Note THIS Discourse was drawn up during the Regency and Authority of the Old Service-Book since which time the many Diseases cleaving to it have it seems occasioned the Death of it and this the raising up of another in its stead of a new Calculation So that I know not whether the Scrutinie here made into the former Book will in all Points touch with the latter I suppose the Herings in the one Barrel differ not much from those in the other Common-Prayer-Book DEVOTIONS Episcopal Delusions OR THE SECOND DEATH OF The Service-Book WHEREIN The unlawfulness with advantage of the Imposition of Liturgies or stinted Forms of Prayer or of the Worship of God and more especially of the English Service-Book is clearly and plainly demonstrated from the Scriptures and grounds in Reason with Answers to the Arguments and Pleas insisted on in Defence of the said Impositions But they shall proceed no further for their folly shall be manifest unto all men as theirs also was 2 Tim. 3.9 His Spirit was stirred within him when he saw the City wholly given to Idolatry Acts 17.16 For this cause was I born and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witness unto the Truth John 18.37 And so will I go in unto the King which is not according to the Law and if I perish I perish Hester 4.16 Am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth Gal. 4.16 Adulterum est impium est sacrilegium est quicquid humano furore instituitur ut dispositio divina violetur Cypr. Lib. 1. Ep. 8. Veritati potest nemo prescribere non spacium temporum no patrocinia personarum Teitul de Veland Virg. Doctis in speciem sanctis hoc consuetum ut caeteris Christo obnixius resistant Mulculus in Mat. p. 423. Printed in the Year 1666. To the Conscientious Reader CHRISTIAN READER THIS ensuing Discourse needeth no Epistle to commend it nor humane Patron to protect it an Epistolary Porch can add no more to its worth than a well placed Beauty-Spot to a good Complection whose Brightness is set off by the contrary Blackness The Workman was a person as well furnished with Stuff Tools Skill for Temple-work as most this last learned Age hath produced the weighty Truth he so strenuously presseth in this ensuing Tract was not the exercise of his Skill and Parts but the genuine birth of his Heart and Conscience a Truth so dear to him that he chose rather to part with Liberty Livelyhood and dear Relations than to shake hands and bid farewel to so endeared a Companion a Truth for which he had been a Sufferer in former Persecutions and for adhering to which he ended his dayes in a kind of Exile in this present Storm a Truth that was so revived upon his Heart and so powerfully prest upon his Conscience when the Blossoms of the Grave were upon him and the welcome messengers of Death had summon'd him to his Rest that he could not Dye till he had Commended it nay Commanded it to all that fear the Lord. The subject matter being a Defence of Pure Primitive Worship needs no Patron but he that is our Lord and Law-giver who stands with his Sword drawn to beat off all Copemates in this his Prerogative and although FILII PERDITIONIS may tug hard to justle Jesus Christ out of his Throne and to sit Paramount in the Temple of God chopping and changing Divine Institutions for Humane Inventions yet the day is at hand when the Builder of the Gospel-Temple shall plead his right with fury poured out How light soever some Scepticks Latitudinarians and others homines omnium horarum may set by Instituted Worship yet in all Ages of the World the sincere Servants of God have chosen rather Banishment and Death than to embrace the Customs of the Heathens or the Institutes of Roman Babylon in their Divine Service as both the Scriptures and Ecclesiastical Writers fully demonstrate Come we to our late times even since the Witnesses in the Marian days Where were more Learned more Godly Men in the World than Cartwright Parker Reynolds Greenham Ames and who knoweth not that these and many more of the same heavenly stamp suffered extream Persecution Deprivations and Banishments rather than they would touch with the Graven Images the work of the Craftsmen that then were and now are the Snares and Nets upon Mispah and Tabor Holy Cotton Shepherd and many others eminent for Piety and ability chose rather to end their dayes in a howling Wilderness than to defile themselves with Idols Learned Cotton answering the greatest Prelate then living that Cultus non Institutus was Idolatry But because some who have been Professors have now their eyes opened with tasting the Hony of Preferment Gain and Security and therefore will not take the Persons before mentioned as competent Witnesses in the Case I might summon in a Jury of the ablest Conformists in former dayes to give in their Verdict for the Araignment Condemnation of Invented Worship In a word all out Protestant Writers who contend with the Papists do use the same Arguments against their numerous Holy-dayes their Oyl-Crisme their Holywater Mass c. as we do against Holy-dayes and other retained Services and Ceremonies But because I will not keep you too long from the Banquet this Book presents you with take only a most famous Prophet of their own the Learned Bishop of Winchester Dr. Andrews in his Exposition upon the Second Commandment his words are these This Commandment