might well be counted an Idolater but as long as it is used as an indifferent Ceremony according to the directions of the Church of England none ought to be offended For it was borrowed from the Primitive Christians who gloried in the sign of the Cross But we have yet an higher example of conformity and compliance in the Apostle which he did not out of his single judgment but with the advice of an assembly of Apostles and Elders As in the Acts 21.18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25. where we see that though the Elders received with much joy the news concerning the conversion of the Gentiles to the Faith yet considering how many Jews there were who believed and yet were also zealous for the Law of Moses and that they were offended with Paul for preaching among the Gentiles against Moses and his Ceremonial Law and that therefore his person would not be acceptable to them they advised him by all means to shew his compliance with them in his conformity to their Rites and Ceremonies as doth there appear Now v. 26. we find the Apostle following and obeying their counsel he did not onely comply with them in shewing reverence to the Temple observing Rites about Vows and Purification but likewise in their Offerings and typical Oblations Certainly should any men doe half so much now as St. Paul did then some furious Zealots who place their Religion as much in opposing Ceremonies as the Jews did in observing them would cry out against him as they did against St. Paul on another occasion Acts 22.22 Away with such a fellow from the earth for it is not fit he should live And here farther we cannot imagine that this was ill done by the Apople because he was never guilty of sinfull compliance in the greatest danger and because it was agreeable to his Precepts and course of life all along and because this counsel proceeded from the joint consent of the Apostles and Elders in whose assemblies the Holy Ghost was always present Wherefore it followeth that the Jewish Ceremonies liable to so many exceptions were not however so odious and sinfull absolutely considered but that as occasion required they might be observed and lawfully used even by those who knew them abolished by the death of Christ And therefore surely the Ceremonies of the Church of England which are harmless and innocent if not pious which are as no-ways burthensome in themselves so instituted onely for decency and uniformity ought to be observed For by thus doing Faction and Schism will be avoided brotherly love maintaintained peace and unity the glory of our Profession preserved OF THE NECESSITY Of the USE of COMMON-PRAYER IN PUBLICK THE Apostle St. Paul lays down two Rules to guide our Prayers by 1 Cor. 14.15 What is it then I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the understanding also I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the understanding also And in the 16. and 17. verses presseth the praying with the understanding also because otherwise he that occupieth the place of the unlearned could not say Amen at his giving of thanks seeing he understood not what was said and was not at all edified thereby And v. 19. he tells us that he had rather spake five words with understanding that the Church might be edified than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue It seems the Corinthians did much affect praying with the Spirit as they thought it to be though they regarded not the understandings and edification of their hearers I wish the like may not be said of many among our selves who cry up extemporary praying for the onely praying with the Spirit and condemning Common-prayer as carnal and formal but if we will examine these two sorts of Prayers with the Rules laid down by the Apostle we shall find that Common-prayer or Forms of Prayer are every way as consistent with praying by the spirit and are best for edification and the understanding of the hearers 'T is true our understandings and inventions too both of Speaker and People ought to be under the guidance directions and assistence of the Spirit as well as our Affections the former being the nobler and the latter the more ignoble and lower faculties of the Soul And therefore as to praying with the Spirit it 's requisite that these too be sanctified that we may clearly discerne apprehend and find out those truths which God hath revealed and those sins which are apt to beset us and those mercies we stand in need of But however it 's not to be expected that in all our Prayers the Spirit should help our inventions in finding out new matter much less new words For the sanctification of the understanding doth not consist in these We ought to judge the quite contrary for the same judgments we pray against the same mercies we pray for in one prayer we must pray for often and though God's Spirit may discover more and more our sinfulness to us yet the same sinfulness on one hand and grace on the other which afford matter for prayer now may afford us matter to our lives end As for particular occasions they have their particular Prayers But he is in a very sad and strange condition that when he comes to pray to Almighty God knows nothing at all before-hand what he should pray for nor what he should pray a-against but expects that the Spirit should furnish him with new matter for his Prayer or else he will be at a loss For 't is to be supposed that we are acquainted with our own wants before-hand and the sense of our misery and wretchedness in our selves is usually the first