a superstitious and penurious Religion from an ignorant idle and indigent Ministery The competent support of which would be a work as of great gratitude and acceptance to God so of infinite good to peoples souls no lesse then to the honour of the Nation and the advance of the Reformed Religion every way in the verity of our doctrine in the solemnity of our devotion in the dignity of our Ministry in the sanctity of our duties in the stability of our government and peace both Civil and Ecclesiasticall for that makes Ministers unquiet when they sit uneasie and hope for private benefit by publick troubles or popular complyings The authority and efficacy of the Evangelicall Ministry is as necessary to a just magistracy as the string is to the bow or the compasse to the ship or the Sun to the world or the soul to the body For a Nation without lawfull Magistracy or Magistrates without true Religion or true Religion without a worthy Ministry or such a Ministry without ingenuous maintenance or such competent maintenance without uniform diligence are such â—olecisms in reason and inconsistent with true policy as well as piety that they tend to nothing but contempt and confusion For the verifying of which we need go no further than our own late miserable experience sufficient to make any Nation and Church wise by its woes for one Age or Century at least unlesse it be condemned to such fatal infatuations as make men forsake their own mercies and pursue lying vanities as either ignorant of or enemies against their own and their posterities happiness FINIS His Majesties late Declaration is no disesteem of the English Liturgy The Liturgy as new and unwonted to many makes them lesse esteem it Higher tyes lye upon good Christians and Subjects than fear of punishment A review of the Liturgy desired by some learned and sober men The mischiefs of totall change or utter abolition of the Liturâ—y The Liturgy esteemed and used by the learnedest Non-conâ—â—â—mists of old 〈…〉 Many do the rather apply to the use of the Liturgy It is unworthy of Ministers to be now more averse from it Popular repute should be no impediment to Ministers use of the Liturgy The need some have of the Liturgy No compare between the Liturgy and Directly The esteem and desire of the most and best people of England for the Liturgy The incoveniences of some mens devotions in publick The end and use of Liturgies in the Church both ancient and moden Church-unity and solemnity in Christian Doctrines Preserved by their Liturgies Ministers single abilities far short of the Liturgy The siâ—nal benefits arising from an uniâ—…rme â—…y in the Church In 〈…〉 The Liturgy a great defence to true Doctrine as Christian A Liturgy much advanceth Christian Unity A Liturgy well composed and setled is most satitfactory to the most judicious people of England A Liturgy most necessary for the meaner and simpler sort of Christians Meer passive grace and regeneration sufficeth the infant as to that state After actual sin there must be actual Faith and Repentance The late increase of Anabaptisme by disuse of the Liturgy And so of Popery Why the Romish party are such enemies to our Liturgy and forbidden to join with us in it The enemies of the Church of England enemies to our Liturgy English Liturgy far enough from the Masse-book Of Ministers useful gifts in prayer Of a discreet review of the Liturgy Small and verball variation and additions no diminution or reproach to the Liturgy No rude or reproachful change to be made in the Liturgy The Liturgy consonant to Scriptures Objection against the first sentence in the Liturgy as falsly cited Answer The impudence of that calumny against the Liturgy The need we have at present of the Liurgy Oft the length of the Liturgy The peace of Church and State must depend on the Liturgy The Liturgy nâ—t 〈…〉 liberty 〈◊〉 Bishop without authority The same Liturgy unites King and people 〈…〉 Jealousies and Wars arise from difference in Religion and Devotion Authority must 〈…〉 nd the 〈…〉 Kings The Authors inoffensive designe for publick good The Liturgy not to be left arbitrary or abrogated The Liturgy a great glory and Saâ—â—â—y to Church and State to King and people Changes though for the better in small matters must not be easily admitted The want and 〈◊〉 of the Liturgy will 〈…〉 to 〈◊〉 religion and 〈◊〉 station The innocency of the Liturgy Of Responds Of Musick used with the English Liturgy Some discreet regulation in Church Musick Of Ceremonies used with the English Liturgy 〈…〉 Every Nationall Church hath authority and liberty from Christ in ceremonies The ancient Bishops and Presbyters pâ—ayeâ—s We may have both the Liturgy and Minest as abilities in prayer The sad 〈◊〉 following the want and disuse oâ— the Liturgy The ingenuous confession of a poâ—… Minister Of the Chatechisme in the Book of Commâ—n prayer Two Books of Cathâ—cumens and Communicants The Auâ—hors mâ—tive to these humble Considerations Fervent and 〈…〉 a mâ—st 〈…〉 The excellent use of the Liturgy The way of Englands happinesse in Church and State
