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book_n	common_a	prayer_n	rite_n	2,290	5	10.0209	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A69915	A plea for the Non-Conformists giving the true state of the dissenters case, and how far the Conformists separation from the Church of Rome, for their Popish superstitions and traditions introduced into the service of God, justifies the Non-Conformists separation from them for the same : in a letter to Dr. Benjamin Calamy, upon his sermon, called, Scrupulous conscience, inviting hereto : to which is added, A parallel scheme of the pagan, papal and Christian rites and ceremonies : with a narrative of the sufferings underwent for writing, printing and publishing hereof / by Thomas De Laune.	De Laune, Thomas, d. 1685.; Danson, Thomas, d. 1694.; De Laune, Thomas, d. 1685. Eikōn tou thēriou.; De Laune, Thomas, d. 1685. Narrative of the sufferings of Thomas Delaune.	1684 (1684)	Wing D893; Wing D891; Wing D892; ESTC R12757	93,215	122

burt in them yet are so offensive and dreadful to such Persons that they fly from them as they would from a Tyger or Bear and avoid them as they would do the Plague or Poyson Just thus do some men run out of the Church at the sight of a Surplice as if they had been soar'd by the Apparition of a Ghost A late piece call'd A Resolution of Conscience c. supposed to be Dr. Mores affirms thus much 1. That the Government of our Church by Bishops 2. The Liturgy or Set forms of Prayer Admin●stration of Sacraments 3. Certain Rites of the Church particularly the Surplice the Cross in B●ptism the Gesture of Kneeling at the Communion the Ring in Marriage the Observation of the Churches Holy days All which faith he I take for granted are Indifferent in their own Nature that there is nothing of Viciousness or Immorality in any of them to make them unlawfull I know no body saith he so unreasonable as not to Grant this Mr. William Allen in his late piece called Catholicism saith to the same purpose That the Ceremonies of the Church of England are not enjoyned as things of Divine Appointment but only as of an Indifferent Nature and therefore there is no reason to s●r●ple them And again saith That the Ceremonies and Service of the Church or use of things in or about Gods Worship which are not of the Essence of it nor ●s'd under the Nation of being Commanded by God but professedly used as things Indifferent in their own Nature and only as matters of humane 〈◊〉 cannot justly be charged to be false Worship The Author of the Portestant Reconciler tells us That it is 〈…〉 the Church of England that the Ceremonies used 〈…〉 by that Church Imposed on her Members are in their own 〈◊〉 things Indifferent thus saith he In the Preface to the Book of Common Prayer it is determined that the particular forms of Divine Worship and the Rites and Ceremonies to be used therein are in 〈◊〉 own Nature things Indifferent Dr. Stillingfleet and many more spake the same thing So that by Indifferent they would have us to understand things of a Middle Nature that are neither good or bad of themselves otherwise then as injoyned for Order or Prudence by Superiors and alterable at pleasure therefore King James opposeth them to Necessary things which are enjoyned by positive Scripture and so the Protestant Reconciler Defines them telling us thus The Ceremonies which are Imposed by our Church as they have nothing sinfull in their Nature for which Inferiors should Refuse submission to them so have they nothing of real goodness nothing of positive Order Decency or Reverence for which they ought to be Commanded This we are told in words and pretence the better to gild the Pill to make it go down the glibber but if you look more narrowly into the matter you will find that you your selves as well as the Dissenters have justly another sense of them and that the Church of England does both use and Impose them as necessary things whatever they import in their own nature For First are they not things Consecrated and Dedicated to holy uses in the worship and service of God which makes them cease to be Indifferent Hooker saith F●astival dayes are Cloathed with outward Robes of Holiness and that places and times of Divine Worship are so too and the Cross a holy Sign Dr. Burges saith Ceremonies may be called the Worship of God the Professors of Leyden call only such things persons times and places holy as are Consecrated and Dedicated to God but so in their Esteem and our also is their Dioce●an Episcopacy and Priesthood their Churches Liturgies Kneeling Bowing Crossing Festivals Ecclesiastical Courts and Excommunications c. Secondly They are not Indifferent but necessary things in your esteem as appears by the Declaration of 〈◊〉 Commissioners at the Savoy upon the King 's first 〈…〉 over-ruling the Arguments of their Dissenting 〈◊〉 ●leading for Reformation and Tenderness which say● 〈…〉 Apostle hath Commanded that all things be done 〈…〉 there may be conformity let there be 〈◊〉 a 〈…〉 that purpose and thence they inferr'd that 〈…〉 will move to pity and relieve those that 〈◊〉 truly 〈◊〉 and scrupulous that we must not break Gods Command● 〈◊〉 Charity to them and therefore we must not perform publick services indec●ntly and disorderly for the sake of tender Consciences And all this said to justifie the Refusal to abate the Imposition of Ceremonies especially those three then contended about Surplice Sign of the Cross and Kneeling at the Communion So that here they are made necessary and a Command of God urg'd to inforce them viz. That things be done decently and in order though by the way no other Command then Bellarmine urges to Establish the whole Popish Service and Ceremonies of the Church of Rome viz. by this Precept of the Apostle And thirdly Do not they as necessary things Impose and inforce them with all severity imaginable by Excommunications of Dissenters thereby knocking the Fly on the Neighbours head with a Hatchet to the knocking out his Brains as saith Dr. Taylor destroying them in their Liberties Estates yea Lives also which surely must not be for trifles but necessary things Yet so hardy and hold to do all this as the Protestant Reconciler worthily observes to them to the Reproaching the wisdom and faithfulness of Christ and the Primitive Churches for want of such decency and order for they had no such The Wisdom of the Church of England who have declared that their Rites and Ceremonies are in their own Nature things Indifferent and may be alter'd and changed as also that they had their Beginning from the Institution of Man The Wisdom of King James and King Charles who have both of them declared them to be esteemed unnecessary as being but indifferent things and not Commanded by God and therefore alterable at pleasure But especially saith our Author hereby become guilty of adding to the Word of God of Will-worship of teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of men of Imposing these things as necessary parts of Worship and so of worshipping God in vain as 〈…〉 will appear by what the best Assertors of the 〈…〉 of the Church of England have declared in this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mr. Faulkner's Assertion in saying hereupon We 〈◊〉 the Word of God when we teach any thing to be commanded or forbidden by the Law of God which indeed is not there commanded or forbidden And Bishop S●nderson That then men teach for Doctrines the Commandments of men when they teach any thing to be absolutely unlawful which God hath not forbidden in his Word and if any man shall wear a Surplice or Kneel or Cross with an opinion of necessity and for Conscience-sake towards God as though God's service could not be rightly performed without them yea although the Church had not performed them doubtless the

