growing and increasing of Popery and that proneness that is in people to run head-long back again to the Garlick and Onions of Egypt this argument sure is sufficient to make us all believe the Ark of God is in danger But the truth is the Persons that make the Argument are none of the most likely men to prevent what they complain of For who have done so much to harden that Popish party to give them encouragement and advantage as they have done not to mention their Club-law and Sequestrations with the sale of their estates no Cogent Arguments sure to resolve and settle Conscience what by charging them with such things as cannot be made good against them and by condemning what is not to be disallowed in them and by opposing very weakly with more strength of passion than reason what is justly to be reproved they have made them more inflexible and obstinate in their opinions And they have given them advantage also by their factious Confederacies against that Hierarchy of the Church whose Learning and Authority is under God the onely probable means to check and silence them It was a most remarkable observation in the Sermon of the late most Reverend Archbishop upon the Scaffold alluding to that Counsel of the Priests and Pharisees against our Saviour Joh. 11.48 Men are afraid saith he that if they let this man alone the Romans will come and that Popery will prevail and then they will take away our place and our Nation but it proved the contrary for after they had put that man to death then the Romans came indeed and vanquish'd the City Popery could never have broken in upon us to shake the Ark of God in its decent and happy settlement amongst us as long as our lawful Governours were undisturbed in their station They were our new door-keepers they that thrust out the right Possessors to make room for their own ambiâ—ion they turn'd the Key and opened the Door nay they pull'd down the walls of Gods House and let in Popery It was their turning the Ark of God into a Noab's Ark where so many sorts of wild and unclean beasts were herded up together without order or distinction their dangerous mistakes in Doctrine their horrible confusions in Discipline their irreligious defalcations of some parts of Gods worship and their scandalous irreverence in the performance of all the rest these disorders caused so many to abhor the offering of the Lord and they inclined others whether more out of devotion and reverence that out of levity and a desire of change I shall not determine but inclin'd they were upon this account to lend a weak ear to the insinuations of those cunning Charmers of the Church of Rome For to use the words of that Wise and Learned Archbishop A Relation of the Conference with Fisher in Epist Ceremonies are the Hedge that fence the substance of Religion from all the Indignities which Prophaness and Sacriledge too commonly put upon it And this I have observed that no one thing hath made conscientious men more wavering in their own minds or more apt and easie to be drawn aside from the sincerity of Religion professed in the Church of England then the want of Uniform and Decent Order in too many Churches of the Kingdom And the Romanists have been apt to say The Houses of God could not be suffered to lie so Nastily as in some places they have done were the true worship of God observed in them or did the people think that such it were And I may add this as a further matter of scandal and advantage to them when men do openly proclaim and that so crudely and without any distinction that there is not a Nation under heaven * Mr. Calamy's challenge pag. 13. amounts to a positive assertion except this Nation of England that ever enjoyed the Gospel a hundred years together which is so apparently false that nothing can well be more false than that is when they tell us that gray hairs are upon the Gospel which is everlasting * Heb. 12.27 28. ch 8. ult Rev. 14.6 and can never wax old who can fence off the Scandal and not be transported with indignation to hear the holy Text abused by such absur'd allusions designed on purpose to raise up amuzements and jealousies in the people And we may now see the said Archbishops just Complaint to His Majesty of ever Blessed Memory verified In his Relation of the Conference in Epist by too sad an instance That the Church of England was in a hard condition She professes the antient Catholick Faith and yet the Romanist condemns her of Novelty in her Doctrine She practises Church-government as it hath been in use in all Ages and all Places where the Church of Christ hath taken any Rooting both in and ever since the Apostles times and yet the Separatist condemns her for Antichristianism in her Discipline The plain truth is she is between these two Factions as between two Mill-stonâ—s and unless your Majesty look to it to whose trust she is committed she 'll be ground to Powder to an irreparable both dishonour and loss to this Kingdom And 't is very remarkable that while both these press hard upon the Church of England both of them cry out upon persecution like froward children which scratch and kick and bite and yet cry out all the while as if themselves were kill'd What successe this great Distemper Ibid. paulo post caused by the Collision of two such Factions may have I know not I cannot Prophesie We may change the Phrase into A great Distemper caused by their Coalition and clubbing of Interests to gain a Toleration what success this may have I know not but as that renowned Prelate goes on though I cannot Prophesie Ibid. paulo post yet I fear that Atheism and Irreligion gathers strength while the Truth is thus weakned by an unworthy way of contending for it And while they thus contend neither part consider that they are in a way to induce upon themselves and others that contrary extream which they seem most both to fear and oppose But let the Ark of God be setled with a decent splendor and all the parts of Gods worship and service be performed with a due and becoming Reverence and in order hereunto let the Hierarchy of the Church enjoy its full Authority and incouragement and then we shall be in no such danger of Apostasie to either of these Factions 5. But however they say we have reason to perswade our selves that England's Ark is in danger to be lost were it only for the sins and prodigious iniquities that we are guilty of our Common-wealth sins drunkenness and uncleanness bribery and oppression our Sanctuary-sins our remissness and unfruitfulness our indifferency and lukewarmness the prophanation of Sabbaths and the strange unheard of unthankfulness that is amongst us And that Commination will extend to us if we be guilty of the like
Countries We thought Abana and Parphar Rivers of Damascus better then all the waters of Israel Men grew precise and squeamish they would not wash and be clean unless they might have Cisterns of their own hewing out nor drink of the water of life though it ran never so freely unless it were conveyed to them in new Pipes of their own casting Some there were that did strictly hold themselves to the Form of godliness the Solemn Worship of God established in the Church who notwithstanding in the looseness of their lives did shamefully deny the power thereof Others there were that did pretend to be so over-born with the power of godliness that they would allow no Form at all for the regulation and exercise of it All the innocent Ceremonies that had constantly attended the solemn devotions of pious Antiquity were look'd upon as the very dress and trimmings of Hypocrisie Reverence in Gods Worship was accounted superstitious and the holy Incense of Morning and Evening Prayers no better then abomination Even such of the people which make up the greatest number of its adversaries as never had judgment or wit enough to understand it had yet malice enough infused into them to deride and scorn the Holy Service of the Church And as an evidence that this disease was grown desperate our greatest quarrel was at those Physitians whose practice and prescriptions were the most probable means to reduce us to our Christian temper When I consider the carriage of the people Israel under Gods gracious dispensations 2 Chron. 