of obedience this only out of peevishness or a worse principle To the reproachâ—r reviling of the Service-book I have answered already that which I shall now observe is your concession that he that laieth the Service-book aside if he be a Governour may for all that be an holy Hezekiah and an inferiour imployed in preparing for and conforming to such a Reformation as that may do it in obedience which you seem rather to approve of then disallow If so you have yet no just exception against the Assembly upon that account for you may reade in the fore-cited place what they did in their own words t We have after earnest and frequent calling upon the Name of God and after much consultations not with flesh and blood but with his holy Word resolved to lay aside mark your own words to lay it aside the former Liturgie with the many Rites and Ceremonies formerly used in the worship of God And they laid it aside not as you mistaking say Hezekiah did the Brazen Serpent because it was Nahushtan i.e. brass or brazen for that was not all nor the chief cause for which he brake it in pieces for it was no better then brass for the matter of it when by Gods appointment it was first set up by Moses Numb. 21. 8. but because even to those daies the children of Israel did burn incense unto it 2 King 18. 4. so the Service-book was laid aside not so much for the matter of it though what was erroneous in it and some errour certainly there was which was worse then pure brass as bad as the rust or dross of that and other mettals But because as the brazen Serpent it was made an Idol as hath been shewed so was the Service-book and so is it by many to this day which is not so much the fault of the Book as the folly of those who so much doted on it and so many dote on it and so much that if it be not taken from them the next generation is more like to be more infected with then the present to be cured of their superstition towards it and as Hezekiah called it Nahushtan i.e. brass or brazen by this Name giving the people to understand that being when it was the best but a creature now but a meer brazen figure of a Serpent and not so much when he had broken it in pieces having no vertue of healing as formerly it had there neither was nor could be any deity in it no not when it had a miraculous operation annexed unto it and therefore neither sacrifice was to be offered nor incense to be burnt unto it as then they did so we may say to such as Idolize the Service-book that for the materials of it being but Ink and Paper visible letters and legible words and being not infallibly indicted by the Spirit of God as the sacred Scriptures are it should not be made such an object of worship as by many it is and now Sir you have by this comparison degraded the Service-book so low as a piece of brass How can you set so high price upon it as to make it the most u glorious houshold-stuff your father had If the Inventory of his goods were but ratably prized to this particular you would not take your Childes portion after that rate but would require an higher valuation to be set upon them SECT. VI The constancy and ingenuity which the Doctor assumeth to himself if he had been an Assembly man acted by those who were chosen in that service HAd I been of the Assembly I should have shewed so much constancy to my self as not to have easily changed my judgement and so much ingenuity towards others as not to have subdolously concealed it Had those whose Office it was to make choice of men for that service thought you a fit man to be called to it I wish you had made one of that number then your own experience would have shewed you many who changed not their judgement when they changed their practise in the dis-use of that Book which they had formerly used rather in a way of toleration untill the time of further Reformation came then of approbation for perpetuall use as by an immutable Law of the Medes and Persians who were in that particular of Calvins minde as is * before mentioned suffering what they could not then amend and amending their own condition by removall of it as soon as the Divine providence offered a fit opportunity for that purpose and who were so farre from a subdolous concealment of what they thought of it that when it was most magnified by such as were Masters of Ecclesiasticall Ceremonies and would have Lorded it over our faith if we would have been so tame as to submit our necks to such oppressive yokes they did not forbear before such plainly to speak their opinions against it and when the times were so farre changed as not only to cry it down but all other set forms of prayer they both disputed and preached for the lawfulness though not for the universall conveniency much less the absolute necessity of a set form of prayer of this for both parts of it I can bring fair evidence of his sincere carriage in that cause whom it may be you meant at least obliquely to