Authority From which these things will be worth observing 1. That the very body of it is a set form of Prayer and so no Superstition in set forms 2. That their publishing it by authority is the prescribing of that form and so 't is lawfull to prescribe such forms 3. That the title of Supply of Prayer proveth that some there are to whom such supplies are necessary and so a Directory not sufficient for all And 4. That its being agreeable to the Directory Or as it is word for word form'd out of it the Directory turn'd into a Prayer sheweth that out of the Directory a Prayer may easily first be made and then constantly used and so the Minister ever after continue as idle without exercising that gift as under our Liturgy is pretended and so here under pretence of supplying the ships all such idle Mariners in the ship of the Church are supplied also which it seems was foreseen at the writing that preface to the Directory where they say the Minister may if need be have from them some help and furniture 5. That the Preface to this new Work entitled A reason of this work containeth many other things which tend as much to the retracting their former work as Judas's throwing back the money did to his repentance Sect. 2 As 1. That there are thousands of Ships belonging to this Kingdom which have not Ministers with them to guide them in Prayer and therefore either use the Common prayer or no Prayer at all This shews the nature of that fact of those which without any objection mention'd against any Prayer in that book which was the onely help for the devotion of many thousands left them for some moneths to perfect irreligion and Atheisme and not praying at all And besides these ships which they here confesse how many Land-companies be there in the same condition how many thousand families which have no Minister in them of which number the House of Commons was alwayes wont to be one and the House of Lords since the Bishops were removed from thence and to deal plainly how many Ministers will there alwayes be in England and Wales for sure your care for the Vniversities is not so great as to be likely to work Miracles which will not have skill or Power or gift which you please of conceiving Prayers as they ought to do and therefore let me impart to you the thoughts of many prudent men since the news of your Directory and abolition of our Liturgie that it would prove a most expedite way to bring in Atheisme and this it seems you do already discern and confesse in the next words that the no prayer at all which succeeded the abolishing of the Liturgie is rather to make them Heathers then Christians and hath left the Lords day without any mark of pietie or devotion a sad and most considerable truth which some persons ought to lament with a wounded bleeding conscience the longest day of their life and therefore we aâ—e apt to beleeve your charity to be more extensive then the title of that book enlarges it and that it hath designed this supply not onely to those ships but to all other in the like want of our Liturgie Your onely blame in this particular hath been that you would not be so ingenuous as Judas and some others that have soon retracted their precipitous action and confest they did so and made restitution presently while you rather then you will to rescue men from heathenisme caused by your abolition restore the Book again and confesse you have sinned in condemning an innocent Liturgie will appoint some Assembler to compile a poor sorry pitteous form of his own of which I will appeal to your greatest flatterer if it be not so low that it cannot come into any tearms of comparison or competition with those forms already prescribed in our Book and so still you justifie your errour even while you confesse it Sect. 3 Secondly that 't is now hoped that 't will be no grief of heart to full Christians if the thirsty drink out of cisterns when themselves drink out of fountains c. which is the speciall part of that ground on which we have first formed and now labour'd to preserve our Liturgie on purpose that weak Ministers may not be forced to betray their weaknesse that they that have not the gift of Prayer as even in the Apostles time there were divers gifts and all Ministers had not promise to succeed in all but one in one another in anothers gift by the same spirit may have the help of these common gifts and standing treasures of Prayer in the Church and because there be so many of these kinds to be lookt for in a Church that those which are able to pray as they ought without a form may yet in publick submit to be thus restrain'd to the use of so excellent a form thus set before them rather then others should be thus adventur'd to their own temerity or incur the reproach of being thought not able and then this providing for the weak both Minister and People will not now I hope be charged on the Liturgie by those who hope their supply of Prayer will be no grief to others Sect. 4 Thirdly That these Prayers being enlivened and sent up by the spirit in him that prayeth may be lively Prayers and acceptable to him who is a Spirit and accepts of service in spirit and truth Where 1. it appears by that confession that as the place that speaks of worshipping in spirit and truth is not of any force against set praiers so neither is that either of the Spirits helping our infirmities belonging as it is here confest most truly to the zeal and fervor and intensenes of devotâ—â—â—â—nfused by the Spirit and not to the words wherein the addresse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which