the Father who of his everlasting love gave him a ransom for Mankind by his death And indeed to foresee and foretell things before they happen or come to pass is peculiar and proper only unto God as is evident Isaiah 41. vers 22 23. And therefore in this respect I can grant that the Common-Prayer Book had a being at or before Christ's coming But how can the Author make appear that either Christ or his Spirit have disallowed of it As for our Saviour he was so far from being against well composed Liturgies and consequently of being against ours because as King Charles the First the blessed Martyr said upon the Ordinance against the Common-Prayer Book in his seventh Paragraph that he held this to be a well composed one that indeed Christ composed a Liturgy himself to be used by all that should be his Disciples as Luke 11. vers 2. which Liturgy or Prayer of our Saviour as the aforesaid Martyr said in the Tenth Paragraph of those Observations was the Warrant and original Pattern of all set Liturgies in the Christian Church And I say especially of ours the Author so much inveighs against because if it be not the best that ever was extant before it yet it was a Liturgy inferiour to none So that for a blessed return and compliance of Dissenters to an Union with our Church I shall exhort all that shall peruse this small Tractate to consider diligently as to the Answers here to the several Errors couched in these Considerations so also diligently to ponder the exhortation of St. Paul to the Philippians chap. 2. vers 2 3. Fulfil ye my joy that ye be like minded having the same love being of one accord of one mind Let nothing be done through strife or vain-glory but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves The second Proposition in the 13th Consideration is this The Book of Common-Prayer is against the Blood and Spirit and Gospel of Christ For proof whereof he alledgeth 1 Pet. 1. vers 18 19. Hebr. 9. vers 10 11. Answer Sure this man hath eaten shame as in the Proverb and digested it that he dare charge such apparent untruths upon our Church which is as full for Christ his Spirit and Gospel as any of the Churches in Christendom I appeal to any man that hath perused the Liturgy and Doctrine of our Church for the truth hereof for condemnation of this present Error Our Church in our Common-Prayer Book owns Christ the only Mediator of Redemption by the Merits of his active and passive Obedience according to that in 1 Pet. 1. vers 18 19 Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things c but with the precious blood For every where our Liturgy owns with the Apostle there that wâ— are redeemed with the precious blood of Christ And for evidence hereof consider the conclusions of our Prayers and Collects therein and they shall see all begged there of God for the sake merits or worthiness of Jesus Christ And if any man do but consider the Communion Service and that of the Sacrament of Baptism he must be wilfully if not maliciously blind to say that our Church or Liturgy is against the blood of Christ Further For evidence of the Author 's false charge here let men consider what Blessings and Thanksgivings we do annually offer to God for his giving his Son to us our all-sufficient Saviour and Redeemer in the joyful Commemorations of his Birth Resurrection and Ascension c. We own him the only Mediator of Intercession in Heaven and thereby to have obtained of the Father the sending of the Holy Ghost upon the Disciples in the day of Pentecost And that daily through his Intercession he sends the Holy Ghost into our hearts to sanctifie us to lead us into all truths guiding us thereby into the way of Peace and Salvation How are we then against the Blood or Spirit or Gospel of Christ If our Adversaries will peruse that Service-Book and the Doctrine of our Church contained in the 39 Articles and the Homilies they shall find all things therein agreeing with the Gospel and the Writings of the Holy Ghost deliver'd by Moses the Prophets Apostles and his other Penmen So that to conclude my Answer as to what is objected against the Common-Prayer Book of our Church in this 13th Consideration or elsewhere I cannot think but that if St. Paul were now upon earth taking the care of all the Churches as before he did he would give the like approbation of our Church both for Doctrine and Discipline as he did of the Colossian Church Coloss 2. vers 5. where he saith He was with them in Spirit joying and beholding their Order and stedfastness of their Faith in Christ To the 14th Consideration which is this Whether at the great and terrible day of Judgment any Magistrates Ministers or People can justifie before Christ the Making Imposing Reading or Hearing of this or the like Service To which I answer affirmative They all may justifie their so doing before Christ as hath been evidenced in the Answers to the Propositions and in what hath been laid down before for justification of set Forms as before limited in these Papers But then further In this 14th Consideration the Author would have men consider Whether good men as far as they build with this material namely by worshipping of God by this Book of Common-Prayer will not at the day of Judgment suffer