motive and inducement to prayer And therefore the assistence of the Spirit and operation on the understanding and invention is not to furnish us with new matter and words at prayers but in keeping alive a serious and constant apprehension of our condition which should remain with us not onely in times of our devotion but also be a continual gâ—ide throughout the course of our life He is to be accounted rather an infidel heathen or unbeliever than a true Christian a man altogether unacquainted with his spiritual estate and condition that knows no Attributes of God to be celebrated no sins he is guilty of no judgments he is afraid of no graces in which he is deficient no mercies he stands in need of but all of these are the matter of Prayer and all of these every one that knows any thing of Christianity must be in some measure acquainted with before he performs the duty of Prayer The knowledge of them being not onely requisite to that duty but necessary to constitute and denominate him a Christian And though some may think they have new discoveries in time of Prayer which I shall not now dispute of what nature they are yet the general ground and foundation of their Prayer is no new-invented matter but such which before-hand they must
be acquainted with and so invention of new matter is not requisite to the spiritual performance of the duty And as for new words to think the change of these so needfull would be to place the excellency of this divine duty in a tone and to turn this spiritual into formal and lip-service besides if the Spirit should dictate every new word to us all these Prayers might pass for canonical and be accounted the word of God indeed And yet most people through their ignorance have placed the spiritual performance of this duty in invention of new matter and words which is quite otherwise and consists in the sanctification of the whole man as to body soul and spirit in the sanctification of the understanding memory will and affections by the Spirit of God And yet farther that we may pray with the Spirit using a form of words may appear from that Prayer which Christ taught his Disciples Luke 11.2 When ye pray say thus which was spoken in answer to the desire of one of Christ's Disciples to teach them to pray Secondly That in singing of Psalms we sing with the Spirit and yet almost all the Psalms are Petitions or Thanksgivings to God that is also Prayers which comprehend both Petitions and Thanksgivings And the Apostle joineth both together praying with the Spirit and singing with the Spirit No Sect yet however have been so distracted as to venture on singing extempore And it is the practice of those who condemn Forms of Prayer to use notwithstanding Psalms which although they owe their matter to divine inspiration yet their composition afterwards to the art of man And very good reason for if they undertook to sing extempore every body would presently perceive that they were out of tune or rather never in it and that their songs were as void of rhime as reason And therefore if verses and metre though composed forms by humane invention are fit for and consistent with the spiritual elevation of our hearts to God by way of thanksgiving why is not prose in elevation of our hearts by way of petition not to say that some Psalms are perfect petitions as the 51 Psalm Thirdly I would willingly be resolved by those who are altogether for extempore-praying Ministers because those Ministers pray by the Spirit whether they themselves when they hear them pray with the Spirit or no. And I suppose that they have a better esteem of themselves than to think otherwise or to deny that they pray with the Spirit Praying by or with the Spirit as it respects the spiritual performance of the duty is actually incumbent on the people as well as the Minister But yet they themselves have no extemporary expressions nor will be allowed to have extemporary enlargements of heart Their Spirits are bound up by the Spirit of their Minister who if they should not diligently heed his words and give their full assent and consent and go along with him in every sentence would doubtless accuse them of negligence profaneness or hypocrisie because they do not mind the ordinances of the Lord that is that Prayer which he dictates to them and tieth up their spirits and thoughts that they keep close to it without wandring Should any of his Congregation pretend that God had put holy thoughts into his heart that he could not attend to all that he said this pretence would be so far from being made a note of the Spirit that it would be thought some diabolical suggestion which withdrew his heart from giving attention to his Prayer So this people by the same breath they cry up their Minister condemn themselves For if it be legal and carnal to be tied to a form of sound works which others have composed for us without enlargements of our own if it be carnal not to make use of our own parts and inventions in offering up our petitions if it be carnal to have our Spirits bound up limited and confined by words which others have dictated to us then are all the Congregation carnal no spiritual person not onely in respect of office but also of real qualifications beside the Minister who is their mouth and spokesman for dare any of his hearers pretend to other revelations are not their spirits confined to his spirit words and sentences for enlargement of matter is denied onely that of affections in admiration of his matter allowed Deviations from it or digressions would be