be no Rule by their own grant p. 16. 2dly That in that Antiquity is found many gross Errors and Heresies many of which are enumerated to which we shall be obliged as well as to the other if that be to be the Rule p. 17. 3dly As to matter of fact they say These Rites and Ceremonies in the Liturgy so severely imposed upon Dissenters upon a due search are not to be found in Primitive Antiquity before Popery was known in the World as they make good in 28 Particulars viz. Kneeling at Altar Surplice Cross in Baptism Confirmation or Bishoping Baptizing Children for Regeneration upon the deed done Gossips Liturgies Letanies Responses Collects Antiphones Kyrieeleisons Psalms and Lessons Epistles and Gospels Singing Service Altars Festivals Restraining Marriage to fixed Canonical Times and Hours Bowing at Altar Ecclesiastical Order Consecration of Churches Organs Rogation-Week Priests Garments Wednesday Fryday and Saturday Fasts Vigils Apost Creed Athanasius 's Creed from p. 18. to 29. 4thly That they symbolize and are expresly founded in Popery which they make good from many particulars by divers Arguments and Authorities as well as by their own Grants and Acknowledgements from p. 29 to 64. viz. 1st From the Former Instances being the Ordination of Popes and their Councils p. 30. 2dly By Confession of Parties p. 31 32. 3dly By comparing their Divine or Mass Service and ours together 1st As to the Times when 〈◊〉 be performed p. 33 34. 2dly In the divine Service it self p. 35. 3dly In their Rites and Ceremonies Places of Worship Priesthood 4thly Ordination of Priests p. 36 37. 5thly Imposing and persecuting Dissenters contrary to their own grants from p. 46 to 52. Confirm'd by History and sealed to by the Witness of our old Non-Conformists from p. 53 to 64. 4 5. Obj. The two last Objections charges the Dissenters from the Religion established by Law to be guilty of Disobedience to lawful Authority Sedition Faction Tumult Riot Plotting c. To both which they modestly defend and justifie themselves from p. 65 to the end The Conclusion sums up the matter and improves it The Author many times personates the Dissenters for the Seâ—se sake wherein you must bear with him You have then the Scheme of the Pagan Papal and Christian Rites and Ceremonies And lastly the Narrative of the Suferings undergone for Printing and Publishing hereof A PLEA FOR THE Nonconformists c. SIR IN your Discourse about a scrupulous Conscience preach'd first at Alderman-Bury then at bow-Bow-Church about five or six Moneths since and since by you printed you are pleased not only to put forth your Endeavours by several Arguments to gain and reduce the Dissenters to the Communion of the Church of England but the better to shew your moderation and tenderness as one that would not force and compel but convince and satisfie a scrupulous Conscience do also offer to them several Christian Rules and Directions to effect the same amongst which are these that follow viz. When any private Christian is troubled and perplexed with fears and scruples that concern his Duty or the Worship of God he ought in the first place to have Recourse to the publick Guides and Ministers of Religion who are appointed by God and are best fitted to direct and conduct him I say to come to them not only to dispute and argue with them and partly to oppose them but with all Modesty to propound their Doubts meekly to hearken and receive Instruction humbly begging of God to open their Understanding that they may see and imbrace the Truth taking great care that no evil Affection love of a Party or carnal Interest influence or byass their Judgment We do not by this desire men to pin their Faith upon the Priests sleeve or to put out their own Eyes that they might be better guided and managed by them but only diligently to attend to their Reasons and Arguments and give some due Regard and Deference to their Authority for it may not be so absurd as may by some be imagined for the common People to take upon Trust from their lawful Teachers what they are not competent Judges of themselves But the difficulty here is How shall a private Christian govern himself when the very Guides and Ministers of Religion determine differently concerning these Matters in question amongst us some warranting and allowing them others as much disapproving them By what Rule shall he chuse his Guide To which you Reply As for those who scruple at Conformity and are tolerably able to judge for themselves let not such rely barely upon the Authority either of one or the other all we desire of them is that they would equally hear both sides that they would think the Ministers of the Church of England have some Sense and Conscience too as well as other men and are able to say somewhat for what they do themselves or require of others and laying aside all Prejudices Favour to or Admiration of Mens Persons they would weigh and consider the Arguments that may be propounded to them being Diffident of their own Apprehensions and Indifferent to either part of the Question that they would think it no shame to change their Mind when they see good Reason for it Could we thus prevail with the People diligently to examine the Merits of the Cause our Church would every day gain more Ground amongst all Wise Men for we care not how much Knowledge and Understanding our People have so they be but humble and modest with it nor do we desire men to become our Proselites any further than we give them good Scripture and Reason for it Upon reading whereof being sent me by a Friend I did betake my self to a serious Search and impartial Consideration of the Controversies and the Arguments tendred on both sides many of the learned Guides as you well observe being of such different Minds herein and more particularly have I weighed those Arguments mentioned by your self in that Discourse in Conjunction with what the Reverend Dr. Stillingfleet the Learned Dr. More and others have spoken to the same purpose together with what is or supposed may be said in Answer thereto And from this Christian Encouragement and Invitation from your self have presumed though a Stranger to you to present it to you with a disposition as you advise meekly to hearken to and receive Instruction or Conviction from your self or any of the Learned trusting that you shall find no evil Affection love of a Party or carnal Interest shall influence or byass my Judgment or that I shall think it any shame to change my Mind when better Reason is offered for my Conviction Resting confident in your Condor and Ingenuity that what you have said herein to draw forth the Scruples of any Dissenter is not to lay a Bait thereby to catch him in any Snare or to take any legal Advantage upon him for his dissatisfaction to the Religion by Law established which is hedged with so many legal
in our Memory so are we still firme in the Resolution of performing them to the full And we do conceive our selves so far ingaged in honour and in what we own to the Peace of our Dominion which we profess we can never think secure whilst there shall be a Colour left to the Malicious and dissafected to inflame the minds of so many multitudes upon the Score of Conscience with dispair of ever obâ—aneing effect of our promises for their Ease His Majesties Speech to both Houses Feb. 10. 1667. Declares thus viz. One thing more I hold my self Obliged to recommend unto you at this Cresent which is that you would seriously think of some Course to beget a better Vnion and Composure in the minds of my Protestant Subjects in matters of Religion whereby they may be induced not only to submit quietly to the Government but also chearfully give their assistance to the Support of it And In his Declaration of Indulgence March 15. 1671. Saith That it was evident by the sad experience of twelve years that here was very little fruit of all those forcible Courses and many frequent ways of Coercion that we have used for the reducing of all erring or dissenting persons And thereupon granted his Indulgence Again in his Speech to both Houses 1678. Says thus I meet you here with the most earnest desire that man can have to Vnite the minds of all my Subjects both to me and one to another and Resolve it shall be your Fault if the Success be not suitable to my Desires Hereupon the Parliament Jen. 10. 1680. From their owne inclination known Experience as well as in Obedience to his Gracious Direction did for the Relieving and better Vniting all his Protestant Subjects Declare in their Vote Nemine Contradicente That it is the Opinion of this House that the Prosecution of Protestant Dissenters upon the Penal Laws is at this time grievous to the Subject a Weakning the Protestant Intrest an Encouragement to Popery and Dangerous to the Peace of the Kingdom And No. 6. 1680. Resolved Nemine Contradicente That 〈◊〉 is the Opinion of this House that the Acts of Parliament made in the Reign of Q. Elizabeth and K. James against Popish Recusants ought not to be extended against Protestant Dissenters having divers Laws under Consideration as his Majesty directed for the Releiving Composing and Vniting the Protestants A Bill having passed both Houses for Repealing the 35th of Elizabeth Thus you see that Imposition and Persecution for Conscience doth not only Symbolize with Antichrist but is in the highest contradiction to the Name Nature Gospel and followers of Christ a violent infringer of the Law and light of nature of doing to others as he would be done unto as well as the Royal Law of loving our Neighbour as our selves and in utter enmity not only to these worthy Sentiments of our Learned and Great Men but of our Latter Kings and Parliaments As a farther Ratification and Confirmation that our English Service and Ceremony was from the Popish Race and Succession Take this following Historical Account Given us by some Eminent Writers and Famous Sons of the Church of England Cambden in the Life of Queen Elizabeth assures us That the Change of Religion was not in her time Suddenly made but by Little and little by Degrees for the Roman Religion Continued in the same State it was First a full Month and more After the Death of Q. Mary The 27th of December it was Tollerated to have the Epistles and Gospels the Tens Commandments the Symbole the Letany and the Lords Prayer in the Vulgar Tongue The Twenty Second of March the Parliament being Assembled the Order of Ewd. 6. was Re-established and by Act of the same the whole use of the Lords Supper Granted under both kinds The 24th of June by the Authority of that which Concern'd the Vniformity of publick Prayers and Administration of the Sacrament the Sacrifice of the Mass was abolished and the Liturgy in the English Tongue more and more Established In the Month of July the Oath of Allegiance was Proposed to the Bishops and other Persons And in August Images were thrown out of the Temples and Churches and Broken and Burnt Thus far Cambden Gives us the Steps Queen Elizabeth took in the Reformation what She cast off by degrees and so Consequently what she Retained Which was the Rest of the Popish Rites and Ceremonies and which She had a Great Love to and Liking of which was the Reason there was no Greater Alteration Whereof we have this Account from Dr. Burnit in his History of Reformation Queen Elizabeth Received some Impressions in her Fathers Reign in Favour of such Old Rites as he had still Retained and in her own Nature Loving State and some Magnificence in Religion as well as in every thing else She thought that in her Brothers Reign they had Stript it too much of External Ornaments and had made their Doctrine too Narrow in some Points therefore She intended to have some things Explained in more General Terms that so all Parties might be Comprehended by them She Inclined to keep up Images in Churches and to have the Manner of Christs Presence in the Sacrament Left in some General Words That those who Believed the Corporal Presence might not be Drawn away from the Church by too Nice an Explanation of it So far Dr. Burner In Pursuance of these Resolves the Queen Attemps the Accomodating matters of Religion so unto the Romish Clergy as to take them into the Communion of the Church of England as Dr. Heylin affirms She so Effectually Compassed that for several years the Papists Continued in the Communion of the Church and when they did forsake it it was not because they Approved not of our Liturgy but upon politick Considerations and because the Counsel of Trent had commanded it and Pope Pius the 5th had Excommunicated the Queen and Discharged her Subjects from their Allegiance and made the Going or not Going to Church a Sign Distinctive to Difference A Roman Catholick from an English Protestant Concerning which take Dr. Heilins own words in his History of Queen Elizabeth There past another Act for Recommending and Imposing the Book of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments according to such Alteration and Correction as were made therein by thoso who were Appointed to Revise it as before is said in the persuance of which Service there was great care taken for the Expunging all such passages in it as might give any Scandal or Offence to the Popish party or be urged by them in their Excuse for their not coming to Church and joyning with the rest of the Congregation in Gods Publick Worship In the Letany first made and published by K. Henry the Eighth and afterwards continued in the two Liturgies of K. Edward the sixth There was a Prayer to be delivered from the Tyranny and all the detestable enormities of the Bishops of Rome which was
and to reduce them in unity Whitgift propounded three Articles to the Ministers by them to be Subscribed but adds Cambden 'T is â—â—credible what Controversies and Disputations arose upon this what Troubles Whitgift suffered of certain Noble Men c. How the said Whitgift vexed the poor Dissenters what Letters were writ to him from the Counsel and Treasurer Cicil upon their complaints and his Answers you have at large in a late piece called the Harmony between the old and present Nonconformists some small abridgment thereof take as followeth not unworthy of your notice viz. in a Letter sent unto the Arch Bishop of Canterbury and Bishop of London from her Majesties Council September 20. 1584. We have heard of late times sundry complaints against a great number of Preachers whereby some were deâ—rived of their Livings some suspended from their Ministry and Preaching especially such who instruct the people against your Spiritual Courts advancing their profits by such kind of proceedings and particularly the lamentable estate of the Church in the County of Essex Where there is a great number of Zealous and Learned Preachers suspended from their Cures the vacancy of their place for the most part without any Ministry or Preaching Prayers and Saments and in some places of Certain appointed to those void Rooms being persons neither of Learning nor of good Names and in other places of the Country a great number notoriously unfit Chargable with Ignorance and with great enormous faults as Drunkenness filthiness of Life Gamsters at Cards hunting of Ale Houses and such like against whom we hear not of â—ny Proceedig but that they are quietly suffered to the Slander of the Church to the offence of good people yea to the famishing them for want of good teaching and thereby dangerous to the subverting of many Weaklings from their duties to God and Her Majesty by secret Jesuits and Counterfiet Papists c. And in a Letter to the Arch-Bishop by the Lord Treasurer Burleigh Dated July 5. 