they be applyed without speciall commandment to be the matter of form of a stinted prayer or thanksgiving at this time they are the devise of man that is they are so applyed by man without the extraordinary guidance direction of the holy Ghost Let us suppose a stinted form of Liturgie or prayer to be framed of the very words and sentences of scripture wherein nothing is to be read by way of prayer praise exhortation or declaration of the end and use of the sacraments but the very text of scripture if it be demanded whether this stinted Liturgie be the devise of man or no I conceive our brethren will answer That the matter and form both is of God as they are parcells of holy writ but as they are prescribed and used as a stinted form it is the devise of man This may be concluded from their grounds for all stinted forms of prayer and administration to be used in the publick congregation not commanded of God be the devises of men as they hold But this foresaid stinted form is not commanded of God as they affirm Therefore it is the devise of men There is now no form commanded of God as they professe and therefore to prescribe any text of scripture to be read in the administration of the sacraments or the Lords prayer to be used as a prayer is the devise of man What is more constantly affirmed by them then this That a stinted form of Liturgie is no necessry means of Gods worship because in time of the Law God prescribed none to his people when they were in their minority In times of the Gospel our Saviour Christ who would not be wanting to his church in the necessary means of worship hath given no form to be used of all churches throughout the world nor tyed any one member of the church precisely to this or that form of words in prayer and none others That we are not necessarily bound to the very words of the Lords prayer because the Evangelists do not tie themselves to the same words or number of words in recording that form of prayer the Apostles did not bind themselves to those words but used others according to their severall occasions nor do we reade in scripture that they laid any bond upon the churches to repeat over those very words Though therefore the prayer it self was taught by Christ the matter be of God and the form as it is canonicall scripture and though it be left as a perfect and genuine rule of prayer yet the application and use of it in such and such manner at such or such times in prayer in respect of the words themselves that is of men and not of God by particular institution Thus the reason may be contracted briefly the ordinary use of the Lords prayer without variation or addition is either commanded of God and so necessary or devised by men and so free and arbitrarie either it is a naturall help as some speak to supply some defect or taken up upon free choice But it is not commanded of God it is not necessary necessitate praecepti or medii nor an help naturall to supply some defect Therefore it is free and arbitrarie as that which may be done onely but it is not necessary to be done This being observed it will easily appear how little that distinction of using forms inspired by the holy Ghost but not of forms devised by men will avail because there is no form at all prescribed by God as they maintein Secondly if that distinction be granted it is here impertinently alleadged because it cannot be applyed to any part of the reason For forms of prayer inspired by the holy Ghost and recorded as parts of the sacred Canon be not of necessary use for us because they are recorded have not the true matter and form of prayer as they are there registred but as they are put up in faith to God being suitable to our occasions and a devised form of prayer fit for the matter tendred unto God in holy affiance by the work of the holy Ghost hath the true matter and form of prayer God never gave commandment that all our petitions should be presented unto his Majesty in a form of words inspired by the holy Ghost immediately God never disallowed the prayers of the faithfull because the externall form or phrase of speech was devised by man If the devised form of prayer before and after sermon be worship acceptable to God because it is devised of him who is called of God to devise and endite it then all men living are called and commanded to devise the worship of God and not for themselves alone but others in some cases Then the forms of prayer publick or private morning and evening the forms of thanksgiving before and after meals is devised worship but acceptable for the foresaid reason But that God hath called and authorized every man living or all in the church to devise a worship acceptable to his Majesty is most strange And so this first reason stands firm That all things essentiall to prayer or necessarily required in prayer by the word of God may be observed in a stinted from devised by men CHAP. III. A stinted Liturgie or publick form of prayer is no breach of the second commandment THat which is the breach of no commandment which is no where disallowed in the word of God either in expresse words or by necessary consequence that is no sin For sin is a transgression of the law and where there is no law there can be no sin But a prescript form of prayer of Liturgie is the breach of no commandment is no where disallowed in the word of God The exposition of the commandments is to be found in the Prophets and Apostles but the Lord by his Prophets and Apostles doth in no place restrain us to the use of conceived prayer so to call it Prayer is Gods ordinance but whether our prayers be uttered in our own or others words whether by pronouncing or reading that is not appointed God requireth that we lift up our hearts unto him and ask of him in the name of Christ whatsoever we stand in need of and is agreeable to his will But when spake he one word of praying within book or without in this or that precise form of words More particularly a stinted form of prayer for matter and externall form lawfull and pure fit in respect of our occasions and the necessities of the church read or uttered with knowledge affiance and intention of heart is not a breach of the second commandment either in the deviser or user For if all stinted forms of publick prayer be a transgression of the second commandment then in their common nature such stinted forms agree with images devised for worship But stinted forms or prayer agree not in their common nature with images devised for worship False worship forbidden in the second commandment is
that dislike a stinted form of prayer will not allow of the conclusion which M r Smith would inferre As for the reason it self whatsoever can be truly spoken of the excellency profit and use of conceived prayer we freely and willingly admit but betwixt it and stinted prayer there is no such disagreement that if the one be praised the other must needs be cast out of doores if the one be allowed the other must needs be a breach of the second commandment Nature teacheth that from the abundance of the heart the mouth should speak and in the use of a stinted form repeated by memory or read upon a book the mouth speaketh from the abundance of the heart else in the stinted use of psalms prayers or prayses the saints of God recorded in scripture spake not from the heart If no example of any holy man since Christ be recorded in scripture who hath tendered his prayers to God in a stinted form of words or read them out of a book is this any thing against that practice Is not the approved practice of the church of the Jews grounded upon reasons common to them and us and of perpetuall equity sufficient to justifie an act or order though no example can be brought for it out of the new testament I have not heard nor read of such an exception in a matter of this nature in any writer old or new Popish or Protestant and consider I pray what dangerous consequences would follow thereupon I will not presse them because upon second thoughts I make no question it will appear farre amisse If in that particular of stinted prayer we find not example will it not suffice if from grounds of scripture we can prove it lawfull and that all things required in prayer may be observed in a stinted form If in that particular there be none examples will it not suffice that analogicall examples of things of the same nature and kind may be produced And then it will not be hard to find examples since Christ for the use of stinted prayer as we shall shew hereafter But what if none example could be produced of that or the like practice The scripture doth not descend to give particular commandment or example for every thing perteining to order or manner of administration of Divine things It is sufficient that there be generall rules found for that purpose according to which particulars must be directed Nay which is more sundry things are not onely lawfull but necessary for which you can bring no example out of the word of God neither before nor since Christ I will spare to mention particulars because I would not teach profane men to wrangle God may have as much honour or more in our publick assemblies if a stinted form were not used And this is a certain truth That whatsoever the worship and service of God may spare without detriment either to the honour of God or edification of Saints is superfluous and so but a vain invention If all this be granted it will not follow that a stinted form is against the second commandment of the same common nature with an image For in publick administration of Gods service in the outward order method and phrase many things are laid aside by the most and might be spared by all men which are against no commandment And the like may be said of sundry observations The custome of godfathers and godmothers in baptisme of calling an assembly by the sound of a bell of buriall in church-yards might be spared and yet not against the second commandment When there be many wayes or means whereby a thing may be atteined it is not an idle invention ordinarily to choose the one or other as seemeth expedient M r Robinson disputeth thus against our stinted form of prayer It cannot be an ordinance of Christ because the church may perfectly and entirely worship God without it with all the parts of holy and spirituall worship as did the apostolick churches for many yeares before such Liturgie was devised or imposed I should think both these reasons carry the same sense sc That that may be spared without which the church may perfectly and entirely worship God with all parts of holy and spirituall worship And if that be the meaning then I deny that to be a superfluous or vain invention which might be spared without detriment either to the honour of God or edification of Saints For set forms of blessing catechismes administration of the sacraments be not superfluous and vain inventions and yet all parts of Gods spirituall worship may perfectly and entirely be performed without them The use of a set translation of holy scripture to be read in the congregation by such or such portions or sections is no vain invention the distribution of it into chapters and verses the quotation of chapter and verse the marginall references are no superfluous devises and yet the church may perform all parts of Gods worship entirely and perfectly without these as did the apostolick churches The prescribing of a set form of psalmes to be sung by all the people jointly together is no superfluous devise and yet it may be spared without detriment either to the honour of God or edification of the people as it was in the apostolick churches for many years Of which more in the next chapter Set forms of confessions of churches set forms of professions of faith to be used in the publick worship of God be not vain inventions and yet you may say of them as you do of stinted forms of prayer They may be spared There is no example for them in scripture since Christ The word consubstantiall is not necessary as without which the doctrine of that truth of the Divinity of our Saviour Christ cannot be mainteined for that were to accuse the holy pen-men of scripture yet was it not an idle or superfluous invention In some reformed churches before preaching-time the church assembled hath the scriptures read in such order that the whole canon thereof is oftentimes in one yeare run through In others there is no such order of simple reading but besides their set sermons two chapters are paraphrastically expounded with the principall points thereof taken and applyed unto their auditours Neither of these simply necessary nor yet superfluous inventions To kneel in prayer yea to prescribe that men shall ordinarily kneel in publick prayer if with conveniency they may is not an idle invention and yet men may pray sitting standing falling upon the face Men may meet together to worship God at fit time in convenient place observe due order method moderation in length according to the abilities and necessities of the people without rules and prescriptions for that purpose and yet rules prescriptions and precedents are not idle inventions And though it be possible to worship God aright and further the edification of his Saints as much without as with a set form yet a set form of prayer devised
and consented unto if it were possible by all the sound true orthodox churches in the world is in many respects expedient such a form as being free from all exception apprved of all might testifie their sweet harmonie and concent And the like may be said of forms of catechismes confessions c. A stinted form then of publick prayer is not one in common nature with images devised for worship nor opposite to the worship which must in speciall be instituted of God it is no vain or superfluous devise much lesse an humane invention condemned in the second commandment It is not strange at all that one and the same thing should be a sin in one and not in another If by the same thing you mean the same materially onely And if that which was lawfull to all people priests and Levites in the old Testament cannot be unlawfull now then neither circumcision nor any other Jewish rite is now unlawfull to us True it is that one and the same thing may be sin in one and not in another when the reasons and considerations be not the same as that which a man is bound to do by speciall calling or office may be sin in another which is not called and appointed pointed to that service And many things were lawfull in the old Testament being according to Gods word that are not so now viz. things that were proper and peculiar to them and those times in respect of the manner of dispensation Divine But things which have grounds and reasons common to those and our times in respect of persons and things and do not in peculiar respects belong unto them onely these if lawfull to them are lawfull to us and if forbidden to us they are forbidden to them And of this sort is a stinted form of prayer or blessing not peculiar to them but common to us with them not a priviledge of the persons but of the cause It is given for a rule concerning examples That a reason drawn from them doth necessarily conclude sc cùm unum particulare ab alio particulari probatur vi similitudinis communis toti generi sub quo ea particularia continentur But the publick use of a stinted free arbitrarie form of prayer praise or blessing is grounded upon reasons and considerations common to the priests or Levites and the ministers of the Gospel the things are like and this likenesse is common to the whole kind not materiall circumstance can be named which should appropriate it unto them onely Therefore if the publick stinted use of prayer or blessing was not a breach of the second commandment in them it is not a sin against that commandment in us It is objected that their forms were not as ours strictly imposed ordinarily to be used without so much as the variation of a word But this unlooseth not the knot but rather tyeth it the faster For if it be a sin against the second commandment to use such a form it must not be done once If it be no sin it is not made sinfull by this that it is used this week or the next as occasion is offered If it be lawfull to use the Lords prayer as a stinted form it is not made unlawfull that I use it in these precise words without addition or alteration And if the priests were not tyed to one precise form of blessing without addition or alteration yet might they lawfully use one form without addition or variation and that which was allowable in them is not unlawfull in us upon the same grounds and considerations So that we may summe up this reason thus If publick stinted forms of blessing prayer or praise might be used ordinarily by the priests Levites and ministers of the Gospel without addition or alteration then all stinted forms to be used ordinarily without addition or alteration be not a breach of the second commandment in common nature one with an image devised for worship But the priests and Levites in the time of the Law and the ministers of the Gospel in the New Testament might ordinarily use a stinted form without addition or alteration Or thus it may be framed If a publick stinted form of prayer be unlawfull then either simply and absolutely all stinted forms to be used in publick or such onely as are to be used ordinarily without alteration or addition or such onely as be corrupt and faulty But a publick stinted form is not simply and absolutely unlawfull for then this exception That it is to be used ordinarily and without alteration is vain and superfluous not onely because it is ordinarily to be used without alteration or addition for then that consideration taken away a stinted form should be just and lawfull as also then it should be lawfull at one time to use this or that phrase of speech unlawfull at another when yet the same occasion requireth it If onely because corrupt and faulty then a stinted form is not an humane invention a breach of the second commandment an idole-prayer a superfluous devise to be condemned then the fault and corruption removed the form it self is lawfull to be used without addition or variation A stinted form of prayer is not unlawfull to him that needeth it as not able largely to expresse his own desires or lay open his wants particularly but to him that is able and needeth it not it is unlawfull because in such case a set form of prayer is an arbitrary help or furtherance forbidden by the second commandment But then a set form of prayer in words devised by others or by a mans self is not unlawfull because stinted or devised not of it self nor to all but by accident onely Then it is not a devised worship strange incense an idole-prayer an image of prayer forbidden in the second commandment for whatsoever is verified of a generall as generall is verified of all underneath it Then they must not say Humane inventions in Gods worship are forbidden but Humane inventions in the worship of God are lawfull to them that need them unlawfull to them that need them not because arbitrarie Then the exception of using a stinted form ordinarily without alteration or addition is altogether fruitlesse for the form is unlawfull because arbitrarie And for the thing it self it is an unwritten tradition because it hath no ground in scripture For it is a received rule That all distinctions in Divinity not grounded upon the word of God are unwritten traditions indeed humane unwarrantable inventions and additions But this distinction That a stinted form of prayer is warrantable to him that needeth it because of his inability unwarrantable to him that needeth it not is grounded upon no text of scripture or solid consequence drawn from thence All arbitrarie helps and furtherances in Gods service are not forbidden in the second commandment nor any help or furtherance because arbitrarie in this sense that is no help or furtherance devised in Gods worship that
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
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
