a conceived Prayer may be said to be humane as it is conceived and indited in the heart of a man and by man offered as worship to God as all other holy duties be in this sense humane yet such a conceived prayer being indited by the Spirit of God in the heart of him that prayeth and being expresly commanded in the Word it cannot be truly called an humane invention which is only spoken of those things as have neither commandement nor pattern from the Word in which sense we called a set form humane Disc If our Brethren dispair not of the goodnesse of their Cause let them in an orderly Treatise set down what is necessary and essentially required to the nature and being of true Prayer and then shew that some one or other of them cannot be observed in a stinted or Prescript forme of Prayer and we will readily yeeld unto them and some Reason or pregnant place of Scripture shall put us to silence Answ We see no cause to dispair of the goodnesse of the cause which we conceive is not ours but Gods we choose rather to bewaile the sinfulnesse of our former course then eagerly to dispute for our present proceedings we all of us have sinned with our Brethren and with our Fathers in worshipping God after the precepts of men and have as much cause to judge our selves for it as you have To write a Treatise of all the requisites to true prayer is nothing to the standing or falling of the Cause As hath been said prayer may be true and have all those things which are necessary and essentially requisite to true prayer and yet sinfully def ective in some extenall circumstances It were much more pertinen to write a Treatise of the Second Commandement whereunto the consideration of the helps and Forms of Worship doth properly belong from thence to consider whether any sound reason at last which you desire may not be inferred against prescript Forms of Prayer Let us therefore consider together of the meaning of that Commandement though not in the full latitude of it for that were not so pertinent to the Cause in hand but so far as concerneth the present businesse and yet not seeking thereby nor striving to put you to silence but to awaken both our selves and you if it be the Will of God to repentance The Second Commandement in forbidding Images forbiddeth not only bodily Images Graven or Molten or Painted but all spirituall Images also which are the Imaginations and Inventions of men whether they be ordained for worship as Apocrapha Scriptures and the Lawes of men binding the Conscience or for helps and means of worship as significant Ceremonies to teach and stir up to spirituall Duties or finally for formes and manner of worship yet when we speak of helps and means of worship invented by Men and forbidden by God in this Commandement we doe not speak either of naturall or artificiall helps to help the natural sense in Gods worship such as Scaffolds be to mens hearing nor of the helps of Tongues and Arts which the wisdome of God hath given for an help to the mind and understanding in all knowledge As if God commanded the people to read in his Word all their dayes and to read with understanding the Translation of Scripture into the Mother-Tongue of each Nation is a necessary help to this end the knowledg of grammer tongues is a necessary help to such a translation And so if God command the people to joyne together as well in voyce as in heart to sing Psalmes and to sing them with understanding seeing Psalmes are a kind of holy Poetry even as Grammar will be a necessary help to translate the Psalmes into English So Poetry will be requisite to translate the English into verse and such kind of helps though they be not expresly commanded by God yet we look at them as warranted by necessary consequence from the Word because God who commanded thr duties of Reading the Scripture and singing of Psalmes and both to be done with understanding he doth imply a necessary warrant of such means as do naturally and necessarily lead to those ends and without which those ends without a miracle cannot be otained We speak therefore of such means and helps of worship forbidden in this Commandement not which do naturally and necessarily help forward the same though remotely but of such Arbitrary helps as are voluntarily taken up by the wisdome and will of man for spirituall ends as Gideons Ephod and Pharisaicall washings and superadded to those means and helps of worship which God hath sufficiently yea and abundantly supplyed his Church and people withall by his Word and Spirit for all spirituall duties Neverthelesse this distinction of voluntary and necessary helps may not be stretched so farre as to justifie devise and set forms of Prayer to supply the defects of sinfully ignorant or carelesly bashfull people as cannot pray especially before company without a book For first God would not have such persons so sinfully ignorant and bashfull to be called forth into publique Ministry the lame and the blind shall not come into Sion into Davids House 2 Sam. 5.8 nor may such ignorant and lame Christians be admitted to come into the publick place in the Church 3. God hath provided other sufficient helps to supply these defects to private Christians for besides the Spirit of God which helps all our infirmities Rom. 8.26 who supplieth both the ignorant with knowledge of what and how to pray and the bashfull with power he hath also ordained instruction to help the ignorant and frequent exercise and diligent Catechising of a mans own family to help his bashfulnesse in praying before them and if strangers come in and they sit to partake in such an ordinance God then offereth him the help of a Christian friend to supply his necessity before strangers and when we speak of form and manner of worship devised by men we speak not of such as light of nature and civill custome taketh up for order and decency but of such as are taken up by the voluntary choice of the wisdome and will of man either for such ends as God hath not appointed as uniformity in Rites and conformity to Idolaters or for such ends as for which God hath provided otherwise as the Love-feasts in the Church to maintain brotherly love for which God ordained the Lords Supper and feasts in private houses or contrary to such ends and wayes as God hath appointed as the Chemarines to offer incense a type of Prayer to maintain a Praying Ministry without sacrificing as a read Liturgie to maintain a reading or praying Ministry without preaching It was touched upon before that when God forbad us such a manner of worship as Heathens use to their god and against that one false manner of worship establisheth his own institutions in his Word Deut. 12.30 31 32. He doth thereby evidently condemn under one false manner of worship all other
