formed in our own Hearts and whether that Prayer which is such be not more spiritual than other That is 1. Whether there be not more of the Work of our own Spirit in it which I think no modest Man will deny 2. Whether there be not in such Prayer more room left to the Spirit of God to bring to our Remembrance what we have to confess to supplicate and give Thanks for No Words diminutive of spiritual Prayer become a Divine who ought to know that God is a Spirit and will be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth What if some Iesuites have discoursed for this kind of Prayer under the Name of Oratio acquisita acquired Prayer So they have discoursed very well for the Divine Nature of Christ the Trinity the Love of God c. All Sober Divines will grant that this acquired Prayer is the most perfect Prayer The Iesuites never discoursed for it but in Private They agree with some others that are no Dissenters as to Publick Prayer There was a Time when many can bear both the Dean and our late Casuist Witness that they both approved and practised this kind of Praying if they see better now they must Pardon others that cannot see by their Spectacles still acquired Prayer or free Prayer is what it was in the same Degree of Goodness and Praeference I know nothing that Spiritual Prayer can be opposed to but either carnal or meer formal Prayer from both which the good Lord deliver the whole Generation of those that seek his Face But this is enough to deliver free or conceived or acquired or if they will have it so spiritual Prayer from the false and fordid Calumny of being brought in by Iesuites 3. The Third is yet worse That the Devil may have a Causation in it The first that I remember I have met with who hath taught the World this new Imputation was the Author of Ravillac Redivivus proving it from the Instance of that prodigious Hypocrite in Scotland Major Weier The next that approved his saying was Dr. Falkner in his Vindication of Liturgies p. 41. who speaking how the faculty of Expression in Prayer may be procured faith It may be procured as he hath read in some particular Instances by Diabolical Contracts What his Answerer replieth to him see p. 43 44 45. Our Casuist hath improved the Notion Part 2. page 13. But then Secondly As for Diabolical Inspirations of Matter and Words in Prayer we have sundry very probable Instances such as Major Weier who is said to have received his Inspirations through a Staff Hacket David George and that Monster of Wickedness Iohn Basilides Duke of Russia who were all of them possessed with such a wonderful Gift of Prayer as did not only charm and ravish those that heard them but seemed in the Opinion of the most wise and impartial to exceed the Power of Nature which renders it very probable that the Matter of their Prayers was for the most part agreeable to Scripture otherwise it is hardly conceivable how they could have procured to themselves so many Admirers and abused so many honest Minds into a belief that they were immediately inspired by God For Answer to our Casuist his probable Instances of the Devil his inspiring ill Men with Matter and Words in Prayer I shall only desire the Reader to consider these few Things following First Consider That it is worth the observing how unreasonable this Casuist and his Liturgical Brethren are while they find a Difficulty to allow the Holy Spirit who is called The Spirit of Grace and Supplication Zech. 12.10 The Spirit of Adoption by which we cry Abba Father Rom. 8 15. Gal. 4.6 The Spirit that helpeth our Infirmities because of our Selves we know not what we should Pray for as we ought Rom. 8. 26. any influence on our Words in Prayer which is a good and Holy Action and yet find no difficulty to yield the evil Spirit such an influence who abhorreth Prayer and will leave the Room where he is molesting Men when they go to Prayer as we are assured in good Histories of such Molestations by the Devil such as that of the Devil of Mascon Published by Dr. Peter du Moulin and others Is not this very unfair dealing and an horrible Derogation from the Dignity and blessed influences of the Holy Spirit Secondly Consider That as for us we freely grant the possibility of all that our Casuist and his Brethren can reasonably demand and rightly infer from the foregoing Instances That is we grant it is possible that by Gods Holy Permission Satan may suggest many Things to ill Men he may represent various Objects to the Imagination and inward Sense he can impress the ideas of Objects upon Mens Fancy and Imagination and by means of those ideas he can raise their Passions and excite their Lusts and corrupt Affections He cannot only imprint new Idea's upon their Imagination but he can also revive in them the Memory of Things past and restore to them the Ideas of Things which they had forgotten and seemed to have lost and by the one or the other or by both these Means he can influence their corrupt Affections and put them into Motion These are his venemous Darts wherewith he agitates their Blood and Spirits and fixes their Lusts and Passions He can also suggest to them Thoughts that it is Gods good Spirit who thus moves them and makes those Impressions upon them and then their own wicked Hearts inclining them too readily to believe the Truth of his Suggestions because of the agreeableness of some of the things suggested to the Vanity of their Minds out of the abundance of their Hearts their Months naturally speak and that with such defining and flourish of Words as bears Proportion to the natural volubility of their Tongues or to that readiness of Speech which by Use and Exercise they have acquired Thus it is granted that without bodily Possession the evil Spirit might Work in those Children of Disobedience Ephes. 2.2 and so doing might furnish them with Matter of Discourse and thereby so excite and inflame their corrupt Affections and Passions that their wicked Hearts so warmed should readily prepare Words for their Tongues to utter by a natural or acquired volubility of Speech But now Thirdly Consider That in all this there is nothing of that truly spiritual vocal Prayer which is the proper and genuin Effect of Gods Holy Spirit influencing the Souls of true penitent Believers For that vocal Prayer as such consists of gracious Words proceeding from and reverently and aptly expressing the inward workings of Grace the gracious devout Affections of the Heart and the Holy and humble Desires of the Soul towards God through Christ. But the Words spoken from the aforesaid wretched Men were no such gracious Words they proceeded from no such Good and so were expressive of no such gracious Affections of no such holy and humbly Desires The utmost that with any colour of
