands of God for substance or matter of the thing commanded we must obey God rather then men But if the command of man be for substance of matter agreeable to the rules of scripture pressed onely with too great strictnesse or severitie it is not evermore against God nor our superiours nor the present age and posterity nor ourselves to yield obedience If it be an holy form of baptisme voluntarily to baptize into
which assembled every day the word was preached every day And in the congregations which assembled every Lords day after the reading of the lessons psalmes and evangelists the word was preached constantly before they were dismissed The time specially appointed or taken for the sermon was the morning after the reading of the prophets and psalmes and evangelists In the afternoon as assemblies so sermons were frequent and two or more sermons were made in one and the same congregation sometimes by one sometimes by divers ministers After the sermon ended followed the prayers of the congregation as the testimonies before alledged plentifully confirm Clemen Constit lib. 2. cap. 57. After the exhortation of the Presbyter and the Bishop all pray unto God Justin Apol. 2. ad Anton. Then we rise all and pray together sc after the exhortation ended Origen Hom. 3. in Isa Idcirco surgentes oremus Deum Hom. 36. in Luc. Surgamus precemúrque Deum Chrysost Hom. 50. ad cap. 14. Matth. But now it is time to conclude our speech with prayer orate igitur universi nobiscum In all which we see the wisdome of the church so moderated the length of the Liturgie that each ordinance of God had its proper season that reading and prayer did not thrust out preaching nor preaching eat up prayer that the weak were not tired and burdened nor the sluggish fostered in their securitie And if a Liturgie be onely burdensome for length it is not altogether to be cast off For the thing it self is thereby justified as good and allowable that which burdeneth being taken away And it is much better to wrestle against bodily tirednesse with spirituall fervour then deprive themselves of the comfort and profit which is to be had in the ordinances of God The worship of God by that stinted form whereof our question is is the devise of Antichrist it being never prescribed or used in the primitive churches planted by the apostles and recorded in scripture But as the mystery wrought to a greater height in declining times of the church it was received by little and little till at last it came to be completely framed strictly enjoyned and every where used in the papacy as serving to maintein superstition and a dumbe idole-reading ministery and to nourish people in ignorance of the nature and right use of prayer The Masse-book is in Latine this Liturgie-book is in English the Masse-book hath all the prayers this Liturgie hath and some more other differences I know not between them Therefore king Edward the sixth in his letter to the Devonshire-men to convince them that their Liturgie was our service telleth them that it was no other but the old and the self-same words in English which were in Latine save a few things taken out which were so fond that it was a shame to heare them in English And king James in a speech of his in Scotland said that their English Liturgie was an ill-said Masse Pope Pius the fourth sending Vincentio Parpatia Abbat of S. Saviour to Qu. Elisabeth offered to confirm the English Liturgie by his authoritie if she would yield to him in some other things Indeed this Liturgie pleased them so well that for the first eleven years of Qu. Elizabeth Papists came to the English churches and service as the Lord Cook sheweth And when the Popes intelligencers had seen service solemnly sung and said in Canterbury and London with all their pomp and procession they wondred that their master would be so unadvised as to interdict a Prince or State whose service and ceremonies so symbolized with his own The whole form then of the church-service a few grosse things taken out is borrowed from the Papists culled and picked out of that popish dung-hill the Portuis and vile Masse-book But that form of prayer by which God is worshipped after the manner that idolaters worship their Gods swerveth from a rule of prayer prescribed in scripture Deut. 12. 3 4. 30. 