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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A82002	A sober and temperate discourse, concerning the interest of words in prayer, the just antiquity and pedigree of liturgies, or forms of prayer in churches : with a view of the state of the church, when they were first composed, or imposed. Together with a discovery of the weakness of the grounds upon which they were first brought in, or upon which Bishop Gawden hath lately discoursed, the necessity of a liturgie, or the inconveniency of altering the English liturgie, the utility of church musick, and the lawfulness of ceremonies : in which are mixed reasons justifying those godly ministers, who forbear the use of the Common-prayer, against the late out-cryes of the said bishop. / By H.D. M.A.	H. D. (Henry Dawbeny); Collinges, John, 1623-1690, attributed name.	1661 (1661)	Wing D449; Thomason E1086_14; ESTC R208152	100,305	119

he was can fetch no higher authority for Lyturgies than Arnobius who lived 306. Athanasius who flourished 330. Hierom who lived 385. Victor Uticensis who lived 480. nor any plain proof from any of these Only some of these spoke of Books of the Christians ubi summons oratur Deus so Arnobius Sacros Scripturarum Libros so Athanasius Liber Hymnorum Mysteriorum so Hierom. Libros cunctos Domini so Uticensis We cannot but conclude that at this time there were no Service-Books made directing Forms of Prayer though possibly Basil Chrysostom Ambrose and others might write some Prayers to help some weak Christians which they might transcribe Duranti Rationale c. 2. l. 5. X. But what need we any further Testimony than is given by one as zealous for Lyturgies Rituals and other Ceremonies as ever lived in the world it is that of Durantus in his Rationale Divinorum Officiorum l. 5. c. 1. Durantus having ingeniously confessed what none can without great impudence deny that neither Christ nor his Apostles used any prescribed Forms but the Lords Prayer and the Creed nor doth or can he or any other say a word to prove they used them tels us that in suceeding times because the Church was rent by Heresies Theodosius who lived about the year 380 intreated Pope Damasus That some Ecclesiastical Office or Lyturgy as we call it might be made by some Eccelsiastical Catholick person upon which Pope Damasus commanded Hierom who was then in Bethlehem with Paula Eustochium and other Virgins to abide there and make a Lyturgy for the Churches because he was well skill'd in Hebrew Greek Chaldee and Latine which he obediently did He appointed how much of the Psalmes should be read each day in the week he also ordered the reading of the Gaspels and Epistles out of the Old and New Testament When he had done it he sent it to Rome it was approved by Pope Damasus and made a Rule and Damasus had the honour of the work because it was done at his Command Gelasius who lived 490. and was Pope and Gregorius Magnus who lived 600 years after Christ added Prayers and Songs the Lessons and the Gospels Ambrose Gelasius and Gregory saith he added the Gradualia Tractus Allelujah other Doctors of the Church added other parts Thus far Durantus XI He fetcheth the Original of Lyturgies from Theodosius but how probably let the Reader judge who shall consider that this good Emperor was Emperor but 17 years that in that time he convened that great and venerable Council of Constantinople where were 150 worthy persons Now let any judge how probable it was that this Emperor should never propose the business to these for their Canons are only about grave and necessary things and send to Pope Damasus about this He was a man too much acquianted with the efficacy of fervent Prayer to restrain it Nor indeed doth Durantus say that he caused any Prayers to be made all that he saith Hierom did was the appointing an Order of reading the Scriptures XII We must therefore go a little further than Theodosius his time Nuda ab initio omnia sompliciter Mysteria a Christo tradita apud Apostolos erant De Inventor cerum l. 5. c. 11. c. saith Polydore Virgil One Pope after this time brought in one piece of the Lyturgy another brought in another Coelestinus brought in the Introitus Missa Damafus the Confession Gregory the Responds and indeed till Gregories time there was no considerable use of it nor any imposing of it This was near upon 600 years after Christ XIII Pope Gregory is usually said to be the worst of all the Bishops of Rome that preceded him though the best of those that followed him a man of no great Learning for he confesseth himself in one of his Epistles that he understood no Greek not blameless for Morals for he was accused before Mauritius the Emperor for the murder of one Malchus Indeed the Protestant Writers make good use of him for his Testimony about some Points viz. that about the Scriptures Images but chiefly in the question about the Head of the Church Ep. l. 7. c. 194. XIV The truth of the Story is Two great Councils having before determined the Patriarch of Constantinople and the Bishop of Rome equal only allowing to the latter the empty Title of the Bishop of the first Seat