desires glossing n Ecclâ—â— 5 〈◊〉 Tâ—r. 〈◊〉 in Mat. 26.20 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in â—â—xâ—d 2â— though tendered in the same words In oraeione quantum verbis accedit tantum spieitui decedit sayes the Casuist The more intent we are upon words in prayer the weaker is our spirit in praying Though we pray in an old form yet if we put forth new vigour of soul Bâ—lâ—m p 21 our prayers shall be fresh every day and not for that reason be the less prevalent since that God with whom we have to do looks more after our Hearts and Reins and those secret groans which cannot be uttered this is prayer indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 effectually wrought in us by Gods own spirit than after the froth of our lips or cadency of our words In sacro quid facit anrum It was an Heathenish conceit that the smoak of their Incense burnt upon their Altars and the savour of their Sacrifices did delight the Nostrils of their Gods Let us come before him with humility repentance steddy zeal Et farre litemus It matters not though our words be few and plain though our prayers be short and repeated every day in the same numerical syllables though our ears are so carnal that they long itch as much after change of sentences as a wanton stomack doth after variety of meats yet far be this from us when we have to do with God Our words may be the same yet our prayers may be new As he that read over Virgil several times and alwayes observ'd a new fansie in that Poet. But what necessity of any new strain of words If God would grant me those petitions which are offered up to him in the Common-Prayers I should account my self sufficiently happy Although we are not so restrain'd but upon occasions even in publick we may use our gifts if there we be grave modest discreet and humble And here we have a Royal approbation of one that was the best Interpreter of the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If men would study to undermine the very walls of Zion and throw Granado's into the Holy of Holies they could not find out a more compendious way than by bringing into the Church such a Trojan Horse as this intollerable tolleration in permitting every one to do what is good in his own eyes if some Ministers should pray by Book and others without if some should observe the Rubrick and others go by the Cards of their own distorted fansies What Censuring What condemning each other must inevitably follow hereupon Look what the one did must needs be a reproach and a defiance unto the other He that reads will pass sentence upon him that reads not As those Christians that were converted from Gentilisme and did eat all sorts of meats indifferently did judge and despise those judaizing converts who were more scupulous in abstaining from several sorts of meats What casting of dirt I had almost said darts into one anothers faces would there be betwixt the Ministers of this and the next Parish Ardet adbuc Ombros et Tentyrs summus utrinq jude suror populo quad numina vicinorum die marg locusquum jolos credat habondas â—…sse d 〈…〉 ipso 〈…〉 Methinks I here one say of the other he is a legal flat hide-bound flegmatick Parish-Priest And the other replying before the words are quite out of his mouth that he who is so forward to brand his neighbour is a proud daring pragmatical babler evaporating crude indigested and lame petitions which he would be asham'd to offer unto his Prince What will the people do in this case Scinditur in incertum c. they are at best but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like Proteus turning into several shapes they are as unstable as water and therefore are compar'd in the Revelation to floods and great waters which roar this way and the other way as they meet with impressions of several winds They will hardly be kpt within their own channels They will adhere to the one and despise the other and like that rout Acts 19. Some will cry one thing some another some will say such a Minister is a good man no sayes his neighbour for he deceiveth the people The Sabbath day will be spent in counter-traversing the wayes from one Church to another Here goes a troop of Male-contents from their own Jerusalem unto Hiericho These have nice squeamish stomacks that care not for solid meat but cry out upon their daily Manna therefore they are looking out for novelties and change of dyet which may suit better with their curious stomacks Perhaps by the same way they meet as many that are weary of their running-banquets and kickshaw dishes these are looking our for sincere milk They desire to worship God not at the discretion of a single Minister but in such a way as hath been approved of by Synods Convocations Parliaments by the best Divines ancient and modern at home and abroad so that after the way which others even those they met a little before call Superstition Heresie Idolatry so worship they the Lord-God of their Fathers Now what confusion is here like to be especially since no discords swell higher than those that are maintain'd by dissenters in Religion and where Conscience whether rightly inform'd or deluded is call'd in to abet the quarrel In such cases there are bella plusquam civilia inveterate and irreconcileable jarrs here a company of Guelphs and yonder as many Gibelines Several Congregrations will be but as York and Lancaster one to the other Consider now my Brethren whether this motion of yours is like to come from the God of peace and order from that spirit which sayes as much as possibly ye can live peaceably with all men As if the Apostle would have us to strain our selves and not to stand upon gnats and petty provocations that so we may preserve the bonds of peace Doth this spirit prompt you to promote such courses which are like to crumble the Church and state into Atomes And to break our staves into shivers both that of beauty and this of bonds Hoe ithacus velit this is that which the common enemy watches for such designs though they setch a compass about yet in the conclusion will jump in and concenter with theirs Now you are so unkind to the Church and your own native Country yet can you blame the supreme Magistrate whom God hath appointed to be our nursing Father and hath intrusted him with two swords and with both the Tables of his Law if he seeing his Subjects rushing precipitantly perniciously as well as pertinaciously upon the point of their own ruin does interprose his Authority and restrain theem by setting them bounds which they shall not pass But I have heard some pleading very vehemently who would not seem inconsiderable persons That in point of policy those that are in authority should allow liberty in indifferent things For this say they would content