31 32. And this is made the first of the exceptions against the common-prayer-book which were briefly added to in the Abbridgement That it appointed a Liturgie which in the whole matter and form thereof is too like unto the Masse-book The main challenge in this objection which I have set down more at large because it is much insisted upon against our communion-book is That it was taken out of the masse-book But in the manner of propounding there be divers great mistakes to say no more It is a great fault that they put no difference betwixt the substance of worship and the externall form or order of celebration The substance of worship in that stinted form of prayer is That we call upon God in the mediation of Jesus Christ according to his will Is this the devise of Antichrist because the form of words was taken out of the masse-book Suppose a minister of the Gospel should borrow some expressions or phrases of speech from heathen authours is his sermon forthwith the invention or devise of an heathen It is as far wide that they say Not onely the form of it taken from the church of Antichrist but surely the matter also For the matter of our Liturgie is the reading of the scriptures in a known tongue the calling upon God in the mediation of Jesus Christ and not upon angels or saints departed for the living and not for the dead the right administration of the sacraments for substance and singing of psalmes are these the devises of Antichrist Is the administration of the Lords supper in both kinds in remembrance of Christs death and passion who by one oblation of himself once offered hath made a full perfect and sufficient oblation and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world is this taken from the church of Antichrist These imputations are not so grosse as their reasons weak upon which they are built If our stinted Liturgy be the devise of Antichrist because it is not prescribed by the apostles or recorded in scripture then every stinted Liturgie must fall under the same censure for none other is prescribed in scripture or recorded by the apostles And so either every stinted Liturgie is part of that mystery of iniquitie which began to work in the apostles dayes or our Liturgy is not Antichristian because it was not prescribed or used in the primitive churches planted by the apostles If it was received by little and little till at last it came to be completely framed then the first beginning of it was no more from Antichrist then was the beginning of other Liturgies Antichrist sitteth in the Temple of God and antichristianisme is a filthy and lothsome leprosie which by degrees did infect the pure worship of God If therefore our Liturgie was sowred in after-times with that old leaven it might be pure and free in its first originall Is it for matter taken from the church of Antichrist
granted nothing is here alledged but what might be said against communicating with ministers who have their weaknesses or use a stinted form of their own devising ordinarily or be of different opinions either in prayer or sacrament and if we must hold communion with none who dissent from us in any jote or tittle we must never joyn or not long continue in any congregation The personall miscarriages of private persons are not so perillous as the evil acts of the minister whom I make my mouth to God in prayer Neither do the errours of individuall men tainted with corruptions voluntarily broched in prayer or sermon cast that defilement upon them who joyn together as do the unwarrantable opinions of the church and the ministration upon such publick commandment It is a good rule in Divinity oft to be thought upon That every distinction in matters of faith or religion not grounded upon or warranted by the scripture is an humane devise For is not this to adde to the word of God to lay down an opinion as from God which is not to be found in his word at all Now to apply this to the present matter in hand I desire to know from what scripture this distinction can be warranted That the personall errours of the minister in his voluntary administration of the sacraments or prayer do not defile though I do not publickly testifie dislike or absent my self but errour committed in the administration by publick commandment do pollute all that be present Reason why presence should pollute in one case more then the other none can be given Calling from God to testifie dislike it may be I have in neither but least in the latter It being more tolerable for private persons to rebuke the slips and errours of their minister in voluntary administration then for a man to controll the order established by publick authority and common consent when he is not in speciall called thereunto If this distinction be of weight it would go best with the church to have no settled order amongst them for so long as the faults and corruptions be onely personall they defile not them that be present at the ordinances but personall they are untill they be established by common consent or publick authority Moreover by this rule one member may sooner cast out the whole church then the whole church can cut off one member For the church must not cut off a member but upon weighty consideration and apparent just cause and that after conviction with much long-suffering