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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A41326	The liturgical considerator considered, or, A brief view of Dr. Gauden's considerations touching the liturgy of the Church of England wherein the reasons by him produced for imposing the said liturgy upon all, are found to be so weak, his defence of things offensive in it so slight, the arguments against the liturgy by himselfe afforded, are so strong, that some, who upon His Majesties declaration did incline to the liturgy, are now further from it, by reading his wordy discourse about it : also some reasons humbly rendered, why many ministers, as yet cannot conform to that liturgy, but not out of disloyalty, pride, ingratitude, peevishness, nor schismatical petulancy, as the sarcastical pen of this uncharitable doctor hath published ... / by G.F.	Firmin, Giles, 1614-1697.	1661 (1661)	Wing F956; ESTC R843	47,787	64

interfer with such an inference That Liturgies are of ancient use in the Church I agree but Liturgy as Episcopacy primitive was in nature clearly different from what they are now pleaded to be Ancient Liturgies were not set and prescribed Forms of publick worship Smectymnus hath asserted Answer to the Remonstrance Vindication of the Answer p. 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21. and well cleared it against the Remonstrant and that out of Justin Martyr Tertullian Austin the Carthaginian and Milevitan Councils That un ill the time of the Arrian and Pelagian Errors there were no Set Forms of prayer in the Church and then the liberty was only restrained which hath been since destroyed men being only bound to confer the prayers of their own composing cum fratribus instructioribus and Forms digested by the latter of these Councils were imposed no further than by a placuit ut preces quae probatae fuerint in concilio ab omnibus celebre●t●r and only enjoyned that the prayers of particular Ministers should be approved by more prudent men the original Liturgies of both Jew and Christian were plain Rubricks English Directories for the method and order of preaching reading prayer administrations of Sacraments and publick worship It is an easie matter to make a bravado and noise of the Liturgies of S. James Basil Cyril Chrysostom whil'st none are produced and proved legitimate if there be any not apparently fictitious bring them forth to a Test or Standard we will joynislue and try the despised Directory and extolled Service-bock and freely consent to retain that which best agreeth and to reject the other until then bears us not down like Children with big words without cause methinks it were hugely worth the enquiry what Liturgy King Lucius received when Faganus and Damianus converted his Subjects the Church by them const tuted had setled publick worship It is apparent that Eleu●herius the then Bishop of Rome referred him to the Canon of Scripture for to frame all his constitutions by it would much fortifie our pretenders to Antiquity to find out the Liturgy used in England before Austin the Monk brought over his Roman Missal Antiquity is a poor whil'st no part of the service-Service-book as to its frame order doth pretend higher than the time of Pope Damasus 376. after Christ and the whole Fabrick is apparently of a much later date I would desire men may no longer be cheated with words they who talk or write for Episcopacy of Liturgy let them declare the meaning and acceptation of their term themselves have made ambiguous for although I could willingly consent unto a Set-form of publick worship as convenient Crutches for Ministers of weak abilities who need no less Set-forms of Preaching even composed Sermons for whom finding Homilies the constant Concomitant of Liturgies in this sense I am apt to think they were at first prepared yet I conceive this will better advise the Churches care to have more able Ministers who may not need them than warrant the imposing either of them on more able men unto the depriving of the Church of the edifying gift of prayer or preaching nor do all the Arguments yet produced conclude for any such prescription nor can they give the least of satisfaction to a serious spirit owning the antecedent but denying the consequence as unjustly inferred to make a meer clamour in the world against which whether there be not Reason with a full answer to all the supposed advantages of such an imposition suggested by-our Antagonist I refer thee to the consideration of this ensuing Tract Some Cynthius seems here to pluck me by the ear and say Sir you run too fast and tell us nothing that is urged for Set-forms of prayer is sufficient to conclude the imposing of the prefer bed English Service-book whereas you are to consider it is established by Law and calls for your obedience which if you yield not you are bound to produce your Exceptions by way of Apology to anticipate the sufferings which impend over your head To this I briefly answer I know not what to understand by established by Law we have since the Reformation had as many different Service-books as Soveraigns The Book of Queen Elizabeth two of King Edwards one of Queen Elizabeths one of King James and one of King Charls the First though not commanded yet used in England pretended to be onely autherized by Act of Parliament and that this was under colour of Explanation altered by Royal Authority all that call to mind the Conference at Hampton-Court in 1603. and consider King James his Proclamation for conformity to and practice of his Book as the onely publick form of serving God established and allowed in this Realm and that the Book received among us is greatly different from what it was established is suggested by the late Reasons for Reformation in Worship and cannot be detected for want of a Sta●dard to which it should be compared I would thank that judicious Lawyer who in this case would resolve me these two Queries 1. Ought not a Form Method or Order enjoyned by a Law ●●b poena to be used and that exclusive with a n●ne other to be enrolled as the Standard to which on all suspicion of variation men must have recourse in order to their convictions and for want of such Standard the Law be not voided by an impossibility of conviction 2. In case one Form O der or Method be established by Act of Parliament another by the Kings Commission and Proclamation as the onely Form establish d and ●llowed which of them must be embraced and practiced and in default for which of them must we be convicted and punished if by the last we conceive our selves at present discharged by a power His Majesties De●laration no way short of what is pleaded for its establishment if by the first we conceive our selves discapacitated by that publick charge