loss To which I Answer Having consider'd of this Quaere and the excellency of building upon Christ the foundation of our hope by way of worshipping and serving God by way of Prayer and Thanksgiving as in our bounden duty to do and performing the said duty according to the Form of our Common-Prayer Book I see not how the Builders that build with this Material devoutly and fervently in spirit can suffer loss thereby that is lose their labour in so calling upon God For further evidence whereof I refer the Readers to my Observation of the great benefit King Charles the First of most blessed memory and divers there mentioned yea and the whole Kingdom have reaped thereby in my foregoing Discourse upon the the 6th Consideration But last of all he puts the Quaere Whether those can stand then in the Judgment without fear shame and sorrow that have cast out persecuted imprisoned or otherwise afflicted the true Preachers and Servants of God who did chuse to obey God rather than men and to obeserve his Divine Will rather than mens Traditions To which I Answer That if by the true Preachers and Servants of God he understand the Nonconformists to our Church before the 〈◊〉 Rebellion or if he thereby means the rebellionâ— Army and their Chaplains then his Argument â—alls to the ground because then he argues ex non supposins ex non supponendis of things not granted not to be granted for that they were neither true Preachers nor true Servants of God for evidence whereof I refer the Reader to my Discourse upon the first Proposition deducible out of this Author's 7th Consideration And for further Answer to this Quaere what the Author proposeth to the World to be consider'd of I wish earnestly might be laid to heart of all them that are alive of the late Rebellion for their true and unfeigned repentance that they might obtain at God's hand forgiveness of their sins that are as red as Crimson in Persesecuting Imprisoning Impoverishing Murthering and otherwise afflicting King Charles the First of most blessed memory the careful and godly Hierarchy of our Church the true Preachers of God's Word and others the most faithful Servants of the Almighty who did chuse rather to obey God and to observe his Divine Will rather than the Fanatical Inventions and Traditions of a rebellious multitude FINIS
Vain-glory or of Covetousness even by the same Spirit or ends our Saviour said was in the Scribes Pharisees and Hypocrites whose Prayers were lengthned for a shew or for pretences Luke 20.47 and Matt. 23. vers 14. But let 's see what can be said for their pretended more abundant help of the Spirit in respect to their Extemporary and Unpremeditated mode of Praying To this I answer If any will go thus to God in Prayer in private but especially in publick that is without a due premeditation and consultation with himself of the mercies received he and the people are to be thankful for or of the things they stand in need of and are to beg of God 't is no less than unwarranted singularity and rash presumption in respect to authentick and Scripture Precedents and Instructions and to term it praying by the help of God's Spirit 't is no less than Blasphemy in the highest nature Let 's look into the Scriptures for the truth hereof Gen. 24. vers 63. And Isaac went out to meditate in the field Another Translation renders it he went out to pray And the reason of these differing Translations Vatablus affirms to be because the word in the original which is Suach signifies both to Meditate and to Pray so that it might have been render'd Isaac went out to Meditate and to Pray And then it commends thus much to our Practice and the present purpose First we must meditate of God's goodness to us and our wants and that done then put up our Praises and Prayers to God being by that premeditation better inabled to perform that Duty than without it A Marginal Note upon this place saith That this was the Exercise of the godly Fathers in those times to meditate of God's merciful Pronuses and then to pray for the accomplishing of them And this was the practice of David Psal 63 vers 5 6 7. My mouth shall praise thee with joyfullips look on and you shall see David will not enter upon this Duty rashly without meditation of God's help and goodness what it was this he said he would do when he had remembred him upon his bed and meditated on him in the night watches because he had been his help The resolution of the Twelve Acts the 6th vers 4. will joyn in condemnation of this their mode of praying without premeditation at least there the Twelve said we will give our selves unto prayer continually and to the ministry of the word I presume that by their resolution of giving themselves much to prayer they neither meant a constant heathenish nor pharisaical length of prayer nor at all the late 〈…〉 kind of unpremeditated supplication both which modes have been and yet are too much in use No the Twelve by giving themselves to prayer considering the practice of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Scriptures 〈◊〉 by the same Spirit with the Twelve it was â—eâ—…t of Composing Forms of Prayer for themselves and others to put up their Prayers by or at least of searching to know by meditation