THE Sanctuary of God.

GOD from the very beginning hath al­ways had a Place set apart for his Divine Worship and Service to be performed in, where with Reverence and Obedience the Creatures acknowledgements were still offered up to the Creators acceptance. Gen. 3.8. Adam our first Parent in Paradise had where to present himself before the Lord, Gen. 4.3. and Adams Sonns out of Paradise had where to bring their Sacrifices and Oblations unto God; the Holy Patriarchs had their Groves and Mountains for their Solemn Worship, Gen. 22.1. and [Page 2] when they had no setled Habi­tation, but were as Pilgrims here on Earth, yet such was Gods care to have a Church, a place to be worshipped in a­mongst them, that he com­mands them to make a movea­ble Tabernacle, Exod. 25. that never­theless for all their disconti­nuance of settlement, they might carry their consecrated Mansion with them where e­ver they went: and this hath been the desire of God in all Ages, that he might have a pe­culiar Place set apart for his Holiness to be worshipped in, and that whatever Fabricks we built or erected, either Pa­laces for the honour of Digni­tie, or Schools for the mainte­nance of Learning, Houses for Commerce, Trade, or common uses, that we should be so zea­lously careful as to leave room [Page 3] enough for the Temple of the Lord to be built on the best and highest Ground; so that by a descent, advantage as well as right of preheminence, it might overtop the stateliest Palace, as well as the more common and inferiour Build­ings.

'Tis true, we here must own that in the infancie of the World, the House and place of Gods Worship, was but of a small stature, a very fit Recep­tacle for her Comers, which were but small; but as Religi­on grew and increast, so in­creast the House of God from Altars to Groves, from Altars and Groves to Mountains; from Mountains to Taberna­cles; from Tabernacles, to Sy­nagogues and Temples. Thus the dignity and excellency of Gods House increast, until [Page 4] it arriv'd to what luster the Law could give it; And as in the Law so in the Gospel, for in the primitive appearance of Christianity, the Church and Place of Gods Worship was but low and mean: It first ap­pear'd in Woods and Moun­tains, but as the Christiain Re­ligion grew and increast into esteem, so increast the House of God from Woods and Mountaines, Matth. 3.1. Matth. 5.1. to Rooms and Chambers within doors; from Rooms and Chambers, 1 Cor. 16.19. to Chappels, Rev. 1.20. Churches, and Ca­thedrals.

Solomons Temple was not from the beginning, no more were ours, but arriv'd by an orderly growth to what per­fection they now appear at: Damnable then is their opini­on who would not allow of Christs House to be one inch [Page 5] bigger, nor one glimpse light­somer than she was in the pri­mitive and persecuting times of Christianity. Now let but reason be the Judge how foul and cruel this Hellish tenure is to be satisfied in nothing bet­ter than the ruine of Christs Temples, that with those wretches in the Prophet, Haggai. 1, 4. can be content to let the Houses of of the Lord lye waste, while their own Houses are seiled and compleat: Of a certain the maintainers of this wicked opinion could willingly see with content of minde ano­ther barbarous and persecu­ting Herod alive, a people as refractory as the obstinate Jews, and all to lessen the Lords House to crucifie Christ over again, to swim and bathe themselvs in Orthodox blood; why this must be, and nothing [Page 6] else could be lookt for other­wayes, should the House of the Lord be brought down to its primitive dejectedness, Christ must be murder'd in his Ministers and Professors, for there's no truer Omen of the people of Gods calamity, than when the House of the Lord is held in contempt, and by Heresie and Schism eclips'd. Oh how doth Jeremiah mourn for the breach that he saw made in the House of God! The Prophet David could not sleep neither night nor day, Psal. 132.1. but was in a continual discom­posement of spirit, until he had found out a place for the Lord to be worshipt in. Lord remember David in all his affli­ctions. He would not climb up to his bed, until he had found out a place for the Lord to be worship't in: What saith [Page 7] the Prophet, shall I dwell in Cedars, and the Ark of the Lord without doors under Curtains?

'Tis observ'd in this very thing, that even Pagans and Infidels are careful to build Temples and glorious Orato­ries for the worship of their false Deities, and shall Paga­nism outstrip Christianity? Shall they worship their Idols in Temples devoted and set apart for that use onely, and shall not Christianity have a consecrated House set apart for the true God to be wor­shipped in? Heaven forbid Oh such impiety, it is the very road to Atheism, for that soul­damning sin, 'tis commonly entred upon much like the pleasing sin of theft, it begins with a pin, and ends with a bigger thing: thus ill-princi­pled men, not being fastned by [Page 8] grace into Gods true Religi­on, first begin to rob God of one small Glory, then of ano­ther that's bigger, until they have robb'd him of all that they can or dare. First, they begin to cavil and grumble at the number, as well as the big­ness of our Churches, then at Revenues; Oh sie, cry they, its too much by half: Next at the Ornaments, the windows they are too gawdy, this Al­tar that's too superstitious, the Commandments too Mosaical, the Bells they make too much noise, and then at the last they strike at the whole; why not another House, as well as this? Thus from one objection to a­nother, they never leave ob­jecting, until they have ob­jected God quite out of doors, and his House into a dis­esteem. But this is not all, they [Page 9] stop not here; for being gi­ven over to a reprobate sense, as the Apostle well notes, the Devil is still animating them on to further mischief, and de­nial of goodness, for from a disesteem of Gods House, they come to a disesteem of the pure and sacred Word of God, which is able to make the whole World wise unto Sal­vation; they then pretend they have no need of Scrip­ture, ti's but a dead Letter, cries some wretches, they have a quickening spirit within them that informs them all things, there's too too many of these that from a denial of Gods House comes to a denial of his Word, and from that they arrive at last without Gods restraining grace to that woful pitch of reprobation and eternal damnation, even [Page 10] to the denying of the Lord that bought them; and this was too plainly seen in our late blasphemous and rebell­ous times, when almost every apostatizing Sect dare take the Wall of Gods pure Wor­ship, turning Religion into the Channel; Nay some there were that imp't themselves in­to that pitch of impiety and and strange audacious bold­ness, James Naylor the Quaker entring the City of Bristol on an Ass. that Phaeton-like presu­med to take upon them the reines of government as the Son of God, assumed his name, entred the City with shouts and acclamations of Hosanna. Now what more horrid blas­phemy could be acted than this in the face of God, Angels and men?

It is dangerous my friends to fall out of Gods protection into Satans ruine, to forsake [Page 11] the Living Water, and to dig unto your selves Cisterns that will hold no Water.