a note of profaneness and irreligion the sowing of tares among the wheat But if their Ministers were not partial they should by their own Principle allow every member of their Congregation that liberty at the same time which they challenge to themselves leave every man to his particular enlargement and not confine them to his own Prayer lest the Spirit be stinted in his Brethren who may have at the same time several motions raptures and illuminations much like the Corinthian Church 1 Cor. 14.26 How is it brethren when ye come together every man hath a psalm hath a tongue hath a doctrine hath a revelation hath an interpretation But seeing we must join in Prayer or else the Congregation be left distracted it followeth even hence that praying with the Spirit consists not in new invention of matter and words I now come to consider the second qualification of Publick Prayer by which all our spiritual gifts in their use and exercise ought to be directed and regulated that is The good and edification of the hearers This is that which the Apostle 1 Cor. 14.15 c. and throughout the whole chapter aims at that let mens pretences to the Spirit be what they will yet neither they nâ—â— their pretences are to be regarded if they intend not edification The great care of the Minister should be that the people may understand him and be profited by him This is also farther evident from the 16 verse which doth explain the former Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest This is also evident from the protestation of St. Paul in the 19. v. to speak five intelligible words in the Church than a multitude unintelligible This is also evident out of the precedent verses the design of the Apostle being that by plain preaching and praying they should edifie the Church of God So v. 9. So likewise ye except ye utter by the tongue words easie to be understood how shall it be known what is spoken for ye shall speak into the air Now that forms of Prayer as they are composed may best be understood by all sorts of people is so evident that it needs no demonstration 'T is true men may if they please compose such forms which are unintelligible as the Popish Prayers which are in an unknown Tongue and not understood by the generality or we may compose such intricate forms in our own Tongue which few can understand
onely in order to the exciting of the affections the latter may take place but if we consider them with those circumstances which in general and publick use must attend them set forms will challenge the preheminence But for answer in the first place I have already shewed that the use of forms is best for the instruction of the generality and settled information of the judgment and therefore on that account may at least be laid in equal ballance with exciting the sensitive affections with present heats and sudden commotions which are not durable Good affections are but one requisite to praying with the Spirit and according to those who place all almost in new inventions should be the least and must be directed by the illumination of the understanding Secondly Because set forms are best for instruction and fixing the judgment they are best also for a due excitation of the affections so that they may be acceptable and well-pleasing to God For here is to be observed that there is a great difference between divine and heathen Oratory A Roman Oratour cared not so much for information of the judgment all his designs were to engage mens affections to his cause though by blinding their understanding and reason Such arts as these the Apostle declares against in the beginning of the First Epistle to the Corinthians and elsewhere calling them the wisedom of words and of the flesh But in offering up our Petitions to God our affections ought not to be led by tones and gestures but proceed from the sense and apprehension of God's Majesty and our own wants If we will pray acceptably to God we must have our hearts and minds before-hand enflamed with a due consideration of his glory and our own misery This ought to be had in the first place and then for quickning the outward man a lively serious and decent pronunciation of publick Prayers will be sufficient which every Minister should endeavour after But when mens affections rise and fall according to the variation of the Speaker's tone it must needs be their measure and foundation Now these affections moved after this manner being onely turbulent commotions of the bloud and spirits and not real longings of the soul after God are little more of themselves regarded by him than mere bodily service being but the next step higher Nay many times they may become prejudicial to spiritual service for as it hath been observed perit omne judicium cùm abit in affectus so in this case when the tide of mens affections is up and they carried by external action and pronunciation without due understanding of the matter they will have but little room for the true sense of want and misery And common people being unable to pass a ready judgment on the things delivered and unacquainted with new expressions must be led wholly by the gesture tone and pronunciation and if they be prejudiced for the man and the delivery be good all goes down all passeth with them for gold that glisters But God is in those affections which are more settled and composed as in the still small voice we reade of 1 Kings 19.11 12. though they do not flame consume and break down so much as those more violent affections did indeed in our last Wars by