Commissioners Petitioning for Review of Book of Common Prayer, Commentary 2 · Preface · Section 1

Commissioners Petitioning for Review of Book of Common Prayer · Commentary 2 · Preface · Section 1

p. 2PREFACE.

BEfore we come to the Proposals,Answer. it will be perhaps necessary to say a word or two to the Preface, Sect. 1.wherein they begin with a thankful acknowledgement of his Majesties most Princely condescention; to which we shall onelyonly say, That we conceive the most real Expression of their thankfulness had been an hearty complyance with his Majesties earnest and passionate request for the use of the present Liturgie, at least so much of it as they acknowledge by these Papers to be lawful: how far they have in this expressed their thankfulness, the world sees, we need not say.]

1. AS we hope it is no matter of offence to acknowledge his Majesties gratious condescention;Reply. so when his Majesty by his Declaration hath granted us some liberty as to the use of the Liturgie before the alteration, and hath by his Commission engaged us in a Consultation for the alteration of it; we conceive our Brethren (nor the world, to whose observation they appeal) had no warrant to censure us as unthankful to his Majesty, because of our present forbearance to use it, or part of it, before the intended alteration; at least p. 3till they had heard us speak for our selves, and render an account of the reasons of our forbearance, and they had gone before us more exemplarily in their own obedience to his Majesties Declaration. As to our own Consciences, if we thought not the Common-Prayer-Book to be guilty of the general and particular faults which we have laid open to you, we durst not have found fault with it: and while we took it to be a defective, disorderly and inconvenient mode of Worship, it would be our sin to use it of choice, while we may prefer a more convenient way, what ever we ought to do in case of necessity, when we must worship God inconveniently, or not at all. And as to our people, for whose edification and not destruction we have our power or offices, we have taken that course, as far as we are able to understand, which most probably tended to their good, and to prevent their hurt and separation from the Church: and consequently, that course which did most conduce to his Majesties ends, and to his real service, and the Churches peace: none of which would be promoted by our obtruding that upon our people, which we know them unable to digest, or by our hasty offending them with the use of that, which we are forced to blame, and are endeavouring to correct and alter. And we see not how it can be justly intimated that we use no part of it, when we use the Lords Prayer, the Creed, the Commandments, the Psalms, the Chapters, and some other parts; and how much more you expect we should have used, that we might have escaped this brand of Ingratitude, we know not. But we know that Charity suffereth long, and thinketh no evil, (1 Cor. 13 4, 5.) and that we have not attempted to obtrude any mode of Worship on our Brethren, but desired the liberty to use things of that nature as may conduce to the benefit of our Flocks: And as we leave them to judge what is most beneficial to their own Flocks, who know them, and are upon the place; so it is but the like freedome which we desire: We are loath to hurt our people knowingly. The time is short; if you will answer our reasonable Proposals, it will not be too late at the expiration of our Commission, or the date of the reformed Liturgie, to use it: greater liberty hath been used about Liturgies in purer times of the Church, with less offence and accusation.

[It can be no just cause of offence to mind them of their duty,Answer. as they do us of ours;Sect. 2. telling us, It is our duty to imitate the Apostles practise in a special manner; to be tender of the Churches peace, and to advise of such p. 4Expedients, as may conduce to the healing of breaches, and uniting those that differ: for preserving of the Churches peace we know no bettter nor more efficatious way then our set Liturgie, there being no such way to keep us from Schism, as to speak all the same thing, according to the Apostle.]

If you look to the time past,Reply. by our Duties we suppose you mean our Faults; for it is not Duty when it's past: If you in these words respect onelyonly the time present and to come, we reply, 1. The Liturgie we are assured will not be a less, but a more probable means of Concord after the desired Reformation then before; the defects and inconveniences make it less fit to attain the end. 2. VVhether the Apostle by [speaking the same thing,] did mean either [all using this Liturgie of ours,] or [all using any one form of Liturgie as to the words] may easily be determined. This is of much later date, unless you will denominate the whole form of the Lords Prayer, and some little parts. And those that affirm, that the Apostles then had any other, must undertake the task of proving it, and excusing the Churches for loosing and dis-using so precious a Relict; which if preserved, would have prevented all our strifes about these things. And in the mean time they must satisfie our Arguments for the Negative: as, 1. If a Liturgie had been indited by the Apostles for the Churches, being by universal Officers inspired by the Holy Ghost, and so of universal use, it would have been used and preserved by the Church as the Holy Scriptures were. But so it was not. Ergo, no such Liturgie was indited by them for the Churches. 2. If a prescript form of words had been delivered them, there would have been no such need of exhorting them to speak the same thing, for the Liturgie would have held them close enough to that. And if the meaning had been [see that you use the same Liturgie,] some word or other to some of the Churches would have acquainted us with the existence of such a thing; and some reproofs we should have found of those that used various Liturgies, or formed Liturgies of their own, or used extemporary Prayers; and some express Exhortations to use the same Liturgie or Forms: but the holy Scripture is silent in all those matters. It is apparent therefore that the Churches then had no Liturgie, but took liberty of extemporate Expressions, and spoke in the things of God, as men do in other matters, with a natural plainness and seriousness, suiting their Expressions to the subjects and occasions. And though Divisions began to disturb their Peace and holy p. 5Orders, the Apostle in stead of prescribing them a form of Di…ine Services for their unity and concord, do exhort them to use their gifts and liberties aright, and speak the same thing for matter, avoiding Disagreements, though they used not the same words. 3. Just. Martyr, Tertull. and others sufficiently intimate to us, that the Churches quickly after the Apostles, did use the personal Abilities of their Pastours in Prayer, and give us no hint of any such Liturgie of Apostolical fabrication and imposition, and therefore doubtless there was nothing, for it could not have been so soon lost or neglected. 4. It is ordinary with those of the contrary Judgement, to tell us that the extraordinary Gifts of the Primitive Christians, were the reason why there were no prescribed forms in those times, and that such Liturgies came in upon the ceasing of those Gifts: and 1 Cor. 14. describeth a way of publick worshipping, unlike to prescript forms of Liturgie: so that the matter of Fact is proved and confessed. And then how fairly the words of the Apostle, exhorting them [to speak the same thing,] are used to prove that he would have them use the same Forms or Liturgie, we shall not tell you by any provoking Aggravations of such abuse of Scripture. And indeed for all the miraculous Gifts of those times, if prescript Forms had been judged by the Apostles to be the fittest means for the concord of the Churches, it is most probable they would have prescribed such: considering, 1. That the said miraculous Gifts were extraordinary, and belonged not to all, nor to any at all times; and therefore could not suffice for the ordinary publick Worship. 2. And those Gifts began even betimes to be abused, and need the Apostles Canons for their regulation, which he giveth them in that 1 Cor. 14. without a prescript Liturgie. 3. Because even then divisions had made not onelyonly an entrance, but an unhappy progress in the Churches; to cure which, the Apostle exhorts them oft to Unanimity and Concord, without exhorting them to read the same, or any Common-Prayer-Book. 4. Because that the Apostles knew that perilous times would come, in which men would have itching ears, and would have heaps of Teachers, and would be self-willed, and unruly, and divisions, and offences, and heresies would encrease: and ergo, as upon such fore-sight they indited the holy Scriptures to keep the Church in all Generatio…s p. 6from errour and divisions in points of Doctrine; so the same reason and care would have moved them to do the same to keep the Churches in unity in point of VVorship, if indeed they had taken prescribed Forms to be needful to such an Unity: They knew that after their departure the Church would never have the like advantage, infallible, authorized and enabled for delivering the universal Law of Christ: And seeing in those parts of VVorship, which are of stated use, and still the same, Forms might have suited all Ages as this Age, and all Countries as this Country (in the substance) there can no reason be given, why the Apostles should leave this undone, and not have performed it themselves, if they had judged such Forms to be necessary, or the most desirable means of unity. If they had prescribed them, 1. The Church had been secured from errour in them. 2. Believers had been preserved from divisions about the lawfulness and fitness of them, as receiving them from God. 3. All Churches and Countries might had one Liturgie, as they have one Scripture, and so have all spoke the same things. 4. All Ages would have had the same without innovation, (in all the parts that require not alteration) whereas now on the contrary; 1. Our Liturgies being the Writings of fallible men, are lyable to errour, and we have cause to fear subscribing to them, as having nothing contrary to the Word of God. 2. And matters of Humane Institution have become the matter of scruple and contention. 3. And the Churches have had great diversity of Liturgies. 4. And one Age hath been mending what they supposed they received from the former faulty, and imperfect: So that our own which you are so loath to change, hath not continued yet three Generations. And it is most evident, that the Apostles being entrusted with the delivery of the entire rule of Faith and Worship, and having such great advantages for our unity and peace, would never have omitted the forming of a Liturgie of universal usefulness, to avoid all the foresaid inconveniences, if they had taken this course of unity to be so needful or desirable as you seem to do. Whereas therefore you say you know no better or more efficatio…s way then our Liturgie, &c. We reply, 1. The Apostles knew the best way of unity, and of speaking the same thing in the matters of God: But the Apostles knew not our Liturgie, (nor any Common-Prayer-Book, p. 7for ought hath yet been proved.) Ergo, the said Liturgie is not the best way of unity, or speaking the same thing, &c. 2. The Primitive Church in the next Ages after the Apostles, knew the best way of unity, &c. But they knew not our Liturgie. Ergo, our Liturgie (not known till lately) is not the best way of unity. If it be said that our Liturgie is ancient, because the Sursum Corda, the Gloria Patri, &c. are ancient: We answer, If indeed it be those ancient sentences that denominate our Liturgie, we erave the Justice to be esteemed Users of the Liturgie, and not to suffer as Refusers of it, as long as we use all that is found in it of such true antiquity.

