the bond and engagement upon the soul yet when we have forgotten that the remembrance of this added Sign with the revesent application of it the place where it was done the end or signification wherefore That we should not be ashamed of our crucified Lord These as external circumstances may have no small effect upon the soul to quicken the affections rouze up the memory and make a man bethink himself what he is to do viz. not as an enemy to trample the Crosse of Christ under his feet but as a Christian to glory in it bearing the remembrance of it in his heart as an Ouch or Frontlet on his Brow that Pagan Turke Jew Infidel Apostate Atheist yea the very Devil may understand it is a Noverint universi that he is so farre from being ashamed of the Faith and Crosse of Christ b Rom. 6.3 into whose death he was baptized even that most ignominious death upon the Crosse that now to the defiance of Hell Sin and the World he professeth himself a Souldier under Christ his Crosse and accounted this ignominy and reprouch his Glory and his Crown § 15 3. That this use of the Crosse is not unlawfull as received in the Church of England is evident by this which to my apprehensision is argumentum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I hope to make good it is this If this use of the Crosse according to the practice of our Church be a thing evill in it self or unlawfull to be practised then it must needs be a sin either against Piety in the first Table or against Charity in the second But it is neither a sinne against Piety nor against Charity Ergo Vpon no account is it unlawfull § 16 The Proposition and the Consequence of it is clear and evident by its own light for c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Joh. 3.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 4.15 every sin must be a transgression of a Law and consequently every morall-evill must be a breach of Gods Law the whole summe and substance whereof is comprized in those d Deut. 10.4 Decem verba i. e. decem edicta for so is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used in Esth 3.15 4.3 8.14 ten Edicts of the e Exod. 31.18 Deut. 9.10 10.1 two Tables and every breach thereof must of necessity be brought within the compasse of one of these two and so consequently be convinced to be a branch either of Impiety against the one or of Iniquity against the other The Assumption or Minor shall be proved by parts 1. That our use of the Crosse is no sin against Piety or no matter of Impiety and so not against the first Table it will appear thus All impiety must be referred to one of these two heads §. 17. The Crosse in Baptisme no impiety either 1. An hallowing of things that are prophane making holy that which is not holy as setting up new Gods or a new Worship not commanded against the first and second Commandment Or 2. Prophaning that which is holy as the Name or Sabbaths of God against the third and fourth For it cannot be imagined how any impiety should be committed but either denying to holy things their due respect or giving that where it is not due But our use of the Crosse is neither guilty of Hallowing a thing prophane nor of prophaning that which is holy Ergo This use is no matter of impiety In this argument it is the Minor only which needs proof Now then § 18 1. It is clear in the second branch The use of the Crosse cannot be pretended nor was it ever charged to prophane that which is holy The Sign being never accounted a matter of holinesse but purely Indifferent nor then by this use can an holy thing be said to be prophaned § 19 Object 2. The onely difficulty is in the former and it is charged to be an hallowing of that which is not holy For here indeed lieth the main strength of all the Arguments that I have seen against it viz. f Baxt. five Disputat Disp 5. c. 2 §. 53 54. That it is a substantial humane Ordinance of Worship and so a new Worship not appointed of God a new mystical Signe which a man or Magistrate hath nothing to do to institute and if he do his action is like the act of a Judge in alieno foro where he hath no power and his judgement therefore is Null An Instituted Sign which hath not its place as a natural or artifical help but by institution as a solemn stated Ordinance which God will not accept from the invention of man and is a meer usurpation and a nullity or worse Yea it is made an humane Sacrament either fully so or so near of kin to Sacraments as that man hath nothing to do to institute it g Account of Proceed Gen. Excep 18 §. 2. That hath at least the semblance of a Sacrament of humane institution being used as an engaging Sign in our first solemn Covenanting with Christ Here is an high charge such §. 