Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	old_a	scripture_n	write_v	3,081	5	5.9465	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

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

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

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

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

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