the correspondencie and mutual good intelligence between the Laws of God and Man that they return and receive strength and lustre each to other This made Jehoshaphat to couple Judges and Priests together in the visitation of his people 2. Chron. 17. vers. 7. also in the third of his reigne he sent to his Princes even to Benhail and to Obadiah vers. 8. And with them he sent Levites even Shemaiah c. vers. 9. And they taught in Juda c. The one the Law of the Land the other the Law of the Lord which excellent Medley made a cordial composition thus put together Thirdly Professors in the Universitie as the Doctors of the Chair may in a controversial way preach to young Students under them Such Doctors in Divinitie are generally in Holy Orders but if which is rare one unordained be preferred to the place he may use Polemical preaching confining himself to the Schools the proper centre thereof Fourthly Generals in the Field before and after the fight may make Orations or Sermons if you please to encourage the souldiers I confess as custom hath confined the word Bible signifying in it self any Book to the Word of God so hath it appropriated sermons which importeth any speech to those made by a Preacher in the Pulpit Otherwise those may pass for sermons which Generals utter in the field as Joab Abiah Jehosaphat And because all true valour is founded in the knowledge of God in Christ such Generals may and must to raise the resolution of their souldiers by inserting and interposing passages of Scripture animating them to depend on God the just maintainer of a right cause Thus Queen Elisabeth in 88. at Tilbury Camp inspirited her souldiers with her Christian exhortation Lastly all Christians ought mutually to teach and instruct one another In this case every place is a Church day a Sabbath occasion a Text person a Preacher Rom. 15. 14. Admonish one another Col. 3. 16. Teaching one another in Psalms and Hymns Thess. 4. 18. Comfort one another with these words Jude 11. Edifie one another even as also ye do Heb. 3. 13. Exhorting one another To this end are talents bestowed on men that they should stirr up the gifts of grace which are in them Thus Priscilla though a woman instructed Apollos But here we must distinguish betwixt mutuall and Ministerial teaching In the former the Romans may be said to teach St. Paul as well as St. Paul the Romans I am comforted with you by the mutual faith both of you and me Rom. 1. 12. whilst Ministerial teaching belongeth onely to such who are solemnely called thereunto Take two Criteria or distinguishing marks betwixt mutual and Ministerial teaching The former is compatible with another vocation either liberal or mechanical according to the condition of the Person Yea which is more not onely it is lawfull to have another calling but in some cases for some men sinfull to be without it S. Paul saith 2 Thes. 3. 10. If any would not work neither should he eate This mutual teaching of others will not excuse peoples idleness nor can they plead for themselves this mutual labour in love shall exempt them from other manual work because by it self it amounts not to a distinct profession as being the entire body of a calling which is onely a part and necessary member of all mens duty as they are Christians But publick preaching is to possess the whole man as the highest of employments wherein he may use all his pains and endeavours Secondly no Salary or reward is due to mutual teaching save the inward blessing which God bountifully will bestow on such as labour therein so that the Teacher may demand it of due it being an injury in the party taught to detain the same Such Teachers must know themselves sufficiently satisfied by the good which is returned unto them by reflection having their graces heightned and intended by their instruction Besides the party taught restoreth oft times instruction unto him and so there is nothing due in the reciprocation of courtesies but the obligation cancelled on both side But to ministerial preaching wages is due by Gods appointment The labourer is worthy of his hire because sequestring his soul from other works to attend that business alone God hath ordered it 1 Cor. â— 14. that those that preach the Gospel shall live of the Gospel Thus have we given or rather God hath given and we have declared how Christians un-ordained may teach Gods word in a Domestical in a mutual in a military in a Judicial in an Academical capacity shame light on that steward who is niggardly where his master commands him to be bountifull had we denyed Christians this liberty we had wronged them much our selves more God most But now let me say unto them in the words of the master of the Houshould Matth. 20 the 14. Tolle quod tuum est abi Take what is thine and go thy way Be contented with what hath been allotted unto you which hath been fairly measured out and with all possible advantage Gripe and graspe not after more least you loose the blessing and benefit of what you have which hath now brought us to the following Doctrine as chiefly intended in this discourse Come we now to the main Doctrine which is this none may ordinarily execute the office of Preacher except lawfully called thereunto I say ordinarily For much may and must be indulged to Lay-men in absolute necessity if they adventure to exercise the ministerial function I say absolute necessity Here first I exclude all conditional necessity which is but necessity of conveniency Such Saul might have pleaded for himself 1 Sam. 13. 