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truth_n jerusalem_n spirit_n worship_v 3,034 5 9.5572 5 true
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A34547 A peaceable moderator, or, Some plain considerations to give satisfaction to such as stand dis-affected to our Book of common prayer established by authority clearing it from the aspersion of popery, and giving the reasons of all the things therein contained and prescribed / made by Alan Carr ... Carr, Alan, d. 1668. 1665 (1665) Wing C627; ESTC R18228 69,591 90

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least Allowed for the Minister to use in Publick Divine Administrations And if we look upon Antiquity the Presbyterians themselves will and do confess in their Sm●ctym●●us The occasion that moved the Church to appoint a Publick Form and Liturgy at first was when the Arrian and Pelagian Heresies did invade the Church then because those Hereticks did convey and spread their poysonous Doctrine in their Forms of Prayer and Hymns the Church thought it convenient to restrain that Liberty and set an Order that none should vary in their Prayers but all should use the same Form which was approved of and prescribed Now be pleased to consider rightly of it doth not the same reason hold good with us Have we not too much cause to complain of our Errours Schisms Heresies and Divisions and so just cause and reason upon the same grounds to tie all to one Form not upon any Opinion that we conceive a set Form to be of an Absolute necessity but only expedient to stop Schisms and Errours to prevent those Extravagancies and to preserve Unity and Order 2. Be pleased without prejudice or any strong over-ruling Affection or Passion to take into your serious consideration this Argument If the Ministers conceived Prayer which he doth make as the Mouth of the Congregation wherein all the Congregation doth or should joyn with him in his suit to God for them and in their behalf is no stinting of the Spirit of God to them nor counted unlawful though it be a form to them why should a Prayer conceived by others and made and framed according to the Rules of prayer prescribed to the Minister to use for himself and the Congregation be a stinting of the Spirit to him or them That the Ministers conceived prayer is a Form to the people and Congregation assembled cannot be denyed they are tied to it as to a Form because they may not vary from him in their hearts but ought in their hearts to joyn every way with him in their Petitions to God still in their hearts going along with him for Matter Form and Manner of expression The tie in regard of a form is still one and a like if the people may be thus tied to the conceived prayer of their Minister which is a form to them why may not the Minister likewise be tied to a form conceived by others made according to the rules of prayer and prescribed to him both to use and follow If it be no stinting of the Spirit of God in the one then how can it be in the other We confess that without the help of the Spirit of God we cannot pray at all that is pray aright so as to find acceptance with God For the Apostle Paul telleth us 2 Cor. 3. 5. We are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God and Phil. 2. 13 It is God which worketh in you the Will and the Deed even of his good pleasure So that i● must be the Spirit of God within us must move us to pray and work it within us moving our hearts to pray and we know God regardeth not multitude of words Matth. 6. 7. Floquent or Elegant Phrases or neat expressions it is the heart God looks upon how that is affected he regardeth the groans and desires of the heart issuing from true faith and proceeding from the Spirit of God as he telleth Moses Exod. 14. 15. Why dost thou cry unto me Neither can we think that the Spirit of God excludeth reason and prudence setting a mans Tongue so agoing that he cannot rule it and guide it or stop it at his pleasure Object 2. Prayer is a Spiritual work proceed●●g from the Spirit and a work of the Spirit therefore needeth not a Form or Book to pray b● or to read it upon a Book Our Saviour saith John 4. 23 24. The true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and Truth for the Father requireth even such to woship him God is a Spirit and they tha● worship him must worship him i● Spirit and Truth And the Apostle Paul telleth us Rom. 8. 26. Likewise the spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what to p●ay as we ought but the spirit it self maketh Intercession for us with groans which cannot be uttered or as the Old Translation is with sighs which cannot be expressed so that prayer needeth not the help of a Form or Book Answ Those words of our Saviour were spoken to the Woman of Samaria and are grounded on ver 20. as an answer to her words where she speaketh of the difference between the Jews and the Samaritans about the place of Gods worship The Samaritans tied the place of Gods worship to that Mountain called Gerizim The Jews to Jerusalem Christ telleth her that the time is now coming under the New Testament that the worship of God shall be tied to no certain place neither to that mountain nor to Jerusalem but the true worshippers shall worship God in Spirit and Truth The word Spirit is there set against that Commandment which is called carnal Heb. 7. 26. And Truth against the outward Ceremonies of the Law which were only shadows of things to come The meaning of them then must be this that under the New Testament Gods worship shall be tied to no certain place neither shall it consist in any outward corporal or carnal things sacrifices purifyings washings and the like Ceremonies of the Law they shall all cease and be ended in Christ But the true worshippers shall worship him in spirit and truth that is in a spiritual manner not with outward observances but the inward Devotion of the heart and mind The mind is there called the Spirit it is not meant of the Spirit of God but of the mind the spirit of man with true faith true love reverence obedience holiness and righteousness Now this we do acknowledge doth forbid and cut down all carnal worship if any man think that the outward action of reading a prayer upon a Book or in a ●ook is the worship of God but no man can deny but a man may pray by the spirit of God with sighs and groans proceeding from Faith when prayers are uttered after a prescript form or read upon a Book And for the words of the Apostle expositours give us the meaning thus There is no cause why we should faint under the burthen of our Afflictions seeing prayers yield us a strong defence help and comfort which cannot be in vain because they proceed from the spirit of God likewise the spirit helpeth our infirmities besides the support of faith hope and patience mentioned before the spirit helpeth to bear up 〈◊〉 burthen that we sink not under it for we know not what to pray as we ought but the spirit maketh Intercession for us with groans which cannot be uttered that is the spirit doth move us and stir us up to prayer and doth as it were dictate words groans and