Vindication of the Ancient Liturgy of the Church of England

A PREFACE TO THE Ensuing Discourse.

[Sect. 1] T Hat the Liturgy of the Church of England, which was at first as it were written in blood, at the least sealed, and delivered down to us by the Martyrdom of most of the compilers of it, should ever since be daily solicited, and called to the same Stage and Theatre, to fill up what was behind of the sufferings of those Fathers, is no strange or new piece of economy in the Church of God. This proposition I shall take liberty briefly to prove by way of introduction to the ensuing discourse, and shall hope that you will acknowledge it with me, if you but consider these severals.

[Sect. 2] First, That there is not a surer evidence and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 by which to discern the great excellency of moderation in that book, and so the apportionatenesse of it, to the end to which it was designed, then the experience of these so contrary fates, which it hath constantly undergone, betwixt the persecutors on both extreme parts, the assertors of the Papacy on the one side, and the consistory on the other, the one accusing it of Schism, the other of Complyance, the one of departure from the Church of Rome, the other of remaining with it, like the poor Greek Church, our fellow Martyr, devoured by the Turk for too much Christian profession, and damned by the Pope for too little, it being the dictate of natural Reason in Aristotle, (whose rules have seldom failed in that kind, since he observed them) that the middle virtue is most infallibly known by this, that it is accused by either extreme as guilty 〈◊〉 the other extreme: that the true liberality of mind is by this be • exemplified, that it is defamed by the prodigal for passimony, and by the niggard for prodigality, by which (by the way) that great block of offense, which hath scandalized so many, will be in part removed, and the reproaches so continually heaped upon this book, will to every discerning Judge of things, pass for as weak an unconcluding argument of guilt in it, as the scars of a Military man doth of his cowardice, or the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the every Topic of railing Rhetoric, Mal. 5. of the unchristiannesse of the person on whom they are poured out.

[Sect. 3] Secondly, That ever since the reproaches of men have taken confidence to vent themselves against this book, there hath nothing but air and vapor been vomited out against it, objections of little force to conclude anything, but only the resolute contumacious, either ignorance, or malice of the objector, which might at large be proved, both by the view of all the charges that former Pamphlets have produced, all gathered together, and vindicated by Mr. Hooker, and that no one charge of any crime, either against the whole, or any part of it, which this Directory hath offered; which as it might in reason, make such an act of malice more strange, so will it to him that compares this matter with other practices of these times, (whose great engine hath been the calumniari fortiter, the gaining credit by the violence of the cry, when it could not be had by the validity of the proofs, most men being more willing to believe a calumny, then to examine it) make it but unreasonable to wonder at it; It being an experiment of daily observation, that those which have no crime of which they are accusable, are therefore not the less, but the more vehemently accused, prosecuted, and dragged to execution, that the punishment may prove them guilty, which nothing else could, it being more probable in the judgment of the multitude, (who especially are considered nowadays, as the instruments to act our great designs) that a nocent person should plead not guilty, then an innocent be condemned; which prejudice, as it might be pardoned from the charity wherein 'tis grounded, that they who are appointed to punish vilenesses, will not be so likely to commit them, so being applied to usurping judges, (whose very judging is one crime, and that no way avowable, but by making use of more injustices) will prove but a piece of Turkism, which concludes all things honest, that prove successful, or of the moderne Divinity in the point of Scandal, which makes it a sufficient exception against any indifferent usage, that it is by some excepted against, a competent cause of anger, that men are angry at it though never so without a cause.

[Sect. 4] Thirdly, That it hath been constantly the portion, and prerogative of the best things (as of the best men) to be under the cross to have their good things of this world 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , with persecutions. Mar. 10. 30. and so no strange thing that that which is always a dealing with the Cross, should be sometimes a panting, and gasping under it; There was never any surer evidence of the cleanness of a creature amongst the Jews, then that it was permitted to be sacrificed; the Lamb, and the Turtle emblems of innocence, and charity, and the other Christian virtues, were daily slaughtered and devoured, while the Swine, the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and all the uncleaner creatures, were denied that favor, placed under a kind of Anathema, or Excommunication sentence, of such it was not lawful, no not to eat; and so it must be expected in the anti-type, that all the heat of the Satanical impression, all the fire of zeal, the sentence to be sacrifized, and devoted, should fall as now it doth, on this Lamb-like, Dove-like creature, of a making not apt to provoke any man to rage, or quarrel, or anything, but love of communion, and thanksgiving to God for such an inestinable donative.

[Sect. 5] Fourthly, That a Liturgy being found by the experience of all ancient times, as a necessary hedge, and mound to preserve any profession of Religion, and worship of God in a National Church, it was to be expected that the enemy and his instruments, which can call destruction mercy, embroyling of our old Church the founding of a new (we know who hath told one of the Houses of this Parliament so, that they have laid a foundation of a Church among us, which if it signify anything, imports that there was no Church in this Kingdom before that Session) should also think the destroying of all Liturgy, the only way of security to God's worship, the no-form being as fitly accommodated to no-Church, as the no-hedge, nowall to the Common, or desert, the no inclosure to the no-plantation.

[Sect. 6] Fifthly, That the eradication of Episcopacy, first Voted, then Acted, by the Ordination of Presbyters by Presbyters without any Bishop, which begun to be practiced in this Kingdom, about the end of the last year, was in any reason to be accounted prooemicall and preparatory to some farther degree of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , or disorder, and to be attended by the abolltion of the Liturgy in the beginning of this new year, (Episcopacy and Liturgy being like the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , among the Egyptians, this Daughter to attend that Mother, as among the Barbarians when their Prince died, some of the noblest were constantly to bear him company out of the World, not to mourn for, but to die with him) A thing that the People of this Kingdom could never have been imagined low or servile enough to bear or endure (I am sure within few years they that sat at the stern of action conceived so, and therefore were fain by Declaration, to disavow all such intentionn of violence) till by such other assays, and practices, and experiments, they were found to be, satis ad servitutem parati, sufficiently prepared for anything that was servile, almost uncapable of the benefit or relief of a Jubilee, like the slave in Exodus, that would not go out free, but required to be bored thorough the ear by his Master, to be a slave forever.

[Sect. 7] Sixthly, That it is one professed act of God's secret wisdom, to make such trials as this, of men's fidelity, and sense, and acknowledgement of his so long indulged favors, to see who will sincerely mourn for the departing of the glory from Israel, whether there be not some that (with the Captive Trojan Woman in Homer, who wept so passionately at the fall of Patroclu • , but made that public loss the season to prowre out their private grifes) are sensible of those sufferings of the Church only wherein their interests are involved, and more nearly concerned; whether not some that count the invasion of the Revenues of the Church a Sacrilege, a calamity, and unparalleled, but think the abolition of the Liturgy unconsiderable, a venial sin and misery; whether that, wherein God's glory is joined with any secular interest of our own, that which makes the separation betwixt Christ and Mammon, may be allowed any expression of our passion or zeal, i. e. in effect, whether we pour out one drop for Christ in all this deluge of tears, or whether like uncompounded selflovers, whose only center and principle of motion is ourselves, we have passion to no spectacle but what the looking glass presents to us, with a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , making God the pret • nce and apology, for that kindness, which is paid and powered 〈◊〉 • nto another shrine. For of this there is no doubt, that of • ll the changes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 designed and offered to authority, there is none for which flesh and blood, passions and interests of men can allow to • ree a suf • rage, so regertlesse a consent, as this of the abolition of the Liturgy, (The s • uggishnesse of ungifted men, the only thing that is affirmed to be concerned in, or to gain by it, is perfectly mistaken, as shall a non appear) and were there not a God in Heaven, the care of whose honor obliged us to endeavor the preservation of it, were not a future growth of Atheism and Prophanenesse the feared consequent of such abolition, and notorious experience ready to avow the justness of this fear, I have reason to be confident that no Advocate would offer Libell, no Disputer put in exception, against this present Directory; I am privy to my own sense, that I should not, I have rather reason to impute it to myself, that the want of any such carnal motive to stir me up to this defense, might be the cause that I so long defer'd to undertake it, and perhaps should have done so longer, if any man else had appeared in that argument. And therefore unless it be strange for men, when there be so many tempters abroad, to be permitted to temptations, sure God's yielding to this act of the importunity of Satan (who hath desired in this new way to explore many) will not be strange neither.

[Sect. 8] Lastly, that our so long abuse of this so continued a mercy, our want of diligence, in assembling ourselves together (the too ordinary fault of too many of the best of us) our general, scandalous, inexcusable disobedience to the commands of our Church, which requires that service to be used constantly in public every day, the vanity of prurient tongues and itching ears, which are still thirsting news and variety, but above all, the want of ardor and fervency in the performance of this prescribed service, the admitting of all secular company (I mean worldly thoughts) into its presence, preferring all secular business before it, the general irreverence, and indifference in the celebrations, may well be thought to have encouraged Satan to his expetivit, to the preferring his petition to God, and his importunity at length to have provoked God to deliver up our Liturgy to him, and his ministers, to oppose and malign, to calumniate and defame, and at last to gain the countenance of an Ordinance, to condemn and execute it as at this day. The Lord be merciful to them that have yielded to be instrumental to that great destroyer in this business.

[Sect. 9] I have thus far labored to press home that part of St. Peters exhortation 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , not to think the calamity strange which hath befallen this Church in this matter, on no other purpose, but to discharge that duty which we owe to God's secret providence, of observing the visible work of it, that discerning ourselves to be under his afflicting hand, we may, I. Join in the use of all probable means to remove so sad a pressure, by humbling ourselves, and reforming those sins which have fitted us for this captivity, then 2. that we may compassionate and pardon, and bless, and pray for those whose hands have been used in the execution of this vengeance and reproach upon the land: and Lastly, That we may endeavor, if it be possible, to disabuse and rectify those, who are capable, by more light, of safer resolutions; To which purpose these following animadversions being designed in the bowels of compassion to my infatuated Country-men, and out of a sincere single desire that our sins may have some end or allay, though our miseries have not, and therefore framed in such a manner, as I conceived, might prove most useful, by being most proportionable to them, who stood most in need of them, without any oblation provided for any other shrine, any civility for the more curious Reader) are here offered to thee, to be dealt with as thou desirest to be treated at that last dreadful tribunal, which sure then will be with acceptation of pardon, and with that Charity (the but just return to that which mixed this antidote for thee) which will cover a multitude of sins.

CHAP. I.

I N the Ordinance prefixed to the Directory (being almost wholly made up of forms of Repeal) there are only two things worthy of any stay or consideration.

[Sect. 1] 1. The motives upon which the Houses of Parliament have been inclined to think it necessary to abolish the Book of Common-Prayer, and establish the Directory, and those are specified to be three. First the consideration of the manifold inconveniences that have risen by the Book in this Kingdom. 2. The resolution according to their Covenant, to reform Religion according to the word of God, and the best reformed Churches. 3. Their having consulted with the Learned, and Pious, and Reverend Divines to that purpose, from whence they conclude it necessary to abolish the Book.

[Sect. 2] To this conclusion infer'd upon these premises, I shall confidently make this return, 1. That the conclusion is as illogicall as any that any Assembly of wise men have ever acknowledged themselves to be guilty of, no one of the three Motives being severally of strength to bear such a superstructure, and therefore all together being as unfufficient; for if the conclusion were only of the prudence, or expedience, of taking it away, somewhat might be pretended for that inference from the premises, supposing them true: But when 'tis of necessity (and that twice repeated, and so not casually fallen from them) there must then be somewhat of precept divine in the premises to induce that necessity, or else it will never be induced: for I shall suppose it granted by them with whom I now dispute, that nothing is necessary in the worship of God, but what God hath prescribed, the necessity of precept being the only one that can have place in this matter, and the necessitas medii, being most improper to be here pleaded. But that there is no such direct precept, so much as pretended to by those three motives it is clear, and as clear, that all together, do not amount to an interpretative precept. For that a lawful thing though pressed with manifold inconveniences should be removed, is nowhere commanded the lawful Magistrate, but left to his prudence to judge whether there be not conveniences on the other side, which may counterbalance those inconveniences; much less is it commanded the inferior Courts in despite of King and standing Law. For what ever of expedience; and so of prudence might be supposed to interpose, that may be sufficient to incline a Wise Magistrate to make a Law, but not any else, either to • surp the power of a Law-maker, or to do anything contrary to established Laws; there being nothing that can justify the least disobedience of Subjects to their Prince, or the Laws of the Kingdom, but that obligation to that one superior Law of that higher Prince, our Father which is in heaven, which being supposed, 'tis not all the resolutions and Covenants in the world that can make it lawful for any so to disobey, much less necessary, anymore, then the saying Corban in the Gospel, i • e. pretending a vow will free the Child from the obligation of honoring or relieving his Father, or then Herod's vow made it lawful to cut off the head of John the Baptist: and then how far the consultation with those Divines may induce that necessity, will upon the same ground also be manifest to any, especially that shall remember, with what caution that Assembly was by the Houses admitted to consult, and with what restraints on them, and professions, that they were called only to be advisers, when they were required, but not to conclude anything, either by a general concurrence, or by that of a Major part, any farther then the reasons which they should offer them, might prevail with them; to which purpose it was so ordered, that if any one man dissented from the rest of their Divines, his opinion and reasons were as much to be represented to the Houses, as that other of the rest of the Assembly.

[Sect. 3] By this I conceive it appears, that I have not quarrel'd causelessly with the Logic of this conclusion, the premises pretending at most but motives of expedience, and so as unable to infer a necessity, as a Topicall argument is to demonstrate, or a particular to induce an universal. That which I would in charity guess of this matter, as the cause of this mistake, is my not groundless suspicion, that when the Presbyterians had prepared the premises, the Independents framed the conclusion, the former of these joining at last with the other in a resolution of taking away the Book, but only on prudential considerations; not out of Conscience of the unlawfulness, and proportionably setting down those reasons but prudential reasons; and the latter though restrained from putting conscience into the premises, yet stealing it secretly into the conclusion, and so each deceiving and being deceived by each-other, I am not sure that my conjecture is right in this particular, yet have I a reason to insert it. I Because I find in many places of the Directory certain footsteps of this kind of composition and compliance, and mixture of those so distant sorts of Reformers. 2. Because the Presbyterians which have formerly appeared both in other and in this Kingdom (whose copy these present reformers of that party have transcribed) have constantly avowed the lawfulness of Liturgy, and so cannot affirm any necessity of abolishing; witness Calvin himself (whom we shall anon have occasion to produce) and the practice of the Church of Geneva, and nearer to ourselves, witness those four classes, which in Q. Elizabeth's days, had set themselves up in this Kingdom. These had made complaint to the Lord Burleigh against our Liturgy, and entertained hopes of obtaining his favor in that business about the year 1585. he demanded of them, whether they desired the taking away of all Liturgy, they answered, no, he then required them to make a better, such as they would desire to have settled in the stead of this. The first Classis did accordingly frame a new one, somewhat according to the Geneva form. But this the second Classis disliked, and altered in 600 particulars; that again had the fate to be quarrel'd by the third Classis, and what the third resolved on, by the fourth; and the dissenting of those Brethren, as the Division of tongues at Babel, was a fair means to keep that Tower then from advancing any higher. Nay even for our neighbors of Scotland themselves, what ever some of them of late have thought fit to do, since they became Covenanteers, (in animosity perhaps and opposition to that terrible mormo, the Liturgy sent to them from hence) we know that they were Presbyterians formerly, without seeing any necessity of abolishing Liturgy.

[Sect. 4] 'It is no news to tell you that Mr Knox wrote a Liturgy, wherein there is frequent mention of the days of Common Prayer; and among many other particulars, these ensuing, worthy your remark. 1. Plain undisguised confessions of such faults, which this age, though as notoriously guilty of as they, will not put into public forms, or leave upon record against themselves, as, That for the pleasure and defense of the French they had violated their Faith, oft breaking the leagues of unity and concord, which their Kings and Governors had contracted with their Neighbors. And again, that for the maintenance of their friendship, they have not feared to break their solemned oaths made unto others. To which I might add, from another Confession, that Whoredom and adultery are but pastimes of the flesh; crafty dealing, deceit and oppression is counted good conquest, &c. but that it would look too like a Satire against some part of that Nation at this time thus to specify. 2. Their great sense and acknowledgement of obligations from this Kingdom of England, and not only prayers for continuance of peace between England and Scotland, but even execrations on all (and so sure on those their successors of this age) which should continue or contribute ought toward the breaking of it, the words are these. Seeing when we by our power were altogether unable, &c. thou didst move the hearts of our neighbors (of whom we had deserved no such favor) to take upon them the common burden with us, and for our deliverance, not only to spend the lives of many, but also to hazard the estate and tranquility of their Realm, Grant unto us that with such reverence we may remember thy benefits received, that after this in our default, we never enter into hostility against the Nation of England, suffer us never to fall into that ingratitude and detestable unthankfulness, that we should seek the destruction and death of those whom thou hast made instruments to deliver us from the tyranny of merciless strangers. [the French.] Dissipate thou the counsels of such as deceitfully travail to stir the hearts of either Realm against the other, let their malicious practices be their own confusion, and grant thou of thy mercy, that love, and concord, and tranquility may continue and increase among the inhabitants of this Island, even to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thirdly, that some of their forms of words are directly all one with ours, others with some small additions retaining our forms, as in the Prayer for the King, and the Exhortation before the Sacrament, and the adjuration of the Parties to be married will appear. Fourthly, that on their day of Fast (though that be with great care provided and ordered to be the Sunday twice together, quite contrary to the Canons and custom of the Primitive Church, yet) 'tis then appointed, that the Minister with the People shall prostrate themselves, &c. a posture of most humble bodily adoration, made to reproach those who will not so much as recommend or direct any one kind of corporal worship or gesture of humiliation in all their Directory. The enlarging to this mention of particulars I acknowledge to be a digression. But the presenting to your knowledge or remembrance this Scottish Liturgy is not; By which superadded to the former, and by much more which might from other Churches be added to that, it briefly appears what is or hath been the uniform judgment of the Presbyteriansin this matter, directly contrary to the concluded necessity of abolishing.

[Sect. 5] Which necessity on the other side the Independents have still asserted, and for that and other such differences have avowed their resolutions, to be the like scourges to them as they have been to us, professing (and ad homines, unanswerably proving the reasonableness of it) to • eform the Geneva reformation (as a first rude and so imperfect draught just creeping out of Popery there, and therefore not supposable to be complete at the first assay) as the Presbyterians upon the same pretences have designed and practiced on our English Reformation.

[Sect. 6] All this I have said against the concluded necessity in case, or on supposition that the premises were true, but now I must add the falseness of those also, and then if the necessity will still remain, I must pronounce it a piece of Stoicall fatality, an insuperable unruly necessity indeed, that will acknowledge no Laws, or bounds, or limits to confine it.

[Sect. 7] And first for the manifold inconveniences, if that phrase denote those severals which in the Preface to the Directory are suggested, I shall in due place make it appear.

1. That there are no such inconveniencies.

2. That greater then those may easily, and hereafter shall be produced against their Directory, and consequently that, although true inconveniencies were supposed sufficient to infer a necessity of abolition, yet such only pretended names of inconveniency, such Chimaera's and Mormo's (especially over-balanced with real ones in the other scale) would be abundantly insufficient to do it. But if the manifold inconveniences have a larger prospect to refer to, we shall conclude it very uncharitable not to mention those, which might possible have had the same effect with us as with them, convinced us also to be their Proselytes, and in the mean time very unjust to put so uncertain an equivocal phrase into a law, which we have no Criterion or nomenclature to interpret; but beyond all, very imprudent to mention and lay weight on such slight and such no inconveniencies afterward specified, when others might have been produced better able to beat the envy of the accusation.

[Sect. 8] As for your resolution, if it went no higher then the Covenant, and that but to reform Religion, according to the word of God, and the example of the best reformed Churches, I am sure it cannot oblige, or so much as incline you to take away that Book, there being nothing in it. 1. Contrary to the design of Reformation. 2. Contrary to the word of God, or 3. Contrary to the example of the best reformed Churches.

Not 1. to Reformation, for Reformation is as contrary to abolition of what should be reformed, as cure to killing; and if it be replied, that the abolition of Liturgy, as unlawful may be necessary to the reforming of Religion, I shall yield to that reply on that supposition, but then withal add, that Liturgy must first be proved unlawful, and that testified from divine infallible principles; which because it is not thorough this whole Book so much as pretended, both that and the second suggestion from the word of God must necessarily be disclaimed, and then the example of the best reformed Churches will soon follow, not only because all other Reformed Churches ordinarily known by that Title, have some kind of Liturgy, and that is as contrary to abolition, as the continuing of ours without any change, but because no reformation, is to be prefer'd before that which cuts off no more then is necessary to be cut off, and which produces the Scripture rule, the sword of the Spirit for all such amputations; and therefore the Church of England, as it stands established by Law is avowable against all the Calumniators in the world, to be the best and most exemplary reformed; so far, that if I did not guess of the sense of the Covenant more by the temper then words of the Covenanteers, I should think men, that have Covenanted to reform after the example of the best Reformed Churches, indispensably obliged to conform to the King- Edward, or Queen- Elizabeth- English Reformation, the most regular perfect pattern that Europe yieldeth.

[Sect. 10] As for the truth of the last affirmation that they have consulted with the Divines called together to that purpose, although I have no reason to doubt of it, yet this I know, that very many of the learned'st there present, were, immediately before their imbarking in that employment, otherwise minded, and that therefore so sudden an universal change of minds savors either of some strong charm, or strange inconstancy, and I shall make bold to ask this Question of that whole number of Divines, whether I should do them wrong in affirming, that there yet are not ten Divines in that number that think all Liturgy unlawful, and consequently that it was necessary (not to reform, but) to abolish our Book, which is the style of the Ordinance. If this challenge of mine may not be answered with a plain punctual subscription of so many to the condemnation of all Liturgy as unlawful, I am sure this is an Argument, ad homines, unanswerable. And the ground of my challenge, and of my specifying that number, is the relation we have oft had of the but seven dissenting Brethren, i. e. the but so many of the Independent Party among them, which upon my former ground I now suppose the only mortal enemies to all Liturgy. But if I am mistaken, and this be the common sense of those Assemblers; then have I reason to add to my former complaints this other of their so over-cautious expressions, which through this whole Book hath not once intimated either the whole or any part to be unlawful, but only quarrelled the inconveniences, which supose it otherwise to be lawful.

[Sect. 11] And thus much might suffice of the first observable in the Ordinance, the concluding this abolition to be necessary. But because I would foresee and prevent all possible rejoinder, and because I would here interpose some considerations which would otherwise take up a larger place, I shall suppose the Presbyterians may have another notion of the word Necessary, of a lower importance then this under which we have hitherto proceeded against them (though still the Independents, whose judgment is not wont to be despised in the framing of Ordinances, cannot be imagined to take it in any other) and that is, that it shall signify only a Political necessity, or that which is necessary, if not to the being, yet to the well being, i. e. to the Peace and presperity of this Kingdom. Now because there be two parts of every Christian Kingdom, a Seat and a Church, and so two branches of Policy, Civil and Ecclesiastical, I shall not undertake to be so far Master of their sense, as to pitch upon either as that wherein they affirm this abolition necessary, but say somewhat to both, and to show that it is not necessary in either sense of Political necessity.

[Sect. 11] And first that the abolition of Liturgy cannot have so much as a benign influence on the State, much less be necessary to the prosperity of it, I shall infer only by this vulgar aphorism, that any notable or grand mutation, if from some higher principle it appear not necessary to be made, will be necessary not to be made, at least not to be made 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , altogether, but only by degrees, and prudent dispensings. I shall not any farther enlarge on so plain a theme, then to mention one proportion or resemblance of this truth in the natural body observed by the Physicians in the cure of an hydropicall patient, who, when the body lies covered with such a deluge of water, that it proves necessary to make some sluice to let out the burthenous superfluity, do not yet proceed by any loose way of letting out all at once, because the violent effluvium, or pouring out of Spirits constantly consequent to that, would certainly destroy the Patient, and endanger him on dry ground, as much, or more, then in the midst of those waters; but the method is a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the making so small a hole in the skin, that shall drain the body by insensible degrees by drawing out a little at once, and never above a pint at a time, though many gallons are designed to pass by this way of evacuation. I shall add no more to this resemblance, but that the total violent illegal abolition of Liturgy in a settled Church, is certainly of this nature, and being superadded to the change of the Government into a Form quite contrary to that which for 1600 years hath prevailed in the universal Church of Christ, there settled by the Apostles, may be allowed the style of insignis mutatio, a mutation of some considerable importance to a Christian state, which being admitted altogether without any preparative alleviating steps, will (by the rapid sudden motion at least, if there were nothing else) have a dangerous influence upon the whole body, of which the cunningest diviner cannot at this distance foresee the effects, or prevent the emergent mischiefs which succeeding time may discover. If it be said, that this abolition is now necessary to conclude the present War, and that be affirmed to be the Politick necessity here meant, I answer, that if it were able to do that, I should acknowledge it the strongest argument that could be thought on to prove it Politically necessary, this War being so unnecessarily destructive, and anything that could rid us of that, so strongly convenient, that if Conscience would permit the use of it, I should allow it the title of necessary. But to make short of this, no man can believe that these Armies were raised or continued to subdue the Common-Prayer-Book, for, besides that there was a time when 'twas found necessary for the Houses to declare, that they had no design to take away that Book, for fear the people should be disobliged by it, and another when the Earl of Essex his Army expressed some kindness to it; 'It is now confessed by the Pretenders of both Perswasions, Presbytrians and Independents, one that they do not, the other that they must not take up Arms for Religion, and so that kind of political necessity of abolishing the Book is, and by themselves must be disclaimed also.

