constituted under God Bishop or Overseer of the things without 3 Other persons as well as Moses and David might write Scripture if they could if God afforded them the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 potentia they would not want the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 potestas 3. Circumstances in these forementioned acts might be Extraordinarie the Substances not being so proportionably as to compose prayers by Inspiration is Extraordinarie but to compose prayers in general or with good and great assistances of the Spirit though not with that afflation or incitation from God which was peculiar to Prophets c. sure is Ordinarie But 4. he particularly excepts to the Lords-Prayer and though he will not deny but that any Godly man may use it as he granted of Forms universally above p. 2. yet 1. not as the manner is at the end of his own and 2. not as a Form But 1 why not at the end of another prayer what reason for his dislike of that course hath the Scripture determined in this circumstance Not at all at least he 's silent in the matter 2 That it is a Form he sayes will be hard to prove But though it be hard if it be not insuperably hard we hope the businesse may be atchieved b Quod â—ere fit non fit quod vix fit fit Vetus Grammaticorum Regula and with reputation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But why hard Why Because 1. It was delivered as part of Christ's first Mount-Sermon and as a direction like as he directs to fast c. at the same time c. To which we say 1. Though it were a part of his Sermon or Doctrine nothing hinders but that it may be a part of our Devotion c See above 2. And though it be a direction to pray yet as a Standard for any measure dry or liquid is not onely a Rule to other measures but may be used as a measure also it self and as a Scrivener's Copy containing all the Letters and combinations thereof may not onely be written-after in the use of other Sentences according to that pattern but may also it self be copied-out So that B. Prayer though it direct yet may it also it self be used as a formal Prayer 3. In this matter Christ begins with the Doctrine of praying in general and after sundry precepts and instructions proceeds to a particular Form After this manner c. which is well observed by the Arabick Translator exhibited in the late London-Bible where we find this division from v. 5. to 9. the Doctrine of praying Counsel about prayer then a Form of Prayer a Doctrina Orandi Confilium de Oratione Then Formula Orandi See Doctor Casaubon's Vindication of the Lord's-Prayer p. 20. 4. When Christ saies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after this manner the very words however it hath been argued to the contrary from them give Christ to have intended a prescript Form however they importing so much he would have used some words to prevent our mistake if he had not so intended In ordinary construction when it is sayd You shall say thus the words that follow there b Go and say unto Pharaoh Thus saith the Lord oft in Exodus those very words there recorded were used by God to Moses when he commissioned him See also Gen 45. 9. See Amos 1 11. eight times are intended and no other 5. Otherwise had he intended onely a model he would rather for prevention of error have sai'd c Id ib. p. 27 28. Pray that your sins may be forgiven c. as elsewhere pray that your flight may be in the summer whereto sayes my Authour may be added that Emblem of a Formal Prayer Amen at the end for corroboration d Id ib p. 29. But then 6. S. Luke e Luk â—1 â— as if foreseeing that some would stick at and argue from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ha's used such words as leave no ground for scruples and evasions When ye pray say i. e. do it in haec verba use these words and syllables For what phrase is there to express such a meaning if this be not Besides in this of S. Luke the occasion would be considered It came to passe saith he as Jesus was praying one of his Disciples sai'd unto him Lord teach us to pray as John also taught his Disciples From which we gather that this was the custome of the Doctors of Israel to deliver some certain Form of Prayer to their Disciples to use as it were a Badge and Symbolum of their Discipleship at least S. John Baptist had done so unto his Disciples and thereupon our Saviour's besought him that he also would give them in like manner some Form of his own making that they might also pray with their Master's Spirit as John's did with their's For that either our Saviour's or S. John's Disciples knew not how to pray till now 't were ridiculous to imagine they being both sorts of them Jewes who had their certain set hours of prayer which they constantly observed as the third sixth and ninth c. Here Observe That this delivery of the Lord's-Prayer in S. Luke is not the same with that related by S. Matth. but another a See Doctor Hammond on S. Luke 11. 3. See Mr. Mede in his Diatribe on S. Mat 6. 9. p. 3 4 5. See also Doctor M. Casaubon ut suprà p. 31 3â— 33 34 35 36 37 38 39. at another time and upon another occasion That of S. Matth in the Sermon of Christ on the Mount That of S. Luke upon a special motion of the Disciples at a time when himself had done praying That of S. Matth in the second That of S. Luke in the third Year after his Baptisme Consider the Text of both and you shall find it impossible to bring them into one c. So as Joseph sai'd to Pharaoh b Gen xli 32. The dream is doubled unto Pharaoh because the thing is established by God in like manner the delivery of this Prayer was doubled to the Disciples that they and we might know thereby the more certainly that our Saviour intended and commended it for a set Form of Prayer unto his Church 2. He 'l prove it hard to be proved a Form Because the Evangelists differ in relating the particulars and S. Luke hath not the Doxology Answ 1. That if this Argument might take place when we celebrate the Lords-Supper we must not pronounce the words which Christ spake in that action for they are related in diverse Books c See S. Mat. 26. 26. S. Mar. 14. 22. S. Luke 22. 19. compared with 1 Cor 11. 24. 23. of the Scripture so that one of the Evangelists that registred them hath not Do this in remembrance of me 2. That this is a wrong Conclusion that we ought not to take heed to the words under pretence of the difference in them Contrarily whereas God repeats the same thing in diverse words by so much
Coelestinus P. Romanus and being a conservatorie of it 2. that it contributeth very much to the more reverential more solemn compleat and auguste worship of the Divine Majesty in the Assembly of the Saints 3. that it is of great advantage benefit and comfort to the more judicious knowing discerning well-bred sort of Christians so hugely conducing to their securitie and to the requisite that is holy humble and fiducial accommodation framing or composure of their hearts or spirits in God's service 4. that it is of inestimable advâ—ntage to the populacâ—e or meâ—ner people as in point of Vnion unâ—nimity and peace so of edification and growth in spiritual improvements and finally of salvation To this sort of men and women dayly varietie in Prayer or Sacraments as Bishep Gauden d Considerations touching the Lituâ—gy p. 9 10 11 12. The Minist praies in an unknown tengue to the poor Country-man when he vents what he never heard before saies M. D. W. in 's Vindic. of the Form of Com Prayers p. 27. hath more than once worthily observed being much what as Latine Service In the rejection and want of which Liturgie what a general decadeâ—cie in point of good and Christian tempers and manners hath befel the English people otherwise the best-natured and most religious in the World as to ignorance profanitie superstition scandal of conversation villanie of opinions as of actions faction irreverence and how these have beleapred them is as visible as green the hand of God punishing e Id. ib. p. 40 41. them by huge impairements as-to sound and saving knowledges as also by horrible apostasies as-to the moral and practical the equitable and charitable patts of Religion 5. that it is the standing notification to all that come of the condition and terms of our publick Communion their Religion ann manner of addresses to and congresse with God in His open service by warranting us to say to any that we would make Converts This is our Communion thus we serve God hither we would bring you here we would land you a See the pious and worthy Mâ— Oly 's Preface to Mr Herbert 's Paâ—toraâ— p. 54. 6. that there may be an union and conspiration of tongues at once and hearts or spirits 7. that the verity of the doctrine the piety the honesty and singleness of our desires petitions and purposes as also what much imports politically the uprightness of our designs in our Assemblings may be pre-secured II. For our particular Liturgy I propose these things following to the Reader 's consideration 1. Consider that it was compiled weighed and surveied by Doctors Martyrs or Confessors men of admirable sincerity Cranmer Ridley Taylor Jewel Grindal c. And on this stock how ought that of Lâ—rinensis in the Margine b Librum Sacerdotalem quis vestrum resignare audeat signatum à Confessoribus multorum jam Martyrio consecratum And a liâ—â—le after Quomodo fidem eorum possumns denegare quorum victoriam praedicamus Vâ—ncent contrâ— haereses c. 7. mihi p. 12 13. to take place 2. Consider the manner of its composition or frame namely 1 out of the Doctrines of very Scripture 2 in a popular and decent order consisting of such things for its matter as might make most for Edification 3 all things of stain and all mâ—ener of filth oâ— blemish which were rife in Salisburie Use that of Lincoln c. being dispunged and redressed and 4 onely whatsoever in the Antient Liturgies was perfectly according to the ballance of the Sanctuarie thence gathered and here centred 3. Consider its Comprehensivenesse as 1 taking-in all Forms of 1 Tim. 2. 1. The Confession and Absolution being the preparative part Praying Confession Supplication Intercession giving of Thanks Praise and Imprecation and 2 these all addressed to God alone 3 all things idololatrical superstitious oâ— otherwise unsound or unwholsome being wholly excluded as invocation of Saints of the consecrated Bread the Crosse c. 4 selecting apt portions of Scripture and Texts inservient to time place occasion as also to instruction and edification of the flock or people 5. Annexing a brief and easie but a most excellent most prudent Catechism 6. Praescribing such gestures a Et â—escio quomodo eùmhi motus corporis fieri nisi animi motu pracedente non possint eisdeÌ„ rursus exterius visibiliter factis ille interior invisibilis qui eos fecit augetur â—â— per hoc â—ordis affectus qui ut fierent ista praecessit quiâ— facta sout creâ—â—it Aug. De Curâ pro mortuis c. 5. Exterior cultus est consessio quaedam cultus interioris Aquinas 1 2. quâ— 94. ex Augustino of sitting standing kneeling in the Worship of God as very maignly makes for the reverence and devotional humble awful carriage of that matter 7. In ordering also seasonable devout alternations Antiphonies or Responsories 'twixt Priest and People b But I must commend the Ordeâ—s of Answers of the People in all places of the Service where it stands It refreshes their attention it teacheth them their part at Publick Prayers not to stand by and censure how well the Minister playes the mouth of the Congregation c. Thorndike of Religious Assemblies p. 406. powerfully to cherish and harmoniously to betoken agreement love and charity and mutual correspondencie and to discharge and cast-off drowsinesse or littlesse supinitie they being as the reverberations and Ecchoings of fervent intent and humble affections as likewise pregnant and quick excitations and elevations of the spirit interchangably 8. Accommodating it self to all the uses or needs of the Church as Administration of the two Sacraments Confirmation of grown persons Celebration of Matrimonie Visitation and consolation of the sick Burial of the dead Thanksgiving of Women after Child-birth Interminations and Exterminations of nororiously evil or scandalous livers out of the Church 4. Consider what suffrages it hath obtained of famous men 1 Isaac Casaubon's c View of the Directorie p. 62. who admired the care of antiquitie and puritie in this Church of ours proclaiming every where in his Epistles to all his friends * Quòd si me conjectura non fallit torius Reformationis parâ— integerrima est in Angliâ Uhi cum studio veritatis viget studiuÌ„ antiquitatis c. Casaub Epist Salmas quae est CIX See also his Ep. Ded praefix Exercit. ed Baron If in our France Reformation had been caried on without so much varying from the form of the antient Church many thousands more now most averse from the doctrine of our Churches had been converted Casaub to Grot Ep. CCXXI 6 Kal. Febr. That there was not any where in the World the like to be found nor â—ver hoped he to see it till he came into this Kingdom 2 Bucer's d lb. p. 13 14. But see also a copious Tract of Buceâ— 's among his Anglicane Writings for the puritie and thorow-Reformation of it who testified of K. Ed. VIth-his
admirable Bishop Andrewes that will tell him b Sermon of Worshipping Imaginations p. 37. That without Set Forms which are tantomount to him we are dealing withall with Liturgies we cannot serve God in spirit whereof his reason is because saith he it is plain that those that give themselves to imagine c Concerning their stops and humines and demurres of humane imperfection intituled to the unutterable groans of the spirit among the ablest of this opinion See Thorndike of Assem p. 216. 217. See also p. 218. And Dr Laâ— Wom Beaten â—yâ—e c. p. 16 17. prayer at the same instant do so occupie their minds with devising still what to say next their spirit is unfruitfull a The Minister may better pray reading than they pray studying as they must aâ— where is his zeal when he hath sense to look and scarce knows what comes next Mr D. Whitby 's Vindic. of the Form of Com. Prayers c. p. 27. no lesse than the others Papist understanding And both these 1. the understanding of the mind 2. and the affection of the spirit are there necessarily required Neither will the Scriptures he cites afford him the least countenance for this his daring charge Worshiping in spirit c. S. Joh. 4. 20 24. being set in opposition only to the appropriating of worship to some singular places Jerusalem or that Mountain b See Josephus lib. Antiq. XII c. 1. not to bodily worship nor is producible as any apologie or excuse for the omission thereof c The Reader is intreated â—o see Mr Mede's Diatribe on John 4 23. where p. 198 199 200. he asserts the commendablenesse yea requisitenesse of bodily Worship under the Gospel shewing that this Text is abused as alledged against it and gives us two interpretations of it the first p. â—01 is That to worship God in Spirit and Truth is to worship him not with types and shadows of things to come as in the Old Testament but according to the verity of the things exhibited in Christ according to that Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ See the same Evangelist c. 17. v. 17. and Ephes 1. 13. and Rom. 15. 8. no longer with bloody sacrifices and the Rites and Ordinances depending thereupon but in and according to the verity of that which these Ordinances figured c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saies Eusebius Demonstr Evang. l. 1. c. 9. and correspondently diverse other of the Antients The second interpretation which the said learned Mr Mede most approves is in spirit that is conceiving of him no otherwise then in Spirit And in truth that is not under any corporeal or visible shape as of a Dove 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not fancying him as a Body but as indeed he is a Spirit See Rom. 1. 25. Amos 2. 4. Isay 28. 15. Jer. 16. 19. From which latter sense he frames this argument for bodily Worship To worship what they know as the Jews are said to do and to worship in Spirit and truth are taken by our Saviour for equivalent else the whole sense will be inconvenient But the Jews worshipped not God without Rites and Ceremonies who yet are supposed to worship him in spirit and truth Ergò to worship God without Rites and Ceremonies is not to worship him in spirit and truth according to the meaning here intended This is his demonstration p. 209. The Homily against the peril of Idolatry p. 3. peculiarly applies the Text against worshipping of God in an Image however frequently vouched by sundry Asâ—matists and by a lusty wrench directed by them against the conjunction d Adoratio corporalis in Spiritu fit in quantum ex spirituali devotione procedit ad cam ordinatur Aquinas 2dae 2dà qu. 84. art 1. There should be such correspondency 'twixt soul and body as between the Living Creatures and wheels When those went these went c. Ezek. 1. 21. See Ps 95. 6. S. Luke â—â— 41. Rev. 4. 10. and 11. 16. See Bishop And. on Comments Addition 8. p. 103. of the body with the spirit in the service of God And yet never that I before heard of was it urged against Set Forms for so he takes Liturgie as is apparent p. 4. l. 9. And then for his other places Isaiah 29. 13. not 33. it serves as little to his turn for 't is boundlesse calumny to say That all those that use the English Common-Prayer-Book honour God onely with their mouth or lips without the application of their heart and for the latter part of the Text their fear towards me is taught by the precepts of men 't is onely a perstriction a Homines nempe à Deo non instituti qui in nudis ritibus sine animi emendatione cultum Dei collocant Tales doctores erant falsi illorum temporum prophetae Grot in loc or rebuke of the false Prophets of those times as men who being not ordained instituted or sâ—nt of God placed the worship of God in naked rites without the betterance or amâ—ndment of the Soul Now whether all that love the Liturgie be men of this sad character and base alloy I leave to the conscience of this Objecter to passe verdict when he communes with himself in his Chamber and is still His Fourth Reason is Because that onely which is needfull in the service of God is to be made c. A worthy reâ—son But he abets it out of Act. 15. 28. It seemed good c. to lay upon you no greater burden then these necessary things Was ever Scripture more sottishly applyed For shame know or acknowledge that those words concern a particular emergencie and case the danger of the tender-Jew-Christians being scandalized galled or averted from Christianity if those Precepts given to the Sons of Noah Of obstaining from meats offered to Idols c. as they follow vers 29. were not for a while observed by the Gentile Converts Now will this Author against his own marginal Rule p. 12. argue from a particular to a general and because these onely Necessaries such in that juncture or at that turn were then imposed conclude that therefore a Form of Prayer must not be made or imposed because none of these or not necessarie as these were at that knot of time 'T is pity to insist longer and distinguish of Necessary or Necessity that some things are necessary to the Beeing or absolutely others to the wel-Being comparatively on condition or in a more remiss degree Who pretends that Liturgies are absolutely necessary or to the Being Of what needfulnesse Liturgies are see in the Preface of a Church or Child of God as such but then to the solemne publick worship of God they are very hugely requisite and needfull if that signify as sure it do's lower than necessary and which Mr. P. when necessary was in the Text of the Acts ha's put in his proposition instead thereof as ashamed sure to pretend that every thing in the service
