Why Nonconforming Ministers Judge it Sinful, Treatise · Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
The firſt Argument, drawn from the nature of the Gift of Prayer, conſidered as a Mean given us by God in reference to the Act natural & proper, therefore the uſe not to be omitted. The Propoſitions opened & proved. The Inſufficiency of ſix anſwers given to this Argumemt. A 7th given by Mr. Falconer examined and found alſo inſufficient. The Aſſertion freed from diverſe abſurd conſequences which ſome would incumber it with. The Argument not concluſive againſt the lawfulneſs of hearing men praying by forms.
§. 1. OUr firſt Argument we thus ſtate,
To omit a mean for the performance of a Religions act given us by God for it, & being natural & proper, at the command of man when we perform that Religious action is ſinful▪
But for a miniſter having the gift of prayer, ordinarily to perform his miniſterial act in prayer, by reading, or reciting forms of prayer compoſed by others confeſſedly not divinely inſpired, is for him to omit a natural & proper mean given him by God in order to the performance of ſuch Religious act, and in the omiſſion of it to perform ſuch Religious action; Ergo.
That a mans Gift, or Ability fitly to expreſs his mind unto God in Prayer is given him from that God, from whom come all ſpiritual gifts, every good and perfect gift (as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh) we think will be denied by none who underſtandeth any thing of the Scriptures. Nor that this Ability is given to a man by God, as a means in order to help him in the performance of the Act, for to what end elſe, can any imagine it given? which maketh it to bear the Notion of a Divine Mean, and being ſo, it muſt be moſt Proper, unleſs men will pretend to be wises then God, and that it is moſt Natural, is as obvious: now that ſuch Gifts muſt not be neglected, the Apoſtle is plain, 1 Tim. 4. 14. Neglect not the gift that is in thee A precept extending as well to one miniſterial gift as another. But leaſt any should ſay, we do not neglect that, the uſe of which ſuperiours prohibit: We put in the word Omit, now who ſo in the performance of the act doth not uſe This Gift, doth moſt certainly Omit the uſe of it, and about the lawfulneſs of this omiſſion at the command of men is the Queſtion. We judge this ſinful, and that partly from Scripture, partly from Reaſon.
§. 2 We judge ſo from Scripture, 1 Pet. 4. 10, 11. As every man hath received the gift, ſo miniſter it one to another, as good ſtewards of the manifold grace of God▪ If any man ſpeak, as the oracles of God: if any one miniſter, &c. The Apoſtle is evidently there ſpeaking of goſpel miniſtrations, and giving a Rule about them, his Rule is this, foreign. As every man hath received the Gift, miniſtring foreign, the ſubſtantive to that muſt be foreign. This is the ſame which the Apoſtle expreſſeth in a little different phraſe. Rom. 12. 3. foreign. As God hath divided to every one a meaſure of faith. v. 6. foreign. According to the Grace given to us. The Apoſtle makes the gift foreign, that which we are to miniſter, and we are commanded to miniſter according as we have received it. Now in adminiſtrations, by other mens forms (and prayer is the one half of our miniſtry) we neither miniſter The gift; nor as every one hath received the gift; but as we find in the Book, or in the forms preſcribed. A gift indeed we uſe, Reading is a gift, but not the gift of prayer.
§. 3 But if we had no ſuch expreſs Scripture, The very light of Nature and Reaſon, would make this very probably appear to be the will of God to us. 1 Becauſe we uſe in an act of worship a leſs proper, leſs natural, and perfectly human mean: and in the mean time we omit a more proper, more natural & Divine mean. 2 Becauſe wee cannot uſe other mens forms, omitting our own gift, but we muſt omit a mean given us by God for the act, to uſe a mean under no Special divine preſcription. And we think it but reaſonable, that nothing but a ſpecial divine preſcription, should controle a general rule, whether written in Scripture, or approving it ſelf to our Reaſon. Eſpecially, if it be in matter of Divine worship, and to be done ordinarily. This is our firſt Argument, delivered and opened with as much freedom and plainneſs, as we are able to expreſs it in. We have indeed met with Six or Seven anſwers, but ſuch as we cannot acquieſce in; we will fairly relate them all, and shew why they apear to us by no means ſatisfactory.