36.15 16. methinks I see the Character of our English Nation in these late years The Lord God of their Fathers sent to them by his Messengers rising up betimes and sending because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place But they mocked the Messengers of God and despised his Word and misused his Prophets until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people till there was no remedy For when the Patient grows so raving so out of temper as to strike his Physitian and throw away his Antidotes there remain no ordinary methods that can cure him And then the Bedlam and the chain the whip and the skrews all the violences of a severe discipline are the best instances of our kindness Such was the condition of Israel Hosea 4.1 2 4. The Lord hath a Controversie with the Inhabitants of the Land because there is no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the Land By swearing and lying and killing and stealing and committing Adultery they break out and bloud toucheth bloud Therefore shall the Land mourn Yet let no man strive nor reprove another for this people are as they that strive with the Priest When sin begins to spread amongst a people what remedy does Almighty God use to apply to heâ—l and stop it there is the Authority of a Judge to oppose it and the Reprehension of the Priest to give a check to it But when God does inhibite these his Officers from using their Authority and exercising their Jurisdiction 't is a sign that people is grown obstinate shameless and incorrigible When they grow so insolent as to contradict the Priest in his own office wherein doubtless he is Gods Vicegerent that people is past Grace as it runs in the ordinary Channel and unless God useth some other methods of Discipline there is no hopes of their amendment So it follows in the Prophet Hosea 4.5 Therefore shalt thou fall in the day When they had the clear light of heaven shining round about them the light of knowledge and the light of comfort and prosperity in this noon day Thou shalt stumble and fall faith the Lord and the Prophet also shall fall with thee in the night the false Prophet shall be benighted and lose himself in the darknesse of his own vain imaginaâ—ions and I will destroy thy Mother saith the Lord the Church and Nation from whose womb thou hast had thy birth in whose bosome thou hast had thy breeding and to whose blessings thou owest the procurement of thy prosperity We may mâ—ke England the Scene of that Prophesie as well as Jerusalem for the whole Tragedy hath been acted over in all its parts amongst us with a full solemnity God he took notice of our misdemeanours under his most gracious dispensations towards our Superiours his Vicegerents both Civil and Ecclesiastical and he was wroth and upon so great provocations as we were guilty of he did to us as he had done to Israel He delivered our strength into Captivity and our beauty into the Enemies hands That Ark that Form of Gods Worship that had procured such miracles of mercy for us in 88. and at the intended powder-plot That Ark whose virtue had been so often tryed to good effect in times of war pestilence and famine And our Beauty that Form of Solemn Worship which rendred the Church of England amiable above all the Reformed Churches and a true Copy of that Holy City that New Jerusalem which S. John saw coming down from God out of heaven prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband Rev. 21.2 For our many provocations He delivered This our strength into Captivity and This our beauty into the Enemies hands The glory was upon departing from our Israel and I had almost said That the abomination of desolation was set up in the holy place When the most magnificent House of God that we had in our Land was turned into a stable and many men yea many Priests such was their Apostacy had no more reverence for it then the very beasts that perished by a strange vengeance inflicted without doubt upon that sort of Cattle for that Sacrilegious prophanation That Faction which had tyred out the patience of two great Princes * Queen Elizabeth and K. James with Petitions solliciting to have those Walls of Church Government levelled that Garrison dismantled wherein the Ark of God was in safe custody amongst us They that so often attempted to fire it out with their Squibs of scoffing Pamphlets and to batter it down with their paper-bullets for want of better Arguments At last assoon as opportunity and advantage favour'd them for their rage could stay no longer they assaulted it how unlike Christs Lambs and the Servants of the Prince of peace I need not tell you but with Swords and Pistols Pikes and Cannons they assaulted it And because this Ark could not otherwise fall into their hands the chief Priest yea and the Prince too must fall before it as a Sacrifice to their fury And which is more that they might utterly extinguish our hopes and cut off all possibility of its Restitution as much as in them lay they did cut off the Royal line that should protect it and the succession of a regular Priesthood that should minister unto it And now might the devout soul that was pregnant with the passions of grief and love fall in travel and for want of other issue give birth to
a lamentation and name that Ichabod for the glory is departed from Israel and we the true Sons of the Church of England in the condition that Israel was in when they sate by the waters of Babylon and wept they hung up their Harps which were now grown uselesse because their sorrows for the desolations of Zion had silenced all their melody And yet we are call'd upon to believe that all these violences were design'd but to shake the dust out of the Badgers skins and to brush the Curtains and to Reform the Tabernacle that the pure gold of the Ark might shine the brighter in the simplicity of its own lustre That is just as the Souldiers came with Swords and Staves from the High Priests to apprehend and secure the Lamb of God and brought him before Pilate out of kindness that he might have the honour to clear and acquit himself But what became of the Ark of God in the midst of these disorders Why we heard of the same at Ephrata we found it in the wood Psal 132.6 some harmless Country people would tell us some tydings of it but it was in the wood like one bewildered strip'd of its due Attendants and Solemnities And yet as forlorn as it was its Captivity was a punishment not only to the Jews but also to the Philistims to them that triumph'd over it as well as to them that had lost the possession and forfeited the blessings of it The adversaries could not destroy it nor could they court it into their assistance The Dagon which they set up for themselves to worship fell before it with the loss of hands and head deprived not of strength only but of counsel too They provided a new Cart for it such was the new Discipline hewn out and rudely put together by Mr. Calvin and others in this last Century and the Classes were the Wheels of it and this the Faction drove on furiously for a while and stop'd not no not at the Red Sea they drove it into a Sea of blood but the Cattle that were yoked together to hurry it away were so unreasonable and head-strong they could not agree where or how to set it up and that they might not hurry it into utter ruine God was pleased to look thorow a frightful Cloud upon them Exod. 14.24 25. and took off their Chariot-wheels to trouble and discomfit them At last David the King being preserved and returnâ—n by as great a miracle of providence as the Ark it self in order to his own settlement he gives order to prepare the Tabernacle for the settlement of the Ark and summoneth all the heads of the Priests and Levites with the Nobles and Elders of the people So they brought the Ark of God c. We are no less happy then they in the decent situation of our Ark I pray God we may be no less dutiful in our gratulation for it To which purpose me â—hinks every devout soul should be a breathing out that Quaere of the Psalmist Psal 116. Quid Retribuam what shall I render unto the Lord for this great this signal benefit done unto us you can do no better than resolve with him I will come into thy house with burnt offerings I will pay thee my vows which I promised with my lips Psal 66.13 14. and spâ—ke with my mouth when I was in trouble for the Ark of God And because God takes no pleasure in the flesh of beasts neither will he drink the blood of Bulls or Goats but requires of us a spiritual a living and a reasonable Sacrifice Rom. 12.1 I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service Having nothing else that can be acceptable to him who gave himself for us we should have the same devotion the same mind that was in the holy Martyrs we should have our hearts and wills prepared if duly call'd to it to be made a sacrifice by others in the mean time we should make an Oblation of our selves have our whole spirits souls and bodies devoted to Gods service and the service of his Church Such a devotion was in the great Apostle Phil. 2.