their own and others 〈◊〉 they were to take care of and then to seek up with Mâ—sâ—s David and others inabled by the same Spirit of Prayer such arguments and reasons from consideration of God's promises and properties and of Christ's undertakings and from considerations of mens wants and necessities that thereby they might put up to Godâ—… effectual and servent Prayers for themselves and those they were setover by Christ Which gloss may very well be admitted as the meaning of the twelve Apostles there considering St. Paul's direction concerning Prayer who was of the same dedication with the twelve both as to Prayer and the Ministry of the Word 1 Tim. 2. vers 1 2 3. the Apostle there directing Timothy and all other Ministers of Christ after him as to the manner of praying to God He doth not there exhort to the performing of that duty in such way as that praying in this or the fore mentioned mode or manner it should be done according to God's will His Exhortation is not that men pray for Kings and all in Authority The Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I exhort that Prayers be made which word bears to be composed prepared or made ready as in a form up to God to put the desires of their hearts for all men for Kings and all in Authority that we may lead a peaceable and quiet life in all godliness and honesty 'T is confest that in the Apostles times among other miraculous gifts of the holy Ghost some had their Extemporary Effusions 1 Cor. 11.14 15. and with the 2â—th Every one of you hath a Psalm c. but the Apostle observing that this begâ—t so much Emulation Faction and confusion among them he restrained the use of those Gifts and injoyned that all things should be done decently and to that effect that they should be done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to rule appointment and order vers 23. and the 40th Or again the former gloss upon the resolution of the twelve Apostles of giving themselves much to Prayer may be admitted as their meaning there considering what it was for them to give themselves to the Ministry of the Word for what is meant of giving themselves to the word is meant of giving themselves to Prayer Now the Apostles by giving themselves to the Ministry of the Word was meant their searching into the will of God their studying and meditating of the mind of Christ by comparing as St. Paul speaks spiritual things with spiritual Scripture with Scripture and by consulting one with another of the sure way of salvation as we see was their practice when the difference arose about Circumcision Acts 15. from vers 1. to the 30th Which thing is also evident from the practice of the Apostle St. Paul whose giving himself to the Ministry of the Word was doing what he commended in others 1 Tim. 5. vers 17. namely labouring in the Word and Doctrine by study and meditation of the word of God joyned to the assistance of God's spirit that was helping of him So that I see not but that that place where the twelve Apostles resolved to give themselves much to Prayer rightly expounded gives a suffrage with the practice of Isaac David and others in condemning this mode of unpremeditated praying to God And so I shall end my declamation against it with part of the second Verse of the fifth Chapter of Ecclesiastes the end whereof before with other places of Scripture gave sentence against the heathenish and pharisaical mode of Prayer Be not rash with your mouths and let not your hearts be hasty henceforth to utter any thing before God for God is in heaven and you upon earth But though I have said thus much against the two former modes of Prayer as they be used by the factious against both Scripture Precedents and Rules for Devotion yet I would have the Adversaries know that I am not so against sudden and unpremeditated Prayers or
Saviour in Luke 11. vers 11 12 13. to make men importunate and diligent seekers of God in Prayer If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father will be give him a stone or if he ask a fish will be give him a serpent or if he ask him an egg will be give him a scorpion No the summ is this an earthly Father will give a Child upon request the things he hath need of Ay but what follows how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Ghost to them that ask him But if there be never so much willingness to help yet if there be not ability to relieve there will be but a slack and faint address made though there be never so much want But now ye may see our Church here after the Practice of our Saviour hath made provision for the latter as well as for the former for it ascribes to him power to forgive all sins and to amend all sinfulness of life in man in attributing to him almightiness as well as it preached before his willingness in those words placed before the Confession and Supplication Almighty and most merciful Father See Exod. 32. Vers 31. And in the close of this Confession and Prayer the Church follows Christ there and the Saints of God close There our Church helps a devout soul to plead strongly with God for forgiveness and assisting grace by way of an humble remembrancing of God of his PRomise made to Mankind thereupon in Christ Jesus And citer that pleads with