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
Infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought He gives his Spirit to his People they are joined to the Lord and one Spirit and his Spirit dwells in them as we often read in Scripture He hath promised that his Spirit shall bring to remembrance the things we have heard of him Joh. 14.26 But it may be he will say There is no Promise of Assistance as to Words in Prayer What should be the Meaning of that There is no Promise indeed of the Holy Spirit standing by and dictating to us what Words to speak nor yet of the Spirit 's so possessing us as the Evil Spirit doth a Demoniack so as to lay our Soules asleep while he useth our Tongue But there are Promises of his teaching us to cry Abba Father of his bringing to our remembrance what the Scripture hath of his making Intercession for us c. These are enough for us and to prove all that ordinary Assistance as to Words in Prayer which we plead for Nor doth our Casuist say any thing of Force to perswade us That such Influence and Assistance of the Spirit is not within the Latitude of the Promises in saying That there are many good Christians who would never pretend to any such Inspiration but are some of them beholden to their own Recollection and Invention for the Matter and Words of their Prayer and others for want of a sufficient Quickness of Invention to be beholding to Forms of Prayer of other Mens Composure P. 6. Now there are no such Blessings of the New Covenant to which good Christians may have no Right and Title and of which they may never actually partake which is utterly to destroy the Nature of the Covenant c. That there are no Blessings of the New Covenant to which every true Believer hath no Right or Title or which they may never actually partake of is most freely granted But that there are some Blessings of the New Covenant which every good Christian doth enjoy tho' he lieth under other Apprehensions and which he may have a Ius Remotum a Right and Title to which pro hic nunc he doth not actually enjoy and some Blessings of the Covenant which a Christian might enjoy if indeed he did not by his voluntary Fault deprive himself of the Benefit of them and some Blessings which a young Christian doth not at present enjoy must be denied by no Considerate Divine For who ever saith it must deny both the Quickening and Consolatory Influences of the Holy Spirit and many more also indeed for the Promises relating to Iustification and Regeneration as every Believer hath a Right to them so he actually partakes of them as he shall do of Eternal Life But for those Branches of the Covenant which concern further Grace or Gifts the Case is otherwise Every good Christian hath a Right and Title to the Spirit of Adoption teaching him to cry Abba Father influencing him in the manner I have opened as to Words in Prayer But yet it is very possible 1. That by his own voluntary Fault he may shut out these Influences by tying himself up to Forms of Words 2. He may want them through his own Default in not studying the Scriptures and gaining a full Knowledge of them 3. He may deprive himself of them by wilful Sinnings which may make the Holy Spirit withdraw himself in those arbitrary Manifestations 4. He may have them and not know it but take them to be meer Humane and Natural Recollections to which the Holy Spirit hath assisted by bringing to remembrance what Christ hath said Our Casuist's Second Reason p. 7. is Because there is no need of any such immediate Inspiration This indeed were it true were a great Argument and would Prove what he said before That there are no Promises of any such Tendency But how will he prove this He saith 1. As to the Matter of Prayer it is sufficiently revealed in Scripture 2. He saith For Words if we have not Quickness enough of Fancy and Invention to express our Wants and Desires in our own Words we may readily supply that Defect by Forms of other Mens Composure which with very short Additions and Variations of our own we may easily adapt to all our particular Cases and Circumstances This is the Summ of what he saith P. 2. p. 8 9. If the Matter of Prayer be sufficiently revealed in Holy Writ there neither is nor ever was since the Apostles Time any need of any extraordinary Assistance of the Spirit to dictate that But admitting this which we freely grant is there yet no need of the Spirit to bring to remembrance the things we have had of Christ's Our particular Violations of the Divine Law our particular Wants or the Promises warranting us to beg a Supply To assert no need of the Spirit 's Help we must not only assert the Perfection of the Rule of Prayer but the Perfection of an Human Memory too which I suppose our Casuist will not 2. As to Words our Casuist talks as if he thought we pleaded for the Spirit 's dictating formed Words to us or made use of our Tongues to speak Words not formed in our own Hearts What else doth he mean by Words immediately inspired Alas we mean no such thing but only a bringing into our Thoughts the Matter of Scripture relating to Things forbidden commanded promised c. From which our Souls by a natural Power form Words and warming and heating our Affections which also contribute to them and then thrust them out at our Lips as the Psalmist speaks Psal. 39. 