tax for fickleness in forsaking his first love or for fallacy in sitting silent when he should have freely spoken his minde and conscience on that behalf SECT. VIII The removall of the Service-book as before shewed is neither Sacriledge nor just cause of Scandall as the Doctor suggesteth I Should have propounded some Considerations before they had determined though now I propound no Objections after their determination And my Considerations would have been specially these which you do intimate of Sacriledge and Scandall for it could not but have seemed unto me Sacriledge to rob God of his worship and it could not but have seemed Scandalous to rob him of that worship which he had once solemnly devoted to his Sanctuary The former part of your speech seems so modest that had you still contained your spirit in such moderation as those terms imply * but you did not the breaches betwixt us had never been so wide nor so loud as they have been and as the sequell will shew for the present to the Objection of sacriledge and scandall I shall say little now having in expectation a fitter occasion to speak to them more fully Now it may be enough to say First Whereas you say To take away the Service-book is to rob God of his worship which be had once solemnly devoted to his Sanctuary may imply either actively that God himself devoted them to his Sanctuary or passively that they were devoted by others the former I suppose you do not mean though your words may bear such a sense and for the latter if you think that an outward particular form of worship so devoted
upon the debate betwixt King James and others about the womens Baptism by warrant thereof the King urging and pressing the words of the Book said they could not but intend a permission of women sâ— to do the Bishop of Worcester said that indeed the words are doubtfull because otherwise perhaps the Book would not have passed in the Parliament and for this he cited the testimony of the Archbishop of York Why then should those who have power to Reform what is amiss be confined to such a form of service as this which had iâ— been a perfect masculine issue they who should as Midwives have holpen to bring it forth would have been ready to strangle it in its birth Yet such as it was with all its faults and defects they gave their Vote unto it but those who were truly wise and godly never meant to set up their rest with such a Reformation For it was both irreligious and unreasonable which some Prelates projected viz. instead of proficiency towards perfection to make us retrograde to the state and stature of our Churches minority and they might as well put down preaching and bring up Homiles and meer reading Ministers again as make that form of prayer a standard to our publique devotion Now for that you say in your Latine Letter where you call the service-Service-book you lent me before my Library was brought to Br. the Å¿ most glorious household-stuff of your father which you say is pretious in your sight and so shall be for ever Methinks you honour that Book so much as you must imply no little dishonour to your father as if he had not a Bible in his house and no less dishonour to the Bible if he had it and yet that were not in your eye a more glorious piece of houshold-stuff then the Service-book was But though neither the Parliament nor the Assembly did either admire or adore it as you did it should not have been so contemptuously used as it was to use your own words SECT. V. The Service-book not cast out by the Parliament or Assembly as a menstruous cloth as the Doctor insinuateth but laid aside with honourable remembrance of the composers of it and with approbation of the Book it self in divers respects IT would have troubled my conscience to have been an instrument of casting it away as a menstruous cloth 〈◊〉 And if any Divines of the Church of England gave their advice for its oppâ—brious ejection they must shew a good reason why they altered their own judgement before they may hope to have any powerfull influence upon mine Who they be if any Divines at all of the Church of England who cast away the Service-book as a menstruous cloth or gave advice for its opprobrious ejection I know not sure I am that I am none of them and for my Brethren of the Assembly they have at large with much candor and fair dealing though for that they have not been fairly dealt withall by some expressed their sense both of the Compilers and of the Book it self Of them they speak very honourably for they say In the beginning of the blessed Reformation * our wise and pious Ancestors took care to set forth an order c. Afterwards their words are That what they did in laying aside the Service-book was not from any love to novelty or intention to disparage our first Reformers of whom we are perswaded were they now alive they would joyn with us in this work and whom we acknowledge as excellent instruments raised by