it is all alike to him for in it selfe it is to him as nothing But God accepts it by its proportion and commensuration to us That which we call our best and is truly so in humane estimate that pleases God for it declares that if we had better we would give it him But to reserve the best sayes too plainly that we think anything is good enough for him As therefore God in the Law would not be served by that which was imperfect in genere naturae so neither now nor ever will that please him which is imperfect in genere morum or materiâ intellectuali when we can give a better Well then in the nature of the thing ex tempore forms have much the worse of it But it is pretended that there is such a thing as the gift of Prayer a praying with the Spirit Et nescit tarda mâ—limina spiritus sancti gratia Gods Spirit if he pleases can doe his work as well in an instant as in long premeditation And to this purpose are pretended those places of Scripture which speak of the assistance of Gods Spirit in our prayers Zeth 12. 10. And I will poure upon the house of David and the inhabitants of Ierusalem the spirit of grace and supplication But especially Rom. 8. 2â— Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered c. From whence the Conclusion that is inferred is in the words of Saint Paul That we must pray with the spirit therefore not with set formes therefore ex tempore The Collection is somewhat wild for there is great independence in the severall parts and much more is in the Conclusion then was virtually in the premises But such as it is the Authors of it I suppose will owne it And therefore we will examine the maine designe of it and then consider the particular meanes of its perswasion quoted in the objection It is one of the priviledges of the Gospel and the benefit of Christs ascension that the holy Ghost is given unto the Church and to become to us the fountaine of gifts and graces But these gifts and graces are improvements and helps of our naturall faculties of our art and industry not extraordinary miraculous and immediate infusions of habits and gifts That without Gods Spirit we cannot pray aright that our infirmities need his help that we know not what to aske of our selves is most true and if ever any Heretique was more confident of his owne naturals or did ever more undervalue Gods grace then ever the Pelagian did yet he denyes not this But what then Therefore without study without art without premeditation without learning the spirit gives the gift of prayer and it is his grace that without any naturall or artificiall help makes us pray extempore No such thing The Objection proves nothing of this Here therefore we will joyn issue whether the gifts and helps of the Spirit be immediate infusions of the Faculties and powers and perfect abilityes Or that he doth assist us onely by his aydes externall and internall in the use of such meanes which God and nature hath given to man to ennoble his soule better his Faculties and to improve his understanding That the aydes of the holy Ghost are onely assistances to us in the use of naturall and artificiall meanes I will undertake to prove and from thence it will evidently follow that labour and hard study and premeditation will soonest purchase the gift of prayer and ascertain us of the assistance of the spirit and therefore set formes of prayer studyed and considerd of are in a true and proper sense and without enthusiasme the fruits of the spirit 1. Gods Spirit did assist the Apostles by wayesâ— extraordinary and fit for the first institution of Christianity but doth assist us now by the expresses of those first assistances which he gave to them immediately So that the holy Ghost is the author of our faith and we beleeve with the spirit it is Saint Pauls expression and yet our beliefe comes by hearing and reading the holy Scriptures and their interpretations Now reconcile these two together Faith comes by hearing and yet is the gift of the Spirit and it sayes that the gifts of the Spirit are not extasies and immediate infusions of habits but helps from God to enable us upon the use of the meanes of his owne appointment to beleeve to speak to understand to prophecy and to pray 2. And that these are for this reason called gifts and graces and issues of the Spirit is so evident and notorious that the speaking of an ordinary revealed truth is called in Scripture a speaking by the Spirit 1 Cor. 12. 8. No man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost For if the holy Ghost supplyes us with materials and fundamentals for our building it is then enough to denominate the whole edifice to be of him although the labour and the workmanship be ours upon another stock And this is it which the Apostle speakes 1 Cor. 2. 13. Which things also we speak not in the words which mans wisdome teacheth but which the holy Ghost teacheth comparing spirituall things with spirituall The holy Ghost teaches yet it is upon our cooperation our study and endeavour while we compare spirituall things with spirituall the holy Ghost is said to teach us because these spirituals were of his suggestion and revelation 3. For it is a rule of the Schoole and there is much reason in it Habitus infusi infunduntur per modum acquisitorum whatsoever is infused into us is in the same manner infused as other things are acquired that is step by step by humane means and cooperation and grace does not give us new faculties and create another nature but meliorates and improves our owne And what S. Paul said in the Resurrection is also true in this Question That is not first which is spirituall but that which is naturall and then that which is spirituall The graces and gifts of the Spirit are postnate and are additions to art and nature God directs our councels opens our understandings regulates our will orders our affections supplyes us with objects and arguments and opportunities revelations in scriptis and then most when we most imploy our owne endeavours God loving to blesse all the means and instruments of his service whether they be naturall or acquisite But whosoever shall looke for any other gifts of the spirit besides the parts of nature helped by industry and Gods blessing upon it and the revelations or the supplyes of matter in holy Scripture will be very farre to seeke having neither reason promise nor experience of his side For why should the spirit of Prayer be any other than as the gift and spirit of faith as S. Paul calls it 2. Cor. 4. 13. acquired by humane meanes using
