Selected quad for the lemma: prayer_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
prayer_n	pray_v	spirit_n	utter_v	2,382	5	9.4981	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A41326	The liturgical considerator considered, or, A brief view of Dr. Gauden's considerations touching the liturgy of the Church of England wherein the reasons by him produced for imposing the said liturgy upon all, are found to be so weak, his defence of things offensive in it so slight, the arguments against the liturgy by himselfe afforded, are so strong, that some, who upon His Majesties declaration did incline to the liturgy, are now further from it, by reading his wordy discourse about it : also some reasons humbly rendered, why many ministers, as yet cannot conform to that liturgy, but not out of disloyalty, pride, ingratitude, peevishness, nor schismatical petulancy, as the sarcastical pen of this uncharitable doctor hath published ... / by G.F.	Firmin, Giles, 1614-1697.	1661 (1661)	Wing F956; ESTC R843	47,787	64

Authority given by any legible Commission to the Church and contrary to the Word of God Gal. 4.10 Col. 2.16 and must therefore be a Superstition 2. In the frequent impertinent use of the Lords prayer which is a Prayer when time prevents or abruptly contracts our own expressions or to which as a puttern our Prayes must conform but will not therefore be necessary to be used in the beginning middle and end of Prayers Eccl spo● lib. 5. Sect. 34. p. 255 256. as the Reverend Hooker doth suggest nor is essential to every Act of Devotion to which a fancy of a sanctifying power of the words not Christs prescription doth direct it rendring it a vain sensless repetition and self-devised Worship 3. The Doxology a good compendious Confession of the Deity and Eternity of the three persons yet ungroundedly added to the end of every Psalm unless on sense of some Sacred Nature and efficacy of the words without which I cannot acquit it from addition to the Scriptures 4. The dignifying of the Gospel by the specialty of Minister Place Gesture and popular Acclamations above the Epistles though containing the same matter and having the same Author One Scripture may be more useful but none more honorable than others of the same Nature and Authority and I can have no confidence of their courage in fighting for the Gospel who are too cold to burn for the Epistles 5. The Ceremonies hereto affixed The English Popish Ceremonies part 3. cap. 3. pag. 124. which have been argued to be superstitious beyond my ability to answer being purely Religious not Natural or Civil Rites used to edifie by their significancy the peculiar work of a Sacrament and so opening a dore for others no less significant but wanting Christ his Institution ' which the Church is not commissioned to stamp on any than are the Cross in Baptism kneeling at Sacrament and the Surpli●e of which last I should have granted to Du Moulin that if the King commanded me to preach in a fools coat I would do so rather than not preach yet cannot admit the Surplice for I think it is one thing to wear a garment the token of Royal displeasure and derision wherein Ministers must be wonders and fools to gain Souls and it is another thing to wear a Garment piously prescribed as a piece of Religion part of Worship a peculiar holiness in access to God as were the Priests Garments under the Law and as are the Popish Vestments of which number ours makes one As in these things the Liturgy seems superstitious in other things it is unsuitable to solemn publick worship and that in all the parts of it In the reading of the Scriptures it leaps and skips much thrusts out some and brings in Apocrypha cuts and parcels and keeps no serious Soul-edifying order which is indeed pretended unto in the preface to it The Creed and Ten Commandments profitable compendiums of faith and obedience the profession of which is a convenient and necessary piece of order unto the discrimination of such as * Turks and Infidels who conversed among but ought not to communicate in Christian Churches unduly intrude into the Assemblies of Christians and direction of some administrations as Baptism and Confirmation but are made a positive constant part of publick solemn Worship on what good ground I confess I am not convinced In the Sacrament of Baptism the foederal holinesse and Parents interest in the Covenant the onely ground of applying that Ordinance to Infants is obliterated and opposed by the Personal stipulation used by adult persons and here by appointed to be done by Deputies God fathers and Godmothers no way constituted by the Child commissioned by the Lord or called for by the form of the Covenant sealed in Ba●tism unto the great advantage of the Antipoedobaptists And notwithstanding the Canonical Comment upon it the making the sign of the Crosse is made the formal act of incorporation into the Church made at the saying of those words Canon 1603. Can. 30. We receive this Child into the Congregation of Christ● flock and do sign it c. as if this were not done by the very application of the Sacrament and Baptismal act Confirmation the primitive course of admitting adult persons to the Lords Table is unduly applyed to children in an Infant state and that as an act of solemn worship rather than Church order and as an Exorcism or Spell therefore declared to be applied unto children at such age as they begin to be in danger of falling into sin though not capable of making any moral improvement and reflection thereof I might passe through every part of this Service and shew its dissonancy to Solemn worship but I must not thus much enlarge I shall therefore only take a view of its sutablenesse to solemn publick Prayer which it mainly intends by comparing it with this general description of solemn publick Prayer whereby it differs from personal and ejaculatory Prayer Solemn publick Prayer is a serious composed and at once making known to God the desires of the Church by expressions sutable to their present occasion openly uttered by the Minister enforced and concluded by the peoples Amen Let this description be admitted as I think it cannot reasonably he denied as the Square Test of a wel-ordered set-form of Prayers and it resolved into these Rules will decide our Question 1. The occasions of the Church must dictate their desires These be variable and conclude for variation of expression and against imposed set-forms which however they may do as to the general and common ●●sires of a Christian yet cannot possibly fit all particular occurrences and therefore leave such as adhere to them in very frequent straits and constrain new composures as in the case of the 5th of November and now the 30th of January and 29th of May In this case we know the Common-prayer books defect is rendred ridiculous by the famed than giving for deliverance from Bull-goring 2. The expressions of the Churches desires must suit the occasions which dictate them Be it Confession of sin Supplication Imprecation de-Precation or Thanksgiving General for the Church and common state of a Christian or Special in reference to a particular Duty Ordinance or Condition for Divine assistance in efficacy or acceptance of any Dispensation or Ministration How fitly the Confession and Absolution wherein though a General yet kinde of Venial unworthiness is acknowledged and acbeptance by an Authoritative Supplication and Ministerial Absolution is prayed more sutably to the Popish penitential order than a preparitive supplication in which unfitness ought to be bewailed subsequent duties expressed and assistance in them desired will square with this Rule let wise men judge and likewise compare the subsequent order of Prayer 3. The desires of the Church must be expressed seriously and composedly The whold man sequestred from all other acts and businesse set and intent with all seriousness to mention them before God in

