MY Dear-beloved, and Zealous Brethren and Sisters here Assembled in this holy Congregation, I am to unfold, unravell, untwist, unty, unloose, and undoe to your uncapable understandings, some small. Reasons, the Matter, the Causes, the Motives, the Grounds, the Principles, the Maxims, the whyes and the wherefores, wherefore and why, we reject, omit, abandon, contemne, despise, and are and ought to be withstanders and opposers of the Service-book, (called by the hard name of Liturgy) or Common-prayer, which hath continued in the Church of England 84. yeeres.

I have exactly examined and collected some Notes and observations out of the Learned Hebrew translated volumes of Rabby Ananias, Rabby Achito­phel, Rabby Iscariot, Rabby Simon Magus, Rabby Demas, and Rabby Alex­ander the Coppersmith, and all nor any of their writings doth in any place so much as mention that Book, or any such kind of Service to be used all by them; I have farther taken paines in looking over some Caldean, Persian, Egyptian, Arabian, and Arminian Authors (of which I understood not one word) I also (with the like diligence and understanding have viewed the Turkish Alacron, and there I found not any syllable concerning either Liturgie, Common-prayer or Divine Service. As for Greek Authors I must confesse I understand them not (or negatively) for which Reason I leave them, as impertinnet, and touch­ing the Latine Writers, they are partiall in this case, the tongue being Roma­nian, and the Idiome is Babilonish, which seems to me an Intricate confusion.

I having carefully veiwed the Tomes and Tenets of Religion, and books of all manner of Hierogliphicks, writings, Scrolles, Tallies; Scores and Characters, and finding nothing for the maintaining of that Booke or Liturgie, I lookt into the Ecclesiasticall History, written by one Eusibius, and another fellow they call Socrates, wherein I found many Arguments and Incitements to move [Page 3]men to such doctrine as is comprised and compiled in the Liturgie. After that I searched into the Acts and Monuments of this Kingdome, written by old Fox and there I found that the Composers of it were Bishops and Doctors, and great learned Schollers men of unfained Integrity, of Impregnable Constancy. who with invincible Faith suffered most Glorious Martyrdome by the Papall Tyranny, for the writing and maintaining that Book, with the true Protestant Religion contained in it.

Brethren, I must confesse that I was somewhat puzzled in my mind at these things, and I could not be satisfied till I had consulted with some of our devout Brothers our brother How the Cobler was the first I brake my mind to and we advised to call or summon a Synod to be held in my Lord Brooks Stable (the Reverend Spence [...] the stable Groome being the Metropolitan there. At our meeting there was Greene the Felt-maker. Barebones the Leatherseller, Squire the Taylor, with Hoare a Weaver, & Davison a Bonelace-maker of Messenden, & Paul Hickson of Wickham Taylor with some foure or five Bakers dozzens of Weavers Millers, Tinkers, Botchers, Broomemen Porters, of all Trades, many of them bringing notes with them fitting for our purpose, which notes they had taken carefully from the instructions of the demi-martyrs and round and Sound Confessors, St. B. St. B. and St. B. out of which (with our owne Ca­pacities and ingenuities to boot) we have collected and gathered, these sound and infallible objections against the Book of Common Prayer, or Liturgie, as followeth.

For our owne parts (my Brothren) it is for the Reputation and Honour of our Holy Cause and Calling to contest, maligne and cavill, where we are not able either to convince by Reasons or Arguments; therefore I having trac'd the Booke from end to end, and yet (upon the matter) to no end for such ends as we would conclude upon, I find nothing in it disagreeing to Gods word or or agreeing with our doctrine. The first prayer called the Confession, is quite contrary to our appetites and profession, for to consesse that Wee have erred and strayed like lost Sheep, is to acknowledge our selves to silly horned Beasts and Cuckolds, our Children (by that reckoning should be Lampes, our Wives Yewes and we (their innocent husbands) must be Rame; and every Lay Preach­er, or Preaching Treadesmen would be accounteda Bellwheather to the flocke or Heard

