The Liturgical Considerator Considered, Part 1
Part. 1.
Sectio prima.
FOR his firſt Head, Liturgy, which, though variouſly, and more largely uſed, he confines to Forms of Prayer; I cannot deny but a Liturgy may be uſeful to many Miniſters (at leaſt who go for ſuch) in this Land, men of meaner abilities, and not able to expreſſe themſelves publickly in every prayer, foreign. Yea, ſo far am I from conceit of my own gifts, (though the Doctor charge us with pride and oſtentation) that if my gifts be not ſufficient, I will freely uſe the Liturgy, (when purged from things offenſive) as the Doctor would have me; or rather lay down my Miniſtry, as thinking Chriſt never called me to it, if He hath not beſtowed on me a gift of prayer in ſome meaſure ſufficient: So that this will clear me that I am not a man abſolutely againſt Liturgies, nor the Book of Common-prayer.
But becauſe I am weak, and need it, that therefore it muſt be impoſed upon the ableſt men; and ſo that in the Sacraments, pag. 27.All Miniſters muſt be commanded wholly and ſolely to uſe the Liturgical Forms, as this Doctor would have it; this I am not as yet ſatisfied in, nor can I yield to it.
However this man ſcoffs at mens private gifts, yet he cannot but acknowledge, pag. 19. that ſome men have real and uſeful gifts, which he eſteems, and denies not their uſe; and in pag. 39. tells us, That God be thanked by Divine permiſſion, people may enjoy them. How is this, by Divine permiſſion? Is this all the Warrant we have from God for the uſe of the gifts which he requires to be in a Miniſter, and gives to them whom he calls into the Miniſtry? What, no more than for the fouleſt ſin which God permits? What ſay the learned, Permittere, propriè loquendo eſt, Twiſ. Vindic Gra. 2. p. dig. 3.neque facere ut aliquid fiat, neque impedire ne fiat. But if you ſay, Perm…ſſion reacheth to things that are foreign. Have we no more warrant for the uſe of our gifts from God, than we have to go this or that way to London, which we pleaſe? This is ſtrange Divinity.
For my part when I think of theſe things,
Firſt, That Jeſus Chriſt purchaſed, and when he aſcended, gave gifts to men, Eph. 4.8. and ſome of theſe men are Paſtors, v. 11. and I am ſure the gift of Prayer is one.
Secondly, That God promiſed to give the gift of prayer, Zech. 12.20. which Biſhop Hall interprets thus, I will pour out upon my Church, &c. though I think it hath a more ſpecial reference to the Jews as yet to be converted, yet the Lord doth not onelyonly promiſe to them.
Thirdly, When I read Rom. 8.26. That the Spirit is given to help our infirmities, when we know not what to pray for as we ought.
Fourthly, When I cannot find that ever Liturgies were impoſed upon the Church, not upon the Jews in their beſt ſtate, nor I am ſure upon the Chriſtian Churches, though the Apoſtles had more ability to compoſe, and authority to impoſe Liturgies upon the Church than any now.
Fifthly, When I obſerve the Arguments men produce for Liturgies, do take away the whole gift of prayer from the ableſt man.
Sixthly, When the ſame Arguments were in as much force in the Apoſtles days as they are now, yet they were not ſo witty to invent Liturgies, or to impoſe them on the Church.
Seventhly, When men may as well take away the gift of Preaching as of Prayer; the ſame Arguments will remove the one as well as the other.
Eighthly, When I ſee the ſame Confeſſions, Petitions, &c. which are made in the Liturgies read, are preſently made with more enlargement by thoſe who pray by their own gift with the aſſiſtance of the Spirit.
Ninthly, When this tying up to Liturgies, and that wholly in Sacraments, &c. quite deſtroys that Petition in our preparations and prayers for the aſſiſtance of the Spirit, as to the matter of our prayer, acknowledging our own inability to think one good thought, for we are tied exactly to words.
