Last Legacy in Select Admonitions and Directions, Treatise · Section 22 – Section 24
Of the Liturgy.
§ 1. Mr. Baxter in the 2d. page of his exceptions againſt the Liturgy, urged an Objection of Mr. Hales in theſe Words. To load our Publick Forms with Private Fancies on which we differ, is the moſt ſoveraign way to perpetuate Schiſm, See alſo, p. 48. The Biſhops gave this Anſwer to the Objection; We heartily deſire that according to this Propoſal, great care may be taken to ſuppreſs private Conceptions of Prayer, leſt private Opinions be made matter of Prayer, as it hath, and will be, if private Perſons take liberty to make publick Prayers. To this I agreed, p. 201. Cure of Diviſions, in theſe words; Every Separatiſt, Anabaptiſt, Antinomian, doth too willingly put his Errors into his Prayers: The Senſe of which Mr. Bagſhaw thus expounds. p. 7. Of his Antidote, by mentioning of Separatiſts, as a diſtinct body of Men from the Antinomian, Anabaptiſts, &c. It is evident he can mean no other but his Presbyterian and Congregational-Brethren.
§ 2. That which God preſcribed is lawful, but God preſcribed Forms of Prayer, as the Titles and Matter of many of the Pſalms prove, which were daily uſed in the Jews Synagogues. Chriſt. Direct. 2d. Edit. p. 139.
Q. 74. Is it lawful to impoſe Forms on the Congregation in publick Worſhip? Anſw. Yes, and more than lawful. It is the Paſtors duty ſo to do; for whether he forethink what to pray, or not, his Prayer is to them a Form of Words, and they are bound to concur with him in Spirit or Deſire, and to ſay, Amen. So that every Miniſter by Office is daily to impoſe a Form of Prayer on all the People; only ſome Men impoſe the ſame Form many times over, or every day, and others impoſe every day a new one. pag. 140. Ibid.
Pag. 142, 143. Mr. Baxter ſhews the conveniencies and inconveniencies, both of ſee and preſcribed Prayers; and adds, My own judgment is, that ſomewhat of both ways joyned together will beſt obviate the inconveniencies of both, though by this I croſs the conceits of prejudiced Men on both extremes; I think I croſs not the judgment of the Church of England, which alloweth free Prayers in the Pulpit, and at the Viſitation of the Sick—Nor of the Famous Non conformiſts, Cartwright, Hilderſham, Greenham, Amiſius, Perkins, Bains, &c. Mr. Cartwright all the time that he lived abroad, uſed the ſame Form before Sermon and after, and read Prayers in the Church, and concluded with the Lords Prayer.
§. 4. Pag. 102. Of, Mr. Baxter's life, Part 1. Under pretence of the purity of their Churches, the Separatiſts ſet themſelves againſt the ſame Men, that the Drunkards and Swearers ſet againſt, doing what they could to make them odious, and put them down, only they did it more profanely than the Profane, in ſaying, Let the Lord be glorified; let the Goſpel be propagated; abuſing Sacred Scripture to their purpoſe. All this began in unwarrantable Separations, and too much aggravating the faults of the Churches, and Common People, and Common-Prayer-Book, and Miniſtry, which becauſe they thought they needed amendments it required their obſtinate Separation, and allowed them to make odious any thing that was amiſs and if any Man had rebuked them for making it more faulty than it was, they called him a pleader for Antichriſt and Baal, and every eror in the mode of Worſhip was Idolatry, Popery, Antichriſtianiſm, Superſtition, Will-worſhip, &c. When many of their own Prayers were full of Carnal Paſſion, Faction, Diſorder, vain Repetitions, unſound and loathſome Expreſſions, and their Doctrine full of Errors and Confuſſion.
§ 5. Pag. 169. Part. 3. Of B's Life. I wrote a Book called Cain and Abel, intending a third Part, to tell Diſſenters, why I went to the Pariſh Church, and Communicated; and why they ſhould not ſuffer as Separatiſts, leaſt they ſuffer as Evil doers; which a Bookſeller importuned me to let him Print, but for Reaſons then given, I delayed it; but at laſt conſented to publiſh the Reaſons of my Communicating in the Pariſh Churches, and againſt Separations: But a Manuſcript of Dr. Owen's, containing Twelve Arguments againſt joyning with the Liturgy in Publick Churches was ſent me, which I anſwered, whereupon a ſwarm of Revilers powred out their keeneſt Cenſures whom I anſwered. Another ſaid, that my Treatiſe of Epiſcopacy fully proved the duty of Separation; whereupon I explained that Treatiſe, and all theſe things together I Publiſhed in a Treatiſe in defence of Catholick Communion, to which I refer ſuch as deſire farther Satisfaction.
