pray against Lightning is as good as to pray against Rain Snow and the like by thine Agony too much like an Oath The Word gracious meaned of King or Queen is not proper in a Prayer to God who knoweth whom we mean without such Titles in Prayer the Attribute most gracious which is a superlative Degree is not well applied to Princes we can say no more to God and as good to call most holy King there ought to be a Difference in Titles given to God and those given to Princes specially in Church at the Worship of God In God's Sight they are but Men and the Lord is jealous of his Honour and Glory which he declared he will not communicate to any one Let Men keep flattering Titles when they speak to Princes though I think none but due ones were better but in Prayers to God let Names of Blasphemy be avoided which we all condemn in the Pope of Rome Farther it were well to forbear the often unnecessary Repetitions of the same thing which in this Litany and other Parts of the Book are frequent and those broken Parts of Scripture which have no relation one to another all might be made up into one Prayer and not be divided into so many Then in one of the Prayers 't is said Turn from us all those Evils that we most righteously have deserved We think the Word justly is more proper the other being ambiguous Justice and Righteousness do differ Now for the Collects there are many for several Sundays in Advent and so many after Epiphany and Trinity an odd Way of reckoning the Lord's Days by in that on St. Stephen's Day God is prayed to grant us to learn by the Example of St. Stephen The Name of the Lord Jesus is a strong Argument and sufficient to prevail with God if any can so that of any Man is not necessary but there is a Day appointed to be kept for that Martyr and upon it something of him must be said but we take a great deal of Pains more than the Believers in his Time who appointed no Day for him Who gave the Name of Innocents to the Children killed by Herod's Order They confessed not with speaking but with dying and because they were put to Death to satisfie Herod's Policy and State Jealousie it doth not follow they died either Confessors or Martyrs they did not lay down their Lives for the Testimony of the Lord Jesus for they were not able to know and discern Why to observe the Day of Christ's Circumcision and not of his Baptism No Man as I observed before can say for certain the Day of any such Feasts they keep why to keep Epiphany or Twelft Day so much turned to Excess in Popery and amongst us too None of these produceth Decency nor Edification I think amongst Christians in our publick Devotion book as the Liturgy is The Words Lord's Day or Sabbath were more proper than Sunday Rev. 1.10 having as we have a Warrant out of Scripture This is the Way of reckoning after Popery I pray God we be not called to an Account for too much following after them As to observing Days for the Apostles I know of no Warrant we have to believe God is pleased with it on the contrary nor of the Purification of the blessed Virgin which is but a Continuation of a Jewish Ceremony all which are or ought to be abolished under the Gospel As to the Collect wherein it is said thine only begotten Son was this Day presented in the Temple it containeth either a Lie which no Man can disapprove or at least an uncertain and doubtful thing there being no Certainty of the Day If by Michael the Archangel or Prince of Angels be meaned our Lord and Saviour for the Name Michael signifying who is like unto thee O strong God is appliable to him then he hath his Day called the Lord's Day if Michael be an Angel then he is a Creature so not to be joined with the Creator and no Days to be kept for Angels there being no Warrant for it in Scripture Honour the Angel would receive none Rev. 19.10 and Chap. 22 9. Psal 16.4 As for all Saints Days 't is a Shame a Day for all Popish Saints with David we should say I will not take up their Names into my Lips As for the Apostles whilst alive they never thought nor desired to have Days kept for them after their Death St. Paul the zealous Asserter of Mercy and sworn Enemy to any thing of Merit in Man would never have approved that a Day should be kept for his Conversion he sufficiently declares against observerving of Days Months and Times and Years which makes him say Gal. 4.10 11. 1 Cor. 1.12 and Chap. 3.5 2 Cor. 4.7 Rom. 9.21 I am afraid of you least I have bestowed upon you Labour in vain he would have said Who is Paul Who is Apollo Who is Cephas But Ministers or Servants Earthen Vessels And a Lump of Clay in the Potter's Hand whilest alive when Instruments in God's Hand but much less are they after their Death he would have said what are they that Days should be kept for them and for himself Which once was a Persecutor a Blasphemer and the chief of Sinners After this followeth the Order for the Administration of the Communion there in the Beginning of the Rubrick we read of the Curate and in other Places of Vicars and such inferior Limbs of Hierarchy whereof not the least Step in Scripture If Prayers be appointed to be read in the Chancel for Conveniency of Reader and Hearers it 's well but if upon any Opinion of Holiness or other Privilege of the Place then 't is ill for that Place is no better than any other in the Church but why the Minister should stand on the North Side of the Table except for Conveniency I see no Cause for the Temple of Jerusalem stood on the North Side of the City but now we ought not to stand upon such Points of the Compass The People saying after every Precept Lord have mercy upon us c. is superfluous specially with a loud Voice once after the last as we humbly conceive might be enough Matth. 6.7 Christ forbiddeth to use vain and unnecessary Repetitions for Men are not heard for their much speaking It may be observed that the two Prayers for the King are improper upon that Occasion it supposeth a Communion without a Sermon before instead of which an Homily to be read which is better than nothing but there ought to be a Preparatory Sermon except in Case of Accident or else the Ministers are encouraged to Laziness and Neglect and used to read rather than to preach After Sermon or Homily the Minister or Curate is to declare unto the People Popish Custom still whether there be any Holy-Days the Week following and if there be what To shut their Shops and give over working for the Day By a Moral Commandment of God the
Logicians are they all But if this was litterally to be taken I see no Reason but we may do so of all those Places where Bodily Members as Eye Hand Arm c. and Passions as Anger Fury Vengeance Jealousie c. are attributed to God and thus fall into the Heresies of Antropomorphites and Antropopathites I must not omit to say how Papists make use of this Place in the Philippians to the same Purpose as our Men do so that this Practice is not free from Superstition Of Holy-days NEXT comes the Point of Feasts by them called Holy-days but there is no other Holy-days besides the Sabbath which God blessed and sanctified and now the Christian Sabbath or the first Day of the Week which our Saviour sanctified by his Resurrection after which he at several times appeared unto his Apostles who constantly observed it so that in St. John's time it was called the Lord's Day Rev. 1.10 As for all other Days kept in Memory of Creatures we disallow Keeping of Days hath Relation to God's Worship which ought not to be communicated to Men We are not satisfied to keep Apostles Days but we must also keep All Saints Michael and his Angels the Innocents c. All idle and superstitious Fopperies for which we have neither Precept nor Example in the Word of God to what purpose they contribute neither to Decency to Order nor to Edification only are an Inlet to Superstition He that keeps a Day let him keep it unto the Lord and not to Man either dead or alive An African Council condemned certain Feasts used in Memory of Martyrs because they were drawn from the Errors of the Gentiles whose Abominations Christians must not meddle or have to do with 1 Cor. 10.20 for the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice it to Devils and I would not that ye should have Fellowship with Devils So that when a Man saith to us this is offered in Sacrifice to Idols we ought not to eat Upon this Consideration that Council resolved on this And this we are to seek of the Emperor that such Feasts as are in many Places contrary to the Word of God and from the Errors of the Gentiles be forbidden for indeed some Christians being too ready to draw such things from them they transmitted them to others Christians and their Guides and Pastors instead of fencing against these things such was their Frailty that they rather complied therewith For Proof of this De Origin fest In Tertul. de Cor. Mil. let us hear what Hospinianus saith after Beat. Renany The old Bishops saith he were used when they could not call Men from the Superstitions of the Heathens by the preaching of the Word to seek at least to do it by observing their Holy-days with their own Worship but this was to drive out one Nail with another no Way to take off Superstition Although at the Beginning these Solemnities seemed tolerable yet at last they grew to such a Heap of Superstitions that they became the Fountain and Beginning of most horrible things Thus far he and Austin who then was alive wished them abolished and he gives in a Counsel for a good End Hom. 6. de Verb. dom in Matth. If ye ask how the Pagans may be won enlightened called leave all their Solemnities and forsake their Toys So we may say at this time only changing the Word Pagans into those of Papists Now the great Reason in those Days used by their learned Men not to receive those Vanities or if received to abolish them was because they were derived from Heathens which made Tertullian so sharply dispute that a Christian might not wear a Lawrel Crown for no other Cause but that the Gentiles did so which makes him say elsewhere Those Ceremonies are superstitious and vain which we used without any Authority of Divine or Apostolical Command and are to be accounted superstitious and therefore be restrained because in some sort they make us like the Gentiles and we may say they in some kind make us like the Papists for certainly we have it from them as they had it from the corrupt Church and this had it from Pagans so that the Springs whence they came and the Pipes thorough which they were conveyed are corrupt if there was no other Fault but this that they are empty Observations to be justly upbraided with Vanity as being done without any Warrant out of the Word for such things serve not to Religion but to Superstition and are affected and forced and rather over curious than any wise rational at all and therefore to be restrained because they do some of them suit with the Gentiles and all with the Papists Why then should we practise Ceremonial Festivals of Man's making 't is well to take occasion of hearing the Word and praying upon any Day when 't is offered but 't is not the Day but the Word of God that puts us in mind of the Birth Resurrection and Ascension of Christ and with Bucer we may well say I would to God that every Holy-day whatsoever besides the Lord's Day In Matth. 