and he made it his business to preach the Gospel not where Christ was named Rom. 15.20 24. lest he should build upon another mans foundation So that if one of these Itinerants could run over so great a part of the world we may well suppose that the other twelve might with ease divide the rest of the world among them And now what alas were we mad and desperate Idolaters that God should bring us hitherto That the Lord should say to us who were not his people You are my people and that we should say O Lord thou art our God O what a mercy is it that we the poor and the maimed and the halt and the blinde Mat. 22.9 Luk. 14.21 23. who abode in the streets and lanes of the City yea that we who wandred about in the high-wayes and amongst the hedges should be called to the Wedding-Feast of the King of heaven That unto us who sate in darkness and dwelt in the region and shadow of death Light should spring up Let therefore the name of the Lord be magnified by us poor sinners the Gentiles as the Prophet soretold it should from the rising of the Sun Mal. 1.11 unto the going down of the same And since we are through grace become children of Sion let us take the liberty here to sing one of the Songs of Sion so far as we may be concern'd therein O give Thanks unto the Lord for he is Good For his mercy endureth for ever O give Thanks unto the God of gods For his mercy endureth for ever O give Thanks unto the Lord of lords For his mercy endureth for ever To Him who alone doth great wonders For his mercy endureth for ever Who remembred us in our low estate For his mercy endureth for ever O give Thanks unto the God of heaven For his mercy endureth for ever Let the Redeemed of the Lord among the Gentiles say so whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy and gathered them out of all lands from the East and from the West from the North and from the South not onely to dwell in the house of the Lord here and to see his goodness in the land of the Living but to sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the kingdome of God to all Eternity And let us of this Nation among the rest and above the rest as it is our duty give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name acknowledging his great mercy in that his unchangeable love hath had an extraordinary measure reaching even first unto us Oh how hath the Lord been pleased to send his Gospel upon the wing unto this Nation So wonderfully here prevailing that England hath had this honour in an eminent manner to be the first-born of grace among the Nations Here reigned the first Christian King that ever was in the world King Lucius who submitted to the Law of Christ confirming it by a civil sanction From hence went the first Christian Emperour that put an end to the bloudy persecutions of the primitive Christians Constantine yea and after the general defection from the purity of the faith made by the Romish Church which like the tail of the Dragon threw down to the earth a great part of the Stars of Heaven Here the Reformation of the Christian Religion began first to be established by a Law by the first King that ever cast off the yoke of that Anti-Christian Usurper King Henry the 8. Wherein whether his design was to promote any sinister interest of his own as some imagine or to advance the Kingdom of Christ is not much material for us to know The arme of the Almighty hath hitherto been stretched out for the preservation thereof counter-working all the Machinations of Hell which have been and still are upon the Devil's forge against it Rejoyce therefore in the Lord O England and again I say rejoyce But as it is our bounden duty to ascribe unto the Lord the glory of this mercy and to rejoyce that we are no more strangers and forreiners as the Apostle tells the Ephesians but fellow-citizens with the Saints Eph. 2.19 that is the Jews and of the house-hold of God So we cannot but abhor the treachery of those false brethren among us called Anabaptists who like a brood of Vipers would if it lay in their power but that Gods mercy towards us triumphs over their falsehood disfranchise us of our liberties in the house of our God and rob us of those priviledges wherein the Lord Jesus Christ hath made us free giving us therein equal right with his Israel that was before us because he is still the Same I might instance in sundry of their Anti-Christian tenents tending hereunto But for brevities sake will make mention onely of one that is their Antipaedobaptisme not allowing the Infants of Believers to be admitted into the house-hold of faith by the Sacrament of Baptisme It is not my purpose here to dispute this point at large being out of my way enough hath been written of it already And it hath been found by experience to be a toylsome task to run the wilde-goose chase as a learned divine now with God once phrased it after a well breathed Opinionist they delight in Vitilitigation Mr. Nath. Ward It is an itch as he said that loves a life to be scrubb'd they desire not satisfaction but satisdiction whereof themselves must be judges I shall not therefore say much to this quarelsome people Let them consider how they will answer the Apostle here who avoucheth Jesus Christ to be thee Same to day which he was yesterday Certainly if the infants of the Jews were by virtue of Christs mediatory office to be received into the bosome of the Church and distinguished from those that were without by a Solemn Sacrament of initiation but the infants of Christian parents to whom