granted nothing is here alledged but what might be said against communicating with ministers who have their weaknesses or use a stinted form of their own devising ordinarily or be of different opinions either in prayer or sacrament and if we must hold communion with none who dissent from us in any jote or tittle we must never joyn or not long continue in any congregation The personall miscarriages of private persons are not so perillous as the evil acts of the minister whom I make my mouth to God in prayer Neither do the errours of individuall men tainted with corruptions voluntarily broched in prayer or sermon cast that defilement upon them who joyn together as do the unwarrantable opinions of the church and the ministration upon such publick commandment It is a good rule in Divinity oft to be thought upon That every distinction in matters of faith or religion not grounded upon or warranted by the scripture is an humane devise For is not this to adde to the word of God to lay down an opinion as from God which is not to be found in his word at all Now to apply this to the present matter in hand I desire to know from what scripture this distinction can be warranted That the personall errours of the minister in his voluntary administration of the sacraments or prayer do not defile though I do not publickly testifie dislike or absent my self but errour committed in the administration by publick commandment do pollute all that be present Reason why presence should pollute in one case more then the other none can be given Calling from God to testifie dislike it may be I have in neither but least in the latter It being more tolerable for private persons to rebuke the slips and errours of their minister in voluntary administration then for a man to controll the order established by publick authority and common consent when he is not in speciall called thereunto If this distinction be of weight it would go best with the church to have no settled order amongst them for so long as the faults and corruptions be onely personall they defile not them that be present at the ordinances but personall they are untill they be established by common consent or publick authority Moreover by this rule one member may sooner cast out the whole church then the whole church can cut off one member For the church must not cut off a member but upon weighty consideration and apparent just cause and that after conviction with much long-suffering and patience but if this objection hold true one member must openly rebuke the church or withdraw from communion with the church for a stinted Liturgie or for some slip or fault there committed perhaps questionable at least tolerable among brethren Is not my joyning with them that sinne to be reputed an appearance thereof when I professe not dislike thereof It is one thing to joyn with men in sin another to joyn with them necessarily in the worship of God though for the manner of administration something be done amisse If I professe not dislike of what I judge amisse having no calling thereunto my joyning in prayer is no appearance of evil to a right-discerning eye because I am necessarily called there to attend upon the Lord in his holy ordinances Necessary attendance upon his master excuseth the servants presence in many companies where he seeth and heareth much evil which he cannot amend nor reprove and shall not necessary attendance upon Jesus Christ justly and truly excuse the faithfull To say nothing that this exception is crosse to the former and if these exceptions be laid together we shall find nothing but going backward and forward one denying what the other affirmeth If the faithfull by the approbation of our Saviour Christ and his Apostles were present at Divine ordinances as much or more corrupted then they can be supposed to be with us then for such corruptions we are not voluntarily to withdraw our selves For defilement is feared without cause by simple presence where Christ requireth and approveth our presence and hath promised to be present with us by his grace But the faithfull by the commandment and approbation of Christ have been present at Divine ordinances as much or more corrupted then they can be supposed to be with us For the scribes and Pharisees sinned grievously in corrupting the law with false glosses in so much that they neither taught nor practiced what was necessary to salvation They taught many things directly contrary to the law as if a child had vowed not to relieve his parents he was bound to keep his vow and neglect them They defiled the worship of God with their vain inventions And it may well be thought their praying was answerable to their preaching cold fruitlesse corrupt and rotten many wayes Neverthelesse the faithfull held communion and fellowship with them in the worship of God not in their corruptions and that by the approbation and commandment of Christ himself Our Saviour doth not tell the faithfull they were to call upon the Pharisees to fulfill their ministery which they had received and as occasion should require proceed further to declare their dislike in such manner as is meet either absenting themselves or other wayes declaring their dislike so as the whole church may take notice of it But his commandment is they should heare them so long as they sit in Moses chair It is true our Saviour doth not approve their corrupt glosses and sinfull inventions but doth sharply reprove them himself and admonish others to let them alone and beware of their leaven but not to forsake the assembly or absent themselves from the ordinances of worship From which it followeth evidently that simple presence at Divine ordinances is not consent or approbation of the corruptions therein practiced and that we must leave and forsake some in respect of familiar conversation with whom we may hold outward communion in the exercises of religion The sinne of Eli's sonnes in prophaning the holy things of God was exceeding great but Elkanah Hannah and Samuel did not partake with the sinnes of the priests in that they did not abstein from the Lords sacrifices The behaviour of the Corinthians in their unreverent scandalous and almost prophane coming to the Lords table was foul and corrupt yet the faithfull did not forbear nor the Apostle charge them to absent themselves from the Lords table The famous church of Rome was so weak and feeble in the duties of government as they did not or could not separate from them such as preached Christ contentiously and with spitefull minds against the Apostle and the greater number of that church did corruptly demean and carry themselves therein and yet the Apostle never taught the rest to separate and have no communion with them in the ordinances of worship Knowledge before-hand that such corrupt administration will be used
church have evermore been one advantage which the enemies of the truth have taken to speak reprochfully And if the credit of religion the glory of God and the souls of our brethren be dear unto us what can we do lesse then by a just and mild defense of the truth seek the reclaiming of such as are gone astray the establishing of them that be weak in judgement but zealously affected to the wayes of God stop the stream of seducing free the godly from unjust imputations and settle peace and unitie in the truth amongst brethren I heartily wish we had not so much experience to lesson us that when men have once begun to neglect the publick exercises of religion and to separate from the churches of Christ they have run from one errour into another after the fond imaginations of their own seduced hearts untill they have dashed themselves upon the rocks They that break off communion in the particulars mentioned have not proceeded to a totall Separation from our congregations and assemblies as no churches of Jesus Christ This rigid Separation they condemn as that which was never approved or blessed of God But they have gone further then the word of truth doth warrant them or they have the Lord Jesus for their guide whereas it is the duty and safety of Christians to follow after but not to go before their Lord and Captain The first entrance into an erroneous way is dangerous for in the track thereof there is no stop unlesse God of his infinite mercy do prevent Errours are lapped up together in a bundle and many times the least onely appear which yet serve to bring on and usher in the greater At once men fall not into strange and monstrous opinions no more then into outragious evils but by degrees they insensibly are drawn from bad to worse untill they come to a great height At the first sight many a mans conscience would have been affrighted with that errour which after some tampering he highly admireth and is bewitched withall How many of great hopes and excellent parts have been overthrown hereby is too evident by lamentable observation in all ages Rents and divisions are the disease Separation the wound of the church unto which of long time she hath been obnoxious but it is the sinne of them who either lay stumbling-blocks of offense before their brethren or separate rashly or unjustly being carried away rather with prejudice then strength of argument and commanded more by the examples of others then by the authority of the rule of righteousnesse There is but one body the Church and but one Lord or head of the body Christ And whosoever separateth from the body the Church separateth from Christ in that respect And if we withdraw our selves from Christ where he graciously inviteth us to feast with him may we not justly fear that he will withdraw himself from us and make us seek when we shall not find him Voluntary Separation from the Lords table and prayers of the congregation what is it but a willing excommunication of our selves from the visible tokens of the Lords presence and love And if it be a grievous sinne in church-governours to deprive any member of the church of all communion with the visible church upon light and unnecessary occasions is it not a greater sinne in the members to deprive themselves of the same communion upon the like or lesse occasions Zeal and tendernesse of conscience must be nourished by all good means but they are not to move alone without their guide that is the word of God Perhaps this kind of writing may occasion more disputes If so it is contrary to my hearts desire who intend onely the satisfaction of them that stagger the reclaiming of them that are gone too farre and the maintenance of peace truth and communion in the worship of God as it furthereth communion with Jesus Christ If I may obtein this end I have that which I beg of the Lord. Willingly I would not offend any that fear God but endeavour onely to remove the blocks at which I see some stumble and to further the more comfortable walking of others who desire to please God in all things but are kept under in the means of comfort with vain scruples And happy were it if doubtfull disputations laid aside we might joyn together with one heart and soul to advance religion worship the Lord purely edifie one another in our most holy faith and walk unblameably in the fear of God and comfort of the holy Ghost I take no pleasure in controversies of this kind and could heartily wish that these matters rightly composed we might give heed to that one thing which is necessary But if it seem good to any man to reply I earnestly beg that he would take the word of God truly understood for his warrant make proof of what he saith keep himself to the points in hand without impertinent digressions and proceed on in love and meeknesse as becometh them that professe the truth and desire to preserve the peace of a good conscience A good cause is no way advantaged by heat and passion We must so write and speak in controversies of religion as that we remember we must give account to God of that which we say And if passionate and distempered speeches in common talk be no light offense in matters of religion which are soberly to be debated as in the presence of God to give way to humane rashnesse and distemper is much more disgracefull God will not hold him guiltlesse that telleth a lie for the glory of his name To bear false witnesse in civill contentions betwixt man and man is odious and abominable Therefore it behooveth us to fear and stand in aw lest being transported with misguided zeal we call evil good and good evil and misapply the scriptures when we speak of our selves Let us weigh all things and hold that which is good The Lord in mercy look down from heaven upon his poore church and people bring his truth to light more and more dispell the mists of ignorance remove all occasions of offense settle peace and truth prosper the means of grace build us forward in faith and holinesse and unite the hearts of his people in love that they may direct their course by one rule if they cannot be all of one mind in every thing and as one man may walk together in heaven-way untill they receive the end of their faith the salvation of their souls CHAP. I. Of a stinted form of Prayer PRayer is the sweet and familiar conference of a faithfull soul with the Lord his mercifull Father Or A calling upon God in the name of Christ with the heart and sometimes with the voice according to his will for our selves and others In it to let passe other matters not pertinent to this purpose foure things come to be considered the Subject recipient Authour Matter and Manner thereof The honour of invocation is due to God onely in
and through Jesus Christ To God onely as the chief best and most perfect good through Christ as our Mediatour in whom we have accesse to the throne of grace Prayer is not a work of nature but of grace The principall authour thereof is the holy Ghost Man indeed doth poure out his soul unto the Lord but he is first taught moved and enabled thereunto by the Spirit of grace so that prayer is Gods gift and mans act The matter of our prayer is diverse according to the sundry occasions which happen in this life but ever it must be agreeable to the word and will of God Understanding faith humilitie reverence fervencie holinesse and love are required to that prayer which is acceptable unto God and doth procure audience In prayer with others especially in publick prayer where the minister is the mouth of the people the use of the voice is necessarie for the edification of the hearers for they cannot joyn in supplication and yield their consent unlesse they heare and understand what is prayed for In solitary prayer the voice and words are very usefull but not necessary usefull to stirre up affection and prevent rovings not necessary because it is the soul only that doth animate prayer A man may pray fervently and speak never a word but words be of no worth if the heart be absent Prayer endited by the Spirit and poured out by a sanctified soul is ever sweet and pleasant melodie in the eares of God though the tongue keep silence and the phrase of speech be rough and unpolished But let the outward frame of words be never so smooth and well set together the prayer is not pleasing unto God if therein we crave things unlawfull and impertinent if it be read or uttered without intention of heart understanding faith c. Neverthelesse in prayer with others specially in the publick assemblie words and decent phrase must not be neglected because all things must be done gravely and to edification To place devotion in words is superstition to hunt after quaint terms is foolish vanity but to neglect a decent and comely manner of speech is barbarousnesse Seeing then the use of the voice is not of the essence of prayer no man of understanding will deny that to be an holy and acceptable prayer which proceedeth from a sincere and upright heart feeling its own or others wants and craving supply thereof according to Gods will whether the petitions be put up in the self-same or in other words And yet because the ordinances of God must be kept from contempt in the publick assembly it is good neither to be over-neat nor over-homely but to use such a mean as doth most tend to the glory of God and good of Gods people Here a question is moved Whether a stinted Liturgie or set form of prayer publick or private be lawfull in the deviser or user A penned or stinted prayer I call Prayer in respect of the matter and externall form because the matter is delivered in form of a prayer or supplication tendred to God though properly it is not a prayer as it is penned or printed but as it is rehearsed as our prayer with understanding feeling of our wants humilitie confidence c. The controversie is not of this or that prescript form in particular much lesse of one faulty or erroneous but of a prescript form in generall Whether it be lawfull especially in the publick assembly to appoint any prescript or set form of prayer though for matter never so sound and allowable For if the exception be against this or that form in respect of the matter or maner of imposing then the question should be Whether this prayer for matter or manner of imposing be erroneous not Whether a stinted form of prayer or Liturgie be lawfull It is not questioned whether a man may ask things unlawfull or impertinent in prayer for the matter of our prayer must be agreeable to the word of God and our present occasions A prayer for matter and externall form holy and fit may by accident be sinfull in the user viz. when it is repeated without understanding or intention of the heart Of this there is no doubt It is granted also that no one prescript and stinted form of prayer or Liturgie is simply necessary either in publick or private for then our Saviour Christ who would not be wanting to his church in things necessarie would by his Apostles expressely have set down one to be an exact and unchangeable rule to all Christians and churches to the worlds end both for matter and form words and method whereunto they should have been tied and that alwayes But seeing our Saviour hath commanded no such unchangeable form it is not the Necessity but the Lawfulnesse of a stinted Liturgie or set form of prayer that is pleaded for and that as a matter of order not of religion or substantiall means of worship For in this sense there is no means of worship expedient which is not necessary by commandment It was never held that a man should so tie himself or be tied alwayes to a set form without variation that he should never offer up any prayer unto God as occasion is offered and necessitie requireth but what he findeth in his book Such use of a set and stinted form of prayer we do not acknowledge nor seek to perswade But to reade prayer as a prayer upon a book or to make known unto God the desires of our heart in a set form of words devised by others or our selves when the things we beg are allowable fit and necessary and when it is done with right affection is contrary to no precept or commandment directly or by lawfull consequence Amongst them that oppose a set form of prayer we may observe differences in opinion The ancient brethren of the Separation as M r Smith calleth them for distinction condemn all stinted forms of prayer to be used as a prayer Thus they dispute against set or stinted forms of prayer that it is a devise of man an Idole-prayer a stinting of the Spirit the substituting of a book in the room and stead of the holy Ghost a drawing nigh to God with the lips when the heart is removed farre from him That if set forms be lawfull then one may make anothers prayer buy his prayers at a book-binders shop carry them about in his pocket with many the like Which arguments whatsoever their weight be strike at all set forms and not at this or that onely prescribed in this or that manner M r Robinson hideth the matter as much as well he may by such like additions as these of matter and manner The thing saith he you should have endeavoured to prove is That your Divine service-book framed by man and by man imposed to be used without addition or alteration as the solemn worship of your church is that true and spirituall manner of
