Apology of Certain Christians, Chapter 3
CHAP. III. Of written Leyturgies.
VVE cannot but mislike that custome in use, by which the Pastour is wont to repeat and read out of a prayer-book certayn formes, for his and the Churches prayers, and that for these reasons,
1. Because this externall mean and manner of worshiping God in prayer is no where found in the written word,Psay 29, 13. Mat. 28, 10. Co…os. 2, 23. (by the prescript whereof alone he is to be worshipped) whatsoever either the Iewes fable of the Leyturgie of Ezra; or the Papists of S. Peters, or S. Iames Leyturgies. Yea, contrariwise, I add for overplusse, that it did not seem good to the Apostles, the last penmen of the …. ghost, that any such prescript form for such end should come in use, in the churches. And this seemeth unto me verie clear, from the former Epistle of Paul to Timothy, chap. 2, 1, 2. The kings of the earth in those dayes, and such as were in authoritie under them, being, as it were, so many sworn enemies of the name of Christ, this conceipt might easily (and it seems did) creepe into the mindes of divers Christians, that these kindes of men were raither to be prayed against, then for, by the servants of Christ. And now, what was the medicine prescribed by the Apostle for this malad…e in that Epistle written to Timothy for that verie end,1 …. 3. 1…. that he might know how to converse in the church of God? Did he now either send Timothy to any Leyturgie formerly let forth for his own and others da… tion? Or did he himself frame any for the purpose, whose b…ten troad the Churches following afterwards should not erre? Nothing lesse: although a more …it, and full occasion for that busines scarce be offered: which without doubt, Paul would …o more have l…t slip, th…n did the other Apostles, th…t which was more light, for the introduction of Deacons, if …t had seemed good to th… … 6.H. Ghost (by whose singe… he was guided in the ordering of the Churches) that any such book-prayer should have come into use.
Three things especially are objected, which must here be cleared. The first is, that David, and other Prophets penned the book of Psalmes for the mother Church of Israell. The second, that Christ himself delivered to his disciples a certain form of prayer, commonly called, The Lords prayer. The third, that Moses from the Lord Numb. 6. gave direction to Aa…on, and his sonnes, in what form of words they should blesse the children of Israel.
I answer first generally, that the consequence followeth not from the authoritie of Christ, and of Moses, and of the Apostles, in ordeyning these, and these forms of divine worship, for the like authoritie in ordinance Bishops, and Pastours, to ordeyn other, and divers forms, for the same end. What can be spoken more insolently? Christ the Lord, Moses, the Prophets, and Apostles being immediately, and infallibly guided by the spirit of Christ, have prescribed certain set formes of Gods worship; therefore others though not immediately and infallibly guided by the same spirit, may also prescribe them. Why may they not by this argumentation, as well frame us a new Canon of holy Scriptures, considering that even th…se verie formes, wherewith also they equalize their own, are parts, and portions of the same Scriptures. More particularly. And first for Psalms. I deny that there is th… same reason of a prayer, and of a Psalm; or (whereupon the difference hangeth) that singing, and praying are all one. For the question is not, which I desire the Reader once for all to bea…n minde) eyther of the internall affection of him which singeth, or prayeth, or of the subject matter of the song or prayer: but of the externall act, and exercise of praying and singing. Now these two exercises both the holy Scriptures, and common sence in everie man, that pleaseth but to open his eyes, and look upon them, do plainly difference.
For first, if to sing be to pray, then whosoever singeth prayeth: but how far from truth this is, the Psalmes of David, 1, 2, and many others in which not the least parcell of prayer is to be found, do plainly evince.
2. Is any man sad amongst you, Iam. 5. 17.(sayth the Apostle) let him pray: is he merry let him sing. To pray then, and to sing, are not the same, nor which do agree (to wit primarily) with the same constitution of the minde.
3. In prayer the Pastours voyce is onelyonly heard, unto which the people,1 Cor. 14, 16 as the Apostle teacheth, are to add their Ame… but in singing, all the multitude have as well their part for tunable voice, as the pastour himself. Neyther can divers possibly sing together, without confusion, but by a certain, and set form both of words, and syllables: which yet may be done in church prayer, and is everie where.