John Patriarch of Constantinople was not able to endure that and so upon the Point though both refused the Title yet both strove to act the part of an Universal Bishop The Patriarch had the advantage of Gregory because the Empire being then in the East the Emperors Seat was at Constantinople Greg. ep l 4. Ep. 75.76 which caused divers Epistles between Mauritius and Gregory yet extant in Gregories workes Mauritius in the heat of this Contest was basely murdered by Phocas one of his Captains who was by the Souldiers made Emperor v. Greg. Epist l. 11. c. 36 43 44. Gregory tending the Interest of his Sea writes a most unworthy Letter to the Empress fawning upon that vile Murderer and beseeching him to favour Sr. Peters Successor and to remember who said Thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church Soon after this Gregory dies but before he died he had made a Lyturgy if we may believe Pamelius he made a Lectionary or Calendar directing Scriptures to be read in order an Antiphonary directing the Responds for Priests and People and an Order for administring the Sacraments Others think the two latter were made after but however these reached no further than Gregories power the Extent of which was at this time but short and harrow 15. Sabinianus was Pope immediatly after Gregory he lived but six Moneths Boniface succeeded him he also fell in with Phocas the Murderer of his Master and the Patriarch of Constantinople being now out of favour with Phocas because he could not flatter him in his horrid wickednesses and cruelties Phocas deserts him and gives Boniface what he asked the Title of Universal Bishop This was about the year 605. And now he might pretend some authority to impose his Service-Book XVI But yet he did little exept in Germany for the Lombards continual quarrels with the Emperors till the year 800. much hindred the Popes power all that time they lay close at home all this while encreased in superstition and the sottishness and ignorance of their Clergy encreased but in Jurisdiction they did little Only taking advantages one while favouring the Emperors other while the Lombards they added by the favour of both to St. Peters Patrimony by all wicked acts imaginable to be read at large in Mornayes Mysterium Iniquitatis and in many other Books XVII But about the year 800. Charles the Great being come to the Empire who was a vertuous and noble Prince only highly addicted to the Sea of Rome Adrian was then Pope the Emperor was a great Favourer of him he confirmed to

question why should so many good Subjects be lost to a Nation why should they have temptations to estrange their hearts from the ancient and excellent government thereof But matters of policy we most humbly leave to the grave wisdom and deliberations of His Sacred Majesty and His Parliaments Onely we must add a word to one or two Suggestions more which the Bishop hath for the imposing of the Liturgy CHAP. XIV Bishop Gaudens two Arguments from the Authority of the Church the influence of Subjects Conformity in devotion to their Prince considered No necessity of using the Liturgy upon these accounts I. THe truth is in other parts of his Book the Bishop did but like the Lapwing fly far about from his main design and argument which p. 27. he toucheth and yet but very tenderly The Authority of the Church must not be baffled Here indeed is the bottom of all we must have Liturgies and Ceremonies imposed to maintain the Authority and pomp and grandieur of what they call the Church II. The name of the Church is a reverend name and her Authority is reverend and by no means to be baffled for Christ is in her But as the Name and Authority of a rightful King is reverend so both the name and authority of an Usurper is justly abominable And as no Magistrates command is to be obeyed where he hath no right to command so neither is any Church nor is denial of obedience in that case any contempt of the Authority either of the Magistrate or of the Church we must therefore enquire strictly what Church this is which is clothed with Authority and what power she hath in the things we dispute about III. The Church is either Triumphant or Militant The Militant Church is visible or invisible It must be the Militant visible Church this also is an homonimous term and either signifies the universality of the people or the messengers of the people The Universality of people baptized into the name of Christ over all the world make up the Catholike visible Church The whole Company of them in this of that Province Nation City Parish make such a National Provincial or Parochial Church But we do not think this is the Church clothed with Authority We understand by a Church in that sense The Officers of such a Church constituted according to Gods Word whether they be the Officers of a particular Church or the messengers of the particular Churches in a Lugentile Synod a National or Provincial Synod or if it were possible in an Oecumenical Synod To Churches in all these political senses vve ow great reverence and acknowledge that to their several capacities several degrees of authority to admonish suspend excommunicate