ordinary in the Greek Church because not only Constantine the Great the Son of Helena a zealous Christian but also Gregory Nazianzen who was the Son of a Christian Bishop and brought up long by him was not baptized till he came to years as is saith he related in his Life Daille the learned French-man tell us That in ancient times they often deferred the Baptism of Infants as appeareth saith he by the History of Constantine Theodos●us Valentinian Gratian and in St. Ambrose and also by the Orations of Gregory Nazianzen and St. Basil on this subject And some of the Fathers have been of opinion that it is ●it it should be deferr'd But whence is it saith he that the very mentioning hereof is scarce to be endured at this day Vse of the Fathers l. 2. p. 149. Dr. Field saith That very many that were born of Christian Parents besides those that were converted from Paganism put off their Baptism for a long time insomuch that many were made Bishops before they were baptized On the Church p. 729. Mr. Baxter a great Asserter and Defender of Infant-Baptism doth ingenuously own after his long search into Antiquity thus much I will confess that the words of Tertullian and Nazianzen shew that it was long before all were agreed of the very time or of the necessity of baptizing of Infants before any use of Reason in case they were like to live to Maturity More Proofs p. 279. As for Baptizing Infants with Sureties Fidejussors or Gossips as the Liturgy enjoyns and such an Essential part of the Ordinance owning that the baptized Persons are required to repent and believe and that Infants are capable 〈◊〉 do neither but that they do both by their Sureties appears also if the learned are to be credited to be no less a Novelty as the Centurists declare Magd. Cent. 4. cap. 6 p. 419. De susceptoribus certi nihil Invenias that is you can find nothing certain of Godfathers in that Age. But that it came in the 5th Century Cen. 5. c. 4. p. 656. Adhibitos interdum susceptores sou Patrinos ex Autoribus hujus temporis liquet that is the Authors of the 5th Century mention Sureties or Godfathers Upon which Dr. Taylor saith I know God might if he would have appointed Godfathers to give Answer in the behalf of Children and to be Fidejussors for them but we cannot find any authority or ground that he hath and if he had that it is to be supposed he would have given them Commission to have transacted the solemnity with better Cir●umstances and have given Answers with more Truth for the Question is ask'd of Believing in the present and if the Godfather answers in the Name of the Child I DO BELIEVE it is Notorious they speak false and ridiculous for the Infant is not capable of Believing and if he were he were also capable of dissenting and how then do they know his mind And thefore saith he Tertullian and Nazianzen gave advice that the baptizing of Infants should be deferr'd till they could give an account of their own Faith Walafridus Strabo who lived about the year 840. saith De rebus eccl c. 26. That in the first times the grace of Baptism was wont to be given to them only who were come to that Integrity of mind and body that they could know and understand what profit was to be gotten by Baptism what was to be confessed and believed what lastly was to be observed by them that are new-born in Christ and confirms it by Austin's own Confession of himself continuing a Catechumen long before he was baptized But afterwards saith he Christians understanding Original Sin and least their Children should perish without any means of Grace had them he saith baptized by the decree of the Council of Africa and then adds how Godfathers and Godmothers were invented Johannis Bohemius lib. 2. de Gent. Moribus saith It was in times past the Custom to administer Baptism only to those that were instructed in the Faith and seven times in the week before Easter and Penticost catechiz'd but afterwards when it was thought and adjudged needful to eternal Life to be baptized it was ordained that New-born Children should be baptized and Godfathers were appointed who should make Confession and Renounce the Devil on their behalf As for the Liturgy it is another thing than can be found among the Antients Is it not clear that in the 3d Century they had no Directory or Book to pray by as Tertullian in his Apology mentions We look up to Heaven with our hands stretched forth as being innocent and bear-headed as not ashamed to make our Prayers sine Monitore without a Directory as coming from the free motion of our own hearts Platina tells us that in Celestine's time there was no other parts of the Mass but the Reading of the Epistles and ●ospels which was Anno 435. Platina in Celest 1. Justin Martyr in the second Century fully sheweth the manner of Christian Service in his time The Ancient Christians saith he had their Meetings on the Sunday they began with Prayers for the Church especially for the Inlightend which were baptized then the Writings of the Prophets and Apostles are read as time permits then a Sermon unto the People and exhorts them all unto the Imitation of the best things then all do rise up and pour forth their prayers again when their prayers are ended Bread and Wine mixed with Water are brought forth which being taken he who hath the Charge goeth before the People with an earnest voice in praising God and thanksgiving and the People do answer with a loud voice Amen Then the Deacons divide the holy Signs unto them all which are present and carry the same unto the absent this saith he we call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thanksgiving whereof none may partake unless he believe the true Doctrine and be washed in the laver unto Regeneration and Remission of sins and live so as Christ hath directed After this is a gathering of Alms. And p. 7. He who instructed the People prayed according to his ability Here was no Liturgy or Common Prayers mentioned Walafrid Strabo who wrote in the 9th Century saith in his Book de Rebus Ecclesiae All which is done now with a multitude of Prayers Lessons Songs and Cons●●rations which the Apostles and those who next followed them did with prayers and remembrance of the Lords sufferings even as he commanded Socrates saith That among all the Christians in that Age scarce two were to be found that used the same words in Prayer Pope Gregory the first made a new form of Service which they call the Mass and did add many Ceremonies that were not in use before So that Platina saith The whole Institution of the Mass was Invented by him we in England had ours from Gregory who by his Minister Austin first founded the Church and introduced most

