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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	almighty_a	father_n	great_a	52	3	2.1295	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77860	Reasons shewing the necessity of reformation of the publick [brace]1. doctrine, 2. worship, [double brace] 3. rites and ceremonies, 4. church-government, and discipline, reputed to be (but indeed, not) established by law. Humbly offered to the serious consideration of this present Parliament. By divers ministers of sundry counties in England.	Burges, Cornelius, 1589?-1665.	1660 (1660)	Wing B5678; Thomason E764_4; ESTC R205206	61,780	69

of certain Lessons to be used on every Sunday in the year but after mention of some by name it addeth And none other or otherwise Also in the present Kalendars there are four Chapters of Joshua left out that were in the Kalendars of 5. and 6. Edw. 6. And on Octob. 13. Judith 15.16 are appointed now to be read which was not so in 5.6 Edw. 6. This deserves consideration seeing so many Canonical Chapters of use are not at all appointed to be read in publick The RUBRICKS The first Page of the present Books appoint Ministers to use such Ornaments as were of use in 2. Edw. 6. not declaring what they be The Book of 2. Edw. 6. enjoyned onely a sur●lis in Parish Churches and Chappels See last page of that Book where are notes for explanation So also in Rubr. before Morn Prayer 5 6. Edw. 6. The Book established in 5.6 Edw. 6. names a Surplice onely The Book of Canons Can. 58. enjoyneth other Ornaments Hereby some Ministers must break that Canon or the present Rubrick which the 14th Canon requireth all to observe So that the 14th Canon and the 58th contradict each other And neither those Canons nor that Rubrick nor this Book are established by Law After the Communion there are in all Service-Books of 5.6 Edw. 6. seven Rubricks Which number remaineth but the Third is divided into two and the fourth wholly lost In which fourth the Compilers had solidly and excellently declared in what sense they intended Kneeling at the Communion The loss whereof hath occasioned much stumbling and offence yea much trouble and persecution That Rubrick was this Although no Order can be so perfectly devised but it may be of some either for their Ignorance and Infirmity or else of Malice and Obstinacy misconstrued depraved or interpreted in a wrong part yet because brotherly Charity willeth that so much as conveniently may be Offences should be taken away therefore we willing to do the same Whereas it is Ordained in the Book of Common-Prayer in the Administration of the Lords Supper that the Communicants kneeling should receive the Holy Communion which thing being well meant for a signification of the humble and grateful acknowledging of the benefits of Christ given unto the Worthy Receiver and to avoid the profanation and disorder which about the holy Communion might else ensue Lest yet the same kneeling might be thought or taken otherwise we do declare that it is not meant thereby that any Adoration is done or ought to be done either unto the Sacramental Bread Wine there bodily received nor unto any real and essential Presence there being of Christs natural flesh and blood For as concerning the Sacramental Bread and Wine they remain still in their very natural Substances and therefore may not be adored for that were Idolatry to be abhorred of all faithful Christians And as concerning the natural Body and Bloud of our Saviour Christ they are in Heaven and not here for it is contrary to the truth of Christs true natural Body to be in moe places than one at one time The Body of the Book it self There is a whole Prayer now left out at the end of the Letany which was extant in the Books of 5.6 Edw. 6. to be used in times of Dearth or Famine which was this O God merciful Father which in the time of Heliseus the Prophet didst suddenly turn in Samaria great scarcity and dearth into plenty and cheapness and extream famine into abundance of victual have pity upon us that now be punished for our sins with like adversity Encrease the fruits of the Earth by thy heavenly benedi ction and grant that we receiving thy bountifvl liberality may use the same to thy glory our comfort and relief of our needy Neighbours through Jesu Christ our Lord Amen Moreover there are sundry Prayers some before some in King James his time put into the present Leiturgy as also some things into the Catechism which are not confirmed by Parliament Which Additions although useful being not legally ratified hath imboldened some to make alterations at their pleasure For instance The Prayer for the Queen and Royal Family before the year 1627. began thus Almighty God which hast promised to be a Father of thine elect and of their seed but now thus Almighty God the fountain of all goodness Which change was a great Presumption and may seem to imply an exclusion of the Royal Stem out of the number of Gods Elect. This alteration was first made in the Books appointed to be used about that time at publick Fasts and thence was stollen into the Book of Common-Prayer Of which no reason can be discovered unless this that the word Elect distasted the favourers of Popish Arminianism Likewise the reading Psalms now thrust into the Common Prayer Books pretended to be established by Law were no part thereof in 5.6 Edw. or in 1. Eliz. For neither of the Books then printed in Folio for publick use in Churches had the Psalms in them but only a direction what Psalms should every day be read which were accordingly read out of the Bibles then used in Churches It is therefore very hard and unreasonable to continue that Translation and to enjoyn and tye men to read out those abused Psalms as now they stand in that Book And it is a great wrong to the people that Version being very defective and corrupt Take some instances wherein that differs from the Kings last authorized Translation now only allowed to be read in Churches as also from the Original it self Psal 28.9 The Lord is my strength In the new thus Old Transt The Lord is their strength ver 8. 