God than as they signifie the Graces and Affections of our Hearts without which he regards them no more then the whistling of the Wind. All this is very true but what then Therefore saith our Casuist since these Affections are the main of our Prayer and Words are nothing in his account in Comparison with them can any Man be so vain as to imagine that those Affections will be ever a whit the less acceptable to him because they are presented in a Form of Words and not in extemporary Effusions To which I Answer truly no. But admit that the Holy Spirit to Day or to Morrow bring to our Mind from Scripture some Particular Sins as Matter of Confession which are not mentioned unless generally in the Form we are to use and excites in us a shame and sorrow for them and an earnest Desire or Hope for the Pardon of them and the Christian hath no Words in his Form expressive of such Shame Sorrow Desire or Hope how acceptable do we think will this Prayer be unto God which is but half a Prayer For though the Motions of the Affections be a part of Prayer yet it is not all Prayer and scarcely any where in Holy Writ call'd by that Name at least not in one Place of Forty where Prayer is mentioned As for the Senses which our Casuist puts upon those Texts Gal. 4.6 Rom. 8.15 26. Iude v. 20. He should have done well to have proved what he Dictates that they concern not our Words in Prayer we are quite otherwise minded and think that the Spirit may influence us with Sighs and Groans that cannot be fully uttered as no great Passions can yet may be in a great measure uttered and so uttered as to let those that hear them know they are imperfectly uttered which is often discern'd though not by Non-sense yet by abruptures of Phrase and Expression and the incoherence of them also sometimes In the next Place our Casuist comes to explain stinting and limiting the Spirit Where first he quarrels at the Phrase as being not found in Scripture nor Antiquity he saith It is a Term of Art invented by us applied only to the present Controversie and this plainly argueth the Argument to be New I dare say the Author cannot find the Term of Natural Enthusiasms or Inspiration in Scripture nor yet the new invented Notion of Diabolical Inspiration of Men to the Duty of Prayer in any Antiquity Yet our Casuist maketh no scruple to use them both why may not we have the same Liberty Nor do we apply it meerly to the present Case we are every whit as much against Forms of Sermons And what matters it if the Argument be new provided it be an Argument and be strong But neither is it new it is a great while ago since the Apostle commanded the Thessalonians saying 1 Thess. 5.19 Quench not the Spirit Now if the Spirit Kindleth and inflameth the Affections and they influence the Thoughts to form suitable Words and then the Tongue cannot utter them because it is tied up to some certain Words and Syllables I think it is quenched so far as it is capable that is its Operations are quenched and made to die in the Heart Nor doth our Casuist perfectly express our meaning in this Phrase of Limiting the Spirit for we by it do not so much mean hindring the Spirit from affording us some Assistance which we might otherwise expect from it As That we hinder our selves from making a due and perfect use of that Assistance which the Holy Spirit is ready to give us both by bringing Things to remembrance which we have forgot and also exciting and inflaming our Affections For though they may yet burn within us yet in the use of Forms they cannot as they ought to make up a perfect Prayer burst out at our Lips we must not speak with our Tongues as David Psalm 39.3 And this indeed may provoke God to withdraw these Assistances from us And now in Opposition to our Casuists Conclusion I also conclude I have shewed at large that there is an ordinary Assistance which the Holy Spirit giveth to conscientious Christians about to Pray or in Prayer 1. By bringing to remembrance the Matter of Prayer recorded in Holy Writ proper for this or that Time of Prayer both for matter of Confession Supplication and Thanksgiving which through the frailty of our Memories we often do not at that Time think of 2. By exciting and inflaming Holy and Pious Affections suited to every Part of that Duty Now by keeping our selves to forms we shut out these Influences of the Holy Spirit either rejecting them or not being able because restrained by Forms to make use of them as to a perfect Prayer What our Casuist hath said or any one can say to disprove this I refer to any Reader indued but with common Sense to Judge So much in Answer to what our Casuist hath said as to the first Case stated by him The Second followeth Case 2. Whether the use of Publick Forms be not a sinful neglect of the Ministerial Gift of Prayer Our Casuist hath here very rightly stated our Case thus p. 26. By the Gift of Prayer they mean an Ability to express our Minds to God in Prayer or to offer up our Desires and Affectito him in Words befitting the Matter of them Which Ability say they is given by God to his Ministers as a mean for Publick Prayer and in order to their being the Mouths of the Congregation to God to represent to him the common Cases and Necessities of the People And therefore since God say they hath given us this Gift it may be justly questioned whether we may lawfully omit the use of it by using Publick Forms of other Mens Composure In speaking to his Case our Author premiseth two Things and then laieth down four Conclusions all which I shall candidly examine in their Order 1. That this Case concerneth the Clergy only not the Laity That is true so far as concerneth Publick Prayer in Churches This Argument will not indeed conclude it sinful for Christians to join in Prayer with such Ministers as use pious and good Forms What others may do I cannot tell 2. He premiseth That this is not the Case of the Clergy of the Church of England who though they stand obliged to the constant use of the Liturgy yet are not hereby restrained from the Exercise of their own Abilities in Publick Prayer in their Pulpits I shall say nothing to the Case of these or these Clergy-men There hath been enough said as to this by the Author of the Reasonable Account p. 12 and 13. I therefore come to his Conclusions 1. He saith That this Ability to express in our own Words the common Devotions of our Congregations to God is either Natural or Acquired We will grant this without more Words about it It is partly Natural speaking is so partly Acquired to speak fitly and properly to God in Prayer is
in our own Hearts must necessarily more affect us than Words formed by others and are always attended in pious Souls with more of all those Affections the Exercise of which God requires than it is almost possible foreign Words should A Man cannot pronounce another Man's Oration with so much natural Life Vigour and Fervency as one himself hath composed and which is so fitted to his own Thoughts Now what should he that ministreth in Prayer attend to but his Business and the Work he is about Which is as much to utter Words expressive of his inward Shame and Sorrow and Hope and Desire as to be ashamed and sorrowful and to desire and hope Our Author p. 38. confesseth what none can possibly deny That he who prayeth by a Form being released from attending to the Invention of his Matter and Words his Mind is more at leisure to wander and instead of attending as he ought more closely to the Acts of Devotion by imploying those Thoughts which in conceived Prayer he employeth in Invention in a closer Attention to the Acts of Devotion he may if he please permit them to rove abroad but if he doth the Fault is in himself not in the Form he prayeth by He makes an ill use of a good thing To all which I reply That whether our Thoughts divert in Prayer to other Objects by Consent or from their own natural Wildness not being sent upon any Errand from the Will it must be confessed our Duty to use all lawful Means to keep them at home and to use no Means that shall give them further Scope and Liberty of Diversion Our Reverend Author grants That the