Five Disputations of Church Government, Proposition 4 – Proposition 5
Prop. 4. SO great is the difference between men and men, times and times, Prop. 4.that forms may be a duty to some men, and at some times, and a sin to other men, and at other times.
As to private men in their families, it may be one mans duty to use a form, or book, and another mans sin, so is it with Ministers also in the Assemblies. Three distinctions (among others) are obvious, in which this is manifest.
1. Some Ministers are better able to perform Gods publick worship (except in the fore-excepted cases) without a form: and some are better able to do it by a form.
2. Some Ministers have a People that are scrupulous of using forms, and some have people that scruple the disusing them, and some have both sorts mixt.
3. Some Churches live under Magistrates that command a form, or with Churches that unanimously agree on a form; and others live in times and places where there is no such commands or Agreements▪ And according to these differences it may be one mans duty, and anothers sin to use some forms.
1. Gods work should be done in the most edifying manner. Where Ministers are able to perform the publick prayers of the Church in the most profitable manner without a form, there it is their duty to disuse a form, unless some other greater accident preponderate. Still remember that for Psalms and other fore-excepted parts, I take it for granted that ordinarily a form is necessary. But our main question now is of Praying and Preaching, and that especially with respect to one standing form that is not usually varied in Prayer, and an imposed form, or composed by others, in Preaching. It should be the ordinary case of the Church that Ministers should be able to do these without a constant form of words, to the peoples greater edification. But yet it is not alway so. And where it is not, it is better for Ministers to use a form, then to do worse, and dishonour the work of God, and wrong the Church by their erroneous or over-rude defective management. I know the great objection will be, that such men are not fit to be Ministers, and that its better to have none. But this is sooner said then proved. I am far from desiring any man to undervalue the precious mercy of an able Ministry, and from wishing for formalities and reading Pastors instead of the learned able guides that we here enjoy. I hope I should do or suffer as much as another to prevent so great a Calamity as an ignorant, unable, or negligent Ministry. But yet I am fully satisfied of it, that its better for the Church to have Readers then none.
1. Consider that there have been some very Learned able Divines (Doctors of Divinity) that by age, or other decay of Memory, or natural impediments disabling them from extemporate performances, cannot do any thing in the worship of G…d without the help of Notes or books; or at least without preparation for expressions; when yet upon preparation, and by convenient helps, they excell many extemporate men.
2. The Necessities of the Church may require an allowance or toleration of such as have not ability to compose extemporate Prayers, or Sermons, no nor to prepare such upon deliberation neither, but meerly read the Sermons and Prayers composed by others. I know some will not believe that such should be Ministers; But they would have them only read as private men, rather then the people should have nothing: For they think that a man that cannot preach or pray is no more capable of being a Minister, then a man that cannot command an Army is capable of being a Commander, &c.
But 1. Let such brethren consider that there may be all abilities essentially requisite to a Pastor, without the ability of praying or preaching without a form (Though still I pray God to save us from a Necessity of such.) A man that can Teach men the substance of the Christian Religion, and administer the Sacraments, and Oversee and Govern the flock, hath as much ability as is necessary to the Being of a Pastor. But those may have all this that cannot fitly preach or Pray without a form. They may be godly men, able in conference to instruct the people in the substance of Religion, and to read the Scriptures, and the Holy writings of godly men, and to administer Sacraments, and prudently and diligently guide the people. And by the same rule as you will conclude it better that (e. g.) Wales, Ireland, &c. have private men to read good books, rather then none, lest they turn heathens; I may also conclude that it is better for them to have Churches and Pastors of this weaker sort, then to have none, and leave their children unbaptized, and live without the Sacraments, and Church-Communion, and Government.
2. Consider I beseech you (which moves me more then any thing else) the state of the Christian world. In Aethiopia, Syria, Armenia, Russia, Grecia, and abundance of other Churches of Christ …here are very few Preachers, but meer Readers. And can any man think that it is best for all these Churches to be without Ministers, and Sacraments, rather then to have such? O that God would give them better▪ But till then I shall pray that he will continue these among them, rather then leave them destitute. I know many godly judicious men, of able parts for conference, that yet are unable to compose a Sermon (though if they could, it were a form) that yet I am confident by Reading such Practical Books as are now extant,☜ and by prudent oversight, might be tolerable Pastors for many a Congregation in Wales, that now have none.
