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A95937 The vindication of a true Protestant, and faithfull servant to his church, Daniel Whitby, rector of Thoyden-Mount in Essex. From articles exhibited against him in the exchequer-chamber at Westminster, by a few schismaticall, tempestuous, illiterate heedlesse people: together with a sermon preached at Rumford the last visitation in Essex, in defence of the liturgie of the Church of England, which is most objected in these articles. Whitby, Daniel, b. 1609 or 10.; Whitby, Daniel, b. 1609 or 10. Vindication of the forme of common prayers vsed in the Church of England. 1644 (1644) Wing V468; Thomason E40_34; ESTC R19242 31,300 47

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too low they know not the true Pedigree of our Common-Prayers which is older by many dayes then Poperie it selfe and was borne before that Schisme came in For this I would have Wife men understand we doe not claime any thing in our Church from the Church of Rome but above them We doe not like the Israelites borrow any Jewells of the Aegyptians but like Laban to Jacob we search their houses to see what Jewells they have of ours which were lest us by the Primitive Fathers And dare be bold to say as Laban Gen. 31.43 with a farre better title These Ceremonies be my Ceremonies these Prayers my Prayers as he of his Daughters c. For I will never yeeld that we derive from them that we are the Apes of Rome or consent with them in any thing but what they reserve from the Primitive Churches and that belongs to us likewise To conceive this aright no man can be ignorant that doth but listen how the world went befor us that we and they Protestants and Papists were all one Family of Christ one true Church heretofore there were no such names and distinctions heard of nor Schismes conceived but lay in one bosome of a Church and served God with joynt hearts and minds This Union was from the Apostles times downewards to the Primitive Fathers To take all along with us now doe you think there were not Liturgies and Formes of Service then Yes no phrase more common among the Ancient Writers then to talke and recite their Liturgies S. James Athanasius Basil and Chrysostomes Liturgie c. Well then in those Formes of Prayer which the Father 's used we were both friends one Family still But afterwards the Israelites fell out strove and would not be parted both sides hasted from one another We Mark 14.52 like the Young-man in the Gospel that night Christ was taken fled away naked and lest all our Formes and Ceremonies behind us Exod. 2. Gen. 28. like Moses quitted the Court of Aegypt and went into the Land of Midian like Jacob from Esaus fury fled and dwelt in Syria by reason of the Persecution All this while the Liturgies of the Fathers by them was utterly corrupted and patched up into a Monster of Superstition by us they were almost lost like the Booke of the Law in Hilkiahs dayes 1 King 22. v. ● 2 King 7.15 it was hid in a cornet and all our observances touching Gods Worship like the Syriaks vessels were cast away for haste and feare of Persecution At last when Religion and Reformation began to looke out againe and beare a face wee began to bethinke our selves where once wee were and what the Church had when wee were both friends And that wee challenge now as a Legacie from our fore fathers not an imitation and courtesie from a Brother As if a Jew should lose his ancient Rites and Prescripts of Moses as at this day much is lost in many Synagogues by desolation of that people yet comming into the Empire of the Turke hee may espie many of his Rites and Legall Ceremonies though much abused and thence seeing his priviledges and what once hee had may purifie and compose to himselfe this forme of worship you could not the Jew in this case be said to borrow his Religion from the Turke but Moses So wee by looking on their Liturgies see our way the better by their darknesse to arrive at last at the primitive formes of Service So that I may say of our Reformers and composers of this Worke Gen. 42.15 as Josephs Brethren pleaded for their honestie Thy servants are no Spyes Hereby it shall be proved that wee are true men by Antiquitie not Noveltie not by Benjamin but Jacob wee have a Father an old man the ancient Fathers of the Church And when I see our Prayers filled with Scriptures Saint Ambrose Athanasius Chrysostome the Apostles and Nicene Fathers I cannot be so dull but beleeve that it is older then Poperie and lived before that Schisme the substance and matter if not the contrivance Many learned men have shewed the antiquitie of our Church Rites and Service therefore will I say no more here But onely excuse the ignorant in their conceits that are apt to foster strange Jealousies of that which is out of their reach and older then their idle braines The Jewes had a conceit that Melchisedech had no Parents because they knew them not in their