3. Now how it can be that Forms should not shut out this Assistance and Influence poseth me to understand 3. Our Casuist's Third Reason is p. 9. Because there is no certain Sign nor Testimony of it amongst us By Signs as he expounds himself p. 10. he means Miracles He gives his Pretended Reason for this Because without such Signs to distinguish it from false Pretences we were better be without Inspiration than with it because we shall be left under an unavoidable Necessity either of admitting all Inspirations which pretend to be Divine or of rejecting all that are truly so According to this rate of Arguing we must conclude nothing to be the Effect of the Spirit of God but what we can confirm to be so by working some Miracle Alas how should Christians if this had a Grain of Truth in it ever be able to satisfie themselves that they truly believe in Christ or love or fear God or exercised or had any Habit of Grace God indeed gave the Gift of Miracles to confirm new Doctrines or some Prophecies or Persons extraordinary Missions But did ever any Divine make Miracles necessary to confirm every Manifestation of the Spirit And why are they necessary for this more than any other Is it not Sign enough to him who believeth the Scriptures to be the Word and Revealed Will of God that the Inspiration is from
in this Case we plead and which some phrase a stinting or limiting the Spirit For the clearer understanding of this Matter I will first set down what Influence upon our Words in Prayer we challenge for the Holy Spirit It lieth as I said in the former Chapter in two things 1. In bringing to remembrance the Word of God What Acts are contrary to it and have been our Sins and so are Matter of Confession what things the Word of God gives us leave to ask and under what Circumstances and what we have need of what Promises God hath made for giving them to us Now this is no more than Christ promised Iob. 14. 26. The Holy Ghosts shall bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you We challenge no such thing for the Holy Spirit as dictating new Matter not contained in the Word but bringing to our Minds what Things are in the Word fit for Confession Supplication or Thanksgiving as to us or others 2. Nor Secondly must that Power be denied the Holy Spirit which any of our Brethren have they can whisper such things in our Ears and so bring them to our Minds tho' it may be we were not aware of them or had forgotten them we believe the Holy Spirit can make immediate Impressions upon our Spirits proportionate to the Sounds Creatures can make in our Ears from which Impressions are made upon our Souls Those who deny this must deny all Spiritual Motions from the Blessed Spirit of God 2. We also challenge for the Holy Spirit a Power to excite and inflame the Affections which so beated thrust out Words in a natural Course This is all we plead for in the Case and say That if in Prayer we be limited by a Form of Words such kind of Impressions as these cannot affect us nor have any Effect upon us suitable to the Nature of them and the Holy Spirit 's Design in making of them and this we think is not lawful for us to allow because it is a quenching of the Spirit Our Casuist tells us That he will also examine What the Scripture attributeth to the Spirit in Prayer 2. What it is to stint or limit the Spirit He saith The Scripture attributeth something to the Spirit in Prayer which was extraordinary and temporary and something ordinary fix'd and standing That which he mentions as extraordinary is the Inspiration of the Matter of Prayer together with an Ability to express it in known or unknown Languages To which I answer There is thus much Truth in this That it is sufficiently probable that before the full Revelation of the Will of God in Scripture God did extraordinarily inspire his Servants as to some particular Matter of Prayer how otherwise could they know what was his Will And that also upon the first going of the Apostles to the Gentiles it pleased God also to inable the Apostles to pray with divers Tongues nor was this only for a Sign to them that believed not but as a necessary Mean by which the first Messengers of Christ to the Gentiles were inabled both to pray with and to preach to several Nations But that after the full Revelation of the Divine Will in the Holy Scriptures God at any time more than other hath revealed the Matter of Prayer unto his People more than the Matter of Preaching is more than I know or any can prove nor can any Reason be given for such an Assertion he had in his written Word told his Ministers and People what they should pray for nor might they pray for any thing but