§. 4 Some have gone roundly to work, denying any ſuch gift, as the gift of prayer; But this is either to deny what is evident to ſenſe: viz. That there are ſome perſons able fitly to expreſs their minds to God in prayer: or to deny the Scriptures which ſay, Ja. 1. 17. That Every good gift and every perfect gift cometh from above, from the father of Lights. Beſides, That it ſtubbeth up all Liturgies of Prayer by the roots, none it ſeems having any ability to make them. But thoſe who have thus anſwered have been very few and very invaluable.
§. 5 Others therefore tell us, That all miniſters have not this gift, and it were unreaſonable to preſume it in ſuch a clergy as that of England, conſiſting of 9, or 10000 perſons. To this we anſwer. If they who anſwer thus, intend by all Miniſters, all who are ordained by men, or, all thoſe whom the church in ſome ſtreſs of neceſſity is forced to make uſe off in ſtead of miniſters, have not the gift of prayer, we do agree it: But if they mean that, All thoſe who are ſent of God into the miniſtry have not the gift of Prayer, we think we should too much treſpaſs upon the reverence we owe to God, if we should grant, That hee ſendeth any into his work, whom hee hath not firſt fitted for all the parts of it.
2 We do grant, That there may be ſuch a ſtate of the church when for the preſent, it cannot be furnished with perfect miniſters (by perfect, we mean ſuch as are tolerably fit for all the parts of their work) Our forefathers experienced this, both in the beginnings of our Reformation in K. Edw. & in Qu. Eliz. time, as alſo did our Forefathers Brethren in other churches: They were ſo far from finding perſons enough fitted to pray & preach, that were well affected to a Reformation, that they had much a do to find ſuch perſons enough, that could read; And it is ſaid, the Priviledge in our courts of Judicature which perſons guilty of theft (ſeparated from Burglary & other crimes) have, comes from this defect of former ages: And we do believe that the Orginal or continuance of Liturgies upon the Reformation, owes it ſelf in a great meaſure to this. But we ſay, Theſe were but Tanquam miniſters, better theſe then none, their Reading may give the people ſome inſtruction. But 3ly ſuppoſe ſome that muſt be made uſe off for, the preſent neceſſity of the church, have not the gift; muſt they therefore who have it be reſtrained in the uſe of it? We do indeed think, that it will be hard to find nine or ten thouſand ſcholars in England, furnished with the gift either of praying, or preaching in any tolerable manner: and one great reaſon is, Becauſe they have been ſo tied to a Liturgy, that they have never applied themſelves to the ſtudy of the Scriptures, and their own hearts, as they should: but to tie up all to the uſe of ſuch forms, is the ready way, never to have ſuch a number. Therefore this anſwer is far from a ſatisfaction.
§. 6 Another hath told us, That the ſame gift may ſerve for ſeveral uſes: and he that uſeth it to one uſe, is in ſome caſes excuſed from uſing it in another: eſpecially, if he be hindred by authority. This gift he ſaith, may be uſed another way both in the worship of God, & out of it: In the worship of God, becauſe the ſame faculty which enableth a man to utter a good prayer to God, enableth him to make a good exhortation to people; Out of the worship, elſe thoſe Laymen who have it, and are no miniſters, ſin. This is Ireneus Freemans anſwer in his book called foreign. But certainly this author had forgot whereof he ſpake By the gift of prayer muſt be underſtood, An ability in man fitly to expreſs his mind to God in prayer, in asking things agreeable to his will. Can this gift, or faculty be uſed in making good orations & exhortations to the people? or can any thing be ſpoken more abſurdly then to ſay, That the gift of prayer may be put to ſome other uſe out of Gods worship, (Surely the author doth not think it lawful to pray to Saints & Angels) But by the Gift of prayer, he certainly underſtands nothing but the gift of ſpeaking, or at moſt of ſpeaking ſenſe: But ſurely the gift or ability of working in Braſs, & iron, & wood are differing abilities, or gifts, though at ſeveral times they be exerciſed by the ſame perſon, & proceed from the ſame reaſonable ſoul. But diſtruſting this anſwer, he hath a Fourth.