20. Answ as I confesse hath sometimes started my soul and made me fear exceedingly least in the use of this Sign I should sin against my God and during those fears I durst not use it for were these things clear and evident I should as much condemn the practice as any But really I must professe that upon a serious examination of them and considering what is the Doctrine and usage of our Church the nature of the thing as it is allowed and enjoyned by our English Constitutions The charge is unjust the practice is innocent to my apprehension and I dare not but use it for fear of sin against God which I am sure I should be guilty of in disobeying a righteous Law made by a just authority For § 21 1. It is evident that this use of the Crosse is not made any substantial part of Divine Worship but onely an external circumstance added to the Worship clearly declared in the h Can. 30. Constitutions of our Church to be a thing indifferent and continuing so in it self being necessary onely in our present practice upon the account of a Law enjoyning it as commanded by a lawfull Authority Those who declare it indifferent and presse the use of it only as of other indifferent things which are to be used or forborne according to the commands or prohibitions of a lawfull Magistrate cannot with any reason be deemed to make it a part of Worship Whatsoever it may seem to some men to resemble yet to charge the Church with such a thing as it never intended yea as it hath declared against cannot be just yea must be an high violation of that Christian Charity which I am sure is our duty Here then cannot be an hallowing of a thing not holy when it is still professed indifferent in it self necessary onely in praxi because of a positive Law there is no new worship set up nor
or composing Catechismes or collecting matters for Instruction Exhortation Rebuke or Comfort c. from the practice of the people of God we have also from the like practice in these cases Sect. 17 Object 2 As frivolous also is that Objection That these were not prescribed so as though it might be lawful to use them at our own choice and liberty yet not to be enjoyned them nor may we submit to an enjoyned Forme Sect. 18 Answ 1 1. For to omit that those Scripture Formes were also sometimes enjoyned some of them at least not to mention the Lords Prayer We read Hezekiah not only commanding their duty to sing praises but enjoynes them a Form also In the words of David and Asaph the Seer But Sect. 19 Answ 2 2. Formes being lawful the former maximes prove that the prescribing them by a just authority is so far from making them unlawful to be used that it makes the use of them a Duty And indeed let reason judge Is the Forme good sound grave doth the injunction make it bad or unsound may we pray blesse give thanks c. in such words at our own choice and may we not use the same words when we are commanded were they good before and are they evil now The commands of men do indeed take off the indifferency of an action so far as pro Hic Nunc to determine us where we were before at liberty but I could never hear that the command of that which is lawful should change the nature of it and make it sin so as what is lawful now for us to do shall be unlawful when enjoyned So that notwithstanding all this it stands undoubtedly true That to use a prescribed Forme is not unlawful and consequently this cannot make the use of our Liturgy unlawful that it is such a Form I need not inlarge in this particular which is not much gainsaid and even those who scruple this particular do yet acknowledge the usefulnesse and expediency of a Forme in the Publick Ministrations But by the way Sect. 20 1. Formes in the Iewish Church This I am sure of The Jewes are acknowledged to have had some Formes in their sacred offices for though we find not any whole Liturgy of theirs which was used in their Synagogues and publick assemblies yet that such they had is more then probable for I never yet met with any who had reason to question the truth of that which is by learned men observed of the Forme which they used at the Celebration of the Passeover our Saviour himself in his practice conforming thereunto This say the [o] Bez. in Matt. 26.20 ex Iosepho de bello Judaic l. 6. c. 3. Paul Burgens in Psalm 112. Ios Scalig. de emend Temp. l. 6. learned was the Forme they used from the time they entred into Canaan They were to eat the Lamb in private families where were to be no lesse then ten no more than twenty persons They washed their feet then lay down to eat the whole Lamb with unleavened bread then rose and washed again and lay down to the Table to the Post-coenium the After Supper where they had their unleavened bread and sallets of soure herbs in a dish Then the Master of the feast first dividing the bread blessed it in this forme [p] Benedictus es Domine Deus noster Rex universi in esu panis arymi Blessed art thou O Lord our God King of all the world in the eating of this unleavened bread The bread thus broken they kept one part and divided the other among all the persons there who did eat the Passcover in this form of words [q] Iste est panis aerumnae quem comederunt majores nostri in terra Aegypti quisquis esurit accedat et paschatiret et cui opus est nccedat et paschariret This is the bread of affliction which our Fathers did eat in the land of Egypt whosoever hungreth let him come and eat the Passeover and whosoever hath need let him come and eat the Passeover This done He took the cup and blessed it in this forme [r] Benedictus es Dmine qui fructum vitis creasti Blessed art thou O Lord who hast created the fruit of the vine and of this he drank and then it went round about the Table This cup was called the [s] 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cup of blessing to which the [t] Psal 116.13 Psalmist alludes I will take the cup of [u] 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 salvation and call upon the name of the Lord and in reference whereunto the Apostle calleth the Poculum Eucharisticum in the Lords Supper [x] 1 Cor. 10.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Cup of Blessing At which time was sung that Solemn Hymne which they called the Great Hallelujah which was the 113 Psalm with the 5 following thus did the Jewes This forme manner and rites that Christ himself did use those passages of the Sacred History do discover viz. [y] Matth. 