God to begin the purging and building of his House and we desire that they may be had of us and of posterity in everlasting remembrance with thankefulness and Honour Ibid. p. 6. And of the Book it self they say That it occasioned many godly and learned men to rejoyce much in it at that time it was set forth because the Mass and the rest of the Latine Service being removed the publick worship was celebrated in our own tongue many of the common people also received benefit by hearing the Scriptures read in their own language which formerly were to them as a book that is sealed So Preface p. 1 2 the worst they say of it comes from the abuse and the worst abuse is That it was made no better then an Idol by many ignorant and superstitious people who pleasing themselves in their presence at that service and their lip-labour in bearing a part in it have thereby hardened themselves in their ignorance and carelesness of saving knowledge and true piety p. 4. whereof I finde too much proof by sad experience in some of those who have learned of you to mistake erroneous superstition for religious devotion But suppose that some of them had cast it away as a menstruous cloth for the defects and errours in it and the Idolatrous doting of many if not of most upon it is it any better then the best humane righteousness and did they think worse of it than the Prophet Isaiah speaks of that where he saith We are all of us an unclean thing and all our righteousness are as filthy rags Isa. 64. 6. If I had served God in the use of that form without any conscience I had been an hypocrite and how can I now scorn and revile that against my conscience and not be an Apostata It is true Sir not only of you but of any one else and not of that form of Prayer only but of any other that he who formally worships God either without his conscience or against it is an hypocrite and to revile and scorn that of which a man hath formerly thought honourably and spoken reverently against his conscience is to play the hypocrite also and to adde to his hypocrisie the sinne of Apostacy While you say this in your own name if you mean it of others particularly of the Ministers of the Assembly or at least of some of them as perhaps you do you have answer to that calumniatory conceipt already If of your self your words imply that some have sollicited you to scorn and revile the Service-book against your conscience if you know any such as for my part I do not I doubt not but you will be more ready to scorn and revile them then therein to be perswaded by them for you are so farre from all compliance in that kinde that you charge such as without scorn or reviling have laid it aside with sacriledge and scandall touching which I shall answer you when the order of your words bring me to that charge SECT. VI The Doctor alloweth the laying aside of the Service-book so farre as justifieth the Parliaments and Assemblies removall of it by the example of Hezekiah's breaking of the Brasen Serpent yet with some mistake of that story TO lay it aside is one thing to revile it another that a godly Hezekiah may do if he think it a Nehushtan but this befits only a Rabshekah that may be out
without apparent reason were in the year 1605 to the d number of 277 called in question about it 260 were under censure some of Admonition some of Suspension some of Deprivation And it was matter of Scandall to the weak and wicked as the brazen Serpent was for as the Jews did by that so do most ignorant and prophane people do by this Idolizing it so much that they preferre a piece of Service-book at the grave before Preaching of a Sermon in the Pulpit I speak what I know by experience of some who were so much offended at my refusall of the one that they would not give me thanks for my pains in the other and some are constant recuâ—ants from their Parish-Church though they dwell very near it because I am not constant to a set form of prayer particularly to that of the Service-book I will conclude mine Answer to this Objection with the conclusion of a debate betwixt Dr Edw. Maynw the last Chancellour of Chester and my self as I have observed in my Latine Answer to your Latine Letter which we had many years before the beginning of the last Parliament which was this I having shewed him what offence was given and taken by urging of the Service-book such as it was and how little appearance of just cause of exception there would be if it were laid aside he confessed at last and said We shall never have peace and true charity in the Church untill it be taken away SECT. IX A set or composed form of Prayer how farre lawfull or needfull Obj. BUt the want of that or of some other new composed form in stead of it causeth much scandall by many mens un-premeditated and extemporary utterance whereby they speak that many times which tends rather to the debasing of that holy Office and to the offence of a prudent and pious hearer then to the honour of God Sol. It may be so yet 1. That must not prejudice the gift of God by the Spirit of grace and of supplication Zech. 12. 