worshipping God which he hath appointed Again That these stinted and devised forms do quench the spirit of prayer which God would have them use stinting the minister yea all the ministers of the kingdome to the same measure of the spirit not onely one with another but all of them with him that is dead and rotten and so stinting the spirit which the Lord giveth to his ministers for his church and that so strictly as till the stint be out it may not suggest one thought or word otherwise or when it is out one more then is prescribed Neverthelesse his drift is plainly to disprove all stinted forms as it is evident by that he writeth in answer to some objections For Grant saith he that these words of Christ PRAY AFTER THIS MANNER AND VVHEN YE PRAY SAY are to be interprâ—ted as these men would have it yet do I except against their service-book in a double respect The first is That the reading of prayers upon a book hath no justification from them If it be said that to commit a certain form of words to memory and from it to utter them and to reade them upon a book be all one I deny the consequence and though I approve not the former yet is the latter farre worse And in another place You speak not properly no nor truly in saying you Pray stinted prayers for you Read them and who will say Reading is Praying or if you so say or do is it agreeable either to his ordinance or common reason And in the page cited last before He that readeth hath another speaking to him as it were even him whose writing he readeth and himself speaketh not to God but to the people Thus also he speaketh concerning the Lords prayer We may use a petition two or more or all in or of it even word for word if so the holy Ghost by whose immediate teachings and suggestions all our requests must be put up do direct us and that we apply the same words to our needs And in the same section So neither is the reading of this prescript or repeating it by memory praying Now let the indifferent consider and give sentence whether this be not to condemn all set forms of prayer to be used as prayer And if more then down-weight be required his fourth reason against the stinted form of service in use in our church will put this beyond all exception For thus he disputeth As it were a ridiculous thing for a child when he would ask of his father bread fish or any other thing he wanted to reade it to him out of a paper so it is for the children of God especially for the ministers of the Gospell in their publick ministrations to reade unto God their requests for their own and the churches wants out of a service-book wherein they are also stinted to words and syllables So that all other respects and considerations laid aside for what advantage soever alleadged the simple use of a stinted Liturgie or form of prayer to be used as a prayer is disallowed of them And if this be once accorded the other respects will easily be wiped away at least in regard of the users and them that joyn in prayer and participation of the sacraments In the copie of a letter lately published against stinted Liturgies the Authour willeth us to consider That the Liturgie he excepteth against was devised by men viz. other men whom God hath not called to such a work as to invent forms of prayers which should be used by all the churches in the land for their prayers and That it is imposed upon the minister and the people of necessity That it is stinted both in matter and words to be used without variation and That the service is read out of a book many wayes faulty and corrupt But look to most of the reasons brought to shew the justnesse of this exception and they make against all sorts of stinted forms used as prayers and not against a form corrupt and faulty imposed in such or such a manner as namely these God did never command to use nor promise to accept such a worship in which respect it is the manifest breach of the second commandment God hath appointed other helps for prayer which are sufficient without this Publick prayers offered up by the minister in church-assemblies must be framed according to the present and severall occasions of the church and people of God as also mens private prayers ought to be ordered which cannot be done when men are stinted to forms If you draw any conclusion from these premises it must be That all stinted forms are unlawfull not That a form corrupt and faulty is to be disallowed But if the foresaid cautions be added by way of distinction or limitation as if all stinted Liturgies were not disliked but such onely as be imposed as necessary to be used without variation and for matter or form corrupt and faulty then the reasons fight directly with the conclusion and hang no otherwise together then if a man should thus dispute All stinted forms of prayer are not to be disliked but corrupt onely imposed as necessary because God did never command nor promise to accept any stinted service or devised worship For what purpose therefore these cautions were added let others judge whether by way of aggravation onely or to set the greater lustre upon the position or for some other advantage Some others professe That they oppose not all nor any set form simply as such but are perswaded in many cases there is a lawfull use to be made of them but such a set form as is prescribed amongst us for matter and manner they affirm to be against the second commandment and a sin in the maker and deviser of it to such an use and a sin in the user of it according to that devise or making But the lawfull use of such forms publick or private they allow onely in some case of necessity which cannot fall out in a minister of the Gospel or any man else who deserveth the name of a strong Christian For they suppose abilities in all ministers and in every man else who hath his wits exercised to discern good and evil and deserveth to be esteemed a strong man in Jesus Christ Their words be these Set forms have their proper place and lawfull use onely where abilities are not as a naturall means and help to further some branch or other of that we call Prayer or conceived prayer as to supply defect of invention memory utterance or the like So the lawfulnesse of it lieth onely in a case of some necessity The difference then betwixt them so farre as I can gather standeth in this one thing That these latter allow some lawfull use of a stinted private form of prayer in some cases of necessity which the others altogether condemned But whether they dissent in any other particulars or no it is needlesse to enquire
further or whether the latter take away again what they seem to grant In these things they consent First that all publick Liturgies and stinted forms of prayer be unlawfull a breach of the second commandment both in the deviser and user Secondly that private forms of prayer if lawfull for weak Christians and babes in Christ are unlawfull for strong men in Christ or Christians that have received some growth in godlinesse Thirdly that a Christian weak or strong may not lawfully be present at the prayers of the congregation read or rehearsed out of a stinted Liturgie nor at the sacraments administred in a stinted form of Liturgie as it is with us The Question then hath three branches First whether a set form of prayer sound and pertinent for substance of matter grave and simple for the order and manner not prejudicing abbridging or hindring by the length thereof the preaching of the word and prayer fitted to the speciall occasions may in any sort be tolerated in the church or read by the minister of the word in the publick assembly and congregation of Saints Secondly whether it be lawfull specially for a strong Christian to use a set form of prayer as prayer or upon any occasion to reade as prayer a prayer upon a book Thirdly in case it should be unlawfull for the minister or master of the family to reade or use a prescript form of prayer whether it should be unlawfull also for the people children or servants to be present at such assemblies where the said prayer is read or used To these a fourth may be added to prevent all exceptions whether it be lawfull for a Christian to be present at that service which is read out of a book in somethings faulty either for matter or form In the affirmative the assertion is That a stinted Liturgie or form of prayer both publick and private is lawfull and in some respects necessary both in the congregation family and closet That a minister godly learned and faithfull may sometimes stand in need of the help of a publick Liturgie or stinted form of prayer in publick and may make use of a stinted form at other times when it is not necessarie in respect of inabilitie or indisposition That though it should be unlawfull for the minister or governour of the family to use such stinted forms yet may the people in the congregation and inferiours in the family be present at such prayers without sinne or scruple of conscience yea though the prayers be read out of a book in somethings questionable for matter or form So that voluntarie and willing Separation from the prayers of the congregation and ordinances of worship for that cause onely is sinfull in many respects Thus I have laboured plainly to state the question that I might neither be misled my self nor lead others into any by-path whiles they take their aim amisse And these particulars I purpose to discusse in the fear of God with the spirit of meeknesse according to the scriptures and trust by plain sincere and upright dealing to make it evident that I seek nothing but the maintenance of the truth the puritie of Gods worship the increase and exercise of all holy gifts and grace in his servants and the peace and comfort of his people CHAP. II. All things essentiall to prayer may be observed in a prescript form THe two former points may be confirmed joyntly and severally by these reasons following 1. That is a lawfull prayer wherein the desires of our hearts are lifted up or poured out unto God for Divine blessing according to his will in the name of Jesus Christ by the help of the Spirit of grace But in a set or stinted form of prayer the desires of the heart may be lifted up or poured out unto God according to his will c. Or That form of prayer is just and lawfull wherein all things essentiall to prayer or necessarily required in the word of God may be observed But all things essentiall to prayer or necessarily required in the word of God may be observed in a prescript form or read prayer What is required in holy prayer more then this That the matter be allowable and fit the manner holy reverent fervent and faithfull our wants laid open and petitions forced with as strong or stronger reasons and arguments then we are able of our selves to presse them with And may not a prayer holy and meet for the matter thereof be read or uttered with humility feeling of our wants earnestnesse of desire holinesse of affection and faith in Gods promises In reading the scripture the eye doth lead the heart and yet it may be read with judgement reverence meeknesse and joy why may not the same affections be moved in a prescript form and read prayer What necessitie is there that the heart and eye should be at variance in this duty when they may be conjoyned in the other Asaph and his brethren could praise God in a form of words set down by the prophet David And if a prescript form of words may be allowed in Thanksgiving which is one part of prayer it cannot be condemned in Petition The matter of our requests must fit the occasion so must the matter of our thanks and praise The Spirit of grace teacheth us to pray and the same Spirit moveth us to return praise for benefits received We must pray with the spirit and we must praise with the heart In the dedication of the temple Solomon used the very words of the psalme which David vowed to use at the bringing in of the Ark into his house Jehoshaphat in that excellent thanksgiving which he made appointed the priests and Levites to use a prescript form of words So did Hezekiah Zerubbabel and Jehushua And if we may sing psalmes with the spirit and with understanding with feeling and joy of heart as it is commanded in a form of words stinted and prescribed it cannot be thought a thing impossible to pray with affection in a stinted and prescribed form The differences which some put between Praysing God with a psalme and Calling upon Gods name are little to the purpose do not at all touch the force of the argument For thus the reason standeth In singing psalmes penned by the prophet David or other holy men of God the eye doth lead the heart no lesse then it doth in a stinted form of prayer and yet they may be sung after an holy manner with grace in the heart therefore a stinted form of prayer may be read or said without book with that affection of heart which God requireth in prayer And let the differences be as broad as they will in other things in this they do agree This reason may be drawn into another form thus Whatsoever hath the true matter and form of prayer that is truly and properly a prayer For where the true matter and form of a
thing is found there follow all necessarie requisites to the true and complete being thereof But a prescript from of prayer sound and fit for matter grave for the manner of penning and read or uttered as our prayer with knowledge faith reverence and fervencie of affection hath the true matter and form of prayer For the matter of our prayers are those common blessings and speciall good things which according to the will and pleasure of God we are to beg of him for our selves and others The true form of prayer I speak of prayer uttered with the voice is the outward disposition and frame of words and the inward elevation and lifting up of the heart to God by the holy Ghost Will any man say that all these things cannot be observed in a stinted form of prayer common experience will confute him Who knoweth not the matter of many prescript forms of prayer to be good and necessary for all men All our wants and particular occasions are not mentioned or laid open in the prayers conceived by the minister or governour of the family and yet no man judgeth them for that cause unlawfull though imperfect It is not then prejudiciall to the lawfull use of a prescript form that many particulars which we stand in need of are not therein mentioned Can it not be read or uttered with right disposition of heart how then can we sing with joy or praise God with cheerfulnesse in a stinted or set form of words Is it not easier to cry for what we need with feeling then to return praise with love and joyfulnesse for what we have obteined He that will confesse it possible to give thanks aright in a set form of words devised by others or invented of himself cannot deny the same in prayer with any shew of truth or colour of reason Men may read it viz. the Lords prayer and humane liturgies with understanding and feelling saith M r Ainsworth Again If in the ordinary use of the Lords prayer publick and private without addition or variation all things required in prayer by the word of God may be observed then a stinted form of prayer may have the true matter and form of prayer or all things required in prayer may be observed in a stinted form But in the ordinary use of the Lords prayer publick and private without addition or variation all things required in prayer by the word of God may be observed For the matter there is no word in the Lords prayer which doth not ordinarily in great measure and in the main alwayes concern every Christian mans estate though he cannot reach unto all things comprehended in this prayer And all our wants are conteined within the compasse of the Lords prayer and may be deduced thence though they be not in â—lat terms expressed Infinite things are included in the Lords prayer which the weak and imperfect faith of the godly cannot reach unto but such and so much reach the weak faith hath that the child of God doth and may with comfort and profit use the Lords prayer as a prayer The Lords prayer is both the foundation of our godly prayers and the prayer of prayers Some weights and measures may be as rules to others and used as weights and measures themselves Concupiscence is both sin and the cause of sin Of ancient times the Lords prayer was used in all publick Liturgies and was of frequent use among private Christians Tertullian fitly calleth it The law of prayer and breviary of the Gospel Calvine The rule That it may be used with right disposition and affection of soul is confessed by them that dislike all stinted forms and testified by the experience of all Christians Therefore the Lords prayer may lawfully be used as a prayer both in publick and private by ministers and people weak and strong But first we are willed to note That the forms mentioned in scriptures of the old Testament are but for some speciall occasions and commanded to the church not from every ordinary church-officer priests and Levites but onely from the Prophets who had an extraordinary immediate calling from God who might as well deliver for scripture-oracles the truth of God taught by them as any forms of prayers and praises This we have observed and do acknowledge the forms of psalmes prayers and praises given by the Prophets immediately called and chosen of God to be parts of the sacred Canon to which it is not lawfull for particular churches or the whole church in generall to adde the least jot or tittle But this is not to the point in hand For we do not reason thus That seeing the Prophets by extraodinary and immediate calling gave speciall forms of prayer or praises to the church upon speciall occasion which are parts of the Canon therefore the church may do the like But thus we conclude and that according to the truth That seeing holy men have prescribed and the faithfull have used these forms not by extraordinary inspiration or speciall prerogative but upon grounds common to them and us the like forms may be prescribed and used without speciall commandment And seeing the Prophets and holy men of God by inspiration gave certain psalmes or forms of prayer and praise unto the church to be use upon speciall occasion which have the true matter and form of prayer and praise when they be used as a prayer or thanksgiving in faith reverence humility c. according to the present occasion therefore prayer uttered in a stinted form of words or read upon a book as a prayer may come from the spirit and be tendred to God with right affection A man may reade when he prayeth and the eye may guide the heart when the holy Ghost doth lift up and make it able to poure forth its desires unto the Lord. And if those forms of prayers and praises which are parts of the scripture may have the true nature matter form of prayer c. when they be used in faith and by the power of the holy Ghost enabling us to pray or praise the Lord in that form other forms of prayers or praises fit for matter may have the true matter form of prayer or praise when they be used in faith by the power of the holy Ghost as occasion requireth For the prayers recorded in holy scripture have not the true nature and form of prayer in respect of us because they are recorded in scripture but as they are used by us in holy manner upon fitting occasion and other forms fit for the matter used in such manner as God commandeth in faith humility reverence c. by the quickening power of the Spirit have the true matter and form of prayer as well as they But those forms are not the devise of man as be the other True as they be part of holy scripture they are of God both in respect of matter and form but as
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
had been sinne for the poor woman to bring a pigeon that was not of ability to bring a lamb For her extreme necessitie had freed her from the law but authoritie she had none to institute one rite in the place of another If we apply these instances to the matter in hand they will not hold For God never forbad a stinted form of prayer never gave commandment that whosoever did offer the sacrifice of prayer should bring a conceived prayer nor by dispensation speciall and peculiar warranted him that wanteth a conceived to bring a book-prayer And if the cases be like I should think the Lord would have prescribed a set form for the weak and feeble Christian as he hath appointed the oblation of the poor woman and not left him to seek up and down he knoweth not where and to bring an humane invention in stead of pure and true worship And if the Lord have determined any set form in that caâ—e then the weak Christian must use that alone and none other Let this distinction passe for currant and what commandment is there which may not be deluded For consonant to these positions we may say Images must not be devised for worship but in some case of necessitie for they may be naturall helps to teach or stirre up affection as well as a book may be a naturall help to supply some defect in prayer The minister must not use wine milk or rose-water as the outward signe in baptisme unlesse it be in some case of necessity as a naturall help to supply the defect of water The midwife must not baptize out of the case of necessity when the minister is at hand but in case of necessity she is a naturall help to supply the defect of a minister The pastour must be apt to teach unlesse it be in case of necessity when an ignorant man is chosen to supply his room A man must not defraud or circumvent his neighbour it is true unlesse it be in case of necessity This also seemeth strange that a book should be a naturall help to supply some defect in case of necessitie and cease to be naturall when voluntarily used as an help and furtherance by him that needeth it not The conclusion of all is this That a stinted publick form of prayer is the breach of no commandment no forbidden invention of man either in the deviser or user in the case of necessity or otherwise CHAP. IIII. It is as lawfull to pray unto God in a form of words devised by others as to sing psalmes to the praise of God in a stinted form of words prescribed by others IF it be lawfull to sing psalmes to the prayse of God in a stinted form of words prescribed by others and devised by man then likewise to pray unto God in a stinted form devised by others For as prayer is an ordinance of God and a branch of his worship so is singing of psalmes to the prayse of God As God hath left no stinted form of prayer for his church whereunto he hath tied all men and all churches no more hath he prescribed any stinted form of singing as necessary for all times and churches in the new Testament As the one must be done with the heart and spirit so the other As in the one the words are devised by men and prescribed by others so in singing of psalmes If the one be the invention of man a strange prayer the similitude of a prayer the other is an invention of man a strange psalme the similitude of a psalme And if a man be disposed to reason against singing of psalmes in a form of words devised by others he might more plausibly argue That in the infancy of the church when God saw a set form of psalmes to be necessarie he inspired holy men to pen holy and divine psalmes which might be of use for that time when such worship was required but in the times of the new Testament no set form of singing is prescribed of God no authoritie is given to the church or ordinary officers to prescribe any set form which might be of use to all churches there is neither precept for nor precedent of any prescript form of singing in the scripture since Christs time all essentiall parts of Gods worship may be performed without it as appeareth by the examples of the primitive churches and seeing God never commanded nor promised to accept any such stinted forms it is a manifest breach of the second commandment These and such like arguments do make as strongly in every point against a stinted form of psalmes as against a prescript form of prayer But I have not read that the singing of psalmes in a prescript form devised by others is unlawfull Singing of psalmes and praying differ many wayes as Many psalmes are for instruction onely and those psalmes which contein prayers are written for our instruction In prayer the minister alone uttereth the words the people adding their Amen in the end but in singing every person in the church pronounceth every word and syllable aloud The psalmes are parts of scriptures wherein God speaketh unto us teaching and instructing us and we our selves and one another mutually Prayers are poured forth in prose psalmes in verse In prayer we beg things necessary for our selves and others in psalmes we praise God for mercies received c. It is vain to examine or alledge these or such like differences because they make nothing to weaken the force of the argument For be the differences never so many in these and other particulars in this they agree that they be parts of worship to be performed according to the will and commandment of God and therefore if a stinted form of prayer be unlawfull because not commanded or ordained of God a stinted form of psalmes not bearing the Lords stamp must come under the same censure unlesse they can plead speciall dispensation for it And if a prescript form of psalmes not commanded of God be allowable and may be used in Gods service a stinted form of prayer is unjustly censured for that reason It is a received rule A Quatenus ad Omne valet argumentum If stinted prayer be unwarrantable because it is not appointed of God a stinted form of singing not commanded must not be used If a prescript form of singing not commanded of God be approveable in his sight for that cause a stinted form of prayer must not be disliked One circumstance that putteth a materiall difference in the thing or person from whence the argument or reason of likenesse is drawn is sufficient to weaken its force but twentie particular differences betwixt the branches of worship weaken not an argument drawn from the agreement of the branches in the common nature of worship Of which sort this is The Anabaptists may put many differences betwixt circumcision and baptisme and yet the argument is good against them Infants of Christian parents ought to be baptized