before the 25th year of his Age. 6. Archia-Diaconis offerens The Arch-Deacon presenting those who are to be promoted to the Order of Deacons each of them being decently habited unto the Bishop sitting in his Seat before the Altar saith Reverend Father 7. The Bishop shall ask Do you know them to be worthy The Arch-Deacon shall answer As much as humane Frailty suffers me to know I know and tes●ifie that they are worthy 8. The Bishop shall speak to the Clergy and People If any one hath ought against these Persons let him come forth and with Confidence speak for God and before God 9. Lastly the Bishop takes and delivers to them all the Book of the Gospel saying Receive the power of reading the Gospel in the Church of God 10. The Bishop shall say the Ministers and Chaplains answering Lord have mercy upon us O God the Father of Heaven have mercy upon us O God the Son Redeemer of the World have mercy upon us that it may please thee to bless sanctifie and consecrate these Elect. R. We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. 11. They sing one and the same Hymn only the one is in Latine the other in English Veni Creator Spiritus Mentes tuarum visita c. 12. The Bishop shall lay his hands upon the head of each of them kneeling upon their knees before him saying to every one Receive the Holy Ghost whose sins thou dost forgive they are forgiven and whose sins thou dost retain they are retained 13. The Peace of God be always with you the Blessing of God Almighty the Father Son and holy Ghost descend upon you English Pontificial 1. WE daclare That no Deacons or Ministers be Ordained but only upon the Sundays immediately following Jejuna quatuor temporum commonly call'd Ember-weeks Co●sti● Can. Eccl. Can. 31. 2. And this be done in the Cathedral or Parish-Church where the Bishop resideth and in the time of divine Service in the presence not only of the Arch-Deacon but of the Dean Ibid. 3. And here it must be declared unto the Deacon that he must continue in that Office the space of a whole year except for reasonable causes it shall otherwise seem good unto the Bishop The Book of Ordering Priests and Deacons 4. The Bishop before he admit any Person to holy Orders shall diligently examine him in the presence of those Ministers that shall assist him at the Imposition of hands Can 35. 5. None shall be admitted a Deacon except he be 23 years of Age and every man which is admitted a Priest shall be full 24 years old The Preface to the manner and form of making Priests and Deacons 6. The Arch-Deacon or his Deputy shall present unto the Bishop sitting in his Chair near to the holy Table such as desire to be ordained Deacons each of them being decently habited saying these words Reverend Father 7. The Bishop shall say Take heed that the Persons whom you present unto us be apt and meet for their Learning The Arch-Deacon shall answer I have enquired of them and also examin'd them and think them so to be 8. Then the Bishop shall say to the People Brethren if there be any of you who knoweth any Impediment or notable Crime in any of these Persons let him come forth in the Name of God and shew what it is 9. Then the Bishop shall deliver to every one of them the New-Testament saying Take thee Authority to read the Gospel in the Church of God 10. The Bishop with the Clergy and People shall sing or say the Letany O God the Father of Heaven have mercy on miserable Sinners O God the Son Redeemer of the World have mercy on us that it may please thee to bless these thy Servants Respon We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. 11. They sing one and the same Hymn only the one is in Latine the other in English Come Holy Ghost our Souls inspire And enlighten with Celestial fire 12. The Bishop shall lay his hands severally upon the heads of every one that receive the Order of Priesthood the Receivers humbly kneeling upon their Knees and the Bishop saying Receive the Holy Chost whose sins thou dost forgive they are forgiven and whose sins thou dost Retain they are retained 13. The Peace of God And the blessing of God Almighty the Father Son and Holy Ghost be amongst you and remain with you always Of all which Progress not one word in all the New-Testament AND as a further Confirmation of our Symbolizing with Popery in our Rites and Service take a few Instances First That the Papists not only so long approv'd our Liturgy and kept their Communion in our Church in that Worship as before Remark't from Dr. More but also that the Popes themselves have offered to Confirm the same as Doctor Morton's Appeal discovers and that Pope Pius the 4 th and Gregory 13. offered to Queen Elizabeth to Confirm the English Liturgy as Camden in the Life of Queen Elizabeth testifies Dr. Boys produceth the Pope's Letter and Bristow's Approbation in his 39 th Motive And that the Jesuit Dr. Carryer saith That the Common Prayer and Catechism contain nothing contrary to the Romish Service Mountague asserts that our Service is the same in most things with the Church of Rome and that the Differences are not so great that we should make any separation Two famous Instances more we have mentioned in a Book called The Common prayer-Prayer-book Vnmasked p. 9. One of a Jesuit who coming not many years since to the Service at Pauls declared he lik't it exceeding well neither had he any Exception to it but that it was not done by their Priests The other that upon the Pope's Bull that Interdicted Queen Elizabeth Secretary Walsingham procured two Persons to come into England from the Pope to whom he shew'd the London and Canterbury Service in their Cathedrals in all the Pomp of it who thereupon declared that they wondred the Pope should be so ill informed and advised to interdict a Prince whose Service and Ceremonies so symboliz'd with his own and therefore returning to Rome they possess'd the Pope that they saw no Service Ceremonies or Orders in England but might very well serve in Rome whereupon the Bull was Recalled As to the taking of Collects out of the Mass-book 't is said by the Resolver p. 43. That if those prayers are good which he affirms to be very good then such a symbolizing he saith cannot make them bad To which it is Reply'd that the goodness or badness of Worship and Service as to the matter and form is to be measured not by our Fancies but the Rule of God's Word But we do not find any such pattern of shreds of Prayers or Collects to be said or sung though such things Pope Gregory found in the Ritual of Numa Pompilius which were said or sung in their Processions to their Gods The Al●aron Talmud and Apocripha may have as we suppose good things in

