* 
 
 'fk 
 
 
 ^ „ ft, Mft, ^ 
 
 PRINCETON, N. J. 
 
 Collection of Puritan Literature. 
 Division *SW Vw ! _ T _^ 
 Number - 
 

 ** 
 
4fl 
 
 •£_-;.- 
 

 
+ &.* THE 
 
 ANATOMIE 
 
 OFTHE 
 
 SERVICE BOOK, 
 
 DEDICATED TO THE HIGH 
 
 Courtof P A 11 1 I A M E N T. 
 
 Wherein is Remonftratcd the unlawfulnefle of it^ 
 
 And that by five feverall Arguments > 
 
 {.From the Name of it. 
 \TbeRifc, 
 Namely < The Matter, 
 
 * The Manner* and* 
 
 iTbe&illEjfeftsofit. 
 
 Whereunto are added feme Motives • by all which we deafly 
 Evince the Neceflitie of the Removeall of it. 
 
 Laftly 3 We have anfwered fuch objeftions as are commonly 
 made in thebehalfe of it, 
 
 John p. 31. 
 Now we know that Godbeareth not /inner s : hut if any man be a JTorfkipfer 
 of God 7 and d*tb his fV'ti, him he bearcth. 
 
 v*rt PrajsripGi 
 - rK 
 
 A p*rt PrajerJpGods Temple, 
 
 
 
 By DWALPHINTRAMIS, 
 
 Printed in they eare 5 &c. 
 
.V 
 
 THE RIGHT 
 
 HO NO VR ABLE 
 
 THE LO'R'DS, AND 
 
 The Kjiights, Citizens jixxd Burgejfes* 
 
 of the Honourable Houfe of 
 
 Commons. 
 
 Rett Senators, though fa thofe ftor- 
 my times and Illiads of great af- 
 faires , wee prelent to your Ho- 
 nours , as one did to Jtntipater a 
 Ireatiie, the fubjed whereof is 
 Happineflc ; yet wee are Confident wee .(hall ™ &**& 
 have a better Anlwer then / am not at leifure.Oar 
 humble fuicis> for the Pure Worfhip of the true 
 God^nd the quite abolilhing ofthe Service-Book, 
 with the Hierarchical! Maintainors of it, both 
 Enmity to Chrijls Kingdoms*, this (as we con- 
 ceive) is the prime Worke of the day 3 fating 
 health is the great eft good > and Purity in Worfliip 
 is the onely meaner toattaine the End, and you 
 zxcthe Inftruments of Inftrurnents to advance this l n**» k 
 
 Solus fum* 
 mum bt- 
 num. 
 
 Worke. 
 
 >***». 
 
 _** 
 
J The Eptjtle Dedicatory. 
 
 Works. We defire no more of your Honours, 
 but that the Reafons of our requefts may be 
 weighed in the Ballanoc of the San&uary , is* 
 ut res cum re*> iff ratio cum rat tone comparetur > 
 that Matter with Matter 3 and Reafbn with 
 Realon ( as a Father faith ) may be compared, 
 and that which is found light may becafl out 
 of the San&uary. It fiiits neither with the Ho- 
 nour of your Place, nor greatncfle of the Work: 
 that you fhould either fee with Dr. Balls eyes, 
 or with ours; but that Eye-clearing word, 
 ihould be the light ©fyour Eyes , as we hope it 
 is : the Doctor kis Charging upon Gods people 
 with Paffionate reproaches , recoyles enough 
 upon himfelfe; though Tully tellcth us>that bad 
 Orators, inftead of Rcafons> Vfe, Declamations, 
 we could not have expected it from (b great an 
 Orator as the Do&or ; we feeke not Cor ban nor 
 Mammon > as our adversaries doc, but ([he King- 
 dome of ' Qhrift in the Purity of his Worlhip, 
 which is firft of all to be fought ; for keforma- 
 tions begins at the Sandtuary. You are thole 
 Eliakims th&t muft fet the Lord upon his glori- 
 ous Throne, and hee will make jouoj Nay les 
 in a fur e place: to whofc Honours wee fliall 
 ever be devoted , 
 
 In All humble Service* 
 
To the mll^affeBed Reader. 
 
 THe Waters of Jfjliftion , not long agoe 
 had fo overflowed the Bankes of 'Lion > 
 that Wee might truly fay with the Oratour, v *?* et l 
 
 . ^ i ii r mints* fk 
 
 that our Contention with our Adversaries was de t9:o * 
 not for Mound* and Marches only ,but even for tenth < 
 the whole Poflefsions of our heavenly Inhcri- "£™\ 
 tance : but bleffed bee our High and Mighty God, 
 who hath not onely limitted tbofe proud waves , 
 but beaten the Authours backe with fliamc and 
 confufion; fo that wee may now with boldnejfe 
 challenge and maintaine the Mounds and bounders of 
 our heavenly Rights, and that before fuch a luft and 
 Supreme ludicature, ^ £*»»<# ^yChrift of any 
 part of his Right .'before them we have ourfuit againfl 
 the Service-Booke, which We have clear ely evinced 
 by the Anatomising of it 3 to bee a ranke Impo- 
 ftor in Gods Worfhip ; and notwithflanding cf 
 its long poffefiion > to be a violent Intruder in the 
 Houfe of God, upon which grounds *we defireand 
 hope to have an Injunction for Cafling of H out. 
 Then a word to you Readers > which are of three 
 
 A 3 forts r 
 
 mm 
 
To the Reader. 
 
 forts y either donbtfull in fa/pence } who by thk 
 Treat if e may bee fully refolred ; orfuch as ufc it , 
 who by ftrength of Reafon may be brought off: and 
 laftly } fuch as cannot brook it, ^ho by thisTreattfe 
 may be lengthened and incouraged, not onely (as 
 a learned Author obferveth ) becaufe many of Gods 
 people are of the fame minde ; but chiefy becaufe 
 God is of the fame minde. Let us then icith found 
 mindes and [olid love, quit our felves like Men 
 (as the Scripture phrafeth) in Contending for the 
 
 * Truth, and the Truth /hall overcome and make w 
 free j or \ as lob , Behold my figne , that the Al- 
 mighty will witnefle with me> although mine 
 adverfories write a Book againft me? C a PV-l) % 
 
 
 AN 
 
CO 
 
 #$$#$#$4>4N^& : <&$$$$$ 
 
 ANATOMIE 
 
 OFTHE 
 
 SERVICE BOOK. 
 
 ChaP. I. 
 The Preface. 
 
 S loyaltieto King and Countrie, is the 
 very fortrclle and wall of Politie, 
 being commanded and commended, 
 both by the Lawes of God and na- 
 ture 5 lb pureznd. stndefikd tiei\9ton 9 
 is the Fountaine and Rocke of ap-' alr * 1,17 
 proved loyaltie ; yea, equity, chanty, 
 ibbrietie and loya.tie, are the vhgin 
 daughters of unipotted piety, as the 
 torefaid place wknefleth ; we could be large in this Theme, 
 but we haften to the particular ; the Subject whereof is one 
 of the weightieft pieces that yet hath beene prefented, 
 T$*tmIj The S crvicc- Book* < which notwithlianding thepre- 
 fentfarfetof bookes, yet we hope it fiuUnndeia place in 
 the moft ierious and judicious thoughts ; we may well call 
 it with the C omic K? Fundi nottrt CMtam$t&, The n'crvrt: timing 
 ftormtef the purity of worjbsp, tor asit is true, No Ceremony, 
 
( 2 ) 
 
 No B'ifhop, becaufe the Ceremonies are the pitchie wings 
 whereon they flie, fo it is as true, that no Service-bo^^ no 
 Ceremonies for that is the Miguziie of nimble Ceremonies - 
 Do&or Byes in his epiftle Dedicatory to R ichard Canturhtrie 
 upon his Exposition of the Liturgie <:omplaines heavilie, 
 yet caufeletly , that the Liturgie is, cruciiied betweene 
 two Mtiefathrs ; on the left hand f <*/&#/, on the right hand 
 Sbifmattques , meaning Puritanes , both of thole he calls 
 "Foxes ; but by a j uft retortion, we iliall let the faddle on the 
 right horfe,. and /hall make it appeare, that the purine of 
 thrift his worjhip in this land, hath long been crucified be- 
 tween two theeves 9 namely, that [uperjtttious and Popifb Lt- 
 t urate y andranke s4theifme 9 varniilied with fuperftttton 9 to 
 whom we may well apply that faying of Luther, They are 
 Br<efat. in tyed together by their tajlcs to do mijcbiefc ; though by thetr 
 Csm.irtGal- heads theyfeem to be contrary ; and though we have n© time 
 to runne over the common places of Atktijmc and fuperfti* 
 tton, and to (hew how like k P//W#andthe fuperftttious Uwes y 
 they concurre to the crucifying of fhnft in his n>orJhip, yet 
 thus much the Scripture witnefleth, and experience proveth, 
 and we humbly deiire your honours to minde it , that all fu- 
 perftition, and the purity of Gods worfhip, ever have been, 
 and lhall be at continuall warres, and can no more dwell un- 
 der one roofe, than a chafte Spoufr, and a proud inveigling 
 St-ataa* Strumpet , or no more in one Temple, than Dagon and the 
 Jirke* Super ftitio eft r*s infana. Super ft tt ion (faith one) is, a 
 mad thing, and fo indeed it is ; for it is contrary to the wif- 
 dome of the Word, and of the Spirit, which are the ground, 
 & life of the worlhip of God. Supsrftitio eft vttmm contrarik 
 S,ec rcligitni, Super ft it ton is a fin oppofite to Reltg ton (faith Aquino**) 
 
 S'cund.^ which is very clear from the nature and rife of it; for as Reh- 
 $2*4rt.ic. g$on is a vwrjbiptng of God according to his m^Qwfyuts pracep- 
 tts Cateftibus obtemperaventjs cultorefi y Whofoever followes 
 the divine Precepts, that is, a worjhipper of Cjod : &\th Lattant. 
 lib. e. €. u b ut faperftjtion carrying the very nature in the name of it tels 
 us, that it is Supra ft atutum^ over and above the Statutes of 
 God s the Word" in the Greeke is y <^«%*>»«. as if it {hould 
 figpifoxtic'ftarciofrtbc Divert, andthefignificatjonfutes ve- 
 
 "qr 
 
'ell with the nature of the thing ; for when a man 
 coynethaworfhipto himlelfe, he recedeth fo fane from 
 tht feare of God, and whereas the Diveli is the Author of 
 aU fuperftkious worftiip, whether it be of another God, or of 
 the true Cod after a way of klfe-device, or wilL-worfhu 
 then it may be trucly called, the fear of the ( D weft, as the 
 true worihip of rhe true ^od is notioned under the name of 
 feis feare nhis iuperfution ihuttethup the way to the lew s con- 
 Umj and operierh the mouthes of Atheiftkall Gentiles, 
 againft the proferlion of all region, in derifien whereof 
 Avtrroesfy cakes tantingly thus : ^tt amnsa irs* cstn Philcjo- ** Met** 
 phi J, quia ChnftUM arrant q*ed edur,t t Let myfonle be rruh Mil IZ « 
 the PhsUfipheri* because the Christians adore that which the* 
 erne : So may the Je wes take occasion to fay ; Let our foules 
 be with the old Ceremonies, nth the Chrrftians new Cere- 
 monies are fofoppifh and rtaicuUm , having no footing fi oin 
 the Word of God- But to brfpg the charge to the particular 
 tntand, if our Lyturgie be not a M*Jfc of Juptrprtson and 
 fhperjtttitns Ceremony, we profeiTe we know not what 
 fupersltthn is : to inftance it in one particular, namely, in the 
 grand Ceremonie of adoration or kneeling at the Sacrament ; 
 hathitnotbeenetheftarTe and ftren^th of that abominable 
 Idoll, the bread en God ? and. if the Mailers of the Ceremo- 
 nies difevow that opinion, yet the Serrxoxs and Writings of 
 divers of them doe teftiric to their face, how they go as far, 
 yea, and farther than many Papifts in that particular ; as it is 
 true that the current of Popilh Champions doe maintaine 
 the bodily pre fence, as Irwcentins the father of that Mon-£'£. 3^1*. 
 fter, Bellarmt*:, and Heig* the Expoftror of the Engl-fl? M*ffe> Vtmtfa. //. 
 by changing and chopping that fiat corpus; fo divers of the!'^'^' 4 ' 
 CantHrbkt.an fatten, as hrmfelf , iSdountagu , Tocklixgton, 
 L**rexce ) agree with the Papifts and Lutherans in this pointy 
 namely, conceding the Matter, leaving the Ctfanner as a 
 
 Cabahfttca/t MjHerie : de vocibus d?x: } ze de m ffa quidem^ imp Antld p.\o 
 nee tranfub ft amtiat torn* cert amen njovtremMy for-rrordr (faith 
 Mwntague) as the Maftytzpx tranfubftantiation it fetfe, we 
 will not contend. I Like no; tinfe ( faith Doctor Lawrence )S*m f>? 
 that faj his iwdj u not there : and to explaine himfelfe "head- l8< 
 
 B deth 
 
 1 ip m 
 
deth Suittafttialty, Ejfe»tiaUy % Bot by way of Commemsratio,. 
 or Reprtfintation ; but ftSould nofthis be their opinion, fincc 
 they act what they hold, by a ntateriali Altar % Pneft, and Sa- 
 crifice, had not that Hydra of the Scettifh Lytttrgte made a 
 greater Monfter, by the addition of fome more heads , and 
 that very cunningly, by the Englidi Authours, andfentout 
 to take in the Church of Scotland (had not that we fay, loft 
 all the heads, and had the braines dalh'd againftthe ftones) 
 the aforefaid Authours made no queftion, but that all the 
 power of both Head m&Taitc fhould have had room enough 
 to domincrc here in England, the Pope having fuch a large 
 army both of Leghnarie and Auxiliary forces to maintainc 
 it. Butbleffed be God, who brake the head of that young 
 Bragon in our neighbour Nation, and we hope will by you 
 crutfi out all the blood of the old one here , who was the 
 mother of that, and the MarTe-booke the mother of both : 
 there is a Proverbe amongftthe Naturalifts, •*> & ht$ i*n ♦•>*> 
 iw/po»»? >«i*rtTae/, Except a Jerpent eat a ferpent, ft eannrt become 
 a Dragon : fo except our Liturgie had beene full of ferpents, 
 it could not have* hatched the Dragon that was lent unto 
 Scotland. The fuperftitions of this bulke are fuch, and {o 
 
 A& 1 7.i 2 ^"^ft tnat ^ Pau * were nere anc ^ *" aw tnen V s ne * aw tnat °f. 
 Athens, -he would undoubtedly cry out, Jlhn and brethren, I 
 fee that in all things you are too jttperslttiom - we may better 
 apply that fpeech of Tacitus, concerning iuperftition, nq$ 
 exutalu^ hurt Jh Hot danger ow, but execrabtlis^ curbed and exe- 
 crable \ and fo it is indeed, both to whole Churches and other 
 people, v/hofe eyes God hath opened to fee the evillof it, 
 which we are confident you do,; and I fay as ?anl laid to 
 Aft.2rf.i7. King Agrippa: iVe k»ow youbeleeveit : but as itfcemed un- 
 Aft.2c.27. reafonabie to Feslm to fend Tattla pri finer without the charge 
 laid agamfl him - y lb we neither will, nor dare charge any 
 thing upon this Litui'gie, w hich we ihall not prove 3 nor de- 
 fire the outing of it without good and found reafons for our 
 defire; and therefore we humbly and heartily defire your 
 Honours to take into your consideration thefe five Reafons 
 following: 
 
 The tiiftis-fromtheT^wff wherein the Champions of 
 
 the 
 
 AnnaL 
 Lib, 14. 
 
(5) 
 
 the Service-Booke agree with the Papifts, calling -it the* 
 Mafe. 
 
 The fecond is from the Gronnd of it. 
 
 The third is from the Matter of it. 
 
 The fourth is from the Manner of it. 
 
 The fifth is from the Efetts of it , to which we will addc 
 fome Motives. 
 
 F 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 Of the T^ame. 
 
 Or th& Firft, the Service- Booke -men and the Papifts doe j. 
 
 mutually interchange the Name of Litnrgte and UWafe : 
 the latter call their Mafle by the name of Lyturgie : the Je- 
 fuite Santles profefleth , that the most convenient T^awe that Liturg.f.2. 
 can be given to the UKaffe , is that of Lyturgie or Service , not 
 but that the word Lyturgie is of good ufe, for \tmr7Si figniri- 
 eth to officiate in facred Worfbip , witneffe Acls 1 3. 1. a«- 
 Tt?}*ti*9 iu-fiJ n tupim, as they were mimj}rt>;g unto the Lord* 
 Where the Rhemifts vaunt of a coyned liberty , tatranilate 
 the word, faying Majfc. Which were to crolTe the truth, and 
 all the learned upon the place, as O.-cumemtuX^phyiacl^nd Rouuj.k?. 
 Chrjfoftumt ; yea, and their owne Expo(itors,as Cay tan and 
 others : the Apoftk rendereth it by another word of the 
 fame value , wry™ .• but howfbever they fcrape kindnefle to 
 a word of ufe, till they abufed it ; yet who knoweth not,that 
 knoweth any thing, that their Lyturgie is the very Lethargte 
 of Worjhip ; and what difference betweene our Liturgie and 
 theirs ? truely nothing but a pake of fheeres , and putting 
 ours in a Coat or another tongue^ as (hall afterward abundant- 
 ly appeare , onely ours hath not all that theirs hath ; but ours 
 hath nothing to a word , but out of theirs ; and thence it is , 
 that our Lytnrgian Patrons doe meet the Jefuite mid-way, 
 by owning the name of Maffe to our Service- Booke , witneffe 
 pocklmgton, who calls the fecond fervice, juft the fame with Sunday no 
 the Mafle ; fo Cozens, witneffe Mafter Smarts Sermon : and Sabblt ^ 
 
 B 2 not 
 
not ©nely fo, in relation to the fecond fervice, but even in rc- 
 mudp.xo. S arc * °f tne whole buike,as Poeklmgton in the end of his Aha- 
 re,&c. and Montague. In mine you fee then, there is an una- 
 nimous agreement, and >•*<#«« t*rf*<%s i&w «*» , names are 
 the very Images of things: And for their agreement inftUtter 
 & Manner jn all things of importance,we (hall make it as evi- 
 dent as the former ; in the meane time, what reafon is there, 
 that wee fhould groane dill under the burthen of a Lyturgie 
 borne in upon us, under the T^ame and Nature o^ the Majje , 
 which is nothing but a Maffe of ldolatrie,zn<i an Idol o£ Abo- 
 minations ? the name is a name of blafphemy out of the De- 
 vils CabM , as we take it ; for what language it is , or what 
 it fignifieth, for any thing we know, was never yet knowne; 
 the Hebrewes call their Tribute by the name of ^Mfjfa, wit- 
 neiTe that place in Exodm, laying out the oppreflion of the 
 
 TE-xod.i.iK Hira elites , by Pharaoh and his Prince^ or Officer j , who are 
 called Officers of the tribute fet over Gods people : the word 
 tribute in the firft language is, Miffa^ of the word CMeffa*^ 
 as the Learned obferve , which fignifieth to melt .• both the 
 name,and Erymo/ogie,ii\te very well with the Popifa tM*ff\ 
 for fthtth melted away true Religion and pirituali devotion^ni. 
 as it inflaveth the foules of people,by leaving them naked(as 
 
 Prov.i^.iS Solsmon faith) of the preaching of the Word, for (b the word 
 (ignifieth, fo it is made an engine to fcrew out the bowels of 
 their cftates, wafting & melting mens fiibftance, as the ihow 
 againft the'Sunne, befides the univerfall experience of the 
 extortion of the Maffe, where ever it bearethfway; we may 
 inftance it too fully in thisliland, where infinite maflesof 
 money have beene melted away within thefe fewyeares, 
 without any profit to the King or Subject, but to the great 
 prejudice of both, for the exhauftwg of the Subject u the 
 tmpttnejfe of the King. TtberiM could fay, ssfdulterwvm eft 
 Aurum quod cum Jubdttorum lachrymu exprimitur , it is a bale 
 j kinde of gold that is fqueezed out with the teares of the. fut> 
 
 )c6[; but who hath cart the State in this coniumption of mo- 
 ney ? Who hath made the hearts to akc , and the ioules to 
 groane of honeft houfholders, when they have beene forced 
 it Hiay bee, to part with more then they had ? Who in time 
 
 of 
 
\7 J 
 of peace, and under good Lawcs , hive Caufed mens houfes 
 and fields forcibly to bee entered, their goods to be carried 
 away ? Who have caufed the Kings Liege people, and that 
 for obeying the lawes of God & man to be carried to (lifting 
 prifons, contrary to the lawes of the Land, and priviledge of 
 the Subjccl ? Who have caufed fome to be tormented and 
 tortured with unparallel'd cruelty, both for kinde and conti- 
 nuance ? Laftly , who have beene the incendiaries or fire- 
 brands to melt away (if they couli) the Kings love to hu Salt- 
 )e£ts, ar.d the Snbyetts tint loyalty ta the Ktng t who (we fay) 
 but thefe Lyturgian Lords, and thctr Iefuited confederates^ to- 
 gether with their Popi fh and helliftily prophane Pnefts, Of- 
 ficers, and Appendices ; to prove thefe or any of them , were 
 to ihew a man the Sunne : and many (heets could not.holi 
 the particulars. But to the purpofe in hand , the Service or 
 AfjJJe-Bogke (as they call it) is the maine engine , it is the 
 Saddle, and wee (to fpeake a homely truth) are the ^Affcs 
 ( for Englishmen are called by the Jcfuites, the Pofes^ijfes:) 
 the Hierarchic and th^ir adherents are our riders ; the faddle 
 hath fo pinched and galled our backes , that wee know not 
 how to take on the burthen of the Lord Jefus , though it be 
 very light ; our riders have with fpurre and rod of their h*- 
 damanthean Courts and temporal] ufurpations io jaded us, 
 (with leave be it fpokenj that they have almoft rid the fpirit 
 of zeale and courage out of us ; and had they but got the fad- 
 dle with fome more new girts and trappings upon the Scots, 
 as they intended , they had goneneareto have rid Religion 
 and Politic to death : but asthe Scots have proved like Da», Gcn.4j.17 
 Lyons forprowejfe, and Strpentjfor providence, in overturning 
 both the faddle and rider ; up in the name of the Lord , and 
 doe the like : what Ihould we doe with the CMaJJe, fome Dcuc. 53. 
 of whole friends not fo well acquainted with the nature of %%. 
 it, would ftorme, if we ihould call a ipade a fpade, but they 
 muft beleeve their Booke-mens tefti monies, published under 
 the favour of their little great lar.d-lord of the foyle , (who 
 knowes bed. how it fhould be called,) one of whofe B**d$- P t ^ imfr 
 iters tells US in great heat, none but Schifmattaues will deny the s'unday n» 
 harmony of ratification , away with it then: td finifh this Sabbath. 
 
 B 3 point. 
 
point , I will enforce the conclufion with this argument , Wc 
 are not to name an Idol but with deteftation ; much leffe are 
 we to offer it as a worfhip of God. 
 
 But the Service or CMaJfe-booke if ai Idot* Ergo, we are 
 not tomencionit but with deteftation, much lefle to offer it 
 to God as a worftup. 
 
 The Spirit is abundant , in the proofe of the former pro- 
 portion, Ex«d. 23. 13. Hgf 1^2. cr 2. 17. Pfa/.i6.^. all 
 remarkable places , teaching us to be wary with what wor- 
 fliip we joyne with; but in the firft of thefe places there is a 
 triplication of the charge in divers termes ,. yet all beating 
 upon the fame thing , to make us to looke to it : In the later 
 propofition there are two things, one implyed, namely, that 
 the Service-book^ ts the Maffe books : for proofe whereof, 
 Babemw confitentes, we have their owne avouchment • and 
 if they ftiould deny it, we fball in the point following prove, 
 it, whercunto now we come. 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 Of the OrigtnatL 
 
 THe fe^ond^hing considerable for the matter in hand,is, 
 whence the Uttttrgie hath hu rife or Originally namely, 
 from the LMaJfe-booke, that whofe originall and rife is 
 naught, muft be naught in it felfe : Can there come cleane 
 wafer out of a corrupt Fountaine ? note that the Liturgies 
 wholly from the Adajfs-booke , and other Popifti pieces, as it 
 {hall be fully cleared : Firft, by comparing of the Bookes : 
 Secondly, for that mutuali liking that our Lsturgie-mafters, 
 and the Afajfe- books -*"», have one of anothers peace. And 
 thirdly, from the evidence given from the King and Coun- 
 cell of England^ 
 
 Sett. Now, to the firft, every piece and parcel! of the 
 Liturgif, word for word, is out of thefe pieces, namely, the 
 Breviary, out of which the Common-Prayers one taken; the 
 Kmail *r books of Kites , out of which the Admwtflrmunof 
 
 the 
 
rht Sacraments, But tall, Matrimony^ Vtfitation of the ficke are 
 taken ; the Majfe booke, out of which the Confeerat ten of the 
 Lords Supper, CoHecls, EpislUs and Gojpcls are taken ; as for 
 the Booke of Ordination of Archbifbops, B'jbops, and Mini- 
 flert, that is out of the Roman Pontificiall ; we might further 
 profecute the proofc hereof from the divifion of the Maffe 
 into parts, tffentiall and integrally with the enumeration ot 
 the faid parts, as the ten or eleven parts of the preparation to 
 the Introit, as Pater nosier, the firft Colleft, which Bellarmine Lib. x. de 
 caUs the Maffc, becaufe they are the beft part of the Maflc ; Ml f g ^-^- 
 the Introitfor which fee Doftor I*«^*pleading in his Star- * p, ^ 4 . 
 chamber Speech , the Kjrie Eleyfo*, or, Lord have mercy upon 
 *t*i &c. the Gloria Patri, the Miftrreatar> the Cenfrjfion , the 
 Absolutions the A"goltck^ Hjmtne 9 Glnia in Excefji', word for 
 word in the-Scottifli Liturgie,the Salutationjbe Lord be with 
 yon : Laftly, the pofterior Collttts, all patches of Popes cfevi- 
 fings, which the brevity which we itudy, will not fafer us to 
 inftance. Be pleafed to fee Morns j de Mifi*- If any objecl: £V-3- tH- 
 that in our l*trcii> the Ave Maria is wanting ; we anfwer, I07> 
 (as hath beene laid) that though every thing in the Majfe- 
 fakc bee not in our Liturgy, yet all that is in our Liturgy is 
 word for word in the Majfe- booke. 
 
 Againe, though Ave Miria be not actually in it,yet if pur-" 
 pofehad holdeiyt was in more then a fair poflibility,t6 have 
 beene the head Corner-ftone of the Liturgie , witnefle St*f- 
 /or^/ invective defence thereof,. printed at Londor x notdifal- 
 lowed nor retracted in any pomt,by Hejlw or Dow Canterbu- 
 rittjtfrvejorss&xX\t piece : further,that which hath been faid 
 of the pieces of the Introit, may alio be laid of our Creeds ', 
 Epifllet and Gojpeis Offertone, and other things, whether 
 more orleiTe principall, in regard of our calling them from 
 the Mafle-booke. Secondly, the fecond ground or reafqn is Sett. 
 from that love and liking that trrt lovers of the Liturgie bearc 
 to the Maffe, as alfo from that mutuall contentment, or com- 
 placencie that the Maffe-mongers take in the Service-booke, 
 we hare (hewed already, how they agree in Name^nd now 
 we are to give evidence of their mutuall liking of the Matter $ p. u ^ 
 there be abundance of inftances for the Papiits approving of 
 
 cur 
 
ZiLxpnczt. our Liturgie, witneflfe Mir tons Aw*le % 'Pope Pirn the fourth 7 
 iU(iit.<\u.*jl. and Grcg>ric the thirteenth, offered to Q^eene Elizabeth to 
 *>P lx2 P' confirm? the Englilli Liturgie; witneffeth Do&or Abbot. 
 4 6, then PreUt of fanur&tirjf- and Mailer Cambden in the life of 
 
 QueeneE//^*W:>; tothefe I adjoyne Doctor Boyes } who- 
 was a bitter Expojiior of the Svgt'jh Liturg.e, as Hngaby the 
 0^.22. Wo&ors of "Dowayes appointment was of the Made , af- 
 ter hee had whetted his teeth upon the Scfojmauqmt , 
 ill his Epiftle to Bancroft heproduceth the letter of Piw, for 
 the approbation of the Service-booke $ and notes alio, the 
 ffito-ivt 34 teftimony of approbation from Rnftow in his motives. Queen 
 Elizabeth being interdicted by the Popes Bull >, Secret arte W*l- 
 fingham wrought fo, that he procured two Intelligencers to be 
 fent from the Pope, as it were, infecret into England, to 
 whom the Secretary appointed a ftate Utclhgenctr to be 
 their guide, who (hewed them Lord**, and Canter btinc fa* 
 vice in all the pompe of it ; which the pop fh I ntelltge titers 
 viewing a id conlidering well, with much admiration they 
 wondered, that thdr Lord the Pope was fo ill adviied, or at 
 leaft ill informed, as to hit erdicl: a Prince, nhefe fervicc wA 
 ceremonies > fo fymbolized with bisowne; and therefore re-, 
 
 «ning to Rome, they pofleft the Pope that they law no/^r- 
 ^ceremonies or orders in EngUnd >, but they might very 
 well fervein Home, whereupon the Bull was recalled; to 
 eonfilpAS this alio Do&or Camar a dangerous feducing Jefuite, gives 
 se.a^-9* ample evidence 5 the Common-prayer-book (faith he) and 
 the Catechifme contained in it, hold no point of Doctrine 
 exprefly contrary to antiquity, that is, as he explaineth him- 
 felfe, the RomiJ'h fervice % crc. and thereupon he comfort eth 
 himielfe with hope of prevailing, and of the like minde were 
 Barring and Briflow ( as hath beene faid ; ) one more, and 
 we hf ye done,-; not long agoe a Jefuite meeting a woman ia 
 Pauls ', in whole houfe he had lodged, ihe not knowing thea 
 that he v vasa J eiuite, the work-men of Pauls being hot at 
 fcrvke, he asked her, how Jhe Itkjd that -work 3 foe retorting 
 iheepteftwv, asty-dhlta how he Jilted it y he replied, exceeding 
 weil, neither had he any exception to it, 5 bat -that tt vtat done 
 bj tfxir /V/^j AWrhave iafift^d tteJtaager jn this point j firft, 
 
 that 
 
that men may fee, that this plaine and evident approvement 
 of our Liturgie by Papifts, is not from one lingular or more 
 indifferent Papist , but from an unahimotu confent of the 
 grcateft, z,cxlotifc(i and learncdft among them. Further, this 
 iymbolization of Papifts and Prelate-men in the name and 
 nature of Vane and Liturgie, difcovers how they confpire 
 againft the Truth, arid thole who defire to worfhip God in 
 Spirit and Trmb : it is a true maxime, Q* cunvemstnt w alt* 
 quotcrtto* egnvenmnt inter ft y & dijfer.ttunt a contrario, jhej 
 who agree in a third, agree between tbemjctves> and difftns from 
 the cc ntrary 5 If the Papifts- then fort witruhe Service-book- 
 men,.in the liking of the Liturgie,. and the Service-book-men 
 with the Papifts in the liking of the MalTe, and fo agree be- 
 twixt thcmfelves, they mult both by confequent diflent from, 
 the trueworlhipof God, which is contrary to it. Laftly, 
 the Papifls liking of the Service-book, makes it plainly ap- 
 peare, how little God likes it ; for if it were pleaimg to God, 
 it would never pleafe the Papifts : as the Iiraelites true and 
 fincere worihipping of God was an abominattor y to the.E- F 
 gjpttanSyJball we facrtfice (faith M>>fcs ) the abcrmxaisovs »fthc 
 Ejjptiant be far: their eyes^ and will thej net ft me tu f Even fo, 
 if this were the true worfhip of God , the Papifts and 
 the Prelaticallcrue, would never endure it, but wouldftone, 
 teare in pieces, imprifon, burne, banifh, and kill with all 
 manner of cruelty as they do, and have done, thofe that love 
 and worfhip God according to his Will : and as every {hep- 
 herd was an abommAtien to the Egyptians \ fo there was no 
 being for fuch fhepherds , as would not leadout, and lay 
 downe their fheep bythatmuddie Ntlw, or, Egyptian wa- 
 ters, yea, and not onely fo, but they mull beare fa&e witneffe 
 in proclaiming it under their hand by fubferiprion, that-this 
 ftincking puddle is the River of God ; when indeed it is the 
 Euphrates of BabjUn by which the foule of many grieved 
 Minifters hath fit downe with teares, being forced to hang 
 his harpe upon the Babjloxtjb wi'dowes, but if his foule loathed 
 the practice, much more the approbation, then all the foules 
 of the MafTc-book-men would loath fuch an one, and with 
 ©pea mouthy would dart out againft him the potjuh of slfpej, 
 
 C all 
 
 4» 
 
 11 
 
p 
 
 all manner of rotten cafamtties, oFfeditio*, xhmhU y fchifme,f*- 
 Bigrt, and the like, not vouchfafing him and his, native aire 
 to breath in, much lefle a calling to maintaine him and his : 
 neither is this all, but when theie Minifters and others to flic 
 the hatred of E(au and his brood, had caft themfdves upon 
 the ends of the earth, to injoy with much afrliclion the puri*- 
 tyof the ordinances 5 yet Sfatt his hatred flaked not, like t 
 ;Rcv \i is a t>°y un g &rnace, till hecaft: thefcumof his cruelty aftej: 
 them, doing them all the mifchiefe he could in word and 
 deed : the ferpent call: not onely the flood of waters out of 
 his mouth, that way after the wtfman ; butalfo puriued o- 
 therein other parts, who endeavoured to facriricethat which 
 God called for ; forproofe whereof take Do&or Land his 
 owne words, Thie taW(faithhe) /hall reach thempnd threat- 
 ning a Scottiftv-man for refuting to take the oath againft his 
 Countrey, he laid his hand on his breaft, and vowed and pro- 
 tefted, as he lived, he would make the hearts of all the Scots; 
 toake, and what had the Scots done to him? nothing, but 
 maintained that worfhip, that was an abomination to him 
 and his. One inftance more , very pat to the purpofe , God. 
 having appeared to Abraham (as often he did) Abraham in 
 thankfiilnefle builded an Altar, but jmmediatly after he is 
 Gen. 1 1*8. faid to remove to a Mounta ne,8aslrvard of Bethel $ but what 
 was the caufe he ftaid not by it ? the learned tell us, that it 
 was dangerous fo to do $ for the erecling of the Altar of God, 
 taivin. was ^° °^ cn fi ve to the Uslatrom Inhabitants, that it was a 
 wonder, he was not ftoned of them : where obferve now by 
 the way, that if the Altars now creeled, were of God, they 
 would be an abomination to the PreUtes and their fattfonfind 
 dangerous for God his people to (lay by them:but as they are 
 Altars of Baal, creeled and maintained by Baalne* and Bt- 
 laamites, £o they and all their ceremomaUacooHtrements, and 
 the Service-booke it felfe, arc an abomination, witneffe that 
 Zxod 8.1$. place of Exodus already quoted, The abominations of the E- 
 gjftidns JhaH we facrifice to Iehovah our God , faith Mofet to 
 Pharaoh^ it U net meetfo to do, 
 sett. The laft ground or evidenced this particular, is from this 
 
 undeniable teftjmony of King and State, namely, King Ed- 
 ward 
 
™ (IJ) 
 
 word thefixth, and the Counsels letter, to the Papifts of 
 Cornwall and 'Devinjhtre^ making of Commotions andln- 
 furrc&ions againft the King and State, amongft many they 
 give this fatisfa&ion for the Service-booke, that it was the 
 very fame, word for word with the MalTe-book j the difference 
 onely was, thatitwasin the English tongue, the extras of 
 the letter recorded in the Ads and Monuments, are thefe ; 
 Mi for the Service in the E^gt'ifhtvng^e^ it perchance feemes tojojt 
 a new Service ) and jet indeed it is no other but the old, the f elf e I?' 3 "*' 
 Jame words in Engiifh that were in Latine, a few things ta- 7 * 
 ken out. If the Service of the Church, was good in Latine, 
 it remaineth good in Englifli ; for nothing is altered : but to 
 fpeake with knowledge, that which was fpoken with igno- 
 rance, we have the whole letter in print at large for your 
 Service, we thought fit for brevity, onely to tranferibe fo 
 much as made for the clearing of the point ; the fiimme of 
 that which hath beene faid by way of open difcourfe, we 
 draw up in this Argument. 
 
 That which is word for word out of the Popifh Made- 
 book, is not to be offered to God, as worihip, but to be abo- 
 lished as an abomination to him. 
 
 But the Liturgie in controverfie, is word for word out of 
 the Maffe-book, as hath been proved abundantly. 
 
 Therefore it is not to be offered, as a worfbip to God, but 
 to be abolifhed as an abomination to him. As the later pro- cap. t. it , 
 pofition of the Argument is proved to the full, fo the former 
 is as clearely by the parallelling place of 8 xodm twice quo- 
 ted, to which we will adde for abundance, thefe places fol- 
 lowing, 7)e*t.j,2 5* and 12.51.2 Kings 25.15. Sz.ro 9.1. 2fo. 
 44- x 9. in all which places, the Lord commands all Idols and 
 Idolatrous Service^ to be utterly detefied and abandoned, and 
 ftill the ground and reafon is given, that they are abominati- 
 ons to the Lord ^ forfo the word is in the number of multi- 
 tudes; to fpeake impartially, we fee no colour of way to 
 evade this propofition , but by undertaking the defence of 
 the Mafl e-booke ; for as Mottntague and others produced that 
 their Service is the fame in moft things with the Church RiCH r anc u 
 of Rome, the difeences are not great ; nor fhould they ^.i, 
 
 C 2 make 
 
r 
 
 (14) 
 *teke any reparation, then a neceflity is laid upon the Pre- 
 lates and the reft , either to defend the Mafl'e, fofarre to be 
 the true woiihip of God, againft the truth,and all Orthodox 
 Writers, or elfe, to give up ths Service-booke to fall with 
 the Original! •, and though the Treatife will not give us leave, 
 to limnc out the Malle in every piece, patch'd up by divers 
 Popes, having given a fp education of fome parts of it, moft 
 concerning our Liturgic, yet will it not be amHTe to lay down 
 from the learned, the firft entrance of it into England , and 
 then to take off briefly,, the (illy defence that the Papifts 
 feeme to make for it. To the former* Aug*$ine the Monke 
 lent from Gregorit y called the great, for what we know not, 
 except for his grand devices of vnl-.vorfhip , his man Attfitn 
 rinding not all things for his tooth in Prance, put over into 
 England, and there rinding an ignorant King, and a fuperfti- 
 tious Queene, there like the envious man, he fowes his cor- 
 rupt feed of all PopiiV trumpery, as Maffcs y L(t antes, Pre* 
 efflions^ Copes , VeSlmcr.tSy Altars , CW/cy?*c^/, Holy waters % 
 frnfecrattons, &c. having like a ferpent deceived the peo- 
 ple ( and as the Apoftle faith ) corrupted their mindct , frtm 
 
 iCor.n-3 that fimplictty that was mChrtji fore againft the mindes of 
 the godly* and learned Preachers of the times * yet, to make 
 
 Lib. i . them (as Beda witnefleth) adde this condition, which he ne- 
 ver meant to keep, that no man (hottld bejircrd, or corftrained 
 thtrennto, but having played the wyly Fsx in his entry, to f> 
 nifti the vvorke he had begun, he took on the Lyons sliin, and 
 being oppofed by one c Dmoth a great Divine, who vvich- 
 ftood him to his face m a publike Synode, avouching that he 
 ought not to change the ancient form of Rekgtnn , neither 
 would he acknowledge him for Archb. but the bloody Pre- 
 lat, to be revenged on him, incenfed Ethddred King of Nor* 
 thumb ?r/W againft him, who murdered the fervant and Mi- 
 nister of God, and twelve hundred of Monks with him : af- 
 terward about the yeer 6$ 7. Pope Iohn the fourth,fends over 
 MditHs^ HonoriWy Ittfins his Bandogs one after another to 
 hold out and confirme the continuance of this dtfmall alttr*tt» 
 on , as they might cafily do once having got footing , for 
 f^mpomptperftttion futcs too well with corrupt nature : then 
 
 came 
 
05) ^E 
 
 came in keeping of Easier after the T&tijh manner, M'mi- 
 slers called PncJtfy chanting and playing upon Organs > with 
 all which, godly Be da his foule was grieved, who vented his Vk.\%**£ 
 griefe in this fad complaint ; heretofore^ w/Jead ofti.efe things l *- de & e ft- 
 the principal I fcrvice of God coup/led tn preaching 4*d hearing ** 
 of God his word. 
 
 Here we may obferve for matter of humiliation, how ea- fiivner of 
 fily fuperftition rindes entrance into England^ and how hard- ^ ***(f e * 
 ly it is rooted out ; that former MalcdiH, N!onke Benedecl (as Ltb * x% c ' 8 * 
 they call him) found fo little entertainment in France , that 
 he made little ftay there, onely ftomacking that the fVorJhrp 
 was not after the Romijh Order , he certified his N!after by a 
 grievous complaint, who being more moderate than the 
 Monke, bid him take that which was good in every Church; 
 but EngUnd found that that would not ferve him, of whole 
 V a(Te and mifchiefe it could never yet be ridde. It is alio 
 worthy your obferving, how hee laid the foundation of the 
 M*ffe t and eftablithed it in blood ; yea, that See of Canter- 
 bury in htm and ht^ jttcciffurs, hath beene a See of blond ; yea, 
 it is too well knowne, that that curled M«ft 9 whether 14- 
 tine or Exglfo, hath Uved tn bloud. and bathed it the bUud of 
 bodies, foules, and slate s y as lliall be more particularly manife- 
 fted hereafter. 
 
 Now for any thing that can be faid in defence of this Idol, Sett. 
 the CfrUjfe booke, it is not worth the citing , and hath beene 
 more than abundantly refuted ; yet one touch for a tafte,and 
 that upon Prayers, becaufe it is the fubject of our difcourfe, 
 we will ihew you one place out of the Old Teftament, and 
 another out of the New ; fuch as they make choice of to de- 
 fend their Mtfft or Ltturgj (as they call vts) the place of the 
 Old Teftament is in Genef. cap. <{. vet/. 26. the words arc 
 thefe. Then' men began to call upon the name of the Lord: 
 as there bee diverfity of thoughts upon the meaning of the 
 words > ioPeriertm a Popifh Frier, will have this the mea- 
 ning £ that then they found out fome fet forme or. order vf 
 Traytr, to gaine footing forfooth to the Popifti Liturgj ; but 
 fay it were fo, what would it make for them ?' The Doclors 
 of Dow ay are of the fame opinion, and fuller, alio in their 
 
 C 3 words, 
 
Words/it is meant (fay they) of PHblicjHe Frayer, with obfer- 
 ving fome Rites, and fet forme in a particular place, dedica- 
 ted to divine fervice. Grant that that were the meanings as 
 indeed it is not, yet what would this make for them ? Would 
 the faithful! Prayers of the godly Patriarchs confirme , or 
 would they not rather confute the abhominable prayers of 
 the Popilh Maffe I the word Invccat in the firft language, 
 fignifieth alfo to prophage , though not lb in this place ; for it 
 futeth not with the fenfe , but if this were the lenfe , then 
 the Papifts might well take a hint to parallel their unhal- 
 lowed Majfe % which is nothing butan high prophanation of 
 theT^ameofGod. 
 
 The other place which I touch upon^and which they doe 
 egregioufly abufe (as they doe many more) is from the New 
 Teftament, I Ttm*2. verf I , / exhort therefore, that firft of all 
 {applications , prayers , interceffions, and thanksgivings , bet 
 wade for all men : out of which words of the Apoftle , the 
 Rhemsfts make this deduftion, that the prayers and petitions of 
 the Maffe are dsduced ont of the Apoftle his words, producing, 
 or rather traducing ; the Fathers making them fpeakethat 
 for the Mafe which they never meant : the tranfenption of 
 all the paflages would be too tedious* but let Matter Cart- 
 wrights anfwer furfke. Firft, by way of C°nctffion, grant the 
 Majfebooks t0 ^ avc the fame prayers in it that the Apoftle com- 
 vMndsyWill it therefore follow (faith he) that their prayers U 
 the true fervtce of God, no more than the ufing, or rather abu- 
 fing of the words of Juftirkation , Thus is my body, makes for 
 the ^uftifying of Iranfabftantiatfan. Inchanters and £^wr- 
 -mers ufe many holy words in their charmes, as they doe with 
 * pfcece of the firft Chapter ofSaint Johns Gofpell , but it ag- 
 jgtavateth their finne. This plea from good words, is„or hath 
 feeene too frequent in the mouthes of ibme profeflbrsyWhom 
 wee defire to fatisfie with this anfwer. Againe , if their 
 whole Liturgy or Service bee here as they lay , where are 
 t^CXxMattens.Sven'fong^Complin.Proceffton^irgiei&C. As 
 : for the name Maffe ufed by the Fathers > we are to* under- 
 ftand, as Mormy and others well obierve; that as the 
 Cfauich firofoag eafc, and growing In vvealtb, under an&af- 
 
 tcr 
 
tcr ConHantina time, fell to grow a little g awdte t* pleafe 
 the Gentiles, and alfo to allure both the Jevves and Gentiles^ 
 the Chriftians were content to heare and fpeake antiquated 
 names, as Altars , Sacrifices, Priefis, and To fell in the word Firft Soek 
 Aft fa ; but it is as cleare on the other fide, that never one °f&cMage. 
 of the Fathers alleadged, nor Orthodox Counfels did ufe any t% 4 " 
 of thefe words in their fenfe ; and this may fiirfice for tha 
 Popilh Majfc: They alfo abufe that place of the Acls 13, 2. 
 tranflating it at they were faying Maffe ; but the foolery of it, 
 as hath beene laid, anfwereth it felfe The Maffe then be- 
 ing fuch a peece, as it was England* gr^at unhappinefle to 
 lie fo many yeares under the burthen of fuch an abhominati- 
 on : fo when the light of the Gofpell fprung up, to fetch 
 us out of darkeneffe, and from the ihadow of death, it was 
 great incogitancy (to fpeake the leaft) in our Reformers, in 
 King Edwurds dayes , to take a Monke from among the Qa* 
 naanttes , and putt tng a coat of Engltfh c loath upon tt t to reprt- y - 
 jfent it, being an unclear* be aft, at a fervice to the Lord ; it is 
 no better truely than the excommunicate thing. What had 
 we to doe with the river of N//«* ? how could we looke 
 to picke gold out of the Popes dunghill, where there is no* 
 thing but royre and dirt ? It is true, that Heathentfh Rom* 
 fen; tbefrnpU of their Senators to the Etrurians , to have their ifc lmt j t & 
 inslrutltons for ordering of thetr Religion 3 but why fhould 7^//£. 
 v v e, when God had brought us out of Babel, or Anttchris~lian 
 Rome, turne immediately in againe to take a patterne out of 
 it, for r be fervice of our God ; this is an exprefle thwarting 
 of the Booke of God, vVhofe Omnfctence fhould onely ap- 
 point in his owne worfhip, witneffe that order and appoint- 
 ment given from him by LMofes to (he Iftaetitet : firft, he$ 
 layeth it downe affirmatively , Obferve and heare all thefe Deut, t*i 
 words (hat I command thee - y and he inforceth it with a ftrong 2*. 
 reafon, /* fhall goe well with thee and thine,when thou dotfi 
 what M goodajtd right in the eyes of I eh ov ah thy. God ; but 
 now, leaft they (tould patch up his fervice with feme Hea- 
 thenifi tricks 9 he. ftridly iohibitesxhtm , fo much as to en? 
 quire after their Gods - 9 faying thui; Mew didjbeje^itonj verfej* 
 fervc thetr Q ids, even f$ will I doe likewife $ "tfhtlC the Bo 51, 
 
 brtws 
 
 >— ■ ■ 
 
brews obferve, two things are obfervable : Firft, Idolatrous 
 firvicc is not to be enquired after, becaufe that occafioneth a 
 turning in to it j and feeondly,all imitation of fuch fervice is 
 forbidden. CyprtA»j complaint cited by the anfwers to the 
 Humble Remnftraice, futes well to this purpofe, Aihocm*- 
 hrum devtluta esl Ecdefta Dei & Jponja Chrtfft, &c. The 
 GhurchofGod, and Spoufe of Chrift , falls unhappily into 
 thisevill exigent, Vt lux de tenebrt* T»'4tH€tur 9 O'idfactant 
 - Cbritttaniquvd Antiihrtslt faciunt : T. but light jbould borrow 
 
 P ' 4 * from darkptffe, an i Ghr&utos Jheuld die that tn Godi fervice , 
 efpecially , Tvhicb the vaffals of Antichrifl doe. From this 
 difcovery alfo the Service-booke is unbottomed, of that 
 #. 1 $. maine plea from dntifeitk which Do:tor Hull in his hum- 
 ble Remonftrance makes his fheet Anchor ; but Smettym- 
 num in his anfwcr puts him to it, that for want of ground it 
 is come home : but to follow this a little further , and to 
 wave the antiquitie of a fet Liturgie , an inftance whereof, 
 for divers hundred yeares, the Dodlo^nor any of their Book- 
 men cannot produce ; wee dcfire to know what antiquity 
 they or any other can alleadge for this Liturgie , furely bee 
 cangoe no higher than the Mitfe-Bio^; and when it hath- 
 gone as high, or higher than it can, fometime abufing Scrip- 
 ture, and fometime butting upon the coyned and counterfeit 
 Liturgies, fathered falfely upon tne Apoflles and Dtfctples of 
 Chrift i yea, and alfo upon the Fathers, as Peter, Umes % Mat- 
 thsw y Andrew y Dents ^ Clement , Bafil, Chrjfoslome^nd others j 
 FirftBook the falfhood whereof .%r»^difco vers at large i yet for all 
 oCthzMaQc this, faith the fame noble defender of the truth , the Popifh 
 e . 4. & g . KjAaffe u no part , nor ever was ofib? divine Service of God^ 
 and therefore the E*glifh Liturgy out of it , and not able to 
 afcend higher than it , can be no divine Service, as they call 
 it, (andtharinclufively, by fotexocben, or e xcebewy) it can 
 be no dtvtne Service, but is indeed a devifed fervice j but fup- 
 po(eit, or the unbloody Sacrifice of the <Jfrlaffe> fhould looke 
 as high as Cains unbloody facrifce\ yet if there want truth, 
 they would prove no better then ancient errors. 
 Se&. Laft of aU, to {hut up the Doint, the ^difcovery whereof 
 
 cafts the Doctor upon a very foule foift, namely, the denying 
 
 •f 
 
cfihe Liturgy to have its rife, or to befeletled cut of the Rowan 
 moieh ; wherein we beieech your Honours, to caufe him to 
 deale, Obfigratis tabulu, by comparing the bookes together; 
 and befides all the evidences alleadged, if it appeare not, and 
 that to the eye, to be what we have faid to be the truth ; we 
 will de-relinquifh our fuit ; but if it be fo as we averre, wee 
 deiire no more of the Doctor , and all the admirers of the 
 Liturgie, that they would deale candidly with the truth, with 
 your Honours, and with us, a whole Body of Petitioners; 
 who in conference doe profeile we defire to doe nothing a- 
 gainft the truth, but for the truth ; and as it becommeth not 
 thofe that defend the truth ,ficlu c on ende re verbis , to skir- 
 miihwith devifed, or vektory paUiationsfas the Poet hath 
 it, evenfo, tv*$«> >*«V/>k Wa»2» a*>«>, there is nothing be- 
 commeth candid ingenuity better than truth. To defend evill 
 cunningly is no good commendation ; it was no grace to the 
 Or at or ^ of whom it was faid, Candida, de nights, Q 1 de candeu. 
 ubw atra y That hee could with ill abufed eloquence , make 
 blacky whit e^ and white blacf^ ; and yet, when liich men have 
 done all what they can, they finde that true of the Civilian ; 
 Mala caufaplunbtis 'get ruedtis, The malady of an evill caufe 
 ftands ever in need of more medicines than he that under- 
 takes the cure can affbord. For a clofure of the point, in love 
 to the truth, we deiire all men that have any wit, to take no- 
 tice oftheletwo things : the former, a man had better be 
 tongue-tyed than appeare in an ill caufe $ the latter, when 
 they have done all they can, it will fall out with them as it 
 did with the Scribes and Pharifees, envying that the people 
 fhould follow Chrift, Perceive jou not (fay they) one to duo- • , 
 ther % how jee prevatle nothing ; the world is gone after htm. Juft 
 fo in this cafe of the worfhip of Chrift , as it is partly begun, 
 and ftiall be more fully accomplice d, when they have done 
 all that t hey can, all is but loft labour, they ftiall not prevaile , 
 the world ihaH goe after Chrift. 
 
 CHAP, 
 
 mmmmmmm 
 
If VJ 
 
 CHAP, -ivl 
 Of the CMatter, 
 
 NOw we come to the third particular , namely, the Sub- 
 jgft matter of the Liturgy, the graine is Uce the ground 
 it growes upon, the fruit muft be like the tree ; it is not paf- 
 fible that any wholfome fap of life fhould come out of a noy- 
 lome and poyf onous root. T o give a delineation of the mat- 
 ter in generall, we can ufe no better expreflion than that of 
 Troubles calvi» f in his pithy letter to the Church of Franks ford , much 
 fJrp^l trou ' 3 ^ w * th t ^ s Strvw-booke , where hee calls it the I e- 
 Itqttes or leavings of the Pcfkfb dregs ; this may be made to ap- 
 pear e without contradiction, by icanning ibme particulars ; 
 tor to goe through them all would fill up a great volume; 
 then to give a touch as briefly as we cai\ the Matter u partly 
 falfe* partly ridiculoufly frivolotu j yea, and fome part of it is 
 not without a tindure of bUfphsmj. To this effecT, a worthy 
 and ^talons Pafior to that people o^ Frank* ford , regrating 
 fore the troubles brought upon them by that Service. book? ; 
 after that he had told them that nothing muft be thruft upon 
 any Congregation , without the warrant of the Word : and 
 forafmuch as that in the EngUfh Booke there were things both 
 fuperflttiout, impure, and unperfeci , which he offered to prove 
 P. 38. \b. before all men ; he would not confent that of that Church it 
 ftiould be received. 
 $«# . To come then to the firft particular of the charge ; con- 
 
 cerning the fallbtod of the LMatttr* which we will firft dis- 
 cover in the generalls, and then come to fome particulars *- 
 Tor thegeneralls we. lay downe thefe three inftances a in f4f< 
 ©r corrupt tranflations of t ha Word $ additions to the Word ; and 
 JkbftraFthns ; all whicji tfee Service-book not onely allowes, 
 but in/oynes fubfcription to them , being fo rendered in the 
 old Latine Bible > which tranflation the Service-booke in- 
 joynes to be ufed, and no other $ yea, to which the Miniftcrs 
 were to fiibfcribe., it being the moft corrupt peece of all the 
 lytiinc tranflation > none ofthera being found - x witnefle the 
 
 current 
 
current of the learned Fathers ani others ; yea*tke very plea- 
 ders for the Booke and that Bible : Si in Ltttnis exemplars Ad Dtmsf. 
 btu fides eft adhibenda* reftondertt qutbw, &c. If we mutt be- tn pre fat. 
 Iteve Lattne tranjlations , you mufl firfi tell tu which of them , * £ " [ 
 faith Icrome t Which argues the Latine one , fathered upon ***' 
 him, not to be hiis ; but of all other Latine tranllations hee 
 darnneth this moft , which we are forced to follow, as Eraf. 
 mm teftiiieth of him ; 'Damnat fnperiorem tranflattonem qua 
 nes tamen maxime uttmttr , he condemneth (faith hee) that 
 tranflation, meaning the vulgar tranfatton y condemned alio 
 by the grand pillars of Popery, Surge nfis, Lyra,/ anfentu* t and 
 others ; yea, and by two Popes, Sixttu the fifth, and Clement 
 the eighth. Laftly , wee have the did of the defendants 
 themfelvcs ; Voftor Sp4rk.e % dtebtu tilts y complaining of the 
 corruptions of the Service-book , inftanced in thefe two par- 
 ticulars : Firft, for omitting much Canomcall Scripture > and 
 putting csfpocrjpha in the place of it : Secondly , for ap- 
 pointing a corrupt tranflattcn to bee read : to ibme par- 
 ticular inftances wee come , and amongft many places 
 we muft give but a touch : wee will begin with that pal- 
 pable falihood, PfaU 105. 28. which the Booke hath thus, 
 They were not obedient to his Word ; but the Scripture faith , 
 They were not dif obedient to his tVord: what direCter contra- 
 diction can there be than this ? the Scripture given by infpi- 
 ration of the Spirit, admitteth no contradiction. Dodot 
 Sp*ri_ told the ArchbiQhop of Canterbury , that it was appa- 
 rent by the Hiftory of their dealing in Egypt ; that to reade, 
 2 hey were not obedient to hu Word, were to charge Mofes and 
 A*ron with falfhood. 
 
 Another place abufed , Luke 10. 1 . being their GofpeU Se&. 
 for that Evangelifts day; After thefe things the Lord appointed 
 other feventy alfo, andjent them, two and two before them 5 but 
 the common Booke reade feventy two : which, though it be 
 not in matters of faith, as the defendants anfwer , yet it is a 
 corrupting of the Scripture. May we teare a mans skin front 
 his flefti, becaufe we cut not the finewes , nor breake not the 
 bones ? In a word , this is the anfwer ©f the Papifts upon 
 <he place, which our Writers take ofE 
 
 D 2 B»t 
 
Sen. But now we will evidence io a place as matter of faith , 
 
 Epiftk the as we ta |< e { r f ^/ # 4 , 5. t h e Service-booke readeth,/^ »* 
 terrfic^la- trough elettion might receive the adaption thzt belongeth to ac- 
 tivity. * turaH (onties ; where the Church Bible, according to the ori- 
 ginally hath it thus : that we might receive the adoption of 
 Ephefo.3. thefonnei. For, naturall fonnes of Godwc cannot be laid to be, 
 l^am non mfctmur.jed rentfcimur Chriftuni, for we are not 
 borne Chriltians, but borne againe \ yea, by nature ive a?e the 
 children of wrath : is there not matter here of flat contradi- 
 ction, and that in a high point or faith ? 
 Sea, \y e w jU trouble you but with one other place, and that 
 
 upon matter of faith too ; namely , Lu^ 1 . 28. and 48. the 
 
 Text hath it, Hayle freely beloved^ or having found favour ^ but 
 the Service-booke will none of that : but reade it, Hay le full 
 of grace, juft with the Khemisls ; and the defenders of it goe 
 . upon the fame grounds that they doe, crofting the true figni- 
 fication of the words; all found and learned Expolitors, anci- " 
 ent and moderne, as Pagninui y VaiabAluiy Chryfuft*mt^ Beza, 
 Doilor Fuike y Doctor whitaktrs , and others, forting full 
 with Gregory y CMarttn, Reynvldf, and tile reft ; and gives in- 
 couragement to Stafford in his Femde Glory, to tell the P u- 
 ritanes railingly ,* that //// they bee good xMarians , (in his 
 fenfe ) they ihall never be good Chriftians. There are fif- 
 teene places more in the Service-booke of this cut, but thefe 
 are enough, and too many to be fo abufed. 
 Se tt. Now we come to a touch of Additions ,as the Booke addes 
 
 three whole verfes to the 14. Ffalme , where a great diffe- 
 rence is to be thought on , betweene a Paraphr*fter and a 
 Tranflato > . The former may amplifie, but y et in different let - 
 ter from the Text ; but the Translator may not adde , no not 
 . from other Texts of Scripture. The grand Papifts,the jufti- 
 fiers of this, and other fuch ftuffe, dare not avouch thefe ver- 
 fes to bee in the Hebrew or Greeke copies , no not ia the 
 Greeke Bible, fet forth at the command of Sexttu Quintw, 
 1587. for the juftifying of the vulgar Latine, as appeares by 
 his owne copie, written by Cardinall Carrajfe, and another 
 P.154' Cardinall, namely, G*jV*« avoircheth, that Paul in the third 
 to the Romans t had taken them, from divers places of Scrip- 
 ture j 
 
(*3) 
 
 tlire ; Sed i^ntfrans nefc'to qui* ad'yinxit h&c Pfalntc 1 4« But 
 fome ignorant party, I know not who , hath: added them to 
 the i 4 . pjahn* : fo there is a whole verie added to the 13. 
 Pfalme, and an addition added to the 2 4 Pfalme, corrupting * 
 the Text, and applying that to Azo^wbich is fpoken of G^ 5 
 and divers additions more, which we will not reckon. 
 
 Now a tafte oi'on-.tjfions or leaving out 3 as all the titles ot seft. 
 the PfMmes, being as other holy "Scripture , given by holy in- 
 ipiration, and very ufefull; yea, and Matter Bucer learnedly In his Prc^ 
 and divinely atfirmeth, are as j) many J^yes to nnioc^ and ^ 2ce co chc 
 epen the doorejhat lettctb /'* to the under ft a*dint of the P [aimer, * a 
 Hallelujah is left out of the 72. P Jaime , the Booke omitteth 
 Prajfeyee the Lord, ieventeenc times , and putteth in GLna 
 Patn. Laftly, amongft divers other omiilions, on which we 
 cannot iniift ; the comfortable conclusion of the Lords Prayer 
 is left out. They have drown'd in this Book 160. Chapters, 
 according to their owne account, of Canonicall Scripture 3 
 amongft which are whole bookes, as the Chremcles, Ca„t - 
 clesj and the mo.!: part er' Apocalyps left out, in place where- 
 of the Apocrypha is placed, and that (as they fay) tending 
 mor.e-to edifying , yea, and ibme Chapters alio, wherein are 
 ^palbable untruths , v&Ecclefiajttcui 45. ludnh 9. Tobir.j. the 
 laft two of thefe Bookes, being fabulous j a president of thefe 
 fbule abufes of Scripture, are found no where in the world, 
 but in the PopilTi Maffe-booke. To this we may fubjoyne 
 that prophaning grofle abufe ofEpifiles and Goffels>m which 
 there are three//ra*£* and remarkable occurrences, for which 
 there is no ground or reafon $ but from the Mafle-bookc, and 
 Maffe-mongers. 
 
 £ irft, what reafon is there, that in the MafTe-booke,, and 
 in our Liturgie, the Ails of the Affiles and Prophets , yea, any 
 booke of the old Teftament^ the books of Genefis 3 excepted 
 by thenvliould be called Epifil j, as Acis-j, on Stephens day, 
 Rev. 14. on Innocents day, Lei 1. Efiy 50. 
 
 Secondly, there is never a full patfage or whole place, but Sc & 
 fcraps and ihreads, as the beginning or one Chaptered end- 
 ing of another ; and in this they deale with trie Word, as 
 MtzAnttHs dealt with-hts beds, he cut them, and lengthened 
 
 D 3 them 
 
 «- 
 
(*4) 
 
 them to ferve his ownc cruell humeurs^ and not for the good 
 •f his guefts. If Kings will not have their Writs by confufion 
 9f names wronged, muchleffe the King of kings, who is the 
 
 God of order* 
 
 5f 0. Thirdly and iaftly, at the £/>//?/<?/ there isfilence, fitting 
 
 and what every one will ; but at the Gofyelsthexc is land- 
 ing, f craping, bowing, and a refponfe before andaft$r 5 as 
 
 %upeYt.lA. every one of thefewere to ferve fome piece of fuptrflmo* 
 
 foi 4*. or other : io the reafons given by Papifts , are as ridtcahm as 
 the things are fuperftitiow : it is enough to name them - in ge- 
 nerall, that the maintainers of the Liturgie may be amame4 
 to alledge them, and better of their owne they have not. 
 We therefore defire your Honours, to call a regardful! eye 
 upon the wronged and much abufed Word, and not as paffers 
 
 icr.i.i 2. h ( as l ercnm ipeakes ) in a cafe much like , but a* fmreamc 
 ludges here on earth, to vindicate Gods difhonour done to 
 
 rhnfojt- & m m n ^ s Ordinances. Gods Word, as the Fathers fpeake, 
 •{ K f, is his Epift/e, not in that fenfethey call Tropbeftes Ept files, 
 wherein he commends many lovely favours to us ; yea, his 
 Tcftamentt wherein he leaves and bequeaths many rich lega- 
 cies to us; If Kings and Monarchs fhould dealefo with us, 
 would we fuffer them to be abufed, corrupted, altered, cut 
 in pieces? No, we would count them our deadly enemies 
 that ihould do fo, and alfo traytors to the King. What an eye 
 of indignation then fliould your Honours caft upon fuch 
 groflfe abufing of the Word, of the Epiftle and Will of the 
 Qmnifctem md. Omnipotent God; Ik clipping, corrupting^ or 
 c+unterfeit coyning be treafon by the law , how much more, 
 and in a higher degree is it todeale thus with the Word i 
 Yea, and more then that, to -maintain e this, and caufe Mini- 
 fterstofubferibetoit, being no lelle then treafon againfl: the 
 Iiigh and mighty God. Culpam deprebenjam pertinaciicrtnen, 
 culpa alter* eft , Pertintcitufly tomaintaine a fault openlj dif 
 covered, U a greater fault then the former, on whom> whether 
 natiorvor perfbn,will the Lord reft upon(hk\\ the Lord by the 
 Prophet EfayjbvH upon h'm that trembleth at my Word, that is, 
 Bfay <r*.i. ^fo^le foule, not oi\ely moved to obedience to it in it felfe, 
 tjut further, out of that reverence that it beareth to the Word, 
 
 it 
 
1 
 
 it will not as much as in it lieth, fuflfer the word to be abufeck P 
 by others, as one fpcakes of thePapifts , that corrupting the 
 Fathers , they rather make them their fonnes , to fpeake what 
 they will have them, then Fathers indeed : Juft fo doth that 
 booke, and the Champions for it, make the Word thus dealt 
 with none of Gods, but their own e ; if aMinifter adde or D ir CO verie 
 take away from the Service-booke, it is made matter of ■#«- of«orrupt 
 dite ment, but they>it feemes,may adde, take away, alter,and tra^flati- 
 corrupt what they will without controulement i this courfe ons * 
 gives a fhrewd randcounter to our learned and Orthodox "***&** I 
 Writers againft the Papifts , witnene Doclor Fulk* bis An- 
 iwer to Camptan ,. diicovering the evils of the Apocrypha. 
 Gregorte Martw recoils thus upon that learned Worthy, that 
 by thofe words he condemned their owne Service-book^ which ap- 
 pointed tho/e Bootes to be read. 
 
 Having thus proceeded againft the Service-booke, for its se£f* 
 
 falfe tranflattons , additions , omijji^ns ^ mijnominattons , we 
 
 come now to fomemore particular untruths in the booke, 
 and that partly by falfe or mij application or Scripture , partly 
 by coyning things that have no fhew or ground for them 3 
 partly by eftablifhing losne Popifb exp&fitievs. Laitly p by con* 
 firming and pr effing upon MtnJfters and people, a heape ot Po- 
 pifh and Idolatrous Certmonees 5 a touch of every one wiU 
 luffice. 
 