what was according to that his revealed Will. 2. If by revealing the Matter of Prayer this Author means no more than bringing to Ministers and Peoples Minds such things as they stand in need of and God in his Word hath declared himself ready to give it is no more than God yet doth every Day 2. If by it he meaneth his exciting them at this or that time to pray for some particular Good either for a Nation or Church or a particular Family or Person which he had only generally promised in his Word and left them at Liberty to pray for conditionally and with a reference and Submission to his Divine Will and Wisdom neither can this be called extraordinary with reference to any Period of Time it being no more than what God hath by his Spirit done in all Times and yet doth tho' in another Sense this be extraordinary such more-than-ordinary Impressions being but at such particular Times when God intendeth to give out such Mercies other extraordinary and temporary Revelations of the Matter of Prayer after the Sealing of the Canon of Scripture are such as nothing in Scripture guideth any to expect And to assert any such thing is but to dictate without Shadow of Proof eithe r from Scripture or Reason Nor is it more true that there ever were any extraordinary Assistances of the Spirit at any time as to the Words used in Prayer further than the inabling the first Ministers and Christians to pray and preach in other Tongues than they had learned Nor can it be proved that as to praying in their own Language the Holy Spirit ever was further promised or given to any than to bring to their Remembrance the Things they stood in need of and which God had given them leave to pray for and promised to give and the like and exciting their Affections and inflaming them which being heated they spake with their Tongues which Assistance we do say is an ordinary and standing Influence communicated as to former Ages so to our present Age and will be communicated to Believers to the End of the World Let us hear what Reason our Casuist hath to the contrary He pretendeth to give us Four P. 6 7 8 9 10 c. to 21. 1. His First Reason is Because there is no Promise of any such Gift which were it true were indeed a strong Reason tho' not against the thing for God may give what he hath no where particularly promised yet against our Expectation of any such thing But this is very far from being Truth For 1. There are general Promises of all good things and of his Spirit 2. There are particular Promises of the Holy Spirit to help us in the Duty of Prayer So that if this Influence be a good thing and what is possible without any Derogation to-the Honour of God there are Promises enough for it He who looketh for a particular Promise for every thing will deprive himself of the comfortable Expectation of much Good and disable himself from praying in Faith for most things he prayeth for God hath promised Psal. 84 11. No good thing will be with-hold from them that walk uprightly He hath promised to give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him and he hath told us that by this Spirit we cry Abba Father Rom. 8. 15. Gal. 4. 6. and told us Rom. 8. That the Spirit helpeth our
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
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
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
things for particular Persons and Families which have not been needful for nor the wants and desires of all the Persons in the Congregation for themselves and their Families Our Author yet proceeds and tells us Thirdly and Lastly It is also pretended that in the use of Forms the Ministers Soul is so ingaged in directing his Eye to read that it cannot be so intensely affected with that he prayeth for In Answer to which he saith He leaveth the Reader to judge whether the recollecting of the Matter of Prayer the disposing of it into a due Method inventing of proper Phrases to express it neither of which are Acts of Prayer as he pretends he hath shewed before must not much more busie his Soul than the directing of his Eye to read The Reply is easie The Matter of Prayer is already directed and needs no inventing only a considering what is applicable to present Circumstances which is a work previous to Prayer the disposing it into a due Method is another imaginary Thing Confession Supplication and Thanksgiving are the Three Parts of Prayer which is put before another is nothing material though every one will without any Study know it is rational to put Confession of Sin before Supplication for Pardon The inventing of proper Phrases is another thing as imaginary for they are already invented being Scriptural Phrases or formed with as little Study as the hungry Begger need take for Words by which to ask a bit of Bread But the Souls looking through the Eye upon the Book to see what is there Printed then recollecting what it sees and forming the Words first in the Mind then uttering them by the Lips is surely