Catholic Communion Defended Against Both Extremes, Text 3

Catholic Communion Defended Against Both Extremes · Text 3

p. 1D. O.

Posit. It is not Lawful for us to go to, and joyn in Publick Worship by the Common Prayer; because that Worship it self, according to the Rule of the Gospel, is not Lawful.

1. Ans. I Shall use the same Method that he hath used, and first give you my Positions, and then the supposed Matter of Fact; and then consider his Arguments.

Posit. It is not only Lawful, but a Duty for those that cannot have better publick Church-worship without more hurt than benefit, and are near a competent Parish Minister, to go to, and joyn in Publick Worship, performed according to the Liturgie, and in Sacramental Communion: And for those that can have better, to joyn sometime with such Parish Churches, when their forbearance scandalously seemeth to signifie, that they take such Communion for unlawful; and so would tempt others to the same Accusation, and uncharitable Separation.

The History of the Matter of Fact must be premised for the right deciding of the Case; which is as followeth.

1. God hath commanded us to Preach, Pray, Praise him, and Administer his Sacraments and Discipline; and hath told us what Doctrine we must preach, what things we must pray and give thanks for, and what Sacraments and Discipline we must Administer: But he hath not told us, in what Words we must do these, nor in what Posture, nor in what particular Method, nor whether we must use oftest the same words, or various, nor whether they shall be before prepared, or spoken immediately without preparation of words, nor whether written or remembred; nor whether prepared and composed by our selves, or by others, with such like.

2. God prescribed divers Forms of Prayer, Confession and Praise, to the Iews in Moses Law; and a Prophetical Song, which they were all to learn, Deut. 32.

p. 23. The Psalms were a chief part of the Iews Liturgie, in which there are many Forms of Prayer and Praise; some made by David, some by Asaph, some by others, and some in or after the Captivity, no one knoweth by whom. And those Psalms were not in Metre, and sung in Tunes like ours now, but lo…dly said over.

4. Iohn taught his Disciples to pray, not only as to the Matter, but as to the Words; and so did Christ his Disciples at their Request, who had not then the after-pouring out of the Spirit (nay, knew not that Christ must die for Sin rise and reign in Heaven, &c.) and he said, When ye pay, say, Our Father, &c. tho not tying them only to these words, yet giving them a Form of Words to be used as they had occasion, as well as a perfect Directory for Method.

5. Christ himself joyned with the Iews in Synagogues and Temple, when they used Forms, and so did the Apostles; and never blamed them for the use of such Forms.

6. Christ prescribed a Form of Words in Baptism, and in the Administration of the Lords Supper, and used a Hymn in Form.

7. There are divers Forms of Prayer and Thanksgiving in the New Testament, in Luke 1. & 2. and the Acts, and Pauls Epistles, and the Revelations, which its Lawful and Laudable to use.

8. We are commanded to use Psalms and Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, which are Forms of Prayer and Praise (and was not then in Rhime.) And it was not every one in the Church that composed these Extemp…re, but some made them for the rest to use: And if none Impose them (by Office, Authority or Perswasion) the Churches will never use the same. Christians in the primitive ages of the Church, were known to the Heathen by their constant use of such Hymns sung to Christ, and of Christ.

9. The Churches from Christs time to this, had a Creed or Form of sound Words, or necessary Articles of Faith, which they used in Catechising and in Baptism, which were a great means to keep out Heresie; and Church-Tyranny and Heresie were the Introducers of all their Alterations.

10. The Lay-Christians of the first Aages were so full of Zeal, that they would have taken it ill to have been forb…dden to speak their Answering and Consenting parts in the Church (as the Iews before did) and as now we would take it ill for the Minister to Sing alone, and forbid the People: And tho the scantness of History in the first two Ages tell us not what words were then used as a Liturgy (and no doubt but praying by Habit was used chiefly) yet some few Sentences that are recorded, tell us that they used some Forms.

p. 311. Constantine himself made Prayers for his Soldiers, and every Bishop then used what Prayers he thought best in his own Church, and composed himself the Forms which he used constantly, till Heresie and weakness of Ministers caused a Council to decree, That every one should first shew his Form of Prayer to the Synods, to be examined and approved before he used it.

12. I do not read or hear of many Churches on earth at this d…y, that used not a Liturgie, except N…w England, and some Non conf…rmists here: Nor did I ever read that any one Church … for a … Years after Christs time, did ever scruple it or speak … remembrance) so that it was for many Ages the … Church on earth. At this day the Greeks, Arm…ians, …, Circassians, M…ngreli…ns, Indian and Persian …s, the …, Egyptians, all the Countreys that have …, M… ronites, beside the Papists, have a Liturgie very … more …: Even those ascribed to Iames, Mark, …. The … have one, (or divers in divers Countreys.) And th…se called … Re…med have one, tho a shorter and more simple … France, …, H…lland, the Palatinate, Helvetia, &c.

13. The Nonconformists in England were generally for the Lawfulness of a Form or Liturgie and for Communion of the Parish Churches therein, in the days of King Edward the Sixth, Queen Elizabeth, King Iames, and King Charles the First: And wrote more against Separation by far than the Bishops did, as is yet visible in their Books; specially Cartwright, Hildersham, Bradshaw, Paget, Gifford, Brigh…man, Bayne, Rathband, Iohn Ball, &c.

14. Those then counted the Fathers of Independency, were of the same mind, for Parish Communion and against Separation, Mr. Iacob, Bradshaw, Ames, (see his First and Second Manuduction.)

15. Yea, those call'd Brownists or Separatists were for Communion in the Liturgie in the usual parts, and for the truth of those Parish Churches that had good Ministers: I have cited their own words before, tho all of them were not of the same mind.

16. The Martyrs in Queen Marys days had a chief hand in composing our Liturgie, and rejoyced in it, and worshipped God according to it. And none that I read of separated for this from the rest as false Worshippers

17. When before 1639. there were but about one or two Nonconformable Ministers for each County; if it had been unlawful to Communicate in the publick Churches with the Liturgy, all England must have lived like Atheists without any Church Worship, for want of Ministers, except about thirty or fourty. Yea, those few kept up no p. 4usual Church Worship, except those of them that by connivence had small Chappels or peculiars. And of them most used much of the Liturgy.

18. All the Congregations of the Nonconformists in England, that I have heard (save one now broken) not counting such as Quakers, &c.) have used, and do use, stinted, imposed forms of Worship to this day, and therefore judg it not unlawful, meerly as forms, or as imposed. 1. Parents teach their Children a form of words in Catechisms, in Prayers, in giving Thanks for their Meat; and impose these on them. 2 Ministers impose on the Assemblies, their own method and words in Prayer, which are a form to the people; yea, and a form which they know not, till they hear it, and have no time to examine it, while it floweth from the Speaker. And their Sermons are imposed forms of Doctrine; (sometimes written also, and read). 3. Few men that retain any Sobriety in Religion, are against the Creed, to be used as a form of Confession of Faith. 4. The Independents drew up at the Savor, about 1658 or 1659. a form of Confession of their Faith and Discipline. 5. They attempted (Dr. Owen, Mr. Nye, Dr. Goodwin, Mr. Sid. Sampson, Dr. Cheynell, and others), by appontment of a Committee of Parliament, to have drawn up a Catalogue of Fundamentals, to have been imposed for consent on all that should be tolerated in the Land in Church-Worship: they are yet to be seen in Print. (But Arch-bishop Usher being chosen for one, and refusing, and I being by his consent substituted in his room, broke that attempt; finding that their Fundamentals were lamentably composed, and that Christianity was not an unknown thing, and that Baptism, the Creed, Lords Prayer, and Decalogue, were a far better Catalogue of Fundamentals than theirs). 6. We all constantly use an English form of Translation of the Scripture, where all the English words, the division of Chapters and Verses, are mans invention, imposed on all. 7. We all use constantly forms of Confession, Prayer, Thanksgiving, and Praise in the singing of Psalms; where, when Davids and the Iews Psalms are used, the Translation, (or rather Paraphrase) the rhime or meters, and the tune, are humane and imposed: And the Separatists themselves make no question; but other Psalms, (such as that of Ambrose, &c.) more suted to the State of the Gospel Church, may be fitly used, as Paul requireth, which must be composed by man, and imposed on the Churches, or never unanimously used. Our common use of singing Psalms and Hymns, is the use of stinted imposed forms. 8. He that doth not celebrate Baptism, and the Lords Supper often in words of the same signification, shall corrupt those Sacraments by his affectation of variety of words; the matter being the p. 5same. 9. No man knoweth before-hand, whether a Minister hath studied and sore compsed his Prayer or Sermon, and yet all joyn with him. 10. Many affect to compose all their Prayer in Scrpture Sentences, which do but make up one form of many.

19. When the King came in, the Ministers of London were invited to attempt a Concord with the Bishops, and they offered to joyn in the use of the Litugy, if it were corrected: And they offered Additional Forms, or a Reformed Liturgy, which they would have used.

I know it will be objected, That I plead in this but for my own works: But I answer, 1. The Exceptions and Emendations of the old Liturgy offered, was none of my work. 2. And the new one which I drew up by their appoinment, had their common review and consent.

It will be said, That these were not all the then Nonconformists: I answer, It was the main Body of the London Ministers; and it was as many as would meet about it, when they were desired to come to Sion Colledge, and after they Printed a Thanksgiving to the King for his Declaration; so that then they were not against all imposed Liturgies; so that the Imposition had no unmercifulness in it.

20. The forreign Churches (in Holland, France, Germany, &c.) are so much used to pray in the same form of words, that if they were put to do all ex tempore, it would be lamentably done by most, even far worse than it is.

21. I have formerly told the world, That many of the most noted Nonconformists in London, met and concluded for communicating in the Parish-Churches, about 1664. And two things done by the Conformists stopt them: One was a storm then arising against those that could not do it, which they feared to seem to countenance by their compliance: And Plague and F…re interrupting the purposes of some. The Oxford Act of Confinement made it unpracticable; because, to be seen in a Church would have cast them six Months in the Goal with Malefactors.

22. Being thus hindered and delayed, the King's Declaration after giving them liberty to have Assemblies otherwise, they were then kept from the Parish-Churches by their labours with their own …locks, as the Parish-Ministers be from hearing one another.

23. Some in the City, and more in the Countries, all this while went constantly to the Parish Churches before this liberty, and as oft as they could after, lest they should by their practice, draw the people to th…nk that they took it for unlawful.

p. 624▪ Others that thought it lawful, judg it not necessary when they might do that which they judged better: And finding many Hearers offended at it, were loath to displease them, and bear their censures; till at last, by long disuse, the people thought their judgment was against it: And when necessity driveth them to declare their judgments, and change their practice, their Hearers (and their Adversaries) call them unconscionable Temporizers.

25. Tho Mr. Tombs wrote for Parish-Communion, few Anabaptists followed him; and tho Mr. Nye wrote for hearing the Parish-Ministers, few Ind…pendents consented: But some of their Ministers took the advantage of the foresaid forbearance of others, and so brought Separation to pass for a common duty with many▪ And renewed sufferings made it easier to draw men from the Communion of those that they so much suffered by; following the e…ample of St. Martin, and saying, That persecutors obtruded without their con…ent were none of their Pastors; and that it's no Schism not to communicate with the Church, which causelesly hath, ipso facto, excommunicated them in Can. 6, 7, 8, &c. This is the true premised History.

D. O.

Some things must be promised to the confirmation of this Position.

1. The whole … of Liturgical Worship, with all its inseparable dependences, are intend… ▪ For as such it is established by Law, and not in any part of it only; as … is required that we receive it, and attend unto it. It is not in our pow…, it is not left to our judgment or liberty to close with, or make use of any p…rt of it, as we shall think fit.

There are in the Mass-book many Prayers directed to God only by Iesus Christ; yet it is not lawful for us thereon to go to Mass, under a pretence only of joyning in such lawful Prayers.

As we must not affect their Drink-Offerings of Blood, so we must not t…ke up their names in our lips, Psal. 16.4. Have no communion with them.

§ 2. I Shall now examine the Doctor's Premises.