A MODEST AND Cleer Ansvver TO Mr. Ball 's Discourse OF Set Formes OF PRAYER Written by the Reverend and Learned John Cotton B. D. and Teacher of the Church of Christ at Boston in New-England Published for the Benefit of those who desire satisfaction in that Point LONDON Printed for H. Overton in Popes-Head Alley To the Courteous Reader WE think it not meet to fall a commending the Author of this work who hath been so long precious in the hearts of all the Saints and for his learning pains and piety so famous in the Churches of Christ that his own Works may praise him in the Gate though we be silent Neither shall we need as usually men do in their Epistles to set glosses upon the work thy self if thou weighest it with a serious and impartial spirit we believe will do it and save us that labour This only we say thou wilt discern as some other godly learned who have perused it before also have done such a cleer judgement dexterous aptness and pithy plainnesse in a moderate and brotherly stile in all his Answers that thou wilt think thou seest the very spirit of the Author breathing in every page and line Now the Father of lights clear all our minds that if his blessed will so be we may think and judge and speak and write the same thing And the God of all Grace warm our hearts with a love of such truths as we doe know that we may walk in the light and power thereof to the praise of his Grace till we all meet in one and see him as he is and so be filled with all the fulnesse of God himself for evermore Amen ADVERTISEMENTS UPON The Discourse of set-forms of PRAYER YOur Preface touching the Definition and nature of prayer I insist not upon as not much material to the cleering of the Cause in hand it is enough in this Case to premise what prayer in Generall is and what is lawfull prayer Prayer in generall comprehending both lawfull and unlawfull is the lifting up or powring out of the Desires of the heart for Divine blessings Divine I say that is for such as God only can give either for the nature or kind of the thing given or for the manner of giving Lawfull prayer is a lifting up or powring out of the desires of the heart unto God for Divine blessings according to his will in the name of Jesus Christ by the help of the Spirit of Grace CHAP. I. The State of the Question FOr stating of the Question you give six Rules of which I will only touch so many as do more neerly touch upon the Cause In your first Rule you say it is not a Prayer as penned or printed but as rehearsed with understanding feeling of wants humility confidence Answ Nor is it a prayer as rehearsed though rehearsed with understanding feeling of wants humility confidence unlesse a man therein powre out his own desires unto God for I may read and rehearse a printed Prayer say one of Davids propheticall prayers against the enemies of the Church yea I may read it with understanding with feeling of the wants of such a mercy and also with humility in conscience of the Churches unworthinesse of such a mercy and with confidence that God will do for the Church now as David prayed then c. Yet this will not be my prayer unlesse I put up mine own desires in it but about this there is no question Answ 2. Though it be not a prayer as penned or printed yet is a means and help and form of prayer which either must find a warrant from the Word or fall under the breach of the second Commandement In the second Rule you say the controversie is not of this or that prescript form of Prayer in particular much lesse of one for substance of matter faulty and erronious But of a prescript form of prayer in generall whether it be lawfull to use any set form of prayer at all though for the matter thereof never so sound and allowable Answ But so to put the State of the Question is indeed to leade your self and others into temptations for if it may be once obtained that some prescript form is lawfull in the Generall this in the Theory will straight be reduced to this practice to perswade men to joyn in such a prescript form of prayer as is justly liable to manifold exceptions both for matter and manner If such as were compelled to worship the Lord before the golden Calves at Dan and Bethel should put the state of the Question not of such particular Calves but of Calves or Cherubims in generall for one form of Cherubims were like Calves whether it be not lawfull to worship the Lord before any Cherubims at all It may be easily conceived what the issue would be the Question admitteth the lawfulnesse of some Cherubims in Generall which is out of question The practice will conclude the lawfulnesse of Jeroboams Calves in particular which was the sin which made Israel to sin 2. Your fift Rule acknowledgeth that neither Christ nor his Apostles prescribed any set form of prayer and therefore that no prescript form of prayer of Lyturgie is simply necessary Answ But this argueth not only no necessity of prescript forms but also no expediency thereof to the edification of the Church unlesse it might be presumed that there is some help or means of Gods worship expedient to the edification of the Church which never came into the heart of Christ and of his Apostles to commend unto the Church In your sixt Rule you professe you never held it lawfull to tye any mans selfe or to be tyed alwayes to a set form of Prayer as knowing that our requests are to be framed according to the present necessity and occasion Answ But by the same reason neither will it be lawfull to be tyed at any time to an ordinary use of any set form of prayer at all for there is no change of time wherein the Church hath not some speciall occasion to change their Petitions either by adding some Petitions more than formerly were needfull or by taking away some Petitions which were formerly needfull it may be at the last meeting which are not needfull now And look upon what grounds it may be lawfull to tye others or to be tyed by them to a set forme to day upon the same grounds it will be as lawfull to tye them and to be tyed by them to morrow the next Saboth as well as this and the third Saboth as well as both and all Saboths as well as some If tying to set forms be lawfull and thought expedient for uniformity in Gods worship one day the same uniformity is as expedient to be attended to in every Saboth as in one or if tying to set forms be requisite to supply the defects of the gifts of ignorant Ministers then thereby a cloak is made for the covering and sheltering of ignorant Ministers who had more
the devises of men as with Salt Cream Spittle Crosse and the like so is the case here aprescript form of prayer may consist of lawfull fit petitions and be delivered with a faithfull holy humble spirit and so be truly and properly prayer and yet fall short of some rule requisite to be attended to make it a lawfull worship of God to wit if it be offered to God in a strange Tongue or before an Image or by the help of an Image such as we conceive a prescript form of words to be injoyned and imposed to be read upon a book for the Prayers of the Church Answ 2. If by Matter and Form be meant not only Internall and Essential forme but externall also Then we deny that a prescript form of prayer injoyned to be read upon a Book is a lawfull externall form of prayer no more than a prescript form of Homilies is a lawfull externall form of preaching These Answers seem to us sufficient and unavoidable and we rest in them but the other Answers which are alledged by you in your Discourse and much and often beaten upon you though it was delivered by one whose works praise him in the gates throughout all the Churches of the Saints yet we do not insist upon it as not willing to turn aside to unnecessary disputes stinted set forms we do not look at as lawfull to them that need them but unlawfull to them that need them not For though there be a good use of the distinction in this case as we shall see anon yet not in this case where the necessity ariseth not from Gods Commandement but from the sinfull defect of the Creature for supply whereof God hath ordained sufficient help other wayes But yet in reply which you make to the Answer you give a distinction liable to the same exception which your self take against that Answer For that Answer consisting of a distinction of arbitrary and necessary help Your Discourse rejecteth it as a distinction not grounded upon the Word of God which in Divinity is as you say an unwritten tradition and is this distinction of your own any better Helps say you and surtherances in Gods Service are of two sorts some in nature and use the same with the true worship of God instituted by his highnesse and these are unlawfull because they are devised and others concern the Method Phrase of Speech outward manner of celebration onely as meer circumstances and these are not forbidden A distinction ungrounded upon the Word so no better that an unwritten tradition and withall both the parts imply a fals-hood