SOME SMALL AND SIMPLE REASON'S, Delivered in a Hollow-Tree, in Waltham Forrest, in a Lecture, on the 33. of March last.  
BY AMINADAB BLOWER A devout Bellows-mender of PIMLICO.  
SHOWING The causes in general and particular wherefore they do, might, would, should, or aught, except against and choir refuse the Liturgy or Book of Common-Prayer.  
Oxon Aug: 10th 1643 PRINTED, Anno Millimo, Quillimo, Trillimo.   

Some small and Simple Reasons, delivered in a Hollow Tree in Waltham Forrest, in a Lecture, on the 33. of March last.  
MY Dear-beloved, and Zealous Brethren and Sisters here Assembled in this holy Congregation, I am to unfold, unravel, untwist, untie, unloose, and undo to your uncapable understandings, some small. Reasons, the Matter, the Causes, the Motives, the Grounds, the Principles, the Maxims, the why's and the wherefores, wherefore and why, we reject, omit, abandon, contemn, despise, and are and aught to be withstanders and opposers of the Service-book, (called by the hard name of Liturgy) or Common-prayer, which hath continued in the Church of England 84. years.  
I have exactly examined and collected some Notes and observations out of the Learned Hebrew translated volumes of Rabbi Ananias, Rabbi Achitophel, Rabbi Iscariot, Rabbi Simon Magus, Rabbi Demas, and Rabbi Alexander the Coppersmith, and all nor any of their writings doth in any place so much as mention that Book, or any such kind of Service to be used all by them; I have farther taken pains in looking over some Caldean, Persian, Egyptian, Arabian, and Arminian Authors (of which I understood not one word) I also (with the like diligence and understanding have viewed the Turkish Alacron, and there I found not any syllable concerning either Liturgy, Common-prayer or Divine Service. As for Greek Authors I must confess I understand them not (or negatively) for which Reason I leave them, as impertinnet, and touching the Latin Writers, they are partial in this case, the tongue being Romanian, and the Idiom is Babilonish, which seems to me an Intricate confusion.  
I having carefully veiwed the Tomes and Tenets of Religion, and books of all manner of Hierogliphics, writings, Scrolls, Tallies; Scores and Characters, and finding nothing for the maintaining of that Book or Liturgy, I looked into the Ecclesiastical History, written by one Eusibius, and another fellow they call Socrates, wherein I found many Arguments and Incitements to move men to such doctrine as is comprised and compiled in the Liturgy. After that I searched into the Acts and Monuments of this Kingdom, written by old Fox and there I found that the Composers of it were Bishops and Doctors, and great learned Scholars men of unfeigned Integrity, of Impregnable Constancy. who with invincible Faith suffered most Glorious Martyrdom by the Papal Tyranny, for the writing and maintaining that Book, with the true Protestant Religion contained in it.  
Brethren, I must confess that I was somewhat puzzled in my mind at these things, and I could not be satisfied till I had consulted with some of our devout Brothers our brother How the Cobbler was the first I broke my mind to and we advised to call or summon a Synod to be held in my Lord Brooks Stable (the Reverend Spence● the stable Groom being the Metropolitan there. At our meeting there was Greene the Feltmaker. Barebones the Leatherseller, Squire the Tailor, with Hoare a Weaver, & Davison a Bonelace-maker of Messenden, & Paul Hickson of Wickham Taylor with some four or five Baker's dozzens of Weavers Millers, Tinkers, Butchers, Broom-men Porters, of all Trades, many of them bringing notes with them fitting for our purpose, which notes they had taken carefully from the instructions of the demi-martyrs and round and Sound Confessors, St. B. St. B. and St. B. out of which (with our own Capacities and ingenuities to boot) we have collected and gathered, these sound and infallible objections against the Book of Common Prayer, or Liturgy, as followeth.  
