(2.) And both to speaker and hearers, human frailty maketh it hard to be equally affected with the same thing spoken a hundred times, as we are at first when it is new, and when it is clothed in comely variety of expressions. As the same book affecteth us not at the twentieth reading as it did at the first. Say not, it is a dishonourable weakness to be thus carried by the novelty of things or words; for though that be true, it is a dishonour common to all mankind, and a disease which is your own, and which God alloweth us all lawful means to cure, and to correct the unhappy effects while it is uncured.
12. Lastly, set forms serve unworthy men to hide their unworthiness by, and to be the matter of a controversy in which they may vent their envy against them that are abler and holier than themselves.
III. Having now truly showed you the commodities and incommodities of both the ways, for the other question, Which of them is the best? I must give you but some rules to answer it yourselves.
1. That is best which hath most and greatest commodities, and fewest and least discommodities.
2. For neither of them is forbidden, in itself considered, nor evil, but by accident.
3. One may have more commodities and the other more discommodities in one country and age than in another, and with some persons than with others.
4. Sober christians should be very backward in such cases to quarrel with the churches where they live or come, but humbly submit to them in lawful things, though they think them inconvenient; because it is not they that are the governors and judges.
5. The commands of authority and the concord of the churches may weigh down many lighter accidents.
6. I crave leave to profess that my own judgment is, that somewhat of both ways joined together will best obviate the incommodities of both. To have so much wholesome, methodical, unquestionable forms as near as may be in Scripture phrase, as is necessary to avoid the inconvenience of a total exclusion of forms, and to the attainment of their desirable ends; and to have so much withal of freedom in prayer, as is necessary to its ends, and to avoid the deadness, formality, and other incommodities of forms alone. Though by this opinion I cross the conceits of prejudiced men on both extremes, I think I cross not the judgment of the church of England, which alloweth free prayers in the pulpit, and at the visitation of the sick; and I cross not the opinion of any ancient church that ever I read of, nor of the fathers and pastors whose works are come to our hands; nor yet of Luther, Melancthon, Bucer, Zuinglius, Calvin, Beza, Zanchius, and the rest of our famous reformers; nor yet of the famous nonconformists of England, Cartwright, Hildersham, Greenham, Perkins, Bain, Amesius, &c. and I less fear erring in all this company, than with those on either of the extremes.[321]
[321] I have a manuscript of Mr. Cartwright's in which, having fully proved the falsehood of Sutliff's suspicion that he was acquainted with Hacket's project, he answereth his charge, as if he were against forms of prayer, that all the years that he lived at Middleburg and Antwerp, he constantly used the same form before sermon, and mostly after sermon, and also did read prayers in the church; and that since he seldom concluded but with the Lord's prayer.
Quest. LXXIX. _Is it lawful to forbear the preaching of some truths, upon man's prohibition, that I may have liberty to preach the rest; yea, and to promise beforehand to forbear them? Or to do it for the church's peace?_
_Answ._ 1. Some truths are of so great moment and necessity, that without them you cannot preach the gospel in a saving sort. These you may not forbear, nor promise to forbear.
2. Some truths are such as God at that time doth call men eminently to publish and receive (as against some heresy when it is at the very height, or the church in greatest danger of it); or concerning some duty which God then specially calleth men to perform (as the duty of loyalty just in the time of a perilous rebellion, &c.) Such preaching being a duty, must not be forborne, when it cannot be performed upon lawful terms.
3. But some truths are controverted among good men; and some are of a lower nature and usefulness: and concerning these I further say,
(1.) That you may not renounce them or deny them, nor subscribe to the smallest untruth for liberty to preach the greatest truth.
(2.) But you may for the time that the church's benefit requireth it, both forbear to preach them, and promise to forbear, both for the church's peace, and for that liberty to preach the gospel, which you cannot otherwise obtain. The reasons are,
1. Because it is not a duty to preach them at that time; for no duty is a duty at all times: affirmative precepts bind not _ad semper_, because man cannot always do them.