4. We have the same Apostle els where teaching us thus:… phes 5, 19. Speaking to your selvs in Psalms, Hymnes and spiritual songs, &c. And again, Let the word of Christ dwell in you plenteously, with all wisdom, Colos. 3, 16.teaching and admonishing yourselvs mutually in Psalms Hymns, &c. In singing then we doe speak to our selvs, or one to another mutually: but in praying, neither to our selvs, nor to our brethren, but unto God alone. And the reason hereof is evident. When as we read or sing the Psalms of David (for what other thing is it to sing out of a book,Scalig. po…t. li 1. c…. 2. then to read with a loud, and harmonious voice? of which Harmonie singing is a kinde): these self same Psalms in this verie use do still remain, and so are read or sung, as a part of the word of God in the holy Scriptures: and in which God speaketh unto us: whereas on the other side, we do speak unto God, in all our prayers, whether mentall onelyonly, or vocall withall.
5. Even these verie Psalmes, whose matter is prayer, and thanksgiving, were framed, and composed by the prophets into Psalms, and spirituall songs, for this verie end, that the men of God might in them teach us, as in the written word of God, whereof they are parts, both what petitions they in their distresses put up to the Lord, and also what thanksgiving they returned upon their deliverance, that so we in reading & singing them, might instruct and admonish ourselvs both publiquely, & privatly, whether by way of doctrine, or admonition, or consolation, for the promoteing of the glorie of God in our hearts.
Lastly, that I may discend unto them, who are onelyonly taught by experience; If any going out of the temple, wh…lst the Church were singing a Psalm, either before, or after sermon, being asked of one that met him, what the church were then doing, should answer that it were at prayer; would he not be judged by all men to tell a ly? But altogether without cause, if to sing be to pray, as many imagine.
Touching the Lords prayer. We deny it to be the meaning of Christ, teaching his dise ples, when they pray to say, Our father, &c. to binde them, and the Holy Ghost in them, by which they ought to pray, to a certain form of words,Iude 21. & sillables, which they should repeat by heart, or (which is our question,) read out of a book. Because, 1. the two Euangelists Matthew, and Luke of whom both the one and other did aright both understand, and expresse the meaning of Christ, do not precisely keep the same words. 2. By these words, when you pray, is meant, whensoever you pray: whereupon it should follow, that we were tyed to this stint of words alone, and alwaies: and so might lawfully use none other, except it be lawfull for us sometimes to pray raither by the levell of our own dev…se, then of Christs prescript. The words therefore of Cyprian are good in a good sence.Cyprian. de …at. domin. Mat. 6, 6. To pray otherwise then Christ hath taught, is not onelyonly ignorance, but guilt, seeing he himself hath sayd, you reject the precept of God, that you may observ your own tradition. 3. Amongst the manie, and manifould prayers of the Apostles to be seen in the holy scriptures, this form of words is not found: and yet can it not be denyed, but they alwaies prayed as they were taught in this place by their Master Christ: whose meaning therefore it could not be to tye them necessarily to anie such certain of words. 4. It appears by the context, that the purpose of Christ is to speak of private, or raither secret prayer, and such as everie Christian apart from others, and in his closet, with the doore shut unto him, should pour out unto the Lord. Now that one alone, and by himself should say, Our father, seems not verie congtuous. Lastly, seeing of the like there is the like consideration, If the Apostle Iames in these words, Go to now, ye that say, to day or to morrow we will goe into such a cittie &c.Iam. 4, 13. and vers. 15. For that ye ought to say, if the Lord will, we shall live, and doe this or that, do neither simplie fault with the form of words, Calv. in Iam. ch. 4. v. 15.nor prescribe necessarily anie other, but onelyonly (to use Calvins words) wakens them from their dream, who without respect of the divine providence, will make themselvs maysters of a whole yeare, when there is not a moment in their power: so neither are we to conceav that our Saviour Christ Math. 6. and Luke 11 doth injoin unto his anie set words to pray in,Idem in Mat 6, 9. but onelyonly shewes whither all our prayers and vowes ought to be referred, Vrsiu…s, B… can…s, Piscator, P…ins, &c.as with all other orthodox writers about this matter, the said Author speaketh: howsoever divers uns…kilfull men cease not still to sing unto us, euen to loathsomnes, the song, when you pray say, as the Papists do theirs, This is my bodie: as though the controversie were about the words, and not raither about the meaning of them.