Mind is more at Liberty to wander when it prayeth by a Form which is Argument enough to oblige us if we have an Ability to pray by conceived Prayer Our Author herein differeth from us for he saith the Fault is in our selves if our Thoughts do wander not in the Form Those Words the Fault is in himself may be taken in a double Sense either 1. The Fault is in the Will of Man which willeth them to wander 2. Or the Fault is in the Infirmity of Humane Nature which is such as they will wander if they have a Scope and Liberty Our Author thinks the former for he saith he may if he please permit them to rove But may he also if he please keep them from wandering and roving I do not believe there is that Man or Woman upon the Earth that can in truth say so upon his own Experience nay I much question whether any can say so who adds to willing the use of this Means praying by a free and conceived Prayer tho' it must be granted that he shall do it much better that way than any other The Fault therefore is in our selves that is in the common Infirmity of Humane Nature its Averseness and Awkwardness to Spiritual Imployment and the Contemplation of Spiritual Objects and Exercise of it self upon them and tho' it be such a Fault as will hardly be perfectly corrected whilst we are in the Flesh yet it is such as we may use Means to correct and in a good measure actually correct and praying by a conceived Prayer by our Author 's own Confession is one Means by which it may be corrected for he acknowledgeth that when we use Forms our Mind hath a greater Scope and Liberty to wander So that if free and conceived Prayer be what God hath not forbidden it is what he hath commanded where he hath given an Ability to it as a Means in order to this great End in the obtaining of which lieth much of the Life and Soul of Prayer for the Affections of a roving wandering Heart will be cold enough Thoughts of an Object being necessary to the Workings of the Affections about it and previously necessary But saith our Author p. 39. To invent the Words and Matter of Prayer is not to pray but to study a Prayer and till our Brethren have proved that our inventing the Matter and Words is a part of our Duty of Prayer which is the Question in debate betwixt us we can by no Means grant that our Attention to it is attending to the Duty of Prayer The Matter of all Prayer is already invented for us and prescribed to us in Holy Writ This our Author hath often already told us and we have agreed it The only thing to be premeditated and done is 1. To consider what of that Mutter of Prayer allowed and directed in the Word is proper for us under our Circumstances at the Time when we Pray 2. To form Words in our Hearts by which our Lips shall express the Desires of our Souls The first is and will be every good Christian's Work before he cometh to minister in Prayer and the Matter may vary every Day according to the various Contingencies to Persons and Families occasioned through the Wisdom of him that governeth the World and the daily Breakin gs out of Sin and Corruption occasioned through that Fountain of Lust in Man's Heart But yet can never be so well done through the unfaithfulness and slipperiness of our Memories but there will be room left for a Dabitur in hora the Spirit of God in the very time of our Prayer to bring to our Minds some Violations of the Divine Law we did not think of and some Wants which we had forgot 2. The Second needs no study or deliberation our Thoughts in a moment form Words when they are sensible of Wants The Beggar studieth not for Words to ask for Bread no more doth the Malefactor for Words to ask for his Life That Words are apart of perfect Prayer and of all Prayer where one ministreth to others in Prayer must not be denied and an essential part too for without them he cannot so pray So as he whose Thoughts are imployed in forming of Words whether to express his own Premeditations or present Impressions or Monitions cannot certainly be denied to have his Thoughts imployed about his Work in Prayer Our Casuist goes on p. 39. and saith It is pretended that conceived Prayer is more apt to fix the Minister's Attention in Prayer because he utters his Words in conceived Prayer immediately from his Affections by reason of which his Thoughts have not that Scope to wander as when he reads them out of a Book To which he answereth That if he hath devout Affections he may utter his Words as immediately from his Affections in a Form as in a conceived Prayer and therefore this Pretence is insignificant There is no doubt of this nor do I know who hath made this Pretence But the Question is Whether a Man can have the same devout Affections attending a Form of Words composed by another as he may have attending Words flowing from his own Heart as a Bullet taken up from the Ground and thrown by a Man's Hand is never so hot as one shot out from a Gun and heated with the Fire there
Reason can be said is that they were the Counterfeit and had the Semblance and Appearance of so good a thing But then Fourthly Let it be considered That the Devils and wicked Mens counterfeiting the Inspirations of the Spirit of God and the spiritual Prayers of good Men is so far from being an Argument against the Inspiration of the Holy Spirit and against the spiritual Prayers of good Men influenced by the Holy Spirit of Prayer that it is rather an Argument for them Just as there having been so many false and counterfeit Miracles in the World is an Argument that there really have been true Miracles and as there having been so much counterfeit Coin in England is a good Argument that there hath been and there is in it true and good Coin For if there had never been any thing of that Nature true and good Devils and ill Men would never have been at the Pains to make their Counterfeits Fifthly Consider That what ever might be the Design of the Devil in being the Author of such counterfeit delusive Inspirations which to be sure was no good one and what ever also might be the Design of our Casuist in objecting against us such counterfeit delusive Inspirations yet certain it is that in Truth and Reality it is no Reproach to the Holy Spirit of God that he suffers the Devil and his Instruments to counterfeit his Holy Inspirations no more than it is a Reproach to Gods Holy Angels and faithful Ministers that Satan transforms himself into an Angel of Light and that Satans Ministers also are transformed into the Ministers of Righteousness 2 Cor. 11.14 15. Consider Sixthly That the right Use which Men fearing God should make of the Instances of Diabolical Inspirations before-mentioned is not to reject the true Influences of the Holy Spirit in Prayer for fear of being imposed upon by the counterfeit Inspirations of Satan that would be as wise a Course as to throw away all Money good and bad for fear of being cheated with counterfeit Coin but to be upon our Guard and to try the Spirits 1 Thes. 5. 19 20 21. 