one or two Verses there cited in the Margin to which they refer the Reader and believer of those words which are great Evangelical Truths clear both in Old and New Testament and confirmed by the joynt suffrage of many Scriptures not to be denyed by any sober Christian nor to be abused by any presumptuous sinners who dayly harden their hearts by deferring their repentance turning that Grace into wantonnesse which God offers and the Church declares to draw men to repentance by the Cords of Divine Love referring I say not only to those single Verses figured in the Margin but to others both in that same Chapter and elsewhere fully to that sense as Verse 27 28 30 31 32. So Ezekiel 33.11 so Isaiah 1.16 17 18. and in many other parallel places as Acts 3.19 promising free and full pardon of sins past to those that fully repent of their sins from the bottom that is with sincere and upright hearts having no reserve of sin under any pleasure or power which is inconsistent with true repentance and sure pardon Is this to be called a lye which is the result of so many Evangelical Scriptures or is it new to find in the New Testament places cited out of the Old not word for word but to the sense scope and summary of one or two united together as Heb. 10.5 6. cited out of Psalm 40.6 7 8. let these supercritical censors compare the words a like allegation or reference is made yea by name cited out of Jeremiah as spoken by him Mat. 27.9 and fulfilled when the place is not verbatim to be found in Jeremiah but most in Zach. 11.12 13. and little in Jer. 1.8 save onely the historical mention of the Potter and the parabolical applying of his work to the Jews so that Mat. 2.23 of being foretold by the Prophets that Jesus should be called a Nazarene which is not literally read in any of them yet collectively is in them as Christ is called Netzer Isai 53.2 or as he was typified in Sampson the Nazarite or sacred to God These and many like places well considered upon which no brand of lye or falsity may be fixed though they do not literally and syllabically agree with the quotation but are verified either in a partial or concurrent sense may sufficiently justifie that place in the first front of the Liturgy to be no lye but a Divine Scriptural Truth and may sufficiently shame the popular petulancy of those Ministers who dare cast such high reproches upon the Liturgy and the whole Church upon so true grounds or merits at all which is so vile a rashness in men pretenders to Learning and Sanctity as is infinitely to the disgrace of their persons and profession so to abuse the common people and maintain faction by calling good evil and branding Gods Truth with the Devils mark of a Lye As then the present Liturgy cannot justly be exautorated and abolished without infinite inconveniencies and mischiefs so nor may it as I said before and again cautiously repeat be rudely changed as to the main beyond any want that really is in its matter or forme which are holy and comely which would be an over-pragmatick boldness much to the reproch as of all times and duties past so to the great dissatisfaction of the present Age in which many yea most judicious and steddy Christians do highly desire justly approve love and devoutly use the Liturgy as a very excellent publick form of judicious humble holy united and pathetick Devotion I am sure we all need it as to our common relations and publick devotions and truly those commonly most need it who are most inconsiderately eager to be rid of it some alledging If nothing else yet the great length and burthen of it if all parts must be used by each single Minister in one Lords Day besides other duties of praying preaching and chatechising expected from him to all which a man aged or infirme will hardly be sufficient For Answer to this Truly I never knew any such rigor or exaction used toward any Minister that did soberly and ingenuously shew his conformity to the use of the Liturgy as occasion required and as his strength or time would fairly bear but to crowd all or most of it quite out of the Church onely to make way for the pomp and ostentation of mens private gifts this is not to obey but to baffle and affront the authority of Church and State by a most preposterous pride and disobedience Therefore there might be an appointment of some parts which shall never be omitted others appointed on some days and occasions only in the Sacramental forms all Ministers should be commanded to use them wholly and solely This is in Reason and Religion in Order and Church-polity evident that private Ministers prayers should not be as great trees over-dropping the Church Liturgy but only as small grafts or little inocculation added to it and growing modestly with it as the main standard test and measure of publick devotions upon the unity and harmony of which setled by due authority and preserved with efficacy depends the peace and unity of this Church and State as much as the house did on its pillars which Sampson pulled down Nor doth any Minister upon due examination if he pray soberly and judiciously add any thing in his particular forms which is not for the main and general parallel fore-comprised in the Liturgy There is no outward conservation of Ecclesiasticall and Civil peace comparable to that of united Religion whose orbe or sphear is true Doctrine its center holy Devotion and its circumference good Government or Autoritative order and polity The one is best set forth in a few clear Articles the other in a constant Liturgy and the last in Catholick Episcopacy all must be conform to the word of God for the main contrary to which nothing is to be believed prayed or obeyed in the Church of Christ Our Doctrine blessed be God as a Christian and Reformed Church is not much shaken or can be justly disputed by men of any worth for it is Scripturall primitive and Catholick if to this union of Doctrine we can be happy to adde and enjoy that of an uniform Liturgy and to joyn to both for their preservation a setled Church Government by learned pious industrious and authoritative Bishops assisted with grave humble and choise Presbyters nothing will be wanting by Gods blessing to Englands happiness or the honour of his Majesties most welcome person and government whose wisdom doubtlesse never intends either to exautorate the Liturgy by leaving all to Liberty or to Enervate Episcopacy by sending Bishops to govern without any jurisdiction or coercive authority either Spiritual or Ecclesiastical which is indeed to make both King and Bishop despised Add to all this How not only comely and convenient but even necessary it is in order to publick peace that people of all sorts should be thus united as
