THE ABOLISHING OF THE book OF COMMON PRAYER, By Reason of above fifty gross corruptions in it, As also for that it commands the use of such Ceremonies in the WORSHIP OF GOD (namely Surplice, cross, and Kneeling) which man hath devised, and which are notoriously known to have been of old, and still to be abused to Superstition and Idolatry, and are of no necessary use in the church. Being the Substance of a book which the Ministers of Lincoln diocese delivered to King James, the First of December, 1605. Well worthy of the serious consideration of the High court of PARLIAMENT. Reprinted, and are to be sold by SAMVEL Satterthwaite in Warwick Lane, 1641. THE ABOLISHING OF THE book OF COMMON PRAYER. WITH Exceptions against Subscribing to it. EXCEPTION I. FIRST, IN that by the Order it appoints for the reading of the holy Scriptures, the greatest part of canonical Scripture is never to be read to the Congregation. Contrary to the practice of the Church of the Jews before Christ, and of the Primitive Church in the Age next succeeding after Christ, and his Apostles, and of all the best Reformed Churches at this day; in none of all which, any part of the canonical Scripture was ever commanded to be left out in public Reading. And contrary to the Opinion of Bishop Jewel, who affirmeth Reply art. 15. Divis. 16. pag. 543. that to limit and diet the people what they ought to read, and what they ought to leave, was sometimes the Superstitious discretion of the Rabbins; herein, saith he, we may say, as Hilary saith, the son of God hath revealed to us no such thing. 2. And that by the Order it appoints many of the first Lessons are to be taken out of the apocryphal Books and that under the name of the holy Scripture of the old Testament, without any note of difference from the canonical, and Commands the Story of Susanna to be read under the name of Dan. 13. In which Story the Jews in Babylon are said to have had Judges of their own, and power to put offenders to death, and Daniel is said to have been a young child when he executed judgement upon the two false witnrsses; and this is said to have been done immediately before the reign of Cyrus, and to have been the means whereby Daniel grew famous: all which do evidently show this Story to be fabulous and untrue, as is observed by juntus Lubbertus, Dr. Fulke, Dr. whitaker's, Dr. Willet, and others. In like manner also sundry of the other apocryphal Chapters that are thus appointed to be read, do contain manifest errors and corruptions, as are observed by the foresaid Authors. 3. In that the book of Common Prayer appointeth such a Translation of the psalms to be read in the Churches as leaveth out of the Text sundry words and sentences which were given by Divine inspiration for the profit of the whole Church, as the titles of the psalms, and these words Higaton, and Selah, and Praise; yet the Lord is omitted at least seventeen times, which is contrary to the Deut. 4. 2. Rev. 22. 19 word of God, who hath expressly forbidden to take aught from his Word, and, said he, will take their part out of the book of Life that shall presume to do it. 4. In that the book of Common Prayer misapplieth sundry places of Scripture, and that to the countenancing of some points of unsound Doctrine; as for example, to instance in one for many, that in Rev. 14. 15. is applied to those children whom Herod murdered, which is also made more plain by the Collect which calleth them the witnesses of God, which confessed and showed forth his praise. EXCEPTION II. In that the book of Common Prayer commands the use of such Ceremonies in the worship of God, as man hath devised, and which are notoriously known to have been of old, and still to be abused to Idolatry and Superstition, and as are of no necessary use in the Church. And as this might be made manifest by Arguments drawn from holy Scriptures, so also is it confirmed by the judgement of the godly learned of all Churches and ages, to wit, that Christians are bound to cast off the Ceremonies and Religious customs of Pagans, Jews, Idolators, and heretics, and are carefully to shun all conformity with them therein; as we might instance in the testimonies of ancient Fathers, and counsels; but we will only produce the judgements of modern Writers. 