church have evermore been one advantage which the enemies of the truth have taken to speak reprochfully And if the credit of religion the glory of God and the souls of our brethren be dear unto us what can we do lesse then by a just and mild defense of the truth seek the reclaiming of such as are gone astray the establishing of them that be weak in judgement but zealously affected to the wayes of God stop the stream of seducing free the godly from unjust imputations and settle peace and unitie in the truth amongst brethren I heartily wish we had not so much experience to lesson us that when men have once begun to neglect the publick exercises of religion and to separate from the churches of Christ they have run from one errour into another after the fond imaginations of their own seduced hearts untill they have dashed themselves upon the rocks They that break off communion in the particulars mentioned have not proceeded to a totall Separation from our congregations and assemblies as no churches of Jesus Christ This rigid Separation they condemn as that which was never approved or blessed of God But they have gone further then the word of truth doth warrant them or they have the Lord Jesus for their guide whereas it is the duty and safety of Christians to follow after but not to go before their Lord and Captain The first entrance into an erroneous way is dangerous for in the track thereof there is no stop unlesse God of his infinite mercy do prevent Errours are lapped up together in a bundle and many times the least onely appear which yet serve to bring on and usher in the greater At once men fall not into strange and monstrous opinions no more then into outragious evils but by degrees they insensibly are drawn from bad to worse untill they come to a great height At the first sight many a mans conscience would have been affrighted with that errour which after some tampering he highly admireth and is bewitched withall How many of great hopes and excellent parts have been overthrown hereby is too evident by lamentable observation in all ages Rents and divisions are the disease Separation the wound of the church unto which of long time she hath been obnoxious but it is the sinne of them who either lay stumbling-blocks of offense before their brethren or separate rashly or unjustly being carried away rather with prejudice then strength of argument and commanded more by the examples of others then by the authority of the rule of righteousnesse There is but one body the Church and but one Lord or head of the body Christ And whosoever separateth from the body the Church separateth from Christ in that respect And if we withdraw our selves from Christ where he graciously inviteth us to feast with him may we not justly fear that he will withdraw himself from us and make us seek when we shall not find him Voluntary Separation from the Lords table and prayers of the congregation what is it but a willing excommunication of our selves from the visible tokens of the Lords presence and love And if it be a grievous sinne in church-governours to deprive any member of the church of all communion with the visible church upon light and unnecessary occasions is it not a greater sinne in the members to deprive themselves of the same communion upon the like or lesse occasions Zeal and tendernesse of conscience must be nourished by all good means but they are not to move alone without their guide that is the word of God Perhaps this kind of writing may occasion more disputes If so it is contrary to my hearts desire who intend onely the satisfaction of them that stagger the reclaiming of them that are gone too farre and the maintenance of peace truth and communion in the worship of God as it furthereth communion with Jesus Christ If I may obtein this end I have that which I beg of the Lord. Willingly I would not offend any that fear God but endeavour onely to remove the blocks at which I see some stumble and to further the more comfortable walking of others who desire to please God in all things but are kept under in the means of comfort with vain scruples And happy were it if doubtfull disputations laid aside we might joyn together with one heart and soul to advance religion worship the Lord purely edifie one another in our most holy faith and walk unblameably in the fear of God and comfort of the holy Ghost I take no pleasure in controversies of this kind and could heartily wish that these matters rightly composed we might give heed to that one thing which is necessary But if it seem good to any man to reply I earnestly beg that he would take the word of God truly understood for his warrant make proof of what he saith keep himself to the points in hand without impertinent digressions and proceed on in love and meeknesse as becometh them that professe the truth and desire to preserve the peace of a good conscience A good cause is no way advantaged by heat and passion We must so write and speak in controversies of religion as that we remember we must give account to God of that which we say And if passionate and distempered speeches in common talk be no light offense in matters of religion which are soberly to be debated as in the presence of God to give way to humane rashnesse and distemper is much more disgracefull God will not hold him guiltlesse that telleth a lie for the glory of his name To bear false witnesse in civill contentions betwixt man and man is odious and abominable Therefore it behooveth us to fear and stand in aw lest being transported with misguided zeal we call evil good and good evil and misapply the scriptures when we speak of our selves Let us weigh all things and hold that which is good The Lord in mercy look down from heaven upon his poore church and people bring his truth to light more and more dispell the mists of ignorance remove all occasions of offense settle peace and truth prosper the means of grace build us forward in faith and holinesse and unite the hearts of his people in love that they may direct their course by one rule if they cannot be all of one mind in every thing and as one man may walk together in heaven-way untill they receive the end of their faith the salvation of their souls CHAP. I. Of a stinted form of Prayer PRayer is the sweet and familiar conference of a faithfull soul with the Lord his mercifull Father Or A calling upon God in the name of Christ with the heart and sometimes with the voice according to his will for our selves and others In it to let passe other matters not pertinent to this purpose foure things come to be considered the Subject recipient Authour Matter and Manner thereof The honour of invocation is due to God onely in
and not to give that honour unto Jesus Christ or to give it unto any other is a breach of the first commandment It is true that inward and outward worship both when they are both of one nature or kind are required in the first precept as if I must pray unto God in the mediation of Jesus Christ or pray unto Jesus Christ mine onely Saviour I may kneel or prostrate my self or bow my body in the exercise of religion and these actions must be referred to the same commandment It is also true that the second commandment reacheth to the heart and requireth that we rightly conceive of allow approve and affect the ordinances of instituted worship appointed of God as well as exercise and maintein it but seeing the worship it self commanded is instituted it is also outward Besides there be some things of mere nstitution which pertein to the third and fourth commandments as the institution and observation of the seventh day from the creation in time of the Law and of the first day in the week in time of the Gospel M r Jacob himself saith The fourth commandment in the word Sabbath setteth down one particular even the ordinary seventh day of rest but understandeth all holy dayes instituted of God that they are likewise to be sanctified By his own confession then all instituted doctrines and ordinances are not referred to the second commandment The just and true generall matter of the second commandment is a free and voluntary institution or matter instituted onely or specially in the exercise of Gods worship wherein it hath no way any necessary use of it self This is the generall matter or full extent of the second commandment even in the mind and purpose of God himself the authour of it And it is likewise the just and full definition of Gods instituted worship in generall that is whether true or false This is obscure and doubtfull If the meaning be that all instituted or positive worship of God which carrieth the Lords stamp and approbation must be referred to this commandment and that all worship devised by men for nature use and end one with the worship instituted of God is a breach of the second commandment it will be granted freely and might have been delivered plainly But if the meaning be that all free and voluntary institutions whatsoever must be referred to the second commandment if of God as just and allowable if of men as sinfull it hath no ground of truth or probability For many free institutions cannot be referred to the second commandment and concerning the instituted worship of God God hath left many things undetermined wherein the church may take order and give direction without sinne unto what commandment soever in generall the things may be referred The Lord forbidding to bow down unto or serve an image doth therein forbid all approbation liking or reverence though never so small shewed towards any institutions and inventions of men set up in the room of or matched with the Lords own instituted worship But an invention for nature and use one with the true worship of God and an institution in the exercise of religion are not one and the same There ought to be very clear and plain proof in Gods word to warrant every visible church if the members thereof desire to have comfort to their own souls because this is even the first and weightiest matter in religion that can concern us viz. to be assured that we are in a true visible and ministeriall church of Christ For out of a true visible church ordinarily there is no salvation and by a true visible church and not otherwise ordinarily we come to learn the way of life Therefore above all things it is necessary that every Christian do rightly discern of the divers kinds of outward ordinances in this behalf chiefly of visible churches and withall to understand which kind or form thereof is the true visible church of Christ or kingdome of heaven upon earth which is the onely way and in it the onely truth ordinarily leading to eternall life hereafter For the true visible church of Christ is but onely one questionlesse in nature form and constitution There are expresse and pregnant texts of scripture which shew what is the true visible church of God whereunto Christians may and ought to joyn themselves in holy fellowship in the ordinances of worship As where the covenant of God is there is the people of God and the visible church For communication and receiving the tables of the covenant is a certain signe of a people in covenant For what is it to be the flock sheep or people of God but to be in covenant with God to be the church of God The word maketh disciples to Christ and the word given to a people is Gods covenanting with them and the peoples receiving this word and professing their faith unto God is their taking God to be their God Those assemblies which have Christ for their Head and the same also for their foundation are the true visible churches of Christ It is simply necessary that the assemblies be laid upon Christ the foundation by faith which being done the remaining of what is forbidden or the want of what is commanded cannot put the assembly from the title and right of a church For Christ is the foundation and head-corner-stone of the church The form is coming unto Christ and being builded upon him by faith the matter is the people united and knit unto Christ and so one unto another Now where the matter and form of a church is there is a church Every society or assembly professing the intâ—re and true faith of Christ and worshipping God with an holy worship joyning together in prayer and thanksgiving enjoying the right use of the sacraments and keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace is the true church of Christ The Gospel may be preached to Infidels some supernaturall truths may be professed by hereticks the use of the sacraments may be in adulterate churches but the intire profession of all fundamentall articles of faith to be believed and main precepts and morall laws for practice to be acknowledged the dwelling of the truth amongst men and the right use of the sacraments which is ever joyned with true doctrine and to be esteemed by it is proper to them that be in covenant with God The laws and statutes which God gave to Israel was the honour and ornament of that nation a testimony that the Lord had separated them from all other people even the Gentiles themselves being judges This is your wisedome and your understanding in the sight of the people He gave his law unto Jacob his statutes and ordinances unto Israel Thou gavest them right judgements and true laws ordinances and good commandments Who received the lively oracles to give unto us They have Moses and the Prophets Sound doctrine
