Enjoyned by Authority to be used Obj. The grand great and chief exception that is taken against our Liturgy is that our Book of Common-Prayer is Popery taken out of the Popish Mass-book Answ To this we answer in general before we come to examine particulars Be pleased to take into your consideration this moderate point of Wisdom that all that the Papists have or make use of cannot properly be called or accounted Popery as we call Popery The old Rule is good here Qui hene distinguit bene docâ—t It is the part of a Wise-man to distinguish things to put a difference between things and not to confound and put together things that differ Therefore we should rightly know what Popery is Popery is properly the Errours Abuses Corruptions Superstitions Idolatries and Abominations which are used and mantained by the Pope Papists and Church of Rome either in Doctrine or Worship These indeed may properly and truly be called and accounted Popery if we submit our selves to the Pope of Rome receive his Laws his Doctrine his Worship if we cleave to his Adherents to them that worship him and receive his Mark if we maintain or profess either those false Doctrines or that Superstitious or Idolatrous worship which is professed among them and maintained by them Then indeed we may be rightly said to fall into Popery and to incline unto iâ— but if we call all those truths which they have and are kept sound among them in matters of Doctrine or those things which in matter of Worship are good and pure and free from corruption by the name of Popery we are very much mistaken If we must make use of nothing in the Service and Worship of God which they use nor may have liberty to assume to our selves the right use of those things which they do or have abused being purged from their corruptions we must then leave and renounce the Scriptures both the Old and New Testament both Baptism and the Supper of the Lord yea renounce all the Ordinances of God pull down our Churches and abandon all Religion Now it is known to the world that the Church of England renounceth the usurped power of the Pope of Rome and doth disclaim all his Religion and Laws all Errours Heresies Superstitions Idolatries and Abominations of the Church of Rome so that no man can accuse her unjustly of Popery or brand her with the name of Popery seeing she hath made a full Separation from the Church of Rome And though she maketh use of some things which they use in the Service and Worship of God yet they are such things as are lawful in themselves and fully purged from their Corruptions and Superstitions and cannot justly be accounted or called Popery The Church of Rome was once a true and sound Church though we profess no perfection in the world and not so pure but might be tainted with some Corruption and was famous for the profession of the true Faith and Doctrine of Christ Rom. 1. 8. Their Faith was spoken of throughout the whole world and as for her Bishops they were godly men most of them being Martyrs for three hundred years after Christ and more yet she was never accounted the Catholick or Universal Church but a Member of the Catholick or Universal Church But as time doth corrupt all things so she by degrees fell into corruption The Church of England even in the time of Popery was a Member of the Catholick or Universal Church and had not the being of a Church of Christ from Rome or by separating her self from Rome but having her eyes opened to see her Errours and her Spirits quickned and revived she began to think upon a necessity of Reformation and so cast off the yoak of Anti-christ and the usurped power of the Pope of Rome with all his Errours Superstitions and Abominations and sought to bring her Children to the right Faith of Christ and to the true and pure Worship and Service of God And examining the Liturgy and Book of Common Prayer then in use and finding it corrupted and fallen from the ancient purity she composed a new one of her own and though perhaps in some things it might not be much disagreeing from the former yet seeing those things were pure and sound free from corruption and after the ancient Form of Liturgies of the Church she thought good to retain them and to continue them for her use We do acknowledge our Liturgy and Book of Common-Prayer to be the work of man and as by man it was first composed so by man it may be at any time altered or put down and there is no work of man so perfect though never so absolute and compleat but may have some Errour in it or be tainted with some Corruption But that it is Popish Superstitious Idolatrous or Anti-christian as some who had more Zeal then Knowledge have been bold to defame it savoureth of too much Ignorance Pride Rashness and Presumption This we altogether deny and the very Ordinance of Lords and Commons which did put down this Book of Common-Prayer as you may see in the Preface to the Directory did not accuse it of any such matter as Superstition or Idolatry no nor so much as of Errour but speaketh reverently of the first Composers of it and modestly and discreetly of the Book it self onely they alledge this that they found by experience that it proved an offence to many at home and abroad disquieted many mens Consciences of Ministers and others was too much heightned by the Prelates made as it were an Idol by many ignorant people was a means to hearten Papists and to nourish an idle Ministry therefore did agree and resolve to put it down and to set up the Directory in its room Though it be granted that some things in this our Book do agree with theirs not so much perhaps as some imagine and give out yet if we do acknowledge that Rome was once a true and sound Church we cannot but suppose her Doctrine and Worship Then to be sound and pure although since it hath been corrupted if then upon our Reeformation for we did not make a new Church but only reformed the Errours of the old our prudent Reformers did take such things as were good and pure after the ancient Form of the Liturgies of the Church which they had corrupted with Errours being purged and refined for their use what just cause have we to complain The abuse of a thing doth not abolish or take away the Right use of it that were as the Heathen said to take the Sun out of Heaven that hath been worshipped and abused There is no Creature made by God or thing used and made by man but hath been some way wronged or abused They were Wise-men and godly men who did at first make and compose this Book of Common-Prayer some of the chiefest of them being Martyrs and burned in Queen Marys days for the Profession of our Protestant Religion and
