also the Power and Privileges of Parliament the Lawful Rights and Liberties of the Subject and eâ—ery Person that makes this Protestation in whatsoever he shall do in the Lawfull pursuance of the same And to my Power as far as Lawfully I may I will oppose and by all good ways and means endeavour to bring to Conaigne Punishment all such as shall either by Force Practice Councils Plots Conspiracies or otherwise do anythâ—ng to the contrary of any thing in this present Protestation contained And further that I shall in all Just and Honorable ways endeâ—vour to preseâ—ve the Union and Peace between the Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland and neither for Fear Hope nor other Respect shall Relinquish this Promise Vow and Protestation Now what could be more said to Testifie and declare Loyalty and Allegiance then these Men did in this their Protestation and who ever performed less For in a short time after they violated every Branch of it and like mad Men tore it all to pieces so that in them was fulfilled the word of the Lord by the Prophet Hosea The Spiritual Man is mad Nay like worse than Bedlams who violate themselves no farther then their Garments and the Hair of their Heads but these Men stript not the Body only which are all the Kings Subjects the whole Common-wealth of their Garments of Justice Equity and Right Law and Property Reason and Religion but the Head of all its Hair that is the King of his Militia and proceeded yet further in their Madness as to tear their own Head the Head of their own King from their own Body the Body of the Common-wealth All which the Engine of Rebellion Compleated for so that Blessed Marâ—yr Stiles it and compares the creeping Insinuations of it to an Instrument with Screws which moves and Screws Men on 1 to question the Lawfull Commands of Superiors then 2 to dislike them 3 then to disobey them 4 then to resist them 5 after that to assault them 7 and at last to embrew their Hands in the Sacred Blood of their Prince Not much unlike to this Comparison of Rebellion to an Engine with Screws doth the Prophet Samuel compare Rebellion to Whitchcraft Now Whitchcraft is a deceitfull Cheat and hath these seven Devils Heads growing upon its Shoulders 1. To be that in appearance which in Substance it is not 2. To promise what it never performeth 3. To envy the happy Estate of others 4. To Bless and Curse with one Breath 5. To pretend that what it Acts is done by the Power of God and good Prayers 6. To please it self in doing Mischief 7. To be hardned with Impenitency Now what smart proficients these Men in my Text were in this Cursed Act their Life and Death plainly shew'd 1. They were Saints in their Words but in their Actions wicked Mâ—n 2. They promise that Obedience which they never performed 3. They envy the happiness of Moses and Aaron Psal 106. 16. They envyed Moses also in the Camp and Aaron the Saint of the Lord. 4. They call Moses their Lord to day and cry him down for an Usurpâ—r tomorrow Deliver their Sacrâ—fices into Aarâ—ns Hâ—nds today and wrest the Offiâ—e of a Sacrificer out of his Hands on the morrow Hâ—nce Moses charged thâ—m with this presumption ver 10 1. And seek ye the Priesthood also and for whâ—ch Cause both thouâ—and all thy Compaâ—y are gathered against the Lord. 5. That they pretendâ—d the Power of God amongst them it hath been already proved out oâ— their own Mouths ver 3. 6. That they did delight in Mischief their gathering the People together against the Rulers which God had placed oâ—er them was a clear Evidence 7. And that they dyed under the Charms of Spiritual Whitchcraft Impenitent Rebels the just Judgment of God did plainly shew Reaso 5. Such Mens Principles if hearkned to and followed will lead unstable Souls into a State of Reprobation And indeed there is little or no difference betwixt a Rebel and a Reprobate If ye call a Man a Rebel ye call him a Reprobate and if he be really the one he is certainly the other They are inseparable Companions for he only is a Reprobate that hath once known the Truth and in some measure profest it and at last withdraws his Affection from it and gives himself up to follow the Dictates of his own â—nstable Heart Here comes in Reprobation in its right place for he is not a Reprobate that dieth in the State of natural blindness and ignorance of God and his Ways but he that hath known both and revolts from them this Man is a right Reprobate Five times in the Sacred Scriptures is the word Reprobate mentioned and in every one of them the word bears the same Sence The Prophet Jeremiah is the first that mentions it Chap. 6. 30. he was a Prophet Ordained of God before he was born to be a Teacher to the Nations and Sanctified from his Mothers Womb to shew them the true and right way to eternal Happiness and therefore perfectly knew what Epithite to give to every one of them in their several Degrees and Stations and he hath given the unstable and Revolting Israelites the Epithite of Reprobate Chap. 6. 