because they are actually in the state of salvation the heirs apparent to everlasting blessednesse actuall partakers of the benefits of Christs death which accompany salvation They are given unto Christ set into him as branches into a vine and they that be such be in deed and act not in desire alone members of Christs body All that were not in the ark perished in the waters No member doth live but that which is actually joyned to the head and draweth life from it Baptisme is the seal of our solemn admission into the church but it is not the gate of our setting into Christ but the seal of that admission we have received by grace are partakers of by a lively faith True believers theÌ„ are in the state of grace actuall members of the militant church but of a visible particular ministerial church or congregation they may be members in desire onely For it may so fall out many times that he who is joyned to Christ by a true and lively faith hath not means and opportunity to unite himself unto a visible and ministeriall church The Catechumâ—ni who did truly 〈◊〉 unfeignedly believe in Christ were live-members of his mysticall body and in respect of full effectuall and saving participation of Christs benefits actuall members of the church invisible when in respect of solemn outward and sacramentall admission they were not members of any visible congregation If a Christian be unjustly excommunicated he still reteineth all those things which the best parts of the church have inward or outward and though he be cut off from the meetings and assemblies of particular churches so that he may not bodily be present when the people meet together yet still he hath the communion which onely is essentiall and maketh a man to be of the church in that he hath all those things which the best that remain not ejected have as faith hope love and profession of the whole truth of God He is the friend of God an heir apparent of the new Jerusalem a living member of the mysticall body of Christ And if he be not cut off from Christ from hope of salvation and fellowship of the saints triumphant neither can he be cast out from the fellowship of the church militant for the church militant and triumphant is one The performance of holy duties is an action of them that be already of the church and doth not make a man of the church yea the performance of these duties is a thing of that nature that by violence and unjust courses holden by wicked men we may be hindred from it without any fault of ours Now that it often falleth out through the prevailing of factious seditious and turbulent men that the best part is unjustly and undeser◠〈◊〉 cast out of the visible church is a thing so plain and confessed that it needeth no proof In times of grievous and hot persecution under which the church hath laboured the faithfull have been compelled to meet in woods dens and caves some in one place some in another as opportunity was offered their societies have been broken and set congregations dispersed and scattered when yet they continued the true church wherein salvation was to be had and enjoyed the ordinary means of salvation And if we speak of a visible ministeriall church as it is here meant by you the faithfull who professed the truth of the Gospel intirely and did communicate in the ordinances of worship for the space of this fourteen hundred yeares and upward had not means or at least did not unite themselves into a visible ministeriall church of Christ And if out of this your church ordinarily there be no salvation no means leading to everlasting life the Christian world for these many hundred yeares hath wanted ordinary means to bring them to life and salvation and been in that state in which no salvation ordinarily can be expected If we detest the consequence as dreadfull not standing with the promises made to the church of the Gentiles and the tender mercies of God vouchsafed to his people we must acknowledge the position from whence it followeth undeniably to be most rash and inconsiderate Out of doubt this kind of the visible church is now under the Gospel onely lawfull for us even a particular ordinary congregation onely And whatsoever kind or form of a visible church is instituted or ordained by men the same is conteined manifestly in the negative part of the second commandment that is to say it is simply unlawfull and by God himself here forbidden unto us In the new Testament the church doth signifie a multitude of believers whether assembled or dispersed and whether they be met in one place or separated in place they retein tho same name still The church is a society of the faithfull not an assembly if we speak properly When the word is put absolutely it noteth the multitude or society of the faithfull which is distinguished from their assembly or meeting together for the worship of God For we shall reade the church of God or Christ and so the church of the first-born but never the church of these or them or you or us but assembly or assembling of your selves Now the society may be one when the congregations be divers in respect of place where they do assemble It is not opposite to the unitie of an ecclesiasticall society that the members should ordinarily assemble in divers places for the worshipping of God so long as they be united by the same laws have communion in the same ordinances and be linked under the same spirituall guides and officers When a church did comprehend a citie with its suburbs and the countrey circumjacent I mean the believers who professed that faith within that circuit it might well be that the number did so increase through the extraordinary blessing of God which did accompany the preaching of the word in those primitive times and first planting of that heavenly kingdome that they could not well meet ordinarily in one place and yet might and did continue one society For when a number is gathered in small villages or some added to the number already gathered it is not meet they should be neglected because small nor yet divided from the body because the number not competent to make an intire and perfect body of it self The increase of churches doth require an increase of ministers and if they grow to bignesse more then ordinary an increase of places for their assembling when the essence of the visible church is not changed nor one multiplyed or divided into many And it is more available for the good of the church and further removed from all ambition if the society shall assemble in divers places as parts and members of one body then to constitute a distinct free society consisting of some few believers not fit to make up an intire body contrary to the precedent examples of the apostles In times of hot and
thing is found there follow all necessarie requisites to the true and complete being thereof But a prescript from of prayer sound and fit for matter grave for the manner of penning and read or uttered as our prayer with knowledge faith reverence and fervencie of affection hath the true matter and form of prayer For the matter of our prayers are those common blessings and speciall good things which according to the will and pleasure of God we are to beg of him for our selves and others The true form of prayer I speak of prayer uttered with the voice is the outward disposition and frame of words and the inward elevation and lifting up of the heart to God by the holy Ghost Will any man say that all these things cannot be observed in a stinted form of prayer common experience will confute him Who knoweth not the matter of many prescript forms of prayer to be good and necessary for all men All our wants and particular occasions are not mentioned or laid open in the prayers conceived by the minister or governour of the family and yet no man judgeth them for that cause unlawfull though imperfect It is not then prejudiciall to the lawfull use of a prescript form that many particulars which we stand in need of are not therein mentioned Can it not be read or uttered with right disposition of heart how then can we sing with joy or praise God with cheerfulnesse in a stinted or set form of words Is it not easier to cry for what we need with feeling then to return praise with love and joyfulnesse for what we have obteined He that will confesse it possible to give thanks aright in a set form of words devised by others or invented of himself cannot deny the same in prayer with any shew of truth or colour of reason Men may read it viz. the Lords prayer and humane liturgies with understanding and feelling saith M r Ainsworth Again If in the ordinary use of the Lords prayer publick and private without addition or variation all things required in prayer by the word of God may be observed then a stinted form of prayer may have the true matter and form of prayer or all things required in prayer may be observed in a stinted form But in the ordinary use of the Lords prayer publick and private without addition or variation all things required in prayer by the word of God may be observed For the matter there is no word in the Lords prayer which doth not ordinarily in great measure and in the main alwayes concern every Christian mans estate though he cannot reach unto all things comprehended in this prayer And all our wants are conteined within the compasse of the Lords prayer and may be deduced thence though they be not in â—lat terms expressed Infinite things are included in the Lords prayer which the weak and imperfect faith of the godly cannot reach unto but such and so much reach the weak faith hath that the child of God doth and may with comfort and profit use the Lords prayer as a prayer The Lords prayer is both the foundation of our godly prayers and the prayer of prayers Some weights and measures may be as rules to others and used as weights and measures themselves Concupiscence is both sin and the cause of sin Of ancient times the Lords prayer was used in all publick Liturgies and was of frequent use among private Christians Tertullian fitly calleth it The law of prayer and breviary of the Gospel Calvine The rule That it may be used with right disposition and affection of soul is confessed by them that dislike all stinted forms and testified by the experience of all Christians Therefore the Lords prayer may lawfully be used as a prayer both in publick and private by ministers and people weak and strong But first we are willed to note That the forms mentioned in scriptures of the old Testament are but for some speciall occasions and commanded to the church not from every ordinary church-officer priests and Levites but onely from the Prophets who had an extraordinary immediate calling from God who might as well deliver for scripture-oracles the truth of God taught by them as any forms of prayers and praises This we have observed and do acknowledge the forms of psalmes prayers and praises given by the Prophets immediately called and chosen of God to be parts of the sacred Canon to which it is not lawfull for particular churches or the whole church in generall to adde the least jot or tittle But this is not to the point in hand For we do not reason thus That seeing the Prophets by extraodinary and immediate calling gave speciall forms of prayer or praises to the church upon speciall occasion which are parts of the Canon therefore the church may do the like But thus we conclude and that according to the truth That seeing holy men have prescribed and the faithfull have used these forms not by extraordinary inspiration or speciall prerogative but upon grounds common to them and us the like forms may be prescribed and used without speciall commandment And seeing the Prophets and holy men of God by inspiration gave certain psalmes or forms of prayer and praise unto the church to be use upon speciall occasion which have the true matter and form of prayer and praise when they be used as a prayer or thanksgiving in faith reverence humility c. according to the present occasion therefore prayer uttered in a stinted form of words or read upon a book as a prayer may come from the spirit and be tendred to God with right affection A man may reade when he prayeth and the eye may guide the heart when the holy Ghost doth lift up and make it able to poure forth its desires unto the Lord. And if those forms of prayers and praises which are parts of the scripture may have the true nature matter form of prayer c. when they be used in faith and by the power of the holy Ghost enabling us to pray or praise the Lord in that form other forms of prayers or praises fit for matter may have the true matter form of prayer or praise when they be used in faith by the power of the holy Ghost as occasion requireth For the prayers recorded in holy scripture have not the true nature and form of prayer in respect of us because they are recorded in scripture but as they are used by us in holy manner upon fitting occasion and other forms fit for the matter used in such manner as God commandeth in faith humility reverence c. by the quickening power of the Spirit have the true matter and form of prayer as well as they But those forms are not the devise of man as be the other True as they be part of holy scripture they are of God both in respect of matter and form but as
because the children of Jews in covenant were circumcised For let the particular differences be never so many in this they agree That they are both sacraments of initiation and so belong to them that be in covenant sc the faithfull and their seed The Papists put many differences betwixt circumcision and the sacraments of the new Testament and yet this is a good strong argument Circumcision is a seal of the righteousnesse of faith therefore the sacraments are seals of the covenant of grace For however circumcision and baptisme and the Lords supper differ in their particular natures in the common authour nature and end of sacraments they agree This is a sound and good reason that lay-men and midwives ought not to baptize Because God hath coupled together the authoritative preaching of the word and administration of the sacraments and yet it is no hard matter to assigne many particular differences betwixt the word and sacraments A caviller might easily have found out many particular differences betwixt the sin of the angels and the Sodomites and those against whom the Apostle writeth but that had not infringed his argument from those examples It is a superfluous thing to heap up differences which are nothing to the point in hand And if we compare this answer with the reasons marshalled to fight against a stinted form of prayer it doth plainly overthrow and put them to slight For thus they must needs run Means of Divine worship not ordained of God are unlawfull to wit in stinted prayer but not in forms of praising God All strange worship is unlawfull But a stinted form of prayer is strange worship sc when the minister speaketh alone to God but not when the congregation pronounceth every word with the minister for then either a devised form is not strange worship or all strange worship is not unlawfull Mens inventions in Gods worship are unlawfull what all inventions or devised forms No but devised forms in prose not in verse when we pray not when we praise God when we speak to God not when we admonish one another Because this answer cometh often I desire our brethren to consider whether any other construction can possibly be made of it then this and whether ought can be spoken more grosse and contradictory to their positions The discourses that I have seen against stinted forms of prayer in generall need no other confutation but an understanding reader to observe how in this answer they turn the edge of their own weapons against themselves The penmen of the psalmes were prophets extraordinarily assisted and immediately by God designed to that work so are not the authours of the Liturgie This is not to the purpose For the psalmes penned by the prophets are paterns and forms of spirituall songs but not set forms prescribed to us as psalmes to be sung in those very words and forms Though the psalmes be parts of the canonicall scripture our brethren must esteem the use of them as a prescript form to be the devise of man because God hath not given them to that end nor by his commandment tied us and all churches to them and none others in the precise form of words When in the new Testament we are exhorted to sing psalmes they will not say that we are tied to Davids psalmes or other songs given by immediate Divine inspiration If therefore