Canon in stead of remedying their vices decreed that the Commutation of Penance shall not be without the Bishops privity XXIV The general abuse of that great ordinance of Excommunication which GOD hath left in his Church to be used as the last and greatest punishment the Church can inflict upon obstinate and great offenders and that the Prelates and their officers who of right have nothing to do with it do daily excomunicate men either for doing that which is lawful or for vain idle and trivial matters as working or opening a shop on a Holi-day for not appearing at every beck upon their summons not paying a fee or the like yea they have made it as they do all other things a hook or instrument wherewith to empty mens purses and to advance their own greatnesse and so that sacred ordinance of God by their perverting of it becomes contemptable to all men and seldome or never used against notorious offenders who for the most part are their favorites XXV Yea further the pride and ambition of the Prelates being boundlesse unwilling to be subject to either man or Laws they claim their Office and Jurisdiction to be Jure divino exercise Ecclesiastical authority in their own names and Rights and under their own Seals and take upon them temporal dignities places and offices in the Common-wealth that they may sway both swords XXVI Whence follows the taking Commissions in their own Courts and Consistories and where else they sit in matters determinable of Right at Common Law the putting of Ministers upon Parishes without the Patrons and peoples consent XXVII The imposing of Oaths of various and trivial Articles yearly upon Church-wardens and Side-men which without perjury unlesse they fall at jars continually with their Ministers and neighbours and wholly neglect their own calling XXVIII The exercising of the Oath ex Offâ—â—io and other proceedings by the way of Inquisition reaching even to mens thoughts the apprehending and detaining of men by Pursivants the frequent suspending and depriving of Ministers fining and imprisoning of all sorts of people breaking up of mens houses and studies taking away mens Books Letters and other writings seizing upon their Estates removing them from their callings separating between them and their wives against both their wills the rejection of prohibitions with threatnings and the doing of many other out-rages to the utter infringing the Lawes of the Realm and the Subjects liberties and arraigning of them and their families and of later time the Judges of the Land are so awed with the power and greatnesse of the Prelates and other wayes promoted that neither prohibition Habeas Corpus or any other lawful remedy can be had or take place for the distressed Subjects in most cases onely Papists Jesuites Priests and such others as propagate Popery or Arminianism are countenanced spared and have much liberty and from hence followed among others these dangerous consequences I. FIrst the general hope and expectation of the Romish part that their superstitious Religion will ere long be fully planted in this Kingdom again and so they are encouraged to persist therein and to practice the same openly in divers places to the high dishonour of God and contrary to the laws of the Realm II. Secondly the discouragement and destruction of all good Subjects of whom all multitudes both Clothiers Merchants and others being deprived of their Ministers and over-burthened with these pressures have departed the Kingdom to Holland and other parts and have drawn with them a great part of manufacturé of Cloth and Trading out of the land into other places where they reside whereby wooll the great staple of the Kingdom is become of small value and vends not trading is decayed many poor people want work Sea-men lose employment and the whole land much impoverished to the great dishonour of this Kingdom and blemishment to the government thereof III. The present wars and commotions hapned between his Majesty and his Subjects of Sâ—otland wherein his Maiesty and all his Kingdom are indangered and suffer greatly and are like to become a prey to the common Enemy in case the wars go on which we exceedingly fear will not onely go on but also encrease to an utter ruine of all unlesse the Prelateâ— with their dependancies be removed out of England and also they and their practises who as we under your Honours favour do verily believe and conceive have occasioned the quarrel All which we humbly refer to the consideration of this honourable Assembly desiring the Lord of Heaven to direct you in the right way to redresse all these evils FINIS THE ANATOMIE OF THE Common Prayer-Book Wherein is Remonstrated the Unlawfulness of it and that by Five several Arguments Namely From the Name of it The Rise The Matter The Manner and The Evil Effects of it John 9.31 Now we know that GOD heareth not Sinners but if any man be a Worshipper of God and doth his Will him he heareth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A pure Prayer is Gods Temple By DWALPHINTRAMIS Printed in the year 1661. TO The Well-affected READER Christian Reader OUt of a Respect to the Glory of the great God who is a God that will he worshipped by true Worshippers in Spirit and in Truth as also with a Desire of thy eternal good here is presented this following Treatise which was formerly Penned by some Eminent Orthodox Divines Late Non-Conformists wherein are many solid Arguments and Reasons declaring and clearly proving the Book of Common-Prayer or Liturgie to be wholly taken out