and patience but if this objection hold true one member must openly rebuke the church or withdraw from communion with the church for a stinted Liturgie or for some slip or fault there committed perhaps questionable at least tolerable among brethren Is not my joyning with them that sinne to be reputed an appearance thereof when I professe not dislike thereof It is one thing to joyn with men in sin another to joyn with them necessarily in the worship of God though for the manner of administration something be done amisse If I professe not dislike of what I judge amisse having no calling thereunto my joyning in prayer is no appearance of evil to a right-discerning eye because I am necessarily called there to attend upon the Lord in his holy ordinances Necessary attendance upon his master excuseth the servants presence in many companies where he seeth and heareth much evil which he cannot amend nor reprove and shall not necessary attendance upon Jesus Christ justly and truly excuse the faithfull To say nothing that this exception is crosse to the former and if these exceptions be laid together we shall find nothing but going backward and forward one denying what the other affirmeth If the faithfull by the approbation of our Saviour Christ and his Apostles were present at Divine ordinances as much or more corrupted then they can be supposed to be with us then for such corruptions we are not voluntarily to withdraw our selves For defilement is feared without cause by simple presence where Christ requireth and approveth our presence and hath promised to be present with us by his grace But the faithfull by the commandment and approbation of Christ have been present at Divine ordinances as much or more corrupted then they can be supposed to be with us For the scribes and Pharisees sinned grievously in corrupting the law with false glosses in so much that they neither taught nor practiced what was necessary to salvation They taught many things directly contrary to the law as if a child had vowed not to relieve his parents he was bound to keep his vow and neglect them They defiled the worship of God with their vain inventions And it may well be thought their praying was answerable to their preaching cold fruitlesse corrupt and rotten many wayes Neverthelesse the faithfull held communion and fellowship with them in the worship of God not in their corruptions and that by the approbation and commandment of Christ himself Our Saviour doth not tell the faithfull they were to call upon the Pharisees to fulfill their ministery which they had received and as occasion should require proceed further to declare their dislike in such manner as is meet either absenting themselves or other wayes declaring their dislike so as the whole church may take notice of it But his commandment is they should heare them so long as they sit in Moses chair It is true our Saviour doth not approve their corrupt glosses and sinfull inventions but doth sharply reprove them himself and admonish others to let them alone and beware of their leaven but not to forsake the assembly or absent themselves from the ordinances of worship From which it followeth evidently that simple presence at Divine ordinances is not consent or approbation of the corruptions therein practiced and that we must leave and forsake some in respect of familiar conversation with whom we may hold outward communion in the exercises of religion The sinne of Eli's sonnes in prophaning the holy things of God was exceeding great but Elkanah Hannah and Samuel did not partake with the sinnes of the priests in that they did not abstein from the Lords sacrifices The behaviour of the Corinthians in their unreverent scandalous and almost prophane coming to the Lords table was foul and corrupt yet the faithfull did not forbear nor the Apostle charge them to absent themselves from the Lords table The famous church of Rome was so weak and feeble in the duties of government as they did not or could not separate from them such as preached Christ contentiously and with spitefull minds against the Apostle and the greater number of that church did corruptly demean and carry themselves therein and yet the Apostle never taught the rest to separate and have no communion with them in the ordinances of worship Knowledge before-hand that such corrupt administration will be used