1584. it is said It may please your Grace I am sorry to Trouble you so often as I do But I am more Troubled my self not only with many private Petitions of Sundary Ministers Recommended from Persons of Credit for peaceable persons yet greatly Troubled but also am I dayly now Charged by Counsellers and Publick Persons to neglect my duty in not staying these your Graces Proceedings so vehement and so general against Ministers and Preachers as the Papists thereby are greatly Encouraged and evil dsposed persons animated and thereby the Queens Majesties Safety Endangered With these kind of Arguments I am dayly Assaulted and now my Lord I am come to the sight of an Instrument of 24 Articles of great length and Curiosity formed in a Romish Stile to Examine all manner of Ministers in this time without Distinction of persons Which Articles are Intituted A pud Lambeth May 1581. To be Executed ex officio mero c. Which Articles I find so Curiously Penned so full of Branches and Circumstances and I think the Inquisitors of Spain use not so many questions to Comprehend and to Trap their Preys I know the Canonists can defend these with all their Particles but surely under your Graces Correction This Judicial and Canonical Sifting of poor Ministers is not to Edify and Reform and in Charity I think they ought not to answer to all these Nice Points except they were very Notorious Offenders in Papistry or Heresy I write with the Testimony of a Good Conscience c. This kind of Proceeding is too much Savouring the Romish Inquisition and is rather a Device to seek for Offenders then to Reform any and in another Letter adds seeking rather by Excommunication to urge 〈◊〉 to Accuse themselves and then punish them The Arch-Bishop makes a large reply In it Saith thus I have taken upon me the defence of the Religion and Rites of this Church of England to appease the Sects of Schisms therein to Reduce all the Ministry thereof to Uniformity and due Obedience Herein I intend to be constant and not to Waver with every Wind The which also my place my person my duty the Law Her Majesty and the Goodness of the Cause doth Require of me and wherein your Lordship and Others all things considered ought in duty to Assist and Countenance me It is strange that a man in my place dealing with so good Warranties as I do should be so encountred and for not yielding should be accounted wilful but I must be Contented Vincit qui patitur And if my friends herein forsake me I trust God will not neither the Law her Majesty who hath laid the Charge on me and are able to protect me Many were the Severe Laws made against the Nonconformists which were put in Execution with Great Cruelty To the Suspending Imprisoning and Executing many of the Faithful Servants of Christ in this Queens Reign whereof Fuller in his Ecclesiastical History gives a particular Account The High Commision Court that grand Grievance Set up also by her In the next place I shall give you some Confirmation of the Truth of the prevalency of Popery under a Protestant Mask in the Rites and Ceremonies imposed in these and succeeding times by the witness Bourn by several Eminent Dissenters which we find upon Record in several Books viz. A Book called the Register another the Abridgment which was a Book Delivered to King James by the Ministers of Lincoln Diocess Anno 1605. In the Register page 3. We have the 24 Articles agreed in the Synod and Confirmed by the Queen Exhibited to Mr. Edward Dering and his Answers thereto Anno 1573. whereof Receive his Answer to the first Article The Article was whether the Book Intituled the Book of Common Service allowed by publick Authority in this Realm is to be allowed in the Church of God by Gods Word or no To which he replyed That The Similitude that this Book hath with the Form of Prayer which the Papists used I think declineth from the Equity of those Laws Deut. 7. 25 12 30 18 4. Which Thing our Fathers so much Regarded in the Primitive Church that their Books are full of great Complaints against all Similitude to be had with the Gentles yea the Second Council of Bracca made a Decree that no Christian should have either Bay-leaves or Green Boughs in their houses because the Gentles so Accustomed and at this day all Reformed Churches in France Polonia Helvetia Scotland and other places have changed that Form of Prayers which Prudency of all Ages if we shall Condemn the Rebuke of the Apostle I think will Teach us 1 Cor. 14. 36. Came the Word of God out from you or came it unto you only Secondly We have the Psalms Venite Benedictus Magnificat nunc Demittis usual in our Ministry of which we can give no good reason nor I see no cause why we should more leave out Ave Maria and because of parting the Scriptures again
Penalties But out of a Noble Christian Principle that you may have an Opportunity to discover with how much meekness of Wisdom and demonstration of Truth you can treat convince and satisfie a Gainsayer having so generously declared That you do not desire men should become your Proselites further than you give them good Reason and Scripture for it Club-Law being none of the Arguments you treat a scrupulous or tender Conscience with The Arguments and Objections are these that follow The first Objection we shall mention as brought against the Non-conformity and Separation of the Dissenters from the Church of England is this That they have no Reason or Cause upon a Conscientious Account so to do because the principal things they take offence at are not forbidden in the Scriptures and till they can produce a Scripture to the Negative as a Negative Article of Faith that says we are not to do so or so Kneel at the Communion Cross in Baptism keep Holy-days use Liturgies Letanies c. they can have no cause of just scruple And thus Sir you are pleased to Argue viz. That there can be no Transgression but by either omitting what the Law Commands or doing what the Law forbids For Instance If a man can shew where Kneeling at the Sacrament is forbidden in Scripture where sitting is required where praying by a Form is forbid and extemporary Prayers are enjoyned then indeed the Dispute would soon be at an end But if neither the one nor the other can be found as most certainly they cannot then Kneeling at the Sacrament and Reading prayers out of a Book must be reckoned amongst things lawful and then there is no need of scrupling them because they may be done without sin nay where they are required by our Superiors it is our Duty to submit to them because it is our duty to obey them in all lawful things This way of Arguing you say is very plain and convincing And to the same purpose we have Dr. Stillingfleet in his late Answers to several of the Dissenters affirming that those are Schismaticks that Deny submission to the Government of the Church of England and he tells us in plain terms assuredly that the Reasons of this Denial do not signifie a Button those saith he who seperate from the Church of England make this their fundamental principle as to Worship wherein the difference lies that nothing is lawful in the Worship of God but what he hath expresly commanded We say all things are lawful which are not frobidden and UPON THIS SINGLE POINT stands the whole Controversie of Separation as to the Constitution of our Church Here 's the Objection in words at length and which you will find to be no other then what the Papists make to the Church of England upon the same occasion which I shall transcribe in their own words and the Answers of your own Party to it which I hope will be esteemed a fair and satisfactory way of Reply Dr. Stillingfleet giving us an accout of his Popish Adversaries Plea and how he Returned the Negative Articles to be proved by him makes to him this Answer But the strangest Effort of all the rest is what he hath reserved to the last place viz. That the Charge of Idolatry against them must be vain and groundless because if I be pressed Close I shall deny any one of these Negative Points to be divine Truths viz. That honour is not to be given to the Images of Christ and his Saints that what appears to be Bread in the Eucharist is not the Body of Christ that it is not lawful to Invocate Saints to pray for us These are the Jesuits words requiring the Doctor to prove those Negatives upon which single Point he puts the stress of his Argument Then follows his Answer which I pray you to mind well because it is the Answer you must take to the like Question from us viz. But the Answer to this is so easie that it will not require much time to dispatch it For I do assert it to be an Article of my faith that God alone is to be worshipped with Divine and Religious Worship And he that cannot hence infer that no Created Being is to be worshipped hath the name of Reasonable Creature given him to no purpose What need we make Negative Articles of Faith where the Affirmative do necessarily imply them If I believe that the Scripture is my only Rule of Faith as I most firmly do Will any man that considers what he saith require me to make Negative Articles of Faith that the Pope is not Tradition is not Councils are not a private Spirit is not for all these things are necessarily Imply'd therein And so for all particular Doctrines rejected by us upon this principle we do not make them Negative points of Faith but we therefore refuse the Belief of them because not contained IN OUR ONLY RULE OF FAITH On this account we reject the Pope's Supremacy Transubstantiation Infallibility of the present Church in Delivering Points of Faith Purgatory and other FOPPERIES impos'd upon the Belief of Christians So that the short Resolution of our Faith is this That we ought to believe Nothing as an Article of Faith but what God hath Revealed and the compleat Revelation of God's will to us is contained in the BIBLE c. And what could have been spoken wiâ—h fuller Evidence and greater Demonstration of Truth Therefore as joyning issue with the Doctor that upon this single point stands the whole Controversie of Separation as to the Constitution of their Churches viz. That nothing is lawful in the Worship of God but what he hath expresly commanded as say the Dissenters and not all things lawful which are not forbidden as say the Advocates for the Church of England let his own words decide the matter and forever determine the Case For what need the Dissenters as the Doctor affirms on their behalf make Negative Articles of Faith where the Affirmative does necessarily imply them If they do believe with the Doctor that the Scripture is their ONLY Rule of Faith as they most firmly declare to do will any man that considers what he saith require them to make Negative Articles of their Faith that Popes Councils Private Spirits Traditions are not and so for all particular Doctrines rejected by them upon this principle They do not with the Doctor make them Negative points of faith but they therefore with him refuse the Belief of them BECAUSE NOT CONTAINED IN OUR ONLY RULE OF FAITH On this account they do with the Doctor Reject the Pope's Supremacy Transubstantiation Infallibility of the Church of Rome in Delivering points of Faith viz Purgatory and other Fopperies as Salt Oyl Spittle Exorcisms Conjurations baptizing of Bells c. And upon the same account do they Reject what the Protestants have received either from Pagans or Papists as to National Provincial Diocesan and Parochial Churches Because not Contained in
our ONLY RULE of Faith As also of the Government of the Church of Christ by Lord Arch-Bishops Bishops Deans Arch-Deacons Parsons Vicars Curates Chancellors Officials c. Because not contained in our ONLY RULE of Faith In like manner do the Dissenters also Reject the Consecrating of Churches Chappels Cathedrals Priests Garments Altars Liturgies Singing Service Letanies Bowings Crossings Cringings Holy-dayes Fasts Feasts Vigils because not one word of any of them is contained in our only Rule of Faith So that the short Resolution of the Dissenters and the Doctor 's Faith in this great Point is this that they ought to believe nothing as an Article of Faith but what God hath revealed and that the Compleat Revelation of Gods Will to us is contained in the BIBLE Therefore Christ having in the Affirmative compleatly Revealed to us his mind and will in the Bible both as to the Doctrine and Discipline of his Church we need not go to Pope Council Tradition or any other for Additions to either nor trouble our selves to make Negative Articles of Faith and Practice which would be as Ridiculous as Endless And this we hope the Doctor and all his Party will take for good Pay and that you your self Sir amongst the rest will joyn Issue and acknowledge That this way of Arguing is very plain and convincing But this being so well performed by the Doctor what shall we say that so wise so learned and so great a man as Dr. Stillingfleet should forgot himself so far as to make head and run counter against his own Argument and to that degree as to pawn the whole Controversie upon that single point which he had so infallibly and indisputably resolved which indeed is very strange and wonderful but yet upon serious Thoughts we shall find it but a fulfilling of that Word of the Lord viz. I will do a marvellous Work amongst this People even a marvellous Work and a Wonder But what is that Why the Wisdom of their Wise men shall perish and the Vnderstanding of the Prudent men shall be hid But when shall that be viz. When they teach for Doctrines the Commands or the fear or Worship of God for the Precepts of men Our very case and whereof we have frequent and continual experience For with what Evidence and Demonstration of Truth will the Papists argue against and censure the Heathen for their Idolatries and yet at the same time be guilty of the same thing themselves and expose themselves to the Censure of the Heathen on the one side and the Protestants on the other How wisely how spiritually will Protestants dispute with handle and judge the Papists for leaving the Word of God for Fables for their Will-Worship False-Worship Idolatry c. and yet at the same time be guilty of Will Worship themselves exposing themselves to the Censure both of Papist and Non-Conformist Of which we might give you divers Instances both of the one and of the other and whereof take one or two This very Jesuite who disputes with the Doctor falls out in a most severe Censure of the Pagans for their most damnable Diabolical Idolatry in Worshipping their inferior Deities as Venus Mars Bacchus Vulcan and the like Rabble of Devils as he calls them who were their Damons Hero's or Intercessors to their superior Deity Jupiter not being aware which also the Doctor improves against him that they were guilty of the same Crime themselves in setting up their Inferior Deities the Virgin Mary St. Peter St Paul and a hundred more as Mediators and Intercessors to the Supream and to whom as the Doctor observes they pay divine Honour and Worship bowing and kneeling before them and their Images also which he proves against them to be no less Diabolical Idolatry The Jesuite being quick-sighted returns smartly upon the Doctor That whilst he judges their bowing and kneeling before their Images to be Idolatry how can he justifie their bowing and kneeling before the consecrated Elements bowing at the Altar East Name of Jesus Putting off their Hats c. which the Jesuite on the one hand and the Dissenters on the other hand improve against him And so whilst Dr. Pierce severely censures the Papists for varying from the primitive Pattern in their Superstitions and Abominations Because it was not so from the beginning Sergent the Jesuit returns his own Argument smartly upon him for doing the same thing in many particulars and which the Dissenter also doth for the same viz. for varying in so many things from the primitive Pattern whilst he judges others for the same To which we might add divers Instances both as to Papists and Protestants especially in those three Points Idolatry Imposition and Persecution So that as it hath been generally observ'd the Papists Arguments againsts the Heathen the Protestants Arguments against the Papists are most substantial Arguments against themselves when their practice gives their principle the Lye so rendring themselves altogether inexcusable as faith the Text Therefore thou art inexcusable O man whosoever thou art that judgest for wherein thou judgest another thou condemnest thy self for thou that judgest dost the same things But be sure that the Judgment of God is according to Truth against them which commit such things And thinkest thou this O man that judgest them which do such things and doest the same that thou shalt escape the Judgment of God c. Another Objection that is brought against the Dissenters is Because they separate from the Church of England for â—eer Nicities for little things which in their own Nature are indifferent To that purpose you are pleas'd to express your self viz. A scrupulous Conscience is conversant about things in their own nature Indifferent and it consists Either in strictly tying up our selves to some things which God hath no where commanded as the Pharisees made great Conscience of Washing before they did eat and abundance of other unnecessary Rights and Vsages they had of mens own inventing and devising which they as Religiously nay more Carefully observed than the indisputable Commands of God himself Or in a Conscientious abstaining from some things 〈…〉 not forbid nor any ways unlawful Touch not tasâ—â— not 〈…〉 not doubting and fearing where no fear is thinking that 〈…〉 as much offend God by eating some kind of Meats 〈…〉 Garments as they should do were they guilty of 〈…〉 Adultery Which is the case of many amongst 〈…〉 Scrupulosity about little matters seem more 〈…〉 â—usterâ— than other good and honest Christians are or 〈◊〉 need or ought to be And a little further you add A 〈◊〉 Conscience therefore starts and boggles where there is no real 〈◊〉 or Mischief is afraid of omitting or doing what may be omitted or done without sin Which I know not how better to illustrate than by those unaccountable Antipathies or Prejudices that sâ—me men have against some sort of Meats or living Creatures which have not the least harm or