When I conſider theſe with other Arguments, and ſome which I ſhall mention when I come to the Doctors preſſing our Liturgy, I cannot be ſatisfied how any Liturgies can be impoſed on any whom God hath qualified; and they make me queſtion our uſe of them when they are impoſed, eſpecially when I come to add what I find againſt ours in Dr. Gauden.
Sectio ſecunda.
NOw then to the Doctors reaſons for Liturgy, which he gives us, pag. 9, 10, 11.
In general I may onelyonly ſay this, if the giving of ſeeming reaſons for a thing (in which the Doctor hath ſome advantage through great words and Rhetoricall flouriſhes) will prove it a truth in Divinity, what Hereſie ſhall not be a truth? Then thoſe reaſons which Perronus offered to give the King of France to prove there was no God, might have proved that to have been a Truth, which Atheiſtical hearts would have to be true, and Ʋaninu like a ſimple man could ſuffer in the defence of.
But in theſe things I provoke Doctor Gauden to King Charls the Firſt his Rule, i.e. the Scriptures of God. To Deut. 4.2. to Iſa. 8.22. Matth. 28.19, 20. 2 Tim. 3.15, 16. Is the Word a perfect Rule or no? if it be, what do Carpenters and Maſons with their Rules, do they not apply them to their works and ſee how they anſwer them? Do you the ſame with this Divine Canon, apply it to your whole diſcourſe, and ſee how it agrees, apply the ſecond Commandment, if all you have ſaid accord with that Rule, we will readily obey, and fools we were to ſtand out, to hinder our liberties and carnal preferments.
But however let us weigh his Reaſons, he is ſo full of words that I muſt contract what I can.
His firſt is this: A Liturgy conduceth much to the more ſolemn auguſt and reverent worſhip of the Divine Majeſty in Chriſtian C…ngregations: where otherwiſe the venerable Myſteries muſt be expoſed to that rudeneſſe, and unpreparedneſſe, that barrenneſs and ſuperficialneſſe, both for matter and manner, judgment and expreſſion, to which every private Miniſter is daily ſubject, as late experience hath taught us.
Anſw. 1 Anſwer. Is there ſuch a Divine Majeſty as you ſpeak of? then the good Lord humble and pardon me for want of due reverence becoming his preſence: it ſeems you take care for the reverence of him, 'tis well done. But, Sir, hath not this Divine Majeſty given to the ſons of men a Rule according to which they muſt worſhip him? then ſhow your reverence to this Divine Majeſty, by proving your humane inventions in his worſhip, and of impoſed Liturgies on his ableſt ſervants by his Rule, elſe what ever you talk of reverence, 'tis but will-worſhip, as the Apoſtle hath it, Col. 2.23.
If I through my ſin and infirmity am not able to reverence him as becomes him, this is my infirmity, I deſire to repent and fly to my High Prieſt for pardon; but for men to bring in their Modes of worſhip, as more highly conducing to his reverent worſhip, for which we cannot find warrant in his Rule, this ſeems to be Gods infirmity, who did not reveal the beſt way of worſhip: This is brave reverence to charge him with want of wiſdom.
Secondly, By this argument take away the whole gift of Prayer, for if we pray but once before Sermon by our own gift, we are incident to this ruden…ſs, &c. Yet you allow us once to pray.
Thirdly, This argument from reverence ſpeaks of the inward frame of heart, a grace which the Spirit, not a Liturgy, muſt help to; but if of the outward expreſſion, it is like to be moſt reverend where the heart is the dictator: without preſcribed words, which may be repeated with little or no regard.
Fourthly, Let the rude and unreverent worſhipers have this impoſed on them, if it will help them; but I never ſaw more rude worſhipers than many, if not moſt of thoſe who uſe it.
Fifthly, It is true, and a thing to be lamented, do what we can it is hard to keep our minds and affections but they will be gadding, though we ſet our ſelves never ſo cloſe to our work, and pray from our own gifts, yet this is one means to help our vile hearts to keep in, when our minds are upon our hearts to expreſs our deſires riſing firſt from thence, to what they are when a mans eye is upon his book reading what is there, when eſpecially through often reading he hath been accuſtomed to his road, the Carrier with ſuch a Horſe may ſit on his Horſe back and ſleep, his Horſe knows his Road.
