A Rowland for an Oliver: Or, a Sharp REBUKE TO A Saucy Levite.  
IN ANSWER To a Sermon Preached By EDWARD OLIVER, M. A.  
Before Sir Humphrey Edwin late Lord Mayor of London, at St. Paul's Cathedral, on Sunday October 22. 1698.  
By a Lover of Unity.  
Printed in the year 1699. and sold by the Booksellers of London and Westminster.   

AN ANSWER TO Mr. Oliver's Sermon.  
IT was a Circumstance peculiar to the Deliverance of the Children of Israel out of Egypt, that not so much as a Dog moved his Tongue against them, and such a Circumstance perhaps as the Church is in no Age to expect the like. The King and Parliament have thought fit to set the Dissenters at Liberty, and to give them a Manumission from their more than Egyptian Taskmasters; in which every true Protestant rejoiced, as hoping that it might be an effectual Preparative to unite Protestants among themselves at home, and that it would tend to confirm and strengthen the Protestant Interest abroad. But a certain Party of the Church of England, have, notwithstanding the concurrence of the greatest and best of her Bishops in settling the said Liberty by a Law, been always uneasy and peevish since, and constantly bawling against Dissenters: and not content with a Badge of servitude still fixed upon them, by which they are excluded not only from all Ecclesiastical Preferments or Benefices, but from all places of power and trust in the Civil Government, nothing will satisfy them except they have liberty to bite and devour their dissenting Brethren, as in former Reigns. And it's very well known, not only what heavy Censures his Majesty has lain under by that Party, because of his Fatherly Protection granted to Christians of all Denominations, but what Obstruction they laid in the way of his Affairs, in Council, Parliament, Army and Navy; nay, how uneasy the● have made him in his very Household; so th●t it would seem highly necessary that a due Enquiry should be made by what secret Springs those Persons are acted, that continue thus to foment Divisions amongst us. It is worthy our observation that this spirit of Discord at home, seems to be invigorated and gather strength at the same time when the spirit of Persecution rages afresh against the Protestants abroad. It is not at all to be doubted, but as C●in was stirred up against his Brother Abel by that wicked one, that all his Successors in Persecution are still influenced by that same malignant Spirit, who hath been a Murderer from the beginning; but at the same time it cannot be denied that Satan makes use of Men as his Instruments to sow division and discord. Nor is it unworthy our Observation, that as the Papists abroad, and our implacable Ceremony-mongers at home, have their Spirits fermented at one and the same time, it is also in a great measure for one and the same Cause, viz. because they cannot bring all Men to submit to their Ceremonies and Modes of Worship of human Institution: and in truth of the two, our English Formalists seem to be the least excusable, because they own themselves not to be infallible; disown human Tradition as a Rule of Faith, and in all their Controversies with the Papists, make use of the same Arguments against the Church of Rome, that we make use of against the Ceremonies and Discipline of the Church of England.  
They are still the more blame-worthy, because formerly they laid the charge upon the Government that these things which are the subject of discord, were still continued amongst us; but now that we have a Prince, who hath solicited that his Subjects might be united, and those things that are the Cause of Contention removed, they are so far from complying with him in it, that they are ready to fly in his face upon that account. This, if we may believe Dr. Burnet, the present Bishop of Salisbury, who cannot be suspected of partiality in the case, was far from being the temper of the Church of England-Bishops, at least the best of 'em, in Queen Elizabeth's days, that Learned and Moderate Bishop in his Letters, containing an Account of what seemed most remarkable in Switzerland, Italy, etc. p. 42. says, He saw the Originals of Letters writ by several of the English Bishops to Bullinger at Zurich, in Queen Elizabeth's time, whereby it appears, that the ancient habits were preserved rather in compliance with the Queen, than out of any liking they had to them. That Bishop Jewel that great Ornament of the English Church, in a Letter Feb. 8. 1566, wishes that the Vestments, together with all the other Remnants of Popery, might be thrown out of their Churches, and out of the Minds of the People, and laments the Queen's fixedness to them. In January that same year Bishop Sands wrote to the same purpose, Contenditur de Vestibus papisticis, utendis vel non utendis; dabit Deus his quoque finem. Horn Bishop of Winchester July 16. 1565. regrets the Act concerning Habits, and expresses some hopes that it might be repealed next Session of Parliament, if the Popish Party did not hinder it. In many Letters on that subject 'tis asserted, that both Cranmer and Ridly intended to procure an Act for abolishing the Habits. Bishop Grindal in a Letter of Aug. 27. 1566, writes that all the Bishops who had been beyond Sea, at their return dealt with the Queen to let the matter of the Habits fall; but she continued inflexible— and Cox Bishop of Ely, one of the most violent Men of the time, in one of his Letters bewails the aversion they found in the Parliament to reform those abuses.  