miserably destroying both Church and State and of such we may say that God is not in them I do not deny but that our affections ought to be sometimes fervent and vehement but so as they subvert not but are regulated by our judgments and when the height of them depends on the depth of the sense and apprehension of God's Majesty and our own misery by nature and not kindled by the loudness of an enthusiastick voice or tone Thirdly Hence also it will appear that the whole ease is clearly mistaken for Prayer is by its essential definition a representation or a religious representation of our wills and desires to God And then certainly if it be a representation of our wills to God we must have some desires in our wills to represent to God when we come to pray to him And therefore every one that prays should either pray to God by putting up his own Petitions by himself or should be acquainted with the matter before-hand which another puts up for him that he may say he represents his own will to God so far forth as it is conformable to the will of God As it hath been the custome when any one is to be particularly prayed for not onely the Minister is acquainted with his desire but he also gives notice to the People of the same Prayer is the action of the Church not the declaration of the mind of God to us but the representation of ours to him and therefore doth suppose our affections already engaged There is none who needs excite a Beggars affections who is sensible of his wants these will make him pathetical And therefore all the compositions in our Prayers should be rather to express and not to incite our affections so much because we come to put up our desires to God I confess that in preaching the case is quite otherwise and a greater latitude may be allowed as to these things because it is ordained not onely for the edification of the Church but conversion of unbelievers who may be drawn by the love of the expressions to the love of the things themselves And herein every one that is endued with the gift may exercise his Rhetorick and not bury his Talent in a Napkin And likewise because hereby the will of God is declared to us spiritual things by sensible representations may become familiar to us and make the better impression upon us yet the Apostle used all plainness of speech in preaching and therefore certainly likewise in praying The Apostle tells us Rom. 8.26 Likewise the spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered Where I suppose the Apostle speaketh in the person of weak Christians or new Converts who could not well express their minds to God but yet they knew in general what was to be prayed for though they could not particularly express themselves for we know not c. which doth suppose that they knew however in general though not in particular before-hand what they should pray for And therefore to the due performance of this duty there is requisite in the first place a scala descensoria from the superiour faculties to the inferiour and not a scala ascensoria from the inferiour faculties to the superiour And hence the inventive faculty of the Minister or those gifts and abilities which God hath given him whereby he is able to express his mind in more fâ—ll and significant phrases than ordinary people should not be employed in praying extempore so much as in composing â—et forms before hand both private wherein those who would speak out of
But whatsoever qualification is desired for clearness of understanding may better be done in a set form which is made upon mature deliberation than in extempore Prayers which are composed on a sudden whether we respect the propriety of words the easiness and significancy of the phrases the plainness of the style the distinction of the sentences and the methodical disposition of the whole And besides set forms publickly and constantly read in the Church have this advantage that though some expressions should not be very clear in themselves yet long use whereby people become acquainted with them will render them intelligible But there are but few that can speak on a sudden so pertinently and clearly to any business as they can upon mature deliberation And in this case as set forms are likely to go beyond unstudied Prayers so those allowed and composed by the Fathers of the Church are likely to excel the compositions of any single person And if we seriously consider the composition of our own publick Prayers there cannot well be any better framed for perspicuity and information of the judgment or moving the affections The words are plain familiar and easie to be understood the method is distinct and perspicuous The Prayers being digested into several Collects so that we know when we are to confess our sins when to give thanks when to pray for grace and when for peace and when for the King and State c. And qui bene distinguit bene docet In the Litany we have a brief and pathetical enumeration of those sins and judgments we should pray against of those mercies spiritual and temporal we should pray for and this in plain terms not obscure to those who understand their Mother-tongue In the second Service we have the Commands of God the sum of what we have to doe and throughout a frequent intermixture of the Creed Epistles and Gospels by which in all points we may be sufficiently instructed But now for other Prayers which men make without premeditation although this should be granted that every Prayer be coherent and that every word and sentence in the Prayer might be understood by