about the time of the Jews destruction Gamâ—liel and his Sanhedrim added a nineteenth Prayer and after him others so that at length the daily service grew to an 100 Prayers That it is likely that the Pagans come to use their set Forms in their Sacrifice also and perhaps the Mahumedans too by the example of the Jewish Church for which he there referres the Reader to many Books of the Learned I conceive the authoritie of this Gentleman hath not been despised by the House of Commons and the Assemblers when it hath chanced to agree with their designes or interest and therefore I have thus farre as an Argument ad homines insisted on it Sect. 16 3. The not onely practice but precept of Christ in the New Testament who did not only use himself a set form of words in prayer three times together using the same words Matth. 26. 44. and upon the Crosse in the same manner praying in the Psalmists words onely changed into the Syriack dialect which was then the vulgar but also commanded the use of those very words of his perfect form which it seems he meant not onely as a pattern but a form it self as the Standard weight is not only the measure of all weights but may it self be used Luke 11. 2. when you pray say Our Father c. which precept no man can with a good conscience ever obey that holds all set forms necessary to be cast out of the Church Sect. 17 4. The practice not onely of John the Baptist who taught his disciples to pray Luke 11. 1. which occasioned Christs Disciples to demand and him to give them a form of Prayer but especially of the Apostles of which we find intimations 1. Cor. 14. 26. When you come together every one of you hath a Psalm which sure referres to some of the Psalms of David or Asaph used then ordinarily in their devotions and that as even now I said authorized by the example of Christ himself upon the Crosse who it is thought repeated the whole 22. Psalm it is certain the first verse of it My God my God why hast thou for saken me and so certainly a set form and that of Prayer too of which thanksgivings and Praises are a part But because every one had his severall Psalm it is therefore reprehended by the Apostle as tending to confusion and by that consequence S. Pauls judgement is thence deducible for the joyning of all in the same form as being the onely course tending to edification in the end of that verse and then sure 't would be hard that that which the Apostle conceived the onely course for edifying should now be necessarie to be turn'd out of the Church as contrary to edification Farther yet 't is clear by text that the Apostles when they met together to holy duties such are Fasting Prayer receiving the Sacrament continued very long time sometimes a whole day together This being too much to be alwayes continued in the Church and unsuteable to every mans businesse is said to have been the occasion that S. James first made choice of some speciall Prayers most frequently by them used which was after called his Liturgie which or some other in the disguise of that the Greek Church still use on solemn dayes This also being of the longest for every dayes use St Basil is said to have shortned and that again St Chrisostome how certain these reports are I shall not take upon me to affirm but onely adde that the Greek Church who are most likely to know the truth of it by their records do retain all these three Liturgies and would loudly laugh at any man that should make doubt whether St James St Basil and St Chrysostome were not the Authours of them 2. That the judgement of that Church if they are deceived also and may not be thought worthy to be heeded by our Assemblers is yet an argument of great authoritie to any prudent man if not that these Liturgies were purely the same with those which were written by that Apostle and those holy men yet that there were such things as Liturgies of their penning The like might be added of that short form of St Peters which alone they say was used in the Roman Church for a great while till after by some Popes it was augmented and the same of St Marks Liturgy I am sure St Augustine speaking of some forms retained in the Church and still to be found in our Liturgie particularly that of Sursum corda Lift up your hearts c. faith that they are verba ab ipsis Apostolorum temporibus petita words fetcht from the times of the Apostles which supposes that they did use such Forms And for that particular mentioned by St Augustine it is agreeable to the Constitutions of the Apostles l. 8. c. 16. which collection if it be not so ancient as it pretends doth yet imitate Apostolicall antiquity and so in St James's and Basils and Chrysostomes Liturgy in the same words with our Book as farre as to the word bounden and for many other such particular Forms used by us we find them in Cyril of Jerusalems Catechisme one of the ancientest Authours we have and then that it should be necessary for the Church to turn out what the Apostles had thus brought into it will not easily be made good by our Assemblers Sect. 18 Fifthly The practice of the Universall Church from that time to this which is so notorious to any that is conversant in the writings of the Ancient Fathers and of which so many testimonies are gathered together for many mens satisfaction by Cassander and other writers of the Liturgica that 't were a reproach to