It is observed that naturally Religion and serving of God, Dr. Brownrig Bishop of Exeter. consults with the Shunamite, If there be a God and Religi­on, then there must be a Wor­ship; and if a Worship, then a Tabernacle or Temple; and if so, then it must be answera­ble to his glory in a comely manner. Let us but consider the amiable beauty and re­splendent glory of that Tem­ple which Solomon built for God, the great care, cost, pains and industry in the buil­ding of it, that all things in some measure might be an­swerable for the entertain­ment of so great a God that was to dwell in it. The Gold was fetcht from Ophir, 1 Kings 5. Ch. the Ce­dar Trees from Lebanon, the [Page 12] Brass from Corinth, Josephus. the Curi­ous Workmen from Tyrus, and all to erect up a Fabrick for Gods Worship; and now to all this zealous industry of So­lomon, 1 Kings 6.12, 13. see what an incourage­ment God adds to it concer­ning this House which thou hast built, If thou walkest in my Ordinances—I will dwell a­mong the Children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel. And accordingly as God did promise, so he performed; for when the House was finished and made perfect, God de­scends in a Cloud and takes possession of it; 1 Kings 8.10. and this God did for two purposes; First to keep the Founders off for lay­ing any Title, Claim, or After-interest to that which he had re-entred upon, and made his own by lawful possession. Se­condly, to imprint a reverent [Page 13] acknowledgment of the house from all men, that that place must needs be holy where God dwels and inhabits.

But here I know some will be ready to step in and say, Why? 'Tis known that all this glo­ry and cost which was bestowed, on Solomons Temple, it was per­formed in the time of the Law, which we have nothing to do withal. Now how easily may this be answered? Is not God the God of the Law as well as the Gospel, and of the Gospel as well as the Law? Is he not Alpha and Omega, the Begin­ning and Ending? Is he not to be worshipped now as well as then? Hath he not a Tem­ple for ever? And though our Saviours coming abolisht the Jewish Ceremonies, the Sacri­fices of the Law by offering up himself once for all; and [Page 14] though Moses gave place and resignation of precedency to Christ, all this and what ever he did, it aim'd not at the abo­lishing of the Temple, or con­verting it to any base and infe­rior use: No our blessed Savior is so far from pulling down this glorious Temple built to his Fathers service, or to allow of any imployment that it should be put to beyond what it was fitst intended for, that he un­dertakes to correct the Jews unhallowing of the same, and to let them roundly know that it was not fit such a holy place dedicated to his Fathers use, should be made a place of Mart and Trade, It's worth our observation, and it doth much conduce to the Church­es benefit, if considered, the ardent vehemency of our Sa­viors zeal; at this time onely, [Page 15] and at all other times, calm, the Jews spit upon him, buf­fetted him, and scorned him, crown'd his head with thorns, nailed him to the Cross, yet all this and more stirs him not, he passes it away in silence: But oh the abuse of his Fa­thers House, that moves him to a heavenly anger, I and the sequal plainly confirms it; for he never stands much to pause and argue with them for their unreverent carriages and performances in the House of his Father, but gets him a Whip of Cords and to work with them soundly; Matth. 21. He overturns the Table of the Money-Changers, and leaves them scrambling for their Coin, and makes the Dove-Sellers take up their heels and flie for it, and in the general tells them all, It is written, Mat. 21.13. My [Page 16] House shall be called a House of Prayer, but ye have made it a den of thieves. Blest be this holy president that our Savior hath taught and left us, by it we see we ought not, nor must not suf­fer the house of the Lord to be used irreverently, or to be abu­sed, or turn'd to contrary ends from what it was intended. And we finde to back this pre­sident the good Apostle St. Paul following the example of his Master Jesus, he severely corrects the Corinthians for their unseemly behaviour to the House of God. Now these Corinthians it is supposed had had the House of God so long in their own houses, by reason of persecution, that they be­gan to esteem it no better than their ordinary dwelling where they eat and drank, feasted and revelled: but mark how [Page 17] sharply St. Paul takes them up for it. 1 Cor. 11.22. What have ye not hou­ses to eat and drink in; but de­spise ye the House of God? Here St. Paul argues the difference between a common house and the House of God, Being the Ma­terial Church. I and thus God himself of old commands a reverence to his House, for when God gave the Comman­dement to the Children of Is­rael that they should keep his Sabbath, see what he linkes to it, you shall keep my Sabbath, Levit. 26.2. and reverence my Sanctuary; as if the Sabbath could not be kept in a right holy obser­vance, without a reverent re­spect to the House of God.

But here I know some o­thers will be apt to say, They could like it may be the place that is appointed for Worship, were it not for this, the Founders and Builders of them were Idolaters, [Page 18] they worshipped false gods, as Ima­ges, and the like, and therefore say they, we hold them not fit for the true God to be worshipped, be­cause they were first set apart and devoted to false gods.