[Sect. 12] Now for the second branch of this necessity, that which is in order to Ecclesiastical or Church-policy, we shall take liberty in this place to consider this matter at large, because it may perhaps save us some pains hereafter, and because their pretending of this necessity of doing what they do, is a temptation, if not a challenge to us to do so, and then we shall leave it to the Reader to judge what grounds may hence be fetched for this pretended necessity. And this must be done by laying together the several things that are in our Liturgy, and are purposely left out in the Directory, and so are as it were the Characteristicall note, by which the Directory is by the Assemblers designed to differ from our Liturgy, as so much food from poison, Christian from Antichristian (if Necessity be properly taken) or (if improperly for that which is necessary only to the well being) as a more perfect and more profitable, from that which, if it be so at all, is not either (in their opinion) in so high a degree.

[Sect. 13] Now the severals of our Liturgy which are purposely avoided in this Directory, I have observed to be principally these; Of those that are more extrinsical, six.

• 1. The prescribing of Forms, or Liturgy itself.
• 2. Outward or bodily worship.
• 3. Uniformity in performing God's service.
• 4. The Peoples bearing some part in the service.
• 5. The dividing the Prayers into several Collects, and not putting them all into one continued Prayer.
• 6. The Ceremonies of kneeling in the Communion, of Cross in Baptism, of Ring in Marriage, &c.

Then of those that are intrinsical, and parts of the Service.

• 1. The Absolution, in the beginning of the Service next after the Confession, and before the Communion, and in the Visitation of the sick.
• 2. The Hymns, the Introite, the Te Deum, &c.
• 3. The use of the Doxology or giving glory to God.
• 4. The Confession of the Faith in the Creeds.
• 5. The frequent repeating of the Lord's Prayer, & the prayers for the King
• 6. The observations of divers Feasts commemorative, not only of Christ, but of Saints departed, and assigning Services, Lessons, Epistles, and Gospels, and Collects to them.
• 7. The reading the Commandments, and the Prayers belonging to that Service.
• 8. The order of the Offertory.
• 9. Private Baptism.
• 10. Aprescript form of Catechism.
• 11. Confirmation.
• 12. The solemnities of burying the dead.
• 13. Thanksgiving after Child-birth.
• 14. Communion of the sick.
• 15. The Service containing the Communion.
• 16. The observation of Lent, and the Rogation, and I would add also of the Ember weeks.

This may seem too loose a task, to enlarge on each of these, and yet we are in justice to this Book, and for answer to the pretended Necessity of abolishing it, obliged to do so, as briefly as it may, only so far as may serve to give the Reader a view of the lawfulness at least, and withal of the usefulness of each of these, and consequently of the no appearance of reason why it should be thought necessary to abolish any one of them, much less of all the rest for that ones sake.

[Sect. 14] And first for the prescribing of Forms of Prayer, or Liturgy itself, we shall refer it to judgment whether it be necessary in Ecclesiastical Policy, i. e. strongly conducing to the benefit and edification of a Church to interdict or banish it out of the Kingdom, when we have proposed these few things concerning it. 1. The example of God himself and holy men in the Old Testament, prescribing set Forms of blessing the people to be used daily by Aaron and his Sons, Numb. 6. 23. The Lord bless thee and keep thee, &c. set Forms for the people to use themselves, Deut. 26. 3. 5. Thou shall say before the Lord, A Syrian, &c. as also at the going out of their Armies, Deut. 20. 3. and of Thanksgiving, Exod. 15. 1. made by Moses, and it seems learnt by-heart by all the people; and in the same words used again by Mirian, v. 21. and so it appears, Isa. 38. 20. that Hezekiah did not only form a set thanksgiving, but used it all the days of his life. And the same Hezekiah, 2. Chron. 29. 30. in his thanksgiving commanded the Levites also to sing praises to God with the words of David and Asaph, i. e. Forms already prepared to his hand by those sacred Pen-men.

[Sect. 15] 2. The practice of the Jews since Ezra's time constantly using set Forms of Prayer by way of Liturgy; For this I shall produce no other proof then the testimony of a learned Member of their Assembly, Mr. Selden in in his notes on Eutychius, vouching all his affirmation out of the ancient records of the customs of the Jewish Nation from whom, that they may be of authority with you, I shall transcribe these severals, That certain forms of praying, which were to be used by everyone daily by Law, or received custom, were instituted by Ezra and his house, i. e. his consistory. That the Jews about the end of the Babylonish captivity had their ancient manners as well as language so depraved, that without a Master they either were not able to pray as they ought, or had not confidence to do so. And therefore that for the future, they might not recede either in the matter of their prayers (through corruption) or expression (through ignorance) from that form of piety commanded them by God, this remedy was applied by the men of the great Synagogue, Ezra & his 120. Collegues, (where by the way is observable one special use and benefit of set Forms, not only to provide for the ignorance, but to be an hedge to true Religion, to keep out all mixtures or corruptions out of a Church; To which purpose also the Councils in the Christian Church have designed several parts which we still retain in our Liturgy, a real and a valuable benefit, if it were considered.) That of this kind there were 18. Prayers or Benedictions, called in the Gemara composed or appointed Prayers. That the three first of these, and the three last respected the glory of God the twelve other intermediate were spent on those prime things that were necessary, either to the whole People, or every particular man, (proportionable to which perhaps it is that our Savior who accommodated most institutions of his Baptism and his last Supper, &c. to the customs of the Church, did also design his prayer, as it is set down in Matthew, though not according to the number of the Jewish prayers, yet to the general matter & form of them, the three first branches of it, and the conclusion, which may pass for three branches more, referring to the glory of God, and the other intermediate to our private and public wants.) That these Prayers were to be learnt by every man that the Prayers of the unskillful might be as perfect as of the most eloquent. That every act of praying was begun with, Psal. 51. 15. O Lord open thou our lips & our mouths shall show forth thy praise (the very form of words still retained in St James his Liturgy, and in ours before the Introite) and concluded with Psal. 19. the last verse, Into thy hands, &c. That of these 18 Prayers no one was to be omitted, that if any other were added, they were counted of like free-will offerings, as the other were answerable to the prescribed and were called by that name. That the additions might be made only in those Prayers which concern their own wants, because those were capable of variation, but not to those that concerned God. That on Sabbath & Feast-days no man might use a voluntary prayer. That about the time of the Jews destruction Gam • liel and his Sanhedrim added a nineteenth Prayer, and after him others, so that at length the daily service grew to an 100 Prayers. That it is likely that the Pagans come to use their set Forms in their Sacrifice also, (and perhaps the Mahumedans too) by the example of the Jewish Church, for which he there refers the Reader to many Books of the Learned. I conceive the authority of this Gentleman hath not been despised by the House of Commons, and the Assemblers (when it hath chanced to agree with their designs or interest) and therefore I have thus far, as an Argument ad homines, insisted on it.

[Sect. 16] 3. The not only practice, but precept of Christ in the New Testament, who did not only use himself a set form of words in prayer, three times together using the same words. Matth. 26. 44. and upon the Cross in the same manner, praying in the Psalmists words, only changed into the Syriac dialect, which was then the vulgar: but also commanded the use of those very words of his perfect form, which it seems he meant not only as a pattern but a form itself (as the Standard weight, is not only the measure of all weights, but may itself be used) Luke 11. 2. when you pray, say, Our Father, &c. which precept no man can with a good conscience ever obey, that holds all set forms necessary to be cast out of the Church.

[Sect. 17] 4. The practice, not only of John the Baptist, who taught his disciples to pray, Luke 11. 1. (which occasioned Christ's Disciples to demand, and him to give them a form of Prayer) but especially of the Apostles, of which we find intimations, 1. Cor. 14. 26. When you come together everyone of you hath a Psalm, which sure refers to some of the Psalms of David or Asaph, used then ordinarily in their devotions, (and that as even now I said, authorized by the example of Christ himself upon the Cross, who it is thought repeated the whole 22. Psalm, it is certain, the first verse of it, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me) and so certainly a set form, and that of Prayer too (of which thanksgivings and Praises are a part.) But because everyone had his several Psalm, it is therefore reprehended by the Apostle, as tending to confusion, and by that consequence, S. Paul's judgment is thence deducible for the joining of all in the same form, as being the only course tending to edification in the end of that verse, and then sure 'twould be hard, that that which the Apostle conceived the only course for edifying, should now be necessary to be turned out of the Church as contrary to edification. Farther yet, 'tis clear by text, that the Apostles when they met together, to holy duties (such are Fasting, Prayer, receiving the Sacrament) continued very long time, sometimes a whole day together. This being too much to be always continued in the Church, and unsuitable to every man's business, is said to have been the occasion that S. James first made choice of some special Prayers most frequently by them used, which was after called his Liturgy, which (or some other in the disguise of that) the Greek Church still use on solemn days. This also being of the longest for every days use, St Basil is said to have shortened, and that again St Chrysostom; how certain these reports are, I shall not take upon me to affirm, but only add, that the Greek Church, who are most likely to know the truth of it by their records, do retain all these three Liturgies, and would loudly laugh at any man that should make doubt whether St James, St Basil, and St Chrysostom, were not the Authors of them. 2. That the judgment of that Church (if they are deceived also, and may not be thought worthy to be heeded by our Assemblers) is yet an argument of great authority to any prudent man, if not that these Liturgies were purely the same with those which were written by that Apostle, and those holy men, yet that there were such things as Liturgies of their penning. The like might be added of that short form of St Peters, which alone they say was used in the Roman Church for a great while, till after by some Popes it was augmented, and the same of St Marks Liturgy. I am sure St Augustine speaking of some forms retained in the Church, and still to be found in our Liturgy, particularly that of Sursum corda, Lift up your hearts, &c. faith, that they are verba ab ipsis Apostolorum temporibus petita, words fetched from the times of the Apostles, which supposes that they did use such Forms. And for that particular mentioned by St Augustine, it is agreeable to the Constitutions of the Apostles, l. 8. c. 16. (which collection if it be not so ancient as it pretends, doth yet imitate Apostolical antiquity) and so in St James's, and Basils and Chrysostom's Liturgy in the same words with our Book as far as to the word [bounden] and for many other such particular Forms used by us we find them in Cyril of Jerusalem's Catechism, one of the ancientest Authors we have, and then that it should be necessary for the Church to turn out what the Apostles had thus brought into it, will not easily be made good by our Assemblers.

[Sect. 18] Fifthly, The practice of the Universal Church from that time to this, which is so notorious to any that is conversant in the writings of the Ancient Fathers, and of which so many testimonies are gathered together for many men's satisfaction by Cassander, and other writers of the Liturgica, that 'twere a reproach to the Reader to detain or importune him with testimonies of that nature. To omit the practice of Constantine, who prescribed a form for his Soldiers (a Copy of which we have in Euseb. de vit. Const. l. 4. c. 20.) I shall only mention two grand testimonies for set Forms, one in the 23 Canon of the third Council of Carthage, Quascunque sibipreces aliquis describet noniis utatur, • ise priùs oas cum instructioribus fratribus contulerit: No man may use any Prayers which he hath made, unless he first consult with other learneder Christians about thē. And the other more punctual: Council: Milev. c. 12. Placuit ut precesquae probatae fuerintin Concilio ab omnibus celebrentur. Nec alia omnino dicātur in Ecclesia, nisi quae à prudentioribus tractantur, vel comprobatae in Synod fuerint, no forte aliquid contra fidem, aut per ignorantiam, aut per minus studium sit compositum. It was resolved on, that the Prayers that were approved in the Council should be used by all, & that no other should be said in the Church but those that had been weighed by the more prudent, or approved in a Synod, lest anything, either through ignorance or negligence should be dōne against the Faith. Instead of such Citations (and because whatsoever argument is brought from that Topic of Ecclesiastical tradition, is now presently defamed with the title of Popish and Antichristian, because forsooth Antichrist was a working early in the Apostles time, and everything that we have not a mind to in antiquity, must needs be one of those works) I shall rather choose to mention another, as a more convincing argument ad homines, and that is,

[Sect. 19] Sixthly, The judgment and practice of the Reformed in other Kingdoms, even Calvin himself in several ample testimonies, one in his Notes upon Psal. 20. 1. another in his Epistle to the Protector. I shall not give myself license to transcribe these, or multiply more such Testimonies, only for the honor not only of Liturgy in general, but particularly of our Liturgy, 'twill be worth remembering that Gilbertus a German, many years since, in a book of his, propounds our Book of prayer for a sample of the Forms of the ancient Church; And for the purity of it, through Reformation, that Cr • nmer procured the King Edwards Common-Prayer-Book to be translated into Latin, & sent it to Bucer, & required his judgment of it, who answered, that there was nothing in it, but what was taken out of the word of God, or which was not against it, commodē acceptum, being taken in a good sense, some things indeed, saith he, quae nisi quis, &c. unless they be interpreted with Candor, may seem not so agreeable to the word of God, & which unquiet men may wrest u • te matter of contention. As may be seen at large in Bucer's Scripta Anglicana. Upon this occasion this Book of King Edwards was again survey'd, and in those particulars, that were Subject to such Cavills, corrected. After which time the quarrels about that Book were generally with the Papists (not so much with the opposite extreme (and therefore John Ould in Queen Mary's days wrote against them in defense of it, and of the King Edwards Reformation. And Cranmer made a challenge, that if he might be permitted by the Queen to take to him P. Martyr, and four or five more, they would enter the lists with any Papists living, and defend the Common-Prayer-Book to be perfectly agreeable to the Word of God, and the same in effect which had been for 1500 years in the Church of Christ. This for the reputation of the Book. Then for the fruit and benefit that by the use of it redounded to Christians, take an essay by Mr John Hullier, Fellow of Kings College in Cambridge, who was Martyred in Queen Mary's days, Ann. 1557. and being at the stake among many other books that were thrown into the fire to him, it happened that a Common-Prayer-Book fell between his hands, which he joyfully receiving opened, and read till the flame and smoke suffered him not to see anymore, and then he fell to prayer, holding his hands up to heaven, and the book betwixt his arms next his heart, thanking God for that mercy in sending him it, the relation is M ^r Foxes, and from thence the plea authentic, that the tree that bare wholesome fruit, should not be cut down by the law, Deut. 10. 20. even when War was to be made on a City, and as Maimon adds, l. de Idol. though it were worshipped for an Idol, and if that which was then of so dear esteem be now so necessary to be cast our, it is an ill indication of the times into which we are fallen.

[Sect. 20] Seventhly, The reasons on which the very Heathens themselves took up the same practice, which was universal (it seems) through all the world, more Catholic then the Church itself. To this purpose beside those Authors which Mr Selden refers to, I shall only add these three testimonies, first of Plato, l. 7. de leg. where he commands, that what ever Prayers or Hymns the Poets composed to the God's, they should first show them to the Priests (as if they were in a manner leprous till then) before they published them, le • t they should ask evil things instead of good (an infirmity that these days are very subject unto) The second in Thucyd. l. 6. p. 434. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Set forms for several occasions, and a common joint sending them up to heaven. The third in Alexander ab Alex. l. 4 c. 17. that the Gentiles read their Prayers out of a Book before their Sacrifices, Ne quid praepostere dicatur, aliquis ex script • praeire & ad verbum refer solitus est: That the work might not be done proposterously. Which two reasons of theirs, the one lest they should stray in the matter of their Prayers, the other lest offend in the manner, may pass for Christian reasons, as seasonable with us, as they were among them. And no necessity that those reasons should be despised by us neither.

[Sect. 21] Eighthly, The irrational concludings, or shortness of discourse of those which are against set forms, especially in two things; the first observed by D. Preston (whose memory is, I hope, not lost among these Assemblers) and made use of in a Printed work of his to the confuting of them. That while they in opposition to set Forms require the Minister to conceive a Prayer for the Congregation, they observe not, that the whole Congregation is by that means as much stinted, and bound to a set Form, to wit, of those words which the Minister conceives, as if he read them out of a book. 2. That the persons with whom we have now to deal, though they will not prescribe any Form of Prayer, yet venture to prescribe the matter of it in these words, pag. 14. the Minister is to call upon the Lord to this effect. Now why the prescription of the matter is not the stinting of the Spirit, as well as the form of words (unless the Spirit, like the Heathen Mercury be the God of eloquence, and be thought to deal in the words only) or why the promise of dabitur in illâ horâ, it shall be given you in that hour, should not be as full a promise for matter, as for expressions; especially when that Text forbids care or provision, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 not only how, but what they should speak, and the promise is peculiarly for the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , it shall be given you what you shall speak; and this is it, that is attributed to the Spirit, v. 20. (from whence if I should conclude, that the holy Ghost taught the Disciples only the matter of their answer; and they themselves were left to put it in form of words, there is nothing in that Text against that assertion; and that it was so in their penning of the New Testament, many probable Arguments might be produced if it were now seasonable,) and consequently, why the prescribing of one should not be unreasonable in them, that condemn all prescribing of the other, I confess is one of those things which my charity hath made me willing to impute to the shortness of discourse, because I am unwilling to lay any heavier charge upon it.

[Sect. 22] From all which considered, and a great deal more which might be added, from the usefulness of known Forms to those, whose understandings, are not quick enough to go along with unknown, and if they have no other, are fain ofttimes to return without performing any part of that so necessary duty of prayer in the Church, from the experience of the effects of the contrary doctrine, the many scandalous passages which have fallen from Ministers in their extemporary Prayers (of which mere pity and humanity, civility and mercy to Enemies, restrains us from inserting a large Catalogue) and the no manner of advantage above that which set Forms may also afford, but only of satisfaction to the itching ear, exercise and pleasure to the licentio •• tongue, and the vanity of the reputation of being able to perform that office so fluently (which yet is no more then the Rabbins allow Achitophel, that he had every day three new Forms of prayer) or having a plentiful measure of the Spirit; which is believed to infuse such eloquence, I shall now conclude it impossible that any human eye should discern 〈◊〉 Necessity, in respect of Ecclesiastical policy, edifying the Church, why all Liturgy should be destroyed, not washed nor purged with Sope, suc • any Reformation would be, but torn and consumed with nitre, for suc • is abolition, why it should suffer this Ostracisme, unless as Aristides di • for being too virtuous) be thus vehemently first declaimed, and then b • ▪nish'd out of the Church.

[Sect. 23] Secondly, for outward bodily worship, 'tis particularly prohibited by the Directory at one time, at the taking of our seats or places when we enter th • Assembly, (directly contrary to that of I • idor si quis veniat cùm lectio celebratur adoret tantùm Deum: If any come in when the Lesson is a reading let him only perform adoration to God, & hearken to what is read) & neve so much as recommended at any time, nor, one would think, permitted i • any part of their public service, like the Persians in Strabo, l. 15. that never offered any part of the flesh to the God's in their sacrifices, kept all th • to themselves, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , supposing the God's would b • content with the souls, which in the blood were poured out and sacrificed to their honor, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 they said that the God's wanted and desired the souls for a sacrifice, b • not anything else; of which people Herodotus, l. 1. hath observed that they had neither Templars nor Altar, and laughed at them which built either but went to the top of some hill or other, and there sacrificed, prefe • ring such natural Altars before any other. The former of these is th • avowed Divinity of these men (and might perhaps have been attend • with the latter too, were it not that there be so many Churches alread • built conveniently to their hands) instead of which, our Liturgy hat • thought fit not only to recommend but prescribe bodily worship; fi •• by directing in the Rubric what part of service shall be performed kneeling, then by reading the Venite, where all encourage and call up one th • others to worship, and fall down, and kneel, &c. to worship i. e. adore, whic • peculiarly notes bodily worship, and so surely the falling down, and kneeling before the Lord. And of this I shall say, that it is 1. an act of obedience to that precept of glorifying God in our bodies, as well as souls. 2. A transcribing of Christ's copy, who kneeled, and even prostrated himself in prayer, of many holy men in Scripture, who are affirmed to have done so (and that affirmation written for our example) and even of the Publican, who though standing yet by standing afar off, by not looking up, by striking his breast, did clearly join bodily worship to his prayer, of [Lord be merciful to me a sinner] used at his coming into the Temple, and in that posture thrived better then the Pharisee in his loftier garb, went away more justified, saith our Savior, as a vessel at the foot of a hill, will (say the Artists) receive and contain more water, then the same or the like vessel on the top of it would be able to do (and he that shall do the like, that shall join adoration of God, and nothing but God, to the use of that or the like servant ejaculation at his entrance into God's house, will sure have Christ's approbation of the Publicans behavior, to justify him from any charge of superstition in so doing) and besides 3. the most agreeable humble gesture, and so best becoming, and evidencing, and helping the inward performance of that most lowly duty of Prayer, and consequently that it may be charged with blasphemy, as well and as properly, as with superstition, and probably would be so, if the latter were not the more odious of the two: and indeed why kneeling or bowing should be more liable to that censure, then either mental or oral prayer, there is no reason imaginable, it being as possible that one may be directed to a false object (and so become Idolatrous, or superstitious in the true notion of those words (as they denote the worship of Idols, or dead men, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or superstites) as the other, and (for the improper notion of Superstition (the one again as much capable of being an excess in Religion (the mind or tongue being as likely to enlarge and exceed as the body) or of using a piece of false Religion, as the other, the bodily worship duly performed to God, being the payment of a debt to God (and no doubt acceptable, when it is paid with a true heart) and no way an argument of want, but a probable evidence of the presence and cooperation of inward devotion, as I remember Nazianzen saith of his Father, Or. 8. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , He shown a great deal in the outside, but kept the greater treasure within in the invisible part. And on the other side, the stiffness of the knee, an argument of some eminent defect, if not of true piety, yet of somewhat else, and Christ's prediction, John 4. that the time should come that the worshippers should worship God in spirit and truth, (being not set in opposition to bodily worship, but to the appropriating it to some singular places, Jerusalem or that Mountain) not producible as any apology or excuse for such omission. To these brief intimations I shall need add no more, when the conclusion that I am to infer is so moderate, being only this, that it is not necessary to turn all bowing, or kneeling, or bodily worship out of the Church, (were there any superstition in any one or more gestures, this were too great a severity, to mulct the Church of all, above the proportion of the most unlimited arbitrary Court, whose amercements must always be within the compass of salvo contenemente, which this will not be, if there be no competency of bodily worship left behind) and that the Liturgy doth better to prescribe it at fit times, then the Directory to omit all mention of it at all times, unless by way of dislike and prohibition. Which conclusion will be the more easily evinced against them, by asking them whether in their Family-Parlour-Prayers; or in their private Closet-prayers, they do not approve and practice that gesture; which as I believe in charity they do, so I must from thence infer, that by them the house of God, is the only place thought fit to be despised. And if it be replied, that the Directory forbids not kneeling, but only commands it not, leaving it free to use or not to use. I answer. 1. That the effect of this liberty is very remarkable among them, and equal to that of a prohibition, no man almost of their persuasion ever kneeling in their Churches. 2. That the never so much as recommending it, is very near a forbidding of it. 3. That bowing or adoration is directly forbidden once (which by the way, is as much the defining of a Ceremony, viz. that of standing or going upright, and so as contrary to the Independents persuasions, and to the great clamorous complaint for Liberty in Ceremonies, as any prescription of kneeling or bowing can be.) 4. That kneeling also is at the receiving of the Sacrament forbidden, by necessity of consequence, sitting being prescribed, and therefore that that reply or excuse is false also. And so now what special advantage this is like to bring in to this Church of ours, to have the bodies of negligent, or profane, or Factious men left (without any so much as an admonition) to their own inclinations and so what depth of Ecclesiastical policy there was which made this change so necessary, I desire now may be judged.