§. 7 That the man ſinneth not, who omiteth a gift, when the uſing of it would hinder another: and this he ſaith excuſeth miniſters, that they do not pray without end, but afford ſome time for preaching, yea, and for reading too. Yea, he ſaith, without this moſt men would be inexcuſable if they did not come into the church and make prayers there: For in that they do not, it is manifeſt they uſe not their gift. He applies it, p. 20. If the laws ſay, that he who will uſe his gift of prayer, shall not uſe his gift of preaching, but lie in priſon or worſe; it is manifeſt, that it is better to uſe one of theſe gifts, then by uſing them both, to be ſuffered in the uſe of none. Now, good Reader, judge if it be poſſible, an ingennous ſoul should be patient at ſuch Ridiculous trifling, was there ever any further queſtion then, Whether it be lawful to omit the uſe of the gift, when we are performing the Religious act to which the gift relates? Did ever any ſay▪ They were bound to uſe the Gift of prayer at all times, or onelyonly at all times when they miniſtred in prayer? 2 Is the gift of prayer onelyonly to be uſed in temples, that a Layick may not uſe it in his family, if he hath it? Is not this a learned Medium to prove, That thoſe who have the gift of prayer, may ordinarily omit the uſe of the gift of prayer given them by God, as a mean for it without ſin, when they are performing the act to which it relates: becauſe, When they are not to perform ſuch acts, but acts of a quite differing ſpecies, they may omit it. He ſaith, The exerciſe of the gift of Prayer may be omitted when it would hinder the uſe of the gift of preaching. He ſaith true, if the hindrance of the exerciſe of the gift of preaching proceedeth from the irregular, and diſorderly uſe of his gift of Prayer, by the voluntary act of him who hath both gifts: and ſtands bound to uſe both in their order, he may omit ſuch a meaſure of the uſe of one, as would hinder the due uſe of the other. But certainly he otherwiſe ſpeakes very impertinently, and not like a Divine: For in that I am hindred in the exerciſe of the gift of preaching by a meer human law, is the fault of others; nor can I ſin in it, if I be free to do it, without ſuch circumſtances as are ſinful. It is the ſin of others that we are not ſuffered to do what God hath called us to do, and as he hath required us to do it. Now whether ſuch ordinary praying would not be our ſin, is the matter in queſtion? God needeth not mans ly for his glory.
A fifth anſwer we have met with is, That a miniſter hath a liberty to uſe his Gift of Prayer, before his ſermon, and in his own private family. This is more then any thing before ſaid, But, 1 It reacheth not the Queſtion, for ſtil he muſt Ordinarily perform his miniſterial Act in Prayer in the omiſſion of the Divine mean, given him on purpoſe for the performance of it: for certainly, He that uſeth the preſcribed forms of others as oft as he publickly miniſtreth, doth it Ordinarily, in his miniſterial act. 2 If we look wiſtly into the law, we shall find it is but an aſſumed liberty men take to uſe their owne gift in prayer before their ſermons, and this Bp. Wren & Coſins underſtood well enough, & therefore would indure no ſuch thing where they had to do. And this Mr. Kemp hath told us in print, in a ſermon (ſince printed, preached in St. Maries in Cambridge) with this brand upon ſuch practice, That it is a Geneva trick, brought in by John Calvin, & Thomas Cartwright. For his liberty left him in his family, that is not in his publick miniſtry, beſides that we shall shew anon, that granting this Principle, That obedience to ſuperiors in this caſe is our duty, we lie at mercy for that too: and both theſe pretended liberties may be taken away, when our ſuperiours will pleaſe to ſay, you shall do ſo no more.
§. 9 For a Sixt Anſwer, we are ſlightily told by ſome, That the Church muſt judge, whether her Miniſters have ſuch gift of prayer or no? But, 1 Certainly it were a ſtrange judgment for a church to make, that none of her miniſters have the gift of prayer. 2 Again we freely agree, That the church muſt judge whether men have both the Gift of prayer, and preaching too; but we ſay this should be, before she truſteth them with the publick miniſtry: for in ſetting them apart to the miniſtry, she hath paſſed her judgment, That they have an ability both to pray and preach, Or elſe she hath dealt very unfaithfully to her Lord and Maſter, by ordination declaring, That Chriſt hath ſent thoſe whom he never ſent, when she ought firſt to have proved them. 3 If the church hath found her ſelf miſtaken, she ought to confeſs her error by removing them from the miniſtry, who are not fit for it; not to help them, by preſcribing them, what to ſay.
