CHAP.1.
The Preface.

ASloyaltie to King and Countrie, is the very fortresse and wall of Politie, being commanded and commended, both by the Lawes of God and na­ture; so pure and [...] fil [...]d Religion, Jam. 1. 27. is the Fountaine and Rocke of ap­proved loyaltie; yea, equity, charity, sobrietie and loya tie; are the vi [...]gin daughters of unspotted piety, as the foresaid place witnesseth; we could be large in this Theme, but we hasten to the particular; the Subject whereof is one of the weightiest pieces that yet hath beene presented, Namely The Service-Booke, which notwithstanding the pre­sent surfet of bookes, yet we hope it shall finde a place in the most serious and judicious thoughts; we may well call it with the Comick, Fundi nostri, calamitas▪ The [...] helming storme of the purity of worship, for as it is true, No Ceremony, [Page 2] No Bishop, because the Ceremonies are the pitchie wings whereon they flie, so it is as true, that no Service-booke, no Ceremonie, for that is the M [...]gazine of nimble Ceremonies; Doctor Boyes in his epistle Dedicatory to Richard Canturburie upon his Exposition of the Liturgie complaines heavilie, yet causelesly, that the Liturgie is crucified betweene two Malefactors; on the left hand Papists, on the right hand Shismatiques, meaning Puritanes, both of those he calls Foxes; but by a just retortion, we shall set the saddle on the right horse, and shall make it appeare, that the puritie of Christ his worship in this land, hath long been crucified be­tween two theeves, namely, that superstitious and Popish Li­turgie, and ranke Atheisme, varnished with superstition, to whom we may well apply that saying of Luther, They are tyed together by their tailes to do mischiefe; [...]aesat. in Com. in Gal. though by their heads they seem to be contrary; and though we have no time to tunne over the common places of Ath [...]isme and supersti­tion, and to shew how like Pilate and the superstitious lewes, they concurre to the crucifying of Christ in his worship, yet thus much the Scripture witnes [...]eth, and experience proveth, and we humbly desire your honours to minde it, that all su­perstition, and the purity of Gods worship, ever have been, and shall be at continuall warres, and can no more dwell un­der one roofe, than a cha [...]te Spouse, and a proud inveigling Strumpet, Sen [...]a. or no more in one Temple, than Dagon and the Arke. Superstitioest res insana, Superstition (saith one) is a mad thing, and so indeed it is; for it is contrary to the wis­dome of the Word, and of the Spirit, which are the ground, & life of the worship of God. Superstitio est vitium contrariu religioni, Sec. S [...]cu [...]d. 4. 92. Art. 10. Superstition is a sin opposite to Religion (saith Aquinas) which is very clear from the nature and rise of it; for as Reli­gion is a worshiping of God according to his wil, Quisquts praecep­tis C [...]lestibus obtemperaverit, is culior est, Whosoever followes the divine Precepts, that is, a worshipper of God saith Lactant. but superstition carrying the very nature in the name of it tels us, Lib. 6. 1. 2. that [...] Supra statutum, over and above the Statutes of God. [...] Word in the Greeke is, [...]. as if it should signifie the feare of the Divell, and the signification sutes ve­ry [Page 3] well with the nature of the thing; for when a man coyneth a worship to himselfe, he recedeth so farre from the feare of God, and whereas the Divell is the Author of all superstitious worship, whether it be of another God, or of the true God after a way of selfe-device, or will-worship, then it may be truely called, the fear o [...] the Divell, as the true worship of the true God is notioned under the name of his feare: this superstition shutteth up the way to the Iewes con­version, and openeth the mouthes of Atheisticall Gentiles against the profession of all religion, in derision whereof Auerroes speakes tantingly thus: In Meta­ph [...]s 12. Sit antma mea cum Philoso­phis, quia Christiani aa [...] rant quod edunt, Let my soule be with the Philosophers, because the Christians adore that which they eate: So may the Jewes take occasion to say; Let our soules be with the old Ceremonies, sith the Christians new Cere­monies are so foppish and ridiculous, having no footing from the Word of God. But to bring the charge to the particular in hand, if our Lyturgie be not a Messe of superstition and superstitions Ceremonies, we professe we know not what superstition is: to instance it in one particular, namely, in the grand Ceremonie of adoration or kneeling at the Sacrament; hath it not beene the staffe and strength of that abominable I doll, the breaden God? and if the Masters of the Ceremo­nies disavow that opinion, yet the Sermoks and Writings of divers of them doe testi [...]ie to their face, how they go as far, yea, and farther than many Papists in that particular: as it is true that the current of Popish Champions doe maintaine the bodily presence, Lib. 3. c. 12. De missa li. 2. c. 23. 48. p 242. as Innocentius the father of that Mon­ster, Bellarmir, and Heiga the Expositor of the English Masse, by changing and chopping that fi [...]t corpus; so divers of the Canturbur an faction, as himself, Mountagu, Packlington, Lawrence, agree with the Papists and Lutherans in this point, namely, concerning the Matter, leaving the Manner as a Caba [...]isticall Mysterie: A [...]id p. 10 de vocibus aixi, ne de in [...]ssa quidem, imo nec transubstantiationis certamen moveremus, for word: (saith Mountague) as the Mosse, yea, or transubstantiation it selfe, we will not contend. Se. m p [...]. 18. I like not those (siath Doctor Lawrence) that say his body is not there: and to explaine himselfe he ad­deth [Page 4] Substantially, Essentially, not by way of Commemoration or Representation: but should not this be their opinion, since they act what they hold, by a materiall Altar, Priest, and Sa­crifice, had not that Hydra of the Scottish Lyturgie made a greater Monster, by the addition of some more heads, and that very cunningly, by the English Authours, and sent out to take in the Church of Scotland (had not that we say, lost all the heads, and had the braines dash'd against the stones) the aforesaid Authours made no question, but that all the power of both Head and Tatle should have had room enough to dominere here in England, the Pope having such a large army both of Legionarie and Auxiliarie forces to maintaine it. But blessed be God, who brake the head of that young Dragon in our neighbour Nation, and we hope will by you crush out all the blood of the old one here, who was the mother of that, and the Masse-booke the mother of both: there is a Proverbe amongst the Naturalists, [...], Except a serpent eat a serpent, it cannot become a Dragon: so except our Liturgie had beene full of serpents, it could not have hatched the Dragon that was sent unto Scotland. The superstitions of this bulke are such, and so many, Act. 17. 22. that if Paul were here and saw them, as he saw that of Athens, he would undoubtedly cry out, Men and brethren, I see that in all things you are too superstitious; we may better apply that speech of Tacitus; Annal. concerning superstition, not exittalis, lib. 14. hurtfull or dangerous, but execrabilis, cursed and exe­crable, and so it is indeed, both to whole Churches and other people, whose eyes God hath opened to see the evill of it, which we are confident you do; and I say as Paul said to King Agrippa: Act. 26. 27. We know you beleeve it: but as it seemed un­reasonable to Festus to send Paul a prisoner without the charge laid against him; Act. 25. 27. so we neither will, nor dare charge any thing upon this Litu [...]gie, which we shall not prove; nor de­sire the outing of it without good and sound reasons for our desire; and therefore we humbly and heartily desire your Honours to take into your consideration these five Reasons following:

The first is from the Name, wherein the Champions of [Page 5] the Service-Booke agree with the Papists, calling at the Masse.

The second is from the Ground of it.

The third is from the Matter of it.

The fourth is from the Manner of it.

The fifth is from the Effects of it, to which we will adde some Motives.

CHAP. II.
Of the Name.

FOr the First, the Service-Booke-men and the Papists doe mutually interchange the Name of Liturgie and Masse: the latter call their Masse by the name of Lyturgie: the Je­suite Sanctes professeth, Liturg. p. [...]. that the most convenient Name that can be given to the Masse, is that of Lyturgie or Service, not but that the word Lyturgie is of good use, for [...] signifi­eth to officiate in sacred Worship, witnesse Acts 13. 1. [...], as they were ministring unto the Lord. Where the Rhemists vaunt of a coyned liberty, to translate the word, saying Masse. Which were to crosse the truth, and all the learned upon the place, Rom. 15. 16. as O cumenius, Theophylact, and Chrysostome; yea, and their owne Expositors, as Cajetan and others: the Apostle rendereth it by another word of the same value, [...]: but howsoever they scrape kindnesse to a word of use, till they abused it; yet who knoweth not, that knoweth any thing, that their Lyturgie is the very Lethargie of Worship; and what difference betweene our Liturgie and theirs? truely nothing but a paire of sheeres, and putting ours in a Coat of another tongue, as shall afterward abundant­ly appeare, onely ours hath not all that theirs hath; but ours hath nothing to a word, but out of theirs; and thence it is, that our Lyturgian Patrons doe meet the Jesuite mid-way, by owning the name of Masse to our Service-Booke, witnesse Pocklington, Sunday no Sabbath. who calls the second service, just the same with the Masse; so Cozens, witnesse Master Smarts Sermon: and [Page 6] not onely so, in relation to the second service, but even in re­gard of the whole bulke, Antid. p. 10. as Pocklington in the end of his Alta­re, &c. and Mountague. In name you see then, there is an una­nimous agreement, and [...], names are the very Images of things: And for their agreement in Matter & Manner, in all things of importance, we shall make it as evi­dent as the former; in the meane time, what reason is there, that wee should groane still under the burthen of a Lyturgie borne in upon us, under the Name and Nature of the Masse, which is nothing but a Masse of Idolatrie, and an Idol of Abo­minations? the name is a name of blasphemy out of the De­vils Cabala, as we take it; for what language it is, or what it signifieth, for any thing we know, was never yet knowne; the Hebrewes call their Tribute by the name of Missa, wit­nesse that place in Exodus, laying out the oppression of the Israelites, Exod. 1. 11. by Pharaoh and his Princes, or Officers, who are called Officers of the tribute set over Gods people: the word tribute in the first language is, Missa of the word Messas, as the Learned observe, which signifieth to melt: both the name, and Etymol [...]gie, sute very well with the Popish Mass for it hath melted away true Religion and spirituall devotion. and as it inslaveth the soules of people, by leaving them naked (as Solamon saith) of the preaching of the Word, Prov. 29. 18. for so the word signifieth, so it is made an engine to screw out the bowels of their estates, wasting & melting mens substance, as the snow against the Sunne, besides the universall experience of the extortion of the Masse, where ever it beareth sway; we may instance it too fully in this Island, where infinite masses of money have beene melted away within these few yeares, without any profit to the King or Subject, but to the great prejudice of both, for the exhausting of the Subject is the emptinesse of the King. Tiberius could say, Adulterinum est eurum quod cum subditorum lachrymis exprimitur, it is a base kinde of gold that is squeezed out with the teares of the sub­ject; but who hath cast the State in this consumption of mo­ney? Who hath made the hearts to ake, and the soules to groane of honest housholders, when they have beene forced it may bee, to part with more then they had? Who in time [Page 7] of peace, and under good Lawes, have caused mens houses and fields forcibly to bee entered, their goods to be carried away? Who have caused the Kings Leige people, and that for obeying the lawes of God & man to be carried to stifling prisons, contrary to the lawes of the Land, and priviledge of the Subject? Who have caused some to be tormented and tortured with unparallel'd cruelty, both for kinde and conti­nuance? Lastly, who have beene the Incendiaries or fire­brands to melt away (if they could) the Kings love to his Sub­jects, and the Subjects true loyalty to the King! who (we say) but these Lyturgian Lords, and their Iesuited confederates, to­gether with their Popish and hellishly prophane Priests, Of­ficers, and Appe [...]dice [...]; to prove these or any of them, were to shew a man the Sunne: and many sheets could not hold the particulars. But to the purpose in hand, the Service or Masse-Booke (as they call it) is the maine engine, it is the Saddle, and wee (to speake a homely truth) are the Asses (for Englishmen are called by the Jesuites, the Popes Asses.) the Hierarchie and their adherents are our riders; the saddle hath so pinched and galled our backes, that wee know not how to take on the burthen of the Lord Jesus, though it be very light; our riders have with spurre and rod of their Ra­damanthean Courts and temporall usurpations so jaded us, (with leave be it spoken) that they have almost rid the spirit of zeale and courage out of us; and had they but got the sad­dle with some more new girts and trappings upon the Scots, as they intended, they had gone neare to have rid Religion and Politie to death: Gen. 49. 17 Gen. 4. but as the Scots have proved like Dan, Lyons for prowesse, and S [...]rpents for providence, in overturning both the saddle and rider; up in the name of the Lord, and doe the like: Deut. 33. 22. what should we doe with the Masse, some of whose friends not so well acquainted with the nature of it, would storme, if we should call a spade a spade, but they must beleeve their Booke-mens testimonies, published under the favour of their little great land-lord of the soyle, (who knowes best how it should be called) one of whose Bandi­liers tells us in great heat, Pockling­ton. none but Schismatiques will deny the harmony of missification, Sunday no Sabbath. away with it then: to finish this [Page 8] point, I will enforce the conclusion with this argument, We are not to name an Idol but with detestation; much lesse are we to offer it as a worship of God.

But the Service or Masse-booke is an Idol, Ergo, we are not to mention it but with detestation, much lesse to offer it to God as a worship.

The Spirit is abundant, in the proofe of the former pro­position, Exod. 23. 13. Hos. 13.2 & 2. 17. Psal. 16. 4. all remarkable places, teaching us to be wary with what wor­ship we joyne with; but in the first of these places there is a triplication of the charge in divers termes, yet all beating upon the same thing, to make us to looke to it: In the later proposition there are two things, one implyed, namely, that the Service-booke is the Masse-booke: for proofe whereof, Habemus confitentes, we have their owne avouchment; and if they should deny it, we shall in the point following prove it, whereunto now we come.

CHAP. III.
Of the Originall.

THe second thing considerable for the matter in hand, is, whence the Liturgie hath his rise or Originall, namely, from the Masse-booke, that whose originall and rise is naught, must be naught in it selfe: Can there come cleane water out of a corrupt Fountaine? note that the Liturgie is wholly from the Masse-booke, and other Popish pieces, as it shall be fully cleared: First, by comparing of the Bookes: Secondly, for that mutuall liking that our Liturgie-masters, and the Masse-booke men, have one of anothers peace. And thirdly, from the evidence given from the King and Coun­cell of England.

Sect. Now, to the first, every piece and parcell of the Liturgie, word for word, is out of these pieces, namely, the Breviary, out of which the Common-Prayers are taken; the kituall or booke of Rites, out of which the Administration of [Page 9] the Sacraments, B [...]riall, Matrimony, Visitation of the sicke are taken; the Masse booke, out of which the Consecration of the Lords Supper, Collects, Epistles and Gospels are taken: as for the Booke of Ordination of Archbishops, Bishops, and Mini­sters, that is out of the Roman Pontificiall; we might further prosecute the proofe hereof, from the division of the Masse into parts, essentiall and entegrall, with the enumeration of the said parts, as the ten or eleven parts of the preparation to the Intro [...], Lib. 2. de Messa, c.16. as Pater noster, the first Collect, which Bellarmine calls the Masse, because they are the best part of the Masse; the Introit, for which see Doctor Lauds p. 44. pleading in his Star­chamber Speech, the Kyrie Eleyso [...], or, Lord have mercy upon us, &c. the Gloria Patri, the Misereatur, the Confession, the Absolution, the Angelick Hymne, Gloria in Excelsi [...], word for word in the Scottish Liturgie, the Salutation, the Lord be with you: Lastly, the posterior Collects, all patches of Popes devi­sings, which the brevity which we study, will not suffer us to instance. Cap. 3. pag 107. Be pleased to see Morney de Missa. If any object that in our Introit, the Ave Maria is wanting; we answer, (as hath beene said) that though every thing in the Masse­booke bee not in our Liturgy, yet all that is in our Liturgy is word for word in the Masse booke.