Psal 22. 26. 26. 5. 149. 1. in the new for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 10. 17. Jam. 2. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 6. 12. The second Gamahaton Acts 7. 38. 11. 22. 15. 3. Rom. 16. 4 5 16. 1. Cor. 1. 2 c. which is used in the old Testament for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 22. 17. even when it signifieth an assembly of princes elders of judges Num. 35. 12 24 25. 27. 1 2. 36. 1. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 22. 23. 68. 27. and in the new Testament for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 5. 22. The third Kanisaton Rom. 16. 1. Acts 11. 26. 12. 1 5. 13. 1. 15. 4 22. 1. Cor. 14. 19 33. in the Revelation every where The fourth Bihaton Matth. 16. 18. 18. 17. Acts 2. 47. 5. 11. 8. 1. 14. 27. 18. 22. 20. 17. 1. Cor. 6. 4. 11. 16. Ephes 1. 22. 3. 10. which is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 40. 10. In the Arabick Pentateuch they put Gawkon for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 23. 1 2 3. 31. 30. Lev. 4. 14. which word is not found in the new Testament The Ethiopick interpreter Matth. 18. 17. for Tell the church hath domui Christianorum and so Matth. 16. 18. domum Christianorum meorum as De Dieu observeth And if all these things be laid together it will appear the words used by the Syriack and Arabick Interpreters will easily admit the former interpretation And if we compare one text of scripture with another when the church spoken of in this passage of Matthew hath power to heare and determine controversies and censure offenders by publick authority which agreeth to no spirituall society which hath not received power ministeriall from Christ to preach the Gospel and receive unto and debarre from the sacraments by publick authority it cannot be that the community of the faithfull in any particular society should be understood by the church seeing Christ the Lord of the church hath not communicated power to them to do such things themselves nor to deliver it over to the governours to have such things done in their name but hath immediately given power to his officers and ministers to do such acts or service in his name for the good and benefit of the society and as it may stand with respect to the honour and estate which Christ hath put upon the society as his flock and people Two scriptures are so plain clear evident and perspicuous for excommunication the former Matth. 18. 15 16 17. for the order and degrees of proceeding the other 1. Cor. 5. 4. for the persons interessed in the businesse as that to bring in other scriptures for the expounding of them is in truth as needlesse and lost a labour as to light the sunne and moon a candle They among whom the fornication was out of the midst of whom he was to be put and which were puffed up when they had rather cause of sorrowing to them the Apostle writeth them he reproveth they were to be gathered together for the excommunicating purging out and judging of the offender vers 1 2 3 4 5. And therefore the duty here enjoyned as well concerneth the brethren as the officers except we will say the fornicatour was onely among and in the midst of the officers and to be put from among them and left among the people still and that the officers onely were puffed up when they should have sorrowed and not the brethren with them It concerned the people as well as the priests in the type and shadow to put away leaven out of their houses and to keep the passeover with unleavened bread and so in the truth and substance to purge and put out this leaven Paul speaketh of namely the incestuous person vers 6 7. The Apostle admonisheth them that they were not to be commingled with fornicatours nor to eat with them vers 9 10 11. and this duty as well concerned the people as the officers They with whom Paul dealeth are commanded to put the wicked man from among themselves vers 13. So that the same persons from among whom he is to be put are to put him away which are both officers and people They whom the Apostle by his letter made sory for their failing in the casting out of the incestuous man and that with sorrow to repentance manifested with great indignation and zeal they were to reprove and censure him and so did for his reformation and their own clearing which that it was not the case of the officers alone but of the brethren with them appeareth in these scriptures 1. Cor. 5. 1 2. with 2. Cor. 2. 5 6. 7. 8 9 10 11 12. Paul writeth not onely to the officers but to the brethren as well as to them to forgive or loose to comfort or confirm their love toward the same person upon his repentance 2. Cor. 2. 7 8. therein plainly witnessing that the brethren as well as the officers had bound rebuked and manifested their indignation against the sinne and the person for it The conclusion inferred is That the rule prescribed by Christ Matth. 18. and the practice of the same rule by Paul 1. Cor. 5. do severally and joyntly couple and combine together the elders and the people in the censuring of an offender the officers going before the brethren following in their order and the women lastly by silent consent wherein the scriptures distinguish them from the men 1. Cor. 14. 