discreet and humble use of Ministers gifts even in publick the better to fit excite their own and the peoples affections to the present occasions But that any mens private single Abilities should quite justle out the publick forms of prayer composed by the joynt Abilities and gifts of Godly learned Governours of the Church this is that we cannot allow of Neither do we conceive the spirit of prayer to consist so much in utterance of words which is but a gift of edification as in stirring up the Graces of faith and humility and other gifts of sanctification wherein the very life and soul of prayer consisteth And certianly he that saith that short comprehensive prayer justly called The Lords prayer because he framed it for his Disciples with an understanding devout and faithfull heart prayes very spiritually very acceptably and powerfully Concerning this prayer I censure it as too yieldingly spoken which is said in the first Letter as if the words might be laid aside and omitted the sense being kept When as in my opinion it is an honour to our Saviour and a good mark of his humble and faithful followers to keep not the sense onely but the very form of words which he hath commended Nor can I see any reason why so many in these times do omit the form as if that omission were now become a distinctive character whereby the most godly preachers and most Reformed Christians might be known But enough of this 3. As to the Ordination and power of Ministers that Text Tit. 1. 5. insisted on in the Dispute adde Acts 14. 23. plainly shews the Apostolical practice of Ordaining Elders in every Church and in succeeding Ages a succession of Christs Ministers was preserved by the like Ordination as Ecclesiastical Records do abundantly witness That Churches parochial should be filled with those that set up a new or no form of worship and minister holy things before they have received holy Orders this I think was never heard of in our land before these our times and what the consequence will be we have great cause to fear even the overthrow of all Religion and the introducing of Atheism and prophaness among our people Those words in the late Mournfull Complaint presented to some Parliament men are to the purpose You have placed in many of our Churches and given the Tithes and other profits belonging to the cure of souls to men that refuse to take any such charge upon them and who are so far from having the affections or performing the duties of faithful Pastors to us that they do professedly disown any such relation and consequently all the duties thereunto belonging Thence they neither Baptise nor Catechise our children nor do they administer the Lords Supper in our Congregations our sick and feeble persons they visite not nor own it as a duty incumbent on them to take care for our souls These Ministers I conceive being not Ordained believe their ministerial power to reach onely to those select persons that are in Covenant with them and submit to their Church-way as if the said power were received from the persons that consent thereunto Thus have we Ministers that are Preachers to thousands and Ministers as themselves say to some few gathered out of the multitude the rest of the multitude in the mean time remaining according to their opinion almost in the quality of meer Heathens and Infidels and if they be not such this seemeth a way â—o make them so For being not owned as Brethren by the gathered Church and having good reasons not to come into their communion they are in many places destitute of divine ordinances without publick Prayers Sermons Sacraments and in a ready way to loose Religion altogether But why do they not come into the Preachers placed among them by Authority Because they believe those Preachers however settled by the civil power have not received the sacred Office by lawful Ordination For we may easily distinguish between the Office and the place wherein the Office is exercised Preachers and Ministers are placed and confirmed in their places by the Magistrate or Civil power but they receive their ministerial Office or spiritual function by lawful Ordination and laying on of the hands of the Presbytery This is called the Power of Order derived not from the Magistrate or Prince not from the people they cannâ—t give what they have not but from Bishops and Presbyters who also have received it from their Predecessors The Ministers Servants Officers and Embassadors of Christ must have their Authority and Commission from Christ either immediately as the Apostles had or mediately by the hands of Elder Ministers as the lawful Ministers of our time have nor may any take this honour unto himself but he that is thus called of God The people indeed may be said to Call that is to invite and intreate Ministers to come unto them but their Calling or Function is from God The Lord of the harvest sends in the laborers the great Shepheard setteth Pastors over his flock the Master of the Family appointeth Stewards for his houshould to dispence unto them the Mysteries of God 4. For the administration of the holy Sacrament that such as have not received the power before mentioned by lawful Ordination do not administer the Sacrament to all we will not blame them because we conceive they have not power of ministring to any one but that they condemn the lawful Ministers for