a great light God had not dealt so with other Nations Here was a comely as well as a convenient Tabernacle for the Ark of God and God was worshipped in the beauty of holiness And God was not at all behind hand with us in the reciprocation of kindnesses there was never so low an ebb in us by our making out sallies of devotion upon him but there came as high a tide upon us flowing back from him What we paid the Ark of God in reverence and duty was infalliby return'd in a compensation nay with a surplusage of blessings As long as our English earth continued to pay a worthy homage unto heaven the Heavens were not only constant to involve and incircle us but they never fail'd to protect and shelter to feed and to cloath us with suitable applications of the most enriching influences Other Nations had Mines which they digged with much pain and peril in the earth but we had Mines in heaven treasures that never fail'd to supply not only our needs but our very pomp and curiosity It was our felicity that God had made out that experiment to us which he speaks of by the Prophet Malachi Mal. 3.10 Prove me now if I will not open to you the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it We had pregnant evidence of this goodness of the Lord toward us which makes one that might have made a better use of it observe that God has dealt by way of prerogative with this English Nation But we perverted Gods gracious dispensations turning his blessings into aggravations of our crimes and making our felicity serve only for a reproach to our ingratitude For like Israel we waxed fat and kicked our Manna a spiritual food that came down from heaven prepared for us by the Ministry of those Angels that presided in the Church at the Reformation because it was common and our daily bread it became loathsome to us We grew wanton and having taken a surfeit of the bread of life we long'd for quails to be brought us out of forreign Countries We thought Abana and Parphar Rivers of Damascus better then all the waters of Israel Men grew precise and squeamish they would not wash and be clean unless they might have Cisterns of their own hewing out nor drink of the water of life though it ran never so freely unless it were conveyed to them in new Pipes of their own casting Some there were that did strictly hold themselves to the Form of godliness the Solemn Worship of God established in the Church who notwithstanding in the looseness of their lives did shamefully deny the power thereof Others there were that did pretend to be so over-born with the power of godliness that they would allow no Form at all for the regulation and exercise of it All the innocent Ceremonies that had constantly attended the solemn devotions of pious Antiquity were look'd upon as the very dress and trimmings of Hypocrisie Reverence in Gods Worship was accounted superstitious and the holy Incense of Morning and Evening Prayers no better then abomination Even such of the people which make up the greatest number of its adversaries as never had judgment or wit enough to understand it had yet malice enough infused into them to deride and scorn the Holy Service of the Church And as an evidence that this disease was grown desperate our greatest quarrel was at those Physitians whose practice and prescriptions were the most probable means to reduce us to our Christian temper When I consider the carriage of the people Israel under Gods gracious dispensations 2 Chron. 36.15 16. methinks I see the Character of our English Nation in these late years The Lord God of their Fathers sent to them by his Messengers rising up betimes and sending because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place But they mocked the Messengers of God and despised his Word and misused his Prophets until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people till there was noremedy For when the Patient grows so raving so out of temper as to strike his Physitian and throw away his Antidotes there remain no ordinary methods that can cure him And then the Bedlam and the chain the whip and the skrews all the violences of a severe discipline are the best instances of our kindness Such was the condition of Israel Hosea 4.1 2 4. The Lord hath a Controversie with the Inhabitants of the Land because there is no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the Land By swearing and lying and killing and stealing and committing Adultery they break out and bloud toucheth bloud Therefore shall the Land mourn Yet let no man strive nor reprove another for this people are as they that strive with the Priest When sin begins to spread amongst a people what remedy does Almighty God use to apply to heal and stop it there is the Authority of a Judge to oppose it and the Reprehension of the Priest to give a check to it But when God does inhibite these his Officers from using their