be true but if any of them be to read any such Chapter at any time which he counteth not to be profitable to be read to the people he may read one out of the New Testament instead of it as Dr. Sparke shews concerning this matter in his brotherly perswasion to unity and uniformity Chap. 10. whether for brevity sake in this treatise I refer any reasonable man adding onely thus much that if those and such other objections seem to any man not to be sufficiently answered yet they cannot make the book wholly to be rejected but needfull in some particulars to be corrected and amended The next thing they come is the grand accusation against Epistles and Gospels which I presume belongs to their second head of frivolous things for though they began orderly with the first particular of false matters yet they proceed not so but I must be forced to follow them as they go up and down from one thing to another Concerning Epistles and Gospels then they have three weighty charges with which they begin thus We may subjoyn that profaning gross abuse of Epistles and Gospels in which there are three strange and remarkable occurrences for which there is no ground or reason but from the Mass-book First These three remarkable things are 1. That the Acts of the Apostles and some books of the old Testament are read for and called Epistles 2. That we read not whole Chapters but scraps and shreds as they disgracefully call them 3. That at the Epistles there is silence sitting c. at the Gospels standing scraping bowing and responds before and after To the first of these concerning the name of Epistles given to books not so called in Scripture What great matter is this to be set out under those words of profane and gross abuse For first we know the old Testament is in the new sometime called the Law and the Prophets sometimes the Law Prophets and Psalms These several expressions shew that the word Prophets is sometimes largely taken for all the old Testament except the five books of Moses sometime more strictly for the other books onely but excluding the Psalms why then also may not the word Epistles be sometime taken generally for all the Scripture except the four Gospels and sometimes more strictly except the Acts Gospel and Revelation and sometime most strictly for those books which we commonly call the Canonical Epistles taking the word in the two former acceptions what hurt in calling all that we read for Epistles by the name of Epistles especially considering secondly that the whole Scripture is a letter or Epistle indited by the Holy Ghost and so sent from God by the holy writers thereof into the world or more especially to his Church and the fitness of this appellation they themselves confess and tell us The holy fathers spake so onely they tell us They spake so in a different sense from us which difference if they had shewed we had either answered them or yelded to them To their second accusation That our Epistle and Gospels are but scraps of Scripture and never a full passage in them If by full passage they mean a whole Chapter we desire to know why a whole Chapter must always be at once and neither more nor less but if by never a full passage they mean that we break off abruptly in respect of the matter read then any one may see they do us notorious wrong and the Book answers for it self without my help To avoid therefore the guilt of so foul a slander I am willing to take them in the former sense but must withal tell them that so they may as well accuse all our Preaching of this gross abuse and say we preach not upon the Word of God but upon scraps and shreds of it and that less shreds too then the other few Texts being half the length of the very shortest Epistles we have But why either our Texts or Epistles and Gospels should be thus taxed I see not the division of Chapters not being Canonical but made according to humane wisdom and discretion Of this therefore no more I come to the third charge which is concerning Silence Sitting Bowing c. To which I must first tell them That this comes in very unseasonably in this place this belongs rather to the ridiculous manner of our Service then to the matter of it but their want of method I must needs pass over many times lest my Book should grow too big Secondly I must tell them again that the Book appoints none of these things they here inveigh against therefore if those things were as bad indeed as they would make them all this were nothing to purpose against the Book which they pretend onely to write against Nevertheless being in many passages they labor to disgrace our Church what they can as well as the Book they write against I would if they would come to particulars assay to answer all and as far as I can by these general words guess at their meaning I will briefly answer them It hath been the custom long ago in many Churches to stand up at the Gospel and it was also usual at the naming of the Gospel to say Glory be to thee O Lord and after the end of the Gospel to say Thanks be unto God These I presume are the things they aim at for the bowing at the name of Jesus was and is as much used in all parts of Service and Sermon as of the Gospel To the other three therefore as proper to the Gospel I will onely speak And first to the standing up We know many men at the naming of the Text and many times in the Sermon will stand up not onely for their ease but to hearken the more attentively Why then is it not as lawful so to do at the Gospel We know standing up when we hear one beginning to speak to us does both shew respect to what is spoken and a readiness to receive what is spoken willingly and chearfully By standing up then at the reading of the Gospel we shew our gladness and readiness to receive it and what prophaneness or grand abuse can be in this Then for saying Glory be to thee O Lord. We know when the Angel first brought word of our Saviours birth the Author of the Gospel there were presently with him a multitude of Heavenly Angels saying Glory be to God on high If the Church then in memory Luke 2. 13 14. hereof do at the naming of the Gospel use part of that Angelical Hymn what grand abuse is this when our Saviour first came into the world this was the Angels praising God and when we hear mention made of the Gospel which declares and preacheth these glad tidings to us with the benefits coming to us thereby we do with like words give glory to God the Son and we are counted prophane for it Lastly when we have heard some of the Gospel read which publisheth these things
Piety Let them take heed that the want of these four which they abundantly discover in their Book do not out of their own mouth condemn the pretended Purity of their Religion for more then ordinary defects in these shall this answer abundantly shew in their Book But they will not be large as they say here in this theme no more will I But I hasten with them to the pâ—rticular â—â—tter viz. The Common Prayer Book the Principal Subject of their discourse but in which they aim and strike at the Bishops â—s they presently confess upon this supposal that one of these two cannot stand without the other for so they tell us saying As it is true That no Ceremony no Bishop so it is as true That no Service-Book no Ceremony This they do very well bring in with this As and So for one of these is just as true as the other there being no truth at all in the one or the other For the Bishops might still have their Authority Dignity and Estates which they now have though all the Ceremonies we have were abolished and we might also have more Ceremonies then now we have though we had another Common Prayer Book or none at all which is too clear to have any place left for proof The next Page of this Chapter is an inveighing against Superstition in general Concerning which I will meddle no more with them then they do therein with our Common Prayer Book for I am as much against Superstition as they But nothing said against Superstition can be against the Book till the Book be proved Superstitious Which that it is they attempt to prove in these words very couragiously If our Liturgy be not a mass of Superstition 〈◊〉 superstitious Ceremonies we know not what Superstition is To which Proposition if they will let me assume rightly thus But our Liturgy is not a mass of Superstitions c. I grant all and for their Information will tell them a little That it is Superstition to make that a matter of Conscience which they need not or to make that a part of Gods worship and service which is not simply so but a thing of it self indifferent Whether then it be Superstition to use our Book and Ceremonies because commanded or to reject them upon a pretence of their being not indifferent but simply unlawful when God hath not forbidden them and the Church hath commanded them let Reason judge But to proceed with them they endeavor to prove the Common Prayer to be superstitious because it appoints kneeling at the Communion thus The grand ceremony of adoration or kneeling at the Communion hath it not been the staffe and strength of that abominable Idole the breaden God In which words with the rest there following they charge us in kneeling to agree with the Lutherans and Papists in this point concerning the matter but leaving the manner We answer That we neither suppose Lutherane Consubstantiation nor Popish Transubstantiation hereby but we deny both and so does our book as by the words and form of Administration in the book is clear enough Neither is our kneeling any adoration of the creature as they would have it supposed but the most fit and convenient gesture that can be used in the time of Prayer which we are all in at the very receiving of that blessed Sacrament as is plain enough by the very words used at the delivering it Now if any particular man seem to these men to incline too much towards Popery in this point that is nothing to our Common Prayer Book the defence whereof is my onely task whatsoever therefore may be said in any particular mans defence I pass by Therefore also I omit the mentioning of the Liturgy which they talk of sent to Scotland with all the Chimerical conceits of their English brain concerning that which they call the Scottish Hydra Lastly Whereas they tell us The superstitions of this book are such and so many that if Paul were here and saw them as he saw that of Athens he would cry out undoubtedly ye are too superstitious Act. 17. 