The Cure of Church Divisions, Directions · Direction 32
DIRECT. XXXII.
Lay not a greater stress upon your different words or manner of prayer, than God hath laid: And take heed either of scorning, reproaching or slighting, the words and manner of other mens worship, when it is such as God accepteth from the sincere.
IT is an easie thing to turn the native heat of Religion, into a feaverish out-side zeal about words, or circumstances or ceremonies, whether it be for them or against them. O what a wonder is it, that by so palpable a trick as th…s, the Devil should deceive so many, and make such a stir and disturbance in the Church. I know that one party will cry up Order, & the other will cry up Spirituality, and both will say that God maketh not light of the smallest matters in religion, nor no more must we: And in this general position there is some truth. But if nothing could be said for both their errours, they would then be no deceits, nor be capable of doing any mischief. Some things that you contend about, God hath left wholly undetermined and indifferent; And some things in which your brother erreth, his errour is so small a fault, as not at all to hinder his acceptance with God, nor with any man that judgeth as God doth. Had you ever understood, Rom. 14 & 15. you would have understood all this.
It would make a knowing Christian weep between indignation and compassion, to see in these times, what censures and worse are used on both sides, about the wording of our prayers to God! How vile and unsufferable some account them, that will pray in any words which are not written down for them? And how unlawful others account it to pray in their imposed forms: some because they are forms, and some because they are such forms; and some because that Papists have used them, and some because they are imposed! when God hath given them no command, but to pray in faith and fervency, according to the state of themselves, and others, and in such order as is agreeable to the matter, and in such method as he hath given them a Rule and Pattern of. But of all quarrels about forms and words, he hath never made any of their particular determinations, no more than whether I shall preach by the help of Notes, or study the words, or speak those which another studied for me.
It is a wonder how they that believe the Scriptures, came first to make themselves believe, that God maketh such a matter as they do, of their several words and forms of prayer: That he loveth only extemporary prayer as some think, and hateth all prescribed forms: Or that he loveth only prescribed Forms as others think, and hateth all extemporary prayers by habit? Certainly in Christs time both Liturgies by forms, and also prayers by habit were used? And yet Christ never interposed in the Controversie, so as to condemn the one or the other. He condemneth the Pharisees for making long prayers to cover their devouring widdows houses, and for their praying to be seen of men: But whether their prayers were a Liturgy and set forme, or whether they were extemporary, he taketh no notice, as telling us that he condemned neither! (And its like the Pharisees long Liturgy, was in many things worse than ours, though the Psalms were a great part of it: And yet Christ and his Apostles oft joyned with them, and never condemned them.)
Nay as far as I can find, the Pharisees and other Jews were not in this so blind and quarrelsome as we; nor never made a controversie of it, nor ever presumed to condemn either Liturgies or Prayers by habit.
I shall now pass by their errour who are utterly against publike prayers from a habit, as having spoken of it at large elsewhere when I had opportunity. I shall now only answer the contrary extreme.
Obj. Where hath God given any men power to prescribe and impose forms for others? or commanded others to obey them?
Answ. First, where ever he hath given any power to teach their inferiours to pray, who cannot do it in a better way. He hath given Parents this power where he hath bid them, Bring up their Children in the nurture, and admonition of the Lord: Is it not by the Law of nature, the Parents duty to teach their children to pray? And is not the learning of the words first, profitable to their learning of the sense? May they not teach their Children the Lords Prayer or a Psalm, though it be a Form? And why not then other words which are agreeable to their State? And he that taught his own Disciples a Form and Rule of Prayer, and telleth us that so Iohn taught his Disciples, and saith to his Apostles, As my Father sent me, so send I you; by making them Teachers to his Church, did allow them to teach either by forms or without, as the cause required. All the Scripture is now to Preachers, a form of Teaching: And when we read a Chapter, we read a prescribed form of Doctrine: And it ha…h many forms of prayer and praise, and forms of Baptizing & administring the Lords Supper.
If you say, that the Apostles had an infallible spirit, I answer, True: And that proveth that that their Doctrine was more infallible than other mens: but not that they only and not other men may teach by the way of forms. All the Books of Sermons now written are so many prescribed words or forms of teaching: And if we may use forms of Teaching as well as the Apostles, why not also forms of praying.
If you say that the Apostles prescribed the Church no Liturgy, I answer, That only proveth that no one is universally necessary, nor to be universally imposed? but not that therefore no use of forms of prayer are lawful; May we not now use the Lords Prayer, or pray in some other Scripture form?
Obj. But the Apostles compelled none to use them.