particular sinnes against the law of God the state of man by nature and the condition of the Saints and of the church as also to think upon the works of Gods providence and how he is pleased to deal with his people in all places 2. The better to stirre up confidence and affection and to furnish himself with words and matter it is not unlawfull nor unprofitable to reade the prayers of the godly registred in holy scripture or published in other godly books to observe the matter of their prayer their ferventnesse in praying and the arguments wherewith they pressed their suits and contended for audience 3. After a man hath collected matter for prayer by meditation and reading he may studie to digest it into due order and method and to expresse his requests in fit and decent speech and the same so conceived he may utter as a prayer according as occasion shall offer it self The reason may be thus contracted If the Spirit of God doth work by means and stir up good desires but giveth not abilitie to expresse our desires in fitting significant words 〈◊〉 it is lawfull for us to use all godly means to stirr up the graces of God in us and premediate how we may utter our requests in such form and manner as may best serve for our quickning and the edification of others And if the use of a premeditated form of words in prayer do not stint the Spirit in a sinfull manner a set form of prayer cannot be condemned as injurious to the Spirit The Spirit of God is the onely sufficient help which God giveth us to help our infirmities in the time of prayer Rom. 8. 26. Gal. 4. 6. Zech. 12. 10. We confesse most willingly that prayer is not a work of nature wit or learning but of the Spirit of grace True desire or abilitie to pray is not bred in us by nature nor procured and gotten by our study and industry but proceedeth onely from the holy Ghost as the authour and efficient and this is proved by the places quoted But ability to pray standeth in the lifting up of the soul unto God not in the ample expression of our desires according to the various occasions in fit words and pressing them with forcible arguments Prayer is the immediate work of the Spirit But no text of scripture doth in such sense make the holy Ghost the authour of prayer or helper of our infirmities as that it should be unlawfull to make use of outward means to furnish the soul with matter stirre up the graces of God in the heart and blow the coals of the spirit For then we must not reade the scriptures nor other godly books we may not meditate or conferre the better to fit us for prayer Peradventure it will be said the Spirit of God is our onely helper in the time of prayer so that at other times we may use helps to stirre up the graces of the Spirit but not in the time of prayer And if this distinction be found in scripture or by sound reason may be deduced out of scripture we must hearken unto it but if it be of our selves whiles we pleade against the devises of men we maintein devises The Spirit of grace is at all times the sole mover and enabler of us to pray and the use of lawfull helps and such as suite with the nature of prayer are at no time unlawfull As it is fit to meditate and reade before we pray so in prayer it is lawfull to kneel lift up the eyes and hands use the help of the voyce and the benefit of a Christian friend to stirre up affection Therefore for the lawfulnesse of book-prayer we may dispute thus If it be lawfull to use externall helps in time of prayer the better to stirre up affection then book-prayer is not to be condemned for this that the Spirit of God is the onely or sufficient help that God giveth to help our infirmities in the time of prayer But it is lawfull to use externall helps in time of prayer The Spirit alone either immediately or by means sanctified and ordained by himself maketh requests for us yea it is by the immediate teachings and suggestions of the Spirit that all our requests must be put up no other helps are mentioned or can be collected in the present action of prayer I will not stand to enquire how these things can agree together what is meant by the immediate teachings of the Spirit or how the Spirit maketh requests either immediately or by means The Spirit alone and that immediately is the authour of prayer but by means he ministreth varietie of matter order and words But what are we to understand by means sanctified and ordained by himself If means ordained by speciall institution it is too strait and hard to conceive what they be If means allowed by God as those whereby we may furnish our selves with words and matter for prayer as reading godly books conference meditation on the works of God c. a stinted form of prayer is a means sanctified And here I desire it may be noted in what sense a form of prayer is called a means or furtherance not as a means or form of worship properly so called but as in fit words and phrases it presenteth to our minds or memories what we ought to beg agreeable to the word of God as the frame of words and matter kept in memory may be called and is reputed a stinted form A stinted form of prayer quencheth the Spirit It is a quenching of the Spirit to reade another mans prayer upon a book That quencheth the Spirit which is as water to cool or allay or exstinguish the heat of that holy fire which cannot be imputed to a set form of prayer either by authoritie of scripture or sound reason Reading godly books is an exercise profitable to stirre up the graces of Gods Spirit in us were it not a wonder if reading a godly prayer should produce the contrary effect As in the ministery of the word the corruption of mans heart and the hainousnesse of sinne may more lively and fully be discovered for his humiliation then he is able of himself to set it forth so in prayer penned by a goldy andwell experienced Christian the case of a distressed soul may more pithily and amply be deciphred and anatomized then he of himself is able to lay it open And in such case to deny this lawfull help is to take away a crutch from the lame and bread from the hungry In the very act of prayer it is lawfull to use outward helps whereby we may be enabled to pray better and shall it not be lawfull for a burdened soul perplexed with doubtings overwhelmed with bitter anguish to use the help of a book that he might the better unfold and lay open his misery into the bosome of his loving Father The ample and particular laying open of our necessities doth ease the
heart and move affections and when this may be done better by the help of a book in prayer then of our selves how can the use thereof be accused as the quenching of the Spirit It is the Spirit indeed that doth help us in our infirmities but we must use means to stirre up the graces of the Spirit in us He quencheth not the Spirit who laboureth to blow the coals of grace and useth all helps afforded in most ample and particular manner to unburden his heart before the Lord. He doth not substitute his Christian friends in the place of the word and Spirit who not able to lift up his own soul by reason of griâ—vous straitnesse and pressure of heart doth crave his help and assistance in prayer And may not a godly book supply the lack of Christian companion When we are dull and out of order we may joyn with others in prayer for our relief and quickning why then should it be intolerable to make this benefit of a godly book A set form of prayer may be committed to memory and uttered from it doth that also quench the Spirit It is not safe they say for a minister to limit himself alwayes to one form of prayer though devised by himself But if it be a quenching of the Spirit an humane invention forbidden in the second commandment if it cannot be made by the Spirit if it be not that true and spirituall worship which God requireth it is not lawfull ordinarily nor once for minister or private christian in publick or private in case of distresse or otherwise for the objection is generall That all stinted forms of prayer do quench the Spirit and these mitigations of safe alwayes and for a minister are a plain concession there is no force in the reason These stinted forms do quench the Spirit of prayer in that they deprive the church and minister of that libertie of the Spirit of prayer which God would have them use stinting the minister yea all the ministers of the kingdome to the same measure of the Spirit not onely one with another but all of them with him that is dead and rotten Nothing is here objected against our stinted form which may not with like truth be alledged against the reading of a prescribed and set translation the use of the Lords prayer a set form of blessing singing of psalms and baptizing in these precise words I baptize thee c. For in these things it may be said The minister yea all the ministers in the kingdome are stinted to the same measure of the Spirit c. And if in those particulars that form of reasoning be of no weight in this it is but an empty sound A stinted form depriveth not the minister or church of that libertie of the Spirit which God would have them use seeing they may use that notwithstanding as the severall occasions of the church or people shall require If all ministers throughout the Christian world should put up the same holy and just petitions to God in the same phrase of speech as in the words of the Lords prayer they should neither stint the Spirit to one measure nor deprive the church of the liberty of the Spirit seeing the measure of the Spirit standeth not in words and forms but in fervent sighs and groans and they have time and libertie to pray besides as God shall enable them and the present occasions of the assembly require And if it must needs be that in a stinted form the Spirit is stinted to one measure then all stinting of the Spirit is not quenching of the Spirit For the minister doth not quench the Spirit if he stint it in respect of time and occasions Suppose sundry private Christians in the assembly do excell their pastour in the gift of prayer the wife excell the husband the child or servant excell the master or governour is the Spirit quenched in them when it is stinted for the time to their measure in prayer Suppose divers Christians meeting upon occasion the weakest in gifts be put to pray for the rest is the Spirit in them quenched because it is stinted to his measure The question is not of prayer devised by a mans self or of limiting the Spirit in the people but of prayer devised by others and imposed and of limiting the Spirit of the minister the first is lawfull the second sinfull The question is of a publick stinted form of prayer or Liturgie Whether it quench the Spirit in the minister or the people and Whether it quench the Spirit because it stinteth it Whether the form be devised by others or by a mans self imposed or voluntarily taken up that is nothing to the matter in hand but Whether it quench the Spirit because for the time it is limited to that form of words And if we look into the matter it self the Spirit of God may be quenched in a mans self no lesse by the rude customary use of a form devised by a mans self then by a form imposed by others and it may be as prejudiciall to the comfort of Gods people And if we consult the scripture where shall we find this distinction of limiting the Spirit by prayer devised by a mans self or devised of others of stinting the Spirit in respect of time occasion form of prayer uttered out of memory or read upon a book But the distinction it self hath been confuted already together with the assertion That a stinted prayer doth quench the Spirit It cannot properly be said saith one that the Spirit is limited by his own ordinance but when the Spirit of the minister is straitned by forms prescribed to him by men without Gods ordinance and appointment then the Spirit is limited and stinted indeed But this is a bare repetition of what was said before without proof or reason and besides a strange description of limiting the Spirit is nothing but a proof of one thing by the same And here I desire two things may be noted First though many reasons in shew be brought against the use of stinted prayer yet when the matter cometh to the upshot they are barely one and that nakedly affirmed Stinted prayer is unlawfull because in reading book â—prayer he doth not exercise his own but another mans gifts Is this reason good No for in reading scripture out of a translation he exerciseth another mans gifts But stinted prayer is the devise of man A child of twelve or thirteen yeares old may reade a stinted prayer as well as the minister The same may be said of reading the Scriptures But stinted prayer is the devise of man It is unlawfull to stint the Spirit Yet this is done in praying with others But stinted prayer is the devise of man So that all hangeth upon this string for the confirmation whereof nothing is alledged Secondly they take that for granted evermore which should be proved or prove the same by the same as Stinted prayer doth
first receive a stinted form of prayer and the councels themselves take order touching the reading of the scripture and the singing of psalmes and other things which pertein to a stinted Liturgie So that those Fathers churches had not learned that the same reasons which silence the Apocrypha in the congregation will silence all stinted forms of Liturgie as well and as much As it were a ridiculous thing for a child when he would ask of his father bread c. to reade it to him out of a paper so it is for the children of God especially for the ministers of the Gospel in their publick ministrations to reade unto God their requests for their own and the churches wants out of a service-book wherein they are stinted to words and syllables It is a common saying Similitudes agree not in all things and a rule as generall That to argue from a bare similitude is the loosest kind of reasoning which may be applyed to cover or countenance any errour or abuse whatsoever Therefore this objection might well have been passed over as it is omitted by the most that have written of this subject that I have seen but that colours and shadows do often take more with some then that which is substantiall If a man would set himself to plead for superstitious abuses and idolatrous practices errours and unwritten traditions is it not an easie matter by some similitude to cast a fair glosse upon them And it is a strange thing that such as with so much earnestnesse set themselves against all humane inventions and devises in Gods worship should by their form of reasoning open the floud-gates wide for all superstitious idolatrous antichristian devises and impieties as this reason doth I need not instance every man that knoweth what is principally alledged in defense of any popish vain unprofitable superstitious or idolatrous practice or custome or will take pains to look must needs see this to be so But to look upon the objection it self If a child being to ask many particulars of his father for himself and others should write them in a paper for the help of memory or some other reason and having committed them to memory as they are registred in his paper should in that form of words digested and written down present his requests before his father without addition or alteration what morall evil or incivility should be committed in this case why should this be esteemed a thing ridiculous And if similitudes do please so well may we not say with more reason and upon better ground That as a learned oratour being to make an oration in an honourable presence about divers matters of weight and importance will not onely study and digest but penne his speech and deliver it word for word as it is contrived and penned so the minister of the Lord of hosts in his publick ministration is not onely to consider what requests he is to make to God in his own and the peoples behalf but to digest them into fit method and to penne or write them down and to utter them in the congregation as he hath contrived them Let the indifferent judge whether of these two be the most reasonable Book-prayer is generally laid aside in the families of best Christians And in all reformed churches generally the use of a book by every able and godly minister is left off and at home it is accounted and complained of as a burden by the better sort of them that use it Many things are disused and that by the best Christians which are not unlawfull Where there be many wayes to the wood ordinarily men may make choice of one or two not disallowing the other It is lawfull for Christians when they pray in their families dayly to reade the ten commandments the profession of faith c. which is generally laid aside without sinne Many things also may be decent in the congregation which are not so expedient and requisite in the family And in one congregation a thing may be lawfull and of use which is disused in another without sin where yet it would not be unprofitable The deacons in Chrysostomes and Basils time used to call upon the people with these words Oremus Attendamus Let us pray Let us give eare The deacon at the holy mysteries stood up and thus spake unto the people Oremus pariter omnes The manner was that before every lesson or chapter the minister should say unto the people Let us attend If this custome be disused either in the congregation or Christian families at this day it doth not argue the thing it self to be indecent or unprofitable And if by Book-prayers all stinted forms whether read or repeated by help of memory be understood they are not so generally rejected in the families of the best Christians nor in the ministery of the most able and godly ministers as the objection importeth Let us heare the testimony of a godly learned and well experienced minister now at rest with the Lord When as saith he the question is made by many of the lawfulnesse or at least of the expediency of praying by the help of a book or of using a prescript and set form of prayer it is to be considered that there be divers degrees and measures of gifts both naturall as wit memory utterance as also of grace as knowledge faith zeal given to divers men besides that some have been more trained and exercised in this holy duty then others Now they that are better gifted either by nature or else by grace and custome may use the more liberty Which difference I have observed not onely in divers private Christians but also in some most reverend faithfull and worthy ministers some using both in their publick ministery and in their private families a stinted prayer and set form of words with little alteration at all except some extraordinary occasion have happend and yet both sorts so furnished with pietie and learning as I could hardly preferre one before the other And a little after For the publick congregation for the most part it is expedient to keep a constant form both of matter and also of words and yet without servile tying of our selves to words and syllables If the judgement of reformed churches abroad or of the godly faithfull learned and reverend at home be of any weight they are so farre from complaining of a stinted form as burdensome that in many cases they judge it expedient A set form of prayer and administration of the sacraments not onely devised by the minister himself but agreed upon by the churches is approved by generall consent Is there any reformed church established which hath not their book of common prayer The ministers at home to whom the use of common prayer hath been thought most burdensome have from time to time professed their liking and approbation of a stinted Liturgy That they like well enough of
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
