Texts the latter is forbid more than the former Answ 2 2ly If Praying by a Form be inconsistent with Praying in the Spirit and in the Holy Ghost then must the use of the Lords Prayer be so and consequently we cannot use it in our Publick Worship without transgressing of these Precepts Answ 3 3ly I answer that Praying by the Spirit and in the Holy Ghost in the forementioned places may only signifie praying for such things and in such a manner as God hath by his Spirit taught us in the Holy Scripture and with such Spiritual Fervency and Constancy and other Christian Graces as he exciteth in us that this most likely is the import of the words in both these places may be argued from this consideration that in both places all good Christians are exhorted to pray in the Spirit and in the Holy Ghost now praying by the Spirit as it importeth praying by the immediate assistance of the Holy Spirit or the Spiritual Gift mentioned in Scripture is praying with the Gift of Tongues to which all Christians could not be exhorted because saith the Apostle all could not speak with Tongues 1 Cor. 12.30 2ly Because Tongues being for a sign not to believers but to unbelievers v. 22. It cannot rationally be supposed this Gift should be vouchsafed to Believers in their private Prayers of which here the Apostles seem to speak 3ly The Apostle here exhorteth the Ephesians to pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 always in the Spirit whereas the miraculous assistance of the Spirit in this duty being free what assurance could the Ephesians have of praying always by it Moreover he prescribes the matter of their Prayer exhorting them to pray for him that utterance might be given him V. 19. that he might open his mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the Gospel which he would scarce have done had he conceived that they were still to pray by the immediate assistance of that Spirit who needed no directions what he should suggest In the Epistle of St. Jude praying with the Holy Ghost is joined with building up themselves in their most holy faith and keeping themselves in the love of God these being therefore duties put into our power and to be improved by our industry not to be given by the miraculous assistance of the Holy Ghost without our industry why should we think otherwise of that praying by the Holy Ghost to which we here are equally exhorted if then this be the import of praying by the Spirit certain it is that we may pray thus by the Spirit though we use a Form for the matter of the Form may contain only what is good and acceptable in the sight of God and he that useth it and they who do join with him may do it in Faith and Fervency and with all other requisites unto an acceptable Prayer But 2ly If by praying in the Spirit and in the Holy Ghost we are to understand praying by that Spiritual Gift which was vouchsased to some Christians in the Apostles days by which they were enabled by the immediate and the miraculous assistance of the Holy Spirit to indite or use such Prayers as suted to the wants of the Christians of those times as Grotius and Dr. Hammond think Let it be then observed that these miraculous Gifts being now ceased we are no more concerned in these Precepts than we are to anoint the sick with oil when we pray over them according to the prescription of St. James James 5.14 Now that these Gifts are ceased and that no man can now pretend to the miraculous extraordinary immediate infusions of the Gift of Prayer and therefore that the Holy Ghost doth only now assist us by those ordinary and external means which do improve our understanding and instruct us what we ought to do and therefore to desire Grace to do is evident from these considerations 1. That were this otherwise our Prayers would be of Divine Inspiration and therefore as Canonical as Holy Scripture and as fit to be preserved as a Guide or Rule of Faith or at the least of Prayer which yet Dissenters have not the confidence to say 2ly Then also the same Persons may pretend to sing and Prophesie and Preach by the miraculous and the immediate assistance of the Holy Ghost for where the Apostle maketh mention of praying by this Gift of the Good Spirit he also speaketh of Singing and Prophesying by the Spirit whereas Dissenters have not the considence to pretend unto the latter and therefore have no reason to lay claim unto the former Now hence it follows That diligent perusal of the Holy Scriptures and meditation of those things which we do chiefly want and it doth most concern us to desire is the best way to purchase the assistance of the Holy Spirit and to obtain that which is called the Gift of Prayer and therefore that to Pray by a premeditated Form must be more properly to Pray by the assistance of the Holy Spirit than to pray ex tempore Our Saviour forbiddeth his Disciples when they shall be brought before Kings and Princes to take thought Matt. 10.19 or meditate how or what to speak Mark 13.11 because it shall be given them in that hour what they shall speak and because it is not they that speak but the Spirit of his Father that speaketh in them Now hence they argue à fortiori thus would God assist them to plead at an Heathen Tribunal and not at the Throne of Grace Answ 1 That the Persons with whom we have to do though they will not prescribe a Form yet do they allow of meditating before we Pray nay they prescribe the matter of the Prayer saying Directory p. 14. the Minister is to call upon God to this effect now both these are as much against this promise as is the using of a Form for the Text saith do not ye meditate take