Sixthly, Hath Doctor Gauden ſeen all the behaviours of Miniſters, heard all their prayers at Sacraments ſince that Liturgy was laid by? No, I am ſure he hath not. Why then doth he charge all men thus? by nature we are bad enough, but what are men nothing by grace, and that growing, nothing by gifts imparted, and theſe excellent, and not onelyonly ſo, but aſſiſted by the Spirit of God? And what if the Spirit doth not alwayes alike aſſiſt to humble us, and make us know our dependance on him, muſt we by and by bring in a humane invention? But O the reverence that I have ſeen, the excellent prayers full of divine matter, fluently poured out that I have heard from ſome Miniſters who uſe not the Liturgy; would to God many that uſe it, did appear like them.
Seventhly, By this Argument you may take away all preaching; I am ſure men have ſhewn as much rudeneſs, deformity, barrenneſs in this Ordinance, as in the other, eſpecially your Liturgical men; what ſtories do men tell of ſome of them? I hope the Divine Majeſty is as well concerned in preaching as prayer.
Eighthly, If theſe evils you mention be ſo ſubject to all men now, they were ever ſo ſince the Fall: I am ſure Paul was as careful of the Reverence of the Divine Majeſty as you are; yet he did not find out this means againſt thoſe evils which you do. What, had Paul no skill how to order and provide for the Auguſt, and Reverend worſhip of God?
Sectio tertia.
Reaſ. 2 HIS ſecond Reaſon is this, A Liturgy is a great defence to true Doctrine, and a means to prevent the spreading of corrupt opinions.
Anſw. 1 Anſw. 1. Not every Liturgy, ſome may be bad enough; this was the firſt Reaſon (as ſome conceive with lazineſs) which firſt brought in Liturgies, the Arrian and Pelagian Hereſies; in which time yet Miniſters did compoſe and uſe their own prayers, though they were firſt review'd: But it may be the Doctor hath an honeſt deſign in this; for he knows well, that abundance of the Epiſcopal men now preferred, are ſtout Arminians, of the ſame blood with Pelagius; and he fears theſe men will ſpread Pelagianiſm under a little finer dreſs, and ſo would have the Liturgy impoſed, to keep them from doing this miſchief. Ah Doctor! this will not do, ſuch men call for the Liturgy more than any; but if this were your only intent, we thank you for your honeſty.
Secondly, Confeſſions of Faith and Catechiſms being ſound, Orthodox and Subſtanti…l, impoſed on all, were the beſt means to attain this end; witneſs the ſeveral Creeds of the four firſt general Councils of Nice, Conſtantinople, Epheſus and Chalcedon, againſt the Hereſies of Arrius, Macedonius and Eudoxius, Neſtorius and Eutyches.
Thirdly, By this, you muſt take away all prayer by our own gifts; for if men pray but once, they may vent their Hereſies.
Fourthly, By this, you take away all preaching, by our own gifts; for men vent their Opinions, and people mind the Opinions of men, and take them more from their preaching than prayer; and ſo the us to the Homilies, as neceſſary, and of conſtant publick uſe.
Fifthly, The Church of Scotland had no Liturgy for many years; yet what Church ſo clear from Hereſies, as that, and ſome other Churches I know? England had far more when the Liturgy was in uſe.
Sixthly, The Apoſtles were troubled with corrupt Doctrines in their times; we find indeed mention made of Catechiſms in the Epiſtles; but for this way to keep out corrupt Opinions, we find none.
Seventhly, If men be corrupt in Doctrine, they will be known; and if we be ſuch, turn us out of our places.
Sectio quarta.
Reaſ. 3 HIS Third Reaſon is this, A Liturgy much advanceth a holy harmony amongſt Chriſtians, while praying the ſame things, all men ſay, Amen, &c.