burt in them yet are so offensive and dreadful to such Persons that they fly from them as they would from a Tyger or Bear and avoid them as they would do the Plague or Poyson Just thus do some men run out of the Church at the sight of a Surplice as if they had been soar'd by the Apparition of a Ghost A late piece call'd A Resolution of Conscience c. supposed to be Dr. Mores affirms thus much 1. That the Government of our Church by Bishops 2. The Liturgy or Set forms of Prayer Adminâ—stration of Sacraments 3. Certain Rites of the Church particularly the Surplice the Cross in Bâ—ptism the Gesture of Kneeling at the Communion the Ring in Marriage the Observation of the Churches Holy days All which faith he I take for granted are Indifferent in their own Nature that there is nothing of Viciousness or Immorality in any of them to make them unlawfull I know no body saith he so unreasonable as not to Grant this Mr. William Allen in his late piece called Catholicism saith to the same purpose That the Ceremonies of the Church of England are not enjoyned as things of Divine Appointment but only as of an Indifferent Nature and therefore there is no reason to sâ—râ—ple them And again saith That the Ceremonies and Service of the Church or use of things in or about Gods Worship which are not of the Essence of it nor â—s'd under the Nation of being Commanded by God but professedly used as things Indifferent in their own Nature and only as matters of humane 〈◊〉 cannot justly be charged to be false Worship The Author of the Portestant Reconciler tells us That it is 〈…〉 the Church of England that the Ceremonies used 〈…〉 by that Church Imposed on her Members are in their own 〈◊〉 things Indifferent thus saith he In the Preface to the Book of Common Prayer it is determined that the particular forms of Divine Worship and the Rites and Ceremonies to be used therein are in 〈◊〉 own Nature things Indifferent Dr. Stillingfleet and many more spake the same thing So that by Indifferent they would have us to understand things of a Middle Nature that are neither good or bad of themselves otherwise then as injoyned for Order or Prudence by Superiors and alterable at pleasure therefore King James opposeth them to Necessary things which are enjoyned by positive Scripture and so the Protestant Reconciler Defines them telling us thus The Ceremonies which are Imposed by our Church as they have nothing sinfull in their Nature for which Inferiors should Refuse submission to them so have they nothing of real goodness nothing of positive Order Decency or Reverence for which they ought to be Commanded This we are told in words and pretence the better to gild the Pill to make it go down the glibber but if you look more narrowly into the matter you will find that you your selves as well as the Dissenters have justly another sense of them and that the Church of England does both use and Impose them as necessary things whatever they import in their own nature For First are they not things Consecrated and Dedicated to holy uses in the worship and service of God which makes them cease to be Indifferent Hooker saith Fâ—astival dayes are Cloathed with outward Robes of Holiness and that places and times of Divine Worship are so too and the Cross a holy Sign Dr. Burges saith Ceremonies may be called the Worship of God the Professors of Leyden call only such things persons times and places holy as are Consecrated and Dedicated to God but so in their Esteem and our also is their Dioceâ—an Episcopacy and Priesthood their Churches Liturgies Kneeling Bowing Crossing Festivals Ecclesiastical Courts and Excommunications c. Secondly They are not Indifferent but necessary things in your esteem as appears by the Declaration of 〈◊〉 Commissioners at the Savoy upon the King 's first 〈…〉 over-ruling the Arguments of their Dissenting 〈◊〉 â—leading for Reformation and Tenderness which say◠〈…〉 Apostle hath Commanded that all things be done 〈…〉 there may be conformity let there be 〈◊〉 a 〈…〉 that purpose and thence they inferr'd that 〈…〉 will move to pity and relieve those that 〈◊〉 truly 〈◊〉 and scrupulous that we must not break Gods Command◠〈◊〉 Charity to them and therefore we must not perform publick services indecâ—ntly and disorderly for the sake of tender Consciences And all this said to justifie the Refusal to abate the Imposition of Ceremonies especially those three then contended about Surplice Sign of the Cross and Kneeling at the Communion So that here they are made necessary and a Command of God urg'd to inforce them viz. That things be done decently and in order though by the way no other Command then Bellarmine urges to Establish the whole Popish Service and Ceremonies of the Church of Rome viz. by this Precept of the Apostle And thirdly Do not they as necessary things Impose and inforce them with all severity imaginable by Excommunications of Dissenters thereby knocking the Fly on the Neighbours head with a Hatchet to the knocking out his Brains as saith Dr. Taylor destroying them in their Liberties Estates yea Lives also which surely must not be for trifles but necessary things Yet so hardy and hold to do all this as the Protestant Reconciler worthily observes to them to the Reproaching the wisdom and faithfulness of Christ and the Primitive Churches for want of such decency and order for they had no such The Wisdom of the Church of England who have declared that their Rites and Ceremonies are in their own Nature things Indifferent and may be alter'd and changed as also that they had their Beginning from the Institution of Man The Wisdom of King James and King Charles who have both of them declared them to be esteemed unnecessary as being but indifferent things and not Commanded by God and therefore alterable at pleasure But especially saith our Author hereby become guilty of adding to the Word of God of Will-worship of teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of men of Imposing these things as necessary parts of Worship and so of worshipping God in vain as 〈…〉 will appear by what the best Assertors of the 〈…〉 of the Church of England have declared in this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mr. Faulkner's Assertion in saying hereupon We 〈◊〉 the Word of God when we teach any thing to be commanded or forbidden by the Law of God which indeed is not there commanded or forbidden And Bishop Sâ—nderson That then men teach for Doctrines the Commandments of men when they teach any thing to be absolutely unlawful which God hath not forbidden in his Word and if any man shall wear a Surplice or Kneel or Cross with an opinion of necessity and for Conscience-sake towards God as though God's service could not be rightly performed without them yea although the Church had not performed them doubtless the
use of these Ceremonies by reason of such his opinion should be superstition to him And Dr. Patrick in the Friendly Debate Then say they VVill-worship is erected when any thing is to be enjoyned to be done or not done as if it were the VVill and Command of God he should be so served when it is a meer Constitution of the Will of Man Then do we make Ceremonies to be parts of divine Worship when we suppose them to be so necessary that the doing of them would be a thing pleasing to God and the omitting of them the contrary although there were no humane Law which required the doing of them And secondly when we suppose them unalterable and obligatory so the Consciences of all Christians for this supposes an equal necessity with that of divine Institution All which so fully speaks the Sense of the Dissenters that there needs no better Answer to be given than what they themselves have put into their Mouths But saith Mr. Allen in Contradiction to his Brethern That things that are not used as Commanded by God taking for granted they had not so urg'd them and only as Matters of humane prudence cannot he saith be charged to be Will-worship But for his better Information we would refer him to the Protestant Reconciler and the many Authorities urged by their own Pens to clear the same with this Addition as to Jeroboam's Case who varied but in four particulars as to the Service and Ceremonies of Worship viz. the place of Worship Dan and â—ethel iâ—â—â—ead of Jerusalem 2. the Signs of Divine 〈…〉 Golden Calves instead of the Cherubims 3. 〈…〉 of the Feast 15 of the 8 Moneth instead of the 7th 〈…〉 administring making of Priests All 〈…〉 think were but Circumstantials about 〈…〉 not under the notion of being Commanded 〈…〉 as Mr. Allen observes of our Ceremonies 〈…〉 of humane prudence and for which 〈…〉 much to say to the Dissenters in that day who 〈…〉 separated from him for the same 2 Chron. 11. 16. 〈◊〉 13. and 14. as Mr. Anisworth in his Plea for Jeroboam most notably observes who kept in the mean time to the Articles of Faith and fundamental Ordinances of Religion and worshipping with Reverence the God of his Fathers making Alterations in things meerly Ceremonial whereof no express Law forbidding and being variable as time place and person gave occasion But however Jeroboam might â—ince the matter and make light of it as others do in like circumstances yet God being a jealous God would not admit of such Innovation and varying from his pure Worship but Reproves these for desperate Idolatry and Reputes it no other than the Worshipping of Devils 2 Chron. 11. 15. His Supremacy in the Kingdom not being able to bear him out in altering the Ordinances of the Service of God and so doing things out of his own heart 1 King 12. 33. it became his Sin and made Israel to sin thereby doing evil above all that went before him having made other Gods and Molten Images to provoke the Lord to Anger 1 Kings 14. 9. Casting him behind his back Therefore the Lord threatens in the next Verses in these words Behold I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam and will cut off Jeroboam him that pisseth against the Wall and him that is shut up and left in Israel and will take away the Remnant of the house of Jeroboam as a man taketh away Dung till it be all gone Him that Dyeth of Jeroboam in the City shall the Dogs 〈◊〉 and him that Dyeth in the Fields shall the Fowls of the Air â—at for the Lord hath spoken it And which all came to pass accordingly Which pregnant Instance the Judicious will I doubt not 〈…〉 consider that these prudent and in indifferent 〈…〉 Religious Worship as they are 〈◊〉 to 〈…〉 minced and extenuated may be of the 〈…〉 with Jeroboam's Idolatry With this 〈…〉 varied but in four and these in above 〈…〉 wherein they have presumed to swerve from 〈…〉 to Gods Word and Worship Another 〈…〉 this and none of the least viz. That Dissenters 〈…〉 to separate from the Church of England for Symbolizing with Romish Rites and Ceremonies because they only retain and practice such Rites and Ceremonies which were practised by Antiquity before Popery took place in the World To this purpose you are pleased to say in your Scrupulous Conscience Now our first Reformers here in England did not go about to invent a new species of Government to devise new Rites and Ceremonies and a new form of Worship such as should be least excepted against and then obtrude it upon this Nation as was done at Geneva and some other places but they wisely considered if they did but reject what the Romanists had added to the Faith and Worship of Christians lay aside their Novel Inventions Vsurpations and unwritten Traditions there would remain the pure simple Primitive Christianity such as it was before the Roman Church was thus degenerated nor have we any thing of Popery left amongst us but what the Papists had left amongst them of Primative Religion and Worship Thus saith the Resolution of the Case of Conscience That the Rites of the Church of England are exceeding few and those plain and easie grave and manly founded on the practice of the Church long before Popery appeared upon the Stage of the World And again As to our Churches prescribing a Liturgy of Set-forms of Prayer and Administration of Sacraments and other publick Offices it is easie to shew that Symbolizing with the Church of Rome herein is so far from being culpable and much more from being a just ground of Separation from our Church that it is highly commendable for as herein our Church no less symbolizeth with the Primitive Church than with that of Rome as she is now Constituted And Dr. Saravia who saith thus Satis est modestis 〈◊〉 Christianis satisfacere qui ita recesserunt a Superstitionibus Idolatria Romanae Ecclesiae ut probates ab Orthodoxis Patribus mores non rejicient That it may be a sufficient satisfaction to modest and pious Christians that there is such 〈…〉 from the Superstitions and Idolatry of the Church of 〈…〉 to reject the approved Customs of the Orthodox Fathers These our Rites and Ceremonies saith 〈…〉 are retained and kept out of due Reverence to 〈…〉 again These Ceremonies were retained or Impos'd 〈…〉 and Equity of the Reformation by 〈…〉 see they did not break Communion with them for 〈…〉 things or that they left the Church Rome no further than they left the Ancient Church The Doctor further assures us That as to Discipline respecting the Government of the Church by Bishops is to be made good by a Vniversal Tradition universally received since the Apostles times as the Apostolical Government viz. Diocesan Bishops As to the Government of our Churches by Bishops saith the Resolver this is so far from being an unlawful Symbolizing
with the Church of Rome that we have most clear evidence of its being a symbolizing with her in an Apostolical Institution Thus have you the Objection in words at length to which in each part the Dissenters do say or may be supposed to say as followeth In the first place If it be taken for granted that the Pattern is fetch'd from those times and not from the Popish times viz. Rome in its Apostacy we would inquire these two things 1. By what Rule or Reason they should be a pattern to us so as to have their Rites and Services Impos'd upon us for our Ritual And 2 whether there were not great Errors and Superstitions in those times as well as the succeeding Ages First Why should our first Reformers any more impose the Rites and Customs of those times upon us than any other Why were we more obliged to accept of the Ecclesiastical Laws of Constantine than his Civil as Doctor Taylor well urges That the Fathers met at Laodicea at Antioch at Nice at Gangra â— 1000 or 1300 years ago should have any Authority â—ver us in England so many Ages after is so infinitely unreasonable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the Fearful and Vnbelievers the Scrupuloâ—â— and 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a slavish Nature and are in bondage 〈…〉 and know not how to stand in the Liberty by which 〈…〉 them free will account themselves in 〈…〉 upon this account the Rulers of the Church will 〈…〉 just warrantable Canon we are to obey in 〈…〉 they have power to Command But the 〈…〉 for being in the OLD CODES of the Church 〈…〉 than the LAWS OF CONSTANTINE No they 〈◊〉 higher or else it will not do To the first Primitive Christianity and Religion in the first Primitive times given as by Christ and his Apostles For Dr. Stillingfleet has well instructed us if we believe the Scriptures are the ONLY RVLE of FAITH then it follows Councils and Fathers Traditions and private Spirits are no more our Rule than the Pope himself and therefore with the Doctor we refuse the Belief of all the Additions Inventions Traditions because not contain'd in our only Rule of Faith To the Laâ— and to the Testimony if they speak not according to that it is because there is no Light in them But secondly do we not find these very times abounding very much with Error and Superstitiâ—n Which is an Argument we should not receive them for our Pattern more thaâ— others whereof I shall give you some Instances from their Naevi or Errors mentioned by the Centurists viz That Origen asserted two Christs deny'd his Godhead the Head of the Arians and Pelagians holding as Jerom saith very desperately about the Spirit and very corruptly about Angels Devils Creation Providence Original Sin Church-Government and the Resurrection and Sacrificing for the Dead Orig. l. 3. in Jo. Baptism takes away Sin and that there must be a Baptism after the Resurrection They also say of Cyprian That Cyprian affirm'd the Church of Rome to be the Mother-Church that there ought to be one High Priest over the Church and that the principal Church is Peter's