1 Iohn 4.1 examining the Motions of the Spirit within us by the sure Rule of Gods written Word which even Cardinal Bona confesses to be a sufficient Rule to try Spirits by Cum Scriptum sit inquit lucerna pedibus meis verbum tuum lumen semitisi meis sit que sacra Scriptura sicut Apostolus 2 Tim. 3 16. Divinitus inspirata utilis ad docendam ad erudiendum in Iustitia ut perfectus sit homo dei ad omne opus bonum instructus suffciens apparatus ad spirituum Discretionem in eâ â—rocul dubio reperitur Bona de discretione spirituum Edit Paris 1673. Cap. 5. p. 54. Without doubt saith the Cardinal there is in the Scripture sufficient means to discern Spirits by And withal we ought to be very modest humble holy and charitable exercising our selves to have always a Conscience void of offence toward God and toward Men. And if we do so God who is faithful will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able 1 Cor. 10.13 The infinitely Good Wife and Faithful God will not suffer any of his Faithful People to be invincibly tempted by Satanical Delusions God by his Word and Providence always furnishes his People with Means to discern Divine from Satanical Inspirations and Enthusiasms Otherwise if we could not discern the one from the other Divine Inspirations would be of no use but might be a Trap and a Snare to the Best of God's People which were Blasphemy to assert and is contrary to the daily Pattern of the Church of England which continually prays That God would cleanse the Thoughts of their Hearts by the Inspiration of his Holy Spirit And let any sober intelligent Man read the Life of Hacket and his two Prophets as it was written and published by Dr. Cousms no Friend but an Enemy to Dissenters and he may see that their Pretended-Inspired Prayers had the Devil's Mark imprinted upon them in Capital Letters I will mention but one such Mark It was usual with them in their Prayers to call upon God to confound them to destroy and damn them if what they said was not true and they were not Men extraordinarily and immediately called of God to reform the Church as they pretended to be By this one Mark it is easie for any Man of Sense to see and judge that certainly they were Melancholly to a Degree of Madness or that they were deluded by the Devil or that they were both one and t'other So much is sufficient for an Answer to our Casuist his Instances of Men Diabolically inspired as he says which should indeed make Christians watchful against the Stratagems of the Enemy of God and Men but should never so far fright them out of their Wits as to make them reject the true genuine Influences and Inspirations of God's Holy Spirit who helps our Infirmities in Prayer Rom. 8.26 If my Style in handling this Argument appear to any too severe I must beg their Pardon if I want a little Patience to hear the more-than-probable Effects of the Operations of the Holy and Blessed Spirit traduced for Iesuitical Inventions and the Effects of the Vnclean Spirit in such Cases Difficile est Satyram non Scribere I have been large in this Argument because it is new and all I expect to find new in the Discourses I am Animadverting upon In the other Parts I believe fewer Words will serve the turn The First Case which our Casuist undertakes to speak to P. 3. and so to the 26th is 1. Case Whether Praying in a Form of Words do not stint and limit the Spirit of Prayer I must confess I have always thought it no inconsiderable Argument prevailing with me to judge it unlawful for me ministring in Prayer to use the prescribed Forms of others because by doing it I must necessarily exclude what Influence or Assistance the Holy Spirit may give me in the Performance of that Holy Duty It is true this is done as to all the People that join with him that ministreth but that is quite another Species of Prayer We know it is the Will of God that as we sometimes should minister to our selves and to others in the Duty of Prayer so at other times we should only pray by Communion or joining with another in Prayer This is evidently God's Will as appears by the constant Practice recorded in Holy Writ Now if it be the Will of God that we should sometimes pray only mentally whilst one only useth Words in Prayer and if it be lawful here to shut out the Spirit 's Influence upon our Words when we are to use no Words but only to join our Amen to him that useth them it will not therefore follow that we may do it when we are our selves to use Words as to which the Holy Spirit may influence us And this is all the Unlawfulness
those Phrases so culpable 2. Nor it may be upon a strict Enquiry will it be found that in Publick there is more Nonsense in free Prayers than some make by their careless reading Forms I do not think our Casuist who hath sometimes used and doth still sometimes in the Pulpit use free Prayer so Chargeable and I have Reason to think there are some Hundreds of Ministers in England of whom it may be full as Charitably presumed 2. For this Second Sign I know no Error can be in a Man's declaring his own Opinions in Prayer if they be true I know no Man who prayeth by Forms or otherwise but must declare some of his own Opinions If he means by Opinions his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 singular Opinions which are false it will only prove that he did aliquid humanum pati and was not influenced as to those Words by the Spirit of Truth 3. For his Third which he calls a Plain Sign That that which gives them the Reputation of being so that is from the Spirit is not so much the Matter as the way and manner of expressing them What gives them the Reputation amongst weak People of coming from the Spirit is one thing what indeed makes them so is another thing That which makes them so with others indiscernable being the secret Work of the Spirit upon the Heart bringing Scripture to remembrance and exciting and inflaming the Affections which cause the Thoughts to form Words which are by the Affections thrust out of the Lips all this is now a thing indiscernable to an Hearer who can only probably and charitably judge from the expressed Affections by Sighs and Groans and proper Expressions I know none makes the Spirit 's Influence upon our Words to respect the Matter of Prayer further than bringing to the Mind of him that prayeth Matter before prepared in Scripture fitted for his Circumstances at this or that time All his other Discourse under this Head hath nothing in it of Argument but is only Defamatory of any other Prayer than by Forms so far as he is able to defame it and proceeds wholly upon a Mistake of the Principle for the Spirit 's Influence doth not only respect the way and manner of expressing but as I have said the very Matter of Prayer it self for this or that time bringing to a Christian's Remembrance the true Matter of Prayer and what at that time is proper for a Christian. Nor can I imagine with what Consistency to himself our Casuist makes this a plain Sign of conceived Prayers not being inspired That that which gives them Reputation to be so is not so much the Matter as the manner and way of expressing them when himself alloweth all along the Spirit 's Influence to excite pious and devout Affections which certainly do not respect the Matter but the manner and the way and manner of expressing our Prayers Our Casuist trifleth too much in making the only Difference between Forms and Conceived Prayers to be 1. That the one is in Set Words the other in Extemporary Words 2. In the Largeness of them and repeating the same things over and over again Before he had wasted his Paper in confuting such Fooleries he should have heard us asserting them here Qui capit ille facit 4. His Fourth plain Sign is That that extraordinary manner and way of expressing them for which they are thought to be inspired doth apparently proceed from Natural Causes Which neither he nor an Angel of Heaven can know nor any but he