[This experience of former and latter times hath taught us,Answer. when the Liturgie was duly observed,Sect. 3. we lived in peace; since that was laid aside, there hath been as many modes and fashions of publick Worship, as fancies: we have had continual dissention, which variety of Services must needs produce, whilst every one naturally desires and endeavors not onelyonly to maintain, but to prefer his own way before all others: whence we conceive there is no such way to the preservation of peace, as for all to return to the strict use and practise of the Form.]

Pardon us while we desire you to examine whether you speak as members that suffer with those that suffer,Reply. or rather as insensible of the calamities of your Brethren, that is as uncharitable: you say you lived in peace, but so did not the many thousands that were fain to seek them peaceable habitations in Holland, and in the deserts of America; nor the many thousands that lived in danger of the High-Commission, or Bishops Courts at home, and so in danger of every malitious Neighbour that would accuse them of hearing Sermons abroad, when they had none at home; or of meeting in a Neighbors house to pray, or of not kneeling in the receiving of the Sacrament, &c. We would not have remembred you of these things, but that you necessitate us by pleading your peace in those days as an Argument for the imposing of the Liturgie. 2. Might not Scotland as strongly argue from this Medium against the Liturgie and say, [Before the Liturgie was imposed on us, we had peace, but since then we have had no peace?] 3. When the strict imposing of the strict use and practise of these Forms was the very thing that disquieted this Nation, (taking in p. 8the concomitant Ceremonies and Subscription) when this was it that bred the divisions which you complain of, and caused the separations from the Churches, and the troubles in the Churches: it is no better arguing to say, We must return to the strict use of that Form if we will have peace, then it was in the Israelites to say, [We will worship the Queen of Heaven, because then we had peace and plenty,] when that was it that deprived them of peace and plenty; (we compare not the Causes, but the Arguments:) nor is it any better Argument then if a man in a Dropsie or Ague, that catcht it with voracity or intemperance, should say, [While I did eat and drink liberally, I had no Dropsie or Ague, but since my appetite is gone, and I have lived temperately, I have had no health; Ergo, I must return to my intemperance, as the onelyonly way to health.] Alas! Is this the use that is made of all our experiences of the causes and progress of our Calamities? What have you and we, and all smarted as we have done, and are you so speedily ready to return to the way that will engage you in violence against them that should be suffered to live in peace? If the furnace that should have refined us, and purified us all to a greater height of love, have but enflamed us to greater wrath, wo to us, and to the Land that beareth us. What doleful things doth this prognosticate you, that Prisons, or other penalties, will not change mens Judgements: And if it drive some to comply against their Consciences, and destroy their Souls, and drive the more conscientious out of the Land, or destroy their bodies, and breed in mens mindes a rooted opinion, that Bishops that are still hurting and afflicting them, (even for the things in which they exercise the best of their understanding, and cautelously to avoid sin against God) are no Fathers, Friends or Edifiers, but Destroyers; alas! who will have the gain of this? O let us no more bite and devour one another, lest we be devoured one of another, Gal. 5. 15. or Christ be provoked to decide the Controversie more sharply then we desire or expect. 4. But really, hath liberty to forbear the Liturgie produced such divisions as you mention? The licence or connivance that was granted to Hereticks, Apostates, and foul-mouthed raylers against the Scripture, Ministry, and all Gods Ordinances, indeed bred confusions in the Land; but it is to us matter of admiration to observe (clean contrary to your intimation) how p. 9little discord there was in Prayer, and other parts of Worship among all the Churches throughout the three Nations, that agreed in Doctrine, and that forbore the Liturgie. It is wonderful to us in the review to consider, with what love, and peace, and concord, they all spoke the same things that were tied to no Form of words, even those that differed in some points of Discipline, even to a with-drawing from local Communion with us, yet strangely agreed with us in Worship. And where have there been less Heresies, Schisms, then in Scotland, where there was no such Liturgie to unite them? If you tell us of those that differ from us in Doctrine, and are not of us, it is as impertinent to the point of our own agreement in VVorship, as to tell us of the Papists.

[And the best expedients to unite us all to that again,Answer. and so to peace, are,Sect. 4. besides our Prayers to the God of peace, to make us all of one mind in an house, to labour to get true humility, which would make us think our Guides wiser, and fitter to order us then we our selves; & Christian charity, which would teach us to think no evil of our Superiors, but to judge them rather careful Guides and Fathers to us: which being obtained, nothing can be imagined justly to hinder us from a ready complyance to this method of service appointed by them, & so live in unity]

Prayer and Humility are indeed the necessary means of peace:Reply. But if you will let us pray for peace in no words but what are in the Common-Prayer Book, their brevity and unaptness, and the customariness, that will take off the edge of fervour with humane nature, will not give leave (or help sufficient) to our souls to work towards God, upon this subject, with that enlargedness, copiousness and freedome as is necessary to due fervour. A brief transient touch, and away, is not enough to warm the heart aright; and cold Prayers, are like to have a cold return; and therefore even for peace sake, let us pray more copiously and heartily then the Common-Prayer-Book will help us to do. And whether this be that cause, or whether it be that the Common-Prayer-Book hath never a Prayer for it self, we finde that its Prayers prevail not to reconcile many sober, serious persons to it, that live in faithful fervent Prayer. 2. And for Humility, we humbly conceive it would most effectually heal us, & by causing the Pastors of the Church to know that they are not to rule the flocks as Lords, but as ensamples; not by constraint, but p. 10willingly, 1 Pet. 5. 2, 3. and it would cause them not to think so lightly of themselves, and so meanly of their Brethren, as to judge no words fit to be used to God in the publick Worship, but what they prescribe, and put into our mouths; and that other men are generally unable to speak sensibly or suitably, unless they tell us what to say; or that all others are unfit to be trusted with the expressing of their own desires: Humility would perswade the Pastors of the Church at least to undertake no more then the Apostles did, and no more to obtrude or impose their own words upon all others in the publick Worship: if they found any unfit to be trusted with the expression of their minds in publick Prayer, they would do what they could to get meeter men in their places; and till then, they would restrain, and help such as need it; and not upon that pretence, as much restrain all the ablest Ministers, as if the whole Church were to be nominated, measured, or used according to the quality of the most unworthy. And it is also true, that humility in private persons and inferiours, would do much to our peace, by keeping them in due submission and obedience, and keeping them from all contentions and divisions, which proceed from self-conceitedness and pride. But yet, 1. The humblest, surest Subjects may stumble upon the scruple, whether Bishops differ not from Presbyters onelyonly in degree, and not in order or office, (it being a Controversie, and no resolved point of Faith even among the Papists, whose Faith is too extensive, and favor too Ecclesiastical, ambition too great) and consequently they may doubt whether men in the same order, do by Divine appointment owe obedience unto those that gradually go before them. 2. And they may scruple whether such making themselves the Governours of their Brethren, make not themselves in…eed of a different order of office, and so encroach not on the authority of Christ, who onelyonly maketh Officers purely Ecclesiastical; and whether it be no disloyalty to Christ to own such Officers. 3. And among those Divines that are for a threefold Episcopacy, (besides that of Presbyters, who are Episcopi Gre…is) viz. general unfixed Bishops, like the Evangelists or Apostles, (in their measure) and the fixed Bishops of Parochial Churches, that have Presbyters to assist them, to whom they do preside, and also the Presidents of larger Synods; yet is it a matter of very great doubt, whether a fixed Diocesan being the Pastor of many hundred p. 11Churches, having none under him, that hath the power of Jurisdiction or Ordination, be indeed a Governor of Christs appointment or approbation; and whether Christ will give us any more thanks for owning them as such, then the King will give us for owning a… Usurper. Humility alone will not seem to subject these men to such a Government. 4. And though their coercive Magistra…ical power be easily submitted to, as from the King, (how unfit Subjects soever Church-men are of such a power) yet he that knoweth his superiours best, doth honour God more, and supposeth God more infallible then man, and will feel himself most indispensibly bound by Gods commands, and bound not to obey man against the Lord. And whereas there is much said against the peoples taking on them to judge of the lawfulness of things commanded them by superiours, we add, 5. That humble men may believe that their superiours are fallible; that it is no impossibility to command things that God forbids; that in such cases, if we have sufficient means to discern the sinfulness of such commands, we must make use of them, and must obey God rather then men; that when the Apostles acted according to such a resolution, Act. 4. 19. and Daniel and the three VVitnesses, Dan. 6. & 3. they all exercised a judgment of discerning upon the matter of their superiours commands; that not to do so at all, is to make Subjects Brutes, and so no Subjects, because not rational free Agents, or to make all Governours to be Gods: and lastly, that it will not save us from Hell, nor justifie us at Judgement for sinning against God, to say that superiours commanded us; nor will it prove all the Martyrs to be sinners and condemned, because they judged of their superiours commands, and disobeyed them. All which we say, to shew the insufficiency of the Remedy here by you propounded, (the humility of Inferiours) unless you will also add your help; without obedience there is no order or lasting concord to be expected: And by abasing the eternal God, so far as to set him and his Laws below a creature, under pretence of obedience to the creature, no good can be expected, because no peace with heaven; without which, peace with men is but a confederacy, hastning each party to destruction: and therefore absolute obedience must be given onelyonly to God the absolute Soveraign. In all this we suppose that we are all agreed: and therefore, 6. and lastly, we must say that the way to make us think p. 12the Bishops to be so wise, and careful Guides and Fathers to us, is nor for them to seem wiser then the Apostles, and make those things of standing necessity to the Churches unity, which the Apostles never made so; nor to forbid all to preach the Gospel, or to hold Communion with the Church, that dare not conform to things unnecessary. Love and tenderness are not used to express themselves by hurting and destroying men for nothing; and to silence and reject from Church-Communion for a …eremony, and in the mean time to perswade men that they love them, is but to stab or famish all the sick persons in the Hospital or Family, whose stomacks cannot take down the d…sh we offer them, or whose throats are too narrow to swallow so big a morsel as we send them; and when we have done, to tell them, the onelyonly remedy is for them to believe we love them, and are tender of them. And who knows not that a man may think well of his Superiours, that yet may question whether all that he teacheth or commandeth him, be lawful?