you no thought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how or what you shall speak and the promise is peculiar for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it shall be given what you shall speak it therefore is unreasonably urged against Forms by them who do allow of meditation and of prescribing the materials of Prayer Answ 2 This promise belongs not to us but to the Primitive Martyrs and Confessors of Christianity before the Heathen World who were to be converted to it and then there is no reason to extend it to other cases for otherwise it may as plausibly be urged thus for an immediate assistance in preaching of the Word would God assist men in speaking for themselves and not for him in speaking for the preservation of their Bodies from temporal and not in speaking for the preservation of the Souls of others from external destruction and so we must not only Pray but Preach also ex tempore and from immediate assistance of the Holy Spirit Answ 3 Thirdly The words which these men spake were not their own but were the dictates
from the Sacrament and so by joyning with us in this Ordinance when they can joyn with others who do keep up Discipline they should approve of our neglect of Discipline and by partaking with such Persons become partakers with them in their sin Answ Admit that Discipline is too much wanting in our Church and that Sufficient care is seldom taken for the exclusion of unworthy Persons from that Holy Ordinance how is it I beseech you that you by your participation of this Ordinance among us become partakers of this guilt Do you by thus receiving either command rejoyce in or take pleasure in this supposed neglect No your obiection shews it is your trouble do you consent to this neglect by joyning with us in this ordinance If so then our Lord Christ and his Apostles must be supposed to have consented to all neglects and all miscarriages in the whole Publick Worship of the Jews because they joyned with them in that Worship Then must the Regular Members of the Church of Corinth have approved the disorders of that Church touching the Sacrament and the abuse of their Spiritual Gifts by Communicating with those who were then guilty of them and so they must have been obliged to Separate on that account whereas the Apostle never doth exhort them so to do but only doth advise the parties guilty to amend these disorders and to do all things decently and orderly Then also are we guilty of all the imperfections both in Prayer or preaching of which that Minister is guilty with whom we joyn in the performance of those duties Lastly do we contract this guilt by the neglecting of our duty in reforming these defects Alas if there be reason to complain of such defects it must belong unto the Governors of Church and State and not to private Persons to reform them CHAP. IX The CONTENTS The posture of Kneeling at the receiving of the Sacrament is lawful and convenient and Separation because it is imposed is Schismatical § 1. To the Objection from Christs example it is Answered 1. That it concludes as much against Sitting as Kneeling 2ly That we are not obliged to imitate it 3ly That Christ himself consented to a like change of the Paschal Gesture ibid. to the Objection that Kneeling before a Creature is Idolatrous it is Answered 1. That the foundation of it is false it being not the sight of the Elements which doth induce us to Kneel 2ly That then the Dissenters are Idolaters 3ly That then the Jews must be Idolaters in Worshipping God before the Ark or Mercy seat 4ly That in this action no Worship being tendred to a Creature there can be no Idolatry § 2. the difference betwixt us and the Church of Rome consists in this that we only make the Creature the occasion they the object of Worship the Custom of our Church in bowing at our entrance into the Church or Chancel and at the Name of Jesus cleared from all appearance of Idolatry ibid. To the Objection that we must not Communicate in this Ordinance with Wicked Men it is Answer'd 1. ad hominem that it is to be feared that they do Communicate with Schismaticks with those that speak evil of dignities and Rebels who have not publickly repented of that sin 2ly That this Argument will drive them as well from other Ordinances as the Sacrament 3ly That private persons may unblameably Communicate in such Assemblies the Precept to exclude them being not directed to them but to the Rulers of the Church 4ly That private persons only are obliged to withdraw from such Persons in familiar and unnecessary converse not in Publick Duties § 3. The great objection from the neglect of Discipline proposed in these Propositions 1. That the excluding notorious wicked Persons from the Communion of the Church is the express Ordinance of Christ 2ly That the exercise of this Discipline doth highly tend to the glory of God and to the credit of Christianity 3ly That it is necessary to preserve the Members of Christs Body from the danger of pollution 4ly That probably this is requisite to preserve the Church Gods Temple and to continue the assistance of his Holy Spirit with her 5ly That the neglect of this great Duty tends much unto the detriment of the Church by exposing her to Gods judgments § 4. To which objection it is Answered 1. That in case Church Officers do not perform their Duty with respect to this great Ordinance yet is it not the Peoples Duty to separate on that account 2ly That altho Excommunication be the Duty of Church Officers yet is it not a Duty necessary to be exercised at all times on all offenders in all circumstances 3ly That tho it be the Christians Duty to withdraw from and to avoid the Scandalous Offender yet is this only then a Duty when we can serve no higher ends of Piety and Mercy in holding correspondence with them 4ly That it may be doubted whether all Scandalous professors deserve immediately to be excluded from Communion with us § 5. 