Againe, though Ave Mtria be not actually in it, yet if pur­pose had holden, it was in more then a fair possibility, to have beene the head Corner-stone of the Liturgie, witnesse Staf­fords invective defence thereof, printed at London, not disal­lowed nor retracted in any pomt, by Heylin or Dow Canterbu­ries j [...]rveyors, of the piece: further, that which hath been said of the pieces of the Introit, may also be said of our Creeds, Epistles and Gospels Offertorie, and other things, whether more or lesse principall, in regard of our calling them from the Masse-booke. Secondly, Sect. the second ground or reason is from that love and liking that the lovers of the Liturgie beare to the Masse, as also from that mutuall contentment, or com­placencie that the Masse-mongers take in the Service-booke, we have shewed already, how they agree in Name, and now we are to give evidence of their mutuall liking of the Matter; P. ult. there be abundance of instances for the Papists approving of [Page 10] our Liturgie, Explicat. Illust. quaes [...]. 4.p.112. p.46. witnesse Mortons A [...]peale, Pope Piw the fourth, and Gregorie the thirteenth, offered to Queene Elizabeth to confirme the English Liturgie; witnesseth Doctor Abbot. then Prelat of Canterburie, and Master Cambden in the life of Queene Elizabeth: to these I adjoyne Doctor Boyes, who was a bitter Expositor of the English Liturgie, as Heiga by the Doctors of Dowayes appointment was of the Masse, Cap. 22. af­ter hee had whetted his teeth upon the Schismatiques, in his Epistle to Ba croft he produceth the letter of P [...]us, for the approbation of the Service-booke; and notes also, the testimony of approbation from Bristow in his motives. Motive 34. Queen Elizabeth being interdicted by the Popes Bull; Secretarie Wal­singham wrought so, that he procured two Intelligencers to be sent from the Pope, as it were, in secret into England, to whom the Secretary appointed a state Intelligencer to be their guide, who shewed them London and Canterburie ser­vice in all the pompe of it; which the popish Intelligencers viewing and considering well, with much admiration they wondered, that their Lord the Pope was so ill advised, or at least ill informed, as to interdict a Prince, whose service and ceremontes, so symbolized with his owne; and therefore re­turning to Rome, they possest the Pope that they saw no ser­vice, ceremonies or orders in England, but they might very well serve in Rome, whereupon the Bull was recalled; to this also Doctor Carriar a dangerous seducing Jesuite, Consid. p. 45 Sect. 8.9. gives ample evidence; the Common-prayer-book (saith he) and the Catechisme contained in it, hold no point of Doctrine expresly contrary to antiquity, that is, as he explaineth him­selfe, the Romish service, &c. and thereupon he comforteth himselfe with hope of prevailing, and of the like minde were Harding and Bristow (as hath beene said;) one more, and we have done: not long agoe a Jesuite meeting a woman in Pauls, in whose house he had lodged, she not knovving then that he vvas a Jesuite, the vvork-men of Pauls being hot at service, he asked her, how she liked that work; she retorting the question, asked him how he liked it, he replied, exceeding well, neither had he any exception to it; but that it was done by their Priests. We have insisted the longer in this point; first, [Page 11] that men may see, that this plaine and evident approvement of our Liturgie by Papists, is not from one singular or more indifferent Papist, but from an unanimous consent of the greatest, zealousest and learnedst among them. Further, this symbolization of Papists and Prelate-men in the name and nature of Masse and Liturgie, discovers hovv they conspire against the Truth, and those vvho desire to vvorship God in Spirit and Truth: it is a true maxime, Quae conveniunt in ali­quoterito, conveniunt inter se, & disse [...]tunt a contrario, They who agree in a third, agree between themselves, and dissent from the contrary; If the Papists then sort vvith the Service-book­men, in the liking of the Liturgie, and the Service-book-men vvith the Papists in the liking of the Masse, and so agree be­tvvixt themselves, they must both by consequent dissent from the true vvorship of God, vvhich is contrary to it. Lastly, the Papists liking of the Service-book, makes it plainly ap­peare, hovv little God likes it; for if it vvere pleasing to God, it vvould never please the Papists: as the Israelites true and sincere vvorshipping of God vvas an abomination, Exod. 8.26. to the E­gypetans, shall we sacrifice (saith Moses) the abominations of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us? Even so, if this vvere the true vvorship of God, the Papists and the Prelaticall crue, vvould never endure it, but vvould stone, teare in pieces, imprison, burne, banish, and kill with all manner of cruelty as they do, and have done, those that love and vvorship God according to his Will: and as every shep­herd vvas an abomination to the Egyptians, so there vvas no being for such shepherds, as vvould not lead out, and lay dovvne their sheep by that muddie Nilus, or, Egyptian wa­ters, yea, and not onely so, but they must beare false vvitnesse in proclaiming it under their hand by subscription, that this stincking puddle is the River of God; vvhen indeed it is the Euphrates of Babylon by vvhich the soule of many grieved Ministers hath sit dovvne vvith teares, being forced to hang his harpe upon the Babyloxish willowes, but if his soule loathed the practice, much more the approbation, then all the soules of the Masse-book-men vvould loath such an one, and vvith open mouth, vvould dart out against him the poison of Aspes, [Page 12] all manner of rotten calumnies, of sedition, tumult, schisme, fa­ction, and the like, not vouchsasing him and his, native aire to breath in, much lesse a calling to maintaine him and his: neither is this all, but when these Ministers and others to flie the hatted of Esau and his brood, had cast themselves upon the ends of the earth, to injoy with much affliction the puri­ty of the ordinances; yet Esau his hatred slaked not, like a a boyling furnace, Rev. 12. 15 till he cast the scum of his cruelty after them, doing them all the mischiefe he could in word and deed: the serpent cast not onely the flood of waters out of his mouth, that way after the woman; but also pursued o­thers in other parts, who endeavoured to sacrifice that which God called for; for proofe whereof take Doctor Laud his owne words, This hand (saith he) shall reach them; and threat­ning a Scottish-man for refusing to take the oath against his Countrey, he laid his hand on his breast, and vowed and pro­tested, as he lived, he would make the hearts of all the Scots to ake; and what had the Scots done to him? nothing, but maintained that worship, that was an abomination to him and his. One instance more, very pat to the purpose, God having appeared to Abraham (as often he did) Abraham in thankfulnesse builded an Altar, but immediatly after he is said to remove to a Mountai ne, Gen. 12. 8. Eastward of Bethel; but what was the cause he staid not by it? the learned tell us, that it was dangerous so to do; for the erecting of the Altar of God, was so offensive to the Idolatrous Inhabitants, Calvin. that it was a wonder, he was not stoned of them: where observe now by the way, that if the Altars now erected, were of God, they would be an abomination to the Prelates and their faction; and dangerous for God his people to stay by them: but as they are Altars of Baal, erected and maintained by Baalites and Ba­la [...]mites, so they and all their ceremoniall accoutrements, and the Service-booke it selfe, are an abomination, witnesse that place of Exodus already quoted, Exod 8. 26. The abominations of the E­gyptians shall we sacrifice to Iehovah our God, saith Moses to Pharaoh, it is not meet so to do.

The last ground or evidence of this particular, Sect. is from the undeniable testimony of King and State, namely, King Ed­ward [Page 13] the sixth, and the Councels letter, to the Papists of Cornwall and Devonshire, making of Commotions and In­surrections against the King and State, amongst many they give this satisfaction for the Service-booke, that it was the very same, word for word with the Masse-book; the difference onely was, that it was in the English tongue, the extract of the letter recorded in the Acts and Monuments, are these; as for the Service in the English tongue, Vol. 2. p. 667. it perchance seemes to you a new Service, and yet indeed it is no other but the old, the selfe same Words in English that were in Latine, a few things ta­ken out. If the Service of the Church, was good in Latine, it remaineth good in English; for nothing is altered: but to speake with knowledge, that which was spoken with igno­rance, we have the whole letter in print at large for your Service, we thought fit for brevity, onely to transcribe so much as made for the clearing of the point; the summe of that which hath beene said by way of open discourse, we draw up in this Argument.

That which is word for word out of the Popis [...] Masse­book, is not to be offered to God, as worship, but to be abo­lished as an abomination to him.

But the Liturgie in controversie, is word for word out of the Masse-book, as hath been proved abundantly.

Therefore it is not to be offered, as a worship to God, but to be abolished as an abomination to him. Cap. 8. [...]6. As the later pro­position of the Argument is proved to the full, so the former is as clearely by the parallelling place of Exodus twice quo­ted, to which we will adde for abundance, these places fol­lowing, Deut. 7. 25. and 12. 31. 2 Kings 23. 13. Ezra 9. 1. Esa. 44. 19. in all which places, the Lord commands all Idols and Idolatrous Service, to be utterly det [...]sted and abandoned, and still the ground and reason is given, that they are abominati­ons to the Lord, for so the word is in the number of multi­tudes; to speake impartially, we see no colour of way to evade this proposition, but by undertaking the defence of the Masle-booke; for as Mountague and others produced that their Service is the same in most things with the Church of Rome, Re [...]usan [...], p. 1. the differences are not great; nor should they [Page 14] make any separation, then a necessity is laid upon the Pre­lates and the rest, either to defend the Masse, so farre to be the true worship of God, against the truth, and all Orthodox Writers, or else, to give up the Service-booke to fall with the Originall; and though the Treatise will not give us leave, to limne out the Masse in every piece, patch'd up by divers Popes, having given a specification of some parts of it, most concerning our Liturgie, yet will it not be amisse to lay down from the learned, the first entrance of it into England, and then to take off briefly, the silly defence that the Papists seeme to make for it. To the former, Augnstine the Monke sent from Gregori [...], called the great, for what we know not, except for his grand devices of wil- [...]orship, his man Austin finding not all things for his tooth in France, put over into England, and there finding an ignorant King, and a supersti­tious Queene, there like the envious man, he sowes his cor­rupt feed of all Popish trumpery, as Masses, Letanies, Pro­cessions, Copes, Vestments, Altars, Candlesticks, Holy waters, Consecrations, &c. having like a serpent deceived the peo­ple (and as the Apostle faith) corrupted their mindes, from that simplicity that was in Christ, 2 Cor. 11. 3. sore against the mindes of the godly, and learned Preachers of the times; yet, to make them (as Beda witnesseth) adde this condition, Lib. 1. vvhich he ne­ver meant to keep, that no man should be forc [...]d, or co [...]strained thereunto, but having played the wyly Fox in his entry, to fi­nish the vvorke he had begun, he took on the Lyons skin, and being opposed by one Dinoth a great Divine, vvho vvith­stood him to his face in a publike Synode, avouching, that he ought not to change the ancient form of Religion, neither vvould he acknovvledge him for Archb. but the bloody Pre­lat, to be revenged on him, incensed Etheldred King of Nor­th [...]mber land against him, vvho murdered the servant and Mi­nister of God, and tvvelve hundred of Monks vvith him: af­tervvard about the yeer 637. Pope Iohn the fourth, sends over Malitus, Honorius, Iustus his Bandogs one after another to hold out and confirme the continuance of this dismall alterati­on, as they might easily do once having got footing, for Pompous superstition sutes too vvell vvith corrupt nature: then [Page 15] came in keeping of Easter after the Romish manner, Mini­sters called Priests, chanting and playing upon Organs; with all which, Lib. 18. c [...]p. 14. degest. Ang. godly Beda his soule was grieved, who vented his griefe in this sad complaint; heretofore, instead of these things the principall service of God consisted in preaching and hearing of God his word.

Here we may observe for matter of humiliation, Morney of the Masse. Lib. 1. c. 8. how ea­sily superstition findes entrance into England, and how hard­ly it is rooted out; that former Maledict, Monke Benedict (as they call him) found so little entertainment in France, that he made little stay there, onely stomacking that the Worship was not after the Romish Order, he certified his Master by a grievous complaint, who being more moderate than the Monke, bid him take that which was good in every Church; but England found that that would not serve him, of whose Masse and mischiefe it could never yet be ridde. It is also worthy your observing, how hee laid the foundation of the Masse, and established it in blood; yea, that See of Canter­bury, in him and his successors, hath beene a See of bloud; yea, it is too well knowne, that that cursed Masse, whether La­tine or English, hath lived in bloud, and bathed in the bloud of bodies, soules, and states, as shall be more particularly manife­sted hereafter.

Now for any thing that can be said in defence of this Idol, Sect. the Mosse booke, it is not worth the citing, and hath beene more than abundantly refuted; yet one touch for a taste, and that upon Pray [...]rs, because it is the subject of our discourse, we will shew you one place out of the Old Testament, and another out of the New; such as they make choice of to de­fend their Masse or Liturgy (as they call it:) the place of the Old Testament is in Genes. cap. 4. vers. 26. the words are these, Then men began to call upon the name of the Lord: as there bee diversity of thoughts upon the meaning of the words, so Perierius a Popish Frier, will have this the mea­ning; that then they found out some set forme or order of Prayer, to gaine footing forsooth to the Popish Liturgy; but say it were so, what would it make for them? The Doctors of Doway are of the same opinion, and fuller also in their [Page 16] words, it is meant (say they) of publique Prayer, with obser­ving some Rites, and set forme in a particular place, dedica­ted to divine service. Grant that that were the meaning, as indeed it is not, yet what would this make for them? Would the faithfull Prayers of the godly Patrtarchs confirme, or would they not rather confute the abhominable prayers of the Popish Masse? the word Invocat in the first language, signifieth also to prophane, though not so in this place; for it suteth not with the sense, but if this were the sense, then the Papists might well take a hint to parallel their unhal­lowed Masse, which is nothing but an high prophanation of the Name of God.