37.38 Keep innocency and take heed to the thing that is right In the new Mark the perfect man and behold the just ver 37. 58.8 So let indignation vex them as a thing that is raw In the new He taketh them away as with a whirlewind both living and in his wrath ver 9. 68.6 Maketh men to be of one mind in an house In the new Setteth the solitary in families 105.28 They were not obedient In the new They rebelled not against his word * * Let which of those by Fuller or Dr. Prideaux be thought the better yet while they both stand they cause scandal 107.40 Though he suffer them to be evil intreated In the new He poureth contempt upon Princes 125.3 The rod of the wicked cometh not In the new the rod of the wicked resteth not upon the lot of the righteous In Psal 14. there are three whole Verses which are not in the Original nor in the revised Translation nor in the Greek 72. but only in the Popish vulgar Bibles To excuse it by saying All those Verses are found together in Rom. 3. is a fig-leaf For the Apostle never meant to produce all those words as taken out of one place but only to collect out of several Texts of the Old Testament sundry testimonies to prove all men

Day lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin Most men are convinced of the necessity of repenting but such is the deceitfulness of their hearts that too many defer it and that upon that very ground expressed in these words which have no ground or warrant from the Word of God At what time soever a sinner repenteth c. as if he could repent when he list which carries many to Hell It is true this is seemingly put off by a great Doctor thus D. P. de Disci● Eccl. 2. ● Sect. 3. Dixit Dominus quoad sensum licet non verbatim The Book speaks the sense although not the very words of the Text. But this is too frigid an answer to satisfie the Objection For 1. It is said to be a sentence of Scripture not an Exhortation according to the sense onely It is one thing to give the sense another to repeat the words 2. This agrees not with the sense but is contrary thereunto as was but now demonstrated Therefore it is untrue and injurious to charge the Apostles with the like in alledging the Old Testament in the New 2. That expression in the general Confession of sins viz. There is no health in us although well meant is incongruous and improper because most of the common sort understand not the true meaning of it yet patter it over out of custom without being through their ignorance duly sensible of what is indeed intended by it Howbeit the Minister may not alter the Phrase 3. After the first Lesson at Morn Prayer Te Deum or Benedicite both of them being Apochrypals are to be read before the second Lesson and so they interrupt the continued reading of the holy Scripture which the Preface to that Book would bear us in hand is provided against As for Te Deum or We praise thee O God c. it is a piece taken out of the mass-Mass-Book and in Popish Churches usually sung at times of great Victories Deliverances and other Triumphs From thence some Bishops little to their credit have introduced it upon like occasions into Protestant Churches that being no where enjoyned nor warranted by any Law in force This shews what able men such Bishops are to govern that know not how to express their thanksgiving to God for any extraordinary mercy so well as in a superstitious formal dress usually sung in Popish Churches And as for Benedicite viz. O all ye works of the Lord c. it is a piece of the Mass-Book also and taken out of the Apocryphal song of the three Children And it is bungled too not set forth as it is in the Song it self as by comparing them may appear And whereas that Song is said in the Title of it in the Apocrypha to be the song of the three holy Children which followeth in the third of Daniel after this place And they walked in the midst of the fire praising God and blessing the Lord this is an abusing and belying of the Canonical Text in Daniel 3. in which there is no hint of any such thing Yet must this come in and be kept in in our Liturgy though cast out of the Scotch Book to give another lye to the Preface of our Book of Common-Prayer of which more by and by 4. The many Antiphonies Responds except the peoples saying Amen have no pattern or warrant in the Word Yet above an hundred of these Antiphonies and Responsals or Answerings between Minister Clerk and people are enjoyned to be used beside the accompanying of him in the Confession of sins Creed reading every other verse of the Psalms c. How can such things having no warrant in the Word be done in Faith in the Publique Worship of God and not rather be accounted Will-Worship This is the rather to be excepted against not onely because it is so