22. We say no more to this but if that we may presume to know St. Pauls minde as well as they we may better say That which he appointed to the Corinthians 14. 40 that have we observed in our Liturgy But that we may not stand too long upon these general extravagancies in their preface let us come to the particular charges against that Book to which they are such adversaries the first whereof is the Name in the next Chapter CHAP. II. To the Name THe scope of this Chapter is to prove our Common Prayer Book unlawful because it hath the same name with the Popish Mass book which that it hath they prove thus in the beginning of the Chapter The Service-book men and the Papists do mutually interchange the name of Liturgy and Mass the later calling their Mass by the name of Liturgy and our men owning the name of Mass to our Service Book witness Pocklington Cozens and Montague in the name then is an unaminous agreement If these men can be ashamed of any thing they may be ashamed of this ridiculous caviling with our Common Prayer Book in this kind If some men should call them schismaticks make-bates sowers of sedition rebels c. would they count this to be a sufficient argument to cause them to be banished out of our Land or cast out of our Church If they would think this hard measure against themselves where is their equity in dealing thus with others Here me thinks Dame equity the first of the Virgin daughters mentioned in their preface is fouly vitiated and so there is a sore blemish laid upon their unspotted piety the mother hereof Secondly if this were granted that the names were the same absolutely in both is the name enough to destroy the thing If they be offended as many we know are in the places of Gods worship among us as well as with the manner of our worshipping there they have the same argument for demolishing of them for Papists call their Churches as we do ours If they be angry with St. Jude for speaking against railers upon them that are in authority they may as well cry down all he saith by this argument of the name because he hath the same with Iscariot the traitor But being conscious to themselves I presume of the vanity of this argument though perhaps some simple one may be seduced by it they quickly flye from the name to the thing and tell us that for matter they are one What difference say they is there between our Liturgy and theirs but a pair of sheers and putting ours in a coat of another tongue ours having nothing to a word but out of theirs All which is very unseasonably stuffed into this present Chapter for this belongs to the next Chapter concerning the matter and the original and not to this of the name and therefore they promise to shew
the Mass book and our Common Prayer Book together Between which they pretend there is such a consent that every piece and parcell of our Book is taken from thence but the falsity of this we shewed in the former Chapter in which they spake of this matter and named there what we have in our book which the Mass book hath not And we add now That if we had never a word but what is there yet we having none of the evil that is there it cannot follow that ours must be evil for having in it somewhat that is there Secondly For the mutual complacency they talk of I answer that to accuse all that like our Liturgy to be likers also of the Mass is so shameless and foul a slander as none can be more And of the other side for the Papists approving of our Liturgy it is more a commendation of it then otherwise it arguing our Service to be so good that our very adversaries which in all things else are so bitter against us yet can say nothing against that Whereas therefore they say That if the Papists like it it cannot be good because they are against all good I answer This is intolerable for thus they may as well condemn much of our Doctrine as well as our Liturgy as namely all Divine and necessary Truths which we hold and teach concerning the Unity of Essence and Trinity of persons in the Divine Nature all the Artributes of God and in a word all the first part of Divinity in Thomas wherein we and the Papists have hardly any difference So then this second argument makes more for our book then against it All those sound parts and doctrines in Divinity which we with them held joyntly not having their Original from them or their writings but from the Scriptures whence we and they also took them The rest of the words which they use in this Chapter concerning this second argument as having nothing in them but foul and shameful expressions of their rancorous and mâ—licious hearts against all those that are not of their strain I pass over as nothing to purpose for the business we have in hand And so I come to the last evidence they bring against us which they call The undeniable testimony of the King namely of King Edward the sixth and of his councel Where they bring in a piece of a letter telling us they have the rest by them which may be as true as all they say else but granting all they say if the King and State to draw the Papists back to us and win them to our Church did write to that purpose what is that to the prejudice of our Liturgy as long as all the evil in the Mass book is left out in ours If ours be no new Service but the old and what is in ours be theirs to assure the Papists hereof must needs be an especial argument to move the Papists not to abhor our Churches but too frequent them and joyn with us in our Liturgy though perhaps they cannot rest satisfied with it but will privately have their own Mass besides it also Thus I have done with their third proof also Now their Syllogism made hereupon is this That which is word for word out of the Popish Mass book is not to be offered to God as a worship but to be abolished as abomination to him But the Liturgy in controversie is so as hath been abundantly proved Therefore is not to be offered c. To this we answer briefly That which they here brag to be proved to the full we have by our answer shewed to be utterly false For if there be any thing in the Mass not in ours as abundantly there is or any thing in ours not in theirs then is not ours word for word out of theirs But both these we have already shewed and so their argument is fully answered Vainely therefore do they spend so many words following by several places of Scripture to prove that which no man denies And as needless is their following Invective against the Mass which we defend not and to no purpose concerning this business is their answering two texts of Scripture used in defence of the Mass by the Papists all which words helping onely to fill up their book and nothing touching our Common Prayer Book I pass by One onely thing more have I to add concerning this Chapter that for the original of our Common Prayer book whereas in this whole discourse thereof they seem to suppose that we went to the Mass and no further to frame a Liturgy from thence this is a meer fancy of theirs we follow the old Liturgy before the Popish Mass but the truth is when we having been a long time with the Mass amongst us and other Idolatrous ceremonies very notoriously faulty in the worship of God did according to our duties begin to reform our selves we did onely cast off such things as were inevitably offensive and did retain the rest concerning which whereas they tell us It was great incogitancy to speak the least in our Reformers in King Edwards days to take a Monke from among the Canaanites c. We answer for those our holy Ancestors that they took the most advised pious and Christian course that could be taken in that kind For first hereby they took the most likely course that could be thought on to draw many of the Papists to our Religion wherein we departed no farther from them then they had first departed from the word of God all other things we still retained that they that would but reform notorious abuses might still retain fellowship with us Secondly they hereby declared sufficiently to all the world that this alteration made was neither out of hatred to them or love of novelty or singularity or any high conceit of any excellency in fancies or devices of our own brains above our forefathers but would be content with what we had from them as far as it was consonant to the word of God or not contrary to it Thirdly by this means they avoided combustion in Church and State making as little stir or noise as could be in the reformation which is always especially to be regarded by all quiet spirits and lovers of peace in any change whatsoever Fourthly by this dealing they followed the Apostles rule by shewing their meekness softness and gentleness to all men as is required So that retaining thus much of the Mass book when we Phil. 4. 5. cast off Popery was so far from incogitancy or any other scandal to be layed upon our forefathers that we may rather admire or at least must much commend their wisdom meekness love of peace and charitable desire of converting others thereby For the conclusion then of this Chapter wherein they brag so much of success telling us That It will fall out as it did with the Scribes and Pharises envying that the people should follow Christ Perceive ye not say they how ye prevail