of the word and the prayers of the minister when he exerciseth his own gifts from which we must not separate and where presence is not approbation But whatsoever is objected touching abuses the whole building leaneth upon this foundation and this alone That stinted prayer is the devise of man And this objecting of abuses in this question is the devise of man because it is brought in to ensnare the simple-hearted Christian when other grounds will not hold and yet in plain terms it is disclaimed as soon as it is alledged Whatsoever worship is offered up to God by the minister is in their name and so the action of the assembly then present who are to declare their assent by saying Amen if it be lawfull if otherwise to call upon their minister to fulfill the ministery which he hath received of the Lord Col. 4. 17. and as occasion shall require to proceed further to declare their dislike in such a manner as is meet either by absenting themselves from it or otherwayes declaring their dislike so as the whole church may take notice of it Whatsoever worship is offered up to God by the minister whether in prayer conceived by himself or devised by others it is in the name of the congregation but every phrase petition or branch of petition is not approved by their presence silence or saying Amen to the prayers in generall as in the former passage is acknowledged The presence of the people was never deemed interpretatively a consent to every thing that was there done The prayers which for matter God disalloweth we ought to disallow but as God disalloweth them and as he calleth us forth to bear witnesse to his truth But it is one thing to tolerate another to approve one thing to disallow the method or form another the matter one thing privately to dislike another openly to witnesse against a thing as in no wise to be born withall one thing to speak when we are called forth another to thrust our selves forth unadvisedly Some things are to be born with in brethren whereof we are not bound so much as to admonish them unlesse we be intirely familiar and of intimate acquaintance Some things we must bear with though upon admonition they be not amended The people must bear with some infirmities in their minister both in preaching and prayer as he must with some wants in them without so much as taking notice of them to admonish by way of censure And if upon admonition he cannot be of their minds in every thing they must not reject and cast him off no more then he is to cut them off because in every point they conform not to his pleasure If the parties be stubborn and will not heare admonitions but rather grow more perverse and desperate even to rent and tear in pieces such as seek to reclaim them we are not bound to make known our judgement and profession unto them unlesse we be lawfully called of God thereunto And if the greater part be in errour and so stiff that they would sooner persecute the better then reform if it be not in matters fundamentall or bordering thereupon or noxious and pernicious to be concealed I know not that either that innocent is allowed to separate from the exercises of religion for that cause or bound to admonish them of their errour He that taught to suffer the tares rather then to pluck up the wheat with them hath shewed a reason for this judgement This I do infinitely grieve at saith Augustine that many most wholsome precepts of Divine scripture are little regarded and in the mean time all is so full of many presumption that he is more grievously found fault with who during this Octaves toucheth the earth with his naked foot then he that shall bury his soul in drunkennesse And after I cannot approve them and I think they are to be cut off wheresoever we have power Many of these things for fear of scandalizing many holy persons or provoking those that are turbulent I dare not freely disallow That every private Christian should in publick manner question the doctrine of his minister or the prayers of the congregation and declare his dislike in whatsoever is not agreeable to his particular opinion in such manner as is mentioned is neither commanded of God nor consonant to right reason is not agreeable to order peace love or Christian moderation and of necessitie must fill the church with confusion disorder rents and schismes If reading the Liturgie be the praying which Gods word alloweth we are bound in conscience to apply our selves unto it as Gods ordinance and not we onely but also all the churches throughout the world If not we are bound to witnes against it Here the reason taken from the faults of our Liturgie is plainly dismissed out of the field For our Liturgie is to be witnessed against by this objection not because it is erroneous or faulty nor for the matter or manner of imposition but simply because it is not the Liturgie appointed by Christ in the New Testament And many things are here confounded which should have been distinguished Prayer is the ordinance of God and all Christians are bound in conscience to apply themselves unto it But the forms of prayer may be divers all allowed because none is necessary or determined and therefore though allowed no man is bound in conscience precisely to apply himself unto any one and none other much lesse all churches And as they are not bound unto any one so neither to witnesse against it a stinted Liturgie being of the number of things lawfull but not determined by God Though all presence where sinne is acted contracteth not guilt yet the danger is greatest when we are in the use of Gods ordinance It is one thing to be present where that which is sinne in it self absolutely and simply is acted another to be present at the doing of some necessary duty wherein by accident somewhat is amisse Now to joyn in prayer or participation of the sacrament is to communicate in the necessary duties of piety not in sinne and if ought be done amisse it is by accident not by it self And presence there though sinne be committed by one or other is lesse dangerous because it is not free and voluntary but necessary and enjoyned We are not left at liberty to come or not as please our selves but commanded under pain of sinne to be there present and he that calleth will preserve from danger and accept of our service which he commandeth And if presence was dangerous yet it is not unlawfull for by watchfulnesse the danger might be prevented and not by separation or withdrawing our selves from the worship it self If there be danger I must be vigilant and circumspect but I must not shut the doore against Christ when he knocketh nor refuse to come unto Christ when he inviteth to sup with him And if all be
the church ought to be saints and holy must be such as they ought to be in some measure or they shall not be approved of God They are saints who have made a covenant with God by sacrifice But as for the wicked they have nothing to do with the covenant The end of the calling of the church is holinesse to the glory of God at all times and it is true in one age as well as another that they who are utterly unanswerable or clean contrary affected to the ends of the true church which are holinesse and the glory of God they are not called into covenant or communion with God If in one age of the church the scriptures asscribe not holinesse to a people for some fews sake if the rest be unholy and profane it asscribeth it to them in no age If in one state of the church unclean persons and things do pollute and unhallow clean persons and things and a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump it must hold true in every age in its proportion And therefore if ignorant unwise impenitent uncircumcised in heart and life rebellious and obstinate in course and conversation might be in externall covenant with God and in that respect a separated holy and chosen people with whom the faithfull might hold communion externall in the ordinances of worship then it is lawfull for Christians to partake in the ordinances of Gods worship though scandalous livers be admitted with whom in partaking we must have externall communion For if the scandalous were in covenant then they may be so now If communion with the wicked defile now it defiled then If the godly might then communicate because they could not cast out the ungodly the same reason is good at this day If the faithfull be bound to reprove their delinquent brother and not suffer sin to rest upon him the same duty did concern them in former times If the sacraments be now available and of use according to the covenant of promise which God hath made to the faithfull and their seed and none otherwise as the sacraments are one in their common nature so in their use available onely to the children of the covenant at all times If it be contrary to the main ends for which the Lord gathereth and preserveth his church upon earth that wicked and ungodly men should be received into covenant or permitted to continue in the society of the faithfull it was unlawfull in the Jewish as well as in the Christian churches And therefore if the church of the Jews all this notwithstanding continued the true church of God when it was corrupted in doctrine and manners in officers and ordinances of worship when the teachers were dumb dogs and blind guides the prophets prophesied lies and the priests received gifts and the people rebellious adulterous oppressours an assembly of rebells when the priesthood was bought and sold the temple defiled and made an house of merchandise the law corrupted with false glosses and made void with false and sinfull traditions when errour heresie idolatry oppression rebellion stubbornnesse and all manner of sin was exceeding rife among them If when all these things were amisse and greatly out of order they yet continued the sheep of the Lords visible flock and the Lord was pleased to own them for his people his flock his inheritance if they reteined still the holy law of God and the seal of his covenant and the prophets and faithfull servants of God held lawfull communion with the church in the ordinances of God then the covenant of God is not disannulled with his people because ignorant and prophane persons are tolerated in the assembly nor the godly defiled because scandalous persons are suffered to communicate The word may be preached to heathen and infidels for their conversion Paul preached the word to the scoffing Athenians and to the blasphemous Jews and yet had no externall communion with them as with members of the same body The word may be preached to them that are without for their conversion to the faith to them that be within the church by baptisme and externall profession for their found conversion unto God conversion from particular sinnes and building forward in grace and holinesse The word is preached to heathens and inâ—idels but no communion with them is had thereby because they are not of the Christian society But to scandalous persons first received into the church by baptisme and not cast out by publick censure the word is preached as unto members and not as unto bare hearers and they are admitted to the prayers of the congregation as well as to the hearing of the word and that as members in outward covenant Therefore it is an act of communion in some mens opinions To use one ordinance and not another is to make a schisme in the church And as the preaching of the word not the bare tender of the word but the giving of it to dwell and abide with a people is a note of a true church so is the hearing of the word an act of communion with the church If the presence of the wicked doth not defile Gods ordinance to the worthy receiver then it is lawfull to receive the sacrament in a mixt congregation where scandalous persons are admitted For what but pollution or defilement can warrant voluntary Separation and departure from the Lords ordinance But the presence of the wicked doth not defile Gods ordinance to the worthy receiver The simple presence doth not defile For then the presence of close hypocrites and secret dissemblers who are in truth unworthy though they appear not so to us should pollute and defile Not his knowledge of their unworthinesse For then Judas his presence had stained the ordinance of God to our Saviour himself to whom the unworthinesse of Judas was well known then one man should be bound in conscience to excommunicate another or himself rather before the matter be brought to the church yea for that which in conscience cannot be brought unto the church Not the notorious knowledge of their unworthinesse seeing he hath no power to repell them nor leave from Christ to withdraw or separate himself from the society It is the duty of a godly man to withdraw himself from all private familiarity with the wicked and by no voluntary friendship to ensnare himself with them But it is one thing to avoid the private society of wicked men another for the hatred of the wicked to renounce the publick communion of the church and so of Christ who is present with his people The duties which I ow to a brother in this course I must perform but privately excommunicate him or separate my self from the congregation for his sake I must not because I have no charge from God no pattern from the godly so to do My communion with the
promise of blessing upon them both the persons and sacrifices are abominable This peremptory censure is as directly crosse to that which followeth immediately in the same authour as any thing that can be spoken For if the toleration or maintenance of one sinner against reproof and conviction do necessarily dischurch a society how then did the church of the Jews continue the true church of God wherein sinne was generally impudently impenitently committed and that by such as should have censured it in others where the offenders were countenanced and the reprovers persecuted imprisoned put to death If no church in the world now hath that absolute promise of the Lords visible presence which that church then had till the coming of Christ if the Messiah must be born in the true church and the Lord did ever afford the Jews some or other visible signes of his presence in the greatest apostasie this is nothing to the purpose For if the maintenance of one wicked ungodly wretch wipeth a church out of the Lords church-roll then the Jews who did both countenance offenders and commit wickednesse themselves and that with greedinesse had blotted themselves out of that book And if the Jews continued the church of God notwithstanding their great impiety and obduratenesse because the Lord continued the visible tokens of his presence among them then if a church or some in the church shall tolerate or countenance iniquity in others or practice it themselves so long as God shall be pleased to bear with their manners and vouchsafe unto them the signes of his gracious presence and holy ordinances it is to be reputed the true church of God wherewith the faithfull may hold communion in the branches of worship If therefore the authour had well pondered his own words or consulted the rule of our Saviour this labour might well have been spared But more fully to open the weaknesse of this objection Errours as in doctrine so in practice are of two sorts some fundamentall or bordering thereupon which concern the very heart and life of religion and cannot stand with faith and holinesse others not fundamentall which strike not directly at the soul of religion though they hinder the working somewhat or stain the work In matters fundamentall as the profession of faith must be intire in all points of simple belief so must the doctrine of the church in all things concerning practice but errours of inferiour alloy wherein godly men dissent pardonably one from another both concerning faith and practice may be found and mainteined in the true church Again sin and iniquity is mainteined either by teaching or by doing in our own persons and tolerating in others whom we should reform but do not If the church by doctrine maintein fundamentall evils as the worshipping of angels murder adultery c. she is to be esteemed hereticall But if the life be corrupt not from corrupt doctrine but contrary to the doctrine received the church is not to be accounted false because wicked ones which should be cast out are nourished in her bosome It is true the service which wicked men tender unto God is abomination as were the sacrifices which the Jews brought when their hands were full of bloud but the worship which the faithfull offer unto God in that corrupt society is pleasing and acceptable unto his majesty The prayer of the wicked is abomination to the Lord but the prayer of a wicked minister in respect of his office as the prayer of the congregation is effectuall and accepted for the faithfull who seek unto God with lips unfeigned The prophet commandeth us Plead or Contend with your mother contend with her because she is not my wife nor I her husband that she take away her whoredomes from before my face c. therefore if the church be remisse in her duty the children of the church must protest against her The meaning of the prophet is That the godly whether in Judah or Israel should contend with the ten tribes who by their idolatry had fallen from the conjugall covenant which God had contracted with them and had deserved to be put away with a bill of divorce because they had transgressed their matrimoniall troth and forsaking the true God had sought them other Gods whom they did love and worship And in like case no question but the faithfull may publickly and sharply rebuke the abominable idolatries of a false-claiming church such as Israel was at that time But if this be applyed to the true church in respect of every abuse or remissenesse we shall pervert the words of the prophet and run our selves upon the rocks True it is all abuses may and ought to be reproved in the time and place according to the nature and quality thereof but for every offense we cannot say truly in the name of God The church is not the spouse of Christ nor Christ her husband Every abuse in worship is not the adultery of the ten tribes If this had been the meaning of the prophet the prophets had gone most contrary to their own rules of all others for they sharply rebuked the personall sinnes of Judah as they received commission from the Lord other sinnes they touched but sparingly if at all but they never protested against her as no church of God they never charged the faithfull to depart from all communion with her lest they be partakers of her sinnes Here the Lord goeth before the faithfull in their contention with their supposed mother they must say what the Lord putteth into their mouthes and behave themselves toward her as the Lord is pleased to give them precedent by the tokens of his presence But they that take liberty to break off communion with their true mother and spouse of Christ because of some abuses sport and blemishes they speak of themselves when they charge her to be an adulteresse and not the spouse of Christ to maintein an idolatrous antichristian devised worship and they run of themselves without commission or authority when they voluntarily withdraw themselves from the ordinances of grace and communion with Christ in the same Therefore to conclude this point as corrupt and unworthy members can be no cause why those that are whole should forsake the body or neglect the offices perteining to the body though they be hindred in their working so no open grosse communicants can be any cause why the faithfull should forsake the church or communion with Christ or neglect the duties which in particular concern themselves though they cannot do all things that pertein to them with the whole body as being overborn or restrained by others without whom they cannot work CHAP. XII The community of the faithfull much lesse two or three separated from the world and gathered together into the name of Christ by a covenant are not the proper and immediate subject of power ecclesiasticall POwer might or efficacious force is not all one with authority or power Matter Sense