12. were abolished that Zeal which at first brought them in was without all warrant from the Word and it meerly follured corrupt reason to drive out the Holy-days of the Pagans as one Nail drives out another Those Holy-days have been so tainted with Superstition that I wonder we tremble not at their very Names and yet these every Year upon certain Days are observed with Mention of him or her whose Day it is and with an Epistle Collect Gospel Of Fasts WHAT I say of Feasts may also be spoken of Fasts We own Fasts publick or private being kept out of a right Principle in a true manner and for a good End are commendable but it must be upon occasion either to prevent an imminent Danger to remove some Judgments or to be humbled for our Sins then it must be joyned with Prayer for 't is an Accessary and Help to it and to speak more generally there is a Fast from Sin and evil Works which we are constantly bound to observe 't is what Scripture calleth ceasing from Evil but here this is not the Question 't is of prescribed Fasts which ought not always to be upon certain Days of the Year which are a Yoke upon the Church but as I said only upon Occasion voluntary and not forced and they ought not to consist in the Abstinence of some Meats but of all sorts for a time the better to fit us for Prayer not to have them too frequent as in the Church of Rome which looks on it as meritorious The Heretick Montanus brought in and promoted the stinted Fasts which afterwards did superstitiously multiply and to this Day Papists are full of them from them we borrowed some as those by the Church ordered to be kept upon Eves of several Holy-days so called all to be returned to those whom we had it from as well as the Feasts of
us to let the World know we are no such Men acted by meer Fancy and Turbulent as misrepresented and to give our Reasons why we cannot consent and conform May the Lord out of his infinite wisdom and mercy be pleased in his due time to unite us in judgment and affection for the truth Now something also must be added as to the subject matter of the following Papers We have Cause to thank God that since our late happy Revolution the Yoke of Persecution is broke off from our Neck and we now enjoy the Liberty of meeting pulickly to serve God and are secured by an Act of Parliament which I pray God may last for ever except it were taken off upon a better account namely to unite us all voluntarily to joyn together in the Worship of God Wherefore many things as are said in this Paper must be understood according as things were when the Laws were strict and severely put in Execution against us and not since the Time of Indulgence but in relation to Laws it ought to be taken notice of how the Penal Laws which at first were intended only against Popish Recusants were thorough the Malice and Craftiness of some Men willing to keep up Divisions fully turned against us as we may believe contrary to the Intention of the Makers thereof I desire what I say in this short Treatise may be so interpreted as arising as indeed it doth out of a Principle of Vnion and Peace grounded upon Truth for without it they can never stand long nor be acceptable to God Now I desire those who are concerned in these matters to consider the Necessity of this Vnion by the Greatness of the Danger which the Want of it doth constantly expose us to from our common Enemy doth not former and latter Experience convince us of this Truth And were we not very lately like to have been all swallowed up by Papists when not thinking themselves strong enough at home they combined with forreign Powers to bring it about They have too well learned the Maxim divide impera and therefore all our Divisions were ever fomented by them striving to set us together by the Ears with one Party to ruin another and at last to destroy us both so that besides the Glory of God if there was no other Reason but Self-preservation we ought to be convinced of the Necessity of labouring to come to a Reconciliation and doth not Experience sufficiently teach us how these Matters ever have been the Occasion of Differences in Church and State Out of what hath been said I lay this for a Foundation that it is our common Interest and for the Preservation of us all there is a Necessity to agree and unite Now it is undeniably true that these Matters have been the Causes of our Divisions the partition Wall which hath kept us asunder and that this maintains still the Papist Interest amongst us which would presently fall down if that Door was shut upon them As to the Doctrinal Part of the 39 Articles we are all agreed and as to Church Government in the general we unite thus far that there ought to be a Discipline with a Ministery by way of Office and that none ought to take care of Souls and administer God's Ordinances but these who have a lawful Call to it we agree or ought to agree how the Word of God and Apostolical Practice therein contained must be the Rule of Doctrine and Worship when afterward we come to differ why should we not be judged by that Law which is the Word of an infallible God preferrably to the Judgment of any Man or of all Men together who are all subject to Error And why upon this Difference should the strongest go about cutting the Throat of the weakest as good as to say I cannot perswade you but will force you a good Cause as we say to Papists must never be promoted by such evil means for it cannot be denied but a great deal of Violence hath been therein used against Dissenters Men who cannot agree amongst themselves must about a Judge Now Infallibility and Impartiality the two necessary Qualifications for a just Judge are not to be had but in the Word of God which is not wanting in giving us Directions for the Well-being as for the Being of the Church or else it were imperfect All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that the Man of God may be perfect Where Perfection is nothing is wanting to make us wife unto Salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17. We say it is against our Conscience to do the things they would have us to do they cannot say it is against theirs to leave them I do not speak to one single Person who for his Excuse will pretend they are commanded him but I speak to the Law Makers Now is there not more Reason for you to leave them off which doth not wound your Conscience than for us to do them and thereby offend ours Why do you impose such Necessity such Oaths such Subscriptions as you do which are or become meer Snares contrary to St. Paul's Rule This I speak for your own Profit not that I may cast a Snare upon you 1 Cor. 7.35 which Dr. Whitaker calls Aureus locus libertatis vindex a golden Text Asserter of Liberty The Question is about Ceremonies religious in their Nature Vse and Signification which we say ought not to be brought into the Worship of God without a Warrant from the Word the Rule of it and I doubt what Beza and Bald win do express is too true it is not to be doubted but that most of the antient Bishops were somewhat too busie in devising Rites but unhappy was their Counsel I suppose they had been instituted for a good End yet being abused they are taken away for a better Dr. Fulk speaks much in few Words Rejoynder to Martial Art 1. The Gates of Hell saith he assaulted the Church in idle Ceremonies the Fathers in them declined from the Simplicity of the Gospel Bellarmin de eff sacr l. 2. c. 32. can condemn vain and unprofitable Ceremonies Lyra another Papist saith the Memory of Idolatry is totally to be wiped out and the Jesuit Coster Enchir. chap. 8. confesseth that if the Substance of Bread remain in the Sacrament then their Idolatry is more intolerable than the Egyptians was in worshipping of an Ox or a Crocodile they agree as to the Point but when we justly come to apply it then they will not hear of it they will assert a Transubstantiation before they will own an Idolatry worse than that of the Egyptians or that their Ceremonies are vain unprofitable and Idolatrous and yet we are satisfied they are so though some of our Church would qualifie things and say they are not so idolatrous as the Heathenists and all this to what purpose Only to make ours which we have from
for some others may follow by degrees or in a Croud Let us not be wiser than God or trust our strength too much we give Papists advantage upon us and matter of bragging with cause of hardning themselves that we borrowed our Ceremonies from them and this string they hung upon amongst us or else one way or other they had been gone but by the same reason some Ceremonies were taken away all ought to have been We return to the Intention and say 't is not the Opinion that Men have that makes a true or false Worship but the nature of the thing as already said for thus a Man may go to Mass conceiving a private Opinion to himself different from that which Massmongers have so he may fancy he doth not sin when he commits a gross one Calderinus when he was about going to Mass used to say eamus ad communem errorem let us go to the vulgar Error but going to Mass that is doing all those outward actions which Massmongers use to perform is Idolatry which to avoid the three young Men would not fall down and Worship the Image of Nebuchadnezar Dan. 3.18 If the Intention had made the thing lawful or unlawful they might have fallen down before the Image but intentionally worship'd God but they would not going to Mass with what intention you please is to approve of and commit Idolatry God hath made Body and Soul and will be Worshipped in both the proper Nature of Worship consists in honouring of God so that all outward Ceremonies whose proper use is the honouring of God will be external Worship 'T is sad to see how to defend these Ceremonies retained in our Church they are put upon shifts they are resolved to keep and defend them let what will become of it In order to it they call upon Sophistry for help and to avoid coming to the point they make a Logomachy a Dispute about words coining Definitions Divisions Distinctions as Doctrinal and Ritual Ceremonies essential accessary accidental simple double and treble significant sacred by application mutable ambulatory arbitrary reductively