1. It was the judgement of the Church of Scotland, as appeareth in a Letter written from a general assembly held at Edenbrough 1566. unto the Bishops of England, in which, besides many other sentences to this purpose, thus he writ; If Surplice, Corner-cap, and Tippet have been badges of Idolaters, in the very act of Idolatry, what have the prayers of Christian liberty, and the open rebukers of Superstition to do with the dregs of the Romish beast, and more plainly in the general confession of their faith, whereunto King James, with other of the chief States of that Printed at London by Thomas Man, 1603. kingdom, did solemnly swear and subscribe, where we find these words, we detest all the ceremontes and false Doctrine of the Roman Antichrist, added to the Ministration of the true Sacraments, we detest all his vain Allegories, Rites, signs, and Traditions brought into the Church without the Word of God. Occolampadius writing to a Minister of the Church of Scaphusium, 1. Lib. Epist. pag. 129. requireth him utterly to cast off all the Ceremonies of the Papists in the celebration of the Lord's Supper, which cannot (saith he) be continued, but they will nourish the Superstition and impiety whereunto they served of old. Calvin in one of his Epistles having spoken of some moderation that is to be used in reforming and remedying abuses in the Epist. 87. pag. 167. Church, yet, saith he, I do no less constantly affirm that great heed is to be taken, lest under this pretence any thing be tolerated, in the Church which came either from Satan or from Antichrist. Musculus writeth thus, It is not fit that those things, which are rather Laricom. p. 421. Superstitious than Religious, or have so much as a show of Superstition, should be received in the Church, God forbid that I should maintain any Tradition Rites or Worships which are Popish, which either of their own nature, or by abuse do serve unto Popish impiety. Peter Martyr saith, that Order ought to be kept in Administration of the Sacraments, which is most sincere, and differeth most In an Epist. to the Ministers of Poland. from the toys and Ceremonies of the Papists, and cometh nearest unto that purity, wherein Christ and his Apostles did first administer it. Of the same judgement was Beza, Bucer, and many other besides of the most famous Divines of other Nations, which for brevity sake I will not so much as name. Our late Queen's injunctions, require that all Monuments of Injunc. 23. Idolatry and Superstition, be so utterly extinguished and destroyed, that there may remain no memory of them, either in our Churches or houses. Bishop Jewel speaking to the Papists of their Ceremonies, saith, Confuta. of the man of Chester. You have so misused these things, or rather so defiled and bewrayed them with your Superstitions, that we can no longer continue them without clog of conscience. Bishop Pilkinton misliked that we were so like the Papists in marriage and many other things. Dr. Humphrey professeth plainly, both his desire and hope of the utter abolishing of the Ceremonies, and of all Monuments of Popish In Epist. Dedica. vit. jewel. Superstition that yet remain in our Church. We abhor, saith Dr. Fulke, whatsoever hath but a show of Popery, we might also produce the judgements of Dr. Andrew's, Mr. Greenham, and others of our English modern Divines for the proof of this point in general. But it will better appear if we shall consider these three Ceremonies in question severally. 1. The Surplice is notoriously known to be by the Papists abused Missal. Rom. 3. part. 1. pag. 100 to Superstition and Idolatry, for the Bishop when he halloweth any of them, he useth to pray thus, that the Priest wearing this holy Vesture, may deserve to be shielded and defended, from all assaults and temptations of wicked spirits. And this garment is enjoined to all that are admitted to the very lowest degree of their clergy, which they call primam tonsuram, and this was it which first brought in that custom into the Universities, that every Student should at certain times wear the Surplice in Divine Service, because they did in their matriculation receive this Primam tonsuram, and first entrance into the clergy. Neither is the Surplice, only a badge and ornament of their Priesthood, but the use of it is also enjoined in their Idolatrous mass. For all Priests that are at mass must needs have their Surplice on, and indeed some Priests cannot say mass without it, yea they glory in it, as a garment peculiar to their Religion. And therefore have the most learned and Judicious of our Divines judged the Surplice to be a Popish Massing garment, and by this Reason they have condemned the use of it in those Churches that profess the gospel, as namely Peter Martyr, Bullenger, Brentius, Beza Gualther, Zanchius, Bishop