5ly That our Church Officers cannot be truly said to own or to approve of this supposed neglect of discipline and that if the Rules of Discipline prescribed by them were duly practised this Objection would vanish § 6. That the continuance of Gods presence by his Spirit with his Church cannot be proved entirely to depend upon the separation of wicked Persons and Scandalous Offenders from her § 7. The Objection against these words used in confirmation that this is done to certifie them by this sign of Gods favour and gracious goodness to them Answered § 8. Other Ceremonies defended from the ensuing Propositions 1. That the laudable Customs of the Catholick Church which are of present observation are fit to be observed by all Christians whence is justified 1. The Custom of delivering the Sacramental Elements into the hands of the Communicants and speakto them severally 2ly The retaining of God-Fathers and God-Mothers 3ly The Answering of the sureties in Baptism 4ly The use of the Ring in Matrimony § 9. Prop. 2. That it concerneth not Inferiors to know the reason why Superiors do Command one thing rather than another but only whether what they do Command be not forbidden § 10. Prop. 3. That bodily Worship is required both in the Old and the New Testament which is sufficient to justifie 1. Kneeling at Prayer 2. Bowing at the Name of Jesus 3. Vncovering our heads in the House of God And 4ly Standing up at the Gospel the reason of that Custom § 11. The Churches Festivals considered and the Lawfulness of some of them proved from Propositions laid down by Mr. Baxter § 12. Three other Arguments for the expediency of them 1. From the consideration of the end for which they have been instituted by the Wisdom of the Church 2. From the benefit which may redound unto us by the observation of them 3. From the continued Custom of The whole Church of Christ § 13. Five Arguments of Mr. Baxter
have been asserted and been made publick not only in the times of the late Civil Wars but also since the happy Restoration of His Sacred Majesty whom God preserve For this great scandal you have hereby ministred both to Religion in the general and to the Protestant Religion in particular I verily believe you by just judgment of Almighty God do suffer and will smart severely Wherefore my counsel to you is 1. No longer to defend to countenance or to extenuate those wicked principles and execrable practices which followed from them but humbly to confess and take the shame due to your party for them and patiently bear the indignation of the Lord because you have thus sin'd against him Be pleased I pray you in order to this end to ponder seriously these words of your admired Mr. Defence of the principles of love p. 14 15 16. Baxter who speaks thus unto you I beseech you let us review the effects of the late War is it possible for any sober Christian in the world to take them to be blameless or to be little sins What both the violating the person and the life of the King and the change of the fundamental Government or constitution c. Was all this lawful and to do all this as for God with dreadful appeals to him Dare any man not blinded and hardned justifie all this If none of all this was Rebellion or Treason or Murther is there any such crime think you possible to be committed Are Papists insulting over us in our shame are thousands hardned by these and such like dealings into a scorn of all Religion are our Rulers by all this exasperated to the severities which we feel are we made by it the by-word and hissing of the Nations and the shame and pity of all our friends and yet is all this to be justified or silenced and none of it at all to be openly repented of I openly profess to you that I believe till this be done we are never like to be healed or restored and that it is heinous gross impenitence that keepeth Ministers and people under their distress and I take it for the sad prognostick of our future woe and lengthened affliction to hear so little open profession of repentance even for unquestionable heinous crimes for the saving of those who are undone by these scandals and for the reparation of the honour of Religion which is most notoriously injured Your Commissioners at the Savoy give this account of their faith to his Majesty whom God preserve viz. that in things no way against the Law of God the commands of our Governours must be obeyed but if they command what God forbids we must patiently submit to suffering and every soul must be subject to the higher powers for conscience sake and not resist these are our principles And these must be your principles or you can never reasonably expect the favour or protection of the Government For what their Subjects do at present or may hereafter think forbidden by God in these divided times and contrariety of various sects the Higher Powers cannot know and therefore if they cannot be secured of this I mean by the ordinary way of security given by oaths subscriptions declarations that when their subjects think God hath forbidden what the higher powers do command they patiently will submit to suffering and not resist they cannot be secured of the peace and quiet of their Kingdom I therefore cannot but conceive you are obliged in Conscience as you desire to avoid the truly odious name of Rebel