if the Spirit may not infuse also in the use of our Liturgy and assist a Minister and Congregation in the Church as well and as effectually as a company of Marâ—mers in a ship I shall then confesse that the Directory first and then this Supply may be allow'd to turn it out of the Church Sect. 5 Lastly That in truth though Praiers come never so new even from the Spirit in one that is a guide in Prayer if the Spirit do not quicken and enliven that Prayer in the hearer that follows him it is to him but a dead form and a very carcase of Prayer which words being really what they say a truth a perfect truth and more soberly spoken then all or any period in the Preface to the Directory I shall oppose against that whole Act of abolition as a ground of confutation of the principall part of it and shall onely adde my desire that it be considered what Prayers are most likely to be thus quickned and enlivened by the Spirit in the hearer those that he is master of and understands and knows he may joyn in or those which depend wholly
whatsoever argument is brought from that Topick of Ecclesiasticall tradition is now presently defamed with the title of Popish and Antichristian because forsooth Antichrist was a working early in the Apostles time and every thing that we have not a mind to in antiquity must needs be one of those works I shall rather choose to mention another as a more convincing argument ad homines and that is Sect. 19 Sixthly The judgement and practice of the Reformed in other Kingdomes even Calvin himself in severall ample testimonies one in his Notes upon Psal 20. 1. another in his Epistle to the Protector I shall not give my self licence to transcribe these or multiply more such Testimonies onely for the honour not onely of Liturgie in generall but particularly of our Liturgie 't will be worth remembring that Gilbertus a German many yeers since in a book of his propounds our Book of prayer for a sample of the Forms of the ancient Church And for the purity of it through Reformation that Crâ—nmer procured the King Edwards Common-Prayer-Book to be translated into Latin sent it to Bucer required his judgement of it who answer'd that there was nothing in it but what was taken out of the word of God or which was not against it commodeÌ„ acceptum being taken in a good sence some things indeed saith he quae nisi quis c. unlesse they be interpreted with Candor may seem not so agreeable to the word of God which unquiet men may wrest uâ—te matter of contention As may be seen at large in Bucers Scripta Anglicana Upon this occasion this Book of King Edwards was again survey'd and in those particulars that were Subject to such Cavills corrected After which time the quarrels about that Book were generally with the Papists not so much with the opposite extreame and therefore John Ould in Queen Maries dayes wrote against them in defence of it and of the King Edwards Reformation And Cranmer made a challenge that if he might be permitted by the Queen to take to him P. Martyr and foure or five more they would enter the lists with any Papists living and defend the Common-Prayer-Book to be perfectly agreeable to the Word of God and the same in effect which had been for 1500 yeers in the Church of Christ This for the reputation of the Book Then for the fruit and benefit that by the use of it redounded to Christians take an essay by Mr John Hullier Fellow of Kings Colledge in Cambridge who was Martyr'd in Queen Maries dayes Ann. 1557. and being at the stake among many other books that were thrown into the fire to him it hapned that a Common-Prayer-Book fell between his hands which he joyfully receiving opened and read till the flame and smoke suffered him not to see any more and then he fell to prayer holding his hands up to heaven and the book betwixt his arms next his heart thanking God for that mercy in sending him it the relation is Mr Foxes and from thence the plea authentick that the tree that bare wholsome fruit should not be cut down by the law Deut. 10. 20. even when Warre was to be made on a City and as Maimon addes l. de Idol though it were worshipt for an Idoll and if that which was then of so dear esteem be now so necessary to be cast our it is an ill indication of the times into which we are fallen Sect. 20 Seventhly The reasons on which the very Heathens themselves took up the same practice which was universall it seems through all the world more Catholick then the Church it self To this purpose beside those Authors which Mr Selden refers to I shall onely adde these three testimonies first of Plato l. 7. de leg where he commands that what ever Prayers or Hymnes the Poets composed to the Gods they should first shew them to the Priests as if they were in a manner leprous till then before they publisht them leâ—t they should ask evil things in stead of good an infirmity that these dayes are very subject unto The second in Thucyd. l. 6. p. 434. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Set forms for severall occasions and a common joynt sending them up to heaven The third in Alexander ab Alex. l. 4 c. 17. that the Gentiles read their Prayers out of a Book before their Sacrifices Nè quid praeposterè dicatur aliquis ex scriptâ— praeire ad verbum referre solitus est That the work might not be done proposterously Which two reasons of theirs the one lest they should stray in the matter of their Prayers the other lest offend in the manner may passe for Christian reasons as seasonable with us as they were among them And no necessitie that those reasons should be despised by us neither Sect. 21 Eightly The irrationall concludings or shortnesse of discourse of those which are against set forms especially in two things the first observed by D. Preston whose memory is I hope not lost among these Assemblers and made use of in a Printed work of his to the confuting of them That while they in opposition to set Forms require the Minister to conceive a Prayer for the Congregation they observe not that the whole Congregation is by that means as much stinted and bound to a set Form to wit of those words which the Minister conceives as if he read them out of a book 2. That the persons with whom we have now to deal though they will not prescribe any Form of Prayer yet venture to prescribe the matter of it in these words pag. 14. the Minister is to call upon the Lord to this effect Now why the prescription of the matter is not the stinting of the Spirit as well as the form of words unlesse the Spirit like the Heathen Mercury be the God of eloquence and be thought to deal in the words onely or why the promise of dabitur in illâ horâ it shall be given you in that houre should not be as full a promise for matter as for expressions especially when that Text forbids care or provision 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely how but what they should speak and the promise is peculiarly for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it shall be given you what you shall speak and this is it that is attributed to the Spirit v. 20. from whence if I should conclude that the holy Ghost taught the Disciples onely the matter of their answer and they themselves were left to put it in form of words there is nothing in that Text against that assertion and that it was so in their penning of the New Testament many probable Arguments might be produced if it were now seasonable and consequently why the prescribing of one should not be unreasonable in them that condemne all prescribing of the other I confesse is one of those things which my charity hath made me willing to impute to the shortnesse of discourse because I am unwilling to
answer to your invitation signified their expectation that you should abolish Liturgie or their approbation of your fact able to counte ballance this censure from the pen of those your friends thus unexpectedly falne upon you Some ingenuity either of making good your assertion of the Churches or else of Confession that you cannot will be in common equity expected from you Sect. 28 The desires of many of the Godly among your selves which you mention as a fourth motive for abolition will signifie little because how many suffrages soever might be brought for the upholding of Liturgie those who are against it shall by you be called the godly and that number what ever it is go for a multitude But then again Godly they may be but not wise piety gives no infallibility of doctrine to the professor at least in this point unlesse you can first prove the Liturgie to be ungodly nay they that rejoyced in it were as you say godly and learned and they that made it wise and pious and therefore sure some respect was due to the wâ—se as well as godly in the abrogation And yet it may be added farther that the way of expressing of the desires of those whom you mean by the Godly hath been ordinarily by way of Petitions and those it cannot be dissembled have been oft framed and put into their hands I say not by whom even in set prescribed Forms not thinking it enough to give them a Directory for matter without stinting their Spirits by appointing the words also This shews that the desires of those many of the Godly are not of any huge consideration in this businesse and yet I have not heard to my remembrance of any Petition yet ever so insolent as to demand what you have done in answer it seems to some inarticulate groans or sighs the abolition of all Liturgie Sect. 29 The last motive is That you may give some publique testimony of your endeavours for uniformity in divine worship promised in your Solemn League and Covenant To this the answer will be short because it hath for the main already been considered 1. That the Covenant it self is unlawfull which therefore obliges to nothing but Repentance and restitution of a stray Subject to his Allegiance to God and the King again 2. That there is one speciall thing considerable of this Covenant which will keep it either from obliging or from being any kind of excuse or extenuation of the crimes that this action is guilty of and that is the voluntary taking of that Covenant on purpose thus to ensnare your selves in this obligation to do what should not otherwise be done We before told you that Heâ—ods oath would not justifie the beheading of John and shall now adde that if some precedaneous hatred to John made Herod lay this designe before hand that Herodias's daughter should dance that upon her dancing he would be vehemently pleas'd that upon her pleasing of him he would swear to give her any thing she should ask even to half his Kingdom and the same compact appoint her to make this Petition to take John Baptist's head for her reward as 't is not unlikely but that as Herodias was of counsell with her Daughter so Herod might be with Herodias if the train I say lay thus sure Herods oath would take off but little from the crimson dye of his murther but rather superadde that sin of deep hypocrisie of making pietie and the Religion of oaths a servant and instrument to his incest and murthering of a Prophet And then I shall no farther apply then by asking this question