printed respecting a Doubtful Conscience has loudly enough call'd all such as were Dissatisfy'd about some Rites and Ceremonys to Examine the Reasons on both sides Others being silent I obey'd you in that particular not meerly to wrangle for the Encounter is unequal betwixt a Man so Eminent as you are and so mean a Person as I am but that an occassion may be given in compliance to what you desired to conclude Controversys of this nature If meerly for such Obedience I must be punished I know not how nor in what manner is there not a new way of conquering Scrupulous Consciences unheard of in the Holy Scriptures Started by some certain Ringleaders I purposed from Holy Writ and approved Writers to Examine what we ought to judg of these things From that light of our paths from that Lamhorn Psal 119. 105. I gathered some Reasons against those various and multiplied Errours which have crept into the Church For that only thing am I brought to a Prison where there is nothing amiable Whether Arguments of that kind will prevaile to prove the Suppositions in your Sermon Let the Supream Judg Determine Or whether any of the doubting persons can that way be Compelled into the Spiritual Sheep-fold judg you There 's nothing against the Kings Majesty nothing about the Civil Government nothing against the Peace of this Monarchy there asserted The only dispute is about the original of Rites and Ceremonys and of some things which under a shew of Truth though not Righteously are charged upon Doubting persons What the Court will do with me I know not the will of the Supreme Father be done Inward and outward peace in this and Everlasting Peace in the World to come to all such as worship the Saviour of mankind according to his word is Pray'd for by THO. DELAUNE I Desire you to Return me some Answer becoming a Divine by my Beloved Wife as you have promised To this Letter you answered by word of Mouth to my Wife for I had no answer in writing that you lookt upon your self Vnconcerned as not being mention'd in the sheets you saw with the Recorder To satisfy which doubt I sent you a Third Letter with the First sheet of the Book I am imprison'd for which was a plain Demonstration that it was an answer to your Call you know the Letter was thus January the 14th 1683. Sir Whereas in Answer to my two Letters you said to my Wife that my Papers no way concern'd you viz. Such as I am indicted for To satisfy you with respect to that matter I here send you the first Sheet and leave you to consider whether in pure generousity you are not oblig'd to procure a Prisoner whose Obedience to you made him so his liberty I am Sir your humble servant THO. DELAUNE I appeal to your Consience whether I had not some reason to expect some return to these Applications But I had none to any purpose and that too but in a few words by my wife I had some thoughts that you would have performed the Office of a Divine in visiting me in my place of Confinement either to Argue me out of my Doubts which your promis'd SCRIPTURE and REASON not a Mittimus and Newgate could easily do To the former I can yeild To the latter it seems I must This is a severe kind of Logick and will probably dispute me out of this World as it did Mr. Bampfield and Mr. Ralphson lately who were my dear and excellent Companions in Trouble and whose absence I cannot but bemoan as having lost in them a Society that was truly pious truly sweet and truly amiable But I hope the God of mercy will supply the want by a more immediate influence of Comfort then what can be obtained at second hand On the tenth of December two Bills were found against Mr. Ralphson and me by the Grand-jury of London whose Names are as followeth Tho. Vernon Tho. Goddard Will. Gore Will. Wills Rand. Manning John Martin Richard How 's Tho. Hodges Joseph Woolhead Josias Ewth John Paine William Fazakerly Jos Sparrow Joh. Reendal David Pool Ri. Beauchamp Rob. Minories On the 13 th day of the same Month we were called to the Sessions-House in the Old-Bayly And then our Indictments were read in English to which we pleaded not Guilty We desired Copies of the said Indictments and time to make our Defence till next Sessions which the Court after some pause granted The substance of the Indictment against me was thus Iuratores pro Domino Rege supar Sacram suum presentant quod Tho Delaune nuper Delondon Gener ligeanc su c. In plain English thus as to the material part of it The Jurors for our Lord the King upon their Oath Present that Thomas Delaune late of London Gent. Not regarding his due Allegeance but contriving and intending to disquiet and disturb the peace and common Tranquillity of this Kingdom of England c. To bring the said Lord the King into the greatest hate and contempt of his Subjects Machinating and farther intending to move stir up and procure Sedition and Rebellion and to disparage and Scandalize the Book of Common Prayer c. On the 30th day of November in the 35th of the King at London in the parish of St. Botolph without Bishops Gate in the Ward of Bishops-Gate aforesaid by Force and Armes c. Vnlawfully Seditiously and Maliciously did Write Print and Publish and Caused to be Written Printed and Published a certain False Seditious and Scandalous Libel of and concerning the said Lord the King and the Book of Common Prayer aforesaid Intituled a Plea for the NONCONFORMISTS In which said Libel are contained these false Fictions and Scandalous sentences following viz. The Church of Rome and England also are great Transgressors to presume to vary from Christs precept in altering or adding to the form of words exprest by Christ in this 11 of Luke for so they have done They say forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them who trespass against us when there are nosuch words in Christ prayer his words are forgive us our Sins or Debts for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us and says the Indictment again in another part of the said Libell are contained these false Fictions Seditious and scandalous Sentences following viz. And may we not say that in these following particulars we do Symbolize with Idolatrous Rome herein First by injoyning and imposing this here the Indictment makes an Innuendo viz. Meaning the Book of Common Prayer aforesaid as a set form as they do with penaltys contrary to the Scripture Secondly by an often Repetition of the same form in the same exercise three or or four times at least in so much that in Cathedrall Churches it is said or sung ten or twelve times a day contrary to Christs Express words that when we pray we do not make vain Repetitions as the Heathens doe for they think they shall be heard for their