 "For the firft, be pleated* to iee&e upon that egregioafiy a- sc #, 
 bufed place, or Cbrift abufed, and diilionouced by their deal- 
 ings with the place, namely, Jl*?. il+j*\MifibAtUwJr*\An- 
 gels fought againft the, J7r4go», &cl which words the Bookc 
 appoints forthe C*&# for Mc hart step; where they make 
 ChrifLby misapplying the place,, a created Angel* for the 
 place is meant of Chrift. ; .neither can Jtagreeto any other - 
 for whichrwe We aiclriui of. witoeffesjmpt onely fro^n the 
 univerlall cortcourfeof thelearjned and Orthodox Writer^ as 
 Fathers mAmodeine Atttbe/srSjOS Auftm, Ambrofe, dtufcu- 
 Iw, Calvin, Bkca\ YladtsK.Flidk^ Docloi: WtlUt y and many 
 •©there* but alfofbam ^tiicveu? iTJapie Michael* proper onely 
 hyChnft r wftiOj vhfe. zo* i^»h«dri£hiift ,r. ahd> further, from 
 the fco^eo£ihb^acryJtaiiia«fatCiivift abd bis Angels, en- 
 countering 
 
V.'* 
 
 \ 
 
 countering £*f-4*and his Angels: andlaftly, other places 
 ©f Scripture parallelling the truth of this fenie, 'Dan. 10. i \ m 
 and 12. i.i 'Ihrf. 4. 1 6. lude 9. A*gelshsxt under their Ge- 
 nerall Chrift, are faidtb be on earth in the Church U\4iluam, 
 for that is meant by Heaven , and here they are ^aid to die, 
 which iiiketh not with heavenly (pints : the Rbemfas indeed 
 hold cloie to the fenfe of the Service-book, becaufe it is'from 
 their owne MalTe-book, and gives this as a reafon, why M- 
 chael is painted fighting with a 'Dragox, both opinion and 
 reafon are of the like weight : now for things without co- 
 lour of ground, what colour or ground is therefor that lpeech 
 in the end of the ^Magnificat : O Anamai, Az>aria* and UMt- 
 fuel, praifi the Lord; If this was the prayer of thefe men 
 when they were alive, what fenfe or reaion thar we mould 
 fpeak to them being dead,more then toothers ? 
 Sc ft For Tep'Jh tenentS) looke that prayer at the buriall of the 
 
 dead, Tbatwetvitbthi* our brother \and W/ other our brethrende. 
 parted in the true faith. of thy holy Thawte, may have our perfect 
 confummatton and bliffe , both in body >a»d fou/e : firft, here 
 every one buried is zfaithfji/l brother, which cannot be faid 
 of every one, no, not in the \ndgement of charuie : it is 
 true indeed, that the Prieftof ls(ewgate bid the poore con- 
 demned theeves, provide money for their buria/l f and they nee- 
 ded not doubt of their falvation 5 againe, the words are an ex- 
 prelTe -Prayer, and tied to be faid* by top' Minister. Now ,' for 
 the Ceremonies having place in Godsworjhtp, and being mans 
 device , muft nedds- be I Ms , or fdoJatrous act tons , Qjitc- 
 qttid '■ prater vnandathto* eslldvl/tm; Whatfoever is placed in 
 Gods woriliip, without the commandement of God, is an 
 Idolt 5 for none hada power to ordaine or place a Ceremonie 
 • in Chrilt his Church, but himielfc,who is King of it. Focife 
 ■jftance' whereof > there is a remarkable place.amongft ma- 
 ny, ISjumbi 15. 39. Andit'fballbettntojou for a fringe, that ye 
 maylook^upon it, and remember all the Commandements of the 
 Lord , and do them , and that ye feeke not after your ownd 
 heatv and your own eyes, after which yoa ufe to go a who-? 
 ring 3 where obferve both ahe.Ceremonie and iignificatk 
 oivto be from Gods owne appointment; and further, every* 
 
 device 
 
(*7) _ 
 
 device of man in Gods wonrup, is to be avoided, but a^ainfl 
 thofe there are divers Treatifes never anfwered, nor like to 
 be, yet it fhall not (>e amilfe by one indiflbluble argument 
 to put all the defenders of the ceremonies to it, which is this : 
 
 That which is mans de vice,and hath been an Idoll in Gods 
 worfhip, mult of neceifity be an Idoll (till in the worfhip of 
 God. But the Ceremonies mentioned in the Service booke, 
 have been Idols in Gods worlliip; as Cnjfc> Surplice, cj-c. 
 Erg?, they muft be Idols full in the worfhip of God. 
 
 . The proofe of the former proportion, is from inftance of 
 Abrahams grove, Gen, 21.33. but being abufed to Idolatry, 
 as z King. 1 7 . 1 o . lerem, 5 1 . 2 . Efay 57.5. then God forbiddet h 
 his people the ufage of it, becaule it was an Idol ; yea, com- 
 manded to deftroy it, Dent. 1 2.1 3. The latter propofition 
 none can deny. Here we might adde the foule abufes of the 
 Sacraments, as Bapttfme , and the Lords Sapper , and that 
 IewiihorPopiiliinftitutionof Churching of w.men, called 
 Purification ; and that baftardly piece of Confirm*: ton, the 
 particular enormities whereof we need not ftand upon, they 
 are fo well knowne, efpecially to your Honours, which is a 
 part of our hippindle : againe the Treatife would be too 
 large ; yet we would not have the Len:faft forgotten, which 
 the Tatry /of our Lttxrgie make a rcUgiout fa ft, abuiing pla- 
 ces of Scriptures by mifappiication of Scriptures, as het 
 2. 12. AUub.6*i6.2 C'or.6.1. Marthq. 10. cleare contrary 2. Pare »f 
 to the divine law, and indifputable prerogative of God ; the Homil. of 
 Homilies appointed by the Law of the land, the moft and beft **^ g . 
 reformed Churches, and the harmony of ConfelTions, none ^fl!* ™. 
 fiding with them in it, but Papifts and popiiWy affe&ed. quint. 
 
 Now we come to touch, and but to touch upon the foppfo Se &- 
 and jooltjhtbiHgs in the Booke, be des the / vol ijb and fenflejfc 
 tr inflations of iome Pjilmcj, prefled by the Servke-booke, as 
 Pfal. 5 8.9. Pp/ 68.50. which would be too large to fet downe 
 and canvafle- What can be faid for thofe tautologies and 
 Battologies, ufedinthe Service-booke, as, L*rd have mercy 
 uponHSy Christ have mercy upon «rf,the very Popiih Kyrieletfon, 
 fori/Ie/eifor. condernned,/H*/r£,6.7.the word Battel igie here 
 condemned, commeth, as the learned obfervc, from one 
 
 E Battus 
 
 m 
 
(28) 
 
 Batttts a ridiculous Poet, repeating the fame words or verfes 
 
 often, and io Chrid forbiddeth a vatne repetition of words or 
 
 pbrafts 5 and the better the words are, the more grievous is 
 the (in, fothe vaine repetition in Traytr u mo ft odious of all, 
 both the heathenifh and Popifti Bandogs are ftruckc dead 
 at one blow (faith Matter Cartw right) for mumbling up the 
 fame prayers againe and againe, and can thefe repetitions of 
 ours , being the very fame in Engliih go Scot-free ? one 
 foppery more, for we cannot name them all,, namely,, that 
 mutuaU/2r/0i4f/0* betweene Pneft m&peopk •, in thefe words, 
 The Lord be withyw y m& with tbyfpirit. which Doctor Boyce 
 girding at the Novetlifli y takes upon him to defend from 
 tiuth. 24. with many inveclive ftraines* with other matter 
 to little purpofe : is it a good argument from fah ration in 
 civtll converjment) to fall a fainting one another in the worfhtp 
 of God ? if our Lord and Saviour forbad his Difciples to 
 Luke 10.4. f#/ we any in the war y fo farre as it might be any impediment 
 2 Kings 4. tQ ^ f erv i cej i{k e unto that of Ehjha the Prophet ; how 
 much leife will Chrift admit faint athns in the midft of 
 his Service; It feemes their devotion is very hot, that 
 falleth to toffe a falutati Q n whilell they are upon Gods 
 worjhtf. Hence is that apifh tricke in the Northerne 
 parts, that all the women 9 efpecially in comming into the 
 Church, make a cnnefie to the Vriefi. Doclor Boyce y for fur- 
 ther confirmation, citeththe Ly tm gietf lam* s>Chrjfofteme y 
 and Bafil, but all know (as hath been faid) that they wha 
 are acquainted with this fubj eel, know thefe Lytnrgtes to bt 
 lib i it M Apocrypha^ as the fubjecT: ; the Doclor confefleth upon 
 Mifja'c. 16. the report of BelUymine , that Tritenhemita writ a whole 
 Lio.de Scri. booke upon Dominus Vobifcum, in which are many fruitlefle 
 Eulepaft. queftions, and fo we are fure the thing it felfe is fruitlefle. j 
 
 _ — ■ — — *-^— 
 
 ChaP. V. 
 Of the Let any, 
 
 WE come now to the laft piece of the matter of the 
 Lyturgie, but not the 1 eaft firifuli,but rather the moft 
 «#enfive 1 Naindy*f&* Leta»y y not *ft$tmpor a Umb of Dagw, 
 
 but 
 
but the head of the Maffe book* , appointed to be faid on 
 Sundayes Wednefdayes and Fridays, yea, and at other times, 
 if the Ordinarie appoint it : of this it may truly be faid, as 
 one (aid of the Pharifees finne, that it was either thefwnc of Toft*, in 
 the holy Ghoft, or a fane very nigh tt 5 fo the Letany is either Mattb.u. 
 blafphem;e,ov\ery nigh btafphemy : upon thefedayes one of 
 every houfe muft be prefent 3 fettinga note of fbrrte pre- c*»o*.if. 
 heminency, both upon thefe weeke dayes and the Service, 
 yea, from the Etymologic of the wordA«wwVor Letany^ the 
 defenders of it will have it to be a more prions and cardial/ 
 prater than others: it is obferved by the learned, that the 
 Antients had the order and manner of the Letary from the Serartw m 
 Heatbcns&s Dionyfius Haltcarnajfius witnefleth,and Caufabon ^n^'inif- 
 obfervethin thefe words : a«to»**< 7n>*«£«, <>&< ® w fa^ > the tttr l 
 Letanies or Supplications about the altars of their gods. p. 242. 
 T olybtHs renders the words very handf&mely and fignificantly E *crat. 
 by the word, p«ys**»ir <*&> &* ®»*'> which fignitieth to mice the P %l 'l- 
 gods by blandtjhing allurements $ thefe words and others ufed 
 by humane Writers to the fame purpofe, as by Homer and 
 others, falls in with the fame faulr, that our Saviour accufeth 
 the Pharifees o£ namely, van.e repetition and multitude of 
 words, for which;, faith Chrift, they t bmke to be heard.Nov/ this Matth.tf. 7. 
 Letany is a very fafcinatingferdet of tautologies and Battologies y 
 beiides its other faults 5 in this Letany there is, Lord deliver 
 fu y eight times, Hea'euswe befeechthee twenty times: to 
 omitmany del ires to be delivered from things from which 
 there is not the leaft appearance, no more than of the french 
 pox 9 the dagger of being drunks at a Whitfon *le> or a purft cm 
 at a ft age play, and notfo much. In that prayer to be delivered 
 from fornication, what meaneth that addition, and from all 
 other deadly fin^ as though fome fin were not deadly. Againe, af- 
 ter a tautologieall fumming up , and repetition ©f the titles 
 and Elogies of the Trinity toffed with refponfes, they fall on 
 in a heatheniili way to acl the word Letany or Maggany, as it 
 is well rendered, namely, as it were to con\ui< ; and as if the 
 divell were now to be dupoifeft (which no Prieft muft dare 
 to doe by the Canon without licenfe from the Ordmary)they 
 would lie the very fame pieces, namely, By the mysletieof 
 
 E2 thy 
 
 j 
 
(jo) 
 
 thy holy incarnation , by thy holy nativity and circumeijion; by thy 
 baptifmt, fafti»g and temptation j by thine agony and bloody 
 f iv eat 5 by thy crojfe and pajfion ; by thy precious death and 
 bariall , and by the coming of the holy Ghofi y Good Lord deliver 
 hs. This piece of the popiuVMaffe-booke, whence we have 
 it, is no better than that conjuring or jugling ofthecJ^- 
 giuanf, whereby they feemed to imitate Mtfes his working of 
 Porph. in miracles, which they did not,as the learned in that art teitifie 
 his doubts, without Magtck^fpcls-, they ufe ridiculous invocations faith the 
 fame Author, and (o be the invocations in the Let any • and 
 the better the words are, as we have faid, the more grie- 
 vous the abufe : and that we may not come fhort of the 
 Papifls fdol;z,t»g of this Let any , we have not onely our or- 
 dinary and weekly Lctanies> but alfo our annuall or yeerely 
 Letanies acled in proccflioK* It is true we have left out the 
 Saints in our Lyturgte, that was too groile ; but had the 
 Laudenjes got their colours fixed ere this,the Letany had been 
 jiancked with this ftuffe. But why did they expunge that fuf 
 frage in King Edward his Booke againft the Pope ^From the tj - 
 rannie of the Bifhop of Rome^ good Lord deliver us ? To {hut 
 up this curfory triall of the matter (for it is no more) how 
 can the Service-book-men juftifie thefe words of the Colled 
 on the twelfth Sunday after Trinity * giving unto m that whtch 
 our prayer dare not prefums to as^e f It is true, we obtaine 
 more than we pray for ; but what we dare not pray for, ei- 
 ther in acl or defire, we fhall never obtaine. 
 
 The fumme of that which hath been faid we bring up into 
 this Argument. 
 
 Thatfervice, the matter or bulke whereof is partly falfe, 
 partly foolifh and frivolous, fhould not be prefented unto 
 God. 
 
 But the parts of the Service-book, whether effentiall or 
 integral^ are fuch, as hath been fully proved. 
 
 Therefore they fhould not be prefented to God. 
 
 We humbly intreat your Honours to lay this argument in 
 the bailance of truth, and if it weigh downe the Service- 
 booke, let the faid Booke, we pray you, be caft put of the 
 Sanctuary as light. 
 
 Chap, 
 
CHAP. VI. 
 
 Of the Manner. 
 
 NOvv we come to the fourth particular > namely, the 
 forme or manner, which is large, as exorbitant and of 
 fenflve as the mutter , the forme is the effence of a thing ; fay 
 the matter were good, and the manner naught, God would 2 Saow, 
 never like it : for the old Proverbe is true, God love t Adverbs 
 better them *Ad)eb~livcs : Bene better than 'Bonum. It was 
 a £;ood worke in David, to bring up the A rke from the houfe 
 or Ami nadab ; but one Philifline Ceremony fpoyied the whole 
 
 worke. David therefore acknowledged the breach to bcc 
 made, becaufe they fought htm not tn order ; when our Savi- 1 Chron. 
 our taught his followers to pray in that plat forme of prayer t **• *h 
 which a Father calls the foundation of all oar prayers ^ he lay- c prtAn9 
 eth not downe onely the matter, but alfo the forme j whcnyee 
 pray, pray i 9WSt after this manner j hold fafl (faith the Apo- 2 Tim. x, 
 ftle) the forme of found words , which thou haft heard of 13. 
 m,e,&o where hee lay eth downe, not onely the matter of 
 Preachinoyhnt alfo the forme ; even f© fhould prayer have a 
 forme ox found words. Conform ers to the Scrvice-booke 
 make Unas his Gourd, of one place of Scripture : Let aH l Cor. 14, 
 things be done according to order and decency. But as the place 4 °- 
 is no fhelter for them , fo wee wonder that they cannot fee 
 the grofle diforder of the Service-booke and Cerftnonies, 
 and (till call for order. The Apoftle rejoyced to fee the or- 
 der of the Coloffiam , but it would have grieved him excec- * Colof.5. 
 dingly to have feene the dilorder of the fervice : as he grie- 
 ved at the fuperftition of the Athenians : for it is WiU-veorfhtp 
 which the Apoftie condemneth in the fame place of the C°- 
 leQians. 5 but to lbme particulars , and iirft to the Lftftnitter, 
 rvhsfe change of voyce, posture, and place, is ftrange and ridi- 
 culous : for the firft , hee muft fay iome prayers with a loud 
 voyce, not all 1 what can be the reafon of this ? but that of 
 the Maffe.Priefts , that there are fome my fieri es : Taxqmam 
 Jacra CererU , that the prophage Lately fhould not heare. Se- 
 
 E 3 condly, 
 
 «■— »«^» 
 
rcondly, for his pofture* befides the windings , turnings , and 
 cringe s>\\\s facefmuft be fometimes toward the people, and 
 fometimes his backe. Thirdly, the Prieft fayes fomewhat 
 in the Church, fomewhat in the Chancell , getting himfelfe 
 £ ora the people as farre as he caa, as if there were fome out- 
 fall betweene him and the people ; or, as if hee were the 
 High* Prieft , gone into the Holy of HoHsf. In the fecond 
 place comes the unmannerly handling of the matter : Hrft, 
 they have many (hort Collects, but a long and tedious Service; 
 the periecuted Chriftians indeed 9 made fhort prayers upon 
 the feare of the enemies approaches, when they were forced 
 to flye. A good foundation we acknowledge ; but to turne 
 this into a generall and continued rule, will make but a fcur- 
 vie building. Now, to the reft of the fhort cuts and fhreds, 
 "Wo i./»3B. rather wijhes than prayers, (as Mafter Cartwright truely calls 
 *ub.2.pMo them) for which Dodor Boyce falls foule upon him with»an 
 invective declaration, not with refutation; which courfe 
 
 his com- *"* tS not Wlt ^ * earn i n g > mucn * c ^ e w * tn a lJM*»*sl*r, calling 
 meat onVo-ttt^dcfoeecb favouring more ofthefhop, than of the Schoote : 
 ■minus Vo- but the abilities of the man is farre above his calumny ; and 
 bifcum. why doth he not fall a rayling at him for anfwering the R.he- 
 miftsy in charging the MafTe-booke with the lelfe-iame fault, 
 Macth^ 7. where he calls them fhort fhreds, patched up together* to make 
 * wearifome fervice upon the long laft ; what patched petiti- 
 ons? howfeatteringly and diforderly divided, to the num- 
 ber of thirty or forty ? what interrupting paufes, and polling 
 on againe, with, Let tupray ? In this they are like unto little 
 Girles,who fetting themfelves as though they would few, 
 they cut abundance of cloth into ufeleue jftireds , doing no 
 good, but hurt; and yet for further dif co very of this unme- 
 thodicall and unmannerly dealing, let us put this quere to the 
 maintainers of this patched Service 5 that Mafter Cartwtight 
 puts to the Papifts for the mammocks of their Maffe-booke. 
 'ibid. If fuck a futt (faith he) were offered to a mortall man, would ht 
 
 not rather think* himjelfe mocked by the fuppliant > than honou- 
 red* After the fame manner fpeakes God to the Jewes: 
 Malac. j<8. Offer thu mw t& thy Governour y will he be pie a fed with thee y or 
 accept thypcrfon 9 faith the Lord ofHosis ? and if any objeA, 
 
 that 
 
that God fpeakes there of the Blinde and the Lame , the an- 
 fwer is eafily made ; whatfoever is not of God , in his^r- 
 vice y for miner or manner ■, it is bltnde and lame : for the clo- 
 iure of this difmembring of Gods fervice, we annexe the raf- 
 fing or driving the Service betwene the Pnefi and the People-, 
 for either the People pi ay with the Priesi , or they repeat his 
 prayer, or they adde ibme refpon/es or anfwers, all unfuitable 
 to Gods fervice. Sir Thomas Mo>re was fo zealous in this 
 way, that he did officiate at the Matte in his Surplice. If the 
 Minifter be Gods mouth and the peoples, and ftand between 
 them /* things pertaining nnto G:>d> is it not agraffe abfurdi- Heb.2. 1-7; 
 ty ? That when an AmbafTador of State is delivering an Am* 
 baflage to the King , that the ftanders by or attendance , 
 though much concerned in the buiinefle ,. fliould fet in with 
 the Ambafladors fpeech, or repeat what he laith 3 or interrupt 
 hisfpeech, with a paufe of a refponfe. This interrupting 
 courfe in Gods worfhip is every way more groffe, as much 
 as the high and dreadfull God is greater than the greater! 
 King ; and we are to take notice that God will not be moekjd. Gal. 6 t 7+ 
 To lhut up the point , one thing we cannot but wonder at , 
 why the Popiih Prelaticall Priefts doe admit the common 
 people a (hare in faying of Service , who will not have the 
 people in any cafe to try, much leffe to judge of the dotlrines Aa.17.1,^ 
 of their Teachers, abufing the very Scripture that makes a- 
 gainft them ; for they call themfelves the Clergy , alluding to 
 the name riy«, which fignifieththe lot or port ton , arroga- 1 Pec. u) 
 ting to themfelves the Lord to be their ponton , and they to 
 be the Lords. But by way of oppofition they account the 
 people no better than unhallowed or camall people, calling pgj. A #. 7, 
 themfelves abufively by the name of IftrttttaH , which with 
 the former name ponton y agreeth to all Gods people ; but we 2 Cor.2.15 
 conceive the realbn to bee this , that by filling their braines Ga1, *• *• ■ 
 with the froth of that (tufte , and their mouthes with that 
 confufed noyfe of words , ( which the moft of them regard 
 no more than the fook ©f "lunafor, that could fing all the 
 Servtce) and how ihouid God regard it : this they doe (we 
 fay) to (hut them out from the fiule-fiiving Word , and the 
 Word from them, and. then the Priefts beare rule , or tyran- 
 nize 
 
nize over them at their pleafure* Now we have done with 
 the Arguments arifing from the EffemiaU Bulke , or Inte^raM 
 parts o£ the Booke : whence wee defireyour Honours to 
 confider , how from foure impregnable arguments , namely, 
 from the name, the rife, the matter and for me t or manner^ wc 
 have neceffarily evinced the ejedion of the Service-book^, ail 
 which wee briefly iumme up thus : That worftiip of God 
 which for l$ame t Original Matter and Maine* •, is naught all 
 over, is not to be fuffered, head nor tayle, but wholly to bee 
 caft out of Gods Houfe. 
 
 But the Liturgi or Service-Book? is fuch a worfhip, &c. 
 Therefore it is to be caft out. 
 
 CHAP. VIL 
 Of the Sffecls. 
 
 FRom Arguments taken from the J^ature of the thing , we 
 come to fome Arguments Collaterally yet forcible enough 
 to evince both the Eqatty and the Necejfuy of our denrc : and 
 firft from the ill Effects of the Booke, and that not accident ullj, 
 which might haply excufe the Caufe , but properly and origin 
 nally^ holding alwayes , m tali veltn tame , an evill effcd ar- 
 gues alwayes an evill caufe ; an evill Bird comes alwayes of 
 an evill egge, as bad fruit of a bad tree : yea, the evill caufe is 
 alwayes worfe than the effect. T^am propter att.dalicjutd tale 
 esijllud ipftr* eft magu ta/e 9 Thzt which makes a thing evill is 
 worfe it ielfe : For methods fake we will reduce the evills 
 of the Service-booke iiito foure heads , diftinguifhed from 
 their feverall objeds : as, firft, it fhewesits evill erTeds 
 upon the Ministers : fecondly, upon the Ordinances : third- 
 ly, upon t he ft ople \ fourthly, againft Go d moft of all. 
 
 Seel. Firft, upon the Mtmfters, it worketh pernitioufly, 
 MatT/if ' whether they be good or bad worke-men^ or no workmen $ to 
 i Sam. 9 9! inftance in the later , where Minifteu jhould be apt to teach, 
 Ifay S 6 3 io formfeed mth old and new Seers 3 Watckmen^Begeturs tffonnes 
 i.Cor.4.15 m to God) and builders up of the bodj of£hnsl: but this Book 
 b ? h A- 11 ' fettles 
 
k 
 
 13U 
 fettles fuch blinde fello wet over people, who can neither/***/ 
 nor leade ; what we pray you, is the procrtant and confcrvant 
 caufe of dumbe dogs that cannot bark* 3 tdle Jhepheards, faying 
 Sir lobns; meere Surplice and Service- bookmen, fuch as can- 
 not doe io much as a Porter in his frock ; for hee doth fer- 
 vice,and the Prieft onely (ayes Service : is it not the Service- 
 booke ? A Prieft in London , when hee heard the Service- 
 booke Should downe, made this his rraine argument , or ra- 
 ther idiement^ why, k fhould not : If they remove the Ser- 
 vice-booke (faith heej What jhall all the reading Minifters l TheCj, 
 doe t they musl goe begge^flarve, or fieale, for works x ^ e J c *"~ **" 
 not : ( the words were to this effect not remembring the 
 Apoftles principle , Hee that wiH not labour fhaU not eate. 
 Some yearcs agoe , a very godly man being convented be- 
 fore that Htgl-ccmmrfften , was asked by fome of them what 
 he thought of the Service-book ? the man being afraid to de- 
 liver his opinion of fuch a piece of ordnance mounted , fully 
 charged upon him , the great Canoniers fitting by, ready to 
 give fire ; yet w r ith much adoe, plucking up his ipirits, hee 
 told them freely, that it was a halter to leaae a blinde horfe to 
 the water : fuch dumbe Diegoes, or devouring Cater filler 'J,may 
 rightly be called, as the Prophet fpeaketh, Foolijh jhcplieards ; zaxk.ij.ft 
 and fo the Service-booke the Inftrument of a fooli/hfhepheard, 
 they truck away their ioules , and the foules of others for a 
 cruft ; are they not then errant fooles f And this foolifli in- 
 ftrument the Service-booke is the Broker in this unhappy 
 bargain e. 
 
 Seel, There are another fort of bad UMiniflers, who will phil.3. 2. 
 not be idle, (as they fay) but they are very ill exercifed ; fuch Verfc li. 
 theApoftle calls evtll worker/, degs, enemies to the Crop of 
 Christ. The Apoftle bids us beware of fuch ; but indeed 
 ours are worfe thanthofe falfe Apoftles ^ for they preached m\. 1,1$. 
 CbrisJ, though of envy , but ours preach error, herefies > blajpbe- 
 mies % and calumnies cut of envy, and net Ckrisl. Were there 
 ever the like accufations heard of for number and nature , as 
 hath beenelaid againft xhoizunparaluratJMttificrs, for vile- 
 uefe , both in living and preaching t The Goliah his ftaffe, 
 wherewith they maintain* all this, and all their brag* againft 
 
 F ^the 
 
 SR» 
 
Sett. 
 
 T*/. 
 
 theHoaft oilfras/, is the Service-booke, which is the Hilt** 
 of the Hierarchies the ftrict and totall obfervation whereof, 
 Lincotne Articles doe pun&ually appoint. To thofe wee 
 might adjo) ne 7\f p* • rejidents and Plttrahfh , who knowing 
 that Service will ferve the turne, can have choyce or Readers 
 to ferve their Cures at a cheap rate. In Kew a common Fid- 
 Ur read Service for twelve pence a week : In another place, 
 a Black: fmitb did the like ; yea, the Prelates themfelves trade 
 in this commodity, when they have an oil of -call fervant, 
 the mines of a yroph*** wretch , good for nothing, then make 
 a Priest on him. Witnefle a Prdaies Porter, made Priest of 
 Paddingtoj:. One that we all know, dtebtu ttiu , Chaplaine 
 to a great Officer of State , but now a proud Prelate, in the 
 time of his Chaplainry, portefled three Benefices, to the va- 
 lue of feven hundred pounds a yeare , or thereabout, allow- 
 ing nothing out of all this for the feeding of fo many rloekes, 
 fave ten pounds a piece, or thereabouts, to three poore Cu- 
 rates , with a number of caft Service-bookes , which are no 
 good meat, neither cold nor hot ; yea, had not this Service- 
 booke beene> this man and others could never have beene fo 
 unconfcionable. 
 
 Yet further, the Service-book hath beene the bane of ma- 
 ny good Minister s y and that of two forts, Conformers> and 
 Nov cotiformcrs , the later of whom were deprived of their 
 Uviir.iftcr)\ dearer to them than their lives ; caft out of their 
 FriC'hdds\ againft the Lawof the Land, Excommunicated , 
 Imprisoned ^ their Families dtflolved, cajhiered from allCV- 
 Hngs\ yea, their very being through calumnies and injuries 
 thruft at ; io that with Fimbria againft St avola , they quar- 
 relled with them, Quod tot vmf err um in fe non receperant , 
 that they received not the whole deadly weapon into their 
 body$ and what the quarrell , but the Service-booke ? To 
 which the ^Ministers muft not onely conforme, but alfo fub- 
 fcribe*5 as to foure bookes more, fome of which (it may be) 
 they had never feene •- Jhat nothing m them wot contrary to 
 the tVord of God , Monfirum horrendum, O fearefull finne to 
 father fa IJhood and lyes upon God r for which the Lord may 
 juftly quarrell with this Nation 1 
 
 Now, 
 
\? // 
 
 Now for the godly andpainefull JUivifiers^ yet confor- 
 ming and fubfcribing ; the Service-booke was a heavie bur- 
 then to them , and they groaned under the rigour of the Ser- 
 vice : It may be £aid of the Service-booke, as it was faidof 
 Ga-.h in another kinde , namely, it was Metheg Amatb, the 
 bridle of the hilly tract. OT fi^ength of the Phtltilins : fo the 
 Booke was the ftrength of the PhtUJltm Prelacie , and a bri- 
 dle with a Curbing bit. to flop, to wind and turne them at their 
 pleafure ; yea, fometimes to cut them in the mouth , if they 
 delivered any fuch part of Gods Counfell, as touched their 
 copy-hold,be(ides the fcorring calumnies that the Prelats and 
 their Janizaries would put upon them; how did they grieve 
 the foules of divers worthy men , that divers of them were 
 forced to breake through that Egypt i*r b^dxge y with danger 
 -of their liberties and lives , if they had beene reached by the 
 Prelates ill Angels , but flying with the *V m*n into the f^'il- 
 dzrr o<; of the Service-booke out of the mouth of the 
 
 Serpent, was fent after them, but both rlre and water confpi- 
 red to the devouring of it ; witnefle its arrivall at Tvyw Eng- 
 land* twofellowes being drunke, addreffed themfelves by 
 water to difperfe fome bundles of them ; one of them fwea- 
 rin^.that he would have a pipe of Tobacco in defpight of the 
 Devilljftriking fire, the iparks fell into a barrell of Gun-pow- 
 der, which blew both men and bookes all into the ayre ; the 
 men were faved by fwimming in the water, and the Liturgie 
 funck when it could not fwimme , and fo we hope it ihall. 
 Some of us heard a painefull Mfrflcr complaine, with abun- 
 dance of teares, a little before his death , That fo long as he, 
 and fuch *v he carried tlgc ? r<Utes far deli after them , they 
 would never downe. We will ihut up this point with a ve- 
 ry remarkable obfervation ; though God made conforming 
 UMmittcrs , being the f Difpenfers of his Word the meanes , to Jcrem. 25. 
 turne many from their evtR wayes , yet this proved for the 2 > 
 mod part , but in the point of life and converfathn , and not 
 in point of parity of wot jhip y according to our Lord and Ma- John.4 13. 
 fters practice upon his patient , that Samaritan woman, : 4- 
 whom he reclaimeth not onely from nxcleannejfe of hfe , but 
 alfo from a pointed worfitp ; the Woman here is not onely 
 
 F 2 touched 
 
touched in eonfcicnce for her evill life, but alfo defires to bee 
 Cjtil. re&ified ia the cafe of Religion. Chrift healeth her of both 
 thofe difeaies , and having given check (as a Father obfer- 
 vedj both to the arrogancie of the Samaritans , and of the 
 J ewes; for the latter was faulty as well as the former, though 
 not in the like degree , hee layeth downe an undeceivablc 
 rule for both , that they, and all who will worfoip G*d accep- 
 tably , mnjl worjlip him in jpirit and tn truth ; in fpirit 9 that 
 IS oppofed to bodily fervid , as WAJhings, annointings 5 gar* 
 ments y &c. In truth, that is oppofed to fhadowes and figures, 
 whereof Chrifl is the fub fiance and the body ; fuch converts 
 Tratt.ii- then as will reape comfort out of refped had unto all Gods 
 mieb. Commandemems, they mud come downe from the mountains 
 of impure worjhip. ssfnfttn hath a pretty faying upon this, 
 that be that will draw neare to God , mutt come downe from 
 his owne mount aine , or from the m+untaine of his owne device 
 sb Gods wor/bip ; it is a duty laid on Chrifts Meflengers , in 
 preparing of his aw?) to lay thole mountains level! as well as 
 others; bur the good men durft not meddle with the Gere* 
 z,tm of the Service-booke , becaufe they were captives to it , 
 and partly becaufe the PhiliHms that kept it would fall upon 
 them. 
 St tf . We come in the fecond place to the Ordinances , blocked 
 
 up by the booke, as clofe as the Mmifters ; we muft give but 
 a touch: as our Ltturgian Maffe-mongers , efteememoreof 
 the Service than 'Preaching, fo they juftle out, and keepe out 
 Serm. on Preaching with k. "For the former , let Howfin fpeake , not 
 Tfai.uV- being afoamed to affert, that Preaching is no part of divine 
 P-7*' rvorjhip , agreeable to that Canon of the conftitution , Anno 
 Canm?- 1603. making a cleare and pofitive diftinclion betweene 
 r reaching and fVorJhtp. in thde words, in time of divine fVor- 
 fbip, or Preaching. And for the later, we will cite but one 
 teftimony for brevities fake , namely, from the fame Canons; 
 If any Minister having Jubfcribcd to the Articles , and to the Li* 
 ttsrgy, and to the Kites and Ceremonies therein contained, doe af- 
 terward omit any thing^he ts liable to the penalty of/ujpenfionfor 
 fine moneth ; and afierjhat y ifhe am'ni not, to excommunication: 
 and b&\y 9 ifbe continue fo the third moncthfo mall deprivation; 
 
 they 
 
they have their patterne from Pope P'tta the fifth, who made 
 the fame tmpiou* fanttion, for the Breviary, that atnottme, nor 
 in any cafe, any thtng thereof fhonld be omitted: yea, the Con- 
 gregations of London have had too much experience of Ser- 
 vhe for Sermons, which exchange is very robbcrie, contrary to 
 the Proverbe ; for it is ordinary with the Iournej-men L'.vites 
 an<i Letame-priefts to fpin out all the time, in making up that 
 courfethred, of the Set vice, that is allotted fox; Sermon; and 
 this they do of malice, like the dog in the manger j but were 
 it good, they would never be to eager upon it ; for the Conn- 
 trey Prufls will cait it thoro w a riddle, and curtail it to the 
 wafte, to gaine a long after-noone for prophane fiortj ; but 
 judge ye Honourable Sen at ours , if this be not a miferable cafe, 
 that Hagar fhouldnot onely tnfnlt over Sarah , but alfo thruft 
 her out of her owne houfe. How unreafonable , yea , how 
 dangerous a thing is it , that the wholfome and foule-faving 
 Word of the Lordleftu, fhould give place to a fardell of mens 
 devices in the worfhip of God ? 
 
 We come now in the thtrdplac^ to the People : there arc sc 8, 
 three things of note in every common-wealth, >«*> "*«« »W. 
 the 'People, Religion, and £*»r,the Service-booke intrencheth 
 upon all thefe : as firit upon the Lav, in fo many particulars, 
 though we cannot name them all, that it juftly may be cal- 
 led T^omomattix, afcourge to the Law, we will inftance ifi 
 one or two particulars : firft by the Law of England, no 
 Clergie-manto the very Pope himfelfe, [hail beare any Rule, or 
 Exercife any furifdiclion, r tyjfitn rebus Jpiritualibusj Except in 
 fptritnall things : witnefie the fecond Lawyer that ever wrote 
 of ourLawes, namely, * Brallon, who lived in the time of * M.t.foU 
 King Henry the third, when P^r; was in the Ruffe \ for a ^ n ' 1, 
 little before,, in King lohn his time, the Crowe of England 
 was at the popes dtfpofing, which I aliedge the rather, to fhew 
 the Infolency and Impudencj of our Prelatet managing of the 
 Service-booke againft the Law, to which book if Minifters 
 will not conforme and fubferibe, they out them of their free- 
 holds,, contrary to right and law ; the iniquity of which 
 courfe, hath been clearly manifefted in Caudryes Cafer Ano* 
 ther wkneffe yet more antient appears in this particular, 
 
 ir 3 namely* 
 
 J ' I HjJU|U»U '- . > ■ ■— ~ 
 
(4P) 
 
 * Llb.^fol 
 
 namely , * GUnvil! y the firft that ever writ of our Lawesi 
 in the t me of King Henry the fecond, under whom the laid 
 Authourwas Lan Chief e luff ice ; and fpeaking of the Cafe 
 of the triall of advowlons belonging (as he alledgeth) Ad 
 Cnomm & dignitatem Regiam, To the pleas of the Crowne 5 
 he produceth a prohibition to the fpirituall Court, which he 
 calleth Curiam C br ift tam tatis\ that they meddle not with the 
 matter, though it might feeme collaterally to belong to be- 
 long unto their C 0Hrti '-> and if they (hould perfift after the 
 vrohibn /'^w,then they are commanded by apparance to anfwer 
 it in the lungs Bench. But how many of the Kw^s Prohibiti- 
 ons have been flighted by the High Commtjjio^ threatning 
 thole that have brought them, the Cafe then depending, ha- 
 ving its rife from that Service-booke. 
 Se ft t Another Inftance we will cite of their mc cunt e ring of the 
 
 Laws, it is decreed, that Ecclepajhc -ally over fi all wither Im- 
 prifon rtorfine, except in cafe of mutation of Pe^a^ce : but how 
 many good Chriftians, both minifters, and others, have been 
 not onely Fined more then they were worth, but alio clofty 
 - LArt - c Impxifoned. in the n*;li?ft dogholes they could devile, never 
 clerical i, P art i°g with them till their breath departed from them ; and 
 ■Titiher' ds what was the ground of all the fe lUegall and cruell courfes 
 nafirJrev. contrary to the Common and Statute laws ? but Non-con- 
 f "'* 1 ' . fnrmity to that Service-booke and Ceremonies. We might be 
 ' large in this point, but the Treadle will not bear it, only we 
 pray your Honours, who are Indices & Vmdtcss Legu, the 
 Judges and revengers of the Laws and breaches thereof, to 
 looke upon this Law-deftroying-piece, and to manif eft that 
 the Law of £tfd is in your /^m, with which it cannot cou- 
 iift ; caft it out of Gods h§uje % that he may delight to dwell 
 amongft us. 
 S4tf. In the fecond place, for the Service Books affronting of 
 
 Religion, fomewhat hath been faid, and more we have to 
 fay in the fourth EvtllEfeft, namely againft God ; but now a 
 little more.of its malignity againft the people^wherin we wii 
 be briefe. People are of two forts, Good and Bad ; how the 
 better fort have luffered from this. Iron Furnace, it isrnore 
 tlfn-manifeft, in fpojding of their Goods, toffe of Liberty, 
 
 defolating 
 
defbiatingof their Families, being forced to wander hwn 
 place to place, their nigh friends and acquaintance , not da- 
 ring through fear e to lodge them; at laft 'forced either tofbr- 
 fake their native foyie, and deareft friends, with no fmall 
 gcitfey'eatff patna plangent* , the genius of their Countrey, to 
 fpeakt v\ ith Lypfins t *meniing after them $ or if they ftaid by 
 it 9 and were catched in the Prelates clutches, they told them 
 when they petitioned, they fhould lye till their bones rotted, 
 as Doctor Ctbkot then P'<Utt of C>i'turbsnf> faid of Mailer 
 Baits, whom they ftifled iof taf^JHft&x&A and all this, be- 
 caule they could not eate and fwaliow down,to the choking ^ Cilt> 
 of their confcience the Arf-^calgobbUis of that poyfonabk 
 Booke, which is worfe than the Iron furnace, (for fo the 
 fpirit termes it.) Gods people came out of that, but the fur- 
 nace heated for the r.ot adoring by their Service-booke, as 
 Nebtichadr.cz.K.crs for not adoring of his Idtil, did ordinarily 
 confumefuch as were call into it ; fo that it became like the 
 „ Lyons Dennr* whereof the Poet ipeakes : 
 
 Omnia te advorjum jpeflanita y nulla re'rorfktn. 
 Many impreflions of ingrefie, but none of regreflej but 
 is this all? no, though it be too much, if any out of their 
 suale to Gods warjhtp , (land up in oppoi ition againil that Gl- 
 lta/~ 9 willing to red eemand buy the truth at whatfoever rate 
 they ftiall buy it. Indeed, if the adverfaries may have their 
 will, not only with bavdsfp. tiling of their hon fis , expofirgoi 
 thek families to ail wanner of m/fenc, but alio with^/oB^and 
 that not of an ordinary fi^, but vvithfw«w#//and tortures 
 unparalleld, as cm ting , branding, jUttixg , whipping) befides 
 fhamefull^/7/^r/^, with cenfuns of fines upon one, more 
 than they were all worth , after all this, they cannot fatisfie 
 their rage in deviling Cjo-goibas bad enough, wherein to 
 draine out their heats bloods, being deprived of the com- 
 pany of their wives, families and friends, and ufed worfe 
 than dogs. Of fuch heavie inflictions upon Minifters and 
 Gods people, we profefle we never read nor heard, neither 
 under the Heathen Rome^nx Anttcbrsftta* Komesptrfecutiov ; 
 for though they tortured the Martyrs of Chnfl, yet they rid 
 them out of their miferies with their lives, vea, the crueJk 
 
 left 
 
 4--:>. 
 
IV^P 
 
 (40 
 
 left kind of American Savage j&Mei the LMohaukcs* though 
 they fattened their captive Chrifltans to the {laughtcr^yettbey 
 cat them up at once ; but the Service-booke Savages eat the 
 fervants of God by piece-meal, keeping them alive (if' it 
 coiizuia. raa y ^ e called a life) Vtfentiamfe mort> that they may be the 
 more fenfible of their dying. One inftance, and but one oc- 
 curs to our reading, that hath foi»e refemblancc of this deal- 
 ing. Catulus, to revenge his brothers death, defired SylUto 
 let him have Marias his brother to revenge himfelfe upon, 
 who is (aid thus to torment him : 
 Lue a n. It? C um taceres art Hi dquataq •, vulnera membris 
 p 3 3 . Vidimus % '& toto quamvis in corf ore c<cfo 5 
 
 Nilanimt let ale datum, &c. 
 
 Which a Poet Englifheth-thus : 
 M~ay . His mangled j oynts, as many wounds as limbs 
 
 We fee, yet no wound deadly given to him, 
 Through his fpoil'd body an example rare 
 Of cruelty, a dying life to fpare* 
 
 Yet this Catulm did fo but with one, but our Catuli, 
 Sic cavtbw $ m ilcs—~--— 
 
 Like old dogs , have filled their ftiambles with many : the 
 LucanM. a & rc faid Poet gives a good reafon for it in thefe words : 
 ^,14. Nulttu femelorereceptus, polluttu patttur fanguu manfutfeere 
 
 fauces , Englifried thus : Never againe grow thofe jawes 
 pure that blood did once diftaine ; And why are thefe harme- 
 lefle men made worfe then fheep to the daughter ; but that 
 they meddle vjith7)ia»a i the Service-book, and the Matter 
 and Wardens of that Company, who may truly fay with T>c- 
 . - n*etruU) ** w»'w t»c *>>«ot'«< «*wfi*>/4u, U) this craft we get our 
 
 goods 5 fo we have better grounds than Ztpporah had, calling 
 JMofes a blood; hmband^oi^y and maintain it,thatthe Service- 
 booke is a bloody booke. Another fort of Gods people there 
 were 9 who were fo terrified with the cruell ufage of their 
 brethren , that either they durft notfearch into the rotten- 
 neile of this Piece , andfo like blinde men that f wallowed 
 many flies;and foment may be,that did fee the evill of it,durft 
 not avoid it, forfeareof a worfe turne from the Scribes and 
 Joh.xi. 41. Pbtrtfccs, then cattwg tut of the Synagogue* 
 
 Laftly, 
 
(43) 
 
 Laftly, fame people prof effing tht Lord hfm, and having been s<8. 
 very uiefull in Gods Houfe, by the neceflary avoiding of this 
 quick-fand, have for want of good take heed, been caft upon 
 . the locks of Separation, Anabtpttfme, and other unfound fif- 
 nents , which hath made a very great breach in profeflion. 
 For which ice more in Zyons^lta i and though the rife of Se- f .84,81 ,8* 
 paras tf me and other Setts, be there /uftly charged upon the 
 Hierarchie.yet by fhunning of this fowre paftuie,they fall un- 
 ad vifedly foule, on breaking of the hedge. 
 
 Now we come to the worfer fort of people, of whom we *'#• 
 may truly fay, that which the Tharifees faid falfly of Chrift. 
 A cstrfed people, notknowtngthe Law, all the provocations in 
 the Land, have not made havock of ib many ibules, efpecial- 
 ly under colour of good, as this hath done $ it Ignorance be the 
 mother of deslrnttion, then much guilt lieth upon the Service- 
 booke. Where there is novtfion, the people mutt perijh, or in Pro.29.13. 
 the firft language, are left na\rd. So how many Congregations 
 are ftxipt ftark naked of the Word in this Land, in fome of 
 which it is well knowne, there hath fcarce been a Sermon in 
 an age ; and in moft places where they have preaching, it is 
 neither Seed to beget, nor Bread to feed tsport. And what makes 
 this nakedneffe but the Lytnrgie ? which is enmity, both to good 
 Minkflers and Minister j : For as the Ivie which winding it 
 felfe about the Vine, drawes the fap and fpirit out of it, fb the 
 advancement of this Lyt*rgie y leaves neither Itfe nor ftirit in 
 the Ordinance of the Word 5 and being likeprieft like people, 
 love tv have itfi . for the Lytnrgie will never bring them out 
 of the deadly Lethargio of finne ; it will never awake the 
 foule, nor pierce the confeience, and therefore they love it, 
 as Mtcah did his IdoB. But let a man of God, by the light of judge 17. 
 the Word, difcover their wretched condition, he had as good 
 ftirre in a Hornets nefl y they will quickly hunt him and purfuc 
 him to the Lyon Den, if they can 5 but (God be bleffed for it) 
 the Beafts are in chafe thtmfilves. The love and liking of evtU 
 men unto this Booke^ is ah evidence of the badnejft of it, for 
 if it were Gods Ordinance they would hate it, as they doe the 
 Ordinances of God-, as lfiac. tooke Abimelech his fending of 
 him away for* token of his hatred-, fo when 1fotfle~batsngGen.26.t7 
 
 G people 
 
(44) 
 
 Gen. 16. people fet away the Wdrd, and cleave to the Service^ or the $er- 
 *7> vice'yyned, it may be, with fome dead Miniftery y then it is a 
 
 token they hate the former , and love the later. A worthy 
 Minister went to vifit one of his fiocke upon his death-bed, 
 a man of quality for the w irla 9 but an enemy to goodnejje ; the 
 Mtnifter groping the puife of his eftate, he asked the Minister 
 what he thought of the Btfhop of Can'urbury, which the Mini- 
 fier waving (it being dangerous then to call a fpade a fpade) 
 he as!*ed the party if he would pray with him, he repljedyea y if he 
 would do it on the Booke of Common prayer.To fhut up this point, 
 we will make but generall mention of the troubles which 
 this Booke did bring upon the Enghfh extles in forraigne 2\(«- 
 tions in the time of the Mtrian perfecution, for the infor- 
 mation in the particulars whereof we referee you to a Booke 
 called The trouble s of Fra»ckford y where from their firft erect- 
 ing of a Church in FrancUord^ 4nno 1554. this Book and the 
 Patrons thereof, never left perfecting of thofethat ceuld 
 not brook it, till after the death of Qu^eene <JM*ry they re- 
 turned home : in thefe troubles we commend three thmgsto 
 confiieration : Firft, in all thefe broyles and unchriftian vexa- 
 tions, the maintainers of the Booke dealt both maltcioufly and 
 fraudulently with the other patty. The fecond thtng y \.\\e Patrons 
 ©f the Booke,could not alledge any thing for it,and for others 
 that they held, but fuch Poptjh ftuffe as they did foot upon. Q 
 Laftly,fomeof thofe Patrons upon their returne, became 
 perfecutours of fuch as flood for the whole truth. 
 s ,ft t The laft Evill effecl ,but not the leaf}, is,againft Cod y wc mean 
 
 directly 9 ov more ommediathfox tndireftly all the other Ejfetts 
 were againft Godjout as all iin provokes God 9 (o corrupt worfhip 
 is that (in againft which the yaloufie of QW is inflamed $xA he 
 Exod. 20.5 becomes a confumingfirty^ the Lord calleth iiich worfhip by 
 Deut.4.2 4 way cfctrafcendettcie abjminattunXi Mfes Would not facrifice 
 Deuc. 1 1. j n Egyp* 3 becaufe it was an abomination to the Lord, fas hath 
 J°Kinffs keen * a *^ ) w ^y ^ ou ^ tt' e provoke the Lord by abominable 
 i 3 1 j. fervice ? AlX/ysh ms of Theologte art full of this in the Thejr 9 
 £xod. 8.27 therefore we will not infift upon it, but come as briefly as we 
 can,to adde fbmething,to that which hath been £poken of the 
 Hjpothsfis or Service- boo}^ which M. Calvi* calleth (as hath 
 
 becne 
 
beene faid in his letter to VranckJord> the leavings of 
 dregs: fo the papifticall Ceremonies therein contained, a 
 truly called by that Franckford Book? bur them » yoke* and 
 to Gods People and hisfirvice ; befides thofe which have been 
 names,we will fpeake but a word or two more, namely, of 
 Feftivalldajes,to SaiMStfLt\ez&tranji;iVf 9 though not deter- 
 minativc) as the Papists excufe their Idolatry. The other is 
 kneeling at the Communion $ the former is an intrenching upon 
 Gods prerogative '.Y 01 none can appoint an b sly d?.r> ba. 
 hath made the dayes> and hath all power in his own hand, 
 which is cleare ; firft, from the denomination of them in both 
 Tefiaments 5 in the old they are called the folemne feasts of lc- 
 bevahy not onelybecaufe they were to be kept to Ichov.it> 
 but alfo becaufe they were of his appointing, and fb in the 
 new Teftament , as we read but of one for the felfe-fame rea- Rev. 1. 10. 
 fons, it is called The Lords daj : another inftance of clearing 
 k from that brand of rebuke* that is put by God upon that 
 leroboam that made Ifrael to finne: he, and he onely that the 
 Booke of God fpeakes of,took upon him, befides all his Idols 
 and Idolatrous tricks not. to appoint another "Numerical 1 , day, 
 but the fame day of another Monet h , namely the tig 
 L%?neth,vjhQTe God hath appointed the [event b MonetI\md 
 that out of vefye&sfpec:oufly politick?, becaufe in the eighth 
 Mmeth all the harvefl would be in: and they might feaft more 
 freely. Secondly, that the Lords feaft being finifhed in /*>-«- 
 falem 9 they might come to Ieroboams feaft ;but thefe fig-leaves - 
 could not cover his fcarres : but the Ipirit chargeth 12. 3235. 
 direc*tiy upon him, that that was the CMontth that he had lyed 
 or coined to himfelf.Grctzjr thejefuite commends thsSngbfb, 
 (though it be nothing to pur commendation) Quod Calvino* 
 paptft* Angltce, &c. That as the Popifti-Engliili-Calviniits, T>e fefl.lX 
 are freer in other Rites and Ceremonies ■, than the Puntanes ca P 2 - 
 in France and Germany , and other where , lb they are 
 in holy-dajes. And to fay the truth,we are too free indeed ; for 
 as a learned man obferveth, we have more holy dayes than ever Cartrvrig. 
 God gave to the lewes 5 we will not infift on this {ubje<fr, 
 they who will know more of it, let them read Ah are Du- 
 m afcenumfrt&y we will point at thefe two places,which 1 
 
 G 2 
 

 k 40 ; 
 
 hilly (hew the unlawfulncffe of them : Ye ckftrvt y&res and 
 dayes^ I Am afraid of fm 5 Let no wa» \tidge you in meat or in 
 %THtl& 3 ortny pa t of a hily-day Yettxofe hoty-ixye.^ though 
 then out of date, were better than oars ; for they were of 
 Gods appointment y and fo are not ours. 
 
 Followcth in the next place Kneeling. at the Sacrament>thc 
 laft particular that we are like to touch upon^for if we ihould 
 reckon up all, a great volume would not hold them. This P«- 
 p (h modern po ft «rr,of not above 400. yeers ftanding, which 
 (as hath been laid) and Peter Martyr witneifeth, Propter 
 tranfnb si aviation em & realem prafentiam invrfta eft in 
 Eeclefiam, ore. That to mamtaine tranfubflantiation or reall 
 prefence,.it was brought into the Church, and therefore to be 
 abandoned with it. Though Innocent the third, 1 2 1 5 . inacled 
 for tranfubftantiation fit He norms his fucceflbr decreed for a re 
 ver*nt inclination of the body, to the Sacrament changed in- 
 to a breaden God, yet was it not ufed untill the fiicceed- 
 ing Topes , thinking this reverence not enough for therw*f<- 
 nance and maintenance of their upftart Deitte allotted thereto, 
 the higheft point of adoratior % for which there is neither 
 Script f<re nor Antiquity ; neither Trccept nor Preftdent, but 
 from the Man of fmne ; neither do any Churches ufe it, fave 
 the Synagogue of Rome, ibme Lutheran Churches and 
 ours j and howfoever this mijplacedworjhip hath been cruelly 
 manned oat by the PreUciejxA fomented by that misbegotten 
 conceit of humility in Gods worjhipy. becauf e they knew no 
 better, yet the truth is, it is meer mff-wor/bipy and hath been 
 a lharpc rod to Gods people 5 yea, and proved a Scorpion to 
 fomes confeiences, witneflc the former , the violent 
 deaths of divers for refufing this gefture, rs that worthy 
 Gentleman, Matter Djtcn, (lifted by his imprisonment in the 
 Gate-houfe 5 Matter Porter of Ware in the New prifon, and 
 others;but becaufe many learned and unanfwerable Trcatiies 
 are out againft this disapproved gefture, it fball be need- 
 ieife, atium agere , to doe a worke fo often done. It is 
 ' true, fome have attempted to fay fomething for it ; but in the 
 ballance of truth, hoc aliqmdmhtleft y that fomething is/uH 
 nothing' For brevities fake we will onely (hut up the piece 
 
 with 
 
\ TV J 
 
 with one binding Argument. To adore in, by, or before a 
 Creature reffi&tvclj* or with a relation to the Creature, h 
 Idolatry. 
 
 But to kneel at the Sacrament, is to adore, in, by,©r before 
 a Creature, refpe&ively, with relation to the Creature. There- 
 fore it is Idolatry. 
 
 The explanation of the termts , will make the argument 
 the better underitood: as, fait, Adoration is the highelt point 
 of extemall worfoip , which God will not admit with an 
 inteivement or relative refpeel: to any Creature ; for that 
 makes the Creature Ob\*ctum figwficative kquo^ that is, the 
 motive of the worlhip $ the termes thus explained : this is 
 the very fame argument that our learned Divines ftop the 
 Papifts mouths with , in the point of adoring God mediatly 
 by the Creature ; and as the Papifts cannot deny the Major ; 
 fo fenii and reaion, yea, the injunction of the commanders 
 all veririe the truth of the Minor in kneelers ; for they cannot 
 deny the Elements to be the motive of their kneeling, the 
 conclufion then muft needs hold > that it is Idolatry dif-junct 
 or improper at leaft, as we argue againft the Papifts i but if 
 the minds o^ thousands of ignorant receivers in the Country 
 were knowne* it is to be feared, they fall foul on conjunct: 
 or proper Idolatrie, making the Bread o»\eclum determinate 
 vum : in plaine, the Bread the object of their worfhip : with 
 which (in the Papifts charge all the Proteftanr-kneders ; for, 
 tfC*° r! ft mr * not t^rc bodily (fay the Jeluits) we would rather 
 be 'racked with I: or [a than \nteL So {aid SpaUto after his revolt 
 to Rome,, and we confeffe ingenuoufly, if the Papils ihould 
 retort this argument upon us, it would put the learnedft Con- 
 farmers to a nor,- plus to evade it. Here were place to have a 
 rung at the CroiTe, but we referre the dejirous reader to 
 ZjoKsp/esty wherein there isafucctnet and learned Treattfe P. 9?. to 
 againft the CroiTe, proving it by many ftrong arguments, to p* 1 °* 
 be the marke of the Beaft. All thefe, and much more are the 
 houihold-ltuffe of the Service-booke, againft which we will 
 produce one argument more in the clofure of this point,uame- 
 ly, God will not hear the prayers of the Service-booke. Erge> 
 they are not to be offered. 
 
 G3 The 
 
C4»; 
 
 -. . rt Uf The Antecedent faatt be proved from that place of Saint 
 5 *' * ' Johns Goipel ; God heareth not finners jfany man be a worjhip* 
 per ofhim y and doer of his wtll.him be heareth : out of the latter 
 part,we reafon thus negatively, a Contrarto : thofe prayers 
 which are not a doing of the will of God,God heareth not. 
 This propofition is confirmed from other places, the In- 
 Rom.8.27. terce ^ ollso fthe Saints f faith the Apoftlej mull bee accor- 
 Erayi.12. dingtothewiilofGod 5 and if they be not , the Lord will 
 fay,who requireththem ? 
 Now to the latter Propofition : 
 
 But the Prayers of the Service Booke are not the doing ©f 
 the will,nor according to the will of God 5 witneffe all the 
 former Reafons given againft it j therefore God will not 
 heare them. 
 
 Chap. VIII. ; 
 
 Three LMotives. 
 
 HAving thus clearely evinced by fo many Reafons as * 
 cloud of witneffes „ the unlawfulneffe of the Liturgje ; 
 tor the expunging wherof we fhall adde fome more Motives 
 in the clofure : Let us now humbly crave your Honours fa- 
 vour, that according to the juftneffe of our defires, and the 
 truth of the reafons alledged ; you would be pleafed for 
 the love that you beare and owe to the Lord Itfus> to the 
 puritieofhisworfhip, to the thriving of our bodies, foules, 
 and eftates, to the turning away of Gods judgements, me- 
 diate and immediate, to your gaining of honour above all 
 your predeceffors , tothechearing or the hearts of Gods 
 
 5eople, the daunting of the enemies, and the making our 
 erufalem the praife of the world ; byallthefe, and many 
 more , wee againe and againe intreat you , tupheke up that 
 M * Plant of the Service-boo\e jphtch God nevrfet. Oh, how the 
 
 preUticall Friefts grumble , when they heare of this place, 
 and as the wicked Aitnicheti abufe this place , in a pply- 
 ing it againit the Law of God>fo we'have had wotul experi- 
 ence 
 
ence , how the HierachtcaU crue , indeavour with tooth 
 
 and naile ; and therein worfe then the CWantckecs, to %>- 
 
 plant Gods Uw , of whom we might juftly fay with the 
 
 Prophet, They have almofl undone thy Law; the wormip 
 
 of God is a prime and precious piece , the ultimate end , as 
 
 * Divine (attb % efalljacred performances, though the edtfi- d tfed. 
 
 cation dman be the end fubordmate : pure it is , and ihould 
 
 be like God himfelfe ; y ea,it is called the f tare of God, in re- P^k J* 1 * 
 
 gard of that reverend awe that ihould be noon men , when - 
 
 they are in divine duties ; when lacob awaked from the y ** l| 
 
 Vtfnjb is laid hewas afraid 5 and laid, How dreadfuil is this 
 
 p dace, tins is none Other but the HostfiofG6d>& the gate of He*- 
 
 venfry which is meant,*** Houfe 0} "GzdvhcrebZ Saints aye 
 
 ajfembled, whofefearejhouldbe as lacobj, not* flavijb fe> 
 
 r eare, 
 
 nor an Idolatrous feare ,but iifiiia!lfe*rr 9 not daring to prefent Gcn , s . 
 to their Father in worihip what he hath not planted and 
 commanded. Bernard delcants very fweetly upon this ; 
 ter rib tin place locus , dtgnus omnircverentia,&c. a terrible 6 Sfrm ^ 
 place indeed,(faith the Father)not meaning the flohe wals, Pfai.;/. 
 but the pre fence ofG <d in the *Jf:mblj % where the faithful! in- 
 habite, the Angels frequent, and God himfelfe dweUeth. 
 How curious was CMofis,the man of God,in the matter and 
 .manner o£c»ds worfiipjhzt he would neither have home or 
 hoofe over or under the Commandement, that was the 
 ground of his punctuality 3 from which he would not goe one Exod.i*. 
 liaires breadth ; and wherein we intreate your Honours *£. 
 to follow him to the full ? Caleb is {aid to follow God ,• wee 
 will goe andfa:rifice unto the Lord our God, as hejhall fay unto 
 u*> Can it bee fo faid of the Service-books 5 no, fure it is no 
 facriiice of a fweet /«*//. Let any man that feareth God, 
 tell us ingenuoufly,if hebeleeveth thatCruift,the *<?/<&« Cen- 
 fer (landing a: the golit* Alta r , will receive the Lyturgie- Re v. 8 ^. 
 prayer s.St perfume them with the odours of his merits', pre- 
 lent them to the father: furely we have no ground for it,be- 
 caufe (as hath beene faid) they are not according to the 
 will of his Father. Yea,Chriftfeemeth to threaten out of his Kora -7- 2 >7 
 owne mouth the contrary,in the 16 Pfalme, which is meant 
 of C£r/tf ; he fpeaking of,and threatning their Idolatrous ler- 
 
 vice,. 
 
rice, hee tels them plainely, hee will not pom* out their ob- 
 lations, that is, hee will not bee a Msdtatoter to their fervi- 
 ceti and furelythisis no acceptable fervice; it is no bea- 
 ten oyle for the Lampe (though Mafter ^ommocke plea- 
 fed to ftile it fo ) it is not fure that/>*r<? oyle, out of the two 
 Zach.4.3.4 Olivet , into the golden Lamp'., that lightens the San&uary ; 
 but itis rather Traine ^/<?,andfcarcefo good; that foulesthe 
 houfe,and darkneth the light; and for its mejfages to heaven, 
 which he mentioneth in his Epiftle, we have made a good 
 plea„(as we conceive) for the contrary, let him difprove it 
 if he can -, for the whole booke, though it concerne them 
 with whom he dealeth in it^ yetbecauie it gliders as if there 
 were mettall in it, we may lay it a little to the teft. The Epi- 
 ftle hath two heads ; in the former he maintaineth let 
 prayer in generali • in the latter he endeavoureth to juftifie 
 the fet prayers of the Lyturgie in particular •, in both thefe 
 the expreilions be fmooth,& the palliations ftretchedto the 
 furtheft , but it may be faid without offence of both , \u» n- 
 xt*>vCJitw*fi*» too neat, but nothing ulefull. The head of 
 fet prayer we have not touched yet, till we come to anfwer 
 Epift.p. fome obje&ionsj but wee cannot but wonder at Mafter 
 Wjww^wincogitancie, to father a fet forme of prayer 
 upon Ti mothy, terming it, the frfi furniture that hee provided 
 for the houfe of God : a ftrange pofition,fand as unfoundly 
 grounded from Saint Pauls direftion. ( Surely the J efuites 
 would blufh at it) or at leaft it might be one oi/ohnof 
 Crage his obfervations : from thefe words, 1 exhort not that 
 youpray&s he gloffeth, but that Pray en be made for aH men* 
 1 Tim.'2.i. Made ( faith he) i. e.fet.prayers. This is like fohn of Gar- 
 Undo V tricks,that did what he could to fpoyle the Text with 
 the Gloffe : It is like a Sorbonifts mif expo fit ion of that place, 
 Exod. 29.39. Thou Jh alt pre/ent one Lambe 5 the word Gha - 
 y fah (ignifieth to make, which hee and the Romanifts apply to 
 the words of Inftitution, Hoc facite , Make this a facrifice $ 
 which as Galaftm obferveth, is a very ridiculous piece.Doth 
 any manthinke,that this was either /W his intention or 
 lafor. Timothy his pradice ? no r fure it is a grofle miftake of the 
 WordnW#**, which doth not fignifie a fet forme of Prayer 
 
 exhibited 
 
r 
 
 exhibited, but as the learned in the tongue obferve, itfigni- 
 hethfrecesfMndere, to pcwreout prayers by the helpe and gui- 
 dance of the Jpirit, proved by the comparing of other places 
 where the lame word is ufed : againe, the Spirit }$ faid to 
 make requeft for usyiare any man glofle it by making a fet Lukc ?-33- 
 forme of prayer for us? no fure.but the meaning is, he cau- ^J^'s' 4 "* 
 feth us to make requeft. To be briefe.let us fee how to untie 
 this knot ; if Paul in thefe words prefcribed a fet fnme , and 
 Ttmnhy made it the farnitare otGods houfe , then iuch a 
 forme (hould be found; and all the Prayers injoyned by Paul 
 fhould be fet formes, becaufe he injoynes no other prayer 
 here,than he doth other where in other words, lignirying to 
 pray,as/*vw 6- ^ow ***«, . both fignifying to pray . Luke 22.33 
 x Ctr* 14. 1 5. and many other places : but to aliume^rft, no 
 patterne is to be found : fecondly, to aftirme that all Pauls 
 prefcriptions of prayer were for fet formes, were a very 
 groffe and abfurd falihood. 
 ^Erg'fo is the ground whence it arifeth. 
 
 He might as w r ell have faid ; when fhift promifed to 
 pray for "Peter , that he promifed to make a fet forme of 
 prayer for him : for the words in both places are fymnymax Luk - 12 33« 
 but enough of this,which is befides our purpofe. 
 
 Nowjtet us view as briefly as we can, what he faith for Epift.p.aj. 
 the Ljturgj in particular :heconfdteth it to be the daughter 
 ofaRomanCatholicke, that is well, andfo dothD-£#;ft: Gofpdfirft 
 the Novellifts fay ("faith he) that our Communion Booke is ^ unda y ,n 
 nothing elfe but the Roman Jtotfali and <Pcrt*» thruft out of ^' lU 
 Latine into Engliih,which the Do&or contradkffc not , for 
 he could not. Why, faith Dodor Ual\ out of ancient mo- 
 delsinot Roman : yta^why fhould the childe be beaten for 
 the Parent,faith ViWommoci ? ) For anfwer,if the ckilde bee 
 as like the parent in nature and properties, as hath been pro- 
 ved^ an Egge is like to an Egge ; then there is roome for 
 neither in Gods worinip,but both mo:her and child, likeH*- 
 ga» and/yw^r/tmuft out of doresiforthe parallels of Sabotb* 
 Sun,and other things,wherewith he would palliate,tbey arc 
 not HsmsieneaSyor of like nature ; for nothing can make the 
 clean in Gods worftnpjbeing mans device and worflrip ft ill. 
 
 H ^ainct' 
 
p.2t,2?. 
 
 A3?. 
 
 Againe ,.the. maintenance <>rthefc fhreadie and fcrappie 
 
 Players, from gadding of the fault, is but a gaidtng Argument* 
 fyifl. i u . We havefpoken of tfie ground of inort and fappy eyaculati- 
 wft] upon other ground, and nothing like the fooliih patches 
 of the Mane-book. >**##» tells us of the many prayers that 
 • tbS'J/rae/ttes made in the Egypt*** forn*cc , and that they 
 were ihort ^lacufa'.vms ,, bm they would have continued 
 them , but for their burthens ; but men are forced to breake 
 off&ere , where there is no burthen, but the Service-booke 
 it felfe. 
 
 •Vgaine, he hath, a plea from the Lcprou^hn»fe 9 wherein 
 wetarevery willing to joyne lffues with him ; he confeffeth 
 that the old Raman Liturgie was like a Leprous houfe , the 
 plague was fpread in it ; but now it is picked t fcr*ped, plajfie- 
 red with mil- tempered., (or rather umempered mmer) hee 
 lUould hajv# faid, that upon the deepeft iearch no corruption 
 canappearty and therefore to be judged cleaneby the Law; 
 but there he goeth too farre, and farther (we conceive} then 
 moft of the Prelates would doe in a cold mood ; yea, herein 
 be is contradictory to himfelfe , for he acknowledged fears 
 jmdderecTsin it; and in his laft page of the Survey of the 
 Parallels, he joynes in evidence with the Author, m the dis- 
 covery of errours„ and fueth for juftice ; but if the Leprofie 
 breake out againe, then no affection of our Communion may 
 lodge it. Now to apply* as the houfe infefted,was utterly to 
 fc|e.3,emolii"bed, and the rubbifti and ruines thereof to be car- 
 ried forth into an uncleane-place : The Leprofie of the Maffe 
 fcs grants to be this fretting Leprofie , the pieces wee have 
 ^ioMgh we have them not all) are the very fame in another 
 isngue. The Leprofie, of whofe matter, manner, and con- 
 tagious flffe&s, wee ; have fully proved; and the burthen of 
 -Ceremonies therein contained andpreffcd upon menscon- 
 fcienccs, to have beene., and to beftill abominable Idols. 
 Then it will follow , that all the water and induftry of the 
 WmU cannot cleanse it, no m®re than the skin of a BUck^a- 
 wort* or the foots of a Leopard, which Godicaatoaly, change, 
 felt will tm do« with matters or maane^ of ftrange wor- 
 (hip ; then>as rubbish they are to be caft out into an ancleane 
 
 place : 
 
 /•*4 
 *3l 
 
 Lcrit. 14. 
 
ttJ) 
 
 place': marke, an nncteanc place, not the meaneft cleane place 
 allowed it , much leflb the Sanctuary of God, Upon this 
 place, a learned Author xfofetv&hi that i*>* art tamgJot h this Aynfwonb. 
 fivere ludgemtnt, to abandon all finne , bet more particularly, 
 toaboliOi all Idolatry and Instruments, and : Implements of 
 I dolatry . Citing that place which might ferve to cleare this 
 point, if there were no more ; Tee Jkall alfo defile the esve- y a y 30. 32 
 ring of the graven Images, and the ornaments of thy moltvu Ima- 
 ges, &c. Thott /halt cast them away as a mensirnoH* cloth-*, 
 thoujbalt fay ttnto it, get thee hence. Upon the paflages of the' 
 uippendix we i>i all touch when we anfwer iheObjtttsvnj : 
 asibr the parallel which he vieweth, the Author will make 
 it good. 
 