a prescript form of psalmes be lawfull it must be of such as are devised by men and not immediately inspired by the holy Ghost Besides we cannot say that the psalmes as they are sung in metre in our churches or for ought I know in any churches in the Christian world are the immediate and infallible truth of God given by inspiration of God any more then we can say of an holy paraphrase upon the scripture that it is the scripture it self In the new Testament since Christ we have no precedent of any stinted form of singing recorded in scripture and if we look to the practice of the times after the Apostles we shall find the church used other hymnes and not scripture-psalmes onely There is a necessity of having forms of psalmes set down in words not so of prayers In psalmes there is of necessitie required a certain known form of words that two or more may sing together according to the nature of the ordinance wherein many joyning vocally do make concent or harmony By which it appeareth how unadvisedly these ministers and others do thus again and again urge set forms of psalmes to prove set forms of prayers In the new Testament we have no precedent for the manner of singing recorded in scripture and in the primitive churches following the Apostles times it was various according to the custome of severall nations sometimes by one the rest hearing sometimes by course or quire-wise as the women answered the men Exod. 15. See Jun. Exod. 15. and sometimes by the whole multitude and sometimes it was but like fair long reading with modulation of the voyce The primitive Fathers therefore did not judge it necessary that the psalmes should be sung by the whole multitude that were present And if it be necessary yet is not a prescribed form in that respect necessary In preaching and prayer both before that people can joyn with the minister a stinted form of words is necessary and this is all can be said of singing This or that form prescribed is necessarie in neither a stinted form is necessary in both The people cannot sing with the minister unlesse what is to be sung be represented unto them in a set form of words nor can they joyn in prayer or attend to the word preached unlesse the matter of prayer or preaching be conveyed to their understanding in a set form of words Is a minister able to expresse the necessities of the people or the doctrine of salvation in a form of words devised and studied by himself and is he not able by meditation and study to dictate or compose a psalme to be sung by the people as occasion requireth And if he be able to compose a psalme in respect of the form of words and method is not a stinted form of singing a devised help an arbitrary help to him and so forbidden as it was said of prayer Christ hath given gifts unto his ministers for preaching and prayer hath he not for singing of psalmes also And if it be a dishonour to Christ as some affirm that they should use a form of prayer devised by others is it not a dishonour likewise that they should use a form of singing devised by others as not enabled with gifts of themselves to furnish the necessities of the church When prescribed and set forms of psalmes were necessary in the church of the Jews did the Lord commit this office to the priests Levites or ordinary officers of the church or to the prophets extraordinarily inspired and called of God to this purpose To
quench the Spirit Why so Because the Spirit is straitned by forms devised by men which is as much in plain terms as to say It is stinted in our sense because it is stinted And the like might be noted in other arguments Where is the consideration of the people had when the forms now are the same for matter and manner that they were almost an hundred yeares ago and at the first dawning of the Gospel the same for the Court Universities and the meanest congregation in the Countrey Might not the same be objected against the use of a set translation singing of psalmes the use of the Lords prayer for this fifteen hundred yeares without alteration for these are the same now that they were many yeares agone or at least may be the same for Citie Countrey Court Universitie and the meanest villages There are some common blessings which we and others dayly stand in need of and those it is lawfull to ask dayly in a set form of words Thus we may pray euery day for encrease of faith patience love meeknesse the forgivnesse of sinnes the continuance of those outward blessings which we enjoy freedom from or victory over temptations c. Thus there is no petition in the Lords prayer which doth not alwayes in the main concern every Christian mans estate And if the matter of our prayers may be the same daily in the Citie the Countrey Court and Universitie in this and former ages the same phrase of speech method and form externall may be lawfull fit and expedient For it is not the repetition of the same words in prayer every day that displeaseth the Lord but the ignorant rash cold customary superstitious and irreverent pouring out of words before him that is distastfull to his Majesty Variety of phrase doth not delight the Lord neither will he reject the desires of an humble and contrite heart because they are tendred often in one and the same phrase of speech And if the matter of prayer be the same in places of greatest wealth and poorest condition and the same form of blessing baptizing singing of psalms and putting up their petitions to God be fit and decent for them all it can be no prejudice to a stinted Liturgie that it is the same in all places and throughout all ages if the language be the same For this doth argue it to be the more not the lesse fit and that the greater not the lesse regard is had to the people The reason in brief is this It is lawfull to ask the same common blessings of God every day in all assemblies and congregations both of the City Country Court and University met together to call upon God therefore the same stinted form of prayer or Liturgy may be lawfull in the greatest city and meanest village in this and the ages following whether read or uttered out of memory for pronouncing cannot make an evil matter good nor reading simply make prayer good and holy to become sinfull Publick prayers offered up by the minister in the church-assemblies must be framed according to the present and severall occasions of the church and people of God which cannot be done when men are stinted to those forms Occasions are ordinary and common or more speciall In a stinted form prayers may be offered up by the minister according to the common and ordinary occasions of the church and people of God assembled though not according to the speciall occasions which may happen now and then or more particularly concern this or that person For if the same blessings are dayly to be craved he prayeth according to the present occasions that asketh the same blessings of God If it be said There be many occasions of particular use for the congregation and others which are not mentioned expressely that proveth not That a man cānot in a stinted form pray according to the severall occasions but that some stinted forms do not meet with all and every particular occasion which is easily granted But if a stinted form meet not with every mans occasions or not so particularly as it ought doth it hence follow that in a stinted form a man cānot pray according to the present occasions at all If this be the conclusion I fear we shall find few conceived prayers which must not come under the same sentence It may argue the imperfection of a stinted form not the unlawfulnesse it maketh somewhat against the sole use of a set form at all times against the simple use it maketh nothing It is found by lamentable experience that when men began to observe that custome there was great quenching of the Spirit and very few there were who did know and observe the true nature and the manner of prayer How is this confirmed by experience If ever the Christian church had no stinted form of prayer lamentable experience will testifie what great coolings and decayes there was in the church before a stinted form was in use If ever the faithfull did by the Spirit of adoption cry Abba Father they have learned to pray by the Spirit since the use of a stinted form as well as before Whatsoever may be thought of the two first ages for the space of fourteen hundred yeares the churches have had their stinted Liturgies The reformed churches since God was pleased to restore light again to the world have approved a stinted Liturgie Was there none or few in all this tract of time who did know or understand the true nature or manner of prayer none or few that in spirit or truth did call upon the name of the Lord The securitie of all ages hath been lamentable both before and since the use of a stinted form but that a stinted form was the cause of securitie and dulnesse can never be proved CHAP. VI. In scripture there be prescript forms of blessing prayers salutations c. which may lawfully be used IN scripture we find prescript forms of blessing prayers and thanksgiving both ordinary and extraordinary approved of God which might be used by the priests Levites and Saints or faithfull people and that upon deliberation usually constantly as occasion was offered and not by the immediate motion of the Spirit I say not that the preists in blessing or the Saints in prayer were necessarily bound to those very words and syllables But they might lawfully use them and without sinne We find also stinted forms of salutations valedictions and blessing which have been often used and may lawfully be used still without variation though we be not necessarily obliged thereunto Our Saviour also prescribed a set form of baptizing which we observe constantly without addition or variation though we be not tied by absolute necessity to rehearse the same words in the same syllables No substantiall change is to be admitted which may alter the sense but the very form of speech
ordinary reading of the Law in the assemblies upon the Sabbath is not commanded by Moses either to the priests or Levites no mention is found of any such practice for a long time together We find not for a long time that the Jews had any synagogues for the ordinary assembling of the people and the Law could not be read in their synagogues untill they were built Will our brethren hence conclude either that the scriptures were not read in the assemblies or that it was a devise of man to reade them in their synagogues It is not good to lay grounds for such conclusions If M r Ainsworths testimony be of any value then mark what he testifieth from the famous Jew Maimonie in Misneh treatise of prayer That the church of the Jews had no stinted Liturgie Annot. on Deut. 6. 13. Our wise men have said saith Maim What service is this with the heart It is prayer And there is no number of prayers by the Law neither is there any set form of this by the Law c. If M r Ainsworth be not crosse to himself he cannot deny the use of a stinted form amongst the Jews in the celebration of the passeover of a stinted form free and voluntary not necessary as prescribed of God And that which is here cited out of Maimonie is no way repugnant thereunto For he speaketh not of the passeover or any observations in the celebration thereof but of prayer and that private by one alone and not publick in the assembly or congregation Now the Jews might well use a stinted form in the celebration of the passeover when yet by the law there was no number set nor form prescribed for private prayer These two may well agree After long search no copy can be found of any stinted Liturgie in use among the Jews till they ceased to be the church of God which is a poore and weak proof of the lawfulnesse of a stinted Liturgie amongst Christians It followeth not that they never had or used a set form because it is not to be found at this day For many monuments of antiquity are perished Again though forms which now are extant were not entire as now they be untill they ceased to be a church yet many things conteined in them might be in use before So it is in the counterfeit Liturgies which goe under the name of James Mark Basil and Chrysostom they contein many things which shew the whole composure to be late in comparison whereas divers things in them mentioned were of more ancient use in the church of God And if this do not please though there never was any stinted Liturgie or form of prayer to be used in all their synagogues and assemblies yet that is no reason to question the truth of that which the learned have observed touching the stinted form used in the celebration of the passeover and the probabilities at least they bring to shew that our Saviour Christ approved the same which is all that is affirmed in the argument and maketh more for the lawfulnesse of a stinted form of Liturgie then any thing that hath been objected against it As for the reformed churches we are not to consider what they do but what they ought to do It is most true but we must consider wisely and not censure unadvisedly The churches of God are companies of men called out of this world in part onely inlightned subject to errour they have erred they may erre their sole testimony cannot be the ground of divine faith and assurance Neverthelesse the constant judgement of the churches of God for many ages in a matter of this nature in the times of reformation when clouds and darknesse are expelled when the sunne is risen and great light given to the scriptures by the benefit of languages translations and commentaries I say the judgement of the churches at these times and in a matter of this nature is not lightly to be regarded A man should try and examine his grounds and reasons and mistrust himself rather then so many wise learned and godly sweetly consenting in a matter of this nature unlesse his evidence be very good He had need be well advised before he charge them to maintein a worship not allowed an idole-prayer for the spirituall worship of God a strange form of prayer which was never approved whereat a Christian may not safely be present against which he is bound to witnesse Be it that the churches do erre herein yet I hope they be not obstinate and such as will not give consent to the truth when it is shewed and manifested How cometh it then to passe that none of them hitherto have subscribed to their opinion and practice Either their arguments are not sufficient to convince and then their Separation is unjust or they generally want eyes to see the light for they will not say they want conscience to acknowledge what they cannot but see and then in meeknesse they are to be born withall if upon well tried grounds a man be assured that they all and not he himself is in the errour The testimony of the church then is not infallible because it may erre and hath erred and some members of it at this day do erre in the particular differences that be amongst them but yet the constant testimony of the whole church in the times of light and reformation is of great weight otherwise the Apostles would never alledge the practice and consent of churches to confirm the faithfull and stop the mouthes of the contentious We must look to the primitive churches planted by the apostles who are patterns to them and us But the apostolick churches for many yeares had no such Liturgie devised or imposed And therefore it is no ordinance of Christ because the churches may perfectly and entirely worship God without it with all the parts of holy and spirituall worship We freely confesse it to be no ordinance of Christ by speciall institution nor part of his worship It sufficeth that it is allowable in the worship and consonant to the generall rules given in scripture but not of absolute necessitie Whether any stinted forms of prayer were in use in the apostolick churches is more then can be affirmed certainly or denyed That the apostles prescribed none as necessary that is easily beleeved because no mention of it That none was in use our Divines will neither peremptorily affirm nor deny But if that be granted it is no prejudice to a stinted Liturgy nor to the churches apostolick who are to be our patterns For it is more then probable that many assemblies had not the scriptures read in a known tongue at their first planting it is more then can be shewed by precedent or example that they were read in any Christian congregation Some churches converted by the preaching of the Gospel had neither books nor letters It may be others received the book of