belongeth the Kingdom of God as as well as to the Jews before must not be allowed to partake of a like priviledge but be reckoned still as dogs as the Scripture calls all that are without Jesus Christ is not the Same according to the Apostles word Neither is his office now of so much use unto his Church as it hath been formerly Of such blasphemy as this not to be mentioned without horrour must this cursed errour be the foundation But let me ask of these deceivers How came it to pass that Christ hath not obtained this priviledge for our Infants as well as he did for the Jews seeing God is not now the God of the Jews onely but of the Gentiles also Surely it must be either because he would not or because he could not To say he would not doth plainly demonstrate his love of us to be less then it was of the Jews which agreeth not with that abundant grace that hath been now revealed in the time of the Gospel To say he could not contradicteth that universal power which the father had given
was before the Creation thereby setling him upon the Throne making him co-eternal with God and to be of the same nature with him and the first begotten of every creature by which words he puts the Crown upon his head giving him the Sovereignty and Dominion over the whole Creation The length in that he is before all things and that by him all things consist The bredth in that he is the head of the body the Church extending his Influences Wisdom Care and Providence as the head useth towards all his Members The depth in that he became in time the first begotten also from the Dead that as he was the Creatour and Lord of all Living so when poor Creatures had by their rebellion against him brought themselves under the power of Death even then did he by his dying and triumphant rising again become their Restorer and Deliverer also that so in all things saith the Text he might have the preheminence Now then when the Apostle is in so high an elevation taken up with such a glorious description of the Lord Jesus ascribing unto him his several Excellencies according to his several Relations wherein he standeth to his Father to his Church to the whole Creation is it fit for low-spirited men loaden with lumpish thoughts of the creature to force him to stoop unto them by obtruding a sense upon him which never entred into his thoughts once to imagine Yea which would make him contradict himself as we say in the same breath for to be the uncreated everlasting Image of the invisible God and to be a Creature in one and the same Nature are teto Coelo directly opposite each to other as the East is to the West But without controversie there is truth in the Apostles words and no lye at all Whereas therefore he saith of Christ That he is the Image of the invisible God the first begotten of every creature He makes the latter Clause the consequent of the former connecting the whole in this manner The right of Primogeniture is in Christ because he is the Image of the invisible God and in that regard do all Creatures visible and invisible derive their Being from him some having more noble impressions of his Image upon them then others according to their rank and order in the Creation as it hath been contrived and established by the wisdom of the most High For example such as have life in them by an internal principle of Nature are in a higher degree of honour by their conformity unto Christ then those Creatures that are without life for life in whatsoever subject it be whether intellectual rational sensitive or vegetative is a Rivolet springing from that divine Fountain that is in Christ amongst which sorts of living creatures there is also a gradual Propinquity to the Fountain according to which propinquity they have all their several quicknings and vital operations The Evangelist S. John intimates so much when he saith In him was life and the life was the light of men John 1.4 Haec vita est lux non Brutorum c. ad quae ilâ—a non pertinet sed hominum Sic Musculus That is that Christ had a special care and respect towards Mankind and that the life which is in him is not so gloriously manifested toward the other creatures that are inferiour to man And now to speak freely my poor judgment concerning this Primogeniture of Jesus Christ by way of instance as it hath respect to Angels and Men. Whereas Christ is called the first born doth it not imply that he is Intellectus Primogenitus the first begotten Intellect in reference to the Angelical Nature becoming thereby the first Mover thereof and giving it a Being according to the counsel of his own Will Doth it not signifie also that he is Ratio Prin ogenita the first begotten Reason in order to the Rational in which respect it may be probable he is called by the Holy Ghost in Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Reason rather then the Word displaying his Beauts in every particular Soul as seemeth good unto him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 1.10.14 Which Intellect and Reason were indeed originally of the Essence of God derived unto Christ by an eternal and unconceivable Generation the Image whereof was from him devolved upon Angels and Men though not in that manner as was upon Christ himself the Essence of God being that way incommunicable to any creature for as he is the first begotten of every creature giving unto every Species his proper portion of Entity Rom. 8.29 John 1.18 and the first begotten among many brethren giving them the priviledge of Children so is he the onely begotten of the Father reserving to himself his own natural Interest and peculiar Prerogative According to this sense which I have here given the Apostle is I conceive to be understood in the fore-cited place of the Epistle to the Colossians to which I confess I do the more willingly incline because the Original word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not only to be rendred first born or first begotten but by a transposition only of the Accent as appears here in the Margine which is allowable it doth signifie also The first Bringer forth of every creature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pario making Christ thereby as he is indeed the Ens entium the Original of all Beings in the world and to be as he is called Rev. 3.