[If it be objected,Answer. That the Liturgie is in any way sinful and unlawful for us to joyn with,Sect. 5. it is but reason that this be first proved evidently, before any thing be altered: it is no Argument to say, That multitudes of sober pious persons scruple the use of it, unless it be made to appear by evident reasons, that the Liturgie gave the just grounds to make such scruples. For if the bare pretence of scruples be suff…cient to exempt us from Obedience, all Law and Order is gone.]

To this passage we humbly crave your consideration of these Answers:Reply. 1. VVe have not onelyonly said, that sober pious Persons scruple the Liturgie, but we have opened to you those defects and disorders, and corruptions, which must needs make the imposing of it unlawful, when God might be more fitly served. 2. It is strange that you must see it first evidently proved unlawful for men to joyn with the Liturgie, (you mean, we suppose, to joyn with you in the using of it, or when you …e it) before you will see reason to alter any thing in it: What if it be onelyonly proved unlawful for you to impose it, though not for others to joyn with you when you do impose it, is this no reason to alter it? Should you not have some care to avoid sin your selves, as well as to preserve others from it? An inconvenient mode of VVorship is a p. 13sin in the Imposer, and in the Chuser, and voluntary User, that might offer God better, and will not, Mal. 1. 13, 14. And yet it may not be onelyonly lawful, but a duty to him that by violence is necessitated to offer up that or none. And yet we suppose the Imposers should see cause to make an Alteration. If you lived where you must receive the Lords Supper sitting, or not at all, it's like you would be of this mind your selves. 3. Why should it be called [A bare pretence of Scruples?] as if you searched the hearts, and knew (not only that they are upon mistake, but) that they are not real, when the persons not onelyonly profess them real, but are willing to use all just means that tend to their satisfaction: they study, read, pray, and will be glad of Conference with you, at any time, upon equal terms, if they may be themselves believed. 4. Even groundless scruples about the matter of an unnecessary Law, which hath that which to the weak both is and will be an appearance of evil, may be sufficient to make it the Duty of Rulers to reverse their impositions, though they be not sufficient to justifie the Scrupulous. 5. If a man should think that he ought not to obey man even when he thinketh it is against the Commands of God, though he be uncertain, (as in case of going on an unquestioned Warfare, or doing Doegs execution, &c.) yet it followeth not, that [all Law and Order is gone,] as long as all Laws and Orders stand that are visibly subservient to the Laws of God, and to his Soveraignty, or consistent with them, and when the Subject submitteth to suffering where he dare not obey.

[On the contrary we judge,Answer. that if the Liturgie should be altered as is there required,Sect. 6. not onelyonly a multitude, but the generality of the soberest and most loyal Children of the Church of England would justly be offended, since such an alteration would be a virtual Concession that this Liturgie were an intolerable burden to tender consciences, a direct cause of Schism, a superstitious usage, (upon which pretences it is here desired to be altered) which would at once both justifie all those which have so obstinately separated from it, as the onelyonly pious, tender-conscienced men, and condemn all those that have adhered to that, in conscience of their duty and loyalty, with their loss or hazard of estates, lives and fortunes, as men superstitious, schismatical, and void of Religion and Conscience. For this reason, and th…se that follow, we cannot consent to such an alteration as is desired, till these pretences be proved, which we conceive in no wise to be done in these Papers; and shall give Reasons for this our Judgement.]

p. 14If the Liturgie should be altered,Reply. as is here required, and desired by us, that it could be no just offence to the generality (or any) of the soberest and most loyal Children of the Church, (as you speak) is easie to be proved, by laying together the considerations following: 1. Because it is by themselves confessed to be alterable, as not having it self its formal Constitution, till less then two hundred years ago. 2. And themselves affirm it to be not necessary to salvation, but a thing indifferent, while they exclude all higher institutions from the power of the Church. 3. They confess it lawful to serve God without this Liturgie, without which he was served by other Churches above 1460 years, and without which he is now served by other Churches, when the contrary minded doubt whether with it he be lawfully served. 4. Those that desire the alteration, desire no more then to serve God as the Churches did in the days of the Apostles, that had their most infallible conduct. 5. And they offer also such Forms as are more unquestionable as to their congruency to the Word of God, and to the nature of the several parts of Worship. 6. And yet though they desire the surest concord, and an universal Reformation, they desire not to impose on others what they offer, but can thankfully accept a Liberty to use what is to their own Consciences most unquestionably safe, while other men use that which they like better. So that set all this together, with the consideration of the necessity of the preaching the Word, and Communion that is hereupon denyed, and you may see it proved, That to have such a Liturgie so altered, that is confessed alterable, for so desirable an end, for the use onelyonly of those that cannot well use it, without urging others to any thing that they do themselves account unlawful, cannot be a matter of just offence to the generality of sober Children of the Church, nor to any one. And as to the reason given, it is apparently none: For, 1. Of those that scruple the unlawfulness of it, there are many that will not peremptorily affirm it unlawful, and condemn all that use it, but they dare not use it doubtingly themselves. 2. When our Papers were before you, we think it not just that you should say that it's here desired to be altered, on the pretence that it is a direct cause of Schism, and a superstitious usage: Have we any such expressions? If we have, let them be recited; if not, it is hard that this should even by you be thus affirmed as is said by us, which we have not said. VVe have said, [That the Ceremonies have been the Fountain of much evil, occasioning divisions, but not what you charge us to have said p. 15in words or sence. 3. And may not you alter them without approving, or seeming to approve the reason upon which the alteration is desired, when you have so great store of other reasons? The King in his Declaration is far enough from seeming to own the Charge against the things which he was pleased graciously to alter so far as is there exprest. If a Patient have a conceit that some one thing would kill him, if he took it, the Physitian may well forbear him in that one thing, when it is not necessary to his health, without owning his reasons against it. If his Majesty have Subjects so weak as to contend about things indifferent, and if both sides erre, one thinking them necessary, and the other sinful; may he not gratifie either of them without seeming to approve their errour? By this reason of yours he is by other men in such a case necessitated to sin; for if he settle those things which some count necessary, he seems to approve of their opinion, that they are necessary; if he take them down when others call them sinful, he seems to own their charge of the sinfulness. But indeed he needeth not to do either; he may take them down, or leave them indifferent; professedly for unity and peace, and professedly disown the Errours on both sides. We are sorry if any did esteem these Forms and Ceremonies any better then mutable indifferent Modes and Circumstances of Worship; and did hazard estate or life for them as any otherwise esteemed: And we are sorry, that by our Divisions the Adversary of Peace hath gotten so great an advantage against us, as that the Argument against necessary charitable forbearance is fetch'd from the interest of the reputation of the contending Parties, that things may not be abated to others which you confess are indifferent and alterable, and which many of them durst not use, though to save their lives. And this because it will make them thought the pious, tender conscienc'd men, and make others thought worse of. But with whom will it have these effects? Those that you call the generality of the sober loyal children of the Church, will think never the worse of themselves, because others have liberty to live by them, without these things: and the rest, whose liberties you deny, will think rather the worse of you, then the better, for denying them their liberty in the worshipping of God. You undoubtedly argue here against the interest of Reputation, which you stand for: Your Prefaces to your Indulgencies, and your open Professions; and (if you will needs have it so) your own Practises, will tell the world loud enough, that the things which you adhered to with so great hazards p. 16are still lawful in your Judgement, and it will be you honour, and adde to your reputation, to abate them to others, when it is in your power to be more severe. And if you refuse it, their sufferings will tell the world loud enough, that for their parts they still take them to be things unlawful. As for the Reasons by them produced to prove them sinful, they have been publickly made known in the Writings of many of them; in Ames his fresh suit against the Ceremonies, and in the Abridgement, &c. and in Bradshaws, Nicolls, and other mens Writings.

[To the first general Proposal,Answer. Prop. a. 1. we answer: That as to that part of it which requires that the matter of the Liturgie may not be private opinion or fancy,Sect. 1. that being the way to perpetuate Schism; the Church hath been careful to put nothing into the Liturgie, but that which is either evidently the Word of God, or what hath been generally received in the Catholick Church; neither of which can be called private opinion: and if the contrary can be proved, we wish it out of the Liturgie.]