Commanded Rom. 13. 1. Let every Soul be subject to the higher powers I and without this If we deny our Rulers this power That they have no Authority to make Laws in indifferent things we do not onely weaken the Arme of Authority but we break all Government in Church and Common wealth and cannot but see what unnatural Consequences of all Disorder are like to insue upon it in Church in State in Families in all Societies of the world Confusion will and of Necessity must follow if they have no power to make Laws for Edifying Decency and Order in Things indifferent and not contrary to the Word of God But if they have power by Laws to Regulate the Circumstances of Gods Worship in indifferent things for Peace Unity Order and Decency as the Apostle adviseth 1 Cor. 14. 40. Let all things be done Decently and in Order Then it must needs be granted that it is our Duty to Obey them in such their Determinations Thus you see there is and will be a Necessity of our Obedience To apply this plainly and fully we acknowledge there is no Necessity of the Imposition of this Ceremony of the Cross in Baptism or after Baptism because we neither Judge it in it self necessary any way to Salvation nor put any Holiness in it but in that respect it may be as well left out and omitted as used neither can we think that our Governours themselves put any Opinion of Necessity or Religion in it seeing they do openly Declare themselves to the contrary in the Doctrine of our Church as you may easily perceive if you look upon our Book of Canons and Examine the xxx Canon The title whereof is The Lawful Use of the Cross in Baptism Explained But seeing this Ceremony hath been so Anciently and Constantly Used in the Primitive Churches still used in our Church and never put down by any Lawful Authority but still retained and Established by our Laws yet onely for Discipline and Order and upon no other account of Holiness or Necessity There is a Necessity of our Obedience in it to the Command of our Governours and to the Authority of the Church as long as the Ceremony it self is Lawful in it self not Contrary to the Word of God may be Lawfully used upon this Account and that it is the pleasure of King and Parliament to Injoyne it Require it and Command it Things in their own nature Indifferent being Commanded or Forbidden by a Lawful Magistrate do in some sort alter their nature in respect of the Tie of our Obedience And therefore because this Ceremony is Prescribed and Commanded by Authority the Church expecteth Obedience at our hands Thus you may plainly perceive the difference between the Necessity of the Imposition of it and the Necessity of our Obedience and Submission to it when it is Imposed and Injoyned 2. For the Surplice there is no reasonable Man but will allow of Distinction of degrees among Men. Then how shall they be known but by their several Vestments Cloaths and Habites Judges are discerned by their Robes Serjeants at Law by their Coifes Aldermen by their Gowns Schollers in the Universities and their several Degrees by their several Habites Caps and Hoods why then should it be any way inconvenient or accounted an Indecorum or unseemly thing in Ministers to have some Distinction in their Apparel from others to be known and differenced from others and if we Examine this Vesture of the Surplice we shall find it Used before Popery was in the world So that Diversity of Apparel and more particularly of this Vestment had not his beginning from the Pope Eusebius Recordeth out of the most Ancient Writers That John the Apostle wore at Ephesus a Bishops Attire upon his Head terming it Pelatum seu Lamina Pontificalis and Pontius the Deacon Writeth of Bishop Cyprian the Martyr That a little before he should be Beheaded he gave to him that should Behead him his Vesture called Birrus and to his Deacon his Vesture called Dalmatica and so stood himself in Linnen And that the Apparel of the Priests and Ministers of the Church was Distinct from Lay-men in the old Church of the Primitive Times is Apparent by the Ecclesiastical History of Theodoret lib. 2. cap. 27. And by the Writings of Socrates lib. 6. cap. 22. Yea there was a Distinct Apparel between the Christians and Gentiles we find it was the Custome when Christians were first Converted and came to Christs Religion and were admitted into the Church Instead of a Gown they did wear a Cloak for which cause when they were mocked of the Gentiles Tertullian Wrote a Learned Book De Pallio In defence of the Cloak of that Fashion and Custome And as they had their several Distinctions of Apparel between Christians and Gentiles so especially between Ministers and Lay-people And that white Linnen for Ministerial Apparel was used in the Church is plain to all Chrysostome in his Homil. 38. on St Matthews Gospel speaking of Ministers saith This is your Dignity your Stay your Crown not that you walk through the Church in white Vestments c. And Hierom. lib. 1. contra Pelagium speaks of the Ecclesiastical Order which in the Administration of the Sacrifices went in white Vestures We find that that the Jews Gods own people especially the Nobler sort of them were wont to Wear and were much delighted in white Cloaths Therefore Solomon speaketh thus to the Epicure Eccles 9. 8. At all times let thy Garments be White that is Be merry put on thy best Cloaths and keep Holy day Their Nobles were called in the Hebrew Tongue Chorim that is Candidi White Thus you shall find it 1 Reg. 21. 8. Jezabel there sent Letters in Ahabs Name Sealed with his Seal to the Elders and Nobles of the City where Naboth dwelled Who in the Hebrew Tongue are there called Chorim and hence we may suppose came the Word Candidati which is so much used among our Lattin Authors for Men in Office Men of Note or in Authority because they were usually Cloathed in White It is worth our observation which the Evangelists note out unto us You find that the Souldiers of Pilate the Romane Deputy put upon our Saviour Christ a Scarlet Robe Matth. 27. 28. or as Mark hath it Mark 15. 17. and John Joh. 19. 5. a purple Garment which is also a very pleasant Red. But the Souldiers of Herod King of Jewry as you read Luk. 23. 11. araied Christ in White and sent him again to Pilate Both was in mockery yet it sheweth the different Fashion of those two Nations The Jews and Romans and that White was the Colour of Honour among the Jews And no man can deny but that the Christians in the Primitive times had a great Vessel called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their Churches and that in those hot Countries they who were Baptized were first dipped in the water of that Vessel with their naked Bodies and after covered with new
sighs within us helpeth that dulness ignorance and blindness in us teaching us how and what to pray for And he that searcheth the heart knoweth the meaning of the spirit What sighs and groans proceed from the spirit from the motion and breathing of the spirit because it maketh Intercession for the Saints according to the will of God It teacheth the Saints to pray according to his will it worketh in us those wishes and desires and kindleth in our hearts those earnest fervent and ardent affections sighs and groans which please God This we all acknowledge that we can do nothing in prayer without the help of the spirit which stirreth up earnest affections desires and groans in the heart but this spirit of God doth not exclude reason and prudence or any helpes that may be afforded us to forward us in that good duty but joyneth as it were with them and followeth them with his assistance In the performance of this duty of prayer three things are especially requisite and needful 1. To pray with Understanding to know what we say and what we pray for 2. To pray in Faith to come in the name of