9. When presuming to sacrifice to prevent the peoples scattering But when the necessity is invincible and unavoydable God may seem to dispense as in Davids eating the shew-bread properly belonging to Priests alone Otherwise men must not first make necessities and then make use of those necessities to excuse their extraordinary practices For instance suppose some out of sullenness and pride conceiving themselves too good to converse with conmmon Christians should separate themselves being none of them ministers into a solitary place from all society It were presumption for one of them to adventure on the Office of the ministery But put case some number of people none of them ever ordained banished by Tyrants carried captive by violence or casually cast by shipwrack or Tempest into a Wilderness or amongst Pagans where no possibility of recovering a minister if the gravest and ablest amongst them should by general consent be chosen to officiate in their Congregation God no doubt would hold him guiltless in such a case of extremity Except they be lawfully called thereunto A lawfull calling is partly internal partly external the Internal part thereof consisteth in two things First in having a desire and delight to undertake the ministery By desire I understand not every fond fancy light or slight affection but a serious
A TRIPLE RECONCILER Stating the CONTROVERSIES Whether Ministers have an Exclusive power of Communicants from the Sacrament Whether Any persons Unordained may lawfully Preach Whether The Lords Prayer ought not to be used by all Christians By THOMAS FULLER B. D. LONDON Printed by Will. Bently for John Williams at the Crown in S. Pauls Church-yard Anno Dom. 1654. TO THE Right Honorable and truly virtuous Lady ANNE Vicountess BALTINGLASS the blessings of this life and a better MADAM THis my Book addresseth it self to you as once the Dove to NOAH in the Ark bringing an Olive branch with three sprigs in the mouth thereof It is of a Peaceable nature desires to be a Peace-maker betwixt the opposite parties in the three Controversies handled therein My humble request to you is that with NOAH you would be pleased to put forth your hand and receive it into the Ark of your protection I know what success commonly attends all Umpiers Arbitrators that often they lose one sometimes both of their friends betwixt whom they intercede Meek Moses could not escape in this kind but when seeking to atone two striving Israelites the partie who did the wrong fell with foul language upon him I expect the like fate from that side which doth the most injurie and am prepared to undergo their Censure which I shall do with the greater alacritie if these my weak endeavors may find your favourable acceptance The Lord bless your Honor with your Noble Consort and sanctifie your former sufferings which a National calamitie hath cast upon you that your last days may be your best days both in temporal and spiritual improvement is the dayly desire of Your Honors truly devoted servant THOMAS FULLER THE FIRST RECONCILER LEVITICUS 13. 3. And the Priest shall look on him and pronounce him unclean The words contain an Examination and the Priest shall c. Condemnation and pronounce him c. WHich words we will handle first Literally of Corporal leprosie then Analogically to shew by proportion how far Ministers under the Gospel are inpowered to pass censure on the goodness or badness of men so to admit or exclude them Gods ordinance 2. Be it here premised that the leprosie we speak of called the plague of leprosie is not what proceeded from natural causes or distempers in which cases the patient might be more properly sent to the Physitian but was immediately inflicted by Gods hand dedecus medicinae and a principall if not peculiar disease to the Jews not finding in the Acts that the Apostles when preaching to the Gentiles out of Palestine cured any of that disease 3. I will not stir a step farther before I raise one observation Great is gods goodness that we English men generally live now in the happy ignorance of the heigth of leprosie I say generally a Leper is a rarity some few in Cornwell caused as Physitians conceive from the frequent eating of fish new taken out of the sea I say new I confess there is Lazars Bath but though the Bath be there thanks be to God but few Lepers Indeed some hundred years ago when the holy war was continued by the English our intercourse with eastern people in Palestine made the leprosie here epidemical and Hugh Orwell a Bishop of London dyed thereof Anno 1085. But with the end of that War ended the leprosie of England as to the generallity and malignity thereof Every scab or scurf or scale observing Tydes in the body is not presently the leprosie but know as the Jews had a disease we have not so we have a disease the Jews had not excuse me for naming it you may easily conceive what I would willingly conceal it is the last rod that God made therewith to whip wantonness and which he handselled on the French at Naples two thousand miles from this place How came this malady to climb and clamber over the high aspiring Alpes when got into France England being an Island secured from the diseases of the continent how came it to swim over into England did wicked Forreigners bring it hither or wanton English fetch it thence how ever it was so it is and is a disease so much worse than leprosice as sin is worse than suffering transgression worse than affliction 4. Now shall we make a brief paraphrase on every word the Priest not every ordinary Levite but either Aaron or one of his Sons Quest Why was not this power rather committed to a corporation of Priests as being too great a charge to be trusted in one person why were not a vestry of Lay-Elders admitted as Assistants herein And the Priest herein was a Type of Christ who was to be but one Individual Person and therefore a single Priest alone was employed therein Shall look on him But what if he were blind as in the case of Eli 1 Sam. 4. 