deprive declare the doctrine of saith in doubtful cases appoint some things truly and properly relating to decency or order c. IV. But it is more then we know that any such Church as this ever established a Liturgie in England The Papists have devised a new notion of a Church to them the Pope and his Cardinals make the Church but that any such notion of Church is justifiable from Scriptures Protestants deny V. Our State hath been pleased in some Acts of Parliament to take Church in another notion and to call the Prelacy of England the Church of England That this application of the term Church is not to be justified from Scripture or Reason is plain nor is it needful they may if they please call the Prelacy of England the Parliament or by what other name they please what should hinder But they cannot give them that Authority which the word of God allows onely to a Church in another notion but may cloath them with vvhat civil power they please VI. Hence it appears that it is all one vvith us in England to baffle or despise the Church and State for that company of men whom vve call the Church of England by a new civil application of the term is nothing else Then a company of men by a Civil Power made Bishops and called to advise the State in things concerning Religion who have no more Authority then they derive from the King or Parliament for whence should they have it Not from Nature Surely no Ecclesiastical power is derived from thence Not from Scripture upon any pretence for if vvhen Christ gave the Keyes to Peter he intended his single person as the Papists vvould have it then St. Peter's successor only can pretend to them if he gave them to Peter as an Officer of the Church then there must be either a full Convention of such Officers or some persons chosen by them to use them If to Peter as a Christian then the Authority is in the Community VII It remains that according to the Constitution of English Synods the Churches Authority is but derivative from the Civil State and to disobey them is no sin further then it is a disobedience to the lawful Civil Magistrate to vvhom vve freely grant an authority so far as Gods vvord allows us and such an authority as none ought to resist or baffle as the Bishop sayes The Church of England which we so often hear of is a Civil Church not an authoritative Church in a Scriptural notion VIII We again say Far be it from us to oppose Civil Authority either exercised by Lay persons or Ecclesiastical persons We acknowledge it our duty to render unto Caesar the things that are Caesars We further say vve are bound to obey the Civil Magistrate in all things in things lawful Actively in things unlawful in themselves or vvhich appear so to us by suffering their vvill and pleasure quietly and patiently That vvhich vve insist upon is onely a lawful means in order to our own preservation i. e. humbly desiring the Civil Magistrate to forbear imposing upon us in the tender things of God IX VVe freely allow to the Civil Magistrate a power to command us in all civil things and shall chearfully obey him 2. To command us to keep the Statutes and Commandments of God 3. To command us in the Circumstances relating to Divine Worship to do those things vvhich are generally commanded us in the vvord to appoint time and place and such circumstances vvithout vvhich the vvorship of God in the judgement of ordinary reason must be indecently and disorderly performed X. For his power in imposing Forms of prayer significant ceremonies c. vve do not dispute it but vve humbly crave leave to dissent in this and to have liberty to suffer his pleasure as becomes Christians rather then do those things vvhich our consciences vvould condemn us for And in this vve appeal to all sober Divines and all rational Christians vvhether vve speak not as becomes sober Christians XI VVe cannot vvithout some passion read vvhat the Bishop sayes p. 28. Doubtless Subjects cannot be so tite and firm or so zealous and firm or so chearful and constant in their Loyalty love and duty to their Soveraign if they

that the Church might have due confessions made as well of Original sin as Actual and due Petitions put up for pardoning and assisting Grace c. And considering that the church was so debauched now in her Clergy that some through ignorance could not do it some through Laziness would neglect a due care in doing that to which they were able Others possibly though that be concealed through a perverse and corrupted Judgment would not do it appointed Forms of Prayer to be used and restraine the liberty of Praying to the Ministers within that Province obliging them to use the Forms approved by the Synod VI. The reason for which as Durantus tels us Theodosius much about this time or a little before set St. Hierom to compose a Calendar indeed rather than a Lyturgy for Durantus saith he did no more than order the Scriptures to be read though Pamelius hath transmitted to us an Antiphonary and Sacramental Lyturgy as well as a Lectionary of his composing was in regard of Heresies risen up in the Church So that hitherto we have had no other account given us of the composing