To this I answer, That we are not to forsake the House of God, now in being, because Idolaters first founded and built the House before it was the House of God, for know that it was not the first found­ers or builders of the Houses or Churches, made them the Houses of God, but the holy and reverend Dedication and Consecration of them since, and were not this allowable, undoubtedly our Forefathers would not have received the Temples of Idols, Pet. Ma [...]t. Com. Pla. and conver­ted them into holy Houses where Christ should be wor­shipped, and those Revenues [Page 13] that were dedicated to their Gods and Goddesses, to Plays and Vestal Virgins, to the re­pairing of Churches, and maintenance of Ministers, whereas these things did not onely at first serve Anti-Christ but even the Devil himself; you might as well deny almost every thing that you necessa­rily and commonly use, as this. For know if you will use no­thing that hath been dedicated to Paganism or Idolatry, you must drink no wine; for the Heathens consecrated it to Bachus; nor eat no bread, for they consecrated it to Ceres; Water to Neptune, Learning to Mercury, but this obser­vance were ridiculous; for as learned Mr. Hooker speaks in his Ecclesiastical Polity, Idola­ters may judge even what is decent about external affairs [Page 20] of God, as of greater thing [...] that are true, yet nevertheles [...] what ever Idolaters hav [...] thought or done idolatrously let it be abhor'd, yet of tha [...] which is good even in evi [...] things God is the Author; Fo [...] should we forsake those part [...] that are good in Idolaters, we might forsake many things and those substantial too without which there would be no salvation; we might then cease to believe in God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, with other necessary points, all which Papistical Idolaters believe, and main­tain. But in this we ought to be very careful that we do not press and burthen the people of God with any such bon­dage, as to let them use no­thing that Idolaters hath used, being lawful before God. I [Page 21] ask the Question whether the people of God did disown the Ark because the Philistines played and sported with it? It was not their carrying of it from Gath to Ekron, and from thence to Askelon, no they received it with joy, when once God returned it to them again? Were the people of God to disesteem the House of the Lord, because Manasses was an Idolatrous King, and built up Altars in the House of the Lord unto false gods, 2 Chron. 33. and worshipped them when he had done? No upon the Lords chastising of him, and his re­turning to the true Religion, pulling down those Altars that were built up to false gods, and erecting an Altar to the true God, the same House continu'd serviceable still; thus the consecrated Censers that [Page 22] Corah and his Complices used, Numb. 16.37.38. were not to be thrown away, though they imployed them to a most prophane use, no more are our Churches to be refrained, because they have been Idolatrously abused (as I have noted before) for if we must pull down our Churches for former polutions, then have we work enough to do, not onely in respect of the Papists abuse at first, but in respect also of the late abomi­nable corruptions, that the last wicked times stained them withal; for it is not unknown to many, that some of our Churches which were conse­crated to Gods service were then converted to base and abominable uses, very few to any good; for those that they did not make Stables, and Ware houses, they made them [Page 23] the Conventicles of Blasphe­my, Nonsence, and Rebellion; for in them they have with more than ordinary confi­dence prayed as they called it, to the God of mercy, that he would assist them in the work of revenge, and destruction against King, Priest, and Peo­ple; in them they animated the Father against the Son, and the Son against the Fa­ther; See at large Reverend Dr. King, Bishop of Cicister, in a Sermon [...] preacht be­fore his Ma­jesty the 30 Jan. in them they maintain­ed it was no sin to murder Gods anointed, to banish and illegally suspend his Mini­sters; sure then the Houses of God were sufficiently abused; Here the Church had cause e­nough to cry out, Was ever sor­row like mine? Yet all this, and more injuries offered to her, though they were great griefs in their time, yet not cause enough to make the [Page 24] People of the Lord to dis­esteem or forget her, but with Israels Captives they still did sing, If I forget thee, Oh House of God, let my right hand forget its cunning. It is not any thing indeed that can be us'd against Gods House that can make the Orthodox-christian dis-esteem it; No, he mourns with her in adversity, and rejoyceth with her in prosperity, never forgetting her howe're she is dealt with: There are too ma­ny, I would I could not speak it, that now appears in the vindication of the House of God, because they see she's highly favoured of the Lord; that should she ever be eclips't again, which I heartily pray may never be, would soon draw from her, and prove the very worst of enemies. There is too too many of these false [Page 25] hearted Sycophants, that can cry all hail to day and cruci­fie to morrow, that serve her more for profit than they do for love. Oh that the Reve­rend Bishops and my very good Superiours, with sub­mission be it spoken, would think on some way to purge our Church from base tempo­rizing Pulpitters, such that whindle, cry, bemoan and fawn upon her in publike, that too frequently stab her to the heart in private; that wait and pray for another wicked change; that they might be uppermost again, but from such false hearted Proteus's that turns to every side, that can be a prick-ear'd Phana­tick to day, and a seeming Orthodox-Christian to mor­row, that can off with a Jump, and on with a Cassock, [Page 26] that can swallow a large Scot­tish Covenant, without strein­ing at it, from all such in the words of the Letany, Good Lord deliver us. But oh the true Orthodox-Servant of God, which stands unwavering to his original principle, that doth not say with him that went to Mass, To tullian. Eamus ad com­munem errorem, Lets yield to common errour. 'Tis not the torrent of common practice can draw the religious Chri­stian from his true grounded resolution: 'twas not the prof­fer of a Living of a hundred a year, or Chaplain to Nol [...] could do it; they were like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed­nego, they'l die first; they are no starters, nor flinchers, but like Davids Worthies stick to her in all her troubles; Sons of the Church, and not o [...] [Page 27] the Kirk; they are builders and not destroyers of the House of God; that repair her breaches, and not rend them wider; that reverence the House as the Habitation of God, and not scornfully set by it as a place of no worth or value: of a certain I may speak it, and that within com­pass, that there are none but a sort of mad and perverse Rake-hels that sin against the light of Reason and Con­science, that will not allow God the same benefit they have themselves to dwell in a house; but let such invete­rate and erroneous judge­ments aim as destructively as ever they can against the Dwelling of the Lord, God hath, and shall for ever have a House for his Honor to dwell in.

For while there is a visi­ble Church upheld by God, so long will there be a ma­terial house for his people to worship in, kept up by the same power; for 'tis not the devil nor mans envy, can harm either visible or ma­terial, but Gods judgement for the sin and abuse of both is the cause of their destru­ction, and demolishing.A House built up­on a Rock, the gates of hell shall not pre­vail against it, and of a certain that House must needs be strong then where Omni­potency is the Head of the Building, and a continual Providence to support it; Read but the an­cient prophecy of Gods house the stability, honor, and dig­nity of it.

Though these Scriptures are by most taken by Gods visible Church, and not for the material Church made of wood, iron, and stones, yet if we consider that the visible Church of Gods peo­ple cannot wel worship God without a place set apart to worship him in, we may in some sort establish a perpe­tuity to these our material buildings which we cal Chur­ches, and think them, at least some of them, to be built on a Rock, against which mens malice shall not prevail. And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the Mountains of the Lords House shall be established in the top of the Mountain, and shall be exalted above the Hills, and all Nations shall flow unto it, and many people shall go, and say, [Page 29] Come ye, and let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord, to the House of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his pathes, Isa. 2.2, 3.

See here the Eminency of Gods House, the Height and Glory of it! This is Gods Hill on which he dwells; For the Hill of the Lord is like the great Mountain of Bashan, there's no removing of it: Oh how malicious then are those who would level the Moun­tain of God if they could, and bring in competition with the lowest Valley? Cer­tainly these are wretches stamped after the Devils own heart, not qualified like Da­vid, after Gods own heart; who as it were dotes and falls inamored with the House of God