30. Reprobate Silver shall Men call them because the Lord hath rejected them The Latin Translation renders it thus Argentum reprobum vocantur illi quia Reprobat Jehova illos So that by the Latin Translation and our English Translation compared the Words Reprobate and Reject have one Signification And why did the Lord Reject and call them Reprobates Why verily the Prophet himself hath shew'd it unto us in such large Characters that he that runs may read it except he willfully shuts his Eyes and resolves not to see it it is set down in ver 16 17 18 19. Thus saith the Lord Stand ye in the ways and see and ask for the old Paths where is the good way and walk therein and ye shall find rest for your Souls but they said We will not walk therein Also I set Watchmen over you saying Hearken to the sound of the Trumpet but they said We will not hearken Therefore hear ye Nations and know O Congregation what is among them Hâ—ar O Earth behold I will bring Evil upon this People even the Fruit of their thoughts because they have not hearkned unto my Word nor to my Law but Rejected it From hence it is evident that by their first Revolting from their antient Paths and good old Ways which God had bounded out for them by the Ministry of his Word and Authority of those Watchmen or Overseers whom he had set over them and their Contumatious Refusal to return to them again they Reprobated themselves and so God Rejected them and calls them grievious Revolters walking with Slanderers out-faceing with brazen Impudency the Commands of their Governors ver 28. and at last Proclaims them by the Mouth of the Prophet Reprobate Silver shall Men call them because
using Set and Prescribed Forms there is no doubt but that wholsome words being known and fitted to Men's Vnderstandâ—ngs are soonest received into their Hearts and aptest to excite and carry along with them judicious and fervent Affections Nor do I see any reason why Christians should be weary of a well-composed Liturgy as I hold this to be more then of all other things wherein the Constancy abates nothing of the Excellency and Usefulness I could never see any reason why any Christian should abhor or be forbidden to use the same Forms of Prayer since he prays to the same God believes in the same Saviour professeth the same Truths reads the same Scriptures hath the same Duties upon him and feels the same daily wants for the most part both inward and outward which are common to the whole Church Sure we may as well before-hand know what we pray as to whom we pray and in what words as to what sense when we desire the same things what hinders we may not use the same words Our Appetite and Digestion too may be good when we use as when we pray for our daily Bread Some Men I hear are so impatient not to use in all their dâ—votions their own Invention and Gifts that they not only disuse as too many but wholly cast away and contemn the Lord's Prayer whose great guilt is that it is the warrant and original pattern of all set Liturgies in the Christian Church I ever thought that the proud Ostentation of Men's Abilities for Invention and the vain affectations of variety for Expressions or in Publick Prayer or in any sacred Administrations merits a greater brand of Sin than that which they call Coldness and Barrenness nor are Men in those novelties less subject to formal and superficial tempers as to their hearts than in the constant Forms where not the words but Men's Hearts are to blame I make no doubt but a Man may be very formal in the most extemporary variety and very fervently devout in the most wonted Expressions Nor is God more a God of Variety than of Constancy Nor are constant Forms of Prayers more likely to flat and hinder the Spirit of Prayer and Devotion than un-premeditated and confused variety to distract and lose it Wherein Men must be strangely impudent and flatterers of themselves not to have an infinite shame of what they so do and say in things of so sacred a nature before God and the Church after so ridiculous and indeed profane a manner Nor can it be expected but that in duties of frequent performance as Sacramental Administrations and the like which are still the same Ministers must either come to use their own Forms constantly which are not like to be so sound or comprehensive of the nature of the duty as Forms of Publick Composure or else they must every time affect new Expressions when the Subject is the same which can hardly be presumed in any Man's greatest Suffitiencies not to want many times much of that compleatness oâ—der and gravity becoming those duties which by this means are exposed at every Celebration to every Minister's private Infirmities Indispositions Errors Disorders and Defects both for Judgment and Expression A serious sense of which inconvenience in the Church unavoidably following every Man 's several manner of officiating no doubt first occasioned