10. which divers doubtless have and give evident proof of it by their practice I have heard it and e once before published it in Print which I may here pertinently repeat from a very faithfull f witness that a man of high place in the Church and of eminent parts and proficiency in all kinde of knowledge especially of Divinity acknowledged that he hath heard a lay-man in a leathern jacket pray by heart without art or book and with such an evidence and domonstration of the Spirit as hath made him much ashamed of his own defects and disabilities to perform that duty of devotion in such a manner and measure as he had done 2. For those that have not the gifâ—t they may by premeditation and study compose a set form of prayer for themselves and their people which may prevent the precipitation of any unfit or offensive expression 3. Because most are loth to own their own wants and to seem less able for their calling than other men are who need not tie themselves to any set form of words it might I conceive be expedient as an help to such as are more weak in parts or spirit for some have rather too much bashfulness than too little ability for the service and for a prevention of their errours who are too presumptuous in boasting themselves in a false gift Prov. 25. 14. pretending to have that they have not and so undertaking beyond their power as it is in the note upon the place in the first Volume of the late large Annotations as also to prevent presumption in some and for evidence of consent of Churches in the service of God and lastly for a supply to the defects of the common people who commonly are acquainted with no prayers but those they hear in the Congregation that a set form were composed in stead of the old Service-book but not so imperiously imposed as that was which might be so much better done in the present age by the best gifted in that kinde as when the people are well acquainted with it might give them better content than the Service-book did For as the Translations of the Bible are more perfect now than in King Edwards reign they were and Preaching more solid more methodicall and eloquent than in his daies as will appear by comparing Latimer's Sermons before that King with others before Q. Elizab. the two late Kings the long Parliament which last amount to many Volumes now they are Printed And the singing Psalms are more exactly rendred in Meeter by divers in old England and lately by our Brethren in new England than those Thom. Sternhold Will Hopk and Rob. Wisd. so no doubt if we compare Printed prayer-Prayer-books as old as the first English Liturgie with those which have been set forth in our own time we shall finde as much pre-eminence as difference in the latter above the former and if such a design should be so farre taken to heart as to proceed to effect because most of the Reformed Churches of Christendom have found cause to frame a set form of prayer for themselves yet I should never desire to have it so rigorously urged as g Calvin advised nor so premptorily pressed to practise as some Prelates have done but that it were rather commended to the use of all for the reasons before alleadged than strictly commanded to any for many would act in a way of freedom who would not come under a servile obedience especially for that which is neither expresly prescribed nor prohibited in Scripture By this proposall and plea for a set form of Praier I intend not to take off or cool any mans desires or indeavours to be able to walk without such a crutch But for Preachers especially I would have them give themselves to the doubt duty wherein the Apostles exercised themselves viz. Prayer and the Word of God Act. 6. 4. as well that as this that by Gods blessing they may prove good proficients in them both It was the great errour and the mother in gross ignorance in former times that Ministers pinion'd their devotion to the Service-book when many who were but reading Levites were so word-bound with it that upon any occasion which they met not with in that road they were at a stand and as mute as fishes which cals to my remembrance Sr Thomas Holcrofts Curate at the Vale-royall in Cheshire to whom he went his house was on fire desiring him to pray the Curate betook himself with much hast to his service-Service-book and finding out the prayer for Rain if time require prayed according to the form thereof That God would send such moderate showers c. Moderate showers Sir Humnet so was the Curate called said the Knight that will do no good it is a great fire a very great fire howsoever he had none other holy water to quench it Thus he exposed two things besides himself to derision which should be entertained with gravity
