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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A57857	The good old way defended against the attempts of A.M. D.D. in his book called, An enquiry into the new opinions, (chiefly) propogated by the Presbyterians of Scotland : wherein the divine right of the government of the church by Presbyters acting in parity, is asserted, and the pretended divine right of the hierarchie is disproved, the antiquity of parity and novelty of Episcopacy as now pleaded for, are made manifest from scriptural arguments, and the testimony of the antient writers of the Christian-church, and the groundless and unreasonable confidence of some prelatick writers exposed : also, the debates about holy-days, schism, the church-government used among the first Scots Christians, and what else the enquirer chargeth us with, are clearly stated, and the truth in all these maintained against him : likewise, some animadversions on a book called The fundamental charter of Presbytery, in so far as it misrepresenteth the principles and way of our first reformers from popery, where the controversie about superintendents is fully handled, and the necessity which led our ancestors into that course for that time is discoursed / by Gilbert Rule ...	Rule, Gilbert, 1629?-1701.	1697 (1697)	Wing R2221; ESTC R22637	293,951	328

only Schism to depart f●om a Church without just cause that we have been joyned to but not to joyn with some Societie of Christians when it is possible for us and when we can do it without Sin the former may be called a ●ositive this a negative Separation 4. Schism may be also called Positive or negative in another Sense the former when a Partie in a Church doth not joyn with the Church yet setteth up no Church in a separated way from that Church whereof they were Members the later when they set up such a distinct Societie there may be just Causes for both The first When I cannot joyn with the Congregation I belong to because of some Corruption that I must partake of if I joyn but I partake with some other more pure Societie The second When a Body of People cannot joyn without Sin nor can they have the occasion of a Societie where they might joyn they must either live without Ordinances or set up another Religious Societie on this Ground Protestants did thus separate from the Popish Churches 5. There may be a partial Separation when one Ordinance is so corrupted that we cannot joyn in it and yet can joyn with the Church in all other Acts of Communion and a total Separation when either the Church will not suffer us to joyn with her in any part of her Service unless we joyn in all or she is so Corrupt that we can joyn with her in nothing that is Religous The former by most wise and sober Men is not reckoned such a Schism as that any are to be blamed as Schismaticks on that account but the Author I now Debate with aggravateth that even to a very high degree of Schism as also do many of ●is Partizans driving many Consciencious and good Men from them for the sake of some Usages which themselves count indifferent and the others apprehend to be unlawful 6. The Differences in Opinion about Religious matters especially when Managed with heat and animosities may be called Schi●m according to the import of the Word yet in the usual Ecclesiastical notion of Schism they are not to be so reputed unless some kind of separation or shuning the ordinarie Church Communion one with another follow upon them Diversitie of Opinion and of Affection are sinful evils but it is diversitie of Religious Practice following on these that maketh ChurchiSchism 7. When a separation falleth out in a Church the Guilt of it doth certainly ly on the one side or the other and often neither side is wholly innocent they who have cause to separate may manage their Good cause by evil Methods and in a way that is not wholly Commendable now to know on which side the blame of the Schism ●ieth we must not always conclude that they are in the fault 1. Who are the fewer Number otherwise most Reformations of the Church were sinful Nor 2. Who separate from the Church Rulers themselves being in Possession of Church Authority for this should condemn our Reformation from Poperis Nor 3. Who separate from that Partie that hath the countenance of civil Authority and hath the Law on its side not only because it is the Gospel not the Law of the Land that is the Rule of our Religion and Church Practice but also because that is variable and by that Rule they who were the sound Partie one year may be Schismaticks the other without any Change in their Principles or Practice which is absurd Wherefore the blame of Schism in that case lieth only on them who hath the wrong side of that controverted Matter about which they divide or who though their Opinion be better than that of the opposite Partie yet depart from the Communion of their Brethren without sufficient Cause every thing that