VVe call those Opinions which are not determined Certainties;Reply. and though the greater number should hold them as Opinions, they are not therefore the Doctrines of the Church, and therefore might be called private Opinions: but indeed we used not the word, (that we can finde:) the thing that we desired, was, that the materials of the Liturgie may consist of nothing doubtful, or questioned among pious, learned and Orthodox persons.] We said also, That the limiting Church-Communion to things of doubtful disputation, hath been in all Ages the ground of Schism and Separation, (which is not to say, that the Liturgie it self is a superstitious usage, or a direct cause of Schism.) And we cited the words of a learned man, (Mr. Hales) not as making every word our own, but as a Testimony ad hominem, because he was so highly valued by your selves, (as we suppose) and therefore we thought his words might be more regarded by you then our own. 2. Where you say, [That the Church hath been careful to put nothing in the Liturgie, but that which is either evidently the Word of God, or that which had been generally received in the Catholick Church:] VVe reply, 1. VVe suppose there is little or nothing now controverted between us, which you will say is evidently the VVord of God, either the Forms or Ceremonies, or any of the rest. 2. If by [in the Church,] you mean [not by the Church,] p. 17but by any part in the Church; how shall we know that they did well? And if by [the generality] you mean not All, but the Greater part, you undertake the proof of that which is not easie to be proved; it being so hard to judge of the majority of Persons in the Catholick Church, in any notable differences. VVe do take it for granted that you limit not the Catholick Church, as the Papists do, to the Confines of the Roman Empire; but indeed we can onelyonly wish, that your Assertion were true, while we must shew it to be untrue, if you speak of the Primitive Church, or of an universality of time, as well as place; (if not, it's more against you, that the Primitive Catholick Church was against you.) The very thing in question that containeth the rest, [That it's needful to the peace of the Church, that all the Churches under one Prince should use one Form of Liturgie,] was not received by the Catholick Church, nor by the generality in it; when it is so well known that they used diversitie of Liturgies and Customes in the Roman Empire. The generality in the Catholick Church received not the Lords Supper kneeling, at least on any Lords days, when it was forbidden by divers general Councils, and when this prohibition was generally received as an Apostolical tradition: VVe have not heard it proved, that the Surplis or Cross, as used with us, were received by the universal Church: it is a private Opinion not received by the Catholick Church, that [It is requisite that no man should come to the holy Communion, but with a full trust in Gods mercy, and with a quiet conscience,] though it be every mans duty to be perfect pro statu viatoris, yet it is not requisite that no man come till he be perfect. He that hath but a weak Faith, (though not a full trust) must come to have it strenghtened: and he that hath an unquit conscience, must come to receive that mercy which may quiet it. It is a private Opinion, and not generally received in the Catholick Church, [That one of the people] may make the publick Confession at the Sacrament in the name of all those that are minded to receive the holy Communion. It is a private, and not generally received distinction, that the Body of Christ makes clean our bodies, and his Blood washeth our souls. It is a doubtful Opinion, to speak easily, that when the Lords Supper is delivered with a Prayer not made in the Receivers name, but thus directed to him by the Minister, [The Body of our Lord Jesus Christ, &c. preseve thy body and soul,] it is so intolerable a thing for the Receiver not to kneel in hearing the prayer, that he must else be thrust from the Communion of the Church, and yet that no p. 18Minister shall kneel that indeed doth pray: But he may pray standing, and the Hearers be cast out for standing at the same words. It is not a generally received, but a private Opinion, [That every Parishioner (though impenitent, and conscious of his utter unfitness, and though he …e in despair, and think he shall take his own damnation) must be forced to receive thrice a year; when yet even those that have not [A full trust in Gods mercy,] or have not [a quiet conscience,] were before pronounced so uncapable, as that none such should come to the Communion.] Abundance more such Instances may be given, to shew how far from truth the Assertion is, that [The Church hath been careful to put nothing into the Liturgie, but that which is either evidently the Word of God, or which hath been generally received in the Catholick Church,] unless you speak of some unhappy unsuccessful Carefulness. But we thankfully accept of your following words, [And if the contrary can be proved, we wish it out of the Liturgie,] which we intreat you to pefso…m, and impartially receive our proofs. But then we must also intreat you, 1. That the Primitive Churches Judgement and Practise may be preferred before the present declined, much corrupted State. And 2. If Gods Law rather then the sinful practises of men breaking that Law, may be the Churches Rule for Worship: For you call us to subscribe to Art. 19. that [As the Church of Jerusalem, Alexandria and Antioch hath erred, so also the Church of Rome hath erred, not onelyonly in their living, and manner of Ceremonies, but also in matters of Faith: and saith Rogers, in Art. 20. They are out of the way, which think that either one man, as the Pope, or any certain Calling of men, as the Clergie, hath power to decree and appoint Rites or Ceremonies, though of themselves good, unto the whole Church of God, dispersed over the universal world.] And indeed, if you would have all that corruption brought into our Liturgie, and Discipline, and Doctrine, which the Papists, Greeks, and others that undoubtedly make up the far greater number of the now universal Church do use; you would deserve no more thanks of God or man, then he that would have all Kings, and Nobles, and Gentry levelled with the poor Commons, because the latter are the greater number; or then he that would have the healthful conformed to the sick, when an Epidemical Disease hath made them the Majority; or then he that would teach us to follow a multitude to do evil, and to break more then the least Commands, because the greater number break them. We pray you therefore to take it for no justification of p. 19any uncertain or faulty passage in our Liturgis, though the greater number now are guilty of it. 3. And we must beseech you, if the Churches Judgement or Practise must be urged, that you would do us the justice as to imitate the ancient Churches in you sense of the quality, and the mode and measure of using and imposing things, as well as in the materials used and imposed. Consider not onelyonly [whether you finde such things received by the ancient Churches,] but also consider how they were received, esteemed and used; whether as necessary or indifferent; as points of Faith, or doubtful Opinion; whether forced on others, or left to their free choice. If you finde, that the generality of the Antient Churches received the White Garment after Baptism, and the tasting of Milk and Honey, as Ceremonies freely, though generally used; you should not therefore force men to use them. If you finde, that the Doctrine of the Mil…ennium, or of Angels corporeity was generally received as an Opinion, it will not warrant you to receive either of them as a certain necessary truth. If you finde, that the general Councils forbad Kneeling in any Adoration on the Lords days, but without force against Dissenters; you may not go deny the Sacrament to all that kneel, nor yet forbid them to keel in praying. So if you finde some little parcels of our Liturgie, or some of our Ceremonies used as things indifferent, left to choice, forced upon none, but one Church differing from another in such usages or observances, this will not warrant you to use the same things as necessary to order, unity or peace, and to be forced upon all: use them no otherwise then the Churches used them.

[We heartily desire,Answer. that according to this Proposal, great care may be taken to suppress those private Conceptions of Prayers before and after Sermon,Sect. 2. lest private Opinions be made the matter of Prayer in Publick, as hath and will be, if private persons take liberty to make Publick Prayers.]