which concerns the manner of Worship contains a Precept set down by way of Prohibition in these words NON FACIES TIBI SCULPTILE The Sanction in these words EGO ENIM DEUS TUUS SUM ZELOTYPUS Shewing how they shall be corrected that will not be directed by this Law Concerning the Performance of this Worship two things are commanded first God will have MODUM A SE PRESCRIPTUM Our service must be done in that manner himself prescribes Non simulacrum non Imago damnatur sed non facies tibi thou shalt not make 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Invented and Will-Worship devised by Man is here forbidden Men would have Worship of their own whereas God hath told them whatsoever thing I command you observe to do it thou shalt not add thereto nor diminish from it Hoc tantum facere quod Deus precepit and he brings in a reason assigned by Chrisostom Qui honoratur is maxime eo honore delectatur quem ipse vult non quem nos volumus non est honor sed dedecus si vel contra vel preter mandatum fiat It is rather a disgrace than honour to God to Worship him either against or besides his own Rule Since therefore you have such a Cloud of Witnesses let us run with patience our present race follow them who through great Tribulation have adhered to Jesus Christ If you can stand before the wrath of a jealous God if you can drink the
Servants of God and the King Shadrach Meshach and Abednego in refusing to submit to his Command about the worshipping of his Golden Image Dan. 3.28 29. Again That other Creatures whether animate or inanimate by being contrived or converted into Idols or vested with any honour appropriate unto God are hereby prepared for the swifter destruction by reason of the Jealousie of God the Scriptures testifie yet more abundantly Notwithstanding I shall not insist upon this at present but mention one place onely and point at others And the strong shall be as tow that is the Idols though made of never so strong and durable materials as Iron Brass Stone Silver Gold c. or rather the Strong that is the Idols in which you put your confidence supposing them to be strong and able to protect you against all dangers shall be as the most light and combustible matter not able to make the least resistance against the fire when it is put to it and the Maker of it as a spark that is they that made them Idols by this very contrivance of them shall be the means or occasion of their breaking to pieces their defacement or stamping to powder even as they that make Idols of men as was lately shewed do hereby occasion and hasten their ruine and they shall both burn together Idol and Idol-maker shall be destroyed together i. e. as well one as the other and none shall quench them that is they shall certainly perish what means soever shall be made to preserve the one or the other Isa 1.31 See more of this Truth 2 King 18.4 Exod. 32.20 2 King 23.4 5 6 c. 2 Chron. 15.16 Jer. 10.11 Isa 2.18 Jer. 50.2 Ezek. 6.4 6 8 11 12.30.13 with others 4. From the aforesaid Principle or Ground it followeth likewise That in case the greatest and most lawful Authority amongst men should under any civil penalty or otherwise impose upon those under them that very Worship manner or kind of Worship which God himself either in his Word or by the Law or Light of Nature hath imposed on them although this imposition of it by men doth not render it unlawful nor yet dissolve the necessity of performing it which the Law of God imposeth on them yet if waving the Commandment of God in the case they shall perform it meerly upon and out of respect of the Commandment of men and upon such terms that they would not practise or perform it did not their Superiours on Earth command it such a performance as this even of the purest Worship that is otherwise would be idolatrous and unlawful although this Worship considered in it self or in the School-expression in actu signato would still be the pure and true Worship of God The reason of this consequence from the premises is because if it be the Prerogative or proper Right of God to command his own Worship they who shall reject or disown him in the claim hereof and entertain or submit unto any Creature claiming it is like a Woman that admitteth a stranger into her husbands Bed shutting him out of his own dâ—ors 5. And lastly for matter of consequence This conclusion also springeth naturally from the same root with the former That not to accept or submit unto any Form or Model of Divine Worship which hath been contrived and fram'd by men can be no disobedience to any Law truly so called in any politick State Kingdom or Common-wealth whatsoever The reason of this consequence is pregnant and clear namely Because there is there can be no Law truly and really such I mean which hath the nature essence and binding force of a Law indeed that requireth any thing of men which is made or declared sinful or unlawful by a superiour Law Any Act Sanction Decree Law Statute or Constitution which enjoyneth or imposeth any thing contrary eiâ—her to the Law or Mind of God in the Scriptures or to the Law of Nature or Light of Reason by what Authority soever it be enacted becomes void and null as soon as made being like unto a Child that is still born Nor is this any ways repugnant to the Law of this Nation the effect and substance of the