of the Masse-book As first The Common-Prayers are taken out of the Breviary Secondly The Administration of the Sacraments Burial Matrimony Visitation of the Sick are taken out of the Ritual or Book of Rites Thirdly The Consecration of the Lords Supper Collects Epistles and Gospels are out of the Masse-book Fourthly The Ordination of Archbishops Bishops and Ministers is out of the Roman Pontifical So that the Service-book being thus unmasked is plainly evinced to be a rank Impostor in Gods Worship and notwithstanding its long Possession it is even a violent intruder in the House of God Then a Word to you Readers which are of Three sorts either doubtful in suspense vvho by this Treatise may be fully resolved or such as use it and Idolize it by strength of Reason may be brought off and that such as cannot brook it may be encouraged not only as a Learned Author observeth because many of Gods People are of the same mind but chiefly because God is of the same mind Lastly How much doth it concern all such who have lifted up their hands to the Most High God in a Solemn League and Covenant for the extirpation of Popery Prelacy Superstition Heresie Prophaness and the Reformation of Religion in Doctrine Worship and Discipline according to the Word of God and the best Reformed Churches to contend earnestly for the Truth and for purity in Gods Worship This being the prime work of the day and of this
observed by the Commissioners we may fear will prove too true the same causes will not fail to produce the same effects witness Simeon and Levi's digging thorow the wall that is the present conspired Plots of Treason like to blow up all if they be not hindered even when you and your brethren are making up the breach Now as we are tied by Oath to the preservation of this Peace according to our Power We can look for no peace with God nor blessing from God if we give way to that or suffer that according to our power that breaketh this peace They say in the Preface of the Ceremonies that without Ceremonies it is impossible to keep Order or quiet Discipline in the Church So we reply that Mans Ceremonies in Gods Worship will spoil the peace and quietnesse both of Discipline and Worship witnesse the putting of the Ark upon the Philistims Cart Apoph 66 though it was a new one Erasmus telleth us quod mala non sunt tantum abolenda sed etiam quae speciem mali in se habent things evil of themselves are not onely to be abolished but those that have in them appearance of evil In all this Noble Senators We take not upon us to put uncouth glosses upon your Edicts but under favour we use the words without forcing to overturn that which crosseth the Truth and peace of Religion and State as means conduce to the end so impediments frustrate the end if they be not removed And now since under favour We have presumed to inlarge our selves in this point oâ— Peace We beg leave of your Honours to speak a word or two of the Improbabilities of Peace here among our selves without removal of that stumbling block the Service-book People can worse be without the Ordinance than without Liberties Lives and Being When Pompey the Great was about to supply Rome with food in a great Famine the Master of the Ship told him when he went abroad a great Storm appearing that he could not sayle and live Pompey replyed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is necessity of Sayling but not of Living and in this case what shall they do for with this Mock-ordinance or Will-worship of the Service-book they dare not joyn There are such multitudes of people saith Smectymnuus that distaste this Book that unlesse it be taken a course withall there is no hope of any mutual agreement between Gods Ministers and their people We will say no more of this but let the sudden tumult raised by that Make-bate Service-book in Scotland be a seasonable Caveat to us and all other Nations to strike with Authority lest that which should be done with the Right hand be done unhappily with the left hand Here might be place for another Motive namely from the reward sed recte fecisse praemium to do nobly is reward enough God employeth not man propter indigentiam sed propter munificentiam so much for any need of him as for honouring of him by that employment up then as the Lord biddeth you your Honour shall be blazoned through the world you shall be called the Saviours upon Mount Zion in setting Christ on his Throne and the Kingdom shall be the Lords Answer of the Surplice WE had almost forgotten to say somewhat of one rag of the Ceremonies namely the Surplice of all the Idolatrous Rites not least yea worse we dare averre than that Plague fore-clout which was sent as should appear to infect Mr. Pym and the rest of the House for this rag is so infectious in Gods worship that many thousands of Gods people dare not joyn with it and that upon good grounds as shall appear for as it hath been argued against all the rabble of the Ceremonies it is mans device and hath been an Idol in Gods worship Therefore in the worship of God it must be an Idol still The Antecedent no man will deny for it hath been the Master Idol in worship amongst the Papists sanct fying all other Idols and without which it is unlawful to officiâ—te The consequent is as clear from induction of particulars as hath been instanced from groves and things of that nature yea from the Brazen Serpent though of God his Institution now according to the rule of Art either let the Defendant give an instance extra propositum besides the thing in question or