that councel that forbad vulgar psalmes in the service of God and those forms of service which are not antea probata in concilio vcl cum prudentioribus collata lest haply some things against faith either through ignorance or want of consideration should be composed That they never sought a razing of the communion-book but a filing of it after the pattern of that care which former examples set them wherein they thought some things reteined which might well have been spared They have evermore condemned voluntary Separation from the congregations and assemblies or negligent frequenting of those publick prayers They have ordinarily and constantly used the communion-book in their publick administrations and still mainteined unitie peace and love with them who in some particulars have been of another judgement All this is so notoriously known that it is wast labour to produce testimonies herein As for the reading of a stinted form it may be it is not constant in all reformed churches exacted of every minister at all times but that it is not used at all is more then I can credit and if they exact not the use of the same form continually the thing it self they greatly approve If any man desire an instance of their doings let him compare the prayer which Beza constantly used before and after sermon with the Geneva-book of common prayer And if they impose not their forms upon all congregations to be used of necessitie but leave it free to use them or some other in substance one and the same yet this is certain they disallow their opinion who condemn all stinted forms and Liturgies as vain superfluous humane inventions a strange worship and breach of the second commandment CHAP. VIII The people may lawfully be present at those prayers which are put up unto God in a stinted form of words and partake in divine ordinances administred in a stinted Liturgie THe authour of the Letter formerly cited telleth us That against our prayer-book divers men have pleaded after a different manner First some arguments saith he are proper to the Separatists quà tales viz. 1. That it is offered up in a false church 2. With a false ministery 3. In the behalf of the subjects of the kingdome of Antichrist These are properly theirs being the grounds whereupon they make a totall Separation from all the churches in this land as no churches of Christ These I approve not yet note them that you may see upon how different grounds the same position is mainteined by severall persons and that you may be delivered from the prejudice which hindreth many from receiving those truthes because they fear the reproch of Brownisme Secondly there are other grounds which are common to all that plead for the puritie of Christs ordinance and which do not necessarily inferre such Separation but onely serve to shew the unlawfulnesse of that practice and of communicating therein Thus farre the Letter Wherein to let passe other things we may take notice of a twofold Separation from the worship of God amongst us acknowledged the one totall as from a false church false ministery and subjects of the kingdome of Antichrist the other partiall from the stinted Liturgie and ordinances of worship dispensed in a stinted form And this latter onely is approved by this authour but not the former of which we make no question But whereas he saith his grounds upon which he buildeth his last Separation are common to all that plead for the puritie of Christs ordinances therein he is much mistaken For his grounds are one and the very same with the Brownists whereby they condemn all stinted Liturgies acknowledged by no reformed church in the world nor by particular pastours in any church but themselves And if they take not themselves to be the onely pleaders for the purity of Christs ordinances they cannot shew that these reasons have been approved or positions allowed by any pleaders for reformation in any time or age of the church The reasons brought to confirm the unlawfulnesse of communicating in the ordinances of worship amongst us administred in a stinted Liturgie are of two sorts Some condemne all stinted forms and Liturgies devised by men others concern our book of common prayer more particularly as it is charged with sundry faults and corruptions The first as they concern the ministers who make use of a stinted Liturgy have been examined already Now I come to examine them both as they concern the people and therefore lay down this proposition That in case it should be unlawfull in some respects for the minister of the Gospel or governour of the family to reade or pronounce without book a prescript form of prayer devised by another yet no reason can be shewed why it should be unwarrantable for the people child servant wife to be present at such prayers in the congregation or family I speak not of prayer for the matter erroneous and naught but stinted and read For if the matter be faultie the prayer is not good because conceived and if good and pure it is not made evil and hurtfull to the hearers because it is read First what letteth why the hearers heart may not follow a prescript form of words holy and good either in confession of sinnes request or thanksgiving What letteth I say that the hearers hearts may not profitably go with the same both to humble quicken and comfort The people child servant are commanded to examine and prepare themselves before they draw nigh into the presence of the Lord But where are they commanded to look whether the minister or governour do pray by the Spirit immediately or out of his memory in a set form of words conceived beforehand or suggested without premeditation in the same form of words ordinarily with little or no variation unlesse it be upon speciall occasion or in different order method and phrase euery day whether he reade his prayer or pronounce it onely And if God have laid no charge upon their conscience to inquire into these and such like particulars before they joyn in prayer voluntarily to withdraw our selves from the ordinances of worship in these respects what is it but to adde unto his word When things agreeable to the will of God are begged of God every day in the same form of words as the things begged are the same it is not either the stinted form of words or the presenting of requests by reading them upon a book that can make the prayer unprofitable much lesse abomination in respect of him that joyneth If the minister in that case pray coldly or without affection his sinne cannot hinder the blessing of God from the people If the governour be weak in naturall gifts as memory or utterance or spirituall as knowledge c the lawfull use of a stinted form in that case is not denyed by some as a needfull help to supply defect And if the governour to help his weaknesse make use of a stinted form whether
the name of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost it doth not become an unhallowed ordinance if the church shall take order that the minister shall baptize in this and none other form in these and none other words When God calleth a man forth to bear witnesse to the truth he must not draw back but give testimony thereunto But when Christ calleth us to worship him according to his will we must not absent our selves for the sinne of others under pretense of bearing witnesse to that we are not called unto We must not violate the ordinances of the Lord to partake in his ordinances But if the matter of prayer be just holy and good a Christian shall violate no ordinance of Christ by his presence but by his absence It is not enough to prove our vocall prayers to be good because the words be good and expresse good petitions but it is further required that it proceed from ability which the Spirit of God bestoweth on him who uttereth the words to fit his request to the present occasion John 4. 24. 1. Cor. 14. 15 16. 1. Pet. 4. 7. Is it their meaning that he that prayeth acceptably hath abilitie to fit his words according to the present occasion or onely that he discerneth in some measure the words of prayer to fit the time and occasion of the people with whom he prayeth If in the first sense the passages of the scripture cited will not bear them out If in the latter it is nothing against the use of stinted prayer Besides when we speak of joyning with others is it necessary to the acceptance of prayer that he which is the mouth of the rest to God should be able by the guidance of the Spirit to utter request fitting the present occasion and in fitting words Suppose he be destitute of the Spirit or of that measure of the Spirit may not the good and holy requests which he putteth up by the direction and help of others be accepted in behalf of them that pray in the Spirit and poure out their prayers before God in holy affiance To joyn with the people of God in prayer and participation of the sacraments is not a matter arbitrary which may be done or left at pleasure but necessary when God calleth and giveth opportunitie And if God hath promised to heare such prayers and by his blessing some good may be gotten by them a Christian must be well advised how he withdraweth himself least whiles he pleaseth himself too much in some scrupulous conceits he prejudice his soul Prayer is Gods ordinance whereunto all Christians are bound to apply themselves a stinted Liturgie is allowed of God provided it be sound holy and pure both for words and matter And if any sinne be committed in the reading or use thereof a Christian may perform whatsoever office the Lord requireth at his hand as a private or publick person without Separation The reading of service and the tedious length thereof doth even tire attention to more quickening ordinances A stinted Liturgie is so to be moderated that 〈◊〉 ordinance of God may have its fit seaâ—â—â— and the length give place to edification For what ordinances God hath conjoyned they must not be rent asunder nor one so advanced as others be neglected Without controversie their profanenesse is to be condemned who out of a loathing of the holy things of God distaste the length of a Liturgie and cry out of tirednesse when indeed all holy ordinances are distastfull Let us therefore consider a little what time the churches of God have taken and allowed for their publick service and what exercises have been there performed that we may truly judge whether the length of a Liturgie is justly to be taxed or the blame of tirednesse to be laid upon our security and carelesnesse Upon extraordinary occasion on the day of a solemn fast the Levites read in the book of the law one fourth part of the day and another fourth part of the day they confessed and worshipped Their ordinary assemblies for publick worship continued for the space of three houres sc from the third houre untill mid-day and from the ninth houre untill the evening It was not ordinary to begin their assembly in the morning but not to break up untill mid-day was ordinary Herein with prayer and exhortation they had their lectures or sections of the law and prophets so large that to reade them distinctly as without question they were would take up a good space of time And if that very service of God in the Jewish synagogues which our Saviour did approve with the presence of his owne person and preaching had so large portions of the law and the prophets together with many prayers used day by day we must not alledge tirednesse when it is but sloth In the primitive church it may be no certain time is noted how long the assemblies continued we must guesse at the length by that which was done in their solemn assemblies When they met together for the worship and service of God the Fathers prayed before and after the sermon wishing to their hearers eternall blessings and entreating of God the pardon of sins c. The scriptures of the prophets and apostles were read quamdiu hora patitur and after the reading of such portions of scripture followed the Sermon or word of exhortation which failed not on the Lords day Their Sermons or as they are called Tractates Disputations Doctrines Homilies Conferences were confined ordinarily to a certain space or time that they might not alienate or weaken the minds of their hearers Hence are those frequent excuses of longer speech and dayly complaints of the straits of time that they could not finish what was begun or intreat thereof so fully as was expedient It may probably be thought the usuall time they took for the Sermon was the space of an houre or thereabouts Before the sermon they read some portion of the Old and New Testament as did the church of the Jews in their Synagogues out of the Law and the Prophets And the lessons which they read did usually yield texts for the Preachers so that the reading it self of the Law the Psalmes the Epistles Gospels reverently used did not prejudice preaching but further it rather The manner was at the first to reade and interpret whole books before them in order unlesse it were on the feasts of the Nativity Easter Pentecost c. when speciall texts were wont to be chosen for the solemnity of those times But those feasts being past they returned to their accustomed task And beside the ordinary exposition of whole books in order it is observed by some that they read the whole Bible from the beginning to the end within the space of one yeare specially in great congregations which were held every day which custome continued untill the yeare of Christ DCCCVI or thereabouts In those frequent congregations