 We proceed *hen,under your Honours favour , to our fait sett. 
 againftthe^r/srgj, without controverfie , tt u the garment 
 (hatred with the fl'Jb, condemned by the Apoftle Inde, which Veifc^. 
 fome expound by that of the Apoftle, to be an abftaimngfrom 1 Thcfl; f . 
 an abearance of evil/; and fo indeed, this were enougS to a- lz - 
 bolifh the book. The beft Expofitors apply the place againifc 
 the Carnal/ Rites and Iddatrom Ceremonies , 2'rvfrd by men iri 
 Gods worjhip ; whicb,if the Papifts were cleared, (faithone} 
 from the grofleft of their Idolatry and Paganifme , would ^ 
 condemne them , and will not the retainment and mainte- 
 nance exceedingly conderrlne ns, that profefTe we are come 
 out of Babel ? To thefe Rites and Ceremonies, faith the lame 
 Author, asto that fpottedprofiflion ofTppery , we frtould not Do&or 
 confo'rme our felves, neither in ufe nor opinwn, but decline in f^UUt. 
 all things , the very lliadow and ihew of them. What can 
 be faid more emphatically to the purpofe i 4 . as God is to bee 
 admired in the leaft of his creatures , as\vellas inthegrea- 
 teft, (faith a "Father;) Ita mente Chnfio dedit*.&c. So a minde Her6m Ef , 
 devoted to Chrift, doth as well take heed of finall faults as of Nepotia* 
 
 freat,efpecially in Gods worfhip. The Hypocriticall arid 
 dolatrous J ewes are not onely rebuked and threatned for 
 eatmgof'StvrnesftrJh, contrary' to the Law ; but aUo A that the Efay 6?. 4. 
 broath wai found ih their veftts. Auslin comparing the ten 
 plagues of 'Egypt, withtfce ten' Commandements y ttfls'us, cha* £>**Jl.*. T- 
 the turning of the wmer into blond , doth (ignitfe tbc corr»p 
 
 H 2 ting 
 
($4)! 
 
 ting of divkte toorfoip.by humane and carntll inventions offiefo 
 and blond. \ The Service-booke and Ceremonies being foch, 
 we have grounds to defire,. and your Honours to grant (as 
 We conceive/ e ) cftionem firmam> againft them both. Sarah 
 by Gods appointment, wils ^Abraham tocaft out Hagar and 
 
 Gen.2i.io, Ifmatly the Bond woman and her fonne : and why the Mother 
 
 J>with the Sonne ; for it feemes (he offended not ? yes, it fee- 
 
 ,: meth (as the learned doe obferve) uSee was an Abbetter of 
 
 ' her Sons evilly fb the Service-booke and the Prelates , the 
 
 Cup and the Cover, the Mother and the Spn , fliould be caft 
 
 out together; that riddle of the Snow and the Water may 
 
 well be applyed to them , 
 
 Mater me genua, n,ater cjHoque gtgnitur ex me. 
 My mother brought forth me, and is brought forth by me ; 
 that proud HierarchicaJl humour in Afiiiin the firft, brought 
 in the Liturgie, and that Liturgie hath brought out , and hath 
 kept up to this da^the Hierarchie ; if Chrift be King of, and 
 in his -Church, in a more glorious and eminentiall way (as 
 who dare deny it ?) in word , though too many doe deny it 
 in deed, then confequently, without all controverfie, he muft 
 appoint his owne officers, government, and fervice* Now, 
 there is nothing more inculcated, and laid home in the Book 
 of God 9 than Chrifts Kingly office ,to which all are fubjec~t,and 
 it is fubjeel: to none j wee will but cite fome few places of 
 
 Pfal. a. 6. *nany ? I have Jet t or annojnted (faith God) my King upon 
 Zion, the mount aine of my Ho/i»eJfe 9 by which hemeaneth his 
 Church. Whence a learned godly Minifter delivered with- 
 in itjiefe few dayes $ that a* Qmjt fet up hid Churchy Jo it U 
 hu to$ravide for it * To appoint and no others,oiflces and offi- 
 cer, and all religious fetvice or worfhip, to which we were 
 onely to fubmit, and'to none other 5 another teftimony 
 
 B% p . 6. from the Prophet Efay fhall futfice : Vnto m* a chtlde is borne* 
 And ajo^ne u given, and the. government fhall be upon his fhoul- 
 de$s y and hid name fhall be called wonderfully c . Now, & God 
 ne, vertookqoff this, government from Chrift his ftiulders, 
 jx>r Chrift never gave itup , nor all the powers cfjieaven, 
 $art,h, ancfheli, be able to fhake it -, then firft it muft fbUo\y, 
 
 Vcrfc ?. (as the, Spirit fpeaketh) that of the tne'reafe of hid government 
 
 " there 
 
 
(J J) 
 
 there mnfl be no end. Secondly,it is every way is good by con- 
 fequence, that he will have no fervjee or worihip,but of his 
 own appointment. Porphyrins ,who was a great f t\ecromancer y 
 (as EttfiUm witnefleth) doth tell us amongft other things, Lib. *■ dt 
 that the Devils themselves (whom he calls Gods) fignifie unto prtp.Evattg 
 their efycciallftrvants, the CAiagitians y QwbusrcbHs &c t with c ' 
 what things they are made to appsarc , what is to be offered. unto 
 them, what dayes thejflpottld chafe, and whatfignes and Images 
 thejfhould make : which affertion Auslir, confirm et h ,. Non Llb \ l - ds . 
 potfitt nifi ipfisprimi* docenttbm dijet qvid qHtjque idorum appe- CtV *l' 
 tat, vel quid exhorreat y it could never be learned but by their c ' 
 teaching (meaning the Devils) what every one of" them de- 
 (Ireth, and what they abhorre : fince the Devill then loves to 
 be Gods Ape in every thing, and his higheft Meniall fervants 
 account it nothing but reafon,that he ihould prelcribe orders 
 in his own Houfe>and appoint what Service and Ceremonies 
 therein as he pleafeth ; rfiall not the King of Kings, and Lord 
 of Lords, and onely he , appoint how, and by what meanes 
 he will be ferved in his owne Houfe ; this is the reafon why 
 the Service of God is called ***** xarpii*, reafonable jervice , i Upif,e,%. 
 for fo we tranflate it, which might be more emphatically ». 
 rendred, Jincerefer 'vice , unmixed fervtce , according to the 
 Word ; for fo the originall word (ignifieth , as the Apoftie 
 Peter calls the word ,. \*y**i* yi\« , the fine ere mi Ike of the Word. 
 Now, to draw to an end, for we are forced in the bulketo 
 exceed our intention ; we crave leave further of your Ho- 
 nours to binde our defires with three ftrong motives for ef- 
 fecting of the worke, namely, from Example or Patterne for 
 doing of it, from danger if'itbe not done, and from the uni- 
 verfall Covenant binding every one in his place to the doing, 
 of it. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
(5<*) 
 
 Tk. i. 7. 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 I. Of the Patterned 
 
 FOr the firft, as the Apoftle willeth, to fhew our felves to 
 ©thers, P at t ernes of all g*od worths and words ; We (hould 
 make others good Examples,macter of our Imitation : Bre- 
 vity iter per exempla quam per pracepta , Patterne is a more 
 compendious way then Precept; good Examples from 
 Gods people have the force of a Generali rule to apply : all 
 the Reformed Churches , when God turned them from 
 darknefle to light ; they expelled the Prelates, as the Officers 
 of the Kingdome of darknefle : and the Popifli Liturgie , as 
 a falfe woruSip , and worke of darknefle. To patfe France, 
 the Low -Countries, Gtmv^tho. Palatinate, and others , bee 
 pleafed to call: your eye upon our Neighbour Nation of Scot- 
 land, who have neither left root nor branch of Prelate or Po- 
 pifh Liturgie ; and have not wee the fame reafons to rej e«ft 
 both ?. It is an infallible rule, both in Divinitie and Politie, 
 both in Churcji and Common- wealth , Vbi jnnt //W*r c*h~ 
 fa & circ*mjla»tt* , tbi locum habtt txtmplam ; where there 
 are the like caufes and circumftances , there example takes 
 place : the caufes why they call both out, were their offen- 
 fiveneffeto Chrift, his Church, King, and State; and hath 
 ever Nation beene lb prejudiced, in ail thefc particulars , as 
 v^e have beene ? and have we not beene, and are , partly 
 yet environed with a mantle wall of evill circumftances : as 
 the Prelates aggravation of their cruelty in preiTingof that 
 Booke, and other like ftuflfc, their inlolenrdomineering over, 
 NobilJty,and others ; yea, their daring attempts, to fet a-foot 
 their interdided power, and their fupercilious infiiitations , 
 "their proud words, and affronting attempts, vented by them- 
 felves and their Priefts , even now, when the hand of the 
 Lord is lift up againft them, which they will not fee ; but 
 they\ {ball? fee it : in this they are worfe than the Egyptians 
 or PbiUsltms , who were content (the Lord his hand being 
 1 Sam,tf f upon them,) not onely to let the Ark$ of the Lord goe , but 
 m alfe 
 
 PdrcM in 
 cap.i\. ad 
 %fm t p. 
 1114. 
 
C*7J 
 alio fern it up in the handfomeft way that they could, taking 
 Egypt for an example, in this their infolent ftriving againtt 
 Godand his Truth ; they may be compared to the Peafants 
 ofL/cia, whom the Poet feyneth to bee transformed into Uet'emr- 
 Frogs, for their cruell and barbarous afage of Latona , ofoyiJ.t/be. 
 whom Ltclantixs alfo makes mention -, but the Poet tells ***• T - *** 
 us, that for all the Metamorphofis , they left not their ott' aIjU he ' 1 ' 
 manner : 
 
 Liubtu exercent hngnu 
 
 Et quantum ( lib &cjt a, firk *cf4ti mabdtccre temant. 
 
 Engiii bed thus : 
 Their brawling tongues, but letting flume afide, 
 Though hid in water, -under Water chide. 
 Or, with Dh Bart as, in this poftnre, they maybe compa- 
 red to Ly z^trdt or Snake *, cut in pieces* 
 
 Threat with more malice, though with letfer might, 
 And even in dying, ihe w their living fpight. 
 Or, as Godfaid to Mofe< o^ Pharaoh, that he would not let 
 his people goe, m % not with ^ftrorg h*nd, that is, he wiliftand 
 out with God , fo doe they, they will not let the Ordin**.- 
 ces goe , the Liberty of the Minisirrrvpz , they will not let Exod.3.19. 
 the Kmgdome of Chrtsl goe, though Gods flrong hand be out 
 againft them ; but as he fell at lalF, fo i"hall they, and all their 
 houmould-ftuffe, and never rife againe : the Scots have put 
 them in the Pond ; let the love of the truth lead you , and 
 their practice be to you as a (p ea ki"g EmbUme in the words 
 of Gedeon , Looke on me, and dos like-wife. We will ftiut Up Judg-7- »7- 
 the point with a parallel of loyall entertainment of Kings, in 
 their inthronization : the men of Indah t and the men of 
 Ifrdel contended zealoufly, who fhould be moft officious in 
 crowning King David, though he was crowned before : /*- iSam^.? 
 d*li annoynted him King ever them , and Ifrael did the like 
 over them -> and to bring the parallel nearer home, what pi- 
 ous emulation was betweene us and our brethren, the Sects; 
 to fet King Ixmerai' bteffed memory upon the Throne of 
 EngUndf they might both defervedly fay, (for they (hewed 
 itin efFe&)thatthey Were his fiejh and tone, as Ifrael faid to 1 Sam.5.1. 
 f £*tHd,he'tw*vjtoHgeri&tb£ Scripture hath it, bnttvKwg Dcut 17.15 
 
 from 
 
08) 
 
 from Among his brethren \ never King- was received With 
 greater concourfe, higher magnificence, and more appiaufe; 
 Pfal.m.i. this made the Kihgdomes, as Ierufalem&$ a Citk compa&ed 
 in it felfe, which the Septuagint tcanflateth, ^^ *»*& »» *" ^ , 
 a participation, or communication together , often indeed at- 
 tempted,but never effected till then; but now (bieffed be the 
 name of God) in a more loving league y and fit it~tcr bond than 
 ever ; contending who (hall doe Sod and his Majeftie that 
 now is, mod fervice : (hall we not then joyne with them 
 heart and hand , in bringing the Lord lefts* , the King of glory 
 into his Kingdome f hee hath (hewed himfelfe no Stranger 
 amongft us, but done great things for us ; but to the woe or' 
 our hearts, wc have ufed him too long like a Stranger,in kee- 
 ping him at doores > and the doore upon the hinges. Now, 
 Kev.3,io. let us fet open the gate/, and bring him in with triumph ; which 
 will never be done, fo long as the Prelacie and the Liturgie, 
 or either of them keepe the houfe ; TS(on patitur regni fotios^ 
 Chrift will have no confort in his Kingdome , much leffe an 
 Antichrift ; Chrift bare many calumnies and injuries from 
 the I ewes at his arraignment under PUat y andpaftbymany 
 things , not anfwering againe ; but when TUat came to 
 meddle with his Kingdome, he would not let thatpaffe , but 
 freely avouched it ; Art thou a Ktng (faith PiUt I) thoufajeft 
 / am, anfwered Chrift, and to this end was 1 borne \ and for this 
 Joh.x8.g7. canfe came I into the world , that 1 fhould beare wUhejfe unto 
 the truth: of which words Paul giveth this teftimony , that 
 i Tifla^.13 Christy before Pontius Pilate,witneJ]ed a good con frfiion : which 
 words of the Apoftle have two remarkable things in them : 
 Hrft, that Chrift hath a Kingdome , which he will vindicate, 
 in defpight of all oppofing power, wherein he will have his 
 owne Officers, Government, and Service, to take place. Se- 
 condly, that this courfe muft continue till the commi«g of the 
 Lord lefm^ and every one that is of the truth , efpecially Mi- 
 nifies and Magiftrates muft maintains it, as they wixli*n4wer 
 At at that day;for this worke,Godhath brought you together-, 
 and if you mould divert this worke,fo exempUried,and pref- 
 . s ' fed by command,* {which God forbid) then might Chrift fay 
 j 2 * m * 9 \u^yQVb&Dwidtohisl^rtd 9 yww 
 
 mj 
 
(5?) 
 
 my bouts And mypjh ; therefore Ate ye the lafl to bring tackjhe 
 Ktr.g? Wherein, if you will not be faulty, but intend (as we 
 verily hope you do) to bri«g backjhe K'mg $ then let it be your 
 fpeciaU honour, to make the paths of the Lord ftraight , by re- 
 moving of that rubbtfi y that the King of glory may enter in. 
 
 The fecond ^Motive is from the Danger of not removing $ e ft m 
 of the Service-booke. "Danger, as all know, is the ftrongeft 
 motive tocaufe a people or nation to take heed: Hfftories craft fiiius. 
 report, that aaxger hath mad* a dumb manfpea^. The danger 
 from this Service-book may be looked upon in a twofold re- 
 iped:, namely, a priori, from that which is pa ft, and a poste- 
 rior i, from that which is like to er.fu; 5 the former may alfo 
 be looked upon in a way of propheiie, or in a way of perfor- 
 mance, the men and lcrvants of God, to whom he was 
 pleaf'ed to reveale himfelfe in more then an ordinary way, 
 efpeciaily in time of perfection or fbme preflure lying upon 
 them^have foretold,how the houfe of David ] Jh odd wax weaf^' 
 and the honje of Saul fhould wax (Irong, that is, Popery fhould 
 make head, and the truth of Chrift fhould fuffer much, and 
 many in triall fhould forfake it 5 according to that of Stmeon y 
 a f Word (hall pierce thorow thine own joule al/o y that the thoughts 
 of many hearts may be revealed, Luke 2.35. where by the 
 fwords piercing of the foule, according to all the ancient, is 
 meant the wounding forrowes of the mother of Chrift at 
 his fufferings, and by the revealing of the thoughts, is meant 
 the difcovery of fome (tumbling or taking fcandall at his 
 death. Chryfoftome y Auflin y Ortger y Ambrofe, Theophylaic : 
 and what is the ground of all this but thefe dregs of Po^erie 
 now in controveriie,and the hurtfull Hierarchic, one of thefc 
 upholding another $ a godly and famous Minifter preaching 
 to the banifhed beyond Seas in Queene CMarics time, that 
 Gods anger was much provoked agarnfi England, for (I tcknejfe to 
 re forme y when they had ttme> place and power 5 and fo it was in- 
 deed:for he caft back that partial! reformation into the tiames 
 of Ahticbristtan tyrannie, and gave many up unto fearfull 
 Apofta'y : Further the good man laid, it ftood them upon it, 
 tolooketoit, and to be circumfped for fear of aftei-claps, 
 meaning, that a partiaU reformation would notterve. Cod 
 r I will 
 
V 
 
 (6o) 
 
 wffl never inditf-e (as hath been faid) the poftsand threfhold 
 of Ba*l> and his to fhnd together; the like more fully was 
 delivered by Matter Rogers^ that honourable Proto^martyry in 
 his dayes, when the Gofpell fhould be eftabliihed in Eng- 
 land, tf the Kingdameof Antichrist were not pitterly .cajhieredy 
 and tot all reformation made in Gods worJl;ip y that our perfecuti- 
 ett fhw Id be greater) andourtriall hotter, then in the dayes 
 when he and. other fufftredj if we will not remove that 
 which is an abomination to God, as this Booke is proved to 
 be,it is juft with God to caft,us away, One-more of this kind 
 from a Peer of this land, who on his death bed cryed, We to 
 England, becaufc they turned all their religion into politic : dan- 
 gerous experience hath taught us the truth of thefe predifti- 
 ons : for from that halting reformation after Queen Maryes 
 Aa.i6.28. death,wherein we pleafed our felves with Agrippa his almoft, 
 kithe originally? A/'/*, but a little ? the Babylonians and Edo- 
 mites, Prelates and J efuits, under the favour of their Canons, 
 got at. length, fuch footing, and made fuch head for Popery, 
 Arminianilinc, and that efpecially, bycaufingthe "b^Us of 
 that Service-booke to fwell, and heating the furnace of per- 
 fecution,that Religion and Politie, the two twins of Gods fa- 
 TuUie. vow, were ground like to Archimedes his tomb % fo overgrown 
 cap. 1 2.t4- frith t hornet, that it could not be found ; yea the woman in the 
 Revelation was brought againe unto thatftrait, as to think or* 
 nothing but of flight to the wilderneffe : And further, how 
 mghrwere our neighbours and brethren the Scots, to the pits 
 brinkeof mine, both of Religion and State, and that by re- 
 admittingof thefe fynonicall Prelates, and the Trojan horfe, 
 the Service booke to enter, out of which, if God had not 
 i-Sam.20.3 beaten the braines,we were like to have- had a new Eabylomjh 
 capiivit) ; yea, we. may both truly fay with Dai>id y Tberey?M 
 but aficp bei ween us and death ^ had not God fet in,as a prefent 
 helpe in our diftreffe, andraifedyou and others, the men of 
 Iris right hand, in the very nicke of needy our enemies (as the 
 Pfo.124 2. P falwifi laXhix) '■had.fivaiiotfedtaup alive. « 
 
 ~ Scft. As we are gone thus far with the danger paft, and partly 
 
 prefent 3 fo we defire your Honours lea\* y to prefent the ap- 
 pearance (as we conceive) of future danger, and that partly 
 
 to 
 
(6i) 
 
 to the Church, and State in general!, and partly more parti- 
 cular, to your felves, if this Service-book be not removed : 
 to make both the! e dangers mo re vilible, let us compare our 
 presentment with the ninth Pofition of Zions plea, in thefe 
 words, If the Hierarchy be not removed, and the Scepter of 
 Chrift s Government (namely Difcipline) advanced to its place y 
 there car, he no healing of enrjutre, no taking up vf our Contro- 
 ller fie, with God y yea our deflations, by his rareft Iudgements t are 
 like to be the aHovifhment of all Nations, 
 
 As the parts of the Pofition are foundly proved,fo the fame 
 may be laid of the Service-book e, and the very fame Argu- 
 ments concerning our danger wUllerve the one, afwell as the 
 other 3 wherefore we intreat your Honours to review the 
 Pofition, and its proofes, the Hierarchy and the Service- 
 Booke are refembled already , to Mother and Child, fo may 
 they be to two twins,begotten and born of Pride and Super- 
 ftition, nurfed and brought up in the lap of Covetoufiiefle ; 
 thefe twins are b^rn together, live together , and mufi dye toge- 
 ther : a great Judge returning from the Circuit of the Em- 
 peroursiervice,and hearing his Wife to be alive, replyed, 
 fivivat illa y morior ego, if ihe live, I am dead : fo if they live 
 (we meane their Callings,then our lire may prove worie then 
 death. God will beare with many fins, in a People profelTing 
 Chrift, but with keeping Chrift out of his Throne, by intru- 
 ding Officers and a Supcrfhtious worfhip, he will not beare, 
 especially of a long continuance •, but will be avenged of fuch 
 a People, if they be as the Jpple of hiseye^ witneffe Samuels 
 fpeechto the Ifraelites, who befides their deiiring a King be- 
 fore the Lords time, were faulty in many other things, as 
 appeareth verfe the 20. yet he telleth them, If they, and their 
 Ktng, will follow the Lord, theyfhould be th continue (for that is 
 the beft reading) where by following the Lord, is meant, ef- 
 pecially the ferving of him according to his will : but if they r Sam - ll - 
 ihould turne afide from following the Lord in a corrupt way ^' ■** ao » 
 of his worfhip, then the hand of the Lord fhould be againlt 
 them, as it had beene againft their Fathers, yea theyjhoulabe 
 eonfumed % both they and their King ; and as Samuel t,o terrific Verfe 17. 
 them called for thunder and raine ; fo we have felt, both 
 
 I 2 thunder, 
 
thunder and raine, Judgement yet mixt with mercie, both 
 from the mediate, and immediate hand of God , and do feel 
 It at this prefent,and to the end we fhould clear his Houf£-bf 
 corrupt worfhip. The yoake of the Philiftims was never re- 
 moved from the nccke of the Ifraelites, till they put away 
 their ftran^e Gods, and aAJhtaroth their fpeciall Idoll: But 
 When their humiliation was joyned with Reformation,then 
 the Lord gave, not onely deliverance, but alfo Vi&ory over, 
 1 Sa r 7 " and freedome from their Enemies. 
 
 gj^&C. 
 
 I L From the 'Danger of not doing' 
 
 s>8. h word now of the particular D anger 9 whereof we 
 
 make bold to give you notice ; as God hath honoured you, in . 
 calling you, to be the Reformers of Church and State, fo the 
 Cap.*f.i$. work^u grea^ as K^ehemiah faid, and the d Anger proportiona- 
 ble, if it be neglected. When God puttethhis feled: Ser- 
 vants upon high Imployments, whether they be Magi- 
 ftrates, or Minifters , knowing beft their weaknefTe , and 
 the many Impediments j he puts them on ever and anon , to 
 be couragious, not to feare or be afraid , and the ground of 
 jofua.i 9. allis, have not I commanded you I So the Lord giveth the 
 ]ei-eni.x,i7 prophet Ictemy a charge to Jpea^ali that the Lorcljhwldcom- 
 mind, and backeth it , with a threatning , be not difmayed at 
 their faces, left I confound thee y both the Hebrew and the 
 Septuagint hath it, left I make thee afraid. Saul his difobedi- 
 ence in fparing Agag and the fit of the cattle (notwithftand- 
 i'ng all his f aire pretexts ) with the fearefull punifltment inn 
 "flie'led by God upon him , may be a terrour to all men in 
 flat ft that they do not the work of the Lord by halves, and 
 &um,i4.*4 quarters , but that with Caleb they follow the Lord to the full. 
 The Lord hath laid his Command upon you to put away the 
 ^Excommunicate thing, and to cleanfe his houfe of Idols and 
 Idolothites , and blefled be that God whom you ferve ; ye 
 have begun, by your Edicts, though men of difobedience 
 hinder the worke : but folio w home the worke, we intreat 
 you, and remember thofe Achans, but above all put ''away 
 that Afhtaroth, the Service-book, for that we may well call, 
 
 fundi 
 
Fun M noftri caUmit as , the very Caterpiller of Gods Husban- 
 dry. Tofliut up this Motive, from the point of danger, be 
 pleafed to take notice, howGodbearcs in upon Mojes^ that 
 great Commiffion to Pharaoh to let his people go, and that Fxod. 4 . 
 both bywords and fignes, namely, bj turning lou rod into a 
 ferment, his handmade leprotu, and the waters turned into blood ; 
 which were not onely to confirm him, in his meiTage,againft 
 thefeareof his adverlaries, but more particularly to teach 
 him, that if he withdrew himfelfe, in part, or in whole* 
 from the worke, the Plague of Leprofie , of Blood, and 
 Biting with Serpents, nSould be upon him $ yea, God put 
 Mojcs upon a, prefent tryall of Obedience and Faith, by cau- 
 fing him to take the Serpent by the tayle, notwithstanding 
 of the danger to be bitten by it : we fpeake to the wife, who 
 can apply it better then we. 
 
 
 ChaP. X. 
 
 Of the Covenant, 
 
 THe third Motive for removallof this Booke, may be 
 taken from the Proteft anon dazed JM«J 5- .1641. Con* 
 firmed, fenr abroad , and iblemnly fworne unto ; yea , and 
 bound up with x publique Covenant , on the publike day of 
 Thankfgiving, byMjniiters and People, fothat it is an in- 
 violable Covenant ftneken betweene God and us, like unto 
 that in Nehemiab, which is there called a Jure Covenant, /t Nehe. 9.38 
 Written Qovenant > towbjch our Prtnces^ Mimfters and People 
 peak unto , from which we cannot depart, except we will 
 incurre thatfearfiill judgement thr earned againft Cotenant- Pfal.ij.4. 
 breakers, Emblemed out unto us in Scripture, by dividing 
 of the Sacrifices, anclcaufing the parties to goe betwixt them, Gcai M* 
 admonHhing, that God will fo divide them in his wrath, if 
 they fbrfake trie Covenant : The fubjed of the Covenant jct.34,1^ 
 coniifteth of three parts : In the firft we are fworne and tyed 
 to maintaine all the Ri^htsof Religion, King, and State : In 
 thefecondjtooppofeaji Perfons and Things, thatdooppofe 
 ♦ I 3 the 
 
the three former mentioned, and more fpecifically,to oppofe 
 with all our life and power, all Popery and Popiih Innovati- 
 ons, which Expreffions are thrice mentioned ; once in the 
 Proteftation, or oath, and twice in the Explanation : the 
 third and laft piece of the fubjeft, is the Peace of the three 
 Kingdomes England, Scotland, and Ireland, which we by 
 Oath are alfo bound -toinaintaine : Hence two - Arguments 
 wilioifothemfelves; one more direcHy, and the other by 
 way of conlequence. 
 se ft. For the former, if all Popery and Popifh Innovations are 
 
 to be oppofed, then it will follow, that rhe Service booke and 
 Ceremonies fhould beoppof e.cf,and by confequence, by your 
 Authority abolifhed, Verba Staruti [ant amylian&a , non re- 
 ftnngenda^ the words of Acts and Statutes for good , and 
 againft evil, are to be taken in the largeft extent ; but the 
 words themfelves, are univerfall enough. Now that the Ser- 
 vice-Book and Ceremonies therein contained, and preffed 
 upon mens Confciences, are Popery, We, and many others 
 have clearedjyea they arePopiiltInnovations,/v*4;w omnia an* 
 a Chrilio nonfunt, nova /tint , all things that are not from our 
 King CJirift in his Worfliip, are meere Innovations, as 7>r- 
 CtnLFrax- tnUtan was wont to call Praxeaj y heslermm Praxeam y z yefter- 
 dayes upftart: fo dne,and all of them, are Exotick and upftart 
 things ; It is true indeed by the Malignity of the Mafters 
 of thofe Ceremonies, the bulke wasincreafed, and would 
 have been like the Crocodiles, who grow fo long as they 
 have a being $ if you had not come in place of the Tutyrites, 
 a creature terrible to the Crocodiles,which leapeth upon their 
 backs and brings them to the fhoare ; but otherwife for the 
 p/is./i&.8. fcinde, they are all non c\t4jdem farina, fedfttrfurU y the fame 
 ca P- z *• kinde of Bran ; and as the Woman faid of the Foxes, If one 
 be good ; all are good. For the further confirmation, that they 
 are Popiih, we have proo£ from that Treatife of Ceremonies 
 Bible in annexed to the ■ Service-Booke : in fome antient Copies we 
 the Dutch have read, that they thought good to retame fome Toptjh fare* 
 letter,/*?*. ^^ . fo ut [ n another Coppy they call them the bid Ceremo- 
 nies retained fttll y all one in efFed. 
 St#. The latter argument, ; from the Preteftation, byway offe* 
 
 quHF 
 
P*£.2, 
 
 f*0 
 
 quell, is from our inutuall Covenant, and Oath, joyntly^ and 
 icverallyto maintaine the Peace or* the three Kingdomes, 
 which is impoflibleto be done, in the Opinion of our Bre- 
 thren the Scots, without Identity of Diicipline and Wor- 
 ihip ; witneffe the very words of the Arguments, by the 
 Scottish CojnmiiTioners, given to the Lords of the Treaty, 
 perfwading Conformity in thefe, to be the chiefc meanes of 
 Peace. 
 
 Wewilltranfaibefbmepaflages, for all we cannot, lea- 
 ving the thing it felfe to your honours review. It *j(fay they,} 
 t« be wifredy that tliere were one Confeffion of Faith ; one forme 
 cfCatechtJme y one direUory for all the parts of Gods pubitque 
 Worjhtpx as Prayer, breaching , administration of Sacra- 
 ments, &c 
 
 The Arguments that they ufe,are firft,from the Conjuncti- 
 on of jpirtt andprefence, both of great and f malt; of Affcmbltes 
 tn the £osat and other where ; where there is Oneneffe ofworfh'tp : 
 but by the contrary ^there is divtfor, where the worfhip is diver fe* 
 
 Secondly ,Untty of worfrip will extixgwfh thofe Nicknames; 
 as Puriranes and Shi/matiek*, put nponp-ofejprs. 
 
 Thirdly, This writ rxa^the Ministers of both T^atiens^ rv/tij 
 face to fact, labour firexttotffij, and cheer fxUyro butld up the Bo- 
 dy of Chrtft. ^ 
 
 Foarrhly,andla(tly, This w'tilbreakthe backjft^t Retufatts Pi£ ? 
 ktpe of brmgtng Rome into England, all Which works ftrongly 
 fbr-peace, theVenfe- whereof we cite, thoughnot theverV 
 words i But $f thrf iettitj of fferfttpbe nfr (lay the Commit- 
 tinners : y there is" no Hrtty i*i Polity orChxrcti to o^ffsoked for": 
 for as i all the form ercombuftions, .and ftorrny tempefts, for- 
 merly afoftfromthat'PopiiliServicc'-booke^bornem upon 
 them, wrlereby alirte three States were much indangcrcd : 
 fl tey ^ro£eiVe in ptarn'termes, : it i format ton fi 
 
 d? arty bought, jhalidganibr J}oil(d Ana* He faced ft cm England; 
 ar.d whatsoever peace rjhait be agreed ifpo'v- they do not conccivi>VagA, 
 how without R (formation it fhall ez\erbe firm .in J durable . for 
 
 chat Service Governement, and'Orncers, being none of 
 Cferift»;'butthe 'maine 'Evill , and the caufeof aU Evill in 
 rhe three Nations : that Maxime oblerved by the Cominii- 
 
 flOIKTS 
 
 II*- 
 

 (66) 
 
 ■. Goners, we may feare will prove too true, the fane caufes 
 will not fayle to produce the fame Effects : witneife Sjmeon 
 zn&Levyes dggm^ through the wally that is, the prefent con- 
 fpired Plots of Treafon, like to blow up all, if they be not 
 hindered, even when you and your Brethren are making up 
 the breach : Now as we are tyed by Oath to the prefervanon 
 • of this Peace, according to our Power . b We ca:< look for no 
 Peace with God, nor bleiiing from God $ if we give way to 
 . tha, or furfer that,acco ding to our po vV er,that breaketh this 
 peace. They lay in the Preface of the Ceremonies, that w$th- 
 
 ^.... opt. Ceretnoxtes u is tmp -jftbiejo tgfp Orfier^ or quia Dtjctplme 
 
 i> 'he Church. So we reply, that > ans ceremonies in God<s 
 _Worfhip, willfpo}le the peace and quietnelTe, both of Dis- 
 cipline and Worlrup, witnelTe the putting of the Arke upon 
 the Phililtimes Cai't,though it was a new one. ErajmkS tek 
 
 Apoph s 66. lethus, quQamaU nonjunt t^tHmahoUnd^ , Jed et-.am que 
 jpacum malt infe habenty things evill of themfelves,are not on- 
 ly to be aboli(hed,but thofe that have in them Appearance of 
 tvill. In all this, Noble Seriators,We take not upon us to put 
 uncouth glofles upon your Edids, but under favour, we ufe 
 the words without forcing, to overturne that which crofleth 
 the Truth and Peace of Religion and State : as Meanes con- 
 duce to the End, f o impediments f ruftrate the end, if they be 
 not removed. And now iince (under favour) We have pre- 
 fumedtoinlargeourfelves in this point of Peace, We beg 
 leave of your Honours to fpeake a word, or two of the Im- 
 probabilities of Peace here among our felves, without re- 
 jnovaH of that {tumbling block, the Service- Booke. People 
 can worfet>e without the Ordinance, then without Liber- 
 ties, Lives and Being. When Pewfy the Great, was about 
 to fupply Rome with food , in a great I amine, the -\ alter 
 of the Sliip told him, when he went aboard (a great Stormc 
 appearing) that he could not fayle and live. Fompey reply ed, 
 
 nxriV, JbAhf araOtflor, £■/ cum ifa/fj^^t* 
 
 There is neceffity of Sayling, but not of Living : and in this 
 cafe what fhall they doe ? for with this Mock-ordinance, or 
 Will-worfhip, of the Servtce-booke^ they dare not.joyne: 
 There are fucb multitudes of people (faith Smtftjmnnni) that 
 
 dif- 
 
(°7 / 
 dijlafte this BeohejhAt nnlejfe it be t*k** * c$ttrfe *ith*9 % there 
 
 n no hope of any mntuall Agreement ^ between Godt <LMtniftcrs 
 and their people. We will fay no more of this : but let the 
 fudden tumult raifed by that make-bate Service-Book in 
 Scotland,be a feafonable Caveat to us and all other Nations, 
 to ftrike with Authority ,left that which fhould be done with 
 the Right hand,be done unhappily- with the Left hand. 
 
 Here might be place for another Motive,namely,from the 
 reward , fed recle fecijfe premium, to doe nobly is reward 
 enough , God imployeth not man, propter indtgentiam, fed 
 propter mfinfficentiam, fo much lor any need of him,as for ho- 
 nouring of him,by that imployment :up then,as the Lord bidd- 
 eth you, your Honour (hall be blazoned through the world, 
 you ihall be called the Saviours upon Mount Zion in fetting 
 Chrift on his Throne , and the Kingdome ihall be the Lords. 
 
 Anf»er of the Surplice. 
 
 WEe had almoft forgotten to fay fomewhat of oue 
 ragge of the Ceremorues^namel^the Surplice, of all 
 the Idolatrous Rites nottheleaft,yca,worfe(we dare averre) 
 than that Plague fore Clout which was fent , as fhould ap- 
 peared infeci: Matter /^w,and the reft of the Houfej for this 
 ragge is fo infectious in Gods worfhip, that many thoufands 
 of Gpds people dare not joyne with it, and that upon good 
 grounds,as fnaU appeare : for as it hath been argued againft 
 all the rabble of the Ceremonies, it is mans device, and hath 
 beene an Idoll in Gods worfhip. 
 
 Therefore in the worfhip of God, it muft be anldollftill. 
 The Antecedent no man will deny , for it hath beene the 
 Matter Idoll in worlhip amongft the Papifts , fanCtifying all 
 other Idols, and without which,it is unlawfull to officiate. 
 
 The Consequent is as clear from induction of particulars 
 *s hath beene inftanced from groves and things of that na- 
 ture,yea,from the Brafen Serpent, though of God his Infti- 
 tution ; now according to the rule of Art,either let the De- 
 fendant give art inftance extra propofuum, belides the thing in 
 ~cpeftion ; or acknowledge the truth of the Confequent 
 
 rkb- 
 
( 6 *) 
 
 without contradiction. 
 
 This hathbecne a grand Inftrument of much mifchiefc 
 againft the Minifters and People of God, as we can (hew a*: 
 large,depriving the people ot their faithfull Minifters , and 
 the Minifter and theirs of all meanes of livelihood. The un- 
 lawfulneffe of this Babylom(h Garment will further appear, 
 if we looke to theoriginall whence we have it. 
 
 Wee muft either have it from heathen Rome , which in 
 GiSefiiu. ^er Idolatrous.fervice did Apilrily imitate Aaron his gar- 
 ments^ it is inftanced in the raigne of YV*«m,Soo yeares 
 after the Law ; or we muft have it from the Druides , the 
 mad Heathen Priefts amongft the Gaules and Britaines , or 
 from the Antichriftia Romejas we have indeed,it being one 
 of the Popifh Ceremonies retained : or, laftly, from the 
 Prieftly attire of A iron which Heathen and Popifh- Rome 
 hath impioufly followed, denying thereby the Lord Jefus to 
 be come inthefleflijWho with his graces was typified out 
 by thofe godly and beautifull garments, which being (ha- 
 dowes,are done away,and Chrift the Body is come ; tor us 
 C0U.17. then to imitate them in this fbolifh Relique , or to deviie a 
 Prieftlygarmentofourowneheadin Gods worftiip, is to 
 rob Chrift of his honour exceedingly, and to make our felves 
 deeply guilty of will-worlhip : Had not God himfelfe clo- 
 thed thofe garments in the Law, with a particular and pun- 
 ftuall command for matter and monner,they had beene foo- 
 lifb and ridiculous things : they made the holy garments 
 Exod.39, 1 ( faith cJW*/?.f>sthe Lord commanded : which later words, 
 s'mltr. as the Lord commanded,are repeated^as the learned obferye 
 nine 1 everall times in this Chapter, intimating that they did 
 PeUrr. not fwarve one jot from Gods direction, teachi ng all Gods 
 fervants thereby ,as the learned apply it (ntfe contmeant intr* 
 limttes verbi Dei ) that they containe themfelveswit hin the 
 Stm'er. limits of Godsword,& bring nothing into the fervice of God 
 of their own invention-: for the Apoftle cals that «9*fc0. >»*****» 
 wil-woriliip : this being fo, it appeares what evill workers 
 thofe Minifters are who with an high hand doe difplay this 
 Banner of the Man of (inne againft Gods owne face in the 
 time of his woririip,interpo{ing betwixt Gods prefence,and 
 Exod.39. theworfhip, and diverting of* the blefling upon the wor- 
 4*. fhip,for Mofcs is faid to bkffe the worke of the worfhip, up- 
 
 on 
 
on this ground,becauf e hefaw it done^at hhovah had comman- 
 ded. The Hebrcwes adde,and that truely,that becaule of this 
 the prefence of God was in it. 
 
 Wherefore we humbly intreat your Honours, as ye would E r 
 have God to be in his worfhip, and his blefling upon it, and 
 upon you and us in a perfect hatred of that menftruotu Cloth 
 and garment jpottednitb thcflejbjio caft it out, and all the reft, 
 as Carcaffes of abominable things : butwithall, we intreat 
 you , to fet the Mafters of the Wardrobe on packing with 
 them. 
 
 It isobferved as a cuftome among the Papifts , that they 
 bury their Prelates in all their Pontiricall robes , of which a 
 learned Divine tels us, he could give no reaion, except they 
 meant they ftiould doe fervice when they were dead, that 
 had never done any being alive. If your Honours will lap 
 up the Prelates in the Seare cloth of their owne Surplices, 
 and intombe them them in the Tabernacle of the Service- 
 Booke,imbalmed with the ftrange oyntment of their owne Genef.35.1 
 Ceremonies, and bury them under theOake that is in obli- Verf.5. 
 vion,as /acobdid the Idols of his family, and as our neigh- J°£ 2 -9- 
 bors & brethren have done with the likeftuffe,then the fear 
 of you ihall be upon all your enemies, and the childe that is 
 to come Ihall bleffe God for you. 
 
 CHAP. XI. 
 The Ohytiions. Q ^ 
 
 NOwywe come in the laft place, to remove 'feme Obje- 
 ctions, which we fhall (hew to be of no great weight, j ob\&< 
 and therefore we ufe the fewer words : § t % ' 
 
 The firft is from the Antiquity of the Servict-Bookc , to 
 which Doctor hah and others have received an aniwer by 
 Smtttjmr.ntu ; but fay it had Anttquuj without tiuth>it were 
 no better than a chficme oferrcur , ht nullum urn^m tccurnt 2 ofo# # 
 Deo 9 there is no pi efcription to the King of Kings, Se %l 
 
 The fecond Obyilion : \Ma*j good men have xjed #/, and 
 kksdit veU ; for anfwer, Tefltmnta ktmana *tnfacw*t /- 
 dm j Wans approbation is not current of it ielfc,tut as it buts 
 
 Ka upon 
 
 mm — -— -■ 1 t^ - — 
 
V7°; 
 
 upon the faithful! witneffe , otherwise it is an inartificiall ai> 
 
 gument,.as Ltgicians call it ; the Patriarchs ufed , and did 
 
 many things that were not approv cable ; fome good Kings 
 
 iKine \± 4 or ' l*dah t 3S Amjiz,i*h and lebofaphat , tooke not away the 
 
 i: 2 2^4 3. #<#& p/arc* . were they any whit the better for that ? yea,the 
 
 a King 1 3. filtering of them is fet up as the Kings fault ; it were better 
 
 4 tQ 9> to folio vv Hez,ek**h that tooke them away. Matter fVom- 
 
 mock? alleadgeth for the Service- book? , that Rome is not de- 
 
 molilhed in the firft day, and fo we alleadge againft it , that 
 
 good men in mending times , did either fee as farre as their 
 
 Horizon, or at lealt as they durB: : So wee have more light , 
 
 and are fet upon their fhoulders , therefore it is both (inne 
 
 and Ihame for us not to fee more, and doe more than they 
 
 did : Hez,ekiab did more than lofaphat y and lofiab more than 
 
 they both. 
 
 3. objeft. Thirdly, it is objected, that it hath many good things in it; 
 Se &- that is anfwered already, the Alcoran and Talmud have mar 
 
 ny good things in them : yea, the Apocrypha Bookes have 
 many excellent truths in them, are they therefore to be pre- 
 ferred in Gods worftup. 
 
 4. Objeit. The fourth objection is from a more convenient courfc of 
 St &' cortetting .of it r thav ofcajbiermg of it. For anfwer , what 
 
 King or State did ever yet- thrive irt mailing- and toyling 
 themfelves, to make clean e the Popes leprous llute,to bring 
 it into the worfhip of God ; but all that ever profpered in 
 that worke , made utter extirpation. Popes will be content 
 to heare of reformation , and give order for it to their Cardi- 
 nals, but they are joyned to their Idols , as Gpd fpeakes of 
 
 Hof.4. 17. Ephraim, Let them alone. 
 
 Secondly, this is not Gods coutfein reforming of his 
 houfe : as the rubbifli of the Leprous houfe was tG bee caft 
 out into an uncleane place* as hath beeneiaid ^ fo polluted 
 
 tc7.i*4.43 ( {ric^^ofldoiatroasiftr^k<^are not to be brought bv any 
 deairfmg, imtothc Waufe <)fGod> God commanded!* h& 
 people tothrowdowne the Altars of the Cmaamte: where 
 under Altars are comprehended all other abominations^they 
 [ were not to fet & new trim upon any of them 1 , frut betauie 
 itey. obeyed not the Lord^th^tmartedibrfc* Bkted &ee 
 
 'Ju4g.x»2, Goo* who hath pot it into year hearts^ tbftrflce ** *Alt*rs, 
 
 Mtks^fiimh C f € c *> *»dalltbc?yijb Idols jW«e are in 
 
 pood 
 
\ 9- S 
 
 good hope you will not leave a Popiih Relique in the Land, 
 neither in Church or Street , and then we may be fiire there 
 fhall no Cantxmte dwell in our Land : this fcr apt ng and pkk- 
 wgthat Mafter w^mmocl^ fpeakes of , will be no better then 
 paring of the nay Us , and [having mf the hatre, which as the 
 Great 7«r^/fiui of his Army, will quickly grow againe ; yea, 
 and grow againe the fader too : good medicines in nauiraU 
 things may be extra&ed out of ranke poyfons, but £o cannot 
 pure worfhip out of things polluted , being mans inventi- 
 ons j therefore the Prophet Efij telleth us, that nothing will Efa. 30.22. 
 fervc, but the cafting away of the polluted thing , not clean- 
 fing of it. 
 
 The fifth and laft obje&ion, is from A%s of Parliament , T. Objefi. 
 which the Service-bookmen make the ftafFe of their confr- Se ^* 
 dence ; and yet in truth , being well tryed, it fhall be found, 
 that they abufe the ftate and confeiences of men mod groffc- 
 ly. Dodor Hall and others, ftrike much on that firing., as 
 Parliamentary Ads peremptory eftablijhment;yet they make 
 but very harfn Muficke. A man would thinke that Doclor 
 Hall, being a learned Divine , would firft have laid this wor~ 
 Jhtp of Liturgy in the balance of the Sanftuarj, and tryed the 
 weight of it there, and if it had proved too light, (as furely it 
 would ) then to have counted it a piacle againft God and 
 man ; to offer to make up the waight with humane Lawes. 
 It is not unworthy your remembrance, how one of the later 
 brood of the Scotttjb Prelates, alleadging , or rather mif-al- 
 leadging before our late Soveraigne King fames > fome Act of 
 Parliament, for the eftablifhing and maintenance of the Pre- 
 lacy ; the King asked a Noble-man being by , being a great 
 Legtfi and Orricer of State, what he thought of thole Aclsf 
 the Noble-man reply ed , That it went never well with them, 
 fincc their Church men laboured more to be verfed in the ^Ac~l$ 
 of Parliament , than in the Atts of the Apostles. But to the 
 matter for all this cry, we are more than halfe confident,they 
 fhall have but little woollfor the Servtae-bookc from.the Ads 
 of State, when they are well looked into. Wee know not 
 *ny colour of confirmation for this Service- books, except that 
 Statute prehxed to it, which how Little it maket,U for it, let ieH^c.i. 
 the Words of the Statute teftifie,of which we ihaH let downe 
 tboXe that are moft pertjnent -> for it is neediefle to write 
 
 K 3 them 
 

 (7*; ' 
 
 thern'rii. In the fifth and fixth yeare of King Edward the 
 fixth, an AdwasitiadefortheefttblidiingofaBooke, cal- 
 led The Booke of Common -prayer > the which was repealed in 
 the firft yeare of Queene <J\tary> which Statute or repeak 
 was made voide by this fame A& the firft yeare of Queene 
 Elizabeth ; and that the afbrefaid Booke , with the altera- 
 tions and additions therein added , Hull ftand and be ; and 
 all Mimfters (Hall life the faid Booke, authorized by A&t of 
 Parliament in the faid fifth and fixth yeare of King Edward 
 the fixth, and no other. This is the fumme of the Statute , in 
 relation to the Subjecl:, namely, What Service- booke it is that 
 the Statute eftablifhetb 5 and for any thing we can fee,there is 
 not one paffage or title for confirmation, or eftablifhing any 
 other Servtce-booke, but that of King Edward the fixth} divers 
 Minifters in King lames his time urged with fubfeription, 
 anfwered the Prelates , True it was , that if they refufed , tbcj 
 and thetrs were like to he defoUted ; but iftheyyeelded, thej 
 fhou/d make themfelves trarfgreffours of the Lawes of the King* 
 dome, in fubferibing to another Booke th*» that , efiablifbed by 
 Law: the Prelates in preffing this fubfeription, forced two 
 Statutes j namely, the Statute alleadged by the change of the 
 13. ei'i^. Booke; and alfo another Statute requiring no fubfeription, 
 e*/.i2, but barely to the Art teles of Religion , which onely concerne 
 the finfejfion of true Christian faith y and the Dottrsne of the 
 Sacraments* 
 Seft. Now, to come to further anfwer ; let us grant by way of 
 
 Confeflion that there were an A# , or Acts for ratifying of 
 the Booke, which in terminu we cannot fee, (as Statutes\ife 
 to be expreffed) yet by the Law of charity and duty,we hold 
 our felves bound to beleeve , that a State profeffing the truth 
 of Religion, would never inad fo,for a Service-books of mans 
 device, as that k might be a fnare to the people of God , ha- 
 ving other ends ; as a kinde of uniformity, Jupplj for want of 
 Mimftery, and bringing Papifts to the Church, but not to preflc 
 it in the bulke beyond the fpheareofany mans Confcience, 
 witneffe a Rubricke in King Edward the fixth his Booke; but 
 give it tofpeakeas punctually for the Booke as they would* 
 have it , fhall it be fimply good ? for that, it is onely in the 
 power of a divine Statute fimply to make a thing good , all 
 Bivher, Hsmanisls, and Lawyers, that have written on the 
 
 Lawes* 
 
V / J J 
 
 Laws, concurre in this Maxtme, Omnium legum 'tnanU cenfu- Au9U *. j e 
 ra, niftdivtr.a legis tmaginem gerant, the power of all Laws is civit.Tki 
 void , except they bearctheimprefiionofthe Law of God : lib. 9. 
 the Orator gives a reafon for it, Lex diviva omnium legum cen- CicMb- 3. 
 fara, the divine Law is the ftandard of all lawes,. yea, a thfng di ^P*'- 
 evill in it felfe eftablithed by a Law,becommeth worfe,as the 
 learned tell us, itbecomineth armatatnytftitta an armed in- 
 juftice,' or with Lactam ins to the fame purpofe, legmme w\h- 1%. 4 . i n p. 
 riastn}erre> to do injurie in forme of Law, juft with the LucanJi.t. 
 Poet, \ufque datum feeler i well Engliilied and licenced. Ma y- 
 
 Which truth alio is cleared horn divine Authority : the 
 Pfalmt/i complaineth of the injurious evil! done upon Gods Pfal.f4.20. 
 Church and People, aggravating it from this, (that is) it was 
 framed by a dccrce- y vj\\\ch place,the Authour oiZyom Plca,zp- 
 plyeth very pertinently to the Hiet archie, proving it to be 
 the Maftcr-fin, wherewith the Church and State are pefte- 
 red, and for which eQ>ecially, God hath a controvert witfi 
 us, becaule it is decreed by a Law ; and as a Law for the Hie- 
 rarchie proved of no force to keepe it up, no more then the 
 late Lawes of Scotland could uphold their Prelates s. fo 
 grant that there were a Law for the Service-book, the thing 
 being naught , what could it help it ? Within thefe hundred 
 yeeres there was a Law in England, for the Popes fuprema- 
 cie, fay that were not repealed, ftood it either with Rea- 
 fon, Religion or Loyalty to fubmit unto it ? Yea, feme frag- 
 ments of Lawes are yet unrepealed in this land, that no ju- 
 dicious man will obey : neither have we alledged thofe evi- 
 dences upon this fulpition , to encounter with any Statutes 5 
 but to ftop themouthes of thofe men, who would make the 
 Statute-Law a blinde guide, under which their unlawrull cal- 
 lings,, and fuperftitious fervice, might march ruri'oufly againft 
 the word of truth. 
 
 Now, to come to an end, ( for we are ferry we could be SeZh 
 no briefer) we will onely anfwerthisXJ^w*, confifting of 
 theie two heads : Pirft , whether we do approve of any fetr 
 prajer in a more private way : And fecondly y whether we 
 do approve of any fet-ltturgte in publike ; to both thefe we 
 anfwer ingenuoufly as we thinke j and for the former, we do 
 thinke that parties in their infancie or ignorance , may ufe 
 forma of prayer fwd\ and wholibmely fet/or helps and props 
 

 (74) 
 
 of their imbecillity,y caliper Chriftians may do well to read 
 fuch profitable formes, the matter whereof may by fetting 
 ©f their affections on edge,, prepare and fit them as matter or 
 Meditation, the better for Prayer; but for thofe parties fo 
 to continue without progrefle to conceived prayer 5 were as if 
 children (hould ftill be poring upon fuelling, and never learne 
 to reade 5 or, as if children or weak ihould ftill go by hold, or 
 upon crutches , and never go right out. We may fay. of fen 
 ©wfrufed for infirmity, as Divines fay of the legallctrem^ 
 wej,inthci»tirm, that they were tolerable, not neccflkry ; 
 andfo vvhatfoevens, or may be faid in thebehalfeof it, is 
 not fo much (as we conceive) for the commendation of it, 
 as for the toleration of it for a time ; and for giving fatisfacl* 
 onto fcrupulous confciences, for the warrantable ufe of k 
 in cafe of neceflity. 
 $edl< To the fecond head ; for a fit forme of Liturgie in yublique 
 
 vveanfwer, that with all the Reformed Churches we do al- 
 low a found forme offet-liturgie^s an exampler, or prefident 
 of our performance of holy ordinance,but fo,that noneftiould 
 tiehimfelfe, or be tied to thofe Prayers , Exhort *tH*s y and 
 other things, in the Liturgie, much left ffeould it be violent- 
 ly thruft upon any Minifter or people \ which proves in very 
 deed a limiting of the fpirit, efpecially, in a Minifter able to 
 pray in and by the holy Ghqft, yea, it is a very tranfplantati- 
 on of the Effence or Nature of Prayer, wherein the words 
 are to follow the affeclions, and not the affections the 
 words, as it doth in the bell: fet formes, but for our Liturgie, 
 what can be faid for formes , or hath been faid , that cannot 
 be faid for the PopiCb Liturgie % but the clothing it in another 
 tongue ; yet this is preffed under great penalty , upon all the 
 • Minifters ; who , if they had the tongues of Angels, they 
 * mn 3*' {houldnotpray,till every rag and remnant of thatbe faid. To 
 fhut up the buiineffe, if this Liturgie, idque caput mali 9 being 
 the head piece of our evill were put away, weftiould have 
 no more ado about fuch a Liturgie 3 then the Mafters of the 
 Synagogue had, when after the reading of the Law and the 
 ASs t 3 . 1 5 p ro phets, they defired Paul to preach, where without que- 
 f«fe». ftion,as the learned obferve,Prayer was not wanting. 
 
 *B IN IS. 
 
I 
 
^^f*f ) f*^^^f > $-^^ i 4 > f >( ^$^f , f , # 
 
 2fcr#, 
 
 THIS Difcourfe was drawn up during the Regency ind Authori- 
 ty of the Old Service-Bool^, fince which time, the many Difeafcf 
 cleaving to it, have (it feems) occafioned the Death of it : and this, 
 the railing up of another in its Itead, of a new Calculation : So that, 
 I know not whether the Scrutinie here made into the former Book, will 
 in all Points touch with the latter : I fuppofe the Herings in the one 
 Barrel, differ not much from thofe in the other. 
 
 ^^^^^^^^^($^^^^^^^4^^^ 
 
Common-Prayer-Book Devotions, 
 
 Epifcopal Delufions ; 
 
 OR, THE 
 
 SECO^Cp DEATH 
 
 O F 
 
 The Ser vice-Book. 
 
 WHEREIN, 
 
 Theunlawfulnefs (with advantage) of the ImponYion of Liturgies, or 
 [tinted Forms of Prayer, or of the Worfhip of God ( and Tore efpc- 
 ciailyof the Englifh Service-Book^) is clearly and plainly demon- 
 strated from the Scriptures, and grounds in Reafon ; with Anfwers 
 to th; Arguments and Pleas infifted on, in Defence of the faid Im- 
 portions. 
 
 But they [hall proceed no further : for their folly fh all be manifefl unto all 
 men, a* theirs alfo was, 2 Tim. 3 . p. 
 
 His Spirit was flirred within him y when he far* the City wholly given to Ido- 
 latry. Ads 17. 16. 
 
 For this caufe was Iborn } and for this caufe came I into the world, that I 
 jhouldbear witnefsunto the Truth, Jonn, 18. $7. 
 
 - And fo will I go in unto the King,which is not according to the Law. 
 
 and if I perifh , I perifh ; He Iter 4. 16. 
 
 Am I therefore become your enemy, becaufe I tell you the truth \ Gal. 4. 1 6. 
 
 Adalterumeft, impium eft, (acrilegium eft, quicquid human') furore infix rait ur,ut 
 
 aifpcjitiodivinavi^letur. Cypi Lb. 1. Ep. b. 
 Veritatipotift nemo prefer ibere, nonj pactum tempvrum, no patrociniaperfonarum. 
 
 Teicul.de Velaiut. Vi.£. 
 Dollti, & in jpecirm fantlis, hoc confuaum, ut Cdterk Obiifto&nixiutrefiftant. 
 
 MuicuUs/nMat. p. 423. 
 
To the Confcientious Reader. 
 
 Christian Reader, 
 
 THIS cnfuing Difcourfe necdeth no E- 
 piflle to commend it, nor humane Patron 
 to protect it, an Epiftolary Porch can 
 add no more to ics worth, than a well placed 
 Beauty-Spot to a good Completion % whofe 
 Brightness is fet off by the contrary Blacknefs; 
 The Workman was- a perfon as well furnifhed 
 with Stuff,Tools & Skill for Temple^work, as 
 mod this laft learned Age hath produced, & the 
 weighty Truth he fo ilrcnuoufly preffeth in this 
 cnfuing Traft, was not the exercife of his Skill 
 and Parts, but the genuine birth of his Heart and 
 Conscience ; a Truth fo dear to him, that he 
 chofe rather to part with Liberty, Livelyhood, 
 and dear Relations, than to fhake hands and bid 
 farewel to (o endeared a Companion :a Truth for 
 which he had been a Sufferer in former Perfe- 
 ctions, and for adhering to which, he ended his 
 dayes in a kind of Exile,in this prefent Storm ; a 
 Truth that was fo revived upon his Heartland 
 fo powerfully preft upon his Confcience, when 
 the Blofloms of the Grave were upon him, and 
 the welcome meflengers of Death had fummon'd 
 him to his Reft, that he could not Dye till he 
 had Commended it, nay, Commanded it to all 
 that fear the Lord* The fubjedt matter being a 
 Defence of Pure Primitive Wn^n-,W^ _ 
 
To tbe x Eeader. 
 Patron but he that is our Lord and Law-giver, 
 who (lands with his Sword drawn to beat off all 
 Copemates in this his Prerogative, and although 
 FlLll <PERD ITIO^IS maf tug hard to juitle 
 Jefus Chrift out of his Throne, and to fit Para- 
 mount in the Temple of God , chopping and 
 changing Divine Institutions for Humanelnven- 
 tions, yet the day is at hand, when the Builder of 
 the Gofpel-Temple, dial I plead his right with 
 fury poured out : How light foever foine Safm 
 ticks 3 Latitudiiiarians, and others, homines omnium bora- 
 rum^ may fee by Inftituted Worfhip, yet in all 
 Ages of the World, the fmcere Servants of God 
 have chofen rather Banifhment and Deathman, 
 to embrace the Cuftoms of the Heathens, or the 
 Inftitutesof ^manSabylon in their Divine Service, 
 as both the Scriptures and Ecclefiaflical Wri- 
 ters fully demonilrate. Come vve to our late 
 times, even fmce the Wicnefles in the Marian days; 
 Where were more Learned, more God! y Men in 
 the World, than Carnvrigbt \Parhr, Reynolds, Green- 
 bam, Jm.s ? and who knoweth not that thefe and 
 many more of the fame heavenly (lamp, fuffered 
 extream Persecution, Deprivations and Banifh- 
 ments, rather than they would touch with the 
 Graven Images f he work of the Craftsmen ; that then TVere, 
 and nov? are j the Snares and Nets upon Mtjpdh and 
 Tabor ? Holy Cotton y Sbepberd ^nd iriaEny/Mter^cnii') 
 
 mmmhmdmimm^i^MMi rhnfr nrhrrr^ ^d 
 
To the Reader. 
 their dayes in a howling Wildernefs, than to defile 
 themfelves with Idols. Learned Cotton anfwering the 
 greateft Pretate then living, that Culm^ non Inftitutus, 
 was Idolatry. But becaufe fome who have been Pro* 
 feflors have now their eyes opened, with rafting the 
 Honyof Preferment,, Gain and Security, and there- 
 fore will not take the Perfons before mentioned as 
 competent Witneffes in the Cafe ; I might fummon 
 in a Jury of the ablefl: Confo: mifts in former dayes, 
 to give in their Verdict, for the Alignment & Con- 
 demnation of Invented Worfhip, In a word^ll our 
 Proteftant Writers,who contend with the Pap;ft>,do 
 ufe the fame Arguments againft their numerous Ho- 
 ly-dayes, their Oyl-Crifme, their HolywaterMafs, 
 Ore. as we do againft Holy-dayes, and other retained 
 Services and Ceremonies : But becaufe I will not 
 keep you too long from the Banquet this Book pre- 
 fents you with, take only a moft famous Prophet of 
 their own^the Learned Bifliop ofWtnchefter, Dr. An- 
 drews, in his Expoficion upon the Second Com- 
 mandment ; his words are thefe. |C This Command- 
 * c ment Tbbicb concerns the manner of Worfl?if) 3 contains a 
 li Precept fet doV>n by Tt>ay of Prohibition in thefe Tbords, 
 "NON FJC1ES TlBl SCULPTILE : The Sanson 
 « in thefe word^EGO ENIM DEUS TUUS SUM Zfi- 
 
 LOIYPUS. Shewing how they [hall be cornfted that 
 
 will not be directed by this Law. 
 11 Concerning the Performance of this Worflnpjwo things 
 €i are commatided , firj} % God Tfrifl favz__MI2J21LMm-m 
 
 
To the Trader. 
 « A SE TRESCRIPTUM. Our ferVtce tnuft be done 
 "in that manner htmjelf prefoibes. Non fimulacrum^ 
 " non Imago damnatur led non facies tibi, thou (halt 
 (i not make i&^vktkhk, Invented and Will-Worflrip , devifed 
 €i by Man^ is hire forbidden. ---Men would have Worfhip 
 " of their own y whereat God hath told them> whatfoeVer 
 rc thing I command you s obferVe to do it j thou fruit not add 
 " thereto jiordiminijh from it. Hoc tancum facere^ quod 
 *' Deus precepit-W he brings inareajon ajjigned by Chri- 
 Cl foftom, Qui bonoratur, is maxime eo honore de- 
 u le&atur, qucm ipfe vultj non quern nos volumus^ 
 <l non eft honor^ (ed dedecus 3 fi vel contra^vel pre- 
 <c ter rnandatum fiat. It is rather a dtjgrace than honour 
 li to God, to Worflnp him either again/1 or bejides his own 
 * Rule. 
 
 Since therefore you have fuch a Cloud of WitnefTes, let us 
 r.in with patience our prefent race & follow them who through 
 great Tribulation have adhered to Jefus Cbrifl. It you can 
 itand before the wrath of a jealous God, if you can drink the 
 dreggs of the Cup of his fury, then adventure upon SNorfhip 
 of a humane Original and Generation. But I leave you to the 
 confc.ientious perufal of theenfuingDifcourfe, which is till 
 fraught with cogent Arguments, for the Authority of ]tfns 
 ffirift) and.againft the frothy Impofixions of defiling Inventi- 
 ons. in the W.orfiip of God. The Lord grant that the living 
 Words of thlsT>ead Saint, may be bkffedto the purpofe by 
 him intended, to the awakening of fome who are now fnore- 
 Nah. Ill gJ Q fhe Lap of the '•'* well-favoured Harlot^ and to the 
 4. eftablifhment of others in the prefent Truth. 
 
 C. WV 
 
 n 
 
 £MVL. 
 

 Common-Prayer»Book Devotions, 
 Epifcopai Delufions: 
 
 OB, 
 
 The fecand Death of che Service-Book. 
 
 THE Liturgy, or Common- Prayer (commonly ufed in our 
 Paritri Churches ) relateth unto the confcience of him that 
 ufethit, and of him that defireth to be underftandinglyfa- 
 tisfied about the lawfulnefs or unlawfulnefs of the ufe of it, 
 both in the matter and form, orfubftance, but efpecially in the injun- 
 ction or impofition of it by men. I ftuli (atprefent) not fay much 
 unto it in the former relation ; only, in cafe the impofition were taken 
 off, and Minifters and People left at full liberty, the one whether they 
 would read it, the other whether they would attend upon it orno» 
 thete (amongit many other) particulars would be very conhderable. 
 
 i . Whether God, under the New Teftament,or fince Chrlft afcen- 
 ded on high to give gifts unto men, ever commanded, or required, or 
 fpakc a word of luch a thing ? or, whether ever jV came into his mind^ 
 or ^4rf,(Jer.7.3L & 19. ?.) to be worfhippcd by his Saints in their 
 Publick Aflemblies, by a (tinted form of Liturgy and Prayers, not to 
 be altered or varied from, from generation to generation, upon 
 any imergencies of Providence whatfoever, unlefs the Powers 
 and Potentates of the Earth (hall interpofe with their Swords and 
 Scepreis to command it ? and coniequently, whether they who draw 
 near unto bim in this Worfhip, have not as much caufe to fear the 
 breakin a -out of his Jealoufie upon them, as Nadab and Abihn had 
 for offering- grange pre before the Lord y which he commanded them net ? 
 (Levit.io/i.) and whether the patience and long-fuffering of God, 
 exercifed towards peitons offending in this kind in thefe dayes,be not 
 t0 lead them to repentance ? Rom. 2 . 4. 
 
 2. Whether, in cafe it weie (or,upon good grounds, could be) fup- 
 pofed, that it may be pleahng enough unto God to be worshipped by 
 his Saints in their holy AiTembltes, with fet forms of Liturgies and 
 Prayers, being left free, and not impofed, [namely it they be,fcr mat- 
 ter and form, irreprovabic, or fuch as they may be] it could notwith- 
 (Undin a reafonabiy be fuppofed withall, thatWorihip according to 
 
(2) 
 
 any model or draught of Liturgy, or Prayers whatfoever, would be 
 thus pleafing.unto him ; More particularly, whether a Worfliip, con- 
 form to the image of fuch a Liturgy, as we (hall now characterize, or 
 defcribe (in part) would be in any degree pleating unto him ; as viz,. 
 i. which fhall be a rhapfody, medley, or confufed heap of a multitude 
 of ingredients, heterogeneal, and of oppofit natures, 
 
 {JMoUia mm dttrUy fine fonder e habentia fondut y 
 Things Toft and hard, things weighty>and things light, 
 (as the Poet defcribes the conftirution of the old Chaos) no more meet 
 to be moulded together into the fame body of an Evangelical Worfhip, 
 than God under the Law judged an Ox or an Afs to be yoked together 
 for fervice in the fame plough ; as for inftance, Canonicals, and Afo- 
 cripbalsy the heavenly fayings of Cbrift y znd the fabulous reports of 7V 
 bit, the Pfalms of David, and the Song of S. Ambro{e y Magmfic*t, and 
 Quicunqtte vult^ paffages and expreflions, fome grave and ferions, fo- 
 lid and diftinc"t; others, ludicrous and light, barbarous, obfcure and 
 truthlefs. 2. Wherein the Prayer-devotion prefcribcd, is, or {hall 
 be, ordered with thatftrange unfutablenefs to the fimplicicy of the 
 Gofpel, that t. the Lord's Prayer, which was delivered by him with 
 a fpecial intent to prevent bittologies, or vain repetitions in prayer, 
 (Mat.6.7 } $ y p. compared) is itfelf injoynedtobe iepeated,over, and 
 over, and over, (and I know not how often) without any reafon given 
 (or. eafte to be taken)for any one of thefe repetitions in their refpecYive 
 places : this difpofition of it can be refolved into no other reafon or 
 caufe, but the meer phanfy and will of the Contriver, who by it,feems 
 to have been a&ed by the fpirit of this fuperftition ( condemned by 
 Chtifty Mat. 6.7.) that men fhall be heard for their much Jpeakixgi or 
 for the talc and number of their prayers, onlyfaid over and repeat- 
 ed.. Befides, this Prayer is ordered to be at the fame time audibly pro- 
 nounced by all the Congregation and Minifter together,tn fome of the 
 £aid places. Again, 2. the great body of this Prayer-devotion is fo 
 ill handled ( not to mention the unfound conftitution in feveral veins 
 and parts of it) that it is divided in funder, and fome parts of it fe- 
 vered from others, in feveral places, by Pfalms and Songs, by Chap- 
 ters, and broken piecesof Chapters ( under the falfe titles of EfiQles 
 and Goffeis, whereof they are but fmall fnips or frireds) by Creeds or 
 Confeflions of Faith thruft in between : and befides, it is in fome pla- 
 ces chopped onninced into fmall pieces or particles, and a diftribu- 
 tion of them made, fome to the Minifter and fome to the People, as if 
 the People were to be the mouth of the Minifter unto God, as well as 
 be theirs in the publick AiTemblies .*; yea,, when Minifter and. People 
 
(3) 
 
 arc ifting their parts in thefc drains of Prayer interchangeably affign- 
 cdunto them, there is fuch a bandying and toiling of devotions to 
 and again, from one to the other,in a gingling and mymmical manner, 
 that u much icfcmbics the jolly fcenc of a fet of Ale-infpired Com- 
 panions, chanting their drunken Catcnes upon a bench. 3. Where 
 this great body of praying-devotion is compounded and made up of 
 many leflkr bodies of prayers, the greateft part of which are more in- 
 tire and diltinft bodies in this kind, than the main body or bulk ra- 
 ther, made up of them all, bsing clofed and fealcd up (refpe&ively;) 
 with fo many Amens. Which is a method, or manner of praying, no 
 where recommended unto us in the Scriptures by the Holy GhofL 
 4. Where there are appropriate devotions, as Prayers (under theA- 
 pocryphal name of Colletts) Epiftles, Gofpels, fclc& Chapters,^, for 
 leveral dayes (forced by the unjuft hand of humane powers; out of that 
 allowance of fix dayes in the week, which God himfelf was pleafed 
 to make unto men, to provide themfelves by their honeft labour of 
 things needful for this prefent life, and dedicated by men to the ho- 
 nour and fervice of certain Saints long fince dead) and fo thefe days, 
 though but of humane confecration, are here made equal in all points 
 with the Lord's days themfelves. f. Where the Service prescribed 
 and enjoyned under the fpecious pretext of being Divine, confifting 
 of fhort pieces or Sentences of Scriptures, of a Confeflionof Sins, 
 of an Abfolution, of the Lords Prayer, repeated, and repeated, and re- 
 peated ; and fo of the Doxology (fo called) in like manner repeated, 
 over, and over, and over ; of whole Chapters for LeiTons, of broken 
 Chapte 1 s for Epiftles and Gofpels ; of pieces of Chapters, as Magni- 
 ficat, Benedifiuiy Nttncdimittu, &c. (with the Song of S : Ambrose) to 
 feparate between LefTon and LelTon (as if there were fome danger, or 
 inconvenience at leait, if they ftiould come too clofe together) of the 
 Ten Commandments, with as many Lord have mercy up <on $§**• of a 
 long Letany (fo called) of Vcrficies and Refponds, of Collects and 
 Prayers in abundance, fome for all men, fome for Chrifts Church mili- 
 tant here on Earth, fome for Bilhops, Paftors and Curates, (as if thefe 
 were Members of the Church triumphant) and fome for fuch other oc- 
 cafions as the Policy and Piety of the Compilers could agree upon) 
 and laftly of a pair of Creeds* the repeating of one of which being 
 required of the whole Congregation, requircth the meft ignorant and 
 prophane wretch in it, to profefs and fay that he bclieveth as much (if 
 not more) as the moft knowing and worthieft Chriftian ; yea, and that 
 he beiieveth that which I believe no man underftandeth upon any good 
 grounds what it meaneth, (I mean that Chrifi defended into Hell) the 
 
 B 2. _ _ ._ nrhgr 
 
(4) 
 
 ether impofing upon all men fuch a Faith as of abfelute nccefllty unto 
 Salvation, which the Scriptures no where require upon fuch terms, 
 of any man, and which is not found in many found Christians, if in 
 any. Where (I fay) the Service enjoyned, confifting of all thefe 
 Members and Parts now mentioned, muft needs be tedious and tire- 
 fame unto the People, fpending and wafting the beft and frefheftof 
 their attention, and fo indifpofing them to attend unto the preaching 
 of the Gofpel, and the words by which they muft be faved : as if the 
 project and defign of it had been to intercept the great Duties of prea- 
 ching and hearing the Gofpel preached, by rendnng the wearied Mi- 
 nifter lefs capable of the one, and the wearied People lefs capable 
 and defirous of the other. Now then, I repeat from afar, and ask, 
 Is it not very confiderable (or rather indeed is it worth any confidera- 
 tion at all ? ) whether God will be pleafed with a Worftvip presented 
 unto him in the fhape and form of fuch a prodigious Liturgy as that 
 which hath now been defcribed ? unlefs (haply) men think that a Wor- 
 fhip made up of various pieces, and thefe of different colours, is as 
 honourable, and fo as acceptable unto God, as Jacob thought a parti- 
 coloured Coat would be unto Jofeph, his Son : Or doth not the Liturgy, 
 the lineaments and feature of which have been prefented, as perfectly 
 refemble the Common-Prayer-Book, as face anfwereth face in the wa- 
 ter? 
 