judicious auditours yet if we consider how hard it is to make the generality of people to understand those truths necessary to salvation what can we expect from them when besides the things themselves their memories must be burthened with variety of expressions and they must be more perplexed to understand variety of words than variety of matter every new Prayer more and more amazing their thoughts and confounding their apprehensions in which notwithstanding its requisite that every member of the Congregation should join Whereas one comprehensive Prayer which should be used in all our solemn assemblies significantly expressed might by care and study in time be understood of all Nay though variety may delight the fancy and draw the affections the more to the speaker yet it will be apt to distract the thoughts and a little disturb the affections as to the matter even in those who are understanding For it 's not in hearing Prayers as in hearing Sermons when we come to learn and be instructed in the will of God where if any thing be not truly and clearly delivered we may leisurely consider of it without offence to God or ill performance of the duty but in Prayer we are to offer up our petitions which if not clearly exprest and our apprehensions are not easie so that the things delivered be no sooner heard but understood and assented to and pass immediately to the affections we shall be at a loss for joining Now these things cannot be so well attained to even by those of competent understanding in extempore Prayers as in set forms for in these latter we may understand things before-hand and so have nothing to doe but to join in putting up our petitions which is the proper work of Prayer But extempore Prayers are obnoxious to several impediments which arise from the nature of the Prayers themselves For here is a necessity of an instantaneous weighing and judging the several expressions continually following each other together with the application of them to the will for the stirring up the affections to embrace them which is not easily done unless by those who have their faculties well exercised as the greatest part of the auditours usually have not For whilst the understanding is considering and estimating the truth of things the goodness is not represented to the will as desirable And besides the due understanding of a Prayer depending on the connexion of one part and one sentence with another there will be need of ready animadversion to take notice of it and a competency of memory to retain it which qualifications many persons otherwise godly and intelligent may be destitute of And yet farther the errours to which such Prayers may be liable and obnoxious from the defects of the person praying are manifold but I shall not now instance in any And therefore I conclude that set forms are such which the best may join heartily with and without which the generality cannot come to knowledge very well and that they are the surest ground for the understanding to proceed upon But yet there remains an objection to be resolved which must be if they understand themselves the foundation both of their Ministers plea and of the Peoples admiration of them which is thus Though the using of set forms may consist with praying with the Spirit formalitèr yet it doth not effectivè so much as extempore Prayers It 's according to the known rules of Oratory that Speeches read out of a Book are not apt to affect so much as when retained memoriter and delivered with a lively and gratefull pronunciation That which seems to flow from the heart of the Speaker works the more effectually on the hearts of the Hearers Now forasmuch as God worketh by means in our conversion and edification which are suted and accommodated to our capacities and natures we ought to make use of those which are most apt to excite our devotion Our inferiour faculties have need of assistence and a meet help as well as our superiour And who would not condemn on this account a careless and supine reading of Common-prayer it self as a thing tending to alienate mens affections from it and to quench their devotions And therefore such Ministers who suppose themselves thus gifted as to be able to excite mens affections by their Rhetorical Prayers and lively pronunciation and actions conclude it necessary that they should make use of their Talent and not lay it up in a Napkin This argument or objection at first sight may seem specious and plausible but if throughly examined will appear as a rotten Fabrick built on a sandy foundation or as a painted Sepulchre which though beautifull to look on yet within is full of dead-mens bones I confess if we compare reading Prayers and a delivery of an eloquent Prayer without-book abstractedly and absolutely