divine aids that is by our endeavours in hearing reading Catechizing desires to obey and all this blessed and promoted by God this produces faith And if the spirit of Prayer be of greater consequence and hath a promise of a speciall prerogative let the first be proved and the second but shewne in any good record and then I will beleeve it too 4. And the parallel of this argument I the rather urge because I find praying in the holy Ghost joyned with graces which are as much Gods gifts and productions of the spirit as any thing in the world and yet which the Apostle presses upon us as duties and things put into our power and to be improved by our industry and those are faith in which I before instanced and charity Epist. Iud. ver. 20. But ye beloved building up your selves in your most holy Faith praying in the holy Ghost keep your selves in the love of God All of the same consideration Faith and Prayer and Charity all gifts of the Spirit and yet build up your selves in faith and keep your selves in love and therefore by a parity of reason improve your selves in the spirit of prayer that is God by his spirit having supplyed us with matter let our industry and co-operations per modum naturae improve these gifts and build upon this foundation So that in effect praying in the holy Ghost or with the spirit is nothing but prayer for such things and in such manner which God by his spirit hath taught us in holy Scripture Holy Prayers Spirituall songs so the Apostle calls one part of prayer viz. Eucharisticall or thanksgiving that is prayers or songs which are spirituall in materiâ And if they be called spirituall for the efficient cause too the holy Ghost being the author of them it comes all to one for therefore he is the cause and giver of them because he hath in his word revealed what things we are to pray for and there also hath taught us the manner And this is exactly the Doctrine I plainly gather from the objected words of Saint Paul The spirit helpeth our infirmities How so it followes immediately For we know not what we should pray for as we ought So that therefore he is the spirit of supplication and prayer because he teaches us what to ask and how to pray so he helps our infirmities {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} it is in the Greek Collaborantem adjuvat It is an ingeminate expression of helping us in our labours together with him Now he that shall say this is not sufficiently done by Gods spirit in scripture by Prayers and Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall songs and precepts concerning prayer set downe in that holy repository of truth and devotion undervalues that inestimable treasure of the spirit and if it be sufficiently done there he that will multiply his hopes farther then what is sufficient may possibly deceive himselfe but never deceive God and make him multiply and continue miracles to justifie his fancy 5. Better it is to follow the Scriptures for our guide as in all things else so in this particular Ephes. 6. 17 18. Take the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God Praying alwayes with all prayer and supplication in the spirit The Word of God is the sword of the Spirit praying in the Spirit is one way of using it indeed the onely way that he here specifies Praying in the Spirit then being the using of this Sword and this Sword being the Word of God it followes evidently that praying in the Spirit is praying in or according to the Word of God that is in the direrections rules and expresses of the Word of God that is of the holy Scriptures The summe is this Whatsoever this gift is or this spirit of Prayer it is to be acquired by humane industry by learning of the Scriptures by reading by conference and by whatsoever else faculties are improved and habits inlarged Gods Spirit hath done his work sufficiently this way and he loves not either in nature or grace which are his two great sanctions to multiply miracles when there is no need 6. So that now I demand Whether or no since the expiration of the age of miracles does not Gods Spirit most assist us when we most endeavour and most use the meanes He that sayes No discourages all men from reading the Scriptures from industry from meditation from conference from humane Arts and Sciences and from whatsoever else God and good Lawes provoke us to by proposition of rewards But if Yea as most certainly God will best crown the best endeavours then the spirit of Prayer is greatest in him who supposing the like capacities and opportunities studies hardest reades most practices most religiously deliberates most prudently and then by how much want of means is worse then the use of means by so much ex tempore Prayers are worse then deliberate and studyed Excellent therefore is the counsell of S. Peter 1 Ep. Chap. 4. ver. 11. If any man speak let him speak as the Oracles of God not lightly then and inconsiderately If any man minister let him doe it as of the ability which God giveth great reason then to put all his abilities