restraines us from inserting a large Catalogue and the no manner of advantage above that which set Formes may also afford but only of satisfaction to the itching eare exercise and pleasure to the licentious tongue and the vanity of the reputation of being able to performe that office so fluently which yet is no more then the Rabbins allow Achitophel that he had every day three new Formes of Prayer or of having a plentifull measure of the Spirit which is beleeved to infuse such eloquence I shall now conclude it impossible that any humane eye should discern a Necessity in respect of Ecclesiasticall policy or edifying the Church why all Liturgy should be destroyed not wash't not purg'd with Sope such any Reformation would be but torne and consumed with nitre for such is abolition why it should suffer this Ostracisme unlesse as Aristides did for being too vertuous be thus vehemently first declamed and then banish'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 seates or places when we enter the Assembly directly contrary to that of Isidor si quis veniat cum lectio celebratur adoret tantùm Deum if any come in when the Lesson is a reading let him only performe adoration to God and hearken to what is read and never so much as recommended at any time nor one would think permitted in 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 that to themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supposing the Gods would be content with the soules which in the blood were powred out and sacrificed to their honour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they said that the Gods wanted and desired the soules for a sacrifice but not any thing else of which People Herodotus l. 1. hath observed that they had neither Temples nor Altar and laugh'd at them which built either but went to the top of some hill or other and there sacrificed preferring such naturall Altars before any other The former of these is the avowed Divinity of these men and might perhaps have been attended with the latter too were it not that there be so many Churches already built conveniently to their hands Instead of which our Liturgy hath thought fit not only to recommend but prescribe bodily worship first by directing in the Rubrick what part of service shall be performed kneeling then by reading the Venite where all encourage and call upon the others to worship and fall down and kneele c. to worship i. e. adore which 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. Atranscribing of Christs Copy who kneeled and even prostrated himselfe 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 a far 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 vessell at the foot of a hill will say the Artists receive and contain more water then the same or a 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 fervent ejaculation at his entrance into Gods house will sure have Christs approbation of the Publicans behaviour to justify 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 duty of Prayer and consequently that it may be charg'd with blasphemy as well and as properly as with supersition 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 duely performed to God being the payment of a debt to God and no doubt acceptable when 't 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 deale in the outside but kept the greater treasure within in the invisible part And on the other side the stiffenesse of the knee an argument of some eminent defect if not of true piety yet of somewhat else and Christs prediction Joh. 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 briefe intimations I shall need adde no more when the conclusion that I am to inferre is so moderate being only 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 alwaies be within the compasse of salvo contenemento which this will not be if there be no competency of bodily worship left behind and that the Liturgy doth better to prescribe it at fit times then the Directory to omit all mention of it at all times unlesse by way of dislike and prohibition Which conclusion will be the more easily evinced against them by asking them whether in their Family-Parlour-Prayers or in their private Closet Prayers they do not approve and practice that gesture which as I believe in charity they do so I must from thence inferre that by them the House of God is the only place thought fit to be despised And if it be replyed that the Directory
A VIEW OF THE NEW DIRECTORIE AND A VINDICATION OF THE ANCIENT LITURGIE OF THE Church of England In Answer to the Reasons pretended in the Ordinance and Preface for the abolishing the one and establishing the other The Third Edition OXFORD Printed by HENRY HALL Printer to the UNIVERSITY 1646. BY THE KING A Proclamation Commanding the use of the Booke of Common-Prayer according to Law notwithstanding the pretended Ordinances for the New Directory WHereas by a Printed Paper dated the third of Ianuary last past intituled An Ordinance of Parliamâ—â—t for taking away the Book of Common-Prayer and for establishing and putting in execution of the Directory for the publique worship of God It is said to be ordained among other things That the Book of Common-Prayer should not remain or be from thenceforth used in any Church Chappell or place of publique Worship within the Kingdome of England or Dominion of Wales And that the Directory for publique Worship in that printed Paper set forth should be from thenceforth used pursued and observed in all exercises of publique Worship of God in every Congregation Church Chappell and place of publique Worship And by another printed Paper dated the 23. day of August last past intituled All Ordinance of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament for the more effectuall putting in execution the Directory for publique Worship c. particular directions are set down for the dispersing publishing and use of the said Directory in all parishes Chappelries and Donatives and for the calling in and suppressing of all Books of Common-Prayer under severall forfeitures and penalties to