safe ventured to present him with a dowbaked sacrifice and put him off with that which in nature and humane consideration is absolutely the worst for such is all the crude and imperfect utterance of our more imperfect conceptions But let Solomons reason be what it will good we are sure it is Let us consider who keeps the precept best He that deliberates or he that considers not but when he speakes What man in the world is hasty to offer any thing before God if he bee not who prayes ex tempore And then adde to it but the weight of Solomons reason and let any man answer me if he thinks it can well stand with that reverence we owe to the Immense the infinite and to the eternall God the God of wisdome to offer him a sacrifice which we durst not present to a Prince or a prudent Governour in re seriâ such as our prayers ought to be And that this may not be dashed with a pretence it is carnall Numb 7. reasoning I desire it may be remembred that it is the argument God himselfe uses against lame maimed and imperfect sacrifices Goe and offer this to thy Prince see if he will accept it Implying that the best person is to have the best present and what the Prince will slight as truly unworthy of him much more is it unfit for God For God accepts not of any thing we give or doe as if he were bettred by it for therefore its estimate is not taken by its relation or naturall complacency to him 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 any thing 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 Numb 8. a thing as the gift of Prayer a praying with the Spirit Et nescit tarda molimina 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 Zech. 12. 10. And I will poure upon the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and supplication But especially 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 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 forms therefore ex tempore The Collection is somewhat wild for there is great independence in the severall parts and much more is in the Conclusion Numb 9. then was virtually in the premises But such as it is the Authors of it I suppose will own it And therefore we will examine the maine design 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 Numb 10. Christs ascension that the holy Ghost is given unto the Church and is 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 ask of our selves is most true and if ever any Heretique was more confident of his own naturals or did ever more undervalue Gods grace then ever the Pelagians 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 ex tempore No such thing The Objection proves nothing of this Here therefore we will joyn issue whether the gifts and helps Numb 11. of the Spirit be immediate infusions of the Faculties and powers and perfect abilities Or that he doth assist us only by his aydes externall and internall in the use of such means which God and nature hath given to man to ennoble his soul better his Faculties and to improve his understanding That the aydes of the holy Ghost are only assistances to us in the use of naturall and artificiall means 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 forms of prayer studyed and considered of are in a true and proper sense and without enthusiasm the fruits of the spirit 1. Gods Spirit did assist the Apostles by wayes extraordinary Numb 12. 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 saith and we believe 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 own appointment to believe 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 Numb 13. speaking of an ordinary revealed truth is called in Scripture a speaking by the Spirit 1 Cor. 12. 8. No man can say that Jesus Vid. Act. 19. 21. Act. 16. 7 8 9. 10. 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 anothers stock And this is it which the Apostles speaks 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 co-operation 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 Schools and there is much reason Numb 14. 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 meanes and co-operation and grace does not give us new faculties and create another nature but meliorates and improves our own 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 supplies us with Objects and Arguments and opportunities and revelations in scriptis and then most when we most imploy our own endeavours God loving to blesse all the meanes and instruments of his service whether they be naturall or acquisite But whosoever shall look for any other gifts of the spirit besides Numb 15. the parts of nature helped by industry and Gods blessing upon it and the revelations or the suppplyes of matter in holy Scripture will be very farre to seek 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 saith 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 be shewn in any good record and then I will believe it too 4. And the parallel of this Argument I the rather urge because Numb 16. 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. Jud. ver 20. But ye beloved building up your selves on 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 Numb 17. 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 Numb 18. 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 down 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 himself 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 Numb 19. 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 only 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 directions 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 Numb 20. 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 enlarged 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 Numb 21. 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 reads most practices most religiously deliberates most prudently and then by how much want of meanes is worse then the use of meanes by so much ex tempore Prayers are worse then deliberate and studyed Excellent therefore is the councell 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 practises a form or he that never considers what he sayes till hee 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 Numb 22. 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 nearer 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 false Copies but that they truly did observe sometimes to be propriety of expression in the language sometimes not true Greek who will think those errours 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 clearely some of their words were the words of Aratus some of Epimenides some of Menander some of Saint 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 errour 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 Numb 23. 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 down 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-horn 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 written and being written is still a production of the Spirit then it follows that set-forms of Prayer deliberate and described may as well be a praying with the Spirit as sudden forms and ex tempore out lets Now the case being thus put I would faine know what the difference is between deliberate and ex tempore Prayers save Numb 24. only 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 down 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 mystery and see what Numb 25. is meant in Scripture by praying with the Spirit In what sense the holy Ghost is called the spirit of Prayer I have already shewn 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 finde 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 groanes unutterable so it followes and only He that searcheth the heart he understandeth the meaning of the spirit This is the spirit of the Son which God hath sent into our hearts not into our tongues whereby we cry Abba Father Gal. 4. 6. And this is the great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for mentall Prayer which is properly and truly praying by the Spirit Another praying with the Spirit I find in that place of S Paul Numb 26. 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 St 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 directly or immediately By the way only If Saint Paul did so undervalve the praying Numb 27. with the Spirit that he preferred edifying the Church a thousand degrees beyond it I suppose he would have been of the same mind if this Question had been 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 if I