The desire of your hearts is the grief of our hearts;Reply. the Conceptions of Prayer by a publick person, according to a publick rule, for a publick use, are not to be rejected as private Conceptions: We had hoped you had designed no such innovation as this in the Church: VVhen we have heard any say that it would come to this, and that you designed the suppression of the free Prayers of Ministers in the Pulpit, suited to the variety of the subjects and occasions, we p. 20have rebuked them as uncharitable in passing so heavy a censure on you: And what would have been said of us a year ago, if we should have said that this was in your hearts? Nothing will more alienate the hearts of many holy prudent persons from the Common-Prayer, then to perceive that it is framed and used as an Instrument to shut out all other Prayers, as the Ministers private Conceptions. Such an end and designe, will make it, under the notion of a means, another thing then else it would be, and afford men such an Argument against it, as we desire them not to have: but we hope you speak not the publick sense. As the Apostles desired (as aforesaid) that all would speak the same things, without giving them (that ever was proved) a Form of words to speak them in; so might we propose to you, that uncertain opinions be made no part of our Liturgie, without putting all their words into their mouthes, in which their desires must be altered. Your hearty desire, and the reason of it, makes not onelyonly against extemporary Prayer, but all prepared or written Forms or Liturgies that were indited onelyonly by one man, and have not the consent antecedently of others. And do you think this was the course of the Primitive times? Basil thus used his private Conceptions at C…sarea, and Greg. Thaumaturgus before him at Neocesarea, and all Pastors in Justin Martyrs and Tertullians days. And how injurious is it to the Publick Officers of Christ, the Bishops and Pastors of the Churches, to be called private men? who are publick persons in the Church, if they be not? Every single person is not a private person, else Kings and Judges would be so. And have you not better means to shut out private opinions, then the forbidding Ministers praying in the Pulpit, according to the variety of subjects and occasions? You have first the Examination of persons to be ordained, and may see that they be able to speak sense, and fit to manage their proper works with judgement and discretion, before you ordain them; And some confidence may be put in a man in his proper calling and work, to which he is admitted with so great care, as we hope (or desire) you will admit them. If you are necessitated to admit some few that are injudicious, or unmeet, we beseech you (not onelyonly to restore the many hundred worthy men laid by, to a capacity, but that you will not so dishonour the whole Church, as to suppose all such, and to use all as such, but restrain those that deserve restraint, and not all others for their sakes: And next, you have a Publick Rule (the holy Scripture) for these men to pray by. And if any of them be intolerably guilty p. 21of weaknesses or rashness, or other miscarriages, the words being spoken in publick, you have witnesses enow, and sure there is power enough in Magistrates and Bishops to punish them; and if they prove incorrigible, to cast them out. In all other Professions these means are thought sufficient to regulate the Professors. His Majesty thinks it enough to regulate his Judges, that he may chuse able men, and fit to be trusted in their proper work; and that they are respo…sible for all their male-administrations, without prescribing them Forms, beyond which they may not speak any thing in their Charge. Physitians being first tryed, and responsible for their doings, are constantly trusted with the lives of high and low, without tying them to give no counsel or medicine but by the prescript of a Book, or determination of a Colledge. And it is so undeniable, that your reason makes more against Preaching, and for onelyonly reading Homilies, as that we must like it the worse, if not fear what will become of Preaching also. For, 1. It is known that in Preaching a man hath far greater opportunity and liberty to vent a false or private opinion, then in Prayer. 2. It is known de eventu, that it is much more ordinary. And if you say, [That he speaks not the words of the Church, but his own, nor unto God, but man, and therefore it is less matter:] We answer, It is as considerable, if not much more, from whom he speaks, then to whom he speaks as the M…nister of Christ, in his stead and name, 2 Cor. 3. 19, 20. And it is as a higher, so a more reverend thing to speak in Gods Name to the people, then in the peoples name to God; and to speak that which we call Gods Word, or Truth, or Message, then that which we call but our own desire: we make a God a lyar, or corrupt in his words, if we speak a falshood in his Name; we make but our selves lyars, if we speak a falshood to him in our names: the former therefore is the more heynous and dreadful abuse, and more to be avoided: or if but equally, it shews the tende…cy of your reason, (for we will not say of your designe, as hoping you intend not to make us Ruff…ans.) We do therefore for the sake of the poor threatned Church, beseech you that you will be pleased to repent of these desires, and not to prosecute them, considering that to avoid a lesser evil (avoidable by safer means) you will bring a far greater evil on the Churches, and such as is like to strip these Nations of the glory in which they have excelled the rest of the world▪ even a learned, able, holy Ministry, and a people sincere, and serious, and understanding in the matters of their salvation. For, 1. As it is well known that an ignorant man may read p. 22a Prayer and Homily as distinctly and laudably as a learned Divine, and so may do the work of a Minister, if this be it; so it is known that mans nature is so addicted to ease and sensual diversions, as that multitudes will make no better preparations, when they find that no more is necessary, when they are as capable of their places and maintenance if they can but read, and are forced upon no exercise of their parts, which may detect and shame their ignorance, but the same words are to be read by the ablest and ignorantest man: it is certain that this will make multitudes idle in their Academical Studies, and multitudes to spend their time idly all the year, in the course of their Ministry: and when they have no necessity that they are sensible of, of diligent studies, it will let loose their f…eshly voluptuous inclinations, and they will spend their time in sports, and drinking, and prating, and idleness; and this will be a Seminary of Lust: or they will follow the world, and drown themselves in Covetousness and Ambition, and their hearts will be like their studies. As it's the way to have a holy able Ministry, to engage them to holy studies, to meditate on Gods Law day and night; so it's the way to have an ignorant, prophane and scandalous Ministry, (and consequently Enemies to serious Godliness in others) to impose upon them but such a work, as in ignorance and idleness they may perform as well as the judicious and the diligent. If it be said, [That their parts may be tryed and exercised some other way:] We answer, Where should a Ministers parts be exercised, if not in the Pulpit or the Church, and in Catechising, in private Baptism and Communion, and in the visitation of the sick? their work also is such as a School-boy may do as well as they, their ignorance having the same Cloak, as in publick. If it be said, [That a Ministers work is not to shew his parts:] We answer, But his Ministerial work is to shew men their sins, and to preach the wonderful mysteries of the Gospel, to help men to search, and understand the Scriptures, and to search, and to know their hearts, and to know God in Christ, and to hope for the glory that is to be revealed; and fervently to pray for the success of his endeavours, and the blessings of the Gospel on the people, and chearfully to praise God for his …arious benefits; which cannot be done without Abilities. A …hysitians work is not to shew his parts ultimately, but it is to do that for the cure of diseases which without parts he cannot do; and in the exercise of his parts, (on which the issue much depends) to save mens lives. The ostentation of his good works, is not the work of p. 23a good Christian; and yet he must so let his light shine before men, that they may see his good works, and glorifie God. And undeniable experience tells us, That God ordinarily proportioneth the success and blessing to the skill, and holiness, and diligence of the Instruments; and blesseth not the labours of ignorant, ungodly Drones, as he doth the labours of able faithful Ministers. And also that the readiest way to bring the Gospel into contempt with the world, and c…use all Religion to dwindle away into Formality first, and then to Barbarism and Brutishness, is to let in an ignorant, idle, vicious Ministry, that will become the peoples scorn: Yea, this is the way to extirpate Christianity out of any Country in the world, which is decaying apace, when men grow ignorant of the nature and reasons of it, and unexperienced in its power and delightful fruits, and when the Teachers themselves grow unable to defend it. And we must adde, That whatsoever can be expected duely to affect the heart, must keep the intellect, and all the faculties awake in diligent attention and exercise: And in the use of a Form, which we have frequently heard and read, the faculties are not so necessitated and urged to attention, and serious exercise, as they be when from our own understanding we are set about the natural work of representing to others what we discern and feel. Mans minde is naturally sloathful, and will take its ease, and remit its seriousness longer then it is urged by necessity, or drawn out by delight: When we know beforehand, that we have no more to do, but read a Prayer or Homily, we shall ordinarily be in danger of letting our minds go another way, and think of other matters, and be senceless of the work in hand. Though he is but an Hypocrite that is carried on by no greater motive then mans observation and approbation; yet is it a help not to be despised, when even a necessity of avoiding just shame with men, shall necessarily awake our invention, and all our faculties to the work, and be a concurrent help with spiritual motives. And common experience tells us, That the best are apt to loose a great deal of their affection by the constant use of the same words or forms. Let the same Sermon be preached an hundred times over, and try whether an hundred for one will not be much less moved by it, then they were at first. It is not onelyonly the common corruption of our nature, but somewhat of innocent infirmity that is the cause of this. And man must cease to be man, or to be mortal, before it will be otherwise. So that the nature of the thing, and the common experience of our own dispositions, and of p. 24the effect on others, assureth us, that understanding serious Godliness, is like to be extinguished, if onelyonly Forms be allowed in the Church, on pretence of extinguishing errors and divisions: And though we have concurred to offer you our more corrected Nepent…es, yet must we before God and me…, protest against the dose of Opium which you here prescribe or wish for, as that which plainly tendeth to cure the di…ease by the extinguishing of life, and to unite us all in a dead Religion. And when the Prayers that avail must be effectual and ferve …t, Jam 5. 16. and God will be worshipped in spirit and truth, and more regardeth the f…ame of the heart, then the comeliness of expression; we have no reason to be taken with any thing that pretends to help the tongue, while we are sure it ordinarily hurts the heart: And it is not the affirmations of any men in the world, perswading us of the harmlessness of such a course, that can so far un-man us, as to make us dis-believe both our own experience, and common observation of the effects on others. Yet we confess that some Forms have their laudable use, to cure that errour and vice that lyeth on the other extream. And might we but sometimes have the liberty to interpose such words as are needful to call home and quicken attention and affection, we should think that a convenient conjunction of both might be a well-tempered means to the common constitutions of most. But still we see the world will run into extreams, whatever be said or done to hinder it. It is but lately that we were put to it, against one extream, to defend the lawfulness of a Form of Liturgie; now the other extream it troubleth us, that we are forced against you, even such as you, to defend the use of such Prayers of the Pastors of the Churches, as are necessarily varied according to subjects and occasions, while you would have no Prayer at all in the Church, but such prescribed Forms. And why may we not adde, That whoever maketh the Forms imposed on us, if he use them, is guilty as well as we of praying accordi…g to his private Conceptions? And that we never said it proved from Scripture, that Christ appointed any to such an Office, as to make Prayers for other Pastors and Churches to offer up to God: and that this being none of the work of the Apostolical, or common Ministerial Office in the Primitive Church, is no work of any Office of Divine Institution.

[To that part of the Proposal,Answer. Sect 3. That the Prayers may cons…st of nothing doubtful, or questioned by pious, learned and Orthodox persons; they not determining p. 25who be those Orthodox persons, we must either take all them for Orthodox persons, who shall confidently affirm themselves to be such; and then we say, First, the Demand is unreasonable; for some such as call themselves Orthodox, have qu…stioned the prime Article of our Creed, even the Divinity of the S…n of God; and yet there is no reason we should part with our Creed for that. Besides the Proposal requires impossibility; for there never was, nor is, …or can be such Prayers made, as have not been, nor will be questioned by s…me wh… call themselves pious, learned and Orthodox: if by Orthodox be meant those who adhere to Scripture, and the Catholick Consent of Antiquity, we do not yet know that any part of our Liturgie hath been questioned by such.]