sacramental moral Ceremonies immediate Worship in respect of means by vertue of something else in respect of the manner and reductively in respect of the utmost and Divine Worship and many more of the same stamp so 't is like to me when I hear such words to be with Lombard Durandus Occam and other Schoolmen to hear of entity quiddity ut qui ut quo and such other barbarous terms under which they confounded the Nature of Things Thus they will talk of Altars commanded and Altars permitted under the Law Deut. 4 2â— And when out of Scripture we press them against Additions to be made unto the Word and Worship of God then they will tell us of corrupting Additions but not preserving are there forbidden let them shew the least step in Scripture to ground that shameful and pitiful distinction upon as despicable as those I heard hissed out in Philosophy Schools ex creditis concedo ex credendis nego ut soepius concedo ut semper nego which yet considering the matters they were about and only to try Man's Wits were much more tolerable than this which concerneth things of so high a Nature But such distinctions can never put off the blow of these words Ye shall not add unto the Word which I Command neither shall ye diminish ought from it Besides that these preserving additions are an inlet for Superstition and incongruous Acts of Parliament are for preservation of Religion but they would not hear their Laws are an Addition to the Word and Worship of God All this while our Ceremonies go upon a wrong Principle which 't is necessary to beat them off and this is it they think the Church hath power to institute all such things but a preliminary question is who that Church is They will say 't is the Convocation out of which most Ministers and all the Laity a Chancellor excepted are excluded so this will be a National Church Thus if we ask Papists what they mean by their Church they will say Pope and Council or else Pope and Cardinals Well that 's for Papists For us the Convocation decides and then the whole Church as well Ministers that have right to sit there and give in their Opinions and all the Laity must submit But this Convocation never concludes any thing for the common good of the Church they generally are servile to those whom they depend upon and Tyrannical over those that are subject to them and though sometimes some good motions be made amongst them 't is nothing but what we may say of the Council of Trent and of other mercenary publick Assemblies But doth not this Convocation except they will be above St. Paul think that what Authority the Church hath is for edification 2 Cor. 10.8 and not for destruction 't is a bound power not Magisterial but Ministerial If they may institute Ceremonies then Circumcision if thought fit may be imposed as well as Cross in Baptism It may be as of the King who was not to multiply Horses Wives Deut. 17.16 17 Silver and Gold to himself which Solomon made a shift to go thorough So the Church or Convocation might in time happen to multiply Ceremonies that which is not grounded upon the Word may at last be upon ill Custom if it was thought fit to bring in that which hath been kept out not heeding what Paul saith if I build again things which I destroyed I make my self a transgressor Gal. 2.18 To see how in these matters they tread the steps of Popery they assert how some such Worship is good which is not taught in Scripture that many teaching Ceremonies which God never instituted may by Men be brought in to Worship Images themselves not excepted that Additions to God's Word so they be not contrary to it may and ought to be made The sum of their Doctrine in this point is by Hooker set down in his Book of Ecclesiastical Policy He hath these words much the Church of God shall always need that which the Scripture teaches not Page 125. Which argueth the Word of God of insufficiency contrary to what our Saviour and Sr. Paul say which no doubt must be supplied with Traditions These are rare Principles They further say Scripture is as perfect in giving general Rules as it should be in setting down of particular Instances this is only to make good to themselves the adding and enlarging Power But general Rules make only the proposition tending to particulars and particulars are not so fully inferred as if they were expresly set down General Rules for Civil Policy may be given in the New Testament yet not so fully and clearly taught as in the Old or as Religious Worship is now in the New the Rule of clean and unclean Beasts was general and easily discernable without Institution of Men as now for Bread and Wine in the Communion
us it be not abused to that Degree yet still it is in some Degree But as I would not drink out of a Cup where I know there hath been Poison thus in Matter of Religion I would have nothing to do with any thing that was and is still in the Golden Cup full of Abominations of the Mother of Harlots Rev. 17.4 Away then with Popery for of the Word Papa every Letter makes a Word Poculum aureum plenum Abominationum The Golden Cup full of Abominations Two things more I shall add to this First How the Cross and Sign of it is the chief Idol of Popery and the thing most abused amongst them for though their Wafer-God be their essential Idol yet it never becomes a God except the Sign of the Cross be many a time made over it and this I may call the proper and essential Mark of the Beast which in Scripture is said to be in the right hand or in the Forehead which is thus Rev. 13.16 whensoever they make the Sign of the Cross 't is with their Right Hand Part on the Forehead the right and left Arms and Part on the Breast pronouncing these Latine Words In nomine patris c. The first thing they teach their Children is to make that Sign of the Cross at their Graces before and after Meat they ever use the Sign of the Cross 't is the first and last thing they do when they rise and when they go to Bed and in a Morning before they go out they look upon it as an infallible Preservative against ill Accidents and if any Mischance befalls one they will say it is because he did not before make the Sign of the Cross and that 's the chief thing their Priests do commend to Children and others be sure whatsoever you do to make the Sign of the Cross and when they come into their Churches and and go out the first and last thing they do is to dip a Finger into their Holy-water-pot and to make the Sign of the Cross When they go to and come from Pilgrimage to their pretended Saints they never are without little Crosses either on their Hats Cloths in their Pockets or somewhere else about them and this is one of the Merchandises they buy in such Places All their Souldiers or Pilgrims as they called themselves that went to their Holy Wars either against the Saracens or against the poor Albigenses Vaudois and the like crossed themselves or had a Cross on their Cloths whence were called their Cruciada or Croisade In few Words Crosses they have in their Churches Convents Gardens Houses High-ways and every one carrys Beads and Crosses they are to be seen in their Pulpits and Altar-cloths upon every Church this we are not free from Cross here and Cross there and Cross every where and they look upon the Cross and the Sign of it as an universal Remedy against all manner of Evil They say that as many as are not marked with the Sign of the Cross upon the Forehead are damned and reprobate Analys pag. 77. as is noted by M. Rogers And more particularly to shew how this Cross and aerial Sign of the Cross is the Characteristical Note and Mark or Name or Number of the Name of the Beast formerly and of late as I know it out of certain Knowledge because some weak Protestants beyond the Sea would out of Fear pass for Papists Priests and others used two ways to find them out first they asked whether they had any Cross and Beads which never are one without the other if they had none then they called them Heretick and used them accordingly but if they had because it was herein an easie thing for them to counterfeit then to discover them they put them to this further Tryal namely to make the Sign of the Cross upon themselves and hereby they commonly found them out for Papists have a certain Rule for it as what Place to begin at then where to follow next either right or left Arm and where to end but the poor Protestants not being used to this Ceremony usually mistook and this was the Shibbolet when they were surprized to steal away Bellarmin and Stapleton call the Cross one the Character of their Glory and the other a notable Sign whereby to know a Catholick I hope this makes it clear enough how the Cross or Sign of it is the Mark of the Beast seeing within his Kingdom in Matters of Religion nothing is done without it why then should those that say they are the Followers of the Lamb take and receive it upon themselves Surely Scripture saith the Names of those that have the Mark of the Beast are not written in the Book of the Lamb why should we have amongst us such an Idol of Jealousie so abominably abused to Idolatry And this leads me to the second thing I promised to speak of namely how things abused to Idolatry though once never so good ought quite to be rejected this I say not of my own Head but out of the Word of God and shall out of many Instances bring only three The first is of the Name Baal which signifieth Lord a true proper Name of God a good Name indeed yet because it had been abused and attributed to the Creature and to the Idols of the Assyrians and Caldeans as I said before God abhorred it and would no more be called by that Name Thou shalt no more call me Baali thy Lord Hos 2.16 17. for I will take away the Names of Baalim out of her Mouth The second Instance is that of Groves or Altars once they were good and acceptable things unto God for Abraham built one Gen. 13.18 Chap. 35.7 so Jacob by God's Command did build another But when once God had settled the Place of Worship all such became abominable and those Kings who either did set them up or continued them are branded for it as those who threw them down are highly commended The Third Instance is that of the brazen Serpent which though set up by God's special Command yet when the People had committed Idolatry about it 2 Kings 18 3. King Hezekiah destroyed it wherein he did that which was right in the Sight of the Lord he removed the high Places brake the Images and cut down the Groves and brake in pieces the Brazen Serpent At this time the Cross and Sign of it are no better than those things were then surely the Altar of Damascus or the Copy of it was an Idol in Jerusalem as well as in Damascus 2 Kings 16. Ezech. 8.3 and was not the Idol of Baal called the Idol of Jealousie in God's House an Idol still Is the Cross an Idol amongst Papists and shall it not be so amongst us Part. 1 pag. 33 91 129 160. What Privilege have we for it Parker proves it according to the Tenor of the Words to be not only significative but also effective they make it a
