in this then in the conceived prayer of the Minister for there are the people tyed up to his words and expressions as much as in any prescribed form yet was never this accounted a stinting of the Spirit or unlawful for the people to joyn in and indeed take away all forms for such is one mans prayer to all that hear it and ye must take away all publick prayers or prayers of a Congregation our of the Church Sect. 36 Of as little strength is that other Objection May pray in forms yet pray with the Spirit that to use a form is contrary to that of the Apostle â— Cor. 14.15 Pray with the Spirit for 1. If this Objection be of any weight it takes away all meditation and preparation and argueth against any such prayers conceived by our selves as well as those composed by others for us and this if urged so far must put man upon a finful tempting of God and looking for Enthusiasms and extraordinary impirations when ever he prayeth which God hath made no promise to grant nor hath man warrant to expect far wiser is that counsel of the Son of Syrach [f] Ecclus 18.23 Before thou prayest prepare thy self not thy tongue only but thy heart chiefly and be not as one that tempteth the Lord. 2. Sect. 37 This can be no more urged against forms of Prayer then forms of Praise or singing wherein it hath been practised and the practice still allowed if in Praise why not in Petition How doth it stint the Spirit in one and not in the other Must the matters of request fit the occasion so must praise Doth the Spirit teach to pray so he doth to praise and return thanks Must we pray with the Spirit so must we also sing with the Spirit If in prescribed forms we may [g] 1 Cor. 14.15 sing and praise with the Spirit and with understanding also so without doubt may we pray And indeed 3. Sect. 38 In the use of forms the Saints of God may and do pray as [h] Jude 20. they should in the Holy Ghost for the Assistance of the Spirit as that Right Reverend Bishop [i] Bishop Downam of prayer cb 23. hath observed is not so much in helping the invention invention and gift of conceiving a prayer is indeed a gift but a common gift not a proper grace of the sanctifying Spirit and a confident Spirit a nimble wit with a ready utterance goes far in it but chiefly in these three things 1. In rectifying the judgement teaching us what to ask because we [k] Rom. 8.26 know not what to pray for as we ought and helping our infirmities 3. In inflaming our affections drawing out the heart to cry with [l] Rom. 8. ibid. sighs unutterable the Spirit of Grace and Supplication maketh us pour out our Souls before God while we look on him whom we have pierced and mourn 3. In exciting and drawing out our faith to Act stirring up our hearts to cry Abba Father to call upon God as our Father in Christ believing Now that all this the Spirit of God can do for us yea and hath done it in prescribed forms drawing forth the Soul warming the heart inflaming the affections quickning the spirit and exciting Faith the experience of thousands of Christians will testifie Sect. 39 Lastly To take off that popular Objection that it is but reading Prayer in Reading not praying I shall say no more then this though it be true that reading as such is not praying this being an act of the heart that only of the lips and tongue yet the lifting up of the heart in that reading is praying if the words be sound the matter according to Gods will the manner holy reverent humble faithful fervent the wants laid open and requests sent up from the Soul here is an holy prayer And may not all this be though the words be read out of a book or uttered by heart may there not be as much humility of heart faith in Gods promises earnestnesse of desire holinesse of affection doubtlesse there may Sect. 40 For those many scandals wherewith the vain inventions of unsettled and idle brains and the petulancy of mens virulent tongues load these holy constitutions and practises I willingly passe them by as things owned by no sober spirit those who have a mind may see them noted and fully answered in that fore-cited book of Balls Friendly Tryal of the Grounds tending to separation This is enough to justifie the Use of a Prescribed Forme and consequently to prove That the being such makes not our Liturgy unlawful to be used CHAP. IV. Our particular Liturgy considered Sect. 1 WE have seen the lawfulnesse and usefulnesse of a Form in general proved in the precedent chapter But possibly there may be some such corruptions and material errours in our particular Liturgy as may make this Form unlawful to be used This I shall now examine and I doubt not to make it appear that there neither is any thing in this but what may be used without sin For the portions of Scripture to be read there is no dispute about them For the Prayers prescribed that they also may be lawfully yea and acceptably used is also apparent Sect. 2 For what is required to holy Prayer more then 1. That the matter be according to Gods will for such things as he hath commanded us to ask and promised to grant for such