be not mistaken it is matter of great concernment towards the edification of the Church to obey our superiours not to innovate in publick formes of worship 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 Numb 28. more then 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 something extraordinary joyned for it was in an unknown tongue the practice of which S. Paul there dislikes This also will be to none of their purposes For whether it were ex tempore 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 ex tempore 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 Numb 29. 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 there should be differing senses put upon them to serve purposes And now let us have some Church-musick too though the Organs be pulled down and let any the best Psalmist of them all compose a hymne in metricall forme and sing it to a new tune with perfect and true musick and all this ex tempore For all this the holy Ghost can doe if he pleases But if it be said that the Corinthian 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 Lyturgy by skill and prudence and humane industry may be as much praying with the spirit as the other is singing with the spirit Plainly 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 ex tempore The summe or Collecta of the premises is this Praying with Numb 30. 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 speaks 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-forms or to ex tempore 2. But as to the matter and manner of prayer it is clearly contained in the expresses and set forms of Scriptures and it is supplyed to us by the spirit for he is the great Dictator of it Now then for the very words No man can assure me that the Numb 31. words of his ex tempore prayer are the words of the holy Spirit it is not reason 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 hee 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 mean in vocall prayer this is it And thus I have examined the intire and full scope of this Question and rifled their Objection Now I shall 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 Numb 32. zealous for ex tempore prayers to pray their Sermons over to reduce their doctrine into Devotion and Lyturgy I mislike it not for the thing it selfe 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 ex tempore Nay if I heare a Protestant preach in the morning and an Anabaptist in the afternoone to day a Presbyterian to morrow an Independent am I not most sure that when they have preached Contradictories and all of them pray their Sermons over that they doe not all pray with the spirit More than 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 forms of Numb 33. prayer That in the case above put how shall I or any man else say Amen to their prayers that preach and pray contradictories 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 tacitly discoursed it we are
by all that know them yet it is not necessary all should know them and that all should know them in the same sense and interpretation is neither probable nor obligatory but therefore since these things are to be distinguished by some differences of necessary and not necessary whether or no is not the declaration of Christs and his Apostles affixing salvation to the beliefe of some great comprehensive Articles and the act of the Apostles rendring them as explicite as they thought convenient and consigning that Creed made so explicite as a tessera of a Christian as a comprehension of the Articles of his beliefe as a sufficient disposition and an expresse of the Faith of a Catechumen in order to Baptism whether or no I say all this be not sufficient probation that these only are of absolute necessity that this is sufficient for meer beliefe in order to heaven and that therefore whosoever believes these Articles heartily and explicitely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as S. John's expression is God dwelleth in him I leave it to be consider'd and judg'd of from the premises Only this if the old Doctors had been made Judges in these Questions they would have passed their affirmative for to instance in one for all of this it was said by Tertullian Regula quidem fidei una omnino est Lib. de veland Virg sola immobilis irreformabilis c. Hâc lege fidei manente caetera jam disciplinae conversationis admittunt novitatem correctionis operante scil proficiente usque in finem gratia Dei This Symbol is the one sufficient immoveable unalterable and unchangeable rule of Faith that admits no increment or decrement but if the integrity and unity of this be preserv'd in all other things men may take a liberty of enlarging their knowledges and prophesyings according as they are assisted by the grace of God SECT II. Of Heresy and the nature of it and that it is to be accounted according to the strict capacity of Christian Faith and not in Opinions speculative nor ever to pious persons ANd thus I have represented a short draught of the Object Numb 1. of Faith and its foundation the next consideration in order to our maine design is to consider what was and what ought to be the judgement of the Apostles concerning Heresy For although there are more kinds of vices than there are of vertues yet the number of them is to be taken by accounting the transgressions of their vertues and by the limits of Faith we may also reckon the Analogy and proportions of Heresy that as we have seen who was called faithfull by the Apostolicall men wee may also perceive who were listed by them in the Catalogue of Hereticks that we in our judgements may proceed accordingly And first the word Heresy is used in Scripture indifferently in a good sense for a Sect or Division of Opinion and men Numb 2. following it or sometimes in a bad sense for a false Opinion signally condemned but these kinde of people were then cald Anti-christs and false Prophets more frequently then Hereticks and then there were many of them in the world But it is observeable that no Heresies are noted signantèr in Scripture but such as are great errors practicall in materâ pietatis such whose doctrines taught impiety or such who denyed the comming of Christ directly or by consequence not remote or wiredrawn but prime and immediate And therefore in the Code de S. Trinitate fide Catholica heresy is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a wicked Opinion and an ungodly doctrine The first false doctrine we finde condemned by the Apostles was the opinion of Simon Magus who thought the Holy Ghost Numb 3. was to be bought with money he thought very dishonourably to the blessed Spirit but yet his followers are rather noted of a vice neither resting in the understanding nor derived from it but wholy practicall T is simony not heresy though in Simon it was a false opinion proceeding from a low account of God and promoted by his own ends of pride and covetousnesse The great heresy that troubled them was the doctrine of the necessity of keeping the Law of Moses the necessity of Circumcision against which doctrine they were therfore zealous because it was a direct overthrow to the very end and excellency of Christs comming And this was an opinion most petinaciously and obstinately maintain'd by the Jewes and had made a Sect among the Galathians and this was indeed wholy in opinion and against it the Apostles opposed two Articles of the Creed which serv'd at severall times according as the Jewes chang'd their opinion and left some degrees of their error I believe in Jesus Christ and I believe the holy Catholike Church For they therefore press'd the necessity of Moses Law because they were unwilling to forgoe the glorious appellative of being Gods own peculiar people and that salvation was of the Jewes and that the rest of the world were capable of that grace no otherwise but by adoption into their Religion and becomming Proselytes But this was so ill a doctrine as that it overthrew the great benefits of Christ's comming for if they were circumcis'd Christ profited them nothing meaning this that Christ will not be a Saviour to them who doe not acknowledge him for their Law-Giver and they neither confesse him their Law-Giver nor their Saviour that look to be justified by the Law of Moses and observation of legall rites so that this doctrine was a direct enemy to the foundation and therefore the Apostles were so zealous against it Now then that other opinion which the Apostles met at Jerusalem to resolve was but a piece of that opinion for the Iewes and Proselytes were drawn off from their lees and sediment by degrees step by step At first they would not endure any should be saved but themselves and their Profelytes Being wrought off from this heigth by Miracles and preaching of the Apostles they admitted the Gentiles to a possibility of salvation but yet so as to hope for it by Moses Law From which foolery when they were with much adoe disswaded and told that salvation was by Faith in Christ not by works of the Law yet they resolv'd to plow with an Oxe and an Asse still and joyne Moses with Christ not as shadow and substance but in an equall confederation Christ should save the Gentiles if he was helpt by Moses but alone Christianity could not doe it Against this the Apostles assembled at Jerusalem and made a decision of the Question tying some of the Gentiles such only who were blended by the Iewes in communi patria to observation of such Rites which the Iewes had derived by tradition from Noah intending by this to satisfie the Iewes as farre as might be with a reasonable compliance and condescension the other Gentiles who were unmixt in the meane while remaining free as appeares in the liberty S. Paul gave the Church of