time so people beleeve this Booke to be a Bastard because they were not the Gossips But the Face bespeakes whose Child it is and proclaimes it as like the Fathers Liturgies as unlike the formes of Rome Secondly there is no point nor passage in all Divine Service that is Poperie or favours a Tenent of the Church of Rome I prove it by this Argument That forme which is taken out of Scripture almost to a syllable is not Poperie for it the Scripture cannot defend it from Poperie I have no more to say But our forme is so Ergo the Minor is true as I have proved by an Induction of every part The Conclusion followes that it is no Poperie at all And ' though all Heretikes make Scripture their Asylam and shrowd their Lyes under the wings of Truth yet there is difference still betwixt Scripture speaking and Scripture made to speake Wee doe not goe about to force a Text to countenance our forme by corrupting the Originals and Translations but the Bible freely and naturally offers it selfe to defend us in our Liturgie I know there have beene many Objections and Exceptions raysed to make a piece of Poperie appeare out of Baptisme Burtall Letanie c. But they have found a Grave by abler Champions then I if any chance to stirre hereafter I doubt not but there will be a * Mahanaim Gen. 32.2 An Host of God to meet them Thirdly there seemes to be too much affinitie betwixt their forme and ours in Actions Devotion Rites Ceremonies Vessels Orders Crossing Kneeling Surplis Table Font Bishops c. wee dwell too neare them they looke too like us or wee like them These men are sickly peevish in my conceit that would rather have a face like an Asse or no body then an enemie one whom they love not But I will not quarrell about the complexions Wherein soever our Services conspire Rites Actions Ceremonies Vessels Orders c. They are Ancient Innocent Indifferent Which is enough to quit us in the Judgement of all Reformed Divines that write upon Ceremonies of the Church First They are Ancient Jer. 6.16 we doe not goe a begging for them England is called the Ape of Nations for the fashions of the body but for those of Religion I beleeve she is her selfe and waits on none but God and Reason Secondly They are Innocent if a man in the Law of God had taken a woman Captive of the Gentiles Nation Deut. 21. v. 12. in the Warres of Israel yet he might shave her head and
Sacrament and bore me this grudge ever since If any miss'd the Sacrament besides let them thanke themselves and not complaine of me I did my Dutie openly in the Church according to the Rubrick If any have not Received in either kind or both let them speake or signifie there was no intimation of any that wanted and so I went to Thanksgiving They must observe me I cannot studie particular persons in the Exercise of my Function I dare say shee came artificially to want it and lost it to object against me You said M. WHITE Those that would not conforme to those Orders were no better then Witches and Devils They make the Scripture looke enviously upon me ANSWER I said no more then Samuel 1 Sam. 15.23 Preaching upon that Text Obedience is better then Sacrifice Rebellion is as the sinne of Witchcraft I disswaded my Congregation from disobedience from that Phrase wherewith it was stigmatiz'd in the Text Witch-craft which was Conjuring and dealing with the Devill and I would not have them partakers with Witches and Devils 1 Cor. 10.20 What Chymicks be these Article-mongers that can extract Quidlibet è quolibet Turn a faire Text into a foule Article You desir'd God M. WHITE not to heare their Prayers that would not joyne with you in all your performances If any such uncharitable Wishes should proceed from my mouth ANSWER I should utterly be ashamed of it and abhorre my tongue for speaking it but the truth is this I often threatned the neglecters of * All my Accusers are absolute enemies to the Common-Prayer-Booke Divine Service that stayed from Church all Prayers-while for purpose that God would not heare their Prayers that would not heare ours which they have molded to this strange forme Here I appeale to all the world Whether it be not the dutie of an Auditour if he heare any thing fall from his Minister contrarie to sound Doctrine to come and tell him of it personally according to Christs Rule Matth. 