Hooper, Bishop Farrer, Mr. Rogers, Bishop Jewel, Bishop Pilkinton, Dr. Humphrey, Dr. Reynoilds, and others. The sign of the cross also is notoriously known to be abused to Superstition and Idolatry by the Papists; for both Stapleton, and Bellarmine, do make it the special badge of their Idolatrous Religion, and profess that it is one of the Images to which they give Religious Adoration, yea, they teach, that it is to be worshipped but they do nowhere more abuse it to Idolatry, than in the Sacrament, for in baptism they hold that the water hath no spiritual virtue till it be sanctified by it, they mark the child with it as a means to drive away the devil, they hold that none can be rightly baptised, nor have his perfect Christendom without it; and this hath caused many of our chief Divines to condemn the use of it in baptism, as Beza, Zanchius, Polanus, Napier, Dr. Pulke, Dr. Reynolds, Thomas Rogers, and others. The gesture also of kneeling in the very act of receiving the Bread and Wine in the Lord's Supper is notoriously known to have been of old, and still to be abused unto Idolatry by the Papists; for it grew first from the persuasion of the real presence. And for this cause also have our Learned Divines, condemned that gesture, as namely, Calvin, Peter Martyr, Bishop Hooper, Mr. Beza, and others. And besides this, that these Ceremonies have been abused to Idolatry, the evil of them is manifest in that they are neither needful nor profitable in the Church, neither unto edification, nor unto the more comely and orderly performance of the duties of God's Service, and this may appear, both by the experience of many years, whereby it is found, as Mr. Bucer also observed in his time, that there hath been far less growth of Knowledge and piety in those Congregations; where they have been most precisely observed, yea though they enjoyed a Ministry of greater learning and gifts, then in those where they have been wholly left, and especially by this, that neither Christ nor his Apostles, who doubtless did perform every thing in their Ministry in that manner that was most decent and fit for edification, did use them. And it cannot but grieve many of the godly to see these things brought into the Service of Christ, which have been so defiled by Antichrist: and of this judgement, is both Calvin and Bucer, yea many of our own Bishops, and that of late days as Dr. Whitegift late Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Chaderton Bishop of Lincoln, and Dr. Vaughan Bishop of London, and others in ecclesiastical dignity, do profess that the Church might well be without them, and that they could wish they were taken away, and have spoken very basely of them, and in their own Congregations have been accustomed oft times to omit the use of them; by all which they have evidently declared, that they do not in their conscience think them fit or profitable to edify the Church by the more decent or orderly performance of the Service of God. Furthermore, besides the commanding the use of these Ceremonies which you see are so neddlesse and offensive, the book of Common Prayer containeth in it sundry things that are contrary to the Word of God. The book of Common Prayer containeth in it, sundry things (besides those handled in the Abridgement) that are contrary to the Word of God. For, 1. It appointeth a liturgy, which in the whole matter and form thereof, is too like unto the mass-book. 2. It appointeth a liturgy which by the length thereof, doth in many Congregations oft times necessarily shut out Preaching, viz. When baptism, the Communion, Marrying, Churching, and burial concur all together (as oft times they do) in great Congregations. 3. It approveth of a ministry as lawful, which wanteth ability to Preach. 4. It containeth in it sundry Popish errors of such things (at least) as tend strongly to the maintenance of Popish Superstition. As, 1. The Minister of the gospel is throughout the book called Priest. The name Priest. 2. It commandeth the observation of many holidays, and requireth the Minister to bid them, and preferreth them (in some holidays. sort) before the Lord's day, For the ordinary Lessons appointed in the Calendar for the Lord's Day, must give place to the proper Lessons of that holiday that falls on the Lord's Day, and Athanasius Creed is appointed to be read only upon certain holidays. 