might appear to all That he might shew himself approved unto God A workman that needeth not to be ashamed 1 Tim. 4.13 14 15. with 2 Tim. 2.15 But give me leave to speak without offence You seem to me in this point to take too much liberty in a serious cause to play upon equivocation It is true in studying a Sermon the Preacher useth his Invention and Judgement and in that sence his Sermon may be called mans Invention But you are not ignorant we speak in this cause of such inventions of men as God hath given neither Commandement nor direction for in his Word In which sence a studied Sermon is no more a mans Invention than a studied answer which Solomon commendeth as a path of the Righteous Prov 15.28 The like may be said of the next instance which is Interpretation of Scriptures as also a conceived Prayer Interpretation of Scripture is from a spiritual gift which God hath given and commanded to be used for the edification of his Church 1 Cor. 14.26 Nehem. 8.8 So is Prayer conceived from a spirit and gift of prayer which is to be used also and attended to as a principall part of the Ministeriall office 1 Cor. 14.15 Acts 6.4 Obj If it be said but I may take an Interpretation or Translation of Scripture from others and therefore a form of Prayers from others also Answ 1. There is a broad difference betwixt an Interpretation of Scripture as it is put for translation of Scripture and read Prayer for reading of Scripture in the Church is an ordinance of God so is the reading of it in a tongue which the people understandeth and therefore it is an ordinance of God that the Word be read in some translation But the reading of a prayer for the prayers of the Church is no ordinance of God therefore there is not the like ground from the Word to make use of Prayer-Books to read prayers as to make use of a printed Bible for the reading of the Word 2. Every Minister that hath understanding of the originall languages wherein the Scripture was written ought to make use of his own gift in examining the truth of the translation which he readeth unto the Church which will not be allowed in prescript Lyturgies As for the division of Scriptures into Sections and Chapters and the reading of one part this Week and the other next It is certain division of Scripture is antient even from the times of the Prophets And evident it is the whole Scripture cannot be read over in one day And therefore it is from God that some divisions of Scriptures be observed according to the variety of matter therein contained and distinctly devideth it selfe and consequently it is from God that one part of it be read at this Assembly another at the next because all cannot be read at once And yet we know no warrant that one Church should prescribe another what division to make of the Scriptures or what part of it should be read this day and what the next what God hath lest free let no man limit Disc Preaching is commanded of God so is interpretation of Scripture but phrase and method of Interpretation is of men The matter of the Scripture is the immediate Word of God but the Word and phrase which are Vessels to convey this truth to 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 him both in publique and private but the words in which we expresse our desires are our own both in conceived and stinted Prayer Answ It is true preaching of the Word and the Interpretation of the Word are of God but the phrase and Method is of men yet so of men as they have commandement and warrant from God to preach and interpret the Word and not in what phrase and Method please themselves nor in such words as mans wisdome teacheth but which the Holy Ghost teacheth 1 Cor. 2.13 Nor so from men as that the men of one Church may devise a set form thereof and binde all men as well of other Churches as their own to this or that manner of phrase or Method the like is to be said of prayer also But when your Discourse saith that the words wherein we expresse our desires are our own in conceived and stinted prayer you might as well have said that the words wherein we deliver our Sermons are our own both in conceived Sermons and in stinted Homilies Disc These two kinds of Prayer conceived and stinted agree in their Author Matter Form Object end and common nature the one is no more an Invention of man than the other so then devised Worship is unlawfull but not a worship in a form of words devised Answ And so might we say of prayer to God before an Image and prayer without an Image they are two kinds of prayer that agree in their Author matter form object end and common nature yet we cannot say the one is more an invention of men than the other As devised Worship is unlawfull so are devised forms and means of worship unlawfull also of which sort such set forms of words be as are devised and composed by the officers of one Congregation and imposed upon the brethren of another Congregation for the forms of their prayers Answ 2. We cannot say as you do that such conceived and stinted forms agree in their Authors for I am not the Author of the matter of that prayer which another man composed and was the Author of and is now stinted and prescribed to me no more then I can be said to be the Author of that Sermon which another man indited Battyllus was not the Authour of Virgil's Verses Though he resiteth them as his own Virgil justly challengeth his own out of his hand Hos ego versiculas feci c. Nor can we