a fixed possture of body and mind without unnecessary variation of place or gesture from Desk to Table now kneeling anon standing and therefore transient salutations affectionate friendly Christian wishes quickning versicles desultory short options by leaps and starts which may beseem Ejaculatory cannot square with the more serious and composed frame of solemn Prayer 4. These expressions must be openly uttered by the Minister the People attending the same in sil●nce that on due apprehension they may give their assent and enforce it with their Amen for the Minister is their mouth to God and Amen is the part and onely part that good order and Gods word doth appoint the people in their Assembly and then their popular Responds concurrent Acclamations the peoples Rogations supplicative or deprecative Options on the Ministers rehearsal of Mercy Misery or Duties do square better with the confused vulgar clamors condemned in the Heathen than chains solemn publick Prayer 5. These expressions must be uttered at once in a set and continued discourse without interruptions by intermingled duties unnecessary stops abruptions salutations versicles responds abbreviations pauses and postings on again with a Let us pray when nothing but prayer is in hand all which do better sute the sacred phrensie of the fanatick Heathen Priests in their Idol and fantastique service and devotion than that solemn Worship of God which ought to be the result of the spirit of a sound mind On consideration of this unsutableness to solemn publick prayer I should have told the learned Hooker That though God as a great God knoweth our wants and is more gracious than to make His Answer depend on the artificial order and method or frame of our prayers yet when in the sight of men wespeak with God after the manner of men Ecclesiastick polity lib. 5. sect 34. pag. 253. it is our duty to speak in that g●●ve serious and composed order that may bespeak us men of sound minds and so sensible of the nature of the Duty and Majesty of God worshiped in it that our Rudenesse may not engender Irreverence and expose our God and His Service to the scorn of men Nor is it an argument of any force that our first Reformers rejoyced in this Service and the Non-conformists themselves used it For we must not be acted by Example but Rule and conceive our case different from the one and the other To the first the Infancy of Reformation might rejoyce in and grow up under that order of Divine Service which the adult estate thereof must cast off because some of the Martyrs rejoyced in some broken pieces and rude Translations of the Scripture must we therefore be therewith contented and not correct them We our selves at the first comming out of Popery should have thought a Bohemian Cup at Sacrament or a Masse in English to be a very high attainment not knowing things more excellent but when enlightned must not therein acquiesce Calvin wrote to the Church at Franckford that if godly Religion had flourished till that day there ought to have been an order of Service better corrected and many things clean taken away And shall we who have enjoyed true Religion more than 80 years since that time yet continue and contend for that Service-book as if ashamed to give place to better things We must indeed confesse the Non-conformists used some parts of this Service but we humbly conceive our case is different from theirs they had been educated under and insensibly yoaked with it and drawn to subscribe a promise to use it and None other by reason whereof they groaning under it as their burden were to consider how to obtain a Regular Release from the corruptions which by reason of the peace of the Church credit of their Ministry and sidelity as far as might be to their Promise prudence did forbid to cast off with violence wherein yet there wanted not some witnesses against it But our case is to take on us not cast off the Service-book on just grounds and by lawful Authority laid aside to which we generally were not engaged wherein we may well be warned by the burden of our Progenitors and have reason to look before we leap the rather because we are under a sacred Oath which will duly if not directly bind against it And this leads me to our third Reason for not receiving and using the Book of Common-prayer which is this The Common-prayer book hath been expelled by a lawful Authority and stands excluded by a most publick National Third Exception to the Liturgy solemn League and Covenant That the solemn League and Covenant is just and lawful in its Matter and publick and National for its Quality I have demonstrated in my Fastring St. Peters Fetters It s positive exclusion of this Service-book will be evident on these Considerations 1. Every of us stand obliged in Sincerity Reality and Constancy to endeavour Reformation of Religion in England in Worship according to Gods Word and the Example of the best Reformed Churches But the Word of God allows not nay it condemns an order of Service which is symbolical to Idol-worship superstitious and unsutable to solemn publick Worship and no Reformed Church hath received and used our Service-book Not using Corruption is the least act of our Endeavour for Reformation that we can perform 2. We are obliged to endeavor to bring the Churches of God in the three Kingdoms to the nearest conjunction and uniformity in Worship And that must be by bringing Scotland to receive our Liturgy which must be done by convincing them of its consonancy to Gods Word and conformity to the best Reformed Churches and that before their forme of worship we have sworn to preserve if in this point any be better than themselves for bellum Episcopale hath already proved too feeble an Argument or by considering their Directory and getting it established in the two Kingdoms unless the Word of God and Reformed Churches can point us to a Medium of some purer way of Worship 3. Preface to 〈◊〉 Directory Though the Directory was not directly and explicitely Covenanted yet the Assembly of Divines advised the Parliament ordained and Ministers of most Counties of England received and attested it in pursuance of their Covenant as most agreeable to the Word of God and example of the best Reformed Churches and the Kings Majesty hath graciously sworn to use it in His Royal Family and ●n the same principle give his Royal assent to the injunctions for it passed or to be passed and endeavour to establish it in all his Dominions Now Lex currit cum praxi and Oaths are well interpreted by concomitant and subsequent actions I think it worth the serious enquiry of such who pretend and pursue a correction of the Service-book whether the Directory be not according to the Word of God and example of the best Reformed Churches and how far the Covenant b nds unto it lest by a correction our King and Kingdom