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If I be offered up as a libamen a liquid oblation upon the Sacrifice and Liturgy of your faith I joy and rejoyce with you all But Here is a twofold oblation recommended to us by the example before us in the Text. 1. A burnt sacrifice And 2. A peace-offering and such we must offer in a spiritual sense and we must offer 1. A burnt sacrifice and that upon a double account as such sacrifices use to be offered up upon 1. To acknowledge Gods Power and Dominion and Revere his signal Goodness herein demonstrated David hath furnished us with a Psalm to this purpose Psal 124. wherein the Church blesseth God for a miraculous deliverance of her self and the Ark of God setled in her possession If it had not been the Lord who was on our side now may Israel say If it had not been the Lord who was on our side when men rose up against us Then they had swallowed us up quick when their wrath was kindled against us Then the water had overwhelmed us the stream had gone over our soul Then the proud waters had gone over our soul Blessed be the Lord who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowler the snare is broken and we are escaped Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth Non nobis Domine non nobis therefore not unto us Lord not unto us but unto thy name be the praise Thou art worthy to receive glory and honour and praise but to us there belongeth nothing but shame and confusion of face for we contributed only to the reproach and captivity of Gods Ark and solemn worship its happy restitution and settlement we ow to thy signal power and goodness great and marvellous are thy works Lord God Almighty just and true are thy ways thou King of Saints Who shall not fear thee O Lord and glorifie thy name Rev. 15.3 4. 2. A second design of our spiritual burnt sacrifice must be to make an atonement for those miscarriages which forfeited our interest in the Ark and betrayed it into captivity It was good advice of the Priests and Diviners to the Philistims when they consulted them about returning the Ark of God 1 Sam. 6.3 Oh! send it not away empty said they but in any wise return God a trespass-offering with it that you may be healed The captivity of that Ark wrought a strange conviction in the Philistims as well as in the Jews The Philistims saw clearly they had no reason to triumph in this defeat they had given Israel for though they had won the field they had got no
3. We must submit to this Settlement in regard of that Ministry under which it is setled these are not like those false Prophets which come in sheeps clothing but inwardly they are ravening wolves We know them well enough by their fruits these are contented to subsist upon that portion which the Laws of God and man allow them and would not be Pensioners to your Purses lest they should be tempted to flatter you and betray your souls for they seek not yours but you These are none of Jeroboams Priests the meanest Mechanicks amongst the people set up by an Usurper to entertain the devotions of the people in the worship of his Calves left by having recourse to Jerusalem to the Ark of God and the Priesthood that does attend upon it they should be invited to their duty and return their Allegiance to their Sovereign This Hierarchy that now attends the Ark and worship of God did not arise up of it self as the heads of Factions many times do or out of the bottomlesse pit which is no better a Pedigree but it derives its Mission and Authority as it should do in a visible line of succession from Christ and his Apostles and is most Consonant to the pattern in the Old Testament where as we are told by the Apostle the Synagogue was a Type or Shadow of the Christian Church Heb. 10.1 where likewise God did promise that for the service of this Church being made up for the most part of Gentiles He would take of the Gentiles and make them Priests and Levites to himself Isa 66.22 by which legal name of Priests and Levites what doth he understand but such as we call Presbyters and Deacons upon which grounds the Antient Fathers presum'd a correspondence between that Hierarchy of the old and this of the New Testament And if we look into the Degrees of this Hierarchy we shall find they run parallel in their agreement See Clavi Trabales p. 117. with those designed of old to Minister unto the Ark of God There was Aaron answerable to Christ Eleazar a Numb 3.32 Neh. 11.10 11 14. to Archbishops Princes b Ezr. 8.24 29. of Priests b to Bishops Priests to Presbyters Princes c Neh. 11.16 22. of Levites c to Archdeacons Levites to Deacons Nethinims to Clerks and Sextons Is it not probable then that God will bless and accept of a Ministery of his own institution and allowance 1 Chron. 15.12 rather then one of our fond contrivance and seeing the saving efficacy of the Ministery depends wholly upon Gods blessing and gracious acceptation are we not highly concern'd to submit to that Ministry which derives its Original regularly from God and upon that account hath the fairest title to his blessing and acceptation if this be not inducement enough we have an obligation laid upon us from his command Heb. 13.7 Remember your Prelates your guides which have the rule over you who have spoken unto you the word of God whose faith follow considering the end of their conversation and Vers 17. Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give an account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you 4. There is one Consideration more that should induce you to submit to this Settlement of the Ark and that is the solemnity with which it is setled Besides the Type and Pattern for it in the Old Testament there are four general Rules left upon Record by the Apostle for the direction of Prelates and other Superiours in setling the Ark of Gods solemn worship 1. That all be done to the glory of God a 1 Cor. 10.31 2. That all be done to the edification of the Church of God b 1 Cor. 14.26 3. That all be done decently and worthily c 1 Cor. 11.27 29. as becomes the service we perform and the Majesty we adore d 1 Cor. 14.40 4. That all things be done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to order e 1 Cor. 14.40 These Rules are observ'd in our Settlement 1. And first of the last of these It belongs unquestionably to the Office of Ecclesiastical Governours to set things in Order so St Paul in the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 11. ult The rest will I set in order * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when I come so Titus in Crete an Island that had 100 Cities in it for this cause I left thee in Crete that thou shouldst set in order †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things that are wanting or left undone Tit. 1.5 and it was not left to every mans choice whether he would submit such as did not observe these Orders were punished by the censures of the Church 2 Thes 3.6 14 15. Now we command you brethren in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that ye withdraw your selves from every brother that walketh disorderly * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not after the tradition which he received of us But when Order is kept it is matter of satisfaction to the Apostle so he tells the Colossians for though I be absent in the flesh yet am I with you in the Spirit joying and beholding your order It cannot be denied Col. 2.