3. For words, 1. There is no more prohibition in God's word, against learning or using another man's words, than his method or matter. Therefore it is not unlawful. 2. A tutor or senior minister may teach the Scripture words to a pupil or junior minister; yea, and may set them together and compose him a sermon or prayer out of Scripture in its words. (For he that may use an ill-composed Scripture form of his own gathering, may use a well-composed form of another's). 3. All the books in our libraries are forms of words; and it is lawful sure to use some of all those words which we read; or else our books would be a snare and limitation to our language. 4. All preachers ordinarily use citations, testimonies, &c. in other men's words. 5. All ministers use psalms in the metre of other men's composing (and usually imposing too). And there is no more prohibition against using other men's words in a prayer, than in a psalm. 6. Almost all ministers use other men's gifts and form of words, in reading the Scriptures, in their vulgar tongues: for God did not write them by his apostles and prophets in English, French, Dutch, &c. but in Hebrew, Chaldee, and Greek; therefore the wording them in English, &c. is a human form of words: and few ministers think they are bound to translate all the Bible themselves, lest they use other men's words or abilities. 7. If a young minister that can pray but weakly, hear more apt expressions and sentences in another minister's prayers, than his own are, he may afterward make use of those sentences and expressions. And if of one sentence, why not of two or ten, when God hath not forbidden it? So also in preaching. 8. It is lawful to read another man's epistles or sermons in the church, as the primitive churches did by Clement's and some others. 9. An imposition may be so severe, that we shall not use our own words, unless we will use some of other men's. 10. All churches almost in the world, have consented in the use of creeds, confessions, and prayers, and psalms, in the words of others.
But yet, 1. No minister must on these pretences stifle his own gifts, and grow negligent; 2. Nor consent to church tyranny or papal usurpations; 3. Nor do that which tendeth to eat out seriousness in the worship of God, and turn all into dead imagery or formality.
Quest. _Is it lawful to read a prayer in the church?_
_Answ._ 1. That which is not forbidden is lawful: but to read a prayer is not forbidden (as such, though by accident it may).
2. The prayers in the Scripture psalms, were usually read in the Jewish synagogues lawfully; for they were written to that end, and were indeed the Jewish liturgy. Therefore to read a prayer is not unlawful.
3. He that hath a weak memory may read his own sermon notes; therefore he may read his prayers.
4. I add as to this case and the former together; that, 1. Christ did usually frequent the Jewish synagogues.
2. That in those synagogues there were forms of prayer, and that ordinarily read, at least Scripture forms: and if either the Jewish rabbins (cited by Scaliger, Selden in Eutych. Alexandr. &c.,) or the strongest probability may be credited, there were also human forms. For who can imagine that those Pharisees should have no human forms, (1.) Who are so much accused of formality, and following traditions: (2.) And used long and frequent prayers: but if indeed they had no such forms, then long and frequent extemporate prayers are not so great a sign of the Spirit's gifts as is imagined, when such Pharisees abounded in them. But there is little probability but that they used both ways.
3. That Christ did not separate from the synagogues for such prayers' sake.
4. Yea, that we never read that Christ meddled in the controversy, it being then no controversy; nor that he once reproved such forms, or reading them, or ever called the Jews to repent of them.
If you say, his general reproof of traditions was enough: I answer, 1. Even traditions he reproved not as such, but as set before, or against the commands of God. 2. He named many of their particular traditions and corruptions, Matt. xv. xxiii. &c. and yet never named this. 3. His being usually present at their assemblies, and so joining with them in their worship, would be such an appearance of his approbation, as would make it needful to express his disallowance of it, if indeed he thought it sinful. So that whoever impartially considereth all this, that he joined with them, that he particularly reproved other corruptions, and that he never said any thing at all against forms or reading prayers, that is recorded, will sure be moderate in his judgment of such indifferent things, if he know what moderation is.
Quest. LXXVII. _Is it lawful to pray in the church without a prescribed or premeditated form of words?_
_Answ._ There are so few sober and serious christians that ever made a doubt of this, that I will not bestow many words to prove it.