26 23 Judas dipping his hand in the dish and Christ [z] Joh. 13.26 giving him the sop the beloved Disciple [a] Joh. 13.23 lying in Jesus bosome Christ [b] Job 13.4 rising from the table to wash his Disciples feet then again [c] Joh. 13.12 lying down and [d] Mark 14.26 singing the Hymne these things were not usual at every ordinary eating It is therefore observed that Christ did not wholly institute any New Rite in the Church but what was before in the Jewish Church he took and applied to a new use end and signification They had Baptisme as in their several washings so in the solemn admission of a Proselite into the Church the Jewes did not therefore quarrel with Iohn for bringing in a new practice but onely asked his [e] Mark 1.4 with Joh. 1.25 Authority to baptize What was with them thus an initiation Christ in his Church made Sacramental The Eucharist was not simply new neither for they had at their solemn Feasts their Post-coenia and in those a Commemoration of the Blessings at those Feasts celebrated as at the Passeover the Deliverance from Egypt at their Pentecost the Delivery of the Law at the Feast of Tabernacles their Travels in the wildernesse c. the proper blessings remembred in those Feasts Christ taketh up this practice continueth this post-coenium and onely adds a new signification and the Commemoration of his Death and Passion who indeed is the proper [f] 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 5.7 Paschal Lamb and the [g] Joh. 1.29 Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world Sect. 21 2. Formes in the Ancient Christian Church As the Jewes so the Christian Church had their Liturgies and publick Formes too Thus much we find acknowledged even by the learned Non-conformists that [h] Ball Trial of grounds of Separat answ to obj 8. c. 5. whatsoever may be thought of the two first ages yet for the
That it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and very improperly said that they should confess his praise and not speak sc Not inspeaking but in dying But I answer 1. For this latter expression though it be Catachrestical Answ Sect. 7. and figurative yet it is as frequent usual and plain as it is Rhetorical and not at all strange even to vulgar capacities and the meanest conceptions among whom no word is more common than this (q) Fortùs loquitur vita quam lingua Actions speak louder than words Actions being indeed (r) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unanswerable arguments as Asian in the Poet pleading for Achilles Armour thought this enough to oppose to the flourishes of words and subtilty of Vlisses Quid verbis opus est tentemur Agendo And agreeable to this is that which as I remember I have some where read in the Book of Martyrs of a good Woman who thought this enough to reply to the Popish Persecutors I cannot dispute for my Religion but I can Die Without doubt Dying was a more unquestionable confession and Profession of faith than all her words could shew forth This I know comes not fully up to the case of the Bimuli these Murdered children who were purely passive and knew not why they suffered and therefore Death could not be their choice but I only mentioned these passages to justifie the expression of Not in speaking but in Dying Sect. 8 2. As to the particular Case That they were Martyrs or Witnesses c. though they knew it not nor could by their death intend to give any such testimony may well be affirmed if we consider the cause of that their death which was as to the Murderer purely the sake and interest of Jesus Christ For Herod bad heard by the Wise men of a Child born the (s) Mat. 2.2 3. King of the Jews as indeed this Child was of the Royal line of the Seed of David He that knew himself a stranger and placed on the Throne only by the Roman power began to suspect his own standing 〈◊〉 he could not be secure should the Jews have another King in bâ—ing To prevent this danger and secure himself against these fears He commands these Wise men to find out the Child pretending only (t) Mat. 2.7 8. that he might worship him They find the Child they worship and (u) Mat. 2.9 present him with several gifts But God (x) Vers 12. to prevent the malice of Hered sends those Wise men another way Herod being frustrate of his hopes that he might be sure not to miss this Child but strike sure sends out and (z) Vers 16. slayeth all the children of Bethlehem where Christ was born and he supposed he yet was of two years old and under that slaying all he might be sure of him also whose death he principally designed It is true These Children knew not upon what account they suffered but had it not been upon notice of Christs Birth the King not in a Temporal but Spiritual Kingdom of Israel they had not suffered That wheresoever this Story shall be heard of the Death of these Innocents there also shall the cause be known there will be an infallible Testimony of the Birth of Jesus Christ who was sent from God the Father to be the Redeemer of the world and to save his Chosen Thus did the Providence of God order it that though not by the mouths as it is in the (a) Psal 8.2 Psalms and verified also upon another occasion in the (b) Mat. 21.16 Gespel yet by the Death of these Babes and Sucklings he did perfect his praise those who knew it not being made real Martyrs their Death attesting the