over again vers 21. Nay those Saints which had got the victory over the beast as if formes were to be used in Heaven sang the same song of Moses Rev. 15.3 You your selves do not account it any stinting much less quenching of the Spirit though you sing a pleasant Psalm that is drawn up into metre to your hands yet notwithstanding you 'l say you sing with the Spirit 1 Cor. 14.26 And the Apostle taxes it for an absurd indecorum in the Church of Corinth that when they came together every one had a Psalm And is it not as uncouth for every one in publick to have a several prayer A several prayer did I say Nay were men let loose to their own liberty they would be little better than wild Asses Colts snuffing up the wind towards divers climes One would pray contrary to another as they are sowr'd with opposite principles and aim at diametrical interests The devotions of Covenanteers and Independants have been a sad instance praying as if they would enervate ravel and unpray one anothers prayers Certainly this is not to take Heaven by violence or as Tertuliian Coire in â—oetum 〈…〉 deum quisâ— manu factà precationibus ambire orantes to beset the Almighty and as Jacob did not let him go untill he hear us and bless us Thetis in Homer caught Jupiter by the knees and by this importunity obtained her request Christ hath lest a special promise that their prayers shall be granted in Heaven Mat. 13 19. who in their askings can agree upon Earth When we are divided in our supplications as the Builders of Babel were in their languages we abate and weaken their force even as water looses its strength when 't is divided into a multipliciplity of Trenches Hezekiah and his Princes foresaw this dangerous and exorbitant humour in the Levites if once they got the reins upon their own necks therefore they prescribe them the very words wherewith they should sing praises unto the Lord. 2 Chron. 29.30 The primitive Christians were so uniform in their prayers that when they said Amen they made a noise like a clap of thunder or like the roaring of the Sea Judicious Hookâ— was so verily perswaded that no Church thorowly setled did ever use their voluntary dictates Ignatius in his Epistle to the Magnesians doth rarely and earnestly injoyn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let there be one common prayer in all the Church Constantine did not onely command a set form of prayer in the Church but also in his Camp And Calvin speaking of a form of prayer in his Epistle to the Protector of England is at his valde probo He alwayes us'd the same prayer himself before his Lectures which is Printedbefore his commentary upon Ezek el It he ever spake any thing obliquely of ours it was before it was polish'd and corrected in the latter end of the reign of King Edward the sixth And that such prayers were and are still used in the reformed Churches abroad at this day he is but a novice in story that is iguoranâ— of it As for these objections It shall be given to you in that hour what ye shall say And praying in the Spirit they do nothing invalidate the Authority offorms for the first is only concerning times of Tryal and Persecution when Christians were to be brought before Kings and Rulers for the sake of Christ And there is a meer fallacy in the last as if praying by a form and praying in the Spirit were such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they cannot stand together whereas their own sudden prayers are forms in respect of others that joyn with them yet I hope they will not deny but these do also pray in the spirit Nay a form hath many advantages to promote spiritual prayer for those that pray without premeditation their inventions memories judgments and tongues are all busie in framing matter and forming expressions suitable thereunto which must needs be as so many sucklers and distractions to abate the vigour of their intentions for what they pray Where men have a desire to instill their singular opinions into the minds of others 't is no wonder they would be lax and free in their prayers Hence it hath been forbidden by counsels to use any prayers but what have been approved by Synods lest poyson should be conveyed by prayers as it was by 〈◊〉 Priests in the Sacrament Neither is it strange that 〈◊〉 stomachs which refuse solid and wholsom meat and long after kickshaws if they reject the ordinary prayers of the Church and seek for other of their own inventions for you know men are fond of their own productions I dare say if any are not nourished and heated with our prayers if their hearts be not like those of the Disciples going to Emaus they bring with them some prejudicate impediment some nauseating distemper and coldness in their own breasts The fault is not in the liturgy but in their own want of zeal in not joyning their hearts in good earnest to those prayers or as it is expressed better to my hands Men lay all the blame upon the Liturgy to excuse the deadness of their own hearts Like her in Seneca that said the room was dark when she her self was blind I confess where men have fluent eloquent tongues and have expressions at will which are the common not distinguishing gifts of Gods Spirit if they are minded to sacrifice to the dragge of their own applause in the ostentation of their parts and desire to erect their own Monuments among the people they have a large field to expatiate in yet all this I aver may be done without any dram of saving grace The distinction between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grace and gifts deserves your further inquiry upon this subject I am not ashamed to acknowledge that upon emergencies I have indulged my self the liberty of my own measures and I found a vehement heat in my self for the time my affections even over running their banks and if I did casually hit upon any pertinent winning and melting words I was ready to flatter and hugg the felicity of my own rhetorick By which it clearly appears to me that there is a Serpent lurking under those leaves or specious pretences for extempory prayer especially when we do velificare or make a flourish in publick by turning the Pulpit to use Mr. Baxters words into the hypocrites Theatre We are then more apt to seek our own glory than the glory of him that sent us for in private commonly there is not so much heat attending our extemporary prayers I appeal to your own experience in this particular which is no small evidence that vain-glory is at one end of them For there is an exorbitant zeal which is a work of the flesh May there not be a fire in straw which may flame and expire at the same time Gal. 5.20 Cito ignis stipulae conquiescit