Then by the Testimony of these Great Men, who may well be called the Fathers of the Church of England, it appears the things in controversy betwixt us, are Popish Remnants; and that the Popish Party did then hinder the Acts concerning them to be repealed. And it is very well known that these things have been continued ever since, and some Additions made to them by the Influence of the Popish Party, who were rampant in the beginning of Charles the First's Reign, and had no little Interest at Court, and in obtaining the Act of Uniformity, after the Restoration of K. Charles II. This being uncontrovertibly true, we have reason to believe that the same Party in concert with the Jacobites, are still the Incendiaries, and make it their business to add Fuel to our Flames; but we have this Happiness, that they cannot now, as formerly, make Tools of the Court, and by his Majesty's prudent Conduct, the highest places in the Church are many of them filled with Persons of a more generous and Christian Temper, than to comply with such angry ill-natured Men, that would again sacrifice the peace of the Nation to their own peevish humours. It remains then that the Tools they now work upon are some of the inferior Clergy, and such of the dignified ones as are perhaps discontented that they are not elevated to an higher Dignity; from them, or the professed Jacobites proceed those virulent Invectives, that have of late by a superfoetation of Malice been brought forth into the world against Dissenters: by the timing of the thing it would seem they have a design to render them odious and obnoxious to the ensuing Parliament; and if they can but prevail to have their Liberty taken off or restrained, than they know that the Nation must be unavoidably thrown into new Convulsions, that a great part of the Subjects who have been so useful and well affected to the present Government, will be thereby delivered up into the hands of their and its implacable Enemies; that the Episcopal Party in Scotland who are avowed Enemies to his Majesty's Person and Government, will be thereby encouraged to embroil that Kingdom afresh; that the People of the North of Ireland, to whom all Britain owes so much, will also come under the lash: and so by an universal Confusion at home, whilst the Protestants are ungratefully persecuted by their Allies abroad, the way will be paved for the return of the late King James. This appears plainly to be the natural Tendency of those ill-timed Divisions that are so industriously fomented amongst us. To this end are all those Alarms to the true Sons of the Church directed, and their imminent danger from the Presbyterians, their Imperium in Imperio, and the erecting of their Classes inculcated. What a dreadful noise for this end have some Persons made about a harmless Letter, directed from a Presbyterian Minister in Newbury to another, importing a design among the Protestant dissenting Ministers throout this Kingdom to advance the Interest of Religion, and Reformation of Manners? What malicious Reflections have there been made upon that Letter by men of different Kidneys? What frightful Ideas do some men endeavour to possess the minds of the Nation with against the Presbyterians, in a late virulent Pamphlet, called An Apology for the English Presbyterians? What strange Insinuations and embittered Reflections does that Libel contain against the Church of Scotland, and the Classical Presbyterians? and who can doubt of the mischievous design of all this malicious Clamour, when they know that the Papists and Jacobites raise the Hue and Cry on the one hand, and L. and F. with Sir R. L. raise it on the other? what pleasant game would it afford to the French King and the late King James to see the Church of England set on by this means to hunt down the Presbyterians? they are indeed the noblest Quarry, but if the wild Boar get once into the Forest, can the other Parties hope to escape? Yes, why not, L. would once more be of the Cabinet Council at Whitchal, and the Cardinal Protector of those of his Order.  
But I shall leave that honest Triumvirate to go on with their Consult in High-Holborn, and heartily wish that none of 'em may ever have occasion to go any higher. I return again to our Church of England Friends, it being high time to give one of 'em a Rowland for his Oliver.  
It seems, if Youngsters be once advanced to Fellowships in Colleges, and honoured to wear Scarves as Nobleman's domestic Chaplains, and to this have added the Title of Master of Arts, that they may then take the liberty to preach what they please, and to reflect upon those who have the Liberty of their Worship allowed them by Law as well as themselves; whether that be answerable to that deference to Magistrates, which Mr. Oliver preaches up so much in his Sermon, to throw such squint Reflections upon our Legislators, and to upbraid one of the greatest Magistrates of the Nation to his face for doing that which is allowed both by the Laws of God and the Land, let him look to it. If his Heat had not been greater than his Judgement, he ought to have considered that one of the chief Arguments for Ceremonies was, that being indifferent in themselves, yet when commanded by the Magistrate, they ought to be complied with; this he will find to have been the opinion of those great Bishops formerly mentioned in Q. Elizabeth's time, as will appear by the Letters before quoted, Mr. Powel de adiaphoris, Tilen's Parenaesis, Paybody's Apology, etc. and therefore seeing the Magistrate hath taken off those Laws that enjoined the practice of those indifferent Ceremonies, according to that Argument no man is now obliged to comply with them.  