acknowledge the truth of the Consequent without contradiction This hath been a grand Instrument of much mischief against the Ministers and People of God as we can shew at large depriving the people of their faithful Ministers and the Minister and theirs of all means of livelihood The unlawfulnesse of this Babylonish Garment will further appear if we look to the original whence we have it We must either have it from Heathen Rome Gallestus which in her Idolatrous service did Apishly imitate Aaron his garments as it is instanced in the reign of Numa 800. years after the Law or we must have it from the Dreides the mad Heathen Priests amongst the Gaules and Britains or from the Antichristian Rome as we have indeed it being one of the Popish Ceremonies retained or lastly from the Pâ—iestly attire of Aaron which Heathen and Popish Rome hath impiously followed denying thereby the Lord Jesus to be come in the flesh who with his graces was typified out by those goodly and beautiful garments Col. 2.17 which being shadows are done away and Christ the Body is come for us then to imitate them in this foolish Relique or to devise a Priestly garment of our own head in Gods worship is to rob Christ of his honour exceedingly and to make our selves deeply guilty of will-worship Had not God himself clothed those garments in the Law with a particular and punctual command for matter and manner they had been foolish and ridiculous things Exod. 39.1 Simler they made the holy garment saith Moses as the Lord commanded which later words as the Lord commanded are repeated as the learned observe nine several times in this Chapter intimating that they did not swerve one jot from Gods â—irection teaching all Gods servants thereby as the learned apply it Pelarg. ut se contineant intra limites verbi Dei that they contain themselves within the limits of Gods Word and bring nothing into the service of God of their own invention for the Apostle calls that Simler 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will-worship this being so it appears what evil workers those Ministers are who with an high hand do display this Banner of the Man of Sin against Gods own face in the time of his worship interposing betwixt Gods presence Exod. 39.43 and the worship and diverting of the blessing upon the worship for Moses is said to bless the work of the worship upon this ground because he saw it done as Jehovah had commanded The Hebrewes adde and that truely that because of this the presence of God was in it Isa 20.22 Wherefore we humbly intreat
could not have hatched the Dragon that was sent unto Scotland The Superstitions of this Bulk are such and so many that if Paul were here and saw them as hee saw that of Athens hee would undoudtedly cry out Act. 17. Men and Brethren I see that in all things you are too Superstitious We may better apply that Speech of Tacitus concerning Superstition 22 Annal lib. 14 not exitialis hurtful or dangerous but execrabilis cursed and execrable and so it is indeed both to whole Churches and other People whose eyes God hath opened to see the evil of it which wee are confident you do Act. 25 27. and I say as Paul said to King Agrippa Wee know you beleeve it But as it seemed unreasonable to Festus to send Paul a Prisoner without the charge laid against him Act. 26.27 so we neither will nor dare charge any thing upon this Lyturgy which wee shall not Prove nor desire the outing of it without good and sound Reasons for our desire and therefore wee humbly and heartily desire your Honours to take into your consideration these five Reasons following The first is from the Name wherein the Champions of the Service-book agree with the Papists calling it the Masse The second is from the Ground of it The third is from the Matter of it The fourth is from the Manner of it The fifth is from the Effects of it to which wee will adde some Motives CHAP. II. Of the Name FOr the First the Service-book-men and the Papists do mutually interchange the Name of Lyturgy and Masse the latter call their Masse by the name of Lyturgy the Jesuite Sanctes Professeth That the most convenient Name that can be given to the Masse Liturg. p. 8. is that of Lyturgy or Service not but that the word Lyturgy is of good use for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to officiate in sacred Worship witness Act. 13.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they were ministring unto the Lord. Where the Rhemists vaunt of a coined liberty Ro 15.16 to translate the word saying Masse which were to cross the truth and all the learned upon the place as Oecumenius Theophylact and Chrysostome yea and their own Expositors as Casetan and others the Apostle rendreth it by another Word of the same value 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but howsoever they scrape kindness to a word of use till they abuse it yet who knoweth not that knoweth any thing that their Liturgie is the very Lethargie of Worship And what difference between our Liturgie and theirs Truly nothing but a pair of sheers and putting ours in a Coat of another tongue as shall afterward abundantly appear only ours hath not all that theirs hath but ours hath nothing to a word but out of theirs And thence it is that our Lyturgian Patrons do meet the Jesuite mid-way by owning the name of Masse to our Service-Book Sunday n◠sabbath Witness Pocklington who calls the second Service just the same with the Masse so Cozens witness Master Smart's Sermon and not only so in relation to the second Service