made by Royal Authority which for want of the Standard we cannot discover Untill these be resolved we can easily see what is offered to us and exercised by others but know not what is es●ablished by Law against which we are not to offend Neverthelesse to stay the censures of peevishnesse and stubbornesse cast on us by passionate men we humbly professe our consciences do interdict our use of the Common-prayer on three as we judge them weighty and important Grounds or Reasons 1. The Common-prayer Book is capable and so qualisied that it ought to be abolished 2. The Form and Order of the Service-book used among us is Superstitious and unsutable to Solemn Publick Worship 3. The Common-prayer Book hath been expelled our Church by a lawful and just Authority and stands excluded by Sacred Oaths and a most publick National Solemn League and Covenant First We cannot return unto and receive again what is capable and so qualified that it ought to be abolished for that we as Ministers of the Gospel charged with the Method and Order of Divine

THE LITVRGICAL CONSIDERATOR CONSIDERED Or a brief view of Dr. GAVDEN'S Considerations touching the LITVRGY of the Church of ENGLAND Wherein the Reasons by him produced for imposing the said Liturgy upon all are found to be so weak his defence of things offensive in it so slight the Arguments against the Liturgy by himself afforded are so strong that some who upon His Majesties Declaration did incline to the Liturgy are now further from it by reading his wordy Discourse about it ALSO Some Reasons humbly rendered why ma●y Ministers as yet cannot conform to that Liturgy but not out of Disloyalty Pride Ingratitude Peevishness nor Schismatical Petulancy as the Sarcastical Pen of this uncharitable Doctor hath published The second Edition By G. F. as Firm and Loyal a Subject to His Majesty as this CONSIDERATOR is Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought c. Rom. 8.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Just Mart. Sine monitor● quia de pectore oramus Tertul. You must give God His due by regulating aright His Church according to his Scripture King Charls the first in His dying Speech The Vices in Rhetorick are Sordidness ●ediousness Obscurity Flatness of Conceit Argu●eness and Minutiae Gawdiness Wordiness and empty Ostentation Dr. Reynolds Treatise of Passions Cap. 39. LONDON Printed for Ralph Smith at the Bible in Cornhil near the Royal Exchange 1661. An Epistle to the Reader by way of Apology for Ministers not receiving the Common-Prayer-Book Christian and Courteous Reader THE Judicious and Reverend Author of this ensuing Tract no less approved for his learning modesty piety and zeal to the unity of the Church and his * Witness his separation examined and published Anno 1652. and his answer to Dr. Owen's Schisme Antiseparation in the day of its prevalency and prosperity then for his loyalty and fidelity to the Kings Majesty in the day of His distress having entred the Lists with my Antagonist Dr. John Gauden by way of Answer to his confused Considerations of the Liturgy of the Church of England Prelatical censures beyond the bounds of charity or sobriety of many His Majesties best and most loyal Subjects who in prudence or conscience forbear the use thereof and his Sarcastical Comment on His Majesties Gracious Declaration concerning Ecclesiastical Affairs and the liberty thereby indulged and used as we presume on due and fit encouragement was pleased to vouchsafe me a view therof which I having seriously perused do find to contain an Answer so full and sober by Arguments so weighty and solid that I cannot but commend it to the reading and regard of all serious Christians who desire to have their Faith setled by right and religions Reason against the unsettledness of fancy to which the florid expressions of Rhetorick can only avail If thou hast read Dr. Gaudens Considerations thou findest the Liturgy set out in such excellency and extemporary conceived prayer so much debased by elegant expressions and florid Hyperbolies that thou canst not but be ravished in thine imagination but if with patience thou readest and ponderest this Tract and the Arguments therein produced with the extent and reflections of the same thou wilt find the Dr. hath indeed Hype bolized and verified what hath been observed of him viz ●hat his Rhetorick is better than his Reason that being exceedingly extravagant through the want of this for his speech sounds better than it informs and pleaseth as it passeth not as it is po●dered I have often heard of Queen Elizabeths Character of a Sermon first preached and then printed viz. That it was the best in hearing but worst in reading And that the Preachers Apology was that Her Majesty in reading had his Fiddle not his Fiddlestick My serious advice must be to this Reverend man if it be not below him to take it never hereafter to sunder these two for his Oratory loseth its lustre and efficacy with its sound This and works of this nature are commended to thee noc to the end it should maintain or promote the Controversies conce ning the Common Peayer Book which have been so high in nature Witnesse the troubles at Francksord An. 1554. in the times of Queen Mary and long in continuance ever since before the reign of Queen Elizabeth that would men with serious and composed spirits consult the Churches peace to which they so fairly pretend it would be found a sufficient Reason to abolish this Book and make void this Form of publick Worship which none dare affirm necessary and therefore must confess to be alterable when found inconvenient but to convince the World the Ministers who do yet demurr to the use thereof are not without conscientious grounds for their so doing which they could with much ease and equity digest into an Apology what serious Christian can observe the malici us vexations of Ministers by the spight of many Church-warders and particular persons prosecuting their faithful and able Ministers unto the loss of their Estates imprisonment of their persons and at least present interruptions of their Ministry though the want of a Standard wherby to try the Common-prayer Book which hath had its change by every of our Kings sirce the Reformation of Religion must needs render their conviction impossible to every understanding and conscientious Juror Or the Bishops wilful and pertinacious refusing to ordain institute or induct any Ministers unlesse they will subscribe the use of the Common Prayer Book to be lawful and that they will use it in all publick prayer and none other according to the Canon whose establishment by Law is donbted and denied notwithstanding His Majesties Gracious Indulgence in his Royal Declaration every way proportionable to that Authority by which