 3. It calls for fome confideration likewife, whether it be poflible 
 (in an ordinary way, or without a piece of a miracle) for a man or a 
 woman, to keep up his heart fo much as in a tolerable pofture of de- 
 votion, reverence, and attention unto fuch prayers,which having been 
 fram'd by men, and thefe not of any known excellency above their 
 neighbours, are, in refpeft of their original, lefs confiderable, and af- 
 ter Jong familiarity more obnoxious to contempt, efpecially when he 
 can (well nigh) fay them by roat beforehand, and of which he is able 
 to fay (with him in the Comedy) Plus mllliesjam audlvl I have heard 
 them more than a thoufand times over already, The common faying 
 (verified by experience more than enough ) is, familiarity breeds con- 
 temp and neglect. And God himfelf judgeth it necelTary to confult 
 his Glory, [ I mean, a religious awe, reverence, and efteemof his 
 Counfels and Works from men] by concealing the one and the other, 
 until the time of their bringing forth, that fo they may come frefh 
 and new unto them. It is the Glory ofG§d to conceal a thing, Pro. 27.2. 
 And fpeaking of his Works (I fa. 48. 7.) They are created now, and mop 
 cf old, and even before this thou htar deft them not, (fo the former Tran- 
 slation) left thottftould fyy*. Behold^ I\new them ', implying,that then 
 
(* ) 
 
 (commonly at leaft) left mind or regard the declaration of fuch things 
 unto them which they knew before. And upon this account ( doubt- 
 lefs) our Saviour fpeaketh thus (Mdt. 13. 52.) Therefore everj Scribe 
 [i.e. every Doftor, or Teacher] which isinftrnfted unto [or, for] the 
 Kingdom of Heat en, [#, e % is worthily or meetly qualified for the work 
 of the Miniftry of the Gofpel, by which the Kingdom of Heaven is 
 promoted in the world ] u like unto 4 man that u mm honfboUer, which 
 bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old. Now an ability to 
 pray, being as neceffary an endowment for a worthy Miniver of the 
 Gofpel, as a gift of preaching, the Apoftles themfelves (as it feems, 
 AU.6. 4.) giving it the preheminence in the exercife of their Mini- 
 ftry : that Minifter who fhall pray little, but only reade a longfome 
 beadroll of Prayers long and fhort, ( if yet they may be called Prayers, 
 fomeof them being termed ColieSis ; the greater part or number of 
 them being imbodied,and this body (imamed Letany) a work, the per- 
 formance whereof requires not the beft of the abilities of an ordinary 
 Schoolboy of feven years of age, and therefore very improper and un- 
 comly for him to beftowfo much time upon, who fhould be, yea and 
 who pretends to be an Ambaffador from Chrift unto the World, one 
 of a thoufand,<£v. fuch a Minifter, I fay,that fhall perform the praying 
 part of his Miniftry at fuch adefpicable rate as this, is not like to 
 draw many into part and fellowship with him in his worftiip of God, 
 but fuch who know not that God whom they woriliip, nor care much 
 either to know him, or how to worfhip him as they ought. The igno- 
 rance, the prophanenefs, the wickednefs, the licentious and debauched 
 lives of the greatcft part of that generation, both men and women, 
 who are the zealous followers of the Common-Prayer-Book Miniftry 
 in the Nation, will feal the truth of thefefayings faft and fure. 
 
 4. Neither is this to be lightly pafled over by thofe that ftand in 
 any awe or dread of th* jealoufie of God, that the Liturgy or Com- 
 mon-Prayer we fpeak of, fmclls rank of the Popifh Mafs-Book, being 
 (indeed fome flight interpolations, or new furbufhings, with fome ac- 
 commodations to fecular or civil ends and purpofes amongft us, only 
 excepted)little elfebut the fubftance,matter>& contents of this Book.. 
 This consideration alone is fufficient to render it the abhorring of their 
 fouls, that undeiftand any thing (almoft) of the nature and dreadful 
 feverity of divine jealoufic ; as that any little fpark, not only of right- 
 down or broad-fae'd Idolatry, but of any tiffling dalliance, or wanton 
 compliance with it, will caufe it to fmoke againft thofe that fhall pro- 
 voke it in this kind. Husbands that are jealous, are not able to bear, 
 not only the grofs aft of Adultery in their Wive s y but not fo much as. 
 
any familiarity or correspondence, any light or loofe behaviour, with 
 known Adulterers, or perfoiis (irongly futpe&ed of that Wickednefs. 
 Under the Law God ftrictly prohibited fuch things unto his People, 
 which were in themfelves lawtuUnougb, (though not necetTary) be- 
 caufe they were obfcrved by their idolatrousNeigh.bours.See,read,con- 
 fider and compare at leifure, £*?;/?, i?. 27,28.8c 21.5,6. Deut. 14.1,2. 
 with/p. 15.2.7^.48. 37. & 9.26. & 2^23. & 49.32. (according to 
 th* import of the Original, noted in the margenc of your larger Bibles, 
 atthefe three Iaft Texts) and Dent. 12.30. they are charged by him not 
 to ask or enquire, How did thefe Nations [being idolatrous] ferve their 
 gods, that I may do jo hkemfe ? And in the New Teftament, Chrift in- 
 fifteth upon the practice of the Gentiles, as an argument todiiTwade 
 his Difciples from taking thought for outward things, For after all thefe 
 things do the Gentiles feek, y &c. <JMat % 6^z t Betides, for Saints to bor- 
 row of a fupeiftitious , wicked and idolatrous Generation, Enemies 
 unto God, and to all that truly love and fear him, a Model or Plat- 
 form of Worfhip to be prefented unto him, by which they have (in 
 conjunction with other unhallowed Artifices) fupported, nourifhed, 
 and kept up an Anrichriftian Intereft for a long time in the World ; 
 when as they [the Saints] have the manifold Wifdom of God before 
 them in the Scriptures, and may have his Spirit alfo for the asking, to 
 direct and teach them how to worftiip and ferve him acceptably, from 
 time to time, muft needs, in the eye of Reafon it felf, be fpiritually 
 urn itural, and mott unbecoming thofe who pretend to the high honour 
 and dignity of being Children of Light* The Apoftle Paul pleads 
 this twice together, by way of bar to the eating of things offered unto 
 Idols, by Chriftians ; The Earth is the Lords , and the fulnefi thereof, 
 iCor.io. 26,28. The connexion of this reafon, with that which he 
 defires to perfwade unto by it, is this, It is moft unworthy the Sons and 
 Daughters of God, to defile themfelves with eating the Devils meat, 
 [that which hath been facrificed and given unto him] whereof he hath 
 no great plenty neither, whenas their Father is Lord and Owner of a 
 world of Provifions clean and wholelbroe, wherewith they have no 
 caufe to fear or doubt but that he will fufficiently fupply them. And 
 of thofe who did or fhould prefume to eat of the Devils portion, he dc- 
 mandeth argumentatively, and with great earneftnefs and vehemency 
 of fpirit, thus : Do we provoke the Lord unto Jealoufie ? [that is, to the 
 fievceft of his difplcafure againft us] Are rveftronger than he f [meaning 
 othevwife that we are not like to efcape the feverity of his anger, if we 
 continue fo to provoke him] 1CV.10.22. Is it not altogether as ill 
 confiftent with the Wifdom, Honour, and P^ace of Believers in thefe 
 
 days 
 
(7) 
 day* to be found of that Wor(hip which bath been devifed, contrived, 
 formed and fafhioned (no man knows by what Rule, nor by whofe Di- 
 rections) by men juftly given up by God unto ftrong delufions, and to 
 believe ra> 4su/«, that Lie of Lies, zThef.i^n. and to walk in abomi- 
 nable Idolatries (as Teter fpeaketh) whenas God, in and by the Scrip- 
 tures, and fupplies of his Spirit, hath vonchfafed unto them means 
 and opportunities in abundance to inable thcmfelves toworfhiphim 
 with a Worfhippure and clean, no ways charged 01 encumbred with 
 any fufpicionor jealoufieof Satansintcrpofure with the leaft of his 
 Fingers in the moulding and flaming of it. 
 
 That which is commonly pretended to hide the bafenefs of the Pa- 
 rentage or Original of the Liturgy impleaded, is but a vail that is tran- 
 fparent, and eafily feen thorow, by thofe that are willing to examine 
 it, and look a little narrowly into it. For the Martyrs, and other pi- 
 ous and learned men, in whofe weaknefs the importune Commenders 
 and Obtruders-of this Liturgy (our apocryphal Lord Bifhops, with thofe 
 that are younger Brethren in the fame iniquity with them) do fo much 
 glory for advantage fake, as if they were the Fathers or Compilers of 
 it; the truth is, they were neither fo, norfo, unlefs in a diminutive 
 fcnfe onely, and that which is not much confiderable for their pur- 
 pofe. And if they had b:en as defirous to honour thofe Martyrs and 
 pious men they fpeak of, as they are to exalt themfelves, theyfhould, 
 with the good Sons of 7vW>, have caft fome covering over their naked- 
 nefs, and not publifh it upon all occasions, as now they do, unto the 
 world ; with an intent to cover, or rather to juftifie their own by it. 
 Some, afterwards Martyrs,and other good men, were (indeed) the Au- 
 thors of our Englifh Liturgy, as fuch, (I mean as Englifh) and (haply) 
 as wanting many (trains of that grofs Superftition, Error and Idolatry 
 which are found in the Latin Mafs-B»ol^; and likewife as having fome 
 few things of letter moment added and infcvted by way of accommo- 
 dation to the Civil State ; the Romijh yoke, as Well in Civil as Eccle- 
 fiaftick affairs, having been newly caft of by it. Nor do I doubt but 
 that much may be pleaded, and this very Chriftianly, for the juftifica- 
 tion of thofe worthy and good men, in refpe6t of the uprightnefs of 
 their hearts, the honefty and fincerity of their intentions in the Work ; 
 who by a little refining of the faid Popifti Devotions, and by altering 
 the property of the Language wherein they were written, thought they 
 might make them commodious enough for Snglifh Proteftants : yea, 
 and (probably) they might fuppofe that when they brought the Service 
 of God (fuch as it was, and they it feems efteemed it fuch as by a little 
 purgation might bc-.cletnfed from all the novfom dreg^fPopgfv i |nd 
 
fo become lawful) out of an unknown Tongue, intaa Language which 
 the People underftood, they had (in a good fence) brought light out tf 
 darkpefs, and fo might be well apaid in their Confciences with their 
 Work. But though it be granted that they were perfons of eminent 
 worth, both for their Piety and Learning, yet (queittonlcfs) they were 
 no Prophets ; or elfe the fpirit of Prophecy failed them, in reference 
 to the event and confequcnce of their Common-Prayer-Book At- 
 chievement. For had they fo much as once dreamed that this Book 
 would prove fuch a Root of Bitternefs unto the Nation, as it is too 
 well known it hath been ; that it would create thofe fad ditteuipers, 
 thofe divifions,diftra&ions, tumults, and confufions, whereby both (in 
 and farrow have been abundantly encreafed amongft the inhabitants of 
 the Land ; or that it would be'an Engine in the hands of men of unmer- 
 ciful & high-impofing Spirits, wherewith to rack the Confcicnccs,and 
 wreck the Comforts, Liberties, Eftates, dv. of many thoufands of 
 the Saints and dear Children of God in the Nation, being at this day 
 employed, and like to be employed in thefe bloody executions, (unlefs 
 the Righteoufnefs of God will pleafe to reftrain the remainder of the 
 wrath of men.) Had (I fay) the good men we fpeak of, but once drea- 
 med of thofe prodigies of mifchief whereunto our unhappy Service- 
 Bookhath been highly accelTary, we may be groundedly confident that 
 they would never have found either heart or hand to lift up toward the 
 promoting of it. Bur in them is fulfilled tht latter part of this old 
 Diftich: 
 
 KOLI 71 J\?Kfi)> U.y*&h$7(U y fc8n*5 K0CK0V. 
 
 (jooi Fruit on bad Intendments [ometlme grows ; 
 And from good meanings fometimes Evil flows. 
 
 f. (And laftly upon the prefent account) It is not unworthy his con- 
 federation whofe heart is firmly fet within him to pleafe God in wor- 
 shipping him, that the Liturgy or Prayer-Book, into which we are yet 
 enquiring, is like unto a Net, which feldom enclofeth any good Fifh, 
 but multitudes and great fholcs of thofe that are bad. It is fuflficiently 
 known that the great body or bulk of thofe that go wondering after it, 
 and can favour no other kind or manner of Worfhip (at leaft none 
 comparatively)but that which the tradition of this Book teacheth them, 
 are (more generally) men and women of one or more of thefe fad cha- 
 racters, ignorant, prophane,fuperftitious, time-fervers, fearful, un- 
 believing, baters of thofe that are good, Drunkards, Adulterers, Ex- 
 
(p) 
 
 tortioners, Covetous, &c. And though the proportion otoneofaGtj, 
 and two of a Tribe, of perfons of Conference, and truly fearing God, 
 at vvhofc Judgements and Conferences the Convidions of the Unlaw- 
 fulnefs of that Worfhip are not yet arrived, may be found in that 
 Crowd ; yet it is hardly credible that fuch as thefe (hould at any time 
 partake in it with any great contentment, or good apayment of Soul. 
 Perfons of crazy and ill-aboding Confciences, efpecially, if they be 
 as well outwardly as inwardly obnoxious, are therefore (in all likeli- 
 hood) fo impotently devoted to the Book and Prayers we fpeak of, be- 
 caufe thefe take pity on them, and intreat them gently ; according to 
 the common faying, Mijfa non mordet, THE MASS BITES NOT : It 
 is not like unto the Spirit of God in the mouth of his able, faithful 
 and zealous Minifters,of afearching,expoitu!ating, convincing,lharp- 
 lv-reprovin CT nature ; the found of it is not like that of Thunder, to a- 
 waken or terrifie men, but as the noife which a foft and gentle Iheam 
 makes among Pebble Stones, which difpofcth unto deep, 
 
 Now amongtt many Arguments which war ftrongly againft the 
 faid Book, and Worfhip dilated therein, this (methinks) ihoulddo 
 thorow execution upon the Judgements and Confciences of thofc that 
 arefpititually-minded, and make treafure of the Love of God, wi. 
 That they that are fo zealoufly addicted unto them, even to the hatred 
 and persecution of thofe that in the ufe of them cannot fay Amen with 
 thsm ? are more generally, if not univerfally, perfons much eftranged 
 from the life of God, and affectionate lovers of this p-efent world. 
 For it is no light preemption of the Carnality of a Worfhip, and that 
 it is fuch as pleafcth not God, when it fo pleafeth his Enemies, (for 
 fuch are all thofe that live not in fubjedion to his Laws, L^. 19.27. 
 Rom.%*7.) and withal, is of an uncouth aud horrid taftc unto thofe that 
 love him and kjef his Commandments. It is a fign of the voice of a ftran- 
 ocr and not of Chrift, when the Sheep of Chrift do not hear it,but flee 
 fiom it, 'John 10.4,^27. Andthereafoningof this Apoftle ^ 1 J^.4. 
 c .) about matter of Doc~t:ine, is as demonftrative in the cafe of Wor- 
 triip now before us : They are of the World [i. e. Teachers of whom I 
 admonifh you that you take h^ed, are of the favnz genius with the gene- 
 rality of men in the world, who love Eafe, Pleafure Riches, Ho- 
 nour, &c.~\ therefore fpeak^they of the World y or u7? KcC/u*, out of, 01 
 from'the world ; [that is, they enquire and obferve how matters go in 
 the world, that fo they may know how to promote their worldly Inte- 
 ieft,and accordingly they frame their Doctrines and Teachings :] And 
 the Ivorld heareth them ; [that is, perfons worldly-minded fall in readi- 
 ly and ^recdily with them, theii Doctrine fo well fuiting their Prin- 
 
C io ) 
 
 ciples,Difpo(itions and Defires.] So when a Form or Method of Wor- 
 ship (for there is the fame reafon of Worfhip and Doctrine, as to the 
 confederation in hand, as was lately hinted) (hall generally court and 
 comport with the Humours, Fancies, and Confciences (fuch as they 
 are) of loofe, ignorant, fuperftitious and earthly-minded-men, it is an 
 argument concluding above all peradventure , that the complexion, 
 fiame and conftitution of it anfwereth thz geniujy temper, and fpirit of 
 thele men, much like as (in Solomon's rcfemblance) face anfwereth to 
 face in the water. That manner or kind of Worfhip which God feek- 
 eth anddelightethin, is not like to rcllifh with the corrupt tafte of 
 feniual and carnal men, any whit better then Paul's preaching did hf 
 TVs <xOTx\Au^£j/oif > amongft thofe that were lojl\\oi rather perijhing, that 
 is, in imminent danger of being loft] to whom it was the favour of death 
 unto death , (2 Cor.2.16.) that is, it filled their Confciences ever and 
 anon with ftrong refentments of the wrath of God coming out againft 
 them like an armed man, to defiroy them for their (ins. It is recorded 
 of Antifthenes, that when the unworthy multitude, contrary to their 
 wonted manner of dealing by vertuous and worthy men, commended 
 him, he expreffed himfeif in this queftion, Tj^agKOUei' imhtroc? Alat^ 
 what evil have I done f If the Common-Prayer- Hook did no evil, we 
 may very reafonably judge, that the great hoft of the prefent Profe- 
 lytes and Admirers of it, would leave it as folitary as a Beacon on an 
 hill. And it was the right faying of arocber, l^cfii argumentum eft % 
 yefftmis difplicere ; it is no light argument of the goodnels whether of a 
 perion or things-hen thofe that are very bad are difpleafed with either. 
 Nero's hatred of the Gofpel, was by ancient Chriftians cenftrued as a 
 reftimony of the excellency and worth of it. Certainly the right and 
 apprpved Worfaip, or way of worshiping God , will never make glad 
 tneheartsof fuch a Generation of men as now rejoyce in, and glory 
 aver the Book of Common-Prayer. But 
 
 2. Though thefe general considerations relating oncly to the mat- 
 ter and form, or fubftance of this Book (unto which many others of a 
 more particular import, and drawn from the unmeet expreffions and 
 pillages in it, which are very numerous, might be added upon the 
 fame account) aratooconfiderable and weighty to be eafily removed 
 off the Judgements andConiciences of ferious and confidering-men ; 
 yet the little finger of the impofition of it, and of the Worfhip (fo 
 called) dire&ed and held forth in it, is by many degrees heavier then 
 theloyns of a thoufand fuch confederations, and of a more tremend 
 a(be& in the eye of every. Confcience that is enlightened, duely 
 W& clearly to apprehend the nature and confequence of it. For fup- 
 
 - pofc 
 
pofe the property of the Book Ihould be fo far altered, that vvhereas it 
 is now like the politick Body of the Jewi(h State in Ifaiah's days ; The 
 whole head is Jick^ and the whole heart faint ; from the foal of the foot even 
 unto the head y there is no fonndnefs in it, bat wounds, and bruifes^ and pH- 
 trifying [ores (Ut*i. 5>6.) Suppote (I fay) it fhould be fo far altered 
 from the prelent deformity and deplorable condition of it, as to be- 
 come as pratfe-worthy for Beauty as tyfbfalom, of whom it is faid,that 
 from the foal of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemijh 
 in him, (2 Sam. 14.2 y.) and thata general Council of Elecl: Angels 
 fhould affemble to reform and amend it, and fhould make all (he 
 crooked things in it ftraight, and all the rough things in itfmooth, yet 
 would not this Angelical puiity and perfection of it, (wherein i:s Ad- 
 mirers might in this cafe fafely glory) juftifie either the Impofition of 
 it from imperious Blafphemy, or the ufe of it in woilhipping God, as, 
 or becaufe impofed, from bafe and wretched Idolatry. 
 
 This is demonftrable from this clear and pregnant ground, attefted 
 both by the Scriptures, and by the Light of Nature, or found Princi- 
 ples of Reafon, confonant to the Scriptures : It is as well or a* much the 
 incommunica.le Priviledgt or Prerogative of God y to prefcrile y appoint, 
 and command his own fVtrfh:p y as to be worshipped ; [I mean as to be wor- 
 fhipped in his Divine or God-likf Capacity.'] This being a Truth, (as we 
 (hall prefently,God alTKting, evince it to be) it undeniably, by a near- 
 hand confeqjencc, and whereof every man is orfoon may be capable, 
 followeth : 
 
 1. That he that fhall authoritatively, under any penalty to be in- 
 fli&ed on thofc that Lhall not obey, command any Form, Model, Me- 
 thod or manner of Divine Worfhip, to be obferved by men, maketh 
 himfelf God, or equal unto God, obtrudeth himfelf as God, or in 
 Gods Mead upon men, claiming,alTuming, and ufurping fuch a power, 
 which is a branch of the appropriate and incommunicable prerogative 
 of God. Even as he that claimeth and exercifeth Regalia, fuch Pow- 
 er and Authority, which are the appropriate Rights of Kings, maketh 
 himfelf a King, and faith (in erfecl, and in a more- fignificant expref- 
 fion then the plaineli words that way would amount unto) I am a King. 
 In like manner whoever afteth or exercifeth any of thofe Divine 
 Rights, Authorities, or Powers, which are infeparably annexed to the 
 Throne of Heaven, and fo declared and aliened by him that fitteth 
 thereon; though in words he fhould deny it,yet in deeds, which fpeak 
 loudeft, he profeiTeth and faith, I am God. It rs like that they who 
 ftumble at this ftone, may think they walk inorTcnhvely in their way ; 
 and (probably) intend no fuch thing as an arrogation of Divinity unto 
 
 r* - 
 
(12) 
 
 tJiemfelves in what they do : But this is common to the greateftOk 
 fenders of all, not to intend the formality,but onely the matter of their 
 Wicked actions ; to intend onely the Text, not the interpretation of 
 their fins : The grofleft Idolater that is, doth not intend to commit the 
 fin of Idolatry ; but he intends the doing of that, which being truly 
 interpreted, is the committing of the fin of Idolatry. There is the 
 like confideraiion of the Blafphemer, of the Perfecutor of the Saints, 
 and of many other moft enormous TranfgrelTors : And. thus it is like to 
 be with thofe who count it a goodly thing to fay with the King oi Babel 
 of old, We mil afcend above the heights of the Clouds, WE WILL BE 
 LIKE UNTO THE MOST HIGH, (Ifa.14.14.) Wewiil 
 give Laws to the Judgements and Conferences of Men, as well as He 1 
 It is like (I fay) that though they fpeak thus in their actions, yet they 
 do not intend to mike themfelves Coirivals in Authority and Power 
 with God, or to fuperfede and make void his Laws concerning his. 
 Worfhip, with devotional Laws and Statutes of their own. From the 
 faid ground it clearly alfo followeth : 
 
 2. That whofoevcv fhall accept of, fubmit unto, or worfhip God 
 with, any fuch Worfhip, or form of Wor/hip, which is prefcribed^ 
 impofed, and commanded by men ( efpecially if he fhall fubmit unto 
 it, as, or becaufe thus commanded) committeth fpiritual vvhordom, 
 and bringeth the heavy guilt of the (in of Idolatry upon his foul ( be- 
 (ides the lengthening the hand of the impofer in a very finful way) 
 The reafon hereof, upon the former ground, is plain : namely, becaufe 
 he exhibiteth that honour, reverence, and homage unto a creature, 
 which are due unto God alone, and ( as it were ) turns creature unto* 
 him that is no God, unlefs a God may h; made of duft and afhes. Foi 
 if it be the Prerogative of God to appoint and command his own wor- 
 fhip, they who approve and juftifie men alTuming and exercifing this 
 Prerogative, entertain the creature with divine reverence and honour, 
 faying ( conftru&iveiy, and in effect- ) unto it, Thou art God, or, L 
 acknowledge and own thee for my God. Pcrfonsof this Character are 
 all thofe, who pra&ife the Worfhip commanded by men, upon the ac- 
 count, or becaufe of their command; whether they doit willingly,. 
 Lmean, before, 01 without any outward violence, or compulfion ; or 
 whether they do it upon fufferings,or through fear of fuffering ; though 
 the (in feems to be much greater in the former cafe. Ephralm u oppref- 
 fed y and broken in Judgment, becaufe be WILLI NG LY [ that is,, 
 readily, and with fonvardnefs of compliance, without asking any que- 
 ftion for confeience fake ] rvalkfd after the commandment [ meaning.. 
 after the idolatrous commandment of their King Jeroboam^ feconded 
 -— — *« A 
 
( *3 ) 
 
 ani enforced by all his fucceflbrs. J Hof. f, o. He that liveth under 
 the Authority and Government of a lawful King over him, and fhall 
 fubje& himfclf unto the commands of another,commanding him as his 
 King, or fuch things, which his King only hath, by the Laws, a right 
 of Authority and Power to command him, renounceth his Allegiance 
 unto his own Prince, and becomes a Traitor to his Crown and Dig- 
 nity. 
 
 3. From the ground aforefaid, it followeth yet further, that fuch 
 peifcns who do obey the Commands of their Princes, or other Magi- 
 strates, wherein they en joyn them any form, method, or manner of di- 
 vine VVoifhip, are in fuch their obedience, their greateft enemies, 
 thereby expoting them to the ftroke of the jealoulie, and high difplea- 
 fureof God. The reafon of this confequence is, becaufe to make an 
 Idol of any creature, or to fet up any, whether thing orperfon, in com- 
 petition with God, and to afcribe divine honour unto it, rendreth it 
 the object of his fevere wiath and jealoufie. The Scripture is abun- 
 dantly pregnant with tettimony of this truth, as well in the cafe of per- 
 fons as of things. Tne People afcribing divine honour unto Heroism 
 living a fhout in appiaufe cf his Oration, The voice of God ami not of 
 man, brought fuddain deftrucYion upon him, and this in a molt loath- 
 lorn and grievous manner : And immediately ( faith the text ) the- An- 
 gel of the Lord fmote hlm y becaufe he gave not God the glory [ whereby he 
 might indeed have prevented the judgment] and he wot eaten of worms, 
 and gave up the ghoft, A£U 12. 22, 23. So dangerous a thing it is for 
 Princes, and Great men to accept of divine honour, when it is cart up- 
 on them : how much more when they fhall themfelves compel men by 
 thrcatning Larvs and Edi&s, to afcribe it unto them (as all they 
 do, who by fevere muldts and penalties conrtrain men to worfhip God, 
 not as he pleafeth,or commanded, but as they pleafe themfelves. ) It 
 was not (imply Jeroboams Idolatry, nor yet his Edict or Command unto 
 the People, to worfhip hi? Idol-Calves, but it was the compliance of 
 his People with this Command, that occasioned his ruine, and the 
 looting out of his Houfe and Pofterity ( as it did likewife occafion the 
 like mifery to all his Succeflbvs ; yea, and the uttet mine of his 
 whole State and Kingdom in a fhort time ) This is clear from the ex- 
 picfs tenor of the context, 1 King, 12. 30. compared with verf. 34. 
 of the following Chapter. In the former place we reacl thus : Andthit 
 thing [ namely, Jeroboam's fetting up his two Calves, verf. 28, 29. ] 
 became a fin ; or, turned to fin (as our former tranflation had it) mean- 
 ing, that in time, and this not very long neither , it became fin to the. 
 bcufe of 'Jeroboam , even to cm it off,, and to defiroj it from off the face of the 
 
0*4) 
 earth. It was a (in firaply, yea, a very great fm,as foon as it was aftcd s 
 thatis,thefettingupof the Calves, and the prefling of the People to 
 wordiip them, was a great fin in Jeroboam y \yhit(ozvtr the confequence 
 of it had been, or whither the People had worfrupped them or no, or 
 though, himfclf repenting of it, it had not been his ruine. But it did 
 not B SCO ME a fin of that fad confequence, as to be deftrucYtve 
 to Jerohoam and his houfe, but by means of the Peoples compliance 
 with him in it, as is manifeft from the former place, where this (in the 
 latter part of the verfe ) is rendred as a reafon, 01 an account, why and 
 how Jeroboams ad in fetting up the Calves, and cauhng the People to 
 worfhip them, became a fin of that heavy confequence unto him, viz.. 
 that the People (generally) approved and pra&ifed that worfhip: 
 Ani thU became a fin : for the People went to worjhlp, before the one, even 
 unto Dan, or, as far as Dan ; [ implying it feems, that the King him- 
 felf, and his Nobles, and Attendants, woifhipped before the other, 
 which was fet up in Bethel, the Kings Co.iit or Chappel being here, 
 u4mos7. 13. Or elfe it may impoit the great zeal and forwardnefs of 
 the People in comporting with their King in hi? Idolatrous Worship, 
 and that even thofe of them that dwelt in Bethel, and in places near 10 
 it, would needs travel as far as Dan, which was at thefurtheft diftance 
 from Bethel the Land would afford, to wovflhip before the Calf fet up 
 there, that in Bethel not being prepared and fitted for fuch Devotion 
 till fome while after, as may be gathered from verf. 52,33.] From 
 which paiTages compared, it plainly appears that had not the People 
 obeyed him in his idolatrous device, it might have been a lengthning 
 out of his Tranquillity, and his Pofterity after him might have fat up- 
 on his Throne : Yea, and (probibly) it might through the BlelTing of 
 God, have proved a means or occafion of his Repentance. It is not 
 unlike but that Jeroboams Priefts, made of the bafeftof the People, ha- 
 ving once ratted of the Kings Favour and bountiful Allowance fettled 
 upon their Priefthood, ftrengthned his hand all they could, in his Ido- 
 latrous Worfhip, bewitching him with this, or fome fuch lying and 
 dangerous notion as this ; J^o Calves, no King ; (even as thole who 
 are known by the Name of Bifhops,hut not by the properties or works 
 of Bifhops indeed, being advanced unto large Revenues and much 
 worldly Pomp and Power by Chiirtian Kings, are very folicitous and 
 careful to nourifh this prepofterous and importune conceit in them up- 
 on all occafions, 7v^ Blfhof, no King) Bit as unto Jeroboam, Calves ani 
 no King, hid been the more prudential and fafe Maxime of State ; not 
 the want or pulling down of his Calves, but the fetting of them up, 
 being the tiue and realcaufe (as we lately heard from the Recoids of 
 
 the 
 
the ioly Ghoft himfelf ) why after a ihort time he was no Ktng, nor a- 
 
 ay of his houfe long afcer him : So is it more then con je&ure, that 
 BISHOPS, AND NO KING, would make the far better Article in 
 the Politick Creed of Chriftian Kings, and more worthy to be believed 
 rhan the contrary, JfyBlihop, no King. But this by the way. It hach 
 been (hewed from the Scriptures, that to idolize a Perion, or to afcribe 
 Divine Honour unto any man, either directly (as the People did unto 
 Herod) or indirectly, (as [he Ten Tribes did unto Jeroboam their King, 
 in accepting that way of worfnipping God, which he prefciibed unto 
 them) is to awaken the eye of Divine Jealoufie upon him, uniefs he 
 iefufeth or difclaimeth it when it is tender 'd unto him : which though 
 Angels and holy Men have always done, yet it hath not been the wif- 
 dom or manner of Kings and Great Men in the World fo to do. Jacob 
 (we know) loved his Wife Rachel very tenderly and affectionately ; 
 yet when fhe required of him that which was proper onely unto God 
 to give, and fo reflected Divine Honour upon him, [Give me Children 
 orelfe Idle] he being (as it feems) iuddenly (iruck w«b the appreher- 
 fion of the danger which fuch a faying might expofe himunro,reproveth 
 her (harply for her inconfideratenels therein ; but ^ichal, amandeth 
 and difpatcheth away that Divine Honour which was put upon him, un- 
 to him who was the right owner of it : tAm I (faith he) In (jodsftead ? 
 &c. (j^.30.1,2. 
 
 And as they who comply with Kings and Rulers in their Commands 
 concerning Forms of Worlhip of humane device, are in fuch their 
 complyance great Enemies untp them ; fo on the other hand, they who 
 chufe rather to abide the bittcreft blaft of their difpleafure, then to 
 pleafe them with conforming themfelves to their wills and pleafures in 
 fuch cafes, are in thisdetreclacion of their Obedience unto them, their 
 real Friends. Thus Daniel, not.vnhrtanding his refufal to obey the De- 
 cree of K\n°T>ArlKs i being unlawful, faid unto him, *AlJo unto thee, 
 (or againft thee) O King have I done no hurt, Dan. 6.22.. In whica 
 words he feems as well to imply that they who had obeyed him in that 
 his Decree, had been unfaithtul unto him, had caft a fnare upon him, 
 and done him harm ; as to aiTert his own integrity and goodnefs of 
 heart towards him : And that the holy man was fo far from doing any - 
 hurt to the King by changing his Command, that he did him much good 
 by it, appears by the fequel of the Chapter, where we find hi r, by 
 means hereof, enlightncd with the knowledge of the true God, and 
 giving a full teftimony to his excellent Greatnefs and Power, and re- 
 commending his Worihip and Service unto all hisDominions,verf,26' P 
 27. Of like happy confequence unto King NebHcbadntzzar, was the . 
 
like difobcdienceof thofe three faithful Servants of God and the King, 
 Shadrach y Mefraeh % and Abcdnego, in refuting to fubmit to his Com- 
 mand about the worfhipping of his Golden Image, Dan.$.2$ y 2s>. 
 
 Again, That other Creatures, whether animate or inanimate, by 
 being contrived or converted into Idols, or vefted with any honour 
 appropriate unto God, are hereby prepared for the fwifter deftru&ion, 
 by reafon of the Jealoufie of God, the Scriptures teftifie yet more a- 
 bundantly. Notwithstanding I (hail not infift upon this at prefent, 
 but mention one place onely, and point at others : And the ftrong (ball 
 be at torv 7 [that is, the Idols, though made of never fo (hong ana dura- 
 ble materials, as Iron, Brafs, Stone, Silver, Gold, &c. or rather the 
 Strong, that is, the Idols in which you put your confidence, fuppofing 
 them co be ftrong and able to protect you againft all dangers, fhall be 
 as the moft light and combuftible matter, not able to make the leaft re- 
 finance againft the fire, when it is put to it] and the LMaker of It oa a 
 Jp^k> [that is, they that made them Idols, by this very contrivance of 
 ihcm, fhall be the means or occafion of their breaking to pieces, their 
 defacement, orftamping to powder : even as they that make Idols of 
 men, as was lately (hewed, do hereby cccafion, and haften their ruine] 
 and they frail both burn together, [Idol, and Idol-maker, fhall be deftroy- 
 ed together, i. e, as well one, as the other] and nope frail quench them : 
 [that is, they (hall certainly perifh, what means foever lhall be made 
 topreferve,the one or the other] //a.1.31. See more of this Truth, 
 2 Ktng.iS.q.. Exod. 32.20. 2 King. 23. 4>f,<5,c£v. 2 Chron.\^.\6, Jer. 
 10,11. //tf.2.18. J*r.jo.2. £*,^6. 4,6,8, 11,12. S ' 1 ^' vv i tn others. 
 
 4. From the aforefaid Principle or Ground it followeth likewife, 
 That in cafe the greateft and moft lawful Authority amongrt men, 
 lliould under any civil penalty, or o; herwife, impofe upon thofe under 
 them, that very Woririip,manner,or kind of Worfhip,which God him- 
 felf, either in his Word, or by the Law or Light of Nature, hath im- 
 pofed on them ; although this imposition of it by men doth not render 
 it unlawful, nor yet diiTolve the necefTuy of performing it, which the 
 Law of God impofetb on them : yet, if waving the Commandment of 
 God in the cafe, they fliall perform it meerly upon, and out of refpeel: 
 of the Commandment of men ; and upon fuch terms that they would 
 notpraitife or perform it, did not their Superiours on Earth command 
 it : fuch a performance as this, even of the pureft Worfhip that is, 
 otherwifc, would be idolatrous and unlawful : although this Worlriip, 
 considered in itfeif,or (in the School-exprellion) in aftptjignato, would 
 ftill be the pure and true Worfhip of God. The reafon of {his confe- 
 quence f rom the premifes is, becaufe if it be the Prerogative or proper 
 ^ — ■ ninh " 
 
(17) 
 Rjcrht of God to command his own Worfliip, they who rtiail reje& 
 or diibwnhimin the claim hereof, and entertain or fubmit unto any 
 Creature claiming it, is like a Woman that admitteth a Granger into 
 her husbands Bed, Quitting him oat of hisowndcors. 
 
 c. (And laftljs for matter of confequence) This conclufion alfo 
 fpringeth naturally from the fame root with the former : That not to 
 accept or fubmit unto any Form or Model of Divine Worinip, which 
 hath been contrived and fram'd by men, can be nodifobedience to any 
 Law, truly fo called, in any politick State, Kingdom, or Common- 
 wealth whatfoever. The reafon of this confcqucnce is pregnant and 
 clear • namely, Becaufe there is, there can be no Law, truly and real- 
 ly fuch (I mean which hath the nature, effence, and binding force of a 
 Law indeed) that requireth any thing of men, which is made or de- 
 clared (infui or unlawful by a fuperiour Law. Any Ad, Sanction, De- 
 cree Law Statute or Conftitution, which enjoyncthorimpofeth any 
 thin a contrary either to the Law or Mind of God in the Scriptures, or 
 to the Law of Nature, or Light of Reafon, by what Authority foever 
 it be enacted, becomes void and null as loon as made, being like unto 
 a Child that is ftill born. Nor is this any ways repugnant to the Law 
 of this Nation; the effect and fublhnce of the notion being (as I un- 
 deiftand; the acknowledged fence of fome of the greateli Lawyers 
 themfelves, and will not (I prefume) be denied by any that underhand 
 themfelves like men in their Profeffion. Yea, the Grand Debater him- 
 felf (though a man of as high an impoling-fpirit as Epifcopal Zeal can 
 lightly make him) acknowlcdgeth as much, in faying, '7* true , a Sufe- 
 rfour cannot command a thing unlawful ; Grand Debate, pag.6z. His 
 meanin" can be no other, but that when he doth command any fuch 
 thing, his Command is null, and not obliging : However, that Cafe is 
 plain enough. Certain it is, that all Authority and Right of Power, is 
 Originally vefted in God himfelf; and confequently, that whatever 
 Authority is feated in any Creature, one or more, they have it by deri- 
 vation and gift from him, according to the Apoilles Doctrine, Rom. 
 i?. i. Again, As certain it is, that God giveth no Authority or Right 
 ' of Power unto any man, or numbers of men whatfoever, againft him- 
 felf. Therefore no Ad or Law (fo called) whatsoever, that is made 
 with repugnancy to his Intereft of Authority, or Sovcraigaty of com- 
 manding, hath the nature or force of a Law ; the Makers of it, who- 
 ever they be, having received no Authority from God to make any 
 fuch : but on the contrary, Hand charged by his Law to forbear all act- 
 in and Law-making in that kind ; yea, and lie under a fevere threat- 
 n\no from him. in cafe they tranfscefs : Wo unto them t»<\t dam we* 
 
( **) 
 
 righteous Decrees, &c. Ifa.io.i. And as by the Laws of this Land,, 
 
 Ttyllttmtjemfus occurrit Regi, There is no prefciiption of Time againft 
 the King : fo by the Law of Nature and common Reafon, Nulla au- 
 thority oceurrit Re gum Regi, No author iry whatfoever, is of force a- 
 gainft the King of Kings. And as in the order and fubordination of 
 Civil Authorities, the Command of an inferiour Magiftrate doth not 
 bind againft the Command of the Superiour, (fuppofing this to be law- 
 ful;) the Warrant or Command of a Country Jufticc of Peace, is not 
 to be obeyed (under the Provifo mentioned) againft the Order ov Com- 
 mand of a Judge ; nor the Command of a Judge, againft the lawful 
 Command of the King. How much lefs doth the Authority of a weak 
 and finful Creature, though the Name of it might be Legion, and they 
 never fo many,oblige any perfon againft the leaft i2toc, or tittle of any 
 the Commands or Laws of God, thefe being all unqueftionably righ- 
 teous and juft ? And as the Scripture teacheth us to refolve the cafe 
 without any demur or confideration at all, between God and men, when 
 they fpeak contradi&ingly the one unto the other, fo that the one muft 
 needs fpeak truth, the other that which is falfe ; Let God be true, and 
 everjman [whatfoever his intereft or repute for truth be with men] a 
 lyar (Rom. 3. 4.) So when there is any inconfiftcncy orconteft between 
 any of the Laws of God, and the Laws of men, the cafe is foon de- 
 cided as concerning the equity or binding force of either ; Let the Law 
 of God bz juft, and holy, and good, and even upon this account alfo,chaU 
 lenge (with authority) obedience from men • but the Law of men un- 
 juft, unholy, and evil, andfo a nullity, and of no authority at all to 
 require fubjeclion to it. Thus Peter (with other Apoftles) in the pre-- 
 fence of the high Prrieft, and a great Council with him, was very po- 
 sitive, and definitive in the cafe, We ought rather to obey God, then men, 
 Act. y. 29. not long before being, with John, brought as guilty peifons 
 before another full Council, he judged the equity of the cafe fo noto- 
 rious and broad on Gods fide, that he feared not to make the Council 
 it felf his Arbitrators, although they were Parties, and his Adverfa- 
 ries; Whether it be right in the fight of God, to hearken unto you [or, to 
 obey you, according to the former tranfhtion] more [or, rather, pSihhov] 
 thanGod, jttdgeye? Act. 4. 19. So thofe three Servants of God (lately 
 mentioned) being commanded by King ? s {ebuchadnez,z,ar fo worftiip 
 the Golden Image wirch he had fet up, and in cafe of refufal tenibly 
 threatned to be prelently caft into the midft of a fiery Furn2ce, de- 
 clared unto him, That they were not careful to anfwer him in the matter , 
 (Dan. 3.36.) the contrariety between the Kings Command, and the 
 God 2 wasfo manifevi, that they required no time to con- 
 
O ) 
 
 fider of an anfwer, or what to do in the cafe, but immediately refol- 
 vcd to keep f aft and clofe to the Command of God, though in lo doing 
 they muft and did difobey the Commandment of the King* Therefore 
 if it be the Prerogative of God to appoint and command his own Wor- 
 ship ; that Law, or humane Constitution, which attempteth to divert 
 him of it, and to communicate it unto any Creature> one, or more, or 
 never fo many, is indeed no Law, bat an Ufurper of the name and ti- 
 tle of a Law, wanting the Spirit, Life, and Soul of a Law, which ftand 
 in an equitable force to bind to the observation of ic. But no equity 
 bindcth any min to give away the glory of God to another : So then, 
 not tofubmit to any form of Divine Worrtiip, devifed and impofed 
 by men, is to do the will of God, and confequently not totranfgrefs 
 or difobey any Law of man. 
 
 Now for the demonstration and proof of rhat AiTertion, or Ground, 
 (formerly mentioned)ont of which the five Conclusions lately argued, 
 grow as naturally, as fo many Boughs or Arms of a Tree out of the 
 Trunk or Body of it : Ltt us, fuft, hear, weigh, and confider diligently 
 and impartially, wnether the Scriptures do not fpeak to the heart of it, 
 and whether God himfelf do.h not here claim fuch a Prerogative as 
 therein is aiTerted unto him. Secondly, We fhall coniult fome of the 
 Maximes of Nature , and Principles of Reafon , about the truth 
 of it. 
 
 For the firft. I intend not to in lift upon all places which offer 
 themfelves willingly enough to ferve in the prefent warfare : this 
 would carry us far beyond the bounds of our intended brevity; but 
 rtiall argue only fome few of thofe which fpeak more plainly to our 
 purpofe. 
 
 Firft, Where God reproveth, rejedteth, or condemneth any Wor- 
 fhip, Form, or manner of Worftiip, upon this account, That He com- 
 minded it not; efpecially when there are other things in it, one or more, 
 very hateful and highly repvoveabie, he plainly declareth and alter t- 
 eth it as his Prerogative, to appoint and command all Woriliip : Elfe 
 why ihould he make this the emphatical character cf fuch a Worfhip 
 which his Soul abhorreth, That He commanded it n&t f efpecially when 
 this Woithipis (as was now Laid) otheiwife, and in it l'elf, abomina- 
 ble ? If men had any authority to appoint, or command a Worfhip^his 
 were no reafonable or juft exception againft any Worfhip whitfoever, 
 That God command ed it not : but if it be juftly reproveabie, it mnft be 
 for fome intrinfecal evil either in the matter, 01 in the foim of it, or 
 in both. But paiYagesof the import now fpecified, the Scripture af- 
 foideth many : And they have built the high Places of Tophct^ which u 
 
 n 2 
 
( 2 °) 
 
 in the Valley of the fans of Hinnom, to burn their fons and their daughter? 
 in the fire, WHICH I COMMANDED THEM J%)T , fi r . 7. 
 3 1 . So again, They have built alfo the high-places ofBaal, to burn their 
 fotts with fire unto Baal, WHICH I COMMANDED NOT, nor 
 Jpakf it, neither came it into my mind\ Jer.ip.f. In both, thefe places 
 it isobfervabJe, that though the man-devifed worfhip mentioned, 
 was in it felf abominable, full of unnatural and baibarous cruelty, 
 and befides, performed to the honour of a moft filthy and abominable 
 Idol ; yet God in reproving it, taketh no notice of cither of thefe abo- . 
 minations, but infifts only upon this, that HE COMMANDED- 
 IT NOT, as being the greateft abomination of all, and which (com- 
 paratively) juftified all the reft. Again ; <*And they built the high- 
 places of &n\, * — WHICH I COMMANDED THEM I^OT, 
 neither came it into my mini, that theyfhould do this abomination. Jer. 32. 
 35". By comparing this expreffion ( in all thefe paflages) WHICH I 
 COMMANDED THSM NOT, with the exprefs Command of 
 God (Lev. 18.21.) Thou fhalt not let any of thy feed pafs thorow the 
 fire unto MoUch, it plainly appears, that in the cafe of Worfhip, for 
 God not to command and exprefly to forbid, are of one and the fame 
 confederation : Even as in a Conveyance of Lands, whatfoever is not 
 expicffed, is no more conveyed than what is excepted. Yea, and it is 
 very obfervable from the faid paflages, that God intending to put the 
 fliarpeft accent upon the breach of his Law in the matter of Worfhip 
 (which doubtlefs he doth intend in reproving and condemning' it) He 
 doth not place it in matter of Ample difobedience unto fuch his Law 
 (this being found in every fin, I mean, difobedience unto his Law, 
 1 J06.3.4.) but rather in the preemption of men to attempt any 
 thing in that kind, without, befides, or beyond his Command. 
 
 Several other paflages there are, befides thofe mentioned, of like 
 
 character with them. If there be found among you man or woman 
 
 that hath wrought wickednefiin the fight of the Lord thy God, in tr an fgre fi- 
 fing his Covenant, and hath gone and ferved other gods, and worshipped 
 them, either the Sun, or Moon, or any of the Hofy of Heaven, which I 
 HAPE NOT COMMANDED &c. Deut. 17. 2, 3. Thy People 
 which thou broughtefi out of Egypt, have corrupted \hem f elves : they are 
 fuickjy turned a fide out of the way, WHICH I COMMANDED 
 THEM, &c. ( Deut. 9. 12.) implying, that in the Worfhip of God 
 (of wh'chhe here fpraketb) lotumafide out of the Way WHICH HE 
 HATH COMMANDED, is to corrupt a m m*s felf [hat is to dif- 
 pofe, or prepare himfelf for mine and dcftrrcfcionl un:o whai way fo- 
 cver he {hall betake himfelf otheimfc. *4nd Nadab mi Abihuy&r 
 
C " ) ' 
 
 fins of Aaron, took^ either of them his Cenfer, and fnt fire therein, and p*t 
 Incenfe thereon, and offered firangefire before the Lor d; WHICH HE 
 COMMANDED THEM NOr. And there went out Fire from the 
 Lord y and devoured them, and they dyed before the Lord, Lev. 1 0.1,2. 
 In this high-provokmg a& of the Sons of Aaron, for which the feverc 
 jcaloufie of God brake out immediatly upon them in a confuming fire, 
 there was no difobedience to any Command, (I mean, unto any par- 
 ticular or exprefs Command) of God : he had no w here forbad them 
 (at leaft,cxplicitly or diredly) to offer ordinary or common fire (which 
 is termed grange fire, became the Commandment of God knew it not) 
 in their Prielily Mlniltrations : nor is- any difobedience in this kind 
 charged on them by the holy Ghoft, nor fo much as mentioned as any 
 caufe of that terrible execution, which was fuddenly done by the imme- 
 diate hand of God himfelf upon them: their only crime and guiir 
 was, that they offered grange fire before the Lord, WHICH HE COM- 
 MANDED THEM NOT: they prefumed to worfhip God other- 
 wife than he had appointed, or commanded. The fin of Uz,z,ab in 
 putting forth his hand to flay the Ark ( for which he likewife fuffered 
 the fame rruafure from the provoked jealoufic of God, being by him 
 (truck dead in the place) was of like nature and confideration. For 
 neither did he therein tranfgrefs any exprefs Command of God : foi 
 he had no where commanded that none but the Levites fhou Id touch 
 or meddle wiih the Ark : only he had commanded that the Levitts 
 ihould wait upon the Tabernacle with what appertained to it. So that 
 the provocation in his fin alio, only was his intermedling with the 
 holy things of God relating to his Worihip, without his Command. 
 And thus David, upon the ground that we maintain (namely that ail 
 Worship uncommanded, or unappointed by God, is unlawful and dif- 
 plcafir.g unto him ; or, which is the fame, that his order and appoint- 
 ment are requiiu toLgirimare any Worfhip or holy Service) proved 
 it to have been unlawf.il for any other to carry the Ark of God, but the 
 Levites or\\y. None (faith he,i Chron 15* .2.) ought to carry the Arh^of 
 God. but the Levites : for them hath the- Lordchojen to carry the Ark of 
 God, and to minister unto him for ever. Ic was unlawful for all other 
 perions, the Levites excepted, to carry the Ark of God; not becaufe 
 he had prohibited them by the letter,or direct impor, of any Law, to 
 cany it, but becaufe he had not cbofen, or appointed them, as hs had 
 the Levites. Again, 
 
 Secondlv, Of the fame,or like import, with the texts al-eady cited, 
 are all thofe alfo, in which Godttigrrutizeth the Wor/hip which men 
 peifoimed unto him, with this chara&ei of his hatied, that it wasof 
 
their own chufing, or devifing, after the imagination of their own 
 heavt,e^c. In all fuch places as thefe (which are not a few) he aiTert- 
 eth unto himfelf the appointment of his own Worfhip, as belonging, 
 prerogative-wife, unto himfelf, and wherein he will not indure any 
 creature to have part and fellowship with him. For otherwiie (as we 
 reafoned before) no Worfliip were reprovable (imply upon this fcore, 
 that it is of mens own chufing or devifing. We {hall not ftand to ar- 
 gue any of thefe places, as we did moft of the other : the inference or 
 refult now mentioned from the general tenour of them all, is pregnant 
 and convincing enough. And if it be an hateful brand upon any form 
 of Worfhip to be of humane extraction, or to call any man, or any 
 numbers of men, Father ; how much more hateful and provoking in 
 the fight of God muft it needs be, to attempt to bind any fuch fpurious 
 and bate worfhip upon the generous and heaven-born confcienccs of 
 the fons and daughters of God (or, indeed, upon the confciences of 
 any men) with the hard cords of Imprifonments, Confifcations, Ba- 
 niihments, or what other Cruelties Satan fhall pleafe to fugged unto 
 men for the promoting of his worfhip and fervice in the world, under 
 the deiufive pretence of the Worfhip and Service of God ? But places 
 of the late mentioned character, are thefe (with their fellows) And it 
 (hall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look, upon it, and remember all the 
 Commandments of the Lord, and do them : and t hut ye feek^ not AFTER 
 TOUR OWN HEART, iAND TOUR OWN ET£S, after which 
 ye ttfe to go a whoring* Numb.1j.3p. Take heed unto your (elves that 
 your heart be not deceived, and ye turn afide, and (erve other Gods, and 
 worfhip them y and then the Lords Wrath be kindled againft you,&c. Deur. 
 
 II. 16, 17. And it cometh to ja^wh'en he heareth the wards of this 
 
 Curfe, that he blejfeth himfelf in his heart, faying, I [hall have peace, 
 though I walk. IN THE IMAGINATION OF MINE OwN 
 HEART; [ That is, in fuch a way of worfhipping God, as I conceive 
 to be pieafingto him, as appears by the mention of God's Jealoufie 
 in the words following] to add drunkgnnefs to thirft. The Lord will not 
 (pare him, but the Anger of the Lord, and his Jealoufie {hall f moke againfl 
 that man, &c. Deut. 29. 19,20. So he [Jeroboam] offered upon the 
 Altar which he had made in Bethel the fifteenth day of the eighth month, 
 even in the month WHICH HE HAD DEVISED OF HIS OWN 
 HEART, &c. 1 King.12.33. He that bumeth Incenfe, is as if he blef- 
 fedanldol : yea, they have CHOSEN THEIR OWN VTATES> 
 and their foul delight eth in their abominations, Ifa.tfo'. 3 . From whence 
 it is very obfervable ( and maketh with an high hand for our prefent 
 purpofc) 1. That it is incident to men to cbufe wayes and methods of 
 
 their. 
 
their 0** [ *. /. of their own deviling ] for the worshipping of God, 
 in ftead of, and before, the waves prcfcvibed by himfelf for that purpofc. 
 2. That thefe tx>ajs of mens own devifing and choofing, are their abomi- 
 nations [ that is, ways for which they mult anfwer to God, as for things 
 that arc abominable in his fight] or at leaft, may be, yea, and fome- 
 timesarefuch. 3. (Andlaftly) that notwithftanding fuch ways be 
 their abominations , yet they are wont animitus defcrire y to love and dt- 
 light in them with th-ir whole foul ; and to be enflamed with zeal ovti 
 them ( as the Scripture teftifies in many places, and our own experi- 
 ence in the importune and bloody Promoters of the Service-Book, 
 doth confirm) as if God himfelf loved and delighted in them as 
 much as they. 
 
 There are many more texts and paflages of like notion with thofe 
 now cited, and which offer the right hand of fellowship unto the Do- 
 ctrine, which hath been made good by them : but thofe already menti- 
 oned, I judge abundantly fufficient for the eviction of this Truth, That 
 all worihip of humane device, or contrivement, is of an unpleafing re- 
 fenrment with God, and will be caft as dung in the faces of thofe, that 
 Hull offer it unto him, of how f wee t a favour foever it miy be unto 
 themfelves ; and confequently, that the appointment and command- 
 ing of his o.vn Worihip, is a darling prerogative unto him, the glory 
 whereof he will not give unto another. Tne truth of this Doctrine runs 
 clearly enough in other v^ines of Scripture, befides thofe in which 
 we have feen it already; by the opening and arguing of which we 
 might h ive more enterviews and appearances of it in fomewhat differ- 
 ing lhapes. How ftriclis the charge of God unto men, neither to add 
 to, nor take from, the Word which he hath commanded them ? that they 
 tnrn not a fide from It, either to the right hand, or to the left ? D:ut. 4. 2. 
 & 5.32. &. 12. 32. & 17.20. & 28.14. Jojh.i.7. Pro.io.6. Rev.22. 
 18,19. Dojbtlels tiiey who turn their bicks upon the Appointments 
 andCommandmenrs of God concerning his Worihip, and will impofe 
 Apocryphil Forms and Models of Worihip upon men, faying (in ef- 
 fect ) fir ft to God himfelf, Except thou vVilt be pleafed with that wor- 
 ship which we prcfcribe and enjoyn, thou /halt not be worshipped 
 at all, as far as we have to do : and then unto Men, Unlefs you will 
 worihip God after out mode, and with the worihip which we enjoyn 
 you ( be it good, or be it bad, true, or falfe) you (hall not worihip him 
 at all, if we can help, or prevent it ; fuch men (I fay) as thefe, do, in 
 a very broad fence, both add unto, and diminijh from, ths Word which 
 God hath commanded. I (hall not need to interpret, or plead the caufc 
 of this after don. And (indeed) for the conviction and fatisfaction 
 
.(24) 
 
 of thofe, that are fpiritually ingenious, and tremble to detain the 
 truth in unrightcoufnefs, that which hath been already argued and 
 pleaded from the Scriptures, I know cannot but fuffice. But for thofc 
 that are contentiom [ or of cavilling fpirics J and do not, will not, obey 
 the Truth, if it toucheth the apple of their eye, and thwart their car- 
 nal inteveft, the Sun and a Sack-cloth, the Light of the Noon-day and 
 the Darknefs of the Mid-nighr, feven Demonftrations from the Scrip- 
 tures, and feven Stories out of the Golden Legion, are much alike. 
 Yet let us ( in a few words ) further weigh and coniider that ingenuous 
 acknowledgment of the great Apoftle Paul to the Corinthians* that he 
 had not a dominion over their Faith , 2 Cor. 1.24. To have dominion 
 ever a mans Faith, requireth a lawful Authority, to impofe any thing 
 upon him to be believed, which the Impofer pleafeth, or judgeth meet, 
 upon the account of his own judgement and will, and under what pe- 
 nalty he pleafeth .• and again, to prohibit him the beiieving any thing 
 upon the like tearms. Now then evident it is, that neither Paul, nor 
 Cephas, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor Cherubiws, ror Seraphims, 
 nor ail the Angels in Heaven, have any dominion over the Faith of men, 
 but only He,whofe judgment is univerfally,and in all (hin^JjinfalUble, 
 and his will in like manner impeccable, Efpecially the Dominion we 
 fpeak of, is not competent unto, cannot reafonabiy be imagined to be 
 vefted in fuch a creature, thn k^oweth but in part y thitfeeth darkly, and 
 through a glafs only, and befides, is fold under fin^ and in, or with, his 
 flejh, ferveth the Law of fin : all which our Apoftle acknowlcdgeth of 
 himfelf ; and that which concerneth imperfection of knowledge, he 
 affirmeth of all men without exception even of the moft enlightned 
 Chriftians, 1 Cor. 13.9, 12, And if fo great an Apoftle, who was fo 
 high in favour with God, as to be taken up into the third Heaven, where 
 he heard words that were mfpeakable, and which it wa/. not lawful [ or, 
 poflible : thefe were the fame with Paul ] for a man to utter ; and who 
 (doubtlefs) knew more of the mind of God, and of Chrift> than all the 
 world befides ; and beyond all this, was fo mightily fubdued under the 
 Truth, that ( as he profeffeth ) he could do nothing againfi it, but [do, 
 and fuffer all things ] for it; yea, and was fo erfc&ualiy mortified unto 
 the world, that he could moft gladly fpend and be yp^f, for the fouls of 
 men; if ( I fay ) an Apoftfe thus highly accomplifhcd above all his 
 fellows, and in the largeft capacity amongft ten thoufand, to be 
 made a Lord over the Faith of men , yet was not by God judged 
 meet for fuch an inveftiture ( himfelf declaring, and profefiing as 
 much, as we heard ) how intolerable is it in men, who, being compa- 
 led with Paul, fcarce hold the proportion of the fnuff of a Candle to 
 
the Sim, to claim, and wercife that moft high and facred Dominion \\z 
 fpeak of, as if it were vefted by God in them ? Or do they any whit 
 lefs than claim & exercife it, who under fore mulcts and penaltics^m* 
 pofe a neceflky upon men to believe, fubferibe unto, and teach what 
 conceits, opinions, and tenets they pleafe, in things appertaining to 
 God, and withall, to renounce and abjure all fuch opinions and per- 
 flations which pleafe them not ? Or do not they broadly ufurp the Do- 
 minionwe fpeak of, who command men at the peril of their Eftatcs, 
 Livelyhoods, Liberties, &c. to believe that fuch or fuch a Form of 
 divine Worfhip, which pleafeth them, pleafeth God alfo ; yea, and 
 that it pleafcth him better than any other Form, yea, than any other 
 Worihip whatfoever, which they are capable of performing, or exhi- 
 hibitino unto him ? Or' do they thus command men to ufe their Form 
 of Worfhip, whether they, whom they command, believe it to be 
 pleafmg unto God or no ? If this be the fence of their command, it is 
 yet more imperioufly impious, and horridly prophane. Therefore in 
 commanding them to ufe it, they implicitely, yet next to explicitly, 
 command them to believe it to be lawful and good. Nay if they right- 
 ly underftood the nature and import of that command of theirs we 
 fpeak of, they do not only command thofe, on whom they impofe it, 
 to believe that the Form of Worfhip enjoyned them, is fimply lawful, 
 but that it is better and more acceptable unto God, not only than any 
 other fet Form of Worfhip they can ufe, but then any other Worfhip, 
 kind or manner of Worfhip whatfoever, of which they are capable. 
 For he that fhall ufe any fet Form of Worfhip, without fuch a belief 
 as this ( I mean, without being perfwaded in his fcul, that he cannot 
 Worfhip God better in any other way, or by any other Form ) expo- 
 feth himfelf to thecurfe denounced,^/. 1. 14. Curfedbe the Deceiver, 
 that hath a male in hufloc!^ y and voweth, andfacrificeth unto the Lord a 
 corrupt thing, [debile y a weak thing, as the Latine rendreth ; which 
 Grotius explains, by vitiofum, aut fcemimnum y that which is faulty, or 
 feminine] Tor I am a great King, faith the Lord of Hoftsj and my 'tyame 
 is dread full among the Heathen. 
 
 What hath been demonstrated from the Scriptures concerning the 
 Prerogative of God touching his own Worfhip,is not obfeurely taught 
 by the Light of Natute it felf, and by the Principles of Reafon ; efpe- 
 cially if we (hall allow them now and then a little afliftance and relief 
 from the Scriptures* For, 
 
 1. The Light of Nature carrieth us up to the Truth we contend for 9 
 by thefe gradations or fteps. 1. It teacheth us that God is to be 
 worflitoDed bv his creature* Man. a. That he is to be worfhiDDed wkiL 
 
( «o 
 
 fuch Worrtiip, which if moft agreeable unto the excellency of his Nt- 
 ture and Divine Being, and which is moft honourable for him to re- 
 ceive. 3. Ic teacheth us further ; That that Worfhip which is moft 
 agreeable unto his Nature, and moft honourable for him to receive, 
 is to be dictated and prefcribed by the moft perfect knowledge of his 
 Nature and Being, that is to be found. For he that is in any degree 
 ignorant of thefe, cannot direct a Worfhip, or manner of Worfhip, 
 agreeable to Him, or to his Nature, as he may, who perfectly know- 
 eth Him,and comprehendeth all his Perfections* 4. The fame Teach- 
 er likew'ife informeth us, That every creature is finite, and partaketh 
 of Entity and Being but by meafure,and that God the Creator of all 
 things, is Infinite, and He only. $. From the fame hand, we are 
 clearly inftructed yet further, That the moft perfect of Creatures, be- 
 ing Finite, is not able, no no; by the greateft enlargement of its en- 
 dowments or abilities from God, to know perfectly, or to comprehend 
 the Infinite Perfection of the Divine Being : b it that God, by the ad- 
 vantage of his Infinity, is able fully to comprehend it, yea, that 
 he doth actually thus comprehend it. By this feries , or chain 
 of natural Maxims , we are advanced unto the ground of our pre- 
 fent conteft $ namely , That God himfelf is only competent to pre- 
 fcribe and dictate his own Worfhip, all Creatures being ftrangers, in> 
 comparifon of himfelf,tohis moft tranfeendent Excellency and Being, 
 and confequently, incompetent to contrive or frame a Worfhip fu it- 
 able unto him ; and much more to impofe (fome,upon others) and this 
 with extream rigour, any Form.of Worfhip of their own devifing, this 
 ( fxing interpreted by the premifes ) being a Worfhip unfuitablc to< 4 
 the Nature of God, and fo unacceptable untohirm Again, 
 
 2. The Light of Nature enlighteneth our Judgments with this 
 Truth, That the Worfhip, manner or kind of Wor(hip,which is agree- 
 able to the Nature of God, and fo accepted with him, is but one and 
 the fame Worfhip>,or kind of Worftiip, as his Nature is but one and 
 the fame. So that though he commandeth every Kindred, and Tongue, 
 and Ptopley and Nation under Heaven, to worfhip him, yet the Worfhip 
 which he requireth of them all, is for manner, and kind, but one and 
 the fame, not diverfified in any fuch refpect as thefe, by any exigency 
 of circumftance, one, or more, whatfoever. What this one kind of 
 Worfhipis, which we affirm God requireth of all, fhali befhewedin^ 
 due place, and thi& ere long;,. In the mean time proceed we with our 
 Argument in hand. If God requireth one and the fame kind of Wor- 
 kup of all People and Nations, doubtlefs he hath not inverted any 
 ALii^LfcJAtififlS^Luch lefs the Rulers or Govcrnouis o£ any o£ thefe: 
 
(27) 
 
 Nations, with any authority, or light of power to worship him, with 
 what kind, or form of Worthip they pleafe. Much lefs hath he given 
 authority to any one part, or party, in any of thefe Nations, to im- 
 pofe upon ali the reft in their Nation, contrary to their Judgments and 
 Confciences, what manner, form, or kind of Worfliip they fancy to 
 bz beftpleafing unto him. Or if he hath given any fuch authority as 
 this unto the ruling or prevailing party, in any one of thefe Nations, 
 queftionlefs he hath given the like, 01 the fame, unto the like party or 
 parties in them all : for there is no competent Reafon ailignable, why 
 any difference fhould be made between them in this cafe. If then the 
 Rulers and Govcrnours of ali Nations under Heaven, have an equal 
 light of Power derived unto them from God, to impofe upon the Peo- 
 ple under them, what Worfhip fcemeth good in their eyes, Idolatrous 
 Princes fhall have as much, and as lawful authority to impofe any Ido- 
 latrous Worfhip upon thofe under them, as thofe that know God, and 
 are truly religious, have to impofe abetter Worfhip upon thofe that 
 are fubject unto them. For there is little queftion to be made, but 
 that in the eyes of an Idolatrous Prince, an Idolatrous Worfhip will 
 feem as good ( or better ) as the trueft Worfhip doth in the eyes of a 
 Prince truly ChriQUn. 
 