because it was culled and picked out of the popish dunghill the popish and vile masse-book full of all abominations Who knoweth not that many pretious truths may be culled and picked out of the masse-book Good gold may have some drosse and amongst an heap of drosse it is possible to find some good gold A true mans goods may be found in a thieves den or cave and the goods of the church in the possession of Antichrist Antichrist hath either by violence broken in upon or by secret insinuation before his cunning was spied gotten the rich treasures of the church into his hand which the right heirs may lawfully require and take back again not as borrowed from him but as due to them I scarce know how a man should more honour Antichrist or wrong the true church of God then to grant that all the good things that Antichrist doth usurp do of right belong unto him and are borrowed from him For they are the rich legacies which Christ hath bequeathed unto his church to whom properly they pertein The matter then of our stinted form may be from God and proper to the church though picked and culled out of the Masse-book If therefore our stinted Liturgie be Antichristian it is so either in respect of the matter or of the form Not of the matter for that which properly belonged to Antichrist the soul and grosse errours are purged out Not of the form for order and phrase of speech is not properly Antichristian of which more hereafter The Papists cannot sincerely approve our publick service but they must condemn and detest their own their prayers in an unknown tongue their praying to saints departed much more to feigned saints their receiving in one kind their unbloudy sacrifice their reall presence their satisfaction for veniall sinnes and temporall punishment of mortall sinnes their blotting out of the second commandment or at least confounding it with the first with others the like And if for the first eleven yeares of Qu. Elisabeth the Papists came to our churches and service what can we think but that the hand of the Lord was with us at that time for good when without division we sought him and he was pleased so to honour us that our adversaries should at least feignedly submit themselves The Lord grant all estates and conditions wisely to consider the true cause why they are fallen from our assemblies since that time and hardned in their perversenesse every day more and more But to come to the thing it self objected to wit That our book of common prayer is wholly taken out of the Masse-book we are here to note that the Masse in former times did signifie the worship of God which consisted in publick prayers thanksgivings confession of faith singing of psalmes reading and interpretation of the holy scriptures and receiving the sacrament of the Lords supper and so the ancient Masse and Liturgie were the same But now the Romane Masse is put for the unbloudy sacrifice of the body of Christ which the priest doth offer up for the quick and dead And in this sense the word is to be taken when they say our service-book is taken out of the Masse-book But it should rather be said that the Masse was in time added to our communion-book and by the purging out of the Masse it is restored to its former puritie Popery is as a scab or leprosie that cleaveth to the church and the Masse an abomination annexed to the Liturgie Before ever the Masse was heard of in the world or began to be hatched there were stinted Liturgies in the church for substance much-what the same with ours and these at first more pure after stained with more corruption as the times grew worse and worse The Eastern churches as it should seem had their stinted Liturgies first and the Western borrowed many things from them but as the times declined they brought in more and more drosse into the church untill the canon of the Masse was completely framed The ancient Liturgies attributed to James Basil Chrysostom c. are counterfeit as our Divines have largely proved and the Papists cannot deny But divers things conteined in those Liturgies were in use in the primitive church without question In the primitive times they had their appointed lessons out of the Law and the Prophets and the Psalmes and the Evangelists their stinted prayers and forms of celebration with some variety but in substance all one in a manner This is evident if we compare the genuine writings of the Fathers with those counterfeit Liturgies before mentioned whereof some particular instances are given in the chapter following The stinted forms at first were more brief afterwards they were enlarged and as often it falleth out by enlargement corrupted and defiled Corruption by this means as a disease cleaving to the Liturgie it is necessary it should be corrected and thereby recovered to its first integrity or foundnesse Thus Cardinal Quignonius by the commandment of Clement the seventh so changed the Romane Breviarie that for a great part it was more like the English book of prayers than the Romane Breviarie And the English Liturgie gathered according to the module of the Ancients the purest of them is not a collection out of the Masse-book but a refining of that Liturgie which heretofore had been stained with the Masse And if those things were unjustly added to the Liturgie they might be and were justly cast out If it was wholly taken out of the Masse-book I should desire further to know how the Masse-book came to have those things in which are found in the book of Common prayers sound and holy for matter and directly contrary to Antichristianisme If these things were in the book before then all things therein were not of Antichrist but he had usurped them and it is lawfull for the true man to lay claim to his goods whereever he find them If they were not in the Masse-book then all things are not taken out of it but somethings restored out of purer Antiquity which the man of sinne had wickedly expunged The ministers of Lincoln never judged the use of the Book unlawfull never thought it lawfull to separate from the prayers of the congregation never refused to use the book though in some things they desired to be excused The churches of God have been evermore taught to prize and esteem these main and fundamentall truths and ordinances of worship at an higher rate then that some petty dislike of this or that in the externall form when the matter is sound and good should cause Separation The conclusion in brief is That our Service-book is not a translation of the Masse but a restitution of the ancient Liturgie wherein sundry prayers are inserted used by the Fathers agreeable to the scriptures Causelesse separation from the externall communion with any true church of Christ is the sinne of schisme But to separate from the prayers of the
use And if the Septuagint was corrupted in many things at that time the translations drawn thence cannot be pure Amongst many and divers Latine translations which Augustine saith cannot be numbred there was one more common then the rest and better esteemed by Hierome called the Vulgar who disliketh it and preferreth the translation of Symmachus and Theodotion above it If we give credit to ancient writers we shall find that there were divers customes in the church and rites in the administration of the sacraments not mentioned in scripture and some of them savouring more of superstition then of devotion which the Papists themselves have not onely laid aside but condemned though of ancient and long continuance The particulars are many and well known so that ancient custome is not plea sufficient to prove a thing good nor some abuse crept into and continued in the church cause sufficient why we should voluntarily absent our selves from the Lords ordinances In the second primitive church as some distinguish if not the first they had a stinted form of Liturgie not onely for lessons psalmes epistles and gospels and professions of faith but in prayers for matter and manner not much unlike to ours To the praise of God be it spoken our Liturgie for purity and soundnesse may compare with any Liturgie used in the third and fourth ages of the church And if in those times the faithfull might lawfully hold communion in the ordinances of worship we cannot at this day lawfully withdraw our selves by reason of such faults as be objected This I mention that we might learn to acknowledge Gods mercy walk worthy of what we have received and strive forward towards perfection by all lawfull means Long before the Lord called his people to come out of Babylon what faults soever can be objected against our Liturgie were found in theirs The faithfull therefore may lawfully be present at our service notwithstanding the faults objected against it For the Lord did not onely wink at his peoples weaknesse and ignorance for the time but approve of their non-separation untill he was pleased to call them forth Neither can it be imagined that they might hold communion in other ordinances but not in their stinted Liturgies for in those times of all other parts the stinted Liturgies were most pure God of his endlesse mercy so providing for his church and the comfort of his people in those hard and evil times when the doctrine was miserably dangerously corrupted in respect of Merit of works and Invocation of Saints c. the Liturgies were long preserved pure and free whereby the faithfull might be present with more comfort and freedome of conscience This one thing duely considered would put an end to many scruples and might serve to stop them who out of over-great heat and forwardnesse are ready to except against the means of their own comfort and to cast off what God offereth because they cannot enjoy what they desire The snares of superstition are warily to be declined because we are apt and prone to take infection thereby it being a work of the flesh and agreeable to our nature All sinne is to be shunned and that at all times but the danger of sinning onely is to be shunned by watchfulnesse and circumspection not by omission or neglect of any duty that God calleth us unto or requireth at our hands In a free state and condition the occasions of sin must be avoided because no man is safe who is next to danger and it is no point of wisdome to fish with a golden hook But when God casteth a man upon the occasions of sin in the duties of religion justice or an honest calling he must not omit the duty because of the occasion but resist the occasion and watch over his heart that he be not hurt thereby If a sowre herb or two grow in a good pasture is it not better to heed the flock there then to suffer them to starve The sheep of Christ are wise to discern betwixt things that differ and know where to feed and what to leave And if superstition be dangerous partiall indiscreet misguided zeal is sinfull turbulent and pernicious Whence have most schismes arisen in the church but even from hence that some in place have been over-eager and peremptory to presse the members of the church to professe their belief or approbation of some errours perhaps in themselves small and to be tolerated which they could not professe with a good conscience and not allow them communion in the church but upon such condition Also the frequent drawing out of the sword of excommunication to cut off well-deserving members from visible society with the churches of God for small and trifling matters is a great occasion and cause of schisme Whatsoever man or church saith one doth for any errour of simple belief deprive any man so qualified as above either of his temporall life or livelyhood or liberty or the churches communion and hope of salvation he is for the first unjust cruel and tyrannous schismaticall presumptuous and uncharitable for the second Wherefore such as have power in their hands they are alwayes to remember that this power is given them not for destruction or to shew their own greatnesse but for the edification of others and therefore never to be used but upon speciall and weighty considerations and occasions He that striketh fiercely with his spirituall sword at feathers doth alwayes either wound himself or wrest his arm And of particular private persons it hath ever been most true that a partiall rigid irregular adhering to some branches of holy doctrine hath been no lesse pernicious to themselves then troublesome to others For the fond admiration of their zeal and forwardnesse in this one particular breedeth neglect of Christian watchfulnesse and constant uniform walking with God disregard of Gods ordinances and of the good which may be gotten thereby disesteem if not contempt of others who will not comply with them in the same way and what can follow hereupon but contentions and jarres surmises censurings and uncharitablenesse rents and divisions in the church This danger is the greater because it stoppeth the eare against advise and counsel For being once perswaded that they and they onely do maintein the truth and rightly affect it no reason will enter no perswasion take place to the contrary be it never so evident and apparent And this is most preposterous when the truths wherewith they are so enamoured and which they zealously affect be matters of small or least importance for then the great and weighty truths concerning the very life and soul of religion and the substantiall means of grace are undervalued in comparison of the other We must therefore labour and watch so to keep our selves from the infection of superstition as not to foster indiscreet and partiall zeal which admiring that which is of lesse importance thrusteth into over-vehement contentions and lesseneth