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but this Rule is observed amongst us in the Settlement of the Ark the solemn worship and service of God is setled by Order And 2. It is setled decently is it decent to be uncovered in the presence of a Magistrate and is it not decent to be so in the presence of the eternal God is it decent to kneel when you tender a Petition to your Prince and is it not decent to do so when you Petition the King of Kings is it decent to rise up and bow the head when you make an acknowledgment to your Superiours and is it not decent to use the like reverence when you address your recognitions and homage to him who is Lord over all blessed for ever is not external bodily worship required in the second Commandment Is it not your duty are you not called upon in holy Scripture to worship the Lord in the beauty of holinesse And what doth the Church of England require of you but this in her solemn service And 3. Is not the Settlement of the Ark according to the third Rule for edification I hope there are none so impudent as to deny it of the Prayers themselves and those Portions of Scripture Hymns appointed in this Service these are not non-sense they are intelligible and for edification and for the rest the Gestures and Ceremonies I shall make it clear to you We kneel at our prayers to signifie that we are in want and that we are humble Petitioners to a Divince Majesty We stand up at the Gospel and the Creed out of Reverence not only to signifie that we will stand fast in the profession of
our Faith but to intimate also that we esteem that profession venerable * Jam. 2.7 We bow at the Name of Jesus to assert his Deity and that he is to be adored as Mediator in his Humane Nature wherein he doth accomplish the work of our Redemption and so effectually becomes a Saviour We kneel at the Sacrament that the Ceremony may be a memento to us of Christs real presence in those dreadful Mysteries and put us in mind to invoke his blessing and assistance in the action Wherein the Crosse in Baptisin doth edifie I need not tell you you are told as often as it is used what it signifies it is a token that we should not be asham'd to confess the faith of Christ crucified * See S. Mark 8.34 with 38. How the Surplice the fine linen serves unto edification you may learn of the Psalmist whose Prayer as well as insinuation it is Psal 132.9 16. that the Priests be clothed with righteousnesse and salvation that the Saints may shout for joy And does not the Ring in Marriage edifie doth it not give a lesson to the married Couple It doth teach them that the love and fidelity plighted to one another should be inviolable and endlesse That very order of reading the second Service in the Chancel at the Altar or Lords Table where it is used does signifie something to our edification for you must know that part of the Solemn Service does belong to the Communion which the piety of antient times frequented at least every Lords day now this practice if it cannot shame us out of our neglect and carelessness yet it will put us in mind that it is our duty to draw nigh unto God in that sacred Ordinance and it may heat us into some holy and passionate breathings after it which is a spiritual kind of communion In short let the Solemnity wherein the Ark is setled amongst us be well and duly considered and there is not a circumstance but hath something of decency in it and a tendency to the use of edifying according to the Rule of the Apostle 4. And for the glory of God which is the prime and fundamental Rule of all every thing hath a tendency to that and if I could conceive how any one Ceremony in use amongst us does tend to Gods dishonour with the leave of Authority my own hand should be the first upon it to pluck it off the Ark. But indeed there is not a Church in all the world that hath those glorious advantages that this Church of England hath where there is such a beauty of holinesse where there are such decencies of external splendor to set off the efficacy of her essential purity And when I speak of external splendor in the service of God do not take offence at it for the Aâ—k under the Old Testament did put off her Wilderness habit her old Tabernacle with the Curtains of Goats-skins when it came to be setled in a state of peace and prosperity in Jerusalem and so should the Church of God do under the Gospel Rev. 12.6 She is indeed resembled to a woman fled into the Wilderness in the times of persecution but afterwards when Constantine the Emperour became a Christian and a nursing Father to the Church then we find her decked and trim'd up as a Bride adorned for her husband Revel 21.2 The Kings daughter is all glorious within and her clothing is of wrought gold this is a Prophesie of Christs Spouse his Church under the New Testament Psal 45.13 c. She shall be brought unto the King in rayment of needle-work and the Virgins that be her companions shall bear her company with joy and gladness shall they be brought and shall enter into the Kings palace and this leads me from the first part or ingredient of our Peace offering for the Arks happy settlement our dutiful submission to it to the Second 2. Our joyful gratulation for it And now I must call upon you as the Psalmist doth O go your way into his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise Take the Psalm bring hither the Tabret the merry Harp with the Lute blow up the Trumpet as in the new moon When the Ark of God was solemnly setled the people of God had their joyful gratulations for they cried out Psal 132.8 9. Arise O Lord into thy rest thou and the Ark of thy strength Let thy Priests be * In their Priestly habits clothed with righteousnesse and let thy Saints shout for joy and shall not the Saints under the Gospel rejoyce as much at the setling of the Christian Ark Rev. 19.6 7 8. St John informs us of a Revelation he had to this purpose I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude and as the voice of many waters and as the voice of mighty thundrings saying Allelujah for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth Let us be glad and rejoyce and give honour to him for the marriage of the Lamb is come and his wife hath made her self ready And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen clean and white for the fine linen is the righteousnesse of the Saints so we render it but very improperly as the learned have observed it signifies rather the Ordinances of the Sanctuary the habits of the Pâ—iests under the Law and by way of allusion it is an intimation of the priviledges of the Church See Dr. Ham. Annot. on Rev. 19. and the decent solemnities of Gods publick worship and service under the Reign of Constantine And if they did so thunder out their gratulations then for such a happy settlement why should not all good Christians do the like now If you have not motives enough without you have you not enough within you 1. Where is your love to the Ark of God do not all the friends of the Bridegroom and Bride put on their wedding garments and rejoyce to attend the solemnity of their espousals the Spouse of Christ is now put into her wedding dress amongst us if we have any love to Bride or Bridegroom we cannot chuse but rejoyce and put on our festival robes the garments of praise at least festival affections I will lift up my hands to thy testimonies kept in the holy Ark which I have loved love will make a man lift up his â—ands to blesse God and himself too God for the settlement and himself for the enjoyment But 2. If thou hast no love to the Ark hast thou no interest in it interest will begeâ— love and kindle joy we see â—his in all relations in the parts of the body in reference to their fellow membeâ—s if one member be honoured all the members rejoyce with it we see it in the woman in reference to her money rejoyce with me for I have found my groat which was lost in the Father in reference to his Son it was meet we should make merry and be glad for this my