ministring unto the people of their Parishes the sacred things which cannot rightly be denied them this we may complain of In the above cited Mournful Complaint among many other sad passages we finde these words You permit us not to celebrate the memory of our dying Saviour in the Sacrament of his lost Supper and so deprive our souls of that heavenly food that our dear Lord hath with so much cost provided for us We would after many sad violations renew our Covenant with Christ and engage our souls more firmly to him but you will not permit us You complain of the loosenesse of our spirits whilest you withhold the bonds that should knit us faster unto Christ you complain of our weaknesse in resisting corruptions whilest you withhold the food whereby we should be strengthened you complain of seism strife and division whilest by you the sacred pledge of Vnion is detained from us Surely I had râ—ther the Church-gatherers should blame the Minister for his indulgence to the people than that the people should have cause in this manner to complain of his severity but the golden mean is to be inquired for And this is discovered in the ensuing Papers where the Author endeavours on the one side to avoid the preciseness of some that admit to the holy Table onely some few persons chosen out of many hundreds and the loosnesse of some on the other side who admit hundreds and exclude not some few namely such as are ignorant and scandalous such he would have noted kept back and
scornfully refuse it I am not guilty of the bloud of Christ which I highly honour and Minister to those only that seem to me to thirst after it and receive it with fear and reverence after profession of Faith and Obedience If by Praelatical formal superstitious usages you mean those decent Orders and Rites which have been established and used in the Church of England I have much to say for the Lawfulness of them yet am ready to submit to the commands of my Superiors when they shall establish another way agreeable to Gods word I will neither shut my eyes against the light nor resist the Spirit of Christ for which I daily pray The way of holiness I conceive doth not exclude laudable Forms and Customs which serve for edification in holiness Me thinks it is very fit the body should act a part in the service of God with the Soul for both are Gods I had almost forgot that you say I have no Call to do what I do If Mr. H. hath as lawful a Call as I I will seek Communion with him the next day I know it The out-comers that will make use of my Ministry I cannot deny so long as they have no Pastor that will own them upon lawful conditions for the conditions of that same new Covenant are not right in the eyes of very knowing orderly and well-disposed People It had been methinks a good way to have proposed that Covenant to debate among Neighbouring Ministers before it had been obtruded on the People under penalty of loss of Communion The excellent Scriptures you commend unto me I have considered and will give you my sense of them when I see what deductions you can make thence against me I do think there are as good Preachers and as holy men of that way which you call Prelatical as are under Heaven quos longè sequar vestigia semper adoro I speak of Jewels Hookers Ushers Halls Lakes Andrews I could weary you with names worthy of eternal memory It is easy to call yours the Lord's they that are truly so I honour not despise and others a loose dead-hearted carnal party For my part I judge no man but pray that we may all labour to make our calling sure and work out our own salvation with fear and Trembling By the Grace of God we are what we are if there be any good in any of us That Spirit of Grace whose name you say hath been among some a derided thing who have given the occasion to that derision I will not say is by all sober persons ever to be magnified and adored Without which you say well I cannot approve my self a member of his body much less a Minister of Christ And therefore I pray for that Spirit and not expecting new Revelations study what is the mind of the Spirit in the Holy Scripture For the explication whereof because a late Doctor of ours hath done more than any in this Age I commend his paraphrase to you on the New Testament specially on the Texts you cite to me and desire you to peruse Sine Studio partium his Treatise prefixed concerning the New Lights and if you look upon his Exposition of the Apocalyps you will have no cause to repent of your pains Having mentioned this Author of no less piety and modesty than Learning and judgement I would gladly know your opinion of his Latin Book against Blondell If either Blondell be right for Presbytery or He for Episcopacy vide si vacat Thorndik of Prim. Gâ—ver cap. ult of the Right of the Church both waies your New-Church-way will prove plainly Schismatical I do verily believe the power of Godliness may be upheld without the overthrow of antient forms Nor can I be so irreverent to our Fore-fathers ever since the Reformation much less to all Antiquity as to slight and condemn what they either appointed or retained My rule is this Rites of Religion not opposite to Scripture may lawfully be used What say you against it Have they not also if they make for order and Edification a reall tendency in your phrase to advance Jesus Christ What tendency to this end is in