§ 7. I ſhall name but one Paſſage more on this Head, in his Defence of the Principles of Love. pag. 88. The Covenant (he ſaith) bindeth us to Reformation according to God's Word, and the Example of the beſt Reformed Churches: But to prefer no Publick Worſhip, or a worſe before the Liturgy, is Deformation and Profaneneſs; and it is greater Reformation to prefer the Liturgy before none, than to prefer Extemporate Publick Worſhip before the Liturgy; for all the Reformed Churches in Chriſtendom do commonly profeſs to hold Communion with the Engliſh Churches in the Liturgy, if they come among us where it is uſed, ſo that it ſeems in Mr. Baxter's Judgment a breach of the Covenant to prefer no Publick Worſhip before the Liturgy, or to refuſe Occaſional Communion in the uſe of the Liturgy, as if it were unlawful, when in Mr. B's as well as in the Judgment of all the Reformed Churches, it is to be preferred to Extemporate Publick Worſip.
My Opinion as to Liturgy in general,Diſpute the 4th. of Church Government. is, 1. That a ſtinted Liturgy is in it ſelf lawful.P. 358. P. 2. That a ſtinted Liturgy in ſome parts of Publick Service is neceſſary.359. 3. In the parts where in is not neceſſary, it may not only be ſubmitted to, but deſired, when the peace of the Church requireth it. 4. It is not of ſuch neceſſity to take the matter, and words out of the Holy Scriptures,See Chriſt, Direct. P. 874. but that we may joyn in a Liturgy, or uſe it, if the Form of Words be not from Scripture. This is thus proved: 1. That which is not directly, or conſequentially forbidden by God, remaineth lawful. A ſtinted Liturgy is not directly, or conſequentially forbidden of God: Therefore it remaineth lawful. The major is undoubted, becauſe nothing but a prohibition can make a thing unlawful; where there is no Law, there is no Tranſgreſſion. Yet I have heard very Reverend Men Anſwer this, That it is enough that it is not commanded, though not forbidden, which is plainly to deny both Scripture and Civil Principles. Now for the Minor, That a ſtinted Liturgy is not forbidden, we need no other proof, than that no Prohibion can be produced.P. 361.
The main Body of Non-Conformiſt Miniſters did judge, that the Ordinary Liturgy appointed for Publick Worſhip, was ſuch as a good Chriſtian might lawfully joyn in, Apol. p. 148.
If it be lawful for the People to uſe a ſtinted form of Words,P. 364. in Publick Prayer, then is it in it ſelf lawful for the Paſtors: But it is lawful for the People, &c. For the Paſtors Prayer (which they muſt pray over with him, and not only hear it) is a ſtinted Form to them, even as much as if he had learnt it out of a Book.
It is lawful to uſe a Form in Preaching, therefore a ſtinted Liturgy is lawful. 1. Becauſe Preaching is a part of that Liturgy. 2. Becauſe the reaſon is the ſame for Prayer as for that in the main.
That which hath been the practice of the Church in Scripture times and down to this day, and is yet the practice of almoſt all the Churches of Chriſt on earth, is not like to be unlawful: But ſuch is the uſe of ſome ſtinted Forms, &c.
I have ſhewed, that it was ſo in the Jewiſh Church. That it hath been of ancient uſe in the Church, ſince Chriſt, and at this day in Africk, Aſia, Europe, and the Reformed Churches in France, Holland, Geneva, &c. is ſo well known, that I need not ſtand to prove it: And thoſe few that ſeem to diſuſe it, do yet uſe it in Pſalms and other parts of Worſhip. As for the Common-Prayer it ſelf, I never rejected it, becauſe it was a Form; or thought it ſimply unlawful, becauſe it was ſuch a Form; but have made uſe of it, and would do again in the like caſe.