Nature or sends him to learn them from the mouth of his teachers More than this in the ordinarie proceedings of the H. Spirit in matter of instruction I yet could never descrie Proporâ—ionably to which I adde the spirit helps to pray by directing to good forms of Prayer Accordingly 3. the Spirit is our Advocate Paraclete signifies that in setling a Ministry to pray and intercede for their several Corgregations and enabling them even in the Apostles times to form a Liturgie to continue in the Church to that end and thereby helping our infirmities and teaching us to pray as we ought a See Practical Catechism l. 5. Sect. 3. p. 401. 4. Some may not know what things to ask foâ— now the Text in Rom 8. 26. imports that the Spirit helps us in â—he latter as when we pray but know not our selves what is best noâ— consequently what we ought to pray for particularly health or wealth or honour then Christ joines His helping hand b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 joines in relieving to ours joineâ— His prayers to ours for that which he knows we most want and so helps to relieve us in all our distresses c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by us rendred infirmities See Dr Hammond in Loc. Now the Spirit or Christ â—hus suggesting a wise choice of the matter words phrases oâ—der method may still need and be advantageously supplyed by Forms oâ— Liturgies and without those helps will be wanting in many who yet are worthie Christians His second Return is by a Dilemma Because they help neither those that have no grace nor those that have grace Not the former for what good will Crutches saies he scurrilously do to a dead man as every gracelesse man is But to this I easily Answer 1. That this will exclude all prayer whether stinted or conceived for what abilitie hath a dead man or what good doth it to him even all prayer put-up by himself He 's dead he can't conceive prayer and 't is not conceived how he should or even so much as speak or move his lips All the Contra-Remonstrants d See Collatio Hagiensis of which number I oft discover our Author to be asscribe no more unto man in the work of his regeneration which confines with this matter than they asscribe to him in his generation or resurrection For they say e Sicut ad nativitatem suam As no man contributes ought of his own to his birth or to his raising from the dead so also to his conversion no man contributes or confers but it 's the meer work of the grace of God in Christ which works in us not onely the power of believing but also faith it self Again he 's dead and Donteclock * counts all his best endeavours which tend to his salvation to be vain fruitlesse and conducing more to his hurt than benefit before faith and the spirt of regeneration by unresistible operations for so 't is obvious and necessarie to understand his meaning are infused into him a Concludimus omnem zelum omnemque curam quam promovendae salvis suae homines adhibent vanam frustraneâ— esse magisque obesse quà m prodesse ante fidem spiritum renovationis 2. But whereas he saies every natural man is dead citing Eph II. 1 5. I might say that Symbolical Divinitie is little Argumentative 2. The same Apostle afterwards saies that they are but asleep b Eph 5. 14. See 1 Tim 5. 6. speaking of the same dead men 3. I ask are we all Heathen for such these were of whom the Apostle speaks You Heathens lying like so many carkasses desperately gone in all kind of sins but which state you had contracted by walking v. 2. That is for many years together living formerly and securely going on in the epidemical sins of the nations the custome of the Gentile World 4. I deny not that without Christ we are rightly said to be dead in sins yet 't wil be rashnesse to affirm all that are called by the Gospel to be altogether without Christ 5. I say all unregenerate persons indeed are dead but in a figurative sense 'T is certainly true no unregenerate person lives in Christ even because he wants faith mean while how will it be proved that we all lost this faith or the power of it in Adam so as to be said to be dead to it by our nature properly so called This is easily appliable to the case before us But 't will be farther cleared by our Answer to his third Return which is 3. If he have grace he wants no crutches because he 's cured To which we say 1. â—hat his so oft menâ—ion of the wooden Metaphor crutches imports that naturally we are onely debilitated or maimed not dead and do's not this crosse with what he said before That we were dead 2. Crutches implying but impotencie and imperfection there may be many so impotent and imperfect in Grace Babes in Christ Lambs of the Flock as to need helps which at their very weakest they are not so dead but that by the preventing Grace of Christ which offers c Omnibus offertur Dei misericordia Nemo illius expers est nisi qui renuit S. Bernard Serm. 1. in Purif Mar. it self to all for their quickening they may make use of 3. It may be and is often so that a man may have excellent sentiments and very gratious conceptions which yet wanting utterance and command of expression or phrase he cannot meetly d Fieri autem potest ut rectè quis sentiat id quod sentit poli tè eloqui non possit Cicero Tuscul Quaest l. 1. mihi p. 3. expresse and herein a Form will stead him very much that he be not rash with his mouth e Eccles 5. 2. 4. The Service of God in great and solemn Assemblies exacts greater maturitie solemnitie decencie and exactnesse therefore a well-formed Liturgie is highly requisite in this case which we shall farther speak unto when we have heard His 4. Return which is That if the lame should use it yet no reason why the cured also should To which I oppose the Reverend Calvin's so-well-known saying a Epist 87. Quod ad formulam precum c. which I have set down above Whereby appears that there are other reasons than the being lame the obviating novellizing in some and that the Consent of the Churches may have the more certain Constat why these Crutches as he will call them should be under obligation to be leaned or walked on And thus we have routed all his Parade of Answers to our Arguments so many as he 's pleased to muster and accoustred or furnished with weapons so very much rebated in their edges as he thinks good for his interests and are now to attaque another Bodie of Arguments against our particular venerable Book which by Puritans and their spawn Brownists and Phanaticks of all sorts on one side and the Papists on
because more Scriptural Phrase and have said Many were offended or scandalled at it But then 3. this signifies but that they were displeased with or angrie at it not in the onely Scripture-sense of scandal made to sin by it a See Doctor Hammond of Scandal p. 26. § 10. and p. 35. § 33 c. See also Dr Taylors great Exemplar Part third Discourse 17. Of scandal or Giving and Taking Offence p. 463. and then his distinction may well take place There are two sorts of men 1 some are angrie and 2 some care not or have no reason to care for it 4. It 's piteous I must straight forgoe what another takes distast at 5. There 's an 1 offence given and an 2 an offence taken onely the distast or offence from the Book is to be arranged to the second member of the distinction 6. We are offended with their Church Polities their exterminations of Bishops their unsound Articles of Doctâ—ine their discarding of Tythes the unprimitivenesse of several matters in their Church-Establishments must we therefore denounce war against them preach Evangelium armatum as Ronsard said of some body and make them forgo their settlements 7. The loyal Sons and Daughters of the Church which were once the more numerous and I am sure ought ever to be the more considerable will be distasted if these things be taken away And is not in all congruitie of reason more regard to be had of a Son than a Rebel 8. Several great Clerks beyond Sea have highly approved our Liturgie not to speak of our Church-Government by numbers of them highly approved and earnestly wished b See Bishop Hall's Episcopacy by Divine Right Part 1. § 3. à p. 10. ad p. 17. See in my Preface Casaubon Gilbertus c. as in the Preface His Fifth Reason is Because it differs much from Liturgies in other Churches c The Liturgie of Scotland composed by John Knox is observed to be in many things like ours Some of their forms of words are directly all one with ours others with some small additions retaining our forms which yet are not enjoyned Answ 1. Why should our Liturgie be more taxed for disconformitie to theirs than theirs for not symbolizing with ours And 't will be an unreasonable begging of the Question to say theirs are better than ours when the highly learned Mons Casaubon prefer'd it not onely to his own that of the French Protestant-Churches but to all that ever he saw or heard of in modern times when again 't was part of Dr Featleys Manifesto d Dippers dipt p. 81. and challenge That the Common-Prayer-Book of England is the most compleat perfect and exact Liturgie now extant in the Christian World and much to the same purpose has Bishop Gauden in the words our Margin * â—do in all â—umble and â—onscientioâ—â— freedom expresse my judgment â—â— highly approâ—ing yea and admiring since I lately perused it more seriouslâ— the piety prudence competency aptitude of the Liturgâ—e of the Church of England as the best of any antient or modern that ever I saw And I think I have seen the most and best of them Considerations touching the Liturgie p. 30. exhibits And 2 it is not out of all dispute that in other Reformed Churches the reading or using of a stinted Form is not constant exacted a Compare the prayer which Beza used constantly before and after Sermon with the Geneva-Common Prayer Book See Mr Joh. Ball 's Tâ—yal c. c. 7. p. 121 122. of every Minister at all times 3. Their practise one way or other yeelds but smal comfort or countenance to those men who condemn all Liturgies as vain superfluous humane inventions a strange â—orship and breach of the second Commandement He adds as of himself now but the Assemblers Directorie hath the same Exception and before them also it was that of Johnson Greenwood Robinson c. and all the rable-rout of Sectaries a Sixth Reason Because it tends to maintain a lazy scandalous Ministerie Answ 1. That there is no affinitie 'twixt a Liturgie and an idle Ministerie For in the Primitive Church the abettours maintainers and in part devisers of Liturgies have and will when the See Gulâ—elm Apollonii his Lâ—tter or Tract to the Assembly in which toward the close he speaks in defense of set Forms The Book is also in English See S. Aug-Tract 9. in Joh 8. 12. 16. 21 29 35 37 50. â—ossidoniâ—s in Vitâ Aug. c. 21 c. Aug. de verb Do mini in Evang Ser. 15. De verb. Apost Ser. 5 6. names of their and Liturgies enemies shall be forgotten as their carcaises be of ever precious and sweetest memorie and renown for their uncessant and indefatigable labours in preaching c. S. S. Cyprian Ambrose Chrysostome Augustine were some of the Hero's I mean Oh! their learning and zeal confessed by the Adversaries Ye heard yesterday ye shall hear to morrow how risely do they occurre in their Sermons or Tractates as they call their Sermons S. Augustine even to extreamest sickness preached in his Church cheerfully and boldly without any intermission And others before and about those times are famed for the like industrie but all this while a Liturgie was in use Likewise they pressed the knowledge of Scriptures residence diligence in reading meditation and instruction of the people as necessarie duties When Religion was reformed in those whom God stirred up to that work how stupendous and even miraculous was the pains and industrie in preaching and yet generally they liked and framed a publick Form of stinted Liturgie 2. The Directorie as little provides against a lazy Ministry for as a many Ministers that are for that use stinted Forms of Prayer yea and they that would be thought to pray extempore make sundrie that shew a See the sweet and ingenious Tract called England's faith Monitour Reprover by some number of penned Prayers which variety they would fain have venditated for extemporarinesse so 't is but turning the heads of Prayers laid down direction-wise in the Directorie into a formal Prayer which the Composers suspected would happen and the matter 's done without any more â—-do 3. The Liturgie is complained of b See Hooker 1. 5. § 32. p. 205. for the tiring burdensom length of it and can he be lazy that conscientiously officiates by it and loves so to do c Nor doth the Directorie secure any from lazinesse seeing nothing â—ut lungs and sides may be used in the deliverie of any extempore prayer See Fullers Ch. Hist B. 11. p. 223. To his Seventh Reason drawn from the sufferings of some whom he 'l term Godly I have said enough alreadie d Answ to Reas XIV and shall adde no more meerly out of studie of all possible brevitie His Eighth is Because it hath tended to harden many Papists in their false Religion as seeing us come so neer them Answ 1. How neer we come to them
Answers defending the use of the name in case it should have some connotation or reference to sacrificing g See Dr Sparrows Rationale p. 259 260. where also another reason is set down with these two thence extracted 5. Altars have authoritie from the Gospel S. Matth. 5. 13. If thou bring thy gift to the Altar c. Now that the Offerings here mentioned were not a Jewish perishing Rite but a dutie of the Gospel to continue and consequentlie the word Altar must be look'd upon as to continue name and thing under the Gospel 't is underaken to be proved by good and solid reasons by someh. 'T will not be amisse to touch at those Reasons which are a See Bellarmine In Scriptorib Ecclesiast See Medes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 8. alibi that all Why do they use the word Sabbath so superstitiously when that is a Jewish word See Mr Fisher 's Defence of Christmasse-Festival the rest of the Sermon whereof the Text mentioned is a part is Gospel and of Duties obliging Christians therefore this b Habemus nos fideles â—ltare c. in Loc See Chrysostome Theophylact Occumenius in Loc. Haymo saies Altare Ecclesiae est ubi quotidiè corpus consecratur Christi Remigius Habemus ergò Altare Ecclesiae ubi consecratur â—oâ—pu Dominicum and before all the Precepts this severe sanction is prefac'd whosoever shall break c. Altars also are authorized from Hebr. XIII 10. of which saies Sedulius who lived c Sermon Of the Worshipping Imaginations p. 35 See also his Answer to Card â—erron p. 6. â— An. 430. and excerpted all his Notes on S. Paul's Epistles from Origen Ambrose Hierom and Austine and therefore his authoritie is the more considerable We d Enchiridii ad Laurent c. 120. Edit Danaei the Faithful have an Altar besides the Altar of the Jews whence we partake of the Bodie and bloud of Christ And universallie the Fathers speak of Altars every where in their Works material Altars for improper Sacrifices 6. Concerning the Word Sacrafice Bishop Andrewes e in c. 14. Marci See Mede's Christian Sacrifice p. 488 497 504. accounts it an imagination or fancie to take Ombrage at the word Many among us saies he phansie onely a Sacrament in this action breaking of bread and look strange at the mention of a sacrifice whereas we not onely use it as a nourishment spiritual as that it is too but as a mean also to renew a covenant with God by virtue of that sacrifice as the Psalmist speaks Ps I. 5. So our Saviour Christ telleâ—h us in the Institution Luk XXII 10. and the Apostle Hebr. XIII 10. And the Old Writers use no lesse the word sacrifice than Sacrament Altar than Table Offer than Eat but both indifferentlie to shew there is both For a tast See S. Austine f Missam audire dicitur qui Liturgiam â—uscultâ—r Missas tenere est Ecclesiasticos conventus agere Heâ—ce Missarum solennia celebrare Gratian de consecrat dist caâ— 12. Cùm ergò sacrificii sive altaris sive quarumcunque eleemosynarum c. and Bede g Ambros. Epist 35. l. 5 Ecclesiae mos obtinutt ut sacrificium altaris c. â—7 As to his Charge of Popiso names Christmasse c. I say the name is not Popish if it be so deemed because of the termination masse I â—ver â— that even missa or masse is not Popish far antienter than Poperie it signifying antiently the Worship of God h consisting in publick Prayers Thanksgivings Confession of Faith Reading of the Scriptures Receiving the Eucharist and so the antient Masse and Liturgie were the same But 2 the ending here masse and in Michaelmasse c. signifies a Feast a The old Saxon word maeâ—â—an from thence the English Mesâ—â— and Masse siâ—nifies a feast and accordingly with them any holy or festival day iâ— alled maeâ—â—an â—aeâ— Mâ—â—â—-day and so saith Varro doth the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Latin Messa from whence the common ward Mensa is but lightly removed and signifies the meat and not the table onely and all this from the Latine Missa because ad mensam mittitur it is sent or served up to the table Dr Hammonds sâ—xth Quaere Of the Festivals of the Church Sect. 56. p. 455 456. so that Christmasse is the Feast of Christ c. I need not adde 3 from Bishop Andrews b Iâ— Sermon third on the Nativitie on Gal. III 4. 5. whose authority he can value when it serves seemingly for his turn that Christmasse Christi missa all one with Christi missio is the sending of Christ and so it 's far enough from the Romish Masse or Liturgie His Tenth Reason is Because it is a verie imperfect Form there being many things wanting that we ought to pray for c. Answ 1. By reference to my Answ to his Fifth Reason against our Liturgie 2. By saying to his two Instances of that supposed imperfection No Prayer for assurance Nor any for sending forth Labourers c. that the former is not needful nay not useful to be prayed for S. Augustine saies c De Correp Gratià c. 13. See H Grotii Anamadversionâ—â— in Animadversiones Andreae Riveâ—i ad Art IV. p. 18. See also his Disquisitio Pelagiana p. 199 130 131 132. See also ib. p. 160 c. Scriptura dicit Beatus homo qui semper est pavidus Prov. 28. 14. nunquam est de salute propria mens secura sapientis-quis de perpetua incolumitate securus Quod si utique non est ficuti neque esse debet c. Salâ—â—an ad Eccl Cath l. 2. mihi p. 379. Who of the multitude of the Faithful while he lives in this mortality may presums himself to be in the number of the praedestinate because this is needful to be concealed in this place or world for fear of elation or pride Elsewhere He saith * That in the tentation of this life securitie is not expedient * That none can be secure save when this life is finished which is a tentation upon the earth * That those that live righteously and piously are found uncertain of their preseverance it self * That it is profitable for all or well nigh all in regard of a most wholsome humilitie not to be able to know what for qualities or conditions they shall be And Prosper d hath the like in sundry places So that instead of any blame imputable to our Book in this affair it 's highly to be applauded as being a Transcript not onely of Primitive Devotion but of Primitive Doctrine also And let novitie give over affronting Antiquitie e Definat incessere novitas veâ—ustatem Dictum Coelestini P. 3. Let me adde this How unsafe it is to relie on what some call Assurance is too visible by the late traiterous Regicides with b Ad Obje ctionem Vincentii XII Praedestinatio Dei apud nos dum in praesentis vitae peticulo
