drawing Corollaries applying those Arguments none of which in a proper sence are Scripture but so farre as they agree with and can be proved to be true by Scripture so farre we embrace them believe them practice them yet still never behold them as the Word of God so every Printed Sermon should be a Bible but as mens Exhortations suiting to the Word Look upon several Exhortations of the Apocrypha as no other particularly the first Chapter of Wisdome the only Chapter appointed to be read and thou mayst be satisfied Object 9. The Common Prayer is but in it self a heap of prayers collected out gathered and translated out of the Mass-Boâ—… of the Church of Rome and therefore to be avoided as sinful Answ. 1. Take heed and beware that thou beest none of those bruit beasts Peter speaks of 2 Pet. 2. 12. speaking evil of those things they understand not Answ. 2. There are in thy English Bible several things many things that are in the Mass-book yet keep thy Bible and throw it not away neither tear the leaves out as a Woman once toare a leaf out of her Bible as Popish for having the word Bishop written in it it being never awhit the worse the Sun may shine upon a Dung-hill and yet be clean the whole Bible may be put in ballads and yet the Word of God not the worse Answ. 3. It is not to be denied neither need any be ashamed to confess That there is much in the Common Prayer not to say all to be found in the Mass. The Papists in their Missal having with other Superstitious and often-times blasphemous expressions wound in many holy Hymns and Scriptural Songs as Mahomet did some things that either were in or agreeable to Scripture in his Alchoran which our Pious Composers of this Book the greatest Opposers of and burned for not compliance with Popery like wise Chymicks took away and what was good holy and either agreeable to or literally in the Scripture put together in this Book which by Supream Authority not as from the Mass but as from the infallible Word of God was thought profitable to the edification of the Church established and appointed in our publick Assemblies to be used and read And he that reads the whole Book of the Mass may know that there is as great difference between the Mass as it is used in Rome and the Common Prayer as used in England as there is between Ieroboams two Calves 1 Kings 12. 28. and Solomons twelve Oxen 1 Kings 7. 24. the one being absolutely forbidden as against the Law the other though never commanded in yet never disapproved by the Word of God his presence filling the place wherein they were his judgements falling upon the other where they stood They differ as Nebuchadnezzars musick unto his Idol and as Davids musick in Gods worship the one the three Children would not regard the other no holy Saint did ever oppose the one was to an Idol which was against the Law the other unto God not contrary to the Law â—…t King out of ambition invented the one the other out of Deâ—…on brought in the other The one was Nebuchadnezzars's mind against God the other Davids mind for God the effect shewed that God hated the one and that God was well-pleased with the other For though it was not mentioned in the Law but a pure invention of Davids yet no Prophet before nor after the Captivity before Christ nor Apostle after him did ever in the least give a check to it or blame any Israelite for observing of it In a word there is â—…s great difference between the Mass and the Common Prayer as it is used in our Churches let him that readeth understand as there is between a Papist and a Catholick This being conformable to the Universal practice of the Universal Church in all Ages the other to the late practice of the particular Church of Rome in these last years Wo be to such as call evil good and good evil Isa 5. 20. Obj. 10. The Common-Prayer-book to those that are strong may appear to be lawful but we being weak in the faith and having tender consciences cannot submit to it and it was formerly took away by them whose consciences could not close up with it Ans. 1. What tender consciences some of those men had that took away the Common Prayer and they that lately persecuted the users of it is known to the World that now is and shall be known to all generations that are to come how tender of mens lives of the Christian profession of sinning against God the world is not so dull as not to apprehend Answ. 2. Because there is such discourses about tender consciences let it not trouble the Reader if we enlarge upon that Theâ—…m And let us distinctly handle 1. The nature of conscience in general 2. The nature of this tender conscience in particular 3. The duty of him who hath such a conscience To let pass several distinctions and definitions of Schoolmen which are something obscure dark and intricate 1. The nature of conscience may be known by this description It is a faculty in the soul of man taking knowledge of and noting all his actions whether good or evil and accordingly approving or condemning It 's the souls Register as it remembers things it 's the souls Accuser as it reproves things it 's the souls Judge as it sentences the soul for things It may for a time sleep or be still and so not act as either of these yet at last it will awake and bite like a Serpent and sting like an Adder witness Iudas According to the light that this faculty receives of the nature of things is distinguished into a natural conscience and a suprrnatural the natural is that faculty that is only enlightned by natural reason and from rational principles holds this good and this evil is glad for doing this and sorry for doing that This the pure Heathen hath Rom. 2. 