notion being as I understand the acknowledged sence of some of the greatest Lawyers themselves and will not I presume be denied by any that understand themselves like men in their Profession Yea the Grand Debater himself though a man of as high an imposing-spirit as Episcopal Zeal can lightly make him acknowledgeth as much in saying 'T is true a Superiour cannot command a thing unlawful Grand Debate pag. 62. His meaning can be no other but that when he doth command any such thing his Command is null and not obliging However that Case is plain enough Certain it is that all Authority and Right of Power is Originally vested in God himself and consequently that whatever Authority is seated in any Creature one or more they have it by derivation and gift from him according to the Apostles Doctrine Rom. 13.1 Again As certain it is that God giveth no Authority or Right of Power unto any man or numbers of men whatsoever against himself Therefore no Act or Law so called whatsoever that is made with repugnancy to his Interest of Authority or Soveraignty of commanding hath the nature or force of a Law the Makers of it whoever they be having received no Authority from God to make any such but on the contrary stand charged by his Law to forbear all acting and Law-making in that kind yea and lie under a severe threatning from him in case they transgress Wo unto them that decree unrighteous Decrees c. Isa 10.1 And as by the Laws of this Land Nullum tempus occurrit Regi There is no prescription of Time against the King so by the Law of Nature and common Reason Nulla authoritas occurrit Regum Regi No authority whatsoever is of force against the King of Kings And as in the order and subordination of Civil Authorities the Command of an inferiour Magistrate doth not bind against the Command of the Superiour supposing this to be lawful the Warrant or Command of a Country Justice of Peace is not to be obeyed under the Proviso mentioned against the Order or Command of a Judge nor the Command of a Judge against the lawful Command of the King How much less doth the Authority of a weak and sinful Creature though the Name of it might be Legion and they never so many oblige any person against the least 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or tittle of any the Commands or Laws of God these being all unquestionably righteous and just And as the Scripture teacheth us to resolve the case without any demur or consideration at all between God and men when they speak contradictingly the one unto the other so that the one must needs speak truth the other that which is false Let God be true and every man whatsoever his interest or repute for truth
imply for it seems so to do that God worketh a great Miracle when he sendeth down his healthful Spirit upon any of our Bishops and Curats c. 6. And lastly That Bishops should be here twice prayed for whenas the Lords of the Council and all the Nobility have only one prayer allowed them and this a very short and simple one may reasonably be imputed to their great need of being often prayed for their wants being great and many and their temptations many through their great abundance which might likewise unhappily occasion their desire that the Prayer for them and their Curats for so they are wont to interpret Pastors and Ministers of the Church might have the precedency of the Prayer of the Lords of the Council and all the Nobility Thus much by the way concerning the Letany the Head Quarters of the Service-Book where the highest straines of Devotion that rule here are supposed to lodge and reside That they so much admire it who are so deep in love with it needs be no mans admiration It is a riming Proverb I suppose of the same race and descent with the Book it self Si quis amat ranam ranam putat esse Dianam One silly Frog who dotes in love will swear Diana's beauty shineth not more clear I have at present taken notice only of a few of the deformed lineaments in the face of it in my survey of it I discovered many more but those mentioned I judge competent to break the snare which the zealous and importune commendations of it by some who have most unworthily enslaved themselves in Devotion to it may prove unto others who haply would be more enclinable to worship God purely and with acceptation were not this uncouth Form of Devotion with swelling words of vanity obtruded on them Never was there I verily believe a Liturgie or piece of any Liturgie of so wild and barbarous of so mishapen odd and disordered a contrivance that ever presumed to look the world in the face or at least that was gloried over at the tenth part of that rate at which so many men of commendable parts learning and understanding otherwise make boast of the English Letany The Apostles expostulatory question to the Galatians might be very seasonably put to them at this turn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 3.1 We now return to the pursuit of our main undertaking where we brake off from it upon occasion of that diversion with which the Reader hath been made acquainted We had proceeded so far in asserting it as the incommunicable Prerogative of God to appoint and enjoyn his own Worship that there remained nothing of what was further intended herein but only the satisfying of such Arguments or pretences by which this Prerogative of God is attempted to be overthrown by entitling men to a right of power to impose Worship of their own prescribing as well as He. First The examples of the godly Kings in Juda as of David Asa Jehoshaphat Hezekiah Josiah c. interposing and imposing in Religious affairs are frequently imployed for the justification of the imposition of Forms of Worship by the Christian Magistrate and this under very grievous mulcts and penalties at this day I answer they may be imployed for such a purpose and yet to very little or no purpose at all For 1. These Kings had holy Prophets amongst them immediately inspired by God who from time to time upon all occasions were sent unto them with the mind of God in their mouths 1 Sam. 22.5 2 Sam. 7.4 5. 