Forms for publick worship than 1. The Ignorance of the Ministry which they were forced to employ Or 2. Their Laziness and Negligence Or 3. Their or the Peoples falling into Errors VII But after that the Universal Bishop got up into the Saddle it was reasonable that he should have a power of Universal command and to shew his authority he must impose a compleat Lyturgy as to all parts and enjoyn universal conformity which yet he could never obtain till he got a great Interest in the Civil Magistrate who had a civil power over what was then almost the universal Church Nor must this serve the turn for this Universal Bishop must have all Churches not only speak the same words and phrases but in the same Language too hence he brings in Latine Service All which also admirably comported with the sottish ignorance and debauchery of the Clergy in the 6th 7th Century and so downward till the times of Reuchlin and Erasmus when Reformation began to dawn and the light began to spring out of darkness Whether these ends were good and lawful and the imposing of Forms of publick divine Worship were applied as just means in order to them viz. either to cure the ignorance or negligence of the Clergy or to bring the Church to an unity in Doctrine Worship or Affection shall be examined For if either the end or means be proved unlawful and against the Will of God they talk vainly for the continuance of them that urge no more than Humane Prudence Worldly Wisdom being no other than perfect Folly because Enmity to God CHAP. V. Universal Conformity of Devotion as to words and Syllables no good End Imposing Forms of Prayer no reasonable just or sufficient Means to prevent Heresies or to cure the Laziness or Insufficiency of the Church proved by Reason and by Experience I. IT cannot but be confessed that it is a noble end for any Church to aim at to take care that the people may have the truths of God asserted to them and not through the ignorance or laziness or perverseness of its Ministers be served with an Husk in stead of bread or a Scorpion in stead of a Fish This end is approveable both from the Word of God and the light of all Christian Reason But that there should be an Oneness in the devotion of people as to Letters and Syllables and Phrases and Forms of Sentences is an end so little and low and insignificant in it self that we cannot expect it should be justified from Scripture which indeed saith not a word to that purpose II. And although the prevention of Errors Heresies the poysoning of people with them as also the prevention of the mischief arising to the Church from ignorant and lazy or erroneous Preachers or Ministers be as I said before a noble end and well worthy of the Churches care yet before we can allow the same honour to the imposing of Lyturgies and stinted Forms of Prayer as means in order to those ends we must both enquire whether they be lawful means and also 2. Whether they be such as Reason will evince or experience hath proved effectual to the obtaining those ends and that 3. Without bringing upon the Church a mischief every way as great as what they are pretended to deliver us from III. That when Christ himself appointed no stated Forms of publick Devotion for his Church to the use of which and no other they should be tied nor his Apostles though guided by an infallible Spirit nor the Purer Church for some hundred years after it should remain yet lawful for the Church not content to repress and prevent Errors and Heresies by such waies and means as the Apostles used but by this new device to endeavour it may be justly a question to all sober Christians IV. Especially considering that as a liberty in coming to the Throne of Grace and asking there whatsoever we will provided it be consonant to the Will of God and begged in the Name of Christ is one of the great priviledges purchased by Christ for his Church so the Spirit of Grace and Supplication is eminently and frequently promised for their assistance and that not only to teach them how to pray but what to pray for Rom. 8.26 Nor is this promised only to the Prelates in a Church but to every individual Christian and the gift of Prayer whence flows mens abilities to express themselves by words and phrases is one of the most excellent gifts which we are bound to cover and to improve All which being considered it is far from being clear that the restraining of Christians especially of Ministers in the exercise of the noble gift of Prayer in the publick Assemblies of the Church is a lawful means in order to any end it looking like that quenching of the Spirit which is forbidden to all men by the Apostle 1 Thes 5.19 and choaking the coveting of the best gifts which is commanded all Christians 1 Cor. 14.1 For to what purpose should those Talents be desired which man hath authority to command to be laid up in a Napkin Nay which had far better be laid up in a Napkin than used if the Doctrine of some be true concerning the transcendent excellency of Forms of Prayer above what are conceived by Ministers according to the gift of God bestowed upon them V. Besides it may be worthy of enquiry whether it be possible or at least ordinary with men to read any Prayer with that fixed and constant intention of mind and fervency of spirit the two necessary requisites of Prayer as they may speak unto God from the dictate of their own hearts while their souls are more abstracted from created Objects than they can possibly be while it is a great piece of their work to look upon their Books to see what to say next For what some