the Wisdom and Piety of the antient Churches to remedy thâ—se mischiefs by the use of constant Liturgies of Publick Composure The want of which I believe this Church will sufficiently feel when the unhappy Fruits of many Men's ungoverned Ignorance and confident defects shall be discovered in more Errors Schism Disorders and uncharitable Distractions in Religion which are already but too many the more is the pity However if violence must needs bring in and abett those Innovations that Men may not seem to have nothing to do which Law Reason and Religion forbids at least to be so obtruded as wholly to justle out the Publick Liturgy Yet nothing can excuse that most unjust and partial severity of those Men who either lately had subscribed to used and maintained the Service-Book or refused to â—se it cryed out of the rigour of Laws and Bishops which suffered them not to use the Liberty of their Conscience in not using it That these Men I say should so suddenly change the Liturgy into a Directory as if the Spirit needed help for invention tho' not for Expressions or as if matter prescribed did not as much stint and obstruct the Spirit as if it were cloathed in and confined to fit words So slight and easie is that Legerdemain which will serve to delude the Vulgar That further they should use such severity as not to suffer without Penalty any to use the Common-Prayer-Book publickly altho` their Consciences bind them to it as a duty of Piety to God and Obedience to the Laws Thus I see no Men are prone to be greater Tyrants and more rigorous exacters upon others to conform to their illegal novelties than such whose pride was formerly least disposed to the obedience of lawful Constitutions and whose licentious humours most pretended Conscientious Liberties which freedom with much regret they now allow to Me and My Chaplains when they may have leave to serve Me whose Abilities even in their extemporary way comes not short of the others but their modesty and learning far exceeds the most of them But this matter is of so popular a nature as some Men knew it would not bear learned and sober Debates lest being convinced by the evidence of Reason as well as by Laws they should have been driven either to sin more against their knowledge by taking away the Lìturgy or to displease some Faction of the People by continuing the use of it Though I believe they have offended more considerable Men not only for their numbers and Estates but for their weighty and judicious piety than those are whose weakness or giddiness they sought to gratifie by taking it away One of the greatest faults some Men found with the Common-Prayer-Book I believe was this That it taught them to pray so oft for Me to which Petitions they had not Loyalty enough to say Amen nor yet Charity enough to forbear Reproaches and even Cursings of Me in their own Forms instead of praying for Me. I wish their Repentance may be their only punishment that seeing the mischiefs which the difuse of Publick Liturgies hath already produced they may restore that Credit Use and Reverence to them which by the antient Châ—rches were given to Set Forms of sound and wholsom words The Memory of the Just is Blessed Who when a King on Earth no King beside That liv'd more just That more unjustly dy'd FINIS
the Lord hath rejected them 2. The second that mentions it is the Apostle St. Paul Romans 1. 28. God gave them over to a Reprobate Mind the Reason for it he gives in the former part of the ver in these words And even as they did not like to retain God in their Knowledge So God gave them over to a Reprobate mind The next place is likewise a Testimony of the same Author 2. Cor. 13. 5 Examin your selves whether ye be in the Faith prove your own selves know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates Now that many of this Church to whom he thus writes were Revolâ—ing from the Truth which they had formerly embraced and Scismatically going off from the Body of the Church of which by an outward Profession they had for a long time been Members its evident from several passages in both his Epistles to them 1. He calls them the Church of God at Corinth 1. Cor. 1. 2. 2. Thanks God for them that they were enriched with all Vtterance and Knowledge and that they came behind in no Gift 1. 1. 4 7. 3. Persuades them to unity of Judgment and avoiding of Divisions yea beseeches them in these Words 1. Cor. 1. 10. I Beseech you Brethren by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that is in the Name of our Anointed Saviour that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no Divisions among you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same Judgment 4. Checks them for entertaining several Errors as the eating of Meat offered to Idols contrary to the Apostolical Decree at Jerusalem which he brought from thence in his own Person and delivered to them with his own Hands Chap. 8. 