and faculties to it and whether of the two does most likely doe that he that takes paines and considers and discusses and so approves and practices a forme or he that never considers what he sayes till he sayes it needs not much deliberation to passe a sentence 7. Lastly did not the Penmen of the Scripture write the Epistles and Gospels respectively all by the Spirit Most certainly holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the holy Ghost saith Saint Peter And certainly they were moved by a more immediate motion and a motion neerer to an Enthusiasme then now adayes in the gift and spirit of Prayer And yet in the midst of those great assistances and motions they did use study art industry and humane abilities This is more then probable in the different styles of the severall Books some being of admirable art others lower and plaine The words were their own at least sometimes not the holy Ghosts And if the Fathers and Grammarians were not deceived by â—alse Copies but that they truely did observe sometimes to be propriety of expression in the language sometimes not true Greeke who will think those errors or imperfections in Grammar were in respect of the words I say precisely immediate inspirations and dictates of the holy Ghost and not rather their own productions of industry and humanity But cleerly some of their words were the words of Aratus some of Epimenides some of Menander some of S. Paul This speak I not the Lord 1 Cor. 7. and yet because the holy Ghost renewed their memory improved their understanding supplyed to some their want of humane learning and so assisted them that they should not commit an error in fact or opinion neither in the narrative nor dogmaticall parts therefore
they writ by the Spirit Since then we cannot pretend upon any grounds of probability to an inspiration so immediate as theirs and yet their assistances which they had from the Spirit did not exclude humane arts and industry but that the ablest Scholler did write the best much rather is this true in the gifts and assistances we receive and particularly in the gift of Prayer it is not an ex tempore and an inspired faculty but the faculties of nature and the abilities of art and industry are improved and ennobled by the supervening assistances of the Spirit And now let us take a man that pretends he hath the gift of Prayer and loves to pray ex tempore I suppose his thoughts goe a little before his tongue I demand then Whether cannot this man when it is once come into his head hold his tongue and write downe what he hath conceived If his first conceptions were of God and Gods Spirit then they are so still even when they are written Or is the Spirit departed from him upon the sight of a pen and Ink-horne It did use to be otherwise among the old and new Prophets whether they were Prophets of Prediction or of ordinary Ministery But if his conception may be writtâ—n and being writtâ—n is still a production of the Spirit then it followes that set forms of Prayer deliberate and described may as well be a praying with the Spirit as sudden formes and ex tempore out-lets Now the case being thus put I would faine know what the difference is betweene deliberate and ex tempore Prayers save onely that in these there is lesse consideration and prudence for that the other are at least as much as them the productions of the Spirit is evident in the very case put in this very argument and whether to consider and to weigh them be any disadvantage to our devotions I leave it to all wise men to determine So that in effect since after the pretended assistance of the Spirit in our Prayers we may write them downe consider them try the spirits and ponder the manner the reason and the religion of the addresse let the world judge whether this sudden utterance and ex tempore forms be any thing else but a direct resolution not to consider before-hand what we speak But let us look a little further into the mysterie and see what is meant in Scripture by praying with the spirit In what sense the holy Ghost is called the spirit of prayer I have already shewne viz. by the same reason as he is the spirit of faith of prudence of knowledge of understanding and the like But praying with the spirit hath besides this other senses also in Scripture I find in one place that then we pray with the Spirit when the holy Ghost does actually excite us to desires and earnest tendencies to the obtaining our holy purposes when he gives us zeale and devotion charity and fervour spirituall violence and holy importunity This sense is also in the latter part of the objected words of Saint Paul Rom. 8. The spirit it selfe maketh intercession for us with groanings c. Indeed this is truly a praying in the spirit but this will doe our reverend Brethren of the Assembly little advantage as to the present Question For this spirit is not a spirit of utterance not at all clamorous in the eares of the people but cryes loud in the eares of God with grâ—anes unutterable so it followes and onely He that searcheth the heart he understandeth the meaning of the spirit This is the spirit of the Sonne which God hath senâ— into our hearts not into our tongues whereby we cry Abba Father Gal. 4. 