Psal. 26.8. Oh how I have loved the habi­tation of thy House, and the place where thine Honor dwel­leth. Psal. 5.7. And again, I'le come into thy House in the multitude of thy Mercy, and in thy fear will I worship toward thy Holy Temple. Thus Holy and Religious men makes Gods House a place of Fear and Reverence, they do not dis-esteem it, or rush in­to it hand over head, making no difference between the House of the Lord and the Market; of a truth they are acquainted with better things, they follow Solomons dire­ction, Eccl. 4.17. Take heed to thy foot when thou entrest into the House of God; they are wary in all their carriages whilst they are there, demeaning themselves according to the sanctity of the Place, they'l not in any action willfully tread awry, [Page 31] they know it is Gods House, and accordingly must behave themselves in it: but now the contrary, is too much the sin of our times and unreve­rence to the House of God; we concieve meanly of the House it self, and according­ly we demean our selves both in it and towards it: Few in our age say with Jacob after his dream, Gen. 28.7. How fearful is this Place, this is none but the House of God! But indeed it cannot well be expected that those that have no respect towards Gods Commands, that they should have any towards his House; for it is a plain infal­lible mark or sign, that those that have no esteem to God and true Religion, they can have no esteem towards his Dwelling: there are many, and a very great many of them [Page 32] too, that can be content to give God some slight and cheap observance, but if there be required from them some­thing more than ordinary to be given for the Honor and Dignity of God, either to build Churches, or to repair those that are built; to con­tribute to the maintenance of their Minister, if he have not a sufficient competency of his own, in these or such like cases, most men are apt to draw back, accounting that God and Religion best that's best cheap, thus when Self­love sways us, Dr. Brownrig late Bishop of Exeter. we are all for our selves; but true love seeks not his own so much as the glory of God. 'Tis worth our, observation to consider Peters care in offering to build the Tabernacle upon Mount Tabor, Master, it's good for us to [Page 33] be here; Luke. 9.33. Let's build three Taber­nacles, one for thee, one for Mo­ses, and one for Elias, mark how careful he is to build Ta­bernacles for these three, but takes no care for himself, he offers to provide for them a­gainst winde and weather, and takes no notice of his own shelter; and from this we may observe, that true love to God and his Church tran­sports a Christian out of him­self, making him to forget his own comfort in respect of God, to take care for building Gods Tabernacle before his own. Tertullian observes not any that followed Christ that ever questioned how they should live, None said, Non ha­beo, quo vivam, Pietas non respi­cit vitam, multo minus victum. Its enough for them to be in famulatu Christi: attendance [Page 34] upon God should be always or at least our first business, we should always give God the precedency of being served; first his House being first built or repaired, Exod. 23.16. and made servi­ceable before our own; His absolute dues first tendred be­fore we reckon any thing to be our own, Levit. 23.14. Levit. 25.23. we must have a care of playing false play with God, Mallaki. 1.13. tendring any thing un­to him that is unperfect, or detaining any thing from him that is his due. Abel makes choice of the best of his Flock, but Kain takes no such care, that which comes next to hand will serve Gods turn well enough, he thinks; but our God abominates all such usage: he must have the best or none, Numb. 18.12. The best of the Oyl, the best of Wine, and the best of the Wheat, shalt thou offer unto the [Page 35] Lord: God accounts it fraud and cousenage to have the coursest Grain, the least Heap, the lightest Sheaf. The Jews have a Witty saying amongst them, That Kain was a cove­tous man, and his sacrifice smelt of it; and truly the same saying may be verified in many in these our dayes that what they offer to God and his House, it smells of covetousness, they will as soon part with their lives as with any thing with a free heart towards God, the ser­vice of his Church, and the maintenance of his Ministry. Hence it is that the Eccle­siastical Laws are so great an eye-sore and trouble to ma­ny, because with Joshuah they commands the People to wor­ship God, to repair his House, to maintain his Ministers, [Page 36] to live orderly and soberly in all godliness of life; and for this reason do most hate the Laws and Institutions of God, because they stand in opposi­tion to all Prophaneness, wilful Liberty, Sacriledge, and Re­bellion.

THE Common Service.

PUlbick Prayer before God it's an utterance of good and wholsome words in an orderly form so exactly couch't, and fore-thought on, as may be fit in an humble manner to be offered up unto the God of Order; therefore when we prepare for the House of God we must also prepare in a fitted readiness, what we shall have to say un­to God, when we come before him; If for pardon of sin and begging of supplies, if for giving of thanks for blessings and mercies received, delive­rances obtained, why all this [Page 38] and whatever we shall, or may have need of to put up to God, must be seriously and devout­ly forethought of, to which intent there hath been, and is at this very day fitted for our occasional wants, holy and profitable Supplies, the Di­vine-Service of the Church planted for a stable Worship, and Service to God for ever; So that none might rush into his sacred presence, and there pour out before the God of Order and Holiness, a long and tedious oration, the most None-sence, These were the common effu­sions of Oli­vers Saints, Blasphemy, and Rebellion, with hum's and haw's, coughs and imperti­nent fetches. Now God of old, to prevent this strange and irregular boldness, pre­scribed a Set-form of Worship that men might not take up that boldness to speak any [Page 39] thing before him rashly, espe­cially the Guiders and Pastors of his People, And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Aaron and his Sons. Thus shall they bless the peo­ple,

1 The Lord bless thee and keep thee. Numb. 6.24 25, 26.

2 The Lord make his face shine upon thee, God himself did frame to his Priests the very speech wherewith they were charged to bless his people. and be merciful unto thee.

3. The Lord lift up his coun­tenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

Not leaving the blessing to their own extemporary effu­sions, 'tis plain enough known, and that beyond the reach of contradiction; that the an­cient People of God, the Jews had a particular Liturgy, a Form of Divine-Service ex­tracted out of the Holy Scrip­ture as a constant Service for [Page 40] their approach to God upon all occasions, their Benedi­ctions being pen'd by the Ma­sters of their Synagogues; See Dr. Ha­monds Pra­ctic. Catech. Now this their Form of Wor­ship as it was ordained for an exact Service to God, so was it also intended to prevent the true Religion from all corruption in Doctrine, that God might be served in all places with one and the same Order and Form of Divine Worship; And as the Jews had their Forms of Divine Service, so had, and have the Christians also: Luke 11.1. John the Bap­tist taught his Disciples to pray by Form, and our bles­sed Saviour himself left us a Form of Prayer, to signifie his allowance of that way of Worship, and to prevent all temeritious effusions, as also to take off all quarrels that [Page 41] might arise by the spirits of contradictions: Our Saviour doth as it were stand up, and speak to his Disciples, to whom he was to leave the government of his Church af­ter his Ascension, my friends, to take away all disputes that may be amongst you, what kinde of worship my Church shall be served withal, when ye pray say, Our Father, &c. Luke 11.2. And as the Christians had their Set-forms of Prayer, so had they also their Psalms and Hymns, 1 Cor. 14.26. and all to make up a compleat Liturgy; Matth. 26.3. For when they had sung a Psalm they went up into the Moun­tain; and as the Jews had their Songs of Moses and Da­niel, Luke 1.46. so have the Christians the Songs of the Virgin Mary, Luke 1.68. Zacharias and Old-Simeon. Luke 2.29. And these are those which the [Page 42] Apostles doth so often say, 1 Cor. 14, 15. I will pray and sing with the Spirit. And again, Eph. 5.19. in Psalms, and Hymns, and spiritual Songs, making melody to the Lord with my whole heart. Now we know that Hymns and Psalms, and such kinde of Prayer and Praises are not to be canvised on the sudden, but to be premeditated and framed aforehand. I, but will some say, all that St. Paul performed in this kinde, he did it by the Spirit, he prayed and sung by the Spirit. All this we own, God forbid else; for know he that ventures up­on any Form of Prayer, or Hymn, Psalm, or Benediction, without a devout and holy Spirit prepared for the work, doth rather prattle than pray; howl than sing Psalms. All Gods Prayers must be prayed [Page 43] with the Spirit, or else they fall under the scandal with those that the Apostle so long ago corrects, That they use a Form of Godliness, but deny the power thereof.