the countenancing of Un-ordained Ministers and in usurping a Power of Government in the Church which Christ hath deposited in other hands and in setting up ignorant Persons to be publike Orators I confess Dear Sir I do not understand And my opposition against such waies proceeds meerly of duty In which opposition I shall carry my self with all Moderation approving and imitating what is commendable in the Adversary while I oppose what I can prove to be blameable Him will I willingly confer with either by my tongue or pen in such manner as I may safely do it but much rather with your self because I conceive you are of a sweeter temper that I mention not parts Learning and the like things which although without Grace they are not much to be valued yet are very useful and subservient to the work of God Wherein I heartily desire to joyn with you so far as I can and I hope in whatsoever we be differently minded God will in time reveal even that to us To his gracious direction and blessing I commend you and your labours praying that as you are endowed with precious gifts of Zeal Elocution Learning Judgement Meekness so you may employ them happily to the Glory of the Donor in procuring the Unity and Tranquillity of his Church Your servant in Christ C. B. Nov. 2. 1653. Mr. B. to Mr. H. Novem. 7. 1653. SIR I Am assured you are resolved to hold your publick meeting on Wednesday next and I am desired by some of your Neighbours as well as your self to be present I intend God willing to wait on you at your hour on this condition that you permit me being Respondent to stand in your Pue that I may be seen and heard the better and be free from the croud You and if they be present Master Palmer and Master Tray I will embrace and only you in order as my Opponents placing your selves a part as you shall see most convenient That the people abstain from all rudeness and disturbance of our work your Officers must take care Qu. Whether it be lawful to administer and receive the Holy Sacrament in Congregations called mixt Aff. My meaning is clearly to affirm what you deny though my Terms are not just the same Yours in the Truth C. B. All was granted but the Pue An Answer to a Question proposed by the separating Minister to one of the Parish of W. 1653. Qu. Of what Church are You 1. I Am a member of the Parish Church wherein I live which although it be much distracted by a Minister of separation yet it is not destroyed Although we cannot come to the usual place for the present safely and without danger of being engaged in Prayers against our Conscience and of being seduced by erroneous doctrin and much offended and grieved by uncharitable
particular men sufficiently catechised without any publick cognizance of their crime or process of admonition first and second or that designe that exclusion to any other end than ut peccantes resipiscant the reducing sinners to repentance and therefore no small petty trifle is a sufficient matter for this but contumacious continuing in some scandalous sin after admonitions from which when they return again by a sincere approved repentance they are to be absolved In his Preface THat the power of Binding and Loosing may be restored to its full vigour in this Church againe and wherever sobriety shall advise by addition of penitentiall Canons be reformed or regulated and being put into the primitive chanell may there be permitted to shew forth it self in the native purity and brightness and so being ordered according to Gods designation obtain Gods blessing to make it effectuall to its end shall be the prayer of him who professes to love and admire the beauty of this fabrick of the Church of England even when it lyâ—s polluted in its blood and to wish no greater blessing to its dearest friends or for whom he daily prayes most implacable enemies than that the scales may fall off from all our eyes that we may see and value what is so illustriously conspicuous and estimable in it self c. If the abuses and excesses and mistakes were removed and that which is Christian and Apostolicall revived and restored in prudence and sobriety might yet again shew the world the use of that Prelacy which is now so zealously contemned and recover at once the order and the estimation of it set more Saints on their knees in petitions for the reducing and restoring than ever employed their hands toward the suppressing of it D. Jer. Taylor in the Dedicatory before his Winter-Sermons Of preaching WHo would have in him so little of a man as not to be greedy of the Word of God and of holy Ordinances even therefore because they are so hard to have And this evill although it can have no excuse yet it hath a great and a certain cause For the Word of God still creates new Appetites as it satisfies the old and enlarges the capacity as it fills the first propensities of the Spirit For all spirituall blessings are seeds of Immortality and of infinite felicitie they swell up to the comprehensions of Eternity and the desires of the soul can never be wearied but when they are decayed as the stomack will be craving every day unless it be sick and abused But every mans experience tels him now that because men have not Preaching they less desire it their long fasting makes them not to love their meat and so we have cause to fear the people will fall to an Atrophy then to a loathing of