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A42477
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Considerations touching the liturgy of the Church of England In reference to His Majesties late gracious declaration, and in order to an happy union in Church and state. By John Gauden, D.D. Bishop elect of Exceter.
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Gauden, John, 1605-1662.
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1661
(1661)
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Wing G349; ESTC R218825
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26,979
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44
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the Soveraign Authority such an excellent Liturgy set up in our English Tongue end established as it hath been by many Statutes or Lawes in Parlament never yet repealed Now weaknesse and wantonnesse if not wickednesse are prone to betray men to such ingratitude toward God and the King that they delight with much proud squeamishness and nauseous coyness to loath and reject this Liturgy as the wanton Jews did their Quails and Manna Truly they have cause to fear lest leanness enter into their souls after such fulnesse and consumption follow their surfeits in Religion An easie spirit of Prophesie which is no other than prudential will serve to foresee and foretell that the want much more the contempt of so excellent and usefull a Liturgy will betray the Church and Nation to ignorance and prophaneness besides infinite factions divisions and confusions the best that can be expected is a devout kind of Superstition or superstitious devotion that instead of the English Liturgy which men so so ingratefully petulantly and unjustly quarrel at because they can understand it they shall be at last contented with such a Latine forme of Devotion in a strange Tongue which they will less cavill at and more admire when they least understand it 'T is almost a Demonstration That the darkness of Popery will follow the absence of that clear light of true reformed Religion which shines in the English Liturgy most agreeable to Scripture and purest Antiquity The Book of Common Prayer as I have of late by special Command most diligently perused to observe wherein a sober review might be most to its clearing and improvement as to some words and expressions so upon this serious perusal I must profess as Pilate did when he had examined our blessed Saviour and as Felix of St. Paul that I find no fault in it worthy of death no nor of stripes or bonds or any reproches and hard speeches or evil surmises much less are those many and great things true which some popular Orators as Tertullus vehemently object against it either as to matter or manner I cannot but commend the candor justice and ingenuity of Mr. Baxter who lately professed to me that he saw nothing in the Liturgy which might not well bear a good construction if men looked upon it as became Christians with eyes of charity Nor do I doubt but the faithfull people of the Church of England have since the Reformation served God acceptably day and night in the solemn devout and holy use of the Liturgy which in many places where were small maintenance and so but weak Ministers was the chiefest part of the provision which poor people had for their souls Nor can I believe but that the blessed Apostle St. Paul if living and the other holy Apostles would have joyned with it and said Amen rejoycing to see the soundnesse of our faith the sanctity of Sacraments the unity of Devotion the order and decency of holy duties carryed on with that Spirit and understanding which best agrees to the word of God the honour also and harmony of Christian congregations in the worship of God To which I find those devout alternations and responds sometimes used by the people especially in the Liturgy as the ecchoes of humble intent and fervent affections are so far from being any hinderance inconvenience or uncomliness when people are perfect in them that to me they seem in the most ample and judicious auditories among whom none exceeds that of the two honorable Temples to be very quick excitations and elevations of Ministers and peoples spirits in prayer and harmonious tokens of that mutual correspondency in holy duties which ought to be between Minister and people when the work is carryed on as it ought to be gravely decently and devoutly not in a huddling and perfunctory way whereof not onely some people but many Ministers seem very guilty in the formall use of the Liturgy when their lips move apace but their hearts not at all they speak with their tongues in a tumultuary and posting way but admit no such humble and fervent impressions on their souls as becomes the Majesty of God the excellent matter of that Liturgy and the miseries or wants of their own souls with the humble sense they ought to have of them I know some also have been more at discord with the Liturgy because they find in Cathedrals and other great Churches the use of Musick both vocall and organicall hath been applyed to some parts of it which certainly is as lawful as any meeter psalmody hymnology or singing to tunes which was never questioned by learned and godly men for lawfull in the worship of God publick or private especially that of praising and giving of thanks Nay there is no scruple but that even in prayer and the deepest notes of that viz. penitentialls both Musick of voice and instruments may be so gravely and solemnly applyed as may very much fit the temper of mens spirits and the spirit of that duty when either sad and solemne with grief or chearfull and exalted with joy Who doubts but David and the whole Church of the Jews served God in spirit and truth amidst those joyful and harmonious noises they used with singers and musicall instruments The gift and use of Musick is so sweet so Angelicall so heavenly and divine that it is pity God should not have the glory and honour of it in his service and the Church an holy comfortable use of it that such an orient pearl may not be used onely in civill conventions or abused in wanton carols and vain effusions which is to put a Jewel in a Swines snout certainly the Christian Church hath more cause to rejoyce then the Jews had and we see the Angels at Christs nativity began the Church Musick with their heavenly Quire 'T is true possibly there may be some discreet regulations and emendations even in our Church Musick so as not to sing either the Creeds or Commandements as not the Lessons or those parts of the Liturgy which are most plain doctrinall and fundamentall which ought to be fitted to the meanest auditors ears and understanding considering that in the pauses or intervalls of the lessons and in the close of Divine Service the Psalms and Hymns or holy and devout Anthems may be very aptly used not only as read or plainly sung but as advanced with excellent Musick so as may sometime suit with and regulate the common peoples tunes and singing other while it may be elevated to those perfections of Skill which are worthy of the best Quires and those chief singers or Masters of Symphony which were and still are in the Church of England it was onely fit for those mens rudeness to abandon Church Musick who intended to fill all things with the alarums of war and crys of confusion The last shock of popular envy and displeasure which the innocent and excellent Liturgy of England was wonted to bear was
