imposed and thence foresee the effects or consequents that are like to follow § 11. Dist. 9. We must distinguish between the Commanding of such Ceremonies and the Obeying of such Commands It s one thing to ask whether it be necessary profitable or lawfull to Impose them and another whether it be necessary or lawfull to use them when commanded § 12. Dist. 10. We must distinguish between that which is Necessary or Profitable to the order or Peace of one Church or Nation and that which is necessary or profitable to the order peace or unity of many Churches or Nations among themselves or supposed to be so § 13. These Distinctions premised to remove ambiguity I lay down that which I conceive to be the truth in these Propositions following which having mentioned I shall re-assume and confirm such of them as seem of neerest concernment to the Question § 14. Prop. 1. Such Ceremonies as God hath wholly exempted from humane power to determine of or institute or hath given man no power to institute are not necessary or profitable to the Church nor may they lawfully be instituted by man § 15. Prop. 2. In such unlawfull Impositions it is a great aggravation of the sin if men pretend that they are the Institutions of God or that they have a Commission from God to institute or impose them when it is no such matter and so pretend them to be Divine § 16. Prop. 3. If things unlawfull either forbidden or that want authority are commanded as indifferent it is a sinfull command but if commanded as parts of Gods Worship or necessary to the Being or well being of the Church it is an aggravation of the sin § 17. Prop. 4. Things indifferent lawfull and convenient are sinfully Commanded when they are pretended to be more necessary then they are and as such imposed § 18. Prop. 5. A thing convenient and profitable is sinfully commanded when it is commanded on a greater penalty then the nature and use of it doth require and the common good will bear § 19. Prop. 6. It is not lawfull to make any thing the subjects Duty by a command that is meerly Indifferent antecedently both in it self and as cloathed with all accidents § 20. Prop. 7. Some things may be lawfully and profitably commanded at one time and place and to one sort of People that may not be lawfully commanded at another time or to another people no nor obeyed if so commanded § 21. Prop. 8. Those Orders may be Profitable for the Peace of the Churches in one Nation or under the Government of one Prince that are not necessary or profitable in order to the unity or Peace of the Churches under divers Princes § 22. Prop. 9. There is no meer humane Vniversal Soveraign Civil or Ecclesiastical over the Catholick Church and therefore there is no power given to any from God to make Laws that shall universally bind the Catholick Church § 23. Prop. 10. If it be not our own Lawfull Governors Civil or Ecclesiastical but Vsurpers that command us we are not therefore bâ—und to obey them though the things be lawfull § 24. Prop. 11. The Commands of lawfull Governors about lawfull Ceremonies are ordinarily to be understood with exceptions though there be none exprest as that in certain cases it is not their will that such commands should bind us § 25. Prop. 12. It may be very sinful to command some Ceremonies which may lawfully yea must in duty be used by the subject when they are commanded § 26. Prop. 13. Though they are not Commanded nor called Necessary but professed to be indifferent yet constantly to use Indifferent things doth breed that custome which maketh them to be taken as necessary by the people and usually doth very much hurt § 27. Prop. 14. Yet certain things that are commonly called Ceremonies may lawfully be used in the Church upon humane imposition and when it is not against the Law of God no person should disobey the commands of their lawfull Governors in such things § 28. Having laid together these Propositions I shall review them in a very short explication and confirmation and insist more largely on those of chief concernment CHAP. II. Such Ceremonies as God hath forbidden or given man no Power to institute are not to be imposed on the Church as profitable or lawfull § 1. THAT some Ceremonies things commonly so called may Lawfully be commanded and some not me thinks should easily be yielded I meet with none tâ—at are against all indeed though some think the name Ceremony unfitly applyed to those Circumstances which they consent to And that any should think that the wit and will of Ceremonie-makers hath no bounds imposed by God is most unreasonable All the business therefore is to know what God hath authorized Governors to institute and what not § 2. And here they that claim a Power of introducing new Institutions must produce their Commission and Prove their power if they expect obedience For we are not bound to obey every man that will tell us he hath such Power § 3. For the right understanding of this it must be supposed as a Truth that all Protestants are agreed in that the written word of God is his law for the government of the universal Church to the end of the world and consequently that it is sufficient in its kind and to its use and consequently that nothing is to be introduced that shall accuse that law of imperfection or which did belong to God himself to have imposed by his law If we once forsake the Scripture sufficiency what ever the Papists or Infidels vainly say against it we have nothing left in which we may agree § 4. God