For our own parts (my Brothren) it is for the Reputation and Honour of our Holy Cause and Calling to contest, malign and cavil, where we are not able either to convince by Reasons or Arguments; therefore I having traced the Book from end to end, and yet (upon the matter) to no end for such ends as we would conclude upon, I find nothing in it disagreeing to God's word or or agreeing with our doctrine. The first prayer called the Confession, is quite contrary to our appetites and profession, for to confess that We have erred and strayed like lost Sheep, is to acknowledge ourselves to silly horned Beasts and Cuckolds, our Children (by that reckoning should be Lamps, our Wife's Yewes and we (their innocent husbands) must be Rame; and every Lay Preacher, or Preaching Treadesmen would be accounteda Bellwheather to the flock or Herd  
Neither do we think it fit to make ourselves appear so weak witted, or Pusillani mious as to confess that We have left undone those things Which we ought to have done, & done those things which we ought not to have done, for such a confession will lay open our Disloyalty our Intrusion our Transgressions, Rebellions, and Treasons we shall therein acknowledge ourselves, by omitting of duties, and committing of Villainies in Churchand State, do deserve justly the severity of God, and the King's Laws to be our deserved Wages: besides, we hold it to be a retractive diminishing of valour, a Popish kind of Cowardly Effeminate submission, which our stout hearts stiff necks, and stubborn knees will never stoop or bow to, for the old Proverb is Confess and he, etc.  
Concerning the second Prayer (called the Absolution) for the remission of sins through Christ, though Christ hath given power and commandment (to his lawful Ministers) to declare and pronounce in his Name to all true repenting sinners, the absolution and remission of their sins yet we will not believe it to be available, but esteem it as Popish and Superstitious.  
As for the Lords Prayer, which the Pa●ist● call by the Romish or latin name of Pater Noster we must confess it is Pithy and short but had our advices been at the making of it, it should have been two yards and a half longer, (by London's measure) besides we would like it better if it were not Commanded or enjoined upon us. Mat. 6.9. and Luk. 11.2. for our faiths cannot brook to be limited within the compass of any Command. Deeree, Edict, Law, Statute, Order, Rule, Ordinance, Government, or Authority, either of God or the King; besides, in that prayer there is mention made of forgiving such as Trespass agianst us, which our Doctrine or Nature's cannot incline to, for we do never remember a good turn and very seldom or never forget or forgive Injury. Therefore for these considerable Causes (and many more) we think it requisite to forbear that brief Prayer, and zealously to advance the Altitude of our spacious Ears, to receive the longitude of a three hours' repetition for our more furctifying Edification.  
Thirdly, for the desiring the Lord to open our lips that our mouths might show forth his praise: it is known that we can do that extempore (by the spirit) and it belongs to our Teacher to open his lips and pray, but it is our parts to give spiritual attention, and not to open out lips but only at the singing of old Robert Wisdoms Madrigal, or the like. And whereas we are commanded to stand at the saying of Gloria Patri, to avoid that Ceremony, we hold it best not to say it at all.  
As for the 95. Psalm (or, O come let us sing, etc.) we object against it for two Reasons, the one is of falling down and worshipping and kneeling; and the other is, we will neither kneel, fall down or worship, because it is an expression of humility and revererce, which we utterly refuse to give either to God or man. As for the order of reading the first Lesson, we could like it better if it were not so ordered; It were necessary we had freedom to read what when and where we list (for order is odious) and whereas there is appointed a Hymn, called by a latin name, Te Deum laudamus, we do conceive the matter of it to be very good, but that it was composed by a Bishop (one Ambrose) of a City and Province in Italy called Milan, and that the said Ambrose was not only a Bishop, but (for his godly life and holy writings) he was made a Saint; for these causes we leave him and his Hymn to, as being too much conformable to edification decency, order and obedience  
Likewise the second Lesson may be read, but not that which is appointed for the day, for (as is aforesaid) we cannot abide any thing that is appointed or ordered by Authority, that our Consciences being at liberty we may the more freely show ourselves the lawless sons and daughters of confusion.  
And though it hath been a custom very significant (and as ancient as the primitive times of Christian Religion) to repeat the Articles of the Beleise standing, our understanding, notwithstanding doth withstand that kind of Posture, for no other reason, but because the Church ordained it, and the Law commands it; and truly we do know no sense or Reason to stand to any saying of Faith, for it is one of our principles that whatsoever we say we will stand to nothing.  