And may we not thus mention Orthodox persons to men that profess they agree with us in Doctrinals▪ unless we digress to tell you who they be?Reply. What if we were pleading for civil co…cord among all that a…e loyal to the King, must we needs digress to tell you who are loyal? We are agreed in one Rule of Faith, in one holy Scripture, and one Creed, and differ not (you say) about the Doctrinal part of the 39 Art. And will not all this seem to tell you who are Orthodox? If you are resolved to make all that a matter of Contention which we desire to make a means of Peace, there is no remedy while you have the Ball before you, and have the Wind and Sun, and the power of contending without controul. But we perceive, [That the Catholick consent of Antiquity,] must go into your definition of the Orthodox; but how hard it is to get a reconciling determination, what Ages shall go with you, and us, for the true Antiquity, and what is necessary to that consent that must be called Catholick, is unknown to none but the unexperienced. And indeed we think a man that searcheth the holy Scripture, and sincerely and unreservedly gives up his Soul to understand, love and obey it, may be Orthodox, without the knowledge of Church-History: we know no universal Law-Giver, nor Law to the Church, but one, and that Law is the sufficient Rule of Faith, and consequently the test of the truely Orthodox, though we refuse not Church-History, or other means that may help us to understand it. And to acquaint you with what you do not know, we our selves (after many Pastors of the Reformed Churches) do question your Liturgie, as far as is expressed in our Papers: And we profess, [to adhere to Scripture, and the Catholick consent of Antiquity,] (as described by Vincentius Liniensis) p. 26If you will say, that our pretence and claim is unjust, we call for your Authority to judge our hearts, or dispose us from the number of the Orthodox, or else for your proofs to make good your accusation. But however you judge, we rejoyce in the expectation of the righteous Judgment that shall finally decide the Controversie; to which, from this Aspersion, we appeal.

[To th…se Generals,Answer. Sect. 4. loading publick Form with Ch. pomp garm. Imagery, and many Superfluities that creep into the Church under the name of Order and Dec…ncy, i…cumbring Churches with Superfluities, over-rigid reviving of obsolete Customes, &c. We say, that if these Generals be intended as appliable to our Liturgie in particular, they are gross and foul Slanders, contrary to their profession, page ult. and so either that or this contrary to their Conscience; if not, they signifie nothing to the present business, and so might with more prudence and …andor have been omitted.]

You needed not go a fishing for our Charge;Reply. what we had to say against the Liturgie, which we now desired you to observe, was here plainly laid before you: Answer to this, and suppose us not to say what we do not, to make your selves matter of reproaching us with gross and foul slanders. OnelyOnly we pray you answer Mr. Hales, as Mr. Hales, (whom we took to be a person of much esteem with you) especially that passage of his which you take no notice of, as not being so easie to be answered, for the weight and strength which it carries with it, viz. that the limiting of the Church-Communion to things of doubtful disputation, hath been in all Ages the ground of Schism and Separation; and that he that separates from suspected Opinions, is not the Separatist. And may we not cite such words of one that we thought you honoured, and would hear, without contradicting our Profession, of not intending depravation or reproach against the Book without going against our Consciences? If we cite the words of an Author for a particular use, (as to perswade you of the evil of laying the hurches unity upon unnecessary things) must we be responsible therefore for all that you can say against his words in other respects? We suppose you would be loath your words should have such interpretation, and that you should be under such a Law for all your Citations: Do as you would be done by.

[It was the wisdom of our Reformers to draw up such a Liturgie asAnswer. N. 2. p. 27neither Romanist nor Protestant could justly except against; and therefore as the first never charged it with any positive Errours, but onelyonly the want of something they conceived necessary: so it was never found fault with by th…se to whom the name of Protestants most properly belongs, those that profess the Augustine Confession; and for those who unlawfully and sinfully brought it into dislike with some people, to urge the present State of Affaires, as an Argument why the Book should be altered, to give them satisfaction, and so that they should take advantage by their own unwarrantable Acts, is not reasonable.]

If it be blameless,Reply. no man can justly except against it: but that de facto the Romanists never charged it with any positive Errours, is an Assertion that maketh them reformed, and reconcileable to us, beyond all belief: Is not the very using it in our own Tongue a positive Errour in their account? Is it no positive Errour in the Papists account, that we profess [To receive these Creatures of Bread and Wine?] Do they think we have no positive Errour in our Catechism about the Sacrament, that affirmeth it to be Bread and Wine a ter the Consecration, and makes but two Sacraments necessary? &c. 2. And unless we were nearlier agreed then we are, it seemeth to us no Commendation of a Liturgie, that the Papists charge it with no positive Errour. 3. That no Divines or private men at home, or of forraign Churches, [that ever found fault with the Liturgie, are such to whom the name of Protestant properly belongeth,] is an Assertion that proveth not what authority of Judging your Brethren you have, but what you assume; and commendeth your Charity no more, then it commendeth the Papists, that they deny us to be Catholicks. Calvin and Bucer subscribed the Augustine Consession, and so have others that have found fault with our Liturgie. 4. If any of us have blamed it to the people, it is but with such a sort of blame as we have here exprest against it to your selves; and whether it be [unlawful and sinful] the impartial comparing of your words with ours, will help the willing Reader to discern. But if we prove indeed that it is [defective and faulty that you bring for an Offering to God,] when you or your Neighbours have a better, which you will not bring, nor suffer them that would, (Mal. 1. 13.) and that you call evil good in justifying its blemishes, which in humble modesty we besought you to amend, or excuse us from offering, then God will better judge of the unlawful act, then you have done. But you have not proved p. 28that all or most of us have caused the people at all to dislike it; if any of us have, yet weigh our Argument, though from the present state of Affairs: or if you will not hear us, we beseech you hear the many Ministers in England, that never medled against the Liturgy, and the many moderate Episcopal Divines, that have used it, and can do still, and yet would earnestly intreat you to alter it, partly because of what in it needs alteration, and partly in respect to the Commodity of others; Or at least we beseech you recant, and obliterate such passages as would hinder all your selves from any Act of Reformation hereabout, that if any man among you would find fault with some of the grosser things, which we laid open to you, (tenderly and sparingly) and would …eform them, he may not presently forfeit the reputation of being a Protestant. And astly, we beseech you deny not again the name of Protestants to the Pri…ate of Ireland, the Archbishop of York, and the many others that had divers meetings for the Reformation of the Liturgie, and who drew up that Catalogue of faults, or points that needed mending, which is yet to beseen in print; they took not advantage of their own unwarrantable Acts for the attempting of that alteration.

[The third and fourth Proposals may go together,Answer. N. 3, 4. the demand in both being against Respensals, and alternate Readings, in Hymnes, and Psams, and L…t…y, &c. And that upon such reason as doth in truth enforce the necessity of continuing them as they are, namely for edification. They would take these away, because they do not edifie, and upon that very reason they sh…uld continue, because they do edifie: if not by informing of our reasons and understandin…s, (the Prayers and Hymns were never made for a Catechism) yet by quic…ning, continuing and uniting our devotion, which is apt to f…eeze▪ or sleep, …r …at in a l…ng continued Prayer, or F…rm; it is necessary therefore for the edifying of us therein, to be often called upon and awa…ned by frecuent Amens, to be excited and stirred up by mutu…l exultations, pr…vocations, petitions, holy c…ntentions and strivin…s, which shall m…st sh…w his …wn,Socrat. lib 6. ca… 8. Th…dor lib. cap. … 7. 1, 2. Ezra…. 11 and stir up others zeal to the Glory of God. For this purpose alternate Reading, Repetitions and Responsals, are far better than a long tedious Pr…yer: Nor is this …r opini… onelyonly, but the Judgement of former ages, as appears by the practise of antient Christian Churches, and of the Jews also. But it seems they say to be against the Scripture, wherein the Minister is appointed for the people in publick Prayers, the peoples part being to attend with s…lence, and to declare their p. 29assent in the close, by saying Amen: if they mean that the people in publick Services must onelyonly say this word Amen, as they can no where prove it in the Scriptures, so it doth certainly seem to them, that it cannot be proved; for they directly practise the contrary in one of their principal parts of Worship, singing of Psalms, where the people bear as great a part as the Minister. If this may be done in Hopkins, why not in Davids Psalms? If in Metre, why not in Prose? if in a Psalm, why not in a Letany?]