[Sect. 24] Thirdly, For uniformity in that Service; (which our Liturgy labors to set up, by prescribing the manner of it, but the Directory hath taken away by leaving all to the chance of men's wills, which can no more be thought likely to concur in one form, then Democritus's Atoms to have met together into a world of beautiful Creatures, without any hand of providence to dispose them) it hath certainly the approbation of all wise men, and command of St Paul, 1 Cor. 14. 40. in that grand place, Let all things be done decently, and in order. Of which I conceive the clear importance to be, that all be done in the Church according to custom and appointment. The former implied in 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , (custom being the only rule of decency, and therefore the indecency of wearing long hair, is proved by being against nature, i. e, saith Soudas in the Scripture phrase, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a custom of some continuance in that place, and thereupon St Paul thinks it enough against an Ecclesiastical usage, and that which might supersede all strife about it, 1 Cor. 11. 16. [we have no such customs, &c.]) and the latter in plain words 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , according to order or appointment (for so the words literally import) and then upon these two grounds is uniformity built, and necessarily results, where all that is done in the Church is ruled by one of these, by custom, or by Law, which being here commanded by St. Paul, is a proof of the more then lawfulness of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 prescription of Ceremonies in a Church, and of uniformity therein. And then what necessity there is or can be that St Paul's command shall be so neglected, all care of uniformity so disclaimed, all 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , constitution, or ordinance, for any Ecclesiastical matter (unless their ordinance against all such constitutions) so solemnly disavowed, it will be hard to imagine, or guess, unless it be on purpose to observe Master Prynne's rule of Conforming the Church to the State, to fill one as full of disorder and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and confusion as the other. I remember a saying of Socrates which Plato and Cicero record from him, Mutatâ Musicâ mutantur & mores: that the change of a kind of Music, had a great influence on men's minds, and had a general change of manners consequent to it. I conceive uniformity in God's service to be parallel to Music, being itself an outward concord, or harmony of the most different affections; and that that should be not only changed, but lost, I cannot understand any necessity, unless it be that some such like effects may be wrought in Religion also.

[Sect. 25] For the fourth, the Peoples bearing some part in the service (whether by way of response in the Prayers, and hymns, or by reading every other verse in the Psalm, mentioned in Theodorets story, l. 2. c. 24. where speaking of Flavianus and Diodorus, he saith of them, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. They divided the Choir of Singers into two parts, and appointed them to sing the Psalms successively, which custom began by them (who, saith he were admirable men, & labor'd extremely to stir up all men to Piety, & to that end invented this) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , prevailed over the whole world, or by way of mutual charity, returning a prayer for the Priest, who began one peculiarly for them; which Innocentius refers to, in his letter to Aurelius and Augustino, calling the communes & alternas preces, to which he there attributes more force, quàm privatis, then to private, or by way of following the Presbyter in Confession of sins, both at the beginning of the Service, and before the Communion; or in Profession of Faith in the Creeds, wherein every the meanest Christian is to have his part;) it is certainly designed by the Church, from the example of pure antiquity, to very gainful uses, to quicken devotion, which the length of continued hearing may have leave to dull and slacken, and to recall those thoughts which may upon the like temptation have diverted to other objects; in a word, to engage everyone to be made no idle of unprofitable Spectator of the Service: and as long as there is still need of that help to these so necessary ends, and not the least show or pretence of objection against it, how necessary it can be to reject it wholly, and lay all the task upon the Priest, and not require so much as an Amen (which it seems was in fashion in St Paul's time) of the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , or Lay person, I leave to the most prejudicate Reader to give sentence for me.

[Sect. 26] As for the Litany, wherein the People are more exercised then in any other part of the Service, it is certainly designed to make it more proportionable to the title bestowed on it by the Ancients of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . earnest or intense Prayer, and in Methodius, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , earnest Petitions, in the Greek Liturgy, simply 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , intense or earnest) from Act. 12. 5. Luke 22. 44. This continual joining of the people in every passage of it, tending very much both to the improving and evidencing that fervor and intention, which can never be more necessary then throughout that Service; of which I shall in passing say these three things, and justify them against any gain-sayer, that there is not extant anywhere, 1. a more particular excellent enumeration of all the Christians either private or common wants, as far as is likely to come to the cognizance of a Congregation; nor secondly, a more innocent blameless Form, against which there lies no just objection, and most of the unjust ones that have been made, are reproachful to Scripture itself, from whence the passages excepted against are fetched, as that particularly of Praying for God's mercy upon all men, from 1. Tim. 2. 1. nor thirdly, a more artificial composure for the raising that zeal, and keeping it up throughout, then this so defamed part of our Liturgy; for which and other excellencies undoubtedly it is, (and not for any Conjuring or Swearing in it) that the Devil hath taken care that it should drink deepest of that bitter cup of Calumnie and Reviling, which it can no way have provoked, but only as Christ did the reproach of the diseased man, What have I to do with thee? &c. when he came to exorcize and cast out the Devil that possessed him. And for this to be thrown out of the Church, sure there is no other necessity, then there was that there should be Scandal • and Heresies in it, only because the Devil and his Factors would have it so.

[Sect. 27] 5. For the dividing of Prayers into divers Collects or Portions, and not putting all our Petitions into one continued Prayer, these advantages it hath to give it authority, 1. the practice of the Jews, whose Liturgy was dispensed into Lessons, &c. and 18 Collects, or short Prayers. 2. The example of Christ prescribing a short Form, and in that, saith St Chrysostom, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , teaching us the measure or length due to each Prayer of ours, Hom: de Ann • f. 965, and setting a mark of Heathenism, Mat. 6. and of Pharisaism, Matth. 23. 14. on their long Prayers. 3. The advice of the Ancients, who tell us St Peters Form, used for a great while in the Roman Church, was a short one, and that Christ and S Paul commanded us to make our Prayers, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , short and frequent, and with little distances between. And so Epiphanius. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : orat. 6. 24. directs to offer our Petitions, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , with all frequency; and Cassian, de instit. mon. l. 2. 10 from the universal consent of them, Utilius censent breves orationes sed creberrimas fieri: The way that is resolved to be most profitable, is to have short Prayers, but very thick or frequent. And he adds a consideration which prompted them to this resolution: Ut Diaboli insidiantis jacula succinctâ brevitate vitemus: That by that means the Devils darts which he is wont to find and steal his time to shoot in to our breasts, may by the brevity of our Prayers be prevented. To these many more might be added, but that the no-advantage on the other side above this (save only the reputation of the labor, and patience of speaking, or hearing so much in a continued course, in one breath as it were) will save us the pains of using more motives to persuade any, that sure it is not necessary to exchange this pleasant easy course of our Liturgy, for the redious toilsome less profitable course in the Directory.

[Sect. 28] Sixthly, for the Ceremonies used in the several Services, much might be said, as particularly for that of kneeling (in opposition to sitting at the Lord's Supper designed in the Directory) 1. that it is agreeable to the practice of all Antiquity, who though they kneeled not because the Canon of the Council of Nice, obliged all to stand in the Church, between Easter and Whitsuntide, or on the Lord's day all the year long, (which by the way absolutely excludes sitting, as also doth that saying of Optatus, l. 4. That the People may not sit in the Church: and of Tertullian, l. de Orat: 〈◊〉 . 12. That 'twas an Heathen custom to sit in the Church, & therefore ought to be reprehended;) yet used the Prayer-gesture at receiving, i. e. bowing their bodies and heads, which the Fathers call adoration: kissing of the hand, is the propriety of the Latin word, but the ordinary denotation of it, bowing the body: the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which is more then the former, the cultus major, among the Learned; For as Herodotus observes of the Eastern Nations, that the manner of equals was to kiss one another at meeting; of inferiors to kiss the hand of the Superior; but of the Suppliants or Petitioners, that would express the greatest humility to bow themselves before him, so was this last of the three continued among the primitive Christians, in their Services of the greatest piety and humility; Climacus, p. 298. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , When I receive I worship, or adore; Agreeable to which the great men in the French Churches, who receive it passing or going (a mere Egyptian. Passover custom) do first make a lowly cringe or courtesy before they take it in their hands. 2. That Christ's Table-gesture at the delivering it, is no Argument for sitting, both because it is not manifest by the Text that he used that, save only at the Passover, from which this Supper of the Lord was distinct, and was celebrated by blessing, and breaking, and giving the bread, &c. to which some other gesture might be more proper, and more commodious, and because Christ's gesture in that is no more obligingly exemplary to us, then his doing it after Super was to the Apostles, who yet did it Fasting. Act. 13. 2. and generally took it before the agapae, and as by Pliny's Epistle it appears, so early in the morning, that the congregation departed and met again, ad capiendum cibum promiscuum, to take their meals together. As also 3. that the contrary gesture of sitting, as it was, not many years since, by a full Synod of Protestants in Poland forbidden, if not condemned, because they found it used by the Arians, as complying with their opinion, who hold our Savior to be a mere Creature, so is now professed by some of our late Reformers writings to be a badge and cognizance of their believing in the infallibility of Christ's promise of coming to reign on this Earth again, and take them into a familiar and (a kind of) equal conversation with him, the Doctrine of the Millenaries, once in some credit, but after condemned by the Church, and though favored by some Learned men, both anciently and of late, is not yet sure clear enough to come into our Creed or Liturgy: or to be professed and proclaimed by that gesture, when ever we receive the Sacrament. The evidence or proof of it being primarily that in the Revelation, which by the rest of that Book I am very apt to suspect, may signify anything rather then what the letter of the words imports to us at the first view of them. But I shall not enlarge on this, nor the other Ceremonies mentioned, but refer the Reader to the Learned Satisfactory unanswer'd labor of Mr Hooker, on these Subjects, and then ask him when he hath read him, 1. whether he repent him of that pains. 2. Whether in his conscience he can think it necessary, or tending to edification, to cast all these causelessly out of this Church, or the whole Liturgy for their sakes.

Now for those things that are more intrinsical to the Liturgy, and parts of the Service; as

[Sect. 29] 1. For the pronouncing of Absolution, which Christ so solemnly instated on the Priest in his Disciples (by three several acts, first unto Peter as the mouth of the Apostles, Matth. 16. 19. then by way of promise to them altogether, cap. 18. 18. then by way of actual instating it on them, breathing that power and the Holy Ghost on them together, Joh. 20. 23.) and which is so distinctly named by St James, cap. 5. 15. in the case of sickness, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , (not as we render they shall be forgiven him, as if it were 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and belonged only to God's act of pardoning, but) impersonally Absolution shall be given him; and so constantly preserved and exercised in the universal Church in public and private, and approved as far as our Liturgy uses it) even by those who affirm that power in the Minister to be only declarative, that any man conversant either in the Gospel or writings of the Fathers, or modern Authors, or that hath but seen Knox's Scotch Liturgy, and observed that part of it, about the receiving of Penitents, would be amazed to see a Directory for the public worship of God (which is a large phrase, and contains the whole office of the Priest) and in it a title for the visitation of the sick, and yet find never a word about Absolution, no not in case of scruple, doubt, or temptation, pag. 67. or the death-bed itself. This exercise of those Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, i. e. of the Church, this pronouncing of God's pardon, & actual giving the Pardon and Peace of the Church to all her penitent children, especially that more particular act before the Communion, and on the Bed of sickness, is, beside the obedience to Christ, so necessary an expression of Christian charity in every Church to its poor members, and the denying of it, where it is due, so barbarous an inhumanity (which yet I hope no man shall be the worse for, but those that do deny it) that as the turning of Public censures out of this Church, is a rare example of despite unto Christ's command, (there being no National Church from Christ's time to this to be found without it, till this of ours for these last three years) so the sending of Absolution after it, and the affirming it to be necessary to be done, and appointing all foot-steps of it to be turned out of the Service, is a piece of disorder, as contrary to Charity as to Piety, to Reason as Religion, this being so far from the blame of an exuberancy in our Service, that there is more reason to wish that there were more of this nature, then that that, which we have already, were omitted.

[Sect. 30] 2. For the Hymns of the Church, it will not be amiss perhaps to give you first the true notion of the word; there being among the Hebrews three sorts of Songs, 1. Mizmor, a concise or short verse, 2. Tehillah, Praise, celebrating or depredicating of God, and 3. Schir, a Canticle, as the word is used in the title of that Song of Songs. And answerable to these three, we have Col. 3. 17. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Psalms and Hymns, and Songs, where the word Hymn is answerable to the second of these, a praising and magnifying of God in and for some of his most remarkable acts of mercy and power. Thus was it the dictate even of nature itself among the heathens, to employ a great part of their Poetry, i. e. their piety (for so Orpheus the first and most famous Writer of Hymns, was called Theologus Poeta, a Poet that was a Divine also) in framing of Hymns to their gods, though those of Musaeus and Linus, the other two Theologi Poetae are not now to be met with. The like we have still of Homer also, and I remember Galen the famous Physician, in one of his Books, De usu partium, describing the composure of the Foot, breaks out of a sudden into an excellent acknowledgement, which he calls 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a true Hymn in laud of that God which made these curious bodies of men. This duty of natural Piety, Christianity certainly hath not obstructed, but elevated it to a far higher pitch by superadding that greatest obligation taken from the Redemption of mankind, to that old one of the Creation. And thus in all Ages of the Church some Hymns have been constantly retained to be said or sung in the Churches, I mean not, only the daily lections of the Psalms of David (which yet this Directory doth not mention, but only commands a more frequent reading of that Book, then of some other parts of Scripture) nor the singing of some of those Psalms in Metre, (which yet this Directory doth not prescribe neither, save only on days of Thankesgiving, or after the Sermon if with convenience it may be done, making it very indifferent, it seems, whether it be kept at all in the Church or no, unless on those special occasions.) But the alternate reading of the 'Psalms both by Priest and people (Psalm ab omnibus celebrentur, Let the Psalms be said by all, in the Milevit: Counc. Can. 12.) the constant use of some special Psalms, as the Introite, and of other more purely Christian Hymns, either framed by holy men in the Scripture in reference to Christ's Incarnation, or by the Church since on purpose to bless and praise God for his mercies in Christ, which sure deserve a daily celebration from every Christian, as well & as richly as any Victory over Enemies, though it be one of theirs over the King himself, can deserve of them upon any day of Thanksgiving. Of this kind is the Te Deum, 〈◊〉 most Divine and admirable Form called anciently, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a triumphant Song, generally thought to be composed by St Augustine, and St Ambrose, on the day that St Ambrose baptized St Augustine, and fitted to that purpose with an acknowledgement of the Trinity, in reference to St Augustine's conversion from Manichaisme. If this be true, then sure is it one of those, the repeating of which moved St Augustine to so much passion, that he saith in his Confessions, l. 9. Quantum flevi in hymnis & Canticis Ecclesiae tuae, that and the like hymns of the Church fetched many tears from him. Of which I shall only say, that to any man that hath but an humble, faithful, thankful fervent heart to go along with it, it is as Christian a piece of praise and prayer, as any human pen could contribute toward the public worship of God, which he that hath had the use of in the Church, and now thinks fit to banish out of it, shows his own former coldness and non-proficiency under that means of grace, and that he never joined in it with any zeal or earnestness, or else his reckless ingratitude to the Church which hath allowed him the benefit of it.

[Sect. 31] The like might be added of those two other in the administration of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, the former before the Sacrament beginning with, Lift up your hearts, and ending with the Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts, &c. a form to be found with little variation, both in Saint Jameses, St Basils, and St Chrysostom's Liturgy; the other, after the Sacrament, Glory be to God on high, &c. called anciently Hymnus Angelicus, the Angelical hymn, from the first part of it which was sung by Angels, and both these such ancient, pure, excellent composures in themselves, and so fitly accommodated to the present business, and all that I have named, so far from any appearance of evil, so free from any the least objection of any the most petulant malicious calumniatour (as far as I yet ever heard) so well-becoming a congregation of Saints, who by praising God in the Church, should practice before hand, and fit themselves for the singing of Hallelujahs perpetually in heaven, and in the mean time bear the Angels company here (who St Chrysostom tells us, sing all the hymns with us) that 'tis little better then fury, savouring much of the temper of that evil Spirit on Saul, that was exercised with David's Music, and (therefore may be allowed to have malice to that and the like ever since) to think it necessary to throw this piece of heaven out of the Church.

3. For the Doxoligie so constantly annexed to many parts of our service, in these words, (wherein the people either are to begin or answer) Glory be to the Father, &c. It is an ancient piece of very great consideration the former versicle of it being, as 'tis affirmed by good authorities, composed by the first Council of Nice, and appointed by them to be used in the Church, as a lesser Creed, or confession of the Trinity and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Consubstantiality of the Son and holy Ghost, with the Father (at which it hath therefore anciently been the custom to stand up, confession of God, being a praising of him (as the word in other languages imports) to which therefore that posture is most due) which may well pass for no fable, because 'tis clear, that soon after that time, Flavianus sang it aloud in the Church of Antioch, as appears by Zozomen, and Theodoret, (and if we may believe Nicephorus, St Chrysostom joined with him in it;) Of this Philostorgius the Arian historiographer tells us, An. 348. Flavianus having gotten a congregation of Monks together, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , was the first that began that form of Doxology, others using that other form of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Glory to the Father, by the Son in the holy Ghost: making the Son inferior to the Father, and the holy Ghost to the Son, as Eunomius and Eudoxius did, which it seems Philostorgius himself most approved of, ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , saith his Epitomator of him) others (not as Gotofred mends his copy, and reads it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , but as the Oxford manuscript) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Glory to the Father, and the Son in the holy Ghost. These two several forms, & some say a third [in the Son and the holy Ghost] were it seems proposed against Athanasius in the Council of Antioch, An. Dom. 34 • , and by men of several persuasions used in the Church of Antioch, as a character, by which 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , they expressed their several opinions, saith Zozomen. l. 3. c. 19. & l. 4. 27. & by so doing, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , everyone applied the Psalm or hymn (to the end of which, as now with us, it was, it seems, then annexed) to his opinion. In which narration of Philostorgius, we have no reason to suspect anything, but the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that Flavianus was the first that sang it, wherein his favor with the Arians might make him partial, or the truth might be, he was the first that sang it at Antioch, for there Athanasius was in a Council condemned, & so still the form might in other places be used more anciently. This first verse being on this occasion brought into the Church as a testimony, and pillar of the Catholic verity against the Arians, and annexed by ancient custom to the end of the Psalms in the Liturgy, St Jerome, or somebody before him, being moved by the noise of the Macedonians (who excepted against that part of it concerning the holy Ghost affirming that the Doctrine of the Divinity of the holy Ghost was novel) is said to have been the Author of adding the other verse or line to the former, in opposition to them, As it was in the beginning, &c. to signify this to be the ancient Catholic, no new private doctrine or opinion; and yet that it was very near, if not as ancient as the former may be guest by what Theodoret, l. 2. c. 24. saith of Leontius Bishop of Antioch, that he was wont to say to himself the Arian Doxology so softly, that no word could be heard by him that stood next, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , forever and ever, (the close of the second line) and this saith he, while Flavianus, who opposed him, was a Lay-man. And if this be a time wherein such Forms as these, (which besides giving glory to God, do secure and defend the Catholic Doctrine of the Trinity against all ancient or modern Arians and Macedonians) are necessarily to be cast out, as hindrances to growth and edification, sure the design is only to plant Heresies in the Church (to which alone that may prove impediment) but nothing else.

[Sect. 33] Having said this, 'twill not be needful to add concerning the fourth head, more then only the acknowledgement of my wonder and astonishment, why the same calamity and tempest that carried away his lesser Creed, should also be able to raise so fierce a Torrent, as to drive and hurry with it three larger Creeds also, especially that not only of the Nicene Fathers, but of the Apostles themselves; Against the matter of which I have not heard, that the Presbyterians have any objection, and sure the Beads-man's Divinity, that turns the Creed into a Prayer, hath not concluded the use of it to be a restinting of the Spirit. What the effect of this part of Reformation is likely to be, will not be heard to divine, even Barbarism and Atheism within a while, the turning God and Christ, and all the Articles of the Creed out of men's brains also, and not (as yet it is) only out of their hearts; what is the necessity of doing it, will not so easily be resolved even by him that hath imbibed the Assemblers principles, unless it be to gratify the Separatists, who are professed deniers of one Article, that of the Holy Catholic Church, resolving the end and the effect of the Holy Ghosts descent to have been only to constitute particular Congregations, and none else. As for the great pattern of the Presbyterians, the practice of Geneva, or Scotland, that appears by Knocks Common Prayer Book, to have allowed a set form of Confession of Faith, and designed it for the public use as the first thing in that Book of Prayers, though the truth is, the Apostles, or other ancient Creeds being set aside, one of the Geneva forming is fain to supply the place of them, which yet by the setting the several parts of the Apostles Creed in the margent, both there and in the order of Baptism, appears rather to be an interpretation of it, and so still the Separatists must be the only men in the Church fit to be considered, or else apparently there is no such Political necessity of this neither.

[Sect. 34:] For the fifth thing, the so frequent repetition of the Lord's Prayer, and Prayers for the King in our Service, this account may be briefly given of it. For the former, that in our Common-Prayer Book, there be several Services for several occasions, of the Sacraments, &c. for several days, as the Litany, for several times in the day, not only Morning and Evening but one part to be said earlier in the morning, and then toward noon a return to another part, (as the ancient Primitives had three Services in a forenoon, 1. that for the Catechumen, consisting of Prayers, Psalms, and Readings; then a 2. for the Penitents, such as our Litany; and a 3. for the Fideles, the Faithful, our Communion Service;) and even that which is assigned to one time so discontinued by Psalms, and Hymns, and Lessons, that it becomes in a manner two Services, clearly two times of Prayer. Now our Savior commanding, when you pray, say our Father; we have accordingly so assigned it, to be once repeated in every such part of Service, and I remember to have heard one of the gravest and most reverend men of the Assembly, being asked his opinion about the use of the Lord's Prayer, to have answered to this purpose, God forbid that I should ever be upon my knees in Prayer, and rise up without adding Christ's form to my imperfect petitions. And whereas this Directory is so bountiful, as to recommend this Prayer to be used in the Prayers of the Church, and yet so wary as but to recommend it, it is thereby confessed that it is lawful to retain a set Form, (for that is surely so; and then the often using of a lawful thing will not make it unlawful) but withal that Christ's command in point of his Service shall no more oblige to obedience, then the commands of men, for if it did, this would be more then recommended. And now why that which may, say they, commendably (must, say we, necessarily in obedience to Christ) be used in the Prayers of the Church, and being repeated oftener then once, shall be useful to him who was not come at the first saying, or may be said more attentively by him who had before been too negligent, should be necessary to be used but once, when all men's zeal or understanding of so divine a Form, or perhaps presence at that part of the Service, shall not necessarily go along with it, I leave to more subtle Diuiners to instruct us. This I am sure of, that God hath made a peculiar promise to importunity in Prayer, to a coming often to him on the same errand, and Luk. 18. 5. by a phrase in the Parable seems to say, that he that comes oft to God in this manner, will at length force him to shame, if he do not grant his Petition, for that is the meaning of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . And from thence the Fathers use a bold phrase in their Liturgies, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , I put thee to shame, i. e. importune thee, Basil. in Liturg: and in the Psaltery of the Greek Church, which hath many Prayers mixed with it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , unless thy own goodness put thee to shame, &c. Now that this will not be subject to the censure of vain repetitions, Mat. 6. 7. which is the only exception made against it, if the example of David, Psal. 136. be not sufficient to authorize the repeating any Form often, which is as faultless as that was) might largely be evidenced, 1. by the nature of the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , there used, which both Hesychius and Soudas apply to another matter, and explain it by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 long, idle, unseasonable forms, such as Battus used in his 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , his long-winded Hymns so full of Tautologies, which Munster therefore rendereth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 do not multiply words, unprofitably or unseasonably. 2. by the customs of the Heathens which Christ there refers to [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , use not, &c. as the Heathens] and which are evident in their writers, especially their Tragedians; where 'tis plain, that their manner was to sound, or chant for many hours together, some few empty words to the honor of their God's, such the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in their Bacchanals, from the noise of which they were called Evantes; such in Sophocles, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. and especially in the Virgins Chorus of Aeschylus's Tragedy, called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Where there are near an hundred verses, made up of mere Tautologies, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and an enumeration of the several names of the God's with unsignificant noises added to them, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and within two verses the same again, and much more of the same style. Two notable examples of this Heathenish custom the Scripture affords us, one, 1. Kings 18. 26. where the Prophets of Baal from morning till noon, cry O Baal, hear us, and it follows, they cried with a loud voice, and cut themselves. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 according to their custom or rites (that loud crying the same words so long together was as much a heathenish rite, as the cutting of themselves,) The other of Ephesians Acts 19. 34. who are affirmed to have cried with one voice for two hours space, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Great is Diana of the Ephesians, and 3. by the designed end that Christ observes of that heathen custom, 1. that they may be heard by that long noise, for which Elias sco •• es them, 1. Kings 18. 27. Cry aloud, perhaps your God is a talking, or a pursuing, &c. 2. that their Petitions may be more intelligible to their God's, to which Christ opposes, your heavenly Father knoweth what you have need of, and so needs not your Tautologies to explain them to him. Much more might be said for the explaining of that mistaken place, but that it would seem unnecessary to this matter, the exception being so causeless, that the Vindication would pass for an extravagance.