Therefore as Mr. Oliver's Reflections savour nothing of that Universal Charity he tells us our Blessed Redeemer came into the World to Teach; ●he cannot expect tha● his Doctrine will be able to remove the stiff Prejudice of those he pretends to Convince, as our Saviour's Doctrine convinced the S●mir●t ●n Woman.  
Page 3, of his Sermon, he says, Though I believe there is ●either Jew nor Samaritan to convince in this Auditory, yet we have th●se I fear sometimes to deal with who ●●de such a M●d●y of Religion, that they are near as danger 〈◊〉 to the Tru●h of it. For so doucine Romanists confound their Will-worship and Idolatry with the Essentials of Christianity, that they take b●th from its Truth and Spirituality. So do other Dissenters from us, mistake the true Notion of its Spirituality, that they d●●rgute from the very Essentials of our most Holy Religion, and would go a●out to persuade us its Truth consisted in mere Aivy Notions, and Wild Enthusiamsms.  
By Mr. Oliver's leave, it seems there was something of a Jew in the Pulpit, lif there was none in the Auditory: for he seems himself to be for some of the Jewish Ceremonies, and perhaps it may be no diskindness to him, if he did a little partake of their Circumoision too, for his Heat certainly wants a Cooler, and that would do it for so●e dayrit least. Whethe● he has any thing of the loose Temper of the Samaritan Woman in his Text or not, I know not; but something of her Ignorance I am sure he has, and if to that he will add her Confession of Sins, he may plead a Right to that Advantage which he tells us, pag●●. Ignorance and a Confession of Sins, have above an affected prete●●● to Knowledge and ● Counterfeited Z●al.  
Well, it seems he thought he had some Papists and Dissenters in his Auditory, the Truth of which I know not, for indeed I was not there to see; but I am of Opinion there was something of a Papist in the Pulpit too ●n for I find him a mighty Zealot for those Ceremonies which we have so lately heard some of Queen Elizabeth's ●●●●ops accounted Popish 〈◊〉. And others of his ●●rty have acknowledged, That the Ceremoys are inconvenient, but yet to be observed for ●o●●e and that Offence and hindrance to Edification do arise from those Ceremonies, according to Dr. Burgess, in his Answer to the Reply, Pref. p. 43. And Mr. Sprint, Reply to the Answer, p. 270. And Cassand Anglican. pag. 46.  
Came●●, a Man of great Note, and Friend to our Author's way, says expressly in his Popish Prejudices, c. 10. That so admirable was the simplicity of the Primitive Church in the Times of the Apostles, that there were no other Ceremonies then to be found in her but the Celebration of Baptism by washing of Water, and of the Holy Supper according to the Lord's Institution, in taking the Bread and Wine, and distributing them after thanksgiving, and the Imposition of Hands upon those who extraordinarily received the Holy Ghost, and for a 〈…〉 the Sick▪ I would pray then this Youngster to consider whether the Judgement of those Great Men of his own side, or that or such an Upstart as he, is most to be valued, and whether we have not reason to reject those Ceremonies, when Camero▪ a Friend of their own, says in the same place, The Superstition, the Mother of Ceremonies, 〈…〉 and prodigal; Spiritual Whoredam 〈◊〉 it is▪ 〈…〉 with the Bodily, both of 'em most have their Pa●●●ings, their Trinkets, and Inv●aglements. I could give him more Quotations of this sort, but these are enough to 〈◊〉 the World that it were fitter for him to go home to Corpus Christi● College, and read a little more, than thus to endeavour to perpetuate a Schism in the body of Christ, by Preaching up those Ceremonies which the Greatest Men of the Church have complained they were forced to comply with▪ out or Necessity, and not out of choice.  
If he did but ●dve●t to his own Concession, that the Romanists take both from the Truth and Spirituality of the Christian Religion, by confounding their Will-Worship and Idolatry with the Essentials of Christianity; it were enough to cure him of his Fondness for Ceremonies; and I would fain know of him, whether enjoining the Sign of the Cross in Baptism, and kneeling at the Communion, which he cannot pretend have any other Foundation but the Will of Man, don't fall under the same Charge he brings against Popish Will-Worship; so that our Author has been as unhappy i● stumbling upon this Parallel, as the E. of Roscommon, a noted Papist, was to translate that part of Horace into English Verse; Olim truncus era● ficulnus inutile lignum, etc. where the Poet brings in the Clown, debating with himself what use he should put a Log of Wood to, and at last he resolved to make a God on't.  