3. It appointeth saint's Eve's to be kept as fasting-days, and commandeth the Minister to bid them so. 4. It appointeth the time of Lent to be kept as a Religious Fast, and perverteth both the Example of Christ's Fast, and sundry other Lent. places of Scripture to the justifying thereof. It prescribeth a special service for the first day of Lent and appointeth the Commination, and other special Prayers and Exhortations tending to Repentance, to be read upon that day only, and it affirmeth that It was a godly Discipline in the primitive Church, (the restoring whereof is much to be wished) that notorious sinners at the beginning of Lent were put to open Penance. 5. The week before Easter, only of all weeks in the year, hath prescript Service appointed with Epistles and Gospels for every week before Easter. day, as solemn as the holidays are wont to have. 6. The Friday before Easter is called Good Friday, and hath Good Friday. three special Collects appointed for it, as hath no one day of the year besides. 7. It commandeth that every Parishioner shall receive the Communion at Easter. Receiving the Communion at Easter. 8. It appointeth the Congregation to pray that God would give them that, which their prayers dare not presume to ask. 9 The catechism (in delivering the number of the Sacraments) Diffidence in Prayer. Number of the Sacraments. Necessity of baptism. saith, there are two only, as generally necessary to salvation. 10. The Minister (as if baptism were of absolute necessity) is allowed not only to Baptise in private, but to use the words of Institution, and the element, though he have not so much time as to say the Lord's Prayer. 11. The Minister is allowed and directed to administer the Private communion. Communion to one sick of the Plague, though there be not one more to communicate with him. 12. Interrogatories in baptism are ministered unto Infants (as Interrogatories in baptism. if repentance and Faith were requisite in them, before they may be baptised) and it is said in the catechism. That infants perform faith and repentance by their Sureties, who promise and vow them in their names. 13. Every child baptised (as if outward baptism did confer baptism conferring of grace to all that receive it. grace to all that receive it) is said to be regenerate; and in the catechism, it is said, that we are by baptism made the children of grace, and (in the rubric immediately before catechism) that it is certain by God's Word, that children being baptised have all things necessary for their salvation, and be undoubtedly saved. 14. The Minister is appointed to command that children be brought to the Bishop to be confirmed, yea none may be admitted Confirmation. to the Communion till he have been confirmed. In confirmation children are said to be certified (by the sign of the imposition of the Bishops hands) of God's favour and gracious goodness towards them. And confirmation is said to be ministered to them that are baptised, that by imposition of hands and Prayer, they may receive strength and defence against all tentations to sin, and the assaults of the world and the devil. Yea, confirmation is dignified above Christ's Sacraments, in that none may administer it but a Bishop. And it is said to be administered after the example of the holy Apostles, and warrant thereby. 15. It saith that Matrimony, doth signify unto us the mystical union betwixt Christ and his Church, and that God did consecrate Matrimony. the state of Matrimony to such an excellent mystery, that in it is signified and represented the spiritual marriage and unity between Christ and his Church. And the Ring in matrimony is appointed to be laid on the book, and the Priest to take it, and deliver it to the man, and to teach him to say thus, With this Ring [thee wed, &c. And the Priest is appointed in his Prayer unto God to say, that the Ring is a token and a pledge of the Covenant and vow made in marriage. 16. The Priest is appointed to absolve every sick person (that Absolution. findeth his conscience troubled with any weighty sin, and maketh special confession of it) in this form, by Christ's authority committed to me, I absolve thee from all thy sins, in the name of the Father, etc And in another place the people are appointed to come to the Minister, to receive the benefit of Absolution. 17. Burial is made a ministerial duty, and a prescript liturgy burial. is appointed for it to be said at the grave, and we are appointed to pray thus that God would hasten his kingdom, that we with this our brother, & all other departed in the true faith of thy holy name, may have our perfect consummation and bliss, both in body and soul. 18. Churching of Women is commanded and made a ministerial duty, and a prescript liturgy appointed for it, and the woman Churching of women. is appointed to kneel near to the place where the Table stands, and the Priest to stand by her, when he Churcheth her, and that he must offer her accustomed offerings. 