into the Church as the Chancell or upper part of the Church was assigned unto the other Sacrament to signifie it to belong to those onely that were come to some perfection against which 't is not possible any thing should be objected of unfitnesse but that the Ministers voyce will not in some Churches so easily be heard by the whole Congregation which if it may not be helpt by raising his voyce at that time will not yet infuse any Popery or Superstition into it the charge that is here so heavily laid on it as well as that of unfitnesse of which if it be guilty Superstition is become a strange ubiquitary ready to fly and affix it self to any thing they will have it and shall as justly be fastened by me on their negative or prohibition of Baptisme in that place it is not to be administred in the places where Fonts c. as upon our positive appointing it For sure if a significant rite or designation of place c. without any other guilt then that it is so be superstitious an unsignificant interdiction of it will be as much and if the positive superstition be to be condemned the negative must be so also 10. For the prescript form of Catechisme it is placed by our Church in our Liturgie and as fit to be placed there as any directions for Preaching can be in theirs which takes up so great a part in their Religion and consequently in their Directory the previous instruction of youth being so much more necessary then that as a foundation is then any part of the superstructure that being necessary to the end onely but this over and above necessary to make capable of the other necessary Of this particular Catechisme I might say somewhat which would be worthy to be observed in these times how much Christian prudence the Church hath shewed in it in setting down for all to learn onely those few things which are necessary to the plainest and meanest for the direction of Christian faith and practice and if we would all keep our selves within that moderation and propose no larger Catalogue of credenda to be believed by all then the Apostles Creed as 't is explained in our Catechisme doth propose and lay the greater weight upon consideration and performance of the vow of Baptisme and all the commands of God as they are explained and so the obligation to obedience enlarged by Christ and then onely adde the explication of the nature and use of the Sacraments in those most commodious and intelligible expressions and none other which are there set down I should be confident there would be lesse hating and damning one another which is most ordinary for opinions more piety and charity and so true Christianity among Christians and Protestants then hitherto hath been met with But seeing though this be fit to be said yet 't is unnecessary in this place this Catechisme being not put in ballance with any other way of instructing youth in the Directory but onely sold or cast away for nought and no money nothing taken or offered in exchange for it I am superseded from this and onely left to wonder why Catechising of Children in the faith and knowledge of their vowed duty which I hope is no stinting of their Spirits should be one of those burthens which 't is so necessary should be thrown off and not so much as considered in this Directory 11. For Confirmation which being a thing wherein the Bishop is a party will I must expect be matter of some envy and odium but to name it and being so long and so scandalously neglected in this Kingdome though the rule have also been severe and carefull in requiring it will now not so easily be digested having those vulgar prejudices against it yet must I most solemnly professe my opinion of it That it is a most ancient Christian custome tending very much to edification Which I shall make good by giving you this view of the manner of it It is this that every Rector of any Parish or Curate of charge should by a familiar way of Catechizing instruct the youth of both sexes within his Cure in the principles of Religion so farre that every one of them before the usuall time of coming to the Lords Supper should be able to understand the particulars of the vow made in Baptisme for the credenda and facienda yea and fugienda also what must be believed what done and what forsaken and be able to give an intelligent account of every one of these which being done every such Child so prepared ought to be brought to the Bishop for Confirmation Wherein the intent is that every such Child attained to years of understanding shall singly and solemnly before God the Bishop and the whole Congregation with his own mouth and his own consent take upon himself the obligation to that which his Godfathers and God mothers in Baptisme promised in his name and before all those reverend witnesses make a firm publick renued promise that by Gods help he will faithfully endeavour to discharge that obligation in every poiâ—â— of it and persevere in it all the dayes of his life Which resolution and promise so heighrned with all those solemnities will in any reason havâ— a mighty impression on the Child and an influence on his actions foâ— ever after And this being thus performed by him the Bishop shall severally impose his hands upon every such child a Ceremony used to thâ— purpose by Christ himself and blâ—sse and pray for him that now that thâ— temptations of sinne begin more strongly in respect of his age to assauâ—â— him he may receive grace and strength