To the first I answer, 1. If he will include all that is in the Liturgy, the Nonconformists confess, that there is somewhat in it which they dissent from, as unju…tifiable: And so there is in all mens Worship of God.

2. He intimateth, That it is not in our power to close with some,I. Error. and not withall. This is his First Error.

p. 7Tho Man give us no such power, God doth: As it is in my power … believe all that one speaketh truly and well, and not that which he speaketh amiss. I am not bound to own all that any Preacher or Priest shall say in the Church. God put it in the Disciples power to beware of the Leven of the Pharisees, and yet to hear them. Proving all things, is not approving all things.

2. Tho the Mass have many good Prayers, the corruption by twisted Idolatry and Heresie, maketh Communion there unlawful: Heathent and Turks have good Prayers. Prove any such Heresie or Idolatry in the Church-Worship by the Liturgy, and we will avoid it. But if I may joyn with your own good Prayers and Preaching, notwithstanding your many Failings, and such Errors as are here pleaded for, why not with others?

3. Psal. 16.4. is too sadly abused, which speaketh only of sacrificing to, and worshipping false Gods.

D. O.

2. It is to be considered as armed with Laws: (1.) Such as declare and enjoyn it as the only true Worship of the Church. (2.) Such as prohibit, condemn, and punish all other ways of the Worship of God in Church-Assemblies: By our communion and conjunction in it, we justifie those Laws.

§ 3. THat our Communion justifieth all the Laws that impose the Liturgy, yea, the penal severeties, is too gross an Error to be written with any shew of proof. What if the Creed or Lord's Prayer were too rigorously imposed,II. Error. or Presbytery or Indepency, must we forbear them, or justifie the Law? I can prove Episcopacy excluded too severely by the Covenant: But every one that is against it, justifieth not the imposition of that Covenant in that rigor. What if rigorous Laws should make it imprisonment or death, not to use our Translation of the Scriptures, our approved Catechisms, our Metre and Tunes of the Psalms, not to put off the Hat at Prayer, not to meet at the appointed Place and Hour, &c. Doth every man justifie the rigor of the imposition, who obeyeth the Law? Then a rigorous Law-maker may take away our Christian Liberty, by commanding us to use such things too strictly: yea, he may turn Duty, by too strict commanding it, into Sin. These are your unproved Premises.

p. 8D. O.

3. This conjunction in Communion by the Worship of the Liturgy, is the Symbol, Pledg and Token of an Ecclesiastical Incorporation with the Church of England in its present Constitution: It is so in the Law of the Land; It is so in the Canons of the Church; It is so in the common Understanding of all men: And by these Rules must our Profession and Practice be judged, and not by any reserves of our own, which neither God nor good men will allow of. Wherefore,

§ 4. TO the Third Premise, I answer, 1. The Church of England is an ambiguous word: 1. As it signifieth a part of the Universal Church, agreeing in Faith, one God, one Christ, and all essential to the Church; so we desire the honour of being parts of it. 2. And also as it is a Christian Kingdom under one King. 3. And as it is a Confederacy of many Churches to keep Concord in lawful Circumstantials as well as Integrals. In all these sences it is a lawful Association. 4. But if any Church go beyond these bounds, and on good pretences shall agree upon any error or evil, it is a mistake to hold, That all that incorporate with them in the Three foresaid lawful respects, do therefore confederate with them in their error.IV. Error. This is your Fourth Error.

I will give you a general Instance, and a particular one: 1. You cannot name me one combined company of Churches from the Apostles days till now, that had no error. You take Episcopacy to be an error in the very constitution: Name one Church from the 3d or 4th Century, for a thousand years, that was without it, either Catholicks or Hereticks, that were indeed a Church: And must Christians have forborn associating with any of them? Or might not own the good in their Associations, without owning the evil?

2. The Independents gathered a Synod at the Savoy, and there among their Doctrinals or Articles of Faith, laid down Two Points expresly contrary to Scripture: 1. That it is not Faith, but Christ's Righteousness that we are justified by, when as it is both; and the Scripture often saith the contrary. 2. That Christ's Righteousness imputed, is our s…le Righteousness: Whereas the Scripture doth many hundred times name also our inherent and practical Righteousness. I asked some yet living, why they consented to these, and did not rather expound the Scripture than deny it? And they said, That it was Dr O's▪ doing. Now doth it follow, that every one that there con…ederated with you, owned these errors?

p. 9The Churches of Helvetia are a very honourable part of the Reformed Churches: They are commonly such as we call Erastian, for no Discipline but the Magistrates: Are ail that confederate with them as Churches, guilty of this error?

2. But I further distinguish between the many Parish-Churches, and the Diocesan, and the Church of England, as constituted of such Diocesan Churches. The Old Nonconformists commonly owned the Parish-Churches (and the Church of England as made up of such), but not the Diocesan. This they openly professed. It is therefore another of your Mistakes, that owning the Parish-Churches and Worship, is an owning of the present Diocesan Constitution.

Also it is your Mistake to say, That Communion by the Liturgy is the Symbol and Pledg of the foresaid Incorporation in the Church of England in its present constitution:V. Error. It is only a part of the Communion commanded, but no such Symbol:VI. Error. For, 1. The Rulers openly declare, that they take multitudes to be none of their Church, who joyn in the Liturgy: And it is subscribing, declaring, and swearing Obedience, which is the Symbol: yea, they excommunicate many that come to the Liturgy-Service.

2. And many come to it who openly disown the Diocesan present constitution: So did, as I said, the Old Nonconformists, and many Forreigners, French, Dutch, &c. that come over hither.

3. If one may joyn in Communion of Worship with a Presbyterian, Independent or Anabaptist-Church, without owning the Errors of their constitution, then so one may with a Parish-Church: But, &c.

You mistake when you say, It is so by the Law of the Land: You mistake again, when you say, it is so by the Canon: You mistake again, when you say, It is so in the common understanding of all. I formerly instanced in one of the sharpest Nonconformists, Old Mr. Humphrey Fen, of Coventry, who would say aloud, Amen, to all the Common-Prayer, save that for the Bishops; by which all there knew his mind: Whether it were right or wrong,VII, VIII, IX. Error. I now determine not. So here are Three more of your Mistakes.

4. You make all other reserves of our own, to be allowed neither by God or good men. Here are two more mistakes. 1. God maketh it our great duty to hold Communion with most,X.XI. Error. or almost all Churches on Earth with such reserves; that is, to own them in all that is good, and disown all their evil, tho their Laws command the owning of them; without this reserve I would not joyn with yours, or any Church on Earth, that is, If my Communion were an owning of all their faultiness.

p. 102. And it's an immodest Error to say, That none are good men, that in this are not of your mind. Is there any spotless Church on Earth? or must we renounce the Communion with them all, or reserve exception against their faults and misperformances?

D. O.

4. He that joyns in the Worship of the Common-Prayer, doth by his practice make Profession, That it is the true Worship of God, accepted with him, approved of him, and wholly agreeable to his Mind and Will. To do it with other reserves, is hypocrisie, and worse than the thing it self without them. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in the thing which he alloweth, Rom. 14 12.

§ 5. THis is your twelfth mistake, and one that hath dreadful consequents. 1. It contradicteth the express Profession of the Communicants, who openly tell the World, That they take not all in the Liturgy,XII. Error. to be [wholly agreeable to Gods Mind and Will]: And you are not to feign a Profession of men contrary to their open Protestation.

2. It is most direful to your own separating followers, who by this are supposed to profess all your Worship to be [wholly agreeable to Gods Mind and Will]. And so the honest well-meaning people are made guilty of all the Errors which you put into your Worship.

3. It is contrary to your own former Profession, That you could in charity communicate with Presbyterians, or Anabaptists, &c. And so you approved of all the Errors of their Worship.

4. It maketh it a down right Sin, to communicate with any Church on Earth: For all have their faults and errors, even in Worship; which you feign all that Communicate with them to justifie, as [wholly agreeable to Gods Will]. And to justifie Sin, and teach men so to do, and to father it on God, are sad Aggravations; such shall be called least in the Kingdom of God. By this rule you would have separated from every Church on Earth, that we have notice of for a thousand years, yea, and to this day; and is not that near separating from Christ? And when no man knoweth before you speak in prayer, what you will say, How shall any man that joyneth with you, koow but he may be guilty of your Sin at the next Sentence.

p. 115. It is a breach of the ninth Commandment, thus to charge all the Ancient Churches, and Reformers, and the Noncoformists, with hypocrisie, and worse than open sinning, who have all communicated on the contrary Supposition.

6. It is no friendly act to the Church, to lay down such a Principle of perpetual Separation, and condemning each others Communion, and so to make the Communion and Concord of the Churches impossible.

7. It is Self-condemnation to judg the present Bishops Church-Tyrants, for excommunicating good Christians according to the Canons, for profest dissent about their governing Offices, Liturgies, and Ceremonies; and for imposing Assent and Consent to all things, &c. and yet to go much further than they, by making it Sin against God, to Communicate where the Worship is not [wholly agreeable to Gods Will]. Prove that ever the Bishops went so far from Concord.

8. I only humbly ask, Whether this make not Christ, and all his Apostles Hypocrites, and worse than profest Sinners: Did Christ by his usual joyning in the Synagogue and Temple-Worship, and commanding men to go to the Priests, to hear the Scribes and Pharisees, &c. profess that he took their Worship to be wholly agreeable to Gods Will? Or did the Apostles so, while they long joyned in the Synagogues with the Iews?

D. O.

5. There may be a false Worship of the true God, as well as a worship of a false god. Such was the Worship of Jehovah the Lord, by the Calf in the Wilderness, Exod. 33.5, 6. Such was the Feast unto the Lord ordained by Jeroboam, in the eighth month, the fifteenth day of the month, which he had devised of his own heart, 1 Kings 12.32.33.

§ 6. YOur fifth Premise is unquestionable. But if you distinguish not of false Worship, you will make but false Work about it. 1. There is that, which is the corrupting of Gods own necessary Worship-Ordinances, in so gross a manner, either outwardly in the Matter, or inwardly in the Mind; as that God will not own or accept the Worship and Worshippers. 2. There is that which is false in Integrals, Accidents, or Degrees, by pardoned failings and infirmities. To be [false] is to be disagreeable to the rule; such in some measure, is every Prayer, Sermon or Sacrament, that ever you administred. He p. 12that saith he hath no Sin, is a lyar. All sinful Worship, is so far false worship, which the best of men are guilty of: If you put all the Errors that are in this Paper of yours, in a Sermon or Prayer, will not so many falshoods make it false worship?

D. O.

On these Suppositions, the Proposition laid down, is proved by the following Arguments.

1. Argument, Religious Worship not divinely instituted and appointed, is false Worship, not accepted with God; but the Liturgical-worship intended, is a Religious Worship, not divinely instituted and appointed, ergo, not accepted with God. The Proposition is confirmed by all the Divine Testimonies, wherein all such Worship is expresly condemned, see Deut. 4.2. Chap. 12.32. Prov. 30.6. Jer. 7.31. Isa. 29.13, &c. That especially, where the Lord Christ restrains all Worship to his own command, Matth. 28.20. It is answered to the minor Proposition, That the Liturgical-worship is of Christs appointment, as to the substantials of it, tho not as to its Accidentals; namely, Prayers and Praises; not unto its outward rites and form, which do not vitiate the whole.

§ 7. TO your first Argument, I answer.