6. And this is the great {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} for mentall Prayer which is properly and truly praying by the Spirit Another praying with the Spirit I find in that place of Saint Paul from whence this expression is taken and commonly used I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the understanding also Here they are opposed or at least declared to be things severall and disparate where by the way observe that praying with the spirit even in sense of Scripture is not alwayes most to edification of the people Not alwayes with understanding And when these two are separated S. Paul prefers five words with understanding before ten thousand in the spirit For this praying with the spirit was indeed then a gift extraordinary and miraculous like as prophecying with the spirit and expired with it But while it did last it was the lowest of gifts Inter dona linguarum it was but a gift of the tongue and not to be the benefit of the Church rectly or immediately By the way onely If Saint Paul did so undervalue the praying with the Spirit that he preferred edifying the Church a thousand degrees beyond it I suppose he would have beene of the samâ— mind if this Question had beene between praying with the Spirit and obeying our superiors as he was when it was between praying with the Spirit and edification of the Church because it I be not mistaken it is matter of great concernment towards the edication of the Church to obey our superiours not to innovate in publick formes of worshâ—p especially with the scandall and offence of very wise and learned men and to the disgrace of the dead Martyrs who sealed our Liturgy with their blood But to return In this place praying with the Spirit is no more than my spirit praying For so S. Paul joynes them as terms identicall and expressive one of anothers meaning as you may please to read ver. 14. and 15. 1 Cor. 14. I will pray with the Spirit and my Spirit truly prayeth It is the act of our inner man praying holy and spirituall Prayers But then indeed at that time there was somthing extraordianary joyned for it was in an unknowne tongue the practice of which Saint Paul there dislikes This also will be to none of their purposes For whether it were Extempore or by premeditation is not here expressed or if it had yet that assistance extraordinary in prayer if there was any beside the gift of tongues which I much doubt is no more transmitted to us then the speaking tongues in the spirit or prophecying Extempore and by the spirit But I would adde also one experiment which S. Paul also there addes by way of instance If praying with the spirit in this place be praying ex tempore then so is singing too For they are expressed in the same place in the same manner to the same end and I know no reason why these should be differing senses put upon them to â—erve pâ—rposes And now lâ—t us have some Church-musicke too though the Organs be pulled down and let any the â—est Pâ—almâ—st of them all compose a hymne in â—etricall forme and sing it to a new tune with perfect and true musick and all this extempore For all this the holy
Ghost can doe if he pleases But if it be said that the Corâ—nthian Christians composed their songs and hymnes according to art and rules of musick by study and industry and that to this they were assisted by the Spirit and that this together with the devotion of their spirit was singing with the spirit then say I so composing set forms of Liturgy by skil and prudence and humane industry may be as much praying with the spirit as the other is singing with the spirit Plainely enough In all the senses of praying with the spirit and in all its acceptations in Scripture to pray or sing with the spirit neither of them of necessity implyes extempore The summe or Collecta of the premises is this Praying with the spirit is either when the spirit stirres up our desires to pray Per motionem actualis auxilii or when the spirit teaches us what or how to pray telling us the matter and manner of our prayers Or lastly dictating the very words of our prayers There is no other way in the world to pray with the spirit or in the holy Ghost that is pertinent to this Question And of this last manner the Scripture determines nothing nor speakes any thing expressely of it and yet suppose it had we are certaine the holy Ghost hath supplyed us with all these and yet in set formes of prayer best of all I meane there where a difference can be For as for the desires and actuall motions or incitements to pray they are indifferent to one or the other to set formes or to extempore a. But as to the matter and manner of prayer it is cleerly contained in the expresses and set formes of Scriptures and it is supplyed to us by the spirit for he is the great Dâ—ctator of it Now thâ—n for the very words No man can assure me that the words of his ex tempore prayer are the words of the holy Spirit it is not â—eason nor modesty to expect such immediate assistances to so little purpose he having supplyed us with abilities more then enough to expresse our desires aliunde otherwise then by immediate dictate But if we will take Davids Psalter or the other hymnes of holy Scripture or any of the Prayers which are respersed over the Bible we are sure enough that they are the words of Gods Spirit mediately or immediately by way of infusion or extasie by vision or at least by ordinary assistance And now then what greater confidence can any man have for the excellency of his Prayer and the probability of their being accepted then when he prayes his Psalter or the Lords prayer or another office which he finds consigned in Scripture When Gods Spirit stirs us up to an actuall devotion and then we use the matter he hath described and taught and the very words which Christ and Christs Spirit and the Apostles and other persons full of the holy Ghost did use if in the world there be any praying with the Spirit I meane in vocall prayer this is it And thus I have examined the intire and full scope of this Question and riâ—â—ed their Objection Now I shâ—ll proceed to some few arguments which are more extrinsecall to the nature of the thing It is a practice prevailing among those of our Brethren that are zealous for ex tempore prayers to pray their Sermons over to reduce their doctrine into Devotion