exundans flamma deficientibus nutrimentis emoritur Though the affections may be more inlarged Jerom acâ— suriam p. 83. and dilated in sudden ebullitions raptures and passions as some women swell to an unusual bigness because they keep not themselves under the restraint of laceing and the waters that covered the earth at the first creation were shallower than when they were reduced into the bounded channels of the Seas The blood and spirits called forth into the outward parts of the body leave a lesser proportion about the heart to guard it from a delinquium and such feavorish distempers often prove mortal Yet may not those devotions which are performed by the standard of prescribed forms though they make not such a blaze like coals of Juniper preserve that heâ—â—â— longer which they have conceived May not these deliberate and rational services be more deep though they make not so much noise May not I pray with judgment understanding and intenseness of soul when I read as well as when I say a prayer without book when I open my eyes as well as when I shut them I pray read the true meaning of those words The true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth as expounded by that good man Mr. Hildersham On John 4. Let 's not dispute so long about the mode of prayer untill we forget either what it is or that we owe any such tribute unto God As I have heard a wrangling Sophister so earnest in snatching at collateral and incident disputes untill he hath forgot the question in debate And I have seen some ill nurtur'd doggs so violent in questing after every little Bird that they have left the game behind them Let us offer up to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clo. Alew p. 717. the incense of a righteous soul let us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 converse with God and keep close unto him in the pantings and motions of our souls Basil p. 772 and then if this may be done by a form le ts be wise unto sobriety in hushing of unchristian quarrels and by joyning together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with one consent in the same work of such regular prayers Now because some of you will condescend to a form as lawful and expedient yet you have no kindness for ours Just as I knew a Gentleman who had variety of drinks and those the best in their kind approved off by his neighbours round about yet he was alwayes out of conceit with his own liquors and sent his man far and near even to obscure places to buy or borrow what might better please his own palate The application is as easie as the story is realibut were it fabulous the moral would prove very pertinent We admire things at a distance and those that are far fetcht do best please such persons whose imaginations are stronger than their reason Were the Officers of Geneva or Amsterdam translated into England I 'le warrant you many nice stomacks for a time would make no bones of them nay how would they be imbrac'd and cry'd up not because they are better than ours but in that they would be novelties amongst us Although our usages and methods in Gods service have been commended and the harshest particulars practis'd by the most eminent reformers in the world ours have stood without any contradiction that I have met withal except it be such as the Moon meets with whose lustre may be bark'd at by whiffling currs but 't is farre enough elevated above the reach of their teeth That stratagem-that our Liturgy was taken out of the Mass-Book did execution in its season whilst it wâ—s managed by the brawny Arms of those enâ—ssaâ—es of Apolyon who were resolved to be strenuous in their calumniâ—s 't is yet uncertain whether â—â—s charge did proceed most from impotent â—â—â—lice of despâ—rate impudence This imposture is now so â—â—â—parent that the mearâ—â—t capacities begin to â—â—e thorrow it and discover the legerdemâ—â— thereof If to pray to God in our Mother â—â—ngue ☜ and not in latin 〈◊〉 to pray to him only in the name of Jesus Christ without any addresses to the Virgin Mary or any other Saint or Angel If to acknowledge but two Sacraments if to receive the Lords Supper in both kinds with a declaration against transubstantiation elevation and adoration If neither to respect the Popes Supremacy purgatory justification by works or prayers for the dead If those prayers which were compos'd by martyr'd Protestants against which the Pope sends forth his roaring Bull as if they were level'd directly against his Throne and will sooner dispense with his followers for hearing our Sermons than joyning with our prayers I say that I may put a period to this sentence which might easily be drawn forth into a whole paragraph if these things savour of the Mass-Book Praeflat culpam agnoscere guam deprecari I must confess before the Sun that I am a Papist that our Liturgy and Articles were fram'd out of the Romish mint But since there is nothing of this denomination once insinuated in our prayers Since the whole compages of our service is purg'd and fan'nd from all the rubbish and chaffs of Popish trash since we have recover'd those vessels which Nehuchadnezzar had carried out of Jerusalem Ezra 7.8 may not we bring them again into the house of the Lord May not we fetch the Ark out of the territories of the Philistines and carry it unto Shilo may not Lot be redeemed from the Kings of the Nations after he had been taken prisoner And may not the Creed Lords prayer ten commandments some excellent prayers and laudable usages which were usurp'd upon by the tripple Crown be restor'd to the service of the Church as a captiye Woman might be married to an Israelite after her head had been shaven her nails pair'd Deut 21.12 13. and the raiment of her captivity taken from her Especially seeing the beams and rafters of our Liturgy were in the Church long before there was any such thing as Popery in the World This Lyon being hunted out of your way this bug-Bear being devested of all its terrible vizzards Bishop Taylar Le ts see what in the next place affrights you And herein I could have said more to the purpose if I could have prevailed with any of you to have given me your particular exceptions to which you would have stood For I perceive there is almost as much variety in your exceptions as there is in your faces One pishes at and slites what another cries out against with a stentorian voice as an intollerable abomination But this I could never obtain either by my self or by the mediation of proxies whom I employ'd to the same purpose As if it were as difficult a matter to procure a catalogue of your objections against the Liturgy as 't is to get a list of the Churches traditions I cannot suppose that men of your pitch can be offended with those