we may justly blame not being sufficient for making a Rent in the Church Hence it plainly followeth that Mens assuming to themselves the name of the Church is not sufficient Ground for them to Brand such as Schismaticks who depart from their Communion Where Truth and Gospel Puritie is there is the Church and they who have most of these are the soundest Church § 3. Having laid this Foundation for Discerning what is truly Schism and where the Blame of it lieth I shall next enquire into the Opinion of the ancient Church about Schism it is evident that they did Oppose it and set forth its Sinfulness and sad Consequences with a great deal of Zeal and that justly for it is not only a sinful thing on the one side or the other but is a great Plague and Judgment from the LORD on a Church and tendeth to the of Ruine of Good Order of the inward and outward Practice of Religion and of Mens Souls and herein I shall make no Debate with my Antagonist in what he Discourseth p. 211. 212. He is in a vast Mistake if he reckon it among the New Opinions of Presbyterians that they think well of Schism that is truely such or speak diminutively of the Evil and Hazard and Fatal Effects of it nay our Principle is that a Man should part with what is dearest to him in the World to Redeem the Peace and Unitie of the Church yea that nothing can Warrant or Excuse it but the Necessity of shuning Sin It is also evident that the Ancients were very Liberal in bestowing on one another the odious Names of Schismaticks as also of Heretick and that often proceeded from a true though mistaken Zeal for lovely Truth and beautiful Unity at other times it might arise from some sinful Infirmities that they as all Men are were Subject to Good Men may be Zealous for their own Opinions because they take them to be the Truths of GOD. The Father 's called several Practices Schism and shewed a great dislike of them all As 1. They blamed Dividing from the Universal Church as Schism and there are many things wherein Men may be blamed under this Head which I shall not now mention it being my Work at present only to Enquire into the Opinion of the Fathers in this Matter I find they were not of my Adversaries Opinion in this many things he maketh a heavy out-cry about and blameth People for as Schismaticks and Sectaries which they laid no such stress on They bare with one another though they Dissered in Rites and several Customs They did not fall out about what they counted indifferent but maintained Peace and Concord notwithstanding of different Practices in one Church from another Euseb. lib. 5. C. 23. citeth Irenaeus reproving Victor of Rome where Usurpation and imposing on others early began for Excommunicating other Churches which kept not Easter on the same Day with him and he setteth before him some Differences between Polycarpus and Annicetus so as neither could perswade the other to be of his Mind and yet they did lovingly Communicate together The Words of Iren. as Eusebius hath them are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Some think they should

Knox in this matter which meerly to save time I shall not concern my self in Ans. It being evident that in our first Setlement of Discipline our Church declared for the Divine right of Paritie negative Arguments from the Writing or sayings of private Men are insignificant and it is less to the purpose to tell us of their other Opinions which have no relation at all to this Matter He cannot so much as alledge that any of them have said or Written any thing to the contrarie directly or indirectly For his Debate about John Knox I judge he hath said nothing that can satisfie any imbyassed Reader that these Historians had not ground to think that Master Knox lookt on Prelacy as a sinful thing and against Christs Institution That imparitie was Established by the first Book of Discipline is falsly supposed p. 22. Superintendencie is no sufficient Proof of it of which after § 5. His next Proof beginneth p. 38. and is managed in a large Historical acount of what influence England had on our Reformation from Popery whence he inferreth that our Reformers proceeded on the same Principle with the Reformers of England Here he undertaketh two things 1. To shew what influence England had on our Reformation 2. That our Reformers were generally of the same mind with the Church of England in several momentous instances relating to Constitution and Communion the Government and Policy of the Church For Ans. to this Argument it is wholly inconsequential if he never so fully Prove all that he hath mentioned except the last about the Government and Policy of the Church and even that signifieth nothing unless he Prove that by the influence of England our Reformers were for prelacy and not for Paritie and that as Instituted by Christ. Wherefore I pass over the laborious proofs he brings of the other things and shall consider his last Article and what he saith for what