frequent in the Mass-Books but no where else but because also the Preface to the Book of Common-Prayer saith That the reading of the holy Scripture is therein so set forth that all things shall be done in order without breaking one piece thereof from another and for this cause be cut off Antiphonies Responds Invitatories and such like things as did break the continual course of the reading of the Scripture How then do so many Responds and Answers of Clerk and People while the Minister is reading as likewise those Anthems before-mentioned which interpose between the first and second Lesson all which are still continued in the Book agree with that Preface still printed with the Book 5. If the Letany must be read which contains petitions for more particulars then all the Book besides and being put into one continued prayer without so many interpositions and interruptions might be of far better use then now it is why must the praying part be so much performed by the People and not by the Minister whose proper Office it is in publique to pray for the people as their mouth and not they to be his mouth There is no ground for this in Scripture yet we must be made to believe that there is nothing in the Leiturgy but what is evidently grounded upon the Word And wherefore must that clause in the Let any from the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome and all his detestable Enormities be still left out was there no fear of his return to tyrannize over this Land again Had he ever more Instruments at Work in this Kingdom since the Reformation then now If it be said The Act for Vniformity gives notice of an alteration in the Letany yet that Act doth not tell us what that is in particular Therefore till that alteration be named that clause needeth not yea ought not to be omitted so long as the Letany is used 6. In the Book printed in 1 Eliz. there be added after the Letany two Prayers one for the then Queen another for Bishops both which were prayed for before in the Letany and also in the Prayer at the Communion for the whole estate of Christs Church which are not in the Book of 5.6 Edw. 6. And in 1 Jac. these were continued with one other Prayer for Queen Anne the Prince c. Now albeit the Prayers for the King Queen and Royal Family be useful and necessary yet when the Act of 1. Eliz. 2. admits of no alterations from or additions to that Book in 5.6 Ed. 6. save only in proper Lessons for Sundays one in the Letany and two more in the Communion and none other or otherwise how can those Prayers be used without making them that use them liable to the Law if rigorously urged till they be confirmed by Act of Parliament Or rather till that Act of 1. Eliz. 2. be repealed and taken away 7. Albeit the Preface to the Book saith that therein many things be left out whereof some be untrue some uncertain some vain and superstitious and nothing is ordained to be read but the very pure Word of God the holy Scriptures or

be used but onely at the celebration of the Lords Supper the setting up of Tapers of wax Candlesticks Basons and Ewres upon the high Altar and ducking to them every time a man comes into the Church or goes out or stirs while he is in it Whereas Cups Pots and Basons for Alms were never since 5. Edw. 6. to be set there but at the Communion nor then to be bowed unto though the Bread and Wine were on the Table The wearing of Hoods of degrees and many other such like devices all which were laid aside in 5.6 Edw. 6. as appears by the Rubricks and the Act for Uniformity in 1. Eliz. 2. compared together which allows nothing but what was in the Book of 5.6 Edw. 6. save onely the alterations mentioned in the said Act as hath been before shewed And however the Rubrick before the Book printed in 1. Eliz. directeth to use such Ornaments as were in use in 2. Edw. 6. yet that is no part of the Book established because the Book of 5.6 Edw. 6. hath no such Rubrick and the Act enjoyns all to be done according to that Book and none other or otherwise However afterwards another Statute of Q. Eliz. did so appoint Now the same Preface before the Common-prayer touching Ceremonies giveth all men to understand that the most weighty cause of the abolishing of certain Ceremonies was that they were so far abused partly by the Superstitious blindness of the rude and unlearned and partly by the unsatiable avarice of such as sought more their own luere then the glory of God that the abuses could not well be taken away the thing remaining still Upon which grounds there was a removal of them in 5.6 Edw. 6. For then was that Preface of Ceremonies first prefixed to the Book of Common-prayer But so great is the itch of mans corrupt nature after Humane inventions in Divine Worship and so natural are Popish Gue-gaws and outward pompous toyes that please the senses that many of these who had been laid aside as abovesaid in 5.6 Edw. 6. and that at the Conference at Hampton-court it was desired that those Ceremonies and Rites of the Cross in Baptism kneeling at the Communion the Surplice c. might be put away yet such was the violence of the prevailing party at that time that having obtained License under the Great Seal they in Convocation An. 1603. recalled sundry of those rejected Ceremonies again and enjoyned all Students in Colleges to wear Surplices in time of Divine service Can. 17. Copes by him that Ministreth the Sacrament Epistolers and Gospelers