lay any heavier charge upon it Sect. 22 From all which considered and a great deal more which might be added from the usefulnesse of known Forms to those whose understandings are not quick enough to go along with unknown and if they have no other are faine ofttimes to return without performing any part of that so necessary duty of prayer in the Church from the experience of the effects of the contrary doctrine the many scandalous passages which have fallen from Ministers in their extemporary Prayers of which meer pity and humanity civility and mercy to Enemies restrains us from inserting a large Catalogue and the no manner of advantage above that which set Forms may also afford but onely of satisfaction to the itching eare exercise and pleasure to the licentioâ—â— tongue and the vanity of the reputation of being able to perform that office so fluently which yet is no more then the Rabbins allow Achitophel that he had every day three new Forms of prayer or having a plentifull measure of the Spirit which is believed to infuse such eloquence I shall now conclude it impossible that any humane eye should discern 〈◊〉 Necessitie in respect of Ecclesiasticall policy edifying the Church why all Liturgie should be destroyed not wash't nor purg'd with Sope sucâ— any Reformation would be but torn and consumed with nitre for sucâ— is abolition why it should suffer this Ostracisme unlesse as Aristides diâ— for being too vertuous be thus vehemently first declaimed and then bâ— nish'd out of the Church Sect. 23 Secondly for outward bodily worship 't is particularly prohibited by the Directory at one time at the taking of our seats or places when we enter thâ— Assembly directly contrary to that of Iâ—idor si quis veniat cùm lectio celebratur adoret tantùm Deum If any come in when the Lesson is a reading let him onely perform adoration to God hearken to what is read neve so much as recommended at any time nor one would think permitted iâ— any part of their publick service like the Persians in Strabo l. 15. that never offer'd any part of the flesh to the Gods in their sacrifices kept all thâ— to themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supposing the Gods would bâ— content with the souls which in the blood were powred out and sacrificed to their honour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they said that the Gods wanted and desired the souls for a sacrifice bâ— not any thing else of which people Herodotus l. 1. hath observed that they had neither Templars nor Altar and laugh'd at them which built either but went to the top of some hill or other and there sacrificed prefeâ—ring such naturall Altars before any other The former of these is thâ— avowed Divinity of these men and might perhaps have been attendeâ— with the latter too were it not that there be so many Churches alreadâ— built conveniently to their hands in stead of which our Liturgie hatâ— thought fit not onely to recommend but prescribe bodily worship fiâ—â— by directing in the Rubrick what part of service shall be performed kneeling then by reading the Venite where all encourage and call up one thâ— others to worship and fall down and kneel c. to worship i. e. adore whicâ— peculiarly notes bodily worship and so surely the falling down and kneeling before the Lord. And of this I shall say that it is 1. an act of obedience to that precept of glorifying God in our bodies as well as souls 2. A transcribing of Christs copy who kneeled and even prostrated himself in prayer of many holy men in Scripture who are affirmed to have done so and that affirmation written for our example and even of the Publican who though standing yet by standing afar off by not looking up by striking his breast did clearly joyn bodily worship to his prayer of Lord be mercifull to me a sinner used at his coming into the Temple and in that posture thrived better then the Pharisee in his loftier garbe went away more justified saith our Saviour as a vessel at the foot of a hill will say the Artists receive and contain more water then the same or the like vessell on the top of it would be able to do and he that shall do the like that shall joyn adoration of God and nothing but God to the use of that or the like servent ejaculation at his entrance into Gods house will sure have Christs approbation of the Publicans behaviour to justifie him from any charge of superstition in so doing and besides 3. the most agreeable humble gesture and so best becoming and evidencing and helping the inward performance of that most lowly dutie of Prayer and consequently that it may be charged with blasphemy as well and as properly as with superstition and probably would be so if the latter were not the more odious of the two and indeed why kneeling or bowing should be more lyable to that censure then either mentall or orall prayer there is no reason imaginable it being as possible that one may be directed to a false object and so become Idolatrous or superstitious in the true notion of those words as they denote the worship of Idols or dead men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or superstites as the other and for the improper notion of Superstition the one again as much capable of being an excesse in Religion the mind or tongue being as likely to enlarge and exceed as the body or of using a piece of false Religion as the other the bodily worship duly performed to God being the payment of a debt to God and no doubt acceptable when it is paid with a true heart and no way an argument of want but a probable evidence of the presence and cooperation of inward devotion as I remember Nazianzen saith of his Father Or. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He shewed a great deal in the outside but kept the greater treasure within in the invisible part And on the other side the stiffnesse of the knee an argument of some eminent defect if not of true piety yet of somewhat else and Christs prediction John 4. that the time should come that the worshippers should worship God in spirit and truth being not set in opposition to bodily worship but to the appropriating it to some singular places Jerusalem or that Mountain not producible as any apology or excuse for such omission To these brief intimations I shall need adde no more when the conclusion that I am to inferre is so moderate being onely this that it is not necessary to turn all bowing or kneeling or bodily worship out of the Church were there any superstition in any one or more gestures this were too great a severity to mulct the Church of all above the proportion of the most unlimited arbitrary Court whose amercements must alwayes be within the compasse of salvo contenemente which this will not be if there be no competency of bodily worship left behind
A VINDICATION OF THE Ancient Liturgie OF THE Church of England WHEREIN The Several Pretended REASONS for Altering or Abolishing the same are Answered and Confuted By HENRY HAMMOND D. D. Written by himself before his Death LONDON Printed for Austin Rice and are to be fold at the Crown in Saint Pauls Church-yard 1660. A PREFACE TO THE Ensuing Discourse Sect. 1 THat the Liturgie of the Church of England which was at first as it were written in blood at the least sealed and delivered down to us by the Martyrdom of most of the compilers of it should ever since be daily solicited and call'd to the same Stage and Theatre to fill up what was behinde of the sufferings of those Fathers is no strange or new peice of oeconomy in the Church of God This proposition I shall take liberty briefly to prove by way of introduction to the ensuing discourse and shall hope that you will acknowledge it with me if you but consider these severals Sect. 2 First That there is not a surer evidence and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which to discern the great excellencie of moderation in that book and so the apportionatenesse of it to the end to which it was designed then the experience of these so contrary fates which it hath constantly undergone betwixt the persecutors on both extream parts the assertors of the Papacy on the one side and the consistory on the other the one accusing it of Schisme the other of Complyance the one of departure from the Church of Rome the other of remaining with it like the poore Greek Church our fellow Martyr devoured by the Turk for too much Christian profession and damn'd by the Pope for too little it being the dictate of naturall Reason in Aristotle whose rules have seldome failed in that kinde since he observed them that the middle virtue is most infallibly known by this that it is accused by either extreame as guilty 〈◊〉 the other extreame that the true liberalitie of minde is by this be◠exemplified that it is defamed by the prodigall for passimony and by the niggard for prodigality by which by the way that great block of offence which hath scandalized so many will be in part removed and the reproaches so continually heaped upon this book will to every discerning Judge of things passe for as weak an unconcluding argument of guilt in it as the scarres of a Military man doth of his cowardice or the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the every Topick of rayling Rhetorick Mal. 5. of the unchristiannesse of the person on whom they are powred out Sect. 3 Secondly That ever since the reproaches of men have taken confidence to vent themselves against this book there hath nothing but ayre and vapour been vomited out against it objections of little force to conclude any thing but onely the resolute contumacious either ignorance or malice of the objector which might at large be proved both by the view of all the charges that former Pamphlets have produced all gathered together and vindicated by Mr. Hooker and that no one charge of any crime either against the whole or any part of it which this Directory hath offered which as it might in reason make such an act of malice more strange so will it to him that compares this matter with other practises of these times whose great engine hath been the calumniari fortiter the gaining credit by the violence