these Canons were at first established or those heavy Censures and harsh Invectives proudly belched out by our Antagonist against all such as do not presently conform to the use thereof as guilty of peevishnesse ingrat●tude schismatical petulancy or pride not so much as considering what hath been by one well suggested That the prudence of some expecting the alteration promised in his Majesties Declaration doth supersede the Act which their desire of the peace Considerat of Liturgy p. ● Tho. Bold in his Rhetorick restrained pag. 3. unity and uniformity of the Church doth incline them unto Can I say these things be observed and men not see plainly that some pretending to the healing of our wounds do propose and persue wayes and methods which must needs bespeak them Physitians of no value nay of more cruelty than skill frustrating the very influence of His Majesty's plaister applied by His Gracious Declaration constraining men who otherwise might with all humble thankfulnes enjoy in silence the liberty indulged by open and publick Apologies to stave off the violent and unjust censures of proud and envious men Christian and Courteous Reader I have in Loyalty to His Majesty with such fervency and fidelity asserted His

Worship are in our places and capacities bound to abolish all things abominable for their unprofitableness and inexpediency but in our places we can onely enforce such abolition by declaring against and not receiving assenting to or admitting as the standing order of publick Administrations that which in our consciences we are convinced is so inconvenient or otherwise qualified that it ought to be abolished as the Jewish did so the Romish Rites must lose their dignity by non-submission to them That our Service-book may be abolished without sin none can or will deny whilst the exceptions against it corrections of it Apologies for its faults and defects with the confessions of such who contest for it do proclaim it an humane Constitution subject to corruption and inconveniency and thereupon alterable at humane pleasure Three things necessitating the Church to abolish what is humane though in it self good are written on our Liturgy in most legible Characters First The similitude and symmetry of it unto the Popish S●rvice and Religion wherein it is both mov●ns minding us of those superstitious dreams and fancies which dictated the order and at first occasioned the use of the several parts thereof as the Sacrament of Pennance Doctrine of Venial sin and P●iestly Absolution the ground of the Confession Misreatur and Absolvtion the miraculous efficacy of the words directing the Kyrie Eleyson with the three-fold sin Original Venial and Mortal which directed it to Father Son and holy Ghost the sanctifying influence of the words of the Pater Noster making it necessary to begin and end nay essential to every act of Devotion and duty of Religion the miraculous power of particular Rogations the Reason of the Letany the hearing of the heavenly Quire which is suggested as the occasion of the Angelick Hymn and so of other parts which I cannot stand to mention but also movens inclining and apting us to receive and again professe that form of worship with little variation or difficulty This similitude and symmetry is apparent by these things 1. The original Extraction of it was and it cannot be denied from the Romish Breviary Ritual Missal and Pontifical Fox Acts and Mon. p. 1272. 1273 1274 1275. into which it may be with ease again resolved 2. By the order and several parts thereof which must run unto Romish fancy for a rational soundation the Word of God and nature of the duty not dictating any 3. By the groundlesse Insurrection of the Rebels of Devon and Cornwal on the introducing of it into the English Church witnessed in the Expostulatory message of King Edward the sixth in these words As for the Service-book in English it hath manifest Reasons for it pag. 1189. and yet p●rchance seeme●h to you a new Service and indeed is none other but the old the self-same words in English which w●re in Latine if the service of the Church were good in Latine it remaineth good in English for nothing is alter'd but to speak with knowledge what was spoken in ignorance 4. The attractive influ●nce it had on the Papists who for eleven years in Queen Elizabeth's time came to Church without any conversion to true Religion Abbot Bishop of Canterbury in his Explicatio illustrium quaestionum c. 4. p. 112. Morton's Appeal p. 46. but on the conformity of the English to the Romish service on which ground Pope Plus the 4th and Gregory the 13th offered to confirm it and the Fathers of Trent assured our Catholick Nobles that the Pope might do it without any dammage to the Catholick Cause And the Messengers from Rome entertained here by Secretary Walsingham at their return wondered their Lord the Pope was so ill advised or at least informed as to Interdict a Prince whose service was so like his own and caused the Bull against the Queen to be recalled 5. Bristow's Motive 34. The assurance Harding Bristow and Carrier those seducing Jesuites gave themselves that they might yet convert England to the Catholick Church whose Service and Ceremonies she yet retained Confid p. 45. sect 8 9. the l●st of whom saith expresly The English Common-prayer and Catechism containe●h no point of Doctrine contrary to the antiquity of the Romish Service 6. The Service was and yet is the Engine of Accommodation between Rome and England on the designed Spanish Match unto which none was more potent than the similitude and symmetry of the English to the Romish Service Cabala Lord Keepers Letter to the Duke p. 79. of which that the Court and Clergy of Spain might be convinced the Bishop of Lincoln then Lord Keeper caused the English Liturgy to be translated into Spanish by a Franciscan seeming Protestant and sent it to the Duke of Buckingham there resident to obviate the Exception Ecclesiastick policy lib. 5. sect 28. and facillitate the Enterprise This to some seemeth an Exception of no value and I concede to the learned Hooker that 't is too hard to say in nothing we may follow Rome for in what they do as men Nature will necessitate what as prudent men Discretion will advise what as Christian men Religion will constrain us to conform But our stumble is at what they do as Romish Babylon for as such disordered and superstitious service is derived from them and the difference is vast between Scriptures Sacraments and Ministery which must not nor can be changed because they passed through a Romish Chanel and human Constitutions of Method and Order which ought so to differ from as to speak detestation of what is Idolatrous and determine an incapacity if possible of being thereinto again resolved The