Prayer I cannot deny but a Liturgy may be useful to many Ministers at least who go for such in this Land men of meaner abilities and not able to expresse themselves publickly in every prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yea so far am I from conceit of my own gifts though the Doctor charge us with pride and ostentation that if my gifts be not sufficient I will freely use the Liturgy when purged from things offensive as the Doctor would have me or rather lay down my Ministry as thinking Christ never called me to it if He hath not bestowed on me a gift of prayer in some measure sufficient So that this will clear me that I am not a man absolutely against Liturgies nor the Book of Common-prayer But because I am weak and need it that therefore it must be imposed upon the ablest men and so that in the Sacraments pag. 27. All Ministers must be commanded wholly and solely to use the Liturgical Forms as this Doctor would have it this I am not as yet satisfied in nor can I yield to it However this man scoffs at mens private gifts yet he cannot but acknowledge pag. 19. that some men have real and useful gifts which he esteems and denies not their use and in pag. 39. tells us That God be thanked by Divine permission people may enjoy them How is this by Divine permission Is this all the Warrant we have from God for the use of the gifts which he requires to be in a Minister and gives to them whom he calls into the Ministry What no more than for the foulest sin which God permits What say the learned Permittere propriè loquendo est Twis Vindic Gra. 2. p. dig 3. neque facere ut aliquid fiat neque impedire ne fiat But if you say Perm●ssion reacheth to things that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Have we no more warrant for the use of our gifts from God than we have to go this or that way to London which we please This is strange Divinity For my part when I think of these things First That Jesus Christ purchased and when he ascended gave gifts to men Eph. 4.8 and some of these men are Pastors v. 11. and I am sure the gift of Prayer is one Secondly That God promised to give the gift of prayer Zech. 12.20 which Bishop Hall interprets thus I will pour out upon my Church c. though I think it hath a more special reference to the Jews as yet to be converted yet the Lord doth not onely promise to them Thirdly When I read Rom. 8.26 That the Spirit is given to help our infirmities when we know not what to pray for as we ought Fourthly When I cannot find that ever Liturgies were imposed upon the Church not upon the Jews in their best state nor I am sure upon the Christian Churches though the Apostles had more ability to compose and authority to impose Liturgies upon the Church than any now Fifthly When I observe the Arguments men produce for Liturgies do take away the whole gift of prayer from the ablest man Sixthly When the same Arguments were in as much force in the Apostles days as they are now yet they were not so witty to invent Liturgies or to impose them on the Church Seventhly When men may as well take away the gift of Preaching as of Prayer the same Arguments will remove the one as well as the other Eighthly When I see the same Confessions Petitions c. which are made in the Liturgies read are presently made with more enlargement by those who pray by their own gift with the assistance of the Spirit Ninthly When this tying up to Liturgies and that wholly in Sacraments c. quite destroys that Petition in our preparations and prayers for the assistance of the Spirit as to the matter of our prayer acknowledging our own inability to think one good thought for we are tied exactly to words When I consider these with other Arguments and some which I shall mention when I come to the Doctors pressing our Liturgy I cannot be satisfied how any Liturgies can be imposed on any whom God hath qualified and they make me question our use of them when they are imposed especially when I come to add what I find against ours in Dr. Gauden Sectio secunda NOw then to the Doctors reasons for Liturgy which he gives us pag. 9 10 11. In general I may onely say this if the giving of seeming reasons for a thing in which the Doctor hath some advantage through great words and Rhetoricall flourishes will prove it a truth in Divinity what Heresie shall not be a truth Then those reasons which Perronus offered to give the King of France to prove there was no God might have proved that to have been a Truth which Atheistical hearts would have to be true and Vaninu like a simple man could suffer in the defence of But in these things I provoke Doctor Gauden to King Charls the First his Rule i.e. the Scriptures of God To Deut. 4.2 to Isa 8.22 Matth. 28.19 20. 2 Tim. 3.15 16. Is the Word a perfect Rule or no if it be what do Carpenters and Masons with their Rules do they not apply them to their works and see how they answer them Do you the same with this Divine Canon apply it to your whole discourse and see how it agrees apply the second Commandment if all you have said accord with that Rule we will readily obey and fools we were to stand out to hinder our liberties and carnal preferments But however let us weigh his Reasons he is so full of words that I must contract what I can His first is this A Liturgy conduceth much to the more solemn august and reverent worship of the Divine Majesty in Christian C●ngregations where otherwise the venerable Mysteries must be exposed to that rudenesse and unpreparednesse that barrenness and superficialnesse both for matter and manner judgment and expression to which every private Minister is daily subject as late experience hath taught us Answ 1 Answer Is there such a Divine Majesty as you speak of then the good Lord humble and pardon me for want of due reverence becoming his presence it seems you take care for the reverence of him 't is well done But Sir hath not this Divine Majesty given to the sons of men a Rule according to which they must worship him then show your reverence to this Divine Majesty by proving your humane inventions in his worship and of imposed Liturgies on his ablest servants by his Rule else what ever you talk of reverence 't is but will-worship as the Apostle hath it Col. 2.23 If I through my sin and infirmity am not able to reverence him as becomes him this is my infirmity I desire to repent and fly to my High Priest for pardon but for men to bring in their Modes of worship as more highly conducing to his reverent worship for which we cannot