Birth of the Saviour of the world and the King of the Church 4. The next is Sect. 9. Coll. for the first day of Lent the Collect for the first day of Lent viz. this Almighty and everlasting God which hatest nothing that thou hast made and dost forgive the sins of all them that be penitent create and make in us new and contrite hearts that we worthily lamenting our sins and knowledging our wretchedness may obtain of thee the God of all Mercy perfect Remission and Forgiveness through Jesus Christ I have examined this Collect word by word Answ Sect. 10. both for matter and phrase with the best eyes and judgement that I have and yet I must seriously profess I cannot see what that one thing possibly should be that may be thought needful to be altered The Doctrine concerning God is every way sound clearly expressed and perfectly agreeable to the Holy Scriptures magnifying the rich Goodness of God who made all things (c) Gen. 1.31 very Good and therefore can hate nothing which was the works of his hands and though now he do justly hate those persons which by sin and rebellion have made themselves other than God made them yet upon their true Repentance (d) Isa 55.7 Hos 14.1 2 3 4. is ready to pardon them and to love them again And upon this the Petitions inferred and enforced are proper for our present condition and perpetually necessary for us while we are short of Perfection for New and Contrite hearts sincere Repentance that we may be in the way the only infallible way to Pardon and Peace through Jesus Christ What is here which doth in any thing cross the Evangelical Doctrine What is not suitable to the Scripture Pattern What is asked which is not the matter of the Command and the Promise of God What is there which we are not bound to ask every day who are taught to beg (e) Luk. 11.3 4. Remission of sins as oft as our Dayly Bread If it be to be asked and this Petition sent up every day upon what account it should be unfit or unseasonable that day I cannot imagine And at a time of Fasting and Abstinence let the Lent be esteemed but a Civil Constitution of which I shall speak more God willing in my next Part for the Church to teach us the Practice of Mortification and Repentance and to suit our Prayers to such duties cannot but be seasonable and proper following herein the example of Christ and his Apostles from Temporal occurrents if the Lent be deemed no more to teach and press spiritual duties as many instances might be given were it needful in a matter so common and obvious in the Holy writings 5. Sect. 11. Coll for the fourth Sunday after Easter The Collect for the fourth Sunday after Easter is this Almighty God which dost make the minds of all faithful men to be of one will grant unto thy people that they may love the thing that thou commandest and desire that which thou dost promise that among the sundry and manifold changes of the world our hearts may surely there be fixed whereas true joyes are to be found through Jesus Christ our Lord. There is but one thing in this Answ Sect. 12. which
been evermore taught to prize and esteem these main and fundamental truths and Ordinances of wo ship at an higher rate than that some petty dislike of this or that in the external Form when the matter is found and good should cause separation And to all this he addes this short but true and observable conclusion that Our Service-book is not a Translation of the Mass-book but a Restitution of the Ancient Liturgy wherein sundry Prayers are inserted used by the Fathers and agreeable to the Scriptures So far He. 4. Sect. 6 Let any man seriously compare the Masse-book with our Liturgy and not take all upon a general report and they will soone see this objection vanishing There is so vast a difference between these two that I cannot but wonder that any wise or considering man should lay this imputation upon our Liturgy I have seen several of the Popish offices and have some by me and one entire Ritual I have read them over I have compared ours with them and what find I even a vast difference a Diametrical opposition So palpably false is that which (d) Ball. ibid p. 150. Can the separatist objected that Not only the Form of it is taken from the Church of Antichrist but the Matter also For 1. Sect. 7 In the Form and Order They begin not as we do they go not on as we do our Confession of sins to God with that Declaration of Absolution to them that repent annexed with which we begin was never that I have seen in their Masse-books therefore cannot be taken thence 2. Sect. 8 But in the Matter there is evidently a far wider difference For that multitude of Superstitious fopperies those many ridiculous and impious trumperies Prayers not only to God but to the Virgin Mary Angels Saints for souls departed the Mediation of others besides Christ and many a number of such things more in their Rituals which we have cast out Those many holy things in ours which they own not yea which are directly contrary to their Doctrine and Practice The matter of our Liturgy saith the (e) Ball. ibid. forecited Author is the reading of the Scriptures in a known tongue the Calling upon God in the Mediation of Jesus Christ and not upon Angels or Saints departed for the living and not for the dead the right administration of the Sacraments which we acknowledge only two and expressely deny the other five as such which they maintain and singing of Psalms Are these saith he and with him I appeal to all rational men the devises of