and promises and authority of Generall Councels For if any one man can hope to be guided by Gods Spirit in the search the pious and impartiall and unprejudicate search of truth then much more may a Generall Councell If no private man can hope for it then truth is not necessary to be found nor we are not oblig'd to search for it or else we are sav'd by chance But if private men can by vertue of a promise upon certain conditions be assured of finding out sufficient truth much more shall a Generall Councell So that I consider thus There are many promises pretended to belong to Generall Assemblies in the Church But I know not any ground nor any pretence that they shall be absolutely assisted without any condition on their own parts and whether they will or no Faith is a vertue as well as charity and therefore consists in liberty and choyce and hath nothing in it of necessity There is no Question but that they are obliged to proceed according to some rule for they expect no assistance by way of Enthusiasme if they should I know no warrant for that neither did any Generall Councell ever offer a Decree which they did not think sufficiently prov'd by Scripture Reason or Tradition as appears in the Acts of the Councels now then if they be tyed to conditions it is their duty to observe them but whether it be certaine that they will observe them that they will doe all their duty that they will not sin even in this particular in the neglect of their duty that 's the consideration So that if any man questions the Title and Authority of Generall Councels and whether or no great promises appertain to them I suppose him to be much mistaken but he also that thinks all of them have proceeded according to rule and reason and that none of them were deceived because possibly they might have been truly directed is a stranger to the History of the Church and to the perpetuall instances and experiments of the faults and failings of humanity It is a famous saying of S. Gregory that he had the foure first Councels in esteem and veneration next to the foure Evangelists I suppose it was because he did believe them to have proceeded according to Rule and to have judged righteous judgement but why had not he the same opinion of other Councels too which were celebrated before his death for he lived after the fifth Generall not because they had not the same Authority for that which is warrant for one is warrant for all but because he was not so confident that they did their duty nor proceeded so without interest as the first foure had done and the following Councels did never get that reputation which all the Catholike Church acknowledged due to the first foure And in the next Order were the three following generalls for the Greeks and Latines did never joyntly acknowledge but seven generalls to have been authentick in any sense because they were in no sense agreed that any more then seven had proceeded regularly and done their duty So that now the Question is not whether Generall Councels have a promise that the holy Ghost will assist them For every private man hath that promise that if he does his duty he shall be assisted sufficiently in order to that end to which he needs assistance and therefore much more shall Generall Councels in order to that end for which they convene and to which they need assistance that is in order to the conservation of the Faith for the doctrinall rules of good life and all that concerns the essentiall duty of a Christian but not in deciding Questions to satisfie contentious or curious or presumptuous spirits But now can the Bishops so conven'd be factious can they be abused with prejudice or transported with interests can they resist the holy Ghost can they extinguish the Spirit can they stop their eares and serve themselves upon the holy Spirit and the pretence of his assistances and cease to serve him upon themselves by captivating their understandings to his dictates and their wills to his precepts Is it necessary they should perform any condition is there any one duty for them to perform in these Assemblies a duty which they have power to doe or not doe If so then they may faile of it and not doe their duty And if the assistance of the holy Spirit be conditionall then we have no more assurance that they are assisted then that they doe their duty and doe not sinne Now let us suppose what this duty is Certainly if the Gospel Numb 2. be hid it is hid to them that are lost and all that come to the knowledge of the truth must come to it by such meanes which are spirituall and holy dispositions in order to a holy and spirituall end They must be shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace that is they must have peaceable and docible dispositions nothing with them that is violent and resolute to encounter those gentle and sweet assistances and the Rule they are to follow is the Rule which the holy Spirit hath consign'd to the Catholike Church that is the holy Scripture either * Vid. Optat. Milev l. 5. adv Parm. Baldvin in eundem S. August in Psa. 21. Expos. 2. intirely or at least for the greater part of the Rule So that now if the Bishops bee factious and prepossest with perswasions depending upon interest it is certain they may judge amisse and if they recede from the Rule it is certain they doe judge amisse And this I say upon their grounds who most advance the authority of Generall Councels For if a Generall Councell may erre if a Pope confirm it not then most certainly if in any thing it recede from Scripture it does also erre because that they are to expect the Popes confirmation they offer to prove from Scripture now if the Popes confirmation be required by authority of Scripture and that therefore the defaillance of it does evacuate the Authority of the Councell then also are the Councels Decrees invalid if they recede from any other part of Scripture So that Scripture is the Rule they are to follow and a man would have thought it had been needlesse to have proved it but that we are fallen into Ages in which no truth is certaine no reason concluding nor is there any thing that can convince some men For Stapleton with extreme boldnesse against the piety of Christendome against the publike sense of the ancient Relect. centrov 4. q. 1. a. 3 Church and the practise of all pious Assemblies of Bishops affirmes the Decrees of a Councell to be binding etiamsi non confirmetur ne probabili testimonio Scripturarum nay though it be quite extra Scripturam but all wise and good men have ever said that sense which S. Hilary expressed in these words Quae extra Evangelium sunt non defendam This was it which the good Emperour
condemned second marriages nor that S. John Damascen said Christ only prayed in appearance not really and in truth I will let them all rest in peace and their memories in honour for if I should enquire into the particular probations of this Article I must doe to them as I should be forced to doe now if any man should say that the Writings of the School-men were excellent Argument and Authority to determine mens perswasions I must consider their writings and observe their defaillances their contradictions the weaknesse of their Arguments the mis-allegations of Scripture their inconsequent deductions their false opinions and all the weaknesses of humanity and the failings of their persons which no good man is willing to doe unlesse he be compel'd to it by a pretence that they are infallible or that they are followed by men even into errors or impiety And therefore since there is enough in the former instances to cure any such misperswasion and prejudice I will not instance in the innumerable particularities that might perswade us to keep our Liberty intire or to use it discreetly For it is not to be denyed but that great advantages are to be made by their writings probabile est quod omnibus quod pluribus quod sapientibus videtur If one wise man sayes a thing it is an Argument to me to believe it in its degree of probation that is proportionable to such an assent as the Authority of a wise man can produce and when there is nothing against it that is greater and so in proportion higher and higher as more wise men such as the old Doctors were doe affirm it But that which I complain of is that we look upon wise men that lived long agoe with so much veneration and mistake that we reverence them not for having been wise men but that they lived long since But when the Question is concerning Authorty there must bee something to build it on a Divine Commandment humane Sanction excellency of spirit and greatnesse of understanding on which things all humane Authority