things as tend to the advancement of Gods Glory the doing of his will the spiritual and eternal good of our selves and others in the Remission of sin our Regeneration Sanctification and eternal Salvation c. yea and Temporals also Life Livelyhood Liberty Comforts Prosperity Peace c. so far as Divine Providence shall see these things really good and necessary for us and them 2. That the Forme of them be grave the manner holy reverent fervent our wants laid open and petitions enforced in such expressions as may become the gravity of such devotions the Majesty of that God to whom we speak and suited to the matter which we desire and with such reasons and arguments as are agreeable to the nature of the requests and likely to prevail Apply these to our Liturgy and see if all these things be not observed there Sect. 3 The true form of external vocal Prayer is the outward frame and disposition of the words with the inward elevation of the heart now if the words be sound the matter good and necessary and the heart lifted up by the Holy Spirit in faith and fervour here is an holy Prayer and there is the same reasons of Confessions and Praises And that the heart may be thus lifted up in the use of these prayers the experience of thousands of pious Christians will abundantly evidence Sect. 4 For the matter of them Are they not some for pardon or Grace some for instruction how to pray some to be heard when we pray some confessions of sin
such as the people are acquainted with There may be expressions even in English which yet many of the people do as little understand as they do Greek or Hebrew Such strains of Rhetorick Metaphorical and figurative Speeches choice Phrases as may become the language of a Scholar which yet edifie not poor plain people because their understandings are not able to reach them And here also comes a necessity of a Form for this publick edification of all and the lawfulness yea expediency of the use of this Form for the same end It is not unknown how some learned pious men are not so well able in their own conceived wayes to stoop and condescend to the low and vulgar capacities whose souls yet are equally precious to Christ and should be to his Ministers And some others have and do affect too much strains of Eloquence flowers of Rhetorick yea some dark and obscure notions which may seem sublime and be admired because not understood And then the people do as little find the profit as they understand the meaning of them Yea the most knowing people in most especially Country Congregations are so unacquainted with those more polite expressions that because they comprehend them not readily they are forced to be studying the meaning of the words when they should be joyning of hearts in the matter expressed and so cannot so freely adde their seal and say A MEN. Now we are sufficiently secured against this fear in our Liturgy for it is in a language of our own framed in expressions suited to the meanest capacities and such as they are so acquainted with that their hearts may readily concur with all things as they are uttered by the Minister Let me but adde one thing more 3. Sect. 9 Minister and people being to join in the same services to the same God they are also to join with the same hearts There must be unity of faith and spirit among Christians Harmony Consent and Unanimity among those who are together Petitioners for the same things to One God They should send up One common Vote and should be agreed with One Heart and Voice to worship and pray before him And if God will lend a propitious ear to (y) Mat. 18.19 20. two or three agreeing together to ask any thing of him in the Name of Christ then the holy wrastling of a pious multitude will more prevail This is as the assault of an Army with an holy violence sending up Batteries against the gates of heaven Sect. 10 Now then these being the prayers of the Church those Publick prayers which all Ministers with us are bound to use and they being for matter sound for words plain easie and significant When our Brethren and Fellow-members of the same Body come together to send up these requests why should any withdraw themselves from this Communion why should we refuse to pray or worship with them only because they do it not in our Mode or way why should we think it a cold kind of formal reading of prayer rather than praying when the heart may be equally warmed and affected here as in any of our own conceptions Here are offices which all understand the same matters prayed for which all desire the same praises rendred which all acknowledge due the same mercies magnified which all have in some measure received Now how unworthy is this for an holy humble Christian such should we all be to say I would join in these duties if they were not put in this Form or sent up in these words or read thus out of a Book If ye own the duties as all Christians must do shall we divide and quarrel about words and phrase Would we not think it strange in a Family if a child or servant should refuse his Meals with his Brethren