Five Disputations of Church Government, Proposition 2 – Proposition 3
Prop. 2.Prop. 2. A Stinted Liturgy in some parts of publick holy service is ordinarily necessary.
This Proposition is to be proved by instances, and the proof of the parts. The parts where a set form is usually necessary, I shall enumerate: desiring you by the way to understand, 1. That I speak not of an Absolute Necessity ad finem, as if no other could be accepted; but a Necessity of Duty: it ought to be done, as the best way. 2. That I say but [ordinarily] as excepting some unusual cases.
1. The Communication or revealation of the will of God to the Church by Reading of the Holy Scriptures, is part of the publick service of God. As Moses and the Prophets were read every Sabbath day, so by parity of reason should the Gospel; and Paul required the publick reading of his Epistles, Act. 13.27. & 15.21. 2 Cor. 3.15. Luk. 16.29. Col. 4.16. 1 Thes. 5.27. Rev. 1.3. But this Reading of the Scriptures is the using of a set form in publike service. For they are the same words that we read from day to day, and usually Must read.
2. The Publick Praysing of God by singing of Palms, is a part of publick worship: and a most excellent part, not usually to be omitted. But this part of worship is ordinarily to be used in a stinted form: because the gift of composing Psalms ex tempore without a prepared form, is not usual in the Church: and if it were so to one, it is not to the rest that must use this worship. Had we not stinted forms of Psalms, we should have ill-favoured work in the Church.
3. Baptisme is usually to be administred in a form of words: for Christ hath prescribed us a form, Matth. 28.19. [Baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost] I think few sober men will think it ordinarily meet to disuse this form.
4. The use of a form in the Consecration and Administration of the Lords Supper (though not through the whole action) is ordinarily most fit: for Christ hath left us a form of words, Take ye, Eat ye, &c.] which are most exact, and safe, and none can mend. And Paul reciteth his form, 1 Cor. 11. And small alterations in the very words of Baptisme, or Delivering the Lords Supper, may easily corrupt the Ordinance in time.
5. The very Sacramental Elements and Actions are stinted forms of Administration, which none may alter. As the washing with water, the breaking of bread, and powring out of wine, and giving them, and taking them, and eating and drinking, &c. These are real forms, not to be changed, at least without Necessity, if at all.
6. The Blessing of the people in the Name of the Lord, was done by a prescribed form of old, Num. 6.23. and is usually to be done in a form still. For in all these forementioned parts of worship, should we still use new expressions, when so few and pertinent must be used, we should be put to disuse the fittest, and use such as are less fit.
7. In our ordinary Preaching a form (not imposed, unless in cases of great Necessity and unfitness, but) of our own premeditating, is usually fittest: I think few men are so weak as to prefer (with most preachers) unprepared Sermons, before those that have more of their care and study. And then at least, the Text, Method, and somewhat of the words must be premeditated, if not all.
8. Ordinarily there should be somewhat of a form in Publick Confessions of the Churches faith. For how else shall all concur? And it is a tender point to admit of great or frequent mutations in: so that in Baptisme, and at other seasons when the Christian faith is to be openly professed by one, or more, or all, a form that is exact, is usually meet to be retained; though in many personal Cases, explicatory enlargements may do well.
9. If there be not a frequent use of many of the same words, and so somewhat of a form, in Marriage, Confirmation, Absolution, Excommunication, the danger will be more, then the benefit by mutation will be.
10. And with some Ministers (of whom anon) even in Prayer, especially about the Sacraments, where there must be great exactness, and the matter ordinarily, if not alwayes the same, the ordinary use of a form may be the best and fittest way.
In the most of these Cases 1. The Nature of the thing sufficiently proves the ordinary fitness of a form. 2. The constant Practice of almost all Churches (if not all) is for it: even they that scruple forms of Prayer, use constantly forms of Praise, of Reading, of Sacraments, &c. 3. The rest are proved fittest as aforesaid by the Apostles generall Rules, 1 Cor. 14.26, 40. Let all things be done to Edifying: and Let all things be done decently and in order. Now in the cases before mentioned, the Edification of the Church (to say nothing of Order) requireth the ordinary use of forms.
Prop. 3.Prop. 3. IN those parts of publick worship where a form is not of ordinary necessity, but only Lawfull yet may it not only be submitted to, but desired, when the Peace of the Church doth accidentally require it.
This Proposition needs no proof, but only explication. For he is far from the temper of a Christian that sets so light by the Peace of the Church, that he would not use a Lawfull means for the procurement of it, when Paul would become all things to all men to save some, and would eat no flesh while he lived rather then offend his weak brother.
But here you must take these cautions, lest you misunderstand this Proposition.
1. The Peace of the whole Church must be in our eye, before the peace of a part; and of a great and more considerable part, rather then of a smaller, caeteris paribus.
2. It is supposed that (besides the simple lawfulness of the thing) there be also no other accidental inconveniencies on the other side (that will follow the use of a form) that is of sufficient moment to weigh down the argument from the Churches Peace. For when a thing is only good or evil, (I mean, necessary or sinfull,) by Accident, and not in it self, we must consider which side hath the most weighty accidents, and accordingly must choose or refuse it.
3. It is not the fullfilling of the humours of every unreasonable expectant, or every proud Magisterial usurper that is the Peace of the Church, that now we speak of: If a few proud men will hold no Peace with us, unless we will serve God in their unnecessary forms, as if none had wit enough but they, to know in what words the Churches should serve God: and all must speak but what they teach them, it is not the humoring of these Proud usurpers that is the Peace thus to be bought.
4. We must look to the future as well as the present Peace of the Churches: And therefore if any will hold no Peace with us now, unless we will own some formal Engine that is like to make hereafter more division then unity in the Churches, (by laying the Unity or Peace of the Church on things that will not bear it, and making thi…gs necessary, that are not necessary, nor to be made so) in such cases, it is not our duty to betray the geneneral or future Peace of the Church for our private or present Peace.
5. The desireableness of this Peace of the Church which we must seek, must be much judged of by its tendency to the promo…ing of holiness, the saving of mens souls, the furthering of the Gospel, and prosperity of the Church in spiritual respects: For a Peace that undermineth and betrayeth these, is not desireable. The means is to be valued by its tendency to the attainment of the End.
6. There is need therefore of very great prudence, to compare things with things, for a man to know how to carry himself in such cases. For imprudent oversights, or laying greatest stress on smallest things, and slighting greater, will make men live in constant sin by abusing things indifferent.
But still the Proposition holds good with these cautions, that forms and such like indifferent things are to be used or disused much with respect to the Churches Peace.