est uno verho non est noster Beneficâ—um tanti per annum valoris Orthodoxum aliquem conostris non dedecebit At super hacâ—re aliiisque pluribus Tilenus adeundus Unum autem exemplum addam quo tandem finiam Quidam haud it a pridem vir doctu partium Episcopalium venit in hanc â—u iam examinandus Illum inquisitorum antesignanus adoritur Inter alia consimilis farinae problemiata proposuit istud Quo sensu Deus author peccati dici potest Cui alter quo ait sensu Certe nullo nisi non-sensu Hominem praefidum impudentem perfrictae frontis Eo ventum audasiae uti quis Inquisitori eique primario ica responset Râ—icitur homo merito scilicet quippe qui Graâ—ia destitutus nempe non Dei sed Inquisitorum qualis ille Johan 9. a Phariseis pro responsatione haud absimili excommunicatus Quid ille Ad Patronum rem defert Quid Patronus Dicam impegit Inquifitori Quare impedit vocant Quid Inquisitor quid ille Ad Protectorem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 festinat asylum iniquitatis Queritur apud ipsum contemni Commissionem examinatorum Nihil illam deinceps valituram si legi communi subâ—iciatur Hanc adveertite vos expostulationens Anglicanae libertatis reique publicae Assertores Quanta olim cura cautum est nequando Episcopi vim legibus inferrent Eccos Presbyteros eccos Indepentes superbum nomen qui a nulla omnino lege pendent exemptos volunt a communi lege se suosque Quod utique documento est fore uti si quando ipsirerum potiantur abrogaturos communilege suamque disciplinam pro lege secundum conscientiae sue dictamon imposituros Quod autem sititulis ac nominibus honorificis homines intumescant at an Metropolâ—â—â—â—orum Primatum Archiepiscoporum Episcoporum c. an alienereipublicae consimilibus Illi sunt Diocesani Presbyteri Archidiocesani c. qui sunt ad illum modum At hi conficti olim a Presbyteris asque in illorum locum sufficiendi Hoc ego certissime novi statutum a primariis Presbyterianarum partium neu quid ex immutata forma regiminis honorum titulorunave deperderetur Caeterum ex his quae conmemorata sunt haud arduum est consicere homunciones etiam sine titulis honorumque decoramentis opprimere alies ambitiose gerere se posse insolescere ac superbire As the Presbyters except against Titles of honor so likewise against Forms of Godliness and those of two sorts either Forms of Prayer or forms and modes of ceremonies which consist either in gesture or vesture As for the form of Prayer let us first enquire what that is against which their exceptions lie and then we shall endeavour to satisfie those exceptions The Liturgy or Common prayer so called is a System of select Scriptures Prayers and Praises proportioned according to the necessaries and spiritual proficiencies of all Gods people 1. To those under the fear of God in the entrance of the Liturgy certain sentences out of Scripture are premised shewing the necessity of Confessing our sins and raysing our hope of pardon and forgiveness of them Then followes a Form of Confession and after it Absolution from sins and the Lords-Prayer in special for the Remission of sins And because confession is either of sins or of prayse after the confession of sins followes the confession of prayse Which yet cannot rightly be performed unless the Lord enable us so to do And therefore we pray that the Lord would open our lips c. Accordingly we give glory to the holy and blessed Trinity And we exhort one another to sing unto the Lord and heartily to rejoyce in the strength of our salvation c. Psalm 95. In which Psalm after the declaration of Gods power David prevents an objection sutable to their state under fear and like unto those in Kadesh-barnea in the mutable and unsetled holyness of the childe-hood The objection may be framed thus we are not able through the power of God to subdue our sins and to perform acceptable service unto God and therefore we shall perish in our sins and never enter into the Heavenly rest The Psalmist therefore dehorts us from hardening our hearts lest we should be like those farthers of the Hebrewes whose carkasses fell in the Wilderness c. To which purpose the Apostle applies that part of the Psalm to the Hebrewes in the same spiritual estate Heb. 3. and 4. 2. To those under faith in Christ Christ is propounded in the Psalms as some of the Antients have interpreted all the Psalms of Christ and our Lord points us unto them as giving testimony of himself Luke 24. also as foreshewen in types and figures of the Law and storied of and prophesied of in others books of the Old Testament In regard of all which Christ is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yesterday Heb. 13. When these have some way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 discovered Christ unto us we break out into the praise of God saying or singing We praise thee O God c. After that Christ is discovered in types histories and prophesies more obscurely He is more clearly manifested in the flesh and expressed in