he defin'd it a right that said it was a causeless and culpable separation Are not the gates of Jerusalem open Why do you flock then like the Disciples of Jeroboam to Dan and Bethel Hos 5.1 Are there any snares upon Mizpheth or Nets spread upon Tabor Are the wayes of Zion unoccupied Are there any Lyons in the way to cause you to go thorow by-wayes Are there any Cerinthus's or Marrions that you run out of our Assemblies as Saint John did out of the Bath Is this to follow the direction of Christ to preach from the house top or is this to imitate his example who spake openly to the World and taught in the Synagogue and in the Temple whither the Jews resorted Joh. 18.20 and in secret he said nothing Were there a Nero or Dioclesian at the helm who should threaten to mingle our blood with our Sacrifices if you had your Antelucana and should flock into canes of the earth to worship God in Christ I would commend your zeal and run along with you But now the blessed dayes of Queen Elizabeth as you were wont to call them heretofore are revolv'd and come back again we have liberty and encouragement under our Josiah to be as religious as we will or can what ingratitude is it to complain of such halcian dayes See Dr. Minton on Jude and Calvin was of the same judgmen I here ought to be no separation from those Ghurehes wherein are taught all things neceâ—â—ary for Salvation to run like Foxes into holes when we should like Doves flock to the windows of the Tabernacle You confess we keep to the same Foundation why should we not then meet under the same roof The first Christians met together with one consent in one place whether it was to pray hear or break bread Division of places will not long be without division of minds And where can we upon better grounds expect the presence of God then in places dedicated and consecrated to his name There he hath promised that he will dwell in the midst of the Children of Israel for ever Saint Basil upon those words I will pay my vows in the midst of Jerusalem breaks out into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is observe this ye that leave the Church Acts 4.24.86.46 and turn aside to common houses Bishop Androws Ser p 599 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ezek. 43.7 As if they had been guilty of a great crime in setting up Altars in any other place save at Jerusalem where men ought to worship This proved from the Devils Apishness For if the Lord have his Table the Table of Lord we shall read also of the Table of Devils If Bees have their Hives habent it vespae sayes Tertullian wasps and Hornets will have their holes too I know you will say p. â—2â— we do but pray to our God and discourse of his Word Well! you know who was poyson'd with Wine in the Sacrament And I wish there were no venom distil'd in private prayers and dilating upon Scriptures by uncouth reflexions upon legal establishments Tell us of obeying the commandements of God as long as you please yet I dare not beleive you so long as you break the Laws of the Church for unless we observe both we obey neither Lib. 3. p. 107. sayes unparallel'd Hooker It is to me a distinction without a difference to separate and divide the laws of men from the laws of God if such laws of men are not Repugnant to the laws of God In the next place you are much troubled that Papists are not so much troubled as your selves and indeed I am much troubled that you give more occasion 'T is true they refuse to take the oaths of Allegiance I speak of some of them and Supremacy and you refuse to keep them Some of their principles are pernicious to our Government and you know whose practises have been so Though you look several wayes yet we find our fields wasted and can scarcely tell who are the greatest trespassers They would have blown up the Parliament-House And I am loth to say who were the occasion of doing worse See Mrâ— Prins parrallel 'twixt these two because what they did was in the dark but this before the face of the Sun I know with Pilate you will wash your own hands Well tell me what you think of this narrative A kennel of Hounds hunted an Hare all the former part of the day and towards night a Shepheards curr steps in and murders the Hare who were accessary to the poor Hares death If you abhor the fact do not build the Tombes or keep the garments of them that did it Take heed of nibling and knawing at the root of anothers gourd and undermining anothers Cedar Murmuring will lay the Axe to the root of this Tree In so doing you shall justifie Sodom I mean Rome it self I acknowledge with my betters that Jesuited Papists standing to their own principles cannot be good Subjects to reformed Princes yet we know that the secular Priests renounce their Doctrine herein as most destructive The Popes themselves have also contradicted each other in this point where is then their infallibility Boniface the eight ordain'd that all men should acknowledg the supremacy of the Pope upon pain of damnation Stilling fl p. 448. yet Innocent the third affirm'd that the King of France hath no Superiour upon earth It was a reproach cast upon the late Royal Army that it was Popish I call it a reproach because the denomination was taken from the lesser part and from a very small inconsiderable number of that body Yet suppose it had consisted most of them upon mature deliberation this will redonnd to their honour and our shame were there Doctrines as ancient Catholick and Orthodox as many of their personal actings in that War were couragious and loyal I think there would be no need of keeping such a vast distance from them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 15. 〈◊〉 I am sorry said that blessed Martyr that Papists should have a greater sense of their Allegiance than many Protestant Professors who seem to have learn'd and practised the worst principles of the worst Papists or as that Oracle of Reason and standard of Religion goes on saying It was indeed a foul and indelable shame for such as would be accounted Protestants to enforce me a declared Protestant their Lord and King to a necessary use of Papists or any others who did but their duty to help me to defend my self But perhaps I may so long endeavour to deliver you from this scruple that I may contract to my self the imputation of Popery And whilst I am so charitable as to prevent the dust from falling into your eyes I may stand on the windy side on you untill I hazzard the putting our my own for you are too free of that livery to every one that stands in your way Though you may as truly say we worship