What is most for edification,Reply. is best known by experience, and by the reason of the thing: for the former, you are not the Masters of all mens experience, but of your own, and others that have acquainted you with the same, as theirs: We also may warrantably profess in the name of our selves, and many thousands of sober pious persons, that we experience that these things are against our edification; and we beseech you do not by us, what you would not do by the the poor labouring servants of your family, to measure them all their dyet for quality or quantity, according to your own appetites, which they think are diseased, and would be better, if you work'd us as hard as they: and we gave you some of the Reasons of our Judgement: 1. Though we have not said that the people may not in Psalms to God concur in voice, (we speak of Prayer which you should have observed) and though we onelyonly concluded it agreeable to the Scripture-practise, for the people in prayer to say but their Amen; yet knowing not from whom to understand the will of God, and what is pleasing to him, better then from himself, we considered what the Scripture saith of the ordinary way of publick Worship; and finding ordinarily that the people spoke no more in prayer (as distinct from Psalms and Praise) then their Amen, or meer consent, we desired to imitate the surest pattern. 2. As we finde that the Minister is the mouth of the people to God in publick, (which Scripture, and the necessity of order do require;) so we were loath to countenance the peoples invading of that sacred Office, so far as they seem to us to do: 1. By reading half the Psalms and Hymnes: 2. By saying half the Prayers, as the Minister doth the other half: 2. By being one of them the mouth of all the rest in the Confession at the Lords Supper. 4. By being the onelyonly Petitioners, in the far greatest part of all the Letanie, by their [Good Lord deliver us,] and [We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord;] while the Minister onelyonly reciteth the matter of p. 30the matter of the prayer, and maketh none of the Request at all; we fear lest by parity of reason the people will claim the work of preaching, and other parts of the Ministerial Office: 3. And we mentioned that which all our ears are witnesses of, that while half the Psalms and Hymns, &c. are said by such of the people as can say them, the murmur of their voices in most Congregations is so unintelligible and confused, as must hinder the edification of all the rest; for who is edified by that which he cannot understand? We know not what you mean by citing 2 Chron. 7. 1, 4. Ezra 3. 11. where there is not a word of publick prayer, but in one place of an Acclamation, upon an extraordinary sight of the glory of the Lord, which made them praise the Lord, and say, [He is good, for his mercy is for ever;] when the prayer that went before was such as you call [A long tedious prayer,] uttered by Solomon alone, without such breaks and discants. And in the other places is no mention of prayer at all, but of singing praise; and that not by the people, but by the Priests and Levites, saying the same words, [For he is good, for his mercy endures for ever towards Israel:] The people are said to do no more then shout with a great shout, because the foundation of the House was laid; and if shouting be it that you would prove, it's not the thing in Question. Let the ordinary mode of praying in Scripture be observed, in the prayers of David, Solomon, Ezra, Daniel, or any other; and if they were by breaks, and frequent beginnings and endings, and alternate Interlocutions of the people, as yours are, then we will conform to your mode, which now offends us; but if they were not, we beseech you reduce yours to the examples in Scripture: we desire no other rule to decide the Controversie by. As to your Citation, 1 Socrat. there tells us of the alternate singing of the Arrians in the reproach of the Orthodox, and that Chrysostome (not a Synod) compiled Hymns to be sung in opposition to them in the streets, which came in the end to a Tumult and Bloudshed. And hereupon he tells us of the original of alternate singing, viz. a pretended Vi…ion of Ignatius, that heard Angels sing in that order. And what is all this to alternate Reading, and praying, or to a Divine Institution, when here is no mention of reading or praying, but of singing Hymns; and that not upon pretence of Apostolical Tradition, but a Vision of uncertain credit? Theodore also speaketh onelyonly of singing Psalms alternately, and not a word of reading or praying so; and he fetcheth that way of singing also as Socrat. doth, but from the Church at Antioch, and not from any pretended p. 31Doctrine or Practise of the Apostles: and neither of them speaks a word of the necessity of it, or of forcing any to it: so that all these your Citations, speaking not a word so much as of the very Subject in question, are marvellously impertinent. The words [Their Worship,] seem to intimate that singing of Psalms is part [of our Worship,] and not of yours: we hope you disown it not; for our parts we are ashamed of it. Your distinction between Hopkins and Davids Psalms, as if the metre allowed by Authority to be sung in Churches, made them to be no more Davids Psalms, seemeth to us a very hard saying. If it be because it is a Translation, then the prose should be none of Davids Psalms neither, nor any Translation be the S…ripture. If it be because it is in metre, then the exactest Translation in metre should be none of the Scripture. If because it's done imperfectly, then the old Translation of the Bible, used by Common-Prayer-Book, should not be Scripture. As to your reason for the supposed priority, 1. Scripture-examples telling us, that the people had more part in the Psalms, then in the Prayers or Reading, satisfie us, that God and his Church then saw a disparity of Reason. 2. Common Observation tells us, That there is more order, and less hinderance of Edification in the peoples singing, then in their reading and praying together vocally.

[It is desired that nothing should be in the Liturgie,Answer. N. Sect. 1. which so much as seems to countenance the observation of Lent as a Religious Fast; and this as an expedient to peace: which is in effect to desire, that this our Church may be contentious for peace sake, and to divide from the Church-Catholick, that we may live at unity among our selves: For St. Paul reckons them amongst the lovers of contention, who shall oppose themselves against the custome of the Churches of God. That the religious observation of Lent was a custome of the Churches of God, appears by the testimonies following, Chrys. Ser. 11. in Heb. 10. Cyrill. Catec. myst. 5. St. Aug. Ep. 119, ut 40 dies ante Pascha observetur, Ecclesiae consuetudo roboravit: and St. Hierom ad Marcell, says, it was secundum traditionem Apostolorum: This Demand then tends not to peace, but Dissention. The fasting forty days may be in imitation of our Saviour, for all that is here said to the contrary; for though we cannot arrive to his perfection, abstaining wholly from meat so long; yet we may fast forty days together, either Cornelius his fast, till three of the Clock after noon, or Saint Peters fast, till noon; or at least Daniels fast, abstaining from meats and p. 32drinks of delight; and thus far imitate our Lord.]

If we had said that the Church is contentious if it adore God in kneeling on the Lords Days,Reply. or use not the White Garment, Milk and Honey after Baptism, which had more pretence of Apostolical tradition, and were generally used more anciently then Lent, would you not have thought we wronged the Church? If the purer times of the Church have one custome, and latter times a contrary, which must we follow? or must we necessarily be contentious for not following both? or rather, may we not by the example of the Church that changeth them, be allowed to take such things to be matters of Liberty, and not Necessity? If we must needs conform to the custom of other Churches in such things, or be contentious, it is either because God hath so commanded, or because he hath given those Churches authority to command it: If the former, then what Churches or what Ages must we conform to? If all must concur to be our pattern, it will be hard for us to be acquainted with them so far as to know of such concurrences: And in our Case we know that many do it not. If it must be the most, we would know where God commandeth us to imitate the greater number, though the worse; or hath secured us that they shall not be the worst? or why we are not tyed rather to imitate the purer Ages then the more corrupt? If it be said, that the Church hath authority to command us; we desire to know what Church that is, and where to be sound and heard, that may command England, and all the Churches of his Majesties Dominions. If it be said to be a General Council, 1. No General Council can pretend to more Authority then that of Nice, whose 20th Canon, back'd with tradition and common practise, now binds not us, and was laid by without any Repeal by following Councils. 2. We know of no such things as General Councils, at least that have bound us to the religious observation of Lent. The Bishops of one Empire could not make a General Council. 3. Nor do we know of any such power that they have over the universal Church, there being no visible Head of it, or Governours to make universal Laws, but Christ, (as Rogers on the 20th Article fore-cited shews) our 21th Article saith, That [General Councils may not be gathered together without the Commandment and Will of Princes:] And doubtless all the Heathens and Mahometans, and p. 33all the contending Christian Princes, will never agree together (nor never did) to let all their Christian Subjects concur to hold a General Council. It saith also, [And when they be gathered together, (for as much as they be an Assembly of men, whereof all be not governed with the Spirit and Word of God) they may erre, and sometimes have erred, even in things pertaining unto God: therefore things ordained by them, as necessary to salvation, have neither strength nor authority, unless it may be declared that they be taken out of the Holy Scriptures.] And if they may erre in things pertaining unto God, and ordained by them as necessary to salvation, much more in lesser things. And are we contentious if we erre not with them? Our 39 Article determineth this Controversie, saying, [It is not necessary that Traditions and Ceremonies be in all places one, or utterly like; for at all times they have been divers, and changed according to the diversitie of Countries, times, and mens manners, so that nothing be ordained against Gods Word.] And after, [Every particular, or National Church, hath Authority to ordain, change, or abolish Ceremonies, or Rites of the Church, ordained onelyonly by Mans Authority, so that all things be done to edifying:] They that believe not this, should not subscribe it, nor require it of others. As for the Testimonies cited by you, they are to little purpose: We deny not not that the custome of observing Lent, either fewer days or more, was as Ancient as those Authors. But first, That Lent was not known or kept in the second or third Ages, you may see as followeth, Tertul. de jejun. l. 2. cap. 14. pleading for the Montanists, [Si omnem in totum devotionem temporum, & dierum, & mensium, & annorum erasit Apostolus, cur Pascha celebramus anno circulo in mense primo? cur quadraginta inde diebus in omni exulcatione deturrimus? Cur stationibus quartam & sextam, sabbati dicamus? & jejuniis Parasceven? quanquam vos etiam sabbatum si quando continutatis; nunquam nisi in Pascha jejunandum, &c. And cap. 15. excusing that rigour of their Fasts, [quantula est apud nos interdictio ciborum, duus in anno. Hebdomadas xerophagiarum nec totas, exceptis scilicet sabbatis, & dominicius offerimus Deo: The old general Fast at that time was onelyonly the voluntary unconstrained fasting on Good Friday, and after that on one or two days more, and then on six. Irenaeus in a Fragment of an Epistle in Euseb. Hist. Lib. 5. Cap. 26. Gr. p. 36Lat. 23. saith, (the Controversie is not onelyonly of the day of Easter, but of the kind of Fast it self: for some think they should fast one day, some two, others more: some measure their day by forty hours of day and night; and this variety of those that observe these Fasts, began not now in our Age, but long before us with our Ancestors; who, as is most like, propagated to posterity the custome which they retain, as brought in by a certain simplicity, and private will; and yet all these lived peaceably among themselves, and we keep peace among our selves; and the difference of Fasting is so far from violating the consonancy of Faith, as that it even commendeth it.] Thus Irenaeus, (read the rest of the Chapter) thus is the true reading confessed by Bellarmine, Rigaltius, &c. and Dionys. Alexand. Ep. Can. ad Basil. pag. 881. Balsam saith, [Nor do all equally and alike sustain those six days of fasting; but some pass them all fasting, some two, some three, some four, some more.] And the Catholicks in Tert de jejun. cap. 2. says, Itaque de caetero differentur jejunandum, ex arbitrio, non ex imperio novae disciplinae, pro temporibus & causis uniuscujusque sic & Apostolos observasse, nul…um aliud imponentes jugum certorum, & in commune omnibus obeundorum jejuniorum: And Socrat. admireth at many Countries, that all differed about the number of days, and yet all called i… Quadrages…ma, lib. 5 c. 22. Lat. Gr. 21. So Sozomen lib. 7. c. 19. Gr. & Niceph. lib. 12. cap. 34. which may help you to expound Hierom, and the rest cited by you, as Rigaltius doth ad Tertul. de jujun. 118. as shewing that they did it with respect to Christs forty days fast, but not as intending any such thing themselves as any fast of forty days. It is against the Montanists, that the Quadrag. was but once a year, that Hierom useth the title of Apostolical tradition. And how to expound him, see Epist. ad Lucin, [unaqueque provincia abundet in suo sensu, & praecepta Majorum leges Apostolicus arbitretur;] But saith August. ad Casulan Ep. 86. [In Evangelicis & Apostolicis literis, totoque Instrumento quod appellatur Testamentum Novum, animo id revolvens video preceptum esse jejunium: quibus, autem die…us non oportet jejunare, & quibus oport…at, precepto Domini vel Apostolorum non invenio definitum.] And that Christians abstinence in Lent was voluntary [quanto magis quisque vel minus voluerit, vel potuerit,] August. affirmeth, cont. Faustum Manich. lib. 30. cap. 5. And Socrat. ubi supr. saith, [ac quoniam nemo de care praeceptum literarum monumentis proditum potest ostendere, perspicuum est Apostolos liberam potestatem in eadem cujusque men…i, ac arbitrio permisisse: ut quisque nec metu, nec necessitate inductus p. 37quod bonum sit ageret.] And Prosper de vit. Contempl. li. 2. C. 24. veruntamen sic jejunare, vel abstinere debemus, ut nos non jejunandi, vel destinendi necessitate subdamus, ne jam devoti, sed inviti, rem voluntariam faciamus.] And Cassianus, lib. 2. col. 21. cap. 30. saith, [In primitiva Ecclesia equale fuisse jejunium per totum annum: Ac frigescente devotione, cum negligerentur jei…nia inductum Quadrag. à Sacerdotibus. But when you come to describe your Fast, you make amends for the length, by making it indeed no Fast; [To abstain from meats and drinks of delight:] where neither the thing nor the delight is profitable to further us in our duty to God, is that which we take to be the duty of every Christian all the year, as being a part of our mortication, and self-denial, who are commanded to crucifie the flesh, and to make no provision to satisfie the lusts of it, and to subdue our bodies: but when those meats and drinks do more help then hinder us in the service of God, we take it to be our duty to use them, unless when some other accident forbids it, that would make it otherwise more hurtful. And for fasting till Noon, we suppose it is the ordinary way of dyet to multitudes of Sedentary persons, both Students, and Trades-men, that find one meal a day sufficient for nature: If you call this fasting, your poor Brethren fast all their life time, and never knew that it was fasting; But to command hard Labourers to do so, is but to make it a fault to have health, or to do their necessary work. We beseech you bring not the Clergie under the suspition of Gluttony, by calling our ordinary wholsome temperance by the name of fasting. Sure Princes may feed as fully and delightfully as we; yet Solomon saith, Wo to thee, O Land, when thy King is a Child, and thy Princes eat in the morning. Blessed art thou, O Land, when thy King is the Son of Nobles, and thy Princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness;] For meer sensual delight it is never lawful; And when it is for strength, it is not to be forbidden, unless when by accident it will i…fer a greater good to abstain, Eccl. 20. 16, 17. so Prov. 31. 4, 6. It is not for Kings to drink wine, nor Princes strong drink: Give strong drink to him that is ready to perish, and wine to those that be of heavy hearts.