5. Reproves them for Praying in the Church with their Heads cover'd Chap. 11. 6. For Prophaning the Lords Supper by their undecent carriage at the Communion thereof Chap. II. 7. Sharply Rebukes them for denying the Resurrection of the Dead Chap. 15. All which Errors being directly contrary to their former Faith and Profession of the Gospel which they received and embraced at his first Preaching of the Gospel to them he earnestly exhorts them to a serious Examination of their present and former State and so to make a speedy return to their first love of the Truth from which they were now falling into a State of Reprobation The fourth place where the word Reprobate is mentioned is in Pauls second Epistle to Timothy 3. 8. 13 14 As Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses so do these also resist the Truth Men of corrupt minds Reprobate concerning the Faith But evil Men and Saducers shall wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and has been assured of knowing of whom thou hast learned them These Men whom he here calls Reprobates must needs have Relation to them whom he names in the first Chap. of his two Epistles to Timothy the first Bishop of the Church of Ephesus In the 1 Tim. 1. 20. He names Hymeneus and Alexander whom he there saith he had delivered up to Satan for making a Shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience ver 19. Now I am apt to think that this Hymeneus whom he mentions here is the same whom he mentions in his second Epistle Chap 2. ver 17. And their word will eat as doth a Canker of whom are Hymeneus and Philerus Who concerning the Truth have erred saying That the Resurrection is past already and overthrow the Faith of some That is throw them into a State of Reprobation Two others he names in 2 Tim. 1. 15. This thou knowest that all they which are in Asia are turned away from me that is are turned Reprobates and have forsaken their first love to the Truth of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes Hold fast the form of sound Words which thou hast heard of me ver 13. And I am apt to believe that the former mentioned Alexander is the same he bids Timothy beware of 2 Tim. 4. 14 15. Alexander the Copper-smith did me much evil the Lord Reward him according to his Works Of whom be thou aware also for he hath greatly withstood our Words There can be no greater Enemies to the Truth then those that once profest it and at last revolt from it I am further apt to think that this Alexander is the same that took Pauls part in the uproare at Ephesus against the Priests of Diana's Temple Acts 19. 33. And they drew Alexander out of the Multitude the Jews putting him forward And Alexander beckoned with his hand and would have made his defence unto the People But when they knew that he was a Jew all with one Voice about the space of two Hours cryed out Great is Diana of the Ephesians But whither it where the same or some other of that name he made himself a Reprobate to his Faith and Profession of the Gospel And thus much briefly to the fifth Reason to prove it dangerous and unsafe for Christians to Congregate themselves with any such People tho' never so full of Knowledge and seeming Holyness that do deny Conformity to such Laws and Ordinances which God hath given to them by the Hands of faithful Governours 2. I am come now to the second thing considered in the Explication and therein to shew you what some of the Preposterous and unlucky Dispositions of these Mens Spirits were under such spetious Pretences and first It did manifestly appear that they were of a proud Spirit Pride had overcome their Wits as we usually say of an haughty Person they were proud of their exâ—raordinary Gifts and parts by which they had gotten a Name amongst the discontented Israelites and a seditâ—oâ—s party amongst them I mean among that party of them that were so for many of them stood fast to God and his Servant Moses in observing the Rules of that Religion which contained a prescript Form of Laws and Ordinances cemented with harmless and inoffensive Ceremonies as ye have already heard and which they themselves once promised to observe and keep But now their spiritual Pride was such and their Minds so estranged from that their Promise and Profession that they dare tell him to his Face That he took too much upon him to lift up himself above them This one Fly of spiritual Pride had utterly mar'd their whole Box of Sacred Ointment manifest in their former Submission and Obedience and engaged the Lord to oppose them Had not spiritual Pride been the Root of their Sin the Lord had not set himself against them for the humble and poor in Spirit are his joy and Delight but the proud and haughty in Spirit are the Objects of his hatred and contempt The Princely Psalmist affirms it Psal 138. 6. Though the Lord be high yet hath he respect unto the lowly but the proud he knoweth afar off And another Scripture saith God resisteth the