18.15 Dic inter te illum then Dic Ecclesiae c. In many things wee offend all as Jacob said of the Money in his sonnes Sacks Gen. 43.12 peradventure it was an over-sight if a man offend not in tongue he is perfect Many times a Minister le ts fall an utterance besides his mind yet to shew you the constitution of these Auditours I never heard of these Faults before nor ever should but to doe me a disparagement The third Article That he Preached Susan Field John Field Ed. Prudden That it was lawfull for Christians to joyne with any Nation in their outward Worship and hath said That the Roman Church is a true Church in respect of Fundamentall Points of the Religion although it be stained with Heresie and that when wee are in Italy or Spaine wee must doe as they there and proved it from 1 Cor. 9.19.20 What say you to this Article M. WHITE ANSWER This Article carryes that Fallacie of Aristotle A benè divisis ad male con●uncta The first and last of this Article are one delivered in a breath But here is a Line riveted into the Piece about the Roman Church which was delivered at a vast distance of time to invite you to beleeve that M. Whitby laboured a Communication with the Church of Rome in Worship for so the Cobweb is spunne to catch the hearers I make no question but to satisfie the Judicious and Charitable and I care for no more I beseech God to blesse me in this world and in that to come to and no otherwise but as I have beene a constant enemie to that Church from my education and abhorre a Communion with their Tenents c. * My afternoons Exercises are wholly instituted against the Rhenish Annotations and have dayly begot the detestation of her in my Auditorie yet I am a Foe to none beyond the Line of Reason And therefore to acquaint the world with what I once delivered and is upon Record I once mov'd that Question Ex abundantiâ copiâ doctrinae out of nicitie for so I qualified it at that time Stabilire opinionem non unitatem an Romana Ecclesia sit Ecclesia Dei Or belongs to the Catholique still And stated it affirmative out of Doctor * Append. of the fifth Booke of the Church p. 882. 883. Field for I measured his syllables in deciding it It belongs to the visible Catholique Church and borrowes that Title * As S. Aust The societies of Heretikes contribute to the Catholique and Salomon Cant. 6.8 describes the Church replenisht with Concubines as well as Queenes and Virgins It is Verè Ecclesia potius quàm vera in Mornay's Criticismes Vera is but the Emphasis of Ecclesia if wee use that phrase and bespeakes the truth of being not of Doctrine Metaphysicè not Moralitèr As a Leper or a maimed man that hath but body and soule together is styled Verus homo be his person never so deformed he is called a Man still and nothing else so the Church of Rome is a Church Templum Domini else wee must not expect Antichrist from thence and Children baptized there must be rebaptired so that in respect of the Profession of Religion the holding of some saving Truths as the Divinitie of the God-head and Trinitie of Persons wherein wee agree some Articles of Faith Ordinations Baptisme shee steales that Title of Ecclesia Christi as the same Author how dangerous is it for a Scholar to use his Judgement and Reading among ignorant men in whom is more malice then discretion their gall above their judgement But to answer the Article the first and last were one continued discourse about indifferent matters expressely about the Postureor the Sacrament I told them in France they receive it standing or walking in Germanie sitting in England kneeling all these are best at home and did wee come to their Church wee ought to comply as Saint Paul loco citato observed the manners of the places where he travelled Italy or Spaine c. Understand this of our owne Religion and Profession I did not open a Gap to Libertinisme to teach men to be Jews or Turks or Papists c. with the Polype fish to change their colour with the next Rock The fourth Article That he laboured by all meanes Susan Field John Field Ed. Prudden both by Preaching and otherwise to disgrace our Brethren the Scots calling them in many of his Sermons Rebels and Traytors and made a Sermon purposely against them calling them the sonnes of Belial and said Now adays a Rogue and Tinker a Pedlar any Body was good enough to draw subjects to Rebellion against their King This Article was omitted I was not questioned here perchance it was buried under the Act of Oblivion But what I spake I spake under Protection of State the Kings Proclamation to that purpose and a Prayer in the Church to boot Besides this Article is aged it was
reading Varia lectio delectat certa prodest Sen. so I of hearing but constancie and acquaintance brings profit to the hearer Those that are skilfull in the words and knowing soules could well endure a full rich table but weake judgements would not get but lose at so high an ordinary Therefore we must condescend to the poorest soule and traine up the simple ones We must respect Christs little ones And how can that be better then by this familiat method of Devotion We use to set children Copies and ruled lines not suffer them to wander about the Paper so Precept upon precept line upon line as Esay teacheth us to repeate the same over and over againe Esa 28.10 We must goe along with the flock as Jacob according as they be able to drive Gen. 33 13.14 my Lord Esau may gallop to Mount Seir Jacob must observe the foot of his tender children and flocks and follow them The Gentiles desired the same words might be preached the next Sabbath