of the cry when it could not be had by the validity of the proofs most men being more willing to believe a calumnie then to examine it make it but unreasonable to wonder at it It being an experiment of daily observation that those which have no crime of which they are accusable are therefore not the lesse but the more vehemently accused prosecuted and dragg'd to execution that the punishment may prove them guilty which nothing else could it being more probable in the judgement of the multitude who especially are considered now adayes as the instruments to act our great designs that a nocent person should plead not guilty then an innocent be condemned which prejudice as it might be pardon'd from the charitie wherein 't is grounded that they who are appointed to punish vilenesses will not be so likely to commit them so being applyed to usurping judges whose very judging is one crime and that no way avowable but by making use of more injustices will prove but a peice of Turcisme which concludes all things honest that prove successefull or of the moderne Divinity in the point of Scandall which makes it a sufficient exception against any indifferent usage that it is by some excepted against a competent cause of anger that men are angry at it though never so without a cause Sect. 4 Thirdly That it hath been constantly the portion and prerogative of the best things as of the best men to be under the crosse to have their good things of this world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with persecutions Mar. 10. 30. and so no strange thing that that which is alwayes a dealing with the Crosse should be sometimes a panting and gasping under it There was never any surer evidence of the cleannesse of a creature amongst the Jews then that it was permitted to be sacrificed the Lamb and the Turtle emblems of innocence and charity and the other Christian virtues were daily slaughter'd and devoured while the Swine the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and all the uncleaner creatures were denyed that favour placed under a kinde of Anathema or Excommunication sentence of such it was not lawfull no not to eat and so it must be expected in the anti-type that all the heat of the Satanicall impression all the fire of zeal the sentence to be sacrifized and devoted should fall as now it doth on this Lambe-like Dove-like creature of a making not apt to provoke any man to rage or quarrell or any thing but love of communion and thanksgiving to God for such an inestinable donative Sect. 5 Fourthly That a Liturgie being found by the experience of all ancient times as a necessary hedge and mound to preserve any profession of Religion and worship of God in a Nationall Church it was to be expected that the enemy and his instruments which can call destruction mercy embroyling of our old Church the founding of a new we know who hath told one of the Houses of this Parliament so that they have laid a foundation of a Church among us which if it signifie any thing imports that there was no Church in this Kingdom before that Session should also think the destroying of all Liturgy the onely way of security to Gods worship the no-form being as fitly accommodated to no-Church as the no-hedge no-wall to the Common or desert the no inclosure to the no-plantation Sect. 6 Fifthly That the eradication of Episcopacy first Voted then Acted by the Ordination of Presbyters by Presbyters without any Bishop which begun to be practised in this Kingdom about the end of
Form the onely one establisht by Law and so sure to be esteem'd by us before any other is also in many respects the most convenient for Publick worship of which affirmation we shall offer you no other proof or testimony then what Mr. Calvin whom before we named hath given us in his Epistle to the Protector in these words Quod ad formulam c. As for Forms of Prayers and Ecclesiasticall Rites I very much approve that it be set or certain From which it may not be lawfull for the Pastors in their Function to depart that so there may be provision made for the simplicity and unskilfulnesse of some and that the consent of all the Churches among themselves may more certainly appear and lastly also that the extravagant levity of some who affect novelties may be prevented So probable was my conjecture that at first I interposed that the men that had here imposed upon their fellows so far as to conclude the abolition of Liturgie necessary were those that undertook to reform Geneva as well as England to chastise Calvins estimation of it as well as that of our Prelates Sect. 10 As for that pompous close that this hath been to the great hindrance of the Preaching of the Word and to the justling it out as unnecessary or at â—est inferiour to the reading of Common-Prayer I answer 1. That the Liturgie or the just estimation of it is perfectly uncapable of this charge it being so far from hindring that it requires the Preaching of the Word assignes the place where the Sermon shall come in hath Prayers for a blessing upon it 2. That if any