nothing the world is gone after him Joh 12. 19. It is so in this case of the worship of Christ c. We shall prevail nothing c. To this we need not answer any thing to them the times we humbly praise God for it have answered for us this book which was so long cast off being now generally taken up again and used with reverence devotion and thankfulness to the Lord for it in the most principal places and most Cuurches of this Kingdom so that the saying they cite there of the Pharisees and Scribes may better be applyed to these people that cite in it then to those to 〈…〉 CHAP. IV. Of the Matter HEre they inveigh against the Common Prayer Book in respect of the matter of it telling us that The matter is partly false partly ridiculously frivolous yea and some part of it is not without a tincture of blasphemy The first of these charges they go about to prove three ways saying For the general we lay down these three instances In false or corrupt translations of the word additiâ—ns to the word and substractions all which the Service Book not onely allows but injoyns subscription to them To these things we answer first in general that it is no sufficient plea against the book to cry it down wholly for some particular defects in it but to desire rather to have those things amended then the whole book so excellent in several respects totally to be abolished for some imperfections in it Secondly to come to them more particularly to the first of false translations we answer 1. That if that be sufficient for a particular place to reject a whole book or volum what shâ—ll become of our English Bible in the last and best translation that we have for in that we shall find such a translation as no English man can make sense of namely Phil. 1. 21. which words there agree with the Latine which these men are so much against for it is there Vivere est mihi Christus to me to dye is Christ but neither that Latine nor the English can express either the Apostles meaning or can indeed be understood what they mean themselves They put the Greek verbatim into English which the idiome of our tongue cannot bear and herein they reject Calvin and Beza's and Junius and Tremilius translations and agree with the Vulgar Latine yet no man wholly rejects this our new translation as containing false matter but it is not unworthily esteemed as one of the best translations extant in any language Again that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 11. 29 is in both our translations rendred Damnation which is neither according to the signification of the word in it self nor according to the Apostles meaning in that place for he proves that which he saith there in the words following directly mentioning temporal judgement as vers 30. But I will not strive to defame our translations as they do our Common Prayer Book by searching how many places are not so translated as they should be but were there more defects then there are who could hereupon reject totally our English Bibles as these do our Service Book upon that score of falsity in matter through some imperfections in the translation Secondly then I pass to the next particular which they call additions To add to the word of God in general as to propound any thing for Gods word which is not so indeed I grant to be abominable but to add to any particular part of Scripture some words taken out of some other part of Scripture is no addition to the word of God for it does not affirm any thing to be Gods word which is not indeed Now of this kind are the additions they speak In Psalm 14. the words in the end added are not onely taken out of Gods word in several places but also all collected together by Saint Paul and added to the precedent words in this Psalm as we see Rom. 3. 13 14 15 16 17 18. neither are thrust into the Psalm by the composers of the Common Prayer book but are in the old Latine Bibles whence those Psalms were translated and how reasonably and fitly they are there our Bibles do note after the end of Psal 14. where they shew why they are not put into our Bibles For the next addition mentioned in Psal 13. what is that but a concluding of that Psalm with the very words of Scripture also for the same expression we find in two other Psalms near adjoyning viz. Psal 7. 17. Psal 9. 3. For the third addition it is an addition of their own making not found in the book in that 24. Psalm Whereas therefore they say lastly That they will not reckon diverse additions more they do well in that point but they had done better if they had not reckoned this neither unless there had been more truth in it I also will add no more of this matter but come to their next accusation which is concerning substractions or omissions And therein first they accuse us for omitting the titles of diverse Psalms Secondly for omitting the words Praise ye the Lord Thirdly for omitting the conclusion in the Lords Prayer For which last First if we took the Lords Prayer out of Luke 11. we omit none of it and why may we not use it sometime as it is in one place sometime as it is in another so that the cavil is onely for want of a better for the two former omissions the book makes no omission but renders the Psalms as it found them in the translations whence they were taken Their last omission is Leaving out many Chapters and some whole books unread for the Lesson in the Kalender appointed But this is not taking away any thing from the word of God except the book did profess that it hath appointed the whole word of God to be read for the Lessons but this the book does not only it appoints such parts of the word of God to be read at such times and leaves the rest to be read of the people privately The next thing is the reading of the Apochrypha very immethodically brought in here for that should rather have come in among the additions then the omissions yet it is not any addition to the word of God for we read it not as a part of Scripture to build our faith upon or to establish any doctrine of divinity thereby but for moral instruction then if they ask What need of that the Scripture being sufficient for that also We answer that we do it not as supposing defect therein but because they are books written by holy men and have been continually read publikely by the Church of God in reverence thereto we thought not fit wholly to reject them or cast them out of our Church but whereas they tell us here That some things are appointed to be out of them which are utterly false We tell them that is more then they can prove to
to us we presently give thanks to God for this Now what superstition or prophane abuse there is in this standing and respond as they call it before at and after the Gospel let any indifferent man judge Now upon these their grievous complaints they flee to the Parliament as supream Judges to vindicate this dishonor done to God Which how it can stand with the loyalty mentioned in their Preface or with the subscription which they have or should all have subscribed if they be rightly Ministers and Orthodox as they pretend to be let them say who acknowledge the King supream Judge in all Causes and over all Persons Lastly Whereas they say in the end of this Section That the discovery of some evil in the Apocrypha condemns our Common Prayer-Book for appointing it to be read I answer It follows not except it did appoint those Books to be read as parts of Canonical Scripture which we know it does not This for the grand abuses in general in Epistles and Gospels Now we must with them to particular untruths by them charged upon us bidding us to Look upon that egregiously abused place or Christ abused by our dealing with that place namely Revel 12. 1. Michael and his Angels fought c. Which words the Book appoints for the Collect they mean the Epistle for Michaels day where they make Christ by misapplying the place a created Angel Here they make much ado to prove Michael to be Christ which being granted them with such ado their accusation is never the truer nor our Cause or Book the worse The reading the Epistle on Michaelmas day in no sort makes Christ a created Angel but the keeping of Michaelmas day as we keep it is onely in memory of Michael or Christ if they please who is called an Angel Mal. 3. 1. Who with all his created holy Angels fought against the Devil and his Angels We call Christ an Angel so does the Scripture but it calls not a created Angel no more does our Book nor we but in memory of that victory of that Michael and his Angel we keep that day praising God for it and so read that part of Scripture which relates it Secondly They tax the words in the latter end of the Benedicite but to no purpose if that were the Song of the Three Children we do not know we do not now exhort them three to praise the Lord but sing their song in memory of them and their miraculous deliverance When we read Davids Psalms we do not in many of them pray for the things that he in those Psalms prayed for The third particular here is a clause or sentence in our Burial of the dead for which very particular I refer the Reader to Dr. Sparge in Chap. 12. pag. 62. where that mattâ—r is expresly handled and where I know another man hath answered any thing to avoid prolixity I say nothing Next then comes their Syllogism That which is mans device and hath been an Idol in Gods worship must of necessity be so still But the Ceremonies mentioned in the Service-Book have been Idols in Gods worship as Cross Surplice c. Ergo They must be Idols still in the worship of God To this I answer First The Proposition is false their proof is from some few particulars to a general which whosoever hath the least smatch of Logick in him knows to be nothing worth We may by this rule as well demolish our Churches and Châ—ppels nay somewhat more may be said against them then our Surplices for the very particular individual Churches which we now have have been abused to Idolatry which our particular Surplices have not And so the Minor also is faulty namely our Crosses Surplices and particular Ceremonies which we now use have never been Idols at all And so we deny and have proved their later Proposition also false which they tell us none can deny For the other supposed abuses in the Sacraments in the Churching the Confirmation c. I refer the Reader again to Dr. Sparge to satisfie all Next they tell us We would not have the Lent Fast forgotten which the Patrons of our Liturgy make a Religious Fast abusing places of Scripture by mis-application of Scriptures as Joel 2. 