fancies might be humoured which were an atheistical profanation of prayer by what authority doth the Author judge the secret designs of the hearts of Ministers 2ly Have all those who hear and joyn with conceived prayers nothing but fancies and humors for their Religion and love conceived prayers because thereby their fancies are pleased then all who heard and joyned with the Apostles prayers which they never heard before and obtained many blessings by these prayers they were all deluded for only their fancies were pleased this is the very stuff we have from the worst of men in this age decrying all the operations of the Spirit of Grace as meer fancy Doth all Ministers in the Church of England who use extemporary prayer adapt them all to fancies and humours are all the prayers of the Reformed Churches adapted to fancies if our Author know of no better conceived prayers we need not admire that he is such an admirer of Forms or is it only we in the North of Ireland or in this Diocess who adapt our prayers to fancies Can the Author think of answering to God for such uncharitable judging We are thankful to God who assisteth us to pray against peoples fancies and humours but never for them Is this the spirit of meekness Is this the way â—o unite us Is this the way to make us live more easily together Is this to be modest in censuring 3ly Hath the Author this by Revelation that peoples delight in prayer is sensual and noâ— spiritual if he have it not by revelation how cometh he to know the internal delight of mens souls whoever hath run higher on Gods Prerogative of judging the secrets of mens hearts If the Author will suffer faithful plain dealing I would tender my humble Advice that he would judge more sparingly lest if such persons obtain real spiritual and Holy delight in prayer as in charity I hope some of them do he be found tampering with a most dangerous Tool that may give a wound to his Conscience hereafter not easily healed had the Author judged only of mens External Actions I should have said little but to judge of mens secret designs and delights is inaccountable 4ly We are told the tone wherewith conceived prayers are delivered makes the hearers imaginarily devote Ans It 's probable the Author may understand this better than we do for we are no such Admirers of tones in prayer as I hear some are having never either ejected nor rejected a Minister for want of this great gift of toning of Prayers but think it safest that every man use that natural way of speaking which God his Maker hath allowed him and to urge no man apishly to counterfit other mens voices which is never found to frame well with any man and just with God it should be so when men are either so simple as to be forced from their natural way of speaking or so Hypocritical as for applauses to be other mens Apes My humble opinion is that all Ministers should be sure in their own Consciences they are free of vain affectation of tones or vain words in their publick Administrations Next that such as hear and joyn in worship be not so much concerned with the manner of mens speaking as with the matter that is spoken and therefore cannot give my Amen to our Author's assertion else-where Page 165. The distinct affectionat manner of pronouncing and reading c. is absolutely necessary to give life and efficacy to it for the spirit of Christ is only absolutely necessar to give life and efficacy Paul's speech was complained of as contemptible yet life and efficacy by the blessing of God attended his speech Page 186. It 's manifest that extemporary prayers would be much more easie to most of us and less burthensome than the service we use Ans If this be received it must be on the Author's testimony for otherwise it 's improbable but if he would try conceived prayers a year or two in publick and then give his opinion that they are easiest his testimony then might go a great way I know no way such prayers can be easiest but when men have such assistance of the Spirit of prayer as rendereth them comfortable and therefore easie to him that prayeth and if the Author have experience of this it 's pity he should ever pray by a book for reading in the time of praying must needs be a great diversion to a Soul immediatly directing desires unto God reading being a distinct Act of it self having nothing of the nature of prayer in it nor any way to promote it but rather at least an avocation from the work of prayer for prayer of it self is sufficient work for the best of men tho' they be no hindred by another unseasonable work of reading and keeping mens eyes on a book which should rather be lifted up to Heaven after our Saviours example TO All My well beloved Friends of the Presbyterian Congregation at London-derry FInding you with other Dissenters in this Diocess Arraigned and condemned as the greatest Criminals for innovations in the worship of God as men of itching Ears whose Devotion is imaginary and fancies whose religious delights in the most Solemn worship is but sensual I could not but be concerned for your Vindication knowing that he who condemneth giveth sentence without Commission and therefore null and void as doth appear in my answers to the epistle directed to the Dissenting Laity of the Diocess of Derry whereby I was oblidged to stand up for you as injuriously exposed to the contempt of all who read your Character but be not troubled it being a small matter to be judged by man with whom in a little time you will be on even ground before God the judge of all who judgeth righteously therefore let it be your great care how you will stand in that Day and who will stand up for you for you shall soon have done with men high and low but can never have done with God and his Power either for your eternal solace or eternal punishment in belief and contemplation of that great Day when I hope to meet with many of you in Comfort I shall now give my serious advice being wearied of these empty debates and being more concerned to speak labour or write for your being fixed than others can be for your disquiet your blessed Right to the glory that shall be revealed 2ly Your holy practice as the way to that glory 3ly your peace and comfort for help to run and not weary until you come to possession is or at lest should be my great desire and concern And first in order to your established Interest and right to a blessed Eternity labour to be clearly and rationally satisfied that the religion you profess is of God such as you may without any fear of terrour adventur Soul and eternity upon that you are not beating the Air or running in vain think it not sufficient that you were so educated or that many
