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
proved already Why may they not as lawfully command to preach by reading of Homilies as to pray by reading of the Liturgie both which are contrary to the institution of Christ and the holy scriptures The two feet upon which the dumb ministery standeth like Nebuchadnezzars image upon the feet of iron and clay are the book of Common prayer and of Homilies the reading of the former which is the right foot serving them for Prayer and the other for Preaching Which feet if they were smitten as were the other with the stone cut without hands the whole Idole-priesthood would fall and be broken a-pieces as that other image was This objection presupposeth that there is some great affinity betwixt a stinted Liturgie and an idle ministry which is a bare conjecture For in the Primitive church the abettours mainteiners and in part devisers of stinted Liturgies have and for ever shall be renowned in the church of God for their constant continuall and unwearied pains and industry in preaching the Gospel It is a thing notoriously known and confessed that Cyprian Ambrose Chrysostome and Augustine did all of them allow and approve and some of them devise stinted forms of Liturgies and yet who almost for diligence and labour in teaching the people in the wayes of salvation to be compared unto them Of their learning and zeal it is needlesse to say any thing For three of them there is plentifull testimony that they preached every day in the week and yeare at least once or twice without fail Ye heard yesterday Ye shall heare to morrow is common in their tractates and homilies Augustine even to the extremity of his sicknesse preached the word of God in his church cheerfully and boldly with a sound mind and judgement without any intermission at all The like diligence is noted in others who lived before and about those times in all which a stinted Liturgie was in use And generally the Fathers in the primitive church presse the knowledge of the scriptures residence upon his charge diligence in reading meditation prayer and instruction of the people as duties requisite and necessary and by no means to be neglected or omitted of the minister They also exhort the people not onely to heare the word of God but to learn it by heart to instruct and warn one another to sing psalmes conferre religiously begin and end their feasts with solemn prayer reade the scriptures in their houses and discourse thereof one with another for their mutuall profit and edification and to call their families children wives servants friends and neighbours together and to repeat the sermons they heare at church-together after the sermon ended Such exhortations are common and ordinary in them who approved stinted Liturgies Let one of you take in hand the holy book and by the heavenly words having called his neighbours about him let him water and refresh both their minte and his own Being at home we may both before and after meat take the holy books in hand and thereof receive great profit and minister spirituall food unto our souls Gregorie disalloweth that such should attend to singing and modulation of the voice who should apply themselves to the office of preaching Hierome cut short the lessons when whole books were read in order before that so there might he time for preaching Durantus himself misliketh the men that extra modum ordinem orationes multiplicant unde auditores sibi ingratos efficiunt populum Dei potiùs fastidio avertunt quà m alliciunt And Petrus de Aliaco counselleth quòd in Divino officio non tam â—nerosa prolixitas quà m devota integra brevitas servaretur A stinted Liturgie then in it self doth not abbridge nor hinder the liberty of preaching or prayer according to the speciall present occasions nor ought it so to do For when the minister of the Gospel is bound to be instant in season and out of season to teach exhort reprove with all long suffering and patience these necessary and wholesome functions of the holy ministery must not be trust out or hindred And it is not hard to shew the wisedome and moderation of the churches in their prescribed catechismes stinted prayers and exhortations in the administration of the sacraments c. to be such that they have allowed time convenient both for preaching and prayer according as God hath enabled his messengers In these times of this reformation the pains of such whom God stirred up first to preach the Gospel and instruct the people in the wayes of salvation was almost miraculous and yet generally they approved and devised a publick stinted form of Liturgie As for Homilies they were first allowed in the church not to uphold or maintein an ignorant ministery or to supply his defect that should take pains but would not much lesse to shut out preaching but to supply the casuall defect of preaching through the weaknesse and infirmitie of the minister CHAP. V. A stinted form of prayer doth not quench the Spirit THe Spirit of Grace enableth us to pray and maketh requests for us but worketh by means It instructeth us what to ask not in what phrase of speech It stirreth up in us holy desires but giveth not abilitie suddenly and without help to expresse and lay open our hearts in fit method and words significant As the Spirit doth perswade and assure the heart that the scripture is the word of God not witnessing of the letters syllables and words but of the matter and saving truth therein