Heart he gave to Jerusalem a little befere they were carried away Captive into Babilon Chap. 6. 8. Be thou Instructed O Jerusalem Least my Soul depart from thee least I make thee Desolate a Land not Inhabited 'T is true that such Offences will come but woe be to them by whom they do come o ye think that Christ the Prince of Peace will Patronize your Divisions Will ye lay the Burthen of Spiritual Wickedness upon his Back and by force of strange Arguments compel him to bear another Cross This would be one way to Crucifie him afresh and to press him down as a Cart is pressed with Sheaves Are the Divisions of Christians pleasing to God Do ye think that Christ takes it well at your Hands to Foment so many Divisions as ye have crumbled your selves into since ye have left our Church Is the Study of Divisions the visible mark of Christianity Is this to do the Will of God on Earth as it is done in Heaven Are there any sort of Dissâ—nters there No. The Angels were never known since the Fall to fall out amongst themselves either in Heaven above or in any Service that they have been imployed in for Christ upon Earth There is no Strife or Contention amongst them they serve Christ with one Consent and Praise him with one Voice they all Glorifie his name in one Form of sound Words and Perseverance in the same Those two Servants of Christ the Evangelical Prophet Isaiah and the great Evangelist St. John do both agree in their Testimonies concerning this thing The Testimony of the Prophet is written in Chap. 6. 3. And one Cried unto another and said Holy Holy Holy is the Lord of Hosts the whole Earth is full of his Glory The Testimony of the Evangelist is written in the Book of the Revelation Chap. 4. 8. And they Rest not Day and Night saying Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come You may plainly perceive by these Sacred Records that there are no Dissenters in Heaven that the Angels do serve Christ in Unity of Spirit and in Uniformity of Words So that we may easily gess who were the first Dissenters even the fallen Angels and therefore the name of a Dissenter can be no Glory to the Professors of the Christian Religion But that the fallen Angels were the first Dissenters from the way of Truth The Blessed Jesus in whom are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge hath put the Question out of Doubt in his Discourse with the Pharisees in John 8. 44. Where after they had told Christ that Abraham was their Father and that God was their Father Christ tells them plainly that they were Related to neither but that they were of their Father the Devil and the Lusts of your Father will ye do for he was a Murderer from the beginning and abode not in the Truth From these Words of our Saviour we may understaud what the Devils Sin is for which they are Reserved in Chains of Darkness unto the Judgment of the great Day Also From Christ's Words here it is evident that the fallen Angels did know the Truth and by their Unbelief fell from it and of pure and upright Angels became unclean Spirits and Devils For as no Man can be blamed for not abiding in a House wherein he never was neither would Christ have blamed the Devils for not abiding in the Truth if they had not known it and been Instructed in it Wherefore did Christ call Judas Devil Have I not chosen Twelve and one of you is a Devil Was it not because he knew the Truth and Preach'd the Truth and afterwards became an Enemy to it and betrayed his Lord and Master that had taught and Instructed him in it as by his Confession before he Hanged himself it was too manifest A Christians Eternal Happiness consists chiefly in two things A true Faith and an Holy Life A Judgment rightly inform'd in matters of Faith and a Conversation rightly ordered in the Practical Duties of true Holiness Those Men and Women whose Lives and Conversations are Holy are Baptized with the Holy Ghost and they that are truly Zealous for the Honour of God's Holy Name are Baptized with Fire so that to be Holy in our Lives and Zealous in our Spirits for the Glory of the Holy God is an outward Testimony of the inward Baptism of the Holy Ghost and with Fire precedent to which is the Baptism of Water the Gate of Enterance into an outward Profession of the Gospel Now both these Pillars of the Christian Religion are apparently to be seen in the Doctrine and Prayers of our Church to all that have not shut their Eyes against it nor turn'd their Back upon it I am bold therefore to say that the Service of God in our Church is Holy because it is Founded in the Holy Scriptures Composed of Precepts Examples or Commands Collected out of the Holy Scriptures Therefore many of our Prayers are called by the Name of Collests because they are Collected out of those Portions of Holy Scripture that are Appointed to be Read that Day that they are used All the Hymns that we use both at Morning and Evening Prayer are the very Words of the Holy Scriptures or clearly deduced from them Those that Composed