a greater Diversion Besides that the meditating of the Matter of Prayer then forming the Words in the Heart are both of them as proper Acts relating to Prayer as the killing the Sacrifice the cleansing of it the laying on the Altar were Acts relating to the Sacrifice and therefore lawful and the Priests Duty as well as the burning of it but of this I have before spoken Our Casuist proceeds p. 44. It is pretended That Forms of Prayer deaden Peoples Affections by a more direct and immediate Influence because they still express the Matter of Prayer in the same Words whereas the very newness and variety of Words in which conceived Prayers are expressed doth naturally awaken and entertain their Minds and keep them more fixed and intent For Answer whereunto he saith Let us consider upon what it is that this novelty and variety of Expression doth keep our Minds so fixed and intent upon Is it upon the Matter of Prayer doubtless no. For that is generally the same especially the matter of Publick Prayer and therefore if it were that fixt our Minds it would as well do it in the same as in new and varied Expressions But if it be nothing but the newness of the Phrase it is expressed in that fixeth their Minds there is nothing in it but a meer surprize and amusement of their Fancies which instead of fixing their Minds doth unfix them from the internal Acts of Prayer and divert its Attention from the Devotion to the Oratory of it c. 1. To make this Experiment let the Author comprize the Matter of all Sermons in Six or Twelve Sermons which it may be were not impossible or as some have done in Fifty Two Sermons and never Preach no other in Forty or Fifty Years Time to his People and by that Time he hath preached them five or six Times ask his People whether they do generally hear him with that Attention and Intention as if he cloathed that Matter with new Phrase I do not believe that one of five Hundred would say so 2. But Secondly The Matter of Prayer is principally Petitions or Arguments to inforce those Petitions admit the Petitions or the Matter of them be always the same are the Arguments also Doth there any Form comprehend all the Arguments to implead Petitions which the Scripture warranteth to use though it commandeth not us to use them all at the same time nor it may be are they all so proper for one and the same Time or for Persons under some Circumstances as others So that by our Authors leave there may be new Matter of Prayer to draw out Attention and Intention 3. Thirdly Suppose there were not doth not the Holy Scripture express the Matter of the same Petitions by different Phrases Why may we not express it by these Phrases as well as those And yet Peoples Attention and Intention be upon the Matter of the Prayer and if varying of Phrases will help to it and the Wisdom of the Holy Ghost knowing this hath canonized a variety of Phrase how any can be restrained the use of that variety which God hath left us I cannot tell 4. The gingling tickling Oratory of Prayer is a thing Nonconformists abhor as a puerile pedantick Thing not worth any Mans Attention or Intention But the asking the same Things in other Words and those such as the Holy Ghost hath taught us in Holy Writ or such as are proper and expressive is what deserveth a better Name Nonconformists are a kind of Men that think that Meat good enough that is wholesome and nourishing enough and those Cloaths fine enough that cover enough and are warm enough little regarding as to the former the Turneps cut into several Figures and laid about the sides of the Dish nor yet what the Laces and Fringes of their Cloaths are or whether they be of the Spanish or French Fashion The like Judgment they make too of Sermons and Prayers They judge those Sermons the best that most instruct and affect the most intelligible and Scriptural and those Prayers best where the Things which God hath given us a Liberty to ask are most intelligibly and plainly asked and urged by Arguments that are most scriptural but they know the Holy Scripture hath a variety of Phrases and all of Equal Authority and Dignity equally canonized and expect that he who is a Teacher should be mighty in the Scriptures and bring to their Ears and Tastes out of that Store-house things new and old and are apt to think that he that doth it not hath made but a little entry into that blessed Store-house That de facto Novelty in Phrase doth most affect cannot be denied that it is not sinful is as evident and it is as certain That the same Matter may more affect in a Novelty of Phrase then in an old Stile Our Reverend Author cometh in the Last Place to shew us the Advantage which People have for their Devotion from Forms to which conceived Prayers cannot pretend He instanceth in Six from p. 46. to p. 55. 1. The First is That People may address themselves to Prayer with greater Preparation 2. The Second is That in joining with them the People may Pray with more Understanding then they can well be conceived to do in extemporary Prayer 3. A