Understanding Will are called faculties or power Magistracy Principalities Governments we call powers or authorities which import not only might or power to an action but preeminence jurisdiction authority and government Ecclesiasticall power or administration of government is twofold proper to Christ and communicated to his church The proper government is that which Christ hath reserved onely to himself as not being shut up within any bounds of laws or orders revealed unto the creature but is executed according to his infinite wisdome by the secret hand of his Divine power and that both extraordinarily and ordinarily And this power is Lordly and Regall power absolute and of excellency which is called Power of right Communicated government is that which being limited within the compasse of certain laws and canons of his holy word he hath committed to be outwardly executed by the hand of his ministers and churches designed and appointed thereunto This power is ministeriall onely which consisteth in the outward using of the word sacraments c. and in the politicall guiding of the church concerning both the manners and necessities of all and every of them Though this latter part onely of the communicated government which is the politicall guiding of the church is that discipline which generally all ecclesiasticall writers speak of yet is not that all nor the principall of his authority And though Christ useth it many times as a chariot for his holy word to ride upon to subdue rebellious spirits yet it is neither the chief nor the most ordinary means but the simple preaching of the word is his continuall sword and sceptre whereby he saveth his people and conquereth his enemies beateth down strong holds and judgeth the very thoughts and conceits of the heart And this he doth by his word when it is not assisted by the discipline strictly taken for the word may stand without the discipline so cannot the discipline without the word But this ordinary power of the keyes or government with the execution thereof is not given to the community of the church or whole multitude of the faithfull much lesse to two or three separated from the world and gathered together by covenant so as they be the immediate and first receptacle thereof receiving it from Christ and virtually deriving it to others For no power agreeth to the multitude of the faithfull virtuall or formall but that which is given them of the Lord by his positive law The whole spirituall power for the gathering and government of his church is given to Christ as Mediatour and hath Christ our Lord the King of Saints Saviour of Sion the head of all principality and power the sole authour which he received not of the church but from the Father And if the power of the church be derived from and communicated by Christ unto his church of necessity it must draw its originall from Divine positive law and can agree to none but as it is communicated For although the light of nature teach that God is to be worshipped yet in substantiall things reason teacheth not how this worship of God is to be administred nor the house of God to be governed but in all this we must depend upon the mind and pleasure of Christ the King of his church and Saviour of his body The Apostles had none other authority but what was given them from Christ and the church is to derive all her authority from the same fountain from which the Apostles received theirs But the communicated power of the keyes with the execution thereof Christ hath not given immediately to the whole multitude but to some persons and officers designed and appointed thereunto Peruse the severall passages of scripture wherein the power and authority of preaching the Gospel administration of the sacraments binding and loosing is given unto the church and it is apparent distinct severall persons are spoken of and not the whole community Go teach all nations and baptize them Whose sinnes ye remit they are remitted and Feed my sheep Feed my lambs were these things spoken to the whole community or to speciall persons If Christ gave this power to the community or society I desire to know the date of this commission whether was it universall from the very beginning of the church or took it effect aftect churches were planted and established by the Apostles themselves Not the first for then the Apostles themselves should derive their power from the community and society of the faithfull which they did not but immediately from Christ and that both in respect of gifts and graces their calling it self and designation of their persons What Paul saith of himself That he was an Apostle not of man neither by man but by Jesus Christ and God the Father that is true of all the Apostles who were sent of Christ as the Father sent him and are called Apostles of Jesus Christ not onely because they were to preach Christ but because they received their commission from him Not in after-times for then they must shew where Christ committed the power of government first to the Apostles and afterwards to the community of the faithfull for which they can bring no record out of holy scripture The ministers and guides of the church are immediately of Jesus Christ from whom immediately they derive their power and authority by whom they are set over their charge in whose name they must execute their office unto whom they must give an account and whose ministers they are Take heed to your selves and to the whole flock over which the holy Ghost hath made you overseers the Apostle speaketh unto the Presbyters of Ephesus and saith they were appointed overseers of the holy Ghost that they might govern the church of God They were chosen and ordained of men and so by immediety of person were not of God but their gifts office and authority was immediately of God In conferring those offices God useth the ministery of men but the office or authority it self is not from men but from God alone God onely in regard of authority doth ever apply all power ecclesiasticall unto every particular person his sole authority doth all in it though sometimes as in ordinary callings the ministery of others doth concurre When Christ ascended up on high he gave gifts unto men some to be Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastours and teachers The Pastourship is the gift of Christ no lesse then the Apostleship and that the more because it is perpetuall in the church Every Pastour is not immediately called but the office and order of Pastours is immediately from Christ and not from the church The person is not immediate but the calling or vocation and so the order and authority and all the jurisdiction But if the calling order and authority be immediately from Christ then it is not
immediately from God and not from the people or he leaveth it to the arbitrement of the church to chuse according to pleasure such as must receive charge and authority from her and then they must execute their office in her name so as shall seem good unto the church and neither longer nor otherwise For if the ministers of the church be subject to God and Christ by the intervention of the faithfull onely that they preach or administer the sacraments rule or feed they have it from the people and not from God And if they depend immediately upon the faithfull to wit two or three gathered together in covenant they must derive and draw from them what in order they are to preach unto men in the name of the Lord For from him must the embassadour learn his errand from whom he receiveth his commission Moreover if the power of the keyes be given first and immediately unto the community of the faithfull what reason can be given why in defect of officers the church might not rule govern feed bind loose preach and administer the sacraments or if any fail in any office why she might not supply that want by her power For the power of the keyes doth contein both authority and exercise power being given to this end that it might be exercised as it is vouchsafed But the church when she is destitute of officers cannot execute those acts of rule nor by her power supply the want of any office onely she hath a ministery of calling one whom Christ hath described that from Christ he may have power of office given him in the vacant place In the church of Christ the officers are called servants and in that relation the church may be called a Lord And if Christ truly call the Sonne of man Lord of the Sabbath because the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath we may also call the church in a respect Lord of the officers for the officers are for the church and not the church for them The church-officers are the church-servants and it is strange men should have no command over their servants If the officers of Christ be both of and for the church or people and community the people may not onely in some respects be called their Lords but indeed they have a true lordlike power over them But the church hath no lordlike power over the ministers of Christ whom he hath set over his house to rule and guide it by authority received from him and according to his direction whose ministers properly they are who is the Prince of Pastours The object about which the ecclesiasticall ministery is exercised is the church and their function is for the good of the church but the principall cause and Lord of the ministers upon whom they depend is Christ and not the church When our Saviour saith The Sonne of man is Lord of the Sabbath he speaketh of himself alone rather then of man in generall For to be the Lord of the Sabbath that is to have the Sabbath in his power so as he might dispense or do contrary to the law is proper to the Law-giver But not to insist thereupon the ministers are appointed for the good of the flocks committed to their charge in the name of Christ but the flocks neither are nor ought to be called Lords or Masters of their Pastours or Teachers As in the naturall body all power is first in the community or totum and afterwards in a particular person or part so it is in the body ecclesiasticall All that is true in the body naturall or politick cannot be applyed to the mysticall body of Christ For analogum is not in omni simile for then it should be the same with the analogatum All the power of hearing seeing c. are in the whole man which doth produce them effectually though formally and instrumentally they are in the eare and eye and the reason is because these powers are naturall and whatever is naturall doth first agree to the community or totum and afterward to a particular person or part But all that is in these bodies cannot hold in Christs mysticall body In a naturall body the power is first in the community in a particular person from it but all ecclesiasticall power is first in our King before any in the church from him In naturall bodies the power of seeing is first immediately in the man and for the man in the eye In the mysticall body the faith of the believer is not first immediately in all then in the believer but first of all and immediately in the personall believer for whose good it serveth more properly then for the whole every man being to live by his own faith One man is capable of grace which cannot agree to the whole community immediately The power of Apostleship or of ordinary ministery was not first in the church and so derived to the Apostles and ministers but immediately from Christ seated in the Apostles and ordinary Pastours and Teachers For seeing power ecclesiasticall was first in Christ as in a prince not subject to the church or dependent upon her consequently it perteineth to him as prince to take order concerning his embassadours and substitutes whose power is derived from him not from the church who of her own nature is not a mistresse in spirituall things but the servant of Jesus Christ redeemed by him Christ is the first authour of this spirituall power upon whose will and institution all things depend as for the church she can give no spirituall power to few or many one or more as please herself for what time she will but must submit to that which Christ hath left for her spirituall good and comfort The words are as clear as the sun Tell the church that is the congregation or assembly whereof the offender is a member which rule concerneth all the visible churches in the world since the power of excommunication is an essentiall property one of the keys of the kingdome the onely solemn ordinance in the church for the humbling and saving of an obstinate offender and as necessary as the power to receive in members without which a church cannot be gathered or consist But what are we to understand by the church or assembly A company consisting though but of two or three separated from the world whether Unchristian or Antichristian and gathered into the name of Christ by a covenant made to walk in the wayes of God made known unto them though they be without any officers among them which company being a church hath interest in all the holy things of Christ within and amongst themselves immediately under him the head without any forrein aid or assistance For a set company of believers must needs be a constituted visible church Two or three or more people making Peters confession Matth. 16. are the church There were churches
other churches we shall not find the number of believers mentioned precisely but without question it was not samall in Antioch of which it is said a great number believing turned unto the Lord as that Barnabas by his preaching added a great multitude unto the Lord and that Paul and Barnabas continued there teaching and preaching with many others the word of the Lord. The like may be said of Corinth Philippi and the seven churches of Asia which are all spoken of as particular churches and societies They stretch the limits of the church of Corinth too farre that extend it to all the Saints in Achaia because the Apostle nameth the rest of Achaia with them as he doth all Saints in all places For he might speak of them as of divers churches in one province as he doth in other places And it is too grosse to think that all in Achaia came to Corinth to be instructed and make their contribution every church using the first day of the week when they assembled to make their collections within themselves Neither can it be well conceived how all Achaia should assemble together for the service of God and the execution of discipline as it is noted of the church of Corinth It will easily be credited that the number of believers was great in Ephesus if we call to mind that when Paul had been there but two yeares all they which dwelt in Asia had heard the word of the Lord both Jews and Graecians those that had used curious arts came and burned their books in the sight of all men which could not be done without great danger unto the church unlesse a great part of the city had believed the art of making shrines and Diana's temple was in danger to be set at nothing and that a great doore and effectuall was opened unto the Apostle at Ephesus And that the multitude of believers was great in all proper settled politicall societies appeareth in this that the Apostles appointed divers overseers elders and deacons to teach and govern the people and take care of the poore which they would not have done nor could the church have born the charge thereof if the number had not been large Two or three making Peters confession cannot be the church in this passage of scripture for the party complained of is one member and the complainant another and he is to take with him one or two if he be not heard before he bring the matter unto the church and how then shall any two or three separated from the world and consenting together in an holy covenant be the church in this place If any two or three consenting in an holy covenant serve to make up this community or church what hindreth but it may consist of women and children onely and so the spirituall authority of teaching exhorting binding loosing remitting reteining sins shall originally executivè agree unto a community of believing women whereof every member is regularly uncapable For the Apostle teacheth plainly that a woman may not speak in the congregation And though he speak particularly of prophesying and teaching yet layeth he down a more generall rule forbidding all such speaking as in which authority is used that is usurped over the man which is done specially in judgement And if a woman may not so much as move a question in the church for instruction how much lesse may she give a voice or rather a reproof for censure And if women be debarred by their sex as from ordinary prophesying so from any other dealing wherein they take authority over the man how can two or three believing women be the church with power ministeriall publickly to bind and loose remit and retein sinnes And if two or three gathered together have the same right and power with two or three hundred or two or three thousand let the society without officers be never so great it cannot be the church that is here meant For those Divines which hold power and authority of binding and loosing to be delivered by Christ to the whole church that is to every particular church collectively because it perteineth to them to deny Christian communion to such wicked persons as adde contumacy to their disobedience and to remit the punishment again upon repentance they generally with one consent maintein that the execution and judiciall exercising of this power perteineth to that company and assembly of officers or governours in every church which the Apostle calleth a presbytery But our Saviour in that text of Scripture speaketh of the execution and exercise of the power of binding and loosing which was never committed to the community of the faithfull without officers If the joynt consent of orthodox Divines move not let it be considered that the exercise of ecclesiasticall censures externall and authoritative was never committed to the community of the faithfull without officers never exercised by the faithfull in any age of the Christian church Let such as plead for this power bring forth either commission for it or precedent of it if they be able The externall and authoritative power of binding and loosing as the greatest power in the church doth comprehend under it all matters subordinate and of the same nature power to preach the word autoritatively and to admit unto or put from the sacraments but the exercise of this inferiour power was never committed to a Christian society or church without officers And if we will not make one text of scripture contrary to another we cannot think the exercise of that power is here given to the community of the faithfull few or many without officers which in all other places is given to the governours never to the faithfull without guides By the church the whole multitude of believers whether with officers or without cannot be understood For that power agreeth not to the whole body in actu primo or in esse as they speak whereof many particular members regularly are not capable as the faculty of speaking or seeing should not first belong to man as the principium Quod if the whole in all parts were not capable of that power But the power of binding or loosing cannot regularly agree to many particular members of that community sc women and children And if women and children though believers be here excluded the word church must not be taken in the largest and most ordinary signification in the new Testament for so it comprehendeth all believers disciples faithfull linked in society If the authority of binding or loosing pertein to the whole church in actu primo sive in esse and to the Presbytery alone in actu secundo sive in operari as the act of speaking perteineth to a man as the principium Quod but to the tongue alone as the principium Quo yet the church cannot be taken for the whole community for our Saviour
speaketh of the actuall execution of this power and not of the power it self which onely belongeth to the governours And if the church be the Christian Presbytery as it exerciseth discipline and not the multitude of the faithfull then is this text in vain alledged to proove all power Ecclesiasticall to be originally and by way of execution in the community of the faithfull then the power of hearing examining determining and censuring doth primarily belong unto the Presbytery and not unto the faithfull in common God is the God of order and not of confusion But if the hearing and determining of all causes which may fall out in a society consisting of three or four six or eight ten or twenty thousand persons for so many may be in one society must be referred to the whole community and that upon the Lords day to be joyned with the administration of the word sacraments almes and the rest yea in these cases to go before the other parts of worship lest the holy things of God be polluted by notorious obstinate offenders disorder and confusion cannot be avoyded When shall controversies be decided How shall the community have sufficient intelligence of the state and quality of matters Either businesses must be determined rashly or infinitely protracted before they can be heard of every man and they agreed together In so great a multitude it cannot be conceived how things should be done seasonably moderately in order without partiality and dissension where every one may walk according to his own rule and no man to be guided or directed by another but as pleaseth himself And if spirituall power originaliter executivè be given to every member of and to the whole community of the faithfull then is every member in some sort a ruler and governour And if we search into the records of the church we shall find none example either in the holy scriptures or the histories of the ancient church where the universall multitude of the faithfull none directing or governing the action did lawfully proceed in the determination of spirituall matters of this kind In the old testament not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when it is rendred Synagoga but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when it is translated Ecclesia signifieth an assembly of princes and elders of the people and so of prophets likewise for when the words are generall to note any assembly of men met together whether civil or sacred it is not strange if the congregation of princes nobles elders and prophets assembled be known by the same name In the new Testament the word church is sometimes an assembly or company howsoever gathered together but ordinarily it noteth a society of faithfull Christians as all and every siant are called saints But as the Apostle when he doth grievously reprehend the Corinthians that they had not brought the knowledge of their contentions to the saints he understandeth not the promiscuous multitude but some speciall or chief amongst them So by the church which noteth a multitude or society of believers we must understand some and the chief of the church a church in a church For when it commonly signifyeth a multitude with relation to religion the church-governours set over the flock by Christ assembled to heare and determine matters that may fall out amongst the faithfull is not unfitly nor obscurely called the church And those things are rightly said to be brought to the church which are brought to them that guide the church by the authority and appointment of Christ As the body is said to see when the eyes alone see so the church is said to heare that which they onely do heare who are the eares of the church Not that the guides are substitutes of the multitude in that respect for the eye is not the deputy of the hand or foot but that the power which they have received they have received it from Christ for the whole body and must execute it to the good and profit of the whole They are the stewards deputies ministers of Christ but for the whole body and every member thereof From all this it is apparent that the word church in this text of scripture cannot be taken as it is commonly in other passages of the new Testament For in other texts it noteth the multitude of believers without distinction of sex age or condition but here women and children are excluded as regularly uncapable of that power here spoken of In other places the church signifyeth a multitude of believers saints faithfull or disciples as they are distinguished from their officers and guides which are set as stewards in the Lords family and officers in his corporation but here the officers of the church are necessarily included If the word must be interpreted according to the circumstances of the text and the matter intreated of the matter here insisted upon is no where else touched in all the new Testament for here and no where else is a rule left by Christ how offenders are to be dealt withall and by whom the sentence is to be determined and if the matter be peculiar it is no marvell if the words be taken in a sense restrained The Syriack interpreter useth three words to expresse the greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Synagogue or Assembly which is used for the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the old Testament and for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the new But Matth. 