View of the he New Directory, Preface
A PREFACE TO THE Enſuing Diſcou…ſe.
Sect 1 THat the Liturgy of the Church of England, which was at firſt as it were written in bloud, at the leaſt ſealed, and delivered downe to us by the Martyrdom of moſt of the compilers of it, ſhould ever ſince be daily ſolicited, and call'd to the ſame ſtage and Theatre, to fill up what was behinde of the ſufferings of thoſe Fathers, is no ſtrange or new piece of oeconomy in the Church of God. This propoſition I ſhall take liberty briefly to prove by way of introduction to the enſuing diſcourſe, and ſhall hope that you will acknowledge it with me, if you but conſider theſe ſeveralls.
Sect 2 1. That there is not a ſurer evidence and foreign, by which to diſcerne the great excellency of moderation in that booke, and ſo the apportionateneſſe of it, to the end to which it was deſigned, then the experience of thoſe ſo contrary fates, which it hath conſtantly undergone, betwixt the perſecutors on both extreame parts, the aſſertors of the Papacy on the one ſide, and the Conſiſtory on the other, the one accuſing it of Schiſme, the other of Complyance, the one of departure from the Church of Rome, the other of remaining with it, like the poore Greeke Church, our fellow Martyr, devoured by the Turke for too much Chriſtian Profeſſion; and damn'd by the Pope for too little, it being the dictate of naturall Reaſon in Ariſtotle, (whoſe rules have ſeldome failed in that kinde ſince hee obſerved them) that, the middle vertue is moſt infallibly knowne by this, that it is accuſed by either extreame as guilty of the other extreame: that the true liberality of mind is by this beſt exemplified, that it is defamed by the prodigall for parſimony, and by the niggard for prodigality, by which (by the way) that great blocke of offence, which hath ſcandalized ſo many, will be in part removed, and the reproaches ſo continually heaped upon this booke, will to every diſcerning Judge of things, paſſe for as weake an unconcluding argument of guilt in it, as the ſcarres of a Military man doth of his cowardice, or the foreign, the every Topicke of rayling Rhetorick, Mal. 5. of the unchriſtianneſſe of the perſon on whom they are powred out.
Sect 3 2. That ever ſince the reproaches of men have taken confidence to vent themſelves againſt this booke, there hath nothing but aire and vapour been vomited out againſt it, objections of little force to conclude any thing, but onelyonly the reſolute contumacious, either ignorance, or malice of the objectors, which might at large be proved, both by the view of all the charges that former Pamphlets have produced, all gathered together and vindicated by Mr. Hooker, and that no one charge of any crime, either againſt the whole, or any part of it, which this Directory hath offered; which as it might in reaſon, make ſuch an act of malice more ſtrange, ſo will it to him that compares this matter with other practiſes of theſe times, (whoſe great engine hath beene the calumniari fortiter the gaining credit by the violence of the cry, when it could not be had by the validity of the proofes, moſt men being more willing to believe a calumnie, then to examine it) make it but unreaſonable to wonder at it; It being an experiment of daily obſervation, that thoſe which have no crime of which they are accuſable, are therefore not the leſſe, but the more vehemently accuſed, proſecuted, and dragg'd to execution, that the puniſhment may prove them guilty, which nothing elſe could, it being more probable in the judgement of the multitude, (who eſpecially are conſidered now adaies, as the inſtruments to act our great deſignes) that a nocent perſon ſhould plead not guilty, then an innocent bee condemned, which prejudice, as it might bee pardon'd from the charity wherein 'tis grounded, that they who are appointed to puniſh vileneſſes, will not be ſo likely to commit them, ſo being applyed to uſurping judges, (whoſe very judging is one crime, and that no way avowable, but by making uſe of more injuſtices) will prove but a piece of Turciſme, which concludes all things honeſt, that prove ſucceſſefull, or of the moderne Divinity in the point of Scandall, which makes it a ſufficient exception againſt any indifferent uſage, that it is by ſome excepted against, a competent cauſe of anger, that men are angry as it though never ſo without a cauſe.