CONSIDERATIONS TOUCHING THE LITURGY OE THE CHVRCH 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 The second Edition Ephes 6.18 Praying alwayes with all prayer and supplication in the spirit c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cl. Al. De Liturgiâ Anglicanà Quem librum proprium perfectum omnis Divini cultus judicem magistrum esse jussimus Lib. Ref. Leg. Eccl. sub Edv. 6. reg 5. LONDON Printed by J. G. for John Playford at his shop in the Temple 1661. Considerations touching the Liturgy or Book of Common Prayer in the Church of ENGLAND c. IT is not to be doubted by any but those who are either ignorant of His Majesties native clemency and Christian charity or enemies to his and all our Tranquillity That His Majesties design in that indulgent Declaration was not to shew any disaffection or disesteem in His Majesty toward the ancient and excellent Liturgy of the Church of England which was His companion and consort in all His distresses and which still is the dayly rule and measure of His Majesties publique Devotions as it hath been of His Royal Fathers of blessed memory and all His princely Progenitors since the Reformation But this temporary condescention was onely in order to compose at present the minds of all His good Subjects to some calm and Christian temper untill such further expedients might be applied by His Majesties Wisdom and Charity as should not onely allay former civil differences but wholly remove the uncomfortable dissentions of His Loyal Subjects of the Church of England in so great a concern as that is of Religion yea and of the noblest part of Religion Devotion and the most eminent way of Devotion publike Worship of the solemne Service of God in His Church by Prayers Praises and Sacramental celebrations which are the great characters and confirmation of true Christians communion with God with their Saviour and the blessed Spirit and by the grace of these with one another Hence His Majesties gentleness and prudence hath been pleased at present to declare His royal pleasure for remitting a while the penal necessity of using the Liturgy upon consideration that many of His good Subjects have for many yeers been unaccustomed to it and being unacquainted with it may the lesse value it others have been unjustly yet vehemently prejudiced against it and some are less satisfied with it onely for some words and expressions in it which they do not so well understand and therefore are scrupulous to use them in the way of Worship to God But it were too much to mistake and abuse His Majesties Candor and Clemency to imagine that His Majesty had hereby dispensed with all legal moral and obediential tyes to the use of in any part of the Liturgy by which less imperious but more ingenious bands good men and good subjects are more oblig'd to the use of what is good and holy apt and indisputable in it as the main of it is than if the fear of punishment lay upon them which is very servile and below either a good Christian or a good Subject except where punishment is submitted to rather than sin commited or good is therefore omitted because of an inseparable adherence of evil to it Which sure cannot be the ground of some Ministers totally neglecting to use not onely the whole Liturgy but even the Lords Prayer the ten Commandements the three Creeds the Confession of sins and the Church Chatechisme all which are either holy and necessary or very wholsome and convenient for the Church of Christ 'T is true some that are reputed sober learned and Loyal Ministers in order to a firm Peace and Fraternal Union have for themselves and others humbly craved of His Majesty a serious review of the Liturgy yet no further than some modest and discreet variations or sutable additions Such as still retain for the main the former excellent matter and method of it without any discomposing or dissolving the whole much more without any rude despising of it or endeavour to destroy it For in earnest such insolent and enormous changes may not in Piety or Policy be permitted because First they would most undeservedly reproach the wisedome and blemish the piety of the first Martyrly Composers of it Next they would as unjustly as impudently disparage the Judgement and Devotion of the whole Church of England its Princes Parliaments Ministers and People who duly and comfortably served God and maintained the Reformed Christian Religion in the use of the Liturgy even then when this Church was most flourishing in peace and piety Lastly they would unreasonably damp and discourage the present Zeal and Devotion of the greatest and chiefest part of this Nation who are much pleased and profited by the use of the Liturgy which heretofore was highly approved and conscionably used even by most of those learned and godly men Ministers and others who in