jealous of his Honour namely to make his revealed Will the Rule of his Worship and no other As to bowing in matter of Religion it is an outward Act of Worship to be performed to him that is the true Object thereof and to none else David under the Type of Solomon speaking of the Kingdom of Christ saith they that dwell in the Wilderness shall bow before him which two Verses after he calls Psal 12.9 11. shall fall down before him pay him that Honour which is due to God alone so the very Act of Idolatry is expressed by the Name of bowing which God as already observed doth positively forbid in the second Commandment and was after repeated not only by Moses but also by Joshua in the very Words nor bow your selves unto them Deut. 5.9 Josh 23.16 which is rehearsed in the 16th v. of the same Chap. and bowed your selves to other Gods to Stock or Stones and when 't is observed how after the Death of Joshua the People did evil in the Sight of the Lord and committed Idolatry Judg. 2.12.17.19 it is represented in the same Words and by the same Act no less than thrice in the same Chapter they bowed themselves and bow down so that very Act being misapplied must need be abominable and idolatrous But to conclude this Point God forbid I should charge the Church of England with Idolatry for their bowing to the altar I verily believe they know and do better though the ignorant sort of People are apt to entertain wrong Notions about such things but indeed I do not know how to clear them from the Appearance of it they bow to an Altar as a Papist doth to an Image and to a Crucifix whether they make this the Object of their Worship or do worship God before it or before an Altar the Lord alone the Searcher of the Heart knoweth neither can I clear them from Superstition in their always bowing towards a certain Place and no other All these Prejudices conceived against them they might easily remove if they would part with that Ceremony in leaving it off there is neither Harm nor Danger when there may be both in the continuing thereof Can any rational Man deny it were better and more Christian-like quite to forsake it than to give Offence to so many and Occasion of stumbling to some that are weak and also Ground of Suspicion that if there be no Idolatry there is at least Appearance of Superstition which by all means ought to be avoided this tends neither to Decency nor to Order because it doth not edifie which ought to be the End of the other two but notwithstanding any Reason they will keep it nec possunt dicere quare without any true sound ground for 't Of bowing at the Name of Jesus THE other bowing we have is at the Name of Jesus we are not satisfied to have it at things but at Names and Letters too If we must bow when spoken why not when written like the Pharisees that were careful to have the Name of God and some Words of his law about them Matth. 23. made broad their Phylacteries and enlarged the Borders of their Garments but withal made the Commandments of God of none effect We know we can never do enough to express Honour Veneration and Adoration to our blessed Lord and Saviour but this ought to be rightly placed not upon the Sound and Letters of his Name but upon his Person who is God blessed for ever If it be due to the bare Name why not to that of Christ also to that of God of Immanuel and some others given him in Scripture at last the Cross the Nails the Crown of Thorns will challenge the same Those who are for such things as these I desire seriously to think upon that Scripture when St. Paul saith 2 Cor. 5.16 Though we have known Christ after the Flesh yet henceforth know we him no more After the Flesh no more after the Letter but only after the Spirit things must be spiritualized if we must bow at the Name then at the Name of Jesus Son of Nun of Jesus Son of Syrach of Jesus called Justus To make short though the Place of Scripture which they bring to prove their Practice hath sufficiently been answered I shall say few Words to it and all out of the Text That at the Name of Jesus every Knee should bow of things in Heaven and things in Earth Phil. 2.10 11. and things under the Earth 'T is not litterally observed for 't is said to bow the Knee yet People bow the Head then in Heaven and under the Earth are no Knees to bow Angels and the Spirits of just Men made perfect have no Knees nor the Dead in their Graves have no Knees but 't is the Honour due to the Person commanded in the Place which is explained in the next Verse And that every Tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of God the Father Who as 't is said v. 9. Hath highly exalted him and given him a Name above every Name a Power and Dominion above all for God hath made him Lord of all and made him sit at his right hand so that bowing at his Name is humbly submitting to and owning him both with Tongue and Heart to be the blessed and only Potentate 1 Tim. 6.15 the King of Kings and Lord of Lords He hath written on his Vesture King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 17.14 and 19.16 and as such the Angels the four Beasts the twenty four Elders say with a loud Voice Rev. 5.12 13 14. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive Power and Riches and Wisdom and Strength and Honour and Glory and Blessing and every Creature which is in Heaven and on the Earth and under the Earth Observe these are the very Words used by St. Paul only Creature is put for Knee and such as are in the Sea and all that are in them saying Blessing and Honour and Glory and Power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever The bowing of the Knee is here called worshipping as 't is also in the same Book Chap. 15.4 Who shall not fear thee O Lord and glorifie thy Name What St. Paul calls to bow at the Name is here rendered by glorifying his Name and worshipping him for all Nations shall come and worship before thee Thus is clearly and fully interpreted that Phrase of bowing at the Name of Jesus These are the high and noble Notions we ought to have of the Name of Jesus and not of the Sound and Letters of it I think they are no better grounded out of this Place to prove their Practice than Papists to prove the Pope may judge all Men and be judged by none out of this Text 1 Cor. 2.15 He that is Spiritual judgeth all things yet he himself is judged of no Man great
be the better for it or else they would not do it nay they think it to be no Church till it be done for till then there is in it no preaching at least no administring of Sacraments yet both they administer in private Houses Other things there are as churching of Women after the Jewish Way of Purification as we keep a Day about it for the blessed Virgin which God never required at our Hands nor she ever desired but all is our Fancy after the Pattern of Popery there are also the private Communion private Baptism Burial of the Dead at Sea there was also a Form about healing or touching for the King 's Evil a Popish Foppery too but now quite out all which we omit speaking to having things enough besides to discourse upon so we must proceed to a second general Head namely the Discipline of the Church Of Church-Government THUS having spoken of Ceremonies we must now say something of the Government of the Church which is much after that of Rome Triplicat art whitak cap. 9. Hierarch Anachrys lib. 2. pag. 45. in the manner of Hierarcy by Archbishops Bishops Archdeacons Deans and Chapters then Chancellours Commissaries Officials c. These have been the Steps for Popes to ascend upon that Throne of Iniquity which they now sit upon these are of Man's Invention whether or not the Design was good I shall not dispute but certainly it hath proved fatal Staplet and Scalting Two of the great Champions of Rome both highly commend and in it do much approve of our Constitution and Practice Those Offices in the Church which are of God's Institution we have them named in Scripture Eph. 4.11 and 1 Cor. 12.28 God gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastours and Teachers The Apostles were universal Preachers of the Gospel immediately called by Christ who wrought Miracles and were infallible in Doctrine The Prophets did interpret and expound Scriptures by a Divine Light having the Gift of Tongues and of things to come The Evangelists were the Writers of the History of the Gospel inspired of God or else Preachers of the Gospel called by the Apostles and attended on them in their Journeys Pastors also called Bishops that is Overseers were Ministers settled in certain Churches to teach and govern them The Doctors or Teachers were Successors of Prophets whose Office it was to explain Scriptures and vindicate them from the Errours of Hereticks The Apostles instituted Elders or Presbyters for that 's the true Signification of the Word who also are called Bishops though not always some being only to rule the Church others also to preach Men chosen by the Church endued with Gifts and Authority above others who with the Pastors took care of the publick Doctrine administred Ecclesiastical Discipline and in the Churches Name were taken up with the Vocation of Ministers Acts 6. There were also Deacons to take care of the poor to visit the sick to maintain Hospitality and sometimes to preach the Word These are all the Offices in the Church we have in the Word of God for all are reduced under these Heads No Lord Pastour and Ministerial Pastour no Bishop of Bishop or Arch-bishop that is Prince Bishop no Deacon of Deacon or Archdeacon This is contrary to the Rule of Christ so expresly forbidding his Disciples to affect any thing of Dominion or Superiority of one over another and indeed those Offices named in that to the Ephesians are sufficient for the Church as 't is said in the 12th Verse for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ All besides this is of a Humane Superstructure Rectors Curates Vicars c. are Names Things and Limbs of the Roman Church most of the hyerarchical Officers are not for these good Ends. Now Bishops which answer to Watchmen Pastors Ezech. 