Object. But if a faulty manner of praying be preſcribed, Chriſt. Direct. p. 748.and impoſed by a Law, I know it before-hand and am guilty of it. Anſw. If the thing be ſinful, either it is, 1. Becauſe the Prayers are defective and faulty; Or, 2. Becauſe they are impoſed; Or, 3. becauſe you knew the Fault before-hand, but none of theſe can prove your joyning with them ſinful. 1. Not becauſe they are faulty; for you may joyn with as faulty Prayers (you confeſs) if not impoſed. 2. Not becauſe impoſed for that is an extenuation,See Chriſt. Direct. p. 848. and not an aggravation. For (1.) it proveth the Miniſter leſs voluntary of the two, than thoſe are that do it without any command, through the errour of their own Judgments. (2.) Becauſe (though lawful things oft become unlawful when Superiours forbid them, yet) no reaſon can be given, why a lawful thing ſhould become unlawful, becauſe a lawful Superiour doth command it; elſe Superiours might take away all our Chriſtian Liberty, and make all things unlawful to us, by commanding them. You would take it for a wild Conceit in your Children or Servants, if they ſay, when you bid them learn a Catechiſm, or uſe a Form of Prayer, It was lawful for us to do it till you commanded us, but becauſe you bid us do it, it is unlawful. If it be a Duty to obey Governours in all lawful things, then it is not a Sin to obey them. 3. It is not your knowing before hand, that makes it unlawful: for 1. I know in general before hand, that all imperfect Men will do imperfectly: and though I know not the particular, that maketh it never the lawfuller, if fore-knowledge it ſelf did make it unlawful. 2. If you know that (e. g.) an Antinomian, or ſome miſtaken Preacher, would conſtantly drop ſome words for his Errour, in praying or preaching, that will not make it unlawful in your own Judgment, for you to joyn (if it be not a flat Hereſie.) 3. It is another Man's Errour or Fault that you foreknow, and not your own. 4. God himſelf doth, as an Univerſal Cauſe of Nature, concur with Men in thoſe Acts which he foreknoweth they will ſinfully do, yet is not the Authour or Approver of the Sin.
We (the Commiſſioners 1663.)Defence, p. 38. all thought a Liturgy lawful, and divers Learned and Reverend Nonconformiſts of London met to conſider how far it was their duty, or lawful to Communicate with the Pariſh Churches, where they lived, in the Liturgy and Sacrament, and I proved four Propoſitions: 1. That it is lawful to uſe a Form: 2. That it is lawful to joyn with ſome Pariſh Churches in the uſe of the Liturgy: 3. That it is lawful to joyn with ſome Pariſh Churches in the Lord's Supper: 4. That it is to ſome a duty to joyn with ſome Pariſh Churches three times a year in the Lord's Supper: and none of the Brethren ſeemed to diſſent, but took the Reaſons to be valid.
Were I in Armenia, P. 176.Abaſſia, or among the Greeks, I would joyn in a much more defective Form than our Liturgy, rather than none. And this is the judgment of many New-England Miniſters, conform to the old Non-conformiſts, who did ſome of them read the Common Prayer, and the moſt of them judged it lawful to joyn in it, or elſe Mr. Hilderſham, Mr. Richard Rogers, &c. would not write ſo earneſtly for coming to the beginning,P. 54. and preferring it before all private Duties. And truly, I am not able to bear the thoughts of ſeparating from almoſt all Chriſt's Churches upon Earth; but he that ſeparates from one, or many, upon a reaſon common to almoſt all, doth virtually ſeparate from almoſt all; and he that ſeparates from all among us upon the account of the unlawfulneſs of our Liturgy, and the badneſs of our Miniſtry, doth ſeparate from them upon a reaſon common to almoſt all, or the far greateſt part, as I conceive.
Thoſe Forms of Liturgy which now are moſt diſtaſted,Cure of Diviſions, P. 200. were brought in by the moſt zealous religious People at the firſt: The many ſhort Invocations, Verſicles and Reſponſes, which the People uſe, were brought in when the Souls of the Faithful did abound with Zeal, and in holy fervors break out in ſuch expreſſions, and could not well endure to be bare Auditors, and not vocally to bear their part in the praiſes of God and prayers of the Church.
I have ſhewed at large,P. 174. How far God hath given Men power to preſcribe, and impoſe Forms for others, and commanded others to obey them:P. 179. when Chriſt ſaid, When ye pray, ſay, Our Father, &c. he bound the Diſciples in duty to do as he bid them;P. 185. How Forms may be impoſed publickly on the Congregations of Believers, and on the Miniſters, yea though the Forms impoſed be worſe than the exerciſe of their own gifts, (though among us no Man be forbidden to uſe his own gifts in the Pulpit.) The Phariſees long Liturgy (it is like) was in many things worſe than ours; yet Chriſt and his Apoſtles often joyned with them,Five Diſp. p. 363. and never condemned them. I ſhall now only add that the Lord's Prayer is a Form directed to God as in the Third Perſon, and not to Man only as a directory for Prayer in the Second Perſon: it is not, Pray to God your Father in Heaven that his name may be Hallowed, his Kingdom come, &c. But, Our Father which art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name, &c. And it ſeems by the Diſciples words, that thus John taught his Diſciples to pray, Luke 11. 1. and we have in the Scripture the mention of many Set Forms of Service to God, which therefore we may well uſe. And I deſire the Reader again to Note, that though Prayer was corrupted by the Phariſees, yet Chriſt uſually joyned in their Synagogues, Luke 14. 17. and never medled with our controverſie about the lawfulneſs of Set Forms. [This Mr. Baxter infers from Calvins note on Matth. 6. before the Preface to the Defence.]