or Fellow-servants because every Dish is not dressed his own way The hungry soul falls to the meat before him if it be sound and wholsom and findeth no leisure to dispute about the dressing or garnishing of the Dishes Sect. 11 Or will ye be so irrational as to think that because the prayers are read therefore it is not praying or not praying from the heart or with or in the spirit as the Apostle adviseth without doubt these external circumstances alter not the nature of the Duty for neither reading nor repeating by Rote or uttering words without Book is alone properly praying but the lifting up of the heart with faith and fervour with humility and devotion to God And why the heart may not follow and go along with the Minister in Confession Petition Praises c. in a Form prescribed as well to the Minister as to the people as well as in a prayer uttered which though it be conceived by him is yet a Form to them that hear it I see not nor indeed can I see any reason why in our joining together in Acts of Publick Worship according to this Form we should be judged not to answer that of the Apostle of praying in or with the Spirit when it is most evident that we do walk according to that Rule in the other part of it Praying with the understanding also CHAP. XII The Objection That Our Liturgy is taken out of the Mass-Book is shewed to be False for the Main and in the whole Frivolous Sect. 1 I Shall take notice but of one thing more one popular Objection Popular I call it for I think it too too inconsiderable to be used by any that pretendeth to Reason or Learning Nor is it in any serious dispute that I know made use of but upon a design to raise an Odium in the hearts of people against this Book which yet indeed is a main Rub in the way of many well-meaning and pious-hearted but not the most intelligent Christians viz. It is taken up as a confessed Object Of the Mass-Book and nototious Truth and with confidence avouched as not to be denied That Our Common-Prayer-Book is wholly taken out of the Popish Mass-Book and that it is nothing else but that Mass-Book turned out of Latine into English at least so framed out of that that it may with a very little pains be turned into it again And therefore it must upon this account be unlawful to be used by us or any Church Reformed from the Church of Rome This is indeed a Charge cryed up with noise more than enough in the World Answered Sect. 2. The people take it and it is generally believed and those are most bold and peremptory who never saw a Mass-Book nor if they did could they understand it Whereas indeed taking this Assertion as it is commonly received and generally taken upon trust it is neither so nor so And as indeed it is there is no consequence or force at all in the Argument for 1. Sect. 3 Though we shall grant this readily that it was the Prudence of the Church to retain in her Publick Forms of Prayer and Service some of those things which
of God who then looks as with a full eye upon them do then tremble and acknowledge their unworthiness to appear before the presence of so Glorious and to ask and expect any thing of so Righteous a God themselves being so vile as they are and do then especially see themselves to be This made Peter when by the great draught of Fishes he saw the print of Christs Deity cry out (o) Luk. 5.8 Depart from me for I am a sinful man O Lord And holy Job (p) Job 42.5 6. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye hath seen thee therefore I abhor my self in dust and ashes It was this that made the poor Publicans (q) Luk. 18.10 prayer to be accepted when seeing his own vileness and confessing his sin he stands afar off as not daring to approach and begs mercy Lord be merciful to me a sinner when the proud Pharisees is rejected who presumptuously drew near in conceit of his own merits and came not to beg mercy but to brag of his own righteousness God I thank thee I am not c. Sect. 26 2. The other thing required to an effectual prayer is Faith and confidence whereby we having a certain warrant from the Word and being assured that what we ask is according to Gods Will and the Subject of his Promises the Soul is now poured out in earnestness and with an holy confidence grounded upon the mercies of God and merits of Jesus Christ is encouraged to hope for and expect a gracious return Thus saith St. James (r) Jam. 1.6 Let him that prayeth pray in faith and it is (s) Jam. 5.15 16. the prayer of faith which is effectual The Promises made to our prayers still require this condition in the Petitioner (t) Mat. 21.22 If ye believe And as men (u) Rom. 10.14 cannot call on him on whom they have not beleeved So when they believe they have encouragement enough to pray and may come with boldness and confidence when they pray and grounds enough of confident hopes we have from the rich goodness and inconceivable mercies of our God and the infinite and invaluable merits of our Lord and Saviour So that as (x) Joh. 15.5 without Christ we can do nothing nothing acceptable to God (y) Rom. 8.26 nor then