the due esteem of the great mercy the Lord hath shewed unto his church No particular member of a church may voluntarily break off externall communion with the church or refuse to communicate in the publick service and worship of God unlesse the Lord Jesus go before him therein and be his warrant that is unlesse Christ hath withdrawn the presence of his grace or the party cannot be present without the guilt of hypocrisie or approbation of somewhat that is evil For the members of the visible church must hold fellowship in faith and love not onely one with another but with all other visible churches and all others intirely professing the faith of Christ so farre as they hold communion with Jesus Christ And therefore no member can lawfully break off externall communion with the true church of Christ but in that onely wherein and so farre as it hath broken off fellowship with Christ For where Christ is there is his church and where two or three are met together in his name there is he in the midst among them He is that Prince that is in the midst of his people who goeth in when they go in And when Christ calleth his free voluntaries to assemble in prayer or to partake at his table and promiseth to be present with them to heare their prayers and refresh their souls with grace it is not lawfull for a Christian to withdraw himself But in a congregation where a stinted form is used and that in some respects faulty here or there Christ may be and is present in the midst among them Christians are called to come and may be present without guilt of hypocrisie or approbation of the least evil To leave communion when we be obliged by God to continue in it is no lesse then schisme according to the nature of it Obliged by God we are to hold communion with the true churches of Christ in his true worship and service so farre as it may be without sin and wickednesse on our parts So that though there be some errours or ignorances in the publick administration yet if our belief of some errour or approbation of disorder be not required to that communion it is not lawfull to depart from the society of that church which professeth the saving truth of Christ intirely for substance rightly mainteineth the dispensation of the sacraments soundly calleth upon God in the mediation of Jesus Christ and plentifully enjoyeth the means of grace When corruption and externall communion be so involved that it is simply impossible to leave the corruptions unlesse we leave the externall communion of the church a necessity of separation from that externall communion then lyeth upon us But though errours or corruptions of some kind be not onely tolerated but established mainteined and pressed yet if we can hold communion without approbation of the said errours or corruptions Separation in that case is unjust rash and unadvised because the Lord therein doth not go before us The sin of Separation if unjust is so great and heinous the ill consequences and mischiefs so many and fearfull that all Christians should be well advised neither to lay stumbling-blocks before the feet of others which might occasion their turning aside nor to seek or catch occasions of departure but rather to wait and tarry till they be assured that the Lord goeth before them For the first when the Anabaptists in Helvetia opposed humane inventions as unlawfull they were by publick authority and with common consent abolished And that of Irenaeus is well known Variety of ceremonies commend the unitie of faith For the other part the faithfull have ever tolerated weaknesses and infirmities in each other and abuses in the church so long as the foundation was held and they agreed in the main In the primitive church not onely some persons but whole congregations have doubted of many books of scripture and yet lost not their dignity of true churches of Christ How long did the faithfull wait and bear before they departed or rather were driven by excommunication sword and sire out of Babylon This hath been the judgement of the godly learned in all ages of the church They that for trifling and small causes saith Irenaeus divide the body of Christ c. these can make no reformation of such importance as to countervail the danger of a division When good men tolerate bad men saith Augustine which can do them no spirituall hurt to the intent they may not be separated from those who are spiritually good then there is no necessity to divide unity And in another place These two things reteined will keep such men pure and uncorrupted that is neither doing ill nor approving it Although faith be one funiculus colligantiae yet variety of opinions without pertinacy standeth with unity but nothing is so contrary to the church as schisme and departure This matter I will shut up with the saying of Zaga Bishop of Aethiope and embassador of Prester John It is a miserable thing that Christian strangers should be so sharply reproved as enemies as I have been here and other things which concern not the faith But it should be farre more convenient to support all Christians be they Grcaeians be they Armenians be they Aethiopians be they of any one of the seven Christian churches with charity and love of Christ and to permit them to live and converse amongst other Christian brethren without any injurie because that we are all infants of one baptisme and do hold truly the true faith The conclusion is That the externall communion of the church in publick worship is not to be forsaken for some faults neither fundamentall nor noxious which may be espied in her Liturgie Though the bearing and forbearing not onely of small but even of great sinnes also must be for a time yet it must be but for a time and that is whilest reformation be orderly sought and procured Lev. 19. 17. But what time hath wrought in the church of England all men see growing dayly by the just judgement of God from evil to worse and being never aforetime so impatient either of reformation or other good as at this day Moreover a man must so bear an evil as he be no way accessory unto it by forbearing any means appointed by Christ for the amending of it Errours or faults be of two sorts Some grosse notorious manifest such as a man cannot but see to be amisse unlesse he will shut his eyes against the light and must amend or there can be no hope of salvation Others of quotidian incursion frailty and infirmity ignorance or mere weaknesse such as godly men are not convinced of or if they see them at some times to be amisse yet in ordinary course they be overtaken with them from which the most holy be not altogether free In these latter though Christians must labour the help cure and support of each
should not be prophaned what conscience should Christians make neither to prophane themselves nor suffer so farre as lyeth in them the supper of the Lord to be prophaned It was a worthy saying of Chrysostome Animam priùs tradam meam quà m Dominicum corpus alicui indigno sanguinémque meum effundi potiùs patiar quà m sacratissimum illum sanguinem praeterquam digno concedam Neverthelesse it perteineth not to every man to debarre the impenitent from the Lords table but it must be done by them and in such manner as the Lord hath appointed For private Christians may not usurp the authority of the church nor the church execute her authority in undue manner That is necessary to them that have received commission from God which is unlawfull to them that want authority In the common-wealth the execution of justice is necessary but private persons must not challenge the sword of the magistrate In a corporation no one must take that upon himself which belongeth to the common councel Holy things must not be given to prophane persons but every one at his pleasure must not deny holy things to unholy persons but unholy persons must be debarred from holy things in such order as God hath prescribed It is a thing illegall altogether and unreasonable that a Christian man laying open claim to his right in the sacrament should by the mere discretion of a minister or private Christian be debarred from it Men would be loth to put their lands nay their goods and cattels and shall we think the Lord hath put their interest in the body and bloud of Christ to a private discretion So should it fare ill with the deserving members of the church and such as most deserved should least feel the severity of this censure The precept then of debarring scandalous offenders bindeth them to whom God hath given this power and them onely so farre as God hath put it in their power But God regularly doth not leave that power in the hand of one singular steward or some few private Christians to discommon one from the Lords table by publick censure And therefore the steward may not by any means keep back the fat ones of the earth from his masters table but warn them fairly of the danger ensuing as Gratian noteth out of Augustine And if one or few private Christians cannot debarre the unworthy from the Lords table it is manifest the ordinance of God is not defiled to them by the presence of the wicked whom they desire to reform or expell but cannot because power is not in their hand to do it lawfully For if it be lawfull for the faithfull to hold spirituall communion together in the ordinances of worship where the wicked and ungodly are tolerated as outward members of that society and have externall society with them in those ordinances then the presence of scandalous men doth not defile the sacrament to the worthy receiver The consequence is evident from the reason given to disswade communion in the sacrament sc because they that partake are one body Now if the same communion for substance be in other ordinances and yet it is lawfull for the faithfull notwithstanding the wicked be permitted to hold communion in those ordinances then it is lawfull to partake at the Lords table though the scandalous and prophane be received But it is lawfull for the faithfull to hold spirituall communion and fellowship together in the ordinances of worship where the wicked and ungodly are suffered as outward members For Moses calleth Israel a chosen people an holy nation the peculiar people of God whom he calleth a stiff-necked people foolish and unwise The Lord protesteth that Israel did rebell against him that they did not understand but were a most sinfull nation yea as Sodom and Gomorrah and yet he calleth them his children and people yea passing Sodom in iniquity and yet the daughter of his people and daughter of Sion his pleasant plant and a noble vine Israel then was the true church of God and the people true members of that society and yet many of them not truly sanctified nor true Saints And if the priests and Levites were set over a people unconverted for the truth of sanctification though holy by externall covenant which they for their parts had broken by their iniquities but on Gods part was undissolved and the faithfull had spirituall communion together in the ordinances of worship when the unwise foolish perverse uncircumcised in heart and life sinfull and laden with iniquity were admitted as members of the same body or society then the faithfull are not defiled with the presence of the ungodly at the sacrament though they that communicate together make one body in externall communion As the common-wealth of Israel consisting of men uncircumcised in heart perverse rebellious obstinate as well as faithfull and obedient was separated into covenant and so one body in externall communion and might lawfully have fellowship together in the ordinances so the faithfull and scandalous received into covenant and living in society do partake in the same ordinances without tincture or infection to the better part As the rebellious and perverse in Judah so the scandalous in the church are separated into covenant and though in course of life they be dogs yet in publick esteem they are not to be reputed dogs nor used as dogs till the church have so pronounced of them Peter calleth the Jews that had crucified Christ Brethren not according to the flesh because his kinsmen but as children of the prophets and of the covenant And if the Apostles might hold spirituall brotherhood with them who were impenitent perverse rebellious yea murderers of the Lord of life why should it be unlawfull to hold externall communion in the participation of the sacraments with persons scandalous and offensive in course of life The common-wealth of Israel was a religious politie and God established them a people unto himself by covenant without exception and so long as the covenant stood undissolved on Gods part though broken on theirs by their iniquity they might hold communion one with another Religion ever since the fall of Adam is one and the same for substance though different in the manner of dispensation the church from the beginning one and the same in common nature and essence though different in the manner of government and measure of gifts fitted to severall ages thereof The mysteries are varied according to the times but the faith whereby we live is in every age invariable As God is unchangeable so is his covenant one and the same that excepted which was peculiar to the manner of dispensation the confederates or members of the church by Gods approbation one and the same and so the common nature and essentiall constitution of all true churches from the beginning of the world to the end thereof In all ages of the church the members of
Thyatira Laodicea Pergamus and Sardis are all reprehended What then must the faithfull do leave their standings and depart from the ordinances of grace whilest God is pleased to dwell amongst them or neglect the duty which God calleth them unto and so partake in other mens sin The community or congregation it self is oft divided remisse the greatest part many times the worst so that the best cannot be heard amongst them truth cannot take place In Corinth there were so many sects and divisions that the house of Chloe was constrained to complain of them to the Apostle most of them were puffed up in the case of the incestuous man that it had been in vain for the better sort to seek his casting out if the Apostle had not sharply admonished them of their duty And their disorder in coming to the Lords supper was generall so that the better sort might bewail but could not redresse it In the primitive church there was such contention oftentimes about the choise and election of ministers the Pastours divided from the people and the people one from another to the committing of many outrages that if the godly must not hold any place in the church but where they could perform all offices injoyned in the text of scripture before alledged they must welnigh go out of the world In this and such cases then what should the faithfull do Tell the church they cannot for that is divided and it may be the greatest part holdeth the worst cause Depart they must not for the Lord doth not go before them and if they depart without him they depart from the Lord himself What remaineth then but that with mercifull affection they dislike reprove and correct as much as in them lieth what they find to be amisse what they cannot amend that they should patiently endure and suffer and in loving sort bewail and lament till God do either correct and amend it or make way for their enlargement as they may see the Lord to go before them But in the mean space it will be said they do not their duty in telling the church Nay rather the Lord requireth not that particular duty at that time because they have no opportunity or means to do it The rule prescribed concerneth visible and particular churches as a solemn ordinance of Christ for the humbling and saving of an obstinate sinner but a Christian may be a true member of a visible church when he is hindred and cannot do the thing that is there prescribed For our Saviour speaketh of a brother that doth justly truly and according to equity reprehend admonish or complain and of them who being set in office do rightly and lawfully perform the office whereunto they are appointed of God of the church who doeth what becometh her keepeth herself within the bounds prescribed of God and rightly executeth what is committed