is not reasonable to imagine that Forms enough should be made suited to each Congregation So as our Author must assert that no Sins ought to be confessed publickly but the Sins that are common to all Christians no Mercies to be begged but what all Christians need no Mercies to be given Thanks for but such as all Christians receive or at least all within the Compass of those Churches to whom those Forms are to extend or his Second Conclusion will not hold 3. His Third Conclusion is but for a Quousque viz. That supposing such Provision for extraordinary Cases cannot be made in the publick Forms yet that is no Argument why it should not be used so far forth as it comprehendeth the Main of the common Cases of the People This indeed is true against such an Use this Argument doth not conclude but it doth not follow but some others may 4. The last thing our Author saith That the Defect of such new Provision may be supplied by the Minister in a publick Prayer of his own May may be here understood as referring to Naturally or Legally Of the first there is no doubt for the second our Author saith no more than that our Church allows or at least permits Ministers so to do As to this I have spoken before and it may be if it be inquired into it will be found that within these Twenty Years it would neither be allowed nor permitted in some Diocess Besides that Permission is the same with Connivance or Indulgence which is a very uncertain thing until it be established by an Act of Parliament Besides that many Ministers will not allow themselves any such thing the Reason of which doubtless is because they have at least an Apprehension that no such thing is allowed by the Law Whether it be or no I shall not dispute Our Author proceedeth to his Fifth Case Case 5. Whether there be any Warrant for Forms of Prayer in Scripture or pure Antiquity I dare say there is hardly one Dissenter of any Judgment that will not readily grant there is tho' some of them very much doubt whether there be any Warrant for Forms of Prayer to be universally imposed or used in Prayer By Warrant our Learned Author saith right must be meant some positive Command or allowed Example I cannot tell who it is that hath affirmed That nothing ought to be used in the Worship of God but what is commanded by him Whosoever hath so said hath spoken crudely and rashly and himself if he understand himself will at the next Breath grant That Pulpits and Pews Seats and Cushions and Habits of Cloaths not entailed to Worship only and many things more may be used in the Worship of God which God hath not particularly and in Specie commanded These things indeed Dissenters will say 1. That God may be worshipped by no Act but what himself hath directed because no other Act can be an Act of Obedience to him and where there is no Obedience there can be no Homage paid to God And here both Conformists and Nonconformists are I suppose fully agreed 2. That no Means by which any Act of Worship shall be performed may be used which God hath not directed either by the Light or Law of Nature or by a positive Institution in his Word Their Reason is Because the Law of God extendeth to the Means as well as to the Act nor hath God directed any Act of Worship or Homage to him but he hath also either by the Light or Law of Nature or by some part of his Revealed Will directed sufficient Means for the Performance of that Act which every obedient Christian is bound to observe use and prefer particularly as to Prayer they say the Act is directed both by the Light of Nature whence it is that the Heathens prayed and directed dies Supplicationem to the Divine Being and also by Scripture and his revealed Will which rectified the Light of Nature and hath taught us as to the Object that Prayer is to be directed to the Only True God and many things as to the manner of Performance viz. That it be directed to the Father in the Name of Christ and with the Spirit and for things only which are according to the revealed Will of God and under such Limitations as the Scripture hath directed 3. That even the Light of Nature as well as Scripture hath not only directed Men and Women to pray but to use Words in Prayer They are the Calves of our Lips the Homage of our Tongues unto God and whereas Prayer is the Expression of our Wants and Desires unto him who is able to supply them tho' God indeed understands the first Motions of our Souls in Desires yet these without Words are not what the Scripture ordinarily calls Prayer nor what Men have ordinarily called so 4. That God hath not directed the Words which we should use at all times tho' he hath directed some Words and Forms of Words which we may use but hath left us at Liberty to use what Words we please expressive of the Matter of Prayer directed in Holy Writ and this could be no otherwise the same Matter not serving us at all times and consequently not the same Words 5. That our Words are as the Philosopher