one or other of the Evanglists or Acts of the Apostles After which the Church acknowledges and blesseth the Lord for exhibiting His Son according to the promises and his fore-runner John the Baptist Or which concerns all Nations Psalm 100. Oberoyful in the Lord all ye lands Then followes the confession of Faith in the Father Son and Spirit Out of this faith the Minister and People pray mutually one for other Which done the Minister prayes for those things which the Epistle or Gospel holds forth in the Collect gathered out of them then prayes for Peace and thirdly for Grace That we may fall into no sin nor run into any kind of danger but that all our doings may be ordered by his Governance to do always that which is righteous in his sight through Jesus Christ our Lord. In these prayers the Petitions are more general therefore the Litany is added containing more particular Petitions according to the several temporal or spiritual wants of Gods people Wherein and afterward prayers are made for the King the Royal issue and spiritual Governors according to 1 Tim. 2. 3. To those under the love of God and their neighbour is propounded a prayer out of largeness of heart unto God Unto whom all hearts are open all desires known unto whom no secrets are hâ—d that he will cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of his holy spirit that we may perfectly love him and worthily magnifie His holy name through Christ our Lord. This cannot be done unless the Lord be pleased to write his laws in our heart which we pray for which done we return to our prayer in special for the King and the royal issue c. Then such Scriptures are propounded for Epistles and Gospels as befit that eminent estate And because
upon the affections of the people However was it reasonable or equal that the faults of some one or few should redound to the blame yea extirpation of the whole Community Judge righteous judgement Is it just that because some Aldermen have been faulty in the Transactions of these late times therefore the whole rank and order of them should be taken away Or because some Presbyterians have been zealous and pragmatical in many unwarrantable actions is it therefore just or reasonable that the whole order of Presbyters should be extirpated O that these divided Parties would leave off the blaming one another and would enquire 5. Wherein they ought to agree THe endeavors of most men towards pacification have been spent in presenting certain Tenents and Principles wherein they would that all men should agree Hence the formula concordiae was framed and many other Confessions and Articles of Religion as those of the Church of England But its worth the enquiry whether all these pretences of Agreement tend not rather to division and disagreement than union amongst men that in some particular Opinions some might accord and in others oppose all other men To this purpose pains have been lately taken But the issue hath been rent and division Because they have endeavored such an Union as should be made by equivocal and amphibological Phrases which may be understood and taken divers ways which could hold men no longer together than that Artifice was unridled And if men agreed in these Tenents then they were on this side or that which gloried by encrease of their party Thus the Pharisees compassed Sea and Land to make Proselytes And many like them have labored to make men Orthodox as they speak that is to bring men to their opinions to think as they think while mean time little or no regard hath been had of the Christian life nor do men consider that it matters not much of what Religion or Opinion any man is if he be a knave The holy Scripture directs us not so much to Principles of Speculation as to good affection life and practise If thou do well c. Gen. 4. Cease to do evil learn to do well c. Esay 1. He hath shewen thee O man what is good c. Micah 6. Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand Bring forth fruits worthy amendment of life Math. 3. In every Nation they that fear God and work righteousness are accepted of him Otherwise to dogmatize to know and believe and hold this or that principle without the life affection and action cui bono to what what purpose is it See what account the Spirit of God makes of such Theory and Faith see Romans 2. and James 2. What then is it wherein we should agree That wherein they who differ and we all ought to agree is the wisdom and life of God in righteousness and holiness of truth This wisdom is begun in the fear of God The progress of it is in faith and hope The consummation of it is in the love of God and our neighbor The life of God is that from which we have been all alienated and unto which we are again lovingly called The archetypon of this is God himself who is our life and the Son of God who is our life and the Spirit of God which also is the Spirit of life This life is explicated in righteousuess which comprehends all