can we pray as we ought neither can we come to God (z) Joh. 14.6 but by him who only is the way so (a) Phil. 4.13 through Christ we can do all things and through faith we have an interest in him to him (b) Joh. 6.35 we come by believing and now (c) Eph. 3.12 in him we have boldness and access with confidence even by faith in him Christ (d) Heb. 10.19 20 22. hath opened a way through the vail for us to enter into the Holiest of all to the Throne of Grace and now we may draw nigh with a true heart in full assurance of faith The soul now sends up her prayers to Heaven with such strength of Adhesion and fulness of considence as a Ship tears up and flies with full Sails to its Haven And he that before being sensible of his own weakness and vileness and trembling before the Majesty and Purity of the most High and Holy God durst neither speak not pray now through this faith in Christ hath his tongue loosed his lips opened and can draw nigh with confidence (e) Psa 116.10 I believe therefore have I spoken Sect. 27 Thus must and do these twin graces Humility and Faith go hand in hand together in the faithfuls prayer when we are most humbled in regard of vileness and unworthiness in our selves we are yet to hope and we may with confidence trust in the mercies of God through the merits of Jesus Christ And when we are carried up with the strongest affiance and highest confidence in those saving mercies and all-sufficient merits we yet must as we have reason disclaim all confidence in any dignity excellency or worth in our selves Sect. 28 These things considered do clearly evidence the piety and prudence of our Church in composing and commending the use of these prayers to her Members wherein we are so excellently instructed in the matter of prayer and together taught the exercises of those necessary graces of Humility and Faith Consider what we are and what we need we are naturally as the Laodicean Angel (f) Rev. 3.17 miserable poor blind and naked and wanting all things we know not what we need and therefore (g) Rom. 8.26 know not what to pray for nor how to pray as we ought Here therefore we pray that God who knoweth our ignorance in asking and what things we have need of before we ask would give us those things which for our blindness we cannot ask Again we are persons guilty of much unthankfulness to God of many high provocations against God and let any man seriously consider and compare his own contemptible baseness with Gods glorious incomprehensible Majesty his own filthiness and impurity with Gods spotless purity and holiness his own frequent lapses yea rebellions with Gods most exact justice and righteousness And then say if when he hath nothing else to bottom his hopes and confidence upon his flesh do not tremble and his heart quake in the presence of God If such a worm of earth vile dust sinful wretches can dare to send up any request to such a Glory Here we must say Our conscience is afraid and our prayers dare not presume to ask But then let this poor penitent sinner set before him the long experienced mercies the inconceivable goodness and rich overflowing grace of God the meritorious sufferings and infinite merits of the blood of Jesus and his continual intercession for us Here shall he see a large door of hope and mercy opened his heart is now again enlivened and with an humble boldness he can pray and hope to speed Sect. 29 So that here is now no contradiction at all but an excellent harmony between our expressions and our real prayers in these Collects for When we consider our ignorance and blindness we see we cannot ask when our vileness and unworthiness indeed we dare not ask But God shall (h) Zech. 12.10 poure upon us a Spirit of grace and supplication and make us willing and able to pray When (i) Rom. 8.26 the Spirit it self helpeth our infirmities then indeed we can and when the heart is inflamed and the soul purified by the blood of Jesus when we come in the name of the Beloved who are in our selves loathed in him (k) Ephes 1.6 we are accepted When we consider our High Priest (l) Rev. 8.3 4. standing beside the golden Altar and perfuming the incense of our prayers with the precious odours of his own merits we are now bold to ask what before we durst not do Thus through Jesus Christ we ask for his sake and worthiness we