holy food and then Gods anger will follow the method of our sin and send a famine of the word and Sacraments Paulo post And by the same instrument Preaching God restored the beauty of the Church when it was necessary she should be reformed it was the assiduous and learned Preaching of those whom God chose for his Ministers in that work that wrought the Advantages and perswaded those Truths which are the enamel and beauty of our Churches And because by the same means all things are preserved by which they are produc'd it cannot but be certain that the present State of the Church requires a greater care and prudence in this Ministry than ever especially since by Preaching some endeavour to supplant Preaching and by intercepting the fruits of the flocks to dishearten the shepheards from their Attendances The same Author Of Zeal p. 185. ANy zeal is proper for Religion but the zeal of the Sword and the zeal of anger this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the bitterness of zeal and it is a certain temptation to every man against his duty for if the Sword turns Preacher and dictates Propositions by Empire instead of Arguments and engraves them in mens hearts with a Ponyard that it shall be death to believe what I innocently and ignorantly am perswaded of it must needs be unsafe to try the Spirits to try all things to make enquiry And yet without this liberty no man can justify himself before God or man nor confidently say that his Religion is best since he cannot without a final danger make himself able to give a right sentence and to follow that which he finds to be the best This may ruin Souls by making Hypocrits or careless and complyant against conscience or without it but it doth not save Souls though peradventure it should force them to a good opinion This is inordination of zeal For Christ by reptoving St. Peter drawing his Sword even in the cause of Christ for his sacred and yet injur'd person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Theophilact teaches us not to use the Sword though in the cause of God or for God himself because he will secure his own interest only let him be served as himself is pleased to command and it is like Moses passion it throws the Tables of the Law out of our hands and breaks them in pieces out of indignation to see them broken This is the zeal that is now in fashion and hath almost spoiled Religigion Men like the zealots of the Jews cry up their Sect and in it their Interest they affect Disciples and fight against the Opponents And we shall find in Scripture that when the Apostles began to Preach the meekness of the Christian institution salvation and promises charity and humility there was a zeal set up against them The Apostles were zealous for the Gospel The Jews were zealous for the Law And see what different effect these two zeals did produce The zeal of the Law came to this They stirred up the City they made tumults they sent parties of Souldiers to silence and to imprison the Preachers c. But the zeal of the Apostles was this They Preached publickly and privatly they prayed for all men they wept to God for the hardness of mens hearts they became all things to all men c. They endured every man and wronged no man They would do any good thing and suffer any evill if they had but hopes to prevail upon a Soul They perswaded men meekly they entreated them humbly they convinced them powerfully they watched for their good but medled not with their interest c. L. Hatton in the Preface to his Psalter Of Union HE that is ready to joyn with all the societies of Christians in the world in those things which are certainly true just and pious gives great probation that he hath at least animum Catholicum no Schismatical Soul because he would actually communicate with all Christendome if bona fides in falso articulo sincere perswasion be it true or false did not disoblige him since he clearly distinguishes persons from things and in all good things communicates with persons bad enough in others This is the Communion of Charity
application of their Spirits wherein consists the very Life and Soul of Prayer and that so much pretended Spirit of Prayer than any ptivate man by his solitary abilities can be presumed to have which what they are many times even there where they make a great noise and shew the affectations emptiness impertinency rudeness confusions flatness levity obscurity vain and ridiculous repetitions the senseless and oft-times blasphemous expressions all these burthened with a most tedious and intolerable length do sufficiently convince all men but those who glory in that pharasaick way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 16. Of Moderate Episcopacy THe Abuses of Episcopacy deserve to be extirpated as much as the use retained for I think it far better to hold to Primitive and uniform Antiquity than to comply with divided Novelty A right Episcopacy would at once satisfy all just desires and interests of good Bishops humble Presbyters and sober people so as Church affairs should be managed neither with tyranny parity nor popularity neither Bishops ejected nor Presbyters despised nor people oppressed ibid. 17. Of the Primitive Church and Fathers IF the practice of the Primitive Church and the universal consent of the Fathers be not a convincing Argument when the Interpretation of Scripture is doubtful I know nothing for if this be not then of necessity the Interpretation of private Spirits must be admitted the which contradicts S. Peter 2 Pet. 1. 