the abundance of the heart but by reason of ignorance to express themselves cannot may be furnished with apt and meet sentences and publick that those whose affections are engaged might knowing and understanding the Prayer before-hand with more freedom and without â—â—â—sitancy join with mutual conspiration of thoughts spirits and affections And hence Liturgies were in use early in the Church as soon as they could well be composed as is also done in the other part of worship in praising God where Psalms and Hymns are composed and accented for the sweeter melody harmony and consent And when this is done he that prayeth should endeavour after the best pronunciation and most decent delivery that though these should not be the first motives yet that hereby the outward man and lower faculties may be so far quickned as not to be an impediment to the supâ—riour But to begin and lay the foundation upon these would he like the affections of a person raised by the noise of Orgâ—ns and Singing-men who yet knows not a word of the Hymns composed But if any pretend that the very use of a form is apt to dull the affections and produce formality and lip-service it 's a sign that words and phrases lead their affections and are not expressive of them for otherwise the words being significant and their hearts seriously engaged they would be no more wearied with the using the same good form than the Abderites were when after a play written in their own Language they heard O Cupido Prince of gods and men cried out incessantly O Cupido Prince of gods and men till it cast them all almost into violent fevers Or than the Ephesians were Acts 19.34 who cried out for the space of two hours great is Diana of the Ephesians Certainly had those who condemn our saying Good Lord deliver us We beseech thee to hear us good Lord Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us often in our Prayers had they but half so much zeal for God and Christ as these men for Cupid and Diana they might easily be of a better mind and join with us in our Litany which hath had the approbation even of some Presbyterian Ministers for an affectionate Prayer So far is the reiterating or repeating of the same expressions suitable to our affections from dulling and quenching them that it doth rather kindle them anew and cause them to burn with the greater flame The sum then and result of these answers is this that forasmuch as clearness of understanding and judgment is annexed for the most part to forms which we may know before-hand ordinary people being not able to pass a ready judgment on new inventions that forms are necessary for the due excitation and regulation of our affections because best understood that the exciting the sensitive affections merely by elocution and pronunciation may be sometimes rather an impediment than a furtherance of the spiritual performance of the duty that Prayers are the representation of our wills to God and the intent of vocal Prayer is rather to express than raise our affections and as far as may be those unutterable groans of the spirit which by forms may be done most significantly and most for the understanding And yet the use of them doth nothing tend to abate the affections but to unfold distinctly those desires of the Soul which weâ—â— laid before wrapped up as it were in a Napkin it therefore followeth that nothing is more necessary than a comprehensive form of Prayer to be used in all pâ—â—â—ick Assemblies which all being acquainted with 〈…〉 understand and may the more freely knowingly and cordially join with And so I have given a sufficient Answer to the Objection but yet I shall ex abundanti add another argument or two to confirm this Discourse Fourthly It may be considered that in order to the exciting this affections themselves thô an excellent delivery and invention may go beyond bare reading yet these gifts are to be considered in the use of them not onely in abstracto but in concreto as to the persons themselves who are endowed with them Now thô we may grant that some of them are able to pray for a long time significantly methodically and comprehensively yet have all of them have most of them these abilities Can they always have ready a new Prayer comprehensive of matter and yet cloathed with new phrases and expressions and brought forth pertinently without hesitancy or confusion Have all of them at their fingers or tongues end Erasmus de copiâ rerum verborum No surely we shall find most of them destitute of these â—â—â—â—â—ies and that the efficacy of their Prayers depends on the peoples fancy and their own consident delivery Fifthly Forasmuch as people may be as duly affected and as much edified by forms as by extempore Prayers we must not forget in the last place the peace of the Church and State which is by far more exposed by the use of the latter than the former The effect of the one is unity and uniformity brotherly love and joining together in mutual building of our selves up in our most holy faith of the other for the most part divisions in Church and rebellions in State when it is left to every one to doe what is right and good in his own eyes as our late times have sufficiently demonstrated The Presbyterians themselves would not leave us without a â—irectory But if private Men and Ministers be lesâ— to themselves to pray as they please both Church and State had need of very good security for their integrity as well as their ability An heretical factious and schismatical Minister the more eloquent Oratour he is the more dangerous Impostour and Firebrand he may prove And so it is incumbent both on the Prince in regard of the State and on the Bishop in regard of the Church to have an eye to such persons And were not our Common-prayer sufficient in it self yet being free from all just exceptions the very command of King and Parliament should commend it to our use And therefore let us not imitate by giddiness and wantonness the Israelites in the Wilderness who loathed heavenly Manna Angels food because it was common wherefore though God sent them Quaâ—â—â—â—â—â—â—tisfie their lusts yet he destroyed many of 〈◊〉 whilst the meat was in their mouths We may all know what ensued the abolishing Common-prayer among us Let us sin no more lest a worse thing come upon us THE END