good and wise men declare it to be the safest and best or that you have long professed it but see with your own eyes give it heart and time when no mortal eye can be witness as you have a value for these immortal substances that are yet breathing in your bodies for the retaining whereof you have no price to give and for the annihilation whereof you have no price to give but must endure an eternity whether we will or not what can we think of but is a very trifle when this eternity and what concerneth it is considered The necessity therefore of establishment in that religion which the eternal God hath appointed as the way to lead us to a blessed Eternity is great if we consider First the innat Atheism of our depraved natures whereby there is not only a privation of that primaeve knowledge God honoured man with but many perverse and erroneous apprehensions of God of happiness in him and the way to it Atheistical doubts concerning God Christ Heaven and Eternity These seeds of Atheism not only lurk undiscerned by many but often make horrid eruptions shaking yea overturning all the religion some have professed for many years because they have made it no part of their religion to be fixed in it then they are ready to cry out is there a God is there a Christ is there an Eternity can there be a Resurrection is there a Heaven or Hell Yet some are tormented with the fears of that the very being whereof they doubt orhers again forsaken of God speak blasphemously of the God of Heaven avow Atheism and tempt others to it while people are not established and their house never built on the rock they are obnoxious ro the worst of these Wo's nor hath religion power upon their Souls not knowing whether it be true or false many living as unconcerned with the religion they profess as if they had none being uncertain but all may prove otherwayes in the end and this uncertainty is an argument in reserve that the Devil improveth against seriousnes in religion labour therefore to have your feet fix'd on the rock that cannot sink under you that so your goings may be established knowing in whom ye have believed And that you may be established believe the Scriptures to be the very word of God the Scripture of Truth that cannot be broken trust fully the testimony and Veracity of God for if you fluctuate and waver in this every wind of temptation will be ready to shâ—ke you at the very Root and build what you will all will be overturned if this foundation be not firmly laid that all Scripture is by Divine inspiration And because I had known many poor Souls oppressed with temptations to doubt of all that is wâ—itten their hope and comfort burn'd up and almost consumed with such fiery darts before they would utter them to any and some such at this day fainting under such suggestions as they are ashamed to make known to their dearest Friends for the establishment and help of such to believe the Scripture of Truth First observe what you have by nature of the Image of God yet remaining what awfull indelible impressions you have of a God over you which you cannot shake fully off it 's written on your heart that there is a God that he is infinitely great and Omnipotent that he is just Holy wise and good now that which you yet find written on your heart you find the same in the written word of God whether would you go What can you betake your selves to but to the Testimony of God written both in your hearts and in the word of God revealed to us If you should reject the Scriptures you reject also the witness of God in your Souls this meditation God hath made very conducive for quieting and fixing some Souls Consider also that what the word of God publisheth of the depravation of our nature you find even as it 's written natural enmity against God which inclineth us if we could to hide our selves from him as Adam to say depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways we are informed by the word of God that the heart is deceitful above all things that every imagination of the thoughts of our heart are only evil continually that we rebell and are disobedient to God that we are slow of heart to believe and bent to backsliding c. All these things and many moe we find by nature and wofull experience What is predicted and promised in the word of God concerning the salvation of sinners by a Redeemer his death Resurrection conquest and Kingdom c. Are exactly found as the written word of God hath revealed them what God hath promised of pouring out his Spirit in the latter days is found as it 's written the power of God still appearing in converting sinners making many new creatures and all things new with them making them love what they hated and hate what they loved making a warfare against sin daily where sin was committed with greediness c. This Sanctifying grace of the Spirit is a continued witness multitudes of miracles both under Old and New Testaments were wrought for confirmation