for a prayer which a Minister deviseth for his own and his peoples use before the Sermon is in nature and use the same with the true worship of God instituted by his highnesse yet it is not unlawfull because it is devised for it is devised by him who is called of God to devise and indite it as David did Psal 45. v. 1. and all the rest and that by help of the Spirit of prayer again on the other part a prescribed Homilie doth conserve the method phrase of speech outward manner of celebration only as a meer circumstance yet no Word of God ever allowed it to be read for the publick preaching of the Word unto the people It is true which the Discourse speaketh of the Method of Sermons devised or studied by such as Preach them there may be some liberty whether to preach by doctrine reason and use or some other way the like may be said of forms of Chatechismes Blessings and Baptismes But the reason of this liberty is because we find in Scripture severall forms of all these and therefore we limit or prescribe no set forms to any Pauls Epistle to the Romans is carried along by Doctrine reasons and uses and so are sundry more of his Epistles But Christs Sermon on the Mount is carried in another Method The Apostles Catechise is of one form Heb. 6.1 2. Davids of another Psal 34.11 12 13 14. The Priests Blessings were of one form Numb 6.23 to 26. The Apostles Blessings of another 2 Cor. 12.13.2 Thes 3.17 18. Heb. 13.20 21. Jude 24.25 The forms of baptizing did also sometimes vary some using the words of our Saviour Math. 28.19 Others another form of words Acts 19.5 The thing is this where God hath used variety of forms he leaveth us at liberty to use that one form or the other But to gather a liberty to prescribe and limit a set form of any of these where God hath not limited is to pervert and abuse the power of the keyes of Christs Kingdome to wit to bind where Christ looseth but your Objection is as you say answered by others and that more safely Disc That mens inventions in the service of God are forbidden in the second Commandement But Book Prayer is an Invention of men To this your Discourse replyeth by retorting upon a former Answer which we said afore we did not make use of in this case You reply again the Objection it self is of no weight for by this reason all set forms of Catechismes studied Sermons Interpretations of Scripture divisions of it into Sections and Chapters reading one part this week and another the next conceived prayer it self may be disallowed Answ Touching set forms of Catechisme we do willingly approve diligent attendance to the Catechising of youth and Novices in any form tending to Edification but to devise and prescribe a set form of words wherein all the Questions and Answers shall run and no other we know no warrant for that from Scripture if God would have his people limited to a set form of words in catechizing he would himself have prescribed some set form of his own inspiration which might be defective in no principles nor incommodious in any expression 2. What though there might be some colour to put a set form of words of catechisme into the mouths of Children and Novices the better to help their memory and capacities will it therefore argue it to be a reasonable service of God to put a set form of words and prayers into the mouths of Ministers to help their memories and capacities in powring out their own and the Churches Petitions unto God Studied Sermons are of another nature it is an Ordinance of God that Sermons should be studied before preached Jude made it his whole study 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to write his Epistle Jude 3. How much more ought we to make it our whole study to preach who are not so immediately inspired Solomon gave good heed and sought out to find and set in order fit words and matter for the edification of the people Eccles 12.9 10. and behold lesse than Solomon are Ministers here though in respect of the cleer discerning the Mysteries of Christ The least in the Kingdom of God is greater than he Timonthy is exhorted to give attendance to reading Meditation Doctrine to meditate thereon to give himself wholly to them that his profiting
might appear to all That he might shew himself approved unto God A workman that needeth not to be ashamed 1 Tim. 4.13 14 15. with 2 Tim. 2.15 But give me leave to speak without offence You seem to me in this point to take too much liberty in a serious cause to play upon equivocation It is true in studying a Sermon the Preacher useth his Invention and Judgement and in that sence his Sermon may be called mans Invention But you are not ignorant we speak in this cause of such inventions of men as God hath given neither Commandement nor direction for in his Word In which sence a studied Sermon is no more a mans Invention than a studied answer which Solomon commendeth as a path of the Righteous Prov 15.28 The like may be said of the next instance which is Interpretation of Scriptures as also a conceived Prayer Interpretation of Scripture is from a spiritual gift which God hath given and commanded to be used for the edification of his Church 1 Cor. 14.26 Nehem. 8.8 So is Prayer conceived from a spirit and gift of prayer which is to be used also and attended to as a principall part of the Ministeriall office 1 Cor. 14.15 Acts 6.4 Obj If it be said but I may take an Interpretation or Translation of Scripture from others and therefore a form of Prayers from others also Answ 1. There is a broad difference betwixt an Interpretation of Scripture as it is put for translation of Scripture and read Prayer for reading of Scripture in the Church is an ordinance of God so is the reading of it in a tongue which the people understandeth and therefore it is an ordinance of God that the Word be read in some translation But the reading of a prayer for the prayers of the Church is no ordinance of God therefore there is not the like ground from the Word to make use of Prayer-Books to read prayers as to make use of a printed Bible for the reading of the Word 2. Every Minister that hath understanding of the originall languages wherein the Scripture was written ought to make use of his own gift in examining the truth of the translation which he readeth unto the Church which will not be allowed in prescript Lyturgies As for the division of Scriptures into Sections and Chapters and the reading of one part this Week and the other next It is certain division of Scripture is antient even from the times of the Prophets And evident it is the whole Scripture cannot be read over in one day And therefore it is from God that some divisions of Scriptures be observed according to the variety of matter therein contained and distinctly devideth it selfe and consequently it is from God that one part of it be read at this Assembly another at the next because all cannot be read at once And yet we know no warrant that one Church should prescribe another what division to make of the Scriptures or what part of it should be read this day and what the next what God hath lest free let no man limit Disc Preaching is commanded of God so is interpretation of Scripture but phrase and method of Interpretation is of men The matter of the Scripture is the immediate Word of God but the Word and phrase which are Vessels to convey this truth to us I speak of Translations not of the Originall Text are humane and not of God by immediate inspiration God commandeth us to call upon him both in publique and private but the words in which we expresse our desires are our own both in conceived and stinted Prayer Answ It is true preaching of the Word and the Interpretation of the Word are of God but the phrase and Method is of men yet so of men as they have commandement and warrant from God to preach and interpret the Word and not in what phrase and Method please