Chair from whence the Unity of the Priesthood ariseth and that upon Peter the Church is founded That he was a violent Impugner of Priests Marriages held that Sins are done away by Alms and good Works That the person Baptizing in the very Act conferreth the Holy Spirit that Chrysm and Exorcism are absolutely necessary and that there should be Sacrifices for the Dead though some suppose many of these things were foisted in by the Papists St. Austin prays for the dead the Soul of his Mother Monica St. Ambrose for the Soul of Theodosius St. Gregory for the Soul of Trajan St. Austin saith Prayers avail not unto all alike who are departed therefore when the Sacrifices of the Altar or of Alms are offered for all them who are baptized and are defunct for the good they are Thanksgivings for the not very bad they are Propitiations for the very bad though not help the dead yet comfort to the living Chrysostom was for offering Prayers for the dead with Alms and Oblations Austin a great friend to Reliques affirming great Miracles wrought by them Jerome a great defender of Reliques Adoration of them Constantine a great admirer of Reliques Mr. Mede says That Primitive Christians canonized Saints and honoured the Reliques in Imitation of the Gentiles their Daemon-worship thereby to allure them which saith he laid the foundation of Antichrist's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Idolatrick Apostacy They had Sufflation Trine Immersion Exorcism Chrysm white Garments Milk Honey to the new baptized giving the Eucharist to the Infant from the 4 to the 12 Century mingling Water with the Sacramental Wine the Eulogiae c. To which head you may add the Royal Witness in the beginning So that from the consideration of the Errors and Superstitions abounding in these times there is no ground why our first Reformers should propose them for our Pattern for if in one thing why not in another But in the next place I presume upon a fair Examination of particulars these two things will appear 1. That we in the Church of England do not in our Rites Services and Ceremonies symbolize with Antiquity And 2. that we do wholly symbolize in most if not in all of them with Popery 1. It is manifest that our first Reformers as we are told did not make such a perfect piece from pure primitive Antiquity in the first Reformation and forming of our Liturgy which contains so much the Rites Services and Ceremonies of the Church for if so there had been no such need to make so many Alterations and reform so often and in so many things the Reformation And that they have so done the Author of the Protestant Reconciler gives us this Account It is certain saith he that our Church hath already altered her Liturgy at several times and in several parts viz. the Lessons Festivals Ceremonies Rubrick Collects Prayers the Form of Administration of Sacraments the Catechism Confirmation Marriage Visitation of the sick the Burial of the dead and Commination All which he has demonstrated in each particular and from thence he makes these three Remarks 1. That the pretence of still retaining imposing the present Ceremonies out of due Reverence to Antiquity is false hypocritical 2. That it cannot justly be pretended that these Ceremonies are retained and imposed to manifest the Justice and Equity of the Reformation by letting their Enemies see they did not break Communion with them for meer indifferent things or that we left the Church of Rome no further than she left Antiquity 3. Hence it appears how senselesly it is alledged that we cannot abate or change these Ceremonies because they have been once received and owned by the Church BUT in the next place the descending into particulars will
of the Rites Service and Ceremonies Their was another Mass which was called the Mass of Ambrose a ridiculous thing which they afterwards fathered upon him different from Gregory's whereof we read in after times and there was great contention which Mass should be received into the Churches Which when Pope Adrian who was Anno 796. saw he was put to his shifts and said he would refer it â—o the Will of God whether he would by any visible sign Approve the Mass of Gregory 〈◊〉 of Ambrose So these two Books â—ere 〈◊〉 together upon the Aâ—â—ar in St. Peter's Church and 〈◊〉 called upon God to shew which of the two be approved the Doers were shut all Night and the next Morning when they returned into the Church the Book of Ambrose was found lying as it was laid down and the other was all torn and dispersed through the Church The Pope maketh the Comment that the Mass of Ambrose should lye untouched and the Mass of Gregory should be used through the World And so â—e did Authorize and Command that it should be used in all Churches and Chappels which Charles the Great did second Commanding that only to be used and Ambroses to be Burnt Gregory the first Ordained the Letanies or Supplications saith Platina The Responses and Gradual was given by Pope Gregory saith Pol. Virgil. The Collects Ordinary as saith Durandus were Ordained by Pope Gregory the other Collects added by sundry Popes as Cassandar in Liturgia cap. 21. He made the Offices of the Church and disposed the Nights and Days Antiphones or Singing-Service he polished the Rites of the Mass and renewed its Canon he made the Introitus to the Mass with the Particles he Commanded the Kyrieeleison and Hallelujah to be Sung He ordered the singing of Psalms the Letanies and Processions Balaeus Cent. 1. p. 62. sect 32. The Prescript Number of Psalms and Lessons was brought into the Church by Gregory the 7 th Anno 1073. saith Durandus The Epistles and Gospels Platina gives to Pope Damasus Anno 384. Pope Anastasius brought in Standing at the Gospel Anno 400. as saith Platina and Pol. Virgil. Austin Confess lib. 9. shews that the Latine Church had no Singing-Service that was brought into our Ceremonies saith Polidore Virgil from the old Heathen de Invent. Rer. lib. 6. c. 2. who were wont to Sacrifice with Symphony witness Livies l. 9. The Primitive Church had no Altars Pope Sylvester was the first Author of their Consecration Bellar. de Verb. Dei l. 4. c. 3. Anno 334. Then consequently no Bowing to them nor Kneeling before them being all Novels As little can you find the English Festivals in Antiquity The Centurists tells us Observandum est Apostolos Apostolicos viros neque de Paschate neque de aliis quibuscunque festivitatibus legem aliquam constituisse It is to be observed that neither the Apostles nor any Apostolick men have given us any Law for the observation of Easter or any other Feast whatsoever Magd. Cent. 2. Chap 6. p. 119. They also tell us out of Origen That it was not lawful for Christians to observe the Feasts or Solemnities either of Jews or Gentiles Cent. 3. p. 137. The Council of Laodicea in the 37 Can. forbad the Heathenish or Jewish Feast Non oportet a Judaeis vel Hereticis Feriatica quae mittuntur accipere nec cum eis dies agere Feriatos The Canons of the Ancient Councils forbad to keep the Pagan Feasts and to deck their Houses with green Boughs and Bay leaves as they did in the Kalends of January Con. Affr. Can. 2. Tolet. 4. Can. 5. Brac. 2. c. 7. The Festivals observed by the Ancients were not accounted more holy than other days Jerome on Matth. 5. saith Non quod celebrior sit dies illa qua convâ—nimus The Waldenses The Ancient Fathers of the Protestants held that they were to rest from labour upon no day but the Lord's day Aeneas Sylvius The Rites and Geremonies of Marriage as expressed in the Office of Marriage in the Liturgy do not appear to have been in use in those Primitive times It being decreed by Pope Julius and Serâ—â—ius about the middle of the 4 th Century That all Marriage should pass the Benediction of a Priest upon penalty of Saâ—riledge The Office being taken from the Papists and those very Restraints laid upon Marriage at what seasons People may Marty and when not are taken out of the Romish Rubrick Pope Clement having ordained that from Septuage sima till Easter from Rogation till Whitsunday and from Advent to Epiphany Marriage should be prohibited and which Doctrine of Devils is translated from their Rubrick to ours As for Bowing to the Altar and to the East and at Entrance into Churches and Temples they are Reverences which seem to be fetch'd from an Elder date viz. from the Pagan Idolaters and from whom the superstitious Ancients and Papists had them and we from them Dr. Willer in his Synop. Papisi p. 492 493. saith That Bowing at the Altar and Name of Jesus are superstitious Idolatries As for Ecclesiastical Orders and Officers of the Lord Arch-Bishops Lord Bishops Deans Arch-Deacons 〈◊〉 and the Supremacy exercised one over another in the Church of England they are so far from having the stamp of Primitive Antiquity that they are not to be found therein at least for the three or four first Centuries Dr. Stillingfleet in his Irenicum p. 177. tells us after this manner viz. That whether any shall succed the Apostles in superiority of Power over Presbyters or all remain governing the Church in an equality of Power is no where determined by the Will of Christ in the Scripture which contains his ROYAL LAW and therefore we have no reason to look upon it as any thing flowing from the Power and Authority of Christ as Mediator and so not necessarâ—ly binding to Christians And further assures us That Episcopal men cannot shew by the word of God neither by the practice of the Apostles nor so much as by the PRIMITIVE CHURCH that a Minister of Jesus Christ hath had any superintendency over several private Churches or that a Bishop hath ordained Ministers by his sole and pure Authority as is now practised in England or that he who is not naturally Invested with any Authority should have the power to Delegate others and much more Secular persons And if any would be better satisfied herein there are two late pieces which may fully do it viz. one by Dr. Owen in a Book called The Order and Communion of Evangelical Churches and the other in a Book called No Evidence for Diocesan Churches and Bishops in the primitive times The Primitive Fathers were against dedicating of Churches to Saints and Angels Austin saith If we build a Church of Stones or Wood unto any most excellent Angel are we not accursed and anathematized from the Truth and from the
Church of God because then we give unto a Creature that service which is due unto God only Cont. Maxim lib. 1. Arg. 11. de Spir. Sancto Erasmus upon Austin 's words hath in the Margent marked thus This is done now to each one of the Divi or Saints viz. not a Church erected without such a Dedication Pope Vitelliaâ—us brought in Organs and other Musical Instruments into the Church about the 8 th Century Bell de bon oper lib. 1. c. 7. Rogation-week or Gauge-days were Ordained by Pope Leo 444. as saith Platina Massaeus and Polidor Virgil. Pope Zacharias in the year 737 Ordained Priests Gowns Tippets and Four-corned Caps Chron. Achil. Faseicul Temp. Pope Boniface Ordained Wednesdays Fridays and Saturdays Fasts as saith Platina And that Anno 425 Pope Boniface Ordained Vigils or Saints Eves Fasts as Polidor Virgil and Pantaleon affirm To which is called the Apostles Creed was not as now in our Liturgy known in the Primitive times but has past great alterations 1. It is manifest the Fathers in the first Ages do give us the Creed in other words not one of them giving us this Form for above 300 years after Christ Ignatius Irenaeus Origen Tertullian write the Churches Faith but none of them in this form 2. We have Bishop Vsher that great searcher into Antiquity giving us an account of the Additions made to it in his Dissert de Symbol p. 16. viz. Maker of Heaven and Earth was a new Addition not in the ancient Copies 2. Conceived is added the old form is Born of the Holy Ghost 3. the word Dead is added 4. Descended into Hell is added 5. the Name of God Almighty to the Articles of Christ's sitting at the right hand of God 6. Catholick is added to Holy Church 7. Communion of Saints is added And 8. Life everlasting is added And which Additions faith Bishop Vsher were not made at once but at several times And the Bishop affirms that the Nicene was as Confidently and more Anciently called the Apostles Creed As for the Athanasian Creed Quicunque vult c. fathered upon Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria in the 4th Age It appears to be otherwise and to have no such stamp of Primitive Antiquity as Dr. Burnet Hist of Reform Part 2. B. 1. p. 167. informs us viz. That they went according to the Received opinion that Athanasius was the Author of that Creed which is now found not to have been Compiled till near three Ages after him Secondly It doth appear that what was of pure Antiquity and in use in those first Centuries viz. 2 3 4 are either not used or blotted out of the Liturgies having been heretofore in use The Protestant Reconciler Part 1. Chap. 8. from pag. 261. to 299 gives an account of the Ancient Rites and Ceremonies in use amongst the Ancient Churches and Fathers now laid aside viz. Love-feasts Kiss of Charity Deaconesses Praying standing from Easter till Whit sunday Dipping or Plunging the Baptized yea the Trine Immersion Deferring Baptison till Easter and Whitsunday Exorcism Sufflation Anointing the Sick Chrism White Garment Milk and Honey to the New Baptized giving the Eucharist to the Infant from the 3d to the 12th Century mingling Water with the Sacramental Wine All eating of one Loaf in the Supper to send the Eulogiae or Broken Bread to the absent to receive standing or in a Table Gesture to pray for the Dead c. All which are Rejected And many of these though in the first Common-Prayer in Edward the Sixth's time laid aside as the said Author p. 298. tells us concluding thus Hence we may see how vainly 't is pretended that these Ceremonies were retained or imposed to manifest the Justice and Equity of the Reformation by letting their Enemies see they did not break Communion with them for meer Indifferent things or that they left the Church of Rome no farther than she left the ancient Church as saith Dr. Stillingfleet When 't is manifest saith he that we left off praying for departed Saints the Vnction of the Sick the mixing Water with the Sacramental Wine the Chrysm Exorcism the anointing the baptised Person Crossing the Breast and at the Consecration of the Eucharist and the baptismal Water with many other things which were retained in the ancient Church and in the Liturgy of Edw. 6. Thus you see that notwithstanding the great cry of Symbolizing with Primitive Antiquity and not at all with Rome that the latter appears to be as true as the other is false their Litnrgies Rites and Ceremonies being as said a Composition of Pagan Papal Inventions with some Novel Additions of their own and Primitive Antiquity almost wholly excluded And it is very observable to consider what Alterations have been made in Edw. the Sixth's Liturgy to gratifie the Papists as omitting that Clause of the Letany FROM THE BISHOP OF ROME AND ALL HIS DETESTABLE ENORMITIES and that in the Commination CURSED BE THE WORSHIPPERS OF IMAGES and have left out that Exhortation which is condemned as a most vile abomination in their usual Masses where People Gaze but do not Communicate Secondly In the next place it will appear that as we do not Symbolize with Antiquity in our Rites and Ceremonies that we do symbolize in most if not in all of them with Popery though so positively denied by the learned Which is manifest first by the several particulars before mentioned for as the Church of England doth not symbolize with Primitive Antiquity therein as it is plain they do not if our Authors speak true so they do fully symbolize with Popish Novelty as the proofs make manifest both in Kneeling at the Altar Cross in Baptism Surplice c. Secondly This symbolizing with Popery in our Rites and Ceremonies appears by what is fully owned and acknowledged by Parties themselves The principal part of Worship both as to matter and manner performed in the Church of England is contained in the Rubrick or Service-Book by Law established which in the beginning of the Reformation in H. 8. time was no other than the Romish Liturgy some parts only being translated into English viz. the Creed Pater-Noster Ten Commandments and Letany Edw. 6. went further translating it all into English yet retaining the same Service word for word except some alterations for so Mr. Fox tells us in the King and Councils Letter to the Devonshire men about the alteration of their Mass-book who by the Instigation of their Priests had been stirred up to Rebellion wherein it is thus told them as recorded Act. Mon. 2 Vol. p. 1189. As for the Service in the English tongue it perchance seems to you a New Service and yet indeed it is NO OTHER BUT THE OLD THE SELF-SAME WORDS in English for NOTHING is altered but to speak with Knowledge that which was spoken with Ignorance only a few things taken out so fond that it had been a shame to have