A late Reverend Author Mr. Falconer in his Libertas Eccleſiaſtica, p. 120. hath given us another anſwer, viz. That gifts may be limited, which (he ſaith) is manifeſt, becauſe by the will of God bounds & limits were ſet even to the uſe of the extraordinary Gifts of Gods Spirit. 1 Cor. 14. 26, 27, 28, 33. This is all which that Reverend Author ſaith to this argument, beſides what we shewed the weakneſs of in our reply to the fifth Anſwer, now, to this we anſwer, That the word Limited is a very general term. We will freely grant, That Limitations may be put and that by preſent ſuperiors upon the diſorderly and extravagant uſe of Miniſterial gifts, and that is all which is proved by that text, 1 Cor. 14. 26, 27, 28, 33. The words are theſe. v. 26. How is it then (Brethren) that when you come together, every one of you hath a Pſalm, hath a Doctrine, hath a Tongue, hath a Revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done to Edifying. v. 27. If any man ſpeak in an unknown tongue let it be by two, or at moſt by three, and that by courſe, and let one interpret. v. 28. But if there be no interpreter let him keep ſilence in the church: and let him ſpeak to himſelf and to God. v. 33. For God is not the Author of confuſion, but of peace in all the churches of the ſaints.
Here is indeed a direction given by an infallible Apoſtle for the exerciſe of thoſe extraordinary gifts; A direction whoſe end was Edification, and this by the avoiding of Confuſion and a reaſon given: For God is not the author of Confuſion, The Confuſion is plainly by the Apoſtle ſignified.
1 That ſeveral perſons who had theſe extraordinary gifts, would at the ſame time be communicating to their Brethren their Pſalms, their Doctrines, their Revelations, their Interpretations, Their gift in languages. 2 That thoſe who could ſpeak with diverſe tongues never regarded to have what they ſaid interpreted, from whence nothing could proceed for Edification, while many underſtood nothing of what was ſaid: and manifeſt Confuſion, ſeveral perſons gabling diverſe things, at the ſame time. To the avoiding of which the Apoſtle directeth.
1 That they should not ſpeak together, but ſucceſſively, & by courſe.
2 To avoid undue lengths, That not above Two, or Three at moſt should ſpeak at the ſame time.
3 That if any should ſpeak an unknown language, ſome one should interpret, That what was ſpoken might be underſtood by all. This is all the Apoſtle ſaith. Is there any Noncon. that will not moſt freely grant all this? 1 That Two or Three miniſters should not pray and preach together to the ſame auditory, and if any will be ſo diſorderly the ſuperior ought to reſtrain them, that there be no Confuſion. 2 That if miniſters will protract their diſcourſes to unreaſonable lengths, they may be reſtrained. 3 That if any be ſo vain, as becauſe he can ſpeak Latine, French, Dutch, or any other language, not generally known to his poeple, he will pray, & preach in ſuch language: The ſuperiors shall forbid it, & that by authority of this ſcripture.
But ſurely, our Reverend Brother is ſo much of a ſcholar & a Divine as to conclude, That becauſe ſuperiors may thus far reſtrain the notorious, & evident abuſe of gifts; therefore they may as they pleaſe limit the uſe of them; yea, forbid the uſe of them ordinarily in the performance of thoſe Acts to which they relate.
If indeed he could have proved, That the Apoſtle had ſent them a Manuſcript of his own (and we know he had parchments) of Propheſies, Doctrines, Pſalms, Revelations, and commanded them that when they Propheſied, taught, ſang, they should ordinarily uſe them, & none but them. This had come nearer the buſineſs, (yet not home to it, till the ſame Infallibility could be aſſerted for preſent ſuperiors, as for the bleſſed Apoſtle) as well as the ſame conſtitution of God for them to direct in all matters of worship, and Eccleſiaſtical order; which none can deny the Apoſtles to have been poſſeſſed of: Yet the Apoſtle knew the mind of his maſter too well, to ſend them books to pray & preach by, but onelyonly directeth them to ſuch an uſe of thoſe Gifts with which God had bleſſed them, as might be without what all men would cry out off as confuſed, clamorous, diſorderly, and unreaſonable: becauſe the generality of hearers not underſtanding them, could not poſſibly get any good or advantage from them. Our Reverend Brothers Argument muſt lie thus.