The other place which I touch upon, and which they doe egregiously abuse (as they doe many more) is from the New Testament, 1 Tim. 2. vers 1. I exhort therefore, that first of all supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanks-givings, bee made for all men: out of which words of the Apostle, the Rhemists make this deduction, that the prayers and petitions of the Masse are deduced out of the Apostle his words, producing, or rather traducing; the Fathers making them speake that for the Masse which they never meant: the transcription of all the passages would be too tedious, but let Master Cart­wrights answer suffice. First, by way of Concession, grant the Masse-booke to have the same prayers in it that the Apostle com­mands, will it therefore follow (saith he) that their prayers is the true service of God, no more than the using, or rather abu­sing of the words of Justification, This is my body, makes for the justifying of Transubstantiation. Inchanters and Char­mers use many holy words in their charmes, as they doe with a peece of the first Chapter of Saint Iohns Gospell, but it ag­gravateth their sinne. This plea from good words, is, or hath beene too frequent in the mouthes of some professors, whom vvee desire to satisfie vvith this answer. Againe, if their vvhole Liturgy or Service bee here as they say, vvhere are their Mattens, Even-song, Complin, Procession, Dirgie, &c. As for the name Masse used by the Fathers, vve are to under­stand, as Morney and others vvell observe; that as the Church finding ease, and grovving in vvealth, under and af­ter [Page 17] Constantines time, fell to grovv a little gawdie to please the Gentiles, and also to allure both the Jevves and Gentiles; the Christians vvere content to heare and speake antiquated names, First Book of the Masse c. 4. as Altars, Sacrifices, Priests, and so fell in the vvord Missa; but it is as cleare on the other side, that never one of the Fathers alleadged, nor Orthodox Counsels did use any of these vvords in their sense; and this may suffice for the Popish Masse: They also abuse that place of the Acts 13. 2. translating it as they were saying Masse; but the foolery of it, as hath beene said, ansvvereth it selfe. The Masse then be­ing such a peece, as it vvas Englands great unhappinesse to lie so many yeares under the burthen of such an abhominati­on: so vvhen the light of the Gospell sprung up, to fetch us out of darkenesse, and from the shadovv of death, it vvas great incogitancy (to speake the least) in our Reformers, in King Edwards dayes, to take a Monke from among the Ca­naanites, Josh. 7. and putting a coat of English cloath upon it, to repre­sent it, being an uncleane beast, as a service to the Lord: it is no better truely than the excommunicate thing. What had vve to doe vvith the river of Nilus? hovv could vve looke to picke gold out of the Popes dunghill, vvhere there is no­thing but myre and dirt? It is true, Valer. max. lib. 1. tit. de R [...]lig. that Heathenish Rome sent the sonnes of their Senators to the Etrurians, to have their instructions for ordering of their Religion; but vvhy should vve, vvhen God had brought us out of Babel, or Antichristian Rome, turne immediately in againe to take a patterne out of it, for the service of our God; this is an expresse thvvarting of the Booke of God, vvhose Omniscience should onely ap­point in his owne worship, witnesse that order and appoint­ment given from him by M [...]ses to the Israelites: first, hee layeth it downe affirmatively, Deut. 12. 28. Observe and heare all these words that I command thee; and he inforceth it with a strong reason, it shall goe well wuh thee and thine, when thou doest what is good and right in the eyes of Iehovah thy God: but now, least they should patch up his service with some Hea­thenish tricks, he strictly inhibites them, so much as to en­quire after their Gods, Verse 30. 31. saying thus; How did these Nations serve their Gods, even so will I doe likewise; where the He­brews [Page 18] observe, two things are observable: First, I dolatrous service is not to be enquired after, because that occasioneth a turning in to it; and secondly, all imitation of such service is forbidden. Crprtans complaint cited by the answers to the Humble Remonstrance, sutes well to this purpose, Ad hoc ma­lorum d [...]voluta est Ecclesia Dei & sponsa Christi, &c. The Church of God, and Spouse of Christ, falls unhappily into this evill exigent, Ut lux de tenebris mutuetur, & id faciant Christiant quod Antichristi faciunt: Ep. 74. That light should borrow from darknesse, and Christian should doe that in Gods service, especially, which the vassals of Antichrist doe. From this discovery also the Service-booke is unbottomed, of that maine plea from antiq [...]ty, p. 13. which Doctor Hall in his hum­ble Remonstrance makes his sheet Anchor; but Smectym­nuus in his answer puts him to it, that for want of ground it is come home: but to follow this a little further, and to wave the antiquitie of a set Liturgie, an instance whereof, for divers hundred yeares, the Doctor, nor any of their Book­men cannot produce; wee desire to know what antiquity they or any other can alleadge for this Liturgie, surely hee can goe no higher than the Masse-Book; and when it hath gone as high, or higher than it can, sometime abusing Scrip­ture, and sometime butting upon the coyned and counterfeit Liturgies, fathered falsely upon the Apostles and Disciples of Christ; yea, and also upon the Fathers, as Peter, Iames, Mat­thew, Andrew, Dents, Clement, Basil, Chrysostome, and others; the falshood whereof Morney discovers at large: First Book of the Masse [...]. 4. & 3. yet for all this, saith the same noble defender of the truth, the Popish Masse is no part, nor ever was of the divine Service of God, and therefore the English Liturgy out of it, and not able to ascend higher than it, can be no divine Service, as they call it, (and that inclusively, by Catexochen, or excellency) it can be no divine Service, but is indeed a devised service; but sup­pose it, or the unbloody Sacrifice of the Masse, should looke as high as Cains unbloody sacrifice; yet if there want truth, they would prove no better then ancient errors.

Last of all, Sect. to shut up the point, the discovery whereof casts the Doctor upon a very foule shift, namely, the denying [Page 19] of the Liturgy to have its rise, or to be selected out of the Roman models; wherein we beseech your Honours, to cause him to deale, Obsignat [...]s tabulis, by comparing the bookes together; and besides all the evidences alleadged, if it appeare not, and that to the eye, to be what we have said to be the truth; we will de-relinquish our suit; but if it be so as we averre, wee desire no more of the Doctor, and all the admirers of the Liturgie, that they would deale candidly with the truth, with your Honours, and with us, a whole Body of Petitioners; who in conscience doe professe we desire to doe nothing a­gainst the truth, but for the truth; and as it becommeth not those that defend the truth, fictis contendere verbis, to skir­mish with devised, or velitory palliations, as the Poet hath it, even so, [...], there is nothing be­commeth candid ingenuity better than truth. To defend evill cunningly is no good commendation; it was no grace to the Orator, of whom it was said, Candida de nigris, & de canden­tibus atra, That hee could with ill abused eloquence, make black white, and white black; and yet, when such men have done all what they can, they finde that true of the Civilian; Mala causa pluribus get mediis, The malady of an evill cause stands ever in need of more medicines than he that under­takes the cure can affoord. For a closure of the point, in love to the truth, we desire all men that have any wit, to take no­tice of these two things: the former, a man had better be tongue-tyed than appeare in an ill cause; the latter, when they have done all they can, it will fall out with them as it did with the Scribes and Pharisees, envying that the people should follow Christ, Joh. 12. 19. Perceive you not (say they) one to ano­ther, how yee prevaile nothing; the world is gone after him. Just so in this case of the worship of Christ, as it is partly begun, and shall be more fully accomplished, when they have done all that they can, all is but lost labour, they shall not prevaile, the world shall goe after Christ.

CHAP. IV.
Of the Matter.

NOW we come to the third particular, namely, the Sub­ject matter of the Liturgy, the graine is like the ground it growes upon, the fruit must be like the tree; it is not pos­sible that any wholsome sap of life should come out of a noy­some and poysonous root. To give a delineation of the mat­ter in generall, we can use no better expression than that of Calvin, Troubles of Fian [...]e­ford. p. 36. in his pithy letter to the Church of Frankeford, much troubled with this Service-booke, where hee calls it the Ke­liques or leavings of the Popish dregs; this may be made to ap­peare without contradiction, by scanning some particulars; for to goe through them all would fill up a great volume: then to give a touch as briefly as we can, the Matter is partly false, partly [...]ridiculously frivolous; yea, and some part of it is not without a tincture of blasphemy. To this effect, a worthy and zealous Pastor to that people of Frankeford, regrating fore the troubles brought upon them by that Service-booke; after that he had told them that nothing must be thrust upon any Congregation, without the warrant of the Word: and forasmuch as that in the English Booke there were things both superstitious, impure, and unperfect, which he offered to prove before all men; p. 38. ib. he would not consent that of that Church it should be received.

To come then to the first particular of the charge; Sect. con­cerning the salshood of the Matter, which we will first dis­cover in the generalls, and then come to some particulars: For the generalls we lay downe these three instances, in false or corrupt translations of the Word; additions to the word; and substractions; all which the Service-book not onely allowes, but injoynes subscription to them, being so rendered in the old Latine Bible, which translation the Service-booke in­joynes to be used, and no other; yea, to which the Ministers were to subscribe, it being the most corrupt peece of all the Latine translation, none of them being sound; witnesse the [Page 21] current of the learned Fathers and others; yea, the very plea­ders for the Booke and that Bible: Ad Damas­in prefat. ad 4. E­vang. Si in Latinis exemplari­bus fides est adhibenda, responderit quibus, &c. If we must be­lieve Latine translations, you must first tell us which of them, saith Ierome? Which argues the Latine one, fathered upon him, not to be his; but of all other Latine translations hee damneth this most, which we are forced to follow, as Eras­mus testifieth of him; 'Damnat superiorem translationem qua nos tamen maxime utimur, he condemneth (saith hee) that translation, meaning the vulgar translation, condemned also by the grand pillars of Popery, Burgensis, Lyra, Iansenius, and others; yea, and by two Popes, Sixtus the fifth, and Clement the eighth. Lastly, wee have the dict of the defendants themselves; Doctor Sparke, drebus illis, complaining of the corruptions of the Service-book, instanced in these two par­ticulars: First, for omitting much Canonicall Scripture, and putting Apocrypha in the place of it: Secondly, for ap­pointing a corrupt translation to bee read: to some par­ticular instances wee come, and amongst many places we must give but a touch: wee will begin with that pal­pable falshood, Psal. 105. 28. which the Booke hath thus, They were not obedient to his Word; but the Scripture saith, They were not disobedient to his Word: what directer contra­diction can there be than this? the Scripture given by inspi­ration of the Spirit, admitteth no contradiction. Doctor Spark told the Archbishop of Canterbury, that it was appa­rent by the History of their dealing in Egypt; that to reade, They were not obedient to his Word, were to charge Moses and Aaron with falshood.

Another place abused, Sect. Luke 10. 1. being their Gospell for that Evangelists day; After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them, two and two before them; but the common Booke reade seventy two: which, though it be not in matters of faith, as the defendants answer, yet it is a corrupting of the Scripture. May we teare a mans skin from his flesh, because we cut not the sinewes, nor breake not the bones? In a word, this is the answer of the Papists upon the place, which our Writers take off.

[Page 22] But now we will evidence in a place as matter of faith as we take it, Sect. Epistle the Sunday af­ter the Na­tivity. Gal. 4. 5. the Service-booke readeth, that [...]e through election might receive the adoption that belongeth to na­turall sonnes; where the Church Bible, according to the ori­ginall, hath it thus: Ephes. [...]. 3. that we might receive the adoption of the sonnes. For, naturall sonnes of God we cannot be said to be, Nam non nascimur, sed renascimur Christiani, for we are not borne Christians, but borne againe; yea, by nature we are the children of wrath: is there not matter here of flat contradi­ction, and that in a high point of faith?

We will trouble you but with one other place, Sect. and that upon matter of faith too; namely, Luk. 1. 28. and 48. the Text hath it, Hayle freely beloved, or having found favour; but the Service-booke will none of that: but reade it, Hayle full of grace, just with the Rhemists; and the defenders of it goe upon the same grounds that they doe, crossing the true signi­fication of the words; all sound and learned Expositors, anci­ent and moderne, as Pagnious, Vatabalius, Chrysostome, Beza, Doctor Fulke, Doctor Whitakers, and others, sorting full with Gregory, Martin, Reynolds, and the rest; and gives in­couragement to Stafford in his Female Glory, to tell the Pu­ritanes railingly, that till they bee good Marians, (in his sense) they shall never be good Christians. There are fif­teene places more in the Service-booke of this cut, but these are enough, and too many to be so abused.

Now we come to a touch of Additions, Sect. as the Booke addes three whole verses to the 14. Psalme, where a great diffe­rence is to be thought on, betweene a Paraphrafter and a Translator. The former may amplifie, but yet in different let­ter from the Text; but the Translator may not adde, no not from other Texts of Scripture. The grand Papists, the justi­fiers of this, and other such stuffe, dare not avouch these ver­ses to bee in the Hebrew or Greeke copies, no not in the Greeke Bible, set forth at the command of Sextus Quintus, 1587. for the justifying of the vulgar Latine, as appeares by his owne copie, written by Cardinall Carraffe, and another Cardinall, p. 154. namely, Cajetan avoucheth, that Paul in the third to the Romans, had taken them from divers places of Scrip­ture; [Page 23] Sed ignor [...]ns nescio quis adjunxit has Psalmo 14. But some ignorant party, I know not who, hath added them to the 14. Psalms: so there is a whole verse added to the 13. Psalme, and an addition added to the 24. Psalme, corrupting the Text, and applying that to Iacob, which is spoken of God; and divers additions more, which we will not reckon.

Now a taste of omissions or leaving out, Sect. as all the titles of the Psalmes, being as other holy Scripture, given by holy in­spiration, and very usefull; In his Pre­face to the Psalme. yea, and Master B [...]cer learnedly and divinely affirmeth, are as so many keyes to unlock and open the doore, that letteth in to the understanding of the Psalmes; Hallelujah is left out of the 72. Psalme, the Booke omitteth Prayse yee the Lord, seventeene times, and putteth in Gl [...]ria Patri. Lastly, amongst divers other omissions, on which we cannot insist; the comfortable conclusion of the Lords Prayer is left out. They have drown'd in this Book 160. Chapters, according to their owne account, of Canonicall Scripture; amongst which are whole bookes, as the Cbronicles, Cant­cles, and the most part of Apocalyps left out, in place where­of the Apocrypha is placed, and that (as they say) tending more to edifying, yea; and some Chapters also, wherein are palbable untruths, as Ecclesiasticus 49. Iuduh 9. Tobit. 5. the last two of these Bookes, being fabulous; a president of these foule abuses of Scripture, are found no where in the world, but in the Popish Masse-booke. To this we may subjoyne that prophaning grosse abuse of Epistles and Gospels, in which there are three strange and remarkable occurrences, for which there is no ground or reason; but from the Masse-booke, and Masse-mongers.

First, what reason is there, that in the Masse-booke, and in our Liturgie, the Acts of the Apostles and Prophets, yea, any booke of the old Testament, the books of Genesis, excepted by them, should be called Epistl [...]s, as Acts 7. on Stephens day, Rev. 14. on Innocents day, Ioel 1. Esay 50.

Secondly, Sect. there is never a full passage or whole place, but scraps and shreads, as the beginning of one Chapter, and end­ing of another; and in this they deale with the Word, as Mezentius deale with his beds, he cut them, and lengthened [Page 24] them to serve his owne cruell humours, and not for the good of his guests. If Kings will not have their Writs by confusion of names [...]ronged, much lesse the King of kings, who is the God of order.

Thirdly and lastly, at the Epistles there is silence, sitting, and what every one will; Sect. but at the Gospels there is stand­ing, scraping, bowing, and a response before and after; as every one of these were to serve some piece of superstition or other: Rupert. 1. 4. sol. 49. so thereasons given by Papists, are as ridiculous as the things are superstitious: it is enough to name them in ge­nerall, that the maintainers of the Liturgie may be ashamed to alledge them, and better of their owne they have not. We therefore desire your Honours, to cast a regardfull eye upon the wronged and much abused Word, and not as paessers by (as Ieremis speakes) in a case much like, but as supreame Iudges here on earth, Ier. 1. 12. to vindicate Gods dishonour done to him in his Ordinances. Obrysost. a Thess 2. Gods Word, as the Fathers speake, is his Epistle, not in that sense they call Prophesies Epistles, wherein he commends many lovely favours to us; yea, his Testament wherein he leaves and bequeaths many rich lega­cies to us; If Kings and Monarchs should deale so with us, would we suffer them to be abused, corrupted, altered, cut in pieces? No, we would count them our deadly enemies that should do so, and also traytors to the King. What an eye of indignation then should your Honours cast upon such grosse abusing of the Word, of the Epistle and Will of the Omnisciont, and O [...]nipotent God; If clipping, corrupting, or counterfeit coyning be treason by the law, how much more, and in a higher degree is it to deale thus with the Word? Yea, and more then that, to maintaine this, and cause Mini­sters to subscribe to it, being no lesse then treason against the high and mighty God. Culpam deprehensam pertinacuer tueri, culpa altera est, Pertinaciously to maintaine a fault openly dis­covered, is a greater fault then the former, on whom, whether nation or person, will the Lord rest upon (saith the Lord by the Prophet Esay) but upon him that trembleth at my Word, that is, a humble soule, Esay 66. 2. not onely moved to obedience to it in it selfe, but further, out of that reverence that it beareth to the Word, [Page 25] it will not as much as in it lieth, suffer the word to be abused by others, as one speakes of the Papis [...]s, that corrupting the Fathers, they rather make them their so [...]es, to speake what they will have them, then Fathers indeed: Just so doth that booke, and the Champious for it, make the Word thus dealt with none of Gods, Discoveric of corrupt translati­ons. but their owne; if a Minister adde or take away from the Service-booke, it is made, matter of in­ditement, but they, it seemes, may adde, take away, alter, and corrupt what they will without controulement: this course gives a shrewd randcounter to our learned and Orthodox Writers against the Papists, Prefac. p. 9. witnesse Doctor Fulke his An­swer to Campian, discovering the evils of the Apocrypha. Gregorie Martin recoils thus upon that learned Worthy, that by those words he condemned their owne Service-book, which ap­pointed those Bookes to be read.