against all such temptations 〈◊〉 assaults by way of prevention and speciall assistance without which obtained by prayer from God he will never be able to do it This is thâ— summe of Confirmation and were it rightly observed and no man admitted to the Lords Supper that had not thus taken the Baptisme 〈◊〉 from the Sureties into his own name and no man after that suffered continue in the Church which brake it wilfully but turned out of thâ—â—â— sacred courts by the power of the keyes in excommunication it would certainly prove by the blessing of God there begged a most effectuall mean to keep men at least within some tearms of Christian civility from falling into open enormous sinnes and that the defaming and casting out this so blamelesse gainfull Order should be necessary or usefull to any pâ—licy save onely to defend the Devil from so great a blow and to sustain and uphold his Kingdome I never had yet any temptation or motive to suspect or imagine Instead of considering any objections of the adversary against this peice whether of Apostolicall or Ecclesiasticall discipline which I never heard with any colour produced I shall rather expresse my most passionate wish unto my Friends those who sincerely wish the good of this Nationall Church that they will endeavour their utmost to
by the Assemblers designed to differ from our Liturgie as so much food from poyson Christian from Antichristian if Necessity be properly taken or if improperly for that which is necessary onely to the well being as a more perfect and more profitable from that which if it be so at all is not either in their opinion in so high a degree Sect. 13 Now the severals of our Liturgie which are purposely avoided in this Directory I have observed to be principally these Of those that are more extrinsecall six 1. The prescribing of Forms or Liturgie it self 2. Outward or bodily worship 3. Vniformity in performing Gods service 4. The Peoples bearing some part in the service 5. The dividing the Prayers into severall Collects and not putting them all into one continued Prayer 6. The Ceremonies of kneeling in the Communion of Crosse in Baptisme of Ring in Marriage c. Then of those that are intrinsecall and parts of the Service 1. The Absolution in the beginning of the Service next after the Confession and before the Communion and in the Visitation of the sick 2. The Hymnes the Introite the Te Deum c. 3. The use of the Doxologie or giving glory to God 4. The Confession of the Faith in the Creeds 5. The frequent repeating of the Lords Prayer the prayers for the King 6. The observations of divers Feasts commemorative not onely of Christ but of Saints departed and assigning Services Lessons Epistles and Gospels and Collects to them 7. The reading the Commandments and the Prayers belonging to that Service 8. The order of the Offertory 9. Private Baptisme 10. Aprescript form of Catechisme 11. Confirmation 12. The solemnities of burying the dead 13. Thanksgiving after Child-birth 14. Communion of the sick 15. The Service containing the Communion 16. The observation of Lent and the Rogation and I would adde also of the Ember weeks This may seem too loose a task to enlarge on each of these and yet we are in justice to this Book and for answer to the pretended Necessity of abolishing it obliged to do so as breifly as it may onely so farre as may serve to give the Reader a view of the lawfullnesse at least and withall of the usefulnesse of each of these and consequently of the no appearance of reason why it should be thought necessary to abolish any one of them much lesse of all the rest for that ones sake Sect. 14 And first for the prescribing of Forms of Prayer or Liturgy it self we shall referre it to judgement whether it be necessary in Ecclesiasticall Policy i. e. strongly conducing to the benefit and edification of a Church to interdict or banish it out of the Kingdome when we have proposed these few things concerning it 1. The example of God himself and holy men in the Old Testament prescribing set Forms of blessing the people to be used daily by Aaron and his Sons Numb 6. 23. The Lord blesse thee and keep thee c. set Forms for the people to use themselves Deut. 26. 3. 5. Thou shall say before the Lord A Syrian c. as also at the going out of their Armies Deut. 20. 3. and of Thanksgiving Exod. 15. 1. made by Moses and it seems learnt by-heart by all the people and in the same words used again by Mirian v. 21. and so it appears Isa 38. 20. that Hezekiah did not onely form a set thanksgiving but used it all the dayes of his life And the same Hezekiah 2. Chron. 29. 30. in his thanksgiving commanded the Levites also to sing praises to God with the words of David and Asaph i. e. Forms already prepared to his hand by those sacred Pen-men Sect. 15 2. The practice of the Jews since Ezra's time constantly using set Forms of Prayer by way of Liturgie For this I shall produce no other proof then the testimony of a learned Member of their Assembly Mr. Selden in in his notes on Eutychius vouching all his affirmation out of the ancient records of the customes of the Jewish Nation from whom that they may be of authority with you I shall transcribe these severals That certain forms of praying which were to be used by every one daily by Law or received custome were instituted by Ezra and his house i. e. his consistory That the Jews about the end of the Babylonish captivity had their ancient