A Friendly Trial of the Grounds Tending to Separation, Chapter 2
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,Publick Prayer is not made with underſtanding and in faith, unleſſe it be in a known tongue. Nor can a man pray in ſaith, and purely lift up his ſoul to God, who prayeth before or unto an Image. &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?Pſal. 25. 1, 2. And may not a prayer,Mark 11. 24, 25. Joh. 14. 1…. holy and meet for the matter thereof,Jam. 5. 15. be read,Pſal. 145. 18. 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,1. Chron. 16. 8. which is one part of prayer,1 Sam. 2. 1, 2. it cannot be condemned in Petition.Jon. 2. 1, 2. 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:1. Cor. 14▪ 15. We muſt pray with the ſpirit; and we muſt praiſe with the heart.2. Chron. 6. 41, 42. 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.Pſal. 132. 9. Jehoſhaphat in that excellent thanksgiving which he made,2. Chron. 7. 6. appointed the prieſts and Levites to uſe a preſcript form of words.2. Chron. 20. 21, 22. So did Hezekiah,2. Chr. 20. 30. Zerubbabel and Jehuſhua. And if we may ſing pſalmes with the ſpirit and with underſtanding,Ezra 3. 10, 11. with feeling and joy of heart,1. Co…. 14. 15. as it is commanded, Epheſ. 5. 19.in a form of words ſtinted and preſcribed,Col. 3. 16. 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:If in the adminiſtration of Baptiſme no errour be committed againſt the matter or form inward or outward, the worſhip it ſelf or ſubſtantiall means of worſhip is approved of God and acceptable. 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?A man that readeth a form of prayer in a book, may be ſo affected with it, as in the deſires of his heart to go along with it, and to uſ… it for his preſent prayer. As it may thus fall out in reading one of Calvines prayers printed after his Lectures, or the like. 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. Ainſworth, touching the uſe of the Lords prayer. See Mr Paget his Arrow againſt Separ. chap. 3. pag. 63.Men may read it (viz. the Lords prayer) and humane liturgies with underſtanding and feelling, ſaith Mr 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:Coronidis vice omnibus orationibus oratio Dominica ad…cienda, quae omnium rerum precandarum Epi…ome à Cypriano rectè appellatur, He…ſ…ach. Orandi formula. 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 …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.Hierom affirmeth that Chriſt taught his Apoſtles to conſecrate the ſacrament of the Euchariſt by the Lords prayer, Lib. 3. cont. Pel…g. cap. 5. Greg. l▪ 7. epiſt. 63 B. Rhen. in Tertull. De corona militis, Dominica oratio habetur in omnibus Liturgiis. 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,Cyprian De orat. Dom. & Auguſt. Ench… rid. cap. 71. call it quotidianam. 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.In Conſtitut. Apoſt. lib. 7. cap. 25. Monentur Chriſtiani omnes ter quolibet die orationem …anc fundere, Chemnit. Exam. par. 2. tit. De Can. Miſſ. & De Miſſ. Pontif. pag. 273.
But firſt we are willed to note,Object. 1. Copy of a letter &c. pag. 5. How fond and corrupt is the reaſoning of theſe men, from Gods example and authority unto their own practiſed power, &c. Why do not theſe men alſo plead, that God gave a law by Moſes, therefore there may be a law given likewiſe by the Biſhops, Ainſw. Againſt Bern. pag. 237. 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 onelyonly 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,Anſw. 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,Object. 2. as be the other.
True;Anſw. as they be part of holy ſcripture they are of God, both in reſpect of matter and form: but as 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,Gr…enwood, Againſt Gifford pag. 6. & 19. Johnſon, Qu. … precib. & lit. pag. 24, 25. Robinſ. Juſtiſ. againſt Bern. pag. 470, 471, 472. 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;Copy of a Letter, pag. 18. 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,Deut. 5. 29, 32, 33 & 12. 32. Quod praecipitur, imperatur; quod imperatur, neceſſe eſt fieri, Tert. ad uxor. l▪ 2. Ubi praeceptum, neceſſitas eſt ſervi…ntis, Ibid. 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 onelyonly; but it is not neceſſary to be done.Copie of a …etter, pag. 1…. 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.