he hath asserted about it The Reader without my Animadversion will take notice of his unmanly depressing of his Native Countrey and fawning on another Nation This assertion that we oppose is not proved by our Reformers Communicating with the Church of England which he insisteth on from p. 7. it only proveth that they thought Episcopacy did not unchurch a Society that was otherwise sound in the Faith And if some three or four of them did serve in the Church of England under Bishops for which we have no more but Arch-Bishop Spotswoods word this might either be by the Indulgence of the Reforming Bishops not requiring of them these Terms of Communion that the late Bishops did of these who got Places under them or it signifieth no more but that one or two Men of a Partie were of more Latitude in their Principles than the rest were For what is said of some of them approving the English Lyturgy is less to his Question which is only about Government We never thought that our Reformers at first were all of the same Principle with us in all things I am sure they were far from being of all the Sentiments of the present Episcopal Church Yea themselves had afterward other thoughts of some things than they had at first as Luther held many Popish Opinions at first which afterward he rejected I observe further that in many of his Historical passages about some of these Reformers his best ground for what he affirmeth is it is not to be imagined that they did so and so or it is to be presumed We must then believe the Truth of Matter of Fact on his fancy that so it must be If I thought it worth the while I would Examine these Histories more narrowly But I could easily yield him all without prejudice to our Cause seing the Principles of our Reformers are better known by their publick Deeds than by the private Sayings or Practices of two or three of them and these not sufficiently attested These good Men did much rejoyce in the Reformation of the Doctrine of the Church of England as also in her casting off the load of humane Ceremonies by which she had been burdened but that all or most of them were satisfied with their Government and Discipline is the Question and is not Proved by what he hath said It is least of all Concludent that these of the Church of England had good Opinion of the Church of Scotland which he laboureth to Prove p. 80. and it is unaccountable that p. 81. he layeth on so much stress on our Reformers saying of England that they were of the same Religon with us which he puteth in majusculis we say the same of them at this day and I hope they think not otherwise of us and yet we think Paritie to be juris divini If he can find a Contradiction here let him try his Skill to discover it It is an odd method that he useth p. 85. he will prove that the Scots Reformers were for Episcopacy because it was natural for the English who had assisted in the Reformation to demand it And I Prove they were not for it because de facto they did not setle it but a way inconsistent with it Let the Reader judge whether of these two Arguments is most concludent We do not find that the English made such a Demand and if they did not they acted like discreet Neighbours not to impose on their Brethren who had other sentiments of the Matter and who agreed with them in the main points of Religion And if they made such a Demand the Event shewed that it was not listned to For his Citation of Buchannan p. 88. that Scoti ante aliquot annos Anglorum auxiliis è servitute Gallica liberati Religionis cultui ritibus cum Anglis communibus subscripserunt himself confesseth that no other Historian hath mentioned it and he hath taken care that we shall not be able to Examine Buchannans words by mentioning Buch. 7. 14. in a Book of so many diverse Editions who can hope to find the place I know not what Buchannan could mean by it but it is evident if the Scots did so subscribe they did not act accordinglie which was no Sign of their Inclinations that way It is nauseous to repeat with him so often the Godly Conjunction the Unity Peace and Christian Concord that was then made between England and Scotland and to set forth this as a Demonstration Yea a Set of Demonstrations that the Scots Reformers were Episcopal nothing can be more ridiculous than to talk at this rate in the Face of Matter of Fact that they settled Parity as soon as they could settle any Order in the Church § 6. He undertaketh p. 96. and forward to prove that at the Reformation the English Lyturgy was used in this Church If this should be granted it cannot prove that the English Church Government was used also they wanted qualified Ministers so that there was need of some help to them in Praying and Instructing the People publikly and it may