Act. 13.42 Ergo with more reason the same prayed a repetition Sermon is more unseasonable then repeated Prayers The last Argument is drawne from the consent of all Reformed Churches wherein every Kingdome studieth unitie and uniformitie for Gods service to avoid confusion which would arise from humane pleasure if every man might have his will and be their forme lesse or more like or unlike to ours yet still they have some forme as my fore-mentioned * Attersol Author warrants Ergo wee are obliged to this because it is our owne which is my third Conclusion But first I must remove some Rubbs out of the way Ob. What makes them reject set formes of Prayer Sol. The Spirit or rather selfe-will for nothing can violate this truth but selfe-conceit But still the Spirit is pretended to suffer injurie by set formes to be stinted quenched and quite cooled c. 1 Thessa 5.19 Rom. 8.26 But is not the Spirit to be seene in Common Prayer in lifting up the heart * in feeling of our wants and desires of relieving and laying hold on God as well as in ex tempore Prayer 1 Cor 14.15 I will pray with the Spirit and Understanding But thankes be to God I better understand the Common-Prayers then that I never heard before I can better say Amen to them because I best conceive them The Minister prayes in an unknowne Tongue to the poore Countreyman when hee vents what hee never heard before Secondly Ob. The Minister reades rather then prayes say they Sol. Answ Hee prayes reading which hee may better doe then they pray studying as they must doe Where is his Zeale when hee hath sense to looke and scarce knowes what comes next But it shall be given in that houre Ob. Mat. 10.19 for it is the Spirit that speaketh in you Sol. Answ Marke what houre that is of Persecution and not of Prayer of Distresse and not of Peace God will not suffer his Church to fall for want of Truth that is the meaning of the Text. By that Argument wee may as well shut out all care and studie for a Sermon as well as Prayer For it shall be given us c. Ob. Ob. Set formes doe not answere our wants many times so fitly as conceived I answere Sol. Wants are generall which concerne all men at all times and our forme is herein sufficient or extraordinarie occasions of Mercie and Judgements and herein the Church hath power and reason to call a Day to supply it with some forme for the purpose or particular wants which the Minister doth not looke after for private men for so hee may answere one man and misse a hundred And so I come to the third Conclusion The Excellencie of our set forme of Prayer 3. Conclus My Charitie is at last arrived at home and I am proud to doe my Church that honour shee deserves * The greatest glory of our English Church hath stood these fourescore yeares and upward in her publique Liturgie wherein shee hath so commended her selfe to all the world that I heare of no despisers but at home The Nations round about us have admired our happinesse herein and payd that thanks to Heaven for us which wee did owe. If Calvin and Beza had dwelt here wee had had their approbation as by some Letters into England I conceive they would have studied no new Discipline where they had found this As oft as I looke upon our forme of Service to me it is a matter of thanks-giving and not dispute But since there are such Owies at Athens that studie to defile their owne nests such male-contented soules that missing some temporall preferments in the Church would deface the spirituall and be revenged on Gods honour for losse of their owne Give me leave to doe my best to beat back their tongues and fling their insolence into their tumultuous bosomes I shall advance the excellencie of our Liturgie or forme of Prayer from three apprehensions 1. Of the Authors and Authoritie 2. Of the Forme and Worke it selfe 3. Of the Circumstances and Constitution thereof First The Authors and Compilers are unknowne to me by name but you shall know them by their workes as Christ faith and by the age and time wherein they lived which are undoubted Arguments They were those holy men of God that lived in the dayes of Edward the sixth the first Fruits of the Church of England the Reverend Fathers of the Church that strook fire out of darknesse in the dayes of Poperie and set their faces against the Church of Rome little dreaming their book should be requited with the name of Poperie for their paines that were readie to kisse the Stake in Queen Marie's dayes for the maintenance of this Booke and Service Here is the foule discovery of our not-understanding Age that would faine make men beleeve that Booke is Poperie whose Authors dyed for the testimonie of Jesus and the defence of this Book Some of them fled for persecution untill the dayes of Queene Elizabeth and then came home and enjoyed this Booke and Service by her approbation There is something to be given to the Authors in such a case for if our singing Psalmes shall passe in the Church in reverence to Antiquitie though Tho. Sternhold and John Hopkins some honest Gentlemen made them when King James and Sandys lye by shall not our Service-Booke be much more honoured that comes from the Fathers of the Church whose persons and endowments were farre more Illustrious But whosoever the Authors were the Authoritie is greater It is given to us by the highest Powers which God hath ordained in this Realme by those foure * Edward the sixth Elizabeth K. James K. Charles Princes and all their Parliaments so that for any Factor to blast this Work it is to pull downe all Authoritie upon his head and to receive to himselfe damnation Rom. 13. Secondly The Worke it selfe bespeakes its excellencie more then