of Gods Holy Word and promise which without violence to our very reason cannot be denied either to be wrought or the finger of God being wrought these are blessed helps which our merciful God hath provided for confirming unstable Souls and to secure us that the Scriptures are the word of God our maker and judge and above all to depend on the Spirit of Christ which leadeth into all Truth When God in his mercy hath determined and fixed your judgements that the Scriptures are Gods word and Truth so as you can with confidence adventure Soul and Eternity according to the doctrine there delivered then make choise of the Truth receive it in love and gratitude blessing God for so great a benefit that many millions of Souls are deprived of be diligent in reading of it labouring and praying to understand it make Gods Testimonies the men of your counsel let it dwell richly in you seek the law of God written in your hearts sell not the Truth at any rate be not ashamed of any of his words lest he be ashamed of you let no flatteries or threats of men make you wander from the commandments of your God Search out especially for the great Salvation recorded in the word of God and published by a Gospel Ministry search until you find the sent Saviour of the world accept of him subject and devout your selves to him joyn and give your own selves to the Lord do this personally distinctly and deliberatly and leave it no longer as a duty you hope will be done but while it 's called to day allow it heart and time as the most enriching work you ever were or shall be about under the Sun blessing God that he allows and requires to subscribe our selves the Lords and to
AN ANSWER To a late BOOK Intituled a Discourse Concerning the Inventions of Men in the Worship of GOD. By William Lord Bishop of Derry WHEREIN The Author's Arguments against the Manner of Publick Worship performed by Protestant Dissenters are Examined and by plain Scripture and Reason Confuted his Mistakes as to matters of Fact Detected And some Important Truths concerning the Spirit of Prayer and External Adoration c. Vindicated By ROBERT CRAGHEAD Minister of the Gospel Job 17.9 The righteous also shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger Jer. 15.19 Let them return unto thee but return not thou unto them Jer. 30.2 I will give them one heart and one way Edinburgh Printed by the Heirs of Andrew Anderson Printer to Their most Excellent Majesties Anno Dom. 1694. TO the Right VVorshipful the MAJOR the ALDERMEN and BVRGESSES of the City of LONDON DERRY and of the Presbyterian perswasion THese Animadversions on the Bishop's Book are Dedicated to your Service the Author and his Labours being yours by Right Tho' this piece of Service be extorted having no apprehension of appearing in this manner had it not been the vindication of Truth the undeceiving of strangers and your uneasiness to find our manner of Worship exposed vilified and represented to the World as pure humane Invention and therefore nothing but Will-worship and yet worse being made as black as Heathens denying due Adoration to God and casting his Word out of our Assemblies a rare notion that all the polite Masters of most exuberant Invention had never the brow to brand our perswasion with before this Author appeared who will be singular And since we are now set out to the world as worse than the most degenerated and barbarous people that ever called themselves Christians and thereby a Clothing of wild Beasts forced on us as on many primitive Christians to inrage their Devourers it s presumed none can offend if by a just Vindication we strip our selves of this covering that the World may see we are no Savages However this may appear impar congressus as not standing on even ground with the Bishop yet Truth being on our side and he the first Aggressor there 's no fear but the God of Truth will throughly plead his own Cause Therefore lest by the Author 's bare naming of many Scriptures whether pertinent to this purpose or not any should be seduced or vainly think his Book cannot be answered by any of us who are arraigned and provocked or that we are haters of Light and unwilling our deeds should be made manifest whether wrought in God or not or that we are ashamed of our manner of Worship or that we have not the confidence to convince gainsayers and so suffer Truth to be betrayed by unreasonable silence and lest that strangers or our succeeding Posterity should be impressed with Calumnies for Truths tho I be the very weakest of my Brethren yet being in some special manner concerned in this place and a Book sent me by the Author am willing to try the strength of his Arguments trusting that God will appear to make the issue and result of this Debate conducive to the further strengthning and establishment of many fearers of God who desire to live and die in the Old Good Paths and therein to find rest to their Souls Yet I do freely declare to you my Worthy and Beloved Friends that the constraint of putting such a Book into your hands on so mean a subject ministreth to me some melancholy reflections for if ever any of my poor Labours had been worth your notice after I had finished my course it would been more comfortable to me if the subject had engaged a Discourse of things more profitable spiritual than meer Jejune forms knowing the people of London derry being as a Firebrand pluckt out of the fire stand in need of more suitable entertainment how to make due returns of gratitude for so signal deliverance than to be treated with a Dispute of Forms so remote from the power of Godliness and the present due sense of Works of Wonder done for this people which we are apt sinfully to forget tho peremptorly required to take heed lest we forget the things which our eyes have seen lest they depart