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The efficient Principle or Authour as the word also means of the Creation whereof more shall be said hereafter And now to conclude let that which hath been said suffice to shew the invalidity of this Objection also drawn from the mis-construction of the Apostles words concerning the Primogeniture of Jesus Christ I grant there are some Writers both ancient and modern who to avoid this Objection which hath been here alledged maintain it to be meant of Christs Humane Nature but the truth is it is not so to be understood as it hath been here made to appear but of the Divine for Christ is not properly the Son of God according to the flesh and therefore never in that sense said to be begotten and yet notwithstanding the aforesaid Heretical Cavil over-thrown likewise Thus briefly as I was able poorly enough God knoweth yet according to the grace given unto me have I insisted upon this great Mystery Let us now improve it for our edification A threefold improvement may be made of this Doctrine considering it 1. With a reference unto Christ himself 2. With a reference unto his People 3. With a reference unto his Enemies First In respect of himself it concerns us to be very wary and to keep our distance not presuming to speak of what we have not seen Therefore as for Yesterdaies work what was done before the foundations of the World were laid it is not expedient doubtless to search into Clouds and thick
was saith Bishop Reynolds to be a middle Person to stand and minister between God and Man in their behalf to be impartial and faithful towards the Justice and Truth of God and not to be over-ruled by his love to Men to injure him and to be compassionate and merciful towards the errours of men and not to be over-ruled by his Zeal to God's Justice to give over the care and service of them And such an high Priest was Christ zealous of his Fathers Righteousness and Glory for he was set forth to declare the Righteousness of God Rom. 3.25 And he did Glorifie him on earth by finishing the things which he had given him to do Rom 3.25 John 17.4 compassionate also towards the errours and miseries of his Church for he was appointed to expiate and to remove them out of the way Col. 2.14 Now since Christ was ordained thus for the good of men Col. 2.14 can it be imagined that he had a care only of that sort of men that came after him into the World and none at all of those that had been before Was Abraham the Friend of God and David the man after Gods own heart of no reckoning with him If so let that accursed Opinion of the ancient Gnosticks the first-born of the Devil have a Licence to pass without controll that no man was saved all went to Hell unto the 15 year of Tiberius Caesar wherein it was from Heaven revealed concerning Christ This is my beloved Son hear him Or was there some other Mediatour before Jesus Christ took upon him our Nature who did execute that Office for 4000 years and then resign'd it up to the Son of God leaving the residue to be done by him in a time which happily may not be half so long Or were all those that lived in that long Tract of time shut up in Limbo when they died from whence they could not be delivered till Christ himself came among them These and such other Carcinomata as Bishop Mountague calls them are rather for Cauteries then curing Salves to work upon we may perhaps meet with some of them hereafter undoubtedly the Lord Jesus Christ was alwaies The man who was is and shall be the Mediatour between God and Man Lastly The high Priest was to offer Gifâ—s and Sacrifices for Sins that so Divine Justice might be satisfied which had been by sin violated Hence it was that as the Apostle saith Heb. 9.22 Almost all things were by the Law purged with bloud Heb. 9.12 and without shedding of bloud is no remission Death was to attend upon Justice as her Executioner but if Justice pass a Sentence at any time and execution follow not upon it Justice vanisheth into nothing and is become a meer Ludibrium for Execution is the very life of Justice Death therefore since he is let into the World by mans sin must do its office that so Justice may live Accordingly did the Priests who were ordained to see that a due satisfaction should be made to Divine Justice and to make an Atonement for the people never come before the Lord without bloud But first they slew the Sacrifice upon the Altar and then took of the bloud Lev. 16.11 15. and brought it before the Mercy-seat within the Veil to testifie the death of the Sacrifice whereupon Sin was expiated and Justice fully satisfied Thus did the Priests under the Law and thus also did Christ without whom all whatsoever they did had been to no purpose their sacrificing