Answ. Christ and his Apostles assumed not the civil Sword, and therefore so compelled men to nothing: But yet their authority bound the conscience; when Christ said, when ye pray, say, Our Father, &c. he bound them in duty to do as he bid them, though he forced them not.
But Secondly, tell me if you can where God forbiddeth you to use good and lawful words in prayer, meerly because the Magistrate or Pastor bids you use them. Is this the meaning of all the Precepts of honouring and obeying your Superiors [Do nothing which they bid you do, though otherwise lawful.] O strange exposition of the Fifth Commandment? If you command your Child to learn a Catechism or Form of Prayer before his meat, or for other times, will you teach him to say Father or Mother, it had been lawful for me to use this Form, if neither you nor any body had bid me; But because you bid me, now it is unlawful. O whither will not partiality lead men!
Obj. But though it be lawful to impose forms on children, yet not upon aged Christians.
Answ. Aged persons have too many of them as much need of such forms as children. Age maketh not the difference: We are fain to teach many aged persons forms of Catechism as well as children; Why not therefore forms of prayer?
Obj. But it is not lawful to impose forms publikely on whole Congregations of Believers.
Answ. All sects in the world do it. I never heard any Separatist or Anabaptist or any other publike Minister, but he imposed a form of prayer upon all the Congregation. He is void of common sense that thinketh that his extemporary prayer is not as truly a form to all the people, as if it had been written in a book. The order and words are not of your own invention, but invented by another to your hand; and imposed upon you to use: For I hope you come together to pray, and not to hear a prayer only. But the difference is, First, that one imposeth every day a new form on you, and the other imposeth every day the same: Secondly, And that one telleth you not what words you shall pray in, before you hear them; and the other writeth them down for you to know before hand. For my part I wonder why written or unwritten, long-premeditated or suddenly expressed prayers should be taken for unlawful. But however do not think the difference to lie where it doth not: For doubtless to the people, they are both formes, and both imposed, though not imposed by the same persons and authority.
Obj. But at least you have no proof for imposing forms …n the Ministers themselves.
Ans. First, I know no man that questioneth but some form of prayer and praise were imposed by God himself, on the Iewish Ministers; And one was taught by Christ to his Apostles: And a form of Profession of faith, and of Baptism and the Lords supper is imposed on all the Ministers of the Church. And Ioel 2. 17. a form of prayer is taught the Priests: Secondly, But we are not now pleading for the needless imposing of any forms, nor the causless restraint of extemporarary prayers. I have fully born my testimony against that in due season: But many things are lawfully and necessarily obeyed, which are not lawfully commanded, as I shall shew you more anon. I could heartily wish that we could say that all Ministers (of any party) were such as were wholly above the need of forms. Or at least such whose own composures were better for for the Church, than any that could be offered them by others (If it were not a contradiction)
But all that I now expect from the Objectors is, that they tell me or themselves, what proof they have that it is a sin for a Minister only to use an imposed form, when all the Congregation else may use it? Answer this well before you go.
And I pray let all the people note here, that it is not, nor cannot be denied, but that a form (even a new one every day) may be lawfully be imposed upon all them; and that the question is only of the Ministers use of imposed forms.
Obj. But our Ministers do not impose their prayers by forc….
Answ. Do you think that there is no imposition but by force? Your Pastor is your guide in the worship of God; and God hath imposed it on you to to follow him, and joyn with him in lawful prayer. And what the words shall be, and what the matter and order chosen for that time time the Speaker chooseth for you! And so he, bindeth you by his Ministerial authority (which is a true and lawful imposing) though he compel you not by the sword or force.
Obj. But Christ hath given gifts to all his Ministers and commanded them to use them. And they use them not when they use imposed formes: Therefore we must not obey men against Christ.
Answ. No doubt but all that are lawful Ministers, have such gifts as are necessary to the essential works of their office. But the degrees of their gifts have very great variety, as Paul fully sheweth in 1 Cor. 12. and oft elsewhere.
And the necessary gift for hearty acceptable prayer, is true Desire excited by the spirit of supplication, which sometime venteth it self but by sighes and groans, Rom. 8. 16, 26.
But the Ministerial gift of prayer is Knowledge and Utterance; by which a Minister may be able to express the desires and wants of the people unto God: which includeth memory in some degree. Even as Knowledge and Utterance are his Gift of preaching.
And some have more Knowledge and worser Vtterance; And some have better Vtterance and less Knowledge; And some through want of memory are defective in both.
The lowest rank of lawful Ministers, may be so defective in their own gifts, both of Knowledge, Memory and Utterance, as to have need of the help of the gifts of others, who much excel them.
