Part 3 › Question 82: Quest. 82. How should the Lords day be spent, in the main?, A Christian Directory by Richard Baxter (1673) | AskReformation

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3. Though confession of sin and humiliation must not be the chief work of the day, yet it may and must come in, as in due subordination to the chief. 1. Because there are usually many persons present, who are members only of the visible Church, and are not fit for the Laudatory and rejoicing part. 2. Because while we are in the flesh, our salvation is imperfect, and so are we; and much sin still remaineth, which must be a grief and burden to believers: And therefore while sin is mixed¹ with grace, Repentance and sorrow must be mixed with our Thanksgivings, and we must rejoice with trembling: And though we receive a Kingdom which cannot •e moved, yet must our acceptable service of God be with reverence and Godly fear, because our God is a consuming fire. 3. Our sin and misery being that which we are saved from, doth enter the definition of our salvation. And without the sense of the•, we can never know a•ight what mercy is, nor ever be truly glad and thankful. But yet take heed that this subordinate duty be not pretended for the neglecting of that Thanksgiving which is the work of the day.

3. Though confession of sin and humiliation must not be the chief work of the day, yet it may and must come in, as in due subordination to the chief. 1. Because there are usually many persons present, who are members only of the visible Church, and are not fit for the Laudatory and rejoycing part. 2. Because while we are in the flesh, our s•lvation is imperfect, and so are we; and much sin still remaineth, which must be a grief and burden to believers: And therefore while sin is mixt¹ with grace, Repentance and sorrow must be mixed with our Thanksgivings, and we must rejoyce with trembling: And though we receive a Kingdom which cannot •e moved, yet must our acceptable service of God be with reverence and Godly fear, because our God is a consuming fire. 3. Our sin and misery being that which we are saved from, doth enter the definition of our salvation. And without the sense of the•, we can never know a•ight what mercy is, nor ever be truly glad and thankful. But yet take heed that this subordinate duty be not pretended for the neglecting of that Thanksgiving which is the work of the day.

1Psal. 2. 9, 10, 11. Heb. 12. 28, 29.

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Answ. Yes: The people should say Amen; that is, openly signify their consent: But the meaning¹ is not that they must do no more, nor otherwise express their consent saving by that single word. For, 1. There is no Scripture which forbiddeth more. 2. The people bear an equal part in singing the Psalms; which are prayer and praise and instruction. 3. If they may do so in the Psalms in Metre, there can no reason be given but they may lawfully do so, in the Psalms in prose; For saying them and singing them are but modes of utterance; both are the speaking of Prayer and praise to God: And the ancient singing was liker our saying, than to our tunes, as most judge. 4. The primitive Christians were so full of the zeal and Love of Christ, that they would have taken it for an injury and a quenching of the spirit to have been wholly restrained from bearing their part in the praises of the Church. 5. The use of the tongue keepeth awake the mind, and stirreth up Gods graces in his servants. 6. It was the decay of zeal in the people that first shut out Responses; while they kept up the ancient zeal, they were inclined to take their part vocally in the Worship: And this was seconded by the pride and usurpation of some Priests thereupon, who thought the people of God, too profane to speak in the assemblies, and meddle so much with holy things.

Answ. YEs: The people should say Amen; that is, openly signifie their consent: But the meaning¹ is not that they must do no more, nor otherwise express their consent saving by that single word. For, 1. There is no Scripture which forbiddeth more. 2. The people bear an equal part in singing the Psalms; which are prayer and praise and instruction. 3. If they may do so in the Psalms in Metre, there can no reason be given but they may lawfully do so, in the Psalms in prose; For saying them and singing them are but modes of utterance; both are the speaking of Prayer and praise to God: And the ancient singing was liker our saying, than to our tunes, as most judge. 4. The primitive Christians were so full of the zeal and Love of Christ, that they would have taken it for an injury and a quenching of the spirit to have been wholly restrained from bearing their part in the praises of the Church. 5. The use of the tongue keepeth awake the mind, and stirreth up Gods graces in his servants. 6. It was the decay of zeal in the people that first shut out Responses; while they kept up the ancient zeal, they were inclined to take their part vocally in the Worship: And this was seconded by the pride and usurpation of some Priests thereupon, who thought the people of God, too prophane to speak in the assemblies, and meddle so much with holy things.

11 Cor. 14. Psal. 150. & 81, 2, 3. & 98. 5. & 94. 1, 2, 3, &c. & 105. 7. 2, &c. & 145. throughout. Col. 3▪ 16.1 Cor. 14. Psal. 150. & 81, 2, 3. & 98. 5. & 94. 1, 2, 3, &c. & 105. 7. 2, &c. & 145. thoughout. Col. 3▪ 16.

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Answ. I will reci•e to you a form of prayer which the people themselves were to make publicly to God; Deut. 26▪ 13, 14, 15. [Then shalt thou say before the Lord thy God▪ I have brought away the ¹hallowed things out of my house, and also have given them to the Levite and to the stranger, to the fatherless and the Widow, according to all thy Commandments which thou hast commanded me: I have not transgressed thy Commandments, neither have I forgotten them: I have not eaten thereof in my mourning, neither have I taken away ought thereof for any unclean use, nor given ought thereof for the dead; but I have hearkened to the voice of the Lord my God and have done according to all that thou hast commanded me: Look down from thy holy habitation, from Heaven, and bless thy people Israel, and the Land which thou hast given us, as thou swarest unto our Fathers, a Land that floweth with milk and honey]. Is not here a full form of Prayer to be used by all the people? And remember that Joseph and Mary and Christ himself were under this Law, and that you never read that Christ found fault with the peoples speech▪ nor spake a word to restrain it in his Churches.

Answ. I will reci•e to you a form of prayer which the people themselves were to make publickly to God; Deut. 26▪ 13, 14, 15. [Then shalt thou say before the Lord thy God▪ I have brought away the ¹hallowed things out of my house, and also have given them to the Levite and to the stranger, to the fatherless and the Widow, according to all thy Commandments which thou hast commanded me: I have not transgressed thy Commandments, neither have I forgotten them: I have not eaten thereof in my mourning, neither have I taken away ought thereof for any unclean use, nor given ought thereof for the dead; but I have •earkened to the voice of the Lord my God and have done according to all that thou hast commanded me: Look down from thy holy habitation, from Heaven, and bless thy people Israel, and the Land which thou hast given us, as thou swarest unto our Fathers, a Land that floweth with milk and honey]. Is not here a full form of Prayer to be used by all the people? And remember that Ioseph and Mary and Christ himself were under this Law, and that you never read that Christ found fault with the peoples speech▪ nor spake a word to restrain it in his Churches.

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