 If it befaid, A Prince impofing an Idolatrous Worfhip, abafethhis 
 Authority : but this ought not to be pleaded in Bar to the regular and 
 due exercife of the like Authority, by another Prince. I anfwcr, 
 
 i. If he hath Authority from God to impofe fuch a Woifhip, 
 which he judgeth to be good, and pleafing unto God, he doth not a- 
 bufe this Authority by a&ing according to the tenor and purport of it, 
 which he doth when he impofeth only fuch a Woifhip, which he really 
 judgeth to be good,howeve;hebemiftakenin his judgement in the cafe. 
 
 2. A Prince profelfmg Chrijlian Religion, abufeth his Authority as 
 much (or rather more) when he impofeth upon his Subjects, being 
 Chriftians, any fa He Worfhip, or fuch which is difpleafing unto God. 
 And however, when he adventures to impofe any Worfhip at all, not 
 being infallible, he runs a double hazard of abufing his Authority. 
 For firft, he may miftakc the Worfhip, which he impofeth, fuppofing 
 it to be legitimate, and pleafing unto God, when (indeed) itisfpu- 
 lious, and an abhorring to his foul. Men of great learning and party, 
 and ftudied in the Scriptures far above the ordinary rate of Princes, 
 have, with great confidence, built errours and miftakes as great and 
 dangerous as that, upon mifprifions of Scriptuere. Secondly, The 
 Prince we fpeak of, runneth yet a greater hazard of abufing his Autho- 
 rity in impofing any Woifhip at all, becaufe he cannot know, no nor 
 
¥ 
 
 (28) 
 
 yet con je&ute upon a»y probable or competent grounds, that ft & 
 pleating unto God, that he fhould impofe any thing in this kind. Yea, 
 it is fcarce any queftion at all,but that to compel! men by penal threat- 
 nings and executions, to fubmit to any form or kind of Worfhip, be it 
 never fo plautible, is an abufe of any created Authority whatfo- 
 ever. 
 
 Befides all this; If God impofeth one and the fame Worfhip, or kind 
 of Woifhip, upon all Nations tinder Heaven (which is a fuppofition cf 
 unqueftionable Truth, as was lately hinted with the ground of it) he 
 ibould act contrary to his own Defign or Command in this behalf, in 
 cafe he fhould give Authority to the Rulers of thefe Nations, or to 
 any party in them (refpectively) to fet up or impofe what forms or 
 kinds of Worfhip they fhould apprehend and judge to be moflfitting 
 to be impofedorfetup. The grant of fuch Authority would beadi*- 
 re£t courfe to fill the world with as many forms and fhapes, or kinds of 
 Worfhip, as there are Nations in if, and Rulers over them ; yea, and 
 all that enormous variety of fupertUtious, idolatrous and falfe Wor- 
 fbips,which are, or have been impofed, countenanced, pradifed in the 
 grcatctt part of thefe Nations, and which hath been hitherto charged 
 by Cbrlftians generally upon the Devil, and his fubtilty and bloody ma- 
 lice agatolt the precions Souls of men, muft, upon a fuppofal of fuch 
 * grant from God to the Rulers of thefe Nations, as that mentioned, 
 be rather refolved into God. This Argument might be : further impro- 
 ved, but that we make halie. Therefore 
 
 3». Neither doth it in the Eye of Reafon, look like one of the ways 
 of God, to leave fome Mens Confciences free, and at liberry, to ferve 
 and worfhip him according to the beft of their underiiandings, and of 
 that light of Knowledge which he hath given them; and yet withal, to 
 fubje&and enflave the Confciences of others unto the rumours, wills, 
 and fancies of men, in thefe moft high and facred concernments. Leafi 
 of allfecmeth it to have any affinity with his Righteoufnefs, Wifdom 
 and Impartialnefs, vifible enough in all his other Adminiftrations, to 
 Tub^t the Confciences of fuch men who have known the Scriptures 
 fromtheir youth, and have fpent all their days, it may be many years, 
 in a confeiencious and diligent ttudy and fearch of them ; and withal, 
 are known to.be men of Integriry,of (ignal Piety, of great Knowledge 
 in the things of- God, of a vertuous and Chriitian Conversation, &c, 
 tafubje&(X»fay) the Confciences of great numbers.of fuch Perfons as 
 thefe^ in matters appertaining to the Worfhip of God, unto the plea. 
 fures,di(5UteSiand conceits of a few men, who have wholly (in a man- 
 $er) addi&ed themfelves cither toother ftudies, 01 to fcculai employ- 
 
meats (if not to ways and pra&ifes more alienating froin God then 
 thefc) and fo maft needs be (comparatively at leaft) ftrangers to the 
 Scriptures, and unacquainted with the mind of God here, is a device 
 or contrivance of quite another Spirit then that which breatheth in all 
 the Councils, Difpenfations, and Adminiftrations of GoJ. He did 
 not make the leffer but the greater Light to rule the Day : though he 
 »ave a great preheminence in ftrength unto the Lion and the Unicorn, 
 above Man, yet did he not judge it meet to give unto either of them, 
 Dominion over the Workj of his Hands r oi toym all things under their 
 feet : His Wifdomand Goodnefs inverted his Creature (jMan^ (having 
 furnilhed him with knowledge and underftanding) with this honour 
 and dignity. Neither did he intend or make the Body to be the li^hc 
 of thelEye, but the Eye to be the light of the Body, Mat. 6. 22. Nor 
 did he order or intend the dim-lighted World for a light unto the A po- 
 tties, nor theunfavoury Earth to be as Salt to feafon them $ but the 
 Apoftles to be the light of the one, and the Salt of the other, Mat.f. 
 13,14. They who arc called to places of Magiihacy, or Rule, and to 
 the honour of Law-miking, in any State, or Community of M*n, look 
 upon th:mfclvesas b:ing at full liberty to abrogate or repeal anyEfta- 
 bliihment, or Law, made by-fcheir Predeceffors for the worshipping of 
 God in any external way or form of Worihip ; and confequently, as 
 being at liberty themfelves to worihip God for the future either with a 
 fet Form, or without, as in their Confciences they fhall judge it beft 
 pleafing unto God. Yea, they claim a liberty, though they (hall make 
 a penal Law to conftrain the generality of their People to fuch or fuch 
 a Itinted Form in the Worihip o r God, yet to grant unto what perfon? 
 they pleafe, whether of themfelves or others, an exemption from this 
 Law. Now this is that which I affirm, as the clear dictate of Reafon, 
 That God hath kit the Confciences of all men equally bound, and e- 
 qually free, in the matter of his Worihip ; and that, as he hath com- 
 manded and bound Kings and Pi inces, and Law-makers themfelves, as 
 well as meaner men, to worihip and ferve him with the beft of their 
 underftandings ; fo hath he exempted even the meaneft fort of men, 
 as well as Kings and Princes themfelves, from all compuliion, whether 
 by Laws, or otheiwife, to worihip or ferve him upon any other, I mean 
 upon any lower, meaner, or worfe terms. 
 
 4, (Andlaftly, atprefent) Reafon it. felf prompteth us with th5* 
 2)//*;w«<i alfo in the cafe: Either God hath himfelf prefcribed unto 
 men how, or with what kind of Worihip he will be worfhipped ; or 
 clfe he hath done nothing in this kind, but left men at liberty to wor- 
 £hip fo 01 fo,, as their own. Judgements and Conferences, (hall teach • 
 
and direct them ! If this latter be affirmed, (which yet is not fo Chri- 
 ftlan to affirm) then vvhofoever (hall impofc a particular form of Wor- 
 ftiip upon men, oppofeth the Counfel and Defign of God about his 
 Worftiip, which (according to the fuppofition we now argue) is to be 
 worlhipped as every mans own Judgement and Conference, noc other 
 mens, (lull teach and direct him. If the former horn of the Dilem- 
 ma be taken hold of, and acknowledgement be made, that God hath 
 himfelf prefcribed and commanded his own Worfhip, the terms and 
 manner of it, (which I prefumewill be the fober Chrlftlans choice) 
 then for men to impofe any other, any form of Worftiip of their own 
 or other mens deviling, muft needs be preemption in the highdt. For 
 whit is this but to fet their tbrejhoids by Gods thre(hold y and their fofts 
 by his fofts f £^^.43.8. yea, to affront the Wifdomof God with their 
 wifdom, his Authority with theirs ; and as much as in them Heth, by 
 their Commandments to make the Ctmmnndments of God, of none ef- 
 feB. 
 
 If it be replied and faid, That though it be granted, that God hath 
 prefcribed and commanded his own Worfhip, yet this is to be under- 
 flood onely of the matter or fubftance of it in general (together with 
 the inward manner of performing it") not that he hath prefcribed any 
 particular form of words,wherein or wherewith he would have men con- 
 stantly to worftiip him. If this were fo,they ftiould fin asmuch againft 
 his Commandment of Worftiip, who worftiip him in or with conceived 
 Prayer, as they who prefcribe forms of Prayers unto others; inafmuch as 
 no conceived Prayer is any whit more prefcribed or commanded by God y 
 then a form of Prayer impofed ; and as for the matter of either, con- 
 ceived Prayer is much more likely to be delinquent, then the other. 
 For that which hath been deliberately compofed and digefted by many, 
 and thefe equal (or rather much fuperiour ) in Piety and parts of Learn- 
 ing, is like to have more fpiritual weight and worth in it, and be more 
 acceptable unto God, then any thing conceived, and uttered extem- 
 fore, and without premeditation, by a iingleperfon, and he (it may 
 be) lefs considerable in both. To all this, I anfwer : 
 
 Firft, Conceived Prayer, is, for the nature and kind of it, that very 
 Worftiip (at leaft, as far as Worfhip coniifts in Prayer ; for there may 
 be other VVorftiip, or parts of Worftiip, then that which is exhibited 
 or performed unto God in Prayer) which he prefcribeth and command- 
 cxh, at leaft unto thofe that arc, or by theufe of means, may be, ca- 
 pable of it, asallMinifterSof theGofpel generally are prefumed to 
 be. By conceived Prayer , I do not mean onely that kind of Prayer 
 which is conceived and uttered tx temport, without ftudy or premedi- 
 tation- 
 
tarion, or which is never ufed but once by bim that uttereth ic ; but 
 that likewife wnich is or hath been conceived, framed, and digefted by 
 him thatuttcreth it, although with deliberation and ftudy, and hath 
 been frequently at feveral times, efpecially if with any occafional va- 
 riations, ufed by him. In the Scriptures, efpecially in the NewTeita- 
 ment (where the light iliines clcareft for the difcovery of the mind of 
 God in all points concerning Prayer and VVorihip)we hardly find the 
 fame prayer ufed the fecond time by the fame perfon.For thoughChiiit 
 be faid to hive prayed the fame words a fecond and a third lime, yet by 
 comparing A/4:. 20. 7,9. wun ^.42. cr 44,and 44^4. *4)¥*J5i with 36. 
 it appears chat ic is to b: understood of the fame words in fenfe, matter, 
 and import, or in effect ; not the fame in found, letters, or fyllables,. 
 (word? b:ins; put for matters or thing? frequently in the Scriptures : ) 
 yea, all the Prayers- here recorded to have been nude, either by Chrilt 
 himfelf, orb/ his Apoltles, or other holy perfons, and which found 
 acceptance wnich God, were framed by them with a fpecial and parti- 
 cular reference unto the prefent occafions that were before them (re- 
 fp lively) and therefore cannot but be judged to have been conceived 
 Frajers (in the ftrictert fence of the Words) yea, all the Exhortati- 
 ons unto the heavenly Exercifcand Duty of Prayer, delivered either 
 r>/ Chrift or his Apoltles, intended onely that kind of Prayer, which 
 we commonly call conceived Prayer,which the Saints were to conceive 
 and indite by the help of the Spirit of God, (&?*;. 8. 27.) which they 
 to believed did receive, John 7.39.^^.^.32. Rom.^.'y. & 8.14,15, 
 16. 20.5.5-. G*L 3. 2. Ephef.i.i^. i77>*/.4.8. ijoh.2.27. & 3 .24. 
 & 4.1 3 . which plices, (at leali the moft of them) cannot be underltood 
 either of the miraculous Gift of the Holy Ghort, or of the giving of 
 him to the Apoiiles onely, and fome particular Chriftians with them- 
 Tnis will be evident unco thofe that (hall pleafe to take a little pains 
 to ptrufe and ponder them. Several othei> of like import might be ad- 
 ded unto them. Betiies, that the faid Exhortations unto Prayer, were 
 meant of conceived Prayer, and not of praying by any ftinted form 
 impofed, at leaft by any Civil Authority, leaft of all impofed with 
 thrcatnings of Civil Mulcls and Penalties ; are all of them Truths fo 
 full of their own Light, that to levy any further proof of them, would 
 be but as the lighting up of a Candle to help men to fee the Light of 
 the Sun*. Books, and forms of Prayer of humane contrivance and im- 
 position,, would (we may very reasonably prefume) have been in tt* 
 days of thofc,Exhortation.v and for many days after them, as prod^i- 
 ous and aftonilhin junto Chriftians, as the turning of the Sun into dar*- 
 aefs, and the Moon Into bloody 
 
 ■ft 
 
arf/j. Whereas it wis pleaded, That a Prayer framed by the con- 
 current abilities and gifts of feveral pious and learned men, and this 
 upon mature confederation, muft needs in Reafon b: a more effectual 
 Prayer, and better accepted with God, than a Prayer conceived and 
 brought forth on the fudden by a particular man,and he (many times) 
 of no great parts or learning neither. I anfvver, 
 
 ■ i* This plea of comparifon between prayer and prayer, (be it ad- 
 mitted) doth not make the face of our Common- r Prajer-Book^ to (hine 
 at all. For who can make affidavit that the prayers here arc the iiTue 
 of the abilities or gifts, I do not fay of many y but of any pious or learn- 
 ed man ? There is little queftion to be made, but that in Latine it firft 
 law the light of the Sun, when the grofs darknefs of Popery was fpread 
 over the face of the Earth (in thefe parrs of the world ) and when the 
 mother of it ( the Church of Rome I mean ) was guilty but of little 
 Learning and lefs Piety. It is likeft to have been the officious elucu- 
 bration of fome fuperftitious Monk or Friar, calculated by the belt 
 of his art and skill, for the meridian of the devotions of that Apoftate 
 Church in his dayes. As for thofe worthy and good men in King 
 Edward's dayes, who with a much better intent than event, took 
 pains to fetch it out of Latine into Englt{h y making account that they 
 had left all the dregs and excrementitious matter behind them, vve 
 were their compurgators formerly that they were not the Authors or 
 Compilers of this unhappy Book, nor guilty of the folly committed 
 in the begetting of it. 
 
 2. The goodnefs or excellency of a Prayer for matter, phrafe and 
 ftru&ure, is rather an argument why it fhould be left free for men to 
 ufe, when, and as far as they fee caufe, than why it ftiould be impofed. 
 Becaufe, i. The impoiltionof it is rather matter of prejudice, and 
 difparagement unto it, thanotherwife ; Impofers feldom dealing in 
 fuch commodities which are choice> found and good, but very fre- 
 quently in thofe which are faulty, and bafe. 2. The impofition of it 
 alters the property of the goodnefs of it,& makes it to become an Idol 
 (as we formerly argued the cafe) and confequently expofeth it to the 
 jealoufie and high difpleafure of God, and hereby to an utter abolition 
 and ruine (as we concluded likewife from the Scriptures) And there- 
 fore, as it is better, of the two, to make an Idol of Dirt or Clay, or 
 fome fuch vile material, than of Silver, or Gold, or of any thing of va- 
 ne, becaufe it is better that that which is of little worth fhould pe- 
 lih. and be loft, than that which is more precious and ufeful : fo is it, 
 in this refpe& at leaft, more to be wifhed, that fuch prayers, and fuch 
 ^jg^arg^ofDiyine Service (fo called) which are corrupt, and not fit to 
 
(33) 
 
 be ufed by any good Cbrifiian upon any terms, ftiould be impofed, than 
 thofe which are more commendable, and might be fome (fiycffer- 
 viceableand helpful to the piety and devotions of good people other- 
 wife. ?. ( an d laftly, for this) As Samuel in reproving Saul, de- 
 mandeth ; Hath the Lord at great delight in burnt offerings and Sacrifices > 
 as in obeying the voice of the Lord ? Behold, to obey is letter than facrlfice, 
 and to hearken, than the fat of Lambs ; 1Sam.15-.22. So is a Prayer 
 conceived and brought forth in obedience unto the Counfel and Will 
 of God, though it be not fo eloquent, nor the matter of it fo choice, 
 nor the method or frame of it foexac% of better acceptance with God, 
 than a Prayer read out of a Book, whether without or contrary unto 
 the Command of God ; (for it hath been proved from the Scriptures, 
 that thefe two, in the cafe of Wor/hip, are but of one and the fame 
 confideration ) yea, though this prayer, for matter, language and 
 frame, fhould be of as happy a calculation, as the piety and parts of 
 men in their greater* perfection, are able to advance. But, 
 
 3. (And laltly) Tothereafon or ground of the Plea mentioned, I 
 anfwer ; That in cafe a great number of men ( fuppofing them both 
 pious and learned) fhould conveen and take what time they pleafe, to 
 compofe a Prayer, with an intent to impofe it, or with a defire that it 
 fhould be impofed upon their Chrifiian Brethren, it is net fo proba- 
 ble (as is pleaded and pretended) that the Prayer framed by them 
 upon fuch terms fhould have any fpiritual or real worth in it, or pre- 
 vailingnefs with God, above the prayer conceived and uttered with- 
 out premeditation (I mean, in reference unco this particular prayer, 
 more than unto others) by a perfon in gifts and parts of learning, 
 inferiouv to them, only fuppofing him to be a good man, and fearing 
 God. For they who are imployed about making Prayers to be im- 
 pofed upon Chrijfians, are about Satans work, making Iron yokes and 
 inares for the Sons and Daughters of God : and certain it Is that God 
 takes ho pltafurc to be aiTifting unto men, no not unto his own, in the 
 way of fuch an occupation : and where God with his bielling is abfent, 
 no undertakeing, efpecially no fpiritual undertakcing, is like greatly 
 to prof per in. the hands of men, though never fo well accomplished for 
 their work. Whereas he that confeientioufly addrefleth himfelf un- 
 to God by prayer, and is careful to pray according to his Will, doth 
 the work of God ; and conlcqucndy, may (as it were) of courfe expect 
 the allifting pretence of God with him in his way, which many tin 
 a&eth men above their line and fphere ; and at no time, when it is 
 vouchfafed, futfercth them fo to mifcarry, as to lofe their acceptance 
 with God, 
 
 F ^ 
 
( 34 ) 
 
 And thus we fee that all Worfliip, formed, prefcribed, and fmpofed 
 by men, is heteiogeneal and fpurious, and which the Scriptures, yet 
 and all principles of found reafon difdain to give the right hand of fel- 
 lowship unto. 
 
 What will our zealous and fevere Promoters of the Cowmon-Prayer- 
 BookjWorfkify fay to thefe things ? If God be againft them in their 
 Caul'e, who or what can be with them (to any purpofe ?) The colours 
 wherewith they commonly paint the face of it> to give it the beft com- 
 plexion it will take, are very wafhy, faint, and fading: So that what 
 Attftin fpake in a cafe that would not fo well bear it,I may, upon a try'd 
 account, fay concerning the Caufe that now hath been argued : Scio 
 contra hanc^ quam defendirmM, fe»te»tiam y neminem nifi errando di [put are 
 pfjfe : I know that no man can difpute againft the opinion we maintain, 
 but by erring [from the Truth.] The common Pleas for the lawful- 
 nefs of the ufeof Minted Forms of Prayer , I pafs over, onely wiih 
 thefe two Memorandums : i. That the moft lubftantial proof of the 
 meer lawfulnefs of them, will not reach the juftification of the ufe of 
 them by any Perfon (much lefs will it juftific the penal impofitionof 
 them :) the reafon is, becaufe there is nothing done by any perfon in 
 or about the Worfhip or Service of God, but is either more then law- 
 ful (as either expedient or neceffary) or elfe unlawful. That which is 
 expedient, or fitting to be done in the cafe wefpeak of, is (to a degree 
 at lead, or in a fenfe) ncccilary ; and fo more then fimply or mecrly 
 lawful : that which is not expedient or not fitting to be done, is (que- 
 ftionlefs) if it be done, unlawful. Therefore they that undertake to 
 prove the lawfulnefs of fet Forms of Prayer, and no morc,though they 
 fhould make good their enterprise, yet would they not hereby lay a- 
 fufficient Foundation for any perfon actually to ufe thenru The reafon 
 hereof may be touched before we conclude. Yea r it is as true of all 
 deliberate and moral a£tions,that the lawfulnefs of them (imply and in- 
 definitely confidercd, doth not prove it to. be abfolutely or univerfai- 
 ly lawful for any man to do them ; but onely under and with appropri- 
 ate and due circumftances. Therefore (to put in this by the way) to- 
 ;uftific the lawfulnefs of the ufeof things indifferent in the WoifhipoE 
 God, meerly upon this ground,that they are indifferent in tbemfelves, 
 andoutof the Worfhip of God, and fo lawful , is fufiiciently ridicu- 
 lous and childiih : but to juftifie this ufe of them againft the grain o£ 
 fo many material and weighty circumftances as rife up againft it, and 
 with greateft importunity diffwade from it (efpecially in this Nation) 
 is little lefs then bidding a defiance to. all Chriftian Ingenuity, and* 
 declaiming o£ all refpecis b6th to God and Man. 2. That, the law- 
 fulness 
 
fulnefs of Minted Liturgies, or fct Forms of Prayer, though never fo 
 demonftratively proved, would be no falve to heal the fore (or rarhcr 
 the many fores) of the Englijh Service-Book : Some account hereof 
 Wis given towards the beginning. 
 
 The bentof the prefenc difcourfe hath ftood chiefly againft the im- 
 pofition of Forms for the Worfaipof God, and partly againft a fubmif- 
 lion to the ufe of them upon the account of luch impohtion. Let us 
 now tafte the fpirit of thofe Arguments,or of fome of the chief of them, 
 by which the Lords and Matters of thefe impofitions are wont to en- 
 deavour to make that which is crooked, ftreighr. They that of old 
 pleaded for Idols, had (itfecms) their ftrong Reafons ( luch as they 
 thought ftrong ) to maintain the Caufe of their Clients. Produce your 
 Caufe, faith the Lord: bring forth your ftrong F^eafons, Zee. If a. 41. 21. 
 And men of impofing Principles, appear upon all occahons, to be as 
 confident as they were, who went before them in the way of their ini- 
 quity, binding heavy burthens , and grievotu to be born, and laying them on 
 mens fhoulders , ( as our Saviour chargcth the Scribes and Pharifees to 
 have done in his dayes, Mat . 23 . 4.) Some of thefe, in the height of 
 their confidence, that whoever were ignorant, they were men of 
 knowledge, and of profound and (harp underftandings, demanded of 
 Chrift ( in the name, as it fecms, of all their fellows ) not with a lit- 
 tle indignation, Are we blind alfo ? ( John 9. 40,. ) being jealous that 
 he had forely difparaged them, in binding them up in the fame bundle 
 with the ignorant world. But as highly conceited as they were of their 
 knowledge and wifdom, the Lord Chrift, dealing plainly with them, in 
 reproving them, calleth them fools, and blind guides, over and over, 
 Mat. 23. 16,17,19. And (if it be lawful to call a Spade a Spade) the 
 great Pro&orsof the Impofitions we fpeak of ( referving unto them all 
 the honour due unto their learning and parts, othcrwife ) when they 
 rife up in their might to plead for thefe (pkiKcyrn &v<xi 9010], kua^x?- 
 hvi*«w,}r of effmgthemf elves to be wife [and to carry all clear before them] 
 they become fools [and leave their Caufe quite behind them] %om.\.ii. 
 yea in thefe Difpates they fecm fcarce men, or to have put away child- 
 ifb things. A late great Hyperafpiftes of Liturgical devotions, and with- 
 all (asyoumayprefume) of all their appurtenances, and pre-requi- 
 fites, as 1. Epifcopacy (the Pillar,and Ground-work of all) 2. Or 
 Penal Impofitions of them, without which they would not be fuffered to 
 live, where the light of true C hr ift ianit y fhineth. 3. Of fubjedion 
 to the Commands of Authority, whether with fcruple, or without, a 
 Principle that will enable men tofwallow them, though they be Ca- 
 mels ( with fcverall other Hierarchical notions. gndjtexkzs-jxtei— 
 
fary for the fupponing of that frame) this Champion ( I fay ) of Lh 
 turgies, who allovveth us not the liberty of calling him by his Name, 
 yet infulteth with this Argument, over all that oppofeth him in his 
 way. 
 
 That Service of God which is cenfonant to holy Scripture,** lawful? 
 
 The Service of God, fer formed by a Prefer Ihd Llturgie y is confonant 
 . to holy Scripture. Ergo. 
 This Syllogifm,were it narrowly~iifted,how much drofs would be found 
 in it! Both Piopofuions being ambiguous, and fpeaking nothing di- 
 ftin&ly, the whole Argument amounts to nothing, unlefs it be a fnaie 
 tocatch the unwary and lefs confidence. For the Philofophers Rule 
 is true : Te p»j & ffWf*oiv<F, i§Lv ctyAKimv fit. Not to fignlfie one thing 
 [diftin&ly, and with determination] is to fignlfie nothing. Let us 
 touch a particular or two, in either Proportion. In the Major y 
 
 i. The word lawful y fignifieth both that which is lawful limply, or 
 in the nature of ir, and circumftances fecluded, or that which is lawful 
 in the pradtiq le of it, where circumftances alwayes have to do,and ma- 
 ny times render that unlawful in the doing, or to bedone,which in the 
 nature of it, was lawful enough, and might have been lawful alfo in the 
 Praclife. We fhall not need to give Inftance : the Notion is com- 
 mon and clear. So then, this Proportion, That Service of God which is 
 confonant to the holy Scripture , « lawful y mzy be true in the former fence 
 of the word Lwful, and yet falfe in the latter ( which yet, queftion- 
 lefs, is the fence of the Syllogiaer : for he argues for the lavvfulnefs of 
 the ufe or pra&ife of the Service he ipeaks ) For that Service of God y 
 which is really, truly, and in it felf confonant to holy Scripture ymay be 
 dillbnant and contrary hereunto in the judgment and confeience of 
 thofe on whom it is impofed, and fo the ule of it, during this ftate of 
 their judgment, unlawful unto them.Thereare other circumftances, be- 
 iides this now mentioned, which may render even fuch a Service of God 
 04 is confonant to holyScrlpture ..unlawful to be pra&ifed.But we dial leave 
 thefe a& prefent,to exercife the Thinking faculty of the Difputer. On- 
 ly I de(ire leave-to put this Queftion to him at this turn : Whether, 
 it being fuppofed, that the Service of God, contained in the Liturgy of 
 Bafil , Gregory, or any of thofe now ufed in many of the Reformed 
 Churches, is as confonant to the holy Scripture, as that fet forth in the 
 Enollfh Service- Book, is notwithstanding lawful to be ufed by the Mi- 
 nimis of this Nation ? If not ( for I prefume he will appear on the 
 denying hand ) then is there fome-what more than a confonancy to holy 
 Scripture, required to make the Service of 'God L A W$ U L in the 
 ind _thls»injcb_e judgement of this z/£rgumentator y muft 
 
■■■ 
 
 ( V ) 
 
 bt the Comttund of that Authority, within the Jurifdi&ion of which it 
 is performed. A worthy Poficion ! the Confluences whereof I willi 
 he would fcrioufly and unpartialiy compute at his leifure. But, 
 
 2. Neither. is this expreflion, or phrafe, confonant to the holy Scrip- 
 f#r*,free from ambiguity in the fenfe & meaning of it,as the EpifcopaJ 
 dialed hath enlarged its fignification. For they who are wont to plead 
 for an imposition of Liturgies and Ceremonies, call that which is not 
 contrary to the exprels letter of fome particular prohibition or other,in 
 the Scripture, confonant to the Scripture, as well as that which is agree- 
 able to Come exprels command there. Now then, if by consonant to ho- 
 lj Scripture, he only meats, not repugnant, or not contrary, to fome 
 exprels prohibition in holy Scripture, his Proportion is broadly repug- 
 nant unto the Truth. For it hath been formerly proved from the holy 
 Scripture, that in matter of Worfhip, not to be commanded, and to be 
 prohibited, are of a like consideration before God. Therefore that 
 Service of God, which is confonant to the holy Scripture only in that Epi- 
 fcopally-appropiiate fence of the phrafe, is not upon fuch an account* 
 lawful. And that this is, or arm ft be his fenfe of the fa id phrafe, or ex- 
 preiTion, is evident from hence, becauie otherwife his Argument would 
 have nothing to do with his Caufe. For certain it is, That prefcribed 
 Liturgies or, the Service of God performed by them, are not confonant to 
 holy Scripture \vi the other fence of the ph;afe ; that is, are neither 
 formally, or exprefly, nor yet virtually, or consequentially command- 
 ed there. Thus we lee the Major Proportion of the Grand Sjhgifm in 
 the GrandT>ebate, is homonymous, captious, and fallacious : which is 
 enough to lay the credit of the Argument managed in it, in the duif. 
 Yet neither is the CMinor better conditioned, if not worfe. For, 
 
 i.Here we have our double-rongu'd exprelfion z%L\VL,Confonant to ho- 
 ly Scripture. So that here is lying in wait alio for thofe that do not look- 
 well about them. 
 
 ±. Thefe words, a Prefcribed Liturgy, are as double-minded, as 
 thofe other* For they may lignihe, either a Liturgie only penned, or 
 drawn up, in a method, or form of words, and phrafes, and piopofed 
 to be ufed direction, wile, in, or about the Service of God : or elfe, 
 a Liturgy impofed by Authority, under civil mulch and penalties. 
 The word, Prefcribed^ is, and may be taken, either in the one, or in the 
 other of thefe hgnifkations. Though in the former fence of the words, 
 the Proportion fhould be admitted, yet in the other it will make Anti- 
 Scriptiual Divinity. For, The Service of God performed by an 1 MPO* 
 SED Liturgy, is (as hath been formerly proved ) fo far from be- 
 ing confonant to holy Scripture ^ that the high difpleafuie of God is here 
 
 *e-- 
 
u* ) 
 
 revealed fromHeaven againftic.But enough of this in thePremifei .Yet, 
 3. ( And laftly) Suppofe we (hould be fo prodigal, as to give away 
 all we have in exception againft both this and the former Proportion, 
 (which amounts, as we have found by computing it, to be no frnall 
 fumme ) and fo grant Conclufion and ail, and all in the Difputcisown 
 fence ( fo that this be not too unreafonably exorbitant from his words) 
 yet ihould we not hereby gratifie him at all in ( the beloved of hit 
 foul ) the English Service -Book. For when he faith ( in this latter Pro- 
 portion) J he Service of God performed by a prefcrlbed Liturglc, is confo- 
 nant to holy Scripture, I cannot think that by tALiturgic^ he mean- 
 tth, Any Liturgic whatsoever, or that is polfible to be invented by men 
 ( although the exprcflion, whatfoever his meaning be, is not compe- 
 tent or workrn,an-like) but fuch* Liturgie which (hall contain nothing 
 in it, either in matter or form, contrary to any precept, or direction 
 found in the Word of God. Becaufe it is too too plain and palpable a 
 cafe, that the Service of God performed by any other Liturgic, than one 
 of this calculation, cannot be confonant to the holy Scripture. Now then 
 this being his meaning in the Minor Proportion, his Argument with 
 the largeltindulgence of approbation and confent, concludes nothing 
 in favour of his Service-Book , nor proveth , that The Service of 
 God, performed by it, is confonant to the holy Scripture. For that there 
 are fome things contained in this Liturgie, or Book,which are contrary 
 to precepts and directions found in the Word of God, was (hewed to- 
 wards the beginning of this Difcourfe ; and might be proved in many 
 more particlars, than are there produced. We need go no further than 
 to the Let any ( fo called ) of which fuch glorious things are fpoken by 
 this Author, p<?g. 8. that he feems to adore the fulnefs of it, as much 
 as Auftinc did, plenltudinem Scriptttr<e y the fulnefs of the Scriptures 
 themfelves : and more generally, the men of his infpiration are im- 
 potent in their Elogiums and commendations of this piece, as if in it 
 they faw the Service-Book in all her glory. Yet unto him that (hall 
 weigh it exactly in the ballanceof the San&uary, it will (I believe) 
 appear to be a very corrupt member, and in which the unclean Spirit 
 of Will-worfhip aclcth his part, in fome things more childiihly, but 
 in more, more contradi&ingly to the right rule of Worfhip, than in 
 any other part of the Book. Yea, were there a diligent and narrow 
 fcarch made into it, a juft volumn might be made of the weak and un- 
 worthy things ( only with their fober and neceftary explications ) that 
 would be found in it, Firfi, It is no good Omen, that in the very In- 
 fcriptioa, or Title of it, where it is ordered, or commanded, to be ufed 
 on certain dayes, as on Smdaycs, Wednefdayes^ and Fridayes, there is a 
 
nunifeft contrariety to the Holy Scripture, which reproveth and confc- 
 qucntlv prohibitcth> the ebfervation ofDayes and limes, as well as of 
 Monet hs and Tears, <JW. 4. 10. And why not on Tue[dayes and T/?«r/- 
 Ai/tf, as Well as on Wedne[d*ies and Fridaies ? Doubtlcfs upon no bet- 
 ter account, than that on which Jeroboam offered upon the Altar which 
 he had made in Bethel, oh the fifteenth day of the eighth moneth, even the 
 moneth which he haddevifed of his own hearty 1 Kings 12. 33. If fuch 
 devices as this be not the very quinteffence,and fpirit of Will- woi (hip, 
 I confefs I have no understanding in the Myftery. Again, when it is 
 commanded to be USED on Sundays, &c. the meaning of the word 
 ufed (as the ufe and practice allowed, if not commanded alfo, in thofe 
 Churches or Chappels, termed Collegiate, interpreted it ) is ( dirtri- 
 butiveiy ) cither [ting or [aid, the like liberty being granted in thefe 
 words, concerning, venite exulterma. Now the Scripture in the New 
 Tcltament maketh a flat opposition between praying and figging* Jam. 
 f . 13. Nor doth it fpeak any where of tinging anything, but either of 
 P[alms, or Hymns, or Songs. Now then if the L-tany be a Prayer, one 
 or many, and not a Pfalm, Hymn or Song, it cannot be fung With.any 
 confonancy to holy Scripture. Thus we fee the very door opening into 
 the admired Letany, is polluted : let us vew the Fabrick it felf a little,. 
 we (hall foon find more irregularities, and pollutions here. 
 
 1. How oft do they that pray by this Letany, tranfgrefs our Saviours 
 rule concerning Prayer, prj GacfloKoyvMrt ufe- no battologies orneed- 
 lefs repetitions? 1. Wnen the Minifter prayeth, O God the Father of 
 Heaven , have mercy upon m mlferable /inner /, I d efi r e to know , 1 . W he - 
 tber this be an entire Prayer, or a piece of a Prayer. 2. Be it an en- 
 tire Prayer, or a piece of a Prayer, Whether it is not intended that 
 the People prefent fhould joyn with him in it ; and pray for the lame 
 thing, when and whilcft he prayeth ? If this be fo, ( and I prefurne 
 that tor (hame it will not bz denied) then it is a battclogie, or need- 
 lefs repetition, for the People immediately, and as it were with the 
 fame breath, to repeat or pray over the fame words again ; O God the 
 Father o[ Heaven, &c. So then according to this account, if the Mi- 
 nirter prayeth with the People, as they pray with him, our Saviours 
 rule againlt needlefs repetitions in prayer, is no few »r than four feve- 
 tal tim:s broken on both' hands, within the compafsof the four firft pe- 
 titions, or Prayers of the faid Letany. Or if fach repetitions as thefe 
 be not vain and needlefs,. and fuch as Chrift prohibited, I defire the 
 great Mallet of this piece o£ devotion,, that he will 1. Diltinguifh- 
 between repetitions,, and repetitions, and define which, are needlefs v 
 and which are necejfary^ and then 2. Give us a, fublt an ti*l account 
 
that thofe mentioned, are of the latter, not of the former kind* But to 
 our Query ; If the words queried upon^ contain an intire Prayer,why 
 do not the People teftifie their confent and delire to have it granted, by 
 faying Amen at the end of it, (as himfelf faith, p. 14; that men are ob- 
 liged i to fay untofuch Prayers, and as is more agreeable to holy Scrip- 
 ture ', 1 Cor. 14. 16.) rather then inftead thereof to repeat the words of 
 the Prayer? Certainly there cannot be a more pregnant inttanee of a 
 vain and needlefs repetition then this, fince the word Amen would figni- 
 fie altogether as much, yea the very fame thing which this repithion 
 doth. Ifthefaid words be to be taken as a Petition onely, and as a 
 member and part of a Prayer, why do the People interrupt the Mini- 
 fter in the midft of his Prayer, fceming rather to affront and mock 
 him, by faying the fame words after him, then to exprefs any ferioufncfs 
 of Devotion with him ? Therefore in this notion of the words, there 
 is in the Peoples repetition of them, a manifeft infurre£tion againft 
 that Apoftolical Piecept, Let all things be done decently, and in order* Or 
 is it decent and orderly , that the Minitter fhould not bz (uttered by the 
 People to finifh the Prayer which he hath begun, without their inter- 
 ruption ? Again, 
 
 2. This unchriftian mifdemeanour of battologizing^ is committed 
 feven or eight times over, in the repetition of thefe words by the Peo- 
 ple, Good Lord deliver us. For why fhould not the prolation of them 
 onely once, be as effectual for all needful ends and purpofes, as the 
 making of fo many founds of the fame words, fonigh together ? But 
 it is well, as the cafe ftands, that the fond (pint of VVill-VVorfoip 
 contented himfelf herewith fo few mifcarriages invain repetitions, as 
 feven or eight, when as, upon as good an account in reafon, he might 
 have multiplied them to Cevenreen or eighteen, or to a greater num- 
 ber: at which ftone, being blind, he {-tumbled foon after, in prefcri- 
 b*ng thefe words, We beseech thee to hear tu good Lord, robe repeated 
 twenty, or one and twenty times over, within the compafs of fo much 
 devotion as may be difpatched without making halte, within the fpace 
 of half a quarter of an hoar. But 
 
 3. Beficies thefe grofs and palpable Battologies, which cannot light- 
 ly efcape any manseye,that doth but curforily view that highly honou- 
 red, but more juftly condemned, Model of Devotion, the Let any : 
 there are federal others obnoxious enough to a little obfervanon. For, 
 1. Prefentlyafccrrequeft here made for deliverance from all evil and 
 mifchief y and from fin ; another requeft is made for deliverance 
 from fome evils y and fome Jms\ as from Pride , Vain-glory , #)- 
 pcri/ky &c. from Fornication, and all other deadly fin 9 [as if Pride, Hy- 
 
 pocrifie,] 
 
I- 
 
 (40 
 pocrifie, Malice, Envy, &c were but fins vernal.] By the way, They 
 that are Co defirous to cover the (hame of the Romifh Parentage of their 
 darling Letany, much forget themfclvcs, to fuffer fo exprefs a linea- 
 ment of her Mothers feature to befeen in her face, as the making 
 onely of fome fins deadly, (which fuppol*c(h others to bz venial.) 2. Af- 
 ter deliv erance begg d from the crafts and affaults of the Devil, the like 
 deliverance is within two or three lines begg'd again from all the deceits 
 of the Devil ; and afterwards, from thofe evils which the craft and fttb- 
 tilty of the Devil worketh againfi us. 3 . After prayer made for delivc- 
 lance from contempt ef Gods Word and Commandment, prayer is here a- 
 ^a\n made that we may diligently live after his Commandments ; and the 
 third time, that we may amend our lives according to his holy Word. Paf- 
 fa°es and expveflions fymbolizing in words, fence,and meaning,as neat 
 as thefe, found in the conceived Prayer of an Anti-formift, would be cal- 
 led tautologies, to the great difgraceand contempt of it,by perfons who 
 have addicted thcmfclves to Liturgical (I had almoft hid, Lethargical) 
 Devotions. 4. When prayer hath been here made unto God to give 
 and preserve to our ufe THE FRUITS OF THE EARTH, fo as in due 
 time we may enjoy them ; we are compelled to pray again in dry weather, 
 for fuch moderate rain and fhowers, that we may RECEIVE THE 
 F RUITS OF THE EAR TH to our comfort, &c. and yet a- 
 gain in wet weather, for fach weather whereby we may RECEIVE THE 
 F RUITS OF THE EARTH in due feafon ; and yet after all th\s,That 
 our Land may yeildus HER FRUITS of incrcafe. ?. After the Peo- 
 ple have pray'd, Have mercy upon us, (being beholding to tneir Minifter 
 for a Vocative-cafe) they mult pray out of hand yet again, Lord have 
 mercy upon us ; and for all this, yet again , Chrift have mercy upon us ; 
 and after all thefe agains, yet again (once more) Lord have mercy upon 
 hs: and now all the Bead $ of this firing are told. 6. This Prayer, O 
 Lord arife, help us and deliver us for thy Names fake ; is prefently after 
 corrected and amended onely thus, O Lord arife, help us and deliver us 
 for thine Honour. 7. When we have prayed, From our Enemies defend 
 us, O Chrift ; we muft pray unto Almighty God, (as if our Letany did 
 a little Socinianiz,e) Save and deliver us from — the hands of our Ene* 
 mies. 8. About the middle of this Letany, after the thick and rhort 
 Prayers, the Mini(ter,as if the People and he had been idle untill now, 
 oratleaft about fome other bufinefs then praying, admonifheth his 
 People to pray ; faying unto them, Let us pray. 9. (And laflly, to 
 pafs by fever al other impertinent Duplicats and Mult i plicate, or vain 
 repetitions of Petitions within the compafsof the Letany onely) When 
 the Minifter and People ftiall have prayed with the uttermoft devotion 
 
they can make between them, for Charles our moft gracious King and 
 Governour, for our gracious Queen Kathartne y CMarythe QuctY.- Mother % 
 James 'Duke of Torke,&c. they muft xecruit their Devotions very fpee- 
 dily, or elfe they will pray thcfccond time (which is not far off) but 
 coldly for our mofl gracious Sovereign Lord King Charles, our gracious 
 Queen Katharine, &c. 
 
 2. Neither is this admired piece of Devotion fo notorioufly defor- 
 med (as we have feen) with Tautologies and empty Repetitions onely, 
 it hath fundry other Ailments and Difeafes hanging upon it. i. All 
 thofe eight Petitions or Prayers (if fuch they be) put into the mouth 
 of the Minifter, unto which fo many Good- Lord- deliver- us 1 s arefub- 
 joyned, as far as the Minitter uttereth or prayeth them, are abfolute 
 and grofs Non- fence, having no Verb at all in them, onely the People 
 are enjoyned to fupply the defects of their Minifter, and to under- 
 prop his pendulous words with a principal Verb ; and fo between the 
 Premifes of the one, and the Conclufion of the other, we have (with 
 much ado) a Syllogifm of Prayer formed. That the Minifter fhould 
 pray by halves, or make half a Prayer, and the PeopJe pray ano- 
 ther half Prayer, and thefc two halfs be clapt together to make a 
 whole Prayer, is (certainly) a new-fangled device of praying, and luch 
 whereof the Scripture, yea, and all Principles of Reafon, not fuper- 
 ftitionized,areafhamed. But,2. Though Good- Lord-deliver. «/,joyn- 
 ed to the preceding words of the Minifter , make a competent and 
 grammatical fence together ; yet thofe one and twenty Some- wh a ts, 
 (for Prayers they are not, and what diftin& appellation to give them, I 
 know not) which are relieved with the like number of We-befeech-thee 
 to-hear-us-Good-Lord's y do not of themfelves make any fenfe at a!l,nor 
 any very good fence in conjunction with the words affigned unto them 
 for their relief : For to fay, That it may pleafe thee to do this and that, 
 We befeech thee to hear us good Lord, is little better then a Soloecifm ; at 
 thebeft but an unufual and harfti conftruction* 
 
 3 , Here are feveral expreflions and palTages befides, not fo confede- 
 rate or well-digcfted. i. To pray to be delivered from Deadly Sins, 
 (which fuppofeth the diftin&ion of Sins into venial and mortal, 
 to be confonant to the Scriptures ) founds rather Pontifician 
 then Proteftant Devotion (though I think the diftinclion may in a 
 fence be- admitted) this was touched before. 2. To pray unto God 
 to f refer ve all that travel h Land or by Water ; is it not to pray for High- 
 way-men and Thieves, Pirates, and Murthcrers (if they be travelling 
 either by Land or Water) that they may efcape the danger of being ap- 
 prehended and punifhed for their wickednefs, and confequcntly that 
 
 tbey 
 
they may have peace and continue undifturbed in their horrid pra£li- 
 ces, as well as honett and harmlefs men in fuch a condition ? 3. Thefe 
 expreifions, By thy Agony and bloody Sweat y by thy Crofs and Pajjlon^ &c. 
 be they intended, whether fenfu Mediatorio, Adjurativo,re~memorativo y 
 or in what fence lbever,makc no good found in the ears of a good Con . 
 fcience, efpecially that is tender and unlearned* 4. Every perfon 
 thatisenjoyned to pray for the [ending down of the HEALTHFUL 
 Spirit of Grace upon our Bifhops and Curats, &c. hardly undcrftands, in 
 vvhat fence, why or how, the Spirit of God is here termed healthful, 
 ? . That God fhould be confidercd in his power of working Great Mi- 
 racles y \\\\tn he is deiired to fend down his Spirit upon oUr Bifbops and C11- 
 rats 7 &c. Doth it imply (for it feems fo to do) that God worketh a 
 great Miracle when he fendeth down his healthful Spirit upon any of our 
 Bijhops and Curats } &c. 6. ( And laftly) That Bifhops fhould be here 
 twice prayed for, whenas the Lords of the Council, and all the Nobility, 
 have only ons prayer allowed them, and this a very fhort and fimple 
 one, may reafonably be imputed to their great need of being often 
 prayed for, their wants being great and many, and their temptations 
 many through their great abundance : which might likewife unhappily 
 occafion their defire, that the Prayer for them, and their Curats ( for 
 fo they are wont to inter pre x^Paftors and Mlnlflers of the Church) might 
 have the precedency of the Prayer of thcLords of the Council and all the 
 Nobility. Thus much ( by the way) concerning the Letany, the Head 
 Quarters of the Service-Book^, where the higheft ftraines of Devotion, 
 that rule here,are fuppofed to lodge and refide. That they fo much ad- 
 mire it who are fo deep in love with it, needs be no mans admiration. 
 It is a riming Proverb ( I fuppofe ) of the fame race and defcent with 
 the Book it felf : 
 
 Si qui* amat ranam, ranam put at ejfe Dianam. 
 
 One filly Frog who dotes in love, will fwear, 
 Diana's beauty /hincth not more clear. 
 
 I have tt ( prefent ) taken notice only of a few of the deformed li- 
 neaments in the face of it ; in my furvey of it, I difcovered many 
 more .- butthofc mentioned I judge competent to break the fnare, 
 which the zealous and importune commendations of it by fome, who 
 have ( moft unworthily) endaved themfelvesin Devotion to it,may 
 prove unto others, who (haply) would be more enclinablc to worfhip 
 God purely, tnd with acceptation, were not this uncouth Form of 
 
(44) 
 
 Devotion with fwelling words of vanity obtruded on them. Never 
 was there ( I verily believe) a Liturgie, or piece of any Liturgie, of 
 fo wild and barbarous, of fo mithapen, odd and difordered a contri- 
 vance, that ever prefumed to look the world in the face ; or at leaft, 
 that was gloried over at the tenth part of that rate, at which fo many 
 men of commendable parts, learning, and understanding othcrwife, 
 make boaft of the English Letany. The Apoftlcs expoftulatory quefti- 
 on to the Galatians, might be very feafonably put to them at- this turn, 
 Tk u jl ou \QciwLvi) GaL 3 ♦ i . 
 
 We now return to the purfuit of our main undertaking, where we 
 brake off from it upon occafion of that diverfion, with which the Read- 
 er hath been made acquainted. We had proceeded fo far in afTerting 
 it, as the incommunicable Prerogative of God, to appoint and enjoyn 
 his own Worfoip, that there remained nothing of whit was further 
 intended herein, but only the fatisfying of fuch Arguments, or preten- 
 ces, by which this Prerogative of God is attempted to be overthrown, 
 by entitling men to a right of power to impofe Worfhip of their own 
 prefcribing, as well as He* 
 
 Pirfly The examples of the godly Kings in Jnda> as of David, A[a> 
 Jcho{hapIoat i Hez,ektah>Jofeah,&c. interpofing and impofing,in Religi- 
 ous affairs, ire frequently imployed for the jutiification of the impo- 
 sition of Forms of Worfhip by the Chilian Magiftratc, and this under 
 very grievous mulcts and penalties, at this day. I anfwer, they may 
 be imployed for fuch a purpofe, and yet to very little or no purpofe at 
 all. For, 
 
 i, Thcfe Kings had holy Prophets amongft them, immediately in- 
 fpired by God, who from time to time, upon all occafions, were fent 
 unto them with the mind of God in their mouths, \Sam*2.z. j» 
 2 Sam. 7*4)$. & 12. i\ 2 Kings ip. 2, tf, 7, &c. 2 Chron. if. 1, 2. 
 & 18. 7, 18, &C. and 19.2. and 20. 14, ij, &c. and 2j. 7, 8,9, 
 15* and 26. y. and 34.21,22,23,8:0. Whereas Magiftrates in 
 thefe dayes have no fuch internmcij between God>and them, infalli- 
 bly to declare his mind unto them in difficult cafes. 
 
 2. They had the mouth of God himfelf alwayes near unto them by 
 Urim and Thammlm^ by confulting by thefe , they might know hit 
 mind in all cafes of concernment, and be refoived in all their doubts* 
 without any danger of miftake. See and compare, Nam. 27. 21. and 
 1 Sam. 23 . 2, 4, 9 . and 3 o.y.and 28.6. Surf lice and Lawn-fleives arc 
 tLoittrim and Thammlm. 
 
 3. However the faid Kings interpofed with their Authority in mat- 
 
 ter* 
 
C4S> 
 
 tersof Religion, yet they never impofed upon their People any new 
 
 -Form, of Worfhip, either of their own or other mens devifing : but on 
 the contrary ftill interdicted and prohibited all fuch kinds, methods, 
 and manners of Worfhip which were of Humane Invention, as bdng 
 provoking in the fight of God, defacing, abolifhing, and deftroying 
 all their accoutrements, and whatfoever was relating unto fuch Wor- 
 fhip, either in a way of allurement or provocation, or of fubferviency 
 in any kind; yea, they fpared not the Piicfts themfelves, the Grand 
 Promoters of this Worfhip, but did feverc execution upon them alio, 
 i Kings 13.2. compared with 2 Kings 23. 20. and zChron. 34. 5. 
 Now then to reafon thus ; The Kings ofjnda had power to enjoyn the 
 Worfhip of God appointed and commanded by God himfelf, and to 
 aboiifh all other kinds of Worfhip of a Forreign and Humane extracti- 
 on : Therefore CbrifiUn Magiftrates have a right of Power to appoint 
 and in joyn what Forms or Kinds of Wor/hip they pleafe, whether they 
 be prescribed and appointed by God or no ; to reafon thus (I fay ) 
 plainly argueth, that men have taken fome bribe, or other, to blind 
 the eyes of their minds and understandings. 
 
 4. Whatfoever was done by the godly Kings of Jttda in matters of 
 Religion,was plainly commanded by God himfelf in the Law oiMofes: 
 in what they did upon this account, they neither added to, nor took 
 from his Word. See Exod. 23. 24. Vent. 7. 5. and 12. 2, 3. Exod, 
 34. 13. And for the Commands of God, relating unto his external 
 Worfhip, and to the prefervation hereof in purity, which were deliver- 
 ed unto the Jews^ other than fuch which the Law and Light of Nature 
 alfo teacheth (which were not many, if any in this kind ) are not on- 
 ly not oblieging upon any other Nation, but are no fufficient Warrant 
 unto any topra&ite, or put in execution, the things commanded in 
 them. One reafon whereof, may be, becaufe they were given unto the 
 Jews with fpecial reference unto the counfel and defign of God in, and 
 about that Nation and People, and are not ferviceable for any defign, 
 which at this day he hath on foot, in, or about any Nation in the 
 World ; as (for inftance ) to make any of them tjflcallj holy. I fup- 
 pofethatnoconfideringman will affirm, that thole Laws, or Com- 
 mands, laid down, Deut. 13. 5*. and v. 8, 9, 10. and v. 15, \6 , 17. 
 which were as effectually binding unto the Jews y and their Rulers, as 
 any Moral Precept, will juftifie in thefe dayes any Nation or Magi- 
 ftiate, that (hall do the things contained in them. So then, that the 
 godly Kings of Juda did that in matters of Religion, lawfully* yea or 
 commendably, which they were by God commanded to do, is only a 
 prevaricating Argument, to prove, that Cbrifiian Magiftrates may do 
 
(4«) 
 that> cither commendably, or lawfully in matters of the fame concern- 
 ment, which God hath not commanded them. 
 
 y. Whsnthefe Kings did command the obfervation of thofevery 
 things by the People, which God himfelf had commanded them in his 
 L*w, the People, ( at leaft fuch as feared God, and beft underftood 
 themfelves among them) did not fo much mind the Kings Authority 
 in commanding them, as the Gommand of God himfeif concerning 
 them. When that good King Jofiab made a Covenant before the Lord, 
 to walk after the Lord and keep his Commandment J,&C. and caafed all that 
 werepre{entof]cxd^\zmand Benjamin, to ft and to it> it is exprefly 
 faid, That the inhabit onts of Jerufalem did according to the Covenant of 
 God y theGodof their Fathers ; implying, that it was the Covenant or 
 Commandment of God for the doing of thofe things, which the King 
 caufed them topromife they would do, which principally moved them 
 to that obedience which they yeelded unto them, and not the moti- 
 on, or ( if we will not be content without more than is due) the com- 
 mand of the King. 2 Chron* 34. 3 1, 32. 
 
 6. The Kin°s we fpake of, were Types of Chrift, who was as well a 
 Prophet, as a King : and in this refpecl it was proper for them to take 
 care of, and to interpofe in, matters relating to the Woifhip of God, 
 afwell as to the Civil Government. But fince Chrift's coming in the 
 flelh,types either in perfons,or in things, have no place in the Church. 
 So that to ve(l a power of regulating and ordering the Worftiipof God 
 in Chriflian Kings, is to make them Types oiCbnft, and confequently 
 to deny, that Chrift is come in the rlefru Upon the like account the 
 High Priefts among the Jem y being alfo Types of Chrift y who was as 
 Well a King as a Prieft, the better to anfwer and fill their relation to 
 their Great Anti-type, were admitted by God into part and fellowship 
 of the Civil Government. But for Ministers of the Gofpel to admit 
 of politick invert itures, or to accept or exercife any Civil Power, is to 
 Judai'z,e, and to deny him that bought them t to be as yet come into the 
 World. But that the Kings of Judah were Types of Chrift, is evident, 
 and withal generally acknowledged in the perfons of the two flirt of 
 that race, which was in fpecial manner appointed by God to fit upon 
 that Throne, David and Solomon : and there is little reafon to queftion 
 the fame relation in the reft, confidering that they alfo were Heads 
 over the fame typical Nation, and excrcifed the fame Bipartite power 
 in governing it, which the other did ; not to add that they were alfo in 
 their Loyns, when they a&ed in the typical relation mentioned, and 
 fo in a fence (frequently owned in the Scripture ) were that, and did 
 that, which they ( their fore-fathers) were, and did. 
 
(47) 
 
 7. The Nation and People over which thefe Kings reigned, were de- 
 fined, and accordingly prepared and fitted by God, to be mide a Na- 
 tion and People typically holy ; that is, prefigmricant, or pre-figurative, 
 by and in their external and ceremonial Holinefs and Conformity to 
 the Woriliip of God then prefcribed unto them, of the real fanetity 
 and holincfs, as well inward as outward,which was to be found in Chri- 
 ftian Churches, and in the People of God under the Gofpef. This 
 rjptf*/ consideration of the Nation of the Jews, is more then overtui'd 
 or iparingly intimated in the Scriptures : TheApoltle Paul plainly af- 
 ferteth it, where he faith, For rve [Chriftians and true Believers] are 
 the Cireumclfion [that is, the People prefigured by thofe that were c/V- 
 cumclfed, meaning the Jews ; the Anti-type being ofren expreffed by 
 the name of the Type, as %om. 1.28,29. Jfr.30.9. £^.34.23,24. 
 & 37.24,25. Afjft.11.14. & 17.2. Heb.i$.io. Rev.z.9. & 1*9* wirh 
 others] which worfhip God In the Spirit , and rejoyce In Chrift Jefta^ &c. 
 Phillp.1.3. See further to this purpofe, iPet.2. 9. and what Expofj- 
 tors gencrally,and more efpecially the Dutch Annotarors write hereon. 
 Now to order this Nation fo,that it might ferve the Counfel of God in 
 its typical Relation fpecified, upon the better and more (ignificant 
 terms, it was necellary that by a ftrong hand, and by the Authori ty and 
 Power of their chief Rulers, they (hould be kept in a Conformity to 
 the Law of God concerning his Worfhip (efpecially) and not fuffered 
 (as far as might be) to corrupt themfelves with any falfe Worfhip, or 
 by going a whoring after any Grange God. And it was the rather ne- 
 ccltary that they ihould be thus retrained from polluting themfelves 
 with Idolatry in any kini, becaufe they were (more generally) excef- 
 fively prone to break out in this way of (inning, and had many temp- 
 tations from the Nations round about them, to entice and provoke 
 them accordingly ; the means of Grace (in the mean time) by winch 
 nun are, contrary to their linful propenfions, drawn to Iove,& fear,an i 
 ckave fa(t,and clofc unto God, being but very fparingly, and by leant 
 meafures, in refpett of Gofpel-allowancc, vouchfafed unto them. Now 
 then, there being nothing of all this long ftory, belonging unto, or 
 found in Chriftian Churches, who live under Chriliian Kings, but all 
 things contrary or otherwife , it is very importune, and againft the 
 grain of all reafon, to fubjeft thefe Churches unto thefe Kings upon 
 the fame terms on which the Church or Nation of the Jews was by God 
 bimfelf fubje&ed under theirs. The Rule in reafon is, Contrarlornm 
 contrarla [non eadem] [*nt confeqttcntla : Contraries have Confequen- 
 ces, not the famc> but as contrary as themfelves. 
 
 8. The Kings oijttdah were nominated and appointedby Godhim- 
 
( 4* ) 
 felf immediately unto this Kingdom: the Throne whereof wasfetled 
 by him upon David and his Pofterity, as an heritage for ever, (i Sam. 
 i6.i2.2Sam.7,i2,i6. i King. 2. 4.. & 8. 2f. and elfewhere :) So 
 that though the People accepted them [refpecVively and fuccetTtvely] 
 for their Kings, and inverted them with their Enfigns of Royalty, and 
 fo are faid to have made them Kings ; yet their Right and Title to the 
 Kingdom, was given unto them by God without the People, and before 
 they had declared their acceptance or owning of them. Now then, as 
 they were Kings extraordinarily called by God, without any depen- 
 dance upon, or mediation of the People by their election unto the 
 Throre : fo their Authority and Power were in an extraordinary way 
 alto, and by an unufuai line, meafured and fet out unto them. For at 
 God, when he unbareth his Arm, and worketh Miracles, is obferved in 
 fuch works as thefe, to exceed that rate of Perfection at which he work- 
 eth in the ordinary and ftanding courfe of his Providence, and in con- 
 junction with inferiour and fecond Caufes, (many fair overtures, if 
 not full proofs whereof,the Scripture atfbrdeth us, and the reafon like- 
 wife of the thing, is not far of, although we fhall not now touch it : ) 
 So likewife when he giveth Authority and Power unto Kings and Prin- 
 ces immediately by himfeJf, it is very reafonable to conceive that he 
 giveth it by a larger meafure,then when he imparts and communicats it 
 by the People:For,as obferving the courfe of Nature,he cannot caufe a 
 Sneep to bring forth a Lion, although by his unlimitted Power he is a- 
 ble to create a Lion of what Mature, and ftrength, and fiercenefs he 
 pleafeth : So when he joyneth himfelf with the People in deriving Au- 
 thority and Power unto Kings (which he always doth, when he ufeth 
 their mediation in the election of Kings) he can derive no more of 
 thefe unto them, then what is competent for the People to derive with 
 him ; yea, no more then what he makcth the People willing as well as 
 able to derive with him : However, (as hath been faid) if he pleafeth 
 to make Kings immediately, of and by himfelf, without the People, he 
 may invert them with what proportion of both he pleafeth. So then, 
 the meafure or proportion of Authority and Power which was vefted 
 by God in, and accordingly exercifed by the Kings of Judah> is no 
 (hady ground whereon to warrant the fame proportion or meafure unto 
 Chrirtian Kings. The reafon hereof hath been exprelled already; 
 namely, becaufe no King of this denomination received his call unto 
 his Royal Dignity immediately from God, as thofe Kingf received 
 theirs; but all of them meiiante Populo, mediately by and from the 
 People : and confequently can have no other, no more, or greater 
 Power then what is or was inherently in the People, and lawful for 
 
 h them 
 ■ 
 
(49) 
 them to part with unto them. And certain it is, that no pcrfon can 
 lawfully ot reafonably give a power unco any man to regulate his Con- 
 science about the Woifhipof God, as hepieafcth ; himfelf having no 
 power in this kind, but onely to regulate it according to the Will and 
 Commandment of God. Neither had the Kings ot Judah themfelvcs 
 any fuch power as this given unto them by God, as hath been formerly 
 
 o. (And laftly) Notwithftanding all the great power they had from 
 God yet when any of thefe Kings did caufe their People to enter in- 
 to a Religious Covenant or Oath, they did it not againft the wills, no 
 nor without the confent of their People; yea, thefe were as forward 
 and active in the bufinefs as the Kings themfelves : And they [King 
 Af*, with the generality or Body of his People, as appears from the 
 Context both fubfequent and preceding] entered Into a Covenant tofeek* 
 the LordGod of their Fathers, with all their heart , and with all their foul ; 
 That whofoever would not feekjhe Lord God of Ifrael , [hould be put to death , 
 whether fmall or great, whether man or woman. And they [ware unto the 
 Lord with a loud voice, and with [houting y and with Trumpets, and with 
 Qornets. And ALL Judah rejoyced at the Oath : for they had fworn with 
 all their heart, &c. 2Chron.\<> .12,13,14,15 . So that the King impo- 
 fed nothing upon the People, but what they moft freely, yea moft joy- 
 fully impofed upon themfelves. And that is obfervable by the way, 
 that there is no other penalty or puniihmenr any where threatned a- 
 °ainft any tranfgrclTor of any Order, Edi&, or Impofuion, concern- 
 in* Religion, or the Worfliip and Service of God, publifhcd by any 
 of°the faid good Kings, either with or without their People, but one- 
 ly that of death-, which is the punifhment exprefly commanded by 
 God himfelf to be inflicted in fuch cafes ; I mean upon Idolaters law- 
 fully convicted, (*D^r. 17. 2,3,4,5' ,6.) Yea, Jehofaphat would not fo 
 much as appoint Singers unto the Lord to go before the Army, without con~ 
 fnltation till* had with the People about it,2 Chron.2.0.21. See alfo con- 
 cerning Hez,ekiah, 2Chio. 30.2,4,5 ;*They who would compell the good 
 Kings of Judah toinveft Chriftian Magiftrat.es with their power , in 
 matters of Religion, do very unworthily in reftraining them from in- 
 truding thefe Magiftrates by their worthy Examples in and about the 
 cxercife of this power. But I truft that fro:n henceforth thefe good 
 Kings will be innocent from the great offence of (trengthning the hand 
 of Chriftian Magistrates in opprefling the Confciences of their good 
 Subj^&s with penal Impoiuions in matters of Religion. 
 
 0/-/1M///* S^mp nlpnH- Thar Hnrl harh *J™',*n 
 
( *° ) 
 
 Cafar) into part and fellow/hip wuhhimfclf in matters of his Wor- 
 ship, fofar, as with the advice of hit Spiritual Senators, (his Lord- 
 Bifhops) to make what by- Laws in matters of this nature, he pJeafeth,, 
 and to impofe any Form, one or more, of Divine Worfhip, upon his 
 Subjects, under what Penalties he thinks fit ; fo that the Worihip 
 impofed in thefc Forms be confonant to the Word of God. Thefe 
 men would fain incorporate this notion into the Body of our Faith,, 
 That the things of Cafar would otherwife be too narrow and inconfidc- 
 rable, for a Perfon of fo auguft and ficred an inveftiture, unlefs it be 
 fuppofed that the Almighty giveth unto him the right hand of Fellow- 
 ftiip in ordering the Affairs of his Worfliip, in forming and reforming, 
 in changing and altering it at his pleafure ; yea, and in punishing with 
 great feverity, thofe that (hall not bow down to his prefent eftablifh- 
 ment, whatever it be. 
 
 Although the fpirit of this plea hath been quenched already, yet let 
 us take the pains to draw a little more water to calt upon it. There 
 fore, 
 
 i. The Matters of this Plea, in pleading the Caufe of their Tythes, 
 often make ufe of an Emblem, which though colourable onely for that 
 fernce, will be of a real accommodation here : The Eagle fetting her 
 Neft on fire, and fo deftroying her young ones, with a burning Coal, 
 which fluck (though fh-e minded it not) to the piece of Flefh that flic 
 bad facrilsgioutly fnatch'd from off the Altar, and carried to her Neft, 
 upon which the difafter happened ; is an apt Refemblance of thofe 
 Calamities & Judgements which fconer or later fall, upon the Houfes 
 and Families of fuch Kings and Princes and Grandees of the World, 
 who intrench upon the Quarters of Him whofeName is Jealous, and 
 cannot be content without being adored as Domini tttriufque Seculi, as 
 having Dominion over the things of both Worlds. If men will pie- 
 fume to fet their pofts too near unto the pofts of God, he will upwiih 
 them again, and burn them with fire. Ihftances hereof may be found 
 in the premifes. But, 
 
 2. It never yet was, nor (moft certainly) ever will be proved, ei- 
 ther from the Sciiptures, or from any Principle of found Rcafon, that 
 Kings or Magi Urates are by God joyned in Comrnitfion with himfelf, 
 to impofe Models. or Forms of Worfhip, fuch as they pleafe [onely 
 with this Condition, That they think cr fuppofe them- to be agreeable 
 to the Scriptures] upon their fellow-Creatures, (the Sons and Daugh- 
 ters of Men) yea, upon fuch Perfonswho in all likelihood, and accor- 
 ding to-all experience in like cafes, know and underftand the mind 
 ■ -fftPryifiifl- h ^ Worfhip, much more perfectly then. 
 
(fO 
 
 themfelves; yea, and whom God hath commiffioned to teach and in- 
 ftruc"t themm his Worfhip and Service [I mean the faithful, able, and 
 learned Minifters of theGofpel.] But this Nail hath already been 
 hammered fufficiently. 
 
