The (ommodities and D!fcommodities of Forms and Free,prdying. QQefl:. 78. Whether are Jet Forms of \V/ords, or free praying without them the better Jvay ? And 1vhat are tl>e Commodities and Incominodities of eacl>way ? A_nfw. I Will fidl anfwer the hter quefiion, bccaufc the former dependeth on it. ··.: 1. The Commodities of a fee form of words, and the difcommodities of frre-ptajing are thdO following. . I• In a time of dangerous Hercfie which ha\h infected the Pafiors, a fet form of prefcribcd words tendeth to keep the Church, and the confciences of the joyners from fuch infection , of· feo~e and guilt. . 2· when Miriifiers are fo weak as to di!lwnour Gods Worfhip by their unapt, and flovcni:Y) and unfound expreffions, prekribc:d or fet forms which ·.ne well 'compofed, are fome pfeftrvative and cure. When free praying leavcth the Church under this inconvenience. 3· When Minifiers by faCl"ion, paffion or corrupt intercfh, are apt to put thcfe vices into theit 'prayers, tO rhe injury of orhers, and of the Caufe and Church of God, free praying chcrifheth this; or giveth ir opportunity, which fct forms do rcllrain. 4• Concordant fet forms do (Ctve for the exa&ell Concord .in ,the Churches, that all at once may fpeak the fame things. 5· They arc needful to fame weak Minifiers that cannot do fo well without them. 6. They fomcwhat prevent the laying of the !<putation of Religious Wor!hip upon·the Nlinifters abilities : when in free prayiltg, the bonollf' aml comfort vatieth with the various degrees of Paftoral abilities: In one place it is excellently well done; in another bu~ drily, and coldly, and meanly : In . ·anmher er~oneoufly, unedify}ngly,'if not difhonourably, tending to the contempt of holy things: Whereas in ihe way of [et Liturgia, though'the ab/eft (at that time) doth no bttm, yet the wealifft doth, (for words) af wrU, and aU alikt~ · r 1 1 7· And, if proud weak men ha1re not the compofmg and impojing of it, all know that words drawn up by jlHdy, upon fobcr premeditation and con[Hltation, have a greater advantage, to be txall 11ntJ apt, then rhofe that were net.ter thbught· on till we ate fpeak\ng them. 8. The very fear of doing amifs, difiurbeth fomc unrcady men, and maketh them do all the rcft the worfe. .., SI· The Auditort k~ow before hand, whether that whieh they ate to joyn in, be found or unfound having time to uy ic. ·· ' ~ , JO. And they can more n -adily put in their confent to what 'is~ fpoken, and m1ke the puyers their own, when they know' before hand what it is, than they can do, when they know not before they hear it ; le being hard to,the duller ·fort of hearers, to concur with anVnderjianding and Cnn· {mt as quick, as the fpeakers words are. Not but that this mly be done, but not without great diffi· culry in tht dullt"r fon. rl· And it tendeth to avoid ihe pride and felf-deceit of many, who think they are good Chrifti– ans, and have the Spirit of Grace and Supplic.niOn, becaufe by learning and ufe they cm fpcak man)' hours in variety of cxprdfions in pn.y'er ; Which is a dangerous mifiakc:. · I I. The Commodities of Frtt rxttmporatt prayers, and the difcoltlmodity of prefcribed or fc:t fotms are thefe following. ' 1. Ir becomcth an advantage to fame ProHd men who think themfclves wifer than all the refi, t() obtrude their Compnfitions, that none may be thought wife enough, or fit w fi>eak to God but in tbtir. wor.ds: And fo introduce Cburch·tyranny. 2 · h m01y become a bindtra1Jct to able worthy Minifiers that can do better. 3· 1t may become a dividi~tg fn•re to the Churches, that cannot .u Agm and Con[mt in fuch hu· mane impofirions. • , 4· lt may become an advantage to Hcreticks when they can but get into power ( as the Arrians of old) to corrupt all the Churches and publick Wor!hip: And thus the Papifis hav~ corrupted the Chttrches by the Mafs, . 5·1c may become an engine or occ1fion of perfocution, and filencing all thofc Minific_rs that cannot confcnt in fuch impofitions. 6. It moay become a means of depraving the Miniftry, and bringing them to a common idlmefi and ,ignor.Jm:r, ( if other things alike concur.) For when men perceive that no greater abilities are ufetl 2nd rrquired, they will commonly labour for and get no greater, and fo will be unable to pray with.. out their forms of words. • 7· And by this means Chriftim Religion may decay and grow into contempt: For though it l:te detinble that its own rvorth Chould keep up its reputation and fuccefs, yet it never hitherto was fo kept up without the affiliance of Gods eminent gifts and graces in his Minifiers : But where ever there hath been a learned, able, holy, z~alous, diligent Miniliry, Religion ufually hath flourifhed : And where ever theie hath been 1n ig1 orant, vicious, cold, idle, negligent and reproached Minifiry;.· Religion ufually hath dyed and betn •eproached. And y;e have now no r.ea{on to look foi that which never was, and that God fhould take a new courfe in the world. Qqqqq S. And
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