in manifold Instances which who imitate will not easily erre For such Instances I refer to the Margine a Numb 6. 23. Hos 14. 22. Joel 2. 17. Num. 10. 35. illustrated as it were by H. David 's Commentary Ps 68. Deut. 27. 12. The Psalms also of David are for the most part liturgical as 92 intitled For the Sabbath Ps 95. For excitation to Devotion the fifteen songs of Degrees after Ps 119. and others very many as appears by their Authours Titles musical Instruments wherewith the publick worship was celebrated See also 2 Chron. 29 30. See the learned Thorndike of the service of God in religious Assemblies c. 7. p. 225 226 227. 2. Consider the Practice of the Jewes since the time of Ezra who constantly used set and Prescribed Forms of Prayer by way of Liturgy That certain Forms of Praying 18. in number which were at length enlarged to an 100. to be used in the dayly service which should be said every day by every one by Law or received Custome were instituted by Ezra and his House that is his Consistory his one hundred and twenty Collegues to the end that they might be learned by every man that so the Prayers of the unskilfull might be as perfect as of the most eloquent is the assertion of the learned Mr. Selden in his Notes b P. 411. 43 44. 49 50. on Eutychius the Patriarch out of ancient Records of the Jewish Nation To which instance or consideration belongs also the Samaritans Liturgy which the Jewes complained to have been taken away from them by the Emperour Adrian c Adde the Sedar Tehillim yet in use with the Portugal-Jewes and the Symbol Rambam which the learned Buxtorf affirms to have been taken out of the Liturgy of the Jewes 3. Consider that our Blessed Lord prescribed a Form as I prove and vindicate in the Book to His Disciples which that the Apostles afterwards observed in their holy Assemblies it is upon constat from Justin Martyr d Apol. 2. Tertullian e Apologet. c. 30. a learned and curious Antiquary and others recited by the most honest George Cassander in his excellent Work about Liturgies 4. Consider that there are exstant the publick Liturgies both of the Greeks or Easterlings where Popery never reign'd and Latins Apostles Fathers and their Successours which are for the most parts of them ancient and evidently report to us the usage of those golden times of the Church f See Pamelius 's two Tâ—mes about Liturgies and Cassander as above 5. Consider what infinite absurdityes and mischiefs will follow on the want of Liturgies and the permission or abandoning of publick Prayer to the dictate of the private Spirit as 1. that there will be almost as many distractions in the publick Worship as enthusiasms motions inspirations pretended of the Assemblers 2. That neither the idiote or he that occupies the place of the unlearned as we translate 1 Cor 14. 16. no nor yet the most skilfull will be able to say Amen safely to the extemporate and uncertain conceptions or effusions whether of prayer or thanksgiving 3. That the ignorant Plebs will be deprived of due instruction in things sacred and of God which for the most part is inculcated a Colos 3. 10. teaching and admonishing one another in Psalmâ— and Hymâ—s c. into them in the Liturgie publickly repeated 4. That the hungrie raw trashy and empty invention of every man will take precedence of the deliberate mature and weighty examinations and discussions of the Church 5. That the communion of Saints in joynt united supplications and confessions a thing as well most acceptable with God as most prevalent will be wholly voided and outed 6. That drowsinesse and non-attention will steal upon the hearers while they have no task no share in the service onely graze and stare and hang yawringly on the incertain pumping fluctuating endeavours and wandring moveable desultorie roving stragling confused wild spirit of the Prayer-inventor 7. That orderlinesse and decencie in the choice of such things as in the Sacred Scriptures are to be proposed to the Assembly or to be sung will utterly fall Now if Psalms and other Musical Pieces were to be poured forth with the same extemporary suddennesse an unbeleever entring into the Assembly would rather deem such worshipers to be mad than that he indeed saw His worship to be celebrated who composed and disposed all things in order number and measure 8. That the Church flatly against God's word would be necessarily drawn into Sectarisms and division when all is to be left to the gifts and arbitrarie various administrations of Ministers 9. That every man shall go to Church bound in the spirit and not know what supplications he shall make to God till the mouth of the Minister shall declare it by whom what-ever his gifts or faculties be the devotion of the whole Congregation shall be determined and concluded as to all publick invocation of God either for matter or form otherwise than as his perhâ—ps sudden conceipt shall minister unto him 10. That when by this means the Priest shall be generally beheld as the onely Minister of the Spirit where there is no other publick exercise of Religion but his arbitrarie administration the consciences of men being henceforth subdued to an awfull dependance on him shall find the Ministers like the Jesuites through the Soveraigntie they hold in matters of Religion to exercise an external dominion over their fortunes and estates also 11. â— a This eleventh Head it borrowâ—d from his truly most Excellent Majâ—sty in his Divine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Medâ—â—aâ—ion XVI 〈◊〉 p. 127. And concerning scandalous passages and blasphemous expressions holy and learned men saies the rare Authoâ—r of the most exquisite View of the New Directorie would have addea and given in a large Cataâ—ogue of them did not spity and humenitie civilitiy and mercy to enemies restrain them p. 16 78. See also the Hist of Presbyt p. 124. That what the solitarie abilities of private men are many times even there where they make a great noise and shew the affectations emptinesse impertinency rudenesse confusions flatnesse levitie obscurity vaâ—n and ridiculous repetitions the senselesse â—nd oft-times blasphemous expressions all these burdened with a most tedious and intolerable length do sufficiently convince all men but those who glory in that Pharisaick way On the other hand Consider the conveniencie and benefits of a godly well-composed Liturgy as 1. that it is not onely a provision against ignorance but a necessary hedge b See Thorndike of Relig Assem p 405. mound or fence to the true Religion to ward off and keep out all mixtures and corruptions from a Church and for the retaining a common profession of all Catholick verities the law of supplicating giving law to believing c Ut legem credendi lex statuat supplicandi Gennad Eecles Dogm 30. Lex supplicandi est lex credendi lex operandi
5. I have considered the dayes of old the years of ancient times Quamvis de Scripturà Canonicâ non proferatur exemplum c. Though example be not brought out of Canonical Scripture yet we hold the verity of those Scriptures when we practise this which hath pleased the Universal Church commended to us by the Authority of the same Scriptures S. Augustine contra Cresconium â—itante Grotio in Voto pro Pace Ecclesiae ΛΕΙΤΟΥΡΓΙΑ ΘΕΙΟΤΕΡΑ ΕΡΓΙΑ OR LITVRGY A MOST DIVINE SERVICE c. HAVING by a Preface to the Reader either accounted with our Authour about his Epistle or therein refer'd to the Book wherein it is satisfied more distinctly what next insues like something Prefatory being collections out of Smectymnuus as indeed a great part of the little strength of his Pamphlet seems to be of that extract and the naked heads that another semblable Disciplinarian or Sectarian Piece proceeds upon what is out of Smec being for substance and sometimes also in termes respersed in the slender maigne or body of the Paper-kite shall there be spoken to What is out of The Common-Prayer unmasked by way of heads or summarily will together with the entire piece whence we have these goodly extraits fall under prejudice enough and receive full and final doom from the Character that the above-cited learned man one of the worthy Prebends of Canterbury Doctor Casaubon hath pass't upon it in these words a Postscript to Epist prefix't to 's Vindic of the Loâ—ds Prayer â— â— 2 3. Since this was printed and ready to come forth a Book or Pasquil rather it is so full of railing intitled The C. P. B. unmasked c. came to my sight It is such a peece of exquisite Non-sense of groundlesse impudent Sophistry with bitter railing and much profane jeering all along that I must needs think they that have patience to read such stuff without detestation may as plausibly be perswaded to sing Ballads instead of Holy Hymnes and to think that men serve God best in Tap-houses The whole strength of the Book lyeth in this The Masse-Book Breviaries c. are idolatrous Popish-Books therefore whatsoever is taken out of them or may be supposed to be taken out of them because to be found there is Popish and idolatrous Now a good part both of the Old and New Testament besides the whole Book of Psalmes is to be found in Masse-Books and Breviaries is any man so blind that doth not see what will follow And is it not the same reason for many Godly prayers and forms not to speak of Ceremonies though it be true of them also that were in use in time of purest Christianity yet to be found in Masse-Books and Breviaries Or is it the bare word Masse that turneth all into Idolatry Why might it not be a good word what ever it is now a thousand years ago Many ages are not yet passed when Canticles or the Song of Songs as it is in the Original was called in English the Ballad of Ballads Now many if not most Ballads we now so call are profane or ridiculous and that word now a word of Scorn therefore the Canticles or Song of Songs shall be no longer part of Scripture but meer Idolatry Certainly it must be granted that wise Governours see much more then ordinary men else such senselesse impious stuff a man would think would not be permitted to the publick This judgment of the above-named most worthy man may serve as for an Antidote against several poysonous passages in the Book ensuing so for a legitimate supersedeas to me and my Readâ—r for not looking into that so branded Scriblet and yet if it light into my hands seasonably I shall wash his face for him make some strictures upon the doughty Paper But we enter upon the Book it self which sets out with a Question Whether it 's lawfull for Magistrates Ministers c. to make stinted Liturgy and impose the same To which the Answer is by him given It is not Lawful Of which Negative the Reasons more than a good many follow no fewer than XXVII But before we annul his Reasons against we shall lay down some few besides what the Preface ha's of many of our own for a Liturgy and that imposed 1. The First is Because it is lawfull to compose and impose the Service of God But now the very notation of Liturgy speaks the Service of God and Liturgie was so called at first from serving or ministring to God For from Act. 13. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they were doing their Liturgie to the Lord as they ministred to the Lord say Ours the Fathers in all Ages have called the Service of God a Liturgie And then the composed service of God being perfectly lawfull that it the same should being imposed commence unlawful is abhorrent from all reason unlesse lawful Magistrates and Governours that impose it be found the onely unlawful things 2. The Second is Because that Liturgie which the Question before us styles also exegetically or explanatively Common-Prayer-Book containing and being made-up of Prayers Confession of Faith holy Hymns divine Lessons Absolutions and Benedictions it must be proved either that the severals are unlawful prayers confessions c. singly unlawful otherwise the Aggregate or the entire Form or Frame so compounded will never be concluded unlawful Or else that the imposing of these so many good things alters their nature and poysons them there remaining no third thing unlesse happely the intermixture of Prayses c. with Prayer can be supposed faulty Now there 's no man so forsaken of his Christian wits as to say any of the particulars in their separate consideration are unlawful acts or things and the imposing the performance of them by lawful Authority must not be deemed faultable for the reason even now alleadged which will receive more strength by and by the intermixture which is the last cannot fall under sober censure unlesse we arrive at that passe and pitch of Phrensie as to blame the like mixture in David's Fsalms which were a standing Office to the Jewish Nation not to speak of other pieces of Scripture nor the practise of many Ministers in their peculiar own prayers extemporal ones also if not especially nor even of this Authours own Effusions all mesled in this sort 3. The Third and last shall be Because Prayer is at least lawfull and to bind it on men to pray is lawfull Whence it may be concluded naturally and irrefragably to impose a Liturgy is lawfull For Liturgy is nothing but Prayer in such a mode dress accommodation or composure Now the mode not being prescribed in all Prayer by God it is left to private persons much more then to publick Ones men in Authority so to frame and reigle it for the manner the matter being supposed lawfull and good as shall seem best to their wisdomes and to impose the use thereof those on their Families these upon the Churches in their Dominions If
the Imposal be the thing still stuck at besides the reason already assigned we say according to the XXXVIIth Article of the Church of England That our Chief Magistrates the Kings and Queens of these Kingdoms have that prerogative which we see to have been given alwayes to all godly Princes in holy Scriptures by God himself c. Now we know our of the Sacred Code the Scriptures that one of those godly Princes Josiah besides his destroying of Idolatry and Repaire of the Temple a Regiâ suâ authoritate obstrinxit quamvis propensos Judaeorum animos ne ipso vivo ab externo Dei cultu deficerent tantam adhibuit disciplinae severitatem Tremell Junius in 2 Chron. 34. 33. made or compelled all that were found in Israel to serve the Lord their God Another of them King David b 1 Chron. 24. divided the Priests into orders c 1 Chron. 25. constituted the number and offices of the Singers c. Nay and which is remarkable made a change in a constitution or Law of God concerning the Levites viz. d Num. 8. 24. That whereas God appointed e 1 Chron 23. vers 24. 27. the attendance of the Levites that they should serve and do the work of the Lord from the age of but five and twenty years and upward till the age of fifty years old and then they should cease waiting v. 25 they were by Him f And the 28th inordered to serve from the age of twenty years and upward upon a ground there specified v. 25. Now as this alteration cannot that twenty fifth verse forbidding g See Doctor Hammond 's exact Account of Mr. Cawdrey 's Triplex Diatribe Sect. â— 105 106. to which what Mr. Cawdrey ha's return'd in his Account andited and discounted Sect. 4. of Wilworship p. 160. is utterly shifting and unsatisfactory as any that hath his eyes in his head and not bleared with prejudice will upon collation soon discern and confesse reasonably be pretended to be done by any other than Kingly Authority not Prophetical as one h Mr. D. Cawdrey would have it though the pretention be evicted of falsity by his very learned Adversary so one would think it should for ever stop the mouths of this and all other pretenders against the Authority of the Magistrate about things Sacred and Divine One would suppose that I need nor add the mention of the instance of King Hezekiah and the Princes a 2 Chron. 29 30. Examples of Magistrates Compelling the people to serve God Abraham Gen. 17 18. Jacob Gen. 35. 2 3 4. Moses Joshua 24 23. Gedeon Jehosaphat 2 Chron. 19. 4. Josiah 2 Chron 34. 32 33. Asa 3 Chron. 14 15. Ch Manasseh 2 Chron 33. 15 16. Darius Dan 6. 26. Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 3. 29. See S. Augustine Epist 127. Cont Crescon Gram l. 3. c. 50. contr Literas Petiliâ—n l. 2. c. 86. 83. Codex lib. 1. tit 5. de Haeretic Socrates l. 1. c. 34. Gr Lat 21 22. Euseb de vit Constantini l. 1. c. 37. Theod l. 5 c. 20. commanding the Levites to sing praises to the Lord with the words of David and of Asaph though Hezekiah and the Church then had not the very same occasions to use them that David c. had But we shall have farther occasion to speak to this afterwards We come now to his Reasons Why 't is not lawfull to impose a Liturgy whereof The First is Because no Magistrate can produce any Authority Divine we must suppose he means for so doing not Commands Instances or Examples if not then followes none must presume upon their utmost peril to introduce the same To this we Answer We have commands What King Josiah did he did by command of the Moral Law which binds under the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to serve God by prayer and prayse in whatever convenient usefull manner composed And what bound Josiah binds our Princes What should I recount Rom. 13. 1. Let every soul be subject c. or Hebr. 13. 17. Obey them that have the over-sight or rule over you c b See also 1 Tim 2. 3. 1 Pet 2. 13 14. Instances or Examples we have in the same Josiah and in David in a matter of much higher consideration as some will construe it than imposing such or such a mode or form of God's service agreeable to his will and mind in all things for the matter To the Second Because 't is forbid in the second Commandment and elsewhere in Scripture Liturgies being Ordinances Traditions and Rudiments of men in God's worship all which things are there forbid We Answer by denying the Minor Proposition as in syllogisme challenging any man to prove That Liturgies are Ordinances Traditions and Rudiments of men in the Holy Apostles sense and therefore what-ever the Second Precept c That stinted Liturgies are no wayes against the second Commandment See Mr. John Ball 's Tryal of the grounds tending to separation c. 3. per totum as venerable an Authour sure and of the same Family as Dod or Bifield if they should which 't is certain enough they did not saâ— the contrary forbids it toucheth not those a See 12 Addâ—tional to Bishop Andrews on the second Commandment p. 194 195. Adjuments of Devotion and the Service of God being no such Rudiments c. or if they be all prescript forms of Prayer of what kind soever are involvable under the same charge It were well if men could or would penetrate a little-thought beyond the shell and surface of words and learn or weigh what these words that so amuse and affright the Vulgar do truly import Ordinances Traditions Rudiments Do 's a Liturgie signifie that bill which the Jews were bound by signed as it were by their own hands against themselves by professing to expect justification from the Law and yet this is the very meaning of hand-writing of ordinances b It would better be rendred having by his doctrines blotted out the handwriting against us Hebr. 9. 10. Carnal ordinances is meant of those transient external constitutions of the Levitical oeconomie against eating any unclean meat c. or the vain empty â—roâ—hy and pretended knowledge or wisdom of the Gnosticks tâ—ken out of the heathenish Pythagorean Philosophie as it signifies Col. 2. 8. Col. 2. 14. Do's it signifie external performances about washings c. alone heeded to the neglect of Gods prime Commands or the dubbing those things or inventions with the high style of Gods Commands which are not to the superseding and evacuating of his real Commands Yet so traditions S. Matth. 15. 9. and S. Mar. 7. 7 9 13. signifie Lastly do's a Liturgie signifie or implie the observances of the Mosaical Law very distant and contrary to the Christian Divinity or abstinences out of Heathen or Jewish practises brought-in as rudiments imports Coloss 2. 8 20. If the import and sense of words were considered and not the sound onely we should not