say that such conceived or stinted forms agree in their form if by form be meant externall form it is not the same form of walking to walk with Crutches and to walk upright It is not the same form of prayer to pray with help of mens inventions and with such helps only as the Holy Ghost supplyeth which also hindereth that they cannot be said to agree in their common nature The one being a lawfull form of prayer the other unlawfull And therefore when your Discourse saith that conceived and stinted prayer the one is no more the invention of man than the other we cannot understand the truth of that for in conceived prayer the Spirit of God within us teacheth us what to pray And for that the Ordinance and Word of God is plain Rom. 8.26 But in stinted prayer the matter is not suggested or indited to us by the Spirit of God within us but prescribed and imposed upon us by the will wisdome and authority of men whom the Holy Ghost hath not called to such a work as therefore a devised worship is unlawfull
A MODEST AND Cleer Ansvver TO Mr. Ball 's Discourse OF Set Formes OF PRAYER Written by the Reverend and Learned John Cotton B. D. and Teacher of the Church of Christ at Boston in New-England Published for the Benefit of those who desire satisfaction in that Point LONDON Printed for H. Overton in Popes-Head Alley To the Courteous Reader WE think it not meet to fall a commending the Author of this work who hath been so long precious in the hearts of all the Saints and for his learning pains and piety so famous in the Churches of Christ that his own Works may praise him in the Gate though we be silent Neither shall we need as usually men do in their Epistles to set glosses upon the work thy self if thou weighest it with a serious and impartial spirit we believe will do it and save us that labour This only we say thou wilt discern as some other godly learned who have perused it before also have done such a cleer judgement dexterous aptness and pithy plainnesse in a moderate and brotherly stile in all his Answers that thou wilt think thou seest the very spirit of the Author breathing in every page and line Now the Father of lights clear all our minds that if his blessed will so be we may think and judge and speak and write the same thing And the God of all Grace warm our hearts with a love of such truths as we doe know that we may walk in the light and power thereof to the praise of his Grace till we all meet in one and see him as he is and so be filled with all the fulnesse of God himself for evermore Amen ADVERTISEMENTS UPON The Discourse of set-forms of PRAYER YOur Preface touching the Definition and nature of prayer I insist not upon as not much material to the cleering of the Cause in hand it is enough in this Case to premise what prayer in Generall is and what is lawfull prayer Prayer in generall comprehending both lawfull and unlawfull is the lifting up or powring out of the Desires of the heart for Divine blessings Divine I say that is for such as God only can give either for the nature or kind of the thing given or for the manner of giving Lawfull prayer is a lifting up or powring out of the desires of the heart unto God for Divine blessings according to his will in the name of Jesus Christ by the help of the Spirit of Grace CHAP. I. The State of the Question FOr stating of the Question you give six Rules of which I will only touch so many as do more neerly touch upon the Cause In your first Rule you say it is not a Prayer as penned or printed but as rehearsed with understanding feeling of wants humility confidence Answ Nor is it a prayer as rehearsed though rehearsed with understanding feeling of wants humility confidence unlesse a man therein powre out his own desires unto God for I may read and rehearse a printed Prayer say one of Davids propheticall prayers against the enemies of the Church yea I may read it with understanding with feeling of the wants of such a mercy and also with humility in conscience of the Churches unworthinesse of such a mercy and with confidence that God will do for the Church now as David prayed then c. Yet this will not be my prayer unlesse I put up mine own desires in it but about this there is no question Answ 2. Though it be not a prayer as penned or printed yet is a means and help and form of prayer which either must find a warrant from the Word or fall under the breach of the second Commandement In the second Rule you say the controversie is not of this or that prescript form of Prayer in particular much lesse of one for substance of matter faulty and erronious But of a prescript form of prayer in generall whether it be lawfull to use any set form of prayer at all though for the matter thereof never so sound and allowable Answ But so to put the State of the Question is indeed to leade your self and others into temptations for if it may be once obtained that some prescript form is lawfull in the Generall this in the Theory will straight be reduced to this practice to perswade men to joyn in such a prescript form of prayer as is justly liable to manifold exceptions both for matter and manner If such as were compelled to worship the Lord before the golden Calves at Dan and Bethel should put the state of the Question not of such particular Calves but of Calves or Cherubims in generall for one form of Cherubims were like Calves whether it be not lawfull to worship the Lord before any Cherubims at