themselves nor in such words as mans wisdome teacheth but which the Holy Ghost teacheth 1 Cor. 2.13 Nor so from men as that the men of one Church may devise a set form thereof and binde all men as well of other Churches as their own to this or that manner of phrase or Method the like is to be said of prayer also But when your Discourse saith that the words wherein we expresse our desires are our own in conceived and stinted prayer you might as well have said that the words wherein we deliver our Sermons are our own both in conceived Sermons and in stinted Homilies Disc These two kinds of Prayer conceived and stinted agree in their Author Matter Form Object end and common nature the one is no more an Invention of man than the other so then devised Worship is unlawfull but not a worship in a form of words devised Answ And so might we say of prayer to God before an Image and prayer without an Image they are two kinds of prayer that agree in their Author matter form object end and common nature yet we cannot say the one is more an invention of men than the other As devised Worship is unlawfull so are devised forms and means of worship unlawfull also of which sort such set forms of words be as are devised and composed by the officers of one Congregation and imposed upon the brethren of another Congregation for the forms of their prayers Answ 2. We cannot say as you do that such conceived and stinted forms agree in their Authors for I am not the Author of the matter of that prayer which another man composed and was the Author of and is now stinted and prescribed to me no more then I can be said to be the Author of that Sermon which another man indited Battyllus was not the Authour of Virgil's Verses Though he resiteth them as his own Virgil justly challengeth his own out of his hand Hos ego versiculas feci c. Nor can we say that such conceived or stinted forms agree in their form if by form be meant externall form it is not the same form of walking to walk with Crutches and to walk upright It is not the same form of prayer to pray with help of mens inventions and with such helps only as the Holy Ghost supplyeth which also hindereth that they cannot be said to agree in their common nature The one being a lawfull form of prayer the other unlawfull And therefore when your Discourse saith that conceived and stinted prayer the one is no more the invention of man than the other we cannot understand the truth of that for in conceived prayer the Spirit of God within us teacheth us what to pray And for that the Ordinance and Word of God is plain Rom. 8.26 But in stinted prayer the matter is not suggested or indited to us by the Spirit of God within us but prescribed and imposed upon us by the will wisdome and authority of men whom the Holy Ghost hath not called to such a work as therefore a devised worship is unlawfull
so it is unlawfull to worship God in a form of words devised by the Officers of one Congregation and prescribed and imposed upon others Disc Nay saith your Discourse for the form of words is not worship but the Prayer tendered in that form Answ As Prayer is Worship so the form in which prayer is offered to God is Modus or Medium Cultus the manner or means or help of Worship which if it be not warranted and instituted of God it is forbidden in the second Commandement when God forbad his people to worship him in such a manner as the Gentiles served their gods he ordained them a rule to be perpetually observed in all service to him to wit that we should worship him as himself hath commanded which the opposition inferreth that his meaning is not only with such duties but in such a manner as himself hath commanded without adding ought thereto or taking ought therefrom Deut 12.30 31 32. Now he hath commanded us to pray in the spirit Eph. 6.18 which implies not only with such affections as his Spirit kindleth and stirreth up but also with such matter and words as his spirit helpeth us unto For his Spirit is said to help us what to pray which else we should not know Rom. 8.26 Now in a stinted prescript form of prayer we know what to pray without the Spirit when we joyn in prayer with another who is our mouth to God though we know what to pray by his help yet it is such an help as the Spirit himself hath provided 1 Cor. 14.16 Disc It followeth in the Discourse that mens inventions in Gods worship that be of the same nature and use with true worship or with means of worship ordained by God be unlawfull but method phrase order of speech devised by man was never judged an invention of man unlawfull Answ 1. This hath been alledged and answered before but this further let me adde 1. That the words imply that mens inventions that be not of the same nature and use with the worship of God or with the means thereof are lawfull whereas it is evident that the making of perfume like unto the incense of the Tabernacle though not to the same use in Gods worship but to smell at was rejected of God as utterly unlawfull Exod. 30.38 The making of like things to the ordinances of God or to the means of worship though not to the like end but to any religious end will not be allowed in the second Commandement as Gideons Ephod declareth 2. These set forms of prayer prescribed to the Churches we see not but that they are of the same nature and enjoyned for the same use for which any forms of prayer in Scripture are ordained of God and therefore by the verdict of your Discourse they are unlawfull For as those forms of prayer in Scripture are given of God to supply the Church with fit matter for their petitions and praises upon sundry occasions And for the use to the edification of the Church so the forms now in question are of the like nature given to the like end only injoyned with more strictnesse and severity which maketh both their use lesse profitable and their burthen more heavy then Gods own institutions 3. Method phrase and order of speech devised by men was judged an unlawfull invention by Paul when such wisdom of words in preaching become not the simplicity of the Gospel 1 Cor. 2. therefore it cannot be said that method phrase and order of speech devised by man was never judged an unlawfull invention and surely method phrase order of speech devised and prescribed by one Congregation to another in prayer doth as little beseem liberty and purity of the Gospel as the other in preaching did ill become the simplicity of the Gospel Disc Set prayer is no strange manner of worship because in it all things required to the nature of true prayer may be observed Answ This hath been answered before more goeth to the lawfulnesse of a prayer then the nature of true prayer defect in any circumstance though but in externall form maketh a prayer unlawfull Disc In what method and frame of speech to pray we find nothing prescribed of God in particular neither do we judge any thing necessary more then that order decency and edification be regarded Answ Be it so but how then shall men have power to prescribe to the Churches method and form of speech in prayer when God hath prescribed nothing The Apostles who had the largest and highest Commission of any Church governours in the New Testament yet they had no power to teach or to prescribe to the Churches any other things then what Christ had commanded them Matth. 