20. is the Mother of all sects and will if not prevented bring these Kingdoms into confusion And to say that an Argument is ill because the Papists use it or that such a thing is good because it is the custome of some of the reformed Churches cannot weigh with me untill you prove these to be infallible or that to maintain no Truth And how Diotrephes ambition who directly opposed the Apostle S. John can be an Argument against Episcopacy I do not understand His Majesties second paper to H. Of the same MY Conclusion is that albeit I never esteemed any Authority equall to the Scriptures yet I do think the unanimous consent of the Fathers and the Universall practice of the Primitive Church to be the best and most Authenticall Interpreters of God's Word and consequently the fittest Judges between Me and You when we differ untill you shall find me better Fift paper A pious Offer of the English Clergy Anno 1644. I Shall offer in the name of my brethren of the Clergy not that I have took their particular votes but that I perswade my self so far of their piety That rather than the Glory should thus depart from Israel by laying wast this flourishing Church of ours every one single of us that have any possessions or titles worthy any mans envy or rapine and so are thought now by our own Interests to have been bribed or fee'd Advocates in this cause may forthwith be deprived of all that part of the Revenues of the Church wherein we are legally invested And he that shall not cheerfully resign his part in the present prosperity of the Church on the meer contemplation and intuition of the benefit that may now and after his life redound to others let him have the charge of being disturber of the State And if the Function it self with the necessary adjuncts to it be not swept away in the calamity we shall be perfectly pleas'd whatsoever befall our Persons and desire that tryall may be made of the ingenuity of Clergy-men whether we have not thus far profited under Gods rod as to be willing to yield to any possible proposition which will bring no guilt of sin upon our Consciences toward the averting the Judgments of Heaven Dr. Hammond's Consid of Church-government Of Universall Redemption THese two propositions are very reconcilable that Christ redeemed all men and yet that the whole number of the impenitent unbelieving reprobate world shall never be saved by him The great Benefits of Christ's death which I affirm to be general are given upon condition not absolutely as God's love to the world and the effect of it giving his Son is not designed that all absolutely but that all conditionally i. e. Whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life They which do not perform that condition as Gods knows a great multitude do not shall never be saved by his death To which purpose is that of Prosper one far enough from all kindness to the Pelagians Redemptor mundi dedit pro mundo sanguinem suum mundus redimi noluit The Redeemer of the world gave his bloud for the world and the world would not be redeemed Ad Gall. cap. 9. To that testimony Heb. 2. 9. so clear that it alone hath to my knowledge convinc'd one as learned a man as doth in this Church of ours maintain the doctrins contrary to the Remonstrants I shall ex abundanti add these other plain testimonies Not only that of Gods giving his only Son mention'd by Christ as an effect or expression of his love to the world which it would not be if he did not give him for the world whom he is said to love but to prevent all distinctions concerning the notion of the world as if it signified only the elect more particularly these two First that of 2 Pet. 2. 1. Where the Lord i. e. Christ is plainly said to have bought i. e. paid the Price satisfied for them who deny him and bring upon themselves swift destruction The other testimony is that of S. Paul 2 Cor. 5. 14. Where speaking of the constraining obliging love of Christ he said We thus judge that if one dyed for all then were all dead that is surely All in the full latitude not only the elect but All others and this conclusion the Apostle infers by this medium because One that is Christ dyed for All. Which being a proof of the other must certainly be as true and the All as generall and unlimited c. Dr. Hammond Vindic. of the Prac. Catech. p. 4 5. Of set forms of Prayer THat it is lawfull to use a set determinate form of words either written or fastned in our memory is apparent both by the example of Christ who in S. Luke bids us when we pray say Our Father c. not only pray after this pattern as the words in S. Matthew may be interpreted but use these very words when you pray say Our Father c. Luke 11. 2. and of John Baptist who taught his disciples to pray in some form though we know not what it is Luke 11. 1. As also of the Priests that used set forms of blessing the people Numb 6. 24. and of our Saviour himself who used a part if not the whole of the 22. Psalm upon the Cross My God my God why hast thou forsaken me c. And of the Church of the Jews and Christian Churches through all times who have had their Liturgies as ways and forms of serving God publickly and as means to preserve the true Religion