unfruitfulness Therefore I say unto you the Kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof Mat. 21.43 Pudet haec opprobria nobis Et dici potuisse non potuisse refelli I must ingenuously confess we have but too much cause to be ashamed that we have requited the Lord no better that we have no better means to wipe off the stain of this most deserved reproach And unless we do seasonably repent God will visit for these things and be avenged of such an ingrateful Nation as this is In old Eli's time when the Priests were guilty of so much intemperance and uncleanness so much rapine and sacriledge and yet the out-cries of a complaining people could not awaken the Supreme Governour to unsheath his sword to redress these exorbitancies but the Priests proceeded to multiply and aggravate their crimes and the Prince his Lenity made his reprehensions but little better then a Toleration or Connivance and so the people fell into irreligion and prophaneness they abhorred the offering of the Lord When there was such a complication of sins and the sins of the Rulers as well Ecclesiastical as Civil did both procure and encourage sin in the people Then the Holy Oracle grew silent God himself departed the Cherubims made use of their wings to flye away and the Ark of God was taken If we be in league with Hell 1 Sam. chap. 3. 4. the Ark of the Covenant will not owne us Now the energy and efficacy of witchcrafts depends upon a League with Hell and Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft as long therefore as we cleave unto and in our hearts follow an Usurper we can have no saving Communion with the Ark of God no more then Israel had while they marched after Jeroboam They are nothing else but their iniquities that do separate betwixt God and his people Isa 59.1 Jer. 7.7 c. it is their sins that with-hold good things from them even the blessings of the Ark and God's Holy Temple As for the beauty of his Ornament he set it in Majesty but they made the image of their abominations and of their detestable things therein Therefore have I set it far from them And I will give it into the hands of the strangers for a prey and to the wicked of the earth for a spoil and they shall pollute it Ezek. 7.20 21. Under the Gospel we finde one Church that left her first Love Another that was neither hot nor cold Rev. chap. 2 3. A third that had a name that she lived but really she was dead A fourth that had such in her bosome and communion as did teach the wicked policies of Balaam and the unclean doctrine of the Nicolaitans A fifth that did grant a Toleration to Jezabel notwithstanding her execrable Artifice and practices in seducing such as had been dedicated to God's Service to commit Fornication and Idolatry And what became of all these Churcheâ— Why their Candlestick was removed and the Ark of God was taken from them And though the Ark of God were entail'd upon England yet there is a measure there are aggravations there are combinations of sin that when they are once made up will provoke God to use his prerogative over us not in a way of mercy but of justice to cut off that entail and determine as he did in another case against it Though England were the signet upon my right hand yet would I pluck thee thence And yet this I must take leave to interpose in vindication of the present Church of England The fault is not in her She may truly say the Sons of Zeruiah are too hard for us She hath it not in her power to redress things as she would And whose factious clamours and petitions and other acts of open hostility were they that unhing'd the Government and pull'd down those venerable Courts of Justice whose Authority and Splendour were able to dazzle the eyes and break the hearts of the most insolent offenders Till such Courts can be restored we must have patience to preach and pray being in the same condition that we finde the Church of Corinth in 2 Cor. 10.6 Having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience when your obedience shall have been fulfilled The delinquents among them were too numerous and too potent for the Censures of the Church to take place upon them For it is not prudent to exasperate a multitude with the severity of a Discipline which their numbers can so easily over-master But when the Reformation of the major part is so conspicuous and the Zeal of the conformable part so serious and earnest that it may be prudent to proceed against the refractory then the Church will not fail in her duty but inflict such censures upon offenders as shall be suitable to their demerits Having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience when your obedience shall be fulfilled In the mean while we are not without our Prognostications too that the Ark shall still reside and prosper with us 1. Our late Tribulations have wrought patience and our patience experience and our experience Hope A Hope Rom. 5.3 4 5. we trust that will never make ashamed We argue our selves into this perswasion by the Logick of Manoah's wise If the Lord were pleased to destroy us Judg. 13.23 He would not have received an offering at our hands nor would he have shewed us all these things He would not have heard our prayers nor have wrought such miracles of mercy for the Restitution of his Ark amongst us A mercy that the Church of England may very well celebrate with a very little variation of the expressions in the 83. Psalm For loe our enemies lift up their head and made a tumult They took crafty counsel against thy people They said Come let us cut them off that the name of the Church of England may be no more in remembrance They consulted together with one consent and were confederate The tabernacles of Edom and the Ishmaelites of Moab and the Hagarens Gebal and Ammon and Amalek the Philistines with the Inhabitants of Tyre Assur also was joyned with them and have holpen the Children of Lot But God hath upon the matter done unto them as unto the Midianites as to Sisera as to Jabin which perished at Endor they became as dung for the Earth He made their Princes like Oreb and Zeb yea all their Princes as Zebah and Zalmunna Who said let us take to our selves the houses of God into our possession Our God made them like a wheel that could never fix upon any solid ground of establishment but rolled and turned about in a restless variety of changes At last they were as stubble before the winde God did divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel He did confound their Languages that the building of their Babel could not go forward And all these dispensations were out of a design of
mercy to the Adversaries of this Church God hath filled their faces with shame that they might be induced to joyn with the Church in a due and decent conformity to seek his Name And so let all the Combinations of thy Churches enemies perish O Lord but let them that love thee and thy Church be as the Sun when he goeth forth in his might Judges 5.31 that our Land may be filled with piety devotion and glory and so have rest to all generations God hath done great things for us already whereof we rejoyce and what he hath done he is pleased to make his ingagement to do more if we do not render our selves utterly unworthy and forfeit our Tenure by our obstinate perversities This is one ground of our hope And there is A 2d. The Church of England hath a praying people a people whose devotions are solid and fervent regular and constant a people that do frequent the Publick Prayers of the Church out of humility and obedience out of judgment and prudence and yet do importune God in their Closets day and night too though they love not so much to play the Hypocrite as to sound their Trumpet to tell the world they do so You know the interest of ten righteous persons was so considerable to Almighty God that it should have prevail'd with him for the preservation of five most lewd and vitious Cities and God be blessed we have that number I trust many hundred times told over But because if we continue in sin the Epha a Zach. 5. will be full at last and if we neglect so great salvation and the things that do belong unto our peace