did you not take this Covenant on purpose to lay this obligation upon you and now pretend that for your Covenants sake you must needs do it If you cannot deny this O then remember Herod But if you took the Covenant without any such designe but now â—ind your selves thus ensnared by it then rather remember the times to get out of that snare and not to engage your selves faster in it 3. I answer that if by uniformity be meant that among your selves in this Kingdom the taking away our Liturgie by Ordinance while it remains establisht by valid Law is no over-fit means to that end nothing but a new Act and an assurance that all would be obedient to that Act can be proper for that purpose and I am sure there are some men in the World whom if such an Act displeased the obedience would not be very uniform what ever it may seem to be when better Subjects are supposed to be concluded by it But if it be uniformity with the best reformed Churches as your Covenant mentions then 1. That uniformitie in matters of Form or Ceremonie is no way necessary Communion betwixt Churches may be preserv'd without it not near so usefull as that other among our selves and therefore the bargain will be none of the most thriving when that acquisition is paid so dear for uniformity with strangers purchased with confusion at home as bad a market as unequall a barter as if we should enter upon a Civill War for no other gain then to make up a Peace with some Neighbour Prince which none but a mad Statesman would ever counsell But then 4. The Covenant for such uniformitie obliges not to make this Directory which I shall prove 1. By the verdict of those themselves which have taken the Covenant of whom many I am confident never conceived themselves thereby obliged to abolish Liturgie there being no such intelligible sence conteined in any branch of the Covenant any such intention of the imposers aâ—owed at the giving of it 2. Because we conceive we have made it manifest that that part of the Covenant which mentions uniformity with other best reformed Churches doth not oblige to abolish Liturgie not onely because the generall matter of the Covenant refers unto the Government and not to the Liturgie but because this of England as it now stands establisht by Law is the best Reformed both according to that rule of Scripture and standard of the purest Ancient Church For which we have also the testimony of Learned Protestants of other Countreys preferring it before their own and shall be ready to justifie the boast by any test or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that shall be resolved on fit to decide this doubt or competition between this of ours and any that you shall Vote or name to be the best Sect. 30 The like challenge we also make in return to a taâ—it intimation of yours more then once falne from you in this Preface and in the body of the Directory p. 40. and 73. viz. that the Church of England hath hitherto been guilty of Superstition in her Liturgie To which we first reply by desiring that you mention any one particular wherein that accusation may appear to be true and we hereby undertake to maintain the contrary against all the learnedst in that Assembly which if you will not undertake to specifie and prove you must
on the will of the Speaker which perhaps he understandeth not and never knows what they are till they are delivered nor whether they be fit for him to joyn in or in plainer words whether a man be likely to pray and ask most fervently he knows not what or that which he knows and comes on purpose to pray For sure the quickning and enlivening of the Spirit is not so perfectly miracle as to exclude all use of reason or understanding to prepare for a capacity of it for then there had been no need to have turn'd the Latine Service out of the Church the Spirit would have quickned those Prayers also CHAP. III. HAving thus past through the Ordinance and the Preface and in the view of the Ordinance stated and setled aright the comparison betwixt the Liturgie and the Directory and demonstrated the no-necessity but plain unreasonablenesse of the change and so by the way insisted on most of the defects of the Directory which are the speciall matter of accusation we prosesse to find in it I shall account it a Superfluous importunity to proceed to a review of the whole body of it which makes up the bulk of that Book but instead of insisting on the faults and infirm parts of it such are the prohibition of adoration toward any place p. 10. that is of all adoration while we have bodies about us for that must be toward some place the interdicting of all parts of 〈◊〉 â—â—ochryphal Books p. 12. which yet the Ancient Church avowed to be read for the directing of manners though not as rule of Faith the frequent motion of the Covenant in the directions for Prayer once as a speciall mercy of God p. 17. which is the greatest curse could befall this Kingdome and a great occasion if not Authour of all the rest which are now upon it then as a means of a strict and religious Vnion p. 21. which is rather an engagement of an irreligious War then as a precious band that men must pray that it never be broken p. 21. which is in effect to pray that they may never repent but continue in Rebellion for ever Then as a mercy again p. 37. as if this Covenant were the greatest treasure we ever enjoyed Then the praying for the Armies by Land and Sea p. 38. with that addition for the defence of King Parliament and Kingdome as resolving now to put that cheat upon God himself which they have used to