removal of the High Places did not more advance the Reformation than the not-demolishing them did occasion and facillitate Israel's backsliding in Religion Sure I am the Primitive Fathers and our Protestant Writers apprehended God's mind to be that His People avoid the Symbols as well as abhor the Substance of False-worship and infer it from Exod. 23.13.20 Zech. 13.2 Deut. 7.15 Isa 30.22 1 Thess 5.22 Jud. 23. and interdicted in their Councells conformity to the Jews or Heathens in their Festivals Eusebius devita constant lib. 3. cap. 17. observation of Easter Fasting on Sundays Monuments of Martyrs adorning their houses with Bay-leaves and green Boughes and bringing Wine and Cakes to the Church and the like Concil Cartha Can. 5.14 15. Bract. Can. 32.73 Con. Phi. Can. 27. De Corona militum lib. de Idolatria August Confess lib. 6. cap. 2 Confutation of the man of Chester fol. 54. against all which * Tertullian urged with much earnestness our Arguments as doth also Ambrose to * Monica the mother of Austin who are seconded by Calvin Musculus Beza Zanche Peter Martyr our own Fulk Jewel Andrews Sutliffe and who not against the Papists in many things Rejected and the Rejection thereof defended by this very Plea And Bishop Pilkington in our very case of the Common-prayer book confesseth That in Mariage which is least offensive

you may speak out not onely our King that now is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but his Royal Father said that He would easily consent that what was inconvenient for matter or manner should be amended I have seen a paper printed I think about the year 1641 in which were divers things set down by some of the Bishops which they intended to Correct I perceive you intend to give it but a gentle purge I pray Sir are you the man alone intrusted in this work truly I do not take your judgment to be the measure of all the judgments of the Divines in England though you say your Liturgy must be of all our Devotions in publick pag. 27. But of this more afterwards Sectio secunda THe second Consideration is 2. He defends the Liturgie His endeavouring to defend it against the objections brought against it Object 1 The first of which is that Prayer which is used after Baptism wherein thanks is given to God because he hath been pleased to regenerate this Infant Here he defends Baptismal Regeneration briefly of which in a more proper place afterwards Object 2 The second Objection is this That some men and one Minister he saith he knows have charged it with a Lye in the beginning because the words are not the same with the Text in Ezek. 18.21 22. And these men he loads with Impudency Ignorance Blasphemy intolerable Confidence pag. 24 25. The Doctor wants not words what shame hath he poured upon these men and that one Minister I wonder who he is This indeed I have heard That take these words 1. As the Line before them orders the Minister to read with a loud voice one of these Sentences of Scripture which follow and this is the first At what time soever a sinner repents him c. 2. As these words are said to be the Sentence of Scripture in Ezek. 18.21 22. 3. As they have these words saith the Lord annexed In this sense I have heard them charged with a Lye not denying what may be drawn by Consequence from Scripture For my own part I have been much offended with these words 1. Because they are said to be a Sentence of Scripture in such a Text. 2. As they have helped to procrastinate Repentance and have been a Trap-board for Hell your meaner so●t whom you labour to edifie have got these words At what time soever c. laid them up 3. As they help to bolster up many a wretch who when he comes to dye and his lusts forsake him now from the bottom of his heart as he phansies he repents and there is Comfort for him But all that you have said will not save those words from being very false in the sense mentioned in which I am confident they were spoken and how much that which is very false differs from a Lye in this case judge you And truly Sir if this be the taste you give us how you will correct the Prayer-book the Jesuites have by their Index expurgatorius done more service to their Romish Synagogue in purging out of Authors what was good than you will do service to the Church of England by purging out what is unsound Let us read what you say All the words of that Sentence in the Common-prayer book are not in that place Ezek. 18. 21 22. This is very true say you Then say I it is very false that those words are the sentence of that Scripture You confesse it You say All the words are not c. how many think you are I have viewed these Verses in the old English Translation when that Prayer-book was composed as I suppose there I find above 63 words in our Translation about 59. and though I easily yield you wicked and snner turn and repent for Synonomies yet I find not above five of the same words in the Common-prayer Book which are in that Text which the Common-prayer Book refers unto So that they are not All indeed How then But say you the Evangelical Soundnesse and Sence is more fully united and comprehensively set down in the Book of Common-prayer than in these verses cited in the Margin Hold a little 1. The Lord inspires his holy Prophets immediately with such words to expresse his will and mind which are written by his Pen-man 2. Shall ordinary men take these words and alter them and that very much as I shall shew and this Sentence thus altered be called the Sentence of Scripture in that Text. 3. Yea shall men say the sense is more fully united and comprehensively set down in the Sentence altered than in those words the Lord did immediately inspire surely then it is better well let us see what will follow 1. Thus we may alter the whole Scripture and make a new Scripture of it and tell the people we give you the same Bible that God inspired his Servants to Write but in a sence more Evangelical and fully united than in those words the pen-men wrote them So that we have mended the Scripture By the same reason you alter two verses you may twenty so make a shorter Bible 2. When we preach and quote Texts we may read them otherwise than they are in the Original or any Translation and when the people look for the Texts in their Bibles and cannot find the verses as we quote them we may tell them we give the sound Evangelical sence more fully united c. than you have in your Bibles or in the Original were not this a good Answer Doctor who is bold 3. This Doctor is so exact in our Prayers to God that he will bind us all to the very same words in a Common-Prayer-Book we must not pray for the same things by our own gifts though more enlarged thus he ties us up to mens words in his humane Invention but for Gods words he can plead for the