expresseth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inward and outward Our internal Words are our Thoughts our Hearts being our Shops wherein the Words of our Lips are first forged or formed Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh saith our Saviour While I was musing saith David Psal. 39.3 the fire burned then spake I with my tongue 6. That as we best know our own Wants so our own Hearts can best form Words by which our Lips shall express and utter them So as the forming of Words expressive of our own Wants and Desires in our own Hearts is the most natural and proper Means of Prayer and Divine because most Natural and not restrained by any par tof the Divine Rule 7. Lastly They think that nothing but a plain Divine Revelation of the Will of God as to the use of another Mean can excuse them from the use of a Mean that is proper and most natural for the End So as they think there must be something in Scripture either in a Command or something which hath the Force of a Command as universal Example hath which must justifie their ordinary use of Forms of Words not first formed in their own Hearts to express their Wants and Desires to God in Prayer This is all I think that Dissenters will say in this Case Let us now hear what our Reverend Casuist opposeth to this He will prove as he tells us P. 2. p. 6. 1. That supposing this were true yet it doth not conclude against Forms 2. That supposing it did conclude against the Use of Forms it equally concludes against conceived Prayer As to the First he saith 1. That they do not
for all and at all Times 2. Our Reverend Author p. 25. comes to his Second Thing promised viz. to shew That supposing it were true that nothing were to be admitted in the Worship of God but what hath a Divine Institution it equally concludes against conceived Prayer as against Forms His Answer is because God hath no where instituted conceived Prayer i. e. That Men in Prayer should Pray by Words first formed in their own Hearts We need no Institution for what Nature it self dictateth in any religious Act. All Institution of that Nature must be corrective not directive Institution indeed often correcteth our corrupt and imperfect Nature and so it is in this business of Prayer God hath commanded us to Pray It is Written in the Law of Nature that there is a God that this Supream Being being the first Cause and the first Mover must be the Author of all Good Hence it directs us Prayer for the good Things we want and Praise for good Things received Prayer is a making known of our wants to God God hath given us Sense and Reason to tell us what those wants are a Power to Will and desire a supply of them to form Words to be uttered by our Lips as expressive of them to help us to the better Knowledge of our wants he hath given us his Word if in that he hath given us any Forms of Words to be ordinarily used in that Duty we are to use them Others he hath left at Liberty under the more general Laws and Directions of his Word What need any Institution of what Nature it self directeth and teacheth We have indeed Reason to look for an Institution if we will correct this natural Course of Mans Soul of expressing its desires by Words formed in our own Thoughts we have Reason to look for a supersedeas from a Divine Institution any Forms instituted by God himself make up such an Institution corrective of the natural Motions and Inclinations of our Souls Which is a sufficient Answer to what our Author saith p. 25 26. I cannot apprehend what can be called Vocal Prayer but what is such from a natural Course and Order or from a Divine Institution Scriptural Forms if given and enjoined for ordinary Use are doubtless so by Divine Institution what can be so in a natural Course or Order but those which we call free and conceived Prayers I am yet to learn For what our Author saith of the Iews use of Forms it hath been abundantly spoken too Particularly in the Answer to Dr. Falkner's Vindication of Liturgies p. 232 233 234. Chronologers Account that the Iews were carried into the Captivity of Babylon about the Year of the World 3350. and came out thence about the Year 3420. after 3630. we have little Account of them they being in a miserable distracted State till Pompey conquered them about 3888. and in like manner under the Romans to the coming of Christ about the Year of the World 3947 how they were in Christs Time the Gospels and Acts of the Apostles tells us About the sixty fifth Year of Christ they were utterly destroied Philo is by Chronologers computed to have lived about Twenty five Years before the final Ruine of Hierusalem but our Author quotes him proving nothing but that the Priests were want to offer Prayers with their Sacrifices so they might and yet use no Forms For the Samaritane Chronicle which p. 27. he tells us of which mentions a Book wrote in the Year of the World 4713. which contained the Songs and Prayers also used before the Sacrifices Those who will give it any