19 Both in that place and elsewhere in the book, offering Offering days and Offertory. days and an Offertory are allowed. 20. In the catechism it is said, that the son of God hath redeemed all mankind, taking that phrase in a larger sense than for all universal grace. the elect, as is evident by the words immediately going before, and following after. 21. It appointeth sundry things that tend directly to the profanation of the holy Sacraments, either by prostituting them to unworthy persons, or administering them unreverently. For, Profanation of the Sacraments. 1. All Priests and Deacons in collegiate Churches, are commanded to receive the Communion, every Sunday at least. 2 Every communicant may choose whether he will give notice of his purpose to receive, till after the beginning of morning Prayer on the same day that he is to communicate. 3. All new married persons must receive the Communion the Manifest untruths. same day they are married. 4. Private baptism in some cases is allowed to be administered without any Prayer, Doctrine, or Exhortation. 5 It avoucheth sundry, manifest, and apparent untruths. Manifest untruths. As 1. That in the Calendar (so much as may be) the reading of the Scripture is so set forth, that all things might be done in order without breaking one piece from another. 2. That nothing (by this book) is ordained to be read, but the very pure Word of God the holy Scripture, or that which is evidently grounded upon the same. 3. That this book is so plain and perfect, as that the Curates shall need no other books for their public service, but this book and the Bible, and yet it enjoins him to read Homilies. 4. That all our Ceremonies pertain to edification, and are apt to stir up the dull mind of man, to the remembrance of his duty to God, by some notable and special signification. 5. It calleth certain Chapters of Esay, Jeremy, Joel, and the Acts, Epistles. 6. It appoints us to say every, day from Christmas day, to new-year's day in a Collect, that Christ was borne this day, and upon whitsunday, Monday and Tuesday, God which on this day hast taught, &c. 7. It affirmeth that Michael (mentioned, Rev. 12.) is a created angel. 8. It peremptorily affirmeth sundry things that (if they be not doubtful matters. manifestly false) are doubtful. 1. That the Infants whom Herod murdered, were Innocents, and God's witnesses; and that they confessed his praise by dying. 2. That there are archangels. 3. That every one that is buried is a brother, That God hath taken to himself his soul, that we commit his body to the ground, in sure and certain hope of Resurrection to eternal life. 4. It appointeth sundry things that bring great disorder and Disorder and confusion. confusion unto the worship of God. As 1. That the people should say after the Minister, whole sentences of prayer and Scripture; yea the Minister one part of the prayer, and the people another. And in sundry parts of the litany, the people make the prayer, and the Minister only directs them what to pray for. 2. That the Minister is appointed to say some prayers kneeling, some standing; some in one part of the Church, some in another. 3. That one of the people is allowed, to make the general confession of sins at the Communion in the name of the whole Congregation. 4. That at some one meeting of the Assembly the Lord's Prayer is to be repeated eight several times, and Gloria Patri twelve times. 5 That the holy Scriptures are so mangled into shreds and pieces, in the Epistles and Gospels. 6. That the words of the Institution are to be pronounced and repeated to every several Communicant. 7. That the Churchwardens are appointed to go about on communion-days together the Devotion of the people in the midst of Divine Service. 8. It contains sundry things that are ridiculous and absurd, Absurdities. and such as no reasonable sense can be made of; for 1. It commands the reading of such Homilies as shall hereafter be set forth by public authority. 2. It commands every parishioner to communicate at Easter, and also to receive the Sacraments and other Rites. 3. It ministereth Interrogatories to Infants, which their Godfathers answer unto, and saith, that Infants perform faith and repentance by their Godfathers. 