before he stood in competition with Matthias and a good Casuist gives the reason Ordination is an external Rite Baldwin P. 1040. and no Sacrament therefore it may be itarated or repeated Were not many in these late times married by a Minister and afterwards by a Justice of peace Yet what a dust and a bustle do you make You pretend that you are willing to exercise the office of your mnistiry yet you are so stiff that you will not come in to have your patents sealed What though many of you scarce ever dipt your feet in fonte Caballino I mean were never graduated in the University by way of preparation to receive Orders in the Church yet I am assur'd ye would have found the Fathers of the Church so indulgent to you that notwithstanding this defect they would have flown upon your necks and rejoyc'd over you as their fellow-labourers in the Lords vineyard The door is not yet shut Why do you stand deliberating and demurring whether you should perform your duty by entring in Though 't is the eleventh hour of the day yet you may earn your penny if you will lay your shoulders to the work and with sincere and double diligence redeem the time you have lost But if you still resolve to go on whispering in the dark and to continue in your claudestine vaults do not study what answer you may give unto me but what return you will make to your master and mine at the great day of accounts how you will evade that woe which Saint Paul pronounced against himself had he not preached the Gospel which very words did so far prevail with an eminent person of your perswasion that as Saint Austin was converted from libertism by those words not in chambering and wantonness c. So was he reclaim'd from Non-conformity by Wo is me if I preach not the Gospel Mr Sprint Go ye and do likewise lay the same Text close to your hearts not as a charm but a cataplasma and if there be any life left it will setch you again if this phisick will not work upon your Tempers what think you of this expedient Were Saint Austin Saint Ambrose Calvin Perkins Nay were Christ and his Twelve Apostles here upon the Earth and met together in our English World would they think ye lurk in holes and seal up their mouths I dare say they would rather break forth into exultation and wonder saying How beautiful are thy Tents and thy Gates O England CHAP. VII A Transition or Introduction to the main Reasons which are pretended to obstruct Conformity VVE have hitherto been but in the Suburbs and grappled onely with your out-works The main Forts and Cittadels in which you incamp your selves against our batteries are yet untouc'd and unshaken All that hath been yet said is but pickeering some velitations with your forlorn hope like the Turkish Asapi which were to abate their enemies first furious onset and blunt their Swords to make way for the Janizaries The main battel is yet behind Just as Sophisters make a flourish with some inconsiderable and prelusory Sillogism before they pinch and wound with their keener Arguments Methinks I see your very Triarij divided into three Battalia's marching up yonder Hill like Hannibals Troops climing up the Alp's and in a Gigantick rage defying all the hosts of little David that shall stand in your way and oppose your thundering Legions Confident of victory and prodigal of death Your defensive Armour is not like that Ephes 6.14 15 16. But 't is the Covenant upon your breasts whilst you are clad with this you think your selves invulnerable and charm'd into a profound security Who can pierce this Coat of Male Your offensive Weapons are Swords and Javlings furbush'd with Lawfulness of War against the King and overturning the Government of the Church and State In the Rear are Volleys of Canonshot against the Book of Common Prayer This must be dragg'd along like a Royal Captive to adorn your Chariots and set off your Trophies These are your Cerberus-Heads these are your frightful Mormo's in these threefold cords twisted together lies your strength as Sampsons did in his hair What We give our Assent and Consent to the Common Prayer diselaim all War against the King Renounce the Covenant wee 'l never do it And indeed I tremble at this part of my perswasive since I am come to uncase the head and must be tampering with your right eyes lest both my Rhetorick and my skill should be defective in accomplishing my peaceable design and crowning my desires after unanimity Methinks I am essaying to carry a vast Mountain upon my back and to reconcile antipathies For though I had Logick enough to deal with your understandings and Engines to batter or undermine this Capitol yet you have so many reserves in those secret Corners and Caverns of your wills that I much doubt the force of my Oratory to inchant you out of them Yet as I have run with your footmen so I shall now endeavour to keep what pace I can with your Horsemen and like Horatius I will fiest separate these Ter gemini and then Auspice Christâ— plead with them apart CHAP. VIII Assent and Consent not unlawful to be given to the Common-Prayers and Rites of the Church of England I Have never been more transported with wondoer than when some of your classis those none of the lowest have maintained most dogmatically in conference with my self That neither the Greek nor Latin Churches had any forms of Prayer This made me almost to turn a Sceptical Academick and to doubt of all things of which I took my felf to have some knowledge I was even tempted to dis-beleive my own senses as if all things were but spectra phantasmes and empty apparitions which I beheld As if Geographers and Travelours had impos'd upon me when they told me of such a place as Constantinople For I thought I had as good evidâ—ne for these forms of Prayer which my eyes have looked upon and have been handed down to our age by the uncontroleable Tradition and unanimous consent of former generations as I could have of any objective verity below divine Revelations That cause must needs stand upon a tottering Basis that is usher'd in with so strange an Hypothesis Mat. 26.44 which amounts to no less than an incredible Paradxe As for the lawfulness of a form it is an indisputable indisputable warrant unto me that we have not only our Saviours practise who went the third time and prayed the same words but his command too When ye pray say And if you will have measure pressed down see the practise of Hezekiah who after he had compos'd an Ode of thansgiving for his recovery from sickness 〈◊〉 Iia 30. and thanksgiving you know is a part of prayer he vow'd to sing the same to the tuned instrument all the dayes of his life And the very same song which Moses began Exod. 15.1 Miriam repeated