Anſw. 1 Anſw. 1. If ever this ſpecious Argument had any force, it was then when the Apoſtles preached and planted Churches in Aſia, Europe and Africa; for then had they compoſed a Liturgy (which had been perfect we are ſure) and impoſed it upon all theſe Churches, there had been a holy harmony; not only in Parochial and National Churches, as you ſay; but in the Catholick viſible Church through the World, all Churches in the World, praying the ſame things, and then ſaying, Amen: But this device never came in their heads, How do we excell the Apoſtles in wiſdome? In page 30. he tells us, That he hath ſeen the moſt, and the beſt Liturgies, Ancient and Modern. I entreat him that if amongſt them he ſaw the Apoſtles Common-prayer book which they impoſed upon the Churches, that he would pleaſe to get it re-printed; for the firſt impreſſion (if ever any) is quite out. We will uſe that without queſtion.
Secondly, Are not theſe men more curious then God is? doth He ſo call for a verbal harmony? Is it not ſufficient, that we pray the ſame things, though in divers Forms? if we keep to the Lords Prayer, begging the ſame things, though in other words, …s Auſtin ſaith, Is not this Harmony as much as God calls for, and cares for? Indeed for Doctrines, where the altering of a word (as in the Trinity, &c.) may bring in a Hereſie, there the ſame words are good; and it is needful as much as may be, to hold to a wholeſom Form of words; but this is not the ſame caſe.
Thirdly, By this take away all prayer by our own gift; for verbal Harmony is not to be found there, though we pray for the ſame things; here our National Harmony, and Amen are gone. Why not uniformity of words in prayer before Sermon, as at a Sacrament, or at other times in your Confeſſion, and morning prayers, if the Argument be of ſuch force?
It is ſtrange to me that this taking Notion was not known in the firſt nor ſecond Century; Why do not theſe boaſters of Antiquity bring forth the impoſed Liturgies in theſe times, ſo as to take away the uſe of Miniſters gifts? I ſee the Doctor in his Gaybook, could beteam to prove from thoſe words in Juſt. Mart. Apol. 2. foreign, That there were ſuch prayers then impoſed; but he doth but glance at the place, and will not, I believe, venture his credit upon it, (for fear the next page in Just. Mart. ſhould confute him; beſides the very place where Juſtin uſes the words, ſhew what he means by them, nothing to this purpoſe.
Fourthly, If uniformity in praying be ſuch a divine thing, why not alſo in preaching? if verbal Harmony be ſo excellent in one Ordinance, why not in all? every Congregation the ſame day taught the ſame truth from God in the ſame words, is not this glorious? ſo take away Preaching.
You will allow us our own gifts ſometimes, becauſe of many particular occaſions which no Liturgy can particularly reach, page 19. Very true, your Liturgy could not reach our King in His Baniſhment, if men could not have prayed without it, how then? But ſo you may ſay for Preaching for ſome particular occaſion allow us our gifts; but for uniformity ſake, read Homilies inſtead of ordinary Preaching, this is excellent.
Sectio quinta.
Reaſ. 4 HIS fourth Reaſon is this, A Liturgical Form is not only of great benefit to the more judicious and well-bred ſort of Chriſtians; but highly to their ſecurity, and humble compoſure of their ſpirits in the worſhip of God; who otherwiſe are prone, not only amidſt publick devotions curiouſly to cenſure, but ſcoffingly to deſpiſe; yea, many times to laugh at, and at beſt to pity incongruities, &c.
Anſw. 1 Anſw. 1. But a Liturgy will not prevent this carriage of your judicious Chriſtians, unleſs you take away prayer altogether; for if we pray but once before Sermon, ſome expreſſions there may be which your ſcoffing, well-bred Chriſtians will laugh at.