28.19 20. Say not though no other things yet Church governours may command such and such manner of those things for then a further Commission must be shown where Christ gave to his Apostles or their successors power to ordain and prescribe such and such manner of the administration of his holy things as themselves should see good But we never saw any such commission held forth to this day from any colour of Scripture light that only place 1 Cor. 14.40 which is alledged in this case is farre off from reaching forth any such authority for though the place do shew that it is the duty of the Church to administer all the holy things of God in order and decency and to edification and to see that all things be so carried yet it doth not give to the Church any such power as to make orders or to ordain forms of decency or to devise means of edification which himself hath not ordained the Church may indeed appoint such orders the neglect whereof would be disorderly and confusion as they may appoint one Prophet to speak at once and when another is called to begin the first to hold his peace because the neglect hereof would breed confusion The Church may appoint such decencies the neglect whereof would be undecent as for men to pray bare-headed and women covered because the contrary were uncomely by the light of nature and civill custome The Church may appoint and ought to use such helps and means to edification as the Lord hath instituted to that end but if the Church go beyond the bounds of this power they do at once both exceed the bounds of Apostolicall authority and cut short the bounds of Christian liberty Disc A set form of prayer is for substance and nature agreeable to the rules of direction delivered in the word of truth though for method and word it be humane as conceived prayer is Answ A set form of prayer as it is set by one Congregation for another can find no rule of direction nor any foot-step thereof in the word of truth In saying that for method and words a set form of prayer is humane as conceived prayer is there is the like liberty taken of Sophistry in an equivocation which was observed before for though
why such a necessity as hath been opened of a set devised form of singing should excuse a set form of Psalms and yet not excuse a set form of prayer but rather excuse the people from joyning in it Answ Because there is no necessity at all of a devised set form of prayer unless it be through the sinfull defect of the Ministers gifts in Prayer which is such a necessity as God abhorreth both it and the Minister for it But the necessity of a set form of Psalms is such which God himself hath put for the Celebration of that service with one accord both in heart and voyce as hath been shewed and therefore you might well have forborn that confident expression Disc If Christians shall not exempt themselves from the stinted Prayers used in the Congregation untill a materiall difference be shewed in these particulars and that distinction of Arbitrary and necessary devised forms be approved by solid Reasons and holy Scriptures the world shall end I am confident before they shall separate For you see a materiall difference in these particulars between the necessity of a set form of Psalms and the necessity of a set forme of Prayer The necessity of the one is from Gods Ordinance and therefore warrantable The necessity of the other is from mans Ignorance and such ignorance as maketh him unfit for the Ministeriall Office and therefore sinfull As for the distinction of Arbitrary and necessary devised forms in your sence we neither use it nor approve it And therefore have no cause to bring either holy Scriptures or solid Reasons for the proof of it But in that sence wherein we use it the distinction is so manifest from what we have said already that we think your self will require no further proof of it CHAP. V. Answering to the fourth Reason Disc YOur fourth Reason may be thus contracted If the Spirit of God do work by means and if he stir up good desires yet giveth not ability to expresse our desires in fit and significant words Then it is lawfull for us to use all godly means to stir up the graces of God in us and to premeditate how to utter our Requests in such a form and manner as may best serve for our quickning and the edification of others and if the use of a premeditated form of words in prayer do not stint the Spirit a set form of Prayer cannot be injurious to the Spirit grant the one the other will follow Answ If the speech be of publique prayer the same spirit that giveth the Minister ability to deliver a Sermon in fit and significant tearms doth in like sort give ability to expresse his desires in Prayer in fit and significant tearms no man is called of God to be a Minister of his Church but he is as well apt to Pray as apt to Preach But if the speech be of private persons it is true many good souls have better desires than utterance In regard of which defect or without such defect we willingly condescend to you It is lawfull yea and necessary to him to use all godly means to stir up the graces of God in him and to premeditate how to utter his requests in such sort as best serves for his own quickning the edification of others But this we deny that the using of a prescript form of Prayer upon a book devised and imposed by one man upon another to be used as their Prayer is a godly means to stir up the graces of God in himselfe or to edifie others For that which the Holy Ghost hath not sanctified in his Word for the stirring up of the graces of God in a mans self or others that is not a godly means for such an end But throughout the Scriptures we cannot find any where that the Holy Ghost hath sanctified such a means to such an end And then it is but an Image which will rather teach a form of godlinesse than edifie to the power of it Disc Peradventure they would creep out by saying the Spirit of God is our only helper in the time of Prayer so that though at other times we might use helps to stir up the graces of the Spirit yet not in time of prayer But this distinction is not found in Scripture neither can be deduced by any sound reason from thence The Spirit of God is at all times the sole mover and enabler of us to pray and the use of lawfull means and such as sute with the nature of prayer are at no time unlawfull as it is fit we meditate and read before we pray so it is lawfull in prayer to kneel and lift up our hands and eyes to use the help of the voyce and the benefit of a Christian friend to stir up affection Therefore we may dispute for the lawfullnesse of book Prayer thus if it be lawfull to use externall helps in time of prayer the better to stir up affections then book prayer is not to be condemned Answ To creep out being a borrowed speech from worms It being put upon us holdeth us forth as worms and not as men yea worse than worms Serpents rather than Worms That being compassed in with truth are willing to creep out by any evasion rather than to submit to the authority of the truth But let our reverend and godly brother be intreated not to deal such measures to his Brethren Least the God and Father of us both be displeased and stir up others to returne like measure to you heaped up pressed down shaken together our plain and simple Answer without creeping or shifting Is this that it is lawfll to use any externall or internall helps either before Prayer to prepare us for it or in Prayer to quicken or inlarge us in it provided they be such means and helps as God hath sanctified to such an end at such a time As we readily grant the help of books and meditation before Prayer so we do grant also the help of holy and reverent gestures in Prayer as bowing down the knees and lifting up of the hands and eyes and voyce the presence and assistance of a Christian friend for all these God hath sanctified to help the inward affections of the heart in prayer do but shew that God hath sanctified Book-prayers imposed upon us for our prayers and that by the members of other Congregations and we will neither creep nor start away But willingly blesse the Lord for his goodnesse to you in this case as well as in many others like as Phineas and the Congregation of Israel blessed God for the Rubenites and Gadites that were able to give so good an account of their actions beyond the expectation of their brethren Jos 22. Disc In prayer penned by a godly and well experienced Christian the case of a distressed soul may more pithily and amply be deciphered and anatomized then he of himselfe is able to do it and in such a case to deny him this lawfull help is to take away