Antichrist Is the administration of the Lords Supper in both kinds which they admit but in one to the people in remembrance of Christs death and passion who by one oblation of himself Once and but once offered hath made a full perfect and sufficient oblation and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world as it is in our Rituall whereas they pretend to repeat and daily offer up this sacrifice again for the quick and dead Is this taken from the Church of Antichrist These imputations saith he are not so grosse as their reasons are weak upon which they are built These things shew so much difference so great an opposition between ours and theirs that we may well conclude as he a little after doth expresse it that The Papists cannot sincerely approve our publick service but they must condemn and detest their own their prayers in an unknown tongue their praying to Saints departed much more to fained Saeints their receiving in one kind their unbloody sacrifice their real i.e. corporal presence their satisfaction for venial sins their blotting out of the second Commandment or at least confounding it with the first with others the like Again when I see those Prayers which seem to be the same in theirs and ours indeed not to be the same but though some passages be in them which we also use yet the entire Prayer different either something in ours which theirs have not or something in theirs which ours admit not for one or two expressions in a Prayer being the same which they use make not the Prayer the same when they agree not in the rest of the parts also for throughout the Prayer if it be the same there must be the same Preface the same Petitions and the same Conclusion which in most of these there is not And further When I find that there are some indeed of the same Prayers I say some for they are but few exactly the same yet these such as are for matter good sound wholsome and necessary for words and expressions savoury and significant and perfectly agreeable to the sacred Canon the Word of God and not one of these Prayers made a matter of any considerable exception by those who have in many other things excepted against this book I say not one of these prayers which are the same as in theirs charged with any material errour by any no not those who have made it their business to find the most faults in it nor indeed can they be excepted against for matter or words let the particulars be examined if they be not agreeable to the holy Rule and then judge if therefore they be evil because used by the Papists Now when all these things are laid together it is some matter of wonder to me how it can be so confidently taken up for a notorious Truth That Our Common-Prayer-Book is nothing else but the Popish Mass-Book or that it is wholly taken thence and may with so much ease be turned into it again Which if it were true I cannot imagine any considerable Reason the French King and Bishops had ☞ to hinder the impression of it there it having been here by the Order of His Majesty translated into that language for the use of the French Protestants among us which we are informed they lately did But I fear these imputations have been laid and these expressions and reproaches taken up and given out but upon design to draw people to an aversness from and to make them out of love with these Forms of Prayer which are established among us and for the matter not to be excepted against Sure I am they have proved too sad snares to entangle many tender consciences in needless fears scruples and doubts Sect. 9 5. But suppose all this true That for the Main Our Book is in the Roman Ritual or taken thence yet is this a sufficient Argument to prove it evil or unlawful to be used Nothing less Can we think the Papists so void of all Christianity yea of common sense as to have nothing that is good among them Or if it be good in it self is it therefore evil because they use it Suppose a Minister either in his Prayer or Sermon for we may observe it sometimes in both should borrow some expressions or phrases from the Heathen Authours shall his Prayer or Sermon presently for this be accounted the devise or invention of an Heathen or
But really if your sufferings be only for not obeying that just Authority that is set over you and in such things too wherein for any thing in the nature of themselves we might lawfully conform without sin whatsoever your pretence or fancy may be you will never be able to give any good account of or to answer your very sufferings to God or Men. Not to God who called you not to them but commands you to obey Not to the King nor your Governours who delight not in punishing but would rejoyce in the Peace and Prosperity of the Church and of every Subject Not to your Relations nor your Posterity who depend upon you suffer in you and may be exposed to misery reproach and want through your temerity and folly Really in this cause I fear ye will not bear the character of those Christians of whom (c) Tertul. ad Scapul O miseri siquidem mortem vultis praecipitiorum laqueorum abundi habetis Tertullian speaks who in the cause of Christ and Christianity boldly appeared yea rán in troops to the Heathen Judicatories so many that it made one of their Persecutors cry out to them O wretches if ye desire death so much have ye not halters and precipices enough at hand as if their Persecutors were even weary in tormenting I fear I say your sufferings will not bear this character for the cause is not the same But rather of those of whom Clemens Alexandrinus makes mention Antonin Arrian apud Tertul ibid. Clem. Alex. Strom. lib. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and blameth who he saith had nothing of Christians but the name who were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 certain Hereticks who were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did voluntarily offer themselves or leap into death They were indeed publickly punished but they brought death upon themselves They neither did bear the character of Martyrs nor did their death deserve the name of Martyrdom Now what comfort what peace what rejoycing can men expect in sufferings upon such accounts as these Oh let us consider whether any of these Pleas will bear us out or be a sufficient excuse for our Disobedience at that Great day of Reckoning when the secrets of our hearts shall be laid open at that dreadful Tribunal of Jesus Christ We may here please our selves in our oppositions and appearances of zeal but indeed Pseudonymous and have a kind of glorying in our sufferings But when Christ shall come to charge upon us the Contempt of an (d) Rom. 13.2 Ordinance of God in disobeying those Laws to which we were obliged and might have submitted without sin judge ye how far it will stand you in stead to pretend sin in the Governors or some irregularity in the Government as to the justification of Schism or excuse of Disobedience or the alleviating of those everlasting punishments which are due from the most Righteous God to those who despise his Laws and resist his Ordinances Sect. 7 Thus Reader hast thou also this matter of contention concerning the Government of the Church the established Episcopacy examined and discussed If thou expectedst elegance of stile flowers of Eloquence or ornaments of Learning I confess thy expectation is frustrated they are things to which I dare not pretend But I hope it will not be accounted arrogance if I say thou mayst here have met with soundness of Doctrine and evidence of Truth and the cordial desires of an honest Heart for the peace of the Church which we may have if we will but do our parts in all that lawfully we may notwithstanding any thing that yet hath been objected in reference to this head The matter of Ecclesiastical Government Let it be our care to approve our selves unto God as such who bear not Nomen Christianum in contumeliam Christi but as such who (e) Phil. 2.15 as the Sons of God by an holy harmless undefiled humble and peaceable conversation in all things sincerely endeavour to (f) Tit. 2.10 adorn the Gospel of Christ which we profess That (g) 1 Pet. 2.12 13 15. those who seek occasion to reproach us as evil-doers may yet by the good works which they shall behold in us be forced to glorifie God in the day of visitation while we conscientiously submit our selves to every Polity among men legally established both in Church and State This being the will of God that with well-doing we put to silence the ignorance of foolish men In a word would we live and indeed see (h) 1 Pet. 3.10 11. good days let us be sure to refrain our tongues from evil and our lips that they speak no guile Let us eschew evil and do good let us seek peace and pursue it FINIS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Peace-Offering The Second Part. WHEREIN OUR DIFFERENCES Are examined as to the LITURGIE AND It is shewed that herein they are not so Great as for which to Divide the Church Nor Any thing in this but what may be lawfully used and Complied with CHAP. I. The Differences about the Liturgy noted and some Scandals observed to be given by the non use thereof Sect. 1 THE World is witnesse what a Great Controversie is raised about the Liturgy and the Rites and Ceremonies there enjoyned to be used I need not report what a matter of Contention there hath been successively in the Reigns of the three last Princes who have sate upon the English Throne and is still continued and agitated I think with more exasperation and bitternesse now When yet the happy return of His present Majesty and the Blessings upon us by his restauration should have prevailed more with us to study Peace and Love Sect. 2 When through the wonderful blessing and adorable providence of God His Sacred Majesty was after the barbarous Murther of His Royal Father and His own violent extrusion from the Throne of his Ancestors and a bitter exilement in a strange land at length restored in Peace and by His return the Ancient Laws also restored to their vigor which had been so long and so violently interrupted Thousands of conscientious loyal hearts passionately called to their Ministers for the use again of the established Liturgy in the publick worship of God Many able faithful and conscientious Ministers who thought it their duty and did therefore still use it during all these late times of Confusion wherein they despised the hazard of their Liberty Estates and Means of subsistence in comparison of their obedience to the standing Laws were now revived and filled with joy that with boldnesse and confidence they might now use that which before they onely could do in private Many others who during those violent Usurpations in the Land and the Sword being over us thought it a Lawful and Christian prudence so far to give way to the furies of men as to forbear the use of that particular form rather then forsake their station in the Church and lay by the use and exercise of their Ministry in