familiar to him that Catholick and universal Customes had their Rise from Apostolick authority Before I consider what he saith on this Head I shall suggest one Consideration that will make it wholly unserviceable to his Design viz. that our Argument is not built simply upon the Phrase usus Ecclesiae but partly in his distinguishing Bishops from Presbyters in respect of Dignity not Jurisdiction partly on his mentioning usus Ecclesiae not which semper obtinuit sed which jam obtinuit He speaketh not of universal Practice nor of perpetual Practice but for a Practice that in his time had become common I shall now attend to what he pretendeth to bring for his Opinion about Austines meaning he telleth us p. 85. that this Father complained that many Usages had crept into the Church that were burdensome and uneasie of which they knew the Original but for such Customes and Constitutions as were received universally in all Churches from the very first preaching of the Gospel these he always considered as Sacred and inviolable and of Apostolick Authority and of this sort he saith Austine thought Episcopacy to be and he bringeth in Augustine reasoning thus that what was confirmed by universal Custome in the Christian Church could have no beginning latter than the Apostles his words are quod universa tenet Ecclesia nec conciliis institutum sed semper retentum non nisi authoritate Apostolorum traditum rectissime credimus He telleth us again p 87. to make his Assertion surer as much as repeating it can do that usus Ecclesiae in Austine's Language signifieth nothing else than the universal Practice of the Christian Church which obtained in all Ages and in all places and therefore must needs spring from no lower Original than Apostolick authority And hence he pleadeth that unless we can shew what Council Provincial or AEcumenick introduced Episcopacy it must be purely Divine To all this I oppose a few Considerations First that upstart Customes of whose Original we can give account and these that are immemorial are not only to be distinguished but differently regarded I think it is very reasonable and this learned Father did wisely observe it but that so much weight is to be laid on this Distinction that every thing is to be accounted Divine the first Rise of which we cannot account for I cannot assent to that nor do I find that Austine was of that Opinion There were Customes even in the Apostolick Church which he will not say were of Divine Institution and yet he cannot tell when and by whom they began such as the Love-Feasts to which I may add the osculum pacis which though the manner of it was enjoyned by the Apostle that it should be done holily without Hypocrisie or Lasciviousness yet I think few will say the thing was enjoyned for then all the Churches should sin in neglecting it And if there were such Customes that then crept in why might it not be so afterward § 15. I observe 2. From his Discourse that there is no ground to think that Augustine thought every Custome Apostolical of which the Original or time of beginning could not be shewed because that were to make Custome and not Scripture the Rule of our Faith and Practice and it would likewise infer the Infallibility of the Church not only in her Decrees but in her Customes which is a stretch beyond the Papists themselves If this Doctrine be true no Custome of the Church can be contrary to yea nor without Warrand from Apostolick Tradition it is not to be thought that Austine thought so who every where pleadeth for having Recourse to the written Word of God where there is any Controversie about our Faith or Practice The words cited cannot be so far stretched but are to be understood in Subordination to the Scripture where a Custome hath always and universally obtained and it is not inconsistent with the Scripture Rule that may be indeed lookt on as of Divine Original if it be in a Matter that Religion is nearly concerned in If we should yield this Doctrine about the Influence of Customes as a Rule of Faith and Practice yet it must be understood to comprehend the Custome of the Apostolick Age together with that of after times for to say that after the decease of the Apostles no Custome could creep in which was not Divine is a bold Assertion If while the Apostles watched over the Church some Weeds might grow much more after their decease while men slept it might be so 4. If his Doctrine about Customes in general were never so unexceptionable how will he prove that Episcopacy is such a Custome or that Augustine lookt on it as such Herein lyeth our present Debate and he fancieth Austine is on his side because he extolleth Custome if he can prove that Austine thought that universa Ecclesia semper tenuit that a Bishop hath Jurisdiction over Presbyters we shall part with this Argument and lean no more to Austines Authority This he hath not attempted and we are sure he can never perform it 5. We are not obliged to tell what Council introduced Episcopacy But we can prove first that it might come in an other way as the Tares grew when Men slept he might with as good Reason when we see Tares growing among Wheat prove