 3. As for thofe Spiritual Senators, mentioned in the Argument by 
 the name of Lord Bijhops, without whofe advice the Commitilon gran- 
 ted to Kings and Magistrates (as is pretended) to umpire the Worfhip 
 of God, is (it fcems) fuperfeded ; the Scripture is fo far from authori- 
 zing or appointing them to beAffiftants or Advifers unto Kings and 
 Magiftrates, in or about the execution of fuch a Commiflion, that it 
 taketh no knowledge of any fuch Generation of Men, unlefs it be to 
 (hut the door againft them, that they might not get into the world, 
 {^Mat. 20.25,26.) though (ince they have committed Burglary, and 
 broke open this door, and are gotten in the Houfe of God, to the great 
 anoyance and disturbance of the peace of it. The Scripture maketh 
 mention onely of one in thofe days, who did *i\ou7££jT9Vhv (3 John p.) 
 wifh, ordefire, to be a Lord-BiLhop; whofe character was, that he 
 would not (uffier faithful Minifters of the Gofpel in the Church, no not 
 the t^Apoflle himfelf, who was to peculiarly loved by Chrift, bur prated 
 againft him with malicious words. And to me it is the firft-b^rn amongft 
 many Arguments, that fuch a kind of Officers in the Church, as thefe 
 men pretend themfelves to be, were never intended by the Lord 
 Chrifi ; namely, that neither by Chrift himfelf, nor by any of his Apo- 
 ftles,he hath given any name whereby the Church fhould know or call 
 them, or diftinguifh them from others* It oppofeeh all the believing 
 faculties of my Soul, to think that Chrift: (hould either forget or neg- 
 lect to mention the piime and Head-Officers of his Church^as our Bi- 
 fhops (fo called) conclude themfelves to be ; and as indeed they are, 
 if they be any at all) by an appropriate and diftinct. name, whenas he 
 hath provided and given fuch names unto thofe that are efteemed fub- 
 ordinate and inferiour to them, as Paflors, Teachers, and 'Deacons, For 
 thofe Apocryphal Officers we fpeak of, have facrilegioufly robb'd thofe 
 true Officersof the Church, Paftors and Teachers, of the name Bifhop, 
 which wis given in common unto thsm ; and havin?, alter'd the pro- 
 perty of the Divine Confecration of it, have far 6ti tied and devoted 
 itunto them.elvcs, left being a^t^oi, without a name, they ("hould 
 be found a 0^.01 alfo, fpurious and illegiti :ate. Betides , as Chrift 
 left fuch Officers no nime, fo neither hath he I -ft them any work. For 
 he fufficiently provided for all the fpirnual occalionsof his Church in 
 all Ages, by thofe Officers whom the Apoftle exprefly nam,:n, Epbef. 
 4. 1 1, Read thisverfe, with the three next following, anr. vo^^ili-baJ^— 
 
C»0 
 
 theBifhopto be a fnpeifluous, ind very impertinent Officer, in,and 
 for the Church* But as being leftjby Chriji without a name, they made 
 a dilhoncft (hift ( as we have heard) to get one: fo being left without 
 woikalfo, they found out an impfoyment likewife for themfelves; 
 as namely, to ferve the Church with indifferent [that is,, with imperti- 
 nent, and needlefs] things, with a few harmUfs Ceremonies [ Unit at i 
 vtrbi trlflitiam rei mitigante] as Tippits,and Rochets,Caps and Hoods, 
 Black Gowns and White Surplices, Croffings and Cringings, Stand- 
 ings up, and Kneelings down, with fcveral others of the like profound 
 calculation : all which both joyntly, and feverally, are as effectual 
 and proper to build up the Church in Unity, Love, and Peace, as the 
 confufion of Tongues was to promote the building of the Tower of Ba- 
 bdy and the poyfon of Afps to nouriih and preicrve the natural Life 
 of Man. As for their impioymenr about Ordination, which together 
 with their Name and Title of Bijhop, they have injuiioufly wreftcd out 
 of the hand of thofe true Officers of Chri(t^ Paftors and Teachers ( with 
 their refpe&ivc Congregations) this takes up fo little of their time, 
 and Co feldom engageth them, that had they not found themfelves 
 other work, which might laft all the year long, and fo fill up the void 
 fpaces between Ordination and Ordination ( which the management 
 of Ceremonies, as they trouble themfelves, and others about them, 
 doth ) the inconfiderablenefs of their, work would have rendred their 
 importune and loud claim of grandure and great things in the Church, 
 very obnoxious. Therefore (certainly.) that kind of Officer we fpeak 
 of, having neither Name, nor Work in the Church, afligned unto him 
 by Chriji^ was not deiigned by him to any part or fellowihip with.thofe 
 that bear Office here.. 
 
 4*. There was a generation of men in the world, who were wont to 
 make the King glad, with their wick/dnefs, and the Princes wiih their lies y 
 Hof.y. 3. It our Lord Bifhojs be not the fervantsof this impiety, the 
 world is uncharitable, and the thing it felf next to a miracle. For they 
 lie under greater temptations,to enfnare them in this kind, than flefa 
 and blood (ordinarily) is willing to refift. And the,defiresof the great 
 things of the world, unto which they are advanced, ( for thefe things 
 are not wont to be found of thofe that feek them not ) proclaim them 
 to be no mighty men of valour to refift temptations. Therefore in this 
 refpe6t alfo they are not competent to make Advifers unto Kings or 
 Rulers in any their confuitations about forming or fetting forth the 
 Worfhip of God. Tejfwum ger.us Confiliariortim AdttlatoreSo. 
 
 5^ The Worfhip of God being of a moft tender refentment with 
 jhofo who_,tru,ly know andfear him, and tremble to offend him, thefe 
 
men being violent tnd importune obtruders of Form* tnd Ceremonies; 
 ire the moft unfit men in the world to be called unto Counfel, when 
 this affair is to come under consideration. 
 
 6 Concerning the pretended ntrrownefs of the Authority and Pow- 
 er of Kings, in cafe they (hould be confined within a Politique fpheie, 
 and not ftrctch themfelves unto Spiritual things alfo : I anfwer ; 
 i. That Godunderftandeth better than the wifeft of men, what mea- 
 fure, or degree of Power maketh, both the moft commodious, and 
 the moft comely proportion for any man : and (doubtlefs) unto 
 whomsoever he giveth it, in this proportion he giveth ir 4 Therefore 
 for any man to call that narrow, oimmett, which God in his Word 
 judgeth large enough, and comely, is an unfavoury preemption. Are 
 our weights and meafures better, or more exacts than his f 2. I be- 
 lieve that Kings and Princes would find full imployment for their Au- 
 thority and Power, within their Politick fphears ( refpc&ively ) work 
 enough to fill their heads, hearts and hands, were they confeientioufly 
 intent upon what God, yea and their own honour, comfort and peace, 
 require of them here. But, 3. (and iaftTy for this) If God fhould 
 allow unto Chrifllan Kings and Magistrates, a right of power to impofe 
 Forms of Worfriip upon men, he ihould allow them a greater power 
 or liberty than he hath, or hath judged meet to leave unto, himfelf. 
 For if Kings may impofe Forms of Woifriip, they may impofe, one 
 while one, and when they pleafe, another. For who, or what, fhali 
 hinder them ? For if God bath given unto them a grant forfuchim- 
 pofitions, doubtlefs he hath not limited, or conhned them in this grant 
 unto one Form only : nor hath he prefcribed any one Form determi- 
 natcly, which it fhall be lawful for them to impofe, and not any other- 
 Such a conceit as this, never (Ifuppofe) entred into any of thofe 
 heads which belong unto the hearts, out of which the fad Dcctrineof 
 Impofitions do proceed. Therefore if Kings and Magistrates may im- 
 pofe, their Impofmons, or Forms of Worfhip impofed, may be as nu- 
 merous, as the Idolatrous Altars of Jfraelwtxc of old, which are com- 
 pared to heafs [of ftones, gathered up and laid in rowes] In the furrows 
 of the field, Hof. 12. 11. Yea, if they (hall vary and change their Forms 
 never fo often, as ( fuppofe ) every day in the year, efpecially if 
 they fee caufe ( as very probibly they may if they look narrowly ) or 
 /hall imagine or think they fee caufe> fo to do, who can juftly reprove 
 them for it ? They may (in Scripture phrafe) (hake, not the Earth onlj, 
 but alfo Heaven , as oft a^ they pleafe : they may ditfuib and amu e 
 the World with Mutation's and Changes in the Worfhip of God with- 
 out end* Whereas God himfelf hath given fecuiitYimtotheWork^ 
 
That he will not alter the terms of his Worftiip dcclated in the Gof- 
 pcl, or ever impofe any new Model or Form hereof upon the children 
 of men, whilft the World ftandeth. And whereas he interpreted this 
 faying of his, Tet once more I (hake not the Earth only , bm alfo 
 Heaven, in the notion of a Promife ; But now he hath PROMISED, 
 faying^&c. ( Heb. 12.26.) there is little queftion but that part of 
 the Grace, or good thing here promifed , confifterh in this, that he will 
 once more [ only, or, but onee more~\ (hake. the Heavens (thefe reftri&ive 
 praticles, but only, &c. being frequently omitted, and left to be un- 
 derstood ) By (baking the Heavens, he meaneth the diffolving or re- 
 moving, the prefent external frame or form of Religion, or of his 
 Woifhip, together with the great commotions, or high workings in the 
 mindesand confciences of men, that would enfue hereupon. Butc- 
 nough in anfwer to the fecond Argument. 
 
 Thirdly, Some plead aloud, and with no fmall confidence, for the 
 joynt-intereft of the Chriflian Magiftrate with God himfelf, in impo- 
 sing Forms of Worfhip, by^n Argument to this erfe& : That which is 
 lawful, may be lawfully commanded or impofed by theCivilMagiftrate: 
 But the Woifhip of God performed by Minted Forms, if thefe be con- 
 fonant to the Scriptures, is lawful : Therefore fuch Woifhip as this 
 may be lawfully impofed by the Magiftrate. To both Propofitions I 
 anfwer in their order. To the former, 
 
 1 . By diftinguifhing, and explaining in what fence, and how far, it 
 is to be admitted. 1. It is not lawful for the Magiftrate to command 
 very many things,which may notwithftanding be lawfully done by thofe 
 that are commanded. Afinglerrnn may lawfully many, or marry fuch 
 or fuch a mans daughter, but the Magiftrate cannot lawfully command 
 him to do either the one of the other. So a man may lawfully give the 
 one half of his goods unto the poor, as Zachept* did ; yet the Magi- 
 ftrate cannot lawfully impofe this upon any man. Such cafes as thefe 
 are without number. Therefore it is but a lame confequence : It is 
 lawful for a man to pray, or worfhip God, by a fet Lnurgie, or Minted 
 Form of Ptayer: therefore it is lawful for the Magiftrate to impofe this 
 upon him. 
 
 2. Some things, limply, and indefinitely considered, and circum- 
 ftances fecluded, rmy be lawful ,thc property of the lawfulnefs whereof 
 may be altered by circumftances, one, or more, intervening. It is a 
 rule approved and made ufe of by a late learned Bifhop of this Land: 
 Quod licit um ejlmutatur ex [ufcrvcnlente caufi [ That which is lawful 
 may be changed, and become unlawfully means of fome circumftance 
 
 ^^iM^n^J^^Vj^ajidJjghtin^on it. This hath been explained, and 
 
(ff) 
 
 argued formerly. Marriage or a married life, fimply and in it felf con- 
 fideied,is lawful for men. But if men be either Eunuchs from the womb, 
 or made fuch by men ( as our Saviour fpeaketh ) to them it is not Jaw- 
 full ;and other circumftanccs befides thefe,may render it unlawful unto 
 others. Stinted Forms of Prayer, in themfelves, unto fome men, un- 
 der fome circumftances may be lawful, yet the ufe of them, eipecial- 
 ly the conftant ufe of them, to fome other men may be unlawful; as 
 particularly unto thofe, upon whom God hath poured out the Spirit of 
 Prayer upon fuch tearms, that by the exercife hereof they are inabled 
 to glorifieGod,morethan therrueJves (and many worthy Minifters)arc 
 by their gifts of preaching. As though men that are impotent in their 
 limbs, or lame, may ufe crutches for their fupport, or relief in going-. 
 Yet ic had been very hnful for thofe, who by the fpecial favour and 
 power of God, were, either by Chrlfl, or his Apoftles, perfectly refto- 
 red unto the ufe of theis limbs, to have either neglected, or concealed, 
 thegraceof God vouch fafed unto them in that kind, by walking upon 
 Crutches afterwards : Yea, it had been nnlawful for the Council, or 
 anyMagiftrate,to have commanded them thus to do. So that things that 
 are limply and in themfelves lawful, but unto fome men are, and un- 
 to others may, by circumftances, become unlawful, cannor lawfully (by 
 a general command at leaft, and which (hall eq ully, and without ex- 
 ception, exaft obedience from all men) be comminded by the Magi- 
 ftrate : and confequently, the ufe offer Forms of Prayer, though Ai#~ 
 fttl in ic felt", cannot lawfully be thus commanded by bitty. 
 
 3. (And laftly, for the Piopjfition in hand ) Things that are meet- 
 ly, and only lawful ( or in fuch a fence, as things lawful, are oppofed 
 unto, or diftinguiftied from things that are expedient, as the Apoftk 
 himfelfoppofeth rhem, 1 Cor. 6. 12. and 10. 23* ) doubtleis are not 
 in whole, or in parr, the object of the Magiftrates Authority, no: can 
 lawfully be comminded by him. Thereaion is, becaufe the Power and 
 Authority of a Migiftratc is too ferious, folemn, and facred an Oidi- 
 nance of God, to buhc or imploy it felf about trifles, or impertinen- 
 ces, or things of no concernment to the benefit, or good of thofe un- 
 der him. The Apoftlc fpeaking of the Magiftrate, He u (faith he) 
 the Minijiir of Godto thee for GOOD [that is, for \\\y good,ox,thy wealth, 
 as the former tranflation had it] He hath no Deputation, or Ccmmif-- 
 fton from God to ufe his Authority or Power for the gratification of h s 
 own humour, or fancy, as by trying conclufions upon thee, whether 
 thou wilt obey him in doing fuch or fuch things at his command, which 
 have no reafonable tendency, either to hlsgcod, or thine, or any other 
 mans. No, the tenour of his Commiflion ingageth himjCMTrjoTe^n^^ 
 
(j<0 
 
 fuch things upon thee by his Authority, which have a natural and di- 
 rect tendency to the benefit and welfare of the State in which thou li- 
 ved, andconfequently to thine own. He cannot lawfully, nor without 
 the manifeft dishonour of the facred Ordinance of Magiftracy, com- 
 mand thee to pill ftraws, or throw ftones againft the wind : which ani- 
 ons notwithstanding are more unqueftionably innocent and lawful (in 
 the fence explained) then the ufing of thofe indifferent things called 
 Ceremonies, in the Worship of God ; and of as much cosducement 
 to the Publick Good,as they. Therefore it is far beneath the fublime 
 Dignity of the Divine Ordinance of Magiftracy, to intcreft it felf in 
 commanding either the one, or the other. 
 
 2/; f The Minor Propofition was, But the Worfhip of (jod performed by 
 ftlnted Liturgies, ifthefe be confonant to the Scriptures, is lawful. This 
 hath been alieady weighed in the Ballance, and found light : Yet to 
 give meafure heaped up ; we repeat, and adde (together) 
 
 i. In that fence of the ftoid lawful, in which the fame word mu ft 
 be taken in the former Propofition to make that paffable(as it was late- 
 ly declared and diftinguifhed) this Propofition is to be denied. For 
 the Worfhip of God here defcribed, though it (hculd be admitted 
 lawful in fome fence, or with reference to iome perfons ; yet this pro- 
 veth it not to be of that kind of things lawful, which the Magiftrate 
 hath a lawful power to command, efpccially by a general Command, 
 and which he intendeth fhall obliege all men. It hath been fhewed 
 and proved, i. That there are many things lawful to be performed and 
 done by many, which the Magiftrate cannot lawfully command them 
 to do. And, 2. 7 hat fome"things may be lawful for fome men to do, 
 which are not lawful for all, and confequently cannot lawfully be com- 
 manded unto all. So that the Syllogifm is fallacious and captious, ha- 
 ving four teims in it, (as Logicians fpeak) inftead of three, and lo 
 provetfa nothing, nnlefs (haply) the intent of the Author to de- 
 ceive. 
 
 2. A Liturgy may be confonant to the Scriptures either in refpe<5t of 
 the Matter of it, or of the Form, or in refpe&of both : Nor can it 
 in truth be faid to be confonant unto them, unlefs it accordeth with 
 them in both. Our great Liturgy-Mzfters, in their Difcourfcs upon 
 this fubjec't, and pleadings for the Service-Book, feem to eftimatc 
 \\\z confonancy we now fpeak of, onely by the Matter of the Liturgy, 
 not bringing the Form to account in their reckoning this way. And 
 (indeed; in reference to the defence of their Service-Book, they do 
 very providentially and prudently, to take no notice of any neccfTity 
 hfa£L£LidLQL£uxtLl£gI^ to make it confonant to the Scrip- 
 
turcs. For the greateft part of xhz Matter o£ this Book, is juftifiiblc 
 enough by the Scriptures : and for thofe paflages and cxpreffions which 
 are a uilty, by far-fetch'd and fore'd interpretations, and by authori- 
 tative wran°lings,or Come femblablephrafes, or fayings found in fome 
 counterfeit or fufpe&ed Antiquity, they are able to qualific (in pare) 
 the demerit of them. But the Form of this Book, and the difpoiition 
 of the feveral parts of the matter contained in it, is fo ftrangely and 
 daringly extravagant and exorbitant from all Patterns, Methods and 
 Carm a es of Prayer or Worftiip, recorded in the Scriptures, that I 
 know not what falve they are able co find out for tl t grievous fore o£ 
 this fo broad and monlfrous a diflbnancy of it from them. And (doubt- 
 lefs) the Form of a Liturgy, or Prayer, is not a thing fo inconfiderable, 
 but that, though the matter of it be never fo favoury and found, yea, 
 nothing but the very words and fayings of the Scripture it felf ; yet may 
 the wifdom of the flefh (which is fooliftinefs with God) have fo much 
 to do, and fo ill acquit it fclf in the putting them together, that the 
 compofition will not be meet to be exhibited or prefented unto God. 
 Sothen> if by a Liturgy confonant unto the Scriptures, the Proportion 
 meaneth confonant in Matter only,whatever the Form be, (which feems 
 to be (he meaning of it) it is manifeftly untrue : A Worfhip performed by 
 a Liturgy confonant to the Scriptures [onelyin fuch a fenfe] is not law* 
 
 ful. 
 
 3 . (And la (My, for tbisalfo) TheWorfhip performed by a Liturgy con- 
 fonant to the Scriptures may be lawful [namely if it be left free, and un- 
 commanded"] and yet be unlawful, if impofed. It was lawful foi the 
 People of Ifrael to ufe an Altar made of whole Stones, to offer their Sa- 
 crifices upon ; but if any man had lift, up a tool upon the fame ftones, the 
 Altar made of ihem had been polluted, (Exod. 20.2 y. Deut. 27. f.Jojb.%. 
 ai.) A lawful Worfhip, or Form of Woifhip, by the lifting up of an 
 authoritative Command upon it by Men, becomes hereby unlawful, 
 lefpecially if performed upon the account, or by venue of this Com- 
 mand, as hath been formerly fignified] becaufe in fuch a cafe the Crea- 
 ture commanding, hath Divine Honour done unto it, and is admitted 
 as an Umpire, and as having Authority over the things of God. For 
 what can we imagine (hould be the things of God, as contra-dittinguiili- 
 ed by our Saviour himfelf, unto the things of C<cf*r, if matters apper- 
 taining to his Woifhip,and the difpofal ncreof,be none of thofe things, 
 but muft be inventoried amongft Cafars goods alfo ? He thatfhall give 
 unto C&f*r the things which are Gods, and fo difmember and cut ("hoi t 
 his Patrimony in the World, it is much to be feared that he will fend 
 him unto Cefar for his Reward, But of thefe things at large already. 
 I I ill* 
 
( S:* ) 
 
 We fee by what hath been argued upon both Proportions, that in the 
 whole Argument there is little but fraud and confuiion. 
 
 "D" 
 
 Fourthly , Some there are who count it a fmall thing to contend for 
 the lawfulnefs onely of impoiing Liturgies and Forms of Prayer ; they 
 run for a higher prize, attempting to evince and prove that there is a 
 lingular expediency, and fo a kind of neceffity of fuch Impofitions. 
 The Argument by which they hope to effect this great thing, fheweth 
 it felf in thefe 01 the like Colours. 
 
 That which is a proper and effectual weans to prevent many great and 
 fad inconveniences y and dangerous eruptions of fpirity whereinto 
 Minifters y being left at liberty in their praying publickly^ are apt 
 to faH ; is very expedient and neceffary to be done. 
 
 But the impofition of limited and fet Forms of Prayer by the Magi- 
 Jirate, is a proper and effectual means for fuch a purpofe. Ergo. 
 
 By the fad inconveniences and dangerous eruptions of fpirity &c. (here 
 mentioned) the Argumentators mean confufednefs or method, tauto- 
 logies, or needlefs reiterations of the fame things, broken fentences, 
 and ill- accommodated with fenfe (with fuch-like) on the one hand: 
 and on the other, Complaints unto God againft Truths,under the name 
 of Errours ; ventings of dif-affe&ion to the prefent Government or 
 Governours ; Petitions and paffages favouring ot* Sedition, Trcafon, 
 Rebellion,^*. All thefe, and the like (fay thefe men) maybe effe- 
 ctually prevented by a ftri& confinement of Minifters unto fuch Peti- 
 tions and Forms of Praying which are found and wholefome, and free 
 from all fuch (trains of fcandal and offence. This reafon is, all that it 
 is 3 in face • the heart of it is hollow and empty. For, 
 
 i, Let the Promoters of it tell us whether they approve of this ar- 
 guing or no (which we fhall immediately fubjoyn) or whether it be not 
 parallel unto theirs. 
 
 That which is a proper and effectual means to prevent the fins of adul- 
 tery , fornication, inceftj heft ^murther : f edit ion, treafonyrebelliony 
 &C. into which men are apt to fail, cannot but be judged expedi- 
 ent andnecejfary to be put in execution. 
 
 But for the Mag fir ate, to put all men capable of thefe fins into firong 
 PrifonSy and there to kfep them clofe in Chains and Fetters of 
 Irony all the days of their lives , // a proper and effectual means 
 u prevent the perpetration of thefe Sins, 
 
 Ergo, 
 
. (TP) „. 
 Ergo, This conrfe is expedient and necejjary to betalejenaudprn in 
 execution. 
 
 There is no reafonable ground of exception againft the parallel 01 
 comparifon : For the meant fpecified in the latter Argument is every 
 whit as proper and effectual (nay, of the two, both the more proper and 
 more effectual, as might be iliewed, if need were) for the end and 
 purpofe here mentioned, as the means pretended in the other, for the 
 end commended there. Wherefore if it be a courfe moft importune- 
 ly andfencelefly injurious and tyrannical, to keep men in Prifon and 
 Chains as long as they live, to prevent their mifcarryings in the high 
 mifdemeanours mentioned, or the like, before they have offended in 
 any of them : It cannot reafonably but be judged very prepofterous, 
 and moft unworthy men of Reafon and Confcience, to confine the 
 Spirit of Prayer in the moft worthy Minifters and Servants of God, (in 
 whom (poflibly) he delights to {hew himfeif in much of his glory) 
 within the limits and bars of ftinted Forms of Prayer, and thefe of hu- 
 mane contrivance, onely for fear left this Spirit failing them, they 
 fhould fall to pray by an unclean ipirit ; and pray either their igno- 
 rance, or diftemper'd paflions, fedition, treafon, or the like. Pcaal 
 fufferings may and ought (indeed) to be inflicted for the prevention of 
 Sin; but onely upon thofc that have finned, not upon the Inno- 
 cent. 
 
 If it be replied, That to be commanded by the Migiftrate to ufe t 
 fet Form of Prayer, is not penal unto any man : I anfwer, i. That as 
 the unclean conversation of the men of Sodom was vexatious to the 
 righteous Soul of Lot ; fo muft needs the Commands of Authority, 
 which are fpir it ually unclean, and provoking to defile the Marriage-Bed 
 wherein God vouchfafe h the enjoyment of himfclf as a Spiritual Huf- 
 band (I mean his Woririip ; for fo the Scripture refembleth it frequent- 
 ly, Cant.1.16. Ifa.57.7,8. £2^.23.17,41. and in all thofc places, 
 which are many, where Idolatrous and falfe Worlhip are metaphori- 
 cally expreflcd under the terms of Whoredom, Adultery, Fornicatio% 
 &c.) fuch Coxmands (I fay) muft needs be much more afflicting and 
 fadding to the Spirits and Souls of Confcientious and holy Men, 
 when they cannot conceive or apprehend them but as fuch , [ I mean 
 as fpiritually unclean, and tempting unto folly with a ftrange God.] 
 2. To him that cannot, with the good leave of his Confcience, fub- 
 mit to fuch a Command, which is impofed on him with a penalty, it is 
 (conftru&ively) the fame, to have the penalty infli&ed on him with- 
 out the Command given, and to have the Command impofed on him 
 upon fuch terms. 
 
 I 2 2. To 
 
(tfo) 
 
 a. To the Argument under debate , I anfwer further > That 
 to impofe a Form of Prayer, is no ejfeftual or proper means to prevent 
 iny of the evils mentioned, unlefs a Form of Preaching be impoied 
 tlfo. For they that arc apt to tranfgrefs in any of the mifcarriages fpe- 
 ctfied, are as likely to do it in Preaching as in Praying ; and have no 
 Ufs opportunity (if not a greater ) for the doing it, in the former 
 than in the latter* And if all, both Preachings and Prayings, (hall be 
 reduced unto Forms > the ^BCdarian Schools may fend forth Boys as 
 well accompliflied for the publick work of the Miniftry as the Acadt- 
 mian-mtn. 
 
 3. If the Impolitions contended for, were in any degree pr^r,and 
 neceffary to prevent the fins mentioned, it is more ftrange than to be 
 believed, that the Lord Chrift, who was as faithful unto God in all his 
 koufey aswas Mofes, Heb. 3. 2. and withal, as great an enemy to the 
 misdemeanours exprefl'ed in the Argument, as the moft zealoufly-de- 
 vout Formalift can be, fhould notwithstanding, neither by himfelf, nor 
 any of his Apoftles, fpeak the leaft word of any fuch thing ; efpecially, 
 having by the greateft of thefe given men warning to $ i» e 7reg y{- 
 yf*.*\(u (p^oLv&v, not to pre fume (as the former tranflation rendred it) 
 or, not to be wife,ibove that which is written (1 Cor. 4.6.) yea and by 
 himfelf ( as was prophefied of him, Dan. 9. 24.) felled up the Vifion 
 and Prophefie, Rev. 22. 18. and fo left no place for Humane Wifdom 
 tointerpofe for the introducing any more Laws or Conftitutions,for 
 the Government or Advancement of his Kingdom,than thofe, which he 
 hath left us expreily, and in fo many words,in the New Teftamenr, to- 
 gether with fuch, which are vertually, and truly included, and con- 
 tained in thefe, not fuch, which either by forc't, or far-fctch't, or 
 by fubtile and glottis confequences , derive their Authority from 
 them. 
 
 4. Men that are in any degree meet to be admitted unto the Of- 
 fice and Work of the Miniftry, are not fo apt, or prone, to fall into 
 my of the foul mifcarriages feared in the Argument, or fo like unto the 
 Horfe or Mule^ that have no under/landing, that their mouths need be 
 held in with the hit and bridle of impofed Forms of Prayer, left they come 
 too near unto them that are afraid to be touched, or behave thcmfelves 
 fo extravagantly and unchriftiaaly in thatfacred part of their function, 
 as is fuggefted againft them that they are like to do. If they be of the 
 hou(hold of Faith, in cafe they knorv not what they fhould pray for as they 
 ought , the Spirit [of God] helpeth their iufirmities, Rom. 8. 26\ But 
 they that Impofe Forms, take this workout of the hand of the Spirit r 
 and help mens infirmities themfelves, inabling and diredting them by 
 
 Book,*. 
 
(<fl) 
 
 Book, what they jhottld pray for at they ought. I am far from fuppohng 
 thefmofimpofing Forms, to be that hn againft the Spirit, by which 
 men are fealed to the vengeance of eternal fire : but am very near 
 believing, that it is an high affront and indignity offered unto him. 
 For, whereas it is his moft glorious intereft, i. To raife what variety 
 of fpiritual and heavenly (trains of Devotion he pleafeth, in the hearts 
 and minds of his Minifters, vvhilft they arc miniftring in the Aflern- 
 blies of his Saints : And, 2. To give them what fwcemefs of Lip> 
 fvhat pleafantnefs of Utterance he pleafeth ( as being the Lord of all 
 Language and fpeech ) for the communicatnig of thofc blelTed im- 
 prelTions and conceptions, unco the Prople before them, to thebeft ad- 
 vantage for their edification and comfort ; they who confine thefe Mi- 
 nifters unto their Forms of Prayer, fay ( in effect ) unro the Spirit, 
 Thy Minifters, in their publick fervice, ihall b* at our allowance, and 
 not thine , b)th for rhe ftrains of their inward Devotion, and for the 
 Language and Words, wherein they ihall utter them unto the People. 
 Thou either wilt not, or canft nor, order them regularly, and accord- 
 ing to our mind's, and as we think meet, in their prayings ; at Ieaft, 
 we can have no.aflurance of thee that thou wilt do ir. Therefore we 
 judge it better, and more fafe for us to thruft fuch words into their 
 mouths, and fo to necelTitate and force fuch difpofitions and dzfazs 
 within them ( unlefs their tongues go one way, and their hearts and 
 thoughts another way, at the fame time ) which we are fure are inno- 
 cent and good, then to leave them to thy guidance and alTtftance 
 ('whereof we are fo uncerrain) although thy purpofe and intent may be 
 to glorifie thy felf at afar better rate, in them and by them, as in the 
 manifoldnefs of thy Wifdom, and excellenty of thy Power, the liches 
 of thy Grace and Bounty towards thy People, &c. in cafe we fhould 
 leave them free unro thee. Whether fuch a greeting as this be not high- 
 ly reproachful to the ever-blefled Spirit of Grace, and not far ( if any 
 thing) fhort of Blafphemy? and whether mens impofitions of Forms 
 of Prayer (being duly and without any (training, orwrefting, inter- 
 preted ) do not fpeak all this, yea and moTe in the fame kind unto 
 him, I refer to the conferences of thefe men thcmfclves, when they 
 ihall be thoroughly awakned, to judge. In the mean time,, if care were 
 taken clofely topurfuethe ApoftleiWV orders about thi Minifterial 
 Function, fo as to lay hands upon none, but fuch as are Sober, Watch- 
 ful, Juft, Holy, Temperate, hovers of good things, t/fpt ( or Able ) to 
 Teach, not S elf -will' d, not foon Angry, &c. Tftey need not be taught, 
 as vvc ufe to teach Children, and defe&ives in underftanding, how to 
 fpeak, noi yet be feared, or fufpc&ed, as perfons likely to breakout in 
 
(62 ) 
 
 any of thofe dangerous and enormous mifcarriages of themfelves, 
 which the Argument pretendeth. Or if thole that are created Mini- 
 fters, be but Efifcopally given, and true-born Sons of the Church ( as 
 fome love to fpeak ) even Birds of this Feather are not fo unnatural- 
 ly evil, as to defile their own neft, or to blafphemc either the Govern- 
 ment, or Governours, that are fo propitious and indulgent unto them. 
 Therefore, 
 
 ?. ( And laftly, for this ) There are pregnant grounds of fufpition, 
 that the invention and device of the fiift Impofer of Lyrurgies, and 
 Forms of Prayer, are not fo highly praifed, or fo hotly profecuted, by 
 their Pofterity in thefe dayes ( especially amongft us) for the pre- 
 vention of the evils fuggefted in the Argument, but rather for the pro- 
 moting of other evils, or prevention of fome Good things, becaufe 
 they feem evil unto fome. It is a frequent policy, which this Verfe 
 exprefieth : 
 
 tic vera late ant cauf& } finguntur inane s. 
 
 FaJfe grounds for actings fometimes are pretended, 
 To hide from fight thofe really intended. 
 
 Tautologies^ needlefs repetitions, broken fentences, &c. in the con- 
 ceived Prayers of Minifters, are no real grief of heart to our Impo- 
 pofers : the Liturgie which they impofe, and which °iveth pleafures 
 to their foul from the one end of it unto the othcr,is full of thefe Warts 
 on theFaceof it (as we have feen formerly ) nor are their confeien- 
 ces fo ftrait and narrow, but that they can f wallow Gnats of a larger 
 kind than thefe. And thofe things., which in the prayers of Godly and 
 confeientious Minifters they defire, and intend to prevent, under the 
 hateful names of venting difordered fajfions, discontents againft their Go- 
 vernours aid Government t Petitions and parages favouring of Sedition^ 
 Treafon^&c. are ihz Chrifiian y zealous, and faithful deportments of 
 fuch Minifters, in confefling before God the fins of their Kings, Prin* 
 ces, and Governours, in reproving them, and denouncing the judge- 
 ments of God againft them, unlefs they repent : in admonifliing and 
 warning the People committed unto them, that they be not enfnared 
 todeftru&ion, by following their evil examples, or complying with 
 them in things difpleafing unto God, in praying for them, when they 
 walk in wayes that are not good, that God will pleafe to forgive them 
 and turn their hearts unto his Teftimonies, &c. Inftead of thefe, and 
 fuch like worthy and faithful dealings with their Rulers and Gover- 
 nours, 
 
C*rO 
 
 nourf according to the example of the true Prophets of God, and other 
 godly perfons of old (as they are recorded in the Scripture) the Forms 
 of praying for them, which are now impofed on Minifters,are flat and 
 flittering, no ways agreeable or proper to their ftatcs or conditions, 
 if they be not perfons truly fearing God : which the World too". veil 
 knows not to be the cafe and condition of all that bear Rule in it. Yea, 
 in fome of thefe Forms of Prayer , whereof we now particularly 
 fpeak , fuch perfons are recommended unto God , which 
 are not fo much as in being : and in others of them ( indeed in 
 moftofthem, if not in. ail) fuch things are defued of God for them, 
 which, if granted, are mo r e like to turn to a Tnare, or curfe unto many 
 of them, than to a bl citing Indeed. Tney are more (generally ) o a 
 very erroneous and much mUtaken calculation, for the real good of 
 many of them. 
 
 With what other motives, and carnal projections our high Clergie 
 Men (for thefe are the Matters of the Mint of all our impoied Forms, 
 with their refpe&ive Impositions ) are enthuliafed into their fiery zeal 
 to have the Confciences of the free People of Cbrift, both Minifters 
 and People, yoked with the iron yokes of Lyturgies,and ftinted Forms 
 of Devotion, I (hall not now enquire. They claim the highett prehe- 
 minence of Office in the Church of Chrlfl : and there being little or 
 nothing for them here to do, as fuch by Chrift's alignment ( as was 
 formerly hinted ) they were tempted by the grandure of their ufurped 
 Office, to caft about for tome imployment anfwerable hereunto, lett 
 their nakednefs lliouid be feen by men, and they bear the reproach of 
 being Clouds without rvater. How prudently and appofuely to their 
 purpofe, they have pitched upon the ordering and exercifing the C/?n- 
 ftian World ( as far as they have to do in it ) with impoied Lyturgies, 
 and Forms of Prayers, would make too long a ttory to be told here : 
 ir may be related ehe- where at one tixe or orher. 
 
 Several other pretences are infiftcd on to entitle men to a joynt 
 light of Power with God, for the appointment of his Worfhip by Ly- 
 turgies efpecially, and limited Devotions, ( for the Procurators of 
 thisCaufe are fo deep in love with it, that unlefs they carry it, they 
 dye ) which are fo empty and weak, that to enter into a conteft with 
 them, would be to make more of them than they are. Recitajfe y refu- 
 tAJfccft. For they pleads i. That a Liberty left unto Mmilters to 
 ufc publickly their acquired faculty of Praying, or of talking boldly unto- 
 God before People (as our Gr**d Debater, propnanely enough, piafeth 
 t: For to acknowledge a gift of Prayer in any man,is unto thefe rr. 
 as the (hadow of Death ) is butfuel to feed the evil himoui,of pride, 
 
 MM 
 
(«4) 
 vain- glory, &c. therefore it is better denied then granted unto them. 
 But would they, who thus argue, be content, upon the credit of theii 
 Argument, to be denied the poiTctTion and enjoyment of their great 
 places of Power and Domination in the Church, or of theii luxuriant 
 Revenues? For (doubtlefs) thefe are a kind of fewel more apt and 
 dangerous to feed the fire of Pride, Ambition, Lordlinefs and Cruel- 
 ty, in them. Or do they think it better for them, that God, by fome 
 ftroke of Sicknefs, or the like, (hould deprive them of their Memo- 
 ries, Wits, Underftandings, Learning, &c . becaufe they may make 
 fewel of them, to feed and nourifh the fmful humours of Pride, and 
 Vain-glory, then that he fhould grant unto them the liberty of ufing 
 and enjoying ihem ? The notion of Truth in this Verfe, is too hard 
 for the Argument : 
 
 J^il prodefty qmd non l&dere pjfit idem. 
 
 There is no profitable thing, 
 
 But what may hurt and damage bring. 
 
 2. The lovelinefs of Uniformity and Confent amongft Minifters 
 united under the fame Civil Government, ravifheth the Judgments 
 of fome into an high approbation of Licurgies and Forms of Prayer 
 impofed. But may not Minifters b; uniform and consenting in Do- 
 ctrine, unlefs they all preach, and this conftintly, one and the fame 
 Sermon verbatim ? Or would it aig le that the Metropolitan and his 
 Diocefan were at odds, [if in cafe 1 HEY fhould happen to preach] the 
 one fhould take hisText out of St. Paul, the other out of St. Peter f 
 t/4y*ge qui [qui Hat ! 
 
 3. Oar Grand Debater tells us fad Stories of men, whofe names, for 
 their mo(i admired and rare faculties in extemporary Praying, might 
 hive been Nonesuch ; and who for their horrid and unparailel'd wick- 
 cdnefs and blafphemies likewifeneed not have changed this name. Of 
 both thefe characters, comparting the Earth to and fro, he findes three 
 men; \r\Gcrmany y one Swenckfield, (a notorious Arch -Her etickj) in 
 England, one Hacket, a Blafphemer ; in (Jttufcovia, John Bafilides % 
 (Duke of this Country) who (it feems) was an horrid Hell- Hound. 
 For thefe wicked mens fakes conceived Prayer mull be caft out of the 
 Church as a menftmous Cloth, and Liturgies and Forms of Prayet 
 impofed, like fine pure white ihining Linen, brought into the Church 
 in its ftead. Similes habent labra latlucat. Like Caufe, like Plea. 
 A carnal Intereft (I fee) is as bad as a Gift, which (as the Scripture 
 
 faith) 
 
frith) blinitt h tht Sjes of tht Wift : Otherwile t man of his Parts and 
 Learning would never have leaned on fuch a broken Reed as this, 
 which pierceth his own hand. For is not this reafoning of the fame 
 calculation, or rather of a far better ? Bifhop John the thirteenth was 
 x man monrhoufly vicious, guilty of the foul crimes of Incett, Mur- 
 thcr Perjury, Extortion, and what not } Bifhop S'Uvefter the fecond, 
 was a Sorcerer, and compacted with the Devil for his Bifhoprick. BU 
 (hop HiUebrani was a moft wicked and reprobate Monfter, a Necro. 
 mancer, a Conjurer, a Muvtherer, a man of whofe villanies Hiftories 
 are aihamed : All thefe were Bilhops of one and the fame See, and 
 thu called Apoftolical : And befidcs thefe three, there have been feven 
 times three more, Bilhops alio of the fame See, equal unto thefe in 
 ways and practices of all kinds, hateful and abominable in the fight of 
 God and men : And how many others of the Epifcopal Inveftiture in 
 other parts of the World, have been evil Beafls, idle Bellies, Pefts and 
 Vipers, where they have had to do, who is able to conceive or com- 
 prehend ? Therefore down with the Hierarchy, down with it even to 
 the °round, and let the place of it in the Church know it no more, but 
 let Paftors and Teachers govern the Churches of Chriit in its ftead. 
 Will the Gentleman acknowledge any concluding force in Cuch an Ar- 
 gument as this ? Yet evident it is, that it hath ten times more ftrcngth 
 fn it, for the removal of Epifcopacy out of the Churcb> then his rca- 
 fonin CT hath againft conceived Prayer. Becaufe Satan fomctimes 
 transformed himfelf Into an Angel of " Light ; is it any reafon why an 
 ' An a el of Light indeed, fhould, if it were pofTible, transform himfelf 
 into fome dark and dull Creature ? But (doubtless) fuch Arguments 
 as thefe will never bring Liturgies into, nor conceived Prayers out of, 
 requeft. 
 
 Yet there is one Argument more, wherewith the Friends of Litur- 
 gy-Devotion impofed,pleafe themfelves not a little in their way. This 
 weihall take into i little consideration, and herewith conclude. The 
 Plea is this : That not the ufe onely, but the iuipofition alio of Litur- 
 gies and Forms of Prayer, however now quarelled by fome amongft 
 us, have been allowed and practifed in the Chnflian Church ancient- 
 ly ; yea, and are at this day admitted and pra&ifed in many, if not in 
 all the Reformed Churches abroad. I {hall not enlarge the difcourfe, 
 either with an examination of the truth of what is~ here affirmed, 01 
 in weighing the validity or pertinency of the pretences, in cafe they 
 fhould be found Realities and Truths, otherwife then as I find them 
 teady weighed to my hand in the Ballance of the Sanctuary. Onely 
 thefe two things by the way : i. That I do not believe the imposition 
 
 K 
 
of Liturgies to be fo ancient amongft Ckrlftians^tsttzms to be fuggefo. 
 cd in the Plea. 2. That L know that the Liturgies (if they muft be fo> 
 called) WJiich are ufed in. other Reformed Churches, tafte much more 
 favourly of the Reformation, then that impofed upon us. 
 
 When our Saviour prophe(ieth thus, Every Plant which my heavenly, 
 Father hath not planted, U^^diotjoci , [hall be plucked Hp by the Roots , 
 (Mar. 1 5". 1 3.) he clearly fuppoferh mat Practices and Opinions in the 
 Church, which are notplealing unto God, becaufe not of bis planting) 
 may not onely fpring up, and get in hither, and find place here, but 
 alfo take rooting, [that is, may work and wind into, and (as it were) 
 Wrap themfelves about the Judgements and Confciences, yea, and 
 infinu ate into the affections alfo, not onely of multitudes of the com- 
 mon or meaner fort of men, but even of many pious , learned, and 
 great men likewife ; for without this, they could never take fuch deep 
 and faftritf **g, as is here intimated they may.] Now this rooting Of 
 the Plants we (peak of, in the Church, fuppofeth a poifibility, or rathei 
 a. probability of their long continuance here , before they come to be 
 plucked up by the Roots. Plants that have thruft their Roots well in- 
 to the Earth, and have ipread and wrapt them about the Clods and 
 Stones thereof, are like to grow, and riourifh, and bring forth Fruit 
 for many years. The Metaphor, by which the abolition and catting, 
 out of thefe Apocryphal Practices, and Doctrines, from the Church, is 
 here expreffed, ix^»9«il*i, {hall be digged, pull'd, or (rather) torn up 
 by the Roots; impheth, that when God will endure them no longer,. 
 but fet his Labourers and Servants on wor'k efre&uaily tooppofe them, 
 in order to their utter and final abolifhment, the fervice may prove 
 fomewhat hot, and that the Perfons ftrongly devoted to them, are like 
 tofwell,andrage,and fume^and to endeavour to raife a great duft both 
 amongft great and fmall, to turn every ftone ; yea, and Acheronta ma- 
 vert-, to dig into Hell y (as the Prophet Amos fpeaketh, Chap.9.2.) to 
 fave their darling Inventions, their old Idol-Practices and Doctrines, 
 if it were potfible, from the hand of Heaven, which is now ftretched 
 out againft them. Even as a Tree thathath been along time grow- 
 ing in a Soyl proper for it, and where it hath thriven amain, fo that 
 with the numerous Roots of it, it hath taken ft rong and fait hold cm 
 thi Earth round about it, far and near ; in cafe it fhould be forced, 01 
 turn'd up by the Roots, either by a Terrrpeft, or ftrong guft of Wind, . 
 or by fome Engine devifedfor fuch a purpofe, or the like, it would 
 tear up the Earth on every iide of it, and raife and bring up with it 
 Stones, and Gravel, and Dirr, and whatfoever it could take hold on, 
 to fecure it againft theforce that now attempted the extirpation and 
 
 Asain, 
 
, (*7) 
 A?ain, Thlt Jfy, Wooiy and Stubble in fpiritual and Church-Bnild- 
 in*s, may for i long time be in equal efteem with, and pafs (more ge- 
 nerally ) for Silver , Gol<L y and precious Stones ; and yet in procefs of time 
 (it may be not till after many Ages) be dete&ed to be bur a bafe kind 
 of material, very improper for fuch a building ; and fo come to be 
 j>uU'd out of it, an4 thrown away ; the Apoftle Paul emphatically de- 
 clareth, i Cor. 3. 12,13. in t he fe worths: Now if any man build upon 
 this Youndation^Gdi, Silver , precious Stones, Wool, Hay, Stubble, eve- 
 ry mans Wor^jhall be modi mamfeft. For the day [that is, faith Grotim y 
 with other Interpreters, longum tempos, length of time] (hall declare 
 it : because it [hail be [or is to be] revealed byfire y &c. Meaning,. 1. That 
 Time, in the duration, progrefs, and continuance of it, will be found 
 as fevere and fearching an Examiner or Trier of mens Churck-work 
 in every kind, as Fire is of Metals. 2. That there are, or may bt, 
 fome bad Materials made ufe of in Church- Work, the badnefs where- 
 of wilt not (in rcafon cannot, or is not like to) be difcovered or made 
 mamfejt, until they have pafled the tefi and trial of many Generations. 
 So then, the long continuance, whether of the free ufe onely, (which 
 is the more tolerable) of Liturgies,and ftinted Prayers in the Church of 
 Cbrifly or of the Imposition of them, (which is the more unchriftian 
 and infupportable) is an Argument of no intereft or weight at all, to 
 juftifie or prove, either the lawfulnefs, mucblefs the expediency, ei- 
 ther of the one, or of the other. I end with the faying of Tertullian : 
 Veritatipotefi nemo prafcribere, non jpacium temporum^ non patrocinta per- 
 fonarum: that is, There is* no prefcription [or Pfea] neither of any 
 length of time, nor of the patrocinations [or Authoritative AlTci- 
 tions of the contrary] of any Perfons whatfoevcr, that is of any force 
 or value againft the Truth. 
 
 -* 
 
 - 
 
 Port- 
 
 ad 
 
((58) 
 
 Poftfcript. 
 
 NOn attendamm quid ante nos aliquis fecerit, fed 
 qui anteomnes eft,Chriftus prior fecerit. Gypr. 
 
 Sapientiam ftbi adimunt, qui fine ullo judicio iri)>enta 
 majorum probant, <jr ab aliis pecudum more, ducmtur. 
 
 La&ant. 
 
 Magnos Error ?s magnorumvirorum Juthoritaie perfuafi y 
 tranjmittimus. Vadianus. 
 
 Cautum debet redder e, non fequacm, Error alknus. 
 Ra. Ardens. 
 
 Hontftifsimum, majorum <vejligiafeqni, ft reflo itinere 
 prtcejjcrint. Plin. Ep. 8. f. 
 
 Mala Tax efi y &* Concordia, quit inter Fa/lores cr 
 Lupos eft. Chemnit. Harm. 
 
 Maledifta fit CbartMj <sr Concordia , propter quam 
 conferl'avdam periclitari neceffe fit Vtrbum Dei. Lu- 
 ther in Gal. y. 
 
 Pios hoc nomen & titulunt in mundo oportetgrrere, quod 
 
 Seditiofi} 
 
(*9) 
 Seditiofi, ac Scbifmatici, ac mfinitorum maUrum Jutbo- 
 
 res [wit. Idem ibidem* 
 
 Heu, heu, Vomine ! ipjijnnt in perficutione tuaprimi, 
 qui in Ecclejia tuaVtdentur principatumdiligere^ fjrgerere 
 principatum. Bern, de Convcr. S* Pauli, Serm.l. 
 
 Irnofci potuit ftmpliciter errantibus : pojl infyirationem 
 Vero D O* reVelationem faftam, jint ignorantU Veniapec- 
 catar. Cypr. Ep>63- 
 
 Qui Wo me err are exiHimant, etiam at que etiam dili? 
 genter, qu<e funtdifla, conftderentj ne fortafsis ipfi errant. 
 Auguit, De Bono Perfever. 
 
 Thefe Sayings may be Englijhed as foU 
 hweth : 
 
 Let us not regard or minde what fome have 
 done before us, but what Q>rift y who is before alL, 
 hath firrt done- 
 
 They take a courfe never to attain unto wife 
 dom, who., without Judgement^ approve of the 
 Inventions of their Fore-Fathers ; and like unto 
 Sheep., are led by others. 
 
 Sometimes we let pafs great Errors [as if they 
 were Truths] being perfwaded [hereuntoj'by the 
 Authority of Great Men, 
 
(70) 
 
 The Errors of others IhoulcJ not move us to 
 follow, but to look about us. 
 
 It is moll honed [and honourable] to follow 
 the fteps of our Fore-Fathers., if they have gone 
 before in a Right Way* 
 
 It is no good Peace or Agreement that is made 
 between Shepherds and Wolves* 
 
 Accurfed be that Charity and Accord y for the 
 confervation [and maintenance] whereof, the 
 Word of God mud be endangered* 
 
 Godly [and good] men mud be content in the 
 World to bear the name and title of being Sedi- 
 tious., Schifmatical, and the Authors of a thou^ 
 fand Mifchiefs. 
 
 Alas., Lord, alas ! they are the prime men in 
 perfecting thee, who are feen to affedl Primacy 
 in thy Church, and to bear Rule there* 
 
 God might pardon them^ whilft they (imply 
 [and for want of Knowledge] went ailray : out 
 when they have received the Truth by Infpira- 
 tion andRevelation^they fin without any allow- 
 ance of Favour for their Ignorance* 
 
 They who think I am in an Error-, let them a- 
 gain and again diligently confider what hath 
 been faid, left (haply} theoifelves prove to be 
 the Men that err* 
 
 FINIS* 
 
DISCOVRSE 
 
 CONCERNING 
 
 AND THEIR 
 
 IMPOSITION- 
 
 >We.T\ 
 
 tr~ fry °}k(f'\ \ '£** 
 
 Printed in the Year, \66z. 
 
A Difcourfe concerning Liturgies 3 
 and their Impofition. 
 
 C H A P. I. 
 
 The Jlate cf the Judaieal Church. The Liberty given by 
 Christ. i.Frtm the arbitrary In fcfitiens efmen* 2.Fr$m 
 the obfervances and Rites i/fliitttec bj Mcfes. The conti- 
 nuance of their Observation in the patience and forbear* 
 AnceofGoi* Difference ab.ut tbtmfiated. Legal Rigkte- 
 oufvefs and Legal Ctitmomts tMtalded jor together y the 
 Reaftn of it. 
 
 ALthough our prefent enquiry be meerly after one part of 
 InlVituted Worfhip under the Gofpel, and the due perfor- 
 mance or it according to the mind of God; yecthere~be- 
 inga communication of tome light to be obtained from 
 the turning over oi trut Worfhip from the Mefaical , to the care 
 and practice ot the Evangelical Church, we (hail look a little back 
 unto it as therein Rated, hoping thereby to make way for our 
 clearer progre lie. What was the Irate of the Church ot God a- 
 mongft the Jews as to Inftitured Worfhip , when our blefled Sa- 
 viour came to make the laft and perfect dii cover/ of bis mind and 
 wilUismanifeft both from the appointment of that Worfhip in 
 the Law o\M<,fa , and the practice of it remarked intheGofpel. 
 That the Rites and Ordinances ofthe Worfhip in the Church ob- 
 ferved, were from the original in fheir nature C*r#ai, and for the 
 number many, on both accounts httihenfome snd grievous to the 
 Worfhippcrs , the Scripture frequently declare?. Hcvbeit the 
 Teachers and Rulers of tke Church, being grown wholly Cxrr*l 
 in their fpirits , and placing their onely glory in their yoke, not 
 being able to fee to the end of the things that were to 
 
 A 2 
 
begone away, had increafed thofe I*ftituthns both in »^ w . 
 her and weight, with fundry Inventions of their own, which 
 by their authority they made neceffary to be obferved by 
 their Difciples. In an equal practice of thefc , Divine In- 
 ftitutions, and Humane Inventions, did cur Lord Jefus 
 Chrift findc the generality of the Church at his coming in 
 the flefti. The former being to continue in force untif the 
 time of 'Reformation , at his Refurre&ion from the dead.fhould 
 come j both by his practice, and his teaching as a Minifter 
 of Circumcifion , he confirmed and preffed frequently 'on 
 the Confciences of men , from the authority of the Law- 
 maker. The latter he utterly reje&ed , as introduced in 
 an high derogation from the perfection of the Law , and the 
 honour of him , whofej Prerogative it is , to be the foleLaw- 
 giver of his Church; the onciy .Fountain and difpofer of 
 his own WorBjjp. And this was the rirft dawning of Liber- 
 ty, thar with trie rinjngpf this Dayfiar did appear to the 
 burthened and ianguifhing confciences of me^n. He freed 
 them by his Tektbing from trie bondage of Phartfaical arbi- 
 trary Impofitions , delivering their Confciences from fub- 
 je&ion to any thing in the Worfhip of God a but his own im- 
 mediate Authority. For it may not be fuppofed that when 
 he recommended unto his Hearers in attendance unto the 
 teaching of the Scribes and Pharifecs , witb an injunction 
 to obey their directions , that he intended ought but thofe 
 Commands which they gave from him; and according to 
 his mind, whofe fear ?they did outwardly profeffe ; feein^ 
 that both in general and particular he did himfelf con- 
 demn their Traditions and Impofitions ; giving out a rule 
 of liberty from them unto others in his own conftant pra- 
 ctice. Yea ?nd whereas be would do Civil things in their 
 Awn.i>atnre indifferent, whereunto he was by no righteous 
 Law obliged ro avoid the offence of any which he faw 
 might follow , ^. 77.24. yet would be not practice or give 
 cor. penance nntp , nay not abftain from condemning of a- 
 c> of tbeir EccleGaftictJ Self invented Obfervances , though 
 he faw them offended and fcandalized it him , and was by 
 othtrs informed nolefle, M*t. 15.12 13, ^confirming his 
 practice with that ftanding Rule concerning all things rela- 
 ting to the Woifliip of God y Every pU n t which my htavedy 
 
 F*$hert 
 
(5) 
 father hath not plxr.ted {hall be rooted tip. But he Is yet fur- 
 ther to carry on the work of giving Liberty to all" his Difd- 
 ples , that he might take them into a fubje&ion to himfelf * 
 and his own Authority onely. The A*n riefthood 
 
 beingthe hinge on which the whole Oremom.d tfforthip tur- 
 ned, fo that upon a change thereof, the obligation of theLaw 
 unto that worfhip* or any part of it, was occeflarily toceafe, 
 our bleifed Saviour iahis death and oblation entering nponthe 
 Orn;e, and actually discharging the great duty of his Prieft- 
 hood, did virtually put an end to the whole obligatioi 
 firft Inftinuion of Mofaical Worfhip. In his death was the 
 procurement of the Liberty of his Difciples compleaily fi- 
 nished as unto confeience, the fuppofed Obligation of mens 
 Traditions, and the real Obligation of Mofaical Inftitwions* 
 being by him > (the [firft as a Prophet in his teaching, the lall 
 as a Prieft in his offering) diffolved and taken away. From 
 that day all the Difciples 4 of Chrift were taken under his im- 
 mediate Lordfhip , and made free to the end of the world 
 frem alt obligations in Confeience unto any thing in theWor- 
 fhip of God , but what is of his own Inftitution and Com- 
 mand. 
 
 This diffolmion of the Obligation of the Law of Com- 
 mandements contained in Ordinances , being declared by 
 his Apoftles and. Difciples , became a matter of great diffe- 
 rence and debate amongft the Jewes to whom the Gofpel 
 was fiift preached. Thole who before tud Gain him in pur- 
 suit of their own charge > that he would bring in fuch an 
 alteration in the Worfhip of God as was now divulged, were 
 many of them exceedingly enraged at this new Docirinej 
 and had their prejudices againft him and his way much in- 
 creafed s hating indeed the light , becaufe their deeds were 
 evil , Thei'e being obftinately bent to feek after righteouf- 
 nefic fas it were, at leaft ) by the works of theLaw, con- 
 tended for their Ceremonial works as one of the beft (lakes 
 in their hedge, in whole observance they placed their chief- 
 eft confidence of the ; r acceptance with God. But this is not 
 all, many, who falling under powerfull convictions of his 
 Doclrine and Miracles believed on him , did yet pertinaci- 
 oufly adhere fo their old Ceremonial Worfhip. Partly for 
 wane of clear light ar.d undemanding in the DoSrine of the 
 
 Perfoni 
 
(6) 
 
 Perfonand Office of the- Meffiah, partly through the power of 
 thofe unfpeakable prejudices which influenced their minds in 
 reference to thofe Right?, which being from of oldobferved by 
 their Forefathers, derived their original from God himfelf, 
 ( much the moft noble Pieas and Pretences , that ever any of 
 thefonsof men had to infill upon, for a fub/e6lion to futh a 
 yoke, as indeed had loft all power to oblige them) they were 
 very denroustomix theobfervanceof them with obedience un- 
 to thofe Inftitutions which they through the Lord Jelus had 
 fuperaddedtothem. 
 
 Things beingthus ftatedamongft the Jews, (god having a 
 great work to accompUQi among and upon them in a fhon time, 
 would not have the effect of it turn upon this Hinge meerly, 
 and therefore in his Infinite Wifdome and Condefcention wa- 
 ved the whole conteft for a feafon. For whereas within the 
 fpace of forty years or thereabout hewastocall and gather out 
 from the body, by the preaching of the Gofpel, his Remnant 
 according to the Election 6f Grace, and to leave the reft in- 
 excufable, thereby vjfibly glorifying his Juftice in their Tem- 
 poral and Eternal ruine, itpleafed himina way of connivance 
 and forbearance, to continue unto that people an allowance 
 of the obfervaticn of their old Worfhip, until the time ap- 
 pointed for its utter removal and aftual cafiing away foould 
 come. Though the original obligation in Confcience from the 
 fifft inftitution of their Ceremonies was taken away, yet hence 
 arofe a new neceflity of the obfervation of them, even in them 
 who were acquainted with the dilfolutioji of that obligation; 
 namely from the offence and fcandal of them to whom their 
 obfervance was providentially indulged. On this account the 
 Difciples of Ch rift ( and the Apoftles themfelves ) continued 
 in a promifcuous obfervation of Mofaical Inftitutions, with 
 the reft of the t?ody of that people, until the appointed feafon 
 of the utter rejection and deftru&ion of the Apoftate Churches 
 were come. Hence many of the Ancients affirm that James the 
 lefs, living atjerufdem in great reputation with all the people 
 for his SanSity and Righteoufaefs, was not to the very time 
 of his Martyrdome known to be a Chriftian; which had 
 been utterly impcflible, had he totally abftained trom commu- 
 nion with them in Legal Worlhip. 'Neither had that old contro- 
 verfie about the Fealtof the Paffover any other rife orfpring, 
 
 then 
 
(7) 
 
 then themiftake of fome who thought Jolrthzd obferved it as i 
 Chriftian, who kept it onely as a Jadaical Feaft among the J2ws> 
 whence the Tradition ran ftrongthat he obferved it with them, 
 on the fourteenth dayo: theMoneth, which precife time others 
 turning it into a Chriftian obfervation, thought meet to lay aft 
 
 Thingsbeingthusftatedinthe connivanceand forbearanceof 
 God among the Jew?, tome of them not contented to lift the 
 indulgence granted to them in meer patience for the er.ds before 
 mentioned, began feduloufly to urge the Mofaical Rites nppn 
 all the Gentiles that were turned unto God. So making upon 
 thematterthe Preachingof the Go'pel to be but a mw way of 
 profelyting men unto Judaifm. For the moil part it appears, 
 k was not any miftake or unacqnaintednefs with the Liberty 
 brought in by Chritf, that made them engage in this quarrel for 
 Alofs, but that indeed being them'elves carnal, and potfcrith- 
 Ihnding the outward Name of Ghrift, feekingyet for righceouf- 
 nefs by the Law, they e^eemed the observation of the Cere* 
 monies indifpenfably neceffuy urto Salvation, Thil gave o - 
 (ion unto Paul, unto whom the Apoftielrrp of the Geci 
 was in a fpecial manner committed, to lay open the whole my - 
 ftery of that Liberty given byCbrift to his Difclp'es from 
 Law of 'MvftS) as alio the peroitioos effect which its obfcr- 
 vance would produce upon thofe principles which were pre 
 by the Judaica! Zealots. Pafliogby the peculiar difpenfatir.\ 
 Godtowardsthe whole Nation of the Jews, wherein theGen- 
 ti'e Believers were not concerned ; as alio that determinaiio: 
 the cafe of fcandalmade at frr/ffh/cm^ Acls 13, and rhetcoopo- 
 r:ryru!e of Condefcention as to the abridgment of Liberty in 
 fome particulars agreed unto thereupon, he fully declares t 
 the time of the Appointment was come, that there was no mors 
 powerin the Law of their Inftitmions tobirdthe Con :ien:es 
 of men, and that it was noc in the power o[ all the men in the 
 world, to impofe the observation of them, or an} n:o 
 
 them, upon anyone though themeaoeltof is of Je- 
 
 Cbrift. Themind of Cbrift in * 
 known, and theLibercyof his Difciples vindic.v ef- 
 
 fects in the minds of men enUkd ihererocn. Tho'.e wh 
 in their inward principle themielves cr.rr.j! , 
 their outward profeflioncf the Go 'pel 
 ingon an'outward ceremonious Wcrlhip, continued to 
 
 I 
 
him with violence and fury. Thofe who with the profeffionof 
 the Lord Chrift had alio received the Spirit of Chrift, and were 
 byhiminftru&edasin the perfection of righteoufnefs, fointhe 
 beamy and excellency oi the Worfhip of the Gofpel, rejoyced 
 greatly in the Grace and Priviledge of the purchafed Liberty. 
 After many contefts thiscontroverfie was buried in the mines of 
 the City and Templej when the main, occafionof it was utterly 
 taken away. 
 
 By thefc degrees were the Difciples of Chrift put into .a corn- 
 pleat actual pofleffionof that Liberty which he had preached to 
 them, and purchafed for them ; being 6rft delivered from any con- 
 fciemious fubje£tion to the Inftitutions of men,and then to the 
 temporary Inftitutions of God which concerned them not, they 
 were left in a dependance on, and fubjeclion unto himfelf alone, 
 as to all things concerning worfhip 5 in which ftate he will aflu- 
 redly continue and preferve them to the end of the world, un- 
 derthe guidance and direction of thofe Rules for the ufe of their 
 Liberty which he has left them in his Word. But yet the prin- 
 ciple of the difference before mentioned, which is fixed in the 
 minds of men by Nature, did not die together with the contro- 
 vcrfie that mainly iiTued from it. We may trace it effectually 
 everting it felf in iucceeding Ages. As Ignorance of the Righ- 
 teoufnefs of God with a defire to eftabli(h their own, did in any 
 tike place, foalfo did endeavours after an outward Ceremonious 
 worfhip: Forthe r e things do mutually further and ftrengthen 
 each other. And commonly proportionable unto mens darknefs 
 in the myfteryof the Righteoufnefs of God in Chrift, is their 
 zeal for a worldly SanSuary and carnal Ordinances. And fuch 
 hath been the force and efficacy of thefe combined Principles in 
 the minds of carnal men, that under the profeffion of Chriftiani- 
 ty, they reduced things (in the Papacy) to the very ftate and con- 
 dition, wherein they were in Judaifm at the time of Reforma- 
 tion j the main Principle in the one and the other Church in the 
 Apoftacy, being Legal Righteoufnefs, and ananfupportableyoke 
 of Ceremonious obfervances in the Worfhip of God. And ge- 
 nerally in others the fame Principles of Legal Righteoufnefs and a 
 Ceremonious Worfhip have their prevalency in a juft proportion, 
 the latter being regulated by the former: And where by any 
 means the former is everted, the latter for the moft partfallsof 
 its own accord ; yea, though riveted in the minds of men by 
 
 other 
 
(9) 
 
 other prejudice J alfo. Hence when the foul of a Sinner is cffe&ti- 
 ally wrought upon by the preaching of the Gofpel, to renounce 
 himfelf and bis own right eoufttefsi and being truly humbled for 
 fin, to receive the Lord Chrift by Faith, as made unto him of 
 God Wifdom^ Right eopt faff, Salification and Redemptions there 
 need* for the mod part iittlc arguing to ditTwade him from reft- 
 ing in, or laying wait upon an out-fide pompous Worfhip ; buc 
 he is immediately ienfible of a delivery from its yoke, which he 
 freely embraceth. And the reafon hereof is, becaufethac good 
 Spirit by whom he is enabled to believe and receive the Lord 
 Jefus Chrift, gives him alio an Acquittance with, and an expe- 
 rience of the Excellency, Glory, and Beauty of that fpiritual 
 Communion with God in Chrift, whereunto Believers are called 
 i D the Gofpel; which difcoversxhe emptinefs and ufelefnefs of all, 
 which before perhaps he admired and delighted in, For where 
 the Spirit of Chrift is, there is Liberty. And thefc things of feek- 
 inga Righccoui'nefs in Chrift alone, and delighting in fpiritual 
 Communion with God, exercifing it felf onely in the waves of 
 his own appointment, do infeperably proceed from the fame 
 Spirit or Chrift \ as thofe before mentioned from the fame Prin- 
 ciple of Self and Flelh. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 The Difciples of Chrift takfn into his ok* difpcfal. General things 
 to be ob/erved about Gofpel Inftittitions. Their number fntaff. 
 Excefs of mens Inventions. Things inft it Hted brought i*to * 
 Religions Relation by the Authority of Christ. That Autho- 
 rity is none other, Stiitablenefstn the matter of Inftitmions to 
 be defigned to their proper fignftcancy. That d*fcoverable on elf 
 by infinite Wifdome. Abilities given by Chrift for the Admi- 
 viftration of all his Inftitution^ The way whereby it was don e % 
 ~ Eph. 9.7,8. Several Poftulata laid down. The fum of the 
 vsholefiate of our Queflion in general. 
 
 WE have brought unto, and left the Difciples of Jefus 
 Chrift in the hand ard fole difpofa! of him their Lord 
 andMafter, as to all things which conr em the Vv\ rfhipof God, 
 and how he hath difpofed of them we are in rhe next plate to 
 
 iiiidi 
 
(IC) 
 
 confider. Now he beingthe Head, Lord, and onely Law-guer of 
 his Church, coming frcfm the bolome of his Father, to make 
 the latt Revelation of bis Mind and Will, was to determine and 
 appoint that Worfhipof God in and by himfelf, which was to 
 contiuue to the end of the world. It belongeth not unto our 
 purp^fe to'confider diftindly and apart all the ieveral Inftitutions 
 which by him were ordained. We (hall onely obferve fome 
 things concerning them in General that will be of ufe in our pro- 
 gress, and fo proceed to the Confederation of that Particular 
 about which we are in Difquifition of his Mind and Will. The 
 Worfhipof God is either Moral and Internal, or External and 
 of Sovereign or arbitrary Inftitution.The former we do notnow 
 confider, nor was the ancient original fundamental Obligation 
 unto it altered or diflblved in the leaft by theLordChrift.Ii was as 
 unto fuperadded Inftitutions* of outward Worfhip, which have 
 their foundation and reafon in Sovereign Will and Pleafure, that 
 be took his Difciples into his own difpofal, difcharging them 
 from all Obligations to ought elfe Whatever, but onely what he 
 fhould appoint. Concerning thefe, fome few considerations will 
 lead us to what in this Difcourfe we principally intend. And the 
 Pirftis, That they were/ie»>, andeafieto be obferved. It was his 
 Will and pleafure, that the Faith and Love of his Difciples fhould 
 in fome fewlnftances bcexercifed in a willing ready fubjeftion 
 totheirripofitionsof hisWifdom and Authority. And their (er. 
 vice herein he doth fully recompence, by rendring thofe his Infti- 
 tutions bieffedly mfeful to their fpiritual advantage. But he would 
 not burden them with Obfemnces either for nature or number > 
 like or comparable unto them from which he purchafed them 
 Liberty. And herein hath the praftife of fucceeding Ages put an 
 excellent luftre upon bis Love and Tenderneft. For whereas he 
 is the Lord of his Church, ro whom the Confciences of his Di- 
 fciples are in an nnqueftionable fubje&ion, and who can give 
 Power and Effi acy to his Inftitutions to make them ufeful to 
 their Souls f Yet when fome of their Fellow-fervants came, I 
 know not how, to apprehend themlelves enabled to impofe ar- 
 bitrarily their Appointments, for reafon feeming good to their 
 wifdom, they might have been counted moderate, if they had 
 not given above ten Command ments,for his one. BeHarmine tells 
 us indeed, that the Laws and Inftitutions of the Church that 
 abfolutely bind alt Chriftians, fo that they fin if tbey omit their 
 
 Ob- 
 
(II) 
 
 Obfervation ? :re upon the matter but four ; namely , to obferve 
 »the Fans of Lent ~vd Ember- weeks , to keep the Holy cLyes, 
 Confefilonon ea er, and to Communicate at Eaiier: Ds Rom* 
 Pomif.ltb.+.ctp. 18, Butwhereas they double the number 
 the facred Cerenoniesinftituted by Chriftj and have ever*' one of 
 them a great number of lubfervient Observations attending on 
 them; io he mv { \ be a ftranger to their Councels 3 Cannon- laws , 
 and pra&ifes that c an believe his infinuation. 
 