10. Sect. 35 And as little matter of exception can I see in the last mentioned by our Brethren which is the Collect for Michaelmasse day which is this Everlasting God Collect for Michaelmasse day who hast ordained and constituted the services of all Angels and men in a wonderful order mercifully grant that they which alwayes do thee service in heaven may by thy appointment succour and defend us on earth through Jesus Christ our Lord. Now to clear this 1. Answ Sect. 36. That the Angels are by the Creator who is the God of order and not of confusion and who framed the whole creation in an admirable and beautiful order established also in an order cannot be questioned and that this order is wonderful must be acknowledged by us who neither know nor can yet understand what those (c) Colos 1.16 Rom. 8.38 Thrones Dominions Principalities and powers particularly are which speak the several degrees and dignities of the Angelical creatures Sect. 37 2. And that we pray that they may by Gods appointment defend and succour us on earth is no more than in the Scriptures we find them often appointed to do and promised that they shall do We read expressely it is their office (d) Hebr. 1.14 to be ministring spirits sent forth to minister to such as shall be heirs of salvation Several wayes do we read and it is acknowledged that they have and do minister to the Saints Not to mention their presence in our assemblies beholding the Decency and Order of Men and Women in their solemn services as the (e) 1 Cor. 11.10 Apostle seems to intimate nor their (f) Luk. 15.7 10. rejoycing at our repentance and with delight and complacence (g) 1 Pet. 1.12 stooping down to behold the things prepared through Christ for us If we acknowledge as we must and by sad experience we too often find that the evil Angels the Devil by his suggestions can and doth work upon the soul to provoke us to sin we must also acknowledge an equal power in the Angels of God to stir up our affections to direct us in the truth and acquaint us with the Divine Will We often find them coming and going upon one message or other teaching men That they (h) Rev. 19 10. 22.9 will not be worshipped because they are our fellow-servants and that God only is to be adored These we find directing (i) Acts 8.26 Philip to the Eunuch to teach and instruct him (k) Act. 10.3 Cornelius to Peter to be taught and instructed by him (i) Per Angeles preces nostras offerri ad Deum Zanch. de Relig. l. 1. cap. 13. p. 297. They are Messengers to carry our prayers to God even in the judgement of no mean persons but known opposers of Superstition and Popery such as Zanchy who telleth us that by the Angels our prayers are offered up to God and being heard are returned to us Such as Peter Martyr (k) Pet Martyr in Genes c. 32. who saith that The Angels offer up prayers not to teach God as if he knew not but that themselves may know whereabout they are sent And Beza (l) Bez. in Apocal cap. 8. v. 3. Scimus Angelorum Ministerium sanctis in bâcvitâ de gentibus esse destinatum Hebr. 1.14 Haes causa est c. We know saith he that the Ministery of Angels is appointed to the Saints while they live here not that they should be worshipped as Gods but that according to the Will of God they should help us by their service as we may understand by many places of Scripture This is the reason why John in the Vision learned that the Prayers of the Saints in this world who daily offer up those pure sacrifices are offered up to God by the Ministery of Angels But indeed he adds What this Ministery of theirs is it is a Quis novit We cannot define Mediators they are not (m) See Aug. de Trinit 13.15 nor may we pray unto them for there is (n) 1 Tim. 2.5 one only Mediator between God and man the Man Christ Jesus Nor do they offer up our prayers in their own name nor upon any Merit of their own but in and by Christ the only Mediator they may And that they bring back answers from God to the Prayers of men the Scriptures have recorded several instances as (o) Dan. 9.21 10.10 to Daniel (p) Luk. 1.11 13. Zechary and (q) Acts 10.3 4. Cornelius c. As for Temporal deliverances external succour and defence we have many examples as of (r) Gen. 19. Lot by two Angels delivered from Sodom and sent to Zoar (s) Gen. 16.7 9 10. Hagar in the Wilderness comforted by an Angel and advised (t) 1 Kings 19.4 9. Elisah succoured by an Angel providing him bread and water in the strength of which he was enabled to travel forty dayes when before he was even weary of his life Why should I adde more particulars when David hath clearly assured us of this in general to all Saints (u) Psal 34.7 The Angel of the Lord excampeth about them that fear him and delivereth them So that even in a literal sense they may in this case be said to be as in another the Apostle (x) 1 Pet. 1 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith they are kept as in a Garison secure by a guard of Angels the Heavenly Hoast pitching their Tents and keeping Centry about them for these are the Hoast of God used for the protection of his Church even (y) Psal 68 17. Thousands of Angels Such was the Guard afforded to (z) 2 Kings 6.17 Elisha when the Syrian Army was sent to apprehend him at Dothan The Mountains being then full of Chariots and Horsemen of fire round about him And it is the Promise of God that they shall do so (a) Psal 91.9 10 11 12. When thou makest the Lord thy refuge and the most High thy habitation there shall no evil befall thee for he shall give his Angels charge over thee and they shall keep thee in all thy wayes they shall bear thee up in their hands Sect. 38 Having now such Scripture-evidences and the Saints experiences of succour and defence by the Angels Ministery I cannot apprehend any shadow of reason why we may not pray that They who do alwayes service to God in Heaven may also succour and defend us on earth And this being the Subject of the Promise of God without dispute may be the matter of our Prayers to God Sect. 39 Thus have I given an account of the most Material and I think all the Considerable Exceptions taken to the established Liturgy for so much as concerns the prayers and forms of Publick administrations which though our Brethren might judge rational pleas for some alterations in reference to the Publick establishment yet there really appears nothing in them nor were they so urged as such things so
