Commissioners Petitioning for Review of Book of Common Prayer, Commentary 2 · Preface · Section 2
Sect. 2.
[This which they call a defect,Ans. others think they have reason to account the perfection of the Lyturgie, the Offices of which being intended for common, and general Services would cease to be such, by descending to particulars; as in Confession of Sins, while it is general, all persons may and must joyn in it, since in many things we offend all; but if there be a particular enumeration of Sins, it cannot be so general a Confession, because it may happen that some or other, may by Gods Grace have been preserved from some of those sins enumerated, and therefore should, by confessing themselves guilty, tell God a lye, which needs a new Confession.]
Repl. If General words be its Perfection, Rep.it's very culpable in tediousness and vain repetitions: For, what need you more than [Lord be merciful to us sinners?] There's together a general Confession of Sin, and a general Prayer for Mercy, which comprehend all the particulars of the Peoples Sins and wants. We gave you our Reason, which you answer not. Confession is the exercise of Repentance, and also the helper of it; and it is no true Repentance which is not particular, but only general. If you say, you repent that you have sinned, and know not wherein, or do not repent of any particular sin, you do not indeed repent; for sin is not existent, but in the individuals: And if you ask for Grace, and know no what Grace, or desire no particular Grace, indeed you desire no Grace at all. We know there is time and use for general Confessions and Requests; but still, as implying particulars, as having gone before or following; or at least it must be supposed that the People understand the particulars included, and have inward Confessions and desires of them; which cannot here be supposed, when they are not at all mentioned, nor can the People generally be supposed to have such quick and comprehensive minds; nor is there leisure to exercise such particular Repentance or desire, while a general is named. And we beseech you, let the Scripture be judge, whether the Confessions and Prayers of the Servants of God have not been particular? As to your Objection or Reason, we answer. 1. There are general Prayers, with the particular or without them. 2. There are particular Confessions and Prayers, proper to some few Christians, and there are others common to all: It is these that we expect, and not the former. 3. The Churches Prayers must be suited to the Body of the Assembly, though perhaps some one or few, may be in a state not fit for such expressions. What a lamentable Lyturgy will you have, if you have nothing in it, but what every one in the Congregation may say as true of, and suitable to themselves? Then you must leave out all thanksgiving, for our Justification and forgiveness of Sins, and Adoption, and title to Glory, &c. because many in the Assembly are Hypocrites, and have no such mercies; and many more that are sincere, are mistaken in their own Condition, and know not that they have the mercies which they have, and therefore dare not give thanks for them, lest they speak an untruth. Then the Lyturgy that now speaks, as in the persons of the sanctified, must be changed, that the two fore-mentioned sorts (or the later at least) may consent; and when you have done, it will be unsuitable to those that are in a better state, and have the knowledge of their Justification. This is the Argument which the Sectaries used against singing of David's Psalms in the Congregations, because there is much in them that many cannot truly say of themselves: But the Church must not go out of that way of Worship prescribed by God, and suited to the state of the ordinary sort of spiritual worshippers, because of the distempers, or super-eminent excellencies of some few. It were easie to go over David's Psalms, and your own Lyturgy, and shew you very much, that by this Argument, must be cast out. He that finds any passage unsuitable to himself, is not to speak it of himself.