graces and vertues of which that Poet whose verses were accounted Oracles saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Tully turn'd Justitia in se se virtutes continet oâ—nes And we may English it In righteousness all vertues are contained The effect of this righteousness is peace whence another of the old Poets in his Genealogy of Vertues and Graces which he calls Gods saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Peace is the daughter of Justice and Equity This divine life came forth from the Lord in all purity This was prefigured by Eve taken out of Adam that is the life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taken out of Christ of whom then to come Adam was a figure Rom. 5. This Eve is the mother of all those who truly live as Hierusalem is said to be the mother of us all As this life came spotless and pure out of Gods hands so it must return unto him And therefore Christ loved his Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie it and cleanse it with washing of water by the Word that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinckle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Ephesians 5.25 26 27. Hitherto we are to be gathered Gen. 49.10 2 Thes 2.1 Hither tend all the labors of the Bishops and Presbyters Herein we all ought to meet Ephes 4.13 This divine life hath been much obscured and counterfeited by all sorts of Philosophers and false Christians and is said for that reason to be taken from he earth The Lord Jesus therefore appeared to make discovery of this divine life John 17. This is life eternal to know thee and whom thou hast sent Josus Christ And therefore the Apostle saith that he hath conquered death and doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enlighten or illustrate the life which was darkened and obscured before 2 Tim. 1.10 And it is more and more discovered in the growth of it For as there are different ages in the natural life so likewise are there in the spiritual life And the wisdom of God enters into the holy souls according to the ages Wild. 7.27 To which purpose the Apostle is to be understood Ephes 4 7. Unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the gift Christ that is of Christ himself who is that gift as our Lord calls Himself the gift of God John 4. For as the visible sun by few or many and often revolutions makes a like number of natural days or years in the outward and visible world after the same proportion in the invisible and spiritual world the sun of Righteousness lifts up the light of his countenance on the souls of those who fear him on whom he ariseth Malach. 4.2 And accordingly make some younger some elder some old aged men For if in truth and in Gods computation they were elder or yonger whom the world accounts such who should be more full of days then Adam and Methusala Who yet are never in all the Scripture said to be old men But Abraham the father of the faithful who had soon Christs days is said to die in a good old age and Joshua Job David Jehoida with some others all children in respect of those two are yet styled old men and full of days when yet the eldest of them all if we regard their natural life in this outward world came short of Adam and Methusala many hundred years The Wise man speaks home to this Wisdom 4.8 9. That honorable old age is not
people being sensible onely of an outward austerity and formal pretension of Godliness without any conviction of inward power and efficacy they will not hazzard a cut finger for the advancement of your Government Yea some wise men conceive that you would not so eagerly oppose the antient Government of the Church with your novelty but that you fear your former bold enterprizes would not be safe without attempting somewhat that 's worse Brevibus Gyaris aut carcere dignum Or that by indulgence and favour you may come off among those of your party with the reputation of resolute and conscientious men Or that some principal sticklers and leaders among you may have their conscience better informed with a Deanary or Bishoprick Or because there are some unquiet and unpeaceable spirits among you who conceive that Atheism profaneness impiety and all irreligion would violently break into the Church unless they stood in the gap to keep it out Alas Good men They are like those little woodden statues which are set under the main beames of an house with very piteous faces as if they bare up the whole building whereas indeed were they taken away the house would stand very well without them But what is their pretence They conceive the Christian faith is in hazzard and would be lost if they stood not up in defence of it And therefore they alledge scripture for warrant of their contention that they may sin by the Book For why They ought as they say to contend for the faith that once was given to the Saints Jude verse 3. That is saith the Gloss of the Quarto Bible against the assaults of Satan and Hereticks