Having thus proceeded against the Service-booke, Sect. for its false translations, additions, omissions, misnominations, we come now to some more particular untruths in the booke, and that partly by false or misapplication of Scripture, partly by coyning things that have no shew or ground for them, partly by establishing some Popis [...] expositions. Lastly, by con­firming and pressing upon Ministers and people, a heape of Po­pish and Idolatrous Ceremonies; a touch of every one will suffice.

For the first, Sect. be pleased to looke upon that egregiously a­bused place, or Christ abused and dishonoured by their deal­ings with the place, namely, Rev. 12. 7. Michaeland his An­gels fought against the Dragon, &c. which words the Booke appoints for the Collect for Michaels day; where they make Christ by misapplying the place, a created Angel; for the place is meant of Christ; neither can it agree to any other; for which we have a cloud of witnesses, not onely from the universall concourse of the learned and Orthodox Writers, as Fathers and moderne Authours, as Austin, Ambrose, Muscu­lus, Calvin, Beza, Doctor Fulke, Doctor Willet, and many others, but also from the very name Michael, proper onely to Christ, who, verse 10. is called Christ: and further, from the scope of the place, to set out Christ and his Angels, en­countering [Page 26] countering Satan and his Angels: and lastly, other places of Scripture parallelling the truth of this sense, Dan. 10. 13. and 12. 1. Thes. 4. 16. lude 9. Angels here under their Ge­nerall Christ, are said to be on earth in the Church Milstant, for that is meant by Heaven, and here they are said to die, which suiteth not with heavenly spirits: the Rhemists indeed hold close to the sense of the Service-book, because it is from their owne Masse-book, and gives this as a reason, why Mi­chael is painted fighting with a Dragon, both opinion and reason are of the like weight: now for things without co­lour of ground, what colour or ground is there for that speech in the end of the Magnificat: O Ananias, Azarias and Mi­sael, praise the Lord; If this was the prayer of these men when they were alive, what sense or reason that we should speak to them being dead, more then to others?

For Popish tenents, Sect. looke that prayer at the buriall of the dead, That we with this our brother, and all other our brethren de­parted in the true faith of thy holy Name, may have our perfect consummation and blisse, both in body and soule: first, here every one buried is a faithfull brother, which cannot be said of every one, no, not in the judgement of charitie: it is true indeed, that the Priest of Newgate bid the poore con­demned theeves, provide money for their buriall, and they nee­ded not doubt of their salvation; againe, the words are an ex­presse Prayer, and tied to be said by the Minister. Now, for the Ceremonies having place in Gods worship, and being mans device, must needs be Idols, or Idolatrous actions, Quic­quid praeter mandatum, est Idolum; Whatsoever is placed in Gods worship, without the commandement of God, is an Idoll; for none hath power to ordaine or place a Ceremonie in Christ his Church, but himselfe, who is King of it. For in­stance whereof, there is a remarkable place amongst ma­ny, Numb. 15. 39. And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the Commandements of the Lord, and do them, and that ye seeke not after your owne heart, and your own eyes, after which you use to go a who­ring; where observe both the Ceremonie and significati­on to be from Gods owne appointment; and further, every [Page 27] device of man in Gods worship, is to be avoided, but against those there are divers Treatises never answered, nor like to be, yet it shall not be amisse by one indissoluble argument to put all the defenders of the ceremonies to it, which is this:

That which is mans device, and hath been an Idoll in Gods worship, must of necessity be an Idoll still in the worship of God. But the Ceremonies mentioned in the Service booke, have been Idols in Gods worship; as Crosse, Surplice, &c. Erg [...], they must be Idols still in the worship of God.

The proofe of the former proposition, is from instance of Abrahams grove. Gen. 21. 33. but being abused to Idolatry, as 2 King. 17 10. Ierem. 51. 2. Esay 57. 5. then God forbiddeth his people the usage of it, because it was an Idol; yea, com­manded to destroy it, Deut. 12. 13. The latter proposition none can deny. Here we might adde the foule abuses of the Sacraments, as Baptisme, and the Lords Supper, and that Iewish or Popish institution of Churching of women, called Purisication; and that bastardly piece of Confirmation, the particular eno [...]mities whereof we need not stand upon, they are so well knowne, especially to your Honours, which is a part of our happinesse: againe the Treatise would be too large; yet we would not have the Lent fast forgotten, which the Patr [...]s of our Liturgie make a religious fast, abusing pla­ces of Scriptures by misapplication of Scriptures, as Ioel 2. 2. Part of Homil. of fast. 12. Matth. 6. 16. 2 Cor. 6. 2. Matth 4. 10. cleare contrary to the divine law, and indisputable prerogative of God; the Homilies appointed by the Law of the land, the most and best reformed Churches, Anno quin­to Eliza. C. quint. Sect. and the harmony of Confessions, none siding with them in it, but Papists and popishly affected.

Now we come to touch, and but to touch upon the foppish and foolish things in the Booke, besides the foolish and senslesse iranslations of some Psalmes, pressed by the Service-booke, as Psal. 58. 9. Psal 68. 30. which would be too large to set downe and canvasse. What can be said for those Tautologies and Battologies, used in the Service-booke, as, Lord have mercy upon us, Christ have mercy upon us, the very Popish Kyrieleison, Christeleison condemned, Matth. 6. 7. the word Battologie here condemned, commeth, as the learned observe, from one [Page 28] Battus a ridiculous Poet, repeating the same words or verses often, and so Christ forbiddeth a vaine repetition of words or phrases; and the better the words are, the more grievous is the sin, so the vaine repetition in Prayer is most odious of all, both the heathenish and Popish Battologies are strucke dead at one blow (saith Master Cartwright) for mumbling up the same prayers againe and againe, and can these repetitions of ours, being the very same in English go Scot-free? one foppery more, for we cannot name them all, namely, that mutuall salutation betweene Priest and people; in these words, The Lord be with you, and with thy spirit. which Doctor Boyce girding at the Novellists, takes upon him to defend from Ruth. 24. with many invective straines, with other matter to little purpose: is it a good argument from salutation in civill conversment, to fall a saluting one another in the worship of God? if our Lord and Saviour forbad his Disciples to salute any in the way, Luke 10.4. 2 Kings 4. 29. so farre as it might be any impediment to his service, like unto that of Elisha the Prophet; how much lesse will Christ admit salutations in the midst of his Service; It seemes their devotion is very hot, that falleth to tosse a salutation whilest they are upon Gods worship. Hence is that apish tricke in the Northerne parts, that all the women, especially in comming into the Church, make a c [...]rtesie to the Priest. Doctor Boyce, for fur­ther confirmation, citeth the Lyturgie of Iames, Chrysostome, and Basil, but all know (as hath been said) that they who are acquainted with this subject, know these Lyturgies to be as Apocryphal, Lib. 2. de Missac. 16. Lib. de Scri. Ecclesiast. sol. 51. as the subject; the Doctor confesseth upon the report of Bellarmine, that Tritenhemius writ a whole booke upon Dominus Vobiscum, in which are many fruitlesse questions, and so we are sure the thing it selfe is fruitlesse.

CHAP. V.
Of the Letany.

WE come now to the last piece of the matter of the Lyturgie, but not the least sinfull, but rather the most offensive: Namely, the Letany, not a stump or a limb of Dagon, [Page 29] but the head of the Masse booke, appointed to be said on Sundayes Wednesdayes and Fridayes, yea, and at other times, if the Ordinarie appoint it: of this it may truly be said, as one said of the Pharisees sinne, Tossan. in Matth. 12. that it was either the sinne of the holy Ghost, or a sinne very nigh it; so the Letany is either blasphemie, or very nigh blasphemy: upon these dayes one of every house must be present; Canon. 15. setting a note of some pre­heminency, both upon these weeke dayes and the Service, yea, from the Etymologie of the word [...] or Letany, the defenders of it will have it to be a more serious and cordiall prayer than others: it is observed by the learned, that the Antients had the order and manner of the Letany from the Heathens, Serarius in Litan. Cas­san. in Li­turg. p. 242. Excreit. p. 237. as Dtonysius Halicarnassius witnesseth, and Causabon observeth in these words: [...], the Letanies or Supplications about the altars of their gods. Polybius renders the words very handsomely and significantly by the word, [...], which signifieth to intice the gods by blandishing allurements; these words and others used by humane Writers to the same purpose, as by Homer and others, falls in with the same fault, that our Saviour accuseth the Pharisees of, namely, vaine repetition and multitude of words, Matth. 6. 7. for which, saith Christ, they thinke to be heard. Now this Letany is a very fascinating fardel of tautologies and Battologies, besides its other faults; in this Letany there is, Lord deliver us, eight times, Hea eus we beseech thee twenty times: to omit many desires to be delivered from things from which there is not the least appearance, no more than of the french pox, the danger of being drunke at a Whitson ale, or a purse cut at a stage play, and not so much. In that prayer to be delivered from fornication, what meaneth that addition, and from all other deadly sin, as though some sin were not deadly. Againe, af­ter a tautological, summing up, and repetition of the titles and Elogies of the Trinity tossed with responses, they fall on in a heathenish way to act the word Letany or Maggany, as it is well rendered, namely, as it were to conjure; and as if the divell were now to be dispossest (which no Priest must dare to doe by the Canon without license from the Ordinary) they would use the very same pieces, namely, By the mysterie of [Page 30] thy holy incarnation, by thy holy nativity and circumeision, by thy baptisme, fasting and temptation; by thine agony and bloody sweat; by thy crosse and passion; by thy precious death and buriall, and by the coming of the holy Ghost, Good Lord deliver us. This piece of the popish Masse-booke, whence we have it, is no better than that conjuring or jugling of the Ma­gitians, whereby they seemed to imitate Moses his working of miracles, Porph. in his doubts. which they did not, as the learned in that art testifie without Magick spels; they use ridiculous invocations saith the same Author, and so be the invocations in the Letany; and the better the words are, as we have said, the more grie­vous the abuse: and that we may not come short of the Papists Idolizing of this Letany, we have not onely our or­dinary and weekly Letanies, but also our annuall or yeerely Letanies acted in procession. It is true we have left out the Saints in our Lyturgie, that was too grosse; but had the Laudenses got their colours fixed ere this, the Letany had been flancked with this stuffe. But why did they expunge that suf­frage in King Edward his Booke against the Pope, From the ty­rannie of the Bishop of Rome, good Lord deliver us? To shut up this cursory triall of the matter (for it is no more) how can the Service-book-men justifie these words of the Collect on the twelfth Sunday after Trinity; giving unto us that which our prayer dare not presume to aske? It is true, we obtaine more than we pray for; but what we dare not pray for, ei­ther in act or desire, we shall never obtaine.

The summe of that which hath been said we bring up into this Argument.

That service, the matter or bulke whereof is partly false, partly foolish and frivolous, should not be presented unto God.

But the parts of the Service-book, whether essentiall or integrall, are such, as hath been fully proved.

Therefore they should not be presented to God.

We humbly intreat your Honours to lay this argument in the ballance of truth, and if it weigh downe the Service-booke, let the said Booke, we pray you, be cast out of the Sanctuary as light.

CHAP. VI.
Of the Manner.

NOvv vve come to the fourth particular, namely, the forme or manner, vvhich is large, as exorbitant and of­fensive as the matter, the sorme is the essence of a thing; say the matter vvere good, 2 Sam. 6. and the manner naught, god vvould never like it: for the old Proverbe is true, God loves Adverbs better then Adjectives: Bene better than Bonum. It vvas a good worke in David. to bring up the Arke from the house of Aminadab; but one Philistine Ceremony spoyled the whole worke. David therefore acknowledged the b [...]each to bee made, 1 Chron. 15. 13. because they sought him not in order; when our Savi­our taught his followers to pray in that plat forme of prayer, which a Father calls the foun [...]ation of all our prayers; he lay­eth not downe onely the matter, Cyprian. but also the forme; when yee pray, 2 Tim. 1. 13. pray [...], after this manner; hold fast (saith the Apo­stle) the forme of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, &c. where hee layeth downe, not onely the matter of Preaching, but also the forme; even so should prayer have a forme of sound words. Conformers to the Service-booke make Ionas his Gourd, 1 Co [...]. 14 40 of one place of Scripture: Let all things be done according to order and decency. But as the place is no shelter for them, so wee wonder that they cannot see the grosse disorder of the Service-booke and Ceremonies, and still call for order. The Apostle rejoyced to see the or­der of the Colossians, 2 Colos. 5. but it would have grieved him excee­dingly to have seene the disorder of the service: as he grie­ved at the superstition of the Athenians: for it is Will-worship which the Apostle condemneth in the same place of the Co­lossi [...]ns; Verse 23. but to some particulars, and first to the Minister, wh [...]se change of voyce, posture, and place, is strange and ridi­culous: for the first, hee must say some prayers with a loud voyce, not all: what can be the reason of this? but that of the Masse-Priests, that there are some mysteries: Tanquam sacra Cereris, that the prophane Laicks should not heare. Se­condly, [Page 32] for his posture; besides the windings, turnings, and cringes, his face must be sometimes towards the people, and sometimes his backe. Thirdly, the Priest sayes somewhat in the Church, somewhat in the Chancell, getting himselfe from the people as farre as he can, as if there were some out­fall betweene him and the people; or, as if hee were the High-Priest, gone into the Holy of Holi [...]s. In the second place comes the unmannerly handling of the matter: First, they have many short Collects, but a long and tedious Service; the persecuted Christians indeed, made short prayers upon the feare of the enemies approaches, when they were forced to flye. A good foundation we acknowledge; but to turne this into a generall and continued rule, will make but a scur­vie building. Now, to the rest of the short cuts and shreds, rather wishes than prayers, Lib. 1. p. 38. (as Master Cartwright truely calls them) for which Doctor Boyce falls foule upon him with an invective declaration, Lib. 3. p. 210. not with refutation; which course suits not with learning, In his Com­ment on Do­minus Vo­biscum. much lesse with a Minister, calling it a rude speech savouring more of the shop, than of the Schoole: but the abilities of the man is farre above his calumny; and why doth he not fall a rayling at him for answering the Rhe­mists, in charging the Masse-booke with the selfe-same fault, where he calls them short shreds, Matth▪ 67. patched up together, to make a wearisome service upon the long last; what patched petiti­ons? how scatteringly and disorderly divided, to the num­ber of thirty or forty? what interrupting pauses, and posting on againe, with, Let us pray? In this they are like unto little Girles, who setting themselves as though they would sew, they cut abundance of cloth into uselesse shreds, doing no good, but hurt; and yet for further discovery of this unme­thodicall and unmannerly dealing, let us put this quere to the maintainers of this patched Service; that Master Cartwright puts to the Papists for the mammocks of their Masse-booke. If such a suit (saith he) were offered to a mortall man, Ibid. would he not rather thinke himselfe mocked by the suppliant, than honou­red? After the same manner speakes God to the Jewes: Offer th [...] now to thy Governour, Malac. 1. 8. will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person, saith the Lord of Host [...]? and if any object, [Page 33] that God speakes there of the Blinde and the Lame, the an­swer is easily made; whatsoever is not of God, in his ser­vice, for matter or manner, it is blinde and lame: for the clo­sure of this dismembring of Gods service, we annexe the tos­sing or driving the Service betwene the Priest and the People; for either the People pray with the Priest, or they repeat his prayer, or they adde some responses or answers, all unsuitable to Gods service. Sir Thomas Mo [...]e was so zealous in this way, that he did officiate at the Masse in his Surplice. If the Minister be Gods mouth and the peoples, and stand between them in things pertaining unto God, Heb. 2. 17. is it not a grosse absurdi­ty? That when an Ambassador of State is delivering an Am­bassage to the King, that the standers by or attendance, though much concerned in the businesse, should set in with the Ambassadors speech, or repeat what he saith, or interrupt his speech, with a pause of a response. This interrupting course in Gods worship is every way more grosse, as much as the high and dreadfull God is greater than the greatest King; Gal. 6. 7. and we are to take notice that God will not be mo [...]ked. To shut up the point, one thing we cannot but wonder at, why the Popish Prelaticall Priests doe admit the common people a share in saying of Service, who will not have the people in any case to try, Act. 17. 1. 3. much lesse to judge of the doctrines of their Teachers, abusing the very Scripture that makes a­gainst them; for they call themselves the Clergy, alluding to the name [...], 1 Pet. 5. which signifieth the lot or portion, arroga­ting to themselves the Lord to be their portion, and they to be the Lords. But by way of opposition they account the people no better than unhallowed or carnall people, Psal. 16. 5. calling themselves abusively by the name of spirituall, which with the former name portion, 2 Cor. 2. 15. agreeth to all Gods people; but we conceive the reason to bee this, Gal. 6. 1. that by filling their braines with the froth of that stuffe, and their mouthes with that confused noyse of words, (which the most of them regard no more than the foole of Winasor, that could sing all the Service) and how should God regard it: this they doe (we say) to shut them out from the soule-saving Word, and the Word from them, and then the Priests beare rule, or tyran­nize [Page 34] over them at their pleasure. Now we have done with the Arguments arising from the Essentiall Bulke, or Integrall parts of the Booke: whence wee desire your Honours to consider, how from foure impregnable arguments, namely, from the name, the rise, the matter and forme, or manner, we have necessarily evinced the ejection of the Service-booke, all which wee briefly summe up thus: That worship of God which for Name, Originall, Matter and Manner, is naught all over, is not to be suffered, head nor tayle, but wholly to bee cast out of Gods House.