I have fully answered this to Mr. Ralphson, 1. As to the bare name, either you will call all acts done to signifie immediately the Souls honouring of God, by the name of Worship, or you will not; if not, then that which is no Worship, is no false Worship. If you will, then your Proposition is false; so that either your Major or Minor,XIII. Error. is another Error. For I take it for granted, that by Gods instituting, you mean not a general command to man to institute it; such as, [let all be done to edification,] if you did, then your Minor is not true. Kneeling at Prayer rather than sitting, putting off the Hat, using white Linnen and Silver plate at the Sacrament, praising God by new Hymns, and in English Metre, and Tunes, and many such, are Worship in the secondary sence, and yet not imposed by any determining Divine Institution

Your wrong Exposition of all the Texts of Scripture, here cited by you, is more than one mistake. Deut. 4.2. and 12.32. Prov. 30.6. forbid adding to Gods Worship,XIV. Error. which is broken by all that either say, that that is in Gods Word which is not there, (as you here do); or that devise any Woship-Ordinances coordinate, or of the same sort with his own, as if they were imperfect: p. 13But there is not a word forbidding subordinate secondary Acts of Worship, such as Kneeling, putting off the Hat, using written Notes in Preaching, or Forms of Singing, Praying, Catechising, laying the Hand on the Book, or putting it under the Thigh, or lifting it up in Swearing, the formal words of Vows, Oaths, Covenants, Confessions, Professions, and many such. Ier. 7.31. condemneth them that offered their Children in Fire to Idols, because God never commanded such Cruelty and Idolatry. It is not true, that therefore we may not Kneel, or put off the Hat, or Preach, Pray, or Sing in an humane Form of words, till God determine it by Command. It was forbidden things which Isa. 29.13. and Mat. 14. are reproved, as being the Precepts of Men, or things feigned to be necessary Acts of Obedience to God, which were not so. But this you think your self doth not forbid your Form of Church-Covenant, nor your Books, Translation of Scripture, Hymns, written Sermons, because they are devised by Man; nor Childrens Forms of Prayer, for being commanded by Parents. Matth. 28.20. It follows not, that because Christ bid the Apostles teach all, that he commanded therefore nothing else subordinate may be taught. He commanded not the additional Form of the Creed, but only the Form of Baptism in three Articles; nor the Hymns and spiritual Songs in Form mentioned by Paul, nor the Kiss of Peace, the Womens Vails, the Mens being uncovered, not wearing long Hair, the selling all and laying it down at the Apostles Feet, &c.

D. O.

But it is replied, There is nothing accidental in the Worship of God. Every thing that belongs to it, is part of it. Some things are of more Weight, Use and Importance, than others, Matth. 23.27. but all things duely belonging to it, are parts of it, or of its subsistence; outward Circumstances are natural and occasional, no accidental parts of Worship.

§. 8. OUr Answer you well recite, if you add, that (call it substantial, or what you will) the common Lords-day Worship according to the Liturgy, hath not many, if any words in it, whose signified Matter is not found and true; and as to the Manner, Extemporate Prayer hath oft as great unaptness of words (which every Age changeth) disorder and defectiveness.

As to your Reply, it is the strangest that ever I read from so Learned p. 14a Man, and is a great mistake: What is there in the world, that is a Subject,XV. Error. without any Accidentals? Gods Worship hath a multitude of Accidents; As the Hour, the Place, the Pulpet, the Tables, the Cups of Silver, the Linen and other Ornaments; the Books as Printed, the Metre, the Tunes, the Chapters and Verses, the words of Translation, the Building, the Gestures, Vestures, Treasures, &c.

You add another mistake, that [every thing that belongs to it, is a part of it.] Then all these forementioned are parts of it, for they all belong to it.XVI. Error. What a strange thing make you of Gods Worship? Then your Time, Place, Notes, Words, Tunes, Gestures, Covenant-Form, Catechism-Forms, &c. are all parts of Gods Worship, for they belong to it: And then you must be separated from for adding them. But after this mistake, you say, [Outward Circumstances are natural, and occasional, no accidental parts of worship]. Answ. Just now all Accidents were parts (or else Accidents belong not to it) And now [it hath no accidental parts] Certainly this is the truer; for I remember not that ever I heard of mere Accidents that were Parts. A mans Name, Relation, Trade, Cloathing, Age, House, &c. belong to him, and are Accidents, but no parts of him: no nor his Hair, if it be a mere Accident. But do none of these duely belong to him?

2. The word [Worship], as I said before, is Equivocal, as signifying only the Things made necessary to the honouring of God directly by Divine Command: or the subordinate Acts, Modes, Circumstances, left to Humane Choice. In the former sense, the Order, Words, and Forms in the Liturgy, and in all our usual Devotions, are Accidents, and not Parts. In the later sense, they are Parts: But whether this later sense of Worship be apt, is but a strife about a word.

But you say, they are natural and occasional. Ans. Dark words! 1. I think the Translations, Metre, Tunes, Notes, your Words and Method, Table, Cups, Cloth, Temples, &c. are rather Artificial than Natural; Art and not Nature made them what they are. If you mean that Nature commandeth them, then God by the Law of Nature commandeth them: and what greater Authority can they have? But yet that is not so, Nature doth not determine us to this or that, but leave all to apt and prudent Choice. And so he doth as to the form or words of Prayer.

If by [Occasional] you mean such as must be mutably fitted to just Occasions; there is no doubt of it: And while the Occasion is constant, so may the Accidents. But sure while they are such; yea, and relatively appropriated or separated to worship (as Buildings, Utensils, and Maintenance may be) they belong to that Worship which they are no parts of

p. 15D. O.

2. Prayers and Praises absolutely considered, are not an institution of Christ; they are a part of Natural Worship common unto all Mankind: His institution respects only the internal form of them, and the manner of their performance; but this is that which the Liturgy takes on it self, namely, to supply and determine the matter, to prescribe the manner, and to limit all the concerns of them to Modes and Forms of its own, which is to take the work of Christ out of his hand.

§ 9. YOur Second Answer is no better: 1. If by absolutely, you mean not generally (but as opposite to conditional), it hath no sense here that I can find: But if it be [in genere] that you mean, as the Context intimateth, they are no part of Worship at all, natural or instituted: For there is praying, which is cursing, and striving against God and Goodness, and praying to Idols. But I suppose you mean [de specie], praying to the true God for good things needful. And so it is another Mistake, That this Prayer is not of Christ's Institution, because it is a part of Natural Worship. All is of Christ's institution which is part of his commanding Law: The Law of Nature is now Christ's Law, who by Redemption is become Lord of Nature, and of all, Iohn 17.2, 3. Mat. 28.18, 19. Eph. 1.22, 23. Rom. 14.9, 10. Iohn 5.22, &c. He most strictly commandeth Natural Duties. The Ten Commandments were of Natural Obligation,XVII. Error. and yet instituted. And as Love was called a New and Special Commandment, as required on new and special grounds and ends, so is Prayer thus far also new.

2. And it is another Mistake, That Christ's institution respecteth only the internal form, and the manner of performance: The internal form is inward desire offered mentally to God. XVIII. Error.And is not this Natural, if Prayer be? Sure the Form is the Thing. But the institution of Christ reacheth the Matter of Prayer, as well as the inward Form and outward Manner: That we pray for the things mentioned in the Lord's Prayer; for God's Glory, Kingdom Will to be obeyed, &c. for Pardon, the Spirit, Grace, Glory, &c. That the Gospel may have free course, &c.

It is another Mistake▪ That the manner of performance is sinful, which is not of Christ's institution. The Words, and Method, and Length, are the manner of performance.XIX. Error. Can you shew an Institution determinative of all the Words, Method and p. 16L…ngth of all our Prayers? Or of all our Psalms, Rhimes and Tunes, and all our Gestures and Utensils? &c. By these words I am induced to hope, that the common report, That you were against the ordinary use of the Lord's Prayer in words, is false: for here you seem to be more for it than you ought: For if all the outward Manner must be instituted by Christ, sure the Lord's Prayer will be, at least the chief part.

You say, the Liturgy takes on it self to supply and determine Matter.

Ans. 1. Matter is more than Manner. But this is another Mistake: For the Liturgy supposeth that Scripture is the Rule, and Christ the Commander of all the Matter of Prayer which is of constant use and need (as the Articles of Religion, and the Ordination-Covenant shew): And you give no instance of the contrary. But as to mutable Matter, which vary as occasions by Providence do (as days of Humiliation and Thanksgiving, the 5th of November, and those things that are specially suited to some times and places), you determine of such your selves in all your Prayers.

XX. Error.It is another Mistake, That thus to limit the Concerns of Prayer to M…des and Forms, is to take Christ's work out of his hands. If so, then you must shew us where Christ himself undertook so to limit us to his Modes and Forms only: else it is not Christ's proper work: Is there a Liturgy of his making, more than we ever heard of? 2. And then do not all Ministers in every publick Prayer, take Christ's work out of his hands? Do they not limit the people in Matter, Mode, and Form of words? What heavy charges lay you on your selves? Do not the Composers of Hymns and Psalms, so limit them to Mode and Form? It's clear that they do.

D. O.

3. Outward Rites and Modes of Worship, divinely instituted and determined, do become the necessary parts of Divine Worship. See the Instance, Levit. 1.16. Therefore such as are humanely instituted, appointed and determined, are thereby made parts of Worship; namely, that which is false, for want of Divine Institution.

§ 10. YOur Third Reply is no better than the rest; viz. That because Divine Institution makes Rites and Modes necessary, therefore Humane Institution maketh such parts of false Worship,XXI. Error. for want of Divine Institution. I cannot imagine how so worthy a man could mistake so widely, but by studying only what to say for his Cause, and never thinking what may p. 17be replied. God's determination can make any indifferent thing a Duty▪ And doth it follow, that therefore he hath left nothing to man's determination? God's choice of Ierusalem for his Worship, of the Tabernacle-shape, of the Priests, &c. made these necessary: Is therefore man's determination of the fixed places for ordinary worship, of the form of the Temple, of ordained Ministers, false Worship? God made it a duty to sing the Psalm, Deut. 32. and other since: Is it therefore false worship now to make Hymns for publick use? Christ taught his Disciples a Form of Prayer: may you therefore not teach your Children or Scholars any? Christ chose a Text, Luke 4. and preacht, and that on a Mountain, in a Ship, &c. Therefore we may chuse a Text, and Place, &c. God appointed anniversary Fasts and Feasts: Is it therefore false worship to keep the 5th of November, or the like? God determined of the Priests maintenance: Is it a sin now to determine of Ministers maintenance? If God should institute and command all the words of your Church-Covenants, Prayers, Sermons, they would become necessary: Are they therefore sinful if man determine them? If God had made all the Articles of your Savoy Confession, or all the Laws of the Land, they would have been necessary: Are they now all unlawful, because Man made them?

That which God hath commanded, is no false Worship: But God hath commanded the Churches to determine undetermined Modes and Circumstances needful in genere; so as all may be done to Edification, decently and in order, and not causelesly to cross the Customs of the Churches of God, and to obey those that are over them in the Lord.

D. O.

4. Prayer and Praise are not the things prescribed and enj…yned in and by the Liturgy: It is so far from it, that thereby all Prayers and Praises in Church-Assemblies, meerly as such, are prohibited; but it is its own forms, way and mode, with their determination and limitation alone, that are instituted, prescribed and enjoyned by it: But these things have no Divine Institution, and therefore are so far false Worship.

§. 11. HEre are two more strange Mistakes: 1. Are there so many Prayers enjoyned, and the people called on with a [Let us Pray], and yet is not Prayer enjoyned? There is some secret meaning p. 18in this: For doubtless, you would never else affirm it, and expect that all men renounce their Sences;XXII. Error. you can mean nothing less than that their imposed Forms, when used as commanded, are no Prayers, which is another Error. If so, then all the Prayers of the Church of God for 1300. years at least, that we read of, were no Prayers: And then you desire no part in the Prayers of any Churches on Earth, at this day, save New Englands, or a few Separatists. What wonder then, if you be left without the Benefit of all those Prayers? Is this the Communion of Saints, in the Catholick Church?

2. And are there no Praises enjoyned. Are none of their Psalms, Hymns, and Doxologies, the Praises of God, when used: You suppose that Christ will call them None, or else you durst not. And is such a Slander of Christ, and the Universal Church, no sin?

Your next Misreport is that [by the Liturgy, all Prayers and Praises in Church Assemblies are prohibited.] This is too Rash: Where is there a word forbidding them?XXIII. Error. This can have no Sense, but that either none are Church-Assemblies that have a Liturgy, or that nothing commanded in the Liturgy, is Prayer and Praise in a Church-Assembly: But if this be your meaning, it is both ways untrue. 1. Is there no Church on Earth out of England? Or do they forbid any out of England, to Pray and Praise God? 2. Do they forbid the Dutch and French in England, to Pray and Praise God? 3. Do they forbid all Prayer and Praises in the Pulpits, in the Parish-Churches? 4. Have you proved all the Parish-Churches in England to be No Churches? Where is your Proof, how much soberer were the old Brownists? 5. Have you proved, that Commanding Men to Pray in such words, is forbidding them to Pray? when you set a Psalm for Praise, is that to forbid all Praise? Is not omnis modus entis modus, and includeth the Thing?

