To His GRACE the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury.  
May it please your Grace,  
THE most solemn and peculiar part of the Christian Worship, which we commonly call the Communion, is a subject which I have for many Years thought much on, and red all I could meet with in the ancient Writers concerning it: And it is above Thirty Years since, that I began to promote Monthly Communions among my Relations in the Country; and in my own Parish I at last brought it to Weekly; and much desired to see the daily Sacrifice restored, at least in this City; for which purpose, about seven or eight Years since I wrote to the then Archbishop a Letter, which was taken well, but nothing was done upon it. But at last, when I saw no hopes of having it daily in public, it pleased God to give me an unexpected opportunity of having it in Private, by bringing together a little Company of constant Weekly Communicants, and amongst them, one in Holy Orders according to the Church of England, whom I had brought off from the Dissenters, and we presently agreed upon these three Things: 1. To meet daily at five in the Morning at a daily Communion: 2. To endeavour, as near as we could, in all things to follow the Example of the ancient Christians; and, 3. To avoid giving Offence to any, but especially to the Church of England: And the next Morning we began it, first in a private Room, and, by the Blessing of God, have continued it ever since without intermission, for about two Years and an half. When we had continued it near a Year, the Person who did officiate being like to be called from us, that it might not fall, I took Orders myself; and as soon as we obtained the favour of the Bishop of Gloucester to have the use of his Church at Cripple-gate,( which was as unexpected as the other) we without delay removed our Meeting thither the very next day, out of respect to the Church, as we had before, for the same reason, continued it in private, under a tacit Connivance, rather than make use of the late Act for Toleration. And we have now had it in public near three quarters of a Year without intermission. While we had it in private we used such Enlargements of the Church Service as I thought most agreeable to the ancient Form: But when we came into the Church, we forbore most of that, and confined ourselves to the Church Forms, only supplying what I thought defective therein, as well as I could out of other Parts of our Liturgy. A great Desect in the Eucharistical part I supplied out of part of the General Thanksgiving, and four Doxologies of the Revelations, which, whoever shall consider, as we insert them, will more easily perceive the defect of the rest without them. And another great defect, in omission of the Solemn Prayer, immediately after Consecration, I supplied, in part, with the first of those two Forms which follow the Communion, and the Lord's-Prayer; which might be completed out of the Litargy, but I did not think fit to proceed so far as that. This I did before ever I had seen the Book approved by the chief of our Bishops, and published at Edinburg, for the use of the Church of Scotland, 1637. which I believe to be much the best of any modern Form whatever: And therefore when this came lately to my hand, it was no little satisfaction to me to find that I had so completely concurred in judgement with such eminent Persons, and had so great Authority to allege for what I did, besides what I had before. And I doubt not but Your Grace will approve the Matter all along, only I know You will scruple at the doing it without Authority. And as for that, I humbly offer to Your serious Consideration the enclosed Paper; which I wrote in Answer to what I heard Objected against me, and which, when You have perused, I nothing doubt but You will think it a Matter of such importance to the Church of England, as may deserve the Consideration of the rest of the Reverend Bishops. I do verily believe there hath been the hand of God in it all along, which hath brought it to this, from one step to another, beyond any prospect or foresight of mine: And I believe he will stand by the Cause I have in hand. But I shall endeavour in all I do, to pay all the respect to Your Grace and to the Church of England that possibly I can:  
Your Grace's Humble Servant, 
 E. S. 21. Feb. 1694 / 5   

Concerning the Use of some Portions of other Parts of our Liturgy in the Communion Service, upon just occasion.  
THAT the Divine Institutions, and other Matters of the Old Law are so recorded by Moses, and other Holy Writers, as is sufficiently intelligible to such as understand the ancient Customs and Practices of the Jews; but otherwise not: And therefore, that they, who without regard to their Customs and Practices have presumed to vent their own fantasies and Conceits, concerning Matters relating to those Institutions, but not particularly expressed in those Sacred Records, have usually ran themselves into great Errors and Mistakes, bewrayed their own Ignorance, and either much Weakness or much Inconsiderateness and Presumption; is certain and known, or easy to be observed by all Learned Men, who are acquainted with those Matters, or please to inquire into them.  