15. And the Commission of trying was granted to the High Priests or one of his Sons as it is vers the 2. who in such a case was to officiate for his Father Look Herein 2. things conteined the inspection of the eye and the circumspection of the judgement For the latter the Priest might not proceed on his own Arbitrary principles but was confined to Gods directions prescribed unto him and principally he discovered it by 3. signes 1. Depression by the subsidency or the sinking of the malady when it intrenched it self in pits and holes made in the flesh 2. Diffusion when the malignity thereof contained not it self to the first place but dilated it self over the body 3. Discoloration when the hair therein was turned white arguing the debility of nature white commonly a colour of innocence now of infection commonly the livery of chearfulness now of sadness a black white sable and sorrowfull Now whereas the Priest was to look on the Party trusting no other evidence than his own eyes we learn mens censures must not go on heare-says but be grounded on their own knowledge I will go Gen. 18. 21 down and see whether they have done altogether c. And Pronounce him the Priest must not be sceptical and suspend his verdict but must give sentence to condemn or acquit Pronounce That is positively and publickly he was not to mutter his sentence as the Popish Priests in the mass the words of consecration no Clandestine dealing in matters of publick concernment Unclean Not as the Apostle saith no unclean thing shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven but ceremoniously unclean so as to be expelled publick society Question How came it to pass that the Priest was not infected therewith seeing sometimes such was the pestilent malignity of the leprosie as to taint the clothes yea the walls of the house Hard walls scarce penetrable to a bullet yielded to the impression of leprosie Answer he was secured by his calling and employment obeying gods command in his vocation Doctrine A lawfull calling is the best Armour against an infection One in his calling is armed out
any of their opinions refusing the rest what they esteemed otherwise In a word these Eclectici were the Quint-essence of the former four Sects of Philosophers 3. I intend in like manner to be a Chooser in this point Grand the difference betwixt a Chooser and a Seeker of our age the former is positive the latter sceptical hovering over all setling on nothing I know no reason that we are bound to take one and all in any perswasion Three great Interests may be named in England one that was the Prelatical one that is the Presbyterian one that would be the Independant I shall embrace what I find in any of their practises commendable and consonant to Gods word making use of my Christian liberty to leave the rest which in my weak judgement may seem subject to just exception 2. Proposition there is no pregnant place of Scripture which expresly impowereth the Ministers of the gospel with authority of Examination and Exclusion from the Sacrament I have looked for it in the place where I was most likely to finde it namely 1 Cor. 11. where Saint Paul at large condemneth the abuses at the Sacrament in their Church Here I expected the Corinthian Ministers should have been checkt for keeping no stricter guard about Gods Table and that the main fault of this prophaneness should be charged on their negligence What said David to Abner 1 Sam. 26. 16. When he fetcht the Spear and Cruse of water from the head of sleeping Saul Ye are worthy to die because you have not kept your master the Lords anointed such a sharp reproof I expected from S. Paul to the ministers of Corinth for being no more vigilant as being Gods life-guard in securing the Body and bloud of Christ from unworthy Communicants But not the least check to them onely a general exhortation to others to examin themselves 2. Proposition there are some places of Scripture which by proportion and consequence do more than probably insinuate such a power in the Minister First for examining Heb. 13. 17. Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you God foreseeing that in after-ages the Minister in a Church might be but One the Parishioners many he perchance poor they rich he possibly young they grave and ancient saw there would be an humour of opposition in them to submit to their Pastour and therefore thought it necessary to leave this command on record Now the best Auditour cannot give an account of them whose receipts and expences he hath not examined and therefore by consequence it may be collected that they may and must try the conditions and abilities of their people Prov. 27. 21. Be thou diligent to know the state of thy Flocks and look well to thy heards 6. Secondly for Excluding where be it premised that if an Examining power can be demonstrated in the Ministers a power of Exclusion doth by necessary and undeniable consequence follow thereupon For the Ministers Examination would be altogether useless if such who thereby shall be detected unfitting or unworthy may in defiance of the Minister intrude themselves Communicants to the Sacrament If therefore the Ministers Examination be as a weapon without an edge and be onely to make a noise without any further power it would render him ridiculous to Prophane persons and expose his pains and profession to contempt Surely therefore his Examination is seconded and attended with authority to admit and exclude from the Sacrament as he findeth persons fit or unfit for the same 7. Of places importing an Excluding power many insist on the 2 Chron. 