Authority and exercising their Jurisdiction 't is a sign that people is grown obstinate shameless and incorrigible When they grow so insolent as to contradict the Priest in his own office wherein doubtless he is Gods Vicegerent that people is past Grace as it runs in the ordinary Channel and unless God useth some other methods of Discipline there is no hopes of their amendment So it follows in the Prophet Hosea 4.5 Therefore shalt thou fall in the day When they had the clear light of heaven shining round about them the light of knowledge and the light of comfort and prosperity in this noon-day Thou shalt stumble and fall saith the Lord and the Prophet also shall fall with thee in the night the false Prophet shall be benighted and lose himself in the darknesse of his own vain imaginations and I will destroy thy Mother saith the Lord the Church and Nation from whose womb thou hast had thy birth in whose bosome thou hast had thy breeding and to whose blessings thou owest the procurement of thy prosperity We may make England the Scene of that Prophesie as well as Jerusalem for the whole Tragedy hath been acted over in all its parts amongst us with a full solemnity God he took notice of our misdemeanours under his most gracious dispensations towards our Superiours his Vicegerents both Civil and Ecclesiastical and he was wroth and upon so great provocations as we were guilty of he did to us as he had done to Israel He delivered our strength into Captivity and our beauty into the Enemies hands That Ark that Form of Gods Worship that had procured such miracles of mercy for us in 88. and at the intended powder-plot That Ark whose virtue had been so often tryed to good effect in times of war pestilence and famine And our Beauty that Form of Solemn
it up in Gods stead but you do more then so you exalt it above God you pretend to make it do what God will not do what Christ cannot do you make it a real Antichrist For Christ came to destroy the works of the Devil and to take away sin by the sacrifice of himself And if you make the Ark a Sanctuary for Malefactors you set it up in opposition to Christ and provoke him to Arm himself as it were against it in vindication of his own glory Upon this very account it was that he delivered the Ark under the Law into the hands of the Philistines 1 Sam. 4. and Jer. 7.3 Thus saith the Lord of Hosts the God of Israel amend your ways and your doings and I will cause you to dwell in this place but trust ye not in lying words saying The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord as if that had been a threefold fortification to secure them against all possible calamity But ye trust in lying words that cannot profit will ye steal murder and commit adultery and swear faâ—sly and burn incense unto Baal and waâ—k after other gods whom ye know not and come and stand before me in this house which is called by my name and say we are delivered to do all these abominations is this house that is called by my name become a den of robbers in your eyes Behold even I have seen it saith the Lord But go ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh where I put my name at the first and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel c. That Ark which was the visible Symbol of his presence and the especial Instrument of his worship and service they set it up in opposition to his glory they would have it patronize their sin and protect them in their impenitâ—ncy against Gods severe judgements and this provokes God to give it up to be defiled by reproach and prophanation Let this be a Caveat to you therefore not to over-value or deifie the Ark of God 2. And yet you must take heed you do not undervalue and blaspheme it not vilifie the solemn service of God perform'd about it This was the sin of Michal the Daughter of Saul she looked thorow a window and saw David clothed in his linen Ephod and dancing after the Musick before the Ark of the Lord and she despised him in her heart 2 Sam. 6.16 yea her heart was swell'd so big with pride and indignation that it could not contain if self within any bounds of moderation it burst out into obloquy for she reproach'd him as a vain and shameless fellow Ver. 20 But David had enough to say for his own vindication that he did thus humble himself it was only in the presence of the Lord who had exalted him and it is very fit that the Majesty of earth should be laid in the dust before the Majesty of heaven and to despise any person for doing God reverence argues an opinion that God may have too much honour that the Solemnity of his worship may be too great for his excellency and transcend the merits of his divine Attributes and that a less devotion will serve his turn But this casteth so dark a reflection upon Gods glory that his patience cannot brook it and therefore the prophaness of Michal's heart and the petulancy