23.27 and Elders in God's Word are but for one and the same Office We see it clearly out of that place of Scripture where 't is written how St. Paul sent for the Elders of the Church of Ephesus to come to him to Miletus in the Charge he giveth them he saith Act. 20.17 82. Take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the Flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers to feed the Church of God In this Text we have the three Names given to the same Persons those he sent for and speaks to are called Elders God made them Overseers v. 17. for that 's the Sgnification of the Word in the Original and what in other places of Scripture is translated Bishops is here rendered by the Word Overseers though in the Greek the Word be the very same and amongst the Translators was debated whether or not in this Place it should be Englished by the Word Bishop but upon Consideration that it might prejudice the Difference they make between Bishop and Pastor or Elder they made use of the Word Overseer which could not be taken notice of by those that understand no Greek this by the by then these Elders of the Church of Ephesus the Holy Ghost had made Bishops them he charged to seed the Church and do the Office of Pastors so that in the 28th Verse Pastors and Bishops are but one and the same and here by the way I shall make this general Observation how in the Exposition of a Text three things are chiefly to be taken notice of first The true Signification of the Word in the Original secondly The Scope of the Author in the Place Thirdly The Analogy of Faith and Relation to other Places of Scripture The first I have spoken of the second here is a Charge of St. Paul for those Elders to perform their Duty of overseeing and feeding their Flock 1 Pet. 5.1 2. which St. Peter asserts also to be the Duty of Elders whereof he owns himself to be one The third is the Analogy of this Place with others as that which Paul writes to Titus For this cause I lest thee in Greet that thou shouldest ordain Elders in every City Tit. 1.5 6 7. If any be blameless c. for a Bishop must be blameless In the 5 Verse he calls Elders and in the 7. Bishops the same Persons This is the divine Bishop of a divine Institution for as to the Diocesian Bishop 't is but an Humane and Prudential Institution and there is no such thing known in Scripture as it appears out of that Place to the Philippians St. Paul directs the Epistle to all the Saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi Chap. 1.1 with the Bishops and Deacons out of which Place after Jerome we may say that Philippi is one Town in Macedonia and as now Bishops are reckoned there is but one not many of one Town or City but here are Bishops of the plural Number of Philippi therefore the Pastors and Elders of the Place are meaned which also
Thus whilest with one Hand we are hugging and imbracing Papists and as it were courting them to own a Relation of our Bishops being by means of Ordination descended from theirs on the other Endeavours were used here to crush and destroy poor Brethren Some though Christians and Country men proved Wolves and Tygers against others Nonconformists as were and are submissive and obedient to Authority who are for Order and Ministry by way of Office in the Church not guilty in the least of any blasphemous Doctrine against the Person Offices or Grace of Christ nor of any Fundamental Errors yet meerly for Consciencce sake for nothing but Non-conformity was laid to their Charge they were vexed fined cast into Prison where some of them died and otherwise cruelly persecuted which ought to make those that have any thing of the Spirit of Christianity to blush and be ashamed Such Practices ought to be left for the Children of him who is a Murderer from the Beginning For cruel Tyrants and Heathen Emperors and for the Romish Anti-Christ who by any means goes about to compel Men to believe their Opinions to believe as they say as they and do as they do a thing never practised by the Lord Jesus nor by his Apostles nor by true Christians when they had the Power of the Sword For Christian Religion and the true Doctrines of the Gospel must not by Men be forced but perswaded nor promoted by any violent ways One Man may have a Power over the Body of another but no Right or Authority over the Souls one of another that 's God's own Right and Property and they are all Usurpers that do encroach upon it Reformation began first in Saxony under Luther but there they neither kept nor did set up any Bishops nor have any such Diocesian to this very Day but they have a Lay-man residing at the Elector's Court commonly a privy-Counsellor called the President of the Presbytery and in those Parts of Germany they have secularized several Bishopricks as Bremen Minden Halberstad c. Now to the third and last general Part about the Liturgy Of the Common-prayer-book ONE thing more I must speak of though already this Discourse be longer than at first I thought it would be and that is the Liturgy which I shall do as briefly as possibly I can In order to it 't will not be amiss to take notice how much that Space of Time namely Queen Mary's Reign between King Edward's and Queen Elizabeth's had altered that Spirit which appeared in the Reformation under that pious young Prince the Josiah of his time That bloody Persecution had destroyed the Lives of several of those Godly and Learned Instruments of Reformation under the former Reign who in that great and good Work proposed unto themselves no Humane By-Ends but only the Glory of God according to his Word and though in the Beginning of Queen Elizabeth's Days there were several worthy Instruments yet the Spirit they were acted by was somewhat altered if not in the whole yet in part as it will appear if we compare the Articles as they were set forth in King Edward's Days in the Year 1552 with the Edition which the Convocation under Queen Elizabeth in 1571 hath left us There are some considerable Alterations in the Articles as also in the Common-prayer-book what they are for Brevity sake I shall not set down yet I shall say they are about the Articles of Grace of Justification of Sacraments of the Lord's Supper and of Traditions The Expressions left out of them hath proved some Detriment to the Truth for they were strong against some Errors that appeared since and to confirm the Truths therein contained But this in general may be observed about the Prayer-Book how the Common-prayers are taken out of the Breviary the Administration of Sacraments Burial Marriage Visitation of the Sick out of the Ritual the Consecration of the Lord's Supper Collects Gospels and Epistles out of the Missal and for the Book of Ordination of Archbishops Bishops Ministers c. out of the Romish Pontifical Two Popes Pius 4th and Gregory 13th would have approved of it if Queen Elizabeth had been content to have taken it from their Hands and as to matter and manner they are such as that when the Devonshire Papists understood it was no other but the Mass-book in English they were pacified about it A ranck Papist Dr. Carrier said the Common-prayer-book and the Catechism contained in it hold no Point of Doctrine expresly contrary to Antiquity that is the Romish Service only it hath not enough in it Considerat pag. 45. sect 8 9. It is observable how Secretary Walsingham hearing there was a Bull of Excommunication to come out against Queen Elizabeth used a politick Trick to prevent it He caused two of the Pope's Intelligencers at the Pope's own Choice to be as it were in secret brought over and to them he appointed a Guide to shew them in Canterbury and London Service solemnly sung and said with all its Pomp which Order the Popish Intelligencers seeing and admiring they wondered their Master would be so unadvised as to interdict a Prince or State whose Service and Ceremonies did so well agree with his own so returning to the Pope they shewed him his Oversight affirming how they saw no Service or Ceremonies in England but what might very well have been performed in Rome whereupon the Bull was presently called in The Prayer-book is the Beads of our high Church-People for as Papists think all is well with them if they do but tell their Beads so many times a Day hence it is that they look upon it as their great Work when they go to their Churches where they mutter so many Pater Nosters or so many times the Lord's Prayer and Avemarias or the Angel's Salutation to the Virgin So we have amongst us those who think to have performed the whole Christian Duty if they do but go to the Service as they call it and hear the Prayer-book read Out of the Common-prayer-book in that Part of the Litany where it is said from Sedition and privy Conspiracy the following Words are left out From the Tyranny of the Bishop of Rome and from his detestable Enormities I think after the bloody Tragedy acted under Queen Mary we had no more reason to leave out that important Truth than they had before to have it in But to speak something more in general upon this Subject though within as narrow a Compass as I can because by others much hath been said to the Purpose We declare we are not against Liturgies other Reformed Churches have them and we own they are Help upon Occasion wherefore we be wronged when traduced for Enemies to Liturgies we love them full comprehensive and to the purpose but not clogged with superfluous Repetitions 'T is good to have a Form for Administration of Baptism of the Lord's Supper and blessing of Marriages but they must not be too long nor too many
all the Papists keep for her when alas I defie them all together to prove any of those Days to be the Day which they keep it for so then they are kept at a Venture What shall we say of the Names of Rogations Ember Week and so many more to be found in our Prayer-book which are the Quintessence of Popish Superstitious Holy Days What I say is not in Relation to the civil Part of those Names but as to the Spiritual as they are brought into the Church But they will say we keep not all such Dayes there is only a certain Number mentioned after the Kalender but I ask wherefore then do you set them down yet there are Mornings and Evenings first and second Lessons for the very Day which I make no doubt are read where Service is every Day In the same Kalender we find the fasts as well as Feasts and those Fasts are always upon the Eves of certain Holy Days which are many only I find St. Mark and St. Luke have none whilest All Saints have wherein a Partiality appeareth we have Good Friday Holy Thursday no better nor holier than another whole Lent c. But this matter of Feasts and Fasts I have spoken of before Upon the first of May is the Feast by Papists dedicated to Philip and James but we are so fond of the Latin Tongue that because Jacobus is the Latin for James in the Payer-book 't is called Jacob and not James I know no other Reason why it should be so only because it hath a greater Affinity to the Latin the Latin Church we still retain a Kindness for After the Kalender are certain Notes belonging to it whereof one is that the 13th Chapter of Daniel is to be read until such Words The Book of Daniel hath but 12. Chapters in all and must the History