the Reader to detain or importune him with testimonies of that nature To omit the practice of Constantine who prescribed a form for his Souldiers a Copy of which we have in Euseb de vit Const l. 4. c. 20. I shall onely mention two grand testimonies for set Forms one in the 23 Canon of the third Councell of Carthage Quascunque sibipreces aliquis describet noniis utatur â—ise priùs oas cum instructioribus fratribus contulerit No man may use any Prayers which he hath made unlesse he first consult with other learneder Christians about theÌ„ And the other more punctuall Concil Milev c. 12. Placuit ut precesquae probatae fuerintin Concilio ab omnibus celebrentur Nec alia omninò dicaÌ„tur in Ecclesia nisi quae à prudentioribus tractantur vel comprobatae in Synode fuerint no fortè aliquid contra fidem aut per ignorantiam aut per minus studium sit compositum It was resolv'd on that the Prayers that were approv'd in the Councell should be used by all that no other should be said in the Church but those that had been weighed by the more prudent or approv'd in a Synod lest any thing either through ignorance or negligence should be doÌ„ne against the Faith Instead of such Citations and because
Gods to which Christ opposes your heavenly Father knoweth what you have need of and so needs not your Tautologies to explain them to him Much more might be said for the explaining of that mistaken place but that it would seem unnecessary to this matter the exception being so causlesse that the Vindication would passe for an extravagance Sect. 35 Of the Prayers for the King the account will not be much unlike S. Paul commands that prayers supplications and intercessions thanksgivings be made for Kings c. 1. Tim. 2. 1 2. where though the mention of those severall sorts of prayers signified by those foure words might be matter of apology for the making severall addresses to God for Kings in one service supposing them proportioned to those sorts in that text yet have we distributed the frequent prayers for him into the severall services one solemn prayer for him in the ordinary daily service and onely a versicle before as it were prooemiall to it another in the Letany another after the Commandments on which though our book hath two forms together yet both the Rubrick and Custome gives us authority to interpret it was not meant that both should be said at once but either of the two chosen by the Minister another before the Communion where the necessity of the matter being designed for the Church militant makes it more then seasonable to descend to our particular Church and the King the supream of it just as Herodotus relates the custome of the Persians l. 1. p. 52. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they pray for all the Persians particularly for the King To this practice of ours so grounded in the Apostle we shall adde 1. the reward promised by the Apostles intimation to such Prayers if not as I conceive by those words that we may live a peaceable and quiet life c. that peaceable and quiet life of all blessings the greatest seeming to be a benefit or donative promised to the faithfull discharge of that duty of praying and supplicating and interceding and giving thanks for Kings yet certainly somewhat else in that high Declaration made concerning it in the next words for this is good and acceptable before God our Saviour whose acceptation is reward sufficient to any action and yet who never acceptâ— but rewards also 2. The practise of the ancient Christians set down by Tertull. Sacrificamus pro salute Imperatoris purâ prece our prayers are sent up a pure sacrifice for the prosperity of the Emperour And that quoties conveniebant in another place at every meeting or service of the Church precantes semper pro omnibus Imperatoribus vitam prolixam Imperium securum domum tutam exercitus fortes Senatum fidelem populum probum Orbem quietum quaecunque hominis Caesaris votâ— sunt praying alwayes for the Emperours and begging of God for them long life secure Reign the safety of his house couragious Armies a faithfull Senate a good people a quiet world all those severals which would make up more prayers then our book hath assigned all that either a Man or King they can stand in need of and so Athenâ—goras and others to the same purpose especially when they have occasion to justifie the fidelity of Christians to their unchristian Emperours having no surer evidence to give of that then the frequency of their prayers for them which they which think necessary to abridge or supersede must give us leave by that indication to judge of somewhat else by occasion of that topick to observe their other demonstrations of disloyalty to those that are set over them by God And to any that are not guilty of that crime nor yet of another of thinking all length of the publick service unsupportable I shall referre it to be judged whether it be necessary that the King be prayed for in the Church no oftner then there is a Sermon there Sect. 36 6. The Communion of Saints which if it were no Article in our Creed ought yet to be laid up as one of the Christians tasks or duties consists in that mutuall exchange of charitie and all seasonable effects of it between all parts of the Church that triumphant in heaven Christ and the Saints there and this on earth militant which he that disclaims