Next followeth the Lord's prayer again (as the Protestants-call it) and a prayer composed of Versicles, wherein the Minister and People, do (as it were by Questions Answers) desire God's mercy, and the granting of salvation, after which they pray O Lord save the King, which is by us wonderfully disliked and omitted, and when we are to render the cause of it, we shall not want insufficient Answers which we have studiously pondered in the learned Colleges of Amsterdam, and New-England. Then there followeth, Give Peace in our time O Lord, which we utterly detest, for if once that Prayer be granted, many of us (except the King be more merciful than we deserve) shall be hanged for rebellion and treason (and glad we scape so too) the best we can look for is the advancing again the Protestant Religion, and then down go we with all our spiritual inspirations and Longwinded Repetitions, we shall be silenced (which is a terrible torture) or banished from our zealous Sisters, our Collections and Contributions will be abrogated and annihillated, our Puddings and Plumbroth will be in the forlorn hope, and ourselves excluded, extirpated, exiled, excommunicated, as extraordinary, extravigant, unexempled Rascals and Coxcombs for these considerations of martial validity, weight, and deep consequence (altogether Repugnant and Malignant to our holy profession of Brownism and Anabaptism) we will neither have Peace (although we dare not fight in war) no Peace I'll pray for, therefore good brethren, I pray you no prayer for Peace.  
And for saying, God make our hearts clean within us, and take not thy holy spirit from us; these words are impertinent for us to speak, for we know our hearts to be clean and pure already, and for the Spirit. it is tied so fast to us that it cannot be taken from us, or from any that will believe us.  
For the Evening prayer, there is one Collect for Peace and another for the enlightening of our darkness; we have already declared our minds, though all the world knows us to be Hypocrites, yet we do know that a godly ●oyall peace will coufound us, therefore we will not Hypocritically pray for that which we desire not to have; and for our darkness though it be palpable to be felt (like the darkness of Egypt, yea more dark than Ignorance itself) yet we, have by instigation found light in abundandance, our weights are light, our Mothers. Wives, Sisters. Annts, Nieces, Daughters and female servants are light, our invisible Horns are light, our Words Deeds. Thoughts▪ Consciences, payment of debt and Religion is light (or of light account) our faith in God and loyalty to the King, are most Translucently light, Apparently light, Reful gently light, Illustrately light, Transparently light, Internally light, Externally light. Infernally light, Emblazond, Perspicuated Cognominated, Propogated, and Promulgated to all the world to be light (lighter than any thing that can be called lightness) lighter then Vapour, Air, Smoak. Flame, Dust, Chaff, Wind, Feather, Froth, Cork, Yeast, Fog, Puste, Blast, a Whore, Vanity, yea more light than Vanity itself.  
As concerning Quicunque Vult (or whosoever will be saved) it is an argument that he that will be, may be, and he that will not may choose whether he will or no, which implies a free will (a very Popish conclusion) also that Creed is concluded to be called Catholic, which word we like not,  
Next followeth the Latinie, which is a hard word to us, and sounds in our spacious Ears as it were latin (or the Beasts language) we confess there are some few sentences, that may be tolerated, but we ought to remember ourselves and take heed, that we avoid praying against fornication, sedition, Conspiracy, false Doctrines. Heresy, hardness of heart, and contempt of God's Word and Commandment; for you know Brethren, that these are daily and nightly Contemplations, and Recreations; besides it seems to be a swearing kind of Invocation (As) By the Incarnation, by the Nativity and Circumcision Baptism, Fasting, Temptation, Agony, Bloody sweat, Cross, Passion, Death, Burial, Resurrection, Ascension, and coming of the Holy Ghost (All which is most certainly true) but we ought to find out some other By word than the word By, for though by them all true Believers are saved, yet that is no warrant or argument we should swear by them.  
Then there is praying that the Church may be ruled and governed in the right way, which if that be granted, what will become of us that do know ourselves to be none of the true Church, therefore that prayer belongs not to us.  