Pag. 76. Of Concord. I conſtantly joyn with my Pariſh Church in Liturgy and Sacraments, and hope ſo to do while I live.
I take the Common-Prayer to be better incomparably than the Prayers or Sermons of many that I hear.
As for the Common Prayer it ſelf, I never rejected it, becauſe it was a Form, or thought it ſimply unlawful, becauſe it was ſuch a Form, but have made uſe of it, and would again in the like caſe.
He that ſeparates upon the account of the unlawfulneſs of our Liturgy, and the badneſs of our Miniſtry, doth ſeparate upon a reaſon common to almoſt all of the far greateſt part of the Churches. See the Defence, p. 54.
The defects of the Liturgy, and the faults of thoſe by whom we ſuffer, are eaſily heightned even beyond deſert. Defence, p. 68.
Apology, p. 9. Having peruſed all the Foreign and Antient Liturgies in the Bibliotheca Patrum, I doubt not but our own is incomparably better than any that is there.
That which is not unlawful in it ſelf, is not therefore unlawful, becauſe it is commanded, Obedience to Superiors, is our duty and not our ſin, unleſs in ſinful things. p. 152. Chriſt. Direct. 2d Edit.
Of Obedience to our Paſtors.
We are indangered by diviſions,Sacrileg. Deſerting, P. 103. principally becauſe the ſelf-conceited part of Religious people will not be ruled by their Paſtors, but muſt have their way, and will needs be rulers of the Church and them. But pleaſing the ignorant Profeſſors humors, is a Sin that ſhews us to be too humane and carnal, and hath always ſad effects at laſt. It is a high degree of pride for perſons of (ordinary) underſtandings,P. 101, 102. to conclude, that almoſt all Chriſts Churches in the World for Thirteen Hundred Years at leaſt, have offered ſuch Worſhip to God, as that you are obliged to avoid it, and all their Communion in it; and that almoſt all the Catholick Church on Earth at this day is below your Communion, for uſing Forms. Mark, Is it not more of the Women and Apprentices that are of this mind, than of old experienced Chriſtians?
I think till we have better taught,Baxter againſt Cramdon, p. 83. even our godly People, what credit and obedience is due to their Teachers, and Spiritual Guides, the Church of England ſhall never have peace, or any good or eſtabliſhed Order,Cure of Diviſ. p. 393. We are broken for want of the knowledge of this truth; till this be known we ſhall never be well bound up and healed. The People of the New Separation, ſo much rule their Miniſters, that many of them have been forced to forſake their own judgments to comply with the violent.
Labour to maintain the Ordinances and Miniſtry in eſteem.Saints Reſt P. 519.
The Church is bound to take many a Man,Church Government. P. 131. as a True Miniſter to them, and receive the Ordinances from him, in Faith and expectation of Bleſſing upon promiſe, who yet before God is a ſinful invader, an uſurper of the Miniſtry, and ſhall be condemned for it. (How much more then to reſpect their lawful Biſhops and Paſtors?)
Of Lay-Elders.
For Lay-Elders,5. Diſput. Preface, p. 4. As far as I underſtand, the greateſt part, if not three for one of the Engliſh Miniſters, are of this mind, That unordained Elders wanting power to Preach or Adminiſter Sacraments, are not Officers in the Church of God's appointment: Of this number I am one, and Mr. Vines was another.
In the Worceſter Agreement Printed 1653. Mr. Baxter declared, that neither Scripture nor Antiquity knew of any ſuch Officers as Lay-Elders.
In the Third Defence, p. 58. It was notorious, that the Parliament yielded to Presbytery to exclude Epiſcopacy, becauſe they had no other way to uphold their Wars, without which they had no way to hold up themſelves, but by help of the Scots.
My firſt Book (Viz. the Preface to Saints Reſt.) diſclaims Lay-Elders, Pag. 109. to Hinckly.