15. The supernatural is when the conscience or souls receives not only light from Reason but from Scripture and by that knows what is good or what is evil those that know not God know not what the Sabbath is they that know the Scripture do and their conscience will judge them if they do not performe what in that particular it requireth so doth not the conscience of the other 2. The nature of a tender conscience it 's a faculty in the faithful and religious soul perswading him to abstain from that the lawfulness of which he doth not fully apprehend upon the account of offending God Because we are speaking to Christians we suppose faith in him that is thus tender and in regard the conscience acts according to the apprehension it hath of things whether by Natural of Scriptural helps we define our conscience as perswading the soul to abstain and hindering the soul not mentioning those things that the conscience binds the soul to that being beside out purpose from acting
we might say with Solomon that one sinner destroys much good Answ. 2. Reader when thou desirest to be delivered from the power and rage of sin by Christs Passion and to have thy heart cleansed by the coming of the Holy Ghost as St. Paul had his Tit. 3. 5. a Christian hearing thee will charitably suppose that thou art praying however he will never suppose that thou art swearing Answ. 3. It were worth our enquiring to know if these men do desire or pray to be delivered from Christs death since they are angry with us for desiring to be saved by it and if they do so then to know unto whom they make that prayer and I shall beseech God that it may please him to forgive our enimies persecutors and slanderers and to turn their hearts Deal not with them O Lord after their sins neither reward them after their iniquities Obj. 7. Besides your Oaths that are in your Letany there is a Prayer that our hearts cannot say Amen to for it is or seems at least to be very sinful The Prayer is this That it may please thee to preserve all that travel by land or water here we pray for Thieves Robbers and Pirats which ought not to be done All Women labouring of Childe here we pray for all Whores and Strumpets All sick persons and young children and to show thy pity upon all prisoners and captives here we pray for all the damned souls they being in prison and for the devils they being captives Answ. 1. The heart of man is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it Jerem. 17. 9. T is Domine bonus ego malus tu Pius ego Impius tu sanctus ego miser tu justus ego injustus tu lux ego eoecus tu vita ego mortuus Blessed is the man that watcheth alway From all blindness of heart from pride vain glory and hypocrisie from envy hatred and malice and from all uncharitableness good Lord deliver us Answ. 2. As we are to have no communication nor communion with Devils so neither are we to make supplication for them But we are bound to remember them that are in bonds as in bond with them and them that suffer adversity as if we our selves also were in the body Heb. 13. 3. The Whore her self when she is in labour ought to be prayed for though if you had not more of the Serpent than of the Dove you would not see her at all in this prayer So is a Thief also though he were going to be hanged for stealing or a Murtherer for Murthering and if the Lord will bless all that travel by Land and Water with his grace there will be no Robbers It is the desire of the Church That all Israel both temporally and eternally be saved Why dost thou condemn her for her charity Qualis unusquisque intus est taliter judicat exterius Kemp. True Christian charity thinketh no evil 1 Cor. 13. 5. Object 8. There are according to those directions given you concerning the reading of Lessons several Chapters to be read out of the Apocrypha in the Congregation where nothing should be read but Scripture Answ. 1. Should nothing be read in Churches but Scripture where then should we read Briefs Proclamations and Pattents for Collections which are appointed to be read in publick and upon the Sabbath-day too than which nothing doth more usually occurre and nothing less spoke against And yet if men did not delight in Controversies they might perceive that the Reading of those Chapters is left to the Ministers discretion Answ. 2. Sâ—…int Paul commanding the Colossians Col. 4. 16. to let his Epistle be read to the Church of Laodicea commands them withal that they reade in their Church the Epistle from Laodicea which Epistle not being Canonical yet appointed by that unerring Apostle to be read in the Church proves the weakness of the Objection against Apocrypha for not being Scripture Answ. 3. There is a Calendar prefixed before the Book of Common Prayer and amongst the Lessons appointed for every day of the month there are some 30 Chapters out of the books of Wisdom Tobit Iudith Baruch and Ecclesiasticus to be read In the books of the Apocrypha there are many falsities much non-sence things that agree not with Scripture and many things that agree not with it self Whether the Chapters that are appointed to be read contain in them any of these I have neither purpose nor leasure to search yet since most of them are out of the books of Wisdom and Ecclesiasticus we shall suppose the best but suppose the