it and set it in that Sacred Order as it is now Established by Law were Dr. Cranmer Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Dr. Ridly Bishop of London Dr. Hooper Bishop of Gloucester Dr. Latimer Bishop of Worcester Dr. Thirlby Bishop of Ely Dr. Day Dean of Chichester Dr. Tayler and Dr. Cox Almoner to King Edward 6 th with divers other Pious Learned Holy and Faithful Men who out of a Godly Zeal and Sacred purpoâ—e to advance the Glory of God the Gospel of Christ ' and the Salvation of Souls Formed these Prayers for the Service of Almighty God that his Houâ—e might be called as Christ and the Prophets foretold An House of Prayer for all People suitable to the State and Condition of all sorts of the Sons and Daughters of Men High and Low Rich and Poor Bond and Free Wise and Foolish Learned and Unlearned Saints and Sinners and all that Profess the Gospel of Christ may in one pure Language and Form of sound Words call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one consent for the only Wise God hath promised it by the Mouth of the Prophet Zephaniah Chap. 3. Ver 8 9. Therefore wait ye upon me saith the Lord until the Day that I rise up to the Prey for my Determination is to gather the Nations that I may assemble the Kingdoms to pour upon them mine Indignation even all my fierce Anger for all the Earth shall be devoured with the Fire of my Jealoucy For then will I turn to the People a pure Language that they may all call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one Consent If all Scripture given by Inspiration is profitable for Doctrine
reciprocally it is a thing most reasonable that they which receive it should always enjoy it since God himself had given them both the Assurance and Confirmation God therefore will once more Determine who amongst you shall be chosen to Offer Sacrifice unto him and to take charge of those things which appertain to Piety for it is a most Absurd Matter that Chore should have Power to desire a Dignity and that God should be deprived of that Authority to dispose the same as best liked him Cease therefore to Mutiny amongst your selves and to be troubled upon these Occasions and let every one of you that desire the Priest-Hood to Morrow bring each of you his Censer with Perfume and Fire from his House But thou O Chore give place unto God and expect his Election neither Arrogate to thy Self a greater Authority than God hath but come thou also amongst the rest of thy Competitors in this Honour to hear his Judgment neither see I cause why Aaron should not be there also present to be Judged with thee in that hitherto he hath Virtuously and Uprightly behaved himself in that Office and is likewise of the same Tribe and Race that thou art off Ye shall likewise offer Incense in the Presence of all the People and when the Perfume shall be past let him whose Sacrifice shall be most Acceptable in Gods sight be declared and published for the High-Priest so shall I be acquit of that Slander which is so wrongfully urged against me whereby I am charged upon my own particular Grace and Favour to have bestowed the Office of the Priest-Hood on my Brother After that Moses had spoken in this manner the People gave over Murmuring and forbear suspecting Moses allowing in themselves all that which had been spoken as being profitable for the Common-Wealth so that hereupon they dismissed the Assembly The next Day the People reassembled themselves together to assist the Sacrifice and to hear the Strife decided amongst the Competitors neither was this Assembly without Tumult for the whole Multitude were in suspence in expectation of the Event and some of them were desirous that Moses might be Convicted of Deceit But such as were of the wiser sort amongst them desired an end of the Sedition for they feared least the Common-Wealth should be utterly ruinated if the Tumult should proceed any further the Multitude likewise being desirous of Novelties and prone to speak evil of their Magistrates were diversâ—y disposed upon every Occurrent Moses also sent his Servants to Dathan and Abiram to Summonsthem to Appear according to the Covenant and Accord to attend the Issue of the Sacrifice but their Answer was that they would not Obey him nor that they would any longer permit that Moses by his subtil and sinister Devices should signorize over the People Which when Moses understood he took divers of the Elders amongst the People with him and being no ways moved with the Contumacy of Dathan be came unto him being willingly Attended by those who were drawn to Accompany him Now when Dathan and his Friends understood that Moses with the Nobles came unto them both they their Wives and Children Assembled themselves before the Tabernacle expecting that which might ensue They likewise came Guarded with their Servants who were Armed to Oppose themselves against Moses if so be he should offer them any Violence But no sooner drew he near unto them but