of a Lamb had been of no more account with God then the cutting off of a Dogs Neck and there offering an Oblation no better then the offering of Swines bloud Christ therefore I say once for all offered up a Sacrifice which was himself the virtue whereof was alwaies operative to make those former Sacrifices effectual to those ends and purposes before-mentioned and after that by his own bloud he entred into the Holy Place Heb 9 12.10 12. So then Christ it was that was still represented as a slain man in all those Sacrifices of old for a sentence of Death lying upon him through the determinate Counsel and fore knowledge of God made him in all those Ages before Act. 2 23. as good as dead in which regard he is called The Lamb slain from the beginning of the world Rev. 13.8 And because Justice would have Death for satisfaction else must the whole World have immediately fallen under her displeasure therefore in all likely hood the very first thing that died in the World was Christ in a Figure and consequently a Sacrifice from the beginning He was a Sacrifice ready even for Cain to make use of for his good if he had had Faith to apply it as appeareth by the words which the Lord speaks unto him If thou doest not well sin lieth at the door That is Gen. 4.7 a Sacrifice for sin for so the offering for sin is in Scripture frequently called which Interpretation because it may carry with it a sound of novelty Dr. John Harris Harden of Winchester Col. I shall take leave by the way to tell such that as I finde it owned by a late learned and reverend Divine so upon the examining of the grounds whereupon this Interpretation is built it will I doubt not appear to be very probable First God cometh not to deject Cain lower then he was but to raise him up from his dejection as is manifest both by his deigning to give him an Oracle from Heaven and also by the words wherewith he beginneth his speech unto him Why art thou wrath and why is thy Countenance fallen Secondly If the words Sin lieth at the door intend a sudden judgment to seize upon him what coherence can there be between these and the words following which are spoken concerning Abel viz. And thy brothers desire shall be subject unto thee For to read the place thus If thou doest not well thou shalt certainly be punished and thy brothers desire shall be subject unto thee This if there be any coherence at all were to threaten poor Abel more or at least as much as Cain Thirdly The Original word Chateath it is the aforesaid Authours observation as it signifieth Sin so also doth it the Sacrifice for Sin as Hos 4.8 2 Cor. 5.21 Hos 4 8. 2 Cor. 5.21 do witness And it was the custom according to which Moses speaketh as being best acquainted therewith to lay the Sacrifice at the Sanctuary door Vt populum dirigeret ad mediatorem saith Calvin to teach the people to serve God in Christ who is the true Sanctuary This sense therefore upon these Considerations may seem to be very agreeable with the scope of the Holy Ghost in that place so that a Sacrifice was ready for Cain at that time and what Sacrifice was that but Christ the Lamb then slain who alone taketh away the sin of the World and besides it seemeth to be a sacrifice distinct
at all account it lawful and sit to be used in so solemn a matter as the service of God would have been more tolerable at those times when conceived prayer it self was dishonoured by the Plagiary super-inducements of other mens labours surreptitiously taken out of their printed Books and under a pretence of suddenness of Conception frequently and at large thrust into Publick prayers even by those that were the greatest enemies to common and publick forms Sundry other instances might here be reckoned up whereby it would appear that there was not any thing wherein the Beauty of Holiness had shined out in former times that was not wofully polluted in those dayes of Schism by our Changings and Counter-changings which were such that it might well be said of us notwithstanding all our vain-glorious pretensions to a glorious light surpassing all that had been seen in the Ages before that indeed and in truth we feared not God Alas our Glory was our shame and we like a foolish people and unwise loved to have it so accounting that which was indeed our shame to be our greatest glory But non fuit sic ab initio It was not wont to be thus We had left our first love and zeal for the truth of the Gospel and therefore did God in his just judgment give us up to strong delusions to follow after lies High time then was it for us to repent and do our first Works and to say with those in the Prophet we will go and return to our first husband for then was it better with us then now The streets of Romish Askelon possibly may ring of these our mis-doings and the rather because we are not quite gone over unto them when we were brought very near But they may spare their breath to remove their own stench if they can which is so noisome all the world over We will our selves give glory to God in confessing that our transgressions have been many and our back-slidings have encreased Our sinful compliancy with Anabaptisme Brownisme Familisme c. which in former times were judged by us according to their proper nature to be most abominable Errours hath been so notorious that it doth even fill our faces with shame and blushing when we sadly take it into our consideration that we whom God have made a Nation not to be despised but honourable in the eye of the World and a Church adorned with