[Nor does the Act of Parliament,Answer. Sect. 2. 5 of Eliz. forbid it: We dare not think a Parliament did intend to forbid that which Christ his Church p. 63hath commanded. Nor does the Act determine any thing about Lent Fast, but onelyonly provide for the maintenance of the Navy, and of Fishing in order thereunto, as is plain by the Act. Besides, we conceive that we must not so interpret one Act, as to contradict another, being still in force and unrepealed. Now the Act of 1 Eliz. confirms the whole Liturgie, and in that the religious keeping of Lent, with a severe penalty upon all those, who shall by open words speak any thing in derogation of any part thereof; and therefore that other Act of 5 Elizab. must not be interpreted to forbid the religious keeping of Lent.]

If when the express words of a Statute are cited,Reply. you can so easily put it off, by saying (it does not forbid it) and you dare not think that a Parliament did intend to forbid that which Christ his Church hath commanded,) and (you must not interpret it as contradicting that Act which confirms the Liturgie,) we must think that indeed we are no less regardful of the Laws of the Governours than you. But first, we understand not what authority this is that you set against the King and Parliament, as supposing they will not forbid what it commands. You call it Christs Church, we suppose you mean not Christ himself, by his Apostles infallibly directed and inspired. If it be the National Church of England, they are the Kings Subjects; and why may he not forbid a Ceremony which they command? or why should they command it if he forbid it? If it be any Forreign Church, there's none hath power over us. If it be any pretended head of the Church universal, whether Pope or general Council, having power to make Laws that bind the whole Church, it is a thing so copiously disproved by Protestants against both the Italian and French Papists, that we think it needless to confute it, nor indeed dare imagine that you intend it. We know not therefore what you mean; But whatever you mean, you seem to contradict the forecited Article of the Church of England, that makes all humane Laws about Rites and Ceremonies of the Church to be unchangeable, by each particular National Church; And that it is not necessary that Ceremonies or Traditions be in all places one, or utterly like.) We most earnestly beseech you be cautious how you obtrude upon us a Forreign Power, under the name of Christs Church, that may command Ceremonies which King and Parliament may not forbid; whether it be one man or a thousand, we fear it is against our Oathes of Allegiance and Supremacie, for us to own any such Power. And (not presuming upon any immodest challenge) we are ready in the defence of those Oathes, and the Protestant Religion to prove against any in an equal conference, that there is no such power; and for the Statutes let the words themselves decide the Controversie, which are these:

p. 49[Be it enacted, That whosoever shall by Preaching, Teaching, Writing, or open Speech notifie that any eating of Fish, or forbearing of Flesh, mentioued in this Statute, is of a…y necessity for the saving of the Soul of man, or that it is the Service of God, otherwise than as other politick Laws are and be, that then such persons shall be punished as the spreaders of false News are, and ought to be] And whereas you say the Act determines not any thing about Lent Fast, it speaks against [eating Flesh on any dayes now usually observed as Fish-dayes] and Lent is such. And the sense of the Act for the Lyturgy may better be tryed by this, which is plain, than this reduced to that which is more obscure.

[The Observation of Saints dayes is not as of Divine,N. 6. Ans. but of Ecclesiastical Institution, and therefore it is not necessary that they should have any other ground in Scripture, than all other Institutions of the same nature; so that they be agreeable to the Scripture in the general end, for the promoting …i…ty; and the observation of them was ancient, as appears by the Rituals and Lyturgies, and by the joint consent of Antiquity, and by the antient Translations of the Bible, as the Syriack and Ethiopick, where the Lessons appointed for Holy dayes are noted and set down, the former of which was made neer the Apostles times: Besides, our Saviour himself kept a Feast of the Churches Institution, viz. the Feast of the Dedication, St. John 10. 22. The chief end of these dayes being not Feasting, but exercise of Holy Duties, they are fitter called Holy-dayes than Feastivals; and though they be all of like nature, it doth not follow that they are equal; the People may be dispensed with for their work, after the Service, as Authority pleases. The other names are left in the Calender, not that they should be so kept as Holy-dayes, but they are useful for the preservation of their memories, and for other reasons, as for Leases, Law-dayes, &c.]

Repl. The antiquity of the Translations mentioned,Rep. is far from being of determinate certainty; we rather wish than hope, that the Syriack could be proved to be made neer the Apostles times. But however the things being confessed of humane Institution, and no forreign Power having any authority to command his Majesties Subjects, and so the imposition being only by our own Governours, we humbly crave that they may be left indifferent, and the Unity or Peace of the Church, or Liberty of the Ministers not laid upon them.

p. 50Sect. 1.

[This makes all the Lyturgy void,N. 7. Ans. if every Minister may put in, and leave out at his discretion.]

Repl. You mistake us;Rep. we speak not of putting in, and leaving out of the Liturgy; but of having leave to intermix some Exhortations or Prayers besides, to take off the deadness which will follow, if there be nothing but the stinted Forms; we would avoid both the extream that would have no Forms, and the contrary extream that would have nothing but Forms; but if we can have nothing but extreams, there's no remedy; it's not our fault: And this moderation and mixture which we move for, is so far from making all the Lyturgy void, that it would do very much to make it attain its end, and would heal much of the distemper which it occasioneth, and consequently would do much to preserve the reputation of it. As for instance, if besides the Forms in the Lyturgy, the Minister might, at Baptism, the Lords Supper, Marriage, &c. interpose some suitable Exhortation or Prayer, upon special occasion, when he finds it needful: should you deny this at the visitation of the sick, it would seem strange; and why may it not be granted at other times? It is a matter of far greater trouble to us, that you would deny us and all Ministers the Liberty of using any other Prayers besides the Lyturgy, than that you impose these.