those things will be hidden from our eyes and we shall bring upon our selves swift destruction b 2 Pet. 7.2 and then the devotions of holy Prophets will be injoyned silence by Gods own Order Jer. 7.16 Pray not thou for this people for their good c Jer. 14.11 c. 11.14 neither lift up cry nor prayer for them neither make intercession to me for I will not hear thee And though they should pray earnestly and continue their importunity receiving no such express Order as that Prophet Jeremy had to the contrary yet their prayers in this case in this juncture of affairs when the harvest of sin is ripe how effectual soever for themselves would not prevail they would be fruitless as to the generality of persons and the calamity of the Nation for when I bring my sore judgments upon the Land though these three men Noah Daniel and Job were in it as I live Ezek. 14.14 10. saith the Lord God they should deliver neither son nor daughter they should but deliver their own souls by their righteousness Therefore to prevent this dreadful severity of Almighty God give me leave to propound some few Caveats and Directions to you touching your behaviour in reference to the Ark of God by which I understand his sacred Ordinances and so I shall conclude When God was about to descend upon Mount Sinai at the promulgation of the Law Exod. 19. he commanded Moses to set bounds to keep off the people that they might not press upon so dreadful a Majesty to their own ruine The presence of God with his holy Ark in his holy worship is no less sacred no less dreadful than it was on Mount Sinal I must therefore draw a line and set up rails about it as well to secure your interest in it as to preserve that respect and veneration that is due unto it These shall be made up of a six fold Caveat You must 1. Not over value or deifie it 2. Not undervalue or blaspheme it 3. Not invade or profane it 4. Not slander or belye it 5. Not intrude or pry into it 6. Not rifle or plunder it 1. You must not over-value or deifie it A very high esteem and reverence you must have for tthe Ark of God and you may relie upon Gods promise and confidently expect what God hath engaged to do for you by the Ministry thereof But you must not turn the Ark into an Idol exhibere cultum Dei creaturae est Idololatria saith Aquinas if you devote that service to it and place that affiance in it which is due to God alone you do then make an Idol of it You make the Type of Christ to become his Rival you make him jealous of his own Representative and you eclipse his honour by that shadow that was design'd to illustrate and set it off And yet there are some that do more then this worse then this amounts to they do Hyper-deifie it advance it above God yea against God for God will not patronize the guilty Christ will not save the impenitent 't is a desperate presumption to think they will if you expect this from the Ark you do not only turn it into an Idol set it up in Gods stead but you do more then so you exalt it above God you pretend to make it do what God will not do what Christ cannot do you make it a real Antichrist For Christ came to destroy the works of the Devil and to take away sin by the sacrifice of himself And if you make the Ark a Sanctuary for Malefactors you set it up in opposition to Christ and provoke him to Arm himself as it were against it in vindication of his own glory Upon this very account it was that he delivered the Ark under the Law into the hands of the Philistines 1 Sam. 4. and Jer. 7.3 Thus saith the Lord of Hosts the God of Israel amend your ways and your doings and I will cause you to dwell in this place but trust ye not in lying words saying The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord as if that had been a threefold fortification to secure them against all possible calamity But ye trust in lying words that cannot profit will ye steal murder and commit adultery and swear faâ—sly and burn incense unto Baal and waâ—k after other gods whom ye know not and come and stand before me in this house which is called by my name and say we are delivered to do all these abominations is this house that is called by my name become a den of robbers in your eyes Behold even I have seen it saith the Lord But go ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh where I put my name at the first and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel c. That Ark which was the visible Symbol of his presence and the especial Instrument of his worship and service they set it up in opposition to his glory they would have it patronize their sin and protect them in their impenitâ—ncy against Gods severe judgements and this provokes God to give it up to be defiled by reproach and prophanation Let this be a Caveat to you therefore not to over-value or deifie the Ark of God 2. And yet
you must take heed you do not undervalue and blaspheme it not vilifie the solemn service of God perform'd about it This was the sin of Michal the Daughter of Saul she looked thorow a window and saw David clothed in his linen Ephod and dancing after the Musick before the Ark of the Lord and she despised him in her heart 2 Sam. 6.16 yea her heart was swell'd so big with pride and indignation that it could not contain if self within any bounds of moderation it burst out into obloquy for she reproach'd him as a vain and shameless fellow Ver. 20 But David had enough to say for his own vindication that he did thus humble himself it was only in the presence of the Lord who had exalted him and it is very fit that the Majesty of earth should be laid in the dust before the Majesty of heaven and to despise any person for doing God reverence argues an opinion that God may have too much honour that the Solemnity of his worship may be too great for his excellency and transcend the merits of his divine Attributes and that a less devotion will serve his turn But this casteth so dark a reflection upon Gods glory that his patience cannot brook it and therefore the prophaness of Michal's heart and the petulancy of her bitter tongue is punish'd with a barren womb a great reproach in that Nation or if she be with child as some think she was she shall not give birth to it but with the loss of her own life for because of this her carriage towards David upon this occasion Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death 2 Sam. 6.23 And yet it is no Paradox to say we have many of Michal's breed at this day amongst us such as have made a mock at the linen Ephod derided Church-musick designed to celebrate Gods praises scoffed at the very Hymns and Prayers and blasphem'd the whole Solemnity of Gods most sacred worship Have not the servants of the most high God been publickly reviled by the title of Baal's Priests for their reverent attendance upon this service of Gods Ark hath not the establish'd Form of Liturgy been vilified by the name of pottage not only in the foul leaves of Scurrilous Pamphlets but likewise in the mouths of railing Rabshakehs more foul and prophane then they But we cannot be transported with amazement at these things being premonished by the Spirit of Prophesie in the holy Apostles that there should come and that more abundantly in the last days scoffers walking after their own lusts 2 Pet. 3.3 But does not this filthy dirt that is thrown upon the Ark of God dash and bespatter the Majesty of God himself yes surely for Christ saith He that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me such as despise the Ministry that attends upon the Ark they despise not man but God 1 Thes 4.8 the reproaches of them that reproach the Ark of God do fall upon God himself And because they were guilty of Michals sin have they not met with Michals curse too Give them O Lord what wilt thou give them give them a barren womb and dry breasts Hos 9.14 Have they not all been barren that scoffed at the solemn service of Gods Ark either their Conceptions have proved abortive or if the children have come to the birth yet there hath been no strength to bring forth or if they have been delivered yet those breasts that should have suckled the off-spring of this scoffing Mother have proved dry