a glorious beauty surmounting other Churches even by their own confession yea terrible as an Army with Banners to Anti-Christ and his Adherents should make our selves thus naked and bare by entertaining such scurfe into our bosome which was fitter rather to be trod under foot Surely very unworthy have we hereby made our selves of that dignity which God hath put upon us True it is this mischeivous project was first hatched and afterwards fomented by some false brethren among us the spurious issue of John a Leyden and Knipperdolling yet because it did prevail and grew to such a height without any the least control from those that had power in their hands to suppress it to whom the Nation did generally in a manner submit the guilt therefore of a most shameful Apostacy might too justly we fear be imputed unto us But rejoyce not against us O our enemy though we have fallen we are through mercy risen again though our backslidings have been strong yet they are not blessed for ever and ever be the Name of our God either like unto those of Jerusalem or those of Rome perpetual If we have through the sly insinuations of Jesuitical Emissaries who have mingled themselves with us in the late Transactions of our nation and the cunning craftiness of Hypocritical self-seekers been too rash and heady in endeavouring to amend what was judged to be amiss in things pertaining to God we will not when God hath shewed us our Errour be pertinacious in it but return rather to our Obedience from which we have swerved and be better advised hereafter waiting upon the Lord in his own way for the propagating of his Gospel as his word and providence shall direct us In the mean time we will not spare to publish our sorrow for those deplorable wastes which our inadvertency hath brought upon this poor yet excellent Church of Christ Too excellent indeed to be the Mother of such unnatural foolish and disobedient Children as we have been unto her Who though she be comely in the eyes of her Beloved and in the eyes of all the daughters of his people in the world about her yet wo unto us we have blackned her with the spots of our Divisions and brought a cloud over all her excellencies Surely this is a Lamentation and must be for a Lamentation But what then would some say would you have us now to relinquish that glorious Cause which with a Solemn League and Covenant we have undertaken to maintain and return again to profaness and superstition what were this but to deal falsely in the Covenant of our God and to draw the guilt of odious inconstancy upon us It will become us rather according to your former admonition herein to be still the Same and to follow the example of those resolute and faithful Martyrs who of late to the very death persisted in the justifying of so good a cause Now unto this Objection it will be requisite to give a full and clear resolution to the end that it may be made evident who those are among us that come neerest to the pattern here presented in the Text in being still the same whether those that object these things accusing their brethren of I know not what sinful temporizing and tergiversation for not joyning with them in endeavouring to root up the foundation of this Change which the Divine Providence hath brought upon this Nation or those that are thus accused who upon convictions of Conscience are necessitated with the whole strength of their souls to promote and give furtherance unto it In the treating of this subject though I question not but some will be apt to quarrel at my plain dealing yet I shall without upbraiding any particular persons labour as in the presence of God to give satisfaction to those Consciences that in truth desire to be resolved concerning the warrantableness of submitting to this Change in returning to our obedience And shall insert nothing but for what I shall be willing to be responsal to any who shall rationally require an account of me To begin then with the Cause as it was called and a Glorious Cause What was it It was pretended at first that great matters should be done for the King People and Religion The King should be made a great and glorious Prince The People should have their just liberties restored unto them Religion should be established and set free from the invasion of all Heresies and Errours wherewith it was before corrupted All which being done we should finde our selves the happiest Nation upon
it be Superstition in them to joyn with him in the Observation thereof especially when they are few in number no merit placed in them nor are they required to be observed as things necessary to salvation or as parts of Gods worship which under pain of Damnation ought to be used nor as signs operative working Grace in those that make conscience of them but are expresly declared to be indifferent in their own nature and that upon just causes they may be altered and changed In so much that if the Supreme Magistrate shall again forbid the use of the said Service and Ceremonies the people may without sin lay them aside yea are bound in Conscience so to do and observe others provided that they have the same premised Boundaries which he shall command All which considered Who seeth not how unjustly we are accused of Superstition in the Service of our God because of our religious using of some few harmless Ceremonies without which our late Experience may sufficiently teach us that Religion it self would not long stand in safety but by degrees be totally laid waste Ego certe illas veneror