But the Liturgy or Service-Booke is such a worship, &c. Therefore it is to be cast out.

CHAP. VII.
Of the Effects.

FRom Arguments taken from the Nature of the thing, we come to some Arguments Collaterall, yet forcible enough to evince both the Equity and the Necessity of our desire: and first from the ill Effects of the Booke, and that not accident [...]l [...]y, which might haply excuse the Cause, but properly and origi­nally, holding alwayes, in tali vel in tanto, an evill effect ar­gues alwayes an evill cause; an evill Bird comes alwayes of an evill egge, as bad fruit of a bad tree: yea, the evill cause is alwayes worse than the effect. Nam propter qu [...]d aliquid tale est, illud ipsum est magis tale, That which makes a thing evill is worse it selfe: For methods sake we will reduce the evills of the Service-booke into foure heads, distinguished from their severall objects: as, first, it shewes its evill effects upon the Ministers: secondly, upon the Ordinances: third­ly, upon the People: fourthly, against God most of all.

Sect. First, upon the Ministers, 2 Tim 3. 3. it worketh pernitiously, Mat. 13. 52. whether they be good or bad worke-men, or no work-men; to instance in the later, 1 Sam. 9▪ 9. where Ministers should be apt to teach, furnished with old and new Seers, Watchmen, Esay 56, 10▪ Begetters of sonnes unto God, 1 Cor. 4. 15▪ Eph. 4. 11. and builders up of the body of Christ: but this Book [Page 35] settles such blinde fellowes over people, who can neither [...]eed nor leade; what we pray you, is the procreant and conservant cause of dumbe dogs that cannot barke; idle shepheards, saying Sir Iohns; meere Surplice and Service-book-men, such as can­not doe so much as a Porter in his frock; for hee doth ser­vice, and the Priest onely sayes Service: is it not the Service-booke? A Priest in London, vvhen hee heard the Service-booke should downe, made this his maine argument, or ra­ther idlement; vvhy, it should not: If they remove the Ser­vice-booke (saith hee) What shall all the reading Ministers doe? they must goe begge, 2 Theff. 3. 10. starve, or steale, for worke they can­not: (the words were to this effect) not remembring the Apostles principle, Hee that will not labour shall not ea [...]e. Some yeares agoe, a very godly man being convented be­fore that High-commission, was asked by some of them what he thought of the Service-book? the man being afraid to de­liver his opinion of such a piece of ordnance mounted, fully charged upon him, the great Canoniers sitting by, ready to give fire; yet with much adoe, plucking up his spirits, hee told them freely, that it was a halter to leade a blinde horse to the water: such dumbe Diegoes, or devouring Caterpillers, may rightly be called, Zach. 11. 15▪ as the Prophet speaketh, Foolish shepheards; and so the Service-booke the Instrument of a foolish shepheard, they truck away their soules, and the soules of others for a crust; are they not then errant fooles? And this foolish in­strument the Service-booke is the Broker in this unhappy bargaine.

Sect. Phil. 3. 2. There are another sort of bad Ministers, who will not be idle, Verse 18. (as they say) but they are very ill exercised; such the Apostle calls evill workers, dogs, enemies to the Crosse of Christ. The Apostle bids us beware of such; but indeed ours are worse than those false Apostles: Phil. 1. 15▪ for they preached Christ, though of envy, but ours preach error, heresies, blasphe­mies, and calumnies out of envy, and not Christ. Were there ever the like accusations heard of for number and nature, as hath beene laid against those unparallel'd Ministers, for vile­nesse, both in living and preaching? The Goliah his staffe, wherewith they maintaine all this, and all their brags against [Page 36] the Ho [...]st of Israel, is the Service-booke which is the Helena of the Hierarchie, the strict and totall observation whereof, Lincolne▪ Articles doe punctually appoint. To those wee might adjoyne Non-residents and Pluralists, who knowing that Service will serve the turne, can have choyce of Readers to serve their Cures at a cheap rate. In Kent a common F [...]d­ler read▪ Service for twelve pence week: In another place, a Black-smith did the like; yea, the Prelates themselves trade in this commodity, when they have an old off [...]cast servant, the ruines of a prophane wretch, good for nothing, then make a Priest on him. Witnesse a Prela [...]es Porter, made Priest of Paddington. One that we all know, diebus illis, Chaplaine to a great Officer of State, but now a proud Prelate, in the time of his Chaplainry, possessed three Benefices, to the va­lue of seven hundred pounds a yeare, or thereabout, allow­ing nothing out of all this for the feeding of so many s [...]ockes, save [...]ten pounds a piece, or thereabouts, to three poore Cu­rates, with a number of cast Service-bookes, which are no good meat, neither cold nor hot; yea, had not this Service-booke beene, this man and others could never have beene so unconscionable.

Yet further, Sect. the Service-book hath beene the bane of ma­ny good Ministers, and that of two sorts, Conformers, and Non conformers; the later of whom were deprived of their Ministery, dearer to them than their lives; cast out of their Free-holds, against the Law of the Land, Excommunicated, Imprisoned, their Families dissolved, cashiered from all Cal­ling [...]; yea, their very being through calumnies and injuries thrust at; so that with Fimbria▪ against Scaevola, they quar­relled with them, Tul. Quod totum ferrum in se non receperant, that they received not the whole deadly weapon into their body; and what the quarrell, but the Service-booke? To which the Ministers must not onely conforme, but also sub­scribe; as to foure bookes more, some of which (it may be) they had never seene: that, nothing in them was contrary to the Word of God, Monstrum horrendum, O fearefull sinne to father falshood and lyes upon God, for which the Lord may justly quarrell with this Nation!

[Page 37] Now for the godly and painefull Ministers, yet confor­ming and subscribing; the Service-booke was a heavie bur­then to them, and they groaned under the rigour of the Ser­vice: It may be said of the Service-booke, as it was said of Gath in another kinde, namely, it was Metheg Amath, the bridle of the hilly tract, or strength of the Philistins: so the Booke was the strength of the Philisti [...] Prelacie, and a bri­dle with a Curbing bit, to stop, to wind and turne them at their pleasure; yea, sometimes to cut them in the mouth, if they delivered any such part of Gods Counsell, as touched their copy-hold; besides the scoffing calumnies that the Prelats and their Janizaries would put upon them; how did they grieve the soules of divers worthy men, that divers of them were forced to breake through that Egyptian bondage, with danger of their liberties and lives, if they had beene reached by the Prelates ill Angels, but flying with the Woman into the Wil­dernesse, the flood of the Service-booke out of the mouth of the Serpent, was sent after them, but both fire and water conspi­red to the devouring of it; witnesse its arrivall at New Eng­land, two fellowes being drunke, addressed themselves by water to disperse some bundles of them; one of them swea­ring that he would have a pipe of Tobacco in despight of the Devill, striking fire, the sparks fell into a barrell of Gun-pow­der, which blew both men and bookes all into the ayre; the men were saved by swimming in the water, and the Liturgie sunck when it could not swimme, and so we hope it shall. Some of us heard a painefull Minister complaine, with abun­dance of teares, a little before his death, That so long as he, and such as he carried the Prelates fardell after them, they would never downe. We will shut up this point with a ve­ry remarkable observation; though God made conforming Ministers▪ being the Dispensers of his Word the meanes, Jerem. 23. 23. to turne many, from their evill wayes, yet this proved for the most part, but in the point of life and conversation, and not in point of parity of worship, according to our Lord and Ma­sters practice upon his patient, John. 4▪ 23, 24. that Samaritan woman, whom he reclaimeth not onely from uncleannesse of life, but also from a polluted worship; the Woman here is not onely [Page 38] touched in conscience for her evill life, but also desires to bee rectified in the case of Religion. Cyril. Christ healeth her of both those diseases, and having given check (as a Father obser­ved) both to the arrogancie of the Samaritans, and of the Jewes; for the latter was faulty as well as the former, though not in the like degree, hee layeth downe an undeceivable rule for both, that they, and all who will worship God accep­tably, must worship him in spirit and in truth; in spirit, that is opposed to bodily service, as washings, annointings, gar­ments, &c. In truth, that is opposed to shadowes and figures, whereof Christ is the substance and the body; such converts then as will reape comfort out of respect had unto all Gods Commandements, Tract. 15. in Io [...]. they must come downe from the mountains of impure worship. Austin hath a pretty saying upon this, that he that will draw neare to God, must come downe from his owne mountaine, or from the mountaine of his owne device in Gods worship; it is a duty laid on Christs Messengers, in preparing of his way, to lay those mountaines levell as well as others; but the good men durst not meddle with the Gere­zim of the Service-booke, because they were captives to it, and partly because the Philistims that kept it would fall upon them.

We come in the second place to the Ordinances, Sect. blocked up by the booke, as close as the Ministers; we must give but a touch: as our Liturgian Masse-mongers, esteeme more of the Service than Preaching, so they justle out, and keepe out Preaching with it. Serm. on Psal. 118. p. 78. For the former, let Howson speake, not being ashamed to assert, that Preaching is no part of divine worship, agreeable to that Canon of the constitution, Anno 1603. Canon 19. making a cleare and positive distinction betweene Preaching and Worship, in these words, in time of divine Wor­ship, or Preaching. And for the later, we vvill cite but one testimony for brevities sake, namely, from the same Canons; If any Minister having subscribed to the Articles, and to the Li­turgy, and to the Rites and Ceremonies therein contained, doe af­terward omit any thing, he is liable to the penalty of suspension for one moneth; and after that, if he amend not, to excommunication: and lastly, if he continue so the third moneth, to totall deprivation; [Page 39] they have their patterne from Pope Pius the fifth, who made the same impious sanction, for the Breviary, that at no time, nor in any case, any thing thereof should be omitted: yea, the Con­gregations of London have had too much experience of Ser­vice for Sermons, which exchange is very robberie, contrary to the Proverbe; for it is ordinary with the Iourney-men Levites and Letanie-priests to spin out all the time, in making up that course thred, of the Service, that is allotted for Sermon; and this they do of malice, like the dog in the manger; but were it good, they would never be so eager upon it; for the Coun­trey Priests will cast it thorow a riddle, and curtall it to the waste, to gaine a long after-noone for prophane sports; but judge ye Honourable Senatours▪ if this be not a miserable case, that Hagar should not onely insult over Sarah, but also thrust her out of her owne house. How unreasonable, yea, how dangerous a thing is it, that the wholsome and soule-saving Word of the Lord Iesus, should give place to a fardell of mens devices in the worship of God?

We come now in the third place, Sect. to the People: there are three things of note in every common-wealth, [...], the People, Religion, and Law, the Service-booke intrencheth upon all these: as first upon the Law, in so many particulars, though we cannot name them all, that it justly may be cal­led Nomomastix, a scourge to the Law, we will instance in one or two particulars: first by the Law of England, no Clergie-man to the very Pope himselfe, shall beare any Rule, or Exercise any Iurisdiction, Nisi in rebus spiritualibus, Except in spirituall things: witnesse the second Lawyer that ever wrote of our Lawes, namely, Lib. 1. fol. 5 [...]. Bracton, who lived in the time of King Henry the third, when Popery was in the [...]uffe; for a little before, in King Iohn his time, the Crowne of England was at the Popes disposing, which I alledge the rather, to shew the Insolency and Impudency of our Prelates managing of the Service-booke against the Law, to which book if Ministers will not conforme and subscribe, they out them of their free-holds, contrary to right and law; the iniquity of which course, hath been clearly manifested in Caudryes Case. Ano­ther witnesse yet more antient appears in this particular, [Page 40] namely, Lib. 4. [...]ol. 32. c. 6. Glanvill, the first that ever writ of our Lawes, in the time of King Henry the second, under whom the said Authour was Lord Chiefe Iustice; and speaking of the Case of the triall of advowsons belonging (as he alledgeth) Ad Coronam & dignitatem Regiam, To the pleas of the Crowne; he produceth a prohibition to the spirituall Court, which he calleth Curiam Christianitatis, that they meddle not with the matter, though it might seeme collaterally to belong to be­long unto their Courts; and if they should persist after the prohibition, then they are commanded by apparance to answer it in the Kings Bench. But how many of the Kings Prohibiti­ons have been slighted by the High Commission, threatning those that have brought them, the Case then depending, ha­ving its rise from that Service-booke.

Another Instance we will cite of their incountering of the Laws, Sect. it is decreed, that Ecclesiasticall power shall neither Im­prison nor fine, except in case of mutation of Penance: but how many good Christians, both ministers, and others, have been not onely Fined more then they were worth, but also closly Imprisoned in the nastiest dogholes they could devise, Stat. Artic. cleri cap. 1. Fitzher. de natur. brev. sol. 51. never parting with them till their breath departed from them; Edw. 3. c. 6. and what was the ground of all these Illegall and cruell courses contrary to the Common and Statute Laws? but Non-con­formity to that Service-booke and Ceremonies. We might be large in this point, but the Treatise will not bear [...]t, only we pray your Honours, who are Iudices & Vindices Leg [...]s, the Judges and revengers of the Laws and breaches thereof, to looke upon this Law-destroying-piece, and to manifest that the Law of God is in your hearts, with which it cannot con­sist; cast it out of Gods house, that he may delight to dwell amongst us.