conteined So the Spirit instructeth us to pray by opening our eyes to see our misery and inflaming our hearts with a longing desire of mercy and relief in the mediation of Jesus Christ but it giveth not abilitie evermore to utter and expresse these our desires in fit and decent phrase of speech Abilitie of speech is a common gift of the Spirit which the Lord bestoweth upon good and bad Yea many times gracelesse persons are herein preferred before the most sincere and upright and many an honest heart can cry aloud for mercy who is scarce able to utter one distinct and perfect sentence in fit words and order Let no man except that ministers have better abilities For when the Apostle saith the Spirit is given to help our infirmities who know not how to pray as we ought he speaketh of all beleevers as well others as ministers private prayers as well as publick And whosoever is enabled or provoked to lift up any one sigh or grone unto God or to make apologie for himself in the mediation of Christ in any manner it is by the holy Ghost These things considered I suppose all men will grant 1. That it is lawfull for a man before-hand to meditate on his own particular wants and the necessities of others and that he may more fully understand and more sensibly be affected with them to reade good books which unfold the
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
A FRIENDLY TRIALL OF THE GROUNDS TENDING TO SEPARATION In a plain and modest Dispute touching the Lawfulnesse of a stinted Liturgie and set form of Prayer Communion in mixed assemblies and the Primitive subject and first receptacle of the power of the Keyes Tending to satisfie the doubtfull recall the wandring and to strengthen the weak By JOHN BALL ISAIAH 8. 20. To the law and to the testimonie if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them PSAL. 119. 105. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path ¶ Printed by Roger Daniel printer to the Universitie of Cambridge For Edward Brewster and are to be sold at his shop at the Bible on Fleet-bridge 1640. To the Christian Reader sound judgement the spirit of wisdome uprightnesse of heart and sweet communion with GOD. Christian READER IT is commonly professed though not so well known and observed as it ought that Satan is alwayes busie to solicite and our own deceitfull hearts ready to turn aside from the wayes of peace and comfort either to the right hand or to the left To say nothing of the lamentable state of heathen Infidels Turks and Jews who know not God nor believe the Gospel of JESUS CHRIST Amongst them that professe Christianity some are so deeply plunged into superstition that the truth of God and the ordinances of grace are not prized in comparison of their own vain and fruitlesse traditions And others on the contrary do so farre distast all inventions whatsoever as they speak in Gods worship as they reject that which beareth the stamp and image of God and might be greatly profitable to their souls Many come profanely to the Lords table and pollute the holy things of God to their own destruction Others through groundlesse fears of defilement do withdraw themselves from ordinances Divine and the society of the godly because some unworthy are not debarred To satisfie this latter sort who offend out of weaknesse misguided judgement not of stubbornesse and contempt and to settle them that are staggering I have penned this poore rude treatise nothing doubting but the truth will be able to maintein it self and that the beauty thereof will procure favour and acceptance though it come arayed in a very homely garment A stinted form of prayer hath been challenged as an image forbidden in the second commandment a forged and devised worship unlawfull both in them that use it and those that joyn therein To remove this scruple I have shewed the use of a stinted Liturgie lawfull and allowable by the word of God of ancient use in the churches of Christ approved by all reformed churches at this day Upon which occasion many things are disputed touching the meaning of the second commandment the nature of true and false worship and what it is to pray by the Spirit Many are the objections which are made against set forms of prayer and particularly against our book of common prayer all which I have endeavoured to answer severally and not because they are of so great weight but because I desired fully to satisfie every doubt and roll away every stone I met withall If one and the same thing be oft repeated I desire it may be considered that one and the same objection for substance is often brought forth though perhaps in new aray and every plain-hearted Reader for whose use I principally intend this labour is not able to apply an answer once given to sundry objections in colour diverse though for substance the same And I suppose the prudent will think it more reasonable that the wise in heart be burdened with over-much then that the weak should remain unsatisfied through some defect Some stagger at this that ignorant profane notorious offenders are admitted to the Lords table and conceive that communicating with such in the ordinances of religion they are partakers of their sinne And sure it is a thing to be lamented with tears of bloud that the body and bloud of our Saviour CHRIST should be profaned the house and church of God defiled the name of the Lord dishonoured religion blasphemed and the blind notorious profane permitted