Five disputations of church-government and worship

I do not here plead example, as in the last Argument, but the Lawfulness of praying in Scripture words. They that deny this, must be so singular and unreasonable, as that there is no need of my confutation for the manifesting of their error. And that it is to us a set form if we take it out of Scripture, as well as if we compose it, or take it out of another Book, is past all question. A multitude of the prayers of holy men are left on record in the Scripture, beside those that were the prescribed forms of those times: He that will but turn to his Concordance to the word [O Lord] and then to all the cited Texts, shall find many score, if not hundred Texts that recite the prayers of the Saints; which when we use, we use a form, which we there find written.

Argum. 5. Christ hath left us his Approbation of such forms: ⟨p. 364⟩¹therefore we may use them.

1. 1Argum. 5.

His Approbation is proved, 1. By his owning and citing Davids Psalms, Luk. 20.42. & 24.44. &c. 2. By his using a Hymn with his Disciples at the Passover or Eucharist, which we have great reason to think was a form that had been of use among the Jews. But however, if Christ had newly then composed it, yet was it a form to his Disciples. 3. By his thrice repeating the same words in his own prayer. 4. By his teaching his Disciples a form, as John taught his. 5. By his never expressing the least dislike of the old Jewish custom of using forms: nor doth Scripture anywhere repeal it, or forbid it. 6. The Apostles command the use of Psalms and Hymns, which cannot be ordinary in the Church without forms. All this proveth Christs approbation.