do joyntly both allow me and oblige me to acquit my self which now is the business I have in hand and I shall begin it with my first Letter to the Doctor and his answer thereto upon which I have made Animadversions and subjoyned them to it But for the Refutation of his calumniatory Letter dated Novemb. 14. 1649. and noted at the beginning of this Preface and for mine Apology against the reproaches of the cholerick Committee-man forementioned though they be both ready for the Press I shall upon an especiall reason suspend their publication untill another opportunity The Contents of the Book THe Preface shewing the Causes of Penning and Publishing the English and Latine Letters following reciprocally written betwixt Dr E. H. and my self My first Letter to Dr H. concerning his immoderate Zeal for the Service-Book with a motion to debate our difference about it Dr H. his Answer to that declining the Debate with Cautions and Concessions Necessary Animadversions upon his Letter divided into severall Sections SECT. I. Three Reasons referring chiefly to the Doctor why his English Letter was not presently answered His mistake about the word Seraphicall the sense rise and use of it SECT. II. His Errour in calling Bonaventure a Seraphicall zealot because he castigated the Greek Church refuted and the right Reason shewed why he was so called SECT. III. The Doctor justly termed a Seraphicall Zealot for the Service book his absurd Elogium of it and Calvins Censure upon it SECT. IV. The Service-book served not for distinction of the Reformed Churches from the unreformed as the Doctor saith Too much conformity in it to the Romish Breviary yet it passed in the first Parliament of Q. Elizabeth and why it did so SECT. V. The Service-book not cast out by the Parliament or Assembly as a menstruous cloth as the Doctor insinuateth but laid aside with honourable remembrance of the composers of it and with approbation of the Book it self in divers respects SECT. VI The Doctor alloweth the laying aside of the Service book so farre as justifieth the Parliaments and Assemblies removall of it by the example of Hezekiah's breaking of the Brasen Serpent yet with some mistake of that story SECT. VII The constancy and ingenuity which the Doctor assumeth to himself if he had been an Assembly man acted by those who were chosen in that service SECT. VIII The removall of the Service-book as before shewed is neither Sacriledge nor just cause of Scandall as the Doctor suggesteth SECT. IX A set or composed form of Prayer how farre lawfull or needfull The ridiculous Devotion of a meer Reading Curate SECT. X. The Doctors pretended moderation and modesty concerning the Service-book and his denied seeking to defraud me of the peoples favour Confuted SECT. XI He desires no entercourse by Letter with me untill he be removed out of the County upon pretences false and frivolous SECT. XII How the Doctor will take me for his Oracle and have more free approach to me when he is gotten farther from me How preposterously he prefereth temporall interests before spirituall Mistakes velitations for less then differences His Epiphonema flat and feeble like the premises Additions and Corrections I. THe Catalogue of the Authours published Dictates bâ—â—ing made without his knowledge is defective in fourâ— Particulars So that to the 12. forementioned should be added 13. An after reckoning with Mr Saltmarsh being an answer to his last Paper which he calleth the end of our Controversies in 4to 14. A comparison of the Oath of the sixth Cannon of the last Synod of Bishops and the protestation set forth by the Parliament in answer to a Letter of Mr Pediett Harlow in 4to 15. An attestation of the Ministers of Cheshire to the testimony of the Ministers of the Province of London against Errours Heresies and Blasphemies in 4to 16. A compleat account concerning the proceedings of the fourth Classis London with Mr Symonds touching his admission to a publique Lecture within that Classis in 4to All penned by Mr Ley though Seven of them without Name or with other Names then his II. In the Epistle Dedicatory p. 2. l. 8. after the word Brother add in III. In the Preface to the Reader p. 3. l. 17. for my Letters read many others p. 3. l. 20. for Wall read Wallinford IV. In the first English Letter p. 1. l. 10. for Tuesday read Thursday V. In the Animadversions p. 11. Sect. 3. l. 8. for that read it and within 6 lines of the end of the same Page for that read it p. 12. l. 10. after Clemens blot out the word then p. 21. the last line for words read Prayers p. 28. Sect. 11. l. 8. for you read me p. 33. Dr Hydes Latine Letter beginneth p. 38. Mr Leys answer to it in Latine beginneth Though neither of them have the Title of the Writer set before it VI In Mr Leys Latine answer p. 40. l. 9. 