That the very same is very plain and observable concerning the Sacred Records of the Divine Institutions and Matters of the New Law, or Gospel, viz. That they are so recorded as is sufficient for those who know and are well instructed in the Customs, Usages, and Sentiments of the ancient Christian Church,( that is, for those for whom they were intended) but otherwise not: And with the very same consequence, viz. That those who without due regard to the Manners and Sense of the ancient Christian Church, have vented and vended their own Conceits and Imaginations concerning such particulars relating to the Christian Institutions, as are not expressed in the Sacred Records of the New Testament, have ran themselves into the like Inconveniences, and besides, brought great Mischief to others, even to whole Cities and States, by distracting the People, and making Divisions and Factions among them, is as certain, and manifest also by the manifold Differences of all those several Parties, which yet do each pretend to act and order all things by one and the same Rule of the Sacred Scriptures; but most certainly err in their application; while each make that according to their own Imagination and the private Spirit of their several Leaders.  
That this is thus ordered by the special and most wise Providence of God, upon greater reason than we poor short-sighted Mortals do imagine; but among other things to give and establish the greater Authority to and in his Church, and to engage all particular Persons to have the more regard and respect to it; we may reasonably believe from the many References to it, both by the Apostles and by our Saviour, which we find in the Sacred Scriptures; and by the practise of the ancient Christians, as may be seen in Irenaeus and others, in their appealing to the Testimony and practise of the Apostolical Churches.  
That the Sacraments of Baptism and of the Eucharist,( which the Church of England doth well distinguish, as generally necessary to Salvation) and that of Imposition of Hands for several Purposes, were Rites before in use among the Jews, and retained and Instituted by our Saviour to be continued in his Church, is likewise certain and known to most Learned Men, who have inquired into those Matters: And therefore, that there needed nothing more of them to be recorded by the Sacred Writers than our Saviour's Institution and Application of them to his own Purpose and Design, the rest being sufficiently manifest and apparent in the Types and Predictions of the Old Testament, the practise of the Jews antecedent, and of the Christian Churches consequent to our Saviour's Institution, and the Sacred Records thereof.  
That as the scandalous Abuse of those of the Church of Rome, in arrogating to that particular Church the Authority of the catholic Church, and in things not truly catholic, according to that much approved Rule of Vincentius Lirinensis, but Innovations of after Ages was a great and unhappy occasion to such as truly perceived the need, and were sincerely desirous of a Reformation of many things amiss in that Church, to disregard the Authority of the truly catholic Church; so that being done, the great Abuses which have been introduced into their most solemn Worship, called the Mass, and the salse Notions which they assert concerning the same, gave occasion to those who endeavoured a Reformation, but without due regard to the ancient Church, but according to their own conceits, to fall into contrary Errors and Mistakes concerning the most solemn part of the Christian Worship, and from thence into great Neglect of a great Duty, for the Honour of God and our Saviour, and for their own Benefit. This is matter of Fact, and easy to be observed by such as are acquainted with the Sentiments and Practices of the true ancient catholic Church, viz. that both have departed in these things from it: those of the Roman Communions on the one hand, and those called Reformed, on the other; and the one no less than the other: so that God seems to have concluded them all under Sin, that all may take shane to themselves, humble themselves under the mighty Hand of God, be no more exalted one against another, but leave off their Animosities, and each out of a due sense of their own shameful Miscarriages return to condescension and mutual Charity with all the rest, and learn henceforward to pay more Respect to the true ancient Holy catholic Church, than either slight or disregard its Authority, or abuse it to patronise Innovations and Corruptions introduced in after-times.  