Then his malicious Charge against Dissenters in general, as derogating from the Essentials of Religion, by Enthusiastical Notions, serves only to discover the Confusedness of his own Brain, or the Rancour of his Breast. He many know, if he pleases, that the main Body of Dissenters allow no other Rule of Faith and Practice, but the Sacred Text; tho' some who perhaps go under that Name may be tainted with Enthusiasm: and how those that bring every thing to the Touchstone of the Law, and the Testimony, and make no Account of pretended Revelations, or Impulses, can be called Enthusiasts, let him determine. In looks Ten times more Enthusiastical in him to trump up the Authority of what he calls the Church, above that of the Scripture, which enjoins a mutual Forbearance in Things indifferent, and expressly forbids ●nd ●●ning one another for Meats, Drinks, and Days, 1 Cor. 8. Rom. 14.5. etc. than any thing he can charge upon the Presbyterians. He must, or at least ought to know, that the man Plea which these of 〈◊〉 Party make use of to defend that wherein they differ from us, ●s Succession, 〈◊〉, and Tradition, which he himself own, Page 〈…〉 strangely mistaken, and that Tradition deserves ●ut little Credit 〈…〉 borrowed from the Presbyterian Heap, to 〈…〉 Papists, and to be qu●● with us, 〈…〉 from the Popish Heap, that is, the Authority of the Church, and Primitive Practice, to throw at the Presbyterians, as we shall see afterwards.  
Mr. Oliver 〈…〉 Page 〈◊〉 That ●he 〈◊〉 and Samaritans differed chiefly in the Place of 〈◊〉 Sacrificed: ●ut why did not he take Notice that this is als● one Point of the Difference 〈◊〉 his Party and the Dissenters, which is clearly determined 〈◊〉 by the Gods of Truth himself, for the 〈…〉? He knows that those of his ●action ascribe a Sanctity to the very Places of Worship, even whilst there is no Worship performed in them; and therefore at all times uncover themselves in Cathedrals, and many of them in 〈…〉 Church's, especially in the Cha●●els▪ for which they cannot show one 〈◊〉 of Scripture: but on the contrary, our Saviour here informs us, that the Day shall come when Men shall Worship him in Spirit and Truth, without regard to any particular Places▪ and we ●●nd that ●he himself▪ and his Apostles, practised accordingly, and worshipped either in private Houses, Mountain, Ships, Seacoasts, or any where, as Providence offered an Opportunity, without a formal Consecration of any particular Place, which he knows is contrary to the Pract●●e● of the Church of England.  
I come here to consider his Explanation of what is meant by Worshipping God in Spirit; which he tells us is when we are ●osses'd with a true and lively Sense of his d●vine Majesty, Power, and Rule over as, humbly ●●knowledge hi●, unspeakable Goodness, ●o 〈◊〉 his infinite Wisdom which searches our Hearts, that we in all things submit to his alwise Will, when we love him with all our Hearts, and all our Souls, and yet Fear and Reverence him as a Father, 〈◊〉 with the greatest Cheerfulness obey whatsoever he has 〈◊〉 pleased to command us; wh●n we not only give up our Souls pure and spotless, but keep our Bodies fit Temples too, for the Holy Ghost, and thus joined, offer up ourselves one reasonable Service.  
There's scarcely any thing in this Definition, but what is comprehended in this one Distich of Cato, 
Si Deus est animus nobis ut carmina dicunt,  
Hic tibi praecipuè sit pu●a ment colendus.  or what a mere Dei●t, who owns no Revelation, will grant; but methinks one who pretends to be a Minister of Jesus Christ, should not have been guilty of such a gross Omission, as never once to have mentioned his Name in the Explanation of Spiritual Worship, when nothing is more expressly enjoined in the Scripture, than that all Gospel-Worship should be performed in his Name, without which none of our Devotion is acceptable▪ I would therefore advise this upstart Divine, first to read and understand the Gospel better, before he pretend to preach it, and to know his own Duty before he offer to teach other Men theirs, and out of pity to his Ignorance, or to chastise him for his faulty Definition, would refer him to John 14.13. where we are taught to offer up our Prayers in the Name of Jesus, to Matthew 18.20. and other Places, where we are taught to assemble in his Name, to Matthew 28.19. etc. where Ministers are commanded to preach and baptise in his Name, to 1 John 3.23. where we are commanded to believe in his Name, and to Heb. 13.15. where we are enjoined to offer Praises to God by him. Now these being all Acts of Spiritual Worship, is it not strange that this Novice in Divinity should not so much as once have mentioned the Name of Jesus in his Definition of worshipping God by the Spirit. I suppose he would be very angry at those who should forbear bowing at hearing of his Name, which is no where ●●●manded, and yet he pretends to explain Spiritual ●●rship, without taking so much as once notice of that ●lessed Nane, though there be none other under Heaven by which we can be saved.  