is regularly built But now if we had lived in their times for so we must look upon them now as they did who without prejudice beheld them I suppose we should then have beheld them as we in England look on those Prelates who are of great reputation for learning and sanctity here only is the difference when persons are living their authority is depressed by their personall defaillances and the contrary interests of their contemporaries which disband when they are dead and leave their credit intire upon the reputation of those excellent books and monuments of learning and piety which are left behind But beyond this why the Bishop of Hippo shall have greater Authority then the Bishop of the Canaries caeteris paribus I understand not For did they that liv'd to instance in S. Austine's time believe all that he wrote If they did they were much too blame or else himselfe was too blame for retracting much of it a little before his death And if while he lived his affirmative was no more Authority then derives from the credit of one very wise man against whom also very wise men were opposed I know not why his Authority should prevaile further now For there is nothing added to the strength of his reason since that time but only that he hath been in great esteem with posterity And if that be all why the opinion of the following Ages shall be of more force then the opinion of the first Ages against whom S. Austin in many things clearly did oppose himselfe I see no reason or whether the first Ages were against him or no yet that he is approved by the following Ages is no better Argument for it makes his Authority not to be innate but derived from the opinion of others and so to be precaria and to depend upon others who if they should change their opinions and such examples there have been many then there were nothing left to urge our consent to him which when it was at the best was only this because he had the good Fortune to be believed by them that came after he must be so still and because it was no Argument for the old Doctors before him this will not be very good in his behalfe The same I say of any company of them I say not so of all of them it is to no purpose to say it for there is no Question this day in contestation in the explication of which all the old Writers did consent In the assignation of the Canon of Scripture they never did consent for six hundred yeares together and then by that time the Bishops had agreed indiffently well and but indifferently upon that they fell out in twenty more and except it be in the Apostels Creed and Articles of such nature there is nothing which may with any colour be called a consent much lesse Tradition Universall 4. But I will rather chuse to shew the uncertainty of this Numb 4. Topick by such an Argument which was not in the Fathers power to help such as makes no invasion upon their great reputation which I desire should be preserved as sacred as it ought For other things let who please read Mr Daillè du vray usage des Peres But I shall only consider that the Writings of the Fathers have been so corrupted by the intermixture of Hereticks so many false books put forth in their names so many of their Writings lost which would more clearly have explicated their sense and at last an open profession made and a trade of making the Fathers speak not what themselves thought but what other men pleased that it is a great instance of God's providence and care of his Church that we have so much good preserved in the Writings which we receive from the Fathers and that all truth is not as clear gone as is the certainty of their great Authority and reputation The publishing books with the inscription of great names began in S. Paul's time for some had troubled the Church of Numb 5. Thessalonica with a false Epistle in S. Paul's name against the inconvenience of which he arms them in 2 Thess. 2. 1. And this increased daily in the Church The Arrians wrot an Epistle to Constantine under the name of Athanasius and the Eutychians Apolog. Athanas ad Constant wrot against Cyrill of Alexandria under the name of Theodoret and of the Age in which the seventh Synod was kept Erasmus reports Libris falso celebrium virorum titulo commendatis Vid. Baron A. D. 553. scatere omnia It was then a publike businesse and a trick not more base then publick But it was more ancient then so and it is memorable in the books attributed to S. Basil containing thirty Chapters de Spiritu Sancto whereof fifteen were plainly added by another hand under the covert of S. Basil as appears in the difference of the stile in the impertinent
with a menace of death to them that should disobey that all the world might know the meaning and extent of such precepts and that there is a limit beyond which they cannot command and we ought not to obey it came once to that pass that if the Priest had been obeyed in his Conciliary decrees the whole Nation had been bound to beleeve the condemnation of our blessed Saviour to have been just and at another time the Apostles must no more have preached in the name of JEsus But here was manifest error And the case is the same to every man that invincibly and therefore innocently beleeves it so Deo potius quà m hominibus is our rule in such cases For although every man is bound to follow his guide unless he beleeves his guide to mislead him yet when he sees reason against his guide it is best to follow his reason for though in this he may fall into error yet he will escape the sin he may doe violence to truth but never to his own conscience and an honest error is better then an hypocriticall profession of truth or a violent luxation of the understanding since if he retains his honesty and simplicity he cannot erre in a matter of faith or absolute necessity Gods goodness hath secur'd all honest and carefull persons from that for other things he must follow the best guides he can and he cannot be obliged to follow better then God hath given him And there is yet another way pretended of infallible Numb 3. Expositions of Scripture and that is by the Spirit But of this I shall say no more but that it is impertinent as to this question For put case the Spirit is given to some men enabling them to expound infallibly yet because this is but a private assistance and cannot be proved to others this infallible assistance may determine my own assent but shall not inable me to prescribe to others because it were unreasonable I should unless I could prove to him that I have the Spirit and so can secure him from being deceived if he relyes upon me In this case I may say as S. Paul in the case of praying with the Spirit He verily giveth thanks well but the other is not edified So that let this pretence be as true as it will it is sufficient that it cannot be of consideration in this question The result of all is this Since it is not reasonable to limit and prescribe to all mens understandings by any externall rule in the Numb 4. interpretation of difficult places of Scripture which is our rule Since no man nor company of men is secure from error or can secure us that they are free from malice interest and design and since all the wayes by which we usually are taught as Tradition Councels Decretals c. are very uncertain in the matter in their authority in their being legitimate and naturall and many of them certainly false and nothing certain but the divine authority of Scripture in which all that is necessary is plain and much of that that is not necessary is very obscure intricate and involv'd either we must set up our rest onely upon articles of faith and plain places and be incurious of other obscurer revelations which is a duty for persons of private understandings and of no publike function or if we will search further to which in some measure the guides of others are obliged it remains we inquire how men may determine themselves so as to doe their duty to God and not to diserve the Church that every such man may doe what he is bound to in his personall capacity and as he relates to the publike as a publike minister SECT X. Of the authority of Reason and that it proceeding upon best grounds is the best judge HEre then I consider that although no man may be trusted to judge for all others unless this person were infallible and Numb 1. authorized so to doe which no man nor no company of men is yet every man may be trusted to judge for himself I say every man that can judge at all as for others they are to be saved as it pleaseth God but others that can judge at all must either choose their guides who shall judge for them and then they oftentimes doe the wisest and alwayes save themselves a labour but then they choose too or if they be persons of greater understanding then they are to choose for themselves in particular what the others doe in generall and by choosing their guide and for this any man may be better trusted for himselfe then any man can be for another For in this case