of Susanna against which as an Apocrypha are lawful Exceptions be fathered upon that holy Prophet and be inserted into his Book as a Chapter of it In the Morning and Evening Prayers when the general Confession is read by the Minister it were well for the People within themselves or with a very low Voice to follow him but so loud as usually it is is not pertinent but makes a Noise and Confusion for the same Reason the Answers that follow the Lord's Prayer which indeed have very little Relation if any at all with what goeth before or what followeth In Prayer the Minister is the Mouth of the People to God and the People with their Hearts are to joyn with the Minister in his Prayer as with Reverence and Attention they ought to hear when he is God's Mouth to them that is when he preacheth I might take notice of what is said there of singing the Lesson in plain Tune to sing the Collect Epistle and Gospel which are very improper things So of their Benedicite Magnificat Nunc dimittis which I suppose might admit of English Names of which I shall speak hereafter as for the Answers at the latter End they contain good Expressions but ill applied without a Connexion between themselves all after the Romish way which 't is to be wished we had not so much of as we have we could well enough be without it as without those Portions of Apocryphas when we are wanting something for Instruction Comfort and Edification which the Word of God may supply us with 'T is not enough to sing our Prayers but our Creed and Confession of Faith must also be sung as ordered in the Evening Prayer upon some certain great Days therein named We grant that 't is well to have those several things in Verses to use them however herein Men ought not to allow themselves oto much Liberty for the Word of God ought always to be handled with a great Respect and Reverence the Tone of our Voice ought to be adapted to the Matter and the Occasion according to that Rule of St. James Jam. 5.13 Is any among you afflicted Let him pray is any merry Let him sing Psalms Prayer and Singing are different Duties to be used upon several Occasions as are Affliction and Mirth Before I proceed farther one thing I must take notice of which to me seems unaccountable that is the using of the Word Priest in our Prayer-book In the two Places I quoted before Ephes 4.11 1 Cor. 12.28 whereunto we may joyn Rom 12 the Apostle mentioneth the several Offices belonging to the Church but there is no sign either of the Name or of the Office of a Priest under the Law there were some because Sacrifices were to be made but under the Gospel no Sacrifice but of Prayer and Praise we have the Eucharisty or Commemoration of our Lord and Saviour's Sacrifice upon the Cross but that 's good for Papists to have Priests who pretend daily to make an Expiatory Sacrifice for the Sins of the Living and of the Dead but we abhor such a thing at least pretend to do so We say we abolish the thing and yet retain the Name the Name of Minister is in Scripture known in this Sence 1 Cor. 44.1 Let a Man so account of us as of the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the Mysteries of God The Names Bishop Pastor and Elder are known in Scripture but if they think the Word Minister below them which I charitably believe they do not because sometimes though seldom they use it then they may use the Word Elder or Presbyter which is the Greek for Elder 1 Pet. 5.1 Presbyter as St. Peter calls himself and Presbytery are Scripture Names signifying Office in the Church but there is a great Difference between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Presbyter and a Priest which is the proper Signification of the last as Heb. 5.6 so then the Word Priest is fetched afar off and there is no such Office in the Christian Church As to the Litany the same may be said by the People at the same time with the Minister but with a low Voice and not not after and separately they do it after the manner of the Kirie Eleison used by Papists here the People not the Minister make the Prayer for they and not he say Spare us good Lord Good Lord deliver us We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. When 't is said from Fornication and all other deadly Sin the Word deadly doth favour the Popish erroneous Distinction of Mortal and Venial Sins They hold but seven Mortal Sins whereof Fornication is one but they hold there are Sins of their Nature not mortal and which do not deserve Death which is contrary to the whole Course of Scripture Ezech. 18.20 Rom. 6.23 which saith expresly the Soul that sinneth it shall die and the Wages of Sin is Death This may easily be mended with changing the Word deadly into any of these gross horrid enormeous or such like which to deny is certainly to refuse Peace upon easie Terms to
Week is divided into two Parts six Days to labour which many seem not to take notice of the seventh is the Sabbath to keep it holy After this are heaped one upon another Sentences which have no Connexion with themselves nor Relation to the present Occasion the thing therein most plain is that the People ought to make Provision for the Minister and that is pressed in five Paragraphs something indeed is afterwards said for the Poor but the gathering is for fear of missing made before the Communion when without Diversion People ought wholly to be taken up with Meditation upon that high Mystery it were more proper after the Action to gather But mention is made of Offering Days a Device at first of the Popish Clergy to satisfie their Covetousness so that every Man and Woman shall pay to the Curate the due and accustomed Offerings which is a meer unhandsome Trade in the Church as if one should say there is such a Rate set upon the holy Sacrament which must be paid before you receive it for it is said there after which done that is the Money laid down and not before the Priest shall say that is shall go on this tendeth to neither Decency Order or Edification rather to Scandal If our blessed Saviour was upon Earth here now as much as as ever he would have Cause to turn out many who make Simony and Merchandise in and about the Church Matth. 2.12 Joh. 14 15 16. as he did formerly But to go on in the following Prayer a third time mention is made for the King We as much as they can be are for praying for Kings and Superiour Powers but every thing ought to have its Time and Place if you will observe Order and Decency once is enough afterwards our Thoughts ought to be taken up with higher things with the King of Kings Before the Confession in the Rubrick a Difference is made between the Minister and the Priest 't is said the Confession shall be read by one of the Ministers or the Priest himself By the Minister may be is understood the Reader or the Clark under the same Name here is another Office in the Church different from the Priest's Thus in Convents and Monasteries Papists have Fathers and Brothers Moncks and serving Fryers for these to do what the others think to be below themselves and the Drudgery Then the Dialogue between Priest and People is not very proper it might be done without Dialogue Of two Prayer just before the receiving of the Communion one is to be said or read for every thing is but reading kneeling the other standing why in a different Posture After the Prayer the Minister may rise and consecrate In the Glory be to God on high is said thrice in the same Words thou that takest away the Sins of the World c. In the Lord's Prayer such Repetitions are not to be found if it be in relation to the most holy and blessed Trinity we have other Ways to do it than with such Repetitions Last of all there is this Clause and yearly at Easter every Parishioner shall reckon with his Parson Vicar or Curate no such Distinction in Scripture or his or their Deputy or Deputies and pay to him or them all Ecclesiastical Duties a Sabbath and Easter Day very improper to give in and cast up Accounts a Day or two before or after might be fitter but this I must not insist upon to come to more material things We now must come to publick Baptism and I cannot forbear taking notice of a thing in the very Beginning It is not convenient Baptism should be administred but upon Sundays or other Holy Days Here Holy Days so called are equal with the Sabbath or Lord's Day when a Difference ought to be made between What God hath instituted and what Men have invented this strikes at the Morality of the Sabbath wherof the keeping is a Precept of the first Table so that Men may as well murder commit Adultery steal even take the Name of God in vain as to break the Sabbath Whosoever makes no Scruple to break it will make no Conscience of any thing in Religion The Questions asked of Godfathers and Godmothers with their Answers in the Child's Name are unbecoming so holy and so serious a Matter to say to forsake the Devil c. to believe and to desire to be baptized by the Mouth of those who without special Grace cannot do it for themselves a Child who can neither hear nor speak is destitute of the Use of Reason 't is a manner of jesting with and profaning that holy Sacrament Then followes the aerial Sign of the Cross on the Forehead which one may accidentally happen to make when he puts Flies out of his Face this Sign saith the Priest is made in Token that hereafter he shall not be ashamed to confess the Faith of Christ and this as good as the Godfathers Promise to forsake the Devil for he is positive he shall not be ashamed Something that followeth we except against namely these Children be regenerate and grasted c. which is repeated in the following Prayer We yield thee hearty Thanks that it hath pleased thee to regenerate this Infant with thy holy Spirit c. Somewhat lower I shall give my Reasons last of all 't is said the Minister shall command here is a Magisterial and I thought it had been but a Ministerial Authority that the Children be brought to the Bishop to be confirmed of him c. This makes Confirmation an Appendix to the Sacraments as if it had not perfectly been administered but something had remained to be added to it In the manner of Administration of private Baptism are some things which I observed before This private Baptism seems with Papists to argue an absolute Necessity of the Sacrament which we deny when Men have done what they can to bring the Child to Baptism and God through Sickness Death or otherwise alloweth it not then Men must submit to his holy Will other things there are which in the following Head I shall take farther notice of This Point of Confirmation is that which followeth next at the Beginning of the Rubrick is something that needs being explained for though the Words be clear the Sence is not these are the Words to the end that Confirmation may be ministred to the more edifying of such as shall receive it according to St. Paul 's Doctrine who teacheth c. This seems to intimate as if Confirmation were according to St. Paul's doctrine but no such thing as this Confirmation is to be read in his Epistles Prayer and laying on of the Hands may profitably be used upon Children but such an Act needs not to be called Confirmation which Papists make a Sacrament of and use it to the same purpose Last of all this is said he any Man shall koow for truth that it is certain by God's Word that Children being baptized have all things necessary for