manners as well as language so depraved that without a Master they either were not able to pray as they ought or had not confidence to do so And therefore that for the future they might not recede either in the matter of their prayers through corruption or expression through ignorance from that form of piety commanded them by God this remedy was applyed by the men of the great Synagogue Ezra his 120. Collegues where by the way is observable one speciall use and benefit of set Forms not onely to provide for the ignorance but to be an hedge to true Religion to keep out all mixtures or corruptions out of a Church To which purpose also the Councels in the Christian Church have designed severall parts which we still retain in our Liturgie a reall and a valuable benefit if it were considered That of this kind there were 18. Prayers or Benedictions called in the Gemara composed or appointed Prayers That the three first of these and the three last respected the glory of God the twelve other intermediate were spent on those prime things that were necessary either to the whole People or every particular man proportionable to which perhaps it is that our Saviour who accommodated most institutions of his Baptisme and his last Supper c. to the customes of the Church did also designe his prayer as it is set down in Matthew though not according to the number of the Jewish prayers yet to the generall matter form of them the three first branches of it and the conclusion which may passe for three branches more referring to the glory of God and the other intermediate to our private and publick wants That these Prayers were to be learnt by every man that the Prayers of the unskilfull might be as perfect as of the most eloquent That every act of praying was begun with Psal 51. 15. O Lord open thou our lips our mouthes shall shew forth thy praise the very form of words still retained in St James his Liturgy and in ours before the Introite and concluded with Psal 19. the last verse Into thy hands c. That of these 18 Prayers no one was to be omitted that if any other were added they were counted of like free-will offerings as the other were answerable to the prescribed and were called by that name That the additions might be made onely in those Prayers which concern their own wants because those were capable of variation but not to those that concern'd God That on Sabbath Feast-dayes no man might use a voluntary prayer That
and that the Liturgie doth better to prescribe it at fit times then the Directory to omit all mention of it at all times unlesse by way of dislike and prohibition Which conclusion will be the more easily evinced against them by asking them whether in their Family-Parlour-Prayers or in their private Closet-prayers they do not approve and practice that gesture which as I believe in charity they do so I must from thence infer that by them the house of God is the onely place thought fit to be despised And if it be replyed that the Directory forbids not kneeling but onely commands it not leaving it free to use or not to use I answer 1. That the effect of this liberty is very remarkable among them and equall to that of a prohibition no man almost of their perswasion ever kneeling in their Churches 2. That the never so much as recommending it is very near a forbidding of it 3. That bowing or adoration is directly forbidden once which by the way is as much the defining of a Ceremony viz. that of standing or going upright and so as contrary to the Independants perswasions and to the great clamorous complaint for Liberty in Ceremonies as any prescription of kneeling or bowing can be 4. That kneeling also is at the receiving of the Sacrament forbidden by necessity of consequence sitting being prescribed and therefore that that reply or excuse is false also And so now what speciall advantage this is like to bring in to this Church of ours to have the bodies of negligent or prophane or Factious men left without any so much as an admonition to their own inclinations and so what depth of Ecclesiasticall policy there was which made this change so necessary I desire now may be judged Sect. 24 Thirdly For uniformity in that Service which our Liturgie labours to set up by prescribing the manner of it but the Directory hath taken away by leaving all to the chance of mens wills which can no more be thought likely to concurre in one form then Democritus's Atomes to have met together into a world of beautifull Creatures without any hand of providence to dispose them it hath certainly the approbation of all wise men and command of St Paul 1 Cor. 14. 40. in that grand place Let all things be done decently and in order Of which I conceive the clear importance to be that all be done in the Church according to custome and appointment The former implyed in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 custome being the onely rule of decency and therefore the indecency of wearing long hair is proved by being against nature i. e saith Suidas in the Scripture phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a custome of some continuance in that place and thereupon St Paul thinks it enough against an Ecclesiasticall usage and that which might supersede all strife about it 1 Cor. 11. 