to her trust But in the true church of God which Christ is pleased to grace with the visible tokens of his presence all things may fall out clean contrary that such as be in office do not truly discharge their office that the church doth not keep herself to the rule nor fulfill the trust committed unto her In the Law they that were thought unclean were to be restrained from the sacrifices the eating of the passeover entrance into the temple And not onely legall pollutions but sinnes of all kinds whether by errour or ignorance of the law or fact or voluntarily committed were to be expiated according to the prescript of the law which doth necessarily presuppose uncleannesse and that accompanied separation from the altar and the participation of the holy things The legall ceremonies which were outward and carnall did represent spirituall and internall to the minds of the faithfull as the uncleannesse of the body did the inward filth of the soul The wicked are oftentimes upbraided that they durst come into the presence of God The scriptures testifie that the Lord acceteth the sacrifices of righteousnesse of a broken and contrite heart that he is not pleased with the sacrifices of wicked men whose hands are full of bloud And the Lord often giveth commandment that he which shall do so or so or shall not do this or that shall be cut off from his people All which whether they conclude the use of excommunication amongst the Jews let the learned judge But howsoever this is most certain Many things were required which the wicked altogether neglected the godly could not redresse nor complain of to them that should or if they did no regard was had thereunto no reformation followed and yet the godly left not their standings as unlawfull nor the society as left and forsaken of God because they had broken covenant with him nor the ordinances of God as if externall communion with the wicked as one body had polluted and defiled them Put case a brother offended make a complaint to the church of some private injury or wrong received by one of the same or another socity and the church to whom the complaint is brought deal remissely either through ignorance partiality carelessenesse or the like must the innocent party stand to the decision of the church although they do not see right exactly restored and the delinquent brought to repentance or must he protest against their neglect and depart from the society as not to be communicated with because they tolerate a wicked and ungodly person among them If the first then simply to be present at the worship of God where wicked men are tolerated is not to partake in their sin If the latter then the accuser may be judge in his own cause and not onely hold him an heathen whom the church esteemeth holy and honest but hold the church it self heathen then because they account him not so blame-worthy whom he accuseth then which what is more contrary to the rule of our Saviour And so if true examination be made they that leave our societies because they cannot observe the rule prescribed by Christ do of all others most neglect it in their separation because they challenge that authority which Christ never gave them and wait not upon him to go before them If iniquity be committed in the church and complaint and proof accordingly made and the church will not reform or reject the party offending but will on the contrary maintein presumptuously and abett such impiety then by abetting the party and his sin she maketh it her own by imputation and enwrappeth her self in the same guilt with the sinner and remaining irreformable either by such members of the same church as are faithfull if there be any or by other sister-churche wipeth herself out of the Lords church-rolle and now ceaseth to be any longer the true church of Christ And whatsoever truths or ordinances of Christ this rebellious rout still reteineth it but usurpeth the same without right unto them or
and intire profession of the truth is to be found in the church alone and is conteined in the belly of the church as light in an house whereby it may be discerned The law shall go forth of Sion it is not elsewhere to be found My word shall not depart out of the mouth of thy seed c. The sacraments are seals of the covenant of grace and symboles or testimonies whereby the people of God are distinguished from all other nations The sacraments when for substance they be rightly used are tokens and pledges of our admittance into and spirituall enterteinment in the Lords family This is my covenant that I make with thee Go teach all nations and baptize them into the name of the Father c. Amend your lives and â—e baptized The sacraments do necessarily presuppose a church constituted unto which they are committed as the oracles and ordinances of God unto Israel Baptisme rightly used is within and not without the church It is a seal of the covenant which is the form of the church as some call it to the faithfull and to their seed It is the sacrament of initiation whereby members are solemnly admitted into the body of Christ To have Pastours which feed with spirituall knowledge and understanding is a gift of matrimoniall love which God vouchsafeth unto his church And I will give you Pastours according to mine own heart And though all that heare do not receive the love of the truth yet where God giveth his word it is a signe that some in those places belong to the kingdome of heaven The Apostles first gathered churches and then ordained elders in every citie So that it is proper to the church to be fed and guided by true spirituall Pastours who do both teach and blesse in the name of the Lord. The true worship of God is an inseparable and infallible mark of a people in covenant with God For where Christ is there is 〈◊〉 church but Christ saith Where two or three are met together in my name there am I in the midst among them This is the priviledge of the saints that Christ the prince of his people is in the middest of them and goeth in when they go in And for certain they are gathered in the name of Christ who being lawfully called do assemble to worship God and call upon his name in the mediation of Jesus Christ In times past the church was acknowledged by these signes of continuance in the apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayer of true fear intire service holy profession and religious prayer The weightiest matter therefore in religion that concerneth a Christian is to know God and Christ to repent heartily and believe unfeignedly which is ever accompanied with holinesse of conversation if God give time and opportunity because without these there is no salvation to men of age and discretion It is a matter of weight and importance also to know where and how God is to be worshipped and the right use of his ordinances as of prayer and the sacraments because otherwise we cannot know how to joyn our selves in holy communion with the people of God in the ordinances of worship which is a necessary duty if God give opportunity But to know the externall order or constitution of a particular ministeriall politicall church is not a matter of weight or importance to be matched with either of the former And if M r Jacob comprehend all these things under the name of the church his speech is false deceitfull and confused because he distinguisheth not things that be of different kinds If the latter it is most inconsiderately spoken and weakly proved For out of the catholick invisible church or society there is no salvation but out of a particular visible ministeriall church salvation is to be had Internall society with the members of Christ and communion with Christ himself which is invisible is necessary externall not so Christ is the Saviour of his body and saved he cannot be by Christ that is not a live-member of his body Noahs ark builded by Gods appointment for the safety of all such as were obedient to his preaching was a type and figure of this onely holy catholick church not of a visible particular ministeriall church for as none of the sonnes of men besides such as entred into Noahs ark were saved from the deluge so whosoever entred into the ark were saved from the deluge And so Noahs ark was a type of that church into which whosoever entreth he shall be saved But this cannot be affirmed of the visible church Peter speaking of the ark wherein few that is eight souls were saved by water he saith The like figure whereunto even baptisme doth also now save us not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience inwards Gods by the resurrection of Jesus Christ His meaning is that Noahâ— ark was a type of that church out of which there is no salvation in which there is most certain salvation and the waters by which such as entred into the ark were saved a type of baptisme But of what baptisme Externall No Externall baptisme and the ark of Noah were types of the same rank both types and signes of that internall baptisme which is wrought by the holy Ghost by which we are incorporated into the body of Christ and become more undoubtedly safe from the everlasting fire then such as entred Noahs ark were from the deluge of water If the ark which Noah built did save all such from the deluge as entred into it how much more shall that holy and catholick church which Christ hath built and sanctified by his most precious bloud give eternall life to all such as in this world become live-members of it Such members they are made not by becoming meÌ„bers of the visible church but by internall grace or sanctification There is not the same reason of externall and internall communion with the church The inward is and was ever necessary the externall necessary when it may be enjoyed Some may be of the church in respect of the profession participation of the ordinances and other inferiour priviledges who are not of the invisible church that is do not communicate in the most perfect work force and effect of saving grace And some that be not full members of the true orthodox and visible church may notwithstanding be found and live members of the mysticall body of Jesus Christ For all that truly believe are in the state of salvation and all that be in the state of salvation be members of that church out of which no salvation is to be hoped for or can be obteined which doth comprehend all the faithfull and them that shall be saved They are in act and in deed both in and of that church and not in desire and wish onely
his good pleasure If their ministery was true in some respects and false in others then the ministery is not absolutely false which in some respect is not pure as it ought and is to be desired then also it is no sin to communicate in a false ministery in some respect so farre to wit as it hath truth in it and doth carry the stamp of God The priests scribes and Pharisees were of the tribe of Levi which was set apart for the ministery yet might they be strangers thieves robbers murderers which the sheep of Christ will not heare that is follow or be led by them For the ministers whom our Saviour chargeth as thieves and murderers were of continuall succession of Levi and Aaron especially and it is to be understood of them who teach false doctrine and not of them who enter without a lawfull outward calling And to enter by Christ the doore teaching him alone to be the onely Saviour and Mediatour is the note of a good shepherd To heare them is not simply to communicate with them in the ordinances of God which the godly and faithfull among the Jews might not refuse to do with the Scribes and Pharisees who were thieves and robbers but to receive their doctrine and embrace their errours which was evermore unlawfull The thieves and murderers in the church of the Jews sprung up with them and continued amongst them and neither departed themselves nor were cast out by others that had authority In the Christian church divers false teachers ravening wolves Antichrists rose up not from among the Heathen or Jews but in and from themselves whereof some went out from the church and separated themselves others were cast out by excommunication and delivered up unto Satan that they might learn not to blaspheme others were tolerated in the church either because their heresies were not so pernicious at the first or the better side had not power to cast them out or they preached fundamentall truths but of evil minds These in respect of outward order were lawfully chosen or called and yet false prophets discovered by their doctrine not by their calling and some of them continuing in the church the faithfull are warned to beware of their errours that they be not infected by them but not forbidden to partake at the ordinances of worship because they are present And if we look into the Scriptures of the old and new Testament we shall never find the prophets called true or false in respect of their outward calling but in respect of their doctrine A man may have a lawfull outward calling to the ministery and yet be a false prophet because he preacheth the lying visions of his own heart But we shall never find him called a false prophet who teacheth the truth as he hath received it of God because in some particular his calling might be excepted against And seeing he that speaketh the truth to edification exhortation rebuke and comfort of Gods people according to the command of God is a true prophet he that speaketh the dreams of his own heart is a false prophet It were good if they in whose mouthes the chalenge of false prophets is rifest would better weigh how they themselves expound and apply the scriptures in their writings or prophesyings lest notwithstanding any outward church-state or calling as they pretend they be deeper wounded by the rebound of their accusations this way then their adversaries For whosoever will be pleased to trie and examine the matter unpartially shall find their quotations of scripture to be many impertinent forced wrested miserably abused without all fear or reverence Let no man therefore be dismayed at their great confidence big words multitude of scripture-proofs or pretended grounds from others whose principles they put in practice for if they be particularly examined they will either disclaim the cause or put weapons into thy hands truly to fight against and put them to flight But for the present I forbear to enter into particulars because I desire the satisfaction of the more moderate sort who though they scruple communion in some particulars above handled do yet dislike that totall Separation which others make and that bitternesse of spirit wherewith they prosecute their cause The Lord in tender mercy look down upon his church make up the breaches which sinne hath made remove the stumbling-blocks and occasions of offense recall such as are gone astray cause his truth to shine more and more in our hearts and teach them that fear his name to walk in love and by an holy unblamable conversation in all things to approve the soundnesse of their faith and sincerity of their religion before all men for the comfort of their souls the edification of others and the glory of his great name through Jesus Christ our Lord. FINIS The generall heads conteined in this Book CHAP. I. OF a stinted form of prayer pag. 1. CHAP. II. All things essentiall to prayer may be observed in a prescript form pag. 12. CHAP. III. A stinted Liturgie or publick form of prayer is no breach of the second commandment pag. 23. CHAP. IIII. It is as lawfull to pray unto God in a form of words devised by others as to sing psalmes to the praise of God in a stinted form of words prescribed by others pag. 54. CHAP. V. A stinted form of prayer doth not quench the Spirit pag. 83. CHAP. VI. In scripture there be prescript forms of blessing prayers salutations c. which may lawfully be used pag. 97. CHAP. VII The churches of God have both used and approved a stinted Liturgie pag. 106. CHAP. VIII The people may lawfully be present at those prayers which are put up unto God in a stinted form of words and partake in Divine ordinances administred in a stinted Liturgie pag. 122. CHAP. IX It is lawfull for a Christian to be present at that service which is read out of a book in some things faultie both for form and matter pag. 157. CHAP. X. It is lawfull to communicate in a mixt congregation where ignorant and prophane persons be admitted to the sacrament pag. 187. CHAP. XI Of holding communion with that assembly in the worship of God where we cannot perform all duties mentioned Matth. 18. 15 16 17. pag. 216. CHAP. XII The community of the faithfull much lesse two or three separated from the world and gathered together into the name of Christ by a covenant are not the proper and immediate subject of power ecclesiasticall pag. 231. CHAP. XIII An examination of sundry positions laid down by M r Jacob in his Exposition of the second commandment tending to Separation pag. 282. FINIS Octob. 9. 1639. Imprimatur Cantabrigiae Ra. Brownrigg Procan Psal 50. 15. 1. Tim. 2. 5. John 10. 23. Ephes 2. 18. Rom. 8. 26. 1 Cor. 14. 16 28. Orig. contra Celsum lib. 8. Ambr. in 1 Cor. 14. Hieron ad Heliodor Epitaph Nepotian August De Magist lib. 1 Idem De
