A Defense of the Principles of Love, Part 2 · Exception 17
EXCEPT. XVII. p. 10. Answered. Whether God hates bookprayers or forms.When I say that I wonder at men that think God maketh such a matter as they do of their several words and forms, as that he loveth only extemporate prayers and hateth forms, or loveth only prescribed forms and hateth extemporate prayers by habit,] he saith this is ▪As if I could never speak meanly enough about prayer. But, brother, if you kindle this burning zeal your self, by teaching men to hate either forms or praying by habit; Marvel not if it burn you, within and without; and when your own passions have scorched you, other mens hatred of your prayers, as you hate theirs, do trouble you also. And if you hate the quenching of these fires, even when the Churches by them are all on a flame, as sober▪ men as you will be of another mind, I tell you again, brother, you greatly wrong and dishonour God, if you think that he layeth so much upon that which he never gave any law about, or spake one word for or against, as to tell the World that he hateth all prayer that is put up by a form or book. And that he that denyeth this, speaketh meanly of prayer. The Lord teach you to know what manner of spirit you are of, (which request I shall reit…rate for you, instead of praying with your earnestness, The Lord rebuke him.▪ Have you the bowels of a Christian, and the spirit of Christian Love and Unity▪ and can you think that God hateth (for that was my word) all the prayers of all the Churches and Christians in the World, that use a form? Even of all the Greek Churches, the Armenians, Abassines, Jacobites, Syrians, Cop…ies, Lutherans, and Calvinists; of all the English publick Churches; and the prayers of such holy men as Dr. Preston, Dr. Sibbes, Mr. Perkins, Mr. Hildersham, Mr. Cartwright, Dr. Stoughton, Mr. Whateley, Mr. Bolton, and all such as they that used some the Li…urgie, and some other forms? And that God hateth the prayers of all Christian Families and Christians that use a form? Do you dislike adding to God's word, and will you adde to it so boldly, as to say, he hateth that which he never once forbad?
If you would make your reader think that I make God indifferent to all modes and words in prayer, you would abuse him: For though I never heard a man swear in prayer, I think you curse in prayer a little before; and I have heard many rail in prayer, and traduce men for truth and duty, and vent their own errors. But I beseech you promote superstition no more, and feign no Divine Laws which you cannot shew us? And teach not this unhappy age to feign things necessary that are not, and paint out the most holy gracious God, as the patron of every one of their fancies.
Your words [Doth not God regard the manner of our addressing our selves to him? Must we not pray in the spirit?] Do still make me pray, that you may know your spirit. Do you well to intimate that I say the contrary? When I maintain that God so far accepteth them that worship him in spirit and truth, that he will accept their prayers, with a form or without, and hateth neither; yea; hath left both indifferent, to be varied as mens occasions and use for either vary, as he hath done a form or notes in preaching. It is an easie thing to turn formalist either way, by thinking God loveth our prayers either because they are in the same words, or in various words.
The second part of this Exception calleth me [a trifler, that doth neither believe the Scripture nor himself, but tries to abuse, &c.] Because I say about a Liturgie, 1. Certainly in Christs time, both Liturgies by forms, and prayers by habit were used. 2. That it is like Whether the Jews had a Liturgie in Christs time.that the Pharisees long Liturgie, was in many things worse than ours; And yet Christ and his Apostles oft joyned with them, and never condemned them.▪
Answ. 1. Let the Reader observe whether ever Christ, his Apostles, or the Pharisees medled with the Controversie about the lawfulness of forms? Whether ever Christ condemned them? 2. Let the Reader note that when I say that Certainly forms were used, I say not, whether in the Synagogue or Temple, or House, nor do I say that they were other forms than Divine? But when I say that it is like in many things the Pharisees Liturgie was worse than ours, I mean that it is like (though not certain) that part of it was of humane invention, and used publickly.