pretend that the diversion is greater in conceived Prayer by the employment of the mind in prompting the tongue what it should say next besides that this is a spiritual employment of the mind within it self neither doth it require any such study where the heart is right with God and so acquainted with the Word and Promises of God as every reasonable Minister ought to be VI. Nor is it out of the way to consider whether this method of Book-praying will not expose the Ministers of the Gospel to a perfect contempt amongst the people who will certainly conclude their Parson not able to do what every ordinary Christian doth Of which contempt we have had a plentiful experience nor do we believe that any thing hath so contributed to our breed of Lay-preachers as our Stinted forms of prayer Whilst the people have apprehended their gifts better than their Ministers an easy temptation hath served them to usurp their Office Nor will any Minister longer keep his authority amongst a knowing people then by his performances of his Office they shall be convinced he is higher in gifts than themselves For rational people will not sacrifice a blind faith to the Bish of Exeter magnifying the forms of prayer in the Common-prayer-book beyond all measure but will be enquiring wherein their excellency lies Are they more perfect Summaries of things to be confessed or to be petitioned for Is their phrase more scriptural c. or if they do see an excellency in them it will be hard to informe them that the gift of reading is more admirable in their Minister at Church then in their servant at home VII Now if the Universal imposing of any forms upon the aforementioned considerations appear unlawfull of it self or in regard of some necessary or certain consequent there needs no more be said to prove that men should have made use of some other means in order to those good ends of preventing errors and the mischiefs arising or possible to arise from a negligent and ignorant Ministry to the Church of Christ VIII But suppose the use of this means lawful yet if Reason might then dictate unto them that applied this means That it was never like to effect its end and Experience hath since taught posteritie that upon the experience of 80. years it hath proved ineffectual certainly the very light of Nature should have taught the first imposers to have used some other means and will yet direct us who have the advantage of experience in this to excel out Fore-fathers IX It may put the rational world into a fit of astonishment to consider that so many Bishops should think that the imposing of formes of prayer would ever contribute any thing to cure the ignorance or negligence of the Clergy when in very deed it was the right way to feed both and to continue these scabs upon the Church for ever For a man to be able to compose a prayer fit for a congregation requires no lesse then a very competent skill in the whole body of Divinity and a very large knowledge of the Scriptures which would have ingaged Ministers to study the Scriptures and to stir up their gifts But when they had once thus provided for them there needed no more skil for a Parson then every ordinary person had viz. an ability to read the written prayers It is true they had yet some work to do in preaching but this was soon taken off their shoulders by adding still formes of prayer the reading of which should require such a length of time that no roome was left for Sermons or it there were Homilies came quickly after which would serve the turn So that these imposed Liturgies in stead of serving their end in curing the ignorance or negligence of Minist●●s did most wretchedly serve to fill the Church with ignorant and lazy persons yea and debaucht too for now the Ministers work was ready and he might stay at the Ale-house till Saturday and yet be as fit for his work or at least do as much the next day as was required of him which was not only miserably exemplified in the Popish Church til Erasmus his time and the beginnings of reformation when they began by the Protestants opposition to be quickened to a little better attendance to their work but is at this day sufficiently evident as to the generality of their Priests to say nothing of the liberal experience of it which our own Nation hath afforded X. Nor certainly could just reason dictate it a proper or adequate means to prevent or restrain Errors and Heresies for how should this ever do it shall preaching by a form imposed be superadded to praying or shall there be forms of prayer imposed for the Pulpit as well as the Desk These certainly had been too grosse impositions If not had not the Ministers as much liberty to vent their Errors in their Pulpit-prayers as they would have had