Antic p. 10. but even in regard of the whole Bulk as Pocklington in the end of his Altare c. and Mountague In name you see then there is an unanimous agreement and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 names are the very images of things for their agreement in matter manner in all things of importance we shall make it as evident as the former in the mean time what reason is there that we should groan still under the burthen of a Lyturgie born in upon us under the Name and Nature of a Masse which is nothing but a Mass of Idolatry and an Idol of Abomination The name is a name of Blasphemy out of the Devils Cabula as we take it For what language it is or what it signifieth for any thing we know was never yet known the Hebrews call their Tribute by the name of Missa witnesse that place in Exodus laying out the oppression of the Israelites by Pharaoh and his Princes or Officers Exod. 1.11 who are called Officers of the Tribute set over Gods people the Word Tribute in the first language is Missa of thé word Messas as the Learned observe which signifieth to melt both the name and Etimologie suit very well with the Popish Masse for it hath melted away true Religion and Spiritual devotion and as it inslaveth the souls of people by leaving them naked as Solomon saith of the Preaching of the Word Prov. 29.18 for so the word signifieth so it is made an engine to screw out the bowels of their estates wasting melting mens substance as the snow against the Sun besides the universal experience of the extortion of the Mass where ever it beareth sway we may instance it too fully in this Island where infinite Masses of Money hath been melted away within these few Yeares without any profit to the King or Subject but to the great prejudice of both for the exhausting of the Subject is the emptinesse of the King Tiberius could say Adulterinum est aurum quod cum subditorum lachrymis exprimitur it is a base kind of Gold that is squeezed out with the tears of the subject but who hath cast the State in this consumption of mony Who hath made the hearts to ake and the Souls to groan of honest Housholders when they have been forced it may be to part with more than they had Who in time of Peace and under good Laws have caused mens Houses and Fields forcibly to be entred their Goods to be carried away Who have caused the Kings liege People and that for obeying the Laws of God man to be carried to stifling Prisons contrary to the Laws of the Land and priviledge of the Subject Who have caused some to be Tormented and Tortured with unparalel'd cruelty both for kind and continuance Lastly Who have been the Incendiaries or Firebrands to melt away if they could the Kings love to his Subjects and the Subjects true loyalty to the King who we say but these Lyturgian Lords and their Jesuited confederates together with their Popish and hellishly prophane Priests Officers and Appendices to prove these or any of them were to shew a Man the Sun and many sheets could not hold the Particulars But to the purpose in hand the Service or Masse-Book as they call it is the main engine it is the Saddle and we to speak a homely Truth are the Asses for Englishmen are called by the Jesuites the Popes Asses the Hierarchie their Adherents are our riders the Saddle hath so pinched and galled our Backs that we know not how to take on the burthen of the Lord Jesus though it be very light our riders have with Spur and Rod of their Rhadamanthean Courts and Temporal Usurpations so jaded us with leave be it spoken that they have almost rid the Spirit of zeal and courage out of us and had they but
motive of their kneeling the Conclusion then must needs hold that it is Idolatry disjunct or improper at least as we argue against the Papists But if the minds of thousands of ignorant receivers in the Country were known it is to be feared they fall foul on conjunct or proper Idolatry making the Bread Octjectum determinativum in plain the Bread the Object of their Worship with which sin the Papists charge all the Protestant kneelers for if Christ were not there bodily say the Jesuits we would rather be racked with horses than kneel So said Spalato after his revolt to Rome and we confess ingenuously if the Papists should retort this argument upon us it would put the learned'st Conformers to a non-plus to evade it Here were place to have a fling at the Cross but we referre the desirous Reader to Zions Plea P. 95. to ◠106. wherein there is a succinct and learned Treatise against the Cross proving it by many strong Arguments to be the mark of the Beast All these and much more are the houshold-stuff of the Service-book against which we will produce one argument more in the closure of this point namely God will not hear the prayers of the Service-Book Ergo they are not to be offered The Antecedent shall be proved from that place of Saint Johns Gospel Ioh. 9.31 God heareth not sinners if any man be a worshipper of him and doer of his will him he heareth out of the latter part we reason thus negatively a contrario those prayers which are not a doing of the will of God God heareth not This Proposicion is confirmed from other places the Intercessions of the Saints saith the Apostle must be according to the will of God Rom. 8.27 Esa 1.12 and if they be not the Lord will say Who requireth them Now to the latter Proposition But the Prayers of the Service-book are not the doing of the will nor according to the will of God witness all the former Reasons given against it therefore God will not hear them