of God though circumstantials externals modes such or such Forms of prayer are necessary His Major Proposition Nothing is to be in God's service but what is necessary being everted we must come to the proof of his Minor A Common-Prayer is not necessary But what need his probation when necessary being so sensed as above absolutely necessary 't is yeelded him But yet let 's see and fillip-away his four Proofs of his Assumption or middle Proposition also Whereof The First is The Scriptures are a sufficient Directory c. Ans Away then with the Directory for worship of your good Friends mentioned and praised p. 14. nay away with their and all other Catechismes Confessions of Faith greater and lesse Books of Devotion the Supply of Prayer for the Ships and all away with all Commentatours Dod Bifield on the Commandments cited by you p. 1. And when you apply what is said 2 S. Timothy 3. 15. 18. to prayer whiles preaching is the businesse there spoken of do not you fairly shoot besides the mark The Second is Otherwise Moses and Christ would have been unfaithfull in Gods House But the Answer very briefly is Moses did enjoyn Forms of prayer i. e. Liturgies as is most visible Num. 6. 23 c. on this wise shall ye blesse c. saying unto them The Lord blesse thee and keep thee c. So when the first-fruits were brought the bringer is enjoyned to say as we find Deut. 26. 5. so also when their Armies went out Deut. 20. 3. Likewise when the Ark set forwards and rested a Continued by H. David at the removal of the Ark in his time Ps 68. 1. Num. 10. 35 36. And as did Moses so also did our Lord in bidding b S. Matth. 6. 9. S. Luk. 11. 2. his Disciples say Our Father c. which that it was a Form and imposed we shall make good against all exceptions in due place The Third is Because Gods Church throve best without them as in the Primitive times To which we Answer be the word Primitive narrower or larger that there were stinted Liturgies in the Primitive and most flowrishing times of the Church Christian as soon as Extraordinaries which was very early ceased By Extraordinaries I mean the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 d the Gift of Prayer which was a Miracle as the gift of healing prophesying speaking c See S. Chrysostom in Rom. viii 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. with tongues c. Of which Charisma or donum I might add ad abundantiam that it was bestowed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on some one that did pray for the rest c. and teach others how to pray 2 and that some of the Prayers thus conceived by them c. were received and kept by those whom they thus taught 3 lastly that these are they which the Ancients mean by the Liturgies of SS James Mark c. Much might be discoursed in deducing and clearing this matter but as studious of brevity I choose to refer to those excellent Papers d P. 22 23 c p. 82. that passed from Doctor Hammond to Mr. Cheynel where is to be had much satisfaction on this head For close of this I onely ask whether the times of Saint Mark and Saint James were not Primitive times and whether the Church of Châ—ist ever flourished more than then and by consequence as appears then under Liturgies The Fourth and last is Because Ministers ought to be so gifted as not to need it But 't is Answered 1. That what ought to be is one thing and what is and will be is another 2. That the Composers of the Directory told us e Pref to Directory p. 5. before our Authour though some little-what differently that our Lord Christ pleaseth to furnish all his Servants whom he calls to that office of Miniâ—â—er with the gâ—fâ— of Prayer when-as they will never be abâ—e to shew us any Evidence from any promise of Christ in his word that any such gift shall be perpetually annext by him to the Ministry gifts of healing making of Psalmes c. not pretended to now adâ—yes having as much promise thence as that of prayer nor can they shew why Christ if he so furnish them may not be concluded to help them to the matter of their prayers â—herein yet the Directorie's help is called in as well as to the form of words and we dare affiâ—m that if the gift of prayer signify an ability of praying in publick without any premeditation discreetly and reverently and so â—s never to offend against either of those necessaries every Minister is not furnisht with this gift some men of very excellent abilityes wanting that suddain promptnesse of Elocution or utterance 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 special 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 f See the Preface Experience hath sufficiently taught g See the View of the New Directorie p. 66. sect 18. 3. Though a Mâ—nister should not need a Liturgy in some cases as after premeditation yet he as able as we now sâ—ppose him may stand in need of it in other some as when upon sudden Effusion he prayes as he ought not and the Liturgy would prevent that and farther enable him to pray more to the Edification of the People than he is able to do who yet is able in some degree to pray as becomes a Minister of Christ and as he ought to do h See a Copy of some Papers pass'd at Oxford c. p. 83. For 4. Liturgies are made and imposed for the behoof of the people also and not onely of the Priest For a supply to whose weaknesse alone Liturgies are not composed and enjoyned 5. But for other ends according to that well-known place of Mr. Calvin i In Epistolâ ad Protectorem Angliae Ep 83. As for a form 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 concent of all the Churches among themselves may more certaeinly appear And lastly also that the extravagant levity of some who affect noveltyes may be prevented 6. Canonical Ordination in the Church of Christ is that which maketh a lawfull Minister as touching the validity of any act which appertains to that vocation not as some childishly sayes my Author have imagined the sound preaching of the word I add or ability of extemporaneous praying The cause why Saint Paul willed Timothy not to be over-hasty in ordaining Ministers being because
16. 4 is promulgate onely to the Gentiles at that time of Antioch Syria and Cilicia from whom the occasion thereof was taken but when they passe farther they promulgate them not as appears by 1 Cor. 8. 9. Where in that of Idolothyta things sacrificed to Idols Paul acknowledges the Corinthians-their liberty not retrenched save onely in case of Scandal And Baronius r Anno 57. n. 58. See Doctor Hammond Of Herefie p. 66 67. extends this observation to the Thâ—ssalonians also upon force of that Text 1 Thess 4. 2 3. And 4. His other four Texts s 1 Cor 4. 17. 14. 33. 16. 1. 7. 17. refer not to all Churches universim but to such as Saint Paul planted but then SS John and Peâ—er c. had their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 peculiar places or regions and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 portions of Apostleship plantations as well as he Therefore those Texts do not necessarily conclude That what things were done or inordered by Saint Paul in the Churches of his planting were done or brought in universally in all other Churches Which things 5. are manifestly Doctrines or things of that reference at least not the bufinesse we are about Liturgies or Models of Prayer His instance touching Scotland that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the good Subjects there their refusing that unfortunate Liturgy sent them from England overthrowes his position for the Governours in both Church and State did agree to compose and impose that Form of Worship they were the Racaille or Rable inflamed by the Clergy-Bel-weathers and the ambitious Grandees that sollevated or tumultuated about it And be it that there were some diversityes there was nothing contrariant in the one to the other as I suppose His Ninth Reason might well be passed-over were I not resolved to follow him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therefore I demand 1. Is composing Forms of Prayer and imposing them by Lawfull Authority the setting of men's by God's threshold 2. I what 's perfectly subordinate to and compliant or comporting with all Christian Lawes and of high and pregnant advantage to the solemn publick and even private service of God so truly chargeable 3. Is the Common-Prayer-Book really an Idol or the service of an Idol for that is the meaning of the words setting the threshold c. t Their threshald i. e. they set their I dols and perform their service in my Temple in places and Chappels near to the places which are câ—â—secrated to my service Dâ—odâ—â—iâ—in 〈◊〉 Is not this man's conscience where Rachel's Children were just no where just none To the Tenth That no Liturgy of these dayes is a perfect Rule and therefore cannot bind any Saint c. because the Rule of Faith and Obedience ought to be perfect I Answer 1. God forbid that nothing should bind but what proceeds from an infallible Spirit and is in that sense perfect for if so what will become of the bindingnesse of humane Lawes in universum If it be excepted that he speaks of spiritual things I Answer 2. What thinks he of his stock-fathers and good Friends the Smectymnuuans or the Scotch-English Synodians-their Directorie Confessions and Book of Discipline which obtained I think an Ordinance u Dii Jovis 13. Matt 1644. An ordinance of Parliament establishing and observing this present Directory throughout the Kingdome of England and Dominion of Wales for the imposing of them were these perfect if so why then did not Mr. P and his fellow-Sectaries believe and cleave to them Nay 3. His own praying and Preachments I doubt not but he would have all to be bound by and yet he should need a whole Isle of Hellebore that could judge them perfect 4. Is it not enough that a Composure be according to the word of God as far as learned and honest men using all the means to discern right can judge to legitimate the imposition of it the civil Authority or Sanction intervening on all under their Charge and Rule Surely it is or else all the World will become a great Amsterdam or almost universal Bedlam To his Eleventh That all prayers are to be made in the Spirit I say 1. That the right use of a pious Liturgy is praying in the Spirit and more so than extemporary effusions are or can be x See above in Ans to 3d. Reason 2. Himself in Return to a very pertinent and true Objection acknowledges that good men and who thinks wicked men can may pray by a Form where the Reader may observe what he means by Liturgie even any Form to all which he 's an enemy and yet pray in the Spirit too But then 1 he uses a diminuent or qualifying term in some sense praying in the Spirit as if praying in the Spirit were so not onely diversified but opposed in sense as that some praying in the Spirit were not praying that is as if contradictories were reconcileable And 2 he alledges it to be the proper work of the spirit to help the infirmities as well in matter and expressions as in sighs c. Rom. 8. 26. your Friends the Directorians will kon you but small thank for what you say about Matter for they in their Directory prescribe that the matter y Wbereas Christ's promise is for the matter for it shall be given you â—â— what yee shal speak Mat. 10. 19. Mar 13. 11. Lu 12. 12. Poor liberty to leave the spirit onely to supply the place of a Vocabulatie or Copia verborum See Mr. Fuller 's Church Hist B. 11. p. 223. leaving the Spirit of God onely the Idol-God Mercurie's part to furnish with language and phrase whence he concludes very bashfully that they need not use stinted Forms But Sir you have hitherto borne us in hand that they were utterly unlawfull under a variety of expressions of that unlawfulnesse and but even noâ— 't was setting threshold against God's threshold Now if the non-needfulnesse of uâ—ng Liturgies be the thing contended-for then besâ—des that I have proved them needfull 't is clear that not-being needfull and being lawfull are very consistent Ey but then he eats his word immediately for this strict use of Forms he concludes to be a limiting and stinting yea no lesse than a quenching of the Spirit which to do sure is highly unlawfull But to this last charge which hath made such a noise in the World I have many things to Return briefly as 1. To forbid and stifle all sudden motions of the Spirit and all pious ejaculations is in some of our men's sense z See Doctor Featley 's Dippers dip't p. 69 70. One main Objection sayes Doctor Preston is this That in stinted prayer the spirit is streitned c. To this he gives three Answers 1. They that object it do the same thing dayly in the congregation whose spirits are limited or stinted by being hearers of him that prayes 2. 'T is no general tye c. 3. The spirit or affections are not
tyed or restrained by a set form there may be largenesse of the heart though there be a limit of words Saints daily exercise set forth and approved by Sibbs and Davenport p. 80. See him also in his Sermon before King James on St. John 1. 16. p 22. to quench the spirit in Saint Paul's prohibition But then who or what Governours or what Liturgie do's so 2. What Spirit are they supposed to consine or limit God's or their own To say God's is blasphemy the spirit of God blowing and working where and how he listeth If they say their own man's this is most necessary viz. that his spirit or intention be confined or tyed to the prayer he reads or saith by heart memoriter and this is rather a kindling of the spirit For in uttering zealous prayers with a fixt intention and devout affection we feel our hearts burn within us 3. The most extemporarie prayer of the Minister confines the spirit of the Audience or People their spirit if they will not suffer their minds to wander being bound and confined to it so long as it lasts and why should they be more confined or tyed up in spirit than their Mouth or where is it written that the one may not be limited as well as the other We hear the Blessed Apostle say a 1 Cor. 14. 32. The spirit of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets if in prophecying why not in praying b The Reader is intreated to see more of this whole matter in an excellent Discourse or Diatribe of Mr. Mede's on S. Matth. 6. 9. Thus therefore pray ye Our Father c. p. 1 c. See particularly p. 15. â—ut I Answer 4 and finally That the Text 1 Thess 5. 19. about quenching the spirit is impertinently urged against stinted or set Forms of praying this being the apposite genuine sense of that prohibitive precept c See the excellent Doctor Hammond in Loc Mr. Thorndike's account of the place is That the Apostle thereby prohibits the quenching of the immediate inspirations of the Holy Ghost such as they were by which men were enabled to disâ—ern the secrets of other men's hearts As in 1 Cor. xiv 24 25. By which the Prophets of Antioch were informed of the will of God for the sending of Paul and Barnabas and those others for the ordination of Timothy Act xiii 2. 1. Tim. iv 14. By which the truth was revealed unto them as concerning matter in hand at their Assemâ—lâ—â—s 1 Cor. xiv 30. And the Rule of the Apostle if revelation be made to another as he sitteth let the first be silent is to the same purpose of not quenching these inspirations And the words relate as well to the gift of Languages as those in 1 Cor. xiv 1. Be zealous of spiritual Graces especially of Prophesying being the same with the conclusion of that Ch p. 39 Be zealous of Prophesying but forbid not to speak with Tongues Of Relig. Assem p. 211 212 213. The gifts of tongues healing c. which were given in form of fire must be used accordingly not quenched with neglect vanity wicked life but preserved by prayer thanksgiving and holy life Now this sense of the words is as distant from what 's imposed on them in the Objection as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To his Eleventh Reason Because to for me c. a Liturgie is to exercise dominion over the faith of God's people I Return 1. That to exercise dominion in the Scripture by him cited 2 Cor. 1. 