 Again, as the xDltitutionsand Ordinances of Chrift in the out- 
 ward Worfbip of God , whole fole foundation was in his will 
 and pleafure, were few and eafie to be obierved, being brought in- 
 to a relation of WorfhipunioGod by vertue of his institution 
 and command, without which no one thing in their kind can do 
 To more then another; fo they were for the matter of them fuch 
 as he knew had an apt»?fetobc fervLeable unto thengnificancy 
 whcreunto they were appointed by him, which nothing but infi- 
 nite wifdome can judge of. And this eternally fevers them from 
 all things of mens inventions, either to the fameprrpofc, or in 
 the fame way to beufed. For as whatever they (hail appoint in 
 the Worfhipof God , can have no fignitican:y'at all as nocd any 
 fpiritual end, for want ofaChriit-like Authority in their WHtu- 
 tion, whichalonecan add that llgnificancy to them , which in 
 themf.lves without fuch an appointment they have not 5 f© they 
 themfehes want wifdome tochufe the things which have any fit- 
 nefleor aptitude to beufed for that end , if the Ant hority were 
 fnfficient to introduce with them , fuch afignirlcancy. There is 
 nothing they can b this kind fix upon, but as good reafonasany 
 they are able to tender for the proof of their Expedience unto the 
 end propofedtothem, will be produced to prove them meet for , 
 a quite other Signification and purpofe, and the contrary unto 
 them, as leaft things diverfetothem, be alTerred with as fair pre- 
 tences, as meet to be ufed in their place and room. 
 
 But that which we principally fhall obferve in and about Chrifts 
 Institutions of Gofpel Worfhip , is the Provision that he made 
 for the Administration of it acceptably unto God. It is of the 
 Instituted Wor(hipbf hisPublick Aflemblies tfm we treat. The 
 chielelt a£ts and parts thereof may be referred to thele three 
 Heads, Preaching of the Word. , Admiwftrttion of the Sacraments, 
 and the Extrcife of Difcipline ; all to be performed with Prayer 
 and Jhankfgiving. The Rule for the sdminiftratioD of thefe 
 
things fofar as they arepurely of his Inftitution, he gave his Difci- 
 ples in his appointment ofthem. Perfons alfo he defigned tothe 
 regular adminitimion of theft his holy things in the AtTemblies 
 of his faints ; namely, Pallors and Teachers to endure to the end 
 ofthe world, after thofe of an extraordinary employment under 
 him, were to ceafe. It remaineth then toconfider how the /Vr- 
 fons appointed by him unto the Adminittration of tbefe Holy 
 Things in his Affemblies, andfoto thedifcharge of the whole 
 publkkWorfhip ofGod,(hould be enabled thereunto , lo as the 
 end by him aimed at of the Edification of his Difciples , and the 
 Glory of God might be attained. Two ways there are whereby 
 this may be done. Firftby fuch Spiritual Abilities for the dif- 
 chargeand performance of this whole work as will anfwcrrht 
 mind of Chrift therein, audio ferve for the end propofed. Se- 
 condly , By the prefcription of a form of words whofe reading 
 and pronunciation in thefe adminiftrations fhould outwardly 
 ferve a? to all the endsof the Prayer and Tbankfgiving required 
 in them, which they do contain. Its evident that our Saviour 
 fixton theformer way; whar he hath done as to the latter , 
 or what his mind is concerning it , we (hall afterwards en- 
 quire, 
 
 Forthefirft, as in many other places fo fig-nail y in one the A- 
 poftle acquaints us with the courfe he has taken, and theProvi- 
 iion that he hath made, namely, Ephef 4.7, 8, 11, 1 2, 13, 14, 
 I 5 5 16. U„to ever) of us is given Grace , according to the meafure 
 of the gift of Chrift. Wherefore he faith when he Afcendcd upon 
 high , he led captivity captive, and gave rifts unto men, And he owe 
 fome Apoftles,fome Prophets , and feme Evangehfts, and fome Pa- 
 ft or sand Teachers for the perf ell. ng ofthe Stints for the worl^ofthe 
 Mimftry^for the edifying ofthe Body of 'Chrift , till r?e all come in the 
 Unity of the faith an dthe knowledge of the S^ofGodj unto a perfiB 
 man , Untothe meafure if the Stature of the f nine fs of Chrift* &C 
 The thing aimed at is thebringing of all the Saints and Difciples 
 of Chrift, the whole Church , to that meafure and perfection of 
 Grace which Chrift hath affigned to thern in this wor!d,that they 
 may be meet for himfelf to receive in glory. The rreans where- 
 by this h to be done and effected, is the faithful, regular, 2nd ef- 
 feftualdifchargeof theworkof theMiniffry , unto which the 
 administration of all his Ordinances and Institutions do confef- 
 fcdly belong. That this work maybe difchsrged in an orderly 
 
 msn- 
 
r«3) 
 
 manner to the end mentioned , he has granted unto his Chur>h, 
 the Offices mentioned co be executed by peribns varioufly called 
 thereunto according tohis mind and will. 
 
 The pnely enquiry remaining is * how tbefe perfons (hall be 
 enabled for the discharge of their Office, and foacccmplifhmenc 
 of the work of the Minitiry. This he declares is by the communi- 
 cation of grace and fpiritual gifts from heaven unto them by 
 Chrift bimfeft Here lyeth the Ipring of all that followeth $ the 
 care hereof he hath taken upon himfelf unto the end of the 
 world. He that enabled the fhoulders of theLevitestobear the 
 Ark of old, and their arms to flay the facrifi ces , without which 
 naturaifkength thole carnal ordinances cou'd not have beeHob- 
 ferved (nor was the Ark to be carried for a fnppjy of defect of a- 
 biiity in the Levites) hatb upon their removal, and the Inftituti- 
 onofthe Spiritual Worfhip of the Gofpel, undertaken tofupply 
 theadrniniflracoiirs of it with fpiritual ftrength and abilities for 
 thediuhargeof their work, allowing them fupply of the de- 
 fe& of that which he hath taken upon bimielf to perform. I 
 fuppofe then that thefe enfuing will fe*em but reafonable Po- 
 tiulaca. 
 
 1. That the means whkh Jefus Chrift hath appointed for the 
 attaining of aoy end is every way fufficient for that purpofe 
 whereunco it 1? (o appointed : his wifdome exacts our confent to 
 this proportion. 
 
 2. Trm whst he rmh taken upon himfelf to perform un- 
 tothe endof the world, andpromifed fo todo, that he wi 1 
 accomplifh accordingly ; here his faicbtulnttis requires olx 
 affenr. 
 
 3. That the communication of fpirituall gifts and graces 
 to the Minifters of the Gofpel is the provision that Chrift 
 hatb made for the right difebarge of the work of their Mini- 
 ftry, unto the edification of his Body. This lyes plain in the 
 Text. 
 
 4. Th»t the exercife andnfeof thofegifrsin althofe admlni- 
 firattons for which they are beftowed, are expend and required 
 by him. ThenatnreoUhethingtt fclF, with innumerable 1 
 monies confirm this truth alfo. 
 
 5. That it is derogatory to the glory , honourand faithfalnefs 
 of theLord Jefus Chrift to affirm that heceafetbtobeftow ; 
 fortheworkofthe Mimftry, whileft hccoocinocih andrcqui 
 
 the 
 
r d4) 
 theexercife and difcharge of that work. What hath befallen men, 
 or doth yet befall them through the wreuhed (loth, darknefs and 
 unbelief, which their wiii~u!lneg ! e& of dependence on him, or of 
 ftirringup, or improving of wbat they do receive from him, and 
 the mifihiefs that have acrrewed to the Church by the lotrui.on 
 of fuch jperfons into the Place and Office of the Miniflry as were 
 never called nor appointed by him thereunto, are not to be impu- 
 ted unto any tailing on hispart 5 in his promife of difpenfmg the 
 gifts mentioned to the end of the world. Of which feveral Por- 
 tions we (haH have fome ufe in our further progrefs. 
 
 Our Lord Jefus Chrift then having delivered his Difciples from 
 the yoke of Mofaical Inftitutions which lay upon them from of 
 old, as alfo from being intangled in their confeiences by or from 
 any inventions of men impofed on them , giving them Rules for 
 the practice of the Liberty whereunto by him they were vindi- 
 cated , taking them for the future into his own foledifpofal in all 
 things concerning the Worfhip ofGod, he appoints in his Sove- 
 reign Authority both the Ordinances which he will have alone 
 obferved in his Church / and the Perfonsby whom they are to be 
 adminiiired , fumifhingthem with fpiritual abilities to that end 
 and purpofe, promifing his prefe-nce with them to the end 
 of the *world , commands *hem to fet fuch in his Name and 
 Strength in the way and unto the work that he hath allotted 
 to them. 
 
 That now which on this Foundation we are further to en- 
 quire into is , whether over and abo? e what we have recounted, 
 our Saviour hath appointed, or by any ways given allowance un- 
 to the framing of a (tinted Form of Prayers and Praifes to be read 
 and ufed by the Adminiftratours of his Ordinances in their Ad- 
 minift ration of them ; or whether the prefcription and impofing 
 of fuch a Form or Liturgy upon thofe who Miniller in the 
 Church, in the Name and Authority ofChrift , be not contrary 
 to his mind, and crofs to his whole defign, for perpetuating of his 
 Inftitutions to the end of the world , in due order and manner. 
 And this we (hall do; and withall difcover the Rife and Pro- 
 grefs which fuch Liturgies have had , and made in the Church 
 of God. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 M 
 
in) 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 Of the Lords Prayer , and what may be concluded from thence 
 the Invention and Impofition of Liturgies inthe pat lickj, ; 
 God. The Liberty wherennto Chrtft vindicated , andwhtct. 
 left hi* Difcphs. 
 
 THe firft plea n r ed to give countenance unto the com- 
 pofing and impofing of Liturgies , is taken from that 
 aft of ourSaviour himfelf, whoupon therequeft of his Di- 
 fciples compofed for them a Form of Prayer, which being 
 recorded in the Gofpel, is laid to have the force of an In- 
 fiitution , rendring the obfervaticn or ufe of that Form a 
 cecefTaiy duty unto all believers to the end of the world. 
 And this Plea is flrengthened by a difcovery which fome 
 learned men fay they have made , namely that our blefled 
 Saviour compo r ed this Form which he delivered to his Di- 
 iciples, out of fuch other Forms as were then in ordinary ufe 
 among the Jewes ; whereby ( they fay ) he confirmed that 
 pra&ice of prescribing Forms of Prayer among them ; and 
 recommended the fame courfe of proceeding, by his fo do- 
 ing unro his Difciples. Now though it be very hard to 
 difcover how upon a fuppof.tion that all which is thus fug- 
 gefted is the very truth, any thing can be hence concluded 
 to the juftification of the pra&ice of impofing Liturgies, 
 now enquired into ; yet that there may be no pretence left 
 unto a plea, though never fo weak and infirm, of fuch an 
 extract as this layes claim unro> it will be neceflary to con- 
 sider the feverals of it. It is generally apprehended that 
 our Saviour in his prefcription of that Form of Prayer un- 
 to his Ditciples did aim at two things, i. That they might 
 have a fummary Symbole of all the melt excellent things 
 they were to ask of God in his Name , and fo a Rule of 
 Squaring all their defires and fupplications by. This end 
 all univerfally concur in: and therefore Matthew confider- 
 ing the Doctrinal nature of it , gives it a place in the firft 
 recorded Sermon of our Saviour, by way of anticipation, 
 
 and: 
 
(16) 
 
 and mentions ic not when he comes to the time wherein ic was 
 really firft delivered by him. 2. For their benefit and advantage, 
 together with other interceffions that theyfhould aifoufe the 
 repetition of thofe words, as a prefcriptForm wherein he had 
 comprized the matter of their Requefls and Petitions, About 
 thislatter, all men are not agreed in their Judgements, whether 
 indeed our Saviour had this aim in it or no. Many Learned men 
 fuppofe chat it was a fupply of a Rule and Standard of things to 
 be prayed for, without preicribing to them, the Ufeor Rehearfal 
 of that Form of words that he aimed at. Of this number are 
 Mufcnlm, Grotius^ iK&Cornelm aLapide, with many others; 
 but it may fuffice to intimate that fome of all fortsare fo minded. 
 But we (hall not in the cafe in hand make ufe of any Principle fo 
 far obnoxious unto common prejudice, as experience proves 
 that opinion of thofe Learned men to be. Let it therefore be ta- 
 ken for granted, that our Saviourdid command that Form to be 
 repeated by his Difciples ; and let us then confider what will re- 
 gularly enfue thereupon. Our Saviour at that time wasMinifter 
 of the Circumcifion, and taught the Dodtrine of the Gofpel un- 
 der and with the Obfervation of all the Worfhipof thejudaical 
 Church. He was not yet glorified, andfo the Spirit was not as 
 yet given; I mean that Spirit which he promifed unto his Di- 
 fciples, to enable them to perform all the Werfhip of God by 
 him required at their hands , whereof we have before fpoken. 
 That then which the Lord Jefus prefcribed unto bis Difciples 
 for their prefent pra&ife in the Worfhipof God, feemstohave 
 belonged unto the Oeconomy of the old Teftament. Now to- 
 argue from the prefcription of, and outward helps for the per- 
 formance of the Worfhip of God under the old TeQament, un- 
 to a neceflity of the like or the fame under the New, is upon the' 
 matter to deny that Chrift is afcended on high, and to have gi- 
 ven fpiritual Gifts unto men) eminently diftin£t from, and above 
 thofe given out by him under the Judaical Padagogy. However 
 their boldnefs feems unwarrantab!e,if not intollcrable* who to 
 ft rve their own ends upon this Prefcription of his, do affirm that 
 our Lord Jefus Compoiedthis Form out of fuch as were then 
 in common ufe among the Jews. For as the proof their Afferti- 
 ©n which they infilt on, namely the finding of fome of the things 
 expreil?d ink, or Petirioosof ic in the Writings of the Jews, 
 theeldeft whereof isiome hundreds of years younger then this 
 
 Prayer 
 
cm 
 
 Prayeritfelf, is moft weak and ccrtcrrpible; Co the rfRiira. 
 tion it felt is exceeding derogatory to ihe glory srd honctr of his 
 Wildcm, afngnbgunto bim a work lb urnetefiary ard trivial, 
 as would icarce become a rran of ordinary Prudence ard Autho- 
 rity, But yet to carry on tfcewoikinhand-ietit be fuppo/edihat 
 our Saviour did command that Fcrm of Prayer out of fuch as 
 were thencuftomarily uled among the Jews, v-bich isfalfe, and 
 aflerted without any colour of prooi, alio that he prefrribedic 
 as a Form to I e Repeated by his Difciples, which we have (hewn 
 many very eminently Learned men to deny; and that though he 
 prefctibed it as a Niinifler to the Judaicai Church, ard to his Di- 
 fciples whilft Members of that C bore b 5 uncei theOevOncrry of 
 the old Tcftiment, not having as yet received the Spirit acd Gifts 
 of the New, yet that he did it for the ufe and cbiervznce of his 
 Difciples to the end of the World, ard that not as to the ob- 
 jective regulation of their Prayers,but as to the repetition of the 
 words '> yet it dcth not appear how from ailtbeieConcefficns 
 any Argument can be drawn to the Ccmpof,tion and Irrpofition 
 of Liturgies, whoie Rife and Nature we areerquiring after. For 
 it is certain, that our Saviour gives this direction for the end 
 which he intends inir, not primarily as to the Publick Worfhip 
 of the Allembiies of his Difciples? but as to the guidance of eve- 
 ry individual Saint in his private Devotion, Muitb % 6 6 %. Now 
 from a Direction given unto private Perfons , as to their private 
 deportment in the Discharge of any Religious Duty, to argue 
 unro a prescription of the whole Worfhip of God in publick 
 Aflerrbhes , is not fafe. But tb.t we may hear tie Argument 
 drfwn from this aft of our Saviour fpeak out all thai it hath to 
 offer, let us adde this alfo to thefore-mertiontd Prefun pti< ns, 
 that cur Saviour bath Appointed ard Oidained that in the Af- 
 fembiie.- of his Dikiples m his WcriVip by h ; m : qoij , ; rhey 
 who Adaumfierin his Name in and to the Choi old re- 
 
 peat the words of this Prayer, though not peculiarly limed to 
 any one of his Inftitations, what will thence b~ cenflrned to 
 enlue? why then it is fnppokd that this fr HI follow ; tj.atit is 
 doc onery lawful, but the duty of fome men to Compofe other 
 Forms r an hundred times as many, in i ted in their Judgment 
 to r .he due Admiriftration of all Ordinances of Worihipin par- 
 ticular, impofagthem cnthe Evangelical Adminiftraors of tbofe 
 Ordinances, to be read by them, with afevere interdiction of 
 
 C the 
 
( »») 
 
 the ufe ofany other Prayers in thofe Adminiftratlons, Bellarmhe 
 d? Pont. Row. Itt>,q t cap.i6. argues for the neceffity of che Ob- 
 servation of Rites indifferent, wben once commanded by the 
 Church, from the neceftity of the GsfefVatiten of Baptiim* in 
 its ielf a thing "indifferent, after it tiii comaKrcted by Chrifr, 
 Some think this is riot to Difpute but Blafpfre aae. Nor is the In- 
 ference before mentioned of any other Complexion. When it 
 (halibemade to appear that whatever it was lawful for the Lord 
 Chrift to do, and to prefer ibe to his Church and Difciples in 
 reference to the Worfhip of God, the fame, or any thing of 
 the like nature, it is lawful for men to do, urder the pretence 
 of their being inverted with the Authority of the Church, or 
 any elfe whatever, then fome colour will be given to this Ar- 
 gument; which being rarfed on the tottering fuppofaions be- 
 fore mentioned, ends in that which feems to deferve an harder 
 name, then at prefent we (hall affix unto it. 
 
 And this is the ftate and condition wherein the Difciples of 
 Chrift were left byhimfelf, without the lea ft intimation of any 
 other Impofitions in the Worfhip of God to be laid upon them. 
 Not in anything, or by any a £t of his did he intimate the ne- 
 ceffity, or lawful ufe of any fuch Liturgies as thefe which we 
 areenquiring after, or prefcribed and Jimitted Form? of Pray, 
 ers or Praifestobe u(ed or read in thepublick odminiftrawon of 
 Evangelical toftitixions, but indeed made f>rovr6oB rendringall 
 fuch prefcripfiom ufelefs * and beeau.e they cannot be made ufe 
 of, but by rejedionof theProvifion by himlelfmadcualawful. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 Of tkefTorjbtp 'fGed kf the A p^ flies. Nj Liturgies *frd by them,, 
 nor in the Churches of t heir pUntAtion. Argument font thi ir 
 practice. Reafens pleaded for the fife of Liturgy . D ifatri/ttics 
 of Church Officers for Gofpel Admimflretiovt to the tdrfi cati- 
 on of the Church. Uniformity in the Worfhip of God, The pra- 
 ctice of the Affiles as to thefe pretences cenpjered, f>f other 
 Imp, futons. The^Rule given by the ApoftUs. Of tie Liu. 
 f a iflj "fcribedmtofome of then*. 
 
 OUrnext enquiry is afrer the pra&ileof the Apoftles the 
 belt interpretation of the mind of the Lord Jems C 
 astoihe Agendaof the Church, orwhathe would ba«c do* ie 
 
 therein 
 
therein in the Worfhip of God, and how. That one end of their 
 being furniilicd with the Spirit of Chrift, was the right and due 
 admiuiilration of bis Ordinances in his Church, to the edifi- 
 cation of hisDilciples, I fuppofe will not be denied. By vertue 
 of his afliftance, and the gifts from him received^ they dif- 
 charged this part of their cruty accordingly. Thac theyufed any 
 Liturgies in the Church Worfhip wherein they went at any 
 time before theDiiciples, cannot with any colour of proof be 
 pretended. The Scripture gives us an account of many oi their 
 Prayers, of none that were a Repetition of a Form. If any fuch 
 wereufedby them ; now came '.he memory of them utterly to 
 perifh off the Earrh ? Some indeed of the Ancients fay that 
 they ufed the Lore 1 ; Prayerin the Confecration of the Eucharift, 
 which by others is denied 3 bei^g in ks felf improbable, and 
 the Tefiimonies weak that are ptcdnved in behalf of its Af- 
 fertion. Butastfath been Hie wed, tbeufc of that Pnyerno way 
 concerns the prefent Queftion. There are no mere Chrifrs but 
 one; to us there is one L^rd Jems Chrift. For bim who hath 
 affirmed, that it i? T :kely they ufea Forms of Prayer m&H»mi- 
 fc/compotcd for them by Saint Teter, I frppole he muft fetch 
 h\< Evidence out of the feme Authors that he nfed, who af- 
 firmed that Jefus Chrift "him.eif Went up and down fr»ging 
 M f s . 
 
 The practice then of the Apofllesis nor, as far as I know 3 
 by any fober acd learned Pctfons controverted in this matter. 
 They adminiftrcd th* holy things of the Golpel, by venue of 
 the holy Girts they had received. But they were Apoftles. The 
 enquiry is , what Directions acd Commands they gave unto 
 the Biihops or Paftors of t^ie Churches which they planted, 
 thajt they might know how to beha\^themfelves in the Houfe 
 and Worfhip of God. Whnever they might do in the dif- 
 chargeof their doty by vertue of their extraordinary Gifts, yet 
 the cafe might be much other wife with them, who were in- 
 ttu'.kd with ordinary Minifterial Gifts ojiely. Buc we do n^ot 
 find that they made any diKinSion in this mattet between them* 
 felves and others. For as the Care of all the Churches was on 
 them, the duties whereof they were to difcharge by vertue of 
 the Gifts they had received , according to their Commiflicn 
 impowering thtm thereunro, fo to the Biihops of particular 
 Churches, they gave charge to attend unto the adminiftration 
 
 C 2 Of 
 
(2o; 
 
 of the holy things in them, by vertue of the Gifts they had 
 received to that purpofe, according to the limits of their Com- 
 niiffion. And upon a fuppofition that the Apoftles were en- 
 abled to difcharge all Gofpel Adminiftrations co the edification 
 of the Church; by ve< rue of the Gifts they hsd received, which 
 thofe who. were turooie after them in the performance of the 
 fame Duties, fhouldnot be enabled unto, it cannot be imagi- 
 ned but that they would have provided a fupply for that wane 
 anddefeft thenafelves; and not have left the Church hale and 
 maimed to the Cure of thofe men, whofe weaknefs and unfit- 
 nefsfor the Duty was itsDifeafe. So then neither did theApo- 
 ftles of our Lotd Jefus Chrift ufe any Liturgies, in the fence 
 fpoken of, in their adminiftration of the Worfhip Instituted 
 by him in his Church, nor did they Prefcribe or Command any 
 fuch to the Churches, or their Officers that were planted in 
 them 5 nor by any thing intimate the ufefuinefsof any fuch Li* 
 turgy, or Form of publick Worfhip as after Ages found out 
 and ufed. 
 
 Thus far then is the Liberty given by Chrift unto his Church 
 preferved intire, and the Requeft feems not immodeft that is 
 made for the Continuance or it. When men cry to God for the 
 Liberty in his Worfhip, which was left unto tbem by Chrift 
 andhis ApoCles, he will undoubtedly hear, though their FeUow 
 fervants fhouldbe de.if to the like Requefts made unto them : 
 And truly they mufthave a great Confidence in their own Wif- 
 dome and Sufficienty, who will undertake to Appoint and lav 
 pofe on others the Obfervation of things in the Worfhip of 
 God, which neither our Lord Jefus, nor his Apottlesdid ap- 
 point or impofe. 
 
 Two things are principally pretended as Grounds of the 
 Impofition of publick Liturgies. Firft, The difability of the pre- 
 fentMimftersof the Churches to Celebrate and adminifter the 
 Ordinances of the Gofpelto the honour of God, and Edifica- 
 tion of the Church without the ufe of them. Secondly, The great 
 importance of Vn\ ormity in the Worfhip of God, nor pof- 
 fibly to be attained, but by vertue of this expedient. I defire 
 to know whether thefe Arguments did occur the confederation 
 of the Apoftles or no : If they fhall fay they did; I defire to know 
 why rhey did not make upon them the Provifionnow judged 
 neceffary, aqd whether thofe that fo do ; dp not therein pre- 
 
 ferre 
 
fcrre their. wifdomc * D d carc for the Churches of God , unto 
 the wiidomeand care of the Apoftles. If ic (hall be faid, that 
 the Bifhops or Pafiors of the Churches, in their dayes had 
 abilities for the difebarge of the whole work of the Miniftry 
 without this relief, fo that the Apoftles had do need to make 
 any fuch fupply. I defire to know from whom they had thefe 
 abilities; If it be faid that they had them from Jefus Chrift,I 
 then (hall yet alfo further ask, whether ordinary Bifhops or Pa- 
 ftors had any other Gifts from Jefus Chrift, but what he pro- 
 mifed tobeftow on ordinary Bifhops and Paftors of bis Churches; 
 ic feemsto me that he beftowed no more upon them then he 
 promifed to beftow> viz,. Gifts for the Work of the Miniftry, 
 with an efpecial regard to that outward condition of his 
 Churches , whereunto by his providence they were difpofed. 
 Ic will then in the next place be enquired, whether the Lord 
 Jefus Chrift promifed to give any other Gifts to the ordinary 
 Bifhops and Paftors of the Churches in thofe dayes., then he 
 promifed to all fuch Officers in his Church to *he end of the 
 World. If this appear to be theftate of things, that the Pro- 
 mife by vertue whereof they received thofe gifts and abilities 
 for the difdarge of their duty, whi&h rendred the Prefcription 
 of Liturgies needlefs, as to the firft Ground of them pretend- 
 ed ; did and do equally refpeft all that fuccced ia the fame 
 Office and Duty, according to the mind and will of Chrift 
 unto the end of the World, is not the pretended neceffity de- 
 rogatory to the glory of the faith fulnefs of Jefus Chrift , as 
 plainly intimating that he doth not continue to fulfil his Pro- 
 mife ; or at leaft a full declaration of mens unbelief, that they 
 do not, nor will depend upon him for the accomplifhmenc of 
 the fame. Thus the firft pretended Ground of theneccflary ufe 
 of fuch Liturgies as we fpeak of r endeth in a refledion upon the 
 honour of our Lord Jefus, or a Publication of their own Un- 
 belief, andApoftacy. 
 
 The Second is like the former. It will not, I fuppofe, be deni- 
 ed but that the Apoftles took care for the Unity of the Churches, 
 and for that Uniformity in the Worfoip of God which is accepta- 
 ble unto him. Evidence lyes fo full unto it in their Writings 5 thac 
 it cannot be denied. Great weight every where they lay upon 
 this duty of the Churches , and propofe unco them the wayes 
 whereby it may be done, with multiplied Commands and Exhor- 
 tations* 
 
cations to attend unto them. Whence is it then that they never 
 once intimate any thing of that which is now prefTed, as the one* 
 h medium for the attaining of that enclMt cannot but fee m ft range 
 to fome, that this fhould be the ooely expedient for that Onifor- 
 mity which is acceptable unto God \ and yet not once come into 
 the thoughts of any of the Apelttes of Chrift , fo as to.be com- 
 mended unto the Churches for that purpofe. Confideting the ma- 
 ny Treacheries that are in the hearts of men, and the powerfull 
 workings of unbelief underthemoft folemn outward Profeflions, 
 I fear it will appear at the laft day, that the true rife ofmoft of the 
 Impositions on the Gonfciences of men , which on various pre- 
 tences are pra&ifed in the World , is from the fecret thoughts 
 that either Chrift dctb not take that Care of his Churches, nor 
 make that fupply unto themeffpiritual abilities for the work of 
 theMiniftry, which he^did in the days of old 5 orthatmenare 
 now grown wifer then the Apoftles, aridthofc who fucceeded 
 them in the adminiftrationof the things of God , and fo are able 
 to make better provifion for attaining the end they profe fled ly 
 aimed at,' then they knew how to do. 
 
 The Heathen I confefs thought Forms of Prayer to a means of 
 preferving an [uniformity in their Religious Worfhip. Hence 
 they had a folemn Form for every public k action ; yea, forthofe 
 Orations which the MagiHra'es had unto the People. So Levins 
 informs us , that when Sp, Pcjihimius the Confu| was to fpeak 
 untothe People about the wickedneffes that were perpetrated 
 by many under the pretence of fome Bacchanalian fuperftition, 
 hegavethem an account of the nfefulnefs of the Solenneprecatio* 
 nis carmen^ which he had recited to keep out , and prevent fuch 
 differences about their Religion as were then fallen our, lib, 19. 
 Condone adzocata cum Solenve precatiotsu carmen, qnodprnfari pyi* 
 ttfyuam popttl^m aUoqunntnr* Maoifiratnsfolent, peregijfet Co*fnf 9 
 it a capit. Nalli unqaam concion^ Qnirite*) tarn nenjolam apt a, fed 
 etiawnepejfaria hacfolennu DeprufM compare atio fait 9 cju&nosad- 
 monerety kosejft T>eos qHor criere venerate pr<: cart q : <e CMajoresve- 
 flri inftituiffrrit, non illos y &c. Bur I hope we] fb all not prefenre 
 their Example and Wifdome before that of cur Lord Cbrift , and 
 his Apoftles. 
 
 Were prejudices removed , and felf-inrerefts hid our of the 
 v*r.ay. a man would think there were riot much more nee effity for 
 'the determination of (Ms difference; 1 Chrift i 'and his Apomes, 
 
 witb 
 
with the Apoftelical Churches, knew no fuch Liturgies. Ac leaft 
 icietnis .as was kid'not an unreafonable requeil to ask humbly 
 «nd peaceably at the hands of any of the Ions of -Tien, th.uthey 
 would be ple*fed co allow unto Minirtersof the Gofpel tnatare 
 found in the Faith, and known fotobe, who will willingly tub- 
 mit the tryal or their Minilterial abilities to the Judgement of 
 any who are taught of God , and enabled to difero of theon a- 
 right that Liberty in the Worlhip of G >d which was confeiled- 
 ly left unto them by Chrift and his Apoftles. But the ftacc of 
 things is altered in the World. At a Convention of the \ pottles 
 and others, wherein the holy Ghort did peculiarly preridc- when 
 the Queftion about Impofitions was agirated, it was roncluded 
 that nothing fhould be irapofed on the Difciples but what was 
 nevejfary for them to obferve antecedently t© any Jmpohtions , 
 'jfftsiS.tS. neceflary though not in their own nature, yet in 
 the pott ure of things in the Churches, nece&ry to theavoidancc 
 of feudal, whereby the obfervation of that iojunftion was to be 
 regulared. Norwas therearnong the things called neceffary the 
 Impoikionofany one thing pohtively $obe pra&ifed by any of 
 the Difciples in the Worfhipof God, btlt onely an abridgement 
 of their Liberty in fome few externahhings, ro which it did rt al- 
 ly extend. But that Spirit ofWifdcme, Moderation, and Tender- 
 ueis whereby they were guided being reje&ed by men,th:y began 
 to think that they might multiply Impofitions as to the pofitfve 
 ptacVice of theDifciples of thrift in the VVorfhip of God at 
 'their pleafure, fo that they could pretend that they were indiffe- 
 rent in themfelves before thelmpofition of them , waici; gi\(CS 
 astheyfoy, aneceiTuyto their Obfervations; wh'rh proceed- 
 ing rruift be left to the Judgement- feat of JcfusChrift , Afatth. 
 
 Itis not worth our ftay to confider what is prerended cor er- 
 nin^rhe antiquity of Liturgies, .from lome yet extant thai beu 
 the Names or fome of the Apoftles nz Ev pg ,i s. Therv. is one 
 tht is called by the Name of James * p rt^din Gr ek and La- 
 tine ; another afcribed unto Peter , publifhed by Lirtd - v< ; one 
 alfo to M ;r^ W,called the jEthiopick ; another ro A \kk 
 
 atein the Bible P. P. And pains have been taken 'm 9 
 
 Panel us and others, to pro*e them genuine ; but fo much in vain 
 ascer^inly nothing coi^d be more. Nor doth B tro.ftn in their 
 /w/dare afcribe any fuch thing unto them, Wc neeunotany 
 
 Ion* 
 
(M) 
 longer ftay ro remove this Rubbifh out of our way. They mud 
 be Grangers to the Spirit , Do&rine , and Writings of the Apo- 
 ftles, whocanimpofefuch Trafla upon them, as thefe Liturgies are 
 fluffed withall > The common ufe of words in them no^known 
 in the Ages of the Apoftles , nor of fome of them enfuing ; The 
 parts in them whofe Contrivers and Framersare known to have 
 lived many Ages after J The mentioning of fucb things in them, 
 as were not once dreamed of in the dayeswhereunto they pre- 
 tend, The remembrance of them in them as long before theft* de- 
 ceafed, who ate fuggeftedto be their Authours. The preferring 
 of other Liturgies before them when once Liturgies came in ufe, 
 with a neglect of them; which theutter filence of the firft Chri- 
 flian Writers, Stories, Councels concerning them, do abundantly 
 manifeft that they are plainly Suppofitions , of a very late Fraud 
 and Invention. Yea, we have teiHmonies dear enough againft 
 i his pretence. In Gregor* lib* j* Eptft. 63. AIchwhs* AmatoriHs> 
 Rab<mtS)lty.P.P. tom.iQ. with whom confent tVaUfridta^S tra- 
 bo,Rupertw Titienfis^ Bemo % -Radn/phtu Tangrexfis, and general- 
 ly all that have written any thing about Liturgies in former days, 
 many of whom (he w how, when, and by whom the feveral pares 
 of that Publick Form which at length fignaiiy prevailed were in- 
 vented and brought into ufe. 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 ThefYABice of the Churches in the f? ft three Centuries as to Forms 
 V ofTtiblickjVorfkip. No fit Forms of Liturgies u fed by them. The 
 Silence of the fir ft Writers conccrntngthcm. Some Teftimonies 
 *J?agAinft them* 
 
 IT is not about dinted Forms of Prayer in theWorfhip and 
 Service of God, by thofe who of their own accord do make ufe 
 of that kind ii Aflmauce , judging that courfe to be better then 
 any thing they can do chemfelves in the discharge of the work of 
 theMimi ry 5 but of the lmpofition of Forms on others who de- 
 fire to fiand faft inthe Liberty with which Chrift hath made them 
 Free, that we enquire. This Freedome we have manifetted to 
 have been pur- haled for them by the Lord Jefus,and the ufe of it 
 continued by the Apofllcs in their own praftice, and to the 
 
 Churches 
 
c*5; 
 
 Churches planted by themfclves. And this will ooe day appear 
 to have been a fuificient Plea for the maintenance of that Liberty 
 to the end of the world. Now though what is purely matter of 
 Fad among the fncceeding Churches , be not fo far Argumenta- 
 tive as to be inhrted on as a Rule exa&ly binding us to the imita- 
 tion out ; yet it is defervedly worthy of great Consideration , 
 and nothaftily to be rejected , unlcfs it be discovered to have 
 been diverfc from the Word whereunto we are bound in all 
 rhings to attend. We (hall therefore make fome enquiry into the 
 practice of thofe Churches , as to this matter of prefcribing of 
 Forms of Prayer in publick Church Administrations , fo 
 farreas anything thereof is by good Antiquity tranfmitted un- 
 to us. 
 
 Our firft Enquiry (hall be into the three firft Centuries,where« 
 in confeffedly the ttreams of Gofpel Inftitutions did run mod 
 clear and pure from humane mixtures, then in thofe following, 
 although few of the Teachers that were of Note do efcape from 
 Animadverfions from thoie that have come after them. It cannot 
 be denied but that for the moft part the Churches and their 
 Guides within the fpaceofthe time limitted 3 walked in thepaths 
 marked out for them by the Apoftles , and made confpicuous by 
 the Footftcps of the firft Churches planted by them. It doth not 
 then appear 3 for ought as I can yet difcover, that there was any 
 attempt to Invent, Frame and Compofe any Liturgies or prefcri- 
 bed Forms of adminiftring the Ordinances of the Gofpel , exdu- 
 five to the difcharge of that duty by vertue of fpiritual Gifts re- 
 ceived from Jefus Chrift, much lefs for an Imposition of any fuch 
 Forms on the Confciences and Practice of all the Miniflers of the 
 Churches within the time mentioned, Ifanyre contrary mind- 
 ed, it is incumbent on them to evince their AfTertion by fome in- 
 ftances of unqueftionable Truth. Asyer that I know of, this is 
 not performed by any. Bar ox ins ad An.Chrifli sS.num. 102, 
 i©3, 104, &c. treating exprefly of the publick Players ofthe An- 
 cient Chriftians , is wholly filentas to theufe of any Forms a- 
 mongft them ; though he contends for their Woi (hipping to- 
 wirds the Eaft, which cuftome when it was introduced , is moft 
 uncertain: but moft certain that by many it was immoderately 
 abufed, who exprefly worfhipped the Riling Sun 5 of whichabo- 
 minable Idolatry among Chriftians , Leo complains Strm % 7. De 
 Nativitatt. Indeed the Cardinal ad An, 6">. 12, 17, faintlyLon- 
 
 D tends 
 
(±6) 
 
 tends , that fome things in the Liturgy cfjawes were compofed 
 by him,becaufe Tome paffagrc and expretfions of it. are ufed by Cy- 
 rUofJsrtifalemin hi* Miftagorr, 5. Bnt whereas Cyril lived not 
 within the time limitted unto our Enquiry , and thofe Treatifes 
 are juflly fufpedted to be fuppofitiors, nor is the Feftimdny of 
 tbat-Liturgy, once cited or mentioned by him , the wcaknefsof 
 this infinuationis evident. Yea 3 it is moil probable that wbofo- 
 ever was the Compofer of that forged Liturgy, he took thofe Paf- 
 fages out of thofe reputed Writings of Cyril , which were known 
 in the Church long before the name of the other was heard of. I 
 knew no ground of expectation of the performance of thar, 
 which as yet men have come fhort in, namely, in producing Te- 
 ftimonies for the ufeoffuch Liturgies as we are enquiring aftfcr^ 
 confidering the diligence, ability , and intereft of thofe have been 
 already engaged in that enquiry. Now the filence of thofe, who 
 in all probability would have given an account of them , had any 
 fuch been in ufe in their day es , with the defcription they gave ns 
 of fuch a performance of the WorlhipofGod in the Affembliesof 
 Cbriftians, as is inconfiftem with , and exclusive of fuch prefcri- 
 bed Forms as we treat of, is as full an evidence in this kind as our 
 negative is capable of. In thofegolden Fragments of Antiquity 
 which we have preferved by EufebitUyl mean the Epitfles ot the 
 Church of Smyrna, about thcMartyrdbmeof Fo/j carpus x and of 
 the Churches of Vienna and Lyons , concerning their Perfecuti- 
 on, wehavenottheleaft iptiraationof any fuch Forms of Ser- 
 vice* In the Epittleof Clemens , or the Church of Rom* to the 
 Church of Corinth >\x\ thofe of Ignatipu> in the Writings or Juftin 
 UWArtyr, Clemens» Tertttllian , Origen y Cyprian, and their Con- 
 temporaries , there is the fame filence concerning them. The 
 Tfetidopegraphical Writings that bear the Names of the men of 
 thofe dayes, with any pretence ofconfiderable Antiquity , as the 
 Canons of the Apottles, Qu&ftiones adOrthodoxos, Dionyfttis Hte~ 
 rarch.DtvhuNim. will notbelpin the canfe. Forthough in 
 fome of them there are Prayers mentioned , and that for and a- 
 bcut (uch things as were not inRerum Nutura , in the dayes 
 whersia thofe perlbns lived , unto whofe Nome's they are faifly 
 afcrobed J yet they fpeak nothing to the point of Liturgies as fta- 
 tedin our enquiry. Something I confefs may be found in fome of 
 theWritings,of fome one or two of thofe of the third Century, 
 intimating the ufe of fome particular Praters in fome Churches 5 
 
 So 
 
f'-7) 
 So Or i gen, Homil. 1 1 . /* Htertmca. t: :r At tone di- 
 
 cimus j a tens, d* fioits fart em cum Pr pbetis , da cum Ay- 
 
 tftt tut t trtiuf m invent Amur a .: nr.tg:mtt f 
 
 peaks of a Form,orof the matter cne y o: Prayer , I 
 
 »W nor. But fuch Paflages belong not unco our purpc 
 
 )fc who dealexprefly about the Order, Su Cor.d.tion 
 
 « Churches, »d the Worftip o:God in them, their Prayers 
 
 and SucpILations knew nothing of prei'cribed Liturgies; yea. they 
 
 affirm plainly that which is inccci-iten: with l ; them. The 
 
 account as en of the Worlhip or I : nans in thofe day es by 
 
 Jnfi;-: M m", 2nd Terr a '!■ ah, is known as ha\ing been o ; * 
 
 pleaded. I (hail onely mention it in our Pafl'age, and begin with 
 
 latter. l3 : c,Wu\\ he, ( that is tc Heaven) m 
 
 C ft***i (not like the Ido aters who locked on their Idols and 
 
 Images) manibhs exfdnfi (not ensuring Altars or Images as did 
 
 Heathen) j ;;.: mr.-c .ts -Af&e nmUs quia xon erubefem^u dc 
 que five mnutm rfj aw. tmus , not as they who repeat 
 
 their Prayers tftesrtheii PriehsorSacrificers.burpcwringout onr 
 Prayers conceh ed in . ap. ;o. 
 
 39. CorpxjptTKtisa ReUgionis & V le, 
 
 C- fp?i fader e coimm :9 *greg<i D : % m J 
 
 fifnf-*rtApr m ftnUnsmm is Deo gr At a 
 
 Or.imm ct.Av , &:. V. def;ripticn c: the pub 
 
 Worfnip ot the ns in thofe days be cop.Yient with the 
 
 prefcribed Forms contended m en may e: 
 
 dif;ern. 
 
 The former freateth of the fame matter in bis Af 
 veral places c :; :. "a lr<* m 
 
 v&tTU ^i^iuif ot. At i? Jin Aiua ^* m 
 
 xTtr 
 
 fbip the Maker of the rro Id, Affirming indeed as we Are /r< • 
 
 ftAndsinnoneed of blend dnnkstferings or 
 
 tior.s rye frAtfe trim According to our Abities y x9ith (or in I 
 
 PrAjer end Tfa ,va^ it feeins 
 
 Chutch in the days fAJmfim Matjji 
 
 Prayer and Thankfgivmgsacccr o ad re- 
 
 ceived. The like account he °" pcrfons con- 
 
 verted to prcp3rethemfclves:or e Prayer 
 
 thcAdmroiiiratoursofthu Or 
 
 Da 
 
(«) 
 
 ©fthe joyning the Baptized perfon unto the Church ; and trie 
 Adminiftrationofthe Lords Supper in the Affembly he adds. Ms* 
 
 T«fc TO *TG>{ Vvff&t TOV T5T«(T^eVC^ ^ OVVKcLTctTiQcfpivOV %h T»? Kiyopi' 
 
 vov$ a£tK<p*s iyoniv 'ivQa, o-vpnytinft &<rl y koiv&s tv^etg tow*^©- 
 vvrfy ts vctwrff, Z) r* pwT/SsyT©-, &C. After the Believer who u joy ft' 
 edunto Us is thus wajhed , we bring him to thofe r?ho are called Bre- 
 thren (that is the Body of the Church) th;ther -where they are ga- 
 thered together for to make t heir Prayers and Supplications for them" 
 [elves andhim who u f newly) Ulummated>U<: % Thefe Prayers he 
 declares afterwards , were made by him who did prefide among 
 the Brethren in the Affembly, that is the Bifoop or Pallor, who 
 when he bad flnifced his Prayer 3 the whole people cried Amen • 
 which leaves fmall room for the practice of any Liturgy that is 
 this day extant , or that hath left any memory cf its felf in the 
 world. Thefe Prayers and Supplications he addeth that the Prefi- 
 dent of the Aflembly io-a £vv&tu$ &\>i$ dvewrtiJL'jm) powreth out ac- 
 cording to his ability; and &7 ttom TotetTett: he doth this work 
 at large , or continues long in his work of ( praifes unto God in 
 the Name of Jefus Chrift. ) Iknow fome have excepted againft 
 the ufual interpretation of thofe words oVh Mvchj.u ; although 
 they have not been able to aflign any other tolerable fenfennto 
 them, befidesthat wbich they would willingly oppofe. But as 
 the rendring of them according to his ability , ox as he is able may 
 not onely be juftified but evinced to be the onely fenfe the words 
 are capable of, fo the Argument in hand doth nor as to its effica- 
 cy depend on the precife hgnification of thofe two words, but on 
 the whole co;:?exture of the holy Martyrs difcourfe $ fo relating 
 to the Worfhip of the Churches in. thofe dayes , as to manifeft 
 that the ufe of prefcribed Forms of Liturgies to be read in them 
 Was then utterly unknown. 
 
 I fuppofe it will be granted that the time we have been enqui- 
 ring into, namelv. the tirft 3 00 years after Chiift, wmhetimeof 
 the Churches greatt ft purity, though out of hergreateft Profperi- 
 ty ; that the Union of the feveral Churches waspreferved 5 beyond 
 what afterward was everinaGofpel way attained , and the Uni- 
 formity in Worfhip which Chrift requires obferved amongft 
 them ; bin 1 this while the ufe oftbefe Liturgies was utterly un- 
 known ; whii h makes the cafe moft deplorable, that it (hould 
 now be made the Hinge whereon the whole exerdfe of the Mi- 
 niftry muft turn , it being a thir.g not dcely deftitute of any war- 
 
 rant 
 
rant from Chrift andhisApoftfes 3 bucuttcrly unknown tothofc 
 Churches whole Antiquity gives them dcfervedly reverence 
 withall 3 andfo cannot claim its fpring and original antecedent 
 to fuch mifcarryings and miftakes in the Churches, as all acknow- 
 ledge to deferve a narrow and ferious weighing and confiderationj 
 we may then, I fuppofc, without giving occafionto the jult impu- 
 tation of any miftake, Affirm, That the Compofing and Impofiti- 
 on of Liturgies to be neceffarily ufed or read in the Adminiftrati- 
 onofthe Ordinances of the Gofpel, is deftitute of any Plea or 
 Pretence, from Scripture, or Antiquity. 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 The pretended Antiquity of Liturgies dtfproved* The moft Ancient. 
 Thetr variety. Canons of Counsels about Forms of Church Ad- 
 miniflrations. The Reafons pleaded in the jufiification of the 
 fir ft Invention of Liturgies anjrvered. Their progreffe and 
 end, 
 
 COnGdering with what confidence the Antiquity of Liturgies 
 in the Churches of Chrift hath been pretended, ic may fecm 
 ftrange to fome that we (hould fo much as attempt to divert, 
 them of that Plea and Pretence. But the love of the Truth en- 
 force th us to contend againCt many prejudices in this matter. 
 Maya denial of their Antiquity with the Reafons of that denial 
 tendered, provoke any to affert it by fuch TeOimonies, as we 
 nave not as yet had the happinefs to come to an acquaintance 
 with , the advantage as well as the trouble will be theirs who 
 fhall fodo. Onely in their endeavour to that purpoie, I (hall de- 
 fire of them that they would not labour to I m pofe on thofe 
 whom they undertake to inform , by the ambiguous ufc of fome 
 words amongthe Ancient,norconclude a prefcribed Form of Ad- 
 minitfracion when they find mention of the Administration ic 
 felf, nor reckon reading of the Scriptures , oningingof Pfaimsas 
 parts o : the Liturgy contended about , nor from the ufc of fome 
 particular Prayer by fome perfonf, argue for the equity or necefli- 
 ty of Composing fuch entire Liturgies , or Offices as they call 
 them, for all Evangelical Adminiftratours,and their neceffiry ob- 
 fervation. So that theie Conditions be obierved; I (hall profefs 
 
 my, 
 
(50) 
 myfelfmuch engaged unto anyone who fliali difcover a Rife of 
 them within the limits of the Antiquity that hath been ufually 
 pretended and pleaded in their justification and pra&ice. For my 
 part 1 know not any thing that ever obtained a Pra&ice and Ob- 
 servation among Chriftians, whofe fprings are more dark and ob- 
 fcure then thefe of Liturgies. They owe not their Original to any 
 Councels, General or Provincial; they were not theprodu&of 
 the Advice or Confent of any Churches, nor was there any one of 
 them at any time compleated. No Pleas can I as yet difcover in 
 them of old about Uniformity in their ufe , or any Confent in 
 them about them. Every Church feemeth to have done what 
 feemed good in the Churches own eyes, after once the way unto 
 the Ufe ofthem was opened. To whom in particular we are in- 
 debted forthat Invention I know not : Ir may be thole who are 
 wifcrdo; and I willi they would value the Thanks that they 
 may have for the Dilcovery when they fhall be pleafed to make 
 it. Theyieemto me to have had but (lender Originals. One in- 
 vented one Form of Prayer , orThankfgiving, or Benediction ; 
 Another added to what ht had found out , which was the ea- 
 fier task. Future Additions gave fome compleatnefs to their 
 beginners. Thofe in the Greek Church , which bear the names 
 of Chryfoflome zndBafiil , leemtobe the flrft that ever extend- 
 ed themfelves to the whole Worfliip of the Church; not that 
 by them whofe Names they bear they were Compofed as 
 now they appear, unlefs we (hall think that they wrote them 
 after their deceafe ; but probably they Collected fome Forms 
 into Order that had been by others Invented; making fnch 
 Additions themfelves as they judged needful , and fo com- 
 mended the ufe of them , to the Churches wherein they did 
 prefide. The ufe of them being arbitrarily introduced, was not 
 by any Injunction we find, made neceflary. Much lefs did any 
 one fmgle Form plead for a general Neceffity. In the Latine 
 Church, Ambrcfe ufed one Form, Cjregory another, and Ipdore 
 a third. Nor is it unlikely but the Liturgies were as many as 
 the .Epitcppal Churches of thofe dayes . Hence in the begin- 
 ning of the Fifth Century in an Jfrican Count el, Cax.jo. which 
 is the ic$d InxheCodex Can. African 5 it is provided, that no 
 Prayers be read in the Adminiliration of the Eucharift, but 
 fuch as have been approved in fome Councel, or have been oh- 
 ferved by fome Prudent men formerly; which Canon with 
 
 forae 
 
fomc Addition is confirmed in the Second MiUnitun Councel 
 Ci.n.x*. and the Reafon given in both is, leaft there fhould 
 any thing contrary to the Faith, creep into their way of Wor- 
 ship. But this, as I faid> was in the beginning of the Fifth Cen- 
 tury, after divene Forms of Administration of holv things in 
 the Church, had by divers been invented.- The rinding out of 
 this Invention was the acr or tome pmicuhr men, who have 
 not been pleated to acquaint us with theReafonof their under- 
 taking. As yet it doth not appear unto us that thofe Reafons 
 could poffibly be taken from the VVord , the pra&ife of the 
 Apotiles, of the C .lurches by them planted, or thofe which 
 followed them for fome Generations, nor from any Councel 
 held before their dayes:& lb it may be we are not much conrern- 
 ed to enquire what they'were.Yet what is at prefent pleaded in 
 the behalf of the firft Compofers of Liturgies may in the way be 
 chiefly conlldered. Neceffityis the firft thing uluklly pretended. 
 Many men being put into the Office of the Minittry, who had 
 not Gifts and Abilities for the profitable dfcharge of the Work 
 of the Miniltry, unto the edification of the Church, they who 
 had the over-fight of them according to the cufloav: of thofe 
 daye;, were enforced to Compofe fu:h Form? for their ule, as 
 they fudged expedient, fo providing for the Edification of the 
 Church , which elfe would have fuffered from their weaknefs 
 and inefficiency. Befides rrnny parts of the World, efpecially 
 the Eaft, in thofe dayes (warmed with Ani-frinitArian Here- 
 tUksof fundry forts, who many of them by uh'.'u peeked wiles, 
 and diffimolation> and fubferiptions of Con r efiions, endeavour- 
 ed to creep into the Office of the Miniftry oi the Church, partly 
 out of blind zeal todiffufe the poyion of their abominations, 
 partly out of carnal Policy to be made partakers of the advan- 
 tages, which for the moft part attended the Orthodox Proteffion. 
 This increafed the neceffity of Compofing fuch Forms of Pub- 
 lick Worfhip, as being filled with Exprefliom poinred againft 
 the Errors of the Times, might be a means to keep Seducers 
 from impo^ng themfelves on Ecdefiaftical Ad.ninrtrations. 
 Thus there is no Anticnt Liturgy, bat it is full o: the expr-HTi ^ns 
 that had been confented upon in theCounfels that were Con- 
 veened for the Condemnation of thofe Errors, which were in 
 their dayes m*>ft rre and pernitious. On this grou^ ; do learned 
 men of all forts conclude the Liturgy falily afciibed to J*mh 
 
to be younger then theWieene and £/>£*//** Councels, from the 
 ufe of the words fywov©- and Sivtqk®- in it. 
 
 But it doth not yet appear that thefe Reafons were fufficient 
 tojuftifie fuc'h an innovation in the Churches of Cbrift. For 
 fuppofing that there were fuch a decay of Gifts and Abilities 
 among them that werecalledto the Administration of Gospel 
 Inftitutions, that they were not able to difcharge their duty 
 inthatworki tothe edification of the Church, in like manner 
 asthofehaddone who went before them, tbismuft needs have 
 cometopaf?, either becaufe our Lord Jefus Chrift did ceafeto 
 give out his Gifts to his Church, as he had done in former dayes 
 upon his ufual terms ; or that men were negligent and care- 
 lcfs in the receiving of them from him, either not fceking them 
 at his band, or not exercifirg and improving of them accord- 
 ing to his will and command. Other Reafon of this decay that 
 I know of, cannot be afligned. To affirm the former on any 
 pretence whatever, ii blafphemoufly to accufc our Lord jefus 
 Chrift of breach of Promife; he having folemnly engaged to 
 be with his Difciples, not for an Age or two, but to the end 
 of the World, and that by the Graces and Gifts of his Spirit. 
 I know it is pretended, that when Cbriftians weremultiplyed, 
 there was a neceflity of appointing thjem Officers > who had 
 not the Gifts and Qualifications that otherwife would have 
 been efteemed neceflary ; But I know withal, that it is impof- 
 hble Chriftians fhould be multiplyed in the way of Chrift, fatter 
 then he is ready to give out Oifts for their edification. The 
 latter Reafon above then muft be granted to be the Caufe of the 
 defeat of Abilities in Church Officers, pleided in the juftifica- 
 tionofth* Introduction into the Church of compofed Forms 
 of Adminiftrations to be read by them. I wifh then we might 
 in the fear of the Lord, confider whether the Remedy were 
 well fuitcd unto the Difeafe. I fuppofe all impartial men will 
 grant that there ought to have been a return unto him endea- 
 voured from whom they were gone aftray, at leaft Gofpel means 
 ufedfor the obtaining of thofc Gifts of Chrift, and the impro- 
 ving of them being received. Finding tbemfclves at the lofs 
 wherein they were, fhould they not have feirched their hems 
 and waves, to confider wherefore it was that the Prefence of 
 Chrift was fo withdrawn from them? that they were fo left with- 
 out the afliftanco which others miniftring in their places before 
 
 them 
 
 1P UI i » 
 
them bad received 5 fr ould not they have pulled out their i : ngle 
 Talent, and fallen to Trading with it, tba it mi»ht ba\e ic- 
 crealed under their care? Was not this the Remedy srd Cure 
 c: the breach made by thcm 3 that God andmanexpeckd frcm 
 them ? Was it juft then and according to the minde ot Chrift, 
 that inikad of an humble returnal unto an holy Evangelical 
 depecdance on himieif, they (hculd invent an expedient to fnp- 
 pcrtthem in the condition wherein they were, and fo m,!-;eali 
 fucb returnal tor hereafter needlefs? Yet this they did in the 
 invention of Liturgies, they found cut a wayro juftihe them* 
 felves in their fpiricual negligence and floth- and to render a de- 
 pendanceon the Lord CbrilV for far plies of his Spirit to enable 
 
 .m vn:o oofptl Admirufrrations altogether needlefs , they 
 had now provided themfelves with an i keep in 
 
 the Church, fo that he might keep the furniture o: his Spirit un- 
 to himfelf. And tbis qukkly be; •'me the m:(l poyfonous ingre- 
 dient in the Apotfacy of the Liter Times. 
 
 Not is thee any furEcimt warrant for this Invention in the 
 Second Pretence. There were many Antichrifts in the Apoftles 
 time, yctthey never thought of this Engine for their difcoveiy 
 or exciunon out of the Church, Confeflions of Faith, or ac- 
 knowledp*d Forxs of wholefome Wcrds with the care of the 
 Dilciplesof Chriit, or his Churches, which 2re enabled by him 
 to judge and dilcernof Truth and Error, are the prefervations 
 againii the danger intimated, that the Goipel hath pro; ided. 
 
 This being the entrance that the Liturgies enquired after, 
 made into the Churches of God, we sre not much concerned 
 toenquire what was their Progrefs. That is the Wefiern parts 
 of the World they ail at length centred in the Rom.m Mafs-Bi 
 zztd Rituals weknow. Their beginnings werefnrll, plain, bri 
 their ufe Arbitrary, the Additions they received werefr 
 endeavours of private men in feverai Ages, occa£onal ror 
 rooli part; the i great, equal to thevaric 
 
 nominations of the Churche?, until the Papal authority grow- 
 ing abfolute and uncomrorhble, the Romsn Form was irrpo- 
 fed on the Word, that by innumerable artifices in a long tracl: 
 or Ages was fubjeded thereunto, and that contrary to the de- 
 termination of former Roman Bi&qpSj who advi:cd the con- 
 tinuance of the difterent r :niftratir .h were 
 in ufe in feverai Churches. AM* placer 3 ut (tve m Romanic 
 
 E 
 
ruuuf 
 
 (34); 
 
 In GaUiarHm -ptytibus) feu in cjna,'ibet Ecclefia trtiqaid invenifii 
 qmdflns Omniptenti Deo pcffit pfacere filiate eligar. Greg. Refp. 
 ad Incerrogat. Auguft. 
 
 This being the State and Condition, this the Iffue, That the 
 Invention of Liturgies to be- read in the Worfhipof God was 
 come unto, before the Reformation , I (hall briefly lubjoyn 
 unto ic an account of what was done in theleKiagdomes in re- 
 ference unto it, which will make way to the clear ftating of 
 the queftion in particular that we are further to fpeak unto; 
 The Hiftory of our Reformation is known, i (hall not fpeak 
 any thing that may refltf ft with the leaftdiftionouron the Work 
 or the Workmen. We have abundant caufe to blefs the Lord 
 continually for the one and the other. Yet (till we muft remem- 
 ber that our Reformers were men, and that the Reformation 
 was a work performed by men ; The former never claimed In- 
 fallibility, nor the latter, that I know of, Perfection; fothat 
 fome things ?hat were done by the one, and in the other, may 
 admitof new Confederations without thereflexionof anything 
 upon them, that the one and the other would not readily and 
 willingly admit. I (hail therefore briefly give an account of that 
 part of the Work which concerns our bufinefs in hand. Wbat 
 was the (iate of this Nation at the time of the Reformation, 
 and what were the minds of the greater part of men in them, 
 in reference unto the Work, is fufficiently declared, in all the 
 ftories of thofe dayes. God having been pleafed to fend the* 
 faving Light of the Gofpel into the minds andheart9 of them 
 in chief Rule, that isKingE^W, and fome of his Counfel- 
 lors, they found no fmall difficulties to wrertle withal in deal- 
 ing with the inveterate prejudices wherewith the Generality 
 of men were pofleffed againft the work they intended. The far 
 greater part of the Clergy, true to their carnal prefent XntereP, 
 with all their might and cunning oppofed their endeavour*. The- 
 greareft part of the Nobility averfe lo their proceedings. The 
 Body of the people blinded with fuperftition and profanenelV, 
 eafiiy excited by the PrieQs (whole peculiar concernment lay in 
 keeping all things in their old channel and courfe^ to make head 
 againft their proceedings ; Foreign Nations round about fo- 
 menting to the utcermoft all home-bred difcontents, and offer- 
 ing tbemfelves, by the inftigation of the Pope, to hinder the 
 work by all waves that poflibjethey ceuld imagine. Amongftalt 
 
 thele 
 
thefethe Body of the people, which are the Kings mod ipecial 
 care, as they are hisflrength and wealth, were looked on as 
 moft to be regarded, as without whofe concurrence [heir dif- 
 contents of all others were like onely to confume themfelves. 
 Now the people being in thofe dayes very ignorant and un- 
 acquainted with the Doctrines of the Scripture, were very little 
 or not at all concerned what perfwafion men were of in Reli- 
 gion, a. to the Articles of pure belief, to a? they m ; ght retain 
 the Agenda in the VVorfhip of God which they had been ac- 
 cultomed unto. Hence it was that thofe Prelates, who were 
 the Instruments of the Papal Persecution in this Nation, wifely 
 (tared the whole caufe of their cruelty to be the Mafs, or the 
 Worfhip of the Church , feldome nnlefs compelled by Imputati- 
 ons once mentioning of the Articles of Faith , which yet they, 
 knew to be the main foundation of the difference between them- 
 felves and the Reformers ; becaufe in this particular they had the 
 advantage ofthe popular favour ; the people violently interpo- 
 fingthemfelves in the behalf of that part of the prelent Religion 
 wherein their onely fhare did lye. Had they laid the Reafons and 
 Grounds of their Quarrel in the differences of Opinions about 
 the Credtnda ofthe Gofpel , they would icarcely have prevailed 
 with the common people to carry Faggor, for the burning oftheir 
 Brethren, for things whereof they underftood little or nothing 
 at all. 
 
 Our wife and provident Reformers confidering this ftate of 
 things, and temper ofthe minds of men, however they refolved- 
 ly declared for the Credexda ofthe Gofpel , and aflerted the Arti- 
 cles of Faith from which the Romane Church had moil eminent- 
 ly apoftatized, yet found in their concernment to attemper the 
 way of publick Woilhipas much as waspoflible with conhften- 
 cy with the Articles of the Faith they profefied , to that which 
 the popularity had been inured unto. Obferving plainly that all 
 their concernments in Religion lay in the outward Worfhip 
 whercuntothey had been acenftomed , having very confufed ap- 
 prehenfions ofthe fpeculatiie part of it , it w^s ealie for them to 
 apprehend that ifthey could condefcend to fnrnifh them with 
 fuch* way thereof as might comply in fome reafonsble maneer 
 with their former ufaage , thefe two things would enfue. F/>y?, 
 That the main Reformation in the Doctrine which alone would 
 deliver the people from their prejudicate Opinions about the 
 
 E 2 Worfhip 
 
( JO 
 
 Worfliip of God, would be carried on with lefs noife and obfer- 
 vatio-n,andcorf-:quent!y lefs canted and oppof.tion. Fcrwbillt 
 they had a Way and Perm of Wo; fhip propofcd to (hem where- 
 with they ccuid be contented , thole that were wifer mi^ht be- 
 lieve and teach what they pica fed , which in the Providence of 
 God proved in a fh ore time a bleffed tscl»s of delivering them 
 from their old entanglements and darknefs. Seco-dh, That their 
 Priefts who were their chief Indicators to alldiforder and op- 
 pofition to the whole work of Reformation, findings way pro- 
 posed for their continuance in the pofleiiion of their places, and a 
 Worfliip prescribed which they could aseiiily perform and«o 
 through witball , as what they had practited in former cfeye* y 
 might'poffiolyaczjijieke inthe proceedings of their betters,, find- 
 ing the temporal inrcrelt w£*di they chiefly refpefted , to be fa- 
 ved. And this afterwards accordingly they did, reading the Ser- 
 •vice Bookjn&ziA of the Mafs^ without which-fnpplyof fuch wants 
 2nd defect's in them as I Avail not na-me , they would never have 
 entertained any thoughts of owning the Reformation nor of iur- 
 ferin^ the people to fabric them/elves thereunto. On tbefe coiift- 
 derationsasd for thefe ends , it is evident from the ftory ofthofe 
 time;, that our prefent Litiugy was framed. Rejecting out of the 
 -Offices before in ufeJuch things as were direelly contrary to r! c 
 Articles of Faith protefkd in the Reformation in h;md , transla- 
 ting of what remained into Englijh, with fuch fupplies and altera- 
 tions as the rejection of thofe things before mentioned madene- 
 ceffary: The Bock mentioned in fome hafte, and with fomeo. 
 therdifad vantages for fuch a Work , was by our frft Re : o«rne s 
 compiled. And indeed fornewbat thefe was in this cafe not 
 much unlike that iniifted oninthe entrance ofthisDifcourfe, be- 
 tween the believing Jews and Gentiles.. Many of the Jews who 
 were willing to re reive Chrifts Reformation in point of Faith 
 and Obedience, yet pertiascicudy adhered to their old Ceremo- 
 nious Worfbip ; violently fetting themfelves .againft any that 
 durft fpeaka word againft its Continuance. That thsre might 
 notbsanendlefsconteft and ft rife about the matter, and fo 
 progrefs ofthe Gofpel bz hindredamongft the one fort and 
 other, the Apoftles taking in hand the old Wormip, as to the 
 Gentile W or fliippers who fe cafe above came then under confi- 
 ( 4**uion, , they.rfcjr& and declare, abrogate all fuch Ceremonies 
 vikok neceffiry . observation had 'aninconfiftency with the Do. 
 
 clrins 
 
(37; 
 
 clrineof the Gofpel , proposing onely fome few things to be 
 ferved, which occafioued the greateft difference between the Par- 
 ties at variance. 
 
 Now as this Compofition of that Difference was accommoda- 
 ted to the prcfent Scandal , and the obligation unto its obfervati- 
 oo to Deregulated thereby; fo bytheremovai thereof, its felf 
 as unto any ufe in the Church of Cbrift did expire. Not unlike 
 unto this of the Apoille feems the aim of ourfirft Reformers to 
 hive been, That they might win the People who had been ac- 
 customed to the way of Worfhip in ui'e in the Papacy untoa 
 compliance with the Doctrine of the Gofpel , and that there 
 might notbeendlefsContefts about that which wasprefemly to 
 be pra&ifed, whi:h perhaps they though offrnall importance in 
 comparison ofdiofe weigh-: y fundamental Truth which they en- 
 deavoured to acquaint them with , and bring them to the belief 
 of, the> provided tor theu'e of lu:h parts of it, and in fuch a man- 
 ner as we* e not openly incontinent with the Truths , which was 
 in ti rts to co ac unto them. And it is not impof- 
 
 (ibb bat ttr.t this constitution might have had the fame end with 
 the other, it not ofprefent ufe, being in things of anothernature , 
 yccora timely txp'r.ukn, when notoriously ufelefs as to the 
 main ends intended m it , had not the intereft of fomeimcrpofed 
 ncc beyond the life and influence of ail or any of 
 the ioas, Ard hence it is that tho r e dreams ac 
 
 thisdiy run Wrongly and fiercely, by the addition and powring in- 
 to of sd.enciuous rivulets, with ihowers or rather it orms of 
 temporal inte;elr., whole fprings are all utterly long line e dry- 
 edup. 
 