their Salvation and be undoubtedly saved Nothing more Positive than this can be said upon a Matter In the two foregoing Heads something there was to this purpose to say it once should have been enough but twice is too much again to say as if by Baptism the Child had been infallibly adopted c. for our Lord Jesus doth not deny his Grace and Mercy to such Infants this is too positive how can he tell it One may charitably believe it yet not be true the same Caution must be observed in the Exhortation following doubt ye not therefore but do earnestly believe that c. If this was by way of prayer as we beseech thee to regenerate to receive into the Number of thy Children this Child c. or if it was said we charitably believe it would be well but to say so peremptorily that it is certain by the Word of God but no such thing in the Word of God on the contrary this sets up two Popish Errors first Necessity of Baptism to Salvation as if one could not be saved without it hence they exclude from Heaven Children that die without Baptism the second Errour that the visible Sign doth confer the invisible Grace so that whosoever is baptized opere operato is thereby regenerated Whosoever eats the Bread and drinks the Wine eats and drinks the Body and Blood of Christ There are good Rules set in the Rubrick about Matrimony as asking of the Banes three several Sundays c which well observed would prevent abundance of Mischief by unlawful Marriages in the Words and Form it may be well till the Ceremony of the Ring put upon the fourth Finger of the Woman by the Man after it had been laid upon the Book with the Money due to the Minister and Clark indeed amids the Celebration 't is very undecent to bring in Money which might better be done before or after the Blessing but they will make sure of their Fees Then the Words spoken when the Ring is put upon the Finger With this Ring I thee wed with my Body I thee Worship c. are unbecoming that holy and solemn Institution it seems the Ring is made essential to the Marriage then joyning together the right Hands why the right rather than the left called that of the Heart The Minister may pronounce the Words but plighting the Troth and joyning of Hands are idle Ceremonies too much like a Play whether or not they be significant though necessary for the Minister as the Ground of his declaring them Husband and Wife The saying or singing a Psalm when going to the Communion Table then the Answers after it even the Communion at that time is not very proper neither repeating the Prayer after what was said in the Beginning that Marriage signifieth unto us the mystical Union of Christ with his Church All Forms of that Nature must be short full and becoming the Gravity and Majesty of the Ordinance Concerning the Visitation of the sick those Answers at the Beginning do much smell of the Popish Priest who hardly goes about any Part of his Office but always hath with him his Clark to answer at Mass and elsewhere Surely upon this Occasion it should be left to the Prudence of the Minister to use his Gift of Prayer according to the Nature of the Disease to the Shortness or Length of it and the Temper and Condition he finds the Patient in by Discourse and Conversation first with Comfort and Exhortations suitable with that State he finds him in and after with Prayer 't is strange that upon such Occasions a Minister should be only doctus in libro and very sad he can or must not pray comfort a Patient nor hardly preach or execute any other Part of his Ministry without Book then 't is not possible to pen a Prayer that at all times and Places can reach every Patients Case The special Confession required of the Patient is too much like Popery but the following Absolution of the Priest is very strange amongst Protestants specially these Words and by the Authority committed to me I absolve thee from all thy Sins Upon Condition of Repentance a Minister may declare a Sinner absolved but not absolve him these are the very Words used by Popish Priests by Christ's Authority committed to me how hard is it to walk upon the burning Coales and not burn his Feet And though the following Prayer be very good and fit for the Occasion yet after a positive Absolution of all Sins it is preposterous and had been better placed before Now to see a Minister coming into a sick Man's Room with a Book in his Hand is the true Posture of a Popish Priest upon such an occasion stinted to it About the Burial of the Dead We ought upon this account to be very shy not to do any thing seeming to favour Popish Errors about the dead The Truth is what in that and some other things we do we have taken it from them A Sermon is what in such an Occasion may be allowed or a general Discourse about Mortality and Preparation for Death but we exceed and go too far as first for the Minister to meet the Body at 〈◊〉 certain Place then for him and his Clark perfectly after the Popish Way to sing either into the Church or towards the Grave the Words therein set down then when they are come to the Grave for Priest and Clark to sing another Tune The Word sing is expressed then a third one while the Earth is cast upon the Body afterwards a fourth Scene all too far and beyond the Modesty and Simplicity upon such an Occasion to be used Of churching of Women Upon this Occasion Thanks to God may be returned but not in that Formal Way which we retain from Popery and which they had from the Jewish Purification all which kind of Ceremonies ought to be abstained from That Law lasted until John and in the Time of the Apostles did wear off by degrees but an ill Circumstance is mentionen last of all still there is Money in the Case the Woman must offer accustomed Offerings not to God but to the Minister God must be satisfied with Thanks but the Priest must have Money this indeed is to make a House of Merchandise of the Church I should also have taken notice how in the foregoing Answers Repetitions ought to be avoided things follow one another with little Relation or hardly any Connexion All this was extracted out of a prayer-book printed in 1645 but in that now used which was published in Charles II's Days we find some Alterations yet something more than in the Former In the preface are contained some uncharitable and unjust Reflections against Nonconformists called Men given to Change who always discovered a greater Regard to their own private Fancies and Interests than to that Duty they owe to the publick and at the latter End they are called Men of factious peevish and perverse Spirits a very hard
Censure so contrary to what Scripture prescribeth in matter of passing a Judgment upon others There is nothing of an healing Spirit which a little before and at the time of the Conferences in Worcester House only to have time to settle their Affairs and amuse others those Men pretended to But in the Head following concerning the Service of the Church are these Words The Service in this Church of England these many Years hath been read in Latin to the People whereby is meaned the Time of Popery so 't is called the same now as it was then namely the Church of England which I think is no great Credit or Honour to the present Church then it implieth the Service now used to be the same as 't was in those Days only with this Difference that then it was in Latin now in English So there is mention made of the Division of the Psalms into several Portions called a Nocturn and the Rules called the Pie which made the turning of the Book so intricate However though it hath suffered some Alterations in Substance 't is the same as it was in times of Popery only put in plainer Order and whereas heretofore there hath been a great Diversity in saying and singing in Churches within this Realm according to the Uses of Salisbury Hereford Bangor York Lincoln henceforth there shall be but one Vse namely the Romish or next to it in Cathedrals Collegial Chappels and the like In the following Rubrick an unnecessary and unrequired Leave is given to say in any Language understood Morning and Evening Prayers by which means the Latin is still continued but all Priests and Deacons 't is imposed upon to say it thus amongst Papists their Clergymen must say their Breviary which is meritorious Morning and Evening to pray to God is a necessary Duty incumbent upon all but I see no reason why one should always be stinted to such a Form In the proper Lessons is a Feast called Annunciation of our Lady it is not sufficiently expressed by the Name of the blessed Virgin Mary but our Lady Seeing they come upon those Terms they ought to have said which of the Ladies either of Egypt Loretto Monserrat and fifty more without Hyperbole which we could name for they are all Ladies with Churches dedicated to and Days appointed for them The Word Lady is not enough 't is common to so many though in the Word we read of one Lord Jesus Christ but of no Lady she should have been called Queen of Heaven and those great Titles given her in her Litany In a due and decent manner we honour her Memory and call her the most blessed amongst all Women but not in a Popish and Superstitious Way In the Kalender we are taught to reckon the Month after the Roman Way by Nonae Idus and Calend but to what purpose they know best In the manner of ordering of Priests and consecrating of Bishops we have Veni Creator Spiritus for those Words in Latin have a greater Emphasis and Energy than in English but not in ordering of Deacons that is used in the Conclave in the Election of a Pope which brings Infallibility in the Election Acts 24.23 and 1 Tim. 4.14 and 2 Tim. 1.6 when Paul and Barnabas ordered Elders or Ministers in every Church they prayed fasted and laid Hands upon them without any other Ceremony I should have said how their Way of Service in Cathedrals depriveth People of the Comfort of singing Psalms But we must return back to the Kalender there in red Letters we find King Charles Martyr and the 29th of May Observations upon the 30th of January and 29th of May in 1694. but I shall say nothing thereupon one not long ago having published something upon the matter and thus saved me that Trouble only I take