CHAP. VIII Three Motives HAving thus clearly evinced by so many Reasons as a cloud of witnesses the unlawfulness of the Lyturgie for the expunging whereof we shall adde some more Motives in the closure Let us now humbly crave your Honours favour that according to the justness of our desires and the truth of the Reasons alledged you would be pleased for the love that you bear and owe to the Lord Jesus to the purity of his worship to the thriving of our bodies souls and estate to the turning away of Gods judgements mediate and immediate to your gaining of honour above all your Predecessors to the chearing of the hearts of Gods People the daunting of the enemies and the making our Jerusalem the praise of the world Matt. 15.13 by all these and many more we again and again intreat you to pluck up that Plant of the Service-book which God never set O how the Prelatical Priests grumble when they hear of this place and as the wicked Manichees abused this place in applying it against the Law of God so we have had woful experience how the Hierarchical Crue endeavour with tooth and nail therein worse than the Manichees to supplant Gods Law of whom we might justly say with the Prophet they have almost undone thy Law the Worship of God is a prime and precious piece the ultimate end as a Divine saith of all sacred performances Alsteed though the edification of man be the end subordinate pure it is and should be like God himself yea it is called the fear of God Psal 15.10 in regard of that reverend awe that should be upon men when they are in divine duties when Jacob awaked from the Vision it is said he was afraid and said How dreadful is this place Isa 29.13 this is none other but the house of God and the gate of Heaven by which is meant Gen. 28.15 the house of God where the Saints are assembled whose fear should be as Jacobs not a slavish fear nor an Idolatrous fear but a filial fear not daring to present to their Father in worship what he hath not planted commanded Bernard descants very sweetly upon this terribilis plane locus dignus omni reverentia c. 6 Serm. Psal 57. a terrible place indeed saith the Father not meaning the stone wals but the presence of God in the Assembly where the faithful inhabit the Angels frequent and God himself dwelleth How curious was Moses the man of God in the matter and manner of Gods worship Exod. 10 26. that he would neither have horn nor hoof over or under the Commandement that was the ground of his punctuality from which he would not go one hairs breadth and wherein we intreat your Honours to follow him to the full Caleb is said to follow God We will go and sacrifice unto the Lord our God as he shall say unto us Can it be so said of the Service-book No sure it is no sacrifice of a sweet smell Let any man that feareth God tell us ingenuously Rev 8.3 4. if he believeth that Christ the Golden Censer standing at the golden Altar will receive the Lyturgie prayers and persume them with the odours of his merits present them to the Father surely we have no ground for it Rom. 7.2 7. because as aforesaid they are not according to the will of his Father Yea Christ seems to threaten out of his own mouth the contrary in Psal 16. which is meant Christ he speaking of and threatning their Idolatrous service he tells them plainly he will not pour out their oblations that is he will not be a Mediator to their services and surely this is no acceptable service it is no beaten oyl for the Lamp though Mr. Wommock pleased to stile it so it is not sure that pure oyl Zach. 4.3 4. out of the two olives into the golden Lamp that lightens the Sanctuary but it is rather Train Oyl and scarce so good that fouls the house darkneth the light and for its messages to heaven which he mentioneth in his Epistle we have made a good Plea as we conceive for the contrary let him disprove it if he can For the whole Book though it concern them with whom he dealeth in it yet because it glisters as if there were metal in it we may lay it a little to the test The Epistle hath two heads in the former he maintaineth set Prayer in general in the latter he endeavoureth to justifie the set Prayers of the Liturgy in particular In both these the expressions be smooth and the Palliations stretched to the furthest but it may be said without offence of both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too neat but nothing useful The head of set Prayer we have not touched yet till we come to answer some Objections but we cannot but wonder at Mr. Epist p. 7 Wommocks incogitancy to father a set Form
in pressing of that Book and other like stuffe their insolent domineering over Nobility and others yea their daring attempts to set a-foot their interdicted power and their supercilious insultations their proud words and affronting attempts vented by themselves and their Priests even now when the hand of the Lord is lift up against them which they will not see but they shall see it in this they are worse than the Egyptians or Philistims 1 Sam. 6.6 who were content the Lord his hand being upon them not only to let the Ark of the Lord go but also sent it up in the handsomest way that they could taking Egypt for an example in this their insolent striving against God and his Truth they may be compared to the Peasants of Lycia Metam Ovid l. 6. lib. 1. de fals Religione whom the Poet seigneth to be transformed into Frogs for their cruel and barbarous usuage of Latona of whom Lanctantius also makes mention but the Poet tells us that for all the Metamorphosis they left