and so the production like the seed sown by the way side hath dwindled away for want of nourishment This was acknowledged in a Sermon preached before that remnant of the House of Commons Jan. 27.1646 7 six year ago saith the Preacher after this Parliament had sate awhile Mr. Jo. Arrow-smith his great wonder in Heaven pag. 36. it was generally believed that she he alludes to that woman which was a Type of the Church Rev. 12.1 was fallen into her travel And in the midst of all those sorrows which have befallen England since her friends encouraged themselves with this hope that the quicker and sharper her pains grew the liker she was to be speedily delilivered of that man-child which was by them so greedily expected But behold as if all these had been but forerunners of her labour not bearing-throws she continues still in pain insomuch as they begin now to think she hath not gone her full time and earnestly to desire she may because they fear nothing more than an Abortive Reformation for so they called they knew not what the thing they projected to build upon the ruines of Gods Church amongst us Remember Michal Remember Sauls daughter her sin and her judgement too and scoff no more at the Solemn Worship and Service perform'd before the Ark of God that is our Second Caveat 3. You must not invade and prophane the Ark God would not allow that any person should Minister about the Ark but such as were of the Tribe of Levi and duly ordained and ballowed for that service Every man might expect a blessing from the Ark but every man might not officiate about it at his own pleasure the highest Gifts gave him no Commission procured him no Authority for this work without a special Consecration for no man taketh this honour unto himself Heb. 5.4 but he that is called of God as was Aaron without this warrant the greatest Zeal though directed by an eminent degree of knowledge in the management of this sacred Function had been no better then a Sacrilegious prophanation When the Oxen stumbled and shook the Ark UZzah put forth his hand out of devotion without all peradventure to uphold it that it might not be overthrown but his good meaning would not excuse his rashness for whether his hand and shoulder withered or he were struck suddenly with a thunder-bolt I shall not take upon me to determine but this I am assured of upon the Credit and Authoriâ—y of the holy Story thaâ— the angeâ— of the Lord was kindled against UZZah and God smote him there for his errour and there he died by the Ark of God 2 Sam. 6.6 7. Eli trembled for fear of the Ark. Shall I give you Mr. Calamy's Application of this accident We have had great disorder heretofore saith he and God is now punishing us for that disorder there were abundance of well-meaning men that usurping the Ministerial Office and forsooth they were afraid the Ark was falling and they laid to their shoulders but their touching the Ark undid the Ark and themselves too and brought a scandal on the Gospel This is Mr. Calamy's Application But if we examine the matter thorowly we shall find him with many others that inveighed fiercely against such as usurped the Ministerial Office involved in the same guilt with UZZah and consequently they fall under the same condemnation
cadent omnia quae terrena sunt ac mundus ipse subvertetur saith Origen such an Earth-quake might ensue as should remove those Mountains of earth that oppose in our way to heaven and level the world under our feet and bring down the Comforter to inlighten and assist us Let us therefore approach the Ark of God with unanimity and this will make us inclinable to the last part of our duty in our demeanor towards the Ark. 4. To approach it with uniformity for our unanimity is to terminate and center there in uniformity Hence the Apostle is so pathetical 1 Cor. 1.10 Now I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions or Schisms among you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgment And why so why that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorifie God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 15.6 That promise of God Jer. 32.39 Ezek. 11.19 I will give them one heart and one way that they may fear me for ever hath reference certainly to the Christian Church But this is such a promise as implies our co-operation for the accomplishment of it I demand then whether God hath perform'd his Engagement to the Christian Church whether he hath done his part in giving his people one way if not then we are to expect some new Revelations for the discovery of that way for how shall it be set open to us otherwise But this is not only contradicted by the Apostle but sentenced too with the dreadful commination of an Anathema for thus he saith though we or an Angel from heaven Gal. 1.8 9. preach any other Gospel unto you then that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed And for the greater verification of this truth he doubles his asseveration as we said before so say I now again if any man preach any other Gospel unto you then that ye have received let him be accursed I am the way saith our Saviour and the truth too and that can be but one we have the mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2.16 saith the Apostle and no man can no man dare deny that to be the one way that God hath promised and this is set open to the world Acts 16.17 by the Ministry of the Apostles and Evangelists These men are the servants of the most high God which shew unto us the way of salvation And if you ask me why some men refuse to walk in this way I must refer you to some of their stubborn fellow travellers for answer Thus saith the Lord Stand ye in the ways and see and ask for the old paths where is the good way and walk therein and ye shall find rest for your souls but they said we will not walk therein Jer. 6.16 And why not why here lies the quarrel God hath appointed certain Guides to direct us and point out the way to us and we are offended at this we make our Guides our stumbling-blocks God hath also given a general Order to these Guides to set up some shades for our better accommodation and to hang up some lights for our more safe and regular walking in this way leaving it to their care and prudence what these shades shall be made of and where these lights shall be set up and here having an over-weening conceit of our own worth and wanting that due reverence for our Guides and Governours which we ought to have we fall out in and about the way too pride and prejudice Envy and Animosity strike in and make us NON-CONFORMISTS The Apostle foresaw this or rather had a present intuition of it in some Churches of his own planting and therefore when he injoyns this accord and uniformity for securing this duty he prescribes also these Caveats Let nothing be done through strif Phil. 2.2 3. or vain-glory but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better then themselves And the same charge he gives to the Ephesians Ephes 4.1 2 3. I therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called with all lowliness and meekness with long suffering forbearing one another in love and by keeping this temper especially towards our Guides endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace Uniformity is this bond of the Churches peace and 't is that that makes her terrible as an Army with Banners which attribute no society of men can boast of Cant. 6.10 but where they all keep the same posture and observe the same motions and obey the same word of command under their respective Officers In obedience therefore to the Apostles command as well as for the honour and advantage of Gods Church Let us as many as be perfect be thus minded Phil. 3.15 that is as it follows in the next verse Let us walk by the same rule let us mind the same thing And I must add to take away an objection that may arise from the words intervening it may be very justly expected that we should be so perfect as is there required for though some novices in the Faith who were then but newly crept out of the darkness of Heathenism or the shades of the Jewish observances though these I say might then expect some further