his own interest is most concerned and ability is not so necessary as honesty which certainly every man will best preserve in his owne case and to himselfe and if he does not it is he that must smart for 't and it is not required of us not to be in errour but that we endeavour to avoid it 2. He that followes his guide so far as his reason goes along with him or which is all one he that followes his owne reason Numb 2. not guided onely by naturall arguments but by divine revelation and all other good meanes hath great advantages over him that gives himselfe wholly to follow any humane guide whatsoever because he followes all their reasons and his own too he follows them till reason leaves them or till it seemes so to him which is all one to his particular for by the confession of all sides an erroneous Conscience binds him when a right guide does not bind him But he that gives himselfe up wholly to a guide is oftentimes I meane if he be a discerning person forc'd to doe violence to his own understanding and to lose all the benefit of his owne discretion that he may reconcile his reason to his guide And of this we see infinite inconveniences in the Church of Rome for we finde persons of great understanding oftentimes so amused with the authority of their Church that it is pity to see them sweat in answering some objections which they know not how to doe but yet beleeve they must because the Church hath said it So that if they reade study pray search records and use all the means of art and industry in the pursuite of truth it is not with a resolution to follow that which shall seem truth to them but to confirm what before they did beleeve and if any argument shall seeme unanswerable against any Article of their Church they are to take it for a temptation not for an illumination and they are to use it accordingly which makes them make the Devill to be the Author of that which Gods Spirit hath assisted them to find in the use of lawfull means and the search of truth And when the Devill of falshood is like to be cast out by Gods Spirit they say that it is through Beelzebub which was one of the worst things
God to judge It concernes all persons to see that they doe their best to finde out truth and if they doe it is certain that let the errour be never so damnable they shall escape the errour or the misery of being damn'd for 't And if God will not be angry at men for being invincibly deceiv'd why should men be angry one at another For he that is most displeased at another mans errour may also be tempted in his own will and as much deceived in his understanding For if he may faile in what he can chuse he may also faile in what he cannot chuse His understanding is no more secur'd then his will nor his Faith more then his obedience It is his own fault if he offends God in either but whatsoever is not to be avoided as errours which are incident oftentimes even to the best and most inquisitive of men are not offences against God and therefore not to be punished or restrained by men but all such opinions in which the publick interests of the Common-wealth and the foundation of Faith and a good life are not concern'd are to be permitted freely Quisque abundet in sensu suo was the Doctrine of S. Paul and that is Argument and Conclusion too and they were excellent words which S. Ambrose said in attestation of this great truth Nec Imperiale est libertatem dicendi negare nec sacerdotale quod sentias non dicere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE END A DISCOURSE CONCERNING PRAYER Ex tempore OR By pretence of the Spirit In justification of Authorized and Set-forms of LITURGIE 1 COR. 14. 32. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets For God is not the Author of confusion but of peace as in all Churches of the Saints Printed for Richard Royston 1647. A Discourse concerning PRAYER Ex tempore c. I Have read over this Book which the Assembly of Divines is pleased to call The Directory for Prayer I confesse I came to it with much expectation and was in some measure confident I should have found it an exact and unblameable modell of Devotion free from all those objections which men of their own perswasion had obtruded against the publike Liturgy of the Church of England or at least it should have been composed with so much artifice and finenesse that it might have been to all the world an Argument of their learning and excellency of spirit if not of the goodnesse and integrity of their Religion and purposes I shall give no other character of the whole but that the publike disrelish which I finde amongst persons of great piety of all qualities not only of great but even of ordinary understandings is to me some argument that it lies so open to the objections even of common spirits that the Compilers of it did intend more to prevaile by the successe of their Armies then the strength of reason and the proper grounds of perswasion which yet most wise and good men believe to be the more Christian way of the two But Sir you have engaged me to say something in particular to satisfie your conscience In which also I desire I may reserve a leave to my self to conceal much if I may in little doe you satisfaction I shall therefore decline to speak of the Efficient cause of this Directory and not quarrell at it that is was composed against Numb 2. the Lawes both of England and all Christendome If the thing were good and pious I should learn to submit to the imposition and never quarrell at the incompetency of his authority that engaged me to doe pious and holy things And it may be when I am a little more used to it I shall not wonder at a Synod in which not one Bishop sits in the capacity of a Bishop though I am most certain this is the first example in England since it was first Christned But for present it seemes something hard to digest it because I know so well that all Assemblies of the Church have admitted Priests to consultation and dispute but never to authority and decision till the Pope enlarging the phylacteries of the Archimandrites and Abbots did sometimes by way of priviledge and dispensation give to some of them decisive voyces in publike Councels But this was one of the things in which he did innovate and invade against the publike resolutions of Christendome though he durst not doe it often and when he did it it was in very small and inconsiderate numbers I said I would not meddle with the Efficient and I cannot meddle with the Finall cause nor guesse at any other ends and Numb 3. purposes of theirs then at what they publiquely professe which is the abolition and destruction of the Book of Common-Prayer which great change because they are pleased to call Reformation I am content in charity to believe they think it so and that they have Zelum Dei but whether secundum scientiam according to knowledge or no must be judged by them who consider the matter and the forme But because the matter is of so great variety and minute consideration every part whereof would require as much scrutiny Numb 4. as I purpose to bestow upon the whole I have for the present chosen to consider only the form of it and because it pretends against the form of set Lyturgy and that ex tempore forms doe succeed in room of the established and determined services I shall give you my judgement of it without any sharpnesse or bitternesse of spirit for I am resolved not to be angry with any man of another perswasion as knowing that I differ just as much from them as they doe from me And first I consider that the true state of the Question is only this Whether it is better to pray to God with consideration Numb 5. or without whether is the wiser man of the two hee who thinks and deliberates what to say or he that utters his mind as fast as it comes Whether is the better man he who out of reverence to God is most carefull and curious that he offend not in his tongue and therefore he himselfe deliberates and takes the best guides he can or he who out of the confidence of his own abilities or other exteriour assistances speaks what ever comes uppermost And here I have the advice and councell of a very wise man no lesse than Solomon Eccles. 5. 2. Be not rash with thy mouth Numb 6. and let not thy heart be hasty to utter any thing before God for God is in heaven and thou upon earth therefore let thy words be few The consideration of the vast distance between God and us Heaven and Earth should create such apprehensions in us that the very best and choycest of our offertoryes are not acceptable but by Gods gracious vouchsafeing and condescension and therefore since we are so much indebted to God for accepting our best it is not