that these Tares are good Wheat because we cannot tell when or by what particular Hand they were sowen Did not our Lord foretell that Corruptions would insensibly creep into the Church by this Parable of the Tares Sure Decisions of Councils are not the only way of corrupting the Church 2. If we prove that Episcopacy is contrary to Apostolick practice and to Scripture rule it must needs be evil though it have come in by no Council if we find a Thief in the House or a Disease in the Body we may look on them as such though we cannot tell how the one got into the House nor give account of the procatartick Cause of the other now as to what we contest about if we do not prove that it is not the way that Scripture commendeth or that the Apostles allowed we must yield the Cause Before I proceed to what he further offereth I must take notice of a word that he seemeth to smother and yet it looketh like an Argument p. 86. about the middle he saith Austine intended no more but that now under the Gospel by the constant and early practice of the Church from the days of the Apostles the Character and Dignity of a Bishop was above that of a Presbyter He putteth now in a different Character and expoundeth it by the days of the Gospel This Interpretation is a doing Violence to the Text for if now be so understood he must tell us when the time was that the Distinction of these honorum vocabula Episcopatus Presbyterium were not in use Were they one and the same under the Law Or is it imaginable that Austine would after 400 years or there

was fallen upon because they could not get Men to Oversee other Ministers but because they could not get Men to Preach to the People in every Congregation Therefore they resolve that the few well Qualified Men that they had should not only each of them have a fixed Charge of his own but should be obliged to Preach in other Parishes and be Impowered to Place Ministers in them assoon as they could be had 2. It is a groundless Fancy that they thought Ten or Twelve Superintendents too few for the whole Kingdom for when Ministers increased they made no moe yea when afterward in the times of Defection from our first Establishment of Church Order they set up Bishops the Church did not think Twelve too few for the whole Kingdom 3. He doth exceedingly Mistake the Change that our Reformers did intend as insinuated in that Passage It was not that Superintendents should be continually Resident in one Place wheras they were at present to travel within their District for in this present Setlement they had their proper Charge where they were to Preach and might Reside there three or four Months and enter upon their itinerat Visitation again which Course if they should Break off they could not do the Work of a Superintendent which was chiefly to Visite and Plant Churches When this was done and Places generally provided with fit Pastors their Work and Office was at an end 4. At this time doth evidently relate to the Peoples want of Preaching as the Motive to this Appointment and to the Planting of Churches as the End and Design of it Wherefore when this End is attained and that time no more Existent I mean of that Exigence of the Church there was no more use for them and the Event Proved that as that End was by Degrees attained their Power was gradually Lessened till they were wholly laid aside 5. The Words cited make it evident that this was not intended for a lasting Prelacy in the Church far less for an Episcopacy standing on a Jus Divinum For the Assembly where this Book of Discipline was Established do give them Charge and Commandment they do appoint their Work set Limits and Bounds to their Power they Command them in the very Circumstances of their Work this would be thought strange Presumption in a Meeting of Ministers thus to treat their Bishop 6. To say that their Authority was designed to be perpetual but these Injunctions about some part of their Work was to be Temporary is to speak at Random and to put what Sense we please on other Mens words it is to tell us what this Author would have the Reformers to mean not what is the plain Import of their Words For the Commandment and Charge these are the Words of the Book of Discipline by which they were made Superintendents did include one part of what is Injoyned as well as another part of it and when ever this Work that was Injoyned them ceased their Commission behoved to be renewed as is obvious to any who readeth the History of our Reformation their Injunctions were often Changed till they had no more Work to do and then they were Abolished § 14. Let us now hear how this Author will Prove that the Passage under Debate must have the Meaning that he hath put upon it His first Argument the Composers of the first Book of Discipline in which that Passage is were generally to their Dying day of Prelatical Principles Ans. 1. The Consequence is naught for however the first Draught of it might be framed by the