23. 19. And Jehojada set the Porters at the gates of the house of the Lord that none which was unclean in any thing should enter in 8. In the new Testament many alleadge Matth. 7. 6. Give not that which is holy unto doggs What more holy than the Body and Bloud of Christ in the Sacrament who more Dogs more Swine than those wilfully wallow in wickedness To these add the words of my Text And the Priest shall look on him There is Examination and pronounce him unclean there is Exclusion Yet let not too much improvement be made of those words lest they stretch so far as to break If the proportion be applied in all particulars the High Priest alone being impowered with this authoritie will advance the Hierarchichal power farther than such as make use of this place will well approve Object You have out of ignorance or envie concealed one of the most effectual Scriptures in the New Testament instructing Ministers with an Examining power of all in the Flock namely 1. Pet. 3. 15. Be readie always to give an answer to every one that asketh you a reason of the hope of that is in you with meekness and fear It seems you are willingly ignorant to use the Apostle's phrase of this Text so pertinent to the purpose Answ. I know many behold it as the Champion of their cause and have used it to order their refractorie Parishioners into Examination For my own part I look on it as nothing to the purpose It is better to fight naked than with bad Armour For the rags of a bad Corcelet make a deeper wound and worse to be healed than the bullet it self None such foes to a cause as such friends who will defend it Argumentis non cogentibus with reasons of such strength which compel not a rational man into the free belief of them The words as appears by the coherence are principally calculated for the Climate of persecution when men suffer for righteousness sake and enjoyn all a free and fearless profession of the Faith when called thereunto Besides the command being general Ministers are as much obliged thereby to give an answer to their Parishioners if asking them as Parishioners are bound to give an account thereof to the Minister And therefore I purposly declined the mention of this place 3. Propos. Children Mad-men Idiots during their condition are not to be admitted to the Sacrament The reason is plain because they cannot perform an Essential requisite thereunto namely examin themselves But when such Children shall arrive at years of discretion Mad-men shall by Gods blessing on Physick or otherwise either return to their Lucide intervals or be totally cured of their distemper Idiots which seldom comes to pass be enlarged in their understandings they may be admitted Communicants Till when the Church as Guardian in their minoritie doth not finally withhold the Sacrament from but seasonably reserveth it for them 4 Propos. Young Persons utterly ignorant in the Principles of Religion are not to be admitted to the Sacrament till improved in knowledge Yet Ministers ought to be very tender in this particular lest they mistake small yet true knowledge for utter ignorance Know that we have no certain standard in Scripture to
with a Commission to preach Surely the Rulers presumed on their modestie and humilitie that they would decline the proffer seeing in that Age none adventured to teach without lawfull authoritie as largely God willing shall be proved hereafter Mean time let us proceed to the Collection of some natural observations from the words After the reading of the Law and the Prophets Doct. 1. It is good reason that Gods word in the Church should have precedency of mens meditations For Gods word is all gold and prized above it by David Psal. 19. 10. the best mens meditations but silver and guilt and that silver having much allay therein which debaseth the metal though it maketh it to work the better to mens understandings rendering the sublime puritie of Gods word more easie and intelligible when expounded explained and applied by the pains and endeavours of Ministers Wherefore as the Master of the Feast John 2. would have the best wine brought first and then what was worse So fit it is that the virgin attentions of the people in the Church should first be fed with the pure and sincere word of God as it is in the Text and afterwards their appetites may be entertained with less daintie diet the sermons and studies of their Ministers Doct. 2. It was an ancient custome in the Church that Gods word was publickly read therein And here let us endeavour to raise the just reputation of the word publickly read some conceive that the Word preached is as much holyer than the Word read as the Pulpit is higher than the Desk Yea such will say my self or son or servant can read a Chapter as well at home as any the most accomplished Minister in England But let such know that he which doth not honor all doth not honor any of Gods ordinances it is just with God that preaching of the Word should prove uneffectual to such as slight and neglect the reading thereof Doct. 3. Blessed be the goodness of God who hath bettered the Bill of fare of Christians by allowing our souls a second Course of the New Testament And properly may the New Testament be termed a second course which commonly hath dishes fewer than the first for there quantitie finer for the qualitie of the meat and here far be it from me to make comparisons which are odious in themselves and so much the more odious the more eminent the persons or things are that be compared betwixt the Old and New Testament As Moses in holy zeal by clashing the first Table against the second brake both so some prophanely despightfully abuse Old and New Testament about preeminence betwixt them But acknowledging them both best in this respect as to us the New Testament excels as far as a blessing performed is better than a blessing promised and a Saviour tendered in possession more comfort than in reversion The Rulers of the Synagogue Doct. 4. No considerable societie can long comfortably subsist without some government to order the same Ten are but a few men yet Moses by the Counsel of wise Jethro his Father in Law Exod. 18. 