34. 1. Tim. 2. 12. But this conclusion fighteth with it self reacheth not to the point in hand followeth not from the premisses if understood according to the Authours meaning It is crosse to it self for if women may not authoritatively excommunicate then every one two or three amongst whom the fornicatour was whom the Apostle reproved because he was not cast out whom he admonisheth not to be commingled with fornicatours whom he made sory for their failing and to whom he writeth to loose forgive him c. had not equall power with the officers to cast him out or to forgive him For all these things were written to the church of Corinth to the women as well as the men unles we shall say the incestuous person must be left among them or they might company with fornicatours c. In scripture they are distinguished from men it is said therefore in some cases that which is said to the whole congregation doth not equally concern every one in the congregation but in their order And if women be not comprehended in those exhortations and rebukes as equall to the brethren we cannot say the brethren are comprehended as equal to the officers But each thing must be expounded according to the nature of the argument and conference of other scriptures In generall the whole society may be blamed when every particular member
government onely Therefore to the full complete constitution of a visible church many things are required and that of divers kinds in themselves and of divers degrees of necessity all which cannot be referred to the second commandment but many and they most necessary to the first some to the third some to all And though in things essentiall and unchangeable belonging to the being of the church and matters positive determined by God nothing must be done besides the rule yet in things not determined concerning externall order and the better exercise of that authority which Christ hath committed to his servants some things are permitted to the wisdome of the church according to the generall rules of scripture And if the church holding the true faith as it hath formerly been said shall exceed or fall short in some particulars for such superfluity or defect she is not to be rejected as no true visible church of Christ Every church-ministery made and devised by the policy of men and not instituted of God is against the second commandment c. And all offices and ministeries in the church which are found in the scripture as instituted by God are in the affirmative part of this second commandment The church-ministery in respect of the main and substantiall duties belonging thereunto doth pertein to the second commandment in part not wholly or onely but in respect of things circumstantiall annexed to the ministery it belongeth not to the second commandment And if we consult scripture that is a new or devised ministery which for substance of the office is not of God be the outward calling never so orderly or legall and that ministery is not new or devised which for the substance of the office is of God though the entrance was disordered in the person admininistring many things be amisse and in the execution many defects or superfluities If a minister orderly chosen and ordained shall preach false and corrupt doctrine in points fundamentall or administer false sacraments his ministery is new devised false notwithstanding his lawfull entrance If a minister enter unlawfully either by the tumult of the people partiality of the overseers or corruption of patrones if he preach Christ crucified soundly and rightly administer the sacraments his ministery is true and of God though his entrance be of men If a minister preach sound doctrine in the main though mixed with some errours and administer the holy sacraments though with some superstitious rites his ministery is not to be esteemed new or devised for these weaknesses If some things humane be mixed with Divine a sound Christian must separate the one from the other and not cast away what is of God as a nullity fruitlesse unprofitable defiled because somewhat of men is annexed unto them In the body we can distinguish betwixt the substance and the sicknesse which cleaveth unto it betwixt the substance of a part and member and some bunch or swelling which is a deformity but destroyeth not the nature of that part or member Which of the prophets doth not cry out against the pride oppression covetousnesse tyranny of the priests in the time of the law Their offices were bought and sold they themselves despised knowledge opposed the prophets of the Lord strengthened the hands of the wicked and were enemies to all piety and yet their ministery was not false and devised for the main substance of it It is objected by the rigidest Separatists with great confidence That to communicate