not able to pay the Fine lost by obedience to your publick Call Sir I must tell you plainly that you discover'd in your very dedication to Sr. Gorge Jefferies now chief Justice a kind of Doubt to say no more Respecting your Cause You say there P. 2. Ep. Ded. How many it viz. your Sermon will anger and displease I am not at all concerned and tho I may be thought by some ill advised in publishing such a Sermon yet every one will commend and justify my discretion in prefixing your name before it For so great an awe have the Enemys of our Church and Government of your Loyalty and Fidelity to both that they will Not dare Loudly to condemn what you are pleased to Protect they will be justly Affraid of Quarrelling with me when they know I have Engaged you on my side From these Expressions I must conclude If you are in earnest that you care not how much you offend your weak Brother The Apostle Paul was of another mind Rom. 15. 1. c. We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmitys of the weak and not to please our selves let every one of us please his Neighbour for his good to Edification Pray consider this and what follows in the same Chapter And 1 Cor. 8. 12. But when you sin so against the Brethren and wound their weak Consciences ye sin against Christ ver 13. Wherefore if meat make my Bro her to offend I will eat no flesh while the World standeth lest I make my Brother to offend And 1 Thes 5. 14. the same Evangelical Doctor exhorts you To Comfort the feeble minded Support the weak and to be patient toward all men And Gal. 6. 1. To restore the faulty in the Spirit of Meekness What a Superlative what a true Christian Complyance is here Worth the imitation of the Guides of your Church This Apostle would rather make a perpetual fast from flesh then offend his Weak Brother And I am apt to think no flourishes of Pulpit-Rhetorick ever drop't from him to grieve his Weak Brethren and that he never shrouded his writings or preachings under the terrible Patronage of such men as you Represent Sr. Gorge Jefferies to be I have a kind of fancy that your said Patron now Lord Chief Justice as he is a Gentleman in Eminent place and of a piercing Judgement Srong Memory and of fluent Oratory could not but look through the Superficial Addresses of that Dedication In the second place a Man so dignified as he is must certainly take it as an affront to his title of Lord Chief Justice that you should say that men will be Justly affraid of quarrelling with you when they know you have Engaged him on your side That same word Affraid denotes a Champion-like Courage in you that no body should dare to come near you and withal a Reflection on the justice of your Patron that he will take your part Right or Wrong As to the word Quarrelling I know no body that has assaulted you in any more perillous Attaque then in Examining the Merits of the Cause as you Preached and by the same Sermon transfigur'd from the Press invited men to do No Force and Arms were used against you by me but Pen Ink and a few Papers The Indictment makes this a very formidable kind of Artillery But to bring the matter a little closer I must desire you will please to take notice of this Hainous Charge given in against me and how made good in the Indictment and how severely handled both by the Juryes and Court thereupon The charge as you have heard is for intending to disturb the Publick Peace To bring the King into the greatest Hate and Contempt of his Subjects to stir up and procure Sedition and Rebellion a high and Heinous Charge indeed But how is this made good viz. By my disparaging the Book of Common Prayer But how doth that appear viz. By the force of Arms used Vnlawfully Seditiously and Maliciously to Write Print and Publish a Seditious and Scandalous Libel Concerning our Lord the King and the Book of Common Prayer Intituled A Plea for the Nonconformists But wherein doth it appear by any thing which is writ in that Book that this Hainous Charge is made good viz. By their pregnant instances produced out of the Book expressed in the Indictment The which therefore since we must suppose they are the most Hainous and Dangerous passages to be found therein and most proper and significant to make good the Charge I shall for your information and that you may the better judge how the Charge is proved against me give you the intire paragraph out of which the instances were picked which I must beg the justice of you to Read which I could not with all my Entreatys Obtain of the Court tho so necessary as you 'l find to come to the right sence and for greater Illustration I shall distinguish the instances of the Indictment in a different Character know therefore that I having in the Plea for the Nonconformists from p. 14. at your desire been giving an account what the Nonconformists Answer to that great Objection that all things they scruple in the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church are not Popish Novelties but of Primitive Antiquity as you say and having distinctly gone through most of them giving their Reasons why they are not of Primitive Antiquity but of Popish Novelty and containd in the Mass-Book This Objection came to be started p. 40. But what do you say to the Lords Prayer must we forbear that too because we find it in the Mass-Book tho so publickly injoyn'd by Christ to use it as a stinted form Luke 11. 2. That when we pray we should say Our Father c. To which the Nonconformists say that it is a great mistake to suppose that Christ hereby in this Scripture has appointed this to be a set form to be prayd by all in these prescript words when we pray unto God for then it would be unlawfull to use any other words then these herein expressed in our prayers and that the Disciples and Apostles sinned in using other words in those their prayers we read of in Scripture and so does the Church of England in forming so many Collects and Prayers And. p. 41. 42. Secondly The Church of Rome and England are great Transgressors to presume to vary from Christ precepts in altering or adding to the form of words expressed by Christ in this 11 Luke For so they have done they say Forgive us our Trespasses as we forgive them who Trespass against us when there are no such words in Christs Prayer his words are forgive us our Sins our Debts opheilemata for we also forgive every one that is Indebted to us Which saith the Indictment are false sictious and scandalous sentences but it shews not wherein And also the Doxology which is not in this Prayer in Lake 11. viz. For thine is the Kingdom