[Sect. 35] Of the Prayers for the King, the account will not be much unlike, S. Paul commands that prayers, & supplications, and intercessions, & thanksgivings be made for Kings, &c. 1. Tim. 2. 1, 2. where though the mention of those several sorts of prayers, signified by those four words, might be matter of apology, for the making several addresses to God for Kings in one service, supposing them proportioned to those sorts in that text, yet have we distributed the frequent prayers for him into the several services, one solemn prayer for him, in the ordinary daily service, (and only a versicle before as it were prooemiall to it) another in the Litany, another after the Commandments) on which though our book hath two forms together, yet both the Rubric and Custom, gives us authority to interpret, it was not meant that both should be said at once, but either of the two chosen by the Minister,) another before the Communion, where the necessity of the matter, being designed for the Church militant, makes it more then seasonable to descend to our particular Church, and the King the supreme of it; just as Herodotus relates the custom of the Persians, l. 1. p. 52. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , they pray for all the Persians, particularly for the King. To this practice of ours so grounded in the Apostle, we shall add, 1. the reward promised (by the Apostles intimation) to such Prayers (if not, as I conceive, by those words, that we may live a peaceable and quiet life, &c. that peaceable and quiet life, of all blessings the greatest, seeming to be a benefit or donative promised to the faithful discharge of that duty, of praying, and supplicating, and interceding, and giving thanks for Kings, yet certainly somewhat else) in that high Declaration made concerning it in the next words, for this is good and acceptable before God our Savior, whose acceptation is reward sufficient to any action, and yet who never accept • but rewards also. 2. The practice of the ancient Christians, set down by Tertull. Sacrificamus pro salute Imperatoris purâ prece: our prayers are sent up a pure sacrifice for the prosperity of the Emperor. And that quoties conveniebant, in another place, at every meeting or service of the Church, & precantes semper pro omnibus Imperatoribus, vitam prolixam, Imperium securum, domum tutam, exercitus fortes, Senatum fidelem, populum probum, Orbem quietum, quaecunque hominis & Caesaris vot • sunt: praying always for the Emperors, and begging of God for them, long life, secure Reign, the safety of his house, courageous Armies, a faithful Senate, a good people, a quiet world, all those severals, (which would make up more prayers then our book hath assigned) all that either a Man or King they can stand in need of; and so Athen • goras and others to the same purpose, especially when they have occasion to justify the fidelity of Christians to their unchristian Emperors, having no surer evidence to give of that, then the frequency of their prayers for them, which they which think necessary to abridge, or supersede, must give us leave by that indication to judge of somewhat else, by occasion of that topick to observe their other demonstrations of disloyalty to those that are set over them by God; And to any that are not guilty of that crime, nor yet of another, of thinking all length of the public service unsupportable, I shall refer it to be judged, whether it be necessary, that the King be prayed for in the Church, no oftener then there is a Sermon there.

[Sect. 36] 6. The Communion of Saints, (which if it were no Article in our Creed, ought yet to be laid up, as one of the Christians tasks or duties) consists in that mutual exchange of charity and all seasonable effects of it, between all parts of the Church, that triumphant in heaven, Christ and the Saints there, and this on earth militant; which he that disclaims, by that one act of insolence, casts off one of the noblest privileges, of which this earth is capable, to be a fellow citizen with the Saints, and a fellow member with Christ himself. The effects of this charity on their parts is, in Christ's intercession, and in the Saints suffrages, and daily prayers to God for us; but on our part thanksgivings and commemorations, which 'tis apparent the Primitive Christians used, very early solemnizing the day of Christ's resurrection, &c. and rehearsing the names of the Saints out of their Diptycks, in time of the offertory before the Sacrament; besides this so solemn a Christian duty, another act of charity there is, which the Church owes to her living sons the educating of them in the presence of good examples, and setting a remark of honor on all which have lived Christianly, especially have died in testimony of the truth of that profession; and again, a great part of the New Testament, being story of the lives of Christ and his Apostles, (and the rest but doctrine agreeable to what those lives expressed) it must needs be an excellent compendium of that book, and a most useful way of infusing it into the understanding, and preserving it in the memory of the people, to assign proper portions of Scripture in Lessons, Epistles, and Gospels to every day, every Sunday, every Festival in the year (which are none in our Church, but for the remembrance of Christ, and the Scripture-Saints) to infuse by those degrees all necessary Christian knowledge, and duties into us, the use of which to the ignorant is so great, that it may well be feared, that when the Festivals, and solemnities for the birth of Christ, and his other famous passages of life and death, and resurrection and ascension, & mission of the holy Ghost, and the Lessons Gospels (and Collects) and Sermons upon them, be turned out of the Church, together with the Creeds also, 'twill not be in the power of weekly Sermons on some head of Religion to keep up the knowledge of Christ in men's hearts, a thing it seems observed by the Casuists, who use to make the number of those things that are necessario credenda; necessary to be believed, no more, then the Festivals of Christ make known to men: and sure by the ancient Fathers whose Preaching was generally on the Gospels for the day; as apears by their Sermons de tempore, and their postils. To all these ends are all these Festivals, and these Services designed by the Church, (and to no other that is capable of any the least brand of novel or superstitious) and till all this antidote shall be demonstrated to be turned poison, all these wholesome designs, to be perfectly noxious, till ill or no examples, uncharitableness, schismatical cutting ourselves off from being fellow members with the Saints, and even with Christ our head, till ingratitude, ignorance, and Atheism itself, be canonized for Christian and Saint-like, and the only things tending to edification in a Church, there will hardly appear any so much as politick necessity to turn these out of it,

[Sect. 37] 7. For the reading of the Commandments, and prayer before, and the responses after each of them, though it be not anciently to be found in the Church, as a part of the Service, (but only retained in the Catechism) till King Edwards second Liturgy, (and therefore sure no charge of Popery to be affixt on it) yet seemeth it to me a very profitable part of devotion, being made use of as it ought. The Priest after a premised prayer for grace to love and keep God's Commandments, is appointed to stand and read every of the Commandments distinctly to the people, as a kind of Moses, bringing them from God to them; These are they to receive in the humblest affection of heart, and posture of body, as means to try and examine themselves, and to humble themselves in a sense of their several failings, and thereupon implore (everyone for himself, and for others, even for the whole Kingdom) first God's mercy for pardon for all that hath been committed against the letter of each Commandment, or what ever Christ, and the Gospel hath set down under any, or reducible to any of those heads. 2. Grace to perform for the time to come, what ever may be acceptable to Christ in that particular. This being thus distinctly and leisurely done to each particular precept, the heart enlarging to every particular under that, proves an excellent form of confession of sins, and of resolution (and prayer for strength) to forsake them. And let me tell you were God's pardon thus • ervently and often called for by each humble soul in a Kingdom, for every man's personal, and the whole Kingdom National sins, the Atheism speculative and practical, the impiety, iufidelity, want of love and fear, and worship of God, &c. in the first Commandment, and so throughout all the rest, and the grace of God, to work all the contrary graces in every heart, in the heart of the whole Kingdom, as humbly and heartily invoked, the benefit would certainly be so great and so illustrious, that none but Satan, who is to be dethroned, and part with his kingdom by that means, would ever deem it necessary to cast out this part of Service, and have nothing at all in exchange for it.

8. For the order of the Offertory, it must first be observed, that in the Primitive Apostolic Church, the Offertory was a considerable part of the action, in the administering and receiving the Sacrament; the manner of it was thus. At their meetings for divine service, every man as he was able brought something along with him, bread, or wine, the fruits of the Season &c. of this, part was used for the Sacrament, the rest kept to furnish a common table for all the brethren (and therefore in Ignatius, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to celebrate the Feast, is to administer that Sacrament, being join'd there with the mention of Baptism) Rich and Poor to eat together, no one taking precedence of other, or challenging a greater part to himself by reason of his bringing more; this is discernible in Saint Paul's words, chiding the Corinthians for their defaults in this matter, 1 Cor. 11. 21. every man, saith he, takes and eats before another his own supper, (i. e,) the Rich that brought more, eats that which he brought; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as if he were at home eating his own private meal, without respect to the nature of those 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which were a common meal for all, and so while one is filled to the full, some others have little or nothing to eat, which is the meaning of that which follows, one is hungry, and another is drunken; after the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ceased, and the bringing of the fruits of the season, which were as a kind of first-fruit offering, was out-dated, whether by Canon of the Church, or by contrary custom, this manner was still continued, that every receiver brought somewhat with him to offer, particularly bread, and wine mixed with water. Justin Mart, Apol. 2. p. 97. sets down the manner of it clearly in his time, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. the bread and wine of the brethren, i. e. Communicants is brought to the Priest or Prefect; (not as in the Latin interpreter reads Praefecto fratrum, as if 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 were to be joined with 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which belongs to 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) and he receiving it gives la • d and praise unto God, in the name of the Son and the Holy Ghost, and all the people join in the Amen, then do the Deacons distribute that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the bread, over which he hath thus given thanks, and then, saith he, over & above the richer sort and everyone as he shall think good contributes, & that which is so raised is left with the Priest, who out of that stock succors the Orphan & Widow, and becomes a common provider for all that are in want. This clearly distinguisheth two parts of the Offertory, one designed for the use of all the Faithful in the Sacrament, another reserved for the use of the poor, the former called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Oblations, in the Council of Laodicea. the other 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in that of Gangra, and proportionably, the reposicory for the first called Sacrarium in the fourth Council of Carthage, Can. 93. (and by Possidonius in the life of S • Augustine, Secretarium unde altari necessari • inferuntur, where those things are laid, and from whence fetched, which are necessary to the Altar) the other Gazophylacium or treasury, the first St. Cyprian calls Sacrificia, sacrifices. the second Eleemosynae, Alms, l. de op. & Eleem. parallel to those which we find both together mentioned, Act. 24. 17. I came to bring alms to my Nation and offerings. This saith Justin Martyr, is our Christian Sacrifice, which will more appear to him that considers that the feasting of the people, their partaking of the Sacrifice, having their 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , was always annexed to sacrifices both among Jews and Heathens, which the Apostle calls partaking of the Altar, and consequently that the Sacrifice, and the feast together, the sacrifice in the offertory, the feast in the eating and drinking there, do complete and make up the whole business of this Sacrament, as far as the people are concerned in it; and all this blest by the Priest, and God blest and praised by Priest and People, and so the title of Eucharist belongs to it. Thus after Justin: Irenaeus. The Offertory of the Christians is accounted 〈◊〉 pure sacrifice with God as when St Paul, saith he, mentions the acts of th • Philippians liberality, he calls them 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , an acceptable sacrifi •• (and so Heb. 3. 16. to do good and to Communicate forget not, such acts 〈◊〉 liberality to those that want for with such Sacrifices God is well pleased and presently defines what this Sacrifice was, primitiae earum quae sunt • jus creaturarum, the first fruits of God's creatures, So Tertullian, modicas unusquis{que} stipem menstruâ die adponit, everyone brings somewhat ever month, just parallel to our Offertory at monthly Communions; Much more might be said of this out of ancient Constitutions and Canons, ifit were no • for my desire of brevity. Effectually St Cyprian, Locuples & dives es, 〈◊〉 dominicam celebrare te credis, & corbonam non respicis, qui in dominicum sine sacrificio venis, qui partem de sacrificio quod Pauper obtulit •• mis? Art thou rich & thinkest thou receivest as thou oughtst, & respect • not the Corban, feedest on the poor men's Sacrifice, and bringst none 〈◊〉 self? and St Aug. to the same purpose; and 'tis worth observing that ma •• authorities, which the Papists produce for the external Sacrifice of the b • dy of Christ in the Mass, are but the detortion and disguising of thos • places which belong to the Offertory of the People, and in the Canon of th • Mass that prayer which is used for the offering up of Christ, (la • ded with so many crosses) plainly betrays itself to have been first instituted by relation to these gifts and oblations, as appears by the mention of Abel's Sacrifice, and Melchizedecks offering (that of Abel's the fruit of the Earth, Melchizedecks a present only of Bread and Wine to Abraham) and the per quem haec omnia semper bonacreas (by whom thou createst all these good things) which belongs evidently to the fruits of the Earth, but is by them now most ridiculously applied to the body of Christ. I have been thus large in showing the original of the Offertory, because it hath in all ages been counted a special part of divine worship, the third part of the Christian Holocaust, saith Aquinas, 2a, 2ae. q. 85. art. 3. ad 2. the observation of which is yet alive in our Liturgy (I would it had a more cheerful universal reception in our practice) especially if that be true which Honorius saith, that instead of the ancient oblation of Bread and Wine, the offering of money was by consent received into the Church in memory of the pence in Judas's • ail. Now that this offering of Christians to God for pious and charitable uses, designed to them who are his Proxies and Deputy receivers, may be the more liberally and withal more solemnly performed, many portions of Scripture are by the Liturgy designed to be read to stir up and quicken this bounty, and those of three sorts, some belonging to good works in general, others to alms-deeds, others to oblations, and when it is received and brought to the Priest, he humbly prays God to accept those alms, and this is it which I call the service of the Offertory, so valued and esteemed among all Ancients, but wholly omitted in this Directory (only a casual naming of a Collection for the poor by way of a sage caution, that it be so ordered, that no part of the public worship be thereby hindered upon what grounds of policy or pretence of necessity, I know not, unless out of that great fear le • t works of charity (which the Apostle calls an acceptable sacrifice, and with which God is well pleased) should pass for any part of the service or worship of God, which after praying to him is an act that hath the greatest remark, and highest character set upon it & when it is thus in the Offertory, is accounted pars cultūs a part of worship, say the School-men. And beside, where it is used, as it ought proves of excellent benefit (when prudent faithful officers have the dispensing of it) toward the supplying and preventing the wants of all, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Minister is thereby enabled to be the guardian of all that are in want, saith Justin M. Apol, 2. and sure necessity hath little or no law or reason in it, when the rejecting of such customs as these proves the only necessary.

[Sect. 39] 9. For private Baptism, that which our Liturgy prescribes is, that all possible care be taken, that all Children that are to be Baptized be brought to Church, and not without great cause and necessity Baptized at home in their houses. And yet when great need shall compel them so to do, then an order of administering it is prescribed, such as in case the Child die, it may not be deprived of the Sacrament, and in case it live, it may, as publicly be presented, and with Prayer received into the Church, and pronounced to be baptized already, which is equivalent as if it had been baptized in the public. The clear confessed ground of this practice is the desire of the Church not to be wanting to any the meanest creature, in allowing it that which Christ hath given it right to, and to encourage and satisfy the charitable desires of Parents, which in danger of instant death require it for them. This ground seems clearly to be acknowledged by the Compilers of this Directory pag. 41. where'tis affirmed, that the posterity of the Faithful born within the Church, have by their birth (not by their living to the next Lord's Day, or till they can be brought to Church) interest in the Covenant and right to the seal of it, which sure is Baptism) and then what necessity there is, that they that are acknowledged to have right to that seal, should yet not be permitted to have it, (as in case private Baptism be excluded, some of them infallibly shall not) I profess my understanding too short to reach: And as ignorant I must confess to be also, why, when they come to the Congregation, it should be utterly unlawful for them to be Baptized in the place where Fonts have hitherto been placed, i. e. near the door of the Church, as the Directory appoints; A new scandalous piece it seems of Popery, and Superstition, (which is as dangerous as private Baptism, and therefore with it together forbidden) and yet very ancient, and far from any superstitious in • ent; Baptism being at first in any convenient pond or river, as the Gospel, and after that Just. Martyr, tells us: and is noted by the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which is literally, to dope over head in the water, and by the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a swimming or diving place, by which the Fathers express the Font. But when Churches were built, then there was an erection also of Baptisteria, at first without, but after within the Churches, and those placed near the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , or Porch of the Church, on no other design undoubtedly, then to signify the Sacrament there celebrated to be a rite of initiation or entrance into the Church, (as the Chancel or upper part of the Church was assigned unto the other Sacrament to signify it to belong to those only that were come to some perfection) against which 'tis not possible anything should be objected of unfitness, but that the Ministers voice will not in some Churches so easily be heard by the whole Congregation, which if it may not be helped, by raising his voice at that time, will not yet infuse any Popery or Superstition into it, the charge that is here so heavily laid on it, (as well as that of unfitness) of which if it be guilty, Superstition is become a strange ubiquitary, ready to fly and affix itself to anything they will have it, and shall as justly be fastened by me on their negative, or prohibition of Baptism in that place [it is not to be administered in the places where Fonts, &c.] as upon our positive appointing it. For sure if a significant rite, or designation of place, &c. without any other guilt, then that it is so, be superstitious; an unsignificant interdiction of it will be as much; and if the positive superstition be to be condemned, the negative must be so also.

10. For the prescript form of Catechism, it is placed by our Church in our Liturgy, and as fit to be placed there as any directions for Preaching can be in theirs, (which takes up so great a part in their Religion, and consequently in their Directory) the previous instruction of youth being so much more necessary then that, as a foundation is then any part of the superstructure, that being necessary to the end only, but this over and above necessary to make capable of the other necessary. Of this particular Catechism I might say somewhat, which would be worthy to be observed in these times, how much Christian prudence the Church hath shown in it, in setting down for all to learn, only those few things which are necessary to the plainest and meanest, for the direction of Christian faith and practice; and if we would all keep ourselves within that moderation, and propose no larger Catalogue of credenda to be believed by all then the Apostles Creed, as 'tis explained in our Catechism, doth propose, and lay the greater weight upon consideration and performance of the vow of Baptism, and all the commands of God as they are explained (and so the obligation, to obedience enlarged) by Christ, and then only add the explication of the nature and use of the Sacraments, in those most commodious and intelligible expressions (and none other) which are there set down, I should be confident there would be less hating and damning one another (which is most ordinary for opinions) more piety and charity, and so true Christianity among Christians and Protestants, then hitherto hath been met with. But seeing, though this be fit to be said, yet 'tis unnecessary in this place, this Catechism being not put in balance with any other way of instructing youth in the Directory, but only sold or cast away for naught, and no money, nothing taken or offered in exchange for it, I am superseded from this, and only left to wonder why Catechising of Children in the faith and knowledge of their vowed duty (which I hope is no stinting of their Spirits) should be one of those burdens which 'tis so necessary should be thrown off, and not so much as considered in this Directory.

11. For Confirmation, which (being a thing wherein the Bishop is a party, will, I must expect, be matter of some envy and odium but to name it, and) being so long and so scandalously neglected in this Kingdom (though the rule have also been severe and careful in requiring it) will now not so easily be digested, having those vulgar prejudices against it, yet must I most solemnly profess my opinion of it, That it is a most ancient Christian custom, tending very much to edification, Which I shall make good by giving you this view of the manner of it. It is this, that every Rector of any Parish, or Curate of charge, should by a familiar way of Catechizing instruct the youth of both sexes within his Cure in the principles of Religion, so far, that everyone of them before the usual time of coming to the Lord's Supper, should be able to understand the particulars of the vow made in Baptism for the credenda and facienda yea and fugienda also, what must be believed, what done, and what forsaken; and be able to give an intelligent account of everyone of these, which being done, every such Child so prepared, ought to be brought to the Bishop for Confirmation. Wherein the intent is, that every such Child attained to years of understanding shall singly and solemnly before God, the Bishop and the whole Congregation, with his own mouth, and his own consent take upon himself the obligation to that, which his Godfathers and God mothers in Baptism promised in his name, and before all those reverend witnesses, make a firm, public, renewed promise, that by God's help he will faithfully endeavor to discharge that obligation in every poi •• of it, and persevere in it all the days of his life. Which resolution and promise so heighrned with all those solemnities, will in any reason hav • a mighty impression on the Child, and an influence on his actions fo • ever after. And this being thus performed by him, the Bishop shall severally impose his hands upon every such child (a Ceremony used to th • purpose by Christ himself) and bl • sse, and pray for him, that now that th • temptations of sin, begin more strongly, in respect of his age, to assau •• him, he may receive grace and strength against all such temptations 〈◊〉 assaults, by way of prevention and special assistance, without which obtained by prayer from God, he will never be able to do it. This is th • sum of Confirmation, and were it rightly observed (and no man admitted to the Lord's Supper, that had not thus taken the Baptism 〈◊〉 from the Sureties into his own name, and no man after that suffered continue in the Church, which brake it willfully, but turned out of th ••• sacred courts, by the power of the keys in excommunication) it would certainly prove, by the blessing of God there begged, a most effectual mean to keep men, at least within some terms of Christian civility, from falling into open enormous sins; and that the defaming and casting out this so blameless gainful Order should be necessary or useful to any p • licy save only to defend the Devil from so great a blow, and to sustain and uphold his Kingdom, I never had yet any temptation or motive to suspect or imagine. Instead of considering any objections of the adversary, against this piece, whether of Apostolical or Ecclesiastical discipline (which I never heard with any color produced) I shall rather express my most passionate wish unto my Friends, those who sincerely wish the good of this National Church, that they will endeavor their utmost to revive these means of regaining the purity and exemplary lives of all its members, when God by restoring our Peace shall open a door for it.

[Sect. 42] 12. For the Sclemnities of Burial, as they are certainly useless to them who are dead, so are they not designed by us but to the benefit of the living in Lessons and Prayers upon those occasions, as also for the freeing us from the imputation of rudeness and uncivility (which Christianity teaches nobody) to those bodies which shall have their parts in the resurrection, and to their memories, which the obligation of kindred, friendship, at least the common band of Christianity, make precious to us; and that it should be necessary, and tend to edification, not to pray such seasonable Prayers, hear, and impress upon our hearts such seasonable Lessons, (at a time when they are exemplified before our eyes, and our hearts being softened with mourning, are become more malleable) to perform such laudable Christian Civilities, only for fear we should (not pray but) be thought to pray to or for them, over whom, or near whose hearse, or by or toward whom we thus pray (which that we do not, our Prayers that then we use, are ready to testify) is another unreasonable, able to evidence the power of prejudice and faction to any that is not sufficiently convinced of it.