12. Matth. 6. 16. 4. 10. 2 Cor. 6. 2. This Lent Fast which they would not have forgotten no more would I. For the abusing the places of Scripture mentioned by them if they did particularly shew wherein the supposed abuses consist I would answer them more particularly but howsoever supposing they count the Scriptures which speak of Fasting to be abused by being read in Lent which is not a Religious but a Politick Fast as they seem to say I answer that the Lent is indeed by our Laws and the Kings late Proclamation a Politick Fast nevertheless if any man observing our Lent according to Law by abstinence from flesh totally do also by temperance and an abstemious and spare diet all that time and by absolute Fasting sometime in the Lent keep a Religious Fast by subduing the flesh by Mortification and Repentance more then ordinary humbling himself before God This man as he shews himself in that respect a Loyal Subject by the former so he does the duty of a good Christian by the later pleasing God by both for his better help and assistance then in the later the places of Scripture which he shall hear read in the time of Lent are useful and beneficial to him Neither do we incline to Popery in this Religious Fasting nor approve of their superstitious Fast nor Fast in imitation of them for they that do celebrate such a Religious Fast in the time of Lent take not the example of the Papists to follow therein but of the antient Christian Church which did so fast many years before Popery was hatched This Religious Fast therefore though we press not as by Law required yet may we safely and profitably perswade to and preach and read concerning it from the example of the Church in former times Lastly In this Chapter they come to that which they call Fopperies and fooleries in our Book Touching also again upon false Translations that they may be still like themselves observing no method or order in any thing But to the point having answered already I come with them to their fooleries What can be said for those Tautologies and Battologies used in the Service-Book as Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy c. condemned Matth. 6. 7. And by and by One foppery more that mutual salutation between Priest and People in these words The Lord be with you And with thy spirit Last of all they conclude thus Tritenhemius wrote a Book upon Dominus Vobiscum in which are many fruitless questions and so we are sure the thing it self is fruitless If it be a vain Tautology to repeat those words a few times in praying to God what will they say to the Prophet David for repeating the same words
the meaning of it which is this as in the former part of the Prayer we acknowledge Gods readiness to hear us and abundant mercy in giving beyond our deservings or desirings so now we desire him to give us more then we dare particularly crave at his hands that whatsoever he sees fitting for us he would grant though we dare not particularly mention it to him And whereas they say What we dare not ask we shall never obtain that hath no truth in it for Solomon asking onely wisdom and daring to go no farther yet we know he obtained honor and riches also Thus much for their particular exceptions now we come to the general Syllogism That Service the matter or bulk whereof is partly false partly foolish and frivolous should not be presented unto God But the parts of the Service are such as hath been fully proved Therefore they should not be presented to God To this first it fails in form and so concludes not the question that the Service-Book is not to be presented to God but onely that some parts of it are not to be presented and so they seem to express in the conclusion not saying as they should Therefore it is not to be presented that is the Common Prayer-Book is not to be presented But therefore they are not c. i. e. the vicious parts of it and so they conclude not that the whole Book is to be rejected but some things in it to be expunged or amended Which had they onely desired and that in any civil way and sober manner it might happily have been done long ago without strife hatred and uproars but for some pretended abuses nothing but a total abolition could serve their turns But to come to the matter of their Syllogism the Minnor is utterly false neither all the parts of the book or any part of it having been fully proved to be frivolous and foolish neither can the Major be granted except the denomination of false frivolous and foolish be given to the whole book or matter from the greater part of it which granting all they have said for true how false soever we know it is yet cannot that denomination be justly given to the book and so it does not follow that it may not be used in Gods service So now having answered all they have said in this Chapter also I must now come upon a little to question their piety again for some words in this Chapter they say thus It is true we have left out the Saints in our Liturgy that was too gross but had the Laudenses got their colours fixed ere this the Letany had been flanked with this stuff Concerning which to pass by that title which they give in scorn to all that are not of their stampe passing that by I must take notice of their charitable censure here accusing all those they mislike of an intention of bringing praying to Saints into our Liturgies and Letany Is this any Christian charity If this censure argue no charity as I presume no man will say it does charity by their own words in their Preface Being one of the four virgin daughters of unspotted piety their piety must be either very much spotted in bringing forth such a Charity or else very barren in bringing forth virgin dâ—ughters having brought forth neither loyalty nor sobriety as we have shewed already nor charity as appeared before and now again is evident so that if Dame Equity come not forth at last to save her mothers credit little unspotted piety will be found in these Unmaskers if we examine them by their own principles Of their equity therefore I shall speak also in due place In the mean while having done with the matter of our Liturgy I am next to come to the manner of it CHAP. VI. Of the Manner AFter their usual fashion of an idle preamble they procceed to name these particulars in blaming the manner of our Church Service First to the Minister whose change of voice place and posture is strange and ridiculous for first he must say some things with a loud voice not all what can be the reason of this but that of the Mass-Priests that there are some mysteries which the profane Laicks must not hear Instead of a ridiculous manner of serving God according to our Com. Pr. book I shall shew the contrary God willing in due time in the interim to this whole charge in this Chapter it is utterly false in all the particulars First for that here first mentioned of the Ministers change of voice the book appoints no such change nor bids him say any thing at all softly but onely puts him in mind sometime of speaking out that he may be heard of all but not one word or syllable is there in the Book to move him to speak any thing otherwise then with an audible voice the thing then he layed to our charge being wholly false we need say nothing to the forged reason hereof onely let me ask what Charity or Equity there can be in this dealing Instead of Equity and Charity herein what can it be but extream unjustice and malice both to forge such an accusation against us that they may fain such a reason of it as is far worse then the thing it self If here be Equity or Charity let the producers hereof be judged men of unspotted piety Their second exception against the Minister we have in these words Secondly For his posture besides the windings turnings and cringings his face must be sometime toward the people and sometime his back Concerning these postures we have nothing in the book or any word tending that way except they catch at these places 1. Where the Minister is appointed at reading the Lessons to stand and so turn himself that he may be best heard of the people 2. When at the Communion when he is appointed to turn to the people in reading the blessing this is all of the turning so condemned And for the first of these for him to stand at the reading of the Lessons it is according to Christs own example Luk. 4. And for standing so as he may be best heard reason might perswade it if it were not commanded and so likewise for turning towards the people at the blessing of them Other standing besides this is but three times appointed in all the Service namely first at the Creed which is for the people as much as the Minister and the fitness thereof shall be shewed in due place 2. At the Versicles O Lord shew thy mercy upon us c. where the people are to answer the Minister And 3. At the communion that the people may the better see his demeanor in the consecration If any particular exceptions were made against any of these Postures they should be answered particularly but without that to possess the people with a conceit of I know not what ridiculous turnings windings and cringings in general terms from these fit few decent and convenient at least