and the just imputation of seditious persons and to wipe off in some good measure the horrid scandal which lies upon your party for your former practices That you are bound in justice as you desire to repair the credit of the Protestant Religion which hath so deeply suffered by the past Rebellions of men of your perswasions and give security unto that Government from which both you and yours expect security That you are bound in policy and prudence as you desire to abate the just suspicions which the Government at present hath and will have of you till you secure them of the contrary and to wipe off the manifold reproaches which are cast upon you as you desire to remove the Prejudices all loyal subjects have against you from their experience of your seditious principles and practices I say I cannot but conceive you highly stand obliged on all these accounts to publish your sincere repentance for and your abhorrence of what men of your perswasion have already done to make now solemn declarations and protestations of your present loyal principles to shew your readiness to give all satisfaction to the Government which can be reasonably desired from you that you do not at present hold nor ever will maintain rebellious principles to remonstrate that if you cannot yet obey in all things the commands of your Superiours you in no cases will resist the Government but patiently will suffer under it and lastly that you will permit no person to be of your communion who will not make this declaration heartily and sincerely Bishop of Winton's Sermon before the King Nov. 5.67 p. 38. For as a Reverend Prelate of our Church doth truly say The best and safest way for Prince State and People is to protect cherish and allow of that Religion and that only which allows of no rising up against or resisting soveraign power no not in its own defence nor upon any other account whatsoever which most Christian and most Orthodox profession if those of the Romish and those of other perswasions that live among us but are not of us would make as frankly and as ingenuously and as sincerely as we do though it would not presently reconcile all other differences betwixt us and them yet it would perhaps be enough to make us live peaceably and charitably and securely together without fear or jealousie of one another which would be a good step towards an accommodation of all other controversies betwixt us in time also Now to conclude this Preface with the Prayer of our own Church Blessed Jesu our Saviour and our Peace who didst shed thy precious Blood upon the Cross that thou mightest abolish and destroy all enmity among men and reconcile them in one body unto God look down in much pity and compassion upon this distressed Church and Nation whose bleeding wounds occasioned by the lamentable Divisions that are among us cry aloud for thy speedy help and saving relief stir up we beseech thee every Soul of us carefully as becometh sincere Christians to root out of our hearts all pride and vain-glory all wrath and bitterness all unjust prejudice and causless jealousie all hatred and malice and desire of revenge and whatsoever it is that may exasperate our minds or hinder us from discerning the things which belong unto our Peace and by the power of thy Holy Spirit of Peace dispose all our hearts to such meekness of wisdom
and lowliness of mind such calm and deliberate long suffering and forbearance of one another in love with such due esteem of those whom thou hast set over us to watch for our Souls as may turn the hearts of the Fathers to the Children and the hearts of the Children to the Fathers that so we may become a ready People prepared to live in Peace and the God of Peace may be with us Amen Advertisement THrough the neglect of the Bookseller and Printer this Book hath been detained otherwise it might have come out six Months sooner CHAP. I. The CONTENTS The Design of this Treatise is to perswade our dissenting Laity that they ought to maintain Communion with the Church of England 1. Because she requires nothing in her publick Worship which is unlawful to be done 2ly Because they cannot condemn her Communion without condemning the practice of the Vniversal Church of Christ § 1. 3ly Because they cannot do it without contradicting the Practice and Example of our Lord who was a Member of the Jewish National Church § 2. 2ly Observed the times of publick Prayer § 3. 3ly Was a Member of the Synagogue at Nazareth § 4. 4ly Observed the Customs which by the Jewish Canons were prescribed to be observed by those who entred into the Temple § 5. 5ly Complyed with the Rules prescribed by the Jewish Doctors to be observed by the Readers Preachers in their Synagogue § 6. 6ly Observed the Customs in which the Jewish Doctors varied from or added to the observation of the Passover § 7. 8ly Admitted Judas both to the Passover and to the Celebration of the Sacrament and so declared that Communion with the Professors of Religion was not to be refused for their want of inward Piety § 8. 9ly Paid Tribute when it was not due and thereby taught us to submit unto those things which were required by Superiours without sufficient grounds in Case of Scandals § 9. 10ly Our Lords Commands were suitable to his Practice For first he commanded the Leper to shew himself to the Priest thô both the Priest-hood was degenerated and many idle things required of him who was to be pronounced clean 2ly He commands even his own Disciples to obey the Scribes and Pharisees because they sate in Moses Chair § 10. Corollaries 1. That corruptions allowed taught and practised in a Church are no sufficient grounds of separation from the Communion of that Church provided that the Members of it be not required as a condition of Communion with them to do teach practise them or to profess that they are not corruptions § 11. 