[Sect. 43] 13. For that of thanksgiving after Childbirth, as it may be acknowledged, to be taken up in proportion to, or imitation of Purification among the Jews, so is it not thereby liable to any charge of evil; For herein is a marvelous mistake among men, to think that because the continuing of circumcision was so forbidden by S. Paul, Gal. 5. 2. therefore it should be unlawful for any Christian church, to institute any usage which had ever been commanded the Jews. For the reasons which made the retaining of circumcision so dangerous, will not be of any force against other customs of the Jews, as 1. that it was pressed by the Judaizing Christians, as necessary to justification, Gal. 5. 4. which is in effect the disclaiming of Christ or of any profit, v. 2. or effect, v. 4. by him, a falling from grace, & renouncing the Gospel. 2. That it was contrary to that liberty or manumission from the Judaical Law which Christ had purchased, v. 13. to have circumcision imposed as a law of God's still obligatory, when Christ by his death hath cancelled it. 3. That some carnal professots, which thought by this means to escape the opposition, and persecution, which then followed the doctrine of Christ, and profession of Christianity, did much boast that they put themselves and their Disciples in a course to void the cross, c. 6. 12. which is the meaning of that, v. 13. that they may glory in your flesh, i. e. in your being circumcised, as that is by Saint Paul opposed to glorying in the Cross, v. 14. i. e. the persecution that followed profession of the Gospel, as c. 5. 11. he mentions it as the only reason of his being persecuted, that he would not Preach Circumcision: agreeable to which is that of Ignatius in Ep. ad Magnes. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. If we till now live according to the Law of the Jews & circumcision of the flesh, we deny that we have received grace, for the divinest Prophets lived according to Jesus Christ, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , for doing so were persecuted: which they that desired to avoid, and therefore would be circumcised, or Preach circumcision, those are the men S. Paul so quarrels with, as those that would not suffer for Christ's sake, that were not much in love with that Cross of his. To which a fourth reason may also be added, that many of the Ceremonies of the Law did presignifie the future Messias, and the teaching the necessity of such observances as nor yet abolished, is the professing Christ not to be the Messias. All which notwithstanding, it still remains very possible, that a rite formerly commanded the Jews, not as significative of the future Messias; but as decent in the worship of God, without any depending on it for justisication, without any opinion that the Jewish Law obliges us, & without any fear of being persecuted by the Jews, or consequent compliance with them, may now be prescribed by the Christian Church merely as a human institution, judging that decent or useful new, which was so then, & in this case if nothing else can be objected against it, save only that God once thought fit to prescribe it to his own People, there will be little fear of danger in, or fault to be found with any such usage. For it is an ordinary observation which Paulus Fagius in his Notes on the Targum (a most learned Protestant) first suggested to me, that many of the Jewish Ceremonies were imitated by Christ himself under the Gospel. I might show it you in the Apostles, who were answerable to the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the missi or messengers among the Jews, and were by Christ our High Priest sent abroad to all Nations to bring in (that peculium, which of all others he counted most his due, having paid so dear for it) sinners to their Savior, as they were among the Jews sent by the High Priest to ferch in the dues to the Temple. So also the imposition of hands, a form of benediction among the Jews, as ancient as Jacob himself, Gen. 48. 14. In blessing Josephs sons, and is often used by Christ to that same purpose. And even the two Sacraments are of this nature, Baptism related to the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , washings used by them at the initiating or admitting of Proselytes, & Christ's taking bread, & giving thanks, &c. after Supper (wherein the other Sacrament was first instituted) was directly the postcoenium, among the Jews, not a peculiar part of the Passover Feast, but a Ceremony after all Feasts, very usual among them. So the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , from the Assemblies civil or facred among the Jews, is made use of to signify the Christian Church, which Christ was to gather together. So the Lord's day one day in seven, proportionably to their Sabbath. So 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Elders among the Jews are brought by the Apostler to signify an Order in the Church & 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Colleges of many of them together, called by Ignatius, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 sacred Societies, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Counsellers & Assistants of the Bishops; & his 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in Ep. ad Trall: are parallel to the Sanbedrim or Council of Elders that were joined to Moses in his government, to facilitate: the burden to him. The same may be said of the Deacons which were an imitation of the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the Treasurer or Steward among them, & consequently the place, where the goods which they were to distribute were kept, is parallel to their 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the treasury, & so the Bishop also, saith Grotius, is a transcript of the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the head of the Congregation. And the Patriarchs among Christians are taken from the heads of the Tribes among them, called ordinarily by the 72, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and in the Testament 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Add unto these the Christia • Censure of Excommunication answerable to their 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (whether it were from sacred or only from civil Assemblies among them it matters little, for the civil among them may be accommodated to Ecclesiastical among Christians, as in some of the fore-mentioned is acknowledged, and as the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which signifies primarily any kind of Assembly, & is so taken, Matth. 6. 5. is appropriated to a place of divine worship in other places) and the several degrees of it in the Christian Church, answerable to their Niddui, Cherem, and Schammatha; And so for Absolution also. All this I have said, and might add much more to make the demand appear no unreasonable one, that it may be lawful for the Church to use a custom, which hath some resemblance of some Ceremony in source anciently among the Jews, viz. that of the Purification of Women in our Churching. Which objection being removed there will remain no other, and then that it should be simply unlawful or unedifing, to take notice of the deliverance of each Woman, or to pay acknowledgement to God for it, and necessary to set up such Schools of ingratitude in the Church, is more then ingenucus nature will suffer any Christian to believe, upon the bare authority of these Assemblers.

[Sect. 44] 14. The Cummunion of the sick, if it be superstition & Popery also, (as sure is implied by the no mention of it at the visitation of the sick in the Directory) 'tis sure of a very long standing in the Church; the Canons of the Councils about the Lapsi and Excommunicate, that generally take care that they should have the Peace of the Church in extremis (answerable to our Absolution at that time) and if with expressions of penitent hearts they desire it; the Sacrament also, are evidences so clear of this custom, that I shall not need produce any testimonies; those that are moved with the practice of Antiquity being sufficiently furnished with them; If any may be unsatisfied in this, let him read the famous story of the dying S • rapion in Eusebius, l. 6. c. 36. And that it should be necessary to the edification of that Church, that this viaticum, (as the Fathers called it) should be denied every hungering and thirsting traveler at that time when it might yield him most comfort, and our charity most inclines us to allow it him, nay that the Church should be thought to suffer by that in any eminent manner (if it were ill) which is done privately only to some particular, (and order taken that all publicly should be warned to receive the Communion frequently in the Church, and so not want it on the bed, or trouble the Minister then for it) and consequently the Church perhaps never hear of it, this is again a new kind of necessity, to be fetched from some under-ground Fundamental Laws of I know not whose laying, that the Christian Church never heard of till these times.

[Sect. 45] 15. As for the Service of the Commination, fitted for the first day of Lent; which by denuntiations against particular sins under the Law, (appointed to be read to, and attested by the people, with an Amen of acknowledgement, that every such offender is by the Law cursed, not of Prayer that he may be so dealt with in God's justice) is designed to bring men to humiliation & contrition for sin, the special duty of that day and the ensuing season, and closeth with most affectionate prayers for such penitents; it is matter of some panic senseless fears to some ignorant men (which are very tender and passionate friends to their beloved sins, and dare not subscribe to the condemnation of them) but very useful to awake even those and all others out of this security, as a Feaver to cure the Lethargick, to kindle a fire about men's ears, that they may see their danger, and make out to the use of all Christian means of repentance and devotion, and laying hold on Christ to avert it; and if such a bug-bear as that of being thought to curse ourselves and friend, in the saying Amen to the threatenings (which will be true to all impenitents whether we say or no) be sufficient to exercize such an exorcist, to cast out of the Church such a powerful means of bringing sinners to repentance, or if bare prejudice of the Assemblers without either hearing or objecting against it, be enough to make it necessary to be left out of our service, the Devil will never be in danger from his enemies, as long as he may have but the spell of the Directory to put them thus to flight for him.

[Sect. 46] Lastly, for the observation of Lent, &c. if they be considered in general as Fasts, there will sure be no necessity to renounce them; the Jews had their Fasts as well as Feasts (and those set public, not only voluntary private Fasts) and not only that great day of Expiation appointed by God himself, but occasional ones appointed by men, and yet, when appointed, as constantly observed as that other, the Fast of the fourth month, of the fifth, of the seventh, and of the tenth month. Zach. 8. 19. and under Christianity, though in the time of Christ's presence with the Disciples, they fasted not, yet the fasting of Johns Disciples, nay the twice a week of the Pharisees themselves is not (though mentioned yet) reprehended, but implicitly approved by Christ, and of his own saith he, they should not have that immunity long, The days should come when the Bridegroom should be taken away (and that is ever since Christ's Ascension) and then shall they fast in those days. 'Twere easy to justify this through the writings, and by the practice of the whole Church of God till these days of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 let loose, till these days of animosities and Epicureanism, have made the usage of Fasts by Papists, a command to us not to use them, and concluded the abating anything of our gluttony to be an intrenchment on our Christian Liberty, and both those deceits together quarrel'd all Christian times of fasting out of our practice first, then out of our Kalendar. This being said in general of fasting, the application of this to these fast • of the Church, will be indisputably satisfactory to any, that shall but consider the occasions of each of them, of the Lenten-fast, the known forty days example of abstinence in Christ, whereupon saith St. Jerome, Unam quadragesimam sec. traditionem Apostolorum, &c. je • unamus: We fast the Lent according to the tradition of the Apostles. And Epiphanius joins with him to make the Lent fast an Apostolical tradition, & others of the Ancients concurring for the practice of it, if not so punctual for the tradition, St, Basil may speak for all in hom. 2. of fasting, that there was no age, nor place, but knew it, and observed it. And then I know no necessity of despising Christ's pattern, & Apostolical practice, unless it be the same which obliges to the destroying of Episcopacy (which as it is an imparity opposite to the equality of Presbyters, is clearly deducible from both those Authorities, to which it seems this year is resolved to prove fat all;) that so there may be at length as little imitation of Christ among us, as reverence to Apostles. Then for R • gation week, though the original or occasion of that cannot be deduced so high, but is by Historians referred to Claud. Mamertus Bishop of Vienn • in France, for the averting of some Judgments, which on the observation of many inauspicious accidents and prodigies were sadly scared to be approaching, yet will it not be Necessary to turn the Fasts, or the L • tanies, or the Services assigned to it out of the Church, as long as dangers are either present, impendent, or possible, or indeed as long as there be sins enough among us to abode us ill, or provoke any wrath of Heaven, any judgments on us; And when all those occasions cease, I am content those Services may be laid aside also, i. e. when we meet all together in Heaven. Next, the Ember weeks are of great Antiquity in the Church, called the quatuor tempora in the latin Fathers, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (from whence I conceive in the English Ember) in the Greek, and (beside the first institution of them for quarterly seasons of devotion, proportioned to each part of the year, as the first fruits of every season, that the whole, and each division of it might be blest by it, and again beside their answerableness to those four times of solemn Fast mentioned among the Jews, that we Christians may not be inferior unto them in that duty) an admirable use is assigned to them in the Church, in imitation of the Apostles, Act. 13. 3. by Fasting and Prayer to prepare for the ordination of Ministers immediately consequent to every such week, that God would send, and furnish worthy Instruments of his glory to serve him in that glorious Office, and till Ministers are acknowledged to be generally so good, that either they cannot or need not be better, till those are also grown immortal (as the framers of this Ordinance) and so no use of care for succession. I shall suppose it not over-necessary to precipitate these out of the Church of Christ, but rather wish that there were in our Liturgy some Service appointed of Lessons and Prayers for this purpose, to be used constantly on the days of Fast through those weeks.

[Sect. 47] Thus have I, as briefly as I could; examined all the pretended exuberances of our Liturgy, which have required it thus to be more then lanced even to a deliquium animae, to many fainting fits a long while, and at last to its fatal period, if our Assemblers may be allowed of the Jury, and this Ordinance have leave to be the executioner; And as yet to the utmost of our impartial thoughts can we not discern the least degree of necessity, of any the most moderate signification of the word, to own so tragical an Exit. The leafs which have been spent in this search, as it may seem unnecessarily, might perhaps have been better employed; Yet will it not be unreasonable to expect a expect a favorable reception of them, when 'tis considered, that by this means a farther labor is spared, there needing no farther answer to the whole body of the Directory, or any part of it when it shall thus appear, that there was no necessity for the change, nay (which I conceive hath all along been concluded) that the continuance of the Liturgy, unless some better offer or bargain were proposed to us, is still in all policy, in all secular or Christian prudence most necessary. And therefore when we have considered the second particular in the Ordinance, and to that annexed a view of some severals in the Preface, the Readers task will be at an end, and his patience freed from the • entation of our importunity.

[Sect. 48] The second thing then in the Ordinance is, that all the severals which this Ordinance is set to confront, are Statutes of Edward the sixth, and of Queen Elizabeth, all which are without more ado repealed by this Ordinance; which I mention not as new acts of boldness, which now we can be at leisure to declaim or wonder at, but to justify the calumniated Sons of this Church, who were for a long time offered up maliciously to the people's hatred and fury, first as Illegall usurpers, and adders to Law, then as Popishly affected, and the pattern of Queen Elizabeth's time vouched to the confirming of this their Charge, and the Erection of her very Picture in some Churches, and solemnization of a day for her annual remembrance, (by those who will not now allow any Saint, or even Christ himself the like favor) designed to upbraid those ways and reprove those thoughts. It seemeth now 'tis a season for these men to traverse the scene, to put off disguises, and profess openly and confidently, what till now they have been careful to conceal, that their garnishing the Scpulchre of Q. Elizabeth was no argument that they were cordially of her Religion or meant kindness sincerely to the Q. Elizabeth's reformation. Some seeds we know there were of the present practices transmitted hither from our neighbor Disciplinarians in the dales of Q. Elizabeth, and some high attempts in private zeal in Hacket, and Coppinger, and Arthington, at one time, which when God suffered not to prosper, it was the wisdom of others to call frenzy and madness in those undertakers. And generally that is the difference of fate between wickedness prospering and miscarrying, the one passeth for Piety, the other for Fury. I shall now not affirm, (or judge my Brethren) but meekly ask this question, and leave every man's own conscience to answer (not me, but) himself in it sincerely, and without partiality, whether if he had lived in the days of Q. Elizabeth, and had had his present persuasions about him, and the same encouragements and grounds of hope, that he might prosper and go through with his designs, he would not then in the matter of Religion have done just the same, which now he hath given his Vote, and taken up Arms to do. If he say, out of the uprightness of his heart, he would not, I shall then only ask why it is done now, what ill Planet hath made that poison now, which was then wholesome food, why Queen Elizabeth's Statutes should be now repealed, which were then so laudable? If any intervenient provocation, or anything else extrinsical to the matter itself have made this change now necessary, this will be great injustice in the Actors. Or if the examples of severity in her days, (the hanging of Coppin and Thacker, An. 1513. at S. Edmundsbury, for publishing Browns book, (saith Camden) which (saith Stow p. 1174.) was written against the Common Prayer book) might then restrain those that were contrary minded, I know no reason why the Laws by which that was done, should not still continue to restrain; or at least why Conscience should not be as powerful as Fear. From all this I shall now take confidence to conclude, that were there not many earlier testimonies to confirm it, this one Ordinance would convince the most seducible mistaker of these two sad truths.

[Sect. 49] 1. That the preservation of Laws, so long and so speciously insisted on was but an artifice of design to gain so much either of authority to their Persons, or of power and force into their hands, as might enable them to subvert and abolish the most wholesome Laws of the Kingdom, and in the mean time to accuse others falsely of that, which it was not their innocence, but their discretion, not their want of will, but of opportunity, that they were not really, and truly, and perfectly guilty of themselves, that so they may most completely own and observe the principles by which they move, and transcribe that practice, which hath been constantly used by the Presbyterian, (wheresoever they have appeared) to pretend their care and zeal to liberty, that by that means they may get into power (like Absalom a passionate friend to justice, when he had an itch to be King; or like D • oces in Herodotus. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , his ambition of Magistracy made him content to be just) when as soon as they attain, they inclose, and tyrannically make use of to the enthralling and enslaving all others; Even Laws themselves, the only Bounds and Bulwarks of Liberty, which alone can secure it from servitude on one side, and licentiousness on the other, (which very licentiousness is the surest way to servitude, the licentiousness of one implying the oppression and captivity of some other, and being itself in a just weighing of things the greatest slavery as much as the man's own unruly passions are greater tyrants then laws, or lawful Princes) are to be level'd in their Jehu-march, to be accused and found at last the only guilty things, and the same calamity designed to involve the pretended Enemies of Laws and the Laws themselves.

[Sect. 50] The second truth that this unhappy Ordinance hath taught us, is that which a while ago had been a Revelation of a Mystery indeed, which would without any other auxiliary have infallibly quenched this flame (which now like another Aetna and Vesuvius is gotten into the bowels of this Kingdom, and is there likely to rage forever, if it be not asswaged from Heaven, or determined through want of matter, by having devoured all that is combustible) but now is a pretty vulgar observation, that hath no influence or impression on any man, and therefore I scarce now think it worthy the repeating; and yet to conclude this period fairly, I shall; 'tis only this, That the framers of this Ordinance, that have so long fought for the defense of the established. Protestant Religion, will not have the Peace, unless they may be allowed liberty to cast off and repeal every of those Statutes, that of the second and third of Edward the sixth, that of the fifth and sixth of the same King, that of the first of Queen Elzabeth, that of the fifth, that of the eighth of the same Queen, (though not all at once, yet as far as concerns the matter in hand, by which you may be assured, that the fragments of those Statutes which remain yet unabolished, are but reserved for some other opportunity, as ready for a second and third sacrifice, as thus much of them was for this), by which the Protestant Religion stands established in this Kingdom, and in which the whole work of Reformation is consummate. And all this upon no higher pretence of Reason, then only a Resolution to do so, a not being advised by their Divines to the contrary, and (to countenance the weakness of those two motives) a proostesse scandalous mention, or bare naming of manifold inconveniences, which might as reasonably be made the Excuse of Robbing, and Murthering, and Damning (as far as an Ordinance would reach) all men but themselves, as of abolishing this Litu • gio, Lord lay not this • ix to their Charge.

CHAP. II.

[Sect. 1] THe Preface to the Directory, being the Orator to persuade all men to be content with this grand and sudden change, to lay down with patience and aequanimity, all their right which they had in the venerable Liturgy of the Church of England, and account themselves richly rewarded, for doing so, by this new framed Directory, begins speciously enough, by seeming to lay down the only reasons, why our Ancestors a hundred years ago, at the first Reformation of Religion, were not only content, but rejoiced also in the Book of Common-Prdyer, at that time set forth; But these reasons are set down with some partiality, there being some other more weighty grounds of the Reformers framing, and others rejoicing in that Book, then those negative ones which that preface mentions, viz, the perfect reformation wrought upon the former Liturgy, the perfect conformity of it with, and composure out of the Word of God, the excellent orders prescribed, & benefit to be reaped from the use of that Book, & the no manner of real objection, or exception of any weight against it; All which if they had been mentioned, as in all justice they ought (especially when you report not your own judgments of it but the judgments of those rejoycers of that age, who have left upon record those reasons of their rejoicing) this Preface had soon been ended, or else proved in that first part, an answer or confutation of all that follows. But 'tis the manner of men nowadays, to conceal all that may not tend to their advantage to be taken notice of, (a practice reproached by honest Cicero, in his books of offices of life, in the story of the Alexandrian ship-man, that went to relieve Rhodes, & outgoing the rest of his follows, sold his Corn at so much more gain, by that infamous artifice though not of lying yet of concealing the mention of the Fleet that was coming after) and to cut off the locks of that Sampson whom they mean to bind, pare and circumcise the claws of that creature they are to combat with; I mean to set out that cause, and those arguments at the weakest, to which they are to give satisfaction. And yet by the way, I must confess, that even these weak arguments which they have named, are to me of some moment, as first, The redress of many things, which were vain, erroneous, superstitious, and Idolatrous, which argues that all is not now involved under any of those titles, nor consequently to be abolished, but further reformed only. 2. That they which did this, were wise and pious, which they that were, would never take pains to purge that which was all dross, their wisdom would have helped them to discern that it was so, and their piety oblige them to reject it altogether, and not to save one hoof, when all was due to the common slaughter. 3. That many godly and learned men rejoiced much in the Liturgy, which argues that all was not to be detested, unless either these men now be somewhat higher then Godly or Learned, of that middle sort of rationals, that Iamblichus out of Aristotle speaks of, betwixt God, and Man, the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , or unless it be confessed that many Godly and Learned men may be mistaken in a matter of this moment, and then these may be also mistaken at this time.

[Sect. 2] Having therefore made use of that artifice, mentioned some general slight grounds of men's approving and rejoicing in the new formed Liturgy, the Composers of that Preface, I mean speedily to weigh them down, with a heap of contrary sad matter, and then to leave it to the Readers judgment, whether they are not his friends, thus to disabuse him, and his silly good-natured ancestors, that were thus slightly flattered into a good opinion of an inconvenient, if not mischievous Liturgy. Great hast is therefore made, and some arts and preparations used, to work upon the affection more then judgment of the Reader, and this is done by that Rhetorical pathetic stroke [Howbeit, long and sad experience hath made it manifest] Words of some consideration and efficacy, but that they have one weak part in them, an infirmity that this age is very subject to, that of causeless and groundless calumny. For how long soever, and to murmurers, and passionate lovers of news and change, how irksome and tedious soever the experience of this Liturgy hath been, 'tis notoriously certain that it hath not been sad, save only again to those evil eyes; but on the other side, a continual float and tide of joy to all true English men, to see and observe the prosperity and flourishing of this Church, in a perpetual swelling and growth, ever since the establishing of that Protestant Liturgy and Religion together among us, till at last (about the time when this vast calamity brake in upon us) it was grown to such an height, as was certainly never heard of (or by Enemies themselves affirmed at any other time to have been) in this Kingdom, or (were it not a little like boasting, to which yet you have constrained us, I should add) in any other part of Europe also for these many hundred years.

[Sect. 3] But what is it that this so falsely supposed sad experience hath made manifest? Why, that the Liturgy used in the Church of England (notwithstanding the pains and Religious intentions of the Compilers of it) hath proved an offense, not only to many of the Godly at home, but also to the Reformed Churches abroad.

In which words we shall not take advantage of the Confession of the Religious intentions of the Compilers of our Liturgy, which signifies the offense here spoken of in their notion of it to be acceptum, non datum, taken when it was not given; nor 2. Oppose those religious intentions to the irreligious mistakes of others, and accusations of those things which were so religiously intended; nor. 3. Compare the reputations of those Persons which compiled that Liturgy, whether in King Edwards (Cranmer, Ridley, P. Martyr) or in Queen Elizabeth's days (Parker, Grindall, Horn, Whitchead, &c.) with the Members of this Assembly, much less the intentions of them, which in the mouth of Enemies is acknowledged religious, with the intentions of these, which if we may measure by their more visible enterprises, and the Covenant in which they have associated contrary to all Laws of God and men, we shall have temptation to suspect not guilty of over-much Religion; or good purpose to the government of this Kingdom; nor 4. confront the number of those others that are here confessed to be pleased and benefited, against those others that are said to be offended, which were argument enough for thatwhich is established, that considering the danger of change, it ought in all reason rather to stand to please one sort, and benefit them still, then to be pulled down to comply with the other. But we shall confine ourselves to that which the objectors principally designed as a first reason for which our Liturgy must be destroyed, because, forsooth, say they, it hath proved an • ffence, &c. For the through examining of which reason, it will be necessary to inquire into these three things: 1. What they mean by offense: 2. What truth there is in the assertion, that the Liturgy hath proved so to the Godly at home, and to the Reformed Churches abroad: 3. How far that might be a reason of destroying that which proves an offense.

[Sect. 4] For the first, the word Offence is an equivocal mistaken word, and by that means is many times a title of a charge or accusation, when there is no real crime under it; For sometimes in our English language especially, it is taken for that which anybody is displeased or angry at, and then if the thing be not ill in itself, that anger is a causeless anger, which he that is guilty of, must know to be a sin, and humble himself before God for it, and fail into it no more, and then there need no more be said of such offenses, but that he that is or hath been angry at the Liturgy, must prove the Liturgy to be really ill, (which if it could be done here, the matter of Offence would never have been charged on it, for that is set to supply the place of a greater accusation) or else confess himself, or those others so offended, to have sinned by such anger. But then 2. If we may guess of the meaning of the word by the reason which is brought to prove the charge [For not to speak, &c.] it is set here to signify, 1 The burden of reading all the Prayers; 2. The many unprofitable burthensome Ceremonies, which hath occasioned mischiefby disquieting the Consciences of those that cocld not yield to them, and by depriving them of the Ordinances of God, which they may not enjoy without conforming or subscribing to those Ceremonies. To proceed then to the second thing, what truth there is in this Assertion, and view it in the severals of the proof.