Another thing he hath omitted in his Definition, is, that to Worship God in Spirit, must necessarily infer the worshipping of him according to the Direction of his own Spirit in the Sacred Scriptures, without which, all those Impressions of his Majesty, Power, Rule, and Wisdom that he talks of, signify nothing. The Heathens have expressed themselves to Admiration on all these Attributes, and yet we cannot say, that they worshipped him in Spirit, because it was not according to his Revealed Will, they worshipped they knew not what, as our Saviour here tells the Samaritan Woman.  
He goes on thus, Page 10, That h●ving once this true Notion of the Almighty, we ex●rt ourselves in Acts of Piety and public Devotion, express our Sense of his Pow●r and Rule, by our daily Supplications, ou● Acknowledgements of his Goodness, by our continual Praises, our Love, by our Charity to our Neighbours, and Zeal for his Worship and Service, and our Fear, by abstaining from the lea●t Appearance of Evil; and all this with Humility and Reverence, Decency and Order, with Obedience to Authority, and Respect to those whom he has set over us; these being most certain and spiritual Duties, nay, the only things wherein we are capable of testifying that we really do worship him in Spirit. A little further he says, That God is a Spirit, and therefore his Worship ought to deduce its Source from the Reason and Soul of Man. And in the 1●th. Page, That if Worship takes its rise from the Heart, then is it a Spiritual Worship. And this he takes to be the true meaning of worshipping in Spirit. It's well he does but take it, but I think it's plain from what has been already said, he mistakes it; for all this while it's evident that Cato in his Distich beforenamed, had as true a Notion of Spiritual Worship as Mr. Oliver: And therefore I will make bold to tell him, that if he don't make haste to increase more in Spiritual Knowledge than hitherto he has done, it will be a great while before he deserve to be made a Spiritual Lord; but I am afraid he has already spoiled his Lawn Sleeves during this Reign, whatever hopes he may have in another.  
I would fain know whether by part of his own definition of Spiritual Worship, he hath not excluded himself from the number of Spiritual Worshippers, by failing in his Obedience to Authority, and in his Respect to those whom God has set over us, in railing thus against those whose Worship is established by Law as well as his own: Does he think, that when the King and Parliament passed the Act for Liberty, they designed that every little Pragmatical Priest should revile Magistrates to their faces, and reflect upon the whole Dissenting Party in such a manner as he has done, for non compliance to Humane Ceremonies in Divine Worship? If it were so, than the Nonconformists are only tied down to a Stake, to be baited by every dumb Dog, that cannot bark, except it be for gain from his Quarter: Such kind of Dogs as these the Apostle enjoins us to beware of, as well as of the Concision by which they made a Schism in the Church, and would have forced Circumcision and other Jewish Ceremonies into the Christian Worship, Phil. 3.2. Just so our Author seems to be one of those that would tear the Flock, and return again to the old Vomit of Persecution; he and his Brother the Author of the Mystery of Phanaticism, would make a delicate couple to be under the Conduct of some of Antichrist's Huntsmen, for they seem both of 'em to be deepmouthed, and so well versed in the Art already, that they understand all the Hunter's Notes, from Tone, to Tontontontontavon.  
We come next to hear him open upon full scent, for Page 11 and 12. with a Medley of a Charge he falls foul upon some of the Dissenters; saying, They are above Ordinances and all manner of Rule, guided by Fancy and a Frantic Zeal. I am afraid he has in those very words described himself and the rest of his Kidney, who will force their own Impositions into the most Solemn Ordinances of the Gospel, and exclude those from the Church that won't comply with them; for if this be not to set themselves above all manner of Ordinances and Rule, when the Scripture expressly forbids any adding or diminishing to its self, as the Rule of our Faith and Manners, I cannot tell what is. However, I know that by this he means the Quakers and some others; but then in common Ingenuity he ought to have made a distinction, and not have added all Dissenters together, to inflame the Reckoning; and in the mean time let me tell him, that such as he set them a very bad Example, in going so far astray from the Rule, and making things they own to be indifferent, necessary terms of Communion.  