Sect 4 3. That it hath been conſtantly the portion, and prerogative of the best things (as of the beſt men) to be under the croſſe, to have their good things of this world foreign, with perſecutions, Mar. 10. 30. and ſo no ſtrange thing that that which is alwaies a dealing with the Croſſe, ſhould be ſometimes a panting, and gaſping under it; There was never any ſurer evidence of the cleanneſſe of a creature amongſt the Jewes, then that it was permitted to be ſacrificed, the Lamb, and the Turtle emblemes of innocence, and charity, and the other Chriſtian virtues, were daily ſlaughter'd and devoured, while the Swine, the foreign, and all the uncleaner creatures were denied that favour, placed under a kind of Anathema, or Excommunication ſentence, of ſuch it was not lawfull, no not to eate; and ſo it muſt be expected in the anti-type, that all the heat of the Satanicall impreſſion, all the fire of zeale, the ſentence to be ſacrificed, and devoted, ſhould fall as now it doth, on this Lambe-like, Dove-like creature, of a making not apt to provoke any man to rage, or quarrell, or any thing, but love of communion, and thankeſgiving to God for ſuch an ineſtimable donative.
Sect 5 4. That a Liturgy being found by the experience of all ancient times, as a neceſſary hedge, and mound to preſerve any profeſſion of Religion, and worſhip of God in a Nationall Church, it was to be expected that the enemy and his inſtruments, which can call deſtruction mercy, embroyling of our old Church the founding of a new (we know who hath told one of the Houſes of this Parliament ſo, that they have laid a foundation of a Church among us, which if it ſignify any thing, imports that there was no Church in this Kingdome before that Seſſion) ſhould alſo think the deſtroying of all Liturgy, the only way of ſecurity to Gods worſhip, the no-forme being as fitly accommodated to no-Church, as the no-hedge, no-wall to the Common, or deſert, the no-incloſure to the no-plantation.
Sect 6 5. That the eradication of Epiſcopacy, firſt Voted, then Acted, by the Ordination of Preſbyters by Preſbyters without any Biſhop, which begun to be practiſed in this Kingdome, about the end of the laſt year, was in any reaſon to be accounted prooemiall and preparatory to ſome farther degree of foreign, or diſorder, and to be attended by the abolition of the Liturgy in the beginning of this new year, (Epiſcopacy and Liturgy being like the foreign, among the Aegyptians, this Daughter to attend that Mother, as among the Barbarians when their Prince dyed, ſome of the noblest were conſtantly to bear him company out of the World, not to mourn for, but to dye with him.) A thing that the People of this Kingdome could never have been imagined low or ſervile enough to bear or endure (I am ſure within few years they that ſate at the ſterne of action conceived ſo, and therefore we fain by Declaration, to diſavow all ſuch intention of violence) till by ſuch other aſſayes and practiſes and experiments, they were found to be, ſatis ad ſervitutem parati, ſufficiently prepared for any thing that was ſervile, almoſt uncapable of the benefit or reliefe of a Jubilee, like the ſlave in Exodus, that would not go out free, but required to be bored thorow the eare by his Master, to be a ſlave for ever.