heard them in English Some alterations were made afterwards in the 2 d of Edw 6. and some by Q Elizabeth and some few by King James but the Body and Essentials of it continued and was preserved for so faith K. Charles the 2 d. In his Preface to the Common-Prayer annext to the Act of Uniformity in these words That we find that in the Reigns of several Princes since the Reformation the Church upon just and weighty Considerations her thereunto moving hath yielded to make such alterations in some particulars as in their respective times were thought convenient yet so as the main Body and Essentials of it as well in the chiefest materials as in the frame and order thereof have still continued the same unto this day and do yet stand firm and unshaken notwithstanding all vain attempts and impetuous assaults made against it by such MEN AS ARE GIVEN TO CHANGE In Confirmation whereof you have the testimony of King James as Mr. Calderwood in his History of the Church of Scotland informs us who tells us that King James in the 8th Session of the General Assembly held at Edenburgh Aug. 4. 1590. said these words in his Speech to them viz The Kirk of Geneva keep Pasch and Yule whereof no Constitution And as for our Neighbour Kirk of England their Service is an evil said Mass in English they want nothing of the Mass but the liftings but that the Kirk of Scotland was the sincerest in the World So that you have the Acknowledgment and Grant of three Kings to the truth hereof that the publick Worship and Service of the Protestant Church of England contained in the English Liturgy and practised in the Church is the same in the main Body and Essentials chiefest Materials Frame and Order with that of the Popish and whoever will take the pains to search into the Popish Breviary Ritual Missal and Pontificial which four comprehend their whole Liturgy will find though there may be some alterations and variations in several particulars yet as the King grants the substance and chiefest materials and order is the same and that ours is taken out of theirs viz. Collects Mattins Eversongs Epistles Gospels Creeds Letanies Consecration Administration of Sacraments Baptism of Infants with Gossips to answer for them Kneeling at the Altar Confiteor Absolution Confirmation Burial Matrimony Visitation of the Sick Ordination of Arch-Bishops Bishops c. And which will appear particularly by what follows Dr. Moore in his Mystery of Iniquity â—ib 2. ch 22. p. 468 says thus For undoubtedly our Herâ—ieal Reformers did not as is the use of some act out of peevishnesâ— and spight and please their own humour and impetuosity of Spirit as being part of the chaste Spouse of Christ the true Apostolick Church the Mother of us all deals as a Mother with all those that profess themselves in any sense Children of Christ's Church and therefore would not have them divided more than needs whence it is that out of a spirit of Charity and tender Kindness she has in some things in themselves Indifferent what Indifferent things they are you have heard humbly condescended to symbolize with that lapsed Lady of Rome to bring off her abused Paramours to the pure Worship of God which Condescension as is well known took good effect for some space of Years and the Catholicks joyned in publick prayer and service with us and well they might being as our three Kings have granted so much their own only in the English tongue till that Harlot that makes nothing of having her Children divided forcibly rent off the English Roman Catholick from so reasonable and Christian a Communion and yet saith he does not our Church cease to use this charitable Courtship and sweet Condescension towards them still viz. yet symbolizing with her to win them off to such a Worship as is every way as graceful as their own Dr. Stillingfleet in his Irenicum speaks to this purpose viz. That the great reason why our first Reformers did so far comply with the Papists it was to gain and lay a bait for them and which he hopes was never intended to be a Hook for the Protestants Thirdly Will not the Symbolizing with Popery appear more particularly by comparing our Divine Service in the Common-Prayer and Rubrick with their Divine Service in their Mass-book and Rubrick and how much we have taken them for our pattern and follow their direction in the particulars following viz. First In the time when Divine Service and publick Worship is to be performed Secondly In the Divine Service it self which is to be performed Thirdly In the Rites and Ceremonies performed in Divine Service and Worship First As to the times of Worship their Breviary and Kalendar do divide the year into Feasts Vigils Fasts and Working-days So do we take ours directly from them dividing our Kalendar by theirs both as to Feasts Vigils Fasts Working-days It is true they have more Feasts than we but all ours are found in theirs and taken from them as our Ritual makes manifest For Instance 1. Their Feasts are divided into Movables and fix'd So are ours Their Movable-Feasts and Holy days are Movable Feasts 1. Their Easter-day on which the rest depend is always the first Sunday after the first full Moon which happens next after the 21 st of March and if the full Moon happens upon a Sunday Easter-day is the Sunday after with a Vigil before So ours from them expresly 2. Their Advent-Sunday is always the nearest Sunday to the Feast of St. Andrew whether before or after and to four Sundays after So ours directly 3. Their Septuagesima-Sunday 9 Weeks before Easter So ours 4. Their Sexagesima-Sunday 8 Weeks before Easter So ours 5. Their Quinquagesima-Sund 7 Weeks before Easter So ours 6. Their Quadragesima-Sunday 6 Weeks before Easter So ours 7. Their Rogation-Sunday 5 Weeks after Easter So ours 8. Their Ascention-day is 40 Days after Easter So ours 9. Their Whitsunday with a Vigil 7 Weeks after Easter So ours 10. Their Trinity-Sunday is 8 Weeks after Easter So ours And 24 Sundays after Trinity 2. Their Fixed Feasts are as followeth viz. Fixed Feasts 1. The Circumcision of our Lord Jesus Christ the first of January 2. The Epiphany 6 January 3. Their Conversion of St. Paul 25 January 4. Their Purification of the blessed Virgin with a Vigil 2 February 5. Their St. Matthias 24 Feb. with a Vigil before it 6. Their Anunciation of the Virgin 25 March Vigil 7. Their St. Mark 25 April 8. Their St. Philip and Jacob 1 May. 9. Their St. Barnabas 11 June 10. Their Nativity of St. John Baptist 24 June and Vigil 11. Their St. Peter the 29 June Vigil 12. Their St. James the 25 July Vigil 13. Their St. Bartholomew 24 August and Vigil 14. Their St. Matthew 21 September Vigil 15. Their St. Michael 29 Sept So ours to which we add And all Angels 16. Their St. Luke 18
things as well as the Pagan and Papal Mass-books must we therefore put them into our Prayers Therefore this kind of collecting we must by his favour judge bad because not to be found in Christ's but in the Heathen and Antichristian Platform and as not being of divine but meer human Invention and therefore having been abused to Idolatry ought to be rejected by us because we are commanded not to take off the Babylonish Materials A Corner nor a Foundation stone Jer. 51. 26. Nor to make such a Linsey-woolsey Medley in Gods Worship Lev. 19. 19. Nor to swear by the Lord and by Malchim Zeph. 15. being reqired to take heed to our selves that we be not ensnared and that we do not inquire saying How did these Nations serve their Gods even so will we do likewise We are commanded not to do so unto the Lord our God But that whatsoever God commands that we are to observe and do not adding thereto or diminishing therefrom Deut. 12. 30 c. The learned Maccovius upon Lev. 19. 19. saith That the sacred Rites of Idolaters though they be things in themselves indifferent are not to be retained because all Conformity with Idolators is to be avoided as also saith Zanchy Junius Calvin Beza Mollerus Danaeus yea Lyra though a Papist But what do you say to the Lords Prayer must we forbear that too because we find it in their Mass-Book though so positively enjoyn'd by Christ to use it who bids us expresly Luke 11. 2. that when we pray we should say Our Father c. Therefore whoever will pray it or neglect it we must pray that very set-form of Prayer in those very words when we pray To which we say that it is a great Mistake to suppose that Christ hereby in this Scripture has appointed this to be a Set-form to be prayed by all in these prescript words when we pray unto God for then it would be unlawful to use any other words than these herein expressed in our Prayers and that the Disciples and Apostles finned in using other words in those then Prayers we read of in Scripture and so does the Church of England in forming so many Collects and Prayers Secondly The Church of Rome and England also are great transgressors to presume to vary from Christ's Precept in altering or adding to the form of words expressed by Christ in this 11 of Luke for so they have done they say Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them who trespass against us when there are no such words in Christ's Prayer his words are Forgive us our Sins or Debs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us And add also the Doxology which is not in this Prayer Luke 11. But you 'l say as to the Doxology it is expressed by Christ at the end of the same Prayer in his Sermon on the Mount Matth. 6. It is very true it is so where he delivers this Prayer not as a Set-form but a Pattern of Prayer AFTER THIS MANNER PRAY YE 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to this purpose and which is an Explanation of what he says Luke 11. 2. when you pray say Our Father that is after this manner and which can only be a warrant to the Church of England or any other to make such alterations Christ no more intending to tye the Disciple who desired to be instructed how to pray to this form of words nor any other Disciple than he did the 12 Disciples when he sent them out to preach with this word of Command Matth. 10. 7. Preach saying the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand that they should thereby be tyed to those very words in their Preaching and preach nothing else but as this was given as a Text or Theme to preach by so the other to pray by The Disciple who proposes the question vers 1. desires that they might be taught to pray as John taught his Disciples but such a set-form of Prayer we find not that John in his teachings gave to his Disciples neither do we find that any of Christs Disciples or Apostles did pray this very Prayer to which our Expositors do agree Grotius saith on Luke 11. 2. That Christ herein teacheth us a Compendium of those things we are to pray for at that time they were not bound to the use of so many words and syllables As also Tertullian Cyprian Musculus Cornelins Alapide and Austin himself saith Liberum est It is free for us to ask the same things in the Lords Prayer Aliis atque aliis verbis sometimes one way sometimes another Doth not Paul tell us expresly He knew not What to pray for but as the Spirit gave him utterance Rom. 8. But he did know what to pray for if this was to be his prescript form Tertullian saith They prayed sine Monitor◠without a Monitor or Common-Prayer-Book And Socrates tells us That among all the Christians of that Age scarce two were to be found that used the same words in Prayer Chrysostom on Rom. 8. Homil. 14. saith With other Gifts they had the Gift of Prayer which was also called the Spirit and he who had this Gift did pray for the whole Multitude for what was expedient unto the Church and also did instruct others to Pray And though we find neither Christ nor his Apostles impose this nor any other Form of Prayer to be used by us but that we pray in the Spirit and praise in the Spirit and that God being a Spirit seeketh and accepteth such Worshippers yet we find the Popes and their Councils imposing this and other Lyturgical Forms The Council of Toledo Anno 618. decreed in the 9th Canon That every day both in publick and private Worship none of the Clergy omit the Lords Prayer under pain of Deposition since say they Christ hath prescribed this Saying When you pray say Our Father c. And how formally and carnally if not Idolatrously has the Pater-Noster been muttered over by the superstitious Papists ever since And may we not enquire whether in the following Particulars we do not symbolize with the Romish Worship herein 1. First By enjoyning and imposing this as a Set-Form as they do without the sanction of any sacred Text to warrant our so doing 2. Secondly By an often Repetition of the same Form in the same Exercise three or four times at least insomuch that in Cathedral Services it is said or sung ten or twelve times a day contrary to Christ's express words viz. That when we Pray we should not make vain Repetitions as the Heathen do for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking Mat. 6. 7. 3. Thirdly By enjoyning the whole Congregation both men and women to repeat the same after the Priest though no such Direction by Christ nay he forbids Women to pray or prophesie in the Church 1 Cor. 14. 34. c. 4. Fourthly In singing this Prayer in Cathedrals by Responses of Priest
and People with Musick without the least divine Authority for such Song-Praying The Resolver goes oh p. 43. Our Brethron surely will allow of reading the Scriptures as they do viz. Epistles Gospels Psalms To which we say We do surely allow of reading the Scriptures but not as they do especially in those Epistles Gospels and Psalms which are given us in the Liturgy for the following Reasons First Because the Epistles Gospels and Psalms in the Service-Book are mis-translated being taken from the corrupt vulgar Latine-Bible which is so extream faulty and so much complained of by the learned both Protestants and others Secondly Because what they call Epistles and Gospels are so curtal'd and mangled that they become quite another thing than the Evangelists intended in the Gospels or the Apostles in their Epistles altogether ruining the scope and connexions in divers places as may be instanced in numerous particulars if need were Thirdly Because they have been the Inventions of the Popes who have so adulterated Christs pure Worship and Service to patch up their Idolatrous Mass-Service which Gregory called the Great compleated as before fixing and appropriating the Epistles Gospels and Psalms to the Mattins and Even-Songs throughout the Year as the Romish Calendar whose Copy 't is suspected we imitate writes after Fourthly That whilst it is supposed we may be instructed in the Lessons ordered to be read upon the so called Sundays and Holy-Days through the whole Bible they have omitted so much of the Canonical Scriptures as the greatest part of Leviticus Ruth Chronicles Nehemiah Esther Canticles Lamentations Amos Obadiah Jonah Nahum Zephaniah Haggai The second Epistle to the Thessalonians the second and third of John and most part of the Revelation instead of which several parts of Apocryphal Writings are read which are esteemed by the Learned to be fabulous and savouring of the too much adored Vanities of Gentilism Fifthly Because they have omitted all the Original Titles or Inscriptions of the Psalms which are part of the holy Scriptures which have so great a tendency to unfold the mysteries in the Psalms and instead of them retain the Popish Latino Titles printed over our English Psalms Sixthly because of those additions which are made to the Scriptures therein as to the 14 Psalm 3 whole verses which are not in any of the Original Copies and Gloria patri to the Conclusion of several Psalms ordering it to be said at the reading of every Psalm contrary to Deut 4. 2. Prov. 30. 6. Rev. 22. 