hath already in his written Laws instituted his publick worship-ordinances and therefore he hath done it perfectly and therefore he hath not left it unto man to come after him and mend his work by making other ordinances of worship as to the substance of them He hath given us one faith and no man may preach another and one Baptism and no man may institute another and so of the like If any one bring another Gospel though an Angel he is to be accursed Gal. 1.7 8. § 5. Yet is it in the Power of man to determine of such Modes and Circumstances as are necessary to the prrformance of that worship which God hath instituted in his word And therefore lawfull Governors may in such cases bind us by their commands § 6. The things that are committed to humane determination are such as are commanded in general by God himself either in Scripture or nature but are left undetermined in specie vel individuo so that it is not a thing indifferent whether a choice or determination be made or not but only whether it be this or the other that is chosen by the determination But where the thing it self in genere is not necessary or no humane election or determination necessary because God himself hath determined
not so much as a ground to conjecture at any probability Sect. 20. But he saith that we may know that some Pastors at least are true or else God had forsaken his Church Aâ—sw But what the better are we for this if we know not which they are that are the true Pastors nor cannot possibly come to know it Sect 21. But he saith that Quod Christi locum tenent quod debemus illiâ— obedientiam may be known and thereupon he saith thaâ— Certe sumus certitudiâ—â— infallibili quod isti quos videmus sine veri Episcopi Pastores nostri Nam ad hoc non râ—quiritur nec fides nec Character Ordinis nec legitima Electio sed solum ut habeantur pro talibus ab Ecclesia From all this you may note 1. That they are veri Episcopi Pastores nostri that were never ordained if they are but reputed such by the Church 2. That we may know this by infallible Certainty 3. And that we owe them obedience as such So that as to the Church they are true Pastors without Ordination and consequenâ—ly to the Church a succession is unnecessary Sect. 22. Yet of such Usurpers he saith Eos quidem non esse in se veros Episcopos tamen donec pro talibus habentur ab Ecclesia deberi illis obedientiam cum conscientia etiam erroâ—â—a obliget So that they are not veri Episcopi in se and yet they are veri Episcopi Pastores nostri if Bellarmine say true And the words have some truth in them understood according to the distinction which I before gave Chap. 1. Sect. 5 6. He hath no such Call as will save himself from the penalty oâ— usurpation if he knowingly be an usurper but he hath such a Call as shall oblige the Church to obey him as their Bishop or Pastor Sect. 23 But his reason Cum conscientia etiam erronea obliget is a deceit and neither the only nor the chieâ— reason noâ— any reason Not the only nor chief reason because the obligation ariseth from God and that is the greatest Not any reason 1. Because indeed it is not an Erroneous Conscience that tells many people that their usurping Bishops or Pastors are to be obeyed as true Ministers For as it is terminated on the Pastors act or state it is no act of Conscience at all and therefore no error of conscience For conscience is the knowledge of our own affairs And as it is terminated on our own Duty of obeying them it is not Erroneous but right For it is the will of God that for order sake we obey both Magistrates and Pastors that are setled in Possâ—ssion if they rule us according to the Laws of Christ at least if we do not know the Nullity oâ— their call 2. And its false that an Erroneous Conscience bindeth that is makes us a Duty For at the same instant it is it self â— sin and we are bound to depose it and change 〈◊〉 and renounce the eâ—ror It doth but intangle a man in a Necessity of sinning till it be laid by But it is God only that can make our duty and cause such an obligation Sect. 24. From the adversaries Concessions then an uninterrupted succession or present true Ordination is not of Necessity to the being of the Ministry Church or Ordinances quoad Ecclesiam for the Church is bound to obey the usurpers and that as long as they are taken for true Pastors Which is as much as most Churches will desire in the case Sect. 25. And the consequence is easily proved For where God obligeth his Churches to the obedience of Pastors though usurpers and to the use of Ordinances and their Ministration there will he bless the Ministry and those Ordinances to the innocents that are not guilty of his usurpation and that obey God herein And consequently the Ordinances shall not be Nullities to them God would never set his servants upon the use of a means which is but a Nullity nor will he command them to a duty which he will blast to them when he hath done without their fault It s none of the Churches fault that the Bishop or Pastor is an usurper whâ—le they cannot know it and that any of his Predecessors were usurpers since the Apostles dayes And therefore where God imposeth duty on the Church and prescribeth means as Baptism Prayer the Lords Supper Church-Government c. it is certain that he will not blast it but bless it to 〈◊〉 obedient nor punish the Church so for the secret sin of I know not who committed I know not where nor when perhaps a thousand years ago Sect. 26. Argument 6. As other