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 repaire 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 ex tempore prayers And this thing 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 hee will venture he may but we can use no Argument to make him choose our Churches though he should quit his own 3. But again let us consider with sobriety Are not those Numb 34. 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 ex 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 patterns the nearer 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 porportion and commensuration I argue so concerning the primitive and ancient forms of Church service which are composed Numb 35. according to those so excellent patterns which if they had remained pure as in their first institution or had alwayes been as they have been reformed by the Church of England they would against all defiance put in for the next place to those formes or 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 Catholick and united capacity Numb 36. to the whole Church first then to particular Churches then in the lowest seat of the Category to single persons Now then I infer if any single persons will have us to believe without all possibility of proofe for so it must be that they pray with the Spirit for how shall they be able to prove the spirit actually to abide in those single persons then much rather must we believe 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 errours in the matter the Church hath the advantage and probability on her side and if there be an errour 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 premissis 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 gift and the spirit of prayer given unto her by virtue of the great promise Numb 37. of the spirit to abide with her for ever yet for all this she is taught to pray in a set form of prayer and yet by the spirit too For what think 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 form of words pretended to be taught us by the Spirit Wee are sure that Christ and Christs Spirit taught us this Prayer they only gather by conjectures and opinions that in their ex tempore forms the spirit of Christ teaches them So much then as certainties are better then uncertaines and God above man so much is this set form besides the infinite advantages in the matter better then their ex tempore forms in the form it selfe 6. If I should descend to minutes and particulars I could instance Numb 38. 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 Judah brought them in and continued them in the ministration of the temple 10. That all Scripture is written for our learning and since all these and many more set forms of prayer are left there upon record it is more then probable that they were left there for our use and devotion 11. That S. John Baptist taught his Disciples 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 only in massâ 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 only pro regula petendorum for a direction of what things we are to ask but also pro forma orationis for a set form 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 only of our prayers but the form of it the manner and the matter of the addresse both But in the repetition of it by Saint Luke the preceptive words seeme to limit us and direct us to this very form 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 Iewes the great Hallelujah it begins at the 113 Psalm and
or not free in both as it may happen But the restraint is this that every one is not left to his liberty Numb 46. 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 restrained when the whole Congregation shall be confined to the form of this one mans composing or it shall be unlawfull or at least a disgrace and disparagement to use any set forms 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 form It would Numb 47. sound of more liberty to their spirits that every one might make a prayer of his own 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 well 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 forms of prayer And if so whether also it Numb 48. 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 publike spirit is free That is the Church hath power upon occasion to alter and encrease her Litanyes 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 Numb 49. 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 princely liberty that they leave unto the Spirit to be free only in the supplying the place of a Vocabulary and a Copia Verborum For as for the matter it is all there described and appointed and to those determined senses the spirit must assist or not at all only for the words he shall take his choyce Now I desire it may be considered sadly and seriously Is it not as much injury to the spirit to restraine his matter as to appoint his words Which is the more considerable of the two sense or Language Matter or Words I meane when they are taken singly and separately For so they may very well be for as if men prescribe the matter only the spirit may cover it with severall words and expressions so if the spirit prescribe the words I may still abound in variety of sense and preserve the liberty of my meaning we see that true in the various interpretations of the same words of Scripture So that in the greater of the two the Spirit is restrained when his matter is appointed and to make him amends for not trusting him with the matter without our directions and limitations we trust him to say what he pleases so it be to our sense to our purposes A goodly compensation surely 5. Did not Christ restrain the spirit of his Apostles when he Numb 50. taught them to pray the Lords Prayer whether his precept to his Disciples concerning it was Pray this or Pray thus Pray these words or pray after this manner or though it had been lesse then either and been only a Directory for the matter still it is a thing which our Brethren in all other cases of the same nature are resolved perpetually to call a restraint Certainly then this pretended restraint is no such formidable thing These men themselves doe it by directing all the matter and much of the manner and Christ himselfe did it by prescribing both the matter and the words too 6. These restraints as they are called or determinations of the Spirit are made by the Spirit himselfe For I demand when Numb 51. any Assembly of Divines appointed the matter of Prayers to all particular Ministers as this hath done is that appointment by the Spirit or no If no then for ought appears this Directory not being made by Gods Spirit may be an enemy to it But if this appointment be by the Spirit then the determination and limitation of the Spirit is by the Spirit himself and such indeed is every pious and prudent constitution of the Church in matters spirituall Such as was that of S. Paul to the Corinthians when he prescribed orders for publike prophecying and interpretation and speaking with tongues The spirit of some he so restrained that he bound them to hold their peace he permitted but two or three to speak at one meeting the rest were to keep silence though possibly six or seven might at that time have the Spirit 7. Is it not a restraint of the Spirit to sing a Psalm in meeter by appointment Cleerely as much as appointing formes of Numb 52. prayer or Eucharist And yet that we see done daily and no scruple made Is not this to be partiall in judgement and inconsiderate of what wee doe 8. And now after all this strife what harm is there in restraining the spirit in the present sense What prohibition what law Numb 53. what reason or revelation is against it What inconvenience in the nature of the thing For can any man be so weak as to imagine a despite is done to the spirit of grace when those gifts to his Church are used regularly and by order As if prudence were no gift of Gods spirit as if helps in Government and the ordering spirituall matters were none of those graces which Christ when he ascended up on high gave unto Men. But this whole matter is wholly a stranger to reason and never seen in Scripture For Divinity never knew any other vitious restraining of the Spirit but either suppressing those holy incitements to virtue and Numb 54. good life which Gods Spirit ministers to us externally or internally or else a forbidding by publick Authority the Ministers of the Word and Sacraments to speak such truths as God hath commended and so taking away the liberty of Prophecying The first is directly vitious In materia speciale the second is tyrannicall and Antichristian And to it persecution of true Religion is to be reduced But as for this pretended limiting or restraining the spirit viz. by appointing a regular form of prayer it is so very a Chimera that it hath no footing or foundation upon any ground where a wise man may build his confidence 9. But lastly how if the spirit