[Sect. 5] For the first of these, the burden of reading the Prayers; if they were enough to prove the Liturgy offensive, all Christian virtues would be involved in that charge, because they have all some burden and difficulty in them, and for this particular, seeing we speak to Christians, we might hope that the Service would not pass for a burden to the Godly (who are here named) i. e. to minds truly devout, if it were longer then it is: and that it may not do so, I am sure it is very prudently framed with as much variety, and as moderate length of each part, as could be imagined, and sure he that shall compare the practices, will find the burden and length both to Minister and People to be as great, by observing the prescriptions in the Directory, in the shortest manner, as this that our Liturgy hath designed. 3. For the many unprofitable burthensome Ceremonies. Every of those Epithets is a calumny; for 1. They are not many, To the People I am sure, For kneeling and standing which are the only Ceremonies in the daily Service, will not make up that number (and for the rest, there is but a superaddition of someone in each Service.) As for sitting bare, if reason itself will not prescribe that civility to be paid to God in the House of God, (where without any positive precept, Jacob put off his shoes from off his feet) neither doth our Liturgy prescribe it. 2 They are not unprofitable, but each of them tending to advance the business towhich they are annexed, kneeling to increase our humility, and join the body with the soul in that duty of adoration, standing to elevate and again to join with the soul in Confession of God and Thanksgiving, and the rest proportioned to the business in hand; and 3. If not many, not unproffiable, then not burthensome also. As for the disquieting the Conscience of many godly Ministers and People, who could not yield to the Ceremonies; I answer, that by what hath formerly been said, and the no-objection in this Directorie against any such, it appears that there is no Ceremony appointed in our Liturgy which is improper or impertinent to the action, to which it is annexed, much less in it self unlawful. And then for man's Consciences to be disquieted, it argues that they have not, in that manner, as they ought, desired information; as for Ministers, we know that all that have been received into that Order, have voluntarily su scribed to them, and consequently have receded from their own subscription, if they have after refused to conform. And we desire to know what tender respect will be had to the Consciences of those, who shall submit to your Directory, and afterward refuse to conform unto it. I am sure the denuntiations which we have heard of against the dissenting Brethren, about the matter of Jurisdiction and Censures (and now lately concerning the depravers of your Directory) have been none of the mildest, although those are your own fellow-Members, that have assisted you as affectionately in the grand Cause as any, and never made themselves liable to your severity, by having once conformed to you in those particulars. And so 3. For depriving them of the ordinances of God, &c. if that were the punishment appointed for the obstinate and refractory, 'tis no more then the Laws of the Land appointed for their Portion, and in that sure not without any example in Scripture and Apostolical practice, who appointed such perverse Persons to be avoided, which is a censure as high as any hath been here on such inflicted. What Ordinances they were of which such men were deprived, I conceive is specified by the next words, that sundry good Christians have been by means thereof kept from the Lord's table, which must needs refer to those that would not kneel there, and why that should be so unreasonable, when the very Directory lays the matter so, that none shall receive with them who do not fit, there will be little ground, unless it be that no posture in the Service of God can be offensive, but only that of kneeling, which indeed hath had the very ill luck by Socinus, in his Tract De Coenâ Domini, to be turned out of the Church as Idololatricall (with whom to affirm the same will be as great a compliance, as kneeling can be with the Papists.) And by these as superstitious at least, I know not for what guilt, except that of too much humility, as being in M. Archer his Divinity, as before I intimated, a betraying of one of the greatest comforts in the Sacrament, the sitting fellow Kings with Christ in his earthly Kingdom, confessing thereby that some men's hearts are so set on that earthly Kingdom, that the hope of an Heavenly Kingdom, will not yield them comfort, unless they may have that other in the way to it; and withal telling us, that he and his Compeers are those men.

[Sect. 6] Having survey'd these severals, and shown how injustly the charge of Offence is laid on the Liturgy, and how little 'tis proved by these reasons, I shall only add, that the proposition pretended to be thus proved by these particulars, is much larger then the proofs can be imagined to extend. For part of the proposition was, that the Liturgy was offense to the Reformed Churches abroad, To which the [For] is immediately annexed, as if it introduced some proof of that also. But 'tis apparent, that the proofs specified infer not that, for neither the burden of reading is offense to them, nor are their Consciences disquieted, nor they deprived of God's ordinances by that means. In which respect 'tis necessary for us to conclude, that the word Offence, as applied to them nor are their consciences disquieted, nor they deprived of God's ordinance by that means. In which respect 'tis necessary for us to conclude, that the word Offence, as applied to them, is taken in that other notion, that they are displeased and angry at it. To which we then must answer, that although there is no guilt inferred from the undergoing this fate of being disliked by some, but rather that it is to be deemed an ill indication to be spoken well of by all, yet have we never heard of any Forrreigne Church which hath expressed any such offense; the utmost that can be said, is (and yet not so much as that is here suggested) that some particular men have expressed such dislike; to whom we could easily oppose the judgment of others more eminent among them who have largely expressed their approbation of it. And 'tis observable, that Calvin himself, when from Frank fort he had received an odious malicious account of many particulars in our Liturgy (as any will acknowledge that shall compare the report then made, with what he finds) though he were so far transported as to call them ineptias follies, yet adds the Epithet of tolerabiles, that though such, they were yet tolerable. And therefore

In the third place, I may now conclude, that if all that is thus affirmed to prove the Offence in the Liturgy, used in the Church of England were (after all this evidence of the contrary) supposed true, yet is it no argument to infer the justice of the present design which is not reforming, but abolishing both of that and all other Liturgy. Were the Offence in the length of the Service, that length might be reformed, and yet Liturgy remain; were there Offence in the Ceremonies, or mischief in the punishing them that have not conformed, those Ceremonies might be left free, that Conformity be not thus pressed, and still Liturgy be preserved inviolate. As for the foreign Churches, 1. I shall demand, whether only some are thus offended, or all. Not all, for some of the wisest in these Churches have commended it; and if some only, then it seems others are not offended, and why must we be so partial, as to offend and displease some, that we may escape the offending others? not sure because we more esteem the judgments of the latter, for by the Apostles rule the weaker men are, the more care must be taken, that they be not offended. 2 I shall suppose that their Liturgy, or their having none at all, may possibly offend us, and then demand why they shall not be as much obliged to change for the satisfying of us, as we of them? I am ashamed to press this illogicall discourse too far, which sure never foresaw such examination, being meant only to give the People a formal specious show for what is done, a heap of popular Arguments, which have of late gotten away all the custom from Demonstrations, and then, Si populus vult decipi, decipiatur if the tame Creature will thus be taken, any fallacy, or Topicke doth as well for the turn, as if Euclid had demonstrated it.

[Sect. 8] In pursuit of this popular Argument it follows, that by this means, i. e. of the Liturgy, divers able and faithful Ministers were debarred from the exercise of their Ministry, and spoiled of their livelihood to the undoing of them and their Families. To which I answer. 1. That if this be true, it is very strange that so few of this present Assembly were of that number. For of them I may surely say many, very many in proportion, were not debarred of the exercise of their Ministry, were not despoyled of their livelihood, &c. And if any one was, which I profess I know not, I believe it will be found, that the standing of Liturgy, brought not those inflictions upon him. The conclusion from hence will be, that either these present Assemblers concurred not in judgment with those many able and faithful Ministers, (and then why do they now bring their Arguments from them, whose judgment they did not approve and follow?) or else that they were not so valiant, as to appear when fufferings expected them, or else that they had a very happy Rainbow hanging over their heads to avert from them that common storm. But then secondly, It might be considered, whether those mentioned penalties have not been legaelly, and by Act of Parliament, inflicted on those who suffered under them, and then whether that will be ground sufficient to abolish a Law, because by force thereof some men that offended against it have been punished. Thirdly, whether somemen did not choose non conformity as the more instrumental to the exercise of their Ministry, changing one Parish for the whole diocese and Preaching oftener in private Families then any other did in the Church, and withal, whether this had not the encouragement of being the more gainfall trade, of bringing in larger Pensions then formerly they had received Tithes. Fourthly, whether the punishments inflicted on such, have not generally been inferior to the rignor of the Statute, and not executed on any who have not been very unpeaceable, and then whether unpeaceable persons would not go near to fall under some mulcts, what ever the Form of Government, what ever the Church Service were, none having the promise of inheriting 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Land of Canaan, an happy prosperous life in this world, but they whose meekness and obedience to Laws have given them a claim to that privilege. Fifthly; whether the number of those, who by Ordinances have lately been so debarred of the exercise their Ministry, and spoiled of their livelihood, have not been far greater then all those together, that ever the Liturgy thus offended since the Reformation. Sixthly, whether this Directory, should it be established, would not be so imposed, that they which obey it not, shall be subject to these or the like penalties.

[Sect. 9] 'It is added in the next place to raise the cry, and increase the Odium, and to involve the Prelates and the Liturgy in the same calamity, (for otherwise what hath the Prelates laboring, &c. to do with the Liturgy) That the Prelates and their Faction have labored to raise the estimation of the Liturgy to such an height, as if there were no other worship, or way of worship of God among us, but only the Service-book, to the great hindrance of the Preaching the Word. To which I answer, 1. That this or any other action of the Prelates, if supposed never so true, and never so extravagant, is wholly extrinsical and impertinent to the business of the Liturgy, and the more impertinent, by how much the more extravagant, such actions being easily coerced, and reduced by and according to the rule, and such unreasonable enhaunsments separable, without any wound or violence to the Liturgy. Give the Liturgy its due, not its usurped estimation, and we are all agreed. 2. 'It is here acknowledged that this was but labored, not affirmed that it was effected, and then this sure is too heavy a doom on the Liturgy, for that their laboring; we do not find that St Paul was stroke dead, like Herod, because the Lycaonians meant and labored to do sacrifice unto him. Act. 14. 16. But then 3. he that shall consider who they are which make this objection, will sure never be moved by it. For certainly they that have formerly set the prime of their wits and endeavors to vilify and defame the Liturgy; and now that they think they have power, have absolutely abolished it, will go near to be partial when they are to judge of the due estimation of it; they that declaim at Bishops for advancing it, will they be just and take notice of their own contempts, which enforced the Bishops thus to rescue and vindicate it? I shall not expect it from them, nor, till then, that they will deliver anymore then popular shows of truth in this matter. For 4. the Prelates have not raised the book to an higher estimation then the Law hath raised it, that is, that it may be observed so as may most tend to edification, nor do we now desire any greater height of value for it, then you for the Directorie, I shall add, nor so great neither, for we do not exclude all other as unlawful, as you have done, and then I am confident God will not lay that charge on us, which you do on the Prelates, nor any man that shall consider how different our titles are, though our claims not proportioned to them. A piece of modesty and moderation which we challenge you to transcribe from us. 5. All this all this while is a mere Calumny, if by the Service Book is meant the use of the prayers in the Liturgy, for no Prelate ever affirmed, or is known to have thought, that there is no other way of worship of God, but that among us. But then 6ly, We add that this way of public prayer by set Form, the only one established by Law, (and so sure to be esteemed by us before any other) is also in many respects the most convenient for Public worship, of which affirmation we shall offer you no other proof or testimony, then what Mr. Calvin, whom before we named, hath given us in his Epistle to the Protector, in these words, Quod ad formulam, &c. As for Forms of Prayers, and Ecclesiastical Rites, I very much approve, that it be set or certain. From which it may not be lawful for the Pastors in their Function to depart, that so there may be provision made for the simplicity and unskilfulness of some, and that the consent of all the Churches among themselves may more certainly appear: and lastly also, that the extravagant levity of some, who affect novelties, may be prevented. So probable was my conjecture, that at first I interposed, that the men that had here imposed upon their fellows so far, as to conclude the abolition of Liturgy necessary, were those that undertook to reform Geneva as well as England, to chastise Calvin's estimation of it, as well as that of our Prelates.

[Sect. 10] As for that pompous close, that this hath been to the great hindrance of the Preaching of the Word, and to the justling it out as unnecessary, or at • est inferior to the reading of Common-Prayer. I answer, 1. That the Liturgy, or the just estimation of it, is perfectly uncapable of this charge, it being so far from hindering, that it requires the Preaching of the Word, assigns the place where the Sermon shall come in, hath Prayers for a blessing upon it. 2. That if anywhere Sermons have been neglected, it hath not been through any default either of the length or estimation of the Liturgy, for these two, if Faction and Schism did not set them at odds, would very friendly and peaceably dwell together, and each tend much to the proficiency and gain which might arise from either; Prayers would prepare us to hear as we ought, i. e. to practice also; and Sermons might incite and stir up the languishing devotion, and enliven and animate it with zeal and fervency in Prayer. And constantly the more we esteemed the Ordinance, and set ourselves to the discharge of the duty of Prayer, the more should we profit by Sermons which were thus received into an honest heart thus fitted, and made capable of impression by Prayer. These two may therefore live like Abraham and Lot, and why should there be any wrangling or controversy betwixt thy Heards-men and my Heards-men? But seeing it is made a season of complaining, I answer, 3. That it is on the other side most notorious, that in many places the Sermon hath justled out the Common Prayers, and upon such a provocation, (and only to prevent the like partiality or oppression) it may be just now to add, that as long as the Liturgy continues in its legal possession in this Church, there is no other legal way (as that signifies, commanded by Law) of the public worship of God among us, and although that voluntary Prayer of the Minister before Sermon, when it is used, is a part of the worship of God, (as all Prayer is) yet is it not prescribed by the Law, nor consequently can it without usurpation cut short or take away any part of that time which is by that assigned to the Liturgy; the free will offerings, though permitted must not supplant the daily prescribed oblations, the Corban must not excuse the not honoring of Parents, the customs which are tolerated must not evacuate or supersede the precepts of the Church. As for Sermons, which in this period seem the only thing that is here opposed to Liturgy; I hope they do not undertake to be as eminent a part of the worship of God among us as Prayer. If they do, I must less blame the poor ignorant people, that when they have heard a Sermon or two think they have served God for all that day or week, nor the generality of those seduced ones, who place so great a part of Piety in hearing, and think so much the more comfortably of themselves from the number of the hours spent in that Exercise, which hath of late been the only business of the Church, (which was by God instill'd the House of Prayer) & the Liturgy at most used but as Music to entertain the Auditors till the Actors be attired, and the Seats be full, and it be time for the Scene to enter. This if it were true, would avow and justify that plea in the Gospel [Lord open unto us, for thou hast taught in our streets] i. e. we have heard thee Preach among us. Which sure Christ would not so have defamed with an [I will say unto them, go you cursed &c.] if it had been the prime part of his worship to be such hearers; the consideration of that place will give us a right notion of this business, and 'tis this, that hearing of Sermons, or what else appointed by the Church for our instruction, is a duty of every Christian prescribed in order to practice or good life, to which knowledge is necessarily preparative, and so, like many others, actus imperatus, an act commanded by Religion; but so far from being itself an immediate or elicit act of worship precisely or abstractly, as it is hearing, that unless that proportionable practice attend it, 'tis but an aggravation and accumulation of our guilts, the blessedness not belonging to the hearing, but the [and keeping the word of God] & the go you Cursed, to none more then to those, that hear and say, but do not: and for the title of worship of God, whether outward or inward outwardly expressed, oral Prayer certainly, & adoration of God is the thing to which that most specially belongs, as may appear, Psal. 95. 6. where that of worshipping is attended, with falling down and kneeling before the Lord our maker. And even your Directory, though it speak extreme high of Preaching the Word, yet doth not it style it any part of God's worship, as it doth the reading the word of God in the Congregation, p. 12. because indeed our manner of Preaching is but an human thing, and the word of man. This I should not here have said, because I would be sure not to discourage any in the attending any Christian duty (and such I acknowledge hearing to be, and heartily exhort all my Fellow-Laborers in their several Charges, to take heed to Doctrine, to Reproof, to Exhortation, to be as frequent and diligent in it, as the wants of their Charges require of them; and my fellow-Christians also, that they give heed to sound Doctrine, that they require the Law at the Priests mouth, as of a messenger of the Lord of hosts, & again to take heed how they hear) but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , or impropriety of speech, that I say no more, that is in this matter discernible in the words of the Directorie, and the consequent dangers which experience hath forced us to observe in them, who place the worship of God especially in hearing, have extorted thus much from us, which may be useful to give us a due valuation of Sermon and Prayer, the former as a duty of a Christian, the latter a duty too, and an elicit act, a prime special part of worship also.

[Sect. 11] And whereas ' • is added, that the Liturgy by many is made no better then an Idol, 1. That is a speech of great cunning, but withal of great uncharitableness: cunning, in setting the words so cautiously thus, not an Idol, but [no better then] (as they, that will rayl, but would not pay for it, whose fear doth moderate the petulancy of their spleen, and covetousness keep them from letting anything fall that the Law may take hold of, are wont to do) and yet withal signifying as odiously as if it had been made an Idol indeed. Whereas the plain literal sense of the words if it be taken, will be this, that an Idol is not worse then our Common-Prayer Book is to many, or that it is used by many as ill as an Idol is wont to be used, which is then the most bitter piece of uncharitablenes, if not grounded on certain knowledge, and that impossible to be had by others, as could be imagined. The truth is, this Directory hath now proved that there is a true sense of these words, the Compilers of which have demonstrated themselves to be those many that have made our Liturgy no better then an Idol, have dealt with it as the good Kings did with the abominations of the Heathens, brake it in pieces, ground it to powder, & thrown the dust of it into the Brook; for abolition is the plain sense for which that is the metaphor. But then a▪ 'It is possible, the calm meaning of those odious words is no more then this, that many have given this an estimation higher then it deserves, If any such there be, I desire not to be their advocate, having to my task only the vindication of it's just esteem; but yet cannot resist the temptation which prompts me to return to you, that some men ar near the golden mean as the Assemblers, have said the like of Preaching, though not expressed it in so large a Declamatory figure; and I shall ask; whether you have not possibly given them some occasion to do so (as great perhaps as hath been given you to pass this sentence on on them) at least now confirmed them in so doing, by applying or appropriating to the Preaching of the word (in the Modern notion of it, and as in your Directory it is distinguished from reading of the Scriptures) the title which St Paul gives to the Gospel of Christ, saying, that it is the Power of God unto Salvation, and one of the greatest and most excellent works of the Ministry of the Gospel, p. 27, which former clause of power of Cod. &c. though it be most truly affirmed by S. Paul of their Preaching the Gospel, and also truly applied or accommodated to that Preaching or interpreting of Scripture, which is the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the due application of the Scripture rule to particular cases, yet is it not true in universum, of all that is nowadays called Preaching, much of that kind being 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , of a mortiferous poisonous savor, not to them that perish, but to the most Christian auditory it meets with; And that the railing of every Pulpit- Rabshakeh, the speaking evil of Dignities, &c. should be styled the power of God to Salvation, I have little temptation to believe. And whether the latter clause be true also, I refer you to S. Aug. Ep. 108. ad Honorat. where speaking of damages that come to the people by the absence of the Minister, and consequently of necessaria Ministeria, the special useful necessary acts of the Ministry, he names the Sacraments, and receiving of Penitents, and giving of comfort to them, but mentions neither Praying nor Preaching in that place, I shall add no more, but that some have on these, and the like grounds been tempted to say, that you idolize Preaching, because you attribute so much to any the worst kind of that, above what others have conceived to be its due proportion. And yet we hope you think not fit to abolish Preaching on that suggestion, and consequently, that it will be as unjust to abolish Liturgy on the like, though it should be proved a true one, this being clearly the fault of Men, end not of Liturgy, as that even now of the Lycaonians and not of Paul, especially when the many, which are affirmed to have thus offended, by Idolizing the Liturgy, are said to be ignorant and superstitious, whose faults, & errors and imprudencies, if they may prove matter sufficient for such a sentence, may also rob us of all the treasures we have, of our Bibles & Souls also. For thus hath the Gospel been used as a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , or charm, and that is but little better then an Idol, and so have some persons been had in admiration, and believed as if they were infallible, and so in a manner Idoliz'd also, and that this should be a capital crime in them that were thus admired, would be a new piece of severity, that few of Draco's Laws could parallel.

[Sect. 12] The next charge (which is an appendant proof of this) is that the People pleasing themselves in their presence at that Service, and their Lip-labor in bearing a part in it, have thereby hardened themselves in their ignorance, and carelessness of saving knowledge and true piety. To this I answer, 1. That 'tis no fault to be so pleased with presence at that service (the congregation of many Saints is to any a pleasing company) and therefore if it were immediate to, and inseparable from the Liturgy, would not be a charge against it, nor in any probability hinder but advance the desire, and acquisition of saving knowledge and true piety, which is there proposed to all that are present at the Liturgy. But if the phrase signify being pleased with the bare presence, or the being present, and doing nothing of that they come for, as the lip. labor seems to denote the hard labor of the lip, and not joining any zeal or intention of the heart, it is but then an uncharitable censure again, if it be not upon certain knowledge, and if it be, 'tis as incident to that order of the Directories proposing, as to the Liturgy, One may please himself with a bare presence at Sermon, and either sleep it out, or think on some worldly matter; one, may say all or most of the Ministers Prayer after him, and sigh and groan at every period and satisfy himself that this is a gallant work of piety, but truly I would be unwilling to be he that should pass this censure on any whose heart I did not know (for sure it is not necessary that any man should leave his heart at home, when his body is present, or employ it on something else, when his lips are busied either in our Liturgy or that Directory prayer) nor, if I did so should I think that the Directories order for worship should be rejected for this fault of others, if there were nothing else to be said against it. As for the Peoples bearing a part in the Service, w ^ch seems to refer to the responses, this hath had an account given of it already

[Sect. 13] Only in the whole period put together, this seems to be in •• nuated, that the saving knowledge, and true piety, is nowhere to be had, but in those Sermons, which are not • shered in with the Liturgy; which we shall not wonder at them for affirming, who have a long time thus persuaded the people, that all saving knowledge is to be had from them, and their complices, and blasted all others for carnal men, of which many discriminative Characters were formerly given, as kneeling or praying at the time of entrance into pue or pulpit; but now it seems the use of the Liturgy supplies the place of all, as being incompatible with saving knowledge and true piety. If this be true, that will be a very popular plausible argument I confess, and therefore I shall oppose unto, that which I hope will not pass for boast either with God or Angels, that of the Sermons which have been Preacht since the Reformation in this Kingdom, and commended to the Press and public view, very few were Preacht by those that excluded the Liturgy out of the Churches, and that since this Directory came into use, and so made a visible discrimination among men there hath been as much saving knowledge, i. e, Orthodox doctrine, and exhortation to repentance, Prayer, Faith, Hope, and Love of God, Selfdeniall, and readiness to take up the cross, (duties toward God) and to Allegiance, Justice, Mercy, Peaceablenesse, Meekness, Charity even to Enemies, (and the rest of the duties toward man) to be heard in the Sermons of those that retain the Liturgy, and as much obedience to those observable in the lives of those that frequent it, as is to be met with in the espousers of the Directory. If it be not thus, I confess I shall have little hope, that God will suffer such a jewel as the Liturgy is, to continue any longer among us so unprofitably, and yet if men were guilty of this fault also, and the Liturgy of the unhappiness of having none but such Clients, yet would not this be sufficient authority for any men to abolish it, anymore then it will be just to hang him who hath been unfortunate, or to make any man's infelicity his guilt. I beseech God to inflame all our hearts with that zeal, attention, fervency, which is due to that action of of Prayer in our Liturgy, and that cheerful obedience to all that is taught us out of his Word, and then I am sure this argument or objection against our Liturgy will be answered, if as yet it be not.

[Sect. 14] The next objection is the Papists boast, that our Book is a compliance with them in a great part of the Service, and so that they were not a little confirmed in their Superstition and Idolatry, &c. Where I shall 1. demand, is there any Superstition or Idolatry in that part of the Service wherein we thus comply with them? if so, 'tis more then a compliance with Papists, 'tis in itself a down-right damning sin; and if there be not, but all that is Idolatrous or superstitious in their Service is reformed in ours, then sure this will be far from confirming them in either of those, if they depend anything upon our judgments or our cōplyance. 2. 'It is a little unreasonable, that they who will not believe the Papists in anything else, should believe their boast against us, and think it an accusation sufficiently proved, because they say it; whereas this affirmation of the Papists, if it be theirs, (and not the Assemblers rather imposed upon them) is as gross, though perhaps not as dangerous a falsity, as any one which the Assemblers have condemned in them. For 3. The truth is notorious, that our Reformers retained not any part of Popish-service, reformed their Brevi • ry and Processionall, and Mass-book, as they did their Doctrine, retained nothing but what the Papists had received from purer Antiquity, and was as clear from the true charge of Popery, as any period in either Prayer or Sermon in the Directory; which argues our compliance with the ancient Church, and not with them; the very thing that Isaac Casaubon so admired in this Church of ours, the care of antiquity and purity, proclaiming everywhere in his Epistles to all his friends, that there was not anywhere else in the world the like to be found, nor ever hoped he to see it till he came into this Kingdom. And sure there is no Soloecisme in this, that we being a Reformed Church, should desire to have a Reformed Liturgy, which hath always had such a consent and sympathy with the Church, that it will not be a causeless fear, lest the abolition of Liturgy as far as God in judgment permits it to extend, (the just punishment of them that have rejected it) be attended with the abolition of the Church in time, and even of Christianity also.