according to 7. Eliz. there being no such Statute nor Parliament in 7. Eliz. and sundry other things under colour whereof by degrees most of those things before cast out viz. bowing to the East and to the Altar with the rest before named were retroduced and now devoutly or rather superstitiously observed without any shew or colour of warrant but ancient custom which being duly examined will appear to all to be first used in the Popish Churches as too palpably appeareth by the Preface touching Ceremonies before alledged Yea those very men who are so much for these and not onely urge the 18th Canon of 1603. but the Queens Injunctions * 52 Injunct for bowing at the Name of Jesus which no Common-prayer-book or Statute hath enjoyned yet in other things regard not those Injunctions nor the Book of Homilies no nor the Act for Vniformity it self touching such Ceremonies as they have a mind to recal and advance witness their setting up Candles in Candlesticks on the High Altar as they call it and such like superstitions which the third Injunction of Eliz. reckons among those things which tend to Idolatry and Superstition which of all other offences God doth most detest and abhor They must have their Antiphonies Responds c. which the Preface to the Common-prayer-book tells us are laid aside c. Not content with this they must have all except Candles lighted that are upon the Popish Altars where Mass is used upon their high Altars yea piping on divers Instruments singing so as none can understand the matter but onely be tickled with the musick playing upon Organs c. all which were laid aside in Edw. 6. and even by the 2 Hom. of the Place and time of Prayer which is by vertue of Art 35. subscribed unto by every Minister in England that ever was admitted to any Ecclesiastical Promotion according to the Act of 13. Eliz. 12. are censured and declared openly to all to be displeasing unto God and sore and filthily to defile his holy House and Place of Prayer All which are here mentioned to shew how far they deviate and whither they are tending and posting amain who under colour of upholding and practising of the laudable Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England do recal and retroduce many Popish Rites cast out of this Church and despise all Laws and Constitutions made against them and are thereby lyable to Inditements every time they use them upon the Statute of 1 Eliz. 2. We shall forbear to insist longer upon this but leave it to others to judge what sad and dangerous effects these things if they be suffered and countenanced are likely to produce That which we chiefly aim at is to shew a necessity of reforming those Rites and Ceremonies contained in the Book of Common-Prayer or enjoyned by the Canons of 1603. Such are the Surplice Copes c. enjoyned to be used by Ministers the Cross in Baptism Kneeling at the Communion Marriage with the Ring Bowing at the Name of Jesus and such like imposed upon all as established by Law But such Establishment we do and must deny until we see a Record produced by which that Book now in use or printed in 1 Eliz. is by Act of Parliament ratified and confirmed For if either there be no Record of that to which an Act referreth or that there be more alterations in the Book said to be established than the Act mentioneth can that Book be properly said to be established by Law and not rather made void thereby In all other things nothing is admitted for Law or as being of force by Law but what is expresly contained in verbis in the Act it self especially if the Act refer to any thing to be confirmed by it of which no Record can be produced and which differs from ought else that is said to be ratified by it And this is the case of the present Liturgy which neither is Recorded nor agreeth with but hath sundry alterations from and additions to that of 5.6 Edw. 6. besides those hinted in the Act of 1 Eliz. 2. And if any Deed or Bond be rased or altered after sealing or if rased or altered before sealing and that not witnessed will such a Deed or Bond be admitted as good evidence at Law or in Equity if produced and pleaded We therefore cannot understand how the present Service-Book can be established by

Law it being no where Recorded and in sundry things beside those mentioned in the Statute of 1 Eliz. 2. varying from that which was once Recorded as hath been before demonstrated To say the Book in what remaineth still bindeth in tanto at least is but a mistake for any Record or Deed vitiated in any one part makes void the whole in Law And as for those Rites enjoyned in the Book of Canons we shall forbear to speak of the Legality of them till we come to shew the necessity of Reformation in Discipline a great part whereof is contained in that Book Nor is it our purpose to insist upon the unlawfulness of those Ceremonies so as to make any dispute thereupon nor to justifie or condemn those who hold them simply unlawful in themselves But we taking it for granted that they are in themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or things indifferent do humbly pray that these things may be duely considered in the general 1. That being such they ought not to be imposed on those who cannot be fully perswaded in their own minds and Consciences that they are lawful and therefore must sin if they use them This is St. Paul's own Doctrine and Practise touching things of this nature notwithstanding his