10 he promiseth to note with Arithmeticall Figures the lines of the Doctors Letters when he taketh any thing out of them which though he did it in his own Manuscript it could not be so well done in the Printed Copy nor was iâ— very needfull since the Letters cited are so short p. 40. l. 18. for Putici read Publici p. 44. l. 3. blot out ejusmodi p. 48. l. 6. co read Eâ p. 51. l. 14. ante finem for hujusmodi read Vnius modî l. 16. for recipis read recipie p. 53. l. 7. for Coiellus read Cowellus p. 55. l. 21. after the word illis add diabolus l. 23. after the word Caucius add p. 62. to the Superscription after the words fecisse scio addes JOHANNES LEY My first Letter to Dr H. concerning his immoderate zeal for the Service-Book laid aside by the Parliament SIR YOu have oft in my hearing exprest your self a Seraphicall zealot for the Service-book and sometimes especially at our last meeting Tuesday evening Feb. 26. profest your self a resolute Champion for it and a stout Antagonist against the Assembly of Divines at Westminster for advising the Parliament to put it out of Office in the solemn administration of Divine duties in whose defence if I had not been your Johannes ad oppositum I had by my silence betraied the truth and trust reposed in me though then I lacked leasure being to make preparation for the Fast on Tuesday following to draw out the debate towards a desirable issue That business now over my thoughts have returned to the Theme which then we had in hand and called to minde our light velitation about it and induced me to desire that passing by the eruptions of your passion I may fix upon somewhat which you will own as the dictate of your Reason in the difference betwixt us You then touched upon two Heads which seemed to me to be your summa genera under which you intimated many subordinate and particular Arguments those two were Sacriledge and Scandall in Excommunicating that
and might well be called a Seraphicall zealot not as you mistake the reason of title but for such as these Because 1. He was of the Order of the a Seraphicall Father St Francis to whom that denomination was principally appropriated 2. He was not only of this Order but devoted to it by especiall vow of his mother confirmed by miracle for being sick when he was a childe she vowed if he recovered to give him up to be a Franciscan Friar God heard her prayer to the b admiration of the Physicians as the writer of his Legend recordeth and she made good her vow 3. He was when he came out of his minority though still a Minorite Friar a great zealot for the honour of his Founder St Francis and of his Order For 1. c He wrote his Life 2. d He wrote of the six wings of the Seraph 3. e A declaration of the rule of the Minorites 4. f Two Apologies against the calumniators of the Fransc rule 4. Because as Seraphicall St Francis himself g preached not with eloquent words and worldly wisdom but with much fervour of spirit as the Romanists write of him so did Bonav. utter not instant earnest words but h flaming words as Posseviâ— noteth out of Abbot Tritemius SECT. III. The Doctor justly termed a Seraphicall Zealot for the Service-book his absurd Elogium of it and Calvins Censure upon it ANd in this sense I might as I did well call you a Seraphicall zealot for the service-Service-book for your discourse of it and pleading for it with me hath been fierce and fieâ—y as when * you said If I preached against the Service-book in the forenoon you would preach for it in the afternoon if I would lend you my Pulpit and your Letters both this in English and the other in Latine shew rather how fondly then how devoutly you are addicted to that You say in this Letter How it was for many years the Church of Englands chiefest robe both for ornament among the Reformed and for distinction against the unreformed Churches And in your Latine Letter you call it The most glorious houshold stuff of your father 1. Robe Ornament and Distinction Three brave words very meanly and impertinently brought in as I believe any man of ordinary apprehension will easily judge The word Robe you know signifieth a garment Hath the service-Service-book any resemblance to that If you had called the Surplice a Robe you might have gone away with that word without exception though you might have met with a check at the next word Ornament from such as with much contempt and scorn used to call that a ragge But to let pass that gross {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} of calling the service-Service-book a robe How was the Service-book an Ornament among the Reformed Churches What Reformed Church out of England and Ireland except the exiles in Queen Maries daies and not all of them neither ever took it for an Ornament If they had they would sure have adorned their Divine service with it and have spoken of it rather as Honourable then but tolerable and that for a time as i Calvin did of the English Liturgie saith he writing to the exiles at Frankford as you describe it I see many tolerable toies trifles follies unfitnesses take which word you will to express his Latine