He falls next upon those that make use of his Text against all manner of Ceremonies: But who these are, I know not, nor never heard of, nor I believe no body else; had he said, significant Ceremonies, or a kind of Party-per-pale Sacraments, that must be outward and visible Signs of inward and Spiritual Graces, such as the Sign of the ✚, is made to be our fight under Christ's Banner, etc. he had said somewhat; and then I should have made bold to tell him, tho' I incur the danger of an ipso facto Excommunication for it by the Canons of his Church, that such Ceremonies are ipso facto condemned by this Text, that teaches us we must worship God according to Truth, which is his Revealed will, and if he can find any thing there enjoining those Ceremonies, I will yield him the Cause, and for his further Comfort, I will also tell him, that what the Scripture doth not Command in matters of Worship, it forbids, and without the Law, and against the Law, as in Policy, so in Divinity, are both one according to Tertullian, in his Corona Militis; and I am of the mind he made a greater Figure in the Church than ever our Author will do so long as his Name is Oliver.  
So little does this Zealous Ceremony-monger understand the Controversy in which he is so fierce a Disputant, that he tells us, we ourselves make use of Ceremonies; and what are they? Why, truly they are set Looks, a formal Voice, and forced Gestures; a wonderful Discovery! worthy of the Genius of that Noble Author, called, The Mystery of Phanaticism: But does not this little Sprig, or Sucker of Divinity, know that these Things, if they must be Ceremonies, are not imposed upon those of our Party as Terms of Communion? For our parts we are so little concerned about such things, that we should not value it one rush if all the Youngsters of the Church wore their Shoes upon their Head, and their square Caps upon their Feet, as well as their Shirts on the outside of all their other clothes, if they would not thrust them down our Throats as Terms of Communion, and tell us we shall neither have the Privileges of Men nor Christians, if we don't let them do so.  
But now he comes with the kill Stroke, that it's almost time for the Huntsman to sound the Death of the Hart, with a Tone Tontontaven, etc. He tells us, pag. 14. and 15. That the Objections against set Forms, and the Pretensions to the Spirit, from this Text, are vain and frivolous: Where is such Assistance promised, or upon what account indeed necessary? Let these Pretenders to Inspiration work Miracles too, and then we shall believe these extraordinary Gifts of the Holy Ghost, which we rightly now judge to be ceased— The very Opinion contradicts itself; and what they pretend an extemporary Effusion, is no more than a Form to all the Auditory— and are often worked up, by Heat and Passion, to say Amen to no better than Nonsense, sometimes, I fear, even Blasphemy itself— Strange is it, that Men otherwise sober, and that will not venture a Sermon, which they will not address to the People, without Care and Accuracy of Wording, should yet dare to entertain Commerce with God at all Adventures, buoyed up with a little popular Applause and Self-Conceit! Most evident it is, that what they would make the World believe is immediately from Heaven, is attainable by Memory, and a Volubility of Speech, and perfected by a great share of Confidence.  
Here, as elsewhere, this Novice hath entertained the Auditory with Ignorance, Railing, and Falsehoods. I could wish that his Tutor, when he returns to Cambridge again, would whip him a little for Ignoratio Elenchi. Is it not a horrid shame, that a Confident Prig should step up to the Pulpit of the Greatest Cathedral in England, pretending to preach upon Controversies, and not so much as understand the State of the Question he pretends to handle? Then let him know, that the Nonconformists don't deny the Lawfulness of set Forms, provided they be sound, and only made use of by those that can't do without them; for they are always so good natured, as to allow the Lame a Crutch: But the thing they deny, is this, that it is unlawful for any Church or Society of Men upon Earth, to impose stated Forms of other men's composing to be used by Ministers in the whole Exercise of their Ministerial Function, and no others: This being a Yoke that many of the Conformists themselves done't submit their Necks to, but use Forms of their own composing, or extemporary Prayers, many times before Sermon, at visiting the Sick, and otherwise. If our Author will read Didoclavius his Altar Damascenum, an ancient and learned Author, or Dr. Collins of Norwich, a Modern Author upon the Subject, he will find this to be, and to have been the Principle of the Nonconformists upon that Head; and the reason of it is this, that the Gift of Prayer, as well as of Preaching, is given by our Saviour to his Ambassadors, else how should they be the Mouth of the People to him, as well as the Deliverers of his Message to them? The stinting of Ministers to the Forms of others, is perfectly to make them guilty of the neglect of part of that Gift, which they receive at their Ordination by the hands of the Presbytery, against which the Apostle cautions Timothy, 1 Tim. 4.14▪ It is likewise plain by Acts 6.4. that it is the Duty of Ministers to give themselves to Prayer, as well as to Preaching; and seeing many of the Preachers, by giving themselves to it, (nay, most of those in other Countries) attain to a Faculty of delivering the Message of God in good Method and Language without Notes; for what Reason can our Author think it impracticable for them, if they likewise give themselves to Prayer, to deliver their own, and their People's Desires, in the same manner to God without the help of a Form? I confess for such as he, who seems to be grossly ignorant of the Office and Duty of a Minister, and is more like Jeroboam's Priests of old, that by consecrating themselves with a Bullock and ten Rams, were fit to be Priests to them that were no Gods, a Form of Prayer may be necessary; for by his ignorant Twattle, he seems to be such a Parson as the Story goes of, who could not tell what Prayer to read for a poor Man, that came to him when his House was on Fire; but at last bethought himself of that for Rain, which he wisely conceived would extinguish the Flames: But when he came to mumble it over, it was only for moderate Showers; which the poor Man knowing not to be enough for his Necessity, made bold to mend the Form, and cried out for whole Buckets full.  