2. In a time and place where no obligation by Magistrates Commands, or Churches Agreements is laid upon us for the use of forms, I am fully perswaded we should make no more use of them, then Necessity compelleth us to do: But the thing being lawfull, the Command of a Magistrate, or the agreement of the Churches may go far in moving us; And indeed must prevail with us, unless in cases where there are weightier Accidents to weigh down on the other side. For obedience and Agreement or Concord in Lawfull things is our duty, where we have not some greater reason to forbid it. There is much difference between men that are left at liberty, and men that are bound by lawfull Governours. Yea though they do not well in commanding, yet may we be bound to obey, when the matter is such as belongeth to their jurisdiction, and not forbidden by God.
3. A man is also much to regard the minds of his people: not out of man-pleasing disposition, but in order to their good. Prudence will tell us which way is likest to attain our Ends. Food is to be fitted to mens tempers and stomacks, and Physick, to their diseases. If a Church be so weak that they cannot bear the disuse of forms, and others so weak that they cannot bear the use of them, the Pastor must fit his practice to their Edification, till he can bring them to a wiser judgement, that so they may receive that which indeed is most fit to edifie them. Prudence must guide us in the circumstantials of worship, which are left to our Determination; that we may vary them as the condition of our flock requireth, to their good; (of which more anon:)
Prop. 5. THE Ministers and Churches that earnestly desire it, Prop. 5.should not by the Magistrate be absolutely, and generally prohibited the use of a convenient stinted Liturgy.
Note here that I speak not of the desires of any inconsiderable persons, contrary to the desires of that whole Church. If a few ignorant or wilfull people should be eager for a form, when the Pastor is able and willing to manage the work of God without it, and the Congregation professeth that it hindereth their Edification (by what accident soever, I am not now questioning,) it is fit that those unreasonable persons should be denyed their desires (in that Church) rather then the whole Congregation. Also if the Magistrate should perceive that a whole Congregation, or many, or the Pastors themselves are eager for some one particular form, out of a corrupt humour, and in any ill design to the disturbance of the Churches Peace, or that they will needs have an unlawfull Form, that for matter is erroneous, or for manner absurd, or apt to breed unreverence, or hinder Edification, the Magistrate should prohibite this: Yet so, that Prudence and Moderation measure out his penalties in such a sort, as that he Churches Edification be not hindered by his over-rigorous correcting mens distempers.
But out of these and such like Cases, when it is meer weakness that causeth Pastors or people to be set upon a (lawfull) form, The Magistrate ought not to prohibite them by such restraints, as shall deprive them of the liberty of worshipping God, or hinder their Edification.
The Reasons of this Proposition are these. 1. Because the thing being Lawfull, no Power should causelesly restrain men from the use of Lawfull things. God having left men to their Liberty, none should without great reason deprive them of it.
2. The Magistrate should not hinder the Peoples Edification in the manner of Gods worship: But in many places a stinted Liturgy is most for the peoples Edification. Therefore▪ &c. Whether it be the Ministers weakness, or the peoples, that makes it most usefull to them, yet when the Magistrate cannot cure that weakness, he must bear with them. It was the weakness of Nicodemus that made him he could not bear the day-light, in coming to Christ; yea and such a weakness, as shewed, or was joyned with an unregenerate state, and yet Christ would rather teach him privately then not at all.
3. Where Consciences are scrupulous, and think it a sin to worship publikely without a form, (though it be their error yet) the Governors are not to drive them away from it; because then they will not publikely Worship God at all: And no worship is worse then a lawful form of worship.
4. A Minister that is for the Necessity of a form (though erroneously) may be in other respects so usefull to the Church, that he should not be laid by and lost to the Church for such a thing as this.
5. The use of some forms (as aforesaid) being necessary, and of other forms, not only lawfull, but of almost common reception through all the Churches on earth, Governors should be very cautelous in denying men liberty in that which almost all the Churches have Liberty in, and more; even that which is their constant use.