word ineptiae you will have as much ado to gloss or dress it up into an Ornament as to make a Silver Pen of a Goose quill unless you adde guilding unto it or some other decking of the Artificer upon the leaves and cover But to save you that needless labour Calvin presently expresseth what he meaneth by these two words tolerabiles ineptiae viz. k That the Liturgie was not so pure as was to be wished yet what faults could not be corrected the first day since they contain no manifest impiety they were to be tolerated for a time yet so that it l meet saith he that the Learned good and grave Ministers of Christ do endeavour beyond it to finde out somewhat more refined more pure m free to compose a new form of prayer which may be most apt or fit for the use and edification of the Church and saith he knows not what to think of them to whom the dregs of Popery are so delightfull as not to be pleased with a change for the better Nor have they any other n cause of quarrell saith he but because they are ashamed to yield to better men and better things SECT. IV. The Service-book served not for distinction of the Reformed Churches from the unreformed as the Doctor saith Too much conformity in it to the Romish Breviary yet passed in the first Parliament of Q. Elizabeth and why so FOr your third word distinction that is as ill applied to the Service-book as the two former for how serves that for a distinction of the Reformed against the unreformed Churches If you call those unreformed Churches that have it not you speak a new Dialect of your own and as naught as new wherein all Orthodox Protestants will be against you If you mean by unreformed those who are most unreformed viz. the Roman Churches the distinction was not so great either in K Henry the 8th his time or K. Edw. the 6th his time or Q. Elizab. time as it should have been Not in K. Henry the 8th his time for then o Card. Quignonius at the request of Pope Clâ—â— 7. then made the Popish Missall liker the English for a great part then it was to the Roman Breviary Not in King p Edw. the 6th his time for when the Rebels were up in Devonshire for the restitution of the Mass and other Popish matters comprised in severall Articles To that of the Service-book which was one of them the Kings answer was As for the Service in the English tongue it hath manifest reasons for it and yet perchance it seemeth to you a new Service and is indeed none other but the old the self same words in English which were in Latine saving a few things taken out which were so fond that it had been a shame to have heard them in English as all can judge that do report the truth Not in Q Elizab. time for Pope q Paul the 4th would have allowed of the Service and Liturgy set out by her if she would have received it by his authority And for the English Service as it first passed in Parliament it was not such as was desired by the best but such as could be obtained of the worst sort of Protestants who made the major part in the first Parliament of Q Elizab. and who were so superstitiously devoted to that form of Service that the Book would not have passed if it had been so Reformed as it should have been We have just ground for this conjecture out of the r Conference at Hampton Court where
as that was may not be taken away without Sacriledge it is your errour for Christ hath prescribed no particular form of worship for his Church in the new Testament as he did in the Old if he had all Christian Churches should have been bound to that but since he hath therein left them free except for the generall rule of decency and order 1 Cor. 14. 40. and the short form of Prayer commonly called the Lords Prayer but is not a prayer say some but only a pattern of prayer but the Directory of the Assembly saith it is both they are at liberty to frame diversity of forms so they be consonant to the sound doctrine of the Scripture and what they frame themselves they may correct or change take away the old and substitute a new Form as they conceive may be most convenient for the honour of God and the furtherance of godliness Secondly To call the taking away of an humane form of Divine worship Sacriledge is â—o reproach not only the present Reformation but the precedent in the daies of King Edward for then there was one form of Service at Salisbury another at Hereford another at Bangor another at York another at Lincoln but x King Edward abolisht them all and established another form which was to be the form of worship to the whole Realm Thirdly The Translations of the Bible and singing Psalms turned into Meeter were with the Service-book devoted to the Service of God in his Sanctuary so were the Books of Homilies Was it sacriledge in y King James to take away all precedent Translations the Geneva especially which was most in use before since his coming to the Crown of England and had been Printed above 30 times by Queen Elizab. and his