actions of usurpers are not Nullities to the innocent Church so neither is their Ordinanation and consequently those that are Ordained by usurpers may be true Ministers If their Baptizing Preaching Praises Consecration and administration of the Eucharist binding and loosing be not Nullities it follows undenyably on the same account that their Ordinations are not Nullities and consequently that they are true Ministers whom they ordain and succession of a more regular Ordination is not of Necessity to the Ministry Church or Ordinances Sect. 27. Argument 7. If such uninterrupted succession be not Necessary to be Known then is it not Necessary to the Being of the Ministry or Validity of Ordinances administred But such a succession is not Necessary to be known therefore The Consequence of the Major is plain because the Being or Nullity of Office and administrations had never been treated off by God to men nor had it been revealed or a thing regardable but that we may know it Nor doth it otherwise attain its ends And that it is not necessary to be known I further prove Sect. 28. If this succession must be known then either to the Pastor or to the Church or both but none of these therefore 1. If it must be known only to the Pastor then it is not Necessary as to the Church And yet it is not Necessary to be known to the Pastor himself neither For as is shewed its impossible for him to know it so much as by a Moral Certainty His Predecessors and their Ordinations were strange to him 2. Not to the Church For it is not possible for them to know it Nor likely that they should know as much as the true Ordination of their present Pastor according to the Prelatical way when it is done so far out of their sight Sect. 29. If the foresaid uninterrupted succession be necessary to the being of our Ministry or Churches or Ordinances then is it incumbent on all that will prove the truth of their Ministery Churches or Ordinances to prove the said succession But that is not true for then none as is aforesaid could prove any of them Either it is meet that we be able to Prove the truth of our Ministry Churches and administrations or not If not then why do the adversaries call us to it If yea then no man
Accommodation § 10. A fourth witness is Dr. Forbs of Scotland who having written purposely a Book called his Irenicon for Accommodation on such terms I need to say no more of him but refer you to the Book I shall name no more of the Episcopal party These four are enow to my purpose § 11. That the Presbyterians of England specially are willing to close upon these terms of a fixed Moderator I prove 1. By the profest Consent of that Reverend Learned servant of Christ Mr. Thomas Gataker a Member of the late Assembly at Westminster who hath professed his judgement of this matter in a Book against Lilly I refer you to his own words for brevity sake § 12. My next witness and for brevity many in one shall be Mr. Geree and the Province of London citing him in their Ius Divinum Ministerii pag. Append. 122. the words are these That the Ancient Fathers in the point of Episcopacy differ more from the high Prelatist thâ—n from the Presbyterian for the Presbyterians alwayes have a President to guide their actions which they acknowledge may be perpetual durante vita modo se bene gesserit or temporary to avoid inconvenience which Bilson takes hold of as advantagious because so little discrepant as he saith from what he maintaineth See the rest there § 13. 3. Beza the Leader against Prelacy saith de grad Minist Evang. Instituti Divini est ut in omni coetu Presbyterorum unus sit qui ordine praeat praesit reliquis It is of Divine Institution that in every Assembly of Presbyters there be one that go before and be above the rest And dividing Bishops into Divine Humane and Diabolical he makes the Humane tolerable Prelacy to be the fixed President § 14. 4. Calvin who is accused for ejecting Episcopacy besides what he writes of it to Card Sadolet saith in his Institut lib. 4. cap. 4. § 1. Ea cautione totam suam Oeconomiam composuerunt Ecclesiae veteris Episcopi ad unicam illam Dei verbi normam ut facile videas nihil fere hac parte habuisse à verbo Dei alienum § 2. Quibus ergo docendi munus injuâ—ctum erat eos omnes nominabant Presbyteros Illi ex suo numero in singulis civitatibus unum eligebant cui specialiter dabant titulum Episcopi ne ex aequalitate ut fâ—â—ri solet dissidia nascerentur Neque tamen sic honore dignitate superior erat Episcopus ut Dominium in Collegas haberet sed quas partes habet Consul in Senatu ut referat de negotiis sententias roget consulendo monendo hortando aliis praeâ—at authoritate sua totam actionem regat quod decretum Communi Consilio fuerit exequatur id munus sustinebat Episcopus in Presbyterorum coetu § 4. fine Gubernationem sic constituti nonnulli Hierarchiam vocarunt nomine ut mihi videtur improprio certe scripturis inusitato Cavere enim voluit spiritus sanctus nequis principatum aut dominationem somniaret quum de Ecclesiae gubernatione agitur Verum si rem omisso vocabulâ— intueamur N. B. reperiemus veteres Episcopos non aliam regendae Ecclesiae formam voluisse fingere ab ea quam Deus verbo suo praescripsit This he writes after the mention of Archbishops and Patriarcks as well as of Bishops governing in Synods § 15. Where by the way let me give you this observation that Bishops Governing but in Synods can have no other power of Government then the Synods themselves have But Synods themselves