12.1 2 Kings 19.2 6 7 c. 2 Chron. 15.1 2. 18.7 18 c. and 19.2 and 20.14 15 c. and 25.7 8 9 15. and 26.5 and 34.21 22 23 c. Whereas Magistrates in these dayes have no such internuncij between God and them infallibly to declare his mind unto them in difficult cases 2. They had the mouth of God himself alwayes near unto them by Urim and Thummim by consulting by these they might know his mind in all cases of concernment and be resolved in all their doubts without any danger of mistake See and compare Num. 27.21 and 1 Sam. 23.2 4 9. and 30.7 and 28.6 Surplice and Lawn-sleeves are not Urim and Thummim 3. However the said Kings interposed with their Authority in matters of Religion yet they never imposed upon their People any new Form of Worship either of their own or other mens devising but on the contrary still interdicted and prohibited all such kinds methods and manners of Worship which were of Humane Invention as being provoking in the sight of God defacing abolishing and destroying all their accoutrements and whatsoever was relating unto such Worship either in a way of allurement or provocation or of subserviency in any kind yea they spared not the Priests themselves the Grand Promoters of this Worship but did severe execution upon them also 1 Kings 13.2 compared with 2 Kings 23.20 and 2 Chron. 34.5 Now then to reason thus The Kings of Juda had power to enjoyn the Worship of God appointed and commanded by God himself and to abolish all other kinds of Worship of a Forreign and Humane extraction Therefore Christian Magistrates have a right of Power to appoint and in joyn what Forms or Kinds of Worship they please whether they be prescribed and appointed by God or no to reason thus I say plainly argueth that men have taken some bribe or other to blind the eyes of their minds and understandings 4. Whatsoever was done by the godly Kings of Juda in matters of Religion was plainly commanded by God himself in the Law of Moses in what they did upon this account they neither added to nor took from his Word See Exod. 23.24 Deut. 7.5 and 12.2 3. Exod. 34.13 And for the Commands of God relating unto his external Worship and to the preservation hereof in purity which were delivered unto the Jews other than such which the Law and Light of Nature also teacheth which were not many if any in this kind are not only not oblieging upon any other Nation but are no sufficient Warrant unto any to practise or put in execution the things commanded in them One reason whereof may be because they were given unto the Jews with special reference unto the counsel and design of God in and about that Nation and People and are not serviceable for any design which at this day he hath on foot in or about any Nation in the World as for instance to make any of them typically holy I suppose that no considering man will affirm that those Laws or Commands laid down Deut. 13.5 and v. 8 9 10. and v. 15 16 17. which were as effectually binding unto the Jews and their Rulers as any Moral Precept will justifie in these dayes any Nation or Magistrate that shall do the things contained in them So then that the godly Kings of Juda did that in matters of Religion lawfully yea or commendably which they were by God commanded
be with men a lyar Rom. 3.4 So when there is any inconsistency or contest between any of the Laws of God and the Laws of men the case is soon decided as concerning the equity or binding force of either Let the Law of God be just and holy and good and even upon this account also challenge with authority obedience from men but the Law of men unjust unholy and evil and so a nullity and of no authority at all to require subjection to it Thus Peter with other Apostles in the presence of the high Priest and a great Council with him was very positive and definitive in the case We ought rather to obey God then men Act. 5.29 not long before being with John brought as guilty persons before another full Council he judged the equity of the case so notorious and broad on Gods side that he feared not to make the Council it self his Arbitrators although they were Parties and his Adversaries Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you or to obey you according to the former translation more or rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 than God judge ye Act. 4.19 So those three Servants of God lately mentioned being commanded by King Nebuchadnezzar to worship the Golden Image which he had set up and in case of refusal terribly threatned to be presently cast into the midst of a fiery Furnace declared unto him