all It may be easily conceived what the issue would be the Question admitteth the lawfulnesse of some Cherubims in Generall which is out of question The practice will conclude the lawfulnesse of Jeroboams Calves in particular which was the sin which made Israel to sin 2. Your fift Rule acknowledgeth that neither Christ nor his Apostles prescribed any set form of prayer and therefore that no prescript form of prayer of Lyturgie is simply necessary Answ But this argueth not only no necessity of prescript forms but also no expediency thereof to the edification of the Church unlesse it might be presumed that there is some help or means of Gods worship expedient to the edification of the Church which never came into the heart of Christ and of his Apostles to commend unto the Church In your sixt Rule you professe you never held it lawfull to tye any mans selfe or to be tyed alwayes to a set form of Prayer as knowing that our requests are to be framed according to the present necessity and occasion Answ But by the same reason neither will it be lawfull to be tyed at any time to an ordinary use of any set form of prayer at all for there is no change of time wherein the Church hath not some speciall occasion to change their Petitions either by adding some Petitions more than formerly were needfull or by taking away some Petitions which were formerly needfull it may be at the last meeting which are not needfull now And look upon what grounds it may be lawfull to tye others or to be tyed by them to a set forme to day upon the same grounds it will be as lawfull to tye them and to be tyed by them to morrow the next Saboth as well as this and the third Saboth as well as both and all Saboths as well as some If tying to set forms be lawfull and thought expedient for uniformity in Gods worship one day the same uniformity is as expedient to be attended to in every Saboth as in one or if tying to set forms be requisite to supply the defects of the gifts of ignorant Ministers then thereby a cloak is made for the covering and sheltering of ignorant Ministers who had more
so it is unlawfull to worship God in a form of words devised by the Officers of one Congregation and prescribed and imposed upon others Disc Nay saith your Discourse for the form of words is not worship but the Prayer tendered in that form Answ As Prayer is Worship so the form in which prayer is offered to God is Modus or Medium Cultus the manner or means or help of Worship which if it be not warranted and instituted of God it is forbidden in the second Commandement when God forbad his people to worship him in such a manner as the Gentiles served their gods he ordained them a rule to be perpetually observed in all service to him to wit that we should worship him as himself hath commanded which the opposition inferreth that his meaning is not only with such duties but in such a manner as himself hath commanded without adding ought thereto or taking ought therefrom Deut 12.30 31 32. Now he hath commanded us to pray in the spirit Eph. 6.18 which implies not only with such affections as his Spirit kindleth and stirreth up but also with such matter and words as his spirit helpeth us unto For his Spirit is said to help us what to pray which else we should not know Rom. 8.26 Now in a stinted prescript form of prayer we know what to pray without the Spirit when we joyn in prayer with another who is our mouth to God though we know what to pray by his help yet it is such an help as the Spirit himself hath provided 1 Cor. 14.16 Disc It followeth in the Discourse that mens inventions in Gods worship that be of the same nature and use with true worship or with means of worship ordained by God be unlawfull but method phrase order of speech devised by man was never judged an invention of man unlawfull Answ 1. This hath been alledged and answered before but this further let me adde 1. That the words imply that mens inventions that be not of the same nature and use with the worship of God or with the means thereof are lawfull whereas it is evident that the making of perfume like unto the incense of the Tabernacle though not to the same use in Gods worship but to smell at was rejected of God as utterly unlawfull Exod. 30.38 The making of like things to the ordinances of God or to the means of worship though not to the like end but to any religious end will not be allowed in the second Commandement as Gideons Ephod declareth 2. These set forms of prayer prescribed to the Churches we see not but that they are of the same nature and enjoyned for the same use for which any forms of prayer in Scripture are ordained of God and therefore by the verdict of your Discourse they are unlawfull For as those forms of prayer in Scripture are given of God to supply the Church with fit matter for their petitions and praises upon sundry occasions And for the use to the edification of the Church so the forms now in question are of the like nature given to the like end only injoyned with more strictnesse and severity which maketh both their use lesse profitable and their burthen more heavy then Gods own institutions 3. Method phrase and order of speech devised by men was judged an unlawfull invention by Paul when such wisdom of words in preaching become not the simplicity of the Gospel 1 Cor. 2. therefore it cannot be said that method phrase and order of speech devised by man was never judged an unlawfull invention