worst there is none to be read or at least no great fear that their reading will do much hurt except the people will repair whether their Minister will or no twice every day to their Church or Chappel to hear service that which I see no great reason for Ministeâ—…s to be very much afraid of For if the people do not so come they are not obliged to heed that Calendar Answ. 4. There is a Calendar prefixed before the Book of Common Prayer wherein the Lessons that are appointed to be read every Sabbath-day throughout the year are set down and in that there is only the first Chapter of the Book of Wisdom to be read wherein there is nothing but what favours of good so that according to the Common Prayer throughout the whole year there is but one Sunday that hath Apocrypha ordained for it and that is Whitsunday unless the Sabbath fall upon a Feast and that may bring or make a small alteration Many fear that the reading or hearing of Apocrypha in their Churches may do much hurt The first Chapter of Wisdom which is all cannot do hurt There is about this a great noyse and but small cause Answ. 5. There are two things that usually Ministers do in Churches 1. To observe Doctrines and 2. To exhort to Manners for observing and confirming of Doctrines the Scriptures are only to be used Article 6. of the Church of England For exhorting to manners Poets Heathens Philosophers are frequently cited there being in such Writers excellent documents and examples perswading to goodness and to a good life and for this the Apocrypha is appointed to be read viz. for exhortation to manners not confirmation of Doctrines Art 6. of the Church of England And indeed to me it is equally a sin to cite or speak sentences out of Seneca the Heathen in a Pulpit upon a Lords day or any other moral Author which is frequently done as it is to speak or read sixteen sentences of Philo the Jew or whoever was the Author of that book of Wisdom or Ecclesiasticus albeit it were oftner done Answ. 6. When you say that Apocrypha is not to be read I suppose you mean because it is humane inventions not the Word of God It is to be known that no more are Ministers Sermons there are in Sermons mens wit or invention exercised inframing Arguments in
towards men but towards God in reference chiefly to Church-services Divine performances and outward Ceremonies If such Right Honourable be presented before you you may easily know them as transgressors of the Law they are to be handled with all meekness senitive medicaments had best be prescribed for the curing of their distempers Let them alone my Lords this year also and we will dig about them inform them of the nature of things and they may by beholding our Order bring forth the fruit of obedience we must behold them as if our selves were also in the body In the other case Fiat Iustitia but in this Innotescat aequitas vestra Knowing Right Honourable that Ueritas parit odium truth begets hatred and hatred begets contention I come to your Persons as Preservers of the Peace desiring that this innocent creature that lately spoke in defence of your Honours because of your Laws and set its face against that calumny which though not personally yet virtually is cast upon you for being Instrumental in so publick a way for the putting in execution those Laws that have been made touching the using of the Service-Book that it I say might be preserved from hurt and freed from abuse I put it into your hands as into the hands of its Father for indeed you begot it through the Law I bore it through the Gospel the information and instruction of that sort of people that hath been deluded by self-seeking men robbing the Ancients of all glory that alone they might have the Kingdom next your Honours Order was the sole cause of my preaching and now publishing of these sheets Praying that you may be in Counsels prosperous and in peace glorious happy Instruments of Gods glory His Majesties honour this Kingdoms prosperity and this Counties Piety I Subscribe my self Right Honourable Lords and Gentlemen Yours to command in all things lawful WILL. ANNAND From my Study at Leighton Octob. 12. 1660. To the READER Courteous and Christian Reader FOR so in charity I am bound to suppose until the contrary appear and â—…e known Thou hast here in thy hand the summe and substance of two Sermons with some alteration preached October 7. At which time the Lord knows there was nothing farther from my thoughts than that ever they should have seene the light more or to have craved thy courteous acceptance in the Land of the living but to have them had lyen perpetually buried among the rest of their brethren in a Box oâ—… Coffin but there they had not long beene when they were awakened with the sound of a Trumpet Out of thy ingenuity aske me not why I appear in the world since I am not pleased though not ashamed to discover If thou beest not one of my Parishioners they were never ordained for thee entertain them as thou hast them without farther questioning me concerning them If there be any that snarle at my doctrine yet if they answer not the Arguments never like my Book the worse nor esteeme them the wiser for their so doing I am not ignorant that there are as great diversities in mens judgments concerning Books as there are in mens pallates concerning cheese If this small Tract relish not with thee let it alone raile not at it Others possibly may close a good dinner with it and go to their work chearfully having