Revelation to inlighten them more clearly in that which by reason of their ignorance or prejudice they were not for the present satisfied in yet we are to expect no such matter we have already attain'd to the utmost we can expect of immediate Revelation a Gal. 2.8 9. Jud. ep 3. and it is our duty Divine Revelation and Command hath made it so in all doubtful matters to resign our judgments up to the conduct of such Guides †Heb. 13 7 17. as God hath set over us and for the truth of this Position I appeal to the declared doctrine of Mr. Baxter for thus he saith * In his Unsavoury Volum◠against Mr. Crandon or his Nosegay presented to Mr. Joseph Caryll page 83. ante finem Let me be bold to tell my opinion to my Brethren of the Ministry that though I deny them to have either credit or Authority against the known Word of God yet so great is their credit and Authority even as Teachers and Guides of the Church in Causes agreeable to the Word and in Causes to the people doubtful and unknown and in Causes left by the Word to their determination the Word determining them but generally that I think the ignorance of this truth hath been the main cause of our sad Confusions and Schisms in England and that the Ministers have been guilty of it partly by an over-modest concealing their Authority and partly by an indiscreet opposition to the Papists errour of the Authority of the Church and I think that till we have better
taught even our godly people what credit and obedience is due to their Teachers and Spiritual Guides the Churches of England shall never have peace or any good or establish'd Order I say again we are broken for want of the knowledg of this truth and till this be known we shall never be well bound up and healed Thus far Mr. Baxter And as many as walk according to this rule Gal. 6.16 peace be on them and mercy and upon the Israel of God Amen Mr Crofton's Position Examined AND An Imposed Liturgy Justified THat 't is pride and an over-weaning Conceit of our own worth which makes men Non-Conformists I shall now give you a pregnant evidence out of the Pamphlet mention'd in the Title-page In a Postscript to that Pamphlet the Authour tells us of a Paper taken out of Mr. Crofton's pocket containing his high way thoughts which he committed to paper to communicate to a Non-Conformist Having procured a Copy thereof as he pretends with some difficulty he sends it to a friend with his leave to make it publick and thereby as he saith to capacitate our Conforming Clergy to resolve if they can one of the great scruples which he saith barreth Mr Crofton's Conformity and Ministration by a Liturgy The Position he lays down is this That A Minister of the Gospel cannot without sin receive a Liturgy generally and exclusively imposed But whaâ— is it the man contends for That an Order and regular Method of praying page 1. reading the Scriptures and administration of other parts of Worship in convenient time and order successively each after other in their proper place this he confesseth to have been used in all Churches of Jews and Christians and This he saith is dictated by all Rules of Order and Prudence necessary to humane Society so specified as to constitute an holy Convocation A Rubrick or Direction he acknowledgeth too as the genuine product of Ecclesiastical Politie and the Forma informans of that Uniformity in publick Order which is maintain'd without Unity of Words and Forms Terms and Expressions as the ornament and konour of any particular and circumscribed Church Such a Liturgy as this â—e allows of that is The Directory But stated Forms for the celebration of Solemn Publick Worship and the several parts thereof composed page 2. digested and for the very words terms and expressions thereof determined and prescribed by some others then the Parson or Minister who standeth to minister Gods Ordinances between God and his Church such an imposed Liturgy he cannot submit unto So that here we have a meer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 6.4 2 Tim. 2.14 a strife about words terms and expressions say the Apostle what he will to the contrary And of what extraction is this quarrel then From whence come wars and strivings amongst you come they not from hence even from the lusts that war in your members The Apostle takes it for granted and the Wise man is positive in it Onely by pride cometh contention And it is so certain in this individuation of it That our Pick-pocket or pretended Mr. Crofton page 3. hath not artifice enough to dissemble it For he saith It cannot be denied to be a most base and slavish servility to prostitute the Office to which we are apted but not without humility and ordained by the Lord Jesus Christ unto the pleasure and prescriptions of men though the best for quality and authority But not so passionate good Mr. Crofton you may please to be so humble as to condescend to such an imposition for peace and order sake and that I prove by this Argument What I may lawfully be determin'd to by my own private judgment that I may lawfully be determin'd to by the judgment of my Superiours But to stated Forms for the celebration of Gods solemn publick worship composed and for the very words terms and expressions digested into method I may lawfully be determined by my own private judgment Therefore To stated Forms for the celebration of Gods solemn publick worship composed and for the very words terms and expressions digested into method I may lawfully be determined by the judgment of my Superiours In this Argument the Minor or Assumption cannot be denyed 't is that Mr. Crofton contends for for I hope he doth not exclude his judgment when he pleads for the liberty of his own Invention to Compose and Modifie his Forms of publick worship The Major is proved thus That which I may lawfully be determined to by a weaker judgment to that I may lawfully be determined by a judgment that is stronger But to stated Forms c. I may lawfully be determined by a weaker judgment viz. my own therefore to stated Forms c. I may lawfully be determined by a judgment that is stronger viz. that of my Superiours To deny the Major in this Argument were to make himself ridiculous and in effect to affirm that a man may see more clearly by a dim light then by a brighter And to deny the Minor were to arrogate to himself a better judgment then that of his Superiours which cannot be done without intolerable pride and presumption contrary to the express order of the Apostle Phil. 2.3 Let nothing be done through strif or vain-glory but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better then themselves That ye may walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called with all lowliness and meekness endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace Eph 4.1 2 3. But to lay the Axe to the very root of this Ratiocination he saith the Ministerial Modification of publick worship by personal abilities Pag. 4 5. is the formal act of the Ministerial Office but to resign this formal act up to a Ministry-destroying-imposition is sinful But I deny the Modification of worship by personal abilities to be the Formal act of the Ministerial Office The Formal act of the Ministerial Office is to Minister the Modification as well by personal Abilities as by publick Authority is extrinsecal and circumstantial to it To make the Modification of the Act to be the Formal act it self is to make the Apparel the Man which is very absur'd except it be in a man of clouts and truly Mr. Crofton's Argument is no better Object But the Imposition and Prescription in Prayer and Sacraments is applicable to preaching Sol. To which I answer 1. That certainly a Sermon is never the worse for being well digested And 2. if it be seen and allowed by Authority I know no harm in it And 3. if it were not an endless work this course would secure the peace and solid edification of the Church the better And 4. when the Presbyterians Preach other mens printed Sermons as some of them are frequently observed to do this is supposed to be no prejudice to the interest of those souls that hear them But the truth is there is a vast difference betwixt Prayer and