the Crutch from the lame and bread from the hungry Answ In case a distressed soul do meet with a prayer penned by a godly and well experienced Christian and do find his own case pithily and amply deciphered and anatomized therein we deny not but his heart and affections may go along with it and say Amen to it And thus far may find it a lawfull help to him but if you set a part such a prayer to support him as a crutch in his prayers as without which he cannot walk straight and upright in that duty or if he that penned that prayer or others that have read it do injoyn it upon him and forbid him to pray especially with others unlesse he use that form this instead of a crutch will prove a cudgell to break the bones of the Spirit in prayer and force him to halt in worshipping God after the precepts of men as it hath been said before so it may be again remembred here a man may help his spirit in meditation of his mortallity by beholding a dead mans scalp cast in his way by Gods providence but if he should set a part a deaths head or take it up as injoyned to him by others never to meditate or conserre with others about his mortality and estate of another life but in the sight and use of the deaths head such a soul shall find but a dead heart and a dead devotion from such a means of mortification if some forms of Prayer especially such as gave occasion to this Dispute do now seem to be as bread to the hungry we say no more but this then hungry souls will never be starved that never want store of such like bread as this is Disc The ample and particular laying out of our necessities doth ease the heart and move affections and when this may be better done by the help of a Book in prayer then of our selves it is senselesse to accuse the use hereof as a lip-labour and a quenching of the spirit he stinteth not the Spirit that labours to blow the coals of grace c. Answ It is true he stinteth not the Spirit nor quencheth him that useth any means sanctified by the Spirit to blow the coals of grace but this we deny that a stinted form of prayer upon a book devised by men and enjoyned to be used as the prayers of a Christian soul is a means sanctified by the Spirit to blow the coals of his grace or that the repeating of such a set form of Prayer though ample and particular in laying out his necessities will ease his heart or move his affections according to God God doth not delight ordinarily to breath in the Masterly injunctions of brethren upon brethren or of one Congregation upon another especially in such things whereof we have neither precept nor president in the Word Disc He doth not substitute his Christian friend in the place of the word and Spirit who not able to lift up his soul to God by reason of straightnesse of heart and grievous pressure doth crave his help and assistance in prayer and may not a godly Book supply the want of a Christian companion Answ It is an ordinance of God to crave the help of the Prayers of our brethren and to joyn with them shew the like warrant for Prayer upon a book prescribed to us and then we will grant a godly book may supply even in this case the lacke of a Christian companion If a Minister be not able to preach by reason of the straightnesse of his heart and grievous pressure he may get his Christian friend to preach for him but he may not make use of a godly homily enjoyned to him by others to supply the lack of a Christian friend Disc Why should it be a sin to read or pronounce a godly form of Prayer is it for that it is read and pronounced or because a man cannot lift up his heart in faith unto God when he uttereth his requests in a stinted form of words to assigne the former is superstition To say the latter is to offend against common experience Answ We do not say it is a sin to read or pronounce a godly form of Prayer but to read a form of Prayer devised by others and to set it a part to read being devised by others enjoyned to me as my Prayer This is sin not because it is pronounced for all publique Prayer is pronounced nor alwayes in private because it is read for as hath been said a man may go along in his spirit and be affected with some Prayer which occasionally he readeth and may lift up his own heart in it to the Lord but a sin it is as it is set apart by himselfe for his Prayer or as it is so enjoyned to him by others and in publique it is of sin both because it is read as the Prayer of the Church and so another book brought into the Church besides Gods Book And because it is devised not by the gift of Gods Spirit in themselves but in others and also because by other it is prescribed or enjoyned to be read as the service and worship of God in another Church For we do not find that ever God gave warrant either for the offering up of read Prayers to God as the ordinary prayers of the Church and least of all for Prayers prescribed and enjoyned by one Church unto another It is so far off from superstition to affirm this that we look at it as a superstition to deny it for to speak of superstition according to the true nature of it and not according to the old Etymologie If superstition be cultus supra statutum there is none of all these kinds whether as read upon a book in the Congregation for their ordinary Prayers or devised by men of other Congregations for that end or as imposed upon us by them but they are all of them and each one of them cultus supra statutum worships and helps and forms of worship which never came into Gods heart to allow for his statute and worship Disc Will any man object that read prayer is not Gods Ordinance It hath been answered already that prayer is the ordinance of God but whether our prayers be onely conceived in heart or uttered by words whether in our own or other words whether by pronouncing or reading that is not appointed when spake he one word of prayer within Book or without in this or that form of words Answ Reply hath been made hereto before as Prayer is an Ordinance of God so are all the lawfull helps and means and forms of Prayer God hath plainly expressed his allowance of Prayer conceived in the heart and of prayer uttered and pronounced by words both in our own words and in the words of others whom God calleth to be our mouths in the present assembly but of set forms of read prayer devised by men of another Congregation and prescribed and imposed upon others it may
the last Besides the common daily blessings which the Discourser instanceth in as faith patience meeknesse love sanctification of Gods name Coming of Christs Kingdome the state of these things doth ever and anon vary and to bind a mans selfe daily to a set form of prayer for such things as the state whereof is so daily varied will bring in a loose and Incongruous kind of prayers fit only for those that do not discern or are not affected with the present state of things either in themselves or others When it is said if it be lawfull to pronounce a set form of prayer then to read it If the meaning be to read it for a prayer the consequence is not firm for though as the Discourser saith the reading of prayer is not impure Yet the praying of read prayers is the using of such a Crutch to pray as he speaketh which God hath not appointed and that maketh such reading impure And though pronouncing cannot make an evill matter good nor simply reading make a good matter evill yet reading to such an end reading a set form of prayer prescribed to me for my prayer maketh to me a Will-worship of that which he that conceived the prayer might lawfully have pronounced The pronouncing of a good Sermon by him that made it is a good and acceptable service to God and