from our heart all the days of our life but to teach them to our sons and sons sons God hath much to require of Derry more than other places in point of Gratitude August epist ad Marcell speaking of gratitude piously saith what better thing can we bear in our mind express with our lips record with our Pen hear more joyfully consider with greater pleasure or what better fruit can we bear than gratitude It cannot therefore be unseasonable to put you in mind of these things tho' ye know them or to improve this occasion for the help of others hereafter to retain a due impression and regard to the great Works of God there being no people in these Kingdoms whoever had more special and immediat appearing of Soveraign Dominion Wisdom and Mercy than this City if it be considered That after vast numbers of people were frighted into it as a place of refuge not knowing of one another nor what they should do when within these Walls having no Ruler but God alone as of different perswasions so of different sentiments many consulting a Surrender on Terms as most rational some few resolved against it of which I was an Eye Witness many secret enemies within corresponding with those without a potent Army under good Conduct closs about the City Streets Lanes and Walls often as in Fire with multitude of Bombs and many killed in Houses provisions failing and Soldiers almost starved yet sallying out waxed valiant in Fight when their Enemies strong and full found not their hands but fainted in the day of Battel when not only mens bodies were faint and sick with Famine but hope of relief being deferred made their hearts sick also yet when weakest were animated to that heroick resolve to put a period to their own miseries and perpetuat their loyalty by fighting to death when they could stay no longer within these Walls rather than yield I know of one fainting man who said within these three days we must either surrender or be dead men by famine but was smartly taken up by others replying he was not worthy to live who spoke it and while there was Dog or Cat in Derry yet remaining there should be no surrender and further told him you shall eat that Hat on your Head ere we yield At this time the City was all over Deaths and Corps and rare to see a Mourner for the nearest Relation when buried many fainting on the Streets for want of the Fruits of the Earth the City then appearing for no other use but to be a common Sepulchre to them all nothing remain'd but hope against hope only by the good Providence of God there were many Godly praying
meekness or not which is rather desirable than discernable in his Book The Author cometh more closs to his Work Page 3 and there placeth two sound Positions first in these words That it belongeth only to God to give Rules how he will be worshipped The 2d That the Holy Scriptures contain the Revelations of God's will concerning his Worship Ans I can desire no more of the Author but that the Superstructure be fitted to these Foundations they are so sure that God willing I shall stand by them to the end of this Discourse But if he who asserteth them be found going off or building Hay or Stuble upon them let him not take it ill if I help his memory as occasion offereth 3ly His Inference from these two viz. That from these two we may reasonably infer that it concerns us to keep as close as we can to those directions which God hath afforded us in his word without adding to omiting or altering any thing he hath there laid down for since God hath vouchafed us a certain direction for his worship in the holy Scriptures It 's to be supposed that all wayes of worship are displeasing to him that are not either expresly contained or warranted by Examples of holy men mentioned therein Ans This also is found provided alwayes that what is said of the examples of holy-men be duely cautioned for all the examples of holy-men mentioned in Scripture are not obligatory Some of them being â—ad even in the matters of God as Peter's dissembling for fear of the Jews here was a hurteful example of an holy man for Barnabas was carried away with this dissimulation Some of them affected Preheminency disputing who should be greatest these are no warrands for us to do the like seeing we are to follow them but as they were followers of Christ again some of their practices were by extraordinary gifts wherein they are above our Imitation Some of them were by special direction hic nunc for avoiding offence as Paul's circumcising Timothy such was his purifying of himself in the Temple according to the Ceremonial law these practices were not patterns for other holymen tho' contemporary with themselves nor do the practices of any men oblidge others without either some antecedent or concomitant evidence that it 's the revealed will of God such practices should be followed otherways men should be Idols to us making them Fathers of our Religion in which respect we are to call no man Father Page 3d. The Author distinguisheth worship into either inward or outward Ans The subject in hand requireth more distinctions of worship as into civil and Religious for many worshiped Christ on earth with civil worship only as a great Prophet and fame in the world intending no Divine Adoration next Ceremonial worship should have also been distinguished from Evangelical for by Levitical worship Sacrifices the observation of feasts divers washings were required which by the coming of Christ are abrogated these being carnal Ordinances and some better things provided for us our Saviour principally requiring such worship as is in Spirit and Truth not excluding external Adoration as it 's required Page 4. We have a Description of inward and outward Worship The inward Worship of God consists in the inward Homage and Subjection of our minds to him the