of her bitter tongue is punish'd with a barren womb a great reproach in that Nation or if she be with child as some think she was she shall not give birth to it but with the loss of her own life for because of this her carriage towards David upon this occasion Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death 2 Sam. 6.23 And yet it is no Paradox to say we have many of Michal's breed at this day amongst us such as have made a mock at the linen Ephod derided Church-musick designed to celebrate Gods praises scoffed at the very Hymns and Prayers and blasphem'd the whole Solemnity of Gods most sacred worship Have not the servants of the most high God been publickly reviled by the title of Baal's Priests for their reverent attendance upon this service of Gods Ark hath not the establish'd Form of Liturgy been vilified by the name of pottage not only in the foul leaves of Scurrilous Pamphlets but likewise in the mouths of railing Rabshakehs more foul and prophane then they But we cannot be transported with amazement at these things being premonished by the Spirit of Prophesie in the holy Apostles that there should come and that more abundantly in the last days scoffers walking after their own lusts 2 Pet. 3.3 But does not this filthy dirt that is thrown upon the Ark of God dash and bespatter the Majesty of God himself yes surely for Christ saith He that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me such as despise the Ministry that attends upon the Ark they despise not man but God 1 Thes 4.8 the reproaches of them that reproach the Ark of God do fall upon God himself And because they were guilty of Michals sin have they not met with Michals curse too Give them O Lord what wilt thou give them give them a barren womb and dry breasts Hos 9.14 Have they not all been barren that scoffed at the solemn service of Gods Ark either their Conceptions have proved abortive or if the children have come to the birth yet there hath been no strength to bring forth or if they have been delivered yet those breasts that should have suckled the off-spring of this scoffing Mother have proved dry and so the production like the seed sown by the way side hath dwindled away for want of nourishment This was acknowledged in a Sermon preached before that remnant of the House of Commons Jan. 27.1646 7 six year ago saith the Preacher after this Parliament had sate awhile Mr. Jo. Arrow-smith his great wonder in Heaven pag. 36. it was generally believed that she he alludes to that woman which was a Type of the Church Rev. 12.1 was fallen into her travel And in the midst of all those sorrows which have befallen England since her friends encouraged themselves with this hope that the quicker and sharper her pains grew the liker she was to be speedily delilivered of that man-child which was by them so greedily expected But behold as if all these had been but forerunners of her labour not bearing-throws she continues still in pain insomuch as they begin now to think she hath not gone her full time and earnestly to desire she may because they fear nothing more than an Abortive Reformation for so they called they knew not what the thing they projected to build upon the ruines of Gods Church amongst us Remember Michal Remember Sauls daughter her sin and her judgement too and scoff no more at the Solemn Worship and Service
perform'd before the Ark of God that is our Second Caveat 3. You must not invade and prophane the Ark God would not allow that any person should Minister about the Ark but such as were of the Tribe of Levi and duly ordained and ballowed for that service Every man might expect a blessing from the Ark but every man might not officiate about it at his own pleasure the highest Gifts gave him no Commission procured him no Authority for this work without a special Consecration for no man taketh this honour unto himself Heb. 5.4 but he that is called of God as was Aaron without this warrant the greatest Zeal though directed by an eminent degree of knowledge in the management of this sacred Function had been no better then a Sacrilegious prophanation When the Oxen stumbled and shook the Ark UZzah put forth his hand out of devotion without all peradventure to uphold it that it might not be overthrown but his good meaning would not excuse his rashness for whether his hand and shoulder withered or he were struck suddenly with a thunder-bolt I shall not take upon me to determine but this I am assured of upon the Credit and Authoriâ—y of the holy Story thaâ— the anger of the Lord was kindled against UZZah and God smote him there for his errour and there he died by the Ark of God 2 Sam. 6.6 7. Eli trembled for fear of the Ark. Shall I give you Mr. Calamy's Application of this accident We have had great disorder heretofore saith he and God is now punishing us for that disorder there were abundance of well-meaning