to rush upon their own perdition But it is not for private persons to take that upon them which belongeth not unto their place nor being invited by CHRIST to excommunicate themselves because such as are notoriously wicked be not admonished kept back or censured The main ground of the former doubt and all others tending to Separation seemeth to be this That the power of the keyes is primitively given to the community of the faithfull as the first receptacle For then they conceive that it perteineth to them to censure offenders or else to separate from them Then likewise it will more probably be concluded as they think That that society which hath not the power of CHRISTS keyes is not the true church of CHRIST Therefore to raze the foundation of Separation and at once to overthrow their main objections this question is more largely disputed wherein is shewed by evidence of Scripture That the power of the keyes is given by Jesus Christ the Lord and King of his church and great Shepherd of his sheep to the church-governours whom he hath appointed to rule and feed his flock in his name and to whom they must give account If any man shall think these things are small and not to be insisted upon he may please to consider How small soever the things in themselves seem to be the evil consequences that follow thereupon be both many and great It is no small matter to bury that under the condemnation of false worship which the Lord the authour of all truth the determiner of his true pleasing and acceptable worship doth allow in his service It is no small offense to forsake the prayers of the congregation to depart from the table of the Lord when he calleth to feast with himself and to break off society and communion with the churches of Christ where he doth cause his flock to rest at noon to fill the hearts of weak Christians with doubts and distractions as not knowing what to do or which way to take to spend time in reasonings and disputations of this kind which might much more profitably be employed in the practice of repentance and holy obedience to expose religion to contempt and the truth of God to reproch amongst them that delight to speak evil These are sad effects of this Separation which is here opposed Is it not lamentable to see poore Christians who sincerely thirst after the waters of life and long to meet the Lord in his holy ordinances cast into doubts and fears about the things which so nearly concern their comfortable walking with God and salvation of their souls May not this tend to the discouragement of divers that are coming on and turn them who are halting clean out of the way The rents and divisions which have been in the
cannot be performed Particular duties affirmative against a generall negative commandment must have expresse warrant by way of prerogative and derogation from the generall commandment wherein we must not go one jot beyond signed commission Thus Abraham was commanded to offer up his son Isaac which otherwise had been against the sixth commandment Thus the sacraments are commanded to the church which for the church to devise of her self is against the second commandment and therefore it is unlawfull to institute other sacraments then God hath appointed or adde sacramentall signes to them which the Lord hath instituted But to affirm the same of devised words in prayer preaching administration of the sacraments and reading of the scriptures sc that they were instituted of God by particular warrant and by speciall prerogative and derogation would be exceeding strange Signes religious then are of two sorts 1. Vocall if they may be called signes metaphysicall under which I comprehend naturall gestures as they are expressions of the inward affection and these are not simply forbidden or commanded in the second commandment nor do simply pertein to the second commandment but to the precept rather which requireth the inward affection it self 2. Reall and such as in common nature use and end be one with the positive ordinances of God and these are the images forbidden in the second precept And seeing for the affirmative part positive worship as it is to be approved mainteined and exercised purely according to the institution is the object of that commandment it seemeth that prayer as it is directed unto God onely in the mediation of Jesus whether inward or outward conceived in heart or declared by word or gesture cannot be referred as a branch of positive worship to the second commandment When men pray to idols or saints departed inwardly or outwardly they sinne against the first commandment If with carnall imaginations before an image they break the second if lightly vainly irreverently with the lips alone they sinne against the third But the method words or phrase of speech as such is neither condemned in the second commandment nor doth belong unto it Mens inventions in Gods worship are forbidden in the second commandment But stinted prayer is the invention of man never instituted nor approved of Christ in his Testament Must this go for currant without limitation proof or explication That all inventions of men in Gods worship are forbidden in the second commandment What then shall we say to all devised words and phrases used in Gods service What to all set forms of catechismes studied sermons interpretations of the scriptures the contents of chapters the titles of sundry books of scripture What to the divisions of thē