Christians to ask those things that are agreeable to Gods will believing that God both can and will hear us and help us and answer our Petitions as far as he shall see and judge fitting for his own glory and our good 3. To pray in the Spirit with zeal fervency intention of mind and spirit and with earnestness and true Devotion of the heart Now who can say but a man may pray with Understanding pray in Faith and pray in the Spirit with true Devotion of heart and with sighs and groans when the prayer is uttered after a prescript form or read upon a Book We grant that prayer is a spiritual work proceeding from faith neither is faith in any but there is some power to utter some matter of prayer in every one that prayeth in faith and to open his mind and to pour out his desires in some measure and that no prayer is regarded of God unless it do proceed from faith But because some are so overwhelmed with ignorance others so weak in expressions and dull in their conceit and some so perplexed in mind and disturbed in their thoughts that they cannot tell how to pray or what to utter of themselves therefore they need the help of a set form of prayer prescribed by another or may joyn with another in a form that is read upon a Book Yet when we pray thus by a Book we do not fetch the matter from the Book but from our hearts with sighs and groans only we are helped by a Book as the Congregarion which prayeth with the Minister is helped and stirred up by the Minister for the manner of delivery of their prayers unto God Christ himself appointed a set form saying not when you meditate but when you pray say thus c. Luke 11. 1 2. Object 3. Read Prayers were devised by Anti-Christ and maintain Superstition Idolatry and an idle Ministry Answ There were Liturgies in the Church of old before Anti-christ was set up in his Throne and the prescribed forms delivered in the Scriptures to be used and which were practised in the Church as you have seen before recited shew the thing to be allowed of God We may farther adde this that in singing of Psalms we cannot but confess They did read them upon a Book and did sing them to the Lord and many of those Psalms are full of Petitions and Prayers as is evident to all men These forms were first set up and are still continued for Order and Uniformity to avoid offences and inconveniencies which then did and still may arise in the Church neither doth it maintain an idle Ministry Our Ministers have liberty not only in private but in publick both before and after their Sermons to exercise their gift of prayer and to enlarge themselves upon any emergent occasion or opportunity afforded as God shall enable them and they themselves shall judge fit or any way expedient and needful Besides in all the Reformed Churches they have a Liturgy and yet have able Ministers Again if Read prayers and Imposed Liturgies be Idolatry where shall we find a visible Church For all Churches that are and have been for many hundred years have had Liturgies either Imposed or Allowed yet not branded with Idolatry Superstition or any such reproachful terms Obj. Set Forms and stinted Prayers cannot be as necessity doth require Answ The prayers of our Church are publick prayers and Common-Prayer They are called publick prayers in regard of the time and place when and where they are used and Common Prayer in respect of the persons that assemble together unite and joyn their hearts and voices together in their prayers and petitions unto God all joyn together So that no man can expect that the private necessities of particular persons unless there be some extraordinary cause can be there recommended unto God in their publick prayers and Common-Prayer of the Church Now no man can deny but some things are necessary to be prayed for at all times and for all persons as the confession of our sins and prayer for the forgiveness of them For the acceptance of our persons and prayers for our protection from danger for peace for grace to live well according to Gods Laws and the like Of these there may be a set form prescribed and used in the Church some things again are not necessary at all times these are not required but at special times and occasions to be used as the particular necessities of the time require as in time of War for Peace and deliverance from our Enemies prayers in the time of Dearths â—lagues Pestilence or any great Mortality prayers for Rain for Fair-weather in the time of Need and Thanksgiving accordingly For these also there may be a set form in the Church but for that which is extraordinary the Ministers may supply we do not say that a set form is of absolute necessity either in publick or private prayer If there were in all a perfection of knowledge and faith a quickness of conceit and a full freedom and power of expression we should not need the outward help of Form or Book But in the publick Service of the Church a form is only prescribed and required for convenience to prevent some miscarriages and extravagancies which otherwise might arise Thus we have Answered all the chief Objections which are made against all set forms of prayer and shewed you the true Grounds and Reasons how they came up at first and why they are still continued not for any absolute necessity we put in them but only for conveniency to prevent Schisms stop Errors preserve Order Unity and Uniformity in the Church and how we hold them lawful and allowed of God We are now to come to those exceptions which are made more directly and precisely against our Book of Common-Prayer Established and
to Hadley to be burnt and took his leave of his Wife and Son he gave to his Wife this Book of Church Service then so called set out by King Edward this Book of Common-prayer which he alwayes used in his Imprisonment as the last token and best token of his love unto her Here you see the judgment of this glorious Martyr who was the true Servant of God stood for our Religion to the Death in those fiery times of Queen Mary Sealing it with his blood how much he prized this and highly esteemed it To this I might adde the Authority and Judgment of Arch-bishop Cranmer Latymer and Ridley with many more who were the makers of this Book and content to give their Lives to the Fire to defend it and our Religion They could not see neither judge any thing in it to be Popish Superstitious Idolatrous or Anti-christian we should not therefore accuse it wrongfully or defame it wilfully without cause Are we wiser then all they or more Conscientious then they If we had but modesty and the grace of humility in us we could not but suspect our own Judgment and think we are deceived unless we would be of the mind of Abelardus singular and cross to all and say as he did and was wont to say Omnes alii sic ego non sic All men are of this mind and judgment but I am of another howsoever we should not reproach it or speak thus Contemptuously of it Si accusasse sufficiaâ— as the saying was of old if it be enough to Accuse Traduce and Defame without Proof Ground or Reason Innocence it self cannot go free Some passages in it perhaps may seem strange to such as are ignorant or have a prejudice against it by reason of some Rash High aad Self-conceited Spirits who