his Church But to read a Sermon as my preaching which was made by another maketh it neither so acceptable to God nor to his Church yea the reading of a mans own Sermon instead of preaching will much detract from the life and power of it and make a man of God unserviceable for his place Though reading and pronouncing of a thing be both of them adjuncts and common adjuncts too to that which is pronounced or read yet according to the ends and subjects to which they may be applyed the one may be lawfull the other not indifferent but sinfull the reading of a Sermon for preaching is a sinfull manner of preaching The difference will ever hold between the word read and preached They are two distinct Ordinances CHAP. IX Answering unto the eight Reason THe Jewes before the coming of Christ used a prescript form of Prayer as it is probable and the learned note in the celebration of the Passover and that which they used as is very probable was approved by Christ himself Answ That the Jewes before the coming of Christ did use certain Rites in keeping the Passover It doth appear by the Testimonies alledged as also by Causabon and others And that some forms of Prayer they used according as the severall passages of the Passeover required But it doth not at all appear that they used any set forms of Prayer but onely to that and the like effect and that not by Prescript or Injunction from one to another but leaving every father of a family at his liberty therein much lesse will it appear that our Lord Jesus Christ took up any set forms of Prayer by their example and least of all from their Injunction CHAP. X. Giving Answer to the ninth Reason Disc ALL the reformed Churches at this day do not only tollerate but approve a set form of Liturgie c. Answ We count it a safe course to bewail our own sins and the sins of our fathers whereby we have polluted the holy things of God more or lesse rather than to justifie our own alterations from the rule by their presidents â—reat cause we have to blesse the Lord for the â—reat light which the instruments whom God â—â—ed in reforming all Protestant Churches brought into the dark world and left behind them and yet it is well known in some thing or other all of them more or lesse failed and it is more wonder they should see so much truth out of the midst of darknesse then that they who saw so much should fail in any thing but whereinsoever they failed the generation that have come after them have too closely and ungodly stuck to their examples yea and have been more zealous in the defence thereof than have sought to perfect what they less defective yet this we may truly affirm that we know none of all the reformed forraign Churches that do prescribe a set form of Prayer with necessity to be observed but leave their Minister at liberty to use the same or some other form to the like effect at their own direction which taketh off a great part of sin and burthen of set forms God knoweth how to passe by the remnant of iniquity of the transgression of them that seek him in truth although all the high places be not taken away 2 Chron 15.17 The Lord did not so look at their high places as to reject his people for Idolaters or Superstitious Persons when they sought him in truth of heart though in high places neither yet would he justifie their high places to after Ages by the example and authority of their Ancestors farre be it from us to censure the present Churches of obstinacy who have persisted in the presidents left by our holy ancestors those first reformed yet neither may we be so unfaithfull as to sowe Pillowes under the Elbows no not of publique Churches who knoweth not they have all been more studious and tenacious of what form the doctrine and worship and discipline was left unto them then inquisitive after farther light yea sometimes more inclinable to look back into Aegypt than to hasten towards Canaan it is true we have cause to suspect our selves of error rather than so many glorious lights of former and present times to wit if our faith were built upon our selves we should prefer their judgements and testimony before our own but seeing our faith resteth only on the word of the Lord and his Spirit breathing therein and the Word hath promised more and more light shall break forth in these times till Antichrist be utterly consumed and abolished we shall sin against the Grace and Word of truth if we confine our truth either to the Divines of present or former ages Disc Be that all the Churches may erre in this yet I hope no moderate man can censure them of obstinacy as men not willing to consent to the truth shewed and manifested how then cometh it to passe that none of them hitherto have subscribed to this opinion and to the practice of our brethren of the Separation The true Churches of God cannot erre fundamentally nor obstinately against knowledge but how can they be freed from one of these let the opposites themselves judge Answ Though we do not believe as you do that the true Churches of Christ cannot erre fundamentally but doe conceive for a time they may as the Church of Israel in the golden Calfe and afterwards more dangerously in the crucifying of Christ and many Christian Churches almost all in that time when Hierome complaineth the whole world was become an Arian yet we do not look at the reading of devised prescript forms as a
fundamentall error howbeit any error or sin persisted in against light will in time argue an unsound and corrupt heart in the bottom And although we dare not excuse true Churches as you do from possibility of obstinacy at least in some degree for we see Moses and the Prophets often taxing the Church of Israel of rebellion and obstinacy Deut. 31.27 Jer. 22.21 Ezek. 3.7 yet we dare not think that the Churches of Christ do sin of obstinacy especially of reigning obstinacy in this case For many of them never saw the grounds as have born witnesse against set and prescript read forms of Prayer and those that have seen their grounds have not been convinced of the solidity of them and therefore may not be charged with obstinacy till after they have been convict of sinne herein and yet persist herein against light of conscience which God forbid This Reason from the judgement and practice of other Churches hath been wont to be of great force in former times otherwise the Apostle would never have alledged the practise and consent of the Churches to confirm the faithfull and to stop the mouths of the contentious Acts 15.22.28 1 Cor. 11.16 and 14.34 Answ The Argument from the practice and judgement of Churches was of greater force in the Apostles time than ever since the estate of the Churches as then remained tanquam intemerata virgo whilest the Apostles and the Apostolique men lived men that could not erre themselves and were more watchfull and zealous than to suffer any error to get head in any of the Churches but let them that press the like argument now let them shew us the like infallibillity vigilancy and zeal of the guides of the Churches in these dayes and we shall readily captivate our own judgements to such divine testimony otherwise the judgement of Churches now being but humane testimony unlesse it might appear grounded in Scripture warrant we only hearken thus far to an Argument taken from the Churches as reverently and meekly to attend to it and if it dissent from Scripture yet still to bear with meeknesse and patience and brotherly love any failing which is found in them but not therefore to approve and justifie all their proceedings CHAP. XI Touching the other Question of the peoples joyning in prayer with the reading of a devised prescript Liturgie FInally your Discourse cometh along to make good a third assertion which you had at first made a part of the state of the Question to wit Disc That though it were unlawfull for the Ministers to