25. made Rulers of tens Better is a Tyranny than an Anarchie for where every man doth what is good in his own eyes where there is equalitie amongst all there will be equitie but amongst few men Doct. 5. It is lawfull for Ministers to make use of the help of others not onely in their sickness and necessarie absence but also when their own persons are present First because we must as well mend our nets as always catch fishes as well studie for new supply as always preach And seeing nature hath given us as well two ears as a tongue we must as attentively listen to the parts and pains of others as contentedly utter our own meditations Secondly such varietie will not onely be pleasant but profitable to our people In the mouth of two or three witnesses let every truth be established When the People shall hear the same matter in a different manner one truth Salvation by Gods mercies alone and Christs merits dressed in several motives and methods and expressions The nails will be driven the faster by many Masters of the Assembly and though it be faultie for itching ears to heap up Teachers to themselves yet sometimes such exchange of Preachers increase the edification of an Auditorie Doct. 6. They may have courtesie and civilitie in them who notwithstanding may be devoid of grace and true sinceritie These Masters of the Synagogue began very mannerly proffer Paul and Barnabas the courtesie of the place but all ended at last in blasphemie and persecution Doct. 7. None are to preach but such who are lawfully called thereunto The Rulers of the Synagogue gave a licence to Paul and Barnabas who intrude not without their leave and desire How many now a days in despight of the Rulers of the Synagogues the undoubted Patron the lawfull Incumbent the Guardians of the Church publickly chosen storm the Pulpit by their meer violence without any other Call or Commission thereunto Be it first premised that we protest our Integritie not to invade the due Right of any Christian with Abraham Gen. 14. 23. We will not take a shoo-latchet which is none of our own To which purpose we lay down the following Rules allowing as much libertie as may be to all Gods servants First Parents Masters of Families may and must privately teach their own Children and Servants Teach them and thou shalt be taught Instruct them and God will instruct thee never had Abram in all probabilitie so soon known Gods intentions to destroy Sodom but because Gen. 18. 19. he would command his children to keep the Law of God Even Mothers ought to do this who have a legislative power over their Sons Prov. 1. 8. Forsake not the law of thy Mother It is remarkable that great grace which God did to a Mother that her private precepts namely Bathsheba to her Son Lemuel Prov. 31. were afterward made Canonical Scripture for Gods whole Church Yet let me advise Parents when modestly undertaking in their own houses to explain Scripture not to make fountain but Cistern expositions thereof viz. not to be the inventers but the declarers not the devisers but the remembrancers of inter pretations Children and servants I have heard such a godly Preacher or have read in such a learned comment thus to expound this passage of Scripture But if he should adventure of himself to tender unto them an explication let it be done with an humble reservation and submission to the better judgements of those whose proper profession it is to expound the same Hoever he may more safely deal in Application than in Explication of Gods word the general precepts promises and threatenings whereof he may effectually applly to himself and those of his familie under his inspection Secondly Judges on the Bench may and must in their charges teach the Countie there assembled inserting Scripture in their discourses such
we now to answer those Cavils which this age hath devised against the Lords prayer a subject not unnecessary in our days Indeed when one had made a large discourse in the praise of Hercules and expected great commendation for the same his Audience onely answered his expectation with this question quis unquam vituperavit Herculem whosoever spake in the disparagement of Hercules Intimating thus much that his pains might very well be spared in a needless subject all the world acknowledging the worth and valour of Hercules The same will be said of the ensuing part of my sermon ut quid haec perditios what needeth this wast of words and time were ever any so impious so prophane as to doubt much less deny the divine inspiration and dayly necessary and profitable use of the Lords prayer Ans. Thirdly I believe it is almost unprecedented in former ages which maintained a constant reverence and esteem thereof as the Lords prayer and Lord of prayers But alas we are fallen into such an impudent age wherein many begin to slight it of whom I will say no more than this If they begin to think meanly of Gods prayer what cause hath God to think basely of theirs And now I remember what John the Baptist said to our Saviour Matth. 