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
Authority From which these things will be worth observing 1. That the very body of it is a set form of Prayer and so no Superstition in set forms 2. That their publishing it by authority is the prescribing of that form and so 't is lawfull to prescribe such forms 3. That the title of Supply of Prayer proveth that some there are to whom such supplies are necessary and so a Directory not sufficient for all And 4. That its being agreeable to the Directory Or as it is word for word form'd out of it the Directory turn'd into a Prayer sheweth that out of the Directory a Prayer may easily first be made and then constantly used and so the Minister ever after continue as idle without exercising that gift as under our Liturgy is pretended and so here under pretence of supplying the ships all such idle Mariners in the ship of the Church are supplied also which it seems was foreseen at the writing that preface to the Directory where they say the Minister may if need be have from them some help and furniture 5. That the Preface to this new Work entitled A reason of this work containeth many other things which tend as much to the retracting their former work as Judas's throwing back the money did to his repentance Sect. 2 As 1. That there are thousands of Ships belonging to this Kingdom which have not Ministers with them to guide them in Prayer and therefore either use the Common prayer or no Prayer at all This shews the nature of that fact of those which without any objection mention'd against any Prayer in that book which was the onely help for the devotion of many thousands left them for some moneths to perfect irreligion and Atheisme and not praying at all And besides these ships which they here confesse how many Land-companies be there in the same condition how many thousand families which have no Minister in them of which number the House of Commons was alwayes wont to be one and the House of Lords since the Bishops were removed from thence and to deal plainly how many Ministers will there alwayes be in England and Wales for sure your care for the Vniversities is not so great as to be likely to work Miracles which will not have skill or Power or gift which you please of conceiving Prayers as they ought to do and therefore let me impart to you the thoughts of many prudent men since the news of your Directory and abolition of our Liturgie that it would prove a most expedite way to bring in Atheisme and this it seems you do already discern and confesse in the next words that the no prayer at all which succeeded the abolishing of the Liturgie is rather to make them Heathers then Christians and hath left the Lords day without any mark of pietie or devotion a sad and most considerable truth which some persons ought to lament with a wounded bleeding conscience the longest day of their life and therefore we aâ—e apt to beleeve your charity to be more extensive then the title of that book enlarges it and that it hath designed this supply not onely to those ships but to all other in the like want of our Liturgie Your onely blame in this particular hath been that you would not be so ingenuous as Judas and some others that have soon retracted their precipitous action and confest they did so and made restitution presently while you rather then you will to rescue men from heathenisme caused by your abolition restore the Book again and confesse you have sinned in condemning an innocent Liturgie will appoint some Assembler to compile a poor sorry pitteous form of his own of which I will appeal to your greatest flatterer if it be not so low that it cannot come into any tearms of comparison or competition with those forms already prescribed in our Book and so still you justifie your errour even while you confesse it Sect. 3 Secondly that 't is now hoped that 't will be no grief of heart to full Christians if the thirsty drink out of cisterns when themselves drink out of fountains c. which is the speciall part of that ground on which we have first formed and now labour'd to preserve our Liturgie on purpose that weak Ministers may not be forced to betray their weaknesse that they that have not the gift of Prayer as even in the Apostles time there were divers gifts and all Ministers had not promise to succeed in all but one in one another in anothers gift by the same spirit may have the help of these common gifts and standing treasures of Prayer in the Church and because there be so many of these kinds to be lookt for in a Church that those which are able to pray as they ought without a form may yet in publick submit to be thus restrain'd to the use of so excellent a form thus set before them rather then others should be thus adventur'd to their own temerity or incur the reproach of being thought not able and then this providing for the weak both Minister and People will not now I hope be charged on the Liturgie by those who hope their supply of Prayer will be no grief to others Sect. 4 Thirdly That these Prayers being enlivened and sent up by the spirit in him that prayeth may be lively Prayers and acceptable to him who is a Spirit and accepts of service in spirit and truth Where 1. it appears by that confession that as the place that speaks of worshipping in spirit and truth is not of any force against set praiers so neither is that either of the Spirits helping our infirmities belonging as it is here confest most truly to the zeal and fervor and intensenes of devotâ—â—â—â—nfused by the Spirit and not to the words wherein the addresse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which if the Spirit may not infuse also in the use of our Liturgy and assist a Minister and Congregation in the Church as well and as effectually as a company of Marâ—mers in a ship I shall then confesse that the Directory first and then this Supply may be allow'd to turn it out of the Church Sect. 5 Lastly That in truth though Praiers come never so new even from the Spirit in one that is a guide in Prayer if the Spirit do not quicken and enliven that Prayer in the hearer that follows him it is to him but a dead form and a very carcase of Prayer which words being really what they say a truth a perfect truth and more soberly spoken then all or any period in the Preface to the Directory I shall oppose against that whole Act of abolition as a ground of confutation of the principall part of it and shall onely adde my desire that it be considered what Prayers are most likely to be thus quickned and enlivened by the Spirit in the hearer those that he is master of and understands and knows he may joyn in or those which depend wholly
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
about the time of the Jews destruction Gamâ—liel and his Sanhedrim added a nineteenth Prayer and after him others so that at length the daily service grew to an 100 Prayers That it is likely that the Pagans come to use their set Forms in their Sacrifice also and perhaps the Mahumedans too by the example of the Jewish Church for which he there referres the Reader to many Books of the Learned I conceive the authoritie of this Gentleman hath not been despised by the House of Commons and the Assemblers when it hath chanced to agree with their designes or interest and therefore I have thus farre as an Argument ad homines insisted on it Sect. 16 3. The not onely practice but precept of Christ in the New Testament who did not only use himself a set form of words in prayer three times together using the same words Matth. 26. 44. and upon the Crosse in the same manner praying in the Psalmists words onely changed into the Syriack dialect which was then the vulgar but also commanded the use of those very words of his perfect form which it seems he meant not onely as a pattern but a form it self as the Standard weight is not only the measure of all weights but may it self be used Luke 11. 2. when you pray say Our Father c. which precept no man can with a good conscience ever obey that holds all set forms necessary to be cast out of the Church Sect. 17 4. The practice not onely of John the Baptist who taught his disciples to pray Luke 11. 1. which occasioned Christs Disciples to demand and him to give them a form of Prayer but especially of the Apostles of which we find intimations 1. Cor. 14. 26. When you come together every one of you hath a Psalm which sure referres to some of the Psalms of David or Asaph used then ordinarily in their devotions and that as even now I said authorized by the example of Christ himself upon the Crosse who it is thought repeated the whole 22. Psalm it is certain the first verse of it My God my God why hast thou for saken me and so certainly a set form and that of Prayer too of which thanksgivings and Praises are a part But because every one had his severall Psalm it is therefore reprehended by the Apostle as tending to confusion and by that consequence S. Pauls judgement is thence deducible for the joyning of all in the same form as being the onely course tending to edification in the end of that verse and then sure 't would be hard that that which the Apostle conceived the onely course for edifying should now be necessarie to be turn'd out of the Church as contrary to edification Farther yet 't is clear by text that the Apostles when they met together to holy duties such are Fasting Prayer receiving the Sacrament continued very long time sometimes a whole day together This being too much to be alwayes continued in the Church and unsuteable to every mans businesse is said to have been the occasion that S. James first made choice of some speciall Prayers most frequently by them used which was after called his Liturgie which or some other in the disguise of that the Greek Church still use on solemn dayes This also being of the longest for every dayes use St Basil is said to have shortned and that again St Chrisostome how certain these reports are I shall not take upon me to affirm but onely adde that the Greek Church who are most likely to know the truth of it by their records do retain all these three Liturgies and would loudly laugh at any man that should make doubt whether St James St Basil and St Chrysostome were not the Authours of them 2. That the judgement of that Church if they are deceived also and may not be thought worthy to be heeded by our Assemblers is yet an argument of great authoritie to any prudent man if not that these Liturgies were purely the same with those which were written by that Apostle and those holy men yet that there were such things as Liturgies of their penning The like might be added of that short form of St Peters which alone they say was used in the Roman Church for a great while till after by some Popes it was augmented and the same of St Marks Liturgy I am sure St Augustine speaking of some forms retained in the Church and still to be found in our Liturgie particularly that of Sursum corda Lift up your hearts c. faith that they are verba ab ipsis Apostolorum temporibus petita words fetcht from the times of the Apostles which supposes that they did use such Forms And for that particular mentioned by St Augustine it is agreeable to the Constitutions of the Apostles l. 8. c. 16. which collection if it be not so ancient as it pretends doth yet imitate Apostolicall antiquity and so in St James's and Basils and Chrysostomes Liturgy in the same words with our Book as farre as to the word bounden and for many other such particular Forms used by us we find them in Cyril of Jerusalems Catechisme one of the ancientest Authours we have and then that it should be necessary for the Church to turn out what the Apostles had thus brought into it will not easily be made good by our Assemblers Sect. 18 Fifthly The practice of the Universall Church from that time to this which is so notorious to any that is conversant in the writings of the Ancient Fathers and of which so many testimonies are gathered together for many mens satisfaction by Cassander and other writers of the Liturgica that 't were a reproach to the Reader to detain or importune him with testimonies of that nature To omit the practice of Constantine who prescribed a form for his Souldiers a Copy of which we have in Euseb de vit Const l. 4. c. 20. I shall onely mention two grand testimonies for set Forms one in the 23 Canon of the third Councell of Carthage Quascunque sibipreces aliquis describet noniis utatur â—ise priùs oas cum instructioribus fratribus contulerit No man may use any Prayers which he hath made unlesse he first consult with other learneder Christians about theÌ„ And the other more punctuall Concil Milev c. 12. Placuit ut precesquae probatae fuerintin Concilio ab omnibus celebrentur Nec alia omninò dicaÌ„tur in Ecclesia nisi quae à prudentioribus tractantur vel comprobatae in Synode fuerint no fortè aliquid contra fidem aut per ignorantiam aut per minus studium sit compositum It was resolv'd on that the Prayers that were approv'd in the Councell should be used by all that no other should be said in the Church but those that had been weighed by the more prudent or approv'd in a Synod lest any thing either through ignorance or negligence should be doÌ„ne against the Faith Instead of such Citations and because