must be restrained and that by Numb 55. precept Apostolicall That calls us to a new account But if it be not true what meanes S. Paul by saying The spirits of the Prophets must be subject to the Prophets What greater restraint then subjection If subjected then they must be ruled if ruled then limited prescribed unto and as much under restraint as the spirits of the superiour Prophets shall judge convenient I suppose by this time this objection will trouble us no more But perhaps another will For why are not the Ministers to be left as well to their liberty in making their Prayers as their Sermons I answer the Numb 56. Church may if she will but whether she doth well or no let her consider This I am sure there is not the same reason and I fear the experience the world hath already had of it will make demonstration enough of the inconvenience But however the differences are many 1. Our prayers offered up by the Minister are in behalfe and in the name of the people and therefore great reason they should know before-hand what is to be presented that if they like not the message they may refuse to communicate especially since people are so divided in their opinions in their hopes and in their faiths it being a duty to refuse Communion with those prayers which they think to have in them the matter of sin or doubting Which reason on the other part ceases for the Minister being to speak from God to the people if he speaks what he ought not God can right himselfe however is not partner of the sinne as in the other case the people possibly may be 2. It is more fit a liberty be left in preaching then praying Numb 58. because the addresse of our discourses and exhortations are to be made according to the understanding and capacity of the audience their prejudices are to be removed all advantages to be taken and they are to be surprized that way they lie most open But being crafty I caught you saith Saint Paul to the Corinthians and discourses and arguments ad hominem upon their particular principles and practices may more move them then the most polite and accurate that doe not comply and wind about their fancies and affections S. Paul from the absurd practice of being baptized for the dead made an excellent Argument to convince the Corinthians of the Resurrection But 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 Rhetorick 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 soon as the great office of 40 houres not long since invented in 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 Numb 59. 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 fit 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 a latitude of Theology much whereof is left to Numb 60. us so without precise and clear 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 own sense they will be apt to complaine 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 opinion I think Numb 61. it were not amisse if the liberty of making Sermons were something more restrained then it is and that either such persons only were intrusted with liberty for whom the Church her selfe may safely bee 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 publick stock till by so long exercise and discipline in the Schooles of the Prophets they may also be intrusted to minister of their own unto the people This I am sure was the practice of the Primitive Church when Preaching was as ably and religiously performed as now it is But in this I prescribe nothing But truly I think the reverend Divines of the Assembly are many of my mind in this particular and that they observe a liberty indulged to some persons to preach which I think they had rather should hold their peace and yet think the Church better edified in your silence then their Sermons 6. But yet me thinks the Argument objected if it were Numb 62. turned with the edge the other way would have more reason in it and instead of arguing Why should not the same be allowed in praying as in preaching it were better to substitute this If they can pray with the spirit why also doe they not preach with the spirit and if praying with the spirit be praying ex tempore why shall they not preach ex tempore too or else confesse that they preach without the spirit or that they have not the gift of 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 Numb 63. gift of Prayer let him set himself to work and 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 bee to edification But otherwise I understand it is more fit for ostentation then any spirituall advantage For God hears us not the sooner for our ex tempore long or conceived prayers possibly they may become a hindrance
Adversaries out of doores They shall not come neere their blessed Mount of Gerezim but fastning an Anathema on them let them goe to Ebal and curse there And now I wonder not that these Disciples were very angry at them who had lost the true Religion and neglected the offices of humanity to them that kept it They might goe neere now to make it a cause of Religion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Nazianzene speaks might seem to Apologize Orat. 12. for them and so it might if it had not led them to indiscreet and uncharitable zeale But men care not how farre they goe if they doe but once thinke they can make God a party of their Quarrell For when Religion which ought to be the antidote of our malice proves its greatest incentive our uncharitablenesse must needs runne faster to a mischiefe by how much that which stopt it's course before drives it on with the greater violence And therefore as it is ordinary for charity to be called coldnesse in Religion so it is as ordinary for a pretence of Religion to make cold charity The present case of the Disciples and the same spirit which for the same pretended cause is takenup by the persons of the day proves all this true with whom fire and fagot is esteem'd the best argument to convince the understanding and the Inquisitors of hereticall pravity the best Doctors and subtlest Disputants determining all with a Viris ignem fossā Decret Carol. quinti pro Flandris mulieribus For thus wee had like to have suffered it was mistaken Religion that mov'd these Traytors to so damnable a Conspiracy not for any defence of their owne cause but for extirpation of ours For else what grievances did they groan under In quos Orat 2. in Iulian eorum populum exaestuantem sollicitavimus quibus vitae periculum attulimus It was Nazianzen's question to the Apostate Give me leave to consider it as appliable to our present case and try if can make a just discovery of the cause that mov'd these Traytors to so accursed a Conspiracy 1 Then there was no cause at all given them by us none put to death for being a Roman Catholique nor any of them punish'd for his Religion Vid. L. Burleighs booke called Execution for Treason not religion King Iames his declaration to all Christian Kings and Princes and the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury his speech in Starre-chamber in Burtons case This hath beene the constant attestation of our Princes and State since the first Lawes made against Recusants the thing it selfe will bear them record From primo of Elizabeth to undecimo the Papists made no scruple of comming to our Churches Recusancy was not then so much as a Chrysome not an Embrio But when Pius quintus sent forth his Breves of Excommunication and Deposition of the Queen then first they forbore to pray with us or to have any religious communion This although every where knowne yet being a matter of fact and so as likely to be denied by others as affirmed by us without good evidence see it therefore affirmed expresly by an Act of Parliament in Decimo tertio of Elizabeth which specifies this as one inconvenience and ill consequence of the Bull. Whereby hath grown great disobedience and boldnesse in many not only to withdraw and absent themselves from divine service now most Godly set forth and used within this Realme but also have thought themselves discharged of all obedience c. Not only Recusancy but like wise disobedience therefore both Recusancy and disobedience Two yeares therefore after this Bull this Statute was made if it was possible to nullify the effects of it to hinder its execution and if it might be by this meanes to keep them as they had been before in Communion with the Church of England and obedience to her Majesty This was the first Statute that concerned them in speciall but yet their Religion was not medled with For this Statute against execution of the Popes Bulls was no more thē what had been established by Act of Parliament in the 16 th yeare of Richard the second by which it was made praemunire to purchase Bulls from Rome and the delinquents in this kinde with all their abettors fautors procurators and maintainers to be referred to the Kings Councell for farther punishment There was indeed this severity expressed in the Act of 130 of the Queene that the putting them in Execution should be Capitall and yet this severity was no more then what was inflicted upon the Bishop of Ely in Edward the thirds time for publishing of a Bull against the Earle of Chester without the Kings leave and on the Bishop of Carlile in the time of Henry the fourth for the like offence Thus farre our Lawes are innocent But