own judgement of the lawfulness of them In his days many godly Christians both in Rome Corinth and elsewhere made scruple of sundry meats forbidden in the Levitical Law and of omitting days enjoyned by it Others satisfied of the lawfulness of both did eat those meats and omit those days at which others were scandalized some by adventuring through other mens example to do the like albeit they were not fully satisfied of the lawfulness thereof and thereby sinned others took offence and were grieved and thereupon censured all that used their Christian Liberty in those things of which they that used it were fully satisfied and hereupon the weak for censuring sinned also and by both these the weak were in danger to be destroyed Rom. 14.15 Now what was our Apostles Doctrine and Practise herein His Doctrine was this I know and am perswaded by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of it self but to him that esteemeth any thing unclean to him it is unclean Rom. 14.15 And All things indeed are pure but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence It is good neither to eat flesh nor to drink wine nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth or is made weak vers 20 21. His Practise was this 1. Touching himself If meat make my brother to offend I will eat no flesh while the world standeth lest I make my brother to offend 1 Cor. 8.13 And as toward others he straitly chargeth on all these two things 1. To take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to them that are weak ibid. vers 9. that is by using that Liberty before others not satisfied in the lawfulness of it 2. If the one will yet use this liberty and the other will take offence then his charge is Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not and let not him that eateth not judge him that eateth Rom. 14.3 But as for enjoyning the eating of what himself held to be lawful on those that doubted the lawfulness of it although he had more Authority then all our Bishops and Clergy in Convocation to make Canons we never find that he did it but warned and forbade all the very use of it before any that through weakness took offence at it If then Authority will follow the Apostles rule they will find a necessity not onely of taking off all Impositions already made but the taking away of all the things so imposed at which so many able and godly peaceable Ministers and People do take offence and for which so many thousands have deeply suffered to avoid sinning against God by conforming to them For whatsoever is not of faith is sin 2. If it be said The instances last given concern onely private things and private practises what is this to Publick Order in the House of God where the Service and Worship of Almighty God by the Hedge of Ceremonies is preserved from lying open to all profaneness as a confident stickler for Ceremonies groundlesly pretendeth To this it is answered That Ceremonies are no such Hedge unless to keep out such as have as good right to the Ordinances as they who do impose them for which they must one day give a sad account and that it is much more dangerous and sinful to enjoyn things of this nature for Publick use in the Administration of Publick Ordinances Because those private meats c. may be avoided by such as take offence at them for what necessity to be present at the use of them But there is a necessity of being present at the other which he that neglecteth is lyable to punishment by the Law The Law tyeth all to come to the Common Service every Sunday and Holy-day to receive the Holy Communion thrice at least in every year and imposeth a sharp penalty for neglect hereof So that while these are imposed or used where weak Christians take offence at them many godly men are forced to offend either against God by submitting to that they are not satisfied in the lawfulness of it or against the Laws of the Land by not conforming to them which they cannot do without sin So that the imposing of them upon all or the using of them before all who cannot without sin submit to them is the abusing of Authority and the making it to sin against Christ by putting it upon the forcing those for whom Christ died to sin against their own Consciences and to drive them on to destruction in Hell as a man would force a Beast into the water or fire that will surely devour him It is then a groundless put off to say that such things being commanded by just Authority the indifference by that command determineth and they become necessary which is quite contrary to the Apostles rule 3. If these be retained in some places where no offence is taken at them yet there is no reason to impose or use them in other places where any are offended at them For 1. to plead Imposition for order and unity in the Church of England is to no purpose because there is no necessity of the same in all places no more then of all the same Orders and Practises in all Corporations in England and of every Company within those Corporations who all have different Orders and Rules to preserve Order and Unity in the Civil Government of the Kingdom 2. Our very Articles of Religion as hath been shewed say Art 34. That it is not necessary that Ceremonies be in all places one or utterly like for at all times they have been divers and may be changed according to the diversities of Countries times and mens manners 3. If it be said These refer to different Countries not