in a false ministery is certainly a breach of the second commandment For what do they else but set up an idole yea and bow down unto it which serve God in and by a devised ministery But if first they would consider what a false or devised ministery is and then what it is to communicate in the worship of God with them they would soon forsake this fort wherein they trust For the ministery may be true and of God when the election is disordered and the person unmeet and the execution maimed If this be not granted there was neither church nor sacrament nor ministery in the world for many hundred yeares yea if every superfluity or defect make a nullity of the ministery they that think themselves the onely ministers will be found none at all because they derive their authority from the community of the faithfull it may be two or three onely united in covenant which hath none authority to communicate it as hath been proved before For so we may reason as they do That is no ministery which is derived from them and executed in their name who have none authority to give it What is it to communicate in a false ministery Is it to communicate in the worship of God with them whose calling is not in every respect appointed and approved of God I might entreat them to look to their own standing before they accuse others and justifie their own calling before they seek to draw others from the communion of the church upon such pretenses But if that be their meaning the proposition is weak it can neither stand alone nor be underset with any props For when the prophets prophesied lies and the priests bare rule by their means was their ministery true or false When the priests were dumb dogs that could not bark and greedy dogs that could never have enough was their ministery true or false When the priests bought and sold doves in the temple or took upon them to provide doves and such like things for them that were to offer was their ministery true or false When the scribes and Pharisees corrupted the law by false glosses taught for doctrine mens precepts made the commandment of God of none effect by their traditions and set themselves against Jesus Christ was their ministery true or false If true then an ignorant idole prophane idle ministery which despiseth knowledge opposeth godlinesse prophaneth the holy things of God corrupteth the law polluteth his worship strengtheneth the hands of the wicked leadeth the blind out of the way may be a true and lawfull ministery If false then to communicate in a false ministery is not a breach of the second commandment For the true prophets forbad not the people to heare the priests nor our Saviour his followers to communicate with the scribes and Pharisees in the worship of God He charged them to beware of their leaven to let them alone because they were the blind leaders of the blind but he never laid his commandment upon the faithfull not to communicate with them in the worship of God And therefore to communicate with ministers no better then Pharisees in the true worship of God is neither a vain worship nor an abetting of the party in his sin nor to rebell against the Lord nor to commit spirituall whoredome but on the contrary it is to worship God aright to reverence his ordinances to relie upon his grace to hearken unto his voice and submit unto
a portion of the prophets instead of the law Elias Thisb in verb. Pat. Hooker Eccl. pol. lib. 5. § 20. Cartwr Reply 1. part pag. 157 158. In the christian assemblies they had lectures out of the prophets and apostles Justin Apol. 2. pag. 162. Cypr. l. 2. Ep. 4. lib. 4. Ep. 5. Ambr. l. 1. Offic. cap. 8. Ep. 75. Concil Laodic cap. 16. Grahan dist 15. cap. 3 The writings of the apostles are otherwise distinguished by the Russians then by us For in their language there is in S. Matthew an hundred and sixteen chapters the most of them so little that sometimes there is but three little verses therein according aâ— the sense of the discourse requireth and all that was done by one Cyrillus a priest of the church of Constantinople See Cathol Trad. qu. 9. In times past the Greeks divided Matthew into sixtie eight titles and three hundred fiftie five chapters Mark into fourtie eight titles and two hundred thirty five chapters as Sixtus Senâ—nsis hath it John into eighteen titles and two hundred thirtie two chapters See Causabon initio suar in Evangel Not. In 〈◊〉 the Apoc. in distinguished into seventy two chapters of Andreas Cesariensis into four and twentie parts and each of these subdivided into three chapters Amongst the Latines the Gospel of Matthew was divided into ninety four chapters of Luke into one hundred an seven the Epistle to the Romans into fiftie The first author of that division which we now follow some would have Hugo Cardinalis to be about the year of the Lord 1254. See Rivet Isagog ad Script cap. 29. § 21. usque ad 3â— No man put the verses in the latine bibles before Robert Stephan and for the new Testament he performed that first being holpen by no book greek or latine 〈◊〉 Stephan Lector in Concordant Graec. N. T. Thou shalt not make to thy self sâ— without commandment from God expresse and particular As by his commandment Moses made the Câ—rubims in the Sanctuary Ex. 25. 