sanctified their meat by a holy using of a set forme of Prayer For thy encouragement know that my Book tells no lyes it sayes indeed that Common Prayer is lawful yea and proves it â—…oo I have a small acquaintance with Counsels and Fathers yet they are not brought in to witnesse to the truth pleaded for from which I was kept not only by my small standing in Controversies of this nature but chiefly from the opposite parties excepting against such witnesses The Authority of a Councel being equally regarded with them to that of the Conclave and to cite a Father were to cite 〈◊〉 Antichrist himself But from Scripture and Scripture reason it 's â—…averred that it is lawful for Gods own people to call upon him for mercy in a set form of Prayer which proofs if you accept and without prejudice entertain and hereafter acknowledge them as lawful to any though necessary for none And though thou never use a set forme thy self yet if thou condemn not them that do I have my end Give God the glory and the poor members of Christs Church thy charity thou shalt have his prayers at the Throne of Almighty God who is called W. A. PANEM QUOTIDIANUM HOSEA 14. 2. Take with you words and turn to the Lord and say unto him Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously so will we render the calves of our lips THis Prophet is the first of those that are called the lesser or the smaller Prophets not from their Authority which is equally great to the other but from their bulk and quantity wherein they are much less all of them together being but one Chapter longer than the Prophet Isaiah alone Some have noted that Isaiah in his single Book hath more verses than all the twelve smaller Prophets together Hosea receiving a Message from God according to direction communicates the Lords mind to the Church of Israel in this Prophesie three ways 1. By Types representing Israels sad condition by reason of Idolatry and Israels gracious restauration by reason of mercy Chap. 1. 2 3. 2. By powerful Sermons reciting their sins against God and predicting judgements from him from Chap. 9. to the 14. 3. By gracious and soul-reviving promises touching the future happy estate of that sinful yet beloved people throughout this Chapter In which the Prophet having set before their eyes the several and particular sins of their Kings Priests Princes and people and the judgements that God was resolved to send upon each of these for their so offending comes to perswade them betimes to break off their sins and shun heavy judgements by their speedy turning from their sin and returning to their God verse 1. assuring them that he hath not so farre yet shut up his tender mercy but that if they return he will heal their back-slidings and love them freely and refreshing them with his favourable presence will be like the dew and by his power sustaining them they shall flourish as the Lilly vers 3 4. And helping their infirmities in order to their so doing or Answering the Objections that they might make fearing the issue of their returning in as much as they might not know what Sacrifice God would accept or with what words he would be intreated he prescribes them to take words and these words Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously so will we render the calves of our lips In which we have these things observable 1. The Prophets Exhortation to the people Take with you words 2. His Direction of the people Say Take away all iniquity c. In his Exhortation there are these things observable 1.
The substance of it which is To turn to the Lord. 2. The manner of it or how they must turn is by saying these words Say unto him In the Direction which is it self a Prayer instituted by the Prophet for them and given by the Prophet to them there is 1. A Supplication to be made by all for the removing the sins of all of what person or degree soever Take away all iniquity It was sin that first brought down judgments from God and therefore sin must first be removed by God 2. There is an Intercession of all for each other and of every one for all Every single person desires that God would be favourable to his Brother as he desires God to be merciful to himself Receive us graciously 3. There is a Covenant-condition or promise made of all That if God will receive them they will render to him praises called the calves of their lips so will we render the calves of our lips which is a giving thanks to his Name Heb. 13. 15. In this promise every one engageth for himself and each man becomes a Surety for his Brother so will we render and because optima poenitentia est nova vita they will trust no more to the work of their own hands but in God only as fatherless children have hope and from him only when they are in want expect mercy in the following words Ashur shall not save us c. We shall let pass many truths that might arise from the substance and method of this Prayer appointed to and given by this Holy Prophet for the people to collect and cull out one that makes for the clearing up of that truth to the obeying of which we are by Authority now commanded and from which we are by Turbulent spirits eagerly dehorted viz. Touching the lawful use of the common-prayer-Common-Prayer-Book established in England by all Legal Power since the Reformation A Book which hath been often Crucified among and between Thieves yet never could be put to death by them The Doctrine is this That Gods best Servants or his peculiar people may