whatsoever argument is brought from that Topick of Ecclesiasticall tradition is now presently defamed with the title of Popish and Antichristian because forsooth Antichrist was a working early in the Apostles time and every thing that we have not a mind to in antiquity must needs be one of those works I shall rather choose to mention another as a more convincing argument ad homines and that is Sect. 19 Sixthly The judgement and practice of the Reformed in other Kingdomes even Calvin himself in severall ample testimonies one in his Notes upon Psal 20. 1. another in his Epistle to the Protector I shall not give my self licence to transcribe these or multiply more such Testimonies onely for the honour not onely of Liturgie in generall but particularly of our Liturgie 't will be worth remembring that Gilbertus a German many yeers since in a book of his propounds our Book of prayer for a sample of the Forms of the ancient Church And for the purity of it through Reformation that Crâ—nmer procured the King Edwards Common-Prayer-Book to be translated into Latin sent it to Bucer required his judgement of it who answer'd that there was nothing in it but what was taken out of the word of God or which was not against it commodeÌ„ acceptum being taken in a good sence some things indeed saith he quae nisi quis c. unlesse they be interpreted with Candor may seem not so agreeable to the word of God which unquiet men may wrest uâ—te matter of contention As may be seen at large in Bucers Scripta Anglicana Upon this occasion this Book of King Edwards was again survey'd and in those particulars that were Subject to such Cavills corrected After which time the quarrels about that Book were generally with the Papists not so much with the opposite extreame and therefore John Ould in Queen Maries dayes wrote against them in defence of it and of the King Edwards Reformation And Cranmer made a challenge that if he might be permitted by the Queen to take to him P. Martyr and foure or five more they would enter the lists with any Papists living and defend the Common-Prayer-Book to be perfectly agreeable to the Word of God and the same in effect which had been for 1500 yeers in the Church of Christ This for the reputation of the Book Then for the fruit and benefit that by the use of it redounded to Christians take an essay by Mr John Hullier Fellow of Kings Colledge in Cambridge who was Martyr'd in Queen Maries dayes Ann. 1557. and being at the stake among many other books that were thrown into the fire to him it hapned that a Common-Prayer-Book fell between his hands which he joyfully receiving opened and read till the flame and smoke suffered him not to see any more and then he fell to prayer holding his hands up to heaven and the book betwixt his arms next his heart thanking God for that mercy in sending him it the relation is Mr Foxes and from thence the plea authentick that the tree that bare wholsome fruit should not be cut down by the law Deut. 10. 20. even when Warre was to be made on a City and as Maimon addes l. de Idol though it were worshipt for an Idoll and if that which was then of so dear esteem be now so necessary to be cast our it is an ill indication of the times into which we are fallen Sect. 20 Seventhly The reasons on which the very Heathens themselves took up the same practice which was universall it seems through all the world more Catholick then the Church it self To this purpose beside those Authors which Mr Selden refers to I shall onely adde these three testimonies first of Plato l. 7. de leg where he commands that what ever Prayers or Hymnes the Poets composed to the Gods they should first shew them to the Priests as if they were in a manner leprous till then before they publisht them leâ—t they should ask evil things in stead of good an infirmity that these dayes are very subject unto The second in Thucyd. l. 6. p. 434. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Set forms for severall occasions and a common joynt sending them up to heaven The third in Alexander ab Alex. l. 4 c. 17. that the Gentiles read their Prayers out of a Book before their Sacrifices Nè quid praeposterè dicatur aliquis ex scriptâ— praeire ad verbum referre solitus est That the work might not be done proposterously Which two reasons of theirs the one lest they should stray in the matter of their Prayers the other lest offend in the manner may passe for Christian reasons as seasonable with us as they were among them And no necessitie that those reasons should be despised by us neither Sect. 21 Eightly The irrationall concludings or shortnesse of discourse of those which are against set forms especially in two things the first observed by D. Preston whose memory is I hope not lost among these Assemblers and made use of in a Printed work of his to the confuting of them That while they in opposition to set Forms require the Minister to conceive a Prayer for the Congregation they observe not that the whole Congregation is by that means as much stinted and bound to a set Form to wit of those words which the Minister conceives as if he read them out of a book 2. That the persons with whom we have now to deal though they will not prescribe any Form of Prayer yet venture to prescribe the matter of it in these words pag. 14. the Minister is to call upon the Lord to this effect Now why the prescription of the matter is not the stinting of the Spirit as well as the form of words unlesse the Spirit like the Heathen Mercury be the God of eloquence and be thought to deal in the words onely or why the promise of dabitur in illâ horâ it shall be given you in that houre should not be as full a promise for matter as for expressions especially when that Text forbids care or provision 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely how but what they should speak and the promise is peculiarly for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it shall be given you what you shall speak and this is it that is attributed to the Spirit v. 20. from whence if I should conclude that the holy Ghost taught the Disciples onely the matter of their answer and they themselves were left to put it in form of words there is nothing in that Text against that assertion and that it was so in their penning of the New Testament many probable Arguments might be produced if it were now seasonable and consequently why the prescribing of one should not be unreasonable in them that condemne all prescribing of the other I confesse is one of those things which my charity hath made me willing to impute to the shortnesse of discourse because I am unwilling to
on the will of the Speaker which perhaps he understandeth not and never knows what they are till they are delivered nor whether they be fit for him to joyn in or in plainer words whether a man be likely to pray and ask most fervently he knows not what or that which he knows and comes on purpose to pray For sure the quickning and enlivening of the Spirit is not so perfectly miracle as to exclude all use of reason or understanding to prepare for a capacity of it for then there had been no need to have turn'd the Latine Service out of the Church the Spirit would have quickned those Prayers also CHAP. III. HAving thus past through the Ordinance and the Preface and in the view of the Ordinance stated and setled aright the comparison betwixt the Liturgie and the Directory and demonstrated the no-necessity but plain unreasonablenesse of the change and so by the way insisted on most of the defects of the Directory which are the speciall matter of accusation we prosesse to find in it I shall account it a Superfluous importunity to proceed to a review of the whole body of it which makes up the bulk of that Book but instead of insisting on the faults and infirm parts of it such are the prohibition of adoration toward any place p. 10. that is of all adoration while we have bodies about us for that must be toward some place the interdicting of all parts of 〈◊〉 â—â—ochryphal Books p. 12. which yet the Ancient Church avowed to be read for the directing of manners though not as rule of Faith the frequent motion of the Covenant in the directions for Prayer once as a speciall mercy of God p. 17. which is the greatest curse could befall this Kingdome and a great occasion if not Authour of all the rest which are now upon it then as a means of a strict and religious Vnion p. 21. which is rather an engagement of an irreligious War then as a precious band that men must pray that it never be broken p. 21. which is in effect to pray that they may never repent but continue in Rebellion for ever Then as a mercy again p. 37. as if this Covenant were the greatest treasure we ever enjoyed Then the praying for the Armies by Land and Sea p. 38. with that addition for the defence of King Parliament and Kingdome as resolving now to put that cheat upon God himself which they have used to their Fellow Subjects that of fighting against the King for the defence of him Beloved be not deceived God is not mocked Then affirming that the Fonts were superstitiously placed in time of Popery therefore the Child must now be baptized in some other place p. 40. while yet they shew not any ground of that accusation nor ever will be able to do Then that the customs of kneeling praying by towards the dead is superstitious p. 73. which literally it were Superstitum cultus if it were praying to them but now is far enough from that guilt And lastly that the Lords day is commanded in the Scripture to be kept holy p 85. the sanctification of which we acknowledge to be grounded in the Scripture and instituted by the Apostles but not commanded in the Scripture by any revealed precept The first that we meet with to this purpose is that of Ignatius Epist ad Magnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us therefore Sabbatize no longer Let every Christian celebrate the Lords day which saying of an Apostolick writer being added to the mention of the Lords day in the New Testament is a great argument of the Apostolick institution of that day which the universall practice of the Church ever since doth sufficiently confirm unto us and we are content and satisfied with that authority although it doth not offer to shew us any command in the Scripture for it And then you may please to observe that the same Ignatius within a page before that place foreciting for the observing of the Lords day hath a command for Common Prayer and I conceive for some set Form I shall give you the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let all meet together to the same whether action or place in Prayer Let there be one Common Prayer one mind c. and Cleâ—â— Alex. to the same purpose the Altar which we have here on Earth is the company of those that dedicate themselves to Prayers as having 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a common voice and one mind which cannot well be unlesse there be some common Form by all agreed on Instead I say of pressing these or the like frailties upon this work which will argue the Composers of it to be men and fallible I shall rather desire to expresse and evidence my charity and my endeavour to read it without any prejudice by adding my opinion that there be some things said in it by way of direction for the matter of Prayer and course of Preaching which agree with wholsome doctrine and may tend to edification and I shall not rob those of that approbation which is due to them nor conceive our Cause to need such pâ—evish means to sustain it Being not thereby obliged to quarrel at the Directory absolutely as a Book but onely as it supplants the Liturgie which if it had a thousand more excellencies in it then it hath it would not be fit to do And being willing to give others an example of peaceablenesse and of a resolution to make no more quarrels then are necessary and therefore contributing my part of the endeavour to conclude this one assoon as is possible And the rather because it is in a matter which if without detriment to the Church and the Souls of men the Book might be universally received and so the experiment could be made would I am confident within very few years assoon as the pleasure of the change and the novelty were over prove it 's own largest confutation confesse it 's own wants faults and so all but mad men see the errour and require the restitution of Liturgie again This I speak upon a serious observation and pondering of the tempers of men and the so mutable habits of their minds which as they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 easily changed from good to evil so are they which is the difference of men from lapâ—st Angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 easily reduced also to their former state again when reason comes to them in the cool of the day when the heat of the kindnesse is past and a saâ—iety hastning in its stead or if it prove not so well yet falling from one change to another never coming to stability How possible this may prove in this particular I shall now evidence no farther then by the parallel vehement dislikes that the Presbyteriall Government hath already met with among other of our reforming Spirits very liberally exprest in many Pamphlets which we have lately received from London but in none more