In the second place, Sect. for the Service Books affronting of Religion, somewhat hath been said, and more we have to say in the Fourth Evill Effect, namely against God: but now a little more of its malignity against the people wherin we wil be briefe. People are of two sorts, Good and Bad: how the better sort have suffered from this Iron Furnace, it is more then manifest, in spoyling of their Goods, losse of Liberty, [Page 41] desolating of their Families, being forced to wander from place to place, their nigh friends and acquaintance, not da­ring through feare to lodge them; at last forced either to for­sake their native soyle, and dearest friends, with no small griefe, gento patriae plangente, the genius of their Countrey, to speake vvith Lypsius, amenting after them; or if they staid by it, and vvere catched in the Prelates clutches, they told them vvhen they petitioned, they should lye till their bones rott [...]d, as Doctor Abbot then Prelate of Ca [...]turbury, said of Master Bai [...]s, vvhom they stifled in the Gate-house, and all this, be­cause they could not eate and svvallovv dovvn, Deut. 4. 20. to the choking of their conscience the Arsnical gobble [...]s of that poysonable Booke, vvhich is vvorse than the Iron furnace, (for so the spirit termes it.) Gods people came out of that, but the fur­nace heated for the not adoring by their Service-booke, as Nebuchadnezzers for not adoring of his Idoll, did ordinarily consume such as vvere cast into it; so that it became like the Lyons Denne, vvhereof the Poet speakes: ‘Omnia te advorsum spectantia, nulla re [...]rorsum.’ Many impressions of ingresse, but none of regresse; but is this all? no, though it be too much, if any out of their zeale to Gods worship, stand up in opposition against that Ge­liah, vvilling to redeem and buy the truth at vvhatsoever rate they shall buy it. Indeed, if the adversaries may have their vvill, not only vvith hands spoiling of their houses▪ exposing of their families to all manner of miseries, but also vvith blowes, and that not of an ordinary size, but vvith torments and tortures unparalleld, as cutting, branding, slitting, whipping, besides shamefull pilloring, vvith censures of fines upon one, more than they vvere all vvorth; after all this, they cannot satisfie their rage in devising Go [...]gotha's bad enough, vvherein to draine out their hearts bloods, being deprived of the com­pany of their vvives, families and friends, and used vvorse than dogs. Of such heavie inflictions upon Ministers and Gods people, vve professe vve never read nor heard, neither under the Heathen Rome, nor Antichristian Romes persecution; for though they tortured the Martyrs of Christ, yet they rid them out of their miseries vvith their lives, yea, the cruel­lest [Page 42] kind of American Savages, called the Mohaukes, though they fattened their captive Christians to the slaughter, yet they eat them up at once; but the Service-booke Savages eat the servants of God by piece-meal, keeping them alive (if it may be called a life) Ʋt sentiant se mors, Cal [...]gula. that they may be the more sensible of their dying. One instance, and but one oc­curs to our reading, that hath some resemblance of this deal­ing. Catulus, to revenge his brothers death, desired Sylla to let him have Marius his brother to revenge himselfe upon, vvho is said thus to torment him:

Which a Poet Englisheth thus:

Yet this Catulus did so but with one, but our Catuli, Si [...] canibus similes—

Like old dogs, have filled their shambles with many: the aforesaid Poet gives a good reason for it in these words: Lucan. l. 1. p. 14. Nullus semel ore receptus, pollutus patitur sanguis mansu [...]scere fauces, Englished thus: Never againe grow those jawes pure that blood did once distaine: May. And why are these harme­lesse men made worse then sheep to the slaughter; but that they meddle with Diana, the Service-book, and the Master and Wardens of that Company, who may truly say with De­metrius, [...], By this craft we get our goods; so we have better grounds than Zipporah had, Act. 19. 25. calling Moses a bloody husband, to say and maintain it, that the Service-booke is a bloody booke. Another sort of Gods people there were, who were so terrified with the cruell usage of their brethren, that either they durst not search into the rotten­nesse of this Piece, and so like blinde men that swallowed many flies; and some, it may be, that did see the evill of it, durst not avoid it, for feare of a worse turne from the Scribes and Pharisees, Joh. 12. 42. then casting out of the Synagogue.

[Page 43] Lastly, some people professing the Lord Iesus, Sect. and having been very usefull in Gods House, by the necessary avoiding of this quick-sand, have for want of good take heed, been cast upon the rocks of Separation, Anabaptisme, and other unsound Te­nents, which hath made a very great breach in profession. For which see more in Zyons plea: and though the rise of Se­paratisme and other Sects, P. 34, 35, [...]6▪ be there justly charged upon the Hierarchie▪ yet by shunning of this sowre pasture, they fall un­advisedly foule, on breaking of the hedge.

Now we come to the worser sort of people, Sect. of whom we may truly say, that which the Pharisees said falsly of Christ. A cursed people, not knowing the Law, all the provocations in the Land, have not made havock of so many soules, especial­ly under colour of good, as this hath done; if Ignorance be the mother of destruction, then much guilt lieth upon the Service-booke. Where there is no vision, Pro. 29. 18. the people must perish, or in the first language, are left naked. So how many Congregations are stript stark naked of the Word in this Land, in some of which it is well knowne, there hath scarce been a Sermon in an age; and in most places where they have preaching, it is neither Seed to beget, nor Bread to feed upon. And what makes this nakednesse but the Lyturgie? which is enmity, both to good Ministers and Ministery: For as the Ivie which winding it selfe about the Vine, drawes the sap and spirit out of it, so the advancement of this Lyturgie, leaves neither life nor spirit in the Ordinance of the Word; and being like priest like people, love to have it so: for the Lyturgie will never bring them out of the deadly Lethargie of sinne; it will never awake the soule, nor pierce the conscience, and therefore they love it, as Micah did his Idoll. Judge 1 [...] But let a man of God, by the light of the Word, discover their wretched condition, he had as good stirre in a Hornets nest, they will quickly hunt him and pursue him to the Lyons Den, if they can; but (God be blessed for it) the Beasts are in chase themselves. The love and liking of evill men unto this Booke, is an evidence of the badnesse of it, for if it were Gods Ordinance they would hate it, as they doe the Ordinances of God; as Isaac tooke Abimelech his sending of him away for a token of his hatred: Gen. 26. 27▪ so when a soule-hating [Page 44] people set away the Word, Gen. 26. 27. and cleave to the Service, or the Ser­vice joyned, it may be, with some dead Ministery, then it is a token they hate the former, and love the later. A worthy Minister went to visit one of his flocke upon his death-bed, a man of quality, for the world, but an enemy to goodnesse; the Minister groping the pulse of his estate, he asked the Minister what he thought of the Bishop of Canturbury, which the Mini­ster waving (it being dangerous then to call a spade a spade) he asked the party if he would pray with him, he replyed yea, if he would do it on the Booke of Common prayer. To shut up this point, we will make but generall mention of the troubles which this Booke did bring upon the English exiles in forraigne Na­tio [...]s in the time of the Marian persecution, for the infor­mation in the particulars whereof, we referre you to a Booke called The troubles of Franckford, where from their first erect­ing of a Church in Franckford, Anno 1554. this Book and the Patrons thereof, never left persecuting of those that could not brook it, till after the death of Queene Mary they re­turned home: in these troubles we commend three things to consideration: First, in all these broyles and unchristian vexa­tions, the maintainers of the Booke dealt both maliciously and fraudulently with the other party. The second thing, the Patrons of the Booke, could not alledge any thing for it, and for others that they held, but such Popish stuffe as they did foot upon.

Lastly, some of those Patrons upon their returne, became persecutours of such as stood for the whole truth.

The last Evill effect, but not the least, Sect. is, against God, we mean directly, or more ommediatly, for indirectly all the other Effects were against God; but as all sin provokes God, so corrupt worship is that sin against which the jealousie of God is inflamed, and he becomes a consuming fire; Exod. 20. 5 yea, Deut. 4. 24. the Lord calleth such worship by way of transcendencie abomination. De [...]t. 12. 3 [...]. 31. If Moses would not sacrifice in Egypt, 2 Kings 23. 15. because it was an abomination to the Lord, Exod. 8. 27 (as hath been said) why should we provoke the Lord by abominable service? All systems of Theologie are full of this in the Thesi, therefore we will not insist upon it, [...]ut come as briefly as we can, to adde something, to that which hath been spoken of the Hypothesis or Service-book, which M. Calvin calleth (as hath [Page 45] beene said in his letter to Franckford, P. 89. the leaving of the popish dregs: so the papisticall Ceremonies therein contained, are truly called by that Franckford Booke burthem, yokes and clogs, to Gods People and his service; besides those which have been names, we will speake but a word or two more, namely, of Festivall dayes, to Saints, at least transitive, though not deter­minative, as the Papist▪ excuse their Idolatry. The other is kneeling at the Communion; the former is an intrenching upon Gods pr [...]rogative: For [...]o [...]e can appoint an holy day, but he who ha [...] ma [...]e the dayes, and hath all power in his own hand, which is cleare; first, from the denomination of them in both Testaments; in the old they are called the solemne feasts of Ie­hovah, Lev. 21. 1. not onely because they were to be kept to Iehovah, Exod. 3 [...]. 5. but also because they were of his appointing, and so in the new Testament, Rev. 1. 10. as we read but of one for the selfe-same rea­sons, it is called The Lords day: another instance of clearing is from that brand of rebuke, that is put by God upon that Ieroboam that made Israel to sinne: he, and he onely that the Booke of God speakes of, took upon him, besides all his Idols and Idolatrous tricks not to appoint another Numericall day, but the same day of another Moneth, namely the eighth Moneth, where God hath appointed the seventh Moneth, and that out of respects speciously politicke, because in the eighth Moneth all the harvest would be in: and they might feast more freely. Secondly, that the Lords feast being finished in Ieru­salem, they might come to Ieroboams feast; but these fig-leaves could not cover his scarres: 2 Kings 6. 12. 32▪ 33. but the spirit chargeth directly upon him, that that was the Moneth that he had lyed or coined to himself. Gretzer the Jesuite commends the English, (though it be nothing to our commendation) Quod Calvino▪ papistae Anglice, [...] cap. 2. &c. That as the Popish-English-Calvinists, are freer in other Rites and Ceremonies, than the Puritanes in France and Germany, and other where, so they are in holy-dayes. And to say the truth, we are too free indeed; for as a learned man observeth, Cartw [...]g repl. 21. we have more holy dayes than ever God gave to the Iewes; we will not insist on this subject, they who will know more of it, P. 6. 4 [...], &c▪ let them read Altare Da­m [...]scenum, only we will point at these two places, which may [Page 46] fully shew the unlawfulnesse of them: Gal. 4. 10, 11. Ye observe yeeres and dayes, I am afraid of you; Let no man judge you in meat or in drinke, Col. 2. 16. or any part of a holy-day. Yet those holy-dayes, though then out of date, were better than ours; for they were of Gods appointment, and so are not ours.

Followeth in the next place Kneeling at the Sacrament, Sect. the last particular that we are like to touch upon; for if we should reckon up all, a great volume would not hold them. This P [...] ­pish moderne posture, Colum. Sect. 21. of not above 400. years standing, which (as hath been said) and Peter Martyr witnesseth, Propter transubstantiationem & realem praesentiam invecta est in Ecclesiam, &c. That to maintaine transubstantiation or reall presence, it was brought into the Church, and therefore to be abandoned with it. Though Innocent the third, 1215. inacted for transubstantiation, & Honorius his successor decreed for a re­verent inclination of the body, to the Sacrament changed in­to a breaden God, yet was it not used untill the succeed­ing Popes, thinking this reverence not enough for the counte­nance and maintenance of their upstart Dei [...]e allotted thereto, the highest point of adoration, for which there is neither Scripture nor Antiquity; neither Precept nor President, but from the Man of sinne; neither do any Churches use it, save the Synagogue of Rome, some Lutheran Churches a [...]d eurs; and howsoever this misplaced worship hath been cruelly man [...]ed out by the Prelacie, and fomented by that mis-begotten conceit of humility in Gods worship, because they knew no better, yet the truth is, it is meer will-worship, and hath been a sharpe rod to Gods people; yea, and proved a Scorpion to [...]omes consciences, witnesse the former, the violent deaths of divers for refusing this gesture, us that worthy Gentleman, Master Dyton, stifled by his imprisonment in the Gate-house; Master Porter of Ware in the New prison, and others: but because many learned and unanswerable Treatises are out against this disapproved gesture, it shall be need­lesse, actum agere, to doe a worke so often done. It is true, some have attempted to say something for it; but in the ballance of truth, hoc aliquid nihil est, that something is just nothing. For brevities sake we will onely shut up the piece [Page 47] with one binding Argument. To adore in, by, or before a Creature respectively, or with a relation to the Creature, is Idolatry.

But to kneel at the Sacrament, is to adore, in, by, or before a Creature, respectively, with relation to the Creature. There­fore it is Idolatry.

The explanation of the termes, will make the argument the better understood: as, first, adoration is the highest point of externall worship, which God will not admit with an intervenient or relative respect to any Creature; for that makes the Creature Objectum significative à quo, that is, the motive of the worship; the termes thus explained: this is the very same argument that our learned Divines stop the Papists mouths with, in the point of adoring God mediatly by the Creature; and as the Papists cannot deny the Major; so sense and reason, yea, the injunction of the commanders all verifie the truth of the Minor in kneelers; for they cannot deny the Elements to be the motive of their kneeling, the conclusion then must needs hold; that it is Idolatry dis-junct or improper at least, as we argue against the Papists: but if the minds of thousands of ignorant receivers in the Country were knowne, it is to be feared, they fall foul on conjunct or proper Idolatrie, making the Bread objectum determinati­vum: in plane, the Bread the object of their worship: with which sin the Papists charge all the Protestant-kneelers; for, if Christ were not there bodily (say the Jesuits) we would rather be racked with horses than kneel. [...]o said Spalato after his revolt to Rome, and we confesse ingenuously, if the Papists should re [...]ort this argument upon us, it would put the learnedst Con­formers to a non-plus to evade it. Here were place to have a sling at the Crosse, but we referre the desirous reader to Zyons plea, P. 95. to p. 106. wherein there is a succinct and learned Treatise against the Crosse, proving it by many strong arguments, to be the marke of the Beast. All these, and much more are the houshold-stuffe of the Service-booke, against which we will produce one argument more in the closure of this point, name­ly, God will not hear the prayers of the Service-booke▪ Ergo, they are not to be offered.

[Page 48] The Antecedent shall be proved from that place of Saint Iohns Gospel: John 9. 31. God heareth not sinners, if any man be a worship­per of him, and d [...]er of his will, him be heareth: out of the latter part, we reason thus negatively, a Contrario: those prayers which are not a doing of the will of God, God heareth not.

This proposition is confirmed from other places, Rom. 8▪ 27. the In­tercessions of the Saints (saith the Apostle) must bee accor­ding to the will of God; Esay 1. 12. and if they be not, the Lord will say, who requireth them?

Now to the latter Proposition:

But the Prayers of the Service Booke are not the doing of the will, nor according to the will of God; witnesse all the former Reasons given against it; therefore God will not heare them.

CHAP. VIII.
Three Motives.

