Concerning the English Liturgy, Discourse · Section 9
SECT. IX.
A ſet or compoſed form of Prayer, how farre lawfull or needfull.
Obj. BUt the want of that,Sect. 9. or of ſome other new compoſed form in ſtead of it, cauſeth much ſcandall by many mens un-premeditated and extemporary utterance, whereby they ſpeak that many times, which tends rather to the debaſing of that holy Office, and to the offence of a prudent and pious hearer, then to the honour of God.
Sol. It may be ſo, yet 1. That muſt not prejudice the gift of God by the Spirit of grace and of ſupplication, Zech. 12. 10. which divers doubtleſs have, and give evident proof of it by their practice. I have heard it, andeIn the 2d Sermon of my Monitor of Mortality. p. 23 once before publiſhed it in Print (which I may here pertinently repeat) from a very faithfullfM. St. G. witneſs, that a man of high place in the Church, and of eminent parts and proficiency in all kinde of knowledge, eſpecially of Divinity, acknowledged, that he hath heard a layman in a leathern jacket pray by heart, without art or book, and with ſuch an evidence and domonſtration of the Spirit, as hath made him much aſhamed of his own defects and diſabilities to perform that duty of devotion in ſuch a manner and meaſure as he had done.
2. For thoſe that have not the gif…t, they may by premeditation and ſtudy compoſe a ſet form of prayer for themſelves and their people, which may prevent the precipitation of any unfit or offenſive expreſſion.
3. Becauſe moſt are loth to own their own wants, and to ſeem leſs able for their calling than other men are, who need not tie themſelves to any ſet form of words, it might I conceive be expedient, as an help to ſuch as are more weak in parts or ſpirit (for ſome have rather too much baſhfulneſs, than too little ability for the ſervice) and for a prevention of their errours, who are too preſumptuous in boaſting themſelves in a falſe gift, Prov. 25. 14. pretending to have that they have not, and ſo undertaking beyond their power, as it is in the note upon the place, in the firſt Volume of the late large Annotations, as alſo to prevent preſumption in ſome, and for evidence of conſent of Churches in the ſervice of God; and laſtly, for a ſupply to the defects of the common people (who commonly are acquainted with no prayers, but thoſe they hear in the Congregation) that a ſet form were compoſed in ſtead of the old Service-book (but not ſo imperiouſly impoſed, as that was) which might be ſo much better done in the preſent age (by the beſt gifted in that kinde) as when the people are well acquainted with it, might give them better content than the Service-book did:
For as the Tranſlations of the Bible are more perfect now, than in King Edwards reign they were, and Preaching more ſolid, more methodicall and eloquent than in his daies, (as will appear by comparing Latimer's Sermons before that King, with others before Q. Elizab. the two late Kings, the long Parliament, which laſt amount to many Volumes now they are Printed;) And the ſinging Pſalms are more exactly rendred in Meeter by divers in old England, and lately by our Brethren in new England, than thoſe Thom. Sternhold, Will. Hopk and Rob. Wiſd. ſo no doubt, if we compare Printed Prayer-books as old as the firſt Engliſh Liturgie, with thoſe which have been ſet forth in our own time, we ſhall finde as much pre-eminence as difference in the latter above the former, and if ſuch a deſign ſhould be ſo farre taken to heart, as to proceed to effect, becauſe moſt of the Reformed Churches of Chriſtendom have found cauſe to frame a ſet form of prayer for themſelves, yet I ſhould never deſire to have it ſo rigorouſly urged, asgQuod ad formulam precū & rituum Eccleſieſticorum valdè probo, ut certa illa extet a quâ paſtoribus diſcedere in functione ſuâ non liceat. Calv. Epiſt. Protectori Angliae, p. 69. edit. meae Genev. Excuſ. 1575. Calvin adviſed, nor ſo premptorily preſſed to practiſe, as ſome Prelates have done, but that it were rather commended to the uſe of all (for the reaſons before alleadged) than ſtrictly commanded to any, for many would act in a way of freedom, who would not come under a ſervile obedience, eſpecially for that which is neither expreſly preſcribed nor prohibited in Scripture. By this propoſall and plea for a ſet form of Praier, I intend not to take off or cool any mans deſires or indeavours to be able to walk without ſuch a crutch: But for Preachers eſpecially I duplicate page duplicate page would have them give themſelves to the doubt duty, wherein the Apoſtles exerciſed themſelves, viz. Prayer and the Word of God, Act. 6. 4. as well that as this, that by Gods bleſſing they may prove good proficients in them both. It was the great errour and the mother in groſs ignorance in former times, that Miniſters pinion'd their devotion to the Service-book, when many who were but reading Levites, were ſo word-bound with it, that upon any occaſion which they met not with in that road, they were at a ſtand, and as mute as fiſhes; which cals to my remembrance Sr Thomas Holcrofts Curate, at the Vale-royall in Cheſhire, to whom he went his houſe was on fire, deſiring him to pray, the Curate betook himſelf with much haſt to his Service-book, and finding out the prayer for Rain if time require, prayed according to the form thereof, That God would ſend ſuch moderate ſhowers, &c. Moderate ſhowers Sir Humnet (ſo was the Curate called) ſaid the Knight, that will do no good, it is a great fire, a very great fire: howſoever he had none other holy water to quench it: Thus he expoſed two things (beſides himſelf) to deriſion (which ſhould be entertained with gravity and reverence) Calamity and Devotion.