outward consisteth of such acts and duties as serve to express this inward subjection of our Souls or that promote increase or contribute towards it Ans I pass the Description of the inward but the Description of the outward Worship is unsound and of dangerous consequence and had been easily helped if the Author had said it consisteth of such Acts and Duties as God hath appointed for his Worship but according to his Assertion there is an open Gap made for all the Humane Inventions that the fertile imagination of man can devise providing he but think they will serve to promote or contribute to inward Homage thus the Papists have brought in most of all their Idolatry and Superstitions and others may do the like if they but apprehend what they do may promote inward Worship Here my Author goeth off his Foundation that the Scriptures contain the Revelations of God's Will how He will be Worshipped and if I were of the Author's Judgment declared by this Description I would never have put Pen to Paper against the Inventions of Men in the Worship of God for it 's vain to open a wide Door for them and then forbid men to come in Page 4. We must remember that it 's in these outward Acts that we are more immediatly concerned as publick Worshippers Ans I do not take the Authors meaning to be so bad as his words in what is here asserted supposing the sense of his Words to be that men disputing of Worship they are more immediatly concerned in outward Worship than inward for certainly as acting Worship we are most concerned in the inward Adoration of the Soul as Christ hath taught that the Father seeketh such to worship as worship him in Spirit and Truth The last thing in the Introduction is the Distribution of Worship into its parts Praises Prayers Hearing Bodily Worship and Celebration of the Holy Sacrament of the Body and Blood of CHRIST Ans This Enumeration is not sufficient for why the Sacrament of Baptism is omitted no reason is given but the Author intending to Treat on no other Heads but such as he hath named I shall pass it though other substantial parts of Worship are also left out CHAP. I. Of Praises PAge 6. The Author doth forthwith fall upon the offering up of Praises to God by the use of Psalms and for its Authority quoteth 2 Chron. 29. 30. Hezekiah the King and the Princes commanded the Levites to sing praises to the Lord with the words of David and Asaph and they sang with gladness and Ephes 5. 19. and Col. 3. 16. Ans To all this we agree knowing it our duty to praise God by singing the Psalms of David But Page 7. Though the Scriptures recommend to us singing of Psalms yet in some cases they allow us to say them Ans 1. Who doubteth but we may Read or Say Psalms either in publick or privat But 2ly This saying Psalms is not to turn out singing of Psalms which is the ordinance of God I often read of singing but no where in Scripture of saying Psalms what induceth the Author to make so great a trouble to himself and his Reader I understand not only I know Papists have a way of Singing and muttering Psalms and Songs in their Worship But I find our Author resolved to prosecute this Saying instead of Singing for Page 8. 'T is certain the Word of God recommends to us Psalms and Hyms in prose c. and as to the Hebrew Psalms it's evident they are Poetical but the Poetry of them consists rather in the stile and manner of expression than in any certain measures or Verses And afterward we cannot find that
what promise or foundation it has in Scripture I profess to you seriously that upon the strictest enquiry I could make I never could find any such promise made to all the children of God in the Old or New Testaments Ans The Author Prefaceth this part of the discourse with a promise to endeavour the representing of our way with all fairness and impartiality but in the very entry this is forgot for he giveth not the words of the assembly truly as they are set down by them therefore the Reader shall have them in the words of the Compilers Position 9. So many as can conceive prayer ought to make use of that gift of God albeit those who are rude and weak may begin at a set Form of prayer but so as they be not sluggish in stirring up in themselves according to their daily necessitie the Spirit of prayer which is given to all the children of God in some measure To which effect they ought to be the more fervent and frequent in secret prayer to God for enabling their hearts to conceive and their tongues to express convenient desires to God for their Family These are the express words of the directory let the reader compare the words of the Author with the words of the Direction and he will find them very unfairly represented for they Say men ought to pray for enabling of their hearts to conceive and their tongues to express convenient desires to God but the Author representeth them Saying this is the position of the Directory that the spirit of prayer is given to all the Children of God in some measure for enabling their hearts to conceive and their tongues to express there is Vast Difference between praying that enabling may be given and that it is already given Yet I shall freely espouse all that the Reverend Assembly hath Said and hope to make it appear by plaine Scripture that the Spirit of God is concerned in the matter manner and the words of believers Prayers also for the proof thereof consider Gal. 4. 