who knows the Heart and what Hand strikes those Strings of the Affections from the touching of which those Sounds proceed 2. How unreasonable is this for him to say who will allow the Holy Spirit no Influence but upon our Affections exciting and inflaming them 3. Suppose they do proceed from natural Causes why may not the Holy Spirit set those natural Causes on work All which being most certain there needs nothing be said to the further vain Philosophy he useth upon this Head Whether it be true or false is not of a Pin value as to the Cause in hand It may be from natural Causes and yet too from a first Cause setting them on Work None will say but the Holy Spirit makes use of natural Causes for spiritual Effects In his 21. p. he comes to a Fourth Argument to prove That the Gift of Inspiration of Prayer as he odly phraseth it doth not continue is Because then conceived Prayers must be Infallible and of equal Authority with the Word of God We are very unhappy that in these Debates we either will not or cannot understand one another Do we plead for any more than the Spirits helping our weak Memories in bringing to remembrance what Things are contrary to the Divine Law for the Matter of Confession and of what God hath declared in his Word he will give to them that ask him upon such Terms as he hath declared his Will for Matter of Petition and the Divine Promises for Arguments to inforce our Petitions c. So that if the Word of God be infallible that which is so brought to remembrance must certainly be so too and surely the Scripture must be of the same Authority with it self If we mistake in the Applications we father not our Mistakes on the Holy Spirit but beg Pardon for them This being rightly understood I refer to any Intelligent Reader what strength there is in this Argument more than in those we heard before Our Casuist having thus far given us his Opinion against the Continuance of that Influence of the Spirit upon us in Prayer which he called extraordinary comes p. 22. to favour us with his Opinion Wherein the ordinary influences of the Spirit consist relating to the Duty of Prayer He tells us it is In exciting in us the Graces and proper Affections of Prayer Such as Shame and Sorrow in the Confession of Sins a Sense of our need of Mercy and an hope surely he should have added also an intense Desire of obtaining it in our Supplications for Pardon c. In all this we most freely agree with him saving only in the Restriction of the Spirits influence to this only Nor can we possibly understand how the Spirit should thus influence our Affections and not our Words which are and ought to be thrust out by those Affections We will suppose a Soul to be guilty of wandring Thoughts in the Duty of Prayer a guilt common to all Persons and the Spirit who in the Word hath accused and condemned this to bring this to a Souls remembrance when it is praying or about to Pray and to excite in the Soul a shame and sorrow for it and inward Desire and Hope of Pardon for them Can this Soul be thus far in this Particular be influenced and not influenced as to Words also expressive of this Desire and Hope Our Casuist further tells us p. 32. That Words and Expressions are of no other Account with
the common Cases and Necessities of the Congregation and if these may be as well expressed in other Mens Words as in our own the End of Publick Prayer is as effectually served by the one as the other p. 32. 1. In the first place It is not yet agreed that Reading in Prayer is that sacred Action which the Scripture any where calls Prayer This hath been argued in the Reasonable Account Chap. 7. and what is there said hath been vindicated Chap. 7. of the Answer to Dr. Falkner's Vindication So as that Point lieth not yet cleared 2. When we speak of Means referring to Divine and Sacred Actions we vainly philosophize in our measuring true Means from the Proportion we judge they have to the End If God either in Nature or in his Revealed Will hath directed any Means it is most certain that Means is to be used now that he hath so hath been proved in the Reasonable Account p. 6 7. and what hath been there said hath also been vindicated from Dr. Falkner's Exceptions to it in the Answer to his Vindication of Liturgies p. 39. 62 63 64. When what is there said hath received a just Answer there will need more Words in this Argument It hath also been told our Adversaries in this Point That the speaking of Words first formed in our own Hearts is not only a Divine Mean but Natural and Proper there can be nothing more natural than for the Tongue to speak out of the abundance of the heart nothing more proper to express our Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 formed in our Heads than by our own Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and certainly any Means Divine Natural and Proper ought to have the Preference of others It is a kind of Force upon the Soul to make the Tongue speak what is not formed in the Heart 3. It is true if Forms were to be made new for every Publick Prayer it were not impossible but that the End of Prayer might be as well obtained by the use of other Mens Words as his that ministreth otherwise it is not possible The invariable Wants of a Congregation are very few Pardon of Sin and further Sanctification and upholding Habits of Grace bestowed are so But how many more Have not all Congregations renewed Sins Wants and Mercies 4. But to make this Business short Till what hath been said to prove That the Gifts of him that ministreth in the Duty of Prayer are the Means which God hath directed and given the Minister for that use and the most natural and proper Means imaginable for the Performance of the Act be answered we vainly discourse of other Means unless any Person hath not obtained this This is enough to have said as to what our Casuist hath spoken upon his Second Case The Third Case which our Author speaks to is Case 3. Whether the Use of Publick Forms of Prayer doth not deaden the Devotion of Prayer That which our Author here calleth the Devotion of Prayer the Nonconformists call The Attention of our own or others Thoughts or the Intension and Fervency of our own or others Spirits Our Reverend Casuist granteth p. 34. If Forms are in themselves and not through our Fault and erroneous Prejudice less apt to quicken and raise Devotion than conceived Prayers it will be granted on all hands that this is a good Argument against them Here then is an Issue joined The Medium is granted to be good if true Our Author propounds in order to the Trial of the Issue to consider 1. What those Advantages are which conceived Prayers pretend to 2. Whether they are not for the most part fantastical and imaginary and whether so far forth as they are Real they are not much more peculiar to Forms 3. Whether besides those Common Advantages Publick Forms have not peculiar Advantages which conceived Prayers cannot pretend unto If our Author rightly enumerateth the Advantages pretended by the Nonconformists and makes it good that they are but imaginary and fantastical for the most part and that what of them is real is more peculiar to Forms which is his Second Task and that besides those common Advantages Forms have real Advantages peculiar to them we must yield he hath won this Game But let us examine what he saith Only it must first be observed that the Nonconformists have acknowledged the Truth of this Proposition