HAving thus clearely evinced by so many Reasons as a cloud of witnesses, the unlawfulnesse of the Liturgie; for the expunging wherof we shall adde some more Motives in the closure: Let us now humbly crave your Honours fa­vour, that according to the justnesse of our desires, and the truth of the reasons alledged; you would be pleased for the love that you beare and owe to the Lord Iesus, to the puritie of his worship, to the thriving of our bodies, soules, and estates, to the turning away of Gods judgements, me­diate and immediate, to your gaining of honour above all your predecessors, to the chearing of the hearts of Gods people, the daunting of the enemies, and the making our Jerusalem the praise of the world; by all these, and many more, wee againe and againe intreat you, to plucke up that Plant of the Service-booke, which God never set. Ma [...]. 15.13. Oh, how the Prelaticall Priests grumble, when they heare of this place, and as the wicked Man [...]chees abuse this place, in apply­ing it against the Law of God; so we have had woful experi­ence, [Page 49] how the Hierachicall crue, indeavour with tooth and naile; and therein worse then the Manichees, to sup­plant Gods Law, of whom we might justly say with the Prophet, They have almost undone thy Law; the worship of God is a prime and precious piece, the ultimate end, as a Divine saith, Al [...] ▪ of all sacred performances, though the di [...] ­cation of man be the end subordinate: pure it is, and should be like God himselfe; Psal. 1 [...]. 10. yea, it is called the feare of God, in re­gard of that reverend awe that should be upon men, Esay▪ 29▪ 1 [...] ▪ when they are in divine duties; when Iacob awaked from the Vision, it is said he was afraid; and said, How dreadfull is this place, this is none other but the House of God, & the gate of Hea­ven; by which is meant, the House of God where his Saints are assembled, whose feare should be as Iacobs, not a slavish feare, nor an Idolatrous feare, Gen. 28. [...]7. but a filiall [...]eare, not daring to present to their Father in worship what he hath not planted and commanded. Bernard descants very sweetly upon this; terribilis planè locus, 6 Sam. Psal. [...]7. dignus omni reverentia, &c. a terrible place indeed, (saith the Father) not meaning the stol [...] wals, but the presence of God in the assembly, where the faithfull in­habite, the Angels frequent, and God himselfe dwelleth. How curious was Moses, the man of God, in the matter and manner of Gods worship, that he would neither have horne or hoofe over or under the Commandement, that was the ground of his punctuality, Exod. 1 [...]. 26. from which he would not goe one haires breadth; and wherein we intreate your Honours to follow him to the full? Caleb is said to follow God; wee will goe and sacrifice unto the Lord our God, as he shall say unto us, Can it bee so said of the Service-booke; no, sure it is no sacrifice of a sweet smell. Let any man that feareth God, tell us ingenuously, if he beleeveth that Christ, the golden C [...]n­ser standing at the golden Altar, Rev▪ 8 3▪ 4. will receive the Lytur [...]ge [...]prayers & perfume them with the odours of his merits, pre­sent them to the father: surely we have no ground for it, be­cause (as hath beene said) they are not according to the will of his Father. [...] Yea, Christ seemeth to threaten out of his owne mouth the contrary, in the 16 Psalme, which is mea [...] of Christ, he speaking of, and threatning their Idolatr [...] [...] [Page 50] [...], hee tels them plainely, hee will not powre out their ob­lations, that is, hee will not bee a Mediatour to their servi­ces: and surely this is no acceptable service; it is no bea­ten oyle for the Lampe (though Master Wommocke plea­sed to stile it so) it is not sure that pure oyle, out of the two Olives, Zach. 4. 3. 4▪ into the golden Lampe, that lightens the Sanctuary; but it is rather Traine-oyle, and scarce so good, that foules the house, and darkneth the light; and for its messages to heaven, which he mentioneth in his Epistle, we have made a good plea, (as we conceive) for the contrary, let him disprove it if he can; for the whole booke, though it concerne them with whom he dealeth in it; yet because it glisters as if there were mettall in it, we may lay it a little to the test. The Epi­stle hath two heads; in the former he maintaineth set prayer in generall; in the latter he endeavoureth to justifie the set prayers of the Lyturgie in particular; in both these the expressions be smooth, & the palliations stretched to the furthest, but it may be said without offence of both, [...] too neat, but nothing usefull. The head of set prayer we have not touched yet, till we come to answer some objections; Epist. p. 7. but wee cannot but wonder at Master Wommockes incogitancie, to father a set forme of prayer upon Timothy, terming it, the first furniture t [...]at hee provided for the house of God: a strange position, and as unsoundly grounded from Saint Pauls direction. (Surely the Jesuites would blush at it) or at least it might be one of Iohn of Crage his observations: from these words, I exhort not that you pray, as he glosseth, but that Prayers be made for all men. Made (saith he) i. e. set-prayers. 1 Tim. 2. 1. This is like Iohn of Gar­lando's tricks, that did what he could to spoyle the Text with the Glosse: It is like a Sorbonists mis-exposition of that place, Exod. 29. 39. Thou shalt present one Lambe; the word Gha­sah signifieth to make, which hee and the Romanists apply to the words of Institution, Hoc facite, Make this a sacrifice; which as Galasius observeth, is a very ridiculous piece. Doth any man thinke, that this was either Paul his intention or Timothy his practice? no, Pas [...]r. sure it is a grosse mistake of the word [...], which doth not signifie a set forme of Prayer [Page 51] exhibited, but as the learned in the tongue observe, it signi­fieth preces fundere, to powre out prayers by the helpe and gui­dance of the spirit, proved by the comparing of other places where the same word is used: againe, the Spirit is said to make request for us, Luke 5. Phil. 1. 4. Rom. 8. 46. dare any man glosse it by making a set forme of prayer for us? no sure, but the meaning is, he cau­seth us to make request. To be briefe, let us see how to untie this knot; if Paul in these words prescribed a set forme, and Timothy made it the furniture of Gods house, then such a forme should be found; and all the Prayers injoyned by Paul should be set formes, because he injoynes no other prayer here, than he doth other where in other words, signifying to pray, as [...], both signifying to pray. Luke 22. 33 1 Cor. 14. 15. and many other places: but to assume, first, no patterne is to be found: secondly, to affirme that all Pauls prescriptions of prayer were for set formes, were a very grosse and absurd falshood.

Ergo, so is the ground whence it ariseth.

He might as well have said; when Christ promised to pray for Peter, that he promised to make a set forme of prayer for him: Luk. 22 33. for the words in both places are synonyma: but enough of this, which is besides our purpose.

Now, Epist. p. 25. let us view as briefly as we can, what he saith for the Lyturgy in particular: he confesseth it to be the daughter of a Roman Catholicke, Gospel first Sunday in Lent. p. 12. that is well, and so doth D. Boyce: the Novellists say (saith he) that our Communion Booke is nothing else but the Roman Missall and Portuis thrust out of Latine into English, which the Doctor contradicts not, for he could not. Why, saith Doctor Hall, out of ancient mo­dels, not Roman: yea, why should the childe be beaten for the Parent, saith M. Wommoc [...]?) For answer, if the childe bee as like the parent in nature and properties, as hath been pro­ved, as an Egge is like to an Egge: then there is roome for neither in Gods worship; but both mother and child, like Ha­gar and Ismael, must out of dores: for the parallels of Saboth, Sun, and other things, wherewith he would palliate, they are not Homogeneall, or of like nature; for nothing can make thē clean in Gods worship, being mans device and worship still.

[Page 52] Againe, p. 28, 29. the maintenance of these shreadie and scrappie Prayers, from gadding of the soule, is but a gadding argument. We have spoken of the ground of short and sappy ejaculati­ons, Epist. 121. upon other ground, and nothing like the foolish patches of the Masse-book. Austin tells us of the many prayers that the Israelites made in the Egyptian fornace, and that they were short ejaculations, but they would have continued them, but for their burthens; but men are forced to breake off here, where there is no burthen, but the Service-booke it selfe.

Againe, p. 33. he hath a plea from the Lepro [...]-house, wherein we are very willing to joyne issues with him; he confesseth that the old Roman Liturgie was like a Leprous house, the plague was spread in it; but now it is picked, scraped, plaiste­red with well-tempered. (or rather untempered morter) hee should have said, that upon the deepest search no corruption can appeare, and therefore to be judged cleane by the Law; but there he goeth too farre, and farther (we conceive) then most of the Prelates would doe in a cold mood; yea, herein he is contradictory to himselfe, p. 34. for he acknowledgeth scars and defects in it; p. 33. and in his last page of the Survey of the Parallels, he joynes in evidence with the Author, in the dis­covery of errours, and sueth for justice; but if the Leprosie breake out againe, Levit. 14. 43, 44, 45. then no affection of our Communion may lodge it. Now to apply, as the house infected, was utterly to be demolished, and the rubbish and ruines thereof to be car­ried forth into an uncleane place: The Leprosie of the Masse he grants to be this fretting Leprosie, the pieces wee have (though we have them not all) are the very same in another tongue. The Leprosie, of whose matter, manner, and con­tagious effects, wee have fully proved; and the burthen of Ceremonies therein contained and pressed upon mens con­sciences, to have beene, and to be still abominable Idols. Then it will follow, that all the water and industry of the world cannot cleanse it, no more than the skin of a Black-a­moore, or the spots of a Leopard, which God can only change, but will not doe with matters or meanes of strange wor­ship; then, as rubbish they are to be cast out into an uncleane [Page 53] place: marke, an uncleane place, not the meanest cleane place allowed it, much lesse the Sanctuary of God. Upon this place, [...]ynsworth. a learned Author observeth, that we are taught by this severe Iudgement, to abandon all sinne, but more particularly, to abolish all Idolatry and Instruments, and Implements of Idolatry. Citing that place which might serve to cleare this point, Esay 30. 32 if there were no more: Yee shall also defile the cove­ring of the graven Images, and the ornaments of thy molten Ima­ges, &c. Thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth; thou shalt say unto it, get thee hence. Upon the passages of the Appendix we shall touch when we answer the Objections; as for the parallel which he vieweth, the Author will make it good.

We proceed then, Sect. under your Honours favour, to our suit against the Liturgy, without controversie, it is the garment spotted with the flesh, Veise 23. 1 Thess. 5. 22. condemned by the Apostle Iude, which some expound by that of the Apostle, to be an abstaining from an appearance of evill; and so indeed, this were enough to a­bolish the book. The best Expositors apply the place against the Carnall Rites and Id [...]latrous Ceremonies, devised by men in Gods worship; which, if the Papists were cleared, (saith one) from the grossest of their Idolatry and Paganisme, would condemne them, and will not the retainment and mainte­nance exceedingly condemne us, that professe we are come out of Babel? To these Rites and Ceremonies, saith the same Author, as to that spotted profession of Popery, Doctor Willet. we should not conforme our selves, neither in use nor opinion, but decline in all things, the very shadow and shew of them. What can be said more emphatically to the purpose? as God is to bee admired in the least of his creatures, as well as in the grea­test, (saith a Father; H [...]ero. Ep Nepotian.) [...]ta mente Christo dedita &c. So a minde devoted to Christ, doth as well take heed of small faults as of great, especially in Gods worship. The Hypocriticall and Idolatrous Jewes are not onely rebuked and threatned for eating of Swines flesh, Esay 65. 4. contrary to the Law; but also, that the broath was found in their vessels. Austin comparing the ten plagues of Egypt, with the ten Commandements, tells us, Quaest, 4. 5 that the turning of the water into bloud, doth signifie the corrup­ting [Page 54] of divine worship by humane and carnall inventions of flesh and bloud. The Service-booke and Ceremonies being such, we have grounds to desire, and your Honours to grant (as we conceive) [...]j [...]ctionem firmam, against them both. Sarah by Gods appointment, wils Abraham to cast out Hagar and Ismael, Gen. 21. 10 the Bond woman and her sonne: and why the Mother with the Sonne; for it seemes she offended not? yes, it see­meth (as the learned doe observe) shee was an Abbetter of her Sons evill; so the Service-booke and the Prelates, the Cup and the Cover, the Mother and the Son, should be cast out together: that riddle of the Snow and the Water may well be applyed to them, ‘Mater me genuit, mater quoque gignitur exme.’

My mother brought forth me, and is brought forth by me; that proud Hierarchicall humour in Austin the first, brought in the Liturgie, and that Liturgie hath brought out, and hath kept up to this day the Hierarchie; if Christ be King of, and in his Church, in a more glorious and eminentiall way (as who dare deny it?) in word, though too many doe deny it in deed, then consequently, without all controversie, he must appoint his owne officers, government, and service. Now, there is nothing more inculcated, and laid home in the Book of God, than Christs Kingly office, to which all are subject, and it is subject to none; wee will but cite some few places of many: Psal. 2. 6. I have set, or annoynted (saith God) my King upon Zion, the mountaine of my Holinesse, by which he meaneth his Church. Whence a learned godly Minister delivered with­in these few dayes; that as Christ set up his Church, so it is his to provide for it. To appoint and no others, offices and offi­cers, and all religious service or worship, to which we were onely to submit, and to none other; another testimony from the Prophet Esay shall suffice: Esay 9. 6. Ʋnto us a childe is borne, and a sonne is given, and the government shall be upon his shoul­ders, and his name shall be called wonderfull, &c. Now, if God never tooke off this government from Christ his shoulders, nor Christ never gave it up, nor all the powers of heaven, earth, and hell, be able to shake it; then first it must follow, (as the Spirit speaketh) Verse 7. that of the increase of his government [Page 55] there must be no end. Secondly, it is every way as good by con­sequence, that he will have no service or worship, but of his own appointment. Porphyrius, who was a great Necromancer, (as Eusebius witnesseth) doth tell us amongst other things, Lib. 5. de­prep. Evang c. 6. that the Devils themselves (whom he calls Gods) signifie unto their especiall servants, the Magitians, Quibus rebus &c. with what things they are made to appeare, what is to be offered unto them, what dayes they should chuse, and what signes and Images they should make: which assertion Austin confirmeth, Lib. 1. [...] Civil. [...] Non potuit nisi ipsis primis doccentibus disc [...] quid quisque illorum appe­tat, vel quid exhorreat; it could never be learned but by their teaching (meaning the Devils) what every one of them de­sireth, and what they abhorre: since the Devill then loves to be Gods Ape in every thing, and his highest Meniall servants account it nothing but reason, that he should prescribe orders in his own House, and appoint what Service and Ceremonies therein as he pleaseth; shall not the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, and onely he, appoint how, and by what meanes he will be served in his owne House; this is the reason why the Service of God is called [...], 1 Epist. c. 2. 2. reasonable service, for so we translate it, which might be more emphatically rendred, sincere service, unmixed service, according to the Word; for so the originall word signifieth, as the Apostle Peter calls the word, [...], the sincere milke of the Word. Now, to draw to an end, for we are forced in the bulke to exceed our intention; we crave leave further of your Ho­nours to binde our desires with three strong motives for ef­fecting of the worke, namely, from Example or Patterne for doing of it, from danger if it be not done, and from the uni­versall Covenant binding every one in his place to the doing of it.

CHAP. IX.

CHAP. X.
Of the Covenant.

THe third Motive for removall of this Booke, may be taken from the Protestation dated May 5. 1641. Con­firmed, sent abroad, and solemnly sworne unto; yea, and bound up with a publique Covenant, on the publike day of Thanksgiving, by Ministers and People, so that it is an in­violable Covenant stricken betweene God▪ and us, like unto that in Nehemiah, Nehe. 9. 38 which is there called a sure Covenant, a written Covenant, to which our Princes, Ministers and People seale unto, from which we cannot depart, except we will incurre that fearfull Judgement threatned against Covenant-breakers, Psal. 15. 4. Emblemed out unto us in Scripture, by dividing of the Sacrifices, Gen. 15. 17 and causing the parties to goe betwixt them, admonishing, that God will so divide them in his wrath, if they forsake the Covenant: The subject of the Covenant consisteth of three parts: Jer. 34. 18. In the first we are sworne and tyed to maintaine all the Rights of Religion, King, and State: In the second, to oppose all Persons and Things, that do oppose [Page 64] the three former mentioned, and more specifically, to oppose with all our life and power, all Popery and Popish Innovati­ons, which Expressions are thrice mentioned; once in the Protestation, or oath, and twice in the Explanation: the third and last piece of the subject, is the Peace of the three Kingdomes, England, Scotland, and Ireland, which we by Oath are also bound to maintaine: Hence two Arguments will offer themselves; one more directly, and the other by way of consequence.

For the former, Sect. if all Popery and Popish Innovations are to be opposed, then it will follow, that the Service booke and Ceremonies should be opposed, and by consequence, by your Authority abolished, Verba Statuti sunt amplianda, non re­stringenda, the words of Acts and Statutes for good, and against evil, are to be taken in the largest extent: but the words themselves, are universall enough. Now that the Ser­vice-Book and Ceremonies therein contained, and pressed upon mens Consciences, are Popery, We, and many others have cleared; yea they are Popish Innovations, Nam omnia quae à Christo non sunt, nova sunt, all things that are not from our King Christ in his worship, are meere Innovations, as Ter­tullian was wont to call Praxeas, Cont. Prax. hesternum Praxeam, a yester­dayes upstart: so one, and all of them, are Exotick and upstart things; It is true indeed by the Malignity of the Masters of those Ceremonies, the bulke was increased, and would have been like the Crocodiles, who grow so long as they have a being; if you had not come in place of the Tutyrites, a creature terrible to the Crocodiles, which leapeth upon their backs and brings them to the shoare; but otherwise for the kinde, Plin. lib. 8. cap. 25. they are all non ejusdem farinae, sed furfuris, the same kinde of Bran; and as the Woman said of the Foxes, If one be good; all are good. For the further confirmation, that they are Popish, we have proof, from that Treatise of Ceremonies annexed to the Service-Booke; Bible in the Dutch letter, An. 1561. in some antient Copies we have read, that they thought good to retaine some Popish Cere­monies: but in another Coppy they call them the old Ceremo­nies retained still, all one in effect.