The Ancient Use of this Holy Rite of the Eucharist amongst the Jews,( and as I take it amongst other People before the Jewish Nation,) was, 1. For Recognition of the sovereignty of God by a Present of Thanksgiving for his Creation of the World, and particularly of the Creati●… of Bread and Wine, the principal Aliments of our Lives; and therein a Recognition also of our dependence upon him, and being supported by his Bounty. 2. For a special Memorial and Celebration with Thanksgiving of some special Mercy or Divine Favour at the time commemorated. 3. For a Confederation with God. 4. For a Sacred Confederation of mutual Amity and Charity between the Persons Partakers of it. And this our Saviour appointed to be continued in his Church, appropriating the special Memorial, as often as it was celebrated, to be only of Himself and his Passion; and that being sufficiently specified in the Sacred Records, all the rest was sufficiently intelligible both to Jews and Gentiles in those times; and therefore St. Paul refers to both, 1 Cor. 10.18, and 21. to what was done by them, and for what purpose, as things well known, and easy to be observed; but was most completely manifest and illustrious in the continual practise and common Sense of the Christian Church, from the rising of the Sun to the going down of the same, as was Prophisied by Malachy, Mal. 1.11. and as that prophesy was always understood by the Ancient Christians.  
As the Jews have always had, and have to this Day, certain prescribed Orders and Forms for the Solemn Worship of God, which, though in some lesser matters they dinner, as the Italian, the German, the Spanish or Portugal, &c. yet do all agree in the Principal; so it is very plain from all the Records that we have of the Solemn Worship of the Ancient Christians, that their Order was the very same with what was practised by the Jews, and their Forms so like those of the Jews, only with such Improvements as the Gospel made to the Law, that it seems to be truly Apostolical, and agreeable to our Saviour's practise. Nor did the Ancient Order and Forms of the Christian Liturgy differ otherwise in the several Churches, than the Jewish do at this Day, that is only in lesser Matters; but in the greater and essential Parts there hath always been a catholic and Universal Agreement in all Churches of the World, except only that the Roman and Latin Churches, and ours after them, have too much abridged both the Eucharistical and the Euchtical Part, for many Ages past.  
It hath anciently been distinguished into Two parts; the First, whereunto were admitted the Catechumens and Penetents, and others, and was therefore in the Latin Church called Missa Catechumenorum, was plainly according to the Order of the Synagogue, consisting of the Reading of certain Portions of the Sacred Scriptures, and a Word of Exhortation mentioned, Act. 13.15. The Other, was what was peculiar to the Faithful, and was as plainly according to that Sacred Rite, wherewith the Jews did conclude not only their Pascal, but all their Feasts, with Thanksgiving and a special Memorial and Annunciation of the Divine Favour then more especially celebrated, and which our Saviour appropriated to the Commemoration and Celebration of his Passion, with some things peculiar to the Christians. It consisted, 1. Of Preparatory Prayers. 2. The Offerings of the People, and the Oblation of Bread and Wine upon the Altar, with Prayers thereunto belonging. 3. The Eucharist or Thanksgiving, largely setting out the Benefits of God, of his Creation of the World, and of divers Acts of his Providence, deducing all to the Incarnation and Passion of our Saviour, and then reciting the History of the Institution. 4. The Solemn Prayer,( commemorating to God the Father the Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension of our Saviour) and praying for the Holy Ghost to deseend and sanctify the Proposited Elements of Bread and Wine, and themselves; for the Bishops, Presbyters, and Deacons, and the faithful People; for Kings, and Emperors, and Magistrates; and for all the Necessaries of human Life. 5. The Communion. 6. The Thanksgiving and Prayers after the Communion; and the Benediction of the People by the Bishop or Presbyter.  
In the Substance of all these there is a Universal Agreement in all the most ancient Liturgies, and what occurs, or is observable concerning them in the most ancient Christian Writers, though they differ in Words, and in some lesser Partienlars, yet consistent enough one with another; such as is observable even in the Evangelists themselves. Only, as I noted before, the Latin Churches, which, according to the Genius of the Romans, were more addicted to Pomp and Action, have too much abridged what others have expressed more largely in Words: And whence ours, in following them, is plainly become defective in the Eucharistical Part; and in the next Part, of the solemn Prayer, by an unhappy mistake to avoid what was thought to be amiss in theirs, is fallen into a greater defect, of a total Omission of the whole; contrary to all ancient Forms: So that in the one we neglect( or too slightly pass over) a great and Solemn Duty to God, and our Saviour; and in the other, a great and high privilege and Advantage to ourselves: and not only so, but what is most highly honourable to our Saviour also, viz. That Prayers should be offered up to God with the Memorial of his Passion, as the only Means of Access to, and Acceptance with the Father, all over the World. Which was( undoubtedly) that which so incensed his and our Enemy with Envy and Malice against it, to use the utmost of his wil●ss and Energy against the Weakness of Men, to obscure and overcloud the Glory and Lustre of it. And this should move us to be the more circumspectly, and resolved to extricate ourselves out of his Impostures, and to maintain the Honour of our Lord and Saviour.  