heard them in English Some alterations were made afterwards in the 2 d of Edw 6. and some by Q Elizabeth and some few by King James but the Body and Essentials of it continued and was preserved for so faith K. Charles the 2 d. In his Preface to the Common-Prayer annext to the Act of Uniformity in these words That we find that in the Reigns of several Princes since the Reformation the Church upon just and weighty Considerations her thereunto moving hath yielded to make such alterations in some particulars as in their respective times were thought convenient yet so as the main Body and Essentials of it as well in the chiefest materials as in the frame and order thereof have still continued the same unto this day and do yet stand firm and unshaken notwithstanding all vain attempts and impetuous assaults made against it by such MEN AS ARE GIVEN TO CHANGE In Confirmation whereof you have the testimony of King James as Mr. Calderwood in his History of the Church of Scotland informs us who tells us that King James in the 8th Session of the General Assembly held at Edenburgh Aug. 4. 1590. said these words in his Speech to them viz The Kirk of Geneva keep Pasch and Yule whereof no Constitution And as for our Neighbour Kirk of England their Service is an evil said Mass in English they want nothing of the Mass but the liftings but that the Kirk of Scotland was the sincerest in the World So that you have the Acknowledgment and Grant of three Kings to the truth hereof that the publick Worship and Service of the Protestant Church of England contained in the English Liturgy and practised in the Church is the same in the main Body and Essentials chiefest Materials Frame and Order with that of the Popish and whoever will take the pains to search into the Popish Breviary Ritual Missal and Pontificial which four comprehend their whole Liturgy will find though there may be some alterations and variations in several particulars yet as the King grants the substance and chiefest materials and order is the same and that ours is taken out of theirs viz. Collects Mattins Eversongs Epistles Gospels Creeds Letanies Consecration Administration of Sacraments Baptism of Infants with Gossips to answer for them Kneeling at the Altar Confiteor Absolution Confirmation Burial Matrimony Visitation of the Sick Ordination of Arch-Bishops Bishops c. And which will appear particularly by what follows Dr. Moore in his Mystery of Iniquity ●ib 2. ch 22. p. 468 says thus For undoubtedly our Her●ieal Reformers did not as is the use of some act out of peevishnes● and spight and please their own humour and impetuosity of Spirit as being part of the chaste Spouse of Christ the true Apostolick Church the Mother of us all deals as a Mother with all those that profess themselves in any sense Children of Christ's Church and therefore would not have them divided more than needs whence it is that out of a spirit of Charity and tender Kindness she has in some things in themselves Indifferent what Indifferent things they are you have heard humbly condescended to symbolize with that lapsed Lady of Rome to bring off her abused Paramours to the pure Worship of God which Condescension as is well known took good effect for some space of Years and the Catholicks joyned in publick prayer and service with us and well they might being as our three Kings have granted so much their own only in the English tongue till that Harlot that makes nothing of having her Children divided forcibly rent off the English Roman Catholick from so reasonable and Christian a Communion and yet saith he does not our Church cease to use this charitable Courtship and sweet Condescension towards them still viz. yet symbolizing with her to win them off to such a Worship as is every way as graceful as their own Dr. Stillingfleet in his Irenicum speaks to this purpose viz. That the great reason why our first Reformers did so far comply with the Papists it was to gain and lay a bait for them and which he hopes was never intended to be a Hook for the Protestants Thirdly Will not the Symbolizing with Popery appear more particularly by comparing our Divine Service in the Common-Prayer and Rubrick with their Divine Service in their mass-Mass-book and Rubrick and how much we have taken them for our pattern and follow their direction in the particulars following viz. First In the time when Divine Service and publick Worship is to be performed Secondly In the Divine Service it self which is to be performed Thirdly In the Rites and Ceremonies performed in Divine Service and Worship First As to the times of Worship their Breviary and Kalendar do divide the year into Feasts Vigils Fasts and Working-days So do we take ours directly from them dividing our Kalendar by theirs both as to Feasts Vigils Fasts Working-days It is true they have more Feasts than we but all ours are found in theirs and taken from them as our Ritual makes manifest For Instance 1. Their Feasts are divided into Movables and fix'd So are ours Their Movable-Feasts and Holy days are Movable Feasts 1. Their Easter-day on which the rest depend is always the first Sunday after the first full Moon which happens next after the 21 st of March and if the full Moon happens upon a Sunday Easter-day is the Sunday after with a Vigil before So ours from them expresly 2. Their Advent-Sunday is always the nearest Sunday to the Feast of St. Andrew whether before or after and to four Sundays after So ours directly 3. Their Septuagesima-Sunday 9 Weeks before Easter So ours 4. Their Sexagesima-Sunday 8 Weeks before Easter So ours 5. Their Quinquagesima-Sund 7 Weeks before Easter So ours 6. Their Quadragesima-Sunday 6 Weeks before Easter So ours 7. Their Rogation-Sunday 5 Weeks after Easter So ours 8. Their Ascention-day is 40 Days after Easter So ours 9. Their Whitsunday with a Vigil 7 Weeks after Easter So ours 10. Their Trinity-Sunday is 8 Weeks after Easter So ours And 24 Sundays after Trinity 2. Their Fixed Feasts are as followeth viz. Fixed Feasts 1. The Circumcision of our Lord Jesus Christ the first of January 2. The Epiphany 6 January 3. Their Conversion of St. Paul 25 January 4. Their Purification of the blessed Virgin with a Vigil 2 February 5. Their St. Matthias 24 Feb. with a Vigil before it 6. Their Anunciation of the Virgin 25 March Vigil 7. Their St. Mark 25 April 8. Their St. Philip and Jacob 1 May. 9. Their St. Barnabas 11 June 10. Their Nativity of St. John Baptist 24 June and Vigil 11. Their St. Peter the 29 June Vigil 12. Their St. James the 25 July Vigil 13. Their St. Bartholomew 24 August and Vigil 14. Their St. Matthew 21 September Vigil 15. Their St. Michael 29 Sept So ours to which we add And all Angels 16. Their St. Luke 18