4. It appointeth (in some cases) baptism to be administered conditionally in this form, If thou be not Baptised already, I Baptise thee, in the name of the Father, &c. 5. It requireth that every husband be taught by the Priest to say to his wife, (in the solemnization of wedlock) With my body I thee worship. 10. It contains in it sundry evident contradictions. for 1. In the second Article of the rubric after the Communion, Contradictions the Minister is forbidden to celebrate the Communion, except there be a great number to communicate with him; and in the third Article of the same rubric, he is allowed to celebrate it, if there be but three to communicate with him. 2. In one place it is said, that it is thought good to follow the custom of the old Church (in ministering baptism, but twice a year) so near as conveniently may be, and yet elsewhere, it alloweth baptism to be administered not only every day of the year in public but also every hour, either of day or night in private. 3. In the catechism, it is said there are but two Sacraments, and in another place, the book giveth to confirmation whatsoever (by the definition of a Sacrament set down in the catechism) belongs to the nature and essence of a Sacrament. 4. In one place it is said that children should be brought to the Bishop to be confirmed, so soon as they can say the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, and the ten commandments. In another it saith, that our custom is agreeable to the usage of the Church in times pa●t. whereby it was ordained, that Confirmation should be ministered to them that are of perfect age. The 35. Article of Religion touching the two Tomes of Homilies, is not to be allowed, nor acknowledged to be agreeable to the word of God. For, 1. By it the reading of Homilies in the Congregation, is approved Reading of Nemilies. to be a ministerial duty, and so an unpreaching ministry allowed of. 2. The books of Homilies contain sundry things that are evidently false and untrue. As Manifest untruths. Tom. 2. pag. 305. 1. That the Apociyphal books are everywhere called holy Scripture. And (two only places being alleged, both which are taken out of Toby and Ecclesiasticus, that tend dangerously to the justifying of the merit of Almsdeeds) it is said, the Holy Ghost speaketh so in the Scriptures. 2. That the place of the Psalmist, Psal. 51. 5. is thus alleged, Tom. 1. pag. 18. wherefore he saith, mark and behold, I was conceived in sins: he saith not sin, but in the plural number sins. 3. That it is said, our Saviour did swear so oft as he said verily, Tom 1. pag. 51. and 87. verily. 4. Where it is said, that plurality of Wives was by a special Tom 2. pa. p. 303. Prerogative suffered to the Fathers of the old Testament, that they might have many Children, because every one of them hoped, and begged oftentimes of God in their prayers, the blessed seed might come and be borne of his stock and kindred. 5. In them are affirmed (and that as by way of doctrine publicly doubtful points and of dangerous construction. taught in the Church) sundry things that are doubtful, and of dangerous construction; As, 1. When it is said, That though manslaughter was committed Tom 1. pa. 22. before, yet was not the world destroyed for that: but for whoredom all the world (few only excepted) was overflowed with water. 2. When the fact of Ambrose in Excommunicating Theodosius is Tom 2. pag. 22. justfied. 3. When it is said, by keeping your Churches in good repair, Tom. 2. p. 160. ye shall not only please God, and deserve his manifold blessings: but also deserve the good report of all godly people. 4. When it is said, that all Adam's posterity by his fall were become Tom 2. pa, 365. plain reprobates and castaways, being perpetually damned, to the everlasting pains of hell fire. 5. When it is said, that it is not to be born with, but a great Tom 2. pp. 483. shame for an honest man to beat his maidservant, though she be a bond servant. The 36 Article of Religion. Touching the book of Consecration of Archbishops and Bishops, and of ordering Priests and Deacons, it is not to be allowed, nor acknowledged, to be agreeable to the Word of God, For 1. Not one Minister of forty, doth know what that book containeth, nor how to come to the sight of it. Few have seen the Book Defects. 2. It doth not (whereas that Article saith it doth) contain all things that are necessary, but omitteth sundry things which (by the Ordinance of God) ought to be observed in the Ordination of Ministers. For 1. The examination of the life and learning of the Deacon and Priest, is committed only to the archdeacon. 