As a Minister who hath tollerable Gifts for prea…hing, may yet need the writings of other men before hand; and may bring both their Matter and Method into the Pulpit, yea and oft times their words; so that though he have Gifts, yet being weak, he may use the gif…s of others. I have been counselled since I was silenced, to compose Sermons my self, and give them in writing to some weak Minister, that hath an excellent Voice and utterance, and to let him preach them. And really if I had not known that such have good books enough at hand for such a use, I think I should have done it: And who can prove that this had been his sin? And yet this was a using of another mans gifts instead of his own. And I have heard men that are much against Parish Churches and Liturgies wish that some unlearned men of good utterance, might read some excellent Sermon…books to the people, in ignorant places that can get no better: And who can prove the reading of a Homily unlawful.
Moreover, Christ hath given to all his members such gifts as are suitable to their places, as well as to Ministers such gifts as are suitable to theirs, And the place of a Master of a family requireth the gift of Catechising and instructing the family? And they are as truly obliged to use their gifts, as Ministers are theirs. And yet who doubteth but it is lawful for Parents to teach and catechize their children, by such books and forms of Catechisms as are composed by the gifts of abler men?
Moreover Prayer is the duty of every one, and specially of the heads of families: And therefore every true Christian hath gifts procured by Christ, for so much as is his duty. And he is bound to use his gifts. And yet those gifts are so low in many, that I fear not to call that man effectively an enemy to families, souls and prayer, who forbiddeth all such, to use such forms of prayer as are composed by the gifts of others.
The famousest Divines in the Church of God, even Luther, Zwinglius, Melancthon, Calvin, Perkins, Sibbs, and abundance of Nonconformists of greatest name in England, did ordinarily use a form of prayer of their own, before their Sermons in the Pulpit, and some of them in their families too. Now these men did it not through idleness or through temporizing, but because some of them found it best for the people, to have oft the same words: and some of them found such a weakness of memory, that they judged it the best improvement of their own gifts. Now besides the first composure of these prayers, (which perhaps was done 20 years before) none of these men did use their own gifts, any mo…e than if they had used a form composed by another. For the memory & utterance is the same of both.
These all were famous worthy men, whom no wise man judgeth to be insufficient for the Ministry for want of gifts. But if such as these may so many years forbear the exercise of their gift of extemporary prayer, much more may far weaker Ministers do it. Abundance of young Ministers are trained up under aged experienced Divines, what if one of these should sometimes make use of the same words of prayer, which the aged Minister used the day before, as finding them fitter than any that he could devise himself. Must he forbear to do better, because he cannot do so well, by the use of his own gifts alone?
And in some Ordinances as Baptism and the Lords supper, &c. the same things must be daily prayed for: And he that thinketh he must not frequently speak the same things, will quite corrupt the Ordinance of Christ. And he that will im…gine that he must have always new words, will at last have new things, or worse than nothing. If then it be meet to use often the same words, why may not a weak Minister use the better words of others, when he hath none meerly of his own that are so fit?
Nay is it not the Duty of such to do it? Every man is bound to do Gods service in the best manner that he can: (Cursed be the deceiver that hath a better in his flock, and bringeth that which is corrupt) But to utter prayers and praise to God, in a full, methodicall and congruous manner, and in words suitable to the Majesty of the worship of God, is better (to the people and to the honour of Religion) then to do it in a more confused, disorder…y, broken manner, with barrenness and incongruity of speech. But this l…st is the best that many honest Ministers can do by their own gi…ts, when they may do it in the former better manner, by making use of the words and gifts of other…. Therefore it is a duty for such men so far to use others gif…s of inventing words, before their own.
And among us there is no man forbidden in the Pulptt to use his own gifts to the utmost, and pray without any set form of his own or other mens.
And I would at last desire any of the Objectors but to name that text of Scripture which directly or indirectly commandeth every Minister, to use his gift of inventing words and method, or his gift of extemporary prayer, every time that he prayeth to God: Or which forbiddeth to use the gifts of others, though better than his own.
Obj. But what if the forms imposed be worse than the exercise of our own gifts?
Answ. First, That may be below one mans own invention, which is above-anothers. Secondly, And that may be more defective than your own invention could reach to, which yet may be more desirable for other advantages. As if all the Churches for some good ends, should agree to to use one mode or method or form, (as now we do in singing Psalms) the benefit of that concord might do more to the Churches service than my singular better form or words could do. And if the lawful Rulers commanded me that which perhaps I could somewhat exceed my self, I should do much in obedience to their command: Or if the people had a greater averseness or unfitness for my more congruous words than for others more fective, I should take that for the best food or physick, which is most agreeable to the stomack and disease. But especially if I am restrained from the publick preaching of the Gospel, or exercise of any of my Ministry, unless I will use a more disordered or defective form, I shall take it for my duty then to use it. Because it is more to the Churches edification.