Against Berr. pag. 67. As in a true church in respect of outward order there may be many false doctrines taught so in a church false in respect of outward order there may be many sound and seasonable truths taught Robins Treatise Of the lawfulnesse c. The printers to the Christian reader Deut. 19. 15. Epiphan in Ancorato Nihil sine duobus tribusve testibus getâ— potest Joseph Antiq l. 4 c. 8. See Aquin. Summ. 3. qu. 81. art 2. qu. 80. art 6. Hieron lib. 2. contra Ruff. Uni testi nè Catoni quidem est creditum Justinian Novell 123. c. 11. Omnibus autem Episcopis Presbyteris interdicere aliquem à sacra communione antequam causa monstretur c. Matth. 7. 6. * q. porrò à fano Macrob. Saturn l. 3. cap. 3. Trebatius profanum id pro priè dici ait quod ex religioso vel sacro in hominum usum proprietatémque conversum est Capta ab hostibus loca sacra vel religrosa esse desinunt Aeneid 6. Claudian De rapt Proserp Gressus removete profani Ovid. Met. 7. Procul hinc jubet ire ministros Haec autem sacra dicebantur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plinio Operanea Chrysost in Matth. Hom. 83. Galvin epist 178. Ut unus altis in consilium non adhibitis quiequam tentes autor esse non audeo Adde quòd nunquam utile putavi jus excommunicandi permitti singulis pastoribus Grat. part 3. De consecrat dist 2. c. 67. Argum. 1. Deut. 14. 2 3. 29. 10 11 12. 7. 6 7. Deut. 32. 5 6. Isai 1 2 3 4 10. Lam. 4. 6 22. Ezek. 16. 46 47. Isa 5. 1 2 3 5. Jer. 2. 21. Acts 2. 29. 3. 17 18 19 25. Object 1. Robins Against Bern. pag. 101. 82. Answ Robins Agaâ—â—â—st 〈◊〉 pag. 284. Robins Against Bern. pag. 114 211. Psal 50. 5. vers 1â— Luke 20. 26. Gen. 4. 26. Matth. 5. 16. 1. Pet. 2. 12. Acts 2. 47. Lev. 14. 46 47. 15. 4 11 12. Hagg. 2. 12 13 14. 1. Cor. 5. 6 7. Lev. 19. 17. Ger. 17. 7. 26. 4. Jer 5. 31. Jer 9. 2 3. John 2. 16. Matth. 15. 7 8. 9. Isa 57. 3. 1. 4. Jer. 11. 14. Isa 50. 1. Jer. 3 11. 13. 11. Object 2. Acts 17. 22 23. 32. Acts 19. 8 9. Answ Robins Against Bern. pag 79. Argum. 2. One of the church committeth some notable sinne known to me alone which being dealt with by me he denieth without two or three witnesses the church may not proceed against him I must therefore still communicate with the church so with him as a member of it Robins Treat c. pag. 437. Eph. 2. 15 16. Heb. 10. 25. Jude 19. verse Phil. 2. 4. See Lanch De Eccl. pag. 129. Object 1. 1. Cor. 5. 11. Robins Against Bern. pag. 258. Answ Ephes 5. 6 7 11. Psal 41. 9. Our Saviour commandeth us to let the Pharisees alone Matth. 15. 16. and yet to heare them and do as they say while they teach the truth Matth. 23. 1 2. Rainold Cons with Hart ch 7. div 4. It is an offense taken and not given seeing the thing is in it self good and in its kind commanded by God and in that particular by men in authoritie and directly tending to mine edification Robins Treat pag. 20. Object 2. 1. Cor. 5. 6. Robins Against Bern. pag. 16. Answ Gal. 5. 9. Matth. 13. 33. Matth 16. 6 12. If the church see not that to be sin vvhich I see to be a sin I having informed the church thereof according to my place I have discharged my duty and the sinne lieth upon the church if it be a sin and not upon me Robins Treatis Of the laws c. The printers to the Christian Readers I partake not in the â—ins of any how great or manifest soever the sins be or how near unto me soever the persons be except the same sins either be committed or remain unreformed by my fault Othervvise Christ our Lord had been inwrapped in the guilt of a world of sins in the Jewish church with which church he communicated in Gods ordinances living and dying a member thereof Robins Treat pag. 18. I answer to the examples of Christ and his Apostles who as they abstained from corruptions in the Jewish church so were they quite separated from all false churches as the Samaritanes and others Ainsworth Consid exam pag. 8. Object 3. Robins Against Bern. pag. 246. Idem pag. 16. Answ 1. Sam. 2. 12 15 16 17 18 19 20. Our Saviour provided beforehand that we should not refuse good doctrine because it was delivered by wicked men Aug. Epi. 165. Tract in Joan. 46. De doctr Christ. l. 4. cap. 27. The followers of M r Robinson complaining of some foure or five who left their society write thus Which proceeding of theirs if it were approved of and followed no church could long continue together in peace For what these foure or five men have done that may any other man do so that if any man do conceive any of his brethren to walk in any such sin which he judgeth doth deserve excommunication if the church will not thereunto consent he may rent himself from the same Robins Treat Of the lawfulnesse c. The printers to the Christian readers Object 4. Robins Against Bern. pag. 248. Idem pag. 250 Answ Argum. 3. 1. Cor. 3. 3. 1. Cor. 6. 1 2. 2. Cor. 10. 10. 1. Cor. 15. 12. 1. Cor. 5. 1. 1. Cor. 11. 19 20. 2. Cor. 12. 20 21. 1. Cor. 1. 2 4 9. â— 23. Gal. 1. 6. 3. 1 5. 4. Gal. 1. 2. Revel 1. 4. Revel 2. 14 15 Revel 2. 20. Revel 3. 1 2. Revel 3. 20 21 4. Col. 2. 11 16 18. 3. John 9 10. Jam. 2. 1 2. 3. 1 2. 4. 1 2 3. Jude 12 13. Iusâ—b Hist lib. 8. cap. 1. Cypr. De laps §. 4. Quia traditam nobis Divinitus disciplinam paâ— longa corruperat jacentem fidem penè dixeâ—â—m dormientem censura coelestis erexit Cypr. De laps studebant augendo patrimonio singuli c. Cypr. Epist 51. ad Maxim Etsi videntur in Ecclesia esse zizania non tamen impediri dedet aut fides aut charitas nostra ut quoniam zizania esse in Ecclesia cerniâ—â—â—â— ipsi de Ecclesia recedamus And Epist 52. Nobis autem secundùm fidem nostram Divinae praedicationis datam formam competit ratio versicatis unumquemque in peccato suo ipsum teneri nec posse alterum pro altero reum fieri cùm Dominus praemoneae dicat Justitia justi super eum erit et scelus scelerati super eum erit Aug. lib. 2. Contr. Crescon Gram. cap. 32. Non est Ecclesia deserenda tanquam frumenta propter paleam vel zizania sicut nec domus magna propter vaâ—â— in honorata cap. â—7 August Contr. Donatist cap. 20. Toleramus quae nolumus ut perveniamus quò volumus
which assembled every day the word was preached every day And in the congregations which assembled every Lords day after the reading of the lessons psalmes and evangelists the word was preached constantly before they were dismissed The time specially appointed or taken for the sermon was the morning after the reading of the prophets and psalmes and evangelists In the afternoon as assemblies so sermons were frequent and two or more sermons were made in one and the same congregation sometimes by one sometimes by divers ministers After the sermon ended followed the prayers of the congregation as the testimonies before alledged plentifully confirm Clemen Constit lib. 2. cap. 57. After the exhortation of the Presbyter and the Bishop all pray unto God Justin Apol. 2. ad Anton. Then we rise all and pray together sc after the exhortation ended Origen Hom. 3. in Isa Idcirco surgentes oremus Deum Hom. 36. in Luc. Surgamus precemúrque Deum Chrysost Hom. 50. ad cap. 14. Matth. But now it is time to conclude our speech with prayer orate igitur universi nobiscum In all which we see the wisdome of the church so moderated the length of the Liturgie that each ordinance of God had its proper season that reading and prayer did not thrust out preaching nor preaching eat up prayer that the weak were not tired and burdened nor the sluggish fostered in their securitie And if a Liturgie be onely burdensome for length it is not altogether to be cast off For the thing it self is thereby justified as good and allowable that which burdeneth being taken away And it is much better to wrestle against bodily tirednesse with spirituall fervour then deprive themselves of the comfort and profit which is to be had in the ordinances of God The worship of God by that stinted form whereof our question is is the devise of Antichrist it being never prescribed or used in the primitive churches planted by the apostles and recorded in scripture But as the mystery wrought to a greater height in declining times of the church it was received by little and little till at last it came to be completely framed strictly enjoyned and every where used in the papacy as serving to maintein superstition and a dumbe idole-reading ministery and to nourish people in ignorance of the nature and right use of prayer The Masse-book is in Latine this Liturgie-book is in English the Masse-book hath all the prayers this Liturgie hath and some more other differences I know not between them Therefore king Edward the sixth in his letter to the Devonshire-men to convince them that their Liturgie was our service telleth them that it was no other but the old and the self-same words in English which were in Latine save a few things taken out which were so fond that it was a shame to heare them in English And king James in a speech of his in Scotland said that their English Liturgie was an ill-said Masse Pope Pius the fourth sending Vincentio Parpatia Abbat of S. Saviour to Qu. Elisabeth offered to confirm the English Liturgie by his authoritie if she would yield to him in some other things Indeed this Liturgie pleased them so well that for the first eleven years of Qu. Elizabeth Papists came to the English churches and service as the Lord Cook sheweth And when the Popes intelligencers had seen service solemnly sung and said in Canterbury and London with all their pomp and procession they wondred that their master would be so unadvised as to interdict a Prince or State whose service and ceremonies so symbolized with his own The whole form then of the church-service a few grosse things taken out is borrowed from the Papists culled and picked out of that popish dung-hill the Portuis and vile Masse-book But that form of prayer by which God is worshipped after the manner that idolaters worship their Gods swerveth from a rule of prayer prescribed in scripture Deut. 12. 3 4. 30. 31 32. And this is made the first of the exceptions against the common-prayer-book which were briefly added to in the Abbridgement That it appointed a Liturgie which in the whole matter and form thereof is too like unto the Masse-book The main challenge in this objection which I have set down more at large because it is much insisted upon against our communion-book is That it was taken out of the masse-book But in the manner of propounding there be divers great mistakes to say no more It is a great fault that they put no difference betwixt the substance of worship and the externall form or order of celebration The substance of worship in that stinted form of prayer is That we call upon God in the mediation of Jesus Christ according to his will Is this the devise of Antichrist because the form of words was taken out of the masse-book Suppose a minister of the Gospel should borrow some expressions or phrases of speech from heathen authours is his sermon forthwith the invention or devise of an heathen It is as far wide that they say Not onely the form of it taken from the church of Antichrist but surely the matter also For the matter of our Liturgie is the reading of the scriptures in a known tongue the calling upon God in the mediation of Jesus Christ and not upon angels or saints departed for the living and not for the dead the right administration of the sacraments for substance and singing of psalmes are these the devises of Antichrist Is the administration of the Lords supper in both kinds in remembrance of Christs death and passion who by one oblation of himself once offered hath made a full perfect and sufficient oblation and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world is this taken from the church of Antichrist These imputations are not so grosse as their reasons weak upon which they are built If our stinted Liturgy be the devise of Antichrist because it is not prescribed by the apostles or recorded in scripture then every stinted Liturgie must fall under the same censure for none other is prescribed in scripture or recorded by the apostles And so either every stinted Liturgie is part of that mystery of iniquitie which began to work in the apostles dayes or our Liturgy is not Antichristian because it was not prescribed or used in the primitive churches planted by the apostles If it was received by little and little till at last it came to be completely framed then the first beginning of it was no more from Antichrist then was the beginning of other Liturgies Antichrist sitteth in the Temple of God and antichristianisme is a filthy and lothsome leprosie which by degrees did infect the pure worship of God If therefore our Liturgie was sowred in after-times with that old leaven it might be pure and free in its first originall Is it for matter taken from the church of Antichrist