men that usurping the Ministerial Office and forsooth they were afraid the Ark was falling and they laid to their shoulders but their touching the Ark undid the Ark and themselves too and brought a scandal on the Gospel This is Mr. Calamy's Application But if we examine the matter thorowly we shall find him with many others that inveighed fiercely against such as usurped the Ministerial Office involved in the same guilt with UZZah and consequently they fall under the same condemnation For what was Uzzah's crime Oz a percussus est quòd attigisset arcam Domini Id enim ne Levitis quidem fas erat Arcam enim ab illis tantùm gestari non contingi aut spectari oportuit saith Peter Martyr Uzzah was smitten In 2 Sam. 6.6 7 8. because he touch'd the Ark of God for the Levite's Office was to carry the Ark but they were under a severe prohibition neither to touch it not to look into it for so the Lord had ordained Numb 4.15 When Aaron and his Sons have made an end of covering the Sanctuary and all the vessels of the Sanctuary as the Camp is to set forward after that the Sons of Kohath shall come to bear it but they shall not touch any holy thing lest they die and Ver. 20. They shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered lest they die But it might have been alledged on the behâ—lf of Uzzah that what he did was upon an extraordinary occasion in a case of necessity and out of zeal to save the Ark from falling Ibid. but as Peter Martyr hath very well observed his touching the Ark is assigned by many as the cause why he was so suddenly smitten Sed erat alia causa prior major quòd ille arcam imposuisset in currum dedisset causam huic necessitati But there was another a former and a greater cause for it his putting the Ark upon a Cart and so betraying it to that danger and necessity So the English Annotations The anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah because he had caused his holy Ark to be carried in a Cart which they should have born on their shoulders and for touching it with his hand being but a Levite and no Priest On 2 Sam. 6.7 The Levites might not be their own Carvers in the holy function might not invade what part of it they had a fancy to no Aaron and his sons shall go in and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden †Numb 4.19 If they had an ambition to usurp any other part of the sacred Office that was not so assigned them by their Superiours though they did create a present necessity for it yet that necessity of their own making could not justifie them in such their Sacrilegious Usurpation And this is directly the Case of the Presbyterians It was their duty we confess to bear the Ark of God to Minister unto it in some parts of the sacred Office such as were assigned them by their Superiours but they could not keep their hands off the Ark their ambition spur'd them on to Usurp other parts of that Office to lay on hands for the Ordination of others lest forsooth the Ark of Gods worship should fall to the ground for lack of a Ministry to attend it which they had no Commission for no Warrant at all but a pretended necessity of their own making by pulling down Aaron and his Sons the holy Order of Bishops who alone were invested with that power So that these Presbyterians have followed Uzzah in the imitation of his errour and temerity and hath not a suitable judgment overtaken them a punishment Analogical to that of Uzzah are not those hands that were stretched out without any Authority to perform this Office are they not withered hath not the anger of the Lord as Mr. Calamy in part confesseth smitten them for this Sacrilegious Usurpation we see they are dead before the Ark in this capacity and therefore you must not invade and profane the Ark that is the third Caveat 4. You must not slander and belie the Ark. There are and have been in all Ages false Prophets who have suggested their own Dreams Fancies and Designs for the Oracles of God The Prophets Prophesie lies in my name as the Lord himself complains by the Prophet Jeremy Chap. 14.14 I sent them not neither have I commanded them neither spake I unto them they prophesie unto you a false vision and divination and a thing of nought and the deceit of their heart Jâ—r 14.14 and Chap. 23 16 17. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts hearken noâ— unto thâ— words of the Prophets that prophesiâ— unto you they make you vain they speak a vision of their own heart and not ouâ— of the mouth of the Lord they say still unto them that despise me the Lord hath said ye shall have peace and they say unto every one that walketh after the stubbornness of his own heart No evil shall come upon you And hath not the lying spirit given out his Oracles by the mouths of a multitude of such Prophets amongst us in these times of our distraction One of them gâ—ve out this for an Oracle * Mr. John Goodwin's Anti-Caval See Dr. Ham. of Resisting the lawful Magistrate c. pag. 22. c. about 18 or
make himself ridiculous and in effect to affirm that a man may see more clearly by a dim light then by a brighter And to deny the Minor were to arrogate to himself a better judgment then that of his Superiours which cannot be done without intolerable pride and presumption contrary to the express order of the Apostle Phil. 2.3 Let nothing be done through strif or vain-glory but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better then themselves That ye may walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called with all lowliness and meekness endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace Eph. 4.1 2 3. But to lay the Axe to the very root of his Ratiocination he saith the Ministerial Modification of publick worship by personal abilities Pag. 4 5. is the formal act of the Ministerial Office but to resign this formal act up to a Ministry-destroying-imposition is sinful But I deny the Modification of worship by personal abilities to be the Formal act of the Ministerial Office The Formal act of the Ministerial Office is to Minister the Modification as well by personal Abilities as by publick Authority is extrinsecal and circumstantial to it To make the Modification of the Act to be the Formal act it self is to make the Apparel the Man which is very absur'd except it be in a man of clouts and truly Mr. Crofton's Argument is no better Object But the Imposition and Prescription in Prayer and Sacraments is applicable to preaching Sol. To which I answer 1. That certainly a Sermon is never the worse for being well digested And 2. if it be seen and allowed by Authority I know no harm in it And 3. if it were not an endless work this course would secure the peace and solid edification of the Church the better And 4. when the Presbyterians Preach other mens printed Sermons as some of them are frequently observed to do this is supposed to be no prejudice to the interest of those souls that hear them But the truth is there is a vast difference betwixt Prayer and Preaching for our Saviour hath taught us that the first may be regularly and fully comprised in a short Office whereas the later hath as many Fields to expatiate in as there are several Texts in the holy Bible and here lies the most proper Scene for the variety of Gifts to perform their publick exercise upon Besides Gifts being design'd for the edification of the Church Governours are concern'd to take care they be not abused to the confusion of it 1 Cor. 14.32 33. Uzzah did but imploy his Gifts and Corah might pretend to do no more What M. Crofton objects Pag. 6. in fiâ—e by way of instance touching the Parish Clerk and people is no more to our prejudice then it is to his own purpose for without all peradventure they are a general part of the holy Priesthood St Peter speaks of 1 Pet. â— 5 't is their duty to bear a part in Gods solemn worship But I cannot think saith Mr. Crofton that any Bishop or his examinant will judge a School-boy Pag. 6. twelve yeares old sufficiently qualified to execute the formal act of the Ministerial Office and indeed no more can I. But we must not so look to personal abilities as to forget Divine Ordination An ordinary Butcher under the Law could dress a Lamb or a yoak of Oxen as well as the best of the Sons of Levi and yet his personal abilities did not qualifie him to offer sacrifice The efficacy of the Ministry does flow as little I am sure ex opere operantis as ex opere operato it depends not upon the cant and tone or the wording of the Minister that doth officiate but upon the Institution and Promise of Christ himself And Mr. Crofton cannot be our adversary in this Pag. 7. line 2 3. for he saith I hope Protestants make not the intention or intrinsecal power of the Administrator the formality and so the efficacy of the administration which is enough to cut the throat of his Argument for it follows from hence by an undeniable consequence that the efficacy of the Ministry does not depend upon personal Abilities And if another concession of his at the end of the same Page be well considered viz that the Minister must not vary any thing in the matter and substance of appointed worship it will make much for the credit of stated Forms in the several parts of our Ministration as being out of all question far less subject to the danger of varying from the matter and substance of appointed worship thâ—n the modification of it especially by the extemporary exerting of personal abilities So that upon the matter Mr. Crofton is still condemned of himself and till some better evidence be brought to the contrary I must remain as formerly in this opinion that Pulpit Conceptions are but Popular Deceptions And to the Treatise that bears that Title I refer the Reader for a fuller proof thereof In the mean