tantae pietati semper assurgo for my part I shall notwithstanding the Oggannition of gain-sayers highly esteem them and commend the observation of them to all who are willing to advance the Kingdome of the Lord Jesus It was said of one Luke 7.47 She loved much because much was forgiven Were it not here a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Excursion from the matter in hand I who have too much complyed with the late Schisme and through mercy not onely been convinced of my folly therein but blessed be God do partake of the Indulgence of Holy Church my Mother in the forgiveness thereof could open my heart at large in her vindication against her Adversaries who are very apt to cast aspersions upon her But the design of this Treatise tendeth another way and Wisdom in this matter hath been clearly justified of her children Nevertheless I shall presume without offence I hope to offer a small Libamen of my love and duty unto this dear Mother in the justification of two of her Ceremonies which by her unnatural children are as much quarrelled at as any Those are First Bowing at the Name of Jesus Secondly Bowing at our Entrance into and Departing from the Congregation For the first besides what hath been abundantly written by others we are in the duties of Divine Worship and Service to give unto Christ this Honour upon these two Considerations First Because that for our sake he made himself of no Reputation Secondly Because a sort of wretched men in the world about us set on by the Devil conspire together to make him of no Reputation also First I say for our sake he made himself of no Reputation great reason therefore that we should account him worthy of all Honour not onely that which is Spiritual in captivating every thought to the obedience of his Gospel but that also which is of the body in the outward deportment of it for he hath bought it with a Price a great Price even his dearest Bloud as well as the Soul it was no robbery for him to be equal with God for he was the Brightness of his Fathers Glory the Character of his Person yet Saint Paul tells us he emptied himself and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men and being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Cross Now Quanto pro me vilior tanto mihi charior said Holy Bernard sweetly The more humility appeared in him it is but meet that the more honour be ascribed unto him Admit that it be not a duty of the Text to use Genu-flexions at the mentioning of his blessed Name whiles we are employed in the publick exercises of Divine Worship yet since the Father hath even upon the account of his Humility highly exalted him and given him a Name above every name it well becommeth the Church upon the same account in a conformity to that Divine Pattern according to her poor strength and ability by all ways and means to exalt him likewise This then I conceive may somewhat stop the mouth of Contradition against the holy and religious custom of our Church in requiring all persons to Bow at the Name of Jesus for she hath learned it of the Father whose example is withuot controversie in this case worthy of all imitation to exalt him because for our sake he made himself of no reputation Again Is not our Lord now as it hath been prophecied of him Esa 53.3 despised and rejected of men Do not Jews Turks and Infidels blaspheme that worthy name by which we are called Are not Socinians those cursed Hereticks as unwearied now in their malice against him to lay his honour in the dust as the Arians were of old Is not the precious Bloud of this Immaculate Lamb of God shed to take away the sin of the World every where almost beslaver'd with the impious mouthes of execrable swearers And are there not some wretched people risen up amongst us in these days who out of a Luciferian Pride pretend that they are as well and as truly God as Jesus Christ because they have their Being in God and are partakers of the Divine Nature What then should the Church do but out of a detestation of these horrid impieties and out of a tender regard to the honour of her Lord give a signal testimony of her duty in commanding all her faithful children to bow their bodies in token of reverence unto him at the mentioning of his Name That Name I say which sounds the sweetest in the ears and hearts of poor penitent sinners which speaks him not onely to be Inmanuel God with us but Immanu as the rapture of our admired Bishop Andrews distinguisheth it With us or One of us bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh which hath been the occasion that his enemies have laid hold upon to make light account of him But enough of this It is said also that our bowing the body at our Entrance into the Congregation and Departure from it is Superstition In answer hereunto to add somewhat likewise to that which hath been written by others If this be Superstition we may justly retort it upon the common practice of Non-conformists themselves in their private meetings where they use at their rising up from their Devotions to bow their bodies to one another pretending as it hath been said by some of their principal leaders that it is a laudable custom among them for that they do thereby testifie their unanimity in the service of God and mutually witness their gratitude for their mutual praying for one another Thus plausibly can they please themselves with Apologies for what they act of this nature among themselves in private without any scruple at all of conscience and yet