concord which their Kings and Governors had contracted with their Neighbours And again that for the maintenance of their friendship they have not feared to break their solemned oaths made unto others To which I might adde from another Confession that Whoredome and adultery are but pastimes of the flesh crafty dealing deceit and oppression is counted good conquest c. but that it would look too like a Satyre against some part of that Nation at this time thus to specifie 2. Their great sence and acknowledgement of obligations from this Kingdom of England and not onely prayers for continuance of peace between England and Scotland but even execrations on all and so sure on those their successors of this age which should continue or contribute ought toward the breaking of it the words are these Seeing when we by our power were altogether unable c. thou didst move the hearts of our neighbours of whom we had deserved no such favour to take upon them the common burthen with us and for our deliverance not onely to spend the lives of many but also to hazard the estate and tranquillity of their Realm Grant unto us that with such reverence we may remember thy benefits received that after this in our default we never enter into hostility against the Nation of England suffer us never to fall into that ingratitude and detestable unthankefulnesse that we should seek the destruction and death of those whom thou hast made instruments to deliver us from the tyranny of mercilesse strangers the French Dissipate thou the counsels of such as deceitfully travail to stir the hearts of either Realm against the other let their malicious practices be their own confusion and grant thou of thy mercy that love and concord and tranquillity may continue and encrease among the inhabitants of this Island even to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ Thirdly that some of their forms of words are directly all one with ours others with some small additions retaining our forms as in the Prayer for the King and the Exhortation before the Sacrament and the adjuration of the Parties to be married will appear Fourthly that on their day of Fast though that be with great care provided and ordered to be the Sunday twice together quite contrary to the Canons and custome of the Primitive Church yet 't is then appointed that the Minister with the People shall prostrate themselves c. a posture of most humble bodily adoration made to reproach those who will not so much as recommend or direct any one kind of corporall worship or gesture of humiliation in all their Directory The inlarging to this mention of particulars I acknowledge to be a digression But the presenting to your knowledge or remembrance this Scottish Liturgy is not By which superadded to the former and by much more which might from other Churches be added to that it briefly appears what is or hath been the uniform judgement of the Presbyteriansin this matter directly contrary to the concluded necessity of abolishing Sect. 5 Which necessity on the other side the Independents have still asserted and for that and other such differences have avowed their resolutions to be the like scourges to them as they have been to us professing and ad homines unanswerably proving the reasonablenesse of it to â—eform the Geneva reformation as a first rude and so imperfect draught just creeping out of Popery there and therefore not supposeable to be compleat at the first assay as the Presbyterians upon the same pretences have design'd and practiced on our English Reformation Sect. 6 All this I have said against the concluded necessity in case or on supposition that the premises were true but now I must adde the falsnesse of those also and then if the necessity will still remain I must pronounce it a peice of Stoicall fatality an insuperable unruly necessitie indeed that will acknowledge no Laws or bounds or limits to confine it Sect. 7 And first for the manifold inconveniences if that phrase denote those severals which in the Preface to the Directory are suggested I shall in due place make it appear 1. That there are no such inconveniencies 2. That greater then those may easily and hereafter shall be produced against their Directory and consequently that although true inconveniencies were supposed sufficient to infer a necessitie of abolition yet such onely pretended names of inconveniency such Chimaera's and Mormo's especially over-ballanced with reall ones in the other scale would be abundantly insufficient to do it But if the manifold inconveniences have a larger prospect to refer to we shall conclude it very uncharitable not to mention those which might possible have had the same effect with us as with them convinced us also to be their Proselytes and in the meane time very unjust to put so uncertain an equivocall phrase into a law which we have no Criterion or nomenclature to interpret but beyond all very imprudent to mention and lay weight on such slight and such no inconveniencies afterward specified when others might have been produced better able to beat the envy of the accusation Sect. 8 As for your resolution if it went no higher then the Covenant and that but to reform Religion according to the word of God and the example of the best reformed Churches I am sure it cannot oblige or so much as incline you to take away that Book there being nothing in it 1. Contrary to the designe of Reformation 2. Contrary to the word of God or 3. Contrary to the example of the best reformed Churches Not 1. to Reformation for Reformation is as contrary to abolition of what should be reformed as cure to killing and if it be replyed that the abolition of Liturgy as unlawfull may be necessary to the reforming of Religion I shall yeeld to that reply on that supposition but then withall adde that Liturgy must first be proved unlawfull and that testified from divine infallible principles which because it is not thorow this whole Book so much as pretended both that and the second suggestion from the word of God must necessarily be disclaimed and then the example of the best reformed Churches will soon follow not onely because all other Reformed Churches ordinarily known by that Title have some kind of Liturgy and that is as contrary to abolition as the continuing of ours without any change but because no reformation is to be preferr'd before that which cuts off no more then is necessary to be cut off and which produces the Scripture rule the sword of the Spirit for all such amputations and therefore the Church of England as it stands established by Law is avowable against all the Calumniators in the world to be the best and most exemplarie reformed so far that if I did not guesse of the sense of the Covenant more by the temper then words of the Covenanteers I should think men that have Covenanted to reform after the example of the best
lay any heavier charge upon it Sect. 22 From all which considered and a great deal more which might be added from the usefulnesse of known Forms to those whose understandings are not quick enough to go along with unknown and if they have no other are faine ofttimes to return without performing any part of that so necessary duty of prayer in the Church from the experience of the effects of the contrary doctrine the many scandalous passages which have fallen from Ministers in their extemporary Prayers of which meer pity and humanity civility and mercy to Enemies restrains us from inserting a large Catalogue and the no manner of advantage above that which set Forms may also afford but onely of satisfaction to the itching eare exercise and pleasure to the licentioâ—â— tongue and the vanity of the reputation of being able to perform that office so fluently which yet is no more then the Rabbins allow Achitophel that he had every day three new Forms of prayer or having a plentifull measure of the Spirit which is believed to infuse such eloquence I shall now conclude it impossible that any humane eye should discern 〈◊〉 Necessitie in respect of Ecclesiasticall policy edifying the Church why all Liturgie should be destroyed not wash't nor purg'd with Sope sucâ— any Reformation would be but torn and consumed with nitre for sucâ— is abolition why it should suffer this Ostracisme unlesse as Aristides diâ— for being too vertuous be thus vehemently first declaimed and then bâ— nish'd out of the Church Sect. 23 Secondly for outward bodily worship 't is particularly prohibited by the Directory at one time at the taking of our seats or places when we enter thâ— Assembly directly contrary to that of Iâ—idor si quis veniat cùm lectio celebratur adoret tantùm Deum If any come in when the Lesson is a reading let him onely perform adoration to God hearken to what is read neve so much as recommended at any time nor one would think permitted iâ— any part of their publick service like the Persians in Strabo l. 15. that never offer'd any part of the flesh to the Gods in their sacrifices kept all thâ— to themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supposing the Gods would bâ— content with the souls which in the blood were powred out and sacrificed to their honour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they said that the Gods wanted and desired the souls for a sacrifice bâ— not any thing else of which people Herodotus l. 1. hath observed that they had neither Templars nor Altar and laugh'd at them which built either but went to the top of some hill or other and there sacrificed prefeâ—ring such naturall Altars before any other The former of these is thâ— avowed Divinity of these men and might perhaps have been attendeâ— with the latter too were it not that there be so many Churches alreadâ— built conveniently to their hands in stead of which our Liturgie hatâ— thought fit not onely to recommend but prescribe bodily worship fiâ—â— by directing in the Rubrick what part of service shall be performed kneeling then by reading the Venite where all encourage and call up one thâ— others to worship and fall down and kneel c. to worship i. e. adore whicâ— peculiarly notes bodily worship and so surely the falling down and kneeling before the Lord. And of this I shall say that it is 1. an act of obedience to that precept of glorifying God in our bodies as well as souls 2. A transcribing of Christs copy who kneeled and even prostrated himself in prayer of many holy men in Scripture who are affirmed to have done so and that affirmation written for our example and even of the Publican who though standing yet by standing afar off by not looking up by striking his breast did clearly joyn bodily worship to his prayer of Lord be mercifull to me a sinner used at his coming into the Temple and in that posture thrived better then the Pharisee in his loftier garbe went away more justified saith our Saviour as a vessel at the foot of a hill will say the Artists receive and contain more water then the same or the like vessell on the top of it would be able to do and he that shall do the like that shall joyn adoration of God and nothing but God to the use of that or the like servent ejaculation at his entrance into Gods house will sure have Christs approbation of the Publicans behaviour to justifie him from any charge of superstition in so doing and besides 3. the most agreeable humble gesture and so best becoming and evidencing and helping the inward performance of that most lowly dutie of Prayer and consequently that it may be charged with blasphemy as well and as properly as with superstition and probably would be so if the latter were not the more odious of the two and indeed why kneeling or bowing should be more lyable to that censure then either mentall or orall prayer there is no reason imaginable it being as possible that one may be directed to a false object and so become Idolatrous or superstitious in the true notion of those words as they denote the worship of Idols or dead men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or superstites as the other and for the improper notion of Superstition the one again as much capable of being an excesse in Religion the mind or tongue being as likely to enlarge and exceed as the body or of using a piece of false Religion as the other the bodily worship duly performed to God being the payment of a debt to God and no doubt acceptable when it is paid with a true heart and no way an argument of want but a probable evidence of the presence and cooperation of inward devotion as I remember Nazianzen saith of his Father Or. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He shewed a great deal in the outside but kept the greater treasure within in the invisible part And on the other side the stiffnesse of the knee an argument of some eminent defect if not of true piety yet of somewhat else and Christs prediction John 4. that the time should come that the worshippers should worship God in spirit and truth being not set in opposition to bodily worship but to the appropriating it to some singular places Jerusalem or that Mountain not producible as any apology or excuse for such omission To these brief intimations I shall need adde no more when the conclusion that I am to inferre is so moderate being onely this that it is not necessary to turn all bowing or kneeling or bodily worship out of the Church were there any superstition in any one or more gestures this were too great a severity to mulct the Church of all above the proportion of the most unlimited arbitrary Court whose amercements must alwayes be within the compasse of salvo contenemente which this will not be if there be no competency of bodily worship left behind
evidencing that fervor and intention which can never be more necessary then throughout that Service of which I shall in passing say these three things and justifie them against any gain-sayer that there is not extant any where 1. a more particular excellent enumeration of all the Christians either private or common wants as far as is likely to come to the cognisance of a Congregation nor secondly a more innocent blamelesse Form against which there lies no just objection and most of the unjust ones that have been made are reproachfull to Scripture it self from whence the passages excepted against are fetcht as that particularly of Praying for Gods mercy upon all men from 1. Tim. 2. 1. nor thirdly a more artificiall composure for the raising that zeal and keeping it up throughout then this so defamed part of our Liturgie for which and other excellencies undoubtedly it is and not for any Conjuring or Swearing in it that the Devil hath taken care that it should drink deepest of that bitter cup of Calumnie and Reviling which it can no way have provoked but onely as Christ did the reproach of the diseased man What have I to do with thee c. when he came to exorcize and cast out the Devill that possest him And for this to be thrown out of the Church sure there is no other necessity then there was that there should be Scandalâ— and Heresies in it onely because the Devil and his Factors would have it so Sect. 27 5. For the dividing of Prayers into divers Collects or Portions and not putting all our Petitions into one continued Prayer these advantages it hath to give it authority 1. the practice of the Jews whose Liturgie was dispensed into Lessons c. and 18 Collects or short Prayers 2. The example of Christ prescribing a short Form and in that saith St Chrisostome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 teaching us the measure or length due to each Prayer of ours Hom de Annâ—f 965 and setting a mark of Heathenisme Mat. 6. and of Pharisaisme Matth. 23. 14. on their long Prayers 3. The advice of the Ancients who tell us St Peters Form used for a great while in the Roman Church was a short one and that Christ and S Paul commanded us to make our Prayers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 short and frequent and with little distances between And so Epiphanius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 orat 6. 24. directs to offer our Petitions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with all frequencie and Cassian de instit mon. l. 2. 10 from the universall consent of them Vtilius censent breves orationes sed creberrimas fieri The way that is resolved to be most profitable is to have short Prayers but very thick or frequent And he addes a consideration which prompted them to this resolution Ut Diaboli insidiantis jacula succinctâ brevitate vitemus That by that means the Devils darts which he is wont to find and steal his time to shoot in to our breasts may by the brevitie of our Prayers be prevented To these many more might be added but that the no-advantage on the other side above this save onely the reputation of the labour and patience of speaking or hearing so much in a continued course in one breath as it were will save us the pains of using more motives to perswade any that sure it is not necessarie to exchange this pleasant easie course of our Liturgie for the redious toilsome lesse profitable course in the Directory Sect. 28 Sixthly for the Ceremonies used in the severall Services much might be said as particularly for that of kneeling in opposition to sitting at the Lords Supper designed in the Directory 1. that it is agreeable to the practise of all Antiquity who though they kneeled not because the Canon of the Councell of Nice obliged all to stand in the Church between Easter and Whitsuntide or on the Lords day all the yeer long which by the way absolutely excludes sitting as also doth that saying of Optatus l. 4. That the People may not sit in the Church and of Tertullian l. de Orat 〈◊〉 12. That 't was an Heathen custome to sit in the Church therefore ought to be reprehended yet used the Prayer-gesture at receiving i. e. bowing their bodies and heads which the Fathers call adoration kissing of the hand is the proprietie of the Latin word but the ordinary denotation of it bowing the body the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is more then the former the cultus major among the Learned For as Herodotus observes of the Eastern Nations that the manner of equals was to kisse one another at meeting of inferiours to kisse the hand of the Superiour but of the Suppliants or Petitioners that would expresse the greatest humility to bow themselves before him so was this last of the three continued among the primitive Christians in their Services of the greatest piety and humility Climacus p. 298. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When I receive I worship or adore Agreeable to which the great men in the French Churches who receive it passing or going a meer Egyptian Passeover custome do first make a lowly cringe or curtesie before they take it in their hands 2. That Christ's Table-gesture at the delivering it is no Argument for sitting both because it is not manifest by the Text that he used that save onely at the Passeover from which this Supper of the Lord was distinct and was celebrated by blessing and breaking and giving the bread c. to which some other gesture might be more proper and more commodious and because Christ's gesture in that is no more obligingly exemplary to us then his doing it after Super was to the Apostles who yet did it Fasting Act. 13. 2. and generally took it before the agapae and as by Plinies Epistle it appears so early in the morning that the congregation departed and met again ad capiendum cibum promiscuum to take their meals together As also 3. that the contrary gesture of sitting as it was not many yeers since by a full Synod of Protestants in Poland forbidden if not condemned because they found it used by the Arrians as complying with their opinion who hold our Saviour to be a meer Creature so is now profest by some of our late Reformers writings to be a badge and cognisance of their believing in the infallibility of Christ's promise of coming to reign on this Earth again and take them into a familiar and a kind of equall conversation with him the Doctrine of the Millenaries once in some credit but after condemn'd by the Church and though favoured by some Learned men both anciently and of late is not yet sure clear enough to come into our Creed or Liturgy or to be profest and proclaimed by that gesture when ever we receive the Sacrament The evidence or proof of it being primarily that in the Revelation which by the rest of that Book I am very apt to suspect may signifie
perfectly noxious till ill or no examples uncharitablenesse schismaticall cutting our selves off from being fellow members with the Saints and even with Christ our head till ingratitude ignorance and Atheisme it self be canonized for Christian and Saint-like and the onely things tending to edification in a Church there will hardly appear any so much as politick necessity to turn these out of it Sect. 37 7. For the reading of the Commandments and prayer before and the responses after each of them though it be not anciently to be found in the Church as a part of the Service but onely retained in the Catechisme till King Edwards second Liturgie and therefore sure no charge of Popery to be affixt on it yet seemeth it to me a very profitable part of devotion being made use of as it ought The Priest after a premised prayer for grace to love and keep Gods Commandments is appointed to stand and read every of the Commandments distinctly to the people as a kind of Moses bringing them from God to them These are they to receive in the humblest affection of heart and posture of body as means to try and examine themselves and to humble themselves in a sense of their severall failings and thereupon implore every one for himself and for others even for the whole Kingdome first Gods mercy for pardon for all that hath been committed against the letter of each Commandment or what ever Christ and the Gospel hath set down under any or reducible to any of those heads 2. Grace to perform for the time to come what ever may be acceptable to Christ in that particular This being thus distinctly and leisurely done to each perticular precept the heart enlarging to every particular under that proves an excellent form of confession of sinnes and of resolution and prayer for strength to forsake them And let me tell you were Gods pardon thus â—ervently and often called for by each humble soul in a Kingdome for every mans personall and the whole Kingdome Nationall sinnes the Atheisme speculative and practicall the impiety iufidelity want of love and fear and worship of God c. in the first Commandment and so throughout all the rest and the grace of God to work all the contrary graces in every heart in the heart of the whole Kingdome as humbly and heartily invoked the benefit would certainly be so great and so illustrious that none but Satan who is to be dethroned and part with his kingdome by that means would ever deem it necessary to cast out this part of Service and have nothing at all in exchange for it 8. For the order of the Offertory it must first be observed that in the Primitive Apostolick Church the Offertory was a considerable part of the action in the administring and receiving the Sacrament the manner of it was thus At their meetings for divine service every man as he was able brought something along with him bread or wine the fruits of the Season c. of this part was used for the Sacrament the rest kept to furnish a common table for all the brethren and therefore in Ignatius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to celebrate the Feast is to administer that Sacrament being joyn'd there with the mention of Baptisme Rich and Poore to eat together no one taking precedence of other or challenging a greater part to himself by reason of his bringing more this is discernable in Saint Pauls words chiding the Corinthians for their defaults in this matter 1 Cor. 11. 