in the Desk or in their Sermons as in their prayers But then people would have apprehended they say that they vented their own conceits not the doctrine of the Church And would they not far better have apprehended this if the Minister had only been enjoyned to read a perfect Systeme of the doctrine of Faith summarily drawn up Such was the wisdome of the Councel of Nice in the case though indeed that Creed be far from a perfect Systeme This no sober Minister would have scrupled Besides Heresies are commonly the issue of Schismes and experience hath told the world that nothing ever so contributed to the breeding of Schismes in the Church as imposed formes of prayer have done So contrary hath it appeared to the Sensus communis of Christians in all times that the Ministers of the Gospel should be restrained in the gift of prayer I say in all times since the Reformation of the Church nor would the Popish Church have ever been able to have imposed theirs so long upon the people if besides that Fire and Sword which alwaies attends his Holinesse is commands in case of disobedience they had not wisely kept the people from the sight of the Scriptures or from the hearing of any Sermons almost For nothing but the peoples ignorance could have secured this devotion so long And no sooner came the light of knowledge amongst the people but many of them either saw or thought they saw that this kind of Praying was not all that God required of his Ministers And in those Churches where were forms of prayer though translated into an intelligible tongue there were continual Factions and Separations from that which they called the Church and more in England then else-where because no reformed Church had such a Liturgy nor so imposed XI But suppose the imposing formes of prayer lawfull and that it had effected its end done something to prevent Errors Heresies and some mischiefes which from the Ignorance and Negligence of Ministers might have come upon the Church If yet the mischief coming

the time it self sheweth wherein they first began to be used in Sacred Offices For Bellarmine himself confesseth that they first began to be used in the time of Pope Vitalian but he brings no reason why none of them were used either in the Apostles or in Constantines time For if they began to be used after the year 660. or 820. we must believe that humane nature had a great wrong in that for so many years it did not apply this Faculty to the praise of God For we believe the Apostles loved Christ with all their hearts The former and more religious ages had weak ones too though no Organs were used to help them I know not whether they encrease or diminish tediousness For men seldom see those Musical Masters godly and those Instruments with their length are troublesom to such as sing with the voice Let the matter be as it will I affirm that Bellar with his distinction of Ceremonies could not answer P. Martyrs reason against these For as the offering of bloudy Sacrifices though common both to the Jews and Heathens was taken away by Christs Bloud on the Cross as unsuitable to the Priesthood after the Order of Melchizedech so though the Heathens used these Instruments in the Solemnities of their Idols as Nebuchadnezzar in the Dedication of his Image yet these were convenient only for the Jewish Ceremonial worship c. XXVI But the truth is all that can be pretended for Church-Musick is the Authority of the Church to add what Ceremonies she pleaseth to the worship of God which we must speak somthing to in the next Chapter Though neither can Church-Musick come under that Notion for it is a perfect Service of it self not alwaies appendant to singing and is so used a perfect Post set up by Gods Posts an Ordinance of mans added to the Ordinances of God for his Worship which our souls shall desire to take heed of CHAP. XVI The Bishops Reasons for the English Ceremonies considered The Churches Power about Ceremonies examined No Principle to be maintained to death Archbishop Parkers Opinion of humane Ceremonies Reasons against them I. VVE are come to the last thing which we shall take notice of in the Bishops Book and that is his zealous Assertion of the Churches power in appointing Ceremonies and Circumstances of Divine Worship This is indeed the root of all the Pandora's Box the very Fountain head of all those Impositions which have bred so much trouble disturbance and persecutions in the Church of God Let us first see how the Bishop asserts it II. He tels us That the last shock of popular envy which the innocent and excellent Lyturgy of England was wont to bear was from the Ceremonies For which the summe of his Plea is this 1. That they are few 2. Retained as signal marks of Faith or Humility or Purity or Courage or Constancy 3. Not as Sacramental Signs conferring Grace but meerly as visible Tokens apt by a sensible sign to affect the understanding with somthing worthy of its thoughts as signified thereby 4. St. Augustine was no enemy to them 5. They are established by the Lawes of Church and State 6. They fall not under the Second but the Third Fourth and Fifth Command 7. They are like Cloaths fitted to