Idle too 1 Tim. 5.13 But is it such an unpardonable fault in our prayers that many of them are short What think you of ejaculations are not they prayers and commonly the most fervent There is most of a spiritual Impetus exerted in them as those that have but a short race to run their strength serves them to run the faster And is it not belonging to their very nature to be short What think you of all the prayers mention'd in Scripture were not Moses Hezekiah David Daniel nay Christ himself as able as any of us to lengthen out their prayers yet where have they left us any pattern upon Record of prolix protracted and volumnious prayers except you will say the Book of the Psalms are so But then why do you sit at the reading of them Is that a seemly posture for prayer and praises we read that Paul and Silas pray'd at midnight Saint Paul preach'd until midnight Acts 20.7 but I find none praying so long together That prayer of our Saviours Jo. 1.7 is the longest I can think on at present Yet though I read no long prayers in Scripture I read of them but with a sharp spit on black brand before them in three of the Evangelists Wo unto you Scribes Pharisees Hypocrites for you devour Widdows houses and for pretence make long prayers Or as some read it Simulantes orationem longam Not praying long but fainting and counterfeting the doing so That under the pretence of a long grace they might eat the greater dinner in swallowing Widows houses at a bitt Widows houses did I say I wish that some under this pretence had not thought to have taken the houses of God into possession had not the gobbets been too hard of digestion had not the great Paterfamilias and Land-Lord of these houses granted Davids imprecation against such sacrilegious cormorants O my God! make them like unto a wheele that is making them so giddy that they let go their hold If we came with a good stomack I mean with such a Christian appetite and disposition of soul as we ought to do when we joyn together in prayer the shortness would not offend us but rather prevent that tediousness which is too incident to our flesh and blood in our devotions and a means to make them new fresh and vigorous at every period As after Moses had been praying in the Mount Exol 12.7 his hands began to be heavy had not Aaron and Hur held them up It is not so easie as some account it to wind up the soul to an heavenly pitch and to keep it at that bent for any duration of time Sure I am the best of Gods people have complain'd of coolings slacknings and distractions in this case and after their prayers could even have cast stones at themselves and beat upon their own breasts when they have reflected upon their languishing devotions Therefore the shortness of our prayers and the peoples responses are so many helps to our infirmities as so much Cork or as so many bladders to keep us from sinking into the Gulph or dead sea of a lither and dull kind of oscitancy Then we have time time pause and take breath with Sampson to check our selves or with the Cocks to clap our wings that so with the greater alacrity and activity of spirit we may fall on again Bishop Gauden thought it most heavenly musick when he preach'd at the Temple to hear the unanimous Answers of that honorable Assembly every one bearing a part in the publick prayers this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Apostles language to inflame one the other with fire from heaven When prayers are continued into an extraordinary length it falls out many times as when Saint Paul was long a preaching some like Eutychus will fall into a deep sleep until they be taken up for dead Act. 2.9 As for our being just the same with other Churches abroad in every punctilio it can neither be expected by them nor performed by us We allow them their Christian liberty without censuring them for that Wherein they differ from us in circumstantials and those that have been even pillars amongst them have been a◠their Dabimusque vicissim They have not not only commended but have wished for the same discipline and manner of worship among themselves were it consistent with the condition of their affairs Were I in some forraign Church said the learned Bishop of Worcester I heard it from his own mouth where it were the custom to kneel at the Creed Dr. Prideaux I would conform to that Church shall not we condescend to the practises of our own Church which are both lawful and warranted by the best authority of the Nation That our prayers are lawful appears by some of your own concessions For you say you should not be against them were they joyned in one whereas Magis and Minus vary not the species of any thing so neither doth the length or shortness of it A short line is a line as well as a long ones only the length of things many times doth but dwindle them into weakness as plate the more 't is beaten out the thinner it is and rarifaction in nature swells the same matter into a greater bulk but withall impairs its strength There is more worth in a Diamond than in a whole Mountain of rubbish-stone The less the eye is the sharper the fight And in the little compacted heart of a Lyon there is most of boldness and courage Nature is maxima in minimis it shews most of its skill in things of smallest quantity or as Saint Austin Deus non parvus in parvis Gods wisdom and power are not small in the smallest things Major in exiguo Regnabiteor pore virtus The Greek proverb also is often too true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And may not the Publicans short prayer Lord bemerciful to me a sinner be more massie and effectual than the bablings of the long winded Pharises This objection is more unreasonable yet for as 't is said of the Scriptures There are depths for the Elephant to swim and fords for the Lambs to wade Some things so mysterious that they may puzzle the most subtile and angelical Doctors some things so plain that a novice may run and read them Milk for babes and stronger meat for men of riper years So in our Liturgy There are some prayers more concise in consideration of our infirmities which are apt to tire in running a longer race of devotions and there are others more large as that for the Catholick Church c. to exercise their more Eagle-like wings who are able to soar higher or fetch a wider compass without resting or pausing by the way I read indeed of Nazianzene and Basil that they fasted so long until they became so many skeletons And Saint Bernard did pray so much night and day donec genua sustinere Corpus non possent until he was not able to go until his