Neither do we think it fit to make our selves appear so weak witted, or Pusil­lani mious as to confesse that We have left undone those things Which we ought to have done, & done those things which we ought not to have done, for such a con­fession will lay open our Disloyalty our Intrusion our Transgressions, Rebelli­ons, and Treasons we shall therein acknowledge our selves, by omitting of du­ties, [Page 4]and committing of Villanies in Churchand State, do deserve justly the se­verity of God, and the Kings Lawes to be our deserved Wages: besides, we hold it to be a retractive deminishing of valour, a Popish kind of Cowardly Effeminate submission, which our stout hearts stiffe necks, and stubborne knees will never stoop or bow to, for the old Proverb is Confesse and he, &c.

Concerning the second Prayer (called the Absolution) for the remission of sinnes through Christ, though Christ hath given power and commandement (to his lawfull Ministers) to declare and pronounce in his Name to all true re­penting sinners, the absolution and remission of their sinnes yet we will not beleeve it to be available, but esteeme it as Popish and Superstitious.

As for the Lords Prayer, which the Pa [...]ist [...] call by the Romish or latine name of Pater Noster we must confesse it is Pithy and short but had our advices beene at the making of it, it should have beene two yards and a halfe longer, (by Londons measure) besides we would like it better if it were not Command­ed or enjoyned upon us. Mat. 6.9. and Luk. 11.2. for our faiths cannot brook to be limited within the compasse of any Command. Deeree, Edict, Law, Sta­tute, Order, Rule, Ordinance, Government, or Authority, either of God or the King; besides, in that prayer there is mention made of forgiving such as Trespasse agianst us, which our Doctrine or Natures cannot incline to, for we doe never remember a good turne and very seldome or never forget or forgive Injury. Therefore for these considerable Causes (and many more) we think it requisite to forbeare that brief Prayer, and zealously to advance the Altitude of our spacious Eares, to receive the longitude of a three houres repetition for our more furctifying Edification.

Thirdly, for the desiring the Lord to open our lips that our mouths might shew forth his praise: it is known that we can doe that extempory (by the spirit) and it belongs to our Teacher to open his lips and pray, but it is our parts to give spirituall attention, and not to open out lips but onely at the singing of old Robert Wisdomes Madrigall, or the like. And whereas we are commmanded to stand at the saying of Gloria Patri, to avoid that Ceremony, we hold it best not to say it at all.

As for the 95. Psalme (or, O come let us sing, &c.) we obiect against it for two Reasons, the one is of falling downe and worshipping and kneeling; and the other is, we will neither kneel, fall downe or worship, because it is an ex­pression of humility and revererce, which we utterly refuse to give either to God or man. As for the order of reading the first Lesson, we could like it bet­ter if it were not so ordered; It were necessary we had freedome to read what when and where we list (for order is odious) and whereas there is appointed a Hymne, called by a latine name, Te Deum laudamus, we doe conceive the [Page 5]matter of it to be very good, but that it was composed by a Bishop (one Am­brose) of a City and Province in Italy called Millaine, and that the said Am­brose was not onely a Bishop, but (for his godly life and holy writings) he was made a Saint; for these causes we leave him and his Hymne to, as being too much conformable to edification decency, order and obedience

Likewise the second Lesson may be read, but not that which is appointed for the day, for (as is aforesaid) we cannot abide any thing that is appointed or ordered by Authority, that our Consciences being at liberty we may the more freely shew our selves the lawlesse sonnes and daughters of confusion.

And though it hath beene a custome very significant (and as ancient as the primitive times of Christian Religion) to repeat the Articles of the Beleise standing, our understanding, notwithstanding doth withstand that kind of Po­sture, for no other reason, but because the Church ordain'd it, and the Law commands it; and truly we doe know no sence or Reason to stand to any say­ing of Faith, for it is one of our principles that whatsoever we say we will stand to nothing.