and surely method phrase order of speech devised and prescribed by one Congregation to another in prayer doth as little beseem liberty and purity of the Gospel as the other in preaching did ill become the simplicity of the Gospel Disc Set prayer is no strange manner of worship because in it all things required to the nature of true prayer may be observed Answ This hath been answered before more goeth to the lawfulnesse of a prayer then the nature of true prayer defect in any circumstance though but in externall form maketh a prayer unlawfull Disc In what method and frame of speech to pray we find nothing prescribed of God in particular neither do we judge any thing necessary more then that order decency and edification be regarded Answ Be it so but how then shall men have power to prescribe to the Churches method and form of speech in prayer when God hath prescribed nothing The Apostles who had the largest and highest Commission of any Church governours in the New Testament yet they had no power to teach or to prescribe to the Churches any other things then what Christ had commanded them Matth. 28.19 20. Say not though no other things yet Church governours may command such and such manner of those things for then a further Commission must be shown where Christ gave to his Apostles or their successors power to ordain and prescribe such and such manner of the administration of his holy things as themselves should see good But we never saw any such commission held forth to this day from any colour of Scripture light that only place 1 Cor. 14.40 which is alledged in this case is farre off from reaching forth any such authority for though the place do shew that it is the duty of the Church to administer all the holy things of God in order and decency and to edification and to see that all things be so carried yet it doth not give to the Church any such power as to make orders or to ordain forms of decency or to devise means of edification which himself hath not ordained the Church may indeed appoint such orders the neglect whereof would be disorderly and confusion as they may appoint one Prophet to speak at once and when another is called to begin the first to hold his peace because the neglect hereof would breed confusion The Church may appoint such decencies the neglect whereof would be undecent as for men to pray bare-headed and women covered because the contrary were uncomely by the light of nature and civill custome The Church may appoint and ought to use such helps and means to edification as the Lord hath instituted to that end but if the Church go beyond the bounds of this power they do at once both exceed the bounds of Apostolicall authority and cut short the bounds of Christian liberty Disc A set form of prayer is for substance and nature agreeable to the rules of direction delivered in the word of truth though for method and word it be humane as conceived prayer is Answ A set form of prayer as it is set by one Congregation for another can find no rule of direction nor any foot-step thereof in the word of truth In saying that for method and words a set form of prayer is humane as conceived prayer is there is the like liberty taken of Sophistry in an equivocation which was observed before for though
so is the other a similitude of a Psalm Answ First the singing of Psalms whereof you speak in a form of words devised by men may have a double meaning for either you mean such Psalms as are compiled by ordinary men or else Psalms penned by the Prophets but translated by ordinary men into English verse to be sung in the Churches If you speak of the former then this is our first answer 1. We see as little warrant for singing Apocrypha Psalms in the Church as for praying prescript Lyturgies of men in the Church and for both together as little warrant as for reading Apocrypha Scriptures in the Church but if you speak of the latter then our second answer is this 2. There is an observable difference between singing of Psalms and Prayer as also between the Psalms penned by the Prophets and by other ordinary men for in the peoples joyning in prayer there is no more required but their going along in silence with consent of the heart and in the end of the prayer expressing their consent in voyce by saying Amen 1 Corinth 14.16 But in singing of Psalms all the people of God as spiritual Priests do sing with voyce together according to Isa 52.8 which putteth a necessity upon a set form of Psalms else one should sing one thing and another another thing which would instead of harmony breed confusion but there is no necessity of a set form of Prayer for if the words of the Ministers prayers be understood of the people they go along joyn with him in silent consent as well in a form conceived for the present occasion as in a set form of words whereunto they have been accustomed besides the Psalms penned by the Prophets as by David and the rest being of divine inspiration and part of the holy word of God which we are commanded should dwell in us plenteously and wherewith we are to teach and admonish our selves and one another by the singing of them unto the Lord we have therefore a lawfull warrant to sing such Psalms even in such a form of words as they are translated into by men when yet we have not the like warrant to pray the forms of Prayer devised by ordinary men which are not of divine inspiration but of humane invention and injunction