had more Zeal then Knowledge who were among us in these late distracted times inveighing openly against this Book and against all Antiquity never understanding the Grounds of things nor dreaming of such a miraculous change as hath come upon us untill they come to know the true Reasons of them 1. The Book it self in general it cannot but make a man of Understanding to admire the boldness of some Raw Young Self-conceited Zealots who should cry up this Book of Common-prayer for Popery and condemn it so confidently as Popish when as 1. The Papists themselves will not own it nor acknowledge it nay they detest it abhor it and condemn it aâ— Heretical and account and call us Hereticks for maintaining it and for using it Though Queen Mary was helped to the Crown especially by the aid and assistance of the Suffolk men who were alwayes forward for the promoting of the Gospel and for our Protestant Religion and promised them faithfully that She would not alter the Religion then Established being this our Protestant Religion yet as soon as She got possession of the Crown She not only neglected her promise made but punished one Mr. Dobbe living about Windham side strangely for putting her in mind of her promise setting him three times in the Pillory to be a gazing stock to all men for the Terrour of others and made it her chief work care and study with her Adherents to put down with all possible speed that might be this our Book of Common-prayer and set up their old Latine Service She came to the Crown but in July and in the next Moneth August 27. The Service began in Latine in Pauls Church at London There was a rumor spread abroad of Arch-bishop Cranmer that he had Recanted and Revolted from his Religion caused the Mass to be said at Canterbury and had himself said Mass before the Queen c. To purge himself and to shew to the world that all was untrue and meer scandal and that there was no such matter but that he was constant in the truth he sent out a Declaration in Print dated Sep. 5. the next Moneth wherein he cleared himself from all such false Aspersions and added withall that if it would please the Queen he with Peter Martyr who was then come from Oxford to London and five or six more whom he would choose would in open disputation maintain the Book of Common-prayer with the Ceremonies and Rites there prescribed and the Doctrine of our Church set forth in the time of Edward 6 by the Scriptures and Fathers against all persons whomsoever But while he was in expectation to have this Disputation obtained he with other Bishops were laid fast in the Tower and Peter Martyr suffered to depart the Realm who went to Argentine And in the next Moneth Octob. 5. begun a Parliament wherein this our Book of Common-prayer was put down and the old Latine Service set up throughout the Land Now with what face can any man say that this Book of Common-prayer is Popery when as the Papists themselves will not own it nay detest and abhor it yea proclaim for Heresie this Book of Common-prayer bent all their strength and endeavours with all possible speed to suppress it yea condemn us count us and call us all Hereticks for using defending and maintaining it 2. Again if they had so much Learning and Understanding as to understand the Monuments of our Church they might be informed that this Book of Common-prayer was at first Composed and made by Mr. Cranmer Arch-bishop of Canterbury Ridley Bishop of London Latymer Bishop of Worster and divers others Wise Learned and Godly men in the time of Edward the Sixth upon the first Reformation of our Religion Bishop Ridley was the first that read this Book of Common-prayer in Pauls Church at London preached in the Forenoon in the Quire and in the Afternoon at Pauls Cross to commend this Book unto the people and to perswade them to accept it and embrace it These men the makers of this Book were at that time the only Opposers of Popery which had long been fostered and continued in this Land and was then in the height These were the men who were the greatest and chiefest Opposers of Popery stood for our Protestant Religion against the Pope and all his Adherents against all the Papists and Popish Bishops yea stood strongly to the Death Sealing it with their bloud being burnt immediately after in Queen Marys days for the profession of it which if they had not done in all probability our Protestant Religion had been much weakned if not wholly suppressed and utterly extinguished But God was pleased to shew his strength in their weakness and to give them that constancy whereby many were Confirmed in the truth and Converted to the truth The beheading of Martyrs as Justine Martyr speaketh â—is like the cutting of Vines the more they be cut the more they prosper and fructifie so it was with the burning of Martyrs Sanguis Martyrum Semen Ecclesiae was the old saying The bloud of the Martyrs the Church is not destroyed but watered and refreshed It is a very Memorable thing which Mr. Fox reporteth in the
Growing were formerly Planted generally in our Church-yards neer to the Church though therein they might have some Politick and civil consideration thereby to defend the Building of the Church from the violence of Wind and Weather yet I cannot conceive but they had a Mystical and Moral Signification in it That they had an intent to teach us somewhat by it because this Yew Tree as I imagine may be accounted a fit Emblem of a Christian a fit Picture Patern and Resemblance for a Christian to Observe when he looketh upon it You see it hath little outside Rinde or Barke onely a small Filme To teach us not to make a fair outside and Formality of our Religion to the world but to be without Hypocrisie Formality or Dissimulation Then it is a very Firme Fast Sound and Hearty Tymber by far harder then Oake to shew the Soundness and Sincerity of a Christian It hath many and spreading Branches large and fair growing out to remember us to be plentiful in good Works It is always green and prospering to declare unto us That a Christian should always thrive and grow in Grace Yea Green in Winter and in the Hardest weather To shew that a Christian is best in Affliction Adversity and Persecution Yea then it hath Berries on it to teach us as then we are the best Christians so then and always to bring forth the Fruits of Righteousness It is a long living and lasting Tree To be a Type unto us of Immortality and Eternal Life Thus you see a Man may Read a Lecture of Divinity and Christianity to you by the Observations which may be gathered from this Tree Now then let wise men judge whether those Ancients who did all upon such good Grounds and Reasons or these Young selfe-conceited Men who censure and condemne all Antiquity and the Ancient Orders of the Church of Superstition because they do not understand the Reasons of them be most Guilty of Superstition and whether these men do not Super Stare Stand too much upon their own Opinion and Judgement making disturbance in the Church about such things and in this regard may not thus be called and accounted Superstitious themselves 2. In his Will and Affections Thus likewise a man may Super Stare stand too much upon his own Will Humour and Affections Though his