A Just Defense of Hearing the Sermons, Chapter 7 · Section 7
Sect. 7. Common-Prayer Book worship is the same with the Worship of the Reformed Churches.
4. That Worship which is not necessary for the edification, comfort, or preservation of the Saints, in the Faith and Vnity of the Gospel, is not of the institution of Christ: But such is the worship of the Common-Prayer Book: Therefore. The major (or first Proposition) will not be denied. The Lord Jesus having freeed his Disciples from all obligations to the ceremonies of the Law, institutes nothing de novo, but what he kn…w to be necessary (at least would be so by vertu… of his institution) for the ends assigned: which was the great Aim in all Gospel administrations, Ephes 4.7. to 15. Col. 2.19 Acts 9.31. Rom. 14.14, 15. 1 Cor. 10.23. and 14.3, 4▪ 5, 12, 26. 2 Cor 12 10. 1 Tim 1.4. That the Common-Prayer Book w…sh…p is n…t necessary for the edification, comfort, or preservation of the Saints, in the Faith and Vnity of the G…spel (what ever is pretended by its admirers) might many wayes be demonstrated. Take one p…grant instance instead of all▪ that will make it exceeding man…fest: The Churches of Christ, for the first four centuries of years, and more, after his Ascension, knew not any thing of such a Worsh…p (as hath been already demonstrated) not to mention the reformed Churches at this day, to whom it is as a polluted, accu…sed, abominable thing) yet, than those first and purer Churches, for light, consolation, truth of Doctrine, and Gospel-Vnion, hitherto there hath not been any extant in the world, more famous, or excellent; no, nor by many degrees comparable to them. But we shall not further prosecute this Argument, enough hath been said, to demonstrate, That the Common Prayer Book worsh…p is not of the appointment of the Lord: Therefore, such as worship him in the way thereof, worship him in a way that is not of his prescription. If the former, notwithstanding all that hath been said, be scrupled by any, we referr him to Tracts written by Smectymnuus, V. Powel; to a Treatise, entituled, A Discourse concerning the Interest of Words in Prayer, by H. D. M. A. The Common-Prayer Book Unmask'd; as also to a Treatise lately published by a learned (but nameless) Author, entituled, A Discourse concerning Liturgies, and their Imposition: In which that matter is industriously and la…gely debat…d.
A…sw This Author still continues his confounding of the Worship of the Common-Prayer Book, with the form of it, that is▪ the method, and phra…e, and manner of it, which no man that speaks distinctly▪ calls the Common-Prayer Book Worship. The Common-Prayer Book Worship is no other than the prayers, praises, lessons, ministration of the Sacraments: And these are of Christs institution, and are necessary for the edification, comfort, or preservation of the Saints, in the Faith and Unity of the Gospel; and accordingly the mi…or Proposition is false which denies it. But sith this Author, by Worship, understands the forms and modes of it, though they be not prescribed or determined in Scripture; or the kind of Wo…ship, in respect of those forms: meaning, that the Worship, for example, p…ayer, prai…e, and the like, which are expressed or performed by forms or modes not prescribed by Christ, though the kind or so…t of Worship be of Christs institution; yet, because it is performed in such forms or modes, as are not necessary for the edi…ication, comfort, or p…eservation of the Saints, in the Faith and Unity of the Gospel, it is so adulterae…d thereby, that it is not of the institution of Christ. In which sense the maj… Proposition is to be denied, and the Argument may be … thus: That Worship, which in respect of the mode or form of performing, is not necessary for the edif…cation, comfort, or p…eservation of the Saints, in the Faith and Unity of the Gospel, is not of the institution of Christ: But such is the extemporary, conceived Prayer of Preachers, and others, such is the praising of God in the English metre; the reading of the Scriptures, according to ordinary division of chapters and verses, with the contents of the chapters: Therefore. The major is his own, the minor stands good, till it be shewed, where Christ hath appointed such extemporary praying, or such praising, such reading the Scripture so divided: To which I might add, in hearing, taking notes of Sermons, Preachers using notes in the Pulpit, with sundry more; but I forbear.