altering of them leaving abundance out 4. I deny what you say That the Evangelical Soundness and Sence is more fully united in the Common-Prayer-Book For the Evangelical sence must lie in the bottom of the heart Now that you are fain to interpret else we could not tell what the sence is of those words 2. But especially thus it appears 't is not true for in Ezek. 18.21 22. The nature of Repertance is opened if you ask what is Repentance I answer out of Ezek. It is the turning from all a mans sins and keeping all Gods Statutes But in your Common-Prayer-Book there is not one word of this only the Definitum Repentance mentioned 3. In Ezekïel there is nothing of the Time expressed but in your Common-Prayer-Book there we must read with a loud voice the first words At what time soever The Texts you adde make nothing to your purpose The question was not what may be gathered from Scripture by Consequence this was yielded but whether those words in the Common-Prayer-Book were the sentence of Scripture in Ezkeiel 18. Methinks a great Doctor yea now an elder Bishop should

understand Ignoratio Elenchi Then you come to prove the lawfulness from parallel Texts in the N. T. where the Apostles do quote Texts out of the old T. not verbatim but to the sence as Hebr. 10.5 6. from Psal 40.6 7. and bid the Supercritical Censors compare words So Mat. 27.9 Not verbatim out of Jeremy but most out of Zechariah Answ What Franciscus David would say to this I know but spare his words and I could propound a sad question here which I should thank those who could resolve me I must leave it and see your Logick 1. Because the Apostles did so when guided as the Pen-men of the Scripture Therefore ordinary men may do so prove the Consequence 2. As to the sence in Heb. 10. unless it be where the Apostle follows the Septuagint in those words A body thou hast prepared the sence and words are the same with the Psalm it is not as in your Common-Prayer-Book to give us five words of 59. and not the nature of the thing though there be a little difference from the Psalm 3. As to your quotation out of Mat. 27. I can give you the same Answer but adde withal it seems I must needs take your Reconciliation of the Texts when I may make bold to tell you as Learned men as your self Salvà Reverentià have other notions of that Text. See Voetius disp Selat l. 1. p. 159. Salomon Glassius Philolo lib. 2. p. 156. So that your example fails How well you have cleared your Liturgy and deservedly charged your Adversary with Impudence Ignorance and Blasphemy Let the Reader judge Sectio tertia AFter this from p. 26. to p. 35. he fills his pages with his Rhetorical Encomiums of his Liturgy and then Answers other Objections so methodical is this Rhetorician Some discreet regulation in the Musick he will allow Object 3 What this singing of service is I cannot tell p. 35. I was never acquainted with places where this Trade is set up I suppose none so void of Christian Reason to sing any thing but Psalms Hymns or Spiritual Songs in the Church Now as to Musick if the Doctor means only Vocal I shall declare my opinion thus I could heartily wish That in all Churches we had some persons that had good voices and skilful to sing their parts when we sing Psalms I think it doth very much help to the very nature of the Ordinance that men should skilfully sing to help raise the Affections and not to make a shreaming instead of singing If the Doctor contends for Instrumental Musick I shall only desire him to Answer Aquinas Sum. 2a 2ae q 91. a. 2. against it Object 4 The Fourth Objection some make against the Liturgy is the Ceremonies concerning which p. 36. he tells us his Opinion after the old fashion in Rhetorick but in p. 38. his zeal breaks out telling us This National Church as all others have power and authority from God to judge what is decent as to any Ceremony in the worship of God which God hath left indifferent in its nature which the consent of the major part of the Church c. may enjoyn c. and that this is most true and undeniably to be maintained even to the death he is so tedious that I am weary with transcribing What Is it not only true but most true I know one thing truer Doctor and what to be maintained to the death Bishop Wren give him a clap on the back for this Heroick Sentence we shall have a Ceremonious Martyr at last but Doctor it shal be you shall maintain it to the death for me Reader if you have better eyes than I pray see if you can find what Texts of Scripture he brings for this bold Assertion and why a National Church may do this more than the Church of Corinth Philippi Ephesus c. else it may be if we say these Apostolical Churches know their power as well as Dr. Gauden yet in them we find no such Ceremonies as in our Liturgy and if they be useful for us they were for them it may be if we urge this he will tell us they were indeed Apostolical but not National Churches and could not but prove that As to this Question I only hear of excellent books written about it my purse and distance cannot reach them but such they are in the judgement of understanding men as they are not Answered so never can be from Scripture and sound reason but by the old way of Prisons and silencing Only a word to the Dr. in pag. 36. You say these Ceremonies are signal marks of Faith Humility Purity Courage c. I pray to your Decencie and Significancy add Efficacy and to Efficacy Necessity as it was of old and so without them no Ordinances nor Ministry then you are right They are indifferent before enjoyned but what are they when enjoyned I have read Necessary give me leave to say What God hath left indifferent in his Church in matters of Religion I do not say in common Humane Society and things of civil order wherein I confess the Magistrate may direct and restrain it is not in the power of any creature to make necessary That creature who doth it takes one step above God for God le●ves liberty you will not allow it If a Lord should leave it indifferent to his Servants to wear what coloured Cloaths they would so not foolish and the Steward will force them all to wear White or put them out of his Service is not this Steward above his Lord What is any creature but a steward to God I cannot see but such a creature takes as much upon him as God did for take all the Ceremonies of the old Law consider them abstractedly from Gods command they were as indifferent as your Ceremonies there was no goodness in them why God did command them when they were in the highest use of them as suppose in their day of Atonement if God had declared that he repealed his command concerning all those Ceremonies in that very Instant they had been all indifferent to any use What difference between the High Priests Garments and your Surplice as to their own abstracted nature I know no Moral good in one more than the other And truly if you can ordain things in the worship of God which shall signifie spiritual things and shall have in them an aptness and Efficacy to stir up our dull minds as you were wont to say and now these must be used for being enjoyned they are necessary I cannot see how much you are inferiour to God only thus indeed God did not make a sign of a sign as you do in the Cross move a mans finger over the face of a Child and say I sign with the sign when there is no sign at all left for Courage Constancy and Faith and I know not what but no more of this I pray Answer the Books upon this Question Sectio quarta HIS third Consideration about the