and Lyturgie I mislike it not for the thing it â—elâ—e if it were done regularly for the manner and the matter were alwayes pious and true But who shall assure me when the preacher hath disputed or rather dogmatically decreed a point of predestination or of prescience of contingency or of liberty or any of the most mysterious parts of Divinity and then prayes his Sermon over that he then prayes with the Spirit Unlesse I be sure that he also preached with the Spirit I cannot be sure that he prayes with the spirit for all he prayes extempore Nay if I heare a Protestant preach in the morning and an Anabaptist in the afternoone to day a Presbyterian to morrow an Independant am I most sure that when they have preached Contradictoryes and all of them pray their Sermons over that they doe not all pray with the spirit More then one in this case cannot pray with the spirit possibly all may pray against him 2. From whence I thus argue in behalfe of set formes of prayer That in the case above put how shall I or any man else say Amen to their prayers that preach and pray contradictoryes At least I am much hindred in my devotion For besides that it derives our opinions into our devotions makes every schoole point become our religion and makes God a party so farre as we can intitling him to our impertinent wranglings Besides this I say while we should attend to our addresses towards God we are to consider whether the point be true or no and by that time we have â—acitly discoursed it we are upon another point which also perhaps is as Questionable as the former and by this time our spirit of devotion is a little discomposed and something out of countenance there is so much other imployment for the spirit the spirit of discerning and judging All which inconveniences are avoyded in set formes of Liturgy For we know before hand the conditions of our Communion and to what we are to say Amen to which if we like it we may repayre if not there is no harm done your devotion shall not be surprized nor your Communion invaded as it may be and often is in your extempore prayers And this things hath another collaterall inconvenience which is of great consideration for upon what confidence can we sollicite any Recusants to come to our Church where we cannot promise them that the devotions there to be used shall be innocent nor can we put him into a condition to judge for himselfe If he will venture he may but we can use no argument to make him choose our Churches though he should quit his owne 3. But againe let us consider with sobriety Are not those prayers and hymnes in holy Scripture excellent compositions admirable instruments of devotion full of piety rare and incomparable addresses to God Dare any man with his gift of Prayer pretend that he can exâ—tempore or by study make better Who dares pretend that he hath a better spirit then David had or then the Apostles and Prophets and other holy persons in Scripture whose Prayers and Psalmes are by Gods Spirit consigned to the use of the Church for ever Or will it be denyed but that they also are excellent directories and patterns for prayer And if patternes the neerer we draw to our example are not the imitations and representments the better And what then if we took the samplers themselves is there any imperfection in them and can we mend them and correct Magnificat In a just proportion and commensuration I argue so concerning the primitive
and ancient formes of Church service which are composed according to those so excellent patternes which if they had remained pure as in their first institution or had alwayes beene as they have beene reformed by the Church of England they would against all defiance put in for the next place to those formes of Liturgy which Mutatis mutandis are nothing but the words of Scripture But I am resolved at this present not to enter into Question concerning the matter of prayers But for the forme this I say further 4. That the Church of God hath the promise of the spirit made to her in generall to her in her Catholicke and united capacity to the whole Church first then to particular Churches then in the lowest seate of the Category to single persons Now then I infer if any single persons will have us to beleeve without all possibility of proofe for so it must be that they pray with the Spirit for how shal they be able to prove the spirit actually to abâ—de in those single persons then much rather must we beleeve it of the Church which by how much the more generall it is so much the more of the spirit she is likely to have and then if there be no errors in the matter the Church hath the advantage and probability on her side and if there be an error in matter in either of them they faile of their pretences neither of them have the spirit But the publick spirit in all reason is to be trusted before the private when there is a contestation the Church being Prior potior in promissis she hath a greater and prior title to the spirit And why the Church hath not the spirit of prayer in her compositions as well as any of her children I desire once for all to be satisfied upon true grounds either of reason or revelation 5. Or if the Church shall be admitted to have the giâ—t and the spirit of prayer given unto her by virtue of the great promise of the spirit to abide with her for ever yet for all this she is taught to pray in a set forme of prayer and yet by the spirit too For what thinke we When Christ taught us to pray in that incomparable modell the Lords Prayer if we pray that prayer devoutly and with pious and actuall intention doe we not pray in the Spirit of Christ as much as if we prayed any other forme of words pretended to be taught us by the spirit We are sure that Christ and Christs Spirit taught us this Prayer