3. 14. I have need to be baptized of thee and comest thou to me In humble allusion whereunto I may say my prayers have need to come to Christ to mediate and intercede to God for them and to present them with his merits to the Throne of grace And now his prayer comes to me so the all disposing providence of God hath ordered the matter that in the prosecution of my Text I must be a weak Advocate in the defence thereof The best is it mattereth not who is the Pleader when God is the Clyent and what is wanting in my weakness and worthlesness will be abundantly supplyed in the might and merit of the subject which I undertake First it is objected that it is a set form of prayer and therefore doth pinnion and confine the wings of the Dove which ought to be at liberty and freedom to make choice of his own expression of it self It is said Rom. 8. 26. The spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groans which cannot be uttered It is therefore presumption in man to make himself Gods Interpreter and to dictate those words whereby his Spirit is to impart and communicate it self to the Throne of grace It was charged on the Rebellious Israelites Psal. 8. 41. That they limited the holy one of Israel no better is their practice who offer to score out both the path pace to Gods Spirit in prayer by pre-designing the Numericall words which are to be used thereby Gods servants are said to be led by the spirit Ro. 8. 14. And so also if ye be led by the spirit Galatians 5. 18. But this is leading the spirit when men will guide their Conduct-our and draw up a set form whereby the same shall be directed Ans. That set forms are no restrainings of the holy Ghost in us appeareth by the practice of our Saviour himself Matth. 26. 44. And went away again and prayed the third time saying the same words namely the same words which he uttered the second time viz. O my Father if this cup may not pass away from me except I drink it thy will be done See we here he who made the tongue to speak who was the frauder and confounder of all languages who needed not by premeditation to press words for his service seeing millions of volunteeres proffered themselves to be used by him See I say him pleased notwithstanding to resume the same individual terms which he had uttered before Secondly next to our Saviour who may be presumed most able to pray then the High Priest Aaron and his two inspired Sons Eleazer and Phineas Yet God in their publick blessings left them not to the liberty of their own expressions Num. 6. 23. Speak unto Aaron and unto his Sons saying on this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel saying unto them the Lord bless thee and keep thee the Lord make his face shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace I confess they were not confined to these words on all ennergencies and occasions having the latitude allowed them that in the Temple they might varie from this form according to their own discretions Witness the blessing of Eli to Hannah 1 Sam. 1. 17. Go in peace and the God of Israel grant thee thy Petition which thou hast asked of him But otherwise God had ordered them not to decede from this form and as Moses was to make all things according to the pattern in the Mount Heb. 8. 5. So no doubt the Priests conformed themselves in their prayer to every word syllable and etter of Gods prescription neither detracting thence nor adding thereunto Thirdly the Ministers conceived prayer under the Gospel is a stinted and premeditated one to such people his Auditours who ay Amen thereunto Their fancies and which is more their hearts do or should go along with the Ministers words so that he boundeth their meditations Hither shall they come and no further If any say that notwithstanding this Obligation to the words of the Minister they may make their own Salleys and excursions by Gods spirit in their hearts to enlarge themselves and as it were to comment in their sighs and groans on the Text of the prayers of their Ministers it is said that no less liberty is allowed them in all premeditate forms of prayer where on the plain song of the set words the devotion of their hearts may descant to their own spiritual contentment Fourthly none will deny but Songs and Hymns are prayers of thanksgiving both those which David made in the Old Testament and those that were used by Christians in the Primitive times Ephes. 5. 19. Speaking to your selves in Hymns and spiritual songs Colos. 3. 26. Admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual songs Now surely such Ditties would be bad and Notes worse and the Harmonie rather ridiculous to move laughter than melodious to raise Devotions if the singers thereof were not predirected to the very words and syllables of what they sung and chanted in the Church Excellent was the expression of Doctor Preston in point of preaching and is applyable equally to prayer He would have a Minister take such pains in studying his sermon as if he relyed not only on Gods assistance but when he cometh to preach the same so wholly to cast himself on divine asisstance as if he relyed not at all on his own studies Proportionable whereto a Christian soul may compile and compose his prayer as trusting nothing to the Spirit and yet in the minute of the utterance thereof to God so quit and renounce all efficacie of premeditation as consisting onely in the concurrence of Gods