that lifting up his Hands towards Heaven he Cryed out with a loud Voice in the hearing of the whole Multitude and Prayed after this manner O God! said he thou Lord over all that which either Heaven Earth or Sea containeth thou art a sufficient Witness with me of all my Actions for that I have managed all things by thy Will And thou art he who hast given me Power to Execute my purposes Thou that always in Commiseration of the Hebrews hast been my perpetual Help and Assistance Hear this my Prayer for nothing that is either done or thought can be hidden from thee for which Cause I hope thou wilt not Disdain to Testifie and Justifie the Truth and manifest the Ingratitude of these Men. Thou dost exactly know the Antiquity of my Race now also Testifie the Truth for me in those things which these Men altho' they know the contrary are not ashamed to impute unto me at such time as I led a Peaceable Life And that by thy Council I forsook the Possession of my Goods and the Fruition of my Peace to Engage my self in these Miseries which I have suffered for these Men. And first of all for their Liberty and now likewise for their Safety I have readily undertaken grievious Travels now therefore since I am grown into Suspition amongst these Men who by my Care and Providence have escaped so many Mischiefs and Miseries Thou that appearedst unto me in that Fire on the Mountain of Sinai and Vouchsafest to speak unto me and to Confirm me by the sight of Miracles that in thy Name sentst me a Messenger into Egypt and hast given me Means to escape their Servitude And hast made Pharaoh's power and Armies inferior to my Fortunes that when we were ignorant of our Ways thou gavest a Passage through the Sea in whose Bottom and Womb the Egyptians were Drowned that gavest us Arms when we were unweaponed that madest the bitter Waters Savory and fit to be drank of and in our scarcity of Water forced Drink for us out of the Bowels of the hard Rock when we found no Meat on the Land thou did send it us from the Sea Moreover as a thing never hard of before afforded us Meat from Heaven and hast Established our State with Laws and Customs Be thou O Lord my Judge in all things and my Impartial Witness that I have neither bin Corrupted by any Bribe of any Particular Hebrew to favour Injustice nor that I bave suffered a Poor Man in his just Cause to loose his Right against a Rich Adversary And now having Administred the Common-Wealth will all Sincerity I am called in Question for a Crime whereof I am altogether Guiltless as if I had bestowed the Priest-Hood on my Brother for private Affection and not for thy Command sake Make it known that all things are disposed of by thy Providence and that nothing is brought to Effect by Casualty but by thy special Ordinance and to Express that thou hast care of the Hebrews Testify the same by thy just Punishment Inflicted on Dathan and Abiram who Accuse thee to be Insencible and boast that thou art Circumvented by my Subtilies But thou shalt make thy Revenge more notorious against the unbridled Detracters of thy Glory if they Perish after no common Manner least any Man should suspect that they suffer nothing Inhumane But let the Earth which they unworthily tread on open it self and swallow them up both with their Faculties and Families By this means both thy Power will manifestly appear unto all Men and thou shalt leave an Example
what may we then learn from this sacred Oracle of God's Revealed Will Why I humbly conceive they teach us these Three things 1. That Uniformity of Prayer in the Publick Worship of God is the best way and manner of waiting upon God 2. That such Publick Worship of God comes nearest to the Heavenly of any other upon Earth and therefore most suitable to his Nature and most agreeable to his Mind and Will 3. That such Uniformity is the absolute Determination of his Divine Will and shall be the standing Rule and Practice of his Church and People in the midst of all their Enemies Those People then that reject despise vilify and reproach with opprobrious words and scurrilous Language such a Form of Prayer and such a Method of Serving God which is Beautified and Adorned and Seasoned with the Salt of God's Holy Word are one sort of Anti-Scripturians But tho' there be too many that do so yet it is never the worse for their dirty Language no more than the Heavenly Manna was because some seditious Israelites gave it the scurrilous name of Light Bread The Holy and Heavenly Angels continued feeding on that Food which proud and haughty Men trampled under their Feet and gave it no better Commendation that Light and Lothsom Bread I do not therefore much admire at the contempt which some have taken up against the Prayers of our Church when Israel God's chosen People and the Seed of Abraham grew weary of Heavenly Manna the Food of Angels But what shall we say to these things For since the chief of the fallen Angels in the shape of a Serpent Poisoned our Nature with the Venome of his own Sin no Age hath been free from some Appearances of it among the Sons of Men nor ever will be till Satan be confined to the Bottomless Pit I am sure in the time of the Prophet Ezekiel the Church was pestered with such sort of Cattle as he calls them Chap. 34. 