They therefore do very ill and uncharitable to the sacred Prayers of Gods Church, to stigmatize it with that infa­my, crying of it down, that it is barely carried on by Form without any power, as if all Service and Devotion dwelt onely upon external perfor­mances; but they that speak it without book, they know not what they say; for indeed how dare any take up that boldness to themselves to judge the heart of man, when none knows it but God. If our Worship be onely formal and hypocritical, as many say it is, I ask the Question how [Page 44] they know it? Our words in our Service are Gods words, our gestures and carriages with our habits, are decent and comely, when we per­form our Worship: Now what is within us, none but God knows; for let the worst of our enemies stand and behold our Order, they must if they will speak truth, When our ser­vice is perfor­med with mu­sical voyces & devout hearts according to the old Latine verse; Non von sed votum non chordula musica sed cor. Non clamor, sed amor can­tat in aure Dei. say that sure­ly this is the place where God dwells; I must confess we cannot free our Church alto­gether from sinful Pastors, as well as refractory people; for there hath always been Mixtu­ra Ecclesiae from the beginning, and will so continue: Kain and Abel are the Churches Representatives, who shows a mixt temper and composi­tion of the Church from the beginning; substantial and false-hearted attenders on the [Page 45] Altar of God; Aug Ep. 145. Ad huc arca con­tinet corvum & columbam. Clean and unclean birds; the Dove, and the Raven are both in the Ark and House of God. And this hath been of old, and will continue until the great Shepheard shall come and se­parate the good from the bad, till then they feed together in the same pasture: But howe­ver though there be, and must be a mixture of good and bad Ministers and People, yet the pure Worship and Service it self is unspotted. Prayer and Praises have no errours, Hu­manum est errare, but Gods Service hath none; And more­over in reference to the fore­going relation, it hath been, and is always the industrious care of the Fathers of the Church, that none should be admitted to holy Orders to [Page 46] attend upon Gods Altar, with­out they did seem and appear to be as well grounded in Grace as Learning, that their offerings that they should of­fer up to God in his holy San­ctuary, might be spiritual and not carnal; for there is no­thing more hateful to God than a Formal Devotion without the Spirit, therefore when we pray in the Liturgy we pray earnestly for the assi­stance of the spirit of God. Wherefore let us beséech him to grant us true repentance, and his holy spirit, that those things may please him which we do at this pre­sent. See in the Ab­solution. And when the Minister blesseth the people in the Lords name; The Lord be with you, See after the Creed. Hee's answered by the whole Congregation by way of retaliation, and with thy spi­rit. And again in the Litany [Page 47] we pray, See the Leta­ny. That it may please God to giue us true repentance, to forgive us all our sins, negligen­ces, & ignorances, and to endue us with the grace of his holy Spirit to amend our lives according to his holy Word. And so in many other of our several Collects and Prayers, we beseech God that he would send down his Spirit upon us to guide and direct us. How wicked then are those men that abuse this holy Worship, calling it a Form without a Spirit? & have given out in their preaching & writings that we deny the spirit to have any exercise in our Worship, when God he knows it is our earnest beg­ging, and intreating of him continually, when we appear before him in Prayer, that he would ever assist us with his holy Spirit: They therefore that do not take the Worship [Page 48] and Service of our Church to be Spiritual and Divine, are led and conducted by no other spirit but the spirit of Errour and Contradiction. For know the Service of our Church performed cordially and sin­cerely, it is a pure holy and acceptable Service, it is as pleasing Incense in the No­strils of God, when it is fired by the ardency of Faith and true Devotion; when the Churches Worship is joyntly and universally performed throughout her several Con­gregations, observing and o­beying one and the same or­der, though but a Church mi­litant, yet she fairly by imita­tion represents the Church triumphant, which praises God in a joynt Communion, they all sing with one and the same Form; Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord [Page 49] God of Sabaoth, whereas a dis­orderly Devotion in the Church, must surely as much affront God as amaze the peo­ple, when the whole time at Service shall be spent in throwing out corrupt and in­digested words as they happen to come uppermost, some right, some wrong, the Hear­ers spending their time in no­thing else, but in listening and considering what their extemporary Preacher, or ra­ther Pratler, with his long fetches and turns will drive at; at last being often out, but seldome in, it is therefore no wonder at all that many times the people complain that their Guides are dark and du­bious in their directions, be­ing so often lost and at a stand themselves in the very pre­scribing of their Rules: [Page 50] whereas our Service and Di­vine Worship it is even a guide to the simplest and lowest of men; for certainly he must be of a very shallow capacity that cannot joyn with the Mi­nister in our Prayers and Ser­vices; And undoubtedly those Prayers doeth most good that are performed knowingly: Ig­norance in the Worship of God is the mother and bree­der up of Error. Matth. 22.29. You erre, saith Christ to the Sadduces, not knowing the Word. He that prayes ignorantly, reaps lit­tle profit by it, whilst he that prayes understandingly, reaps wisdom unto Salvation. Oh what a goodly and comforta­ble a sight it is to see both Pastor and People praying in a joynt agreement and com­munion; for of a certain those Prayers and Praises are likely to do most good that are per­formed [Page 51] understandingly, as well as publikely: for as Doct. Hamond observes in his Pra­ctical Catechism, that the Union of many hearts being met together are likeliest to prevail, and the presence of some godly may bring down mercies upon others whose Prayers hath no promise to be heard, especially performed by a consecrated person, whose office is to draw nigh unto God, to offer up Prayer and Thanks-giving, as an Em­bassadour between God and Man. Oh 'tis a glorious sight to behold these sacred per­formances to be done with zeal and devotion; Certainly, as Jacob saith, it is the Gate of Heaven. Holy-Prayer is that which pleaseth God, & advan­tageth Man; And if Prayer, then seemly and orderly Pray­er, [Page 52] and what more orderly and seemly than the Holy Ser­vice that is now, blessed be the Lord, amongst us; the worst of our enemies cannot say it is a mystical or intricate Worship delivered in an un­known Tongue, or imbroi­dered with canting tearms, such as many of our adversa­ries Prayers are more befitting a Prologue of a Comedy, to create laughter than stir up zeal; the worst they say of our Prayers, they are plain and homely, but these are unchri­stian-like Reproches; as if any thing that acquaints the soul with God, or conducts it to Heaven, can be too plain and obvious; but if plain, as they say, let them know it is the plain Word of God, that Word which is able to make us wise unto Salvation; For [Page 53] know that our Prayers, Psalms, and Benedictions, are the most of them extracted out of the Word of God, and are me­thodically placed in an or­derly advantage for the glory of Gods Praise, and the bles­sed benefit of his people that draw nigh unto him. Sure then those orderly and pre­meditated Prayers and Praises taken out of the Word of God, may I hope as well for their antiquity as their worth, plead the preheminence be­fore the effusion of long and tedious extemporary Prayers, made by the vain and bold imaginations of some Squan­der-headed fellow.