Judgement be convinced yet he may count it a disparagement to yeeld and to submit and therefore meerly out of wilfulness will stand against those Orders which are Required Imposed and Commanded It was an old saying of Seneca that Divine Heathen Regis animum intra se quisque habet Every man hath the mind of a King within him He would Command over others but cannot indure to be Commanded by others The Observation was of old Nitimur in vetitum semper cupimusque negata It is natural to all to desire that which is Forbidden and to Kick against that which is Imposed and Commanded and some I fear are of such a Humour so cross and perverse a disposition that they will not submit but stand up against that which is Commanded sometimes though they can give no other Reason for it but onely because it is imposed and Commanded They will not be under Authority Yet I make no question but some are right honest men and truely pretend Conscience That they cannot submit to such Orders and to such and such Rites There is great and good Reason that every man should satisfie his own Conscience and not sin against his Conscience but yet we must not purposely make and frame our selves a Conscience A good Conscience is and ought to be grounded on Judgement and that Judgement should be Regulated and Setled by right Reason therefore he that desireth to satisfie his Conscience in any thing must lay aside his Affections and all Self-conceits and prejudicate passions and must desire and indeavour to be informed in the Truth of things especially such things as are doubtful to him to Hear and Examine the Judgement of others and their Reasons and to weigh them in an equal Ballance without Prejudice Passion or Self-conceit otherwise we frame a Conscience to our selves and make it Erroneous and an Erroneous Conscience can do us no good but deceive us I fear that many of these honest-minded Men are mistaken meerly through Ignorance because they do not search into the Grounds and Reasons of things nor rightly understand them How these Ceremonies Rites and Orders first came up in the Church how they are Imposed and Used whether they be accounted things indifferent in themselves or whether they put Holiness in them or lay any necessity upon them for Salvation or are onely Commanded and used for Order Decency and Edification Surely it these men being men of moderate Spirits were rightly informed and would lay aside all prejudice passion and self-conceit they would be fully satisfied in their Consciences and submit unto them Yet wee cannot but be afraid again that some are so high in their Spirits that they are ashamed to Submit They have opened their Mouths so much heretofore and been so high in their Speeches and Invectives against this Government these Rites and Orders being ignorant of the Grounds of their first Institution and not dreaming of a Change that now though their Judgement be Convinced and Satisfied yet they are ashamed to own them to come in and Submit unto them for fear they shall be Derided of all and Reproached of all and therefore stand out pretending Conscience whereas they do purposely frame themselves a Conscience and it is nothing but Humour Will Peevishness and wilful Affections which make them to stand out and so do maintain a Fire and Faction in the Church These surely do Super Stare As the other stood too much upon their Opinion and Judgement being wise in their own eyes and so counted Superstitious in the same manner These stand upon their own Will Wilfulness and corrupt Affections resolving to be cross to all for fear they should come into Contempt and so in this respect may be likewise accounted Superstitious These things being rightly considered How can this Ceremony of Kneeling at the Receiving of the Lords Supper be accounted Artolatrie Idolatry or Superstition We worship not the Bread but the true God and in a right Manner we disclaim all Superstition we do not abuse this Ceremony of Kneeling to put any holiness in it or lay any necessity upon it but account it as a thing indifferent in it self The Church doth Command and Require it onely for Decency Uniformity and Order Judgeing it to be the fittest Gesture to shew our Humility to God and our Reverence to the Ordinance of God Object This Book of Common-Prayer is too much Idolized by many and Clogged with Popish Ceremonies The Cross and Surplice which are Contrary to our Christian Liberty Answ It is confessed that Ceremonies and Traditions ordained by the Authority of man if they be Repugnant to the Word of God are not to
be kept or observed by any man But yet we cannot deny but every Particular and National Church may Ordain change and abolish Ceremonies and Rites Ordained onely by mans Authority So that all things be done to Edifying for Decency and Order as the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 14. 40. Now for our Ceremonies No man can prove that any of them are Repugnant or Contrary to the Word of God and so unlawful in themselves But the long disuse of them in these Late broken times and the fierce clamour of some hot Spirits against them not rightly understanding the first Grounds and beginning of them nor the true manner of our Churches Imposing and Requiring of them Supposing that She layeth some kind of necessity upon them for Salvation and putteth some kind of Holiness in them have much Exasperated mens minds and raised a greater Prejudice against them then they do deserve or otherwise would have been But to Answer to Particulars 1. For the Idolizing of this Book We must acknowledge Wise men and Good men they have not onely their Affections but their Errours and Failings There is too much bitterness among us Some perhaps may overvalue this Book and dote too much upon it as if there were no other way so good whereby we might so serve God as to please Him Yet then again we may see that others undervalue it as much speak as contemptuously of it and against it as if this way of Service were abomination before God What is there whereof all conceive alike The Spider draweth Poyson where the Bee sucketh Honey That which is one mans Meat as the Proverb goeth is another mans Poyson There should be a Spirit of moderation among us We profess that this Book is the Work of Man and as by Man it was first made so by Man it may be at any time altered or put down and there is no Work of Man so Compleat and perfect but may have in it some Imperfection or be Tainted with some Errour or Corruption And again that this Forme is not set up and Imposed as if it were of absolute necessity That we could not serve God aright without it but onely for convenience as Judged most Expedient to prevent Miscarriages to repress stop and restrain Schismes Factions Heresies and Errours in the Church which have grown as we Judge and multiplied much among us by reason of that Liberty given to every one to use what Form he would It is onely to preserve Peace Unity Order and Uniformity in the Church Now let it be granted that this Book is too much heightned by some which perhaps may be done in opposition to others who undervalue it so much yet as long as it is lawful in it self not contrary to the Word of God and Injoyned and Imposed by