Whence some gather that they should strive with others for the Apostolical faith But in reason men ought first to contend for the faith once given to the Saints that it might be in themselves viz. faith in Christ the wisdom of God and power of God 1 Cor. 1 That faith that is the obedience of faith as Rom. 1. and 16. That victorious faith which overcomes the world 1 John 5.4 Whereas therefore some then as at this day had brought in a lazy kinde of imagination which they called faith that Christ had done and suffered all things for them and so became ungodly and turned the grace of God into wantonness and so sinned that grace might abound And so they denyed the Lord Jesus Christ the onely Lord when they obeyed other Lords as Esay 26. And pretended impotency weakness and inability to do the will of our onely Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ These Jude exhorted to contend for the true faith once delivered to the Saints For had we the true faith which was once given to the Saints it would no doubt empower us against all ungodliness and all wantonness yea all the lust of the flesh lust of the eyes and the pride of life which are all that is in the world 1 John 2.16 And the true faith is the victory that overcomes that world 1. John 5.4 Which faith were it in us it would overcome that pride of life whence comes this contention who should seem to be the greatest But they will have no Peace they say without Truth This is an old juggle whereby the credulous and ignorant multitude were seduced into the late War and so perswaded to believe a lie Not but that peace is and ought to be joyned with truth as Zech. 8 16.19 and elsewhere But is not peace also found coupled with righteousness Esay 32.17 and with holiness Heb 12.14 and love Psalm 119.165 and purity James 3.17 And what Truth is that which is joyned with Peace Is it not notoriously known that they are wont to call their Principles and Opinions which they have chosen to hold by the glorious name of Truth according to which they account themselves and would be accounted by others Orthodox But doth not our Lord Jesus call himself The Truth John 14.6 Now mark what kinde of Truth the Lord Jesus is Ephesians 4.20 Ye have not so learnt Christ if at least ye have heard him and have been taught in him as the Truth is in Jesus that ye put off according to the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts and be renewed in the spirit of your minde and that ye put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and holiness of Truth Whence follows truth in speech wherefore putting away the lie speak ye every one truth to his neighbor c. This truth they had learned to whom St. John wrote 1 John 2.21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth but because ye know it and that no lâ—e is of the truth This is the Truth unto which the true Peace is â—oyned and without which there is no Peace Wherefore beloved Brethren let us beware lest under what pretence soever we break the peace of the Church or the peace of the Nation either of which ought to be more dear unto us than our own lives Let us take heed O let us advisedly seriously and timely take heed brethren lest contrary to the practise of Christ and the holy Apostles according to the custom of the unbelieving Jews and Heathens and some Zealors of our own we go about to reform the world It was said of the Lord Jesus that he perverted the Nation when he converted it and of the Apostles that they turned the world upside down when by the weapons of their spiritual warfare they cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalted it self against the knowledge of God and exalted the humility and meekness of Jesus Christ They never went about to reform a people by raising Riots Routs and Tumults They were not the Apostles but the unbelieving Jews who moved with envy took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort and gathered a company and set all the City in an uproar Acts 17.5 Let us beware beloved Brethren lest we go about to reform the Church as the woman did when she sought her groat according to an old false reading of the vulgar Translation Luke 15.8 evertit domum she overturned the house when she should have onely swept it according to the true reading everrit domum For surely the wise woman the Church seeking the Lords image lost in his Coin Man by the light of the Lords Candle which is his Spirit Prov. 20.27 she sweeps and cleanses the house from all filthiness of flesh and spirit until she finde her Lords image in righteousness and holiness of Truth and so becomes reformed and renewed in the spirit of her minde This this is the true Reformation of the Church not overturning it as Bertius saith we do when we go about to reform it O let us prove him a false prophet who hath these words in his Breviarum totius Orbis terrarum page 7. Habent hoc prâ—prium Calvanistae ut statum in quem irrepserunt evertant neque