But here I suppose some may be apt to step in and say, Were your Service made up onely with Prayer and Praises, we might it may be sooner agree and [Page 54] assent to them, but they are mixt with Prayers, and Hymns, and Psalms, and Chapters made up altogether, it appears not at all so advantagious and profitable as if made up with Prayers and Praises onely.

To this I answer; our Savi­our Christ left the govern­ment of the Church upon his ascending up on high, unto the Apostles, and their lawful Successors, commissionating and binding them as Paul did Timothy at Creet, Tit. 1.5. to settle and establish all things in an orderly advantage, as well for the praise of his glory as the good of his people; now whereas it is commonly ob­jected that the mixture and variety that is in our Service makes it not approved of, nor followed by many, I thus vindicate this point in oppo­sition [Page 55] to their erroneous mi­stake; for know that the Ser­vice of our Church would not be so profitable, nor so like to a true Worship that must be offered up to God, were it not for the change and succession that's in it. Thus I make it appear to all reaso­nable men, viz. When we approach to the publike Ser­vice of the Lord, we come or at least ought so to do, to make our confession of what sins we have committed a­gainst him, 'tis but fit, consi­dering the foulness of our offences, to prostrate our selves upon our knees before the throne of his grace, and there acknowledg with tears the pollution of our souls, saying, we have erred and stray­ed from thy wayes, &c. upon which articular acknowledg­ment [Page 56] the Minister for comfort and consolation doth pro­nounce Gods proneness to forgive and have mercy upon Submission, which being per­formed, and the soul eased by Prayer, then to rise with a reverend posture from the Knees with Praises, O come let us sing unto the Lord, &c. upon the ending of those Praises then to place your self decent­ly as in the House of God, waiting and receiving with an open Soul those holy in­structions from Gods Word that shall be read unto you, and first the Psalms of David, Gloria Patri being ended, then a Lesson out of the old Testament most commonly relating to the antient promi­ses and kindnesses of God to his Church, in consideration 'tis but meet to give him [Page 57] praise, singing or saying that sacred Hymn, Te Deum Lau­damus. We Praise thée O God, &c. then after a Lesson out of the New Testament declaring the performance of his promised mercy to his Church, to sing another Hymn, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, &c. then stoutly to stand with a direct body, as well as an even soul, like a true heroick Soldier of God, and make a confession of thy Faith, speaking with an audible voice, I believe in God, &c. then to bow your self in Prayer before God, for di­vers necessities of humane Nature, The Lords Prayer and o­ther invocati­ons with the Letany. not onely for your self but for others, the King, and the whole Kingdom, yea even for the converting of your enemies; then after a special prayer for Grace and Sanctification, the ten Com­mandements, [Page 58] with the Epistles and Gospels being dis­tinctly deliverd unto us, the one containing our duty both to God and man, the other having aspeciall relation to the work of our redemption; See a Peice Printed at Cambridge 1642 called the Protestant Account. all and what ever remains of the service of the Church else being in order and due man­ner plac't for the Glory of Gods Worship, and the conve­nient advantage of his Peoples Souls, must needs be approved of from God, and all good and Religious men.

But I know some others wil be apt to say for all this, That though the words may be good and the Order plausible, yet the length and tediousness of them keeps them longer out of the Church than they would be: Oh say some, they stop us an unreason­able while from hearing of the [Page 59] Sermon, and were it not for this fault, we would hear them oftner.

Why these are strange ex­pressions, and too often us'd in this sinful Nation, that Prayer and Praises unto God should be counted tedious and irk­some, this is quite contrary to the Apostles saying, Pray con­tinually. Now whereas 'tis ob­jected that the Prayers of the Church keeps people from the Sermon too long, 'tis a folly beyond wonder to consider it that ever people should be so ignorant of the excellency of Divine Prayer and Praises, which are the golden Keys that open and shut the gates of Heaven; that wrestle with God, and command his mercy down, as it were, that this Sacred Worship should be jostled out of the Church, or at least so little set by, that [Page 60] Preaching a thing that hath been more commoner in our age, to savour of wit and humour than any true devo­tion, should be prefer'd before it. I must confess I have been always, God forbid I should deny the Ordinance of sound Preaching but the abuse of it I abhor from my heart, when Sermons leds people to Heaven, Oh then they are good, but when they direct for Hell, when murder and Rebellion is the Theame of the Pulpit, and confused Extravagancy the whole matter that's raised from it, then to hate such Preaching is commendable: why this was the preaching of the late times, and too many I am afraid use it still, this was the vomits of the Pulpit when that wretch Peters assum'd the Chair of Canterbury. and am still a Lover of true Preaching, but not at all of that which many call, and would have pass for preaching, to name a text and then to talk any thing that comes uppermost from it; either to run so far from the text as never to come near it after once nam'd, or to crow'd so close to it as to screw it beyond its height, making the true word of [Page 61] God to speak that which it never intended, certainly such preaching as this must much abuse the word of God, the Hearers, and their owne souls that vent it, when as a neat, quaint and zealous exposition upon the words is commenda­ble with allowance, to Para­phrase with sincerity & trueth, neither wresting the word from its intended scope, or drift, nor assuming to be so bold as to think by your Com­ments you have outstript and gone beyond the word of God, as well for worth of matter, as excellency of stile, this were an abominable arro­gancy, and yet this is a crime too frequently entertain'd a­broad, to esteem Calamy and Baxters prating before Gods word, alas they conceive that these men have outdone Christ [Page 62] and his Apostles for preaching to the purpose, the common consequence confirms this, for many had rather go five miles to hear one of these fellows talk frightful whimsies from their own brains, than to go one quarter of a mile to hear our Saviour Christs Sermon which he preacht on the Mount; Matthew 5.1 Acts 2.37. Peters converting Ser­mon to the Jews, with other of Christ's and his Apostles works. The holy Testament which being read unto us with a pure heart, and we re­ceiving of it with the same, undoubtedly it is the onely preaching of all preaching that doth most good, for what can be safer to be preach't than Gods pure Word which is able to make us wise unto Salvation? and though exposi­tions have crept into esteem [Page 63] amongst some, yet I think that Christ and his Apostles Ser­mons left for our instructions, are to be approved on before all other works of those that love God. And next to the holy Bible, the Service of the Church pleads for prehemi­nence before any thing that shall appear for Service before God; for know that Prayer and Praises are the essentiall Worship of God, it is the Coyne of Heaven, it answereth all things, it pleaseth God and pleaseth Man, we have no other way to come unto God but by Prayer (through our Lord Jesus Christ) Prayer brings us into his presence, and shews us the light of his countenance; if God be angry with us, Prayer pacifies him and makes all well again; if we are in sorrow, Prayer comforts [Page 64] us: see this in Hannah, a wo­man of a sorrowful Spirit, Prayer maks her look Chear­ful; If we are in prosperity, it still refresheth us more and more, like Moses in his Com­munion with God on the Mount, our faces shine by it, our hearts are more clearly reviv'd.