God for his help to amend their lives that they might be instruments for his glory thereby And indeed it ye look upon the Absolution upon the second Collect at Morning Prayer which is for Peace upon the third which is for Grace upon the second at Evening-Prayer which is for peace of Conscience peace with God upon the Prayers for his Majesty the King for the Queen the Duke of York and the Royal Family for the Ministers of the Word and all Congregations committed to their charge and upon most of the Pravers to be used with the forementioned Prayers in our daily Devotions they are fitted to awaken and help our Faith and â—â—…erchy to strengthen our wrastling souls with God by Prayer that we might overcome him as Jacob did at Peniel and the Lord not able to deny us blessings meet for us and his own glory And now look upon some of the Prayers and Thanksgivings of them that have so dispised the former and are so much more inabled by the Spirit to those Duties by their own Pretensions and see which have come nearest the help of our Saviour and the powerful and argumentative way of the canonized Saints in the Calendar of the Spirit of God At a Market-Town in Norfolk there being a Meeting in order to setting up the Presbyterian Government the Minister in his Sermon instructing the Lay-Elders as to the due execution of their places told them they must be as exquisite Chirurgeons who have Hauks eyes Ladies hands and Lions hearts But one of that Faction taking on him to pray a Blessing upon the work of the day among other things he desired God he would give the Lay-Elders Hauks eyes Ladies hands and Lions paws That I shall not omit of one in his Prayer before his Sermon in his Thanksgivings blessed God for the twelve Bishops being sent to the Tower in the long and mad Parliament because that thereupon God had set Christ Jesus twelve steps higher in his Throne than ever he was before Another Minister being to Preach a Funeral Sermon at another Minister's Parish he that officiated before the Sermon read the 8th of Ecclesiastes where in the 4th Verse 't is said Where the word of a King is there is power and who can say to him what doest thou The Minister that was to Preach being for the present Rebellion fearing the people in all probability might have been brought to or continued in Loyalty upon the remembrance of Solomen's Doctrine used this poisonous Antidote in his Prayer before the Sermon O Lord though Solomon hath said that Kings cannot be controuled yet we thy people know by the Spirit that Kings may be questioned and call'd to account I will insert but one more Expression in Prayer which was lately told me by one that heard it being present himself at a Church in Suffolk in the Prayer of a Minister in great esteem in those days After some Groanings and small coughing Respits these words came forth Lord go on with thy Reformation while it is time and after some more coughing Respits he went on thus For if thou dost not thou wilt not know what to do And that these and such like ridiculous and profane Expressions and dead argumentative helps were too frequently used in the Prayers of those so boldly assuming to themselves a superlative or extraordinary help of the Spirit to call upon God are in common charity and probability to be received as truth even by those that have not heard them or the like to them considering the report as to such like particulars left to be published by King Charles the First of most blessed memory being then in his own thoughts but a few steps from the grave For in his Observations upon the Ordinance against the Book of Common-Prayer in the twelfth Paragraph there having stigmatized many of their Prayers with statness rudeness confusion ridiculous repetitions yea with sensless and oft-times blasphemous Expressions c. In the thirteenth Paragraph he concludes to my present purpose in these following words Wherein they must be straâ—â—â—…ly impudent and flatterers of themselves not to have an infinite shame of what they so do and say in things of so sacred a nature before God and the Church after so ridiculous and indeed prophane a manner But notwithstanding what hath been last sâ—â—d I cannot but grant that some of them infatuated with the same spiritual pride and self conceitedness have been more prudent and careful than others in composing and wording their Publick Prayers but yet if they be weighed in the Sâ—des and with the Weights of the Sanctuary with the Collects and Prayers of our Liturgy so despised by them their best Prayers will be found lighter than the other in the judgment of meek humble and devout souls knowing how to pray as they ought through the help of the Spirit of God Look upon the sixth Consideration which begins thus How little good if any at all hath been done by the long use of the Service-Book though men have prayed long by it that the rest of their lives might be holy and righteous yet they still continue profane and unrighteous The Author's opinion there is thus Those men that have made never so long use of the Service-Book and have prayed never so long by it to God for a sanctified and righteous life have never attained to any part thereof It appears plainly to be his opinion for