they onely gather by conjectures and opinions that in their extempore formes the spirit of Christ teaches them So much then as certainties are better then uncertainties and God above man so much is this set forme besides the infinite advantages in the matter better than their extempore formes in the forme it selfe 6. If I should descend to minates and particulars I could instance in the behalfe of set forms that God prescribed to Moses a set form of prayer and benediction to be used when he did blesse the people 7. That Moses composed a song or hymne for the children of Israel to use to all their generations 8. That David composed many for the service of the tabernacle 9. That Solomon and the holy Kings of Iudah brought them in and conâ—inued them in the ministration of the temple 10. That all Scripture is written for our learning since all these and many more set forms of prayer left there upon record it is more then probable that they were left there for our use and devotion 11. That S. Iohn Baptist taught his Diciples a forme of prayer 12. And that Christs Disciples begged the same favour and it was granted as they desired it 13. And that Christ gave it not onely inmassâ materiae but in forma verborum not in a confused heap of matter but in an exact composure of words it makes it evident he intended it not onely proregula petendorum for a direction of what things we are to aske but also proforma orationis for a set forme of Prayer In which also I am most certainly confirmed besides the universall testimony of Gods Church so attesting it in the precept which Christ added When ye pray pray after this manner and indeed it points not the matter onely of our prayers but the forme of it the manner and the matter of the addresse both But in the repetition of it by Saint Luke the preceptive words seem to limit us and direct us to this very forme of words When ye pray say Our Father c. 14. I could also adde the example of all the Jewes and by consequence of our blessed Saviour who sung a great part of Davids Psalter in their Feast of Passeover which part is called by the Jewes the great Hallelu-jah it begins at the 113. Psalme and ends at the 118. inclusively And the Scripture mentions it as part of our blessed Saviours devotion and of his Disciples that they sung a Psalme 15. That this afterward became a Precept Evangelical that we should praise God in Hymnes Psalmes and spirituall songs which is a forme of Lyturgie in which we sing with the spirit but yet cannot make our Hymnes ex tempore it would be wild â—tuffe if we should goe about it 16. And lastly that a set-forme of worship and addresse to God was recorded by Saint Iohn and sung in heaven and it was composed out of the songs of Moses Exod. 15. of David Psal. 145. and of Ieremy Chap. 10. 6 7. which certainly is a very good precedent for us to imitate although but revealed to Saint Iohn by way of vision and extasie All which and many more are to meâ—as so many arguments of the use excellency and necessity of set-formes of Prayer for publike Lyturgies as and of greatest conveniencies even for private devotions 17. And so the Church of God in all Ages did understand it I shall not multiply authorities to this purpose for they are too many and various but shall onely observe two great instances of their beliefe and practice in this particular 1. The one is the perpetuall use and great Eulogies of the Lords Prayer assisted by the many Commentaries of the Fathers upon it 2. The other is that solemne forme of benediction and mysticall prayer as Saint Augustine calls it Lib. 3. de Trinit. c. 4. which all Churches and themselves said it was by Ordinance Apostolicall used in the Consecration of the blessed Sacrament But all of them used the Lords Prayer in the Canon and office of Consecration and other prayers taken from Scripture so Iustin Martyr testifies that the Consecration is made per preces verbi Dei by the prayers taken from the Word of God and the whole Canon was short determined and mysterious Who desires to be further satisfied in this particular shal find enough in Walafridus Strabo Aymonius Cassander Flacius Illyricus Iosephus Vicecomes and the other Ritualists and
in the old offices themselves So that I need not put you in mind of that famous doxologie of the Gloria Patri c. nor the Trisagion nor any of those memorable hymnes used in the ancient Church so knownly and frequently that the beginning of them came to be their name and they were knowne more by their owne words then the Authors inscription At last when some men that thought themselves better gifted would be venturing at conceived formes of their owne there was a timely restraint made in the Councell of Milevis in Africa Placuit ut preces quae probaâ—ae fuerint in Coâ—ciliâ— ab omnibus celebrentur nec aliae omnino dicanâ—ur in Ecclesia nisi quae à prudentioribus faâ—tae fuerint in Synodo That 's the restraint and prohibition publike prayers must be such as are publikely appointed and prescribed by our superiours and no private forms of our conceiving must be used in the Church The reason followes Ne forte aliquid contra â—idem vel per ignâ—rantiaâ— vel per minus studium â—it compositum Lest through ignorance or want of deliberation any thing be spoken in our prayers against faith and good manners The reason is good and they are eare-witnesses oâ— it that heare the variety of prayers before and after Sermons there where the Directory is practiced where to speak most modestly not onely their private opinions but also humane interests and their owne personall concernments and wild fancies borne perhaps not two daies before are made the objects of the peoples hopes of their desires and their prayers and all in the meane time pretend to the holy