use a prescript form of prayer yet no reason can be shewed why it should be unwarrantable for the people to be present at such prayers and assemblies Answ We conceive that good reason may be shewed Why if it be unlawfull for the Minister to pray upon a book a devised and prescript form of prayer it is unlawfull likewise for the people so to be present at it as to joyn with it or seem to joyn with it Our first reason is taken from the unity of the Church if the Officers or Ministers and all the members of the Church be one body as they are said to be 1 Cor. 10.17 the sinne of the Minister of the Church openly committed in the publique worship of God is the sin of them all that do joyne with him and do not bear witnesse against his sinne according to God A second Reason may be taken from the compactnesse of Gods worship and communion which all the members in the Church have in it all the worship of God in the Churches of Christ is put up to God as well by the people as by the Ministers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with one accord Acts 1.14 The Prayer of the Minister is the Prayer of them the matter of his prayer is the matter of all their prayers the form of his prayer I speak of the externall form which is that wherein they can joyn is the form of them if then it be unlawfull for the Minister to pray upon a book a devised prescript form of prayer it is alike unlawfull for the people to joyn with him Disc The people are commanded to examine themselves before they draw nigh unto the presence of God but not to examine whether the Ministers pray in one form or other Answ The members of the Church are not indeed to examine the secret sins of any but themselves but the open sins of any of their brethren they ought to admonish one another thereof and to prevent with holy watchfullnesse the sinnes of one another else the sin of one Achan becometh the sin and plague of all Israel Joshua 7.11 12. Disc If the Minister pray coldly as they say all reading of stinted forms maketh but cold prayer a drawing nigh to God with the lips when the heart is far from him yet this is the fault of the Minister only not of all that are present for such may be the Ministers fault to pray coldly even in a conceived forme Answ First We do not say for our parts that all praying upon a book or instituted forms is but cold prayer because God may pardon the ignorance of his people and accept the sincerity of their hearts help them with some spirituall affections even in such prayers howbeit a form of prayer not allowed of God will not of it self affect the heart with heavenly warmth neither do we say that the coldnesse of the Ministers heart in prayer if it spring from the inward corruption of his own spirit doth wrap the people into the fellowship of the same sinne de secretis non Judicat Ecclesia nor is it defiled by the tolleration of secret sins in others But if the people be convinced that the reading of prayer upon a book prescribed to them by man is a sin against the second Commandement and so no true help or means of Gods worship is therefore some hinderance and impediment to it then the people shall be guilty not only of the fellowship of those forms of Prayer but also of the coldness of the Ministers heart therein if they willingly joyn in that which corrupteth and cooleth his spirit Disc Coldnesse and lip-labour in prayer is not helped with Separation but by joyning the inward affections of the heart with the outward Service Answ True if the coldnesse spring onely from the corruption of the Ministers heart and not from the unsanctified means and helplesse help of Prayer which he useth to wit a prescript form of book-prayer but as no man can wash his hands from sin that removeth not away all outward occasions of such sin as much as in him lyeth from himself and others so no man can be freed from the guilt of such coldnesse as the Minister and the people do contract by the customary use of such devised prescript forms of Prayer if he do not so much as in him lyeth remove such occasions of evil from them Disc The Jewes used a stinted form of prayer
or Liturgie in the Synagogues at the celebration of the Passeover before the dayes of our Saviour Christ yet Christ never perswaded the people to absent themselves nor did he withdraw himself but resorted to their Synagogues and the Temple as did also his Apostles after his ascension Answ Of the Jewish forms of Prayer we have spoken before And have justly denied that they took up any book prayers devised by others prescribed to them and therefore no marvell if neither Christ nor his Apostles withdrew themselves from them seeing the outward face of administrations was only of Gods Ordinances not of the inventions of men at the least so farre as not to draw them into fellowship or communion with them therein the corruptions sound amongst them both in doctrine and worship Christ and his Apostles did freely bear witnesse against both to themselves and the people Disc It is not lawfull to separate from the Churches or assemblies of the Saints in whose fellowship we may serve God with an holy worship and believe in him with an holy faith for if a prayer conceived in the heart and uttered with the voice be a pure service of God the same read upon a book becometh not impure to them that hear it with holy affections Answ We do not separate from the Church and assembly of the Saints but willingly joyn with you in every part of your holy worship and in every doctrine of your holy faith only we withdraw our selves from such parts of your administrations wherein we cannot joyn with you but wrap our selves into the fellowship of such sin which in our consciences we see committed by you How the same Prayer conceived by the spirit of a Minister and pronounced in his own and in the peoples name to God may be a pure service to God yet the same written in a book and prescribed to others to be read by them as their Prayers may be an unlawfull form of worship hath been shewed above it is wearisome to repeat the same things so often Disc Lastly The Scribes and the Pharisees sinned grievously in corrupting the Law with their false glosses and defiling the worship of God with their own inventions neverthelesse the faithfull held fellowship and communion with them in the worship of God and that by the approbation of the Prophets and of Christ himself but surely the health of the Church is more crazed by such great infirmities than by the onely toleration and use of a prescript form of prayer Answ The substance of this objection hath been answered even now the faithfull did and might lawfully joyn in worshiping God in his own Ordinances notwithstanding the accidentall pollution which the Scribes and Pharisees brought in both in doctrine and worship for corruptions in doctrine do not draw the hearers into fellowship of the same faith if they beware of the leaven of such doctrine and bear witnesse against it in time and place according to God as for the pollutions in worship they chiefly lay in their private superstitious devotions of washing their hands and pots and cups and brazen vessels and not in their outward administrations of publique Ordinances especially in such wherein their act and the peoples was offered up together with one accord but there is not the like reason of publique Prayer wherein both Minister and people do all joyn together as one man with one accord where any known sin in the outward administration of the Minister is the sin of all the people that joyn with him The Lord give us hearts to deny our selves and to sit close to him that he may delight to lead us on by his spirit of truth in all truth and goodnesse and still delight to be mercifull to us in pardoning and healing all our forms and present pollutions for his holy Names sake in Jesus Christ Amen Amen FINIS