as such are not directly for Government but for Concord and Communion of Churches and so consequently for well-governing the several flocks Nor hath a Synod any Governing Power over a particular Pastor as being his superiour appointed to that end but only a Power of Consent or Agreement to which for unity and communion sake he is consequentially obliged not by Virtue of Gods Command that requireth us to obey the Higher Power for three Pastors are not made so the Rulers of one but by virtue of Gods commands that require us to do all things in Unity and to maintain the Peace and Concoâ—d of the Churches and to avoid Divisions and discord § 16. If any think that this doth too much favour the Congregational way I must tell him that it is so true and clear that the Episcopal men that are moderate acknowledge it For instance the Reverend Bishop Vsher did without asking of himself profess to me that it was his judgement that certainly Councils or Synods are not for Government but for Vnity and that a Bishâ—p out of Council hath the same Governing Power as all the Council though their vote may bind him for Vnity to consent § 17. This being so it must needs follow that an Archbishop or the President of a National Provincial Diocesan or Classicall Assembly or of any Association of the Pastors of many Churches hath no superiour Governing power over the Parochial or Congregational Bishop of one Church but only in concurrence with the Synod a Power of Determining by way of Agreement such points as he shall be obliged for Unity and Communion to consent to and perform if they be not contrary to the word of God This evidently follows from this Reverend Archbishops doctrine and the truth § 18. And if any shall think that the Presbyterians will not yield that a particular Church do ordinarily consist but of one full Congregation I confute them by producing their own Concessions in the London Ministers Ius Divinum Ministerii Append pag. 123. they plainly say that The later Bishops were Diocesan the former that is the Bishops of the first or ancient times were Bishops only of one Congregation And pag. 82. they say These Angels were Congregational not Diocesan In the beginning of Christianity the number of Believers even in the greatest Cities were so few as that they might well meet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in one and the same place And thâ—se were called the Church of the City and therefore to ordain Elders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are all one in Scripture Thus far they yield to the Congregational men § 19. 5. One other witness of the Presbyterians readiness to accommodate on these terms I shall give and no more and that is Mr. Richard Vines a man that was most eminent for his management of the Presbyterian cause in the Assembly and at Vxbridge Treaty and in the Isle of Wight the Papers there presented to the King are to be seen in Print When we did set up our Association in this County I purposing to do nothing without advise and designing a hearty closure of all sober Godly men Episcopal Presbyterian Congregational and Erastian did consult first about it by Letters with Mr. Vines and in his answer to mine he approved of the design and thought our distance very small and yielded to a fixed Presidency though not to a Negative
either Prayer Praise or other part but we speak of the whole frame and therefore of a Liturgy or Prescribed words in General because that is the controversie that the times call us to decide That which I take to be the Truth and usefull to our Healing I shall lay down in these ten Propositions following Prop. 1. A stinted Liturgy is in it self Lawfull 2. A stinted Liturgy in some parts of publick holy service is ordinarily necessary 3. In the Parts where it is not of Necessity it may not only be submitted to but desired when the Peace of the Church requireth it 4. There is so great dâ—fference between Ministers and People and Times that it may be convenient and eligible to some at some times and unfit and not eligible to others and at other times 5. The Ministers and Churches that earnestly desire it should not by the Magistrate be generally or absolutely forbidden the use of a convenient prescribed Liturgy 6. To prescribe a frame of stinted service or Prayer c. and lay a Necessity or the Peace of the Church upon it and to punish siâ—ence suspend excommunicate or reproach the able peaceable godly Ministers or people that justly or unjustly scruple the using of it is so great a sin that no conscionable Ministers should attempt it or desire it nor any godly Magistrate suffer it 7. The safest way of composing such a Publike Form is to take it all for matter and words out of the Holy Scriptures 8. Yet is not this of such Necessity but that we may join in it or use it if the form of words be not from Scripture 9. The matter of a common Liturgy in which we expect any General Concord should not be any unnecessary things much less things doubtfull or forbidden 10. Forms of Publick Prayer should not be constantly used by Mâ—nisters that are able to pray without them and none else should be admitted ordinarily to the Ministry but such as are able competently to pray without such Forms unless in great Necessities of the Church These ten Propositions are the summ of all that I shall trouble you with which I shall now review and prove in order Prop. 1. A Stinted Liturgy is in it self lawful This is thus proved Argument 