Six Persons whom he Nameth out of Knox p. 287. yet let the Reader turn over to the next page where a Formula is set down according to which it was Subscribed and he shall find that they Approved it conform to the Notes and Additions thereto and it was well known that some Papers being Amended and Licked over and over again by many Persons as this was have at last Differed much from what the first Compilers intended Another thing also may be Observed in that Form of assenting to the Book o● Discipline that they were careful to Reserve to Bishops Abbots and Priors and other Prelats and benefic'd Men which else have Adjoyned themselves to us say they to brook the Revenues of their Benefices during their Lifetimes they sustaining and upholding the Ministry and Ministers as is therein specified for Preaching of the Word and Ministering of the Sacraments Here the Bishops even such of them as were Protestants are put in the same Categorie with Abbots and Priors and there is no Provision made for their Spiritual Power but for their Temporal Goods and no Successors are intended for them only they are provided for while they live yea the Administrators of Word and Sacraments are here contra-distinguished from the Bishops as well as from Abbots and Priors Doth any thing here look like Prelatical Principles yea is not the whole Strain of this Passage contrarie to them therefore whatever the first Compilers of the Book of Discipline might be it is evident the Approvers of it were not of the Episcopal Principles Ans. 2. He sheltereth his Assertion under the Ambiguitie of Prelatical Principles if he mean these Men were for Superintendents who had a Temporarie Limited Prelacie we shall not Debate that with him if he mean that they were for a Jus Divinum of the Prelacie that he and his Partie owne or for a Perpetuitie of any other sort of Prelacie we shall consider his Proofs for that which are Winram and Willock were Superintendents and so was Spotswood of whom his Son saith he was a constant Enemy to Paritie this proveth nothing against what I have said except he can assure us that Arch-Bishop Spotswood could not through Prejudice and Respect to the Cause he had Espoused mistake and misrepresent his Fathers Opinion in that Dowglas another of them was Arch-Bishop of Saint Andrews That proveth him an Apostate from the Way he had owned and we know how he and his Way was disliked by the rest of his former Associats John Row another of them defended the Lawfulness of Episcopacy at a Conference appointed by the General Assembly 1575. Here is a pitiful Shift and foull Misrepresentation The Truth of the Storie is even according to Spotswood as well as Petrie not to name Calderwood lest he alledge that I have read no other Historian a Question arising in the Assemblie about the Lawfulness of Episcopacie six Brethren were appointed to Debate the Question in a Conference three were appointed to be on the one side and three on the other it was Master Rows Lot to be on the side of the Lawfulness of Episcopacie can any Rational Man thence infer that he was of that Opinion And if he were of that Opinion there is enough said to take off any Inference that could thence be made against us John Knox was the other of these Compilers whom he will make Prelatical now when he hath been dead a

That is so true that none is wise enough for it as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 2. 6. And if so who is fit to Compose a Liturgie for others which all Men must be tyed to On this Consideration the Church ought to chuse the fitest Men she can get and when that is done both the weaker and stronger Sort should beware of leaning to their own Wit and Parts in that Great Work and should take the Word of GOD for their Directorie and Depend on the Spirit of GOD for His assistence and this is a better Remedy of the Evil feared than a sti●ted Liturgy is and hath more Countenance in the Scripture Rom. 8. 26. Another Argument Though a Minister should be very Wise yet at all times he is not in the same Temper and it is not reasonable that the Worship of GOD should be less decent when his Intellectuals are clouded than when he is in perfect health A. 1. If this Argument have any strength we must have a Form of Preaching as well as of Prayer and always tyed to it for a Disordered mind may make sad work there 2. Some have been out of Temper for Reading the Service as well as for Extemporary Prayer when their Brain hath been clouded and this hath as often hapened in the Reading Pue as in the Presbyterian Pulpit Wherefore we must have another Remedy against it in both than a Liturgie 3. I confess a lesser Degree of decency in the Worship of GOD than should be or hath been is never reasonable but how can it be prevented either in Praying Preaching or Reading as long as the Temper both of Mens Bodies and of their Minds are variable 4. If a Mans Intellectuals be at any time so clouded whether by a