just Interest that it may rationally be concluded I would not in the least decline His just Desires or deviate from his Royal Command did not Conscience towards God countermand the Compliance with them And I am so much affected to the peace of the Church that I have of late preached what God assisting I resolve to practice viz. That many and great corruptions in Gods Worship are to be grieved for and patiently groaned under before Schisme be consented un o or seperation consulted Provided nevertheless I be passive not active in them I can keep communion under that Form of Worship whereby I cannot administer and heartily say Amen to the matter of those Petitions which are put up●n an order so confused preposterous and indigested that it seems to me to be so much below the gravity of the Church whose mouth I must be the seriousnesse of the Office whereby I minister the sanctity of the Duty I am to perform and the s●ored nature of the Object to whom they are presented that I dare not stand between God and his people with the same Calvins Epistle to Mr. Knox Mr. Wittingham and the brethren at Franck ford and therefore cannot but in my place and capacity contend against it and with Calvin in this very case allow their constancy who strive for a just cause being forced against their will unto contention and worthily condemn the frowardness which doth 〈◊〉 and stay the holy carefulness of ref rming the Church Let not men mistake us I profess it for my self and presume I may do it for many of my Brethren we are not against Set-forms of prayer or their use in publick we believe them lawful and convenient but not necessary and therefore not to be exclusively imposed they may be helps to weakness and happy expressions of special emergent occasions of prayer or praises in the Church I do believe the Church of the Jewes had certain Set-forms of prayer and praises but I believe also they were occasional and transient indited by the Holy Ghost and composed by Holy men for that present and peculiar occasion of this nature was the Song of Moses Deborah and Barak and Davids Psalme in 2 Sam. 22. and that at placing the Ark in the Tabernacle 1 Chron. 16. which beareth this Note upon it Then on that day David delivered this Psalm to thank the Lord into the hand of Asaph and his Brethren and many other Psalms and Set-forms which are referred to their special occasions for which having served they were added to the Canon of Scripture as witnesses of Gods dealings and directions of his peoples duty in all future Ages but were never compacted into a set Liturgy prescribed and imposed as the only standing Form of Worship the Jewish Rabbines tell us from Moses to Ezra more than one thousand years the Jewes had no stinted Forms of prayer in their Church and yet they had two considerable Reasons to have enforced it which we Christians have not their infant weak estate wanted Crutches and the time of the pouring out the spirit of supplication was not yet come 2. The Forms were indited by holy men in this very act inspired by the Holy Gkost I am easily perswaded the several parts of the Service-book were composed by single persons and who so will read Isidior Durandus His Parallel of the Liturgy and Mass-book and the Rationalists will find the time when the occasions on which and the reasons for which they were appointed in the Church Mr. Baylie hath assigned many parts thereof to the particular Popes Ecclesiastical policy Book 5. Pag. 265. and seasons prescribing the same and our own Hooker reports so much of the Letany or Rogations that chief part of our Service but that these things perished not with their Authors and occasions I see no good Reasons for it admit we that they were the good expressions of good men on good occasions yet they were only expressions of men not inspired by the Holy-Ghost and unwarrantably resolved into a Liturgy and made unjustly exclusive to the expressions of good men succeeding as in time so in capacity to express their own desires as their occurrent occasion should direct in no less sacred expressions the alterable condition of the Church doth necessitate their expression to be alterable I pray what part of our contended-for Liturgy as exactly perfect shall solemnize the saul-humbling memorial of the malicious mischievous Murther of His late Majesty to be held on the 30th of January or the God-praising memorial of the Happy and Honourable Return of his Sacred Majesty that now is to be observed Annually on the 29th of May. I hope men shall not be indicted for making mention thereof by conceived prayer or praises none being in the Book prepared or prescribed which can do it for it is most unreasonable that we should be imposed upon by the personall composures of private fancies who without warrant compose set forms and therein vent their own superstitious notions as hath been attempted by the books published as forms of prayer for the 29th of May and 30th of January the last of which was sent in the name of the Bishop of London to our Churches if by his Authority I conceive not more to the offence of many Godly men then Breach of the Laws and Usurpation on his Majesties Authority and abuse of his Royal Power punishable with a Praemunire In reference to this variation the Church might and must keep a standing Council to vary the Liturgy if we be not bound to dependance on the Spirit which the Apostle directeth when we know not what to ask Rom. 8.26 as the only help to our infirmities and so excludeth all prescribed prayers which must render the dictating power of the spirit uselesse unlesse the prayer be in an unknown Tongue or ambiguous phrase much at one with latine-service where the spirit is needed as an interpreter not dictator or most perfectly comprehensive words that the mind may expatiate upon and that is peculiar to the Lords prayer and so that must be our only Liturgy That St. John the Baptist taught his Disciples to pray I yield and that our Saviour teaching his propounded to them a most perfect prayer compendious for the manner but most comprehensive for the matter of the expression to be their pattern no serious sober Christian can or will deny but that they were confined to the only or constant use there of none do or dare affirm or that it should be to them the Dictator of a standing Liturgy cannot be rationally inferred because the prescription of it affords no premifes to enforce such a conclusion the Disciples who learned that they might teach the Church never improved it to such an end themselves prayed often and openly in the Church yet only in their own expressions for ought appears to us by holy writ and the nature and order of prayer being a serious expression of the hearts sensible conception doth