when this Statute did not take the good effect for which it was intended neither keeping them in their ancient Communion not obedience but for all this Mayne Campian and many others came as the Popes Emissaries for execution of the Bull the State proceeded to a farther severity making Lawes against Recusancy against Seditious and Trayterous Bookes and against the residence of Romish Priests in England making the first fineable with a pecuniary mulct the two later Capitall as being made of a Treasonable nature Of these in order 1 The mulct which was imposed for Recusancy was not soul mony or paid for Religion and that for these reasons 1. Because it is plaine Religion did not make them absent themselves from our Churches unlesse they had changed their Religion since the Bull came over For if Religion could consist with their Communion with us before the Bull as it 's plain it did then why not after the Bull unlesse it be part of their Religion to obey the Pope rather then to obey God commanding us to obey our Prince 2. Their Recusancy was an apparent mischiefe to our Kingdome and it was the prevention or diversion of this that was the only or speciall and of these Lawes The mischiefe is apparent these two waies 1. Because by their Recusancy they gave attestation that they held the Bull to be valid for else why should they after the Bull deny their Communion which before they did not Either they must think the Queen for a just cause and by a just power excommunicate or why did they separate from her Communion Now if the Queen by vertue of the Bull was excommunicate why should they stop here She was by the same deposed they absolved from all Allegeance to her and commanded to take arms against her I confesse it is no good argument of it selfe to say The Pope might excommunicate the Queen therefore depose her from her Kingdome But this concludes with them sufficiently with whom excommunication not only drives from Spiritualls but deprives of Temporalls and is not to mend our lives but to take them away I speak how it is in the case of Princes and I shall anon prove
Psal. 132. S. Hilary f L. 2. contra heres tom 1. haer 61. S. Epiphanius and divers others all speaking words to the same sense with that saying of S. g 1. Cor. 4. Paul Nemo sentiat super quod scriptum est will see that there is reason that since no man is materially a Heretick but he that erres in a point of Faith and all Faith is sufficienly recorded in Scripture the judgement of Faith and Heresy is to be derived from thence and no man is to be condemned for dissenting in an Article for whose probation Tradition only is pretended only according to the degree of its evidence let every one determine himselfe but of this evidence we must not judge for others for unlesse it be in things of Faith and absolute certainties evidence is a word of relation and so supposes two terms the object and the faculty and it is an imperfect speech to say a thing is evident in it selfe unlesse we speak of first principles or clearest revelations for that may be evident to one that is not so to another by reason of the pregnancy of some apprehensions and the immaturity of others This Discourse hath its intention in Traditions Doctrinall and Rituall that is such Traditions which propose Articles new in materiâ but now if Scripture be the repository of all Divine Truths sufficient for us Tradition must be considered as its instrument to convey its great mysteriousnesse to our understandings it is said there are traditive Interpretations as well as traditive propositions but these have not much distinct consideration in them both because their uncertainty is as great as the other upon the former considerations as also because in very deed there are no such things as traditive Interpretations universall For as for particulars they signifie no more but that they are not sufficient determinations of Questions Theologicall therefore because they are particular contingent and of infinite variety and they are no more Argument then the particular authority of these men whose Commentaries they are and therefore must be considered with them The summe is this Since the Fathers who are the best Numb 12. Witnesses of Traditions yet were infinitely deceived in their account since sometimes they guest at them and conjectured by way of Rule and Discourse and not of their knowledge not by evidence of the thing since many are called Traditions which were not so many are uncertaine whether they were or no yet confidently pretended and this uncertainty which at first was great enough is increased by infinite causes and accidents in the succession of 1600 yeares since the Church hath been either so carelesse or so abused that shee could not or would not preserve Traditions with carefulnesse and truth since it was ordinary for the old Writers to set out their own fancies and the Rites of their Church which had been Ancient under the specious Title of Apostolicall Traditions since some Traditions rely but upon single Testimony at first and yet descending upon others come to be attested by many whose Testimony though conjunct yet in value is but single because it relies upon the first single Relator and so can have no greater authority or certainty then they derive from the single person since the first Ages who were most competent to consign Tradition yet did consign such Traditions as be of a nature wholy discrepant from the present Questions and speak nothing at all or very imperfectly to our purposes and the following Ages are no fit Witnesses of that which was not transmitted to them because they could not know it at all but by such transmission and prior consignation since what at first was a Tradition came afterwards to be written and so ceased its being a Tradition yet the credit of Traditions commenc'd upon the certainty and reputation of those truths first delivered by word afterward consign'd by writing since what was certainly Tradition Apostolicall as many Rituals were are rejected by the Church in severall Ages and are gone out into a desuetude and lastly since beside the no necessity of Traditions there being abundantly enough in Scripture there are many things called Traditions by the Fathers which they themselves either proved by no Authors or by Apocryphall and spurious and Hereticall the matter of Tradition will in very much be so uncertain so false so suspitious so contradictory so improbable so unproved that if a Question be contested and be offered to be proved only by Tradition it will be very hard to impose such a proposition to the beliefe of all men with any imperiousnesse or resolved determination but it will be necessary men should preserve the liberty of believing and prophesying and not part with it upon a worse merchandise and exchange then Esau made for his birth-right SECT VI. Of the uncertainty and insufficiency of Councels Ecclesiasticall to the same purpose BUt since we are all this while in uncertainty it is necessary that we should addresse our selves somewhere where we Numb 1. may rest the soale of our foot And nature Scripture and experience teach the world in matters of Question to submit to some finall sentence For it is not reason that controversies should continue till the erring person shall be willing to condemn himselfe and the Spirit of God hath directed us by that great precedent at Jerusalem to addresse our selves to the Church that in a plenary Councell and Assembly shee may synodically determine Controversies So that if a Generall Councell have determin'd a Question or expounded Scripture we may no more disbelieve the Decree then the Spirit of God himselfe who speaks in them And indeed if all Assemblies of Bishops were like that first and all Bishops were of the same spirit of which the Apostles were I should obey their Decree with the same Religion as I doe them whole preface was Visum est Spiritui Sancto nobis And I doubt not but our blessed Saviour intended that the Assemblies of the Church should be Judges of Controversies and guides of our perswasions in matters of difficulty But he also intended they should proceed according to his will which he had revealed and those precedents which he had made authentick by the immediate assistance of his holy Spirit He hath done his part but we doe not doe ours And if any private person in the simplicity and purity of his soule desires to find out a truth of which he is in search and inquisition if he prayes for wisedome we have a promise he shall be heard and answered liberally and therefore much more when the representatives of the Catholike Church doe meet because every person there hath in individuo a title to the promise and another title as he is a governour and a guide of soules and all of them together have another title in their united capacity especially if in that union they pray and proceed with simplicity and purity so that there is no disputing against the pretence