18. Seventhly because the Epistles and Gospels are ordered to be sung as well as said without the least warrant or direction from the Scriptures Eightly because it is ordered in the Rubrick to sit at the reading of the Epistles and to stand up to bow and scrape and Respond at the Gospel without any warrant or direction from the Scriptures Ninthly because of the disorderly chopping interchanging of Scriptures by way of Colloquy betwixt the Priest and People viz. The Lord be with thee must the Priest say And with thy Spirit must the People say Open our Lips must the Priest say And let our Mouths shew forth thy praise must the People say And bandying so often the Kyrieeleison and Christeeleison Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us betwixt Priest and People for which no Rule of direction from Gods Word but expresly found in the Mass-book How faulty the Liturgy appeared in many of these things to many learned Episcopal Divines is manifest by that Paper which was drawn up Anno 1641. Touching Innovations in Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England together with Considerations upon the Common Prayer and subscribed by Arch-Bishop Vsher Dr. Williams Bishop of Lincoln Dr. Prideaux after B. of Worcester Dr. Browning after B. of Exeter Dr. Hacket afterwards Bishop of Coventry and Litchfield Dr. Ward Dr. Featly c. and presented to the then Parliament wherein they gave 35 Exceptions against several things in the Liturgy And amongst others against the corrupt Translation of the Epistles and Gospels and Psalms against the Apocryphy enjoyned to be read in the Lessons against singing of Service against adding Gloria Patri to the Psalms against the Hymns taken out of the Mass-Book viz. Benedicite omnia opera c. against Priests Vestments enjoyn'd as were used 2d E. 6. against the sign of the Cross in Baptism which they say might as well be omitted as the Oyl which was heretofore its concomitant afore they went always together against prohibiting times of Marriage c. Another Objection which should have been spoken to before and which we he 〈◊〉 add is this viz. That it may well be supposed that the Nonconformists are very humerous in their groundless and unnecessary scruples whilst they are offended with the Church for that her Ancient and Reverend Practice of Bowing at the Name of Jesus enjoyn'd in the 18 th Canon and for which they have that positive direction and Command Phil. 2. 10. to warrant it It is very true they are indeed offended at that piece they conceive of voluntary Humility and Will-Worship because there is no more ground for Bowing at the mentioning of that Name either from that or any other Scripture than for Crossing our selves when that Name is named For first if it be a Command as supposed universally to bow at the mentioning those Syllables and that Name Jesus then are all both in Heaven Earth and under the Earth Mer Angels and Devils obliged thereto whenever that Name is mentioned be it either by a Wicked mans blasphemously swearing by it or a drunken Priests prophanely muttering it or the mentioning Jesus the Son of Syrach or Bar Jesus the Conjurer And secondly if the supposed Command must be understood to relate to the naming the Name of our Blessed Redeemer it must then be considered which of his Names must be meant because he hath many Names in Scripture as Christ Immanuel Jehovah Wonderful the Everlasting Father Saviour Redeemer Son of God Prince of Peace King of Kings Lord of Lords c. Any of which being much more properly to be understood here than this of Jesus because it is at the name of Jesus viz. some Name of his and not the Name Jesus that is to be bowed to Thirdly Neither can that Name be supposed to be meant here because it relates to a name the Father gave him after his Death Suffering and Exaltation as the words make manifest and therefore not that name Jesus which was given him at his Circumcision before his said Suffering and Exaltation Neither fourthly can this sense be admitted as a literal Command that all must bow the Knee at that Name because at the same time all and every one which make that reverence with the knee are enjoyn'd with their mouths to declare that he is the Lord to the glory of God the Father for they are joyn'd together and why is not one perforâ—â—d â—s well as the
thought fit to be Expunged as giving matter of Scandal and Dissatsfaction to all that Party or that otherwise wished well to that Religion In the first Liturgy of K. Edward The Sacrament of the Lords Body was Delivered with this Benediction That is to say The Body of our Lord Jesus which was given for the preservation of thy Body and Soul to Life Everlasting c. The Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ Which being thought by Calvin and his Disciples to give some Countenance to the Cross and Carnal Presence of Christ in the Pacrament which passeth by the Name of Transubstantiation in the School of Rome was Altered into this Form into the said Liturgy That is to say Take and Eat this in Remembrance that Christ dyed for thee and feed on him in thy heart by Faith with thansgiving Take and Drink this c. But the Revisors of the Book joyned both Forms togither least under colour of Rejecting a Carnal they might be thought also to Deny such a Real Presence as was Defended in the writing of the Antient Fathers upon which ground she Expunged also a whole Rubrick at the end of the Communion Service by which it was declared that kneeling at the Participation of the Sacrament were required for no other Reason then for the Signification of the humble and grateful Acknowledgment of the Benefits of Christ given therein unto the worthy Receiver and to avoid that prophanation and disorder which otherwise might have ensued and not for giving any Adoration to the Sacramental Bread and Wine there Bodily Received or in regard of any Real or Essential presence of Christs Body and Blood and to come close to the Church of Rome it was ordered by the Queens Injunctions That the Sacrametal Bread which the Book Required only to be made of the finest Flower should be made round in fashion of the Wafers used in the time of Q. Mary She also ordered that the Lords Table should be placed where the Altar stood that the Accustomed Reverence should be made at the Name of Jesus Musick Retayned in the Church and all the Old Festivals observed with their several Eves by which Complyances and Expunging of the passage before mentioned the Book was made so passable amongst the Papists that for ten years they generally Repaired to their Parish Churches without doubt or scruple as is affirmed not only by Sir Edward Cook in his Speech against Garnet and his Charge given at the Assizes held at Norwich but also by the Queen her self in a Letter to Sir Francis Walsingham then her Embassador in France The same Confessed by Sanders also in his Book De Schismatâ— and therefore Dr. Heilin in a few Pages after adds viz. And now we may behold the Face of the Church of England as it was first setled and Established under Q. Elizabeth the Government of the Church by Arch-bishops and Bishops c. The Liturgy Conform to the Primitive Pattorn viz. of Popery and all the Rites and Ceremonies therin Prescribed Accomodated to the Honour of God and Encrease of Piety the Festivals Preserved in their former Dignity Observed with all their Distinct Offices Peculiar to them and Celebrated with a Religious Concorse of all sorts of People the Weekly Fasts viz. Weenesdays Fridays and Saturdays The holy time of Lent The Embring Weeks Together with the fast of the Rogation Severally kept by a forbearaâ—ce of all kind of Flesh not now by Vertue of the Statute as in the Time of King Edw. but as appointed by the Church in her publick Callender before the Book of Common Prayer So Correspondant with Rome The Sacrament of the Lords Supper Celebratited in most Reverend Manner The hoby Table Seated in the Place of the Altar The people making their due Reverence at their first Enterance into the Church Kneeling at the Communion The Confession and the Publick Prayers standing up at the Creed the Gospels and the Gloria Patri and Vsing the Accustomed Reverence at the Name of Jesus Musick Retained in all the Churches in which provision had been made for the Maintenance of it or where the people could be Trained up at least to plain Song all which particulars were either Established by the Laws or Commanded by the Queens Injunctions or otherwise Retained by Vertue of some Antient Vsuages not by Law Prohibited nor is it much to be admired that such a general Conformity to those Cntient viz. Popish Vsuages was constantly Observed in all Cathedrals and the most part of the Parish Churches considering how well they were Presidented by the Court it self in which the Liturgy was Officiated every day both Morning and Evening not only in the publick Chappel but the private Closet Celebrated in the Chappel with Organs and other Musical Instruments and the most Excellent Voices of Men and Children that could be got in all the Kingdom the Gentlemen and Children in their Surplices and the Priests in Copes as oft as they Attended the Divine Service at the Holy Altar The Altar furnished with Rich Plate Two fair Guilt Candlesticks with Tapers in them and a Massy Crucifix of Silver in the midst thereof which last remained there for some years till it was Broke in pieces by Paâ—h the Fool no wisor man daring to undertake such a Desperate Service at the Sollictation of Sir Frances Knoles the Queens near Kinsman by the Caries and one who openly appeared in Favour of the Shism at Frankford the Antient Ceremonies accustomably observed by the Knights of the Garter in their Adoration towards the Altar abolished by King Edward the 6th and revived by Queen Mary whereby this Queen Retained as formerly in her Fahers Time for which she Received both Thanks and Honour from the very Enemies viz. the Papists as appears by Hardings Epistle Dedicatory before his answer to the Apology So far Dr. Heilin Thus from what the Sons of the Church Cambden and Burnet and Heilin have Affirmed 'T is Apparent that Queen Elizabeth had a Natural propensity to favour the Papists and that this was Discovered by her making the Terms of Communion much more easie to the Papists in K. Edw. Time whereby she became the more Difficult and Arduous to the Protestant Dissenters and whom she Rigorously Prosecuted for their Dissents Cambden Informs us That about the year 1583. The Queen Who held it for a Maxim that she ought not to be more Remiss in Ecclesiastical Affairs advancing Whitgift from the Sea of Worcester to that of Canterbury above all Commanded him to Re-establish the Discipline of the Church of England that as then lay Dismembred by the connivency of Prelates The Obstinacy of Innovators and by the Power of some Great Ones whilst some Ministers using to their own fancy new Rites of Services in their private houses utterly Condemning the Liturgy and the Appointed Manner of Administring the Sacrament as being in many things contrary to the Scripture and therefore many refused to go to Church to Abolish which things
into the Epistles and Gospels which was not heard of before the days of Popery I dare not Avow that this is that Reverend handling of the Scriptures and the right dividing of the Word of Truth which Saint Paul Requireth 2 Tim. 2. 15. Thirdly The great Inconveniency which hath followed this Book while it hath Maintained an Vnlearned Ministry and made it thought sufficient to have the Service Read wherein we have made the Spirit of God to speak in vain 1 Tim. 3. 12. which Requires the Ministers of the Gospel to be apt to Teach and to exhort and Reprove Tit. 1. 9. This is an other Cause why I cannot Subscribe unto the Book that it hath all things answerable to the Word of God But the Abridgment is much more full bringing Arguments from the Scripture The Fathers the Old Reformers and our own Old Protestant Doctors against it whereof I shall give this following Account First It is contrary to the Word of God to use such Ceremonies in the Worship of God as man has devised if they be notoriously known to have been of old and still to be abused unto Idolatry and Superstition by the Papists especially if the same be now of no necessary use in the Church where note that the Ceremonial part of the English Service that is like unto that of the Romish is what has been abused by the Papists to Idolatry or Superstition but yet are not so necessary to Divine Worship but that the Worship may be Compleat Devout and orderly without them which appears saith they First by the Second Commandment which forbids all provocation unto Spiritual Fornication as the 7th doth unto that which is Carnal Secondly By the Commandment and Direction God hath given us in his Word to Seperate our selves from Idolaters and be as unlike to them as may be especially in their Religions Observations and Ceremonies to abolish not only all Idols and that so as we may best shew our utmost Detestation to them and root out the very memory of them Thirdly By the Equity and Reasons of these Commandments which we find set down in Holy Scripture viz. 1. The detestation which the Lord our God being a Jealous God beareth unto Idolatry and all the Instruments and Tokens thereof as unto Spiritual Whoredom Secondly That it cannot be said sincerely we have Repented of the Idolatry of our Forefathers unless we be ashamed of and cast away with Detestation all the Instruments and Monuments of it Thirdly That we shall be in danger to be Corrupted in the Substance of Religion and Purity of Doctrine and even to fall back again to Idolatry if we Conform our selves to Idolaterous Ceremonies yea if we shew not all Detestation unto them Fourthly That our Conformity with Idolators in their Ceremonies wherein they Repose the greatest part of their Religion will be a special means to harden them in Superstition Fifthly That seeing the Pope is revealed to be that Great Antichrist and his Idolatry troubleth the Church at this day more than any other and our people Converse more with Papists then with any other Idolators there is more danger in the Retaining of the Ceremonies and Relicks of Popery then of any other Idolatry whatsoever By the Judgment of the Godly Learned of all Churches and Ages who have Constantly Taught and given Testimony of this Truth That Christians are Bound to cast off the Ceremonies and Religious Customs of Pagans Jews Idolators and Hereticks and Carefully to shun all Conformity with them therein In the Council of Nice it was Decreed That Christians might not keep the Feast of Easter at that Time nor in that manner the Jews did let us say they in nothing agree with that most detestable rout of the Jews And in another Councel That none should fast on the Lords Day because the Manachees had taken up that day to fast in That such Altars as were set up in the Country and High-ways in Memory of the Martyrs should be Abolished and that Solemn Requests should be made to the Emperor that all Reliques and Monuments of Idolatry might be utterly Destroyed and this Decree we find Cited by Dr. Fulk In another Councel That Christians should not Celebrate Feasts on the Birth days of Martyrs because that was the manner of the Heathens Tertullian is large and vehement in this point As saith he We may give nothing to the Service of an Idol so may you borrow nothing from the Service of an Idol if it be against Religion to sit at Table in any Idols Temple What is it to be seen in the Habit of an Idol Thou that art Christian must hate those things the Authors and Inventers whereof thou canst not choose but hate Austin himself Saith if you would win Pagans leave all their Solemnities for sake their Toyes The Judgment of the Church of Scotland in their Letter to the Bishops of England 1556. from a General Assembly at Edenborough thus writ if Surplice Corner Cap and Tipper have been Badges of Idolators in the very Act of Idolatry what have the Preachers of Christian Liberty and the open Rebukers of Superstition to do with the dress of the Romish Beast And in the Confession of their Faith sworn to by them and the Kings Majesty also We find these words and Detest all his Ceremonies and False Doctrines of the Roman Antichrist added to the Ministration of the True Sacraments We Detest all his vain Rites Signs and Traditions brought into the Church without the Word of God Mr. Rogers that Holy Martyr would not Consent to a Cannon that was to be made in K. Edwards Days for the Clergies Conformity in Cap Tippet and the rest of the Apparel unless it might be Decreed that the Papists for a Difference between them and others might be Constrained to wear upon their Sleves A Challice with a House upon it Bishop Pilkington misliked that in our Liturgy we are so like the Papists in Marriage and many other things this faith he is our fault generally that we differ not from them in all our Ministry Bishop Bilson Defending the Reformed Churches against a Slander of the Papists Approvingly Reporteth thus of them The Reformed Churches Saith he are so far from Admitting the full dost of your Heresies that by no means they can digest one Dram of your Ceremonies Dr. Humphrey Saith That we aught to Refuse to Conform our Selves to the Enemies of God in any of their Ceremonies Professing plainly his Desire and hope of the utter Abolishing of the Ceremhnies af all the Monuments of Popish Superstition that yet Remain in our Church Dr. Fulk Saith That if a man mislike our Form of Service as not differing sufficiently from yours he Sheweth his greatest Zeal in Detestation of your Idolatry and Blasphemy And again we abhor sath he whatsoever hath but a Shew of Popery Dr. Stuâ—liff maketh this one of his Principal Arguments against the Papists that they have derived most of their Ceremonies and Customs from the