Authority what good Reason can be given by any Man why we may not use it nevertheless in a fair moderate way 2. For these Ceremonies The Cross and Surplice which they call Popish It cannot be proved that the Pope brought these into the Church It is certain that these are far more Ancient then the Pope yet we cannot think that the Popes fingers are so foule as Peter Martyr speaketh that they defile every thing he toucheth or that we may not use some things which the Papists use so that we do not use them in that Superstitious manner which the Papists do If we may make use of nothing which they do or have abused we must forsake all our Churches cast off not not onely the Creed but the Lords Prayer and the Sacraments Neither do we borrow these Ceremonies of the Papists for from the beginning of our Reformation these were never removed but still retained in our Church not by Popish Order but by the Princes Law as things indifferent in themselves and used onely in a Politick and Civil way for distinction of Persons Order Decency and Comeliness not placing any Religion in them or holding them as necessary to Salvation We have shewed you already what Popery is we cannot Judge or Censure all to be Popery which the Papists use but Popery is properly the Errours Corruptions Superstitions Idolatries and abominations of the Church of Rome either in Doctrine or Worship And for these Ceremonies it is easie to be proved that they were used in the Church before the Name of Pope was known or was extant in the world The Bishops of Rome for three hundred years after Christ and more were Godly Bishops and most of them Martyrs as all Histories shew And though Antichrist was born as some imagine under Constantine when as Platina writeth there was a voice heard from Heaven Seminatum est venenum in Ecclesia Yet most of the Learned agree that he was never set in his Throne till the time of Phocas the Emperour who slew Mauritius his Lord and took his Room which was between five and six hundred years after Christ Then this Phocas the Emperor granted to Boniface the Third then Bishop of Rome the Stile of Bishop Oecâ—menicâ—l or Bishop Universal to have the Power and Superiority over all Bishops and Churches Then was the Bishop of Rome set up as Pope Now these Ceremonies were in use long before that time as may easily appear if we insist upon them severally 1. For the Sign of the Cross This was very Ancient 1. Though Jews and Gentiles derided both the Apostles and Christians for Preaching and Believing in him who was Crucified upon the Cross yet they triumphed and rejoyced in the Ignominy of the Cross The Apostle saith 1 Cor. 1. 18. For the Preaching of the Cross is to them that perish foolishness but unto us who are saved it is the power of God Comprising under the Name of the Cross not onely Christ Crucified but the Merits of his Death with all the Fruits and Benefits we pertake thereby 2. Because the Name of the Cross was so hateful to Jew and Gentile but especially to the Jews therefore the Christians either in the Apostles time or shortly after used much the Sign of the Cross in all their Actions thereby making a Profession to the Amazement of the Jew that they were not ashamed to acknowledge Him for their Lord and Saviour who died for them upon the Cross This Sign they did not onely use themselves with a kinde of Glory when they met with any of the Jews but Signed therewith their Children when they were Baptized educating them by that Badge to the Service of him in whom they did Believe And this use of the Sign of the Cross in Baptism was constantly held in the Primitive Church as well by the Greek Church as by the Latine Church by the East and West Church with one consent as is apparent and evident by many testimonies of the Ancient Fathers Quod omnia Christi Benesicia recordari nos faciat saith Cyril Because it maketh us to remember all the Benefits of Christ And Doctor Whiâ—e tells us That the Christians in the Primitive
upon them or Imposing them as Parts of Gods Worship and thus may bring in Superstition and Idolatry Answ If you desire to receive full satisfaction in this you must look upon the Doctrine of our Church whence the Grounds of the Imposition and Practice of these Ceremonies are drawn That is the Truest and Surest Rule to go by Examine the xxxix Articles agreed upon by all our Divines Anno Dom. 1562. which are called by some Our English Creed containing the summe of our Faith and the Doctrine of our Church The xxth Article speaketh plainly in the end of it Though the Church be the keeper of Gods Word Yet as it ought not to Decree any thing against the Word of God so besides the same ought it not to inforce any thing to be Believed for Necessity of Salvation And again in the end of Artic. 34. Every Particular or National Church hath Authority to Ordain Change and Abolish Ceremonies and Rites Ordained onely by mans Authority so that all things be done to Edifying And for Particulars search the Canons of our Church made Anno Dom. 1603. where in the 30th Canon the lawful use of the Cross in Baptism is fully Explained thus That it is no part of the Substance of that Sacrament being used addeth nothing to the Perfection and Vertue of Baptism nor being omitted detracteth any thing from the Effect and Substance of it but is used onely as Primitively as a Lawful outward Ceremony and Honourable Badge whereby the Infant is Dedicated to the Service of him that died upon the Cross And for Decency of Apparel Injoyned to Ministers in Can. 74. thus All which Particulars concerning Apparel prescribed our meaning is not to Attribute any Holiness or special Worthiness to the said Garments but for Decency Gravity and Order Now if you find in the General Doctrine of our Church which is Visible and ought to be in Charity the Rule of Judging Particulars that she doth not onely disclaim those Superstitious Grounds but doth farther declare The Grounds of such General Imposition of all these Ceremonies to be onely in a Civil manner to be Imposed for Distinction Order Decency and Uniformity and not for any Religious Opinion that they put in them you have little Reason to be Jealous or Suspicious of any ill meaning in your Governours to whom you owe Charity which thinketh no Evil as well as Obedience and Submission Here you see fully and plainly that Christian Libertie is not against the Duty and Obedience which we owe to our Governours and Lawful Magistrates but rather Tieth us in things Indifferent Lawful and not Contrary to the Words of God to all kind of Duty to all our Lawful Governours To Fathers to Masters to Husbands to Pastours to Magistrates Kings and Rulers and by the strongest Bonds of Obedience Of Wrath as the Scripture speaketh Of Conscience and for the Lords sake Thus I have done my Indeavour to give Satisfaction I speak as to Wise Understanding Rational and Moderate Men Free from Passion Prejudice and strong Affections to Judge aright of things You know that Innovations are dangerous either in Church or State It was an approved saying of Seneca that Divine Heathen of Old Non expedit Concutere Faelâ—cem Statum It is neither the part of a Wise Man nor yet accounted Safe to shake or disquiet a well