if not needful actions and gestures of kneeling at prayer standing at the confession of faith and some other times that his voice may be the better heard and his actions the better seen of the people if this savour of any ingenuity or conscience in these Unmaskers let any indifferent man say Thirdly they complain that The Priest saies somewhat in the Church somewhat in the Chancel getting himself from the people as far as he can c. To this agâ—in I say there is no such thing by the book appointed nor is the Minister bound to perform any pâ—rt of the Service in the Chancel but at the communion nor then neither except the table stand there nevertheless if any Minister reading that part of the Service which belongs to the Communion do use to go to that table to read it if they can make any particular exceptions against it they that use it will be able to answer them but howsoever most unexcusable are they that blame our book for that which be it better or worse the book enjoyns not at all This for the first head of their exceptions against the Ministers manner of Service In the second place comes the unmannerly handling of the matter First they have many short Collects c. This unmannerly dealing they branch out into three particulars â— That there be many short Collects but a long and tedious Service 2. That it is several times said Let us pray 3. That the people answer and say any thing in the Service with the Minister And to make this charge good they bring two similitudes of little Girles cutting cloth to pieces and of an Ambassador We answer first to all in general concerning unmannerliness in Gods service let them shew what of manners in particular there is or what part of good manners we offend against either toward God or man in any thing we follow the book in and they shall be particularly satisfied In the mean time let the world judge whether it be not more rudeness unmannerliness and incivility to wear their hats in time of Divine Service to sit or loll or lean unreverently this way or that way neither standing nor kneeling in the very time of prayer then to go reverently and civilly out of the Desk to the Communion table Secondly to the particulars 1. What is the hurt in short prayers much good and conveniency we see therein when divers persons comming into the Church in time of prayer when one short prayer is ended they can presently at the beginning of the next joyn with the Congregation and so go on with all the rest to the end 2. For the better stirring up and inciting the peoples too too dull hearts and minds by putting them often in mind of what they are or should be all about it is not onely not amiss but needful to call upon them with Let us pray when any wandring or straggling thoughts have averted their minds 3. For the answering of the people it is such an especial means to keep from drowsiness duâ—ness and to rouse up their spirits and affections to be wholly occupied in those sacred duties they are about â—s nothing can be more And whereas they talk of the peoples interrupting the Minister by their saying with him or answering him it is so far from interrupting or hindring his devotion that it does comfort him encourage him and elevate his heart and spirit to hear his Congregation with one heart and voice as it were joyning with him and answering to him in his heavenly devotions So that as David said so every faithful Minister that desires the peoples good as his own must necessarily heartily rejoyce in hearing Psal 122. 1. that concent of the people with him in prasing God or praying unto him and happiest are those Ministers which have such Congregations I grieve for the want of it In the next place come their similitudes but all men know that similitudes prove nothing they may illustrate a thing when fitly and rightly applied but prove they cannot And these are such as do not that the first as being an idle thing in it self so is nothing to our purpose or resembling the business in hand The other which seems to hit the nail on the head does not hurt us For though it be not fit or ordinary when an Ambassador is delivering his message for his attendants by to meddle to speak any thing they not knowing what his embassage is nor being concerned in it yet to make some resemblance between the case of an Ambassador and this of ours if the Ambassador were to treat of such a business wherein the consents of all present were necessary to be expressed to the King to whom he speaks and he should desire to hear it then what unfitness were it for the people at such and such set periods to speak such words as should be appointed to express their hearts that way This is the case in the Ministers and Peoples praising God and praying to him But these being no pâ—oofs I pass hence and come to the last thing in this Chapter which is this Syllogism That worship of God which for Name Original Matter and Manner is naught all over is not to be suffered head nor tail but wholly to be cast out of Gods house But the Liturgy is such a worship c. Therefore it is to be cast out To this the answer is plain the falsity of the Minor in all the particulars hath appeared by this my answer I hope sufficiently And so I might finish this Chapter but for one wonder which herein they make and I am willing to satisfie them therein they propound their minde thus To shut up the point one thing we cannot but wonder at why the Popish Prelatical Priests do admit the common people a share in saying of Service who will not have the people in any case to try muchless to judge of the Doctrines of their Teachers The case is plain enough because many men may be fit for one thing which are not fit for another It is an easier thing to joyn with others in the Worship and Service of God for matter and manner once rightly instituted and appointed then to know how thus to order such a Service for the glory of God and good of his Church All therefore are bound to do the one few able and so few suffered to do the other Yet by the way you may take notice concerning your last clause we hinder not the people to do like the Bereans to try and examine what they are taught by Acts 17. the Scriptures but we allow not the Learners to teach their Teachers how or what to teach But of this enough CHAP. VII Of the Effects HEre they come to the pretended evil effects of our Common Prayer-Book which they tell us are first upon the Ministers secondly upon the Ordinances thirdly upon the people fourthly against God most of all For the first They tell us that
Ministers which are good workmen and bad workmen and no workmen are all hurt by the Common Prayer Book And first they instance in the last of these thus Where Ministers should be apt to teach c. this Book settles such blind fellows over people who can neither feed nor lead To this the answer is plain the Book appoints not at all what Ministers we shall have setled in Churches but what they shall do that are setled in them And if we have any such as they here speak of and call them dumb dogs saying Sir Johns c. These are not hurt nor the Churches that have them hurt but benefited by the Common Prayer-Book for hereby they that can do no other good yet are forced to do some by reading that Book duly to and among the people for by that reading the ignorant people are instructed by the Word of God read to them according to the Book They have also a Confession of Faith the Ten Commandments the Lords Prayer by frequent reading taught them with many other excellent and godly Prayers whereby they call upon God agreeably to his Word wherewith they praise God with Songs and Hymns in this Book which without it they could not tell how to do So then all the bad Ministers whether no Preachers or bad Preachers are all helped by this Book those that cannot preach at all if any such be now do good by reading these which are evil Preachers and could do nothing but hurt if any such there be by idle and senseless Prayers and erroneous Doctrine which they preach and make themselves which they would do onely shall by reading the Book do some good both to themselves and others Then for the good Ministers which they divide into two sorts some Conformists to whom the Book they say is a burthen some Non-Conformists which for this Book are sufferers I answer the first are not hurt by the Book but by their own erroneous Conscience which makes that a burthen to them which of it self is no such thing For the other which are sufferers for their disobedience it is either their weakness or their obstinacy which causes them to suffer and not the Common Prayer-Book which is at the most but a remote Causa sine qua non of their sufferings if they suffer onely for refusing that else it is not so much And I believe there are few sufferers if any at all which have had no fault but non-conformity to the Book laid to their charge this for the Ministers then is nothing Secondly they tell us the Ordinances suffer by this Book namely Preaching is hindred by it but this experience shews to be otherwise no Toleration being given to neglect preaching for reading the Book but where it is most punctually observed Sermons are as good though perhaps not so long as in those places where it is neglected and we know it is not the length of the Sermon that makes the people edifie but many times the untolerable tediousness thereof makes many even shun them rather then frequent them Neither do any of us esteem more of the Service-Book as they accuse us then of preaching in general but to esteem more of the set Prayers made by the most Judicious Fathers and by Law established and of the Word of God truly and plainly read then of such ex tempore Prayers and Sermons as many of the enemies of the Common Prayer-Book make sometimes no man that understands himself and the Word of God can possibly forbid without manifest impiety And that such Prayers and Sermons are not more properly Fardels of mens