16. we have no such customes c. and the latter in plain words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to order or appointment for so the words literally import and then upon these two grounds is uniformitie built and necessarily results where all that is done in the Church is ruled by one of these by custome or by Law which being here commanded by St. Paul is a proof of the more then lawfulnesse of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prescription of Ceremonies in a Church and of uniformity therein And then what necessitie there is or can be that St Pauls command shall be so neglected all care of uniformitie so disclaimed all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 constitution or ordinance for any Ecclesiasticall matter unlesse their ordinance against all such constitutions so solemnly disavowed it will be hard to imagine or guesse unlesse it be on purpose to observe Master Prynnes rule of Conforming the Church to the State to fill one as full of disorder and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and confusion as the other I remember a saying of Socrates which Plato and Cicero record from him Mutatâ Musicâ mutantur mores that the change of a kinde of Musick had a great influence on mens minds and had a generall change of manners consequent to it I conceive uniformitie in Gods service to be parallel to Musick being it self an outward concord or harmony of the most different affections and that that should be not onely changed but lost I cannot understand any necessity unlesse it be that some such like effects may be wrought in Religion also Sect. 25 For the fourth the Peoples bearing some part in the service whether by way of response in the Prayers and hymnes or by reading every other verse in the Psalm mentioned in Theodorets story l. 2. c. 24. where speaking of Flavianus and Diodorus he saith of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. They divided the Quire of Singers into two parts and appointed them to sing the Psalms successively which custome began by them who saith he were admirable men labour'd extreamly to stir up all men to Piety to that end invented this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prevaild over the whole world or by way of mutuall charity returning a prayer for the Priest who began one peculiarly for them which Innocentius referres to in his letter to Aurelius and Augustino calling the communes alternas preces to which he there attributes more force quà m privatis then to private or by way of following the Presbyter in Confession of sins both at the beginning of the Service and before the Communion or in Profession of Faith in the Creeds wherein every the meanest Christian is to have his part it is certainly designed by the Church from the example of pure antiquity to very gainfull uses to quicken devotion which the length of continued hearing may have leave to dull and slacken and to recall those thoughts which may upon the like temptation have diverted to other objects in a word to engage every one to be made no idle of unprofitable Spectator of the Service and as long as there is still need of that help to these so necessary ends and not the least shew or pretence of objection against it how necessarie it can be to reject it wholly and lay all the task upon the Priest and not require so much as an Amen which it seems was in fashion in St Pauls time of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Lay person I leave to the most prejudicate Reader to give sentence for me Sect. 26 As for the Letany wherein the People are more exercised then in any other part of the Service it is certainly designed to make it more proportionable to the title bestowed on it by the Ancients of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 earnest or intense Prayer and in Methodius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 earnest Petitions in the Greek Liturgie simply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intense or earnest from Act. 12. 5. Luke 22. 44. This continuall joyning of the people in every passage of it tending very much both to the improving and
the turning God and Christ and all the Articles of the Creed out of mens brains also and not as yet it is onely out of their hearts what is the necessitie of doing it will not so easily be resolved even by him that hath imbibed the Assemblers principles unlesse it be to gratifie the Separatists who are profest deniers of one Article that of the Holy Catholick Church resolving the end and the effect of the Holy Ghosts descent to have been onely to constitute particular Congregations and none else As for the great pattern of the Presbyterians the practice of Geneva or Scotland that appears by Knocks Common Prayer Book to have allowed a set form of Confession of Faith and designed it for the publick use as the first thing in that Booke of Prayers though the truth is the Apostles or other ancient Creeds being set aside one of the Geneva forming is fain to supply the place of them which yet by the setting the severall parts of the Apostles Creed in the margent both there and in the order of Baptisme appears rather to be an interpretation of it and so still the Separatists must be the onely men in the Church fit to be considered or else apparently there is no such Politicall necessitie of this neither Sect. 34 For the fifth thing the so frequent repetition of the Lords Prayer and Prayers for the King in our Service this account may be briefly given of it For the former that in our Common-Prayer Book there be severall Services