into sections chapters and verses the interlineary glosses divers readings marginall references the reading of one part this week another the next What of the building and ordering of synagogues for the sanctification of the sabbaths the fashion of gathering for the repair of the temple in Joash his time the swearing to the covenant under Asia the ordination of holy feasts and fasts upon occasion What of the forms and gestures used in oathes of conceived prayer it self of set forms of worship studied before and kept in memory as some distinguish in the same form and with like truth we may argue against them mens inventions in the worship of God are forbidden by the second commandment But set forms of catechismes studied sermons interpretations of the scripture c. are mens inventions The conclusion that followeth from these premisses is evidently false therefore some one of them if not both is false also For of truth nothing but truth can follow And what they can answer to the premisses of this latter argument the same will be sufficient to overthrow the other Catechizing is Gods ordinance but this or that form of catechisme in respect of method and phrase of speech is the collection and composition of man Reading the scripture is allowed of God but the division of the law into fiftie three or fiftie foure greater sections and the subdivision of these into lesser sections the partitions of severall books into chapters and the division of them into verses the appointing of this or that portion of the law the prophets and the evangelists to be read ordinarily upon this or that day is the invention or devise of man Preaching is commanded of God so is the interpretation of the scripture but the phrase and method of sermons is of men The matter of scripture is the immediate truth of God but the words and phrases which are as vessels to convey this truth unto us I speak of translations not of the originall text are humane and not of God by immediate inspiration God commandeth us to call upon his name both in publick and private but the words wherein we expresse our desires are our own both in conceived and stinted prayer These are humane in respect of the word and form Divine in respect of the matter And here it must be observed that positive worship or means for these two in this sense are all one opposed to humane inventions is that which must be warranted by particular institution and not by the light of reason according to the generall rules of scripture As for example the sacraments are positive worship or means of worship and they have particular expresse institution but the form or manner of administration as it respecteth decency order and edification is not positive worship or means thereof in the sense before mentioned and therein it sufficeth if all things be done according to the generall rules of scripture the light of reason directing in particulars what is decent and to edification So then devised worship is unlawfull but it is lawfull to worship God in a form of words devised for the form is not worship but the prayer tendred in that form Mens inventions in Gods worship that be of the same nature and use with true worship or means of worship ordained of God be unlawfull but method order phrase of speech devised by man was never judged an invention unlawfull Book-prayer in an image or similitude of spirituall prayer which indeed it is not and the book as idoles supplyeth the place of the world and spirit The accusation is grievous but if we crave a reason thereof we shall find them as farre to seek as forward to accuse Is it onely a similitude of prayer because it hath onely the externall form of prayer but wanteth the soul and life thereof They might easily answer themselves As it is penned or printed it hath onely the externall form and so it is not properly a prayer but as it is rehearsed with understanding affiance of heart and fervency it hath the true and whole nature of prayer And by what reason can a book-prayer be called an image of true prayer which will not agree to prayer first conceived and then uttered For
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
scandalous in that case is not free and voluntary upon mine owne head but necessary in respect of duty enjoyned of God through the enforcing law of meeting the Lord in his holy ordinances and preserving the unitie of the spirit in the bond of peace and love If therefore the life be corrupt not from corrupt doctrine but contrary to the doctrine received we must do as the prophets and holy servants of God did in those corrupt times pray mourn exhort reprove threaten give good example but we must not depart or separate from the society where Christ is present by his grace and holy ordinances If because some members of the body be broken lame or diseased the rest that are sound should forsake the unitie of the body that were to destroy the whole and not to strengthen it utterly to overthrow not to seek its recovery One contagious sinner let alone not punished not reclaimed may infect the whole congregation and therefore every member must look warily to his own soul that he take no harm by such bad example and do his endeavour that such incorrigible persons be cast out of the assembly But the ordinances of grace are not defiled to the worthy receiver by the presence of such as should be censured nor must he withdraw himself from the holy things of God because such