some things Ritual and Ceremonial were either more scrupulous or less conformable Yea His sacred Majesty could not but in all reason expect that all learned and godly Ministers with their people would the rather apply themselves to a dâ—screet and devout use of it in those parts of which they are satisfied so as might best express their grateful sense of His Majesties tenderness and indulgence to them in some others which are rather verbal then material Scruples and dissatisfactions Which Religious Loyal and Ingenuous principle to my knowledge hath so prevailed with some very able and godly Ministers in London and elsewhere that they have according to His Majesties desires intents and expectation presently applyed themselves to the use of the Liturgie in their respective Congregations being well satisfied themselves and having fully convinced the best and soberest yea the most of their people not onely of its lawfulness by Gods and Mans Lawes but also of its usefulnesse and fitnesse for this Church Although they did not heretofore use it while there was no power that would protect it and them all things being run to Faction and Confusion Tyranny and Anarchy under the pretensions of Liberty and Reformation ought not to extend beyond the Laws of God and and man by which the peace and welfare of Church and State are preserved So that for any worthy Ministers and sober people to be therefore more restive now and averse from the use of the Liturgie at all because of His Majesties clemency is a most unexcusable moroseness especially when they heretofore did use it and are still satisfied in their Consciences of the lawfulness and expediency of it yea and they were disposed to have used it immediately before the Declaration came out in case they had been required to it according to Laws in force rather then for default to have been punished For these men to have evil eyes against
the Liturgy because the King hath a compassionate eye to some mens infirmity for them still to foment the Anti-liturgical humour of some men and instead of closing those wounds into which the Kings charity poureth Balme to rip tear them up or to widen and exasperate them is such a part of peevishness and ingratitude that it looks too like Schismatical petulancy and pride from which drosse it is high time to have all our hearts purged after so long triall in Gods fiery furnace to be sure the very appearance and shew of such a frowardness doth not become any good Protestant or worthy Minister who hath no greater objection against the Liturgy then this that he fancies he could in some words or phrases mend it or put some alias's to it and additions which may be infinite Small faults or verbal defects are very venial in any things of humane constitution and very far from making them unlawful meerly because they are not for word or phrase or form the best that may be It is in things of pristine use in Religion that are of true and solid worth for faith morality method and decency as it is with some good Jewells of price but of antique work for their setting or fashion their plainness and antiquity gives so much value to them because though they seem lesse curious and modishly polite yet they are furthest from novelty or affectation of finery Least of all excusable are those Ministers who out of a little point of reputation among some people rather weak then wise and to be pitied more then imitated do still sacrifice their judgments that I say not their Consciences to their credits and out of a fear or lothnesse to offend some people whom they might easily convince and satisfie as well by their examples as by their arguments they make no Conscience to deprive not only the publick of peace but the people themselves as Ministers of the benefit of the Liturgy when possibly they most stand in need of it either to help their frequent infirmities or to restrain their popular desultory levity or lastly to set bounds of discretion decency charity and piety to their extravagancies even in publick â—olemn devotion and Sacramentall celebrations which sometimes to my knowledge are such as are no way becoming the publick worship of God or the honor of the Church of Christ or the sanctity of true Religion or the venerable Majesty of God All which are much abased and slighted yea oftentimes even blasphemed by the rudenesse weaknesse and familiarity of some Ministers devotions whose selfe-confidence abhors all bounds or prescripts but those which their own various fancies troubled inventions and confused judgments set to those duties which they love to perform as they list though to the little benefit of the sillier sort of people and to the great scandal of the wiser who cannot tell how to say a judicious and fiduciary Amen to those extemporary rude confused and yet eager effusions which some men vent either with too much facility and fluency or too much pumping and contention And if they be so sober as to fashion to themselves set formes of devotion in all publick duties as many of them now do it is too much arrogancy to esteem their private and single composures better then what hath been duly weighed and approved by the whole Church and confirmed by many Acts of Parliament in the most screne times and tempers From which while some men have of late years affected to recede in stead of an excellent true-born Liturgy to bring in their uselesse suposititious loose and illegitimate Directory no tongue can express into what a wilderness of sin folly and affectation both Ministers