Jews and Pagans To the same Purpose Mr. Greenham and Mr. Marbury That Agreeing with us most of the Reformed Divines do hold 1. That those Laws that we have Alledged out of the Old Testement against the Monument of Idolatry do bind us as much as they did the Jews and from them they Conclude as we have done That all Reliques of Popish and heathenish Superstition are to be Banished out of the Church of Christ of this Judgment are Calvin Martyr Grineus Wolphins Vrsinus Machabeus Zanchius Simetrus Zepperus our own Book of Homilies Dr. Fulk and others 2. That Hezekiah Josiah and the rest of the Godly Kings of Juda which shewed most Zeal in Abolishing those things which had been abused by Idolatry did no more then they were bound by the Law of God to do And that from their Example the Argument holds strong against the Monuments of Idolatry now because all Christians are Bound to Imitate their Zeal therein Of this Judgment was Augustin Calvin Martyr Wolphins Eevator Zanchius Bishop Jewil Bilson Dr. Fulck Dr. Raynold Dr. Andrews Mr Perkins and Others 3. That the Retaining of Popish Ceremonies will certainly be a means to indanger the Doctrine that we profess and to bring the People back to Popery this was the judgment of the People of Saxony and them of Humburgh and of Luther 4. That the Retaining of the Ceremonies of Idolaters will Cause them to insult over our Religion as if it could not stand without help from them and to harden them in their likeing of their own Idolatry this Reason hath bee used against Conformity with the Jews by Constantine the Emperor and by all the Fathers in the first Counsel of Nice and against Conformity with the Papists Begentiis Musculus Bishop Jewel and Others 5. We are Confirmed in this our Perswasion that it is unlawful to Retain the Ceremonies of the Papists by Experience of the Great hurt they have done and do Dayly in the Church for we find that some of the Learnedest of the English Papists Namely Martial Bristow and he that penned the petition for the Papists which Dr. Stutliff and Mr. Powel have Answered have by this Argument Justifyed their Church and Religion that we have borrowed our Ceremonies from them yea some of them as Harding Martial and he that Writ the Astrological Epistle for our English Papists have professed that this was to them an Evident Argument that Q. Elizabeth did in her Conscience like well of their Religion because She liked and maintained their Ceremonies and the Superstitious Multitude do usually defend the Blessing of themselves with Crossing their Breasts and Foreheads by our Crossing our Children in Baptism So far the Abridgment And to which we may add this further Testimony following viz. Altas Damas p. 612 613. tells us That from three Romish Channels was the English Service raked together namely 1st The Breviary out of which the Common-Prayers are taken 2dly The Râ—tual or Book of Rites out of which the Administration of Sacraments Burial Matrimony Visitation of the Sick are taken 3dly The Mass-Book out of which the Consâ—cration of the Lords Supper Collects Gospels and Epistles are taken Bishop Hall in his Quo Vadis saith That his Eyes and Ears can witness with what applause the Catholicks entertained the new translated Liturgy of our Church Mr. Thomas Gage in his English American chap. 22. p. 205 thus expresseth himself I contiâ—ued twelve Moneths at my Vnoles House at Gatton searching though unknown to my Vncle and Kindred into the Doctrine and Truth of the Gospel professed in England for which cause I made many Journies to London and then privately I resorted to some Churches and especially to Paul's Church to see the Service performed and to hear the Word of God preached but so that I might not be seen known or discovered by and Papist When in Pauls Church I heard the Organs and the Musick and the Prayers and the Collects and saw the Ceremonies at the Altar I remembred Rome again and perceived little difference betwixt the two Churches I searched further into the Common-Prayer and carried with me a Bible into the Country on purpose to compare the Prayers Epistles and Gospels with a Mass-Book which there I had at command and I found no difference but only English and Latine which made me wonder and to acknowledge that much remained still of Rome in the Church of England and that I feared my Calling was not right And p. 209. tells us That upon his return afterwards to Rome that Father Fitz Herbert told him that the Common-Prayer Book which was composed for Scotland was by Arch-Bishop Laud sent to Rome to be first viewed and approved by the Pope and Cardinals and who upon the perusal did approve thereof and liked very well for Protestants to be trained in such a form of Prayer and Service c. Great Cerus Panegyer Missae cap. 11. 12. alledgeth against the Reformed Churches the English Service-Book for their Popish Holy-days the Book of Canons for the Sign of the Cross and Kneeling at the Altar and for the whole Hierarchy c. Cornelpis Scultingius in his Hyerarchica Anicrists citeth whole Leaves out of Whitegift for the defence of their Hierarchy Stapleton Reflect against Whitaker Cont. 2. Qu. 3. Art 3. useth Whitegift's Argument to uphold their Discipline and professeth they are built upon one Foundation They further say as Paep Sapp Anno 1604. Reas of Relig. 13 That from their Treasure-House the Religion now established in England hath learned the form of Christening Marrying Churching of Women visiting the Sick Burying the Dead c. as their Book say they translated out of ours declares Curtaine Of Ch. Power p. 40. saith That he heard one of the Jesuits say that it was his hopes that our Service and Ceremonies would return us again to Rome Another Objection is this That whilst they separate for indifferent and about disputable things they do violate a known plain positive Scripture which enjoyns the Inferiors to be obedient and subject to their Superiors The Protestant Reconciler 2 part urges it as an Objection brought against the Diffenters compar'd with 1 part p. 198. That seeing God hath enjoyned all Persons to obey those that have the Rule over them Heb. 13. 17 and submit themselves and to be subject to the higher Powers as to the Ordinance of God and that for Conscience sake He that can satisfie his Conscience in his Refusal so to do must shew some Law of God as evidently forbidding his Obedience to what Superiors do enjoyn as do these Scriptures command OBEDIENCE to them in ALL LAWFUL THINGS And you tell us in your Scrupulous Conscience pag. 33. That these things of a publick Nature belong only to our Superiors and Governours and if they appoint what is unfit indecent and inconvenient they only are accountable for it It is not the fault of those that joyn in such Worship or yield to such Injunctions NOT PLAINLY SINFUL
perfect representation of that horible place which you describe when you mention Hell But after two days and nights without any Refreshment the unusualness of that society and place haveing impaird my health the constitution of which at the best is very Tender and Crazy but I am now in the press-yard a place of some sobriety tho still a Prison Some few days after I sent the following Letter to Sr. Thomas Jenner and on the Eighth of December by my Wife another to you the words of the former were these To Sr. Thomas Jenner Knight Recorder of London Sr. You know I was Committed Prisoner first to the Compter in Woodstreet then to Newgate by your warrant In my Mittimus tis said that I refused to give Bail which is a mistake for being asked by you whether I would give Bail then I said I could not it being so late at Night when I had no opportunity to send to such as would Bail me and being askt whether I would give Bail the next Morning I saie I knew not whether ' I could or not because I was not certain whether such to whom I might have made Application would do it or not This was no Sullenness nor Obstinacy in me but what my Real apprehentions then were Some Friends of mine Freemen of theis City went afterwards to be my Bail but they were told you were not at home They made thereupon an application to Sr. William Turner who referd them to you It is said in the Warrant that I confessed I was the Author of a Libel Entituled A Plea for the Nonconformists wherein are contained things dangerous to the Government which thus much and no further is true I confessed before you that I delivered a Manuscript of my own writing to one John How with that Title in order to be Printed and that if the Print agreed with the Manuscript I would own it otherwise I could not because the misplacing of a Stop the misprinting of a Lettor or Syllable or some other Errators of the Press would alter the sence even to contradiction of what was intended to be discussed which was not as my Indictment wors it in a form of aggravating terms but in order to a plain disquisition of such things as Dr. Calamy from Pulpit and Press invited Dissenters to inquire into as you may see in his Book called A Discourse of a Scrupulous Conscience There is nothing of matters Relating to the Civil State in what I am Charg'd with for I am not concern'd with that but if the Guid's of the Church as Dr. Calamy calls the Benificed men of the Church of England will make publick Chalenges they should receive Objections without punishing the Objectors whose Supposed Crime is only for obeying them and that you know Sr. is disagreeable to Justice If any thing I have done falls within the lash of English Laws Fiat Justitia But I am satisfi'd I have done nothing in this point unbecoming an honest Subject a Scholar a Gentleman and which is worth all a Christian I Commit the whole matter with Respect to this Dispute to that Supream Legislator who is without Exception just and who will judge all that are S ubordinate to him which is all from Sr. your Servant Thomas Delaune To Dr. Benjamin Calamy These Sr. In your Printed Cermon Intituled Scrupulous Conscience you know you gave a fair invitation to such as differ from you to examine what each party viz. Conformists and Nonconformists say for themselves with respect to the Rites and Ceremonys which the Guides of the Church impose on their Members and by Penal Laws upon their Protestant fellow Pubjects the Nonconformists Without doubt your call to such pre-supposed a Reply by which you expected that there may be either an Opportunity given to you and your Brethren to Rectifie what Scrupulous Consciences Misunderstand or that there may be some Relaxation procured of the severity they undergo if their Dissent appears to be warranted by that only Rule of Faith which Dr. Stillingfleet and other Eminent Conformists call the BIBLE If you did not expect an Answer or thought that none for fear of the Act of Vniformity c. would make any return to your Call what can a man of Reason judge but that it was a Florid Declamation or a Triumphant Harangue a meer mockery and ensnareing of poor Scrupulous Consciences when they must be so muzled that they must not Exhibite the Causes of their Doubts Sir you know that 't is unequal to Gag the Respondent when the Oponents moâ—th is at liberty or to Manacle the assaulted when the Challenger Flourishes a Manacing Sword Vpon that publick Call of yours I adventured to examine with the most diligent search I could make what each of the said parties say for themselves and this not out of any Litigious principle that Pruritus Disputandi now too fatally grown Epidemical but to give such as are Concern'd occasion to investigate these disputed matters to the very foundation to the clearing up of truth in a juncture when it can never be more Seasonable What was digested was intened to be sent you in a Manuscript with some modest Inferences and inquiries but upon Recollection I judged it would more Answer your End viz. Publick Information to have such Arguments as are producible by the Dissenters as Publick as the Invitation you gave them from Pulpit and Press It being equal that the Answer should be as spreading as the Objections I am far from the Vanity of pretending to be your Competitor in the faculties of the Schools I cannot judge of them any otherwise then as unserviceable to Christian Religion unless Tinctured with that Grace Derivative only from the Sanctifier of all Gifts which I hope you partake of I am one of the meanest of the Flock yet not below the regards of the Sheepherd of Souls who is no Respecter of Persons and whose Example such as call themselves his Ambassadors ought to follow And therefore though some who pin their faith upon Canonical Sleevs may censure me for opposing or if I may use a Millitary metaphor taking up the Gantlet against a man of your figure yet I can take up my satisfaction in this that it was not Pride nor a popular Itch much less the love of a Brison influenced me to become an Answerer of your Scrupulous Consciences I could heartily wish as a mercy to these Nations that all Religious Differences were Composed by Evangilioal Rules and that all who own the Name of Christ would serve him with one heart and with one soul and not tear each other to pieces which by consequence must expose them as a Prey to such as gape for their Destruction If the Sanctions of Christ in the Old and New Testament ought to regulate the modes of his Worship and that we are under an indispensible Obligation to Obey that Magna Charta of Heaven then let us either quit the name of Christians or act according to
printed respecting a Doubtful Conscience has loudly enough call'd all such as were Dissatisfy'd about some Rites and Ceremonys to Examine the Reasons on both sides Others being silent I obey'd you in that particular not meerly to wrangle for the Encounter is unequal betwixt a Man so Eminent as you are and so mean a Person as I am but that an occassion may be given in compliance to what you desired to conclude Controversys of this nature If meerly for such Obedience I must be punished I know not how nor in what manner is there not a new way of conquering Scrupulous Consciences unheard of in the Holy Scriptures Started by some certain Ringleaders I purposed from Holy Writ and approved Writers to Examine what we ought to judg of these things From that light of our paths from that Lamhorn Psal 119. 