1. That which is not directly or consequentially forbidden by God remaineth lawfull A stinted Liturgy is not directly or consequentially forbidden by God therefore it remaineth lawfull The Major is undoubted because nothing but a Prohibition can make a thing unlawfull Sin is a transgression of a Law Where there is no Law there is no transgression And yet I have heard very Reverend men answer this that it is enough that it is not commanded though not forbidden Which is plainly to deny both Scripture and Civil Principles Precept makes Duty or a Necessity ex praecepto Prohibitions make an action sinfull which is prohibited as Precepts prove an Omission sinfull of the Duty commanded But Licitum which is between Duty and sin is that which is neither commanded nor forbidden And such an act is not Actus Moralis being neither good nor evill Here note these two things 1. That though we say that a Liturgy is in it self lawfull and that all things not forbidden are Lawfull yet in the actuall exercise hic nunc it will be hard to find one actuall use of it which is not a duty or a sin For though I am not of their mind that think every act both simply and respectively considered is a duty or a sin For 1. then every act must be Actus Moralis and so deliberate and chosen which is not true as for instance the winking of the eye c. 2. Then nothing were indifferent 3. Then every act must have a Reason for it 4. And the Consciences of Christians must be perpetually tormented as e. g. to give a reason when I walk why I set the right foot forward before the left or when two eggs of a bigness are before me why I take one rather then the other these are not moral acts Yet I must needs think that in the worship of God its hard to imagine such a case in which the using of a Liturgy will do neither good nor harm Or in which a man cannot discern whether it be like to do more good or harm and so make it the matter of election or refusal And therefore as Paul makes Marriage indifferent in it self when its hard to find a case in which it shall not be a duty or a sin to particular persons so say I of the point in question and yet possibly sometime such cases there may be A man sometimes in Prudence may find that constantly to use a form would be to him a sin by reason of the ill consequents and so it would be constantly to disuse it And therefore may find himself bound by accident sometimes to use and sometimes to disuse it And yet may see no reason at all as to the particular day and hour why he should use or disuse it this day rather then another or in the the Morning rather then the Evening 2. Note also that God being the supream Lawgiver of the Church having by Moses given a Law to Israel did in general command Deut. 12.32 that they should add nothing thereto nor take ought therefrom And consequently we may conclude it prohibited under the Gospel Nay indeed the very prohibition of self-idolizing makes it a sin for any man to arrogate that Legislation which is the Prerogative of God For that were to deifie himself And so this General prohibition doth make all unwarrantable Additions to be sinfull that is all Additions which God hath not authorized men to make But then such additions are not sinfull formally because not commanded but because forbidden by the General prohibition of not adding Now for the Minor that a stinted Liturgy is not forbidden we need no other proof then that no Prohibition can be produced If it be prohibited it is either by some special Prohibition or by the General prohibition of not adding But it is by neither of these therefore not at all Speciall prohibition I never yet saw any produced God hath nowhere foâ—bidden a form of Prayer And the General prohibition of not adding extends not to it For 1. It is the Worship of God which is the matter that we are there forbidden to add But the Praying with a form or without a form as such are neither of them any part of the worship of God nor so intended as we now suppose by them that use it It is but an indifferent Mode or Circumstance of Worship and not any part of Worship 2. If Prayer with a form be an Addition to Gods Worship then so is praying without a form for God only Commands Prayer but neither commands a form nor that we forbear a form But the Consequent is false as the Opponents will confess therefore so is the Antecedent 3. Undetermined mutable Modes and Circumstances
do more hurt by breaking the Churches peace then they do good by converting souls But who was it that laid these snares in their way Who laid the Churches peace upon your inventions Had not the Church a sure Rule and an happy order and unity and peace before your Common prayer Book or Ceremonies were born Why must the Church have no peace but upon such terms Who made this Necessity that all men must be taken for intolerable schismaticks that dare not stint themselves in the publick worship by your impositions Will you not be confounded before God when these Questions must be answered The Church might have kept both Peace and her Pastors if you had let all alone as the Apostles left it and had not turned the forms of your Devotions to be a snare for others 9. And it is great unmercifulness to the Souls of particular men when you will drive them into such snares and câ—mpell them to go against their consciences in indifferent things what ever is not of faith is sin And whether they believe it good or bad you will compell them to practise all that you impose