18 19 20. Seemeth a it small thing unto you to have eaten up the good Pasture but ye must tread down with your Feet the residue of your Pastures And to have drunk of the deep Waters but ye must foul the residue with your Feet As for my Flock they eat that which ye have trodden with your Feet and they drink that which ye have fouâ—ed with your Feet Therefore thus saith the Lord God unto them Behold I even I will Judge between the Fat Cattel and between the Lean Cattel Because ye have thrust with Side and with Shoulder and pusht all the Diseased with your Horns till ye have scattered them abroad Therefore will I save my Flock and they shall no more be a Pray and I will Judge between Cattel and Cattel Hence it is Evident the Lord will one Day Judge between the Holy Martyrs that Composed the Prayers of our Church for us and afterwards Sealed it with their Blood in Flames of Fire Whither they did well in so doing or whither they do wickedly who think their Tongues their own to vilify and scornfully reproach it at their own Pleasure and with out all controul for who is Lord over them Come my Brethen be not angry with me nor account me an Enemy because I tell you the truth and I will ask you a few Questions I. What good thing there is that any of you ask in your Extempore Prayers that we do not ask in a well-set Form of sound Words II. Whither there be any one Petition in the Daily Prayers of our Church that doth contradict the least Branch of God's Revealed Will that savours of Impiety or that can be truly said to hinder the work of Grace in the Heart of any Sinner III. Whither there be any thing wanting that may make a miserable Man happy even in this Life if he can obtain the things he Prays for IV. Whither the things we pray for therein if granted be not of force to make the worst of Sinners to become one of the better sort of Saints upon Earth V. Whither there be any thing that is requisite or necessary for Soul or Body to make our Lives comfortable here and our Souls eternally Happy hereafter that is omitted or left out in the Prayers of our Church VI. Whither the matter contained in the Book of Common Prayer be not a constant acknowledgment and Vindication of the Faith which was once delivered to the Saints And whither we are not Exhorted earnestly to contend for it VII Whither there be any thing that may savingly inform the Judgments of Men in mattrrs of Faith or enlighten the Understanding in the Mystery of Mans Salvation or that may encourage Sinners to turn from Darkness to Light and from the power of Satan unto God which are not to be found in the Doctrin and Discipline of the Church of England And now I beseech you my Friends ask your selves this one Question Whither it savours of Wisdom in any that profess the Name of Christ or own themselves to be his Servants to question the truth of his Word Who as a Prophet hath foretold the desolation of Kingdoms to proceed from their Divisions Hath not Moses that Man of God told Israel of old that God would raise them up a Prophet like to himself and that God the Father would put words into his Mouth and that whosoever would not give heed thereto God would require it of him And doth not the Apostle St. Peter tell us Acts 3. That Christ was that Prophet and that whosoever would not hear him should be destroyed from amongst the People And hath not Christ by vertue of his Prophetical Office told us That a Kingdom divided cannot stand but is brought to desolation O let us not Tempt Christ by our divisions to try whether he will or can save us from Desolation contradictory to his own word I think therefore and I do Appeal to the Conscience of any unbiassed Man that professeth the Christian Faith whither it be not better for you to return to the High-Way of Salvation again then by your Divisions to continue rambling from one by-path to another till ye know not which way to take and leave the Breach open for our Enemies to break in upon us and lay our Land Desolate Do ye not hear what the Son of God said Mat. 24. 15. When ye therefore shall 〈◊〉 the Abomination of Desolation stand in the Holy Place Standing where it ought not so St. Mark reads it And hath he not told us elsewhere that The Divisions of a Kingdom will bring it to Desolation Shall we then call our selves Believers and give no credit to his Word in so weighty a concern as the Preservation of a Kingdom from Ruin and Destruction May we not safely conclude from the Words of our Saviour that Divisions and Dissentions amongst Profest Christians is an Abomination unto the Lord And that Scism is a provoking Sin Did not Christ weep for the Divisions of Jerusalem And shall we