24. relates not at all to prescribing described helps of Devotion imposing Liturgies or Forms of Prayer but to Discipline the sharpnesle and severity of that not sparing 't is called vers 23. 2. What advantage do the Enjoyners of our Liturgie designe to themselves by the imposing of it other than the spiritual good of the people and the quiet of their Kingdoms which is also the peoples good Now that is the meaning of Saint Pauls saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not that we exercise dominion c. as appears by Saint Matth. 20. 25. and 1 Pet. 5. 3. 3. The Apostles did what unquiet spirits like our Authour would account more burdenous and domination-like than the imposing of a godly Liturgie viz. inflict the censures excommunicate deliver over to Satan to be possessed or obsessed by him and as a consequent thereof to have diseases and sicknesse and death inflicted on them Now would such tender consciences as Mr. P's and the rest that pretend to the same frame brook such rough treatment that charge the prescription of a wholesome Liturgie so tragically To his Twelfth That then the Rulers of all Nations have the power to form c. Liturgies and consequently Arian Popish c. Rulers I Answer That they have such power to compose and impose such Forms but not as Arian or Popish c. but according to the will and mind of God consigned in his Holy Word We plead onely for orthodox pious not erroneous superstitious or otherwise a Logicians call it Sophisma à dicto simpliciter and it is when from that which is simply true somewhat is collected to be true secundum quid in a certain respect time c. impious Forms of Devotion And the proof that ours is of this latter alloy is a file too hard for his teeth or those of any its enemies In this Reason then is a manifest Fallacie d like this The Gage or depositum is to be restored to the Owner requiring it therefore a gag'd Sword to the mad Owner To his Thirteenth That then the Liturgies must alter as the chief Megistrate alters opinion King Ed. 6. Queen Ma. and Queen El. being instanced in I Answer 1. And so will other things besides the Liturgie the Bible in English will be under interdict in one of their Reigrâ— and released in the other or else translated under one of their Governments contrariantly to what it is in the others Preaching so or so shall be respectively to the Magistrates opinion commanded or interdicted And 2. When-ever this falls out you gain an opportunity of exercising your passive virtues of approving your constancy and of obtaining a Crown of Martyrdome a thing that men of your way are not ambitious of being rather for injurious acting than suffering injurie's of God or your selves by not comporting with a false way of Worship To his Fourteenth That it exposes many Christians to sin against conscience or suffer c. I Replie 1. That many pretend conscience when 't is any thing rather than that as our own experience a-late ha's given very manifest information humour it may be prejudice interest c. And I make no doubt thaâ— the refusal of Liturgies imposed is imputable many times to these and the like 2. We plead onely for a wel-composed sound and pious Liturgie and such I avow and am ready to prove is ours and none can conscientiously scruple that nor need to suffer for non-use of it Whence
of God Answ 1. Forms are commanded and therefore we may groundedly expect his blessing upon the use of them 2. His Scriptures d Exod. 23. 25. Deut. 7. 9. 28. 2. are nothing to the purpose as will be visible at the first glance to him that looks 3. Let so many happy daies together be shewed in any Kingdom as under the use of the Liturgie England enjoyed To his Twenty first Reason which is a Dilemma Because if they are indifferent they are not to be imposed if not indifferent then a prescript from God is to be shewed under Peril of Wil-worship I Answer to the first Member That in themselves though highly advantageous yet they are indifferent but when Authority hath interposed they cease to be so indifferent in their nature a Res per se mediae desinunt tales esse ubi pacis aut ordmis causâ lex aut canon factus est aut consueâ—udo legis vim accepit Ab initio non multum refert utrùm fiat constitutâ autem lege plurimum air Aristoteles Nicom 5. 10. Et qui Ecclesiis singulis aut coâ—pori universo hanc adimunt potestatem adimunt ei quod cognatum est omnibus societatibus H. Grot. Annotatis ad Cassandr ad Art XV. Every body social has right to make certain constitutions for the hinding of its members That this right belongs to the Church also appears Act. 15. 28. Hebr. 13. 17. Grotius 's Discussio of the power of Princes in Sacris but necessary in their practise To what purpose else were they composed seeing 't were as good to have none at all as for every man to have the authoritie to neglect them b See Bishop Andrewes XXI Serm. of Resur on 2 Cor XI 15. p. 522. necessarie in regard of obedience peace uniformitie if the Magistrates fiat have pass'd upon them for then the conscience is concluded and bound in vigor of that Oracle Rom. 13. 5. and let this be carried in mind as applicable to all our Ceremonies To the second Member 1. We shall contend for ever that every thing in the service of God is not need not be under particular Precept of Scripture much we avow and will maintain it is to be left to the Church guided by rules of Prudence and light of natural Reason and this is profoundly and inexpugnably evinced by the fatal Pen of Mr Hooker against T. C. by Dr Shismaticorum Malleus Hammond frequently by Dr Sanderson c. 2. There is a good sense of Wil-worship willing or voluntarie Worship and this is the onely acceptation wherein it is taken in all the Scripture The Text which he cites Col. 2. 23. which is the onely place wherein 't is used has it in a good and savourie import as hath been most acutely and most nervously made out and vindicated by the so oft praised Dr Hammond I shall onely touch one or two reasons out of the Tract c Tract of Will-worship Sect. 12. p. 43 Sect. 11. p. 42. Sect. â— p. 41. and Account of Mr Cawdrey's Triplex Diatribe Sect. 7. p. 114. 115. c. Of Will-worship 1. 'T is said by the Apostle Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in wil-worship and humilitie c. Now hence 't is argued That in respect to which another thing has a shew of wisdom or which is the same piety a St Chrysostome and Theophylact on the place render or varie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must not it self be something foolish or impious must be a good thing for can any thing be represented to me as having so much as a shew of pietie in respect to rage or lust discernable in it 2. The companie wherewith it stands or goes accompanied humilitie which Calvin turns here the reverence of God and men undoubtedly a Christian Virtue punishing not sparing or as Calvin again varies the phrase mortifying of the bodie which as an act of self-denial cannot be unacceptable to Christ plead for it and bring up a good report on it 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by us translated shew may signifie rationem sapientiae vel pietatis real matter of wisdom or pietie But see the exquisite Treatise and its Defence against Mr Cawdrey and his Annotations on the place together with the learned Author of the Additionals b Twelfth Additional on the second Commandement p. 194 195. See Grot. in Col. 23. Votum pro pace 100 101 102 103. and Apol. Rivet Discuss p. 101 110 c. Bishop Andrewes on Mat. 6. â—6 p. 124 c. and on 1 Cor 11. 16. to Bishop Andrews's Pattern of Catechistical Doctrine in Folio c I have heard by a very ingeni us Hand that Mr Dod was of this opinion as to the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 2. 23. 3. Liturgie in its generical signification as a Form of Prayer is under command but considered quà Liturgie a Form so or so modelled and composed it is as being but a mode left to the Churches discretion for its composure and Frame as She shall deem it most for edification or Devotion Remember all things are not no nor were under the Old Oeconomie under particular praescription To his Twenty second Because the joyning of an imperfect thing with a perfect for to be a Rule is to debase the perfect say saies he the learned particularlie Bishop Andrews on II. Com Answ 1. I shall not tell him that the Work he cites is at least as he cites it imperfect and the issue of Bishop Andrews not Bishop Andros I mean of Bishop A. a Younger man not of Bishop A. so consummated as when he blessed the World with his Sermons and other his tipe Pieces Nor 2. shall I tell him that it is very unlikely that that Personage of immortal renown would even when he was Divinitie-Lecturer in â—embroke-Hall lay down or assert any thing that should crosse with or brand his practise However 3. What thinks he of the Old Scripture the Law especially which is now read as a Rule and yet is imperfect a See H. Grotius De Jure Bâ—lli Pacis l. 1. Sect. 6. p. 21 22. and in Annotat p. 38 S. Châ—ysost l. de Virginitate c. 83 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Id. in Oratione filium Patri aequalem quae est Tomo 6. air in Evangelio â—sse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See also Grotius in Notes on the first Chapter of the said book p. 14 15. See likewise Dr Hammond's Copie of some Papers past at Oxford c p. 41. in comparison of the New Instrument perfect for that state of men but an higher state and consequentlie a more exalted Law or Philosophie was to be introduced Now hereupon I ask Do's the Old Scripture debase the New 4. But that 't would move his gall or spleen I would say that the Apocryphal Scripture which is a Rule of manners a secondarie b Canon Morum Deutero
Arguments or Objections fight against all Forms whether they be Liturgies properly so called or no and then how senselessely do's it follow for contirmation of his Reason that Constantine made Forms for his Souldiers to use Ergò there were no other but extemporarie or conceived prayers such as were sent forth according to abilitie then used that is there were no prescript publick Forms i. e. Liturgies because there were such But 5. we say that in the Age e An 250. with Tertullian and before Constantine flourished S. Cyprian upon certain passages of whose writings even the Magdeburgian Centurists have truly inferred a Cent 3. that in his daies out of all peradventure they had certain Forms of short prayers and Responds And in the fourth Centurie Constantine's Age Eusebius that wrote his Life besides the Ecclesiastical Storie of all the times of the Christian Church till then testifies that that Emperour commanded an elaborate or studied Form of Prayer b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb de Vit Const Ed Rob Steph. fol 150. to be penned by some Bishop and used on Lords-daies In this Age also the Council of Laodicea c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inordered That every morning and evening the same Service or Form of Prayer should be used And some few years after this the second Councel of Milevis ordered thus It d Placuit etiam illud c. Balsamon upon this Canon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is It seems some Bishops took upon them to say prayers not accustomed See Thorndike as above p. 242 c. seemed good also that those Prayers or Masses once a good word which have been allowed in the Council whether Prefaces or Commendations or Impositions of hands be frequented of all so that none at all be said in the Church but such as have been treated of by the more discreet or allowed in the Synod lest perhaps something against the Faith be proposed either through ignorance or too little heed And this was ordained because inconvenience was perceived by the unconformitie of particular Episcopal Churches upon alteration made by the Ministers of them in their Form of Service Therefore it is provided that the Service to be used be first approved in the usual Synod of the Affrican Churches that all Episcopal Churches of those Provinces might be conformable But this supposeth a Form which those Churches had how should else provision be made against alteration in it But I have stood too long in Answer to this Reason ab Authoritate but yet because it derives authority from Smec and though it hath been so often elided or super seded from all manner of force is yet brought in play or to the combat like an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as appears by this Pamphlet and another late one of G. F. Fitmin's against Dr Gauden's worthy Considerations touching the Liturgie I was willing to shew the groundlesnesse of the pertinacity of the Anti-Liturgists by demolishing an aierie imaginarie yet whereto they flie as to a strong Piece this Fortresie of theirs The Twenty fourth which calls Liturgies Elements and Rudiments of the World leading men from Christ unto bondage is in effect satisfied already a In Answ to Reason 2d His Scripture for the other Col. 4. 8. is spoken to already Gal. 4. 3. speaks of the observation of those first rudiments of the Worship of God in the Jews Religion which sure the very-Christian Liturgie of England is not The Twenty fifth Because in matters of Religion the Word of God onely must prevaile c. is super seded already in our Answer to Reason 3d. I adde That 't is true in matters of Faith importing Heaven and Hell in mens belief but not in lesser matters circumstances modes externals wherein the Scripture defines nothing in sundry cases and which consequently are left to the inordering of the Church S. Augustine speaking to this matter on occasion of fasting on Sundaies hath a Golden Rule b Epist CXVIII ad Casulanum In iis rebus de quibus nihil statuit Scriptura mos populi Dei instituta majorum pro lege Dei tenenda sunt In those things whereto the Scripture appointed no certaintie the use of the People of God or the Ordinances of our Fathers must serve for a Law To his Twenty Sixth Reason Because it doth derogate from Christ as both Prophet and King as if he had not left sufficient Laws I Answer This Argument how the Asp sucks poyson from the Viper was accounted a very palmarie one by Cartwright and his Puritanical Sectatours in this Form c M. M. p. 16. and Demonstration of Discipline c. ◠apud Hooke◠l. 3. p. 112. He that was faithful as Moses left as clear instruction for the Government matters of the Church But Christ was as faithful as Moses But to this we say many things 1. That Christ was faithfull and concealed not any part of his Fathers Will for he testified d S. John 17. 8. See Mr Hooker Irrefragably clearing and confirming this matter against the Puritanes Pope l. 3. p. 112 113 114. 115. 120 131. of Eccl Pol I have given them the words which thou gavest me and yet this doth not exact that Christ should ordain such Modes or Circumstances as the Reason requires 2. If such kind of reasoning were good we might even as directly conclude the very same concerning Laws of Secular Regiment or matters For the Disciplinarians words are these e Ecclesiast Dis l. 1. In the antient Church of the Jews God did command and Moses commit unto writing all things pertinent as well to the Civil as to the Ecclesiastical State f See Dr Sanderson's ten Lectures de Conscientia Praelect 6. § 30. p. 246. Mr P. may see them in English though somewhat disguisingly translated Now do's it derogate from God as Creator or Father from his favor or care that he hath not left such sufficient Laws in Civil things as he did to and for the Jewes Can God be hence argued lesse to regard our temporal state in this World or provide worse than for theirs Christ meant not to set down particular positive Laws for all things so as Moses did as the very-different manner of delivering of their respective Laws plainly shews Moses had commandment to gather the Ordinances of God together distinctly and orderly to set them down according to their several kinds for each publick dutie and office the Laws belonging thereunto Contrarily the Laws of Christ are rather mentioned by occasion in the Writings of the Apostles than any solemn thing directly written to comprehend them in legal sort 4. The Jews who had Laws so particularly determining and so fully instructing them in all affairs were yet continually inured with cases a See Num. 15 34 9. 7. 29. 5. exorbitant and such as their Laws had not provided for 5. As saith Dr Sanderson from Moses giving many Laws both in Rituals and