our Bodies and Perwicks to our Head and Tunes to our Pslams 8. They do not burden any Conscience 9. It is most true and undeniably to be maintained even unto the death That this National Church as well others hath from the Word of God Liberty Power and Authority within its own Polity and Bounds to judge of what seemeth to it most orderly and decent as to any Ceremony or Circumstance in the Worship of God which the Lord hath left unconfined free and indifferent in its own nature and only to be confined or regulated by every such Ecclesiastical polity within it self c. III. We must in our examination of this Harangue of discourse crave leave to alter his Lordships method and to begin with the last thing first for if the Lord hath left to the Church or State no such power at large or if it be bounded by some general rules to be observed in the exercise which are not observed in some particular impositions all the former pleas that they are few signal marks c. not Sacramental sign c. come to just nothing Yet we cannot but observe how the Bishop hath provided a way to light upon his legs say what we will For it cannot be denied but the Church hath a full power from the Word of God within its own polity and bounds to judge of what seemeth to it most orderly and decent as to any circumstance in the worship of God which the Lord hath left unconfined free and indifferent in its own nature And only to be confined or regulated by every such Ecclesiastical Polity within it self i.e. The Lord hath left that to be regulated by the Church which he hath left to be regulated by the Church A most momentous and undoubted truth never denied by any But that is not the question This is the question Whether it be the will of God that the Church should regulate and determine all things which the Word of God hath left indifferent as to his worship or whether God by leaving them indifferent hath not declared his will that the Church should so leave them too IV. Yet were the first part determined affirmatively it would not reach the mark for it would then be queried Whether the particular Ceremonies appointed for us be such considering the letter of the Scripture or the circumstances of those Ceremonies with the reason and consequents of Scripture Text that they under those circumstances considered can be lookt upon as indifferent yea or no. V. The Bishop is yet confounding us with the complicated notion of the Authority of the Church and State In England there are no Ceremonies established by any other authority then that of the State which having called together some Ecclesiastical persons heard their advice and by a Law established some Rites and Ceremonies to which no soul is otherwise obliged then to a State-constitution VI. That the Word of God hath left many things not possible to be determined by it to the Authority of the Christian Magistrate cannot be denied whether any Ceremonies or no is a question diverse circumstances relating to the worship of God are undoubtedly so left These are such as relate to order and decency i. e. without which the worship of God cannot be orderly and decently performed and do chiefly relate to time and place the ordinary adjuncts of humane actions Thus we freely grant that the Civil power or the Church orderly assembled may determine at what hours on the Lords day the Congregation shall meet as also it shall determine particular times for fasting or thanksgiving as Gods providence shall administer occasions that places of publique worship shall be erected frequented kept decent and an

hundred things of that nature which even reason and nature it self teacheth all sober persons to be such as that without some order to be observed in them the worship of God either would not be performed or would be undecently performed VII But that either any Church or Civil Authority shall be absolute judges of order and decency and that whatsoever of this nature shall be commanded by them shall therefore be judged decent and orderly because they say so and their commands shall oblige mens consciences in things of this nature where the word of God is silent will want some proof before it be credited VIII Or that they have power to command and impose such things under the notion of order and decency which have been grosly abused to idolatry and superstition or at which pious people have for a long time declared themselves scandalized or which have any remarkable appearance of evil in them is so grosly false that it needs no confutation for they themselves are commanded To abstain from all appearance of evil to give no offence either to Jew or Gentile IX Nor is it true that they have any authority to appoint significative Ceremonies where are sensible signs to affect the understanding This is to give them authority to institute Sacraments God hath appointed us Ordinances where by sensible signs spiritual mysteries are represented to us These are his Sacraments we know no authority men have to add to them though they avoid the Popish rock of their conferring grace which we say no true Sacrament doth ex opere operato X. Now for any such Ceremonies as these we