2 The voices and consent of the people, over whom the Minister is to be set, is not (by this Book) required to his election and calling. 3. The Ordination of the Deacon by imposition of hands, is permitted to one man, viz. the Bishop. 4. The Priest receiveth in his Ordination no authority to govern the flock and exercise the Discipline of Christ, but only to Preach the Word, and administer the Sacraments. 5. Some manifest untruths are avouched in it, (whereas the Article saith, it hath in it nothing that is of itself ungodly.) As 1. When it is said, that it is evident to all men diligently reading Manifest untruths. the holy Scriptures, and ancient Writers, that from the Apostles times, there have been these Orders of Ministers in Christ's Church, viz. Bishops, Priests, and Deacons. 2 Where it is said, that this realm hath received the Discipline of Christ, as the Lord hath commanded; whereas God hath commanded there should be governing Elders to exercise the discipline of Christ in each Congregation, which our realm hath not as yet received. 3. Where it is said, that God did inspire the holy Apostles to choose S. Steven into the Order of Deacons which is mentioned in this book, and that the Deacons, then to be ordered, are called to the like Office and administration that Steven was called unto. 4. Some places of holy Scripture are perverted in it. As Scripture perverted. 1. When Acts 6. 17. is applied to warrant the Ordination of our Deacons. 2. When the Bishop is appointed, in the ordering of a Priest, and the Archbishop in the Consecrating of a Bishop, to use these words, Receive the holy Ghost, as our Saviour did at the sending forth of his Apostles. 3. It containeth sundry Popish errors and Superstitions, (whereas Popish errors and Superstitions. the Article saith, it hath in it nothing, that of itself is Superstitious. As 1. That it alloweth and establisheth the Offices of Archdeacons and Archbishops. 2. That Deacons, Priests, Bishops, and Archbyshops are made several Orders, and degrees of ministry. 3. That the Minister of the gospel is usually called Priest. 4. That it ordaineth an Office of Deaconship with charge to read Homilies, preach the Word, and administer baptism. 5. That the Lord's Supper is dignified above baptism, and confirmation above both, when the Deacon is permitted to baptise, and not to administer the Lord's Supper, the Priest to Minister both baptism and the Lord's Supper, the Bishop only to confirm. 6. That private and secret prayer is preferred before public, and that in a public place and action. For the Congregation is desired (even in the midst of the solemn action in Ordination of a Priest) secretly in their prayers to make humble Supplications to God for the foresaid things. For the which Prayers there shall be a certain space kept in silence: that done, the Bishop is appointed to pray again. 7. Sundry things in it are absurdly spoken and directly against Absurdities. that which is done and practised (and to speak so specially in so holy and solemn an action is a wicked thing.) As 1. When in the Ordination of a Deacon, it is said, Take thou authority to preach, if thou shalt be called thereunto. 2. When both in the Ordination of the Deacon & of the Priest, the B. requireth the Congregation to deliver whether they can say aught against the party to be ordained, whereas it is well known, that the Bishop useth seldom or never to give orders in a public Congregation; and if he doth at any time, it is in such an one, where the people is altogether unacquainted with the conversation of them that are to be ordained. 3. When the Priest is asked whether he will give his faithful diligence always to minister the Doctrine and Sacraments, and Discipline of Christ, as the Lord hath commanded, whereas it is well known that no Minister is allowed to exercise the discipline of Christ, as the Lord hath commanded. And these faults there are in that book of Ordination which is of the last Edition and most reformed. In the former Edition (which seems by the words of the 36. Article to be, that we are required to subscribe unto, and which it may be, some of the Bishops do still use) there are other corruptions, As 1. That the Cope, Albe, Surplice, Tunicle, and pastoral staff are appointed to be used in Ordination and consecration. 2. That the Oath of Supremacy is thus concluded. So help me God and all Saines, and the holy Evangelists. Soli Deo gloria. FINIS.