where Sermons have been neglected it hath not been through any default either of the length or estimation of the Liturgie for these two if Faction and Schisme did not set them at oddes would very friendly and peaceably dwell together and each tend much to the proficiencie and gain which might arise from either Prayers would prepare us to hear as we ought i. e. to practice also and Sermons might incite and stir up the languishing devotion and enliven and animate it with zeal and fervencie in Prayer And constantly the more we esteemed the Ordinance and set our selves to the discharge of the dutie of Prayer the more should we profit by Sermons which were thus received into an honest heart thus fitted and made capable of impression by Prayer These two may therefore live like Abraham and Lot and why should there be any wrangling or controversie betwixt thy Heards-men and my Heards-men But seeing it is made a season of complaining I answer 3. That it is on the other side most notorious that in many places the Sermon hath justled out the Common Prayers and upon such a provocation and onely to prevent the like partiality or oppression it may be just now to adde that as long as the Liturgy continues in its legall possession in this Church there is no other legall way as that signifies commanded by Law of the publick worship of God among us and although that voluntary Prayer of the Minister before Sermon when it is used is a part of the worship of God as all Prayer is yet is it not prescribed by the Law nor consequently can it without usurpation cut short or take away any part of that time which is by that assigned to the Liturgie the free will offerings though permitted must not supplant the daily prescribed oblations the Corban must not excuse the not honouring of Parents the customes which are tolerated must not evacuate or supersede the precepts of the Church As for Sermons which in this period seem the onely thing that is here opposed to Liturgie I hope they do not undertake to be as eminent a part of the worship of God among us as Prayer If they do I must lesse blame the poore ignorant people that when they have heard a Sermon or two think they have served God for all that day or week nor the generality of those seduced ones who place so great a part of Pietie in hearing and think so much the more comfortably of themselves from the number of the houres spent in that Exercise which hath of late been the onely businesse of the Church which was by God instil'd the House of Prayer the Liturgie at most used but as Musick to entertain the Auditors till the Actors be attired and the Seats be full and it be time for the Scene to enter This if it were true would avow and justifie that plea in the Gospel Lord open unto us for thou hast taught in our streets i. e. we have heard thee Preach among us Which sure Christ would not so have defamed with an I will say unto them go you cursed c. if it had been the prime part of his worship to be such hearers the consideration of that place will give us a right notion of this businesse and 't is this that hearing of Sermons or what else appointed by the Church for our instruction is a duty of every Christian prescribed in order to practice or good life to which knowledge is necessarily preparative and so like many others actus imperatus an act commanded by Religion but so far from being it self an immediate or elicite act of worship precisely or abstractly as it is hearing that unlesse that proportionable practice attend it 't is but an aggravation and accumulation of our guilts the blessednesse not belonging to the hearing but the and keeping the word of God the go you Cursed to none more then to those that hear and say but do not and for the title of worship of God whether outward or inward outwardly exprest orall Prayer certainly adoration of God is the thing to which that most specially belongs as may appear Psal 95. 6. where that of worshipping is attended with falling down and kneeling before the Lord our maker And even your Directory though it speak extream high of Preaching the Word yet doth not it stile it any part of Gods worship as it doth the reading the word of God in the Congregation p. 12. because indeed our manner of Preaching is but an humane thing and the word of man This I should not here have said because I would be sure not to discourage any in the attending any Christian duty and such I acknowledge hearing to be and heartily exhort all my Fellow-Labourers in their severall Charges to take heed to Doctrine to Reproof to Exhortation to be as frequent and diligent in it as the wants of their Charges require of them and my fellow-Christians also that they give heed to sound Doctrine that they require the Law at the Priests mouth as of a messenger of the Lord of hosts again to take heed how they hear but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or impropriety of speech that I say no more that is in this matter discernible in the words of the Directorie and the consequent dangers which experience hath forced