that they shall not kneel at the Eucharist that they shall not bow toward any place I now would know upon what authoritie of Gods Word are these Cerimonies defiâ—ed by them and shall not adde that the last is an impracticable injunction to bow and not to bow to some place the middle one is not possible to be evinced out of Scripture though our Author would have it so because 't is said Christ sate down a â— Luke 22. 14 Si superveâ—iatquisquam cum lectio celebâ—atur adoret tantuÌ„ Deum aurem solliciâ—è accommodeâ— Iside Hispalens de divinis Officiis l. 1. c 10. when that was to the Passeover Supper but what His Gesâ—ure was at the Ministration of his Own Supper is not there recorded and sitting as there is not fit posture for distribation oâ— benediction and the first is contrarie to Catholick practise 5. One of his Instances is about Preaching of which I ask Are all the Circumstances and Modes of that defined also Where do's the Scripture appoint the choice of such oâ— such a Text where the Division of it into parts handling the parts in such a Method Doctrines Reasons Vses Motives c Adde that it shall be an hour or an hour and haâ—f long that it shall be read or said â—y heart c. Catechising is sutable to preaching concerning that where do's the Scripture determine the Mode that it shall be by the Method of Questions and Answers that the Catechism shall be divided into LII §§ answerable to the Sundaies in the Year among the Jews the division of the Law into b 2 Tim 4. â— LIII or LIV. greater Sections and the subdivision of these into lesser Where do's God enjoyn the mode of reading Scripture by Chapters and those as distinguished into Verses though Reading of H. Writ be a religious act of Gods prescription Mr P. I shall suppose is a singer of Psalms or Hymns in Metre but where do's Scripture determine the Circumstance of Meeter and setting â—â—nes to them 6. Let it be considered that God ne'r prescribed in Humiliations the use of sackcloath and ashes yet used it was without reproof and Christ alluding to it d See above confirmâ— it semblably we may refer it to consideration that he that was the Master of the Feast having his Feâ—st-robe onely on should wash the feet of those that were with him where is it inordered and yet our â— Lord did so e S. John 13. 15. Consider again that the Fasting on every Festival Day till the sixth hour is no where commanded the Jews and yet by the words f Acts 2. 15. of S. Peter it is signified without any tex upon it These and more g See Hocker l. 2 p 94. that might be added are Circumstances if not more as no where determined so no where reproved but allowed 9. There were several things ordained by the Apostles which now are antiquated and none that are sober and consâ—stent in their brains think meet to observe them As who now deem themselves under obligation to abstain from blood h Acts 15. 20. 16. 4. fears to eat a Pullet that has not its neck not broke but chopt-off that it may bleed though some Souldiers of the Sectarian Army were so fond to say the mildest as scrupulously to observe this a See Edwards's Gangraena second Pâ—rt â—ho now observes the Agapae b S. Jude â— 12. or Love-feasts or thinks meet thâ—t the Eucharist should be celebrated c 1 Coâ— 1â— â—0 See Bâ—shâ—p Aâ—drâ—ws 's Sermâ—n Of â—orshipâ—ng Imagâ—nations p. 39. after Supper By all whiâ—h sâ—verals it appears that Examples in Scripture are not alwayes 〈◊〉 determiners of Circumstances 10. Let me annex farther and fâ—â—â—lly for this that as is already observed he would have Kneeling determined as the circumstance of Praying But as the slovenly â—â—rectorie never imposes the Gesture so all of that Batch of men and oâ—her preâ—â—nded Illuminatees seldome or never in publick use it God's House d See Mâ— Mede's Dâ—scourse called Churches both in and ever since the Apostles times p. 3 3 4. being more vile with them then their Parlours oâ— Closets you would deem them Oliphants and you would not suppose that Characterism of the Presbyterian publick Worship too abhorrent from truth which â—â—yes 'T is sitting still and hearing of Sermons To a Third Argument of ours draw'n from Forms of Praises as namely a Psalm or Song for the Sabbath day e Psalm 9â— and a Prayer of the afflicted f Psalm 102. Moses 's Song after deliverance from Egypt and the Red Sea h Num 6. 23 Prayers for blessing the People g Exo 15. 33. and finally our Lord's Prayer i S. Matth 6 9. He will Return many things after acknowledgment of what none will thank him for viz. that there were such Psalms c. composed by the Servants of God by way of Exception but such as are worthy no manner acceptation as 1. That they were moved by the H. Ghost and were infallible And what then what why then we must not use their infallible Forms or then we may not compose Forms according to their Patterns and the tenour of the H. Word of God If so he must pray no more for it 's too sure he 's not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 moved carried of the good Spirit nor of an infallible Spirit 2. That they are become Scripture and so written for our learning Answ 1. And why not for our devotion also Henceforth let not Mr. P. intersperse oâ— interlace Scripture-passages in his prayings â— If all Scripture be given that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works then either to present worthy and acceptable prayers unto God is no piece of his perfection or of a good work or else Scripture-patterns of Prayer or Prayers may be used by him in order to the discharge of his whole duty towards Souls to his furnishment for all turns and enablement 3. He excepts that this is to argue from an Extraordinarie to an Ordinarie practise which sayes he is not right bringing instances to shew the illegitimacy or absurdity of this processe Answ 1 But do's not this Weapon cut the throat of his own practice The Sermons of the Prophâ—ts and Apostles were Extraordinarie Ergò Mr. P. must not preach nay their Prayers and Praises were so therefore he must not pray or give praise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It 's pity to detain my thoughts or my Reader 's eyes with such stuff 2. To his Instances 1 It was not Extraordinarie that Moses should command punishment of death to be inflicted on Idolaters 2 not Extraordinarie for David to order the external matters of God's service as Constantine said a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb de vit Constantini See Doctor Hammond's Answ to Schisme disarmed c. 5. 6 sect 9. 11. per tot of the pâ—wer of Kings in Chuâ—ch-matters I am
the more ought we to mark them the difference tending to the clearing d As Remit our debts is â—xpounded by Forgive our trespassâ—s of one word by another 3. To that part of the Argument that is drawn from the want of the Doxologie we easily Answer that This is as if we should say We ought not to celebrate the Eucharist because one of the Evangelists S. John speaks not of it We have diverse Psalmes which contain but one and the same subject as the XIVth and LIII notwithstand there is in one a Clause which is not in the other e See vers 5. of the xivth and vers 6. of the liii must we suppresse them both f See the worthy Treaâ—ise â—y Mr. Desâ—agne in Defense of the Lord's-Prayer suâ—joyned to his Tract on the Creed Obj 8. p. 3â— But again what if we say the Doxoâ—ogie was by after-Copies annexed out of the Liturgies of the antient Greek Church g See Pract Catech l. 3. sect 2. p. 292. See also the same Authour 's VI. Quaeres Quâ—re 1. p. â—â— in a case much like 3. His third Proof is That if it were given aâ— a Form and impoâ—ed it â—as a sin in the Apostles c. not to use it constaâ—tly but it appears not among the Apostles-their prayers that they used it at all Answ 1. A Negative Argument concerning a Fact which is not of the essence of Faith is not good We read not in the H. Story that the Jewes ever celebrated the year of Jubilee a Consider also that the double poâ—tâ—on of Elâ—as â—pirit pâ—omâ—sed to Elisha â— King 11 10. is not recorded as performed one of the greatest points of the Ceremonial Law yet without doubt they did it otherwise they would have been censured by God We read not that the Apostles ever baptized in the name of the Divine Persons named in their Commission b S. Matâ— 8. though we reâ—d of many baptized by them and others shall we sâ—y thâ—n that they did not baptize in this Forme A very Form of Blessing is prescribed by God Numb vi 23 c In this wise or in this set form say the Assemblâ—es Annot on â—his place c. Yet we do not find it in the whole Scripture It is more blessed to give than to receive iâ— mentioned Act xx 35. â—s one of Christ's memorable sayiâ—gs which yet is not found in all the Monotessaâ—on in none of the four Evangelists We might insist in many more such Iâ—stances out of the Old and New Testament if need were So that â—n our particular we should rather conclude Christ dictated this Form upon their desire and therefore they used it 2. Were it not so the Apostles were indued with a â—pirit which guided them in their Prayers as well as in their Doctrine But have we the same infallible spirit d See Mâ—â— Jean Despagne ib. Obs 7. p. 31. But 3. the learned Doctor Casaubon thinks the use of the Lord's-Prayer alluded-to in Scripture viz 1. S. Peter 1 17. This he deduces largely but we covet brevity Thus then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 e Si cognominatis Patrem Beza ib. signifies if you call upon him as Father or If in praying you call him Father Then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that judgeth without respect of persons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to every man's works by the Hebrew Idiotisme amounts to the sense of which art in heaven For proof of this he urges Ps vii 6 7. f See also Ps cxv 2 3. for their sakes therefore returne thou on high g Whereupon it immediatly follows The Lord shall judge the people i. e. to Heaven so the sense requires and all the Rabbins agâ—ee fâ—om whence God as-to the apprehension of men is supposed to absent-himself when he doth not execute judgment but suffers the wicked to prevaile The reason of this speech is heaven is properly The Throne of â—od h Ps lxvi 1. Now Thrones among men are chiefly established for and by Justice therefore when God's â—ustice appears not among men they suppose him for a time not to be in his Throâ—e i. e. in Heaven i See Doctor Casaub Vind. of the Lord's-Prayer p. 89 90 91 92 93 4 and lastly the miraculousâ—y-learned G. Cassander hath proved That to Christ's words in the Lord's-supper the Apostles added the use of the Lords ' Prayer a Eucharistia solà Oratione Dominicâ cum gratiarum actione primis temporibus celebrabatur S. Hierom affirms that Christ taught his Apostles to consecrate the Eucharist by the Lords-Prayer l. 3. contra Pelagium c. 5. S. Greg. l. 7. Epist 63. B. Bhenanus in Tert. de Coronâ Mil. Dominica Oratio habetur in omnibus Liturgiis See Mr. Lall's Tryall of the grounds tending to separation c. 2. p. 17 See Doctor Hammond's Copy of some Papers c. p 84. Sicuti quoque tota vetusta Ecclesia id semper extra controversiam habuit viz. Precationem hanc Christi non esse tantùm rectè precandi normam sed insuper quoque rite precandi formam Divines of Leyden in their Synopsis Theologiae disp 36. sect 33. See him in Liturgicis See also the learned Thorndike of Religious Assemblies p. 411. But when he 's pinched with the so-express undeniable words of S. Luke when ye pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say Our Father c. he Answers the meaning seems 't is but seems then to be that Christ sent his Disciples to the Direction given before Matth vi Answ Here is a miserable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shift For 1. We have proved that that is not onely a Direction but a Form 2. And in S. Luke's setting the words there is nothing that colours for a reference Do's Mr. P. do's any Author when he sayes vide videsis see look c. repeat the whole of what they have spoken in the place their Reader is remitted unto This is too piteous a device to detain us we pass on therefore To a Fourth Argnment for Liturgies Because it is lawfull to pray in set words found in Scripture He Returns three things 1. That to use the same words in Prayer out of the vehemencie and agonie and that by the Spirit as Christ b It was at three several times and with some interval or distance between each and which deserves a very considerable Remarke it was at his Passion which as all times of affliction was apt to subminister variety of words that our B. Lord went thrice saying the same words and some of the Prophets did at the same time is no ground for forming a Book without any such eminent impulsions of the Spirit But to this we say 1. That this Argument or â—nswer militates equally against all stinted Forms as Liturgies for if we may not frame Prayer-Books without eminent impulsions by the Spirit then no single Prayers though short without them But and if those impulses may be had to the latter why
not in the composing and using the former And 2. do's not this destroy even conceived Prayers also for who of the Extemporalists can with truth pretend to those eminent as that signifies extraordinarie impulses and to that Spirit that acted in Christ and the Prophets But if those eminent impulses and that agonie by the Spirit have a lower calmer and more modest sense as pretended-to now adayes those are no unusual things in the forming and using Forms or Liturgie To what he Returns 2. That the repetâ—tion of the same words was by the same Persons and peculiar to them and chiefly at that time therefore c. We say 1. That if Christ and the Prophets had used words delivered or uttered by others before them and so consequently not peculiar to them that spake 'em and also consequently not at the same time with the first uttering of them would they have been either lesse vehement or lesse by a In the Dedication of the Temple Salomon used the very words of the Ps 132. 9. which David vowed to use at the bringing in of the Ark into his House See 2 Chro. 7. 6. 20. 21. 22. See also Ezra 3. 10 11. the Spirit or lesse acceptable to or prevalent with God For 2. Christ used prayers with earnestnesse and agonie and that by the Spirit which were endited by others many Ages before He was incarnate and upon other occasions The xxii Psalm he repeated ad verbum wholly on the Cross b Imò Christus in cruce pendens deprecationis formâ à Davide tanquam typo anteà observaâ—â usus est Matth. 37 46 say the Divines of Leyden Polyander Riveâ—us Walaeus Thysius in their Synop. Theologiae Disput 36. sect 33. saies the Tradition of the Church which may very well be however the beginning of it we are sure by the testimony of the Evangelists c S. Matth. 27. 46. S. Mar. 15. 31. he did recite My God my God c. as also those words out of Ps 31. 5. Into thy hands I commend c. And again the great Allelujah as the Jews call it reaching from Ps cxiii to the cxiix inclusively that set portion of Psalms of praise our B. Lord sai'd immediately before his Passion d S. Matth 26. 30. Where the vulgar Latine translates hymno dicto Ours-sung an hymn and in the Margin Psalm The Original word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Beza and Ainsworth say should be rendred having sung the hymns oâ— Psalms The Psalms S. Paul mentions 1 Cor xiv 26. were some of David's or Asaph's Psalms and the H. Apostle faults not the Corinthians for using those Psalms but for that every one had a distinct Psalm and so did not observe Uniformity which the non-observation of he asserts obstructed Edification After all this I need not set down the command of K. Hezekiah to the Levites to praise the Lord with the words of David and Asaph 2 Chro xxix 30. These Instances sure will give full Warranty to the use of Forms of Prayer and Praise recorded in Scripture and likewise of all others that for matter and form are holy and sit though composed by others c. To what he Answers 3. That from these Instances we may better infer that no Form is to be used till a man is in such an agonie or energie of spirit as Christ c. was We say 1. That Christ was not alwayes equally earnest in his Prayers much lesse those Prophets as is apparant by S. Luke saying that being in an agonie he prayed more earnestly a S Luk â—2 44. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See Doctor Hammond's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and The Refuter Refuted learnedly irresistibly defending it Which pitch of energie then must we be in for to qualifie us to recite the same words 2. I ask were the Levites but now mentioned in such an agonie or earnestnesse as cannot be reached now by Christian Levites or as David c. the inspired Composers of those Psalms were in Surely no! And yet this hindred not their rehearsing of them and no doubâ— with acceptation at God's hands 3. â—s-to what he addes that 't is not good to argue from an Extraordinarie to an Ordinarie b Ab Extraordinaâ—io ad Ordinarium non est consequentia or from a particular to a General To this we have sai'd somewhat already in our amoving his Answ to our as he sets it down 3d. Objection whereto we now adde that we do not reason thus The Prophets by Extraordinarie immediate calling gave special Forms of Prayer or Praises to the Church upon particular special occasion whâ—ch Forms are as they deserve parts of the Canon of Scripture â—rgò The Church may do the same or the like now But thus we argue and that consentiently to Truth Holy men have prescribed and the Faithfull have used these Forms not by Exâ—raordinarie inspiration or espâ—câ—al injunction And Holy inspired men of God by inspiration gave certain Hymnes Psalmes and Forms of Prayer to the Church to be used on special occasion which have the due matter and form of praâ—se and prayer in a holy fitting and seasonable use â—rgò set Liturgies or Forms of Prayer c. may be lawfully and advantageously made use of as coming from the spirit and acceptable to God Pursuantly hereto I l'e fit him in the Margin c Cùm unum particulaâ—e ab alio partiticulaâ—i prâ—batur vi simil tudinis communis toâ—i generi sub quo ea particularia continentur necessariò conclâ—dit with a Rule to quit Scores with his concerning Examples To a Fifth Argument for Liturgies Because it 's lawfull for the People to use a Form as they do when they joyne with the Minister and therefore for the Pastor He Answers How can the extemporarie immediate conceived Prayer of the Minister be a Form to the People If it be he yeelds he sayes to it an unwritten unprinted unhear'd-of unimposed Form Concerning which Return we Rejoyne several things 1. That the Argument is strong and ungainsayable and 't was that of a man in great reputation with the Enemies of the English Church d Doctor John Preston See above See also of the same jâ—â—gment Mr. Arthur 〈◊〉 Ps â—1 6â— For even in the most extemporaneous Effusions of the Minister the People's spirits are as much limited following of otâ—eâ—wise than as He leads as in the most stinted set or prescript Form 2. Let it be observed that it wars against all set Forms as well as Liturgies 3. There may be some in the Auditorie that may be better at the faculty of extempore-extempore-Prayer than the then-Mouth is in this case will it be unlawfull for these abler Ones to be stinted to the others's measure in prayer for that time Is it not used in Mr. P's meetings sometimes that the weakest of his Christians be put to pray for the rest 4. But being content to grant that the Minister's extemporarie eructations though the
