Five Disputations of Church Government, Title page 3
The Fourth DISPUTATION: Of a Form of LITURGY: How far it is Necessary, Desirable, or Warrantable; In order to a Peace between the Parties that differ herein, and too uncharitably prosecute their difference. By Richard Baxter.
LONDON, Printed by Robert White, for Nevil Simmons, Bookseller in Kederminster, Anno Dom. 1658.
Qu. Whether a stinted Liturgy, or form of Worship, be a desirable means for the Peace of these Churches?
UNnecessary prolixity is not so acceptable to the Reader that loves both Truth and time, but that I may take it for granted that you desire me to leave out superfluities in this Dispute. 1. The Etymologists shall be better agreed among themselves of the derivation of foreign and foreign, before I will trouble you with their judgements. But we are commonly agreed that foreign is oft used for any Ministration, but more strictly, and usually for a publick Ministration, or any work of publick office; and yet more strictly from the Septuagint, Ecclesiastick writers have almost confined it to Holy Ministration, or publick service or Worship of God. The several uses of the word in Scripture, and prophane and Ecclesiastick Writers, you may find in so many Lexicons at pleasure, that I shall pass by the rest. Bellarmine doth too grosly pretend that when its applied absolutely to holy things, the word is taken alwayes in the New Testament, for a Ministration in sacrificing. A little observation may confute that mistake. Nor is it agreeable either to Scripture or the use of the Antient Church, to call only Forms of publick worsh…p that are written, by the name of a Liturgy. Whether it were Form, or no Form, Writren or not written, Premeditated or extemporate, Words or Actions, all the Publick holy Ministration or service of God, was of old called The Churches Liturgy: And so men may be for a Liturgy that are not for a Prayer Book. But latter times have most used the word for those stinted forms, that some call Offices containing both the Rubrick or Directory, and the Form of words prescribed as the matter of the service. And seeing that those that now we speak to, understand it in this sense, we must speak as they do, while we are speaking to them.
2. Note that it is not any one part of Publick Worship that we speak of alone, either Prayer, Praise, or other part, but we speak of the whole frame, and therefore of a Liturgy, or Prescribed words in General, because that is the controversie that the times call us to decide.
That which I take to be the Truth, and usefull to our Healing, I shall lay down in these ten Propositions following.
Prop. 1. A stinted Liturgy is in it self Lawfull.
2. A stinted Liturgy in some parts of publick holy service is ordinarily necessary.
3. In the Parts where it is not of Necessity, it may not only be submitted to, but desired when the Peace of the Church requireth it.
4. There is so great d…fference between Ministers, and People, and Times, that it may be convenient and eligible to some, at some times, and unfit and not eligible to others, and at other times.
5. The Ministers and Churches that earnestly desire it, should not by the Magistrate be generally or absolutely forbidden the use of a convenient prescribed Liturgy.
6. To prescribe a frame of stinted service, or Prayer, &c. and lay a Necessity, or the Peace of the Church upon it, and to punish, si…ence, suspend, excommunicate, or reproach the able, peaceable, godly Ministers, or people that (justly or unjustly) scruple the using of it, is so great a sin, that no conscionable Ministers should attempt it, or desire it, nor any godly Magistrate suffer it.
7. The safest way of composing such a Publike Form, is to take it all, for matter and words, out of the Holy Scriptures.
8. Yet is not this of such Necessity, but that we may join in it, or use it, if the form of words be not from Scripture.
9. The matter of a common Liturgy, in which we expect any General Concord, should not be any unnecessary things, much less things doubtfull, or forbidden.
10. Forms of Publick Prayer should not be constantly used by M…nisters that are able to pray without them: and none else should be admitted ordinarily to the Ministry, but such as are able competently to pray without such Forms; unless in great Necessities of the Church.
These ten Propositions are the summ of all that I shall trouble you with, which I shall now review, and prove in order.