In a word, God hath bound all his Ministers to use all their gifts to the Churches greatest edification: But to use a more defective form, with liberty to use my best gifts also, and to exercise my Ministry publickly to all, is more to the Churches edification, than to use my own gifts only a few days in a corner, and then to lie in prison and use them no more. Though no man must of choise prefer the less congruous before the more congruous, when he is free; (which I confess is a sin) yet it is a duty to prefer a less congruous order before none, or before a better for a day, with a restraint of that and all our Ministery hereafter.
For my part I have often truly professed, that I look at many Liturgies which I have read as I do at the prayers of some honest men, who use little method, nor very meet words and often toss Gods name through weakness; who put that last which should be first, & that first which should be last, but yet the matter is honest & good. I would not prefer such a man in a Congregation, before an abler man, who will speak more composedly & agreeable to the matter: But yet I would not be so peevish, as utterly to refuse to joyn with such a one. But as God doth not reject his prayers notwithstanding all his weakness, no more would I. And I had rather have such prayers, than none at all.
O that men would discern what is the true worth of prayer? and how little God is taken with the Oratory of them, in comparison of the faith and love and desire which is the soul of prayer. And O that men would lay no greater stress on their peculiar modes and words than God doth; and condemn no mens prayers further than they are condemned by God; nor separate from any further then God rejecteth them or commandeth our separation.
I cannot forbear telling you the aggravation of this kind of sin. It seemeth to me akind of blasphemy against God. As if you would make the world believe that God is so much for your mod… and words, that he overlooketh all the desires of the Spirit; and all his promises, and all mens interest in Christ, and forgetteth all his love to his people: so that Christ shal not intercede for them, or shal not prevail, unless they pray to God in the words and mode which you have fancied to be best, whether with a Book or without, in these words or in those. Me thinks you are renewing the old controversie, whether in this Mount or at Ierusalem men ought to worship? and knew not that the time is come that God will neither accept men for worshipping at this Mount or at Ierusalem, here or there, with a book or without book; but the true worshippers whom he chooseth, do worship him as a Spirit, in Spirit and in truth, as well with Forms as without them.
And yet some are more wicked than barely to condemn their brethrens prayers, because they be not cloathed just as their own. They will also break jests and scorns at them, and take this for the ingenuity of their piety. Like men of several Countreys who th…nk the fashions of all Countryes save their own, to be ridiculous, and laugh at strangers as if they were cloathed in fools Coats. So many do by the cloathing of other mens devotions. Some scorn at extemporary prayers, and some scorn at Forms and Liturgies: And the Litany they call conjuring, and the Responses they take for a formal jocular playing with holy things; when in all these, the humble heavenly Christian, is lifting up his soul to God.
By this petulant carnal kind of zeal, I remember our divisions were here raised at the first: To derid… the Common prayer, and deride them that used it, was too common with some kind of religious people: And they excused it by Elias his example, As if Idolaters, and the true worshippers of God, that differ from us in a Form, or Ceremony were all one.
I remember how some of the contrary mind were inflamed to indignation by such scorns, when they were going into the Churches in London, and heard some Separatists that lookt in at the Church door, say, [The Devil choke thee, art thou not out of thy pottage yet?] because the Common Prayer was not ended. So little did men know what spirit they were of. But wise and holy Mr. Hildersham, Mr. Iohn …all, Mr. Bradshaw, Mr. Iohn Paget, and other learned Non-conformists of old, did foresee and greatly fear this Spirit.
It is a dangerous thing to scorn and jest at any thing that is done about Gods worship, though it should be it self unwarrantable; while you scorn at one anothers worship of God, you raise a bold unreverence and contempt of holy things in the he…rer…, and perhaps before you are aware in your selves too. And you will teach the Atheist to scorn you all; unless …, where the very object is to be derided, as being no God, you should be very suspicious of this way. I am afraid of making a mock of the grossest erroneous worship of the true God. It is fitter to confute it in a way that more expresseth our reverence to the Object, God himself, & our respect to that pious affection which may be engag'd in it. I have seldom seen the best tempered people inclined to this way of jesting at other mens manner of worship? nor have I observed much good come by it: But I have oft seen that it is the way by which young pr…ud self-conceited persons do kindle a carnal dividing zeal, and a contempt of their brethren, and quench all holy sober zeal and love together.