lawfully use Set Forms of Prayer in their approaches to him and begging blessings of him To him that reads this Text with understanding this observation needs no farther proof nor debate yet I shall not impose a belief of it upon any untill that I have 1. Shewed what the nature of a Set Form of Prayer is 2. Whether such a Form may lawfully be used 3. Whether such a Form is decent or comely for a Saint to use 4. Whether granting all this it be expedient for a Saint or for the Church now as it is constituted and increased to use such a Form 5. At what seasons this Form is chiefly to be used 6. In what place it is most expedient to use this kind of Form 7. Answer some Objections that are urged against such a Form All which if God permit we shall handle in these seven several Sections briefly and plainly SECT I. LET us in the first place see what the nature of a Set. Form of Prayer is and that may be done by this description It is a hearty calling upon God in the name of Christ in words prescribed by another or premeditated by our selves for the removing of judgements or receiving of mercies from or for our selves and others In all these points it agrees to and holds affinity with other prayers of what kind soever save in this that it calls upon God through Christ in using the word which have been either recommended to us as the Lords Prayer Luke 11. 2. Or 2. Prescribed by another and enjoyned to us as David required his Subjects the Levites to praise the Lord in a publick Assembly for the bringing home of the Ark in the words of that Psalm which he had composed for the same purpose It was the first Psalm as it appears that ever he publickly gave for the use of his people in the Temple or Sanctuary 1 Chron. 16. 4 6 7 3. Or 3. Such as hath been premeditated by us for our own use and as occasion served used of us And such was the prayer of the Prodigal Luke 15 he sits down and deliberates within himself what to say that his Father might again receive him I will arise saith he and go to my father and will say unto him Father I have sinned against Heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy son c. Ver. 18. And at his coming to the father used the same words before resolved upon Such a prayer was also almost that of our Saviours Father if it be thy Will let this Cup pass from Me which He â—…ttered three several times in His passion Mat. 26. 4. And all this is done for the more orderly helping of us in our calling upon God Now some there are that say this is not to be done That Christians in this clear Sun-shine of the Gospel are not to give themselves or limit themselves this day or this week or this year to that kind of prayer framed or composed by or for our selves or others last week or last year but hold it altogether sinful and unlawful Others there are that suppose such prayers at some times for none that ever I heard of maintain them in all points places or in all times necessary but neveâ—… unlawful to be good and helps against their speaking any thing rashly before God and unadvisedly with their lips before him who will be worshipped in spirit and in truth fearing lest they offering strange fire from the censers of their deceitful hearts might bring fire from the Almighty to consume their souls Supposing and upon good grounds that to come every day to Heaven in the same suit may make us at last to be known for good Subjects though not for great Gallants And this opinion from the Text is the substance of our observation which to confirm take these three substantial Witnesses The first where of shall be 1. Ioel a Prophet of God he commanding the people of Iudah that grievously had fallen by their iniquity to turn unto God will have a Trumpet blown in Zion Ioel 2. 1. enjoyning all to come to mourning and weeping for their sins and offences makes a Set Form of prayer for and prescribes a prayer to the Priests themselves who are especially excited and enjoyned to weep between the Porch and the Altar and are commanded to say Spare thy people O Lord and give not thy heritage to reproach c. Ioel 2. 17. The second Witness is 2. Moses a man of God Exod. 15. where after the peoples delivery from Egypts slavery and Phardohs bondage and after they had seen the Egyptians dead upon the shore not one of theâ—… being killed by them Moses and Israel sing a Psalm of Thanksgiving ver 1. If it were enquired Who made or composed that Song it must be answered Moses by Revel 15. 3. and as a set Form used by the people To
Treasury it being the price of blood but the guilt of blood upon their hearts they could endure Seeing in all other points they walk as other men to say no more and the thing not contrary to any Law that ever God made and enjoyned by lawful Authority and they not desiring to be informed of the lawfulness of its use It is to be feared that not their tender consciences but their stout stomacks are the cause of their disobedience Answ. 5. As for those whose consciences are really tender and are indeed afraid of sin and not satisfied as to the lawfulness of its use and really appearing to be such and desiring to be informed or taught concerning it untill that time it is hoped and desired that the Civil Magistrate will take care for them and untill their consciences be better informed will take them as Nursing Fathers their weak children into their protection In the mean time let them not judge them that use it according to the Law and to their consciences Object 11. The places of Scripture that are used in the common-prayer-Common-Prayer-book are not to be found in our Bibles at all and indeed are not Scripture and very dangerous particularly the very first words which are these At â—…hat time 〈◊〉 a sinner doth repent him of his sin from the bottom of his heart I will put all his wickedness out of my remembrance saith the Lord which words are not only dangerous as holding forth men may repent when they will but false there being no such words in Ezek. 18. 