Spirit I will not now instance in the vaine-glory that is appendant to these ex tempore formes of prayer where the gift of the man is more then the devotion of the man nor will I consider that then his gift is best when his prayer is longest and if he take a complâ—cency in his gift as who is not apt to doe it he will be sure to extend his prayer till a suspicious and scrupulous man would be apt to say his prayer pressed hard upon that which our blessed Saviour reprehended in the Pharisees who thought to be heard for their much babling But these things are accidentall to the nature of the thing And therefore though they are too certainly consequent to the person yet I will not be too severe but preserve my selfe on the surer side of charitable construction which truly I desire to keep not onely to their persons whom I much reverence but also to their actions But yet I durst not doe the same thing even for these last reasons though I had no other But it is objected that in set formes of Prayer we restraine and confine the blessed Spirit and in conceived formes when every man is left to his liberty then the Spirit is free unlimited and unconstrained I answer either their conceived formes I use their owne words though indeed the expression is very inartificiall are premeditate and described or they are ex tempore If they be premeditate and described then the Spirit is as much limited in their conceived formes as in the Churches conceived forms For as to this particular it is all one who describes and limits the forme whether the Church or a single man does it still the Spirit is in constraint and limit So that in this case they are not angry at set formes of Prayer but that they doe not make them And if it be replyed that if a single person composes a set forme he may alter it if he please and so his spirit is at liberty I answer so may the Church if she see cause for it and unlesse there be cause the single person will not alter it unlesse he doe things unreasonable and without cause So that it will be an unequall and a peevish quarrell to allow of set formes of prayer made by private persons and not of set formes made by the publike spirit of the Church It is evident that the Spirit is limited in both alike But if by Conceived formes in this objection they meane ex tempore prayers for so they most generally practice it and that in the use of these the liberty of the spirit is best preserved To this I answer that the being ex tempore or premeditaâ—e will be wholly impertinent to this Question of limiting the spirit For there may be great liberty in set formes even when there is much variety and there may be great restraint in ex tempore prayers even then when it shall be called unlawfull to use set formes That the spirit is restrained or that it is free in either is accidentall to them both for it may be either free or not free in both as it may happen But the restraint is this that every one is not left to his liberty to pray how he list with premeditation or without it makes not much matter but that he is prescribed unto by the spirit of another But if it be a fault thus to restraine the spirit I would faine know is not the spirit â—estrained when the whole Congregation shall be confined to the forme of this one mans composing or it shall be unlawfull or at least a disgrace and disparagement to use any set formes especially of the Churches composition More plainly thus 2. Doth not the Minister confine and restraine the spirit of the Lords People when they are tyed to his forme It would sound of more liberty to their spirits that every one might make a prayer of his owne and all pray together and not be forced or confined to the Ministers single dictate and private spirit It is true it would breed confusions and therefore they might pray silently till the Sermon began and not for the avoiding one inconvenience runne into a greater and to avoid the disorder of a popular noyse restraine the blessed Spirit for even in this case as wel as in the other Where the spirit of God is there must be liberty 3. If the spirit must be at liberty who shall assure us this liberty must be in formes of prayer And if so whether also it must be in publike prayer and will it not suffice that it be in private And if in publike prayers is not the liberty of the spirit sufficiently preserved in that the publicke spirit is free That is the Church hath power upon occasion to alter and increase her Letanyes By what argument shall any man make it so much as probable that the holy Ghost is injured if every private Ministers private spirit shall be guided and therefore by necessary consequence limited by the authority of the Churches publick spirit 4. Does not the Directory that thing which is here called restraining of the spirit Does it not appoint every thing but the words And after this is it not a goodly Palladium that is contended for and a prinâ—ely liberty that they leave unto the Spirit to be free onely in