for severall occasions of the Sacraments c. for severall dayes as the Letany for severall times in the day not onely Morning and Evening but one part to be said earlier in the morning and then toward noone a return to another part as the ancient Primitives had three Services in a forenoon 1. that for the Catechumeni consisting of Prayers Psalms and Readings then a 2. for the Penitents such as our Letany and a 3. for the Fideles the Faithfull our Communion Service and even that which is assigned to one time so discontinued by Psalms and Hymnes and Lessons that it becomes in a manner two Services clearly two times of Prayer Now our Saviour commanding when you pray say our Father we have accordingly so assigned it to be once repeated in every such part of Service and I remember to have heard one of the gravest and most reverend men of the Assembly being asked his opinion about the use of the Lords Prayer to have answer'd to this purpose God forbid that I should ever be upon my knees in Prayer and rise up without adding Christs form to my imperfect petitions And whereas this Directory is so bountifull as to recommend this Praier to be used in the Praiers of the Church and yet so wary as but to recommend it it is thereby confest that it is lawfull to retain a set Form for that is surely so and then the often using of a lawfull thing will not make it unlawfull but withall that Christs command in point of his Service shall no more oblige to obedience then the commands of men for if it did this would be more then recommended And now why that which may say they commendably must say we necessarily in obedience to Christ be used in the Prayers of the Church and being repeated oftner then once shall be usefull to him who was not come at the first saying or may be said more attentively by him who had before been too negligent should be necessary to be used but once when all mens zeal or understanding of so divine a Forme or perhaps presence at that part of the Service shall not necessarily go along with it I leave to more subtle Diuiners to instruct us This I am sure of that God hath made a peculiar promise to importunity in Prayer to a coming often to him on the same errand and Luk. 18. 5. by a phrase in the Parable seems to say that he that comes oft to God in this manner will at length force him to shame if he do not grant his Petition for that is the meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And from thence the Fathers use a bold phrase in their Liturgies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I put thee to shame i. e. importune thee Basil in Liturg and in the Psaltery of the Greek Church which hath many Prayers mixt with it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unlesse thy own goodnesse put thee to shame c. Now that this will not be subject to the censure of vain repetitions Mat. 6. 7. which is the onely exception made against it if the example of David Psal 136. be not sufficient to authorize the repeating any Form often which is as faultlesse as that was might largely be evidenced 1. by the nature of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there used which both Hesychius and Suidas apply to another matter and explain it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 long idle unseasonable forms such as Battus used in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his long-winded Hymns so full of Tautologies which Munster therefore rendreth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do not multiply words unprofitably or unseasonably 2. by the customes of the Heathens which Christ there referres to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 use not c. as the Heathens and which are evident in their writers especially their Tragedians where 't is plain that their manner was to sound or chant for many houres together some few empty words to the honour of their Gods such the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their Bacchanals from the noise of which they were call'd Evantes such in Sophocles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. and especially in the Virgins Chorus of Aeschylus's Tragedy called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where there are near an hundred verses made up of meer Tautologies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and an enumeration of the severall names of the Gods with unsignificant noises added to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and within two verses the same again and much more of the same stile Two notable examples of this Heathenish custome the Scripture affords us one 1. Kings 18. 26. where the Prophets of Baal from morning till noon cry O Baal hear us and it follows they cryed with a loud voice and cut themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to their custome or rites that loud crying the same words so long together was as much a heathenish rite as the cutting of themselves The other of Ephesians Acts 19. 34. who are affirm'd to have cryed with one voice for two houres space 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Great is Diana of the Ephesians and 3. by the designed end that Christ observes of that heathen custome 1. that they may be heard by that long noise for which Elias scoâ—â—es them 1. Kings 18. 27. Cry aloud perhaps your God is a talking or a pursuing c. 2. that their Petitions may be more intelligible to their