21 22. from which it is pretended these words are taken Answ. 1. It 's usual both in Sermons and in Books for men to deliver certain truths and name or point the Scripture in the Margin which if we strictly examine we shall not find the self-same words in Scripture but yet such as hold out the truth of that which is brought as a proof for them It is not necessary alwayes to name the very words but direct the Reader and the Hearer to that Scripture that holds it out So Saint Paul Ephes. 4. 8. having occasion to cite Psal. 68. 18. doth not tye himself to the words of the Text as is clearly to be seen Answ. 2. The words are most true for whensoever a sinner from the bottom of his heart repents him of his sin he shall be forgiven and Ezek. 18. holds it out else what needed the Doctrine of Repentance be preached to men and there is no more danger that these words will induce a man to continue in sin because of the word At what time soever than there is danger in the words of the Prophet who sayes If the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed which is of substance the same with the other and indeed equally dangerous The like may be said of divers other places cited in the Common Prayer Obj. 12. It may for it self be used but it may prove a trap-door to let in other things that are of a greater concernment it 's best to prevent evil at first Answ. 1. It is a blessed thing indeed for a Christian to fear the least evil and in matters of concernment if at any time to walk circumspectly to foresee an evil and prevent it yet let us do no evil that good may come of it Disobey not the Civil Magistrate in an open way for rebellion is as witchcraft 1 Sam. 15. 23. for fear that some evil which is but only supposed may follow after lest in some sort we justifie the Jews in murdering Christ for this was one Argument lest the Romans should come and take away their place and Nation John 11. 48. to prevent which they would contrary to all Law put and innocent man to death Let 's do no evil that good may come of it Answ. 2. Whatever follow it that is not against Scripture nor contradicted by Gods Law the Law of God enjoyns a man to obey to what purpose else were there Magistrates and why should I be commanded to obey them and to submit unto them Let all things be done in decency and order is a Text that in a great measure is left to the Civil Magistrate to expound 1 Cor. 14. 40. It is not only to say This is not in Scripture as was said before that makes a thing unlawful but This is contrary to Scripture spoke against in Scripture either in direct Text or sound reason from that Text. To instance you say That it is unlawful to marry with a Ring because it is not in Scripture I can answer with as true a consequence It is unlawful to marry with a Minister for it 's not in Scripture commanded there being neither in Law nor Gospel any direction for Priest or Apostle Pastor or Evâ—…gelist for that case of Marriage So that the marrying with or by a Minister ought as really to trouble or molest the conscience as to marry with a Ring Nay in some sort more for marriage was in all Ages God had Ministers in all Ages marriage was held a holy thing in all Ages yet God gave no directions concerning his immediate servants nor precepts to them to be assistant at that Solemnity of Marriage Abrahams servant gave to Rebecca when she by signs desired by himself was to be betrothed to his Masters Son eare-rings of Gold denoting the purity and perpetuity of that love that should be betwixt them which is signified by the Gold and the roundness of the Ring The like may be said of joyning of hands As for standing at the Creed by which 1. We declare that it is our faith 2. We hold forth that we acknowledge it to be no prayer a fond conceit of some Whosoever will not obey the Civil Magistrate in this we may suppose it is because it is not his Creed and indeed some that would be thought holy stumble at the Holy Catholick Church Touching confirmation by a Bishop which is his praying for the baptized by or with laying on of hands since the prayer of a righteous man may avail much for the sick it may as well for the sound Iames 15. 19. they may obtain the encrease of divine grace the thing prayed for and seeing Philip though he preached and baptized yet might not confirm by the laying on of hands Acts 8. 17. that being reserved for the Apostles it is therefore now left to the Bishop The same might be said of white garments if they should be enjoyned there being no Law for wearing black The Priests under the Law wore white Christ in the Vision wore white Dan. 10. 5. The Angels at the Resurrection weare white John 20. 12. The Elders in the Revelation are in white Revel 4. 4. And finding no Law for black we may conclude that white is no unlawful Garment If any say it is show the Law otherwise I may be of another judgement since sin is a transgression of the Law 1 John 3. 4. If it be said that Papists weare it