Have you not Consciences your selves Do you not know what it is for a man to be driven against his Conscience If not you are no Christians and then no wonder if you want the Charity and compassion of Christians and so easily for nothing abuse and injure the Christian cause 10. And in thus doing you deal unjustly and do not as you would be done by You would have Liberty your selves now to use a Liturgy And why should not others have Liberty to disuse it Either you take it for a thing Necessary in it self or for Indifferent If as Necessary then you are so much the more arrogant and injurious to the Churches and your usurpation is the more intolerable and you do much to Justifie them that deprive you of your own liberty For I know no Liberty that you should have to make universal Laws for the Church or to make new duties by your own meer wills or turn Indifferent things into Necessary and so to multiply our work and burden and danger and to silence suspend or excommunicate all that dare not submit to your usurped Dominion But if you take it for a thing in it self Indifferent whether we pray in a Form of prescribed words or not then as we are content that you have your Liberty on one part you have as just cause to allow us our liberty on the other and to do as you would be done by 11. And by these Impositions you set up a New Office or Power in the Church Consisting of a New Legislation and a Government of the Church by such new humane Laws We know no Law-giver but 1. Christ as to universal Laws of standing necessity to the Churches in the matters of Salvation And 2. Magistrates to make by-laws under Christ for a just determination of those mutable circumstances that ought to be determined by humane Prudence and 3. The Ministers or Pastors of particular Churches to direct and guide the people as there is cause As for Bishops or Councils we know of no Legislative Power that they have over their Brethren though Agreements they may make which may be obligatory 1. by consent as other contracts 2. and in order to unity where the case requireth such Agreements But to set up a New sort of Jurisdiction in the Church by Legislation to make Forms and Ceremonies obligatory and by Executions to punish Pastors that will not practise them is a dangerous device 12. Lastly by this means you will harden the Papists that by their Inventions and Impositions have divided the Church and been guilty of so much usurpation and tyrannie For how can we condemn that in them that is practised by our selves And though in number of Inventions and Impositions they exceed yet it is not well to concur with them in the kind of unnecessary Impositions and so far to Justifie them in their injury to the Church If none of these or other Reasons will alloy the Imperious distemper of the Proud but they must needs by a usurped Legislation be making Indifferent things become necessary to others and domineer over mens Consciences and the Church of God we must leave them to him that being the Lord and Lawgiver of the Church is Jealous of his Prerogative and abhorreth Idols and will not give his glory to another and that delighteth to pull down the Proud and humble them that exalt themselves But yet how far an Agreement or voluntary Consent of the Churches is desirable as to a Liturgy I shall shew more anon Prop. 7. THE safest way of composing a stinted Liturgie is to take it all or as much as may be for words as well as matter out of the Holy Scriptures Reas. 1. This way is least lyable to scruple because all are satisfied of the infallible Truth of Scripture and the fitness of its expressions that are not like to be satisfied with mans And it is a laudable disposition in the Creature to prefer the words of God before all other and therefore not to be discouraged in any Reas. 2. This way tends most to the peace of the Church All will unite in the words of God that will not unite in the forms and words of men If they understand not a word of God yet knowing it to be true they will not quarrel with it but submit But if they understand not the words of men they will be ready to suspect them and so to quarrel with them and so the Churches peace will be broken Besides the judgements of men being fallible many will suspect that its possible there may be some error in their forms though we see them not and God should be worshiped in the surest way Reas. 3. There is no other words that may be preferred before the words of God or stand in Competition with them and therefore me thinks this should easily be decided Object But the Scripture hath not forms enough for all the Churches uses Answ. It hath matter and words for such Forms Without any additions save only terms of Connection the sentences of holy Scripture may suffice the Church for all its uses as to forms Object But men may speak untruths in Scripture words if they will and by misplacing and misapplying them may make them speak what was never meant in them Answ. But 1. When they use no expository terms of their own but meerly recite the words of Scripture the perverting them will not be so easie or common And 2. When they have placed them how they please the people are left at liberty 〈…〉 to the sence they have in the 〈…〉 to what mens misplacing 〈…〉 put upon them when we professedly make our forms out of Gods word we do as it were tell the people that they must give each sentence its proper interpretation as it s meant in Scripture because we pretend not to change it