by that one act of insolence casts off one of the noblest priviledges of which this earth is capable to be a fellow citizen with the Saints and a fellow member with Christ himself The effects of this charity on their parts is in Christs intercession and in the Saints suffrages and dayly prayers to God for us but on our part thanksgivings and commemorations which 't is apparent the Primitive Christians used very early solemnizing the day of Christs resurrection c. and rehearsing the names of the Saints out of their Diptycks in time of the offertory before the Sacrament besides this so solemn a Christian duty another act of charity there is which the Church ows to her living sonnes the educating of them in the presence of good examples and setting a remark of honour on all which have lived Christianly especially have died in testimony of the truth of that profession and again a great part of the New Testament being story of the lives of Christ and his Apostles and the rest but doctrine agreeable to what those lives expressed it must needs be an excellent compendium of that book and a most usefull way of infusing it into the understanding and preserving it in the memory of the people to assigne proper portions of Scripture in Lessons Epistles and Gospels to every day every Sunday every Festivall in the yeare which are none in our Church but for the remembrance of Christ and the Scripture-Saints to infuse by those degrees all necessary Christian knowledge and duties into us the use of which to the ignorant is so great that it may well be feared that when the Festivals and solemnities for the birth of Christ and his other famous passages of life and death and resurrection and ascension mission of the holy Ghost and the Lessons Gospels and Collects and Sermons upon them be turn'd out of the Church together with the Creeds also 't will not be in the power of weekly Sermons on some head of Religion to keep up the knowledge of Christ in mens hearts a thing it seems observ'd by the Casuists who use to make the number of those things that are necessariò credenda necessary to be believed no more then the Festivals of Christ make known to men and sure by the ancient Fathers whose Preaching was generally on the Gospels for the day as apears by their Sermons de tempore and their postils To all these ends are all these Festivals and these Services designed by the Church and to no other that is capable of any the least brand of novell or superstitious and till all this antidote shall be demonstrated to be turned poyson all these wholesome designes to be
1. I shall demand whether onely some are thus offended or all Not all for some of the wisest in these Churches have commended it and if some onely then it seems others are not offended and why must we be so partiall as to offend and displease some that we may escape the offending others not sure because we more esteme the judgements of the latter for by the Apostles rule the weaker men are the more care must be taken that they be not offended 2 I shall suppose that their Liturgie or their having none at all may possibly offend us and then demand why they shall not be as much obliged to change for the satisfying of us as we of them I am ashamed to presse this illogicall discourse too far which sure never foresaw such examination being meant onely to give the People a formall specious shew for what is done a heap of popular Arguments which have of late gotten away all the custome from Demonstrations and then Si populus vult decipi decipiatur if the tame Creature will thus be taken any fallacy or Topicke doth as well for the turn as if Euclid had demonstrated it Sect. 8 In pursuit of this popular Argument it follows that by this means i. e. of the Liturgie divers able and faithfull Ministers were debarred from the exercise of their Ministery and spoiled of their livelyhood to the undoing of them and their Families To which I answer 1. That if this be true it is very strange that so few of this present Assembly were of that number For of them I may surely say many very many in proportion were not debarred of the exercise of their Ministery were not despoyled of their livelyhood c. And if any one was which I professe I know not I beleeve it will be found that the standing of Liturgie brought not those inflictions upon him The conclusion from hence will be that either these present Assemblers concurred not in judgement with those many able and faithful Ministers and then why do they now bring their Arguments from them whose judgement they did not approve and follow or else that they were not so valiant as to appear when fufferings expected them or else that they had a very happy Rainbowe hanging over their heads to avert from them that common storme But then secondly It might be considered whether those mentioned penalties have not been legaelly and by Act of Parliament inflicted on those who suffered under them and then whether that will be ground sufficient to abolish a Law because by force thereof some men that offended against it have been punished Thirdly whether somemen did not choose non conformitie as the more instrumental to the exercise of their Ministry changing one Parish for the whole diocesse and Preaching oftner in private Families then any other did in the Church and withall whether this had not the