Liturgy is He comm●nds Liturgy His high commendation of it and here I must go search up and down to get things into a method I will do it as well as I can First He commends it from the efficient causes of it these were saith he Martyrly men who composed our Liturgy p. 3. Answ 1. Did Martyrly men compose it all you will not say so I hope I think the Romish Party did much of it from whom they took it Secondly However distingue tempora they came new out of Pope●y the Nation wedded to that Whore in a time when there were not so many well-qualified Ministers in the whole Kingdom as were lately in one City that of London Rare to find a Pulpit with a Clapper said father Latimer forced to admit meer reading Protestants well-affected to the true Religion into the Ministry But what must we enjoy the Gospel an hundred years and men not grow in knowledge gifts and grace Will you shame the Gospel Promises and English Christians Must they be ever children I am confident if those worthy men were now alive and knew what the Lord had done for the English Ministry they would abhor to impose as you would have the Liturgy imposed only this remember we honour those Martyrly men more than many of your perswasion have done or do it were well if all abhorred that Bishop of Rome as they did Secondly He commends it from the Matter the excellent matter for the main must still be retained p. 3. If it be only the excellent Matter let it stand but if you will only purge some verbal defects as you say I fear you will leave something that is not excellent The Reasons shewing the necessity of Reformation c. published by divers Ministers shew more than verbal defects I pray answer that Book like a Divine and Lawyer Mr. Powel with whom though I agree not in all things hath observed sixty nine offensive things in that Liturgy you may please to consider them Thirdly Whereas great offence hath been taken at the Form of it popular responds versicles intermixtures abbreviations abruptions stops with a present posting on again with a Let us pray when prayer before was in hand Thirdly Now he commends it from this Form the popular responds pag. 34. which he calls the Ecchoes of humble and intent affections and in the two honourable Temples finds they excite the Ministers affections c. Answ 1. Yea Sir your Templars are Lawyers I suppose and as for Lawyers unless they be a very few they are crucified men to the World they keep firm to their Baptismal Covenant forsaking the Devil and all his works the vain pomp c. But in other Congregations where we have persons very vain love money abhominably drink Sack like fish and very Drunkards rap out Oaths commonly unclean scoff at the power of their own professed Religion to have such as these in our Congregations only to make the responds when godly men will not come at us to hear the Service this makes a Ministers stomack sick instead of quickning his affections Secondly I pray Sir can you prove that this was the Form the Lord appointed at his Temple I have read in the Word of the peeples saying Amen but I never read this kind of worship Thirdly Then it seems the Minister is not the mouth of the people their own mouths speak for themselves and why should not the Minister say Amen to their prayers Sectio quinta 4thly HE commends it from the final Cause the more August and Reverent worship of God c. of which before only pag. 27. I find another it is to be the main Standard Test and measure of our publick Devotion Answ I pray open your meaning what is the Test and the Matter of it I pray first make it pure and when it is purged yet we abhor to give that honour to your Book which is due to the Lords prayer and the Word of God onely But do you mean the Form of it then it seems we must make our prayers with popular responds intermixtures abruptions c. It 's our measure you say How is that as on a Yard-wan they have one Nail two Nails a quarter of a Yard c. so they measure cloth So if we will make a prayer of three short lines or six c. we must measure by this where we have variety of lengths and thus we must make various prayers sutable to this main Standard what else you intend I know not by your Measure Fifthly He commends it from the effects pag. 12 13 18 33. It is the Bulwark against first Romish Superstition as the Mass and Popery First For the Mass while Bread and Wine are so consecrated and communicated as in the Liturgy we shall for ever keep out the Masse Answ 1. What the Doctor means by Consecration I know no● how others understand it I know but I can see nothing in the Book that is done to keep out Masse that is not done by other Ministers who yet stumble at a Liturgy imposed upon all a strange Argument that onely by reading of the words the Mass is kept out else nothing that makes against the Mass in it but we use Secondly But doth not your Book by commanding kneeling do something which may help in the Masse till Transubstantiation began to be started kneeling was not known you know the gesture for some hundred years was quite opposite Secondly it is a Bulwark against Popery he saith Answ 1. How then did Bishop Davenant prove Papists ought to be compelled to come to Church for as to our Liturgy he saith Determ 27. What is there in it that is not approved of Papists themselves which he thus confirms That some of the Bishops of Rome have offered to approve our Form of prayers provided we would accept it by their Authority Secondly Why then said one of your Bishops The service-Service-book of the Church of England was now so dressed that if the Pope should come and see it he would claim it as him own but that it is in English Yea the Papists boasted it was a compliance with them c. You would seem to be afraid of Popery I know who is and he that reads Bishop Bramhal's book printed at the Hague will fear more Why then was that passage left out in this Liturgy against the Pope which with divers other things makes us sure this is not the Liturgy which the Law established Thirdly It is a Bulwark against Anabaptism for it maintains Baptismal Regeneration and this you are forced first to prove as well as you can knowing it is one of the things that give offence and will do Had you carried this stoutly I would have given you many thanks and said it was a strong Argument though it doth not follow we must be tied to a Book I observe two things in your discourse 1. You give this Regeneration to all Infants baptised 2. You mention nothing