6. And because ye are sons God hath sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts crying Abba Father By which Scripture these three things are evident 1. That the Spirit of prayer is given to the Children of God 2. that the same is given to all the Children of God 3. That the Spirit of God is concerned in their words of prayer For the first the Children of God being called sons the Spirit of Christ the eternall Son of God is Sent forth into their hearts whereby they cry Abba Father this crying Abba Father is prayer which none can deny and is bestowed upon the adopted Sons or Children of God For the second that all the Children of God receive this Spirit of prayer is also manifest seing this assistance of the Spirit is given because they are Children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore to all the Children every child of God being in a state of adoption this help is appropriated unto him as resulting necessarly from his adopted State tho the measure of his assistance be according to the gift of Christ yet the meanest of them are not deprived thereof all of them having the spirit of adoption which is confirmed by Rom 8. 15 But ye have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father So then all of the Children of God have the Spirit of Adoption and this Spirit of Adoption enclineth and enableth all who have it to cry unto God For the 3d. That this Same assistance of the Spirit is concerned in the words of their Prayers I prove from the same Scripture because it 's by the help of the Spirit they cry Abba father here are words in Prayer prompted by the Spirit of God and if any should say that these words are but few I answer they are Sufficient to evince that the Spirit of God is concerned in the very words his Children shal speak to him in Prayer and So our most Judicious Commentators expound these words that the Spirit of God concerneth himself with the very words of believers Prayers Here then the Reader may see all that is asserted by the Assembly evident by plaine Scripture and moreover a great encouragement for all the Children of God to expect assistance to the very words of their Prayers when God calleth them to speak in Prayer and all this without dependence on the Words of a Form And let the Reader observe that our Author appeareth of the same mind by what he asserteth Page 5 4. In these words there may be some men tho not very many able to express themselves Significantly and Decently ex tempore and there are some occasions that require it even in publick on these occasions when a man hath not time allowed him to reduce his desires into form before he offers them he may depend on the assistance of God's Spirit From which words I infer that then there must needs be some promise of the assistance of Gods Spirit for Prayer in publick without a form for no man can warrantably depend for that which is not promissed by God but we may hopefully depend on the assistance of Gods Spirit for Praying in publick without a form Therefore the assistance of Gods Spirit for praying publickly without a form is promised Object If the Author or any other Say that this dependance for the assistance of the Spirit in publick prayer without a form is but allowed at Some extraordinary times Ans We are at no time warranted to depend for that which is not promised for we cannot depend in faith where there is no promise and yet the Author saith we may depend for it take notice of Deut. 15. 6. The Lord thy God blesseth thee as he promised thee It s by promise we have a Saviour and with him all Spiritual blessings Acts. 13 23. Of this mans seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour Jesus there is no hope but by the Covenants of promise Ephes 2 12. So David found in his heart to Pray for the establishment of his house because God had revealed and promised it 2 Sam. 7 27 28. Hereby also we may See where the presumption he mentioneth is to be placed for the mantainers of this Scripturall Doctrine have faithfully performed their duty in making it known to the world neither is the assistance of Prayer by an extrordinary gift but common to all the Children of God as hath been evinced and for further Confirmation of the Same assertion Condsider Rom. 8. 26. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered Vers 27. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit because he maketh intercession for the Saints accoding to the Will of God In which Scripture these 4 things are clear 1. That the best
of Saints on earth some times know not what to ask of God 2ly That the Spirit helpeth their infirmities 3ly That this help of the Spirit is so efficacious and prevalent these Prayers are the mind of the Spirit and called his intercession 4ly That these prayers by this assistance are according to God or the will of God For the first of these they know not what to ask observe it s not said they know not how or in what Spiritual or acceptable manner but what to ask 2. The forms of Prayer prescribed by God were then extant known and regarded by the Saints yet they knew not what to ask 3. This ignorance what to ask could not be as to generall petitions for the Lords Prayer expresseth all the general Petitions which we are to pray for 4. Neither the Apostle nor any other Saints should ask any thing of God but what was comprehended in these general Petitions 5 Therefore their ignorance what to ask must be what particular mercies to ask hic et nunc according to their various necessities 6. Tho they did know their various emergent particular necessary mercies were virtually contained in the form of the Lords Prayer yet they thought it not sufficient only to repeat the words thereof but found it their duty to have an explicite Distinct conception of these particular mercies their present exigencies required 7. The apostle and other Saints found themselves at a loss without Divine Assistance to discern what particular Mercies were most necessary and Seasonable for them to Pray for and therupon acknowledge they know not what to ask The second thing to be observed in this text is the Supply of this defect by the Spirit of God enabling them what to ask as they ought because he helpeth