find warrant in his Rule this seems to be Gods infirmity who did not reveal the best way of worship This is brave reverence to charge him with want of wisdom Secondly By this argument take away the whole gift of Prayer for if we pray but once before Sermon by our own gift we are incident to this ruden●ss c. Yet you allow us once to pray Thirdly This argument from reverence speaks of the inward frame of heart a grace which the Spirit not a Liturgy must help to but if of the outward expression it is like to be most reverend where the heart is the dictator without prescribed words which may be repeated with little or no regard Fourthly Let the rude and unreverent worshipers have this imposed on them if it will help them but I never saw more rude worshipers than many if not most of those who use it Fifthly It is true and a thing to be lamented do what we can it is hard to keep our minds and affections but they will be gadding though we set our selves never so close to our work and pray from our own gifts yet this is one means to help our vile hearts to keep in when our minds are upon our hearts to express our desires rising first from thence to what they are when a mans eye is upon his book reading what is there when especially through often reading he hath been accustomed to his road the Carrier with such a Horse may sit on his Horse back and sleep his Horse knows his Road. Sixthly Hath Doctor Gauden seen all the behaviours of Ministers heard all their prayers at Sacraments since that Liturgy was laid by No I am sure he hath not Why then doth he charge all men thus by nature we are bad enough but what are men nothing by grace and that growing nothing by gifts imparted and these excellent and not onely so but assisted by the Spirit of God And what if the Spirit doth not alwayes alike assist to humble us and make us know our dependance on him must we by and by bring in a humane invention But O the reverence that I have seen the excellent prayers full of divine matter fluently poured out that I have heard from some Ministers who use not the Liturgy would to God many that use it did appear like them Seventhly By this Argument you may take away all preaching I am sure men have shewn as much rudeness deformity barrenness in this Ordinance as in the other especially your Liturgical men what stories do men tell of some of them I hope the Divine Majesty is as well concerned in preaching as prayer Eighthly If these evils you mention be so subject to all men now they were ever so since the Fall I am sure Paul was as careful of the Reverence of the Divine Majesty as you are yet he did not find out this means against those evils which you do What had Paul no skill how to order and provide for the August and Reverend worship of God Sectio tertia Reas 2 HIS second Reason is this A Liturgy is a great defence to true Doctrine and a means to prevent the spreading of corrupt opinions Answ 1 Answ 1. Not every Liturgy some may be bad enough this was the first Reason as some conceive with laziness which first brought in Liturgies the Arrian and Pelagian Heresies in which time yet Ministers did compose and use their own prayers though they were first review'd But it may be the Doctor hath an honest design in this for he knows well that abundance of the Episcopal men now preferred are stout Arminians of the same blood with Pelagius and he fears these men will spread Pelagianism under a little finer dress and so would have the Liturgy imposed to keep them from doing this mischief Ah Doctor this will not do such men call for the Liturgy more than any but if this were your only intent we thank you for your honesty Secondly Confessions of Faith and Catechisms being sound Orthodox and Substanti●l imposed on all were the best means to attain this end witness the several Creeds of the four first general Councils of Nice Constantinople Ephesus and Chalcedon against the Heresies of Arrius Macedonius and Eudoxius Nestorius and Eutyches Thirdly By this you must take away all prayer by our own gifts for if men pray but once they may vent their Heresies Fourthly By this you take away all preaching by our own gifts for men vent their Opinions and people mind the Opinions of men and take them more from their preaching than prayer and so the us to the Homilies as necessary and of constant publick use Fifthly The Church of Scotland had no Liturgy for many years yet what Church so clear from Heresies as that and some other Churches I know England had far more when the Liturgy was in use Sixthly The Apostles were troubled with corrupt Doctrines in their times we find indeed mention made of Catechisms in the Epistles but for this way to keep out corrupt Opinions we find none Seventhly If men be corrupt in Doctrine they will be known and if we be such turn us out of our places Sectio quarta Reas 3 HIS Third Reason is this A Liturgy much advanceth a holy harmony amongst Christians while praying the same things all men say Amen c. Answ 1 Answ 1. If ever this specious Argument had any force it was then when the Apostles preached and planted Churches in Asia Europe and Africa for then had they composed a Liturgy which had been perfect we are sure and imposed it upon all these Churches there had been a holy harmony not only in Parochial and National Churches as you say but in the Catholick visible Church through the World all Churches in the World praying the same things and then saying Amen But this device never came in their heads How do we excell the Apostles in wisdome In page 30. he tells us That he hath seen the most and the best Liturgies Ancient and Modern I entreat him that if amongst them he saw the Apostles Common-prayer book which they imposed upon the Churches that he would please to get it re-printed for the first impression if ever any is quite out We will use that without question Secondly Are not these men more curious then God is doth He so call for a verbal harmony Is it not sufficient that we pray the same things though in divers Forms if we keep to the Lords Prayer begging the same things though in other words ●s Austin saith Is not this Harmony as much as God calls for and cares for Indeed for Doctrines where the altering of a word as in the Trinity c. may bring in a Heresie there the same words are good and it is needful as much as may be to hold to a wholesom Form of words but this is not the same case Thirdly By this take away all prayer by our own gift for verbal Harmony is not to be found

there though we pray for the same things here our National Harmony and Amen are gone Why not uniformity of words in prayer before Sermon as at a Sacrament or at other times in your Confession and morning prayers if the Argument be of such force It is strange to me that this taking Notion was not known in the first nor second Century Why do not these boasters of Antiquity bring forth the imposed Liturgies in these times so as to take away the use of Ministers gifts I see the Doctor in his Gaybook could beteam to prove from those words in Just Mart. Apol. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That there were such prayers then imposed but he doth but glance at the place and will not I believe venture his credit upon it for fear the next page in Just. Mart. should confute him besides the very place where Justin uses the words shew what he means by them nothing to this purpose Fourthly If uniformity in praying be such a divine thing why not also in preaching if verbal Harmony be so excellent in one Ordinance why not in all every Congregation the same day taught the same truth from God in the same words is not this glorious so take away Preaching You will allow us our own gifts sometimes because of many particular occasions which no Liturgy can particularly reach page 19. Very true your Liturgy could not reach our King in His Banishment if men could not have prayed without it how then But so you may say for Preaching for some particular occasion allow us our gifts but for uniformity sake read Homilies instead of ordinary Preaching this is excellent Sectio quinta Reas 4 HIS fourth Reason is this A Liturgical Form is not only of great benefit to the more judicious and well-bred sort of Christians but highly to their security and humble composure of their spirits in the worship of God who otherwise are prone not only amidst publick devotions curiously to censure but scoffingly to despise yea many times to laugh at and at best to pity incongruities c. Answ 1 Answ 1. But a Liturgy will not prevent this carriage of your judicious Christians unless you take away prayer altogether for if we pray but once before Sermon some expressions there may be which your scoffing well-bred Christians will laugh at Secondly The question is Whether those passages be so incongruous as your well-bred Christians imagine I have known 〈◊〉 common for your well-bred Liturgical Christians to sport with the Holy Scriptures No wonder though they laugh at some passages in prayer which their wanton fancies like not And indeed a man may observe it when once your Liturgical well-bred Christians have mumbled over their Service and now think they have devoutly served God their next work if their eyes be not elsewhere about the Congregation but upon the Minister is not so much to joyn with him in prayer but to watch at what expressions they may carp at either in prayer or in preaching and then to laugh scarce ever see more profane worshippers than many of them are Thirdly You may take away all preaching also for your well-bred scoffing Christians are prone to laugh if any incongruous passage be in a Sermon but laughing is forbidden there also Fourthly There are some men so able that the Devil himself cannot find an incongruous sentence in their prayers why must it be imposed upon these men Fifthly I have known such as have had some incongruous passages and being told of them have used them no more this is a better way than yours I have known some wel-bred women who when they have bred-well and have been safely delivered have laughed and that not without cause to hear what a suitable form of Thanksgiving your unparallel'd Liturgy hath prepared for them blessing them from the burning of the Moon Sectio sexta Reas 5 HIS fifth Reason is this A Liturgical Form doth mightily conduce to the edification and salvation of the meaner sort to whom variety of expressions in Prayer or Sacraments is much at one with Latine-service c. Answ 1 Answ 1. No not much at one our people understand plain English better than Latine unlesse all men used such high-flown words as you for Sacraments I know no man varies from the words of Institution which Christ used and as for prayers at Sacraments the Lords Supper I mean your Liturgical men have not that Ordinance so often for plain people to remember the prayers Secondly If it be so good for the meaner sort what shall we do with your judicious well-bred Christians you mentioned before will not they laugh and scoff at the plain things which the vulgar Rusticks and Mechanicks have prepared to edifie and save them But it may be you will say because it is a humane invention they will approve it and like it never the worse Ay Sir but so will not the judicious and right-bred Christians Thirdly But O ye blessed Apostles and thou zealous Paul who did so love and labour for the salvation and edification of souls and the meaner sort 1 Cor. 1. were these who most what received the Gospel here is a means mightily conducing to the salvation of the meaner sort for which thou Paul I am sure didst labou● almost as much as Dr. Gauden but couldst not thou not all the other Apostles hit of this mighty means no wonder though you did miss of your end you or Dr. Gauden wanted wisdom Fourthly But is it so mighty a means What is the Reason then where this Liturgy hath been most used people held most to it and Ministers had no gifts of their own that in these places so few shew forth any conversion If any it was got in some other place by some other gifts search and see how true this is Number your Common-prayer Book Converts and consider the Edification of common Zelots for it Fifthly Pardon me Sir if I mistake I thought Catechising and Teaching or appointing them forms of prayer at home sutable to their conditions had been a better means to edifie and save them than forms of prayer in a Church Sixthly By this Argument often Repetitions of the same Sermon were very good to edifie and save the meaner sort but will your judicious and well-bred Christians like this project His sixth and last Reason is That a Liturgy is a Bulwark against Romish Superstition and Fanatick Innovations But here he slips out of the Thesis to the Hypothesis and commends our Liturgy upon this ground I will meet with this in its proper place afterwards Part. 2. Sectio prima IN the next place he takes our Liturgy into consideration 1. He excuses the Liturgy and here First As I said he yields pag. 5. some small faults verbal defects which are very venial in any things of human constitution But pag. 33. gives it a fair absolution Answ Answ Could the Doctors Rhetorick help him to speak and yet not to speak he would do it but Sir

Liturgy is He comm●nds Liturgy His high commendation of it and here I must go search up and down to get things into a method I will do it as well as I can First He commends it from the efficient causes of it these were saith he Martyrly men who composed our Liturgy p. 3. Answ 1. Did Martyrly men compose it all you will not say so I hope I think the Romish Party did much of it from whom they took it Secondly However distingue tempora they came new out of Pope●y the Nation wedded to that Whore in a time when there were not so many well-qualified Ministers in the whole Kingdom as were lately in one City that of London Rare to find a Pulpit with a Clapper said father Latimer forced to admit meer reading Protestants well-affected to the true Religion into the Ministry But what must we enjoy the Gospel an hundred years and men not grow in knowledge gifts and grace Will you shame the Gospel Promises and English Christians Must they be ever children I am confident if those worthy men were now alive and knew what the Lord had done for the English Ministry they would abhor to impose as you would have the Liturgy imposed only this remember we honour those Martyrly men more than many of your perswasion have done or do it were well if all abhorred that Bishop of Rome as they did Secondly He commends it from the Matter the excellent matter for the main must still be retained p. 3. If it be only the excellent Matter let it stand but if you will only purge some verbal defects