not their old manners Litibus exercent linguas Et quanquam sub aqua sub aquis maledicere tentant Englished thus Their brawling Tongues but setting shame aside Though hid in water under water chide Or with Du-Bartus in this posture they may be compared to Lizards or Snakes cut in pieces Threat with more malice though with lesser might And even in dying shew their living spight Or as God said to Moses of Pharoah that he would not let his people go no not with a strong hand that is he will stand out with God Exod 3.19 so do they they will not let the Ordinances go the Liberty of the Ministry go they will not let the kingdom of Christ go though Gods strong hand be out against them but as he fell at last so shall they all their houshould-stuff and never rise again the Scots have put them in the Pond Judg. 7.17 let the love of the truth lead you and their practice be to you as a speaking emblem in the words of Gedeon Look on me do likewise We will shut up the Point with a Parallel of loyal entertainment of Kings in their Inthronization the men of Judah the men of Israel contended zealously who should be most Officious in Crowning King David though he was crowned before Judah annointed him King over them and Israel did the like over them 2 Sam 24.5 and to bring the parallel nearer home what pious emulation was between us our brethren the Scots to set King James of blessed memory upon the Throne of England 2 Sam. 5 â— Deut. 17.15 they might both deservedly say for they shewed it in effect that they were his flesh and bone as Israel said to David he was no stranger as the Scripture hath it but a King from among his brethren never King was received with greater concourse higher magnificence and more applause this made the Kingdoms as Jerusalem Ps 112.1 as a City compacted in it self which the Septuagint translateth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a partici ation or communication together often indeed attempted but never effected till then but now blessed be the Name of God in a more loving league and stricter bond than ever contending who shall do God and his Majesty that now is most service shall we not then joyn with them heart and hand in bringing the Lord Jesus the King of glory into his Kingdom he hath shewed himself no stranger amongst us but done great things for us but to the woe of our hearts we have used him too long like a stranger in keeping him at doors and the door upon the hinges Now let us set open the gates Rev. 3.20 and bring him in with triumph which will never be done so long as the Prelacy and the Liturgy or either of them keep the house Non patitur regni socios Christ will have no consort in his Kingdome much lesse an Antichrist Christ bare many calumnies and injuries from the Jews at his arraignment under Pilate and past by many things not answering again but when Pilate came to meddle with his Kingdome he would not let that pass but freely avouched it Art thou a King saith Piâ—ate thou fayest I am answered Christ and to this end was I born Joh. 18.37 1 Tim 6.13 and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witnesse â—nto the Truth of which words Paul giveth this testimony that Christ before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession which words of the Apostle have two remarkable things in them First that Christ hath a Kingdom which he will vindicate in despight of all opposing power wherein he will have his own Officers Government and Service to take place Secondly that this course must continue till the coming of he Lord Jesus and every one that is of the truth especially Ministeâ—s and Magistrates must maintain it as they will answer it at that day for this work God hath brought you together and if you should divert this work so exemplified expressed by Command which God forbid then might Christ say unto you 2 Sam 19.12 as David to his Kindred ye are my brethren ye are my bones and my flesh wherefore are ye the last to bring back the King Wherein if you will not be faulty but intend as we verily hope you do to bring back the King then let it be your special honour to make the paths of the Lord streight by removing of that rubbish Sect. that the King of glory may enter in The second Motive is from the Danger of not removing of the Service-book Craesi filius Danger as all knows is the strongest motive to cause a people or Nation to take heed Histories report that danger hath made a dumb man speak The danger from this Service-book may be looked upon in a twofold respect namely a priori from that which is past and a postoriori from that which is like to ensue the former may also be looked upon in a way of prophecie or in a way of performance the men and servants of God to whom he was pleased to reveal himself in more than an ordinary way especially in time of persecution or some pressure lying upon them have foretold how the house of David should wax weak and the house of Saul should wax strong that is Popery should make head and the truth of Christ should suffer much and many in tryal should forsake it according to that of Simeon a sword shall pierce thorow thine own soul also that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed Luk. 2.35 where by the swords piercing of the soul according to all the ancient is meant the wounding sorrows of the Mother of Christ at his sufferings and by the revealing of the thoughts is meant the discovery of some stumbling or taking scandal at his death Chrysostome Austin Origen Ambrose Theophylact and what is the ground of all this