 The Book of Common Prayer being Compofe j as hath been . 
 declared, became'rom its very Cradle and Innn.y a bone cr con- 
 tention co the Church of Gad in this Nation. Many of the People 
 
 I Minifters who feemed to be enlightened with a beam of 
 Truth , of an eqiul luttre and brfghtneis with that which fbined in 
 minds of their Breth en , wholly decried that prod :m rial 
 compliance with the peoples ignorance and adherence to Popery, 
 which wis openly avowed in the Compofirion and Impofition of 
 it, and called earceftly for a purer way of the Adminiflrations of 
 Golpel Ordinances more agreeable to the Word and Primitive 
 times, thenthey apprehended thatprefcribed Form to contain 
 and exhibit. Others again in the nullification of that whereof 
 
 them- 
 
themfelves were the Authours , laboured to recommend the 
 Book, not onely as to Truth , butas ufeful and very beneficial for 
 the edification of the Chur:h» It is known alfothat the Contefts 
 of men in this Nation about this Form of Divine Service , were 
 not confined to this Nation, but were carried by them into other 
 partsof the world. Andfhould I purfue the furfbge that hath 
 lien againft it, from the firft day of its Compofure, to this wherein 
 we livej never giving it a qnict pofleflion in the minds and confid- 
 ences of men , with the various evils that have all along attended 
 its Impofition, I fuppofe it might of it felf prevail with fober men 
 who delire their moderation (houU ne known to aH 9 becanfe the Judge 
 ftandeth at the door, to take the whole matterof the Impofition of 
 this , or the like Form once more under a fedatcConfideration. 
 And they may perhaps be the rather induced thereunto , if they 
 will but impartially weigh that the Oppofition to the impofed Li- 
 turgy hath increased daily according to the increafe of Light and 
 Gofpel Gifts among men. So that there feems to be no way to 
 fecure its ftation, but by an Oppofition unto them and extirpati- 
 on of them, which is a fad work for any that are called Chriflians, 
 
 to engage into 
 
 I prefume the confcientious Reader will be able to difcover, 
 from what hath been fpoken, Rules fufficient to guide his judge- 
 ment in reference unto the ufe of prefcribed Liturgies. Theftory 
 of their Rife and Progrefs is enough to plead fort Liberty from 
 an indifpenfable neccflity of their Obfervation. That which is of 
 pure humane invention , and comparatively of late and uncertain 
 Original, whofe Progrefs hath been attended mith much Super- 
 fticion and Perfecution, ftands in need of very cogent Reafons to 
 plead for its continuance. For others will not out-ballance the 
 evils that are aflerted to flow from it. But it maybe thiswillnot 
 fuffice with fomeforafinal decifion and determination of this dif- 
 ference ; I fhall therefore briefly Gate the Queftion about them, 
 which onely I (hall fpeak unto, and try their ufe and ufcfulnefsby 
 that infallible Rule by which both we and they muftbe judged 
 another day. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 
 pm 
 
( 19) 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 The Que [lion fitted. Fir ft Argument again ft the CompopKg and 
 Impufing of Liturgies, Arbitrary Additions to the rfor(hip of 
 Cod rejected. Liturgies not appointed by God* Made nceejfary 
 in their Import ion : and a part of the fVorfhtp $f (Jed, Of Cir» 
 c'mfk.inces of tVtrfbip. I nft tinted Adjuncts of Worship not Cir- 
 curnftances, fircumftavcet of Atiions asfuch^ not Circhmftan- 
 cesofrVorfbip. CtrcumftaniCs commanded wade -parts of Worfhip, 
 Prohibitions of Additions produced* confidered^ apply ed, 
 
 TO clear up what ic is in Particular that we infift upon, fome 
 few things are to be premifed, i. Then I do not in efpecial 
 intend the Liturgy now inufe in England, any farther then to 
 make it an Inftance of fuch Impofed Liturgies , whereof we 
 treat. 1 fhallnot then at all enquire what footing it hath in the 
 Law, how nor when eftablifhed, nor what particular failings 
 are pleaded to be in ic, nor what Conformity it bears with the 
 Roman Offices, with the like things that are ufually Objected 
 againft it. Nor, Secondly, do I oppofe the directive part of this 
 Liturgy as to the reading of the Scripture, when it requires that 
 which is Scripture to be read, the Adminiftration of the Or* 
 dinances by Cfcrift appointed , nor the Compofition of Forms 
 of Prayer fuited to the nature of the Inftitutions to which they 
 relate, fo they be not Impofed on the Adminiftrators of them, 
 to be read precifely, as prefcribed. But, Thirdly, this is that 
 alone which I (hail fpeak unto; the Compofing of Forms of 
 Prayer in the Worfhip of God, in all Gofpel Adminiftrations, 
 tobeufed by the Ministers of the Churches, in all Pabiick Af- 
 femblies , by a prccife reading of the words prefcribed unto 
 them > with Commands for the reading of other things, which 
 iheyare not to omit, upon the penalty contained in the Sancti- 
 on ©f the whole Service and the feveral parts of it. The liberty 
 which fome fay is granted for a man to ufe their own Gifts and 
 Abilities in Prayer before and after Sermons, will I fear as things 
 now ttand, upon due Consideration, appear rather to be taken 
 then given. However it concerns not our prefent queftion, be- 
 caufe it is taken for granted by thole that plead for the ftri& 
 
 Icr " 
 
(40) 
 fervation of a Book, that the whole ©ofpel Worfhip of God 
 in the Aflfembliesof Chriftians, maybe carried on and perform- 
 ed without any fuch Preaching as is prefaced with the liberty 
 
 - pretended. 
 
 Theie things being Premifed, I flbift fobjoyn fome of the 
 Reafons that evidently declare the'lmpoGtion and Ufe of fuch 
 a Liturgy or Form of Pubiick Word , to be contrary to the 
 Rule of the Word, and confequently fioful. 
 
 Ffrft, The Arbitrary Invention of -any thing with Com- 
 
 .mands for its neceiTary and indilpenUble ufe in the Pubiick Wor- 
 fhip of God, as a part of that Worflv.p, and the ufe of any 
 thing fo Invented and fo Commanded is ihat Worfhip, is un- 
 lawful and contrary to the Rule of the Word ; But of this na- 
 ture is the Liturgy we treat of. It is an Invention of men, not 
 appointed, net commanded of God ; it is commanded to be 
 ufed in the Pubiick Worfhip of Gcd, by reading the feveral 
 Parts of ir, according to the occaiions that they refpeft; and 
 thatindifpenfabiy > and is made apart of that Worfhip, 
 
 There are Three Things affirmed in the AlTumption concern- 
 ing the Liturgy. Fhft, That it is not Appointed or Command- 
 ed of God, ijk there is no Command of God either for the ufe 
 of this or that Liturgy in particular, nor in general that any fuch 
 fhouldfo be, and be fo ufed as is pleaded. And this we muft 
 take for granted, until fome initance of any fuch Cemmand be 
 produced. Secondly-) That it is made Necetfary by venue of the 
 Commands of men, to be ufed in the Pu ! lick Worfhip of God. 
 About this there will be no difference. Let it be denied, and 
 there is an end of all this flrife. I fhallnot difpute about other 
 menspraftife. They who are willing to take it upon their Con- 
 sciences, that thebeft waytoferve God in the Church, or the 
 beft Ability that they have for the difcharge of their duty there- 
 in, conbfts in the reading of fuch a Book f for I fuppofe they 
 will grant that they ought to ferve God with the beft they have) 
 (hall not by me be Oppofed in their way and praclife. It is onely 
 about its Imposition, and the Neceffity of itsObfervanceby ver- 
 tue of that Imposition, that we Diicourfe. Now the prefent 
 Command is, That fuch a Liturgy be alwayes ufed in the Pub- 
 lick Worfhip of God, and that without the ufe or reading of 
 it, the Ordinances of the Gofpel be not Adminiftred^ at any 
 time, nor in any place; with ftrong Pleas for the Obligation 
 
 arifing 
 
anting from that Command, making the omiflions of its Ob* 
 fervance to tc finfol. Iris then utterly impciTible that any thing 
 (hould be more indilpeniably Necellary, then the reading of the 
 Liturgy in the Worfhipof God;, is. It is laiditdeed, that it is 
 not Commanded as though in its felt it were Neccflary ; either 
 aprefcribed Liturgy or this or that, for then it were fin in any 
 not to ufe it, whether it were commanded by the Church or nor, 
 but for Order, Uniformity, Conveniency, and the preventing 
 of fundry Evils that would otherwifeenfue, it is commanded; 
 which Command makes the Obiervation of it Necellary unto 
 us. Butwearenot as yet enquiring what are the Reafons of its 
 Impofition. They may afterwards be fpoken unto: and time 
 alfo may be taken to (hew, that it were much more Tolerable, 
 if men would plead for the Neceflity of the things which it Teems 
 good unto them to Command, and on that ground to Com- 
 mand their Obfervance, then granting them not Neceflary in 
 themfelves, to make them Necellary to be Obierved mecrly by 
 vertne of their Commandsi for Reafons which they iayiatisfie 
 themfelves, but comefhortof giving fatisfa£Hon to them from 
 whom Obedience is required. For whereas the Will of man 
 can be no way influenced unto Obedience, but by meer acknow- 
 ledged Sovereignty, or convidtion of Reaion in and from the 
 things themfclves, Commands in about things wherein they 
 own not that the Commanders have an abiolute Sovereignty, 
 (as God hath in all things, the Civil Supream Magiiuate in 
 things Civil that are good and lawful) nor can they find the Rea- 
 fons of the things themfelves cogent, are a yoke which God 
 bath not defigned the fonsof men to bear. But it is concerning 
 the Necejfary u[e of the Liturgy in the Wcrfhip of God that we 
 are Difputing,* which I iuppoie will not be denied. 
 
 It remaineth then to consider. whether the ufe of the Liturgy 
 as prefcribed be made a part of the VVorfhip of God. Now 
 that wherewith and| whereby God is commanded to be 
 worshipped , and without which all Obfervation or Perfor- 
 mance of his publick VVorfhip is forbidden, is it felf made a 
 part of his VVorfhip, The Command with this, or thus (hall 
 you VVorfhip God, makes the Obfervation of that Command 
 apartof Gods VVorfhip. It is (aid that it is onely a Circum- 
 ftance of VVorfhip but no part or ir. Prayer is the VVorfhip 
 of God ; but that thti Trajtr thall be ul'eu and no other, is 
 
 F onely 
 
(4*; - 
 
 onelya Circumftaace of it. So that though it may be pofifihly 
 accounted a Circumitance, or Accidcotai-y pare of Gods Wor- 
 ship, yet it isnotaffeited to be of the fnbit&nce of it. How far 
 this is to, and how far it is otherwife mutt be conhdered. Cw» 
 cumftances are either fuch as follow actions as actions, orfuch 
 as are arbitrarily fuperadded and adjoyned by Command unto 
 anions, which do not of their own accord, nor naturally nor 
 necelTarily attend them. Now Religious aclions in tbeVVor- 
 fhip of God, are actions dill. Their Religious Reluion doth 
 notdeftroy their natural being, ThofeCircumffances then which 
 do attend fuch actions as anions, not determined by Divine In- 
 itiation may be ordered , difpofed of, and reguiared by the 
 prudence of men. Forinttance, Prayer is a part or Gods VVor- 
 fhip, Publick Prayer is fo, as appointed by him. This as ithsn 
 action to be performed by man, cannot be dene without the 
 alignment of time, and place, and fundry other things, if Or- 
 der and Conveniency be attended. Thefe, are Ciruimfknces 
 that attend all a&tow, of that nature, to be performed by a 
 Community, whether they relate to the VVorfhip of God or 
 so. Tbefe men may according as they fee good regulate, and 
 change, as there is occafion : I mean they may dofo who rue 
 acknowledged to have power in fuch things. As the Action 
 cannotbe without them> fo their regulation is arbitrary if they 
 come not under fome Divine Dilpohtion and Order ; as that of 
 time in general doth. There are alio fome things which fome 
 men call Circumftances alfo, tha? no way belong of themfelves 
 to the acVions whereof they are faid to be the Circumftances, 
 nor do attend them, but are impofed on them, or annexed unco 
 them, by the arbitrary Authority of thofe who take upon them- 
 to give Order and Rules in fuch cafes. Such is to Pray before 
 an Image, or towards the Eaft, or to ufe this or that Form of 
 Prayer in fuchGofpel adminiflrations and no other, Thefe are- 
 notCircumRances attending the nature of the thing it felf, but 
 are arbitrarily fuperadded to the things that they are appointed 
 to accompany. What ever men. may call fuch Additions, they 
 are no lefs parts of the whole wherein they ferve, then the things 
 themfelves whereunto they are adjoyned. The Schoolmen tell 
 us, that that which is made fothe condition of an action, tb^e 
 without it the acYton is not to be done, is not a circumftaaceof 
 at fuch an ad juncl as is a neceffary part, But not to contend 
 
 about 
 
 I P U I » ■ 
 
(43) 
 
 about the word ; fuch additional that are called Cifcntnflan* 
 ftantial, are made parts of Wor(hip, as are made ncceflary by 
 vertueof Command to be obferved. Sacrifices of old were the 
 Inftituted Werfhip of God. That they fhould be offered at 
 the Tabernacle or Temple at Jervfalem and no where elfe, was 
 a circumftance appointed to be obferved in their Offerings ; and 
 yet this circumftance was nolefsa pare of Gods Worfhip, then 
 the Sacrifice it felf. In the judgement of mort men not onely 
 Prayer, and the matter of our Prayer is appointed by our Sa- 
 viour in the Lords Prayer, but we arecommanded alfo to ufe 
 the very words of it, I deftreto know whether the precile ufe 
 of thele words be not a part of Gods Worfhip? It feems that 
 it \i : For that which is commanded by Chrirt to be ufed in the 
 Worfhip of God, is a part of Gods Worfhip. Thecafeisthe 
 fame here. Prayer is Commanded; and the ufe of thele Prayers 
 iscommarded; the latter diftin&ly as fu.h, as well asthefor- 
 mer is made a part of Gods Worfhip. Nor is there any ground 
 for that diftindtion of the Circumflantial or Accidentary part 
 of Gods Worfhip, and Worfhip Subftantially taken, or the 
 Subttantial parts of it. The Worfhip of God is either Moralor 
 Inftitutcd. The latter contains the peculiar wayes and manner 
 of exerting the former according to Gods appointment. The 
 Anions whereby thefe are joyntly difcharged, or the inward 
 Moral Principles of Worfhip arcexerted in, and according to 
 the outward Inftitutions hate their Circumftanccs attending 
 them. Thefe in themfelves nakedly confidcred, have in them 
 neither good nor evil; norareany Circumlhnces inthe Wor- 
 fhip of God, much left circumftantiai parts of his Worfhip, 
 but onely' circumi^ances of thofe Anions as^ftions, whereby it 
 is performed. And whatever is Inftitured eft (Sod, in and about 
 thofe CircumftanieSv is a Subfhntialpart of hisVVorfhip. 
 
 Nor is the pefcribing of fuch a Form of Prayer a regulati- 
 on of thofe circumrtances of Publick Prayer; for Decency, 
 Order, and Uniformity, which attend it as a publick AcTion, 
 bur the fuperaddidon of an adjunft condition, with which it 
 is to be performed, and without which ir is not tobeperorm- 
 ed as it is Prayer, tbe Worfhip of God. On this nature was 
 Sacrificing of old on the Altar at the Tabenacle or Temple, and 
 there alone. And many more inlhnres of the like nature may 
 be given. Praifing of God, and bleffing of the People were 
 
 F 2 j^arts 
 
parts of the VVorftiip of God, appointed by himfelf to be 
 perFormedby the Prierts under the Law. In the doing thereof 
 at certain Seafons, they were commanded to ufe fome Forms 
 of words prefcribed unro them for that purpofe. Not onely 
 hereby the praifing and bleffmg of God, but the ufe of thofe 
 Forms in fo doing, became neceflfary part of the Worfhip of 
 God. And fowas the ufe of Organs and the like Inftruments 
 of Mufick, which refpeft that manner of Prafing him which 
 God then required. The Cafe is here no otherwife. Prayers 
 and Thankfgivings inthe Adminiftration of the Ordinances of 
 theGofpelareef the Inftituted Worftiipof God. Unto thefe, 
 astothe manner of their Performance, is the Impofition of the 
 Liturgical Forms fpoken of, fuperadded; and their ufe made a 
 neceffary adjuncl of the duty it felf, fo as that it may not be 
 performed without them ; which makes them a no lefs necef- 
 fary part of the V Vorfoip of God, then any of his Inftitutions 
 of old were, which related to the Circumdances and the man- 
 ner of hisWorfhip, as the Temple, Tabernacle, Altar, Forms 
 of Thankfgiving, and Confeflion, compofed and prefcribed by 
 the Holy Ghoft himfelf. 
 
 But I fuppofe this will not be much gain-faid ; by fome it is 
 acknowledged in exprefs terms, and for the matter of Faft, we 
 find that the Reading of a Book of Service, is with many taken 
 not to be a part> but the whole of the Worfhip of God, which 
 if it be done, they fuppofe God is acceptably Worfhipped with- 
 out more ado; and if it be omitted, whatever elfc be done in the 
 room of ir, that God is not Worshipped at all. 
 
 Our Enquiry then muft be whether farh Additions to or in 
 the Worfliip of God, befides or beyond his own Ioftitution 
 and Appoir,tmentr1\e allowable, or lawful to bepracYifed. I 
 fhallfirit recite the words in general of fome Teftimonies that 
 lye againft fuch a pra&ife, and then confider what they moft par- 
 ticularly fpeak unto. Of this fort are £#^.20.4,5. Thou (halt 
 not tnakj unto thee any graven Image*, or any likjnefs to any thing 
 that is in Heaven above, or that is in the Earth beneath, or that 
 is in the Water under the Earth, Thou fhalt not bow down to 
 them norferVe them^for I the Lord the fydam a jealous God, vot- 
 ing t be i,.iq%tties of the Fathers upon the Chtl4ren } &c.t>tn,^,2, Te 
 jha i not adds unto the Word whtch I command you? neitht * fh ill you 
 dimhifh ought from it, that you may keep the commandments of the 
 r . Lord. 
 
 I liUU I I ■ j 
 
v*r// 
 
 Lordyour God which I c$ mry.andyou^ Chap. 12. ? 1. What thing fa* 
 ever I command) ou obferve to do /'/, thou [halt not add«tb<,remto, nor 
 diminish from it, Prov. 30. 6, Adde not unto his words leafl he re- 
 frove thee andtho't be found a lUr> Jer. 7, 3 1, They have built the 
 highpUces ef Tophet wbtch is in the valley of the Son of Hinnom to 
 burn their Sons and their Daughters its the fire > which I Commanded 
 them not^ neither came it into my heart, Matth. 1 5, p. In vain do 
 they rverfh/p me , teaching for DoEbrines the Commandment of men, 
 ver. 1 3. Every plant which my lather hath not planted^ [hall be root- 
 ed up. h\foMarkj.7^. Revel. 22.18. If any man (hall addc un- 
 to thefe things , God (hall adde unto him the plagues that are written 
 inthisBook^ The Mind of God in thefe and the like prohibiti- 
 ons, theReader may find exemplified. Z^t\ie. t,2, 3, 4<>&c. 
 Io(h.22.io,&e. fudg.S.iq. I Chron % 15. 13, 2 Kin. 16. 11,12. 
 and in other places. 
 
 Men who having great abilities of Learning, are able to diftin- 
 guifli themfelvesfrom under the power of the moil exprefs rules 
 and commands, (hould yet methinks out of a fenfe of their weak- 
 nefs fwhich they are ready to profefs themfelves convinced of 
 when occafion is offered to deliver their thoughts concerning 
 themy have companion for tbofe 3 who being not able to difcern 
 the ftrength of their reafonings becaufe of their finenefs , are kept 
 inaconfcientiousfubjcftion to the exprefs Commands of God, 
 efpecially conceiving them not without ibme cogent caufc reite- 
 rated. 
 
 But Jeaft the prefent exafperation of the Spiritsc f men , fliould 
 fruftratethat hope and expectation , lctusconfider what is the 
 precife intendment of the teftimonies produced , being we have 
 reafon to look well tothejufticeof our caufeinthe firftplace; 
 which being cleared , we may the better be fatisficd in coming 
 fhort of favour where it may not be obtained. The places of 
 Scripture produced , are taken partly out of the Old Teftament, 
 partly out of the New. And I fuppolc it will be granted that there 
 is an equal force of rule in the one , as in the other. For though 
 thefe in the Old Teftatnent had their peculiar refpedt to the Wok- 
 (hip that wot then inftituted, yet they had notas*Atf»inftituted 
 but as the Worfhip , which God bimfelf had appointed. And 
 therefore their general force abides whileft God requires any 
 Worfhip ac the hand? of men; unlefsit may be made appear that 
 God hath parted with that Prerogative of beirg the ^ppciater 
 
 of 
 
of his own Worfliip, now under the New Teftament, which he 
 fo vindicated unto himfclf under the Old. Take them then in 
 their general aim and intention , that which thefe and the like 
 Teftimonies unanimoufly fpeak unto us, is this , That the will of 
 God is the fole Rule of his Worfhip, and all the concernment of 
 it, and that his Authority is the fole Principle and Caufe of the 
 relation of any thing to his Worfhip, in a Religious manner^ and 
 confequently that he never did, nor ever will allow that the wills 
 of his Creatures fhouldbe the rule or meafure of his Honour or 
 Worftiip,nor that their Authority fliould caufe any thing to hold 
 a new relation unto him , or any other but wnat it hath by the 
 Law of its Creation. As this is thefum and fubftance of the Se- 
 cond Commandment, vyberein fo great a cloud of Expofitors do 
 center their thoughts , that it will not be eafie for any to with- 
 fiandthem , fo that the other Texts produced are exprels to all 
 the Particulars of the Aflertion laid down, may be eafily evin- 
 ced. 
 
 That the Lord afferts his own Aothority and Will as the con- 
 Rituting caufe and rule of all his Worfhip , was the firrt thing af- 
 ferted. His repetition of iMy Words , what J have commanded, 
 and the like expreffions, fecure this enclosure. Uniefsmencan 
 pretend, that there is the fame reafon of the words and com- 
 mands of God himfelf, it is in vain for them to pretend a power 
 of inftituting any thing in the Worfhip of God.- For the forma! 
 reafon of every fuch Inftitntionis , That the Word of it is the 
 Word of God.*Itis enough to difcardany thing from a relation 
 to the Worfhip of God , to manifeft that the appoinfers of it 
 were men, and not God. Nor can any man prove that God hath 
 diligateduptothem his Power in this matter. Nor did be ever 
 do fo to any ofthefpnsofMen; namely, that they fhould have 
 Authority to appoint any thing in his VVorfhip, or about it, 
 that feemeth meet unto their wifdome. With fome indeed in 
 former days? he entrufted the Work of Revealing unto his Church 
 and People what he himfelf would have obferved > which dispen- 
 sation he clofed in the Perfon of Chrift,an.d.his Apoflles. But to 
 entruft men with Authority not to declare what be revealed^ but 
 to appoint what feemeth good unto them , he never did it, the 
 Teftimonies produced lye evidently agatnft it. Now furely Gods 
 afferting his own Will and Authority as the onely rule and caufe 
 of his Worfhip > fhould make men cautious how they fuppofe 
 
 them- 
 
14 
 themfefves /^or ffw/umo him herein , efpecially being defti- 
 tute of warrant from the approved Example or Prehdentof any 
 that have gone betore them. It* the example of any one in che Old 
 or New Teftamentcou'd be produced , that of his own Mind and 
 Authority m?de any fuch Additions to ihe VVorfhip of God, as 
 that which we treat about, by venue of any Trnrt or Power pre- 
 tended from or under him, and found acceptance in his ib doing, 
 or that was not feverely rebuked for his fin therein , Tome coun- 
 tenance would teem to be given umo thofe, that at prefent wa k 
 in fuch paths " although 1 iuppefe^it would notbeea;ieforthem 
 to prove any particular inltences > which might have peculiar ex- 
 emption from the general Law? which we know not, to be a fuf- 
 firient warrant for their proceedings. But whereas God himfelf 
 ng instituted his own VVorfhip and all the concernments of 
 - his own Authority and Will as thsiblecaufe 
 anim'.e ofu'.l the WorQiip that he will accept , no instance be- 
 n record of any one that ever made any Additions to 
 what he had appointed, en any pretene whatever , or by vertue 
 ; Authority wherever that was accepted with him; and 
 whereas the moil eminentof thofe who nave afl"»med that pow- 
 er to themfelvea , as alio the judgement-of the reatbns neceiYary 
 for the exerting of it« a* to matter and manner , have been given 
 up in the righteous judgement of God to do things not conveni- 
 ent, yea abominable unto him fas inthe Papal Church ) it is not 
 unlikely to be the wifdome of men to be very cautious of intru- 
 ding themselves into this thanklefsOffi e. 
 
 But fu.his the corf apt nature of man, that there is fcarce any 
 thing, whereabout men have been moie apt to contend with God 
 from the foundation of the world. That the;r will and wi.dome 
 may have a (hare (Tome ?t lea(t) in the ordering if his Worthip 
 is that which of all things they feem to defire. VVhereforeto ob- 
 viate their pride and folly, to his averting of hisowr ttive 
 in this matter, hefabjoyns fevere interdictions, agamtf all or :ny 
 mans interpoling therein; foas totake away any thing by him- 
 commanded , or to adds any thing to what is by him appointed. 
 This alfo the Tellimonies recited ful y exprefs. The Pr< 
 is plain, Than (fait notsdde to ivbat I h*vr c 
 to huWordsy that is, in his* VVorfhip to tl which b 
 Word he bath appointed lobe obferved j neither jotbcVV 
 tffhis Inllitucica 3 nor to ihef things imtitutc d> Indeed ad 
 
 things 
 
- (i 9 ) 
 
 things add? to the Word ; for the Word that adds is made of 
 alike Authority with his. All Malting to our jetvesis forbidden, 
 though what wefo make rnay feem onto us to tend to the furthe- 
 rance of the Worfhip of God. It is faid men may adde nothing 
 to the fubftance of the Worfhip of God,but tbey may order, d£ 
 fpofe, and appoint the things that belong to the manner and cir- 
 cumftances of it , and this is all that is done in the prefcription of 
 Liturgies. OfCircumfiancesinand about the Worfhip of God 
 we have fpoken before, and removed that pretence. Nor is it fafe 
 dillinguiininginthe things of God, where himfelf hath not di- 
 (linguifhed. When be gave out the Prohibitions mentioned 
 under the Old Teflamentjhe was appointing orhad appointed his 
 whole Worfhip, and all that belonged unto it , in matter and 
 manner, way and order* fubftance and circumfhnce. Indeed there 
 is nothing in its whole nature, ask belongs to the generalbeing 
 of things, focircumftantial , but that it it be appointed by God in 
 his Worfhip, it becomes apart ofthefublhnceofit; cor can any 
 thing that is not fo appointed ever by any be made a circumftance 
 of his Worfhip , though many things are circumftances of thofe 
 actions, which in his Worfhip are performed. This diftin&ion 
 then directly makes void the Command, fo that Conftience can- 
 not acquiefce in it . Befides we have (hewed that Liturgies pre- 
 ferred and impofed, are neceflary parts of Gods Worfhip, and 
 fo not to be falved by this diflin&ion. 
 
 Moreover, to teftifie what weight he laip on the Obfervance 
 of thefe general Prohibitions when men found out other ways of 
 Worfhip then what he*had appointed, though the particulars 
 were fnch as fell under other fpecial interdictions , yet the Lord 
 waspleafcd to place the great aggravation of their finin the con- 
 tempt of thofe general rules mentioned. This is that he urgeth 
 them with, That they did things by him not appointed ; of not ob- 
 ferving any thing in Religion, but what he requires, that he pref- 
 feth them withall. The Command is general. You (hall adde no- 
 thing to what I have inftitutedj and the aggravation of the fin 
 prefled by him relates not to the particular nature of it , but to 
 this general command or prohibition, Tou have done what 1 com- 
 manded you not. That the particular evil condemned was alfoa- 
 gaiaft other fpecial Commands of God, ismeerly accidental to 
 the general nature of the Crime they were urged withall. And 
 whereas Ggd hath givenoutthefe Rules and Precepts; Ton fall 
 
dofthdteitt IccnmardyoH , ar.dcccodn^ m 1 ann:a f dycu y jm 
 [halladde y.oth-ng thtreunto^ncr t>\e aujtlerefrom > can ihc tranf- 
 grtflionottrm Kulc be any otherwife cxgftffcd > but thus: 
 1 hey did the thing which he commanded not 3 nor did it ez er t on. 9 
 into ku heart. 
 
 It is laid tbat the intention ofthefe Rules and Prohibitions, 
 is cnely ro prevent the Additions of what is. contrary to whac 
 God hath appointed , and noc ct that which may und to the 
 furtherance and better difcharge of his Appointmerts. Ihc i 
 anfwer to this acception is, That whatev et is added, is contrary 
 to what is comma rded, though not in this or that particular 
 command, yet to that command thatnothirg be added. It is 
 not the nature of any particular that is condemned , but the 
 povycr of adding, in thole Prohibitions. Let us Tee then whe- 
 ther ofthefe fenfes have the faireft evidence with the evident 
 purport and intention of the Rules, Precepts, and Prokibitions 
 under ConTideration. 
 
 Our Lord Jefus Cbrift directs bis Apofilei to teach his Dif- 
 ciples to do and objerve whatever he ccmmar.dtd them. Thofe 
 who contend, for the latter interpretation of tbefe and the like 
 Precepts before- mentioned 3 affirm that there is in thele words 
 a reftriction ofthe matter ot their Commiflion , to the exprels 
 commands of Chrift. What he commands) they fay, they were 
 to teach men to obferve, and nothing elie, nor will he require 
 theobfervanceof ought elfeat our hands. The others would 
 have his intention to be 3 whatever he commanded , and what- 
 ever feemeth good to them to command , fo it be not contrary 
 unto what was by him commanded. As if he bad faid , Teach 
 men to oblerve whatever I command them, and command you 
 them to obferve whatever ycuthiak meet, fo it be not contrary 
 to my commands. Certainly this glofs at the firft view feems to 
 defeat the main intendment ofChrift, in that exprefs limitation 
 cf their Commiflion unto his own commands. So alfo under 
 theOldTeftamcnt ; given order about his Wciftip, the Lord 
 lets Mofesknovn that he muft do all things according to whac 
 he (houldfhew and reveal unto him. Intheclofeof iheWcrk 
 committed unto him 3 to fhew that what he had done was ac- 
 ceptable to God, it is eight or rentime? repeated, tftatfcedid all 
 as the Lord commanded him: Ndthing wascmitted, nothing 
 
 G added 
 
(So) 
 added by him. That the fame courfe might be obferved in the 
 following practice, which was taken in the firft Inttitutioo , the 
 Lord commands that nothing be added to what was fio appoin- 
 ted by him; nothing diminifhed from it. The whole Duty then 
 of the Church, as uotothe WorfhipofGod, feems to lye in the 
 precife Obfervation of what is appointed and commanded by 
 him. To aflfert things may be added to the Worfhipor God, 
 not by him appointed , which in the judgement of thofethar. 
 adde them" , feem uleful for the better performance of what he 
 hath appointed, fo that they be not contrary nnto them, (ccms 
 to defeat the whole end and intention of God in all thofe Ruies 
 and Prohibitions ; if either the occafion , rife, caufe ofthtm* 
 ouheir commendable Obfervance be confidered. On theie and 
 no better terms is that prefcribed Liturgy we treat of, introdu- 
 ced and impofed. It comes from man, with Authority to be. 
 added to the Worfhip that Chrift requires, and ventures on all 
 the fevere interdictions of fucb Additions,armed onely with the 
 pretence of not being contrary to any particular command , in 
 the matter ofit (which yet is denied ,1 and fuch dfiVin&ions , as 
 have not the leaft ground in Scripture , or in the Reafcn ofthe 
 things themfeives , which it is applied unto. Might we divert 
 into particulars, it wereeafie to demonftrate, that the inflates 
 given in the Scripture of Gods rejection of fuch additions , do 
 abundantly obviate all the Pleas that are infilled on, for the wa- 
 ving of the general Prohibition. 
 
 C H P A VIII. 
 
 Of the Authority needful for the conflituting and ordering of any , 
 that is to haze relation to God and hts Worfbip, Of the power and 
 authority of Civil JMagtftrates. The power impofing the Liturgy, 
 The formal reafon ofreligius 0'bed*encf»Vfe ofthe Liturgy an 
 eB of civil a»d religious Obedience, Mat. 28. 20. No Rale to 
 judge of what is meet in the Worship ofGody but his Word, 
 
 BEGdes the Regulation of all our proceedings and actions in 
 the Worfhip of God , by the command and prohibitions 
 infixed oc, in the fore-going Chapter , there are two things m- 
 
 difpen- 
 
(JO 
 
 difpenfably neceffary to render the prefcription of my thing in 
 religious Worfhip allowable , or lawful to be obferved , both 
 pointed unto by the Teftimonies produced. And thefe are, 
 Ftrfty An Authority toen/oyn ; And Secondly^ A certain Rule to 
 try the injunction by. 
 
 rhe Worfhip of God is of that nature, that whatibeveris 
 performed in it, is an a6t of Religious Obedience, That any ihing 
 may beefteemed fueh , it is neceffary that the Conference be in 
 it fubjeft to the immediate Authority of God, His Authority 
 alone renders any aft of Obedience , RtUgiottt. All Authority is 
 originally in God, and there are two wayes whereby he is pica- 
 fed to exert it. Ftrfi , By a Delegation of Authority unto fome 
 Perlbns for fome ends and purpofes, which they being inverted 
 withall , may command in their own Names an Cbiervance of 
 the thing? about which by Gods appointment their Authority 
 is to be exercifed. Thus is it with Kings and Rulers of the 
 Earth. They are powers ordained of God, having Authority gi- 
 ven them by him. And being inverted with power, they give 
 out their commands for the doing or performing of fuch orfuch 
 things, whereunto their Authority doth extend. That they 
 ought to be obeyed in things good and lawful , doth not arifc 
 from the Authority verted in tbemfelves , but from the immedi- 
 ate command of God, that in fuch things they ought to be o- 
 bcyed. Hence Obedience in general unco Magirtrates , is a pare 
 or our Moral and Religious Obedience unto God, as it refpe&s 
 his Command, whatever the nature and objeft of it be. But the 
 performance of particular actions, wherein by theirdeterminar 
 tion our Obedience exerts it felf , being refolved into that Au- 
 thority which is verted in them, is not Religion* but Civil Obe~ 
 dience, any otherwifethen as in refpeclof its general nature ic 
 relates to the Command of God in general. No a& I fay , that 
 weperform, whereofthis is the formal Reafon , that itis ap- 
 pointed and commanded by man, though thatmanbeentrufted 
 with power from God , to appoint and require acts o r that na- 
 ture, is an act of Religious Obedience u nto God in its felfj be- 
 came it relates notimmediately to his c/ivine Authority requ'fc- 
 ring that act. 
 
 Secondly, God doth exert his Auth ority immediately ; and 
 that either directly from Heaven, as in the giving of the Law; or 
 
 G 2 by 
 
(.5- ) 
 by the infpiraticn of others to dedarebis will, onto both which- 
 his Word written anivVeretb. 'Now whatever is done in obe- 
 dienceto the Authority of God thus exerting it ielf, isapartof 
 that Religious duty which we owe to God; whether itbejn 
 his firft lnrtitution 2nd Appointment-, or any duty in its primi- 
 tive Revelation ; or whether it be in the Commands he gives 
 fortheObfervationof w'bathehath formerly appointed. For 
 when God hath Commanded any things to be Obferved in his 
 Worfhip, though he defign and appointmen to fee them obfer- 
 ved accordingly, and furnifh them with the. Authority of Com- 
 manding to-that ptfrpofe, yet theinterpontion of that Authori- 
 ty of men, though by Godslnftitution, doth not at all hinder, 
 butthat the duty performed is Religious obedience, relating 
 directly to the Will and Command of God. The power com- 
 masdinginthe cafe we have in hand is mans, not that of the 
 Lord: tor though it be acknowledged thattbofe who do com- 
 mand, have their Authority from God ; yet unlefs the thing 
 commanded be aKb in particular appointed by God, the Obedi- 
 ence that is yielded is purely Civil , and not Religious. This is 
 the date of the matter under Confederation. The Command- 
 ing and Impofing Power is varioufly apprehended. Some fay it 
 15 the Church that doth it; and ioaffertthe Authority to be 
 Ecdefiaftical; every Church ,, fay they, hath Power to order 
 things of this nature for order and decency fake 5 when it is en- 
 quired what the Church is that they intend, there fome are at a 
 lofs,and would fain infinuate fomewhat into our thoughts that 
 they dare not openly aflcrt and maintain. The truth is, the 
 Church in this fenfeis the Ki»g-> or the King and Parliament, by 
 whofe Advice he exerts his Legiflitive Power. By their Autho- 
 rity was the Liturgy Compofed , or it was Compofed without 
 Authority :■ by sheir Authority it muft be Impoltd if it be Im- 
 pofed ; what is, or was done in the Preparation of it by others, 
 unto their judgement hath no more influence into the Autho- 
 ritative Impofition of it, when the ad of a Perfon learned in the 
 Law , drawing up a Bill for the Confederation of Parliament, 
 hath into its binding Law Power,when confirmed. Jn this 
 fenfe we acknowledge the Power ordaining and impofing this 
 Liturgy to be of God, to be good and lawful, to be obeyed un- 
 to the uttnoft extent of that Obedience, which to man can ba 
 
 due. 
 
in) 
 
 due, and that upon the account of the Inftitution and Com- 
 mand of God himfelf. But yet fuppofing the Liturgy to fall 
 within the precin&s and limits of that Obedience, yet the ob- 
 krvanceandufeof it, being not Commanded of God, is pure- 
 ly an aft of Civil obedience, and not Religious, wherein the 
 Confciene lies in no immediate fubje&ion to Jefus Chrift. 
 It is ot the fame general nature with the honeft difcharge of 
 the Office of a Conft able; and this feems inconfiftem with the 
 nature of the Worfhip of God. 
 
 But whatever be the immediate impofing Power, we have 
 dire&ion as to our duty in the laft Injunction of our bleffcd 
 Saviour to his Apoftle, LMatth»2%.io. Teaching them to ob- 
 serve all things what foever I have commanded. In thin°S which 
 concern the Worfhip of God, the commanding Power is 
 Chrift ; and his Command the adequate Rule and Meafure 
 of our Obedience. The Teaching, Commanding, and en- 
 joyning of others to do and obferve tho r e Commands, is 
 the duty of thofe entrusted with Chrifts Authority under 
 him. Their ComnailTion to Teach and En/oyn, and our 
 Duty to Do and Obferve, have the fame Rules, the fame 
 Meafure, Bounds, and Limits. What they teach and en- 
 joyn beyond what Chrift hath Commanded, they do ic not 
 by vertue of any Commifficn from him; wAat we do be- 
 yond what He hath Commanded, we do it not in obedience 
 to him ; what they fo teach, they do it in their own 
 Name, not his; what we fodo, we do in our ownftrength, 
 not his; nor to his Glory. The Anfwer of B e liar mi ne to 
 that Argument of the Proteftant Divines from this place , 
 againft the Impofitions of his Church, is the moft weak and 
 frivolous, that I think ever any Learned man was forced to 
 make ui'e of; and yet whereto find better will noceafily oc- 
 curre. Our Lord Jefus Chrift faith, go and teach ***$$? do 
 and obferve whatever I have comm >ndedyo-4 % and fo I am'witb 
 you 5 To which he fub/oynes, It is true ^ but yet we, ire boynd 
 a.'fo to ebey them that are (st over */, that U our Church <juides i 
 and Co leaves the Argument as fufficiently difcharged. Now 
 the whole Qu eft ion is concerning what thofe Church Guides 
 may teach and en joyn , whereunto we are to give Obedi- 
 ence, which is here exprefly restrained to the things Com- 
 manded. 
 
(54) 
 
 mandcd by Chrift ; to which the Cardinal offers not one 
 word. The things our Saviour treats about, are principally 
 the Agenda of the Gofpel, things to be done and obferved 
 intheWorfhip of God. Of tbefe, as was faid, he makes his 
 own Command the adequate Rule and Meafure. Teach men 
 to observe nr&VTcL out) all whttfoever I commAn&\ in their fo 
 -<Joing alone, doth he promife his Prefence with them* that 
 is, toenable them unto the discharge of their duty. He com- 
 mands, I fay, all that (hall to the end of the World, be 
 called to fervehim in the Work of the Gofpeljto-f^dMnthat 
 Expreffion he comprifeth their whole duty ; as their whole 
 Authority is given them in this Commiflion. In their Teach- 
 ing indeed they are to command with all Authority ; and 
 upon their non-obedience of men unto their teaching, cither 
 by not receiving their word, or by walking unworthy of it 
 when it is received in the Profeffion of it, he hath allotted 
 them the courfe of their whole proceedings ; but ftill re- 
 quiring that all be regulated by what they are originally 
 commiflionated , and enabled to teach and command. Lee 
 then the Impofition of a Liturgy be tryed by this Rule. It 
 was never by Chrift Commanded to bis Apoftles, cannot by 
 any be taught as his Command , and therefore men in the 
 Teaching or Impofing of it, have no promife of his Pre- 
 sence, nor do they that obferveit, yield any obedience un- 
 to him therein* This I am fare will be the Rule of Chrifts En- 
 quiry athisgreatVifitationat thelaft Day; the things which 
 himfelf hath Commanded will be enquired after, as to 
 fome mens Teachings, and all mens Obfervation, and thofe 
 onely. And I cannot but admire with what peace and fa- 
 tisfa&ion to their own Souls , men can pretend to a6t as 
 by Commiflion from Chrift , as the chief Adminiftrators of 
 his Gofpel and Worfhip on the Earth , and make it their 
 whole bufmefe almoft to teach men to do and obferve what 
 he never commanded, and rigoroufly to enquire after and in- 
 to the obfervation of their own commands, whilcft thofe of 
 the Lord Jefus are openly negle&ed. 
 
 ' But let the Authority of men for Impofition, be fuppofed to 
 equal the fancy of any who through ignorance or intereft are 
 moft devoted unto it > when they come to put their Autho- 
 rity 
 
 7 1 1 J LI I » 
 
K55J 
 
 rity into execution, commanding thingsin and about the Wor- 
 ship of God, I dehre to know by what Rule they are to pro- 
 ceed in their fo doing. All the actions of men are, or ought 
 to be Regular. Good or evil they are, as they anfwerto, or 
 diflent from their proper Rule. The Rule in this matter muii 
 be the Word of God, or their own Prudence. Allow the for- 
 mer to be the Rule, that is revealing what they ought to com- 
 rmndj and there is a total end of this Difference. What a 
 Rule the latter is like to prove is eafie to Conjecture j but 
 there is no need of Conjectures where Experience imerpofeth. 
 The great Philosopher is blamed by fome for inferring the de- 
 termination of men Wife and Prudent, into his definition of 
 the Rule of Moral Vertue. For, they fay that cannot be cer- 
 tainly known, whofe Rule and Meafure is fluctuating and 
 uncertain. If there be ground for thisAfiertion in reference 
 to Moral vermes, whofe Seed and Principles are in-laid in the 
 nature of Man a how much more U that Rule to be quefiion- 
 ed when applied to things whofe fpring and foundation lies 
 meerly fn fupernatural Revelation. How various, uncertain, 
 and tumultuating, how roving this pretended Rule is like to 
 prove, how fhort it comes to any one (ingle property of a 
 iufficient Rule, much more of all things that are neceflary to, 
 compleat a Rule of Prorocecome in fuch cafes, were eafieto 
 demonstrate. What good and ufeful place that is like to ob- 
 tain in the Worfhip of God, which having its Rife in the Au- 
 thority of man ; is framed by the Rule of the wifdome of 
 man j and fo wholly refolved into his Will, I may fay will be 
 one day judged and determined, but that it is fo already fuffici- 
 antly in the Word of Truth, 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 Argument Second, Nee ef dry ufe of the Liturgy txclufiveof the 
 ufeof the means df pointed by Chnfi for the Edification of hk 
 Church. 
 
 WE proceed to fome farther Confederations upon the 
 ftate of the Queftion before laid down ; and fhall in- 
 fift on fome other Argument againft the Imposition pleaded 
 
 for. 
 
CsO 
 
 for. We have fpoken to the Authority ImpoGng; our next 
 Argument is taken from the Thing or Matter Impofed, and the 
 End of tbatlmpofition. 
 
 An Humane Provifion of means for the accomplifhing of 
 any End or Ends in the Worfliip of God, for which Jefus 
 Chrift himfelf hath made and doth continue to make Provi- 
 fion, to the exclufion of th.it Provifion fo by him made, is 
 not allewable. About thi? Atferticn I fuppofe we (hall have 
 no Contention. To aflert theLawfulnefs of fuch Provifions, 
 is inthefirft inftanceto exalt theWifdome and Authority ©f 
 men, above that of Chrift, and that in his ownhoufe. This 
 men will not nakedly and openly do, though by juft confe- 
 rence it be done every day. But we have fecured our Pro- 
 portion by the plainnefs of its terms, againft which no Ex- 
 ception can lye. It remaineth then that we fliew, that the 
 things mentioned in it, and reje&ed as difallowable are di- 
 reftly applicable to the Impofition of Liturgies contended 
 about. 
 
 That the Prefcription of the Liturgy, to be ufed as pre- 
 ferred, is the Provifion of a means for the accompli (hing of 
 fome Ends in the Worfhip of God, the Judgement and the 
 Pra&ife of thofe who Contend for it, do fufficiently declare. 
 ThofeEnds, orthisEnd (tofum themupallinonej is, That 
 the Ordinances and Inftitutions of Chrift may be quickly ad- 
 miniftred andfolemnized in the Church with decency and or- 
 der unto the Edification of the Affcmblics wherein it is ufed. 
 I fuppofe none will deny this to be the end intended in its Im- 
 pofition ; it is fo pleaded continually ; nor is tbere uny other 
 that I know of afllgned. Now of the things mentioned it is 
 the laft that is the principal end ; namely, the Edification of 
 the Church, which is aimed at for its own fake, and fo regu- 
 lates the whole Procedure of meer mediums^ and- thofe tbat 
 are fo mediums as alfo to be cfteraed fubordinate ends. Such 
 are Decency and Order, or Uniformity. Thefe have not their 
 worth from themfclves, nor do they influence the intention 
 of the Liturgifis for their own fakes, but as they tend unto 
 Edification. And this the Apoftolical Rule exprefly requireth, 
 i Cor. 1 4. The Prefcription then of a Liturgy is a Provifion 
 for the right, Adminiftration of the Ordinances of the Gofpel 
 
 unto 
 
r 57; 
 
 tm othe Edification of the Church. This is its general nature; 
 and in the Adminifiration of the Ordinances ot the Gofpel, 
 cenfifis the chief ardmain woik ot the Minifry : Ihatnhis 
 Previf.onis Humane, hath been before declared. It was not 
 made by Chrift, nor his Apcftles ; but of men, and by men 
 was it made and Jmpoled on the Diiciples of Chrilt. it re- 
 mained then that wcConfidcr whether Jefus Chrifl hate not 
 made provifion for the fame end ard puipoie ; namely) that the 
 Ordinances and Inflituftions of the Goipelmay beaciminiflrcd 
 to the edification of the Church. Now this the Apcflle ex- 
 prefly affirms, £^^4.7, 8^,1^,11,1231 3. V-nto every one of 
 n* is given grace according to the meafure of the gift of Chrifi > 
 wherefore he faith whin he afcer.dedup on high, he led captivtty 
 captive and gave Gifts unto men ,— - He gave-— "feme Ptfiors and 
 Teachers for the perfetlion of the Saints, for the woil^of the M- 
 niftry, for the edtfjtng of the Body of Chrift i ttll we all came in. 
 the unity of .the Fattb^ dndrf the knowledge of the Sen of Cod, 
 untoaperfe& man unto the meafure of the flatter e of the fulnefs of 
 Chnft. The Lord Jefus who bath appointed the Office of the 
 Miniftry,hath alfo provided fufficient furniture for the Pcrfons 
 called according to his mind to the difcharge ot that Office,and 
 the whole Duty of it. That the adminifttation of the Ordi- 
 nances of theGofpel is the work of the Miniflry I fuppofc will 
 not be denied. Now that this work of the Miniflry may be 
 difcharged to the edification of his Body,and that to the end of 
 the World, until all his People in every Generation are brought 
 unto the Meafure of Grace affigned unto them in this life, is 
 exprefly affirmed. He hath given Gifts for this end and pur- 
 pofe> namely, that the work of the Miniflry may be perform- 
 ed to the edification of his Body. To fay that the Provifion 
 hehatb made is not every way fufficient for the attaining of 
 the End for which it was made by him, or that he continueth 
 not to make the fame Provifion that he did formerly, are 
 equally falfe, equally blafphemous; the one injurious to his 
 Wifdome, the other to his Truth, both to his Love 'and Care 
 of his Church. For Decency and Uniformity in all his Churches 
 the Lord Jefus alfo hath provided. The Adminifiration of the 
 fame fpecifical Ordinances in the Affemblics Cf his Difciples 
 convcened according to his mind, according to the fane Rule 
 
 H of 
 
of bis Word, by vertue of the fame fpecifi :al Gifts of theSpi. 
 rit,, by him bellowed on the Adminiltrators of them, consti- 
 tutes the Uniformity that he requires and is acceptable nmo 
 him. This was the Uniformity of the Apoftolical Churches, 
 walking by the fame Rule of Faith and Obedience , and no 
 other ; Antl this is all the Uniformity that is among the true 
 Churches of Chrift, that are this day in the World, To ima- 
 gine that there (hould bean Uniformity in Words and Phra» 
 fes of Speech and the like, is anunprafticable Figment, which 
 never was obtained, nor ever will be to the end of the World. 
 And when men by the invention of Rites and Orders, began 
 to depart from this Uniformity, how far tbey were from tai- 
 ling into any other, is notorious from that Difcourfe of So- 
 crates on this matter, M.y.c*p m n* For thefe then the Lord 
 Chrift bath made provifion. And where there is this Unifor- 
 mity unto Edification, let thofe things be attended unto, which 
 are requisite for the nature of Affembles meeting for fuch ends, 
 is Aflemblies, and all the Decency and Order which Chrift 
 requireth willenfue. I fuppofe it will not be tafefor any man 
 to derogate from the fufficiency of this provifion. If any fhali 
 fay, That we fee, and find by experience that men called eo 
 be Minifters are not fo enabled to the Work of the Minifiry, 
 as by vertue of the Gifts they have received to admidifterthe 
 Ordinancer of the Gofpel unto the edification of the Church, 
 I (hall defire them to Confider whether indeed fuch perfons be 
 rightly called unto the Miniftry, and do labour aright to d\(- 
 charge their duty in that Office; feeing that if they are fo, 
 and do fo, there feems to be a direftfaildre of the Promife 
 of Chrift , which is blafphemy to imagine. And it may be 
 Confidered whether this pretended deleft and want, do not, 
 where it is in thofc who ire indeed called to the Work of the 
 Minifiry, proceed from their negleft toftir up the Gifts that 
 they have received by the ufe and exercifeof them, for which 
 end alone they are entrufted with them; And it may be fur- 
 ther Confidered whether their negleft hath not been occafion- 
 ed greatly by fome mensimpofingof prefcribed Liturgies, and 
 others trading to their ufe, if? thofe things, and fori hofe ends, 
 for which men are entrufted with thofc Gifts by Jefus Chrift. 
 And if this be fo, as indeed upon due fearch it will appear fo 
 
 to 
 
($9) 
 
 to be, then we htvetfecrct inclufion of the Provifion made 
 by Chrift for the ends mentioned, plainly intimated unco us, 
 before we arrive at the exprefs C<5nfideration of it. 
 
 But to proceed i The provifion that Chrift hath made for 
 the difcharge of the whole Work of the Miniftry, in the 
 Adminiftration of the Ordinances of the Gofpcl unto the 
 edification of his Church, is his Collation or beftowing of 
 Gifts on men rightly called to the Office of the Miniftry, 
 enabling them unto, and to be exercifed in that Work : la 
 the Pretcription aod'Impofiticnof a Liturgy, there is a pro- 
 vifion made for the difcharge of the Work of the Miniftry in 
 the Adminiftration of ttje Ordinmces of the Gofpcl unto 
 the edification of the Church, in and by the precife reading 
 and pronouncing of the words fet down therein without 
 alteration, diminution, or addition. It remaineih then to 
 Coafider where this latter Provifion be not excluGve of the 
 toraier, and whether the ufe of them boch at the fame time 
 be not iiconfiftent. The Adminiftration of Go r pel Ordi- 
 nta:es, confifts in Prayer, Thankfgiving , Inftru&ion and 
 Exhortation?, fuitably applied unto the fpecial nature and end 
 of the feveral Ordinances tnemfelves, and the ufe of them 
 in the Church. For the right performance of all thefe, Chrift 
 gives Gifts unto Minifters ; the Liturgy a certein number of 
 Words to be read without addition or alteration, and this 
 toties quotteszs the Ordinances are to be adminiftred. Now 
 unlefsitcanbemadeto appear, that an ability to read thepre- 
 icribed wards of the Liturgy, be the Gifts promifed by Chrift 
 for the difcharge af the Work of the Mmifters, which cannot 
 be done, it is moft evident, that there is an inconfiftency be- 
 tween the ufe and a&ual exercife of thefe feveral Provifions 
 of Mesli.'ws for the comparing of the fame end ; and conse- 
 quently the necefTary indifpenfable ufe of the Liturgy is di- 
 re£*iy txcjuffve of the ufe of the means provided by Chrift, 
 and for that end, for which the Liturgy is invented and im- 
 pofed. What difmal effects hafeiffued hereupon may be de- 
 clared hereafter if need be. Certainly more then one Com- 
 mandment of God , snd more then one Promife of Chrift 
 have been made void by this Tradition: And I defire that 
 none would be offended, if as my own apprehenfion I affirm, 
 
 H 2 That 
 
That the Introdu&ion of Liturgies was, on the account iV 
 fitted on, the principal means of increafing and carrying on 
 that fad dcfc&ion and Apoftafie ,, in the guilt whereof moft 
 Churches in the World had en wrapped themfelve?. Nor doth 
 there lye at present any relief againlt this Confederation from 
 hence, that Miniiiers are allowed the cxerdfe of their gifts 
 they have received in their Preaching, and Prayers before and 
 after Sermons ; For Firft, that indeed there is fuch a Liberty 
 allowed, it theprefent Liturgy be fo impofed as by fome is pre- 
 tended, is very quettionable; many that are looked on as 
 skilled in that law andMyfteryof it, do by their pracYife give 
 another interpretation of the intendment of its Impofition, 
 making it extend to all that is done inthePublkkWorfhip, the 
 bare Preaching or Reading of a Sermon or Homily excepted. 
 Nor Secondly, isthat the matter enquired into 3 Whether Mi- 
 niftersmay at any time, or in any part of Gods WorChipmake 
 ufeof their Gifts, but whether they may do it in all thele Ad- 
 miniftrations, for whofe performance to the edification of his 
 Body, theyare beftowed on them by Jefus Chrift; which by 
 the Rule of the Liturgy we have (hewed they may not; and I 
 doubt not but it will be granted by thofewho contend for the 
 Impofition of the Liturgy, that it extends to the principal parts, 
 if not the whole of the Publick Worfhip of God in the Church. 
 Now certainly it is neceffary that Conference be clearly fatisfied, 
 that this prefcription of an Humane ProvinoD of means for fuch 
 Ends in the Worfhipof God, as Cbrift hath made provifion 
 for, which is excluded thereby, be not againft exprefs rule of 
 Scripture, ( Ez,ech. 43,8. Matth. 15.^. Col. 2,?o.) without 
 prefident or example, derogatory to the Glory of Chrift, 
 (fW.3.5 <*J and in particular of his Truth, Wifdome, and 
 Love of his Church, as alfo to the perfection the Scripture, 
 f iTim.3.l5>l6.) and whether it brings not the Minifters of 
 the Gofpd into open fin,(jR»»;.i2>;7,8. x Cera 2.6,7,8,9,1c. 
 ■EyA*/".4«8iH»i2. 1 Pct.4.10,11.) andfo bean occafiongf the 
 wrath of God, and ruine of the Souls of Men, before they 
 admit of it, or fubmit untoir. 
 
 CHAR 
 
(<l) 
 
 CHAP. X. 
 
 Other Conjiderationt tbont the Imfofit'ton 
 of Liturgies. 
 
 Furthermore, the great Rule of (Sofpel Adminiftrations is 
 that all things be done to Edification. This is the main End 
 of the Miniftry its felf, in all the duties thereof, that are pure- 
 ly Evangelical. For this end was the Office of the Miniftry 
 Inftituted, for this end are Minifterial Gifts difpenfed, for this 
 end were the Sacraments appointed, and all Church AfTem- 
 blie?, Church Power, and whatever elfe belongs to Churches ; 
 it is all Ordained for this End that the Body of Chrift maybe 
 edified and increafed with the increafe of God, Ephefq.j&yy 
 XO,H,*i,i3>i4il5. C0l.2-.19. ABs^.^i. Rom. 14. 19, 15. 
 I Cor. IO.23. f*/>. 14.3,4,5,12,26. 2 Cor. I*. 19. 171M.4. 
 Thefulland adequate Rule of all Church-order and duties is, 
 That all things be done to Edification. It doth not hence enfue 
 that whatever men (hall judge to conduce to edification, may 
 be ufed by themfelves or impofed on others in the Worftiip of 
 God. Cbiift himfelf, the onely wife and competent Judge in 
 fuch Cafes j hath precifely himfelf determined what is con- 
 ducing hereunto ; having as on other accounts, fo on this alfo, 
 limitted men to his prefcription, becaufe nothing iscffe&ual 
 unto Edification but by vertueof his bleffing, which is annex- 
 ed onely to his own Inftitutions. But this will undeniably 
 hence enfue, That whatever is contrary unto, or an hindrance 
 of Edification, oughrnot to be appointed or obferved in the 
 Worfhip of God. For certainly whatever is an hindrance of 
 thatin any kind, untowhofe furtherance all things of that kind 
 ought tocontribute, their whole worth and venue confifting 
 in that contribution, can have no due place amongft them. If 
 it appear that this is the ftate and condition of this Impofed 
 Liturgy in Church Adminiftrations, I prefumeit will be con- 
 tended that it ought not to obtain anyplace or room amongft 
 them. The Edification of the Church depends principally on 
 thcbleflingof God upon the excrcife of thofeMiniftcrial gifts 
 
 which 
 
*owed c cod; namely, thattbe 
 
 Cbnxcbbecdihec K>wcr, bieflcth 
 
 it with an encreafe in the field where ic is fowe . 9. 10. 
 
 red on Mir ipil 
 
 Talents thai tbey oc _ 
 
 ng up of his bothc wherein his wc 
 
 :s world hat are bellowed by 
 
 the Spirit orCbr. D them to profit wit 
 
 iCir. 1: hey arerec- 
 
 inthecdificiiionoitheBody c fChnft , e.ery one a:co: 
 to hi :, I Frf. 4. 10,11. This 
 
 Moreover, iaat 1 s beflowed by Cbri:t on 
 
 his C :cl are proportioned 
 
 jited to the end which be toa:cc:rpii(riby tr 
 
 is we have in part before de 
 
 infinite Wifdoaae of him that bclows the- both wr 
 
 it wifl oodenhWy follow, that on the doe and reguh: 
 and employment of thole Gifts which men receive from 
 
 ift, dependsacd that folely the edification of hisChnrch. 
 
 owed by 
 are ufci 
 and ezer ord'ing to his 
 
 Micdac: on whi. 
 
 doth proceed. Thefe 
 
 the Scripture witnefleth, and experience conrinccth arc beftow- 
 ed in great variety and in net and more 
 
 excclier: they arc in any c; 1 them , the more e 
 
 ;?i::s the means c:e o bit 
 
 •pics by tbem. I :n then as in its general na:v 
 
 depends oat o w? on the Oifi- 
 
 cersc :..: Church : :: to . zdegett ofit, and its k. 
 c depece 
 
 t u t work of 
 the Nlinift ry is coma: 
 
 lO'. if. 1.:- it the Cr/ui:h may becdirledbv 
 covet earnefcy tbebeft g::;, 1 O. 1 2 : they may fngn- 
 
 lariy etfific theC cxcelin tbofe : 
 
 1 O. 14. :o. that the fame word of Edir cation may be ca - 
 onto the otmo^, bmaytben ke enqnicdhow t :tual 
 
 gifts 
 
neaiere :c hue receiv rd. ma j be imp to diat tfccy may 
 
 cicrotbc cdifting of the Chinch . wfakbisciprcflj revoked 
 ot ibcc rbcn , that tbc iaiproTrECEc and oat i : : 
 
 :": :.::::. ivi zz\: c:c -::..;- :".:::_: : :>::z: :z :.-;..: ::s 
 and hofy*exer:i _e. M ; 
 
 be endeavoured to kttp is ife, yet it did doc eozrea:* i when 
 s.;;;. oneduu railed H Mb ifa ltd VfcCK >*::-. ::f ; iters in- 
 :::-.: r : : : ■ - -:r;::s = *.:::: .-; :: :::Tt; :: ::;y 
 
 .-::::-. ::. _ : .• :z:c pt; :i^y.:: -;: Napfccome 
 
 tbetr Talents until tbt J are ca^tkofntbcm; n rzJB ocirt 
 
 e Additions to taci u ka§ iezn iiappik i 
 
 tbdrSdlProfifioof £ulmc Hence the great dne 
 caerci&eof tnewerkci tbeftlkiiiiyis* tofirmf t 
 vid, byacse pcrotxtB-ewbc: as axncfed 
 
 wkh tbem - is the whole frock of ediryiagihe be . 
 opal stretch tic mri:-i:e teocinrei coe.erj zsczzber, cocn- 
 pleated :od reamed. Edi&acion : 
 meet at Gifts* aod the unpfoienxm of Gilts on tbeir d 
 • 
 
 daeexercite, CLi>crb?ibe c^efrcftbsra oa tracer trey are 
 ; : - v-;:. :: it. :.:t: ::-.;= : ; :::.:: :: :t :"- z . :-;; ic 
 tbefoie way otofaflmc te ng tbeknotgicment c: ijpuii 
 szzzvzirrzzirz ■aaWM* GQnfcqntate ct tbe cdifiratioti :: 
 itveCbcrco. New dHSceeaaiobcfoxa^a zz.sk rn tbc zt: 
 ptiooof tbeliaugf andkop 
 
 iortheffitofmicicifiveot^aioceecizr - forcJbe 
 
 UfafafBag+f lb:: t. .. ::*-z. T:e pnifl :i;: : :: >: ::::!£; "z> 
 on whidi their growth and imafoita»ent : 
 die admunfccriii on ck Go 'pel Occiaan : c*. last is die wc 1 
 cheMiii^forwiikiitiiey trtbatowec. To tinder: 
 o; forbid tbat exercise L-die*% to fc: 
 pointed mezas or cneirec 
 
 ipaxA&j nrotf* 
 bring removed acztiien ;«uy. Now tais isffirnlyar 
 cdydese intbeta*po*d Lirz^y;: aapaV^. 
 tbattbe Minkkrs of toe Gospel thai: oot wc or exeroe ac/ 
 Soiriai;] gi& in the afcctairl:; 
 Ithifffifmnfiotvfe suck n the Beck, 
 
 LOd 
 
And as in this Cafe the condition of the People who ire de- 
 prived of the means of their edification, isfad, fothatofthe 
 Minitfcrs of the Gofpcl miferable and deplorable. The Lord 
 Jefus Chrift beftows gifts upon them, requiring the ufe and cx- 
 crcifeof them in the Work of the Miniftry at their utmoi peril $ 
 Men on the other fide , Lrbidthem that ufe aud exercife, and 
 that with fuch forcible Prohibitions as threaten to bear down 
 the whole publick exercife of the Miniftry before them. But 
 the Lord knows how to deliver thofe that are his out of tem- 
 ptation. It will be no relief againft the force of this Confidera- 
 tion , that there are fome things left wherein Minifters may ex- 
 ercife their gifts and trade with their Talents ; for as this is but 
 pretended , fo it is not in this or that part of their Work , but 
 in the whole of the Miniftry committed nnto them) that Chrift 
 indifpenfably requires of the guides of his Church , that they 
 (hould trade with their Talents and exercife their Gifts; and 
 accordingly are they to provide for their account at the laft day: 
 By this one engine then at the fame time a-re the people depri- 
 ved ofthemeans of Edification provided for them in the Care, 
 Wifdome, and Love of the Lord Chrift , and Minifters brought 
 into a neceflity of finning , or fore-going the publick exercife.of 
 their Miniftry. 
 
 Again in Particular; It is the work and duty of the Minifters 
 of the Gofpel, to make Application of the Grace of Chrift 
 whereof they are Stewards to the Flocks committed to their 
 Charge , and that according to the efpecial ftate and condition 
 of all efpecial wants which may any way be known unto them. 
 The way o* their Application of this Grace , lyes principally in 
 the Adminiftration of Gofpel Ordinances. Therein aretheyto 
 declare, unfold, tender, and apply the Grace of Chrift according 
 unto the wants of his Difci pies, the good of whofe fouls they 
 watch for in particular. Thefe wants are very far from being 
 the fame, and in the fame degree in and unto every Congregati- 
 on^ unto any one Congregation at all times, or unto all Per- 
 fons in any Congregation, which is cafily difcerned by a faithful 
 and skilful Guide* The efpecial Application then mentioned 
 according to the Rule of the Gofpel , and fpecial AddrefTes unto 
 God in the Name of the Flock , with refpeft to the efpecial 
 wants of all or any of them, belongs to that edification, which 
 
 Chrift 
 
■ (*J) 
 
 Chrift hath appointed for his Church, Now how this duty can 
 be attended unto in the obfervanceofaprefcribed FormofLi- 
 turgy,from whence it is not lawful to digref?, is beyood my un- 
 derftmding to apprehend. I confefs men who fcoft'e at Edifica- 
 tion, and deride fpiritual Gift?, who thinks all Religion to con- 
 (ift intheObfervation of fome carn.il Inftitution , who neither 
 know nor care to come to an acquaintance with the fpiritual 
 wants of poor fouls? nor do tremble at the threatnings of 
 Chrift pointed againft their negligence and ignorance, £^.34. 
 4. that fuppofeche whole Baptized World converted to God> 
 and Preaching its felfon that account lefsneceflary then for- 
 merly at the firft Plantation of the Gofpel ; that eftecm the 
 doubts and temptations of Believers as needlefs fcruples , aid 
 their fedulous endeavours to grow in Grace and the knowledge 
 of our Lord Jefus Chrift labour loft in hypocrifie ; that perhaps 
 do envy at 3 and are troubled with the light and knowledge of 
 the People of God, and fuppofe they can difcharge the Duty of 
 the Miniftry by a bare reading of the Service Book to their Pa- 
 rifhjbythemfelves, or fome Hired by them fo to do, without 
 once enquiring into the fpiritual Condition of them, the care of 
 whofe fouls they plead to be committed to them 3 may think 
 light ofthis Consideration ; but thofewho know the terrour 
 of the Lord, and anything of their own Duty, will beotherwife 
 minded. Yet farther; There feems to be in the Impofitionof 
 a Liturgy to be ufed always as a Form in all Gofpel Adminiftra- 
 tions, an unwarrantable abridgement of their Liberty , where- 
 with Chrift hath made us free; and therefore fininthelmpofiti- 
 on and life of it. For as it is a fin in others to abridge us of the 
 Liberty purchafed for us by Jefus-Chrift, foit is in us , to give it 
 up, and not to fuffer in our Teftimony for it. "Now of that Li- 
 berty purchafed for us by Jefus Chrift , fo far as it relates to the 
 WorfhipofGod there are two Parts; Firfi , a frcedome from 
 thofe Pedagogical Inftitutions of God himfdf, which by his 
 own appointment were to continue onely to the time of Re- 
 formation. Secondly , A freedome from fubje£Hon to the Au- 
 thority of men as to any new Impofitions in or about the Wor- 
 frip of God, 1 Qer. 7. 1 1 . And the fame Rule is given out as to 
 ourdatyanddepoitmentinreferenceuntobotbthefe, Gd. 5. 
 1. 1 Pet. 2. 1 6. No w not to ft and fift in the Liberty for us pur- 
 
 I chafed 
 
(66) 
 
 chafed by ChtM , is not to have that efteem of it as a Priviledgs 
 given us by his Love as we ought to have^nor thatfenfeof it as 
 a duty enjoyned ns by him which ought to be in us. I fay there 
 is the fame reafon ot both there in refpeft of Liberty. As we arc 
 freed from Mojaical Institutions , fo chat none can Impofe the 
 Obfervation of them upon us, by vertueof their firft Appoint- 
 ment , fo are we alio from any fucceeding Impofitions of men. 
 Our Liberty equally refpedts the one a&i the other. And as to 
 ihofe Inftitutions , fuch was -the tendefnefs of the Holy Ghoft 
 and the ApolUes of our Lord Jefus Chriftby his directions and 
 guidance, that they would not, ( no notforaieafon^ enjoyn 
 rhe obfervance of any of them , no not of thofe which put men 
 on no pofitive Duties , but were meer abridgements in point of 
 forne pradifes , upon the Difciples of Chrift , but onely fuch 
 whofe obfervation for that feafon was madencceffary by reafon 
 of fcandals and offences , before any fuch Impofition ot theirs, 
 *Atts 1 5. nor by a purity of reafon if regard be had to their Ex- 
 ample, can there any abridgement be lawfully made of the Li- 
 berty of Chritts Difciples by any Impofition of things of the la- 
 ter fort, unlefs it be as to the Obfervation of fome fuch things as 
 are made neceffary incafeoffcandal antecedent unto any fuch 
 Impofition. We grant then that there may be, yea, there ought 
 defa&o to be an abridgement made of our Liberty, as to the per- 
 formance of fome things at fome times, which in general we are 
 made free unto, where that performance in the ufe andexcrcife 
 of our Liberty , would prove an hindrance unto Edification, the 
 great End w hereunto all thefe things are fubfervient. But then 
 the cafe muft be fo Rated antecedent to any Impofition. Firft to 
 Impofe that which is not neceffary, and then to aflert a Necefli- 
 ty of its Obfervation Ieaft Scandal fhould enfue,is a Courfe that 
 men are not directed unto by any Gofpel Rule or Apoftolical 
 pradlhc. The fum is, that abridgement of the Liberty of the Di- 
 fciples of Chriftby Impofitions on them of things which he 
 hath not.appointed, nor made nee eflary byCircumftances ante- 
 cedent unto fuch Impofitions , are plain Uiurpations upon the 
 Conferences of the Difciples of Chrift, deftru&ive of the Liberty 
 which he hath purchafed for them, and which it it be their duty 
 to walk according to Gofpel Rule , is finful to fubmit unto. 
 That of this nature is the Impofition of a Liturgy contended 
 
 about, 
 
<*7) 
 
 about, is evident* Ic hath no Inftitution or Appointment by 
 Jefus Chrift, it is wholly of Men , there is nothing antecedent 
 unto its Impofition that (hould make it Neceffary to be Jmpo- 
 fed; aNeceflityof its Obfervation is induced upon and by its 
 Impofition, which is dire&ly dcftru&iveco our Liberty in Jefus 
 Chrift. The Necefficy pretended from the inefficiency of Mini- 
 fies for the difcharge of that which is their proper Work,hath 
 in great part been caufed by this Impofition ; and where it hath 
 nor, fome mens fin , is not to be made other menspunifhment. 
 Reafons pleaded for the Impofition Oppofed,{hall beelfewherc 
 Confidercd. 
 
 F I 5\£. IS 
 
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M. 
 
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