devices then the Liturgy which hath so much of the sincere Word of God in it no reasonable man can say Then for those words in the Canon which they alledge of Divine Service and Sermon they do not in the least sort make preaching no part of or a lesser part of Gods service then reading and praying but speaking in that Canon for the ordering of the people they speak in the peoples language wherein it is usual to say Service and Sermon So that had they said onely Divine Service and not added Sermon some would have excluded the Sermon from being understood in the Canon but the Canon to shew that we esteem of Sermons as well as of Service appoints the same reverence to be used in the one that is in the other This cavil therefore is most idle Thirdly They speak of evil effects of our Liturgy upon the people And herein first they tell us of an evil effect the Book hath upon the Law because some have been punished for not reading the Book contrary to Law Which I answer to thus If this were true it is meerly accidental to the Book and partly the fâ—ult of disobedient men and partly of unjust Judges But if the Act for the observing that Book be well looked into they shall quickly see that the offences in this kinde have not been punished beyond the rigor of the Law but have rather had more favor then the Law allows For the Statute is plain That whosoever shall preach or speak any thing in the derogation or depraving of the said Book or any thing therein contained or any part thereof and shall be convict thereof c. shall forfeit all his Spiritual Promotions coming or arising in one whole year How would these fellows storm if this Act were put in execution against them But to proceed they tell us next That this Book affronts Religion and herein they spend many words in nothing but unchristian and unhumane railing telling us That many good people have suffered c. Which discourse how horribly fâ—lse soever it be yet is to no purpose if supposed true for whatsoever men have suffered for seditious and rebellious words and actions they would here make the ignorant people believe hath been wholly for not conforming to the Book just like the Papists who when a Jesuite or Priest is put to death for Treason say He is martyred here for his Religion They tell us next That many people have been destroyed by being brought in ignorance hereby Which is so false and impossible as nothing more the Common Prayer-Book if well observed and used hath enough in it to shew any man the way to everlasting life by the Scriptures read and such Confessions of Faith as are necessary to salvation and such Prayers aâ— if faithfully prayed and mercifully granted we shall be happy enough in this world for a time and perfectly happy in the world to come for ever and ever Whereas on the other side many of their magnified Sermons fill poor souls with Errors Heresies and Doctrines of Devils inciting and moving men to Rebellions Murders Treasons and the most damnable villainies that ever hath been committed in our Land as the murdering our late King and many other horrid acts in the late times committed Lastly For those three things which they propound to be considered from Queen Maries days Pag. 41.
with never an one of them they are now at last onely named in the end of the Chapter and follow in the Chapters now to come The first whereof they take from the example of others the second from the danger of not doint what they desire the third is from the covenant The two first we have in the next Chapter the last in Chapter ten To which I come in their order CHAP. IX Of the Pattern TO follow their disorderly proceedings still like themselves as in the former Chapter they intituled it of three Motives and yet medled with never a one so this Chapter they give the title of one motive onely namely of the Patterne and yet handle two the Pattern for doing and the danger of not doing what they would have done First then of the Pattern Wherein 1. They tell us that all the reformed Churches have done it 2. They press us with the example of the Scots To the first we answer That their Allegation is not true but they name some Churches that have done it yet many more might be named which have not done it 2. For the Scots we are neither bound to follow their examples nor any other further then they have done well nor so far if we shall not do well also in following for it will not always hold that what is or hath been done well by some in some places can be done well by all others in other places I have no mind to censure other men and their actions but will rather proceed to their next motive Onely I must touch one thing in a word which here they say namely They seem to hope for the bringing back of the King which through the infinite mercy of God blessed be his nâ—me for it for ever we see now effected if they desired the Kings return before or be glad of it now it is done let them express so much in suffering him to be a King now he is returned and not force or appoint him how to govern that Church which God as to a nursing father hath committed to his charge And so I come to the second motive the danger of not doing what they demand to be done Which danger they propound to be looked upon in a twofold respect a Priori and a Posteriori from what is past and what is like to ensue The former they say is to be looked upon in way of prophecy or in a way of performance Concerning the former they tell us How the servants of God have prophesied of the increase of Popery and the suffering of true Religion by many revolting in times of tryal Now the ground of all this if you will believe them is the Common prayer and the Bishops one upholding the other which later clause I have already refuted where they first mention it in their Preface whether I refer the Reader and for the former part faining the Bishops and book to be ground of the increase of Popery who sees not the quite contrary that rather rebels and schismaticks have done it Popery having got more strength and our Church more shame and slander in these late times they have born the sway then all the time since the reformation before So that as it was a godly Prayer set forth to be used upon the fifth of November by Act of Parliament to be used that upon that horrible treason of the Papists through the goodness of God so happily discovered God would strengthen the hands of our gracious King the Nobles and Magistrates of the Land with judgement and justice to cut off those workers of iniquity so we have as much cause to pray against these detestable Sects and murderers of King and all Subjects which most strangely opposed their damnable and devilish proceedings the cause of all which doings whether it were the Bishop and book as these men would have it or the rebellious minds of the enemies thereto it is needless now to say and whether the chief want of a through reformation be not suffering such spirits rather then suffering the Bishops and the book to remain these late times have shewed wherein the two later books and Bishops have been all the while in a total Ecclipse and the former rebels and Schismaticks shining in full and unlimited power and lustre Next for future dangers they alledge Zions plea again against which we must also again oppose the answer thereto In the rest of this Chapter after much vain and idle railing according to their custome they come to particular dangers to those to whom they write their book if they obey them in an extirpation of the true pretended enemies wherein they bring no new arguments but use a flourishing exhortation to perform the work they would have done all which exhortation being grounded onely upon the supposed unlawfulness of the book proved as they think by their undeniable arguments as they call them all those arguments having been sufficiently answered and so no proof of any unlawfulness in the use of the book remaining good this brave exhortation falls of it self so that the third Motive onely is left CHAP. X. Of the Covenant COncerning the Covenant in general we need say but this 1. As they moved men to break the Oath of Allegiance and Canonical obedience by saying though most wickedly and falsely That they were unlawful Oaths and so better brokâ—n then kept that may we truely say to them concerning the Covenant and so their mouthes ought to be stopped and for the unlawfulness of that so unjustly and tyrannically imposed Covenant that it was utterly unlawful may easily and clearly appear in these two respects 1. In that it was absolutely forbid by our Dread Soveraign Lord the King then being 2. By the matter of it in it self For the first it is a truth without any question or dispute that it is simply unlawful for any subjects though never so many and powerful to make any solemn League or Covenant concerning any innovation or alteration in government to be made by them without the Kings consent much more then when his Majesty hath not onely given no consent but also declared absolutely against it and peremptorily forbidden it as we all know the King did while the Covenant was in hand Secondly for the matter of it if any one particular in it were simply unlawful the Covenant is thereby unlawful Now the extirpation of the Church-government by Archbishops and Bishops in our Kingdom where the Gospel hath so long and so abundantly flourished under it the Kingdom with it and by it which Government also hath been even in the Church of Christ since the Primitive times and is most agreeable to the word of God the extirpation I say of this Government and the ruine of all the officers therein without any just cause or ground but upon distast taken against some of them which way it can be lawful is not in imagination possible Secondly the Covenant being one intire thing consisting of many branches