encouragement of being the more gainfall trade of bringing in larger Pensions then formerly they had receiv'd Tithes Fourthly whether the punishments inflicted on such have not generally been inferiour to the rignor of the Statute and not executed on any who have not been very unpeaceable and then whether unpeaceable persons would not go neer to fall under some mulcts what ever the Form of Government what ever the Church Service were none having the promise of inheriting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Land of Canaan an happy prosperous life in this world but they whose meeknesse and obedience to Laws have given them a claim to that priviledge Fifthly whether the number of those who by Ordinances have lately been so debarred of the exercise their Ministry and spoiled of their livelyhood have not been far greater then all those together that ever the Liturgie thus offended since the Reformation Sixthly whether this Directory should it be establisht would not be so imposed that they which obey it not shall be subject to these or the like penalties Sect. 9 'T is added in the next place to raise the cry and encrease the Odium and to involve the Prelates and the Liturgie in the same calamity for otherwise what hath the Prelates labouring c. to do with the Liturgie That the Prelates and their Faction have laboured to raise the estimation of the Liturgie to such an height as if there were no other worship or way of worship of God among us but onely the Service-book to the great hindrance of the Preaching the Word To which I answer 1. That this or any other action of the Prelates if supposed never so true and never so extravagant is wholly extrinsecall and impertinent to the businesse of the Liturgy and the more impertinent by how much the more extravagant such actions being easily coerced and reduced by and according to the rule and such unreasonable enhaunsments separable without any wound or violence to the Liturgie Give the Liturgie its due not its usurped estimation and we are all agreed 2. 'T is here acknowledged that this was but laboured not affirmed that it was effected and then this sure is too heavy a doom on the Liturgie for that their labouring we do not find that St Paul was stroke dead like Herod because the Lycaonians meant and laboured to do sacrifice unto him Act. 14. 16. But then 3. he that shall consider who they are which make this objection will sure never be moved by it For certainly they that have formerly set the prime of their wits and endeavours to vilifie and defame the Liturgie and now that they think they have power have absolutely abolisht it will go neer to be partiall when they are to judge of the due estimation of it they that declaim at Bishops for advancing it will they be just and take notice of their own contempts which enforced the Bishops thus to rescue and vindicate it I shall not expect it from them nor till then that they will deliver any more then popular shews of truth in this matter For 4. the Prelates have not raised the book to an higher estimation then the Law hath raised it that is that it may be observed so as may most tend to edification nor do we now desire any greater height of value for it then you for the Directorie I shall adde nor so great neither for we do not exclude all other as unlawfull as you have done and then I am confident God will not lay that charge on us which you do on the Prelates nor any man that shall consider how different our titles are though our claims not proportion'd to them A peice of modesty and moderation which we challenge you to transcribe from us 5. All this all this while is a meer Calumny if by the Service Book is meant the use of the prayers in the Liturgie for no Prelate ever affirm'd or is known to have thought that there is no other way of worship of God but that among us But then 6ly We adde that this way of publick prayer by set
We desire experience may be judge and upon the sentence which that shall give that it may be considered whether upon the ballancing of the Kingdom it will not be found that a far greater number are now at this time offended at the Directory and thereby ensnared in their Estates if they lie within your power then formerly at any time I shall adde in all times since the Reformation put together ever were by the Liturgie Sect. 20 As for that passage which is added in the close of this Section that in these latter times God vouchsafeth to his people mere and better means for the discovery of errour and Superstition Though this sounds somewhat like his Divinity who makes the power of resisting Kings to be a truth which God pleas d to reveal in these latter times for the turning Antichrist out of the world but hid in the primitive times that Antichrist might come in yet I shall not now quarrell with it because 't is possible it may have another sence and I would not deny any thing but what is apparently and inexcusably false but from thence assume 1. That I hope God vouchsafeth these means to them that use the Liturgie also For if it must be supposed a â—in to continue the use of it 't is not I hope such a wasting sin as to deprive men of all grace even of the Charismata which unsanctified men may be capable of and of means of knowledge which is but a common grace and therefore I must hope that the phrase his people is