Psalms and Scripture translated are still as truly the Word of God in the translation as in the originall language Disc But say you If a man be disposed to reason against the singing of Psalms he may a great deal more plausibly argue that the infancy of the Church when God saw a set form to be necessary he inspired holy men to pen such as might be of use for that time when such worship was approved and therefore seeing at this day no such forms are given us of God they are not to be allowed Answ Such an argument though you think it were plausible yet indeed it is lesse defenceable for the truth is set forms of Psalms are as necessary now as they were then for seeing it is necessary that all the people should joyn in voyce as well as in heart in the singing of Psalms It is therefore necessary they should know before-hand the same set form of words in which they should all joyn and seeing a set form of words in Psalms is necessary it pleased the Lord to devise himself to our hands a set form of them by his holy Prophets who being carried by the Holy Ghost farre above humane infirmity and possibility of erring they have set down such forms as were fit not only for the infancy of the Church but for the publique use of all Churches in all ages and for all occasions which cannot be said of any compilements de vised by ordinary men Disc But say you a set form of words is as necessary in preaching and publique prayers as in singing this or that form is necessary in neither a set form is necessary in both the people cannot sing with the Minister unlesse what is sung be represented to them in a set form of words nor can they joyn in prayer or attend to the word preached unlesse the matter of praying or preaching be conveyed to them in a set form of words Answ You confound a form of words understood and a set form it is true no man can joyn in prayer or attend unto the Word preached unlesse the matter of prayer or preaching be conveyed in a form of words understood but yet without a set form of words they may the words being delivered in a known tongue By set forms we understand standing forms such as come to be used again and again day by day in the same words common sence maketh it evident men may joyn in prayer and attend to the Word preached as well in a new form of words according to the present occasion which he never heard before as in a set form which he heareth every day Disc But you demand 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 himselfe and is he not able by meditation and study to dictate and compose a Psalm to be sung by the people as occasion requireth and if so is not a stinted form of singing devised by men an arbitrary help to him and so forbidden Answ 2. Many a good Minister that is able to expresse the necessities of the people or the doctrine of salvation in a form of words devised and studied by himself is not able so to dictate and compose a Psalm to be sung by the people each several occasion no though he should meditate and study hard for it Poetry is not every good Scholars faculty nor the penning of holy Psalms the skill of every good Minister nor is it required that it should For seeing the Holy Ghost hath already dictated and composed to our hands divers forms of Psalms for all occasions it would be superfluous for Ministers to take up their meditations and studies about the inventing other forms though they had gifts fit for it and therefore if such as have the skill to pen Psalms do nevertheless sing the forms of Psalms set and composed by David and other Prophets as they cannot be said therein to make use of the inventions of men but of Gods institutions so neither can they be said to sin upon the other respect which you mention because they use an help to them not necessary whereas others that want their skill do lawfully use Davids Psalms because such an help to them is not arbitrary but necessary no no we do not approve of that distinction between arbitrary and necessary in that sense to that purpose in that sense I say for I here see you work upon an equivocation in this word necessary For there is a double necessity spoken of in this case a set form of worship may be said to be necessary either through sinfull defects in men who should be
justly be demanded when did God speak one word of them And therefore what have we to do with them If it be said as God never spake word of reading Prayer within book so never did he speak word of pronouncing Prayer without Book the Text doth plainly enough expresse the contrary for the Word of God speaketh expressely that Christ lift up his eyes to Heaven in Prayer John 17.1 11.41 so did David Psalm 123.1 and God hath ingraffed it in the hearts of all his people to expresse the lifting up of their souls their faith and hope and desires to God by lifting up their eyes stedfastly to Heaven in Prayer yea God hath ingraffed it in the hearts of all men and even put some kind of instinct into all living creatures to lift up their eyes to Heaven for what they want Psal 145.15 Now if the lifting up of the eyes to Heaven in Prayer be expresly mentioned in the Word then how can it be truly said that God never spake word of Prayer without Book for they that lift up their eyes stedfastly to Heaven in Prayer cannot without some distractions cast them down in Prayer upon a book if lifting up of the eyes to Heaven in Prayer be a divine Institution as the Discourse