Next followeth the Lords prayer againe (as the Protestants-call it) and a prayer composed of Versicles, wherein the Minister and People, do (as it were by Questions Answers) desire Gods mercy, and the granting of salvation, after which they pray O Lord save the King, which is by us wonderfully dislik't and omitted, and when we are to render the cause of it, we shall not want insuf­ficient Answers which we have studiously pond [...]ed in the learned Colled­ges of Amsterdam, and New-England. Then there followeth, Give Peace in our time O Lord, which we utterly detest, for if once that Prayer be granted, many of us (except the King be more mercifull then we deserve) shall be hang­ed for rebellion and treason (and glad we scape so too) the best we can look for is the advancing againe the Protestant Religion, and then downe goe we with all our spirituall inspirations and Long-winded Repetitions, we shall be silen­ced (which is a terrible torture) or banish't from our zealous Sisters, our Col­lections and Contributions will be abrogated and annihillated, our Puddings and Plum-broth will be in the forlorne hope, and our selves excluded, extir­pated, exiled, excommunicated, as extraordinary, extravigant, unexempled Rascals and Coxcombes for these considerations of martiall validity, weight, and deep consequence (altogether Repugnant and Malignant to our holy pro­fession of Brown [...]sme and Anabaptisme) we will neither have Peace (although we dare not fight in warre) no Peace I'le pray for, therefore good brethren, I pray you no prayer for Peace.

And for saying, God make our hearts cleane within us, and take not thy holy spirit from us; these words are impertinent for us to speak, for we know our [Page 6]hearts to be cleane and pure already, and for the Spirit. it is tyed so fast to us that it cannot be taken from us, or from any that will beleeve us.

For the Evening prayer, there is one Collect for Peace and another for the enlightning of our darknesse; we have already declared our minds, though all the world knowes us to be Hipocrites, yet we doe know that a godly [...]oyall peace will coufound us, therfore we will not Hypocritically pray for that which we desire not to have; and for our darkenesse though it be palpable to be felt (like the darknesse of Aegypt, yea more darke then Ignorance it selfe) yet we, have by instigation found light in abundandance, our weights are light, our Mothers. Wives, Sisters. Annts, Neeces, Daughters and female servants are light, our invisible Hornes are light, our Words Deeds. Thoughts▪ Conscien­ces, payment of debt and Religion is light (or of light account) our faith in God and loyalty to the King, are most Translucently light, Apparantly light, Reful gently light, Illustrately light, Transparently light, Internally light, Ex­ternally light. Infernally light, Emblazond, Perspicuated Cognominated, Pro­pogated, and Promulgated to all the world to be light (lighter then any thing that can be called lightnesse) lighter then Vapour, Ayre, Smoak. Flame, Dust, Chaffe, Wind, Feather, Froath, Cork, Yeast, Fogge, Puste, Blast, a Whore, Va­nity, yea more light then Vanity it selfe.

As concerning Quicunque Vult (or whosoever will be saved) it is an argu­ment that he that will be, may be, and he that will not may chuse whether he will or no, which implies a free will (a very Popish conclusion) also that Creed is concluded to be called Catholicke, which word we like not,

Next followeth the Latinie, which is a hard word to us, and sounds in our spacious Eares as it were latine (or the Beasts language) we confesse there are some few sentences, that may be tolerated, but we ought to remember our selves and take heed, that we avoid praying against fornication, sedition, Con­spiracy, false Doctrines. Heresie, hardnesse of heart, and contempt of Gods Word and Commandement; for you know Brethren, that these are daily and nightly Contemplations, and Recreations; besides it seemes to be a swearing kind of Invocation (As) By the Incarnation, by the Nativity and Circumcision Baptisme, Fasting, Temptation, Agony, Bloody sweat, Crosse, Passion, Death, Buriall, Resurrection, Ascension, and comming of the Holy Ghost (All which is most certainly true) but we ought to find out some other By word then the word By, for though by them all true Beleevers are saved, yet that is no warrant or argument we should sweare by them.

Then there is praying that the Church may be ruled and governed in the right way, which if that be granted, what will become of us that doe know our selves to be none of the true Church, therefore that prayer belongs not to us.