D. O.

2. Argument. That which was in its first contrivance, and hath been in its continuance, an Invention and Engine to defeat, or render useless the Promise of Christ unto his Church, of sending the holy Spirit in all Ages to enable it unto the due discharge and performance of all Divine Worship in its Assemblies, is unlawful to be complied withall, nor can be admitted in Religious Worship; But such is the Liturgical Worship. That the Lord Christ did make such a Promise, that he doth make it good, that the very Being and Continuance of the Church (without which, it is but a dead Machine) doth depend thereon, I suppose will not be denied, it hath been undeniably proved.

p. 19§. 12. TTo your Second Argument, I answer. 1. To the Minor.

Do you mean that this was the Intent of the first Contrivers and Continuers? or only that it had this effect, contrary to their Intent? The first seemeth your Sence, which is another misreport.XXIV. Error. For 1. You know not who the first Inventor was. 2. You know not all the Continuers. 3. And so high a Charge is to be taken for a Slander, till it be proved. 4. Are you sure that you lay not this Charge of Malignity on the Men of God, that made the Iews Psalms? and on Christ, that composed a Form of Praying and Baptizing? and on Paul, that commands Hymns, and imposed on Timothy a Form of Sound Words?

And if you meant it but of the English Liturgy, you could never prove that our Martyrs and Confessors that made it, had so malignant an End. But you speak it of Liturgical Worship in general, which obligeth you to prove almost all the Pastors for 1120. years and more, to be such Malignants. And its easily disproved, whether you meant it of their Intent, or of the Effect, by assigning the true and better Intent and Effect. They did it not to render useless the Spirits help, but 1. To be useful where such Abilities were wanting: It was the antecedent disability of Men that occasioned Liturgick Forms. 2. And it was to be a help subordinate to the Spirits help, to those that have it but in part; as Spectacles to dark Sights, and Sermon Notes to weak Memories. 3. They are really a great help to many, and therefore not made only to hinder them. When fitter and more sound and moving words are set before an unready Speaker, they help his affection more than his own shorter and unmeeter words would do; And his mind being not taken up with the study of words, is the freer to attend its affections. You must not measure all Mens Volubility of Speech by your own. I can truly say, that Forms are oft a help to me: I find young and old Christians are more fit to use them than the middle-aged: For the young cannot at first pray well (at least before others) without them, till use hath taught them And the old have discretion to fit their Affections to sound words oft repeated. But the middle-aged, that have a greater Heat, and a lesser Light, are much more taken with their own sudden Effusions and Expressions.

Do you think, that when Calvin formed the Liturgy for Geneva and France, he had so Malignant a Design, as to defeat the Spirits help? Or do our English Psalms and Tunes quench the Spirit? and are they used to keep Men from the Gift of making Hymns Ex tempore?

2 I answered your Minor first, because it is matter of Fact; but your Major also is untrue: For that which is imposed with an ill Intent, may be used to a good one: And that which hurteth some, may be a help to others. If the Parish Churches were all built to serve Popery and the Mass, p. 20and dedicated to Saints, yet we may use them lawfully to better Purposes. If Priests Marriages be forbidden for ill Ends, it may be forborn for good Ends. If Glebe and Tythes were here given first to maintain the Mass, they may be used to maintain sound Teachers. It was Popes that reverst the old Custom of not adoring, kneeling on any Lords day: And yet you may lawfully kneel then in Prayer: Yea, tho they brought in kneeling to the Host by that Alteration.XXV. Errer. So that this is another Error. And your Confirmations are not true.

D. O.

Hereon the Church lived and acted for several Ages, performing all Divine Worship in their Assemblies, by vertue of the Gifts and Graces of the holy Spirit, and no otherwise.

When these things were neglected, when the way of attaining, and the exercise of them appeared too difficult to Men of carnal minds, this way of Worship by a Prescribed Liturgy, was insensibly brought in, to render the Promise of Christ, and the Work of the holy Ghost in the Administration of Gifts, useless. And herein two things do follow.

§. 13. 1. IT is a great Error to think, that the Gifts and Graces of the holy Spirit may not be exercised, if we use the same words, or if they be prescribed. The chief help of Gods Spirit, lieth in giving us a due esteem of the things prayed for, and a holy Desire after them, and a lively Faith and Hope that we shall obtain them, and a fixed Resolution to use all other means for them, and avoid all that would deprive us of them. And doubtless, he that hath these mental Dispositions, hath thereby a great help for his Expression of them; for out of the abundance of the Heart, the Mouth speaketh. But 1. It's well known, that Use and Knowledge, can enable an Hypocrite to pray as long, and in as good Words and earnest Tone, as a sincere Christian.

2. That which is easiest, needeth the least help: It is to me so much easier to speak my own thoughts in Prayer ex tempore, than to remember a form of words; that never since I was twenty years old, did I ever learn and say without Book, the words of one Prayer, or one Sermon, since I Preacht; to have learnt a Prayer or Sermon without Book, would have cost me ten times and more, both time and labour, and fear of being out, than I ever used or could afford.

3. Pardon me for asking, Whether if this Author put all the Errors of this his writing into a Prayer or Sermon, he did not need more p. 21help of the Spirit, to have avoided them, and to have spoken nothing but truth, than to have fluently uttered so many mistakes? He hath heard those called Arminians on one side, and Antin…mians on the other, oft fluently express their Opinions in Gods Worship: The former he took to be heinous Errors: Had not all these had more of the help of Gods Spirit, if they had uttered nothing but true and good in a form, than they had to speak so much Error and Evil to God or Man, with extemporate fluency.

4. May not a man use the Lords Prayer by the Spirits help? If I have any help of Gods Spirit, it is more in the use of that Prayer, than at any other time.

5. May not one sing Psalms by the help of the Spirit, unless he make them extempore? I doubt you lay too much on words; Gods Spirit worketh on the heart, and its greatest help is in its greatest gifts, which are Faith, Repentance, Love, Desire, &c. and not words: Words must be used and weighed; but the main work is heart work, and God knoweth the meaning of the Spirit, when we have but groans, which we canot express, and cry but Abba, Father.

But you come to History, and add another misreport in the words,XXVI. Error. [and no otherwise] that the Church for several ages Worshipped [no otherwise] than by such gifts as you describe, which exclude Liturgick forms. It's plain in the descriptions of Iustin and Tertullian, that they did use extemporate Prayer then; but not that they did no otherwise. 1. Tertullian himself giveth you their form of a Creed, and so do many others. 2. They used a set form of words in Baptizing. 3. And they constantly used singing Psalms and Hymns, which were not made ex tempore, nor by every singer. 4. They used the Lords prayer in form often. 5. At the Lords Supper they had divers words of form and responses. In Cyprian, some parcels are to he seen, and in divers others. 6. The truth is, our History of the Churches manner of Worship for the first two hundred years, is so little, that we know but little how they did it, beside the foresaid two passages in Iustin and Tertullian. But by what is in the Historians of the next Ages, and by the Churches general use of the Liturgies, without contradiction soon after, and what Daillee hath gathered, de cultu Latinorum, &c. we know that [no otherwise,] is not true.

2. It's too true, that the carelesnes…, sloth and worldly alienations of Ministers, made all useful sufficiency for the work of the Ministry, in Praying and Preaching, to be neglected, and doth to this day. But I hope no wise man dreameth that all the Pastors had one soul, or one mind and design. If any Malignants used or enjoyned forms, to make p. 22…hrists promise, and the Spirits help useless; others used them, and promoted the use of them, for the performance of Christs promise, and the Spirits help. 1. Because there were not (when publick countenance increased the Churches) half enough men for the Ministry, that had the extemporate gifts of Prayer and Preaching. 2. And you confess that each Church had then many Elders for oversight, besides those that laboured in the Word and Doctrine. Do you believe that all these had such extemporate gifts of utterance? Or that these might not on occasion Pray and Preach. 3. If Parents teach Children necessarily to Pray in a prescribed form of words, without designing to defeat Christ or his Spirit, but to subserve them; how can you tell, but the first prescribers of publick forms did mean as well, when they found few persons able to do so well without, and abundance of Hereticks ready to corrupt Gods Worship with their Errors? 4. Let it be soberly considered, Whether mens long and hard Study for all the words which they write in Books, and for their Sermons, be done to defeat Christ and his Spirit, or to subserve them? And why the use of words studied by others, and weighed by us, before we utter them, should defeat the Spirit any more, than words premeditated by our selves? Or at least, is not the Spirit as much defeated in the People that joyn, who ever prepareth the words? For they do not themselves put them up by their gift of utterance. And its impossible when you speak, for the people to know whether those words were before studied, and whether by your self or by another, from whom you borrowed them. I have heard Mr. Ph. Nye, wish that some men were sent into Wales, and other such places, with an injunction to read good Sermon Books to the people, such as Dr. Prestons, Sibbs, &c. was this spoken to defeat the Spirit, or to serve him?

D. O.

1. A total neglect of all gifts of the Holy Ghost, in the Administration of Church-worship and Ordinances.

§ 14. THe first Consequence is an untruth: No doubt but Liturgies were abused to cherish Ignorance and Negligence.XXVII. Error. But that the neglect was total, is not true; whether you respect all the Churches, or all the parts of Worship and Ordinances. 1. The many holy and excellent Men, whose fame and writings are transmitted to us, did not totally neglect all gifts of the Holy Ghost. Were all the great Volumes of Sermons preached p. 23and written by Chrysostome, without any gift of the Holy Ghost? Or was Preaching no Ordinance? Were all Augustine's elaborate Volumes done without him? Or all Cyprian's, Macarius, Ephrem Syrus, Basil's, Gregory's, yea, or Bernard's Homilies and Works?

2. Are the gifts of Holy Desire, Faith, Hope, Repentance, no gifts of the Holy Ghost? Or can you prove that these were all totally neglected in the administration of Church-worship?

3. It's known, thar in the Exercise of Discipline, which is a Church-Ordinance, and in Catechizing and Preaching, they were not tied only to a form of words; no, nor in all Confession, Prayer and Thanksgiving.

4. It's a great blow to the Universal Church, to say, That it totally neglected all the gifts of the Holy Ghost.

D. O.

2. When a Plea for the Work of the Holy Ghost began to be revived, it produced all the enmity, hatred and contempt of, and against the Spirit of God himself, and his whole Work in the Church, which the World is now filled withal.

§ 15. THat word [his whole work in the Church], is another mis-report.XXVIII. Error. It is not [his whole work] that is so contemned. A man may preach for Mercy to the Poor, for Obedience to Authority, for Love, &c. and he may sing Psalms of Praise, and pray for Pardon, and for Kings and Magistrates, and for daily Bread, and may profess to believe the Creed, and Scripture, &c. without the contempt which you describe. But no doubt but Malignity will take advantage of Liturgies, and of almost any thing, and so hath still done: All is not unlawful which bad men abuse: What is more turned against Christ in the world abroad, than his Two great Ordinances of Magistracy and Ministry: What more abused to strife, than the Sacrament of Love, Union and Communion? Are all these therefore unlawful?

And it's a palpable Mistake, That the foresaid scorn of all done by the Spirit [ariseth from hence alone], XXIX. Error.a justification of the devised way of Worship. It ariseth more from a malignant enmity to serious godliness, and from worldly interests and designs, and from the slanders of Seducers that accuse good men, and too much from the miscarriages of many that have boasted most of the Spirit, as Quakers, Ranters, Familists, &c. do.

p. 24And Experience confuteth you: For all those Countries that make but little use of Liturgies, have yet malignant parties that hate and oppose spiritual serious Exercises of Religion.

D. O.

All the Reproaches that are daily cast upon the Spirit of Prayer; all the concontempt and sc…rn which all Duties of religious Worship performed by his aid and assistance, are entertained withal, ariseth from hence alone, namely, a justification of this devised way of Worship, as the only true way and means thereof.

Take this away, and the wrath and anger of men against the Spirit of God and his w…rk, in the Worship of the Church, will be abated; yea, the necessity of them will be evident.

T…is we cannot comply with, lest we approve the original design of it, and partake in the sins which proceed from it.

§ 16. BEcause you lay the main stress of your Cause on History and Experience, you constrain me to add some more History, which I had rather have past by: But if I set not Experience against Experience, I shall leave abundance unto the danger of error, who can judg by little else than Experience, and that see and feel what's present, and forget what is long past and gone.

The Truth I have opened in my Christian Directory, that both ways are liable to great abuse, and all humane actions have their inconveniences. The benefits of a sound Liturgy, are, 1. To keep out Heresie and ill words from publick worship. 2. To be a help to men of unready utterance. 3. That the people may know before-hand what they joyn in.

The inconveniences are, 1. The dulling of Affection in hearing still the same words. 2. The tempting of slothful worldly Candidates and Ministers to learn no other way of praying, when this will serve all their worldly turns. But I must add, That this followeth not the imposing of a Liturgy, but the exclusion of other Prayer, and taking up with this alone.

2. The conveniences of praying from an habit▪ are, 1. A just variation, as Occasions vary. 2. Help to fresh Affection. 3. Forcing Ministers to get ability for utterance.

The inconveniences are, 1. That the people know not till the words are past, whether they may own them, and so hardly try all, and follow with just consent. 2. That abundance of young, raw, unskilful p. 25men, do ordinarily disgrace Prayer by their unskilful methods and expressions. 3. That Hereticks and erroneous men have great opportunity to put their sins into their prayer, which yet the people should by joyning in, make their own, were they sound (which they are not bound to do by Sermons): And no man of understanding can chuse but suspect, that weak ignorant Ministers will be shewing their weakness in the highest Duties; and so must suspend their consent till late. 4. That less care will be taken in speaking to God, than in speaking to Men, while most sober Ministers study their Sermons. 5. That when to avoid disgraceful words, and manner of praying, men must decree, that no such weak or unready men shall be Ministers, the number that can do it better, will be so small, as that most Churches on Earth must be so deprived of Ministers, and all publick Worship, if that take place. 6. That by this means young ignorant men, that by use can speak fluently and fervently in prayer, shall be followed by the people; when many great Divines, judicious and holy, that have not that readiness of utterance, shall be rejected, as having not the Spirit. 7. That as all mens bodies and minds be not in the like quickness and fitness at all times, but sometimes clouded by Fumes or Weakness; the publick Worship shall be as mutable, uncertain and various as mens Tempers are.

All these on both sides are so great inconveniences, that tho both Formalists and Fanaticks have derided me for it, I have formerly said, and still say, That I believe that the best way to avoid both sorts of Evils is, To have meet set Forms, which shall be owned by the Church, as their professed desires, not being so long, as to take up too much time from freer Prayer, much less to forbid it; which Calvin wisely ordered for France and Geneva.

And now as you have Historically told us the ill Consequences of a Lturgy, I shall first tell you, It is a Mistake: None of these arise from a sound Liturgy, but from the using that alone, and not using also free Prayer with it: And next, I shall add some more of the History of Separation from Churches that have Liturgies, tho it be as displeasing to me, as it is necessary to the People.

I will pass by the Histories of Muncer and Munster, and of David George in Holland, and of Henry Nicols, and the Familists, which were the Off-spring of Separation: And the sad Conflicts which they had against the sober Nonconformists; and their sad Divisions among themselves in Holland, and how many of them went further to Anabaptistry, and more; when Brown their Leader here, turned Conformist. It is only what I p. 26have lived to see, that I briefly mention. When the Parliament began, 1640. there were few Separatists known comparatively in England: But when they were encouraged by hope of Success, they began to stir, and shew themselves, and two sorts fell in with them, and quickly increased them, that is, 1. The exasperated Sufferers. 2. Women, and weak young Men, who thought it a great honour in Religion, to go far enough from Persecutors, and formal or ungodly Ministers, not seeing the Danger on the other Extream. Holy and Learned Iohn Ball foresaw the Danger, and wrote his Book, called, The Trial of Separation: and after, two more; one against Canne, and another against two New England Ministers. The Assembly being called, even sober and excellent Men that were for the old Conformity in case of Necessity, but not otherwise; Five of their number, differing from all the rest, save two more, wrote for Independency. This Controversie began the great Breach, while the Five Dissenters stood stifly for a Liberty, that Men might gather New Churches out of the Churches of the other Ministers, of as many as should come to them in all places, and should have all Church-Power in those separated Churches. The other did not what might have been done skilfully to heal the Breach, tho they did much. The two Parties drew others into the Division. Those called Presbyterians were the more quiet, because they thought the Dissenters few. Independency might have been tolerated, but Separation was that which would not be endured, when nothing was imposed in Doctrine or Worship, which the Dissenters excepted against. The Separaters finding themseves few, were the more industrious, especially to get Interest in Parliament and Army. In the Parliament, they could never get near the Major Vote; but they had some, whose Policy and Industry made up what was wanting in Number: And by them, they got the Army new modell'd; all Parliament Men thence put out, and Cromwell put in Power, Second in Name, and First in Deed: He placed his Interest (as Constantine did, in owning the persecuted Christians, who had no other outward help but him) in declaring himself to be for Liberty in Religion, and the Protector of all godly Men that suffered for Conscience-sake, or feared it, whereby the Dissenters that feared lest the Presbyterians would Master them, came in to him, and he got enough to Head his Army (and great numbers also of Common Soldiers) who were for Separation; and being Men of other Parts and Interest, than those t…at Fight only for Pay, would not run away, but Conquered almost where ever they came. I lived in Coventry quietly, and with godly understanding Men, who thought all the Accusations against Fairfax's (or rather Cromwell's) Army▪ as turbulent, overturning Men, had been Slanders. After Nas…by Fight, being near them, I went for Novelty to see them. There some sober Men among p. 27them told me, how they had discouraged all the Orthodox Ministers, save one or two, and were deserted by them, and turned Preachers themselves; they that had most Self Conceit, being the Speakers; and in a word, foretold me what Changes they would attempt, against King, Parliament, and Ministry, I went home, and told what I saw and heard, and being Invited by some of the soberest to the Army, I told an Assembly of Ministers my willingness to venture Life and Labour among them, to undeceive as many as I could. The Ministers consented to my going (Dr. Grew, and Mr. Simon King, yet living, were two of them); There Cromwell having notice of all before I came, gave me no opportunity to come near himself or the Chief in Power: But where I came, I did my best: For I found the Separatists half Arminians, and the other half contrary, Antinonians; agreeing to use their Power for the Changes that were after made. The Scots and Presbyterians they designedly and bitterly reproached. The Book called, Mar…in Mar-Priest, and other such, tell you their Dialect: Their usual Titles were, The Priest-byters, the Drivines, the Sinners of Westminster, the Dissembly men, and such like. The godly able Ministers, were more scorned by them, than formerly I had heard among the Drunkards. What they did after this, England and Scotland felt. They cut off the King, they cast out Eleven Members from the Parliament: After that, they cast out and imprisoned the Major par, which was the House of Commons, and cast out all the House of Lords; then by these they made the People take an Engagement against the old Form of Government, To be true to the Commonwealth, as then Established, without a King and House of Lords: They ordered the Sequestring of all Ministers that would not Fast and Pray before, and give Thanks after, for their Victories in Scotland. They then pull'd down this Remnant of the Commons, and called themselves without the Peoples Choice, Two out of each County, and called them a Parliament. These put it to the Vote, Whether all the Parish-Ministers in England, should not be put down at once, and as credible Report went, it was carried against them but by three Voices. These gave up their Commissions to Cromwell. He now becomes the Defender of the Ministers: The Government is again Changed, and he made Protector, and Fundamental Laws made among themselves, by we know not whom; Parliament Lords made by him: Parliaments called, and broken at his pleasure. The Government of the Counties put into the Hands of Major Generals. After the Death of Oliver, his Son set up, and his Parliament first pull'd down (in which the Reverend Author, n…w opposed, told me, he was an Agent) and next himself. Then the Commons, called the Rump, were made Sovereign again. Then they were pull'd down again, and a Council of State out of the Army that did it, is set highest: Till at p. 28last, by God's most remarkable hand, this conquering Army dissolved utterly without one drop of blood, and the King restored without opposition.

It's true, that serious godliness all this while much increased in most parts of the Land: But how? It was mainly by the excellent preaching and living of that Ministry whom these Separatists vilified, such as the Assembly-men had been, and by a middle sort of Peace-makers, who engaged in no Sect, but would fain have healed all: For the effects of the separating party were these: 1. The Land was cast into division and confusion by them. 2. Ranters and Quakers sprung from them. 3. Their overthrow of Government brought a Reproach on Religion. 4. Seperated Churches of Anabaptists kept up a Religious War in many places. 5. All the Parish-Ministers in Wales were put down, and most of the Churches shut up, Itinerant Preachers being set up in their stead, lest the Parishes should be thought to be Churches. Perhaps you'l say, That these Itinerants were better than the old ignorant Ministers: But, 1. Their Number was so small, that there was commonly but one to Six or Eight Parishes: so that the People publickly worshipt God but once in Six or Eight weeks: And had not a Liturgy been better than nothing, or than to live like Atheists? 2. The most famous of the Itinerants were Mr. W. Cradocke and Vavasor Powel: I knew them both: The former was a most zealous man for practical godliness, with whom I conversed in my Youth, when in Mr. Rich. Simond's School in Shrewsbury, he was concealed from the Bishops pursuit, by the Name of Mr. Williams: But how gross an Antinomian he turned after he had learned Separation, before he was Itenerant there, his Printed Sermons tell us, where he so earnestly perswadeth men not to question their Justification after Conversion, for any sin whatsoever they shall commit; and more such like: And his Printed Writings shew, that Mr. Erbury, of whom he learned Separation, fell so far, as that it's hard to discern that he was at all a Christian. And Vavasor Powel was an Antinomian.

Now I crave a sober Answer to this, 1. Whether a Liturgy had not been better than no Worship for six days in seven? 2. Whether these Itinerants, that so dangerously erred in Doctrine, were not more sadly destitute of the help of the Spirit, than they that only wanted ability to utter sound words without a Form, or Books? And had not good forms been safer for that People, than the Doctrine of Mr. Erbury, Mr. Crad…k, Vavasor Powel, Morgan Lloyd of Wrexham, (known also in Print). It grieved me to talk with one of these Itinerants in 1663, who came to me for Counsel: He had been an Anabaptist set up for an Itinerant over many Parishes; I examined him, and found that he had not any more learning than to read English, and was grosly Ignorant in Divinity: p. 29He was ordained for all that by a Bishop and conformed; I wondered how he past their Examination: He told me that they askt him no questions about his Learning or Knowledg, but only whether he would Conform, and so ordained him.

I have now opened some of the fruits of Separation in England, as you have done the supposed fruits of the Liturgies, but indeed of the exclusion of free Prayers. And judg now whether all the ill effects have come from one extream. The truth is, having impartially observed the mischiefs of the Age in which I have lived, I have found that both the extreams have been the chief causes; and the Peacemakers both the most understanding, and the most innocent: And the nearer any of the several parties have come to them, the more innocent they have been. It is not meer Episcopacy or Liturgies, that have done the mischief; for such excellent men as Cranmer, Ridley, Hooper, Farrar, Parker, Iewel, Grindal, Davenant, Usher, &c. could use both profitably: It's not meer Presbytery; for such as Calvin, Beza, Danaeus, Sadeel, Rivet, Chamier, Dallee, Blondel, have been excellent Lights in the Church: It is not meer Independency; for Ramus, Amesius, H. Iacob, Ier. Burroughs, and many others of that mind, have been excellent peaceable men. It is not mere Anabaptistry, for there have been many peaceable worthy men against Infant Baptism, (and some Bishops thought it not of Divine Institution); and when they were re-baptized, continued in Love and Communion with others. But it is Proud Ignorance, and want of Christian Love, causing Excommunicating, Persecuting, Separation or Schism in some, and withdrawing censorious Separation in others, who (neither party) understand the truth, nor ever loved their Neighbours as themselves, nor learnt to do as they would be done by. The worldly P R. IGs. and the unruly P R. IGs. by Persecution, and by causless Separation and Alienation, have done the hurt.

But I will tell the Bishops, that they should not be too angry with the Learned Author of these twelve Arguments: For I know not three men alive, whom they are more beholden to for their restitution, by opening the door, and sweeping the way, and melting down or pulverizing all that was like to have resisted them. I speak not of the Intention, but of the Action; by which the Separatists cut down the banks, and when they had let in the Prelacy and Liturgy which they dislike, then write and talk against them.

I will add one Question to this unpleasant Section; If there be as few in all the Christian World; yea, among the reformed Calvinists and Lutherans, out of our Kings Dominions, that can pray as well without a form, as with it, as we have great cause to believe; would he p. 30have all these Nations dissolve all their Churches, and like Atheists cast off all publick Church-worship, till they have Ministers enough that have learnt to pray better without a Form or Liturgy than with it? If this be desired, I appeal to any that can difference Christianity from Heathenism, Whether Liturgies, or such a Separation from Liturgies, would do more hurt?

And I will add yet one question more, If there be not above two or three (or at last no) Church-assemblies in a County, which have Nonconforming Ministers, and opportunity to worship God as Churches; would you have all the rest of the Countries dissolve their Church-assemblies, or forbear all, and live like Unbelievers? If so, I am a Separatist from such destructive Principles and Separations.

D. O.

3. Argument, That in religious Worship which derogates from the Kingly Office of Iesus Christ, so far as it doth so, is false Worship.

Unto the Office of Christ, it inseparably belongs that he be the sole Lawgiver of the Church, in all the Worship of God. The rule of his Government herein is, Teach men to do and observe whatsoever I command.

But the Worship treated about, consists wholly in the Institutions, Commands, Prescriptions, Orders and Rules of Men; and on the Authority of men alone doth their Impositions on the practice of the Church depend. What is this, but to renounce the Kingly Office of Christ in the Church?

§ 17. TO the Major of your 3d. Arguement I answer, 1. There is that in Worship, [as the badness of the men, &c.) which is no part of the Worship, and therefore no false Worship. 2. True Worship materially may be so abused, as to derogate from the Kingly Office of Christ. 3. But it is granted, That all your own, or other mers Errors, or Sin in Worship, (which no man is totally free from) do in some degree practically derogate from the Kingly Office of Christ, (which should be better obeyed) and so is so far false Worship.

That it belongs to this Office of Christ to be the sole Lawgiver in all the Worship of God, XXX. Error.is another mistake. 1. There is that in Gods Worship, which is no part of his Worship. 2. There is a secondary Worship subservient to Gods Institutions, which men may make Laws about. 3. There are temporary By-laws and Mandates, which have the essence of Law, (which is, to p. 31signifie the Rulers Will, making the Subjects Duty) besides general Laws by Excellency, so called.

And so, 1. Princes may make Laws for the Use of the best Translation of Scripture, for the Version of Psalms, for Ministers due ordering Worship; to restrain some Seducers, for Time, Place, Utensils, to be uncovered, and to kneel or stand at Prayer, &c. And the Pastor may by Mandate, oblige the People to much of the like.

Matth. 28.20. By saying [whatever I command you] doth not say, Do nothing which your Parents▪ Prince or Pastor command you, besides my Commands. Sure it was his Spirit that said, Heb. 13. Obey them that have the Rule over you. Christ never particularly commanded any of the Twenty things, in which I instanced to Mr. Raphson. Must not Children obey Parents, or Servants their Masters, in learning any Form of Catechism, or chusing any Minister, or writing Sermons, &c. till Christ will particularly command them? This is a false Exposition.

It is another Mistake, that the Worship treated about, consisteth wholly in the Command, &c. of men. This Worship containeth, 1. In General, Praying, Praising, Preaching. Is this none of Gods Command? 2. It containeth for the Matter signified, XXXI. Error.the Confession of Sins of Omission and Commission, the Petitioning for all contained in the Lords Prayer, and for all Graces (tho Prayers for Faith or its increase, was much forgotten, save on St. Thom…s day, or such an odd occasion) and for the Church and others, as well as our selves, for Kings, and all in Authority; And Thanksgivings for all sorts of Men. I can find little in the Common Publick Worship, whose Matter is not of Divine Command; And can you find none such at all? wonderful difference of Eye-sight!

3. The Matter signifying, is much of it: The Psalms of David, the Old Testament and the New Read, the Lords Prayer, the Ten Commandments, Scripture Hymns, a Scripture-Benediction: Is none of all this commanded by God? What Christian should believe it?

It is also a Mistake, that [on the Authority of Men alone, doth their Imposition on the Practice of the Church depend]. For, 1. The foresaid parts are imposed by God himself. 2. The Lawful Modes imposed by Men, depend not on their Authority alone, XXXII. Error.but on Gods, who Authorizeth Rulers to do it: For he hath said, Let all be done to Edification, in Order; Obey them that have the Rule. They that obey a Pastor for Time, Place, Utensils, Translations, Psalms, &c. or that obey the King, depend not herein on Man alone.

Your Conclusion also is a Mistake.XXXIII. Error. This is not to renounce the Kingly Office of Christ in the Church, no more than you did, when you wrote your Savoy-Articles of Confession, or p. 32when you draw up the Form of a Church-Covenant for your Flock. All that is a Sin against Christs Kingly Office, is not a renouncing of it.

D. O.

4. Argument. That which gives Testimony against the Faithfulness of Christ in his House, as a Son and Lord of it, above that of a Servant, is not to be complied withall; let all his Disciples judge.

Unto this Faithfulness of Christ it doth belong to appoint and command all things whatever in the Church, that belongs to the Worship of God, as is evident from this Comparison with Moses herein, and his preference above him. Hebr. 3.3, 4, 5 6. But that Institution and Prescription of all things in Religious Worship, of things never instituted nor prescribed by Christ in the Forms and Modes of them, ariseth from a supposition of a defect in the Wisdom, Care, and Faithfulness of Christ; Whence alone a necessity can arise of prescribing that in Divine Worship, that he hath not prescribed.

§. 18. TO your Fourth Argument, I answer. 1. To the Major Proposition (1. To give Testimony) Signifieth either by remote unseen Consequence, to cross Christs Faithfulness: And so do many of the mistakes of you, and every Party; Or it signifies a known denial of Christs Faithfulness. No Christian complieth with this.

2. Complying also is an ambiguous word; if it mean an approbation of any Sin, so no man must comply. If it mean communicating in good, where there is a faulty mixture of some evil, so he that will not comply, must joyn with no Church, and with no Man living.

2. To your Minor, I answer, (passing by the misforming) in your Supposition, It is not true, that it belongeth to Christs Faithfulness to appoint and command all things whatever in the Church, XXXIV. Error.which belongs to the Worship of God: Else he were unfaithful in bidding them appoint many things belonging to his Worship. I have named Instances enow; which I must not still repeat; You and all Ministers belong to his Worship, and yet Christ hath not in Scripture named you, but left the Choice of you to Man. So of all Accidents undetermined.

It is another Error, That the Prescription of Forms and Modes of things in Worship,XXXV. Error. not commanded by Christ, can arise from nothing but from Supposition of a defect in the Wisdom, care and faithfulness of Christ. I confute it, 1. You know not the hearts of all the World, and therefore cannot say, That this can arise from nothing else: Did you know Ambrose, that made the p. 33Te Deum, and all that made and prescribed Psalms, Hymns and Prayers; and Calvin that made a Liturgy; and Bucer, and the Martyrs here, and all that prescribed Translations and Metres, &c. so well, as to know that all these, and almost all the Churches on Earth do suppose Christ to be unfaithful?

2. Is it only such a charge or Supposition against Christ, which made you your self prescribe your form of Church-Covenant, your Savoy Articles, your Catalogue of Fundamentals, your Lay-Elders, your time and place of Meeting, your Utensils and Ornaments at the Sacraments, &c?

3. I tell you another possible end, They did it, because they thought that these Modes are mutable according to Persons, Place, Time, Occasion, &c. And therfore, that it belonged not to Christs faithfulness to detemine them, and that they should deny his faithfulness if they did deny that it hath left them to humane Determination under general Rules, and bid the people obey them that have the rule over you, &c.

D. O.

5. Argument, That which is a means humanely invented for the attaining of an end in Divine Worship, which Christ hath ordained a means for, unto the exclusion of that means so appointed by Christ, is false Worship, and not to be complied withal.

The end intended, is the Edification of the Church, in the Administration of all its holy Ordinances; this the Service-book is ordained and appointed by men for, or it hath no end or use at all; but the Lord Christ hath appointed other means for the attaining this end, as is expresly declared. He has given gifts unto men for the work of the Ministry, for the edifying of the Body, Ephes. 4.7, 8, 11, 12. that is, in all Gospel Administrations. But this means ordained by Christ, namely, the exercise of spiritual gifts in Gospel Administrations, unto the Edification of the Church, is excluded; yea, expresly prohibited in the Prescription of this Liturgical Worship.

§. 19. TO the Major of your 5th. Argument, I answer, As to the former, No man is to comply by Approbation with any thing that excludeth any of Gods means; for instance, not with you that exclude the great duty of Catholick Communion. But we may so far comply with you and others, as to joyn with you in Gods Worship, tho you mix some evil. Mr. Faldo at Barnet was fain many years to Preach to a people that excluded singing Psalms. He did what they p. 34would bear, when he could not do what he would. He complied not by Approbation with exclusion, for he spake against it.

Are you sure that all your ways have tended to the Edification of the Church? Every weak Minister that preacheth or prayeth, when an abler might be had, hindereth the Edification of the Church. Is it a Sin therefore to hear any but the ablest?

2. That which hindereth the Churches Edification by the Rulers fault, it may be the Peoples duty to obey for a greater good: For instance, …t is less edifying to use our old singing Psalms, than a better Version: And yet for Concord, if the Ruler appoint them, the People must use them; because Concord with that imperfection, is better than to sing every one a several better Version, or divers at once: so a faulty Translation of Scripture, a weak Sermon, an inconvenient hour and place, when Concord is necessary, and cannot be had in the more edifying circumstances, it must be had in the best way we can. If the Sheriff appoint an unfit time and place to meet to chuse Parliament-men; it's a duty to comply, rather than not to meet at all; every evil so far excludeth good: And yet we must not renounce Communion in all good, where men mix any evil, left we also give over all good our selves.

3. Christ giveth gifts to men now in the due use of means, and not by miracle: Therefore he giveth them in great diversity, and by hard Study, and long Time, Heb. 5. For the time they ought to have been teachers, &c. Therefore a Novice must not be a Bishop; but an Elder, whence the Office had its name. All your pupils, people or Ministers, that had the Spirits gifts, had not your redundancy of Expression. And many can talk more fluently for falshood, than good men can for truth. I was never much troubled my self for want of words to express what I know; but I have ten thousand times more beg'd hard for more Knowledg, Faith, Love, and Hope, than ever I did for the gift of utterance; a full heart is earnest, fervent and ready.

It is another mistake, That the exercise of Spiritual gifts is expresly forbidden;XXXVI. Error. unless you had meant that just at the use of the Litutgy, extemporate utterance is forbidden; but it is not so in the Pulpit.

And you should not confound things so different, as is the use of the Liturgy, and the forbidding of other prayers.

Nor yet the act of the Commander, and of the People. If Rulers should command Preaching, Prayer, &c. to exclude the singing Psalms, that is their Sin, and not the Peoples, who must not (like peevish Children at meat) refuse all, because they cannot have what they would.

p. 35D. O.

The pretence of mens liberty to use their Gifts in Prayer before Sermons, and in Preaching, is ridiculous; they are excluded in all the solemn Worship of the Church.

§ 20. THis answer is not only a mistake, but of an ill aspect on your selves.XXXVII. Error. It's not true, That the use of Gifts [is excludeded in all the solemn Worship of the Church]. As if Prayer, Praise, Thanksgiving, Confession, Explication of the Scripture, Reproof, Exhortation, Comfort, Direction, Benediction, were no part of the solemn Worship of the Church. Indeed some Superconformists have said so, but I had hoped you would not.

2. I said, It's of an ill aspect. For 1. If Preaching and Pulpit-Prayer before and after, be none of the solemn Worship of the Churches, then all those Churches which seldom use any other, (saving a Psalm, which is a Liturgick form) have no solemn Worship at all. 2. But if it be otherwise, (as it is) then the Parish Churches so far excel most of you, that they have all that you have (Pulpit Prayer and Sermon, and sometimes a Chapter) and all the Common Prayer more. And is not that better than your nothing (except at Sacraments)? I know that the Nonconformists that I have converst with, are in judgment for more, (for reading the Psalms, Chapters, Creed, Lords Prayer, Decalogue, &c.) But I have come into so few of their Churches that do any more than the common Pulpit work, (sing a Psalm, Pray and Preach there) that I have in that respect preferred the Churches that do all that, and add all the Liturgy besides, more than you use.

D. O.

Argument 6. That which hath been, and is obstructive of the edification of the Church, if it be in Religious Worship, it is false Worship: For the end of all true publick Worship is edification.

But such hath been, and is this Liturgical Worship: For,

§ 21. YOur Sixth Argument is but a Former repeated. To the Major I grant it: All that is bad, is so far false.

p. 36To the Minor, 1. And such is all your Errors, and all the Disorder, ill Reflections, slovenly Expressions which any weak Minister useth, and the faults that all men have in some degree.

D. O.

1. It puts an utter stop to the progress of Reformation in this Nation, fixing bounds unto it that it could never pass.

2. It hath kept multitudes in ignorance, &c.

3. It hath countenanced and encouraged many in reviling and reproaching the holy Spirit, and his Work.

4. It hath set up and warranted an ungifted Ministry.

5. It hath made great desolations in the Church: 1. In the silencing of painful Ministers. 2. In the ruin of Families innumerable. 3. In the destruction of souls.

It is not lawful to be participant in these things; yea, the glory of our profession lies in our testimony against them.

§ 22. TO your Reasons: 1. It's not the use of a Liturgy that hinders Reformation, but the abuse of it, and forbidding other ways of duty.

2. The same I say of keeping men in ignorance: Use all other means, and the Liturgy with it, and it will keep none in ignorance. Some Helvetia Ministers who endeavoured to have practised my Reformed Pastor, in personal conference, told me, That there the common people go customarily, almost every day in the week, to a Sermon, without Ceremonies or Liturgies (usually) with a Bible in their hands, and continue as ignorant as those here that have no preaching.

3. I think it was not the esteem of a Liturgy that made Quakers and Separatists here, revile and scorn the best Ministry, I think, in all the World.

4. Nor was it the Liturgy that set up and warranted such ill-gifted Teachers as Mr. Erbury, Dell, Den, Paul Hobson, Chillington, Lilhurne, Prince, Wallwin, William Sedgwick, no, nor Mr. Saltmarsh, who wrote for comfort, That Christ hath repented and believed for us; and we should no more question our Faith and Repentance, than we would question Christ. I pass by multitudes of Army-Preaching-Soldiers, such as those in Major Bethel's Troop, in the same Regiment that I was with; against whom, one day in Amersham-Church, I was put to dispute from morning till near night, to save multitudes whom they drew every week to hear them, from their absurd Errors (and at last they turned Levellers, and Cromwell p. 37was put to hunt them to death). The like I was put to with Brown, an Army-Chaplain, and an Arrian, that maintained, That Christ was not God, in a Church at Worcester: And this life I had with them long. Was all this caused by a Liturgy?

5. The desolations made in the Church, malignant men would make with or without a Liturgy. What may not be abused? The Authors must answer for it. Such as aforesaid, Iewel, Grindal, Usher, &c. Preston, Sibs, Bolton, and a Thousand such, made no such havock.

It is not lawful to partake in persecution: but we must partake in much good, which bad men will abuse to persecution. An excellent forreign Church hath decreed to reject all Ministers that are not, 1. For the Antiquity of the Hebrew Points. 2. Against Universal Redemption. Our Learned Author here was for both these, tho men abused them to persecution.

D. O.

Argument 7. That practice whereby we condemn the suffering Saints of the present Age, rendering them false Witnesses of God, and the only blamable cause of their own sufferings, is not to be approved: But such is this practice: And where this is done on a pretence of liberty, without any plea of necessary duty on our part, it is utterly unlawful.

§ 23. TO your Seventh Argument: The Major meaneth, either Saints that suffer for well-doing, or for ill-doing. If the Anabaptists should be suffering-Saints, I would be none of those that they suffer by: But yet I would not be for Anabaptistry, for fear of condemning them as the cause of their own suffering: By that Rule I must own every error or sin that any Saint suffereth for.

2. The Truth bids me say more than I am willing, to confute this Error. I have heard Army-Officers say, That they believed abundance of the Ten Thousand Scots, killed at Dunbar, were godly men: And yet you were one that publickly, in Pulpit and Print, accused them, and did not justifie their cause for being Saints. Do you think none of the Ministers in England were Saints, that refused the Engagement, and were sequestred for that, and not keeping Fasts and Thanksgivings for Blood? Are you sure that Christopher Love (beheaded), was no Saint? Or did you therefore own their Causes?

To your Minor: It is a gross Mistake to say, That going to the Liturgy maketh the Refusers [the only blamable cause of their own sufferings]. What!XXXVIII. Error. are p. 38you one that acquit all their Prosecutors, if it be but proved, that the Refusers are mistaken? Who could have suspected this? What if Presbyterians, Anabaptists, and such others err (as you believe they do)? If any would therefore silence, imprison, banish or hang them, dare you justifie it, and say, That the Dissenters are the only blamable cause of their own sufferings? Sure you consider not what you wrote: You thought not so.

2. But are there no Saints that go to Common-Prayer? Why do not you distinguish Saints? I hope there are many times more Saints (and wiser), that separate not, than that do: And are not you as faulty for saying, They sin, as they for saying, You sin, if their cause be true? This soundeth as too much of a Sect.

3. The Truth is, Repentance is so hard a work, that I see both Extreams fly from it on a proud pretence of Constancy, and that they may not confess that they have erred. It was the grand Argument that bore down me and others, when we pleaded with some Bishops to have prevented our Divisions by some alterations [Oh then it will be thought that we erred, and gave cause for old complaints]: And now we must none of us hold Communion with the Parish-Churches, lest some Saints that separate, should be rendered False Witnesses of God, and blamable. But were not the old Nonconformists and Conformists, as real Saints as the old Separatists, and a Thousand for One? And do not you now make them all as False Witnesses? If really you have fathered any Love-killing, dividing Error on God, repent of it, and do not justifie it, for fear of being thought blamable. This is it that keepeth England in confusion, and threatneth worse: Neither of the Extreams that have caused our calamities, are humbled, nor can endure a motion to repent; but Overturners justifie their former and their present love-destroying ways. The Lord give England Repentance unto Life: And the Lord help me to see all my Errors, and to repent the more, because I see that proud Nature is so much against it.

And you mistake, if you think that we plead only liberty for this Communion. It is duty that we plead: but not duty to all persons, nor all times, as if the case of all were the same.

We have not the happiness of Innocency: Repentance is next to it: When we confess our sins, we vindicate Christ and Religion, which are against them: When we justifie them, we falsly honour our selves, and lay all on Christ, as if he would justifie that which he abhorreth and died for. God will yet more shame us, if we will shame his Cause, instead of taking shame to our selves. Impenitence is more dangerous than any sin which we should repent of. Carnal Policy will be angry with me for mentioning the old faults which Adversaries sufficiently reproach us with. p. 39(And I must say, that God in his time, will justifie the generality of the sober godly people of England, from the false Accusation of those Malignants and Papists, who charge them with all the Guilt of the Sins of a few Sectaries got into an Army, even the subversion of Church-Order, and Civil Power, when it could not be done, but by a Conquest and Oppression of these Religious People first, both Parliaments, Ministers and their Flocks; in comparison of whom, the Army separatists were inconsiderable for number. They that would destroy thousands of faithful Subjects, as guilty of that which they opposed, till they were Conquered, and suffered for opposing, do but shew their own Iniquity) But yet God never taught men that way of Policy: Repentance, and not Impenitence, or Self-justification, is the way to take off mens reproach. God permits them to do it, because we do it not. To confess our own Sins, is no Extenuation of the wickedness of any Malignant Persecutors, or debaucht men. What they truly upbraid us with in malice, let us openly lament in serious penitence; and not stand to a sinful dividing Principle and Cause, lest the Saints be blamed, that have fathered it on God. This Learned Author hath done otherwise himself, and so hath the Party now opposed. He and I knew the Man who was Pastor to the Commanders of the Army, when they pull'd down and set up, and again pull'd down, till they had turned their Armed Bulwark into Atoms; and when he saw what they had done; said, [I wonder the people do not cast stones at us as we go along the streets]. Was not this a blaming of his Flock? He knew how oft the Addresses of the Separatists to the several suddenly erected Soveraignties, did change their minds, and cry peccavimus by their new Addresses for the old: And why may we not blame them that blamed themselves for Fathering their Mistakes on God?

D. O.

Argument 8. That Practice which is accompanied with unavoidable Scandal, engaged in only on pretence of Liberty, is contrary to the Gospel; but such is our joyning in the present Publick Worship.

It were endless to reckon up all the Scandals which will ensue herein. That which respects our Enemies, must not be omitted. Will they not think, will they not say, That we have only Falsly and Hypocritically pretended Conscience for what we do, when we can on outward Considerations comply with that which is required of us? wo to the World because of such Offences: but wo to them also by whom they are given.

p. 40§. 24. TO the Major of your Eighth Argument, I answer, 1. It is not true, when there is far greater Scandal by forbearing that Practice; but only when there is less on the other side.

To the Minor I answer, It is not true, That it is only Liberty that is pleaded for the Communion in question. It is great Duty that is pleaded:XXXIX. Error. 1. The Duty of Christian Union, and Concord, and Love, and Peace. 2. The Duty of obeying the Commands and Example of Christ and his Apostles. 3. The Duty of avoiding the Principles of Schism, and the condemning and false accusing the Church of Christ on earth. 4. The Duty of bearing Witness against the Principle (of the sinfulness of Communicating with a Church in Liturgies) which would make Christ in most Ages to be no King, as having no Kingdom or Church on earth. 5. The Duty of taking warning by the mischiefs of Causeless Separation, in Ages that hath so much smarted by it. 6. The Duty of seeking our own Edification. 7. The Duty of keeping thousands of Christians from ceasing all Publick Worship, where they can have no other, but in the Parish-Churches. 8 The Duty of keeping thousands of good people from being ruined for mistakes and evil doing. 9. The Duty of obeying Magistrates in Lawful things. 10. And the Duty of avoiding Scandal on the other side: Is all this nothing but pretence of Liberty?

As to the Scandal mentioned by you, No doubt, Adversaries will reproach you, whether you Communicate in the Parish Churches or not. But note, 1. That if any be guilty of such sin, as for outward Considerations to do any Evil, or any Good which they take to be Evil, these men deserve some Reproach. But, 1. If they before were in Circumstances which made it no Duty, and after by Gods providence are in Circumstances which make it a Duty, the Reproachers do but shew their ignorance or malice, whether they be Persecutors or Separatists, that so reproach them. 2. Or if men see the Error of their former Separation, they must not forbear Repentance and Amendment, for fear of Reproach.

There is so great a difference of Men and Cases, that it's gross sottishness, to think that their Duties and Sins are the same in mutable Cirstances. It's a Sin to Preach or Pray, when we should be quenching a Fire, saving Mens Lives. Christians, as well as Pharisees, are yet to learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy and not Sacrifice, and therefore accuse the guiltless. Some men have no possibility of any other Church-Worship, but in the Parish-Chuches. Some have no other, but what is worse. Some may have abler Teachers, but at the cost of Imprisonment and Ruine. It is not Lawful to lie in Prison merely for refusing to hear a weak Nonconformist, when you might hear an abler: And so it is p. 41in the Case of Conformists; Else all were bound to a few men. Some have Liberry to hear fitter men, or at the least, more agreeable to them, without greater hurt than good (As the Dutch and French here have). Some are commanded by Husbands, Parents and Masters, to one Church, and some to another. Some have more able and godly Ministers in the Parish-Churches, and some have such as I would never own or encourage in the Ministry, by seeming to own them. Some can remove their Dwelling, and some cannot. Some had Liberty the last year, that cannot have it this year, without more hurt than their benefit will compensate. In these Cases where God hath not at all tied us to a Book, or no Book, to this Church or to that; he that can truly tell which way he shall do, and get most good or hurt, may by that better know his Duty, than by these Arguments, or Mens Censures.

But, verily, my chief Reason for Communion in publick, is the very same which you bring against it: Even the avoiding of hainous Scandal. I have told the World, 1. That Scandal is not displeasing men, but laying before them a temptation to sin. 2. That if the Separatists be the best Christians, they are farthest out of the danger of Scandal: It is the worst that are easiliest tempted to Sin, and so whom we should be most fearful to scandalize. 3. And it's a greater Sin to scandalize many, than few. 4. And worse by scandal to tempt men to the mortal Sins of persecuting or scorning godly men, than merely to tempt them to some small mistakes, or to grieve them. 5. And to scandalize our Rulers, is worse than to scandalize Inferiors (Caeteris paribus).

And now I tell you, I the rather joyn in Publick, 1. Lest I should harden thousands in the Opinion, That we take that to be unlawful which is not, and that we are for sinful Separation, and that we separate from, and unchurch almost all Christs Church▪ and that we are Enemies to Order, and Peace, and Concord, and that we are unruly enemies to Government, and giddy, ignorant, self-conceited people. 2. And so, lest we breed throughout the Land such a contempt of Conscience in Gods service, as they have of Quakers; and thousands by this should be alienated from the Reverence of serious Religion, and Youth should be educated to the like contempt, under these temptations. 3. And lest if any in Church-matters be guilty of sinful Extreams on the other side, (in Oaths, Professions, Ceremonies or Practices), we should harden them therein, by tempting them to think, that we have no worse against their way, than the Use of a Liturgy. 4. Lest the Conceit, that we are but a company of giddy Fanaticks, encourage any contentious Preachers to render us odious, and rail at us in the Pulpits, to their own shame, and the widening of our Breaches. 5. And lest the same Error should tempt any Bishops or Magistrates to think, they do God and their Church and p. 42Countrey service, in silencing, imprisoning, reproaching and ruining Gods faithful Servants without cause, and bring the Land under Gods wrath by persecution. Are these no Scandals? or not greater than offending or displeasing the dissenting Separators? to say nothing of ocsioning our Reproach in all the Foreign Churches which have a Liturgy.

If against all this, the displeasing your mistaken Flocks should prevail, then their weakness and error would constitute them our chief Governours.

D. O.

Argument 9. That Worship which is unsuited to the spiritual relish of the New Creature, which is inconsistent with the conduct of the Spirit of God in Prayer, is unlawful: For the Nature, Use and Benefit of Prayer is overthrown hereby in a great measure. Now let any one consider what are the Pr…mises, Aids of the Holy Spirit, with respect to the Prayers of the Church, whether as to the Matter of them, or as unto Ability for their performance, or as unto the Manner of it, and he shall find that they are all rejected and excluded by this Form of Worship, as is pretended, comprizing the wh…le Matter, limiting the whole Manner, and giving all the Abilities of Prayer that are needful or required: This hath been proved at large.

§ 25. TO your Ninth Argument, I answer, 1. O! confine not the New Creature to those of your Opinion. Do you think none of the Old Nonconformists or Conformists, none of the Reformed Churhes, and no Church on Earth for a Thousand years, had any of the New Creature? When you have affrighted People with telling them, it is heinous sin, and returning to Babylon; and also by long disuse, made a Liturgy uncouth to them, do not ascribe all their averseness to the New Creature, which is from prejudice and disuse. For my part, when God taught me first to pray, I had no averseness to a Form: When I heard it charg'd with sin, I began to be averse to it: When I had studied the case, I was cured of that aversness: but never reconciled to the forbidding of all other Prayer, nor to the faults of any Forms.

And who knoweth not, that Man's culpable Nature loveth Novelties, and are hardly kept in lively Affections under any thing that is very often said? A Book, or Sermon, tho never so good, affecteth us not so much after many times reading and hearing, as at the first: We must not lay this weakness on the New Creature, tho it should teach Imposers to suit the Remedy to the Disease, and give children such food as is not too displeasing to their Appetites.

p. 43And yet I find not the generality of Appetites▪ even in your Flocks, is against the Forms of Psalms, being not prejudiced against them.

It is not true, that Liturgies are inconsistent with the conduct of the Spirit in Prayer: It is a Mistake also,XL. Error. That this Form of Worship rejecteth and excludeth the matter of Prayer, whenas the Visible Book tells all the contrary. Do all those words express none of the Matter of Prayer? It is untrue, That it rejecteth and excludeth the Manner, as to the chief part: For the Lord's Prayer is a perfect Form for Matter, Order and Method: And the Psalms read and sung, are for Matter and Manner, neither evil nor excluded. And sure there is much of the rest laudable. If all Matter and Manner be rejected and excluded, then the Martyrs that used it, and all the Churches on Earth, almost, have no Church-Prayers. But again I tell▪ The use of Forms, and the forbidding all other Prayers, are Two different things, which you ill confound.

D. O.

Argument 10. That which overthrows and dissolves our Church-Covenant, as unto the principal end of it, is as to us unlawful. This end is the professed joynt subjection of our souls and consciences unto the Authority of Christ, in the observasion of whatever he commands, and nothing else, in the Worship of God.

But by this practice, this end of the Church-Covenant is destroyed, and thereby the Church-Covenant it self broken: For we do and observe that which Christ hath not commanded: And while some stand unto the Terms of the Covenant, which others relinquish, it will fill the Church with confusion and disorder.

§ 26. TO your Tenth Argument, I answer, 1. What your Church-Covenant is, I know not: But if it profess subjection to nothing in Worship but what Christ commandeth, XLI. Error.it is your Church-Error: For then you are in Covenant not to obey the Pastor (even your self), if he set a Psalm, a Tune, a Translation of Scripture, nor if he appoint Time, Place and Utensils for Worship: For these are in the Worship. Then you are covenanted to disobey the Magistrate, if he command any of these, or command men not to put on their Hats, or sit at Prayer; or for concord, t…e all the Land to one Translation of Scripture, or any such undetermined Mode.

p. 442. It is a greater disgrace to your Churches than ever I knew of before, not only to covenant against God's Word, Heb. 13.7, 17. 1 Thes. 5.12, 13. &c. and against the Fifth Commandment; but also to make this necessary to Concord, That your Churches must break, if the Members agree not all herein. This is a plain demand of Conformity to an Humane unsound imposition. No wonder if they are Dividers who set up by Church-Covenants, false Terms of Unity.

D. O.

Argument 11. That which contains a virtual renunciation of our Church-state, and of the lawfulness of our Ministry, and Ordinances therein, is not to be admitted or allowed.

But this also is done in the practice enquired into: For it is a professed conjunction with them in Church-Communion and Worship, by whom our Church-state and Ordinances are condemned as null: And this Iudgment they make of what we do, affirming that we are gross Dissemblers, if after such a conjunction with them, we return any more unto our own Assemblies. In this condemnation we do outwardly and visibly joyn.

§ 27. IF your Church-state be essentiated by a Covenant, to be subject to nothing else in Worship (even the Accidents which God bids men determine by his general Rules of Edification, Order, Decency, Love, Peace, Church-Custom, &c.) then I commend the generality of Nonconforming Ministers, that they set up no such Church-state: And they do well to renounce all that you do ill to invent and impose, while you talk against Imposition, and adding to God's Word such Humane Forms.

But yet it's an Error to hold, That if any unjustly condemn other Churches, XLII. Error.it is a renunciation of that condemned Church-state, to have Communion with them that condemn. Who would have thought the Two separating Extreams had so agreed in their Principles? This is just the very Core of the evil of the Book of the contrary party which I here answer. Alas! how few Churches on Earth have not peevishly condemned one another; it may be for Easter-day, for the choice of a Bishop, as the Donatists (striving whose Bishop was the right): The case of the Novatians, Audians, Luciferians, and even of most in East and West, are sad Instances: And will such censoriousness unchurch them, and forbid us Communion with them? This is plain revenge, and to curse them that curse us, and abuse them that abuse us. I l…ke Calvin's Spirit better than this, who said, Tho Luther should call me a p. 45Devil, I would call him, the Excellent Servant of God. Too many Lutherans now renounce Communion with the Calvinists, who yet renounce not Communion with them.

D. O.

12. Argument, That which deprives us of the principal Plea for the Iustification of our Separation from the Church of England, in i…s present state, ought not justly to be received or admitted. But this is certainly done by a Supposition of the lawfulness of this Worship, and a practice suitable thereunto, as is known to all, who are exercised in this Cause.

Many other heads of Arguments might be added to the same purpose, if there were occasion.

§ 28. TO your 12th. Argument, I answer, 1. That which discovereth the unsoundness of any ones Plea for Separation, is to be received. There are several Cases, in which Separation from the Church of England is sinful. As 1. If any separate as the Papists do, because they are against sound Doctrine, or any good that is in the Church.

2. If any renounce Communion with all the Parish Churches under the name of the Church of England.

3. If any renounce Communion with the Church of England, as it is a Christian Kingdom, headed by one Christian Protestant King?

4. If they renounce Communion with the Church of England, as it is called one from the Association or Concord of its Pastors, or Church Governours.

5. If any renounce Communion with faulty Bishops, or Worship, or Discipline, simply and absolutely, and not only secundum quid, and so forsake the good that is in them for the sake of the evil. In a word, 1. All that Separate for a wrong cause. 2. Or further than they Separate from Christ, or than Christ would have them separate, do sin.

2. But they that renounce any corruption, as such, and the Church no further than secundum quid, as it is faulty, do well: For we must so renounce the faults of all Churches and Christians in the World, (and our own first.) But not the Churches and Christians for any tolerable faults, so we commit no Sin our selves, which they impose as the condition of their Communion.

Reader, I displease my own disposition as well as others, in the answering of these Arguments. But when I had read them, my Conscience would not suffer me to see many thousand good People so misguided, who have not skill themselves to discern the Fallacies, and by Silence to betray them.

p. 46Let it be noted, That it is not all, nor the greatest Objections I confess which I here deal with, having done it oft elsewhere; but these Twelve militate so much against all the Liturgies in the World, as well as ours, that I durst not pass them by in Silence.

1. Some object against the faults, which they supposed very great in divers By-offices, Baptizing, Confirmation, the Lords-Supper-Impositions, Burial Circumstances and Forms: But these are nothing to the common Worship of the Church on the Lords days.

2. Some object against the Ministers as Usurpers, being chosen by Patrons, and not consented to by the Flocks. But this is nothing against them that are consented to by Acceptance, tho not by Election.

3. Some Object the heniousness of the Sins of Ministers Conformity, as being deliberate Covenanting to — (I am loath to name them) and so the command, (from such turn away, with such not to eat]: And the case of Martiall and Basilides in Cyprian, and that of Miracle-working Martin, (which on another occasion I have mentioned). But were these Sins never so surely proved, as great as alledged, 1. Every Minister cannot be proved guilty of the worst part. 2. And the Matter of a Sin may be heinous, and yet ignorance take off much of the guilt, as it did of Paul's Persecution: An unlawful War, in which thousands were murdered, and Countries ruined, is Materially one of the greatest Sins in the World; And yet wo to abundance of Princes and People, if Ignorance excuse it not; and if we must renounce Communion with all Countries and Persons, that are guilty of it. 3. And when whole Countries and Churches are in Sin, which we cannot cure, and have no government of, the case of commanded Communion much differs from that which is with single Offenders, and that is in our Power to chuse or refuse.

4. Some Object, that the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th, Canons, have excommunicated us already. Therefore we separate not, but they cast us out. Ans. Let them that are concerned in those Canons, defend them if they can, and justifie themselves, for it's past my skill. But we are not bound (tho excommunicate) to execute them on our selves: Let others do it, if it must be done.

FINIS.