their Fellow Subjects that of fighting against the King for the defence of him Beloved be not deceived God is not mocked Then affirming that the Fonts were superstitiously placed in time of Popery therefore the Child must now be baptized in some other place p. 40. while yet they shew not any ground of that accusation nor ever will be able to do Then that the customs of kneeling praying by towards the dead is superstitious p. 73. which literally it were Superstitum cultus if it were praying to them but now is far enough from that guilt And lastly that the Lords day is commanded in the Scripture to be kept holy p 85. the sanctification of which we acknowledge to be grounded in the Scripture and instituted by the Apostles but not commanded in the Scripture by any revealed precept The first that we meet with to this purpose is that of Ignatius Epist ad Magnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us therefore Sabbatize no longer Let every Christian celebrate the Lords day which saying of an Apostolick writer being added to the mention of the Lords day in the New Testament is a great argument of the Apostolick institution of that day which the universall practice of the Church ever since doth sufficiently confirm unto us and we are content and satisfied with that authority although it doth not offer to shew us any command in the Scripture for it And then you may please to observe that the same Ignatius within a page before that place foreciting for the observing of the Lords day hath a command for Common Prayer and I conceive for some set Form I shall give you the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let all meet together to the same whether action or place in Prayer Let there be one Common Prayer one mind c. and Cleâ—â— Alex. to the same purpose the Altar which we have here on Earth is the company of those that dedicate themselves to Prayers as having 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a common voice and one mind which cannot well be unlesse there be some common Form by all agreed on Instead I say of pressing these or the like frailties upon this work which will argue the Composers of it to be men and fallible I shall rather desire to expresse and evidence my charity and my endeavour to read it without any prejudice by adding my opinion that there be some things said in it by way of direction for the matter of Prayer and course of Preaching which agree with wholsome doctrine and may tend to edification and I shall not rob those of that approbation which is due to them nor conceive our Cause to need such pâ—evish means to sustain it Being not thereby obliged to quarrel at the Directory absolutely as a Book but onely as it supplants the Liturgie which if it had a thousand more excellencies in it then it hath it would not be fit to do And being willing to give others an example of peaceablenesse and of a resolution to make no more quarrels then are necessary and therefore contributing my part of the endeavour to conclude this one assoon as is possible And the rather because it is in a matter which if without detriment to the Church and the Souls of men the Book might be universally received and so the experiment could be made would I am confident within very few years assoon as the pleasure of the change and the novelty were over prove it 's own largest confutation confesse it 's own wants faults and so all but mad men see the errour and require the restitution of Liturgie again This I speak upon a serious observation and pondering of the tempers of men and the so mutable habits of their minds which as they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 easily changed from good to evil so are they which is the difference of men from lapâ—st Angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 easily reduced also to their former state again when reason comes to them in the cool of the day when the heat of the kindnesse is past and a saâ—iety hastning in its stead or if it prove not so well yet falling from one change to another never coming to stability How possible this may prove in this particular I shall now evidence no farther then by the parallel vehement dislikes that the Presbyteriall Government hath already met with among other of our reforming Spirits very liberally exprest in many Pamphlets which we have lately received from London but in none more
fully then in the Epistle to the Book entituled John Baptist first charging the Presbyteriant who formerly exclaimed against Episcâ—pacy for stinking the spirit that they began to take upon them to establish a Dagon in his throne in stinking the whole worship of the God of Heaven c. and in plain words without miâ—cing or dissembling that they had rather the French King nay the great Turk should rule over them then these The onely use which I would now make of these experiments is this to admire that blessed excellent Christian grace of obedience and contentment with our present lot whatsoever it be that brings not any necessity of sinning on us I mean to commend to all in matters of indifference or where Scripture hath not given any immediate rule but left us to obey those who are set over us that happy choice of submitting rather then letting loose our appetites of obeying then prescribing A duty which besides the very great ease it brings withit hath much of vertue in it and will be abundant reward to it self here on Earth and yet have a mighty arrear remaining to be paid to it in Heaven hereafter which when it is heartily considered it will be a thing of some difficulty to invent or feign a heavier affliction to the meek quiet spirit a more ensuaring peice of treachery to the Christian Soul I am sure to his Estate and temporall prosperity then that of contrary irreconciliable commands which is now the case and must alwayes be when Ordinances undertake to supersede Laws when the inferior but over-swaying power adventures to check the Superiour Of which subject I have temptation to annex a full tyde of thoughts would it not prove too much a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and be most sure to be so esteemed by them to whom this addresse is now tendred The good Lord of Heaven and Earth encline our hearts to keep that Law of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 6. 