notice he is in the 3 d. Collect of Evening Prayer mentioned in this Stile according to the Example of this thy blessed Martyr if a Martyr then of Hierarchy as his Son King James Confessor of Popery in the Morning Prayer 't is said instead of Venite exultemus for we cannot leave off our Latin shall the Psalm following be used called a Psalm a Mixture of broken Parts of Scripture Acts Jonah Lament and Baruch too and this one Verse by the Minister the next by the People so round about and the last Collect of the three the People to repeat it after the Minister The Service for Charles II's Birth and Restoration as to the Occasion Matter and Manner is a fit Match for this all alike I remember one thing I shall mention now we speak of Kings and that 's about Coronation wherein are observed some meerly Popish Fopperies which make Westminster Abbey so much like a Church in Rome or upon such an Occasion any Popish Church elsewhere the manner of laying the Regalia upon the Altar the bowing and cringings c. But I shall only speak of the anointing an idle Ceremony now formerly a Jewish one anointing of Priests Prophets and Kings under the Law were Typical all ended in the Lord Jesus Christ who yet though a Priest a Prophet and a King was not anointed with Oyl but with the Gifts and Graces thereby signified our Ministers or Priests as they call them should also be anointed as well as our Kings in this and that certain Parts of the Body rather than in another it is pity but that to perform so solemn an Action we should also have a miraculous Bottle of Oyl brought down from Heaven or a St. Ampoul that 's never diminished to anoint our Kings as the French pretend to as also till now they imitated them in touching for the King 's Evil however anointing may not be said to be essential to the Coronation Now to the manner of using the Prayer-book Why should the Minister read one Verse and the People with a loud Voice another which is against Decency and St. Paul's Rule not to speak all at once Why should the Doxology Glory be to the Father be repeated so often as well as the Lord's Prayer And why so divided as that the Minister should ever say one Half and the People the other Like Priest and Clark in Popery this to answer for the other Why should the Title of every Psalm be Latin Why is Simeon's Song called the Nunc dimittis The blessed Virgin 's to be known under the Name of Magnificat when we speak of the Rich Man to call him Dives Why Simon rather Magus than the Sorcerer If we be so fond to call things by Names in an unknown Language let it be in Hebrew or in Greek which are the original Tongues of Old and New Testament and not in Latin which with their Decrees is the Language of the Beast if in English we wanted Words to signifie things then there would be Cause to borrow of others but we are not brought to such Streights every one knows how all the Popish Service is in Latin wherein we still
from them on the other side to say so argues a very great Ignorance of what Popery and Presbitery are as indeed it is common amongst some of our ordinary Sort of People which like Parrets in a Cage have learned the Name they often heard repeated unto them by some of the Church's passionate Teachers who will as confidently affirm Arminianism to be the Doctrine of the Church though never so false and who sometimes have been heard to complain how the first Reformers went too far they might have spared several things and not have been so rigid to have preserved Union with the Romish Church and not made an absolute renting from it doth not a sensible Man believe that Men of such Principles will be ready when it doth not cross their Worldly Interest to meet half way with the Church of Rome but such no Reason can cure the very Springs of their Souls are corrupt the Disease is past Recovery without the immediate working of God's Spirit wherefore I shall not trouble my self with speaking to those that are such But to the unlearned that are imposed upon and that sin out of Ignorance I shall give Reasons to inform and Satisfie their Judgments no Man may with himself to be of a Church except he already be a Member of it that believeth such Fundamental Errors which a Man dying in cannot be saved and doth practise Idolatry if Scripture saith Truth Here I desire not to be mistaken as if I should say how none that is a Papist can be saved for God's Mercy is great and free and when he pleases he can reveal his Truth to some that now lie in the Ignorance and Blindness of the Errors in Judgment and Practice of that Church so the good God may do to any Jew Mahometan or of any other wrong Perswasion whatsoever as in Practice to the repenting Thief but I say that a Papist dying in the Belief of those effential Errors God not imparting the Light of the Truth unto his Mind and the Love of it into his Heart such an one if God's Word speaks Truth shall not be saved Why so Because the Church of Rome hath instituted several Ways of Salvation when Scripture speaketh but of one surely all but that must be wrong and false so Christian Religion owns but one only Saviour namely the Lord Jesus Christ Acts. 4.12 Neither is there Savation in any other For there is none other Name under Heaven given amongst Men whereby we must be saved and as there is a Saviour and but one Saviour so there is a Mediator and but one Mediator there is one God and one Mediator mark as there is but one God so there is but one Mediator for in the Original the Word to express one God is the same to signifie one Mediator the Man Jesus Christ Now any one though but little versed with the Doctrines of the Popish Religion knows that they have other Mediators to trust to to intercede for them whom they worship and pray to as all their Saints specially the blessed Virgin and these in a high Degree as her Litany doth fully evidence they attribute her a Power of commanding her Son the Lord Jesus Now as to their other Ways of Salvation they are many and by Vertue whereof they pretend to be justified before God as are good Works Indulgencies of Popes See seasonable Discourse about Religion in 1689. Treasures of the Church Merits of Saints for the Favour of one Saint or other whose Protection they put themselves under they do much trust to and depend upon 'T is true they do not exclude the Merits of Christ but they come in only in part and as Sharers to what purpose this Heb. 7.25 Seeing Christ is able to save them to the utter most that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make Intercession for them he alone hath satisfied God's Justice and pacified his Wrath I have trodden the Winepress alone Isa 63.3 and of the People there was none with me saith he by the Mouth of his prophet neither Archangel or Angel or any Creature in Heaven or in Earth being joyned with him in that Work and can we think that after he alone hath endured the Torments of making Atonement for our Sins he would leave with the Creatures the Honour to have it applied throrough their Intercession Heb. 12.2 Now he is the Author and Finisher of our Faith take notice of both Author and Finisher of our Salvation and of all things belonging thereunto which is more clearly explained in that other Place he became the Author of eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him and he is also called the Captain of our Salvation Chap 2.10 Again I say they which for Salvation depend upon any other Sacrifice than that which Christ made of himself upon the Cross may not upon any good Grounds hope for Salvation because no Promise for it in the Word Scripture makes mention of none other but of that only We shall be content with quoting some few Places all out of one Book of Scripture where the Point of the Lord Christ's Priesthood is of a set purpose and fully treated of and therein the pretended and abominable Sacrifice of the Mass is condemned which Point alone if there was none other is a sufficient Cause for true Christians to break off Communion with that Church Heb. 9.25 26 28. 't is in the Epistle to the Hebrews Nor yet that he should offer himself often speaking of the Lord Jesus for then must he often have suffered since the Foundation of the World Hence we see how Christ was not often to offer himself The Reason is because he was not often to suffer wherefore they that would have him often offered would have him also often to suffer for whether he offereth himself or be offered by a Priest still a Sufferer he must be Now to shew how often this was to be 't is expressed and fixed v. 28. so Christ was once offered to bear the Sins of many once and no more and that 's passed too Christ was once offered and it must be of a high Concernment for us to know it ought to have been but once for Chap. 10. 't is repeated twice in v. 10. We are sanctified thorough the Offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all and v. 12. But this Man Jesus after he had offered one Sacrifice for Sins for ever but one Sacrifice and that for ever that is never to be reiterated any more and v. 14. the Reason is given why there ought to be no more because there is no Necessity for it for by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified But why should I trouble my self any longer to insist upon these essential and abominable Tenets and Practices of the Church of Rome which is full of Errors in Doctrine and of Idolatry and Superstition in Worship I hope no true Son of the Church can have the Face to deny the Church of Rome to be guilty of Idolatry for they yield a religious Worship to the Creature as to the Pope whom after his Election Cardinals do place upon the Altar and there adore him for that 's the Word to signifie the Homage which at that time they give him then to the Virgin to Saints to Images and to their Wafer-God whereof they have Millions amongst them Now I say no more only neither Presbyterians nor Independents believe or do so that is that there is any other Mediator than the Lord Jesus that there are other Ways of Salvation than by the only Sacrifice he once made of himself upon the Cross neither do they practise any Idolatry as the Church of Rome doth and we know for certain that no Idolaters shall inherit the Kingdom of God I hope these few things of many more I might have said will satisfie any impartial Reader not blinded with Prejudice or with a violent Passion As for those that had rather to be Papists than Presbyterians let them now with their Mass in their Mouth their other Saviour and Saints upon their Backs with their Superstition and Idolatry about their Girdle go home with Shame and hide themselves or rather amongst the Church of Rome where they would be in their proper Place and not amongst us for we can spare them well enough FINIS