Credit may but the Year of the World 4713. was 760. and odd Years after Christ that was the pretended Time for its first Appearance to the World for it could not be Printed till above 1500. Years after Christ and this Book must give an Account of the Affairs of the Iewish Church before the Year 3360. which was more than a Thousand Years before that for who will regard what the Iews did after they came under the Power first of the Grecians then of the Romans I Appeal now to any reasonable Man who will give Credit to any Manuscript that wrote more than a Thousand Years after should pretend to give us Account of what was done in Ezra's Time or before the Iews were Captivated by the Grecians and Romans for admit the Iews when Tributaries to the Grecians or Romans did use Forms it is no imitable President especially when the New Testament gives us the Story of the Church at least Seventy Years of the Time and saith nothing of it For our Authors Quotation out of Iosephus about the Essenes besides that it signifies little what a Particular Sect did and a Sect that sprang up too after Christ's Time of which the Scripture saith nothing I say besides this if our Author knoweth how to translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 better than certain Prayers which they received from their Ancestors the Translator of Iosephus into English will help him who translates it They made certain Vows and Prayers after the Custom of their Country which they might do without Forms I am not of our Author's Mind That there was not a more urgent Occasion for an express Prohibition of any Rite or Usage of the Iewish Church than praying by a Form For I believe there was no Reason for it at all because there was no such thing in use and if there had been any such Rite I know no Reason why either Iohn the Baptist should teach his Disciples to pray or why Christ's Disciples should beg of him to prescribe them a Form It should seem they had Forms enough Our Author in the next place P. 2. p. 29 30 c. comes to answer those Places of Scripture which Dissenters produce to prove it their Duty to pray free and conceived Prayers The first he instanceth in p. 29. Zech. 12.20 I will pour out upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Hierusalem the spirit of grace and supplications I shall say little as to what our Author speaketh as to this Text because I am not concerned in other Mens forming the Argument from it The Spirit of Grace and Supplications signifieth either our own Spirit and then the Promise concerneth the fuller Effusion of the Spirit of Grace under the Gospel giving unto God's People generally more Gifts for his Service especially for Prayer or else it must be understood of the Spirit of God which is called the Spirit of Supplications because it particularly helpeth our Infirmities in that Duty Now whether this Infirmity respecteth only our Affections or our Memory and Vnderstanding bringing to our Remembrance Matters contained in Holy Writ according to the Promise Iohn 14.26 is the Question betwixt us and our Casuist Let it be interpreted which way it will it is all one to us If of the Third Person in the Trinity we say he ought not to be shut out we must give him a
Liberty so to bring to our Remembrance and thus this Text is reducible to the first Case propounded by our Author Or let it be interpreted as to the Spirit of a Man under the Gospel renewed and sanctified so it relates to our Author's Second Case and enough hath been spoken to each of them We ought not so to pray if we be able to do otherwise as to exclude the former nor yet so as to omit our own Gift which is the Effect of the Spirit which is all we contend for For all that our Author saith about the Word in the Hebrew used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether it sometimes signifie Prayer in the general signifieth nothing as to the Argument especially considering that if by the Terms of Praying and Prayer c. be thrice in Scripture signified meerly mental Prayer yet vocal Prayer is for those three times forty times understood and I believe it is not capable of Proof that meerly mental Prayer is thrice called Prayer For his next Texts 1 Cor. 1.5 2 Cor. 8.7 I know of none that hath pleaded that the Gift of Vtterance is to be restrained to Prayer for my own part I always thought it respected Preaching as well as Prayer but that it is to be understood and limited to extraordinary Gifts is what I cannot yield For what is the Gift of Utterance but an Ability to utter which certainly is applicable as well to the utterance of our Minds to God in Prayer as of God's Mind to us in the interpreting or applying of God's Will to us and let our Author prove the contrary if he can These extraordinary Gifts were certainly not so common as that of Vtterance which seems to have been the Portion of the whole Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 1.5 And by 2 Cor. 8.7 it appeareth no more extraordinary than