great weight and there say they will use but few words And I believe indeed that such Objections or Arguments as they will bring forth for themselves to answer shall have no great weight in them lest they should take upon them such a burden as they are neither able to bear nor to cast down agâ—in handsomely after they have once taken it up Briefly therefore running over the Arguments here brought and their answers to them I shall at last use some Arguments my self for the continuance of our Liturgy among us as well as they have done for the abolishing of it but first to their Objections The first they bring from the antiquity of it to which they tell us Smectymnuus hath answered whom I never saw and so know not what his answer is and so can say nothing to him But whereas they answer here That antiquity without truth is nothing I grant that but tell them withal this is nothing to their purpose because what is most ancient must be supposed most true till the contrary be proved Therefore their answer to the antiquity of this Book is nothing against it till they have proved the unlawfulness of it a little better then yet they have done Secondly They sâ—y Many good men have liked it To which they answer That their approbation is not sufficient To this I rejoyn nor is their misliking and railing at it enough to condemn it For though they brag of more light then our forefathers this new light is the common argument in these days for all things done against the old light of Gods Word yet all their lâ—ght hath not shewed them how to frame such a Liturgy as we have received from our forefathers and till they have made a better they might be content with this Thirdly They say Our Book hath many good things in it but answer So hath the Alcoran and the Talmud But we reply that those Books if they have some good things in them which they are pleased to call many yet they are not many in respect of the evil with which they abound but our Book abunds with good if not free from some defaults The denomination then being to be taken from the greater part our Book and so the Apochrypha which here they also gird at are to be called good and the other two evil Fourthly It is better to amend then to cashiere To this first They suppose an impossibility of amending Secondly They say It is contrary to Gods course who commands the Altars to be thrown down c To this we say It is a vain and groundless supposition that every thing amiss in our Liturgy might not easily be amended Neither is it to be doubted but that they whom it concerns would sooner amend what is distastful to any quiet and moderate men if the violent opposition of troublesome and factious spirits not hinder it by the unreasonableness of their demands whom when nothing in that kinde done can satisfie it is to no purpose in respect of them to do any thing To the second we answer concerning Gods command to cut down the Altars burn the Groves c. the case is very far different from ours here Those Groves and Altars were directly against the express command of God for worshipping onely in the place by himself chosen namely the Temple at Jerusalem And again there is great difference between that Idolatrous worship and some defects and imperfections in the right worship of the true God Lastly It is not Gods course always in correcting abuses rather to abolish the thing then to take away the abuse for we know our Saviour speaking against the abuses in Fasting Prayer and Alms does not take them away or forbid any of them but shews how to amend the abuses And to make their answer good here they must plead against our Churches as well as our Liturgy To the fifth This Book they say hath Acts of Parliament to confirm it To which they answer first That this Book is not established by Act of Parliament Secondly That the thing it self being simply evil no Act can make it good To these we say again The Act before the Book is plain but they tell us The Books we now use have been altered since the Act and so the Act is not for them To this we answer If there be any such alterations in the Books that by the strictness of Law or tricks of Lawyers the Act cannot take such hold of Non-conformists as to make them liable to the penalties there appointed yet in conscience whatsoever is not altered in the Book is by vertue of that Act obediently to be observed and yielded to the intention of the Law-giver being as much or more to be regarded then the Letter of the Law And again those alterations being made according to Law that is by a Commission given forth by His Majesty then being King James of Blessed memory under the Broad Seal of England to the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury and others according to the form which the Laws of this Realm prescribe to be used as we see in His Majesties Proclamation before the Book of Common Prayer all are as much bound to observe the Book so altered as if no alteration at all had been made in it To the second answer we say That the supposition there made of the evilness of the Book hath been by my answer so taken away that the ground of this answer fails And so I have at last done with their Five undeniable Arguments as they call them and their three Motives for the taking off our Common Book and the Answers to the Objections which they were pleased to bring against themselves There remains now onely to take a view of their opinion concerning any Liturgy at all or any set form of Prayer for if these two be unlawful it is a sufficient Argument against the Common Prayer Book In delivering their opinion herein they say They will answer these two questions First Whether they do allow of any set Prayers in a more private way Secondly Whether of any set Liturgy To which two questions they might very well have spared their pains in answering we not much caring for their opinions herein yet seeing they would thus express themselves we will see what they say and deliver our mindes thereto First They say They allow the ignorant onely set forms of Prayer in private To which if by these set forms they mean set prayers made by others we are willing with them to allow them onely to such as cannot make better themselves but in general to use set forms for the very best of men is not onely lawful but very good and most carefully to be done that we may observe that of the wisest of men Eccles 5. 1. For the second A set Liturgy they say they allow in general but come to the particular use of any particular Liturgy they flee off again and will have their set Liturgy onely a pattern for a
Liturgy made it seems ex tempore every time because the words they tell us must follow the affections and not the affections the words In this they do but dally with us making our Liturgy no Liturgy and turn publick Prayers into private every one by this means as their affections are different so praying differently whereas in publick Prayers all must pray at the same time the same prayer or else there is not one common and joynt prayer of all but several prayers as several persons And for their Argument that the words should follow the affections that may as well be in a set prayer as in an ex tempore one For the heart does first conceive the prayer and then frames words to express it by Now such prayers being made and read and known to all so that all have them by heart they do thereunto first conform their affections and praying with the Minister their words inwardly conceived if they speak not or also outwardly uttered if they speak do follow the affections of their hearts If they say this is not enough but every mans private affections should be the rule or guide of his words and prayer I answer then that if there be never so many praying at the same time in the same place they differing in their affections and so in their inward or outward words viz. their several forms of prayer there are but so many several private prayers made and not one joynt publick prayer by all And there is no more efficacy in the prayers of them in the Church then in so many particular prayers elswhere For these prayers want the condition by our Saviour expounded Matth 18. 19. and so cannot truly claim the promise there made Thus I have done with their Book in respect of the sum or substance which I have fully answered their extravagancies and railings lightly passed by I will adde no more to all they say but this If any man desire to be contentious we have no such custom nor the Churches of Christ 1 Cor. 11. 16. CHAP. XII Arguments for our Common Prayer Book HAving hitherto answered what hath been said against our Liturgy and now desirous to say somewhat more for it I have thought it best briefly to draw some Arguments for it from the same heads whence the Unmaskers have fetched all the matter they have brought against it namely from the name of it the original of it the matter contained in it the manner of using it and the effects of it upon our whole Land By all which I hope they whom it may concern will correcting what they see cause not totally destroy but continue our Liturgy and Church Government First then I will begin with the name not the ignominious name of Mass which they would cast upon it but the name which it owns and we all call it by And that 's the name of The Common Prayer Book a name challenging all liking and acceptation considering the excellency and efficacy of the common and publick prayers of all above the particular and private prayers of any one how holy or pious soever he be If Christ promise as we know he does Matth. 18. 