their infirmities whatever other help they had by the Spirit as to their tryalls 2ly Yet this helping of their infirmities is also relative to their Praying as is evident by the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for we know not what we should Pray so that this help is a cure to their ignorance a levamen or support as the word beareth curing this infirmity but the Spirit helpeth 3. This help is given to all the Children of God or Saints as this text nameth them the Apostle including himself with the rest to restrict this help to some eminent Set of believers were meer violence to the text and full scope of the place for this help belongeth to them who are Saved by hope Vers 24. And afterward Vers 28. To such as love God and are the called according to his purpose 4. When the Spirit helpeth what they shall Pray this is a distinct help from the manner of Praying Spiritually with the heart grace desire fervencie for this Praying with grace in the heart is expressed by these words with groans that cannot be uttered so that the help of the Spirit is not only to Pray with grace in the heart but as to the matter of Prayer also 5. Seing the Spirit of God giveth help to his Children as to what they shall ask then there is no warrand or reason to restrict this help to mental Prayer only but that he helpeth them to Pray which way soever God calleth them to Pray he who giveth what to ask giveth also to speak it when he requireth speaking and that the Spirit of God is concerned in the very words of the prayers of his Children hath been made out already from Gal 4 6. Hose 2. 23. And they shall say Thou art my God Jer. 3. 19 Thou shalt call me my Father c Isa 12. 1. And in that day thou shal say O Lord I will praise thee though thou wast angry with me thine anger is turned away◠and thou comfortedst me This is not prescribing them a form but what the Spirit of God shall prompt them to speak to him we speak words which the holy ghost teacheth 1 Cor. 2 13. The third thing in the words is that the Prayers of believers by this Assistance is called the Intercession of the Spirit which should be carefully understood because its Christ who is our intercessor yet the Spirit of Christ given to all who are in him being the Spirit of Grace and supplications is so much interested in the Prayers of his People both as to matter and manner that its called his intercession albeit Payer be formally the act of the believer 2. Seing the Spirit of God is so deeply concerned in the Prayers of believers that their Prayers by his help is said to be the mind of the Spirit and the Prayer being dignified with the name of the Spirits intercession then it must follow that the believer is enabled in all the necessary parts of Prayer as God calleth him Object But many pretenders to the Spirit of Prayer do profane Prayer and utter such words as the Spirit of God will never espouse Ans That many pretend to the Spirit of Prayer who are Sensuall not having the Spirit who will deny we undertake no defence of such persons but regret it as no Small part of the worlds Sin and misery 2. But because there are such profaners of the holy Spirit it doth not follow that we may neglect despise that most necessary assistance seing God hath so clearly and fully promised the Spirit of Prayer to all his children and we commanded to pray in the Holy Ghost 3 Men who speak in Prayer before others should be warrantably assured that God requireth it of them for if God do not call to speak in Prayer they cannot safely expect his assistance therein all the Children of God are not called to speak in Prayer publickly their hearts may be enabled to conceive prayer in secret who could not do so in publick God not requiring it of them it were presumption to attempt that which God calleth them not unto 4 If any man use expressions in prayer contrary to the revealed will of God and the analogie of faith or such as are not agreeable to the nature of prayer or scurrilous impertinencies such as inevitably rendreth the Prayer contemptible such a man is so far from Praying by the Spirit of God that where it can be hindred he should not be suffered so to profane that holy duty 5 As God distributeth Spirituall gifts to his children according to the service he hath for them so they are dispensed according to the measure of the gift of Christ tho all the Children of God have some measure yet not all alike measure therefore some may abound more both in the gift and grace of prayer than others who are also sincere 6. Many have no expressions in Prayer but such as are Orthodox and pertinent to the nature of Prayer yet if they be but plain without the words of mans wisdom especially if they be spiritual savouring of the power of the Spirit of Grace carnal men are ready to call such Prayers flat mean and indecent for no other reason but that a
they are ready to erre not knowing the Scriptures yea to wrest them to their own destruction as others have done before them 3ly They find by the Book ground to fear dangerous Doctrine concerning Prayer observing how frequently conceived prayers are exposed as meer invention which they know to be allowed by Christ practised by his Apostles and generally all the godly whose prayers are recorded in Scripture and themselves by experience finding the gracious promised help of the spirit of Grace and Supplications assisting them in Prayer softning their hearts and bringing them into Communion with God without the words of any Form 4ly By the Book they are discouraged to read the Scriptures in privat seing its alledged there 's no promise to such reading they know not but they might hear as they read and have no mind to be tempted to negligence in reading the Scriptures knowing that God hath both promised a blessing to such reading of