the use of it now will hinder Arminianisme from spreading I am sure we have good store of those who are deeply engaged in those Opinions and they are cross to several Articles of the Church so that I think they are Errors unless the Articles be erroneous I speak of your Clergy Why are these men so zealous for it 2. Fewer Errors in Scotland than have been in England fifty years and yet they will not own our Liturgy 3. The pressing of this Liturgy and other humane Inventions have m●de and will make people separate from publick worship and te●ching into Corners which at first gave the occasion to breed and foment many Errors 2. As for Ignorance and Profaneness 1. Go to the Parishes where the Liturgy hath been most used and see if Ignorance and Profaneness be not there more than in other Parishes 2. Were it not for that I intend but a short discourse I would have given you such instances of Ignorance and of profaneness in some persons who have been devoted to your Liturgy in these divided times insomuch that they abhorred so much as to suffer any of their servants to hear a Presbyterian yet their profaneness such that is scarce found amongst Heathens and ignorance in others as abhominable 3. If among private Christians who refuse the Liturgy I find not many who in the great points of Regeneration Faith in Christ Justification and all the main practical points shall give a better account and in gifts of prayer far exceed many hundreds of your Liturgical Ministers then I will bear the shame Indeed for some Terms about the Trinity as Subsistentia personum modus suppositum they understand not nor do many of your Curats but else sound in the Trinity c. How then is the laying aside of the Liturgy the cause of this Ignorance And for their Conversations few of your Liturgical-men must come near them for holiness Sectio Octava 7. NExt he argues the Excellency of it à comparatis And here First He compares it with the Directory p. 6 7. which he adorneth with these Epithites Vseless Suppositious Loose Illegitimate Answ Doctor these are but four Epithites have you no more add as many more or as many as you will yet I must tell you there is so much Christian grave and wise counsel in order to the Worship of God there is so much divine solidity in that Book that no judicious godly Christian will be beaten out of love with it by all your flashy Rhetorick Let but a man who knoweth God the work of Grace on his heart and hath judgment to discern the nature of an Ordinance but compare I know where he will see the difference As for the Confession of Faith the Catechism the Directory made by that Assembly of which Doctor Reynolds was one let your new Episcopal men sit till doomsday they will never mend them He tells us of a wilderness of sin stings of fiery Serpents venemous Inflammations c. that followed upon the removing of the Liturgy and bringing in the Directory Ibid. But Sir your Liturgy and the Directory respect the worship of God have the evills you speak of befallen those who cleave fast to the Directory Name one but if men never observed the Directory is the fault in that Thus you stumble upon the fallacy of non Causae pro Causâ 2. He compares it with all the gifts of other Ministers this is frequent and exalts it above the gifts of any Minister pag. 9. I give no answer to this the naming of it is enough to refute it 8. He comes to his inartificial Argument and will prove the excellency from Testimony which were worth all he hath writ both in this book and all the rest if it were certain the Witnesses he alledge would give in the Testimony he supposeth For thus p. 34. he writes Nor can I believe but that the blessed Apostle St. Paul if living and the other Apostles would have joyned with it and said Amen Rejoycing to see the soundnesse of our Faith the Sanctity of Sacraments the Vnity of Devotion the Order and Decency of holy Duties c. Answ These blessed men are in Heaven how shall we know their minds We need not ascend to know the word is near Rom. 10.8 To Paul then let us go who Act. 20.27 when he sent for the Elders of Ephesus whom also he calls Bishops making no difference he tells them I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God That Counsel it seems taught not him to set up a Bishop above a Presbyter neither now nor when he wrote to Timothy and Titus I never thought of any difference will holy Paul say if I had I would have somewhere appropriated the word Bishop to a distinct Officer as though in some places I call my self a Minister yet in others I say I am an Apostle I told this Church Eph. 4.11 what Officers Christ appointed and so 1 Cor. 12.28 But I find amongst you Arch-Bishops Lord-Bishops above Presbyters Deans Arch-Deacons Prebends Chancellors Chapters c. I never declared the Counsel of God for such Officers these are your own Counsel sure enough Nor did I will St. Peter say for Epist 1. chap. 5. vers 2. I thought Bishop and Presbyter to be the same and appointed them the same work 2. I declared all the counsel of God but I never told you it was his mind to Consecrate a Day to God for the Nativity of Christ Surely God hath revealed more of his Counsel to you than to me if it be his mind yet the cause was existent in my time and I suppose I loved Christ as well as Dr. Gauden 3. I find you are imposing of your Forms of prayer on the ablest Ministers of God to whom he hath given both sufficient gifts and a Spirit to assist as I delivered in the Gospel Had not I and my fellow-Apostles as much authority and wisdom as you but neither I nor they had ever such Counsel from God nor did we ever impose such Forms upon the Churches though we often called for Unity in Doctrine and Affections yet not in the same syllables in prayer whence had you this counsel 4. I find you are in matters of Religion pressing things indifferent on Ministers and Christians my Doctrine Rom. 14.20.21 and my Practice 1 Cor. 8.13 you may find quite contrary I find you are urging of Ceremonies Had not I and the other Apostles as much Authority to invent and impose Ceremonies as you Are you the men who only care for the Decency of worship and were we onely carelesse Were not we as industrious and studious to advance the honour and worship of God good of Souls as you but we dare not act but as we had Counsel from God I have declared the mind of God Col. 2.20 23. concerning such Ordinances of men and call them Will-worship We know God hath not remitted his jealousie in the second Commandment As for our