crave leave to dissent from the Bishop let them be never so few imposed under what specious pretence they will let who will be for them and let them be established how they will we believe them reducible to no command but certainly and justly burthensom to any tender conscience No vvayes like clothes fitted to our bodies because not any way necessary not like tunes for Pslams because the worship of God might be decently enough performed without them They may for ought we know be as good as perukes or periwigs to make a specious shew of devotion for them the baldness of whose hearts stands in need of such things to dissemble them to the world XI If the Bishop thinks that the Churches power to establish such Ceremonies be a principle to death to be asserted We dare say he is the first Confessor that Doctrine ever had and which God forbid should he ever seal such a cause with his blood we should think he deserved no better Epitaph then Hic jacet Protomartyr Gregorianus cui parem Ecclesia Christiana nunquam prius habuit nec posthac unquam habeat Was there ever heard of any yet that died in the defence of a Churches right to institute in the Church what it pleased so as it was such as Gods Word did not forbid Tell it not in Gath O publish it not in the tent of Askelon XII Let us hear Arch-Bishop Parkers opinion in this case he lived in darker times then ours are but yet is seems had more Gospel-light or a more Gospel Spirit he was consecrated 1559. Having told us of Augustine the Monk's eagerness even beyond his Mr. Pope Grogories directions to bring in the Romish Liturgy and Ceremonies in England which yet he could not do Antiq. Ecclas Britan. cap. 17. without the blood of 1200 Monks that opposed him He thus bewailes that first Prelates fury And truly saith he that contention then stirred up by Augustine about bringing in the Popish Ceremonies or Rites which could not then be appeased without the blood and slaughter of many innocent Brittains hath reached unto our times with the like destruction and slaughter of Christians For when men by those pompous Ceremonies departed from the pure simplicity of the primitive Church they took no great care for holiness of life for the preaching of the Gospel for the comforts and efficacy of the holy Spirit but they raised new contentions every day about new Ceremonies added by several Popes who thought none worthy of any great place who did not bring in some new Ceremonious that I may not say monstrous unheard of and unusual thing and so they filled both Schools and Pulpits with tales and brablings The primitive Church was more simple and white with the intire and inward worship of God prescribed in his word she was not splendid with garments nor adorned with magnificent buildings nor shining with gold silver and precious stones But the Romish Church even in that great St. Augustines time was so overgrown with Ceremonies that he complained that the condition of Christians in respect of the multitude of Rites and Ceremonies was vvorse then that of the Jews who though they acknowledged not their time of liberty yet vvere subjected only to Rites appointed by Gods Law not to humane presumptions for they used fewer Ceremonies then the Christians in Gods worship But had he perceived vvhat heapes vvere after added by several Popes I believe that he vvho then saw the evil of them in the Church vvould have set some Christian bound to them For vve see that the Church is nor yet free from that contention about Ceremonies but men otherwise learned and pious contend and quarrel about Vestments and such trifles in a more brawling and military then Philosophical or Christian manner This vvorthy person vvould hardly have died in defence of a power to appoint Ceremonies XIII But suppose it vvere not per se unlawful for the State or Church to appoint some mystical and significant Ceremonies yet may all such things be done without any regard at all to circumstances St. Paul saith All things are lawful for me but all things are not expedient all things are lawful but all things edifie not And we have heard such a maxime as Quicquid non expedit in quantum non expedit non licet Every thing that is not expedient so far as 't is inexpedient is unlawful St. Paul determined the eating of flesh and many other things inexpedient by reason of the offence and the scandal those things would have given supposing any Ceremonies to have been used by idolaters and that the former use of them hath proved a continual scandal to many good Christians and bred a continual division in the Church and if restored that the scandal will be ten times greater then ever and the sufferings of innocent souls for non-conformity to them an hundred times more than ever Quaeritis quomodo vincuntur Pagani● descrite eorum ritus c. are they yet lawful or desirable or is it worth the dying to maintain the Churches power as to the establishing such Ceremonies The Father of old we know thought the best way to convert the heathens was to have nothing to do with their Rites c. And is not this the likeliest way to convince the Romish idolaters at least to keep our souls clear of