As for the Texts alledged, Ephes. 4.7. &c. it speaks not of Worship, and its institution by Christ; nor what is the necessary requisite to such Worship, as is instituted by Christ: but only of Gifts, that is, preaching Officers, and the end and use of those gifts. Col. 2.19. speaks not of Worship, or what is requisite, that it be of Christs institution: but tells us, that Seducers, which taught worshipping of Angels, held not the Head, that is, Christ: And that from him all the Body (that is, the Church) by joynts and bands, having nourishment ministred, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God. Acts 9.31. speaks not at all of Worship, or its institution by Christ, or Christs aim in Gospel-administrations, or what is requisite that Worship be of his institution: Rom. 14.14, 15. much less; it speaks of the cleanness of things of themselves, the uncleanness to him that thinks them so; and our duty not to grieve our Brother with our meats. 1 Cor. 10.23. tells us, of the inexpediency of some things lawful, in that they edifie not; nothing of Christs aim in his institutions, or what is requisite to his instituted Worship. 1 Cor. 14.3, 4, 5, 12, 26. tells us, of the benefit of prophecying, the end and use of spiritual gifts; nothing of Christs aim in his institution of Worship, or the requisite to such institution. 2 Cor. 12.10. doth not mention any thing▪ but Pauls affection and estate. 1 Tim. 1.4. nothing but the incommodity of fables and genealogies. Which should be observed by the Reader, that he may be wary, how he trusts to this Author's, and other Separatists multiplying Texts impertinently, that they be not ensnared by them; and that such persons may see, what cause they have to repent of such abusive wresting of Scripture.
As for that which he saith of the Common-Prayer Book worship, if he mean thereby the prayers or praises in the forms therein, I will not say, They are necessary for the edification, comfort, or preservation of the Saints, in the Faith and Vnity of the Gospel: I yield, that they are not necessary; those ends may be obtained by other forms of Prayer, or rather by preaching, confessions of Faith, and reading of the Holy Scriptures; unto which the Lessons and portions of Scripture, confessions of Faith, in the Common-Prayer Book, are as conducible as other. Whether the Churches of Christ, in the four first centuries, were so excellent, as he saith: And whether they knew not any thing of such a Worship as the Common Prayer Book worship, is a disputable point, Et adhuc sub judice lis est. What is said, That to the Reformed Churches, at this day, the Common-Prayer Book worship is as a polluted, accursed, abominable thing, I find no cause to believe, except he mean by them, the Churches of the Separatists. I find Calvin, in his 200th. Epistle, saying indeed, In Anglicana Liturgia, qualem describitis, multas video fuisse tolerabiles ineptias: Yet in his 87th. Epistle, he saith. Quod ad formulam precum & rituum Ecclesiasticorum, valde probo, ut certa illa extet, &c. And I find Maresius of Groning, in his Academical Decision of some Questions, qu. 11. alledging those words of Calvin, and disputing against Francis Johnson his Latine Answer to Carpenter against Liturgies, and asserting Liturgical Forms to be admitted by all the Reformed Churches: Nor do I find any thing to the contrary in Voetius his Ecclesiastical Policy, or any other, that have lately written, who have gainsaid these speeches; and therefore, I conceive, that this Author, in this speech, hath too great a smack of that, which is in one of Tullies Epistles, said of such men: Qui semel vere…undiae fines transilierit, eum gnaviter impudentem esse oportet. Neither Smectymnuus, nor the Assembly, nor Mr. Baxter in his Disputation of a Form of Liturgy, nor any other of the Presbyterians, that I know, have written such things of the Common-Prayer Book, as this Author vents. If they are to be read, he that would find truth, should also read the Answers to Smectymnuus, Ball's Tryal of Separation, Paget's Arrow against the Separatists, with others. As for …. Powel his Tract, I find in it such a sardle of false Principles, misallegations of Texts, non-syllogizing, confused Dictates, with vain Gi…des, that me-thinks no sober or judicious person should be moved by it. The Common-Prayer Vnmasked, I have not seen: The Discourse of the Interest of Words in Prayer, doth not advantage this Author, to prove separation from Ministers, or their Ministry, by reason of the Common-Prayer. The Discourse of Liturgies I have read, and find in it little Logick, a great many words, which if they were reduced to syllogistical form, would appear to be a bulk without sinews: Not to mention the many absurd Dictates; among which I have observed this, that p. 16. The L…rds Prayer is made to belong to the Oeconomy of the Old Testament, and to argue thence to the New, is to deny Christ to be ascended on high. But I must attend the Author here, who adds,