People know nothing of them before the very not-knowing or not-hearing of it before is the apter to stint yea quench yea utterly deprive of an hearty Amen a In a stinted prayer as the judgment of the people is the freer to say Amen by the foreknowledge and approbation of the prayer so the spirit and affections are at an equal fâ—eedom also as in a suddenly-conceived prayer See Dr. Bernard declaring and assertâ—ng A B. Usher's opinion in this matter p. 312 Of certain Discourses c are such Prayers so to cal'em i. e. Forms to the Auditors he sayes that he 'l yeeld to such a Form viz. an unwritten unheard-of c. Form To which I say But is there such influence or Poâ—er in those accidents or external circumstances writing or not writing heard-of or unheard-of as to make that which is lawfull in it self and essentially to become unlawfull or lawfull respectively onely yea and a breach of the 2d Commandment see his p. 2. 2. I shall not stand to say what is most visible and experimented by every day's practice of the Orthodox that the heart may very well follow the eye in reading what is writ or printed yea better than the invention b See above 3. What he addes about non-imposition as we have spoke somewhat to that already above and what is sai'd but now about non-writing c. is perfectly applicable to it so we farther now annex this That if it be unlawful to impose a Form of Prayer the Substance thereof being perfectly allowable yea and required the rest being but matter of order method words and phrases of speech â—hich are very Circumstances and Accidents it is unlawful also to prescribe place time and order for the celebration of Divine Ordinances which place c. are of the very same nature and equally undetermined by the Word of God For close I observe that these confident al-assuming Dictatours who are so prompt to accuse the Orthodox of humane Devises and Impositions about the matters of Heaven oh what intolerable presumption do they use in Devising and Imposing their groundless dotard Conceits for the Word and mind of â—od What he propounds as a Sixth Objection against the Adversaries of Liturgie I willingly slide-by conceiving it rather to be some Spectre that pâ—esents it self to Mr. P's Phant'sie if any man's Imaginative can be so whether strong or weak and distempered than any Argument produced for Liturgie by any lover and approver thereof The Seventh as he ranges them of our Arguments for Liturgies drawn from Christ's using the same words thrice in Prayer he refers for Answer to the 4. Objection And thither also I am very well content to referre my Reader for his satisfaction To our Eighth fetch 't from Christ's using a Hymne after Supper He Answers Why might not Christ and his Disciples use one of the Psalms of Scripture being in Meâ—re and then in use But I remove this Answer by observing many infirm parts in it as 1. How do's this agree with what he laid down in his Second Answ to our Sixth Objection p. 12 of his Pamphlet which did import or insinuate * that same Words or Forms must be used by the same persons * must be peculiar to them that spake them and * must be uttered at the same time a See his p. 12. Answer 1. None of which were in this Case 2. It is as unlawfull to sing stintedly especially David's Psalmes of which this or these b See above were consisting mostly of interspersions of Prayer as to pray stintedly Wherefore if it were unlawfull for Christ to use stinted Prayer he knows what will follow and if it were not unlawfull he knows the Consequent also but little to the comfort of his beloved Hypothesis 3. He makes the Psalms in Metre more lawfull for use than in Prose or not so metrically composed but the Meeter of Our Psalms is an humane invention damned by Mr. P. What follows 4. He seemes to insinuate mark his reasoning that every thing in use among the Jewes was lawfull if so then besides that this is directly crosse to his anti-Liturgical humour there being many things in point of usage custome and ceremonie used by them and uncommanded of God c See above they are hence concluded lawfull also and so he justifies our Holy daies and Ceremonies even while he impugnes them not to extend his words to the justifiing of corrupt things introduced into the service of God by them in use among them which as Christ might not use so he did not but reproved them 5. â—ut he ha's an help at Maw yet by saying That this Hymne signifies an extempore song as diverse Interpreters saith he make that distinction 'twixt Hymns and Psalms and Spirituall Songs Col. 3 16. â—o which I say 1. That Division is naught where the members divident are coincident as here spirituall Soâ—gs one of the members is with Hymns if as it signifies Songs so it signifie spirituall as sure here it do's 2. I dare not take it upon his word that Interpreters here so distinguish But 3. if they should I 'se shew him an Interpreter that may be allowed to weigh in the ballance against six hundred of them that interprets farre otherwise 't is that glorious man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dr. Hammond on Eph. 5. 19. 5. Who saith that the difference of those three d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be fetch 't from the Jewes who have 3. sorts of Cancicles 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amputavit a Concise verse which is here called a Psalm 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Praise celebration depredicating of any thing 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Canticum or Cantio whence is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Song of Songs and to this answers here the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the word Spiritual e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Christian added to it is in opposition to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the like drunken sensual Songs and Ovations in their Bacchanalia c. by which it appeareth that the specifical difference of the former of these from the rest is not for that it was an extemporarie thing 6. But himself places no great affiance in such Interproters and therefore ha's recourse to others who understand no more by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f than praising God which Math. 26. 30. sense he will confirm by such acceptation of the word g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11 12. Answ 1. That there it is not rendred to praise but to sing praise now sing we cannot especially David's Hymns out of which this last place is taken being disposed by Art Metrical and bound to the lawes of versifying extempore 2. It signifies I will compose an Ode or Psalm in thy praise then sing it which sure can't be done ex tempore neither Now these things being so the Apostle commanding this singing whatever
our Authour sayes to elude the matter did impose or enjoyne the singing of Set Forms of praise To the Ninth Argument for Liturgies Because it 's lawfull to use a Form in Preaching c. He Answers in summe That 't is not lawfull to write all a Sermon verbatim and then deliver it without any alteration and after Print and then impose it on others therefore c. To which we say 1. That the Objection may be improved thus If Set Psalmodie or h See the last Answer Hymnologie if Set Translations of Scripture Set Confessions and Professions of Faith Set Catechismes and Set penned Sermons be lawfull then are Set Prayers also lawfull But those are lawfull Therefore so are these 2. What he speaks against writing a Sermon word for word delivering it without addition or substraction or variation and so injoyning it is equally pleadable against the particulars immediately foregoing 3. Reading a thing that broiles in his breast i A thing that did also in Disciplinarians theirs Hooker l. 5. p. 221. that Sermons should be read of the S. Scripture where no liberty is left for alteration of words and phrases or adding c. is by Scripture called Preaching a Act. 15 21. preach him being read For so saith Mr Hooker b Boâ—k 5. p. 213 sect 19. of necessity it must be understood inasmuch as we know that the Jewes have alwayes had their weekly readings of the Law of Moses but that they alwayes had in like mâ—nner their weekly Sermons upon some part of the Law of Moses we no where find Yea and the Scripture read is the best of Preaching c See Id. ib. p. 229. 4. This also to him ad hominem is considerable that one may preach with his pen which comes to the hearer Reader without al alteration I Evangelize sayes Dr. John Reynolds d De Rom. Eccles Idololat Praef. ad Com Effexiae with my hand and by writing To the Tenth Argument for Litutgies Because it was the practice of the Church in Scripture-times and downwards to have them He begins to Answer very fastidiously but withal nothing to the purpose of the Argument which is a knot too hard for him e're to untie disputing against all Forms as he do's The Bishops saith he said so and thought to prove it and then out of Smec or the Club-Divines mentions a mistake of Bishop Andrewes about a Jewish Liturgie To which I say 1. The Bishops were wont to speak as much truth as any of their enemies ever were and had as much of Christian simplicitie and veracitie and what they thought or needed to prove both in respect of the learning of the men and the justifiablenesse of their cause could not want advocation 2. As-to what Bishop Andrews of immortal memorie did in inquirie after the Jewish Liturgie as I know not now so at present I have no commoditie to examine a thing but needful when Smectymnuus and his followers speak for their own and against their Adversaries interest This I suppose that the Reverend bishop Hall now at rest with God finally answered their Pamphlet whereout this Story I own to have been taken but His â—ook I have not e Since I find that B. Hall dâ—es fuâ—y prove that the Jewes had a Foâ—m of Litur from Moses 's time Answ to the Vind. â—f Smec p. 3â— c ¶ 5 6. p. 10â— 2. As-to what he adds as reason That if there had been any such Liturgies in Christs and His Apostles time doubtlesse we should have found some mention of it in the Scripture where is mention of their reading and preaching in the Synagâ—gues and of giving the Book of Isaiah f S. Luk 4. 17. I Answer 1. That the Scriptures silence in this matter proves nothing The Scripture was given to be the perfect Rule of supernatural Faith and heavenly manners but sets not down alwaies particular Observations or Customs The practise of ordâ—narie reading of the Law in the Assemblies on the Sabbath a Act 15. 21. is not found mentioned for a long time together now is it hence conclusible That the Scriptures were not read in the Assemblies More Instances in this kind may be given but this in general we say b See the learned Author of the Additionals to Bishop Andrews on CoÌ„mandments Commandm 3. p. 271. saying thus Though in matters of Faith which are of absolute necessity to salvation for all to know it may be granted that they are all expressed in Scripture yet for other matters that concern the discipline order and government of the Church it was not necessarie to have them in writing though many of them be occasionally mentioned it was sufficient that they might be known by the daily practice of the Church wherein every one might read them written in large and capital letters See Grot Vâ—t p. 140 141. Discussio p. 173 174 c. See Dr Hammond's Quaeres Quare 1. per tot See also Dr Whitaker disp de Sacr Scrip qu 6. contr 2. c. 6. That there were many Observances Vsages and Orders in especially the Gospel-Church which were well-known to those who observed used c. them but the S. Scriptures do not sometimes at all sometimes but glancingly or allusively reflect or touch them 3. It follows not should the Argument be pressed so far that they ne'r had or used a set Form because it is not found at this day For many Antique Monuments are perished and lost Again though Forms now exstant were not entire with interpolations c. as now they are till they ceased to be a Church yet many matters contained in these disguised Liturgies might be in use before Semblably as 't is in or with the Liturgies that go under the names of S. Mark and S. James thence surnamed Jacobus Leiturgus c Hegesippus c. 4. It is undeniable that the Jews used a stinted prescript Form of prayer and praise or thanksgiving in the celebration of the Passeover and the learned d See L. Brugensis in Ps. 112. Jo Scaliger de Emen temp l. 6. Beza Ann. Maj in Mat. 26. 20. Drusius Praeterit l. 1. in Mat. 26. 30 Ainsworth in Exod 12. 8. John Balls Trial of the Grounds tending to separation c. 7. p. 106. bring proofs that our Lord approved the same To our Eleventh Argument That a Liturgie is a good help to those that can't pray He Returns four things The 1. That it is rather an hinderance for were it not for such Forms the help of the Spirit of God would be sought and given Answ 1. That this opposeth all Forms equally with Liturgies 2. What if that of the famous Hales d should be true when the Spirit stirs up a man to newnesse of e Hales's Golden Remains first Sermon on 2 Pet 3. 16. p. 16. life it exhibits not unto him an inventorie of his sins as hitherto unknown but either supposes them known in the Law of
their unbloody sacrifice their real presence c. And if for the first 11. years of Q. Eliz. the Papists came to our Churches and Service what can we saies he think but that the hand of the Lord was with us at that time for good when without division we sought him and he was pleased so to honour us that our Adversaries should at least feignedly submit themselves We say that the English Liturgie gathered according We do not like the Israelites borrow any Jewels of the Aegyptians but like Laban to Jacob we search their houses to see whaâ— Jewels they have of ours which were left us by the Primitive Fathers And dare be bold to say as Laban with a far better title These Ceremonies be my Ceremonies these prayers be my prayers as he of his daughters c. Mr D. Wh. Vind of the Form of C. Prayers p. 36. to the Modules of the Fathers the most pure of them is not a collection out of the Romish Missal but a refining of that antient Liturgie which heretofore had been stained or impurated by the Masse those things being justly cast out which were unjustly added to the Liturgie of purer antiquitie No translation of the Masse but a restitution of the former antique liturgie with the intersertion of diverse Prayers used by the H. Antients conformly to Sacred Scriptures His second Reason out of Smec is Because it was framed on purpose to bring Papists to Church Answ 1. That this sets a good a If S. Paul by being a Jew to the Jew could hope to gain the Jew why should not we without being Papists to the Papists but only Christians wherein they are so too expect to gain the Papists also View of the New Direct p. 63. Sect. 15. Seâ— also p. 62. most satisfactorily character both upon the Composers and the Composition that They designed and It was framed and both so as not in the least prejudicing Truth or Charitie to the Protestant English to convert any b Act. 26. 18. to turn them from darkness to light 2. The aime of our Reformers was to compose a publick Service and Polity Ecclesiastical conform as neer as they could to the Primitive Church that so all the Children of that Church enjoying such a Liturgie c. might serve God purely and like the H. Primitives We c Accessimus autem quantum maximè potuimus c Apolog Ecclesiae Anglicanae mihi p. 170. saith the excellent Bishop Jewel came as neer as possibly we could to the Church of the Apostles and of the Antient Catholick Bishops and Fathers which we know as yet kept her integritie and was as Tertullian speaks an uncorrupt or pure Virgin not yet defiled with idolatrie nor any grievous or publick errour nor onely our Doctrine but also our Sacraments and the Form of our Publick Prayers we have directed or framed to their Rites and Institutes and as we know Christ and almost all the pious to have done Religion by them Papists fouly neglected and depraved we have recalled or brought back to its origin and first beginnings 3. What the design and processe of our old authentick legal Reformers were malevolent and schismatical Smectymnuans must not teach us We have it told us by a man that will strike scale against six hundred of them the most candid veracious profoundly learned Mr Hooker d Eccl. Pol. l. 4. Sect. 14. à p. 163. ad p. 168. where p. 165. he considers this Objection of T. C's producing His Third Reason is Because it is so much idolized called Divine Service Answ 1. Was there never a Parliament in the World idoliz'd by its Adherents Mr P. among them and yet sure it s whether admirers or adorers thought not meet that It should be abolished or suffer an Ostracisme or Petalisme were there not some Ministers Smectymnuus as chief that were idolized all their false tendries and heterodoxies swallowed without all discretion or discussion a Beloved I speak it confidently that the greatest part of the deserters of the Ch. of E. are more at best as much lyable to a charge of implicite faith as any Romanist whatever the having mens persons in admiration having clearly I had almost said alone seduced them into their schism errours and heresies of which I am satisfied they are never able to give any rational account beyond the credit of their teachers who to them are Scripture Canons Church and what not Mr Jo Martin in his excellent Sermon called Hosannah p. 24 â—5 as the very Oracles of God and with as implicite a faith as any proposition whatever of the Romish Church is entertained and believed by any of the Bigots of that Persuasion And yet these men passe with Mr P. for learned and Godly and not to be deprived or silenced I warrant you by his good will unlesse what report speaks him he be turned Anabaptist Nay was not Preaching idoliz'd also getting the Monopolie of all Gods service and as Moses's Rod the Egyptians-theirs swallowing them all up the wretched finatical Rosicrucian chymical chimerical Pilpetings of some heterodox and ignorant plebeian-spirited Pulpitiers in special Must Preaching therefore be put down and the wooden Bells in that H. Martyr's phrase every where continue without Clappers 2. But we say it 's no more than we must oâ— can expect that ill-talented anti-interested persons should account every thing which they dislike and damne and would idolize in one sense to be too much honoured and idolized though indeed it have but a just proportion and pitch of respect and reverence And this is the very case here 3. And for his mention of Divine Service in this matter 1. I am sure it has as good title as his nay as any mans Sermons have to be enstyled the Word of God I may without violation of modesty say a better 2. Divine Service is no more than the Service of the Divinitie or of God and then sure the words have nothing that too much aggrandizeth the Book We need not adde 3. that 't is not unordinarie to find Casaubon Salmasius Scaliger Grotius b Divine Augustine divine Drusius See Kellet's Miscellanies alios Divinitas dicitur orationis libri rei gestae hominis aliarum reâ—um Viv in Aug l. 7. c. 1. c. to be called divine men without any exception to the title or Eulogie and then in this sense also I should well hope our Bâ—ok might be called Divine Service 4. His idle storie I let passe and believe the man said honestly and nothing amisse 5. So I need not alledge to ballance this ametrio if so it be the immoderate scorn Antiochus's tearing the Law and villanious usage that precious Book hath found even in a moderate Adversaries judgment too too extreme and vile His Fourth Reason from the Brotherhood is Because many distast it Answ 1. Alas their palates But 2. and seriously his pen speaks too short He should have spoken in the more amazing