of Inchantment and Popery But methinks since 't is most plain the Cross was us'd in the Church when there was no such thing as Popery heard of in the World it should be clear'd from that aspersion for proof hereof we have the evidence of Tertullian de Resurrec Carnis Origen Homil. 8. Cyprian Epist 70.72 73. Jerom de Hillarione p. 241. 245. CHAP. XIII It is no enormity to have Ceremonies about Gods worship AS for the other Rites and Ceremonies retained in our Church which are as few as in any Church in the Christian world were you at the stern dictating to us the Idea's of your own heads I nothing doubt but we should have more circumstances in Gods worship than now we have but perhaps Cultus divinus non potest osse sine ceremoniss licet Ceremoniae non sint pars cultus Bald. 1138. neither so apposite nor ancient as these we have already I pray wherein are these contrary to Gods word or declared to be any part of Gods worship Bishop Gauden in his preface to Bishop Browwigs Sermons or taught for doctrines They are neither the meat nor sauce of Religion but only as the garnish of the dish to use the words of a reverend Bishop Sires agatur non modo frivole sed eliam iniqua quâ nobâ—… detrimentum adfertur tamen sipater out Magistratus preseripserit id faciendum est Camer de Eccl. p. 370. Epist 120. They are indifferent you yield in their own natures we say so too Neither doth the injoyning of them alter their intrinsecal condition but only as to their outward use we are not so free to use or not to use them as we were before As those things mentioned Acts 15. were some of them lawful in themselves to be used or forborn yet after the Synode had determined the controversies about those indifferent things then they are called necessary vers 28. of that Chapter That good man Bishop Hooper did for a time scruple the Surplice but after that Bucer Peter Martyr and Calvin in an Epistle of his had discovered his weakness unto him he was not so tenacious of his own conceit but he yielded to preach in his Episcopal habit before the King Book of Martyrs p. 1367. If you shall still say these things are indifferent as to their use Conscentia obligatur pâ—aeceptis Ecclesiae ijâ—quae spectant ad ordinem ad vitanda scandala indire Ele quanquam corum materia non est in varbo Dei tamen finis ordo est Camers de Ecl. p. 371. after they are commanded 't is all one as if you should say 't is indifferent whether we obey the King nay whether we obey God who commands obedience to the King Since God hath left us such a latitude to our Superious of setting things in order in the Church and determining what is decent so long as they intrench not upon divine Authority and so by consequence wound not the Consciences of men wherein shall we manifest our obedience unto them As King James was wont to say if not in things of this inferiour nature Especially where they are so suitable that good men would not refuse them were they left to their own choice as to kneel at prayer or at the Sacrament which is delivered by the Minister praying To stand at the Creed and Gospel to shew that we will stand for the maintenance of them both To stand at Praises Himns Songs of Thanksgiving which are branches of prayer and at that lesser Creed Glory be to the Father and to the Son c. Must not God be served with our bodies as well as our souls Can those that serve him in spirit choose to express the zeal of their hearts in the reverential postures of their bodyes As out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks so where there is the heavenly fire of true devotions in the pantings and regular motions of the Soul there it will sparkle out at the eyes break out at the knees elevate the hands and put the whole body into such a frame that it will keep time with those secret wheels and floatings of the soul Inward and outward worship are but the integral parts making up the same worship one without the other is but lame Jam. 2 26 imperfect defective The body without the spirit is dead and spirit without the body is but a meagre ghost Bodily service without the actings of the soul is but hypocrisie and these without the other are oftentimes a spiritual delusion Though God calls for the heart will he have nothing else Though we must worship him in Spirit must not he be worshiped too in truth because some superstitious persons lay the greatest stress of Gods service upon bodily adorations must we place none at â—t all therein lest we should be accounted superstitious Will a wise man forsake his mear because a fool calls it by some ugly nick-name When I see men rude careless slovenly inflexible like statues in Gods service am I uncharitable in judging their offerings to come from a cold Altar and to be no better than dead sacrifices Learned men tell us that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies Gods worship comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a dog because as a dog crouches to his Master so must we humble our selves in our devuâ—addresses unto God I find Abraham falling on his face and worshipping God before the Law And I find the Meathen Romans by the very light of nature Livie l. 3. sweeping their Temples with the hair of their heads in their applications to their Gods And shall not we give God that respect which we would give to some noble personage or carthly Prince Go and offer it to thy Prince was once an Ironical check and may not God still use the same far casm expostulating with as much bitterness would you carry your selves so unmannerly if you were either to petition for or receive a favour from the hands of a King Mr. Torshal on Mal. 1.7 There is less danger in superstition overvaluing Gods worship than in profaneness I must refer you to my Authors in the Margin Baldwin p. 174. else I shall bear the blame The exercise of true piety lies in external worship and this is called Religion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hence it is that Salvian so sadly complains Minori Reverentia introimus templum we shew less respect in Gods house than we would in a Judges Hall Or we go with as little reverence sayes the Martyr'd Arch-Bishop into the Temple as a Tinker and his dog into an Alchouse Were our Church cumbred and even oppress'd with so pompous liveless and numerous train of Ceremonies as that of the Church of Rome which might either distract or divert our devotions Were it with us as Saint Jerome sayes it was per totas Orientis Eccleâ—â—â— throughout all the Eastern Churches 〈◊〉 they read the Gospel Adversus Vigildation p 121