21. every man saith he takes and eats before another his own supper i. e the Rich that brought more eats that which he brought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if he were at home eating his own private meal without respect to the nature of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which were a common meale for all and so while one is filled to the full some others have little or nothing to eat which is the meaning of that which follows one is hungry and another is drunken after the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ceased and the bringing of the fruits of the season which were as a kind of first-fruit offering was out-dated whether by Canon of the Church or by contrary custome this manner was still continued that every receiver brought somewhat with him to offer particularly bread and wine mixt with water Justin Mart Apol. 2. p. 97. sets down the manner of it clearly in his time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. the bread and wine of the brethren i. e. Communicants is brought to the Priest or Prefect not as in the Latine interpreter reads Praefecto fratrum as if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were to be joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which belongs to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he receiving it gives laâ—d and praise unto God in the name of the Son and the Holy Ghost and all the people ioyn in the Amen then do the Deacons distribute that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the bread over which he hath thus given thanks and then saith he over above the richer sort and every one as he shall think good contributes that which is so raised is left with the Priest who out of that stock succors the Orphan Widow and becomes a common provider for all that are in want This clearely distinguisheth two parts of the Offertory one designed for the use of all the Faithfull in the Sacrament another reserved for the use of the poore the former called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oblations in the Councell of Laodicea the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that of Gangra and proportionably the reposicory for the first called Sacrarium in the fourth Councell of Carthage Can. 93. and by Possidonius in the life of Sâ— Augustine Secretarium unde altari necessariâ— inferuntur where those things are laid and from whence fetcht which are necessary to the Altar the other Gazophylacium or treasury the first St. Cyprian calls Sacrificia sacrifices the second Eleemosynae Almes l. de op Eleem. parallel to those which we find both together mentioned Act. 24. 17. I came to bring almes to my Nation and offerings This saith Justin Martyr is our Christian Sacrifice which will more appear to him that considers that the feasting of the people their partaking of the Sacrifice having their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was alwaies annexed to sacrifices both among Jews and Heathens which the Apostle calls partaking of the Altar and consequently that the Sacrifice and the feast together the sacrifice in the offertory the feast in the eating and drinking there do compleat and make up the whole businesse of this Sacrament as farre as the people are concerned in it and all this blest by the Priest and God blest and praised by Priest and People and so the title of Eucharist belongs to it Thus after Justin Irenaeus The Offertory of the Christians is accounted 〈◊〉 pure sacrifice with God as when St Paul
1. I shall demand whether onely some are thus offended or all Not all for some of the wisest in these Churches have commended it and if some onely then it seems others are not offended and why must we be so partiall as to offend and displease some that we may escape the offending others not sure because we more esteme the judgements of the latter for by the Apostles rule the weaker men are the more care must be taken that they be not offended 2 I shall suppose that their Liturgie or their having none at all may possibly offend us and then demand why they shall not be as much obliged to change for the satisfying of us as we of them I am ashamed to presse this illogicall discourse too far which sure never foresaw such examination being meant onely to give the People a formall specious shew for what is done a heap of popular Arguments which have of late gotten away all the custome from Demonstrations and then Si populus vult decipi decipiatur if the tame Creature will thus be taken any fallacy or Topicke doth as well for the turn as if Euclid had demonstrated it Sect. 8 In pursuit of this popular Argument it follows that by this means i. e. of the Liturgie divers able and faithfull Ministers were debarred from the exercise of their Ministery and spoiled of their livelyhood to the undoing of them and their Families To which I answer 1. That if this be true it is very strange that so few of this present Assembly were of that number For of them I may surely say many very many in proportion were not debarred of the exercise of their Ministery were not despoyled of their livelyhood c. And if any one was which I professe I know not I beleeve it will be found that the standing of Liturgie brought not those inflictions upon him The conclusion from hence will be that either these present Assemblers concurred not in judgement with those many able and faithful Ministers and then why do they now bring their Arguments from them whose judgement they did not approve and follow or else that they were not so valiant as to appear when fufferings expected them or else that they had a very happy Rainbowe hanging over their heads to avert from them that common storme But then secondly It might be considered whether those mentioned penalties have not been legaelly and by Act of Parliament inflicted on those who suffered under them and then whether that will be ground sufficient to abolish a Law because by force thereof some men that offended against it have been punished Thirdly whether somemen did not choose non conformitie as the more instrumental to the exercise of their Ministry changing one Parish for the whole diocesse and Preaching oftner in private Families then any other did in the Church and withall whether this had not the encouragement of being the more gainfall trade of bringing in larger Pensions then formerly they had receiv'd Tithes Fourthly whether the punishments inflicted on such have not generally been inferiour to the rignor of the Statute and not executed on any who have not been very unpeaceable and then whether unpeaceable persons would not go neer to fall under some mulcts what ever the Form of Government what ever the Church Service were none having the promise of inheriting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Land of Canaan an happy prosperous life in this world but they whose meeknesse and obedience to Laws have given them a claim to that priviledge Fifthly whether the number of those who by Ordinances have lately been so debarred of the exercise their Ministry and spoiled of their livelyhood have not been far greater then all those together that ever the Liturgie thus offended since the Reformation Sixthly whether this Directory should it be establisht would not be so imposed that they which obey it not shall be subject to these or the like penalties Sect. 9 'T is added in the next place to raise the cry and encrease the Odium and to involve the Prelates and the Liturgie in the same calamity for otherwise what hath the Prelates labouring c. to do with the Liturgie That the Prelates and their Faction have laboured to raise the estimation of the Liturgie to such an height as if there were no other worship or way of worship of God among us but onely the Service-book to the great hindrance of the Preaching the Word To which I answer 1. That this or any other action of the Prelates if supposed never so true and never so extravagant is wholly extrinsecall and impertinent to the businesse of the Liturgy and the more impertinent by how much the more extravagant such actions being easily coerced and reduced by and according to the rule and such unreasonable enhaunsments separable without any wound or violence to the Liturgie Give the Liturgie its due not its usurped estimation and we are all agreed 2. 'T is here acknowledged that this was but laboured not affirmed that it was effected and then this sure is too heavy a doom on the Liturgie for that their labouring we do not find that St Paul was stroke dead like Herod because the Lycaonians meant and laboured to do sacrifice unto him Act. 14. 16. But then 3. he that shall consider who they are which make this objection will sure never be moved by it For certainly they that have formerly set the prime of their wits and endeavours to vilifie and defame the Liturgie and now that they think they have power have absolutely abolisht it will go neer to be partiall when they are to judge of the due estimation of it they that declaim at Bishops for advancing it will they be just and take notice of their own contempts which enforced the Bishops thus to rescue and vindicate it I shall not expect it from them nor till then that they will deliver any more then popular shews of truth in this matter For 4. the Prelates have not raised the book to an higher estimation then the Law hath raised it that is that it may be observed so as may most tend to edification nor do we now desire any greater height of value for it then you for the Directorie I shall adde nor so great neither for we do not exclude all other as unlawfull as you have done and then I am confident God will not lay that charge on us which you do on the Prelates nor any man that shall consider how different our titles are though our claims not proportion'd to them A peice of modesty and moderation which we challenge you to transcribe from us 5. All this all this while is a meer Calumny if by the Service Book is meant the use of the prayers in the Liturgie for no Prelate ever affirm'd or is known to have thought that there is no other way of worship of God but that among us But then 6ly We adde that this way of publick prayer by set
Form the onely one establisht by Law and so sure to be esteem'd by us before any other is also in many respects the most convenient for Publick worship of which affirmation we shall offer you no other proof or testimony then what Mr. Calvin whom before we named hath given us in his Epistle to the Protector in these words Quod ad formulam c. As for Forms of Prayers and Ecclesiasticall Rites I very much approve that it be set or certain From which it may not be lawfull for the Pastors in their Function to depart that so there may be provision made for the simplicity and unskilfulnesse of some and that the consent of all the Churches among themselves may more certainly appear and lastly also that the extravagant levity of some who affect novelties may be prevented So probable was my conjecture that at first I interposed that the men that had here imposed upon their fellows so far as to conclude the abolition of Liturgie necessary were those that undertook to reform Geneva as well as England to chastise Calvins estimation of it as well as that of our Prelates Sect. 10 As for that pompous close that this hath been to the great hindrance of the Preaching of the Word and to the justling it out as unnecessary or at â—est inferiour to the reading of Common-Prayer I answer 1. That the Liturgie or the just estimation of it is perfectly uncapable of this charge it being so far from hindring that it requires the Preaching of the Word assignes the place where the Sermon shall come in hath Prayers for a blessing upon it 2. That if any where Sermons have been neglected it hath not been through any default either of the length or estimation of the Liturgie for these two if Faction and Schisme did not set them at oddes would very friendly and peaceably dwell together and each tend much to the proficiencie and gain which might arise from either Prayers would prepare us to hear as we ought i. e. to practice also and Sermons might incite and stir up the languishing devotion and enliven and animate it with zeal and fervencie in Prayer And constantly the more we esteemed the Ordinance and set our selves to the discharge of the dutie of Prayer the more should we profit by Sermons which were thus received into an honest heart thus fitted and made capable of impression by Prayer These two may therefore live like Abraham and Lot and why should there be any wrangling or controversie betwixt thy Heards-men and my Heards-men But seeing it is made a season of complaining I answer 3. That it is on the