the factious Vulgar reduced to so low an ebbe both as to respect and subsistence that having shifted from one sequestred Living to another at last he was outed of all and having a great charge which hastened the armed man of poverty upon him he made to me with tears and horror of his sad condition this confession That after much tossing to and fro he knew not now which way to turn himself or to subsist that Gods hand was justly against him because he had trusted too much to the arme of flesh and followed popular applause that having against his judgment and conscience for many years forborne to use as other holy forms so that of the Lords Prayer for fear of offending some factious and fanatick people he saw God would teach him to pray for his daily bread by his want of it and by filling him with his own delusions Not only the Liturgie reviewed and setled by Authority will be of great use and concern to the good of the Church but also that short and plain Catechisme which is in the Book of Common-Prayer with some few other Questions and Answers added to it that so it might be if not more complete yet more explicate and plain to common understandings and might be distributed into 52. heads that each Lords day might have its portion assigned which every Minister should more or lesse insist upon after he had first asked every question in the Catechism and received the answers from the Cathecumens or younger sort This would certainly keep up knowledge as to fundamentals in all and advance it both with the elder and younger people who might easily by His Majesties command and the care of the respective Bishops and Ministers be digested once for all into two Books or Catalogues one of the Cathecumens the other of Communicants the first rank of Christians to be prepared by constant catechising in the After-noon for confirmation and the standard or proof of their knowledge to be the Church Catechisme thus confirmed they might be admitted to the holy Communion and put in the Roll of Communicants as an honour and advance to their souls hence not to be removed or rescinded unlesse they be for scandal by the censures of the Church excommunicated or are self-excommunicated by not receiving at least once in half a year The expunging of them out of this Book of Communicants to be publick and solemn as a note of Infamy no lesse than of Impiety Impenitency and Apostacy this method to be begun by every Minister in his charge taking once for all a particular account of all those people in point of knowledge of whose defect he hath any cause to be jealous But I fear to seem more forward curious and solicitous than becomes any private person in these times and in so publick a concern which requires publick â—ouncills and these ought not to be forestalled or prejudged My great invitations to these suggestions are 1. First Gods wonderfull mercy to this Church and State offering us miraculous opportunities of being happy if we be not by restivenesse and peevishnesse wanting to his providence 2. The next is the remembrance of the sore tribulations which we have felt and feared and which are still summons to all sorts of men Prince and People Bishops and Presbyters that having been so long in the furnace it is fit all of us should come forth of it well refined from our dross lest a worse thing come unto us that God may delight in our constant peace and prosperity to build us up and not pull us down 3. My last encouragement is the great benignity and gentlenesse of our Gracious King who being loth to grieve any friend or foe Trojan or Tyrian whom His clemency may amend or His charity relieve is wholly disposed both in His temper and judgment to win unite reconcile bind up and heal all parts in which is any thing sound sincere and honest that by His Royall hand and Soveraign touch as He daily doth on the infirm bodies of many so on the ill-affected minds of men He may work such cures and recoveries as may make all more devoted to serve God His Majestie and each other in all godliness loyalty honesty and charity which is then best done when mens minds by such gentle means being purged of peevish proud and uncharitable humors and reduc'd to a more humble meek and Christian temper our publick fistula's and ulcers which were fed and inflamed by these distempers may come to be dryed up and healed A mercy to be obtained followed and perfected by our prayers and to which no supplications will be more effectuall then the devout authoritative and uniform use of the Liturgy or common-prayer in the Church of England which unites all honest minds includes all our common necessities craves all spirituall and temporall supplyes keeps Christians warme in their love to God in Loyalty to their King and in their charity to each other it daily propounds the summary of all necessary religion it lays and confirms in the minds of the meanest people the foundations of sound faith and saving knowledge according to Gods word it is so compleat for duties to be done graces to be obtained mercies to be enjoyed both here and hereafter that I doubt not to affirm this truth of the Liturgy That if the common sort of people duly attend it judiciously learn it and conscienciously live up to the duties and graces there proposed to them of which Ministers particular prayers and sermons are but either Commentaries Repetitions or Paraphrases there is no doubt but they shall please God and be well prepared for an happy death and blessed eternity To the advance of all which excellent duties uses and ends nothing next the grace of God on mens hearts will more contribute then Ministers grave reverent deliberate pathetick devout and constant using of the Liturgy with and before their own prayers as an excellent means by little and little to edifie common people by frequent inculcations in faith and charity also to bring in and preserve a good harmony and correspondency among the Clergy who for many years have sounded so confusedly and awkly that they were like bells rung backwards in a conflagration or scar-fire Lastly to consolidate the publick peace of this Church and Kingdome by the uniformity industry and sanctity of Ministers godly lives and orderly labours which I hope will in time by Gods blessing so move the piety and holiness of all other estates and degrees or Nobility Gentry and Commons after the great example which His Majesties charity hath given that they will find out some way of effectual augmenting poor Ministers maintenance to some such ingenuous competency as may become both the worth of an able and painfull Ministry and also the piety and munificence of this populous and opulent Kingdome this great and mighty Nation whose glory is to be furthest from idolatry and sacriledge from