not here meant in a discriminative sence like the Montanists form of nos spirituales in opposition to all others as animales phychici to signifie onely those that are for the Directory for then let them be assured Gods gifts are not so inclosed but that Oxâ—ord is vouchsafed as plentifull means for the discovery of errâ—ur and superstition as London and have among other acts of knowledge discovered this one by Gods blessing which again I shall mention that there may be as much errour and Superstition in rejecting of all Lâ—turgie as in retaining of any in opposing Ceremonies as in asserting them a negative as I said touch not taste not kneel not bow not as well as a positive superstition as also that there be errours in practice as well as doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 infidelities against the Commandments and Sermon of Christ in the Mount as well as against the Creed it self and that imposing of Laws on the King and Kingdom by the Sword abolishing Liturgie setting up Directories by that sâ—erne way of argument those carnall weapons of miliâ—ia or warfare when they are not onely practised but asserted for lawfull are errours damnable errours also and such as are very neer the ordinary notion of Superstition the teaching for doctrine the Commandments of men I would I might not say of also But then 2. all this being supposed of Gods granting better means of knowledge now then formerly I shall yet interpose that sure this is not a truth of an unlimited extent for there have been Apostles which had â—etter means then we and they that were nearestâ—hâ—m â—hâ—m and knew their doctrines and practices better then it is possible we should had so also nay Vniversall Councels meeting in the Holy Ghost and piously and judiciously debating had by the priviledge of Prayer more right to that promise of Christs being in the midst of them and leading them into all truth then an illegally congregated Assembly and all these have been greater favourers of Liturgie then any of equall authority with them have been of your Directory And 3. if all were supposed and granted which you claim yet still the means of knowledge now vouchsafed do not make you infallible lay not any morall or physicall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you to be faultlesse or errourlesse and therefore still this may be errour in you as probably as Liturgie should be Superstition in us And for gifts of Preaching and Prayer I answer if they are and have been truly gifts others of former times may be the Spirit have had as liberal a portion of them as we For sure those daies wherein the spirit was promised to be powred out on all flesh are not these dayes of ours or of this age exclusively to all others Of this I am confident that some other ages have had them in such a measure as was most agreeable to the propagating of the Gospel and if that were then by forming or using of Liturgies why may it not be so at this time also Sect. 21 Having given you my opinion of these passages and yeelded to them for quietnesse sake a limited truth I must now adde that if they be argumentative and so meant as a proof that these Assemblers are likely to be in the right while they destroy Liturgie although all the Christian world before them have asserted it this will be a grosse peice of insolency and untruth together a taking upon them to be the onely people of God of these latter times nay to have greater judgement knowledge gifts then all the whole Christian world for all Ages together including the Apostles and Christ himself have had For all these have been produced together with the suffrage of Jews Heathens Mahometans also to maintain set Forms and though it be true that some of late have found out many Superstitions that never were discover'd before one or other almost in every pâ—sture or motion in Gods Service yet this sure is by the help of an injustice in applying without all reason that title to those actions and not by a greater sagacity in discerning making many acts of indifferent performance nay of Piety it self go defamed and mourning under the reproach of Superstition and not bringing any true light into the world that before was wanting This one Odium fastned on all Orthodox Ministers in this Kingdom at this time of being superstitious and the mistake of the true notion of the word which hath to that end been inâ—uâ—ed into many but is by a Tract lately printed somewhat discovered hath brought in a shole of Sequestrations of Livings which have been very necessary and instrumentall to the maintaining of these present distempers And now at length it proves in more respects then one that what ever unâ—atiate hydropecall appetices are tempted to take away is presently involved under that title a name that hath an universall malignitie in it makes any thing lawfull prize that is in the company God will in time display this deceit also Having mentioned these so many reasons of their abolishing our Liturgie i. e. their so many 〈◊〉 against our Church and Church-men all if they were true hang so loose and so separable from Liturgie that they cannot justifie the abolition of it At length they shut up their suggestions with Vpon these and many the like weighty considerations and because of divers particulars contained in the Book they have resolved to lay aside