while I shall offer Mr. Crofton and his party a proof that they are bound to submit to the use of a prescribed Liturgy that they may be at peace with their Governours and their own Consciences by keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace with the Church of God To do whatsoever is morally possible for Uniformity and peace sake is your duty But to submit to the use of a prescribed Liturgy is morally possible Therefore to submit to the use of a prescribed Liturgy is your duty The Major is proved by Apostolical injunction if it be possible and as much as in you lieth live peaceably with all men Rom. 12.18 The Minor is proved thus That which is not sinful and is within our natural power is morally possible But to submit to a prescribed Liturgy is not sinful and is within our natural power Therefore to submit to a prescribed Liturgy is morally possible The Major of this Argument what is not sinful and is within our natural power is morally possible cannot reasonably be denyed The Minâ—r as to the last branch of it to submit to a prescribed Liturgy is within our natural power this is evident of it self The first branch to submit to a prescribed Liturgy is not sinful is proved thus What is forbidden by no Law is not sinful But to submit to a prescribed Liturgy is forbidden by no Law Therefore to submit to a prescribed Liturgy is not sinful The Major is proved by the definition of sin sin is the transgression of the Law 1 Joh. 3.4 The Minor is justified upon this account 1. As to the Form of Words that is not forbidden by any Law of God for the Apostle saith Hold fast the Form of sound words 2 Tim. 1.13 and I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak THE SAME THING 1 Cor. 1.10 That ye may with ONE MIND and ONE MOUTH
glorifie God Rom. 15.6 2. As to our submission to the use of such prescribed Forms that is no where forbidden neither but on the contrary it is commanded Heb. 13.17 Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves and we should remember that to obey is better thâ—n Sacrifice 1 Sam. 15. Upon these grounds I conclude against Mr. Croftons Position that a Minister of the Gospel may without sin receive a Liturgy generally and exclusively imposed for the Celebration of Gods Solemn Publick Worship And the receiving such a Liturgy 〈◊〉 Croft pag. 2. upon the Authority of our Superiours with all submission and obedience does not resolve the Administrator into the Dilemma of obeying God or man as Mr. Crofton pretends for God and man stand not here in opposition but subordination and he that does not obey both does obey neither Mr Crofton's CREED Concerning Communion with Gods Church Jerubbaal justified p. 12. c. commended to the observation of Gods people and consideration of Gods Ministers as those which few sober men will deny to be true and being well understood would readily direct a godly mans course in the hour of temptation 1. THe Church Catholick visible distributed through necessity and good order to particular Assemblies must sanctifie the Lords day by an holy Convocation 2. The Congregation of particular Christians convened in full and open joynt-Assemblies to celebrate Gods solemn worship is the formality of an holy Convocation 3. The worship celebrated in the holy Convocation for the matter and essential form by which it substantially existeth must be determined by the Lord and by him alone 4. All worship of mens invention superadded to Gods appointment must be avoided abandoned by every of Gods people but Gods worship substantially existing with the same must not be disowned or declined 5. Gods worship celebrated by and among men must be ministred and exist in and by an humane mode and dress suitable to and so fit to edifie such a Creature and society 6. The humane mode and dress words and phrases by which Gods worship must exist and be minstred in and to the Church is not determined by the Lord but wholly left to the wisdom and faithfulness of them who minister the same 7. The humane Ministerial modification of Gods Ordinances in and to the Church is the formal act of the Ministerial Office to be fulfilled and performed by the Ministerial gifts the personal abilities of every individual Minister who is gifted of God and ordained by the Church for that purpose This Article is confuted in the Answer to the Position above mentioned 8. The ministerial mode and order of Gods worship being wholly humane determined by mens wisdom and faithfulness it is and cannot but be subject to much and great corruption in defect and disorder rudeness and irreverence in expressions Here it cannot be denyed but the sudden and extemporary mode is much more subject to these Corruptions in defect and disorder rudeness and irreverence than the solemn and maturely-stated Forms 9. The guilt of all defect and disorder in the humane ministerial mode of Gods worship is