19 20. That where two or three be gathered together c. how much more will he be present with a whole congregation or a whole Land publickly with the same desires words and affections calling upon him and praising his name If then the nick-name of a Mass odiously by our enemies cast upon our Liturgy make it seem to some distasteful yet let its own proper name rightly belonging to it cause us in that respect that it is a Book of Common Prayer for us all cause us in that respect to love and esteem it and to desire the continued use of it among us Secondly for the original This Book had its first rise and original from the ancient fathers of the Church in the Primitive times long before Popery was known or thought of and its immediate original here as it is now with us from the very beginning of that blessed Reformation which we still by the mercy of God enjoy and except the interruption of some few years in the days of Queen Mary and in the late rebellions and distractions amongst us we have still blessed be God retained and flourished under it Out of the respect then to our blessed Ancestors of former times and our Predecessors here that first established this Book and for the happy continuance of it from the very beginning and first setling of the true Protestant Religion in England let us love this Book and with thankfulness for it diligently use and constantly retain it Thirdly for the matter of it that ought to be a more prevalent argument for it then both the former for had it never so good a name if that name were dissonant from its nature I could not urge it or had it never so good a beginning in the respects forementioned yet were the matter of it nought the good efficient cause would not sufficiently make amends for the evil material cause but if that be as or more excellent then the other sure then may it well move us to regard it What then is the matter of this Book wholly prayers made onely to God himself through the mediation of no Saints or Angels but onely through Jesus Christ whom Gotappointed the sole and absolute Mediator between him and us Secondly We have the Word of God read in it to instruct and teach us in the knowledge and service of God which he is pleased to impart to us and require of us Thirdly Songs and Hymnes of praise and thanks to God either Divine and Canonical parts of the Scripture it self or made by holy men altogether consonant to the Word of God in he Scripture Fourthly Confessions of Faith briefly comprising the main chief and principal points which a Christian is bound to believe and to profess to salvation This is generally the matter of our Common Prayer Book which matter is so and in such order and manner set down and so disposed of and every thing in the Book appointed to be used in such admirable manner and order that from thence we have another strong argument for the maintenance and retaining of the Book Fourthly Therefore I come to the excellent manner and order of using this book and used in this book concerning which I must take a brief view of the order appointed and so deliver it unto you First when we are come into the house of God for his publike worship and service how can we better begin this sacred work then with some words out of the Word of God himself This is without controversie but with what words we should begin or what piece of Gods word is fittest to be the first word that should be spoken in his house is perhaps more difficult to be absolutely determined that therefore is not absolutely appointed and to all enjoyned but in this kind some liberty left
How did the whole Nation flourish in piety peace and prosperity under her Government ever since her Raign began during the time of it and since the end of it no Nation in the Christian world hath received more and more miraculous mercies and favors from Gods hand then our Nation We have abounded in honor glory and estimation abroad encreased abundanâ—ly in wealth learning and knowledge at home We have hâ—d as excellent and powerful preaching and as frequent as learned and pious books written as any place in the world We have had such uniformity and decency in the worship and service of God as no Church in Christendom more till of late dâ—yes wherein this book and our Bishops and Church Government by them have been cryed down and thrust by force and violence against all reason conscience and Laws of God and man out of their places and our Church during which time of their exiâ—e what treasons rebellions murder and all horrible acts of prophanness and abominable impiety have abounded in the Land no tongue can express What strange Sects have risen how hath Popery increased how insolency and ignorance under pretence of new light hath overspread a great part of the Land woful experience hath shewed more then I am able to express These effects may justly be imputed to the want of Bishops and a Set form of divine worship amongst us for immediately upon the abolition of them they began to grow and encreased all the time of their much lamented absence and now through the great mercy of God since the restoring of them they are much abated and decayed daily and by the continuance of them now again amongst us in some reasonable time if without interruption or disturbance it please the Lord of his infinit goodness to continue this blessing to us we doubt not by the grâ—ce of God the falling down or vanishing away of all these Sects again The book being an especial help to the simple and ignorant in the worship and service of God and the authority of the Bishops an approved and effectual means to keep under the insolency and perversness of willful disturbers of the Churches peace which happiness that we may enjoyn again as we have formerly had it as we are daily to beg and crave at the hands of Almighty God with earnest and uncessant prayers so do we humbly for the conclusion of this Treatise desire of his sacred Majesty and the most reverend Fathers in God the Lords Arch-Bishops the right reverend Fathers in God the Lords Bishops of our Church by his Majesty chiefly intrusted in this business and by the Law of God and of this chiefly with the instructing and teaching of his people and governing his Church that amending whatsoever in their wisdom they see fit for the glory of God the good of this Church of England in general and the satisfactions of the minds desires and consciences of the peaceable and weak but faithful members thereof they would still continue our Liturgy which we have had so long among us and so happily flourished under and with which God of his mercy grant that this Church and State may still flourish and prosper to the end of the world Amen May 2. 1661. A Collection of some choice Expressions of the Equity Charity Sobriety and Loyalty the four Virgin Daughters of the unspotted Piety of these unknown Unmaskers of our Common Prayer Book 1. THe Service Book is evinced to be a rank Impostor in Gods worship and a violent intruder into the house of God To the Reader Pag. 1. 2. The said Book is called The overwhelming storm of the purity of worship Chap. 1. p. 1. 3. It is called A Superstitious and Popish Liturgy ibid. 4. If our Liturgy be not a Mass of Superstition and Superstitious Ceremonies we know not what Superstition is p. 3. 5. Kneeling at the Communion is said to be the staff and strength of that abominable Idol the Breaden God ibid. 6. Our Service-Book is called The Mother of that Hydra of the Scotish Liturgy and the yong Dragon in that Nation and the Mass-Book the Mother of our and theirs too ibid. 7. Except our Liturgy had been full of Serpents it could not have hatched the Dragon that was sent into Scotland ibid. 8. The Superstitions of this Book are such and so many that we may apply that saying That it is not onely hurtful and dangerous but cursed and execrable P. 4. 9. Their Liturgy that is the Papists is the very Lethargy of worship and what difference between ours and theirs Truly nothing but a pair sheers betwixt them and putting ours in a coat of another tongue Chap. 2. p. 5. 10. What reason is there that we should groan under the burden of a Liturgy borne in upon us under the name and nature of a Mass which is nothing but a mass of Idolatry and an Idol of abomination ibid. 11. The Service-Book is the main engine it is the saddle and we the asses c. Page 6. from the middle to the end 12. Though Ave Maria be not actually in it namely in our Liturgy yet if purpose had holden it was more then in a fair possibility to have been the head-corner stone of the Liturgy Chap. 3. p. 8. 13. This Symbolization of Papists and Prelate-men in the name and nature of Mass and Liturgy discovers how they conspire against the truth and those who desire to worship God in spirit and truth P. 10. 14. If this our Liturgy were the true worship of God the Papists and the Prelatical crue would never endure it but would stone tear in pieces imprison burn banish and kill with all manner of cruelty as they do and have done those that worship God according to his will ibid. 15. They must bear false witness in proclaiming under their hands by subscription that this stinking puddle is the River of God when indeed it is the Euphrates of Babylon Ibidem to the end and almost to the middle of P. 11. 16. If the Altars now er â—cted were of God they would be an abemination to the Prelates and their faction ibid. 17. It was great incogitancy to speak the least in our Reformers in King Edward's days to take a Monk from among the Canaanites and putting a coat of English cloth upon it to represent it being an unclean beast as a service to the Lord. It is no better truly then the excommunicate thing P. 16. 18. To cause Ministers to subscribe to it is no less then treason against the high and mighty God Châ—p 4. p. 22 23. 19. That Jewish Popish Institution of Churching-women called Purification and that bastâ—rdly piece of Confirmation P. 25. 20. The Letany is not a stump or limb of Dagon but the head of the Mass-Book Chap 5. p 26. 21. Of this it may be truly said as one said of the Pharisees sin thaâ— it was either the sin against the Holy Ghost or else very nigh to it so the Letany