For his ignorant and irreligious Questions, Where the Assistance of the Spirit is promised, or upon what account indeed necessary, they smell so rank of the Libertine, that we may justly enter our Exceptions against his Evidence in matters of Religion, as an utter Enemy to it: But to reform him if possible, let him read his own Text once more, which is a Promise as well as a Prophecy, that the Spirit should assist the Saints under the Gospel in their Worship, of which Prayer is a very great part. Let him read Rom. 8.26, 27. and there he will find the assistance of the Spirit to be necessary to help our Infirmities; for we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit itself maketh Intercession for us with Groan which cannot be uttered; and he that searcheth the Hearts, knoweth what is the Mind of the Spirit, because he maketh Intercession for the Saints, according to the Will of God. He may likewise read the Fifteenth Verse of that same Chapter, and there he will find that true Christians receive the Spirit of Adoption, by which they cry Abba Father, and are as naturally enabled thereby to pour out their Souls before God in Prayer for Spiritual Mercies, as we are by Nature prompted to request such things of our Earthly Parents as we stand in need of, without a Set Form. Let him read John 14.26. and there he will find a Promise, That the Comforter, the holy Spirit, shall teach us all things; and if Prayer be a Christian Duty, it must certainly be included in the Bosom of this Promise. If he thinks to evade this by pretending that we allege the very words of our Prayers are inspired, Let him quote any Dissenting Author, Quakers, or some such excepted, that have said so if he can.  
I conceive his profane Raillery, that we entertain Commerce with God at all Adventures, is sufficiently censured already, when I have made it appear that we have the Promise of the Spirit to help our Infirmities: But I shall tell him further, that if ever he come to have any Experience of the Work of God upon his own Soul, to see the Sinfulness of his Nature, and that he is eternally undone without a Saviour, it will be no longer such a Mystery to him; and I would fain know his reason why a Minister that is acquainted with the Condition of his People, as all of 'em ought to be, and is able to instruct them in their Duty, and to reprove them for their Sins without a Set Form, may not as well, and as easily represent their Desires to God in the same manner, pray for his Assistance against their particular Temptations and Sins, beg for those Graces they want, offer up Praises for such Mercies as they have received, and turn his Instructions to them, into Petitions for them, without hazard of Blasphemy or Nonsense.  
Let him give us his reason why all Ministers and Christians, must be tied up to the Forms of others, who have no more right to those Promises abovementioned than themselves, and as appears by the Event, have had a lesser share of them, than many others have had.  
Our Author before he had made so many ill grounded Objections and Charges against Extemporary Prayer, ought first to have taken the Beam out of the Eye of his own Party, before he had offered to pull the Mote out of those of others. He cannot but know, or have heard, that the Book of Common Prayer is objected against, as being the Mass-Book, Romish Breviary, and Rituals, translated with some Amendments, as K. Edw. 6 th'. owned in his Proclamation to the Devonshire Rebels, that it is chargeable with vain Repetitions, that it stints God to such a daily Measure of Prayers, hinders many necessary Petitions, and the enlarging on those that it has, according to the necessity of the Persons that join in it, and many other things that I shall not now touch upon.  
It ill became our Author to charge Dissenters with Blasphemy in their Prayers at random, merely upon report or slander, when his Party oblige all their Clergy to assent and consent to all the Mistranslations of the Psalms, and other places of Scripture in their Common-Prayer-Book, when its evident that sometimes a whole Verse or more is left out; as in the 72 d, Psal. where the Words, Praise ye the Lord▪ are 17 times omitted; as is the Conclusion of the Lord's Prayer, according to the Example of the Popish Missal, and part of the First Commandment, sometimes the Translation is blasphemous, as in Psal. 18.26. where 'tis said of God, that he shall learn frowardness with the froward; sometimes it is absurd and senseless, as Psal. 58.8. and sometimes adds Words and Sentences, which change and obscure its meaning, as Psal. 2.12. and Psal. 14.  