and people have run and with what fiery Serpents they have been stung which venemous inflamations and humors nothing is so probable to heal as the setting up the Liturgy again which some have fancied to be an Idol and so have studied to make it Nehustan when indeed it is more like the Ark of God by restoring of which to its place in Shiloh the Philistines were healed of the shameful Plagues they suffered by reason of their Mice and Emrods Hence it is That the desires of the most learned judicious and best-affected of His Majesties Subjects of all qualities in England are that neither publick Holy duties nor Sacramental mysteries nor their own Consciences nor the Churches honor nor the Majesty and unity of the Reformed Religion nor the publick peace and safety may any longer be exposed to indeed adventured upon such hazards of private Ministers varietys and uncertainties which are many times very flat dull and indevout other while deadly tedious and of a confused length like a great Skain of Yarne course and snarled sometimes they are so dubious between wind and water Sense and Non-sense Faction and Sedition Boldness and Blasphemy that it makes sober Christians who have a due reverence of the Divine Majesty dread to hear them others of looser tempers not so much fear as they laugh at scorn and abhor such incongruous wayes of Worship and Religion in which all things sacred and the eternal Salvation of poor souls most miserably depend upon nothing but private Ministers opinions and spirit attended God knows too often in the ablest and best of them with many indispositions and indiscretions excesses and defects For the pious and prudent avoyding of which the ancient Churches from the very first Century did use such publick wholesome formes of sound words in their Sacramental celebrations especially and afterward in other holy Administrations or publick Duties as made up their solemn devout and pathetick Liturgies Which paterns all modern and reformed Churches of any renown have followed according to the many Scriptural examples and expressions in set forms of prayers Praises Psalms Confessions and Benedictions commended to us by holy men in all Ages and by Christ himself whose most absolute Prayer suffered of late a strange and unheard of Ostracisme in many Congregations of England out of an ametrie or vulgar transport against all set forms though of Divine institution and without which of old throughout the Christian world no consecration in any Sacrament was thought complete or duly performed unless this most perfect Prayer were added to the words of Institution Hence it was thought fit to be repeated in every distinct Office or Service of the Church of England to the causeless offence of many simple people who make it a vain repetition for want of a renewed intention or constant devotion in their own hearts as they counted the Liturgy a dull manner of Worship when the dulness indeed was in their own spirits as they may as easily find in reading of the same Scriptures which are divinely inspired and are far from any deadnesse or dulnesse in themselves Certainly the design and use of all our Liturgis old and new was not only to keep all the members
Embers of childish and common infirmities but not wholly quenched or extinguished by malicious actual sins which are vastantia desolatoria of a wasting and quenching nature as much water is to a weak little fire But in case it should be quite put out as to the comfort and vertue of the first baptismal grace yet the relation and visible mark of Adoption by Baptisme put upon an infant as Gods child by profession and within the bosom of the Church or flock of Christ doth still give it both means capacity and aptitude for that actual renovation by faith and repentance beyond what can be had out of the Church of Christ and without which the Baptismal passive regeneration what ever it is as to it its first operation will not suffice to such a sinners salvation As we see the same beams of the Sun will not burne when weak and scattered which united presently kindle fire in matter that is apt to burn so may be the several gardual operations of Gods grace proportionable to the subjects to which they are applyed as that heat will melt soft VVax which will not stir the hard If I may have leave to illustrate these spiritual things by things temporal I conceive that the Baptismal grace and favour whereof Infants are capable and wherewith they are duly invested in that Sacrament seems to be proportionable to that civil right which an Infant may have in Law setled upon it as to any honor filiation estate place or priviledge either by adoption donation joynt purchase or any other investiture unto which some Condition by way of Fine Acknowledgement change of Name paying of Homage is annexed in order to actual possession and enjoyment of its profits as a taking of it up by way of Livery and seisin when come to an age of understanding or use of reason either at first years or at any other time during their life The Infant hath in Law a present right to that Favour Honour or estate even in its ignorance and infancy which none can disseise it of and if it dyes in that state of infancy it dyes with that Title Honour Gift or Priviledge actually added to its person and name If it live to years of reason it hath a right to and capacity of actual Owning Demanding Taking up Possessing and injoying that estate and honour upon the annexed Condition at any time performed by it eitheâ— at its first understanding