as ought not are suffered to partake so long as Christ is pleased to bear with their manners and to continue amongst them for their refreshing who in truth of heart draw nigh unto him If a brother be a fornicatour the Apostle exhorteth us not to eat with him Which place doth not onely forbid private and voluntary familiarity but religious also and that both publick and private Neither is there any reason whether we respect the glory of God or our own safety or the avoiding of offense in others or the shaming of the parties why we should avoid civil cōmunion with any and yet hold religious communion with them Neither is voluntary society to be opposed to religious for no society is so voluntary as that which is religious All civil and private society or commerce with a delinquent brother is not forbidden but familiar onely The Apostle teacheth not Christians to be uncivil but to abstein from familiarity with such that they might be ashamed For to eat bread together is a token of love and friendship in phrase of scripture not to partake of or be shut from the table a signe of familiaritie broken off But there is not the same reason of breaking off private familiarity with an offender and separating from the Lords ordinances if he be admitted whether respect be had to the glory of God our owne safety the avoiding of offense or the good of the party fallen For in coming to Gods ordinance we have communion with Christ principally who hath called us thither is there present by his grace and Spirit to blesse his ordinance and with the faithfull who are there met together at Gods commandment in the name and by the authority of Jesus Christ With the wicked we have no communion unlesse it be externall and by accident because they are not or cannot be cast out Internall and essentiall communion we have with Christ and the faithfull onely externall with the wicked Our communion with Christ and his faithfull people is not free and voluntary but necessary enjoyned by God not left to our will or pleasure Our communion with the wicked in the ordinances is unwilling on our part suffered not affected if we knew how to hinder it lawfully God requireth our attendance upon him in his holy ordinances and to joyn with his voluntaries assembled where he is present in the midst among them if we cannot appear before him as duty bindeth but we must have outward communion with the wicked which should be expelled but cannot be kept back by us in this case our communion with God is free and voluntary but our communion with the wicked is suffered onely or held in respect of the will and commandment of God who requireth that service at our hands And if civil commerce with the wicked be not unlawfull when it is necessary why should externall communion in matters of religion defile when it cannot be avoyded but the worship of the most High must be neglected God is not dishonoured on our part when we obey his commandments the godly cannot justly be offended with that communion which God hath established and ratifieth with his own speciall presence there is no danger in spirituall communion with Christ and his faithfull people if we come to the ordinances in affiance fear humblenesse of mind c. as we ought And as for the wicked they can take no encouragement if according to our place and office we exhort admonish rebuke and tell them plainly of the danger of their sin or if any be hardned thereby his bloud shall be upon his own head We have received commandment from God to exhort admonish rebuke watch over one another according to our place and calling but to excommunicate our selves because such as should be cut off are suffered or to withdraw our selves from the ordinances and to depart from Christ because such as hate to be reformed take the covenant into their mouthes or to usurp power to censure and excommunicate which God hath not put into our hands these things are neither commanded nor allowed of God The wicked usurp in that they intrude unto the Lords table and the faithfull usurp if without authoritie they take upon them to expell the wicked or depart themselves And if we search the scripture and move onely as the Lord is pleased to go before us we shall not find that a few private Christians have authority in this case to do either And hence appeareth an apparent difference betwixt externall communion with wicked men in the exercises of religion and private familiaritie For familiarity is merely arbitrary not enjoyned but forbidden affected not admitted onely in case of necessity or necessary attendance nor suffered onely that we might have fellowship with Christ and his Saints in his ordinances of worship nor by accident onely as we cannot expell them or withdraw our selves by the Lords leave and approbation Draw this argument then into form and it runneth thus It is not lawfull to have private needlesse arbitrary familiarity with ungodly men who are called brethren therefore it is not lawfull to repair to the ordinances of grace when the Lord calleth nor there to have communion with Christ and his faithfull people because the wicked are permitted to be present when yet we have neither power to repell them nor leave of Christ to depart our selves How loose this consequence is who doth not see A little leaven leaveneth the vvhole lump One scandalous sinner not reclaimed or cast out polluteth the whole congregation And men must not be blamed if they dare not dip