[Sect. 15] As for the confirming of Papists in their superstition by this means, I desire it be considered whether it be a probable accusation, viz. 1. Whether the rejecting that which the Papists have from antiquity, as well as what they have obtruded on, or superadded to it, be a more likely means to win them to hear us or reform themselves, then our retaining with them what they retain from Antiquity, i. e. whether a servant (much more whether a brother) that is reprehended as much for his diligence, as for his neglects, for his good and faithful, as for his ill and false services, be more likely thereby to be inclined to mend his faults, then he that is seasonably and meekly reproved for his miscarriages only? It was good advice in that ancient Epistle to Polycarpus, ascribed to S. Ignatius, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , meekness is the best means to bring down the most pestilent adversary, & the resemblance by which he express it as seasonable, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Fomentations are most proper to allay any exasperation of humors. And 'tis Hippocrates advice, that the Physician should never go abroad without some 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , lenitives or mollifying applications about him; It seems there was nothing of so daily approved use as those. And that will avow this method of complying with adversaries, as far as w • may, to be a probable & a wise, as well as a Christiā course to bring them from their superstition, & not to confirm them in it. And another use there is wherein the Papists themselves confess this cōpliance was politick, to take all scruple out of the heads & hearts of the people of England, concerning the lawfulness of this Reformation, (This is the opinion of the Papists expressed / in a Book called Babel and Jerusalem, or Monarcho-machia Protestantium, subscibed by P. D. M. but conceived to be Patisons; p. 314.) that they might conceive, that the Service and Religion still continued the same, but was translated into English only, for their hetter edification, and so, saith he, 〈◊〉 was indeed very politically handled. 2. Whether that which drives away all Papists from all kind communion or conversation with us, from all hearing of our Preaching or Doctrine, be more likely to work them over to our side, then that which permits them to come to our Churches with us. For this is notoriously known, that as our Liturgy now is, and was framed in Queen Elizabeth's days, the Papists did for ten years together, at the beginning of her Reign, come to Church with us, and so continved, till the Popes excommunicating the Queen and our Nation, made it so appear unlawful for them. And perhaps but appear too, for an account might be given of this business, that it is no way unlawful (by his own principles) to a Papist, remaining thus to come to our Churches, and be present at our Liturgy, and (if that be thought an objection or reproach against us, I shall then add) not only to ours, but to that Service which is performed according to the Directory also, the only difference being, that if both by them were conceived lawful (as by mistake, I believe, in them neither now is) our Liturgy would be more likely to attract them, then the Directory; And this we conceive not such a fault as to offer any excuse for it, (for if S. Paul by being a Jew to the Jew, could hope to gain the Jew, why should not we (without being Papists to the Papists, but only Christians in those things wherein they are so too) expect to gain the Papist also? For supposing this to be, as you call it a compliance with them, sure 'twere a more probable gaining way, then to denounce enmity to all, whom they ever conversed with; I mean to the primitive Liturgies for no other crime, but because they made use of them, Who are best Diviners in this matter, they, or we, experience may perhaps hereafter prove. In the mean, I cannot imagine but Liturgy and moderation, & charity, may be able to bring in as fair a shole of Proselytes, to convert as many Papists to us, or at least to confirm Protestants, as an Ordinance for Sequestration of all their goods, & Halter, & a Directory will be able to do, yea with an Ordināce for the ordinatiō of Ministers by mere Presbyters too, called in to assist th •

[Sect. 16] And whereas 'tis added in that same Section, that the Papists were very much encouraged in that expectation, when upon the pretended warrantablenes of imposing of the former Ceremonies, new ones were daily obtruded upon the Church. 1. I demand an occasion of that phrase [pretended warrantableness of imposing of Ceremonies.] May any Ceremonies be imposed or no? if they may, then an Act of Parliament may certainly do it, and such was that w ^ch confirmed our Liturgy, & so the warrantableness not pretended; if not, why then do you impose entering the Assembly not irreverently, p. 10. and taking their places without bowing? For that general, and that negative is notation of some Ceremony, if it have any sense in it. The phrase [not irreverently] prescribes some reverence, there being no middle between those two, & consequently the forbidding of the one being a prescription of the other. For I shall ask. Is keeping on the hat irreverence at that time? If it be, then pulling it off, or not keeping it on is a Reverence then required; And if this be avoided by saying, that this is only there directed, not commanded; I reply, that an Ordinance prefixed for the establishing that direction, requiring that what is there directed shall be used, amounts to a prescription. The same may be said of causing the man to take the woman by the right hand in marriage, in the Directory, w ^ch is the prescribing of a Ceremony, as much as if the Ring had been appointed to be used there also. 2. I answer that we know not of any Ceremonies w ^ch have been obtruded or forced on any w ^ch the Law hath not commanded, (or if there had, this had been nothing to the Liturgy, nor consequently to be fetched in as a part of a charge against it;) That of bowing at the entrance into the Church, is the most likely to be the Ceremony here spoken of, and yet that is neither a new one (never by any Law or Canon turned out at the Reformation, but only not then imposed under any command, and since disused in some places) nor yet was it lately imposed or obtruded on the Church, but on the other side in the Canon of the last so hated Convocation, (which alone could be said to deal with the Church in this matter) it was only recōmended, and explained, and vindicated from all mistake, and then the practice of using of it left to every man's liberty, with the caution of the Apostle, that they that use it should not condemn thē that use it not, nor they that use it not, judge them that use it. 3. That the warrantableness of imposing the former Ceremonies was no means or occasion of obtruding new daily, but rather an hedge to keep off such obtrusion; for when it is resolved by Law, that such Ceremonies shall be used, 'tis the implicit intimation of that Law, that all other uncōmanded are left free, & that, without authority (as the word [daily] supposes the discourse here to mean) no other can be obtruded. For sure 'tis not the quality of Law to steal in illegal pressures, but to keep them out rather, to define and limit our Liberty, not to enthrall us, to set us bounds and rules of life, not to remove all such. But then 4. That it may appear of how many truths this period is composed (everyone of them with the help of one syllable a [not] set before the principal verb, able to become such) I shall add that the very obtrusion of such Ceremonies, if they had been obtruded, would never have encouraged a rational Papist to expect our return to them, but only have signified that we meant by complying with them, as far as it was lawful, to leave them without excuse, if they did not do so too, comply with us in what they might, and restore the Peace and Union of Christendom by that means. This with any moderate Papist would most probably work some good, and for the more fiery Jesuited, I am confident none were ever more mortally hated by them, then those who were favorers of the Ceremonies now mentioned, and for the truth of what I say, you are obliged to believe that passage in Rome's Masterpeece, which you appointed to be set out, wherein the King, and the late Arch-bishop of Canterbury, were by the popish contrivers designed to slaughter 〈◊〉 persons wh •• they despaired to gain to them: but that any of the now Assemblers were so hated, or so feared, or thought so necessary to be taken out of the way, we have not yet heard, but are rather confident that if a pe • tion of Rome, or a Cardinals cap, will keep them longer together to do more such work as this, so reproachful to the Protestant Religion, they should be so hired, rather then dissolve too speedily.

[Sect. 17] In the next place, 'tis found out by experience, that the Liturgy hath been a great means to make and increase an idle and unedifying Ministry, which contented itself with set forms made to their hands by others without putting forth themselves to exercise the gift of prayer. To this I answer, that those Ministers are not presently proved to be idle and unedifying which have been content to use the Liturgy. I hope there may be other ways of labor, beside that of extemporary prayer (which can be no longer a labor then while it is a speaking.) For 1. I had thought that these men might have acknowledged preaching and Catechizing, the former at least, to have been the work of a Minister, and that an edifying work, and that s • re those men have been exercised in, who have retaind the Litu • gy also. 2. Study of all kind of Divine learning, of which the haters of Liturgy have not gotten the inclosure, may pass with sober men for a labor also, & that which may tend to edification, if it have charity joined with it, and that may be had too, without hating the Liturgy. But then 3. I conceive that this Directory is no necessary provision against this reproached idleness, or unedifyingnesse in any that were formerly guilty of them in the days of Liturgy. For sure the labor will not be much increased to the Minister, that will observe the Directory, because either he may pray extempore, which will be no pains, but of his lungs and sides in the delivery, or else a form being composed by any, according to the Directory (which is in effect a Form itself,) he may thenceforth continue as idle as he who useth our form of Liturgy, and he which hath a mind to be idle, may with that use of it, and that you acknowledge, when you interpose that caution P. 8. [that the Ministers become not herely slothful and negligent] which were wholly an unnecessary caution, if this Directory made idleness impossible; and if a caution will serve turn, the like may be added to our Liturgy also, without abrogating of it. And for the edifying, I desire it may be considered, whether the extravagancies and impertinences, which our experience (as well grounded as that which taught these men this mystery of the idle unedifying Ministry) bids us expect from those who neglect set forms, do more tend to the edifying of any then the use of those prayers which are by the piety and judgment of our Reformers composed, and with which the Auditory being acquainted, may with uninterrupted devotion go along and say, Amen.

[Sect. 18] And whereas 'tis added in this place, that our Lord Christ pleaseth to furnish all his Servants whom he calls to that office with the gift of Prayer. I desire 1. That it may be shown what evidence we have from any promise of Christ in his word, that any such gift shall be perpetually annexed by him to the Ministry; I believe the places which will be brought to enforce it, will conclude for gifts of Healing, making of psalms, and other the like also, which Ministers do not now a days pretend to. 2. I would know also why Christ, if he do so furnish them, may not also be thought to help them to the matter of their prayers (in which yet here the Directory is fain to assist them, and pag. 8. supposes the Minister may have need of such help and furniture,) as well as the form of words, in which the Liturgy makes the supply. 3 I shall not doubt to affirm, that if the gift of prayer signify an ability of praying in public without any premeditation, discreetly and reverently, and so as never to offend against either of those necessaries, every Minister is not furnished with this gift, some men of very excellent abilities wanting that sudden promptness of elocution, and choice of words for all their conceptions, others being naturally modest and bashful, and not endued with this charisma of boldness, which is a great part, a special ingredient of that which is here called the gift of prayer. And even for those which have the former of these, and are not so happy as to want the latter, that yet they are not sufficiently gifted for prayer in public, experience hath taught us by the very creditable relations of some, who have fallen into so many indiscreti •• s, that we say no worse in that performance 'It is true that God enableth men sufficiently in private to express their necessities to him, being able to understand sighs and groans, when words are wanting, and as well content with such Rhetoric in the Closet as any, but this is not peculiar to Ministers, and for any such ability in public, there will not be the like security, unless the language of sighs and groans, without other expressions, be there current also, which appears by some, who are forced to pay that debt to God in that coin, having through unthriftiness provided no other; and yet 'twere well also if that were the worst of it, but the truth is, blasphemy is somewhat worse then saying nothing.

[Sect. 19] The last objection is, That the countenance of the Liturgy would be a matter of endless strife and contention in the Church, and a snare to many godly Ministers, &c. to the end of that page. Where 1. is observable the temper and resolution of these men, of whom such special care is taken, which makes it so necessary for them, not only to strive and contend, 1. against established Law. 2. about forms of Prayer, (which sure is none of the prime Articles of the Creed) but also to strive forever, which being observed, it seems secondly, That they have a very charitable opinion of us all who are assertors of Liturgy, that we will never strive or contend for it, for otherwise the strife may be as endless upon its taking away. And sure in ordinary judging (if they be not sure that none are contentious, but their favorites) we see no reason, why the introduction of a new way of worship, should not be more matter of strife, and so also a snare to more (if any can be ensnared or scandalized, but they) then the continuance of the old established Liturgy. Where, by the way, the snare they speak of seems to signify that which catches and intraps their estates and not their souls, causeth them to be persecuted, &c. which is a notable paralogisme and fallacy put upon the Scripture use of that phrase, if we took pleasure in making such discoveries. But then thirdly, We desire experience may be judge, and upon the sentence which that shall give, that it may be considered, whether upon the balancing of the Kingdom, it will not be found that a far greater number are now at this time offended at the Directory, and thereby ensnared in their Estates, if they lie within your power, then formerly at any time (I shall add in all times since the Reformation, put together) ever were by the Liturgy.

[Sect. 20] As for that passage which is added in the close of this Section, that in these latter times God vouchsafeth to his people mere and better means for the discovery of error and Superstition.] Though this sounds somewhat like his Divinity who makes the power of resisting Kings, to be a truth which God pleas,d to reveal in these latter times, for the turning Antichrist out of the world, but hid in the primitive times, that Antichrist might come in, yet I shall not now quarrel with it (because 'tis possible it may have another sense, and I would not deny anything but what is apparently and inexcusably false) but from thence assume, 1. That I hope God vouchsafeth these means to them, that use the Liturgy also; For if it must be supposed a • in to continue the use of it, 'tis not, I hope, such a wasting sin, as to deprive men of all grace, even of the Charismata, which unsanctified men may be capable of, and of means of knowledge, which is but a common grace, and therefore I must hope that the phrase [his people] is not here meant in a discriminative sense (like the Montanists form of nos spirituales, in opposition to all others, as animales & phychici) to signify only those that are for the Directory, for then let them be assured, God's gifts are not so enclosed, but that Ox • ord is vouchsafed as plentiful means for the discovery of err • ur and superstition, as London, and have, among other acts of knowledge, discovered this one by God's blessing, (which again I shall mention) that there may be as much error and Superstition, in rejecting of all L • turgie, as in retaining of any, in opposing Ceremonies, as in asserting them, a negative (as I said) touch not, taste not, kneel not, bow not, as well as a positive superstition; as also that there be errors in practice, as well as doctrine, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 infidelities against the Commandments, and Sermon of Christ in the Mount, as well as against the Creed itself, and that imposing of Laws on the King and Kingdom by the Sword, abolishing Liturgy, setting up Directories by that s • erne way of argument, those carnal weapons of mili • ia or warfare, when they are not only practiced, but asserted for lawful, are errors, damnable errors also, and such as are very near the ordinary notion of Superstition, the teaching for doctrine the Commandments of men, I would I might not say of—also. But then 2. all this being supposed of God's granting better means of knowledge now, then formerly, I shall yet interpose, that sure this is not a truth of an unlimited extent, for there have been Apostles, which had • etter means then we, and they that were nearest • h • m, (and knew their doctrines, and practices, better then it is possible we should) had so also, nay Universal Councils meeting in the Holy Ghost, and piously and judiciously debating, had by the privilege of Prayer, more right to that promise of Christ's being in the midst of them, and leading them into all truth, then an illegally congregated Assembly; and all these have been greater favorers of Liturgy then any of equal authority with them have been of your Directory; And 3. if all were supposed and granted which you claim, yet still the means of knowledge now vouchsafed do not make you infallible, lay not any moral or physical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you to be faultless or errourlesse, and therefore still this may be error in you as probably, as Liturgy should be Superstition in us. And for gifts of Preaching and Prayer, I answer, if they are and have been truly gifts, others of former times may be the Spirit have had as liberal a portion of them, as we. For sure those days wherein the spirit was promised to be poured out on all flesh, are not these days of ours, or of this age, exclusively to all others; Of this I am confident, that some other ages have had them in such a measure, as was most agreeable to the propagating of the Gospel, and if that were then by forming or using of Liturgies, why may it not be so at this time also?

[Sect. 21] Having given you my opinion of these passages, and yielded to them for quietness sake, a limited truth, I must now add, that if they be argumentative, and so meant as a proof that these Assemblers are likely to be in the right, while they destroy Liturgy, although all the Christian world before them have asserted it, this will be a gross piece of insolency and untruth together; a taking upon them to be the only people of God of these latter times, nay to have greater judgment knowledge, gifts, then all the whole Christian world, for all Ages together, including the Apostles and Christ himself, have had. For all these have been produced together with the suffrage of Jews, Heathens, Mohammedans also, to maintain set Forms; and though it be true, that some of late have found out many Superstitions, that never were discovered before, one or other almost in every p • sture or motion in God's Service, yet this sure is by the help of an injustice in applying without all reason that title to those actions, and not by a greater sagacity, in discerning, making many acts of indifferent performance, nay of Piety itself, go defamed and mourning under the reproach of Superstition, and not bringing any true light into the world, that before was wanting. This one Odium fastened on all Orthodox Ministers in this Kingdom at this time, of being superstitious, and the mistake of the true notion of the word which hath to that end been in • u • ed into many, (but is by a Tract lately printed somewhat discovered) hath brought in a shole of Sequestrations of Livings, which have been very necessary and instrumental, to the maintaining of these present distempers. And now at length it proves in more respects then one, that what ever un • atiate hydropecall appetices are tempted to take away, is presently involved under that title, a name that hath an universal malignity in it, makes anything lawful prize that is in the company. God will in time display this deceit also.

Having mentioned these so many reasons of their abolishing our Liturgy, i. e. their so many 〈◊〉 against our Church and Church-men, all if they were true, hang so loose and so separable from Liturgy, that they cannot justify the abolition of it; At length they shut up their suggestions with [Upon these and many the like weighty considerations, and because of divers particulars contained in the Book, they have resolved to lay aside the Book] where if the many considerations unmentioned be of no more truth or validity then these, and so be like weighty considerations, I acknowledge their▪ prudenc • in not naming them, and think that no part of the World is like to prove the worse for this their reservednesse, only by the way a general charge is nothing in Law, and in generalibus latet dolus, is a legal exception against anything of that nature. But if they have any other which they conceive to be of any weight, • hey are very unjust and very uncharitable to us, thus to ensnare our estates (the fault even now laid upon the Prelates) by requiring our approbation of their Directorie, and conformity of our practice to it, and yet not vouchsafe us that conviction, which they are able, to satisfy us of the reasons of their proceedings. But the truth is, we shall not charge this on them neither, being made confident by the weakness of the motives produced, that they have not anymore effectual in store. And for the particulars contained in the Book, if there were any infirm parts in it, anything unjustifiable, (which we conceive their Conscience tells them there is not, having not in this whole Book produced one, and yet their charity to it not so great, as to cover or conceal any store of sins) yet would not this infer anymore then only farther Reformation of the Book, which is not the design against which we now argue.

[Sect. 23] And having proceeded to so bloody a sentence upon such ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in the Gospel phrase) testimonies and accusatious so insufficient and unproportionable to such a •• ndenmation, they could not but foresee the opinion that would be had of the action, and the ill and odious consequents that would attend it, which therefore to keep off, is the next endeavor, by professing that which is done, is not from any love of Novelty. And truly 'tis well you tell us so, for otherwise the semblance of that love in this and other actions, might have persuaded us mortals, who see but the outsides, so to judge. And still notwithstanding the affirmation, (which is not of much value in your own cause, unless we had more testimonies of the Authors infallibility, then this Preface hath afforded us) the consideration of the matter and terms of the change from what and to what, of the no manner of advantage or acquisition by it to recompense all the disadvantages, the great temerity, if not impiety to boot, in separating from this National, and in scorning and defying the practice of the Universal Church, and the great illegality, that I say no worse, of your action and the preparatory steps of motion to it, may tempt us to affirm, that it must needs be a love of novelty, even a Plat • nick love, as the phrase is nowadays, a love of novelty, as novelty, without any other hope for reward, without any other avowed design in seeking it; for if there be any other which may be owned, I am confident it hath already appeared by what hath been said, that this is not the way to it. But then 2. Such a profession as this will not sure signify much, to innovate, and yet to say we love not innovation, to act with a proud high hand in despite of so much at least of God, as is imprinted in the Laws of man, and our lawful Superior's, and then to excuse it by saying we love not to do so, will but little alleviate the matter before any equal Judge. 'It is certain there is something unlovely in the reproachful name of sin, how glibly soever the pleasures of it go down, yea and even in the sin itself, it hath the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the two Cups in Homer, more truly then that to which he applies it, its bitter and hateful, as well as its sweeter lovelier parts, extemplo quodcun{que} malum committitur, ipsi Displicet, and if men may have leave and excuse to commit adultery so long, till they fall in love not only with the pleasure of it, but the very sinfulness of it, and the name and reproach also, we shall give them a good large space of Repentance: the short is, the mention of Novelty is an evidence that the Composers Conscience tells them, that what they now do is such, and 'tis not their not loving it (perhaps only thinking, perhaps only saying they do not love it) which will much lessen the fault but rather define it to be an act against Conscience, to be and continue guilty of so huge a novelty, when they profess they love it not.

[Sect. 24] The next envy that they labor to avoid, is the having an intention to disparage the Reformers, of whom they are persuaded, that were they now alive they would join with them in this work. This is another 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to blanch your actions with contrary intentions, to do that which is most reproachful to the Reformers, to obliterate, or which is worse, to defame their memory (whom yet at the beginning you called wise and pi • us) and then say you intended them no disparagement, nay to make▪ them repent and retract after their death (i. e. to put them in a kind of Purgatory) to undertake for them that they have changed their minds, and not only that they are now content to part with that finally out of the Church, the short temporary loss of which, one of them (Arch-bishop Cranmer in one of his letters published by Miles Coverdale) laments, as the severest part of the Persecutors tyranny toward him, viz. that they would not permit him the use of the Common-Prayer Book in the prison; but withal that they are grown zealots too, are content to act most illegally and seditionsly to cast it out. The judgment of this matter we leave to any ordinary arbitration, 1 Whether it be likely that they would join, against Law to take that away, which they compiled, or make all prescribed Forms unlawful, who did not think any fit in public, but those which were prescribed. 2. Whether any man can have ground of such persuasion, when they died in the constant exercise of it, and have sent them no message from the dead of their change of mind. 3. Whether it be not strongly improbable, that they of the first Reformation who in Queen Mari • s days flying and living in Frankf • rd, and there meeting with the objections that have been produced by our new reformers maintained the Book against them all, would now if they were returned to us from a longer exile, disclaim all that they had thus maintained. 4. Whether it be not an argument of a strong confidence and assurance, (which is the mo • t d • nge • ous mother of Schism and Heresy imaginable) of strong 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 judgment, to think that all men would be of their side (as 〈◊〉 thought ve • ily that all London would rise with him▪ as soon as he appeared in Chea • side) upon no other ground of that persuasion mention • d, but 〈◊〉 that they are of it, which is but in effect as the same H •• k • t did showing no evidence of his being a Prophet, but only his confidence, which produced all kind of direful Oa • bes that he was, and hideous im • recations on himself, if he were not so. That which is added by way of honor to those Martyrs, that they were excellent instruments to begin the ••• ging and building of his house, may be but an artifice of raising their own reputation, who have perfected those rude beginnings, or if it be meant in earnest, as kindness to them, 'tis but an unsignificant civility, to abolish all the records of their Reformation, and then pay them a little praise in exchange for them, Martyr their ashes (as the Papists did Fagius and Bucer) and then lay them down into the earth again, with a dirge or an •• em, defame the Reformation, and Commend the Reformers; but still to intimate how much wiser and Godlier you are, then all those Martyrs were.

[Sect. 25] Thus far they have proceeded ad amoliendam invidiam; Now to the positive motives, of setting upon this great work of innovation, and those are, 1. To answer in s • me measure the gracious providence of God which at this time calleth upon them for farther Reformation: What they should mean by the gracious providence of God in this place, I confess I cannot guess, (if it be not a mere name to add some credit to the cause) unless it be the prosperity & good success of their Arms; which if throughout this War they had reason to brag or take notice of (as sure they have) not, but of God's hand many times visibly shown against them, in raising the low estate of the King, without visible means, and bringing down their mighty strengths, as the Septuagint makes God promise to fight against Amalek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , by secret hand, by invisible,) yet sure would not that justify the taking up of those Arms, much less be able to consecrate all other sins, that those Arms may enable any to be guilty of. It is the Turks Divinity, as before I intimated, to p ••• e sentence on the action by the prosperity of the man, to make one killing of a Father villainy and sacrilege, because the design it aimed at miscarried, and another of the same making an heroic act, that God was pleased with, because it brought the designer to the Kingdom: And therefore, I beseech you, look no longer on the cause through the deceivable and deceitful glasses of your conceited victories, but through that one true glass the word of Christ in the New Testament; and if that call you to this farther reformation, go on in God's name; But if it be any else that calleth you, (as sure somewhat else it is you mean, for if it were God's word you would ere now have showed it us, and here have called it God's word, which is plain and intelligible, not God's providence, which is of an ambiguous signification) if any extraordinary revelation however conveyed to you; this you will never be able to approve to any that should doubt your call, and therefore I shall meekly desire you, and in the bowels of Christian compassion to yourselves, if not to your bleeding Country, once more to examine seriously, what ground you have in God's word, to satisfy conscience of the lawfulness of such attempts, which you have used, to gain strength to work your Reformation; and this we the rather desire to be shown by you, because you add, that having consulted with God's holy word, you resolve to lay aside the former Liturgy, which cannot signify that upon command of God's word particularly speaking to this matter, you have done it, for then all this while, you would sure have shown us that word, but that the Word of God hath lead you to the whole work in general, which you have taken in hand, and therefore that is it, which as a light shining in so dark a place, we require you in the name of God to hold out to us.