Secondly, The queſtion is, Whether thoſe paſſages be ſo incongruous as your well-bred Chriſtians imagine; I have known … common for your well-bred Liturgical Chriſtians to ſport with the Holy Scriptures: No wonder though they laugh at ſome paſſages in prayer, which their wanton fancies like not. And indeed a man may obſerve it, when once your Liturgical well-bred Chriſtians have mumbled over their Service, and now think they have devoutly ſerved God; their next work, if their eyes be (not elſewhere about the Congregation, but) upon the Miniſter, is not ſo much to joyn with him in prayer, but to watch at what expreſſions they may carp at, either in prayer; or in preaching, and then to laugh; ſcarce ever ſee more profane worſhippers, than many of them are.
Thirdly, You may take away all preaching alſo; for your well-bred ſcoffing Chriſtians are prone to laugh, if any incongruous paſſage be in a Sermon; but laughing is forbidden there alſo.
Fourthly, There are ſome men ſo able, that the Devil himſelf cannot find an incongruous ſentence in their prayers, why muſt it be impoſed upon theſe men?
Fifthly, I have known ſuch as have had ſome incongruous paſſages, and being told of them, have uſed them no more; this is a better way than yours.
I have known ſome wel-bred women, who when they have bred-well, and have been ſafely delivered, have laughed, and that not without cauſe, to hear what a ſuitable form of Thankſgiving your unparallel'd Liturgy hath prepared for them; bleſſing them from the burning of the Moon.
Sectio ſexta.
Reaſ. 5 HIS fifth Reaſon is this, A Liturgical Form doth mightily conduce to the edification and ſalvation of the meaner ſort, to whom variety of expreſſions in Prayer or Sacraments is much at one with Latine-ſervice, &c.
Anſw. 1 Anſw. 1. No, not much at one, our people underſtand plain Engliſh better than Latine, unleſſe all men uſed ſuch high-flown words as you; for Sacraments, I know no man varies from the words of Inſtitution which Chriſt uſed; and as for prayers at Sacraments (the Lords Supper I mean) your Liturgical men have not that Ordinance ſo often for plain people to remember the prayers.
Secondly, If it be ſo good for the meaner ſort, what ſhall we do with your judicious well-bred Chriſtians you mentioned before? will not they laugh and ſcoff at the plain things which the vulgar Ruſticks and Mechanicks have prepared to edifie and ſave them? But it may be you will ſay, becauſe it is a humane invention they will approve it, and like it never the worſe. Ay Sir; but ſo will not the judicious and right-bred Chriſtians.
Thirdly, But O ye bleſſed Apoſtles, and thou zealous Paul, who did ſo love and labour for the ſalvation and edification of ſouls, and the meaner ſort, 1 Cor. 1. were theſe who moſt what received the Goſpel, here is a means mightily conducing to the ſalvation of the meaner ſort; for which thou Paul I am ſure didſt labou… almoſt as much as Dr. Gauden; but couldſt not thou, not all the other Apoſtles hit of this mighty means? no wonder though you did miſs of your end; you or Dr. Gauden wanted wiſdom.
Fourthly, But is it ſo mighty a means? What is the Reaſon then where this Liturgy hath been moſt uſed, people held moſt to it, and Miniſters had no gifts of their own, that in theſe places ſo few ſhew forth any converſion? If any, it was got in ſome other place by ſome other gifts; ſearch, and ſee how true this is. Number your Common-prayer Book Converts, and conſider the Edification of common Zelots for it.
Fifthly, Pardon, me, Sir, if I miſtake, I thought Catechiſing and Teaching, or appointing them forms of prayer at home, ſutable to their conditions, had been a better means to edifie and ſave them, than forms of prayer in a Church.
Sixthly, By this Argument, often Repetitions of the ſame Sermon were very good to edifie and ſave the meaner ſort; but will your judicious and well-bred Chriſtians like this project?
His ſixth and laſt Reaſon is, That a Liturgy is a Bulwark against Romiſh Superſtition, and Fanatick Innovations.
But here he ſlips out of the Theſis to the Hypotheſis, and commends our Liturgy upon this ground; I will meet with this in its proper place afterwards.