Commission it ran thus Matth. 28.20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you but you turn the Commission thus Teach them to observe all things in my worship whatsoever I have not forbidden and that in particular also else you might know I have forbidden the Doctrines of men in general Mar. 7.7 and the second Commandement should tye you close to my Institutions To conclude these things I find amongst you after a solemn Covenant made on the contrary and for extirpation of these your humane inventions I am not of your Faith Doctor that Paul would rejoyce but would send you such a kind of Epistle as he did to the Galatians Sectio Nona THus I have done with all the strength I can find in his Book onely p. 31. he strains his Rhetorick to the heighth to set out the expcellency of the Liturgy and the mischief that must befall us if it be not imposed I will not weary my self to transcribe all his words thus he begins Nothing will be considerable in England for publick piety honour order beauty c. if in this point of publick Devotion Ministers and People be left to eternal variations c. And in the close of it thus Farewel the Glory Charity Unity and Safety of England farewell both Reformation and true Religion Give the Orator a Humm but not very loud for his Divinity deserves a Hiss I shall consider this presently The things which he touches collaterally I thought to have spoken to as the fault he finds with many Presbyterians for not using these words in Ordinations Receive ye the Holy Ghos●●p 20. But I must now let it alone onely leave this with him if he will please or any of his perswasion to maintain this Thesis viz. That Ordination by Presbyters is not Ordination according to the Scripture if he can carry it I will be ordained again or if he will prove those words he hath mentioned to be essential or ought to be used in Ordination The other thing is pag. 28. his calling for Coercive Authority to be given to the Bishops by the King I cannot but smile to see how the stupendious vertue of Episcopacy to heal Schism for which it was first invented by men is now proved to be a fallacy What will not great Titles Lordships and Riches do the work but you must call for a Civil Law of the Nation You use to laugh at the poor despised Presbyters Had they a Law which you call for they could have done something But will not all your greatness and favour of great men be sufficient you have shamed Episcopacy extreamly for now we see it is the Law of the Nation not your Episcopacy which can heal our Schisms or do any good in the Church Now I come to his Exhortation to the reading of the Liturgy having before pag. 5. charged Ministers with peevishnesse ingratitude schismatical petulancy pride if now they were averse but pag. 41. he gives his Motives One is The remembrance of the sore Tribulations which we have felt and fear'd Very true we do remember them and have not forgot the causes of them why did you not set them down When we see the same things which afflicted the Church before coming so near us again we do fear it indeed His other is The Kings benignity and gentlenesse c. Blessed be God we have such a King to stand between you and us else we see how it would go quickly with us ●ut Sir we are at a stand about reading it upon these grounds First Many are scrupulous about the lawfulnesse of using such Forms being thus imposed for we find no Divine Authority for the imposing such Forms upon all men because the Holy Pen-men were directed and inspired by God to pen a prayer for the use of the Church at sometimes that therefore ordinary men may impose their Forms on able men qualified by God so as to take up most of the Ordinance of Prayer publickly we think it to be a lame consequence You should shew us what ordinary men made their Forms and imposed them on those who were able to pray without them as for your part you give not one Scripture-ground and your Reasons being weighed are found very light Secondly Though His Majesty hath declared yet the Parliament could cast out His Declaration and as for some of the Bishops they can act contrary to His Declaration imposing the Canonical Oath on some who have had His Majesties Presentation and denying Institution and Induction for refusing it Now we fear if we should begin before the Book be throughly purged we shall be forced to go forward over shooes over Boots and when we have blemished our Ministry which Paul was tender of by beginning if now we will not go through-stitch the Bishops will turn us out For we cannot forget the High Commission violence used against sober pious Conformists who did use the Rites directed in the service-Service-Book and yet were censured for not pasing it with the Prelates to rail-in the Table and bow to it and use other Ceremonies not therein directed nor yet the face of Bellum Episcopale animated by the hope of Scotlands receiving the Liturgy nor the Plaints pressed on the Parliament by multitudes oppressed with Bishops and humane inventions to which if men can now again return I must conclude they shew themselves very blame-worthy for raising such stirs as were occasioned by their pressing groans Thirdly We find that some have begun to read where they thought they could most safely according to His Majesties Declaration presently the Christians who walked most close with God were offended the Ministers lose their hearts and other men because all is not read they are offended also and thus a man loses all Fourthly When I observe who they are that are so hot for this Liturgy I find out abundance of men who can rap out Oaths and such as His Majesties Excellent Proclamation against vicious profane persons would reach these are very hot for it some Formalists and but very few Christians that know the power of godliness care for meddling with it now I thus think with my self Can this be of God what spirit Acts these profane ones I know Again on the other side If any men know the work of Regeneration of Faith with power and are afraid of sin walk up in good measure to Gospel-Rules have their Families in order the body of such people distaste it Now I am assured God gives his Spirit to his people and it is something to see the chief part of that people twenty to one decline it I know not how to Answer this Fifthly From that Sacred Oath and Covenant wherein we have sworn to the most High God to endeavor the Reformation of his worship according to his Word and the example of the best Reformed Churches First As to the VVord of God we know no Text of Scripture which will warrant this Mode of worship we much desire to