his Word and actually blessed their own Souls in performing that Duty yea the greatest Lights of all the antient Fathers have left it on record that privat reading the Scriptures was the very mean God blessed for their conversion to Christianity 5ly That assertion that such as cannot fit themselves for receiving at the Lords Table thrice a year must needs think themselves out of a state of Grace and so deserve to be excommunicated Is such a Thunder Bolt as hath frighted many into a greater distance than ever lest themselves should be so served and that only for their weakness because they cannot fit themselves many are ready to look upon it as having too direct a tendency to desperation if poor Souls should be cast out of the Church for their weakness for some well meaning people might be tempted to think they were cast out of Gods favour because cast out of the Church 6ly Many Readers find in the Book Scriptures quoted for that which they do not prove and sometime that called the Command of God which he never commanded this also frighteth from hearing lest they hear as they read 7ly We are told that the mode of entring Churches is with some bodily Worship but this being religious Worship we must know what is its Object for the second Command dischargeth our worshipping of God by Images or the likeness of any thing but this worship as hath been proved in its due place is first directed to the Fabrick of an House 8ly We are told by the Book that we must kneel in the act of receiving Bread and Wine at the Lords Supper but the second Command standeth in our way here also discharging religious Worship designedly before any Creatures this also I have proved in its proper place I shall forbear though I might add moe instances whereby its evident we are bolted out from that joyning in Worship and Sacraments which is required of us There is no more in this Epistle but what is particularly answered already in the proper places but Page 175. Complaint is made that many Children die un-baptized for want of Ministers of our own Communion Ans The Parents of these Children have much more ground of complaint against those who deprive them of that benefit by appointing two Sacraments of Baptism whereas Christ did institute but one the sign of the Cross being used a humane Sacrament who can blame conscientious Parents rather to suffer to their grief than countenance such an encroachment on Christs prerogative and so partake of other mens sins Ibid We have a warning against our Brethren of the Congregational-way and page 177 Now we think in justice to your own cause as well as to us ye ought to warn your people against these Books that maintain principles contrary to us both Ans Overtures of this nature are unseasonable since God in his great mercy is hearing the Prayers and granting the long hoped for desires of his people in healing the breaches between them us which we take as a token for good from the hand of our God wishing that none may envy so great a benefit to the Church of God Page 178. The last thing required is to beat down vices and immoralities Ans This is the duty of all Christians in their several stations but especially the Ministers of the Gospel who are obliged to rebuke with all authority and themselves to be so blameless that they may not be ashamed to reprove others not more guilty than themselves 2ly Confâ—â—â—nce also should be made that the greatest severity be exerted against the greatest offences it being an inaccountable abuse of discipline when its severest lashes are on the most conscientious 3ly â—ough we have no cause to pretend to that piety of conversâ—â—â—â— which is commanded which we should be daily breathing after perfecting holiness in the fear of God yet its observeable that the most vitious are the greatest haters of our assemblies the profligat debauches God-dammes the Bloud and Wounds where they go we know not but they never come near us To the Dissenting Laity of the Diocess of Derry PAge 181. I beseech you in the spirit of meekness as one that is appointed by the providence of God and the care of a Christian Magistracy to watch over your souls that you will seriously consider and lay to heart what I have here tendered to you Ans As for the Authors Title to the charge of Souls in this Diocess whatsoever he hath by Christian Magistracy I dispute not but what is said to be by the Providence of God shall be considered A Title by meer Providence is very bare and insufficient for an Officer in the House of God who should be instructed with a commission from Christ for watching over Souls Providence not being our Bible where only such commissions are registred 2ly It 's said he is the one that is appointed to watch then he is the one Pastor of the whole Diocess sure so vast a district must be at a great loss to have but one Pastor and his Clergy under great grievance and discouragement since none of them can speak to the people where they officiat with Ministerial authority as their Pastors though some of them may be found knowing and moderat men of as good qualifications for Pastoral Charge as some of their betters 3ly If it be said that the sole Pastor of the Diocess doth communicat and devolve on the Inferiour Clergy some parts of his Pastoral power I then demand where we shall find in any Gospel record such a sett of ordained Ministers of the Gospel that are half Pastors having some parts but not intire Ministerial power for feeding and overseeing their flock 4ly I desire therefore in few words to know whether any of the Clergy under the Author be Pastors yea ar not If they be Pastors according to Christs institution then the Author is not the sole Pastor in the Diocess if they are not Pastors then the Diocess should be inavoidably miserable having but one Pastor who is