Page 15, and 16. He goes on with his usual Assurance, and says, Our Saviour proved by a Form, that the World has been so sensible of the Necessity of one, that there is no Age or Church that has left themselves at liberty. Not one word of which he can prove. Our Saviour indeed hath given us that usually called the Lord's Prayer as a Rule, and which we own we may lawfully use as a Form, but not to exclude others of our own composure. The idle Pretence that our Saviour composed this out of the Jewish Form● then in Use, hath been long since exploded; or if it were so, is a strong presumption that 'twas only to be used as a Form during the Jewish Oeconomy: But it is so evident in the Scripture, that our Blessed Redeemer and his Apostles tied themselves to no certain Form of Prayers, that none who have ever read the Bible can be ignorant of it. Is it not strange, if they judged a set Form necessary, that they should not have composed one themselves, or have told us who they empowered to do it? And is it not a reflection upon the Scriptures, that they which are able to make the Man of God wise unto Salvation, should not be thought sufficient to direct us how to pray without set Forms, as well as it is to make Men able Ministers of the New Testament without set Homilies? Would not Mankind look upon it as an Imposition on humane Nature, if Forms should be imposed upon them, in which, and no other, they should be obliged to sue for Relief to their Superiors in all the Calamities that may befall them, when it is impossible to compose such as will answer all Circumstances? And is it not equally, nay, more absurd to restrain Men to Forms composed by others, for addressing the Almighty in their various Exigencies, that none can know so well as themselves; and which tho' not expressed in such Terms as may please such envious Critics as our Author, yet He that searcheth the Hearts, knows the Mind of the Spirit, as we have heard before.  
As to his Assertion, that no Age hath been without a Form, 'tis Gratis dictum, he has it only by Tradition, and that he says himself is but little to be credited; I think the known Passages of Justin Martyr, and Tertullian, in their Apologys, are more than enough to answer such a pert Youngster. The Passages are to the following Import: Tertullian speaking of the Worship of the Christians, Illuc, (that is towards Heaven,) suspicientes Christiani manibus expansis quia Innocuis capite Nudo, quia non erubescimus denique●ine Monitore quia de pectore Oramus. And Justin Martyr on the same Subject says, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. If this pert Sophister knows any thing, he knows that those pretended Liturgies of Peter, James, Matthew, Andrew, etc. are spurious, and therefore shall say no more on the Subject, but this, that Eusebius in his Epistles of the Churches of Smyrna, Vienna, and Lions, is silent as to any Liturgy. The like silence there is in the Epistles of Clemens, Ignatius, and the Writings of Justin Martyr, Tertullian, and Origen. Nay, Baronius ad An. 58. Numb. 102. treating expressly of the Public Prayers of the Church, keeps the same silence as to the use of Forms. Mr. Oliver's other silly Reflections of want of due Reverence in Places of Worship, are so like himself, that they deserve no other Answer but Contempt: If others keep on their Hats there, let him make amends for it, if he pleases, by pulling off his Shoes; and while others sit, may he be condemned always to stand; and while others take no notice of the Altar, may he bow to it till his Breeches burst behind: For my own part, I know no reason for being covered, or uncovered at any Sermon, but as Convenience directs; for though the Text be divine, the Commentary is humane; and I thin● his own Sermon is a convincing Instance, that every thing delivered to us from the Pulpit is not the Message of God: We must bring them to the Touchstone, as the Bereans did, to try whether they be so, or not, and I am certain his will never abide that Test.  
I shall conclude this extemporary Answer to a premeditated Sermon against extemporary Prayer, with this one Reflection, that the late Lord Mayor may well be abused in the street by Ballad-singers, Hawkers, and rascally Fellows, when he was first abused to his face in the Pulpit by a pedantic Parson. A Noble Example, and as bravely followed! but if the City of London suffer their Chief Magistrate, and the greatest of the Kind in the whole Nation, to be thus abused for going to Meetings, which was neither contrary to the Laws of God nor Man, they don't acquit themselves according to their Character: It is utterly intolerable, that a Gentleman, who his very Enemies must own, has acted the part of a good Magistrate, should be so scandalously abused. If this be Mr. Oliver's deference to Dignities, it's pity he should ever preach in any other Place but Bedlam, where his namesake Oliver's Porter used to rave. And thus I leave the Huntsmen, who sounded the seven strokes to the Field, to sound the stroke of nine to draw home the Company; for I believe their ..... will scarcely recover his Game, so that he may even sit down contented with the Honour of being the Ringleader of those who sing such goodly Ballads, as they were gathering Grigs about the streets one day, and cry Lampoons against Magistrates another.  
FINIS