And this being so, what Mortal, what human Authority, can prohibit or restrain the due performance of so great a Duty to God, and our Saviour? or, The Use and Enjoyment of so great a privilege, Advantage, and Benefit to ourselves? What can be a greater Act of sacrilege, than such a Prohibition or Restraint? I know very well what Deference is to be given to the Laws of Men; but I know also the Instability of human Nature, how apt we are to warp on the one hand, and on the other: and therefore we have need to beware, that while we intend but due Observance to the Orders of Men, we fall not into down-right Pharisaism, and make the Institutions of our Saviour of none effect, to set up or keep up our own Orders and Constitutions: that we do not derogate from the Honour of our Lord, to keep up our own Reputation; nor from the Authority of the catholic Church, to establish that of our own particular. We ought to obey God rather than Men. When we pay Respect to the Laws and Orders of Men for God's Sake, that is a Respect to God Himself; but when we have greater Regard to the Orders of Men, than to the Honour of God, we presently fall into Sin; which may be very great and provoking, according to the Matter and Circumstances of the Case. All human Authority is a subordinate Authority; and both Philosophers and Divines, and Lawyers, and our own Law-Books, do all agree, that all human Laws, contrary to the Laws of God, or derogatory to his Honour, are null and voided. It is a great Improvidence and unhappy mistake for any human Authority to make any such Laws, as may be justly questioned upon that Account: and therefore, if any such be made, it is the Duty of such as are to interpret the same, to make such Construction of them as is most consistent with the Laws of God and his Honour; for otherwise it would expose the human Authority to just Contempt.  
Now as to the case of Additions to supply the Defects aforesaid, there have been ancient Canons, that no Prayers should be publicly used in the Church, but such as were approved by the Bishops, or others of Authority and Reputation: but I do not find that there were ever any Canons, which so tied up the Bishops, that they might not allow any Additions or Alterations to be made upon just Occasion. And therefore, to suppose that any of our Canons or Laws doth restrain not only private Persons, but even our Bishops and Arch-Bishops from consenting to the Use even of any of our own Forms, otherwise than just in the Order prescribed, upon so just Occasion, as to supply such Defects, as aforesaid, would be without Precedent and not for the Honour of our Church. And the Additions in Question being all( except the four Doxologies of the celestial Choir recited in the Revelations) taken out of our own Forms; and for the Use of which, in the Order in which they are used, there may be produced not only greater Authority than that of any particular Church; but besides, if it be well considered, the judgement of divers of the principal Persons of our own Church, both such as are Deceased, and such as are now Living; they cannot now be prohibited, without giving occasion of hard Censures upon us, as too rigorously observant of human Laws and Canons, more than of the Laws of God, or his Honour, or of the Authority of the truly catholic Church.  
And if the Particulars of these Additions be considered, how Excellent and Divine they are in themselves, how accommodate for the purpose, how needful in the Places to which they are applied, how lame and maimed they leave the Service, where they are omitted, as it would be grievous to those who have been used to them, so nothing can more expose the Church of England, as too Formal, and too much addicted to an overvaluation of their own Acts, than a Prohibition or Restraint of the Use of such things, after they had once as it were obtained a Possession, as they have amongst us. Nor can it be very creditable, when the things are well considered, for any one to show my dislike of them. Some, it is likely, have for that cause abstained from Communion with us; and I have been always well enough content that they should; for it might be feared, that the Religion of some of them had in it more of Formality and Superstition, than of true Sense and Devotion, and good Understanding of the Matter: and for such as had so little Affection to such holy things, as to take such causeless Offence against them; I doubt they were not so well qualified for them, as might be wished.  