Hypochondriack Distemper or by Drinking too liberally or by any other Sickness as that it is probable to make the Worship of GOD to be unduely Managed that Man what ever have been his Wisdom or Abilities should not be suffered to Officiate at that time whether with or without the Book I am sure there was never any Church Ancient or Modern which appointed a Liturgie for such Men no● to countenance the Putting or Keeping such in the Sacred Fu●ction 5. There is another Cause of Worship being better or worse Managed at diverse times which our Author hath not thought on nor will his Liturgie serve for a Remedie of it that is the better or worse Frame of his Soul with respect to Heavenly things and the Degrees of the Presence and Aids of the Spirit of GOD therefore however unreasonable it be yet it is manifest that there is not the same measure of Decency and Spiritual Luster on the Worship of GOD at all times nor can there be a Remedie for this till we be better Men nor even then if the LORD for His own Holy ends withdraw his presence I know this will be slouted by some but the Apostle himself had his unusual Inlargements 2 Cor. 5. 11. and found it needful that the People should Pray for assistence to him Col. 4. 3. § 16. He bringeth yet another Reason the spiritual necessities of the People ought at all times to be ●qually Provided for A. 1. That is impossible for Man to do unless we can find unchangeable Men to be Ministers It is fair if they be always well and sometimes if they be tollerablly provided for 2. This is the improperest Reason that he could have fallen upon for it cutteth the Throat of his Cause because the Spiritul Necessities of the People are very various diverse People have diverse Necessities and the same Persons Needs may be far other or greater at one time than at another they know little of the Spiritual state of Souls who know not this now a ●●int●d Liturgie can never reach these half so well as a Minister may do who hath the Gift of Prayer and who endeavoureth as much as may be to be acquainted with the Cases of the Peoples Souls Next he Pleadeth Uniformity for the use of a stinted Liturgie which is a weak Argument for Uniformity in Words and that is all that we can have by a Liturgie which can not be obtained without it is not so valuable If we all speak the same things what great Matters is it if they be exprest in diverse Words Again what Reason is there for the Necessity of Uniformity in Prayer more than in Preaching which yet our Brethren do not Enjoin That the Forms he mentioneth are the Tessera's if Uniformi●y is an absurd and groundless Assertion there was Uniformity in the Apostolick Church and is in our Churches without them If he deny this last let him shew what Dissormity is among us further than in Words which he cannot shew to be among his own Partie yea it is evident that such Discrepancie is in their Worship in one Church from another that he cannot Charge us with the like for the Cathedral Service and that in Countrey Churches are more unlike to one another than the Latter of them is to the Meetings of some Dissenters He next Argueth that a Litu●gie obviates Mens v●nting their own Conceits A. This is far more readily and frequently done in Preaching than in Prayer and therefore will either Prove that free Preaching without a Book should be Restrained or it Proveth nothing at all And indeed the way to prevent Inconveniency in both is not a Liturgie but to be careful that none but well Qualified Men be in the Ministry and Watchfully to look to the Administrations of them who are in that Office § 17. Our Author p. 295. seq Haleth in a Discourse by Head and ●ars without Occasion given or Coherence with what he was upon concerning Superstition wherein he taketh it for granted that his Way in all the Parts and Steps of it is right and ours wholly wrong and on this Begged Hypothesis he Declaimeth against the Presbyterians as the most Superstitious yea the most Atheistical Men in the World This is an easy Way of Running down any Adversary whatsoever Whether a Groundless Scrupulosity either in Matters of common Practice or in Matters of Worship be Superstition or not I know is controverted by some I shall not now enter into this Debate knowing that it issueth into a mere Logomachy Tho I think Superstition being a sort of false Worship or a Sin against the Worship of God in Strickness of Speech nothing should be called Superstition but that whereby People intend or pretend to Worship God Scruples about what is not Worship may be very Sinful because Unreasonable and Groundless and yet not be Worship nor Superstition If he can prove that our Scrupling the Holy Days Liturgy and Ceremonies is without all Ground and that these things are well Warranted and Approved of God and that there is no Sin in Using them we shall change our Opinion and submit to what Censure he shall put on us But while that is not done as I am sure it hath not