Then followeth beseechings for blessings to be upon the King, Queen, and Royall Posterity, and that they may have Victory over all their Enemies, and all the World knowes we are none of their friends, therefore these prayers are Apocryphy to us, neither will we be so simple to pray against our selves, and the Case is plain that Rebellion must be tamed before the King can be victo [...]ous.

Then followes praying for Bishops (whom we cannot abide, nor can we shew wherefore) and amongst the rest there is a prayer for all women lahouring with child, in which prayer many a loose harlot may be comprehended, therefore it had been firter to have prayed for all women labouring of child lawfully begot­ten, for verily it is sinfull to pray for either Root Stock, Lim. Bough, Branch, Sprigge, Leafe, Fruit or seed of the wicked. I like well of the last verse (ex­cept one) of this same Latine, wherein we pray, that the fruits of the earth may be given and preserved to our use (but with this proviso) that we alone and none but we (who labour in the holy Cause) should enjoy them in due time, or at any time.

Then there are prayers for Mercy, for Grace, for Desence & victory in war, for preservation from Plague and Pestilence, for Bishops againe, and Curates, for Raine for faire weather, for Reliefe in dearth and famine; then there fol­loweth 84. things which they call Collects, wherein many holy Saints are Re­membred on certaine peculiar dayes, and though we can justly find nothing but what is agreeable to Gods word in the whole Liturgy, yet the purity of our singular Doctrines doe hold it prophane and Popish for we have the Spirit to prompt us, insomuch as our grave Patriots have lately thought it fit to unsaint all the Saints, and all the Churches and Houses of God in London, have been these many monthes distoabed of their Sanctimonious names, and are all ex­communicated out of the weekly diseased Bill; for now the Churches are to be called no more St. John, St. Peter, but Peters, Andrews, James, Johns, Georges, Church or Parish: with so many dyed of such and such diseases, or by casualty such or such a Rascall hang'd himselfe, for playing a Judas part against his Soveraigne.

Next followeth the ten Commandements (which we neglect to say) be­cause they are of the old Testament, and the Law was given to the Jewes, we that are Christians are freed from it by the Gospell; besides it is said to have two Tables, one shewing our duty towards God the others towards man, con­cerning the first of them we hold our selves clea [...]e from Idolatry, swearing and prophanation; for the second, vve conceive it not to bind us either to give honour to the King or Magistrates (they being the Fathers and P [...]otectors of our Country, Wealth, estates, and all vve enjoy under God) nor to our naturall Parents, if they be not of our faith.

At the Communion there are prayers for the King againe, and the Beliefe, vvith Repeating some portions of Scripture to move men to Charity and good vvorks all vvhich vve omit, for onely faith is our practice, and for good vvorks, or Charity, vve hold it to be unnecessary, and therefore vve vvill neither use or doe any: Neither will we receivelying, standing, sitting, nor kneeling (by any meanes) nor any way that is commanded by order, in what place or Country whatsoever; as for publike or private Baptisme, vve are able to doe that our selves, either in a Bason a River, a Brook, a Pond a Pool, a Di [...]ch or a Puddle, nor doe we hold it fitting but that we be Godfathers and Godmo­thers to our Children our selves, and call them what Scripture names we list. Nay, we will Church our wives our selves too. And as for Matrimony we will save that charges, and take one anothers words, for we must take our wives vvords for our Children, and vvhy nor for themselves, as for the visitation of the sicke and Buriall of the dead they are both fit to be done, the one is ne­cessary, because the Brethren and Sisters may meet and salute and Feast.

And as for the Buriall of the dead the case is all mens, besides Boyes, vvo­men and Children, but a grave and learned long standing Lecturer did lately find out the right vvay of Buriall; for an old man that dyed in the Parish of St. James neer the Dukes place vvithin Aldgate, at vvhich Funerall he Preach­ed and in his Sermon he told the dead man his faults very Roundly, and abu­sed the Corps more for ten shillings then any Conformable Preacher vvould have done for tvventy, and vvhen he came to the laying the Body in the Ground, he ommitted all old order and Ceremonies of Buriall, onely thus briefly he said,