setled State Nay Remember that Old Rule in Policy of State Malum bene positum non est movendum An evil as onely Inconvenient being placed well is not to be Removed It is no Wisdome if a Stone stand a little out of square in a great Building by Pulling it out to indanger the Fall weakning or shakeing the whole Frame An Inconvenience is better then a Mischief If it could be found and proved that there were some Errours in this Book of Common Prayer If they be small they might be borne with If they be such as some may Judge them not to be Tolerable yet they may be Corrected and Amended and not the whole Frame pulled down But we may make that Challenge to all our Adversaries which Mr. Deering in a Book called A sparing restraint c. doth against Mr. Harding Look if any Line be blameable in our Service and take hold of your Advantage I think Mr. Jewell will accept it for an Article Our Service is good and Godly Every tittle grounded upon Holy Scriptures and with what Face do you call it Darkness If this Book should now be put down after so many years Continuance in our Realm and a New Form set up to satisfie the Scruples and Fancies of some Self-conceited people who are never long content with any thing Think what sad Consequences would follow upon it The Papists would and might Triumph and Insult that our Church is Corrupt and Impure and hath been full of Errours and Corruptions from the first Beginning and from the first Foundation of it the putting down of it upon such an account must needs be a Confession and Acknowledgement of Errours in it to all the world The Non Conformists They would also crie out and seeming Just that they have been wrongfully Presented all this while onely because they would not Submit and Subscribe to Errours And the Common people would generally take a New Liturgy to be a New Religion Thus that weighty saying of St. Augustine would fall upon us Ipsa Mutatio Consuetudinis etiam quae adjuvat Utiliâ—ate Novitate perturbat The very Novelty of such a Change would more offend then the Profit of it would do Good Reason well tell us if this be yeelded to the same Reproof must justly come upon Our Liturgy of Variety Uncertainty Unconstancy which Dr. Suâ—cliffe in his Book De Missa chargeth truely upon the Romane Missal and what Obloquie and Reproach will this Occasion to us and to our Religion But to cleer Our Book from all such Aspersions and to Confirm the Perfection of it we have the Testimony of that Learned and Glorious Martyr Dr. Rowland Taylour given above a Hundred years agoe Who as Mr. Fox Recordeth in his Examination Jan. 22. Anno Dom. 1555. before Bishop Gardiner then Lord Chancelour and other Commissioners spake thus There was saith he set forth by the most Innocent King Edward for whom God be praised everlastingly the whole Church Service with great deliberation and the Advice of the best Learned in the Realm and Authorized by the whole Parliament and Received and Published gladly by the whole Realm which Book was never Reformed but Once and yet by that One Reformation was so fully Perfected according to the Rules of our Christian Religion in every behalf that no Christian Conscience could be Offended with any thing therein Contained Here you have his Judgement not onely of the Perfection of this Book of Common Prayer but also of the very first Making and Composing of this Book who doubtless knew the Truth and spake the Truth For this was spoken by him within
Four years if you Examine the time after this Book was made and Confirmed by that Act of Parliament of King Edward the Sixth So that no man can truely say or Judge that this Book of Common Prayer is Popery or was taken out of the Popish Mass Book much less that it was the Mass Book Translated Seeing it was set forth by King Edward as he affirmeth made with great Deliberation and the Advice of the best Learned of the Realm For all the World will acknowledge and bear witness that King Edward and his Divines were no Papists but the great and onely Opposers of Popery Opposing it strongly and stoutly to the Death the most of them suffering as Martyrs and Sealing our Religion with their Blood I will Conclude with the Answer of our English Divines which were at Stransburge to their English Brethren at Frankeford who were all forced by Queen Mary Anno Dom. 1554. for their Religion to fly beyond Sea to save their lives They at Frankford being friendly Entertained submitted too easily to the Orders of the Churches there used and did not onely leave off Our Communion Book then so called our Book of Common Prayer themselves and the Orders of the Church of England but wrote to their Brethren of Stransburge perswading them to Joyn with them and to do the like But they of Stransburge wisely considering the Inconveniences which would fall upon it if they did Consent unto them upon mature Deliberation Resolved to keep still the Orders and Liturgy of the Church of England and not to Change sending their Answer dated Novemb. 28. Subscribed with Sixteen Hands in these Words This were say they to Condemne the Authors of this our Book of Common Prayer who most of them Suffered as Martyrs It would give Occasion to our Adversaries to Accuse our Doctrine of Imperfection and us of Mutability To make the Godly to Doubt in that Truth wherein before they were perswaded And to Hinder their Coming hither which before they had purposed Think seriously of these things Do the Martyrs no wrong Do our Church our Religion no wrong Do the Godly Living and Dead no wrong Do your Selves no wrong Remember the Story which Josephus Relateth in his Fift and Sixth Book De Bellâ— Judaico Of those who called themselves Zelotae among the Jews pretending much to Religion who when Vespatians Army came up against Jerusalem took upon them to stand for the maintenance of their Religion to defend the City and especially to preserve the Temple But by their Dissentions between them and Simon and John who all pretended to defend the Temple they were the Chief and onely cause and occasion of Burning the Temple down much against the mind of Titus the Emperour their Enemy who desired to save it and Laboured what he could with his Souldiers to quench the Fire and to preserve the Temple though all in vain But they all pay'd dear at last and perished miserably in the end You know what they of Athens said of their Divisions Auximus Philippum Dissentionibus Nostris We have much Increased the power of Philip King of Macedon our great Adversary by our Dissentions and what can we expect to be the Issue of our unhappy Differences but the Strengthning and Increasing of the Power and Malice of our Adversaries against us and in the End without Gods Mercy the utter Ruine and Destruction both of our selves and of our Religion Let there be no Strife I pray thee saith Abraham to Lot Gen. 13. between thee and me between thy Herdsmen and my Herdsmen for we are Brethren Abraham fearing the danger of Division though the Elder and Better yet Submitteth himself for Peace goeth to Lot his Nephew and offereth any Conditions for Peace we should remember that we all professe our selves to be the Children of Abraham we are Brethren we should herein Imitate Abraham our Father Submit one to another for Peace loose any thing rather then Peace and not take Offence at every thing making a Difference Breach and Disturbance about Trifles things of so poor and small concernment but think upon the danger of Contention and take the Apostles Counsel Rom. 14. 19. Let us follow after the things which make for Peace that as Rom. 15. 6. we may with one mind and one mouth Glorifie God and may all Indeavour to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace FINIS