If the Apoſtle Paul might in the Church of Corinth direct, that none might ſpeak in an Ʋnknown tongue, nor Two or Three gabble together, nor any (though he were able) miniſter in a language which the people underſtood not; and the Corinthians were bound to obey: Then the Church or Churches of the preſent age, may command all their miniſters when they pray, for three parts of four of their time ſo ſpent, to ſpend it in praying (omitting any uſe of their own gifts) by reading, or reciting the preſcribed forms of prayers which they shall ſend them: And thoſe miniſters are bound to do accordingly.
We leave our Reverend Brother upon ſecond thoughts to judge of the validity of this conſequence, and do believe that it will not juſtify it ſelf to his own private thoughts: we cannot (we profeſs) reconcile it to any degree of Reaſon. Here is a manifeſt arguing from things of one kind, to things of another, and that quite different. It being one thing, to reſtrain the abuſe of gifts, another thing to reſtrain the uſe and that not as to order of time, and ſo as to make the uſe of them (ſtill eſtablished even in every individual act) intelligible, and of uſe to the church: but ſo as it shall be onelyonly denied or Suppreſſed, as to the far greater Number of thoſe individual acts wherein they should be uſed. The upshot therefore of this argument is, Thoſe of our Brethren who will anſwer this argument, muſt bring us ſome Medium which will conclude.
That it is lawful for miniſters of the goſpel, having a ſpiritual gift given them of God; as a proper mean to help them in the performance of their Miniſterial acts in ſolemn, publick prayer: yet at the command of ſuperiors, ordinarily to perform thoſe acts, omitting the uſe of ſuch means, and uſing the preſcribed forms of others. Which we can by no means agree to.
1 Becauſe of the force of the ſcriptures before mentioned.
2 Becauſe, we think we should allow men wiſer then God, if we should in practice prefer a mean of mere human invention, before one that is Divine; and therefore more proper, and (we are ſure) more natural.
§. 8 We meet with no more (pretended) direct anſwers to our argument. We are aware of the indeavours of ſome, to reduce it to abſurdity; with what ſucceſs, we shall very shortly examine. They tell us that admitting this Principle,
1 All thoſe Eminent Divines would be condemned, who have uſed or do before their Sermons uſe a form of their own compoſure, The vanity of this will appear from our ſtating the Queſtion.
2 He who preacheth muſt preach ex tempore. This is as idle as the other, we argue not for praying ex tempore; but onelyonly in the uſe of our own gifts, which certainly excludes not previous meditation; men may uſe what of that they pleaſe.
3 We muſt not uſe the Lords prayer. Let any one read our queſtion, & ſee if it concludes againſt any ſuch thing.
4 The miniſters alſo muſt make hymns, and people muſt not ſing by forms. As if we had not ſcriptural forms to which we are tied in ſinging, compoſed by men divinely inſpired. We think Apochryphal Anthems to be ſang in publick worship no more lawful, then Liturgical forms of Prayer. Nor can it be proved, that Hymn-making, or ſinging is an ordinary miniſterial act: Nor that God hath to any promiſed the gift of Pſalm, or Hymn-making; but it is certain he hath promiſed the Spirit of prayer, Zech. 12. 10. Rom. 8. 26.
5 Nor do they ſpeak any thing more to the purpoſe, who tell us that according to our Principle, None muſt join with others in prayer, for the ſpeakers prayer is a form to him. The Queſtion is not about him who barely prayeth, who hath nothing to do but to exerciſe his grace: but about him who is in prayer to miniſter unto others.