10. 17. he translateth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Tremellius rendreth in Concilia Boderian in domum judiciorum De Dieu in domum judicum For as among the Hebrewes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so among the Syrians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 James 2. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 25. 23. The second word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 congregatio Acts 19. 32 39 40. and is used in the old Testament for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when it signifieth the assembly of Judges Psal 82. 1. and in the new for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 5. 27. and 6. 12. and 23. 1 20 28. In other passages they translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 16. 18. 18. 17. Acts 2. 47. 5. 11. 8. 1 3. 9. 31. Rom. 16. 1 4 5 c. which they use for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 7. 8. 74. 2. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 22. 26 27. 35. 12. 40. 10. 89. 6. 149. 1. The Arabick Interpreter useth foure words in the new Testament First of all Gamhon Acts 19. 31 39. which in the old Testament they use for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 35. 18. 74. 2. Psal 1. 5. 82. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Psal 22. 26. 26. 5. 149. 1. in the new for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 10. 17. Jam. 2. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 6. 12. The second Gamahaton Acts 7. 38. 11. 22. 15. 3. Rom. 16. 4 5 16. 1. Cor. 1. 2 c. which is used in the old Testament for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 22. 17. even when it signifieth an assembly of princes elders of judges Num. 35. 12 24 25. 27. 1 2. 36. 1. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 22. 23. 68. 27. and in the new Testament for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 5. 22. The third Kanisaton Rom. 16. 1. Acts 11. 26. 12. 1 5. 13. 1. 15. 4 22. 1. Cor. 14. 19 33. in the Revelation every where The fourth Bihaton Matth. 16. 18. 18. 17. Acts 2. 47. 5. 11. 8. 1. 14. 27. 18. 22. 20. 17. 1. Cor. 6. 4. 11. 16. Ephes 1. 22. 3. 10. which is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 40. 10. In the Arabick Pentateuch they put Gawkon for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 23. 1 2 3. 31. 30. Lev. 4. 14. which word is not found in the new Testament The Ethiopick interpreter Matth. 18. 17. for Tell the church hath domui Christianorum and so Matth. 16. 18. domum Christianorum meorum as De Dieu observeth And if all these things be laid together it will appear the words used by the Syriack and Arabick Interpreters will easily admit the former interpretation And if we compare one text of scripture with another when the church spoken of in this passage of Matthew hath power to heare and determine controversies and censure offenders by publick authority which agreeth to no spirituall society which hath not received power ministeriall from Christ to preach the Gospel and receive unto and debarre from the sacraments by publick authority it cannot be that the community of the faithfull in any particular society should be understood by the church seeing Christ the Lord of the church hath not communicated power to them to do such things themselves nor to deliver it over to the governours to have such things done in their name but hath immediately given power to his officers and ministers to do such acts or service in his name for the good and benefit of the society and as it may stand with respect to the honour and estate which Christ hath put upon the society as his flock and people Two scriptures are so plain clear evident and perspicuous for excommunication the former Matth. 18. 15 16 17. for the order and degrees of proceeding the other 1. Cor. 5. 4. for the persons interessed in the businesse as that to bring in other scriptures for the expounding of them is in truth as needlesse and lost a labour as to light the sunne and moon a candle They among whom the fornication was out of the midst of whom he was to be put and which were puffed up when they had rather cause of sorrowing to them the Apostle writeth them he reproveth they were to be gathered together for the excommunicating purging out and judging of the offender vers 1 2 3 4 5. And therefore the duty here enjoyned as well concerneth the brethren as the officers except we will say the fornicatour was onely among and in the midst of the officers and to be put from among them and left among the people still and that the officers onely were puffed up when they should have sorrowed and not the brethren with them It concerned the people as well as the priests in the type and shadow to put away leaven out of their houses and to keep the passeover with unleavened bread and so in the truth and substance to purge and put out this leaven Paul speaketh of namely the incestuous person vers 6 7. The Apostle admonisheth them that they were not to be commingled with fornicatours nor to eat with them vers 9 10 11. and this duty as well concerned the people as the officers They with whom Paul dealeth are commanded to put the wicked man from among themselves vers 13. So that the same persons from among whom he is to be put are to put him away which are both officers and people They whom the Apostle by his letter made sory for their failing in the casting out of the incestuous man and that with sorrow to repentance manifested with great indignation and zeal they were to reprove and censure him and so did for his reformation and their own clearing which that it was not the case of the officers alone but of the brethren with them appeareth in these scriptures 1. Cor. 5. 1 2. with 2. Cor. 2. 5 6. 7. 8 9 10 11 12. Paul writeth not onely to the officers but to the brethren as well as to them to forgive or loose to comfort or confirm their love toward the same person upon his repentance 2. Cor. 2. 7 8. therein plainly witnessing that the brethren as well as the officers had bound rebuked and manifested their indignation against the sinne and the person for it The conclusion inferred is That the rule prescribed by Christ Matth. 18. and the practice of the same rule by Paul 1. Cor. 5. do severally and joyntly couple and combine together the elders and the people in the censuring of an offender the officers going before the brethren following in their order and the women lastly by silent consent wherein the scriptures distinguish them from the men 1. Cor. 14. 34. 1. Tim. 2. 12. But this conclusion fighteth with it self reacheth not to the point in hand followeth not from the premisses if understood according to the Authours meaning It is crosse to it self for if women may not authoritatively excommunicate then every one two or three amongst whom the fornicatour was whom the Apostle reproved because he was not cast out whom he admonisheth not to be commingled with fornicatours whom he made sory for their failing and to whom he writeth to loose forgive him c. had not equall power with the officers to cast him out or to forgive him For all these things were written to the church of Corinth to the women as well as the men unles we shall say the incestuous person must be left among them or they might company with fornicatours c. In scripture they are distinguished from men it is said therefore in some cases that which is said to the whole congregation doth not equally concern every one in the congregation but in their order And if women be not comprehended in those exhortations and rebukes as equall to the brethren we cannot say the brethren are comprehended as equal to the officers But each thing must be expounded according to the nature of the argument and conference of other scriptures In generall the whole society may be blamed when every particular member
that agreeth to the whole community and not to the officers alone Moreover the power of excommunication is an essentiall property one of the keyes of the kingdome and as necessary as the power to receive in members without which a church cannot be gathered or consist Every society consisting of two or three believers met together to pray is not that church which hath power to excommunicate for then in many Christian congregations and in divers families there should be many churches invested with this authority No one example can be alledged out of scripture or ecclesiasticall story of the ancient church in which the multitude of the faithfull no guides or officers moderating the action did lawfully excommunicate or judge as the Apostle speaketh any member of the society No promise can be shewed in holy writ wherein any such authority is bequeathed to two or three private believers disciples or brethren The sentence of excommunication is to be concluded and denounced by men met together in the name of Christ that is by the commandment and authority of Christ and with the power of Christ but it will never be proved that Christ hath authorized two or three Christian people without officers or guides to meet in his name and by his power to denounce that grave and fearfull sentence The church to whom this power perteineth is an assembly gathered in the name and by the power of Christ for such a purpose which agreeth to them onely who have received power from Christ to do that service and not to every society nor to every one in any complete society of believers And thus the words of our Saviour must be expounded if they have such reference to the precedent matter But they may contein a reason drawn from the lesse to the greater thus If Christ be present with two or three gathered together in his name to ask things agreeable to his will he will much more confirm in heaven whatsoever his officers and servants assembled in his name shall determine and conclude and what sentence they shall denounce upon mature deliberation according to his will If we speak of complete churches such as the Apostles planted it hath power of excommunication which is one part of the power of the keyes but the execution of that power is not essentiall to the church either constitutively or consecutively It is neither the matter nor form of the church nor that which doth necessarily flow from them as an inseparable property The moderate use of excommunication is necessary to the well-being of a church but there may be a true church where there is no discipline of excommunication and where that censure is not put in practice He may be a good physitian who never used section a good chirurgian who hath no saw and the body sound which never suffered the cutting off of a member The conclusion is That all spirituall power is immediately derived from Christ to be exercised by his direction and appointment for the good and benefit of the whole church The power of preaching the word authoritatively and administration of the sacraments perteineth to the Pastours and Teachers onely which power they have received from Christ must exercise for the edification of the flock The power of excommunication formaliter exsecutivè is proper to the company or assembly of guides and rulers in the church derived from Christ to be exercised as Christ shall go before them but with the notice of and due regard had unto the whole society CHAP. XIII An examination of sundry positions laid down by M r Jacob in his Exposition of the second commandement tending to Separation TO know the true sense and meaning the just scope and purpose of the second commandment is of continuall and necessary use and rightly conceived might be a means of unity and peace amongst brethren in matters of worship In this regard M r Jacob as he saith compiled a brief exposition of that commandment and with a mind desirous to maintein and keep the people of God within the bounds of truth and peace I purpose a brief plain and modest examination of his exposition in some particulars concerning the speciall object of the commandment and positions taken by some to be just grounds of Separation By the second commandment we stand bound to embrace all the instituted holy doctrines means and ordinances both inward and outward appointed of God to bring us life to believe that we have to bring us to eternall life a Mediatour and Saviour given us and that he is a Priest Prophet and King These things are not in the first but in the second commandment although they be inward actions of the mind and inward worship This is a private conceit affirmed without ground or reason to support it crosse to the commandment and M r Jacob himself Contrary to the commandment for the first commandment enjoyneth us to take the true Jehovah to be our God as in covenant he hath bound himself unto his Israel But God is not our God in covenant but in and through a Mediatour And therefore the first commandment bindeth us to take the true God in and through a Mediatour that is Jesus Christ to be our God M r Jacob holdeth the tables of the law to be the Lords testimony and convenant wherein all duties whatsoever even the Evangelicall as faith hope and repentance are commanded But in the covenant of grace in what commandment the Lord hath bound us to know believe hope or call upon him in the same he hath obliged us to know him in Christ to believe in him through Christ and to call upon him in and through a Mediatour For God in Christ or God and Christ is the object of Christian religion and since the fall of Adam there is no throne erected unto which man can come no way prepared no liberty granted for man to come no good successe to be expected but in the name of a Mediatour It is impossible to conceive how Christians should believe that God is or that he is a rewarder of them that seek him diligently but according to his covenant of mercy how they should believe in his free grace and mercy for the remission of sinnes but in and through Jesus Christ our onely Saviour The selfsame precept which bindeth Christians to take the true God to be their God King Father Judge and Saviour bindeth them also to take Jesus Christ to be their sole Mediatour Redeemer Saviour King and Priest and Prophet Not to believe in or worship Jesus Christ is a breach of the first commandment so the profession of Turcisme is against the first commandment To believe in or pray unto Angels or Saints departed as mediatours is a breach of the first commandment All honour and service whatsoever inward or outward which is due unto God by virtue of the first commandment it must be done unto God in and through Jesus Christ
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
and intire profession of the truth is to be found in the church alone and is conteined in the belly of the church as light in an house whereby it may be discerned The law shall go forth of Sion it is not elsewhere to be found My word shall not depart out of the mouth of thy seed c. The sacraments are seals of the covenant of grace and symboles or testimonies whereby the people of God are distinguished from all other nations The sacraments when for substance they be rightly used are tokens and pledges of our admittance into and spirituall enterteinment in the Lords family This is my covenant that I make with thee Go teach all nations and baptize them into the name of the Father c. Amend your lives and â—e baptized The sacraments do necessarily presuppose a church constituted unto which they are committed as the oracles and ordinances of God unto Israel Baptisme rightly used is within and not without the church It is a seal of the covenant which is the form of the church as some call it to the faithfull and to their seed It is the sacrament of initiation whereby members are solemnly admitted into the body of Christ To have Pastours which feed with spirituall knowledge and understanding is a gift of matrimoniall love which God vouchsafeth unto his church And I will give you Pastours according to mine own heart And though all that heare do not receive the love of the truth yet where God giveth his word it is a signe that some in those places belong to the kingdome of heaven The Apostles first gathered churches and then ordained elders in every citie So that it is proper to the church to be fed and guided by true spirituall Pastours who do both teach and blesse in the name of the Lord. The true worship of God is an inseparable and infallible mark of a people in covenant with God For where Christ is there is 〈◊〉 church but Christ saith Where two or three are met together in my name there am I in the midst among them This is the priviledge of the saints that Christ the prince of his people is in the middest of them and goeth in when they go in And for certain they are gathered in the name of Christ who being lawfully called do assemble to worship God and call upon his name in the mediation of Jesus Christ In times past the church was acknowledged by these signes of continuance in the apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayer of true fear intire service holy profession and religious prayer The weightiest matter therefore in religion that concerneth a Christian is to know God and Christ to repent heartily and believe unfeignedly which is ever accompanied with holinesse of conversation if God give time and opportunity because without these there is no salvation to men of age and discretion It is a matter of weight and importance also to know where and how God is to be worshipped and the right use of his ordinances as of prayer and the sacraments because otherwise we cannot know how to joyn our selves in holy communion with the people of God in the ordinances of worship which is a necessary duty if God give opportunity But to know the externall order or constitution of a particular ministeriall politicall church is not a matter of weight or importance to be matched with either of the former And if M r Jacob comprehend all these things under the name of the church his speech is false deceitfull and confused because he distinguisheth not things that be of different kinds If the latter it is most inconsiderately spoken and weakly proved For out of the catholick invisible church or society there is no salvation but out of a particular visible ministeriall church salvation is to be had Internall society with the members of Christ and communion with Christ himself which is invisible is necessary externall not so Christ is the Saviour of his body and saved he cannot be by Christ that is not a live-member of his body Noahs ark builded by Gods appointment for the safety of all such as were obedient to his preaching was a type and figure of this onely holy catholick church not of a visible particular ministeriall church for as none of the sonnes of men besides such as entred into Noahs ark were saved from the deluge so whosoever entred into the ark were saved from the deluge And so Noahs ark was a type of that church into which whosoever entreth he shall be saved But this cannot be affirmed of the visible church Peter speaking of the ark wherein few that is eight souls were saved by water he saith The like figure whereunto even baptisme doth also now save us not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience inwards Gods by the resurrection of Jesus Christ His meaning is that Noahâ— ark was a type of that church out of which there is no salvation in which there is most certain salvation and the waters by which such as entred into the ark were saved a type of baptisme But of what baptisme Externall No Externall baptisme and the ark of Noah were types of the same rank both types and signes of that internall baptisme which is wrought by the holy Ghost by which we are incorporated into the body of Christ and become more undoubtedly safe from the everlasting fire then such as entred Noahs ark were from the deluge of water If the ark which Noah built did save all such from the deluge as entred into it how much more shall that holy and catholick church which Christ hath built and sanctified by his most precious bloud give eternall life to all such as in this world become live-members of it Such members they are made not by becoming meÌ„bers of the visible church but by internall grace or sanctification There is not the same reason of externall and internall communion with the church The inward is and was ever necessary the externall necessary when it may be enjoyed Some may be of the church in respect of the profession participation of the ordinances and other inferiour priviledges who are not of the invisible church that is do not communicate in the most perfect work force and effect of saving grace And some that be not full members of the true orthodox and visible church may notwithstanding be found and live members of the mysticall body of Jesus Christ For all that truly believe are in the state of salvation and all that be in the state of salvation be members of that church out of which no salvation is to be hoped for or can be obteined which doth comprehend all the faithfull and them that shall be saved They are in act and in deed both in and of that church and not in desire and wish onely