I but say some, this Common Prayer is so mean a thing, that even a Childe may read it that can but read almost any thing, it is so inferiour that we cannot esteem it with that worth as our Pastors would have us.

This sounds something like that sin of Corah and his com­plies, to think meanly of the Service of the Church, that any man is able to per­form the Ministerial offices as the Priest particularly con­secrated for the work, but [Page 65] the punishment of Korah, Numb. 16. Da­than, and Abiram, to those that have read it; should be a terrour and a sufficient war­ning to stave them off from such a cursed opinion. I ask the Question, do you think that a Butcher or a Slaughter-Man brought up to that Pro­fession, could not strike down an Ox with more slight and agility than a Priest, or Le­vite? Why yes, no doubt but he could, common reason answers this; but this was not suffered in the Temple to be done, none but those that have an express warrant must officiate in Gods House; 'tis true you may read the Prayers of the Church to the people, but by reason you are not consecrated to that particular imployment, it can­not be suffered by any Chri­stian [Page 66] allowance: Strange fire it is an abomination unto God: The Jews Liturgy it was as plain and easie to be read, as our Service, do you think that the Laitie could not have read the ten Commande­ments, the Song of Moses and Daniel, the Prophesies, the Psalms of David? why yes, no Question but those men might have read these words, but not to any effect, but Aaron and his lawful Succes­sors appointed and set apart for the work by God; for when the people are to be blest; 'tis Aaron and his Sons that must give them the bles­sing in Gods name, 'tis Gods Commandment, Joel the 2. and the 17. Let the Priests the Ministers of the Lord weep be­fore the Porch and the Altar, and let them say, Spare thy peo­ple, [Page 67] Oh Lord. Malachi. 2.7. By the Priests lips must the people learn knowledge: He that heareth them, heareth me, saith Christ? And he that despiseth them, de­spiseth me. See here then the true dignity of a Minister, his Calling and Vocation is both sacred and eminent. Now as Mr. Sandcroft observes there are a sort of men but of ye­sterday, Mr. Sandcroft in a Sermon at the consecra­tion of Bi­shops. that would pretend to be wiser than their Fore­fathers, the whole world, yea even Christ himself, which undertakes to thwart the ancient Decrees and Pur­poses of God, as to the or­dering of his Service and way of Worship, a sort of men that know God and Religion no otherwise but by meer no­tion, that are Christians from the shoulder and upwards, that whatever their brain [Page 68] conceives, their tongue talks it for infallible Revelations; but in the Words of the Lita­ny, From all such good Lord deli­ver us.

They that deny the decent Order and Worship of Gods Church, deny all that's re­gular and good, such think any thing will pass with God and serve his turn, his Mini­sters Dunces, and his Service Nonsence, neither to be cal­led nor appointed, but to hap­pen upon the office and per­formance by chance, and so by guess accordingly officiate, and perform; but our God is a God of Order, and must be worshipped in Order, not in confusion; his Priests must be consecrated, and his Ser­vice premeditated, or else it serves not his turn, let us square but one proposal by [Page 69] common reason in reference to this discourse: had we any business with an earthly King of some weight and concern­ment, wherein if we should miscarry in the delivery of our message, we should not onely lose our suit, but in­cur the Kings displeasure; how careful would we be to get words fit for our business, how would we forethink of them, be still premeditating, writing, correcting, and get­ting them all exact, that no­thing might be mislik't. Do you think our business with the King of Heaven ought not to be as carefully stated, fore­thought, and considered on, knowing that all vain babling is abominable to him, and that we can never think to be too exact in those words that must come before God in the [Page 70] behalf of our selves and o­thers, lest like Zebedy we be repulsed by our asking we know not what? 'Tis ill je­sting with edg'd tools, it is a strange presumptuous ven­ture to step into Gods pre­sence with unthought of words and expressions, Eccle. 5.1. Be not rash with thy mouth, saith Solo­mon, nor let thy heart be hasty to utter a thing before God, for God is in Heaven, and thou art on Earth.

The White Robe.

CAvills about maters in­different in themselves, are too much the quarrel of the times, and that which makes the animosities the stranger, is this, that order and comely decency in Gods Ser­vice makes the pure Worship of God despicable, and that is objected too as one of the maine causes of it, The Surplice. which in it selfe is the embleme of vertu­ous innocency, that that should keep so many off from serv­ing God in publick, as tis pre­tended, is more then ordinary wonder; Now this is a great grief to many that know the [Page 72] way to worship God aright, to see so weake a prejudice live and do mischief, and that upon no sure ground that it can keep footing on: but let Antagonists vent their furious madness against that harmless Robe, and we that weare it, let them proclaim we are Ido­laters because we serve the Lord in it, in this we do appeal to God to judge between their cry and us; thus much wee'l condescend to satisfie the world, we never do account our selves the holier when this white garment is upon us, nor the unholier when it is off; we owne this Ceremony, as the body doth a fine garment, for ornament sake, or as a late learned Writer speaks, The Ce­remonies of the Church are as the body to the soul, the body being enlivened by the soul is [Page 73] very amiable, so Ceremonies with devotion is very comely. We use this Ceremony in the Church for ornament sake, and its sig­nificant resemblance being a habit fitted for consecrated Persons to draw near unto God withal, for what more fit than white, that suites with the affection of joy wherein God delights to have his Saints praise him. Revel 7.6. Malachi 3.1. White it is the beauty that the Angels appeare before him in, how then can any, nay dare any deny the Church militant here on Earth, that she may not sig­nifie something by action and rite which the triumphant doth really performe in Hea­ven? This wearing of the Sur­plice, or White-Robe at D [...] vine-Service, is an innocent, harmless and good imitating Ceremony, a thing more for [Page 74] order sake, than for any abso­lute necessity of Worship, is re­ceiv'd into the Church, and made use of.

We usually have at the So­lemn Actions of Royalty and Justice, ornaments to beautifie and set them forth, and shall we only in actions of Religion account ornaments a stain and blemish? did we make wearing the Surplice at Divine-Service a scruple in point of consci­ence, that if we left it off, and not use it it would incurre our damnation, it might then prove a stumbling-block to many but since it is received into the Church, worne and made use of as a thing indiffe­rent, yet by reason of the com­mand of more necessity for comliness sake, in Gods House to be used, than not; I hope then without any offence it [Page 75] being thus receiv'd into the Church, it may still continue.