2ly That great Corruptions in the lives of our Church-Pastors will not warrant our Separation from Communion with them or our Refusal to attend upon their Teaching provided we be not enjoyned to allow of or to comply with them in their Sins § 12. 3ly That it is lawful to comply which such Churches as enjoyn some significant Ceremonies not mentioned in the Word of God and for the sake of Peace Order Vnity and the avoiding of Scandal to submit unto them when by Authority they are enjoyned § 13. 4ly That it is not unlawful to use a publick Form of Prayer and that the using of such Forms can be no sinful stinting of the Spirit § 14. 5ly That we stand not obliged in all Punctilios of time and place and gesture to follow the Example of the first Institution of the Holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper § 15. 6ly That the presence of wicked men should not deter us from joyning with the Church in the Participation of the Holy Sacrament § 16. 7ly That we stand not obliged to refuse Communion with other Churches in their Sacraments and other publick Offices because of some additions to the Institution § 17. 7ly That our Dissenters have no just cause to fear or plead for that Refusal of Submission to the Constitutions of our Church and of Communion with us that by Communicating municating they should approve of the imposing of these things and should partake with them in that supposed Sin or countenance them in the imposing things which they do look upon as Grievous Burthens § 18. CHAP. I. § 1 MY Design in this Discourse is with all the Strength of Reason I can offer to perswade our Dissenting Laity that lawfully they may and therefore that they ought to hold Communion with the Church of England in all her constant and solemn parts of publick Worship To prove that lawfully they may I might Insist on many Topicks As 1. That which doth throw the Burthen of proving the unlawfulness of holding Communion with us in the forementioned Worship upon them and of this Nature is the following Argument Viz. It is lawful to hold Communion with the Church in all her constant and solemn parts of Publick Worship which in those parts of Publick Worship requires nothing which is unlawful to be done by those who shall communicate with her in them but the Church of England in all her constant and solemn parts of Publick Worship requires nothing to be done which is unlawful to be done by those who shall communicate with her in them Ergo 't is lawful to communicate with the Church of England in all her constant and solemn parts of Publick Worship Where by the constant and solemn parts of Publick Worship I understand those parts of Publick Worship which she requires all Laymen to joyn with her in under the penalty of being lyable to be presented and to be subject to her censures if they do refuse them that in these parts of Solemn Worship nothing unlawful is required of them I shall endeavour to make good by Answering the Objections which they make against them But I might do it more briefly by calling on them to instance in any thing unlawful to be done which is required in any constant and solemn part of Publick Worship upon which they are by the Constitutions of the Church obliged to attend under the penalty of being subject to her Censures for their Neglect or their Refusal so to do 2ly I might thus argue with them That which the Church of Christ hath in all Ages since the Apostles required of her subjects cannot be reasonably conceived unlawful to be done for otherwise we must condemn the universal Church of Christ through all Ages since the time of the Apostles but the Church of Christ throughout all Ages hath required of her Subjects conditions of Communion like unto those required by the Church of England And therefore these conditions of Communion cannot be reasonably deemed unlawful to be done In Confirmation of this Argument it would be very easy to instance in multitudes of Ceremonies required of and used by the members of the Universal Church throughout all Ages consequent to that of the Apostles as lyable to the exceptions of Dissenters as are any Ceremonies imposed by the Church of England and also to evince that Liturgies or Forms of Prayer were always
of the Holy Ghost and therefore their Apologies were of Divine Authority and many of them are to this day received as parts of Scripture or the Word of God but will any man in his wits admit or urge this consequence our Lord promised to assist his Apostles when arraigned before Heathen Judges for his sake by miraculous inspiration therefore in every ordinary case of Prayer he will assist all the faithful by the same inspiration or will these very Persons arrogate thus much to themselves or their own Prayers that they proceed from the same special and divine assistance Object 3 God say they hath promised his good Spirit to help our infirmities Rom. 8.26 27. when we know not how to Pray as we ought and therefore by tying of our selves to a prescribed Form we prejudice the assistance of this Holy Spirit and do not suffer him to help our infirmities by teaching us to Pray when we our selves do not know how to do it Answ 1 The Spirit is here said to help our infirmities by making intercession for us with sighs and groans unutterable and therefore cannot be a spirit of utterance yea it is farther intimated v. 27. that he alone who is the searcher of the heart doth understand the meaning of the spirit the Person therefore whom he thus assists is one who doth not understand his meaning and therefore neither can nor should thus Pray in publick where he is obliged to Pray not only with the spirit 1 Cor. 14.15 but with the understanding also this therefore certainly can be no promise or example of the assistance of the Spirit in pouring forth extemporary Prayers in publick 2ly The assistance of the Spirit promised here is only in the time of great temptations and afflictions and when we know not what to Pray for and therefore can with no shew of reason be extended to the continual assistance of the Spirit at all times 3ly Chap. 5. §. 