A Friendly Trial of the Grounds Tending to Separation, Chapter 1
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 onelyonly in and through Jeſus Chriſt:Pſal. 50. 15. To God onelyonly,1. Tim. 2. 5. as the chief, beſt and moſt perfect good; through Chriſt,John 10. 23. as our Mediatour, in whom we have acceſſe to the throne of grace.Epheſ. 2. 18. Prayer is not a work of nature but of grace.Rom. 8. 26. 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,1 Cor. 14. 16, 28. Orig. contra Celſum, lib. 8. 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,Ambr. in 1 Cor. 14. Hieron. ad Heliodor. Epitaph. Nepotian. and yield their conſent unleſſe they heare and underſtand what is prayed for. In ſolitary prayer the voice and words are very uſefull,Auguſt. De Magiſt. lib. 1 Idem, De catechiz. rudib. cap. 9. Juſtinian. De Eccleſiaſt. diverſ. capitul. Conſtit. 123. Concil. Lateran. ſub Innoc. III. c. 9. Innoc. III. Extravag. de offic Judic. ordinar. Quoniam in pleriſ que . Decret. Gregor. l. 1. tit. 31. cap. 14. 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.Matth. 26. 44. 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.Greenw. Againſt Giff. pag. 8, 9. I onelyonly laboured to ſhew all men this errour of reading mens writings in ſtead of praying, that they might learn how to converſe, &c. The ancient brethren of the Separation (as Mr 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, Smith, Differences of the Separation. Epiſt. Johnſ. Againſt Carpent. They communicate together in a falſe and idolatrous outward worſhip of God, which is polluted with the writings of men, viz ſt…nted prayers, homilies, catechiſmes, &c.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 onelyonly, preſcribed in this or that manner. Mr 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, Robinſon, Againſt Bern. pag. 456.is, That your Divine ſervice-book framed by man, and by man impoſed to be uſed without addition or alteration, The ſtinting, impoſing mens writings upon publick aſſemblies, to have them read over by number and ſtint, or any other way, as a worſhip of God instead of true invocation, is a mere device of man, and ſo carnall worſhip; as alſo all other reading of mens writings, publickly or privately in this abuſe, for praying to God, Greenw. Anſwer to Gifford. Robinſon, Juſtif. againſt Bern. pag 424. Idem, pag. 419. Idem, pag. 473.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 onelyonly 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 interpr…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;Idem, pag. 425. 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,Pag. 472. 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, Id. pag. 478.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,Copie of a letter, pag. 5. 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:Pag▪ 5. 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. Pag. 13.God hath appointed other helps for prayer, which are ſufficient without this. Pag. 21.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 onelyonly 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 onelyonly, 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 onelyonly, 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 onelyonly 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 onelyonly 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 onelyonly 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 onelyonly, 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.