But after all, if we well consider our Canons and Laws, which are so much urged, perhaps we shall find that, upon a fair Construction, they need not, nor are not to be so far extended, as some apprehended; and others, it may be, too unadvisedly would have. For, 1. I do not find that they do put any such Restraint upon our Bishops, who are in Place of Authority, but that upon weighty and Important considerations such Changes and Alterations may be made, as to them shall seem necessary and expedient. And the Preface of the Book confirmed by Act of Parliament, 14 Car. 2. seems to intimate as much. And, 2. neither do they expressly restrain the Use of any of our Collects or Prayers in any of our Offices, though more especially composed for some other, upon just Occasion. And common practise agreeth herewith, when in both our Morning and Evening Service we use the Prayers ordered for the Visitation of the Sick, and to be said in the Presence of the Sick Person, and not in the Church. And therefore, 3. The most reasonable Construction, and the very intent of the Law, seems to be this. 1. To prohibit the Use of any other Forms, whether of the Papists, or of the foreign Reformers, to whom some of ours were too much addicted, and by whom our Reformation hath been in some things too much influenced. 2. To prohibit any slight or dis-respect to the Orders and Composures of our Church, by curtelling them thereby to give more scope and respect to the arbitrary Composures of particular Persons in their Pulpits. 3. To prohibit, according to the ancient Canons, any unapproved Forms to be used in the Church. This I conceive to be a fair and reasonable Construction: But to extend it further, to abridge the just and reasonable Authority of Christian Bishops in these Matters, so peculiarly belonging to them, is both without Precedent in the Christian Church, and certainly not very honourable for Ours; which is too much hampered by the State in other Matters, more than is for, or consistent with, the Advantage, Benefit, or Good of either Church or State.  
To conclude, these Two great Defects in our most Solemn Office have proceeded, the one from the Romans, who, with their particular Prefaces to do Honour to the Saints, have excluded the Solemn Preface of the Eucharist in Honour of our Saviour; the other from the foreign Reformers, who, for fear of setting up another Sacrifice besides that of the across, have laid aside the proper use of the Memorial and Representation thereof for the Application of it to the Necessities and Occasions of the Christian Church, and of the true Christian Sacrifice, as it was anciently universally understood by the catholic Church. And if this be so, it remains for our Governours to consider and judge, Whether it be right in the Sight of God, to restrain any Man, by the most rigorous Construction of Law, from doing Honour to our Saviour in authentic Forms of our own Composure, and what is of greater Authority, and hold him to offer knowingly an imperfect Service, while they do themselves, and permit all others, to transgress the Canons Established by Law, either with private Forms, or extempore Prayers, at their Pleasure, in their Pulpits? And, Whether it might not be more advisable to give some Encouragement to such easy Supplies of those Defects to be insensibly introduced by such as are sensible of the Defects, than to hold them to the Performance of a known imperfect Service; and, at last, to expose our own Failings by an unexpected Alteration in such considerable Matters? And for myself, it seems to deserve good Consideration, Whether I should rest satisfied in the Authority of the Governours of the Church to excuse my Performance of so defective a Service to God in public, if I may not be permitted to do otherwise? or, To make Use of the Laws of the State, to which our Bishops are Parties, to perform it as completely as I can in some decent large Room fitted for that Purpose?  