other side most notorious that in many places the Sermon hath justled out the Common Prayers and upon such a provocation and onely to prevent the like partiality or oppression it may be just now to adde that as long as the Liturgy continues in its legall possession in this Church there is no other legall way as that signifies commanded by Law of the publick worship of God among us and although that voluntary Prayer of the Minister before Sermon when it is used is a part of the worship of God as all Prayer is yet is it not prescribed by the Law nor consequently can it without usurpation cut short or take away any part of that time which is by that assigned to the Liturgie the free will offerings though permitted must not supplant the daily prescribed oblations the Corban must not excuse the not honouring of Parents the customes which are tolerated must not evacuate or supersede the precepts of the Church As for Sermons which in this period seem the onely thing that is here opposed to Liturgie I hope they do not undertake to be as eminent a part of the worship of God among us as Prayer If they do I must lesse blame the poore ignorant people that when they have heard a Sermon or two think they have served God for all that day or week nor the generality of those seduced ones who place so great a part of Pietie in hearing and think so much the more comfortably of themselves from the number of the houres spent in that Exercise which hath of late been the onely businesse of the Church which was by God instil'd the House of Prayer the Liturgie at most used but as Musick to entertain the Auditors till the Actors be attired and the Seats be full and it be time for the Scene to enter This if it were true would avow and justifie that plea in the Gospel Lord open unto us for thou hast taught in our streets i. e. we have heard thee Preach among us Which sure Christ would not so have defamed with an I will say unto them go you cursed c. if it had been the prime part of his worship to be such hearers the consideration of that place will give us a right notion of this businesse and 't is this that hearing of Sermons or what else appointed by the Church for our instruction is a duty of every Christian prescribed in order to practice or good life to which knowledge is necessarily preparative and so like many others actus imperatus an act commanded by Religion but so far from being it self an immediate or elicite act of worship precisely or abstractly as it is hearing that unlesse that proportionable practice attend it 't is but an aggravation and accumulation of our guilts the blessednesse not belonging to the hearing but the and keeping the word of God the go you Cursed to none more then to those that hear and say but do not and for the title of worship of God whether outward or inward outwardly exprest orall Prayer certainly adoration of God is the thing to which that most specially belongs as may appear Psal 95. 6. where that of worshipping is attended with falling down and kneeling before the Lord our maker And even your Directory though it speak extream high of Preaching the Word yet doth not it stile it any part of Gods worship as it doth the reading the word of God in the Congregation p. 12. because indeed our manner of Preaching is but an humane thing and the word of man This I should not here have said because I would be sure not to discourage any in the attending any Christian duty and such I acknowledge hearing to be and heartily exhort all my Fellow-Labourers in their severall Charges to take heed to Doctrine to Reproof to Exhortation to be as frequent and diligent in it as the wants of their Charges require of them and my fellow-Christians also that they give heed to sound Doctrine that they require the Law at the Priests mouth as of a messenger of the Lord of hosts again to take heed how they hear but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or impropriety of speech that I say no more that is in this matter discernible in the words of the Directorie and the consequent dangers which experience hath forced
slaughter 〈◊〉 persons whâ—â— they despaired to gain to them but that any of the now Assemblers were so hated or so feared or thought so necessary to be taken out of the way we have not yet heard but are rather confident that if a peâ—tion of Rome or a Cardinals cap will keep them longer together to do more such work as this so reproachfull to the Protestant Religion they should be so hired rather then dissolve too speedily Sect. 17 In the next place 't is found out by experience that the Liturgie hath been a great means to make and encrease an idle and unedifying Ministry which contented it self with set forms made to their hands by others without putting forth themselves to exercise the gift of prayer To this I answer that those Ministers are not presently proved to be idle and unedifying which have been content to use the Liturgy I hope there may be other wayes of labour beside that of extemporary prayer which can be no longer a labour then while it is a speaking For 1. I had thought that these men might have acknowledged preaching and Catechizing the former at least to have been the work of a Minister and that an edifying work and that sâ—re those men have been exercised in who have retaind the Lituâ—gy also 2. Study of all kind of Divine learning of which the haters of Liturgie have not gotten the inclosure may passe with sober men for a labour also that which may tend to edification if it have charity joyned with it and that may be had too without hating the Liturgie But then 3. I conceive that this Directory is no necessary provision against this reproached idlenesse or unedifyingnesse in any that were formerly guilty of them in the dayes of Liturgie For sure the labour will not be much increased to the Minister that will observe the Directory because either he may pray extempore which will be no pains but of his lungs and sides in the delivery or else a form being composed by any according to the Directory which is in effect a Form it self he may thenceforth continue as idle as he who useth our form of Liturgie and he which hath a mind to be idle may with that use of it and that you acknowledge when you interpose that caution P. 8. that the Ministers become not herely slothfull and negligent which were wholly an unnecessary caution if this Directory made idlenesse impossible and if a caution will serve turn the like may be added to our Liturgie also without abrogating of it And for the edifying I desire it may be considered whether the extravagancies and impertinences which our experience as well grounded as that which taught these men this mystery of the idle unedifying Ministry bids us expect from those who neglect set forms do more tend to the edifying of any then the use of those prayers which are by the piety and judgement of our Reformers composed and with which the Auditory being acquainted may with uninterrupted devotion go along and say Amen Sect. 18 And whereas 't is added in this place that our Lord Christ pleaseth to furnish all his Servants whom he calls to that office with the gift of Prayer I desire 1. That it may be shewed what evidence we have from any promise of Christ in his word that any such gift shall be perpetually annext by him to the Ministry I beleeve the places which will be brought to enforce it will conclude for gifts of Healing making of psalms and other the like also which Ministers do not now a dayes pretend to 2. I would know also why Christ if he do so furnish them may not also be thought to help them to the matter of their prayers in which yet here the Directory is fain to assist them and pag. 8. supposes the Minister may have need of such help and furniture as well as the form of words in which the Liturgie makes the supply 3 I shall not doubt to affirm that if the gift of prayer signifie an ability of praying in publick without any premeditation discreetly and reverently and so as never to offend against either of those necessaries every Minister is not furnisht with this gift some men of very excellent abilities wanting that sudden promptnesse of elocution and choice of words for all their conceptions others being naturally modest and bashfull and not endued with this charisma of boldnesse which is a great part a speciall ingredient of that which is here called the gift of prayer And even for those which have the former of these and are not so happy as to want the latter that yet they are not sufficiently gifted for prayer in publick experience hath taught us by the very creditable relations of some who have faln into so many indiscretiâ—â—s that we say no worse in that performance 'T is true that God enableth men sufficiently in private to expresse their necessities to him being able to understand sighs and groans when words are wanting and as well content with such Rhetorick in the Closet as any but this is not peculiar to Ministers and for any such ability in publick there will not be the like security unlesse the language of sighs and groans without other expressions be there current also which appears by some who are forced to pay that debt to God in that coyn having through unthriftinesse provided no other and yet 't were well also if that were the worst of it but the truth is blasphemy is somewhat worse then saying nothing Sect. 19 The last objection is That the countenance of the Liturgie would be a matter of endlesse strife and contention in the Church and a snare to many godly Ministers c. to the end of that page Where 1. is observable the temper and resolution of these men of whom such special care is taken which makes it so necessary for them not onely to strive and contend 1. against establisht Law 2. about forms of Prayer which sure is none of the prime Articles of the Creed but also to strive for ever which being observed it seems secondly That they have a very charitable opinion of us all who are assertors of Liturgy that we will never strive or contend for it for otherwise the strife may be as endlesse upon its taking away And sure in ordinary judging if they be not sure that none are contentious but their favourites we see no reason why the introduction of a new way of worship should not be more matter of strife and so also a snare to more if any can be ensnared or scandalized but they then the continuance of the old establisht Liturgie Where by the way the snare they speak of seems to signifie that which catches and intraps their estates and not their souls causeth them to be persecuted c. which is a notable paralogisme and fallacy put upon the Scripture use of that phrase if we took pleasure in making such discoveries But then thirdly
mentionâ—d but 〈◊〉 that they are of it which is but in effect as the same Hâ—â—kâ—t did shewing no evidence of his being a Prophet but onely his confidence which produced all kinde of direfull Oaâ—bes that he was and hideous imâ—recations on himself if he were not so That which is added by way of honour to those Martyrs that they were excellent instruments to begin the â—â—â—ging and building of his house may be but an artifice of raising their own reputation who have perfected those rude beginnings or if it be meant in earnest as kindnesse to them 't is but an unsignificant civilitie to abolish all the records of their Reformation and then pay them a little praise in exchange for them Martyr their ashes as the Papists did Fagius and Bucer and then lay them down into the earth again with a dirge or anâ—â—em defame the Reformation and Commend the Reformers but still to intimate how much wiser and Godlier you are then all those Martyrs were Sect. 25 Thus farre they have proceeded ad amoliendam invidiam Now to the positive motives of setting upon this great work of innovation and those are 1. To answer in sâ—me measure the gratious providence of God which at this time calleth upon them for farther Reformation What they should mean by the gracious providence of God in this place I confesse I cannot guesse if it be not a meer name to adde some credit to the cause unlesse it be the prosperity good successe of their Arms which if throughout this War they had reason to brag or take notice of as sure they have not but of Gods hand many times visibly shewed against them in raising the low estate of the King without visible means and bringing down their mighty strengths as the Septuagint makes God promise to fight against Amalek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by secret hand by invisible yet sure would not that justifie the taking up of those Arms much lesse be able to