That they were not careful to answer him in the matter Dan. 3.16 the contrariety between the Kings Command and the Command of God was so manifest that they required no time to consider of an answer or what to do in the case but immediately resolved to keep fast and close to the Command of God though in so doing they must and did disobey the Commandment of the King Therefore if it be the Prerogative of God to appoint and command his own Worship that Law or humane Constitution which attempteth to divest him of it and to communicate it unto any Creature one or more or never so many is indeed no Law but an Usurper of the name and title of a Law wanting the Spirit Life and Soul of a Law which stand in an equitable force to bind to the observation of it But no equity bindeth any man to give away the glory of God to another So then not to submit to any form of Divine Worship devised and imposed by men is to do the will of God and consequently not to transgress or disobey any Law of man Now for the demonstration and proof of that Assertion or Ground formerly mentioned out of which the five Conclusions lately argued grow as naturally as so many Boughs or Arms of a Tree out of the Trunk or Body of it Let us first hear weigh and consider diligently and impartially whether the Scriptures do not speak to the heart of it and whether God himself doth not here claim such a Prerogative as therein is asserted unto him Secondly We shall consult some of the Maximes of Nature and Principles of Reason about the truth of it For the first I intend not to insist upon all places which offer themselves willingly enough to serve in the present warfare this would carry us far beyond the bounds of our intended brevity but shall argue only some few of those which speak more plainly to our purpose First Where God reproveth rejecteth or condemneth any Worship Form or manner of Worship upon this account That He commanded it not especially when there are other things in it one or more very hateful and highly reproveable he plainly declareth and asserteth it as his Prerogative to appoint and command all Worship Else why should he make this the emphatical character of such a Worship which his Soul abhorreth That He commanded it not especially when this Worship is as was now said otherwise and in it self abominable If men had any authority to appoint or command a Worship this were no reasonable or just exception against any Worship whatsoever That God commanded it not but if it be justly reproveable it must be for some intrinsecal evil either in the matter or in the form of it or in both But passages of the import now specified the Scripture affordeth many And they have built the high Places of Tophet which is in the Valley of the sons of Hinnom to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire VVHICH I COMMANDED THEM NOT Jer. 7.31 So again They have built also the high-places of Baal to burn their sons with fire unto Baal VVHICH I COMMANDED NOT nor spake it neither came it into my mind Jer. 19.5 In both these places it is observable that though the man-devised worship mentioned was in it self abominable full of unnatural and barbarous cruelty and besides performed to the honour of a most filthy and abominable Idol yet God in reproving it taketh no notice of either of these abominations but insists only upon this that HE COMMANDED IT NOT as being the greatest abomination of all and which comparatively justified all the rest Again And they built the high-places of Baal VVHICH I COMMANDED THEM NOT neither came it into my mind that they should do this abomination Jer. 32.35 By comparing this expreshon in all these passages VVHICH I COMMANDED THEM NOT with the express Command of God Lev. 18.21 Thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass thorow the fire unto Molech it plainly appears that in the case of Worship for God not to command and expresly to forbid are of one and the same consideration Even as in a Conveyance of Lands whatsoever is not expressed is no more conveyed than what is excepted Yea and it is very observable from the said passages that God intending to put the sharpest accent upon the breach of his Law in the matter of Worship which doubtless he doth intend in reproving and condemning it He doth not place it in matter of simple disobedience unto such his Law this being found in every sin I mean disobedience unto his Law 1 Joh. 3.4 but rather in the presumption of men to attempt any thing in that kind without besides or beyond his Command Several other passages there are besides those mentioned of like character with them If there be found among you man or woman that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the Lord thy God in transgressing his Covenant and hath gone and served other gods and worshipped them either the Sun or Moon or any of the Host of Heaven which I HAVE NOT COMMANDED c. Deut. 17.2 3. Thy People which thou broughtest out of Egypt have corrupted themselves they are quickly turned aside out of the way WHICH I COMMANDED THEM c. Deut. 9.12 implying that in the Worship of God of which he here speaketh to turn aside out of the Way WHICH HE HATH COMMANDED is to corrupt a man's self that is to dispose or prepare himself for ruine and destruction unto what way soever he shall betake himself otherwise