6. from p. 218. to 230. That excellent Person who hath writ with great accuracy of Judgment touching the operations of the Holy Ghost hath made it evident beyond all possible exception that this Text makes nothing for the pretence of uttering the suggestions of the Spirit in extemporary Prayer but that if by the intercession of the Spirit we understand his interceding for us in the proper sense the import of the Words is this viz. The Gospel of Christ affords us this relief against impatience under afflictions that whereas we know not whether afflictions or deliverance and ease be best for us at present and consequently as to these respects know not what to pray for in particular the Spirit of Christ intercedes for us with unuttered groans i. e. earnestly and powerfully for by an inexpressible desire we commonly understand one that is vehement and God who searcheth our hearts and understands that we do sometimes desire such things as tend not to our advantage knoweth also what the Spirit intercedeth for and that he requests in our behalf better things for us than we do our selves for we are ever ready to desire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such things as seem best to man but he asks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what God knows to be best for us But if the Holy Ghost is only said to intercede for us by enabling us to do so then will the words admit this Paraphrase Whereas when we pray for deliverance from afflictions we know not whether it be best for us to have our desires granted the Holy Spirit enclines us to an entire submission of our selves to the Divine Will and together with our most earnest prayers of that kind there is all along mingled that secret and more vehement desire of what God seeth best for us which is a Grace of the Holy Spirit whereby the forwardness of our appetites after the ease and comforts of this World is corrected and governed Now though this earnest request be not uttered the particular matter of it being not yet known since we are ignorant what will be most profitable for us yet he that searcheth the heart understands it perfectly and knows that we vehemently desire not so much that deliverance or worldly advantage which is the matter of our uttered groans and prayers as that good which the Spirit moveth us to pray for and which we cannot particularly utter that namely which God seeth best for us This indeed is a desire of the heart which proceeds from a Divine cause and God is so pleased with it that he will not fail to grant it so that if afflictions continue we know they shall work together for good and thus the Holy Spirit relieveth us under our infirmities and distresses by bringing all our worldly appetites under submission to the pleasure of Divine Wisdom and Goodness Object 4 Moreover it is objected that we are required to use the Gifts vouchsafed to us 1 Pet. 4.10 not to neglect our Gifts 1 Tim. 4.14 Rom. 12.6 Having Gifts different vouchsafed to us according to the different Grace of God to imploy them for the publick good Having therefore say Dissenters such a Gift of prayer we are engaged to imploy it in the publick Worship for the benefit of others and therefore cannot submit unto those Forms which lay upon us a necessity of neglecting this our Gift Answ 1 That though these places are produced in favour of the supposed gift of prayer yet do they speak of no such thing but all of them touching the gift of publick teaching of the Word of God Thus v. g. the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Gift of Timothy is say Interpreters munus publicè docendi the gift of publick teaching and this doth the connexion of the words most fairly plead for viz. V. 13. give attendance to reading exhortation and doctrine neglect not the gift c. The Speaker in St. Peter is say the Commentators on that place the instructor and teacher of the People is qui praedicat verbum Dei in Ecclesia he that preacheth the word of God in the Church The gifts in the 12th of the Romans are prophesying teaching V. 6. exhortation since then Dissenters think not themselves obliged to perform these things ex tempore by vertue of these precepts but chuse to do them in a Form of words why should they think themselves obliged to pray ex tempore by vertue of these words for that prophesying preaching and exhortation are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or spiritual gifts these Texts inform us more plainly than any other do that prayer is so quis tum discrevit who therefore made the difference that the one should be performed ex tempore the other not Answ 2 All these Texts seem to speak not of such ordinary gifts as are invention and elocution but of the extraordinary gifts vouchsafed then unto the Church for in all the forecited places the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which doth most properly import such gifts