as you say I fear you will leave something that is not excellent The Reasons shewing the necessity of Reformation c. published by divers Ministers shew more than verbal defects I pray answer that Book like a Divine and Lawyer Mr. Powel with whom though I agree not in all things hath observed sixty nine offensive things in that Liturgy you may please to consider them Thirdly Whereas great offence hath been taken at the Form of it popular responds versicles intermixtures abbreviations abruptions stops with a present posting on again with a Let us pray when prayer before was in hand Thirdly Now he commends it from this Form the popular responds pag. 34. which he calls the Ecchoes of humble and intent affections and in the two honourable Temples finds they excite the Ministers affections c. Answ 1. Yea Sir your Templars are Lawyers I suppose and as for Lawyers unless they be a very few they are crucified men to the World they keep firm to their Baptismal Covenant forsaking the Devil and all his works the vain pomp c. But in other Congregations where we have persons very vain love money abhominably drink Sack like fish and very Drunkards rap out Oaths commonly unclean scoff at the power of their own professed Religion to have such as these in our Congregations only to make the responds when godly men will not come at us to hear the Service this makes a Ministers stomack sick instead of quickning his affections Secondly I pray Sir can you prove that this was the Form the Lord appointed at his Temple I have read in the Word of the peeples saying Amen but I never read this kind of worship Thirdly Then it seems the Minister is not the mouth of the people their own mouths speak for themselves and why should not the Minister say Amen to their prayers Sectio quinta 4thly HE commends it from the final Cause the more August and Reverent worship of God c. of which before only pag. 27. I find another it is to be the main Standard Test and measure of our publick Devotion Answ I pray open your meaning what is the Test and the Matter of it I pray first make it pure and when it is purged yet we abhor to give that honour to your Book which is due to the Lords prayer and the Word of God onely But do you mean the Form of it then it seems we must make our prayers with popular responds intermixtures abruptions c. It 's our measure you say How is that as on a Yard-wan they have one Nail two Nails a quarter of a Yard c. so they measure cloth So if we will make a prayer of three short lines or six c. we must measure by this where we have variety of lengths and thus we must make various prayers sutable to this main Standard what else you intend I know not by your Measure Fifthly He commends it from the effects pag. 12 13 18 33. It is the Bulwark against first Romish Superstition as the Mass and Popery First For the Mass while Bread and Wine are so consecrated and communicated as in the Liturgy we shall for ever keep out the Masse Answ 1. What the Doctor means by Consecration I know no● how others understand it I know but I can see nothing in the Book that is done to keep out Masse that is not done by other Ministers who yet stumble at a Liturgy imposed upon all a strange Argument that onely by reading of the words the Mass is kept out else nothing that makes against the Mass in it but we use Secondly But doth not your Book by commanding kneeling do something which may help in the Masse till Transubstantiation began to be started kneeling was not known you know the gesture for some hundred years was quite opposite Secondly it is a Bulwark against Popery he saith Answ 1. How then did Bishop Davenant prove Papists ought to be compelled to come to Church for as to our Liturgy he saith Determ 27. What is there in it that is not approved of Papists themselves which he thus confirms That some of the Bishops of Rome have offered to approve our Form of prayers provided we would accept it by their Authority Secondly Why then said one of your Bishops The Service-book of the Church of England was now so dressed that if the Pope should come and see it he would claim it as him own but that it is in English Yea the Papists boasted it was a compliance with them c. You would seem to be afraid of Popery I know who is and he that reads Bishop Bramhal's book printed at the Hague will fear more Why then was that passage left out in this Liturgy against the Pope which with divers other things makes us sure this is not the Liturgy which the Law established Thirdly It is a Bulwark against Anabaptism for it maintains Baptismal Regeneration and this you are forced first to prove as well as you can knowing it is one of the things that give offence and will do Had you carried this stoutly I would have given you many thanks and said it was a strong Argument though it doth not follow we must be tied to a Book I observe two things in your discourse 1. You give this Regeneration to all Infants baptised 2. You mention nothing

have that VVord brought which will justifie a few ordinary men in their composing and imposing such Forms upon the Churches to hinder the gifts which God requireth to be in his Ministers and hath bestowed on them as in my first Reason Secondly Much less can we look on this Liturgy to be according to the Word wherein we find so many things that agree not with the Word the same humane Law which binds to one binds to all things in it for ought I know Thirdly Yet further when we find an humane constitution so cryed up and Idolized as if God had no true worship but that Gods own Institution the brazen Serpent when the people abused it Hezekiah brake in pieces much more a faulty humane constitution though Dr. Gauden sticks not to compare it with the Ark of God Secondly As to the best Reformed Churches to say which are the best is very inconvenient but this we know 1. Some of them have no forms or Liturgies nor will admit any 2. Others who have such yet tie not up gifted men to these Forms as we are tyed 3. Neither is our Liturgy so clear from offence as theirs are 4. The Parliament did abolish this Book in reference to the Reformation of the worship of God according to their Covenant Now for Ministers who have not only taken the Covenant themselves but also given it to their people as our Congregations have taken it in a Solemn manner subscribing their names also to it bring in this Mode of worship again at least before it be throughly purged I think we should bring our selves and people upon the brink of perjury if not perjured not only our selves but our people are concerned in this Sixthly To use this Book as it is we cannot conceive but it is a way to blast our Ministry for ever doing good for what may people say These Ministers have taken a Covenant and given it to us they have laid by the Common-Prayer-Book in order to the Reformation of the worship of God and now they turn to it again who will believe or regard these Ministers or Turn-Coats in what they say To be sure it will weaken our Ministry much and we ought to be wary of whatever might hinder it And is it not one Reason why some men do so urge it upon