variable And that may be the best Means to one both of Attention of Mind and Intention of Affections which to another is not so Reasonable Account p. 44. § 27. It very much depends upon Mens having or not having an Ability to express theirs and others Wants to God in Prayer and the Degree in which they have it Our Casuist thus enumerateth the pretended Advantages that are in free conceived Prayers 1. Our Minds are kept more attentive to our Business 2. That the Minister is more affected 3. That the Affections of the People are raised by the Performance of the Minister 4. That in conceived Prayers the Words follow the Affections whereas when a Man prayeth by Forms his Affections if any must follow his Words 5. That Words formed in our own Hearts are more expressive of our Affections than it is possible Words formed by others should be 6. That the Soul can better direct its Affections to God whilst it hath nothing else to do than when it hath a previous Work to direct the Eye to read right This is the Substance of what our Author saith Nonconformists say in Proof of their Proposition and indeed it is a good Summary of what hath been said on this Argument Whether they be meerly imaginary or real Advantages of conceived Prayer that is the Question Our Casuist ingenuously granteth p. 36. That by expressing a serious and devout Affection the Minister doth really advantage the Devotion of the Congregation Which is the Third of those Things before-mentioned The first pretended Advantage he saith p. 37. is That the very conceiving the Matter of his Prayer doth naturally more bind his Attention than the reading it out of a Form This is undeniable and granted by our Author But he goes on But I beseech you what doth it more bind his Attention to Is it to attend to the Words and Phrases If so then it is not to attend to the Acts of Prayer Or is it to attend to those Acts which are the proper Business of Prayer such as being ashamed of Sin and bewailing of it in Confession c. I answer It bindeth the Thoughts of a Man praying to his Business and to one principal Act of Prayer that is the uttering of the Desires of his Heart in fit Words This Answer of our Author depends upon this mistaken Hypothesis That the uttering of fit precatory Words without Lips is no part of Prayer whereas it is an essential part of perfect vocal Prayer And we scarcely read of any thing else called by the Name of Prayer in Holy Writ Which Words being first formed
First kindled So I do think Experience will demonstrate that no Form of Prayer made without the Man and taken up into the Lips will so affect the Soul as Words formed within it and then thrust out of the Lips Our Author in the next place comes to answer the Arguments for conceived Prayers most raising the Minister's Intention that is of Affection he saith They pretend That in praying by a Form the Minister's Affections follow his Words whereas in conceived Prayer his Words follow his Affections As to this he saith 1. That it is a very curious Distinction 2. That he is not able to apprehend either what Foundation there is for it or how it it applicable to the Matter The Distinction is used both by Dr. Ames in his Cases and by Mr. Calderwood in his Altare Damascenum Men both of Learning Reason and Piety If our Casuist cannot apprehend the Foundation of it our Charity to them will oblige us not presently to conclude that it hath none and our Charity to our Author obligeth us if we can to help his Apprehension When our Souls are imployed about any Object it first discovereth that Imployment by Thoughts upon it which produce the Motions of the Affections according to the apprehended Nature of the Object which the Thoughts are so imployed about if the Object be something to be beg'd or pleaded for of or from another The Soul is presently forming Words for the Tongue in the use of which they shall beg it Do not the Words here follow the Affections And are they not thrust out by them as a Bullet is driven out of a Gun by the Powder first fired beneath it and affecting it In praying by Forms it is not possible that the Heart should be sutably affected by any inward Motion of the Soul forming the Words for the Lips for they are already formed for them So that all the Affection that can possibly attend them must either be raised 1. From a serious Premeditation of the Matter of those Forms or 2. From Post-Thoughts or Reflections upon them when they are uttered If the latter only then what is said is true in the use of Forms The Affections follow the Words and have no Work either in the forming of them or sending them forth As to the former It must not be denied but we may be affected with the Premeditation of the Matter in any Form as well as an Orator may be affected with the Matter of a Speech which he is to utter before he uttereth it though the Speech he made not by himself but by another But I beseech this Reverend Author to consider as in the presence of God 1. Quotus quisque est How few there are or are like to be found in the World who being to Pray only by Reading Forms doth take any considerable Pains with their own Hearts every Time they use them to affect them praeviously with the Matter of those Forms which if one doth not it must be true that his Affections only follow his Words 2. Suppose we could find one of many that did so whether it would be possible for him to raise his Affections to that degree upon such prepared Forms as when his own Thoughts form the Words which he is to utter 3. Besides this it is hardly possibly to be sure not ordinary for Men and Women to be equally affected with Shame and Sorrow for past Sins as for Sins newly and lately committed or to be equally intense with Desires for ordinary and common wants as for such wants as presently pinch us and press hard upon us as to which Forms cannot serve unless they be renewed every Day but as to this we shall have occasion more to speak when we come to its proper Place This is enough said to make the Distinction plain and intelligible But then Secondly saith our Author Suppose it were true that in conceived Prayer the Words follow the Affections and in a Form the Affections the Words how doth it from hence follow that conceived Prayer doth more intend and heighten the Affections then Forms What Reason can there be assign'd why those Acts of inward Affections should not be as intense and vigorous as those that go before them Suppose that there can no Reason be given which yet I think may yet this follows that whereas the Grace of Prayer and the very Life and Soul of it as our Author somewhere speaketh lieth much in the Holy Affections that attend it If the Affections only follow the Words the Prayer being done when the Words are once uttered that Prayer is put up without any such Holy and inflamed Affections Nor sure is Shame and Sorrow two of the Affections mentioned by our Author so properly Consequents to as Concomitants of the Act of Prayer Our Author goes on p. 42. But then Secondly it is pretended that the Minister cannot so well express his devout Affections in other Mens Words as in his own To which he Answers That the Ministers business in Publick Prayer is not to express the degrees and heighths of his Affections or to acquaint God of the particular and extraordinary fervencies of his own Soul for in Publick he prayeth as the Commonmouth of the Congregation and therefore he ought not to express to God in the Name of the People any matter that is peculiar to himself c. This now is what I cannot possibly understand To express our particular Affections and fervency is one thing and to Pray for any particular Matter peculiar to himself is another thing yet certainly the first is the Ministers Duty and the latter his Liberty if not his Duty also Let a Man be praying in Publick or Private or Secret certainly he ought to do it with the most fervent intense and raised Affections which he can Let the Matter of his Prayer be what it will or can still Affection must be an adjunct to an acceptable Prayer and the more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the more raised and setting the Soul on Work it is the better it is or else St. Iames was mistaken Iames 5.26 Nor is it true that a Minister in Publick Prayer ought to confess no Sins but what the whole Congregation is guilty of nor to put up Petitions for any wants but what are the common wants of the whole Congregation The common Practice both of the present Church and the Church in all Ages confuteth this If this were true in vain were the desires of any particular Person or Family in vain their Papers desiring the Prayers of the Minister and Congregation for them in vain are we in Scripture commanded to Pray one for another to make Supplications for all Saints Eph. 6.18 If our Brother Sin not unto Death to Pray for him 1 John 5.16 And certainly the Minister hath the same Liberty and Priviledge that the meanest of the People have I cannot therefore conceive what our Author means by this who surely hath a Hundred Times prayed for some
Third is That they may join with them with much more Faith and Assurance 4. A Fourth is That they have much less in them to divert the Affections of the People from the Matter of Prayer 5. A Fifth is That they are more secured as to the decency and Solemnity of their Publick Worship 6. The Last is That in joining with them the People are more secured of the Reality and Sincerity of their own Devotions To all which in General there are several Things may be said 1. That all this is to be said as much for Prayers by a prescribed Form in the Pulpit as in the Desk and if there be any thing in these as to Prayers in the one Place it holds as strongly as to Prayers in the other That People may address themselves to join in those Prayers with greater Preparation and Pray with more Understanding More Faith and Assurance have less to divert them from the Matter of Prayer be more secured as to the decency and order of Publick Worship and People be more secured of the reality and sincerity of their Devotions Nay these Arguments will run home to a Mans Family and hold as strongly there Nay most of them will ascend up into his Closet after him three or four of them will hold as strongly there So as they serve to destroy all conceived Prayers 2. It is an amazing thing that if these Things were necessary and indeed such real Advantages to Peoples Devotion neither Solomon nor Moses nor Asa nor Hezekiah nor the Levites mentioned Nehemiah 9 that prayed that long Prayer should think of this mighty Help to the Peoples Devotion and give out Copies of their Prayer there mentioned to all the Congregation that they also might have addressed themselves to God with more Preparation and have prayed with more Vnderstanding and with more Faith and Assurance and have had their Affections less diverted from the Matter of Prayer and have had the decency and solemnity of their Publick Service more secured and have been more secured of the reality and sincerity of their Devotions they were all things as necessary then as they are now yet we have no mention of any such thing but this it seems is a new discovery reserved to the later Times or rather a new device to uphold the Necessity of Forms 3. If the Wise God had seen these Things so necessary for so great Ends we certainly should not have been without an Institution or at least some Declaration of the Will of God in the Case but we find nothing of that in any Part of Holy Writ 4. All these Things will signifie nothing if it prove impossible that he who ministreth in Prayer unto others should by Forms unless drawn for every Time he ministreth confess the Sins or put up Supplications for the good Things he ought to confess or put up Supplications for but this will fall under our Debate when we come to consider what our Author hath said to the Fourth Case stated by him 5. It is not what we fancy and think we can prove by our Reason to be a more apposite mean for the performance of a Duty that indeed is so But the mean must have a Divine Institution if it be not so naturally A Papist will Discourse bravely for the usefulness of a Crucifix to be set in our Eye to put us in Mind of what Christ hath suffered for us to incourage us to hope in the Mercy of God through him but yet it is a mean to be abhorred not used to speak more particularly to our Authors Six Things 1. Nonconformists know that they are to Pray intelligibly and not in bumbasted non-intelligible Phrases to the meanest of the People So as there is no such need of Preparation to understand Words and Phrases which are ordinarily such as are understood assoon as heard They detest such kind of Language in Prayer as Dr. Featly reflects on where the Minister spake to Christ under the Name of the Dolphin of Heaven such kind of stuff indeed had need have Time allowed the Hearers to understand Nonconformists would have all Prayers in such a Phrase as needs no Companion to the Temple to expound which they judge of no great significancy because he is not like to be a Companion to one of an Hundred 2. For the same Reason they see little in our Authors second pretended Advantage of Forms 3. There is as little in his Third Thing for nothing can Advantage Faith and Assurance but a Knowledge that the thing ask'd is what God hath promised to give which a Form will not instruct him in that doth not otherwise know it and if he otherwise know it it is needless as to any such Thing However I know of none but alloweth the Use of Forms for Instruction which if Men will Use they may easily know by examining Scripture what God hath willed Men to ask 4. For the Fourth Thing Men in praying ought to take Care not only that their Affections be not separated from the Matter of Prayer but that their Thoughts may not be separated from the Words by which that Matter is expressed Nor can I understand how the Affections should attend the Matter expressed if the Thoughts be out of the way of expressing or of Words by which it is expressed I am sure he who prayeth by Forms gives his Thoughts more Liberty to leave both than he who prayed depectore by Words formed in his own Breast whether there be any Soul so pious that it will not take it I cannot tell It is probable that the Souls of the most Will I am sure my own would and if the Thoughts be once separated the Affections in the Course of Nature will not stay behind 5. As to the Fifth If our Author means no more by Decency and Solemnity then gravity and expressiveness and the absence of what usually Men will call Rudeness who understand any thing of Religion he is a lamentable Minister that cannot so Pray without a Form and indeed aptior ad stivam fitter for some other Imployment If he means delicate Words Curt and comprehensive Exprehensions it may be such Prayers will be found not wrote after any Scriptural Copy unless that of the Lords Prayer which we rather judge a directory of Matter than a Copy of Words and hath always been so judged by the Church extending it in all Practice and never judging that enough either for the Desk or Pulpit 6. It will pose any to understand how People should more by Forms than by free Expressions be secured as to the reality and sincerity of their Devotions considering that to Devotion in Prayer is required not only Intention and Fervor of Affection but Attention of Thoughts also and the latter cannot be without the former especially if Forms give a greater Liberty to the roving of Thoughts and the Heart of Man be so bad that not one of many but will take it Thus much come our Author's Six