handkercheif wetted with briny tears into the other end of the ballance and weigh'd down the fardel of all his sinful pranks I shall not accommodate this History but I shall attend your next motion Methinks I hear you say I have gone upon a false supposition and grapled with my own shadow or a ghost of my own raising for you have â—as great a share in David as any of us Neither will you yield your selves to come behind the beft of Subjects in the duty of Loyalty Well make this good and we are all agreed all other differences will fall in if we could once meet together in this cardinal Point Lay aside your evasions limitations demurs reservations and distinctions concerning the rights and prerogatives of Kings then come in with a full and kindly obedience to our Abimelech the Father of our Country And what remaines to keep us asunder Who would boggle at the Lyturgy or Rites appendant Who would think much to declare or swear that 't is not lawful to take up Arms against the King Who would ever have taken the Covenant at first or who would now look upon themselves as obliged by it to endeavour the alteration of Church-Government Were men thorowly principled in obedience to the King And since I have nam'd the Covenant I have rouz'd up such a Lyon out of his Thicket that I must set apart the next Chapter to charm him down again into his Den CHAP. XV. The Solemn League and Covenant is not obligatory VVEll may the Covenant be compar'd to a Lyon for it looks fierce and terrible scattering abroad the very Arrows of death And no wonder it is so deadly and of so gastly a visage For it rose lately from the dead and started out of its own ashes This is the very Achilles or Goliah which is thought to be invincible your Palladium take this and take all It is such a stone as threatens to fall back and grind to powder those that go about to remove it What renounce the Covenant We can read Common-Prayer I have heard some say but to be Covenant-breakers and to violate the oath of God this we cannot do Nobis non licet esse tam profanis Now I have followed you to the very Capitol and what remains is like the uncasing of the head Though we fight you not in the field I have heard others say yet wee 'l pray you down yet how can ye pray in Faith upon what promise will ye ground such prayers But will you stop there can you chuse but second your prayers with your strenuous endeavours will you with the Ostrich leave these eggs in the dust and never look after these Arrows 'T is well that you have wash'd out your former spots for I observed heretofore that when the lightning of your prayers went before the thunder and clattering of your Armour followed after You us'd the Sword of Gideon as well as the Sword of the Lord when like Moses you went up into the mountain to pray you had your Armies of Jehues fighting in the vallies But why do you call the Covenant the Oath of God I read of that expression but once in Scripture Eccles 8. 2. and there no doubt it signifies the oath of Allegiance to the King With what Engines can you wire-draw this text to the Covenant What hath the Covenant to do with Allegiance How these agree together we shall see afterwards yet you may as well see Allegiance in the Covenant as discover the National Covenant in that of Baptism A leading person of your way told me once in discourse That to renounce the Covenant and to renounce Baptism is all one this is just like another assertion of his When I told him that the Covenant was impos'd upon Subjects by Subjects No said he Parliament men Sedente curiâ— are not Subjects a weak fabrick sure that must be pillar'd and buttress'd up with such props as these are I forbear further to ravel into this bottom because that good man is now fallen asleep Whilst you call the Covenant the Oath of God you break the third Commandment in taking Gods name in vain by abusing of Scripture I confess there is much of Religion in keeping our Vows and Promises Ps 15.4 He shall dwell in Gods Holy Hill Temerator voti coecusationem juslam suae praevaric asionis non invenict quem nemo compulit ut voveret Fulgent 619. that swears and changes not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that makes Conscience of his Oath is all one as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an holy or religious man No sin is follow'd at heels with more signal Judgments than this of perjury as might be evidenc'd by Arrius who was as 't were the Antitype of Judas whose bowels for this very cause gushed out Vladislaus King of Hungary broke a solemn league with Amurath the sixth who spreading those Articles in the Air to which the King of Hungary had sworn and making his appeal to the God of the Christians Turkish Hist P. 322 suddenly the Hungarians were overthrown Sad instances there are in our own stories Dr. Beard of Gods Judgments of Harrold breaking his Oath with the Norman and of Stephen with Mande the Empress Pythagoras taught his Schollars in order to make them good men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to reverence and observe their Oathes This is like to God himself who is called in Scripture A God keeping Covenant valuing every title of his word at an higher rate than he does Heaven and Earth Yet when Oathes are so sacred that 't is a piacular offence to break them they must have the Prophets conditions that is they must be sworn in judgment righteousness and truth First men must make inquiry and then vow And a promissory Oath Jer. 4 2â— which binds the taker must be taken upon these proviso's First The matter of it must be lawful Secondly It 〈◊〉 â—â—trench upon the Authority of our â—â—periouâ— How far short the Covenant came of theso conditions it will appear afterwards Before I lanch into the depth of this Subject I shall as it were stand upon the bank-side and preface it with a narrative or two First of a plain Country man who observ'd it unto me That when the Scots march'd through these parts with the Covenant in their Hats those that had with so much solemnity taken it before were so far from lifting up an hand that they did not so much as move their tongues in behalf of it As if this stratagem of state having done its execution upon Episcopacy were to be laid aside and become Nebushtan or as Bishop Gauden expresses it this Flag of faction were then to be called in that part which concern'd the King was Apocryphal But after a longer distance of time when things are happily setled under our gracious Soveraign As the Jews cry'd up the Temple of the Lord so these do the Covenant All the application I shall make is that some