priviledged Printers Christopher and Robert Barker and making a new one to put the old out of use and office or was it Sacriledge in King Charles to cashire the old Psalm-book made partly by z Thomas Sternhold Groom of King Edw. the 6th his Bed-chamber and the rest by men of the same relation and Religion by authorizing his Fathers Edition of the singing Psalmes to be published in the Churches of his Dominion Or were you guilty of Sacriledge when you left off the Homilies a which King James would have allowed not only as Sermons deputies but as their fellows in joynt Commission with them Obj. But you will say Change is no robbery to take away a silver Chalice from the Communion Table and to put a golden one in its place or to bring a more perfect Translation of the Bible for one less perfect a more exact Psalm book then that which hath been formed in ruder times and to preach a Sermon in stead of reading an Homilie is no Sacriledge but Religious Beneficence but the new Reformation hath taken away the old Service and hath not set up a new one nor any other in the room thereof Sol. There hath been done so much in effect in the Directory that there will be no defect in the publique worship if the Minister be but competently qualified both for praying and preaching as he should be for by following the direction there given he may as well make his own Prayer as his own Sermon especially if he give himself to both as the Apostles did Act. 6. 4. and make use of such b helps as God hath been pleased to furnish this age withall above many of the former and I doubt not but as at the first setting up of the English Liturgy there was necessity to make use of many illiterate yet well meaning upright-hearted Protestants to take the cure of many Parish Churches for want of a competent supply of Learned-men as c Cambden observeth in his Hist. of Qu. Eliz. and in the Preface of the Homilies of the first Edition to my best remembrance for I have not the Book by me it is said There was scarce to be found for every County a well qualified Preacher who without a Praier book and an Homilâ—e could not pray to God for nor Preach from God to the people But now there will be by Gods blessing on means and helps more then heretofore a sociableness of proficiency both for Praying and Preaching so that Ministers shall have no more need to have their Praiers made for them than their Sermons and why should they not be able to make their own words in the reading Pew as well as in the Pulpit or why as the manner of some is may not all be done in one place For your second exception of Scandall you know the usuall distinction of Scandalum datum acceptum he that gives the Scandall is the offender that is he that doth any thing he shuld not do whereby another may justly be offended but he that takes offence at a warrantable act not he that acteth warrantably is the offender No doubt when Hezekiah brake the brazen Serpent those who did so Idolize iâ— as to burn Incense to it were offended with his severity in breaking it but that was their fault not his whose purpose was by that Reformation to remove a great occasion of Scandall from the eyes of the people and that was their meaning who laid aside the service-Service-book at which many godly persons took offence because it was 1. So conformable to the Popish mass-Mass-book as * before hath been observed whereof I can make more particular proof and haply shall do in time convenient 2. Because the Scriptures brought into it were taken out of corrupt Translations even since there was a better set forth by King James his procurement 3. Because Apocryphall writings were prescribed to be read and much of the Canonicall Scripture left out 4. Because there were many particulars in it very liable to suspicion of an erroneous sense 5. Because by it many of the best Christians who durst not use the gesture of kneeling at the Sacrament were excluded from the Sacrament all which gave great occasion to the schism of the Brownists 6. Because it was so strictly urged 1. That by the 14 Canon it might not be lawfull for a Minister to omit any part of it though besides his Preaching he had both Sacraments to be administred and Catechism to be performed 2. Ministers were enjoyned to make it their Diurnall of Devotion when Dr Easdall Chancellour of York Dr Cousens and Dr Wickam were Visitors at Chest for Archbishop Neale they required the reading of the Service book every day and when it was objected the people would not come to partake with the Ministers What of that said Dr Cousens to him that made the objection do you come and do your duty There be rivers in the wilderness where no man dwels alledging Psalm 104. 10. but he forgat the following verse They give drink to the beast of the field the wilde Asses quench their thirst 7. Because divers godly and learned Ministers who scrupled subscription and conformity to the Service-book not