immediately properly and directly personal charged on the Minister and on him alone not on the Church or any the members thereof 10. All defects disorders rude and impertinent expressions in the humane ministerial mode of Gods worship are corruptions circumstantial and extrinsecal in and by which Gods worship may substantially exist in matter and essentià l form capable of operation to its appointed end 11. Defects disorders and corruptions in the ministerial mode of Gods Ordinances fixed continued and reiterated are more sinful and offensive to God and his people thâ—n those which are present and transient but both these are sins of one and the same nature and quality and of equal influence on Gods worship ministred by the same But the extemporary and transient modes of single persons are more subject to these corruptions and disorders as was said above 12. No defects or disorders in the humane ministerial mode whether fixed and reiterated in and by imposed and prescribed forms or expressed in and by present transient conceived forms in and by which Gods worship doth substantially exist for matter and form in and to his Church will warrant any Christians secession voluntary withdrawing from the holy Convocation or non-communion in Gods worship so ministred For 1. these notwithstanding Gods worship doth truly fully formally exist capable of operation to its appointed end 2. This sin is purely personal chargeable on the Minister who standeth charged with the office of ministerial modification of Gods worship in and to the Church the people or particular members of the Church may and must pass on this as other personal acts a judgement of charity which doth direct them to grieve for the sin existent to complain of it and as they have opportunity to admonish the sinner though the Sons of Eli of iâ— and seek the correction and removal of the same but they have not of it any judicium publicum judgment of Office charged on them by the specialty of duty and armed with a just moral power of correction so as that the same should be the neglect of this publick duty become their sin and leave its guilt on their souls That Gods worship doth formally exist in every mode of ministration every Christian and member of the Church must judge and see for by this corruption the holy Convocation ceaseth and they worship not God I suppose the Authors meaning is this as to this corruption the holy Convocation ceaseth and they worship not God by it but the mode it self is personally charged on the Minister the defect and disorder is an accident resulting from the sloth negligence ignorance weakness and unfaâ—thfulness of the Minister and an adjunct separable from Gods worship existent by the same Sir I pray you take good notice of this that the private Christian and particular members of the Church have no publick judgment of office concerning the Ministerial mode of Gods worship for Sir it is a notion of much weight and use in this Case and it appeareth plainly true if the modifying of Gods worship be as it cannot be dâ—nyed to be the personal act of an Officer appointed to that end We say this belongs peculiarly to the Governours of the Church to order Moreover Sir if the people have a publick judgment of the ministerial mode of Gods worship we are under a necessity of having what we so much complain against and cast off viz a fixed Liturgy for the mode of Prayer Preaching Ministration of Sacraments which must then be known to the people and judged by them free from all defect and disorder before the people can attend Gods worship in that Ministration It must be confessed impossible for a single Minister constantly to communicate to every particular member of his Congregation the mode into which he hath by his personal abilities and ministerial Gifts cast the word Prayer and Sacraments No serious sober Christian can think the people to be guilty of those rude methods indigested raw expressions tautologies soloecismes and disorders which a Minister may utter in his preaching and praying yet this is inevitable if the people have a publick judgment by special office of the ministerial mode of Gods worship It is indeed true the defective disordered mode of worship which is fixed stated and so from time to time reiterated is more obvious and offensive then what is transient and so by the judgment of charity more burdensom to the people the grief of it being continued and renewed but it is the judgment of office armed with power to correct that deriveth the guilt of the one or of the other This is the sum of what Mr. Crofton believes concerning Church-communion And whether the Church of God be not more secure in her Freedom from corruptions and disorders by fixed stated Forms then by such as are indigested transient and extemporary I appeal to the Reason and Common Sence of all the World And there 's AN END