And whereas my Subscription is Objected against me; to that I Answer, That as I did subscribe, God knows, in all Sincerity, so I am not yet satisfied that I have done any thing contrary to my Subscription. And the Subscription is, and ought to be intended and construed to be with a tacit Salvo of all antecedent superior Obligations: so that if any thing therein be afterward discovered to be inconsistent with that, the Subscriber can only repent him of his over-sight, but must not think himself so discharged of his former, and greater Obligations. But had I not this to say, how justly to such Clergy-Men as Object this might I say, with our Saviour, He that is without Sin among you, let Him cast the first ston: or rather, Thou Hypocrite, Which of you doth not transgress your Rule, the Orders of the Church, and the Laws of the Land, and are connived at, or permitted so to do, and in some Places, notwithstanding the Complaints of the People? And of this kind there is matter enough to be retorted, if we do well consider the Statutes, the Canons, and the rubrics; and even without going further than this very Subject; who is there in the Nation that observes the rubrics before the several Prefaces, which plainly imply a Communion for seven Days together, after each of those great Feasts? And in our Cathedrals, How is the rubric at the end of the Communion Service observed? And if it be true, which one of the most excellent and most learned Persons of our Church hath asserted in his Pulpit, and is ready to make it good, That by the Constitution of our Church every Minister ought to have a Communion every Day, if but Three of his Parish do desire it; What shall we say to them, who will not gratify the Desires of many, to let them have it so much as every Lords-Day; to say nothing of the Impiety and sacrilege of such a denial? And if we do but consider the Books which are Written, and the Sermons every where Preached, concerning the Duty and Benefits of Frequent Communion, and then a little reflect upon what is Practised by such as Preach and writ thus,( to pass by that Exhortation, which all ought to red, when they see the People negligent) How great a Part of our Clergy are self-condemned? and what Scandal do they give to tempt People to suspect, that they do not believe what themselves do Preach upon so serious a Subject? What is this but plain Pharisaical Blindness, so to strain the Laws to restrain such Acts of Devotion so authorised, and at the same time to remit the Execution of them in Cases of wilful Neglect of Duty and Disregard of the Orders of the Church? To what a pass is our Church come, and what a Reformation is this, if Liberty must be allowed to private Conceptions of Prayer to God in the Pulpit, and a Restraint must be put to Primitive and catholic Piety at our Altars? If Negligence and Laziness must have Indulgence, and true Devotion be tied up to short Commons? I do verily believe that next to the Offence taken at the formal and indevout manner of Reading our Prayers, which is very common, nothing hath given more disgust to Dissenters, and raised a greater Prejudice in them against it, than the shortness of some of our Forms, and their Insufficiency to excite or to satisfy the Devotion of many sincerely Religious People. And what Reflections would it occasion upon our Church, to put a Restraint upon the Use of such things as these. For,  

The ADDITIONS were only these:  
When we came first to St. Alphage, where the Reading Desk is placed, as I conceive it ought to be, I began to red the whole Morning Service with no little Satisfaction, both to the People, and to myself: but in a little time I found, that by reason of some hurt I have formerly received upon my Nerves, I was not able to continue that, and thereupon, before the Communion Service, I began with  
The angelic Hymn, Luk. 2.14.  
The Benedictus, Luk. 1.68.— 75.  
Psal. 67.1. The Collect, Prevent us, O Lord, &c.  
Then the Communion Service I red all; and after the Prayer for the whole State of Christ's Church, if there were any Bills for Prayers for any Sick, &c. I made use of those Forms in our Office for Visitation of the Sick; if there were any Penitents, who desired Absolution, till such time as they were absolved, for them I used the Penitential Prayer in that Office, only leaving out what is peculiar for Sick Persons; and I also there used the Collect for Ash-Wednesday, for New and Contrite Hearts.  
After the Confession, the short Collect, O Lord we beseech thee, &c. in the Commination, and upon special Occasion, that also which follows, and then the Absolution.  
After the Sentences, immediately before the Sursum Corda, The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, &c. which I observe in the anicent Book of the Constitutions, and in all the ancient Liturges, to be used in that very place. And after those Responses:  
It is very meet, right, and our bound Duty, that we should[ adore, worship, and glorify thee, and] at all Times and in all Places give[ Praise and] Thanks unto thee, O Lord, Holy Father, Almighty Everlasting God,[ for all thy Goodness and Loving-Kindness to us, and to all Men: We bless thee for our Creation, Preservation, and all the Blessings of this Life; BUT ABOVE ALL, for thine inestimable Love in the Redemption of the World by our Lord Jesus Christ, for the Means of Grace, and for the Hope of Glory. And] therefore with Angels and archangels, and with all the Company of Heaven, we laud and magnify thy glorious Name, evermore praising thee, and saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts, Heaven and Earth are full of the Majesty of thy Glory; Glory be to thee, O Lord, most High.  
Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive Glory, and Honour, and Power; for Thou hast created All things; and for thy Pleasure they are and were created.  
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive Power, and Riches, and Wisdom, and Strength, and Honour, and Glory, and Blessing:  
For thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us unto God by thy Blood out of every Kindred, and Tongue, and People, and Nation.  
Blessing, Honour, Glory, and Power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the Throne; and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever.  
And these were all our Additions, which being all such authentic Forms, and being used upon such Occasion, I should think a truly pious Soul should not dare to discourage the use of them.