consecrate all other sins that those Arms may enable any to be guilty of T is the Turks Divinity as before I intimated to pâ—â—â—e sentence on the action by the prosperity of the man to make one killing of a Father villany and sacriledge because the designe it aim'd at miscarried and another of the same making an heroick act that God was pleased with because it brought the designer to the Kingdom And therefore I beseech you look no longer on the cause through the deceivable and deceitfull glasses of your conceited victories but through that one true glasse the word of Christ in the New Testament and if that call you to this farther reformation go on in Gods name But if it be any else that calleth you as sure somewhat else it is you mean for if it were Gods word you would ere now have shew'd it us and here have call'd it Gods word which is plain and intelligible not Gods providence which is of an ambiguous signification if any extraordinary revelation however convey'd to you this you will never be able to approve to any that should doubt your call and therefore I shall meekly desire you and in the bowels of Christian compassion to your selves if not to your bleeding Countrey once more to examine seriously what ground you have in Gods word to satisfie conscience of the lawfulnesse of such attempts which you have used to gain strength to work your Reformation and this we the rather desire to be shewed by you because you adde that having consulted with Gods holy word you resolve to lay aside the former Liturgie which cannot signifie that upon command of Gods word particularly speaking to this matter you have done it for then all this while you would sure have shewed us that word but that the Word of God hath lead you to the whole work in generall which you have taken in hand and therefore that is it which as a light shining in so dark a place we require you in the name of God to hold out to us After this there is a second motive the satisfaction of your own consciences This I cannot speak to because neither I know them nor the grounds of them save onely by what is here mentioned which I am sure is not sufficient to satisfie conscience phancy perhaps it may onely this I shall interpose that it is possible your own consciences may be erronious and we are confident they are so and then you are not bound to satisfie them save onely by seeking better information which one would think might be as feaseable a task as abolishing of Liturgie Sect. 27 Next a third motivels mentioned that you may satisfie the expectation of other Reformed Churches To this first I say that this is not the rule for the reforming of a Nationall Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and independent And such I conceive the last Canon of the Councell of Ephesus will by consequence conclude this of England to be and its being so is a sufficient plea 1. To clear us from all shew of Schisme in Separating from the Roman Church to which we were not according to the Ephesine rule subjâ—sted as a part though we reformed our selves when the Pope vehemently required the contrary and would not himself be reformed and from the Church universall of which we still remain a member undivided 2. To answer this motive of our Assemblers by telling them that in the reforming such a Church as this of ours if not by others yet by them is acknowledged to be the care must be to do what the head and members of the Church shall in the fear of God resolve to be fittest and not what other Churches expect for if that were the rule it would be a very fallacious and very puzling one the expectations of severall Churches being as severall and the choice of some difficulty which of them was fittest to be answer'd But then secondly what the expectation of other Churches have been in this point or what the reasons of them we do not punctually know onely this we do that after your solliciting of many which is another thing somewhat distant from their expecting we hear not of any that have declared their concurrence in opinion with you in this But on the contrary that in answer to your Letter directed to the Church of Zeland the Wallachrian Classis made this return to you that they did approve set and prescribed forms of publique Prayer as profitable and tending to edification quite contrary to what you before objected of the Offence to the Protestant Churches abroad and now of their expectation c. and give reasons for that approbation both from Texts of Scriptures and the generall practice of the Reformed Church avouching particularly the forementioned place of Calvin and conclude it to be a precise singularity in those men who do reject them And now I beseech you speak your knowledge and instance in the particular if any Church have in any addresse made to you or
the last yeer was in any reason to be accounted prooemicall and preparatory to some farther degree of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or disorder and to be attended by the abolltion of the Liturgy in the beginning of this new yeer Episcopacy and Liturgie being like the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the Aegyptians this Daughter to attend that Mother as among the Barbarians when their Prince died some of the noblest were constantly to beare him company out of the World not to mourn for but to die with him A thing that the People of this Kingdom could never have been imagined lowe or servile enough to beare or endure I am sure within few yeers they that sate at the stern of action conceived so and therefore were fain by Declaration to disavow all such intentioÌ„n of violence till by such other assayes and practises and experiments they were found to be satis ad servitutem parati sufficiently prepared for any thing that was servile almost uncapable of the benefit or relief of a Jubilee like the slave in Exodus that would not go out free but required to be bored thorow the eare by his Master to be a slave for ever Sect. 7 Sixtly That it is one profest act of Gods secret wisdom to make such trials as this of mens fidelity and sence and acknowledgement of his so long indulged favours to see who will sincerely mourn for the departing of the glory from Israel whether there be not some that with the Captive Trojan Woman in Homer who wept so passionately at the fall of Patrocluâ— but made that publick losse the season to prowre out their private grifes are sensible of those sufferings of the Church onely wherein their interests are involved and more neerly concerned whether not some that count the invasion of the Revenues of the Church a Sacriledge a calamity and unparallell'd but think the abolition of the Liturgie unconsiderable a veniall sin and misery whether that wherein Gods glory is joyned with any secular interest of our own that which makes the separation betwixt Christ and Mammon may be allowed any expression of our passion or zeal i. e. in effect whether we powre out one drop for Christ in all this deluge of tears or whether like uncompounded selflovers whose onely centre and principle of motion is ourselves we have passion to no spectacle but what the looking glasse presents to us with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 making God the pretâ—nce and apology for that kindness which is paid and powered 〈◊〉 â—nto another shrine For of this there is no doubt that of â—ll the changes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 designed and offered to authority there is none for which flesh and blood passions and interests of men can allow to â—ree a sufâ—rage so regertlesse a consent as this of the abolition of the Liturgie The sâ—uggishnesse of ungifted men the onely thing that is affirmed to be concerned in or to gaine by it is perfectly mistaken as shall a non appear and were there not a God in Heaven the care of whose honour obliged us to endeavour the preservation of it were not a future growth of Atheisme and Prophanenesse the feared consequent of such abolition and notorious experience ready to avow the justnesse of this feare I have reason to be confident that no Advocate would offer Libell no Disputer put in exception against this present Directory I am privy to my own sence that I should not I have rather reason to impute it to my selfe that the want of any such carnall motive to stir me up to this defence might be the cause that I so long deferr'd to undertake it and perhaps should have done so longer if any man else had appear'd in that argument And therefore unlesse it be strange for men when there be so many tempters abroad to be permitted to temptations sure Gods yeilding to this act of the importunity of Satan who hath desired in this new way to explore many will not be strange neither Sect. 8 Lastly that our so long abuse of this so continued a mercy our want of diligence in assembling our selves together the too ordinarie fault of too many of the best of us our generall scandalous unexcusable disobedience to the commands of our Church which requires that service to be used constantly in publike every day the vanity of prurient tongues and itching eares which are still thirsting news and variety but above all the want of ardor and fervency in the performance of this prescribed service the admitting of all secular company I meane worldly thoughts into its presence preferring all secular businesse before it the generall irreverence and indifference in the celebrations may well be thought to have incouraged Satan to his expetivit to the preferring his petition to God and his importunity at length to have provoked God to deliver up our Liturgy to him and his ministers to oppose and maligne to calumniate and defame and at last to gaine the countenance of an Ordinance to condemne and execute it as at this day The Lord be mercifull to them that have yeilded to be instrumentall to that great destroyer in this businesse Sect. 9 I have thus far laboured to presse home that part of St. Peters exhortation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to think the calamity strange which hath befallen this Church in this matter on no other purpose but to discharge that duty which we owe to Gods secret providence of observing the visible worke of it that discerning our selves to be under his afflicting hand we may I. Joyn in the use of all probable means to remove so sad a pressure by humbling our selves and reforming those sins which have fitted us for this captivity then 2. that we may compassionate and pardon and blesse and pray for those whose hands have been used in the execution of this vengeance and reproach upon the land and Lastly That we may endeavour if it be possible to disabuse and rectifie those who are capable by more light of safer resolutions To which purpose these following animadversions being design'd in the bowels of compassion to my infatuated Countrey-men and out of a sincere single desire that our sins may have some end or allay though our miseries have not and therefore framed in such a manner as I conceived might prove most usefull by being most proportionable to them who stood most in need of them without any oblation provided for any other shrine any civility for the more curious Reader are here offered to thee to be dealt with as thou desirest to be treated at that last dreadfull tribunall which sure then will be with acceptation of pardon and with that Charity the but just return to that which mixt this antidote for thee which will cover a multitude of sins CHAP. I. IN the Ordinance prefixt to the Directory being almost wholly made up of forms of Repeal there are onely two things worthy of any stay or consideration Sect. 1 1. The motives upon which the