1â— the brasen serpent in the wildernesse Numb 21. 8. If we speak of humane inventions forbidden in the second commandment they are such devised worship as is not commanded determined by God and caâ—not be opposed to such things as have warrant and allowance onely from the generall rules of sâ—ripure Object 4. All 〈…〉 for 〈◊〉 is idolatry Greenwood pag. 8. Johnson ubisupâ—â— Answ Object 5. Johnson 〈…〉 God not as himself commandeth but after your 〈…〉 Ainsw Considerat exam pag 4. Answ Aug. in epist 121. cap. 12. Quam libèt 〈◊〉 verba dicimus nihil aliud dicimus quam in ista Dominica oratione positum est si reetâ— congruenter â—ramus 〈◊〉 ubi 〈◊〉 pag. 29. 〈◊〉 certum est Deum ipsum 〈◊〉 requi◠〈◊〉 neque acceptaâ—e superstitionem 〈…〉 Object 6. Answ Smith Difference of the church chap. 10. pag. 6. Idem cap. 17. Object 7. Answ It is not from God by particular institution as a substantial means or help of worship that this or that division of scripture be observed much lesse that which the Jews used or is now observed in our church But the division is of God as that which is done according to the generall rules of scripture may be said to be from him which is not to the purpose The scriptures of God are not all of one sort some partâ— be easie some parts be hard Direction where to begin in reading and how to proceed is not altogether superfluous â—ustinian the Emperour appointeth an order for the reading of the Laws what books and titles he would have read the first yeare and what the second c. Justinian in Prooem Pandect Caluin epist. 87. Quod ad formulam precum c. valâ—è probo ut illa certa exstet à qua pastoribus discedere in functione non liceat tam ut consulatur quorundam simplicitati imperitiae quà m ut certiùs ità constet omnium inter se ecclesiaruÌ„ consensus c. See Calvin Opuse epist catechis epist 87. Object 8. Answ Privilegia quaedam causae sunt quaedam personae et idâ—o quaedam ad haeredem transmittuntur quae causae sunt quae personae sunt ad haeredem nontranseunt Pandect lib. 50. tit 17. reg 196. See Jun. in Jud. v. 6 7. Append. parall sacr par 11. Rainold Censur tom 2. praelect 188 189 190 c. Object 9. Answ Willeâ— Contr. 11. qu. 1. Append Cont. 12. qu. 2. Piscat in Matth. 28 19. Schol. Mâ—ldonat in Matth. 28. 19. Cham. Panstr tom 4. De Bapt. l. 5. c. 3. §. 5. Johnson De prec â—turg pag. 28 29. Jer. 7. 31. 19. 5. Col. 2. 22 23. Deut. 12. 30 31 32. Deut. 12. 8. 9. Gen. 8. 20. 12. 7 13 1â— 20. 15. 26. 2â— 33. 20. â—xod 17. 15. 24 4 Deut. 12 5 6 11 1â— 14. Lev 1. 2 3. 2. 1. Deut. 12. 5 6 26 27. Ex. 12. 6. Nuâ—a 9 3. Omnia sunt 〈…〉 Conâ—essa Gloss ad Dâ—g â—o 47. tit 2j lâ—g 3. 〈…〉 sunt permissâ—quae non invenâ—untur prohibita Gloss ad Dig. l. 4. tit 6. leg 2â— Object 10. Answ Lex cessâ—t ubi necessitas venit Gratian. Decr. p. 2. q. 1. can 1. cap. 41. Matth. 12. 1 2. vers 5 â— 3. Arg. Object 1. Robins Justis against Bern. pag. 467. Copy of a Letter pag. 7 8. Johnson De prec liturg pag. 14 15. Greenwood Against Giff. pag. 13. You speak like an ignorant man to say that singing is prayer c. Answ Quicquid convenit tali quà tale convenit omni talâ— Object 2. Copy of a Letter pag 8. Answ Eph. 5. 19. Col. 3. 16. Euseb Hist lib. 2. cap. 17. sheweth out of Philo that the first Christians were accustomed to sing propâ—ios hymnos Et hist lib. 5. cap. 28. The primitive church had certain hymnes composed and sung to the honour of Christ Theodoret lib. 4. cap. 29. Ephrem made hymnes and psalmes in the Syrian tongue and the same were sung at the solemn â—easts of martyrs And Sozomen saith plain the same hymnes and psalmes were sung in the churches of Syria See Concil Laod. can 59. Concil Toletan 4. can 12. Object 3. Robinson Against Bern. pag. 46â— Copie of a Letter pag. 7. Answ Tot penè psalleâ—â—um chori quot gentium diversitâ—â—es Hieron ep 17. ad Marc. cap 6. Of singing by course Euseb l. 2. cap. 17. Socrat. lib. 6. cap. 8. Theodoret l. 2. cap. 24. lib. 4. cap. 2â— Plin. Epist lib. 10. ep 97. Basil epist 63. ad Cleric Neocesariens Nâ—zâ—anz Funebr orat de Basil August Confess lib. 9 c. 7. Tertull. ad uxor l. 2. extr dicit psalmum inter duos sonare The councell of Laodicea can 15. forbiddeth any to sing but him to whom the office of singing doth pertein Hieron in epist ad Rustic Dicas psalmum in ordine tuo Hieron coâ— 1â— Eph. l. 2. ad cap. 5. Gratian. Dist 92. cap. 1. 3.