I know some will object, We have no Scripture for the re­ceiving of it into our Church: 'tis true, we have no Scripture to warrant it in particular ex­press words, nor none to dis­allow it; 'tis of no great con­sequence whether we have or no, for we use it not as an ex­press command from Gods own mouth, but as an indiffe­rent Ceremony instituted by the Fathers of the Church for comeliness sake, and not so strictly injoyned as it is ima­gined; and indeed I suppose it is not necessary that we should have in Scripture ex­press mention of these parti­cular things we use in the Church, for this general is enough to know by Faith that things indifferent cannot [Page 76] harm them that are of a pure heart; But though we have not any Scripture that com­mends it to us, or any Scrip­ture that disallows it to us, yet we may finde in Ecclesi­astical Histories reasonable sa­tisfaction that the Ministers of God since the Law, as well as when the Law was in force, have diversities of garments to distinguish them from the Lai­ty, as for their decency in their approach to God, Saint John the Apostle at Ephesus wore a garment call'd Petalum, Petalius Seu. Lamina. St Chrysistom. Tertullian. Cyprian the Martin Pontius the Deacon testifieth, that when he was within a while to suffer death, gave his Barum to the Executioner, his garment of Dalmatia unto the Deacons, and stood in his linnen gar­ment. St Chrysistom, Eusebius, Tertullian, and other ancient [Page 77] Writers makes mention of the white garments that the Mini­sters wore in the Church of old, which doth plainly con­firm that the Surplice hath been of ancient use in the House of God, I and that too before the tyranny of Pope­dom; though many say we fetch it from thence. But say the Surplice, or White Robe had been first invented by the Pope, I cannot be perswaded if it had been so, that the im­piety of Popedom is such, Peter Mart [...]y in a letter to an English Bishop that whatever she touches she de­files, and polutes, whereby good men may not be allow'd to put into holy uses any thing that her fingers have toucht. Now this were a burthen too intolerable for the Church of God to bear; certainly without harm, this garment may be us'd in the Church, provided [Page 78] it be worn and made use of with that respect we allow to it, and no other ways, for order and decency sake; and not with any superstitious and idolatrous intent.

It is easie to diserne how willingly men of itching ears and perverse mindes, are drawn and kept back from Gods pure worship, by the smallest of dislikes; men stampt after the old Proverb, that stumble at a straw, and leap over a block, that are so blinded by the Spirit of contradiction and aversness to that which is good, they think no way straight, but their crooked ways, a sort of refractory peo­ple spawn'd by the seed of blasphemy and rebellion, that had rather see Hewson in the Pulpit with a blew apron, than Reverend Laud in the [Page 79] Desk with a Surplice, an opini­on as preposterous as the au­thors, men guided and steer'd as ships in a dark night before the use of the Compass was found out, by the rule of ram­bling, and dangerous uncer­tainty, for how many of poor ignorant souls, that know little or nothing of true Reli­gion; that speak evil of mat­ters out of their reach and ca­pacity, more from a common received prejudice from others opinion, than any true expe­rience of their own, crying down most of those things that they do by the hear-say of o­thers; for I am perswaded that there is not one in ten of these people that are so inve­terate against the Ceremonies of the Church, especially this innocent Ceremony of the Sur­plice, that have ever weighed [Page 80] their dislike against them, or it, in the scale of a moderate and discreet Reason, but at random abhor that which for ought they know, if they did but seriously examine the matters by charitable constru­ctions, they might like esteem, and approve of those things which now they hate and ab­hor; for this is too evident amongst many that they pin all their Religion, like or dislike, upon the monstrous productions of the giddy-headed multitudes, taking their faith on trust from those that have either invented it themselves, or borrowed it of they do not know whom; not considering or consulting with truth, whether it may be safe to adhere to or no, which indeed is the evident cause of those miserable Shipwracks [Page 81] that Heresie and Schism in­volves men into daily.

Indeed did this Ceremony of wearing the Surplice, by being received into the Church, thrust or jostle out any of the Worship, or lessen the pure Service of God; or that it tended to any idola­trous use, that the people were to worship it, and to believe that without it no good could be done, then it were matter of sufficient ob­jection and denial, but being onely ordained, brought in, and received into Gods House for matter of order and decen­cy, I think it should not ap­pear so odious as it doth to many: 'Twas the advice of Diogenes the Tub Philosopher that when we heard a man speak evil of another, before we gave credit to the words [Page 82] he spake, we should consi­der whether he that spake them had a prejudice or no, against the party he accused; intimating, that his word ought not to be credited that speaks out of prejudice; there­fore when we consider the enemies of the Church, the little kindness they have to the Order thereof, of which God is the Founder; we know, and are confidently certain, that their invete­rate venemous speeches a­gainst the Decency, as well as the Absolute Worship, is not out of any zealous consi­deration, but from a hellish and willful uncharitable gain­saying, being too common like the argument of some sil­ly women, that will be ob­stinate against truth and rea­son, because they will be ob­stinate; [Page 83] 'twere happy for ma­ny that they did not make it their business as they do, to cavil about the Ceremonies of the Church, for while their whole time is taken up in speaking against the Gar­ments of Christ, it is to be feared they lose the Divinity of Christ: for commonly en­vy and prejudice it fills the soul so full that it leaves lit­tle room for ought else; be­sides take any of the haters of Gods Worship and Order, they that spake most against it, those forsooth will pre­tend that they are the most purely religious, not consi­dering that the Apostle James saith, That he that bridleth not his tongue, his Religion is in vain.

I could wish that all animo­sities taken up upon such [Page 84] grounds as these may die, for it is a shame to Christianity and true protestant Religion, that we that pretend to serve the Lord, of meekness, should delight in nothing better than quarrels and disturbances, and that too commonly about matters against which can be given no substantial reason; for shame leave off all childish and wilful perverseness, and be instructed, come into Gods House, and imbrace the truth, and with a charitable constru­ction view these Ceremonies understandingly, and you will finde them rather helps, than hinderances; rather Or­naments to beautifie the Church, than polutions to stein or blemish her; I am afraid there are some that when time was, spoke so much against the Church and [Page 85] her orderly decencies, when gain and rebellion prompt them on to what they did, that they are now ashamed to read their lesson backward, although in conscience they know they are wrong, and ought so to do! Oh what a wickedness it is to live wilful­ly in a known opposition to the truth, to deny those things which they know are very truth indeed. Come, come, for shame give no more occa­sion to Satans predominancy, the Devil rejoyceth at the disorderly confusion that he sees amongst you, Satan laughs, and Babylon keeps holy-day, both hoping and desiring the downfall of Pro­testant Religion, and un­doubtedly that which they desire will come upon you, and us without a speedy unity, [Page] according to that saying of Christ, A house and City that is divided against it self cannot stand, this is infallible, and we must expect no other with­out an uniform assent to the [...]uth published in our Li­ [...]urgy.