and to reduce them in unity Whitgift propounded three Articles to the Ministers by them to be Subscribed but adds Cambden 'T is ●●credible what Controversies and Disputations arose upon this what Troubles Whitgift suffered of certain Noble Men c. How the said Whitgift vexed the poor Dissenters what Letters were writ to him from the Counsel and Treasurer Cicil upon their complaints and his Answers you have at large in a late piece called the Harmony between the old and present Nonconformists some small abridgment thereof take as followeth not unworthy of your notice viz. in a Letter sent unto the Arch Bishop of Canterbury and Bishop of London from her Majesties Council September 20. 1584. We have heard of late times sundry complaints against a great number of Preachers whereby some were de●rived of their Livings some suspended from their Ministry and Preaching especially such who instruct the people against your Spiritual Courts advancing their profits by such kind of proceedings and particularly the lamentable estate of the Church in the County of Essex Where there is a great number of Zealous and Learned Preachers suspended from their Cures the vacancy of their place for the most part without any Ministry or Preaching Prayers and Saments and in some places of Certain appointed to those void Rooms being persons neither of Learning nor of good Names and in other places of the Country a great number notoriously unfit Chargable with Ignorance and with great enormous faults as Drunkenness filthiness of Life Gamsters at Cards hunting of Ale Houses and such like against whom we hear not of ●ny Proceedig but that they are quietly suffered to the Slander of the Church to the offence of good people yea to the famishing them for want of good teaching and thereby dangerous to the subverting of many Weaklings from their duties to God and Her Majesty by secret Jesuits and Counterfiet Papists c. And in a Letter to the Arch-Bishop by the Lord Treasurer Burleigh Dated July 5. 1584. it is said It may please your Grace I am sorry to Trouble you so often as I do But I am more Troubled my self not only with many private Petitions of Sundary Ministers Recommended from Persons of Credit for peaceable persons yet greatly Troubled but also am I dayly now Charged by Counsellers and Publick Persons to neglect my duty in not staying these your Graces Proceedings so vehement and so general against Ministers and Preachers as the Papists thereby are greatly Encouraged and evil dsposed persons animated and thereby the Queens Majesties Safety Endangered With these kind of Arguments I am dayly Assaulted and now my Lord I am come to the sight of an Instrument of 24 Articles of great length and Curiosity formed in a Romish Stile to Examine all manner of Ministers in this time without Distinction of persons Which Articles are Intituted A pud Lambeth May 1581. To be Executed ex officio mero c. Which Articles I find so Curiously Penned so full of Branches and Circumstances and I think the Inquisitors of Spain use not so many questions to Comprehend and to Trap their Preys I know the Canonists can defend these with all their Particles but surely under your Graces Correction This Judicial and Canonical Sifting of poor Ministers is not to Edify and Reform and in Charity I think they ought not to answer to all these Nice Points except they were very Notorious Offenders in Papistry or Heresy I write with the Testimony of a Good Conscience c. This kind of Proceeding is too much Savouring the Romish Inquisition and is rather a Device to seek for Offenders then to Reform any and in another Letter adds seeking rather by Excommunication to urge 〈◊〉 to Accuse themselves and then punish them The Arch-Bishop makes a large reply In it Saith thus I have taken upon me the defence of the Religion and Rites of this Church of England to appease the Sects of Schisms therein to Reduce all the Ministry thereof to Uniformity and due Obedience Herein I intend to be constant and not to Waver with every Wind The which also my place my person my duty the Law Her Majesty and the Goodness of the Cause doth Require of me and wherein your Lordship and Others all things considered ought in duty to Assist and Countenance me It is strange that a man in my place dealing with so good Warranties as I do should be so encountred and for not yielding should be accounted wilful but I must be Contented Vincit qui patitur And if my friends herein forsake me I trust God will not neither the Law her Majesty who hath laid the Charge on me and are able to protect me Many were the Severe Laws made against the Nonconformists which were put in Execution with Great Cruelty To the Suspending Imprisoning and Executing many of the Faithful Servants of Christ in this Queens Reign whereof Fuller in his Ecclesiastical History gives a particular Account The High Commision Court that grand Grievance Set up also by her In the next place I shall give you some Confirmation of the Truth of the prevalency of Popery under a Protestant Mask in the Rites and Ceremonies imposed in these and succeeding times by the witness Bourn by several Eminent Dissenters which we find upon Record in several Books viz. A Book called the Register another the Abridgment which was a Book Delivered to King James by the Ministers of Lincoln Diocess Anno 1605. In the Register page 3. We have the 24 Articles agreed in the Synod and Confirmed by the Queen Exhibited to Mr. Edward Dering and his Answers thereto Anno 1573. whereof Receive his Answer to the first Article The Article was whether the Book Intituled the Book of Common Service allowed by publick Authority in this Realm is to be allowed in the Church of God by Gods Word or no To which he replyed That The Similitude that this Book hath with the Form of Prayer which the Papists used I think declineth from the Equity of those Laws Deut. 7. 25 12 30 18 4. Which Thing our Fathers so much Regarded in the Primitive Church that their Books are full of great Complaints against all Similitude to be had with the Gentles yea the Second Council of Bracca made a Decree that no Christian should have either Bay-leaves or Green Boughs in their houses because the Gentles so Accustomed and at this day all Reformed Churches in France Polonia Helvetia Scotland and other places have changed that Form of Prayers which Prudency of all Ages if we shall Condemn the Rebuke of the Apostle I think will Teach us 1 Cor. 14. 36. Came the Word of God out from you or came it unto you only Secondly We have the Psalms Venite Benedictus Magnificat nunc Demittis usual in our Ministry of which we can give no good reason nor I see no cause why we should more leave out Ave Maria and because of parting the Scriptures again