105. I gathered some Reasons against those various and multiplied Errours which have crept into the Church For that only thing am I brought to a Prison where there is nothing amiable Whether Arguments of that kind will prevaile to prove the Suppositions in your Sermon Let the Supream Judg Determine Or whether any of the doubting persons can that way be Compelled into the Spiritual Sheep-fold judg you There 's nothing against the Kings Majesty nothing about the Civil Government nothing against the Peace of this Monarchy there asserted The only dispute is about the original of Rites and Ceremonys and of some things which under a shew of Truth though not Righteously are charged upon Doubting persons What the Court will do with me I know not the will of the Supreme Father be done Inward and outward peace in this and Everlasting Peace in the World to come to all such as worship the Saviour of mankind according to his word is Pray'd for by THO. DELAUNE I Desire you to Return me some Answer becoming a Divine by my Beloved Wife as you have promised To this Letter you answered by word of Mouth to my Wife for I had no answer in writing that you lookt upon your self Vnconcerned as not being mention'd in the sheets you saw with the Recorder To satisfy which doubt I sent you a Third Letter with the First sheet of the Book I am imprison'd for which was a plain Demonstration that it was an answer to your Call you know the Letter was thus January the 14th 1683. Sir Whereas in Answer to my two Letters you said to my Wife that my Papers no way concern'd you viz. Such as I am indicted for To satisfy you with respect to that matter I here send you the first Sheet and leave you to consider whether in pure generousity you are not oblig'd to procure a Prisoner whose Obedience to you made him so his liberty I am Sir your humble servant THO. DELAUNE I appeal to your Consience whether I had not some reason to expect some return to these Applications But I had none to any purpose and that too but in a few words by my wife I had some thoughts that you would have performed the Office of a Divine in visiting me in my place of Confinement either to Argue me out of my Doubts which your promis'd SCRIPTURE and REASON not a Mittimus and Newgate could easily do To the former I can yeild To the latter it seems I must This is a severe kind of Logick and will probably dispute me out of this World as it did Mr. Bampfield and Mr. Ralphson lately who were my dear and excellent Companions in Trouble and whose absence I cannot but bemoan as having lost in them a Society that was truly pious truly sweet and truly amiable But I hope the God of mercy will supply the want by a more immediate influence of Comfort then what can be obtained at second hand On the tenth of December two Bills were found against Mr. Ralphson and me by the Grand-jury of London whose Names are as followeth Tho. Vernon Tho. Goddard Will. Gore Will. Wills Rand. Manning John Martin Richard How 's Tho. Hodges Joseph Woolhead Josias Ewth John Paine William Fazakerly Jos Sparrow Joh. Reendal David Pool Ri. Beauchamp Rob. Minories On the 13 th day of the same Month we were called to the Sessions-House in the Old-Bayly And then our Indictments were read in English to which we pleaded not Guilty We desired Copies of the said Indictments and time to make our Defence till next Sessions which the Court after some pause granted The substance of the Indictment against me was thus Iuratores pro Domino Rege supar Sacram suum presentant quod Tho Delaune nuper Delondon Gener ligeanc su c. In plain English thus as to the material part of it The Jurors for our Lord the King upon their Oath Present that Thomas Delaune late of London Gent. Not regarding his due Allegeance but contriving and intending to disquiet and disturb the peace and common Tranquillity of this Kingdom of England c. To bring the said Lord the King into the greatest hate and contempt of his Subjects Machinating and farther intending to move stir up and procure Sedition and Rebellion and to disparage and Scandalize the Book of Common Prayer c. On the 30th day of November in the 35th of the King at London in the parish of St. Botolph without Bishops Gate in the Ward of Bishops-Gate aforesaid by Force and Armes c. Vnlawfully Seditiously and Maliciously did Write Print and Publish and Caused to be Written Printed and Published a certain False Seditious and Scandalous Libel of and concerning the said Lord the King and the Book of Common Prayer aforesaid Intituled a Plea for the NONCONFORMISTS In which said Libel are contained these false Fictions and Scandalous sentences following viz. The Church of Rome and England also are great Transgressors to presume to vary from Christs precept in altering or adding to the form of words exprest by Christ in this 11 of Luke for so they have done They say forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them who trespass against us when there are nosuch words in Christ prayer his words are forgive us our Sins or Debts for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us and says the Indictment again in another part of the said Libell are contained these false Fictions Seditious and scandalous Sentences following viz. And may we not say that in these following particulars we do Symbolize with Idolatrous Rome herein First by injoyning and imposing this here the Indictment makes an Innuendo viz. Meaning the Book of Common Prayer aforesaid as a set form as they do with penaltys contrary to the Scripture Secondly by an often Repetition of the same form in the same exercise three or or four times at least in so much that in Cathedrall Churches it is said or sung ten or twelve times a day contrary to Christs Express words that when we pray we do not make vain Repetitions as the Heathens doe for they think they shall be heard for their
not able to pay the Fine lost by obedience to your publick Call Sir I must tell you plainly that you discover'd in your very dedication to Sr. Gorge Jefferies now chief Justice a kind of Doubt to say no more Respecting your Cause You say there P. 2. Ep. Ded. How many it viz. your Sermon will anger and displease I am not at all concerned and tho I may be thought by some ill advised in publishing such a Sermon yet every one will commend and justify my discretion in prefixing your name before it For so great an awe have the Enemys of our Church and Government of your Loyalty and Fidelity to both that they will Not dare Loudly to condemn what you are pleased to Protect they will be justly Affraid of Quarrelling with me when they know I have Engaged you on my side From these Expressions I must conclude If you are in earnest that you care not how much you offend your weak Brother The Apostle Paul was of another mind Rom. 15. 1. c. We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmitys of the weak and not to please our selves let every one of us please his Neighbour for his good to Edification Pray consider this and what follows in the same Chapter And 1 Cor. 8. 12. But when you sin so against the Brethren and wound their weak Consciences ye sin against Christ ver 13. Wherefore if meat make my Bro her to offend I will eat no flesh while the World standeth lest I make my Brother to offend And 1 Thes 5. 14. the same Evangelical Doctor exhorts you To Comfort the feeble minded Support the weak and to be patient toward all men And Gal. 6. 1. To restore the faulty in the Spirit of Meekness What a Superlative what a true Christian Complyance is here Worth the imitation of the Guides of your Church This Apostle would rather make a perpetual fast from flesh then offend his Weak Brother And I am apt to think no flourishes of Pulpit-Rhetorick ever drop't from him to grieve his Weak Brethren and that he never shrouded his writings or preachings under the terrible Patronage of such men as you Represent Sr. Gorge Jefferies to be I have a kind of fancy that your said Patron now Lord Chief Justice as he is a Gentleman in Eminent place and of a piercing Judgement Srong Memory and of fluent Oratory could not but look through the Superficial Addresses of that Dedication In the second place a Man so dignified as he is must certainly take it as an affront to his title of Lord Chief Justice that you should say that men will be Justly affraid of quarrelling with you when they know you have Engaged him on your side That same word Affraid denotes a Champion-like Courage in you that no body should dare to come near you and withal a Reflection on the justice of your Patron that he will take your part Right or Wrong As to the word Quarrelling I know no body that has assaulted you in any more perillous Attaque then in Examining the Merits of the Cause as you Preached and by the same Sermon transfigur'd from the Press invited men to do No Force and Arms were used against you by me but Pen Ink and a few Papers The Indictment makes this a very formidable kind of Artillery But to bring the matter a little closer I must desire you will please to take notice of this Hainous Charge given in against me and how made good in the Indictment and how severely handled both by the Juryes and Court thereupon The charge as you have heard is for intending to disturb the Publick Peace To bring the King into the greatest Hate and Contempt of his Subjects to stir up and procure Sedition and Rebellion a high and Heinous Charge indeed But how is this made good viz. By my disparaging the Book of Common Prayer But how doth that appear viz. By the force of Arms used Vnlawfully Seditiously and Maliciously to Write Print and Publish a Seditious and Scandalous Libel Concerning our Lord the King and the Book of Common Prayer Intituled A Plea for the Nonconformists But wherein doth it appear by any thing which is writ in that Book that this Hainous Charge is made good viz. By their pregnant instances produced out of the Book expressed in the Indictment The which therefore since we must suppose they are the most Hainous and Dangerous passages to be found therein and most proper and significant to make good the Charge I shall for your information and that you may the better judge how the Charge is proved against me give you the intire paragraph out of which the instances were picked which I must beg the justice of you to Read which I could not with all my Entreatys Obtain of the Court tho so necessary as you 'l find to come to the right sence and for greater Illustration I shall distinguish the instances of the Indictment in a different Character know therefore that I having in the Plea for the Nonconformists from p. 14. at your desire been giving an account what the Nonconformists Answer to that great Objection that all things they scruple in the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church are not Popish Novelties but of Primitive Antiquity as you say and having distinctly gone through most of them giving their Reasons why they are not of Primitive Antiquity but of Popish Novelty and containd in the Mass-Book This Objection came to be started p. 40. But what do you say to the Lords Prayer must we forbear that too because we find it in the Mass-Book tho so publickly injoyn'd by Christ to use it as a stinted form Luke 11. 2. That when we pray we should say Our Father c. To which the Nonconformists say that it is a great mistake to suppose that Christ hereby in this Scripture has appointed this to be a set form to be prayd by all in these prescript words when we pray unto God for then it would be unlawfull to use any other words then these herein expressed in our prayers and that the Disciples and Apostles sinned in using other words in those their prayers we read of in Scripture and so does the Church of England in forming so many Collects and Prayers And. p. 41. 42. Secondly The Church of Rome and England are great Transgressors to presume to vary from Christ precepts in altering or adding to the form of words expressed by Christ in this 11 Luke For so they have done they say Forgive us our Trespasses as we forgive them who Trespass against us when there are no such words in Christs Prayer his words are forgive us our Sins our Debts opheilemata for we also forgive every one that is Indebted to us Which saith the Indictment are false sictious and scandalous sentences but it shews not wherein And also the Doxology which is not in this Prayer in Lake 11. viz. For thine is the Kingdom
and the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen But you 'l say as to the Doxology it is expressed by Christ at the end of the same prayer in his Sermon on the Mount Mat. 6. It is very True it is so where he delivers this prayer not as a set form but a pattern of prayer After this manner Pray ye hovto's to this purpose and which is an Explication of what he says Luke 11. 2. when you pray say Our Father c. That is after this manner and which can only be a warrant to the Church of England or any other to make such alterations Christ no more intending to tye the Disciple who desired to be instructed how to pray to this form of words nor any other Disciple then he did the twelve Disciples when he sent them out to Preach with thisword of Command Math. 10. 7. Preach saying The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand that they should thereby be tyed to those very words in their Preaching and Preach nothing else but as this was given as a Text or Theme to Preach by so the other to pray by The Disciple who proposes the question Vers 1. Desires that they may be taught to pray as John taught his Disciples but such a set form of Prayer we find not that John in his Teachings gave to his Disciples neither do we find that any of Christ's Disciples or Apostles did pray this very prayer to which our Expositors do agree Grotivs saith on Luke the 11. 2. That Christ herein Teacheth us a Compendium of those things we are to pray for at that time saith he they were not bound to the use of so may Words and Syllables As also Tertullian Cyprian Musculus Cornelius Alapide and Austin himself upon the place who saith Liberum est it is free for us to ask the same thing in the Lords Prayer Aliis atque aliis verbis sometime one way and sometimes another Doth not Paul tell us expresly he knew not what to pray for but as the Spirit gave him utterance Rom. 8. But he did know what to pray for if this was to be his prescript form Tertullian saith they prayed Sine Monitore without a Monitor or Common-Prayer-book and Socrates tells us that among all the Christians of that age scarce two were to befound that used the same words in Prayer Chrysostom on Rom. 8. Homil. 14. saith With other gifts they had the gift of Prayer which was also called the Spirit but he who had the gift did pray for the whole multitude for that was Expedient unto the Church also did instruct others to Pray And though we find neither Christ nor his Apostles impose this or any other form of Prayer to be used by us but that we Pray in the Spirit and Praise in the Spirits and that God being a Spirit seeketh and accepteth such worshipers yet we find the Popes and their Councils imposing this and other Lyturgical forms The Councell of Toledo Anno. 618. Decreed in the Ninth Canon that every day both in publick and private worship none of the Clergy omit the Lords Prayer under payn of Deposition since say they Christ hath prescribed this saying When you pray say Our Father c. And how formally and carnally has the Pater-noster been muttered over by the superstitious Papists ever since And may we not enquire whether in the following particulars we do not Symbolize with the Romish worship herein which the Indictment injuriously words thus And may we not say that in these following particulars for may we not enquire whether in the following particulars we do Symbolize with Idolatrous Rome herein For we do not Symbolize with the Romish herein meaning saith the indictment with an Innuendo the Book of Common Prayer whereas it only relates to the Lords prayer First By enjoyning and imposing this as a set form without the Sanction of any sacred Text to warant it which the Indictment words contrary to the Scriptures Secondly By an often repetition of the same form in the same exercise three or four times at least insomuch that in Cathedral Services it is said or sung ten or twelve times in a day contrary to Christs express words that when we pray we should not make vain repetitions as the Heathens do for they think they shall he heard for their much speaking Mat. 6. 7. Thirdly By enjoyning the whole Congregation both men and women to repeat the same after the Priest tho no such direction by Christ nay he forbids women to pray or Prophesie in the Church 1 Cor. 14. 34. c. Fourthly In singing this prayer in Cathedralls by Responses of Priests and People with musick without the least Divine Authority for such Song-Praying Which the indictment saith are fictions seditious and scandalous sentences but shew not wherein Thus have you the whole paragraph and what is picked out of it to make good the charge whereby you will easely discern Whether I have done otherwise therein then given you at your Call a true and modest account of the Nonconformists Arguments why the Lords Prayer is not a stinted set form of Prayer as supposed but a pattern to pray by which is done by several Arguments viz. 1. From the practices of both Churches Rome and England who have both altered and added to it which they ought not to have done no not so much as one Syllable if so intended by Christ 2ly From the practises of the Antients and Opinions of many Learned Commentators upon the place 3ly Because neither Christ nor his Apostles have so injoyned and practised it as a stinted form 4ly Because the Church of Rome without Scripture Authority have so impose and practised it and therefore are those Queries Whether for us so to impose it with penaltys and to make often Repetitions of it with Responses of Priest and People and to sing it with Musick is not without Scripture warrant and a Symbolizing with Rome therein and where 's the Sedition Rebellion breaking the Publick peace by force and Arms in all this 2ly Whether the picking out part and leaving out the greater part changing of words and inverting of sence is not most Injurious dealing for what is it not which may not be made of any mans sayings and writings if such a liberty may be taken For may it not with such a latitude be proved by Scripture that there is no God or any such Blasphemy or Immorallity 3ly Whether the Grand Jury in honesty and good Conscience could find this Bill upon their Oaths and the Petty Jury cast me upon it and the Court past Sentence upon me thereupon without admitting the whole Paragraph to be Read and Considered as so was earnestly desired by me 4ly If this writing of mine was only occasioned and drawn forth at you Call as your Book evidenceth and as declared to the Court then doth not that hainous Charge of a Malicious and Seditious contriving intending and Machinating