The latter argument, from the Protestantion, Sect. by way of se­quell, [Page 65] is from out mutuall Covenant, and Oath, joyntly, and severally to maintaine the Peace of the three Kingdomes, which is impossible to be done, in the Opinion of our Bre­thren the Scots, without Identity of Discipline and Wor­ship; witnesse the very words of the Arguments, by the Scottish Commissioners, given to the Lords of the Treaty, perswading Conformity in these, to be the chiefe meanes of Peace.

We vvill transcribe some passages, for all vve cannot, lea­ving the thing it selfe to your honours revievv. It is (say they) to be wished, that there were one Confession of Faith; one forme of Catechisme, one directory for all the parts of Gods publique Worship: as Prayer, Preaching, administration of Sacra­ments, Pag. 2. &c.

The Arguments that they use, are first, from the Conjuncti­on of spirit and presence, both of great and small; of Assemblies in the Court and other where; where there is Onenesse of worship: but by the contrary, there is division, where the worship is diverse.

Secondly, Ʋnity of worship will extinguish those Nick-names; as Puritanes and Shismaticks, put upon professors.

Thirdly, This will make the Ministers of both Nations, with face of face, labour strenuously, and cheerfully to build up the Bo­dy of Christ.

Fourthly, and lastly, Pag. 3, 4. This will break the back of the Recusants hope of bringing Rome into England, all which works strongly for peace, the sense whereof we cite, though not the very words: But if this unity of Worship be not (say the Commis­sioners) there is no unity in Polity or Church to be looked for: for as all the former combustions, and stormy tempests, for­merly arose from that Popish Service-booke, borne in upon them, whereby all the three States were much indangered: so they professe in plain termes, that their Reformation so dearly bought, shall again be spoiled and defaced from England; and whatsoever peace shall be agreed upon, they do not conceive, Pag. 8. how without Reformation it shall ever be firm and durable. for that Service Governement, and Officers, being none of Christs; but the maine Evill, and the cause of all Evill in the three Nations: that Maxime observed by the Commis­sioners, [Page 66] we may feare will prove too true, the same causes will not fayle to produce the same Effects: witnesse Symeon and Levyes digging through the wall, that is, the present con­spired Plots of Treason, like to blow up all, if they be not hindered, even when you and your Brethren are making up the breach: Now as we are tyed by Oath to the preservation of this Peace, according to our Power; We can look for no Peace with God, nor blessing from God; if we give way to that, or suffer that, according to our power, that breaketh this peace. They say in the Preface of the Ceremonies, that with­out Ceremontes it is impossible to keep Order, or quiet Discipline in the Church. So we reply, that Mans Ceremonies in Gods Worship, will spoyle the peace and quietnesse, both of Dis­cipline and Worship, witnesse the putting of the Arke upon the Philistimes Cart, though it was a new one. Erasmus tel­leth us, Apoph, 66. quòd mala non sunt tantùm abolenda, sed etiam quae speciem mali in se habent, things evill of themselves, are not on­ly to be abolished, but those that have in them Appearance of Evill. In all this, Noble Senators, We take not upon us to put uncouth glosses upon your Edicts, but under favour, we use the words without forcing, to overturne that which crosseth the Truth and Peace of Religion and State: as Meanes con­duce to the End, so impediments frustrate the end, if they be not removed. And now since (under favour) We have pre­sumed to inlarge our selves in this point of Peace, We beg leave of your Honours to speake a word, or two of the Im­probabilities of Peace here among our selves, without re­movall of that stumbling block, the Service-Booke. People can worse be without the Ordinance, then without Liber­ties, Lives and Being. When Pompey the Great, was about to supply Rome with food, in a great [...]amine, the Master of the Ship told him, when he went aboard (a great Storme appearing) that he could not sayle and live. Pompey replyed, ‘ [...].’ There is necessity of Sayling, but not of Living: and in this case what shall they doe? for with this Mock-ordinance, or Will-worship, of the Service-booke, they dare not joyne: There are such multitudes of people (saith Smectymnu [...]) that [Page 67] distaste this Booke, that unlesse it be taken a course withall, there is no hope of any mutuall agreement, between Gods Ministers and their people. We will say no more of this: but let the sudden tumult raised by that make-bate Service-Book in Scotland, be a seasonable Caveat to us and all other Nations, to strike with Authority, lest that which should be done with the Right hand, be done unhappily with the Left hand.

Here might be place for another Motive, namely, from the reward, sed recte fecisse praemium, to doe nobly is reward enough, God imployeth not man, propter indigentiam, sed propter munificentiam, so much for any need of him, as for ho­nouring of him, by that imployment: up then, as the Lord bidd­eth you, your Honour shall be blazoned through the world, you shall be called the Saviours upon Mount Zion in setting Christ on his Throne, and the Kingdome shall be the Lords.

CHAP. XI.
The Objections. Object.

NOw, we come in the last place, to remove some Obje­ctions, which we shall shew to be of no great weight, 1. Object. Sect. and therefore we use the fewer words:

The first is from the Antiquity of the Service-Booke, to which Doctor Hal [...] and others have received an answer by Smectymnuus; but say it had Antiquity without truth, it were no better than a custome of errour, 2 Object. Sect. Et nullum tempus occurrit Deo, there is no prescription to the King of Kings.

The second Objection: Many good men have used it, and liked it well; for answer, Testimonia humana non faciunt fi­dem, Mans approbation is not current of it selfe, but as it buts [Page 70] upon the faithfull witnesse, otherwise it is an inartificiall ar­gument, as Logicians call it; the Patriarchs used, and did many things that were not approveable; some good Kings of Iudah, 1 King. 14. 4 1. 22. 43. 2 King. 18. 4 to 9. as Amaziah and Iehosaphat, tooke not away the High places, were they any whit the better for that? yea, the suffering of them is set up as the Kings fault; it were better to follow Hezekiah that tooke them away. Master Wom­m [...]cke alleadgeth for the Service-booke, that Rome is not de­molished in the first day, and so we alleadge against it, that good men in mending times, did either see as farre as their Horizon, or at least as they durst: So wee have more light, and are set upon their shoulders, therefore it is both sinne and shame for us not to see more, and doe more than they did: Hezekiah did more than Iosaphat, and Iosiah more than they both.

Thirdly, 3. Object. Sect. it is objected, that it hath many good things in it; that is answered already, the Alcoran and Talmud have ma­ny good things in them: yea, the Apocrypha Bookes have many excellent truths in them, are they therefore to be pre­sented in Gods worship.

The fourth objection is from a more convenient course of correcting of it, 4. Object. Sect. than of cashiering of it. For answer, what King or State did ever yet thrive in moyling and toyling themselves, to make cleane the Popes leprous stuffe, to bring it into the worship of God; but all that ever prospered in that worke, made utter extirpation. Popes will be content to heare of reformation, and give order for it to their Cardi­nals, but they are joyned to their Idols, as God speakes of Ephraim, Elos. 4. 17. Let them alone.

Secondly, this is not Gods course in reforming of his house: as the rubbish of the Leprous house was to bee cast out into an uncleane place, as hath beene said; so polluted pieces of Idolatrous service, Lev. 14. 43. are not to be brought by any cleansing, into the House of God; God commandeth his people to throw downe the Altars of the Canaanite: where under Altars are comprehended all other abominations; they were not to set a new trim upon any of them, but because they obeyed not the Lord, they smarted for it. Blessed bee God, Judg. 2. 2. who hath put it into your hearts, to strike at Altars, [...], Pictures, Crosses, and all the Popish Idols; wee are in [Page 71] good hope you will not leave a Popish Relique in the Land, neither in Church or Street, and then we may be sure there shall no Canaanite dwell in our Land: this scraping and pick­ing that Master Wommock speakes of, will be no better then paring of the nayles, and shaving of the haire, which as the Great Turke said of his Army, will quickly grow againe; yea, and grow againe the faster too: good medicines in naturall things may be extracted out of ranke poysons, but so cannot pure worship out of things polluted, being mans inventi­ons; therefore the Prophet Esay telleth us, Esa. 30. 22. that nothing will serve, but the casting away of the polluted thing, not clean­sing of it.

The fifth and last objection, 5. Object. Sect. is from Acts of Parliament, which the Service-book-men make the staffe of their confi­dence; and yet in truth, being well tryed, it shall be found, that they abuse the state and consciences of men most grosse­ly. Doctor Hall and others, strike much on that string, as Parliamentary Acts peremptorily establishment; yet they make but very harsh Musicke. A man would thinke that Doctor Hall, being a learned Divine, would first have laid this wor­ship of Liturgy in the ballance of the Sanctuary, and tryed the weight of it there, and if it had proved too light, (as surely it would) then to have counted it a piacle against God and man; to offer to make up the waight with humane Lawes. It is not unworthy your remembrance, how one of the later brood of the Scotrish Prelates, alleadging, or rather mis-al­leading before our late Soveraigne King Iames, some Act of Parliament, for the establishing and maintenance of the Pre­lacy; the King asked a Noble-man being by, being a great Legist and Officer of State, what he thought of those Acts? the Noble-man replyed, That it went never well with them, since their Church men laboured more to be versed in the Acts of Parliament, than in the Acts of the Apostles. But to the matter for all this cry, we are more than halfe confident, they shall have but little wooll for the Service-booke from the Acts of State, when they are well looked into. Wee know not any colour of confirmation for this Service-booke, except that Statute prefixed to it, 1 Eliz. 6. 2. which how little it maketh for it, let the words of the Statute testifie, of which we shall set downe those that are most pertinent; for it is needlesse to write [Page 72] them all. In the fifth and sixth yeare of King Edward the sixth, an Act was made for the establishing of a Booke, cal­led The Booke of Common-prayer, the which was repealed in the first yeare of Queene Mary, which Statute of repeale was made voide by this same Act the first yeare of Queene Elizabeth; and that the aforesaid Booke, with the altera­tions and additions therein added, shall stand and be; and all Ministers shall use the said Booke, authorized by Act of Parliament in the said fifth and sixth yeare of King Edward the sixth, and no other. This is the summe of the Statute, in relation to the Subject, namely, What Service-booke it is that the Statute establisheth; and for any thing we can see, there is not one passage or title for confirmation, or establishing any other Service-booke, but that of King Edward the sixth; divers Ministers in King Iames his time urged vvith subscription, answered the Prelates, True it was, that if they refused, they and theirs were like to bee desolated; but if they yeelded, they should make themselves transgressours of the Lawes of the King­dome, in subscribing to another Booke than that, established by Law: the Prelates in pressing this subscription, forced two Statutes, namely, the Statute alleadged by the change of the Booke; 13. Eliz. cap. 12. and also another Statute requiring no subscription, but barely to the Articles of Religion, which onely concerne the Confession of true Christian faith, and the Doctrine of the Sacraments.

Now, Sect. to come to further answer; let us grant by way of Confession that there were an Act, or Acts for ratifying of the Booke, which in terminis we cannot see, (as Statutes use to be expressed) yet by the Law of charity and duty, we hold our selves bound to beleeve, that a State professing the truth of Religion, would never inact so, for a Service-booke of mans device, as that it might be a snare to the people of God, ha­ving other ends; as a kinde of uniformity, supply for want of Ministery, and bringing Papists to the Church, but not to presse it in the bulke beyond the spheare of any mans Conscience, witnesse a Rubricke in King Edward the sixth his Booke; but give it to speake as punctually for the Booke as they would have it, shall it be simply good? for that, it is onely in the power of a divine Statute simply to make a thing good, all Divines, Humanists, and Lawyers, that have written on the [Page 73] Laws, August. de Civil. Dei lib. 9. concurre in this Maxime, Omnium legum inanis censu­ra, nisidivinae legis imaginem gerant, the power of all Laws is void, except they beare the impression of the Law of God: the Orator gives a reason for it, [...]ex divina omnium legum cen­sura, Cic. lib. 3. de Repub. the divine Law is the standard of all lawes, yea, a thing evill in it selfe established by a Law, becommeth worse, as the learned tell us, it becommeth armata injust [...]tia an armed in­justice, Lib. 4. last. Lucan. li. 1. May. or with Laciantius to the same purpose, legitime inju­rias inferre, to do injurie in forme of Law, just with the Poet, jusque da [...]um sceleri—well Englished and licenced.

Which truth also is cleared from divine Authority: the Psalmist complaineth of the injurious evill done upon Gods Church and People, Psal. 94. 20. aggravating it from this, (that is) it was framed by a decree; which place, the Authour of Zyons Plea, ap­plyeth very pertinently to the Hierarchie, proving it to be the Master-sin, wherewith the Church and State are peste­red, and for which especially, God hath a controversie with us, because it is decreed by a Law; and as a Law for the Hie­rarchie proved of no force to keepe it up, no more then the late Lawes of Scotland could uphold their Prelates: so grant that there were a Law for the Service-book, the thing being naught, what could it help it? Within these hundred yeeres there was a Law in England, for the Popes suprema­cie, say that were not repealed, stood it either with Rea­son, Religion or Loyalty to submit unto it? Yea, some frag­ments of Lawes are yet unrepealed in this land, that no ju­dicious man will obey: neither have we alledged those evi­dences upon this suspition, to encounter with any Statutes; but to stop the mouthes of those men, who would make the Statute-Law a blinde guide, under which their unlawfull cal­lings, and superstitious service, might march furiously against the word of truth.

Now, Sect. to come to an end, (for we are sorry we could be no briefer) we will onely answer this Quaere, consisting of these two heads: First, whether we do approve of any set-prayer in a more private way: And secondly, whether we do approve of any set-liturgie in publike; to both these we answer ingenuously as we thinke; and for the former, we do thinke that parties in their infancie or ignorance, may use formes of prayer, well and wholsomely set, for helps and props [Page 74] of their imbecillity, yea, riper Christians may do well to read such profitable formes, the matter whereof may by setting of their affections on edge, prepare and fit them as matter of Meditation, the better for Prayer; but for those parties so to continue without progresse to conceived prayer; were as if children should still be poring upon spelling, and never learne to reade; or, as if children or weak should still go by hold, or upon crutches, and never go right out. We may say of set-prayer used for infirmity, as Divines say of the legall ceremo­nies, in the interim, that they were tolerable, not necessary; and so vvhatsoever is, or may be said in the behalfe of it, is not so much (as vve conceive) for the commendation of it, as for the toleration of it for a time; and for giving satisfacti­on to scrupulous consciences, for the vvarrantable use of it in case of necessity.

To the second head; Sect. for a set forme of Liturgia in publique vve ansvver, that vvith all the Reformed Churches vve do al­lovv a sound forme of set-liturgie, as an exampler, or president of our performance of holy ordinance, but so, that none should tie himselfe, or be tied to those Prayers, Exhortations, and other things, in the Liturgie, much lesse should it be violent­ly thrust upon any Minister or people; vvhich proves in very deed a limiting of the spirit, especially, in a Minister able to pray in and by the holy Ghost, yea, it is a very transplantati­on of the Essence or Nature of Prayer, vvherein the vvords are to follovv the affections, and not the affections the vvords, as it doth in the best set formes, but for our Liturgie, vvhat can be said for formes, or hath been said, that cannot be said for the Popish Liturgie; but the clothing it in another tongue; yet this is pressed under great penalty, upon all the Ministers; Canon 38. vvho, if they had the tongues of Angels, they should not pray, till every rag and remnant of that be said. To shut up the businesse, if this Liturgie, idque caput mali, being the head piece of our evill vvere put avvay, vve should have no more ado about such a Liturgie; then the Masters of the Synagogue had, vvhen after the reading of the Lavv and the Prophets, Acts 13. 15 they desired Paul to preach, vvhere vvithout que­stion, as the learned observe, Calvin. Prayer was not vvanting.