that Iesuites will turn themselves into all Shapes this very Iesuit was a Probationer for a Son of the Church he Preached before the Dean for that Purpose One of them may be all for the Prayers of the Church and for the heighths of Ceremonies as we know Popish Priests are generally Another of them may be for conceived Prayer and exclaim against the Ceremonies when both the one and the other drive the same Design that they may rule Now had we no Liturgy universally imposed nor any Ceremonies so imposed their Designs were spoiled and they would be put to new Topicks I never thought the good Angels in the least defamed by the Devils transforming themselves into their Appearance But this Story as related by the Author of Foxes and Firebrands hath as great Appearances also of a Forgery as can well be imagined 1. It comes to us only upon the Credit of a Registry and concerneth a Matter of Fact 115 Years since is justified by no Print though both Itolinshead and Cambden wrote the History of Queen Elizabeth's Reign with great Particularities Now we know the Authority of an Ecclesiastical Court is such as none of our Civil Courts will admit their Scripts for Records 2. We know there was for Twenty Years an Interruption of those Registrings in which Time they lost many of their Books and Papers this must be supposed to have escaped the common Fate 3. The Register must be presumed to have made a true Entry and that Verbatim of what the Bishop said and Heath answered Those who have been acquainted with those Courts will tell us they could never find a true Entry made of what was said between the Iudges and Parties questioned when they have looked for them within Fourteen Days or a Month. 4. This Examination was in Court Registers use not in Court to set down Questions and Answers at large but to make Minutes of them and then extend them at their Leisure so as this Examination was probably set down when the Court was done as Mr. Register's Memory would serve him and it was for the Interest of the Church to set down so as we cannot be assured that so much as one Question with the Answer to it is truly set down 5. By what Authority did the Bishop Sentence him to the Pillory to have his Ears cut off his Nose slit and to suffer perpetual Imprisonment And for what Crime All the World knows that since the Reformation no Bishop ever had such a Power The High Commission and Star-chamber in latter Years exercised some such Power but this was in the Bishops Consistorial Court which never had such a Power 6. It is neither probable that a Iesuit should put his Beads into his Boots nor keep a Letter of no more Moment in his Pocket to drop in a Cathedral Pulpit 7. The having of Popish Beads or Books denying Baptism or speaking such Words was by no Law a Crime subjecting a Person to so severe a Punishment 8. In the Year 1536. but Thirty Two Years before there were not Ten Iesuites in the World In the Year 1540. but Twenty Eight Years before Pope Paul increased them to Sixty In the Year 1543. but Twenty five Years before he established them without Limitation In the Year 1541. but Twenty seven Years before this Year Their Colledge at the importunity of Peter Mascarenhaz the Portugal Ambassadour to the Pope could afford but Two and those were Two of the first Twelve Xavierus and Rodericus for all Portugal This Story happening within Twenty seven Years supposeth them a formed Body with settled Correspondencies so as there was a Communication fixed betwixt Rome Madrid and England The probability of which I leave to my Readérs Judgment 9. Whereas Common Fame speaks the Iesuites the most subtle of all Orders This Narrative speaks their Fathers for so all their Missionaries are the veryest Coxcombs in Nature Otherwise Heath would never at first have owned himself a Iesuit 1562. muchless would he preaching a Probation Sermon and that in a Cathedral have so sillily reflected on the Prayers of the Church or told the Bishop That he had laboured to refine the Protestants and to take off all smaks of Ceremonies The poor Iesuit is made here beneath a tolerable Fool. 10. Nor was the Iesuit Malt made less Whereas the Anabaptists had been once up in Germany 1524. and finally quelled upon their after-rising in the Years 1534 1535. Malt the Iesuit is here brought in endeavouring to perswade his Friend that Hallingam Coleman and Benson Thirty one Years after and 1568. had raised this Faction Was not this a great Blockhead think we for a Iesuite These Difficulties as to Credibilty this Story laboureth under how much soever it pleased the Dean of Pauls or now pleaseth our Casuist I am aware of what the Dean hath further said to strengthen this Story and to evince the suitableness of these pretences about spiritual Prayer as he calls them to the Doctrine and Practice of the Iesuites but he hath received an unanswerable Answer by the Learned Author of the Book called A Modest and Peaceable Enquiry into the Design and Nature of those Historical Mistakes that are found in Dr. Stillingfleets Preface to his Vnreasonableness of Separation p. 7 8 9. where is proved 1. That the Iesuites were not the first Inventers nor the first bringers in of spiritual Prayer spiritual Prayer being owned acknowledged and privately practiced ever since the Apostles Days for the Church never did forbid the use of it faith Filiucius 2. That the Iesuites ever have and still do zealously oppose the use of Free Prayer 3. That wherein the Iesuites and the Dissenters agree as to this it is in no other respect than wherein the Universal Church agree with them 4. That wherein the Dissenters and the Doctor differ about spiritual Prayer the Dr. closeth with the Iesuit our difference if any being about the Publick Vse of Free Prayer against which the Iesuites are See these Four Things made good in the Book before-mentioned p. 6 7 8. But methinks the Dean and those other Divines we have to do with in this Controversie if they have a mind to make People a little Sport about this grave business of Prayer in the Use of Mens own Abilities they should give it another Name than that of spiritual Prayer Prayer is then spiritual when it is so with respect to the Matter being such Things as the Holy Spirit in the Word hath directed us to Pray for Or as to the Manner when it is the Action of our inward Man not the outward only not a meer Lip labour and so it is opposed to what is meerly Verbal Or else when it is attended with Holy and spiritual Affections excited and inflamed by the Holy Spirit I am sure all other Prayer is an Abomination in the sight of God All the Question is betwixt our Brethren and us whether the Words we use in Prayer should not be first