Faith Knowledge and Diligence with which it is ranked there and if Vtterance be no more than Ability to utter or a Freedom of Speech it is demonstrable that it was not as our Author saith peculiar to the primitive Ages of miraculous Gifts because we find by Experience that Multitudes have it now and that both as to Prayer and Preaching Vtterance is expressed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 1.5 Eph. 6.19 Col. 4.3 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now Speech or a Freedom of Speech was no extraordinary miraculous Gift Acts 2.4 quoted by our Author is thus They were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the spirit gave them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to utter or speak It is also used v. 14. and Acts 26.25 I speak the words of truth and soberness for which Paul needed no extraordinary Gift By this Reply the Insufficiency of our Author's Answer to these Scriptures produced by Dissenters will appear But p. 33. he goeth on and saith But they object further That supposing God hath not given to all Christians the Gift of Prayer extempore yet to a great many he hath and therefore these at least he requires to pray by their Gifts not by a Form 1 Tim. 4.14 2 Tim. 1.6 1 Pet. 4.20 Rom. 12.6 It is very true that some Dissenters have quoted these Texts and see no Reason yet to quit them tho' they at first granted them ex abundanti not as needing them to to prove what is all that they do prove for even Nature it self teacheth Men and Women being able to do it to express the Wants and Desires of their Souls by Words formed in their own Hearts and tells us no Words are so natural and proper and what Nature teacheth we need no Institution for If any corrective Institution hath restrained us in the use of what is a natural proper Means to an Action it must be produced The Iews needed no positive Law requiring them to eat Flesh but it being the Will of God that to shew their Obedience to him they should forbear eating some kinds of Flesh there was need of an Institution corrective of what Nature otherwise taught them But yet what Nature it self teacheth may also be taught by Revelation as we have always thought this was by the Texts quoted which have not been brought to prove in Specie That those who have the Gift of Prayer ought to use it But that those who had any Gift serving them to the Performance of a Religious Act ought to use it in the Performance of that Act unless they be restrained by some corrective Institution that is by some Law of God declaring his Will for their Forbearance of the use of that Ability which the Declaration of his Will in his Word for the use of this or that Form of Words in Prayer we confess is This is the general Summ of what hath been said All that our Author saith as to these Texts is That by Gifts in those Texts is only to be meant Office What hath been said to this may be read in the Answer to Dr. Falkner's Vindication of Liturgies p. 62 63 64 65 66 67 68. Nothing of which our Author takes notice off 1. It is gratis dictum said and not proved that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies in three Texts Office not Gift it being manifest that in many Texts it signifies Gift not Office Erâ—smus in all those Texts translates it Donum the Gift Dr. Fulk against Martin sath it is never taken in Scripture but for a free Gift or a Gift of his Grace The Vulgar Latin so translates it Erasmus notes that Ambrose so understood it 2. Rom. 12.6 saith Having then Gifts differing according to the Grace given to us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It may be it is the only Text where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 can with any Pretence be translated Offices and not necessarily there See Rom. 5.15 chap. 6.23 Rom. 2.11 1 Cor. 12.4 9 28 30. chap. 11.7 Rom. 11.29 1 Cor. 1.11 1 Cor. 12.31 I think it is hardly used in any other Texts and in no Heathen Author So as we must have the Sense of it from Holy Writ Let any one peruse those Texts and judge whether contrary to the Sense of most Authors he can translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Office or Dignity For what our Author saith as to 1 Tim. 4.14 that the next Words which was given thee by Prophecy make it plain that this is the Sense of it the Reader may see in the aforementioned Answer to Dr. Falkner p. 63. what is said to it That is obscurum per obscurius Piscator Vatablus and Beza make the Sense That thou mayest Prophecy Three ancient Versions viz. the Syriack Arabick and Ethiopick read it with Prophecy Our Translators indeed and Vulgar Latin read it by Prophecy The Greek Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is translated with great Variety per propter prae ob post cum quoniam which gives Interpreters such a Liberty Because of or for Prophecy is a very good Interpretation and justifyable from Matth. 10.22 and chap. 13.21 58. But
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