Nazian in Epitaph Faith the same saith Chrysostome k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in Heb. Hom. 31. of Love and Peace that they are the Badges of Christians the Characters of Christianity For the truth is if in these low things we cannot bear one with another if we cannot love our Brethren because in all things they will not or cannot be of our mind if we shall continue to hate and revaile one another and give way to such animosities and contentions for the businesse of a Ceremony for matters only of Order and Circumstance howsoever we may bear on our selves and profession the Name of Christ yet really shall we be as Nazianzen upon another account saith of l Nazianz. Onat in praesent 150. Episc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Valens the Arrian A reproach to Christians I heartily pray that the Lord would at length give us better more humble and charitable spirits that howsoever we do and may differ in some notions and in our judgements about some practices which are confessed to be neither of the Foundation of Religion nor the essentials of Worship we may yet keep close to that genuine m Eph. 4.2 3. Apostolical Canon To forbear one another in love and so to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace § 22 To conclude Let us carefully observe these Rules and conscionably practice all these duties and really Duties they all are to which we are obliged then the matter of Forms Rites Ceremonies will not not trouble us all rents will be made up divisions prevented contention banished from our Churches and confusion from our Assemblies Then shall we live as Brethren as Christians and it shall be beyond the powers of Hell to interrupt much more to overturn our Peace Then shall we again n Psal 42.4 Go together to the House of God with the voyce of joy and praise and not scruple the Form of the Service or Order of Worship We have not all attained to the same perfections the same measure of knowledge grace or strength But o Phil. 3.15 Let as many as be perfect be thus minded even go onward still that we may perfectly p Phil. 3 10. know Christ and the power of his Resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings c. and despising all disputes about these unnecessary things strive with all earnestnesse to lay hold on the reward prepared that Caeleste Brabaeum q Ibid. vers 14. The prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus In the mean time live as Brethren in the same Communion and r Ibid. vers 16. Whereunto we have already attained let us all walk by the same rule let VS MIND THE SAME THINGS And ſ Gal. 6.16 To as many as walk according to this Rule peace be on them and mercy and upon the Israel of God Now t 2 Thes 3.16 The Lord of peace himself give us peace alwayes by all means even for his sake who is the u Isai 9.6 Prince of peace and x Colos 1.20 hath made peace for us with the Father by the Blood of his Crosse Jesus Christ the righteous And Thou O God of peace y Heb. 13.20 21. who broughtest again from the dead the Lord Jesus that Great Shepheard of the Sheep through the Blood of the everlasting Covenant make us every one perfect in every good work to do thy will working in us that which is well pleasing in thy sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vid. Lil. Gyrald in Pythagor Symbol in conclusione In Part 3. Chap. 2. §. 21. After these words After Supper in the dusk of the evening or within night adde this in a Parenthesis and really if the practice of Christ in the first Institution oblige us to his Gesture the argument seems much more strong to oblige us to the time which St Paul who speaks not a word of the Gesture doth again expresly take notice of when he is instructing the Corinthians in the right use of that Sacred Ordinance wherein yet we vary nor doth any that I know condemn us for so doing FINIS The hast of the Press hath caused some Errata Mistakes and mispointings will soon be discovered and I hope excused PAg. 2 l 34. r. who is 15. l. 3. omen 79. l. 14. none 166. l. 28. prudence 250. mar at the letter o for Gen. r. Jonah 255. § 19. for Fasts r. Feasts 262. l. 8. for things r. times 271. l. 23. for by r. but. 275. l. ult for nothing else r. nothing less 278. l. 1. for indifferent r. different 279. for Cropus r. Corpus 293. for sing r. Sign 298. for work r. word The Greek will be glad of a criticall Reader sometimes to rectifie a letter and the Hebrew hopes for the same