Jews and Pagans To the same Purpose Mr. Greenham and Mr. Marbury That Agreeing with us most of the Reformed Divines do hold 1. That those Laws that we have Alledged out of the Old Testement against the Monument of Idolatry do bind us as much as they did the Jews and from them they Conclude as we have done That all Reliques of Popish and heathenish Superstition are to be Banished out of the Church of Christ of this Judgment are Calvin Martyr Grineus Wolphins Vrsinus Machabeus Zanchius Simetrus Zepperus our own Book of Homilies Dr. Fulk and others 2. That Hezekiah Josiah and the rest of the Godly Kings of Juda which shewed most Zeal in Abolishing those things which had been abused by Idolatry did no more then they were bound by the Law of God to do And that from their Example the Argument holds strong against the Monuments of Idolatry now because all Christians are Bound to Imitate their Zeal therein Of this Judgment was Augustin Calvin Martyr Wolphins Eevator Zanchius Bishop Jewil Bilson Dr. Fulck Dr. Raynold Dr. Andrews Mr Perkins and Others 3. That the Retaining of Popish Ceremonies will certainly be a means to indanger the Doctrine that we profess and to bring the People back to Popery this was the judgment of the People of Saxony and them of Humburgh and of Luther 4. That the Retaining of the Ceremonies of Idolaters will Cause them to insult over our Religion as if it could not stand without help from them and to harden them in their likeing of their own Idolatry this Reason hath bee used against Conformity with the Jews by Constantine the Emperor and by all the Fathers in the first Counsel of Nice and against Conformity with the Papists Begentiis Musculus Bishop Jewel and Others 5. We are Confirmed in this our Perswasion that it is unlawful to Retain the Ceremonies of the Papists by Experience of the Great hurt they have done and do Dayly in the Church for we find that some of the Learnedest of the English Papists Namely Martial Bristow and he that penned the petition for the Papists which Dr. Stutliff and Mr. Powel have Answered have by this Argument Justifyed their Church and Religion that we have borrowed our Ceremonies from them yea some of them as Harding Martial and he that Writ the Astrological Epistle for our English Papists have professed that this was to them an Evident Argument that Q. Elizabeth did in her Conscience like well of their Religion because She liked and maintained their Ceremonies and the Superstitious Multitude do usually defend the Blessing of themselves with Crossing their Breasts and Foreheads by our Crossing our Children in Baptism So far the Abridgment And to which we may add this further Testimony following viz. Altas Damas p. 612 613. tells us That from three Romish Channels was the English Service raked together namely 1st The Breviary out of which the Common-Prayers are taken 2dly The R●tual or Book of Rites out of which the Administration of Sacraments Burial Matrimony Visitation of the Sick are taken 3dly The Mass-Book out of which the Cons●cration of the Lords Supper Collects Gospels and Epistles are taken Bishop Hall in his Quo Vadis saith That his Eyes and Ears can witness with what applause the Catholicks entertained the new translated Liturgy of our Church Mr. Thomas Gage in his English American chap. 22. p. 205 thus expresseth himself I conti●ued twelve Moneths at my Vnoles House at Gatton searching though unknown to my Vncle and Kindred into the Doctrine and Truth of the Gospel professed in England for which cause I made many Journies to London and then privately I resorted to some Churches and especially to Paul's Church to see the Service performed and to hear the Word of God preached but so that I might not be seen known or discovered by and Papist When in Pauls Church I heard the Organs and the Musick and the Prayers and the Collects and saw the Ceremonies at the Altar I remembred Rome again and perceived little difference betwixt the two Churches I searched further into the Common-Prayer and carried with me a Bible into the Country on purpose to compare the Prayers Epistles and Gospels with a Mass-Book which there I had at command and I found no difference but only English and Latine which made me wonder and to acknowledge that much remained still of Rome in the Church of England and that I feared my Calling was not right And p. 209. tells us That upon his return afterwards to Rome that Father Fitz Herbert told him that the Common-Prayer Book which was composed for Scotland was by Arch-Bishop Laud sent to Rome to be first viewed and approved by the Pope and Cardinals and who upon the perusal did approve thereof and liked very well for Protestants to be trained in such a form of Prayer and Service c. Great Cerus Panegyer Missae cap. 11. 12. alledgeth against the Reformed Churches the English Service-Book for their Popish Holy-days the Book of Canons for the Sign of the Cross and Kneeling at the Altar and for the whole Hierarchy c. Cornelpis Scultingius in his Hyerarchica Anicrists citeth whole Leaves out of Whitegift for the defence of their Hierarchy Stapleton Reflect against Whitaker Cont. 2. Qu. 3. Art 3. useth Whitegift's Argument to uphold their Discipline and professeth they are built upon one Foundation They further say as Paep Sapp Anno 1604. Reas of Relig. 13 That from their Treasure-House the Religion now established in England hath learned the form of Christening Marrying Churching of Women visiting the Sick Burying the Dead c. as their Book say they translated out of ours declares Curtaine Of Ch. Power p. 40. saith That he heard one of the Jesuits say that it was his hopes that our Service and Ceremonies would return us again to Rome Another Objection is this That whilst they separate for indifferent and about disputable things they do violate a known plain positive Scripture which enjoyns the Inferiors to be obedient and subject to their Superiors The Protestant Reconciler 2 part urges it as an Objection brought against the Diffenters compar'd with 1 part p. 198. That seeing God hath enjoyned all Persons to obey those that have the Rule over them Heb. 13. 17 and submit themselves and to be subject to the higher Powers as to the Ordinance of God and that for Conscience sake He that can satisfie his Conscience in his Refusal so to do must shew some Law of God as evidently forbidding his Obedience to what Superiors do enjoyn as do these Scriptures command OBEDIENCE to them in ALL LAWFUL THINGS And you tell us in your Scrupulous Conscience pag. 33. That these things of a publick Nature belong only to our Superiors and Governours and if they appoint what is unfit indecent and inconvenient they only are accountable for it It is not the fault of those that joyn in such Worship or yield to such Injunctions NOT PLAINLY SINFUL