But for that we are verie odiously traduced by divers, as abhorring from this form, and that we will not (as they use to speak) say the Lords prayer, I will in few, and plain terms set down what our judgment is about it.
1. And seeing that, as the Poet hath it, the names do commonly suit with the things, we may see, and sorrow withall, in the phrases in common use about this most Christian duetie of prayer, what it is with the unhallowed multitude of Christians to pray, namely to say prayer, to read prayer, to hear prayer, and raither any thing then indeed to pray, that is, then to pour out the conceptions of a godly and devout minde unto God, from faith and feeling of our wants, by the holy Ghost.
2. We do affirm, that this form of words is unproperly, how commonly soever, called the Lords prayer: as neither being a prayer as it is the Lords, nor the Lords as it is a prayer. As it is of the Lord Christ, and so the Lords (whether by himself uttered in words, or committed to writing by his Euangel…sts) it hath the consideration, and respect of a sermon, and of Euangelicall doctrine, in which Christ taught his disciples; and not of a prayer put up to his Father: as on the contrarie it neither was, nor could be used prayer wise by Christ, in so manie words; with whose most persit sanctimonie it did not agree for him to say, forgive us our trespasses.
3. We do firmly beleiv, that all, and everie both Church and person is bound alwayes to pray, as Christ hath there taught: whether we respect the matter there propounded, or the affections there injoyned, or the commodious, and compend…ous simplicitie, which Christ our Saviour, and onelyonly mayster, there opposeth, both to the vain bablings, and oft repetitions of the heathens: and that in these things, and them alone, the commandement of Christ doth consist, we both firmly beleiv, and confidently avow.
4. And lastly, we doubt not but that this verie form of words may be, and is rightly used in prayer unto God, provided there be neither opinion of necessitie, by which superstitious persons think themselvs stinted by the Lord to words, and sillables, nor of perfection, by which many are of minde, that they have then at the last, and not before prayed per…itly, when they have repeated this form of words. And it is well, if some spot of this myre cleav not to the fingers of many ministers; which make it a matter of great conscience not to conclude their, and the churches prayers applyed specially to the present state of things, with this number, and measure of words. Which custom as it is used verie commonly, so in my judgment, with no great reason, for these two causes.
First, it seems to crosse all good order, and method, by which men should d…scend from the more generall unto that which is more speciall: and not go the clean contrarie way, as in this they do.
Secondly, Since the rule, according to Phylosophie, and good reason, is alwaies before the thing ruled, and that this form is by Christ inst…tuted, for this purpose, that it might be the rule, and squire of all our prayers,Tertull lib. de Ora…. and as Tertullian saith, is premised, as the foundation of all our accessorie d…s…es, me thinks the same should raither be used in the first place; upon which as the same author hath it, everie one should build the circumstances of his occasioned requests.
It remayneth that in a few words I answer that, which is by some objected touching those solemn blessings, at the first imparted by the Patriarks to their first born, and after by the Preists to Israel the first born of God.Exod. 4, 22.
And to let passe, 1. that the composers, and imposers of the Leyturg…es now in use have not equall authoritie with Moses the man of God, not are th… writings any way comparable with his: 2. That Moses did not prescribe unto the Priests a st…nt of words for blessing (much lesse to be read out of a book) but the substance of the thing;See M. … son of written …. which by manie Arguments, save that I studie for brevitie, might be proved. 3. If that were Moses his minde, and the Lords by him, the minister were bound to the same form of blessing upon the Israell of God now,Gal. 6, 16. which the church is: since there is nothing in it not morall, and perpetuall, or not concerning the church now,Calvin. in Gene…. c. 27 1. as then. I do answer this one thing, & the same in Calvins words, viz. that these blessings were not ordinarie prayers, but a lawfull author…tie divinely interposed to testifie the grace of election: which … also confirms by divers reasons. Neither can anie man who considers the words of the text make question, but that the Priests in blessing (Israel, not God) do direct their speach unto Israel by way of promise, and not unto God by way of prayer. So blesse you (saith Moses) the children of Israel, saying unto them, The Lord blesse thee, &c. The same is to be judged of the salutations of the Apostles in their Epistles, (whereof they are a part, and so a part of the holy Scriptures): albeit yet they in them, as the Preists in their blessings, desired to have their truly loving affection taken knowledg of by them to whom they wrote: and what good things they both desired at the hands of the Lord for them, and also promised them in his name.