pare her nayles bring her home and take her to Wife And those Vessels that were defiled washing brought many into the Sanctuarie So wee have washed our Churches and Vessels left us we have pared their nayles their Idolatrie and Superstition and they are cleane to us Thirdly They are Indifferent and so Authoritie hath power to command them to Kneele Sit or Stand The Church of her selfe hath liberty to enjoyne the practise and see it done to Repeat Answer Sing and if the Papists doe the same what is that to us shall we be opposite to Reason and duty that we may be unlike them Besides the Rites and Orders of Divine Service I speake of Sparing Seemely Regular not Superstitious They have three Advancements in my breast They are the Peace Grace Obedience of a People First They are the peace of a Church which lyes in Uniformtie For as the Doctrine is the Truth so the Discipline is the Peace wherein shall we and our posterities in the Church agree but in that mold of Regularity we cast our selves Therefore let there be Peace and Truth in my dayes good Doctrine and good Discipline Secondly They are the outward grace and civilitie of a Congregation they frame a carriage at Divine Service which wee owe to God and to his house Love doth not behave it selfe unseemely saith S. Paul 1 Cor. 13. but observeth a comelinesse and Decorum in Religion Now nothing doth more civilize the rude-vulgar in Devotion then this Regulated observance in the house of God it bindeth them to their good behaviour Thirdly It is the obedience which we owe to humane ordinances 1 Pet. 2.13 All Churches have lesse or more Injunctions and are obeyed these are ours God speed obedience to them Let this be the staine of England no Reformed Church disobeyeth her Ceremonies but ours although they are often opposite yet Uniforme at home Walking Standing Sitting Kneeling at the Sacrament all cannot be best yet is all of them best at home it is strange ours should be worst still here is the Reason wee are worst obeyers Ob. And to answer an Objection before wee part which undermines them all they are obtruded on the Church as necessary imposed on the Consciences of the people to observe I answer 〈◊〉 no otherwise then S. Paul chargeth obedience to the Magistrates for Conscience sake Rom. 13.5 Ceremonies are all Indifferent in their nature Necessarie in their practise 〈◊〉 as good have none at all as every man have the authoritie to neglect them They are Indifferent Speculativè in the proposition Necessarie Practicè in the use and observance Indifferent in se but ratione pacis obedientiae uniformitatis to be practised they might be left undone if Authority had not set a Fiat Now Conscience bespeakes a necessity of practise and observance though opinion proclaimes them indifferent My Conclusion is an Apostrophe to God and man First Arise O God maintaine thine owne cause c. Psal 74. 2 last vers lift up thy feet c. ver 3. Doe good in thy good pleasure unto Zion Psal 51.18 Secondly Returne returne O Shulamite c. Cant. 6.13 How long yee simple ones will ye love simplicitie Prov. 1.22.23 Take heed of resigning Devotion wholly to the humour and pleasure of one man for feare it be Desolate or Ridiculous Weake or Wilfull for feare you be guided at last and fed with simplicitie or singularitie a Foole or a crack'd-phansie be the bane of the Church Take heed of taking away the dayly Sacrifice for feare the Abomination that maketh desolate stand in the roome Doe not labour to sweepe the Church cleane of Publique Formes Dan. ● for feare of bringing in seven worse Spirits of an evill Spirits contriving Be not ouer-much of wise Eccle. 7.16 wiser then God that made the Church a House of Common-Prayer and Christ that gave it this Forme After this manner therefore pray ye Our Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 READER I intend onely to Vindicate my Doctrine my Copies in the Sudie and deliveries in the Congregation other Articles of malignitie and offensive language I neglect and leave to the credit of my Accusers whose persons are so ill-qualified their Reputations so low and tainted that I am sure it will be more disgrace for any man to beleeve them then for me to be accused by them FINIS