Sect 7 6. That it is one profeſt act of Gods ſecret wiſedome, to make ſuch tryalls as this, of mens fidelity, and ſenſe, and acknowledgment of his ſo long indulged favours, to ſee who will ſincerely mourn for the departing of the glory from Iſrael, whether there be not ſome that (with the Captive Trojan Women in Homer, who wept ſo paſſionatly at the fall of Patroclus, but made that publike loſſe the ſeaſon to powre out their private griefes) are ſenſible of thoſe ſufferings of the Church only wherein their intereſts are involved, and more neerly concerned; whether not ſome that count the invaſion of the Revenues of the Church a Sacriledge, a calamity, and ſinne unparallell'd, but think the abolition of the Liturgy unconſiderable, a veniall ſin and miſery? whether that wherein Gods glory is joyned with any ſecular interest of our own, that which makes the ſeparation betwixt Christ and Mammon, may he allowed any expreſſion of our paſſion or zeale, i. e. in effect? whether we powre out one drop for Chriſt in all this deluge of tears, or whether like uncompounded ſelfe-lovers, whoſe only centre and principle of motion is our ſelves, we have paſſion to no ſpectacle but what the looking-glaſſe preſents to us, with a foreign, making God the pretence, and apology, for that kindneſſe which is paid and powred out unto another ſhrine. For of this there is no doubt, that of all the changes of late deſigned and offered to authority, there is none for which fleſh and bloud, paſſions and interests of men can allow ſo free a ſuffrage, ſo regretleſſe a conſent, as this of the abolition of the Liturgy, (The ſluggiſhneſſe of unguifted men, the only thing that is affirmed to be concerned in, or to gain by it, is perfectly miſtaken as ſhall anon appear) and were there not a God in Heaven, the care of whoſe honour obliged us to endeavour the preſervation of it, were not a future growth of Atheiſme and Prophaneneſſe the feared conſequent of ſuch abolition, and notorious experience ready to avow the juſtneſſe of this fear, I have reaſon to be confident that no Advocate would offer Libell, no Diſputer put in exception, againſt this preſent Directory; I am privy to my own ſenſe, that I ſhould not, I have rather reaſon to impute it to my ſelfe, that the want of any ſuch carnall motive to ſtir me up to this defence, might be the cauſe that I ſo long defer'd to undertake it, and perhaps ſhould have done ſo longer, if any man elſe had appear'd in that Argument. And therefore unleſſe it be ſtrange for men, when there be ſo many tempters abroad, to be permitted to temptations, ſure Gods yeelding to this act of the importunity of Satan (who hath deſir'd in this new way to explore many) will not bee ſtrange neither.
Sect 8 Laſtly, that our ſo long abuſe of this ſo continued a mercy, our want of diligence, in aſſembling our ſelves together (the too ordinary fault of too many of the beſt of us) our generall, ſcandalous, unexcuſable diſobedience to the commands of our Church, which requires that ſervice to be uſed conſtantly in publike every day, the vanity of prurient tongues and itching ears, which are ſtill thirſting newes and variety, but above all, the want of ardor and fervency in the performance of this preſcribed ſervice, the admitting of all ſecular company (I mean worldly thoughts) into its preſence, preferring all ſecular buſineſſe before it, the generall irreverence and indifference in the celebrations, may well be thought to have encouraged Satan to his expetivit, to the preferring his petition to God, and his importunity at length to have provoked God to deliver up our Liturgy to him and his Miniſters, to oppoſe and maligne, to calumniate and defame, and at laſt to gain the countenance of an Ordinance, to condemne and execute it as at this day. The Lord be mercifull to them that have yeelded to be inſtrumentall to that great deſtroyer in this buſineſſe.
Sect 9 I have thus far laboured to preſſe home that part of Saint Peters exhortation foreign, not to think the calamity ſtrange which hath befallen this Church in this matter, on no other purpoſe, but to diſcharge that duty which we owe to Gods ſecret providence, of obſerving the viſible works of it, that diſcerning our ſelves to be under his afflicting hand, we may, 1. Joyn in the uſe of all probable means to remove ſo ſad a preſſure, by humbling our ſelves, and reforming thoſe ſinnes which have fitted us for this captivity, then 2. that we may compaſſionate and pardon, and bleſſe, and pray for thoſe whoſe hands have been uſed in the execution of this vengeance and reproach upon the Land: and Laſtly, That we may endeavour, if it be poſſible, to diſabuſe and rectify thoſe, who are capable, by more light, of ſafer reſolutions; To which purpoſe theſe following animadverſions being deſigned in the bowells of compaſſion to my infatuated Country-men, and out of a ſincere ſingle deſire that our ſins may have ſome end or allay, though our miſeries have not, (and therefore framed in ſuch a manner, as I conceived, might prove moſt uſefull, by being moſt proportionable to them, who ſtood moſt in need of them, without any oblation provided for any other ſhrine, any civility for the more curious Reader) are here offered to thee, to be dealt with as thou deſireſt to be treated at that last dreadfull tribunall, which ſure then will be with acceptation of pardon, and with that Charity (the but juſt return to that which mixt this antidote for thee) which will cover a multitude of ſinnes.