said even now if it be an externall means to help the affection of the spirit in Prayer then it is against the Institution and an hinderance to Prayer instead of an help to set a mans self or others a form of read Prayers wherein whilest he is reading he must usually cast down his eyes upon a Book CHAP. VI. Tending to give Answer unto the fifth Reason Disc WHere there is no breach of Law there is no sin But the use of a prescript form of Prayer is no breach of Law or of any Commandement of God Answ It hath been shewed above that it is a breach of the second Commandement more wayes than one to devise and use a similitude and form and means of worship which God never appointed and such is the reading of a ser form of Prayer for the Prayers of the Church 2. It is an usurpation of more than Propheticall or Apostolicall authority to prescribe a set form of Lyturgie to the Churches and a greater usurpation for one Congregation to prescribe the same to another which is a sin both against the second and fifth Commandements 3. It is a sinfull and disloyall betraying of the souls of Magistrates to countenance their intruding such prescript forms of Prayer upon Churches by taking up the same forms from them which they have not authority from God to injoyne and stifly to plead for them a sin forbidden in the fifth and sixth Commandements 4. It is a sinfull betraying of Christian Liberty which Christ hath purchased to every Church of his by his precious blood For one Church voluntarily to take up the Injunctions and prescriptions of another contrary to Col. 2.20 22. which argument may be applyed another way by a Testimony from the book of Common-Prayer Gods Service is perfect Freedome but the reading of a set form of Prayer devised and prescribed by others is not perfect freedome for many would be right glad to be freed from it therefore such reading of prayers is not Gods service 5. It is a sinfull breach of the rule of decency to offer up prayers to God in such a form as cannot well stand with that decent gesture which is most sutable to Prayer It is a gesture most sutable to Prayer to lift it up to God as with hearts and hands so with eyes stedfastly lift up to Heaven But this gesture cannot fitly and stedfastly be used in read Prayer where the eyes must be usually cast down upon the Book CHAP. VII Wherein Answer is returned to the sixth Reason Disc IF a set form of prayer be disallowed then a prescript form of Catechisme and Confession must of necessity be condemned but how absurd this is he is very blind or will full that seeth not the necessity antiquity and excellency of catechising is known to them that know any thing touching the building and governing the House of God Answ Touching set forms of Catechisme we have answered twice before in clearing some objections against the first Reason whereto we refer you it hath been already shewed us that God himselfe hath set before us sundry forms of Catechisme Davids Catechisme was of one form Psal 34.11 12 13 14. Solomons of another Prov. 4. The Apostles of another Heb. 6.2 Yea the Apostles name the heads of their Catechisme but neither propound the questions nor answers them in use An evident Argument they never meant to bind Churches to set forms of Catechisme The excellent and necessary use of catechizing young men and novices as hath been said before we willingly acknowledge But little benefit have we seen reaped from set forms of questions and answers devised by one Church and imposed by necessity upon another They must look at them with coloured Spectacles that can discern them The like may be said of forms of Confessions when a Church is suspected and slandered with corrupt and unsound Doctrine they have a call from God to set forth a publique confession of their faith But to prescribe the same as the confession of the faith of that Church to their posterity or to prescribe the confession of one Church to be a form and pattern unto others sad experience hath shewed what a snare it hath been to both nothing in after ages must be held for a doctrine of the Church though never so necessary a truth unlesse it were found amongst the Articles of Religion agreed upon by their fathers in the confession of their Faith CHAP. VIII Giving Answer to the seaventh Reason Disc IT is lawfull to aske common blessings of God dayly in a set form of words Ergo. It is not unlawfull to use a set form of Prayer and if to pronounce it to read it also for reading of it selfe is not impure as pronouncing cannot make an evill matter good no more can reading make a good matter evill pronouncing and reading being Adjuncts in prayer both indifferent Answ First the Question with us is not so much about set forms of prayer in generall as about set forms of Prayer devised by men of other Churches precsribed and injoyned to be read as the Prayers of the Church or devised by one Christian and set apart by another as his prayers to which this Argument reacheth not Though we do not deny it to be altogether unlawfull to seek common blessings of God daily in a set form of words yet we would not encourage men to rest and content themselves in so doing much lesse to bind themselves so to do For besides that a daily set form will easily degenerate to a formallity how can a Christian be said to watch unto prayer which we are commanded to do Eph. 6.18 If we content our selves with the same set form of prayer this year as