2. We dislike all reading of prayer in the act of praying, as inconvenient, yea directly contrarie unto that act? In prayer we do pour out matter, to wit the holy conceptions of the minde, from within to without; that is, from the heart to God: on the contrarie, in reading, we do receav and admit matter from without to within; that is from the book, into the heart. Let him that prayeth do that which he doth, not another thing, not a divers thing. Let the whole man, and all that he is, both in soul and bodie, be b…nt upon God, with whom he converseth. The eyes of the minde are lifted to God in prayer; and why not the eyes of the bodie also? both which …e that prayeth, by intending them upon a book, both depresseth, & averteth from God. The Apostle exhorteth, that the men pray, lifting up pure hands to God in everie place. 1 Tim. 2, 8▪In like manner, (besides the reason of the thing, we have the Patriarks, Prophets, Christ himself, with his Apostles, and disciples, for insample of lifting up the eyes to heaven in prayer. Not this gesture of body is simply necessarie but most convenient, (save in some great temptation, and depression of minde, both to expresse, and further the intention of a godly heart.
Let devout and learned men (if they please, commit to writing their holy meditations, and secret conferences with God, as did Austin, and others amongst the ancients; and many of later time… which may be read, and that with no small benefit both by Pastour and people; but privately, and for better preparation unto prayer. Now the preparation unto prayer is verie unseasonable at the selfsame time of the solemn performance thereof; and unreasonable in, and by the self same act.
3. Seeing that publique prayer (as Bucanus saith) is a second part of the ministrie; Bucanus cō m…n places of prayer.as also that amongst the gifts of the holie Ghost, wherewith the Pastor is indued from above, that is not small, not to be despised, by which he is able conveniently both for matter, and form, to conceav a prayer according to the churches present occasion;, and necessities; by the reading of this prescript form that (truly excellent) gift giuen of God for this end is made void, and of none use, and the spirit (contrarie to that which ought to be) extinguished. 1 Thes. 5, 19.The manifestation of the spirit (saith the Apostle) is given to everie one (especially to everie Pastour) to profit withall. 1 Cor. 12, 7.But he who reads a form of prayer conceaved, and consigned by another, doth not manifest the pastorall gift, (for of the internall affection our question is not) of the spirit given to him to profit withall, but to that other by whom the form of prayer was ind…ted.
4. If to read such a form of prayer be to pray aright, and pastour like no probable reason can be rendred, wherefore to read a sermon, or homilie, is not as well to preach aright, and as is required of the Pastour of the Church. Which so being, small reason had the Apostle,Act. 6. treating of the ecclesiasticall ministerie, which principally consists in these two exercises,2 Cor. 2, 16. to crie out, as he did, who is sufficient for these things? For who is not sufficient even of the vulgar sort? who can not read a Leiturgie, and an Homilie?
5. The spirit (saith the same Apostle,Rom. 8, 26. speaking of all Christians) helpeth our infirmities, for we know not what to pray, as we ought. Yes, Paul, (with your l…av right well; for we have in our prayer-book, what we ought to pray, word for word, whether the spirit be present or not. What then is to be done in this busines? That which Tertullian saith the Christians of his time did.T…tul. Apol. against the Gentles. We pray (saith he) without any to prompt us, because we pray from the heart. But he who reads his prayers, or rather the prayers of him that p…nned them, and his lesson out of a book, hath one that prompts him, and that diligently, both what, and how much, and after what manner, and with what words and sillables he ought to pray.
Lastly, if it would be just matter of shame to any earthly Father, that his childe, who desired of him bread, fish, or an egge, should need to read out of a book, or paper, Father, pray you give me bread, fish, or egge; how much more contumel…ous is it, to our heauenly father, and his holy spirit,Zac. 12, 10. Rom. 8, 26, Iude …0. Zac 11, 15. wherewith he furnisheth all his children, specially his ministers according to their place, that an help so unworthie, and more then babe…sh, and indeed the instrument of a foolish sheepheard, namely a bare reader (with which kinde of vermin Rome, and England are pestered) should be used by such godly, & learned pastors, as wherewith the reformed churches are furnished