Then followeth beseechings for blessings to be upon the King, Queen, and Royal Posterity, and that they may have Victory over all their Enemies, and all the World knows we are none of their friends, therefore these prayers are Apocryphy to us, neither will we be so simple to pray against ourselves, and the Case is plain that Rebellion must be tamed before the King can be victorious.  
Then follows praying for Bishops (whom we cannot abide, nor can we show wherefore) and amongst the rest there is a prayer for all women lahouring with child, in which prayer many a lose harlot may be comprehended, therefore it had been firter to have prayed for all women labouring of child lawfully begotten, for verily it is sinful to pray for either Root Stock, Lim. Bow, Branch, Sprig, Leaf, Fruit or seed of the wicked. I like well of the last verse (except one) of this same Latin, wherein we pray, that the fruits of the earth may be given and preserved to our use (but with this proviso) that we alone and none but we (who labour in the holy Cause) should enjoy them in due time, or at any time.  
Then there are prayers for Mercy, for Grace, for defence & victory in war, for preservation from Plague and Pestilence, for Bishops again, and Curates, for Rain for fair weather, for Relief in dearth and famine; then there followeth 84. things which they call Collects, wherein many holy Saints are Remembered on certain peculiar days, and though we can justly find nothing but what is agreeable to God's word in the whole Liturgy, yet the purity of our singular Doctrines do hold it profane and Popish for we have the Spirit to prompt us, insomuch as our grave Patriots have lately thought it fit to unsaint all the Saints, and all the Churches and Houses of God in London, have been these many months distoabed of their Sanctimonious names, and are all excommunicated out of the weekly diseased Bill; for now the Churches are to be called no more St. John, St. Peter, but Peter's, Andrews, James, john's, Georges, Church or Parish: with so many died of such and such diseases, or by casualty such or such a Rascal hanged himself, for playing a Judas part against his Sovereign.  
Next followeth the ten Commandments (which we neglect to say) because they are of the old Testament, and the Law was given to the Jews, we that are Christians are freed from it by the Gospel; besides it is said to have two Tables, one showing our duty towards God the others towards man, concerning the first of them we hold ourselves clea●e from Idolatry, swearing and profanation; for the second, we conceive it not to bind us either to give honour to the King or Magistrates (they being the Fathers and P●otectors of our Country, Wealth, estates, and all we enjoy under God) nor to our natural Parents, if they be not of our faith.  
At the Communion there are prayers for the King again, and the Belief, with Repeating some portions of Scripture to move men to Charity and good works all which we omit, for only faith is our practice, and for good works, or Charity, we hold it to be unnecessary, and therefore we will neither use or do any: Neither will we receivelying, standing, sitting, nor kneeling (by any means) nor any way that is commanded by order, in what place or Country whatsoever; as for public or private Baptism, we are able to do that ourselves, either in a Basin a River, a Brook, a Pond a Pool, a Di●ch or a Puddle, nor do we hold it fitting but that we be Godfathers and Godmothers to our Children ourselves, and call them what Scripture names we list. Nay, we will Church our wives ourselves too. And as for Matrimony we will save that charges, and take one another's words, for we must take our wife's words for our Children, and why nor for themselves, as for the visitation of the sick and Burial of the dead they are both fit to be done, the one is necessary, because the Brethren and Sisters may meet and salute and Feast.  
And as for the Burial of the dead the case is all men's, besides Boys, women and Children, but a grave and learned long standing Lecturer did lately find out the right way of Burial; for an old man that died in the Parish of St. James near the Duke's place within Aldgate, at which Funeral he Preached and in his Sermon he told the dead man his faults very Roundly, and abused the Corpse more for ten shillings then any Conformable Preacher would have done for twenty, and when he came to the laying the Body in the Ground, he ommitted all old order and Ceremonies of Burial, only thus briefly he said, 
Ashes to Ashes, dust to dust,  
Here's the Hole and in thou must.   
So there's an end, and an end of my Lecture.   

A Postscript.  
IT is humbly desired that the Reader do not censure the Writer with any thought, or touch of Profanity, for in this foregoing discourse he hath only deciphered the foolish Grounds, Tenets which the Teachers of the Pestilent Sects of Schismatics, and Separatists, do hold and maintain.  
Yours, J. T.  
FINIS.