of its relation and right wherewith it is invested or any time after in all its life Performing the Condition required If it neglects its primeve advantages and never in all its life makes claim of its right Estate and honour nor performs the Condition the failer is not by reason of any nuility in the first Right Donation Investiture Adoption Purchase or Conveyance made by another to that person in its infancy but it is wholly from his own Folly Sottishnesse meannesse of Spirit and other diversions which kept him now grown from considering valuing challenging and assuming his original right and from performing at any time those Conditions for which he was naturally civilly and morally enabled In like manner Baptismal grace rests upon Infants as a Christian honour and mark of Gods love or favour in Christ sufficient for the Holiness and happiness of them if they dye in that state which is the next degree to innocency as a cloath clean washed is near to that which was never stained But if it live to actual sins it shall have no benefit of this Baptismal grace untill it performe the Evangelical Condition of actual Faith and Repentance which are not required of Infants but of those that are adult in order to receive the right or re-assume the actual possession of that priviledge which was in Baptisme bestowed upon it to be a child of God passively at first afterward actually laying claim to its Original right never wholly forfeited or lost till final impetence I know there is difficulty and darknesse in this point of Baptismal grace yet not so great as we need to change those formes of charitable and Evangelical expressions in our Liturgy which are grounded upon the Scriptures and that Covenant of grace in Christ which as we are taught to believe extends to Infants among Christians and Disciples as much as it did to those of the circumcised Jews who thereby no doubt became the children of God and of the Promises not onely by that Character and Sacramental figure of their Relation but also by that efficacious grace which was proper apt and by the Lord intended for that Infant condition But my design in this piece is not to dispute the Controversie but to vindicate the Faith Truth and Charity of those Expressions in our English Liturgy by which Ministers and others do declare their belief of regenerative grace effectually accompanying that holy Ordinance in Infants For how Baptisme must not be thought a Seale to a blanck or a signe signifying nothing besides a visible Profession and Relation or the general verity of the Gospel or the common Faith of the Church without any particular grace conferred to the duely baptized according to Gods secret dispensation and operation which to deâ—y is to baffle the sacred Majesty and saving import of that Sacrament and to abate infinitely the comfort of the Church of Christ as well as the priviledges of Christians and their children duely baptized and thereby visibly imitated into the communion of the True Church yea and invested in all these Priviledges both outward and inward which are hereby indulged to the Church of Christ above all Mankind To return therefore to my design which is to shew the great benefits and blessings which this as all Churches have by a well composed and imposed Liturgy we find how Anabaptisme hath strangely increased in England since the Liturgy was disesteemed and disused yea and the Romish Interest is highly advanced too For take away this publick and common Bank no doubt that Sea will soon flow in among us against which the Liturgy is a mighty and just Defence among all sorts of people which the Policy of Rome saw well enough when the Pope so strictly forbad all Papists in the time of Queen Elizabeth to use or hear our Liturgy hence they were in Law called Recusants For by the use of our Liturgy to which every good Christian may say Amen they would soon have been both weaned and turned from the Masse which is so far from giving the people Bread and Wine with the Body and Bloud of Christ that at length it professeth to give neither Bread nor VVine to the Laity or any other contrary to the expresse Institution of Christ and the Apostles following practice as well as judgement 1 Cor. 10. and 1 Cor. 11. which all the ancient Churches followed as did the Church of England in the use of both Bread and VVine It is most certain that all parties who are most Enemies
to the Reformed Church of England have made it their joynt designe to despise decry and destroy our Liturgy under pretence of I know not what new Modes and extemporary Abilities yea it was a great Jesuitick Artifice and back blow used by some to averre though falsely that the English Liturgy was nothing else but the Romish Missal or Masse-book turned into English 'T is true some things very Scriptural devout and excellent which the Roman Missal had taken and retained after the forme of the ancient Liturgy of the Church were severed and taken as wheat from chaff and jewels from dresse by our wise Reformers and preserved in the English Liturgy conforme to pious and unspotted Antiquity But nothing of the Romish corruption in Doctrine or Superstition in Devotion was retained in our English Liturgy which took nothing either of our Doctrine out of it but what was first in the Scriptures nor ought of devotional expressions but what were either used in the ancient Liturgies or were agreeable to the true Faith and nature of the duty No nor did the Church of England retain any ceremonies as the Crosse Surplice Standing