this reason also ceases in our prayers For God understandeth what we say sure enough he hath no prejudices to be removed no infirmities to be wrought upon and a fine figure of Rhetoricke a pleasant cadence and a curious expression move not him at all no other twinings and complyances stirre him but charity and humility and zeale and importunity which all are things internall and spirituall And therefore of necessity there is to be great variety of discourses to the people and permissions accordingly but not so to God with whom a Deus miserere prevailes as soone as the great office of 40. houres not long since invented the Church of Rome or any other prayers spun out to a length beyond the extension of the office of a Pharisee 3. I feare it cannot stand with our reverence to God to permit to every spirit a liberty of publike addresse to him in behalfe of the people Indeed he that is not fit to pray is not alwayes fit to preach but it is more safe to be bold with the people then with God if the persons be not so â—it In that there may be indiscretion but there may be impiety and irreligion in this The people may better excuse and pardon an indiscretion or a rudenesse if any such should happen then we may venture to offer it to God 4. There is latitude of Theologie much whereof is left to us so without precise and cleere determination that without breach either of faith or charity men may differ in opinion and if they may not be permitted to abound in their owne sense they will be apt to complain of tyrannie over consciences and that men Lord it over their faith In Prayer this thing is so different that it is imprudent and full of inconvenience to derive such things into our prayers which may with good profit be matter of Sermons Therefore here a liberty may well enough be granted when there it may better be denyed 5. But indeed if I may freely declare my opinionâ— I think it were not amisse if the liberty of making Sermons were somthing more restrained than it is and that either such persons only were intrusted with the liberty for whom the Church her selfe may safely be responsall that is to men learned and pious and that the other part the Vulgus Cleri should instruct the people out of the fountaines of the Church and upon the publicke stock till by so long exercise and discipline in the schooles of the Prophets they may also be intrusted to minister of their owne unâ—o the people This I am sure was the practice of the Primiâ—ive Church when preaching was as ably and religiously performed as now it is But in this prescribe nothing But truely I thinke the reverent Divines of the Assemby are many of my mind in this particular and that they observe a liberty indulged to some persons to preach which I thinke they had rather should hold their peace and yet thinke the Church better edified in your silence than their Sermons 6. But yet me thinks the argument objected if it were turned with the edge the other way would have more reason in it and instead of arguing Why shall noâ— the same liberty be allowed in praying as in preaching it were better to substitute this If they can prâ—y with the spirit why also do they not preach with the spirit if praying with the spirit be praying extempore why shall they not preach extempore too or else confesse that they preach without the spirit or that they have not the gift oâ— preaching For to say that the gift of prayer is a gift ex tempore but the gift of preaching is with study and deliberation is to become vaine and impertinent Quis enim discrevit Who hath made them of a different consideration I mean as to this particular as to their efficient cause Nor reason nor revelation nor God nor man To summe up all If any man hath a mind to exercise his gift of Prayer let him set himselfe to worke compose books of Devotion we have great need of them in the Church of England so apparent need that the Papists have made it an objection against us and this his gift of Prayer will be to edification But otherwise I understand it is more fit for ostentation then any spirituall advantage For God heares us not the sooner for our ex tempore long or conceived prayers possibly they may become a hindrance as in the cases before iâ—stanced And I am sure if the people be intelligent and can discern they are hindred in their devotion for they dare not say Amen till they have considered and many such cases will occur in ex tempore prayers that need much considering before we attest them But if the people be not intelligent they are apt to swallow all the inconveniencies which may multiply in so great a licence and therefore it were well that the Governors of the Church who are to answer for their soules should judge for them before they say Amen which judgement cannot be without set formes of Lyturgie My sentence therefore is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Let us be as we are already Few changes are for the better For if it be pretended that in the Lyturgie of the Church of England which was composed with much art and judgement by a Church that hath as much reason to be confident she hath the Spirit and gifts of Prayer as any single person hath and each learned man that was at its first composition can as much prove that he had the Spirit as the objectors now adayes and he that boasts most certainly hath the least If I say it be pretended there are many errors and inconveniences both in the order and the matter of the Common Prayer booâ—e made by such men with so much industry How much more and wiâ—h how much greater reason may we all dread the inconveniencies and diâ—orders of ex tempore prayers where there is neither conjunction of heads nor premeditation nor industry nor method nor art nor any of those things or at least not in the same degree which were likely to have exempted the Common-Prayerâ— booke from errors and disorders If these things be in the greene tree what will be done in the dry But if it be said the ex tempore and conceived prayers will be secured from error by the Directory because that chalkes them out the matter I answer it is not sufficient because if when men study both the matter and the words too they may be and it is pretended are actually much more may they when the matter is left much more at liberty and the words under no restraint at all And no man can avoid the pressure and the weight of this unlesse the Compilers of the Directory were infallible and that all their followers are so too of the certainty of which I am not yet fully satisfied And after all this I would faine know