Houses of Parliament have been inclined to think it necessary to abolish the Book of common-Common-Prayer and establish the Directory and those are specified to be three First the consideration of the manifold inconveniences that have risen by the Book in this Kingdom 2. The resolution according to their Covenant to reform Religion according to the word of God and the best reformed Churches 3. Their having consulted with the Learned and Pious and Reverend Divines to that purpose from whence they conclude it necessary to abolish the Book Sect. 2 To this conclusion inferr'd upon these premises I shall confidently make this return 1. That the conclusion is as illogicall as any that any Assembly of wise men have ever acknowledged themselves to be guilty of no one of the three Motives being severally of strength to bear such a superstructure and therefore all together being as unfufficient for if the conclusion were onely of the prudence or expedience of taking it away somewhat might be pretended for that inference from the premises supposing them true But when 't is of necessity and that twise repeated and so not casually fallen from them there must then be somewhat of precept divine in the premises to induce that necessity or else it will never be induced for I shall suppose it granted by them with whom I now dispute that nothing is necessary in the worship of God but what God hath prescribed the necessity of precept being the onely one that can have place in this matter and the necessitas medii being most improper to be here pleaded But that there is no such direct precept so much as pretended to by those three motives it is clear and as clear that all together do not amount to an interpretative precept For that a lawfull thing though prest with manifold inconveniences should be removed is no where commanded the lawfull Magistrate but left to his prudence to judge whether there be not conveniences on the other side which may counterballance those inconveniences much lesse is it commanded the inferiour Courts in despight of King and standing Law For what ever of expedience and so of prudence might be supposed to interpose that may be sufficient to incline a Wise Magistrate to make a Law but not any else either to â—surp the power of a Law-maker or to do any thing contrary to establish'd Laws there being nothing that can justifie the least disobedience of Subjects to their Prince or the Laws of the Kingdom but that obligation to that one superiour Law of that higher Prince our Father which is in heaven which being supposed 't is not all the resolutions and Covenants in the world that can make it lawfull for any so to disobey much lesse necessary any more then the saying Corban in the Gospel iâ—e pretending a vow will free the Childe from the obligation of honouring or relieving his Father or then Herod's vow made it lawfull to cut off the head of John the Baptist and then how far the consultation with those Divines may induce that necessity will upon the same ground also be manifest to any especially that shall remember with what caution that Assembly was by the Houses admitted to consult and with what restraints on them and professions that they were call'd onely to be advisers when they were required but not to conclude any thing either by a generall concurrence or by that of a Major part any farther then the reasons which they should offer them might preuail with them to which purpose it was so ordered that if any one man dissented from the rest of their Divines his opinion and reasons were as much to be represented to the Houses as that other of the rest of the Assembly Sect. 3 By this I conceive it appears that I have not quarrell'd causelesly with the Logick of this conclusion the premises pretending at most but motives of expedience and so as unable to infer a necessity as a Topicall argument is to demonstrate or a particular to induce an universall That which I would in charity guesse of this matter as the cause of this mistake is my not groundlesse suspicion that when the Presbyterians had prepared the premises the Independents framed the conclusion the former of these joyning at last with the other in a resolution of taking away the Book but onely on prudentiall considerations not out of Conscience of the unlawfulnesse and proportionably setting down those reasons but prudentiall reasons and the latter though restrained from putting conscience into the premises yet stealing it secretly into the conclusion and so each deceiving and being deceived by each-other I am not sure that my conjecture is right in this particular yet have I a reason to insert it I Because I find in many places of the Directory certain footsteps of this kind of composition and complyance and mixture of those so distant sorts of Reformers 2. Because the Presbyterians which have formerly appeared both in other and in this Kingdom whose copy these present reformers of that party have transcribed have constantly avowed the lawfulnesse of Liturgy and so cannot affirm any necessity of abolishing witnesse Calvin himself whom we shall anon have occasion to produce and the practice of the Church of Geneva and neerer to our selves witnesse those foure classes which in Q. Elizabeths dayes had set themselves up in this Kingdom These had made complaint to the Lord Burleigh against our Liturgy and entertained hopes of obtaining his favour in that businesse about the yeer 1585. he demanded of them whether they desired the taking away of all Liturgy they answered no he then required them to make a better such as they would desire to have setled in the stead of this The first Classis did accordingly frame a new one somewhat according to the Geneva form But this the second Classis disliked and altered in 600 particulars that again had the fate to be quarrell'd by the third Classis and what the third resolved on by the fourth and the dissenting of those Brethren as the Division of tongues at Babel was a fair means to keep that Tower then from advancing any higher Nay even for our neighbours of Scotland themselves what ever some of them of late have thought fit to do since they became Covenanteers in animosity perhaps and opposition to that terrible mormo the Liturgy sent to them from hence we know that they were Presbyterians formerly without seeing any necessity of abolishing Liturgy Sect. 4 'T is no news to tell you that Mr Knox wrote a Liturgy wherein there is frequent mention of the dayes of Common Prayer and among many other particulars these ensuing worthy your remark 1. Plain undisguised confessions of such faults which this age though as notoriously guilty of as they will not put into publick forms or leave upon record against themselves as That for the pleasure and defence of the French they had violated their Faith oft breaking the leagues of unity and
acknowledge to be guilty of great uncharitablenesse in affirming I shall not be so uncharitable as to wish that the judgement of the Civill Law may be your doom and the sentence that belongs to Superstition be the reward of your defamation I shall not say so much as the Lord reprove by way of imprecation but once more repeat Lord lay it not to your charge Sect. 31 Upon these grounds you proceed that having not consulted with flesh and blood c. This sure in St Pauls phrase Gal. 1. 16. signifies not consulting with men though Apostolicall as consulting with them is opposed to immediate revelation from Heaven and then sure your Assembly was very spirituall and very heavenly for with them you confesse to have consulted but if you mean by the phrase in a larger sense earthly or humane interests I shall onely ask whether all the actions which have proceeded from you are so visibly divine and unmixt with earth so apparently uninterested that your own testimony should be sufficient to give credit to this affirmation Sect. 32 Having said this you proceed to the conclusion that you resolved to set up the Directory and in it to hold forth such things as are of divine Institution in every Ordinance and other things be set forth according to the rules of Christian Prudence agreeable to the generall rules of the Word of God And now 't is a little strange but yet that which my temper obliges me to desire may still be my fate when I fall upon a Controversie with any that we which have been at such distance all this while should just now meeâ— at parting that such contradictory premises should beget the same conclusion For there is not a better Rule in the World nor any which I would rather chuse to be judged by in this matter then that which is here proposed by you Onely I desire a little importunately to be advertised where it is that the Compilers of our Liturgie have swerved from it Where you have swerved we have instanced in many particulars in our Answer to the Ordinance and shall now once for all demand what rules of prudence oblige you to turn those many severals there mentioned out of the Service of the Church every one of them tending to edfication directly over and above the agreeablenesse of each to the generall rules of Scripture in particular whether it be agreeable to Christian Prudence to a bolish a Liturgie which hath been so piously and discrectly framed by those who have seal'd our Reformation with their blood and in stead of it to bring in a voluntary way of serving God in a Nationall Church where there be many thousand Parishes and no such promise of divine inspiration or enthusiasme but that there may be still some number of those Ministers who will not be able to speak constantly in the Congregation so as in the presence of Angels they ought to speak The experiments that have given us reason thus to fear and desire prevention of the like we are again tempted to adde unto this paper but we delight not to demonstrate them guilty of Blasphemies who have accused us of Superstition We desire this fault may be cured by some milder recipe Sect. 33 As for that which in passing you say that by your Directory Ministers may be directed to keep like soundnesse of Doctrine this indeed is a prerogative of the Liturgie which hath alwayes been used as an hedge to keep out errours and to retain a common profession of Catholick verities but cannot belong to your Directory which hath neither Creed nor Catechism nor one Article of Religion or Doctrine asserted in it but leaves that wholly to the Preacher whose doctrine that it should be sound at all or agree with the doctrine of all other Preachers and so be like sound here is no provision made We have thus call'd your Preface also to some triall and found it of such a composure and temper 1. So many variations from truth which one that desires to be civill must be unjust if he do not call them so that we cannot with any pleasure give an account of our judgement of them 2. So many unconcluding premises Affirmations which if they were all supposed true would never come home to abolition and among all the heap so no one truth which is of importance or weight toward that conclusion that now we conceive we have discharged the task given the Reader such a view of the inward parts of this spatious fabrick that he will not wonder that we are not so passionately taken with the beauty as to receive at a venture whatsoever is contain'd in it For supposing there were never an unseasonable Direction in all the Book following yet the reception of that being founded in the ablition both of ours and of all Liturgy the Christians prudence agreeable to the word of God which is here commended to us obliges us to stop our ears to such slight temptations and never to yeeld consent to the but laying aside that form of Service which we have by establisht Law so long enjoyed to the great content and benefit of this Nation though God knows some have not made so holy others so thankfull an use of it as it deserved of us some neglecting it others slandering and so many bringing worldly hearts along with them which though they are great evils under which this divine Liturgy hath suffered yet being the infelicities not the crimes the crosse which hath made it like unto our Saviour in being spit on â—evil'd and crown'd with thorns for such he cals the cares of this world the most contumeliâ—us part of the suffering and not at all the guilt being wholly accidentall and extrinsecall to it must never be exchanged for the certain evils naturall and intrinsecall to the no-Liturgy and withall the greater mischiefs which may probably follow this alteration for all which patience and submission we have not the least kind of invitation save onely that of the noise and importunity of some enemies which should it be yeelded to would I doubt not be resisted and prest again with the Petitions of many thousands more importuning the return and restitution of the Liturgy again unlesse by this means the Devil should gain an absolute and totall manumission cast off all his trashes and presently get rid of both his enemies Religion and Liturgie together A Postscript by way of Appendix to the two former Chapters Sect. 1 THe truth of all which we have hitherto spoken if we have not sufficiently evidenced it already will abundantly appear by one farther testimony which is authentick and undeniable to them against whom we speak And it is what the providence of God and the power of truth hath extorted from them their own confession in a book just now come to my hands called a Supply of Prayer for the Ships that want Ministers to pray with them agreeaâ—le to the Directory established by Parliament published by