Book of Martyrs that when Bishop Latymer and Ridley were brought to the stake to be burnt for our Religion Mr. Latymer spoke these words to Bishop Ridley Be of good Comfort Mr. Ridley and play the man we shall this day by Gods grace Light such a Candle in England as I trust shall never be put out again This Candle by Gods mercy hath burnt hitherto and by his blessing if our sins do not hinder may continue and never be put out again Mr. Bagshaw who made a strong Speech in the beginning of our late Long-Parliament against our Bishops to bring them all into a Premunire for their late Canons then made and exceeding and going beyond their Commission according to Law giveth this honourable testimony of the Martyrs who first stood for our Religion in the Commendation of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge that William Sawtree was Martyrum Primus Ridley Martyrum Doctissimus and Bradsord Martyrum Piissimus yet all these stout Champions for the truth who were the very Pillars to bear up our Religion must be cryed up by these young men for Papists and this Book of Common-prayer their Work for Popery This cannot but shew a great deal of Pride and Ignorance Had these men been well bred at the Schools of the Prophets brought up at the University their full time and tarried at Jericho till their Beards were grown they would have had more Humility Modesty Wisdom and Discretion 2. For the several particulars of this Book which are either by the Ignorant Curious and prying wits of our Age or by the prejudiced Affections of men excepted against it were endless to examine all some being meer Punctilio's and Trifles not worth an answer The substance of all besides Te Deum Benedicte Gloria Patri The three Creeds the Apostles Creed the Nicene Creed and the Athanasian Creed and the prayers there set are all Canonical Scripture which cannot be excepted against neither can any alledge and prove any thing in it to be Repugnant and contrary to the word of God only they stand upon these or such like scruples The chief exceptions which are made against this our Book of Common prayer are these 1. Against many Words Phrases of Speech wrong Translations and hard expressions in it 2. Against the set and Select Chapters called Lessons and the Epistles and Gospels appointed 3. Against the Responds and Answers of the Clerk 4. Against the Shotness and Multitude of our Prayers 5. Against the several Gestures prescribed the standing up at the Creed the bowing at the Name of our Lord Jesus kneeling at the Lords Supper 6 Against the Idolizing of this Book and clogging it with Popish Ceremonies which are against our Christian Liberty In all these we shall endeavour to give satisfaction to reasonable and moderate men by shewing the true Grounds and Reasons of them all in order Obj. There be many unfitting Words Phrases of Speech Corrupt Versions wrong Translations and hard Expressions in this Book of Common-prayer Answ We do acknowledge many passages in it have been excepted against yet of small Concernment if they had been favourably and charitably construed Exception hath been taken at the first Sentence At what time soever a sinner doth repent c. as there is no health in us in the Confession of sins at Te Deum Benedicte the praying part of the Letany by the Clerk and people at words in the Communion with Angels and Arch-angels after the Communion in the prayers which for our unworthiness we dare not and for our blindness cannot ask vouchsafe to give us for the worthiness of thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord at the words in Baptism that Infants may receive Remission of sins by spiritual Regeneration at words in the Rubrick after Confirmation before the Catechism that Children baptized are undoubtedly saved though they had not Confirmation at the curses in the Commination then at many passages in the reading Psalms which are according to the old Translation Psa 28. 9. Psa 37. 38. Psa 38. 8. Psa 68. 6. Psa 105. 28. Psa 107. 40. Psa 125. 3. Then at the Epistles and Gospels being after the old Translation at some words in John 2. being the Gospel for the second Sunday after the Epiphany at words in Gal. 4. The Epistle on the fourth Sunday in Lent in Phil. 2. the Epistle on Palm Sunday and in Eph. 3. the Epistle on the 16th Sunday after Trinity But the greatest exception of all was at the words of Burial We commit his body to the ground Earth to Earth Ashes to Ashes Dust to Dust in sure and certain hope of Resurrection to eternal life These words indeed at the first sight or sound of them To be spoken of all indifferently without any distinction though their Lives had been never so bad and loose might seem somewhat strange and harsh to many an honest and well-meaning man who did not understand them aright or know the Grounds or Reasons of them 1. If you mark the words well it is not said in sure and certain hope of his or her Resurrection to eternal Life as in particular Reverence to the party deceased but the words are spoken in general In sure and certain hope of Resurrection to eternal life that is of a Resurrection to eternal life or as it is now Corrected and set down in the Book in sure and certain hope of the Resurrection to eternal Life To shew that we Christians do believe that there is a Resurrection to eternal life and that we bury our dead in a strong hope and faith that we and all true believers shall rise again to eternal life In doubtful Speeches charity should take the best construction and fairest interpretation and not pervert the meaning of the words 2. If they will not be perswaded but that it was meant by the Church as they take it and will apply it in reference to the party deceased yet this at most is but the charity of our Church and you know what the Apostle Saint Paul speaketh of charity 1 Cor. 13. 5. Charity thinketh no evil believeth all things hopeth all things covereth a multitude of faults we have no warrant in Scripture as far as I find to judge censure or condemn any man especially for his final end though he lived never so loosely he might have grace for ought we know to repent before his death but rather command to the contrary Luke 6. 37. Judge not and you shall not be judged condemn not and ye shall not be condemned Again Rom. 14. 4. Who art thou that condemnest another mans Servant He standeth or falleth saith the Apostle to his own Master And this charity is grounded upon more Reason then every one understandeth if we consider the constitution of the Government of our Church the strictness of Discipline that was set up and executed and the temper and condition of the people of those times you will find both Reason and Equity in it The Government set up was