After this there is a second motive, the satisfaction of your own consciences. This I cannot speak to, because neither I know them, nor the grounds of them, save only by what is here mentioned, which I am sure is not sufficient to satisfy conscience; (fancy perhaps it may) only this I shall interpose, that it is possible your own consciences may be erroneous, and we are confident they are so, and then you are not bound to satisfy them, save only by seeking better information, which one would think might be as feaseable a task as abolishing of Liturgy.

[Sect. 27] Next a third motivels mentioned, that you may satisfy the expectation of other Reformed Churches; To this first I say, that this is not the rule for the reforming of a National Church 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and independent. And such I conceive, the last Canon of the Council of Ephesus, will by consequence conclude this of England to be; and its being so is a sufficient plea, 1. To clear us from all show of Schism in Separating from the Roman Church (to which we were not, according to the Ephesine rule, subj • stead as a part) though we reformed ourselves, when the Pope vehemently required the contrary, and would not himself be reformed; and from the Church universal, of which we still remain a member undivided, 2. To answer this motive of our Assemblers, by telling them that in the reforming such a Church (as this of ours, if not by others, yet by them is acknowledged to be) the care must be, to do what the head and members, of the Church, shall in the fear of God resolve to be fittest, and not what other Churches expect; for if that were the rule, it would be a very fallacious and very puzzling one, the expectations of several Churches being as several, and the choice of some difficulty, which of them was fittest to be answered. But then secondly, what the expectation of other Churches have been in this point, or what the reasons of them, we do not punctually know, only this we do, that after your soliciting of many (which is another thing, somewhat distant from their expecting) we hear not of any, that have declared their concurrence in opinion with you in this: But on the contrary, that in answer to your Letter directed to the Church of Zealand, the Wallachrian Classis made this return to you, that they did approve set and prescribed forms of public Prayer, as profitable and tending to edification, quite contrary to what you before objected of the Offence to the Protestant Churches abroad, and now of their expectation, &c.) and give reasons for that approbation, both from Texts of Scriptures, and the general practice of the Reformed Church, avouching particularly the forementioned place of Calvin, and conclude it to be a precise singularity in those men who do reject them. And now, I beseech you, speak your knowledge, and instance in the particular, if any Church have in any address made to you, or answer to your invitation, signified their expectation that you should abolish Liturgy, or their approbation of your fact, able to count balance this censure from the pen of those your friends thus unexpectedly fallen upon you. Some ingenuity either of making good your assertion of the Churches, or else of Confession that you cannot, will be in common equity expected from you.

[Sect. 28] The desires of many of the Godly among yourselves (which you mention as a fourth motive for abolition) will signify little, because how many suffrages soever might be brought for the upholding of Liturgy, those who are against it shall by you be called, the godly, and that number what ever it is, go for a multitude. But then again, Godly they may be, but not wise, (piety gives no infallibility of doctrine to the professor) at least in this point, unless you can first prove the Liturgy to be ungodly; nay they that rejoiced in it, were, as you say, godly and learned, and they that made it wise and pious, and therefore sure some respect was due to the w • se, as well as godly in the abrogation. And yet it may be added farther, that the way of expressing of the desires of those whom you mean by the Godly, hath been ordinarily by way of Petitions, and those it cannot be dissembled have been oft framed and put into their hands (I say not by whom) even in set prescribed Forms: not thinking it enough to give them a Directory for matter, without stinting their Spirits, by appointing the words also. This shows that the desires of those many of the Godly, are not of any huge consideration in this business, and yet I have not heard to my remembrance of any Petition, yet ever so insolent, as to demand what you have done (in answer it seems to some inarticulate groans or sighs) the abolition of all Liturgy.

[Sect. 29] The last motive is, That you may give some public testimony of your endeavors for uniformity in divine worship promised in your Solemn League and Covenant. To this the answer will be short, because it hath for the main already been considered. 1. That the Covenant itself is unlawful, which therefore obliges to nothing but Repentance, and restitution of a stray Subject to his Allegiance to God and the King again. 2. That there is one special thing considerable of this Covenant, which will keep it either from obliging or from being any kind of excuse or extenuation of the crimes that this action is guilty of, and that is the voluntary taking of that Covenant on purpose, thus to ensnare yourselves in this obligation, to do what should not otherwise be done; We before told you, that He • ods oath would not justify the beheading of John; and shall now add, that if some precedaneous hatred to John, made Herod lay this design before hand, that Herodias's daughter should dance, that upon her dancing he would be vehemently pleased, that upon her pleasing of him he would swear to give her anything she should ask, even to half his Kingdom, and the same compact appoint her to make this Petition, to take John the Baptist's head for her reward, (as 'tis not unlikely but that as Herodias was of counsel with her Daughter, so Herod might be with Herodias) if the train I say, lay thus, sure Herod's oath would take off but little from the crimson die of his murder, but rather superadd that sin of deep hypocrisy, of making piety, and the Religion of oaths, a servant and instrument to his incest and murthering of a Prophet. And then I shall no farther apply, then by asking this question, did you not take this Covenant on purpose to lay this obligation upon you, and now pretend that for your Covenants sake, you must needs do it? If you cannot deny this, O then remember Herod. But if you took the Covenant without any such design, but now • ind yourselves thus ensnared by it, then rather remember the times to get out of that snare, and not to engage yourselves faster in it. 3. I answer, that if by uniformity be meant that among yourselves in this Kingdom; the taking away our Liturgy by Ordinance, while it remains established by valid Law, is no over-fit means to that end, nothing but a new Act, and an assurance that all would be obedient to that Act, can be proper for that purpose; and I am sure there are some men in the World, whom if such an Act displeased, the obedience would not be very uniform; what ever it may seem to be when better Subjects are supposed to be concluded by it. But if it be uniformity with the best reformed Churches (as your Covenant mentions) then 1. That uniformity in matters of Form or Ceremony is no way necessary, (Communion betwixt Churches may be preserved without it) not near so useful, as that other among ourselves, and therefore the bargain will be none of the most thriving, when that acquisition is paid so dear for, uniformity with strangers purchased with confusion at home, as bad a market, as unequal a barter, as if we should enter upon a Civil War, for no other gain, then to make up a Peace with some Neighbor Prince; which none but a mad Statesman would ever counsel. But then 4. The Covenant for such uniformity, obliges not to make this Directory, which I shall prove. 1. By the verdict of those themselves which have taken the Covenant, of whom many, I am confident, never conceived themselves thereby obliged to abolish Liturgy, there being no such intelligible sense contained in any branch of the Covenant, any such intention of the imposers a • owed at the giving of it. 2. Because we conceive we have made it manifest, that that part of the Covenant which mentions uniformity with other best reformed Churches, doth not oblige to abolish Liturgy, not only because the general matter of the Covenant refers unto the Government, and not to the Liturgy, but because this of England, as it now stands established by Law, is the best Reformed, both according to that rule of Scripture, and standard of the purest Ancient Church; For which we have also the testimony of Learned Protestants of other Countries, preferring it before their own, and shall be ready to justify the boast by any test or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that shall be resolved on fit to decide this doubt or competition between this of ours, and any that you shall Vote or name to be the best.

[Sect. 30] The like challenge we also make in return to a ta • it intimation of yours more then once fallen from you in this Preface, and in the body of the Directory, p. 40. and 73. viz. that the Church of England hath hitherto been guilty of Superstition in her Liturgy. To which we first reply by desiring, that you mention any one particular wherein that accusation may appear to be true, (and we hereby undertake to maintain the contrary against all the learnedst in that Assembly) which if you will not undertake to specify and prove, you must acknowledge to be guilty of great uncharitableness in affirming. I shall not be so uncharitable as to wish that the judgment of the Civil Law may be your doom, and the sentence that belongs to Superstition be the reward of your defamation, I shall not say so much as the Lord reprove, by way of imprecation, but once more repeat, Lord lay it not to your charge.

[Sect. 31] Upon these grounds you proceed, that [having not consulted with flesh and blood, &c.] This sure in St Paul's phrase, Gal. 1. 16. signifies not consulting with men, though Apostolical; as consulting with them is opposed to immediate revelation from Heaven; and then sure your Assembly was very spiritual, and very heavenly, for with them you confess to have consulted; but if you mean by the phrase, in a larger sense, earthly or human interests, I shall only ask, whether all the actions which have proceeded from you are so visibly divine, and unmixed with earth, so apparently uninterested, that your own testimony should be sufficient to give credit to this affirmation?

[Sect. 32] Having said this, you proceed to the conclusion, that you resolved to set up the Directory, and in it to hold forth such things as are of divine Institution in every Ordinance, and other things be set forth according to the rules of Christian Prudence; agreeable to the general rules of the Word of God. And now 'tis a little strange, (but yet that which my temper obliges me to desire may still be my fate, when I fall upon a Controversy with any) that we which have been at such distance all this while, should just now me • at parting, that such contradictory premises, should beget the same conclusion; For there is not a better Rule in the World, nor any which I would rather choose to be judged by in this matter, then that which is here proposed by you; Only I desire a little importunately to be advertised, where it is that the Compilers of our Liturgy have swerved from it. Where you have swerved, we have instanced in many particulars in our Answer to the Ordinance, and shall now once for all demand, what rules of prudence oblige you to turn those many severals there mentioned out of the Service of the Church, everyone of them tending to edfication directly, over and above the agreeableness of each to the general rules of Scripture; in particular, whether it be agreeable to Christian Prudence to a bolish a Liturgy, which hath been so piously and discrectly framed, by those who have sealed our Reformation with their blood, and instead of it to bring in a voluntary way of serving God in a National Church, where there be many thousand Parishes, and no such promise of divine inspiration or enthusiasme, but that there may be still some number of those Ministers, who will not be able to speak constantly in the Congregation, so as in the presence of Angels they ought to speak. The experiments that have given us reason thus to fear, and desire prevention of the like, we are again tempted to add unto this paper, but we delight not to demonstrate them guilty of Blasphemies, who have accused us of Superstition. We desire this fault may be cured by some milder recipe.

[Sect. 33] As for that which in passing you say, that by your Directory Ministers may be directed to keep like soundness of Doctrine, this indeed is a prerogative of the Liturgy, (which hath always been used as an hedge to keep out errors, and to retain a common profession of Catholic verities) but cannot belong to your Directory, which hath neither Creed nor Catechism, nor one Article of Religion, or Doctrine asserted in it, but leaves that wholly to the Preacher, whose doctrine that it should be sound at all, or agree with the doctrine of all other Preachers, and so be like sound, here is no provision made.

We have thus called your Preface also to some trial, and found it of such a composure and temper, 1. So many variations from truth (which one that desires to be civil, must be unjust if he do not call them so) that we cannot with any pleasure give an account of our judgment of them. 2. So many unconcluding premises, Affirmations, which if they were all supposed true, would never come home to abolition, and among all the heap, so no one truth which is of importance or weight toward that conclusion, that now we conceive we have discharged the task, given the Reader such a view of the inward parts of this spacious fabric, that he will not wonder, that we are not so passionately taken with the beauty, as to receive at a venture whatsoever is contained in it; For supposing there were never an unseasonable Direction in all the Book following, yet the reception of that, being founded in the ablition both of ours, and of all Liturgy, the Christians prudence agreeable to the word of God, which is here commended to us, obliges us to stop our ears to such slight temptations, and never to yield consent, to the but laying aside that form of Service, which we have by established Law so long enjoyed, to the great content and benefit of this Nation; though God knows some have not made so holy, others so thankful an use of it, as it deserved of us, some neglecting it, others slandering, and so many bringing worldly hearts along with them, which though they are great evils, under which this divine Liturgy hath suffered, yet being the infelicities, not the crimes, the cross, which hath made it like unto our Savior, in being spit on, • evil'd, and crowned with thorns (for such he calls the cares of this world, the most contumeli • us part of the suffering) and not at all the guilt (being wholly accidental and extrinsical to it) must never be exchanged, for the certain evils, natural and intrinsical to the no-Liturgy, and withal the greater mischiefs which may probably follow this alteration; for all which patience and submission, we have not the least kind of invitation, save only that of the noise, and importunity of some enemies, which should it be yielded to, would, I doubt not, be resisted and pressed again, with the Petitions of many thousands more, importuning the return and restitution of the Liturgy again; unless by this means the Devil should gain an absolute and total manumission, cast off all his trashes, and presently get rid of both his enemies, Religion, and Liturgy together.

CHAP. III.

HAving thus past through the Ordinance and the Preface, and in the view of the Ordinance stated and settled aright the comparison betwixt the Liturgy and the Directory, and demonstrated the no-necessity, but plain unreasonableness of the change, and so by the way insisted on most of the defects of the Directory, which are the special matter of accusation we prosesse to find in it, I shall account it a Superfluous importunity to proceed to a review of the whole body of it, which makes up the bulk of that Book, but instead of insisting on the faults and infirm parts of it (such are, the prohibition of adoration toward any place, p. 10. that is of all adoration, while we have bodies about us for that must be toward some place; the interdicting of all parts of 〈◊〉 •• ochryphal Books, p. 12. which yet the Ancient Church avowed to be read for the directing of manners, though not as rule of Faith, the frequent motion of the Covenant in the directions for Prayer, once as a special mercy of God, p. 17. which is the greatest curse could befall this Kingdom, and a great occasion, if not Author of all the rest, which are now upon it, then as a means of a strict and religious Union, p. 21. which is rather an engagement of an irreligious War; then as a precious band that men must pray that it never be broken, p. 21. which is in effect to pray, that they may never repent, but continue in Rebellion forever. Then as a mercy again, p. 37. as if this Covenant were the greatest treasure we ever enjoyed. Then the praying for the Armies by Land and Sea, p. 38. with that addition [for the defense of King & Parliament, and Kingdom] as resolving now to put that cheat upon God himself, which they have used to their Fellow Subjects, that of fighting against the King for the defense of him, (Beloved be not deceived, God is not mocked:) Then affirming that the Fonts were superstitiously placed in time of Popery, & therefore the Child must now be baptized in some other place, p. 40. while yet they show not any ground of that accusation, nor ever will be able to do. Then that the customs of kneeling & praying by, & towards the dead, is superstitious, p. 73. which literally it were, (Superstitum cultus) if it were praying to them, but now is far enough from that guilt. And lastly, that the Lord's day is commanded in the Scripture to be kept holy, p, 85. the sanctification of which we acknowledge to be grounded in the Scripture, and instituted by the Apostles, but not commanded in the Scripture, by any revealed precept. (The first that we meet with to this purpose, is that of Ignatius, Epist. ad Magnes. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Let us therefore Sabbatize no longer; Let every Christian celebrate the Lord's day, which saying of an Apostolic writer being added to the mention of the Lord's day in the New Testament is a great argument of the Apostolic institution of that day, which the universal practice of the Church ever since doth sufficiently confirm unto us, and we are content and satisfied with that authority, although it doth not offer to show us any command in the Scripture for it. And then you may please to observe, that the same Ignatius, within a page before that place, foreciting for the observing of the Lord's day, hath a command for Common Prayer, and I conceive for some set Form, I shall give you the words, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Let all meet together to the same, whether action or place in Prayer, Let there be one Common Prayer, one mind, &c. and Cle •• . Alex. to the same purpose, the Altar which we have here on Earth, is the company of those that dedicate themselves to Prayers, as having 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a common voice, and one mind, which cannot well be, unless there be some common Form by all agreed on.) Instead I say of pressing these or the like frailties upon this work, which will argue the Composers of it to be men and fallible. I shall rather desire to express and evidence my charity (and my endeavor to read it without any prejudice) by adding my opinion, that there be some things said in it (by way of direction for the matter of Prayer, and course of Preaching) which agree with wholesome doctrine, and may tend to edification, and I shall not rob those of that approbation which is due to them, nor conceive our Cause to need such p • evish means to sustain it; Being not thereby obliged to quarrel at the Directory absolutely as a Book, but only as it supplants the Liturgy (which if it had a thousand more excellencies in it then it hath, it would not be fit to do.) And being willing to give others an example of peaceableness, and of a resolution to make no more quarrels then are necessary, and therefore contributing my part of the endeavor to conclude this one as soon as is possible. And the rather because it is in a matter, which (if without detriment to the Church, and the Souls of men, the Book might be universally received, and so the experiment could be made) would I am confident within very few years as soon as the pleasure of the change and the novelty were over, prove it's own largest confutation, confess it's own wants & faults; and so all but mad men see the error, and require the restitution of Liturgy again. This I speak upon a serious observation and pondering of the tempers of men, and the so mutable habits of their minds, which as they are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , easily changed from good to evil, so are they (which is the difference of men from lap • st Angels) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , easily reduced also to their former state again, when reason comes to them in the cool of the day, when the heat of the kindness is past, and a sa • iety hastening in its stead, or if it prove not so well, yet falling from one change to another, & never coming to stability. How possible this may prove in this particular, I shall now evidence no farther, then by the parallel vehement dislikes, that the Presbyterial Government hath already met with among other of our reforming Spirits, very liberally expressed in many Pamphlets which we have lately received from London, but in none more fully then in the Epistle to the Book entitled, John the Baptist: first charging the Presbyteriant (who formerly exclaimed against Episc • pacy for stinking the spirit) that they began to take upon them to establish a Dagon in his throne, in stinking the whole worship of the God of Heaven, &c. and in plain words without mi • cing or dissembling, that they had rather the French King, nay the great Turk should rule over them, then these, The only use which I would now make of these experiments is this, to admire that blessed excellent Christian grace of obedience (and contentment with our present lot, whatsoever it be, that brings not any necessity of sinning on us.) I mean, to commend to all in matters of indifference, (or where Scripture hath not given any immediate rule, but left us to obey those who are set over us) that happy choice of submitting, rather then letting loose our appetites, of obeying, then prescribing; A duty, which besides the very great ease it brings withit, hath much of virtue in it, and will be abundant reward to itself here on Earth, and yet have a mighty arrear remaining to be paid to it in Heaven hereafter; which when it is heartily considered, it will be a thing of some difficulty to invent or feign a heavier affliction to the meek & quiet spirit, a more ensuaring piece of treachery to the Christian Soul, (I am sure to his Estate, and temporal prosperity) then that of contrary irreconciliable commands, which is now the case, and must always be when Ordinances undertake to supersede Laws, when the inferior, but over-swaying power, adventures to check the Superior. Of which subject I have temptation to annex a full tide of thoughts, would it not prove too much a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and be most sure to be so esteemed by them to whom this address is now tendered. The good Lord of Heaven and Earth incline our hearts to keep that Law of his 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Ephes. 6. 2. which is a prime Commandment, and that with a promise of secular Peace and abundance annexed (if not confined) to it.

To conclude therefore, and sum up all in a word, we have discovered by this brief survey, the resonablenesse of this act of God's providence, in permitting our Liturgy to be thus defamed, though in all reason the Liturgy itself deserve not that fate, the no-inconveniences so much as pretended to arise from our Liturgy, to which the Directory is not much more liable, the no-objection from the Word of God against the whole or any part of it produced, or offered by you, the no-manner of the least or loosest kind of necessity to abolish it, the perfect justifiablenesse, and withal usefulness of set Forms above extemporary effusions, the very many particulars of eminent benefit to the Church, and of authority in it, preserved in our Liturgy, but in the Directory totally omitted, and that in the despite of all Statutes both of K. Edward, and Q. Elizabeth, by which the Reformation of this Church is established among us, and I trust shall still continue, notwithstanding the opposition of those who pretended kindness, but now run riot against this Reformation; we have showed you also the true grounds of our ancestors rejoicing in our Liturgy, instead of the partial imperfect account given of that business by your Preface, the wonderful prosperity of this Church under it, contrary to the pretended sad experience, &c. and withal we have made it clear, that all the exceptions here proposed against the Liturgy, are perfectly vain and causeless; as that it hath proved an offense, &c. the ordinary crime charged on those actions that are liable to no other, and so that offense without a cause; that this offense hath been by the length of the Service, which will only offend the profane, and withal, is as observable in your Service; by the many unprofitable burthensome Ceremonies, which have been shown neither to be many, nor unprofitable, nor burthensome; by the disquieting of Consciences, i. e. only of the unquiet; by depriving them of the Ordinance, i. e. those who would rather loose the Sacrament, then receive it kneeling, or reverently; that the offense was extended to the reformed Churches abroad also, and yet for that no one proof offered, nor Church named that was so offended: and if there were, yet still this supposed offensivenesse, no just plea for anything but Reformation. So also that by means of the Liturgy, many were debarred of the exercise of their Ministry, the suggestion for the most part a mere calumny, and that which was true in it, ready to be retorted upon these Reformers: that the Prelates have labor'd to raise the estimation of the Liturgy too high, yet that no higher then you would the value of your Directory, to have it the rule for the manner of public worship, or if they did, this is the fault of those Prelates, not of the Liturgy; who yet were said but to have labor'd it neither, not to have effected it; and even that labor or desire of theirs, to have amounted no higher then Calvin's letter to the Protectour would avow; that this hath been to the justling out of Preaching, which is rather a special help to it, and prescribes it, and allows it its proper place, but hath oft the ill luck to be turned out by Preaching; that it hath been made no better then an Idol, which if it be a fault in the Liturgy, is as far more chargeable on the hearing of Sermons that the people please themselves in their presence, and lip-labor in that service; an uncharitable judging of men's hearts, and a crime to which your Directory makes men as liable as the Liturgy; that our Liturgy is a compliance with Papists, and so a means to confirm them in their Idolatry, &c. whereas it complies with them in nothing that is Idolatrous, &c. and by complying with them, where they do with antiquity and truth, it is more apt to convince them of their errors, and by charity to invite, then by defiance; that it makes an idle Ministry; which sure the Directory will not unmake, being as fit for that turn, either by forming and conning the Prayer there delineated, or by depending on present conceptions, as the Liturgy can be; that it hinders the gift of Prayer, which if it signify the elocution, or conception of words in Prayer, is not peculiar to the Minister, and for anything else, hindering it no more then the Directory doth; that the continuance of it would be matter of endless strifes &c. which sure 'tis more reasonable to think of an introduction of a new way of Service, then the retaining of the old; that there be many other weighty considerations, and many particulars in the book, on which this condemnation is grounded, and yet not one of these mentioned, but kept to boil in their own breasts, if there be any, or which is more likely, falsely here pretended to inflame the reckoning; that they are not moved to this by any love of novelty, and yet do that which is most novel; that they intend not to disparage the Reformers, and yet do that which is most to their disparagement; that they do this to answer God's providence, which never called them to this work, to satisfy their own Conscience, which if Erroneous, must not thus be satisfied; to satisfy the expectation of other Churches which expect it not, or if they did, might rather conform to us and satisfy us; and the desires of many of the godly at home, whose piety is no assurance that their desires are reasonable, and yet are not known to have expressed any such desires; that they may give testimony of their endeavors for uniformity, whereas with other Churches, there is no such necessity of conforming in such matters, and within ourselves, nothing is so contrary to uniformity, as this endeavor. And lastly, we have learnt from them, a rule by which they pretend to form their Directory, the agreeableness to the Word of God, and Christian prudence, and are most confident to justify our Liturgy by that rule, against all Disputers in the World; And having now over and above all this, a plain confession under their own hands, in their Supply of Prayer, to justify all that we pretend to, and so being saved the pains of any farther superfluous confutation, we shall leave it to the judgment of any rational Lay-man in the New Assembly, to judge betwixt us and his fellow Members; whose pretensions are most moderate in this matter, whose most like Christian, those that are to rescue and preserve, or those which to destroy. Thus in the Council of Nice, holden before Constantine and Helena, in a controversy of great importance, Craton and Zenosius, not only Lay-men, but Heathens were appointed Judges or Arbitratours, only on this ground, because Craton a Philosopher would not possess any worldly goods, and Zenosimus in time of his Consulship, never received Present from any, saith Jacobosius: thus also Eutropius a Pagan Philosopher, was chosen umpire between Orig • n and the Marcionites, it being supposed, that such an one was as fit to understand their several claims, and judge according to Allegations and proofs as any; And if we fall or misc •• ry before such an Aristarch • s, I shall then resolve, that a Covenant may wast a soul, (even drive the man into the field with Nebuchadnezzar) deprive it of those 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 common principles of discourse, (by which, till it be debauched, it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , able in some measure, to judge of truth, proposed and debated before it) and then I shall hope for more candor in the business from an intelligent heathen, then from him. My only appeal in that case shall be to Heaven, that the host of Angels, may by the Lord of that Host be appointed, to guard and assist that cause, and those Armies whose pretensions in this, and all other particulars, are most righteous, and most acceptable in his sight.

Do not err my beloved Brethren.

Now the Lord of all mercies, and God of love and Peace, grant us to be like minded in all things, that we may join with one heart, and tongue, to praise him, and worship him, to bless him, and to magnify him forever.