Ministers that when they see men take it up again they may deride the Covenanted Presbyterians Sectio decima 7thly DOctor Gauden himself hath suggested two or three strong Arguments against it in my apprehension As First He justifies all the things in it only a few verbal defects and he lets us know that he is one if not the chief Corrector Mr. Crofton Analepsis p. 34. I hope he will take care to correct the sentence in Ps 15.4 commended to his care by Mr. * Crofton that it may not speak so plainly against his Politique Notion of an hurtful incommodious Oath Secondly He grants page 5. it is but an humane constitution subject to imperfections Now First To have an humane constitution to be imposed upon the Church as being absolutely necessary or as an essential part of Gods worship I cannot yield to that but thus will he have this Mode of worship this humane invention imposed Prayer without any default gives him no content but these prayers with such a Mode For this Liturgy he tells us we must make it the main Standard Test and Measure of our publick devotions p. 27. then surely that must needs be absolutely necessary and essential to our Devotions He tells us that publick piety reformation true Religion are gone bids Farewel to them all pag. 31. if it be not used Now as for the sound Doctrine in it we own as much as himself but the contest hath been about the things offensive as to matter and the Mode and he doth consider it as a Liturgy a Mode of worship and not as having Doctrine which we own when he speaks thus Again pag. 27. He will have all Ministers commanded to use these Forms wholly and solely at Sacraments As if Ministers understanding these mysteries without which they are not fit to dispense them may not pray as sutably to them as before a Sermon Here that part of worship must necessarily be perform'd by a humane constitution be men never so able to pray without it and more aptly and affectionately than by a Book Apollonius in the name of the Walachrian Classis declaring his and their judgment about Forms of prayer which he determines for Page 172. having in his first Thesis shewn his dislike of the Forms of publick Worship and Ceremonies in the Church of England in later times as being Superstitious and Idolatrous then he comes to his second and thus he writes VVe also reject those Forms of prayer and publick worship which are imposed upon the consciences of men with a certain Tyranny and violent command as absolutely necessary and essential parts of Divine worship although as to the matter they be lawfully disposed yet as to the form and manner by which they are induced they are made the unlawful instruments of cruelty and pretexts of wicked malice and occasions of violent Tyranny over the most worthy and best sons of the Church c. His Reason is Because Christ nor his Apostles did ever prescribe any such forms as simply and absolutely necessary When all other prayers must be thrust out unlesse before and after Sermon and there your Reasons will hold as well as in other Ordinances be men so able I think you make your Forms absolutely necessary when especially you will thrust the ablest men out of the Ministry for not yielding to your Forms I think Apollonius is on my side Secondly I cannot admit that Liturgy being but an human constitution when it hath that attributed to it which is proper onely to the Word of God The Text saith To the Law Isa 8.20 to the Testimony Dr. Gauden saith To the Liturgy for your Test your main Standard your Measure in your publick worship of God And look what the Apostle said Gal. 6.16 As many as walk according to this Rule Peace be on them the same saith the Doctor as many as walk according to his Rule syllabically peace to them and ●o●e else Thirdly Religion Piety Reformation come or go are put or removed according as Gods Word Gods own Institutions are set up in their purity and power but they depend not upon a human constitution a humane mode of Worship as Doctor Gauden makes them all depend on this Liturgy so that they come or go with it I am sure this humane constitution wants Reformation and it was taken away by Ordinance of Parliament in order to Reformation Liturgy is concretum quid 't is not bare Doctrine nay the Doctor takes it strictly for a Form of prayer Since then he puts so much upon it I cannot admit it strange that these three should depend upon such Forms of prayer Fourthly Neither can I admit of such Forms of prayer as are imposed upon the Church with desiance and scorn of all the gifts of the Spirit of God in all his people but so doth Dr. Gauden impose this Liturgy I have heard it called an Idol but I thought it a little too much heat till now I have read Dr. Gauden who I fear speaks the mind and heart of our Liturgical men thus much from this Doctor who sets me off more then ever I was before These things all laid together do so trouble me that I know not how to meddle with it as it is Besides there are worthy Divines of the Presbyterian perswasion both learned and godly whom we honor who it seems declared their judgments for a Liturgy to His Majesty now we wait for their grounds who we expect will deal with us upon Scripture foundations and to such we shall willingly li●en CONCLUSION Now I have done with your Book I leave it to the godly judicious to determine whether you have carried your cause so throughly that all must be charged by you with pride peevishness c. if we do not presently as you would have us Sir though I am a poor sinful Creature yet I have not so learned the Gospel nor do I so little desire the healing of our wounds nor am I so disloyal to my King that upon such cursed principles as you mention I would hold off one day If you will let me speak in the Sea-mans phrase I will stretch my Bowlings Haal sharp keep my Luff do what I can to come up for peace but when Christ who Cuns the Ship commands No near we must answer No near no. You tell us pag. 40. of an aged Minister who pleasing the Vulgar forbare against his Conscience to use Forms of prayer and now came begging to you c. As for the Lords prayer sometimes I do use it not because I must but because I may yet I condemn no man who doth not use it if he holds to that Substance but for your Liturgy and other things we look to be outed likewise our prayer is That God would go before us into affliction clear our way that we may not mistake through an erring conscience but if we do suffer we may be sure He calls us to it your Book hath made our way a little clearer if all be of your mind and if my Bible will not maintain me and mine I will then go beg but I resolve I will not come to your door The Title of your Book saith you published it in order to a happy union Alas Sir this as your other Books shew you have none of that Spirit I know those who are farther off since they read your Book and truly if that were your aim you have so fairly hit it that I may fitly apply to you that Disti●●on Aut Fabrum forceps aut Ars ignara fefellit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 voluit cudere cudit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS