A Reverse to Olivers Sermon, Title page – To the reader
A Reverse to Mr. Oliver's Sermon of Spiritual Worship.
A SERMON On the same SUBJECT. Preached before the Lord Mayor, At St. Paul's Church, August 26th. 1660.
By MATTHEW POOLE, Minister at St. Michael Quern, London.
Now Reprinted, and may serve as an Answer to the aforesaid Sermon.
LONDON, Printed for A. Baldwin, near the Oxford-Arms Inn, in Warwick-Lane. 1698.
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THis Sermon was Preached and Printed in the Year 1660. when the Reverend Author found there was a Necessity to Reprove some Furious Sticklers for Ceremonial Niceties. That it is now Reprinted, is not thought Unseasonable or Improper; not Unseasonable, since the same Spirit that then possessed some Men, is now Reviving amongst us. Not Improper, since there is nothing new in the Controversie; and therefore some of the same Answers may be sufficient for some of the same Charges and Objections.
To the Ingenuous Reader.
THAT this Sermon is brought to light, it is not from my own choice and inclination, but by constraint, not only in respect of the importunities of many that pressed me to it, but in regard of the mis-constructions, censures, and scandalous aspersions of others, that forced me to it: It hath fared with me as it did with David, They laid to my charge things that I knew not, Psal. 35.11. and fastned such reports upon my Sermon, as never entred into my thoughts, being it seems, well instructed in that Diabolical Lesson, calumniare fortiter, adhaerebit aliquid: For my part, I thank the Lord, who hath taught me that it is a small matter to be judged of man or of man's judgment: I could not expect better measure than my Saviour had, of whom we read, John 7.12. Some said he is a good man, others said nay, but he deceiveth the people: It is sufficient to me that I have the Conscience of mine own Integrity, and the uprightness of my aims, that whatever was said, was not spoken out of a Spirit of Contention, or Bitterness, or Opposition, nor with any other design that I know of (God is my witness) but from a Conscience of my Duty, and an abhorrency of that unchristian and Antichristian Spirit, which breathes after the ruine of all those who cannot stretch to the length of their bed, and consent to them in every Punctilio: To which I was the more encouraged, because His Majesty hath frequently expressed his dislike of that furious Spir t, and his resolution that the Affairs of the Church should be managed in a moderate way.
I intended not to meddle with Common-Prayer (of which I spake n t one word, however I am traduced) nor Ceremonies considered in themselves, but only as some endeavour that they may be pressed with an Aegyptian rigour, and violently imposed upon the Consciences of their Brethren: I supposed that there were divers of the Episcopal Perswasion, of more sedate and peaceable dispositions, who were unconcerned in my Discourse, and I must needs do them that right, that some of that Opinion (and those of considerable esteem in the world for Learning and Goodness) were pleased to pass a favourable construction upon my Sermon, and to acknowledge that I had reason for what I said. I spake no more for substance than what some of the Bishops of England, however over-born by a more P…tent Party, have said in their Speeches and Writings, that have declared their dislike of those tyrannical proceedings, whereby Learned and Honest Men were forced to forgo the exercise of their Ministry for some Ceremonies: As much was said by the B. of St. Davids, in a Convocation, An. 1604. as it is cited in a Treatise, called, Beams of former Light, printed this Year, p. 205. w…ich is worthy of the perusal of all those that would not have the Ministers and People of England to bite and devour one another, and thereby make sport for the Common Adversary. I thought it was an hard case if a man should be accounted violent for dehorting men from violence, and immoderate for pressing them to moderation: I concluded that I could not do His Majesty better Service than by endeavouring to disswade men from those practises which might occasion the dividing, distracting, and unsettling of his Realms, and to perswade unto such a temper in which the generality of the People of the Land seem prepared to acquiesce, if they be not turned out of the way by the Pride, Cruelty, and Tyranny of some exorbitant Persons. As for what some have fastned upon me, that I had seditious passages, and R flexions up n His Majesty, it is w…ll that besides the witness of my own Conscience, I have so many hundred Compurgators: I a…sire always to abhor that sinful practise of speaking evil of Dignities: I have learned to fear God and honour the King, I am in…tructed in that Lesson, that I must not curse th King, no, not in my Bed-chamber, much less defame him in a Pub…ck Assembly. And other Sedition I am resolved by the Grace of God not to be guilty of than this, to offer up my most h arty and fervent Prayers publick and private for His Majesty's long and happy Reign here and in Heaven, and that God would guide him to those Counsels which conduce most to his own and the Nation's Peace.
Amongst other Calumnies which have been cast upon me, one is this, that I wish'd their fingers might rot that played upon the Organs; where I must not only condemn the falshood and impudence of those that raised and propagated so ab…minable a Lye, but also I must blame the imprudence and uncharitableness of such as were ready to receive and believe so imprebable a report. The Reader will see that I only declared my dislike of Organs in our Churches, and therein I think I have better Authority than those that are of another mind, forasmuch as in the H…mily of the Place and Time of Prayer (a Book established and enjoyned by the Laws of the Land) p. 131. they bring in some superstitious Persons complaining that they could not hear the like Piping, Singing, Chaunting, and Playing upon the Organs, that they could before: To this is immediately answered thus; But (Dearly Beloved) we ought greatly to rejoyce, and to give thanks to God, that our Churches are delivered out of those things which displeased God so sore, and filthily defiled his holy House, &c. Which, how our great Zealots for these things, who pretend to be the only genuine Sons of the Church of England, can reconcile with their Principle and Practise, let themselves consider, and let the Indifferent judge.
I shall add no more but this, that to the best of my knowledge and remembrance, this Sermon is printed as it was preached, without either omission or alteration of any one material word; and so I commend thee to the Guidance of the great Counsellor of his Church; Begging that the God of Truth would lead us all into every Truth, but especially that which concerns his Worship, wherein he is so jealous; which is the Prayer of
Thy Servant in the Gospel, M. P.