be levyed and imposed upon conviction before Iustices of Assize or of Over and Terminer and of the Peace as by the said two printed Papers may appeare And taking into Our consideration that the Book of Common Prayer which is endeavoured thus to be abolished was compiled in the times of Reformation by the most learned and pious men of that Age and defended and confirmed with the Martyrdome of many and was first established by Act of Parliament in the time of King Edward the sixth and never repealed or laid aside save only in that short time of Queen Maries Reign upon the returne of Popery and superstition and in the first yeare of Queen Elizabeth it was again revived and established by Act of Parliament and the repeale of it then declared by the whole Parliament to have béen to the great decay of the due honour of God and discomfort to the Professors of the truth of Christs Religion and ever since it hath béen used and observed for above fourescore yeares together in the best times of peace and plenty that ever this Kingdome enjoyed and that it conteines in it an excellent Forme of Worship and Service of God grounded upon holy Scriptures and is a singular meanes and helpe to devotion in all Congregation and that or some other of the like Forme simply necessary in those many Congregations which cannot be otherwise supplyed by learned and able men and kéeps up an uniformity in the Church of England And that the Directory which is sought to be introduced is a meanes to open the way and give the liberty to all ignorant Factious or evill men to broach their own fancies and conceits be they never so wicked and erroneous and to mis lead People into sin and Rebellion and to utter those things even in that which they make for their Prayer in their Congregations as in Gods presence which no conscientious man can assent or say Amen to And be the Minister never so pious and religious yet it will breake that uniformity which hitherto hath béen held in Gods service and be a meanes to raise Factions and divisions in the Church And those many Congregations in this Kingdome where able and religious Ministers cannot be maintained must be left destitute of all helpe or meanes for their publique worship and service of God And observing likewise that no reason is given for this alteration but only inconvenience alleadged in the generall and whether pride and avarice be not the ground whether rebellion and destruction of Monarchy be not the intention of some and sacriledge and the Churches possessions the aymes and hopes of others and these new Directories the meanes to prepare and draw the people in for all Wée leave to him who searches and knowes the hearts of men And taking into Our further consideration that this alteration is introduced by colour of Ordinances of Parliament made without and against Our consent and against an expresse Act of Parliament still in force and the same Ordinances made as perpetuall binding Lawes inflicting penalties and punishments which was never before these times so much as pretended to have been the use or power of Ordinances of Parliament without an expresse Act of Parliament to which Wée are to be parties Now lest Our silence should be interpreted by some as a connivance or indifferency in Us in a matter so highly concerning the Worship and Service of God the Peace and Unity of the Church and State and the establish'd Lawes of the Kingdome Wée have therefore thought fit to publish this Our Proclamation And Wée do hereby require and command all and singular Ministers in all Cathedrall and Parish-Churches and other places of publique Worship within Our Kingdome of England or Dominion of Wales and all other to whom it shall appertaine that the said Booke of Common-Prayer be kept and used in all Churches Chappels and places of publique Worship according to the said Statute made in that behalfe in the said first yeare of the said late Quéen Elizabeth And that the said Directory be in no sort admitted received or used the said pretended Ordinances or any thing in them conteined to the contrary notwithstanding And Wee do hereby let them know that whensoever it shall please God to restore Us to Peace and the Lawes to their due course wherein Wée doubt not of his assistance in his good time Wée shall require a strict account and prosecution against the breakers of the said Law according to the force thereof And in the meane time in such places where Wée shall come and find the Booke of Common-Prayer supprest and laid aside and the Directory introduced Wée shall account all those that shall be ayders actors or contrivers therein to be persons disaffected to the Religion and Lawes established and this they must expect besides that greater losse which they shall sustain by suffering themselves thus to be deprived of the use and comfort of the said Booke Given at Our Court at Oxford this thirteenth day of November in the one and twentieth yeare of Our Raigne 1645. GOD SAUE THE KING A PREFACE TO THE Ensuing Discouâ—se Sect 1 THat the Liturgy of the Church of England which was at first as it were written in bloud at the least sealed and delivered downe 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 piece 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 severalls Sect 2 1. That there is not a surer evidence and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which to discerne the great excellency of moderation in that booke and so the apportionatenesse of it to the end to which it was designed then the experience of those so contrary fates which it hath constantly undergone betwixt the persecutors on both extreame 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 Greeke Church our fellow Martyr devoured by the Turke 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 hee observed them that the middle vertue is most infallibly knowne by this that it is accused by either extreame as guilty of the other extreame that the true liberality of mind is by this best exemplified that it is defamed by the prodigall for parsimony and by the niggard for prodigality by which by