up at the Creed or Kneeling at the Lords Supper but what were above a thousand years old and most in use when the Church knew nothing of Papal Usurpation or of Romish Superstition as is evident in the Histories Councils and Fathers of the first 600. years and being things in their nature indifferent were for their decent and devout use left by Gods general Commission to the liberty judgment and authority of this as any other Church within its own polity and communion to use and inpose As for the real and useful gifts of learned and discreet Ministers in Prayer as to Invention Judgment Memory and Expression as I do very much esteem them when used with humility gravity discretion devotion and sincerity nor doth His Sacred Majesty deny any Ministers such an use of them as may be advantageous to Religion and the peoples souls good according to those many particular occasions and instances which no to all those who in earnest have most need of some boundaries set to them not hereby to stint the spirit of prayer as some fear which consists in a judicious humble holy fiduciary and servent assent to what is prayed agreeable to Gods Word of which hearers as well as speakers and people as well as Ministers are capable but wisely to order and limit the profuseness confusions and straglings of Ministers private spirits which are many times as undevout as indiscreet The serious and speedy review of the English Liturgy much desired by some and not much opposed by others that are learned and sober men which is also graciously promised by His Majesty in his late Declaration as it can be of no more inconvenience then a New Translation of the Bible was if it be to the better so I hope it may be of good use for the explaining of some words and phrases in it which are now much antiquated obscure and out of vulgar understanding which is no newes after 100. years in which Language as all things under Heaven suffer some change Also it may serve for the quickning and improveing of some passages which seem lesse devotional and emphatick than they may easily be made also for the supplying of some things in point of dayly praise and thanksgiving to God which duty seems lesse full and explicite in the Liturgy for the frequent Doxology of Glory to Father Son and holy Ghost as it is ancient very excellent and Angelical so it might well bear some larger Expressions of praise and thanks to God whereby to set forth the grounds causes and just sense we have to give all glory praise and thanks to the Eternal God and the ever-blessed Trinity for his infinite and undeserved mercies dayly bestowed upon such unworthy sinners for this Life and a better This work once well and wisely done as it may by Gods blessing much tend to the satisfaction of all sober Christians so it will not be any thing to the reproach of our Church and of the Liturgy in the former plainer wayes of Worship as either defective or incomplete for the main which they in no sort were but very sober good and sufficient as to necessity only as one day teacheth another so there may be as in all outward forms of divine worship both harmeless additions and innocent variations yea and sometimes inoffensive defalcations of some redundances according as men and times and words and manners and customes may vary Therefore as in lesser things I can humbly and cheerfully consent to such pious prudent and improving alterations of the Liturgy as shall seem meet to the piety and Wisdome of His Majesty whereto all mens piety and prudence in private and publick capacities ought to be servient so my judgment is that the Liturgy of the Church of England as to the main and essentialls of it in Doctrine devotion consecration and celebration for matter order and method may in no case be maimed rudely changed or odly deformed for it was very conform to the Word of God and fitted to the nature of the several duties as may easily be made appear by putting to all the Book of the Common prayer in the margin those parallel places of Scripture which either for Words or sense are very consonant to it which work is easy to be done and prepared by me if it may be thought usefull and acceptable for God forbid we should be commanded to say Amen in any part of the publick service of God to which the Word of God doth not encourage us in faith and so God himself and his Spirit say Amen with us for the Word and Spirit must go together in all our devotions This endevour to fortifie the Liturgy by allegation of Scriptural strength and consent will not onely satisfie the consciences of all that are scrupulous upon that account but also stop the mouthes of those evil speakers and confute the intollerable confidence yea impudence of some who of late as I know one Minister and heretofore have blasphemed the Liturgy and the honour of the Church of England as if it began its publick Devotions with a lye for so these inpudent or ignorant men dare to speak alledging That because the first sentence in the Book of Common Prayer is not word for word in that place of Ezekiel which is cited in the Margin Ezekiel 18.21 22. Ergo It is a lye 'T is very true all the words of that Sentence are not in that place cited in the Margin nor could the Composers be so blinde as not to see the Verbal difference between them nor did they cite that place in the figured Margin to shew the literal samenesse of the words but the Evangelical soundnesse of that sense which is more fully united and comprehensively set down in the Book of Common Prayer than in that