2. which is a prime Commandment and that with a promise of secular Peace and abundance annext if not confined to it To conclude therefore and summe up all in a word we have discover'd by this brief survey the resonablenesse of this act of Gods providence in permitting our Liturgy to be thus defamed though in all reason the Liturgy it self deserve not that fate the no-inconveniences so much as pretended to arise from our Liturgy to which the Directory is not much more liable the no-objection from the Word of God against the whole or any part of it produced or offered by you the no-manner of the least or loosest kind of necessity to abolish it the perfect justifiablenesse and withall usefulnesse of set Forms above extemporary effusions the very many particulars of eminent benefit to the Church and of authority in it preserved in our Liturgy but in the Directory totally omitted and that in the despight of all Statutes both of K. Edward and Q. Elizabeth by which the Reformation of this Church is establisht among us and I trust shall still continue notwithstanding the opposition of those who pretended kindnesse but now run riot against this Reformation we have shew'd you also the true grounds of our ancestours rejoycing in our Liturgy instead of the partiall imperfect account given of that businesse by your Preface the wonderfull prosperity of this Church under it contrary to the pretended sad experience c. and withall we have made it clear that all the exceptions here proposed against the Liturgy are perfectly vain and causlesse as that it hath prov'd an offence c. the ordinary crime charg'd on those actions that are liable to no other and so that offence without a cause that this offence hath been by the length of the Service which will onely offend the prophane and withall is as observable in your Service by the many unprofitable burthensome Ceremonies which have been shewed neither to be many nor unprofitable nor burthensome by the disquieting of Consciences i. e. onely of the unquiet by depriving them of the Ordinance i. e. those who would rather loose the Sacrament then receive it kneeling or reverently that the offence was extended to the reformed Churches abroad also and yet for that no one proof offered nor Church named that was so offended and if there were yet still this supposed offensivenesse no just plea for any thing but Reformation So also that by means of the Liturgy many were debarred of the exercise of their Ministery the suggestion for the most part a meer calumny and that which was true in it ready to be retorted upon these Reformers that the Prelates have labour'd to raise the estimation of the Liturgy too high yet that no higher then you would the value of your Directory to have it the rule for the manner of publick worship or if they did this is the fault of those Prelates not of the Liturgy who yet were said but to have labour'd it neither not to have effected it and even that labour or desire of theirs to have amounted no higher then Calvin's letter to the Protectour would avow that this hath been to the justling out of Preaching which is rather a speciall help to it and prescribes it and allows it its proper place but hath oft the ill luck to be turn'd out by Preaching that it hath been made no better then an Idol which if it be a fault in the Liturgy is as farre more chargeable on the hearing of Sermons that the people please themselves in their presence and lip-labour in that service an uncharitable judging of mens hearts and a crime to which your Directory makes men as lyable as the Liturgy that our Liturgy is a compliance with Papists and so a means to confirm them in their Idolatry c. whereas it complies with them in nothing that is Idolatrous c. and by complying with them where they do with antiquity and truth it is more apt to convince them of their errors and by charity to invite then by defiance that it makes an idle Ministery which sure the Directory will not unmake being as fit for that turn either by forming and conning the Prayer there delineated or by depending on present conceptions as the Liturgie can be that it hinders the gift of Prayer which if it signifie the elocution or conception of words in Prayer is not peculiar to the Minister and for any thing else hindring it no more then the Directory doth that the continuance of it would be matter of endlesse strifes c. which sure 't is more reasonable to think of an introduction of a new way of Service then the retaining of the old that there be many other weighty considerations and many particulars in the book on which this condemnation is grounded and yet not one of these mention'd but kept to boil in their own breasts if there be any or which is more likely falsely here pretended to inflame the reckoning that they are not mov'd