the way that great blocke of offence which hath scandalized so many will be in part removed and the reproaches so continually heaped upon this booke will to every discerning Judge of things passe for as weake an unconcluding argument of guilt in it as the scarres of a Military man doth of his cowardice or the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the every Topicke of rayling Rhetorick Mal. 5. of the unchristiannesse of the person on whom they are powred out Sect 3 2. That ever since the reproaches of men have taken confidence to vent themselves against this booke there hath nothing but aire 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 objectors 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 beene the calumniari fortiter the gaining credit by the violence of the cry when it could not be had by the validity of the proofes 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 adaies as the instruments to act our great designes that a nocent person should plead not guilty then an innocent bee condemned which prejudice as it might bee pardon'd from the charity 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 piece 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 as it though never so without a cause Sect 4 3. 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 alwaies 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 Jewes then that it was permitted to be sacrificed the Lamb and the Turtle emblemes 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 denied that favour placed under a kind of Anathema or Excommunication sentence of such it was not lawfull no not to eate and so it must be expected in the anti-type that all the heat of the Satanicall impression all the fire of zeale the sentence to be sacrificed 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 thankesgiving to God for such an inestimable donative Sect 5 4. That a Liturgy 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 signify any thing imports that there was no Church in this Kingdome before that Session should also think the destroying of all Liturgy the only way of security to Gods worship the no-forme 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 5. 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 Kingdome about the end of the last year was in any reason to be accounted prooemiall and preparatory to some farther degree of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or disorder and to be attended by the abolition of the Liturgy in the beginning of this new year Episcopacy and Liturgy being like the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the Aegyptians this Daughter to attend that Mother as among the Barbarians when their Prince dyed some of the noblest were constantly to bear him company out of the World not to mourn for but to dye with him A thing that the People of this Kingdome could never have been imagined low or servile
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 fellowes so farre as to conclude the abolition of Liturgy necessary were those that undertook to reforme 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 best inferiour to the reading of Common-Prayer I answer 1. That the Liturgy or the just estimation of it is perfectly uncapable of this charge it being so farre 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 Liturgy 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 proficiency and gain which might arise from either Prayers would prepare us to heare as we ought i. e. to practice also and Sermons might incite and stirre up the languishing devotion and enliven and animate it with zeale and fervency in Prayer And constantly the more we esteemed the Ordinance and set our selves to the discharge of the duty 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 only to prevent the like partiality or oppression it may be just so farre 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 publicke 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 Liturgy 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 supercede the precepts of the Church As for Sermons which in this period seem the onely thing that is here opposed to Liturgy 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 poor 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 Piety 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 only businesse of the Church which was by God instil'd the House of Prayer and the Liturgy at most used but as Musick to entertain the Auditors till the Actors be attired and the Seates be full and it be time for the Scene to enter This if it were true would avow and justifie that plea in the Gospell 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 selfe 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 and the go you Cursed to none more then to those that heare and say but doe not and for the title of worship of God whether outward or inward outwardly exprest or all Prayer certainly and adoration of God is the thing to which that most specially belongs as may appeare 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 Reproofe 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 and againe to take heed how they hear but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or impropriety of speech that I say no more that is in this matter discernible in the words of the Directory and the consequent dangers which experience hath forced us to observe in them who place the worship of God especially in hearing have extorted thus much from us which may be usefull to give us a due valuation of Sermon and Prayer the former as a duty of a Christian the latter a duty too and an elicite act a prime speciall part of worship also Sect 11 And whereas 't is added that the Liturgy by man is made no better then an Idol 1. That is a speech of great cunning but withall of great uncharitablenesse cunning in setting the words so cautiously thus not an Idoll but no better then as they that will rayle but would not pay for it whose feare doth moderate the petulancy of their spleen and coveteousnesse keep them