are not to be done kneeling rather in a standing posture as in Absolution and Blessing of the People c. then we stand 3. It was one of T. C's and the Brethren's Charges on our Liturgie that it was too b Id. l. 5. p. 205 Sect. 32 long and in that respect burdensome and here is an intimation that the Prayers are not long enough But sure 1 if they were not divided into Collects and diverse portions but all put into one continuate prayer they are of a very competent and of due length 2 They are generally as thus dispensed as long as Christ's short Form wherein yet S. Chrysostome saies c Hâ—mil de Ann fol 965. he taught us the measure or length due to our Prayers Whereunto may be annexed 3 that from universal consent Cassian d De insâ—it Aâ—â—nachor l. 2. â— 10. apud View of Directorie p. 21 â—ciliâ—s cenâ—ent breves orationes sed creberrimas fieri Ut Diaboli infidiantis jacula succinctâ— breviâ—ate viâ—emus tells us that the way deemed most profitable is to have short Prayers but very thick or frequent upon this their consideration that we may avoid by such course of succinct brevity the darts of the Devil lying in ambush Consonantly S. Austine e Epist cxxi c. 10. But a greater I wis than Augustine T. C. scanoalcusly faults ours as short cuts and shreddings See Hooker l. 5. Sect. 33. p. 252. But. â— Sanctis pete perfectis exemplum commends the many short dart-like Prayers of the Brethren in Aegypt To his Nineteenth Vnjustifiable The chopping and mincing of Prayer between Priest and People likening them to charms Answ 1. With his tongue he will prevail who is lord over it not Reason nor I doubt me Conscience 2. These interlocutorie Forms of speech in the most profound judgment of Mr Hooker a See him câ—red above in 〈◊〉 â—o â—9th Vnw where most of what is said is pertinent here also are nothing else but most effectual partly testifications and partly inflammations of all piety 3 â—nd they are lâ—kewise as above-said great conciliatours of friendship and love 'twixt the People among themselves and between them â—nd the Minister Read Ps 122 and argue thence â minori ad majus While 4. his and his like-their longsome Prayings a In answering after the Praecentor the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the extreams of the verse proved from Philo to have been the practice of the Esseneâ— from Euseb of the Primitive Christians learn't from the Jews who also now use Antiâ—hones or Responsories in their Synagogues from the Seraphims Esay 6. from the use of the Hebr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which natively signifying to answer is used also for to sing as in Ps 147. 7. Is 22. 7. Num 21. 17. Exod 32 18. and in other places but especially out of Ezr. 3. 11. whence our manner of praying and praising God alternis vicitus is derived See Mr Mede Diatr on 1 Cor. 11. 5. p. 255 256 257. wherein the People are not engaged to bear their parts as with us charm the senses and stupifie the attention of the People and make them dream o'r the Service of God tyring them with an hour two or three's prayer till like yong Eutychus b Act. 20. 9. through weariness they be taken up dead asleep at our feet c See Mr Paul Baine's Life prefixt to his Commentarie on the Ephes diâ—allowing though a Puritane these long Prayers which some so plume and pride themselves in p. ult of his life Amos 8. 5. Thus causing more than a fulnesse in Divine Worship a very dangerous matter making men apt to complain as they in the Prophet of the new moon and Sabbath when will they be gone when will it be done Let thy words be few saies Salomon Eccl. 5. 2. No commendation saith S. Austine sutablie that he was long at prayer in as much as there may be much speaking and but little praying d Epist cxxi quâ— est pâ—obae viduae Multa loquutâ—o non multa precatio Non in sermone multo sed diuturno affectu Id To his Twentieth about the Creed of Athanasius wherein he animadverts the Article of Christ's descent into hell for which we have alâ—eady sufficiently accounted and that yet it should be said That this is the Catholick Faith which except a man believe faithfullie he cannot be saved Answ 1. It argues intolerable saucinesse for him to vellicate and arraign those precious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or treasures of the Church the Creeds which deserve far more authoritie than any writings of men whoever now being that Regulafidei c. that one onely immoveable and unreformable Rule of Faith as Tertuâ—ian e De velandis Virgin c. 1. calls it And therefore 2. when he saies there are other expressions as liable to exception as it speaks monstroâ—s frowardnesse and saucinesse so is's no matter of wondering to those who have lived in an Age leacherously addicted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to remove antient land-marks and ambitiously bent to walk in paths not cast up and which even throws dirt upon the Divinest Prayer of our Lord not sticking to say a See Dr Mâ— Caâ—â—ubon's Vindic. of the Lord's Prayer p. 17. and that oft That if he were alive again he would be ashamed of that Prayer and thanking God they had forgotten it daring also to professe that b See Edward's Gangâ—aena Rich. Powel Vic. of Llâ—nigon in Breckn shire one of the Aâ—provers in the Act for Propag of the Gospel and Itinerant Preacher in that County often delivered in his Sermons That the Lords-Prayer was a rotten prayer Sâ—rena Vavas p 8. Christ in sâ—ch or such a saying of His was in darknesse when he spake it 3. The Close of that Creed must be interpreted by iâ—s opposition to those heresies that had invaded the Church and â—â—ich were acts of carnalitie in them that broached and maintained them against the Apostolical Doctrine and contradictorie to that foundation which had been resolved on as necessarie to bring the World to the obedience of Christ and were therefore to be anathematized after this manner and with detestation branded and banished out of the Church Not that it was hereby defended to be a damnable sin to fâ—il in the understanding or believing the full matter of any of those Explications in that Creed before they were propounded and when it might more reasonably be deemed not to be any fault of the will to which this were imputable c Dr Hammond of Fundamentals p. 97 c. 10. Sect. 3. Non simpliciores minùs capaces sed perversè doctrinam Trinitatis oppâ—gnantes à salute excludit Bishop Prid. Fasc Contr p. 239. See Leo's Answ apud Vâ—ssium de tâ—ibus symbolis To his Twenty first The Litanies being to be read on Wednesdaies and Fridaies and at other times when it shall be commanded by the Ordinarie which argue saies he compliance with the
Papists and he asserts the equal fitnesse of every Minister to judge of the meetnesse of the times to read it Answ 1. To do as Papists do is not as abovesaid no not though T. C. would rather have us symbolize with Mahomedans reprovable but where their practises are in vitio and reprovable of which sort this is none 2. It is rather a comportance with the Greek Church which keeps those daies more solemne Fasts because the Bridgroom was then taken from us sold by Judas on Wednesday and murdered by Jews on Friday d Constitutious of the Apost v. 14. vii See also Epiphanius â—dv Aâ—â—ium which are very excellâ—nt grounds of Fasting Humiliation and Litanie that is earnest prayer 3. It is the Charge of the Ordinarie to appoint when the Litanie is to be used extraordinarilie e Inasmuch as nothing should be done but by publick câ—â—senâ— and authority not ordinarilie And 4. it's extraordinarie presumption and folly to assâ—â—mo and think every Minister or himself as wise and discerning of the times as a Father and Bishop of the Church the superior Ordinarie so far excelling in years use of things judgment gravity inferiour Priests ordinarilie much more as all those Fathers jointly and authoritatively acting To his Twenty second Because in the Litanie the Minister propounds the matter of the Prayer but the People pray Good Lord deliver us c. Answ 1. But sure what the Minister utters then is part of the Prayer the matter as well as the form being part of the compositum and the Minister too do's or may softly pray what the People say 2. Were it not so let him tell if he can what harm there is in it For not onely in this quarel'd but nonparel'd a Of all pieces of Service give me thâ— Litanie it 's so substantial and powerful that it is able to make a man devout by violence it commands a zeal and seizeth upon the soul of any impartial hearer D. W's Vindic. c. p. 32. The Litanie saies one is a common treasure to all good devotion In caeteriâ— alios omnes vicit in hoc seipsam said of Orig. in Cantic piece of our Liturgie but in the Prayers before Sermon all that are not voluntarie but under precept of our Law this course of suggesting the matters or heads to the hearers to be by them summ'd up in the Lords-Prayer was not unusal heretofore and is now in some use b See Mr Sanderofts excellent Sermon on Tit. 1. 5. and 't is called moving the people to pray or bidding of prayers Some footsteps c See Dr Heylin's little Tract on this subject at the end of his Historie of Liturgies of which practice are to be found in Bishop Andrew's Sermons 3. All liberty though he would insinuate the contrarie is left to the People to utter any holy and wholesome prayers in private I am sure the use of the Liturgie save in the late evil daies was cheerfully permitted both in publick and private That which he aims at I suppose is that it was not permitted Schismaticks and mal-contents to haunt and heard together in houses under pretence d Quorum tituli remedium habent pixides veâ—enum Lact. l. 3. c. 15. of some Apothâ—caries boxes of God's Service and there to utter their stomachs against established Laws and Governours both in Church and State under the mark of dispensing and partaking God's Ordinances Forgive us this wrong Hac licentiá omnes deteriores sumus 4. Whereas he excepts But women are not permitted to speak in the Church that is saies he to pray citing 1 Tim. 2. 11 12. I must needs cry out Cor Zenodoti and then seriously tell him the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 14. â—4 particularly of Prophecying and teaching and in 1 Tim 2. 14. he layes down it 's true a morâ— general rule but yet such an one as forbids onely all such speaking as in which authoritie is used or usurped over the man Now when the woman praies in our Assemblies do's she I demand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Note here that to speak in a Church-Assembly by way of teaching and instructing others is an act of superioritie which therefore a woman might not do because her sex was to be in subjection and so to appear before God in Garb and Posture which consiâ—â—ed therewith that it they might not speak to instruct men in the Church but to God she might Mede Diaâ—ribe on 1 Cor 11. 5. p. 249 usurp authoritie over her husband or do's she prophecie or preach To his Twenty third The many Tautolâ—gies in it Good Lord deliver us being used 8. times c. and the use of the Lord's-Prayer at least 4. times in Morning-Service which is vain repetition forbidden Mat 6. 7. and condemned by us in Extemporalists Answ 1. This to do is most perfectly lawful from the example of our Lord within no great space praying in the same form of words thrice * S. Matt. 36. 44. And from the precedent of H. David in Ps 136. where every ver 26. in number is closed with For his mercy endureth for ever 2. It comes not under the censure mentioned in that we do not lengthen our Prayers with idle tautologies after the manner of the Heathen as thinking for so did they we shall have our Prayers granted through multiplicitie of the words used or by the long noise †Kings 18. 27. thereof or that we shall make them more intelligible to God 3. Our Forms are perfectly faultlesle whereas the battologie condemned by Christ in the place above meant * S Mat. 7. 8. as the best Glossarie tells us Polylogie Argologie Acyrologie long idle unseasonable talking or forms and therefore in Munsters Hebrew the sense of Christ's prohibition is in these words Do not multiplie words unprofitablie 4. Whereas 4. our Authour and such as he by their long confused incondite prayers would perswade us that they thought much babling after the Heatâ—eâ— manner were acâ—eptable to God and took it according to the Pharisees imagination of long Prayers S. Mat. 22. 14. to be a part of holinesse In which saith the Bishop of Wiâ—chester b Sermon of Woâ—shiping 〈◊〉 p. 37. who so marks them shall â—ind they commit both faults that of the Pharisee in tedious length procuring many timeâ— nauseam spiritus a dâ—ngerous passion and the other of the Heathen in fond repetitions tautologies inconsequences and all the absurdâ—â—ies which may fall into such manner of speech Adding Cyprian saith it was ever in Christs Ch. counted an absurd thing which some count their glorie ventilari preces inconditis vocibus 5. That the Lords prayer is oft repeated a I have known as great Puritanâ— as any were use the Lordâ— Prayer twice at every Sermon in the beginning at the end Montagu's Gagg p. 323. ha's this most reasonable account Christ commands us when we praâ— solemnly to say his prayer Now in our Book
special occasions require any of them to be either mentioned or insinuated 4. Were it so as is pretended we demand hath Christ so deprived his Church of judgement that what Rites or Orders soever the latter Ages thereof have devised they must needsly be inconvenient 5. It 's probable b Id. ib. that the Antient Jews had heretofore in regard the Modern ones have now a Form of funeral-Funeral-Prayers not borrowed â—e may be sure of the hated Christians 6. It is Mr Hooker's complaint c ib. in this instance That in these miserable daies under the colour of removing superstitious abuses the most effectual mears both to testifie and strengthen true Religion are plucked at and in some places even pulled up by the very roots To his Sixty fifth That in Churching of Women we applie Ps 121. to the Woman which is meant of the Church of God Answ 1. The Psalm was penned a See Grot in Ps 121. and accordingly is mean't concerning the time wherein there was War with Absalom 2. Why not thus appliable as well as what was said to Joshua b Josh 1. 5. in particular should be applied to every faithful Christian Hebr 13. 5. For he hath said I will never leave thee c. 3. Why not as well as the Psalms of David and Asaph applied to Hezekiah's time and the Churches case then 2 Chron 29. 30. though the occasions of both states were not the same and accordingly the expressions not all equally sutable and proper 4. By this use of the Psalm at this time is not intended to persuade that it was penned for this occasion but because it at the beginning tells the Woman that all her help comes from God c. the body also thereof being very pertinent and fit as is made apparent in the Rationale c p. 358. in Churching of Women 4. If the Churching of Women be questioned by any as by this Author I do here find it is being also in good time no doubt left out in the Directorie the Reader is heartily refer'd to a most satisfactorie and most excellent Discourse of it in the View of the New Directorie d Sect. 43. p. 39 40 41. 6. And yet hear in this matter the meek Hooker e L 5. Sect. 74. p. 400. 401. It 's but the overflowing of the gall which causeth the Womans absence from the Church during her time of lying-in to be traduced and interpreted as though she were so long judged unholy and were thereby shut-out or sequestred from the House of God according to the antient Levitical Law Whereas the very Canon f Dist. 5. c. Haec quae in lege c. Nune autem statim post partum Ecclesiam ingredi nonprohibetur Leo Constit x. Quod profectò non tam propter muliebrem immunditiem c. Where sâ—e two or three excellent Reasons of this Abstention it self doth not so hold but directly professeth the contrarie although her abstaining from publick Assemblies and her abode in separation for the time be most convenient But the Old and New Disciplinarians will needs set up Scholes of Ingratitude To his Sixty sixth That the Woman is enjoyned to offer her accustomed Offering Where saies he Is not this to bring them back to the Law of Moses Lev. 12. Answ 1. I have already accounted for Offerings and proved them Christian and lawful 2. Not every Concerning Oblations that some may become due by Law or Custome see the leaâ—ned Editor of Bishop Andrewes on the Commandements Add. 28. p. 308. imitation of Ceremonies and Usages among the Jews is now unlawful but contrariwise many of the Jewish Ceremonies were imitated by Christ himself under the Gospel as the above-said excellent Doctor a In his IVth Quaere ha's abundantly shewed in the place afore-cited out of that excellent Protestant Paulus Fagius's Notes on the Targum 3. When we come to give thanks for some extraordinarie blessing received then 't is requiâ—â—te and reasonable that not onely in word but in deed also we should thank God by bringing a Present to him as is required in Ps 76. 11. 4. To his reproach of leading capâ—ive silly Women if he be not conscious to whom it belongs let it even vanish as no concernment of ours To his Sixty seventh Unw The mention and approbation of Lent and Penance where he saies that these words are as honey c. to the Papists and that it was not so from the beginning Answ 1. Our Lent imports no more than a Spring-Fast Lent in the Saxon being Spring and the Jews the People of God had herein a fair precedent for us their publick set anniversarie Fasts as the great Day of Expiation b Levit. 13. Is 58. Jer. 36. 6. c. instituted by God and some instituted by men yet constantly observed as the four mentioned in Zech 8. 19. and Christ's Disciples were to fast c See S. Mat. 9. 14 15. S. Mar. 2. 18 19 20. S. Luk. 5. 33 34. 35. when he was taken from them that is ever since his Asscension c. so that without need to adde many other most obvious indisputably satisfactorie proofs Fasting in general nor set * See Luke â— 36. 38. Acts 10. 13. publick annually-recurrent Fasts cannot fall under a just reproof 2. As this will conclude our Lenten-Fast lawful so that will appear farther so to be by the occasion of it which was the imitation so far as we can reach d That we might as far as we are able conform to Christ's practice and suffer with him here that we may reigne with him hereafter S. Aug. Ep. exix of Christ's example of fourty Daies abstinence e S. Mat. 4. 2. Whereupon saith S. Jerome f Ep. 54. ad Marcellam We fast one fourty daies in a fit or convenient time according to the Tradition of the Apostles To him accords S. Epiphanius in making it an Apostolical Tradition And for the Practice of it S. Basil g Hom. 2. Je junio may be spokesman for all the Antients where he saies that there was no Age nor Place but knew it and observed it h See in Doctor Fearley's Handmaid to Devotion Of the Lent-Fast in Lent 's Devotion à p. 588. ad p. 619. and p. 617 618. 619. in Answ to Quest IVth is shewed how our Lent-Fast differs from the Popish See also Doctor Field of the Church l. 3. c. 19. p. 106 107. and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dr Gunning in his most full and irrefragable Tract on this subject 3. For the Penance our Church mentions 't is that of the Primitive Church not of the Romish which had her Penance as well as the Popish though not the same whereupon it is most ignorantlie to say the best done of our Author from Penance in the general common to both Churches to make as if we concluded their Church to be the Primitive 4. The Primitive Pennance