because they are actually in the state of salvation the heirs apparent to everlasting blessednesse actuall partakers of the benefits of Christs death which accompany salvation They are given unto Christ set into him as branches into a vine and they that be such be in deed and act not in desire alone members of Christs body All that were not in the ark perished in the waters No member doth live but that which is actually joyned to the head and draweth life from it Baptisme is the seal of our solemn admission into the church but it is not the gate of our setting into Christ but the seal of that admission we have received by grace are partakers of by a lively faith True believers theÌ„ are in the state of grace actuall members of the militant church but of a visible particular ministerial church or congregation they may be members in desire onely For it may so fall out many times that he who is joyned to Christ by a true and lively faith hath not means and opportunity to unite himself unto a visible and ministeriall church The Catechumâ—ni who did truly 〈◊〉 unfeignedly believe in Christ were live-members of his mysticall body and in respect of full effectuall and saving participation of Christs benefits actuall members of the church invisible when in respect of solemn outward and sacramentall admission they were not members of any visible congregation If a Christian be unjustly excommunicated he still reteineth all those things which the best parts of the church have inward or outward and though he be cut off from the meetings and assemblies of particular churches so that he may not bodily be present when the people meet together yet still he hath the communion which onely is essentiall and maketh a man to be of the church in that he hath all those things which the best that remain not ejected have as faith hope love and profession of the whole truth of God He is the friend of God an heir apparent of the new Jerusalem a living member of the mysticall body of Christ And if he be not cut off from Christ from hope of salvation and fellowship of the saints triumphant neither can he be cast out from the fellowship of the church militant for the church militant and triumphant is one The performance of holy duties is an action of them that be already of the church and doth not make a man of the church yea the performance of these duties is a thing of that nature that by violence and unjust courses holden by wicked men we may be hindred from it without any fault of ours Now that it often falleth out through the prevailing of factious seditious and turbulent men that the best part is unjustly and undeser◠〈◊〉 cast out of the visible church is a thing so plain and confessed that it needeth no proof In times of grievous and hot persecution under which the church hath laboured the faithfull have been compelled to meet in woods dens and caves some in one place some in another as opportunity was offered their societies have been broken and set congregations dispersed and scattered when yet they continued the true church wherein salvation was to be had and enjoyed the ordinary means of salvation And if we speak of a visible ministeriall church as it is here meant by you the faithfull who professed the truth of the Gospel intirely and did communicate in the ordinances of worship for the space of this fourteen hundred yeares and upward had not means or at least did not unite themselves into a visible ministeriall church of Christ And if out of this your church ordinarily there be no salvation no means leading to everlasting life the Christian world for these many hundred yeares hath wanted ordinary means to bring them to life and salvation and been in that state in which no salvation ordinarily can be expected If we detest the consequence as dreadfull not standing with the promises made to the church of the Gentiles and the tender mercies of God vouchsafed to his people we must acknowledge the position from whence it followeth undeniably to be most rash and inconsiderate Out of doubt this kind of the visible church is now under the Gospel onely lawfull for us even a particular ordinary congregation onely And whatsoever kind or form of a visible church is instituted or ordained by men the same is conteined manifestly in the negative part of the second commandment that is to say it is simply unlawfull and by God himself here forbidden unto us In the new Testament the church doth signifie a multitude of believers whether assembled or dispersed and whether they be met in one place or separated in place they retein tho same name still The church is a society of the faithfull not an assembly if we speak properly When the word is put absolutely it noteth the multitude or society of the faithfull which is distinguished from their assembly or meeting together for the worship of God For we shall reade the church of God or Christ and so the church of the first-born but never the church of these or them or you or us but assembly or assembling of your selves Now the society may be one when the congregations be divers in respect of place where they do assemble It is not opposite to the unitie of an ecclesiasticall society that the members should ordinarily assemble in divers places for the worshipping of God so long as they be united by the same laws have communion in the same ordinances and be linked under the same spirituall guides and officers When a church did comprehend a citie with its suburbs and the countrey circumjacent I mean the believers who professed that faith within that circuit it might well be that the number did so increase through the extraordinary blessing of God which did accompany the preaching of the word in those primitive times and first planting of that heavenly kingdome that they could not well meet ordinarily in one place and yet might and did continue one society For when a number is gathered in small villages or some added to the number already gathered it is not meet they should be neglected because small nor yet divided from the body because the number not competent to make an intire and perfect body of it self The increase of churches doth require an increase of ministers and if they grow to bignesse more then ordinary an increase of places for their assembling when the essence of the visible church is not changed nor one multiplyed or divided into many And it is more available for the good of the church and further removed from all ambition if the society shall assemble in divers places as parts and members of one body then to constitute a distinct free society consisting of some few believers not fit to make up an intire body contrary to the precedent examples of the apostles In times of hot and
uniting themselves in covenant should be reputed the onely visible and ministeriall church independent from whom the officers should as their servants derive their authority This kind or form of a visible church is so farre from being the onely lawfull and allowed form of a church in scripture as if we speak of a church complete in respect of the inward substance and externall order furnished for all duties and offices required of the church it is not so much as warranted in scripture To the constitution of a visible distinct society or church there is required First an intire profession of one and the same faith and holynesse intire in all fundamentall articles of faith to be believed as necessary to salvation and main precepts and morall laws for practice to be acknowledged A lively operative faith maketh a man a true member of the church invisible and the profession of faith and holynesse a member of the church visible Profession of Divine verities revealed in Christ whom onely the companies and societies of Christians acknowledge to be the Sonne of God and Saviour of the world doth distinguish Christians from Jews The intire profession of faith according to the rule left by Christ and his first disciples and scholars the holy apostles doth separate the multitude of night-believing Christians which is the sound part of the Christian church from all seduced hereticall combinations Secondly there is required an union and communion in the true worship of God and ordinances belonging thereunto appointed of God himself sc prayer administration of the sacraments and dispensation of the word But the time may fall out that the preaching of the word may be omitted and reading or meditation may possesse the place thereof nay mere desire conjoyned with manifold sighs So the administration of the sacraments may be left off as it was in the church of the Israelites for the space of fourty yeares in the wildernesse But though the being of a church is not absolutely destroyed by the want or omission of these exercises for a time yet they are actions necessary to the well-being of a church and such as flow from the very nature of a church if they be not hindred Thirdly there must be subjection to lawfull guides officers or pastours appointed authorized and sanctified to lead and direct the flock in the happy wayes of eternall life Companies of believers were gathered before elders were ordained amongst them and the church may continue when guides are wanting as in case they be taken away by death persecution banishment but it is not complete or perfect without them neither can it hold communion in many ordinances of worship nor execute many offices which belong to the church consisting of all its parts Fourthly to the making up of an intire visible distinct society orders laws and discipline is required for the perventing of abuses and scandals the preservation of the holy things of God from contempt the recovery of them that fall and suppression of prophanenesse Discipline is needfull in every society without which it cannot long continue but all things will run into confusion It is necessary the members of the church should live Christianly otherwise the profession of faith and administration of the holy things of God must needs be polluted Discipline put for the censures hath no practice but in an united body or church which must needs have a being before it can exercise its power But the excercise of that power in a body complete is necessary not simply to the being but to the well-being of the whole As a city so the church cannot be without those things which belong to the necessary being thereof but it may be without those that belong unto her safety alone though not so well Fifthly the members of a visible church must hold fellowship in faith and love not onely one with another but with all other visible churches and all others intirely professing the faith of Christ and walking in holynesse so farre as they hold communion with Jesus Christ For all visible churches though distinct societies be sisters one in profession fundamentall laws and ordinances and should be one in hearty love and affection And no particular church can be called or be the true church of Christ but as it holdeth union with the catholick From the relation whereby Christ is referred to his members these things flow sc That Christ doth expound to them his word for the food of eternall life and doth hang seals to his word whereby he doth confirm and ratifie it From the relation whereby the members of Christ are referred to him their Head these things flow That whosoever would be accounted for true members of Jesus Christ they must acknowledge and receive that food and those seals appointed by Divine institution If the faithfull must assemble to heare the word of God call upon his name and receive the sacraments then there must be some to preach the word administer the sacraments and blesse in the name of the Lord and that by authority from God If they must receive the word and avouch themselves to be the people of God then they must walk before him in holynesse and maintein the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace If the temple of God must be kept from pollution and the holy things of God from contempt then there must be authority communicated from Christ to censure such as offend to repell the notorious to comfort the afflicted and receive the penitent If all promiscuously may not meddle with the dispensation of the holy things of God to that purpose then there must be order for their election and admission into that office and for the execution thereof being admitted thereunto Where all these things are to be found purely the church is excellent for degree pure and famous Where any of these are wanting or impure the church is so much defective or impure though it may be pure in comparison of others Wheresoever we see the word of God truly taught and professed in points fundamentall and the sacraments for substance rightly administred there is the true church of Christ though the health and soundnesse of it may be crazed by many errours in doctrine corruptions in the worship of God and evils in the life and manners of men Profession of the true faith alone in matters fundamentall and holy prayer with exhortation to obedience is a mark of the true church though the sacraments upon occasion be not there administred so that they be not neglected upon any contempt or erroneous conceit of their not being necessary Where most of these notes are wanting or impure the church is of lesse account in dignity excellency and credit coming short of others according to the degrees of impurity in the marks the deficiency of some marks and the nature of the marks themselves in which the impurity is As impurity in doctrine or administration of the sacraments is worse then disorder in matter of
his good pleasure If their ministery was true in some respects and false in others then the ministery is not absolutely false which in some respect is not pure as it ought and is to be desired then also it is no sin to communicate in a false ministery in some respect so farre to wit as it hath truth in it and doth carry the stamp of God The priests scribes and Pharisees were of the tribe of Levi which was set apart for the ministery yet might they be strangers thieves robbers murderers which the sheep of Christ will not heare that is follow or be led by them For the ministers whom our Saviour chargeth as thieves and murderers were of continuall succession of Levi and Aaron especially and it is to be understood of them who teach false doctrine and not of them who enter without a lawfull outward calling And to enter by Christ the doore teaching him alone to be the onely Saviour and Mediatour is the note of a good shepherd To heare them is not simply to communicate with them in the ordinances of God which the godly and faithfull among the Jews might not refuse to do with the Scribes and Pharisees who were thieves and robbers but to receive their doctrine and embrace their errours which was evermore unlawfull The thieves and murderers in the church of the Jews sprung up with them and continued amongst them and neither departed themselves nor were cast out by others that had authority In the Christian church divers false teachers ravening wolves Antichrists rose up not from among the Heathen or Jews but in and from themselves whereof some went out from the church and separated themselves others were cast out by excommunication and delivered up unto Satan that they might learn not to blaspheme others were tolerated in the church either because their heresies were not so pernicious at the first or the better side had not power to cast them out or they preached fundamentall truths but of evil minds These in respect of outward order were lawfully chosen or called and yet false prophets discovered by their doctrine not by their calling and some of them continuing in the church the faithfull are warned to beware of their errours that they be not infected by them but not forbidden to partake at the ordinances of worship because they are present And if we look into the Scriptures of the old and new Testament we shall never find the prophets called true or false in respect of their outward calling but in respect of their doctrine A man may have a lawfull outward calling to the ministery and yet be a false prophet because he preacheth the lying visions of his own heart But we shall never find him called a false prophet who teacheth the truth as he hath received it of God because in some particular his calling might be excepted against And seeing he that speaketh the truth to edification exhortation rebuke and comfort of Gods people according to the command of God is a true prophet he that speaketh the dreams of his own heart is a false prophet It were good if they in whose mouthes the chalenge of false prophets is rifest would better weigh how they themselves expound and apply the scriptures in their writings or prophesyings lest notwithstanding any outward church-state or calling as they pretend they be deeper wounded by the rebound of their accusations this way then their adversaries For whosoever will be pleased to trie and examine the matter unpartially shall find their quotations of scripture to be many impertinent forced wrested miserably abused without all fear or reverence Let no man therefore be dismayed at their great confidence big words multitude of scripture-proofs or pretended grounds from others whose principles they put in practice for if they be particularly examined they will either disclaim the cause or put weapons into thy hands truly to fight against and put them to flight But for the present I forbear to enter into particulars because I desire the satisfaction of the more moderate sort who though they scruple communion in some particulars above handled do yet dislike that totall Separation which others make and that bitternesse of spirit wherewith they prosecute their cause The Lord in tender mercy look down upon his church make up the breaches which sinne hath made remove the stumbling-blocks and occasions of offense recall such as are gone astray cause his truth to shine more and more in our hearts and teach them that fear his name to walk in love and by an holy unblamable conversation in all things to approve the soundnesse of their faith and sincerity of their religion before all men for the comfort of their souls the edification of others and the glory of his great name through Jesus Christ our Lord. FINIS The generall heads conteined in this Book CHAP. I. OF a stinted form of prayer pag. 1. CHAP. II. All things essentiall to prayer may be observed in a prescript form pag. 12. CHAP. III. A stinted Liturgie or publick form of prayer is no breach of the second commandment pag. 23. CHAP. IIII. It is as lawfull to pray unto God in a form of words devised by others as to sing psalmes to the praise of God in a stinted form of words prescribed by others pag. 54. CHAP. V. A stinted form of prayer doth not quench the Spirit pag. 83. CHAP. VI. In scripture there be prescript forms of blessing prayers salutations c. which may lawfully be used pag. 97. CHAP. VII The churches of God have both used and approved a stinted Liturgie pag. 106. CHAP. VIII The people may lawfully be present at those prayers which are put up unto God in a stinted form of words and partake in Divine ordinances administred in a stinted Liturgie pag. 122. CHAP. IX It is lawfull for a Christian to be present at that service which is read out of a book in some things faultie both for form and matter pag. 157. CHAP. X. It is lawfull to communicate in a mixt congregation where ignorant and prophane persons be admitted to the sacrament pag. 187. CHAP. XI Of holding communion with that assembly in the worship of God where we cannot perform all duties mentioned Matth. 18. 15 16 17. pag. 216. CHAP. XII The community of the faithfull much lesse two or three separated from the world and gathered together into the name of Christ by a covenant are not the proper and immediate subject of power ecclesiasticall pag. 231. CHAP. XIII An examination of sundry positions laid down by M r Jacob in his Exposition of the second commandment tending to Separation pag. 282. FINIS Octob. 9. 1639. Imprimatur Cantabrigiae Ra. Brownrigg Procan Psal 50. 15. 1. Tim. 2. 5. John 10. 23. Ephes 2. 18. Rom. 8. 26. 1 Cor. 14. 16 28. Orig. contra Celsum lib. 8. Ambr. in 1 Cor. 14. Hieron ad Heliodor Epitaph Nepotian August De Magist lib. 1 Idem De