6 We have met with ſome, who have indeavored to encumber this argument with another abſurdity, telling us that according to this Principle, Every miniſter who is able to interpret the Hebrew of the old Teſtament, & the Greek in the new, is bound to read the ſcripture according to his own interpretation: and not the tranſlation received in the Church where he miniſtreth. And indeed of any thing we ever heard objected, this cometh neareſt an argument to bring our Principle to an abſurdity; But yet we think it is not ſufficient: For, not to diſpute, whether Publick Reading of the ſcriptures be (though a good work and fit to be uſed in the Congregation, as Moſes was read in the Synagogue) ſtrictly a miniſterial act; we never read Chriſt ſaying to his Miniſters, Go & read: ſo, as for ought we know, The ſcriptures may in the publick Congregation be read by inferiour officers (as is very ordinary, in other Reformed Churches) we ſay, not to inſiſt upon this (which yet were a foundation not to be shaken) we take that Principle which (if we remember right) we have ſome where read in Mr. Capel, to be a true Principle, That God never yet had a church in any place of the world, but he at the firſt planting of it, and ſo after (as there was occaſion) ſtirred up the Rulers, to employ ſome in making a true verſion of the ſcripture; which perſons ſo employed, God hath, upon experience, been found conſtantly ſo to aſiſt, That they have not erred or miſtaken in any point of Doctrine neceſſarily to be known & believed: and that it is his will, that particular miniſters, & members in ſuch churches in their ordinary uſe, & reading of the ſcriptures, should uſe ſuch verſion, or the verſion of ſome other church, which they may find more exact & perfect. This is ſo fully proved by experience, & the frequent uſe which both Chriſt & his Apoſtles made of the Septuagint verſion (though as full of miſtakes as any other, if compared with the Hebrew) that nothing is to be ſaid againſt it, nor need any more be ſaid in anſwer to this objection. The ſum of what is ſaid is this, That to interpret the body of ſcripture to be read to people is no private miniſterial act, or gift, nor is any ſingle miniſter fit to be truſted with it, nor to enter a diſſent to the ordinary verſion uſed either in the church of which he is a member, or ſome other orthodox church as to a particular text, but with great modeſty and upon weighty grounds.
§. 9 We think enough ſaid to juſtify our argument againſt all anſwers we have met with; and thoſe, who are ſo ready upon all occaſions to ſend us for ſatisfaction to Mr. Hooker & Dr. Sanderſon, should do well to tell us in what Page of either of their works this argument is anſwered: for we can in neither of them find an anſwer to it. Our adverſaries may alſo ſee, that we do not neglect to inquire into all their writings for ſatisfaction: Though it be our misfortune to find them rarely ſpeaking to the true queſtion, but firſt making to themſelves a man of ſtraw, then pelting him with arguments, and immoral language.
§. 10 Hence alſo appears to our weaker Brethren an obvious reaſon, why ſome of us can at a pinch hear other miniſters pray in the uſe of ſuch peſcribed forms; though our ſelves cannot uſe them: When we join in prayers with others, we have nothing to do, (provided the petitions we hear be according to the will of God) but to ſay, Amen, exerciſing our faith, &c. But if we be our ſelves to Miniſter in prayer, either we are miſtaken, (which we muſt firſt be convinced of) or beſides the exerciſe of Grace, God requireth alſo, we should uſe Our Gifts being the mean he hath given us for thoſe acts: Whether he who miniſtreth acquitteth himſelf to God or no? Viderit ipſe, it is nothing to us let him look to that. Nor can there be any thing of ſcruple in the hearing of miniſters praying by the forms of others (provided the matter) of them be good, and according to the will of God: Unleſs ſome should ſcruple it, as encouraging a miniſter in that which they judge ſinful. But why may not we think, That he who doth uſe them, doth it in an humble diſtruſt of his own abilities, & thinks at leaſt that he doth agere optimum, do his beſt? Why muſt we think our ſelves infallible? We dare not judge thoſe who we think have the gift of prayer, but think not fit to uſe it in their ordinary ſervice; becauſe their ſuperiors command the omiſſion of it: but as we do not judge them, ſo we dare not practice after their copy. Whether it be ſin in them we freely leave to Gods determination, we are ſure it would be ſin to us. As we believe, ſo we ſpeak, ſowe muſt act: but shall freely liſten to what any of our Brethren can ſay to the taking away of the appearing Probability, both of this argument, or any other we shall bring. In the mean time we would not be crowed over, as ſuch dunces who have nothing to ſay: but are hardned with Prejudice, blinded with paſſion, biaſſed by falſe Principles, &c. See Dr. Asheton's Ded. Ep. Nor as meerly peevish & Grubſtreet Divines, &c. which with abundance more of ſuch brutish ſtuf another uſeth. Till theſe confident men have let the world know, That they have given a ſufficient anſwer like ſcholars to what we ſay, and that they are good at ſomething elſe beſides reviling, we are not careful to anſwer them.