And, 1. The word Liturgie (as Martinius and other Etymologists agree, hath three significations, 1. The largest is, for any publick office of ministry, and specially of distribution. 2. For the publick service of God, in reading, teaching, praying, &c. 3. For stated orders and forms of that publick service, To which Bellarmine addeth a 4th. as the narrowest sense of all, viz For the sacrificing offices only; which is no usual sense. Now the second and third being the now-Common sense, I thought there hadSee Psal 92. and 102, &c. been no question about them.
That the Jews had a Divine Liturgie in both senses (as a service, and as a prescript form) I proved in my 5th. Disput. of Liturgies many years ago. 1. In the Temple they had most punctual prescripts for their sacrifices of all sorts, and their offerings; and the manner of performance, and the actions of Priests and people about them. In the Synagogues Moses and the Prophets were read every Sabbath day! And the Psalms were purposely penned (many of them) and1 Chr. 16. 4. and 25. 2 Chron. 8. 14, 15. recorded to be Prayers and Praises for the publick and private worship, and were committed to several Church-officers to be publickly used: And David and Solomon appointed the Instruments, Singers, and order & manner in which they should be used. A form of prayer for the Priests is prescribed in three benedictions, Numb. 6. 23. Hezekiah commanded the Levites to sing Praises to the Lord with the words of David and of Asaph the S…r, 2 Chron. 29. 30. 1 Chron. 16. 7. [On that day David delivered first this Psalm to thank the Lord into the hands of Asaph and his brethren, Exod. 15. The song of Moses is a form. And Rev. 15. 3. the Saints are said to sing the song of Moses and of the Lamb. Most Expositers think that the Hymne that Christ sung at his last supper, was the usual form: If not, it was a new form. Moses form at the moving and resting of the Ark is set down, Numb. 10. 35, 36. Deut. 21. 7▪ 8. There is a form for the people to use, Iudg. 5. Deborahs song is recorded: so is Hannahs praise, 1 Sam. And Ioel 2. 17. there is a form for the Priests in their Humiliation: And Iohn taught his Disciples to pray; And when Christ was desired to teach his Disciples as Iohn had done his, he gave them a form. Now let the sober Reader judge whether the Jews had no form or Liturgie of God's appointment.
If he say, I thought you had meant a humane form; I answer, If you will think that which I say not, and choose rather to revile, than observe what you …ead, I cannot help it.
2. When I speak of a Probability afterward, I do mean of a humane Liturgie: of which I will now only say, 1. That it seemeth very improbable to me that the Pharisees who so abounded with Traditions, should not so much as have any humane forms of prayer or praise.
2. When Christ speaketh of their long prayers, I desire them on both extreams to consider, that, If it was a long Liturgie, they should not compare the Puritane to the Pharisee in his long prayers as they use to do, but to others. But if they were extemporate Prayers, 1. To one side I say, that if Christ had been against extemporate praying, he would have put that into his rebukes: 2. To the other side I say, If the Pharisees had the gift of long extemporate prayers, we must take heed of over-valuing such a gift, and ascribing it too much to the spirit, so that the Pharisees long prayers, as a two edged sword, cut both extreams in this pievish Controversie.
3. This Controversie whether the Iews had a Liturgie, is handled so largely by Mr. Selden, that I must refer the Reader to him that would see what is said for the affirmative, in Eutych. Alexandr. pag. 35 to p. 63. Where he shews that till Ezra's time there was none but the Scripture Liturgie; And that in Ezra's time eighteen Prayers were made; and shews how far they might or might not adde: Where having cited abundance of Rabbins, he shews that however the Jewish Rabbins are fabulous, these historical testimonies are our best means of information, and are credible, and addeth the words of Ios. Scaliger, [Hic fuit vetus Ritus Celebrationis Paschae temporibus Messiae: Quod vetustissimi Canones in Digestis Talmudicis manifesto probant: Nisi quis eos neget antiquos esse; Quod idem ac si quis capita Papiniani, Pauli, Ulpiani, & aliorum Iurisconsultorum in Digestis Iustiniani producta neget esse eorum Iurisconsultorum quorum nomine citantur; Quod nemo sanus dixerit.